Grange Hill
Okay, so this isn't the fictional North London comprehensive but this former comprehensive school in Grange Lane (Gateacre Community Comprehensive) did play the school.
The school, established the year the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was sent into Earth orbit (and so started the Space Race...1957 if you don't know) was built on two levels and in two phases, the upper school was built that year while the main lower school was built the year the first man went into space (1961 if you haven't guessed).
To me, I can just visualise streams of snorkel jacketed kids, with adidas, Puma or even Gola sports bags passing through these gate and, just like in the 1970s, they'd probably be a feral lot.
By the time I got to the school to take a few photos, demolition was already underway and I prefer to photograph old buildings BEFORE the demo gangs arrive because trust me, a building (or buildings) being demolished is like blood and gore - not a pretty sight.
Grange Hill
Okay, so this isn't the fictional North London comprehensive but this former comprehensive school in Grange Lane (Gateacre Community Comprehensive) did play the school.
The school, established the year the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was sent into Earth orbit (and so started the Space Race...1957 if you don't know) was built on two levels and in two phases, the upper school was built that year while the main lower school was built the year the first man went into space (1961 if you haven't guessed).
To me, I can just visualise streams of snorkel jacketed kids, with adidas, Puma or even Gola sports bags passing through these gate and, just like in the 1970s, they'd probably be a feral lot.
By the time I got to the school to take a few photos, demolition was already underway and I prefer to photograph old buildings BEFORE the demo gangs arrive because trust me, a building (or buildings) being demolished is like blood and gore - not a pretty sight.