1930 - 1939: Foundations and a World on the Brink of War

The 1930s were a period of significant change and uncertainty in Europe, and these global events cast a shadow over the early years of Botley School. Before the school's establishment, children from Botley attended schools in neighbouring villages. Younger children (juniors) went to the small schools at Cumnor and North Hinksey, while older children (seniors) faced a longer journey to St Frideswide's, Oxford Boys' School in Cowley, or Milham Ford School. This arrangement was far from ideal, particularly for the younger children, and local families had been campaigning for a school in Botley for some time.

Botley itself in the 1930s was a very different place from the bustling community it is today. It was still part of Berkshire. There was no A34 bypass, and the West Way was a much quieter road. Seacourt Farm, with its fields of animals, stood where Seacourt Tower and the retail park now exist. Elms Farm, owned by the Howse family, occupied the land where Elms Parade and West Way Square now stand, with large fields, known locally as the "cow fields," stretching out towards what is now Elms Rise Estate. Beyond that, the landscape was largely fields and farmland.

The new Wytham & Botley Council School, built on land owned by Colonel ffennell, finally opened its doors on 26 April 1938. This date also marked the 15th wedding anniversary of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, a detail noted in the school logbook. The very first entry in the logbook, dated 26 April 1938, records the school's opening and the attendance of senior children from the surrounding villages: North Hinksey, Appleton, Cumnor, and Kennington, as well as seniors from Botley itself who had been attending schools in Oxford. Although initially intended as a senior school, it also admitted a limited number of infants and juniors, reflecting the strong local demand.

Miss Woodward took charge of Junior Classes 1 and 2 on that first day, and she later recalled the chaotic nature of the opening, with staff scrambling to obtain basic supplies like pencils. Mr. L. George Harber, a strict but fair man and a former major in World War I (often referred to as Major Harber), was the school's first headmaster. Mr. P.G. Bennett was the caretaker, and his wife, Mrs. C. Bennett, assisted him. Miss Annie Enoch was the school cook.

The decision to admit younger children to what was technically a secondary school stemmed from the inadequacy of the existing provision in North Hinksey. As the population of Botley grew, parents had become increasingly vocal about the need for a local school for their younger children. There were even plans at one point to build a separate primary school where the nursery now stands. Another early challenge was the bus service. Mothers from Farmoor complained about the route taken by the school bus, which dropped off juniors at Cumnor before taking seniors to Botley, resulting in an unnecessarily long day for the younger children. This issue was, fortunately, resolved quite quickly.

As the 1930s drew to a close, the shadow of war loomed large over Europe. In September 1938, the school, like many others, began preparations for a potential conflict. It became an Air Raid Precaution Centre, and around 1500 gas masks were fitted and distributed in the North Hinksey parish. On September 30th, news arrived of the Munich Agreement, a temporary reprieve from the threat of war. Mr. Harber noted in the logbook the widespread relief and the special prayers for peace that had been held in the school during the preceding week.

This sense of relief, however, was short-lived. Just a year later, in September 1939, Britain declared war on Germany, and the school's focus shifted dramatically.