BRIEF REPORTS on Schools in Counties of Hants, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, and in Channel Islands, visited between November 1850 and
November 1851, by Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools, Rev. W. H. BROOKFIELD, M.A.

Conducted by a certificated mistress of considerable ability and unassuming manners, and frank about her school, She discharges her duty with industry and intelligence and in a very commendable spirit and with the additional books and apparatus which it is proposed to introduce, the school promises to make considerable improvement in instruction. The resident clergyman takes an active interest in its progress.

Very sedulously looked after by a benevolent lady in the immediate neighbourhood. The schoolmistress is a highly com-
mendable person who takes great pains with her children; their dress is remarkably neat, their countenances healthy
and cheerful, and their behaviour good. A good deal of time and pains are devoted to singing in parts. The school is
very abundantly supplied with apparatus. A group of parallel desks has been furnished since last inspection. Very
suitable attention is given to needlework both by mistress and apprentice with evidently good effect.

This is a mixed school, conducted with most unassuming conscientious diligence by the mistress, assisted by an indus-
trious and well conducted pupil-teacher. The clergyman and his lady are much interested in the school. The discipline
and intelligence of the children are decidedly improved since last inspection, and are likely to make still greater progress
with the aid of additional books and maps, which it is proposed to introduce.

This is a very pleasing rural school, under the immediate personal interest of the principal lady in the parish, and the
neat appearance and orderly demeanour of the children exhibit very gratifying evidence of that kind of superintendence.
The mistress is an exceedingly pains-taking, commendable person, and very much devoted to her work. The school is
well furnished, and is altogether in a promising condition.

Conducted by the master in an excellent spirit and with considerable ability. There has been a competent supply of
books and apparatus. The instruction and discipline are very creditable.

The discipline here is satisfactory, and the mistress diligent and anxious for the progress of her scholars; but the in-
struction admits of improvement, both as to its extent and its connexion with the intelligence and reflection of the
children. The apprentice appears to have been taken pains with, and to be doing her duty very creditably.

Conducted with diligence, and exhibiting very good order.

Inspected for the first time. The premises are well drained and ventilated, and the school-room light and ample. A board
floor has been substituted for one of stone. The incumbent takes great interest in the schools, and frequently visits
them, occasionally delivering popular lectures to the best instructed and most creditably behaved children and their
friends on interesting subjects suited to their circumstances and capacity; notwithstanding the zeal, however, which
has been in exercise for the advantage of the schools, they have had to contend with somewhat deficient pecuniary
resources, and no pains-taking would entirely surmount the difficulties connected with an imperfect supply of books
and apparatus. There is the utmost readiness on the part of the managers to avail themselves of every opportunity
of placing these and the mechanical arrangements of the school upon the most efficient footing, and there is every
reason to believe that in a short time the discipline and instruction of the children will be answerable to the earnestness
of their exertions. The master is married and has five children. It appears to me extremely undesirable in many
respects, besides those connected with his health, that so respectable a person as he both appears and is required to be,
should be no better furnished for his domestic comfort than with a small kitchen, one sitting and one bed room, each
no more than ten feet by twelve feet and seven feet high.*
*N.B.-Great improvement has been made in these respects since writing this report.

9. Selborne,

Mixed

90

10. Farringdon,

Mixed

41

11. Alton,

Boys

71

12.

Girls

13.

Infants

"

14. Stockwell,

Boys

118

Brief Reports on Schools visited by Rev. W. H. Brookfield-continued.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

A well lighted airy room, divided from the boys by folding-doors which are open on Sundays; board floor, warmed by a
stove in the centre. Conducted with industry, and in a very creditable manner by the mistress, under the frequent
superintendence of the clergyman, who is anxious for the welfare of the schools, and that they should enjoy every
educational advantage. This being the case, there is every prospect of the immediate introduction of pupil-teachers,
of a more competent supply of books and apparatus, and of the consequent elevation of the standard of instruction to
a point commensurate with the wish of the managers and the apparent intelligence of the children. There is a large
infant school in the neighbourhood.

Much cared for by the clergyman, and conducted with zeal and conscientious industry by the mistress. It is a very
isolated school, but numerously attended and very neat and orderly in its arrangements.

Continues to be conducted with satisfactory efficiency. The pupil-teachers are reported to me as discharging their duties
with very creditable industry.

The personal attention to this school by the clergyman appears to have been acted up to by the master in a very creditable
and efficient manner. The behaviour of the boys is orderly, their appearance clean, intelligent, and cheerful, their
attainments in all respects advancing in a very satisfactory degree, and suitably connected with their understanding
and reflection. It is very cheering to find that the hopes which I ventured to express with reference to this school last
year are realizing in a way so commendable.

The recent prevalence of the scarlet fever in this town has thinned the school considerably, and has proved fatal to several
of the children. The clergyman and his curate take a lively interest in the welfare of the school, which is conducted
with diligence by a certificated mistress, and well provided with all needful apparatus. The discipline of the girls is
very creditable, and their appearance clean and cheerful. Their writing and arithmetic are fair. The reading admits of
some improvement, and might, perhaps, be followed by somewhat more application to the reflection of the children
than appears to have been practised, but no doubt the distressing circumstances connected with so much recent
sickness have been depressing, and have placed the school at a disadvantage, which I have every reason to hope will
be transient.

The interest taken in this school by the trustees, and their readiness to adopt all practicable resources for its welfare, are
likely to lead to considerable improvement. The master appears to conduct it with kindness, intelligence, and industry,
and will, I doubt not, turn to good purpose the additional means of instruction which will probably be placed at his
disposal in the way of books, apparatus, and mechanical arrangement of the school.

1851.

I am

This school continues to be conducted with conscientious diligence by the master, who holds a certificate of merit. The boys exhibit satisfactory discipline and acquirement, and the incumbent takes an active interest in their welfare. forced however to observe that the defective drainage commented on last year, has been only very partially remedied but am led to hope that efforts to amend it were interrupted only in the hope of very shortly transferring the school altogether to another situation. A competent grant of books and maps has been secured.

Continues to exhibit good discipline and arrangement with very satisfactory attainments, both as to its nature and extent.
The apprentices appear to be conducting themselves very well. A considerable grant of books has opened new sources of
clergyman in a very promising way.
interest and information to the children, and all seems to be going on under the active superintendence of the resident

A transition seems to be taking place here from a state of great inefficiency to one of much more satisfactory character.
The wife of the boys master has been appointed to the school since September last, and the benefit of the change is
already pleasingly apparent in the improved discipline of the girls, and in something like an approximation to average
attainment. Much thanks are due to the resident clergyman for the efforts he has used to place the school in compe-
tent hands and on a satisfactory footing. There has been an ample grant from the Committee of Council of books for
the use of the school, but it would be very undesirable that the use of them should be monopolized as at present
seems almost to be the case by the boys. A free access to books and apparatus, and the appointment of a girl
whom I have selected for apprenticeship, will be likely very much to accelerate the improvement which is evidently in

motion.

This school continues to be conducted with great pains and in an excellent spirit by Miss Cormick. The general tone of
the school is very good, and the appearance of the children highly creditable. The reading, writing, and arithmetic as
well as Scriptural instruction are decidedly satisfactory. I think that their notions of elementary geography would be
very much improved both as to extent and accuracy if maps of the countries ordinarily referred to in their reading
lessons were hanging open on the walls of the school instead of being usually rolled up in the committee room.

In excellent order, and very satisfactorily conducted. The school is not however quite so competently provided with
furniture and apparatus as the boys and girls schools adjoining. An additional gallery would be very useful for the
younger infants. A curtain too would be desirable, and an easel or two, as well as a work table for the use of the mistress,
seem much wanted.

The discipline and appearance of the children here are very satisfactory, and have been attained in the face of considerable
difficulties. Their acquirement is much improved, and seems to be advancing in proportion as the mistress gathers
increased confidence from her own success. The school continues to enjoy the advantage and encouragement of the
frequent personal visits and cordial attention of the rector.

A new master from Battersea was appointed here last Michaelmas in place of Mr. Hales removed to the industrial school
near Croydon; he seems to be conducting the school with considerable assiduity and intelligence. The discipline is
very fair and the acquirement improving. As is frequently the case in such large schools the reading is not fluent and
expressive in proportion to other subjects of instruction; for the remedying of this defect it might be well to make
more use of the class-room where the quietness which can hardly be attained in the large room would admit of closer
attention to proficiency in these respects; for this purpose however it should be furnished with a gallery. The school
does not enjoy that measure of parochial interest to which its importance entitles it and by which its growing
efficiency would more rapidly increase. More simple books are wanted for the lower classes, and the maps are not
very good.

The discipline here continues satisfactory, and the instruction of the girls is evidently advancing under the mistress
recently appointed, who is possessed of considerable attainment and intelligence; but there is still great room for improve-
ment in writing, spelling, arithmetic, and the general cultivation of intelligence. The needlework is said to be satisfac-
tory. There was no clergyman present to assist me in the scriptural examination; but it appeared to me tolerably
satisfactory. The reading also was of creditable fluency, but deficient in intelligence and expression.

Brief Reports on Schools visited by Rev. W. H. Brookfield-continued.