Gidlow secondary modern

Having been away from Wigan for 3 Decades. I was saddened a couple of years ago to learn of e closure of My school Gidlow Secondary modern boys. Today I looked at Google earth just to see the changes, I was pleased to see the old front wall of the school has been left intact . Not a lot to remember a childhood, but important nevertheless

I've been away the same amount of time kameras, and my secondary school has also been demolished. I went to Hindley Green County Secondary in Thomas Street Hindley, (later on it was all juniors) but I don't think there's anything at all left now.

It's sad the buildings have gone, but we have our memories

my school has gone too - the new Girls' High school but the old one n Wigan lane is still there

Mine..St Josephs..Wallgate has been gone for years
oh what I'd give for just a glimpse of it now.

Maureen, that brought back memories. Walking over the brew after getting off the bus in Wallgate. We started when we lived in Miry Lane and then stayed there when we moved to Worsley Hall. I remember the bus fare was tuppence.

I suppose I was lucky Marie wasn't I living so
close to School.

My past has been totally erased. House where I was born is gone (there is a plaque there though) schools demolished,church gone, chippy gone, pub as well (wonder what happened to my tankard),Central park and Springfield Park.
I could go on forever

Gidlow Secondary Modern, became Gidlow Middle School and it was demolished over 20 years ago, when the Middle School system was abolished and High Schools resumed taking in pupils, from Junior School at 11 years old.

Are you sure the Middle School system has been abolished?
Is it not so,that in certain areas of England the Middle School system has been phased out.But,in some areas the Middle School system still exists.

Amazing that two local schools were among the first to be taken out of action and demolished. I wonder whether it was due to them both having a lot of land and being in good building areas. 'Prime' decision!
One of the other Middle Schools was left for quite a time. This was probably due to the school not having much land(it only had a large playground) and it wasn't in a prime building area.

We know there had to be some changes,because there was a shortage of school children in comparison to the available schools.Therefore,an easy solution,close some schools and place the school children into the remaining schools,which,'idiomatically speaking','kills two birds with one stone'.
It will be interesting to see what happens if there is a sudden increase in chldbirth,because not only have those schools gone,the land has also gone.

Maureen, do you remember the boys and girls were separated at St Josephs. The boys were downstairs and we had to walk up the stone steps and woe betide us if we looked left were the boys were when we walked up the steps. I remember Mr McGuire. He was a tyrant if we didn't keep our eyes up front.

seems a few of you have similar memories. I heard about 5 years ago all but 2 teacher's have passed away

It depends on which Gidlow you are refering to: Gidlow Secondary Modern or Gidlow Middle School.
Not sure about the first one, but I know five of the teachers from Gidlow Middle School are still with us,thankfully.

secondary modern