Solihull School


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 in the parish church of St Alphege, Solihull 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 owing to the involvement of several prominent families. Much of this development came under the Headmastership of the 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 fface the gent 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 them, 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. Owing 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.
In 1962 the School was visited 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 was completed in 2009, when the first Third Form girls reached Upper Vth. The 2015-2016 academic year marked the first girls to go through the whole school from J1 to Upper Sixth.
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.
A sapling taken from the tree that Anne Frank could see from her hiding place in Amsterdam was planted at Solihull School as part of Remembrance Day commemorations 2015. The tree was planted by 86 year old Auschwitz survivor, Mindu Hornick, a similar age to what Anne Frank would have been. The tree was the idea of Holly Krober who was so moved by her Solihull School trip to Auschwitz concentration camp with 3 other pupils, that she was determined to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust.

Facilities

The school currently occupies a site of approximately 65 acres. 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 number of rugby pitches, cricket squares and nets, tennis courts, football pitches and general purpose sports fields. There is a 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 a multi-purpose training/coaching area.
One mile away, at Copt Heath, the School has another of fields, comprising 4 rugby pitches, a new floodlit artificial pitch and a cricket square. These are a part of the site that is home to the School's former pupils' organisation, 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 school's investments have allowed it to enter a period of upgrading and extending of its buildings and facilities. In 1990 a building was constructed to house the Junior School. This was followed by the extension of the science laboratories in 1995; the renovation of most classrooms, in 1998; and the conversion of Big School into a library, and the construction of a new hall and theatre building, completed in 2002, named the Bushell Hall after the former headmaster. A new pavilion was constructed in 2003, named the Alan Lee Pavilion after another former headmaster who died shortly after its completion.
The 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 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 commissioned 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 was later named the David Turnbull Music School, after a former Director of Music.
Building on a new, Sixth Form Centre commenced in the Summer of 2014.

School houses

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.
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:
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 and this includes rugby pitches, cricket squares, football pitches, an all-weather pitch, all-weather training areas, tennis courts, squash courts, Athletics facilities, climbing wall, rifle range, an indoor swimming pool and two gymnasiums.
Boys' Games
Girls' Games
N.B. Sports as such golf, 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
Since 2006 it has been possible for those pupils who have achieved in debating, leadership, drama, music or community service to also be awarded School Colours. 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 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 retractable stage with under-stage orchestra pit and seats an audience of around 1,000.

Outdoor pursuits

Sport