History

The following pages are work in progress

St John’s Primary School holds 8 logbooks which span the period 1873 to 1992. Volume I provides an intriguing insight into the educational system during the latter half of the Victorian era.

The first St John’s Schools

St John’s National Mixed School opened in 1873. Boys and girls were taught separately. On 28 September 1891 the schools re-opened as a Free School.

A small fee of two old pence (less than 1p) per week had to be paid for each child until 1891 when fees were abolished. (In Oct 1878, the school fees were raised from 2d to 3d per child per week).

The teachers at this time were paid about £30 per year with help given by paid monitors and pupil teachers. Pupils were taught under the “payment by results” system which meant that the government grant the school got was based on how well their pupils did in front of school inspectors in a variety of tasks. This created much stress for both teachers and pupils.

 

School buildings  | Attendance | Health | Behaviour  | Lessons