Sources for Education in Potton

Potton Lower School sign

The following list gives all the sources relating to education in Silsoe held by Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service. Due to the terms of the Data Protection Act records containing personal details of living individuals will be closed in total, or in part, depending on the nature of the information.

Early Education

• ABP/R3f.12: LS48: Bequest for education: 1712;
• LS103 and P64/25/1a: Henry Ward’s bequest for education: 1739;
• P64/25/1a: Burgoyne’s bequest for establishing a charity school: 1770;
• P64/25/16: Receipts from the schoolmaster for monies received: 1814-1839;
• P64/25/45: Conveyance of Bassingbourne Orchard to educational trustees: 1826;
• P64/25/1b: Gift by T. J. Burgoyne for education: c. 1830;
• X481/10: Additional public school accommodation required: 1872-1876;
• P64/29/2: Grant of glebe as a site for a school: 1882;
• P64/25/49: Administration of the Bassingbourne Charity Estate: 1892-1921;
• P64/29/6: ground plan of the old church school: 1896;
• P64/25/49: Details of Bassingbourne Charity Estate: 1930.

Private Schools

• CRT130Potton7: Pestallozzian School child’s copy book: 1854;
• Z771/9/1 page 3: Potton Congregational School account book included in memoriam to academy principal John Claydon: 1861;
• CRT130Sandy9: print of Potton House School: 1869;
• X758/1/10/76: Front elevation of Potton House School in an advertisement: 1876.

Former Potton Schools*

• SB33/14/1: Abstract of title to later school site: 1843;
• SB33/14/2: Additional abstract: 1843;
• SB33/14/3: Conveyance of later school site: 1844;
• SB33/14/4: Conveyance of later school site: 1846;
• SB33/14/5: Conveyance of later school site: 1874;
• SB33/14/6: Conveyance of later school site: 1875;
• SB33/14/7: Contract: 1875;
• SB33/1 Potton School Board minutes: 1875-1886;
• SB33/3: Potton School Board abstract book: 1875-1891;
• SB33/5: Potton School Board register of mortgages: 1875-1903;
• SB33/6 and 10: Potton School Board financial statements: 1875-1903;
• SB33/7, 11 and 16: Potton School Board cash books: 1875-1903;
• SB33/8-9: Potton School Board letter books: 1875-1903;
• SB33/15: Potton School Board correspondence: 1875-1903;
• SB33/14/9: Mortgage and further advances to build the school: 1875;
• AD3874: handbills regarding School Board election: c. 1875;
• X481/11: Notice of election to Potton School Board: 1875;
• SB33/14/13: Deed altering mode of repayment of school mortgages: 1875-1879;
• SDPotton1: Logbook for the mixed school then the boys school: 1876-1904;
• SB33/12: Potton School Board ledger: 1876-1892;
• SDPotton4: Logbook for the infants school: 1876-1922;
• SB33/14/10-12: receipts for grant instalments: 1876;
• SDPotton2: Logbook for the girls school: 1885-1904;
• SB33/2: Potton School Board minutes: 1886-1903;
• SB33/4: Potton School Board abstract book: 1892-1899;
• SB33/13: Potton School Board ledger: 1892-1903;
• SB33/14/8: School site mortgage: 1893;
• Z50/91/59: Photograph: early 20th century;
• Z50/134-137: Photographs of class groups: early 20th century;
• Z246/22: Letter of thanks to retiring School Board chairman: 1902;
• X704/248: Testimonial to retiring School Board chairman: 1902;
• SMM15/1: School managers’ minutes: 1903-1930;
• SB33/17: Report of Potton School Board clerk to Bedfordshire County Council: 1903;
• E/TE5/1: Details of teaching staff: 1904;
• PCPotton3: Logbook for the mixed school: 1904-1925;
• X758/1/9/55: Photograph of the schools with children: c. 1905;
• X758/1/9/57: Photograph of unnamed school group: c. 1910;
• CTM17/106: Mortgage for school repairs: 1911;
• X758/1/9: Photograph of Class II: 1911;
• E/TE5/2: Details of teaching staff: 1912;
• E/IN1/1: School Inspector’s reports: 1912-1937;
• CTM17/118: Mortgage for school repairs: 1913;
• CTM17/110-120: Mortgage for school repairs: 1914;
• X758/1/9/58-62: Photograph of unnamed school groups: c. 1920;
• SDPotton9: Logbook for the junior school: 1922-1943;
• X758/1/9/63-66: Photographs of staff and pupils with shield: 1923;
• SDPotton5: Logbook for the senior school: 1925-1948;
• CTM17/79: Mortgage for school repairs: 1927;
• SMM15/2: School managers’ minutes: 1930-1947;
• X704/23: Programme for school sports day: 1938;
• SDPotton10: Logbook for the junior school: 1943-1967;
• SMM15/3: School managers’ minutes: 1947-1954;
• SDPotton6: Logbook for the senior school: 1948-1955;
• SMM15/4: School managers’ minutes: 1954-1957;
• SMM15/5: School managers’ minutes: 1958-1967
• CA2/691: Additional land: 1965-1970;
• SMM15/7: School managers’ general file: 1966-1969;
• CA8/443: Building maintenance file: 1967-1978;
• SMM15/6: School managers’ minutes: 1968-1974;
• AO/C9/7: School site: 1969-1970;
• CA2/468: Building extensions file: 1970-1973;
• CA2/367: Building extensions file: 1971-1978;
• CA2/469: Phase II development file: 1972-1974;
• E/YM7/9/10: 1st Potton Brownie Pack and 2nd Potton Guides use of the school: 1973-1983;
• CA8/438: Old school maintenance file: 1978-1984

Burgoyne Middle School

• CA2/846: Construction of the school: 1970-1981;
• E/SA1/4/8: Comprehensive reorganisation: 1972-1979;
• CA8/1039: School maintenance file: 1979-1984;
• E/TE3/2: Return of teaching staff: 1981;
• E/PM3/2/4: Information on Travellers’ children at the school: 1982-1987;
• E/PM6/2/4: School support for the abolition of corporal punishment: 1985-1986;
• E/SA2/4/11: Provision of a wildlife area at the school: 1985-1987;
• E/TE3/7: Return of teaching staff: 1986;
• E/MS3/2/2: Kitchen and other details: c. 1987;
• E/ME2/2/1: School involvement in the work of a Professional Development Tutor for Multicultural Education in Predominantly White Schools: 1988-1989.

Potton Lower School

• E/TE2/L60-61: School details: 1978-1986;
• E/TE3/4: Return of teaching staff: 1981;
• E/PM3/2/4: Information of Travellers’ children at the school: 1982-1987;
• E/SA2/4/11: File on provision of adventure play area and environmental studies garden: 1985-1987;
• E/TE3/7: Return of teaching staff: 1986;
• E/ME2/2/1: School involvement in the work of a Professional Development Tutor for Multicultural Education in Predominantly White Schools: 1988-1989.
• E/MS3/2/3: Kitchen and other details: c. 1987;
• E/Pu4/4/96: School prospectus: 1995.

*This includes the following schools:

• Potton Board Infants School 1876-1903;
• Potton Board Mixed School 1875-1885;
• Potton Board Boys School 1885-1903;
• Potton Board Girls School 1885-1903;
• Potton Council Infants School 1903-1925;
• Potton Council Mixed School: 1904-1925;
• Potton Council Boys School 1925-1931;
• Potton Council Girls and Infants School 1925-1931;
• Potton Council Junior School 1931-1946;
• Potton Council Senior School 1931-1946;
• Potton County Primary School 1946-1975;
• Potton County Secondary Modern School 1946-1955.

Burgoyne Middle School sign