| Solihull School | | | | Motto | Perseverantia
(Perseverance) | | Established | 1560 | | Type | Independent School | | Headmaster | Phillip J Griffiths MA | | Chaplain | Canon Andrew Hutchinson | | Location | Warwick Road, Solihull
West Midlands
England
 | | Students | c.950 | | Gender | Co-educational | | Ages | 7 to 18 | | Houses | Fetherston; Jago; Pole; Shenstone; Windsor | | School colours | Maroon & Dark Blue Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school relying, for all of its funding, upon private sources, so almost invariably charging school fees. ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ...
| | Publication | The Shenstonian | | Ex-Pupils | Old Silhillians | | Website | Solihull School Website | Solihull School is a British Independent school situated near the centre of Solihull, West Midlands, England and it dates back to 1560. An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school relying, for all of its funding, upon private sources, so almost invariably charging school fees. ...
, Solihull (IPA: , or ) is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94,753. ...
The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ...
For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...
Events February 27 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland The first tulip bulb was brought from Turkey to the Netherlands. ...
It has approximately 990 day pupils, of whom 280 are in the Sixth Form and 160 are in the Junior School. It selectively accepts boys and girls aged 7 to 18. The school began admitting girls into J1 (year 3) and Thirds (year 7) and below from from September 2005, although girls have been admitted into the Sixth Form since the 1970s. England, Wales, Northern Ireland The sixth form, in the English, Welsh and Northern Irish education systems, is the term used to refer to the final two years of secondary schooling (when students are about sixteen to eighteen years of age), during which students normally prepare for their GCE A-level...
History The school derives its origin from the parish church of St Alphege. In 1560 the revenues of the chantry chapels of St Mary and St Katherine were diverted for the endowment of a grammar school, as were those of the chapel of St Alphege six years later. It has been in continuous existence ever since. The school's chapel, consecrated in 1960, was dedicated to St Mary and St Katherine to reflect the school's origins. A parish church is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches. ...
For the first Bishop of Winchester of this name, see Alphege the Bald Saint Alphege is the commonly used named for Ælfheah (954 - 19 April 1012), the Anglo-Saxon Bishop of Winchester and, later, Archbishop of Canterbury. ...
Events February 27 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland The first tulip bulb was brought from Turkey to the Netherlands. ...
Chantry is a term for the English establishment of a shrine or chapel on private land where monks or priests would say (or chant) prayers on a fixed schedule, usually for someone who had died. ...
A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ...
Saint Mary and Saint Mary the Virgin both redirect here. ...
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine (Greek ) is a Christian saint and martyr claimed to have been a noted scholar in the early 4th century. ...
A grammar school is a school that may, depending on regional usage as exemplified below, provide either secondary education or, a much less common usage, primary education (also known as elementary). Grammar schools trace their origins back to medieval Europe, as schools in which university preparatory subjects, such as Latin...
A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ...
Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
In the 17th century it became a boarding school, and in 1879 the charitable estate from which the school had been funded was devoted solely to educational purposes. This allowed £4,222 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. This is now the school's oldest surviving building, completed in 1882, and is known as School House. It is a grade II listed building. Building and expansion continued on this Warwick Road site into the 20th century. Over the course of the 20th century the school grew steadily from 100 to nearly 1000 pupils. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ...
A boarding school is a usually fee-charging school where some or all pupils not only study, but also live during term time, with their fellow students and possibly teachers. ...
Year 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...
The Joint Stock Bank (now a pub), Temple Row West St Mary & St Ambrose, Edgbaston 1897-8. ...
Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...
Buckingham Palace, a Grade I listed building. ...
(19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...
(19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...
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. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...
Also see: 2002 (number). ...
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 Year 7 girls will reach Year 11. It is anticipated that by this time the school will be able to accommodate approximately 1200 pupils. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Coeducation is the integrated education of males and females at the same school facilities. ...
2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Facilities The school occupies a surprisingly large site of approximately 65 acres (260,000 m²) for such an urban location. 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. A head teacher, headmaster or headmistress (all often referred to simply as the head) is the most senior teacher in a school in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. ...
The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually when speaking about the United States. ...
Quadrangle of University of Sydney In architecture, a quadrangle, or more colloquially, quad, is a space or courtyard, usually square or rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. ...
One mile away, at Copt Heath, the School has another 13 acres of fields, comprising 3 rugby pitches, 2 hockey pitches and a cricket square. These 13 acres 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. Tryfans north ridge (seen on the left in this picture) in Snowdonia. ...
Approximate extent of North Wales North Wales (known in some archaic texts as Northgalis) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales. ...
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
The logo of the Duke of Edinburghs Award. ...
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, and named the Alan Lee Pavilion after another former headmaster (1983–1996) who died shortly after its completion. This article is about the year. ...
Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...
The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ...
Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...
Also see: 2002 (number). ...
A free-standing garden pavilion, Hofgarten in Munich, Bavaria In architecture a pavilion (from French, pavillon) has two main significations. ...
Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
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. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...
School houses - Fetherston (Gold) - reputedly named after a 16th century benefactor.
- Jago (Maroon) - named after 18th-century poet and Old Silhillian Richard Jago.
- Pole (Pale 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.
- Windsor (Royal blue) - created as a mark of respect to the Royal Family.
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 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. Details of the different Benches are listed below in descdending seniority: - 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 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. For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the sport. ...
A tennis courts dimension A tennis court is where a game of tennis is played. ...
Squash racquet and ball Players in a glass-backed squash court International Squash Singles Court, as specified by the World Squash Federation Squash is an indoor racquet sport that was formerly called Squash racquets, a reference to the squashable soft ball used in the game (compared with the harder ball...
A womens 400 m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red urethane track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. ...
Boys' Games
- Rugby Football 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, topping the schools' result table during 2005 and performing well in the Daily Mail Cup; the u.15 XV reached the Vase Final at Twickenham to cap a successful 2006-07 season. 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 BBQ 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 recently scored victories over the likes of Rugby School and local rivals Warwick School, advancing through the rounds of the regional and national cup competitions in the process.
- 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 with 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 400m runner, is an Old Silhillian.
Girls' Games For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ...
Twickenham Stadium (usually known as just Twickenham or Twickers[1]) is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. ...
Bold text // Rugby sevens being played at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which was held at Melbournes Telstra Dome. ...
A free-standing garden pavilion, Hofgarten in Munich, Bavaria In architecture a pavilion (from French, pavillon) has two main significations. ...
A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men, women and children in many countries around the world. ...
A view of Rugby School from The Close, the playing field where according to legend Rugby was invented Rugby School, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, is one of the oldest public schools in England and is one of the major co-educational boarding schools in the country. ...
The Myton Road frontage of Warwick School, dating from 1879 Warwick School is an independent school for boys in Warwick, England, and is reputed to be the third-oldest surviving school in the country after Kings School, Canterbury and St. ...
This article is about the sport. ...
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is a cricket club (team) based at the County Ground, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England (Birmingham historically being part of Warwickshire). ...
Wisden is the main publisher of information on cricket in the United Kingdom. ...
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in 2003. ...
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in 2003. ...
A womens 400 m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red urethane track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. ...
, Solihull (IPA: , or ) is a large town in the West Midlands of England, with a population of 94,753. ...
The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Daniel Caines (born May 15, 1979 in Solihull) is an English athlete who mainly competes in in the 400 metres. ...
- 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 tops, 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 grey 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. A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men, women and children in many countries around the world. ...
For the movie, see Rounders (film). ...
A netball game in Australia Netball is a non-contact generally indoor sport similar to, and derived from, basketball. ...
For the movie, see Rounders (film). ...
A womens 400 m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red urethane track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. ...
This article is about the game. ...
Clay pigeon shooting, formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun. ...
Swimming is the method by which humans (or other animals) move themselves through water. ...
US Armed Forces cross country meet Cross-country running is a sport in which teams of runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain before other teams. ...
For either of the songs named Sailing, see Sailing (song). ...
For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ...
Look up squash in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
This article is about the sport. ...
This article is about the sport. ...
For other uses, see Lacrosse (disambiguation). ...
Water polo is a team water sport. ...
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.
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. A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s, although there are many big-bands around nowadays. ...
The excellent state of music within Solihull School is largely credited to the enthusiasm and foresight of Mr David Turnbull who was a master from 1953-1991 and spent 34 of those 38 years as Director of Music. It was written of him in his obituary in The Silhillian, the school publication, Si monumentum requiris, circumspice (If you seek a record of his achievement look around you). He brought the music department from a cramped and inadequate single music room to the rear section of Bradford House, now known as the Music School, which now houses nine teaching rooms, an electric keyboard/multimedia room, an informal performance stage and a rehearsal basement. During and since his Directorship the Music Department has gone from strength to strength.
Public examination candidates achieve consistent success in a wide range of instruments as well as voice and a glance at the Honours Boards shows the continuous stream of pupils attaining places at the colleges of music at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Solihull School can even count a World Champion Harmonica player, Philip Achille, as an old boy. Philip Achille, British harmonica player. ...
The annual St Cecilia Concert is a showcase for the musicians and the Chapel Choir performs at many services throughout the year. The Choir's 'anthem' is Pie Jesu and is sung at all major services by the Chapel Choir. It also has in its repertoire major works such as Haydn's Creation, Handel's Messiah and Mozart's Requiem, there are also several special pieces of music written specially by the Solihull School choirmaster, Peter Irving. Pie Jesu is a motet that is a part of some composers musical settings of the Requiem Mass. ...
Haydn redirects here. ...
“Handel†redirects here. ...
“Mozart†redirects here. ...
Each year a musical is performed by the pupils and these are, without exception, of a very high standard. The 2006 production of Barnum involved around a third of the school's population, either on stage or behind the scenes. Under the supervison of a Director and Producer (both members fo staff), the costumes, set, make-up, lighting, sound, music and other special effects were down to the pupils. In 2007, the school staged The Sound of Music, and The Scarlet Pimpernel is planned for Easter 2008. Original cast recording Barnum is a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical with book by Mark Bramble, lyrics by Michael Stewart, and music by Cy Coleman. ...
For other uses, see The Sound of Music (disambiguation). ...
For the eponymous flower, see Scarlet pimpernel. ...
Drama is well supported within the school too, with several plays performed annually. These plays range from the traditional, to the original, to the experimental. Theatre Studies is offered as an A-Level course; the Theatre students often partake in informal productions.
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.
As mentioned above, the school has traditionally awarded only sportsmen and women with striped blazers, however in recent years this reward has been extended to the musicians and thespians. It is a move that has caused some unrest amongst the pupils and old boys.
CCF The school has an extremely popular Combined Cadet Force which is open to Senior School pupils. 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. The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
The cadets learn military based skills such as climbing, abseiling, weapons training, orienteering and tactical assault simulation. There are several CCF Camps, Military Training Weekends and cadet competitions each year, during which the cadets go on field manoeuvres in order to apply the skills they have learned to a practical situation. There is a commissioned officer who is a full time member of staff as Solihull School who runs the CCF. The cadets are required to present themselves for inspection by the masters in charge of the CCF on a weekly basis. This inspection takes place on The Field of Mars (see 'School vernacular' for details.) The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
Pupils of Solihull School regularly win places at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. New College, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst New Colours are presented to RMAS, June 2005. ...
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 and Peru for the purposes of trekking in and the exploration of distant mountainous regions.
- Skiing is popular and there is a trip each year to The French Alps.
The logo of the Duke of Edinburghs Award. ...
The logo of the Duke of Edinburghs Award. ...
Tryfans north ridge (seen on the left in this picture) in Snowdonia. ...
This article is about historical/cultural Tibet. ...
Alp redirects here. ...
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, news of the Old Silhillians' sports clubs and obituaries of ex-pupils and masters.
William Shenstone William Shenstone (November 13, 1714 – February 11, 1763) was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes. ...
School traditions & peculiarities As is the case with many schools that have existed for so many years, some notable traditions have evolved.
Traditional events
- The annual rememberance service on November 11th at 11am is held in the Quadrangle. The whole school is present and silently file in to the Quadrangle and stand around its perimiter. Wreaths are laid at the foot of the war memorial by the Headmaster, Heads of School, the Chair of the Board of Governers, the most senior members of CCF. The Headmaster reads For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon and the Last Post is played.
- St Cecilia, the parton saint of musicians, is remembered with an annual concert.
- There is an annual Leaver's Service for departing pupils. Parents are invited as guests of the Chaplian.
Behavioural traditions This memorial in England lists the names of soldiers who died in the First World War. ...
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
Laurence Robert Binyon (August 10, 1869 Lancaster, England – March 10, 1943) was a British poet and scholar. ...
Last Post is a bugle call used at military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have fallen in war. ...
Saint Cecilia Saint Cecilia in the Catholic Church the patron saint of music and of the blind. ...
- The only people allowed to walk across the Great Quadrangle are staff and Upper School Benchers.
- Although no longer exercised, or at least it hasn't been for many years, the Head Boy is purported to be permitted to graze his horse on the Head's Lawn while he is in lessons, is the only pupil permitted to smoke a pipe in School and is the only pupil allowed to grow a beard.
Sporting traditions
- It has become tradition that prior to inter-house Rugby matches, Windsor performs the first verse of the Hokey Cokey as a jovial, Haka-esque pre-match ritual. It is thought that the tradition arose around many years ago as a result of a rivalry with Shenstone. Shenstone, whose house colour is black, said that they were that confident of beating Windsor that they may even perform a Haka so as to compare themselves to the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team. The Windsor rugby captain, not wishing to be outdone, responded by remarking that his house would also perform a war dance. Clearly tongue-in-cheek, the Windsor 'war dance' was the Hokey Cokey.
- In December the School Rugby XV play an Old Boys' XV.
- A similar fixture exists in the summer months for the Cricket XI.
- All sports captains are recored on the Captains' Boards in the upper room of the Alan Lee Pavillion.
For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ...
The Hokey Pokey is a participation dance that became popular in the USA in the 1950s. ...
The All Blacks, the international rugby union team of New Zealand, perform a haka (MÄori traditional dance) immediately prior to international matches. ...
The All Blacks, the international rugby union team of New Zealand, perform a haka (MÄori traditional dance) immediately prior to international matches. ...
For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ...
The House System is a traditional feature of British schools, similar to the collegiate system of a university. ...
This article is about the traditional MÄori dance genre. ...
This article is about the traditional MÄori dance genre. ...
The Hokey Pokey is a participation dance that became popular in the USA in the 1950s. ...
For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the sport. ...
School vernacular As is common of many old British independent schools, there is a vocabulary peculiar to the school. An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school relying, for all of its funding, upon private sources, so almost invariably charging school fees. ...
Buildings & Locations
- Big School - one side of the School's Great Quadrangle. It includes the Kent Library, the Common Rooms, the Big School Bell Tower and Big School flag pole.
- Bigside - senior sports teams' pitches. Also refers to the teams themselves, i.e. Big Side rugby, cricket, athletics and hockey.
- The Head's Wing - the south-east corner of the Quadrangle that houses the offices of the Headmaster, Deputy Head and Senior Master ans their respective secretaries.
- The Head's Lawn - the lawn in front of the Big School Corridor.
- The Head's Pitch - a rugby pitch overlooked by the Head's house and used predominantly by the Third Form 'A' XV.
- The Level - large area of tarmac used as CCF parade ground and, during break-times, a playground. Ironically named, as it is on a slight slope.
- The Fort - the woodwork and technology building, located in the North-East corner of the School grounds, adjacent to the School Lane gate.
- The Lower Common Room - the name given to the communal staff study.
- The Upper Common Room - the name given to the lounge exclusively for the staff. It is directly above the Lower Common Room and overlooks the Quadrangle Lawn.
- The Field of Mars - the area that lies beside School House and in front of the Bigside cricket pitch.
- Snod School - the school's cottage in Snowdonia. In the Shell Form, groups of pupils spend a week there.
Positions held within School For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the sport. ...
A womens 400 m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red urethane track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. ...
A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men, women and children in many countries around the world. ...
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. ...
Tryfans north ridge (seen on the left in this picture) in Snowdonia. ...
- Heads of School - Head Boy and Head Girl.
- School Bencher - a School prefect; a member of the School Bench. Selected by a poll of pupils and teachers.
- Form Bencher - a pupil chosen by the staff from either Upper or Lower Sixth who is designated pastoral responsbility for a form from the Lower and Middle School.
- Monitor - position of responsibility within the Junior School.
- The Marshal - the caretaker and master in charge of lost uniform and property.
- Directors - heads of departments. E.g. Director of Studies, Director of Careers, Director of Sport etc.
Awards & Rewards
- The Cock House - the winner of the annual inter-house competition. The trophy, The Cock House Trophy, is an old oak toilet seat!
- The Butterfields - the name given annually to the house who, in the Middle School, achieve the highest number of academic commendations. Awarded the Butterfield Cup.
- Stripes - the dark blue blazer with red and white stripes is traditionally given to denote members of a sport first team but more recently, and controversially, also for music and drama.
- Deck Chair - As above. The stripes are said to resemble those of a deck chair.
- Trooper - a pupil who passes through the school from J1 (the first year of Junior School, aged 7) until the end of sixth form, totalling 11 years.
Miscellaneous
- Terriers - a weekly outward bound activity course for the 3rd form (year 7) pupils, for which they wear red jackets instead of normal uniform.
- The Copt Heath Run - cross-country run around the grounds of the Old Silhillians' Association site.
- A-former - a particularly academically talented pupil.
US Armed Forces cross country meet Cross-country running is a sport in which teams of runners compete to complete a course over open or rough terrain before other teams. ...
Old Silhillians' Association The ex-pupils of Solihull School are known as Old Silhillians. The Old Silhillians' Association (OSA) is the club to which these ex-pupils are invited to become members of upon leaving School. It is located at The Memorial Clubhouse, Copt Heath; about five minutes from the school campus. The clubhouse's facilities include a members' bar, sports' bar and function room.
The club holds regular dinners, reunions and social functions for former pupils. The clubhouse sits in roughly 25 acres of land which includes Rugby, Football, Hockey and Cricket pitches. There is also a Bowling and Croquet green, Squash courts, riflr range and gymnasium. The site is home to Silhillians RFC, Old Silhilians Hockey Club, Old Silhillians Rifle Club.
As well as having its own committee, The Old Silhillians' Association has a liaison officer located at the school.
As mentioned in the 'School Publications' section (above), The Old Silhillians' Association publishes an annual magazine, The Silhillian. It chronicles notable events within the club and school, as well as information and articles about and by Old Silhillians.
Old Silhillians are afforded the opportunity to become a member of the East India Club, a London gentlemen's club in St James's Square, London. Badge of the East India Club, London The East India, Devonshire, Sports and Public Schools Club, usually known as the East India Club, is a gentlemens club founded in 1849 and situated at 16 St. ...
St Jamess Square in 1750, looking north St. ...
This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...
The OSA holds an annual dinner in London for all members, old boys, old girls and past and current staff. Currently the dinner is held at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly in November. There is also an annual London lunch. This year's is scheduled for 20 June 2008. For details of these events, please contact Mark Lucas at marklucas@barlowrobbins.com. The Royal Air Force Club (often refered to as the RAF Club) is situated at 128 Picadilly, London. ...
Interestingly, in 2003 The OSA hosted the National Pipe Smoking Championship in the Memorial Clubhouse.[1]
Notable Old Silhillians - The Honourable Mr Justice Owen, high court judge
- William Shenstone, poet
- Stewart Lee, comedian
- Sir Oliver Wright, diplomat
- Andrew Mackay MP, Conservative MP for Bracknell
- Sir Ian Andrews, Second Permanent Secretary underneath Ministry of Defence
- Sir Derek Higgs, businessman
- Steve Bird, musician
- Michael Buerk, broadcaster and journalist
- Daniel Caines, athlete
- Richard Hammond, journalist and television presenter
- Philip Achille, World Open Harmonica Champion 2005
- Simon Mayo, BBC radio DJ
- Richard Jago, poet
- Stephen Eyre, Conservative politician
- Nick Copeman, author
- Bert Millichip, former chairman of the FA
- Paul Dodds, operatic conducter
- Johnnie Walker, Radio DJ
- James Hudson, Rugby Footballer
- Richard Johnson, Cricketer
- John Curry, figure skater
- Andy Dickens, jazz musician
- Ian Danter, broadcaster
- Susan Fletcher, author
- Nicholas Godfrey, musician
- Patrick Bragg, hockey player
- Neil Andrew Megson AKA Genesis P-Orridge, musician
- Lizo Mzimba, journalist
- Jim Proudfoot, TV / Radio Football Commentator
- Miles Ratledge, musician
- Kenneth Spiers AKA Spizz, musician
- Nikki Sudden, musician
There have been several well-known people named John Owen, including: Johnny Owen (boxer) John Owen (church leader) John Owen (chess player) John Owen (politician), Democratic governor of North Carolina, 1828-1830. ...
William Shenstone William Shenstone (November 13, 1714 – February 11, 1763) was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes. ...
Stewart Graham Lee (born April 5, 1968 in Shropshire, raised in Solihull) is an English stand-up comedian, writer and director probably best known for being one half of the 1990s comedy duo Lee and Herring, and for co-writing and directing the critically-acclaimed and controversial stage show Jerry...
The Right Honourable Andrew James MacKay (born August 27, 1949, Birmingham) is a British politician, and for the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Bracknell. ...
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ...
Sir Derek Higgs is an English businessman and merchant banker. ...
Swell Maps were an experimental English rock group of the 1970s from Birmingham, that foreshadowed the birth of post-punk. ...
Michael Duncan Buerk (born 18 February 1946) is a BBC journalist and newsreader, most famous for his reporting of the Ethiopian famine on 23 October 1984, which inspired the Band Aid charity record. ...
Daniel Caines (born May 15, 1979 in Solihull) is an English athlete who mainly competes in in the 400 metres. ...
Richard Mark Hammond (born December 19, 1969 in Birmingham), nicknamed Hamster, is an English television and radio presenter best known for co-presenting the television programme Top Gear along with James May and Jeremy Clarkson from 2002 onwards, and co-hosting the live annual motoring show, MPH, in Earls Court...
Philip Achille, British harmonica player. ...
Simon Mayo (born 21st September 1958 in Southgate, London) is one of the most recognised and respected voices of radio in the UK, currently presenting a daily afternoon programme on BBC Radio Five Live. ...
Richard Jago (1715 - May 8, 1781), was an English poet, third son of Richard Jago, rector of Beaudesert, Warwickshire, was born in 1715. ...
Stephen Eyre (born October 17, 1957) is a British Conservative politician, and a barrister. ...
Nick Copeman / HM King Nicholas I Nicholas Henry John Copeman, born January 6, 1979, is a situation-based prankster turned author. ...
Sir Frederick Albert (Bert) Millichip (August 5, 1914 - December 18, 2002) was an English association footballer best known for his sometimes controversial contributions to the administration of the game. ...
The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. ...
Johnnie Walker Johnnie Walker MBE (born Peter Dingley, 30 March 1945 in Birmingham, England) is a radio disc jockey. ...
John Curry (1949-1994) was a British figure skater who won the Olympic and World Championships in 1976. ...
Andy Dickens (born 11 March 1953) is an English jazz trumpeter, singer and bandleader. ...
Swell Maps were an experimental English rock group of the 1970s from Birmingham, that foreshadowed the birth of post-punk. ...
Neil Megson redirects here. ...
Lizo Mzimba is the assistant presenter of BBC childrens news programme Newsround which he joined in 1998. ...
Jim Proudfoot was born in the West Country in 1972, but moved to the Midlands at a young age. ...
Napalm Death is a grindcore band that was formed at the Solihull School in Birmingham, England in 1982 by Miles Ratledge and Nicholas Bullen, originally under the name of Civil Defence. ...
Solihull Schoolboy Spizz was the lead singer of Spizzenergi whose 1979 single Wheres Captain Kirk? was Melody Maker Single Of The Week and has since been covered by REM. John Peel called Wheres Captain Kirk? the best Star Trek song ever in a BBC1 programme on the music...
Nikki Sudden (July 19, 1956 – March 26, 2006) born Adrian Nicholas Godfrey in London, was a prolific British singer-songwriter and guitarist. ...
References
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