Wispers School
Encyclopedia
Wispers School was a British independent boarding school for girls aged between 11 and 18 which was founded in 1947 and which closed in 2008 after 61 years' operation. For the first part of its life it was based at Wispers
, a large country house in Midhurst
, West Sussex
, UK; it was also briefly based at West Dean House
, also in West Sussex, and for the last 40 years of its existence at Oak Hall, Haslemere
in Surrey
.
in Berkshire
. In 1947 her husband needed to be confined to a TB
clinic near the south coast, and accordingly the school was to move to Wispers
, a large country house designed by the architect Richard Norman Shaw
, near Midhurst in West Sussex. For the start of the autumn term 1947 Herries School was split, with the local children remaining at the non-boarding junior school part of Herries in Cookham Dean, and the boarding contingent moving to Wispers. Herries School at Wispers was re-named Wispers School for the start of the autumn term 1949.
Writer Angela Lambert
and actress Susannah York
both attended Wispers School in the early 1950s, while it was based at Wispers.
in West Dean
in West Sussex, which was owned at the time by Edward James
. In 1964 James gave the House to a charitable trust, The Edward James Foundation, but the school was able to remain at West Dean until 1968.
in Surrey when the Wispers School Trust purchased Oak Hall
, in High Lane. The house had previously housed another school, Oak Hall School, and so was suitable for Wispers to take over without too much modification being needed. The house and 26 acre site was found for the school by Ken Wood
, a businessman who was Chairman of the Governors of Wispers School.
report and had been given the award for "the most pro-active business in the community" in Haslemere Chamber of Trade and Commerce's 2008 awards. At the time the school had 72 pupils. 46 staff were made redundant: 14 full-time and 15 part-time teaching staff, and 17 support staff involved in the running of the school and its site. The site and its buildings were be sold, with the school's estimated £4 million-worth of assets used to establish a Wispers Education Trust, which provides bursaries for girls who would otherwise be unable to benefit from independent education.
attended Wispers in the early 1950s and a fictionalised version of the school and its pupils and staff is presented in her 1990 novel, No Talking After Lights.
Wispers
This article is about Wispers, the building near Midhurst which has housed several schools. For Wispers School at Wispers, see Wispers School.Wispers is a Grade II listed British country house in the parish of Stedham with Iping near Midhurst, West Sussex...
, a large country house in Midhurst
Midhurst
Midhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, UK; it was also briefly based at West Dean House
West Dean House
West Dean House is a large flint-faced manor house situated in West Dean, West Sussex, near the historic City of Chichester. This country estate has approximately of land and dates back to 1086, with various royal connections throughout the years...
, also in West Sussex, and for the last 40 years of its existence at Oak Hall, Haslemere
Oak Hall, Haslemere
This article is about Oak Hall, the building in Haslemere which housed several schools. For Wispers School, Haslemere, see Wispers School.Oak Hall at Haslemere, Surrey, England is a Grade II listed country house.-Residential house:...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
.
Midhurst
In 1946 Helen Brown, the wife of a vicar, bought Herries School in Cookham DeanCookham Dean
Cookham Dean is a settlement to the west of the village of Cookham in Berkshire, England. It is the highest point of all the Cookhams -Commerce:...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. In 1947 her husband needed to be confined to a TB
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
clinic near the south coast, and accordingly the school was to move to Wispers
Wispers
This article is about Wispers, the building near Midhurst which has housed several schools. For Wispers School at Wispers, see Wispers School.Wispers is a Grade II listed British country house in the parish of Stedham with Iping near Midhurst, West Sussex...
, a large country house designed by the architect Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw RA , was an influential Scottish architect from the 1870s to the 1900s, known for his country houses and for commercial buildings.-Life:...
, near Midhurst in West Sussex. For the start of the autumn term 1947 Herries School was split, with the local children remaining at the non-boarding junior school part of Herries in Cookham Dean, and the boarding contingent moving to Wispers. Herries School at Wispers was re-named Wispers School for the start of the autumn term 1949.
Writer Angela Lambert
Angela Lambert
Angela Lambert was a British journalist, art critic and author, best known for the novel A Rather English Marriage.Born as Angela Maria Helps to a civil servant and a German-born housewife...
and actress Susannah York
Susannah York
Susannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...
both attended Wispers School in the early 1950s, while it was based at Wispers.
West Dean House
In 1956 the School moved to West Dean HouseWest Dean House
West Dean House is a large flint-faced manor house situated in West Dean, West Sussex, near the historic City of Chichester. This country estate has approximately of land and dates back to 1086, with various royal connections throughout the years...
in West Dean
West Dean
West Dean may refer to:*West Dean, Gloucestershire*West Dean, West Sussex*West Dean, Wiltshire*Westdean, East Sussex...
in West Sussex, which was owned at the time by Edward James
Edward James
Edward William Frank James was a British poet known for his patronage of the surrealist art movement.-Early life and marriage:...
. In 1964 James gave the House to a charitable trust, The Edward James Foundation, but the school was able to remain at West Dean until 1968.
Haslemere
In 1969 the School moved to a new site in HaslemereHaslemere
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...
in Surrey when the Wispers School Trust purchased Oak Hall
Oak Hall, Haslemere
This article is about Oak Hall, the building in Haslemere which housed several schools. For Wispers School, Haslemere, see Wispers School.Oak Hall at Haslemere, Surrey, England is a Grade II listed country house.-Residential house:...
, in High Lane. The house had previously housed another school, Oak Hall School, and so was suitable for Wispers to take over without too much modification being needed. The house and 26 acre site was found for the school by Ken Wood
Ken Wood
Ken or Kenneth Wood may refer to:*Ken Wood , MLB player*Ken Wood , founder of Kenwood Manufacturing Co.*Ken Wood , Australian swimming coach...
, a businessman who was Chairman of the Governors of Wispers School.
Closure of the school
The decision to close the school was made unanimously by the Board of Governors, for the twin reasons of a falling roll of pupils due to a drop in demand for all-girls' boarding education, and rising costs. The May 2008 announcement of the closure of the school was unexpected, especially as the School had recently received a glowing OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report and had been given the award for "the most pro-active business in the community" in Haslemere Chamber of Trade and Commerce's 2008 awards. At the time the school had 72 pupils. 46 staff were made redundant: 14 full-time and 15 part-time teaching staff, and 17 support staff involved in the running of the school and its site. The site and its buildings were be sold, with the school's estimated £4 million-worth of assets used to establish a Wispers Education Trust, which provides bursaries for girls who would otherwise be unable to benefit from independent education.
Wispers School in popular culture
Novelist Angela LambertAngela Lambert
Angela Lambert was a British journalist, art critic and author, best known for the novel A Rather English Marriage.Born as Angela Maria Helps to a civil servant and a German-born housewife...
attended Wispers in the early 1950s and a fictionalised version of the school and its pupils and staff is presented in her 1990 novel, No Talking After Lights.
Notable former pupils
- Angela LambertAngela LambertAngela Lambert was a British journalist, art critic and author, best known for the novel A Rather English Marriage.Born as Angela Maria Helps to a civil servant and a German-born housewife...
- Susannah YorkSusannah YorkSusannah York was a British film, stage and television actress. She was awarded a BAFTA as Best Supporting Actress for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the same film. She won best actress for Images at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival...