The Skinners' School

The outbreak of the Second World War on 3 September 1939 delayed the commencement of the Autumn Term until trenches could be dug at the school. To avoid the bombing raids, 369 students of the Westminster City School in London were evacuated to The Judd School in the relative safety of Tonbridge.[26][27] Initially, each school used the facilities three days per week, but Taylor (1988) notes that "imaginative timetables" enabled all Judd pupils to attend five days a week by the end of 1941.[28] The Westminster boys were instructed to further evacuate to Exmouth, Devon in July 1944, but ended up fleeing back to London.[29] In a bombing raid that same year a rocket shell exploded in a neighbouring field, destroying more than 200 panes of glass and numerous doors and windows.[30] By the end of the war, 60 former pupils had lost their lives, and 48 were decorated.[31] On 31 December 1944, The Judd School became the first in the country to be awarded the status of a voluntarily aided grammar school in new legislation brought in by the Butler Education Act, which meant it received state funding, but could continue to select pupils by ability.[32][33]
[edit] Post-war years: 1945–1986
A detached red bricked building, with two chimneys, behind a green hedge and a tree to the left.
10 Brook Street is known as Lawton's, after a former head of the Kent Education Committee who funded its purchase.[34]

Francis Hillier Taylor, previously senior history master at The Skinners' School, was appointed as Morgan's successor at the end of the spring term in 1946, a position that attracted 321 applications.[32] During his tenure, Taylor significantly expanded the school facilities: in 1948, the headmaster's living quarters were converted to include a secretaries office, waiting room and medical inspection room (the headmaster moved to neighbouring Brook House, which was purchased by The Skinners' Company). In 1955, new geography rooms were constructed, followed three years later by a new gymnasium. Although not first used until two years later, a swimming pool was constructed in 1964 at the cost of £9,000.[35] Taylor also introduced some major curriculum changes, including the introduction of new subjects such as rural biology and zoology.[



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