Bullers Wood School
Encyclopedia
Bullers Wood School for Girls is a comprehensive, all-girls' secondary school based on St Nicolas Lane in Chislehurst
, part of the London
Borough of Bromley
.
status. It is situated just north of Chislehurst Road (B264), halfway (east-west) between Bromley and Chislehurst.
(1856–1922) to extend the house in 1889.
style house which sits on an elevated terrace overlooking woodland. There are also former stables and an original timber gate survives fixed to their side wall.
Morris and Co were employed to decorate the interior. It is said that William Morris
himself contributed to the interior decoration, including the beautiful library wallpaper and hand-painted ceiling which remains in situ to this very day.
when he was forming the Royal School of Church Music
, with the school's chapel being the present library. In 1939, the site was bought by Kent County Council.
hit the Bromley Day Commercial School for Girls base on Wharton Street in Bromley, so it moved to the Bullers Wood site. It became Bromley Girls' Technical High School for ages 14–17, and after buildings were added, it became Bromley Technical High School for Girls for ages 11–18. In 1968, it became a grammar school with its present name when under Kent Education Committee.
, was made a Beacon School
in 2000, and was awarded an Investor In People status. It also boasts Sports and Arts marks. In 2006 Ofsted
described the school as "very good with some outstanding aspects". The students achieve high results year after year. It gets good GCSE results and above average A level results, which is normal for girls' comprehensive schools.
or through the main entrance located in Chislehurst Road. (There is no access to the school from Logs Hill Close.) The school can be reached by trains direct from Charing Cross
(the Orpington Line, nearest station Chislehurst
or Elmstead Woods
) or from Victoria (nearest station Bickley
) and by regular bus services, notably the 314. You can also reach with the 269 bus and walk various ways up the hill or along St Georges Road. The establishment is famed for its acres of picturesque woodland surrounding the buildings, and is a popular lunchtime haunt for many students.
Also available to students is the large canteen, the beautiful and well-stocked library, numerous computer rooms with flat screen monitors and a newly revealed state of the art drama studio. In addition the art-block, the school has recently built a modern computer suite for the use of art and photography students to help them progress with an increasingly digitally based curriculum.
group who run the popular Fair Trade
Friday in the foyer and social events management.
All Sixth Form Students should take pride in their school and they should, therefore, look smart at all times. The students aim to dress as though they are going to work in a formal environment.
All Sixth Form Students are given support from teachers. Each student is allocated with a Personal Tutor / Form Tutor, who will monitor their progress whilst at the school, as well as looking after their general welfare. The Sixth Form team are also there to provide a positive experience for all students and they recognise that all students should be treated as young adults.
Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, part of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Borough of Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
.
Admissions
The school is primarily a single-sex establishment until the Sixth Form, where boys are admitted. The total number of students in 2006 was 1440, with 366 in the Sixth Form - of which 43 were boys. The school's motto is Quod Potes Tenta, which is translated into Strive To Your Utmost. The school has been awarded specialist Language CollegeLanguage College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
status. It is situated just north of Chislehurst Road (B264), halfway (east-west) between Bromley and Chislehurst.
History
Bullers Wood now is a combination of several refurbished historical houses and modern additions. Named after an ancient forest, the original Bullers Wood house was built in the 1860s, and was owned by the Sanderson family from the 1870s. Scotsman John Sanderson, who had made his money sheep farming in Australia, employed local architect Ernest NewtonErnest Newton
Ernest Newton, FRIBA, ARA was an English architect and President of Royal Institute of British Architects.-Life:Newton was the son of an estate manager of Bickley, Kent. He was educated at Uppingham School. He married, in 1881, Antoinette Johanna Hoyack, of Rotterdam, and had three sons...
(1856–1922) to extend the house in 1889.
Early buildings
It was Newton's first major commission and he set about refronting the original Italianate style house in red brick and extending one end. The result is an Arts and CraftsArts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
style house which sits on an elevated terrace overlooking woodland. There are also former stables and an original timber gate survives fixed to their side wall.
Morris and Co were employed to decorate the interior. It is said that William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
himself contributed to the interior decoration, including the beautiful library wallpaper and hand-painted ceiling which remains in situ to this very day.
County council control
In the 1930s, the site was bought by Sir Sydney NicholsonSydney Nicholson
Sir Sydney Hugo Nicholson was an English choir director, organist and composer, now chiefly remembered as the founder of the Royal School of Church Music . He was born in London and educated at Rugby School, New College, Oxford and the Royal College of Music...
when he was forming the Royal School of Church Music
Royal School of Church Music
The largest church music organisation in Britain, the Royal School of Church Music was founded in 1927 by Sir Sydney Nicholson and has 11,000 members worldwide; it was originally named the School of English Church Music. It seeks to enable church music in the present and invest in its future,...
, with the school's chapel being the present library. In 1939, the site was bought by Kent County Council.
Technical and grammar school
During the Second World War it was transformed into a secondary school. A V-1 flying bombV-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
hit the Bromley Day Commercial School for Girls base on Wharton Street in Bromley, so it moved to the Bullers Wood site. It became Bromley Girls' Technical High School for ages 14–17, and after buildings were added, it became Bromley Technical High School for Girls for ages 11–18. In 1968, it became a grammar school with its present name when under Kent Education Committee.
Comprehensive
In April 1974 it was now under Bromley borough control. It became a grant-maintained school in 1991, as did half of Bromley's secondary schools. In 1990 it had around 1000 girls. In 1991, after raising money from parents, it bought the £65,000 La Serronnerie study centre in deepest Normandy, which was used for week-long visits via Dieppe. The head teacher at the time was Barbara Vanderstock. The house had room for 14 girls at a time.Achievements
The school, in addition to being a Language CollegeLanguage College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
, was made a Beacon School
Beacon School
Beacon School was a government designation awarded to outstanding primary and secondary schools in England and Wales from 1998 to August 2005. The Beacon Schools programme identified schools that were examples of good practice and funded those schools to enable them to build partnerships with each...
in 2000, and was awarded an Investor In People status. It also boasts Sports and Arts marks. In 2006 Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
described the school as "very good with some outstanding aspects". The students achieve high results year after year. It gets good GCSE results and above average A level results, which is normal for girls' comprehensive schools.
Location
Bullers Wood can be accessed via the top of Logs Hill, ChislehurstChislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
or through the main entrance located in Chislehurst Road. (There is no access to the school from Logs Hill Close.) The school can be reached by trains direct from Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
(the Orpington Line, nearest station Chislehurst
Chislehurst railway station
Chislehurst railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It is in Travelcard Zone 5, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern....
or Elmstead Woods
Elmstead Woods railway station
Elmstead Woods railway station is in Elmstead in the London Borough of Bromley in south east London. It is in Travelcard Zone 4, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern.- Services :The typical off-peak service is...
) or from Victoria (nearest station Bickley
Bickley railway station
Bickley railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south London. It lies between Bromley South and Swanley stations. The station and all trains are operated by Southeastern, and is in Travelcard Zone 5....
) and by regular bus services, notably the 314. You can also reach with the 269 bus and walk various ways up the hill or along St Georges Road. The establishment is famed for its acres of picturesque woodland surrounding the buildings, and is a popular lunchtime haunt for many students.
Facilities and involvement in the community
Bullers, as it is affectionately known, can also lay claim to providing a wide variety of facilities for its pupils. A sports field with a pavilion is located approximately 1/4 mile from the school grounds whereas a netball court lies closer to home next to the school pond. A gym, a sports hall, an assembly hall.Also available to students is the large canteen, the beautiful and well-stocked library, numerous computer rooms with flat screen monitors and a newly revealed state of the art drama studio. In addition the art-block, the school has recently built a modern computer suite for the use of art and photography students to help them progress with an increasingly digitally based curriculum.
Language classes
The school strives to maintain contacts with the local community. Language classes for adults are often run in the Euro-centre after school hours and fund raising activities involving local charities are a regular occurrence.Sixth form
The school has a mixed sixth form open to both Bullers' girls and external students. The sixth-form centre is based in Inglewood, another former house that was previously owned by a well-to-do family. Here students have access to a kitchen with cooking appliances and computer rooms. Separate common rooms are available for both Year 12 and 13 students and a media suite can be found in the attic. Extra-curricular activities running in the sixth form include People and PlanetPeople & Planet
People & Planet is a network of student campaign groups in the UK. It claims to be "the largest student campaigning organization in the country campaigning to alleviate world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment."-Organization:...
group who run the popular Fair Trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
Friday in the foyer and social events management.
All Sixth Form Students should take pride in their school and they should, therefore, look smart at all times. The students aim to dress as though they are going to work in a formal environment.
All Sixth Form Students are given support from teachers. Each student is allocated with a Personal Tutor / Form Tutor, who will monitor their progress whilst at the school, as well as looking after their general welfare. The Sixth Form team are also there to provide a positive experience for all students and they recognise that all students should be treated as young adults.