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In the former peaceful little village of Willenhall, the inhabitants would worship on Sundays in the small building that served for a school on weekdays.   The land for the school had been given in 1882 by the Earl of Craven, and in 1884 the school was opened. The first teacher in charge was certain Eliza Clay, who had 20 children under her care. The school was used as a church until the l920,s. when St. James' Church was built.

In 1892 Miss Amelia Ball became  School Mistress, with the attendance of 25 children

1896 the Willenhall School Mistress, changed to a Miss Bertha Gosling, with the attendance of 34 children

Willenhall Parish Council Minutes [SCA/22/1/1 Coventry Archives]

             Minutes of the meeting of the Parish of Willenhall held within the schoolroom

                                                            Willenhall on Monday the 30^th day of

                                                            March 1916 at 6 o’clock PM

Present,

                                                            Petra Burgess, ER Marsden

                                                            Simon Gibbs, Robert Watts

                                                            Arthur Roberts, and AJ Swaine

The minutes of the last meeting were read, approved and signed.

On the motion of Mr Watts, seconded by Mr Marsden, Mr Burgess was appointed Chairman of the Parish meeting and Clerk of the Parish for the ensuring year.

On the motion of Mr Marsden Seconded by Mr Swaine, Mr H Coleman of Upper Farm, Willenhall, was appointed, one of the Overseers of the Parish for the ensuring year, and on the motion, being put was agreed to. Mr Gibbs moved and Mr Arthur Roberts Seconded the appointment of Mr Alfred Roberts, Seconded the appointment of Mr Alfred Worster, Manor Farm Willenhall, as the other Overseer for the ensuring year, and the motion was carried unanimously.

The meeting then look up Consideration of the steps to be taken in the event of damage being caused to persons or property in the Parish by enemy aircraft. It was the unanimous feeling of the meeting that everyone would assist in rescuing any persons hurt or confined in damaged houses, and in extinguishing fire in the event of any houses being set on fire.

Mr Roberts agreed to summon a doctor and ambulance in case of these being required; and in the event of his being from home he undertook to get Mr Ward or someone else to act for him. Mr Gibbs undertook to call a Fire Bridge from Coventry in case of Fire, and in the event of his being away Mr Marsden undertook to act as his substitute.

The Chairman mentioned that he hoped to provide a few first Aid necessaries, and that some of his daughters who are trained nurses would be glad to attend to any cases of injury to persons in the village should any of them happen to be at home. He also mentioned that he had communicated with Mr Drakeley the Superintendent of County Police and read a letter from him in which he recommended that this Parish should, if possible, act in the matter in conjunction with the Committee for Binley or Saint Michael’s Without, and the Chairman undertook to ascertain the mind of the St Michael’s Committee on the matter and to make arrangements to act with them if they agreed to the proposal.

He also undertook to ascertain whether the Schoolroom may be used, temporarily for injured persons until they can be removed to hospital.

[Signed] P. Burgess Chairman

[This document is copyright of Coventry Archives]

The Parish Council was lost in 1932 when Coventry City Council took over

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A written reminiscence by Mrs. C. Elliott (nee Allsop)

I was seven and a half years old when I came to Willenhall. The first thing 1 remember was the school; Willenhall C of E. It was used as a church on Sundays. There was a screen which was pulled back and then there was an altar, also a stained glass window on the far end. I often wondered what happened to this when the school building was demolished.

SCHOOL THAT IS UNDAUNTED BY AN OUTDATED BUILDING

[The Coventry Standard 3^rd February 1961]

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The Stained glass windows dating back to the old church days in this classroom in the reception class at Willenhall C. of E. School

When Mrs. M. C Summerfield became head teacher in 1925. She insisted upon alterations being undertaken before she took over, Bay windows were put in, the kitchen modernized to some extent and in general, the living accommodation became quite comfortable.  Downstairs, screens were fitted, and the one-roomed school could accommodate two separate classes. Later two classrooms were added in a hut over the playground, and toady Willenhall Church of England School accommodates about 120 children.

The living accommodation is now used as staff room and for storing stock, but despite these alterations, it is impossible to forget that these premises were built for 20 children and one teacher. Downstairs the infants played happily in their divided room.

Music Lesson, played back from a tape recorder as the children at Willenhall C. of E. School follow the score in their text books

Next door, the older infants were also engrossed in diverse activities. Theirs is a classroom of strange contrasts. Two of the latest experimental heating appliances stood inconspicuously in the room, while overhead hung a cumbersome contraption probably used for the first time when the school was new – a gas heater, which looked rather like a metal bath with enormous spindle arms. At times when the experimental heaters do not work, the gas one warms up the room extremely well.

Mr. T. Jennings, the Headmaster, said that besides the problem of cramped accommodation, there was another difficulty; There being only two classrooms for the juniors, children had to go into the same class for two years, therefore the teachers had to cope with a tremendous range of intelligence and attainment. This system appeared to be working extremely well however, due to the under standing and work of the teachers concerned.

Activity and group work is restricted because there is not sufficient space for large models and free movement. How ever in the first junior classroom stands a fine model of Grimsby Docks, which the children made from scrap materials, matchboxes and plasticine. Bookshelves in the room and a Wendy House in the infant’s room have been made and presented to the school by a parent.

 There is a close contact in the school with the church of St. John the Divine. The Vicar, the Rev R.G. Stanton, visits once a week to take assembly and to give religious instruction to the top juniors. At least four times a year the pupils go to the church for special services, which they all enjoy.

Attractive basketwork is made by the juniors under the guidance of the headmaster, who also takes football in the adjoining field, which a former headmaster rescued from brambles and rubbish some years ago.

In every classroom hyacinths bloom and the fresh green shoots of crocus and snowdrops show up strongly in the out-dated building with the lively outlook in Willenhall.

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1964, Work started on the present School of St James the Divine , work finished in 1968

'St John the Divine Primary School'

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