FROM THE ARCHIVES Evolution of the buildings at NHEHS By E.Broekmann One of the recurring themes in the history of Notting Hill has been ‘space’ – or lack of it! As a successful school, there have always been pressures on the space for classrooms and the lack of suitable playground space has frequently been lamented in school magazines and inspection reports throughout the history of the school. For most of its life, the school has occupied renovated houses which, even with alterations, have not always been suitable for teaching and learning. Now Notting Hill’s Junior School is to get a new home on the existing site. The proposed state-of-the-art building on the Redlands/Swallowfield site will be welcomed by both teachers and students, who will benefit from a spacious venue which meets the educational and physical needs of a modern, successful Junior School. Notting Hill High School first opened its doors on its original site in Norland Square on 16th September 1873 with 10 pupils ranging in age from 5 to 15 years. The numbers in all age groups increased steadily from day one so that by 1874 there were enough younger girls to justify setting up a kindergarten class with Miss Lord as their teacher. However, with the number of applications to the school as a whole continuing to increase, it was not long before space for the older girls was at such a premium that Miss Lord was persuaded to take the younger children and set up a separate kindergarten at 9 Norland Place in 1876. Miss Harriet Jones, the first Headmistress of Notting Hill, agreed that children from Miss Lord’s school who had reached the required standard would be given priority for admission to the High School and by the end of the 1880s, 14-15 girls were transferring each year. However, the increase in numbers in the high school meant that this arrangement could not be sustained. Therefore, Miss Lord’s kindergarten remained separate and a preparatory section was added to create an independent junior school. In about 1899 a new kindergarten was started at the High School and, for the 25 NHEHS OGA Newsletter
first time, a handful of boys were admitted! In 1931 when the High School moved to Ealing, the Junior School, which had 60 pupils, remained in Notting Hill but it moved to 54 Holland Park which was a more suitable venue. Its garden, however, was very small so Princess Louise kindly allowed the children to play in a field at Kensington Palace. Meanwhile, a new Junior School was established in Ealing when the High School moved. It shared the building with the High School pupils and, with 136 children under the age of 11 being enrolled in the first year, it was not long before the Ealing buildings reached
