The Maynard School
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|
| Motto |
Manus Justa Nardus (A just hand is a healing balm) |
|---|---|
| Established | 1658 |
| Type | Independent day school |
| Headmistress | Miss Sarah Dunn |
| Founder | Sir John Maynard |
| Location |
Denmark Road Exeter EX1 1SJ England Coordinates: 50°43′22″N 3°31′16″W / 50.7227°N 3.5211°W |
| Local authority | Devon |
| DfE number | 878/6034 |
| DfE URN | 113608 Tables |
| Students | 370~ |
| Gender | Girls |
| Ages | 4–18 |
| Houses | Goldsmiths Haberdashers Armorours Merchants |
| Colours | Blue, Green |
| Former pupils | Old Maynardians |
| Website | Official site |
The Maynard School is an independent and selective day school for girls aged 4-18 in the city of Exeter in Devon. It is one of the leading girls day schools in the UK, with an excellent academic reputation in both public exams and university entrance. Founded in 1658, the school is the third oldest girls' school in the country. Its mission statement is 'Imagine, Aspire, Achieve'.
It was founded by Sir John Maynard, a trustee of Elize Hele's charity, in 1658. Initially named the Blue maid's Hospital, the school received extensive funding (alongside fellow beneficiary Hele's School) under the express condition that it be spent for “some godly purposes and charitable uses”. Robert Vilvayne, a local landowner, further endowed the school by donating premises on Exe Island, while further significant donations were given to the school by Edmund Prideaux and Gilbert Keate. In the 1870s, on the basis of a recommendation from the Endowed Schools Commission, the school split in two. One became the Bishop Blackall Girls' Grammar School (which later merged with the Blue Maid's sister establishment Hele's School), while the second became Exeter High School for Girls. New premises were built in the suburb of St Leonards, and the school recommenced teaching in 1882. In 1912, shortly after its 250th anniversary, the school was renamed by headmistress E L Trenerry as The Maynard School for Girls.
During the blitz of 4 May 1942, three bombs fell on the school. Two hit the tennis courts – one demolished a wall and caused blast damage to windows and the roof, while the second severely damaged the boarding house and kitchen garden. The third bomb exploded in the front of the main building, severely damaging both the school and the houses on the nearby Barnfield Hill. The school was visited by King George VI following the destruction.
The current Headmistress is Miss Sarah Dunn, who took over from Ms Bee Hughes in September 2016.
Although previously a boarding school, Maynard's now caters exclusively to day students. Many of the original buildings constructed following the split with the Bishop Blackall School in the late nineteenth century remain largely unchanged, even in spite of the damage from the blitz. In addition to these buildings the school has expanded; creating indoor sports facilities, new tennis courts and libraries, a large sixth form center and most recently a new ICT facility, funded by the Wolfson Foundation.
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