Kingsley School Archives
For many years Rebecca Dyson, who first came to Kingsley as Head of History, has been the keeper of the school archive (down in the cellar), caring for the mass of paper, magazines, digital records and thousands of photographs and other school memorabilia. Her knowledge of the school’s history, right up to the present day, is unparalleled.
In this part of the website, we include some key images, which we hope will be of interest.
If you have any stories, images or items of interest for this part of the website or for the school archives, Rebecca Dyson would be delighted to hear from you:
Mrs Rebecca Dyson
Kingsley Archives
The Kingsley School
Beauchamp House
Beauchamp Avenue
Leamington Spa CV32 5RD
E-mail: alumni@kingsleyschool.co.uk
Timeline of The Kingsley School
1884
The Kingsley School began life as Leamington High School, founded by Rose Kingsley, with 17 girls and 3 full time assistants.
1887
Reference library begun “for use of mistresses and older girls.”
1888
Gymnasium opened by Dr Jowett (cost £388 and £42 8s for appliances).
1893
Pupil Ivy Merridew obtained more distinctions in Cambridge Junior than any other girl in England.
1894
Sixth Form constituted.
1895
Playground provided “where cricket and other games have been enjoyed to substantial advantage of the work of the school”.
1901
Old Girls’ Union and Debating Society formed.
1905
Botanical laboratory formed.
1911
Domestic science department started.
1915
House system begins.
1917
Chemical laboratory fitted up.
1919
L.H.S. won first prize for decorated car in peace procession.
1920
Over 200 girls enrolled.
1921
School orchestra begins.
1922
Beauchamp Hall site bought. Over 250 girls enrolled.
1925
First school visit to Paris.
1929
Art room and new classroom built. Over 300 girls enrolled.
1932
Dorothy Sweet becomes Headmistress. School affiliated to Students’ Career Association. Miss Sweet enlists help of Old Girls in giving advice and talks on careers in nursing, domestic science and physical training.
1934
Fifty Years Jubilee.
1936
A new room was built for the kindergarten.
1939-1945
Miss Sweet drives to Coventry after the bombing to check on girls’ welfare. Kingsley accommodates girls from bombed schools. Staff and students sleep upstairs to ‘Fire Watch’. Cellar is used as an air-raid shelter. Houses knit for the Forces, support the Red Cross ‘penny a week’ fund and collect articles for prisoners-of-war parcels. Kingsley supports ‘Friends of Coventry Cathedral’.
1952
Susan Partridge won the Italian Lawn Tennis Championships.
1959
75th Jubilee.
1961
Miss Sweet retires after 29 years as Headmistress. Sir Anthony and Lady Eden open the new wing of Beauchamp Hall, with two labs and a staff room upstairs and the domestic science room and cloakrooms downstairs (later converted into two more classrooms).
1962
Lord Leigh offers Stoneleigh Abbey to be used for fundraising events, continuing a long association with the Leigh family. Lord Leigh was the first Chair of Governors, and his daughter Cordelia Leigh was a Governor for many years.
1977
Miss Jones retires as Headmistress.
1977-88
Central heating and electric bells installed. End of term handshaking and wearing of hats for senior girls abolished.
1981
First school computers.
1984
100 years old. 100th Birthday Pageant.
1988
Current Sixth Form premises bought.
1989
Cedar and Dilke Houses combined to form Junior School.
1990s
The ‘Kingsley 95 Fund’ reaches goal to build a new school hall.
1992
New sports pavilion built at sports fields.
1994
110 years old.
1995
A new all-purpose hall at the bottom of the garden was built. It was opened in 1998 and has become the space where the community can come together as one to communicate, celebrate and congratulate.
2009
New garden created to celebrate 125 years.
2011
Kingsley Junior School becomes The Kingsley Preparatory School. First awarding of The Kingsley Rose Award.
2013
First female commanding officer in Afghanistan, Colonel Bethan Targett, guest speaker at Summer Prize Giving.
2014
Historic Houses – house names changed and garden party to mark 130 years. Commemorative musical piece ‘O’ Speak written by Warwick composer Jonathan Clark.
2015
Julie Gibson, RAF’s first female pilot guest speaker at Summer Prize Giving.
2025
From September 2025, we will be extending co-education from the Prep School, welcoming boys into the Senior School and Sixth Form. Boys will initially be integrated into Years 7 and 12.