Before being renamed as The City School, in 1969, the Stradbroke Road establishment had been (1964–1969) City Grammar School (CGS). CGS itself had previously occupied premises in Sheffield city centre where, until 1941, it had been the Sheffield Pupil Teacher Centre (SPTC). The original institution dates from the 1890s.
William Edward Forster (Elementary Education Act 1870)
The Elementary Education Act 1870, commonly known as Forster's Education Act, set the framework for schooling of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 in England and Wales and established local school boards. The main function of these bodies was to use local rates (taxes) to finance the building of schools in cases where the range of existing establishments was inadequate. A driving force behind the Act was a perceived need for Britain to remain competitive in the world by being at the forefront of manufacture and improvement. The only existing formal education until this time had been in church schools and some ragged schools for the poor. Between 1870 and 1880, 3,000–4,000 schools were started or taken over by school boards.
Former buildings along Orchard Lane
The resulting new schools consequently required larger numbers of teachers. Furthermore, higher standards of educational attainment came to be expected in schools, so the quality of the teachers also needed to be raised. It became necessary, therefore, to develop efficient and affordable methods of improving the standards of teacher training. The solution adopted, along the 1870s, 80s and 90s, was the education of "pupil teachers" for a four-year period (14–18 years of age) in specific training centres.[2]
SPTC logo
Pupil numbers declined from 376 in 1906 to 143 in 1912, but subsequent rapid increases in the period 1915 to 1920 led to the necessity to contract thirteen additional members of staff and classes also had to be held at other premises at Carver Street, Townhead Street, Arundel Street (College of Arts and Crafts) and the Central School in addition to the Centre itself. In 1922 the centre implemented an annual admission of four forms of boys and girls who had qualified via the 11-plus, and it effectively became a secondary school.[3]
Sheffield City Grammar School
A reporter, writing about the City Grammar School in "Yorkshire Life" magazine,[4] in 1960 commented, "... to me it is one of the city's most interesting schools ... it was co-educational at a time when it was considered revolutionary for the sexes to mingle in class ... there is a solid, down-to-earth atmosphere about it that fits the character of the city, and its pupils have the friendliness and assurance one expects from Sheffield's hard-working, self-respecting citizens ... ".
CGS continued at the city centre site until 19 February 1964 when the first assembly was held for the 760 pupils at the newly completed, £300,000,[5] Stradbroke Road premises. (Sheffield City Council data[6] for 1959/60 had evaluated the cost of the Orchard Lane buildings and furniture, at that time, to be £80,121 14s. 3d.).
The City School
The City School logo until 2009
In 2007 Ofsted put the school into special measures, but following a June 2008 inspection this decision was rescinded. In 2012 the school was again placed into special measures. David Lack took over as a temporary headteacher.[7]
