Hutton Grammar School

The school can trace its antecedents back to 1517, with the school building site being personally approved by Henry VIII in that year. In 1520, the school was granted permission, by William Walton, a former priest of Longton, to all boys in the area. It was William's personal investment, to provide for his family and give the local children a chantry-school to attend.

In 1545, when William Walton, the co-founder of the chantry had died, Henry VIII, near to death, ordered the dissolution of all chantries and the confiscation of their property. The desired building, in Hutton, was, at the time, even though confirmed by Henry VIII, 28 years before, would be demolished if it was reported to be still standing. However, the man appointed to supervise the dissolution of the Lancashire chantries was Sir Henry Farington, a former benefactor of St. Andrews Church in Longton. He falsely reported that he could find no chantries in that part of the county, in order to save the demolition of various buildings in the area.

To avoid suspicion of using a chantry for a school, although the false statement was given, they started to use a small cottage down School Lane, in Longton to educate the local children.

In 1552, William's nephew Christopher Walton of Little Hoole, used a part of the original endowment to found the grammar school, down School Lane in Longton. According to the law at the time, a priest must be in charge of a school, traveling inspectors could have closed it down they saw that a commoner was in charge. Therefore, in 1554, Ralph Garstang, priest of St. Andrews Church, was appointed as the schoolmaster of the school.

For the next few centuries, from 1560 to 1746, it was known as Longton Free School. It was not until 1747 that the roles of schoolmaster and priest were finally disconnected, though many subsequent headmasters were also priests (vide infra). The school was then rebuilt, at Hutton on its present site, built on land that had been a part of William Walton's original grant. Henceforth, it became known as Hutton Grammar School (often the Free Grammar School according to many references) and, by 1891, it had become an all-boys school. In 1881 there were 22 boarders and 30 day boys, the 1901 census lists 35 boarders, the 1911 census lists 41 boarders. 165 boys were attending the school in 1922.The Huttonian No 2 In the 1950s and 1960s, there were 57 boarders in addition to the day boys.Censuses of Great Britain, 1881, 1901, 1911School lists, Hutton Grammar School The boarding house closed in 1971The Huttonian, No 62, September 1972

The original building, built around 1750 was extended in the late 19th Century. In the early 20th Century there were further extensions and additional buildings were added. In the 1920s a fine headmaster's house was built by Lt Col Reverend Charles P. Hines. A first floor was added to one extension in 1923, such was the demand for extra space. The indoor swimming pool was added by 1935.Ordnance Survey of Great Britain, maps, various 1848 to 1938 A large new block was opened in October 1931, consisting of a large assembly hall, 7 classrooms, laboratories and staff facilities, allowing pupil numbers to increase from 121 to 270 boys.Lancashire Evening Post. 19 October 1931. This was extended in 1957 with the addition of a larger library, sixth form, chemistry laboratory and classrooms.The Huttonian, The Magazine of Hutton Grammar School and the Old Huttonian Association. No 37, December 1957. The Guardian Press, Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire, England This allowed 3 form entry and the number of pupils increased to 450, rising to over 500 by 1961. The original 18th Century school building had to be demolished and rebuilt in 1965. Some of the late 19th and early 20th-century buildings are still in use.

The School has an established House System with, by 1957, Breakell-Moss House, Henry Hibbert House, Hines House (to which all boarders belonged), Penwortham House, Rawstorne House and Walton House. The Houses are particularly competitive in inter-house school sports.The Huttonian, The Magazine of Hutton Grammar School and the Old Huttonian Association. No 37, December 1957. The Guardian Press, Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire, England While some houses cease to exist, the house system still remains to this day, including Fleetwood, Hines, Walton, Pearson, and Rawsthorne.

Although now a comprehensive, the school to this day still retains its grammar school ethos, enabling it to produce results which are amongst the highest in the area. Sports such as rugby and cross-country running play a serious role at Hutton, with Hutton regularly defeating local independent schools such as Arnold School, Kirkham Grammar School, Rossall School and Stonyhurst College.

The main school received an Ofsted report in May 2022 and achieved the grade of "good".{{citation|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/119794|title=Ofsted Inspection Reports for Hutton Church of England Grammar School|date=8 October 2020}}

The main school features students from Years 7 to 11. It combines GCSEs through the following subjects: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Modern Language, Sciences and Religion, with additional subjects, including History, Geography, Economics, Art, Design, Music and Theatre Arts.

The school's Sixth form allows students to take a number of the following subjects: English Language & Literature, English Literature, Fine Art, Photography, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design Technology (Product Design), Economics, French Language, Further Mathematics, Geography, History, Mathematics, Music, Music Technology, Physical Education, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies and Sociology. [https://www.huttongrammar.org/sixth-form/admissions/courses/] Hutton Sixth Form Courses, September 2025

The Sixth Form is a key part of the school and is a quasi-autonomous body within Hutton Grammar School.

The school offers more than 15 sports. The main sports at the school are rugby in the winter term and cricket in the summer term. Former England rugby captain Steve Borthwick attended the school, as did fellow England international Tony Swift, and leading coach Brian Ashton taught at the school at the start of his coaching career.

Other sports offered include: athletics, Aussie rules, badminton, basketball, chess, cross country running, dance, football, Gaelic football, gymnastics, handball, hockey, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball.

Under headmasters Tom Bennett and David Pearson the school was considerably redeveloped, with facilities such as a new gymnasium and I.T and Mathematics suites installed in 2004. The Music Department now has recording studios and technology suites.

In September 2005, new maths facilities were opened. Following the opening of the new maths suites in the Autumn of 2005, the buildings were used for housing of the resistant materials and art until the end of the academic year of 2006, while the departments were being refurbished.

The old buildings were demolished in the months of July and August 2006 and then in July 2006, the new music and drama suites were opened. Following a large interest in the Sixth Form, due to outstanding results, the Sixth Form was relocated to a new building in September 2010.

Hutton has many internal and external organisations, one of these being the Old Huttonians Association which is open to all previous attendees of the school. The association organises dinners and reunions on a semi regular basis. There is also a Masonic Lodge which meets at the school. Old Huttonian Lodge no. 7614 is part of the Leyland Group of Lodges and Chapters and meets 5 times a year. A member of the Federation of School Lodges, it draws membership from current and past teachers, past pupils and their close relatives.{{Cite web |url=http://www.westlancsfreemasons.org.uk/freemasons/provinfo/groupinfo/group-structure/leyland-district-group/ |title=Old Huttonian Lodge – Details |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309233944/http://www.westlancsfreemasons.org.uk/freemasons/provinfo/groupinfo/group-structure/leyland-district-group/ |archive-date=9 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}

The debating society won the national 'Debating Matters' competition at the Royal Society of Medicine, having never previously entered.[http://www.debatingmatters.com/news/news_article/preston_school_beats_kolkata_opponents_in_debating_matters_internation/ Hutton Champions at Debating Matters] The 2015 Hutton debating team won the Lancashire regional heat, which sent them through to the North West & North Wales regional final, which they went on to win. Hutton eventually lost out in the group stages of the national finals in June 2015. However, a year later, the 2016 cohort reached the final of the national finals, finishing runners up. It was the first time Hutton had reached the national finals in consecutive years.

The Hutton Grammar Economics Society is open to all present and past students of the school. The school had its own radio station, Hutt on Air, which first broadcast on 9 July 2010 and was broadcast to the students (and sixth form) via the school computers and internal AVOID systems.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

• 1805. Rev Richard Rowe died on 13 June 1805, while headmaster.Manchester Mercury, 2 July 1805, p. 4Penwortham Parish Burial records, Bishops Transcripts, 1800 to 1909
• 1807. Rev Whitehead.Lancashire Gazette, 25 April 1807, p. 1
• 1839 to 1851. Rev William Harrison.1841 Census of Great BritainPreston Chronicle & Lancashire Advertiser, 21 June 1851 p. 5
• 1851. Rev John Ketton, appointed May 1851.Preston Chronicle, 15 July 1871 p. 6
• 1861. Rev John Ketton.1861 Census of England and Wales
• 1871. Rev John Ketton.1871 Census of England and Wales
• 1878. Rev Benjamin Corke Huntly M.A. Appointed November 1878, died age 46, while headmaster, on 9 May 1890.1881 Census of England and WalesSt James's Gazette, 12 May 1890 p. 10
• 1891. Rev Thomas Joseph Cunningham M.A.1911 Census of England and WalesPreston Herald, Lancashire, 16 May 1891 p. 8
• 1901. Rev Thomas Joseph Cunningham M.A.1901 Census of England and Wales
• 1911. Rev Thomas Joseph Cunningham M.A.1911 Census of England and Wales
• 1920 to 1938. Lieutenant Colonel Reverend Charles Percy Hines.The Huttonian-the Magazine of Hutton Grammar School and the Old Huttonian Association. Various editions No31 to No43 (The Guardian Press, Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire, UK)1921 Census of England and Wales
• 1938 to 1951. Harold Henry Abbott, the poet.Who's Who 1943 (A & C Black, London, 1943)
• 1951 to 1963. Charles William Lloyd. Left upon appointment as headmaster at Alleyn's School.The Huttonian-the Magazine of Hutton Grammar School and the Old Huttonian Association. Various editions No31 to No43 (The Guardian Press, Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire, UK)
• 1963 (Autumn term). Alfred E Ashburner, acting headmaster.
• 1964 to 1983. J Nelson.The Huttonian-the Magazine of Hutton Grammar School and the Old Huttonian Association. Various editions No31 to No43 (The Guardian Press, Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire, UK)
• 1983 to 1997. Gavin Armstrong.company-information.service.gov.uk{{citation|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/119794|title=Ofsted Inspection Reports for Hutton Church of England Grammar School|date=8 October 2020}}
• 2001. T.P. Bennett
• 2005. D Pearson, appointed April 2005.{{citation|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/119794|title=Ofsted Inspection Reports for Hutton Church of England Grammar School|date=8 October 2020}}
• 2016. Mark Bradshaw, appointed April 2016.{{citation|url=https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/119794|title=Ofsted Inspection Reports for Hutton Church of England Grammar School|date=8 October 2020}}
• 2023. Nicola Moran, appointed January 2023.

{{alumni|date=August 2018}}

• Steve Borthwick, former England rugby union captain, former head coach of Leicester Tigers and now head coach of England national rugby union men's team.
• Brian Cookson OBE, former president of the International Cycling Union{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/24300072|title = Cookson elected as UCI president|work = BBC Sport}} and British Cycling{{Cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/442133/Cycling-Bob-Howden-to-replace-Brian-Cookson-as-new-British-Cycling-president|title = Cycling: Bob Howden to replace Brian Cookson as new British Cycling president|date = 10 November 2013}}{{citation needed|reason=linked article and references do not confirm attendance|date=August 2018}}
• Peter Elleray, Formula One and 24 Hours of Le Mans Racing car designer.
• Edward Gardner, former Royal Navy Commander, survivor of two ship sinkings, barrister and later, a politician
• Nigel Jemson, former Premier League footballer{{citation needed|reason=linked article does not confirm attendance|date=August 2018}}
• Graham Mather represented Hampshire North and Oxford in the European Parliament from 1994 to 1999
• Richard G. Mitchell Composer known for writing and producing movie and TV scores
• Nazia Mogra, Children's TV presenter and senior television journalist
• Jonathan Myles-Lea, painter
• Howard Stableford, former presenter of the BBC's Tomorrow's World and Newsround
• Tony Swift, former England Rugby international{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1566447/Brian-Ashtons-first-set-of-rugby-world-beaters.html|title=Brian Ashton's first set of rugby world-beaters|first1=Richard|last1=Alleyne|first2=Stephen|last2=Adams|date=2007-10-17|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2011-03-17}}
• David Williams, chief executive of the United Kingdom Space Agency since 2010 (formerly the British Nationals Space Centre)

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.huttongrammar.org/ Hutton Grammar School website]
• [https://archive.today/20120614041809/http://www.edubase.gov.uk/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=119794 EduBase]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100616040600/http://www.hgseconomics.webs.com/ HGS Economics]

{{Schools in Lancashire}}

{{Borough of South Ribble culture}}

Category:1552 establishments in England

Category:Schools in South Ribble

Category:Boys' schools in Lancashire

Category:Secondary schools in Lancashire

Category:Educational institutions established in the 1550s

Category:Church of England secondary schools in the Diocese of Blackburn

Category:Voluntary aided schools in England