Whitehorse Manor Junior School is a junior school for pupils aged between seven and eleven years. The school is located in Thornton Heath. In April 2011 the school became part of the first Academy Trust in Croydon and the running of the school became part of the responsibility of the Pegasus Academy Trust, a public company limited by guarantee. The Executive Headteachers of The Pegasus Academy Trust are Jolyon Roberts and Lynne Sampson. The school caters for pupils from Year 3 to Year 6. The uniform of the school is a burgundy sweatshirt with the school logo, white shirt and grey trousers or skirt. The school is expanding the number of forms on entry from two to three. There are currently 450 pupils on roll with a maximum of 30 pupils in each of 15 classes. To cater for these extra children a major building project took place between April 2010 and April 2014 providing seven extra classrooms, new offices, extended hall and library. The scheme was designed by the architects Hayhurst and Co and won a RIBA London award in May 2014. In September 2014 the school opened an annexe about away known as which allows another 210 children to be educated by the school - the original site having reached capacity. The current Head of School is Nina Achenbach BA, NPQH.
History
The school was opened in 1892 and has a complicated history - having undergone a great many re-organisations. Dr Ron Cox, a consultant archivist to the Education Department of the London Borough of Croydon, lists the chronological story as follows:
1892-1911
Three schools opened on the Whitehorse Road site: Whitehorse Road Junior school, Whitehorse Road Senior boys' school, Whitehorse Road Senior girls' school.
1911-1930
In 1911 Whitehorse Road Junior school closed and the pupils moved into the respective boys and girls departments of the two senior schools, therefore, giving Whitehorse Road boys' school and Whitehorse Road girls' school.
In 1921 as part of a general re-organisation of school names the Whitehorse Road schools were re-designated "Whitehorse Manor".
1930-1955
In 1930 there was a substantial re-organisation. All the Whitehorse Manor senior girls moved to another local school, Ecclesbourne, and all the Ecclesbourne senior boys moved to Whitehorse Manor. All the Whitehorse Manor junior boys moved to Ecclesbourne and all the Ecclesbourne junior girls moved to Whitehorse Manor. On the Whitehorse Manor site, this left Whitehorse Manor Senior boys' school and Whitehorse Manor Junior girls' school.
1955-1961
In 1955, doubtless because of the inadequacy of the facilities, Whitehorse Manor secondary modern boys' school closed and pupils and staff were transferred to other schools in the area. This left Whitehorse Manor Junior girls' school.
1961 to 2011
The closure of Ecclesbourne Junior boys' school meant these pupils transferred to the Whitehorse Manor site and were combined with the girls which left a single school, Whitehorse Manor Junior school.
From April 2011
The school became part of the Pegasus Academy Trust. Agnes Mason, an associate of D. H. Lawrence taught at this school for some years until Davidson Road School opened in 1907 when she went there to teach with Lawrence. A penetrating description of the school and its staff at that time is to be found in Helen Corke's book In our infancy:an autobiography, Part 1 1882-1912. She too was an associate of Lawrence.
Headteachers
The Headteachers of the school have been: Whitehorse Manor Junior School 1892-1911
From
To
Headteacher
4 July 1892
26 August 1911
Amelia Corney
Headteachers of Whitehorse Manor Senior Girls' School 1892-1961
After spending some years as Headteacher of Sydenham Junior Boys Mr Alfred Gregory returned as Headteacher of the new Junior school in 1961 Headteachers of Whitehorse Manor Junior School
In April 2011 the school became part of the Pegasus Academy Trust together with Whitehorse Manor Infant School and Ecclesbourne Primary School. The Executive Headteachers of The Pegasus Academy Trust are Jolyon Roberts and Lynne Sampson Head of School of Whitehorse Manor Junior School
