Humphrey Perkins School

The Humphrey Perkins School was founded in 1717 in Barrow-on-Soar, Leicestershire in the United Kingdom. A Free Grammar School founded in the will of the Barrow-on-Soar born Revd. Humphrey Perkins, who left money for a grammar school to be built. The Humphrey Perkins Grammar School was built on an orchard near the centre of the village and opened in 1735. In 1902 the School moved to larger premises on Cotes Road with the school's first non-clergyman Headmaster, Mr Fernsby and 33 pupils. Of these pupils 32 were boys with just one girl, Nora May Wall. In 1927 the then Headmaster Mr Keeble introduced a school uniform of blazer, badge and ties. Examples of this uniform are still kept by the current Headmaster along with a School rugby shirt. In 1947 a secondary modern school was opened on the same site and in 1956 the school became a single bilateral school with approximately 500 pupils. Mr Dunn became Headmaster in 1960 and discussions began whether Humphreys or Rawlins would be the 'Upper School' in the new two tier Leicestershire education model. In 1966 Humphreys was converted to a High School for 11 to 14 year olds with some 1000 pupils. The School is a Specialist Arts College and from January 1st 2012 is an Academy School. Under the present Headmaster, Mr Nutkins, the school is seeking to return to 11-16 education for boys and girls. The change to 11-16 education is in partnership with three other academies: Rawlins College, Limehurst School and Woodbrook Vale.