Tinkers Farm Council School

Description:Tinkers Farm Road Council School opened in a new building in 1931 to accommodate junior and infant children. It was built because of the move of population from the poor inner city areas to the suburbs. Here there was room to build a school where the classrooms were all on ground level and where one wall was made of glass panels that could be folded back to allow in fresh air. The school had its own gardens.

The story of Tinkers Farm is linked to that of Floodgate Street School. Miss Waite who had been Head of the Mixed Department, 1923-31, at Floodgate Street was the first head teacher at Tinkers Farm, where she taught until 1954. She continued with the child-centred philosophy she adopted at Floodgate Street. Esperanto was taught to foster international understanding. Expressive movement, music and performance were core elements of the curriculum. The children collected money for charitable causes, including local Basque Refugees.