Birkdale High School was a secondary school located in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.
| Birkdale High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Wheelwright Drive , , WF13 4JB England | |
| Coordinates | 53°41′59″N 1°38′49″W / 53.69986°N 1.64696°W |
| Information | |
| Motto | Forward to Success |
| Closed | 2011 |
| Local authority | Kirklees |
| Department for Education URN | 107774 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Age | 11 to 16 |
| Website | www.birkdalehigh.org.uk/ |
History edit
The school's buildings were constructed in two distinct phases; the older building, comprising mainly the former Wheelwright Grammar School for Girls and a newly built wing connected by a bridge c. 1980. The school was set amongst grassed grounds with a large playing and track area and more secluded grassed quadrangles located within the main building.
The school was located on Wheelwright Drive. near the Dewsbury/Batley border. The intake of the school was reflected by the surrounding area, most pupils were taken from the Batley/Dewsbury area due to the school's central location and its position on many bus routes through the surrounding towns. The school had a slightly higher male population due to the presence of an all-girls school in the school's catchment area as noted by OFSTED. The school became quite small in the years before closure, with just under 600 pupils in 2006/7. In May 2015 the CBBC show Hank Zipzer was filmed at the closed school premises after production was relocated from St Catherine's Catholic High School to Birkdale for Series 3 and onwards. The main entrance sign was carved as Westbrook Academy.
Closure edit
Despite a campaign by parents, staff, pupils and members of the local community to keep Birkdale High School open,[1][2][3][4] Kirklees Council formally closed the school in August 2011.
The school was merged with Westborough High School, with some pupils from Birkdale transferring to the Westborough campus. However the former Birkdale High School campus is no longer still used to educate any pupils as the final set of year 11's have left to pursue further education or work[5]
Notable staff edit
- Maggie Atkinson, Children's Commissioner for England was Head of English in the 1980s.[6]
Notable former pupils edit
- Sayeeda Warsi, Baroness Warsi, politician.
- Gary Sykes, featherweight boxer.
References edit
- ^ "Rallying call to save Dewsbury school from closure". Dewsbury Reporter. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Online gallery showing protest". Archived from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Dewsbury: Protest march over plans to close school". Yorkshire Evening Post. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ "Pupils take to the streets to save Birkdale High". The Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
- ^ "Halifax Road Campus". Westborough High School. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
- ^ "Former Dewsbury teacher in job row". Dewsbury Reporter. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2013.