Schools of Birmingham
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Mason's Orphanage, Erdington 1908. A class of girls
From: Steve Jones Birmingham ... The Sinister Side 1998 |
The increase in the population of Birmingham has logically been accompanied by a corresponding need for schooling. Though many working class children will have had less opportunity than the more fortunate in the past, education of children has always been a prerequisite to growth in industrialisation and quality of work in adulthood.
A survey carried out by the Statistical Society for the Improvement of Education in 1838 showed that 20% of the town's 45,000 children between 5 and 15 years were attending day schools, and roughly a half were attending some kind of school, be it a private "dame" school or Sunday school. However, according to the results of the investigation, many of these children were simply learning by rote or practising writing, but receiving little instruction. It seems a fair assumption, therefore, that the only effective education was received by the 822 children attending the 36 "superior" schools of the town.
The most prestigious school is what is known today as King Edward's Grammar School. It was founded by the then King under the name Free Grammar School on the south side of New Street. Having been housed at that site in two splendid buildings, it later moved south to Edgbaston, where it remains today.
The following list as only a start. It will be expanded over the next few weeks.
| School | Area | Location | Built | By | Remarks |
| Bishop Ryder's Branch S. | Gosta Green | Staniforth St | 1869 | | Closed 1880 |
| Blue Coat Charity S. | Birmingham | St Philip's Sq | 1722 | William Higgs, rector of St Phillip's | |
| Bridge Street Central Board S. | Birmingham | Bridge St | 1884 | BSB | Closed 1898 |
| Burlington County Primary S: | Aston | Burlington St | 1878 | | |
| Cherry Street Wesleyan S. | Birmingham | Union St/Cherry St | 1830 | | Closed before 1860 |
| Ebenezer British S. | Birmingham | Steelhouse Lane | 1839 | | Linked to Ebenezer Chapel |
| Free Grammar S. | Birmingham | New St | 1545 | King Edward VI | Original building demolished 1707, rebuilt by Charles Barry and demolished 1830. Later moved to Edgbaston | |
| Gem St Industrial S. | Gosta Green | Gem St | 1850 | | Later moved to Harborne |
| Gem Street Elementary District S. | Gosta Green | Gem St | 1838 | | Anglican. Rebuilt 1841 |
| Handsworth Grammar S. | Handsworth | Grove Lane | 1862 | Handsworth Bridge Trust | Originally Bridge Trust S. |
| Handsworth National S. | Handsworth | Church Hill Rd/Hamstead Rd | 1812 | Handsworth Bridge Trust | |
| Hebrew National S. | Birmingham | Hurst St | 1843 | | Jewish school |
| Lozells County Primary S: | Lozells | Lozells St | 1882 | | |
| Manor Park County Primary S: | Aston | Vicarage Rd | 1878 | | |
| National S. | Erdington | | 1813 | | |
| National S. | Birmingham | Pinfold St | 1813 | | Founded to halt the influence of the dissenters |
| National S. | Handsworth | | 1813 | | |
| New Jerusalem Free S. | Birmingham | Summer Lane | 1833 | | |
| Oozells Street Board S. | Birmingham | Oozells St | 1878 | Martin & Chamberlain | Closed 1898 |
| Royal Lancastrian Free S. | Birmingham | Severn St | 1809 | | Non-denominational. Closed 1933 |
| Royal S. for Deaf Children | Edgbaston | Church Rd | 1812 | | |
| Slaney Street Ragged S. | Birmingham | Slaney St | 1840s | | Closed ca. 1870 |
| St Asaph S. | Birmingham | Bow St | 1869 | | Closed 1948 |
| St Jude's Church S. | Birmingham | Hill St | ca. 1862 | | Closed 1911 |
| St Peter's RC S. | Birmingham | Broad St | 1828 | | Possibly even older |
| St Philip's Ragged S. | Birmingham | Lichfield St | 1846 | | |
| St Thomas' National S. | Birmingham | Bow St | 1859 | | Became St Asaph S. in 1869 |
| Steelhouse Lane British S. | Birmingham | Steelhouse Lane | 1856 | | Closed 1871 |
| William Chance S. | Birmingham | Windmill St | 1845 | William Chance | |
| William Chance S. | Birmingham | Digby St | 1848 | William Chance | |
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