Herne Bay Junior School
"One chance, let's get it right"
  • Compassion

  • Courage

  • Hope

  • Integrity

  • Justice

  • Respect

  • Responsibility

  • Wisdom

Our School History

 

In the days before compulsory schools, full-time education was a privilege for only a minority of the population. The wealthy could afford school fees, whereas poorer families could not and depended on their children to earn a living to help supplement small incomes.

In 1783 the first free Sunday School was opened in Gloucester to provide education for the poor. This was followed by the establishment of Church Schools in 1798, where children were drilled to reply to set questions in chorus.

National Voluntary schools were set up by the Church Societies in Herne Bay in 1833. These were situated in the North and South Rooms, either side of Christ Church in William Street. In May 1870 Mr W J. Flower was appointed headmaster. He worked in very difficult and overcrowded conditions. 1870 was the year in which the Education Act ordered that a school place be provided for every child between the ages of 5 and 12. Areas without sufficient accommodation were to elect school boards which would finance the provision of such places from a local rate.

In 1884 plans were submitted for a new Board School in open fields at the back of the town and in June 1887 the local MP formally opened our present building. In 1891 Elementary Education was made free and in 1903 School Boards were abolished and elementary schools were given to the control of County Councils.

The secondary school was housed in the old Horsa huts on the school field prior to the building of Herne Bay High School at Greenhill. There has also since been the division of the Primary School into two separate schools, Herne Bay Infants and Herne Bay Juniors.

Our Junior School had an additional block built alongside Kings Road, which contains eight classrooms and shared areas for Year Five and Year Four children. The design reflects the old Victorian architecture of the original building.

In 2007 our brand new building was completed. This is two storey building housing four year 6 classrooms, technology room, music room, library, PPA room, sports hall and canteen.