Birkdale School
Encyclopedia
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
public school for boys in the city of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference
The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference is an association of the headmasters or headmistressess of 243 leading day and boarding independent schools in the United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and the Republic of Ireland...
. Since 1995 girls have been admitted to the Sixth Form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
.
History
Birkdale was founded in 1904 by the Reverend Maurice Asterley as a preparatory school for boys between the ages of 4 and 13 to provide a Christian education and takes its name from its first home, Birkdale House on Newbould Lane. The school moved in 1915 to the Oakholme building under Mr Griffiths' leadership (1909–1939). At the start of WW2, the school evacuated to Derbyshire under Mr Roberts, Head Master in 1939. After the war, Mr Roberts moved his pupils to Uttoxeter creating Brocksford Hall School, whilst twenty boys returned to Oakholme Road under Mr Heeley in 1942 who later became Head Master in 1943. The Westbury building was purchased in 1946 from Thomas Cole of Cole Brothers (now John Lewis) to allow for the continued expansion of the school. The Endcliffe building on Endcliffe Crescent was purchased in 1975 with the Grayson and Johnson Buildings following later to create the current school and campus. The period of greatest growth and innovation within the School was overseen during the tenure of the Rev. M. D. A. Hepworth, Head Master from 1983 to 1998. His legacy is very evident not only thoughout the physical campus but also in the schools Chistian ethos. More recently an extension of the Grayson Building was built to house the Sixth Form common room. An extension was also built on the back to allow space for the Modern Languages department and additional science laboratories. The Octagon, a music practice room designed to amplify sound was added to the original Oakholme Building in 1989. As part of a major building project, which saw the construction of a large sports hall over the site of an outdoor swimming pool, the Caxton building was built to house the DT and IT departments. The sports hall is at the heart of the campus and has an area beneath it for music storage. The science labs and Heeley Hall were built recently.Current uses for buildings within the School
Johnson Building- The majority of the Maths department and the whole English and R.E. departments. The Lower School common rooms and locker rooms are also located within this building.
Grayson Building-The classics departments, the modern languages department, the 6th form centre, the careers department and some of the science department are located within this building.
Endcliffe Building- The History department, the psychology department and a small section of the Science and Maths departments are located in this building.
Science Building- The majority of the Science Department is located in here with labs 1-5 out of 8.
Oakholme Building- The Music Department, Geography Department, Politics Department, Economics Department, Administration Offices, Headmasters Study, Uniform Shop, Middle School Locker rooms, changing rooms, Sports Hall, Octagon, Kitchens, Staff Common Room and the Heeley Hall are all within this building.
Westbury-The Art department and Library are located within this building.
Caxton-The DT Departments and ICT Department are located within this building.
Houses
There is a House systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
employed at Birkdale, four in total, each named after old Head Masters:
- Asterley House (Maurice Asterley 1904–09)
- Griffiths House (Alban Griffiths 1909–33)
- Hall House (John Hall 1963–83)
- Heeley House (Howard Heeley 1943–63)
The Prep School has a slightly different house system, with a house dedicated to J.G. Roberts, Head Master 1933–43, and one to the family of Sir John Osborn, Conservative MP for Sheffield Hallam 1959–1987, of Osborn House, the current site of the Preparatory School.
The Birkdalian
The Birkdalian has, since the mid twentieth century, been the school magazine. Currently published once a year late in the Christmas term it provides an account of a year in the life of the school. Articles are written by staff and pupils and edited by a small group of staff and senior pupils.Administration
The current Head Master is Dr Paul Owen, who took over the role from R. J. Court in September 2010 after 12 years. Previously he was the Academic Deputy at Wellington School in Somerset.The Deputy Head Master is Alastair Gloag, from King's School, Gloucester. He replaced Andrew Johnson, who left at the end of the Summer Term 2006 for the post of Head Master at Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
.
Sport
The school has a selection of sporting facilities, most notably large playing fields at Castle DykeCastle Dyke
Castle Dyke is an Iron Age hill fort situated between Chudleigh and Dawlish in Devon, England. The fort is situated on a Hilltop at approx 140 metres above sea level.-References:...
located on the outskirts of Sheffield. On campus the school has a sports hall and an attached gym.
During the 2007–08 school year, the U16 Rugby team became one of the most successful teams in Birkdale's history by reaching the national quarter final of the Daily Mail Vase.
Head Masters
- Reverend Maurice Asterley (1904–09)
- Alban Griffiths (1909–39)
- J. G. Roberts (1939–43)
- Howard Heeley (1943–1963)
- John Hall (1963–83)
- Reverend Michael Hepworth (1983–98)
- Robert Court (1998–2010)
- Dr Paul Owen (2010–)
Nepal
As part of the school's charity projects it has developed strong links with some institutions in and around Kathmandu in NepalNepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. Most notable are the Peace Garden School, for which the school has helped raise money for a new school building, and a leper colony
Leper colony
A leper colony, leprosarium, or lazar house is a place to quarantine leprous people.-History:Leper colonies or houses became widespread in the Middle Ages, particularly in Europe and India, and often run by monastic orders...
on the outskirts of Kathmandu, where Birkdale is helping to build new facilities and a new school. Money has also been granted to other schools to help purchase equipment or develop facilities.
As with other school charity project's, the money is raised through charity events and fund-raisers (as opposed to taking it from the school accounts). Since the year 2000, trips have been run once a year to Nepal for pupils and teachers. These involve volunteer work teaching or otherwise working at the schools and leper colony as well as a trek in the Anapurna region and a visit to the Chitwan jungle. The trips are considered crucial in maintaining strong personal links with contacts in Nepal, and helping charitable funds to be focused effectively.
As well as links with Nepal, the school has begun to form links with J. E. B. Stuart High School in Virginia, USA, following on from a teacher exchange.
Notable Old Birkdalians
- Robert Arthur Balfour, 2nd Baron Riverdale (1901–98)
- Michael PalinMichael PalinMichael Edward Palin, CBE FRGS is an English comedian, actor, writer and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python and for his travel documentaries....
(born 1943), comedian, actor, traveller and writer - Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
(born 1958), musician - Ian G. WalkerIan G. WalkerIan G Walker CEng FIEE is the managing director of Rotary Electrical, non-executive Chairman of Rotary Engineering UK Ltd and a principal apolitical figure in the renovation of Sheffield, England. He has been a non-executive director of South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority since April 2002....
(born 1958), industrialist - Richard Allan (born 1966), politician
- Richard CoyleRichard CoyleRichard Coyle is an English actor.-Early life:Coyle was born in Sheffield, England to Irish parents. He began his acting career after a stint working on a ferry entertaining passengers, where he was told by a theatre director that he had a talent and should pursue it further...
(born 1972), actor - Lee BullenLee BullenLee Bullen is a Scottish football player and coach. In a career that has spanned more than 20 years, Bullen has played football professionally in Scotland, England, Australia, Greece and Hong Kong...
(born 1971), football player - Justin Wilson (born 1978), racing driver
- Rob PowellRob PowellRob Powell is an English professional rugby league football coach. He is the current Head Coach for the Harlequins club of Europe's Super League....
(born 1980), Rugby League coach