Old Buckenham Hall School

Old Brettenham Hall School

The School is currently split into the three parts;

• Nursery (ages 3–4)
• Pre-Prep School (Reception – Year 2)
• Prep School (Years 3–8)

The school is located in a grade II* listed building in about 80 acres (320,000 m²) of parkland in the Suffolk village of Brettenham. Its pupils take the Common Entrance exam, going on to a range of public schools such as Uppingham, Oundle, Rugby, Framlingham and The Leys.

The school was founded as a boys' school in 1862 by Misses Ellen and Margaret Ringer in the Suffolk coastal town of Lowestoft under the name 'South Lodge Preparatory School'. The school remained there for 75 years before moving to much larger premises at Old Buckenham Hall in the village of Old Buckenham, Norfolk, previously the residence of financier Lionel Robinson. Here the school really started to grow. In December 1952, disaster struck and the Hall was burnt down by fire.[8] In January of the following year the school found new premises at Merton Hall near Thetford, Norfolk. Here the school tried to pick up the pieces and get back on track but disaster struck again with a second fire in January 1956.[9] The school's survival was seriously put in question and several possibilities were discussed as to what to do next. The school became aware that Brettenham Park in Suffolk had come onto the market and the property was acquired. The school (now known as Old Buckenham Hall School) moved in September 1956 and soon became well established. The school has been on this site since, first taking on girls in the 1990s. The current Headmaster is David Griffiths, who joined OBH from Daneshill School where he was Headmaster. He had previously been Deputy Head and Acting Head of St John’s on-the-hill School.[10]

The school makes use of its sports pitches and facilities including 3 rugby pitches, 2 football pitches, 5 football and 6 hockey pitches, 5 cricket squares, 7 tennis courts, 2 squash courts, all-weather netball courts, a 2,000-yard (1,800 m) nine-hole golf course and an outdoor heated swimming pool. Pupils spend 5 (of 6) afternoons a week playing games. Pupils at OBH play a wide variety of sports including rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, football, athletics, gymnastics, Cross country running, golf, swimming and netball.

Being a predominantly day and transitional boarding school, the school offers a wide range of activities for the pupils including: archery, sailing and clay-pigeon shooting.

There are three ponds: the island pond, the mirror pond and Dragonfly pond. The school maintains an orchard, a historic arboretum, the big woods, two outdoor classrooms, owl boxes, beehives and also keeps chickens and ducks. The school’s famous Thatched Pavilion played host to an England XI versus the touring Australian Ashes side in 1921.

The school is also home to the Brettenham Village Cricket Club and hosts an annual fireworks event for the local community.[11]

• Jaime Alguersuari spent one year at the school
• George Blagden, actor most famous for his starring role in the BBC series, Versailles
• Charles Bowman (Lord Mayor of London)
• Benjamin Britten, composer
• Robert Brooke-Popham, Governor of Singapore
• Harry Judd, drummer for McFly and McBusted
• Bill Sharpe, founder member of Shakatak
• Clive Stafford Smith, human rights lawyer
• Laura Wright, singer from All Angels

"Five heads in 130 years" is the subtitle of J. D. Sewell's 1992 history of the school.[12]

*However "there was only one master, Mr Annesley".[12]

The school has occupied Brettenham Park since 1956. It was purchased from the Warner family, whose lineage includes Courtenay Warner, and from whom the school derives its coat of arms and motto.

The Grade II* listed house is of C16 origin and built upon the site of a much earlier residence. It was enlarged in the C19 as the residence of Joseph Bonaparte.[16]

• School Website
• Profile on the ISC website
• Profile on the Good Schools Guide
• Profile on Tatler

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