West End Primary School has had a long, rich, and rewarding history which dates back as far as 1869.The place, a one-room school house opposite the Four Star Pizza, and to the left of the gate entrance to St.James Church. It’s first Principal was Mr. W.R. Perinchief.

Children were travelling barefoot and on the back of boxcarts to their one-room school house. This was the beginnings of a sporadic migration around the Sandys community to different educational sites such as Ida Trott’s school, Huntley School, and “Tin-top”,  for non-whites, and these buildings would eventually merge to become the WEST END PRIMARY.

Around the year 1893, Huntley School, which was Government sponsored, was located at Manchester Hall, the building that used to house the Sandys’ Theatre. The Head, Mr. Edgar Tucker, was assisted by Miss May Stowe.

Sometime later the school was moved due west of Gosling Brothers. After the retirement of Mr. Tucker, Miss Stowe capably headed the school, up to the period of the Second World War (1939  – 1945). Mrs. Ida Trott’s school was established at her home in Ely’s Harbour (near Willowbank Guest House). This small body joined West End Gramma at “Flat-top.”

It wasn’t until 1915 that the Department of Education made an appearance in the records as a body governing the Educational System, appointing as West End’s first teacher, one Mr. Arthur Hodgson. Mr. Hodgson served for a very short time in a little school located on the site of the old section of the present Somerset Primary. Mr. Hodgson’s successor was Mr. C.A. Isaac-Henry. Soon after his arrival, the school was moved to a two-storey building due west of the Royal Naval Cricket Field – now known as The Warren Simmons Field. It was here that the the name ‘West End Grammar School’ was adopted. 

As the numbers increased, the school was moved to a new building on the site of the extension at Sandys Secondary School. “Flat-top”, as it was called, consisted of eight classrooms which were filled to capacity. The highest recorded enrolment was 379 pupils.

It wasn’t until the days of “Flat-top” that West End absorbed into its body all of the existing educational bodies in the parish of Sandys that would later become known as  THE WEST END SCHOOL.  

Mr. C.A. Isaac-Henry was succeeded by Mr. V. F. Scott, who introduced in 1932, the “House System” then known as Dr. Cann House and Mr. Isaac-Henry House, who vied with each other to gain points in athletics, academics, and arts and crafts. In later years the house names were identified only by the colours BLUE and GOLD.

The ever increasing school population made it necessary to separate the infants, who were accommodated at a low, galvanized edifice, known as “Tin-Top” which was located opposite Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, on Sound View Road.

In 1934, Mr. Charles Cecil Snaith was appointed as the Principal until his retirement in 1962. He left behind him two noable institutions - the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) established in 1933 – second oldest on the island - and the school song. “GOD BLESS OUR SCHOOL” written by his friend and colleague,Jamaican music teacher, Millicent Hurst.

Mr. Sinclair Richards became the first Bermudian and new Principal of WEST END PRIMARY SCHOOL in 1962. When the school population was escalating four more classrooms were built and later this increased to include a reading room, art room, an office, a staffroom, and an assembly hall/gym.

After the extensions, the infants were transferred to occupy the classrooms in the “Breezeway,” as the new section was called.

However, all the extending that had been done to the school, was not enough to accommodate the great numbers that had come to be enrolled at West End. The highest recorded enrolment was 579 students. A new plan had to be implemented to house the overflow.

West End School became divided at this point. Boaz Island School was erected to take all the children from the most eastern part of Sandys Parish. Students were at once compelled to attend the Boaz Island School if they lived east of Loyalty Inn.

Under Mr. Richards principalship, the first Prize-giving ceremony was held to acknowledge student achievement. Musical instruments were introduced and Musical Festivals held.
The school crest and motto “FORWARD TOGETHER” was his brainchild  and made its debut at this time. His idea was for the parents, the teachers, and the community to embrace each other in the educational and spiritual realms of life.

Mr. Richards was appointed as an Education Office in 1971 and then Chief Education Officer in 1976. Ms. Doris Marsh served as Principal from 1971, followed by Mrs. Margaret Manders, Mr. Llewellyn Smith, Mr. Livinston Tuzo, and Mrs. Sandra Smith. Our present principal is former student, Mrs.Trina Cariah.