Moreton Hall School
Encyclopedia
Moreton Hall School is an independent boarding
and day school for girls aged 4 to 18 and boys aged 4 to 11 years, situated in North Shropshire four miles from the historic market town of Oswestry
. Founded in 1913, Moreton Hall is looking forward to its centenary celebrations in 2012/13. Much of the early history of the school is unrecorded, but Michael Charlesworth, chairman of the Governors for twelve years, has written the "Story of Moreton Hall" to mark the ninetieth anniversary.
, who had been headmaster of Oswestry Grammar School, now Oswestry School
. She had already addressed the problem of educating her family by setting up a small school in 1913, in Lloran house, which was once a boarding house for Oswestry School. Among the boarders were her three youngest daughters, some of their cousins and friends. There were also two boys on the rolls. Elder sisters Grace and Mary joined the teaching staff.
Ellen, known universally as Aunt Lil, bought Moreton Hall in 1919. The building was reputed to have been built in 1527 in the reign of Henry VIII of England
and remodelled in the time of William and Mary
. However, the historical buildings provided little in the way of creature comforts and the school uniform boasted the djibbahs, a box pleated tunic worn for games and lessons (to avoid time lost for changing), and a full length all enveloping cloak, vital clothing in the chill surroundings.
. She had frequently visited Moreton Hall, choreographing dance productions, teaching lacrosse (she had captained Wales) and cricket and leading rambles in the surrounding countryside. She left her career to take on the headship and continued in this role until her resignation, soon followed by her death in 1973. This ended the "family" period of the school which continued its development as an Educational Trust
, with a total of 370 pupils. The school, a charitable trust, is set in 100 acres of parkland on the beautiful Shropshire/North Wales border, four miles from the historic market town of Oswestry and an hour from Manchester Airport and Birmingham Airport, West Midlands.
The school is made up of two parts: Moreton First (the Junior School) for boys and girls aged 4–11 and the senior school for girls aged 11 and over. First Steps Nursery opened in 2007 for 1-4 year olds. The Principal is Jonathan Forster M.A., FRSA and the Head of Moreton First, Mrs. Sarah Mostyn, B.Sc., M.A.
Moreton Hall has a Learning Support tuition system, which is available to all students at no extra charge. The purpose is to encourage pupils, whatever their educational background, to grow in self-confidence and achieve academic success at GCSE, A Level and beyond. The 2009 A Level results place Moreton in 112th position nationally in the Daily Telegraph league table of Independent Schools. - At GCSE, results were also outstanding, placing Moreton 77th in the Daily Telegraph league tables.
The Midyis Value Added League Table produced by Durham University
in 2010 ranks Moreton Hall as the top school nationally in value added ratings.
The school has a pastoral system, whereby each girl has her own personal tutor who monitors her academic and pastoral progress, Independent Schools Inspectorate,Ofsted
Recently introduced are four Divisions called Calverts, Norton, Roberts and Vincents for which the pupils can earn points for work, sport, drama, music etc.
in Venice, St. Nicholas’ Church in Old Town Square (Prague)
and Salzburg Cathedral. Past tours have visited Boston, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Prague and Salzburg.
and Hockey
are the principle winter sports; regularly girls are selected from the senior teams to represent the Junior Midlands Lacrosse team at the national territorial tournament. The school 2nd team are the current Welsh Lacrosse Association
Rally champions.
Hockey is also played, with at least one team every year representing Shropshire at the Midland Regional Hockey Association
Finals.
Cross-country is another key winter sport, with many junior and senior girls being selected to represent the county and in 2010 the Junior team qualified for the English Schools’ Cross Country National Finals. Fourteen outdoor courts and one county-size indoor court are available for tennis. Athletics continues to grow as a major sport at Moreton during the summer term. Students have the opportunity to train at a track in Wrexham
.
There are seven retail businesses and two service based businesses (Events Management and Environmental Services). The businesses are all managed by the Lower Sixth (Year 12)girls.
The most recent addition to Moreton Enterprises is Ryman which opened in Spring 2010.
An early "Enterprise" was the re-opening of nearby Gobowen railway station
, headed by Geography teacher David LLoyd and pupils at the school. David Lloyd is remembered by having a locomotive of the Wrexham & Shropshire Railway company named after him.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
and day school for girls aged 4 to 18 and boys aged 4 to 11 years, situated in North Shropshire four miles from the historic market town of Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
. Founded in 1913, Moreton Hall is looking forward to its centenary celebrations in 2012/13. Much of the early history of the school is unrecorded, but Michael Charlesworth, chairman of the Governors for twelve years, has written the "Story of Moreton Hall" to mark the ninetieth anniversary.
The Beginning
Ellen Augusta Crawley LLoyd-Williams was left with a family of two sons and nine daughters to care for on the death of her husband, John Jordan Lloyd-WilliamsJohn Lloyd Williams (aviator)
Captain John Jordan Lloyd Williams was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
, who had been headmaster of Oswestry Grammar School, now Oswestry School
Oswestry School
Oswestry School is a co-educational independent school, located in the town of Oswestry, Shropshire, England. Founded in 1407 by David Holbache and his wife Guinevere Holbache, it is the second oldest non-denominational school in England....
. She had already addressed the problem of educating her family by setting up a small school in 1913, in Lloran house, which was once a boarding house for Oswestry School. Among the boarders were her three youngest daughters, some of their cousins and friends. There were also two boys on the rolls. Elder sisters Grace and Mary joined the teaching staff.
Ellen, known universally as Aunt Lil, bought Moreton Hall in 1919. The building was reputed to have been built in 1527 in the reign of Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
and remodelled in the time of William and Mary
William and Mary
The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the coregency over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, of King William III & II and Queen Mary II...
. However, the historical buildings provided little in the way of creature comforts and the school uniform boasted the djibbahs, a box pleated tunic worn for games and lessons (to avoid time lost for changing), and a full length all enveloping cloak, vital clothing in the chill surroundings.
Development
"Aunt Lil" died in 1940 leaving a thriving and growing school with a strong ethos of music, dance and public speaking which survives today. She was succeeded by her daughter, Mary, a keen musician who fostered the love of music in her pupils. Mary died in 1945 at a relatively young age and was appropriately commemorated by a bronze sculpture by Karel Vogel depicting three pupils playing musical instruments. Her sister Bronwyn Lloyd-Williams had trained at the Bedford College (London) of Physical training and was a freelance journalist in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She had frequently visited Moreton Hall, choreographing dance productions, teaching lacrosse (she had captained Wales) and cricket and leading rambles in the surrounding countryside. She left her career to take on the headship and continued in this role until her resignation, soon followed by her death in 1973. This ended the "family" period of the school which continued its development as an Educational Trust
Present Day
Moreton Hall is now an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 4–18 and boys aged 4–11 in ShropshireShropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, with a total of 370 pupils. The school, a charitable trust, is set in 100 acres of parkland on the beautiful Shropshire/North Wales border, four miles from the historic market town of Oswestry and an hour from Manchester Airport and Birmingham Airport, West Midlands.
The school is made up of two parts: Moreton First (the Junior School) for boys and girls aged 4–11 and the senior school for girls aged 11 and over. First Steps Nursery opened in 2007 for 1-4 year olds. The Principal is Jonathan Forster M.A., FRSA and the Head of Moreton First, Mrs. Sarah Mostyn, B.Sc., M.A.
Academic
Moreton Hall offers a range of subjects at both GCSE and A Level. It is not, in the strictest terms, a selective school, yet its results at GCSE and A Level match all selective independent schools in the region.Moreton Hall has a Learning Support tuition system, which is available to all students at no extra charge. The purpose is to encourage pupils, whatever their educational background, to grow in self-confidence and achieve academic success at GCSE, A Level and beyond. The 2009 A Level results place Moreton in 112th position nationally in the Daily Telegraph league table of Independent Schools. - At GCSE, results were also outstanding, placing Moreton 77th in the Daily Telegraph league tables.
The Midyis Value Added League Table produced by Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
in 2010 ranks Moreton Hall as the top school nationally in value added ratings.
The school has a pastoral system, whereby each girl has her own personal tutor who monitors her academic and pastoral progress, Independent Schools Inspectorate,Ofsted
Pastoral
There are six boarding houses, each with its own Housemistress, Assistant Housemistress and Tutor team, which includes resident tutors who assist in the running of the house. Day girls are also attached to one of the boarding houses and have the option to sleep over.- The Stables Junior Dorm (up to Year 6, age 11) and Years 7-8 (age 11-13)
- Pilkington House for Years 9-10 (age 13-15)
- Gem House for Years 9-10 (age 13-15)
- Lloyd-Williams House for Year 11 (age 15-16)
- Rylands House for Year 12 (age 16-17)
- Charlesworth House for Year 13 (age 17-18)
Recently introduced are four Divisions called Calverts, Norton, Roberts and Vincents for which the pupils can earn points for work, sport, drama, music etc.
Music
Moreton Hall has a large music department offering a wide range of musical activities to GCSE and A Level whicj are among the key fundamentals of the curriculum. The school has a wide range of musical groups and ensembles for all ages and abilities, and music tours abroad take place every two years. Tours have included venues such as St Mark's BasilicaSt Mark's Basilica
The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture...
in Venice, St. Nicholas’ Church in Old Town Square (Prague)
Old Town Square (Prague)
Old Town Square is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague in the Czech Republic at .Located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge, Prague's Old Town Square is often bursting at the seams with tourists in the summer. Featuring various architectural styles including the...
and Salzburg Cathedral. Past tours have visited Boston, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Prague and Salzburg.
Sport
LacrosseLacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
and Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
are the principle winter sports; regularly girls are selected from the senior teams to represent the Junior Midlands Lacrosse team at the national territorial tournament. The school 2nd team are the current Welsh Lacrosse Association
Welsh Lacrosse Association
The Welsh Lacrosse Association is the governing body for lacrosse in Wales. It is one of 14 full members of the Federation of International Lacrosse...
Rally champions.
Hockey is also played, with at least one team every year representing Shropshire at the Midland Regional Hockey Association
Midland Regional Hockey Association
The Midland Regional Hockey Association is the organising body for field hockey in the English Midlands. It covers the county associations of Bedfordshire , Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.The...
Finals.
Cross-country is another key winter sport, with many junior and senior girls being selected to represent the county and in 2010 the Junior team qualified for the English Schools’ Cross Country National Finals. Fourteen outdoor courts and one county-size indoor court are available for tennis. Athletics continues to grow as a major sport at Moreton during the summer term. Students have the opportunity to train at a track in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
.
Drama and Public Speaking
Performing arts activities include music, drama, verse speaking, public speaking and debating. The Senior and Middle School put on two major plays/musicals every year and the Junior School put on plays throughout the year. Students regularly take part in Speaking and Debating competitions such as the Business and Professional Women’s Public Speaking Competition, The Shropshire Festival of Verse and Prose and Thomas Cranmer Awards.Moreton Enterprises
Moreton Enterprises is a business venture which was established at the school 25 years ago.There are seven retail businesses and two service based businesses (Events Management and Environmental Services). The businesses are all managed by the Lower Sixth (Year 12)girls.
The most recent addition to Moreton Enterprises is Ryman which opened in Spring 2010.
An early "Enterprise" was the re-opening of nearby Gobowen railway station
Gobowen railway station
Gobowen railway station is a railway station on the Shrewsbury to Chester Line serving the village of Gobowen in Shropshire, England. It is the nearest station to the town of Oswestry., train services run on two routes;...
, headed by Geography teacher David LLoyd and pupils at the school. David Lloyd is remembered by having a locomotive of the Wrexham & Shropshire Railway company named after him.
Noted Old Moretonians
- Thea Musgrave composer and musician
- Kyffin WilliamsKyffin WilliamsSir John "Kyffin" Williams, KBE, RA was a Welsh landscape painter who lived at Pwllfanogl, Llanfairpwll on the Island of Anglesey...
Landscape painter - Denise Bates Artist
- Alison Rylands Artist
- Dame Linda Dobbs, High court judge
- Shahnaz PakravanShahnaz PakravanShahnaz Pakravan is a radio and television presenter.-Education:Pakravan was educated at Moreton Hall School, a girls' independent boarding school in Oswestry, Shropshire, in England.-Life and career:...
TV and radio presenter. - Sheila ReidSheila ReidSheila Reid is a Scottish actress, best known for her performance as Madge Barron in Benidorm.-Career:Reid has had a long and distinguished career in theatre, film and television, and worked with Laurence Olivier at the Royal National Theatre. In 1980, she played the long-suffering wife of Trevor...
, Actress