Church of England School, Ogbourne St. George

Subscriptions for the erection of new school buildings were collected in 1861; these included donations from King’s College Cambridge, the Dean and Canons of Windsor and from numerous individuals. The site of the schoolroom, master’s house and playground of about half an acre, had been leased for 60 years by King’s College at a nominal rent of one shilling per annum. The new school opened in 1862.

The school, with 40 pupils, was affiliated to National Society in 1871 and a further classroom was added in 1875. In 1871 there was also a private school with 23 pupils.

The school rooms were described as measuring as follows: Large Room: 38ft. 6 in. long x 14 ft. wide [35.2 m. x 12.8 m.]; Class Room: 22ft. long x 14 ft. wide [20 m. x 12.8 m.].

The school's surviving log books begin in January 1876 when the school reopened after the Christmas holidays. The number of children on the school roll was not noted but immediately their lessons proceeded ‘as usual’. However, when examined in Arithmetic, 'only half the sums [were] done right by the children'. At this date the school's curriculum comprised Arithmetic, Reading, Writing, and in addition Transcription, Spelling and Needlework.

In the 1870s and 1880s, the Mixed School was in the charge of a schoolteacher and the Infants in the charge of his wife, assisted by a Pupil Teacher drawn from the school pupils. An HM Inspection report of May 1877 was not positive, noting that the school was in ‘fair order but the attainments are not satisfactory'; there had been two changes of staff in the recent past which may have been reflected in this opinion. The report also noted, 'Warming of the room is very defective'.

In March 1888 HM Inspector's report for the year was that 'a quiet, orderly tone' prevailed and progress was being made in all subjects in the Mixed School, noted in the report as Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Recitation, Needlework, School Drill and Singing. The Infants' class, too, was 'very well taught, and…under good discipline'.

In addition to the subjects listed above the children received 'Object Lessons', which were on very diverse topics and which in 1890 were listed as follows: The Elephant, Dog, Camel, Lion, Cow, Horse, Sheep, Pig, Window, Potatoes, Bee, Rabbit, Donkey, Money, Rain, A Smith's Shop, Flowers, A Shop, Post Office, Water, Spring, A Table, Salt, Cork, The Daisy, The Primrose, Summer, Apples, Seeds, Paper, Wool, a Slate, Butter Tea, Cotton, The Policeman, A Loaf of Bread, Coal, Coffee.

In the final years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th, references were made in the log books to the examinations for Labour Certificates which would enable children of 11 years of age, and therefore below the statutory leaving age of 12, to leave the school for employment if a certain standard of education had been achieved. In July 1897 six boys attended St. Mary's School in Marlborough to take the examination.

By the summer of 1912 the school gardens, tended by the boys, were well established and on July 23rd of that year the Assistant Horticultural Instructor visited to view the gardens and to teach the boys gardening skills. However, the gardens were often subject to the attentions of livestock on neighbouring land: at the end of September in 1912 cows broke through the hedge on the west side of the school garden, 'damaging and eating the green vegetable tops'. More such assaults occurred over the following years but nevertheless, in June 1918, the school won a prize for the best kept garden, and also for the best exhibit of fruit bottling.

Other activities outside the main curriculum took place from time to time: in July 1913 a two-week County Council 'Butter School' was attended by three girl pupils. Later that year a one-month course of cookery classes was attended by a number of pupils; this was repeated the following year when, in September 1914, instruction in 'Domestic Subjects; commenced in the Church Room and 18 children attended. The course must have been considered successful as in October 1915 another course was held in the same room. At this date there were 89 children on the school register.

In the early 20th century reading books were periodically circulated around schools in the area; in 1915 it appears that Ogbourne St. George School received books from Alton Barnes school and then passed them to Overton-cum-Fyfield school.

The school log books, for which there is a gap for the period 1897-1912, show evidence of the Headteacher's preoccupation with recording the number of children on the school register and their levels of attendance. One notable admission was of three children at the end of September 1881 from ‘the Railway crossings at Whitefield and Woolmer Lane’, shortly after the opening of the Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway.

Percentages of attendance were entered for each week. This concern was a result of the allocation of grant funding from the government depending on levels of attendance in addition to examination results achieved by the pupils. Reasons for low attendance were various but were primarily the result of illness, bad weather or agricultural employment.

In a rural school where many pupils walked considerable distances to attend school, walked home again for lunch and returned to school for the afternoon session, wet weather could be a substantial deterrent. The earliest surviving log book notes, in mid February, two weeks when ‘several children have been absent as a result of the wet weather’. The cold also affected the children who 'suffer very much from chilblains'. In February 1892 one boy was absent from school because he was suffering from broken chilblains so that he could not put his shoes on.

The following month, in March 1892, there was deep snow in the parish: 'Half the children absent in consequence'. By 1912 it is clear that some children were remaining to take their lunch at school - for which enamel mugs and plates would later be acquired.

Participation by the children in the work of the fields was a regular interruption to their school attendance in the late 19th century. In the late 1870s there are references to the absence of sometimes substantial numbers of pupils because they were helping their parents in potato planting, pig keeping, haymaking or corn harvesting. In August 1879 the 'illegally employed' children were reported to the Attendance Officer. Such absences continued to be noted in later years. On the other hand, prizes for good attendance were given to 24 children in 1881.

However, the major cause of absence was illness. In the early summer of 1878 there was an outbreak of measles in the school, affecting some 50 pupils. In late May and June of the following year there were cases of whooping cough in the school and by August the incidence of both measles and whooping cough was on the increase. In June 1879 the sudden death of a girl occurred, although she had been at school two days previously; the cause of her death was not noted.

In January 1882, cases of scarlet fever were appearing in the school and village: ‘There are upwards of 20 children absent the whole of this week from bad throats and others a part of the week. […] was present at school on Monday but on Tuesday was ill with scarlet fever. There has been one death from it in the place. The school was very close and unhealthy on Wednesday and Thursday caused by the breath of the children. Children at school have been continually leaving the room to vomit or from diarrhoea, especially yesterday and today…’

Whooping cough, measles and scarlet fever would revisit the school over the course of succeeding years, as would an influenza epidemic in February 1890. Closures of the school took place on a number of occasions, for example in April 1913 when the school closed for three weeks due to an outbreak of measles; the number of children on the school register at that date was 87 but average attendance for the week was only 49.5.

In November 1915 six children were suffering from diphtheria, including one whose case would be fatal. A number of children were kept away from the school as a result of fears around possible infection. The school was closed for two and a half weeks. By November 30th 11 children were still absent due to diphtheria. In June 1918 there were several cases of mumps.

On occasion the illness of family members of pupils affected their own attendance: in March 1888 a girl’s name was removed from the register as her mother had died a few days previously and she had ‘to act as housekeeper to her father’. Another girl, whose newly confined mother was very ill, had to stay at home to mind the new baby.

By the end of the 19th century the local authority was taking increasing responsibility for monitoring the health of school children. The County weighing machine was circulated around the schools in order that the children could be weighed and measured. From time to time the doctor and dentist also visited to examine the children. As a result of one visit two boys were requested by the Medical Officer of Health to attend at Marlborough to have their eyesight tested. Travel costs for such visits were paid by the County Council. Later, in January 1920, when there were a number of cases of impetigo in the school, the log book refers to treatment with ‘County Council ointment’.

Physical conditions in the school remained difficult, with extreme heat in the summer and cold in the winter. In April 1918 a persistent shortage of coal was noted when the schoolteacher was unable to obtain sufficient coal either locally or in Marlborough. As a result the school Manager agreed to close the school for a few days until the situation was rectified. The inadequate heating of the room had been noticed by HM Inspector as early as May 1877.

Punishments imposed on the children included being ‘kept in’ at school and caning, frequently on the hand. Recorded infringements of discipline resulting in such punishments included inattention, ‘shuffling about’, talking in class, late arrival, smoking and disobedience.

More positively, however, in addition to the regular school holidays, the children enjoyed additional half or whole day holidays and treats from time to time. For example, at the end of July the children had a day’s holiday on the occasion of the opening of the railway between Marlborough and Swindon.

Later technological advances would also bring excitement to the children, as when, in February 1913, an aeroplane passed over the school and ‘drill and part of [the] singing lesson were missed in order to give the children an opportunity of seeing its flight’. On another occasion the children were taken out of an Arithmetic lesson to see aeroplanes passing overhead.

A holiday was given in August 1881 to enable the children to go to the fete in Savernake Forest organised by the Oddfellows. In November 1890 the headteacher gave a half holiday to enable the children to see the intriguingly titled ‘Sham Fight between Marlborough and other Colleges on the Bitham Downs’.

When, in June 1897 Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, the children were addressed by the vicar who then awarded them three days’ holiday. Afterwards he distributed 'The Life of Queen Victoria' to each family after afternoon school. During the Jubilee celebrations there would be a public dinner and tea in the village. In July 1897 reference is made to the choir’s ‘annual trip’ which on this occasion would be to Southampton.

Absence without permission also took place when the children wished to attend an enjoyable event: in August 1876, 'The Dissenters have taken their children to the Savernake Forest today. Half the children absent in consequence'. In December 1888: 'Several children absent this afternoon in consequence of the Stag Hounds etc. being in the village'.

From 1906 the school came under the overall control of Wiltshire County Council although there was still a local board of managers. During the course of the First World War the children contributed to the war effort by collecting many pounds of blackberries which would be used to make blackberry juice for soldiers. Similarly the children collected considerable weights of chestnuts - 45 stones on one occasion - from which acetone would be extracted for use in the manufacture of explosives.

Both before and after the War, Empire Day on May 24th was celebrated around the flagstaff in the school yard in the morning and a half holiday was given in the afternoon. In 1923, however, the celebration enjoyed the additional playing of a 'Gramophone Record of their Majesties' Speeches'.

By the beginning of the 1920s physical conditions at the school were still quite spartan; the children were still using earth WCs, the education authority having issued specific instructions that year regarding their cleaning and the burial of waste. More pleasantly, perhaps, the log books note that in July 1923 a young cuckoo had hatched out in a hedge sparrow's nest in the school garden hedge and that the children were observing it daily.

The following September, 1923, when the school reopened after the summer holidays there were 71 children on the register; six had left at the end of the previous term and one boy and one girl were beginning at Marlborough Grammar School; one boy was starting to attend Swindon Technical School. The following May, 1924, a 10 year-old boy was admitted to the school; he had lived in South America for the whole of his life hitherto and had not previously attended any school.

The Diocesan and HMI Reports of 1924 were positive, the former describing the children as 'well informed' and the latter as 'orderly and as a rule willing to make an effort'. Some of the girls again took a 'Domestic Course', this time at the 'Ogbourne St. Andrew Hut' in June 1924. The cows continued to be a threat to the produce of the school garden, however, breaking in to devour eight 'fine marrows' one weekend in September 1924. Several pupils attended the County School Sports Day in July 1927 and the following year, in the same month, the children were having many lessons under the shade of the lime trees in the 'glorious' weather that was being enjoyed.

Particular progress was noted in the HMI report of January 1930, when the children were noted as being 'alert and interested in their lessons' and the older children were beginning to show considerable initiative and self-reliance'.

The dentist and nurse continued to visit the school and holidays for notable occasions granted to the children, for example for the wedding of the Duke of Kent and Princess Marina in November 1934 and for two days to mark the Coronation of George VI in May 1936. That July the school trip would be to Teignmouth.

When World War Two broke out in September 1939, eight refugees staying in the village were added to the register, giving a total of 46 pupils. From October of that year a canteen for soldiers would be opened in the school every evening. For their part the children would again carry out their blackberrying tasks for the war effort. The decrease in the school roll in the 1930s was notable: In June 1932 there were 70 children on the school register and in September 1933, 71. By January 1936 this number had gradually reduced to 55 and by the following September, 49. By January 1938 the number would be 39. This figure may be compared with that for 1906, which was 96.
Further information will be found under Ogbourne St. George and Ogbourne St. Andrew Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School.