
A general view of the School
from Valley Road

This
tree restricted present view is taken from near the location from where
the c1925 photo (below) was shot. The entrance path has now changed
although the original gate is still in situ.

This
picture is believed to have been taken c1925
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The school attracts most children
of the village but also enjoys children coming into the village from a wide
area for their early education.
The school was built in 1858 by
local subscription at a cost of £580 - "...for the education of the
children of the labouring, manufacturing and other poorer classes" of the
parishes of Barham and Kingston.
Land for the new school was
donated by Sir Henry Oxenden and it was to replace the original dame school
which existed on land now occupied by Bell Cottage, which was the
village telephone exchange.
The school, on opening, had
three rooms and catered for 57 "boys" and 97 "girls
and infants" aged between 3 and 13 who sat at iron legged desks in
crowded and fairly dark conditions.
They were taught by Mr. John Carter
(who was paid £75 per annum) and Miss Charlotte Carter (who was paid £35).
In early years children would
be absent on bad weather days or when farming demanded their work at home -
which at that time was considered more important.
Lessons in early years
was heavily controlled by the church and consisted of learning by rote or written exercises which demanded little
imagination from the young minds.
On 1st
May 1912 the school log book records -
"The
scholars and teachers have sent £1-6s-0d to the Lord
Mayor of London for the Mansion House Titanic Relief
Fund".
On 17th June 1913
the log book records - "School closed for
Garden Fête in the Rectory Grounds – opened by Lord
Kitchener".
By 1926 the number of children
being taught had risen to 160 and today it is around 280 who are now
accommodated in the old part of the school plus additional rooms, including a
school hall, which blend in well with the older section, itself internally
modernised. In the grounds there is now a Pre-School and a small
swimming pool which is well used.
The history section of the
website contains notes from a review of the school's
early "Log
Books". |