The Hammond School
53°13′01″N 2°51′11″W / 53.217°N 2.853°W
| The Hammond School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Hoole Bank Mannings Lane , , CH2 4ES England | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent |
| Established | 1917 |
| Founder | Irene Hammond |
| Specialist | Arts (dance and performing arts) |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| President | Mr W. Bromley-Davenport |
| Chairman of Directors | Mrs. K Cowell |
| Principal | Jennifer Roscoe |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 11+ |
| Website | http://www.thehammond.co.uk |
The Hammond School is a specialist performing arts school in Chester, England.
History[edit]
In 1917, Irene Hammond, a dance teacher and performer from Cheltenham, moved to Chester where she began teaching dance for Amy Broom, née Webster, who was known for her classes at the Grosvenor Ballroom. The Webster School was already an established enterprise in Chester having been run by Broom’s father, Edgar, since 1833. The school was originally opened by Louis Doré of London in 1823.
By 1919, Hammond had officially taken over the school, which became known as the Miss Irene Hammond School. Over the last century, The Hammond has grown and developed, changing and adapting with the times. Betty Hassall, an early student of Hammond, took over the running of the school in 1946 in partnership with Madeline Chambers. At that time, eight hundred children were enrolled at the school and attending weekly classes across Cheshire and Shropshire.
In 1951, the school leased Hampton Lodge and boarding began. The school purchased Hampton Lodge in 1953 and by 1962, the school had expanded its teaching provision into Liverpool Road where it flourished until 1968. Betty Hassall was then instrumental in securing Hoole Bank House in Hoole Village for the school’s Education Department and by 1969, the entire school had moved to the site.
Overview[edit]
Today, The Hammond comprises a secondary school, sixth form and university for pupils aged 11years+, which offers specialist vocational training in Dance, Drama and Music. It also has a three-year professional course leading to the National Diploma in Professional Dance or the National Diploma in Musical Theatre, validated by Trinity College, London. Sixth form also offers a BTEC in Performing Arts (acting) combined with 2 A levels. The school is accredited to the Council for Dance Education and Training and is a member of the Independent Schools Association. The Hammond is a MADE (Music and Dance Excellence) School, one of 8 schools in England funded by the Music and Dance Scheme, offering full bursaries to talented young people.
The school's patron is Irek Mukhamedov – famed ballet dancer of the Bolshoi Ballet and Royal Ballet – who teaches students with a dancing Master Class at The Hammond every two years.[1][2][3][4]
In 2018 The Hammond was listed by The Stage as one of "Seven drama schools where academic achievement is also top class".[5]
Alumni[edit]
Notable alumni include:
- Sharif Afifi, actor[6][7]
- Jonny Clarke actor, played Bart McQueen on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.[8]
- Beau Dermott singer, received the golden buzzer on Britain's Got Talent.[9]
- Jorgie Porter actress and model, portrayed Theresa McQueen on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and for being a contestant on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Dancing on Ice.[8][10][11]
- Michelle Yeoh actress known for portraying Bond Girl Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), her BAFTA Nominated performance in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and her starring role in Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress.[12]
References[edit]
- ^ Henwood, Jo (25 June 2009). "Russian ballet star Irek Mukhamedov gives masterclass at The Hammond School". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ "Former Bolshoi star gives masterclass at Chester dance school". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Henwood, Jo (25 March 2015). "Bolshoi ballet star visits dancers at The Hammond". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Bird, Rebecca (31 January 2017). "Russian ballet dancer hosts workshops at Chester's Hammond School". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Marsden, Samantha (23 January 2018). "Seven drama schools where academic achievement is also top class". The Stage. The Stage Media Company Limited. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- ^ "Sharif Afifi - West End Performers". London Theatre Direct. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Alumni & Destinations". The Hammond School. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ a b Henwood, Jo (22 January 2016). "Hammond School Hall of Fame - where are they now?". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ Barrett, Frances (10 April 2016). "Hammond School pupil Beau Dermott impresses on Britain's Got Talent". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ Holmes, David (16 November 2015). "I'm a Celebrity Jorgie Porter is ex-Chester student". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ "Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter shares style secrets at Grosvenor Shopping Centre". Trinity Mirror plc. The Chester Chronicle. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- ^ Kleeman, Alexandra (15 March 2022). "Michelle Yeoh's Quantum Leaps". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
