Gravel Close School, Downton
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The school was built by the local School Board in 1895 to accommodate children from the Free School and the British Schools. It was an elementary (all age) school and could take about 80 infants and 264 older children. Children from the British Girls' and Boys' School started on Monday 17th February 1896 after moving their books the previous Friday. The 1896 HMI report on the boys' department stated, 'The boys have passed a satifactory examination and will no doubt make more rapid progress in the excellent building which has been provided. The order is good and singing very creditable'. During the winter months an evening school was held in the new school for boys and young men who were working. In 1899 the average attendance was 48 infants, 116 boys and 54 girls ( other girls went to the National Girls School).
The school was transferred to Wiltshire County Council in 1903. Numbers of pupils fluctuated; there were 225 in 1914, 192 in 1927, and 143 in 1938. It remained an all age school until 1964 when a secondary modern school was built and the Gravel Close School was used for infants and juniors only. The infants and girls form the Church of England Girls School in Barford Lane were also transferred here and the school then seems to have become the Church of England School at that time. There were 269 pupils in 1975.
The school was transferred to Wiltshire County Council in 1903. Numbers of pupils fluctuated; there were 225 in 1914, 192 in 1927, and 143 in 1938. It remained an all age school until 1964 when a secondary modern school was built and the Gravel Close School was used for infants and juniors only. The infants and girls form the Church of England Girls School in Barford Lane were also transferred here and the school then seems to have become the Church of England School at that time. There were 269 pupils in 1975.