Coal Hill School

A bulletin board at the school. (TV: An Unearthly Child)

Coal Hill School (formally, Coal Hill Secondary School) was a comprehensive school located in Shoreditch, a suburb of London.

History

1963

In 1963, Barbara Wright taught history and Ian Chesterton taught science there. Susan Foreman studied there. Susan's classmates included John Brent, Gillian Roberts, and Francis Minto. Other staff members included geography teacher Mr Grange (nicknamed "Ghastly" by the pupils), music teacher Mrs Bellweather, PE teacher Mr Okehurst, French teacher Mademoiselle Quelou, and headmaster Basil James Carker (M.A., Oxon.). (PROSE: Time and Relative) Other classmates included Debbie, Cedric, Mavis, Brian and Richard. (PROSE: Those Left Behind; AUDIO: Hunters of Earth) The Seventh Doctor said it had been six months. Joseph Liebermann became the new RE teacher during that period. (PROSE: Matrix)

On 1 April 1963, Mr Okehurst and several students were killed by the Cold. (PROSE: Time and Relative)

In late 1963, Wright and Chesterton went missing after leaving together after school to investigate the activities of Susan Foreman, who likewise disappeared. (TV: An Unearthly Child) Although Wright and Chesterton mysteriously returned to London two years later (TV: The Chase), Foreman was not heard from again.

Between April and November 1963, Basil Carker was replaced as Coal Hill's headmaster by H. Parson, who at some point came under the mental control of the Imperial Dalek faction attempting to locate the Hand of Omega. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)

The deputy headmaster was Mr. Kint, "a thin but robust Irishman." Ian and Barbara's classrooms were C3 and C4 respectively. (PROSE: Nothing at the End of the Lane)

More disappearances occurred later in 1963 as a janitor of the school went missing. Ultimately, the school became the site of what was later dubbed the Shoreditch Incident (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy), a battle between British military forces, scientists and the Seventh Doctor (who, unbeknown to school officials, was responsible for the disappearances of Wright, Chesterton, and Susan), and Imperial Dalek forces that appropriated the school for their base of operations, installing a transmat in the basement.

Most of the fighting occurred outside the school and at nearby 76 Totter's Lane, although the Doctor's companion, Ace, found herself in pitched battle with several Daleks inside the school. The Imperial Dalek shuttle eventually landed in the schoolyard, shattering glass. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)

By this time, Rosa's, a café owned by a German Jewish woman named Rosa, was a popular hangout for Coal Hill students. (AUDIO: Hunters of Earth)

Later events

The Eighth Doctor's companion, Sam Jones, attended Coal Hill School in 1997 before leaving in the TARDIS with him. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors)

School colours

At least two of its school colours were black and emerald green, since these were the colours of Ian Chesterton's official school tie. (TV: "The Centre")

Part of Susan Foreman's official school uniform was "a rather drab grey tunic. There was a little badge embroidered on the apron... The embroidered badge stood out in red and gold: COAL HILL SCHOOL". (PROSE: Nightshade)

Staff and students

• Ian Chesterton - science teacher
• Barbara Wright - history teacher
• Joseph Liebermann - RE teacher
• Mr Grange - geography teacher
• Mrs Bellweather - music teacher
• Mademoiselle Quelou - French teacher
• Mr Okehurst - PE teacher
• Basil James Carker - headmaster in late March–early April 1963
• H. Parson - headmaster in November 1963
• Kint - deputy headmaster
• Colonel Rook - teacher
• Sadie Lederer - student, Year One (March 1963)
• Susan Foreman - student, Year Four (March 1963)
• John Brent - student, Year Four (March 1963)
• Gillian Roberts - student, Year Four (March 1963)
• Francis Minto - student, Year Four (March 1963)
• Wendy Coburn - student, Year Four (March 1963)
• Joe Gibson - student, Year Four or Five (March 1963)
• Leslie Culver - student, Year Five (March 1963)
• Dudley Hatcher - student, Year Five (March 1963)
• Little Titch Critchley - student, March 1963
• Judith Winters (possibly) - student (possibly)
• Samantha Jones - student, 1997
• Debbie
• Cedric - student
• Mavis - student
• Brian - student
• Richard - student