The Amalgamation of Woodberry Down and
Clissold Comprehensive Schools to form
Stoke Newington School on the Clissold Road site.

Because there were so few Secondary School children in the Borough, and indeed in London as a whole, the two schools had to be combined to form a new school, but where was it to be? Which site would be better?

Woodberry Down School was on the very border of Hackney. Transport was quite good but relatively few could walk to school. Clissold was nearer the centre but transport was not quite so convenient.

Woodberry Down was on a landlocked site, bordered by the West Reservoir and by blocks of brand new flats. There was no room to expand. The school had no playing fields, each pupil having to go by coach each week to playing fields in Debden. This was an expensive and time-consuming process, getting more difficult each year as the traffic increased.

Clissold School was next to the football pitches, tennis courts, and open spaces of Clissold Park. The School had room to both expand and build an all weather football pitch on the Nursery land and Church Path which ran alongside, and over some of the old houses in Clissold Road. Finally, the Swimming Bath was on the other side of the road. Game, set and match. Clissold School site was chosen.

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