Kennett: Education

EDUCATION.

There was no organised schooling at Kennett in the 18th century, or the early 19th. Although some of the poor wished to educate their children c. 1818 they had insufficient means. (fn. 1) In 1841 there was a schoolmistress. (fn. 2) In 1861 another dame school was attended by 13 boys aged from 3 to 11, and 29 girls aged from 5 to 14. (fn. 3) In 1865 the rector William Godfrey paid £700 for the construction of a school. (fn. 4) It was a single storeyed L-plan building, of knapped flint dressed with yellow and red gault brick. (fn. 5) The schoolroom, 10 m. by 5 m., faced southwest, and a schoolhouse was attached. Between 1861 and 1881 the number of pupils doubled to c. 30, with the number of boys and girls being almost equal, and no mean difference in age. (fn. 6) An uncertificated school mistress served from 1857 until 1875, and in 1891 there was a schoolmaster assisted by two mistresses. (fn. 7)

In 1930, because of lack of funds, the church school passed under the control of the county council, and in 1937 the seniors were transferred to Chippenham school. (fn. 8) In 1962 a modern extension was added to the school following the expansion of the village. (fn. 9) Proposals to close the school after numbers had fallen to 26 in 1982 were defeated by the inhabitants of Kennett with help from the Small Schools National Association. (fn. 10) In 1989 there were 49 pupils, two thirds of them coming from neighbouring parishes in Suffolk, particularly Kentford. (fn. 11) In 2000 the school had 60 pupils and three full-time teachers. (fn. 12)