PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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St JOHN'S NATIONAL SCHOOL, DEVONPORT On the day that the Church of St John the Baptist opened in Plymouth Dock, March 1st 1799, a school for girls was also opened.
In 1809 new premises in St John Street were erected by subscription. This enabled boys to be admitted. At that time the School was being run by followers of Mr Joseph Lancaster, who in 1808 had formed the Royal Lancastrian Society to promote a system of education whereby the older pupils passed on their knowledge to the younger children in small groups. The older pupils were known as monitors. Not long afterwards, Mr Lancaster cut himself off from the movement and it was renamed the British and Foreign School Society.
When the School celebrated its fourth anniversary in 1813 it was known as the Plymouth Dock Royal Lancastrian School and Mr Henry Johns was its secretary. Read more .....
However, by 1850 St John's School was being run under the National Society principles and there were 200 boys and 80 girls attending. Mr J Underhill was in charge of the boys and Miss Toney in charge of the girls' school in Duke Street. It was at one time also known as the Devonport National Schools.
Following the adoption of the Education Act 1902 on June 1st 1903, the School became a "Non-provided" School under the Devonport Local Education Authority.
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