School History

This school was first built by the Church of England Authorities in 1848, at an estimated cost of £492.4s 0d. It was an all-age school, and was intended to accommodate 250 children from the Parish of Kingsteignton. This original building is now our school hall.

In 1837 what was Kingsteignton Junior School was built. It was known as The British School, and was attended, in the main, by children of all ages from the non-Conformist families of the village.

With the opening of a new Secondary School in Ley Lane , in 1935, for the 11 –14 year olds, the other two schools were re-organised. The British School became the village Junior School , responsible for the education of all the children aged 7 – 11 years, and this became the Infants School .

Although this school was originally of Church Foundation, the Trustees decided, in the early 1950’s, to convey to the Local Education Authority the full responsibility for the maintenance of the school.

Certain ties with the Church remain, in that the Vicar and the Church wardens are still nominally Trustees of the original building and there are Foundation Representatives on the Governing Body.

After accepting responsibility for the school, the Local Education Authority carried out an extensive and very successful modernisation programme in 1961/62. This has produced an individual and interesting building, with attractive and spacious grounds, which encompass a small orchard.

Over the years an increasing school population has necessitated the provision of additional classrooms.

During 1987 and 1988 extensive remodelling, at a cost of over £400,000 took place and the school moved to temporary accommodation during that period. In January 1989 the remodelled school was completed for our return.

During 1993 the barn which was originally the Pound House for making cider for the village of Kingsteignton was converted into a classroom and meeting room with kitchen facilities. This was achieved by the school donating £20,000, the remaining costs were funded by the L.E.A.

The school has the benefit of traditional and new buildings with the new being so designed to blend sympathetically with the old. It is particularly fortunate that the grounds are still as attractive with most of the existing trees and orchard remaining. In 1994 an environment area was created by purchasing part of a neighbouring garden which further enhances the grounds and during 2005/2006 the grounds are going to be developed further to provide better use and make them more environmental friendly.

In 1998 further building work provided the school with three new classrooms and a resource area. 1998 was the year in which St. Michael’s celebrated 150 years of education and service to the community of Kingsteignton.