Together, we learn, grow and dream

History

The school was originally founded in 1896 as part of the Parish of St Andrews.  It opened as an Infant School in 1905 serving the dual purpose of church and school.

The first picture shows a class of school children in circa 1920, the teacher then was Mrs Helen Peebles shown here with two volunteer helpers, Mr and Mrs Robinson. As the local population increased so the demands for a larger school became inevitable.

At this stage the school took on County Primary School status and the first phase of the present school building began on the site of Shores Green Farm in 1975 and opened in 1976. At the same time the school ceased to be C of E controlled and became county maintained. Because of a lack of funds the second phase of the school, scheduled for 1977, was axed but because phase one constituted the Infant Department without hall or kitchen, the old school remained in use housing the Headteacher’s office and
three classrooms. Dinners were cooked in the old school kitchen and a van arrived at dinner times to take meals to the children in the new school.
It was a familiar sight to see Mr Moorehead jogging between the two schools several times a day. This continued until 1984 when the Community Centre was built next to the school and the local Authority took advantage of the facility which is used by the school throughout the day.

The second picture shows an historic scene outside the old school of Mr John Moorhead with his school children and some of his staff. They are getting ready to move up the hill to the new school on the first day of the Spring term January 1984, when St Andrew’s Church closed as a school.

Further extensions were added in 1992 and 2000 to improve the reception area, administration and classroom accommodation.
In the Autumn of 2002 two new cloakrooms were added to the Bert Dean Classroom area and an outside toilet block, to improve facilities, was built alongside the main building giving access from the playground.
In Summer 2003 a Quiet Play Area was added to the playground increasing the playground capacity and variety of activities available for the children.
During the Summer and Autumn of 2005 a four classroom extension and a new purpose built Nursery replaced the two oldest mobile classroom blocks. The third mobile classroom was retained to further extend extra curriculum activities by providing a setting for Acorns Breakfast and After School Club, Music Rooms and teaching areas. Interior remodelling in 2007 created an ICT Suite within the main building which contains 16 laptop systems. Shutters and CCTV have been installed to further improve security.

Wincham Village War Memorial
As you enter the school library you will see a very special area where the Wincham Village War Memorial is displayed. This used to be proudly hung on the wall in the old church of St Andrew’s, but was taken out in the late 1990’s and then installed into the library of the school when this extension was completed in 2000. During November the War Memorial is decked with poppies and on 11th November each year the children visit the area and spend time thinking about all those brave men and women who have died in conflicts since the 1st World War.

The War Memorial is also open for the local Village Community to visit on that day and a book of remembrance is displayed for personal thought and reflection. Many local historians have done research on the names listed on the War Memorial and some have even visited Belgium and France to locate to actual graves of those who perished all those years ago. It is a very special place for us all and you are most welcome to visit it. Please ring the school office for details.

The School Bell
When the school moved to its current site and the church was no longer in use, the building was demolished ready for a housing development. The church spire housed a large 70 kilo bell which rang to inform the local villages that the church service was due to commence. The developer Mr Watts, whose children attended the school at the time, offered to donate the bell to the school.

A competition was organized to design a structure to house the bell, which was to be erected on the school grounds and Mr Watts kindly agreed to judge the competition and to build the winning design. Many designs were submitted but the best was drawn by James Symms one of the Junior pupils in Year 4, who considered that his structure would be built to last just like the bell had for all those years.

The school bell which rang for many years from the bell tower in the old Victorian Church of St Andrew’s now stands proudly amongst the trees in a corner of the school field. It is rung 10 times at the beginning and end of each term and to announce the opening of the annual Summer Fayre.
The School is now known as a Community Primary School, truly serving the village and surrounding areas, providing a sound education through a caring family philosophy. Many of the parents and grandparents of our present pupils attended this school and look upon it with pride and high esteem. For the children of today it offers a sense of belonging because of the people of the past who also came through its doors and shared in the education it offered. History has a special meaning to all who attend this school today.

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