THESIS BY MARIANNE WHITEHEAD

Introduction

I believe there is not a man living in his native village, be it small or large, who would not be delighted to learn something of its history.  You will find the young eagerly listening to their elders whilst they relate to them an account of some noted character who lived in the place in the past, or to the history of an old village Church, School, Hall or Castle, with they are familiar.  The listeners hang on to these words with almost breathless attention and get the story not firmly impressed on their memories that it can never be erased.  In years to come the same story will, in many instances, be told by these same people to their children.  Thus, unwritten history, which is called tradition, is handed down from generation to generation.

 

As I was born in Mosborough, it is to satisfy myself that I have undertaken to write ‘The History of Education in Mosborough’.

From the age of five until I was eighteen, I was educated in Mosborough at Mosborough County Primary School and Westfield Comprehensive School.  As a member of staff at Westfield Youth Centre, I still remain in close contact with the education in the village.

 

Whilst attending school I obtained a number of C.S.E’s and ‘O’ levels and enough skills to take me into Art College.

On the whole I think my education was a good one, and it has left me with fond memories of both teachers and the friends I made during the fourteen years I was at school.

A DESCRIPTION OF MOSBOROUGH

I would like to introduce you to Mosborough, a vastly expanding village, eight miles North East of Chesterfield and six miles South East of Sheffield.

 

Now let me take you back to the year 1000 when Mosborough was nameless and where is now stands there was only a Roman Road with a series of forts along its length.  Wulfic Spot made the first mention of Mosborough when be bequeathed Eckington, Clowne, Whitwell, Duckmanton, Mosborough and Beighton to Mocar, who was said to have been a councillor of Ethelred the Unready, as a valued property.  Everything remained the same for the next sixty years, the forts were run the same as any Saxon fort until the Battle of Hastings, when the Saxon landholders were ousted and replaced by Normans.

 

After the Norman Conquest in 1066, Mosborough passed into the hands of one of William the Conqueror’s Barons, Ralph Fitzhubert, and in 1086 was mentioned in the Doonsday Book.  In the reign of King John the manor passed to the De Stutevilles, but in 1203 they suffered forfeiture (lost their home to pay a fine)  This setback lasted only until 1244, when Robert de Moresburgh held the new independent manor of Mosborough from Sir John De Stutevilles for half a knight’s fee.   The knight’s fee was a medieval system of payment made to discharge feudal obligation of military services to his Lord.  It was at this time that Mosborough was eventually named ‘MORESBURGH’ after its owner Robert De Moresburgh, which is a French name and translated means ‘Fort on the More’.

No mention of Mosborough was made again until the reign of Charles the Second, when in 1680 a school was opened to educate a small minority of village children.

Mosborough now became part of the parish of Eckington, which also included Ridgeway and Troway.  These villages had to be included in Eckington parish as none of them had their own church.  The main industry was farming, sickle and scythe making was also in demand and a thriving business.  Donkeys and mules were used to take partly finished items from village to village within the parish to be completed, then they were bought by villagers, sent to different parts of the country and even sent abroad to Austria and Poland.

 

Between 1825 and 1850 the population doubled to three thousand, Coal mining was now a new industry in the area, so with farming, sickles and scythe making and coalmining, few people were out of work.  In the year 1856 the Crimean War ended.  There was great rejoicing at the peace in the village and in Earl Fitzwilliam’s field the children were provided with breakfast, the men with dinner and the women with tea.  The following sports were included in the celebration; horse-racing, donkey-racing, hunting pig with greasy tail, climbing a greasy pole and many sports for children.

 

By 1886 nearly all the old thatched houses were demolished, and lofty, comfortable cottages build in their place.  The wealthy people were beginning to notice Mosborough’s pleasant and salubrious situation.  Some were building beautiful mansions, whilst others improved the old ones.  Houses, shops and chapels were no longer in semi-darkness during the evening, with only a tallow candle or rush-light burning but were illuminated by gas and paraffin lamps.  Water was now installed in most homes and the task of carrying water from wells was no longer necessary.  Sanitation was also improved, which meant that sewage no longer flowed down the streets.  It was in this year that the foundation stone was laid for the first Mosborough Church of England, to be known as St Mark’s.  It was opened in 1887, consisting of nave, chancel and tower, with accommodation for four hundred people.

In 1887 quite a few new brick houses had been built.  Sadly, the sickle and scythe trade had almost died away with the invention of the reaping machines.  Many of the men worked in the coal mines which were now Mosborough’s main industry.  There was great demand for coal and a man could earn a good wage of 10s.0d. a day.  Things were surely looking brighter for the villagers of Mosborough and the turn of the century was almost upon them.

 

Public houses were appearing all round, the oldest being the George & Dragon, The Royal Oak, The Queen and the Vine Tavern, all built in the early 1800’s.  They are still open for business today and people enjoy many a happy evening there.  By 1940 there were no less than fourteen public houses, but some of these were later demolished to make way for new development.

 

A Doctor’s Surgery was opened in the village in 1920, run by Dr Lipp.  He used to travel around to see his patients in a pony trap.

 

Quite a few village shops stood on High Street, a butcher, grocers, boot & shoe maker, tailor and draper.  Back street shops were also dotted around the village.  Around this time electricity was blazing in houses; a few years later hot and cold water was to find its way into most kitchens.  By the 1940’s modernisation was really coming to the fore, bathrooms were appearing in a few homes, but for most people there was still only the zinc bath and outside toilet.  The Second World War came, so little happened in the way of improvement except that an estate had been built with all mod cons which was to be called Westfield Crescent Estate.  The estate was completed in 1957, one of the last houses to be built being the one in which I was born.

The next major development came when Sheffield extended its boundaries and took over Mosborough in 1967; it was no longer in Derbyshire but transferred to the County of Yorkshire.  This did not please many of especially on this large scale.  Objections to the project were raised by many local folks, but it was all in vain.  Mosborough had its boundaries extended to the tiny village of Halfway and in 1970-a large council estate was built to rehouse the slum clearance of Sheffield.  This included public houses, a Health and Community Centre and a number of factories, also an improved bus service which the residents of Mosborough would have appreciated may years before.  It is so sad now to remember the quite easy- going village it was compared to the busy, noisy, vandalised township it is now.

THE JOSEPH STONE SCHOOL

In 1680 Mr Joseph Stones, who was then the occupant of Mosborough Hall, began his will, “In the name of God Amen”, and so bequeathed one cottage and some acres of land.  The cottage was to be used as a school and the rent from the land was to pay a schoolmaster for the teaching and instructions of fifteen poor children of Mosbrough and, if the schoolmaster was found unsuitable, he was to be dismissed by the heirs of Joseph Stones.  Up until this time the cottage has been used as a private school for parents who could afford to have their children educated.

 

As this time the school had had an upper room added, which was entered by a ladder and this plus the room below it was the accommodation for the schoolmaster.  The largest of the rooms was the school room, where the children would be taught.

 

In 1791 Mr Thomas Stones, the heir of Joseph Stones, left Mosborough to go and live in Chesterfield and before he left, let or sold the land belonging to the endowment so that the schoolmaster would get no benefit from it, but the Rector of Eckington had sufficient influence to see that the lands were restored to their proper use.

“I have had many conversations with several of my parishioners concerning the school.   The three persons who possess the school lands purchased from Mr Stones will give them up so that rents be applied according to Mr Joseph Stones will if proper trustees are appointed”.

 

Letter – Rector of Eckington, Mr Alderson to Mr Cruso (Records of Mosborough 1791)

 

Seven trustees were appointed plus the rector.  Their duties were to appoint a teacher and see that he was paid every eight months: they also met every eight months to select the fifteen children who were to be taught in the school.

 

In the year 1800 George Thomson became the schoolmaster, unfortunately, he was left to his own devices and it was said that no-one interfered with him.  The land belonging to the endowment was farmed by Mr Thomson to his own advantage.  He lived in a house of his own on Knowle Hill, so he let the schoolhouse. It is evident from these events that he did little or no teaching. In 1866 when Georg Thomson died, his son ~George Thomson Junior tried to claim the land belonging to the school because his father had had undisturbed possession for a certain number of years.  It was said that after enclosure of the common fields of Eckington in 1804, most of the land had been enclosed in the names of the ~Reverend Jonathan Alderson and John Cruso, who was the heir of Joseph Stones.  If that was true, George Thomson Junior could not claim the land.  It was certain that the land was not being used for right purpose and had been registered under the names of two landowners and other farmers were claiming the rest.  The villagers were aware of what was happening and were not prepared to lose the school of land.  The Endowment belonged to the village and should be fought for.  It would be an easy fight as most of the land had been enclosed.  This meant that a lawsuit was required, and legal proceedings were even expensive in those days.  The revered Fredrick Ricketts filed a lawsuit in the Court of chancery for the return of the land.  The Lord High Chancellor heard the case and the Land was returned to support the village school.  This left them was a debt of £155.8.6 to pay for the cost of the Chancery case.  This would have been almost impossible to pay if it had not been for donations from the villagers.

Mr Richard Marsh was the next schoolmaster.  He was described as a big, fine-looking man.  Unfortunately, he ran into debt and committed suicide by poisoning himself rather than face the disgrace of being imprisoned.  It is quite believable that he was in debt, as he only got paid £8 a year and had to pay his own expenses for books, pens, inks, etc.  His successor in 1828 was John Ibbotson Hayes, who not only was the schoolmaster but also the Registrar of Births and Deaths and Secretary of Eckington’s Savings Bank.  He taught forty pupils, twenty-five private and fifteen from the Endowment.  His wages for this job were £8 per year, but unlike Richard Marsh he was paid expenses.  He was also the last schoolmaster at the small Joseph Stones School, as due to the appalling conditions it was closed down when the new school was finally finished.

 

The Joseph Stones School was not demolished, but after a number of years was sold by the trustees to Henry Freeman in 1935 and again in 1943 to Mr & Mrs Rodgers.  In 1965 it was sold to Mr & Mrs Brown who had hot and cold water and a bathroom added.  Mrs Brown in turn sold it in 1979 to Mr & Mrs Martin Walker, who are at present restoring it but at the same time are trying to keep as much as possible of the character of the old school.

 

EDUCATION AT THE JOSEPH STONES SCHOOL

The school day at the Joseph Stones School began at approximately 9 0’clock.  The children would enter a schoolroom which had whitewashed walls = a room which was hardly ever cleaned and had only been whitewashed once in about sixty years.  Although there was a fireplace in the schoolroom, no fuel was ever purchased, not even during the winter time.  This meant that the children were taught under bad conditions and were often very cold.

 

Each child was supplied with a desk which had a metal frame. A wooden seat and tilted wooden top for working, with a shelf underneath for keeping books.

When entering the classroom, the children had to stand behind their until told by the schoolmaster to sit down.  The children were responsible for keeping their own desk clean.

 

The schoolmaster’s desk was very similar to the pupils, with one exception; instead of a shelf his desk was much larger and deeper and could be opened at the top to enable him to keep his books inside.  The and seat were placed on a platform to enable him to look down on his pupils.

 

The first lesson of the day was scripture, which commenced with a prayer given by the schoolmaster, thanking the Lord for enabling them to be at school.  Then a story would be read from the Bible.  The first Bible was use in 1833, when eight were purchased at a cost of 2s.7d. each.  There is no evidence of how the scripture lesson was taught before this time.  The lesson would continue until the master wanted a break, which would probably be around 11.30 am.  The children were allowed a break of about ten minutes.

 

Lesson two was accounts, which consisted of addition and subtraction both of money and figures and continued until about 12.30 pm, when the children would have reading in silence for half an hour and if they were not silent during this period, they received a stroke from the cane.

At 1.00 pm the children went home for dinner until 2.00 pm.  Unfortunately, some of them did not return.

 

Most the children had to pay for their education at the cost of 1d per week, with the exception of the fifteen children of the Endowment, who every six months were brought before the Trustees and their work examined.  In this way adjustments were made, any child who was not doing well with his lessons was taken from school and replace by another child.  Their average schooling was about two years, but some were known to stay only two weeks.  Then number of pupils in the school was ninety-four – fifty-eight boys and thirty-six girls.  The amount of girls attending the school was always much smaller, as at this time it was thought unnecessary for a girl to be clever, as her place was in the home, cooking cleaning and mending.

 

Over the years new schoolmasters came and went, but nothing ever changed at the school, routine was the same until the day it closed.  The lesson was taught in the same way, in the same order and at the same time each day.  The schoolroom remained the same through the years and nothing was ever renes or cleaned

MOSBROUGH ENDOWED SCHOOL

 

The new school was opened in the year 1870 and was built at a cost of £650.  This money was loaned to the Mosborough Trustees by the Eckington Cams School and although originated by Mr Joseph Stones was renamed “The Mosborough Endowed School”.

 

The building consisted of one large classroom with high windows made up of small panes of glass, a small assembly hall and a schoolmaster’s room.  In front of the school was a small grass playground.  The schoolmaster’s house was built within the school grounds and consisted of two downstairs rooms, kitchen, entrance hall, four bedrooms and a very large cellar

On January 31^st, 1870 Mr William Ascough took the position of schoolmaster.  In his log book, which recorded accounts of daily happenings, he wrote upon the first page: –

 

31^st January 1870

 

Took charge of Mosborough Endowed School today.  Admission 62 in the morning, re-opened in the afternoon with 17.  (Extraction from Mosborough Junior School log book 1870)

 

Mr Ascough tried to make many changes in the school curriculum, some of which were effective, but some regrettably were not.  Unfortunately, for some reason unknown Mr Ascough resigned in the year 1874.  His successor was Mr Richard Davies; again, an account of this was recorded in the log: –

 

12^th October 1874

 

“William Ascough resigned; Richard Davies took charge of the school”

(Extraction from Mosborough Junior School log book 1874)

The new schoolmaster also brought about many changes, one of which was for his wife to educate the infants (her babies, as she called them) separately.

5^th April 1875

 

“The infants henceforth will be taught as a separate department under Mrs. Davies”.

(Extraction from Mosborough Junior School log book 1875)

 

Then Mr. Davies suggested to the Trustees that the children be divided into two groups, average and clever, and so the school was extended, and two new classrooms were built for the junior section.  The babies then occupied the original classroom and so with the expansion of the school extra teaching staff had to be employed, these being his wife, Mary Anne Davies, George Smith and Charles Oats.

 

Regarding the latter, Mr. Charles Oats, a complaint was put into the log as follows: –

“May 1876 – Had a complaint regarding one of the teachers, Mr. Charles Oats, who is continuously having time off school” (Extraction from Mosborough Junior School log book 1876)

 

Later he was reprimanded by the Headmaster and warned that he would lose his position if he did not attend his work regularly.

 

Mr Davies remained Headmaster until the early 1900s.

 

Mr Groves then took over the Headmastership, when the school was once again expanded and two extra classrooms were added to the junior part of the school, also cloakrooms for boys and girls.

 

The original classroom, which was now the infants, was divided by a curtain to make two classrooms, as by this time the population was increasing.  Mrs Groves still carried on the tradition and taught the babies.

 

By 1927 more teachers had been employed, including one extra teacher for the infants, a Mrs Woodhead, also one teacher by the name of Miss Land for the juniors.

 

Between 1927 and 1962 little happened or changed, with the exception of the playing area when the small grass area was enlarged, and a wall made a dividing line separating boys and girls during playtime.  This area was the concreted.  Kitchens were added to provide school meals, which were served in the Assembly Hall at a cost of 1s.0d. per child, with the exception of the fifteen children of the Endowment, who still to this day receive free meals.  The schoolmaster was no longer required to live in the schoolhouse and it remained empty until around 1940, then it was occupied once more, not by a Headmaster but by a teacher who for a short period taught at the school and although he is now teaching elsewhere he is still allowed to live in the house.  At the beginning of World War II four air raid shelters were built to help protect the children from bombing, etc.

In 1943 the Trustees agreed to rent the school to the Education Authority for 4s.0d per year.  Thus, the school became run as Mosborough County Primary School.  The Headmaster during this time and until his retirement in 1964 was Mr Morse.  There were now four junior teachers, namely Miss Land, Junior (1), who still taught in the early 1900 tradition, Mr Newton, Junior (2) Miss Mooney Junior (3), Mr Marshall Junior (4).  There were still only two infant teachers, Mrs Woodhead who was mentioned previously and who became headmistress of the infant’s classes with an assistant, Mrs Pierce, who had also worked int the school for many years and retired in the early 1970’s.

After the retirement of Mr Morse, Mr Marshall who was deputy head held the post of Headmaster for one year until the appointment was filled by Mr Fowley.  It became necessary during the time of Mr Marshall’s Headmastership to employ a secretary, as he was teaching as well as dealing with school matters.  It was decided after Mr Fowley took over the position to keep on the secretary.

 

During 1965 a terrapin classroom was erected in the boy’s playground as the population of Mosborough was increasing once more.  Mrs Marshall the assistant head’s wife, was now the headmistress of the infants and taught in the terrapin classroom.  Mrs Campion took over the class of Mrs Woodhead, who had now retired and with Mrs Pierce they now had three infant teachers.  Shortly after the first terrapin was assembled, another was erected in the girl’s playground.  At the same time modernisation emerged in the infants’ section when desks were replaced by tables and instead of the dark green colour scheme which was the usual trend up to this time, brighter colours were used when decorating the school.

1967 saw the improvement of toilets, when staff toilets were built indoors, whilst the children still remained more or less the same.  A storeroom was built as shortage of space was again a problem.  Yet another terrapin was erected in the boys’ playground and so another infant teacher was employed by the name of Mrs Lister, making now a total of our teachers for the “babies”.  During the year 1966/67 two of the junior teachers left the school, being Mr Newton and Miss Mooney, their replacements were Mr Watson and Mrs Walton.  By this time the number of children attending the school had increased to such an extent that a lady was employed to help look after the children’s needs, namely Mrs Williamson.

 

In the year 1969 Mr Fowley left to take another position and was replaced by Mr Staniforth The School was enlarged even more with yet another terrapin the boy’s playground and a double one in the grounds alongside the church next door.

 

In the 1970’s the original infants room of the 1899s was divided again to enable the Headmaster to have a private office and the old Headmaster’s room, which had been shared by the staff, was now a staffroom for teachers and auxiliary staff, who now number twelve.

 

Land was purchased for a new playground, as owing to the amount of classrooms being erected on the playground there was little room left for the children to play.

 

In the middle 1970’s the pupils now numbered approximately five hundred.  The kitchen was inadequate, therefore a new one was built enabling meals to be cooked on the premises and the old kitchen was turned into a library.  This was quite an event, as up to this date the children only had a mobile library which came once a month.

At the present day, January 1980, the whole of the school is occupied by the infants.  The junior children are taught in eight terrapin classrooms.  The staff and auxiliaries now number 13.

 

To this day very few people know that the extensions and modernisations to the school buildings are paid for through the Trustees of the Joseph Stones Will.  The Education Committee pay for the necessary equipment for the education of the children.

 

The Joseph Stones School has come quite a long way since 1680, when only 25 children attended, where at the present time there are 260.  One would imagine this would be as far as one could go owing to the shortage of land in the area and so the only logical thing to do was to build a new Primary and Infant school for the new township of Mosborough, where the housing estates are being built and the population is growing each day.

EDUCATION AT THE MOSBOROUGH ENDOWED SCHOOL

In the year 1870 a child’s day began at 9 am with the ringing of the school bell. After this the register was called, when many children would be absent, excused being minding the baby, running errands or (in the case of girls) helping mother with the housework.  During Harvest time absenteeism was very obvious, illness also contributed, especially amongst the very poor.

October 9^th, 1877

“Scarlet fever still very bad, a great many children away because of it.”

February 1^st, 1878

“Scarlet fever for whole of the winter term affected the school badly.  One pupil died”

(Extractions Mosborough Junior School Record Books 1877 and 1878).

 

Children usually began school at the age of four, where they were divided into groups, namely Infant classes or “The Babies”, four-five years, five-six years and six-seven years.  After this they were transferred to the Junior section, which was also divided but now they were named Standards One to Seven.  Each year an examination was given to each child to specify whether he or she was clever enough to go up into the next Standard.

The register having been called each child handed in a payment for the week.  The charge was three pence for the eldest child and two pence for every succeeding child of the family.

The children were situated in large classrooms, with long narrow windows.  A large blackboard and easel were given a towering position at the front of the class.  The teacher’s desk, a very prominent feature of the classroom, usually stood beside the blackboard.  The children’s desks were set out in rows with an aisle between each row, where the teacher would walk up and down whilst lessons were in progress, sometimes carrying a ruler or a cane.  Children were always punished by strokes of the cane across their hands.

 

In every classroom there would be a copy of the time-table and each subject was taken at the same time each day.  The first lesson of the day was always prayers and scripture lesson.  In the case of the infants they had brick building, bead threading, cord and gift making, the girls were also shown how to use a needle and thimble.

The junior class concentrated upon reading, writing and arithmetic, for which they used slates and chalk.  Time was allotted through the week for classes in: Reading, Arithmetic, Poetry, Singing, Frill (which we know today as P.E.), Sewing which usually meant making calico underwear or knitting, Geography, when they would be taught form a huge map hanging on the classroom wall, History and Drawing.  In 1889, Cookery was introduced for the girls and there were no facilities at Mosborough School, the children had to walk to the Cams School at Eckington.  School finished at 4.00 pm with prayers and sometimes a hymn.

 

The School holidays consisted of: –

 

½ day on Shrove Tuesday

1 week at Whitsuntide

1 week in July for the “Feast Week” at Eckington

August – September Harvest Holiday

 

Very little alteration was introduced in the school until the 1930’s; by this time exercise books were being used to replace the slate and chalk.  Desks were modernised and had lift up lids so the pupils could keep their books in them.  Pens and inkwells appeared but were only used by Junior classes.

 

Children were now having extra lessons such as Country Dancing, Play Acting and P.T. (Physical Training).  The latter was the only time uniform was introduced in the Junior School, when the girls were white blouses and navy-blue knickers.

In 1939 came the War.  When everything was in short supply children were taught not to waste paper.  Air raid shelters were erected, and the pupils were giving training in Air Raid Practise and the wearing of gas masks.  Education carried on as usual despite these setbacks.

 

Shortly after the ending of the war the decor of the school began to alter.  Classrooms were given a cheerful facelift.  Instead of the dull green which had been the colour for many years, pastel shades were used.

 

By the middle 50s even more subjects had been introduced.  Children listened to school broadcasts of the radio, woodwork or pottery was now enjoyed by the boys and needlework was made a lot easier with the help of a sewing machine, which enabled girls to make an apron and simple patterned shirts.

 

In 1960 the modern world was taking over, Television was now installed, and the infants had a Wendy house, shop and climbing frames.  Part of their daily education was a news book in which they had to fill in a daily account of the happenings of the previous day.

 

Junior 4 pupils were now being taught French and music, which incorporated the playing of musical instruments.  The highlight of their year was the making of hand puppets and writing of a play based on them.  The show was then produced and acted in the Assembly Hall for the rest of the school.

 

WESTFIELD CAMPUS

Westfield Comprehensive School was opened in 1957 to educate children over the age of eleven from the parishes of Eckington, Beighton, Killamarsh and Mosborough.  Before this time the children had to take an examination and if they failed, they finished their education at a Secondary Modern School, the nearest being Killamarsh.  If on the other hand they passed, they were sent to Eckington Grammar School, which was opened in 1930 in the very small village of Halfway.  This was later used as part of the Westfield Comprehensive School, known as Lower School and used to educate the First and Second year pupils.  After two years of education they were automatically transferred to the newly erected Comprehensive School on Westfield Crescent at Mosborough, known at Upper School.  With the opening of this school every child is given equal opportunity.

 

When the Upper School was first opened it had four blocks, being,

Assembly Hall with stage for theatre productions, Headmaster’s Room; two tennis courts, football pitch, cricket pitch and hockey pitch.

 

All this was under the Headmastership of Mr Frank Rollinson.  There were eight hundred pupils and a staff of approximately fifty.

 

It was said to be one of the most modern schools in England and after further extension in 1967, said to be one of the largest schools.

 

It now had additional buildings: –

Swimming pool added to ‘H’ Block, Sports Hall and more land for outdoor activities, the main one being a full size running track.

 

Youth Centre containing Coffee Bar, Snooker Room, Disco area, Lounge, Table Games area, Quiet Room and two offices.  The activities are varied to suit all ages, a few being: – Football, Jogging, Dance and Keep fit, Skiing in Scotland and Italy, Drama Groups, Craft making, Cooking and Exchange Visits to Germany and London.  The present Leader is Mr Keith Atkins, Assistant Leader Miss Alison Gordon, with eight part-time leaders and five trainers and three coffee bar assistants, of which I am one.

 

Mr Rollinson held the post of Headmaster until 1975, when he retired.  Mr Bernard Cross took over the position, with Deputy Headmaster Mr Vince Shaw, Assistant Headmaster, Mr Roger Maggs and Headmistress Mrs Foster.  It was during this time that the school was re-named Westfield Campus to incorporate all the various activities of the school and the youth centre.  The number of pupils at this time stood at 1,960 and staff of 300.

 

In January 1977 due to an electrical fault ‘B’ Block was destroyed by fire, so once again changes occurred, when the re-erected, much modernized ‘B’ Block was built.  It was during this time an Adult Education Block was added to the school consisting of teaching rooms, Lounge and Kitchen area.

1979 saw the opening of the school library for public use.  Also a classroom in J’ Block was converted to a schoolroom/flat and was named “The unit” to help problem children, for example those expelled from other schools, those who find it difficult to mix and children who have not attended school for a long period of time.  There are a selection of books on all subjects and therefore, the whole of the school curriculum is taught in the unit.  It is also equipped with a cooker, sink unit, easy chairs, coffee table and work tables and chairs.  Gradually with the help of Mrs Wendon, who is head of this department, the children are taught to cope with normal school life once again.

 

Not only are there First and Second year children at Lower School, but also there are four Third Year forms based there as there is just not enough teaching space at Upper School.  This problem will eventually even itself out, as Derbyshire pupils are not being admitted unless it is at the parents’ request, as there is now a new school open in Eckington.

 

In 1980 the number of pupils will have dropped to 1,500 with a teaching staff of 112, none teaching staff 100, the Headmaster still being Mr B Cross, Deputy Headmaster Mr V Shaw, Assistant Headmaster Mr R Maggs and Headmistress Mrs Fenshaw.  In the future the population of the school should reduce to 1,300 making it more manageable although still remaining the second largest school in Sheffield.

 

ORGANISATION OF THE SCHOOL

1^st  2^nd and 3^rd Years  –  Aged 11 – 14

 

All students during these years take a course of general education covering a wide range of subjects.  The degree and the kind of ability of each child is gradually differentiated on the basis of the performance in school over the whole period.  Courses may take a bias towards academic or technical studies, linguistics or scientific, general studies or slow learners.

 

SUBJECTS

ORGANISATION OF THE SCHOOL  –  4^th and 5^th Years  –  Ages 14 – 16

GENERAL COURSE

This is designed for pupils for whom little or no external examination work is considered suitable and will leave school at the age of 16+  They take a course of general education with internal leaving examinations and CSE qualifications in some cases.

 

SUBJECTS

English, Religious Knowledge, History, Geography, Mathematics, Rural Science, General Science, Art, Music

Technical Studies, Domestic Studies,Needlework, Community Service, Physical Education,Games, Careers, Leisure Pursuits

 

SPECIAL STUDIES COURSES

This is designed for pupils who will take the external examinations GCE ‘O’ level, CSE, RSA Pitman’s – for which the school is a centre.  Some of these will leave at the end of the Fifth Year, many will stay for the Sixth and Seventh Years.

 

BASIC SUBJECTS – English Language, Mathematics, Religious Education, Physical Education, Games,  Careers (in 5^th)

English Literature

 

SUBJECT OPTION (6)  History, Geography, Religious Knowledge, French,   German, Spanish,  Greek, Classics, Physics,   Chemistry, Biology, Rural Science, Art,   Music Woodwork/Needlework, Geometrical Drawing, Domestic Science, Typing, Book-keeping, Shorthand, Commercial Mathematics, Commerce / Office Practice

 

ORGANISATION OF THE SCHOOL – 6^th and 7^th Years  –  ADVANCED STUDIES COURSES

 

BASIC SUBJECTS – General Studies, Religious Knowledge, Physical Education, Games

Options – Advanced Level Subjects of GCE (1, 2 preferably 3) from:-English Literature, History, British Government, Geography, French, German, Spanish, Greek, Woodwork, Housecraft/ Needlework, Geometrical & Engineering Drawing, Craft Design & Practice, Book-keeping & Accounts, Shorthand & Typing (Advanced RSA).

 

These students leave at 18 or 19 after two or three years in the Sixth Form and proceed:-

to Universities

to Technological Universities

to Colleges of Education (General & Specialist)

to College of Art, Music, Drama, Domestic Sciences etc

to Regional Colleges of Technology Military Colleges etc

to Industrial Student Apprenticeships

to the higher strata of industry, commerce and professions.

Those who wish to improve or add to their ‘O’ levels may do so in the Sixth Form.

EDUCATION AT WESTFIELD CAMPUS

The Form Organisation

Most new entrants are First year pupils coming from Primary or Middle Schools, it is possible for teachers at Westfield to form some estimate of the capability of each boy or girl at this stage and allocate them provisionally to the various first year forms.  The eleven first year forms are divided into four bands, according to the abilities of the pupils.

 

Some pupils will be considered capable of following a five-year academic type course landing to the examinations for the General Certificate of Education and/or Certificate of Secondary Education at the age of sixteen, these being placed in forms P,Q,R and S.  Others will be placed on courses which are more practical, with the same examinations in view, these being placed in forms E, F,G, H and J.  Some children may at this stage be more suitable for a general course of education not governed to the same extent by external examinations and being placed in form A.  All these forms have the opportunity of studying French.

Other children may have a Primary or Middle School record which indicates that educationally they have come across considerable difficulty.  Each case is carefully considered by expect staff and some will be given specialist staff under the guidance of Mrs S M Blackburn, Head of Slow Learners Department.  The first year is very much experimental and at the end of the year there can be transfers between the bans as the wide variety of ability and progress becomes apparent.  This opportunity for transfer continues in later years.

 

As a result of their first year work some pupils will, on beginning the second year, take up a second foreign language, i.e. Form P Classics, Form Q German or Spanish, and will replace their General Science Course with separate studies of Physics, Chemistry and Biology in Forms P, Q, R and S.

 

The Third Year follows the same pattern as the Second.  Midway through this year each pupil has to make important decisions about the next two years.  The first is to decide whether to follow a course leading to the GCE or the CSE or the Commercial examinations in the Fifth Year, or to follow a course of more general education not governed by external examinations to the same extent.  If the decision is the first, then he will, with guidance from various members of staff decide which eight subjects he wishes to study; for example, I was advised to take CSE’s Mathematics, English, History, Physics, Art, Music, Domestic Science and Needlework.

 

All pupils are placed in forms for their Fourth and Fifth years.  Those following a course leading to GCE in the majority of their subjects are in Forms P, Q and R, while those following a course leading to CSE in the majority of their subjects are placed in Forms E, F, G, H and J.  My form was Form F.  Pupils who take a course with a commercial bias are in forms T1, T2 or Commercial.  Those on the general course, with perhaps a wish to work for CSE in a few subjects, are in Forms A, B, C or D.

The form is of no great importance, except for some instruction in English and Religious Education which all pupils must take.  From now on ability in the individual subject will be the main point of the pupils’ will to work.  For those on the general course considerable emphasis is placed on the use of leisure time and a study of the local community.

 

The slow Learner Department continues its specialist instruction for those considered in need of it.

 

The courses offered to the post-sixteen students are wide and varied: –

1. 1,2,3 or 4 Advanced Level Subjects.
2. Ordinary Level or CSE studies, either new or re-takes.
3. Commercial Studies.

All students study a short number of courses in the subject of General Studies – Modern History, Literary Criticism, Sociology, Politics, Religion, Science, Mathematics, Art and craft, Technical Studies and Housecraft.  The courses in the Sixth form are for one, two or three years.  The subjects I chose were advance Level Craft Design and Practice, GCE Ordinary English, Domestic Science, General Studies and computer Studies.  For the two years I was in the Sixth Form I was placed in Sixths Arts.

 

No matter which year or form the pupils are in a first-class programme of physical education is carried out for development and enjoyment.  The school possesses its own swimming bath and as a child progresses up the school, swimming is part of the normal time-table.   All pupils take part in all physical education activities unless medically excused.

The House Organisation.

On entry each child is placed in one of six houses, which is led by a Housemaster.  The houses are: –

 

Ferrers          –           Mr Pasley

Chandos       –           Mr Mellor

Hardwick      –           Mr Reid

Manvers        –           Mr Green

Peveril           –           Mr Morgan

Sherwood     –           Mr Calow

 

Each House is divided into Tutorial Groups – two in each of the first five years and one in the Sixth and Seventh Years.  Each House and each Tutorial Group contains pupils of all types and abilities.

 

All teachers are placed in Houses and some will serve as tutors with a responsibility for a particular Tutorial Group; these staff are there to listen to any problems of the children and give advice where needed.  Tutors are responsible for registration, pupils’ records and report books.

 

The House Organisation enables a large school of some 1,800 children and over a hundred teachers to break down into smaller family units.  Inter House competitions are held in four main forms.

1. Work, which includes form position, Merit Cards and External Examinations;
2. Effort Grades for what is put into work by pupils as opposed to the result gained;

• Sport in all its activities and years;

1. Non-sporting activities, e.g. Verse speaking in English and Modern Languages, Music, Drama, etc English and Modern Languages, Music, Drama, etc

Every child can gain points for his house and represent the house in teams or special groups.

 

I was placed in Ferres House, which I considered to be a very good House.  My House Tutor was Miss Warren, who was very understanding and pleasant.  On many occasions we won a vast majority of the trophies and everyone, both pupils and staff, tried to keep up the standards.

Daily Routine

The school day is a busy one.  Children should be at school by 9.10 am since they should be in their tutorial rooms on the first bell by 9.15 am.  Assembly follows at 9.30 am and at 9.45 lessons begin.  Two lessons are followed by break between 10.55 am and 11.10 am after which come three lessons, taking the children to lunch-time at 12.55 pm.  Some children living locally go home for lunch, but the greater majority take advantage of the school meals, cooked on the premises in the three kitchens at Lower and Upper School, for which tickets are purchased at 30p per meal.  Afternoon school begins at 2 pm, at which time the children should be back at the teaching rooms.  Three lessons make up the afternoon session, which finishes at 4 pm.  For children who live further away there are school buses provided to transport them to and from the school.

School Uniform

A pleasant and attractive school uniform is worn by girls and boys.  It is based on a combination of navy blue and saxe blue and there are variations according to the season of the year and the age of the students.  It is much admired by visitors to the school and can be worn with pride by all students.

School Motto

Students and staff alike are encouraged to live up to the school motto “RES NON VERBA” – DEEDS NOT WORDS.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY – BOOKS

Reminiscence of Mosborough – George Foster

History, Topography & Directory of Derbyshire 1895 – Bulmer

Education – W C Lester Smith

Your child at School – Jack Raymond Jones

Examinations – Robert J Montgomery

Old Halls of Derbyshire

History of Education in the parish of Eckington

Derbyshire Village Schools in the Nineteenth Century – Marion Johnson

SCHOOLS – Alan Dures

Curriculum Change in the Nineteenth & Twentieth Centuries – Gordon & Lawton

Four Hundred Years of English – W H G Armytage

History of Education in Great Britain – SJ Curtis MA, PhD

The State of School Education 1640 –1660 – WAL Vincent

PAMPHLETS

The History of Mosborough Hall – Mosborough Hall

Education Act – Department of Education & Science

Ord. Survey Map – 1875
Ord Survey Map  – 1918
Ord Survey Map –  1937

RECORD BOOKS

Mosborough Junior School Log Books Eckington Parish Records NEWSPAPERS

Derbyshire Times

The Star
Mosborough Leader

CONCLUSION

My thesis has spanned three hundred years of education, when children began school at four years old and finished at the age of ten if they were lucky, some never saw the inside of a school and consequently were never taught to read or write; up to the present day when every child has an equal chance to begin at nursery school at the age of three and finish his education at secondary school if they wish at the age of eighteen, a far cry from the days when a child had to pay to go to school.

 

I am curious to know what could happen in the next three hundred years.  Could Mosborough have its own College of Further Education, or even a University of Mosborough?

 

There is no doubt in my mind that progress will not come to a standstill and one of the above mentioned will one day stand, but one thing will never change, people will still take their education in Mosborough for granted, not knowing how it all began on that day in 1680 at the reading of Mr Joseph Stones’ Will.

 

Thanks to Marianne Whitehead for letting me publish and type up her Thesis.  Linda Taylor (nee Staton)