Corpus Christi - Schools

The Corpus Christi Parish Schools

The Blessed Robert Widmerpool (Infants and Juniors, 3 - 11)



The school is situated to the rear of the church building (in the foreground of the picture above). It predates the church by around eight years, the school being opened in 1957. The school has eight classrooms in all, one being a nursery and the other seven accommodating children from age 5 to 11.

By the 1960’s the school building could not hold all the children. Temporary classrooms constructed in wood, which became known as ‘The Huts’, were acquired to hold two more classes.
The focal point of the school is the hall and all classrooms are situated close by. The hall is multi-purpose. It is used for Assembly, Physical Education, School drama productions, Parent – Teacher or Governor meetings and Parish Social Events. It also serves as the School Canteen and a well-equipped kitchen is adjacent to the Hall. Mass is usually offered in the School Hall on Thursday morning.

By the 1980’s the School Roll had dropped to a point where the ‘Huts’ became surplus to requirements. They were transferred to the parish and have been refurbished as Community Rooms.

Close Parish links are maintained by the involvement of Parish members with the School and with activities that the School arranges for the parish community. Several Sunday Masses include the liturgies arranged by the school. Some of these occasions help the wider community to have a better appreciation of particular celebrations such as Advent and Thanksgiving for the Harvest. Others enable the parishioners to show their support for the children at key stages of their development. These include a Mass of Preparation for First Communion, the celebration of Mass for the reception of First Communion and the Mass of Thanksgiving at the end of the School Year.


The Becket (Mixed Secondary 11 - 18)

The Becket School was formed in 1975 by the amalgamation of two schools. At present the school is split between two sites. The Upper School, on the site of the old Becket Grammar School, houses Year 11 and the Sixth Form and is situated in West Bridgford in the neighbouring parish of the Holy Spirit.

The Becket Main School houses Years 7 to 10. It is situated on Ruddington Lane, Wilford and as such lies within Corpus Christi parish.

The school enjoys an excellent reputation for both GCSE and ‘A’ Level results despite difficulties brought about by the split site.

Construction of a new school started in January 2008. When completed the Main and Upper School will come together on one site.

Before the almagamation, Main School was Corpus Christi School. This opened in September 1958 as a Bilateral Secondary School. It offered to boys and girls Grammar, Technical and Secondary Modern courses.

Our picture shows the official opening which took place in 1961.

The school has its own playing fields set in what were originally described as country surroundings. The main block includes rooms for Art and Design Technology and Science. These are centred around the Chapel and the Library.

The school was planned by Reginald W Cooper, FRIBA, of Nottingham, and was built by A Mason Ltd of Mansfield. It cost approximately £100,000 (not a mis-print!).

Mr Arthur Davis took up the post of the first (and only) Headmaster of Corpus Christi School when it opened. Arthur retired from the headship when the School amalgamated with the Becket School and became the School Pastoral Counsellor until he retired in 1980.



For more information about the school today,
Click here for the Web Site of The Becket School Nottingham


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