Chigwell School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school in Chigwell, in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It consists of a junior school (ages 7–11), senior school (ages 11–16) and sixth form. A pre-preparatory department for children aged 4–7 was constructed starting for the 2013-14 academic year.
The school is situated in 70 acres of land between Epping Forest and Hainault Forest, ten miles from London. It is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) and the junior school is a member of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS).
The school motto is aut viam inveniam aut faciam, a Latin phrase which translates literally as Either I shall find a way or I will make one".
There are four day houses, named Caswalls', Lambourne, Penn's, and Swallow's. The boarding houses are Church House, Harsnett's, Sandon Lodge, and Hainault House, although all boarders are members of one of the day houses. In the junior school there are another four houses, named Windsors, Hanovers, Stuarts, and Tudors.
Chigwell School dates back to 1619 when a schoolhouse was erected on the site. The first headmaster Peter Mease was appointed in 1623. It was formally founded in 1629 by Samuel Harsnett, Archbishop of York and Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, and began with 16 "poor, clever" scholars.
In 1868, the school was split into two sections. The English section for local children studying arithmetic, reading and writing was housed in a building behind the King's Head public house, which was mentioned in Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty. The Latin section (for Latin scholars only) remained in the original building. Rather unusual for a boys' school at that time, in 1873, it started a bursary programme for girls to attend other schools.
Following a trend set by many HMC schools (which were mainly all-boys), the sixth form section became coeducational and its first girls were admitted in 1975. In 1997 coeducation was extended to the rest of the school.
Eric Bailey OBE, journalist, broadcaster and colonial administratorGeorge Baker OBE CBE, High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea (1974–1977)Peter Beckingham, Ambassador to the Philippines since 2005Prof Sir John Boardman (born 1927), classical archaeologistSir Michael Bonallack, golferProf Percy Brandon, Professor of Electrical Engineering from 1971-84 at the University of CambridgeKen Campbell, actorEdward Caswall, classical scholar and writer of hymns, music master at Chigwell.Peter Collecott CMG, Ambassador to Brazil from 2004-8Richard Collins FRCS, Vice-President, Royal College of Surgeons 2010Tim Collins, Conservative politician, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale from 1997–2005William Cotton, Governor of the Bank of England, who famously set fire to the Headmaster’s garden.Sir Richard Dales KCVO, CMG, former Ambassador to Norway from 1998–2002Paul Farmer MBE (1961–68), former Headmaster of London comprehensive schools, including Dick Sheppard School; developed use of pop music in schools, including the first CSE examination in pop musicPete Flint, Internet Entrepreneur, Founder of TruliaVice-Adm Sir Robert Gerken KCB CBE, Captain of the Fleet from 1978–81Sir Arthur Grimble, colonial governorSir Austin Bradford Hill, pioneering medical researcher who discovered the link between smoking and cancerSteriker Hare, cricketerSir Ian Holm, actorAnthony Hossack (1882–1886) England footballer of the 1890s.David Landsman OBE, Ambassador to Greece since 2009, and to Albania from 2001-3Prof David Matthews, Professor of Diabetes Medicine since 2002 at the University of OxfordWilliam Penn, Quaker leader and founder of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of AmericaSir David Pepper, Director of GCHQ from 2003-8Prof James B. Ramsey, Professor of Economics at New York UniversityTimothy Rollinson CBE, Director-General of the Forestry Commission since 2004, and President from 2000-2 of the Institute of Chartered ForestersRt Rev Thomas Joseph SavageBen Shephard, television presenterHorace Smith, poetMichael Marshall Smith, novelistJordan Spence, footballer, West Ham 2010Rt Rev Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester since 1999Col Bob Stewart MP DSOSir Edward Albert Stone, Chief Justice of Western Australia, 1901–06Michael Thomas, former Attorney General of Hong KongSir Colin Thornton-Kemsley, MP for Kincardine and Western Aberdeenshire from 1939–50 and North Angus and Mearns from 1950–64Colin Wilcockson, English scholar and Emeritus Fellow of Pembroke, CambridgeSir Bernard Williams, philosopher and Provost of King's College, CambridgeProf Nicholas Williams, scholar of the Irish and Cornish languages.Timothy Williams, crime novelistRobert James, headmaster 1939–1946, later High Master of St Paul's School and headmaster of Harrow SchoolAnthony Little, headmaster 1990-1997, now headmaster of Eton College.James Hawkins, deputy headmaster 1996-2000, now headmaster of Harrow School.William Henry Monk, music master, and author of the music to Abide With Me.
