Each year the school was subject to an examination by the H.M.I (Her Majesty's Inspector). Results of this, would determine the amount of grant given to the school. The report of June 1877 was very encouraging, considering the school was having an uphill struggle to classify and group the children and instil some form of discipline. Hence the appointment of Elizabeth Rickard in May 1877. The children were generally unruly and had no idea of order and were noisy. They were classified according to attainments, not age and grouped into three classes all sharing one classroom.

Lessons consisted of Reading, writing and numbers (3 R's). The first class worked sums on their slates, the second class worked sums on the blackboard. In 1902 the slates were replaced with pencil copybooks for writing in classes one and two. Lessons were also split into objects, animals, birds and insects. Children were talked to about keeping clean and tidy. Natural history was introduced as a new lesson in September 1880 and taught to the third class. Songs were also a major part of school life. Many are listed:- 'The old black cat' and 'The cowslip'. Children often sang these songs to visitors of the school, as in the logbook dated 12th June 1891, there is a mention of two gentleman visitors from Australia! who enjoyed these songs. Knitting and sewing were also taught and by 1882 both girls and boys did these. In 1884 it is noted that, by the age of 7, girls could knit socks, 6's could knit evenly and most 5's could do the stitch. As early as June 1880 rewards were given for good writing. In 1905 the writing method changed and the school adopted the same system as the mixed school known as 'Chambers'. There was always regular testing of all lessons and the log book dated 26th June 1884 states:

"Gave the first and second classes examinations in knitting and sewing yesterday and today. Each child can knit and sew, although two boys are so nervous they only did a few stitches. Alfred Jakeman and Geo Gurnett."

Children were disciplined in different ways depending on what they had done wrong. If they were naughty they were kept after school and if they had been noisy in class they may not have been allowed out to play. Coming to school with dirty hands would result in being sent home to wash them and may have been followed by a lesson on how to keep clean and tidy. If they forgot their school pence, they would also have been sent home to fetch it. There is even mention of two boys being caned for playing truant.

Extract from logbook 11th Feb 1878: "Two boys, who had been hurting a duck, were kept in after school hours. Gave the children a lesson on "kindness to animals".