Bentham Grammar School

The Factory Acts of 1838 and 1844 required children working in the local textile mills to have some half-day education, and that provision was catered for, as was the developing Victorian curriculum.

His successor, Theodore Bayley Hardy VC, DSO, MC was the most decorated non-combatant of the First World War.

After 1946 pupil numbers steadily grew – including local children passing the 11-plus[10] examination from either Yorkshire or Lancashire - until the school was admitting between 300[11] and 400[12] boys and girls.

This attracted wide attention and, in 1956, the BBC made a film of the school that depicted its work and life.

There was extensive work beyond the classroom in areas such as sport and outward-bound activities (including a full Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme[18]), drama, music[19] and public speaking.