Solihull School

Solihull School

Motto	Perseverantia (Perseverance)
Established	1560
Type	Independent day school
Headmaster	David E.J.J. Lloyd
Chaplain	Canon Andrew Hutchinson
Location	Warwick Road Solihull West Midlands B91 3DJ England
DfE number	334/6003
DfE URN	104124 Tables
Students	c.1050
Gender	Co-educational
Ages	7–18
Houses	Fetherstone     Jago     Pole     Shenstone     Windsor
Colours	Maroon, Blue
Publication	The Shenstonian
Former pupils	Old Sihillians
Website	www.solsch.org.uk

School House, designed by J. A. Chatwin in 1882

Solihull School is a coeducational independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the HMC.

History

In 1560 the revenues of the chantry chapels of St Mary and St Katherine were diverted for the endowment of a school for boys. The revenue of the chapel of St Alphege was added to the fund six years later enhancing the capacity of the school. The education remained based in teachings of The Church and the desire to turn out 'respectable, thoughtful, successful young gentlemen'.

In the 17th century it became a boarding school and the number of pupils grew. The school became more notable and well thought of due to the involvement of several prominent families. Much of this development came under the Headmastership of Rev. Richard Mashiter who, in 1735, was famously elected ahead of Dr Johnson, the celebrated author, essayist, and lexicographer. Johnson was passed over because the school's directors thought he was "a very haughty, ill-natured gent., and that he has such a way of distorting his face (which though he can't help) the gent[s] think it may affect some lads in the pursuit of learning". The successful applicant Mashiter was, by marriage, related to the aristocratic Holbeche family and his daughter married John Short, a well-respected surgeon in Solihull who would go on to serve the school as a Feoffee for 57 years. Short's six sons were all educated at Solihull School and became professionally and socially successful. One of whom, Robert Short, rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the army of The Honourable East India Company and later became 54th Lord of The Manor of Solihull. Due to a strong affection for Solihull School he expressly recommended it to his fellow officers and peers, according to the diaries of Caroline Clive.

In around 1879 the Feoffees were replaced by a board of Governors who allowed £4,345 to be made available for an architect, J. A. Chatwin, to be commissioned to build a new school on a new site for 80 day boys and 20 boarders. Upon the building's completion in 1882, the school relocated to the new site on the Warwick Road from its previous location on the edge of Brueton Park. 'School House' is now a grade II listed building. Expansion continued on this Warwick Road site into the 20th century. Over the course of the 20th century the school grew steadily from 200 to nearly 1000 pupils.

In 1960 a new chapel was built and was named The Chapel of St Mary and St Katherine to commemorate the origins of the school. The Chapel was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the early 1970s the school admitted girls into the Sixth Form for the first time. Only ten girls joined in the first year, but this grew quickly over the following years, until 2002 when for the first time as many girls entered the Sixth Form as did boys.

Perhaps the major change to the life of the school since the demise of boarding took place in September 2005, when the school began a transition to becoming fully co-educational, at first admitting girls into all four years of the Junior School and at 11+ level, beginning a process which will be completed in 2009, when the first Third Form (Year 7) girls will reach Upper Vth (Year 11).

In 2010 Solihull School celebrated its 450th anniversary. Both the school and the Old Silhillians' Association hosted a range of ceremonial, musical and sporting events to mark the historic occasion.

Facilities

The school currently occupies a large site of approximately 65 acres (260,000 m²). This is partly as a result of a former headmaster, Mr Warin Foster Bushell, who in the 1920s bought much of the land himself when the governors refused to finance the purchase out of school funds. On his retirement Bushell sold the fields to the school at no profit. The school's quadrangle and surrounding classrooms, as well as the former hall, known as Big School, were built after this period, and were followed by a chapel and large teaching block and sports hall, amongst other additions. Solihull School has a large number of rugby pitches, cricket squares and nets, tennis courts, football pitches and general purpose sports fields. There is also a fully floodlit artificial pitch on the school's main campus, incorporating 2, 8x40 warm-up areas. The pitch is used primarily for hockey in the winter months and in the summer term the pitch affords a further 8 tennis courts and an extensive multi-purpose training/coaching area.

One mile away, at Copt Heath, the School has another 13 acres (53,000 m²) of fields, comprising 4 rugby pitches, a new floodlit artificial pitch and a cricket square. These 13 acres (53,000 m²) are a part of the site that is home to the School's old boys' club, the Old Silhillians' Association.

The school also possesses a mountain cottage in Snowdonia, North Wales. Mr and Mrs Fricke presented the Cottage to the School in 1958 following the death of their son David, who was a school pupil between 1946-1956. David was a keen mountain walker and it was felt that the Cottage would be a fitting tribute to his memory. Most pupils will visit the cottage as part of Snowdonia School in the Shell forms. Those taking part in CCF or the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme may also use this facility on other occasions.

In recent years the success of the school's many and varied investments has allowed it to enter a period of almost continual upgrading and extending of its buildings and facilities. In 1990 a new building was constructed to house the Junior School. This was followed by the extension of the science laboratories in 1995; the extensive renovation of most classrooms (with the removal of such features as 1950s desks with attached seats and the installation of large interactive whiteboards in most classrooms) in 1998; and the conversion of Big School into a library, and the construction of a new hall and theatre building at the cost of several million pounds, completed in 2002 and named the Bushell Hall after the former headmaster (see above). A large new pavilion was constructed in 2003 at a cost of just under £2m, and named the Alan Lee Pavilion after another former headmaster (1983–1996) who died shortly after its completion.

The rapid expansion of the school's facilities shows no signs of stopping, with the construction of a new teaching block and redevelopment of a large part of the school, involving the demolition of several buildings from the early 20th century recently being completed. Opened in September 2005, this building provides fifteen new teaching rooms for the Classics, History, Economics & Business Studies, Religious Studies and IT departments. There is also a large multi-purpose teaching room and a social area. This new facility has made department-based teaching possible throughout the school. It has been named the George Hill building after a Governor of the school who died shortly before its completion. George Hill's business acumen helped secure the school's financial position throughout the 20th Century.

In 2007, the Governors of the school commisoned a new music school to be built for the 450th anniversary of the school. Building work started on the Music School in 2008 with it scheduled for completion in 2010. It is rumoured that the new addition to the campus will be named the Graham Hughes Music School, after the Chairman of the Governors who commissioned the project. It was later named the David Turnbull Music School, after a former Director of Music at the school, who was responsible for the development of music within the school and is recognised as the reason the standard of music in the school is so good.

School houses

• Fetherstone (Gold) - named after Barnaby Fetherstone who was the first Usher of the School; a post that today would be called Deputy Master. Fetherstone was instrumental in obtaining donations of land from Henry Hugford, Thomas Dabridgecourt, Thomas Waring and Thomas Greswolde. The later three have their arms incorporated in the School badge.
• Jago (Maroon) - named after 18th-century poet and Old Silhillian Richard Jago. Jago went up to University College, Oxford and then returned to Warwickshire, eventually entering the clergy.
• Pole (Sky blue) - this house carries the name of the school's first Headmaster.
• Shenstone (Black) - named after 18th-century poet, Old Silhillian, classmate and lifelong friend of Jago, William Shenstone. Shenstone went up to Pembroke College, Oxford and then returned home to manage his family's estate. On sporting occasions they are often referred to as the 'All Blacks', due to their black shirts.
• Windsor (Royal blue) - created in 1959 as a mark of respect to the Royal Family. Shortly afterwards, in 1960 and 1962, the School received two Royal visits; from The Duchess of Kent and Queen Elizabeth II respectively. Former house captains include Simon Wernick.

All houses compete against one another in the inter-house competitions in the senior school. The most successful house over an academic year gets awarded the Cock House Trophy. The Junior School has its own exclusive Cock House Competition. Interestingly, the Junior School trophy is an old oak toilet seat.

School structure

The School is divided into four sections, designed to create smaller units with which the pupils can identify. These form the basis of the pastoral structure of the school.

• Junior School - J1, J2, J3, J4 (academic years 3, 4, 5, 6)
• Lower School - Thirds, Shells, Fourths (7, 8, 9)
• Middle School - Lower Fifth, Upper Fifth (10, 11)
• Upper School - Lower Sixth, Upper Sixth (12, 13)

Prefectorial system

Pupils are selected by members of staff to hold positions of responsibility within the various sections of the school. They are, in the Senior School, known as Benchers. Benchers are selected based on fortitude of character and due to the belief that they will uphold the ethos of the school. Details of the different Benches are listed below in descending seniority:

• Heads of School - After a detailed interview process, the staff will select one male and one female member of the Upper Sixth to be Head Boy and Head Girl. A deputy of each sex will be assigned also.
• The School Bench - School Benchers are selected by means of a poll of their peers and members of staff at the end of their Lower Sixth year. They are responsible for the behaviour of pupils in the refectory; general behaviour and standards of other pupils; and giving tours of the school to parents of prospective pupils. Although they cannot, nowadays, directly give detentions, they can refer pupils who may be deserving of punishment to a House Master. They are the only pupils in the school who are allowed to walk across the grass in The Great Quadrangle; all others must walk around the paved perimeter. They are denoted by virtue of wearing a small, maroon rosette on the left lapel; It is affectionately known as a cabbage.
• Middle School Bench - Middle School Benchers are members of the Upper Fifth and are selected by members of staff. They wear a cabbage similar to that of the more senior School Benchers, but dark green rather than maroon.
• Lower School - Lower School Benchers are selected from the Fourth Form and wear a blue cabbage.
• Junior School - Monitors are selected from members of J4 and wear an enamel badge on the left lapel of the blazer. Their responsibilities are limited to the confines of the Junior School.

N.B. - Each section of the school has a Head Boy and Head Girl. The Head Boy and Girl of Upper School are known as Heads of School.

Sport

Sport plays a major part of life at Solihull School, as is true of many similar schools. The campus covers an area of approximately 60 acres (240,000 m²) and this includes rugby pitches, cricket squares, football pitches, an all-weather pitch, all-weather training areas, tennis courts, squash courts, Athletics facilities (running track and jumps/throws areas), climbing wall, rifle range, an indoor swimming pool and two gymnasiums.

Boys' Games

• Rugby union is the main competitive team sport and is played from the age of 11 onwards. The standard of coaching is high at all age levels, with the vast majority of the coaching staff having played for professional clubs. The First XV traditionally play in a dark blue jersey with narrow, horizontal white and maroon stripes, white shorts and dark blue, maroon and white socks. The striped jersey has, in recent years, been swapped for a maroon shirt with blue sleeves. The teams have recently done well nationally, the First XV having won the Daily Mail Vase Cup in 2011 at Twickenham, is the furthest the school has ever reached. Solihull School regularly produces players who attain representative honours at county level and beyond. The Big Side teams tour biennially to, amongst other countries, Australia, South Africa and Canada. The u.15 age-group travel to Italy each year to play against several Italian club sides. Solihull School also plays rugby sevens, competing at national tournaments such as The National Schools Sevens at Rosslyn Park, Blackpool Sevens and Fylde Sevens. The Old Boys fixture is always an eagerly anticipated and hotly contested event, with many pupils, Old Silhillians and parents turning out to watch the current XV compete against a selection of Old Silhillians. The match, held in early December, is usually preceded by a barbecue and followed by drinks, speeches and presentations in the Alan Lee Pavilion.
• Hockey is also a hugely popular and successful sport. Solihull School has former Olympic team member, Chris Mayer, as Head Hockey Coach. The First XI have, in recent years, scored victories over the likes of Rugby School, Warwick School, both of which are local rivals, advancing through the rounds of the regional and national cup competitions in the process.
• Soccer has recently been adopted into the curriculum in the Senior School and the 1st XI compete in the ISFA.
• Cricket has, in recent years, produced players of an extremely high calibre, many of whom have represented Warwickshire CCC at first-class level. Several players have been rewarded for fine school and county performances with international honours. Both batsmen and bowlers from Solihull School have been cited in the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack for outstanding performances over the course of a season. The school's recently formed Twenty20 team, who play in an all red kit, compete at various Twenty20 schools' tournaments around the country.
• Athletics brings huge success, as Solihull School regularly beat many of Britain's most prestigious schools. The school provides many representatives for the Solihull Borough athletics team, as well and the West Midlands and Midlands teams. Daniel Caines, former World Champion indoor 400 m runner, is an Old Silhillian.

Girls' Games

• Hockey is the main winter sport for girls and, as with the boys' XI, the coaching is of a high standard and the quality of play is high. The team competes well in regional and national competitions. The Solihull School kit consists of maroon or white tops, navy blue skirts and socks.
• Rounders is played in the summer and the first team play a wide range of schools from across the country. The team plays in a blue skirt and white polo shirt. A picnic is held for the Upper Sixth pupils on the afternoon of the last game of the season.
• Netball is popular, with a 1st and 2nd team, both of very high standards, competing during the summer term. The teams play in identical kits to that of the rounders team.
• Athletics. The squad travel to, and compete at many of the same competitions as the boys. The success of the boys' team is mirrored to some extent in the girls' team. However, the girls do not take part in as many invitational meetings as the boys' team.

N.B. Sports as such golf, shooting (both clay pigeon and rifle shooting), Swimming, cross country, sailing, tennis, squash and badminton are all played within the school and teams are put forward to compete against other schools. Also, an even wider range of sports are played recreationally. These include basketball, lacrosse and water polo.

School colours

• School Colours are given to a pupil who has represented School in his or her chosen sport. The reward takes the form of a dark blue blazer with narrow red and white vertical stripes. These may be worn instead of the standard plain blue blazer.

Since 2006 it has been possible for those who have achieved in the theatrical or musical arenas to be awarded the sport blazer. This has caused some unrest amongst Old Silhillians and current pupils who see it as an erosion of tradition. When a pupil achieves school colours, they get a silver school crest that goes on the breast pocket. Those achieving "double colours" get a gold crest to replace the silver.

Music and drama

The school has a thriving music society. There are 3 orchestras, a Big Band and numerous instrumental groups and choirs. These range from traditional wind and string ensembles to African and Samba percussion groups.

Both the Music and Drama Departments are able to use the Bushell Hall for performances. This building is used as an assembly hall and has a state-of-the-art retractable stage with under-stage orchestra pit and seats an audience of around 1,000.

CCF

The school has an extremely popular Combined Cadet Force which is open to Senior School pupils(Year 9 and above). The CCF is known for its smartness an well organisation in Solihull School. It boasts upwards of 170 cadets across the Army and Air Force sections. It is one of the oldest School Combined Cadet Forces in the country, having celebrated its centenary in 1998 with a parade of over 300 cadets and displays by the Armed Forces.^{[citation needed]}

Outdoor pursuits

• The D of E scheme is enormously popular amongst the Senior School pupils; many achieve the Gold Award. There is a huge amount of support available to any pupil wishing to partake in this scheme and there are several members of staff who take groups camping as part of their D of E course.
• Terriers is a course for the Third Form that introduces them to many outdoor skills. They learn to read maps, erect tents, hike, climb, canoe etc. The culmination of this course is a week spent in the school's cottage in Snowdonia when in Shell Form where all of these skills are put to use.
• The Mountain Club is a purely recreational society co-run by staff and older pupils. Trips are organised to parts of the country in order that a day or two of hiking may be enjoyed.
• There is, biennially, what can only be described as an 'expedition to a particularly inhospitable region'. Pupils and teachers have the opportunity to travel to places such as Tibet, Nepal, Peru and Chile for the purposes of trekking in and the exploration of distant mountainous regions. For summer 2009, a trip is planned to the Ladakh region of northern India.
• Skiing is popular and there is a trip each year, usually to The French Alps for the three sections of the Senior School.

School publications

• The Shenstonian is the school's annual publication and reviews the academic, sporting and other events within the school. It chronicles the achievements of pupils and publishes works of arts, poetry and prose. Although the editor is a member of staff, it is largely contributed to by team captains, house captains, heads of societies and other pupils. It is named, as is one of the houses, after the notable poet and Old Silhillian William Shenstone.
• The Silhillian is the magazine of the Old Silhillians' Association. It includes news of the school, messages from the committee, news of old boys, reminiscences of School, news of the Old Silhillian sports clubs and obituaries of Old Silhillians and former masters.

Notable Old Silhillians

See also: Category:People educated at Solihull School

Politics and governance

• Sir Oliver Wright, diplomat
• Christopher Ingham, diplomat
• Andrew MacKay, Former Conservative MP for Bracknell
• John Owen, High Court judge
• Giles Marshall, former head of the Tory Reform Group

Sport

• Bert Millichip, former chairman of the Football Association
• James Hudson, Rugby union player
• Richard Johnson, Cricketer
• Michael Rawson, Olympic athlete
• Peter Hale, England Rugby International
• Daniel Caines, athlete
• John Curry, figure skater
• Jim Proudfoot, football commentator
• Martin Green, England Rugby Coach 1985-1987
• Frank Foster, England cricketer
• Will Grigg, Northern Ireland footballer
• James Wallis, Great-Britain Hockey
• Jake Vincent, British Olympian (water polo), London 2012

Arts and entertainment

• William Shenstone, poet
• Richard Jago, poet
• John Taylor, classicist
• Stewart Lee, comedian
• Richard Hammond, journalist and television presenter
• Mike Bullen, writer
• Michael Buerk, broadcaster and journalist
• Philip Achille, harmonica player
• Simon Mayo, BBC radio DJ
• David Briggs, organist and composer
• Laurence Cummings, harpsichordist, organist, and conductor
• Paul Hale, organist and Rector Chori of Southwell Minster
• James Barralet, cellist
• Johnnie Walker, radio DJ
• Andy Dickens, jazz musician
• Ritchie Neville, musician
• Neil Andrew Megson AKA Genesis P-Orridge, musician
• Lizo Mzimba, journalist and television presenter
• Richard Batchelor, singer and guitarist of Ricky Spontane
• Adrian Nicholas Godfrey AKA Nikki Sudden guitarist and vocalist of Swell Maps, and collaborator with R.E.M.
• Kevin Paul Godfrey AKA Epic Soundtracks drummer of Swell Maps, These Immortal Souls, and Crime And The City Solution
• Miles Ratledge drummer of Napalm Death
• Kenneth Spiers of '70s punk band Spizzenergi, covered by R.E.M.
• Richard Wolfson, musician of Fischer-Z and Towering Inferno
• Brian Cuthbertson Operation Julie LSD guru

Other

• Lt Col Robert Short, officer in the East India Company
• Sir Derek Higgs, businessman
• David Tustin, former Bishop of Grimsby
• John Butterfield, Baron Butterfield, vice-chancellor of Cambridge University
• Commander Malcolm Burley
• Stevie Parle, Chef

External links

• Solihull School