School - Institute Road, Kings Heath

[suemalings]

I know there is a Catholic School in Institute Road now but does anyone know if it has always been a Catholic School, or was there another school in this road. I have a relative on the 1921 census who was part-time at a school in Institute Road, Kings Heath, so I am trying to find out what kind of school or college it would be for a 14 year old and if she was taking a subject such as typewriting.

 

[MWS]

Mainly about The Institute but a mention and a photo of the school in post #9...

Kings Heath Institute

Does the Institute still exist ? I don’t seem to be able to see it on Streetview. Image dated 1907. Viv.

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[pjmburns]

The current school in Institute Road is Bishop Challoner and according to British History Online

BISHOP CHALLONER R.C. MODERN SCHOOL, King's Heath. Opened 1953 as a special agreement sch. N.o.b. 1961: 400.

 

[KRO Brummie]

There was another school which was in Institute Rd many years before Bishop Challoner was built in the mid 50's. It was called Kings Heath Primary School and was split into Infants and Juniors with separate buildings and playgrounds. It was a wonderful Victorian styled building which added a lot to the area and was much loved by a few generations of Kings Heath residents who went there. It was on the corner of Institute Rd and Kings Heath High St and Woolworths was on the opposite corner. Diagonally across the road was the MEB showroom. The school was moved to Valentine Rd some years ago and was replaced by a row of shops including a MacDonalds where my classroom used to be. I went there from about 1954 to 1960. I loved the school and ran the few miles to get there most mornings. To me it was a place where I could play football, cricket in the playground at every opportunity and swim at Kings Heath Baths opposite All this was interrupted with some time in a classroom called lessons. Something must have sunk in as I went on the pass the 11+ and to go on to Grammar School. Eight out of a class of 40 ish passed the 11+. We had swimming lessons across the road at Kings Heath Baths and Birmingham City Council gave me a free pass at around aged 8 for completing a length of the baths. We were taught to swim by a Mr Watt - the old joke of "What's your name ?" - "Watt" is still trotted out 60 years later. This was great for me as at home we didn't have a bathroom or hot water so a 3 or 4 times a week visit to the swimming baths kept me clean. I look back very fondly on my time at the school and it gave me a great foundation for learning that served me well for life. I also starred as Joseph in the Nativity play but, sadly, this was both the start and end of my acting career.

 

[Janet Hunt]

My younger brother was at Kings Heath Junior and infant school in the early 1970's. The school closed mid 70's and he was transferred to the Newly built Junior and infant school on the corner of Poplar Rd and Valentine Road. Which was handy as we lived on Springfield Road at the time(a few houses away from the school). I believe this school was originally built around 1880 and was firstly Kings Heath Board School.

This an early picture School on the left:

 

[pjmburns]

The address was actually High Street as it was on the corner of Institute Road and High Street

 

[mv52]

I was a student at the Primary School in 1959.