A teacher’s despair

12:07pm Thursday 17th July 2008

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WHEN Ivy Lane Primary School in Chippenham opened more than 100 years ago its pupils were seen as unruly with below average intelligence.

One report at the time stated "reading and writing is weak, arithmetic is hopeless and the children are reluctant and sullen when asked to do oral work."

The school was often closed due to outbreaks of contagious diseases such as scabies and whooping cough.

The school replaced the St Andrew's National School and had 245 pupils when it opened in January, 1907.

Parents had to pay for places and only boys were entered into exams to help them qualify for trades.

The range of subjects was huge, from paper folding for infants to gardening and needlework for older pupils.

The biggest problem the school faced from 1907 right up until the Second World War was poor attendance.

Many children were poor and, if they were inadequately dressed, they were sent home.

Classrooms were often very cold because the boiler would break down and this led to constant outbreaks of contagious diseases.

The school tried to combat this by weighing the children twice yearly and giving medical examinations.

A massive reorganisation took place in 1927 when only Standard II, the equivalent of today's Key Stage 4, were accepted at the school. The younger pupils were sent elsewhere.

When the Second World War broke out, the school took on 51 evacuees as well as coping with the now burgeoning school size of 395 pupils.

The Methodist Hall on Monkton Hill and the Baptist Church on Station Hill were used as additional class space. and the railway arch behind the school was blocked at both ends to create an air raid shelter big enough to take all the children.

In November 1940 the school was redesigned as the junior school it is today. The number of pupils had reached an all time high of 445.

Ron Parker, 78, of Eastern Avenue, Chippenham attended the school in the late 1930s.

He said: "It was ruled with an iron fist - I remember having a rap on the knuckles for not doing my homework.

"Despite that I had some lovely memories of being there like playing tig in the playground.

"It has changed a lot there now - my granddaughter went there and showed me around many years ago."

The school is now one of the top primary schools in the county.

In the school league tables last year, the school was rated as above average in every single category.