The Priors School was built in 1847 by villagers on land owned by the fourth Earl Spencer. Two years later he entrusted the land and school to the community forever so long that it was used "for the free education of the children ...of the parishes" of Priors Marston and Priors Hardwick and for nearly 150 years it continued as a Church of England and state primary school to serve the two communities until the County Council announced that it would close in August 1996. Threatened by the closure of the school, the two communities were galvanised into action. Having already lost the village shop they feared that the village would lose its vitality and become a geriatric community. An educational charity was formed that adopted the school and with the support of the current Earl Spencer the communities exercised their rights under the ancient trust deed and took possession of the land and buildings. The charity also raised £25,000 through the generosity of villagers, parents and other philanthropists who cared about the survival of the school. This gave the Trustees confidence to hire two teachers and move forward. The school generated enormous support both locally and nationally and when it reopened in September 1996 with 12 pupils the press turned out to record the event, which captured the imagination of the country that day.  This in turn brought donations and enrolments from people who saw the story.

Today, as the school starts its ninth year, the two communities of Priors Marston and Priors Hardwick can be proud of the school's achievements. A nursery and an extra classroom have been built, enrolment has grown to more than seventy, and by employing four teachers, the class sizes are small delivering the national curriculum and providing excellent standard of education. The school now serves as the prototype for the future survival of small schools under threat throughout the country.

The school maintains a strong relationship with the church - the vicar is also a Trustee - and the pupils attend their own church service every Friday, sing in the choir and perform a nativity play for the village each Christmas.

Volunteers from the community run the French club and the science club, teach tennis, cricket and football. In addition, volunteers have organised monthly lunches in the school for pensioners, with pupils entertaining them with demonstrations of their activities.

Without doubt, the school has invigorated the community and provides a focal point for the villagers. 

The hall can also be hired outside school hours.  It costs currently £140,000 per year to maintain the school. With the exception of nursery vouchers, it is financed without state support and we have to do it without charging fees to village children. The huge fundraising efforts made each year go a long way to meeting that annual target but we believe that the future of the school is best served by ensuring a regular and guaranteed income.

If the school was forced to close for lack of money, all sections of the community would suffer - children would be transported to schools further away, fewer young families would move here, village services would decline further, a valuable institution which has served the village for generations would be lost irretrievably and the beacon of hope we have held out for other small schools would be extinguished.

Find out more at www.priorsschool.co.uk