Talk:Saltwells Secondary School

19:42, 16 June 2007 (UTC)Lyndylou I went to Saltwells Secondary Modern School from 1966 - 1971. As I recall according to the plaque the school was opened in 1962.

The school did replace the Halesowen Road School (Iron Schools) which was affectionately known locally as the " Tin Can College". On the actual site of the Tin Can College a small infants school was built known as Saltwells Infants School. This site is now occupied by a nursing home.

Further as I recall because it happened whilst I was still in the area (before I moved to go to University) Saltwells school was earmarked for closure not because of falling rolls but because of the Dudley LEA policy of creating comprehensive schools.

The designated school for expansion in our area was to be Hilcrest ( the other SM school in Simms Lane) and Saltwells was scheduled to close in the mid 1970's (post RoSLA). Hillcrest had a reputation for being a "rough" school - so no surprises  when it eventually went into special measures in the late 1990's then?

The school closed as a Secondary School long before 1986. My brother went to Hilcrest (because Saltwells had already closed) in 1979, and the school had been closed then at least three years as I recall.

The first headmaster of Saltwells Secondary Modern School to give it its proper name was Mr. Webb M.A. an ex Grammar school teacher and well loved by a generation of parents who recalled him from their childhood. The second headteacher who came to the school in 1966 was Mr. David Bisbrown LCP. Mr Bisbrown went on to be head of the Hillcrest School after the amalgamation with Saltwells and move to the expanded Simms Lane site.

After its incarnation as a secondary school and before its reinvention as ateachers centre it was a school for the maladjusted ( or rather the school for the maladjusted - Rosewood I think it was called but I will stand corrected on that) moved into it from the portacabin  on the school grounds.) I believe there is still a PRU on the site as well as a teachers centre.

Thank you lyndylou