Church of England and Roman Catholic Schools

Holy Trinity (Parish) School (Pictured Right)

The earliest school was built circa 1814 with the building running parallel with Lodge Street. Some 6 years later the school was extended to accommodate girls. This school was demolished in 1878 when the new school was built and became part of the playground and garden of remembrance. A Western extension was erected in 1909. In January 1968 a fire at the School resulted in 148 pupils being transferred to Calderbrook school for 6 weeks. The single storey extension was converted into a two-storey building In 1998/9 with further modifications undertaken in 2006.  A datestone for the original buildings was officially laid by Mrs. Beswicke and her daughter and is located on Victoria Street.

St Andrew’s Pictured 2nd down on Right

In January 1869 St Andrews National School opened as day school in the top storey of the Blue Bell Inn, Dearnley, now demolished. Just over 2 years later the chief corner stone of the new building for Dearnley National School (St Andrew's) was laid down at the site just off James St. The new school opened on 27th November 1871. (NOTE: Another source indicated September). The local brickworks owned by Rochdale Property & General Finance Co Ltd supplied the bricks. In 1975 St Andrew’s opened a new school of Union Road with the old school being demolished in 1984. It was replaced by the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

St Mary’s RC School

In 1882 the local Roman Catholics built a school/church on land at Featherstall with the parishioners doing the ground work and laying sewers etc. With continuing limited funds they obtained a ‘Tin Church’ in 1910 which enabled the school to utilise the whole of the brick building which lasted until the ‘Tin’ church was replaced by the new brick building in 1930. In 1931 St Mary's Men’s Club purchased Jubilee Hall on William Street which was later used as a school canteen. In 1976 a new school was built on Whitelees Road with the old school becoming the Parish Centre.  Jubilee Hall was subsequently disposed of by the church.

St James School Calderbrook (pictured 1970)

A new national school, St James Day School was built at Calderbrook and opened on 2nd February 1873. A year and a half later night school classes were held. In March 1878 an accident occurred which saddened the people of Littleborough, when 6 years old James Hartley was found crushed to death between the school wall and 12 stone flags. At the end of 1893 50 pupils transferred from Mount Gilead school which had just closed. In October 1894 Central heating was installed and 3 year later the school was extended. 1917 saw a Joint School (Stansfield) formed by the amalgamation of Summit Board School and St James School with the latter school building being retained for younger pupils. Various improvement works were undertaken during 1957/8 and far a short time pupils used the old Temple school for School meals until the new canteen was opened in 1958. Early in 1968 it became obvious that the establishment of a new school was essential and after much discussion the obvious solution was to combine the school with Summit (Stansfield) School In January 1986 Stansfield school for younger pupils (ex St James) closed following extension of the main school. The official opening of Stansfield Hall County Primary School following extension was on 8th April 1987.

St Hilda’s Mission, Hollingworth Fold

See Hollingworth School

Board and Local Authority Schools