Our History and Founding Vision

Gatehouse School was founded in May 1948 by Mrs Phyllis Wallbank, opening its doors in the gatehouse of St Bartholomew the Great Priory Church in West Smithfield, London.

A pioneer in education and a friend and professional associate of Maria Montessori, Mrs Wallbank believed that every child deserved the opportunity to develop their individual talents and abilities within an inclusive and supportive school community.

MRS PHYLLIS WALLBANK · FOUNDING VISION, 1948

“Children of any race, colour, creed, background and intellect shall be accepted as pupils and work side by side, without streaming or any kind of segregation, with the aim that each child shall get to know and love God, and to develop their own uniqueness of personality, to enable them to appreciate the world and the world to appreciate them.”

In the mid-1970s, Gatehouse moved to its present home beside Victoria Park in East London. While the school has continued to grow and evolve, Mrs Wallbank’s founding principles remain central to our ethos.

Today, Gatehouse combines its Christian foundation and longstanding commitment to inclusion with a modern, forward-thinking approach to education. We continue to celebrate each child’s individuality, encouraging pupils to develop confidence, curiosity and a genuine love of learning.

Our CHAMPION Values

At Gatehouse, our CHAMPION Values are at the heart of school life. They reflect the qualities we encourage every child to develop and help shape a community where everyone feels valued, supported and inspired to succeed.

Through our curriculum, relationships and everyday experiences, we encourage pupils to demonstrate these values in their learning, friendships and personal development.

Our CHAMPION Values are:

  • C – Courage
  • H – Hard Work
  • A – Ambition
  • M – Motivation
  • P – Perseverance
  • I – Inspirational
  • O – Optimistic
  • N – Never Give Up

These values help our pupils grow not only as learners, but as confident, thoughtful and responsible individuals who are prepared to make a positive contribution to the world around them.

We encourage every member of our school community to embrace these values each day and, in doing so, to be a Gatehouse CHAMPION.