1937-1979
Castleshaw Camp School Following the opening of a new sanatorium"Day school" for both boys and girls in 1936, a residential sanatorium school was no longer felt to be necessary. At this point, the cenre began a new phase of life as a "Camp School". Alderman Frank Lord (later to be Sir Frank Lord), an Oldham born and educated businessman who made his fortune in the building trade, oversaw and paid for the renovation of the building. |
After the Second World War Mr. Ralph Whitehead, a PE and maths teacher, became Youth organiser in Oldham. He set about restoring Castleshaw Camp as a residential centre for the town's Youth clubs with a team of sixth form volunteers, and obtained some ex-army furniture. He was later instrumental in getting the first full time resident warden and cook appointed, those being Joseph and Emily Higham respectively.
In 1958 new dormitories were added to the centre, allowing mixed sex classes to attend the centre at the same time. "The Castleshaw experience had some further implications for Geography teaching. In the 1960's the Certificate for Secondary Education was introduced...we decided that Field Studies would be a compulsory element in the Geography Assessment. When CSE and GCE were combined, I was chair of the new combined panel, and field studies became compulsory for all students." Jack Schofield 2010. (Jack had been one of Ralph Whitehead's sixth form volunteers, then as a teacher later brought his own classes to Castleshaw for field studies trips).
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