Barrow-in-Furness Higher Grade School - Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK - Wikipedia Entries on Waymarking.com

The Higher Grade School building in Barrow-in-Furness is a Grade II listed and has functioned as a number of educational institutions throughout its long history.

"This school was designed by JY McIntosh in Renaissance style. The foundation stone was laid by Lady Cavendish on 11.8.1888. It was a Higher Grade School that provided higher education for up to 1,200 pupils from the town. At that time pupils attended Elementary schools and generally left aged 14 which was the school leaving age. After that one Higher Grade School was provided for more academic pupils whose families were able to afford to let them stay on at school."

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"School. 1888. By JY McIntosh. Red brick with ashlar sandstone dressings, graduated slate roof. U-shaped plan having gabled crosswings and double-depth centre; in Renaissance style. 2 storeys with half-basement; 1:4:1 bays. Basement has pedimented central doorway beneath offset band. Upper floors have architraved cross-windows linked by continuous sill and transom bands and by mid-floor sunken panels with ribbons, swags and flowers carved in relief; modillioned eaves cornice. Wings have fielded apron panels to mullioned and transomed 3-light windows in moulded surrounds with ballflower ornament; corbel tables beneath mid-floor panels that read 'HIGHER GRADE SCHOOL'; hoodmould over 1st-floor windows. Gables have a quatrefoil in keyed oculus, shaped kneelers moulded copings and finials (that to front left missing); terracotta ridge cresting. Short right return of left wing has panelled door under basket arch with hoodmould. Left return of same wing: transomed 1- and 2-light windows; doorway on right has panelled double doors in pilastered and pedimented surround with carved panel and word 'COOKERY' in tympanum. Lombard frieze at eaves. INTERIOR: central part has transverse partition wall formed by 3-bay arcade of moulded brick basket arches with consoles on the keystones; within are original part-glazed partitions and classroom doors beneath wooden tracery; former hall at front has later divisions. Scheme repeated on 1st floor, the arches obscured by false ceiling. Foundation stone (beneath front-left window) laid by Lady Cavendish on 11.8.1888; when completed provided for the higher education of up to 1,200 pupils. Later additions not of special interest."

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"From completion until 1930 the building was occupied by the Barrow Higher Grade School. The School opened in the late 1890s as The Higher Grade School. At the time it was Barrow's only High School. A new building was opened in the 1930s adjacent to the original building, to form separate Boys' and Girls' schools; Alfred Barrow Boys' School and Alfred Barrow Girls' School. The original Higher Grade School building became the Girls' School and the adjacent building became the Boys' School. In The 1950s and 1960s, the school underwent further change, the Boys' School was moved to a new site at Holker Street in Barrow, and the Boys' School building at the main site was demolished. New extension blocks were built at the main site. In the 1970s a new science block and gym were opened at the main site, and the segregation of gender ceased. This formed the Alfred Barrow Comprehensive School. Initially, the Holker Street Site (Formerly the Boys' School) became the lower School for years 1 to 3, and the Main Site became the Upper School. In the mid 1980s the Holker Street Site was closed, and the Main Site became the Alfred Barrow Comprehensive School on one site. The school's image diminished during the late 1990s. In 2003 the Department of Education wrote to Cumbria County Council recommending that Alfred Barrow School is closed down. However, after a campaign, the School was saved. However, it was decided that there would be a major overhaul of the educational provision in Furness, which ultimately led to the creation of Furness Academy. The second campaign to save the School, as well as 2 other Barrow High Schools was unsuccessful. In September 2009 Alfred Barrow School closed and the children moved to the new Furness Academy at Parkview and Thorncliffe. The last headteacher was Dr. Linda Potts, who had managed to successfully lead the School out of special measures within its last year."

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