Carden Primary School was built in the late 1940s and holds a special place in UK history: it was the first school to be completed in the post-war period. Alderman Morris, then Mayor of Brighton, laid the foundation stone on 22 October 1947 and the first children attended on 3 September 1948.
The school is built on a natural west-facing slope and was constructed in a revolutionary design using pre-cast concrete. The exterior remained unpainted grey textured concrete for many years.
One of the reasons Carden has some of the most spacious classrooms that open directly onto patios, is because the school was likely originally designed to be used as a hospital in the event of further hostilities. See the full range of facilities available to Carden pupils.
The original Carden Infants and Carden Junior schools merged in September 1999 to become Carden Primary School.
For a the full fascinating story of the origins of Carden Primary and why the building has it’s spacious and light layout, read this article in The Brighton Society website.
Below is a fascinating newsreel clip on Pathe News documenting the early days of the school.