School History
THE SCHOOL OPENED IN 1935 AS A BOYS' GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY OF SURREY
The four Houses are named after four of the five original House Masters: Gibb, Halliwell, Milton, Newsom. The name of the fifth House Master, Cobb, was, until December 2002, used as a name for one of the buildings on the school site.
In 1969, the School was reorganised as a boys' comprehensive school for 13-18 year old pupils in the London Borough of Merton.
There have been nine Headteachers: John Garrett, Charles Wrinch, T. Henry Porter, G. David N. Giles, Brian Butler, John D. Massey, Ian Newman, Phillip Wheatley and Kirsten Taylor.
In September 1990, the school became a mixed comprehensive school for 12-16 year old pupils.
As part of Merton's Schools Re-organisation Project, in which Merton switched from a three-tier system of First, Middle and High schools to a two-tier system of Primary and Secondary schools, Raynes Park High School began taking students at Year 7 (11 years of age). Our first intake of Year 7 students was in September 2002. As a result of the re-organisation, our site expanded dramatically to incorporate the former Bushey First school building and was subject to a substantial building and refurbishment programme which included a new Sports Hall, Autism Centre and teaching block.
The School badge was designed by Professor Halliwell, who wrote, "The badge is a symbolism of the immediate neighbourhood of the school and consists of a representation of the bridge carrying the Kingston By-Pass over the railway, the two main roads at the front and rear of the school and the railway with its rather spectacular express train. I am not sure whether the electrification was being talked about but the traditional streak of lightning in the badge symbolised the very fast trains that could be seen from the upstairs window in the front of the school."
FORMER PUPILS' SOCIETY
The Society is thriving and we want to reach out to new members. There is an active golf section and the main annual event is the Reunion Dinner, held on the first Friday in October. The dinner is a great place to meet up with ex-classmates.
The Society maintains links with the School by sponsoring trophies and awards for outstanding sports boys/girls and has supported many school projects over the years. The latest was a donation of £40,000 towards the new sports ground at Westway Close, at which we have recently installed two commemorative benches.
If you’re not a member and would like to know more about joining, please check out the society website at www.rpfps.co.uk. One-off subscriptions are payable for life membership.
THE SCHOOL SONG
Original Version
Time will make its utter changes,
Circumstance will scatter us;
But the memories of our school days
Are a living part of us.
Chorus
So remember then, when you are men
With important things to do,
That once you were young, and this song have sung
For you were at school here, too.
Daily we sit down in form-rooms,
Inky hand to puzzled head:
Reason's light, and Knowledge power;
Man must study till he's dead.
Man has mind but body also;
So we learn to tackle low,
Bowl the off-breaks, hit the sixes,
Bend the diver's brilliant bow.
Man must live among his neighbours,
For he cannot live alone;
Friendships, failures and successes
Here we learn to make our own.
Tractors grunt where oceans wandered,
Factories stand where green grass grew:
Voices break and features alter,
We shall soon be different, too.
Boys and cities, schools and natures,
Though they change like you and me,
Do not simply grow and happen,
They are what they choose to be.
- W. H. Auden
Today's version
Time will make its utter changes,
Circumstance will scatter us;
But the memories of our school days
Are a living part of us.
Chorus
So remember then, when you are grown
With important things to do,
That once you were young, and this song have sung
For you were at school here, too.
We must live among our neighbours,
For we cannot live alone;
Friendships, failures and successes
Here we learn to make our own.
Children, cities, schools and natures,
Though they change like you and me,
Do not simply grow and happen,
They are what they choose to be.
The Spur
The Spur is the school magazine which is published termly. Please click on the links below to view our current and past issues.