In 1815 William Hughes bequethed the sum of £300 a year towards the education of six children to be chosen by the village's parish minister, the churchwardens, the overseers and the schoolmaster. This bequest was to be "for ever."

A schoolroom was subsequently erected in 1817 with funds raised by voluntary contributions and the Parochial Returns of 1818 record that there were 60 children supported by subscription and four children educated from the income amounting to eight guineas from the endowment in what became known as the National School

There was in addition a small girls' school and the Curate, the Rev John Edwards stated that the poorer classes thankfully availed themselves of the means provided for the education of their children.

By 1833, 125 children attended the school. They were charged one shilling (5p) a quarter except for six who were paid for from the endowment. The returns of the National Society's School Enquiry 1846/7 recorded that 68 boys and 41 girls received instruction in the school. Of this number, 48 boys and 32 girls attended both on weekdays and Sundays, 19 boys and 6 girls on weekdays only and one boy and three girls on Sundays only.

They were taught by a master and assistant mistress and five paid monitors. The total expenditure in salaries amounted to £44 6s and the estimated annual cost of maintaining the school was £63 1s.

In 1860, the Rector of Hethersett, the Rev William Collett, applied to the National Society for aid towards erecting a new mixed school measuring 53ft x 18ft to accommodate 120 children, with a teacher's house attached. The site, valued at £92 10s was taken from glebe land and the cost of the new schoolroom and proposed teacher's house amounted to £751 15s 6d. A government grant of £280 4s was received, £44 11s 6d was raised locally and the National Society contributed £30.

The new school was completed in 1861 and the original building was retained as an infants department.

It was proposed to charge 1d per week for the children of farm labourers, 2d or 3d for the children of gentlemen's servants and mechanics and 6d for the children of small farmers. The school received an annual government grant and an additional classroom for infants was added in 1883 at a cost of £173, raised by local subscription and with local builders Bailey & Son carrying out the work.

In1850 the British School came into being in the village to provide education for both children and adults in the Great Melton district. The National and British schools worked side by side until their amalgamation in 1951, when it proved obvious that neither of the existing schools could reach the standard in buildings and amenities laid down in the Education Act of 1944.

The British School was sold to become the village's Church Hall.

The National School was taken over by the Local Education Authority and became known as Hethersett Voluntary Controlled School. It became a state school and also a church school with the village Rector playing a major part in the management of the school.

After the amalgamation children over the age of 11 were removed and growing numbers as the village expanded led to the provision of additional classrooms and a new school hall in 1970.

She visited her brother Joseph who was the agent for Edward Lombe. Caroline had a great interest in the provision of education for children and, although now in her fifties and living in London, she raised sufficient capital for a school to be established in Henstead Road.

1864

The National School, a spacious brick building with master's house and good playground attached was built in 1860 at a cost of £700, and is attended by 50 children. The master receives £8 3s 4d yearly from £272 8s 8d three per cent consols left by Wm Hughes for the education of six poor children.

The old school, built in 1817, now an Infant School, has also about 50 children in attendance.

The British School is a pretty brick building in the pointed style, erected in 1854, and attended by 40 boys and girls and 30 infants.