More House School, Frensham

Independent special school in Surrey, England

More House School, Frensham

Location

Farnham

Surrey

GU9 3AP

United Kingdom

Coordinates| 51°10′45″N 0°47′54″W﻿ / ﻿51.179036°N 0.798471°W﻿ / 51.179036; -0.798471
Information
Former name| St Thomas More School
School type| Special
Motto| Primo Servitor Dei
(First Servent Of God)
Religious affiliation(s)| Roman Catholic
Established| 1961
Founder| Joseph Garner
Status| Open
Authority| Surrey (936)
Category| Other independent special school
Department for Education URN| 125403 Tables
Headmaster| Jonathan Hetherington
Years taught| 4-13
Gender| Male
Age range| 8-19
Color(s)| Navy blue
Website| morehouseschool.co.uk

More House School, Frensham is an independent specialist school located in Surrey. It educates boys aged 8–19 who have learning disabilities. Its headmaster is Jonathan Hetherington. The school has been rated 'Outstanding' in all categories by every Ofsted inspection since 2016.[1]

## Overview

[edit]

The school is Roman Catholic and takes both day boys and boarders.[2] Most students are no longer Catholic and the religious routine has been relaxed.[3] More House School, Frensham regularly ranks outstanding in Ofsted reports.[1] The school's Charity number is 311872 and the name is GARD'NER MEMORIAL LIMITED. They have a total capacity of 200 staff and 760 students. The school currenty has 515 students. It has 11 trustees. Most students have special educational needs and have an education, health and care plan (EHCP).[2]

The school comprises three parts: a lower school for boys aged 8–13, an upper school for boys aged 13–16 and a sixth form for boys aged 16–18.[4]

More House was featured in an ITV news report on special needs education in the UK as it is one of UK's largest special schools.[5]

## History

[edit]

The school started as the Mount Olivet Monastery[6] which looked after boys classed as ‘mentally defective’ and ‘feeble-minded’ under the Mental Deficiency Act of 1913.[7] It was led by brother Joseph Gard'ner and the superior of the Basingstoke sisters.[8] The monastery opened in December 1931 and by June 1932 sixteen young men were already being cared for.[9] Later, the Home Office Board of Control did nt renew the licence of the institution and so in 1939 the community and institution were closed.[10]

Brother Joseph then created the St. Thomas More school,[11] which would concentrate on boys of normal intelligence that had difficulties learning, instead of 'mental defectives'.[12] The school ran into financial trouble after Brother Joseph denounced the Anglo-Catholic movement[13] so he, along with the school, was accepted into the Catholic Church by the Bishop of Southwark.[14] In order to raise more funds,[15] Brother Joseph started a circus[16] and its first performance was on 1 July 1936.[17] Initially the show ran for one week and each performance was for two and a quarter hours; they attracted approximately 1,300 spectators[18] and a total of 50,000 over the wartime period.[19] By the Trinity term of 1945 the school had around 50 boys.[20] Brother Joseph died, aged 39, on 14 August 1947.[21] In accordance with his wishes the circus died with him.[22]

Mr Valentine Roy Newbury was appointed as headmaster on 8 October 1957[23] and grew the school to a total of 80 boys.[24] In 1961 the school changed its name to More House School and the company to Gard’ner Memorial Limited.[25] In 1966 the school offered a full range of GCSEs and it was recognised as 'efficient' by the Department of Education and Science.[26]

Mr John Clarke Dawson was appointed as headmaster in 1968.[27] He was the first headmaster to focus on speech and language therapy.[28] and soon grew the schools size to 85 boys.[29] On the morning of 13 July 1972 a fire broke out.[30] The Farnham Herald reported that the fire had started in the staff room and that five dormitories, alongside the headmaster's house, were lost.[31] Luckily, all the boys managed to escape unharmed[32] and by 1974, the rebuilding was completed.[33]

In 1977 Mr Brian became headmaster.[34] In 1983 the school applied for status as a 'special school' and by March 1984 the registration was complete.[35] By Lent 1983 there were 100 boys in the school.[36]

Mr Mullen became headmaster in 1989.[37]

In 1993, Mr Barry Hugget became headmaster.[38] Over his tenure, the school would increase its roll to 470 boys from having been 90 in 1993.[39] In 2012 a sixth form was added and construction started on a sixth form wing.[40] For a short time the school had go-cart races down the hill until a boy crashed into a pavilion and another into some watching parents.[41] Princess Alexandra attended the school to open the Bradbury multi-activity and creative arts centre on 6 November 2002.[42] On 9 November 2011, the school received a call threatening to commit a school shooting and bombing. 700 pupils and members of staff were evacuated to the gymnasium, which was secured by armed police. Later a 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and communicating a bomb hoax.[43] He had used a pay-as-you-go mobile to make the threat but was identified after a fourth call was made.[44] In 2012, a time capsule was planted by pupils in the site.[45]

In 2015, the current headmaster, Mr Hetherington, was appointed.[46] More House has developed strong links through charitable donations, to the Shia primary school, near the city of Moshi in Tanzania.[47]

### Franchising

[edit]

In 2013 More House considered buying the Stanbridge Earls school which had shut down due to financial difficulties. This was not followed through as the school did not want to risk its finances.[48] Opening a school in Dubai or Saudi Arabia has been considered, and talks were held with the respective governments. However, they too, failed.[49]

## Location

[edit]

The school is located in Frensham, Surrey and the nearest major town is Farnham. The Regional schools commissioner region is South-East England and South London, the Government office region is South East, the district is Waverley and the Ward is Farnham Wrecclesham and Rowledge. The local authority is Surrey (936).[2]

## Facilities

[edit]

The school has a Chapel, a technology workshop and a swimming pool.[50]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Dylan Llewellyn

## References

[edit]

### Citations

[edit]

1. ^ a b "More House School". Ofsted. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
2. ^ a b c "More House School". Government of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
3. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 122."The intensive routine of Catholic observance has been relaxed, to; Now the majority of boys are non-Catholic."
4. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 12."It now comprises a lower school for boys aged 8 to 13 (Juniors), an upper school for boys aged 13-16 (Seniors) and a sixth form."
5. ^ ITV News (13 February 2024). "Nearly 9,000 children with special educational needs missing out on schooling". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
6. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 12."More House School was the St. Thomas School from 1939 to 1961 and was preceded by the Mount Olivet monastery and school."
7. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 21."In the case of Mount Olivet, the ‘mentally defective’ boys taken in with those deemed ‘feeble-minded’ and licensed under the terms of the 1913 Act"
8. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 22. "the Frenchman's property was identified, and suggested to brother Joseph, by the superior of the Basingstoke sisters."
9. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 34."The institution opened formally in December 1931. Sixteen young men were being cared for at the monastery by June 1932."
10. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 45. "The Home Office Board of Control decided not to renew the licence of the institution… the community dispersed in autumn 1939 and the institution closed."
11. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 45. "Brother Joseph turned what had been Mount Olivet institution into the St. Thomas More school."
12. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 45. "Instead of taking in boy to work ‘mental defectives' he now concentrated on boys of normal intelligence who experienced learning difficulties."
13. ^ Waight, 2019, pp. 36–37. "Brother Joseph's sermon started conventionally enough, but then he turned to Dom Martin Collett, Abbot of Nashdom, and denounced the Anglo-Catholic movement as a fraud and a sham."
14. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 37."He asked the Catholic Bishop of Southwark to be received into the Catholic Church. He was accepted."
15. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 42."Such success was badly needed; funds were lacking"
16. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 41."Brother Joseph's decision to form a circus, however bizarre, was logical since he possessed theatrical skills and had a web of contacts in the entertainment world."
17. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 42."July 1st, 1936, So the first performance."
18. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 42."The show ran for one week of 2 and 1/4 hour performances, playing to 1,300 people in total."
19. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 47. At least 50,000 people saw the circus during this war time period."
20. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 52."At first, 30 had been regarded as a maximum number of boys that could be accommodated at the school, but pressure of applications forced up the numbers by 1942 to 40 and by the Trinity term of 1945, the number of boys was 50."
21. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 47."On the 14th of August 1947, brother Joseph died at the age of 39."
22. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 63."The circus died with Joseph as he had wished."
23. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 79."The next Headmaster, Mr. Valentine Roy Newbury, was appointed on the 8th of October 1957."
24. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 80."The number of boys increased from 50 to 80."
25. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 80."In 1961, the school changed its name to More House School and the company's name was changed to Gard’ner Memorial Limited."
26. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 81."By 1966 come out the school offered a full range of GCSE subjects and, in 1968, it was recognised as efficient by the Department of Education and science."
27. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 81."In 1968, Mr. John Clarke Dawson succeeded Mr, Newbury as Headmaster."
28. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 82."He brought to the school and interest in language training and speech therapy"
29. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 82."1970, by which time the roll was some 85 boys."
30. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 87."In the early hours of Thursday, July 13th, 1972 a fire broke out."
31. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 87."The Farnham Herald reported that the fire had started in the staff room. 5 dormitories were lost as was the headmaster's house."
32. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 87."There were 85 students at the time at the school, all between the ages of 10 and 17 and, mercifully, none was hurt."
33. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 91. "by the end of 1974, the rebuilding was largely complete"
34. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 92."Mr Brian come up presumably keen to have his own position clarified was informed that on the retirement of Mr Dawson he would indeed be appointed headmaster… He became joint headmaster in 1977."
35. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 96."It was agreed in February 1983 to pursue registration as a special needs school. On the 5th of March 1984, registration as a special school was complete".
36. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 96."With the roll now larger, approaching 100 boys… In Lent 1983".
37. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 97."Those for the year ending August 31st 1989. Hence they showed the state of the schools finances in the final years of Mr Brian and for one year into the headmaster ship of the next headmaster Mr Mullen".
38. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 105."Mr. Barry Huggett became headmaster, in September 1993".
39. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 105."Between 1947 and 1993 the roll had increased from 50 to 90. Over the next 22 years it would increase to no less than 470".
40. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 109."In the Diamond Jubilee year, a sixth form was established and a start made on a building a new sixth form wing."
41. ^ Waight, 2019, pp. 110–111."For a while, the school indulge in an annual go Kart Derby. The boys would plummet in there on motorised go karts down the hill, seeing who could go the fastest and the furthest, disaster averted by the copious use of straw bales. On one occasion, a boy lost control and ploughed into the compere and the pavilion wall. Another managed to hit the parents. This, for obvious reasons, is another tradition that has been ditched."
42. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 111."On the 6th of November 2002, Princess Alexandria visited the school to open the Bradbury multi-activity and creative arts centre."
43. ^ Surrey Live (10 November 2011). "School gets anonymous threat to 'shoot everyone'". Surrey Live. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
44. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 113."A 16 year old boy was later arrested… he had used a pay as you go mobile which makes tracing difficult, but he was identified when he made a fourth call."
45. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 131."in 2012 the boys of More House School school planted a time capsule in thee grounds".
46. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 114."2015, the new headmaster, Mr. Hetherington".
47. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 116."More House developed an enduring link with the Tasmanian school, the Shia primary school, near the city of Moshi".
48. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 120 when in 2013 the Stanbridge Earls school, a co educational school catering to similar clientele is More House, closed in the wake of financial difficulties, More House considered an acquisition… This approach failed since my house was not willing to jeopardise its over finances by a takeover."
49. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 120. "Opening similar schools in Dubai and Saudi Arabia have been considered, and negotiations have taken place with authorities in Dubai, although, these to, have come to nothing."
50. ^ Waight, 2019, p. 113. "Other building projects brought to completion included...an outdoor swimming pool... the new chapel"

### Sources

[edit]

* Waight, Roy (2019). More and More, The Miracle at Mount Olivet, A History of More House School. Great Britain.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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