Page 2 - index

A Brief History of Educaton in Newcastle

By 1895 St Giles and St George’s
combined to open a new school to
cater for pupils of all ages.
1985 saw further changes with the
In 1928 a new Grammar School for creaton of Sneyd High School as a split
Boys was opened in Wolstanton, thus site school following the amalgamaton
A Free School has existed in Newcastle leaving the Orme School on the of Trinity Church of England High
since Elizabethan tmes. This was frst Higherland to cater for other pupils. School and Edward Orme High School.
housed in a building in St. Giles church This was part of further reorganisaton
It was in 1948 that a girls’ grammar
yard. The frst recorded bequest was of educaton within the Newcastle
school was formally opened at Clayton
from Thomas Clayton in his will of 1602 area. The Knuton site closed in 1987.
Hall. Thus providing free grammar
remembering his birthplace. He lef a
school educaton for girls within The name of Sneyd High School was
yearly rent of £10 “to pay for a master
Newcastle, some 20 years afer this changed in 1997 to become Newcastle
which shall teach and instruct in
was achieved for the boys of the Community High School, a name which
learning thirty poor children born
Borough. it was felt beter described what the
within the said town of Newcastle-
school stood for.
under-Lyme.”
Clayton Hall achieved the distncton
The Reverend Edward Orme lef the
of Specialist School status in 2004 and
greater part of his estate to fund a new
the name was changed to refect this.
“English School – the Orme Charity
The school became known as Clayton
School” which was housed at the
th
beginning of the 18 century in the Hall Business and Language College.
Presbyterian Meetng House. The In 2008 Newcastle Community High
school taught, free of charge, reading, School achieved Specialist School
writng and accounts to 40 poor boys Status and changed to become NCHS
and was closely associated with the In 1965 a new school was opened in The Science College.
Parish Church. In 1715 the Old Orme Ashfelds New Road, called Newcastle A federaton was formed in 2009
School House was built when the Church of England Secondary School between Clayton and NCHS to enable
school had to evacuate the old Meetng and this resulted in the secondary aged closer working between the two
House “on its being burnt down by pupils from St. Giles and St. George’s schools, each being a part of the South
rioters”. Special pews were provided in being housed in the new school. St Newcastle Federaton.
St. Giles Church for the use of the Giles and St. George’s school remained
In 2013 the two schools became
“English Master and his pupils”. for primary aged children.
Foundaton Schools with a Trust board
St Giles Natonal School opened in 1826
and new governing body. This followed
and shortly afer St. George’s opened
discussions and advice from the Church
an infants school in a former malt
of England’s Lichfeld Diocesan Director
house on Sunday Wells Street.
of Educaton. The Trust Board includes
members representng Keele
University, Newcastle under Lyme
College and Aspire Housing.

In order to ensure further progress is
maintained within the current
educatonal climate, the governors
decided in 2015 to apply for Academy
A watercolour by an unknown nineteenth century artst of the Orme status, which has been approved and
Boys School. (stll there on the corner of Orme Road in Newcastle). will be efectve in September 2015.
Courtesy of Borough Museum and Art Gallery, Newcastle under Lyme
In 1851 the Orme Charity School This will ensure our future as we
opened, housed in new buildings on contnue our journey towards
the site of the former workhouse in the excellence.
Higherland. by David Leech.

2