HOVINGHAM Primary School is celebrating 150 years at the heart of the village

Opened on October 3 1864, with 42 children on roll and Robert Hickes as headteacher, the school has remained in the same Victorian building throughout, even though there have been many changes in education in that time.

The original building was extended about 20 years later when the current reception/ Key StageOne classroom was added.

In those early days the numbers soon rose and there were up to 112 children enrolled, although attendance was often badly affected by illnesses, such as scarlet fever and whooping cough, and by activities such as potato picking, hay harvest and Hovingham Feast.

Photographs in the school archive and records in the log books show just how important the school has always been to village life and vice versa - May Day celebrations with maypole dancing in front of Hovingham Hall feature regularly, sports days were, and still are, held on the cricket outfield.

The school was delighted to help celebrate the wedding of the Duke of Kent to Katharine Worsley in 1961 and created a celebratory scrap book which is still in school. The links with All Saints Church have always been strong and it would seem that the need to “discipline…. boys for unruly behaviour in church” was quite a regular event back in Victorian times.

Quite amazingly, there have only been five substantive headteachers at Hovingham since 1908.

Current head, Maureen Skinner, who joined the school in 2006, said it was quite an achievement for any school, especially as each one had to lead the school through many changes whilst keeping it right there at the heart of the village.

"Hovingham School has constantly developed and adapted so that its children have the best possible chance to succeed,"she added.

"The school has always served the immediate village and hamlets such as Stonegrave and Fryton, while some parents choose to bring their children to Hovingham from as far away as Malton, because they value the small school education, where every child is really well known, nurtured and challenged, that is on offer."

Mrs Skinner said months of preparation by staff, pupils, the Friends of Hovingham School and local organisations had taken place for the school's 150th celebrations which took place over a weekend in July.

"The school opened its doors to past pupils, staff and local people all wanting to reminisce, share stories and help current staff and pupils celebrate such an amazing milestone," she added.

"The children had created a timeline of school and historic events over the last 150 years and many visitors added their own personal events and memories to it. "

At the same time there was an exhibition of photographs and other archive material in All Saints Church and a garden party was held on the Sunday hosted by Sir William and Lady Worsley at Hovingham Hall.

"It proved to be another amazing celebration with many current families mixing with past pupils and their families," Mrs Skinner said.

"A fantastic replica school cake was the star of the show, which was cut by the oldest ex-school pupil at the party - George Hickes and the youngest current pupils Molly Tuke and Ella Pupius. Sir William and Lady Worsley hosted the event in the fantastic setting of Hovingham Hall and as the sun shone down, the occasion and setting were very well matched.

The finale of the school’s celebrations will be on Sunday, October 5 October when there will be a celebratory church service in All Saints Church, led by the children, when the Bishop of Selby will preach the sermon.

Mrs Skinner said: "Everyone in the school is looking forward to that and to the future, right at the heart of the village."