The 10^th – 14^th June is ‘National School Grounds Week’; an annual campaign to show just how important taking learning outside of the school building is.

We are incredibly lucky here at Oldham Hulme to have such fantastic school grounds. We love to use these grounds and surrounding locations as much as we can, however whilst the majority of the school are still at home learning, we thought we’d bring the outside to you so we can all appreciate it together.

The History of Our School Grounds

The impressive history of our school falls into three parts; the foundation of the school in 1611, a reconstitution in 1895 and then an amalgamation of the boy’s and girl’s schools in 2006.

1611

The grounds where the foundation of Oldham Grammar stood in 1611 are not the same grounds we use today. Originally, the building was a one-room school that was 40 feet long and 15 feet wide and constructed of Pennine stone. It was situated in a pleasant area across from the church on the other side of the High Street.

1865

Due to the unprecedented growth of Oldham, the school soon became surrounded by slums and was no longer fit for purpose. This building was demolished in 1921. The original doorway of the building showcased a stone bearing the initials of JA for James Assheton and the date of 1611. When the building was demolished this doorway was transported to the new building and incorporated into the new Girls’ School extension.

1893

After a rise and decline separated by the industrial revolution, the school was to be reconstituted in 1895. As a result, Chamber Road was chosen two years prior for the new Hulme Grammar School to stand. Back then, Chamber Road was little more than a track which ran from Ashton Road to Chamber Hall. The site would be situated in open countryside as Windsor Road, Frederick Street and College Road did not yet exist.

The original plan was to build two separate schools; one for boys and one for girls however it was found economically viable to have a single building with shared facilities but separate classrooms and in the spring of 1895, the school opened its doors to pupils.

Early 20^th Century

At this point in time, the school had become well established and by 1920 the building had actually become overcrowded, leading to a large three-storey extension being adding in 1925. This building is what we know of our school today.

Our school grounds certainly have an impressive history and today we have a Science Centre, Art Studio, Swimming Pool, Library, Sports Hall, Computer Science Suite, Technology Block and even a separate Nursery and Infants building.

We can’t wait to welcome our pupils back to the school when the time is right, but if you’re looking for your child to attend a school with an impressive history and a fantastic range of facilities then get in touch with our admissions team today.