Our History

Cubbington C.E. School 1780 – 1980 A Story Of Village Education (By David Evans And John Good Fellow). 

This publication was produced to celebrate the Bicentenary of Cubbington School in 1980 and is a delight to read. It includes details from the school log books of the time, as well as drawings and photographs which give a real insight into school and village life.

If you are interested in finding out more there is a copy of the publication for you to see at school.

1780 

In 1780 Cubbington was bigger and more important than Leamington and had a larger population. Leamington did not have a school until 1822. However, in Cubbington a house was built for the purpose of a school in 1780 although it is uncertain who paid for it initially. Evidence shows the existence of a charity day school with money provided by two local charity trusts for school teaching. At this time children of poor parishioners were taught to read and write the English language.

1821

In 1821 the school became a National School established by the Charity Commissioners. National School meant a school established by the Church of England National Society and children were taught to read the Bible and the essential parts of the Prayer Book and sometimes to write and do sums.. Education in 1821 was religious and moral training to improve the unruly young of the parish, fitting them for an obedient life as labourers or wives of labourers.

The First Vicars

Between 1792 – 1820, the Vicar James Austen, brother of the novelist Jane Austen, was an absentee vicar, which was common practice at this time (in 1812 there were 4813 parishes in this situation.) However, his cousin the Reverend George Leigh Cooke (1820 – 1853) was the first Vicar to have been closely linked with Cubbington School. He was determined, wealthy and influential in developing Church education in Cubbington and in 1846 a new school was built to show the importance of Anglican education.

The land was given by Lord Leigh and the cost of the building was £907. The building (which remains today with some later additions) was impressive for the time. Built in brick and stone with buttresses at the corners, it had large arched windows high off the ground so that the children could not be distracted by staring out of them! There was a small cottage attached to the school for the Master.

1854 -1865 The Rev. Matthew Anstis

Rev Anstis enthusiastically continued the work of Rev Leigh Cooke and included Mathematics in the curriculum. Mrs Anstis supervised needlework, organised the Clothing Club and children would have been expected to attend Sunday School.

After the resignation of Rev Anstis in October 1865, Bernard S. Le Beau took charge of the school but the new Vicar Rev Edge, and his wife, only visited occasionally.

1866-1871 Mr Le Beau

Mr Le Beau, the new Master was seen as somewhat progressive in his approach as he stopped Corporal Punishment, except for’ lying or stealing’ although he occasionally ‘flogged’ children for truancy. New subjects were also introduced: astronomical geography lessons and drawing was popular on Fridays.