►►►其它中学

Merchant Taylors’ School/Northwood 麦钱特泰勒斯学校, Sandy Lodge, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT
Tel: 01923 820644 Fax: 01923 835110
Website: www.mtsn.org.uk
• BOYS, 11–18, Day
• Pupils 800, Upper sixth 125
• Termly fees £3755
• HMC
• Enquiries/application to the Head Master

What it’s like
Founded in 1561 by the Merchant Taylors’ Company. It moved to its present premises at Sandy Lodge in 1933 where it occupies a superb 250-acre estate of gardens, playing fields and lakes. The Merchant Taylors’ Company continues to support the school financially. The handsome, well-equipped brick buildings are dominated by the Great Hall. Facilities are very good indeed and there is a fine library and computer centre, art & design and sixth form centres and, most recently, a new digital languages laboratory. The school provides a highly academic environment within a civilised and humane ethos. The staff:pupil ratio is 1:11. Examination results are consistently excellent and a high proportion of leavers goes on to Oxbridge. Music, drama and art are all very well supported. A wide range of games and sports is available and standards are high. There is a wide range of activities including a very big CCF, a strong commitment to local community services and a fine record in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. There is strong parental involvement and support.

School profile

Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Age range 11–18; 800 day boys.
Entrance: Main entry ages 11, 13 and 16. Own entrance exam at all ages; for sixth-form entry also GCSE grade A expected in sixth-form subjects. Excellence in all fields is welcomed; no religious requirements. Pupils at 11 come mainly from local state schools; at other ages from several local preparatory schools.

Scholarships, bursaries & extras Approx 20 pa scholarships, value 10%–50% fees: 15+ academic (5 at 11, 11 at 13, 1 at 16) and 4 music at different ages. School assisted places on entry. Various bursaries available in case of need. Parents not expected to buy textbooks (fees include lunch).

Head & staff
Head Master: Stephen Wright, appointed 2004. Educated at Cambridge University (history). Previously Head Master of Borden Grammar School (Kent), Deputy Head at the Judd School and Head of History at Framlingham.
Teaching staff: 72 full time, 14 part time. Annual turnover 4%. Average age 37.

Exam results
GCSE: In 2003, 140 pupils in fifth year, 100% gained at least grade C in 8+ subjects. Average GCSE score 70 (67 over 5 years).
A-levels: 125 in upper sixth. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 468.

University & college entrance Virtually all 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (36% after a gap year), 22% to Oxbridge. 15% took courses in medicine, dentistry & veterinary science, 20% in science & engineering, 10% in law, 42% in humanities & social sciences (including economics), 2% in art, design or music, 6% in vocational subjects eg banking, optometry, 9% in joint courses.

Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels. 22 AS and A-level subjects (including Greek, Latin, Chinese and Japanese).
Sixth form: All sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3–4 at A-level; in addition, all take AS-level general studies (A-level optional). 36% take maths/science A-levels; 36% arts/humanities; 28% take both. ICT compulsory discrete unit.
Vocational: Work experience available, some abroad; school scheme provides links with business and industry.
Special provision: Academically suitable children with special educational needs considered (medical advice sought as appropriate). Pupils must be able to cope with teaching in English without remedial help.
Languages: French, German and Spanish offered to GCSE and A-level; also non-examined Chinese, Japanese and Italian. Regular exchanges (France, Spain and Germany).
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject (1 lesson a week) and across the curriculum. 120 computers for pupil use (8 hours a day), 90 networked and with email and internet access.

The arts
Music: Over 30% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 10 musical groups including 3 orchestras, symphonic wind band, jazz band, choirs. Recent Cambridge choral award and pupils accepted to conservatoires; member of National Youth Orchestra.
Drama: A-level theatre studies may be taken. (Drama is strong.) Large numbers involved in school and other productions.
Art & design: On average, 13 take GCSE, 3 A-level. Design, art appreciation, printing, graphic techniques, photography, computer graphics also offered. 2 pupils recently won national Designer of the Year awards.

Sport & activities
Sport: Rugby compulsory to 15, cricket to 14, hockey to 13. Optional: squash, fives, soccer, golf, cross-country, shooting, tennis, badminton, fencing, judo, karate, sailing, athletics, windsurfing, climbing, multi-gym, swimming. Sixth form only: croquet. BAGA, RLSS personal survival exams may be taken. Plenty of athletes and sportsmen win representative honours at a high level.
Activities: Choice of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, CCF, community service compulsory for 2 years (good number of sixth formers complete gold DofE each year); Army scholarships also awarded. Up to 30 clubs, eg chess, scrabble, bridge, astronomy, philosophy, film, modern languages, railway, debating, computers, war gaming, science, clay-pigeon shooting, arts & craft.

School life
Uniform: School uniform worn throughout.
Houses & prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy, head of house and house prefects, selected by the Headmaster, housemasters and by sixth form as a whole after consultation.
Religion: Assembly most days of the week.
Social: Choral works, concerts, debates, drama, field work, careers conventions, industrial conferences, academic lectures with local schools; particularly ski trips, dances, musicals etc with St Helen’s School. Organised exchanges to France, Germany and Spain; German orchestral exchange visit and work experience; many sports tours; expeditions to eg Morocco, Kenya, Peru. Pupils allowed to bring own car/bike/motorbike to school. Meals self-service. No tobacco or alcohol allowed.

Discipline Aims to be simple and consistent; boys are kept well-informed of the school’s expectations, and are required to have high expectations of themselves. Pupils failing to produce homework would expect to have to do it satisfactorily by the following day; those persistently refusing to obey school rules could expect expulsion.

Alumni association is run by Tony Wright, Chairman OMT Society, Greengarth, Layters
Green, Chalfont St Giles, Bucks SL9 8TN. (OMT Society has its own clubhouse and grounds near
the school.)

Former pupils Rt Rev Donald Coggan; Reginald Maudling; Michael Peschardt; Lynn Chadwick; Professor Martin Biddle; John Timpson.