When the Act of 1838, relative to the freehold estates, was obtained, a re-arrangement of these funds was made; and three-fifths of the whole estates, freehold as well as leasehold, were appropriated “towards the support of the Paddington Parochial National and Infant Schools.” The new school rooms were built in 1822 on Paddington Green, or rather on a part of the site of the “town pool;” and in 1831, other school rooms, in connection with that system which is called National, were built at Bayswater.
In 1840 the parochial school-rooms of St. John’s district were erected in Tichbourn Row; and the new schools, built at the back of Stanley Street, and St. Mary’s Hospital, in the district of All Saints, were opened in February, 1852.
The Rev. F. C. Cook’s “Report on Schools in the Eastern district,” published in “Minutes of the Committee of Council on Education 1845,” contains a full account of those schools then in operation; and the following extracts are taken from it.
In 1845, the number of scholars was as follows, viz., in the schools on Paddington Green, April fifth and sixth, “200 boys present, total 210; 115 girls present, total 131; 180 infants present, total 190.”
“Titchbourn Street, second of April, Boys present, 167; total, 190. Girls present, 91; total, 109. Infants present, 151; total 200.”
“Bayswater, twenty-fifth April. Boys, 106; girls, 49; infants, 60.”
The masters and mistresses of these schools, and of the new school, have kindly furnished me with the numbers now in attendance; they are as follows:—
| Boys. | Girls. | Infants. | |
| Paddington Green | 174 | 98 | 150 |
| Bayswater | 168 | 100 | 160 |
| Tichbourn Street | 184 | 113 | 217 |
| All Saints | 140 | 138 | 174 |
| Total | 666 | 449 | 701 |
Mr. Cook reported, that at the schools on Paddington Green, “the boys and girls are instructed in two rooms, well-built, warmed and ventilated. The building handsome, and well arranged.
“Boys: instructed by master, with pupil teacher, seventeen years old, who was educated in the school. Arranged in six classes on the circulating system. The rewards for medals are books, which cost about £5 per annum. The attendance averages more than nine-tenths of the total number. Age of boys between seven and twelve, excepting ten boys near thirteen years. Many boys have been in school from infancy. There is an increase of fifty since the last inspection. The fluctuation in the numbers not considerable. Boys are very healthy and cleanly in appearance. The discipline is nearly perfect.