大象传媒

As early as 1st september, 1939, the effects of the second world war were being felt at the school, for on that day the school closed` to facilitate the carrying out of the plan for evacuation of children from London to Somerset`. Five days later there were two hundred evacuees(mothers and children)in Cleeve and forty children of school age were registered at the school. This caused problems as there was seating accommodation for only seventy-eight children in the school and sixty Cleeve children were attending at the time. The school remained closed whilst the managers sought advise from the Cheif Education Officer at Taunton, but on 12th September notices were posted in the village summoning children to school on 14th September. Then a double shift system was to operate;the Cleeve children were to attend from 8.a.m.until noon and the London children from1.30p.m. until 4.30 p.m. Both shifts were to be taught by the Cleeve teachers as no additonal staff was available.

The school opened at 8.30 on the 14th September and all the Cleeve children attended but at 1.30 only about half of the expected evacuees attended, the remainder having returned to London. The double shift system was employed the following day but there was a further decline in the numbers of London children and so on the 16th the school reverted to a normal single shift system, the London and cleeve children being taught together.

On the same day two teachers arrived from London and one of them was taken on to the staff although she remained under the control of the London Education Authority. In fact the London teacher took a half term holiday shortly after her arrival at the time of the London holiday although the Cleeve School remained open.

In September 1939 there were 84 children on the school roll including 24 evacuees. 20 children had to be taughtin the small classroomj and this must have been very uncomfortable for staff and children alike. In fact the school was so crowded that the visisting doctor had to conduct examinations in the school house next door.

Throughout the war thenumbers on the roll fluctated due to some evacuees returning to London whilst others arrived. 1941 was a time of Particular stress when many evacuees were recieved from London as well as Bristol. Shortages of many commodities did nothing to ease the situation and at one time the school had to close down due to fuel shortage. However the war did not prevent scholarship examinations beigntaken in 1940. The examinations were held using oil stoves as other fuels were exhausted.

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