Harvington Preparatory School
Address
20 Castlebar Road

London
,
W5 2DS

England
Coordinates51°31′00″N 0°18′26″W / 51.5167°N 0.307245°W / 51.5167; -0.307245
Information
TypePreparatory day school
MottoLatin: Vincit Omnia Veritas
(Truth Conquers All)
Established1890
Closed31 August 2023.
Local authorityEaling
Department for Education URN101945 Tables
HeadMrs G Entwisle
GenderGirls (with a co-educational nursery)
Age3 to 11
Enrolment140
HousesGordon, Duncan, Kennedy, Norris
Colour(s)Yellow, Grey and Black      
Former pupilsOld Harvingtonians
Websitewww.harvingtonschool.com

Harvington Prep School and Nursery is an independent school in Ealing, West London. Founded in 1890 as a kindergarten called Heidelberg College, the school was renamed Harvington College during World War I. For much of its history, it operated as a private girls' school for ages three to eighteen, with boys included at nursery, and occupied three modernised Victorian houses on Castlebar Road. In 2010, Harvington School closed its senior school, focusing instead on its preparatory school. Most recently, it has been co-educational up to Year 2, with girls continuing through Year 6.[1] In April 2022, Harvington Prep announced that it would merge with Durston House, a neighbouring boys' school, to form a single co-educational school in September 2023.[2]

History

The school opened in 1890 as Heidelberg College, a kindergarten school run by two sisters, Misses Watson.[3] It was named after Heidelberg, Germany, the birthplace of Chrystabel Watson’s mentor,[3][4] and was originally located at 67 Gordon Road in Ealing.[5][6]

In 1892, a third Watson sister, Florence Watson, took over Heidelberg College, with Chrystabel her deputy.[3] They opened a private girls' boarding and day school,[6] and in 1898, they moved into a larger house on Castlebar Road.[7] By 1908, the school occupied both 24 and 26 Castlebar Road.[8][4] As of 1912, fees started at 60 guineas per annum.[9] Heidelberg College was said to rival Princess Helena College in popularity.[7] Boarders came from overseas, as well as other parts of Britain.[7] The school also catered to the local community, which included families of veterans of the India Office and military services, as well as the Civil Service.[7]

During the First World War, the school removed to Barton-on-Sea.[7] In July 1915, it was renamed Harvington College, after parents voted in favour of "a British and not a foreign name".[10] The school advertised that it provided "a thorough modern education for girls", preparing them for examinations, but also offering classes in "Cookery and Housewifery"; classes in special subjects were open to non-members.[11] By 1923, Harvington College had expanded to occupy 20 to 26 Castlebar Road.[4]

At the start of the Second World War, the school evacuated once again to Barton-on-Sea,[12] and sold two of its four buildings to Middlesex County Council.[13] In September 1940, Harvington School re-opened under new leadership.[14] Florence Watson, who had remained headmistress for 48 years,[3] and Chrystabel Watson announced that they would retire.[14] The Watson sisters were replaced by two new principals, Mrs. H. K. M. Turner and Miss E. E. Emerton, who had both worked at the school for many years.[14] Harvington School continued its boarding and day school for girls, while also introducing "a preparatory department for little boys and girls".[14] However, it discontinued its domestic science programme.[14]

After the war ended, Harvginton became a day school only.[4] Frances M. Smith became headmistress in 1956.[12] When Smith retired in 1970, she told the Middlesex County Times and Gazette that the school had been "saved" by parents who formed the Harvington School Educational Trust to raise money to purchase the school.[12] The trust was formed under the guidance of Colonel Desmond Cable, an Ealing resident.[12] Alan Gillett, a former pupil, became chairman of the board of governors starting in 1984.[15]

The deputy head and former mayor of Ealing, Anita Fookes, took over as headteacher in 1988.[3] In October 1990, the school celebrated its 100th anniversary with a centenary exhibition of school memorabilia and photographs, as well as an old girls' reunion.[16] In 1992, Harvington announced that it was raising funds to re-acquire no. 24 Castlebar Road so that it could re-open a co-educational nursery school.[13] By the mid-1990s, Durston House, a neighbouring independent boys' school, purchased no. 26 Castlebar Road from Harvington.[17]

In 2010, Harvington closed its senior school, citing declining attendance due to its inability to compete with other schools offering a more varied curriculum.[18] As of September 2023, Harvington Preparatory School closed and is now known as Durston House School, a co-education Prep School for Girls and Boys aged 3-13.[2]

Facilities

As of 2015, Harvington Prep was in three adjoining Victorian houses, equipped with a sports hall, science laboratory, and facilities for music, art, and drama.[19]

Rankings

In 2001, the Harvington preparatory school ranked 60th nationwide based on its Key Stage 2 results.[20] In 2008, the Harvington senior school ranked 10th in The Sunday Times Top 10 small independent schools in Britain, tying with St Catherine's School, Twickenham, based on GCSE examination results.[21]

Notable former pupils

Alumnae of Harvington School are known as "Old Harvingtonians".[12] Old Harvingtonians have included a former international lacrosse player for England, and a Foreign Office employee who was awarded an OBE.[12] Other notable former pupils include:

References

  1. ↑ "Make an application". Harvington Prep and Nursery. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Durston House and Harvington Prep to merge". Independent Education Today. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Horrox, Camilla (28 May 2015). "125 year anniversary of Ealing prep school celebrated at dinner party". MyLondon. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Oates, Jonathan; Lang, Paul (2013). Ealing Through Time. Amberley Publishing. p. 61. ISBN 9781445617213. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  5. ↑ "Houses". Harvington Prep School and Nursery. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  6. 1 2 Bolton, Diane K.; Croot, Patricia E. C.; Hicks, M. A. "Ealing and Brentford: Education". A History of the County of Middlesex: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden. Vol. 7. London: Victoria County History. pp. 162–170 – via British History Online.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "School Principal in Ealing of Old". Middlesex County Times and West Middlesex Gazette. 29 August 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "School History". Harvington Prep and Nursery. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  9. ↑ Whitaker's peerage, baronetage, knightage, and companionage. London: J. Whitaker & Sons. 1912. pp. lxvi – via Internet Archive.
  10. ↑ "Ealing Chit-Chat". The Hanwell Gazette and Brentford Observer. 31 July 1915. p. 5. Retrieved 3 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Educational and Professional Directory". Middlesex County Times. 3 November 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Headmistress retires happy as trust saves school". Middlesex County Times and Gazette. 15 May 1970. p. 12. Retrieved 4 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 Richmond, Wendy (20 November 1992). "Historic school tries to buy its roots next door". Southall Gazette. p. 13. Retrieved 4 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Harvington School to Re-open in Ealing". Middlesex County Times. 3 August 1940. p. 1. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Positive way for man of many hats to stay young". Ealing and Acton Gazette. 3 December 1999. p. 14. Retrieved 3 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Girls search memory banks". Southall and Hounslow Gazette. 28 September 1990. Retrieved 4 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "School caned over play area". Ealing and Acton Gazette. 28 January 1994. p. 20. Retrieved 3 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Harrison, Jane (14 January 2010). "Narrow curriculum forces 120-yr-old school to close". MyLondon. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  19. ↑ "Regulatory Compliance Inspection Report – Harvington Prep School". Independent Schools Inspectorate. 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  20. ↑ "Greater London; Preparatory Schools". The Sunday Times. 21 October 2001. Retrieved 3 September 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
  21. ↑ "Definitive guide to Britain's top schools; Parent power". The Sunday Times. 16 November 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
  22. ↑ Thomas, Anne (29 September 1995). "Playground high jinks". Southall Gazette. p. 4. Retrieved 3 September 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ Dolman, Bernard, ed. (1929). A Dictionary of Contemporary British Artists (2nd ed.). Art Trade Press Limited. p. 143. ISBN 0902028995.
  24. ↑ Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, Brian, eds. (2004). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 39. Oxford University Press. pp. 328–329. ISBN 0-19-861389-X.
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