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Thornlow Starts Celebrating its Centenary Year! |
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2012 is not only the year that Weymouth will be hosting the Sailing Olympics and
Paralympics; it is also the year that Thornlow Preparatory School will be
celebrating it’s CENTENARY year.
The school remains to this day an “efficient school” and is recognised by the Independent
Schools Inspectorate as a school where “teaching
is excellent and pupils are actively engaged and intellectually challenged”
(ISI 2011).
For the past 100 years Thornlow School has been educating the daughters and sons of the
local business community from age 3 to 13; the majority of its pupils go on to
study at The Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester.
The school’s curriculum is vast and stretches pupils to reach their full
academic potential. The school also has sailing on their curriculum providing an opportunity to progress pupil’s
teamwork and leadership capabilities.
Thornlow’s Nursery classes are packed with fun activities and creativity for 3-5
year olds and FREE “Discovery Mornings” allow you to come along and experience
what’s on offer! Should you decide to enrol, Thornlow’s “Early Years” Nursery classes are only £7 per session for
funded children and children are now eligible for a maximum of 15 hours free
entitlement from the term after which they are 3, including the term in which
they have their fifth birthday.
Year 7 and 8 are, in many ways, the most critical in a young person’s life and
we would like to invite anyone who may be interested in joining Thornlow for
their Year 7 and 8 along to our OPEN EVENING on Thursday 29th September 2011, 7pm – 8.30pm.
Thornlow welcomes pupils to join them at any stage during their primary education
(Nursery to Year 8) and it is for this reason that Thornlow also offers a week
FREE OF CHARGE to any pupil wishing to experience the uniqueness of the school.
Believed to be the oldest school in Weymouth, still on its original site, the history of
the school is fascinating. The precise year in which the building on Connaught Road in Weymouth, currently known as
Thornlow Preparatory School, was built has not been definitely ascertained. However, In 1885 John Morgan founded Connaught House School,
a private boarding school for boys. Coincidentally in 1885, 14 miles away in
Bridport, a new school – “Bridport High School for Girls” opened in a building
that in 1889 changed its name to “Thorneloe House”. Records show that in 1912, under the
leadership of Miss Bussell, the entire establishment upped sticks and moved to
Connaught Road in Weymouth. Miss Bussell remained headmistress until 1925 when Miss Annie James became her successor and
continued to build the reputation of this successful and prestigious school.
Sadly, on the outbreak of war in 1940, Thorneloe School closed and the building
in Connaught Road was requisitioned by the army. Thornlow School was reopened in 1947 as a
boys boarding school by Major Bartlett.
William and Alice Crocker took over the reins in 1951, and it was under their leadership
that the school became co-educational.
The Crocker family were to own Weymouth’s only independent school for a
total of 48 years.
In 1955, Sandsfoot House was purchased and Thornlow Senior School was opened. The Junior School in Connaught Road continued
with the appointment of Mr Berry as headmaster.
Following the sudden death of his father in 1969 Donald Crocker took on
the headship of Thornlow Senior School.
His wife Jocelyn became the headmistress of Thornlow Junior School in
Connaught Road, following the retirement of Mr Berry in 1972.
On December 17th 1997 Rupert Fowke became the proprietor and Head teacher of the school
which 100 years before had been named Thorneloe High School. He renamed the school, Thornlow Preparatory
School.
Thornlow Preparatory School would like to take this opportunity to invite anyone who has
had association with the school - as a pupil, parent, grandparent or member of
staff, to get in touch, allowing them to keep you in touch with their centenary
celebrations, including information on their Former Pupils BBQ on 5th
October 2012 and their Centenary Ball to be held on October 6th
2012.
The school delivers a unique and colourful curriculum preparing children for
life’s horizons and Thornlow would love to welcome you to become part of its
future history!
Should you require any further information, including on Thornlow’s Centenary plans, then
please call 01305 785703, visit our website on www.thornlow.co.uk or e-mail
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, we would love to
hear from you!
Acknowledgments: Our thanks to John Crocker, for his
permission in using research material taken from his book ‘Oh to be at
Thornlow’.
Uploaded by Mrs L Clarke, September 2011
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Our WW2 experience at Bovington Tank Museum |
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Our recent trip to Bovington Tank Museum allowed years 5&6 to gain an insight into life in a different era, notably during WW2. Following an incredibly interactive presentation from our host, Mr Chris Copson, whereby all pupils had the opportunity to try on clothes worn by WW2 pilots, soldiers, nurses and farmers alike, we went on the experience life during an air-raid, even having to evacuate a house to take cover in a nearby air-raid shelter! Our morning ended with a visit to the "Helmand Exhibition" and we all had the opportunity to then experience life inside a tank. Thank you Mr Copson for providing an incredibly insightful morning, we all left far more knowledgable than we arrived with an endless respect for all those who fought, and continue to fight to protect our country during troubled times.
Updated May 2011
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Thornlow Celebrates Burns Day! |
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For the first time in recent history, Thornlow pupils celebrated "Burns Day" this week. The 25th January is the birthday of Scotland's most famous poet - Bard Robert Burns, so the school flew the St Andrews flag with pride and all teachers and pupils arrived at school wearing their choice of tartan dress; Curtis would have made any Scotsman proud as he wore his kilt to mark the occasion!
The day's main event was an assembly organised by Mrs Clarke, who shared her Scottish passion with the pupils. Pupils entered the assembly hall to the sound of traditional bagpipes and drums kindly being played by Finnian and Chris, fellow Scots now residing in Weymouth. An interactive Scottish quiz started the assembly with excitement and the Year 7-8's followed Mrs Clarke's introduction by re-enacting their very own Burns Day "Bill O'Fare".
Alexander recited the "Selkirk Grace" from memory and Finnian then piped in the Haggis, carried aptly by Curtis. Fraser and fellow Yr 7-8 poets then recited the "Address tae the Haggis" during which Fraser brandished his knife "wi' ready sleight" and opened it for all "tae see" - "warm-reekin' rich!" Thomas then entertained the crowds with his "Toast tae the Lassies" which he'd cleverly composed using Burns dialect! Marguerite followed with her "Reply tae the Laddies", again a superbly well written speech. Joyce and fellow Yr 7-8 poets then recited "Tae a Mouse" before Curtis rounded things off with an incredibly well delivered "Vote of Thanks". "Auld Lang Syne" was sung by all, before everyone were piped out of the assembly. Haggis and oatcakes were on offer for all to taste and an incredible amount of pupils stayed behind to try the fine Scottish delicacies, many coming back for more!
The Burns Day theme were lived throughout the school on the 25th, from Nursery through to Year 8. Mrs Stanton's creativity enabled the Nursery pupils to draw their own tartan hats and older pupils were involved in writing presentations on Burns during their ICT lesson.
Mrs Clarke would like to thank everyone for embracing Burns Day with so much energy and enthusiasm - "Lang May Yer Lum Reek"!
Written by Mrs L. Clarke, January 2010
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Our Portland Castle Adventure |
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Overlooking Portland Harbour in Dorset stands one of Henry VIII's finest coastal forts, built in the early 1540s to protect against French and Spanish invasion. The castle and its curator provided a stimulating afternoon of excitement for the year 5-6's who experienced life without all the home comforts we are used to today. Whether pretending to be a soldier loading his canon to protect against enemy invasion or attempting to make butter in the Tudor kitchen, everyone involved seemed to leave our afternoon of adventure inspired about life in medieval times.
Thank you English Heritage for providing an amazing interactive experience for us all.
Written by Mrs L Clarke, January 2010
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