Fitzjohn's Primary School

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{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 school (England and Wales)|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 | postal_code = NW3 6NP | local_authority = [[Camden London Borough Council|Camden]] | urn = 100026 | ofsted = yes | staff = | capacity = | enrolment =  | gender = [[Mixed-sex education|Coeducational]] | lower_age = 4 | upper_age = 11 | houses = Air, Earth, Fire and Water | colours = | publication = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | website = http://www.fitzjohns.camden.sch.uk/ }}

'''Fitzjohn's Primary School''' is a [[Community school (England and Wales)|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 [[The Royal School, Hampstead|Royal Soldiers' Daughters' Home]]. There is also a [[nursery school#England|nursery school]] which opened in 2006. The school is authorised to have a maximum of 230 pupils, including the nursery intake.<ref>[http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/2022797/overview/ Direct Gov School entry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222606/http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/2022797/overview/ |date=3 March 2016 }}. Retrieved 11 May 2013</ref>

==History== The Royal Soldiers' Daughters' Home was established in 1855 to provide a home and education to daughters of [[Crimean War]] veterans.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22657&strquery=fitzjohn%20primary Hampstead Education Establishments British History Online]. Retrieved 10 May 2013</ref> This Victorian institution continued as a home and school until 2012 when it merged with another school.<ref>[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] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729225120/http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/new_book_celebrates_the_history_of_the_royal_school_hampstead_1_1451856 |date=29 July 2012 }}. Retrieved 14 May 2013</ref>

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.<ref>[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22657&strquery=fitzjohn%27s British History Online Hampstead Education]. Retrieved 14 May 2013</ref> It replaced the Soldiers Daughter's Home school and took over the Home's schoolrooms, schoolhouse and chapel.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=MOlOAAAAMAAJ&q=fitzjohn%27s+primary Alastair Service Page 33. Phillimore & Co Ltd]</ref> 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.<ref name="FPSProspectus 2011" /> The first headteacher of the school was Miss Mandeville. Poet [[Ted Hughes]] discussed poetry with a class in the late 1970s.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

==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 for England|National Curriculum]].<ref name="FPSwebsite" /> The school, which was rated overall as 'Good' following its last [[Ofsted#School inspections|Ofsted inspection]] in 2009<ref>[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</ref> celebrated its 60th anniversary in June 2013.<ref name="FPSwebsite">[http://www.fitzjohns.camden.sch.uk/ School website]. Retrieved 11 May 2013</ref> [[File:Fitzjohn's Primary School Hampstead external view of old school buildings.jpg|thumb|Victorian chapel and school buildings]]

==Buildings== The [[Victorian era|Victorian]] chapel and school buildings were designed by William Munt in a [[Gothic Revival]] style and was opened by [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]] and the [[Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington]] on 18 June 1858.<ref>[http://www.archhistory.co.uk/taca/schooling.html The Army Children Archive Opening of the Soldiers Daughters Home in 1858]. Retrieved 15 May 2013</ref><ref>[http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/newspaperRetrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&tabID=T003&prodId=TTDA&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R7&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=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</ref> 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.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1272435 |desc=Fitzjohn's Primary School|accessdate= 11 May 2013}}</ref> It was adapted for primary school use in 1953 and underwent major refurbishment in 2007, retaining the Victorian features, such as the [[scissors truss]]es. 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.<ref name="FPSProspectus 2011">[http://www.tes.co.uk/TESHirewire/Attachments/2011/05/04/97634a74_69d1_4256_a2f5_ea10fad708fe_School%20Prospectus%20Apr%202011.pdf School Prospectus 2011–12], ''[[Times Educational Supplement|TES]]''. Retrieved 11 May 2013</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading == *{{cite web | url = http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/savingschools/savingschools.htm | title = Saving our historic primary schools | author = Ian Dungavell | publisher = buildingconservation.com | quote = ...it is typical of many smaller schools built before the 1870 Education Act, and a good example of gothic revival school design, with trefoil-headed lancet windows in Bath stone set in walls of Kentish rag. The entrance is beneath a two-storey tower with a broach spire, giving a churchy feel often found in parish schools. | access-date = 23 May 2013 }} *{{cite web | url = http://gohistoric.com/sites/fitzjohns-primary-school-london | title = Fitzjohn's Primary School, London | publisher = gohistoric.com | quote = The school has an interesting philanthropic history, is a good example of Gothic Revival school design, and retains an impressive interior. | access-date = 19 May 2013 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130629095146/http://gohistoric.com/sites/fitzjohns-primary-school-london | archive-date = 29 June 2013 | url-status = dead }} *{{cite web | url = http://www.elliottwood.co.uk/project/fitzjohns-primary-school-london/ | title = Fitzjohn's primary school, London | publisher = Elliott Wood, structural and civil engineers | quote = The original Victorian Hall which had been subdivided, was opened up to create [a]...spacious hall and library. | access-date = 23 May 2013 }} *{{cite AV media |url = http://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/collage/app?service=external/SearchResults&sp=Zfitzjohn+school&sp=189347&sp=X |title = Fitzjohn's primary school, London |publisher = London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery 'COLLAGE' – Images Collection |medium = 33 black and white images from the collection's archive. Photographs were taken between 1953 and 1960 and in 1976 comprising external views of the school buildings and playgrounds:- The 1854 building original school house, classroom and chapel building. Early 20th century gable-ended building containing kitchens and dining / assembly hall. Single storey classroom block built in the early 1950s. Infants and junior school playgrounds. |access-date = 24 May 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083656/http://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/collage/app?service=external%2FSearchResults&sp=Zfitzjohn+school&sp=189347&sp=X |archive-date = 4 March 2016 |url-status = dead }}

[[Category:Primary schools in London]] [[Category:Schools in Hampstead]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1953]] [[Category:Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Camden]] [[Category:Grade II listed educational buildings]] [[Category:1953 establishments in England]] [[Category:Community schools in the London Borough of Camden]]