About Our School
Christopher Rawlins CE Primary School was founded in 1589 as a Grammar School for Boys by the will of Canon Christopher Rawlins, Vicar of the Parish. He endowed the school with the original building, now called Rawlins House, which stands on the Green. The income from his estate was used to build and maintain the school, which originally consisted of a School room and a School house.
The endowment, managed by New College, Oxford, continued and the revenue was used to buy three cottages adjoining the school premises. There are two other former school buildings in the village: the Girls’ School, now called Church House, in Mill Lane, built in 1836 and the Infants’ School, now called Shepherd’s Keep, in Water Lane, built in 1854. The three schools combined in 1874 in compliance with the Education Act of 1870. Thanks to the Church, therefore, Adderbury had primary education for all its children before this became compulsory.
The school continued on the split site until 1962 when the modern, purpose-built building, together with the large playing field was opened on a site on the corner of Aynho Road. Since then, we have continued to develop the site by providing a wild-life area adjacent to a well-stocked pond. The PTA has raised money to provide an exciting adventure playground which was opened in 1989.
Our school retains its links with New College and the Church. As a Church of England Aided School, some of our Governors are appointed by the Parochial Church Council and Diocese, and our buildings are partially maintained by the Diocese.
Our Community
Church of England schools were founded to be a close part of the parish community that they were built to serve. Originally established as an integral extension to the local church, entry was restricted to children of parents who were regular C of E communicants as were the teachers also. Nowadays the C of E affiliated schools take children from all cultural and religious backgrounds but the high scholastic reputation still lives on and these school often appear high up the Ofsted published league tables.
Church schools to this day nevertheless still have very close links to the local Parish church (in the past they were often built next door to each other!) and the children are encouraged in their moral and spiritual development as well as their scholastic. Ofsted does also report that the proportion of children from Church schools achieving better exam results is very much higher than that of non-Church schools.
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