St. Thomas' Church School, Howrah

St. Thomas' Church School, Howrah
File:St. Thomas' Church School - Howrah 050022.JPG St. Thomas' Church School in 2010. We Press towards the mark
Address
3, Church Road Howrah Howrah, West Bengal, India
Information
Established	1860
Founder	Rev. Dr. William Spencer
Principal	Saurab George Singh
Average class size	50
Classes offered	ICSE, ISC
Medium of language	English
Language	English, Bengali and Hindi
Hours in school day	5 hours
Campus size	6 Bighas 18 Kathas
Houses	Higgs(Gold), Spencer(Blue), Leason(Red), Read(Green)
Athletics	Soccer, cricket and annual athletics meet
Communities served	Nature Club, Debate Club, Photography Club etc.
Affiliation	Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
Website	http://www.stcsh1860.org

St. Thomas' Church School, Howrah, founded between 1860 and 1865, by Rev. Dr. William Spencer, Chaplain of St. Thomas' Church, for education of Anglo-Indian children of Howrah, is one of the largest and most famous schools in Howrah, India. The school admits children of all sections of society irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

The affairs of the school are controlled by a Board of Governors, as determined by the Constitution of St. Thomas' Church School. The Bishop of Calcutta is the Chairman of the Board of Governors.

Buildings

The campus covers an area of 6 Bighas 18 Kathas. There are playgrounds, basketball court, and a children's park for junior building students. The school buildings contain classrooms, a library, staff rooms and laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and computing. In the premises there are two buildings, one auditorium and a church. The junior building comprises classes lower nursery to class five. In the senior building there are classes from six to twelve.

School terms and holidays

The school year consists of two terms. The first term extends from mid-April to mid September and the second term from October to March. In these terms are three vacations- Summer, Durga Puja and Christmas.

Subjects

After the eighth standard, there is a division in study stream with the choiced being Commerce and Science. After tenth standard there is a division into Science and the choices are Biology or Computer. There is a division in Commerce and the choices are Mathematics or Business studies.

The subjects taught in the school are:
ICSE

• Science - English Language, English Literature, Bengali, Hindi, History, Geography, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer Application, Drawing & painting (till class 8) and Socially Useful Productive Work & Community Service (SUPW).
• Commerce - English Language, English Literature, Bengali, Hindi, History, Geography, Mathematics, Accounts, Commerce, Office Practice, Economics,Drawing & painting (till class 8) and Socially Useful Productive Work & Community Service.

ISC

• Science with Biology - English 1(language), English 2(Literature), 2nd Language(Bengali/Hindi), Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Socially Useful Productive Work & Community Service.
• Science with Computer - English 1(language), English 2(Literature), 2nd Language(Bengali/Hindi), Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Socially Useful Productive Work & Community Service.
• Commerce with Mathematics - English 1(language), English 2(Literature), 2nd Language(Bengali/Hindi), Mathematics, Commerce, Accounts, Economics, Socially Useful Productive Work & Community Service.
• Commerce with Business Studies - English 1(language), English 2(Literature), 2nd Language(Bengali/Hindi), Business Studies, Commerce, Accounts, Economics, Socially Useful Productive Work & Community Service.

Public examination

The school prepares students for the Indian School Certificate Examination and Indian Certificate of Secondary Education, in Science and Commerce subjects. This is a recognized examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination, New Delhi.

Religious instruction

Catechism lessons are given by the clergy of the Church of North India, for students belonging to this denomination. Moral Instruction is taught to all students up to Class V. All students are required to attend Assembly.

School uniform

Boys and girls wear the following school uniform: Boys:

• Grey - terrycotton or cotton trousers (for classes VI upwards) grey terrycotton or cotton short pants (up to Class V), white with grey striped cotton terrycotton shirts (half-sleeves),
• Black debry pattern shoes with laces (Bata Scouts or Wayfinders) white socks, school tie and grey and white striped belts (III onwards).
• Grey blazers - mid-November to February.

Girls:

• Grey 'A' line skirt and white and grey striped cotton or terrycotton shirts,
• Black shoes, white socks and school tie and grey and white striped belts (III onwards).
• Grey blazers - mid-November to February.
• P.T. uniform for classes III-IX

Students are divided into four houses - Leason, Spencer, Read and Higgs (red, blue, green and gold) and have their uniforms according to their houses.

• Classes III-IX, who have PT classes, come to school in their PT uniforms.
• Classes X-XII wear their house colours, for sports, athletics and other school functions.
• Girls: house vests, white shorts/skirts, white socks and keds.
• Boys:- House vests, white shorts, white socks and keds.

Notable alumni

• Cliff Richard, singer
• Manoj Tewari - Indian National cricketer

Trivia

Cliff Richard started school in September 1946, at St Thomas' Church School in Church Road, Howrah. One of his family servants, Habib, used to bring his lunch every day to the school.

References

• http://www.stcsh1860.org
• The STCS school diary
• Thomascope: The STCS annual magazine