School History

Throughout 1997 and 1998, the then Headmaster Mr Jonathan Lee and Governors of Trent College assessed the need to establish a Junior School of their own. After hearing news of the impending sale of the old Elms Hotel adjacent to the campus, the decision was taken to launch The Elms the Junior School to Trent College in September 1999.

The school opened on the 9th September 1999 with 142 pupils.  It was led by Mrs Anne Beardsley as the first head of The Elms School, and 15 members of staff including lunchtime/playground supervisors and Nursery Nurses. In its early stages the school comprised of the original hotel building and three temporary classrooms. As the school opened with greater numbers than were anticipated, immediate building was required in the shape of the David Wigglesworth Building, which was named after the chairman of the Governing Body responsible for the birth of The Elms.

After its completion, the formal opening of the school took place on Saturday 25th September 2000, with David Wigglesworth himself performing the ceremonial ribbon cutting; the completion of the David Wigglesworth Building saw classes at The Elms full and complete.

In response to its popularity, and the Governors' recognition of the enormous benefits to the children's education, particularly the appointment of specialised teaching staff, the decision was taken in 2001 to develop The Elms into a two form entry school.

This expansion resulted in the need for another building, this time in the shape of the Elms Upper School, completed in August 2002 and opened the following July by Miss Georgina Lee, British Olympic swimmer.

Following the retirement of Mrs Beardsley in September 2007, Mr Keith Morrow was appointed as the new Head and the School expanded to include three additional classes, one for Year 4, 5 and 6. A new building project was embarked upon and in the Michaelmas Term 2008, The Elms Upper School extension and new Nursery extension were completed, enabling a third class of Year 3 pupils to be part of the Lower School.

New facilities for 2008 / 09 included three new classrooms, a new library, an extended nursery bungalow, new offices, changing rooms and a new dining room. The Elms now has 2 form entry for infants (5 - 7 year olds) and 3 form entry for juniors (7 - 11 year olds). The Elms has approximately 350 pupils organised into 18 classes plus 2 nursery classes.