| AdminHistory | The Higher Education Sub-Committee was founded in April 1903 as one of the initial six standing sub-committees appointed by the Education Committee to undertake its work in the various areas of education provision. As for all standing sub-committees, the Chairman of the Education Committee was ex-officio a member of the Higher Education Sub-Committee.
The duties of the sub-committee were outlined at the first meeting. It was to enquire into the current state of higher and secondary school provision and make recommendations to the Education Committee concerning deficiencies and any grants required; to make recommendations to the Education Committee concerning provision for the training of teachers; to act as managers of classes for the training of teachers, of Higher Grade Schools, Schools of Science, Commercial Schools, Higher Elementary Schools and other Day Schools for secondary or higher education; to manage the supply of teaching staff and equipment to the aforementioned schools; and to make arrangements for the award of scholarships in the possession of the Education Committee in institutions of secondary or higher education.
All matters concerning school accommodation, the selection of children for admission, curriculum and the training of teachers were to be referred to the Higher Education Sub-Committee. Other aspects of 'higher education' were addressed by the Technical Education and Evening Schools Sub-Committee (see BCC/1/BH/4/1), the Continuation Schools Sub-Committee (see BCC/1/BH/13/1) and the School of Art Sub-Committee, for which no records have yet been identified. The minutes of the College of Arts and Crafts, later College of Art and Design are also available (see BCC/1/BH/19/1).
The Education Act of 1902 left three secondary schools under the control of the Birmingham Education Committee; the Municipal Day School founded in 1897 and continued in the Technical School building in Suffolk Street by the Technical School Committee (the Technical School Committee were abolished in 1903 and their responsibilities transferred to the Education Committee); a Higher Grade School at Waverley Road, Small Heath; and the George Dixon Secondary School in Oozells Street originally designed and used as an elementary school. Both the Waverley Road and George Dixon schools were established by the School Board. The Education Committee were determined to increase secondary education provision and by 1904 the Council had approved plans for the extension of the Waverley Road School and the transfer of the George Dixon Secondary School to a more suitable site in City Road, Rotton Park, as well as the use of the Oozells Street site as a Pupil Teachers’ Centre.
The work of the Higher Education Sub-Committee was given further impetus as the post war period increased demand for the provision of higher educational facilities. The Education Act of 1918 required local authorities to submit schemes to the Board of Education showing a commitment to progressive development. Birmingham responded with a scheme which emphasised the need for a revised and extended curriculum, particularly in relation to higher education education provision, and the committee embarked on a programme of major extension of secondary school accommodation. New schools included Belcher’s Lane, Saltley which opened in 1928 as a mixed school for 500 pupils.
New emphasis was placed on developing a closer relationship between secondary education and the industrial and commercial life of the city, with pupils placed in employment suited to their abilities and interest. The Handsworth Technical School housed the Handsworth Junior Day Technical School which provided junior technical instruction for boys from the age of 12½ - 13½ years and was administered until November 1920 by the Junior Day Technical School Sub-Committee (see BCC/1/BH/12/1). When this sub-committee was not re-appointed, responsibility for the school was referred for a short period to the Elementary Education Sub-Committee (see BCC/1/BH/2/1). In November 1922, it was decided more appropriate to transfer control of the Handsworth Junior Day Technical School from the Elementary Education Sub-Committee to the Higher Education Sub-Committee as the school provided for the instruction of pupils beyond the age of 14 years. The records of the Handsworth Boys’ Technical School, 1919 - 1972, are themselves held by Birmingham City Archives, catalogue reference S 257.
In addition to junior day technical school provision there were also junior day commercial schools at Aston and Sparkhill which provided secondary school style training with a vocational emphasis. Control of the Aston Commercial School was transferred from the Elementary Education Sub-Committee to the Higher Education Sub-Committee at the same time as the Handsworth Junior Day Technical School in 1922, and the Elementary Education Sub-Committee and the Higher Education Sub-Committee were given new orders of reference. The records of the Aston Commercial School, 1931-1937, are also held at Birmingham City Archives, catalogue reference S 100.
Further provision was made with a school in Bordesley Green in 1936, which again provided both junior technical education and more senior and evening courses for older students. In their work as senior institutions, rather than as providers of junior technical education, the Technical Colleges were administered by the Technical Education and Evening Schools Sub-Committee (see BCC/1/BH/4/1).
In addition to the programme of building and adaptation, the internal organisation of the educational system was also addressed. Even before the 'Hadow Report' was published in 1926 (see description in BCC/1/BH/1) Birmingham had already embarked for a few years on the systematic separation of age groups and development of ‘senior’ elementary education. Further reports published during the war years called for the provision by Local Education Authorities of free secondary education of all types.
Following the Education Act of 1944 the Higher Education Sub-Committee was renamed as the Secondary Education Sub-Committee from 1 April 1945, and given new orders of reference. All matters concerning secondary educational provision for children from 11 - 12 years to 15, 16 or 18 years were referred to the Secondary Education Sub-Committee. The committee's scheme for secondary education was to be provided in secondary modern, secondary technical and secondary grammar schools. The reports and recommendations of the District School Managers were forwarded to either the Secondary Education Sub-Committee or to the Primary Education Sub-Committee as appropriate. In 1971 the Education Committee decided to replace the Primary Education Sub-Committee and the Secondary Education Sub-Committee by a single Schools Sub-Committee. |