HISTORY OF BARFORD ST PETER'S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL
Barford School dates back to 1677, when the Rector and
former Headmaster of Warwick School, Thomas Dugard, made a bequest
of £5 a year, £4 of which paid the salary of “such
person as shall teach 14 poor children and the other £1 to teach
2 poor girls.” To this small endowment were added various bequests
notably from generations of the Mills family.
The school
was open to all children who were parishioners and about 30 boys and
as many girls usually attended. They were instructed
in reading, writing and arithmetic; the girls were taught
to sew by the master’s wife.
In 1851 the present school was erected
by the National Society - a Church of England body.
This consisted of two large rooms, boys and
girls being segregated. When infants were admitted,
a portion of the Malt Barn opposite was brought into
use. Parents had to pay a
weekly amount for every child.
In 1948, with the implementation
of the Education Act, financial responsibility was taken
over by Warwickshire County Council. However,
the Church maintained its links with the school, as
shown by its name and by electing two Foundation (i.e.
Church) Governors to serve
on the Board of Governors.
The school was extended in
1960. Until the mid-1970's, the school was a thriving
junior and infant school, but with the introduction
of the first and middle school system, the number on
the roll decreased, as education could only be provided
for children from 4 to 8 years.
In 1993, under the Schools' Reorganisation
in Warwickshire, it was
proposed that Barford Church of England First School
should be closed. This was met with fierce opposition
from the community.
In June 1994, it was announced that the decision
to close the school had been overturned, and from September
1995, Barford St Peter's
C of E (Aided) Primary School became official. The school
now serves the parishes of Barford, Sherbourne and Wasperton
and provides education
for children from 4 to 11 years once more.
In 2004 the school
was further improved and extended, and national performance “league
tables” declared it to be in the top twenty five primary schools
in England.
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