Stonar School, founded in 1895, is a non-denominational independent day and boarding school, at Cottles Park, near Atworth, Wiltshire, south-west England.[1] The school occupies 80 acres of parkland and gardens in a location about 8 miles from Bath. There are about 420 pupils from 2 to 18 years old, with approximately 100 in the prep school section and 320 in the secondary section.
| Stonar School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Cottles Park, Atworth , SN12 8NT England | |
| Coordinates | 51°23′20″N 2°13′04″W / 51.3888°N 2.2178°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Other Independent School |
| Established | 1895 |
| Local authority | Wiltshire |
| Department for Education URN | 126512 Tables |
| Head teacher | Matthew Way |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 2 to 18 |
| Website | www |
History
editThe school was established in 1895 as a girls' school at Stour House, Sandwich, Kent, and adopted the Stonar name when it moved to the larger Stonar House, also in Sandwich.[2][3] The school was evacuated to Cottles House when the Sandwich premises were requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence in 1939.[2]
The school was acquired in 2013[2] by Globeducate, a subsidiary of American private equity firm Providence Equity, which operates over 50 schools in several countries.[4] Boys began to be accepted by the school in 2016 and it became fully coeducational.[2]
Cottles House
editThe Grade II-listed Cottles House was designed by Thomas Jelly and John Palmer of Bath as a country house for Robert Hale, and built in 1775–78 on the site of an earlier house belonging to the Hale family.[5] The name comes from the Cotel family who held the manor (also known as Little Atworth) in the 13th century.[6]
The house was extended c.1832 by H.E. Goodridge, who also designed St Michael's church at Atworth.[5][7] The result is described by Historic England as "rambling L-plan" and by Pevsner as "early 19th-century Gothick".[8]
The room which is now the school library has a late 16th-century stone chimney piece with caryatids, which may have come from the earlier house;[6] Pevsner states it is splendid but "much too big for the house".[8] Elsewhere, joinery including doors and window shutters is from the early 19th century, and there are Adam-style fireplaces on the first floor.[5]
Equestrian education
editStonar offers an equestrian education alongside the academic curriculum.[citation needed] Facilities include an indoor school, an 80 x 40m surfaced arena, four cross-country courses and stabling for up to 65 horses and ponies. Guest trainers include Mary King.[citation needed]
Notable former pupils
edit- Pamela Kirkham, 16th Baroness Berners (born 1929), hereditary peeress and former Conservative member of the House of Lords (1995-1999).
- Thorhilda Abbott-Watt (born 1955), diplomat.
- Laura Ford (born 1961), sculptor.
- The Hon Charlotte Long (1965–1984), actress.
- Romola Garai (born 1982), actress.
- Georgia Hardinge (born 1984), fashion designer.
- Holly Bodimeade (born 1997), actress.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Stonar School at The Hobsons UK Boarding School Guide Archived July 11, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d "School History". Stonar School. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Sandwich: Stonar House School: Full Inspection". National Archives. 1935. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ "Globeducate". Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Stonar School (1263046)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Cottles". Bradford on Avon Museum. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Church of St Michael and All Angels, Atworth (1250853)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- ^ a b Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (revision) (1975) [1963]. Wiltshire. The Buildings of England (2nd ed.). Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 96. ISBN 0-14-0710-26-4.
External links
edit- Official website
- Stonar School Inspection reports at Ofsted
- Stonar School, Wiltshire General information and fees at isbischools