Brief History of Didcot Girls' School 1931-2011

 

St. Frideswide's School 1931

New Building (Sherwood) 1972

Cockcroft Building 1958

1931	St. Frideswide's School opened, for boys and girls.
1936	When St Birinus School was opened, St. Frideswide's School split: boys to St Birinus and girls remained at St Frideswide's School. All the girls and boys who passed the 11+ examination went to Wallingford Grammar School.
1958	In September 1958, Didcot Girls' Grammar School was opened in newly built premises, now known as the Cockcroft Building.  All the girls who were attending Wallingford School were transferred to Didcot Girls' Grammar School. Wallingford Grammar School kept the boys. Miss J E Holloway was appointed Headteacher. One of the pupils who was transferred from Wallingford School was Ann Packer - the athlete who won a Gold Medal in the Tokyo Olympics of 1964. St. Frideswide's School was the Secondary Modern School. The Headteacher was Miss E. M Lardner. The Grammar School girls wore a royal blue uniform - including a small hat - which had to be worn at all times when they were out of school and wearing school uniform. The St. Frideswide's School girls wore a green uniform.
1973	Didcot Girls' Grammar School and St. Frideswide's Secondary Modern School were amalgamated to form the new Didcot Girls' School (Comprehensive). Miss Holloway was appointed Headteacher with Miss Lardner, Associate Head. The New Building (now called Sherwood Building) was built in 1972 and was ready for occupation when the schools amalgamated.
1976	Miss Holloway retired (and died in December 1997). Miss Lardner was appointed Headteacher in 1976.
1981	Mrs Jenny Cottee was appointed Headteacher.
1985	Didcot Sixth Form created by amalgamation with St. Birinus' School. School's first network computer room installed in N7.
1987	Mrs Jeannette Hebbert was appointed Headteacher.
1996	Didcot Girls' School goes online with its first website.
1997	Didcot Girls' School was awarded Language College status. Whole-school computer network created, linking all main buildings.
?	New science block added to Cockcroft Building
?	New geography block added to Cockcroft Building
?	New technology extension to St Frideswides Building
2002	Didcot Girls' School became a Beacon School.
2003	Mrs Paula Taylor-Moore was appointed Headteacher.
?	Maroon blazer added to the school uniform
2006	Applied Learning College status awarded. New sports hall built at the back of St Frideswides Building.
2007	The new Austen Building completed - opposite Sherwood Road gate - a new home for the English Department.
2008	Mathematics and Computing status awarded.
2009	Mr Fernand Dierckens was appointed as acting Headteacher.
2010	Mrs Rachael Warwick was appointed Headteacher.
2011	New school website created. I retired at the end of this year.

The School crest was designed by Ron Freeborn, Head of Art in the Grammar School and then for many years in the Comprehensive School. The lightning flash represents Science in the locality, and the crown is that of St. Frideswide. Before it was digitised I created the simplified logo you see at the top of this page, which still appears today on the new website.

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