Dover Grammar School

The British Government watched Germany’s capacity to wage war increase rapidly throughout the 1930s and fully expected the Luftwaffe to begin bombing Britain’s cities at a very early stage. This would put large numbers of civilians directly in danger. The evacuation was clearly the safest option for the government to propose; even before the war began, evacuation schemes were planned. This was accepted by the citizens of Britain’s cities, but as month after month passed and the Luftwaffe still did not come, thousands began to return home.

Many of the children who returned home found their schools were now used for emergency and armed services. With their education at risk, the government had to act.

Some schools were re-opened, but it was decided that a school could only open if it had adequate air raid protection; many shelters were built on a low budget; some were little more than reinforced rooms – Others were purpose-built structures, but even that comprised of little more than trenches with secure roofs or walls of soil and sandbags.