# Raynes Park High School

Raynes Park High School is a co-educational comprehensive school which educates students aged 11 to 19. It is in Raynes Park, England, coming under the London Borough of Merton. The school was established as a boys' grammar school in 1935. It has a sixth form, and has additional provision for children who have an autism spectrum condition and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

## Location

Raynes Park High School is situated at the junction of the Kingston bypass (A3) and Bushey Road (A298). To the east, it is bounded by West Barnes Lane (B282), and just east of the boundary between the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames (New Malden) and Merton, and just north of the Shannon Corner junction of the A3/B282.
TfL contracted bus routes that serve the school include 131, 152, 265, 655, K5, N87 with nearby National Rail stations include New Malden, Motspur Park and Raynes Park all operated by South Western Railway and all within the oyster fare zone.

## History

The school first came into being as a boys only grammar school in 1935. It remained as such for the next 34 years until 1969 when it became a 13–18 boys' comprehensive. In September 1990, along with the rest of the borough's schools, it became a 12–16 mixed comprehensive. Finally in September 2010, like all other high schools in the borough, the school's sixth form was re-instated. The school is now an official mixed 11–19.

## Sixth form

Following the conversion of Merton's education system to a two tier structure in the 1990s, the school's sixth form was closed. Students wishing to take A-levels enrolled at various colleges or sixth forms in the area. Subsequently, sixth form centres were re-introduced for all Merton High Schools and in September 2010 the purpose built sixth form block opened its doors to Year 12 students. The sixth form now offers a variety of A-level courses, level 3 vocational courses and also offers GCSE retakes for English and Maths.

## Access Centre

The Access Centre is a provision at Raynes Park High School for students with an ASC (Autism Spectrum Condition) diagnosis and an EHCP. Designed to support autistic students in a mainstream school environment, it runs numerous interventions such as emotional support therapy and Lego therapy. Access Centre students can eat lunch in the Access Centre if they wish, as eating in the mainstream school environment can be quite loud for some autistic students.
Some Access Centre students are supported in lesson by a Key Support Worker (KSW).
The Access Centre also provides after school clubs for their students such as Rebound Therapy (trampoline therapy) and homework club.
In 2019 (renewed in 2022), the Access Centre was 'accredited' by the National Autism Society.
The current capacity of the Access Centre is 25 students, with admission decided by the local authority, Merton Council.

## School organisation

The headteacher is Kirsten Taylor and the co-chairs of Governors are Hannah Capgras and Dean Murphy. The school last had an Ofsted inspection in January 2019, when it was graded Good.
Since 1935 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
* Kirsten Taylor

### Traditions

W.H. Auden, who had collaborated with the founding headmaster, John Garett, on an anthology, The Poet’s Tongue, in 1935, composed the words for the school song, though the original has been since shortened and modernised.

## Awards

* FA Charter Standard Development School Award for outstanding contribution to Football
* Sport England Sports Mark Award for delivery of national PE
* Access Centre Autism Accreditation

## Guinness world record

The Guinness world record for the largest egg and spoon race was broken by 859 pupils, from Raynes Park High School, in October 2003.

## Notable former pupils
### Raynes Park County Grammar School

* Derek Cooper OBE, BBC Radio 4 broadcaster of the Food Programme, and President 1988–95 of the Guild of Food Writers
* Sir Howard Dalton, Professor of Microbiology 1983–2008 at the University of Warwick, and Chief Scientific Adviser at DEFRA from 2002–7
* Charles Higham, archaeologist
* John Hopkins, TV writer
* Maj-Gen Anthony Jeapes CB OBE MC, Commander of Land Forces Northern Ireland from 1985–7, and Commander of 22 Regiment SAS from 1974–7 and 5 Airborne Brigade from 1982–5
* Prof Peter J. Parsons, Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Oxford 1989–2003
* Robert Robinson, TV quiz presenter, and radio presenter of Brain of Britain 1973−2008
* Sir Donald Spiers, aeronautical engineer
* Prof Tony Tanner, Professor of English and American Literature 1989–98 at the University of Cambridge
* Paul Vaughan, TV and radio broadcaster
* Sir David Christopher Veness, CBE, QPM, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations, Metropolitan Police 1994–2005, leaving to serve as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security.

### Raynes Park High School

* Carl Asaba, professional footballer.
* Leon Britton, professional footballer.
* Simon Coleman (Simon Basher), artist.
* Mike Lindup, pop musician.
* Robbie McIntosh, pop musician.
* Chris Powell, professional footballer.
* Gary Sheffield, academic military historian.
* Andy Thorn, professional footballer.