Church of England School, Latton
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The first recorded education in Latton parish was in 1832, when a day school was run to teach the children of Latton and the children of Eysey, as the ecclesiastical parish had just been formed. The following year it was attended by between 50 and 60 children. The master received £20 a year in 1846 with the expenses being met through subscriptions. A house for the master was found near to the school. In 1850 the school was extended a little.
In 1858, there were 30 to 40 boys and girls in the school and Warburton's Census found they were 'Taught by a certificated master, in a very fair school-room (nave 19 x 14 [feet], and two transepts, each (8 x 9ft. 9 inches), with board floor, and good desks. Mr Hughes reports favourably of the discipline, and of the instruction in most subjects.' The school was extended in 1873 to provide for at least 100 children. There were now two classrooms.
We do not have school log books for the Victorian period but the following will give an idea of what life was like in a village school at the time.
In 1858, there were 30 to 40 boys and girls in the school and Warburton's Census found they were 'Taught by a certificated master, in a very fair school-room (nave 19 x 14 [feet], and two transepts, each (8 x 9ft. 9 inches), with board floor, and good desks. Mr Hughes reports favourably of the discipline, and of the instruction in most subjects.' The school was extended in 1873 to provide for at least 100 children. There were now two classrooms.
We do not have school log books for the Victorian period but the following will give an idea of what life was like in a village school at the time.
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. 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.
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. 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.
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.
Attendance fluctuated greatly and was often dependant on weather and illness.
On 12 February 1904, the headmaster Bertram Newman wrote: 'Owing to the rough weather and the floods, the percentage of attendance this week has dropped to 54.6 per cent- the lowest on record!' In 1908 there were 61 children on roll. In 1906 overall control of the school passed to Wiltshire County Council although a local board of managers remained.
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.
Attendance fluctuated greatly and was often dependant on weather and illness.
On 12 February 1904, the headmaster Bertram Newman wrote: 'Owing to the rough weather and the floods, the percentage of attendance this week has dropped to 54.6 per cent- the lowest on record!' In 1908 there were 61 children on roll. In 1906 overall control of the school passed to Wiltshire County Council although a local board of managers remained.
In a typical entry regarding the weather, written in March 1908, head mistress Miss Hall wrote: 'Last Wednesday there was very heavy rain, so scholars living at a distance and the younger children were absent: The registers were not marked. On 24th February 1916, the snow was so severe that not a single child arrived at school.
Serious illness was often prevalent. In June 1904, Sidney Bartlett died of scarlet fever, followed by another child the following month. In November 1905 a boy named Lewis Clarke died from diphtheria. The school was shut down fairly often because of outbreaks of illness, such as scarlet fever, influenza and whooping cough.
The inspections of the school over the years varied in tone. His Majesty's Inspector of 2008 wrote: 'The children are in very good order. They are receiving careful and intelligent instruction and are making creditable progress. Needlework and drawing are good. The infants are well advanced.'
The Diocesan report of 1905 reads: 'The infants were in beautiful order, the repetition was said quietly and reverently and they answered with much readiness.In the Standards the religious teaching and behaviour are thoroughly satisfactory.'
Serious illness was often prevalent. In June 1904, Sidney Bartlett died of scarlet fever, followed by another child the following month. In November 1905 a boy named Lewis Clarke died from diphtheria. The school was shut down fairly often because of outbreaks of illness, such as scarlet fever, influenza and whooping cough.
The inspections of the school over the years varied in tone. His Majesty's Inspector of 2008 wrote: 'The children are in very good order. They are receiving careful and intelligent instruction and are making creditable progress. Needlework and drawing are good. The infants are well advanced.'
The Diocesan report of 1905 reads: 'The infants were in beautiful order, the repetition was said quietly and reverently and they answered with much readiness.In the Standards the religious teaching and behaviour are thoroughly satisfactory.'
A less favourable report was filed in 1921 when His Majesty's Inspector wrote: 'The work has been interrupted by changes in the teachers of the infant's class.The school, however, is not making the progress it should do.The children are orderly, amiable and to a certain extent, painstaking in figuring, writing and drawing, but they are inert in mind; the teaching has failed to rouse ordinary interest and intelligence. Arithmetic is practically a failure and the children are by no means equal to their status in this subject.'
The inspection results were a little more successful by 1936, when the inspector wrote: 'There is a friendly atmosphere in this small school.The teaching too is kindly, painstaking and although weaknesses still exist, it is possible to state that progress has been made and that a fair standard is attained generally for a school of this type.'
Prior to World War Two there were only around 31 children attending the school. Numbers increased after the War as the population of the parish increased, which was mainly due to new houses being built there.
The inspection results were a little more successful by 1936, when the inspector wrote: 'There is a friendly atmosphere in this small school.The teaching too is kindly, painstaking and although weaknesses still exist, it is possible to state that progress has been made and that a fair standard is attained generally for a school of this type.'
Prior to World War Two there were only around 31 children attending the school. Numbers increased after the War as the population of the parish increased, which was mainly due to new houses being built there.
According to the log book the school was affected only mildly by the two World Wars, as was the pattern with many rural schools. One of the only explicit references to World War One in the school log books was to two boys from London coming to the school. On 10 December 1917 headmistress Elizabeth Blackburn wrote: 'I have admitted two London boys who have come into the village. They are very nervous suffering from shock due to air raids. They are only to attend morning school.'
On 11 November 1918 she wrote: 'News received that the War was over.
I sent to the Post Office, Cricklade, for confirmation, which was quite true.
I had the flag hoisted, allowed a long play and finally assembled all in large room where the national anthem was sung.'
In September 1939 the school took in 14 evacuees. In the following September the evacuated children were visited by their parents. On 2 July 1942, the first gas mask practice session took place; they then took place on every first Thursday of the month.
The school shut down in the summer of 1970, the decision having been made by the managers the previous May. The children then went to schools in Cricklade.
On 11 November 1918 she wrote: 'News received that the War was over.
I sent to the Post Office, Cricklade, for confirmation, which was quite true.
I had the flag hoisted, allowed a long play and finally assembled all in large room where the national anthem was sung.'
In September 1939 the school took in 14 evacuees. In the following September the evacuated children were visited by their parents. On 2 July 1942, the first gas mask practice session took place; they then took place on every first Thursday of the month.
The school shut down in the summer of 1970, the decision having been made by the managers the previous May. The children then went to schools in Cricklade.