Established 1546 Headmaster Richard Murray Founder Henry VIII of England Number of students 160 | Religion Church of England Phone +44 1865 242561 Founded 1546 | |
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Type Independent day and boarding school
Choral foundation school Chair of the Governors The Very Rev Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church Location 3 Brewer Street
Oxford
OX1 1QW
England Address 3 Brewer St, Oxford OX1 1QW, UK | ||
Oxford school christ church cathedral school
Christ Church Cathedral School is an independent preparatory school for boys in Oxford, England. It is one of three choral foundation schools in the city and educates choristers of Christ Church Cathedral and the Worcester College Chapel. It is a member of the IAPS and the Choir Schools Association.
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Christ church cathedral school in oxford
History
Now a Church of England School, it was originally housed within the College itself. Today its premises are located across from Christ Church at 3 Brewer Street and Cardinal Wolsey's house is still used for teaching.
In the 19th century, the Dean of Christ Church, Henry Liddell (father of Alice, who was immortalised in the books of Lewis Carroll) arranged for the building of a new choir school on its present site. More recent developments include the opening of a Pre-Prep department and nursery, and the William Walton Centre which comprises several classrooms and teaching facilities. At this point, the school began to take admit non-chorister pupils as well. The school opened a pre-preparatory department in 1984 and a nursery in 1998.
All pupils are boys except a small number of girls who attend the nursery. The 22 boarders are choristers or probationary choristers for the Cathedral. The dormitories in which they sleep are named after distinguished former organists including Ley, Taverner, Armstrong and Harwood. All other pupils are day boys, among them eighteen choristers who sing in Worcester College Chapel. The school used to provide choristers for Exeter College but this ended when Exeter established a mixed choir. In addition to the focus on Music, there is also a distinguished tradition of Art, and the school contributes an annual exhibition to Oxford's Artweeks festival.
Leavers typically move on to local schools such as Magdalen College School, Oxford, Abingdon School, St Edward's School, Oxford, Bloxham School and D'Overbroeck's College Leckford Place. There is also a tradition of choristers winning Music Scholarships to destinations further afield, which in recent years have included Harrow School, Uppingham School, Eton College, Sherborne School and Wellington College.