Desborough College: Difference between revisions

**Desborough College**
Desborough College
Address
	Shoppenhangers Road; Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 2QB; England
Information
Type	Academy
Motto	Strenuis Ardua Cedunt ("Difficulties Yield To Diligence")
Established	1894
Founder	F. Fairman
Local authority	Windsor and Maidenhead
Department for Education URN	138879 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Chair of Governors	Derek Wilson
Principal	Andy Murdoch
Gender	Boys with mixed sixth form
Age	11 to 18
Enrolment	730
Houses	Hart, Lion, Phoenix and Eagle
Colour(s)	Purple and Gold
Website	www.desborough.org.uk

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Desborough College is a secondary school with academy status located on Shoppenhangers Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England.

Until 2009 it was an all-boys school, but the sixth form has since become co-educational.^[3] It was founded as Maidenhead Modern School in 1894 under its first Headmaster, F. Fairman, who was headmaster until 1910.

In the 1970s reform in the Royal Borough ensured all schools converted to the then new comprehensive schools system, which prompted the school's name change to Desborough School after Lord Desborough, a prominent Maidonian.

For the second time in the school's history it changed status in 2012 becoming an Academy school, and changed its name to Desborough College. As part of its academy status it initially partnered with the independent Radley College, Microsoft and The John Lewis Partnership.^[4]

History

According to the book One Hundred Not Out^[5] written by a former History master at the School, David M. Evans, the school was founded as Maidenhead Modern School in 1894, and was originally located on High Town Road. It was originally a private venture until taken over by Berkshire County Council in 1906, from whence the teachers became employees of the county. The school eventually moved to its present site on Shoppenhangers Road in 1910, after land had been purchased from Lord Desborough, after whom the school was eventually named. At this point the school was named Maidenhead County Boys’ School.

In 1943, and under the Headmastership of A. W. Eagling, the school became known as Maidenhead County Boys' Grammar School. That changed in September 1973 when it converted to comprehensive schooling under the guidenance of headmaster Leonard 'Rover' Reynolds, a World War Two veteran, who, at 21, became commander of Motor Gunboat 658, in the Mediterranean.^[6]

During the 1990s Desborough School became a grant-maintained school. The passing of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 abolished grant-maintained schools and Desborough reverted to LEA control. ^{[citation needed]}

The school became an academy in October 2012 and changed its official name to Desborough College. ^{[citation needed]}

Notable former pupils

Toby Anstis, radio DJ for London's Heart FM. Toby Anstis visited the school to take part in the BBC school report.^[7]
John B, drum and bass DJ and graduate of molecular biology
Guy Fletcher, Dire Straits keyboard player
Donald Hamilton Fraser, artist
Derek Hallworth, Countdown director
Charles Hart, lyricist (Aspects of Love, The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies)
Matt Holmes, Commandant General Royal Marines
Nick Hornby, writer and lyricist
Peter Jones, businessperson and reality television personality
John O'Farrell, author, comedy scriptwriter, and political campaigner
Lewis Wing, (Professional Football Player) Reading Football Club
Mark Richardson, GB 400-metre runner
David Widgery, Marxist writer, journalist, polemicist, physician, and a leading member of the Socialist Workers Party
Neil Woodford, British fund manager

Headteachers

F. Fairman, 1894–1910
J. Stanton, 1910–1913
A. E. Brooks, 1913–1941
A. W. Eagling, 1941–1954 (oversaw conversion to grammar school)
J. C. Oliver, 1954–1960
C. Macdonald, 1960–1965
L. C. Reynolds, 1965–1981 (oversaw conversion to comprehensive school)
D. F. Miller, 1981–1988
M. J. Oddie, 1988–1994
D. Eyre, 1994–2005, who moved to Brighton Hill Community College at Basingstoke.
A. Linnell, 2005–2012 ^[8]
P. Frazer, 2012–2019 ^[9]
M. Callaghan, 2019–2022, the first ever female headteacher of Desborough.
A. Murdoch, 2022–present

Sixth Form

Desborough sixth form offers full-time places to female students, making it a mixed sixth form. It is led by the head of Key Stage 5 education and two heads of year.

The school has joined The Consortium programme along with Altwood Church of England School, Cox Green, Newlands School and Furze Platt Senior School in 2003. The Consortium allows sixth form students to take a subject not offered at their school and study it at another participating school. Subjects such as geology and politics are among the subjects that Desborough offers to the other schools. Transport is provided between schools.

References

^ "Welcome - Desborough College". www.desborough.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
^ "Desborough School official website: Vacancies – Information for Candidates (updated May 2012)".^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Desborough School official website: Sixth Form – Prospectus 2011".^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ One Hundred not Out, Evans, D. M. McGraw-Hill Book Company Europe; 1st edition (1995)
^ "Leonard 'Rover' Reynolds". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
^ "Toby Anstis Interview: Toby talking to old teacher Mr Lehain". Archived from the original on 30 June 2012.
^ "Maidenhead Advertiser 3 May 2012: "Desborough's headteacher Andrew Linnell steps down"". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
^ "Maidenhead Advertiser 18 May 2012: "Desborough's new head vows to make school 'beacon of excellence'"". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2012.

External links

Desborough College website

51°30′58″N 0°43′36″W / 51.5161°N 0.7268°W / 51.5161; -0.7268

[1] "Welcome - Desborough College". www.desborough.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2012.

[2] "Desborough School official website: Vacancies – Information for Candidates (updated May 2012)".^{[permanent dead link]}

[3] "Desborough School official website: Sixth Form – Prospectus 2011".^{[permanent dead link]}

[4] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[5] One Hundred not Out, Evans, D. M. McGraw-Hill Book Company Europe; 1st edition (1995)

[6] "Leonard 'Rover' Reynolds". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2023.

[7] "Toby Anstis Interview: Toby talking to old teacher Mr Lehain". Archived from the original on 30 June 2012.

[8] "Maidenhead Advertiser 3 May 2012: "Desborough's headteacher Andrew Linnell steps down"". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2012.

[9] "Maidenhead Advertiser 18 May 2012: "Desborough's new head vows to make school 'beacon of excellence'"". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2012.

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- | website                 = http://www.desborough.org.uk
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 }}
 '''Desborough College''' is a secondary school with [[Academy (English school)|academy status]] located on Shoppenhangers Road, [[Maidenhead]], Berkshire, England.
-Until 2009 it was an all-boys school, however, the [[sixth form]] has since become [[Mixed-sex education|co-educational]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desborough.org.uk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Firc2EUCHd8%3d&tabid=183&mid=513&language=en-US|title=Desborough School official website: Sixth Form – Prospectus 2011}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It was founded as Maidenhead Modern School in 1894 under its first Headmaster, F. Fairman, who was headmaster until 1910.
+Until 2009 it was an all-boys school, but the [[sixth form]] has since become [[Mixed-sex education|co-educational]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desborough.org.uk/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Firc2EUCHd8%3d&tabid=183&mid=513&language=en-US|title=Desborough School official website: Sixth Form – Prospectus 2011}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It was founded as Maidenhead Modern School in 1894 under its first Headmaster, F. Fairman, who was headmaster until 1910.
 In the 1970s reform in the Royal Borough ensured all schools converted to the then new [[comprehensive school]]s system, which prompted the school's name change to Desborough School after [[William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough|Lord Desborough]], a prominent Maidonian.
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 == History ==
 According to the book ''One Hundred Not Out''<ref>One Hundred not Out, Evans, D. M. McGraw-Hill Book Company Europe; 1st edition (1995)</ref> written by a former History master at the School, David M. Evans, the school was founded as Maidenhead Modern School in 1894, and was originally located on High Town Road.  It was originally a private venture until taken over by Berkshire County Council in 1906, from whence the teachers became employees of the county. The school eventually moved to its present site on Shoppenhangers Road in 1910, after land had been purchased from Lord Desborough, after whom the school was eventually named. At this point the school was named Maidenhead County Boys’ School.
-In 1943, and under the Headmastership of A. W. Eagling, the school became known as Maidenhead County Boys' Grammar School, a status that it maintained until September 1973 when it converted to comprehensive schooling.
+In 1943, and under the Headmastership of A. W. Eagling, the school became known as Maidenhead County Boys' Grammar School. That changed in September 1973 when it converted to comprehensive schooling under the guidenance of headmaster Leonard 'Rover' Reynolds, a World War Two veteran, who, at 21, became commander of Motor Gunboat 658, in the Mediterranean.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leonard 'Rover' Reynolds |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10089920/Leonard-Rover-Reynolds.html |access-date=2023-06-17 |website=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>
 During the 1990s Desborough School became a [[grant-maintained school]]. The passing of the [[School Standards and Framework Act 1998]] abolished grant-maintained schools and Desborough reverted to [[Local education authority|LEA]] control. {{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
-A renovation of the historic main school building was completed in 2006. This saw a new library and staff room, more classrooms and the removal of the school reception to the old music house. A new music department has been built in the place of the old temporary buildings. {{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
 The school became an [[academy]] in October 2012 and changed its official name to Desborough College. {{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
-==School houses==
-There are four school houses in Desborough which relate to important figures in British history, each with its own colour:
-*{{color box|Red}} Hart
-*{{color box|Yellow}} Lion
-*{{color box|Blue}} Phoenix
-*{{color box|Green}} Eagle
-On their arrival at Desborough, every new boy is placed into a house where they can compete in various areas such as sporting events or other extra curricular activities. At the end of every major term an end of term assembly is held where the houses' points are collated from competing in various areas such as chess, rugby, hockey, and so on and then the house with the highest number of points is awarded with a trophy for the period of the next term. The colour of each house is displayed on the students tie with a series of stripes and on their house polo shirts as the primary colour.
 ==Notable former pupils==
 [[File:P jones.jpg|thumb|right|170px|Entrepreneur [[Peter Jones (entrepreneur)|Peter Jones]] at the school in 2008]]
+{{alumni|date=November 2023}}
-Notable former pupils include:
 *[[Toby Anstis]], radio DJ for London's Heart FM. [[Toby Anstis]] visited the school to take part in the BBC school report.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://login.rbwm.org/~des.newsreport/FOV1-0008E35E/tanstis3.jpg|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630213826/http://login.rbwm.org/~des.newsreport/FOV1-0008E35E/tanstis3.jpg|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-30|title=Toby Anstis Interview: Toby talking to old teacher Mr Lehain.}}</ref>
 *[[John B]], [[drum and bass]] DJ and graduate of molecular biology
 *[[Guy Fletcher]], [[Dire Straits]] keyboard player
-* [[Donald Hamilton Fraser]], famed for his abstract landscape paintings.
+* [[Donald Hamilton Fraser]], artist
 *[[Derek Hallworth]], ''[[Countdown (game show)|Countdown]]'' director
 *[[Charles Hart (lyricist)|Charles Hart]], lyricist (''[[Aspects of Love]]'', [[The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)|''The Phantom of the Opera'']], [[Love Never Dies (musical)|''Love Never Dies'']])
 *[[Matt Holmes (Royal Marines officer)|Matt Holmes]], Commandant General Royal Marines
+*[[Nick Hornby]], writer and lyricist
-*[[Nick Hornby]], best-selling author whose novels have been adapted into film (''[[About a Boy (novel)|About a Boy]]'', ''[[High Fidelity (novel)|High Fidelity]]'')
-*[[Peter Jones (entrepreneur)|Peter Jones]], multi-millionaire entrepreneur who returned to the school in September 2008
+*[[Peter Jones (entrepreneur)|Peter Jones]], businessperson and [[reality television]] personality
-*[[John O'Farrell (author)|John O'Farrell]], author
+*[[John O'Farrell (author)|John O'Farrell]], author, comedy scriptwriter, and political campaigner
+*[[Lewis Wing]], (Professional Football Player) [[Reading Football Club]]
 *[[Mark Richardson (athlete)|Mark Richardson]], GB 400-metre runner
+*[[David Widgery]], Marxist writer, journalist, polemicist, physician, and a leading member of the [[Socialist Workers Party (UK)|Socialist Workers Party]]
 *[[Neil Woodford]], British fund manager
-*[[Richard Fitzpatrick]], U.S. Marine, Founder [[Magpul Industries Corp]]
 ==Headteachers==
-Desborough has had many headteachers:
-* Mr. F. Fairman, 1894 – 1910
+* F. Fairman, 1894–1910
-* Mr. J. Stanton, 1910 – 1913
+* J. Stanton, 1910–1913
-* Mr. A. E. Brooks, 1913 – 1941
+* A. E. Brooks, 1913–1941
-* Mr. A. W. Eagling, 1941 – 1954 (Oversaw conversion to Grammar School)
+* A. W. Eagling, 1941–1954 (oversaw conversion to grammar school)
-* Mr. J. C. Oliver, 1954 – 1960
+* J. C. Oliver, 1954–1960
-* Mr. C. Macdonald, 1960 – 1965
+* C. Macdonald, 1960–1965
-* Mr. L. C. Reynolds DSC,OBE, 1965 – 1981 (oversaw conversion to Comprehensive School)
+* L. C. Reynolds, 1965–1981 (oversaw conversion to comprehensive school)
-* Mr.  D. F. Miller, 1981 – 1988
+* D. F. Miller, 1981–1988
-* Mr. M. J. Oddie, 1988 - 1994
+* M. J. Oddie, 1988–1994
-* Mr. D. Eyre, 1994 - 2005, who moved to [[Brighton Hill Community College]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brightonhill.hants.sch.uk|title=Brighton Hill Community School|website=www.brightonhill.hants.sch.uk}}</ref> at Basingstoke.
+* D. Eyre, 1994–2005, who moved to [[Brighton Hill Community College]] at Basingstoke.
-* Mr. Linnell, 2005 - 2012 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-headteacher-Andrew-Linnell-steps-down-03052012.htm|title=Maidenhead Advertiser 3 May 2012: "Desborough's headteacher Andrew Linnell steps down"|access-date=3 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408224836/http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-headteacher-Andrew-Linnell-steps-down-03052012.htm|archive-date=8 April 2014|url-status = dead}}</ref>
+* A. Linnell, 2005–2012 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-headteacher-Andrew-Linnell-steps-down-03052012.htm|title=Maidenhead Advertiser 3 May 2012: "Desborough's headteacher Andrew Linnell steps down"|access-date=3 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408224836/http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-headteacher-Andrew-Linnell-steps-down-03052012.htm|archive-date=8 April 2014|url-status = dead}}</ref>
-* Mr. D. Frazer, 2012 - 2019 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-new-head-vows-to-make-school-beacon-of-excellence-18052012.htm|title=Maidenhead Advertiser 18 May 2012: "Desborough's new head vows to make school 'beacon of excellence'"|access-date=17 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408213851/http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-new-head-vows-to-make-school-beacon-of-excellence-18052012.htm|archive-date=8 April 2014|url-status = dead}}</ref>
+* P. Frazer, 2012–2019 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-new-head-vows-to-make-school-beacon-of-excellence-18052012.htm|title=Maidenhead Advertiser 18 May 2012: "Desborough's new head vows to make school 'beacon of excellence'"|access-date=17 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408213851/http://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/News/Areas/Maidenhead/Desboroughs-new-head-vows-to-make-school-beacon-of-excellence-18052012.htm|archive-date=8 April 2014|url-status = dead}}</ref>
-* Ms. M. Callaghan, 2019– 2022, the first ever female headteacher of Desborough.
+* M. Callaghan, 2019–2022, the first ever female headteacher of Desborough.
-* Mr. A. Murdoch, 2022 - present
+* A. Murdoch, 2022–present
 == Sixth Form ==
-Desborough sixth form offers full-time places to female students, thus making it a mixed sixth form. It is led by the head of [[Key Stage 5]] education and two heads of year. The sixth form facilities include a private study section of the Library, with a selection of specialist books, three private computer suites and a quiet study room.
+Desborough sixth form offers full-time places to female students, making it a mixed sixth form. It is led by the head of [[Key Stage 5]] education and two heads of year.
 The school has joined The Consortium programme along with [[Altwood Church of England School]], [[Cox Green, Berkshire|Cox Green]], [[Newlands Girls' School|Newlands School]] and [[Furze Platt Senior School]] in 2003. The Consortium allows sixth form students to take a subject not offered at their school and study it at another participating school. Subjects such as geology and politics are among the subjects that Desborough offers to the other schools. Transport is provided between schools.

v t e Schools in Berkshire, England¹
Primary	Caversham Primary School Langley Hall Primary Academy Lynch Hill School Primary Academy Redlands Primary School Wescott Infant School
Secondary (non-selective)	Altwood CE School Baylis Court School Beechwood School Blessed Hugh Faringdon RC School The Brakenhale School The Bulmershe School Charters School Churchmead School Cox Green School Denefield School Desborough College The Downs School Edgbarrow School The Emmbrook School The Forest School Furze Platt Senior School Garth Hill College Highdown School Holyport College The Holt School John Madejski Academy John O'Gaunt School Kennet School King's Academy Easthampstead Park King's Academy Prospect The Langley Academy Little Heath School Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy Maiden Erlegh School Newlands Girls' School Oakbank School Park House School The Piggott School Ranelagh School Reading Girls' School St Bartholomew's School St Crispin's School St Joseph's RC High School Sandhurst School Slough and Eton CE Business and Enterprise College Theale Green School Trinity School UTC Reading Waingels College Westgate School Wexham School The Willink School Windsor Girls' School The Windsor Boys' School
Grammar	Herschel Grammar School Kendrick School Langley Grammar School Reading School St Bernard's RC Grammar School Upton Court Grammar School
Independent (preparatory)	Brockhurst and Marlston House School Eagle House School Elstree School Lambrook Ludgrove School Newbold School Papplewick School St Andrew's School St George's School, Windsor Castle St John's Beaumont School St Piran's Sunningdale School
Independent (senior)	Bradfield College Downe House School Eton College Heathfield School Leighton Park School Luckley House School Padworth College Pangbourne College Queen Anne's School Reading Blue Coat School St George's School, Ascot St Mary's School Wellington College
Independent (allthrough)	The Abbey School Claires Court School Licensed Victuallers' School Long Close School The Marist School Reddam House St Joseph's College St Gabriel's School
Special	Hamilton School Manor Green School Mary Hare School
Defunct	Amersham Hall Beaumont College Clewer House School Douai School Elvian School Heatherdown School Hemdean House School The Highlands School Imperial Service College Queensmead School Windsor Reading Abbey Girls' School Stubbington House School Wixenford School
¹includes schools in Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor & Maidenhead and Wokingham.