The Origins of Minster School.

The origins of Beverley Minster C.E. Primary school can be traced back to the middle of the nineteenth century when three schools were run directly under the auspices of the Minster in the 1850's. Minster National Boys' school in Lurk Lane opened in 1848, while Minster National Infants opened in Minster Moorgate during 1845 followed by Minster National Infants in Beckside. Then in 1861 Minster National Girls' school joined the above schools.

Educational facilities in Beverley were better than in many parts of the country. In 1851 the census showed that 1054 children attended public elementary schools. However, names on a register did not necessarily mean regular attendance nevertheless, in 1865 Fitch commented upon the excellence of the national schools in Beverley. Established under the auspices of the church of England the schools were financed in a variety of ways from charity trusts to donations to school pence. One way in which the Minster schools were funded was through the Minster Old Fund, the origins of which date back to 924 AD when Athelstan donated money, titles and charters to Beverley and the Minster. A break came during the reign of Henry VIII but Queen Elizabeth restored the monasteries and charters, and the fund became known as the Queen Elizabeth fund until 1880 when It became known as the Minster Old Fund which continues to this day.

The aim of the national schools was to provide sound education, for it was felt that uneducated people may be unruly. In 1848 the reverend Garrett in Beverley said ‘If we allow the rising population to grow up without being trained in sound and constitutional principle... In a few years It will be impossible to control them’. Thus it was that the Minster National Schools concentrated on reading and writing in a neat copperplate style, arithmetic and religion which formed the basis of the curriculum with history, geography and music being added in the 1850's.

 Although there had been two small national schools since the 1820's funded through the will of James Graves, these were inadequate by the 1840's and there was a flurry of school building in the late 1840's so that by the mid 1850's there were seven National schools in Beverley , three of which were Minster Schools. In 1845 Minster Moorgate National School was established, housed in one of the former smaller National Schools. However, it was soon too small and was rebuilt in 1880 in the plain red and white brick Gothic style. It was altered and enlarged over the years, particular in 1944-5 to take pupils from Flemingate (Minster Infants’ Beckside) and some of the juniors transferred from Minster Girls' School. At this time a playground was added. The facade of the building still exists today incorporated into a private house. The building of the Minster National School for Infants or Beckside school still exists and is used as a factory. The junior aged children attended Minster National Boys' school (in Lurk Lane and Minster National Girls' school in Minster Yard North from 1861 . (It had originally been established in Toll Gavel at the bequest of James Graves in 1810.) A new school was built in 1885 next to the original building. It was built of red brick with stone decoration in the 14th century style. It accommodated the increasing numbers, for average attendance was more than doubled between 1865, when there were 115 pupils, to the l890’s-1914 when there were between 260 and 300 pupils. Now no longer a school, the building is used as Parish Rooms. The boys' school opened in 1848 and was continually altered and enlarged to cope with growing numbers: 117 pupils in 1849 to around 250-330 pupils between 1906 and 1936. This building has since been demolished.

The staff consisted usually of a master or mistress, sometimes one or two assistants and one or two pupil teachers selected from the more promising students. A lot of head teachers remained many years at their schools. Thomas Burras was master of Minster Boys' school from 1868-1909. Pupil teachers served a 5 year apprenticeship and were expected to attend lessons given by the master or mistress at about 7.00 a.m. before school began. They were usually placed in charge of a class. By the 1850's pupil teachers who completed their apprenticeships could go onto college to become certified teachers.

All the Minster National schools were dependant upon charities, subscriptions, donations and school pence for their funding and from the middle of the century received school grants. However, after 1862 grants to public elementary schools were dependant upon regular attendance and satisfactory performance in exams. Subjects tested were reading, writing and arithmetic with needlework for girls. Attendance at school was not compulsory, however, and varied according to the needs of the farmers and other employers.

Beverley Minster Church of England School was formed in 1970 by an amalgamation of Minster Boys' and Girls' Junior Schools and was at first housed in the old building. In 1972 the Infants school was incorporated and the school was moved to a new county council funded building for 210 pupils in St. Giles' Croft. (it opened with 360 pupils.) This site had been earmarked for the new Minster school from as early as 1918.

The original building is a split level, flat roofed building. It was an open plan design incorporating small group rooms and team teaching areas which were in vogue In the 1970's. (These have since been adapted.) Now accommodating 700+ pupils the school has an extension built in 1983 and a four class block opened in January 1999, plus eight ‘mobile’ classrooms to cope with the increasing numbers of pupils drawn from its densely populated catchment area.

The site is one of the most beautiful in Beverley being situated along the eastern boundary of the Westwood and surrounded by trees and shrubs.

Rosemary Sadofsky.