Education
A Pupil Teachers' Training Centre was founded at South Grove, formerly a large private house, in 1901. Rotherham's first higher elementary school was built here ten years later.
Under the terms of the Balfour Act the new borough council of Rotherham took over responsibility for the local schools from the School Boards. The first Director of Education, Spurley Hey pushed the Council into making provision for pupils aged 11 – 14 by opening two higher standard schools for boys and girls.
- 1911 South Grove on Moorgate. Closed 1987 and demolished about 2002.
- 1914 Kimberworth. Closed about 2003 but I am unsure what has happened to the school buildings. I have read that they are being converted into a children's and community centre. The pupils were reallocated to Winterhill School.
In 1903 the council purchased the private Girl's School on Alma Road. In 1910 the Rotherham Girl's High School was opened on Middle Lane. The Boys's Grammar School was incorporated into the Board of Education's grant list and the Council gained the right to nominate eight of the fifteen governors.
As the Century progressed and the slums were cleared in town, new schools were built to provide education for the children on the new housing estates. A new Central School called Spurley Hey was opened on Cranworth Road in 1931. Following the 1944 Education Act further secondary schools were built.
- 1952/3 Oakwood Boys and Girls Technical Schools. These became general secondary schools in 1960.
- 1959 Old Hall, Kimberworth
- 1961 St Bernard's Catholic School
- 1965 Wingfield
From 1967 the Boys' Grammar School and the Girls' High School became comprehensives. The Grammar School became the Thomas Rotherham 6th Form College and the High School Clifton Comprehensive.
A School of Art had existed on Effingham Street for some time. In 1931 a new building called Rotherham College of Technology and Art was built on Howard Street. A further building was added in about 1960 when I remember being reluctantly dragged along see the opening by the Duke of Edinbugh. A third building came in the 1970s I think. The building on Effingham Street continued to be used until the 1960s for at times there used to be large signs outside asking for people to work as 'Life Models'. I was into my twenties before I realised that 'Life Models' had to pose in the nude.