In 1957, with the school growing steadily, a Gym and Concert hall were opened in what is now the maintenance workshop. The newly formed Drama Society put on ‘Huckleberry Finn’ with Price and Kerns being memorable as the two leading characters. Also in this year Yateley Manor fielded its first rugby side.

The following year saw a Ministry of Education inspection - passed with flying colours - and lAPS membership for the first time.

A new Science laboratory (not the present one) was opened and Science teaching was initiated. This was six years before the subject appeared at Common Entrance!

1960 saw the school being able to field a 2nd XV - there had never been more than 35 boys playing before! During the winter the school, all boarding at the time, was hit by a flu epidemic which no doubt kept Matron Lena Nolli who now celebrates her 40th year at Yateley Manor busy as usual.

During the early 60’s the school saw some of its original staff leaving as they reached retirement age or went to seek new pastures. Mr. Knowles, headmaster since 1955, left in 1962 to become Director of Education on the Scilly Isles and was replaced by Mr. Chatterton who joined the staff in 1959. Also coming to the school during this period were Mr. Flint, Mrs. Waters, Mrs. Wilson, Miss Mashes and the Reverend J.E. O’Malley as Chaplain. In all there were 12 staff in 1963.

The school entered a phase of modest expansion - the library originally started in 1960 - needed more shelf space, but the two main events which dominated this time were the building of the Chapel - now the Studio - and the appeal to raise £3500 for a new pool “with room to race ... and gleaming tiles, enclosed by glass walls”

The Chapel was the first project to be completed and was opened in 1962 by the Rt. Rev. Leslie Lang, Assistant Bishop of Winchester. During the opening ceremony there was an enormous thunderstorm which cut the power supply so a piano had to be used instead of the electric organ!

The pool was to be much more problematic. By 1965 a succession of fetes and fund raising events had raised £819 10s 6d - still far short of the total needed. The decision was taken to go ahead with a less ambitious pool - no glass walls, no gleaming tiles! The pool is still in service but is due to be replaced in the next phase of redevelopment. It was opened on 10th June 1967 costing £1589 9s 3d!

The 1960’s saw other significant developments: in 1964 there was the first enrolment of the son of an Old Boy, George Spear. The school continued to grow to around 180 pupils and 14 staff. In 1967 another Old Boy rejoined the school. Francis Howard, who had been a pupil in 1950, became joint Headmaster, working with Robert Chatterton. He joined with many aims - extend the Science Lab; build a new library; lay new tennis courts...

However the first problem was a threat to the school’s very existence. Hampshire County Council wanted to compulsorily purchase the whole site, a scheme which was eventually thwarted but at the cost of losing “the stony pitch”, the hockey pitch and part of the main games field. St Peter’s School now occupies this land.

The next major change was much more positive. In 1970 the school became a Charitable Trust and a board of governors was appointed. A Development Fund began which was to quickly provide an enlarged Science Laboratory with new equipment; three new cricket nets; new toilets for the pre-prep and a filter for the swimming pool. Mrs. Fyson retired in 1968 and in 1970 transferred her interests to the Charitable Trust set up to continue her work in the school.