Sir Thomas Rich's School

"Sir Thomas Rich's School"
Song
B-side	"The Mr Hanney Rap"

Sir Thomas Rich's School is a grammar school for boys (aged 11–18) and girls (aged 16–18, in the sixth form) in Longlevens Gloucester. Commonly known as Tommy's.

Staff

• Headmaster: Mr. I Kellie (chemistry)
• Deputy Headmaster: Mr. B McBurnie (mathematics)
• Deputy Headmaster: Mr. M Seales (economics)
• Deputy Headmaster: Chrissy Carter (geography)

History

The Will

In Sir Thomas Rich's will of 1666 he left his Gloucester house in Eastgate and £16,000 for a school to be established for twenty poor boys in Gloucester. The money was mainly invested in farm land and the rent was to pay for the running of the school. The school was opened in 1668, one year after Sir Thomas Rich's death.¹Sir Thomas Rich decreed that the pupils should wear "blue coats and caps according to the laudable usage of Christ Church Hospital in London." The blue drugget gown and yellow stockings were replaced in 1882 by the modern equivalent, the distinctive blue blazer.

Modern History

The school moved to its present location from the centre of Gloucester in May 1964. Amongst many recent additions and improvements to the facilities is a new quadrangle of classrooms, completed in 1994 at a cost of £1.2 million and opened by Mr. J. A. Stocks (Rich's Headmaster from 1961 to 1973).

Facilities

Swimming Pool

As a result of a major fundraising effort – The Tercentenary Appeal – the school was able to add a swimming pool to the school buildings at Oakleaze when it moved there in 1964. In the early 1990s, circumstances required the closure of the pool. Fundraising efforts, driven hard by the Parents Association and Frank Henderson and the school's Venture Scouts, enabled complete refurbishment of the pool. On 16 March 1995, it was officially re-opened by HRH The Princess Royal. The pool is also well used by neighbouring junior schools and local community organisations .

Bowling Green

The school is the only in the country with its own Bowling Green. It is available for use by senior pupils as well as being home to Sir Thomas Rich's Bowls Club.

The "Old" Gym

The older sports hall was part of the original buildings of the school in the current location. Sports such as table tennis and basketball take place here, as well as a venue for exams.

Sports Hall

Opened in 1999 by Mr. Bill Hook, the Sports Hall is part of the STRS Sports Centre complex which provides a vital facility for the local community of Longlevens. Being part of the school, students and staff benefit from its availability during school hours – the size of the sports hall means that a whole year group can be accommodated for Games & PE instruction. Badminton, 5-a-side soccer, basketball, indoor cricket and cricket nets, trampolining, gymnastics, roller-blade hockey – these are just some of the activities that take place under its roof. It includes a modern fitness suite.

Language ,Geography, History and Art Block

This is the latest addition to Sir Thomas Rich's facilities. Named after former headmaster J. Crist, it supplies students with modern classrooms to improve their modern language, history, geography and art skills! This is in connection with the Language College status recently received. An extension has been built on the side of the language block to supply yet more modern classrooms. This extension has provided another modern language classroom, as well as 3 new geography rooms.

Exam results

The school continues to excell as one of the best schools in Gloucestershire. In 2006, all year 11 students passed 100% of the GCSE examinations taken. It was the only school in the county to achieve results of this calibre.

Tommy Psalm

Let us rejoice with cheerful voice,
God's goodness magnify,
Who freely grants to all our wants,
Most plentiful supply.
Naked and poor to clothe and feed,
From misery to raise,
How truly great and noble 'tis,
How worthy is the praise.

Base pleasure 'tis mankind to hurt,
Although the only joy
Of ill men who abuse their wealth,
The harmless to annoy.
Within this city, thanks to God,
Such bounteous works abound
As have embalmed the authors' names,
By faith most richly crowned.

And in this rank of pious men,
Our founder, though the last
In time, yet in munificence
By none has been surpassed;
Sixteen thousand pounds of what God gave,
He did lend back again,
Though having issue of his blood,
Did not poor heirs disdain.

Whene'er we come, our gratitude
Shall there make it appear,
Who 'twas at first did nourish us
And who doth feed us here.
The pious part of this large store
In heaven's treasury lies,
Whilst the earthly stock's secured below
In the hands of good and wise.

And may this place and the whole realm
In peace protected be,
And happily may our Queen reign,
Blessed with prosperity.

Legends

Bill Hook

A true legendary Richian who is still regarded as the greatest ever sportsman to ever attend Sir Thomas Richs's.

He was school captain in 1938/39 and captained the rugby, rowing and cricket teams. He went onto play rugby for England in the forties. He still holds many sporting records, notably the 50 wickets he took in 6 matches in the 1939 cricket season.

Mr Middleton

This man is a legend, in the true definition of it. Though he doesn't seem to teach properly any more, he gives the rockingest cover lessons you ever did see. A recent poll rated the story where he bought his own burger bar, as retold during a Business Studies lesson, as being the best cover lesson ever, narrowly beating the time a supply teacher at Crypt had an anxiety attack.

External links

• Official website
• Save the whale