Callington Community College

From Council School to Community College...

New school at Launceston Road - the beginning of Callington Community College

In 1911-1913, a new Council School was built at Launceston Road, to educate children of all ages.  This building is now the oldest part of Callington Community College - the middle part of the Music department (B2, B3, B4 and music staffroom).

Following the 1944 Education Act, towards the end of the Second World War, the 11-plus exam was introduced, and the school in Launceston Road was renamed Callington Secondary Modern School.  At that time there was another secondary modern school at Drakewalls near Gunnislake, and Callington Grammar School in Saltash Road, Callington.

The development of the Launceston Road campus

1946 - 1947:  the school at Launceston Road was extended, adding teaching rooms (now B1, B5, B6 and B7), a hall (now the library), kitchen, woodwork rooms and toilet blocks.

1956:  a separate block was built, housing 2 classrooms (now B10 and B11)

1964:  2 more classrooms were added.  These are now B14 (Catering) and B15 (ICT)

Comprehensive Education

In 1965, in anticipation of the Government's plans for a comprehensive education system, a new Grammar School building was built at Launceston Road, a little way up the hill from the Secondary Modern school.  This is the core of what is now known as the upper school, and the Sports Hall was built at the same time.  240 pupils moved there from the old Grammar School in Saltash Road, which at that point became the Primary School.

In 1971, the Grammar School was united with the Secondary Modern school and Delaware Secondary Modern, to become Callington Comprehensive School.  New buildings were added: 3 classrooms at the top of the upper school which are now science labs;  Agricultural Science rooms above the upper school (now the Beauty College and the Construction department); the earlier part of the Sixth Form centre; and the main school hall and courtyard with pond and outdoor chessboard.

In 1972 the library was built - an interesting circular annexe which served the community of Callington as well as the school; this building is now used as the Student Support Centre, since 2006, when the library was re-housed in the Lower School Hall.  In 1973 a corridor was added below the Sixth Form with 7 more classrooms which are now mainly the languages department. 

The two parts of the school were finally joined up in 1977 with a 2-storey building housing 13 classrooms, now the Humanities, Food Technology and Design Technology departments.

At the same time, a gymnasium and changing rooms were added to the Sports Hall.

Modern Times

Since then, the school has evolved to become Callington Community College.  In September 2000 we were awarded Sports College status and Training School status, and the Tennis Dome was built in April 2001, which is now home to the East Cornwall Tennis Centre.

A modern block housing the English Department was added in 2000 and in 2003 the Art Block was opened by Wesley Wilton MBE, a long-serving member of the Governing body.

In September 2004 we were awarded Music College status, and since then Callington Music has gone from strength to strength with the building of recording studios and the introduction of Music Technology and Rock School courses.

In May 2005 we were awarded the Artsmark Gold award by the Arts Council of England.

A new Reception and office area was added in 2005, and new Science labs in 2007.

In 2008, a major refurbishment of the original Grammar School buildings (1965) has taken place.  This area now houses the Maths department and part of the Science department.

An exciting new project, the CHiiL (Communication Hub for International & Innovative Learning) was completed in 2009.  This will be a new learning environment for the future. A number of our students were involved in the design of this building.