Education Until the late 1960s, Ossett had its own Grammar School. Founded in 1735 it grew out of the activity of the National Society for Promoting Education of the Poor, and its local committee formed in 1727. When sufficient funds had been raised, a small classroom was erected on waste land facing the chapel-of-ease in Ossett. The area given to the school increased throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and the education it offered was initially largely linked with the church. In 1904, the old Grammar School had to move from the centre of Ossett, to make way for the construction of the new Town Hall. Temporary location was found in the Central Baptist schoolroom in old Church Street. Changes agreed included a decision that the School should have mixed-sex classes, the first of its kind in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In 1905/6 Ossett Corporation purchased Park House, built in 1867, off Storrs Hill for £2,500. This house, with its three acres of land became the new Ossett Grammar School in September 1906, with 95 pupils and a staff of 8. For the next 63 years the school underwent substantial building expansions, and growth in numbers. Enrolment was via success in the 11+ examination, and many pupils were educated to university entrance level. It ceased to be a grammar school in 1969. Ossett now has nine primary schools; Gawthorpe Community Academy, Ossett Flushdyke School, Towngate Primary Academy; Ossett Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, St Ignatius Catholic Primary School, Ossett South Parade Primary, South Ossett Infant Academy, Ossett Southdale C of E Junior School and Dimplewell Infants School and Nursery. Ossett has one mainstream secondary school, Ossett Academy & Sixth Form College, on the site of the previous Ossett Grammar School, and also has The Grange School, which is an independent special school and Highfield School which caters for children aged 11 to 16 who have learning difficulties, using the buildings of the old North Ossett High School which closed in 1997.
Education Until the late 1960s, Ossett had its own Grammar School. Founded in 1735 it grew out of the activity of the National Society for Promoting Education of the Poor and its local committee formed in 1727. When sufficient funds had been raised, a small classroom was erected on waste land facing the chapel-of-ease in Ossett. The area given to the school increased throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and the education it offered was initially largely linked with the church. In 1904, the old Grammar School had to move from the centre of Ossett, to make way for the construction of the new Town Hall. Temporary location was found in the Central Baptist schoolroom in old Church Street. Changes agreed included a decision that the School should have mixed-sex classes, the first of its kind in the West Riding of Yorkshire. In 1905/6 Ossett Corporation purchased Park House, built in 1867, off Storrs Hill for £2,500. This house, with its three acres of land became the new Ossett Grammar School in September 1906, with 95 pupils and a staff of 8. For the next 63 years the school underwent substantial building expansions, and growth in numbers. Enrolment was via success in the 11+ examination, and many pupils were educated to university entrance level. It ceased to be a grammar school in 1969. Ossett now has nine primary schools; Gawthorpe Community Academy, Ossett Flushdyke School, Towngate Primary Academy; Ossett Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, St Ignatius Catholic Primary School, Ossett South Parade Primary, South Ossett Infant Academy, Ossett Southdale C of E Junior School and Dimplewell Infants School and Nursery. Ossett has one mainstream secondary school, Ossett Academy & Sixth Form College, on the site of the previous Ossett Grammar School, and also has The Grange School, which is an independent special school and Highfield School which caters for children aged 11 to 16 who have learning difficulties, using the buildings of the old North Ossett High School which closed in 1997.