VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
used today as an entrance, but that the entrance hall itself is now the main foyer and is still the first thing that a visitor sees when they arrive at the school. With that in mind, some of our pupils thought that Finch would be pleased to know that its school leavers still walk out of that front door and onto the driveway for the last time as part of their traditional graduation ceremony. Since Finch built the manor, much of the site has changed. Where there were once the furnishings of a house, there are now school desks and books. Where grand parties were once held, pupils now attend assemblies and lessons. One of Finch’s former courtyards is also now home to the school’s computer suite – a stark reminder of the changes between the 18th century and the present.
Is it true the building was once believed to be haunted?
Many of our school traditions were also mentioned in the pupil’s letters as the site has had its fair share of pupil, and staff, rumours over the years, the most notorious being the history room ghost. The room, situated on the first floor used to be a bedroom with a walk-in closet but now only exists as a small annex in the corner. One of our pupils wrote to Finch: “Did you find it hard sleeping in the room knowing there is a ghost?” Whilst Finch lived before the Victorian era and its obsession with the ‘other side’ the pupils imagined he would have heard many spooky tales during his lifetime.
What similarities did the pupils discover about the history of their school compared with today?
There are still some similarities for sure, as one pupil explained, “we still keep animals Mr Finch” referencing the school’s extensive outdoor learning fields and its smallholding with its growing collection of animals. Today, York House is home to more than 50 different animals, including donkeys, ponies, sheep, pigs, micro pigs, a tortoise, goats and pygmy goats. Our onsite smallholding is a source of pride and joy to all of our pupils and staff who each take an active role in their care. Our animals are also an important part of daily life at school for our children. They are not farmed; they are here until retirement and most of them are rescued animals as part of our environmental and sustainability agenda. Perhaps it is not too far from a stretch of the imagination to think that Finch would have looked out to see sheep and goats as he woke up in the morning? Although the house that Finch built is no longer a home in the traditional sense, it is still very much a community. A place where children and staff still feel a sense of belonging and for this, I think Finch would be proud.
April 2026
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