School

Bickershaw Church of England Primary School is a Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School for children aged 4 – 11years.

The first school to occupy the site was Abram Colliery School which dates back to1880. It was built by Hayes and Johnson, proprietors of Abram Coal Company. The memorial tablet of the school is prominently displayed near the entrance to our school. Divine worship was held for the first time in school on November 6^th 1881, and Sunday School opened on the morning and afternoon of the same day. The opening of the day school followed shortly afterwards.

Abram Colliery School was officially renamed, Bickershaw Church of England Primary School in June 1961.

The new school  was opened by Mrs. M. Graham (Granddaughter of the man who built Bickershaw’s first school in 1880)and dedicated by the Rt . Rev. Stuart Yarworth Blanch, Bishop of Liverpool on the 28^th January 1967

The next phase was  opened by Mr. D. T Holt, and dedicated by the Rt. Rev. John Monier Bickersteth, Bishop of Warrington on 7^th February 1975, and the final extension was opened and dedicated by The Rt. Rev. David Sheppard, Bishop of Liverpool on the 4^th February 1977.

The school has always been close, both spiritually and geographically to the Parish of St. James and St. Elizabeth, Bickershaw, which is adjacent to the school. Religious Education and Collective Worship, along with our strong church links are very much valued and central to the life of the school. Our beautiful School Banner, hangs proudly in church and is processed annually at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool at the Diocesan Primary Leavers Service.

Before the church was built, services of worship originally took place in a room set aside in the school and the close connection has existed ever since. Acts of Worship regulary take place in church , the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and Governors are members of the Parochial Church Council, and the Vicar Ann Stein isour Chair of Governors.

Headteachers from the 1920’s onwards have been:

Mr. J Hindley, Mr. Hare, Mr. E. M. Bridge, Mr. H. Howarth, Mr. J. Eaves and Mr. P. Radcliffe

TheNational Society Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools (SIAS0 Report  2013 said of the school:

‘The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Bickershaw Church of England Primary School are outstanding’ 

‘Parents see the church and school acting as one. There is a great sense of community, of the church and school working together’ 

Bickershaw Parish Church

The foundation stone of St James and St. Elizabeth Church Bickershaw was laid on 9^th July 1904 at a service presided over by the Bishop of Liverpool. At this time it was called the Johnson Memorial Church, being given to the people of Bickershaw as a gift of the Johnson family in memory of the late Elizabeth and James Henry Johnson. It was lessthan a year later on the 20^th May 1905 that the consecration service took place providing the residents of the village with a place of worship.

Until the consecration of the Parish Church of St. James and St Elizabeth, as it became known regular church services took place in the school with weddings, baptisms and funerals taking place at St. John’s in Abram.

The institution of the first vicar the Rev. David Arthur Rowlands, formerly the curate at St. Jon’s Abram, occurred in December 1905.