History of the School

Happiness - Success - Community

The origins of St. Olave’s and St. Saviour’s Grammar School go back 463 years to Shakespeare’s London and to a time when the voluntary efforts of the people of Southwark established several educational institutions for the benefit of poor ‘children and younglings’ of the parish.

In particular, the legacy of a brewer named Henry Leeke enabled St. Olave’s to begin on Michaelmas Day 1561 and to receive, from Queen Elizabeth I, its Royal Charter as a Grammar School in 1571.

The School's Founding Vision drives the school and enables it to live up to this vision: “For the good education and bringing up of youth in the love, fear and knowledge of God and His most Holy word, in good nature towards the world and their parents and finally in letters and understanding of the tongues in which is hidden and laid up the treasure of all divine and human knowledge”.

The school moved to Orpington in 1968, having previously occupied various sites in Southwark, most recently by Tower Bridge. The present fine buildings, surrounded by over twenty acres of tree-lined playing fields, are attractively set on the edge of the Kent countryside. Ongoing investment in buildings and refurbishment has seen a new Science Block, Sports Pavilion, Music and Sixth Form Centre, Specialist IT suite and Food Technology room, as well as a new Sport/Drama Hall and All Weather Pitch. Yet Charing Cross and the West End are little more than twenty minutes away by the fast and frequent service from Orpington Station, and the Kent and Sussex coasts are easily reached by rail or road, with the M25 Junction 4 lying within two miles.

The School’s reputation stands high and every year over 1400 pupils compete for the 128 available places in Year 7. From September 1998 girls were admitted to the Sixth Form as part of over 120 external students who join St. Olave’s post GCSE. St. Olave’s Grammar School and its ‘sister’ school – St Saviours’ and St Olave’s Girls’ school in Southwark – are both part of an Anglican Foundation; more recently St. Olave’s also became an affiliated School in the Woodard Corporation, comprising a variety of independent and maintained schools. These support a strong set of values within the context of a highly multicultural school community.

As part of ongoing links with the school’s heritage, an annual Commemoration Service, including governors, benefactors, staff, students and parents takes place in Southwark Cathedral. The treble choristers of the King’s Chapel of the Savoy are drawn exclusively from St. Olave’s, and appear on occasion before His Majesty the King and other members of the Royal family.

The Foundation, a beneficiary of The Dulwich Estate, formerly "Alleyn's College of God's Gift", supports the school financially, enhancing the quality of life and the student experience at St. Olave’s.

A fascinating insight into our heritage is illustrated on this hand-carved printing block dating from around 1876. This would have been used to print certificates stating a student had passed an examination.

The level of detail is extraordinary; the top left corner contains the seal, taken from the Property Mark of the Governors of St. Olave's, which was set into the wall in the Quad when the school moved to Orpington in 1968. This seal inspired the blazer crest until 2019.

Elements of both this and the crown and axe seen in the top right corner of the printing block, were combined to inspire a new school crest in 2019, that honours our unique heritage, cherished history and indicates our Christian values. Together these provide a clear visual branding throughout the school, on our school blazers, sports kit and online presence.

Our school badge has a crown and axe at its centre. These reflect St. Olave as King and protector of Norway and God as King and protector of His people.

The crown is a symbol of Kingship, worn by a leader and protector of the people.
1 Kings 1:34 Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet crown him and anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

The crown is also the symbol of martyrdom, dying to save the people.
Acts 7:59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

The crown is also a symbol of life.
James 1:12   Blessed are those who persevere under trial; for they will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

The Axe is a symbol of protection, in the Bible it is a symbol of God’s protection and of servant-hood.
Psalm 35:3 O God, draw the spear and axe against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
Isaiah 10:15a Does the axe raise itself above the person who swings it.

The axe has the power of destruction but also of creativity.