27 - Gotham Primary School, Kegworth Road

It was opened in 1879 complete with the Headmaster’s house at a cost of £3,517. The School originally had a mezzanine floor as well as twin towers. Children under 4 years were permitted to attend but not allowed after 1904. The School playground was first laid with tarmac in 1905.

In 1908 there were 208 pupils in the School; even in those days there was an Attendance Officer to chase up truants. Girls had cookery lessons in 1924, which necessitated a walk to Rushcliffe Halt station to catch a train for Ruddington for the day.

The two turrets were removed in 1925 for safety reasons.

During WWII school numbers were doubled with evacuees from Birmingham, London, Nottingham and Sheffield.

In 1956 senior pupils were transferred to Harry Carlton Comprehensive School in East Leake. In 1986 Gotham School was extended by the erection of a modular building on the opposite side of the road due to children been admitted from surrounding villages.

Notice the name Gotham was removed from the stonework on the building front; this was part of the measures adopted during WWII together with road sign removal so German parachutists had no indication of where they had landed.

After years of debate and consideration, a completely new school was built and formally opened in 2006 on the south side of Kegworth Road. The old School (on the north side) was sold into private hands after removal of some modular buildings.