But as times have changed many historic education buildings in the area became unfit for purpose and were transformed into other uses.
Some have remained in operation as education centres while others have been employed for very different purposes – often still serving the community as religious buildings, homes or offices.
This list has kindly been put together by members of Chesterfield and District Civic Society.
Other former schools, which aren’t pictured, include Staveley’s National School, the first elementary school in Staveley near the church in High Street; the former Mastin Moor School, now a private residence; Woodthorpe’s village school, built by 7th Duke of Devonshire in 1862 and closed in 2019.
Slightly further afield, is the former Apperknowle primary school, on Barrack Road, closed in 2008 and now a private residence.
This list does not include former school buildings retained by the county council for educational use, mostly by specialist pupil-support units or for community education.
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These former schools have now found other uses in the Chesterfield area. Photo: Staff
2. Chesterfield School (Chesterfield Boys’ Grammar School)
Chesterfield School (Chesterfield Boys’ Grammar School), on Sheffield Road. The buildings of 1846-1925 are now used by Chesterfield College, having been given up by school in 1967. Hurst House, on Abercrombie Street, latterly the school’s arts sixth-form building, became an adult education centre in 1967 but has been empty since 2014. Photo: Staff
3. St Helena School, Chesterfield
St Helena School (Chesterfield Girls’ High School), on Sheffield Road, closed in 1991, and is now Derby University’s Chesterfield Campus. Chesterfield and District Civic Society said: "St Helena also occupied St Helen’s House on Newbold Road as a sixth-form building (analogous to Hurst House at the boys’ school), which is now a mosque." Photo: Submitted
4. Catholic School, Queen Street, Chesterfield
The civic society says the oldest surviving building belonging to the Catholic schools in Chesterfield (i.e. the predecessors of St Mary’s Catholic Academy, Newbold, and its junior school) is now a parish centre. Photo: Brian Eyre