Christ's Hospital Today
The 'dangerous experiment' feared by the Duke of Cambridge has worked spectacularly well. Christ's Hospital now enjoys the benefits of the gentle Sussex countryside whilst being, in terms of campus size, the largest school in the country.
The Hertford school for girls merged with the boys at Horsham in 1985 and hence Christ’s Hospital returned to its original co-educational roots. The Charitable Foundation staff, who had remained in Great Tower Street, London, moved to Horsham in 1987.
Christ's Hospital is the most philanthropic of all independent schools, with assets of £261 million and an income from its investments in property and securities of £9 million. A substantial proportion of this income goes towards subsidising school fees. It has said it is in a sound enough position to "withstand the vagaries of the markets". However recent expenses (such as a gas leak which required the complete replacement of the gas pipes, and ongoing refurbishments which have incurred spiralling costs) have dented this happy situation, and Christ's Hospital is now in a somewhat poorer financial situation. Mostly due to this, in early 2010, the Council of Almoners decided that the school would take on a small number of day pupils. It was to be limited to one day pupil, per boarding house, per school year. This was taken with mixed thoughts from pupils and old blues.
The magnanimous support of the City of London Corporation and Livery companies of the City (some 20 actively support children in the School) remains uninterrupted. Christ’s Hospital remains true to its founder’s principles of supporting disadvantaged children and by remaining a school for the public.
The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. John Franklin was appointed as the new headmaster from September 2007 in succession to Dr. Peter Southern. Mr. Franklin was born in Brisbane and was educated in both the UK and Australia. He was previously Headmaster of Ardingly College.
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