Sheila Houliston retired in 1985 and John Thurley was appointed headteacher from
September. He had been deputy headteacher at Haverstock School in North West London
and previous to that Head of Mathematics at Brooke House School, Hackney. This was
a period of stability for the school. Faculties began the process of implementing
the requirements of the National Curriculum and a programme of monitoring and assessment
was developed. The school was committed to the composition of a Record of Achievement
for each pupil leaving school or continuing into post 16 provision. In 1988 the school
was shocked by the untimely death of Mick Buck, Head of Science.
The school now developed a joint sixth form offer with the John Roan School so that
a full range of academic and vocational courses were offer to pupils staying on.
In 1991 the structure of the senior management team changed so that it now consisted
of the Headteacher (Mr John Thurley), two deputy headteachers (Mrs Valerie Randerson
and Mr Mike Leader), Head of Upper School (Mrs Lynda Baxendale) and Head of Lower
School (Mr Chris Owen). The two heads of school were responsible for overseeing discipline
and supporting House Heads, freeing the Head and Deputies for a more strategic focus.
A system of House Chaplains had been established with a local Anglican incumbent
attached as a volunteer to each house.
June 1991 saw one of the most dramatic events in the school history when a major
fire broke out during the school day. The fire began in a stationery cupboard in
the typewriting room in Vanbrugh Block. The school was evacuated quickly and the
fire brigade soon had the fire under control. The fire severely damaged one room
and caused extensive smoke damage to the whole first floor of the block. Pupils were
sent home for a week while the staff reorganised rooms and resources. It was established
that the fire had been started deliberately and a year 10 pupil was permanently excluded.
The whole first floor of Vanbrugh Block had to be refurbished with extensive repairs
needed to room at the heart of the blaze. The total cost was over £750,000 and the
block was not fully functional until well into the Autumn Term.
