Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

At one time the school sergeant used to visit all classrooms to enquire if there were any absentees that day. Presumably this was some form of Government requirement to ensure that all pupils were properly attending their place of instruction. I cannot recall if this was done on a daily basis and wonder how long this practice was continued as I do not imagine it is still in operation.
Chris Bartlett

I certain don't remember him doing the rounds in my day !

Under current regulations teachers are required to read the roll at the start of every lesson and allegedly in state schools the rolls are returned to the office immediately. Perhaps the School Serjeant is acting for the teachers.

As for Ofstead requirements for teachers, there is a report circulating about one of their examiners: There w<ere three pupils in the class so the teacher did not physically call the roll. Point 1 against the teacher. The lesson was a continuation of the previous lesson (not attended by the inspector) so the teacher did not set out the agenda for this continuation. Point 2 against the teacher. and so it went on. At the end the pupils were so interested that they continued discussing the subject after the finishing bell: 2 more points against the teacher because he did not a) give a formal summing up and b) he had allowed the class to overrun the allotted time. The teacher was marked by OFSTED as not fit to be a teacher despite his record.

sejintenej wrote:Under current regulations teachers are required to read the roll at the start of every lesson and allegedly in state schools the rolls are returned to the office immediately. Perhaps the School Serjeant is acting for the teachers.

As for Ofstead requirements for teachers, there is a report circulating about one of their examiners: There w<ere three pupils in the class so the teacher did not physically call the roll. Point 1 against the teacher. The lesson was a continuation of the previous lesson (not attended by the inspector) so the teacher did not set out the agenda for this continuation. Point 2 against the teacher. and so it went on. At the end the pupils were so interested that they continued discussing the subject after the finishing bell: 2 more points against the teacher because he did not a) give a formal summing up and b) he had allowed the class to overrun the allotted time. The teacher was marked by OFSTED as not fit to be a teacher despite his record.

The above just about sums up my views of OFSTED, Jobs for the boys, and only 'Jobsworths' need apply for a job !

I fully understand why two of my cousins took the earliest possible retirement they could from the teaching profession, one a deputy head.

The only time we saw the School Segeant, was on Drill Parade, in front of the Manual School.
It was alleged that he carried out "Headmaster's Beatings" --- but I never saw this.

(To pre-emt JR ----- not because I was bent over !!)

As I have said before on another thread, I'm sure 'The Sarg' didn't ever administer beatings during CMES's time.

I remember him attending drill parades, but really doing nothing much else apart from what might today be called security duties.

Kit Bartlett wrote:At one time the school sergeant used to visit all classrooms to enquire if there were any absentees that day. Presumably this was some form of Government requirement to ensure that all pupils were properly attending their place of instruction. I cannot recall if this was done on a daily basis and wonder how long this practice was continued as I do not imagine it is still in operation.
Chris Bartlett

I've no recollection of seeing the sergeant in class during my time.

School drills, rising bell and the post office were his duties as far as I remember.

Sergeant Guest if memory serves me right. AKAP or Plum Senior Senior might confirm.

He certainly came around in my time. There was a boy called Dyer,and on one occasion he sought him and asked "Is Dyer 'ere?"

Mid A 15 wrote:

Kit Bartlett wrote:At one time the school sergeant used to visit all classrooms to enquire if there were any absentees that day. Presumably this was some form of Government requirement to ensure that all pupils were properly attending their place of instruction. I cannot recall if this was done on a daily basis and wonder how long this practice was continued as I do not imagine it is still in operation.
Chris Bartlett

I've no recollection of seeing the sergeant in class during my time.

School drills, rising bell and the post office were his duties as far as I remember.

Sergeant Guest if memory serves me right. AKAP or Plum Senior Senior might confirm.

Sergeant Guest, didn't he run the post office as well?

There were two sergeants in my time, one of whom was more frequently seen around the school.

The Post Office was run by Sergeant Fielder. He also used to adminster school beatings.
Presumably this was for more serious crimes when authorised by the Head Master.
Another of his duties was to sit in Chapel and be responsible for opening and closing the doors.
Drill Sergeant Usher gave the orders at Dinner Parade for the marching into dinner to commence.
It was said that on a clear day with the wind in the right direction his voice was once heard on Sharpenhurst. There is an interview with him recorded in "The Outlook" Summer 1952. In this article he mentions that he found taking the school registers round the form-rooms a bit boring.
He also took gym classes and had been the Army Athletics champion for 440 yards during his military career.
Chris Bartlett

The name "Usher" certainly rings a bell with me, for the years 40-46, but since my memory is not what it never was , I may be wrong !

My recollection:

Sgt Fielder, post office, headmaster's gofer, chapel orderly.

Sgt Usher, Gym instructor (wore army PT Corps cap badge), took school drills, went round all classrooms in the forenoon with a clipboard carrying a piece of paper neatly divided into a box for each house to note down anyone for school drills. Thick as a plank. Lived in house at the Peele end of the Avenue.

Dinner Parade was run by Arthur Rider (OC of the CCF).

Never heard of a 'school beating'. The odd expulsion (one was a vicar's son sacked for stealing booze from the Common Room, his father put it about that he had been sacked for climbing trees). But then there was another explusion from my own house that I only heard about at an OB Day decades later.

It was certainly Sergeant Guest in my time.