Malvern College

Main College in snow

The college chapel with the Porter's Lodge and the Malvern Hills in the background

Set in the Malvern Hills, the school's location owes much to Malvern's emergence in the nineteenth century as a fashionable spa resort, appreciated for its unpolluted air and the healing qualities of its famous spring water. The school opened its doors for the first time on 25 January 1865 under the headship of the Rev. Arthur Faber. Initially, there were only twenty-four boys, of whom eleven were day boys, six masters and two houses, named Mr McDowall's (No.1) and Mr Drew's (No.2). The new school expanded. One year later, there were sixty-four boys.[11] By 1875, there were 200[12] on the roll and five boarding houses ; by the end of the 19th century, the numbers had risen to more than 400 boys[13] and ten houses.[14][15] American poet Henry Longfellow visited the school in 1868,[5] Prince and Princess Christian on speech-day in 1870[5] and The Duke and Duchess of Teck visited in 1891 with their daughter, Princess May (later Queen Mary).[5] Lord Randolph Churchill's speech-day comments on education in 1889 were reported in The Times.[16] The school was one of the twenty four Public Schools listed in the Public Schools Yearbook of 1889 and was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1928.[17] Further expansion of pupil numbers and buildings continued between the end of the First World War in 1918 and the start of the Second World War in 1939. During the two Wars, 457 and 258 former pupils, respectively, gave their lives.[18] Seven former pupils were among 'the few' who took part in the Battle of Britain.[19]

During World War II, the college premises were requisitioned by the Admiralty between October 1939 and July 1940, and the school temporarily relocated to Blenheim Palace. In 1942, its premises were again needed for governmental use, on this occasion by the TRE and, from May 1942 to July 1946, the school was housed with Harrow School. QinetiQ, a private sector successor to the government's original research facility, is still sited on former college land.[20]

Having traditionally been a school for boys aged from 13 to 18 years old, in 1992 it merged with Ellerslie Girls’ School and Hillstone prep school to become a coeducational school[20] for pupils aged 3 to 18 years old. The college also departed from the full boarding tradition of the English public school and allows day pupils, although over two-thirds of pupils board. In September 2008, the College's Prep School merged with The Downs prep school on the latter's nearby site in Colwall, Herefordshire to form The Downs, Malvern College Prep School.[21]

The school is governed by a College Council of approximately fifteen members, chaired by Robin Black.[28] Educationalist and former cricketer Antony Clark joined the school as Headmaster in 2008.[29]

An Ofsted report, following an October 2010 inspection, rated the school's services against specific criteria and assigned an overall quality rating of Grade 1 (outstanding).[30] This compares to an overall rating of Grade 2 (good) in the previous report published in 2008.[14] In the latest report, "organisation" and health and safety provision were upgraded to Grade 1 while boarding accommodation was rated Grade 2. Other areas assessed included "helping children to achieve", to "make a positive contribution" and to "enjoy what they do" and these remained Grade 1 (outstanding). The report states that four recommendations made in Ofsted's last report had all been addressed and that the school "delivers an outstanding service that continues to be developed".[30][31]

While academic success is considered important, emphasis is also placed on the all-round development of the individual rather than on academic results alone.[32] In the Sixth Form, courses are offered at A-Level in art, business studies, classical civilisation, design and technology, drama and theatre studies, economics, English literature, geography, Greek, history, history of art, key skills, Latin, mathematics, modern languages (French, German, Spanish), music, music technology, physical education, politics and the sciences (biology, chemistry, physics). Further courses are available at International Baccalaureate level[33] and special arrangements are sometimes made for other courses upon request.[34]

In both the 2008 and 2010 Ofsted reports, a Grade 1 (outstanding) rating was assigned for "helping children to achieve", to "make a positive contribution" and to "enjoy what they do".[14] In 2010, the school was, according to OFSTED, ranked 28th among private schools for value added to its students' A Level results, placing it within the top 5% nationally.[35] In 2011, it was 79th among co-ed independent boarding schools for A-Level results.[36] The school's pupils have achieved particularly good results at IB level. In 2011, the school was ranked 18th for the average grades of its IB pupils.[37] In 2012, The Independent review of both A level and IB results, based on government-issued statistics, ranked Malvern 32nd in the UK with 1080.7 points.[38]

Generally, parents register their children up to two years in advance, to secure a place at age 13, through sitting a Common Entrance exam, or via the award of an open Academic Scholarship. Sixth Form entry is gained either through a scholarship exam, or by tests in the subjects to be studied. Bursaries are available for new entrants, and subject scholarships are awarded for Art, Drama, Music, Science/Technology and Sport.

The school has a strong sporting tradition. For boys' sports, some Malvernians would consider the college to be best known as a football school although its cricket sides have also produced players who have gone on to play at international level. Traditionally, sport for boys used to be split between the original 'major sports' of football, cricket, and rackets (rugby was added later), and 'minor sports'. Colours were awarded for each major sport, as appropriate. After 1995, the distinction between 'major sport' and 'minor sport' was removed. The girls' main sports are hockey and lacrosse in the winter, lacrosse and netball in the Lent Term and tennis and rounders in the summer.

The college also plays a multitude of other sports such as Rackets, Fives, Athletics, Tennis, Squash, Croquet, Basketball, Badminton and Polo. Some boys' hockey and girls' football are played.[39]

On 16 October 2009, a new sports complex and hospitality suite was opened by The Duke of York. The opening was attended by several well known sports personalities including athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, cricketers Michael Vaughan and Graham Gooch, footballer Peter Shilton, rugby union player Jason Leonard, athlete Christina Boxer and hockey player Rachel Walker.[40] The indoor complex, which was built on the site of the old sports hall and swimming pool, offers an 8 court sports hall, a dance studio and fitness suite, a climbing wall, two squash courts, a shooting range, a large function suite, and a 6 lane swimming pool and its facilities are also available for use by the wider community.[41] They are also used by Worcestershire County Cricket Club for their winter training programme.[42][43] In February 2010, the school also hosted the England Blind Cricket squad for training sessions.[44]

Activities offered in addition to the academic curriculum include sports (see above), Combined Cadet Force (CCF), the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, First Aid, Orchestra/Band, Orienteering, Outdoor Pursuits, Photography, Practical Engineering, Riding, and Skiing. A wider range of activities depending on the demand may also be available and include, Ballet/Dance, Ceramics, Chess, Choir, Climbing, Community Service, Current Affairs, Dancing, Debating/Public Speaking, Design/Technology, Drama/Theatre Studies, Life Saving, First Aid, Outdoor Pursuits, Photography, Practical Engineering, Textiles, and Young Enterprise.

Facilities are also available (in some cases, by prior arrangement) for independent extra-curricular activities such as journalism and music rehearsal.

A House is a component of the school community and a place where pupils reside and engage in private study. Normally, a pupil remains at his chosen House until he or she leaves the school. Each house has its own colours. Competitions are regularly arranged between the Houses in a range of academic, artistic and sporting activities. With the exceptions of School House and Ellerslie House, the eleven houses at Malvern are named with numbers 1 to 9, a system which used to be used at Roedean School, a girls' school founded by the sisters of the Old Malvernian judge Sir Paul Ogden Lawrence. The houses, in order of foundation are:

The college has a history of innovation in the field of education. In 1963, it was the first independent school to have a language laboratory.[20][46] It is thought to be the first school in the country to have had a careers service.[47] Under the direction of John Lewis,[48] a former master, it pioneered Nuffield Physics in the 1960s,[49] Science in Society in the 1970s,[50][51] and the Diploma of Achievement[48] in the 1990s. At the beginning of the 1990s, Malvern College became one of the first schools in Britain to offer the choice between the International Baccalaureate and A-Levels in the Sixth Form.[20][46] The school was one of the first boys' public schools to become fully coeducational from the preparatory department all the way to sixth form.[20]

Each summer the staff and some older pupils run a summer school, Young Malvern, which incorporates many sports, activities and learning experiences. Malvern College is one of the two schools in the country (the other being Dulwich College) to offer Debating in the curriculum and pupils participate in regional and national competitions including the Debating Matters competition and the Three Counties Tournament.[52][53] The subject is compulsory at Foundation Year level.[53]

The school's alumni ("old boys") are known as Old Malvernians, or OMs. The Malvernian Society holds many annual reunions and events and Old Malvernians, including former pupils of The Downs, Hillstone, and Ellerslie schools which have merged with Malvern College, benefit from a remission in fees for their own children.[54] Other Old Malvernian clubs and societies include OM Lodge, Court Games, Golf, Sailing, Shooting, the Old Malvernians Cricket Club, and the Old Malvernians Football Club, a record breaking club competing in the Arthurian League.

Old Malvernians have been instrumental in the formation of sporting and charitable organisations such as Blackburn Rovers FC[55] and the Docklands Settlements.[56]

At least two of the school's former pupils have become Nobel Laureates. Some past pupils are royalty from various nations, like Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein who graduated in 2014, and others have become Heads of State, military officers, jurists, authors, and sportspeople.

List of masters of Malvern College

• Henry Morgan, founder of the Morgan Motor Company who assembled the prototype Morgan car at the school in 1909.
• Pepper v Hart, a landmark decision of the House of Lords.
• The Southern Railway named each of its 40 V Class Locomotives after English public schools. The nameplate for the "Malvern" locomotive (no. 929) is displayed in the school's Memorial Library.
• C.S. Lewis in his book Surprised by Joy describes his experience at Wyvern College, a pseudonym for Malvern College

• Blumenau, Ralph (1965). A History of Malvern College 1865–1965. London: MACMILLAN. ASIN: B0000CMFA4

• Chesterton, George (1990), Malvern College: 125 years, Malvern, UK: The Malvern Publishing Co, ISBN 0-947993-60-6 ISBN 978-0-947993-60-3

Allen, Roy (2014), Malvern College, Shire Publication Ltd, ISBN 978 0 74781 305 7

• Malvern College official web site
• The Downs, Malvern College Preparatory School web site
• Profile at the Good Schools Guide
• Profile at the Guide to Independent Schools
• Profile on the ISC website
• ISI Inspection Reports – The Downs Prep & Senior School
• OFSTED Social Care Inspection Reports