Solihull School
Public school in Solihull, West Midlands, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Public school in Solihull, West Midlands, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Solihull School is a coeducational private day school in Solihull, West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
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| Solihull School | |
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| Address | |
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Warwick Road Solihull , West Midlands , B91 3DJ England | |
| Coordinates | 52.4150°N 1.7702°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school Private day school |
| Motto | Perseverantia (By perseverance) |
| Established | 1560 |
| Department for Education URN | 104124 Tables |
| Headmaster | Charles Fillingham (As of Jan 1st 2023) |
| Chaplain | Revd. Rachel Hill Brown |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 3 to 18 |
| Enrolment | c.1500 |
| Houses |
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| Colour(s) | Maroon, Blue |
| Publication | The Shenstonian |
| Former pupils | Old Silhillians |
| Website | http://www.solsch.org.uk/ |
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'.[citation needed]
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 Samuel Johnson, a 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 [sic] (which though he can't help) the gent[s] think it may affect some lads in the pursuit of learning".[1] 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 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.[citation needed] 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.
In September 2005 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 (year 7) girls reached upper fifth (year 11). 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 – at an age similar to what Anne Frank would have been. The tree was the idea of Holly Krober (Pole, 2005-2016), 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.
In 2020 Solihull School merged with nearby girls school St Martins School. Today the former St Martins Campus houses the Prep School.[2]
The school is based across two campuses. Solihull Senior School on the Warwick Road campus currently occupies a site of approximately 65 acres (260,000 m2). This is partly as a result of a former headmaster, 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 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 former pupils' organisation, the Old Silhillians' Association.
The school possesses a mountain cottage in Snowdonia, North Wales. The cottage was presented to the school in 1958 by the parents of David Fricke, who was a school pupil between 1946-1956, following his death. 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 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 (1983–1996) who died shortly after its completion.
Opened in September 2005, a building provides fifteen new teaching rooms for the classics, history, economics and business studies, religious studies and IT departments. There is also a multi-purpose teaching room and a social area. 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 of a new sixth form centre - The Cooper Building - commenced in the summer of 2014 and completed in 2015. In November 2019 Solihull opened its newly refurbished refectory. In September 2019 Solihull announced its merger with Saint Martin's School from September 2020. Solihull Preparatory School (aged 3 – 11) is located on the Saint Martin's campus and Solihull Senior School (11 – 18 years) on the Warwick Road campus.
There are over 1,500 pupils, 440 at Solihull Preparatory School on the Saint Martin's campus and 1,100 in Solihull Senior School on the Warwick Road campus.
The School is divided into sections. These form the basis of the pastoral structure of the school.
Solihull Preparatory School (Saint Martin's campus)
Solihull Senior School (Warwick Road campus)
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. Details of the different benches are listed below in descending seniority:
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.
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
Girls' games
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. Other sports 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.
The school has a music society. There are three orchestras, a big band and 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.
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