Dedham Primary School pupils celebrate 200th anniversary

Pupils have been taking pride in their school history in the year it celebrates its 200th anniversary.

Dedham Church of England Primary School, in Essex but close to the Suffolk border, was founded in 1825.

The children have become pen pals with students at schools in Dedham, Massachusetts, to mark the occasion.

Sienna from class six said it was an “unimaginable feeling” to be part of the celebrations.

“It makes me proud to be part of a school with so much rich history. I hope it keeps inspiring children for hundreds of years,” she said.

Edward Betts put down some money in 1825 for a school in the village to help “educate the poor”, according to historical documents.

It was originally built in School Lane in the village but a new building was opened in Parson’s Field in 1973, where pupils still attend today.

The school has had a pond installed as part of the anniversary.

Students have also been drawing portraits of each other, which are being exhibited in the village.

In the autumn, they will be completing 200 laps of their school field.

Head teacher Gemma Chester said it had been a very special year for the school, which tries to keep Mr Bett’s founding principle at the heart of what they did.

“As part of our work on learning about the history of our school and our work with the local community, our children have developed a strong sense of what it means to go to Dedham primary and can place their experience in relation to the past and their own personal experiences,” she added.