'HORSA huts' from c.1947 at Machanhill Primary School, South Lanarkshire

HORSA is the acronym for the 'Hutting Operation for the Raising of the School-Leaving Age', a programme of hut-building in schools introduced by the UK Government to support the expansion of education under the Education Act 1944 to raise the compulsory education age by a year to age 15.

Background

Government plans to increase the school leaving age resulted in the need to accommodate 168,000 additional pupils.[1] Along with the need to replace buildings lost and damaged in World War II and the post-war baby boom, this contributed to massive demand for low cost prefabricated 'hut'-style classrooms and other school buildings. 7,000 new classrooms and 928 new primary schools were built in 1945-50.[2][3]

The programme was the responsibility of George Tomlinson, the Minister of Education in the post-war Clement Attlee government. There is some evidence the programme struggled to cope with demand.[4] However, the scheme progressed and was regarded as complete by 1950.[5]

HORSA huts

HORSA hut block, Baltasound Junior High School, Shetland

HORSA huts were constructed of concrete and timber with corrugated asbestos-filled roofs, arrived onsite as flat pack deliveries and once assembled they resembled the spartan buildings used in army camps in the war.[6] Although intended as temporary accommodation with an expected lifespan of only ten years,[7] 'Horsa huts' were often used well beyond this and some still survived as of 2012.[8] Although now often in poor physical condition and regarded as having little architectural merit, demolition of those built before 1 July 1948 requires listed building consent if they fall within the curtilage of a listed building.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Public Information Films | 1945 to 1951 | Charley Junior's School Days".
  2. ↑ "Wirral's last 'temporary' post-war Horsa school hut to be bulldozed to allow Overchurch Infants revamp - Liverpool Echo". August 2011.
  3. ↑ Webb, Simon (February 2013). The Best Days of Our Lives: School Life in Post-War Britain. The History Press. ISBN 9780752489360.
  4. ↑ "Horsa Huts".
  5. ↑ "Education, Scotland".
  6. ↑ Parker, David (2005). John Newsom: A Hertfordshire Educationist. Univ of Hertfordshire Press. ISBN 9780954218980.
  7. ↑ https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo011122/debtext/11122-32.htm
  8. ↑ "UCL - London's Global University".
  9. ↑ http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/councilservices/Environ/planning/planapps/Documents/PDF%20Documents/Decision%20Notices/10.00048.CCD%20-%20Approved%20Supporting%20Information.pdf
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