2011: The 200th Anniversary of National Schooling in England and Wales
2011 will see a year of celebrations marking 200 years since the foundation of the National Society and mass education in England and Wales.
Joshua Watson and his associates established the National Society for the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church in 1811. This set in hand the establishing of local schools up and down the land decades before state schools were provided. Many of the church schools of the Diocese owe their existence to this remarkable effort and it paved the way for universal entitlement to education. Schools across the country will be celebrating, and in Ely Diocese in planning our celebration we wish to encourage our people to look backwards with thanks, to look outwards with vision and to look forwards with hope.
We are planning a number of celebratory events and projects throughout the year, full details of which will be published in the Schools Bulletin and also in a brochure which will be sent to all schools and clergy early in January.
Education Sunday on 20th February sees the launch of celebrations nationally and we begin our celebrations with a day conference for headteachers and clergy working with our schools, to be held on 18th March at the Belfry Hotel in Cambourne. This will be followed by:
- Explore.Discover.Learn - Celebrate 200! A celebration event in Ely Cathedral at 5.45pm on 10th July
- a service at Westminster Abbey, organised by the National Society, on 14th October
- a visit to each school by a ‘senior friend’ (a bishop, archdeacon etc.) to lead a themed act of worship
- a booklet of acts of collective worship for use in school
- a project to support schooling in the developing world
- making a huge patchwork quilt with a ‘square’ from every school
- presentation of a decorative celebration plate to all schools
For more details and information go to the following websites:
National Society 2011 celebrations
Other events throughout the year will include:
National RE Month - March 2011. More details
Bible INSET day - 11th March, Cathedral Centre. Full details
Schools Cathedral Days - 11th, 12th, 19th and 20th October 2011