16 June 2024
Some of those who may read this were at the Caldecott Community in 1993, just after James King retired. This is what I understand, but it is subject to correction by those that know better. Since the 1980's Caldecott operated all through the year, not just in school terms.
Most family-type groups were open to children aged 8 -14. However, Garden House had younger children.
The Top Floor at Hatch had Oaklea group (originally group A in 1970). The floor below had Lakeview (originally group C), facing the Deer Park, also Mayfield (8-15, originally group D, at one time called Brabourne), overlooking the lawns. From 2002 to 2011 Mayfield group was at Lacton Hall.
West Wing (originally group B) was in the obvious place at Hatch. Hornbeam was in the Colt House, by the roadway leading to the hornbeam wood, etc.
Lacton Hall was at Willesborough, then occupied by older adolescents, derived from the group that had been in the Colt House before the swap with the Lacton Hall group in September 1983. There was also Lacton House, built on part of the grounds nearby, which had opened in a small way in 1985, often for assessment of children with difficulties.
On the Hatch site, there was also the Caldecott Community School which included secondary classes as well as junior classes.
The Paddocks (later Caldecott House) with its then grounds had been acquired by Caldecott after closure of the Clover Trust children's home. Caldecott used the Paddocks for staff training, to become Caldecott College. There were plans to raise funds and build three residential units in the grounds, with construction of one starting in 1994, as there were constraints inhibiting building such units in the grounds of Hatch, even supposing (wrongly, as it later proved) that Caldecott's lease of the Hatch site could be renewed.