The 1868 National School (white building on left) and the older School House (stone/brick building on right).
This timeline provides key information relevant to the establishment and provision of schooling for children living in East and West Worlington.
National Schools were established by the National Society for Education, an organisation that had a mission to provide Elementary Education alined to the teaching of the Church of England, for the poor.
It too until 1857 a National School had been established in East Worlington.
By 1857 a National School has appeared in East Worlington, supported by the Earl of Portsmouth, with R Sleep as the Master. However the 1861 census records William Woolway (Carpenter) andJane Woolway (Milliner) as residents.
The Earl of Portsmouth, the land owner of Poor / School House and Sir George Stucley built a new National School adjacent to the School House. Soon after the completion of the new school room an Infants Room was added to the building. By 1870 the building was used as a school with residential facilities for the school master.
The Elementary Education Act of 1870, also known as the Forster Act, established the framework for schooling in England and Wales, particularly for children aged 5 to 13.
On 5th of April 1875 the new East and West Worlington Board School was opened in what was an important step forward for the education of children in the area; previously theree had been no schooling in East and West Worlington for two years following the closure of the National School in 1873.
John William Dainty was the first Schoolmaster of the new Board School and he remained in post until he left on 8th April 1878.
William Henry Edmonds was Schoolmaster from 1899 until 30th May 1924 when retires and leaves East Worlington to becomes a farmer.
He had a break from his Schoolmaster position from 21st June 1918 to 3th February 1919 to complete National Service. During his time away from the school his position was covered by three seperate Temporary Schoolmasters:
- 1st July 1918 A Bentham (who stayed for two weeks)
- 15th July 1918 S.V. Ford ( who did not return after the school’s summer holiday)
- 9th September 1919 C.J.F. Tipper (who stayed until W.H. Edmonds return on 3rd February 1919)
Chalkboard may show date as 1911, Mr Edmonds in the centre and possibly Mrs Bulled on the left.
Possibly Mrs Bulled on the left.
WWI didn’t affect the normal school day too much but extra events were organised based on offical requirements such as Trafalgar Day and War Savings.
Follow the link below to see the school log book entries for special events during WWI.
Possibly shows Mr Edmonds at the left and Mrs Bulled on the right.
The photo shows Mrs Bulled standing behind the pupils.
Six reports report focused on education:
1923: differentiation of the curriculum for boys and girls
1924: psychological tests of educable capacity,
1926: the education of the adolescent
1928: books in public elementary schools
1931: the primary school
1933: infant and nursery schools
Possibly Mrs Harris seated centre.
Three different temporary Heads cover the vacant schoolteacher position between February and May of 1940
- 26th February 1940 E Williams.
- 4th March 1940 Walter Bleby
- 5th May 1940 Mary Ollerenshaw
Jack Yendell with evacuees
The total number of pupils on roll pre-June 1940 averaged about 38. No evacuees had yet made their way to East Worlington but this was to change when 25 evacuees arraived at the end of June.
Consider the impact of this on such a small school and on the whole community. At the time, the school had only 2 classrooms, and had children up to the age of 14.
When Mrs Leaff left her post two different supply Headteachers covered the vacancy of Headteacher September until the appointment ofMrs E R Wells a permanent Headteacher in October:
- 9th September 1946 Mrs E.V. Hooper
- 7th October 1946 Mrs E.M.B. Woodward
Mrs Wells took up this permanent position on 28th October 1946 and continued in the role unitl 1957.
Back row:
Lorna Keenor, Margaret Harris, Mary Medland, Dorothy Tucker, A Ford (?), Margaret Hold
Middle row:
unknown, Ken Phillips, Ron Stacey, Ronald Hold, Ken Southwood, Derek Lowell, Stuart McGoldrick
Front row:
Stella Webber, Olive Fewings, Jean Harris, Ann Troake, ? Phillips, unknown, Jean Stacey, Kay Keener
Back row:
Michael Row, Daphne Phillips, Maureen Ayre, David Cole, Ruth Troake, Mary Troake, Stephanie Cox, Marcia Stoneman, Heather, Kirslake, Cyril Harris, Raymond Govier
Middle row:
John Troake, Shiela Stenner, Rodney Phillips, Meta Fewings, Sylvia Cole, John Cox, unknown, Julie Keenor, Alan Govier, Eileen Harris, unknown, Mavis Stenner
Front row:
unknown, Christine Venner, Heather Wright, Ruth Wright, Stephen Troake, Brian Lovell, Gillian Cox, unknown, Angela Payne, unknown, Aubrey Harris, Lorna Venner, unknown, Barabara Cole
On 12th January Mrs Sandra Barnett joined the school as the permanent Headteacher
On 9th September Mrs Sandy Haughton was appointed as Acting Headteacher until 6th January 1986 while Mrs Sandra Barrnett was on maternity leave.
On 6th May 1986 Mrs Sandy Haughton was again appointed as Acting Headteacher after Mrs Barnett resigned.
East Worlington Primary School becomes part of Chulmleigh Academy Trust with a
“vision: to inspire and motivate the children in our care, to encourage and develop their aspirations, and to ensure that they leave our care with everything they need, personally and academically, to go on to achieve their ambitions”