Lawley: Education

EDUCATION.

Newdale School was established by the Coalbrookdale Co. before 1818, when it had 89 pupils with 14 more on Sundays. The rectangular brick building, with tiled roof and wooden floors, contained a large schoolroom, a classroom, and an entrance lobby. In 1865 the buildings were in good repair and attendance averaged 60. The curate of Lawley managed the school but government grants were paid through the company, which defrayed the school's expenses and allocated the annual income (£16 in voluntary contributions and £15 in fees) to the mistress. Company employees' children paid 1d. a week, those of the Ketley Co.'s 2d., and others 3d. (fn. 1) The school closed and its pupils transferred in 1877 to the new school built by the Wellington school board, (fn. 2) in whose area Lawley was included in 1872. (fn. 3)

Lawley Bank Wesleyan School was established in 1868 in a building of c. 1800 owned by the Coalbrookdale Co., which charged £1 rent. The first quarter's income comprised £13 15s. in voluntary contributions and £15 9s. 10d. in fees of 2d. or 3d. a week according to the pupil's class; five children were free. The master received £11 9s. 6d. for the quarter, the sewing mistress £1 9s. 9d. (fn. 4) The school, though well attended and very efficient, was in bad repair in 1873, when the trustees accepted the school board's offer to take it over. The board agreed to pay £10 a year rent and, though the school was to continue only temporarily, to spend £200 on repairs. The Wesleyans were allowed use on Sundays and for evening meetings and the master was allowed to hold an evening school. (fn. 5) By 1875 the day school was so overcrowded that admission was refused to children from outside Wellington parish. In 1876, with a maximum attendance at the annual inspection, H.M. Inspector had to examine pupils in the playground for want of space indoors. The school closed in 1876, pupils transferring to the new board school in 1877. (fn. 6)

Lawley Board School, built on the same plan as Hadley's (fn. 7) but with 274 places, (fn. 8) opened with 78 mixed pupils and 20 infants in 1877. (fn. 9) The school admitted pupils from Newdale School and Lawley Bank Wesleyan Board School. (fn. 10) Mixed and infant departments were combined in 1884 (fn. 11) after the building was altered. (fn. 12) Attendance averaged 200 in 1885, 160 in 1891, 200 in 1909, and 220 in 1913. (fn. 13) H. M. Inspectors' reports, received annually until 1903, were excellent and the night school established in 1878 was also efficient. From 1878 the Science and Art Department's annual drawing reports were consistently favourable. (fn. 14) The school continued as an all-age school until 1956, when seniors transferred to a new secondary modern school. (fn. 15) In 1980 Lawley County Primary School (142 pupils), (fn. 16) used the original building, by then improved, and demountable classrooms.