Victoria School was first opened on Jenkins Street in Birmingham on 1st February 1905. We intend to have a year of celebrations to mark the centenary.

In terms of the History of Special Schools there cannot be many Local Authority managed special schools that have been operating for as long as Victoria. We have been looking back at old logbooks and archived records. It is clear from these records that Victoria School has always played an important part in the education of children and young people with disabilities and it has always been a forward thinking and outward looking school.

This term all classes are following a topic studying the history of each of the decades since the school was opened. This will culminate in a series of displays and celebrations at the end of the term.

The choir and a school music group are rehearsing a song composed especially to mark the centenary.

All of the children currently with us will complete a decorative tile to create a piece of artwork as a souvenir from the celebrations. We will also be holding an open day in March.

During the year we shall build a gallery of photographs providing a record of our centenary celebrations.

The samba procession on the morning of the pupil's centenary day in March was one of the highlights of our centenary celebrations. It was one of those occasions when all staff and pupils can gather together as a community.

The weather was fine. Nick, Karen and Round Table centre students led the procession with the whole school following, to the senior playground. Here the Centenary flag was raised, to cheers, the sound of party poppers, and the rousing chorus of 'Victorious Victoria' our main centenary song.

The centenary flag and four special banners were designed and made jointly by RTC students, using some of the design ideas from other pupils in school.

All pupils in school had prepared for the day by participating in a Samba workshop during the Spring term with Nick and Karen Ledbury (shown in picture), and most pupils had made a samba shaker in music lessons.

As part of our centenary all the children have decorated a tile which have been mounted and displayed. they will provide a permanent reminder of the Centenary year.

All pupils participated in a samba music and dance workshop, in preparation for our school samba procession planned as part of our cenenary celebrations for 21 March 2005.

The photographs below show our redecorated Studio, and some displays depicting music from the early 1900s.

On Friday 4 February 2005 instead of our normal coffee shop the team decided to celebrate the centenary with a special Centenary Tea Shop.

This picture above (top-right) shows some of the team preparing and then serving the guests.