Shinfield Infant and Nursery School History

In 1707 Richard Piggott, a local boy who had become a cutler of Westminster, founded the first Shinfield School (now Shinfield Infant and Nursery School). The building was gradually extended by other benefactors. The numbers of children grew too big for the old school building, so in 1969 the new Shinfield St Mary’s CE Junior School was opened just across the road in Chestnut Crescent. Mr Jackson was the Headteacher of both schools at the time.

When you’ve been around for over 310 years, you have a few stories to tell!  Here are a few from Shinfield Infant and Nursery School.  We would love to hear from ex staff, pupils and parents who have stories about the school too. If you have a memory or a photo to share, why not email it to us below?

admin@shinfield.wokingham.sch.uk

Shinfield Infant School circa. 1900

1935 May Day Celebrations

I remember the May Day celebrations, which I think were discontinued during the war. I presented the bouquet and was a maid of honour.  My memories are still quite vivid.  I still remember my embarrassment of the first occasion when the small boy carrying the crown on a cushion, who I had been told to follow, walked slower and slower, causing me to do the same, much to the amusement of the audience. Mary King (Nee Rowsell) 1935  

 


1937 May Day Celebrations

A special day in the life of the school was May Day, when all the girls wore white dresses, socks and shoes and the boys, white shirts. We danced round the playground accompanied by the piano and a violin, and then round the maypole on the green. The sun always seemed to be shining fortunately and village was stripped of flowers for the occasion.   Mary Wilson (Nee Ford) 1937