Repton School history

In 1874, local village children began attending the school, along with boarders.

Pears School was built upon the remains of the priory church in 1886.

A boy would be identified as the holder of this office after competing against likely candidates; once a boy was incumbent in this role, the younger boys deferred to him to do his work; writing in 1907, G. S. Messiter described the practice as an "ancient custom."

Repton Officer Training Corps 1914-15 - Credit: Archant

In 1917, the writers Christopher Isherwood and Edward Upward began their time at Repton.

A war memorial was unveiled on major general Sir John Burnett-Stuart, director of military operations and intelligence, and dedicated by Edwyn Hoskyns, Bishop of Southwell on 1 November 1922.

In 1924, George Gilbert Stocks, a director of music at the school, set it to the hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind to the tune Repton for use in the school's chapel.

Founded by Lady Fisher in 1926, wife of the then Headmaster of Repton School, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury.

But Dahl's biographer, Jeremy Treglown, has pointed out he was mistaken: the beating was in May 1933, a year after Fisher had left Repton, and headmaster concerned was John Christie, Fisher's successor.

The total number of pupils was 353 at the outbreak of war, which fell to 273 in 1943.

John Gammell took office as headmaster in 1968 and during his tenure girls began to be educated at Repton.

John Gammell took office as headmaster in 1968 and during his tenure girls began to be educated at Repton. It started with the arrival of two girls in 1970.

Coal mining is now concentrated in a few large collieries, and the last Derbyshire blast furnaces closed in 1974, although the county remains a leading producer of many types of iron and steel castings.

By 1979 the first purpose-built girls' boarding house was opened.

In his 1984 autobiography, Dahl states that when he was a young fag, he was instructed to warm toilet seats for older boys at the school.

The school marked its 450th anniversary in 2007 with a royal visit from Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

In 2013 a £9 million science block was built.

In November 2019, Adam Peaty opened a newly redeveloped £6m sports centre at the school.