Ballard School (New Milton)

Ballard School
Location
New Milton Hampshire England
Coordinates	50°45′43″N1°39′31″W / 50.7620°N 1.6587°W / 50.7620; -1.6587
Information
Type	Independent School
Established	1895
Headmaster	Andrew McCleave
Age range	2 to 16
Number of students	450
Campus size	34 acres
Communities served	Friends of Ballard School (FOBS)
Website	ballardschool.co.uk

Ballard School is a private school located in New Milton, Hampshire, for children aged 2 to 16 years. The headmaster is Andrew McCleave (since 2018). ^[1]

Ballard School offers scholarships and bursaries, ^[2] and does not require an entrance exam for admission ^[3]

History

Ballard School was founded as the Royal Naval School by William Higgs Colborne and James Cruickshank at Lee-on-the-Solent in August 1895. Great Ballard House was designed by Sydney Kelway Pope M.S.A, a local Southampton architect. Around 1905, the Royal Navy requested that the name be changed and so it was renamed as Edinburgh House School.

James Cruickshank married his partner's daughter Louisa in 1901. The school remained at premises in Manor Way, Lee-on-the-Solent throughout the first World War. Following the deaths of both William and James, Louisa became joint Principal with her son Stuart.

After the War, it was decided that the school would not move back to Lee-on-the-Solent. One of the teachers, Ted Kingsley, and the then headteacher, Stuart Cruickshank, leased the Great Ballard estate in New Milton, and the school took occupation in January 1946.

Great Ballard House was built in 1904 by John Arnold Ubsdell (2nd) and his wife Genevieve Ann (née Eads). In 1924, the house and estate had been leased to a newly formed school named Great Ballard School. This school remained in occupation until 1940, when it moved to Clayesmore School in Iwerne Minster, Dorset before moving first to Stowell Park Gloucestershire, then Camberley Surrey and finally to Eartham West Sussex.

Edinburgh House School merged with Gorse Cliff and Marchwood Park Schools in 1969. The new Principal was the Rev. Ian Watson who remained in post until 1973. After him,

• Rev R. Drown was headmaster from 1973-1984
• Mr. J. Quibell-Smith was headmaster from 1984-1988
• Mr A.R. Leighton was headmaster from 1988-1995

In 1995 Edinburgh House School merged with Fernhill Manor, an adjoining girls school. The larger school was named Ballard School.

Academics

Ballard School provides education for four key groups. Ballard School Pre-Prep consists of Nursery, Reception and Year 2. Lower Prep consists of KS2 year 3, 4 and 5. Upper Prep consists of KS2 year 6 and KS3 year 7 and 8. Senior consists of year 9, 10 and 11.

In 2015 ^[4] and 2016, ^[5] Ballard School achieved a 100% pass rate of A* to C GCSE results in English and Maths with 98% of the cohort achieving the Gold standard of at least five ‘good passes’ at A* to C grades (including English and Maths graded at 4 and above). ^[6]

Inspection Reports

Ballard School has been judged to be 'excellent & outstanding' by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. All reports are available on their website. ^[7]

Notable alumni

• Tim Nurse, field hockey player ^{[8] [ failed verification ]}

References

1. "Meet the Headmaster of Ballard School in Hampshire". www.ballardschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
2. "Ballard School New Milton Scholarships & Bursaries". www.ballardschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
3. "Ballard School Admissions Policies". www.ballardschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
4. "Academic Overview & GCSE results at Ballard School". www.ballardschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
5. "Academic Overview & GCSE results at Ballard School". www.ballardschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
6. "Ballard GCSE results". Ballard School. Ballard School. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
7. "Ballard School in Hampshire - Inspection Reports". www.ballardschool.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
8. "HOCKEY: Queen's student wins writers' club prize". This is The West Country. Retrieved 19 July 2017.