Nailsworth: Education

EDUCATION.

A day-school open to all denominations was started at Nailsworth in 1828, and in 1838 it was reconstituted as a British school in a new building at the entrance of Northfields Road opposite the Lower Forestgreen chapel. (fn. 1) At the outset, however, the British school suffered from lack of funds and was poorly attended. (fn. 2) In 1863 its income came from pence and other, unspecified, sources, and it had an average attendance of over 70. (fn. 3) In 1872 the building was enlarged for use as a boys' school alone and there was an average attendance of 102 in 1885. (fn. 4) The school afterwards became the Nailsworth County school and had an average attendance of 134 in 1911 and 105 in 1936. (fn. 5) It was closed in 1951 during a reorganization of the schools of the parish, (fn. 6) although the building was later used in turn by the secondary school and the C. of E. school.

A National school was established in premises near the episcopal chapel in 1841, (fn. 7) and in 1847 had an average attendance of 59 boys and girls, (fn. 8) rising to 72 by 1870, when the income was supplied by pence, church collections, and subscriptions. (fn. 9) In 1871 it became a school for girls and infants alone. (fn. 10) A new building was put up in 1883 and there was an average attendance of 129 in 1885. (fn. 11) A new infants' building was added in 1906. (fn. 12) In 1911, as the Nailsworth C. of E. school, it had an average attendance of 166, falling to 124 by 1936. (fn. 13) In 1950 the school was reorganized as a junior mixed school, and in 1957 the old Inchbrook infants' school building was taken over for additional accommodation. (fn. 14) At a further reorganization in 1966 the Inchbrook building was given up and the former British school building taken for use as the junior school while the infants were taught in the building in the town. The total attendance was 376 in 1973. (fn. 15)

In 1853 the congregation of Shortwood Baptist chapel established an infants' school in a new building near the chapel. (fn. 16) In 1885 it had an average attendance of 32 (fn. 17) and apparently continued to be supported solely by the chapel congregation until it closed after the Second World War. (fn. 18)

An infants' school, supported by members of the Playne family, was started at Inchbrook before 1879, (fn. 19) and in 1885 it had an average attendance of 60. (fn. 20) It was given a new building in 1895. (fn. 21) In 1912, as the Inchbrook Infants C. of E. school it had an average attendance of 37, which had fallen to 17 by 1932 (fn. 22) when the school was closed. (fn. 23)

A secondary school was opened in 1951 in the old British school building, and had 200 pupils in 1959. (fn. 24) It was given a new building in 1964 and became known as Highwood school; (fn. 25) in 1973 it had 370 pupils. (fn. 26)

A school run by the Quakers, of which no other record has been found, was transferred from Nailsworth to Painswick in 1695. (fn. 27) The first Sunday school at Nailsworth, said to be one of the earliest in the country, was started before 1774 by the minister of Forestgreen, J. M. Moffat, who corresponded with Robert Raikes on the subject. (fn. 28) In the mid 19th century both Forestgreen chapels and Shortwood chapel had thriving Sunday schools, (fn. 29) and one was held in connection with the episcopal chapel from 1815. (fn. 30) Among several private academies carried on at Nailsworth in the early 19th century (fn. 31) was that mentioned above, taught by the Congregational minister, and one started c. 1807 by a Quaker family called Gilkes. (fn. 32)