Collingbourne C. of E. Primary School

It was not until 1859 that Collingbourne Ducis had a permanent school. Prior to this, education in the village had been inconsistent. In 1819 two schools for around 35 pupils were running, with rates for the scholars mostly being met by the rector. However by 1833 and despite a desire for local education there was no school. By the 1840s and 1850s children were taught either in a dame school, which catered for around 20-30 pupils and closed when the National School opened, or at the school in neighbouring Collingbourne Kingston.

However, in 1859 an elementary school supported by the National Society was opened just west of the Church. The new elementary school building was designed by Samuel Overton in buff brick, stone and slate and financed by the Ailesbury estate. It was headed by a certificated master who was assisted by an infants’ teacher and pupil teachers. The school log books survive for this school from 1863 onwards and give us a wonderful insight into life in a Victorian village school.

The first logbook does not go into detail concerning the subjects taught; the summary of the annual report written by the Inspector is brief. The children would have studied the elementary subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic. The first headmaster believed spelling to be important, as he makes several references to both good and bad spelling lessons. Religion was also an important subject; the Catechism is mentioned regularly. In 1867 the Inspector said that more emphasis should be given to needlework lessons for the girls. In 1867 geography was added to the timetable. Mr. Cooper resigned as headmaster in 1868 as the managers wanted a master who was prepared to play the harmonium in church every Sunday.

The next headmaster was Albert Fabian, staying at the school for only three years. He did not enjoy a good relationship with the Rector and the annual reports were poor. A period of greater stability came with the appointment of Thomas Carter, who was to stay at the school for 43 years.

Between 1868 and 1930 pupil numbers were between 77 and 117. The headmaster and an infant mistress were assisted by a pupil teacher and a monitor. Attendance at school varied greatly from week to week and was affected by the weather, illness and the farming calendar. Rain kept children away because they did not have any waterproof clothing. In the winter, snow could be a problem for children who lived some distance from the school. In January 1892 many infants stayed away due to the bad state of the village road, which was presumably icy and slippery.

The school was affected by the usual childhood illnesses. Coughs and colds kept children away every winter. In 1869 there was an outbreak of scarlet fever and five children died. Normally, serious infections were dealt with by closing the school, but the managers were worried about losing part of their annual school grant. At important times during the farming year, the children were kept away from school to help out. In March they helped plant potatoes; they were also needed at harvest time. In the early years many parents remained unconvinced as to the benefits of regular schooling. In 1869 they complained that there was no reward for good attendance. Village events also encouraged the children to stay away. There was a cricket match in 1870, and only 20 children out of 100 attended school in the afternoon. In June 1880 forty children went to Collingbourne Kingston to see a ‘Wild Beast Show’.
Discipline at this school was firm. The cane was used regularly, mainly for poor work or for arriving at school late. The loss of playtime was another form of punishment, used when the children did not apply themselves to their work. There was a fee of 1d a week that every child had to pay. Sometimes if a child was away ill, the parents refused to pay. The headmaster in turn refused to allow the child to return to school until the money was paid.

The school holidays were six weeks at harvest time, two at Christmas, one at Easter and one at Whitsun. The children were also given occasional extra days. In 1863 they celebrated the wedding of the Prince of Wales with plum cake and wine, and a half day off for sports. A traditional treat at Christmas was the gift of a penny and a bun for each child.

Mr. Carter was a very caring master who had the interest of his pupils at heart. He was a keen gardener, and in 1892 he gave every boy a tomato plant and every girl a geranium to grow. In later years he also gave away pea and marrow seeds and strawberry runners. Gardening was added to the curriculum by 1900 and the parents were grateful to the master for encouraging the children to take an interest in their own gardens. In 1895 the master was particularly concerned about the welfare of one infant. He wrote that he would often give the child a dinner, and sometimes breakfast. Mr. Carter could also be strict. In 1895 two boys were inclined to play truant. The master was at their cottage door at 8.00am to take them to school himself, and to give them a good caning when they got there!

In 1892 the pupil numbers were 77, the lowest for 25 years. By 1905 they had risen again to 95. In the same year the school building received some much needed repair work. New floors, painting and a better ventilation system all helped to make the school a better place in which to be educated. Later in the year the Rector purchased a second-hand piano. The master was very pleased and encouraged by these changes, remarking that ‘we seem to be advancing by leaps and bounds’.

In March 1914 Mr Carter retired and was replaced by Alfred Bannell. Mr Bannell was another long serving headmaster, staying at the school until 1939. This was the period during which greater emphasis was placed on children’s health. The children were already being weighed each year, this having been introduced in 1905. Later they were also measured and had a general medical inspection. The year 1921 saw the first visit by the dreaded school dentist, although some parents refused to allow their children to be treated. Fresh water was available on the school site for the first time in 1939.

In 1950 the number on the school roll dropped to just 42 pupils; the children were divided into two classes. By 1966 numbers had risen to 62 and the school once again had three classes.

Numbers continued to rise, and in 1978 the school was amalgamated with Collingbourne Kingston Primary School and became Collingbourne Primary School serving both parishes. In the same year a double mobile classroom was added, followed by a single mobile in 1980.

The originally school building continued to house the scholars until 2004 when a new school building was constructed on a separate site in the north of the village on Chicks Lane. It opened on the 1st November. The school has a library, kitchen/art room, ICT facilities and internet access and spacious grounds for sporting activities. The recreation ground adjacent to the school is used for athletics, cricket and football. The village hall next door to the school is used for school concerts and some indoor PE. There are five classrooms. The school had 107 pupils on the roll in October 2008.