Title:
MICROFILM OF RECORDS OF ORSETT CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
Level: Category
Parish history
Level: Fonds
MICROFILM OF RECORDS OF ORSETT CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL
Scope and Content:
A charity school was built in Orsett in 1776 by Edward Anson of Woodford Bridge who endowed the school with income from Epping Farm in Theydon Garnon and the residue of his personal estate. Anson built a school house in orsett Street, and 14 boys received free education and were clothed and provided with books. Six of the boys came from Orsett, and two were chosen from each of the parishes of Horndon-on-the-Hill, Bulphan, Mucking and Chadwell St. Mary. The school also accepted private pupils.
A Sunday and day school existed in Orsett by 1844. An infant school was opened in March 1845 and after three months was attended by 44 children, aged 3-6. The mistress received a weekly payment of 2d. from each child. In February 1848 the vestry resolved that these existing school rooms were insufficient, and appealed for subscriptions for the erection of new schools. The parish soon acquired one acre of land adjoining the lane which is now called School Lane, and a National School with accommodation for 100 girls and 68 infants was built in 1848 at a cost of £700. By1849 there were 85 girls and 53 infants attending the National School. In 1850 additional buildings to house the boys' school were erected on the site at the expense of Anson's Trust. The old school house in Orsett Street was sold for £300 and the new buildings cost £600. The schools later became known as Orsett National Schools for boys, girls and infants.
In 1907 a new infants' school was built, with accommodation for 100 children. In the same year the mixed school was provided with new cloakrooms and new desks. In September 1946 the junior and infants' schools amalgamated to form Orsett Voluntary Primary School and the 99 children were organised into four classes. Senior children over the age of 11 had been transferred to Prk Secondary School in Greys. In 1951 the school was granted aided status. Work began on the remodelling and enlargements of the school on 24 April 1973. The new buildings, which included a kitchen, dining hall and additional classroom, were brought into use on 25 February 1974.