Column: Brighton Hill head Chris Edwards on school's name change

Understandably, there was some surprise shown by some local residents, but, as people become aware of the school’s history, they realised that it is cause for celebration and pride in our town’s rich educational past.

Before the famous Reading Blue Coat School was set up in the 1600s, it was actually a school of the same name, founded in Basingstoke in 1659, which became The Blue Coat School in Cross Street.

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Chris Edwards (Image: Brighton Hill Community School) The money was sourced from the will of the late Richard Aldworth and originally served just 10 boys, who were given food and lodgings at the school. The school had a facelift in 1718 and, in 1820, an extension was built to accommodate extra students. Sadly, however, the school closed due to bankruptcy in the late 1800s and the building was demolished in 1966.

Coincidentally, a new school on Western Way was built in 1963 and, as a fitting tribute to the Blue Coat School, it was deemed that it should be named after its founder, Richard Aldworth. The original stone plaque from Blue Coat School was built into the entrance and is still there to see, to this very day.

When the school joined the South Farnham Educational Trust, alongside Brighton Hill, the decision was made to celebrate this rich history by returning the school to its original name and we have been delighted to see that this has caused great excitement amongst our own local historians, as well as those at the Reading Blue Coat School, who are delighted by the potential links which will now be built between the two educational institutions.

Clearly, people take time to get used to change, but we know that our local community will happily embrace the decision to restore our local school’s name, as it starts a fresh chapter under its new headteacher, Jane Halsey.