Central HS - Bushey Hall History
Opened: 1962
Closed: 1971
Central High School at Bushey Hall was formerly Central High at Bushy Park and became London Central High at High Wycombe. The school was moved to Bushey Hall for the 1962-63 school year. The school consisted of fifty-three buildings that were described as “little green buildings” of military design. The buildings were constructed during World War I and were originally used as barracks for the United States Army. The 32nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade occupied the barracks until 1957 when the Third Air Force established an elementary school there. The high school was moved up from Bushy Park, Surrey, in 1962.
Central High at Bushey Hall was located at Watford, Hertfordshire, about sixteen miles northwest of London. There weren’t any dormitory facilities at this location. Some former dormitory students, such as those at High Wycombe, attended by bus. Most teachers, staff and students transferred from the previous location at Bushy Park.
When the school opened there were grades six through twelve. There were over six hundred fifty students in grades nine through twelve as well as the underclassmen in grades six through eight. The peak student enrollment was over 800 students.
The student council was an active part of the school. During the 1963-64 school year one accomplishment was getting a telephone installed for student use. The sports teams played DoD schools from France, Germany and other schools in the United Kingdom. Extracurricular clubs included horseback riding and a Quill and Scroll chapter was formed.
Administrators during the late 1960s included Dr. Ralph Ravile, Mr. Gerald Marks, Dr. Rolla Baumgartner and Mr. Leo Richards.
The school moved to its final location, another converted military installation—High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire—in 1971.
Information from school yearbooks