Our History

Boreham Wood Grammar School

Became Nicholas Hawksmoor School and then Hertswood Lower School

Cowley Hill, Boreham Wood

1956 - 1971 : Boreham Wood Grammar School became :

1971 - 2000 : Nicholas Hawksmoor School then

September 2000 : Hertswood Lower School

2013 becomes Hertswood Academy

Opened as a County Grammar School for children aged eleven to eighteen years in 1956 at a cost of £167,000.  The log records :

  "The school moved into its permanent building on Cowley Hill, Borehamwood, after five terms at Ravenscroft School, Barnet  …the only access was a cinder track into ‘A’ Block."

Children who entered the school had passed exams for that intention.  The exam, commonly called the Eleven Plus, was the County Secondary Selection Examination.

The buildings covered two acres and there were eleven acres of playing fields.  Headmaster was Mr P A Gardiner and his staff : Miss E J Aitkinson Senior Mistress Maths, Mr K Allan Senior Master History, Mr M J Thomas Science, Mr G C Fraser Modern Languages, Mr K E W Saggers PE Games Maths, Miss R L Sharp English, Mr D B Ingham Geography, Mr N H Luscombe Craft, Miss V D Fuller PE Music, Mr B Kent Art and Mrs L M White Housecraft.  Ancillary staff were : Head Caretaker Mr H Marshall, with an assistant and six cleaners.  Mr S Beard was the Groundsman.  School meals supervisor was Miss A E Dick with an assistant and two kitchen assistants.  The clerical assistant was Mrs R Butters who worked part-time, then Mrs G K Stringer full-time. 

School Opening 31st October 1956

A few weeks after the school opened in April there was a trip with about 100 pupils to see the film Richard III at the Odeon, Barnet.  The first parents meeting was 9th May, it was the also the first function in the school hall.  Other trips included the Tower of London, Southwark Cathedral, Hatfield House and Regents Park Open Theatre to see As You Like It. 

On 18th May the school was officially dedicated by the Bishop of St Albans, Rev. C Lawrence and Rev. B Knight.  In July the roll was 239 but increased to 332 in September with a class average of thirty two.

In the autumn there was incessant rain which caused problems.  The cycle shed was so flooded that a wall collapsed through flooding, the paved areas were flooded and a spring appeared in a corner of the Music Room.  The first Governors meeting on the premises was held in the library.  There was a tendancy of wetness to the whole site.

The school was formally opened by Sir Eric James, High Master of the Manchester Grammar School on 31st October 1956.  Other dignitaries were : Sir Edward Bennington Chairman of the County Council, Mr C H Aslin County Architect and the County Education Officer. 

Thursday and Friday, 1st and 2nd November, the school closed for half-term.  The first Christmas Play was The Rose And The Ring.  83 Cycling Proficiency Certificates were awarded.  Christmas Holidays were from 20th December - 9th January.  Half Term in February was Monday and Tuesday 25th and 26th.

September 1957 there were 425 on the roll.  Youth employment officers, Mr Gillett and Miss Robinson visited fifth formers to discuss careers.  Girls were given a talk on Nursing as a career. 

 

    School teams in 1958

In 1961, two of the teachers were Miss Ward and Miss Heydon.  In 1962 the new Headteacher was Mr Wilkes until 1968, then Mr T Thomas who retired in 1988. 

In September 1971 it became an all-ability Comprehensive School and re-named Nicholas Hawksmoor after the architect who lived and is buried in Shenley.  In 1974 the school was transferred to the three-tier system taking children thirteen to sixteen.

In 2000 the education system in Boreham Wood reverted to two-tier, the school was re-named Hertswood (a combination of Hertfordshire and Borehamwood). It had alterations and extensions added to accommodate up to 2000 children as it was proposed that this was to be the only Upper School in the town.  However, in 2001 it became a Lower School and shared accommodation with Holmshill school, re-named as the Upper School, nearby.  Whilst the changes were in operation, 2000 to 2001, it became the Lower School using the premises at Hillside School as the upper section for the older children.  Holmshill continued to operate as a primary school during the interim.

It became an Academy in 2013, the Holmshill site was sold for housing in 2015, and the new single site building in Cowley Hill was opened in September 2019.

YOUR MEMORIES

Alan Martin Remembers :
It is the autumn of 1959 and the beginning of my second year at Borehamwood Grammar School. I struggled during the first year so found myself in Form 2Beta, which meant I was excluded from the study of Latin.
We lived in Stanborough Avenue, No 62, on the second, more recent, of the council estates of Borehamwood. The house was on a steep rise leading all the way up from Cowley Hill Road, at the bottom of which sprawled the extensive " campus " of the Grammar School. The distance between must have been the best part of three-quarters of a mile.
I would sometimes see two or three older boys at the cut-through at Gateshead Road but that was it, everybody else seemed to converge along Shenley Road or Hartforde Road. Mine was invariably a lonely trudge, especially when burdened with difficult Maths and Science homework.
However, life brightened up. First was my new form master, Mr Sonnex, who would pass by our house early in his daily commute. We believed he and his family rented a flat further up the rise. He taught French and was a very alert, positive presence. Secondly I benefited from English Teacher Mr Handley, a Yorkshireman. He extolled the virtues of my essays in the staffroom! And thirdly there was the marvellous Mrs Farmer who made Maths explicable through her clear, calm exposition and provision of examples to refer to. I shot to the top of the form.
The rest of my life was fine too. I had retained my first year friendship with Roger Woods, who lived in Shenley Village, so made frequent cycle rides to Shenley Recreation Ground to play football with him and his mates.
And that was it. Monday to Friday: French, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History, English, Art, Woodwork, R. E. , Music, P. E. / Games. The latter meant the redoubtable Ken Bartlett. He played for Saracens and was the " real deal " where rugby was concerned. In no time at all he transformed soccer-playing council house kids into the best school's rugby side in Hertfordshire and beyond. Where sports prowess was concerned our year was exceptional.
Of course I am talking about the boys. There were as many girls but despite this there was, in general,  a mutual disregard. Girls sat on one side of the class, boys the other. Only the more daring, more enlightened perhaps, would persistently bridge the divide. I suffered agonies with unacknowledged, unrequited " crushes ". All the while, outside school, The Shadows and Everley Brothers would be enhancing the airwaves.
It was a privilege, an advantage, to be studying at Borehamwood Grammar School although in my case it led to a certain " social isolation " in that so few other Grammar pupils lived nearby. And if you wore the uniform it did tend to exclude you from your previous pals who were enjoying the freedom of Secondary Modern life. Homework was a very significant part of Grammar School life for the conscientious.
But it was all worth it for the memories of experiences shared with exuberant characters who were seemingly capable of anything!

Nick Male Remembers :
I started at BGS in 1971.  The Headmaster then was Mr. Wilkes. He wasn't there for very long and was followed by Mr.Thomas, who was still Head when I left in 1971.

We were divided into three houses :
Cobden ( Blue)
Marlins ( Red )
Sellwoods ( Yellow )
These were named after the fields on which the school was built.

My form, 1Z , was in Sellwoods.  All my uniform and equipment came from Girlings in Shenley Road.  Rugby was a big thing in our school, where many of the teachers were Welsh. Each team had it's own tie. Our first games master was John Cox and he was followed by Bob Cross. The deputy head was John Francombe and senior mistress was Marion Baxter.

In some ways the school was very traditional. For example, the overall winner in the annual sports day was 'Victor Ludorum' which means 'Victor of the Games ', in Latin.  I had the good fortune to study Latin, French and German.

Today, I am vice-chair of the Boreham Wood and Elstree Town Twinning Association, visiting France or Germany every year.  As a Roman Catholic, I sing some Latin in the church choir.

We had many extra-curricular activities.  I belonged to the Debating Society, 'Jazz Folk and Blues Club' and ' Film Club'. I also sang in the Madrigal Group under Ewart Hopkins.  We broadcast for the BBC and took part in the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.  I acted in many school plays . My favourite was She Stoops to Conquer, where I played the juvenile lead, Tony Lumpkin.

I eventually became a teacher myself and am very grateful for the education I received at BGS.

Ann and Tim Bracey Remember :
'A'-level Spanish lessons 1972-3 with Mrs Portillo must have been rather trying for her as some of us were not natural linguists. Unlike her more talented son of course!

Surreptitious trips to the Cannon pub at lunchtime. The Red Lion and the Mops and Brooms were also favourites.

Geography field courses to Whitby staying in a boarding house owned by Mrs Slagholme. We used the pork pies from her packed lunches as hand grenades.

Cross country runs that everyone hated. Playing netball in the snow. Tennis in the summer with heavy wooden racquets.

Stripey pink or green summer dresses for the girls that we had to make ourselves.

Mr Thomas the long serving Headmaster. Mr Sonnex the German Teacher, he had a wooden stick, shaped like a short tree branch, that he used to bang a desk with.

We were very proud to be the very first residents of the newly built sixth form centre. Our own dining area, a lecture theatre, study area and relaxation area, where of course we spent most of our time. There was a record player with about a dozen records that were played endlessly. One or two good parties too!

Swimming lessons at the Thatched Barn pool.

Skiing trip to Adelboden in Switzerland.

First sight of and very simple use of, a computer, at the College near Elstree Way.

Witnessing some of the events at the time – Summer 1969 watching the Apollo 11 Moon landing on a TV in the main hall. Hearing sonic bangs in 1967 as an RAF Fighter flew across London – testing for Concorde.

Rock climbing trips to the Peak District and Wales with Mr Laing, the Geography Teacher.

Peter Kirby Remembers : His 1959 Speech Day Programme :