Does anyone remember Highfield School for Girls?

I remember Highfield School which was on Sharrow Lane, just above "The Learners" (Mount Pleasant House)

By the late 60's, it had stopped being a general school and became a school for children with mild learning difficulties.

Didn't it also become an office for the DHSS (as it was in the 60's)?

I was a pupil at Brincliffe Grammar School during the 1960's and we had our "Domestic Science" lessons down at what I believe was Highfield School, is this the same one you're meaning Plain Talker?

Duffems.

If it's the one just below Sharrow Lane School, then, yes.

(I know MPH, next door, was a driving test centre, after being an orphanage/ school , hence the nickname that local kids used:- "the Learners" I used to play in the grounds as a kiddie.)

I attended Sharrow Lane school from 1942 - 1952 and remember that in the last two years, my class attended woodworking classes in part of that building, which was accessed from Sharrow Lane.

Hello Plain Talker and Sharrovian.
I was there from 58 to 64. There was another School that went into there for Cookery.
There were two Economic Rooms. One for the visiting School and the other for the pupils of the School itself.
There was also a Woodwork Room for visiting boys from other Schools. The School was altered inside and out.
Nice to speak to you all.

Hi kath2ivan,

Thanks for that information. I STR that there were some prefab-y classrooms on the site (not the terrapins, but the asbestos walled things like wartime huts nearer sitwell road?) were they the workshops and home economics classrooms?

I'm assuming it must have been an ordinary school at that time, then, and not for children with learning difficulties?

Hello Plain Talker.
In my time period 58 - 64.The entire School was for children with Learning Difficulties including the two Prefabs. There were of course different levels
of difficulties,but we were all treated the same. The three 'R's. Assembly. P.E. Dancing. Needle Craft. Baking. Swimming.

Speak to you soon love.

kath2ivan,
Thank you for answering that query, I was talking with someone else on another forum, who said that a relative of theirs went to the school in the 1920's, and this relative was disabled, but I wasn't sure about how that school "worked" pre the 1960s.

As I said, a classmate of mine transferred across to there, and some friends of mine also went there but this was post 1968, and so I was not sure if things had been changed when the new education system came in, with the comprehensives etc, and whether Highfield had been changed at that time.

My own sister has LDs but she went to Bents Green Special School, I don't know if she'd have coped at Highfield, but she did extremely well at BGSS, and came on tremendously.

Their were two huts accessed from Sitwell Rd. and in my time there each hut had two classrooms, one hut on the left was for Senior 3 and 4 boys, the other for S3 and S4 girls. The teachers were Mr. Buxton and Mr. Wright for the boys. We were kept away from each other quite strictly and at "playtime" the boys had to walk up to the main school whilst the girls stayed at the huts area, this was 1950-52.

Hello Plain Talker and Sharrovian.
In my day the Head Teacher was Mrs. Horner. I remember Miss and Mrs. Bailey.Before the alterations there were three Classrooms and a small Hall.
Toilets outside. Following alterations the Hall became a Cloakroom plus Toilets.
58-64.

Hello Plain Talker and Sharrovian.
In my day the Head Teacher was Mrs. Horner. I remember Miss and Mrs. Bailey.Before the alterations there were three Classrooms and a small Hall.
Toilets outside. Following alterations the Hall became a Cloakroom plus Toilets.
58-64.

The "huts" no longer exist (I STR) but the school building itself is still there, doesn't look to be in too bad nick from the outside.

It's now called "The Hub" and houses an after school and youth project, run by "FURD" (Football Unites, Racism Divides") which mentors Schoolkids. I'm involved, as the Charity I work for took kids on placements, and we mentored a number of youngsters, helping them get jobs and places at University as a result.

Hello Plain Talker.
This is Ivan of Kath 2 Ivan. Sorry for the delay with the reply. My wife Kathleen is at the moment in Hospital. Something bit her foot while out for a walk with our Grandson last weekend. Her foot swelled up and turned very red in colour. Our local G.P. treated her with antibiotics to no effect. So she was then admitted to Hospital. Kathleen underwent a Hip replacement operation just about 7 months ago. So our Doctor was not taking any chances.

By the way,you are doing a fantastic job for the kids.

Incidently I attended a Knitting Course at the same School in the 90's. It was then Mount Pleasant Community Centre. I was not the only man there.

Our respects to you.

Sorry to hear Kath is not too well, send her our good wishes for a speedy recovery, won't you? Hope she's home very soon.

I attended Sharrow Lane school from 1942 - 1952 and remember that in the last two years, my class attended woodworking classes in part of that building, which was accessed from Sharrow Lane.

I attended Sharrow Lane school in the 30's,and also did woodworking lessons in that place. The teacher was a Scot,and his choice of weapon for punishment was a strap.Made a change from the cane!