Eton College

The King's College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a public school (that is, an independent, fee-charging secondary school) for boys. It is located in Eton, Berkshire near Windsor in England, located about a mile north of Windsor Castle. It is one of the most famous schools in the world.

Overview

Eton College boards approximately 1,290 boys between the ages of 13 and 18 (roughly 250 in each year) at a cost of over £24,000 (GBP) a year. A small number of the pupils (approximately 14 in each year) are there on scholarships provided for by the original bequest and awarded by examination each year; they are known as 'King's Scholars' and live in 'College' itself, paying up to 75 per cent of full fees. Of the other pupils, up to a third are on some kind of bursary or scholarship, and live in one of the other 'Houses', and are known as 'Oppidans'. As at most 'public schools', its pupils achieve very good exam results.

Related Topics:
Boards - GBP

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The name 'King's Scholars' derives from the fact that the school was founded by King Henry VI in 1440 and was therefore granted royal favour. The original school consisted only of the 14 Scholars in each year, totalling only 70 students, and all of these were 'King's Scholars', educated at the king's expense. As the school grew, more students were allowed to attend, providing that they paid their own fees and lived outside the college's original buildings in the town. These students were known as 'Oppidans', from the Latin 'oppidum', meaning town: i.e. those who lived in the town as opposed to the college. The 'Houses' developed over time as a means of organising the Oppidans in a more congenial manner. Most pupils spend a large proportion of their time outside classes in their House. Each House is named after the initials or surname of the House Master, the 'Beak' (teacher) who lives in the house and manages the pupils in it.

Related Topics:
Henry VI - 1440 - Latin - Oppidum

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The school is famous for its alumni (known as Old Etonians) and the traditions it maintains, including a uniform of black tailcoat (or morning coat) and waistcoat, false-collar and pin-striped trousers. All students wear a white tie that is effectively a strip of cloth folded over into the collar, apart from those appointed to positions of responsibility, who wear a white bow-tie. Their positions are also often indicated by variations in the colour of waistcoat, trousers or waistcoat buttons. Those in Sixth Form Select, who are the most academic students at the top of the school, have silver waistcoat buttons, while those in the Eton Society ('Pop') are allowed to wear waistcoats of whatever colour or design they wish, with grey "spongebag" trousers. King's Scholars are also required to wear a black gown over the top of their jackets.

Related Topics:
Alumni - Morning coat - Waistcoat - False-collar - Tie - Bow-tie

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The present uniform was first worn as mourning for the death of George III, and it is still worn today for classes (refered to as 'divisions' or 'divs'). Members of the teaching staff (known as 'Beaks') are also required to wear a form of school dress when teaching. Other idiosyncrasies include the Eton Field Game, the Eton Wall Game, and the remnants of a peculiar slang for almost everything involved with the school.

Related Topics:
George III - Eton Field Game - Eton Wall Game

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The school is popular with the British Royal Family - Princes William and Harry are the most recent to have attended - and has produced nineteen British Prime Ministers. There are many Old Etonians in the Special Air Service (SAS) and several who went on to become famous scientists, writers or sportsmen. See the list at the foot of this page for more well-known Old Etonians. A rising number of students also come to Eton from overseas, including members of royal families from Africa and Asia, some of whom have been sending their sons to Eton for generations.

Related Topics:
British - Royal Family - Princes - William - Harry - Prime Ministers - Special Air Service - Africa - Asia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~