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Southrop School

Southrop School c1850

Southrop School was officially built in 1850, with one of the first known mistresses being  Miss Alice Folly. It was created after a day school and a Sunday school were set up in the late 1820s and early 1830s and had become very popular. Wadham College, a constituent college of Oxford University, is thought to have paid for the building and provided a lot of the income. School pence were still charged until the 1890s, when the population of the school had risen from 50 to 80. Due to this increase a classroom was added in 1877, and the playground in 1898.

In the early 20th century the population dropped and remained at around 50, with the population of the village as a whole being around 360 adults and 60 children. The well-known lime tree that is still standing today in the school playground was planted in 1924, with the mountain ash planted in 1926.

Southrop School class of 1912
Maypole dancing 1913 or 14 with Miss Thomas (far right) who was a mistress from 1908 to 1937

In 1939, evacuated children from urban areas began to arrive in Southrop to find safety from the war. The school is thought to have taken in around 20 evacuated children.  

An account by schoolboy George Spong who was evacuated from East London in 1939 describes his experience of staying in Southrop and attending the school. He mentions his brother, who was taken in by the Selbys at The Bungalow on Lechlade Road, as well as his sister who was taken by the Pettises in Fyfield Manor Cottage.

The children of Southrop School dressed up for an anti-litter campaign in the early 1930s. Mrs Taylor, the sewing mistress is top left with Miss Thomas top right.

Spong talks about the children from London being integrated with the local children, with the teacher from his school, Mr Rogerson, teaching the eldest children, head teacher Mrs Jones teaching the middle and Mrs Cox teaching the young. He recalls playing football matches against Eastleach School in the fields surrounding the villages and the farmer Mr Hinton allowing the school to use some of his land for allotments. The boys were taken there for the last period of each day and looked after their individual patches. 

George came of school leaving age and attended Cirencester Grammar school for a few months before leaving and beginning to work for Mr Selby. He mentions his memories of the Coventry Blitz, when they could see the glow from the city on fire and a bomb falling into a field near Fyfield and killing horses. Spong also recalls the forerunner of the home guard, the local defence volunteers, being set up in Southrop, with men leaving on their bikes to spend the night in a lookout post nearby.

Eventually, the Spongs decided to move their children from the village in March of 1941.

This account by George Spong conveys the experience of evacuees attending Southrop School, and the welcoming atmosphere they were greeted with.

The three Spong children, along with a cousin, grandmother and Marjorie Pettis on a bike ride in 1940.

At the end of World War 2, a message was sent to the children of Southrop School by King George VI. In it the King wrote that the children should feel proud of the country and the people’s bravery and endurance. He wrote, ‘May these qualities be yours as you grow up and join in the common effort to establish among the nations of the world unity and peace.’

In 1950, the Ministry of Education granted controlled status over Southrop School meaning they became funded by central government via the local authority.

Right - some of the children performing in a play, likely the yearly Christmas one, 1960s.

The Christmas play is still performed in the same location, on stage at the Village Hall.

Left – the children and teachers of Southrop School wearing Christmas hats with the school decorations in the background, 1952. 

The three teachers towards the back left are Mrs Cox, Mrs Pettifor and Miss Harris.

In 1966 one of the longest serving teachers of Southrop School, Mrs Lillian Cox, retired. She had joined in 1921, as Miss L.B. Lewis and worked at the school for 45 years.

The photo (above) shows her retirement, with the children gathering round whilst Mrs Cox was presented with a retirement gift.

Left - the children of Southrop School in the Easter bonnet parade of 1970. Children would make their own Easter hats and wear them to school, a tradition that is still being carried out.

Despite originally being built in 1850, Southrop School celebrated its centenary in 1970. A part of this was the Southrop School pageant in July 1970. This was when the children and teachers wore traditional clothing and acted historical events out.

Teachers Mrs Cox, Mrs Greetham, Mrs Pinnegar, Mrs Anker and Mrs Simpson (from top left to bottom right) dressed up in old fashioned clothing for the centenary.
The children dressed up in historical clothing.

In 1973, the school faced potential closure, with the suggestion of the children being transferred to Eastleach School. There was thought to be no point in two primary schools so close to one another.

The people of Southrop were not happy about this and fought to keep the school open. The parish councillors, school managers and parent’s association made a list of reasons why Southrop School should be retained and Eastleach children moved there. This included there being triple the number of students attending Southrop School than Eastleach and a large number of new housing being built in Southrop. The facilities and buildings were also thought to be better than Eastleach, with its school building situated on a large hill, which was dangerous for children. This led to Southrop Primary School being kept open and the closure of Eastleach School soon after.

The photo to the right shows the arrival of the terrapin at Southrop School in 1974 as an extra classroom when Eastleach School shut. This is still the classroom in which the younger group of children are taught in.

The retirement of Mrs Pinnegar, 1980s, who worked as the School cook for 27 years.
Southrop School, 1984. Head teacher Mrs Johnson is on the right, with Mrs White on the left. At this time, school uniform was not compulsory, which is why some children are wearing school ties or summer dresses, and some are not.

In the late 1980's, the older children took part in a history project.  The project was the idea of a Swindon primary school teacher, Mrs Smith and was called 'A day in the life of a village in 1665'. Mrs Smith contacted Southrop School and began the village's participation in the project. The children played games of the period in the school playground and took part in the procession of the mock historical wedding that was staged.

Children of Southrop School dressed in 17th century clothing and riding horses Poppet and Twiggy.
School children forming the procession for the mock wedding leaving Southrop Church.

In 1992 Southrop School was once again faced with the threat of closure. A letter came from the county education department just before a half term and head teacher Mrs Johnson had to announce it to parents who were waiting to collect their children.  The PTA met in an emergency meeting and began a petition for the school to stay open, with the parish council also meeting. Three other small primary schools were threatened with closure at this time too, due to their cost and the fact that alternative primary schools were available within reasonable distance. Despite the threat, Southrop managed once again to fight off the closure and its beloved school remained open.

New toilet block, 1994. Previously the block was a separate building.

Under new head teacher Mrs Holmes in 1995, many new improvements were made. A new classroom was formed in 1996 and Mrs Holmes secured funding to improve the ICT facilities. 

Southrop School photo, July 1996. Headteacher Mrs Kate Holmes can be seen on the middle right of the teachers, along with Mrs Chick, Mrs Sharps and Mrs Williams

As well as school improvements, under Mrs Holmes, Ofsted reports were very good and high praise was heaped upon the school. Along with Lechlade St Lawrence Primary School, Southrop was among the top 250 primary schools in England at this time.

In 2000, the school celebrated its 150 year anniversary. In celebration a week of events was arranged for past and present students and families to take part in. This included a Victorian day at school for the children, a ‘knockout’ competition between teams of children on the Jubilee Field and a barn dance to round the week off. 

The photo to the left shows children of Southrop School dressed in Victorian clothing to celebrate the era that the school was set up in. This photo featured in a local newspaper and magazine at the time.

The school was also presented with a certificate of congratulations signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 

The infant class Christmas nativity , early 2000s.
The new school playground - opened in 2003. There was a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new playground and the area remains very similar to this day.

Mrs Holmes retired from Southrop School in 2009; she oversaw many changes within the school, such as the building of a new library, new IT suite and creation of the school wildlife garden.

After Mrs Holmes, Mr Allan Brown became head teacher for ten years; he was previously junior class teacher. He did a lot to modernise the school, for example by redesigning the school website.

Southrop School continues to thrive and is currently headed by Mrs Davies and Mrs McLellan, who share the role. There are now 36 students who enjoy the nurturing environment of the small village primary school.

This article was researched and written by Lucy Shaftoe who attended the school from 2010 - 2017.