The Duke of York’s Royal Military School, originally known as the Royal Military Asylum, (a place of refuge), was founded by Royal Warrant signed by King George III in 1801. Its foundation stone was laid by HRH Frederick, Duke of York, and in 1803 it opened in Chelsea, London (close to the Royal Hospital) to provide for the children of soldiers, both boys and girls, left destitute by the Great War with France (1793-1815).

In 1816, Cavalry Barracks in Southampton was converted to accommodate the girls who were moved there from Chelsea.

From its inception boys of the school wore a military uniform similar, if not identical, to that worn by regular soldiers.

In 1825 the school received its own Colours, presented by King George IV, making it one of only three English schools to be awarded this privilege.

In 1846 girls were no longer accepted and the site in Southampton later became the headquarters of the Ordnance Survey.

In 1892 the school became the Duke of York’s Royal Military School and in 1908 moved to its present site on the cliffs above Dover in Kent.

It was then divided into 8 companies (A, B, C, etc) which sometime after WW1 (c1927) became houses named after famous generals, each accommodating approximately 60 boys. One house accommodated boys between the age of 9 and 11 and the other houses accommodated boys over 11 in three dormitories, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior. The Chief School Prefect was the equivalent of an RSM and each house had a School Prefect equivalent to a Company Sergeant Major. Under them were House Prefects equivalent to Sergeants or Corporals.

This “other ranks” reporting structure effectively allowed the school to be run along the same lines as a conventional army regiment and consequently a similar ethos was established.

Dormitories in each house were open plan “barrack rooms” with up to 10 beds and lockers either side. A single room either side of the entrance accommodated Prefects responsible for reveille, ablutions, kit inspections, fatigues (housekeeping), and forming up outside the house to march down to the Dining Hall for meals. In the evening they were again responsible for supervising ablutions and lights out.

During the second World War pupils were moved to the Saunton Sands Hotel in Devon, far away from the danger of being located on the cliffs of Dover. For those unaware of the existence of the school the appearance of boys in military uniforms as young as 9 on London stations must have caused them to wonder about the nations ability to defend itself.

The above “other ranks” reporting structure remained in place until the 1960’s when the schools military activities became the responsibility of the Combined Cadet Force organisation in common with other public schools and Under Officers were introduced. In the same period the school uniform changed from khaki WW2 battledress to blazers and grey trousers and from then on only “Blues” (No. 1 Dress), introduced in 1955, were worn for all parades.

As the size of the Army reduced, in 1992 places were offered to children of other service families including those of the Royal Navy and RAF.

In 1994 the school again began to accept girls.

In 2010 the school ceased to be funded by the Ministry of Defence and became an Academy.

For many years entry to the school was restricted to children whose fathers had served in the ranks of the British Army at some point in their careers. Priority was given to orphans and single parents. A father’s service record was also an entry consideration.

Although under no obligation to join the Army, in the early days many boys followed their father’s footsteps and enlisted directly in their chosen regiments. As time went on, boys left to join the Army Apprentice Schools and Colleges when these were introduced. As educational standards improved, more and more boys were accepted into the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and former pupils of the school can be found at all levels of the British Army and many other services besides. The school has therefore contributed to the security and defence of our country from the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) to the present day.

Since becoming an Academy, the school remains a c0-educational boarding establishment, has retained its military traditions, and is now open to all.