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RefNoKCES/33B
AltRefNoC/ES33B/1/4
TitleLady Adrian School
DescriptionThe Lady Adrian School emerged out of the Open Air and Special School on Ascham Road, Cambridge established in 1916. The first recorded admissions to the Educationally Sub-Normal (ESN) Department of the Open Air School date to 1923 though it is likely the Department was functioning earlier. Through amalgamation in 1928 the Open Air School became the Roger Ascham School. The ESN Department expanded during the 1930s and 1940s requiring new accommodation. In 1951 Cambridge City Council applied to the Ministry of Education to build a new all-age children's ESN school. This request was approved and building works started in 1959 at Courtney Way, Cambridge.

The Lady Adrian School was formally opened on 01 May 1961 by Lady Hester Adrian, Chairman of the Social Schools Sub-Committee and a prominent advocate for mental health and welfare. The one story building cost £42,173 and was designed to accommodate 120 children. It consisted of a combined assembly hall and gymnasium, senior and junior teaching wings, library and craft rooms, kitchens, furnished flat and playground. A caretaker's house was also situated on the grounds.

The School aimed to "…provide a rich and stimulating environment that will meet the needs of pupils with moderate learning difficulties and more complex needs…" and to "…provide every pupil with the basic skills which will enable them to achieve the maximum of his or her potential". These aims were met through the provision of classroom based and away activities and a high ratio of teachers to students. To teach and administer a total enrolment of 135 students in the early 2000s (a figure only marginally higher than the original building capacity total of 120) the School could call upon thirteen full-time teachers, six part-time teachers, 22 teaching assistants, four administrative staff, and five support staff. Additional expertise was provided by the Cambridgeshire Local Education Authority (LEA) including speech therapists and psychologists.

As far as possible the School adhered to the National Curriculum and trained students for additional vocational studies at Cambridge Regional College. The School was administered by a Board of Governors with representatives drawn from parents, staff and the LEA and the community.

In 2004 the Lady Adrian School moved from its Cambridge premises to the site of the closed Littleton House Special School on Oakington Road in Girton. In July 2006 the School was closed following a reorganisation of special schools in Cambridgeshire. Staff and students were transferred to Castle School at Courtney Way, Cambridge or to Granta School in Linton.
Date1923 - 2005
CreatorNameLady Adrian School, Cambridge
RepositoryCambridgeshire Archives
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