Broad Town Church of England Primary School
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The village school was built by January 1859 by the vicar, the Rev. Alex. James William Morrison; it was built so that it could hold 60 children. It was built on the main road going north towards Wootton Bassett. The fees were one penny each week
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A notice listing rules was issued to parents in May 1875. This stated that,
1) No child may be admitted to the school under three years of age.
2) No child may be sent to the school merely for convenience, without its being registered as a scholar and paid for.
3) No girl in the upper school can, on any consideration, be allowed to have charge of an infant in the school during school hours.
We do not hold Victorian log books for the school but the following general points would be relevant:
The following general information would be relevant to the school for the latter part of the 19th century. Fees were paid for each child until 1891, normally at the rate of one penny (0.4p) a week and the 'school pence' were collected by the schoolteacher. There would have been a schoolmaster, or schoolmistress, with an assistant teacher and perhaps a pupil teacher. The pupil teacher was taught by the head before lessons started, took exams, sometimes went to the Diocesan Training College eventually becoming a teacher themselves. They mainly taught the younger children.
School holidays were at similar times to those of today but often there was only 2 days at Easter but a week at Whitsun. The summer holidays were of four, five or six weeks and were called the Harvest Holidays as the children either helped with the harvest or carried food and drink to their parents, who were working in the fields. There were more half-day and whole day holidays for special events. Half a day would be given after the annual H.M.I. (Her Majesties Inspector) or Diocesan inspections and there were holidays for school treats, choir outings, chapel teas, Christmas parties and at times when the school was needed for other purposes.
There were also many unauthorised absences. These would be for seasonal work, such as haymaking (June) and early or late harvest (July or September), being kept at home to help their parents, and working when they should have been at school. Bad weather such as heavy rain, cold weather, or snow kept children away from school, often because their parents couldn't afford to buy them suitable clothes and boots. Apart from the usual colds and coughs there were more serious illnesses than today and these included, mumps, measles, whooping cough, scarletina and diphtheria.
There were also many unauthorised absences. These would be for seasonal work, such as haymaking (June) and early or late harvest (July or September), being kept at home to help their parents, and working when they should have been at school. Bad weather such as heavy rain, cold weather, or snow kept children away from school, often because their parents couldn't afford to buy them suitable clothes and boots. Apart from the usual colds and coughs there were more serious illnesses than today and these included, mumps, measles, whooping cough, scarletina and diphtheria.
The elementary subjects were the '3 Rs' - reading, writing and arithmetic. Scripture was often taught by the vicar and children would have attended church for services on some days. Older children were taught history and geography and there may have been some study of natural history. Singing was taught to all ages and all the girls and some of the boys would have done needlework. Drawing had been introduced by the 1890s.
The school was expanded in 1892 when another classroom was built.
The various inspections and reports into Broad Town School are somewhat mixed.
His Majesty's Inspector, in 1905, wrote: 'The children are in good order, (but) the services of an assistant have only been recently secured, and the work has also suffered from illness amongst the scholars. There is consequently considerable room for improvement in all subjects.' In 1906 Wiltshire County Council took over the overall control of the school, but with the local board of managers still in place.
By 1907 there seems to have been some improvement. The Inspector wrote: 'The scholars are in good order and now take a greater interest in their work. They have considerably improved in attainments during the past year but there is still some weakness in arithmetic and the older scholars are unable to work simple problems. On the whole however, considerable progress has been made.'
The school was expanded in 1892 when another classroom was built.
The various inspections and reports into Broad Town School are somewhat mixed.
His Majesty's Inspector, in 1905, wrote: 'The children are in good order, (but) the services of an assistant have only been recently secured, and the work has also suffered from illness amongst the scholars. There is consequently considerable room for improvement in all subjects.' In 1906 Wiltshire County Council took over the overall control of the school, but with the local board of managers still in place.
By 1907 there seems to have been some improvement. The Inspector wrote: 'The scholars are in good order and now take a greater interest in their work. They have considerably improved in attainments during the past year but there is still some weakness in arithmetic and the older scholars are unable to work simple problems. On the whole however, considerable progress has been made.'
The school buildings seemed to have been a problem over the years. In 1920 the Inspector wrote: 'The school needs redecorating. The premises are in an untidy condition and the caretakers work is very imperfectly done. Minor repairs to such things as door latches and window corners are necessary. Both playgrounds are untidy and need proper surfacing. There is no water on the premises.' In the October of 1920 painters and decorators arrived at the school and re-did the interior of all the classrooms and porches.
As in all schools there were many illnesses that kept children at home or forced the closure of the school for the protection of the pupils. There was a breakout of diphtheria in the village in 1906. In 1911, three children were excluded from the school because of ringworm. The school was shut for December 1912 because of impetigo and whooping cough and for five weeks in 1919 because of influenza.
The children were sometimes given days off for agricultural reasons and it was accepted practice that some of the older children would not be in school during the hay making or potato picking seasons. In April 1917, for example, the Easter holidays were extended for a week so the children could pick potatoes.
In October 1917, 'a half holiday was given on Monday, that the children might go blackberrying for jam for the Army and Navy.'
The school's religious inspections were generally steadily positive.
As in all schools there were many illnesses that kept children at home or forced the closure of the school for the protection of the pupils. There was a breakout of diphtheria in the village in 1906. In 1911, three children were excluded from the school because of ringworm. The school was shut for December 1912 because of impetigo and whooping cough and for five weeks in 1919 because of influenza.
The children were sometimes given days off for agricultural reasons and it was accepted practice that some of the older children would not be in school during the hay making or potato picking seasons. In April 1917, for example, the Easter holidays were extended for a week so the children could pick potatoes.
In October 1917, 'a half holiday was given on Monday, that the children might go blackberrying for jam for the Army and Navy.'
The school's religious inspections were generally steadily positive.
The Diocesan Inspector wrote of his visit in 1959: 'The children in both groups responded well to questioning on the church teaching given. They were interested and obviously well taught. The infant class also responded well to questioning by their teacher and clearly enjoyed their religious teaching.'
During the summer of 1911, it was so hot that all lessons were taken outside if possible and the time table was often disregarded.
During World War I, teachers struggled to get enough kindling and coal to light the stoves to warm the classrooms. This continued until the 1920s when the head mistress often clashed with the cleaner, who didn't light the stoves in the morning. Often the temperatures within the school were below freezing and the children were ordered to march around the playground in order to keep warm until the fires were lit.
On Friday 8th April 1921 the school children were able to see an annular eclipse of the sun; something they would have not seen before. The lessons that week had been on what an eclipse is and what causes it so the children would understand what they were seeing. The next eclipse would not occur until 2003.
During the summer of 1911, it was so hot that all lessons were taken outside if possible and the time table was often disregarded.
During World War I, teachers struggled to get enough kindling and coal to light the stoves to warm the classrooms. This continued until the 1920s when the head mistress often clashed with the cleaner, who didn't light the stoves in the morning. Often the temperatures within the school were below freezing and the children were ordered to march around the playground in order to keep warm until the fires were lit.
On Friday 8th April 1921 the school children were able to see an annular eclipse of the sun; something they would have not seen before. The lessons that week had been on what an eclipse is and what causes it so the children would understand what they were seeing. The next eclipse would not occur until 2003.
In 1921 the infant teacher Mrs Wise was taken from her class to be informed that her son had been run over. The head mistress reports the incidence thus (and carries on with school life remarkably easily): 'Her little boy has been knocked down by a car and feared, killed. Received one ton and six cwts. of coke during holiday.'
Prior to the start of World War I punishments were handed out to scholars fairly readily. A school log book lists reasons for caning as: disobedience, insolence, swearing, untruthfulness, idleness and carelessness.
In September 1939 the school saw 34 evacuees arrive and they were joined by seven more in January 1940. The infants class moved to the parish hall as there was not enough room in the school. A teacher arrived with the evacuees; Miss Hodge also spent one day a week teaching in Lyneham and Clyffe Pypard. The Home Guard and ARP (Air Raid Precautions) held meetings in the school during World War II.
During the summer of 1948 the school was redecorated and repaired. It was officially re-opened by the vicar. A classroom was built in 1960; for but the reason was not noted in log book; this was referred to as the 'Pratten Hut'. A mobile classroom was added in December 1971.
Prior to the start of World War I punishments were handed out to scholars fairly readily. A school log book lists reasons for caning as: disobedience, insolence, swearing, untruthfulness, idleness and carelessness.
In September 1939 the school saw 34 evacuees arrive and they were joined by seven more in January 1940. The infants class moved to the parish hall as there was not enough room in the school. A teacher arrived with the evacuees; Miss Hodge also spent one day a week teaching in Lyneham and Clyffe Pypard. The Home Guard and ARP (Air Raid Precautions) held meetings in the school during World War II.
During the summer of 1948 the school was redecorated and repaired. It was officially re-opened by the vicar. A classroom was built in 1960; for but the reason was not noted in log book; this was referred to as the 'Pratten Hut'. A mobile classroom was added in December 1971.
On 5 June 1975 the school was broken into. The desk of the headmistress had been upturned while the offender looked for petty cash. The front door had been forced and the police had to be called. On June 16th the school was burgled again.This time £2 of sports programme money was stolen, a filing cabinet was broken and the door was left hanging off the hinges.
At the start of the 20th century, in 1910, there were 87 pupils on roll and in 1955 there were 61 pupils attending Broad Town School. In 1996 the school had 60 children on roll and in 2000 the number was 53. In May 2010 there were 52 children at the school.
At the start of the 20th century, in 1910, there were 87 pupils on roll and in 1955 there were 61 pupils attending Broad Town School. In 1996 the school had 60 children on roll and in 2000 the number was 53. In May 2010 there were 52 children at the school.