“Did those windows always look so modern?” a student might wonder, glancing at Lister Community School. It’s a fair question. Lister Community School, right here on St Mary’s Road, has a history as layered as its architecture. Founded way back in 1921 by West Ham Council, it started life as the Livingstone Day Continuation Institute. Imagine that, tucked away in the Balaam Street Congregational schoolroom.
The school has seen its share of changes, even name changes! From Livingstone Day Continuation Institute to Lister Day-Continuation Institute, then Lister Technical School, Lister Comprehensive, and finally, Lister Community School. It’s a history etched in each brick and corridor. The school moved to this very spot, a purpose-built facility, in the 1990s.
But it’s not just the building that’s evolved. Lister Community School is known for its innovative approach to education. They use a system called vertical tutoring, a unique way to bring together students of different ages. This fosters a strong sense of community, a thread woven throughout the school’s history. And if you think back to 2003, you’d find Lister students making their voices heard, staging a walkout to protest the Iraq War. Their passion for social justice is another remarkable chapter in their story.