King Edward VI Aston
Encyclopedia
King Edward VI Aston School is a selective, all-boys' grammar school and specialist Sports College. The school, designed by Birmingham architect J.A. Chatwin, opened in 1883 and is still located on its original site, in the Aston
area of Birmingham
, England
.
The school is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI
which runs seven schools in Birmingham. Currently Aston has 750 boys with 250 of those in the Sixth Form.
The current headmaster is Mr. C. Parker who previously worked at the school in the History department and now teaches A-level Government and Politics. His deputy headmaster is Mr. F. Hedley who currently teaches GCSE History.
The King Edward VI Grammar School, Aston was opened in 1883. In 1911 the girls' school moved out to a new building in Handsworth
and merged with two smaller Foundation schools (Summer Hill and Bath Row). The whole Aston building was then used for boys. With the departure of the girls, the Pyramus and Thisbe
Wall (which had previously served to separate the boys from the girls) was also removed. King Edward VI Aston is the only school in the foundation which still occupies its original site. The original buildings are still in regular use, but there have been significant alterations and extensions. In 1963, the "New Building" was opened. More recently, the school has added a sports hall and a building to house the languages departments.
The 1963 building, known once more as Douglas House (after a double fronted Victorian villa that stood on the same site), has been extended and refurbished to provide four extra laboratories, a teaching kitchen, new classrooms for Art, DT and Music, a conference room, a first aid room and offices. The extension was named the Watcyn Thomas Wing, after a former Welsh Rugby International who taught at the school for 37 years. It was opened on 20 May 2008 by Bob Simpson, an Aston Old Edwardian (as former pupils are known) and governor of the school.
The average term for an Aston headmaster has been approximately seventeen years. The longest serving was L.G. Brandon, who held the position for 33 years (one hundred terms).
within the school has a fundamental role in the school's structure. It was introduced circa 1908 and very quickly produced a marked improvement in sporting standards.There were four houses which, until 1945, were known by the names of the Housemasters. The first of these were Jones's (which became Floyd house), Higgs's (which became Temperley), Lane's and Fisher's. The last two became Manton and School, though which was which is not clear from the records. This could be quite confusing when the housemaster changed, so in 1945 the present system was introduced.
From late 2009, there are once more four houses, each of which takes its name from a previous Headmaster at the school. (i.e. Manton, house colour yellow, emblem a portcullis; Temperley, purple, Tudor rose; Floyd, blue (formerly brown), lion rampant; and Brandon, green, fleur de lys). Until it was ended in 1968, the fourth house was named School. The houses compete against each other throughout the year, in both sporting and non sporting events. The culmination of the year's sporting House achievements is represented by the presentation of the Hawkesford Trophy to the successful Head of House.
Senior (Year 12 and 13) pupils are offered the chance to take part in many activities within and outside the school during their games lessons.
Each year each house competes to win the Hawkesford Trophy based on each house's performance in a variety of sports, starting in October with the Cross-Country
race involving a 1-mile lap around Aston Park located next door to the school. Throughout the three terms there are sports such as football
, Badminton
, Basketball
, Volleyball
, Cricket
, Rugby
, Rugby Sevens
, Swimming Gala, Tennis
, Hockey
etc. and it all culminates to the end of year Sports Day at nearby Alexander Stadium
.
. Previous tour destinations have included Northern Ireland
and South Africa
. In the summer of 2009 a tour of South Africa
was completed.
Additionally, each year, a group of students, usually those studying for GCSE PE, spends one week a year at Ogwen Cottage
in Snowdonia
, North Wales
. Here, they take part in outward bounds activities such as kayaking, rock climbing, orienteering and hill walking.
, which has recorded three CDs. While the school has its own String Orchestra
hosted by the infamous Davidson and Concert Band
, it also has a joint Orchestra
with King Edward VI Handsworth. Every ensemble performs in at least one concert a year. Several of them, particularly the school Big Band, perform in many more. The department draws senior musicians from all ensembles to form pit bands for the school productions.
Each year the department is host to the annual House Music Festival in which all boys in years seven to ten have the opportunity to show off their musical talents and represent their house. The competitors are divided into several categories, by year group and instrument. Each competitor can perform in as many solo categories as they are able, and in one ensemble. The performances are judged by a visiting adjudicator.
Each year the department goes on tour and in July 1974 a number of musicians departed for Rhodesia. They met with and performed for Ian Smith and toured the country before coming under attack by the Zanu-PF on the train from Bulawayo to Pretoria.
In July 2008 many members of the same bands departed on a tour to the Rhineland.
, Aston puts on at least one full school production. The location of the main school play alternates each year, with both schools hosting a number of smaller productions. In recent years, Aston has staged West Side Story, The Threepenny Opera
, October's Children, The Visit and Guys and Dolls. Productions of Return to the Forbidden Planet, Little Shop of Horrors
, Grease
and Fame
have been staged at the girls' school with boys from Aston taking part.
The combined Sixth Forms of Aston and Handsworth also stage a production of one of Shakespeare's plays once a year.
The Drama Department also holds a House competition, in the form of the House Drama Festival. In recent years, the format has changed but the objectives are still the same. Each house holds a short production and competes against each other. A panel of judges decides which production was the best.
Before 2005, the Festival of Cultures took place during afternoon school, and students attended one workshop. However, the new format of the event sees students have a whole day off timetable, and all students in years seven to ten attend three workshop sessions. Previous workshops have included origami
, Bhangra dancing, magic, yoga
and pizza making, amongst many more. The 2006 Festival was held on 12 July and included workshops for Hungarian Dance, Opera, Cartoon
Drawing, African Dance
, Bollywood
Film, a visit to a Spanish Restaurant and many more. Prefects and staff supervise individual workshops, whilst Senior Prefects oversee the smooth running of the event as a whole. Senior Prefects also decorate the quadrangle and piazza areas with flags and bunting to add to the festival atmosphere.
The Festival continues into the evening, with current students and their families, staff, old boys, and new students (set to join in September) invited. The evening consists of a programme of entertainment, based largely on the workshops from the day. There are also displays of art work and several food outlets, including a tea shop, a barbecue
and the International Food Hall. There are also several stalls, including, for the first time in 2006, a Fair Trade
stall.
, a School Vice-Captain (or two/three Vice Captains) and a team of Senior Prefects who, combined together, help to run the school with the guidance of staff. The School Captain and Vice Captains are known as the School Officers. Every other student in Year 13 is a prefect, and approximately 20 are Senior Prefects. Each Senior Prefect leads a group of prefects in a variety of different tasks across the school including prefect duties and helping to organise events such as The Festival Of Cultures. Four House Captains are also appointed at the beginning of each year.
A new 'Honours Board' is soon to be created, listing School Captains and their year of office. Research in the school's Archive Centre has so far found the names of 100 holders of the post, stretching back to 1910.
Aston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
area of 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...
, 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...
.
The school is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI
Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI
The Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham is a charitable institution that operates two independent schools, five voluntary aided selective state schools in Birmingham, England and one academy....
which runs seven schools in Birmingham. Currently Aston has 750 boys with 250 of those in the Sixth Form.
The current headmaster is Mr. C. Parker who previously worked at the school in the History department and now teaches A-level Government and Politics. His deputy headmaster is Mr. F. Hedley who currently teaches GCSE History.
History
Handsworth, West Midlands
Handsworth is an inner city area of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. The Local Government Act 1894 divided the ancient Staffordshire parish of Handsworth into two urban districts: Handsworth and Perry Barr. Handsworth was annexed to the county borough of Birmingham in Warwickshire in 1911...
and merged with two smaller Foundation schools (Summer Hill and Bath Row). The whole Aston building was then used for boys. With the departure of the girls, the Pyramus and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe
Pyramus and Thisbe are two characters of Roman mythology, whose love story of ill-fated lovers is also a sentimental romance.The tale is told by Ovid in his Metamorphoses.-Plot:...
Wall (which had previously served to separate the boys from the girls) was also removed. King Edward VI Aston is the only school in the foundation which still occupies its original site. The original buildings are still in regular use, but there have been significant alterations and extensions. In 1963, the "New Building" was opened. More recently, the school has added a sports hall and a building to house the languages departments.
The 1963 building, known once more as Douglas House (after a double fronted Victorian villa that stood on the same site), has been extended and refurbished to provide four extra laboratories, a teaching kitchen, new classrooms for Art, DT and Music, a conference room, a first aid room and offices. The extension was named the Watcyn Thomas Wing, after a former Welsh Rugby International who taught at the school for 37 years. It was opened on 20 May 2008 by Bob Simpson, an Aston Old Edwardian (as former pupils are known) and governor of the school.
Headmasters
Aston has had only eight headmasters in 125 years:- John Temperley - 1883-1894
- Ernest W. Floyd - 1894-1912
- Joseph Manton - 1913-1936
- Leonard G. Brandon - 1937-1970
- Dennis W. Hawley - 1970-1984
- Neil W. Gamble - 1985-1991
- Peter A. Christopher - 1992-2004
- Colin Parker - 2004–present
The average term for an Aston headmaster has been approximately seventeen years. The longest serving was L.G. Brandon, who held the position for 33 years (one hundred terms).
House system
The 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...
within the school has a fundamental role in the school's structure. It was introduced circa 1908 and very quickly produced a marked improvement in sporting standards.There were four houses which, until 1945, were known by the names of the Housemasters. The first of these were Jones's (which became Floyd house), Higgs's (which became Temperley), Lane's and Fisher's. The last two became Manton and School, though which was which is not clear from the records. This could be quite confusing when the housemaster changed, so in 1945 the present system was introduced.
From late 2009, there are once more four houses, each of which takes its name from a previous Headmaster at the school. (i.e. Manton, house colour yellow, emblem a portcullis; Temperley, purple, Tudor rose; Floyd, blue (formerly brown), lion rampant; and Brandon, green, fleur de lys). Until it was ended in 1968, the fourth house was named School. The houses compete against each other throughout the year, in both sporting and non sporting events. The culmination of the year's sporting House achievements is represented by the presentation of the Hawkesford Trophy to the successful Head of House.
Sports
Recognised as a Sports College, King Edward's Aston offers as many as 27 sports and specialises in a good number (below) during 1hr 40min sports sessions for all Year 7-11 pupils.- RugbyRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
(Main School Sport) - Autumn/Winter/Early Spring - HockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
- Autumn/Winter/Early Spring - AthleticsAthletics (track and field)Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
- Spring/Summer - CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
- Spring/Summer - BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- FootballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
- Spring/Summer - BadmintonBadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- SquashSquash (sport)Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
Senior (Year 12 and 13) pupils are offered the chance to take part in many activities within and outside the school during their games lessons.
Each year each house competes to win the Hawkesford Trophy based on each house's performance in a variety of sports, starting in October with the Cross-Country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
race involving a 1-mile lap around Aston Park located next door to the school. Throughout the three terms there are sports such as football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, Rugby Sevens
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
, Swimming Gala, Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
etc. and it all culminates to the end of year Sports Day at nearby Alexander Stadium
Alexander Stadium
Alexander Stadium is an international athletics stadium located within Perry Park in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England, at . It has staged the Amateur Athletics Association Championships, and was the venue of the 1998 Disability World Athletics Championships...
.
Sporting visits
In July 2006 35 rugby players and 5 staff completed a rugby tour of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Previous tour destinations have included Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In the summer of 2009 a tour of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
was completed.
Additionally, each year, a group of students, usually those studying for GCSE PE, spends one week a year at Ogwen Cottage
Ogwen Cottage
Ogwen Cottage Outdoor Pursuits Centre is part of Birmingham City Council's Outdoor Learning Service. It provides outdoor education and has links to the climbing community.-Thomas Telford:...
in Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. Here, they take part in outward bounds activities such as kayaking, rock climbing, orienteering and hill walking.
Music
The Music department offers tuition in almost any instrument. All boys who play an instrument are able to join one of the many ensembles in the school, ranging from the Training Band to the Big BandBig band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
, which has recorded three CDs. While the school has its own String Orchestra
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
hosted by the infamous Davidson and Concert Band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
, it also has a joint Orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
with King Edward VI Handsworth. Every ensemble performs in at least one concert a year. Several of them, particularly the school Big Band, perform in many more. The department draws senior musicians from all ensembles to form pit bands for the school productions.
Each year the department is host to the annual House Music Festival in which all boys in years seven to ten have the opportunity to show off their musical talents and represent their house. The competitors are divided into several categories, by year group and instrument. Each competitor can perform in as many solo categories as they are able, and in one ensemble. The performances are judged by a visiting adjudicator.
Each year the department goes on tour and in July 1974 a number of musicians departed for Rhodesia. They met with and performed for Ian Smith and toured the country before coming under attack by the Zanu-PF on the train from Bulawayo to Pretoria.
In July 2008 many members of the same bands departed on a tour to the Rhineland.
Drama
The Drama department has a range of extracurricular activities going on throughout the year. Annually, alongside the girls' school, King Edward VI HandsworthKing Edward VI Handsworth
King Edward VI Handsworth School is a voluntary aided grammar school for girls aged 11–18 and is located in Handsworth, Birmingham, England. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI. The school was founded in 1883 as King Edwards Aston. In 2001 there were 932 girls on roll,...
, Aston puts on at least one full school production. The location of the main school play alternates each year, with both schools hosting a number of smaller productions. In recent years, Aston has staged West Side Story, The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
, October's Children, The Visit and Guys and Dolls. Productions of Return to the Forbidden Planet, Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors (musical)
Little Shop of Horrors is a rock musical, by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman, about a hapless florist shop worker who raises a plant that feeds on human blood. The musical is based on the low-budget 1960 black comedy film The Little Shop of Horrors, directed by Roger Corman...
, Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
and Fame
Fame (musical)
A stage musical based on the 1980 musical film Fame has been staged under two titles. The first, 'Fame – The Musical' conceived and developed by David De Silva, is a musical with a book by Jose Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy. The musical premiered in 1988 in Miami,...
have been staged at the girls' school with boys from Aston taking part.
The combined Sixth Forms of Aston and Handsworth also stage a production of one of Shakespeare's plays once a year.
The Drama Department also holds a House competition, in the form of the House Drama Festival. In recent years, the format has changed but the objectives are still the same. Each house holds a short production and competes against each other. A panel of judges decides which production was the best.
Festival of Cultures
For many, the highlight of the school year is the annual Festival of Cultures held in July, after all examinations have finished. The Festival aims to celebrate the broad diversity of cultures represented in the school community. It also provides students with opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities associated with individual cultures in workshops.Before 2005, the Festival of Cultures took place during afternoon school, and students attended one workshop. However, the new format of the event sees students have a whole day off timetable, and all students in years seven to ten attend three workshop sessions. Previous workshops have included origami
Origami
is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...
, Bhangra dancing, magic, yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
and pizza making, amongst many more. The 2006 Festival was held on 12 July and included workshops for Hungarian Dance, Opera, Cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
Drawing, African Dance
African dance
African dance refers mainly to the dance of Sub-Saharan Africa, and more appropriately African dances because of the many cultural differences in musical and movement styles...
, Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
Film, a visit to a Spanish Restaurant and many more. Prefects and staff supervise individual workshops, whilst Senior Prefects oversee the smooth running of the event as a whole. Senior Prefects also decorate the quadrangle and piazza areas with flags and bunting to add to the festival atmosphere.
The Festival continues into the evening, with current students and their families, staff, old boys, and new students (set to join in September) invited. The evening consists of a programme of entertainment, based largely on the workshops from the day. There are also displays of art work and several food outlets, including a tea shop, a barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
and the International Food Hall. There are also several stalls, including, for the first time in 2006, a Fair Trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
stall.
School officers and prefects
Each year Aston has a School CaptainSchool Captain
School Captain is a student appointed or elected to represent the school.This student, usually in the senior year, in their final year of attending that school...
, a School Vice-Captain (or two/three Vice Captains) and a team of Senior Prefects who, combined together, help to run the school with the guidance of staff. The School Captain and Vice Captains are known as the School Officers. Every other student in Year 13 is a prefect, and approximately 20 are Senior Prefects. Each Senior Prefect leads a group of prefects in a variety of different tasks across the school including prefect duties and helping to organise events such as The Festival Of Cultures. Four House Captains are also appointed at the beginning of each year.
A new 'Honours Board' is soon to be created, listing School Captains and their year of office. Research in the school's Archive Centre has so far found the names of 100 holders of the post, stretching back to 1910.
The Record
The Record is the school magazine. It is published annually and highlights key events of the school year. Volume II can be traced back to 1910. It has changed a lot since then, and is now in full colour.School song
The School Song is sung during the final assembly of each term. It is also sung during the Leavers' Assembly and on Speech Night.Old Edwardians
- See also :Category:Aston Old Edwardians.
- Gary Allen CBE, CEO of IMI plcIMI plcIMI plc , formerly Imperial Metal Industries, is a British based engineering company headquartered in Birmingham, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
from 1986–2001 - Walter AllenWalter AllenWalter Ernest Allen was an English literary critic and novelist. He is best known for his classic study The English Novel: a Short Critical History ....
, literary critic - Jon BoundsJon BoundsJon Bounds is a blogger, freelance social media and multimedia consultant and humorist from Birmingham, England.Raised in the City's Perry Barr district, he attended King Edward VI Grammar School, Aston, and now lives in the suburb of Moseley....
, blogger and humorist - Commander Sir Edgar Britten, Commodore of Cunard White Star LtdCunard LineCunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
from 1935-6 - Sir William Brockington CBE, Director of Education for Leicestershire from 1903–47
- Gareth Davies CBE, Chairman of Glynwed International plc from 1986–98
- Ronald Graham Gregory FoleyRonald Graham Gregory FoleyRonald Graham Gregory Foley was Bishop of Reading from 1982 to 1989. Born on 13 June 1923, he was educated at King Edward VI Aston and King's College London. Ordained in 1951, he began his career with a curacy at South Shore, Blackpool after which he was Vicar of St Luke, Blackburn...
- Bishop of ReadingBishop of ReadingThe Bishop of Reading is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford, which is within the Province of Canterbury, England. The current Bishop is the Rt Revd Andrew Proud....
from 1982-9 - Bernard FordBernard FordBernard Ford, MBE, is a British former ice dancer. With partner Diane Towler, he is a four-time World, European, and British Champion. He is also a World Professional Ice Dance Champion...
MBE - With Diane TowlerDiane TowlerDiane Towler is a former British ice dancer and currently a figure skating coach....
won four consecutive ice dancing world titles and four European championships in the 1960s - John Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
- Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
producer. - George PainterGeorge PainterGeorge Duncan Painter, OBE known as George D. Painter, was an English author most famous as a biographer of Marcel Proust....
OBE - Author - 1925 - Sir Leonard Parsons, President of the British Paediatric AssociationRoyal College of Paediatrics and Child HealthRoyal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in London is responsible for the training of postgraduate doctors in paediatrics and conducting the MRCPCH membership exams. They also conduct the Diploma in Child Health exam, which is taken by many doctors who plan a career in General Practice...
from 1942–45 - Henry Reed - Poet and dramatist
- Les RossLes RossLes Ross MBE is a British disc jockey and long established personality in the West Midlands.-Early life and career:...
MBE - Radio DJ - Sir Harold Smith - Politician & Chairman, The Gas Council, Conservative MP for WarringtonWarrington (UK Parliament constituency)Warrington was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. From 1832 to 1983 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
from 1910–22 - R.D. SmithR.D. SmithReginald Donald Smith , was a teacher and lecturer, BBC radio producer, possible communist spy and model for the character of Guy Pringle in the novel sequence Fortunes of War written by his wife, Olivia Manning....
- teacher, lecturer and radio producer - Sir Ivan StedefordIvan StedefordSir Ivan Arthur Rice Stedeford, GBE was a British industrialist and philanthropist.Stedeford was Chairman and Managing Director of Tube Investments and one of Britain's leading 20th-century industrialists....
GBE - Industrialist & Philanthropist, Chairman of TI GroupTI GroupTI Group plc was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was registered as Tube Investments in 1919, combining the seamless steel tube businesses of Tubes Ltd, New Credenda Tube , Simplex and Accles & Pollock. In 1928 Reynolds Tube joined...
from 1944–63 - Three Lords Mayor of Birmingham: Sir Ernest Canning; Sir Joseph Balmer; Sir Neville Bosworth
- Two Sabbatical Officers of Sheffield University - Thomas Bramall; Martin Bailey
- Sir Edward Downes - Conductor
- Captain R. E. Phillips,VC
- Sir Henry Thomas - Keeper of Books, British Library
- Sir Maurice ShockMaurice ShockSir Maurice Shock was a British university administrator and educationalist.Maurice Shock was educated at King Edward VI Aston in Birmingham.During his early career, Maurice Shock worked for British intelligence...
- Educationalist - Shabaka Hutchings - Jazz Musician
- Derek J Lawden - Mathematician, Prof at Aston U, several books including one on space travel.
- Gary Allen CBE, CEO of IMI plc