Sliding Doors/Sign of the Times

I stepped off the bus yesterday at a stop called "Hampton School". It appeared to be named after the school I was going to. I walked up the drive, past a well-tended flowerbed and a sign which read:

Hampton School

Founded 1556

Wow, I thought, this is surprisingly nice. Almost unheard of as a supply teacher. I walked into the reception and told an elderly lady that my name was Julian Lewis; I was the cover teacher. She looked at me as if I were a plate of melted cheese for breakfast.

"No," she said, "I think you want the school next door--Hampton Academy."

"Oh. Sorry", I said, and walked out.

I turned out of the drive and into the next one. Hampton Academy's drive was not as nice. There was no well-tended flowerbed, and the sign was different:

Hampton Academy

a Learning School

Yes, they did leave the "a" un-capitalised.