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) Joseph Liebermann was the RE teacher. (PROSE: Matrix) Other classmates included Debbie, Cedric, Mavis, Brian and Richard. (PROSE: Those Left Behind, AUDIO: Hunters of Earth)

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

In November 1963, Wright and Chesterton followed Susan home from Coal Hill after Susan gave her grandfather, the First Doctor's, address as the junkyard, 76 Totter's Lane. Wright, Chesterton and Susan subsequently left Coal Hill when the Doctor kidnapped Wright and Chesterton in his TARDIS which was in the junkyard; the Doctor making sure that Wright and Chesterton couldn't tell anyone about his ship. The Doctor also took his granddaughter away from 20th century Earth against her wishes. This started off Wright and Chesterton's travels in time and space. (TV: "An Unearthly Child")

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)

Later that year, 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, 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, Samantha Jones, attended Coal Hill School in 1997 before leaving in the TARDIS with him. (PROSE: The Eight Doctors)

The Eleventh Doctor's companion, Clara Oswald, began teaching at Coal Hill Secondary School in 2013. (TV: The Day of the Doctor)

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

Staff

• Ian Chesterton - science teacher, later headmaster, later Chairman of the Governors
• 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
• W. Coburn - headmaster in 2013
• Kint - deputy headmaster
• Colonel Rook - teacher
• Clara Oswald - English teacher
• Tom - teacher

Students

• 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), later headmaster
• 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
• Cedric Chivers - student, October 1963
• Mavis - student, October 1963
• Brian - student, October 1963
• Richard - student, October 1963
• Debbie - student, November 1963
• Samantha Jones - student, 1997