The Amazing Story of Emmaus School

Sylvia Baker and David Freeman have written a book about a number of Christian Schools and how they came in to being. The following text comes from the chapter about Emmaus. 

Emmaus School, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Prayer prepares the way
In the early 1970s, some Christians in Bradford-on-Avon became concerned about the need for a Christian school in their area. They held some meetings in their church, but nothing concrete ever came of it. For some of them, the burden remained and they prayed through the years that God would eventually establish a school, even though by now it was too late for their own children to benefit from it.

Prayer begins to receive an answer
In 1993, Miriam Wiltshire, who lived near Trowbridge, became concerned that her six year old daughter was unhappy at her state school. Both parents could see that the little girl was rapidly losing confidence. Miriam began to wonder if a Christian school might be the answer. She had heard of one in Oxford, Emmanuel School, and decided to pay it a visit. That visit had a profound effect on Miriam. The school seemed such a safe environment – exactly the kind of place that she would want for her children. As she looked at the displays on the walls and saw the word of God featured prominently there, she realised that for a child at a school like this, there would be no conflict between what was taught in the home and what was taught in the school. Miriam herself had been brought up in a Christian home and her own education had set up tensions within her. The values and approaches of school and home had been so different – it had been very hard to cope with. She had resolved the problem by living two lives, thinking one way at home and differently at school. Miriam realised for the first time that this did not need to happen to her own children, if only they had a local Christian school.

A vision takes hold
The visit to Oxford had sparked off a deep interest in Christian education in Miriam. Over the next couple of years, she read anything on the subject that she could lay her hands on, and hoped and prayed that the Lord would give them a school.

Miriam had been very impressed with the way in which Emmanuel School in Oxford had been able to start. The small group that had wanted to open a school there had been given a huge boost by an unsolicited offer of financial assistance that had been given to them, out of the blue, just as they were making the final decision to go ahead. “How wonderful to be given such a clear sign from God,” she thought, “but I can’t imagine how such a thing could ever happen to me!”

Something extraordinary happens

In 1996, completely unexpectedly, came the kind of sign from the Lord that Miriam thought only happened to other people. A local Victorian primary school came on to the market and an anonymous donor offered to loan Miriam and her husband Kevin the money to buy it! The sale was being conducted by closed bid, so Miriam and Kevin put in their offer, which was accepted. Later they found out that someone had in fact made a higher bid, but for some reason the decision was made to give the building to them. It seemed that the Lord did indeed want them to start a school! By November 1996, the building was theirs. 

Where are the children?
Although there were no children in prospect for the school, other than their own, Miriam and Kevin were not deterred. The Lord had given them a building. Surely he was going to provide the teachers and pupils as well! As 1997 dawned, the couple approached some like-minded friends and asked them to join the governing body of the proposed school. Eventually a group of eight governors was busily at work planning a curriculum.There were still no prospective pupils, but they did have a teacher in mind. Naomi Oliver was a local Christian primary teacher who seemed ideal for the job. She was interested in Christian education for a very good reason. Her father, Dr. Robert Oliver, had been part of that group in the 70s who had tried to get a school going.  He had wanted such a school for Naomi and her brother and had been praying for one ever since!
It seemed an outrageous thing to do, to ask Naomi to resign from her job to take up a position in a non-existent school with no pupils, but that is exactly what the governing body did! Even more amazingly, Naomi did it! When the approach came, although it was unexpected, she realised that God had been preparing her and knew for certain that this was his call.
So now there was a building and a teacher but still no pupils!

The step of faith
In June, everyone involved with the prospective school became convinced that it was necessary to move forward in faith and so the decision was made to open the school the following September.  On 10th September 1997, Emmaus School opened with three full-time pupils, and one part-time. The name ‘Emmaus’ is taken from the famous incident recorded in Luke chapter 24, when Jesus appeared after his resurrection to two disciples as they walked from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. As they walked together, Jesus himself instructed his followers and this is what the parents and teachers want for the children of Emmaus School as they journey through life.
Numbers of children have grown slowly but surely since the school began, and there are now three separate classes, covering the full age range from 5 to 16. For Dr. Robert Oliver there is particular joy in this situation. His many years of prayer have resulted in a Christian school in which his two children are both teachers and in which his four grandchildren are all registered! For Miriam Wiltshire too a dream has become a reality as she heads up a school of more than 30 pupils and 5 teachers.

August, 2004

Extract taken from The Love of God in the Classroom

By Kind Permission of Sylvia Baker.