East Barnet School 75th Anniversary Reunion

23/24 June 2012

By Terry Boyce

The original East Barnet School, which opened in 1937, was demolished in 2010
East Barnet Old Grammarians

To mark the 75th Anniversary of the School, a reunion of former students and staff will be held at the new school premises in Chestnut Grove, East Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 8PU on Saturday 23rd June 2012, from 2.00 pm until 9.00 pm. The following day, Sunday, a less formal gathering will be held at the East Barnet Old Grammarians Clubhouse in Alan Drive, Barnet, from mid-day until late.

To find out further information on the reunion and how to purchase tickets, go to http://www.ebog.co.uk/

A Brief History of the School

East Barnet Modern School first opened in January 1937, when 64 students from four different year groups were admitted. By September 1937, the school had 200 students, with an initial two form entry. In 1939 the school was renamed East Barnet County School. The first Head Teacher, Allan Clayton, changed the name of the school in 1945 to East Barnet Grammar School, to reflect the curriculum and academic standard of the school.

The premises had been built for 350 students, but by 1947 it was housing 547. Various additions of classrooms and laboratories were made between 1948 and 1958. Major building work between 1961 and 1965 added a new assembly hall, gym, music hall and dining halls.

Allan Clayton retired as Head Teacher in 1960 and Angus Johnston took over the Headship. Due to local government reorganisation, on 1 April 1965 the school ceased to be a Hertfordshire County Council school, and became part of the new London Borough of Barnet.

In September 1971, East Barnet Grammar School became East Barnet Senior High School, a comprehensive school for pupils aged 14-18; and John Hampden School in Westbrook Crescent, New Barnet, became East Barnet Junior High School. Students automatically transferred from the junior to the senior school at the end of their third year. During 1971, Angus Johnston left the school and Richard Hurdman was appointed Head Teacher.

In 1976, the two schools were combined as East Barnet School, an 11-18 co-educational comprehensive, operating from two sites: the Lower School (Westbrook Crescent) and Upper School (Chestnut Grove). In the late 1980s the usage of the two sites was swapped. Students in years 7 to 10 were now on the Chestnut Grove site and years 11 to 13 were at the Westbrook Crescent site.

In 1988, Richard Hurdman retired after leading the school for 27 years and was succeeded by the current Head Teacher, Nick Christou.

The school was awarded Technology College status in 2005, and as a High Performing Specialist School, took up a second specialism in 2008, as a Leadership Partner School, one of only 50 of its type at the time.

In 2010 a new school that had been built on the site opened, and the old buildings at Chestnut Grove were demolished. All year groups were now on the same site. The Westbrook Crescent site was taken over by JCoSS, a newly built Jewish Community Secondary School, which opened its doors to new students in the same year.

On 15 March 2011 the new East Barnet School in Chestnut Grove was formally opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester.

We hope that a great number of former students and staff will be able to join us over the weekend of 23/24 June 2012 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of this proud school and to view for the first time the modern surroundings. No doubt there will be some sadness that the old school, full of their childhood memories, has now gone, but they cannot but be impressed by the wonderful new facilities. The bricks and mortar may have changed, but it is still their school.

Terry Boyce
Chairman, East Barnet Old Grammarians  

This page was added on 22/05/2012.

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  • My parents (born in Mar 1928 and Oct 1931) went to the School when it was EBGS under Mr Allan Clayton. My father, Kenneth Stanley Moore, sadly passed away yesterday (1st May 2020) at 92 after a short illness. My parents attended several EBOG reunions and thoroughly enjoyed them. I would love to hear from anyone who remembered Dad (and Mum – Sheila Margaret Carnt – who lives in Crawley)

    By Graham Moore (02/05/2020)
  • I use to go to these schools in the 70s my name was Susan Downs anyone who remembers me I’d love to hear from you

    By Susan Copping (12/12/2019)