Christ's Hospital is one of the oldest boarding schools in England. It's not a posh, public school for the elite few - it's a 450-year-old independent school, funded by a charitable foundation. The school serves 850 children, largely from deprived areas. It was founded in London in 1552, after the young King Edward VI responded to an impassioned sermon on the needs of the poor, providing 'a little learning for fatherless children and other poor men's children'. In 1902, the school moved to 250 acres in rural West Sussex. Christ's Hospital has a strong classical music tradition - its band regularly leads the Civic Party in the Lord Mayor's Show and ensembles play at Westminster Abbey and St Paul's. For more information on the school, click here

The Christ's Hospital uniform, with its flamboyant Tudor style, shocked Gene Simmons as much as he shocked the students on his first day at school. Since the school was founded in 1552, all pupils have worn the distinctive outer blue coat; the boys with breeches and the girls with pleated skirts. Yellow socks are worn instead of stockings and a white cotton shirt with 'bands' (similar to a lawyer's or priest's stock) instead of a regular school tie. Back in the 16th century, the citizens of London generously provided the uniform to the students and to this day, it is provided free to all pupils.