2011 is a very important year for Woodard. It marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Nathaniel Woodard and also the creation of the National Society (CofE) for Promoting Religious Education. A number of events and services are being planned to commemorate both occasions starting and ending with:

A Eucharist, with all Woodard Schools participating, on the 200th anniversary of Nathaniel Woodard’s birth to be held on Monday 21st March 2011 at Lancing College.

National Service of Thanksgiving on Thursday 24th November 2011 at Westminster Abbey.

Details of all events will be shown in the Woodard Diary and also on the website.

For details of The National Society for Promoting Religious Education please click here

Nathaniel Woodard

21st March 1811 – 25th April 1891

A  priest in the Church of England, Nathaniel Woodard founded an incredible 11 schools for the middle classes in England during his lifetime. His aim was to provide an education with a fundamental foundation based on “sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith”.

In his lifetime, he was surrounded by and shocked by social conflict, poverty, deprivation and lack of aspiration in a chaotic society and he set out to try and transform this situation. He firmly believed that education was the only way to aid this transformation and began his life long work of founding schools. In 1870, he was made Canon of Manchester Cathedral in recognition of his efforts and received a generous stipend with this position. He used the majority of this towards funding the building of his schools.

Today, Woodard Schools form the largest group of independent Church of England schools in England and Wales and as part of the Woodard Corporation, strive to promote Nathaniel Woodard’s educational principles.

His first school, Lancing College was founded in1848 and his tomb is in the College Chapel. 2011 will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of this remarkable, educational visionary.