Croham Hurst School

Croham Hurst School was a day independent school for both junior and senior girls located in South Croydon, England. It was established by Kathleen Ellis in 1899. The second founder of the school, Theodora Clark, of the Clarks' family, joined Miss Ellis in 1901. During the Second World War, the school was evacuated to Bridge House, Somerset - where the staff and girls enjoyed the countryside to such an extent that when the Croham Hurst in Croydon reopened in 1942, they didn't want to return. Eventually, in 1945, the two schools had to become one again. Shortly after this, a Junior School was established, later known as 'The Limes'.

History

The first building to make up Croham Hurst was known as the 'Main Building'. (Although Croham Hurst girls and staff only located to there in 1907). Later this housed rooms which act as form rooms including a History Room, a Geography Room, rooms for Modern Foreign Languages, a Classics' Room; as well as a Library dedicated to Elizabeth Wagstaff (a sibling of a former pupil, who lost her life in the Second World War), a Sixth Form Library, the Headmistress's office and the Small Hall. The Small Hall informed Croham Hurst girls of its history; as it contained of a list of Headmistresses and of Head Girls, as well as a plaque commemorating Kathleen Ellis and Theodora Clark, and a stained-glass window of St. Ursula, constructed by a former pupil - given to the school in 1948. Ascending the hill from the Main Building is the Garden Wing, built in 1973 - which housed an English Room, a Drama Room and a room for Mathematics (two of which were also form rooms). On the left of the Garden Wing was the room for Religious Studies, which also acted as a form room; and next to it a path up the hill (which was commonly known as the 'Covered Way') lead up to the Main Assembly Hall and later on the Centenary Centre for Design and Technology (constructed to celebrate the School's centenary). On the left of this building were the Science Blocks; most of which were constructed in 1969, and further on was the Doreen Seward Centre which included a Music Room and Gymnasium. It is in this Centre, that Choir Practices took place; the Music Department played a significant role in the school. On the left hand side of the Doreen Seward Centre was the Sixth Form Centre, which was once known as 'The Vineyard'. Originally it was a house, which was bought in 1957. It then acquired the name of 'The Vineyard', after the parable in the Bible in which Ahab desires Naboth's Vineyard to such an extent that his wife, Jezebel, kills the owner, in order to obtain it. (Although to these lengths Croham Hurst did not go understandably, in order to obtain 'The Vineyard'). Outside this building is a playing field that was shared between the senior girls and the girls from the Limes' building.

The most successful departments to exist in Croham Hurst were the Music, History and Classics departments, which far outdid others of often average qualities found in most schools of today.

In 2007 23 Croham Hurst girls sat A Level examinations and all attained grades A-E, 58% of these grades were A or B. In the same year 96% of the 51 Year 11 girls achieved 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE, including English and Mathematics. The school's examination performance was frequently well above the national average.

List of Headmistresses

• Miss Kathleen Ellis, 1899–1921
• Miss Theodora Clark, 1921–1927
• Miss Berta Humphrey (later Mrs Berta Bywater), 1927–1951
• Miss Florence Ross, 1951–1952
• Miss Stella Wickham (later Mrs Stella Chamberlain), 1952–1959
• Miss Molly Ayre, 1959–1970
• Miss Doreen Seaward, 1970–1986
• Miss Joan Shelmerdine, 1986–1994
• Miss Sue Budgen, 1994–2005
• Mrs Jane Abbotts, 2005–2008

Absorption into Old Palace School

In September 2007 it was announced that the Whitgift Foundation would be in control of the school from September 2008 onwards. The senior girls from Croham Hurst, along with their staff, moved to Old Palace School.^[1] The site of the senior school became the junior school of Old Palace at the convenience of the Whitgift Foundation, the Croham Hurst site as a primary school; with The Limes' grounds being used as a nursery. The Main Building of the school has been refurbished.

Notable former pupils

• Ellinor Hinks, one of the visionary physical educationists of the 20th century^[2]
• Sue Perkins, comedienne and broadcaster
• Susanna Reid, newsreader
• Georgina Mace, Conservation Scientist

References