Clapham C. of E. (VC) Primary School serves the villages of Clapham, Keasden, Newby and Cold Cotes and has very close connections with the Parish Church of St. James’, Clapham. The catchment area serves mainly a rural farming community although people do commute from the area as far as Manchester and Leeds. The school has 39 children aged 4 to 10 in its two mixed age classes and the Clapham Early Years Group uses the hall each morning. The children transfer to Ingleton Middle School for Year 6. The school is proud of its computer suite which is used by the local community as well as the school. The school has a small field with an adventure playground and sand pit plus an organic garden and a nature garden. We have a close connection with the local Organic Nursery who help with our garden.

 

Clapham is a small village in the Yorkshire Dales known for its famous Ingleborough Cave and the nature walk created by Reginald Farrer, the naturalist and plant explorer, who brought many samples of unusual trees and shrubs back from his world wide travels, planting them on a special walk. It is also the start of a walk to reach the limestone peak of Ingleborough, one of the famous Yorkshire Dales Three Peaks. The church school has been here since 1864 when it was built as a memorial to J. W. Farrer, Reginald’s father, the Lord of the Manor and geologist. Many of the houses and some of the farms in the area are still owned by the Farrer family who are the main local landlords. The school backs onto a farm and faces the beck which emanates from Ingleborough Cave at the base of Ingleborough. The children are very proud of their local environment which many tourists travel a long way to see each year.

 
The school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the church at parish and diocesan level.

 

The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all its pupils.