Copford: Education

A History of the County of Essex: Volume 10, Lexden Hundred (Part) Including Dedham, Earls Colne and Wivenhoe. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 2001.

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'Copford: Education', in A History of the County of Essex: Volume 10, Lexden Hundred (Part) Including Dedham, Earls Colne and Wivenhoe, (London, 2001) pp. 153. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol10/p153 [accessed 25 April 2024]

EDUCATION.

(fn. 1) In 1692 William Slinger, a former master of Colchester grammar school, may have kept a private school in Copford. (fn. 2) A private school was recorded in 1766, and by 1778 there were two, one for boys and one for girls. (fn. 3) In 1818 there were several dame schools in the parish. (fn. 4) By 1833 one private day school with 34 pupils was recorded, and a Sunday school with 42 pupils had been established, supported by voluntary contributions. (fn. 5)

In 1853 Copford National mixed school for 80 was built on land given by the rector with funds raised by subscription and with National Society and government grants. In 1883, when a new classroom was added to bring the accommodation to 118, there was a teacher's house on the same site. In 1899 the average attendance was 77. (fn. 6) The school was originally maintained by subscriptions and the children's pence and received annual government grants from 1866. In 1952 it was granted Voluntary Controlled status. (fn. 7) The school was extended in the 1970s.

Eight Ash Green Church of England mixed school, on the corner of Spring Lane and Halstead Road, was founded by Emily Margaret Searles's deed poll dated 1886 whereby she conveyed houses and cottages at Eight Ash Green in Copford to the incumbent for the support of schools for poor children. (fn. 8) Renamed Copford Eight Ash Green Church of England school in 1892, it had accommodation for 107 and received annual parliamentary grants. In 1923 it was taken over by the county for use as a temporary council school and in 1926 moved to a site west of All Saints' church, Halstead Road. (fn. 9) In 1957 it was a Voluntary Controlled primary school. (fn. 10) The school moved to new premises at Fordham Heath in 1976. (fn. 11)

Footnotes

  • 1. For Copford College private school, see above, this par., Intro.
  • 2. V.C.H. Essex, ii. 506.
  • 3. Lamb. Pal. Libr., Terrick Papers 14, Lowth Papers 4.
  • 4. Digest of Returns of Sel. Cttee. on Educ. of Poor, H.C. 224, p. 252 (1819), ix (1).
  • 5. Educ. Enq. Abstract, H.C. 62, p. 273 (1835), xli.
  • 6. Nat. Soc. file; Returns relating to Elem. Educ. 1899 [Cd. 315], p. 324, H.C. (1900), lxv (2).
  • 7. Nat Soc. file; Rep. Educ. Cttee. of Council 1866-7 [3882], p. 517, H.C. (1867), xxii; E.R.O., School Records Survey: Copford Church of England Primary school.
  • 8. Char. Com. file. For Kelly's charity which includes a small portion for schools, see below, this par., Charities.
  • 9. Returns relating to Elem. Educ. 1893 [C7529] p. 164, H.C. (1894), lxv; E.C.C., Ledger of schools opened, closed, etc.; Eight Ash Green Hist. ed. J. Crawshaw et al., 4.
  • 10. E.C.C., List of Schools (1957).
  • 11. Eight Ash Green Hist. ed. Crawshaw et al., 6.
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