The school was opened in 1880 on Wolverhampton Street in the west of Dudley town centre, an area which was heavily developed for housing during the 19th century to accommodate workers drawn to the town as a result of the Industrial Revolution.
He signed for Manchester United on leaving school and within three years had gained full international recognition, regarded by many as the finest footballer of the decade.
He was capped 18 times by England and gaining two Football League championship medals with Manchester United before he died in February 1958, aged 21, from injuries sustained in the Munich air disaster.
By the start of the 1960s, the Wolverhampton Street School buildings were becoming increasingly dilapidated and unsuitable for modern standards.
In response to this, Dudley council drew up plans to relocate the school to a new site.