In 1482 Master Thomas Jolyffe endowed the Guild School with property, the income from which enabled a schoolmaster priest to be employed in Stratford ‘to teach grammar freely to all scholars coming to the Guild School’.

For over 60 years children have attended a school on this site. The first classes were held in the Junior Building under the guidance of Mrs Otter, the Headteacher from 1951 to 1968. Her legacy is still seen hundreds of times every day as she also designed the school badge, therefore coining the nickname ‘TJ’, which is used by everyone in the ‘TJ’ family. Here are her recollections of that time in her own hand, written in 1984.

Still creeping out of the shadow of the Second World War, the design and building of a new school signalled a new era for the local community. It was constructed of bricks made from Cotswold Stone and served 49 infants on its first register.

Success began to spread and as popularity grew, spaces were increasingly limited. School opened its first Junior classes in 1954. By 1957 the Junior Building was growing all the time, with a corridor built to link to the brand new library. Mr Bavin took over the Headship in 1968 and a new open-plan building, able to accommodate 149 infants, continued the expansion in 1981. The architect of the original building presented a statue of Ariel, which stands on your right as you enter through the front doors.

Thomas Jolyffe Primary School had now been established for over thirty years. A proud reputation has been built up through the hard work and determination of its founders, followed by the close personal links in the community. We seek to carry on this work today as we strive for the highest standards of education for the most recent members of the TJ family.