Elliott School (London)

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Elliott School
Location
London, United Kingdom
Information
Type Co-educational Comprehensive School
Motto Aspire to Excellence
Headteacher Mrs Margaret Peacock, MA (interim Headteacher)
Number of students 1004
Website

Elliott School is a co-educational foundation school and sixth form college in Pullman Gardens, Putney, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It has Language College specialist status through which it gained a European Award for Languages in 2004, the International School Award from the British Council and an Artsmark Award which reflects the school's strong tradition in the visual and performing arts. The school boasts a purpose-built theatre (proscenium type) as well as extensive art studios and design technology workshops. The school's Main Assembly Hall is well known as the location for the Christmas pageant in Richard Curtis' 2003 film Love Actually.

There have been a number of locations for the Elliott School. It was initially known as Southfields School when it first opened in temporary buildings at Merton Road in 1904. The school was given central school status in 1910 before changing its name to Elliott School in 1911 after Sir Charles Elliot, a governor and the first Chairman of Managers, the school's Elephant Badge reflecting his service in India. The school's leaving age was raised to 14 in 1918, and the Elliott (Mixed) School was reorganised into separate Boys’ and Girls’ Schools in 1925.

During World War Two, the two schools were evacuated separately to different locations in 1939. An Emergency School opened in Merton Road in 1940, which merged with the two Elliott Schools in 1945 when they returned to Merton Road at the end of the war.

In 1956 the two Elliott Schools and Huntingfield Secondary Modern School, amalgamated on a new site in Pullman Gardens, to become Elliott Comprehensive School, officially opened in 1957 by the Rt Hon Hugh Gaitskell. The first Head of the new school was Maurice Holmes (1956 - 1967). He was succeeded by Tom Davies (1968 - 1974), Guardino Rospigliosi (1974 - 1982), Victor Burgess (1982 - 2002), Tony Willis (2002 - 2005) and Sharon Ferrell (2005 - 2009).

Since 1956 Elliott has evolved from 'Flagship Comprehensive' to Language College and survived as a Mixed Comprehensive while local Mayfield Girls' and Wandsworth Boys' closed. In 1992, Elliott School, Pullman Gardens, was made a Grade II Listed Building and given Grant Maintained Status and in 1999 this was replaced by Foundation School Status.

In 2000 Andy Lambert, an ex-pupil, created a website for former Pupils and Teachers, and an e-group was formed the following year. The interest and activity generated by the website and e-group caused the School to win the Friends Reunited award for Britain’s Friendliest School in 2004. Since the website has been formed, there have been three major reunions of former staff and alumni at the school, the most recent in September 2008.

In the 2002 New Year's Honours List, former headmaster Victor Burgess was awarded the OBE for services to education.

Following an Ofsted inspection in March 2009, and despite the sixth form provision being praised as "Good", the main school provision was judged "Inadequate". Since the school had been given a 'Notice To Improve' at the previous inspection in November 2007, Elliott School was placed on 'Special measures' and its board of governors replaced with an interim executive board. Subsequently, Mrs Margaret Peacock, Head of Chestnut Grove School in Balham, was appointed interim Headteacher and took up her post on 1 June 2009.

[edit] Notable alumni

The School Badge 1955 - 1995
The School Buildings in 2004 (Click To Enlarge)

Others

[edit] References

The Elliottonian Web Site

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 51°27′17″N 0°13′33″W / 51.4548°N 0.2259°W / 51.4548; -0.2259