Our History

Nicholas Hawksmoor School

1971 to 2000 - ex Boreham Wood Grammar, became Hertswood Lower School

Cowley Hill Boreham Wood

This school was formerly Boreham Wood Grammar School which opened in 1956. 

In September 1971 it became an all-ability Comprehensive school and another name was sought.  The governors wished to call it High Canons, presumably after the school in Ridge that had once served the children of the area, but Hertfordshire Council decided on the name of Nicholas Hawksmoor after the architect who once lived in Shenley. and is buried there.

Mr Thomas was the headteacher and had been at the school since 1958.  The chairman of the Governors was Mr G J Roderick.  The deputy heads were Mrs Baxter and Mr Francombe.  There were 476 children on the roll and over half of these took school dinners.

In 1972 there were extensions to the school.  In 1973 the addition of three occasional days in the Spring half-term were approved.  Link courses with the Boreham Wood College of Further Education were approved.  These comprised of Motor Vehicle Engineering, Engineering, Craft Studies, Computer Studies, Typing and Office Practice.  There was a day's holiday 14th November for Princess Anne’s wedding.

The Teachers in 1973

Girls Sixth Form in 1973

In 1974 the school was transferred to the three-tier system taking children thirteen to sixteen and extensions were added, science and teaching blocks, and it was proposed that the school should share joint use of the new community sports hall which was built on the site.

In 1975 the PTA was founded and a parent, Mr Oliver, was the first representative on the governing body . There was a concern over the provision of housing for teachers in Boreham Wood. There was a careers department in the school. Children from Shenley travelled by a school coach.  The play at Christmas was A Christmas Carol.

The Sixth Form in 1976

In 1976 extra playing fields were purchased from the Wrotham Park Estate.  In 1977 Mr K Barnard, head of spanish, exchanged with a spanish teacher Senor JM Pertusa-Ruis.

The Sixth Form in 1977

1979 there was concern over falling school rolls not only in Boreham Wood but in all of Hertfordshire.  The school had its first computer terminal installed.  In 1980 the canteen tried a cafeteria system.

In 1981 there were four entries to Oxbridge.  Mr Henderson was the caretaker who lived on site.  A new City and Guilds course in Engineering was established.

In 1982 the entry fees for public exams cost the school £10,000 pa.  There was a link course with the college, now called De Havilland College, with BEC (Business Education Council) for pupils in the Sixth Form.  Staff included: Mrs Dix - music, Mr Calloway - CDT, Mrs Middleton, Mrs McInnerney, Mr Mason, Mrs Baxter - deputy head (left 1984), Mr G Sonnex - deputy head (left 1984) and Mrs Collins as Bursar.

In 1984 Sixth and Fourth form students of spanish went to spend time in the Universities of Valencia and Barcelona.  The head reported that some pupils were doing too much part-time work which was affecting progress in their studies. 

However, in 1985 the school employed pupils as cleaners because of the difficulty in recruiting staff because of poor pay.  Nine teachers left the school that summer, some left the profession altogether. There were funding problems and cuts in the school budget.  The computer suite opened in November.  The heating was changed from oil to gas.  There were 650 on the roll with six forms in each of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Forms.

In 1986 corporal punishment was abolished by HCC.  In 1987 a consortium comprising of Nicholas Hawksmoor, Hillside Schools and the college was initiated to provide a range of courses desirable for the age range of sixteen to nineteen years.  The GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) was introduced.  TVEI was also initiated - this was Technical and Vocational Education for the age range of fourteen to eighteen years and included the subjects of Vocational French, Modern Studies, IT and Manufacturing Technology.  Later it also included PSE, Graphic & Product Design and Food Industries. 

During the late 1980s there were student exchanges with twin-town Offenburg.  Mr Thomas retired in 1988.  Mrs J Maynard was acting head until 1989 when Mr Phil Tompkins was appointed and who remained at the school until its closure in 2000.  The school produced its own magazine Hawk.  Mrs B Ainsley was the secretary.

In 2000 the education system in Boreham Wood reverted to two-tier and the school closed.  It was re-named Hertswood. - for further details of the Hawksmoor to Hertswood story, pleasae follow the link.