History of Education in Wolverhampton

Schools before 1870 :

In the early 19th century there were very few schools. Schools were run by private individuals, many were 'dame' schools that offered only a very basic level of education.

The Old Bluecoat School Little Berry Street, between 1832 and 1881.

There were also schools, like Wolverhampton's Bluecoat School, that were run by religious or philanthropic groups and old established schools such as Wolverhampton Grammar School, whose records date back to its foundation in 1512. Many children worked and may only have been educated in Sunday Schools, although factories sometimes had schools such as Chillington Boy's School, connected with Wolverhampton's Chillington Iron Company.

Churches became directly involved with running schools after 1811. From 1833 they were supported by grants from the State and in 1865 an Education Department was formed, the forerunner of the present Department For Education and Employment.

The School Board Era 1870 -1902 :

The first state system of elementary schools was established by the 1870 Education Act. Where churches were not providing enough school places, School Boards were set up to run schools, supported by the rates. Wolverhampton elected a School Board in 1870 and Wednesfield in 1875. Tettenhall and Bilston did not have School Boards; all their schools were provided by the churches.

Many new Board schools were opened and the existing church schools continued as Voluntary schools. All the schools that existed in 1895 are shown on the map. Education was not made compulsory until 1880 and then only up to the age of 10. It was not provided free of charge until 1891.

During this period the numbers of children attending school rose dramatically and significant numbers of school records began to accumulate. Some of our school collections date back to this time, including those of SS Peter and Paul RC School, St Stephen's CE School and Red Cross Street School.

Although the provision of secondary schools was not included in the Act of 1870, Wolverhampton set up its first secondary school, the Higher Grade School in Newhampton Road, in 1894.

Schools after the 1902 Education Act :

This Act led to the phasing out of School Boards and the control of elementary education passed to County or County Borough Councils. Education Committees were set up and school managers introduced to run individual schools. Local authorities were now allowed to provide secondary schools. Wolverhampton set up an Education Committee in 1903.

In Wolverhampton the Higher Grade School extended the education of a small number of pupils up to the age of 15 although most of the pupils paid fees. Wolverhampton Grammar School provided the only education leading to University and also had a small number of free places.

By 1905 all elementary education in Wolverhampton was free but children had to be five years of age before starting school.

The 1921 Education Act put the emphasis on extending secondary education. This was followed by the Hadow report in 1926 recommending a break in schooling at the age of 11. As a result of this report there was a major reorganisation of schools in Wolverhampton in 1931 resulting in the creation of senior departments in elementary schools and a large-scale transfer of pupils and teachers. The only schools not included were the Roman Catholic schools.

Bilston Girl's High School, Kindergarten Class c1930

Education after the Second World War :

The 1944 Education Act raised the school leaving age to 15 and introduced secondary education for all pupils in three types of secondary school. In Wolverhampton, the schools were reorganised in 1946. The three Grammar Schools remained the same; Wolverhampton Grammar School (boys), the Girls High School and the Municipal Grammar School (mixed) plus two Roman Catholic Grammar Schools. The Intermediate School became the Technical High School and the old senior departments of the elementary schools became sixteen Secondary Modern Schools. Pupils were selected by the 11 plus examination.

In 1966 local government re-organisation brought Bilston, Wednesfield and Tettenhall into Wolverhampton Borough. Schools in these areas, which had formerly been run by Staffordshire, now came under Wolverhampton's control, along with other schools that had been just outside the boundary in places such as Bushbury, Castlecroft and Lanesfield.

Wolverhampton schools were reorganised along comprehensive lines in the early 1970s. This led to a lot of mergers between secondary schools that had formerly been Grammar, Technical, Bilateral or Secondary Modern Schools. In addition the remaining separate boys and girls schools became mixed and some schools were closed.