Bushey Academy, London Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire

In December 2010 AS conducted a programme of photographic recording at Bushey Academy, London Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire prior to part-demolition of the existing school buildings and erection of new buildings for educational use. The survey revealed an almost complete set of early 20th century school buildings and allowed the form and character of the buildings to be photographically recorded. The buildings included the normal range of building required for an educational complex such as a school hall, teaching blocks, a gymnasium, dining and kitchen ranges as well as four large dormitory blocks and the headmaster's house. Other buildings included a laundry / boiler house, sanatorium and infirmary which all lay outside the scope of the recording. There has been little alteration to the school buildings, and although there has been some modification the standardised nature of the original fixtures and fittings have meant that the level of loss is somewhat less than might be expected. Every range can be linked though the use of a common repertoire of decorative detailing, and most ranges display very little extension or alteration and where this is visible it has been in sympathetic style and materials. The complex was designed by architect H.C. Smart and the survival of original and later plans for all the ranges is a useful tool for tracing the development of the complex. In the 1970s, the focus of the school changed and the dormitories were altered to teaching use, so continuing the educational function of the complex. More recently, however, a number of ranges have fallen into disrepair, such as the head-master's house, while the original gymnasium is derelict and has lost the roof.