Methodist girls in nearby Bideford in 1884, was considered the college's 'sister-college'. In 1891 Sir Samuel Way visited England and purchased the freehold of Lake Farm in Shebbear, and then conveyed it to Shebbear College as an endowment. Numerous missionaries from Shebbear College were sent to China in the Bible Christian Mission. This mission included Samuel Pollard, creator of Pollard script (Chinese: 柏格理苗文 Bó Gélǐ Miao-wen). The main building of the Hopkins–Nanjing Center is named in Pollard's honour. The present school still includes many original buildings and features, as well as buildings erected for the boarders. Shebbear College now offers education for boys and girls aged 3–18, having become co-educational in 1993. The college is small in size and has attendance of 340 pupils , from ages 3 to 18. Houses Day Houses The college is divided into four day houses that compete both academically and in sport; namely: Ruddle - named after the College's most influential headmaster, Thomas Ruddle. Thorne - named after one of the founders of the College, Samuel Thorne. Way - named after Sir Samuel Way. Pollard - after Samuel Pollard. Boarding Houses Two of these houses are also boarding houses: Ruddle - girls' boarding house Pollard - boys' boarding house Facilities The College stands in 85 acres of grounds with a mix of formal gardens, lawns, open fields and woodland. Its facilities include: Sports Centre: includes gym and dance studio All weather pitch Preparatory School Pre-prep school Sixth Form Centre - officially opened by Sir Gary Sobers on 1 July 2016 Music Centre - officially opened by Peter Gordeno (musician) on 27 April 2018 5 car parks 3 boarding houses Two biomass plants Solar panel field New dining facilities Modern Languages department - opened by Michael Morpurgo on 1 July 2011 Library Life Skills Centre Science block Two assembly halls Old Shebbearians Alumni of Shebbear College are known as Old Shebbearians. Notable alumni include: Charles Kingsley Barrett FBA (1917 - 2011) - British biblical scholar Sir (Reginald) Pridham Baulkwill (b.1895-d.1974) - Solicitor John Cater - Actor James Lewis Duncan (1892 - 1960) - Canadian politician and lawyer Steve Drowne - Jockey; Winner, 2000 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot Sir Alfred Earle GBE (1907 - 1990) - RAF Vice Chief of Defence to Lord Mountbatten of Burma; Director General of British Defence Intelligence 1966-1968 Jim Hancock - BBC Political Correspondent; Presenter, "The Politics Show" Thomas Saunders