“A truly amazing school where my boys thrived and I had the privilege of teaching.”

Oakridge Lynch was a hub of the Arts and Crafts Movement and famous painters, furniture makers, poets and other interesting people have lived here.

The village has had a school, in one form or another, since the early 18th century. The current building was opened in 1872 and children from a number of neighbouring villages were able to join. Throughout most of the 19th century, children were encouraged to find work at an early age to help support their families – many Oakridge children went on to work in the local silk mill.

In 1902, local education authorities started up and school meals were introduced four years later. Teachers now had to be professionally trained at colleges and the old system of pupil teachers, where older ex-pupils were apprenticed to help in the classroom, was phased out.