Fitzjohn's Primary School

{{Infobox school

| name = Fitzjohn's Primary School

| image = Fitzjohn's Primary School logo.jpeg

| image_size = 250px

| caption =

| coordinates = {{coord|51.5536|-0.1753|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dec|display=inline,title}}

| motto =

| established = 1953

| closed =

| type = Community Primary school

| religious_affiliation =

| president =

| head_label = Headmaster

| head = Rob Earrey

| r_head_label =

| r_head =

| chair_label =

| chair =

| founder =

| address = 86A Fitzjohns Avenue

| city = Hampstead

| county = London

| country = England

| postcode = NW3 6NP

| local_authority = Camden

| dfeno = 202/2797

| urn = 100026

| ofsted = yes

| staff =

| capacity =

| enrolment =

| gender = Coeducational

| lower_age = 4

| upper_age = 11

| houses = Air, Earth, Fire and Water

| colours =

| publication =

| free_label_1 =

| free_1 =

| free_label_2 =

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| website = http://www.fitzjohns.camden.sch.uk/

}}

Fitzjohn's Primary School is a community primary school in Hampstead, London. The school was established in 1953. The school took over the school buildings and some of the grounds that were previously part of the estate belonging to the Royal Soldiers' Daughters' Home. There is also a nursery school which opened in 2006. The school is authorised to have a maximum of 230 pupils, including the nursery intake.[http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/2022797/overview/ Direct Gov School entry]. Retrieved 11 May 2013

History

The Royal Soldiers' Daughters' Home was established in 1855 to provide a home and education to daughters of Crimean War veterans.[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22657&strquery=fitzjohn%20primary Hampstead Education Establishments British History Online]. Retrieved 10 May 2013 This Victorian institution continued as a home and school until 2012 when it merged with another school.[http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/new_book_celebrates_the_history_of_the_royal_school_hampstead_1_1451856 New book celebrates the history of The Royal School Hampstead Ham and high]. Retrieved 14 May 2013

The post–World War II baby boom resulted on increased pressure on class sizes in the Hampstead area. However, despite infant class sizes of up to 60 there was stiff resistance to the establishment of new Primary Schools as set out in the local authority School plan, particularly from other local schools. However, despite this opposition Fitzjohn's Primary School was opened in 1953.[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22657&strquery=fitzjohn%27s British History Online Hampstead Education]. Retrieved 14 May 2013 It replaced the Soldiers Daughter's Home school and took over the Home's schoolrooms, schoolhouse and chapel.[https://books.google.com/books?id=MOlOAAAAMAAJ&q=fitzjohn%27s+primary Alastair Service Page 33. Phillimore & Co Ltd] The Home's former school buildings provided classroom accommodation for the infants school. A two-storey building, that was part of the original estate, also became part of the school and was used as an assembly and dining hall. A new single-storey block comprising three classrooms and ancillary buildings was built to accommodate the junior school. Over the first sixty years of the school there have only been five headteachers. The first headteacher of the school was Miss Mandeville. Poet Ted Hughes discussed poetry with a class in the late 1970s.{{cite journal | last1 = Beeson | first1 = Lois. | title = An appreciation of Ted Hughes | journal = Changing English: Studies in Reading & Culture | volume = 6 | issue = 2 | pages = 187–196 | publisher = Carfax Publishing Company | date = October 1999 | doi = 10.1080/1358684990060206 | orig-year = 1997 | url = http://www.saintbonaventure.com/faculty/mcelvogue/documents/Hughes3Beeson.pdf }}

Present day

The school takes children from just before their fourth birthday until age 11. It is a single entry admission school with a maximum roll of 212, excluding the nursery school which was established in 2006. Classes 1 to 6 follow the National Curriculum. The school, which was rated overall as 'Good' following its last Ofsted inspection in 2009[http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/100026 Fitzjohn's Primary School Ofsted Inspection Report 2009] Ofsted. Retrieved 11 May 2013 celebrated its 60th anniversary in June 2013.[http://www.fitzjohns.camden.sch.uk/ School website]. Retrieved 11 May 2013

File:Fitzjohn's Primary School Hampstead external view of old school buildings.jpg

Buildings

The Victorian chapel and school buildings were designed by William Munt in a Gothic revival style and was opened by Prince Albert and the Duke of Wellington on 18 June 1858.[http://www.archhistory.co.uk/taca/schooling.html The Army Children Archive Opening of the Soldiers Daughters Home in 1858]. Retrieved 15 May 2013[http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/newspaperRetrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&tabID=T003&prodId=TTDA&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R7&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=9&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28tx%2CNone%2C4%29home%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D%28da%2CNone%2C14%29%22Jun+19%2C+1858%22%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&userGroupName=buc_ttda&inPS=true&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=CS152605395&contentSet=UDVIN&callistoContentSet=UDVIN&docPage=article&hilite=y The Times Newspaper p.9 Soldiers Daughters Home] 19 June 1858 The Times digital Archive. Retrieved 19 May 2013 The buildings were constructed using Kentish rag with Bath stone dressings, tiled roof, a two-storey tower with broached spire, with entrance porch to ground floor. It was granted Grade II listed status in 2002.{{NHLE|num=1272435 |desc=Fitzjohn's Primary School|accessdate= 11 May 2013}} It was adapted for primary school use in 1953 and underwent major refurbishment in 2007, retaining the Victorian features, such as the scissors trusses. It now houses a large school assembly hall, a number of small classrooms, the main school reception and administration block. Reception and infant classes are housed in a modern building constructed in 2006. The three junior school classes occupy the refurbished 1954 school building.[http://www.tes.co.uk/TESHirewire/Attachments/2011/05/04/97634a74_69d1_4256_a2f5_ea10fad708fe_School%20Prospectus%20Apr%202011.pdf School Prospectus 2011–12], TES. Retrieved 11 May 2013

Fitzjohn's Primary School

History

Present day

Buildings

References

Further reading