Rossall Foundation

Celebrating the past, building for the future

The cultural identity of our School community is hardwired into the spectacular architectural heritage of which we all serve as custodians. We pass through the School but for a short time and yet we have a moral responsibility to preserve the fabric of our beloved buildings for future generations. 

Our most iconic buildings date from the mid-nineteenth century and symbolise the hopes and dreams of those brave pioneers who sought to establish a seat of learning here on the Fylde Coast. The Sumner Library, Big School (situated on the north range of the Square) and the Chapel of St John the Baptist are all listed buildings, noted for their architectural importance. Collectively and individually, these buildings constitute a gloriously powerful manifestation of the cultural, intellectual and spiritual soul of our wonderful community. 

These buildings inspire our enduring affection because the relentless march of time appears to be suspended within their midst. The spaces contained therein have a remarkable capacity to bestow that most sought after of privileges – the privilege of belonging. Their familiarity provides a sense of certainty within an ever-changing world.  There is something unique about the intense emotional hold that these places have on Rossallians. It defies rational explanation and those of faith may discern the guiding hand of God at work. Others will attribute their attachment to these buildings to a nostalgic yearning for the past and a lively appreciation of institutional traditions. 

As Rossallians, we are conscious of the tremendous sacrifice offered by those who went before us. We continue to honour the memory of those Rossallians whose lives were cut tragically short in the maelstrom of twentieth century conflict. For many of these young men, there was precious little of life left to be lived beyond Rossall.  Our responsibility to them is eternal. 

Of course, time has not stood still and these buildings are now in need of urgent repair. The depredations of a hundred and eighty winters on the Fylde has reduced some of our buildings to a parlous state. Wind, rain and salt (that most corrosive of minerals)   have exerted a terrible toll on the physical fabric of our listed buildings. It is the case that crumbling masonry, corroded metal, rotten roof beams and leaking pipes threaten the very existence of our buildings. Unless we intervene to save them, our most iconic buildings will enter a spiral of managed decline. Decades of chronic underinvestment has resulted in an escalating and potentially overwhelming accumulation of structural issues.  

Collectively, Cassidy and Ashton’s detailed surveys of the Chapel, Sumner Library and Big School do not make for an easy read. The forensic detail contained within these recently commissioned reports serves as a devastating catalogue of problems.  However, the surveys also serve as a timely call to arms and detail what must be done in order to  safeguard the buildings for the long term future. Thankfully, all is not lost but we must now act with a sense of urgency if we are to successfully turn the tide and return these buildings to their former glory. 

Safeguarding the future of these buildings will cost well in excess of £1.5 million (May 2023) and this does not take into account the work that needs to be carried out in order to ensure that the Sumner Library becomes a modern study space within which children can work together collaboratively. Similarly, it does not take into account the enormous amount of work that needs to be accomplished in order to transform Big School into a flexible performance space capable of supporting our rapidly expanding performing arts programme.  

Of course, there is a distinction between restoration and refurbishment and we need to do much more than simply prevent the buildings from falling to the ground. However, Phase 1 of the project is remedial while Phase 2 is developmental. 

As you are aware, Rossall School does not produce significant surpluses and nor do we have significant endowment funds that we are able to draw upon to undertake capital projects of this nature. Rising food and energy costs has resulted in an unprecedented level of pressure being exerted upon our operational costs. The School faces the threat of the removal of charitable status and the imposition of business rates and VAT on school fees. We have in place a robust strategy which has been designed to address these very significant challenges but safeguarding the architectural heritage of the school must be the collective responsibility of all those who feel connected to this place.  

Over the last decade or so, Rossall Foundation has supported a number of projects that have enabled the School to develop the quality of its offering. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the realm of sports. Indeed, the current renaissance of Rossall Sports on the national stage coincides with the provision of outstanding new facilities which were, in part, funded by the very generous donations of Rossallians.  David McKee’s extraordinarily generous gift to the Foundation enabled us to open our brand new Performing Arts Studio in the autumn of  2018.  In October 2023, Harrison and Harrison will begin the long-awaited refurbishment of the Chapel Organ. This is a project that will cost in excess of £180,000 and it is being funded almost entirely by the Foundation. Restoring the organ to its former glory is a labour of love that would not have been impossible without the energy, vision and dynamism of  Rossallians committed to preserving all aspects of the School’s heritage. Ostensibly, the restoration of the organ might seem to have a relatively slight impact upon Rossall’s current pupils but the reintroduction of regular Sunday evensongs and the resurgence of interest in the spiritual dimension of School life underlines the vital importance of this project.  The organ is absolutely central to the healthy Anglican choral tradition that we promote here at Rossall. Indeed, Chapel Choir is one of the defining hallmarks of Rossallian life. 

So the purpose of this project is twofold: to preserve the past and to support the future. Please join us in ensuring that the legacy we leave future generations is one of which all current Rosallians can feel truly proud. 

Jeremy Quartermain, Headmaster

Emma Johnson, Director of the Foundation

Celebrating Success

In 2024, Rossall will celebrate its 180th anniversary. We are incredibly proud of our history and we have a very clear vision for the future. The unique educational experience that we provide is underpinned by a strong commitment to academic excellence and co-curricular participation. Successive generations of Rossallians have made a profound impact in fields as diverse as medicine, literature, music, politics and technology.

Academic results are superbly strong. The School has an IBDP average of 35 points that places it amongst the top ranked IB schools both within the United Kingdom and globally. In 2022, almost 40% of A level grades resulted in the award of an A* or A grade. Almost two thirds of our Upper Sixth Formers progress to Top 20/Russell Group universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Warwick, UCL, Durham, St Andrews and Imperial College. Last year students also  progressed to universities in Milan, Hong Kong, New York and Paris. A growing number win 100% sporting scholarships to prestigious colleges in  the United States of America. 

Regionally, Rossall has now reclaimed its place as one of the top performing independent schools in the North West. The highest pupil roll in the School’s history is attributable to the ambitious, inclusive and intellectually dynamic culture that characterises a community predicated upon compassion, ambition and the pursuit of excellence. Our eight hundred pupils are drawn from almost seventy different countries although over seventy percent of them are local to the North West. 

Here at Rossall, international mindedness is balanced with a commitment to localism. Public benefit is not measured purely in financial terms – through our longstanding commitment to transforming the lives of young people through our generous scholarship and bursary programme is central to our mission, ethos and values. The School’s longstanding association with local charities such as Brian House Children’s Hospice is complemented by the work that we do to support families displaced by war. The School’s recent Ukrainian project has been profiled in the media; both regionally and nationally. There is nothing new to our work in this regard and many will be aware of the vitally important humanitarian role that the school played in supporting Kindertransport children during the prelude to World War Two. 

The School is ranked number one in the United Kingdom for golf. Recently, our Girls’ First XI successfully defended their national ISFA U18 title and, last year, our boys’ football teams were finalists in no less than six national competitions. This year, they have prevailed over schools such as Eton, Millfield, Charterhouse and Manchester Grammar. This summer our cricketers have beaten the MCC for the first time in over thirty years and our prowess at the wicket is making waves throughout the North. Visited by both Freddie Flintoff and Ian Botham this year, our cricketing programme has been written about in various publications including The Times.  Our nascent netball programme has already seen our U13 girls progress to a national final.   It is no surprise that there is so much talk of Rossall. 

We strive to develop in our pupils a lifelong love of learning, a sense of moral purpose, and a belief in their own power to do good in the world. We prepare them to lead successful personal lives and productive professional lives. Our students are confident and compassionate. We desire for them to develop an intrinsic interest in the subjects that they are studying and to view the formal curriculum as constituting a starting point as opposed to an end in itself. Opportunities for academic enrichment abound and pupils are able to benefit from involvement in activities such as the Model United Nations and subject specific societies.

 In 2020, we became an All-Steinway School and launched an International Piano Academy. The newly refurbished PrePrep School was opened at the end of the Summer Term and work commenced on the refurbishment of our science building the following year.  In September 2022 we launched the Broadway Academy of Performing Arts which harnesses the creative energy of an outstanding faculty committed to ensuring exciting opportunities, an excellent quality of productions and a credible pathway into the industry for aspirant young performers. 

At Rossall, we never stand still. If you have not visited us for a little while then we would love to welcome you back for a trip down memory lane. We are very proud of the progress that we have made in recent years and it is important to us that all Rossallians are able to share in the very real sense of love and pride that so many of us have for our community. 

Floreat Rossallia! 

The Heritage Project   

The Heritage Project will safeguard our three most iconic buildings for future generations of Rossallians. The project provides an opportunity to come together as a community in order to ensure that we leave an enduring legacy that will serve to inspire our boys and girls to develop a life-long appreciation of the architectural beauty that we have had the privilege of enjoying.  It will also ensure that the buildings are fit for future purpose. 

 The project focuses on three buildings:

• The Sumner Library 

• The Chapel of St John the Baptist

• Big School 

The Sumner Library (1849)

The Sumner Library was the School’s first chapel and it is a reminder of that era of the School’s history that followed its foundation. Designed by the Scottish architect John Edgar Gregan (1813-1855), work began on the construction of the building in the summer of 1848. Gregan was responsible for a number of buildings in Manchester including the striking  Mechanics Institute in Princess Street  Costing £1500, the Chapel was consecrated by the Dean of Manchester, George Bowers.  It became known as Archbishop Sumner’s Chapel for Rossall had lain in Sumner’s diocese of Chester when the School opened in 1844. The Diocese of Manchester was founded on 1st September, 1847,  as a response to the rapid urban development that accompanied the industrial revolution.  Sumner went on to become Archbishop of York and then Archbishop of Canterbury but he had served Rossall well in his role of Visitor from the School’s very earliest years. 

The School soon outgrew the modest dimensions of the Chapel and, for most of its lifetime, it has been a centre of learning and repository of books. Of the three buildings needing attention, the Sumner Library is perhaps the most straightforward project. 

Essential remedial works  (Phase 1)

• Replace broken glass windows which are likely to lead to water ingress.

• Replace the lead gutters which have various splits and tears.

• Replace flat copper roof on the library annex.

• Remove existing plaster and replace with a lime-based conservation plaster.

• Repair cracks in the front and rear of the bell tower. 

Development  (Phase 2)

• Increase capacity by installing a mezzanine level. 

• Upgrade technology throughout the building

• Refurbish the interior so that it becomes a modern and adaptive study centre with the resources necessary to support collaborative learning.

• Create a careers resource centre

The Chapel of St John the Baptist

The Sumner Chapel only seats three hundred and so it was that the expanding pupil roll rapidly outgrew its very limited capacity. In 1859, Council decided to push forward with the construction of a number of new buildings. The celebrated  Lancaster architect, Edward Graham Paley (1823-1895) was tasked with the design of a grand new chapel which was to be on an altogether different scale.  A subscription fund was established and £4,600 was raised in order finance the construction of both the nave and chancel. The Chapel was consecrated in 1862 and the guest of honour on that occasion was the great polymath and  Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, William Whewell (1794-1666).

E.G. Paley was responsible for some of Lancashire’s finest buildings. He worked mainly in the Gothic Revival style and was responsible for designing some much-loved ecclesiastical buildings including Lancaster Priory and St. Mary’s Church, Ulverston.  

  From its earliest days, the Chapel has contained memorials to Rossalians who have served both their school and country. The lives of those who fell in the colonial conflicts of the nineteenth century are remembered alongside heroes such as the  Reverend Thomas Byles (1870-1913) who prayed on the rear deck of the Titanic as the ship was sinking. He heard confessions and granted absolution to more than a hundred passengers who remained trapped on the stern of the boat. He was later described by Pope Pius X as a ‘martyr of the church’.  

After the First World War, the prolific Scottish architect and furniture designer, Sir Robert Lorimer, was commissioned to extend the south transept of the Chapel so that it would become a fitting War Memorial to the 298 Rossallians who lost their lives during the four long years of conflict. Before the war,  Lorimer had enjoyed a reputation as the designer of Scottish baronial houses for wealthy industrialists. This clientele had fallen away by the 1920s and so it was that he turned his talents to designing memorials. He was responsible for the design of both the new chapel for the Knights of the Thistle in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, and the Scottish National War Memorial. 

The refurbishment of the Chapel extended beyond the South Transept and a new organ was commissioned from the Durham builders Harrison and Harrison at a cost of £3,381. The organ reused pipes from the old Father Willis instrument. The East Window was replaced by the Fletcher family in memory to the father and son who had died from the burden of running the family colliery throughout the duration of the war.  The window, like the new windows in the South Transept, was designed by J.C.N.Bewsey. The pulpit was designed by the famous sculptor, painter and stained glass window designer, Meredith Williams (1877-1934). The reredos in the Memorial Chapel was designed by Eric Gill and was to be his largest piece of work in wood. The £38,000 collected through subscriptions from Rossallians would equate to  over a million pounds today.   

The Chapel Choir

    The Chapel Choir is central to the spiritual life of our community. Alongside regular weekly chapel services, the choir sings evensong most Sunday evenings during term time. Members of the Chapel Choir have taken up choral scholarships at Oxford, Cambridge and Durham universities. In the past few years, pupils have been awarded organ scholarships at a number of British cathedrals including, most recently, Blackburn. In 2019, the Chapel Choir undertook a week-long residency at Westminster Abbey. Recent collaborations have included a concert in Chester Cathedral with the Band of the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell and Durufle’s Requiem with the Choir of Manchester Cathedral. The Choir has a long standing association with the southern Lakes and, this year has performed in Staveley, Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel. The Song School contains our fine collection of Anglican choral music and is an integral part of the Chapel. 

What the Chapel means to Rossallians…..

The importance of the Chapel is highlighted by the Canon Chancellor of Exeter Cathedral, the Reverend Canon Deborah Parsons.  

The Chapel of St. John the Baptist stands on the edge of the school campus and yet at the heart of what it means to be a Rossallian. Whether we profess to have a faith or not, we are united by core values of love and care for others and in our unique ways, we endeavour to make the world a better, kinder, more equitable place. I am immensely grateful for the foundations of my faith that were laid at Rossall through the rhythm of daily prayer, thought-provoking sermons and uplifting choral music.  

It was in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist that I was confirmed, along with a large cohort of my year. It was there that I witnessed the joy of friends marrying and it was there where we occasionally gathered to bid a fond farewell to friends or members of Common Room, who had made an indelible impression on our lives. Quite simply, Chapel was always there – in all weathers, whatever the season, if not in the foreground, then as a backdrop to our lives

 The Chapel has been the place where many Rossallians have discovered their faith or found comfort in times of sadness. It is the case that those of no faith, or still searching,  tend to retain an enormous affection for a building within which they find peace and a sense of community. Many Rossallians return to the Chapel to celebrate baptisms and weddings. In times of crisis, Rossallians are inclined to seek the divine within this extraordinary building. During Covid, the Chapel played an enormous role and projected a sense of ‘school’ which transcended our physical apartness. More recently, the evening prayer vigils held during the first weeks of the current conflict in Ukraine provided the opportunity for Rossallians to come together in prayer and reflection. The Chapel is Rossall and Rossall is the Chapel. 

Essential remedial work  (Phase 1)

Overall the Chapel is in poor condition as a result of the defects detailed below. The timber roof structures and internal plaster has been damaged by water ingress. Roof timbers have suffered significant decay and failing plaster work constitutes a health and safety concern. 

• The roof needs to be replaced. 

• The external facades and spire needs repointing in order to make the structure watertight. 

• The internal plasterwork and decoration needs to be made good and this will improve the overall appearance of the building. 

• The cracking in the rear elevation, boiler room and chimney needs to be repaired. 

• The glass in the East Window cannot be fully reinstated until the surrounding masonry and metal work is repaired. 

Development  (Phase 2)

• Install a new heating system 

(the current system is highly inefficient and at odds with the School’s desire to create a more sustainable future) 

• Refurbish the Song School

• Improve the lighting 

• Upgrade the audiovisual system 

There will be no changes to the existing configuration of pews as we believe that they constitute an essential element of the Chapel’s heritage. Indeed, none of the planned works will impact upon the visual aspect of the interior. However, we do need to install additional seating in order to maximise capacity and ensure an appropriate level of flexibility when accommodating services, concerts and events. 

This restoration and refurbishment project will ensure that the Chapel retains its role as the primary focal point of our community. It will ensure that it continues to provide a haven within which the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our pupils and staff may be nurtured. 

Annual events held in the Chapel include:

•  Whole School Assemblies 

•  Prep and Senior School Chapel Services

•  Choral Evensongs

•  Compline 

•  Harvest Festival Service

•  Remembrance Day Service 

•  Family Carol Services

•  Rossalian Carol Service

•  Christmas Day Service

•  Easter Sunday Service 

•  Prize Day – Annual Commemoration of Benefactors

•  Weddings

•  Baptisms

•  Christian Union Prayer Meetings

•  Evening Prayer Vigils 

Big School  (1853)

Big School was designed by the Manchester architect, Edwin Hugh Shellard and completed in time for Prize Day 1853. Most of his work is in the Gothic Revival style and includes such architectural gems as St John’s Minster in Preston. Big School is a slightly whimsical affair with its castellated tower and mediaeval style windows. The singularity of its design lends a distinctive character to the northern range of the Square. Historically, a good deal of teaching took place in Big School although it has always been a venue for theatrical and musical performances. 

On the occasion of the School’s Golden Jubilee, Thomas Beecham took to the stage with an orchestra of musicians drawn mainly from the Hallé Orchestra. He would return to the very same stage more than fifty years later for the belated centennial celebrations.  In 1954, it was the venue for a recital performed by  Benjamin Britten and  Peter Peers. The visit of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is commemorated within the building and so too are the university scholarships won by generations of Rossallian.  More recently the chart topping singer-songwriter, Tom Gregory, remembers taking his first tentative steps towards stardom on this stage. Having now amassed almost a quarter of a billion streams of his songs, Tom is due to play Wembley Arena alongside One Republic later this summer. 

Many Rossallians have developed a lifelong love of the arts as a result of performing on the stage of Big School. Whilst it is used for assemblies, public examinations, open mornings, parents’ meetings and other school events; its most important role has always been as the kernel of creativity within our community. The recent performances of Chicago and West Side Story have played to packed houses and as our performing arts provision expands, the limitations of the building as a theatre space become ever more apparent. Like the Sumner Library and Chapel, the building is now in a very poor condition. 

Essential Remedial Work (Phase 1)

The slate pitched roof, windows and stone window reveals are in poor condition. As a consequence of this there has been considerable damage to the internal plasterwork. Water ingress has resulted from failed pointing. 

• Replace the roof in entirety 

• Repoint stone window and wall reveals

• Replace leaded window frames showing signs of corrosion

• Replace existing plaster with a lime-based conservation plaster. 

• Repair flooring

Development  (Phase 2)

• Design and installation of a new sound and lighting system.

• Install tiered seating. 

• Create a new stage and backstage area (complete with green rooms, rehearsal space and toilet facilities). 

Our Funding 

Rossall has a proud tradition of benefaction and the Foundation has been able to play its part in ensuring that the excellent education that Rossall has provided over the years will continue to benefit generations to come. This has been due to generous donors like you and we are truly grateful. 

Support in our lifetime

How to donate 

• Complete the enclosed donation form and return to: The Foundation Office, Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 8JW 

• QR code to form embedded on website 

• Call us on 01253 774286

• Write to us: The Foundation Office, Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 8JW 

 Tax efficient giving 

Gift Aid

We would like to kindly ask that if you are able to Gift Aid your donation, that you complete the simple form enclosed or scan the QR code below which will take you to our online form. 

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows us to reclaim the basic rate tax you pay as a UK taxpayer. It means that we can claim 25p of tax for every £1 you donate, at no extra cost to you. All you need to do is complete a Gift Aid declaration. 

You can do this by:

• Completing our online Gift Aid Form 

• Filling out the enclosed Gift Aid Form

Once completed, please remember to let us know of any changes to your tax status, including changes to your name and address, so we can ensure that our records are correct.