School House boys house in Rugby School.
School House, Lawrence Sheriff Street, Rugby, CV22 5EH
Tel: +44 (0) 1788 556 170
Email: schoolhouse@rugbyschool.net
School House is situated in the oldest part of the School and was the original House when Rugby School moved to its present site from the centre of the town around 1750. The current buildings were designed and built by the architect Henry Hakewill between 1809 and 1815. These include Old Hall, the vaulted study block that looks onto the Close and the dormitories. The Old Quad, OBS and other classrooms around the quad were also built at this time.
School House was extended throughout the 19th century, when further studies and another large dormitory (now the Assistant Housemaster’s accommodation) were added. It was during this time that Thomas Hughes (author of Tom Brown’s Schooldays) was a boy in the House under the great Dr Arnold; many of the places mentioned in that book still exist today.
The House underwent a major refurbishment in the late 1960s, when the current dining room was created out of an internal quadrangle and a wooden spiral staircase that went up through the House was replaced by a series of concrete flights. Between 1993 and 1995 the House was, once again, extensively refurbished and today provides accommodation for up to 54 boys.
For the first couple of years the boys occupy dormitories of five or six and from the GCSE year upwards they have their own study bedroom. In addition there is a House Library, three large common rooms, a snooker room and a number of kitchenettes around the House. The Close provides plenty of space for recreation and in the summer months the boys can enjoy the peace and quiet of the School House garden.
Housemaster
Louis joined Rugby School in 2022 as a Teacher of French and was appointed Head of Modern Languages in 2023. He holds a degree in Law with French and a Master’s in Education from the University of Sheffield. As part of his studies, he spent a year studying French law in Aix-en-Provence, followed by a year studying German in Vienna.
He began his teaching career in the state sector in Kent, teaching French and German. In 2015, he moved to Shanghai, where he taught French and served as a Housemaster for six years at YK Pao School.
Louis coaches U16B rugby and U15B cricket, and in his spare time enjoys playing cricket and football, running, golf, and cycling. He also has a keen interest in modern history, French literature, and current affairs. Louis has been a tutor in School House for the past three years and is now delighted to be moving in with his wife, Chloe, their children, Florence (6) and Leonard (3), and their two pets – Algy the cat and Manon the dog.
Tom Batchelor became Deputy Housemaster of School House in September 2024, joining Rugby School in September 2023 as a Teacher of Chemistry and a tutor in Bradley House. After graduating with a Masters in Chemistry from Durham University in 2014, Tom’s path here involved a number of years in the chemical industry before embarking on his teaching career, first at Queen Elizabeth Boys Grammar School, Barnet. When he is not in the science lab, as an avid sportsman, Tom can be found coaching hockey and tennis, with the CCF Army section, and participating in the Gold Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. Tom brings his wife, Lucy, a management consultant, and their three-year-old son, Fred. Outside of work, Tom and his family enjoy hiking, playing and watching most sports, and travelling and exploring new places!
Matron
After living in Spain for six years, Natalie found a revived sense of pride for her home town when she became resident Matron at School House. She has previously worked in a pastoral head of year role at a state school and found it so rewarding to be the student’s trusted adult, someone to listen to and support them. Natalie loves to create a warm and welcoming home environment for the boys in School House and finds it incredibly heartwarming to watch students grow into positive young adults hoping that her influence and guidance may be part of their making.