No school records appear to have been kept belore 1868. The earliest official date referring to the age of the school occurs in the House of Commons report on endowed charities in the parish of Barwiec-in-Elmet, to which we have already referred. After describing the building as one long stone building comprising the almshouses, school and master's house, the school in the centre, it goes on to say that the building "is said to have been erected by Stephen Nicholson in 1834." Some opinions put the date of the opening of the school earlier than this, but there is no official confirmation.

The list of schools in England and Wales recognised on 1st January, 1906, as voluntary schools, states that Roundhay School had a scheme or document dated the 21st November, 1937.

A footnote on the entry states :-

"By a deed of 21st November 1837 Stephen Nicholson conveyed to trustees an almshouse and school built by him and £4,500 Consols on trust, so far as the school was concerned, that it should be used for poor children. No child to be admitted whose parents would prevent its attendance at Roundhay Church and the Sunday School to be carried on therein. The Trustees (who were also managers) and the teachers to be members of the Church of England." Poor children referred to were to be the children of parents who lived in the parishes of Roundhay, Chapel Allerton, Shadwell, Potternewton and Seacroft, to be nominated by the Trustees or the schoolmaster or mistress. The. head of the school was to be a man who could occupy the master's house, rent free, and he was to have a wife or sister living with him qualified to teach. Income from the £4,500 should be applied towards keeping the property in good repair, supplying coal for the school room and master's house, providing school furniture and books and all other necessary expenses. A sum of £60 was to be paid to the master per annum, the mistress to receive £7 likewise.

St John'sDay School

From the earliest days 'school pence' were payable by the children, the amounts varying with the age of the child. In February 1868 classes 1 and 2 paid 3d. per week, class 3 paid 2d. class 4 paid 1½d and class 5 paid 1d. There are several references in an early log-book to children being sent home, for not having paid their school pence. This system of payment continued until April 1904, when the school came under the jurisdiction of the West Riding County Council. Attendance at Sunday School appears to have been insisted upon, for in August 1868 the headmaster sent several children home for not having attended Sunday School on the previous day.

The first headmaster of the school was Charles Milner, described as "clerk and schoolmaster," who died in October, 1835, and whose grave can be seen in the old section of the graveyard. He was succeeded by John Taylor, who survived until November 1846. Messrs. Prentis and Sellers followed, but if is to their successor, Isaac Wilkinson that we owe much of our knowledge of life at St. John's School one hundred years ago. His log-book started in February 1868, and from that time onwards there is a continuous history of events in the school up to this day.

Isaac Wilkinson was assisted by his wife, who looked after the domestic science side of the girls education. Other help came from a series of pupil teachers. In those early days the Nicholson family took a great interest in the affairs of the school, Mrs. Nicholson sending in articles for sewing and almost datly visits wore made by the Misses G. and F. Nicholson, who helped with such varied subjects as Catechism, Reading, Arithmetic and Scripture.

The total gross income from the Trust amounted to £125.15s., of which the school's share was £63.15s and it was one of the duties of the headmaster to render a monthly account of money spent on the school. A typical account is the one for the month of April 1891, which reads as follows :-

Deduct for H. Redshaw's discount
Deduct for school fees statement

Balance due

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The Report for 1876 reprimands the Managers for not taking sufficient interest in the school, not one of then having been present for the last three inspections.

Local 'feasts' appear to have had a great influence on school attendance. In August 1872, we find that the attendance in the first three classes was very thin, several of the children being away at feasts in the neighbourhood with their parents. The schoolmaster too seems to have required only a slight excuse to close the school, for a note on November 1874 tells of a visit by H. M. I. FitzMaurice, who unfortunately discovered that the school had been closed, "in consequence of the master's child being in measles."

The Nicholson family continues to take an active interest in the affairs of the school, buying prizes for the best scholars and paying for an annual 'treat' in Roundhay Park. On one of these occasions in August 1875 the children met in school at 1.30 and proceeded into the park, where games were played, for which prizes were given - "balls and toys of various descriptions." Later the children returned to the school where a "capital tea" was served, followed by a visit from the Vicar the Rev. Mr Davis, Mrs and Miss Davis, Mrs. Kitson and children together with several other ladies. A furher visit to the park was made, where once again small prizes for games were provided by Mr.Nicholson. Finally before 8 o'clock, "'all returned to school when, aftar each child receiving a bun, and having given cheers for Mr. Nicholson for providing such a good treat, and for the ladies who had waited on and helped to entertain them, they were dismissed."

Criticism of the lack of accommodation for the infants in the school, with a subsequent loss of grant from the Education Department in Whitehall, continued throughout the 1870's until, in 1879, the managers were asked by the Department if they were prepared to provide an extra classroom. An affirmative reply was received, and Whitehall offered to submit plans for the room to the Education Department's architect. Mr. Davis the incumbent, and Mr. Armitage, one of the trustees, devised a plan for enlarging she school by building two new classrooms. This plan came to nothing although favoured by Mr. Armitage and when the plan was finally submitted in October l882, it incorporated an idea for additional accommodation for the headmaster in the form of a bedroom above the proposed new infant's room. This plan was turned down on the grounds that the classroom would be too low and that a suggested outside corridor connecting the master's house to the bedroom would cut of some light to the classroom. That part of the scheme referring to the master' bedroom was now abandoned, but additional space was still required.

Isaac Wilkinson died in April 1880, and was succeeded by Mr. T. W. Morris, whose appointment was for a trial period of two months. If, at the end of that period his work was considered satisfactory by the managers, it was to be made a permanent appointment. The late schoolmaster's widow was to continue to superintend the sewing. Mr Morris's appointment was made permanent in May of that year, but in July Mrs. Wilkinson took up an appointment under the Leeds School Board. Mr. and Mrs. Morris moved into the school house and Mrs. Morris took over the sewing duties.

For the next two years reports continued to be unsatisfactory, chiefly on account of the inadequate accommodation and in April 1882, Mr. Morris resigned. He was followed by Mr. J P. Harris, who was des-tined to see not only changes in the structure of the school, but also in the administration of the Trust. The first moves in the latter had taken place about the time of Isaac Wilkinson's death, when Mr. W. J.Armitage, the Trustee already mentioned, consulted a firm of London solicitors as to the steps necessary to hand over the Trust to the Charity Commissioners. In the following February the Charity Commissioners were informed by the solicitors that it was the intention of the Trustees to hand over to them. After a great deal of correspondence between the two parties concerned, the Trustees were finally discharged from their duties and new ones appointed. The new Trustees were, the Vicar, Rev. T. Davis, Mr. Henry Marshall Sykes and Mr. Henry Hudson. Soon after, it was felt that a new scheme for the administration of the trust should be drawn up. In August 1884, a new scheme was received from the Charity Commissioners. Messrs. Sykes and Marshall having expressed a desire to be relieved of their duties were replaced by five Non-Official, and two Ex-Officio Trustees, the latter two being the Vicar and Churchwarden. Under the new scheme the Charity Commissioners decided that six tenths of the funds set aside for education should be applied to Roundhay, the remaining four tenths to the parishes of Chapel Allerton, Shadwell and Potternewton. The respective vicars of these four parishes had to deliver an annual account of their administration to the trustees, who, in their turn had to account to the Commissioners.

The problem of more accommodation in the school was still of paramount importance, as the Educational Grant was still being withheld, and it was estimated that the sum of £250 was required to add an infant's room. It was proposed to obtain this sum by means of a voluntary subscription from the ratepayers of Roundilay. At the same time it would be necessary to increase the annual income by £40, also from a voluntary rate.

In a circular to the ratepayers these facts were pointed out, and at the same time the necessity of the rate being a voluntary one was stressed, otherwise the Educational Grant would be withheld. The Managers met in the school in March 1885, and evidently came to a decision concerning extra accommodation, for in the following month a contract was signed for the addition of an infants' room at the rear of the school. The building and plumbing were to he carried out by George Nettleton and Son for the sum of £135, and George Pickles was to be the joiner who would perform his share of the work for £75. The contract was to be com-pleted in 16 weets. A feature of the new room was a gallery at the far end extending about seven feet into the classroom, and rising by three or four steps to a height of just under three feet at the wall. The gallery remained until November 1908, when it was removed to give more room for the exercises and games of the infants. Like the main building, the new room was heated by means of an open fireplace, built in the centre of the east wall of the room. This form of heating continued for many years, augmented by some small gas heaters.

The building having started in April 1885, in the following month, those ratepayers who had promised to help, contributed one shilling in the pound on the rental and with the help of this rate the building was completed and in use in October of the same year. There were 32 names on the voluntary rate list of 1885. Five years later the school was still not paying its way. A further circular to the ratepayers in 1890 asked for a 6d. rate to help to pay of a deficiency of £250 and an annual loss of £50 on the running of the school. The list of ratepayers in December of that year consisted of 116 names and the total rateable value involved amounted to £8,260. Six similar appeals wore launched between 1894 and 1903, various rates being requested and various reasons being given for the requests, the chief one being that the Education Act was not due to operate until 1904 in the West Riding.

The reports on the school had improved greatly towards the end of the 1880's, a higher merit grant being now recommended regularly. Mr Harris died in November 1891. He was succeeded by Mr. J. L. Crossland in January of the following year, the intervening two months being filled by Mr. James Farnish.

In his letter of application, Mr. Crossland, who was teaching in Leeds, stated that he would "like a place in the country."

By the Board of Education Act 1899 the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioners, in matters relating to education, was transferred to the Board, but it was not until 1904 that the West Riding Education Author-ity took control. From the 1st April of that year 'School Fees' were discontinued completely. The Vicar's notes in the Church Magazine of November 1891 tell us that a recent Parliamentary measure practically relieved the parents of children attending Elementary Schools from the payment of School Fees. To those schools which accepted the scheme, a grant of 10s. per child was made in place of the money derived from the children's weekly fees. In some cases this would mean a heavy loss. In the case of St. John's school the managers had avoided any toss by keeping on a penny fee in classes l and 2, in place of the 3d. or 4d. hitherto paid.

In the same article the Vicar urged those parents who ceased to pay the fees, to continue to give the money to the children, so that they could take it to the nearest Savings Bank. The nearest Bank in this case was probably in the school itself, where the Yorkshire Penny Bank had a branch every Monday evening from 7.30 to 8 o'clock. Incidentally the Vicar did not miss this opportunity of giving his parishioners a short extra sermon on the subject of thrift.

It was suggested in a report for October 1908, that the managers should consider erecting a screen in the 'main' room', also enlarging the playground. At the same time it was though tthat the gallery in the infants' room should be removed. This was carried out within two months, but the managers objected to the erection of a screen, on the grounds that it would prevent the room from being used for concerts etc., it being the only public building in the township of Roundhay. They were, however, willing to meet the West Riding architect to discuss the matter but were informed that the Committee's architect could not be allowed to advice in the case of a non-provided school. The question of the screen was left in abeyance for the time being but, as mentioned earlier, the playground was enlarged.

In 1910 a plan was drawn up for additional rooms in what is now the Verger's House with a new class room behind it. This idea was deferred pending likely extensions of the Leeds boundary and the plan was never carried out. The Leeds boundary was soon extended and in November 1912 the school came under the Leeds Education Authority. For the next sixteen years life at St. John's School continued on a very even keel. The Great War of 1914-18 appears to have had little impact. Infact, in the pages of the log-book cover-ing those years it is only mentioned briefly on three occasions.

One of these references is for October 1917, and refers to the collection, by the scholars, of eleven stones eleven pounds of horse chestnuts in answer to a Government appeal. They were apparently required for munitions and their collection allowed the release of grain for the people.

Mr Crossland retired in November 1928, after serving as Headmaster for 37 years, an undoubtedly great period of service. He was succeeded by Mr. W. Baynes-Smith - also destined to serve for a long time.

The division of the main room, first suggested in 1928, was finally brought about in 1934, when a movable glass screen was erected. According to the headmaster, everyone realised during the first week, what a great improvement it was.

Although the playground had been enlarged in 1908, it had never been properly surfaced and consisted mostly of gravel, which must have damaged a great number of knees over the years! This fault was remedied however, in 1941, when the playground was asphalted.

When World War II broke out in September, 1939, the children were instructed to stay at home until they received further instructions and the school remained closed until November 27th. Even then attendance was not compulsory. Meanwhile, the staff were engaged on evacuation work. and later in food control. In the event of an air raid during school hours, the children were to be taken into tee cellars of the Vicarage, which had been strengthened for further protection.

As a consequence of the 1944 Education Act and the re-organisation resulting from it, in 1947 the School became a Junior Mixed and Infants' School, but still maintained its aided status. In the following year Mr Baynes-Smith retired after 20 years' service in the school, and was succeeded by Mr N. S. Blakey. In September 1950, central heating was introduced into the School, making it possible to dispense with the open fires which had served or so long.

After two years Mr. Blakey left, and in October 1950 his successor Mr. G. D. Webster the present Headmaster took over. The number of children on roll at that time was under 80, but the increase in the number of houses in the immediate neighbourhood of the school soon brought the number well over the one hundred mark, where it has remained over since.

When the second phase of the alterations to the almshouses was decided upon by the Church council, it was agreed that some improvements to the school should be undertaken at the same time After a meet-ing in school, in which officials from the Church, the Leeds Education Authority and the Ministry of Educa-tion joined, a plan was drawn up which included a kitchen with modern facilities, indoor cloakrooms and toilets for the children and an 'activity' space. Also included was a Headmaster's room and a staff toilet. At the same time, movement about the school was made more easy by the formation of a corridor joining the two new structures. When the central heating system was installed in 1950 the coke boiler had to stand in the main classroom, causing a great deal of unnecessary dirt and fumes in the room. It was felt that now was the time to put in a new form of heating, so a gas-heated, thermostatically controlled boiler was included in the plan. This stands in an out-house behind the headmaster's room.

By September 1964, the necessary classroom alterations were completed and the kitchen, cloakrooms and toilets were in use by the following January. Work started immediately on the headmaster's room and the staff toilet and by May of that year all improvements had been completed. The Ministry of Education grant towards the school alterations amounted to £5,800, exclusive of fees, £250 was received from the diocese, and £50 from the Leeds Church Schools Foundation. The rest of the total cost amounting to £1,072 was found by the church Council.