The Latymer School

For the independent school in Hammersmith, London, see Latymer Upper School.

The Latymer School is a voluntary aided, selective, co-educational grammar school located in Edmonton, London. It was founded in 1624 by the will of Edward Latymer to provide education and clothing for eight poor boys of the area. Initially operating under different guises related to its foundation, it formally became a co-educational grammar school in 1910 when the site was re-opened on Haselbury Road.

The Latymer School
Address
Haselbury Road Edmonton , Greater London , N9 9TN England
Coordinates	51.6250°N 0.0744°W / 51.6250; -0.0744
Information
Type	Voluntary aided grammar school
Motto	Latin: Qui Patitur Vincit ("He who endures wins")
Established	1624; 401 years ago (1624)
Founder	Edward Latymer
Local authority	Enfield Council
Department for Education URN	102055 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Chair of the Governing Board	Stephen Way
Headteacher	Joseph Gilford
Staff	141 (as of November 2016)
Gender	Co-educational
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	1,365 (2016–17 academic year)
Houses	Ashworth   Dolbé   Keats   Lamb   Latymer   Wyatt
Colour(s)	Royal and navy blue
Website	https://www.latymer.co.uk

The school has formal links with St John's College, Cambridge (Edward Latymer's College) and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (the College of Edward Latymer's father, William Latymer) which have endowments which may be used for the furtherance of the studies of former Latymer pupils at those colleges.

History

Foundation and Early Development

The Latymer School was established in 1624 on Church Street, Edmonton, by the will of Edward Latymer (1557–1627), a legal official at the Court of Wards and Liveries.^[1] In his will, he left property in Hammersmith to fund clothing and education for eight poor boys of Edmonton and eight of Fulham, then including Hammersmith (now known as the Latymer Upper School). Each boy was to receive a doublet, breeches, a shirt, woollen stockings, and shoes on Ascension Day and All Saints’ Day, marked with a red cross on the left sleeve. They were to learn to read in English and be instructed in “God’s true religion” at local petty schools until the age of thirteen.^[2]

Despite the clear provisions in Edward Latymer’s will, his relatives, Thomas and Bartrum Themilthorpe, contested it in the Court of Chancery. The resulting legal dispute delayed the implementation of the bequest. The property was ultimately conveyed to the trustees in Edmonton in 1628. In accordance with the terms of the will, the school did not initially bear Latymer’s name; instead, the pupils were referred to as “Latymer’s Poor Alms Boys.”^[2] The first headmaster, the Reverend John Brooke, was appointed in 1634, following the resolution of the legal proceedings.^[3]

In 1662, John Wild of Edmonton made a bequest for the annual maintenance of a schoolmaster and a poor scholar at Cambridge. In 1697, Thomas Style extended the bequest to fund the education of "twenty poor boys ... Grammar and Latin tongue." Several similar benefactions produced about £550 per annum, which funded the instruction of more than one hundred boys, of which sixty were clothed.^[4]

18th and 19th Century

By the late 18th century, the school was under John Adams (1781–1802)^[5] and later his son, John Adams II (1802–1826), who introduced a numbered medal system for ranking students by academic merit. In 1811, a new schoolroom was built using a £500 bequest from Ann Wyatt, a widow from Hackney who willed her husbands Navy Annuities.^[6]

By 1848, under Charles Henry Adams (1826–1867), a vestry inquiry found Latin was no longer taught and clothing was inconsistently provided.^[7] He and his son continued until Rev. Dr. Charles Vincent Dolbé (1867–1897) was appointed, under whom a new scheme diverted some foundation income to local elementary schools. During his tenure, the motto was Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat ('Let he who bears the palm (of honour) deserve it') was in use.^[8]

In 1897, William Shearer (1897–1909) became headmaster. He faced inadequate facilities and opposition from Robert S. Gregory, Vicar of Edmonton, who proposed redirecting school funds to a Church of England elementary school. The lower school moved to Maldon Road in 1901, and land was acquired on Hazelbury Road for a new upper school. Before construction began, Shearer died in an accident in 1908.^[4]

20th Century to the Present

The upper school reopened on 24 September 1910^[9] as a coeducational grammar school under Richard Ashworth (1910–1928).^[1] That same year, the name Edmonton Latymer School was formally adopted and the motto changed to Qui Patitur Vincit ("He who endures wins"). The school expanded in 1924 and 1928, and by Ashworth's death, it had over 700 pupils.^[10] During this expansion in this period, two additional houses were established: Keats and Lamb, named in honour of two of Edmonton's literary figures, John Keats and Charles Lamb.^[8]

Victor Davis (1929–1957) led the school through the Great Depression and Second World War, during his tenure, the school was granted voluntary aided status in 1951.^[8] He was succeeded by Dr. Trefor Jones (1957–1979), under whom the school adopted a comprehensive intake in 1967, following Circular 10/65, while retaining informal selection practices.^[8]

The school later became a Grant-Maintained School under the Education Reform Act 1988, which allowed it to receive funding directly from central government and operate independently of the local education authority. Following the enactment of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the school reverted to voluntary aided status, returning to local authority coordination while retaining certain administrative and religious freedoms.^{[citation needed]}

In 2024, The Latymer School celebrated its 400th anniversary with a series of events, including a concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London, featuring performances by current and former students to an audience of 2,300.^[11]

Form and House System

From Years 7 to 11, each year group consists of 192 students randomly divided into six Form Groups, aligned with the school's house system. These groups remain the same throughout the five years, with daily registration and occasional assemblies and extended form periods.

The school has six houses, each named after a historical figure associated with the school:

• Ashworth – Richard Ashworth, Headmaster (1910-1928)
• Dolbe – Rev. Dr. Charles Vincent Dolbe, Headmaster (1867-1897)
• Keats – John Keats, poet educated in Enfield
• Lamb – Charles Lamb, poet who lived in Edmonton
• Latymer – Edward Latymer, the school’s founder
• Wyatt – Ann Wyatt, a benefactor who supported the school's establishment in 1811

These house affiliations continue if students stay on for the Sixth Form. Houses compete in sports and arts events, earning points toward the Dormer Shield and Jones Cup, and also organise fundraising activities for selected charities.^[12]

School site

The Latymer School seen from Haselbury Road

Much of the north end of the school (principally the Small Hall and surrounding rooms) was built in 1910 after the Old Latymer Schoolhouse (Built mainly by Ann Wyatt and extended in the time of Charles Dolbé) in Church Street was abandoned. The buildings on the present site were provided by Middlesex County Council at a cost of £6,782, and accommodated 150 pupils. Twelve classrooms built in 1924 in the North Block allowed pupil capacity to triple.^[8]

The Great Hall, science laboratories and South Block were opened in a ceremony in 1928 by the Duke and Duchess of York.^[8][13] Fully equipped with stage and seating for over 1,000 people, the hall is used for school assemblies, concerts, drama productions and other major events. It is home to the Davis organ, which was repaired and upgraded in 2005.^[14]

The gymnasia, art studios and technology block were opened in 1966 by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.^[15] The 12 science laboratories and 6 technology rooms (including facilities for graphic design, product design, textiles and cookery) were re-equipped and modernised in the late 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

Much of the school was modernised in the time of the headmaster, Dr. Trefor Jones (1957-1970). The balconies were altered in the Great Hall so that the pillars were not so obstructive to the view of the stage and the balustrade removed and replaced with panels of fluted light oak. Dark green tiles adorned the walls below the dado rail in much of the older parts of the school which were removed and the walls refinished.^[8]

The sixth form common room was converted in 2000 from the Jones Lecture Theatre, which had itself been converted from a gymnasium to mark the retirement of Jones as headmaster in 1970. The sixth form study area was built as the common room in 1984 to mark the retirement of headmaster Edward Kelly. Upon the conversion of the Jones Lecture Theatre to the common room, the 1984 building was made into a space for the sixth form to study in their free periods and a connecting building was built between the two, housing offices for the Head of the Sixth Form and a servery for sixth form students.^{[citation needed]}

In the spring of 2000, the Mills Building, named after former headmaster Geoffrey Mills (1983-1998), was opened as a performing arts complex to serve the Music, Drama, and Media Studies departments. Constructed in the 1990s on the site of the school's old dining huts, it now stands as the home for music and the performing arts^[16]

The Ysgol centre

The school owns a residential outdoor pursuits centre in Snowdonia National Park, Wales. The centre, Ysgol Latymer, was established on the site of an old primary school situated in the small village of Cwm Penmachno (5 miles from Betws-y-Coed) in 1966, as a 'school away from school'. Since, the school has developed it into a residential centre, accommodating up to forty staff and pupils. It acts as a base of operations for week-long trips in the first year.^[17][18]

The Seward Studio is a flexible performance and gallery space named after Dame Margaret Seward, a former head girl and Chair of Governors from 1983 to 1994. Opened in 23 February 2010^[19] as part of the school’s centenary celebrations, it was created by converting the old boys’ gym into a state-of-the-art venue for assemblies, performances, exhibitions, and cinema screenings. Designed by former BBC engineer Don McQuistan and installed by Robert Bruce of Fox Visual Systems, the studio seats up to 180 with removable seating, and features a dry acoustic with an adjustable reverb system for music, plus a Crestron control system for easy technical operation. On opening day, it hosted live drama and transformed into a high-definition surround-sound cinema, reflecting its wide-ranging potential.^[9][14][20]

The school owns 12 acres (49,000 m²) of playing fields laid out for football, hockey, rugby union, cricket, rounders and athletics according to season.^{[citation needed]}

The entrance to the Sports/Catering facility

A new Sports and Dining Complex was opened in a ceremony by Princess Anne on 18 May 2006.^[21] The facility is a brownfield development, occupying only slightly more area than the previous catering facility from the 1940s. Various environmentally friendly measures are incorporated into its design, including solar panels providing hot water, sun pipes reducing the need for artificial lighting and wind catchers to provide ventilation.^[22][14]

In September 2022 a new 3G all-weather football pitch was opened on the playing field, built with funding from the Football Foundation.^[14][23]

Ofsted judgement and school ranking

The school underwent its most recent Ofsted inspection on 24 March 2022, when it received an overall grade of 'Good', after having previously been graded 'Outstanding' on 25 January 2008. Its 6th form facilities remain graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.^[24] In the 2025 'Parent Power' rankings, published by The Times newspaper, the school was ranked 17th in the UK. In 2024, 86% of GCSE examinations achieved A-grades (17th nationwide), and 68% of entries gained A-grades at A-level, while 87% obtained A or B grades (21st nationwide).^[25]

Notable former pupils

See also: Category:People educated at The Latymer School

In entertainment

• Evelyn Ankers,^[26] actress, known as "the Queen of the B movies"
• Clare-Hope Ashitey, actress^[27]
• Eileen Atkins, actress^[28]
• Bruce Forsyth, entertainer^[29]
• Tim Pope, director^[30]
• Leslie Welch, radio and television personality, the Memory Man^[31]
• Aubrey Woods, actor, best known for performing "The Candy Man" in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory^[32]
• Vivian Oparah, actress ^[33]
• Jasmine Blackborow, actress^[34]

In politics

• Syed Kamall, Conservative MEP^[35]
• Albert Meltzer, anarcho-communist writer^[36]
• Ash Sarkar, British journalist and left-wing political activist^[37]
• David Walder, Conservative Party politician^[38]

In academia

• Mark Abrams, social scientist^[39]
• Margaret Seward, First Female Chief Dental Officer^[40]
• John Horlock, vice-chancellor, Open University, 1981–90^[41]
• Liz Jolly, Chief Librarian, The British Library (from 2018)^{[42][failed verification]}
• John Prebble, historian and novelist^[43]
• Stephen Wheatcroft, economist and civil aviation expert influential in founding of British Airways^[44][45]
• Yorick Wilks, artificial intelligence pioneer^[46]

In sport

• Ted Blake, trampoline pioneer^[47]
• Johnny Haynes, former Fulham F.C. and England football captain^[48]
• Leslie Medley, former Spurs and England footballer.^[49]
• Arthur Sanders, footballer^[50]
• Mark Warburton, formerly manager of Queens Park Rangers^[51]

In music

• James Blake, British electronic artist^[52]
• Grace Chatto, cellist in British electronic music band Clean Bandit^[52]
• Richard Cook, music writer, former executive of PolyGram records^[53]
• B.J. Wilson, original drummer of Procol Harum^[54]

Other

• Nick Holtam, 78th bishop of Salisbury^[55]
• Philip North, bishop of Blackburn^[56]