Oaksey National School

The National School, now Oaksey Church of England Primary School, was built in 1854. This initially housed 70 children. Four years later, in 1858, 40-50 children were on the roll of the school. Until the start of World War One numbers of children remained around that mark; there were 54 in 1906. In 1937 there were 37 on the roll. The attendance officers who checked that the registers were correct were first recorded as visiting the school in 1880.

As with all other schools, Oaksey was subject to inspections from both a Diocesan Inspector and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate (HMI). These reports fluctuated greatly, even from year to year. In 1889, the H.M inspector wrote: “The children are exceedingly well behaved, and, though sickness has been prevalent for some time, the results of instructions in the elementary subjects are on the whole credible.” But in 1898, an inspector wrote: “The state of the infants is scarcely satisfactory. “Their progress cannot be considered more than fair. Considerable improvement must be shown next year in order for them to retain the Higher Variable Grant. They need a classroom very badly and a more qualified teacher must be provided for them.”

In 1892, lessons outside the core subjects also included object lessons on, candles, India rubber, bread, the cuckoo, sheep, camel and beer. Poetry ranged from Byron to Walter Scott’s ‘Lady of the Lake.’

In the 1890s a system to encourage attendance was introduced, with prizes given. A grant given (£16 16 s 0d) in February 1898 was specifically for new desks and new staff. But new members of staff are not mentioned in the next few years, although desks were delivered.

Attendance fluctuated greatly depending on the weather, illness and if children were needed working for in the fields or looking after younger siblings. A common occurrence was for older children to be absent for either potato planting or picking. Attendance is commented on in the school log books with an almost regular monotony, but this is because attendance was key to the school receiving money in the form of a grant for much of the 19th century.

Other events also caused the school to close; for example on 6 May 1886 the school was shut because of the annual horse racing event. This race took occurred up until 1914, when it was halted because of the First World War.

The school was closed for a month in May 1898 because of an outbreak of measles. The trouble did not end there for diphtheria came to Oaksey in 1899. The school was shut for nine weeks prior to the opening in January and was closed for another month in April. Cases of diphtheria were recorded in the parish for the rest of the year and there was a minor breakout in 1901 which meant the school broke up earlier than normal for summer holidays. Within the school logs books there are even rather alarming references to young boys who were sent home because they were suffering from the early stages of consumption. Further information will be found under Oaksey Church of England Primary School.