School History
On March 31st 2009 we celebrated the Centenary of our school building and a hundred years of education on this site. The church school, however, existed long before 1909 and was first build as Parish Church (National) school for boys in 1814 (now Oddfellows Hall). Parish Church (National) School for girls was built in 1816 at 24 Rectory Lane. Later in 1844, the British School in Otley Street was built.
The 1870 Education Act had far reaching effects on the five Skipton Schools - Parish, Christ Church, British, Wesleyan and St Stephen's. Instead of refurbishing the old premises they went o to build a new school in Otley Streetl. These premises were build in 1874.
In 1902 there was a new Education Act, the impact of which meant that a new school was build on Brougham Stree in 1909. Forty nine years later this was to become the Parish Churcu School premises. The Parish School log 14th February 1958: "This is to be the last day the school will occupy the Otley Street building as the removal to Brougham Street takes place this weekend."
In 1958 children and staff carried their chairs and belongings from Otley Street to the Brougham Street School site. The school was renamed as Parish Church Primary School.
Now a hundred years later there are new developments as new Skipton Children's Centre has been built alongside and adjoining the the school building. This will house the Brougham Street Nursery School and and other suervices which will provide services for all our families of Skipton. The new building will come into full use from September 2009. Alongside the new developments to strengthen services to children and their families, Parish Church Primary School is going from strength to strength.
Centenary Assembly Tuesday 31st October
At the school centenary celebrations Class 10 did a presentation about the school's history. This is what they told all our guests and pupils:
In 1909 the British School, which became Parish Church Primary School, moved to Brougham Street from Otley Street. The old school was in a sorry state with falling window frames and broken floor boards.
Even in those days children at Parish had swimming lessons at nearby baths! Boys also did woodwork and girls learnt cookery, laundry and how to be housewives! Very different from today.
The First World War affected the school with children assembling to send off two of their teachers. The other teachers gave them both a knife to take with them.
Children helped the war effort by becoming half-timers, spending part of the time studying and part of the time helping their families in those difficult times. Staff and children also grew potatoes, other vegetables and fruit and made jam to help the local community.
At the end of the war in 1919 they had an extra week’s Summer holiday to celebrate peace – hurrah!
In 1921 two minutes silence were held to remember the 49 old pupils and 1 teacher who had died in the war.
The tradition of Father Christmas coming to Parish; carol singing; parties and the infant nativity began in the 1920s. Can you believe that there have been over 80 nativities performed in this hall?
In 1937, over 70 years ago, Parish first got electric lights – much better than the gas lights they had before. Can you imagine how dark and smelly that must have been?
In the Second World War lots of new children arrived at Parish. They were evacuees from Bradford and they, along with all the children at Parish got gas masks in case of bombing.
In the 1940s and 1950s classes were very cramped with at least 40 children in every class – sometimes there were almost 50!
One of the biggest changes in the 1960s was the building of indoor toilets in 1965. Although the outdoor ones were still used until 1985 when they were knocked down.
In the 1980s, when some of our parents would have been here, the classrooms got their first sinks and carpets. A big change. The school also got its first computer in 1983.
Mr Mason began taking children to Sandylands for football on a Friday in 1979 – Can you believe that Mr Mason has been doing that for 30 years- that’s over 1000 children who have benefitted.
At a parents meeting in 1993 it was decided to introduce a school uniform. It was to be red and grey, the same colours we wear today.
Then in 1996 the ICT Gallery, which pupils called the ‘Mouse House’, opened. [Cai: It opened exactly one year before I was born!] The Gallery is now older than all of the children at this school. History continues to be written everyday at Parish and we are all part of it. We do wonder what the next 100 years will bring and how our time here will be remembered.