1899 – Higher Grade Elementary School, Aston Manor, Birmingham

A design for a multi-purpose school containing regular school, a teacher training school, and a school for the deaf. Described in The Building News, October 13 1899, as “This school, which we illustrate from the Royal Academy drawing, is being built for the Aston School Board on a site situate at the comer of Whitehead-road, Ettington-road, and Prestbury-road, and consists, in addition to the accommodation for 560 higher-grade school scholars, of a pupil teachers’ centre for 120, and a deaf school for male and female pupils. The general arrangements consist of a school for 2S0 senior boys and 280 senior girls in separate departments, with two teachers’ rooms to each department. The assembly hall is only used for opening and closing and drill, all the scholars being taught in separate classrooms, with varying accommodation of from 40 to 60 each. This general department of the school is placed on the two upper floors. There is a deep fall at the back of the land, which has

made it possible to plan a science department on the ground floor as approached from the playground, while the main block as approached from the front is practically at the street level. The special department consists of a chemical laboratory for 10 scholars, and a physical laboratory for the same number. A properly equipped gymnasium is approached directly from the playground. The pupil teachers’ centre, deaf school, and caretaker’s house forms a block by itself.

The building is of a very substantial character of Leicestershire sand bricks with buff terracotta dressings. The central hall, which is carried up two stories, is made the main feature of the design, being flanked on either side by entrances, staircases, and classrooms. This main block is flanked by the pupil teachers’ centre and deaf school, by which a partial quadrangular effect is obtained. The cost of the building, exclusive of fittings and furniture, is £20,000. The architects are Messrs. Crouch and Butler, Nowhall-street, Birmingham, whose designs were placed first in competition by the assessor, Mr. K. K. Robson, F.S.A. The contractor is Mr. John Bowen, of Balsall Heath. The terracotta is made by Messrs. Doulton and Co., of Lambeth. The mosaic is made by Messrs. Diespeker and Co., Holborn-viaduct, London.”