HORSA is the acronym for the 'Hutting Operation for the Raising of the School-Leaving Age', a programme of hut-building in schools introduced by the UK Government to support the expansion of education under the Education Act 1944 to raise the compulsory education age by a year to age 15.
Government plans to increase the school leaving age resulted in the need to accommodate 168,000 additional pupils. [1] Along with the need to replace buildings lost and damaged in World War II and the post-war baby boom, this contributed to massive demand for low cost prefabricated 'hut'-style classrooms and other school buildings. 7,000 new classrooms and 928 new primary schools were built in 1945-50. [2] [3]
The programme was the responsibility of George Tomlinson, the Minister of Education in the post-war Clement Attlee government. There is some evidence the programme struggled to cope with demand. [4] However, the scheme progressed and was regarded as complete by 1950. [5]
HORSA huts were constructed of concrete and timber with corrugated asbestos-filled roofs, arrived onsite as flat pack deliveries and once assembled they resembled the spartan buildings used in army camps in the war. [6] Although intended as temporary accommodation with an expected lifespan of only ten years, [7] 'Horsa huts' were often used well beyond this and some still survived as of 2012 [update] . [8] Although now often in poor physical condition and regarded as having little architectural merit, demolition of those built before 1 July 1948 requires listed building consent if they fall within the curtilage of a listed building. [9]
The Education Act 1944 made major changes in the provision and governance of secondary schools in England and Wales. It is also known as the "Butler Act" after the President of the Board of Education, R. A. Butler. Historians consider it a "triumph for progressive reform," and it became a core element of the post-war consensus supported by all major parties. The Act was repealed in steps with the last parts repealed in 1996.
Bournemouth School is a boys' grammar school and co-educational sixth form in Charminster, Bournemouth, Dorset, England, for children aged 11 to 18.
Balwearie High School is a non-denominational comprehensive secondary school at the west end of Kirkcaldy in Scotland. Balwearie serves around 1500 pupils aged from 11 to 18 and includes a Department of Additional Support for children with Additional Support Needs.
The College of Richard Collyer, formerly called Collyer's School, is a co-educational sixth form college in Horsham, West Sussex, England. The college was rated as being 'good' by Ofsted in 2021.
Itchen Sixth Form College is a mixed sixth form college in Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, England. It was established in 1906 and was originally a mixed secondary school, it later became Itchen Grammar School under the reforms of the Butler Education Act. It became its present state following further reform in the 1980s.
A hut is a small dwelling, which may be constructed of various local materials. Huts are a type of vernacular architecture because they are built of readily available materials such as wood, snow, ice, stone, grass, palm leaves, branches, hides, fabric, or mud using techniques passed down through the generations.
A portable classroom, is a type of portable building installed at a school to temporarily and quickly provide additional classroom space where there is a shortage of capacity. They are designed, so they may be removed once the capacity situation abates, whether by a permanent addition to the school, another school being opened in the area, or a reduction in student population. Such buildings would be installed much like a mobile home, with utilities often being attached to a main building to provide light and heat for the room. Portable classrooms may also be used if permanent classrooms are uninhabitable, such as after a fire or during a major refurbishment.
A portable, demountable or transportable building is a building designed and built to be movable rather than permanently located.
Kyle Academy is a non-denominational secondary school in Ayr, serving the south east of Ayr in South Ayrshire. The roll of Kyle Academy school in 2021–2022 was 821 with a staffing complement equivalent to 58 full time teachers. The current head teacher of Kyle Academy is Mary Byrne who took over the position of head teacher from Lyndsay McRoberts, who was also joint head teacher of nearby Ayr Academy.
Oxted School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in the English town of Oxted, Surrey. It was opened in 1929 as the first mixed grammar school in Surrey and now has over 1900 pupils aged 11–18.
The raising of school leaving age is the term used by the United Kingdom government for changes of the age at which a child is allowed to leave compulsory education in England and Wales as specified under an Education Act.
Southend High School for Boys, also known by its initialism SHSB, is a selective secondary Grammar school situated along Prittlewell Chase in Prittlewell, in the north-west of Southend-on-Sea, England, south-west of the roundabout of the A127 and A1159. It teaches students from the age of 11 through to 18 years old, and admission to the school is dependent upon their performance in selective 11+ tests set by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). It converted to Academy status on 1 February 2011, and has autonomous control over itself. Student numbers have been increasing over recent years. As of academic year 2008–2009, there are just over 1,150 students on roll, with over 230 of them in the Sixth Form, 20 to 30 of which come from other schools, including girls.
Sir Harry Smith Community College is a secondary school in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. Opened in 1953 on the former site of the Whittlesey Workhouse, the College is named after 19th Century English Army General Sir Harry Smith who was born in Whittlesey, and whose grave is situated in the cemetery adjacent to the school. The college, originally known simply as the Sir Harry Smith School, specialises in science and mathematics.
Perth Grammar School is a secondary school in Perth, Scotland. It is located in the Muirton district of Perth at the junction of Bute Drive and Gowans Terrace. The catchment serves the area to the north of Perth between Murthly and Methven while a part of its catchment is urban, serving Tulloch, Muirton and North Muirton.
West Herts College is a college for further education in Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. The college has campuses in Watford and Hemel Hempstead. As of 2017 the college has 5,900 students on study programmes or apprenticeships.
Cansfield High School is a coeducational secondary school located in the Ashton-in-Makerfield area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.
Ellesmere Park High School is a coeducational secondary school located in the Ellesmere Park area of Eccles, Greater Manchester, England. The school has gone through several renovations throughout the years.
St Benedict's Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form. It is located in Alcester in the English county of Warwickshire. The school is named after Saint Benedict of Nursia, the patron saint of Europe and students.
F. Pratten and Co Ltd, commonly known as Prattens, was a business located in Midsomer Norton that manufactured prefabricated buildings. Production included portable classrooms that were widely used after World War II.
New City College (NCC) is a large college of further education with campuses in East London and Essex. The college was formed in 2016 with the amalgamation of separate colleges, beginning with the merger between Tower Hamlets College and Hackney Community College, followed by the gradual additions of Redbridge College, Epping Forest College, and both Havering College of Further and Higher Education and Havering Sixth Form College. It is the second largest provider of post-16 education in the country since 2019.