University College School, known generally as UCS, is a leading Independent boys' school situated in Hampstead in Northwest London. The current Headmaster of the school is Kenneth Durham.

History
Giving a detailed blow by blow history of UCS is close to impossible as many of its early records were destroyed when the archives of University College London were bombed in the Second World War, and because many documents were destroyed or left to rot by a headmaster who believed, according to the legendary H.J.K. Usher, 'that tradition began with him'.

The School was originally founded in 1830 by what was then the University of London, and now University College London. The University of London had been founded by Jeremy Bentham and others to provide opportunities for higher education to Catholics, Jews, Protestant dissenters &c. - as only members of the established Church could study at Cambridge and Oxford (the only other two universities in England at the time). University College found that the quality of the school education of its applicants was disappointing, due to the fact that the good English secondary schools were largely of Church of England foundation and, like Oxbridge, barred to non-members of the Church of England. The decision was therefore taken to establish its own school on the premise.

The first headmaster was The Reverend Henry Browne. The School opened at 16 Gower Street (from where the sobriquet 'Old Gower' derives) on November 1, 1830. By February 1831 it had outgrown its quarters, and in 1832 it was brought within the walls of the College, with a joint headmastership of Thomas Hewitt Key and Henry Malden.

The School was remarkably original - it was never a boarding school, it was one of the first schools to teach modern languages (the first school in England to teach German) and sciences, and one of the first to abolish corporal punishment. It has also been noted that UCS had a gymnasium before the school that is generally credited with having the first gym. Originally, there were no compulsory subjects and no rigid form system. Most boys learnt Latin and French, and many learnt German. Mathematics, Chemistry, Greek and English were also taught. There was no religious teaching. Under the University College London (Transfer) Act 1905, University College London became part of the federal University of London, and its School was created as a separate corporation.

UCS moved away to new purpose built buildings in Frognal in Hampstead in 1907, which were opened by King Edward VII with the Archbishop of Canterbury in attendance on July 27. Kikuchi Dairoku was invited to the first annual prizegiving at Frognal where he represented those who had received their prizes at Gower Street.

The Sixth Form Centre which also houses the Theatre was opened by the Duke of Kent in 1974.

In 1980 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited the School to celebrate its 150th Anniversary and to inaugurate the rebuilt hall which had been destroyed by fire in 1978.

In 1993 a new Library, Music School, Lecture Theatre, Computer Laboratory, Sports Hall, Geography School, Mathematics School and further classrooms were added to the Senior School site. The Junior Branch buildings have also been completely refurbished, with the addition of an attractive Art & Technology Centre.

UCS is a member of the Eton Group of 12 leading public schools.

In 2005 UCS announced a £12 million development programme. In addition the school made a concerted effort to track down Old Gowers; as a result the eminent Old Gowers list may increase dramatically soon. The school is also currently making efforts to become co-educational, with the first steps being introduced in 2008.


Location

The infamous Organ in the main school Hall - both are noted pieces of Edwardian Architecture.The Main school site (i.e. that of the Senior School) is located on Frognal, in leafy Hampstead - a suburb of London. The main school premise is a noted example of Edwardian architecture (as pictured at top), in addition to this, the main school hall is another splendid and well-preserved piece of Edwardian architecture. Inside the hall is the magnificent Organ, often used for school concerts and other festivities relating to the school.

The Junior Branch has its own Library, Science Laboratory, Music, Computer and Drama rooms, whilst Junior Branch pupils use the Sports Hall and Swimming Pool at Frognal for Physical Education.

Outdoor sports including Rugby, Football, Cricket, Athletics and Hockey take place at UCS's gamesfield on Ranulf Road in nearby West Hampstead. Tennis and Fives take place at the school facilities on the Frognal premise.

The Eve Pavilion located on the Ranulf Road sportsgrounds.The Junior branch and the Phoenix school are located on two different campuses in Hampstead.


Arrangement
UCS consists of three main entities.

'The Phoenix School', co-educational for ages 3 to 7. This was recently acquired by UCS.
'The Junior Branch', boys-only for ages 7 to 11. This is also known as 'Holly Hill'.
'The Senior School', boys-only for ages 11-18. This is commonly just referred to as UCS, it is the largest of all entities.
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Year names
The Senior School (ages 11-18, British secondary school level) itself is divided into three schools by age, these are:

Lower School, Years 7 and 8.
Middle School, Years 9, 10 and 11.
Sixth Form, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth (Years 12 and 13).
In the Senior School, each year has its own unique name, see the table below:

Year Names Year Name Ages Year equivalent at British Secondary level
Lower School
Entry 11-12 years Year 7
Shell 12-13 years Year 8
Middle School
Lower Remove 13-14 years Year 9
Remove 14-15 years Year 10
Upper Remove 15-16 year Year 11
Upper School
Transitus 16-17 years Lower Sixth (Year 12)
Sixth Form 17-18 years Upper Sixth (Year 13)
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Demes
Students in the Middle School and Sixth Form are arranged into Demes. This is similar to a school house. In the Middle School, each year has one form (class) to each Deme whereas in the Upper School there are two forms for each Deme in each year. There are often inter-Deme tournaments and competitions in sports among other things. In the Middle School the distinctive school blazer carries a coloured school logo on the breast pocket depicting which deme the pupil belongs to. Each Deme takes it name from a former prominent member of staff in the school. There are currently five Demes:

Baxters, Blue
Black Hawkins, Yellow
Evans, Pink (though for sport their Deme colour is black)
Flooks, Green
Underwoods, Purple

School motto, colours and songs

UCS Logo (from stationary)The school motto is 'Paulatim sed firmiter', roughly translated as 'Gradually but surely'. The school song is called Paulatim.

The school's colours are maroon and black. On blazers these are vertical stripes.

There have been numerous songs written about UCS

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Entry
There are 4 main points of entry for prospective pupils:

At Junior Branch entry, at ages 7 or 8, judged by combination of internal exam and interview.
At Lower School entry, at age 11, judged by combination of internal exam and interview.
At Middle School entry , at age 13, judged by combination of internal exam and interview.
At Sixth Form entry, at age 16, judged by subject-specific exams and interviews and conditional upon GCSE results. This is only a point of entry for a handful of boys.
Since the acquisition of the Phoenix School, a pupil transfer between the school and the junior branch is in place at age 7 for those 'displaying academic potential'.

Former pupils (Old Gowers)
Prominent former pupils include (this is not a definitive list):

Joe Craig, Novelist
Alex Garland, Novelist
Arthur Edwin Kennelly, American electrical engineer
Dairoku Kikuchi, Japanese mathematician and Minister of Education
David Katz, Music Journalist
David McCallum, Actor
Dick Rubenstein, Major
Dirk Bogarde, Actor (Junior School only)
G.W. Knox (OG 1856-59), President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales
Frank Holl, English painter
Frederic George Stephens, 'Nonartistic' member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood & Art critic.
Hayashi Tadasu, Japanese Foreign Minister, and Ambassador to the Court of St James.
Ingram Bywater (OG 1853-56), Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford University
Joseph Chamberlain (OG 1850-52), Colonial Secretary, leader of the Imperialist Liberals and father of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain
Judge Jules, Dance music DJ
Julian Lloyd Webber, Cellist
Max Minghella (OG 1999-2004), Actor
Nicolas Bentley, illustrator
Richard Holt Hutton (OG 1835-41), Editor of 'The Spectator'
Ronald Neame, British screenwriter and director
Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading (OG 1873-74), Lord Chief Justice and Viceroy of India
Stephen Spender, Poet
Thom Gunn, Poet
Tom Hood, Humourist
Will Self, Writer
Walter Sickert A.R.A. (OG 1870-71), Artist and critic
1st Viscount Samuel, Herbert Samuel (OG 1884-88), Leader of the Liberal Party, Home Secretary and High Commissioner for Palestine
His Excellency Viscount Hayashi (OG 1867-68), Japanese Ambassador to the Court of St. James's
Professor Karl Pearson F.R.S. (OG 1866-73), Founder of Department of Applied Statistics of University College London which was the first statistics department in the world. He was a major contributor to the development of statistics. Contemporary and close friend of Kikuchi Dairoku.
Professor William Edward Ayrton, F.R.S., (OG 1859-64), Physicist
Sir Alfred Yarrow, Bart., F.R.S.(OG 1855-58), Ship building industrialist and philanthropist
Sir Angus Prevost, Bart., (OG 1847-52), Governor of the Bank of England
Sir Chris Bonington (OG 1944-52), Mountaineer
Sir Claude Phillips (OG 1856-58), Keeper of the Wallace Collection
Sir Daniel Cooper, Bart., G.C.M.G (OG 1835-39), Speaker of Assembly, New South Wales
Sir Francis Seymour Haden, English etcher, writer and surgeon
Sir Frank Crisp (OG 1857-59), Eminent Company Lawyer
Sir George Faudel-Phillips, Bart. (OG 1853-55), Lord Mayor of London 1896-97
Sir Henry Greenway Howse M.S., F.R.C.S. (OG 1856-58), President of the Royal College of Surgeons
Sir Hamo Thornycroft R.A., (OG 1863-68), Artist and sculptor
Sir John Ambrose Fleming, Electrical engineer
Sir Josiah Rees, (OG 1835-38), Chief Justice of Bermuda
Sir Julius Vogel K.C.M.G, Two-time Prime Minister of New Zealand
Sir Michael Foster K.C.B., F.R.S., M.P. (OG 1849-52), Psychologist, Professor and MP
Sir Nathaniel Nathan (OG 1851-58), Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, 1901-1903
Sir Philip Magnus, Bart., (OG 1854-58), English educationalist and MP
Sir Roger Bannister (OG 1944-46), Runner and Neurologist
The Rev. Canon Ainger, Alfred Ainger (OG 1847-49), Master of the Temple
The Rev. Joseph Estlin Carpenter (OG 1854-60), Principal of Harris Manchester College, Oxford of Oxford University.
The Rt. Hon. Frederic Leighton, 1st Baron Leighton (OG 1839-43), Artist and President of the Royal Academy
The Rt. Hon. Nathaniel Lindley, 1st Baron Lindley, P.C., (OG 1837-45), Master of the Rolls, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
The Rt. Hon. William Court Gully, 1st Viscount Selby, P.C., Q.C., (OG 1848-49), Speaker of the House of Commons
The Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Braddon K.C.M.G., (OG 1843-44), Premier of Tasmania
The Rt. Hon. John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn, P.C., O.M., [ (OG 1853-54), Secretary of State for India
The Most Rev. Arthur Sweatman (OG 1848-50), Archbishop of Toronto and Primate of all Canada
The Most Rev. E.G. Bagshawe (OG 1836-38), Archbishop of Selucia
The Rt. Rev. Edward Steere (OG 1842-44), Bishop of Central Africa.
The Very Rev. Dr. Hermann Adler (OG 1852-54), Chief Rabbi of UK
Sir Julius Vogel K.C.M.G, Julius Vogel, (Chairman of Old Boys Dining Society 1877), two time Premier of New Zealand
Sir Barrow Ellis K.C.S.I,(OG 1883-37), Member of Governor-General's Council and of the Council of India
J.G. Greenwood, (OG1835-37) Principal of Owens College, Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University (UK) and possibly founded it
Sir John Heathcote-Amory, Bart (of Tiverton)(OG 1843-45), Textile Baron, builder of Knightshayes Court
The Rt. Hon. Lord Romilly, (OG 1843-50), There seems to be some confusion in Internet sources. It may have had something to do with the 1867 Reform Act.
The Rt. Hon. Lord Burnham, Baron Burnham (OG 1847-50), Principal proprietor of The Daily Telegraph
The Rt. Hon. J.W. Mellor K.C., M.P. (OG 1844-51), Chairman of Committees, House of Commons
Svilen Mirtchev- socialite (2000-2008)
Sir Edwin Durning-Lawrence, Bart. (OG 1847-52), Professor at University College London. There is to this day a Durning-Lawrence Professor of the History of Art at UCL, and the main hall at UCS is officially known as the Durning-Lawrence Hall.
The Rt. Hon. Sir Arthur Charles,P.C., (OG 1848-54), Judge of the High Court
William Frend De Morgan (OG 1849-55), may or may not be William De Morgan, possibly not because his entry in the register says he was a novelist.
Edwin Waterhouse (OG 1855-57), President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and very probably the Waterhouse in PricewaterhouseCoopers, the largest professional services firm in the world
The Rt. Hon. Lord Wandsworth Sidney James Stern, 1st Baron Wandsworth, (OG 1857-58), Reason for Peerage unknown, but later founded the Public School Lord Wandsworth College
Sir G.C.T. Bartley (OG 1852-59), M.P.
Sir Edward Henry Busk, M.A., LL.B (OG 1852-59), Vice-Chancellor of the University of London
Augustus Pulszky LL.D (OG 1858-60), Professor of Law, University of Buda-Pesth
Numa E. Hartog (OG 1857-61), First Jewish Senior Wrangler, prominent figure in the movement to remove Jewish disabilities. His evidence before a committee of the House of Lords helped considerably to secure the passing of the Universities Tests Act in 1871.
Sir Boverton Redwood, 1st Baronet Boverton (OG 1857-61), Prominent chemist and petroleum expert, co-founded the B & R Redwood consulting practice. He also co-founded, and became the first President of, the Institution of Petroleum Technologists, now known as the Institute of Petroleum, in 1913. He was instrumental in persuading the Royal Navy to change from coal fired ships to oil fired ones.
Gottfried Kinkel (OG 1859-62), Professor of Greek, University of Zurich. May be a relation of Gottfried Kinkel
Admiral Sir Percy M. Scott, Bart., K.C.B. (OG 1865-66), Often regarded in the Royal Navy as 'the father of modern gunnery'. Scott was also instrumental in developing other equipment for the fleet such as the masthead flashing lamp (and possibly the masthead semaphore) and the shutter 'for the emission of signs' to put on the searchlights so they could be used to send Morse Code. He was Military Commandant of Durban when martial law was declared during the Boer War. In a controversial letter to the Times he foresaw the vulnerability of battleships to new technology such as submarines. He was made Head of the anti-submarine department of the Admiralty months into the First World War. He is one of three Naval officers who (working independently) are credited with the development of depth charges. [1], [2], [3]
Professor E.A. Sonnenschein, Litt.D. (OG 1867-68), Philologist, Professor of Classics and Dean of the Faculty of Arts in the University of Birmingham
Sir D. Brynmor Jones, P.C., Q.C., M.P. (OG 1862-69), writer of parliamentary reports
Sir C.A. Russell Q.C., (OG 1862-71), was probably Charles Russell Q.C. who defended at least one of the three social campaigners in the famous case of Eliza Armstrong (1885): social campaigners proved the existence of under age prostitution by 'buying a girl', they were then prosecuted
Alexander Hill M.A., M.D., F.R.C.S. (OG 1870-72), Master of Downing College, Cambridge
Lt.-General Sir Robert I. Scallon K.C.B., K.C.I.E., D.S.O. (OG 1869-73)
Sir Wilfred Collett K.C.M.G. (OG 1870-73), Governor of British Guiana 1914-1918
Justin H. McCarthy M.P. (OG 1871-73), Member of Parliament and author and possibly son of Justin McCarthy
Lucas Barrett, English Geologist and naturalist - Can someone confirm this??
The Rt. Rev. J.E. Hine D.D., M.D. (OG 1870-74), Bishop of Zanzibar, Archdeacon of Lincoln
Professor F.C. Montague M.A. (OG 1871-74), Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, Historian
H. Clarence Bourne C.M.G. (OG 1872-75), Colonial Secretary of Jamaica
Sir William J Collins K.C.V.O, M.D., M.S., F.R.C.S., M.P. (OG 1869-76), Member of Parliament and Chairman of L.C.C
Sir A.G. Bourne K.C.I.E., F.R.S. (OG 1872-76), Director of the Indian Institute of Science
Marion H. Spielmann (OG 1872-66), Historian of 'Punch'
Maurice Greiffenhagen R.A. (OG 1872-76), Artist
Professor S.J. Hickson F.R.S. (OG 1873-76), Victoria University
Professor D.S. MacColl (OG 1873-76), Keeper of the Wallace Collection
Sir W.S. Meyer G.C.I.E., K.C.S.I. (OG 1873-76), Member of the Governor-General's Council, First High Commissioner for India
Leonard Huxley LL.D. (OG 1872-77), Editor of 'The Cornhill Magazine'
Professor W.D. Halliburton M.D., F.R.S. (OG1872-77), Professor of Physiology, King's College London
Sir Theodore Morison K.C.S.I, K.C.I.E., C.B.E. (OG 1874-77), Member of the Council of India, Principal of Armstrong College
Sir E.W. Moir Bart. (OG 1875-77), Engineer
André Chevrillon (OG 1876-77), member of the French Academy
Sir Edward Manville M.Inst.E.E., (OG 1874-78), Chairman of the Imperial Council of Commerce
Robert Anning Bell R.A. (OG 1876-78), Important painter and illustrator
Percy Flemming M.D., F.R.C.S. (OG 1872-79), Professor of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital
Sir A. E. Shipley F.R.S. (OG 1877-79), Master of Christ's College, Cambridge
Arthur Berry (OG 1877-79), Vice-Provost of King's College, Cambridge
Sir Walter Raleigh (OG 1877-79), Professor of English Literature, University of Oxford
Sir Philip J Hartog K.B.E., C.I.E. (OG 1874-80), Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dacca
Sir John Rose Bradford Bart., K.C.M.G., M.D., D.Sc., F.R.S. (OG 1875-80), President of the Royal College of Physicians
Sir W. Phené Neal (OG 1876-80), Lord Mayor of London 1930-31
Walter Ashburner D.C.L. (OG 1877-80), Professor of Jurisprudence, University of Oxford
H. W. Halton (OG 1877-80), Vice-President Court of Appeal, President Mixed Tribunal, Cairo
Sir Joseph Duveen, Bart, later Joseph Duveen, 1st Baron Duveen of Millbank (OG 1877-80), One of the most influential art dealers of all time and a philanthropist
Surgeon Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Hill, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.V.O., F.R.C.S., (OG 1871-81), Director-General of the Admiralty Medical Department, Hon. Surgeon to H.M. the King
Sir Harry Haward (OG 1877-81), Controller of the L.C.C., Electricity Commissioner
Maj.-Gen Sir T. Fraser K.C.B., C.S.I., C.M.G. (OG 1876-82)
Professor O. K. Willaimson M.A., M.B. (OG 1876-82), University of Witwatersrand
Maj.-Gen. Sir E. D. Swinton K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O. (OG 1878-83), Chichele Professor of Military History, University of Oxford
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Notable faculty
Former staff include:

Sir William Smith, Lexicographer and Teacher
The Rev Henry Browne, Headmaster
Thomas Hewitt Key, Headmaster
Henry Malden, Headmaster
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Further reading
An angel without wings: The history of University College School 1830-1980 by H. J. K. Usher, C. D. Black-Hawkins and G. J. Carrick, edited by G. G. H. Page (University College School, 1981).
University College School Register for 1860-1931 : with a short history of the school by Leathes, Stanley with an introduction from S.N. Carvalho (Published 1931)
From Gower Street to Frognal: a short history of University College School from 1830 to 1907 by Felkin, F.W. (Published Arnold Fairbairns 1909)
University College School Register, 1901-63 compiled by N.Holland (Published 1964)
University College School Register for 1831-1891 edited by Orme, Temple Augustus (published H.W. Lawrence [1892?])
University College School Roll of Honour and War List 1914-18 compiled by Cockman, Charles Roadnight and Thomas, Cyril Leonard Ross (published St. Albans Campfield Press 1922)
On the Japanese connection with UCS see Japanese Students at Cambridge University in the Meiji Era, 1868-1912: Pioneers for the Modernization of Japan, by Noboru Koyama, translated by Ian Ruxton, (Lulu Press, September 2004, ISBN 1411612566).


External link
The school's web site
'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_College_School'