Brooklands School Leighton Buzzard

Brooklands Middle School June 2008

Brooklands County Secondary Modern School, in Brooklands Drive, opened in January 1959. It was the result of the merger of the boys' and girls' secondary modern schools from Beaudesert and Bassett Road respectively in a new purpose built school. Secondary Moderns were created by the Education Act 1944 and were designed for the 75% of pupils who did not achieve top marks in the Eleven Plus examination, the top 25% going to a Grammar School which, in Leighton Buzzard, meant Cedars School. A Secondary Modern taught a more skills based curriculum, intended to fit pupils for a life of work whereas in the Grammar School emphasis was placed on more academic subjects with a view to pupils going on to attend university.

In 1968 the Secretary of State approved a comprehensive reorganisation of schools by the Local Education Authority, Bedfordshire County Council. This did away with selection, all pupils attending similar schools, teaching the same curriculum, based solely on age. Children aged 5 to 9 attended lower schools, those aged 9 to 13 went to a middle school and those aged 13 to 18 attended an upper school. The council affirmed its support for the scheme in 1969 and again in 1970 and in 1974 the reorganisation reached the Leighton Buzzard area. The first nine year olds were admitted in 1976 and last sixteen year olds were taught at the school in 1977, the school becoming a fully-fledged middle school in 1978.

The school continues to the present time [2008] despite attempts by the Local Education Authority (Bedfordshire County Council) to close it due to falling numbers which were only given up in 2007. Ironically it was the LEA itself which was abolished. On 1st April 2009 Central Bedfordshire Council, a unitary authority comprising both county and district functions, replaced Bedfordshire County Council in the central and southern parts of the county (Luton already having its own unitary authority) and thus becoming Leighton Buzzard's Local Education Authority.

Sources

Note that some sources may not be available in order to protect personal details

• CA2/101: building file regarding alterations: 1964;
• CA2/521: site for new middle school: 1964-1974;
• CA8/9: building maintenance file for swimming pool and pump house: 1965;
• CA8/437: building maintenance file for school: 1966-1978;
• PY/PH55/1: exterior photographs during construction: 1971;
• E/TE3/1: return of teaching staff: 1980;
• CA10/93: file on tree felling at school: 1982;
• E/PM6/2/4: school opposition to abolition of corporal punishment: 1985-1986;
• E/TE3/6: return of teaching staff: 1986;
• E/MS3/2/6: kitchen and other details: c.1987;
• E/PM8/5/2: After School scheme set up to provide outside hours childcare: 1990;
• E/Pu4/4/43: school prospectus: 1995