Swannington Primary School
Prior to the opening of the school building children had been taught in a barn. The school was built in Main Street on land donated by Wyggeston Hospital. It opened in 1862 and is still educating the children of the village today.
When cataloguing the Archive we came across this fascinating story of the school raising £200 for the building in 1913, things don’t change much do they?
Swannington School, plus the petrol station, shop and Wesleyan Chapel. Can you name the year?
Infants school and mission hall built 1894
Prior to the opening of the school building in 1862 children had been taught in a barn in Main Street. Below are articles in “Now and Then”, the Trust members’ magazine describe life in the early days of the school. To receive the magazines become a member of the Trust.
Schooling comes to Swannington a synopsis by Denis Baker
Samuel Phillips May the life of the former headmaster who spent 12 years at the school 1885-1897 by Lesley Hale
Swannington School 1890s, teachers Samuel May Phillips left and Ellen Chester right
Swannington School 1893, teacher Ellen Chester left. Can you name the others?
Swannington School 1897. Can you put a name to the faces?
Schoodays in the Twenties reminiscences by Ray Fowkes.
Schoodays in the Thirties reminisences by Eric Bullen (see the 1940 class 1 photo) Miriam Maisey (born 1929) recollects teachers Mr Smith, Emma Robinson, Kitty Wright and Miss Hammond.
Swannington School 1940, class 1, the oldest class
Swannington School 1940, class 2
Swannington School 1940, class 3
Swannington School 1940, class 4, the youngest class
How school pupils looked back on 150 years Denis Baker’s account
If you attended the school, could you record your memories? It would be great to have an account of each decade.
Swannington School 1956 - are you in this photo?
Swannington School 1963 - can you name the faces?
School House
When the school was built in 1862 a house for the Headmaster was also built as part of the complex. During the 20th century head teachers preferred to live elsewhere in the village or beyond and the house was rented to raise income for the Church of England Diocese of Leicester. In 1995 there was a proposal to sell the school house and Ian and Sheila Smith were prominent amongst the campaigners who successfully fought the sale.
Eventually a decision was made to incorporate the school house into the school.