Our School

Our School

At Meavy we aim to nurture and support our children to love learning and understand the value of reaching their full potential.  

Our school values of Respect, Hope, Love, Joy, and Wisdom are woven into daily school life, and we encourage our school family to live out these values in our interactions with each other, our wider community and the world around us. 

As a Church school, our vision of ‘Learning to love, learning to live together’ is the foundation of all we do. Growing and learning together as a family so that each individual is enabled to flourish, ready to take on the next stage in their life’s journey and take their place in the world. 

We are blessed to be situated on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, surrounded by farmland. We embrace our locality at every opportunity. Our outdoor learning enhances the children’s experiences by bringing their learning to life.

A very brief history of Meavy Primary School

The first National School was built on the site of the present parish hall in 1837; although designed for 78 children it held just 50 in the first year.  There was already a school at Walkhampton, founded by Lady Modiford, and a small Dame School in Sheepstor set up to provide some sort of education for that village’s working-class children before they became old enough to start work.

In 1841 the School Sites Act meant that the school in Meavy was given more importance and by 1906 it was associated with the National Society which meant cheap text books and even building grants.  In 1923 the school at Sheepstor closed which meant that a new school was needed in Meavy for the children from both villages.  Meavy School on its present site on land given by Sir Henry Lopes was opened in 1926 with 47 children on the roll, the first official school day being 11th January.

The following verses are from a poem by E. M. Bowden.

In the year of 1921,

The Meavy folks decided

To hold a Fete to raise some funds,

For a Parish Hall was needed.

The V.D.S. had just been formed

So the Players got together,

And performed a play in the Millers field,

The “Crock of Gold” was to be the yield.

With Stalls and Play and merryment,

It was a great success,

And many a pound was raised that day

To put within the chest.

And then in 1922

The news had got around

That the Village School was out of date,

And a new one must be found.

So the Meavy folks did drop their dream,

Of a brand new Parish Hall,

And helped to build a nice new school

For the benefit of all.