Wescott School
Encyclopedia
Wescott School is a co-educational local authority infant school
in Wokingham
, Berkshire
, England
. The school is in Goodchild Road and is a short walk from the town centre. The school caters for children from ages four to seven (Reception
to Year 2). Children join the school as "Rising Fives" and there is a three-term intake with a maximum of around 150 children on roll each year. Wescott holds the prestigious Artsmark Gold Award from the Arts Council
, and in 2003 it was awarded a DFES School Achievement Award. The school has also received a Bronze Award in the National Healthy Schools Programme.
of Wokingham. The school was built by W. Watson, builders of Ascot, at a cost of £6,000. The architect was Edmund Fisher who was also responsible for the design of a number of other Berkshire schools. The school was intended to accommodate 400 children but the attendance was mixed and averaged 240 pupils a day during its early years. The school originally catered for boys and girls from five through to 14, which was then the school leaving age. The first headmaster was a Mr George Manoah Ebenezer Fryer. There were 11 other teachers and 222 children on the register in the first month. A further building, known as the annexe, was erected in 1911 for woodwork, cookery, and the evening continuation classes. The secondary-age pupils moved out in the 1950s to join the newly built St Crispin's School
. In 1974, with the opening of Westende Junior School
, Wescott became an infant school, educating children up to the age of seven.
Wescott School was designated as a Grade II listed building on 24 June 1998 by English Heritage
, who describe it as a "well-designed and executed early-C20 school in the Arts and Crafts style". The adjacent school annexe, which was originally the technology block but now houses a nursery school, is also a Grade II listed building.
The school celebrated its centenary in 2006. Her Royal Highness Princess Anne
visited the school on 28 March 2006 as part of the centenary celebrations to unveil a commemorative plaque. She was entertained with a short musical performance by the children followed by the first public performance of The Wescott School song, commissioned by the school from Luke Bedford
, a former pupil and winner of the BBC
’s Young Composer of the Year award (2004).
The school has a central hall surrounded by six classrooms, each of which has its own computer facilities. Wescott was selected as one of the pilot sites for the National Grid for Learning
. The school hall is used by the local community for a variety of activities including: Rainbows, Brownies
, fitness classes and football training. There is a private day nursery located within the playground which has an informal link with the school. Most of the children from Westcott move on to Westende Junior School
. The two schools work closely together and have a joint Parent Teachers' Association
. Westende School has a heated outdoor swimming pool, and Wescott pupils have swimming lessons at the pool during the summer months. Parents and pupils who belong to the school Swimming Association can also use the swimming pool after school and during the summer holidays.
Infant school
An Infant school is a term used primarily in the United Kingdom for school for children between the ages of four and seven years. It is usually a small school serving a particular locality....
in Wokingham
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The school is in Goodchild Road and is a short walk from the town centre. The school caters for children from ages four to seven (Reception
Reception (school)
Reception or Primary 1 or FS2 is the first year of primary school in the United Kingdom and South Australia. It is preceded by nursery and is followed by Year One in England and Wales or Primary 2 in Northern Ireland and Scotland.Pupils in Reception are usually aged between four and five...
to Year 2). Children join the school as "Rising Fives" and there is a three-term intake with a maximum of around 150 children on roll each year. Wescott holds the prestigious Artsmark Gold Award from the Arts Council
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
, and in 2003 it was awarded a DFES School Achievement Award. The school has also received a Bronze Award in the National Healthy Schools Programme.
History
The school was founded in 1828 as a National School for boys and girls, and was originally located in Rose Street, Wokingham, behind the existing houses at numbers 9 and 11. By 1901 the population of the town had increased threefold and as there was no room for expansion on the Rose Street site it was decided to build a new school in Goodchild Road. The new school opened on 8 January 1906. It was known as the Wescott Road Council School, and was named after Thomas Manley Wescott, the first MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wokingham. The school was built by W. Watson, builders of Ascot, at a cost of £6,000. The architect was Edmund Fisher who was also responsible for the design of a number of other Berkshire schools. The school was intended to accommodate 400 children but the attendance was mixed and averaged 240 pupils a day during its early years. The school originally catered for boys and girls from five through to 14, which was then the school leaving age. The first headmaster was a Mr George Manoah Ebenezer Fryer. There were 11 other teachers and 222 children on the register in the first month. A further building, known as the annexe, was erected in 1911 for woodwork, cookery, and the evening continuation classes. The secondary-age pupils moved out in the 1950s to join the newly built St Crispin's School
St Crispin's School
St Crispin's School, founded in 1953, is a co-educational comprehensive school in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, catering for pupils between 11 and 18 years of age. There were 1,130 students at the school in 2011, of whom 190 were in the Sixth Form...
. In 1974, with the opening of Westende Junior School
Westende Junior School
Westende Junior School is a co-educational junior school in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, established in 1974. The school caters for children from the ages of seven to eleven, and there are 229 children on roll . The school is near the town centre in Seaford Road, and is bordered by St Crispin's...
, Wescott became an infant school, educating children up to the age of seven.
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, who describe it as a "well-designed and executed early-C20 school in the Arts and Crafts style". The adjacent school annexe, which was originally the technology block but now houses a nursery school, is also a Grade II listed building.
The school celebrated its centenary in 2006. Her Royal Highness Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
visited the school on 28 March 2006 as part of the centenary celebrations to unveil a commemorative plaque. She was entertained with a short musical performance by the children followed by the first public performance of The Wescott School song, commissioned by the school from Luke Bedford
Luke Bedford
Luke Bedford is a British composer.He was educated at St Crispin's School in Wokingham. He studied composition with Edwin Roxburgh and Simon Bainbridge at the Royal College of Music, and won the Mendelssohn Scholarship in 2000. This was followed by post-graduate study with Simon Bainbridge at the...
, a former pupil and winner of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
’s Young Composer of the Year award (2004).
Facilities
National Grid for Learning
The National Grid for Learning was a United Kingdom Government-funded gateway to educational resources on the Internet. It featured many individually selected links to resources and materials deemed to be of high quality...
. The school hall is used by the local community for a variety of activities including: Rainbows, Brownies
Brownies (Girl Guides)
A Brownie is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations for girls from their seventh birthday to their tenth birthday. Exact age limits are slightly different in each organisation.-History:...
, fitness classes and football training. There is a private day nursery located within the playground which has an informal link with the school. Most of the children from Westcott move on to Westende Junior School
Westende Junior School
Westende Junior School is a co-educational junior school in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, established in 1974. The school caters for children from the ages of seven to eleven, and there are 229 children on roll . The school is near the town centre in Seaford Road, and is bordered by St Crispin's...
. The two schools work closely together and have a joint Parent Teachers' Association
Parent-Teacher Association
In the U.S. a parent-teacher association or Parent-Teacher-Student Association is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a...
. Westende School has a heated outdoor swimming pool, and Wescott pupils have swimming lessons at the pool during the summer months. Parents and pupils who belong to the school Swimming Association can also use the swimming pool after school and during the summer holidays.