The Castle School

History

In 1862, Handel Cossham, a local preacher, built the original village school, a British School, at Gillingstool. Some years later, because of overcrowding, a new infant school building was added adjacent to the original school. In 1952 the school was separated into infants, juniors and seniors and the latter formed the Thornbury County Secondary school. Before this it was an 'all-age' school taking pupils up to age thirteen, known as Thornbury Council School.

In 1962, during the headship of Mr Cliff J. Martin, plans were drawn up for a new building to house the expanding secondary school. Building work started the following year on Park Road, the site used as the school's playing field. In 1965, the building was opened under the new name of The Castle School, which reflected the school's new position adjacent to Thornbury Castle, whilst keeping the same initials (TCS). The official opening ceremony took place in 1966, attended by the Duke of Beaufort, Chancellor at the University of Bristol at the time.

The county infant and junior schools at Gillingstool later formed the Leaze School, which is now known as Gillingstool Primary School.

The school became a comprehensive in 1972, the same year that Thornbury Grammar School moved from its site on Gloucester Road to new buildings in Alveston (also becoming a comprehensive with the new name of Marlwood School). The Castle School took over the Gloucester Road buildings, which became its Sixth Form Centre for a number of years until the new Post-16 facilities opened in 2024 and the school was able to unite on the Park Road site.

Notable alumni

• Joel Dommett, comedian
• Pfeiffer Georgi, race cyclist
• Matt Kane, actor, writer and director
• Joe Morrell, Wales and Bristol City football player
• John Robins, comedian
• Kerry Howard, actor
• Billy Vunipola, England and Saracens rugby union player
• Mako Vunipola, England and Saracens rugby union player

References

References

1. "The Castle School, Bristol". School Hire.
2. (18 September 2013). "Metalmorphosis wows at Castle School's Octagon Gallery in Thornbury". Gazette.
3. (28 May 2004). "Gallery to open with print show". Gazette.
4. (16 July 2004). "Head teacher retires". Gazette.
5. "New head teachers sought in Thornbury and Alveston, South Gloucestershire after sudden resignation". Gazette.
6. "Handel Cossham". Thirnbury Roots.
7. "Thornbury and District Museum: Thornbury’s publicly-funded schools". Thornbury Voice.
8. (29 September 2016). "Tributes paid to 'trailblazer' founding Castle School headmaster Cliff Martin". Gazette.
9. "Our History". Gillingstool Primary School.
10. (2 April 2017). "Where did these 11 Bristol celebrities go to school?". Bristol Live.
11. (31 July 2014). "Castle School pupil and Berkeley resident Pfeiffer Georgi wins silver medal at National Youth Omnium Track Championships". Gloucestershire Gazette.
12. "‘Gotham’ actor Richard Kind to star in film by Thornbury director Matt Kane". Gazette.
13. (23 May 2013). "Former Liverpool target and Wales under-17 captain Joe Morrell looks forward to starting professional career at Bristol City after leaving The Castle School". Gazette.
14. "Bristol comedian wins top Edinburgh award". B24/7.
15. (10 January 2013). "Lloyd Spacey says The Castle School are proud of Mako and Billy Vunipola". Gazette.