Gift to school marks 125 years of county council

Debbie Kennard, county councillor for Shoreham, handed over the gift to deputy head Ruth Maybury during assembly at Swiss Gardens Primary School last Tuesday.

She said she chose the school following the public meeting held there about improvements to Old Shoreham Road.

County council news manager Harriet Shelley said: “We are giving out these mementoes to schools and we are making them available to all schools.”

Public education was made available to all children aged between five and 13 in 1870, although it was not free until 1891.

The first meeting of the county council was held on April 4, 1889, and the county council assumed responsibility for elementary education in 1902.

Secondary education remained a privilege for the few until well into the 20th century, either paid for or through scholarships, which included Steyning Grammar School.

Before attendance was compulsory, children often missed school so they could do other things like work on farms, or stay at home and help with household chores.