St Saviour's Grammar School

St Saviour's Grammar School is a voluntary aided, mixed grammar school located in Brixton, within the London Borough of Lambeth. Founded in the mid-19th century, it has maintained a selective academic tradition while evolving into a comprehensive modern institution. The school is known for its strong academic results and a wide-ranging programme of extracurricular activities.

History

The school was founded in 1841 by the Parish of St Saviour's in Southwark, originally as a charitable institution for boys. Its early years were closely tied to the Anglican diocese and the philanthropic movements of the Victorian era. It relocated to its present site in Brixton in 1907, following the expansion of London's transport network, including the London and South Western Railway. The school survived the Second World War, with parts of its building used as an ARP wardens' post during the Blitz. It became a voluntary aided school under the Butler Act and began admitting girls in the 1970s, formally becoming fully co-educational by 1985.

Campus and facilities

The main campus centres on a red-brick Edwardian building constructed in the early 20th century, a designated local heritage asset. Recent developments include the Michael Faraday Science Centre, opened in 2012, and the Rosalind Franklin Library and Sixth Form Centre. Sports facilities include extensive playing fields at Brockwell Park, an on-site sports hall, and a floodlit all-weather pitch. The school also maintains specialist facilities for the performing arts, including a recital room and a black box theatre.

Academic profile

As a grammar school, admission at age 11 is based on performance in the 11+ examination. The school consistently achieves strong results in the GCSE and A-Level examinations, regularly placing it highly in national league tables such as those published by The Times. The curriculum includes a strong emphasis on the sciences, modern foreign languages like French and Mandarin, and the humanities. The IB Diploma Programme is offered in the sixth form alongside traditional A-Levels. The school has a partnership with King's College London for supervised research projects.

Extracurricular activities

The school runs over 80 clubs and societies. Its Combined Cadet Force contingent, founded in 1915, has links to the Royal Artillery. The debating society regularly competes in the English-Speaking Union championships and the Oxford Union schools' competition. Musical ensembles, including a symphony orchestra and a jazz band, perform at venues like St John's, Smith Square and the Royal Festival Hall. Sporting teams compete in the London Schools' Football Association leagues and have reached national finals in rugby and netball. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme is also very popular.

Notable alumni

Alumni, known as Old Savourites, include several prominent figures. In science and medicine, these include Nobel laureate Peter Medawar and Royal Society fellow Dame] ] Julia Higgins. In public life and law, alumni comprise former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir John] ] Hodgson and High Court judge Lady] ] Justice Carr. The arts are represented by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Sir] ] Roger Deakins, Mercury Prize-nominated musician Brian Eno, and novelist Zadie Smith. In sport, former England cricketer Mark Ramprakash and Olympic fencing medalist Mary Glen-Haig are also alumni.

Category:Grammar schools in London Category:Educational institutions established in 1841 Category:1841 establishments in England