CHESTER COLLEGE SCHOOL

In 1839 the newly reconstituted Chester Diocesan Board of Education, affiliated to the National Society, decided that the training of teachers was an urgent priority.

In 1840 a Diocesan Training College started work at 18 Nicholas Street transferring in 1843 to new buildings in Parkgate Road [see Folwer op. cit. p. 79 on]. In 1842 the first grant nationwide of the Committee of Education of the Privy Council was given to the new Training College for the erection of a school room for a model school attached to the college. It was designed to give training in teaching methods to the students and was known as the College Practising School or as the Model School.

Originally it was arranged in two sections: one, modelled on National Schools, to provide elementary education for poor boys, and a second as a 'Commercial and Agricultural' School to provide a more technical education for middle class boys and referred to as a Middle School. This section provided boarding accommodation as it drew its pupils from the diocese as well as from the city. By the time of the first extant log book, 1863, all were being treated as one Practising School.

In 1919 the school was designated a Selective Central School designed to provide a more advanced education for elementary school children who wished to carry on beyond the statutory leaving age.

In July 1963 the school was closed. The boys joined the girls of Hunter Street Central School to form Bishop's School, Blacon.