Preston upon the Weald Moors: Education

EDUCATION.

In 1799 a governess taught 13 girls boarded in Preston hospital; (fn. 1) in 1818 and 1851 there were 20 girls taught by the master or matron in the hospital hall. (fn. 2) A boarding school established in 1830 had 6 boys in 1833. (fn. 3) By 1843 there was a Sunday school with c. 50 pupils and a dame school with c. 17, held in a 'close and dirty room'. (fn. 4)

In 1846 a National school with 45 places was built at the expense of the Revd. S. H. Macaulay and his wife, with the aid of a small government grant. Attendance averaged 25 in 1849. (fn. 5) The income in 1873 consisted of £27 in contributions and £7 8s. 6d. in 2d. fees from 33 pupils; a disproportionately small number of infants, seven, was probably due to the village's remoteness. The uncertificated mistress received £14 a year and a house rent free. Attendance averaged 18 in 1873, (fn. 6) 22 in 1895. (fn. 7) A replacement school built on a site given by the hospital trustees opened in 1898; (fn. 8) it had 90 places in 1912. (fn. 9) Girls from the hospital probably began to attend the new school, for attendance averaged 68 in 1905, (fn. 10) c. 50 between 1914 and 1933, (fn. 11) c. 67 in 1936, and c. 76 in 1943. (fn. 12) Evacuees from Smethwick (Staffs.) (fn. 13) and Harrow (Mdx.) (fn. 14) were admitted in 1939 and 1940. (fn. 15) Senior pupils transferred to Wellington Modern School from 1946; (fn. 16) the parish population fell during the 1950s; (fn. 17) no girls boarded in the hospital after 1952; (fn. 18) and the school had only 28 pupils in 1959. (fn. 19) Known as St. Lawrence's C.E. Primary School by 1957, it then became controlled (fn. 20) and was soon greatly improved. (fn. 21) A demountable classroom was added in 1966 and 15 pupils from the closed Kynnersley C.E. School were admitted, numbers rising to 52. (fn. 22) In 1981 there were 47 pupils. (fn. 23)