History
Built in 1874–1876 by architect Richard Norman Shaw it was a private house from its construction until 1939; from 1939 onwards it has housed several schools.
The house was referred to as "heavy and hearty", "not very good" and "limp and mechanical".
The last school proir to Durrand Academy to occupy the building was St Cuthman's, or Wispers as it was originally known.
Wispers School remained here for only 9 years before moving to West Dean house briefly, then onto it's permanent residency at Haslemere.
St Cuthman's opened again in 1956 as a girls school, surviving until 2004. After lying empty for 6 years, it was bought by the Durand Academy in Stockwell, for use as free boarding school
something that was hugely criticised by not only the education board but the locals aswell.
Durrand academy opened its doors to pupils in september 2014 lasting just 3 years before closing in september 2017.
Clousure
Sir Greg Martin, chairman of governors of the Durand Academy Trust (DAT) told the Observer: “Sadly we have decided to close the boarding school because the Education Funding Agency (EFA) wouldn’t give us the money they promised".
“We went on for three and a half years and tried our hardest. A dreadful campaign was waged to get the school closed. They stopped us getting planning permission and starved us of funding.
It has been a shocking betrayal of the children.”
Parents were told in a letter from the school governors that they had been ‘wrestling with a number of difficult decisions, one of which was the boarding school’.
Parents were told: “The fault does not lie with the governors for this painful decision, it lies with the Education Funding Agency.”
The trust has not received the £17.4m for the boarding school promised by the government which was dependent on receiving planning permission.
The school was home to 70 year 10 and year 11 weekly boarders. The year 11s have now completed exams. Year 10 pupils would complete GCSEs in London, he said.
Campaigners against the boarding school said their fears about its viability had been proved right.
An ofsted report revealed that provisions for the protection of pupils at the boarding school, their experiences and progress and the impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers at the institution were found to be ‘inadequate’.
The Explore
So this lovely building seems to have history of occupying failed schools and it comes to no surprise really after visiting.
Despite it being absolutely stunning its in the middle of nowhere with no actual roads leading up to the building just an extremely narrow track so it must have been absolute chaos.
I bet the locals were delighted to see yet another school shut down.
So as we finally made our way up the narrow track we found our parking spot and then made our way on to the huge grounds of the school.
As we got to the main building we spotted a few cameras but they obviously don’t work as no one came.
We found our entry point and made our way inside where we found an old drum set just left in 1 of the rooms, this was just 1 of many things left behind including more music equipment, old school books & trophies.
We then found the classrooms which were quite small considering the amount of pupils that stayed here.
Moving out of the classrooms we found the lounge area complete with comfy seating in front of an open fire place, complete with wooden oak panelling & hanging chandeliers.
The wooden oak theme continued with the staircase which was absolutely stunning.
As we made our way up the stairs we found lots of old dorm’s complete with bunk bends still made.
As we were in 1 of the dorm’s I could have sworn I heard footsteps as did my girlfriend so we stood quietly for a bit then I went to have a look but no 1 was to be seen!.. very strange.
As we finished off in the main building we headed off to find the science labs which were still full of old equipment.
Finally we headed off in search of the outdoor pool which is now looking very sorry for its self & slowly being reclaimed by nature.
We also found an outbuilding still full of stuff & sat outside was an old decaying land Rover & Tractor.
Thankfully this place hasn't YET been totally smashed to bits and raided by the metal fairy's.
there is an alarm system and the school is full of sensors there is also Iver a caretaker or security living in 1 of the old houses on site so hopefully this will deter the skum from going!
The Photos
Walking up to the back of building from the fields the stunning "mock tudor" building .
The main lounge complete with hanging chandeliers
The drumming room
1 of the class rooms where old school desks and chairs were just left behind
More from the lounge - still immaculate
Looking across the loungs now to that amazing staircase
Another class room. Quite a small one this was
The best part about being at school was definitely the tuck shop.
In to the dormitories now, beds still made up waiting for the next set of pupils that would never arrive
Some shots of that staircase now
A games room? Or just a table tennis room with a huge open fire place
The corridor running alongside the kitchen which was completly empty
Moving on to the science labs now
Built in 1874–1876 by architect Richard Norman Shaw it was a private house from its construction until 1939; from 1939 onwards it has housed several schools.
The house was referred to as "heavy and hearty", "not very good" and "limp and mechanical".
The last school proir to Durrand Academy to occupy the building was St Cuthman's, or Wispers as it was originally known.
Wispers School remained here for only 9 years before moving to West Dean house briefly, then onto it's permanent residency at Haslemere.
St Cuthman's opened again in 1956 as a girls school, surviving until 2004. After lying empty for 6 years, it was bought by the Durand Academy in Stockwell, for use as free boarding school
something that was hugely criticised by not only the education board but the locals aswell.
Durrand academy opened its doors to pupils in september 2014 lasting just 3 years before closing in september 2017.
Clousure
Sir Greg Martin, chairman of governors of the Durand Academy Trust (DAT) told the Observer: “Sadly we have decided to close the boarding school because the Education Funding Agency (EFA) wouldn’t give us the money they promised".
“We went on for three and a half years and tried our hardest. A dreadful campaign was waged to get the school closed. They stopped us getting planning permission and starved us of funding.
It has been a shocking betrayal of the children.”
Parents were told in a letter from the school governors that they had been ‘wrestling with a number of difficult decisions, one of which was the boarding school’.
Parents were told: “The fault does not lie with the governors for this painful decision, it lies with the Education Funding Agency.”
The trust has not received the £17.4m for the boarding school promised by the government which was dependent on receiving planning permission.
The school was home to 70 year 10 and year 11 weekly boarders. The year 11s have now completed exams. Year 10 pupils would complete GCSEs in London, he said.
Campaigners against the boarding school said their fears about its viability had been proved right.
An ofsted report revealed that provisions for the protection of pupils at the boarding school, their experiences and progress and the impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers at the institution were found to be ‘inadequate’.
The Explore
So this lovely building seems to have history of occupying failed schools and it comes to no surprise really after visiting.
Despite it being absolutely stunning its in the middle of nowhere with no actual roads leading up to the building just an extremely narrow track so it must have been absolute chaos.
I bet the locals were delighted to see yet another school shut down.
So as we finally made our way up the narrow track we found our parking spot and then made our way on to the huge grounds of the school.
As we got to the main building we spotted a few cameras but they obviously don’t work as no one came.
We found our entry point and made our way inside where we found an old drum set just left in 1 of the rooms, this was just 1 of many things left behind including more music equipment, old school books & trophies.
We then found the classrooms which were quite small considering the amount of pupils that stayed here.
Moving out of the classrooms we found the lounge area complete with comfy seating in front of an open fire place, complete with wooden oak panelling & hanging chandeliers.
The wooden oak theme continued with the staircase which was absolutely stunning.
As we made our way up the stairs we found lots of old dorm’s complete with bunk bends still made.
As we were in 1 of the dorm’s I could have sworn I heard footsteps as did my girlfriend so we stood quietly for a bit then I went to have a look but no 1 was to be seen!.. very strange.
As we finished off in the main building we headed off to find the science labs which were still full of old equipment.
Finally we headed off in search of the outdoor pool which is now looking very sorry for its self & slowly being reclaimed by nature.
We also found an outbuilding still full of stuff & sat outside was an old decaying land Rover & Tractor.
Thankfully this place hasn't YET been totally smashed to bits and raided by the metal fairy's.
there is an alarm system and the school is full of sensors there is also Iver a caretaker or security living in 1 of the old houses on site so hopefully this will deter the skum from going!
The Photos
Walking up to the back of building from the fields the stunning "mock tudor" building .
The main lounge complete with hanging chandeliers
The drumming room
1 of the class rooms where old school desks and chairs were just left behind
More from the lounge - still immaculate
Looking across the loungs now to that amazing staircase
Another class room. Quite a small one this was
The best part about being at school was definitely the tuck shop.
In to the dormitories now, beds still made up waiting for the next set of pupils that would never arrive
Some shots of that staircase now
A games room? Or just a table tennis room with a huge open fire place
The corridor running alongside the kitchen which was completly empty
Moving on to the science labs now
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