The schools

In the 18th century two schools, one for boys and one for girls, were set up in the chateau and run by nuns.

In 1833 the Guizot law obliged towns to create schools (free schooling for poor children, without being obligatory).

The Girls’ School

In 1711 the first school for girls was created by testamentary disposition by the lord of Clères, Charles Martel, in the property of M. de Béarn. This school was run by a nun from Ernemont.

Up until 1833 the girls’ school was run by nuns in the outbuildings of the chateau.

In 1845 the town considered buying the Leduc and Billard properties situated in the rue Des Jardins, (later rue des Ecoles and then rue Hippolyte Lemarchand). In 1866 a new loan plan was negotiated and on March 6th the works were put to tender and were officially delivered in 1868.

In 1952 the town council considered building a new girls’ school and the plan was finally adopted in 1955. The school opened at the beginning of the school year in 1958.

The Boys’ School

From the beginning of the 18th century the village boys were able to attend school in the chateau.

In 1850 a boys’ school was opened on the ground floor of the building that housed the town hall and the justice of the peace. Today this building houses La Nouvelle Epicérie.

In 1872 M. Leduc, Justice of the Peace gave the town, through his will, a piece of land situated near the girls’ school. In 1878 the town accepted this gift and decided to move the boys’ classroom from the Justice of the Peace room (situated on the first floor of the Town Hall behind the covered market).

In 1886 the Prefect reminded the town of the urgent need to build a boys’ school. After adjudication of the works in 1887 the construction was completed the following year.

Between 1837 and 1896 the commune of Grugny, having no financial means to construct a school, sent its children to the schools in Clères.

In 1965 with the June 15th circular, mixity became ‘the normal regime for primary teaching in newly constructed schools’.

In July 1930 the town council decided on the construction of a school canteen. It was partially financed by subsidies from the department (2100 francs) and from M. Jean Delacour (1200 francs). It provided warm soup and reheated food brought in by the children (10 in 1930). Mme Gaillon ran the canteen between November 1st and Easter. 13 local children were admitted for free (December 1932) the cost being covered by the Charity office.

The School Group

In 1982 a construction licence was filed for the building of two classrooms which were inaugurated in March 1984.

In the same year another licence was filed for the building of a nursery and this school ‘Les Oies Sauvages’ (the Wild Geese) was inaugurated in 1985 in the presence of Jean Lecanuet, Senator, André Martin, general councillor and Michel Lémeteil, mayor.

In 1990 the obsolete canteen and dining room were demolished in favour of two rooms and a kitchen. The work began in September and was completed at Easter the following year.

In 1991, following the refusal by the security commission to use the old school and accomodation built in 1877, this latter was demolished, which allowed for the redevelopment of the playground.

In 2015 the group of classrooms built in the 80s and 90s was completely demolished and a new school group, L’Orée du Parc, The Edge of the Park, was inaugurated on September 1st 2017.

The former girls’ school now houses a childcare centre and the former canteen houses the Culture and Leisure Activities Association.

The Jean Delacour college was built in 1974, replacing the temporary buildings in the primary school yard and the former Farcy property.