Bleadon School History

Bleadon school closed in 1964. There was a huge outcry in the village even though it was accepted that the premises were too small for a school. The land was sold by the church. Closure had been decided in the 1940's and an offer to 'amalgamate' with Lympsham was eventually turned down. The outcry was not so much about the closure of the school but at the failure to replace it. The school declined but mainly because it was finally condemned with the sale of the land in 1962 and with staff accepting jobs elsewhere and pupils now moving to other schools (with a more assured future) it dwindled to a one teacher school. It limped on for a further 2 years and the church offered to build a new school if it could be proved that there were 100 children to attend. A survey identified 119 children but a survey of parents decided that the offer of a priority at Uphill 'inperpertuity' should be accepted. Uphill school was extended with new classrooms built and the furniture and books relocated at the end of the spring term 1964. The final teacher Mrs Parker moved with her remaining children.

This picture of Bleadon School was printed in the Weston Mercury. Many thanks goes to Les Masters and Penny Robinson. See the original article here.