Steeple Langford School
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A National School was founded in 1861, but there have been many alternations since then. The building was made bigger in 1895 and further extensions took place in 1973 through the erection of new buildings.
It became a grant aided school in 1944 following the Education Act, and on 14 January 1954 it officially became known as Steeple Langford Church of England Aided School.
In 1864 boys left the school at the age of nine and girls left at 12. In 1875, 15 years after opening, the average attendance was 56 in the day, and 17 in the evening. Evening sessions were put on for some boys who worked during the day, and these night schools continued until the start of the 20th century. A common lesson was rural agriculture and how to plan and plant kitchen gardens.
The school did seem particularly Victorian in regards to punishment. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the school log books list many of the reasons children received a caning. These included; being late, being rude, striking matches, throwing stones, careless work and stealing marbles. The most common cause for being physically punished was for rudeness or careless work.
On 9 February 1880, a temperance lecture was given by the Reverend Oldfield. Most children in the school attended and 'a goodly number signed the pledge.' It should be remembered that these children promising never to drink alcohol were all under 13!
It became a grant aided school in 1944 following the Education Act, and on 14 January 1954 it officially became known as Steeple Langford Church of England Aided School.
In 1864 boys left the school at the age of nine and girls left at 12. In 1875, 15 years after opening, the average attendance was 56 in the day, and 17 in the evening. Evening sessions were put on for some boys who worked during the day, and these night schools continued until the start of the 20th century. A common lesson was rural agriculture and how to plan and plant kitchen gardens.
The school did seem particularly Victorian in regards to punishment. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the school log books list many of the reasons children received a caning. These included; being late, being rude, striking matches, throwing stones, careless work and stealing marbles. The most common cause for being physically punished was for rudeness or careless work.
On 9 February 1880, a temperance lecture was given by the Reverend Oldfield. Most children in the school attended and 'a goodly number signed the pledge.' It should be remembered that these children promising never to drink alcohol were all under 13!
The attendance of children at the school was, in a similar vein to many small rural parishes at the time, very dependent on weather, illness and a need for children to go out and work in the fields. Often teachers would use their discretion in regards to giving holidays to accommodate the need for children to work in the fields. For example, in June 1908 the school was closed for two weeks to give the children a 'haymaking holiday'. To give children time off to assist in the haymaking was a regular occurrence for many years. In other harvest periods, the school often changed its hours in order for children to take meals for the parents in the fields
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Holidays were often given for no really concrete reason; 22 October 1907 was a holiday from school for the children given by the managers 'in recognition of the good attendance made by the children during the last year. That month there were 121 children on the roll.
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Holidays were often given for no really concrete reason; 22 October 1907 was a holiday from school for the children given by the managers 'in recognition of the good attendance made by the children during the last year. That month there were 121 children on the roll.
Outbreaks of illnesses such as German measles and Scarlet Fever could often be seen in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1870, the head master wrote: 'The upper classes are constantly getting smaller and smaller on account of the children being wanted in the fields.'In 1878, the head master wrote: 'The attendance has fallen off materially this week in consequence of the commencement of the harvest.' Absence was also caused by children taking meals out to their parents in the field. Bad weather too played a big part; when there was snow or a bad storm, children from Little Langford were as often as not absent as the road from Little Langford to the school would become blocked.
Reports from Her Majesty's Inspectors were not always especially complimentary. The Schools Inspector in 1875 wrote: 'The spelling and handwriting are only pretty fair. The geography and grammar are not satisfactory.'
In 1906 responsibility for the school passed to Wiltshire County Council, although the local board of managers remained. After 47 years from the critical comments of 1875 the response from Inspectors was still fairly lukewarm. In 1922 the Inspector wrote: 'The children are orderly but generally speaking they have been insufficiently trained to make effort, for they lack confidence.'
Reports from Her Majesty's Inspectors were not always especially complimentary. The Schools Inspector in 1875 wrote: 'The spelling and handwriting are only pretty fair. The geography and grammar are not satisfactory.'
In 1906 responsibility for the school passed to Wiltshire County Council, although the local board of managers remained. After 47 years from the critical comments of 1875 the response from Inspectors was still fairly lukewarm. In 1922 the Inspector wrote: 'The children are orderly but generally speaking they have been insufficiently trained to make effort, for they lack confidence.'
The school was affected by the two World Wars as most rural schools were. In 1914, the school opened a week later in September than normal, as boys were being looked for to replace men in the fields who had enlisted. The girls in the school often knitted items for the soldiers at the front. In January 1919, there was a recognition service for old school boys who died during the conflict. There were 48 soldiers fighting in the war who had attended Steeple Langford School. Of this 48, ten were killed in action, five died from their wounds, four became prisoners and seven were badly wounded.
On 15 May 1933 the elder children at the school won a shield for country dancing at Wiltshire Music Festival at Devizes. This was the third year the school had won the prize. In January 1935 water was connected to all the offices and taps installed above sinks. In November 1939 electric lights were installed at the school.
From 1938 older pupils from the area attended school at Wilton. In September 1939, the school took on 24 evacuees, 19 from Portsmouth and five from other areas. Evacuated children came and went throughout the duration of the war. The school was closed for two days in May 1945 to 'celebrate the Victory in Europe.'
On 15 May 1933 the elder children at the school won a shield for country dancing at Wiltshire Music Festival at Devizes. This was the third year the school had won the prize. In January 1935 water was connected to all the offices and taps installed above sinks. In November 1939 electric lights were installed at the school.
From 1938 older pupils from the area attended school at Wilton. In September 1939, the school took on 24 evacuees, 19 from Portsmouth and five from other areas. Evacuated children came and went throughout the duration of the war. The school was closed for two days in May 1945 to 'celebrate the Victory in Europe.'
Another notable event for the school was the coronation of Elizabeth II; a token tree was planted in the playground by a Brigadier-General Seagram. This was later to be replaced by a copper beech. All the children were given Coronation mugs filled with sweets. A few weeks later, portraits of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were hung in the school room.
School life seemed to carry on happily, punctuated by a few moments of excitement. On 28 January 1958 cows from a nearby farm broke through the school fence overnight and got into the school gardens. In June of 1959 there was an outing to Southampton Docks. For many of the children it was the first time they had been on a train. On 24 April 1964 the county mobile library arrived at the school for the first time to 'much excitement.' An interesting note in the log books shows how BBC sex education films were first played to parents in 1960 to help them decide if they were happy for their children to watch them.
In 1963 there were heavy falls of snow in January. This meant there was no water as the pipes were frozen. This carried on until the middle of February. Water engineers attempted to free the pipes by sending electrical currents down the pipes but this did not work. The only thing which brought running water back to the school was the thaw. The school was internally decorated over the summer of 1966.
School life seemed to carry on happily, punctuated by a few moments of excitement. On 28 January 1958 cows from a nearby farm broke through the school fence overnight and got into the school gardens. In June of 1959 there was an outing to Southampton Docks. For many of the children it was the first time they had been on a train. On 24 April 1964 the county mobile library arrived at the school for the first time to 'much excitement.' An interesting note in the log books shows how BBC sex education films were first played to parents in 1960 to help them decide if they were happy for their children to watch them.
In 1963 there were heavy falls of snow in January. This meant there was no water as the pipes were frozen. This carried on until the middle of February. Water engineers attempted to free the pipes by sending electrical currents down the pipes but this did not work. The only thing which brought running water back to the school was the thaw. The school was internally decorated over the summer of 1966.
In 1972-73, the school was moved temporarily to the site of the old Codford Primary School, while the Steeple Langford school was remodelled. These changes included; the infant and junior rooms were changed to a kitchen and central shared space, the old kitchen became a library and an entrance hall, staff room and cloak room was added to the front of the building. The moving day was 12 April 1973. There was also a new field and playground and the entire area was landscaped and turfed, as well as shrubs being planted. The official rededication was overseen by the Bishop of Salisbury, Bishop George Reindorf, on 12 June 1973. Numbers at the school had fallen during the 20th century and in 1991 there were only 27 children at the school.
Numbers continued to fall and by 2002 there were only 22 children. Owing to the small number of children at the school the set-up of education changed in Steeple Langford between 2005 and 2010 with a joint school called Wylye Valley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School. This school was made up of what was Steeple Langford Primary School and the nearby Codford Primary School. The two sites were used at the same time, with young children taught on both sites and older children taught on the Codford site alone. This set-up ended in July 2010 when the Codford site was the only one used and Steeple Langford School closed.
Numbers continued to fall and by 2002 there were only 22 children. Owing to the small number of children at the school the set-up of education changed in Steeple Langford between 2005 and 2010 with a joint school called Wylye Valley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School. This school was made up of what was Steeple Langford Primary School and the nearby Codford Primary School. The two sites were used at the same time, with young children taught on both sites and older children taught on the Codford site alone. This set-up ended in July 2010 when the Codford site was the only one used and Steeple Langford School closed.