# Hampton School

Hampton School is a fee-charging, boys-only private day school in Hampton, London, England. As of the 2024-2025 academic year, the school charges a minimum of £26,040 per year for attendance. Until 1975, the school was a voluntary aided grammar school, with no fees. The school admits pupils aged between eleven and eighteen.
In 2021, 92% of the school's pupils achieved A* or A at A-Level. The school features 40th in one ranking of fee-paying schools in the United Kingdom by A-Level results.
It has a preparatory school attached to it, for girls aged 3–7 and boys aged 3–11. It is next to The Lady Eleanor Holles School for girls, with which it co-operates in a number of co-curricular activities and shares several classes, clubs, facilities (including a swimming pool) and a coach service.

## History

In 1557, Robert Hammond, a wealthy brewer who was the largest tax-payer in Hampton, left in his will property for the maintenance of a "free scole" and to build a small schoolhouse "with seates in yt" in the churchyard of St Mary's Church, Hampton. The endowment was the Bell Inn, some other houses, and one acre of land. Hammond also founded a school at Kingston-upon-Thames.
To mark this early history, Founders' Day is celebrated by the school towards the end of each academic year. The occasion is marked by a procession of boys walking from the school to St Mary's Church for a service including the school choir singing and readings.
Although the school was founded in 1557, there was provision in Hammond's will that the school would only continue as long as the vicar, churchwardens and parishioners carried out his requests. If not, then the properties would revert to his heirs. It seems that the school did not survive beyond 1568, or possibly earlier, and the properties reverted to the heirs.
Subsequently, however, the school re-opened in 1612. This was as a result of a commission established to enquire into the fate of Tudor charities that had disappeared for various reasons. The "learned counsell on bothe sides" reached deadlock at the commissioners. However, in the spirit of compromise and through the generosity of the then legal owner of the properties, Nicholas Pigeon, the school was re-endowed.
The early school was on the site of St Mary's Church by the River Thames. It moved to a site on Upper Sunbury Road in 1880. The new school buildings cost £8,000 and were built in the Elizabethan Tudor style to accommodate 125 day boys and 25 boarders. The school moved to its present site on Hanworth Road in 1939. The new 28-acre site allowed for expansion and the potential to provide for 600–650 boys. The foundation stone was laid on 5 July 1938 and a year later the school was opened.
In 1975, the school converted from voluntary aided status to become a fee-paying private school, after government changes to the administration of secondary education under the Education Act 1975.
Headmaster Barry Martin retired in July 2013 after 16 years of service. He was succeeded by Kevin Knibbs in September 2013.

## Notable former pupils

in alphabetical order
* Simon Amor (1992–97), captain, England Sevens, 2003
* Zafar Ansari (2005–10), Surrey and England cricketer
* Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking, CH (1946–48), former Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Education
* Andy Beattie, rugby player
* Paul Brand, Professor of Legal History at the University of Oxford
* Vic Briggs, musician (Brian Auger and The Trinity; Eric Burdon & The Animals)
* Paul Casey (1989–95), professional golfer (currently winner of 13 European Tour Events)
* Monty Munford (1972–79), Bollywood actor and writer for The Economist, Forbes and The Telegraph
* Thurston Dart (1933–38) musicologist and harpsichordist
* Keith Faulkner CBE (1955–62), chairman, Working Links, Manpower
* Tom Gearing (2003–2006), finalist of the Apprentice
* Andrew Hall, hedge fund manager
* Walter Hayes, Sunday Dispatch editor, senior executive at the Ford Motor Company
* Murray Head (1959–62), musician
* Geoff Hunt (1959–66), former president of the Royal Society of Marine Artists
* Matthew Hurles, Professor at the University of Cambridge
* Tony James, musician
* Max Kretzschmar (2007–2010), footballer at Wycombe Wanderers FC
* Louis Lynagh (2012–2019), rugby player at Harlequin FC
* Peter Lovesey (1948–55), author
* Justin Hulford (1982–89), author
* Chris Martin, Ocean rowing oarsman
* Mike Martin (1996-2001), Liberal Democrat MP for Tunbridge Wells
* Sir Brian May, CBE (1958–65), musician (Queen)
* Jim McCarty, (1955–62) founding member of The Yardbirds
* Zach Miles (1964–71), chairman, Vedior
* Matt Brittin (1979–86), CEO of Google UK
* Iain Morris, (1984–91) co-writer of E4's The Inbetweeners
* Daniel Pemberton, (1989–96) composer
* Toby Roland-Jones (1999–2006), Cricketer, Middlesex and England
* Paul Samwell-Smith (1955–62) founding member of The Yardbirds
* John Scott CBE FBA (1960–1968) sociologist and former pro vice-chancellor, Plymouth University
* Greg Searle, OBE (1983–90), Olympic gold-winning oarsman
* Jonny Searle, OBE (1980–87), Olympic gold-winning oarsman
* Barry Sheerman (1951–57), Labour MP for Huddersfield since 1983 and chairman of the Education Select Committee
* Graham Skinner, Air Vice Marshal (retd) CBE (1956–63)
* Ollie Stanhope MBE, Paralympic gold-winning oarsman
* Professor Michael Sterling (1957–64) vice chancellor, University of Birmingham; chairman of the Russell Group
* Dave Travis (1957–1964) UK international athlete, former UK record holder at javelin
* Dr. Michael Underwood (1737–1820), surgeon and writer on surgery, discoverer of infantile paralysis
* Air Marshal Sir Peter Wykeham-Barnes, KCB, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar, AFC (1926–28)
* Zia Yusuf, businessman and political campaigner, chairman of Reform UK
* Joshua King (footballer, born 2007), Premier League footballer for Fulham FC.

## Notable staff

* Martin Cross – Olympic rowing gold medallist Rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympics
* Maurice Xiberras – Last leader of the Integration with Britain Party (IWBP) in Gibraltar
* Andy Beattie – former rugby union player for Exeter Chiefs and Bath Rugby and current coach of the school's 1XV team.

## Sources

* Wild, Edward & Rice, Ken (2005) School by the Thames. Frome: Butler and Tanner Ltd (Ken Rice retired from teaching history at Hampton in 2007)
* Hampton School Book