Latymer Upper School

Latymer Upper School is a private school in London, England, which has been fully co-educational since September 2004 when the first girls were admitted at 11+. The sixth form (academic years 12 and 13) has been co-educational for over a decade, while the feeder school, Latymer Preparatory School, admitted girls for the first time earlier in 2003.

In 1624, wealthy puritan Edward Latymer, on his death bed, pledged to educate and feed eight poor boys of Hammersmith. While the current number of pupils lies at around 1100, the school holds tightly to its past, which is visible in the mock-gothic main hall, decorated with paintings of past head masters.

The school's Headmaster is currently Peter Winter, who succeeded the man who came up with the co-education plans, Colin Diggory, in September 2002. Mr Winter joins the school for his second spell there, as he also started his teaching career there.

Sport at Latymer is particularly strong. With its strategic position on the River Thames, it offers good facilities for rowing. Former World Champion Don MacLachlan has recently left the school, and he leaves behind him a good few rowers and ex-rowers who have competed at Olympic and National level. The current crop of rowers are reportedly as strong as ever, and some are expected to compete at a high level sooner or later. Perhaps the most famous ex-Latymerian sportsman is Dan Luger, the England Rugby back who was part of the World Cup winning squad of last December. Simon Hughes , ex-cricketer of Middlesex and Durham also attended the school, and he now works for Channel 4's cricket coverage team. The school also teaches football, tennis, swimming, cross country running, squash, badminton, basketball, and ultimate frisbee amongst others.

Latymer also has a large contingent of actors, with high quality plays (and indeed concerts) being regularly performed in the recently built Arts Centre. Mel Smith, Will Theakston, Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant are old boys.

Also founded by Edward Latymer is The Latymer School in Edmonton, North London. The Latymer School is a co-educational grammar school, "the largest and arguably most successful grammar school in England".

External link

• Laytmer Upper School website