List of former board schools in Brighton and Hove facts for kids

This plaque on the former Finsbury Road Board School shows it opened in 1881.

Between 1870 and the early 1900s, many special schools were built in Brighton and Hove, a city on England's south coast. These schools were called "board schools." They were all designed by a local company, Thomas Simpson & Son. The main architects were Thomas Simpson and his son, Gilbert Murray Simpson. Thomas's other son, John William Simpson, might have helped too.

Before 1870, there was no national plan for primary schools in England. Then, the Elementary Education Act 1870 was passed. This law allowed local councils to create "school boards." These boards had elected members and used local taxes to fund schools. Brighton's population was growing fast, so many new schools were needed.

Thomas Simpson became the architect for the Brighton School Board in 1871. He also worked for the Hove School Board from 1876. In 1878, the Brighton School Board joined with the Preston board. This new group was called the Brighton and Preston School Board. Simpson continued as their main architect.

Many of these schools were large and well-designed buildings. They were built in new areas like Round Hill and Queen's Park. Thomas Simpson and his son, who became a partner in 1890, used materials like red brick and terracotta. Their building style changed over time. The last school they designed, St Luke's (1903), is seen as a highlight of Thomas Simpson's work.

Some of these old schools have been knocked down. Others are now homes or part of colleges. But many are still used as primary schools today. For example, Finsbury Road School was almost demolished in 1999. But it was saved because it was given special protection as a historic building.

The Brighton School Board also took over some existing schools. They also managed "industrial schools" for children who often skipped school. The first one opened in 1875 in Chailey. Another was built in Mile Oak with the help of the London School Board.

Brighton's Historic Board Schools

This section lists the important board schools built in Brighton and Hove.

Name	Image	Location	Date	Grade	Notes
Middle Street School (†)	—	The Lanes	1809	—	This school started in 1807 as the Union Charity School for boys. A girls' school was added in 1809. The school board took over in 1874. A new school building replaced the old one in 1973.
Puget's Schools (†)	—	The Lanes	1861	—	These schools were in Clarence Yard. The school board took them over in 1870. The buildings are no longer there.
Fairlight Place Board School	Fairlight Place Board School	Elm Grove	1870	—	This school was built at the same time as Fairlight Place. It was updated in 1931. It is still used today as Fairlight Primary and Nursery School.
York Place Elementary Schools	York Place Elementary Schools	North Laine	1870	—	More buildings were added in 1884 for secondary students. These later moved to Varndean School. The 1870 buildings then became part of Brighton Technical College, now City College Brighton & Hove.
Hanover Terrace Board School	—	Hanover	1873	—	Thomas Simpson built this school. It became a boys-only school in 1928. After World War II, it was a technical school. It was knocked down in 1999 to build houses.
Richmond Street Board School	—	Carlton Hill	1873	—	This was the first school in Brighton to offer meals to students. The buildings were bought and knocked down in 1959 for a new building project.
Sussex Street Board School	—	Carlton Hill	1874	—	Built by Thomas Simpson, this school was next to Richmond Street school. They were part of the same complex, with separate parts for girls and boys. The school site is now covered by new housing.
Freshfield Place Board School	Freshfield Place Board School	Queen's Park	1880	—	This school is still in use today as Queen's Park Primary School. It has about 400 students aged 3 to 11.
Preston Road Board School	Preston Road Board School	Preston Park	1880	—	Simpson built this "excellent" school. It was a junior school until 1937. Later, it became part of City College Brighton & Hove. In 2016, it was sold to be turned into homes.
Finsbury Road Board School	Finsbury Road Board School	Hanover	1881	II	Brighton Polytechnic bought this school in 1956. It was saved from demolition in 1999 and turned into flats called Hanover Lofts in 2003. It has a special Arts and Crafts style.
Circus Street School (demolished)	Circus Street School	Carlton Hill	1883	—	Thomas Simpson's yellow-brick building replaced an older school here. It closed in 1926 and was sold to Brighton Polytechnic. The building was knocked down in 2017 for a new development.
Connaught Road School	Connaught Road School	Hove	1884	II	This school was used as a primary school for 100 years. After that, it became a center for adult education. It is an "elegant" building with yellow and red bricks.
Ditchling Road Board School	Ditchling Road Board School	Round Hill	1890	II	This brown-brick building has separate parts for younger and older students. It has rich brick decorations. The school is still used today as the Downs Junior School.
Elm Grove School	Elm Grove School	Elm Grove	1893	—	Children moved to this new school from an older one. Now called Elm Grove Primary School, it teaches over 400 students aged 4 to 11. It shows Thomas Simpson's early style.
Stanford Road Board School	Stanford Road Board School	Prestonville	1893	II	This school still serves the Prestonville area. It has many special features. These include a three-story clock tower and decorative designs. It uses brown and red brick, stone, and tiles.
St Luke's Board School	St Luke's Board School	Queen's Park	1903	II	This is the last school the Simpsons designed together. It is a very noticeable building in Queen's Park. It uses many different materials and decorations. The school is still in use today.

Other Schools and Special Schools

Belgrave Street Congregational Chapel's schoolroom was taken over by the Board in 1870.

When the Brighton School Board started in 1870, it took over two schoolrooms. These were in chapels, which are places of worship. One was at the London Road Chapel. The other was at Belgrave Street Congregational Chapel in Hanover. This building still stands today, though it's not used as a church anymore. Thomas Simpson designed it, and its schoolroom was used until 1942.

The Brighton and Preston School Board also bought an old workhouse in Chailey in 1875. They turned it into the Brighton and Preston Board Industrial School for Boys. This school was for boys who often missed school. The building is now part of Chailey Heritage School. Another industrial school opened in Patcham in 1882, but it closed in 1905.

Near Portslade and Mile Oak, there was another special school. It was called the Brighton Town and London County Council Industrial School for Boys. Brighton and Preston School Board built and paid for this school with the London School Board. It opened in 1902 and cost £30,000 to build. The school was a "handsome structure of red brick." It had a sculpture of a boy reading above its entrance. This school closed in 1977, and the site was cleared for houses. Only the entrance buildings remain.

See also

• List of Birmingham board schools
• List of schools in Brighton and Hove