Special schools

Alderman Jackson Special School, Gaywood, King's Lynn

This school was originally known as King's Lynn Occupation Centre or the Junior Training Centre and was based in Albion Street, King's Lynn.

It was operational in the 1950s, was staffed by the Norfolk health department and looked after about 40 disabled children.

Parents, teachers and friends of the Centre formed the King's Lynn Society for Handicapped Children for the purpose of upgrading or replacing the facility.

In 1966, a purpose-built building was opened in Marsh Lane, Gaywood and was known as King's Lynn Comprehensive Training Centre.

In July 1966 it was taken over by the education department and renamed the Alderman Jackson Special School after the late Mr F C Jackson, chairman of Norfolk health committee and a supporter of the King's Lynn Society for Handicapped Children.

In spring 2009, Alderman Jackson Special School merged with Ethel Tipple Special School to form Churchill Park School, on Winston Churchill Drive, Fairstead, King's Lynn.

This was a newly-built school on a new site and had been occupied by the former Ethel Tipple School for a year before the Alderman Jackson School pupils and staff joined them.

• For a pamphlet about the history of Alderman Jackson School, entitled How Our School Began, (c1987) see ACC 2010/67, box 1.
• For records of Alderman Jackson Special School, including the following, see ACC 2010/67 and ACC 2010/207:
  • For log books, 1949-93, see ACC 2010/67, box 1. Please note that log books are closed to general public access for 50 years.
  • For admissions register, 1965-95, see ACC 2010/67, box 1. Please note that admission registers are closed to general public access for 30 years.
  • For admissions printouts, 1991-2009, see ACC 2010/207. Please note that these printouts are closed to general public access for 30 years.

Clare Open Air School, Norwich

It is thought that the Clare Open Air School started in the early 20th century on a site given to the Norwich City education committee.

The school was intended for physically disabled children.

The site was near Waterloo Road and St Clement's Hill and there is still a Clare Court off Waterloo Road today.

The school subsequently moved to a site on Colman Road and was known at times as the Colman Road Open Air School.

A 1960 report on the school by HM Inspectors and a medical officer gives the following description:

"When the Open Air School was first established on its present site it was only open from May to October; the classrooms and dining room were marquees. These were later replaced by wooden buildings and in 1928 the present buildings were completed.

"For many years this Open Air School - and the Educationally Sub Normal School, which still shares the site - were amalgamated under one Head Master but in 1951 the schools were again separated and a Head Master was appointed for each."

For a copy of this report, see N/ED 4/77.

The school is now known as The Clare School and located on South Park Avenue, Norwich.

It is a specialist co-educational day school for pupils, aged three to 19, with physical and/or sensory learning needs.

The Clare School maintains its own records which are not held by us.

Colne Cottage, Cromer

The Norfolk education committee, acting on the initiative of its chairman Sam Peel, purchased Colne Cottage in 1947 from Lord Noel Buxton.

This was to be used as a hostel for girls and younger boys with behavioural and learning difficulties.

According to the Norfolk education committee report, Education in Norfolk, 1950-1960, older boys with behavioural and learning difficulties were usually sent to Morley Hall, Wymondham (see the following chapter).

Adjacent paddocks to the school at Colne were purchased from Lady Noel Buxton in 1948 and, following refurbishment, Colne Cottage opened as a school on 12 September 1949.

• For a log book of the Colne Cottage Hospital School which gives information about pupils admitted and staff, 1949-78, see ACC 2005/59. Please note that this log book is not open to general public access for 50 years.

East Anglian School for the Deaf and Blind, Gorleston

This school was established in 1912. It was funded by several local education authorities in East Anglia until it became the responsibility of Norfolk County Council in 1974.

Please note that many of these records have closure periods for general public access.

• For the main series of records, 1904-85, including minutes and admission registers, see list C/ED 37
• Proposals for the establishment of the East Anglian School, 1907, are included in Y/ED 121
• For financial papers, 1911-32, see Y/TR 665-671
• For a log book of the school, 1912-54, see Y/ED/S 76
• For committee minutes and annual reports, 1912-44, see Y/ED 321-323
• For governors' minutes, 1911-13, see Y/TC 90/7/6
• For governors' minutes, 1940-59, see Y/ED 828-830
• For governors' minutes, 1959-85, see C/ED 37/109-112
• There are plans of the school, most of which are undated, see Y/BE 2/53/1-4
• For papers concerning the military occupation of the school in 1940, see Y/ED/S 77

Eden Hall Special School

This was formerly known as the Norfolk County Council Education Department Special School, Bacton.

Being a coastal county, Norfolk had a reputation for good quality sea air and several schools were established for 'sick' or 'delicate' children.

In 1954, the Norfolk education committee acquired Eden Hall on the coast at Bacton for this purpose.

The committee's report, Education in Norfolk, 1950-1960, noted that more than 165 children had benefited from their stay there. A copy of this report is available on the searchroom shelves.

• For admission registers of the Eden Hall Special School, formerly the Norfolk County Council Education Department Special School, 1954-80, see ACC 2005/63. The registers are usually closed to general public access for 30 years
• There are also plans and photographs of the Eden Hall Special School, 1984, see C/C 17/203