Having first opened in July 1869, our school has a rich heritage. Initially educating the children in the mill communities of Bowlish and Darshill, we are proud of the long history of involvement in the local community and value this ongoing relationship.  

Over the years, the buildings have been extended, refurbished and resourced to a high standard. The main building visually reminds us of the school’s history with its beautiful original features such as, exposed stone walls, high ceilings, arched doorways and windows. 

The school is known for its bell, which can be heard ringing to signify the start and end of every school day

Now, Bowlish Infant School remains a friendly community school, with a committed team of staff and governors who do all they can to provide the very best learning experience for the children who attend. With capacity for up to 117 children aged between 4 and 7 years, we organise our classes as follows: 

• Robin Class - Reception age children 
• Owl - Reception & Year 1 age children 
• Woodpecker - Year 1 & Year 2 age children 
• Finch – Year 2 age children 

Broadly, our facilities comprise of four spacious classrooms with outdoor provision, a well-stocked library, hall, a wellbeing room, cooking area, kitchen, staffroom, 2 shared teaching spaces and 2 school offices. We strive to create enabling indoor learning spaces reflecting our understanding of sensory processing and how the environment can impact our wellbeing, independence and success.

The outdoor areas are thoughtfully designed and well-utilised. The forest school with a ‘boot room’ is used weekly by the children. The timber trail, field, sensory garden and playground are open for daily use (weather permitting). Our outdoor extended-classroom spaces are mostly covered, which enables play a key role in our curriculum delivery.