History of Sedbergh School in 50 Objects #33: Cressbrook House and the arrival of Juniors at Sedbergh
In the spring of 1976 Cressbrook School, Kirkby Lonsdale, sadly announced that it would close at the end of the summer term. Cressbook had been founded by Old Sedberghian, Felix Dowson in 1913, and although it was wholly independent from Sedbergh, it had functioned for decades as Sedbergh’s main feeder school in the Lune Valley. Dowson was succeeded on his retirement by another OS, David Donald, ensuring the Sedbergh connection remained strong throughout the 63 years of the school’s existence.
When Cressbrook’s closure was revealed, the Governors of Sedbergh expressed concern that those boys in the upper years of Cressbrook School, who were destined for Sedbergh might move to prep schools with an affiliation to other senior schools, ultimately resulting in those boys being lost to Sedbergh. A pilot scheme was developed on an experimental basis for twenty boys in their final year at Cressbrook School to be offered a new ‘twelve-plus’ entry scheme to Sedbergh School. It was not known at the time, but the ‘pilot’ scheme would shape Sedbergh’s future.
The boys were accommodated in part of the sanatorium under the aegis of their Housemaster, Mr Peter Yorke (O.S.), assisted by Mrs Alexa Whiteman. The experiment was not immediately successful as numbers of junior boys fell in the first few terms. However, by the Autumn term of 1978, Attenborough reported that for the first time Cressbrook House was functioning as intended with nineteen boys. The following year 29 boys were listed in the Brown Book and numbers continued to grow.
To capitalise on the arrival of juniors at Sedbergh and potential for further growth, Headmaster Peter Attenborough expanded the prep aged initiative by developing events aimed purely at advertising Sedbergh to a prep school market. He created competitions and festivals to foster relationships and showcase the School, including the Prep Schools’ Music and Art Festival in Sedbergh in 1980 which included 250 children from eighteen schools, and a successful Drama Day the following year, again with invited prep schools joining proceedings.
The education of junior aged pupils at Sedbergh has been a resounding success. In the early 2000’s pupil numbers grew to such a degree that a new site at Bentham was acquired to fit the burgeoning junior department, opening in 2003 as a school in its own right, Sedbergh Junior School, for the first time. In the years since, the Junior School has returnednto Sedbergh and in 2013 was reformed as the expansive and magnificently equipped Casterton Sedbergh Prep School. The Prep School hosts its own swimming pool; sports hall, courts and pitches; play barn and assembly hall ensuring that the site functions as a stand-alone school with its own strong identity and values. Headteacher Kate Martin, commented in a recent communication to parents,
‘As I moved around the school throughout the day, I spoke with many of our pupils. Time and again, I was struck by how impressive they are; polite, respectful, and, quite simply, great company. Not only did I talk with them, but I laughed with them too. It was a timely reminder of what makes this place so special.’
Juniors have enhanced the breadth of Sedbergh’s education, bringing eagerness, and inquisitiveness to our already vibrant school.
