Chelmsford County High School For Girls - History

History

The official history of Chelmsford County High School between 1906 and 1982 is chronicled in "A History of Chelmsford County High School" by Mary Kenyon

The school was built in 1906, and officially opened in May 1907, with its first Headmistress Mabel Vernon-Harcourt. It had 76 pupils on the school roll, divided into three forms: IIIa, IV and V. Although the age range was originally 12-18, in 1915 a Preparatory department was added which took girls from the age of eight; the department closed in 1947.

The Old Girls’ Society was formed in 1908 by the first girls to leave the School at the end of their education, and the first Magazine was published in December 1909. It had only one male teacher - Art master Alfred Bamford.

In January 1910 the School Hostel opened in rented premises at 39 Broomfield Road under the care of a Mrs Smylie. It allowed pupils with long journeys between home and school to stay in Chelmsford during the week. In January 1911, Miss Edith Bancroft became the second Headmistress, until she retired in 1935. A new school science building, known as Bancroft Wing, was named in her honour when it was finished in 1950.

In June 1916 Winifred Picking became the School’s first University success when she gained a First Class degree in the Natural Science Tripos at Girton College, Cambridge. Her name can still be seen on the School's Rolls of Honour.

The school remained open throughout World War I, with forms being assigned "shelter" in a place away from windows or an outer wall. It also took in refugee students from Belgium and educated them.

The school's motto "Vitai lampada ferimus" or " We carry the torch of life" was chosen in 1923, from a shortlist of 18 suggestions. It can be currently seen as part of the school crest.

In 1925 the School House system was first set up, with each House named after a Governor of the School: Chancellor, Hulton, Pennefather - pronounced “penny feather” and Tancock. This was changed in 1986 to three houses, C, H, and S; in 1996 a fourth house, G, was added.

Miss Bancroft retired as Headmistress in 1935 and was succeeded by the school’s third Headmistress, Miss Geraldine Cadbury until 1961. A science block, the Cadbury Science Building, was named after her when it opened in 1995. Bancroft Wing subsequently became a languages building.

1936 saw the School Hostel shut down due to lack of viability - this was due to improved transport around Chelmsford.

A year later, in 1937, the electric bell system was first installed. It was removed in 1999, as Monica Curtis, the previous Head, believed it reduced punctuality.

The school, as before, remained open during World War II, though this time the school was damaged several times in air raids. Fortunately the worst raid, when nearly every window in the school was broken, occurred during a school holiday. Maintaining examination conditions during air raids was also a problem: eventually exam candidates were given their own separate shelter.

Extensive building work was initiated in the 1950s and continued throughout the 1960s - in that time, the current caretaker's house, swimming pool, hall, canteen, art rooms, and library were built. In the 1970s, three demountable classrooms, known as 23, 24 and 25, were built. Only 25 remains today.

In 1979, Miss Phyllis Pattison retired, having been headmistress since 1961, and was replaced by Miss Anne Brooks in 1980. 1980 saw the first male teacher since Alfred Bamford, Mr Robert Clark, being employed at the school to teach mathematics. The school's third male teacher, Mr Christie, was employed during 1983.

The introduction of Technology, particularly IT, began in the 1980s and continued until the present day, with three computer rooms, three specialist technology rooms, and the training of all pupils in the use of ICT.

Miss Brooks retired in 1989 and was replaced in 1990 by Bernice McCabe, who served for seven years until 1997.

In 1992, Chelmsford County High School became a Grant Maintained school with control over its own funds, and a School Bursar was employed. Margaret Thatcher, along with the local MP Simon Burns, paid a brief visit to the school on 30 March 1992.

In 1997, Bernice McCabe left to take up the post of Headmistress in the North London Collegiate School for Girls. She was replaced by Monica Curtis, who oversaw the development of the new school Astroturf pitch in 2004, the extension of the sixth form common room to include toilets and showers in 2005, and the planned construction of a new music building in 2007. This new music building began construction in March 2007, with the building site taking up the majority of space on the school field behind the hall. The building has been built in the shape of an orchestra, and there are two large teaching rooms, practice rooms and a fully equipped recording studio inside. The building was opened in January 2008 by Dame Evelyn Glennie. Unfortunately, Mrs Curtis was forced to retire early due to ill health and Glynis Howland, previously a Deputy Head, became Acting Headmistress. The post of headmistress was advertised in the Summer term, but no appointment was made. The post was re-advertised in September 2006 and Nicole Chapman was selected as the school's new headmistress. She took up the post on 1 April 2007.