RURAL COMMUNITIES IN LINCOLNSHIRE
North & South Somercotes
C of E Primary School
There has been a school on the site of the 'Old School' since 1692, when John Mottram of Little Cawthorpe, endowed a charity school. In 1718, records show that John Habergeon was schoolmaster, with a house, stable and yard. Thirteen acres of pasture, worth £10 per annum, provided an income. Children from both North and South Somercotes parishes attended, although numbers fluctuated daily, as the children were required to work on the land.
By the 1840's the influence of Methodism resulted in the establishment of separate Wesleyan Schools, and the Church School was in a state of disrepair. The population of both parishes had also increased considerably.
In 1851, a new school, and school house was built, using bricks donated by Henry Pye. Henry Malbon Maxfield was appointed schoolmaster, and there were two schoolrooms, one for boys, and one for girls. They must have been very crowded, as there were between 60 and 100 children on roll. The pupils were divided by ability, into 'standards', and the master was assisted by his wife and older students, known as 'pupil teachers'.
The school log books date from 1867, and daily, (later weekly) entries were required to be made by the Master. They paint a fascinating picture of village life. E.g. 19th Oct. 1869. "Very stormy. 9 or 10 ships came ashore and many sailors drowned. Very few children in school"; and on 11th March 1870 "H.M. Inspectors report that the privies are very unsatisfactory". (Boys and girls shared the same facilities).
The Education Act of 1870 required local councils to finance schools to provide free education for all children, (up to 12 years old), and the yearly grants depended on the Inspector's report. A new school was opened in South Somercotes in 1871, but there are continued reports of overcrowding in North Somercotes, and the building was enlarged in 1876.
In 1906, students over the age of 12 years were allowed to stay on at school, and new subjects, including Nature Study, Organised games, Land measuring (boys only), Map Drawing and Moral Instructions were introduced. Later, Bee Keeping, and gardening were included. There were 159 students, with Standards 4,5,6, and the over 12's (total 60), taught by the Head Teacher, William (Billy) Taylor! No wonder he was remembered for using 'the stick'. The inspector praised the high level of teaching and careful planning, but criticised the lack of light, unguarded open fire places, the privies and urinals. Tuition in gardening, the keeping of livestock, (rabbits, poultry, pigs), and rural handicrafts continued. (The late Vic Humberstone once recalled how he always "made sure there were lots of rabbits." It was his job to find fresh rabbit food, and this reduced the time he had to spend in school, "book learning", which he hated).
Electric light was finally installed in 1937 and the manual instruction room became a canteen in 1941. Lavatories and wash basins were also installed.
Pupil numbers increased when Saltfleet School closed in 1941, and the 1944 Education Act, raising the school leaving age to 15yrs, resulted in the addition of 3 HORSA classrooms. A further HORSA was added in 1954. The swimming pool was built with parental help in 1972, for £300.
When John Birkbeck High School opened in 1964, numbers dropped from over 300, to 158. South Somercotes school closed in 1968.
Despite many alterations and repairs to the buildings, they were finally recognised as inadequate. The Trustees agreed to provide land, and the building of a new school, adjacent to the old one, commenced in November 1990.
Already improvements and alterations have been made to the new building, with the addition of a nursery, library, computer suite and another classroom. There are currently 190 children on roll with 8 teaching staff, and 8 teaching assistants.
Parents also come in to help. The swimming pool is still in use, courtesy of the P.T.A., as it is so costly to heat and maintain.
The hard-working, dedicated staff provide an excellent primary education for the children of North and South Somercotes and Saltfleet. This is confirmed by the recent glowing OFSTED inspection. Besides the core curriculum, there are opportunities for pupils to participate in chess, recorder playing, football training, rugby, cricket, netball, cross country and Bike-Wise training, providing a broad education to equip students for life in the twenty-first century.
By the 1840's the influence of Methodism resulted in the establishment of separate Wesleyan Schools, and the Church School was in a state of disrepair. The population of both parishes had also increased considerably.
In 1851, a new school, and school house was built, using bricks donated by Henry Pye. Henry Malbon Maxfield was appointed schoolmaster, and there were two schoolrooms, one for boys, and one for girls. They must have been very crowded, as there were between 60 and 100 children on roll. The pupils were divided by ability, into 'standards', and the master was assisted by his wife and older students, known as 'pupil teachers'.
The school log books date from 1867, and daily, (later weekly) entries were required to be made by the Master. They paint a fascinating picture of village life. E.g. 19th Oct. 1869. "Very stormy. 9 or 10 ships came ashore and many sailors drowned. Very few children in school"; and on 11th March 1870 "H.M. Inspectors report that the privies are very unsatisfactory". (Boys and girls shared the same facilities).
The Education Act of 1870 required local councils to finance schools to provide free education for all children, (up to 12 years old), and the yearly grants depended on the Inspector's report. A new school was opened in South Somercotes in 1871, but there are continued reports of overcrowding in North Somercotes, and the building was enlarged in 1876.
In 1906, students over the age of 12 years were allowed to stay on at school, and new subjects, including Nature Study, Organised games, Land measuring (boys only), Map Drawing and Moral Instructions were introduced. Later, Bee Keeping, and gardening were included. There were 159 students, with Standards 4,5,6, and the over 12's (total 60), taught by the Head Teacher, William (Billy) Taylor! No wonder he was remembered for using 'the stick'. The inspector praised the high level of teaching and careful planning, but criticised the lack of light, unguarded open fire places, the privies and urinals. Tuition in gardening, the keeping of livestock, (rabbits, poultry, pigs), and rural handicrafts continued. (The late Vic Humberstone once recalled how he always "made sure there were lots of rabbits." It was his job to find fresh rabbit food, and this reduced the time he had to spend in school, "book learning", which he hated).
Electric light was finally installed in 1937 and the manual instruction room became a canteen in 1941. Lavatories and wash basins were also installed.
Pupil numbers increased when Saltfleet School closed in 1941, and the 1944 Education Act, raising the school leaving age to 15yrs, resulted in the addition of 3 HORSA classrooms. A further HORSA was added in 1954. The swimming pool was built with parental help in 1972, for £300.
When John Birkbeck High School opened in 1964, numbers dropped from over 300, to 158. South Somercotes school closed in 1968.
Despite many alterations and repairs to the buildings, they were finally recognised as inadequate. The Trustees agreed to provide land, and the building of a new school, adjacent to the old one, commenced in November 1990.
Already improvements and alterations have been made to the new building, with the addition of a nursery, library, computer suite and another classroom. There are currently 190 children on roll with 8 teaching staff, and 8 teaching assistants.
Parents also come in to help. The swimming pool is still in use, courtesy of the P.T.A., as it is so costly to heat and maintain.
The hard-