1891
Oct: 15	This School was formally opened by Lord and Lady Carrington of Wycombe Abbey, Wycombe
Oct 19	The School opened for the first time for the attendance of children. I Thomas Adin Brearley A.C.P. (Associate of the College of Preceptors, London) Trained Certificated Master, late of the Higher Grade Board School, Halifax, Yorks took charge. Admitted 92 There is space accommodation for an average attendance of 138. The School consists of (1) One large room (43.6 x 20) in which Standard III and upwards are taught (2) One classroom (18 x 18) in which Standard I & II are taught (3) One classroom 18ft x 19ft.6) in which Infants are taught as a class in connection with the School for older scholars.
Oct 23	Had great difficulty in classification. The Carrington School - the only one within a radius of two miles - had been condemned by H.M. Inspector as a Public Elementary School three years ago. Since then it has been carried on by private persons. Owing to the inadequate supply of school accommodation and to the laxity in enforcing the Education Act in this district many of the older scholars have not been to any school for a year and there are several instances of children not having been two and three years in fact ever since the Carrington School was closed as a Government School. In consequence of this I find the children generally very backward indeed even in the most elementary part of their work. They lack attention & in several cases obedience and make no effort to think for themselves. Many of the five year old, and a few of the six year old children do not know their letters - either printed or manuscript, and the majority of the six year olds can barely read the first primer.
Oct 30th	Particular instances of backward children Rose Smith - 9 years of age is in the I Standard Sarah A. Smith - 11 years of age is in the II Standard Eliza A. Lambert - 12 year of age is in the II Standard William Harris - 12 years of age is in the II Standard Hy. Nichols - 10 years of age is in the II Standard Clara Ellen Eakins - 11 years of age is in the III Standard Harriet Clifton - 11 years of age is in the III Standard Len R. Mills - 11 years of age is in the III Standard Of the 101 children admitted 16 attended No School last 61 attended Carrington School last 24 attended Hanslope Board School last. Staff Thomas Adin Brearley - Trained Certificated Head Master - has charge of Stands III and upwards Mary Jane Brearley - Trained and Certificated has charge of Standards I & II and the Needlework of the older girls. Annie Gregory, appointed by the School Board in accordance with Acts 68 and 100, has charge of the Infants.
Nov 13	Transferred William Harris from Stand II to Standard III. Had half day holiday on Nov. 2 for the wake. The following is the Scheme of Object and Conversational Lessons intended to be given to the Infants. Animals 1. Cat & mouse 2. Dog 3. Donkey     4. Duck 5. Cock & Hen 6. Pig     7. Butterfly 8. Horse 9. Fish     10. Lion 11. Tiger 12. Sheep     13. Reindeer       Home 14. Dressing a doll 15. Setting a table       16. Bread 17. Clothing     Body 18. Eye 19. Hand 20. Feet 21. Teeth Trade 22. Baker's shop 23. Carpenter's shop       24. Harvesting 25. Gardening     Plants 26. in general       Birds 27. in general       Nat. phew 28. Rain 29. Snow 30. Sun   Objects 31. Coal 32. Glass 33. Wood     34. Sugar 35. Salt     Miscell (a) Things of wood 36. Chair 37. Table     (b) 38. Cup & saucer 39. Bricks     (c) 40. Railway train 41. Post Office       42. Washing 43. Clock & Time
Dec 3rd	I Examined the Registers and found them correct. Thomas Osborne Clerk to the Board
Dec 10th	The School had half day holiday on the 8th on account of School Bd. Election. Put Ar. Nichols from the III Stand. into the II Standard. He is very backward in Arithmetic and Spelling. The Infant's class is still in a backward condition. The teacher has very little hold on the children. Discipline is poor in this class.
Dec 21	Has a visit from The Rev. H. Westall who examined the registers, being a Member of the School Board. The weather has set in very cold and this accounts for the poor attendance.
Dec 23	Closed school to-day for Christmas Holiday - Re-commence on Jany. 5. 1892
1892
Jan 5	Re-opened School - 84 present. I learned that 4 scholars (of one family) have left the village which partly accounts for small attendance. Admitted one. Selection of Poetry Infants This is the top of my little head   Helping mother   This is the top etc. St. III Leap for Life   Harry and the Guide post   The fisherman's song by J. G. Whittier St. I & II Hang up my baby's stocking   Ben Bruin   The Vain Chicken   The Father's return St. IV & upwards The Well of St. Keyne by R. Southey   Solitary Reaper by W. Wordsworth   The snake and the baby by Sir Ed. Arnold   Daffodils by W. Wordsworth
Jan 15	The attendance has not improved. Just now there is a great deal of sickness in the village. Kate Kightley, Eliza Lambert, Amy Panter and Ar. Nichols are exceedingly backward in Arithmetic. They work with Standard II in Arith: though they are in Standard III for their other work.
Jan 22	This week the attendance has been much as usual still a number on the sick list. One poor little fellow - Jas. Worker - had died and the scholars decided to show their respect by sending a wreath. The top boy in the School has left and I have admitted an Infant.
Jan 29	Admitted one in Infant Class. Work as usual.
Feb 5th	Held an Examination this week in the ordinary work. There is evidence of marked improvement, especially in writing and general neatness of work. Reading is very backward. There is no expression in consequence of lack of intelligence. Arithmetic is also bad. Very few indeed got two sums correct. Plenty of mental work is needed. Spelling is dreadful. It is common occurrence to see 10 & 15 mistakes on a paper, especially in Standard III. Standard II & I have greatly improved in this subject but are far below standard. Transferred F. Marks from III to II Standard. His work is very poor indeed.
Feb 12	The attendance this week improved. Visit of Miss Marshall of Castlethorpe. Work much as usual.
Feb 16th	I examined the Registers and found them correct. Thomas Osborne. Clerk to the Board.
Feb 19	This week the weather has been very winterly and the attendance has gone down from an average of 89 to 83. The Infants are particularly absent.
Mar 4	Held our monthly Examination. Paper work is done much better especially in Standard II & III. Arithmetic is backward all round. There is an improvement in neatness and accuracy of work. The answering to oral questions is particularly bad. It is with great difficulty that we can get the children to put the simplest thought in the form of a sentence. Any question involving a series of mental processes is a stumbling block, hence mental arith makes slow progress.
Mar 11	Children had their photographs taken. Attendance very bad indeed.
Mar 18	There is a marked improvement in attendance. E. E. Stewart (St. V) is very backward in Arith. so works with St. VI in this subject. Am endeavoring to obtain from manufactured articles e.g. wool, cotton, mustard, pens, biscuits, needles, etc. to be used in our lessons. Wednesday morning the 16th Master absent owing to illness. Mrs. Brearley took charge.
Mar 25	The attendance has improved. Admitted one. Had an Examination of the older children. The work is progressing favourably but still far below the mark. Standard III has improved in spellings but still careless in working sums. Standard I & II do their paper & slate work much better but are very backward at answering oral questions.
Mar 28	Have been successful in obtaining several specimens from manufacturers and they no doubt will be highly interesting to the children.
Apr 1st	Attendance is gradually improving. Av. 91. Admitted one infant. Examined the infancy class which is divided according to ability into Upper and Lower Divisions. The work generally is very backward indeed and exhibits little signs of improvement. The teacher is totally unacquainted with the nature and standard of infant's work. I am badly handicapped with this class. Have decided to give 20 object lessons out of the list given Nov. 13th. From the Admissions Register I find that 24 Infants attended Carrington School 16 Infants attended None 3 Infants attended Other Also, I find that at the end of the School year there will be: 6 Infants over 7 years of age 6 Infants nearly 7 years of age Of these 2 have never attended School before Of these 9 have attended Carrington School The master has good reasons for keeping back the 7 year olds.