The development of education in Rossendale

Abstract

Before 1870 a system of voluntary schools had been established in Rossendale. The Elementary Education Act 1870 caused j other voluntary schools to be set up and made efficient so that school boards would not be. necessary. There was a deficiency of public elementary school accommodation at Sharneyford, at the extreme eastern part of the township of Newchurch-in-Rossendale. A school board was set up for this township. A school board was also formed for the township of Tottington .Higher End when the managers of the Primitive Methodist school at Townsendfold intimated that they could no longer continue to maintain the school. The townships of Rossendale eventually became three Municipal Boroughs, and school boards were formed for Bacup and Rawtenstall. Parts of Rossendale which did not previously have school boards were, thus brought under school board administration. Each borough in Rossendale had a different form of administration under the Elementary Education Acts. Bacup had a school board. Rawtenstall had a school board, but parts of the borough were exempt from education rates. Haslingden had a school attendance committee. New church School Board provided one school under section 18 of the 1870 Act. Bacup and Rawtenstall School Boards took over several voluntary schools. Some of these were replaced by new buildings. The three municipal boroughs administered technical education under the Technical Instruction Act 1889 Lancashire County Council distributed the "Whisky Money" and required the municipal] boroughs to submit plans of their schemes of technical instructic for approval. Bacup and Rawtenstall carried out their Technical instruction in very inefficient premises. Haslingden built a new technical school in 1903.Under the 1902 Education Act, the three municipal boroughs became Part III authorities for elementary education. Lancashire County Council became the Part II authority for secondary education. The municipal borough education-committees assumed responsibility for secular education and there were several disputes with the vaduntary schools. In Bacup and Rawtenstall, schools taken over were improved where possible and some new schools were built. Haslingden would not take over any voluntary schools, but provided new buildings. Haslingden Technical school became a secondary school. A gupil Teachers Centre at Waterfoot and Newchurch Grammar school were amalgamated to become the Bacup and Rawtenstall Secondary and Technical school.