School History

Moorlands School was founded in 1898 in a property in Headingley. The school is therefore the oldest preparatory school in Leeds. The school opened with just one pupil!

In 1967 the school moved to its current site in the Foxhills. The school building had, at one time, been the family home of the Tetley family.

During the last 20 years there have been a number of significant developments to the premises, including the building of a sports hall and a 20m indoor swimming pool.

Originally, the school was for boys only and during the first term, just one boy was enrolled!

In due course, the adjoining property at 126 Otley Road was acquired and in the 1940s, a further semi detached property was purchased alongside the school.

In 1940 the entire school was evacuated to Grasmere in the Lake District, whilst 126 Otley Road was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence and occupied by military personnel until 1946.

By 1941 admittance numbers had declined so the school returned to Leeds, based in temporary accommodation in Ashwood Villas, Leeds.

In 1967, Moorlands School became a limited company and charitable trust under the chairmanship of George Wright Taylor. The first board of governors was put in place and the school moved to Foxhill Drive during the summer holidays, where it remains today.

Girls were first admitted in 1981, establishing Moorlands as a co-educational preparatory school.

Headteachers

1898 - 1923 Mr Raundrup

1923 - 1948 Stuart Woodhams

1948 - 1957 Geoffrey Furze

1957 - 1973 Gordon Ramshaw

1973 - 1977 John Knapp

1977 - 1978 Ian Taylor

1978 - 1981 Gordon Burroughs

1981 - 1991 Don Jackson

1991 - 2001 Nigel Woolnough

2001 - 2003 Alan Jones