Minchenden Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Minchenden School was a mixed secondary school situated in Southgate
, North London, established in 1919 with 90 pupils.
. The school's English department was particularly strong. Head of English Douglas Barnes 1959-1966 introduced a series of important innovations in teaching methods. In 1967, Minchenden Grammar School was converted from a grammar school
to Minchenden School, a comprehensive school
, with the upper school in High Street and the lower school in Fox Lane. It was merged with Arnos School in 1984 to form Broomfield School
.
The building is now used by Southgate College
.
Southgate
-Places:In the United Kingdom:*Southgate, London**Enfield Southgate **Southgate tube station*SouthGate, Bath*Southgate, Ceredigion*Southgate, Cheshire*Southgate, Norfolk*Southgate, Swansea*Southgate, West Sussex...
, North London, established in 1919 with 90 pupils.
History
The school was established in 1919 in Tottenhall Road as a mixed secondary school. In 1924, it moved to Southgate House, where it remained until 1987, and was renamed Minchenden School. The staff and pupils built an observatory. From 1960 to 1967, there was an annexe in the Fox Lane school, Palmers GreenPalmers Green
Palmers Green is a place in the London Borough of Enfield. It is a suburban area situated 7.6 miles north of Charing Cross. Postally, it is in London N13...
. The school's English department was particularly strong. Head of English Douglas Barnes 1959-1966 introduced a series of important innovations in teaching methods. In 1967, Minchenden Grammar School was converted from a grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
to Minchenden School, a comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, with the upper school in High Street and the lower school in Fox Lane. It was merged with Arnos School in 1984 to form Broomfield School
Broomfield School (Arnos Grove)
-History:Broomfield was originally named Arnos School was founded in 1938 at the school's current site and took on the senior pupils of Bowes School, which thus became exclusively a primary school. It later became a secondary modern school...
.
The building is now used by Southgate College
Southgate College
Southgate College campus is located in the London Borough of Enfield, and situated beside the Southgate's main shopping centre and within a 200m walk of the Southgate tube station on the Piccadilly Line...
.
Notable alumni
- Graham Robert AllanGraham Robert AllanGraham Robert Allan was an English mathematician, specializing in Banach algebras. He was a reader in functional analysis and vice-master of Churchill College at Cambridge University....
, mathematician and an expert on Banach algebraBanach algebraIn mathematics, especially functional analysis, a Banach algebra, named after Stefan Banach, is an associative algebra A over the real or complex numbers which at the same time is also a Banach space...
s, Professor of Pure Mathematics from 1970-8 at the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England... - Neville BrodyNeville BrodyNeville Brody is an English graphic designer, typographer and art director.Neville Brody is an alumnus of the London College of Printing and Hornsey College of Art, and is known for his work on The Face magazine and Arena magazine , as well as for designing record covers for artists such as...
(born 1957), graphic designer, typographer and art director - Thomas Carlile CBE, President from 1972-4 of EEF the manufacturers organisationEEF the manufacturers organisationEEF, the manufacturers' organisation, works with manufacturing, engineering and technology-based businesses in the UK.EEF is the largest sectoral employers' organisation in the UK...
, and Chairman from 1995-2000 of the British Society of Master Glass PaintersBritish Society of Master Glass PaintersThe British Society of Master Glass Painters , founded in 1921, is a British trade association for the art and craft of stained glass. It promotes the trade, encourages high standards in the art and craft of glass painting and staining, and acts as a locus for the exchange of information and ideas... - Prof Peter Clarricoats CBE, Professor of Electronic Engineering from 1968-97 at Queen Mary and WestfieldQueen Mary, University of LondonQueen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, and vice-president from 1989-91 of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (since 2006 the Institution of Engineering and TechnologyInstitution of Engineering and TechnologyThe Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
) - Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
William Disbrey CB CBE, Director-General of Engineering from 1964-7 of the RAFRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world... - Hugh Featherstone CBE, Director-General from 1969-84 of the Freight Transport AssociationFreight Transport AssociationThe Freight Transport Association traces its roots back to 1889: its mission is to represent the views and interests of over 13,000 companies: from large multinationals and household names to small and medium businesses...
- Judy FrydJudy FrydJudy Fryd was a British campaigner for mentally handicapped children and the founder of The National Association of Parents of Backward Children, now Mencap....
(1909–2000), political campaigner - Hazel GennHazel GennDame Hazel Gillian Genn, DBE, QC , FBA is a leading authority on civil justice whose work has had a major influence on policy-makers around the world, and is currently Dean of the Faculty of Laws, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies at University College London.- Public service :Professor Genn is a...
(born 1949), legal academic - Anthony Giddens, Baron GiddensAnthony GiddensAnthony Giddens, Baron Giddens is a British sociologist who is known for his theory of structuration and his holistic view of modern societies. He is considered to be one of the most prominent modern contributors in the field of sociology, the author of at least 34 books, published in at least 29...
(born 1938), sociologist, Director from 1997-2003 of the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London... - Ken Haddon, Chief Executive of AXAAXAAXA S.A. is a French global insurance group headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. AXA is a conglomerate of independently run businesses, operated according to the laws and regulations of many different countries. The AXA group of companies engage in life, health and other forms of...
Reinsurance UK from 1987-98 - John HodgeJohn Hodge (engineer)John Dennis Hodge is a British-born aerospace engineer. He worked for the CF-105 Avro Arrow jet interceptor project in Canada. When it was cancelled in 1959, he became a member of NASA's Space Task Group, which later became the Johnson Space Center. During his NASA career, he worked as a flight...
(born 1929), engineer - Peter KellnerPeter KellnerPeter Jon Kellner is a journalist, political commentator and President of the YouGov opinion polling organisation in the United Kingdom. He is known for his appearances on TV, especially at election times...
(born 1946), journalist and political commentator - John Kent, Keeper of Coins and Medals from 1983-90 at the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, and President from 1984-9 of the Royal Numismatic SocietyRoyal Numismatic SocietyThe Royal Numismatic Society is a learned society and charity based in London, United Kingdom which promotes research into all branches of numismatics... - William OrbitWilliam OrbitWilliam Orbit is an English musician, composer and record producer, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonna's album Ray of Light. He has also co-produced several unreleased Madonna songs originally recorded for other albums...
(born 1956), musician, composer and record producer - Chris PondChris PondChristopher Richard Pond, is a former Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for Gravesham in Kent, from 1997 to 2005.-Early life:...
(born 1952), Labour MP from 1997-2005 for GraveshamGravesham (UK Parliament constituency)Gravesham is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election... - David Puttnam, Baron PuttnamDavid PuttnamDavid Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, CBE, FRSA is a British film producer. He sits on the Labour benches in the House of Lords, although he is not principally a politician.-Early life:...
(born 1941), film producer and politician - Martin RushentMartin RushentMartin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
(born 1948), record producer - Peter SallisPeter SallisPeter Sallis, OBE is an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles require him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.Sallis is best known for his role as the main character...
(born 1921), actor - Sir Peter SoulsbyPeter SoulsbySir Peter Alfred Soulsby is a British Labour Party politician and the current Mayor of Leicester. He was the Member of Parliament for Leicester South from 2005 until he resigned in order to contest the new post of mayor in April 2011...
(born 1948), Labour MP since 2005 for Leicester SouthLeicester South (UK Parliament constituency)Leicester South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , by the first past the post voting system... - Barry TookBarry TookBarry Took was an English comedian, writer and television presenter. He is best remembered in the UK for his weekly role as presenter of Points of View, a BBC TV programme in which viewers' letters criticising or praising the BBC were broadcast...
(1928–2002), comedian, writer and television presenter - Nick DunningNick DunningNick Dunning is an Anglo-Irish actor born in the county of Wexford in 1959.Dunning is a well known theatre actor who attended RADA where he won the Ronson Prize for Most Promising Young Actor. He has appeared on stage in the West End in London and at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. He has won two...
, actor - credits include The Tudors, My Boy Jack, Alexander
Further reading
- Minchenden School golden anniversary, 1919-1969, published by Minchenden School, 1969 ISBN 978-0-9501826-0-5
- Douglas Barnes, Becoming an English Teacher (London: NATE, 2000)
External links
- Social Change and English, 1945-1965 - Minchenden is one of three schools in London that are included in this Leverhulme Trust-funded project about the teaching of English in the period 1945-1965. The project is collecting oral histories from former teachers and pupils at the school.