Acocks Green
Encyclopedia
Acocks Green is an area and ward of south Birmingham
, England
. It is named after the Acock family who built a large house in the area in 1370. Acocks Green is one of the four wards making up Yardley
formal district. The place name is occasionally spelled "Acock's Green" with an apostrophe
, although nowadays "Acocks Green" is more usual.
Stockfield, located in the north of the ward, was once a separate village to the Acocks Green area. However, the two merged as a result of housing developments during the 20th century. The ward now covers an area 4.773 square kilometres (2 sq mi). Areas covered by the ward include the Edenbridge Road Estate, Gospel Estate, Pemberley Road Flats, Stockfield Estate, part of the Tyseley Estate and the Yarnfield Estate. The ward covers part of the B27 and part of the B11 postcode areas.
in the ward receives its name from the time when the Fox family bought the farm belonging to the atte Holies in the 15th century. The earliest known reference to Acocks Green is in the Yardley Parish Register of 1604. In 1626, Acocks Green House and other estates were given by Richard Acock to his son as a wedding gift. In 1725, the Warwick Road was turnpiked
. During the end of the 18th century, the Warwick and Birmingham Canal
was cut through Acocks' Green. This resulted in wharfs being constructed at Stockfield Road and Yardley Road. The increased prosperity brought by the canal prompted the construction of farms and large residences.
Acocks Green began to expand in the 19th century when it was connected to the Birmingham to Oxford railway in 1852. At this time there were three hamlets along the Warwick Road; Flint Green, Acocks Green, and Westley Brook. Westley Brook was to become the centre of modern Acocks Green. As Acocks Green was closer to the station, it developed faster than the old centre.
In 1911, Yardley
, of which Acocks Green was a part of, was absorbed into Birmingham. Birmingham was in need of housing and in the mid-1920s, municipal housing was built on around half of Acocks Green, resulting in a large increase in the population. Many new residents were unwelcome and existing residents moved away leading to the nickname Snob's Green. Acocks Green benefited from an increase in commerce brought about by the newcomers. It developed into a major shopping area and churches and meeting halls were extended to accommodate more people.
Trams first arrived in Acocks Green in 1916. They first stopped at Broad Road, before stopping at the Green from 1922. The centre of Acocks Green was remodelled in 1932, and a large island incorporating the tram terminus was created. After the tram service ended, the island was grassed over to become the Green.
Acocks Green was the location for a custom-built factory which made parts for the Bristol Hercules
radial engine
s. Construction of the factory commenced in late 1936 on the site of Westwood's market gardening business near the canal. The factory was the Rover
shadow factory and it was operational by July 1937. Towards the end of the war, the Rover factory began to produce Meteor tank engines, and the Meteorite engine. The factory was visited by King George VI in March 1938. The military connection the factory had made Acocks Green a target for German bombers.
There are a number of statutorily listed buildings; cottages at 89-93 Arden Road (Grade II), the Baptist Church on Yardley Road (Grade II), the Baptist church hall on Alexander Road (Grade II). As well as this, there are locally listed buildings; the fire station (Grade B) and caretaker's house (Grade A) on Alexander Road, police station on Yardley Road (Grade B), a house on the corner of Elmdon Road, and the library on Shirley Road (Grade A). In Fox Hollies Park, there is a Bronze Age burnt mound with Scheduled Ancient Monument
status.
Stockfield Estate was one of Birmingham's many interwar housing estates, built by the local council during the 1920s and 1930s to rehouse people from inner-city slums. The houses were popular on their completion thanks to the inclusion of electricity, running water, gardens, indoor toilets and bathrooms. The houses were constructed out of concrete
and were designed in the 'Parkinson' style. However, the housing was declared defective by law in 1985 and structural tests carried out in 1986 concluded that damage was so severe that repair would not be possible. This meant that the 477 houses had to be demolished, however, Birmingham City Council did not have the financial services available to carry out the work. Residents of the estate set up an Estate Development Group and architects Webb Seeger Moorhouse were invited to prepare a masterplan for the estate. They worked in partnership with the residents and the city council. The masterplan and the proposal to establish a community association were publicly announced in October 1989 in a public meeting to the residents of the estate who unanimously approved the plans. Stockfield Community Association was formed in 1991 and a redevelopment partnership was then formed between the Community Association, Birmingham City Council, Halifax Building Society and Bromford Carinthia Housing Association, with Anthony Collins Solicitors and Webb Seeger Moorhouse Community Architects giving support. Wimpey Homes
were appointed as the developers and work on the first phase of the estate commenced in July 1991. This was met with opposition with some residents refusing to move and the crime on the estate was so bad that the washing machine in the show home provided by Wimpey was stolen. The first phase, 17 Bromford family homes for rent, were opened in the summer of 1991 by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. By 1998, all four phases of the estate were completed by Wimpey Homes.
was the most prominent religion in the ward at 64.3%, above the city average of 59.1%. Islam
was the second most selected religion at 7.7%, although "No Religion" had a higher percentage at 13.7%.
98.8% of the population live in households, which is above the Birmingham average of 98.3% and the national average of 98.2%. 1.2% live in communal establishments. There were 11,008 occupied households in the ward at the time of the census with an average of 2.4 people per household, equal to the national average. 305 households were vacant. 57.2% of the total households were owner occupied, below the city average of 60.4% and the national average of 68.7%. The majority of the houses in Acocks Green were terraced (39%), whilst semi-detached houses were also common in the area (36.4%).
17.5% of people are of a pensionable age and 58.2% are of a working age. 9.1% of the ward population was unemployed, above city average of 6.8% and the national average of 4.1%. 36.6% of the unemployed had been in such a situation for the long term, whilst 13.5% had never worked. The majority of those that were employed worked in the manufacturing sector (18.6%). Wholesale & Retail Trade and Vehicle Repairs Finance and Real Estate & Business Activities were both major employment sectors in the area at 16.4%. The largest employer based in Acocks Green is Eaton Electric Ltd, employing approximately 750 people.
is currently represented by two Liberal Democrat councillors at Birmingham City Council
; Iain Bowen and Roger Harmer, and one Labour - Stewart Stacey who beat LD Penny Wagg in May 2011.
The ward has long had a Ward Support Officer, but the title holder for many years, Bari Aziz, has recently retired.
Acocks Green Primary School was created in 2004 upon the amalgamation of Acocks Green Junior School and Acocks Green Infant School. It is located in buildings dating to 1908. It was opened in 1909 by Worcestershire County Council and was transferred to Birmingham City Council in 1911. The school consisted of Boys, Girls and Infants departments, but in 1932 it was reorganised into Senior Mixed and Junior Mixed departments. The Senior Mixed department became a separate school in 1945 and the Junior Mixed department became a primary school at the same time. It currently has approximately 480 pupils.
The Cottesbrooke Infant and Junior schools opened on September 6, 1968 as a combined school. As the school was so oversubscribed, which resulted in the use of the local church hall for lessons, it was decided to split the school into an infant school and a junior school. The infant school remained in the original school buildings whilst the junior school was moved over the road with the original headteacher taking charge. Cottesbrooke Infant School has 329 pupils whilst Cottesbrooke Junior School has 220.
Holy Souls Primary School is a voluntary aided
Roman Catholic
primary school. It is run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in partnership with Birmingham Local Education Authority. The school was established in 1907 and moved into its current premises in 1968. There are 401 pupils on roll.
Oaklands Primary School, which was a primary school on Dolphin Lane, was constructed in 1928 and opened in 1929 as Oaklands County Primary School. It was expanded in 1932. In 1950, one of the timber buildings which formed the infants block was dismantled and reassembled in the newly-constructed Gilbertstone
estate to form Gilbertstone Primary School. It currently has 335 pupils on roll.
Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre
is a specialist Technology College
with a sixth form
centre. Construction commenced in 1955 and the school was opened in 1957. The school is named in memory of Archbishop Edward Ilsley
, who built the first church in Acocks Green.
Ninestiles Technology College
has over 1,300 laptop computers. It is attached to Fox Hollies Leisure Centre, which complements Acocks Green's other sports, gym and recreational facilities.
Fox Hollies School and Performing Arts College, in Fox Hollies in the western area of the ward, is a special school.
A private school is to be found on Yardley Road. Adult education takes place at Stone Hall, Archbishop Ilsley Technology College, Ninestiles Technology College, and Fox Hollies Leisure Centre. City College run an IT training facility from the Green. There is a yoga institute on Westley Road.
The roundabout where Warwick Road meets Shirley Road and Westley Road is called The Green by most locals. This is the main shopping area in Acocks Green. Most of the general retail shops are located here and further along Warwick Road. There is also a library
and a bowling alley. Outside The Green you will not find many shops except convenience store
s and off-licences, although there is a large modern bingo hall located on Stockfield Road.
Acocks Green has seven churches including St Mary the Virgin, Acocks Green
, Holy Souls, a Methodist church on Shirley Road, a Baptist church on Yardley Road and the Ghamkol Sharif Mosque. There is a large cultural diversity in Acocks Green with a mix of people from all religions and races. In recent years, Acocks Green has begun to see an increase in Polish residents.
On August 12, 2006, Gospel Lane Skatepark was opened to the public. It was created using Neighbourhood Renewal Fund grants and through the advice of youngsters who would use the park. The British Legion have a local office and club in the ward. Hall Green Little Theatre is also located in Acocks Green.
The area is served by Acocks Green library which has been in use since June 14, 1932. Outside the library is the Acocks Green war memorial
.
Acocks Green has very good transport links to Birmingham city centre and Solihull
. Birmingham Moor Street and Solihull
stations can both be reached in under ten minutes by train from Acocks Green railway station
or Spring Road railway station
.
Many bus routes are operated by National Express West Midlands
' Acocks Green Bus Garage, located on Fox Hollies Road, including the Outer Circle
(11A/11C), which is the longest urban bus route in any European city. Routes that serve Acocks Green are:
The area can become congested and there have been calls for a bypass to ease pressure on the roads. Businesses in the shopping area have opposed the ideas as they have concerns about loss of passing trade and residents do not want increases in traffic past their houses. Another idea which has been proposed in recent years to resolve some of the problems of congestion in the centre, whilst also making the area more pedestrian friendly, is to introduce a type of high street design known as Shared Space
.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is named after the Acock family who built a large house in the area in 1370. Acocks Green is one of the four wards making up Yardley
Yardley, Birmingham
Yardley is an area in east Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee.Birmingham Yardley is a constituency and its Member of Parliament is John Hemming.-Features:...
formal district. The place name is occasionally spelled "Acock's Green" with an apostrophe
Apostrophe
The apostrophe is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritic mark, in languages that use the Latin alphabet or certain other alphabets...
, although nowadays "Acocks Green" is more usual.
Stockfield, located in the north of the ward, was once a separate village to the Acocks Green area. However, the two merged as a result of housing developments during the 20th century. The ward now covers an area 4.773 square kilometres (2 sq mi). Areas covered by the ward include the Edenbridge Road Estate, Gospel Estate, Pemberley Road Flats, Stockfield Estate, part of the Tyseley Estate and the Yarnfield Estate. The ward covers part of the B27 and part of the B11 postcode areas.
History
Acocks Green first developed north of the current centre at the roundabout where the Warwick Road meets Shirley and Westley Roads. This area was known Tenchlee or Tenelea, meaning 'ten clearings'. The settlement that developed here has completely disappeared. Huyon Hall and Broom Hall were moated manor houses located in the area. The area of Fox HolliesFox Hollies
Fox Hollies is an area of Birmingham, England, situated on the edge of Acocks Green district. It is named after the Fox Hollies Hall estate.It roughly includes the area around Fox Hollies Road , stretching from Acocks Green in the north, to Hall Green in the south...
in the ward receives its name from the time when the Fox family bought the farm belonging to the atte Holies in the 15th century. The earliest known reference to Acocks Green is in the Yardley Parish Register of 1604. In 1626, Acocks Green House and other estates were given by Richard Acock to his son as a wedding gift. In 1725, the Warwick Road was turnpiked
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
. During the end of the 18th century, the Warwick and Birmingham Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
was cut through Acocks' Green. This resulted in wharfs being constructed at Stockfield Road and Yardley Road. The increased prosperity brought by the canal prompted the construction of farms and large residences.
Acocks Green began to expand in the 19th century when it was connected to the Birmingham to Oxford railway in 1852. At this time there were three hamlets along the Warwick Road; Flint Green, Acocks Green, and Westley Brook. Westley Brook was to become the centre of modern Acocks Green. As Acocks Green was closer to the station, it developed faster than the old centre.
In 1911, Yardley
Yardley, Birmingham
Yardley is an area in east Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee.Birmingham Yardley is a constituency and its Member of Parliament is John Hemming.-Features:...
, of which Acocks Green was a part of, was absorbed into Birmingham. Birmingham was in need of housing and in the mid-1920s, municipal housing was built on around half of Acocks Green, resulting in a large increase in the population. Many new residents were unwelcome and existing residents moved away leading to the nickname Snob's Green. Acocks Green benefited from an increase in commerce brought about by the newcomers. It developed into a major shopping area and churches and meeting halls were extended to accommodate more people.
Trams first arrived in Acocks Green in 1916. They first stopped at Broad Road, before stopping at the Green from 1922. The centre of Acocks Green was remodelled in 1932, and a large island incorporating the tram terminus was created. After the tram service ended, the island was grassed over to become the Green.
Acocks Green was the location for a custom-built factory which made parts for the Bristol Hercules
Bristol Hercules
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Gunston, B. Classic World War II Aircraft Cutaways. Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-526-8*Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
radial engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...
s. Construction of the factory commenced in late 1936 on the site of Westwood's market gardening business near the canal. The factory was the Rover
Rover (car)
The Rover Company is a former British car manufacturing company founded as Starley & Sutton Co. of Coventry in 1878. After developing the template for the modern bicycle with its Rover Safety Bicycle of 1885, the company moved into the automotive industry...
shadow factory and it was operational by July 1937. Towards the end of the war, the Rover factory began to produce Meteor tank engines, and the Meteorite engine. The factory was visited by King George VI in March 1938. The military connection the factory had made Acocks Green a target for German bombers.
There are a number of statutorily listed buildings; cottages at 89-93 Arden Road (Grade II), the Baptist Church on Yardley Road (Grade II), the Baptist church hall on Alexander Road (Grade II). As well as this, there are locally listed buildings; the fire station (Grade B) and caretaker's house (Grade A) on Alexander Road, police station on Yardley Road (Grade B), a house on the corner of Elmdon Road, and the library on Shirley Road (Grade A). In Fox Hollies Park, there is a Bronze Age burnt mound with Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
status.
Stockfield Estate was one of Birmingham's many interwar housing estates, built by the local council during the 1920s and 1930s to rehouse people from inner-city slums. The houses were popular on their completion thanks to the inclusion of electricity, running water, gardens, indoor toilets and bathrooms. The houses were constructed out of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and were designed in the 'Parkinson' style. However, the housing was declared defective by law in 1985 and structural tests carried out in 1986 concluded that damage was so severe that repair would not be possible. This meant that the 477 houses had to be demolished, however, Birmingham City Council did not have the financial services available to carry out the work. Residents of the estate set up an Estate Development Group and architects Webb Seeger Moorhouse were invited to prepare a masterplan for the estate. They worked in partnership with the residents and the city council. The masterplan and the proposal to establish a community association were publicly announced in October 1989 in a public meeting to the residents of the estate who unanimously approved the plans. Stockfield Community Association was formed in 1991 and a redevelopment partnership was then formed between the Community Association, Birmingham City Council, Halifax Building Society and Bromford Carinthia Housing Association, with Anthony Collins Solicitors and Webb Seeger Moorhouse Community Architects giving support. Wimpey Homes
Taylor Wimpey
Taylor Wimpey plc is one of the largest British based housebuilding companies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
were appointed as the developers and work on the first phase of the estate commenced in July 1991. This was met with opposition with some residents refusing to move and the crime on the estate was so bad that the washing machine in the show home provided by Wimpey was stolen. The first phase, 17 Bromford family homes for rent, were opened in the summer of 1991 by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham. By 1998, all four phases of the estate were completed by Wimpey Homes.
Demography
The 2001 Population Census recorded that there were 26,635 people living in Acocks Green with a population density of 5,580 people/km². The 1991 Population Census recorded 26,087 residents living in the ward, a decline of 6.7% from 1981. 51.5% of the population is female whilst 48.5 is male. 19.6% (5,188) of the ward's population consists of ethnic minorities compared with 29.6% for Birmingham in general. 80.4% of the population are White making it the largest ethnic group in the ward. Chinese was the smallest ethnic group in the ward at 0.7%, compared with the Birmingham average of 1.1%. 13% of the ward's population was born outside the United Kingdom, compared with the Birmingham average of 16.5% and the national average of 9.3%. ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
was the most prominent religion in the ward at 64.3%, above the city average of 59.1%. Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
was the second most selected religion at 7.7%, although "No Religion" had a higher percentage at 13.7%.
98.8% of the population live in households, which is above the Birmingham average of 98.3% and the national average of 98.2%. 1.2% live in communal establishments. There were 11,008 occupied households in the ward at the time of the census with an average of 2.4 people per household, equal to the national average. 305 households were vacant. 57.2% of the total households were owner occupied, below the city average of 60.4% and the national average of 68.7%. The majority of the houses in Acocks Green were terraced (39%), whilst semi-detached houses were also common in the area (36.4%).
17.5% of people are of a pensionable age and 58.2% are of a working age. 9.1% of the ward population was unemployed, above city average of 6.8% and the national average of 4.1%. 36.6% of the unemployed had been in such a situation for the long term, whilst 13.5% had never worked. The majority of those that were employed worked in the manufacturing sector (18.6%). Wholesale & Retail Trade and Vehicle Repairs Finance and Real Estate & Business Activities were both major employment sectors in the area at 16.4%. The largest employer based in Acocks Green is Eaton Electric Ltd, employing approximately 750 people.
Politics
The Acocks Green WardAcocks Green (ward)
Acocks Green ward is an electoral ward in south-east Birmingham, England, and includes the districts of Acocks Green, Fox Hollies and Tyseley.-Ward History:...
is currently represented by two Liberal Democrat councillors at Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
; Iain Bowen and Roger Harmer, and one Labour - Stewart Stacey who beat LD Penny Wagg in May 2011.
The ward has long had a Ward Support Officer, but the title holder for many years, Bari Aziz, has recently retired.
Education
Within its borders are seven primary schools and two secondary schools.| School | Compulsory education stage | School website | Ofsted Office for Standards in Education The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England .... details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acocks Green Junior School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.acocksgreen.bham.sch.uk | |
| Cottesbrooke Infant School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.cottesbrooke-inf.bham.sch.uk | |
| Cottesbrooke Junior School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.cbrookej.bham.sch.uk | |
| Holy Souls Catholic Primary School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.holysoul.bham.sch.uk | |
| Lakey Lane Junior & Infant School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.lakeyln.bham.sch.uk | |
| Oaklands Primary School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.oaklands.bham.sch.uk | |
| Severne Junior & Infant (NC) School | Primary Primary education A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,... |
www.severne.bham.sch.uk | |
| Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre is a Catholic secondary school in Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. The school has a sixth form centre. It received Technology College status in 2003.... |
Secondary Secondary education Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university... |
www.ilsley.bham.sch.uk | |
| Ninestiles Technology College Ninestiles Technology College Ninestiles School is a secondary school situated in Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. It is a mixed comprehensive Technology College with 1,200 students, including 60 in the sixth form. It has over 1,000 laptops and the largest wireless network of any school in Europe... |
Secondary Secondary education Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university... |
www.ninestiles.bham.sch.uk |
Acocks Green Primary School was created in 2004 upon the amalgamation of Acocks Green Junior School and Acocks Green Infant School. It is located in buildings dating to 1908. It was opened in 1909 by Worcestershire County Council and was transferred to Birmingham City Council in 1911. The school consisted of Boys, Girls and Infants departments, but in 1932 it was reorganised into Senior Mixed and Junior Mixed departments. The Senior Mixed department became a separate school in 1945 and the Junior Mixed department became a primary school at the same time. It currently has approximately 480 pupils.
The Cottesbrooke Infant and Junior schools opened on September 6, 1968 as a combined school. As the school was so oversubscribed, which resulted in the use of the local church hall for lessons, it was decided to split the school into an infant school and a junior school. The infant school remained in the original school buildings whilst the junior school was moved over the road with the original headteacher taking charge. Cottesbrooke Infant School has 329 pupils whilst Cottesbrooke Junior School has 220.
Holy Souls Primary School is a voluntary aided
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
primary school. It is run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham in partnership with Birmingham Local Education Authority. The school was established in 1907 and moved into its current premises in 1968. There are 401 pupils on roll.
Oaklands Primary School, which was a primary school on Dolphin Lane, was constructed in 1928 and opened in 1929 as Oaklands County Primary School. It was expanded in 1932. In 1950, one of the timber buildings which formed the infants block was dismantled and reassembled in the newly-constructed Gilbertstone
Gilbertstone
Gilbertstone is a residential suburban area straddling the border of Yardley and South Yardley in Birmingham, West Midlands.-Etymology:It is unknown where the name actually came from but a local legend states that a man named Gilbert lifted an enormous stone to move the boundaries between his and...
estate to form Gilbertstone Primary School. It currently has 335 pupils on roll.
Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre
Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre
Archbishop Ilsley Catholic Technology College and Sixth Form Centre is a Catholic secondary school in Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. The school has a sixth form centre. It received Technology College status in 2003....
is a specialist Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
with a sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
centre. Construction commenced in 1955 and the school was opened in 1957. The school is named in memory of Archbishop Edward Ilsley
Edward Ilsley
Edward Ilsley became the first Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham on 27 November 1911, having previously been the third Bishop of Birmingham since 17 November 1888. The correct spelling is Ilsley, not Illsley.He was born in Stafford on 11 May 1838. He was ordained priest on 29 June 1861...
, who built the first church in Acocks Green.
Ninestiles Technology College
Ninestiles Technology College
Ninestiles School is a secondary school situated in Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. It is a mixed comprehensive Technology College with 1,200 students, including 60 in the sixth form. It has over 1,000 laptops and the largest wireless network of any school in Europe...
has over 1,300 laptop computers. It is attached to Fox Hollies Leisure Centre, which complements Acocks Green's other sports, gym and recreational facilities.
Fox Hollies School and Performing Arts College, in Fox Hollies in the western area of the ward, is a special school.
A private school is to be found on Yardley Road. Adult education takes place at Stone Hall, Archbishop Ilsley Technology College, Ninestiles Technology College, and Fox Hollies Leisure Centre. City College run an IT training facility from the Green. There is a yoga institute on Westley Road.
Places of interest
Acocks Green also has numerous parks and green spots, including Fox Hollies Park in the south which is home to a man-made lake called Round Pool.The roundabout where Warwick Road meets Shirley Road and Westley Road is called The Green by most locals. This is the main shopping area in Acocks Green. Most of the general retail shops are located here and further along Warwick Road. There is also a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and a bowling alley. Outside The Green you will not find many shops except convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
s and off-licences, although there is a large modern bingo hall located on Stockfield Road.
Acocks Green has seven churches including St Mary the Virgin, Acocks Green
St Mary the Virgin, Acocks Green
St Mary the Virgin, Acocks Green is a Church of England parish church in Acocks Green, Birmingham, England.-Background:For centuries, Acocks Green was part of the Parish of Yardley, however the population had expanded throughout the 19th century, with the middle classes moving out of the town, and...
, Holy Souls, a Methodist church on Shirley Road, a Baptist church on Yardley Road and the Ghamkol Sharif Mosque. There is a large cultural diversity in Acocks Green with a mix of people from all religions and races. In recent years, Acocks Green has begun to see an increase in Polish residents.
On August 12, 2006, Gospel Lane Skatepark was opened to the public. It was created using Neighbourhood Renewal Fund grants and through the advice of youngsters who would use the park. The British Legion have a local office and club in the ward. Hall Green Little Theatre is also located in Acocks Green.
The area is served by Acocks Green library which has been in use since June 14, 1932. Outside the library is the Acocks Green war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
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Transport
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
. Birmingham Moor Street and Solihull
Solihull railway station
Solihull railway station serves the town of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by London Midland and Chiltern Railways. CrossCountry serve the station occasionally, when replacing stops at Coventry and Birmingham International during engineering work...
stations can both be reached in under ten minutes by train from Acocks Green railway station
Acocks Green railway station
Acocks Green railway station serves the Acocks Green area of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by London Midland, who manage the station, and by Chiltern Railways.-History:...
or Spring Road railway station
Spring Road railway station
Spring Road is a small railway station in the Acocks Green area of Birmingham, England. It is situated on the Birmingham to Stratford Line, between Tyseley and Hall Green stations...
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Many bus routes are operated by National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
' Acocks Green Bus Garage, located on Fox Hollies Road, including the Outer Circle
Birmingham Outer Circle
The Birmingham Outer Circle is a roughly circular, 27 mile bus route in Birmingham, England . It mainly follows the city's outer ring road, the A4040 with some small deviations to serve some rail stations and shopping areas. Buses on the Outer Circle are numbered 11C on the clockwise journey and...
(11A/11C), which is the longest urban bus route in any European city. Routes that serve Acocks Green are:
- Service 1 (Birmingham Town Hall-Acocks Green, via Moseley)
- Service 3A (Birmingham-Acocks Green, via Sparkbrook, Yardley Wood & Shirley)
- Service 11A/C (Birmingham Outer CircleBirmingham Outer CircleThe Birmingham Outer Circle is a roughly circular, 27 mile bus route in Birmingham, England . It mainly follows the city's outer ring road, the A4040 with some small deviations to serve some rail stations and shopping areas. Buses on the Outer Circle are numbered 11C on the clockwise journey and...
) - Service 30 (Acocks Green-Solihull Station, via Olton)
- Service 31 (Birmingham-Shirley, via Sparkhill & Acocks Green)
- Service 36 (Heartlands Hospital-Sparkbrook, via Stechford & Tyseley)
- Service 37 (Birmingham-Solihull Station, via Sparkbrook, Acocks Green & Olton)
- Service 40 (The Baldwin-York Road, via Acocks Green)
- Service 99 (Acocks Green-Lea Village, via Olton, Sheldon & Lea Hall)
The area can become congested and there have been calls for a bypass to ease pressure on the roads. Businesses in the shopping area have opposed the ideas as they have concerns about loss of passing trade and residents do not want increases in traffic past their houses. Another idea which has been proposed in recent years to resolve some of the problems of congestion in the centre, whilst also making the area more pedestrian friendly, is to introduce a type of high street design known as Shared Space
Shared space
Shared space is an urban design concept aimed at integrated use of public spaces. It encourages traffic engineers, urban planners and experts from other fields to consult with users of public space when planning and designing streets and squares in both built and non-built environments...
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