History

Woodhouse Grove School was founded in 1812 by the Wesleyan Methodist Conference near Bradford to educate ministers’ sons. Re-founded in 1883, it opened to boys from wider backgrounds.

Brontë House, its junior school, was opened in 1934. Girls joined the sixth form in 1979, and the school became fully co-educational in 1985.

Today, students are guided by strong Grovian values and the ethos of “I am Grovian” promoting generosity, kindness and resilience.

Truro School founded in Cornwall as Truro Wesleyan Middle Class College.

Kent College, Canterbury founded by the Wesleyan Methodist Schools’ Association.

In the early 20th century, the need for a Methodist girls’ school akin to the successful Methodist boys’ school, The Leys School in Cambridge, became apparent. A group of distinguished Methodists convened to
address this gap, forming a committee to establish a sister school to The Leys.

Sir George (later Lord) Hayter Chubb assumed the role of Chairman of Governors, demonstrating unwavering dedication for many years. Notable members of the Board of Governors included Mr T Ferens, the Revd R J Scott Lidgett, and Sir George Wyatt Truscott.

To finance the endeavour, individuals were invited to purchase shares in a private limited company. The committee diligently sought suitable land near London, emphasising a healthy and spacious environment for future expansions.

After considering various sites, the committee acquired the land in Chislehurst, Kent, where Farringtons now stands. This land had once been home to a 17th-century mansion, occupied by the Farrington family, lending its name to the school.

In 1911 the inaugural school building, initially named “School House” and now known as “East House,” was constructed, and Miss Alice Hollingdrake Davies assumed the role of the first Headmistress. With an initial enrolment of fourteen pupils, Farringtons began to thrive, even enduring a brief relocation to Devon during World War I.

By the early 1920s, the existing accommodation at Farringtons proved insufficient, necessitating further construction to accommodate the growing student body.

In 1925 Queen Mary graciously visited Farringtons to inaugurate the new buildings, allowing the central area to be named Queen’s Court in her honour. The assembly hall was named after Mr Ferens, who generously contributed to the construction. Queen Mary maintained an ongoing interest in the school, sending gifts and staying informed about its activities.

Farringtons was granted a royal charter in 1928, and Queen Mary permitted her royal cypher to be incorporated into the school’s coat of arms.

Methodist Independent Schools Trust (MIST) was established in 2011, succeeding the former Board of Management for Methodist Schools. This transition marked a shift from direct management to a governance-focused model, enabling MIST to better support and oversee its family of schools while staying true to its Methodist foundations.