Former secondary schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
Encyclopedia
There are many former secondary schools in the various districts of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
. While their individual histories and roles in society are only minor they have as a whole, like all the more noted former secondary schools, contributed greatly to the general enlightenment of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
.
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
. While their individual histories and roles in society are only minor they have as a whole, like all the more noted former secondary schools, contributed greatly to the general enlightenment of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
.
- Sir Gilbert Claughton School was a secondary school located on Blowers Green Road in DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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...
, in the Queen's Cross area of the town. It opened in 1904 and closed in 1990. It opened in 1904 as the Dudley Upper Standard School, but after three years it became the Higher Elementary School. Another name change came in 1929, when it became the Dudley Intermediate School. In December 1957, it adopted the Gilbert Claughton title as the Sir Gilbert Claughton Grammar School. A new classroom block was added in the late 1950s, mostly for the teaching of ScienceScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and other practical subjects. The age range was altered from 11-18 to 12-18 in September 1972 and its status changed to comprehensive in September 1975. However, by the mid 1980s numbers were starting to fall and the sixth form centre had been axed, sparking fears that it would close. In 1985, there was talk of The Dudley School being merged with another local secondary school to form The Ednam School, and Sir Gilbert Claughton was one of the schools mentioned in the proposals for this new school. In 1988, there was talk of the school merging with The Blue Coat SchoolThe Blue Coat School, DudleyThe Blue Coat School was a mixed secondary school located in Dudley, England. It was opened in 1869 within buildings in Bean Road, several hundred yards east of Dudley town centre...
on Kates HillKates HillKates Hill is a residential area in Dudley, West Midlands, England.-History:Kates Hill was the scene of chaos in 1648 when parliamentarians used it as their base in the Civil War against King Charles I...
. However, in October 1988 Dudley council decided to merge the Dudley School with Blue Coat to form Castle High (at the main Dudley School site), which opened in September 1989, although Blue Coat would remain open for a year as an annex for the older pupils. In June 1989, just weeks before the end of the academic year, it was announced that all second year (12-13 year old) and third year (13-14 year old) pupils would be transferred from Sir Gilbert Claughton to Castle High or Holly Hall Schools with effect from September - along with the pupils starting secondary school at that time who had originally selected Sir Gilbert Claughton as their destination. However, the oldest remaining year group at the school would remain there until completing their secondary education in July 1990, when the school finally closed after 86 years. It was then turned into offices by Dudley Metropolitan Borough CouncilMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
, who designated it as the Claughton Centre.
- The Blue Coat School was a mixed secondary school located in DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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...
. Its history can be traced back to 19 March 1706, when a school for 50 boys opened in Stepping Stone Lane. It opened to girls in 1802 when moving to a site in Fisher Street, where it remained until 1869 when a building on Bean Road opened. It expanded in September 1970 to take in the buildings of Rosland Secondary School, Beechwood Road, at nearby Kates HillKates HillKates Hill is a residential area in Dudley, West Midlands, England.-History:Kates Hill was the scene of chaos in 1648 when parliamentarians used it as their base in the Civil War against King Charles I...
, but the Bean Road site was still used for some lessons until 1981, when it was finally declared redundant after 112 years and sold to make way for a residential development. The site at Beechwood Road had been built in 1932. Perhaps its most famous pupil was British comedian Lenny HenryLenny HenryLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
, who attended from 1969 until 1974. Robert HawthorneRob HawthorneRob Hawthorne is a football commentator currently working for Sky Sports. He is most notable for his commentating alongside Andy Gray in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul.He was born in Dudley, Worcestershire now West Midlands...
, the Sky Sports TV commentator, was also a pupil from 1977 to 1981. The school traditionally had an entry age of 11 years, but in September 1972 it was redesignated as a 12-16 school (gaining comprehensive status three years later) and this age range remained in place until the school's closure. The Blue Coat School closed in July 1989 when it merged with The Dudley School to form Castle High SchoolCastle High School (Dudley)For schools of the same name, see Castle High School.Castle High School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. It caters for pupils aged from 11 to 16 years. It is also a specialist Arts College.-The school:...
, although the Blue Coat buildings remained in use for the 1989/90 academic year to accommodate the oldest two year groups who had previously been at Blue Coat. By the time the Blue Coat as a separate school closed its doors for the last time on 14 July 1989 after 283 years, just 334 pupils were on the roll (averaging at 83 or 84 pupils per year group) and the closure was deemed necessary as it was too small for modern secondary school standards and the site was too confined for any substantial expansion; the re-opening of Dudley secondary schools to 11 year olds in September 1990 would have created further difficulties in accommodating extra pupils at the school. The doors closed to pupils for the last time in July 1990, when the oldest year group finished their secondary education and the year group below transferred to the main Castle High site for the final year of their secondary education. The school's future had been under threat since December 1985, when Dudley council had considered creating a new school called the Ednam School by a merger between the Dudley School and at least one other smaller secondary school in the town - and the Blue Coat School had been one of the schools mentioned in these plans. However, by the time the 1988/89 academic year began, Blue Coat's future was still uncertain and there was even a suggestion that it could merge with Sir Gilbert Claughton School. However, it was decided in October 1988 that Blue Coat and Dudley School would merge to form a new school. The buildings at Beechwood Road still exist to this day as the base of St Thomas's Community NetworkSt Thomas's Community NetworkSt Thomas's Community Network is a community facility which serves the St Thomas's parish of Dudley, West Midlands, England.The opportunity for a large community centre in the Kates Hill area was on the horizon in October 1988, when Dudley council confirmed that the Blue Coat School on Beechwood...
.
- Dudley Grammar School was a selective higher education school for boys aged from 11 to 18 years. Originally founded in 1562, it was located in DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, WorcestershireWorcestershireWorcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, and opened in July 1898 on its final site in St James's Road. 12 years later Dudley Girls High SchoolDudley Girls High SchoolDudley Girls' High School was a selective higher education school which provided education for girls aged 11 to 18 years.-History:It was located in Dudley, England, and opened on 8 December 1910 near the town centre in Priory Road, 12 years after Dudley Grammar School moved to neighbouring premises...
opened in nearby buildings in Priory Road. The pupils of the two single-sex schools regularly held drama productions together, and a number of teachers taught at both establishments and the pupils of the two schools mixed on occasions for sixth form Physics lessons. In 1966, plans were unveiled for the grammar and high schools to merge and form a mixed comprehensive school, but these took almost a decade to become reality. In September 1972, the age range had changed from 11-18 to 12-18 as part of a reorganisation by Dudley council which saw the entry age for secondary school increased in the towns of Dudley, Sedgley, Coseley and Brierley Hill. Dudley Grammar School closed in July 1975 after 413 years, when it merged with the Girls High School to form The Dudley School with effect from September 1975. The merger also included the smaller, less well known Park Secondary SchoolPark Secondary SchoolPark Secondary School was a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands , England.It was opened in 1896 as Park School to serve the expanding area to the west of Dudley town centre around Wolverhampton Street and Wellington Road.The school's popularity dipped during the 1960s following the...
which was located near the town's Grange Park, the buildings of which were briefly used as an annex to the new school until 1977. After more than a century the buildings of Dudley Grammar School are still in existence; they now house Castle High SchoolCastle High School (Dudley)For schools of the same name, see Castle High School.Castle High School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. It caters for pupils aged from 11 to 16 years. It is also a specialist Arts College.-The school:...
, which was formed in September 1989 on the merger of The Dudley School and The Blue Coat SchoolThe Blue Coat School, DudleyThe Blue Coat School was a mixed secondary school located in Dudley, England. It was opened in 1869 within buildings in Bean Road, several hundred yards east of Dudley town centre...
. The grammar school buildings were expanded between 1990 and 1995 as the old High School building was gradually emptied and eventually demolished at the start of 1996. However, the grammar school swimming pool was closed and demolished in 1990 to make way for part of the expansion. The pool had opened in 1951 as a memorial to the former grammar school pupils who had died in the First World War and Second World War. Few schools in Dudley LEA have had a sixth form since July 1990, when the sixth form facilities at Castle High in Dudley town and High ArcalHigh Arcal SchoolHigh Arcal School is a comprehensive secondary school situated in Sedgley, West Midlands, England. It was opened in 1961 as a grammar school and became comprehensive in 1975. The school holds Specialist Science College status...
and Ellowes HallEllowes Hall SchoolEllowes Hall Sports College is a comprehensive secondary school with Sports College status situated on Stickley Lane in Lower Gornal, Dudley, West Midlands, England....
in neighbouring SedgleySedgleySedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
were axed. The sixth form facilities at Summerhill and Crestwood Schools in KingswinfordKingswinfordKingswinford is a suburban area in the West Midlands.Historically within Staffordshire, the area is mentioned in the Domesday Book its name relates to a ford for the King's swine - Latin Swinford Regis. The current significance is probably in tourism, education and housing...
were closed a year later. There have also been no grammar schools since July 1975. However the much-praised King Edward VI College, Stourbridge produces excellent results worthy of a grammar schoolGrammar schoolA grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
(as do most sixth form collegeSixth form collegeA sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
s) to allow pupils to reach their full potential at 18. Former pupils of the school are known as Dudleians. They include Roger CashmoreRoger CashmoreRoger John Cashmore CMG is the Chair of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Previously he was Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford and Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Oxford....
, David TristramDavid TristramDavid Tristram is an English comic playwright. He has published nineteen plays and a comedy novel. Widely performed by amateur and professional groups, his plays have parodied such pop-culture genres as soap operas and detective stories.Educated at Dudley Grammar School and Birmingham University,...
, Hugh WaltersHugh Walters (author)Hugh Walters was a writer of juvenile Science Fiction novels from Bradley in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
and Michael TaylorMichael TaylorMichael Taylor may refer to:*Michael Taylor *Michael Taylor *Michael R. Taylor, former Monsanto's Vice President, adviser to the Food and Drug Administration...
. - The Dudley School was a mixed comprehensive school in DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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 was founded in 1975 on the merger on the town's two single-sex grammar schools, Dudley Girls High SchoolDudley Girls High SchoolDudley Girls' High School was a selective higher education school which provided education for girls aged 11 to 18 years.-History:It was located in Dudley, England, and opened on 8 December 1910 near the town centre in Priory Road, 12 years after Dudley Grammar School moved to neighbouring premises...
and Dudley Grammar School, and was located on the two sites near Dudley town centre. The formation of the school also involved a merger with a smaller school; Park Secondary School. The Dudley School catered for pupils aged from 12 to 18 years. In 1985, just ten years after the Dudley School's formation, Dudley councilMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
unveiled plans for it to merge with at least one smaller secondary school to create The Ednam School. One plan put forward at this time was for the Priory Road buildings (formerly the Girls High School) to be developed as a school for children aged up to 16 years, with the former Boys Grammar School buildings being converted into a sixth form college. In October 1988, it was decided that the Dudley School would merge with The Blue Coat SchoolThe Blue Coat School, DudleyThe Blue Coat School was a mixed secondary school located in Dudley, England. It was opened in 1869 within buildings in Bean Road, several hundred yards east of Dudley town centre...
on Kates Hill with effect from September 1989. The school's pupils voted for the new school to be called Castle HighCastle High School (Dudley)For schools of the same name, see Castle High School.Castle High School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. It caters for pupils aged from 11 to 16 years. It is also a specialist Arts College.-The school:...
. The plan was for Castle High to exist solely at the Dudley School site, but for the first year it also incorporated the Blue Coat buildings for that school's oldest two year groups as sufficient space was not available at the Dudley School site until new buildings were completed and the sixth form was closed due to falling pupil numbers and a decision by the local authority to relocate most of the borough's sixth form facilities from schools to further education colleges. The last year of sixth form students began their studies at the school in September 1988 and remained there until the sixth form closed in July 1990; there were no admissions to the sixth form at the new school in September 1989. The school's final head teacher was Mr Joseph Kenneth "Ken" West, who was head for the final four years until the merger following the retirement of Mr Alfred "Fred" Austin (born Fredi Stiller as a JewJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1928; and who became Fred Austin upon his adoption by a British family at the outbreak of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) in 1939. Mr Austin had been head since the formation of the Dudley School in 1975 and Mr West was a teacher of Mathematics at the school. Ian Austin, who became Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Dudley NorthDudley North (UK Parliament constituency)Dudley North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
in May 2005, was a pupil at the school from 1977 until 1983. He is the adoptive son of the school's former head teacher.
- Dudley Girls High School was a selective higher education school which provided education for girls aged 11 to 18 years. It was located in DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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...
, and opened in 1910 near the town centre in Priory Road, 12 years after Dudley Grammar School (for boys) moved to neighbouring premises. Dudley Girls High School served Dudley and its surrounding area for 65 years, before it merged with the grammar school to form The Dudley School in 1975. Plans for a merger had been in the pipeline since 1966, and the age range was changed from 11-18 to 12-18 in 1972. Another merger came in 1989, this time when the Dudley School merged with The Blue Coat SchoolThe Blue Coat School, DudleyThe Blue Coat School was a mixed secondary school located in Dudley, England. It was opened in 1869 within buildings in Bean Road, several hundred yards east of Dudley town centre...
to form Castle High SchoolCastle High School (Dudley)For schools of the same name, see Castle High School.Castle High School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. It caters for pupils aged from 11 to 16 years. It is also a specialist Arts College.-The school:...
. The former grammar schoolGrammar schoolA grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
buildings were expanded between 1990 and 1995, leaving the high school buildings disused after July 1995, although a sports hall on the site was retained and is still in use now, with a new entrance being built from the old grammar school site to enable the old high school to be demolished. Dudley council had considered using the old high school as council offices, but these plans were scrapped in favour of demolition, which took place in early 1996. The site of the school has been used as a public car park since 1997, though in October 2009 plans were unveiled to build an annexe to Dudley CollegeDudley CollegeDudley College is a college of further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England.-History:In 1862 the Dudley Public Hall and Mechanics Institute was built. In 1896 this was expanded to become the Dudley Technical School, which became Dudley Technical College in 1926...
on the site. Notable alumnae include: Sue LawleySue Lawley- Early life and education:Born in Sedgley, Staffordshire, England and brought up in the Black Country, she was educated at Dudley Girls High School and graduated in modern languages from the University of Bristol and some time later started her career at the BBC in Plymouth...
, Dorothy Round, Baroness Jenny TongeJenny TongeJennifer Louise Tonge, Baroness Tonge is a politician in the United Kingdom. She was Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Richmond Park in London from 1997 to 2005.-Early life:...
and BBC WM radio presenter Jenny WilkesBBC WMBBC WM is the BBC Local Radio service for the West Midlands, South Staffordshire, north Worcestershire and north Warwickshire, operated by BBC Birmingham. Launched on 9 November 1970 as BBC Radio Birmingham, it broadcasts from central Birmingham on 95.6 FM, DAB and on the internet...
.
- High Park School was a secondary school located in StourbridgeStourbridgeStourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England. It was built around 1960 as a secondary modern school to serve the WollastonWollaston, West MidlandsWollaston is a village and suburb of Stourbridge, in West Midlands, England. It is within Dudley Metropolitan Borough. It is situated on the border between Dudley Metropolitan Borough and Staffordshire County , and until 1974 was in Worcestershire. Wollaston is one mile from Stourbridge town...
area of the town, adopting comprehensive status in September 1975. By the 1980s, pupil numbers at the school were falling and Dudley MBCMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
decided to merge High Park with nearby Longlands School. The merger was completed in September 1990, when Ridgewood High School opened within the High Park buildings. The Longlands School buildings were taken over by Stourbridge CollegeStourbridge CollegeStourbridge College is a further education college situated in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England.The main campus, built during the 1970s, is situated south of the town centre on Hagley Road...
. At the time of Ridgewood's formation, new buildings were added to the High Park site to accommodate the pupils from the old Longlands School.
- Longlands School was a secondary school located in StourbridgeStourbridgeStourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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 was built during the 1930s to serve the expanding Stourbridge area as a secondary modern school. The school later gained comprehensiveComprehensive schoolA comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
status, but by the 1980s, pupil numbers were falling. Dudley MBCMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
decided to merge Longlands with nearby High Park School, and the merger was completed in September 1990 when Ridgewood High School opened within the High Park buildings. The old Longlands School buildings were then taken over by Stourbridge CollegeStourbridge CollegeStourbridge College is a further education college situated in Stourbridge, West Midlands, England.The main campus, built during the 1970s, is situated south of the town centre on Hagley Road...
, who are still using the site as a campus after nearly 20 years, although it is set to close during the 2010s if plans to merge Stourbridge College with Dudley CollegeDudley CollegeDudley College is a college of further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England.-History:In 1862 the Dudley Public Hall and Mechanics Institute was built. In 1896 this was expanded to become the Dudley Technical School, which became Dudley Technical College in 1926...
go ahead.
- Saltwells Secondary School was a secondary school located in NethertonNetherton, West MidlandsNetherton is a town in the West Midlands within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. It lies around south of the town of Dudley and north of Cradley Heath...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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 was b 1962+ to replace Halesowen Road School - known locally as The Iron School due to its corrugated iron construction. The school closed in July 1986 due to falling numbers on the school roll, and most of the remaining pupils and staff were transferred to The Hillcrest SchoolThe Hillcrest SchoolThe Hillcrest School and Community College is a secondary school located in Netherton, near Dudley, England.The school was opened in about 1960 as one of two new secondary schools built in the expanding town. The other was Saltwells Secondary School. Both of these schools replaced a smaller...
, now the only secondary school in Netherton. The school's status changed from secondary modern to comprehensive in September 1975 as part of a borough wide change to secondary education. The age range changed from 11-15/16 to 12-16 in September 1972, also to fit in with a reorganisation of local education (which was not reverted until 1990). The school buildings remain in use to this day as the site of Saltwells Education Development Centre - the educational development centre which serves the entire DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
borough.
- Walton Girls School was a girls secondary modern school situated in HalesowenHalesowenHalesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, EnglandEnglandEngland 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 was built during the 1930s to serve the central area of Halesowen. It remained open for some 50 years, and during the final years of its existence was the only all-girls secondary school in the Dudley boroughMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
(which Halesowen became part of in 1974). It was originally a school for girls aged 11 upwards, but was reorganised to a 13-18 comprehensive in September 1972, when three-tier education was introduced in Halesowen. It was reorganised into an 11-16 comprehensive in September 1982, when it gained two younger year groups but lost its sixth form as all of the town's sixth form facilities were relocated to an expanded Halesowen College. Walton finally closed its doors in July 1985 when it merged with nearby Richmond Boys SchoolRichmond Boys SchoolRichmond Boys School was a secondary school located in Halesowen, West Midlands, England.It was built during the 1930s as a Secondary modern boys school to serve the expanding Black Country town of Halesowen, and in September 1985 merged with Walton Girls School to form Windsor High School.The...
to form Windsor High School. The new school was located entirely at the Richmond site from its opening in September 1985, and the Walton buildings were taken over by Halesowen College.
- Greenhill Middle School was a 9-13 middle school situated in HalesowenHalesowenHalesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
(formerly WorcestershireWorcestershireWorcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
), EnglandEnglandEngland 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 opened in September 1972 within the buildings of the former Hill & Cakemore Secondary Modern boys and girls schools situated on Long Lane. Its opening coincided with the reorganisation of schools in Halesowen which saw 5-7 infant, 7-11 junior and 11-16/18 secondary schools replaced by 5-9 first, 9-13 middle and 13-18 secondary schools. The old Hill & Cakemore Secondary Modern School was relocated to a site in Kent Road which became known as Leasowes High SchoolLeasowes Community CollegeLeasowes Community College is a secondary school in Halesowen, West Midlands, England. It was opened in 1972 to replace the nearby Hill & Cakemore Secondary School, and during the 1990s awarded Community College status....
, serving pupils aged 13-18. However, three-tier education in Halesowen was a short lived experiment which lasted only 10 years. It was abolished in July 1982, and for the academic year beginning September 1982 the traditional age ranges were restored. This resulted in Greenhill Middle School being closed, with the lowest year group in the school being transferred to Olive Hill Primary School for a year, while the older three year groups remained at the Greenhill site which was annexed into Leasowes High School. The Greenhill site remained in use until 1987, when extensions were completed at the main Leasowes site to accommodate the younger pupils. The Greenhill buildings fell into disuse and were demolished.
- Cradley High School was a secondary schoolSecondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
located in the Cradley area of HalesowenHalesowenHalesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
, which is a village in the West Midlands countyWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
of EnglandEnglandEngland 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 situated in the west end of Halesowen near the borders with StourbridgeStourbridgeStourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
and Brierley HillBrierley HillBrierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
. As of 2006, the school had 606 pupils on roll.OfSTED: Cradley High School In 2006, fears were rife that falling numbers on the school's roll might force it to close. In February 2007, DudleyDudleyDudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
's independent School Organisation Committee approved proposals to close the school with effect from August 31, 2008. The Year 11 pupils left as normal in 2007. Year 10 pupils completed their education at Cradley High and left in 2008. Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 transfer to other schools in September 2007, with most pupils moving to Pedmore Technology College. The final year of pupils left the school over the summer of 2008, and the school buildings (along with the adjacent leisure centre) are expected to be sold off for redevelopment. It was the first secondary school closure in the Dudley borough for 18 years. The large school fields, however, are to be retained for community use. The Cradley High buildings were completed in the spring of 1992 at the end of a five-year construction project which saw the original buildings gradually replaced by new ones. The official opening took place on 5 June 1992, but tragedy struck when head teacher Mr John Grass died suddenly from a heart attack. His successor was Ms Toni Fowler, who remained at the school until its closure 16 years later. The origins of Cradley High School date back to 1939, when Cradley Secondary Modern School opened to serve pupils aged 11 and above in the expanding community of Cradley. This school closed in July 1972 as part of a reorganisation of schools in the Halesowen area, and was replaced with Cradley Middle School for pupils aged 9-13. However, this system was scrapped after 10 years and the school was redesignated as an 11-16 comprehensive in September 1982, adopting the name Cradley High School. Within 10 years, the whole school had been rebuilt. It achieved mixed success in the local GCSEGeneral Certificate of Secondary EducationThe General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
tables, being the Dudley borough'sMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
lowest-scoring school in 2001, but having improved substantially since then. On April 28, 2008, a technology workshop in the school was damaged by fire and smoke in an arson attack. It is believed that a firework was put into the room which set fire to furniture. The fire was attended to by two crews from Brierley Hill and Cradley Heath fire stations. The school is due to be demolished over the summer of 2010, having been derelict for two years (http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/8213102.Furious_councillor_claims_generations_of_Cradley_children_will_suffer_as_school_is_demolished, http://www.cradley-h.dudley.gov.uk/Index.htm, http://www.edubase.gov.uk/EstablishmentView.aspx?EstablishmentID=3858).
- Homer Hill Middle School was a 9-13 middle school situated in the Cradley area of HalesowenHalesowenHalesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
, West MidlandsWest Midlands (county)The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
(formerly WorcestershireWorcestershireWorcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
), EnglandEnglandEngland 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 opened in September 1972 when Halesowen Urban District Council abolished the traditional 5-7 infant, 7-11 junior and 11-16/18 secondary schools in favour of 5-9 first, 9-13 middle and 13-16/18 seconary schools. It was situated within the buildings of Cradley Secondary Modern School, which had opened in 1939. In 1974, Halesowen and neighbouring StourbridgeStourbridgeStourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
(which had stuck with the traditional school age ranges) were merged into the Metropolitan Borough of DudleyMetropolitan Borough of DudleyThe Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
, which had adopted 5-8 first, 8-12 middle and 12-16/18 secondary schools in 1972. The first and middle schools in Halesowen were abolished in July 1982, with the traditional age ranges being reinstated with effect from the school year beginning September 1982. The reorganisation of schools in Halesowen saw Homer Hill Middle School close down and re-open as Cradley High SchoolCradley High SchoolCradley High School was a secondary school located in the Cradley area of Halesowen, which is a village in the West Midlands county of England. It is situated in the west end of Halesowen near the borders with Stourbridge and Brierley Hill...
, which was based within its buildings. However, the buildings were unsuitable in the long term as a modern secondary school, and by 1990 they had all been demolished as the new Cradley High buildings were developed in pieces. Cradley High was a short-lived school, closing in July 2008 due to falling pupil numbers. The school buildings were knocked down in 2010.