Bournville School
Encyclopedia
Bournville School and sixth form centre is a coeducation
al, state comprehensive school
, with Specialist Business and Enterprise College
and Music College
status, for students aged 11–19 years, located on Griffins Brook Lane, Bournville
, Birmingham
in the United Kingdom.
Since 2002 Bournville has been classed as a High Performing specialist school
and there are around 1,200 children currently on the roll, including a thriving sixth form of around 200 students.
Before Bournville became a Comprehensive School
in the 1970s it was previously two sibling grammar schools Bournville Girls Grammar School and Bournville Grammar-Technical School For Boys, previously known as Bournville Boys Technical School. The technical school for boys, the city’s first technical school, was opened by Mrs Lawrence Cadbury on 10 October 1955. The technical school later combined with the girls' grammar school on the same site, and its current full title is Bournville School and Sixth Form Centre: a Business, Enterprise and Music College.
on a greenfield site adjacent to the A38 Bristol Road South
, just south of Bournville village in the autumn of 1954, housed in a modern 'state-of-the-art' school building.
One year later, in September 1955, Bournville Boys' Technical School
was also opened at the top end of the same site, backing on to Hay Green Lane, together with the separate and brand new two-storey dining room facility and a purpose built technical block (containing two engineering metalwork shops, two woodwork shops, and a pottery/ceramic workshop) both located between the two school buildings. The twin schools shared the main playing field with timetables arranged so that activities of the two schools did not clash. The tennis courts were under the control of the Girls' Grammar school and were not available to the boys school, unless by special arrangement at the weekends. The school's first Head Boy was Roger Cartwright, a resident of Rubery
, while the first Headmaster was William P. Jennings, with Ralph P. Gaskell as Deputy Headmaster (and subsequently Acting Headmaster on the retirement of Mr Jennings) and Head of Geography Department. The last Headmaster of the former Boys School was Dr A.A. Burrows, who introduced a Combined Cadet Force.
The establishment of Technical Grammar schools was a government initiative in the post war years under the Tripartite Educational System
, originally mapped out in the Education Act 1944
to encourage the development of skilled senior and middle management engineers, scientists and technicians that were by then desperately needed by UK industry and science, to replace those lost during World War II
. The new specialist schools were intended to form a bridge between the academic and classical learning practised by traditional grammar school
s and the more practical and vocational training that formed the basis of the secondary modern school
s.
The new school's timetable ensured that through years seven to nine the traditional academic subjects were fully covered, while in years ten onwards academic studies reduced and more time was spent on the more technical subjects of chemistry, physics, woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing. Despite encouragement by the government, few cities were prepared to undertake the expense of establishing the new technical grammars, however Birmingham did grasp the nettle and formed six of the new style schools. Bournville was one of the first in the UK and established one of the highest levels of entry qualification. The boys' school forged close ties with local industrial and scientific concerns and, in return for cash sponsorship of materials and occasional teaching support by their specialists and foremen, those engineering businesses benefited by a first call on the highly qualified pupils when they left school. Its annual speech days were held in the concert hall of "Cadbury Brothers", Bournville and smelt strongly of cocoa as a result; "Cadbury's" being the largest single employer in the immediate area.
The Boys School was organised along 'Public School' lines with four houses, i.e. Belmont, Griffin, Manor and Woodlands and each of the three forms were divided equally between the four houses. Later this was rationalised with Griffin House being disbanded, leaving Belmont (later in 1970's, Ashdown), Manor (Sherborne) and Woodlands (Packwood) that also became the names of three forms in each year, from first to fifth. Each house's achievements in inter-house sports competitions were recorded annually on special wooden boards in the main hall: Belmont (blue), Griffin (yellow), Manor (red) and Woodlands (green). Belmont, Manor and Woodlands were named after three large mansions that stood in the area during the 19th century and Griffin was named after the nearby Brook. The first and only head of Griffin House was Ralph P. Gaskell, then Deputy Headmaster. The Head of Manor House was Mr E. "Fred" Fidgeon who taught History and Divinity. Inter House competitions took place in Rugby, Football, Swimming, Basketball, Gymnastics, Badminton and Athletics. Each house had a pupil nominated as House Captain. The House Captains assisted the PE Department in the organising of teams and supervision of practices. The original "house" system was disestablished when the schools combined and became comprehensive and mixed.
Discipline in the Boys School was maintained, especially at lunchtimes, by a prefect system, with senior prefects identified by a white band on the blazer sleeves and ordinary prefects with a narrow white band on blazer sleeves. There was also a Head Boy and Deputy Head Boy selected and appointed by the Head and senior staff. Corporal punishment at the Boys School was the norm during the 1950s-mid 1970s, with the cane
being administered by the Headmaster. Some form teachers would punish pupils with the 'slipper'
for minor infractions.
had a metallic silver-coloured braided tassel added to the cap, that dangled down from the central button. Changes to caps were also reflected in different striped school ties. The wearing of caps was made non-compulsory after the summer of 1968. Team sports played were Rugby and Basketball during winter months and Cricket in the summer. School teams competed in the Birmingham grammar school leagues at all age groups and were highly successful. The boys also had a very successful swimming team. Swimming lessons, training and galas took place at the Men's Swimming Pool at the Cadbury's factory. The girls' grammar played Netball and Hockey in winter and Tennis in the summer. The Boys school athletics days were held on the "Cadbury" employee sports track, adjacent to the main chocolate factory.
To help maintain general fitness both schools held an annual cross country race from the school site, around the streets and parks of Bournville to a finish line at Rowheath Pavilion; this was later held around Manor Farm Park - which gave its name to one of the Boys School houses. Entry was compulsory for all pupils, who also had to complete at least three after-school practise runs over the full course in the weeks preceding the race, with teachers placed on every corner to ensure nobody dropped out or took shortcuts. On the day the girls race took place in the morning, with the boys race following in the afternoon.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s several imaginative school sports trophies were actually designed and made by teachers in the on site engineering metalwork, woodwork and ceramics workshops, notably Mr Bishop and Mr Collins. These were awarded annually at the Speech Day ceremony, held at the Cadbury concert hall.
, implemented by Birmingham's local education authority, the 11+ examination was scrapped along with the tripartite system
of grammar, technical grammar and secondary modern schools, to be replaced by a comprehensive system
.
The Bournville schools combined and became a joint comprehensive, switching to coeducational mixed education in September 1973. The twin schools' teaching staffs combined under a single management structure with a single head teacher. The original Girls Grammar school building became the 'lower school' facility and the Boys Grammar at the top end of the site became 'upper school'. The combined School has continued to maintain a reputation for excellence in the Selly Oak
, Bournville and Northfield catchment areas. In recent years only first-choice pupils have been able to be granted a placement due to the pressure of demand by parents.
The former Boys School is now the upper school, called The Charlotte Bronte
Building, and the former Girls school is now the lower school, called The Edward Elgar
Building. There is also an Annex to the Elgar building (previously the Science Annex), housing one Science Lab and a Resistant Materials Workshop. What was previously the Craft Block (for metalwork, pottery, and woodwork) is now called The William Morris
Building, while the Dining Hall block is now called The Keynes Building, housing a single story dining hall with the Sixth form centre and ICT classrooms. The Bournville Business Centre is within the Charlotte Bronte Building.
and took on the second specialism of Music College
in 2007. It has established a Sixth Form Centre with from its own separate common room and study areas.
The number of pupils is 1,243.
Since 2004 the school has been classed as a High Performing Specialist School
, due to the progress students have made in years seven to eleven.
On 27 May 2011 the head teacher sent a letter to parents and carers announcing that a sub-group of Governors had been considering the pros and cons of becoming an Academy, and that the Governing Body had agreed at a special meeting the previous evening to move on to the next stage of the Academy process which is to begin talks with the DFE and go to formal consultation with everyone involved.
Following a Governing Body meeting on 12th October 2011 the decision was made not to proceed with Academy Status for the time being. It was felt that the school is not yet ready for such a significant change.
- Ofsted Report
19 June 2007.
(or Gryphon) segreant
, wearing a mortarboard cap
and brandishing a rolled Academic degree
and draws its imagery from the school's proximity to the nearby traditional watercourse of Griffin's Brook, sadly now piped underground for most of its length. Griffin was also the name of one of the original Boys School's four houses, as well as being the Boys' School magazine's name.
In the Elgar building foyer, a plaque showing the old badge can be seen, the same Griffin, just without the mortar board and scroll.
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, state comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, with Specialist Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
and Music College
Music College
Music Colleges were introduced in 2004 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in England. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, music. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Music Colleges will receive extra...
status, for students aged 11–19 years, located on Griffins Brook Lane, Bournville
Bournville
Bournville is a model village on the south side of Birmingham, England, best known for its connections with the Cadbury family and chocolate – including a dark chocolate bar branded "Bournville". It is also a ward within the council constituency of Selly Oak and home to the Bournville Centre...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the United Kingdom.
Since 2002 Bournville has been classed as a High Performing specialist school
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
and there are around 1,200 children currently on the roll, including a thriving sixth form of around 200 students.
Before Bournville became a Comprehensive School
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in the 1970s it was previously two sibling grammar schools Bournville Girls Grammar School and Bournville Grammar-Technical School For Boys, previously known as Bournville Boys Technical School. The technical school for boys, the city’s first technical school, was opened by Mrs Lawrence Cadbury on 10 October 1955. The technical school later combined with the girls' grammar school on the same site, and its current full title is Bournville School and Sixth Form Centre: a Business, Enterprise and Music College.
Beginnings
Originally designed and built as two separate schools, the first to be opened was Bournville Girls' Grammar SchoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
on a greenfield site adjacent to the A38 Bristol Road South
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
, just south of Bournville village in the autumn of 1954, housed in a modern 'state-of-the-art' school building.
One year later, in September 1955, Bournville Boys' Technical School
Secondary Technical School
A Secondary Technical School was a type of secondary school in the United Kingdom that existed in the mid-20th century under the Tripartite System of education. For various reasons few were ever built, and their main interest is on a theoretical level....
was also opened at the top end of the same site, backing on to Hay Green Lane, together with the separate and brand new two-storey dining room facility and a purpose built technical block (containing two engineering metalwork shops, two woodwork shops, and a pottery/ceramic workshop) both located between the two school buildings. The twin schools shared the main playing field with timetables arranged so that activities of the two schools did not clash. The tennis courts were under the control of the Girls' Grammar school and were not available to the boys school, unless by special arrangement at the weekends. The school's first Head Boy was Roger Cartwright, a resident of Rubery
Rubery
Rubery is a village in the Bromsgrove district of Worcestershire. Part of the village forms a southern suburb of Birmingham, England in the West Midlands. The village is from Birmingham city centre....
, while the first Headmaster was William P. Jennings, with Ralph P. Gaskell as Deputy Headmaster (and subsequently Acting Headmaster on the retirement of Mr Jennings) and Head of Geography Department. The last Headmaster of the former Boys School was Dr A.A. Burrows, who introduced a Combined Cadet Force.
The establishment of Technical Grammar schools was a government initiative in the post war years under the Tripartite Educational System
Tripartite System
The Tripartite System was the arrangement of state funded secondary education between 1944 and the 1970s in England and Wales, and from 1947 to 2009 in Northern Ireland....
, originally mapped out in the Education Act 1944
Education Act 1944
The Education Act 1944 changed the education system for secondary schools in England and Wales. This Act, commonly named after the Conservative politician R.A...
to encourage the development of skilled senior and middle management engineers, scientists and technicians that were by then desperately needed by UK industry and science, to replace those lost during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The new specialist schools were intended to form a bridge between the academic and classical learning practised by traditional grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
s and the more practical and vocational training that formed the basis of the secondary modern school
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
s.
The new school's timetable ensured that through years seven to nine the traditional academic subjects were fully covered, while in years ten onwards academic studies reduced and more time was spent on the more technical subjects of chemistry, physics, woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing. Despite encouragement by the government, few cities were prepared to undertake the expense of establishing the new technical grammars, however Birmingham did grasp the nettle and formed six of the new style schools. Bournville was one of the first in the UK and established one of the highest levels of entry qualification. The boys' school forged close ties with local industrial and scientific concerns and, in return for cash sponsorship of materials and occasional teaching support by their specialists and foremen, those engineering businesses benefited by a first call on the highly qualified pupils when they left school. Its annual speech days were held in the concert hall of "Cadbury Brothers", Bournville and smelt strongly of cocoa as a result; "Cadbury's" being the largest single employer in the immediate area.
The Boys School was organised along 'Public School' lines with four houses, i.e. Belmont, Griffin, Manor and Woodlands and each of the three forms were divided equally between the four houses. Later this was rationalised with Griffin House being disbanded, leaving Belmont (later in 1970's, Ashdown), Manor (Sherborne) and Woodlands (Packwood) that also became the names of three forms in each year, from first to fifth. Each house's achievements in inter-house sports competitions were recorded annually on special wooden boards in the main hall: Belmont (blue), Griffin (yellow), Manor (red) and Woodlands (green). Belmont, Manor and Woodlands were named after three large mansions that stood in the area during the 19th century and Griffin was named after the nearby Brook. The first and only head of Griffin House was Ralph P. Gaskell, then Deputy Headmaster. The Head of Manor House was Mr E. "Fred" Fidgeon who taught History and Divinity. Inter House competitions took place in Rugby, Football, Swimming, Basketball, Gymnastics, Badminton and Athletics. Each house had a pupil nominated as House Captain. The House Captains assisted the PE Department in the organising of teams and supervision of practices. The original "house" system was disestablished when the schools combined and became comprehensive and mixed.
Discipline in the Boys School was maintained, especially at lunchtimes, by a prefect system, with senior prefects identified by a white band on the blazer sleeves and ordinary prefects with a narrow white band on blazer sleeves. There was also a Head Boy and Deputy Head Boy selected and appointed by the Head and senior staff. Corporal punishment at the Boys School was the norm during the 1950s-mid 1970s, with the cane
Caning
Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of a number of hits with a single cane usually made of rattan, generally applied to the offender's bare or clothed buttocks or hand . Application of a cane to the knuckles or the shoulders has been much less common...
being administered by the Headmaster. Some form teachers would punish pupils with the 'slipper'
Slippering (punishment)
A slippering is a term for the act of smacking the buttocks, or the hands, with a slipper as a form of corporal punishment. A slippering on the buttocks is a form of spanking; it is a much more common method than slippering on the hands. The verb 'to slipper' means 'to give a...
for minor infractions.
Segregation
During the early years there were no female teachers at the boys' school and only two male teachers at the girls' school. Great efforts were made by the teachers of both schools to keep the boys and girls from becoming distracted by interacting with each other. Lunchtime timetables were arranged so that the girls had the first two sittings and the boys were not allowed into the dining room building until it had been vacated. Sports activities on the sports field took place at different times and even at the end of the school day the girls' grammar school was dismissed fifteen minutes earlier. The only joint activities during the 1950s were occasional joint theatrical and musical productions and an after school ballroom dancing society in the boys' school hall, all of which were closely supervised by the teachers. "Club Griffin" school dances in the 1960's and 1970's were mixed and very popular.Sport and recognition
Boys of all ages were required to wear a school uniform cap when travelling to or from school and on school trips. The caps were initially plain dark blue with a school badge. Once awarded house colours for sporting excellence a new cap was worn that featured quartered piping of a colour representing the house (Red, yellow, blue or green). Any boy additionally awarded school sporting coloursSchool colors
School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. Most schools have two colors, which are usually chosen to avoid conflicts with other schools with which the school competes in sports and other activities...
had a metallic silver-coloured braided tassel added to the cap, that dangled down from the central button. Changes to caps were also reflected in different striped school ties. The wearing of caps was made non-compulsory after the summer of 1968. Team sports played were Rugby and Basketball during winter months and Cricket in the summer. School teams competed in the Birmingham grammar school leagues at all age groups and were highly successful. The boys also had a very successful swimming team. Swimming lessons, training and galas took place at the Men's Swimming Pool at the Cadbury's factory. The girls' grammar played Netball and Hockey in winter and Tennis in the summer. The Boys school athletics days were held on the "Cadbury" employee sports track, adjacent to the main chocolate factory.
To help maintain general fitness both schools held an annual cross country race from the school site, around the streets and parks of Bournville to a finish line at Rowheath Pavilion; this was later held around Manor Farm Park - which gave its name to one of the Boys School houses. Entry was compulsory for all pupils, who also had to complete at least three after-school practise runs over the full course in the weeks preceding the race, with teachers placed on every corner to ensure nobody dropped out or took shortcuts. On the day the girls race took place in the morning, with the boys race following in the afternoon.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s several imaginative school sports trophies were actually designed and made by teachers in the on site engineering metalwork, woodwork and ceramics workshops, notably Mr Bishop and Mr Collins. These were awarded annually at the Speech Day ceremony, held at the Cadbury concert hall.
After school activities
After school there were a large number of school clubs and societies organised and run by both teachers and senior pupils and everybody was encouraged to join at least one or more. Every night of the week the extracurricular activities took place in classrooms all over both schools. There was a historical society, chess club, ballroom dancing society, geography club, film society, drama club, choral society, science club, astronomy society and the poetry club. The girls' grammar additionally had knitting and sewing clubs, cookery club, a small string orchestra and a ballet society.Two schools become one
Entry to both schools in the early years had been by Eleven plus examination with both schools selecting only those pupils who had achieved the highest scores in the area's feeder schools. However, under government Circular 10/65Circular 10/65
Circular 10/65 is a Government circular issued in 1965 by the Department of Education and Science requesting Local Education Authorities in England and Wales to begin converting their secondary schools to the Comprehensive System. For most of England and Wales, it marked the abolition of the old...
, implemented by Birmingham's local education authority, the 11+ examination was scrapped along with the tripartite system
Tripartite System
The Tripartite System was the arrangement of state funded secondary education between 1944 and the 1970s in England and Wales, and from 1947 to 2009 in Northern Ireland....
of grammar, technical grammar and secondary modern schools, to be replaced by a comprehensive system
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
.
The Bournville schools combined and became a joint comprehensive, switching to coeducational mixed education in September 1973. The twin schools' teaching staffs combined under a single management structure with a single head teacher. The original Girls Grammar school building became the 'lower school' facility and the Boys Grammar at the top end of the site became 'upper school'. The combined School has continued to maintain a reputation for excellence in the Selly Oak
Selly Oak
Selly Oak is a residential suburban district in south-west Birmingham, England. The suburb is bordered by Bournbrook and Selly Park to the north-east, Edgbaston and Harborne to the north, Weoley Castle and Weoley Hill to the west, and Bournville to the south...
, Bournville and Northfield catchment areas. In recent years only first-choice pupils have been able to be granted a placement due to the pressure of demand by parents.
The former Boys School is now the upper school, called The Charlotte Bronte
Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood, whose novels are English literature standards...
Building, and the former Girls school is now the lower school, called The Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
Building. There is also an Annex to the Elgar building (previously the Science Annex), housing one Science Lab and a Resistant Materials Workshop. What was previously the Craft Block (for metalwork, pottery, and woodwork) is now called The William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
Building, while the Dining Hall block is now called The Keynes Building, housing a single story dining hall with the Sixth form centre and ICT classrooms. The Bournville Business Centre is within the Charlotte Bronte Building.
The school today
September 2009 marked the school's 55th anniversary. Bournville School is now a Specialist Business and Enterprise CollegeBusiness and Enterprise College
Business and Enterprise Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields...
and took on the second specialism of Music College
Music College
Music Colleges were introduced in 2004 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in England. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, music. Schools that successfully apply to the Specialist Schools Trust and become Music Colleges will receive extra...
in 2007. It has established a Sixth Form Centre with from its own separate common room and study areas.
The number of pupils is 1,243.
Since 2004 the school has been classed as a High Performing Specialist School
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
, due to the progress students have made in years seven to eleven.
On 27 May 2011 the head teacher sent a letter to parents and carers announcing that a sub-group of Governors had been considering the pros and cons of becoming an Academy, and that the Governing Body had agreed at a special meeting the previous evening to move on to the next stage of the Academy process which is to begin talks with the DFE and go to formal consultation with everyone involved.
Following a Governing Body meeting on 12th October 2011 the decision was made not to proceed with Academy Status for the time being. It was felt that the school is not yet ready for such a significant change.
OFSTED assessment
"Strong leadership and management have set a high priority on providing a safe learning environment which contributes to students’ good personal development and well being."- Ofsted Report
Office for Standards in Education
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
19 June 2007.
School badge
The school's badge depicts a GriffinGriffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
(or Gryphon) segreant
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
, wearing a mortarboard cap
Mortar Board
Mortar Board is an American national honor society whose purpose is to recognize outstanding students dedicated to the values of scholarship, leadership, and service. The Cornell University Der Hexenkreis chapter, founded in 1892, is the oldest and predates the national society's founding in 1918...
and brandishing a rolled Academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
and draws its imagery from the school's proximity to the nearby traditional watercourse of Griffin's Brook, sadly now piped underground for most of its length. Griffin was also the name of one of the original Boys School's four houses, as well as being the Boys' School magazine's name.
In the Elgar building foyer, a plaque showing the old badge can be seen, the same Griffin, just without the mortar board and scroll.
Old Griffinians
The Old Griffinians alumni association was formed in 1959 when the first boys graduated from the school and continues to this day, together with an active and successful Old Griffinians Rugby Club.Notable alumni
- Ian LavenderIan LavenderArthur Ian Lavender , better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army.-Early life and career:...
, actor, who notably played Private "Stupid Boy" PikePrivate Frank PikePrivate Frank Pike is a fictional Home Guard platoon member and junior bank clerk portrayed by Ian Lavender in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army. He is frequently referred to by Captain Mainwaring as "stupid boy".- Personality :...
in the long running BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV comedy series Dad's ArmyDad's ArmyDad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
, original names: Arthur Ian. - Jeffrey SkidmoreJeffrey SkidmoreJeffrey Skidmore is the conductor and artistic director of Ex Cathedra, a choir and early music ensemble based in Birmingham in the West Midlands, England...
, said to be "one of the country’s foremost choral conductors": - Mike SkinnerThe StreetsThe Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...
, better known as The StreetsThe StreetsThe Streets were a British rap/garage project from Birmingham, United Kingdom, led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner and has included a myriad of other contributors most notably drummer Johnny Drum Machine, vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and the Italian-American beatmaker Leroy.The...