Stower Provost School started in a small way in 1850, with the old school hall serving as the village school. This continued as the sole schoolroom until 1904 when another building was added. By 1926 the number of pupils had dropped to 48 and the Government Inspection that year was so critical that the Headmaster resigned. In 1931 the attendance had declined still further to 25, but during the Second World War the school admitted seniors and also evacuee children from London. In 1941 there were 35 Dorset children and 48 London children.
In the 1950’s the main bulk of the building was added – excluding the Hall and the present kitchen which were built in 1972. The timber classrooms were erected in the 1960’s along with further refinements such as central heating and the tennis court. The swimming pool was built at around the same time by the parents. It was during this time that many of the small schools in the surrounding villages were closed and their pupils absorbed into Stower Provost taking the number to 142 children on roll by 1969.
During the 1960’s the caretaker was allowed to live in School House and this continued until 1993. The County Council finally offered School House to the School and the Governors have converted the ground floor of the building to form a Library and a resources room. The upper floor is now used as meeting and storage rooms with kitchen and bathroom facilities. The school library still plays an important role in the local community, being the Polling Station when elections take place.
In the late 1980’s the kitchen – originally used to cook and serve hot meals – was divided, enabling the Headteacher and School Secretary to have their own offices. The kitchen continued to be used by pupils doing cookery and for events held at the school.
Change has continued into the new millennium. Part of the School and School House are Grade II Listed Buildings so all change has been carefully designed to complement these historic roots. The current pupil and main entrance were built in 2002 allowing direct and safe access from the car park. In January 2008 the kitchen was refurbished to allow for hot meals once again. Although not cooked on the premises, they are made locally, delivered hot and served to the pupils by our lunchtime supervisors. Much work has been done to make the most of our wonderful grounds, with the conservation area, school vegetable patch and outdoor classroom being developed and the pool receiving a major makeover. A major refurbishment project took place in 2019, with new ceilings and lighting, new kitchen units and complete re-fitting of the toilets being complemented by a smart coat of paint outside.
