EDUCATION.

Sir Robert Atkyns (d. 1711) left two annuities of £3 each out of the profits of the Exchequer excise for teaching poor children to read and say the catechism and to fit them for their work. The annuities were redeemed by Parliament for a capital sum of £101 10s. which was added to £300 left for bread for the poor by Louisa, Sir Robert's wife (d. 1716). In 1731 the two sums with accumulations, amounting to £560 in all, were used to buy an estate at Duntisbourne Abbots, from which one fifth of the profits were devoted to the education charity and the remainder to the bread charity. (fn. 67) In 1750 the charity school was in receipt of £5 from the profits, (fn. 68) and it received £12 in 1818, when the school was divided into boys' and girls' sections and was teaching a total of 20 children. By 1818 there was also a Sunday school supported by the rector. (fn. 69) By 1847, when pence were charged, there were 75 children attending the day-school. (fn. 70) In 1848 a new building for the school was built at Lord Bathurst's expense. In 1871, when a winter night-school was also held there, the school had 50 pupils, (fn. 71) but shortly afterwards falling standards led to a reduction of its grant by the Department of Education and its existence was threatened. (fn. 72) It survived, however, and in 1885 was being partly supported by Lord Bathurst and had an average attendance of 70. (fn. 73) In the earlier 20th century its size was maintained at c. 50 children, (fn. 74) but attendance was 33 in 1971, (fn. 75) when the fabric of the building was maintained with funds from the Atkyns charity. (fn. 76)

In 1833 there was a day-school at Frampton Mansell for 20 children and also a Sunday school. (fn. 77) In 1847 26 children were attending the day-school which was supported by subscriptions and by pence. (fn. 78) The school functioned only as an infant school in 1879 but closed shortly afterwards, and later the children went to school at Sapperton, Oakridge, or Chalford. (fn. 79) In 1971 all the younger children in the parish attended the Sapperton village school and the older children attended schools in Cirencester. (fn. 80)

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