{{short description|Public school in Woodford Green, Greater London}} {{About|the school in England|the school in the United States|Bancroft School}} {{More citations needed|date=November 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox school | name = Bancroft's School | image = Bancroft’s logo 2025.png | image_size = | coordinates = {{coord|51.6197|N|0.0267|E|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | motto = Unto God Only Be Honour and Glory | established = {{Start date and age|1737}} | closed = | type = [[Private schools in the United Kingdom|Private]] day school<br>[[Public School (UK)|Public School]] | religious_affiliation = [[Church of England]] | president = | head_label = Head | head = Alex Frazer | r_head_label = Chaplain | r_head = | chair_label = Chairman of governors | chair = Sir Andrew Ford | founder = Francis Bancroft | specialist = | address = High Road | city = [[Woodford Green]] | county = London | country = England | postal_code = IG8 0RF | local_authority = [[London Borough of Redbridge|Redbridge]] | ofsted = | urn = 102875 | staff = c. 350 | gender = Co-educational | enrolment = 1100 (including 250 in the preparatory school) | lower_age = 7 | upper_age = 18 | houses = {{colour box|red}} North <br> {{colour box|green}} East <br> {{colour box|yellow}} West <br> {{colour box|blue}} School | colours = Navy Blue, Gold, Black | publication = | alumni = [[#Notable alumni|Old Bancroftians]] | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | website = http://www.bancrofts.org/ }}
'''Bancroft's School''' is a co-educational [[Private schools in the United Kingdom|private]] [[day school]] in [[Woodford Green]], [[London]]. The school has around 1,100 pupils aged between 7 and 18, around 250 of whom are pupils of the Preparatory School and 850 of whom are pupils of the Senior School.
The school's alumni, called "Old Bancroftians", include naturalists, poets, academics, politicians, authors, sportsmen, actors, and military figures. These include two recipients of the [[Victoria Cross]], Britain's highest military award for gallantry, [[Robert Edward Cruickshank]] and [[Augustus Charles Newman]]. More recently, alumni have included [[David Pannick, Baron Pannick|Lord Pannick KC]], [[Mike Lynch (businessman)|Mike Lynch]], [[Alan Davies]], [[Hari Kunzru]], [[Anita Anand (journalist)|Anita Anand]] and [[Andy Saull]].
==History== [[File:Bancrofts_School.jpg|thumb|250px|Bancroft's School in [[Woodford Green]]]] The school was founded in 1737, following the death in 1728 of Francis Bancroft,<ref>[http://www.thedrapers.co.uk/Charities/1e_francisbancroft.html The Drapers' Company – Francis Bancroft's Trust]. Retrieved May 2008 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815155556/http://www.thedrapers.co.uk/Charities/1e_francisbancroft.html |date=15 August 2007 }}</ref> who bequeathed a sizeable sum of money to the [[Worshipful Company of Drapers|Drapers' Company]], which continues to act as trustee for the school and as its governors. Bancroft's began in the [[Mile End Road]] in [[London East End|London's East End]] as a small charitable day school for boys, with an attached almshouse.
The foundation was originally known as Bancroft's Hospital and, until the late 19th century, also acted as a home for almsmen who had been freemen of the Company of Drapers.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Low|first1=Sampson|title=The Charities of London in 1861: Comprising an Account of the Operations, Resources, and General Conditions of the Charitable, Educational, and Religious Institutions of London|url=https://archive.org/details/b24858651|publisher=S. Low, son, & Company|page=[https://archive.org/details/b24858651/page/248 248]|year=1862}}</ref> In 1884, the almshouse was abolished, and the school moved to a new site at [[Woodford Green]], and the original buildings were demolished; the site is now occupied by [[Queen Mary, University of London]]. [[File:Bancroft's School cricket pitch.jpg|thumb|A school cricket match in front of the prep school]] The current school location in [[Woodford Green]] occupies twenty-one and a half acres, if off-site facilities are included, and the main buildings were designed by [[Arthur Blomfield]], who was also responsible for [[Selwyn College, Cambridge|Selwyn College]] in [[Cambridge]]. Originally, there were just a hundred pupils, including sixty boarders. The numbers grew steadily during the twentieth century until there were nearly one thousand on the roll. The buildings were also extended, with the original Science Block (1910) then further extended (1969/70 and officially opened by [[Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman]]), the Great Hall (1937), the Adams Building (Music Block) (1964), a new Gymnasium Block (1975), the Preparatory School (1990), the Courtyard Building (2006), new Sports Block (2007), and Preparatory School Extension (2009).
Following the [[Education Act 1944]], Bancroft's became a [[direct grant grammar school]]. However, the removal of this status in the 1970s prompted the governors to decide on three courses of action: to discontinue boarding, to admit girls for the first time and become fully independent. Some years later the decision was also taken to build a new preparatory school. These were all completed by 1990; the school now takes half its pupils from age 7, and half the pupils are now girls. In 1997, the government abolished the [[Assisted Places Scheme]], which had helped children from poor families to attend the school; the governors replaced these by Francis Bancroft Scholarships, which were supported by the Drapers' Company and by the residue of Francis Bancroft's original will.
Mary Ireland became head in January 2008, succeeding Peter Scott. It was announced in October 2015 that Ireland would be succeeded by Simon Marshall as head following the 2015–2016 academic year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/13843334.New_school_leader_named_as_headteacher_set_to_leave/|work=The Guardian|title=New school leader named as headteacher set to leave |date=13 October 2015 }}</ref>
The school team won the [[Kids' Lit Quiz]] in 2009 at the world final in South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kids' Lit Quiz 2009|url=http://www.kidslitquiz.com/world-final/2009|access-date=22 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713150127/http://www.kidslitquiz.com/world-final/2009|archive-date=13 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In September 2023, head Simon Marshall announced to the school that he would be retiring at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. In September 2024 Alex Frazer became head of Bancroft's.<ref name=":0">{{cite web | url=https://www.bancrofts.org/alex-frazer-announced-as-the-new-head-of-bancrofts/ | title=Bancroft's School | date=14 December 2023 }}</ref>
==Preparatory School== {{Infobox school | name = Bancroft's Preparatory School | image = | image_size = 200px | motto = | established = 1990 | closed = | type = [[Preparatory school (UK)|Preparatory]] day school | religious_affiliation = | president = | head_label = Head | head = [[Joe Layburn]] | r_head_label = | r_head = | chair_label = | chair = | founder = | specialist = | address = | city = | county = | country = | local_authority = | ofsted = | urn = 132134 | staff = | gender = Coeducational | enrolment = 200~ | lower_age = 7 | upper_age = 11 | houses = | colours = | publication = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | website = http://www.bancrofts.org/index.php/prep-school }} The Preparatory School was founded in 1990 after the senior school had converted from a [[Direct grant grammar school|direct grant grammar]] to an independent school. Unlike most traditional preparatory schools, the final year is Year 6 (age 11) and not Year 8 (age 13).
==Curriculum== For the first two years, students study the following subjects: English, Maths, Spanish, German, Combined Science, Drama, Religious Studies, Geography, Learning for Life, History, PE, Games, Music, Design & Technology and Art.
In the Removes year (Year 8), students choose two languages to study out of French, German, Spanish, and Russian, and also study Latin.
In the Lower Fourth year (Year 9) students choose three subjects from Latin, Classics, Ancient Greek, Russian, French, Spanish and German and two subjects from Art, Music, Design & Technology, Drama and Computer Science.
At GCSE level, all pupils take the following core subjects: English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Four additional subjects are chosen from the following, one of which must be a language: Art, Design & Technology, Music, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Latin, Classical Civilisation, Classical Greek, Religious Studies, Physical Education, Drama, Computer Science, Geography, and History.
The school follows the IGCSE syllabi in Mathematics and English. Around a third of pupils take Mathematics a year early, going on to do an FSMQ in Additional Mathematics in the Fifth Form.
A-Level students choose three, or sometimes four of the subjects offered by the school: Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Classical Greek, Computer Science, Design Technology, Drama, Economics, Electronics, English Literature, French, Geography, German, History, Latin, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music, Politics, Physics, Religious Studies, Russian and Spanish.
Some students taken an [[Extended Project Qualification]] in the Lower Sixth (Year 12) along with three A-levels. This EPQ is completed at the end of the Lower Sixth.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bancrofts.org/senior/the-curriculum/|title=Bancroft's School|first=The Web|last=Kitchen|website=Bancroft's|access-date=3 June 2019}}</ref>
==Heads==
{| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! Name ! Joined ! Left ! Reference |- | Herbert Clement Playne | 1906 | 1931 |<ref name="Oba2015">{{cite web|url=http://www.theoba.co.uk/cgi-bin/bancms3.pl?dn=banhis05|publisher=The Old Bancroftian's Association|title=The Bancroftian Network|access-date=10 December 2013|archive-date=12 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212070505/http://www.theoba.co.uk/cgi-bin/bancms3.pl?dn=banhis05|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- | Thomas Grantham Wells | 1931 | 1943 | <ref name="Oba2015"/> |- | Sydney Adams | 1944 | 1965 | <ref name="Oba2015"/> |- | Ian MacDonald Richardson | 1965 | 1985 | <ref name="Oba2015"/> |- | Peter Campbell David Southern | 1985 | 1996 | <ref name="Oba2015"/> |- | Peter Scott | 1996 | 2008 | <ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-12-06 |title=WOODFORD GREEN: First female headteacher at top school |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/1883837.woodford-green-first-female-headteacher-at-top-school/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series |language=en}}</ref> |- | Mary Ireland | 2008 | 2016 | <ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-07-11 |title=Pupils and teachers pay tribute to retiring headteacher |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/14611808.pupils-and-teachers-pay-tribute-to-retiring-headteacher/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series |language=en}}</ref> |- | Simon Marshall | 2016 | 2024 | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Kitchen |first=The Web |date=2015-10-12 |title=Bancroft's School |url=https://www.bancrofts.org/new-head-for-bancrofts-announced/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Bancroft's |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> |- |Alex Frazer |2024 | - | <ref name=":0" /> |}
==Notable alumni== {{See also|Category:People educated at Bancroft's School}} {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Name ! Born ! Died ! Known For |- |[[Frederic Newton Williams]]{{cn|date=May 2025}} |1862 |1923 |Physician and botanist |- |[[Allan Powell|Sir Allan Powell]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Francombe |first=Daniel |date=March 1948 |title=The Bancroftian |url=https://bancroftschool.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_bancroftian&columnName=filename&recordId=282 |journal=The Bancroftian |volume=50 |issue=1 |pages=1}}</ref> |1876 |1948 |Chairman of Governors of the [[BBC]], 1939–1946 |- |[[Gilbert Waterhouse]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epexio |url=https://heritage.bancrofts.org/#/names/5987f7a8-3a0a-42fd-8b34-2f230a75427f |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=heritage.bancrofts.org |language=en-gb}}</ref> |1883 |1916 |[[War poetry|Trench poet]] |- |[[Reader Bullard|Sir Reader Bullard]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lambton |first=Ann |date=24 December 2009 |title=Sir Reader William Bullard |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-the-school-of-oriental-and-african-studies/article/sir-reader-william-bullard/9D5B476EAFC9F85F3A597F044DDB675C |journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies |volume=40 |pages=130–134 |doi=10.1017/S0041977X00040489 |s2cid=178019942 }}</ref> |1885 |1976 |Ambassador to [[Iran]], 1943–1945 |- |[[Robert Edward Cruickshank|Robert "Eddie" Cruickshank]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oldbancroftians.com/|title=Old Bancroftians' Association|website=Old Bancroftians}}</ref> |1888 |1961 |[[World War I]] [[Victoria Cross]] |- |[[Henry Self]]<ref name="times">{{cite news |date=17 January 1975 |title=Obituary: Sir Henry Self – Distinguished civil servant |work=[[The Times]] |page=16}}</ref> |1890 |1975 |Civil Servant |- |[[Kenneth Peppiatt|Sir Kenneth Peppiatt]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epexio |url=https://heritage.bancrofts.org/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=heritage.bancrofts.org |language=en-gb}}</ref> |1893 |1983 |[[Chief Cashier|20th Chief Cashier, Bank of England]], 1934–1949 |- |[[Joseph Harold Sheldon]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joseph Harold Sheldon {{!}} RCP Museum |url=https://history.rcplondon.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/joseph-harold-sheldon |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=history.rcplondon.ac.uk}}</ref> |1893 |1972 |Physician, surgeon, and [[gerontologist]] |- |[[Edgar Middleton]]<ref name="Times-1939-Apr-11">{{cite journal|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&userGroupName=hamlib&tabID=T003&docPage=article&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CS219755659&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0|journal=[[The Times]]|location=London, England|page=13|issue=48276|title=Mr. Edgar Middleton|date=11 April 1939|access-date=28 September 2013}}</ref>
|1894 |1939 |Playwright and Author |- |[[Victor Purcell]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Leeming |first=J.S |date=May 1962 |title=The Bancroftian |url=https://bancroftschool.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_bancroftian&columnName=filename&recordId=325 |journal=The Bancroftian |volume=57 |issue=5}}</ref> |1896 |1965 | British colonial official and sinologist |Civil servant |- |[[Wilfrid Percy Henry Sheldon|Sir Wilfrid Percy Henry Sheldon, KCVO]]<ref>{{cite ODNB|author1=Tizard, Peter|authorlink1=Sheldon, Sir Wilfrid Percy Henry (1901-1983)|title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|year=2004|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/31674|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/31674|accessdate=5 March 2015}}</ref> |1901 |1983 |Consulting physician; physician-paediatrician to [[Queen Elizabeth II]] |- |[[Augustus Charles Newman|Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Charles Newman]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Crickmay |first=N.H |date=November 1972 |title=The Bancroftian |url=https://bancroftschool.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_bancroftian&columnName=filename&recordId=340 |journal=The Bancroftian |volume=63 |issue=2}}</ref> |1904 |1972 |[[World War II]] [[Victoria Cross]] |- |[[Norman Charles Suckling|Norman Suckling]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Freeman |first=W.A |date=February 1925 |title=The Bancroftian |url=https://bancroftschool.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_bancroftian&columnName=filename&recordId=197 |journal=The Bancroftian |volume=33 |issue=1}}</ref> |1904 |1994 |Biographer, composer, pianist, writer on music, and educator |- |[[Frederick Warner (engineer)|Sir Frederick Warner]]<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sutton |first1=Jane |last2=Duckett |first2=Adam |date=2010-07-27 |title=Sir Frederick Warner |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jul/27/sir-frederick-warner-obituary |access-date=2024-02-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> |1910 |2010 |[[Chemical engineering|Chemical engineer]] |- |[[Leslie Broderick]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-07 |title=Flight Lieutenant Leslie Broderick |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/flight-lieutenant-leslie-broderick-jvzdtkj8vqd |access-date=2024-02-07 |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> |1921 |2013 |"[[Stalag Luft III escape|Great Escape]]" survivor |- |[[Alan Palmer]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Obituaries |first=Telegraph |date=2022-04-21 |title=Alan Palmer, teacher who brought history to life for his pupils and became a prolific and respected author – obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2022/04/21/alan-palmer-teacher-brought-history-life-pupils-became-prolific/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> |1926 |2022 |Historian and teacher at [[Highgate School]] |- |[[Richard Pankhurst (historian)|Richard Pankhurst]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-02-20 |title=Professor Richard Pankhurst, expert on Ethiopia – obituary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2017/02/20/professor-richard-pankhurst-expert-ethiopia-obituary/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> |1927 |2017 |Historian, grandson of [[Emmeline Pankhurst]] |- |[[Denis Quilley]]<ref name="guardian">Barker, Dennis. "Denis Quilley – Gifted actor whose versatility belied his great strengths", ''The Guardian'', 7 October 2003, p. 29</ref> |1927 |2003 |Actor |- |[[Keith Williamson|Sir Keith Williamson]]<ref name="prob90">Probert, p. 90</ref> |1928 |2018 |[[Marshal of the Royal Air Force]] |- |[[Fred Emery (journalist)|Fred Emery]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/9947567.old-bancroftonian-and-former-times-journalist-goes-back-to-bancrofts-school-in-high-road-woodford-green-to-give-talk-on-american-presidential-campaign/|title=WOODFORD GREEN: Old Bancroftonian and former Times journalist goes back to school|date=25 September 2012|website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series}}</ref> |1933 | |TV presenter and investigative journalist for the BBC |- |[[Neil Macfarlane (politician)|Sir Neil Macfarlane]]<ref>{{Cite journal |date=June 1974 |title=The Bancroftian |url=https://bancroftschool.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_bancroftian&columnName=filename&recordId=352 |journal=The Bancroftian}}</ref> |1936 | |Member of Parliament for [[Sutton and Cheam (UK Parliament constituency)|Sutton and Cheam]] 1974–1992 |- |[[John Frederick Dewey|John F. Dewey]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-03-27 |title=My most important teacher – John Dewey - Metageologist |url=https://all-geo.org/metageologist/2012/03/my-most-important-teacher-john-dewey/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |language=en-US}}</ref> |1937 | |[[Structural geology|Structural geologist]], authority on the development and evolution of mountain ranges |- |[[Colin Barker]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dale |first=Gareth |date=2019-02-14 |title=Colin Barker obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/feb/14/colin-barker-obituary |access-date=2024-02-07 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> |1939 |2019 |Marxist sociologist |- |[[Mike Leander]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-05-03 |title=Obituary: Mike Leander |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-mike-leander-1345603.html |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> |1941 |1996 |Singer, songwriter, and music producer |- |[[Alan Thurlow]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tobin |first=Edmund |date=5 June 2009 |title=LOUGHTON: New organ to be put through its paces |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4422369.loughton-new-organ-put-paces/ |work=Guardian-Series}}</ref> |1947 | |[[Organist]] and former director of music at [[Chichester Cathedral]] |- |[[Martyn Turner]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epexio |url=https://heritage.bancrofts.org/#/search/all:all/0_50/all/score_desc/martyn%20turner |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=heritage.bancrofts.org |language=en-gb}}</ref> |1948 | |Political cartoonist |- |[[Peter Salsbury]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clarke |first=Hilary |date=29 November 1998 |title=Interview: Peter Salsbury - Made to measure at Marks |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/interview-peter-salsbury-made-to-measure-at-marks-1188159.html |work=Independent}}</ref> |1949 | |Former Chief Executive of [[Marks & Spencer]] |- |[[Peter Erskine (businessman)|Peter Erskine]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bradford |first=J.D |date=February 1968 |title=The Bancroftian |url=https://bancroftschool.daisy.websds.net/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_bancroftian&columnName=filename&recordId=349 |journal=The Bancroftian |volume=60 |issue=4}}</ref> |1951 | |Former Chief Executive of [[O2 (UK)]] |- |[[Peter Perrett]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-17 |title=Transpontine: Music Monday: Peter Perrett 'How the West was Won' |url=https://transpont.blogspot.com/2017/07/music-monday-peter-perrett-how-west-was.html |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Transpontine}}</ref> |1952 | |Lead singer of [[The Only Ones]] |- |[[David Pannick|Lord Pannick KC]]<ref name="RubinsteinJolles2011">{{cite book |last1=Rubinstein |first1=W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=spOxzrifZjcC&pg=PT1441 |title=The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History |last2=Jolles |first2=Michael A. |date=27 January 2011 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn=978-0-230-30466-6 |page=1441}}</ref><ref name="JC">{{cite news |last=Rozenberg |first=Joshua |date=9 December 2016 |title=David Pannick: the lawyer who makes challenging Brexit look easy |url=https://www.thejc.com/determined-and-experienced-the-lawyer-who-makes-challenging-brexit-look-easy-1.428961 |work=The Jewish Chronicle}}</ref> |1956 | |[[Barrister]] and cross-bench member of the [[House of Lords]] |- |[[Mark Pelling|His Honour Judge Pelling KC]]<ref>'PELLING, (Philip) Mark', Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014</ref> |1956 | |Judge in Charge of the London Circuit Commercial Court<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-14 |title=His Honour Judge Pelling KC |url=https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/his-honour-judge-pelling-qc-2/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Courts and Tribunals Judiciary |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |[[Mike Lynch (businessman)|Mike Lynch]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=OBA President's Report - 2009 |url=http://www.bancroftians.net/UserFiles/File/obaagmdocs.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723022926/http://www.bancroftians.net/UserFiles/File/obaagmdocs.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2011 |access-date=14 August 2010}}</ref> |1965 |2024 |The first British-based internet billionaire entrepreneur |- |[[Stuart D. Lee]]{{cn|date=May 2025}} |1966 | |[[J. R. R. Tolkien]] scholar and professor of [[E-learning]] at [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] |- |[[Alan Davies]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-13 |title=WOODFORD: Caretaker recalls era of skinheads after Alan Davies show |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/8388479.woodford-caretaker-recalls-era-of-skinheads-after-alan-davies-show/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series |language=en}}</ref> |1966 | |Comedian, writer and actor |- |[[David Prever]]{{cn|date=May 2025}} |1967 | |Radio presenter; 4x winner of the [[Radio Academy Awards]] |- |[[Samantha Spiro]]<ref name="Pressburst">{{Cite web |title=Game of Thrones Actor Attends Arts Celebration at Former School |url=https://pressburst.news/isc/game-of-thrones-actor-attends-arts-celebration-at-former-school |access-date=21 August 2020 |website=Pressburst.news}}</ref> |1968 | |[[Laurence Olivier Award|Olivier Award]]-winning actress (''[[Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick]]'') |- |[[Hari Kunzru]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Epexio |url=https://heritage.bancrofts.org/#/search/all:all/0_50/all/score_desc/hari%20kunzru |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=heritage.bancrofts.org |language=en-gb}}</ref> |1969 | |[[British Indian]] novelist (''The Impressionist'') |- |[[Patrick Leman]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickjleman/?originalSubdomain=nz|title=LinkedIn}}</ref> |1970 | |Psychologist and professor at [[University of London]], [[University of Cambridge]], and [[University of Waikato]] |- |[[Samantha Smith (tennis)|Samantha Smith]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bancroft's School {{!}} James Lee Consultancy |url=https://www.jamesleeconsultancy.com/en-gb/products/bancroft-s-school |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=www.jamesleeconsultancy.com}}</ref> |1971 | |Former British No. 1 ladies tennis player |- |[[Anita Anand (journalist)|Anita Anand]]<ref>[http://www.guidetoindependentschools.com/schools/view/26/Bancroft-s/HMC/Bancroft-s-School-Woodford-Green-Essex-IG8-0RF 'Guide to Independent Schools' – Bancroft's School – Former pupils] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211060407/http://www.guidetoindependentschools.com/schools/view/26/Bancroft-s/HMC/Bancroft-s-School-Woodford-Green-Essex-IG8-0RF|date=11 February 2012}} ''Guide to Independent Schools'' Retrieved: 22 November 2011.</ref> |1972 | |Radio and television presenter and journalist |- |[[Sara Campbell]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-14 |title=WOODFORD: Fearless free-driver up for national award |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/4680447.world-champion-former-bancrofts-pupil-has-been-recognised-for-her-fearless-achievements/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series |language=en}}</ref> |1972 | |[[Freediver]] and former world record holder in multiple disciplines |- |[[Adam Foulds]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-27 |title=Rising Star: Adam Foulds, poet and novelist - Features, Books - The Independent |website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/rising-star-adam-foulds-poet-and-novelist-997079.html |access-date=2024-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227131931/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/rising-star-adam-foulds-poet-and-novelist-997079.html |archive-date=27 December 2008 }}</ref> |1974 | |Novelist and poet |- |[[Louisa Leaman]]{{cn|date=May 2025}} |1976 | |Author |- |[[Neg Dupree]]{{cn|date=May 2025}} |1979 | |Comedian, writer, and actor |- |[[Russell Lissack]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=McLean |first=Craig |date=2007-01-07 |title=21st-century boy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/jan/07/popandrock.features1 |access-date=2024-02-07 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> |1981 | |Lead Guitarist, ''[[Bloc Party]]'' |- |[[YolanDa Brown]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Bancroftian Network: Yolanda Brown (OB 1994–1999) - BBC Breakfast |url=http://www.bancroftians.net/cgi-bin/obacms3.pl?id=5648 |access-date=2019-11-22 |website=www.bancroftians.net}}</ref> |1982 | |Musician, Double MOBO winning saxophonist |- |[[Political Takeout|Bobby Friedman]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-08-30 |title=Star results |url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6400737.star-results/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=News Shopper |language=en}}</ref> |1985 | |Barrister, writer (biographer of [[John Bercow]]) and former [[Cambridge Union]] President<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-03-07 |title=Bobby Friedman |url=https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/467709.bobby-dazzler/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrew Lownie Literary Agency :: Authors :: Bobby Friedman |url=https://www.andrewlownie.co.uk/authors/%7Bconcat($host,'/',module/cms/url)%7D |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Andrew Lownie Literary Agency |language=en}}</ref> |- |[[Andy Saull]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bancroft's School Prospectus |url=https://www.bancrofts.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Bancrofts_Prospectus.pdf }}</ref> |1988 | |Rugby Player, best known for playing for [[Saracens F.C.]] and Oxford University |}
==The Old Bancroftians Association== The Old Bancroftians Association (OBA) was founded in 1892 when the Old Bancroftians' Football Club was formed, although there were already a few unofficial groups which had been around since the 1860s. The first meeting was held in 1896 at the Haunch of Venison in [[Fleet Street]]. However, a constitution was not agreed until 1909, when the first President, H.C Playne<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bancroftians.net/cgi-bin/obapres.pl |title=The Old Bancroftians Association |access-date=23 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091023130304/http://www.bancroftians.net/cgi-bin/obapres.pl |archive-date=23 October 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (who was also the school's Head Master), was appointed. The idea of the association was to keep young and old members together.
The association grew rapidly over the years, to a size of 3175 members in 2005, when membership for life was introduced for all Bancroftians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bancroftians.net/cgi-bin/obacms3.pl?dn=obahist|title=Bancroftian Network: A Brief History of the OBA|website=bancroftians.net|access-date=3 June 2019}}</ref>
The association provides a range of services for former members of the school, including the organisation of reunions and sports activities, including [[cricket]], [[Rugby union|rugby]] [[golf]], and football.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.bancrofts.org/ Official website] * [http://learn.bancrofts.org/ Bancroft's School's Virtual Learning Environment] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150718025814/http://www.isc.co.uk/schools/england/london-area/redbridge/bancrofts-school Profile] on the [[Independent Schools Council|ISC]] website * [https://oldbancroftians.com/ Old Bancroftians website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130702173935/http://www.bancroftianlodge.org.uk/ Bancroftian Lodge]
{{Schools and colleges in Redbridge}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:1737 establishments in England]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1737]] [[Category:Arthur Blomfield buildings]] [[Category:Private co-educational schools in London]] [[Category:Private schools in the London Borough of Redbridge]] [[Category:Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference]] [[Category:People educated at Bancroft's School| ]]