Pocklington School: 500 Years

In 1514 Pocklington became home to a school. Who could have thought that 500 years later, it would still be here – and thriving? On Your Doorstep delves into the history books.

“It is beholden on us, as a school, to understand our responsibility, commitment and engagement to Pocklington.”
So says Mark Ronan, headmaster of Pocklington School which this year is celebrating its 500th – yes 500th – birthday. And it typifies those values that have ensured the school has become so synonymous with the town.
Five centuries ago, lawyer and clergyman John Dolman established a guild in Pocklington for the provision of a school. It would have been inconceivable to him to think that same school would have become such a part of the landscape. A school that that has launched the careers of many an esteemed academic, scientist, actor, soldier, artist and playwright, to name a few.
Undoubtedly its most notable ‘old boy’ was William Wilberforce. Born in Hull in 1759, he was at Pocklington School from 1771 to 1776. He later studied at Cambridge University, before becoming an MP. He is, of course, remembered as the driving force behind the abolition of the slave trade after a tireless campaign fought over five decades. He wrote his first public letter against the slave trade when he was just 14, and still at Pocklington. Little surprise then that his days at West Green are remembered with a great deal of pride. It’s also why a striking statue near the school entrance depicts him as a boy, and not the statesman he became.

“Schools are ultimately only successful for the children they educate if the relationship between adults – be they teachers or support staff – and pupils is strong”

So what have been – and continue to be – the school’s main strengths?
“Being 500 years old doesn’t make us the oldest school In England, but we are unusual in being on the same site for that period of time,” says Mark, who joined the school in 2008. “We have always been here at West Green, and I think that adds to our sense of identity and place, and I think really enforces the importance of how we are part of Pocklington.
“Schools are ultimately only successful for the children they educate if the relationship between adults – be they teachers or support staff – and pupils is strong,” he adds. “Education is about that relationship, building the confidence and having the trust to do things that are new.
“We started preparations for Pocklington 500 with a rather grandly titled quincententary committee, but we also wanted to use it as an opportunity to reconnect with former pupils, our Old Pocklingtonians.”
The Pocklington 500 Committee has since spawned various sub-committees, each one focusing on specific areas such as memorials, history and fund raising, all of which have come together to provide a series of lasting memories.
Wherever you look, there are visual reminders of the significance of 2014. The school has also been running a project to plant 500 trees around the campus. That began three years ago, and this year will see the planting of the final tree during one of the major events planned for the culmination of celebrations. A new clock for the school’s Brierley tower, the design of a quincententary pavilion, a fresh mural for the school swimming pool and a commemorative gift to All Saints Church are further examples of how the school has sought to engage pupils and staff further still with the local community.
“It is a really good and vibrant town, I enjoy living here and it is important that we do these things,” says Mark. “I am very proud of how we have worked with the community, for example our support of Pocktoberfest by providing the sports hall. This has real resonance in terms of its charitable fund raising purpose.
“I also chaired the Pocklington Community Action Plan, for those same reasons of wanting to give something to the community but it’s also important we do things beyond these shores. We had a project in Tanzania to support a primary school and we are very conscious that it shouldn’t just be a one-off visit, so we are looking to follow it up by shipping some clothes and old textbooks.”
There is also a strong international flavour, with the school catering not only for day students but also some 90 boarders from countries including China, Spain, Germany and even children of Nepalese Ghurkas – an influence that can only be good.
“Whether a boarder or day pupil, ultimately this is the type of environment that their adult lives are going to be,” says Mark. “We have to be outward looking and be able to engage with others far beyond the school itself. We do have a responsibility to the young people who we teach, and I think that international aspect of our community is a real positive.

““We have to be outward looking and be able to engage with others far beyond the school itself.”

“You must also have a good connection with home. Children don’t arrive at school and leave home in a suitcase at the school gates. It matters that we engage well with parents, and we do that through our pastoral care system, where a housemaster or housemistress is a main point of contact for the family. As long as you have the child at the heart of that, you will get a good connection. We don’t replace home but we have got to be home like, and that’s why beyond the classroom, our matrons and housekeepers are a very important aspect of the school.”
Despite operating in such a crowded marketplace against similar fee-paying schools in cities like York and Hull, Mark maintains that such competition is good as it ensures standards are maintained.
“Nationally, outside of London and the south east, the financial crisis has impacted on our sector, but I am really pleased that our recruitment last September appeared to have bucked the trend in northern England. What we cannot be is complacent, and so the most important thing we can do is deliver an excellent education for the children we have, and if we do that they will tell others. That builds confidence.
“We must also manage our finances prudently. We have benefited from having a very strong board of governors who are part of the local community and offer their time for free yet take great responsibility.
“A school must retain its sense of self identity and hold true to its values, but like any organisation in a world that is changing, it must also seek to adapt, to progress. If we are not seeking to do better, then we are not doing the right thing.”
Virtute et Veritate – truth and courage – is the school’s motto. With that in mind, the Pocklington School looks to the next successful 500 years.