Renhold School
Bedfordshire Archives has a scrapbook of cuttings of visits made to most Bedfordshire Schools by School Inspectors for a period from just before the First World War through the inter-war years [ref: E/IN1/1]. The first report in the scrapbook dates to 1911, when average attendance was 59: "Order is good and the School is doing creditable work; general improvement has been effected during the past twelve months. More intelligence is shown by the children, more active interest is taken in their work and the Written Exercises are characterised by greater care…The few infants in attendance are suitably taught and are making satisfactory progress". Two years later the report was still positive: "In spite of epidemic sickness a thoroughly good year's work has been done and the general level of attainment throughout has been raised. Order and tone are praiseworthy and a good level of efficiency is reached in all sections of the school".
After the Great War the first report was made in 1923: "A Head Teacher left in August 1920, at which time the School had fallen to a very low level. The discipline and attainments of the children were both thoroughly bad. For the next eighteen months or so the school was in the hands of a succession of temporary teachers - five in all - and the work must still have been far from good when the present Head Teacgher took charge in February 1922. The discipline is now excellent, and the work, at least as regards Standards II-IV is certainly improving, but naturally much still remains to be done". Two years later things were much the same: "The general condition of this part of the school [Standards II-VII] has not much changed since the last Report was made. As far as Standard I and the infants were concerned, however: "The work of Standard I is very satisfactory. The infants were nearly all absent on the day of inspection through sickness, but there is little doubt that they are well taught".
The school was visited again the next year: "This school has made some progress since the last report…The school is, in fact, uneven, with the majority on the poorer side; but it is not felt that the Head Mistress is to blame, though it is hoped that she will be able to improve matters in the next 2 years". The next inspection was duly made two years later and found: "In this school a recent analysis by the Head Teacher showed that only 11 of the 48 scholars were not related to the others, of whom many were very closely related. The best work was done by one of these 11 children. The Head Mistress is absolutely honest…The school in fact is just below the normal - but the Mistress works so well that it would seem that the fault is more in the circumstances than in her - though more insistence on the children's working their hardest would possibly make a difference". The next visit came in 1930 when the circumstances regarding the pupils, naturally, still applied, however: "By orgainsing trips the Head Mistress tries to enlarge their horizon and their written accounts of these show that the object is achieved. Some of these efforts are really good…" In summary the inspector wrote: "The tone and discipline are alike satisfactory".
The subject of the next visit, in 1933, was the school itself, two matters requiring urgent attention, firstly heating: "An apparatus was installed 17 September 1930. The boiler burst 7 October 1930. Repairs were effected at Xmas that year. The boiler burst again in the Spring of 1933. Plaster has fallen - and hit the Infants' mistress on the head, after vibratory noises in the pipe recently. The opinion of the Vicar, whom I met at the school, is that circulation has never been satisfactory…the noises in the pipe and the falling plaster are certainly alarming". The second matter was desks: "These are unsuitable for the largest children. A girl 12 yrs.old is 5 ft. 7: absent, in bed, visited twice weekly by the Doctor, for curvature of the spine from April 10 to 12 May, she has now to sit in a backless desk, not large enough for her. There are 6 of 5 ft. 6, one a boy just 12, who are seated in the same circumstances. Two of them were measured at the visit; the account of the others was accepted as correct. In view of the probable growth of these children tables and chairs should be supplied".
The final report is dated 1935, when average attendance was 37, it is notably more upbeat than previously: "This small school is in charge of a Head Teacher and one Supplementary Teacher. The atmosphere is very pleasant and, the younger ones particularly, speak freely and show no sign of shyness…The work is generally satisfactory and the teaching on sound lines. School journeys are undertaken with the help of the parents, in connection with Nature Study, Geography, History and English. It would be well, however, to make the fullest use of these journeys by training the children to keep notes and records…The Head Teacher takes a great interest in her pupils and is endeavouring to give them the type of training that wil lstand them in good stead all their days".