The Dragon School
The Dragon School is a renowned British preparatory school in the city of Oxford, founded in 1877, and taking pupils from the age of four ("Reception") to thirteen ("Year 8"). It is primarily known as a boarding school, although it also takes day pupils, which its website reassures us are "as much a part of the Dragon community as those who board". In September 2001, it had 840 pupils, of both sexes [1]. Girls have been admitted as boarders since 1994.
It has been described as "England's largest and most famous preparatory school" [2].
History of the school
The Dragon School was founded in 1877, and was originally named the Oxford Preparatory School. Soon after its founding, it moved to its present site in Bardwell Road in the northern part of the city, just to the west of the River Cherwell.
The school was run for many years by the Lynam family, and according to its website their leadership led to its becoming "arguably the best known of all preparatory schools".
Past pupils
Former pupils of the Dragon School are humorously referred to as "Old Dragons". The following is a list of some of these beasts:-
- John Betjeman (1906 - 1984), British poet, Poet Laureate from 1972
- Nevil Shute (1899 - 1960), British novelist
- Naomi Mitchison (1897 - 1999), British novelist and poet
- Antonia Fraser (born 1932), British historical author
- John Mortimer (born 1923), British playwright, barrister, and novelist
- Peter Jay, British television journalist, and former Economics Editor for the BBC
- Nicholas Shakespeare (born 1957), British journalist and novelist
- David Jessel, journalist
- Stephen Jessel, journalist
- Humphrey Carpenter, British journalist, author, and musician
- Hugh Gaitskell (1906 - 1963), British politician, leader of the Labour Party from 1955 to 1963 [3]
- Patrick Jenkin (Lord Jenkin of Roding), British politician
- Baroness Young (1926 - 2002), British politician
- Timothy Raison, British politician
- Peter Tranchell (1922 - 1993), musician, composer, and teacher
- Sir Roger Norrington (born 1934), musician
- Cyril Gadney, rugby player and president of the RFU
- Ronnie Poulton-Palmer (born c. 1890; killed in First World War), rugby player
- The Clay brothers, rowers
- Tim Henman (born 1974), British tennis player
- Group Captain Sir Leonard Cheshire VC (1917 - 1992), distinguised serviceman, Wing Commander, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and founder of the Leonard Cheshire homes for the disabled
- John Smyth VC, distinguished serviceman, Lieutenant, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, Indian Army
- Jack Randle VC, distinguished serviceman, T/Captain, 2nd Bn. The Royal Norfolk Regiment, British Army
- William Leefe Robinson VC, distinguished serviceman, Lieutenant, 39 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
- Marshal of the Air Force John Slessor, distinguished serviceman
- Admiral Sir Hugo White, distinguished serviceman
- Hugh Laurie (born 1959), British comedian and actor
- Christopher Cazenove, actor
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