| Administrative History | Hazelwood CE First School was built in 1846. It cost £1,000, most of which was provided by Colonel Colville of Duffield Hall. In 1868 there were 35 children present who paid to attend. The school was closed at 12 a.m. on 24 April 1868. It did not reopen until 31 October 1870, upon which 11 pupils were in attendance. The number rose to 119 in 1890.
In 1946 the school survived the threat of closure, but the Senior children were transferred to Belper 10 years later. [Elenor Mary West Hazelwood (Hazelwood Women's Institute, 1981)] In September 1973 the Belper schools underwent a reorganisation. Hazelwood became a Church of England Controlled Co-educational Day First School for pupils aged between the ages of 5 and 9 years old. Two of the governors were nominated by the Parochial Church Council. In 1985, the vicar of St. John the Evangelist joined their Morning Assembly once a week. The children also took part in the Mothering Sunday, Patronal Festival, Harvest and Christmas services at Hazelwood Church, on a voluntary basis.
Under the reorganisation of schools in the Belper area, Hazelwood School was considered to have insufficient pupils to maintain being viable. Despite a long fight of survival, and the support of West Derbyshire MP Matthew Parris, Hazelwood School finally closed to pupils on Monday 21st July 1986. The children were transferred to various schools including: William Gilbert and Meadows schools, both in Duffield; Turnditch School; and Strutt Primary and Long Row schools in Belper. The staff also took up new positions. One went to Herbert Strutt Primary School, while the headteacher took up the equivilent position at Long Row Primary School, Belper and was accompanied by two collegues. The majority of the educational materials and furniture were also transferred to Long Row Primary School. The school building became a private house. |
| Custodial History | These records were deposited with Derbyshire Record Office by a former headteacher in May 2002. |