Camborne Grammar School

Camborne Grammar School in Cornwall was a girls grammar school between 1908 and 1976.

Origins

In 1877 Redbrooke College for young ladies was founded at Redbrooke House on Camborne Hill. There were about 20 boarders and also day girls. There were three teachers at first and later a Miss Chudleigh came from Liskeard to be headmistress until 1896 when Miss Kay took charge. In 1897 Miss Pratt of Girton College, Cambridge took over the role.

With the 1904 Education Act, state secondary education was planned for a limited number of pupils. Redbrooke College became Redbrooke County School and the number of pupils increased so that it was necessary to transfer to a new larger building at the bottom of Camborne Hill, (Trevu Road).

History of the school

The new premises were officially opened in 1908 as Camborne Grammar School and were built to accommodate pupils from the Camborne-Redruth area, extending from Gwithian in the west to St. Agnes in the east and south to villages such as St Day and Troon. (Boys from this same area attended Redruth Grammar School).

The first headmistress of Camborne Grammar School was Miss Pratt and up until the 1930s the number of pupils increased. In 1933 Miss Evans became headmistress and during the depression years the numbers attending the school decreased. In 1935 Mr C.V.Thomas, chairman of the governors presented the school with a new gym and Camborne was the first grammar school in Cornwall to have a purpose built gym. [Camborne Grammar School magazine]

During the second world war the pupils and staff of Paddington and Maida Vale school shared the premises for some time and at this time biology was the only science subject taught due to lack of staff. Even after the war there was still rationing of food and school dinners and milk were said to be welcome.

With the Education Act of 1944 the kindergarten and preparatory department were closed and there were no more fee payers in the school. Also in 1944 the Eleven plus exam scheme for entry to the Grammar school was introduced. In 1947 Miss Evans retired and Miss Bain from Edinburgh University became headmistress.

In the 1950s the school premises became too small for the greater number of pupils and in 1954 a new block was built in the school grounds. Miss Bain left in 1967 when Mrs. Bannister became headmistress until 1971 when numbers had increased by 33%. Mrs Mostyn took over in 1971 when it became necessary to look elsewhere for extra classrooms. The first outpost was the nearby St. Johns Catholic School and the second outpost was the Camborne Community Centre.

In 1975 the sixth form was moved to a new centre at Treswithian School, Camborne and due to the introduction of the comprehensive system, at the end of the 1976 summer term the rest of the school followed to this site.

Today the school premises are known as the 'Trevu Children's Centre' for pre-school children and early learning which provides a toy library, various health services, a nursery and crèche, a cafe, and access to training and development for parents and carers. [ [http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=40386 Trevu Children's Centre] ]

Headmistresses

* Miss Pratt (1908-1933)
* Miss Evans (1933-1947)
* Miss Bain (1947-1967)
* Mrs Bannister (1967-1971)
* Mrs Mostyn (1971-1976)

References