Pictures

In the Spring Term of 1989, the school project at Pilton Bluecoat School was “The Victorians”. For one week the classroom was turned into a Victorian classroom with the children sitting in rows at their tables (they loved it and wanted to keep it that way for the rest of the year!). Lessons were done from a Victorian school timetable, the children dressed up as Victorian children, and some of the Mums went to town!!! Deputy Headteacher Ian Thomas dressed up as a Victorian schoolmaster with cap, gown and CANE! He whacked a table from time to time for effect but never a child, although one or two of the boys wanted to see what it felt like and he was quite tempted! On one of the days “students” from Pilton Comprehensive (now Pilton Community College) came across to act as “monitors” and helped in the classroom with the learning process. It was a great week.

1989 was also the centenary of education in Devon and each area was asked to provide a stand at the Devon County Show Education Stand. Bluecoat School was asked to be the North Devon representative and a lot of the children’s work on The Victorians was part of the display. Ian Thomas was given a special camera by Devon Resources to take black and white photographs of the children at work and the work they were doing. The photograph above was found recently with class photos dating from 1978 until 1997 which Ian sent to The Pilton Story and which were posted on the Facebook page in October and November 2021.

In it are (from l to r): Jennifer Field, Abegail Stamps, Tracey Jones, Alice Drake and Rosa Thorne. A third of Tracey Snell is on the far left! The “slates” were made from hardboard painted with blackboard paint.

Many thanks to Ian Thomas for providing this story and the class photographs from 19 years.