Ottershaw School
Encyclopedia
Ottershaw School was founded in 1948, as a school for boys located in Ottershaw Park, Ottershaw
approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) south west of London between Chertsey
and Woking
, an estate which dates back to 1761 when the first house was constructed.
The criterion for entry was ‘Boarding School Need’. Thus many pupils came from families broken by the war or other circumstances, or from environments which were not conducive to academic or personal development. There was too a proportion of entrants who wished to attend a boarding school but whose parents could not afford the fees at the traditional Public School. Entry was not totally restricted to children of Surrey residents
The school was established in 1948 by Surrey County Council
(SCC) as a boarding school for boys of 12 to 18 years of age. It was the first of its kind in the country to be entirely in the hands of a Local Education Authority
.
SCC had purchased the estate in 1945 after the war, during which time much of it had been used by the Ministry of Defence
as a vehicle park and Mobil had used the mansion as their headquarters. Prior to the war it had also been a boarding school for boys when it was known as Ottershaw College.
The first boys and masters arrived in 1948 and were led by headmaster Arthur Foot CBE. He had previously taught at The Doon School
in India where he had made an outstanding contribution for which he had been awarded the CBE.
The school grounds occupied 148 acre (0.59893528 km²) - containing classrooms, labs, workshops, playing fields, and of course the mansion itself.
Arthur Foot based some of the school on Winchester college and introduced small desks called Toyes ,with a backboard and cupboard which each boy had for their own each term. Every evening boys would sit at these Toyes
in a large room presided over by a prefect, in order to study.
Ottershaw was a very unusual school on account of the principles underlying its foundation, but its curriculum, teaching methods, and school routine were by and large conventional. It had two streams; one with an Academic, the other with a Technical bias. There was an organised games programme, a wide choice of Clubs and Societies, an Air Training Corps, later the Combined Cadet Corps. In addition all similar activities available in Public and Grammar Schools. However, there was no corporal punishment and no ‘fagging’.
The school was divided into four Houses (North, East, West & Tulk) of approximately 60 boys each. The four Housemaster
s looked after the boys' welfare and in addition each boy was also allotted a Tutor whose duty it was to look after the boys' academic work.
The school was only open to boys resident in Surrey, but boys who were a sons of a member of H.M. Forces or one whose parents were normally resident abroad could also attend.
Community responsibility was taken much further than duties within the school. Pupils undertook an extensive range of projects within the local community and further afield. They renovated classrooms for local Primary Schools, erected bus shelters, built accommodation for the Cheshire Foundation , helped on the newly formed Ockenden Venture Ockenden Venture and constructed a Youth Club building in Camberwell. Within the school itself, pupils built the cricket pavilion, the Staff Room and the Sixth Form Centre all under the supervision of the school’s technical staff.
In 1981 the site became a residential estate and remains so to this day. There is an active Old Boys Society.
Ottershaw
Ottershaw is a village in the Runnymede district of Surrey, England about 20 miles to the south-west of London. It is part of the Foxhills ward in the census....
approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) south west of London between Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
and Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, an estate which dates back to 1761 when the first house was constructed.
History
It was the first Local Authority Boarding School to be set up following the recommendations of the 1943 Fleming Report which were implemented in the Butler Education Act of the following year. The Fleming Committee’s aim was to explore ways in which the benefits of a Public School education could be made more widely available to those whose means and backgrounds made it difficult to enter what was an exclusive and expensive system. There was noentry examination, and no financial barrier. The Education was expensive and the Boarding charges were means tested.The criterion for entry was ‘Boarding School Need’. Thus many pupils came from families broken by the war or other circumstances, or from environments which were not conducive to academic or personal development. There was too a proportion of entrants who wished to attend a boarding school but whose parents could not afford the fees at the traditional Public School. Entry was not totally restricted to children of Surrey residents
The school was established in 1948 by Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 80 elected councillors.The council is controlled by the Conservative party.The leader of the council is David Hodge....
(SCC) as a boarding school for boys of 12 to 18 years of age. It was the first of its kind in the country to be entirely in the hands of a Local Education Authority
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
.
SCC had purchased the estate in 1945 after the war, during which time much of it had been used by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
as a vehicle park and Mobil had used the mansion as their headquarters. Prior to the war it had also been a boarding school for boys when it was known as Ottershaw College.
The first boys and masters arrived in 1948 and were led by headmaster Arthur Foot CBE. He had previously taught at The Doon School
The Doon School
The Doon School is an independent school located in Dehradun in the state of Uttarakhand in India. Established in 1935, it was founded by Satish Ranjan Das. Its first Headmaster was Arthur E...
in India where he had made an outstanding contribution for which he had been awarded the CBE.
The school grounds occupied 148 acre (0.59893528 km²) - containing classrooms, labs, workshops, playing fields, and of course the mansion itself.
Arthur Foot based some of the school on Winchester college and introduced small desks called Toyes ,with a backboard and cupboard which each boy had for their own each term. Every evening boys would sit at these Toyes
in a large room presided over by a prefect, in order to study.
Ottershaw was a very unusual school on account of the principles underlying its foundation, but its curriculum, teaching methods, and school routine were by and large conventional. It had two streams; one with an Academic, the other with a Technical bias. There was an organised games programme, a wide choice of Clubs and Societies, an Air Training Corps, later the Combined Cadet Corps. In addition all similar activities available in Public and Grammar Schools. However, there was no corporal punishment and no ‘fagging’.
Expansion
The growing number of boarders at Ottershaw School meant the Mansion could not cope and in the 1950s this led to the building of what is now Tulk House. This was built in two stages, the first block, West House, being completed in 1952 to accommodate about 60 boys, followed in 1961 by a connecting block, Tulk House (named after the first Chairman of the Governors, Mr J A Tulk).The school was divided into four Houses (North, East, West & Tulk) of approximately 60 boys each. The four Housemaster
Housemaster
In British education, a housemaster is a member of staff in charge of a boarding house, normally at a boarding school . The housemaster is responsible for the supervision and care of boarders in the house and typically lives on the premises...
s looked after the boys' welfare and in addition each boy was also allotted a Tutor whose duty it was to look after the boys' academic work.
The school was only open to boys resident in Surrey, but boys who were a sons of a member of H.M. Forces or one whose parents were normally resident abroad could also attend.
Extra-curricular activities
In addition to normal academic work and sport, boys also had to perform daily duties around the school via Duty Squads. These included Servers (who laid tables and brought in food at meals), Clearers (who cleared tables after meals) and Sweepers (who swept floors, changing areas and stairs). Outdoor squads took care of pitches and playing fields, gardening and paths. Others took care of workshops and other school buildings or collected laundry, rang school bells, delivered post or took care of sports equipment.Community responsibility was taken much further than duties within the school. Pupils undertook an extensive range of projects within the local community and further afield. They renovated classrooms for local Primary Schools, erected bus shelters, built accommodation for the Cheshire Foundation , helped on the newly formed Ockenden Venture Ockenden Venture and constructed a Youth Club building in Camberwell. Within the school itself, pupils built the cricket pavilion, the Staff Room and the Sixth Form Centre all under the supervision of the school’s technical staff.
Headmasters
In 1964 ,Foot retired and Alan Dodds was appointed as the new headmaster. Dodds was a Cambridge graduate, previously a Housemaster at St Peter’s York. a JP and was founder of the Boarding Schools Association. He successfully saw the school through a rapidly changing educational climate.Closure
Cost was always a concern for the Local Authority despite the economies inherent in the school’s organisation. A substantial increase in numbers might have made Ottershaw more cost effective, and various measures were suggested to achieve this end. However, despite a vigorous campaign, taken to the House of Commons by Pupils, Staff, Parents and Friends of the school the decision was taken to close the school in 1980.In 1981 the site became a residential estate and remains so to this day. There is an active Old Boys Society.
Notable old boys
- John ChallisJohn ChallisJohn Challis is an English actor.-Career:He is probably best known for his role as Terrance Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass....
- Mike Campbell-LamertonMike Campbell-LamertonColonel Michael John "Mike" Campbell-Lamerton was a British army officer and rugby union figure. Despite being a career soldier on active service, he would captain the Scotland rugby team a number of times....
- John Romer (Egyptologist)
- Charlie WhelanCharlie WhelanCharles Alexander James Whelan is former political director of the British trade union Unite. He rose to prominence as spokesman for Labour politician Gordon Brown from 1992 to 1999.-Early life and career:...
- Anthony MayAnthony MayAnthony May is a British stage, television and film actor. He attended Ottershaw School, Surrey. May trained at R.A.D.A. from 1965 to 1967....
- Tiff NeedellTiff NeedellTimothy "Tiff" Needell isa British racing driver and television presenter. He is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear.-Biography:...