Pitton Church of England (VA) Primary School
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The Church of England school opened in 1850 with accommodation for 80 children. The following year, the mistress is recorded as being 43 year-old Elizabeth Williams, her assistant was Emma Whitlock, 16. In June 1858 the school is described as, 'a very fair building erected for the purpose, with boarded floor. About 50 scholars, mixed, are taught by a mistress.'
In the second half of the 19th century children paid a few pence per week to attend the school. In 1899 there were 52 children on the roll. The school building was a single storey and divided into two rooms, known as the Big Room and the Little Room. Object lessons in 1898 included pepper, a whale, boats, cats, soap, tea, the ant.
As was often the case in rural schools in the 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, there were very low attendance levels. Children often did not attend school because of illness, bad weather, or because they were needed at home or out in the fields. For example, on 22nd February 1898 a fall of snow was so heavy overnight that only one child turned up for school in the morning. In June 1898 many of the older boys were away for haymaking; this happened every summer.
In the second half of the 19th century children paid a few pence per week to attend the school. In 1899 there were 52 children on the roll. The school building was a single storey and divided into two rooms, known as the Big Room and the Little Room. Object lessons in 1898 included pepper, a whale, boats, cats, soap, tea, the ant.
As was often the case in rural schools in the 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, there were very low attendance levels. Children often did not attend school because of illness, bad weather, or because they were needed at home or out in the fields. For example, on 22nd February 1898 a fall of snow was so heavy overnight that only one child turned up for school in the morning. In June 1898 many of the older boys were away for haymaking; this happened every summer.
Another reason for absence at Pitton was that the senior boys were often employed as beaters for the Earl of Ilchester and on the Clarendon Estate. This too was a frequent occurrence. Illness also kept children away from school. scarlet fever, measles, mumps and chicken pox were all common. From February to April 1910 the school was shut down by order of the School Medical Officer because of an epidemic of whooping cough. There were further outbreaks throughout the summer. It was closed for three weeks in December 1911 because of a prevalence of measles and chicken pox. On occasion, an entry which can't help but be faintly humorous creeps into the school log books. On 16th September 1921: 'Mavis Eyres unable to attend school on account of being kicked by a cow.'
In the spring of 1900, £12 of the grant from the previous year was used to buy new desks for all the older scholars. The following year, the children's playground was taken away; the field in which they played behind the school, which was owned by Lord Ilchester, was leased to a tenant and the children were forbidden to enter. In 1910, the number of children on roll was 54 and two years later in 1912 that had increased to 64.
In the spring of 1900, £12 of the grant from the previous year was used to buy new desks for all the older scholars. The following year, the children's playground was taken away; the field in which they played behind the school, which was owned by Lord Ilchester, was leased to a tenant and the children were forbidden to enter. In 1910, the number of children on roll was 54 and two years later in 1912 that had increased to 64.
The reports from various Inspectors seem to be largely positive. In 1902 His Majesty's Inspector wrote: 'The order is good and the children are attentive and well behaved. The school is in a fair state of efficiency and the teacher appears anxious to work in the spirit if the code.' And two years later in 1902 the Inspector wrote: 'The scholars are in good order. They read well and much of their work is of a satisfactory character but they are backward in arithmetic and show but little knowledge of geography. The school is not sufficiently heated in winter.' The diocesan inspector in 1922 said: 'Good work is being done in this school in Religious Education, the children as a whole being active in learning such lessons from Holy Scripture and Church Catechism as should help them lay a good foundation in character.'
Around 1906 the overall responsibility for the school passed to Wiltshire County Council with a board of local managers (later governors)
Very few Pitton school children went on to have further education. In the 1920s there was a bus service out of the parish which should have increased opportunities but still, only three Pitton boys are known to have received secondary education in that decade. The scholarship examination taken at the age of 11 was not sat by many Pitton youngsters.
Around 1906 the overall responsibility for the school passed to Wiltshire County Council with a board of local managers (later governors)
Very few Pitton school children went on to have further education. In the 1920s there was a bus service out of the parish which should have increased opportunities but still, only three Pitton boys are known to have received secondary education in that decade. The scholarship examination taken at the age of 11 was not sat by many Pitton youngsters.
In the 1920s the school had wash basins, but no water and only in the middle of the 20th century did the school get working toilets plumbed in. Also in that decade, and in the 1930s, the school seemed to get through an extremely high numbers of headmistresses. Normally in rural schools teachers stayed for a good number of years, but at the start of the 20th century Pitton went through a stage of having a new head almost every year.
On Empire Day in 1908 the children were given a holiday and they marched around the village, carrying Union flags and singing patriotic songs. A flag was hoisted outside the school which the children saluted, and tea and sports were held afterwards. Empire Day was celebrated without fail during the first part of the 20th century. The children also always left school to go to church on Ascension Day.
Levels of discipline were as one might expect. The most common reasons for being disciplined, usually with the cane, were 'disobedience' and 'insolence'.On 15th November 1916 the head mistress wrote: '[One boy] was insubordinate yesterday- having promptly disobeyed a command, he was sent out of class yesterday and at playtime ran away home. This morning he received punishment- about ten cuts behind, as he really must be taught obedience.'
On Empire Day in 1908 the children were given a holiday and they marched around the village, carrying Union flags and singing patriotic songs. A flag was hoisted outside the school which the children saluted, and tea and sports were held afterwards. Empire Day was celebrated without fail during the first part of the 20th century. The children also always left school to go to church on Ascension Day.
Levels of discipline were as one might expect. The most common reasons for being disciplined, usually with the cane, were 'disobedience' and 'insolence'.On 15th November 1916 the head mistress wrote: '[One boy] was insubordinate yesterday- having promptly disobeyed a command, he was sent out of class yesterday and at playtime ran away home. This morning he received punishment- about ten cuts behind, as he really must be taught obedience.'
In September 1926, the new head introduced a house system to the school. The school was divided into three houses which were Nelson, Wellington and Kitchener. Each house had an appointed prefect.
In September 1939, 17 evacuees arrived at the school. Ten of these were official evacuees from Portsmouth and the remaining seven were voluntarily evacuated from areas of London. This brought the number of children on roll to 62. The following September, a further 11 evacuees arrived from Hastings, Sussex. The school children played a rather odd part in the national war effort; in August 1932 the children killed 687 cabbage white butterflies as a piece of 'war service.' The logic behind this behaviour was that the caterpillars would eat cabbages badly needed by people to eat in the middle of the war and so they had to be removed.
There is reference to air raids in the school log books; presumably this refers to air raids on Portsmouth and Southampton. On 6 September 1940 two children were late arriving to school as they had been woken up and disturbed by air raids in the middle of the night. In March 1944 Sergeant Mitchell from Alderbury came to the school to give a talk to the children in regards to not pestering American soldiers. What this pestering consisted of is not clear but it was presumably for sweets and chewing gum!
In September 1939, 17 evacuees arrived at the school. Ten of these were official evacuees from Portsmouth and the remaining seven were voluntarily evacuated from areas of London. This brought the number of children on roll to 62. The following September, a further 11 evacuees arrived from Hastings, Sussex. The school children played a rather odd part in the national war effort; in August 1932 the children killed 687 cabbage white butterflies as a piece of 'war service.' The logic behind this behaviour was that the caterpillars would eat cabbages badly needed by people to eat in the middle of the war and so they had to be removed.
There is reference to air raids in the school log books; presumably this refers to air raids on Portsmouth and Southampton. On 6 September 1940 two children were late arriving to school as they had been woken up and disturbed by air raids in the middle of the night. In March 1944 Sergeant Mitchell from Alderbury came to the school to give a talk to the children in regards to not pestering American soldiers. What this pestering consisted of is not clear but it was presumably for sweets and chewing gum!
The school was shut for two days at the end of the war and in May the blackout curtains were removed from all the windows.
In September 1999 the school achieved Voluntary Aided status, moving from a grant maintained status. Today the school is on a two acre site, with a large playground and playing field and surrounded by fields of the Clarendon Estate. In May 2010 there were 90 children on the school register.
In September 1999 the school achieved Voluntary Aided status, moving from a grant maintained status. Today the school is on a two acre site, with a large playground and playing field and surrounded by fields of the Clarendon Estate. In May 2010 there were 90 children on the school register.