Records relating to the School

Reference No:
C DSSF/1/13
Dates:
1824-1988
Description:
The Society opened its first school on the floating chapel known as 'The Valiant.' This was a marine school for the purpose of improving the education of sea apprentices. In 1857 the 'Sailors Orphan Institute' was established down Waterhouse Lane the clothing and education of the children of deceased seamen and rivermen. Park Street school was opened in July 1873 and, following the move to Newland, land was acquired for the building of a school on the Newland estate which opened in 1897 and was known as 'Newland Orphan School.' Children attending the school were originally drawn exclusively from what was known as Newland Orphanage. In 1945 the Board decided that primary school aged children would continue to attend the Homes' School, whilst all the older children would go to LEA Secondary Schools. In September 1951 the school became a Voluntary Aided School. This, in effect, meant that the Hull Education Authority became responsible for the cost of running the school whilst the Society remained responsible for the building itself and the appointment of the teaching staff. The School Managers were composed of four members of the Society's Board together with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Hull Education Committee. Most church schools in the UK existed on the same basis, however this was not a church school. Also, children not resident in the homes were admitted for the first time in 1951 and the name 'St Nicholas' was chosen for the school. This was seen as appropriate because he is regarded as the Patron Saint of children and of Sailors. In April 1974 the school was taken over by Humberside Education Committee on the same Voluntary Aided basis, reverting back to Hull Education Authority in 1996 with the creation of the unitary authority of Kingston upon Hull. Eventually, by the late 1990's there were no children resident at the homes. After a period of consultation, in Oct 2006 a 99 year lease was agreed with Kingston upon Hull City Council for the ongoing use of St Nicholas Primary School and Stratten Hall for education purposes. In 2007 it lost its status as a 'Voluntary Aided' school and was officially named as a 'Community School' to ensure the provision of education for children in the locality. In August 2015 the school took on 'Academy' status as part of the 'ICA Partnership.' The ICA partnership was formed in 2012 and consists of a group of 11 schools, from a range of different contexts, across the City of Hull. St Nicholas continues to admit children between the ages of 4 and 11 years
Extent:
5 volumes, 1 bundle, 2 folders & 9 items
Access Conditions:
Access will be granted to any accredited reader
Repository:
Hull City Archives
Collection:
The Records of the Sailors' Children's Society