By Nick Pollard
Halliford School was founded in 1921 as Shepperton Grammar School, and occupied a building in Laleham Road, just by the present junction with Manor Farm Avenue. It provid-ed education for boys and girls from the ages of 5 to 14. The school was founded and owned by the first Headmaster, Alfred Dobree Toplis, who had become a teacher after service in the First World War. In about 1929 it moved to Halliford House, by the Thames in Russell Road, which is its current site. The whole school was accommodated in the large 18th century mansion, with a few ancillary buildings such as a wooden gymnasium. In 1935, Mr Toplis sold the school to a Major Fyson, who took over as headmaster. He and his wife changed the name to ‘Shepperton School’, and also established the ‘Shepperton School for Girls’ in the adjacent Willow House (now on the other side of Wadham Close from the school). The Fysons also started a kindergarten in the same building. In 1946 the school again changed hands, the new proprietor/headmaster was Maxwell Mor-rison, who changed the name once more, to ‘Halliford School’.
Mr Morrison also closed the School for Girls. After another couple of short-lived changes of ownership, in 1956 the Board of Governors organized a buy-out for the sum of £2000, ending the pro-cession of private ownership and forging Hal-liford School as it is today. Michael Bullivant was appointed headmaster by the Board in 1958. A building programme of much needed modernization and new facilities was begun, the first of which, in 1957, was a quadrangle of classrooms which stood on the site behind the present theatre. The decision was also taken to no longer ad-mit boarding pupils from 1958. John Reilly became headmaster in 1962. He phased out the Junior School whilst continu-ing the programme of modernization, and a new gym/hall facility was built. In order to finance these develop-ments, part of the school grounds adjoin-ing Manygate Lane were sold for housing development. In the 1970s a new library was added adjacent to the school hall, followed by changing rooms, a new Music Room, and a swimming pool.
Mr John Crook took over as head in 1984 and more expansion of the school’s facilities followed, culminating in the Baker building in 1991 and the John Crook Theatre, opened by actor Frank Finlay, a Shepperton resident, in 2001. Phillip Cottam succeeded as head in 2002, and during his tenure the new school sports hall, library and 6th form centre were constructed. The current head, James Davies, took up the reins in 2017, and despite the challeng-es of Covid, the school continues to thrive and expand, with the new Woodward building being opened on 10th November. If you are looking for Christmas presents for someone who has an interest in our area, the Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society will have a stand with our full range of books, including the new ‘History Matters’, at the Sunbury Christmas Market in the Avenue on Thurs 9th Dec 5pm-8pm, and also at the ‘Little Tree Night’ at Shepperton Village Hall on Weds 15th December 3.30pm-7.30pm.