Education in Sheffield facts for kids

Formal education in Sheffield, England, is a really important part of the city. It happens at two big universities, 141 primary schools (for younger kids), and 28 secondary schools (for older kids).

Every year, the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University welcome about 55,000 students to the city. Many of these students come from all over the world, including the Far East. With so many students, Sheffield is a lively place! It has lots of cafes, shops, and places for students to live.

Sheffield also has two further education colleges. These are places where students can study after secondary school, often to get ready for university or a job. Sheffield College is a large college with three main centres: City (in the city centre), Hillsborough (in the north), and Norton (in the south). Another college, Longley Park Sixth Form, opened in 2004.

Many secondary schools in Sheffield have a "sixth form". This is usually for students aged 16-18 who want to continue their studies before university. Eight secondary schools in Sheffield have sixth forms. These include High Storrs, King Ecgbert, King Edward VII, Silverdale, Tapton, Meadowhead, UTC Sheffield City Centre and UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park. The two Catholic schools, All Saints and Notre Dame, also have sixth forms.

Here is a list of the state-funded secondary schools in Sheffield:

Sheffield also has seven private schools. Two well-known ones are Birkdale School and the Sheffield High School for Girls.

History of Education in Sheffield

Education in Sheffield has a very long history, going back more than 500 years!

Early Schools

One of the earliest records of teaching in Sheffield is from 1490. Back then, the Canons of Beauchief Abbey hired a teacher. This teacher helped boys and new students learn grammar and singing.

Another old school is mentioned in 1564. A man named Mr. Yonge got permission to run a school. Then, in 1604, Thomas Smith left money to start a "Free Grammar School." A grammar school was a type of secondary school that taught subjects like Latin and Greek. King James I allowed this school to be built and said it should be called the King James Grammar School.

After Sheffield Castle was taken down in 1648, some of its stones were used. They helped build a new grammar school on Townhead Street. This school was officially called The Free Grammar School of King James of England, within the town of Sheffield, in the County of York. It was used until 1825, when a new school was built in St George's Square. Many other schools were built in Sheffield during this time. Some of them were very famous and taught important people who became leaders in the country.

New Schools and the Education Act

A big change happened in Sheffield after the Education Act of 1870. This law made it possible for local areas to build and run schools for everyone. The very first school built in England under this new law was Newhall School in Attercliffe in 1873. In the same year, Broomhall School opened, and soon after, Netherthorpe and Philadelphia schools followed.

In 1876, the Sheffield School Board (SSB) bought a piece of land in the city centre. They wanted to build new schools and offices there. At the same time, Mark Firth, a famous steelmaker, wanted to start a college for adults. He hoped it would become a university. So, the School Board sold him part of the land.

Firth College and Central Schools

The new building, named Firth College after Mark Firth, opened in 1879. Prince Leopold, a member of the royal family, officially opened it. This is why Leopold Street is named after him!

The next year, the Central Schools opened. These schools had different sections: an infants' school, a junior school, and a separate school for older students. There was also a "Higher School." This Higher School was designed to give secondary education, even though the School Board didn't have full legal power to do so yet. Their goal was to prepare students to go to Firth College. It's believed that this Higher School was the first secondary school opened by a school board in England.

At the opening ceremonies, people praised the Central Schools. They were seen as amazing and modern. They were also an early example of treating boys and girls equally in education. Both boys and girls could get in by passing an exam.

From College to University

After Firth College was finished, the Medical School in Sheffield decided to move nearby. It was completed in 1887. Then, in 1897, Firth College, its technical college branch, and the Medical School all joined together. They formed the University College of Sheffield.

In 1905, this college became a full university and moved to new buildings in Weston Park. The Central School then expanded into the buildings that Firth College had left empty.

More School Buildings and Changes

In 1896, an old school building called the Free Writing School was bought by the Council. It was taken down to make way for new roads and to clear old housing. This meant a new place was needed for the "Pupil Teacher Centre." This centre trained young people to become teachers. The Board decided to build a new centre at the corner of Orchard Lane and Holly Street. The new building opened in 1899.

More additions were made to schools after 1900. One important building was the Education Enquiry Office on West Street. This building even had an early form of air conditioning!

By 1892, the different parts of the Central Schools started to get their own names. They became Bow Street Elementary School, the Central Higher Schools, and the Pupil Teacher Centre. In 1902, the new Education Committee of the City Council gained full power to provide secondary education. The Higher School was then split into two: the boys stayed in the old building, and the girls moved into the former Firth College building. This continued until 1933, when both schools moved to new buildings at High Storrs.

The Pupil Teacher Centre then moved into the empty buildings on Orchard Lane. In 1937, it was decided that the Centre would become a secondary school. This is how the City Secondary School was born! However, it didn't keep that name for long. In 1940, it was recommended that secondary schools provided by the Education Committee should be called "Grammar" Schools instead.