The Elms. Faringdon County Grammar School for Girls 1925-1976
Gloucester St., Faringdon, Oxon
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The School was founded in 1925. Read the Indentures on this page
Until the 1944 education Act, it was a fee paying school for girls age 9 and upwards. Passing an entrance exam was required. Fees were waived/reduced for scholarship girls. Read the Indentures The original school building was 'The Elms', the home of Mr Dundas who gave the (former) Cottage Hospital in Coxwell Road to Faringdon From 1944 it became Faringdon Grammar School for Girls. The school catchment was from Stratton St Margaret, to Abingdon , Wantage, Didcot, Harwell and surrounding villages. Most girls were bused to Faringdon. The Grammar school for boys was King Alfred's in Wantage. There were usually 2 forms for each year group up to 5th year, with 30 - 40 girls in each form. Plus a Lower (1st year) 6th and an Upper 6th. In the 1960s there were between 10 and 15 girls in each 6th form. Until 1969 the year group was split by age ie up to January birthdays in 1 form, and the rest in the parallel form. From 1969 it was done alphabetically Scroll down to Gloucester St on Faringdon & District Archaeological & Historical Society (fdahs.org.uk) This is a link to the talk that is mentioned Headmistresses Miss Dorothy Lucie Beck ( b 26/6/1888) 1920 - 1925. Miss Ruth Bartels (b 21/7/1891) 1925-1930 Miss Anstace Helen Moore OBE ( b 16/4/1895 ) 1930 to 1956. Died 27th October 1983 Obituary Miss Ada Joan Towns Head mistress from 1957 until 1976 b1915 died 2016. 100th birthday article Head mistresses had living accommodation in the school. Faringdon moved from Berkshire to Oxfordshire in the Local Government reorganisation of 1972. The Berkshire County Boundary was the Thames at Radcot- so no girls came from Clanfield/Bampton, Brize Norton. Neither were there games matches between the schools across the County Boundary |
Photographs
Information and Documents
Faringdon History Room information Box Mem 342 for newsletters, prize giving reports and indentures. Whole school photos in hanging files. The Elms building Grade II listed 1986 |
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School Hours
08.50 until 15.45 with 1 hour 15 mins for lunch School Hall/gym Morning assembly. based on Church of England. Girls from other religions were excused. We sang a hymn and said prayers. I think it was mostly (always) the Head who led the service. The silence rule applied for the walking in and out. I think all but the teachers and 6th forms sat on the floor. There was usually a pianist playing. Outdoor shoes were not allowed in the Hall University Honours boards and head girls in gold leaf lettering on oak display boards PE was games, gym or dance. Dance was 'freestyle movement to music' ( aka flitting) Tennis/netball courts, hockey/cricket pitch, outdoor swimming pool ( from mid 1950s) before then swimming was in an unheated, un- chlorinated ( often green) pool at Faringdon House or Buscot Park. Taking a communal shower was mandatory after PE. Rather a shock for modest 11 year olds Inter school matches- tennis, netball, hockey - with St Helen's (Abingdon), Milham Ford (Oxford), Wychwood School, Burford Annual Sports Day Running, dribble a hockey ball, throw the cricket ball, House relay, long jump, high jump Victrix Ludorum awarded Uniform 1950s and 1960s. Grey bibbed pinafore skirt, blue check blouses (winter). Blue gingham dresses (summer) Grey felt hat. Boater in 6th. For PE short elasticated waist dress called 'greys' Posture girdles Pale blue waist sashes for those girls with good posture Exams School exams twice yearly. Formal exam conditions. Report to parents were twice a year. Until 1971, reports were a single A4 sheet. After this they were booklets with blue covers. Miss Towns signed every one. Height and weight were shown on each report until the 1960s. Example 1948 report Girls were put into A, B or C sets for mathematics, French, Physics Subjects were: Religious Knowledge, English (Language and Literature), History, Geography, Latin, French, Maths, Science, Domestic Science, Art, Physical Training, Music. Until 1960 the most able A level students took a 3rd subject exam to achieve scholarship level. 1954 French, English, History Scholarship papers Homework Increasing as you progressed through the school to around 15 hours a week. Homework was graded from A+,A,A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C D. Getting a D meant the work was returned and it had to be redone in break time. Any outings were cancelled for D returns. School house teams, mostly for sport. Family members were put in the same teams. Grenville House yellow. Sir Richard Grenville Roper House green Margaret Roper (daughter of Sir Thomas More) Sydney House blue Sir Philip Sydney Drake House red Sir Francis Drake Roper was the last house to be formed (during the 1940s). For many year it was 'looked down upon' as the new house Assembly Every morning ( was it every morning?) Ignatious Loyola ( Teach us good Lord........) every Monday General ThanksGiving ( Almighty God, Father of all mercies..........) Friday pm. Head Girl The Head and Vice head girl were chosen by senior staff Governors Lady Fitzgerald, Buckland 1940s Admiral Clifton-Brown Alexander Gavin Henderson (2nd Baron Faringdon) Freda Baker ( nee Indge) Captain Allen Stevens |
Prefect 1954
Vice prefect 1964
Grenville House girdle
1947 School Tie
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