Liverpool Blue Coat School
Encyclopedia
The Liverpool Blue Coat School is a voluntary aided secondary school located in Wavertree
Wavertree
Wavertree is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, and is a Liverpool City Council ward. It is bordered by a number of districts to the south and east of Liverpool city centre from Toxteth, Edge Hill, Fairfield, Old Swan, Childwall and Mossley Hill....

, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

 and is Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

's only 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...

. The school was for many years a boys' school but as of September 2002 it has reverted to its original coeducational remit.

The Blue Coat School holds a long-standing academic tradition; examination results consistently place the school top of the local, and near the head of national GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...

 and A-level league tables.

In 2004 the school received a government grant of almost £8 million, together with more than £1 million from the school's foundation governors, facilitating a major expansion and redevelopment of the school site.

The uniform is all blue

History

The school was founded in 1708 by Mr Bryan Blundell and Rev Robert Styth as "a school for teaching poor children to read, write and cast accounts". The original Blue Coat School
Charity school
A charity school, also called Blue Coat School, was significant in the History of education in England. They were erected and maintained in various parishes, by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants, for teaching poor children to read, write, and other necessary parts of education...

 expanded rapidly and a new building, the present Bluecoat Arts Centre, opened in 1718. At the start of the 20th century it was decided that the School needed to move from the polluted town centre to somewhere quieter, and the village of Wavertree
Wavertree
Wavertree is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, and is a Liverpool City Council ward. It is bordered by a number of districts to the south and east of Liverpool city centre from Toxteth, Edge Hill, Fairfield, Old Swan, Childwall and Mossley Hill....

 was the site chosen. The architects chosen for the design of the new building were Briggs, Wolstenholme & Thornely, most notable for the design of the Port of Liverpool Building
Port of Liverpool Building
The Port of Liverpool Building , is a Grade II* listed building located in Liverpool, England. It is sited at the Pier Head and along with the neighbouring Liver Building and Cunard Building is one of Liverpool's "Three Graces", which line the city's waterfront...

. In 1906 the school took possession of the building and was later designated a Grade II* listed building. Later additions include a clock tower and the Fenwick Memorial Chapel: used for assemblies by the school.

At 7pm on 25 August 1958 a fire broke out at the school, on the roof of the North Front. Although 170 boarding pupils were in the building at the time, nobody was hurt during the fire, though the building sustained some water and smoke damage.

Twenty-first century redevelopment

In 2004, work commenced on a substantial redevelopment of the Wavertree site. The original buildings remained intact, but the southern wing of the school was converted into private accommodation and sold to part-fund the development. The school chapel, clock tower, board room, and former music room, together with administrative rooms and the formal entrance to the original building, were transferred to a new school foundation and made available to hire for weddings and other private functions.

A number of buildings that had been added to the northern side of the site during the second half of the twentieth century - including the swimming pool, sixth form centre, sports hall and squash courts - were demolished to make way for new facilities. The North Wing of the original school was renovated, and a new building extended the wing into the area previously known as the North Yard. New facilities within this redevlopment included modern laboratories, a new school entrance and administration block, music rooms, a recording studio, and dance studio, plus dining and sports halls.

The remainder of the former North Yard was upgraded to provide improved outdoor sports facilities.

The old dining hall, beneath the Shirley Hall in the centre of the original building, was converted into a new library, with a mezzanine ICT suite. The previous library space, itself a former dormitory, was refurbished as a sixth form facility.

Church of England status

The Department for Education and Skills is currently considering the school's legal status receiving notification from the Diocese of Liverpool
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
The Diocese of Liverpool is a Church of England diocese based in Liverpool, covering Merseyside north of the River Mersey along with West Lancashire, Wigan in Greater Manchester, Warrington and Widnes in Cheshire...

 that the Liverpool Blue Coat School is a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

 school. The Diocese took action when it discovered that a 2000 agreement between the school and the Charity Commission
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....

 had committed the school to teaching the doctrines of the Church of England, in line with its founders' intentions.

Church of England status would give the Diocese the right to conduct inspections. If these identified a problem, the school would be required to find a solution, although not necessarily the solution proposed by the Diocese. It is likely that the Church of England would find the appointment of a non-Christian headteacher to be such a problem.

The school authorities and the parent-teacher association have stated that they are opposed to Church of England status, arguing that the school has both a Christian and multicultural ethos, and that designated Church of England status would inevitably change its character. They point out that one recent headmaster was a notable Welsh Presbyterian.

The Diocese has stated that under the Education Act 1998, any school that teaches Anglican doctrines automatically receives Church of England status, so neither the Diocese nor the school has any choice in the matter. They claim that the Diocese's policies on selection and multiculturalism are essentially identical with the school's. They also point out that the Bishop of Liverpool
Bishop of Liverpool
The Bishop of Liverpool is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Liverpool in the Province of York.The diocese stretches from Southport in the north, to Widnes in the south, and from the River Mersey to Wigan in the east. Its see is in the City of Liverpool at the Cathedral Church of...

 and the Dean of Liverpool
Dean of Liverpool
The Dean of Liverpool is based in Liverpool, UK and is head of the Chapter of Liverpool Cathedral.The deanery is currently vacant following the departure in October 2011 of The Very Reverend Justin Welby to become Bishop of Durham. The Acting Dean is the Canon Precentor, the Reverend Canon Myles...

 have ceremonial roles in the school's governing body, that the school has had an Anglican chaplain for at least 40 years, and that the school's Founders' Day service has long been held in the Church of England's Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is the Church of England cathedral of the Diocese of Liverpool, built on St James's Mount in Liverpool and is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. Its official name is the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool but it is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin...

.

Tricentenary appeal

The school celebrated its 300th birthday in 2008, making it the longest educating school in Liverpool. A number of celebrations took place, and to mark the occasion the school undertook to raise £1,000,000 to fund two new developments: to provide an all-weather playing surface on the present playing fields; and to convert part of the East Wing of the original building into a Year 13 study area.

The foundation trustees donated £100,000 the tricentenary appeal fund, and the school has organised a range of fund-raising activities, including annual summer fairs. As of September 2007 the total raised stood at £416,886.

Clubs & societies

The school offers many extracurricular activities, including:
  • Art Club
  • Badminton Club
  • Bridge Club
  • Chess Club
  • Christian Union
  • Community Service
  • Computer Club
  • Craft Club
  • Creative Writing Club
  • Dance Club
  • Debate Club
  • Dramatics Society
  • Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme
    The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
    The Duke of Edinburgh's Award , is a programme of activities that can be undertaken by anyone aged 14 to 24, regardless of personal ability....

  • Dungeons and Dragons Group
  • Football Team
  • Gym Club
  • Hockey Club
  • Law Society
  • Maths Games Club
  • Medical Ethics
  • Midbank
  • Muscle Club
  • Music Society: Orchestra, Jazz Band, Concert Band, Choir
  • Social Services Committee
  • School Library


The school is also known for organising trips to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

 every two years, where charitable sixth form students fundraise to help some of the poorest Kenyans in a month long scheme during the summer holidays.

The East Wing

The East Wing of the school comprises the clock tower, chapel, the former administration block and the former music rooms, plus a residential apartment. Thanks to a large investment by the school's charitable foundation the whole of the East Wing was fully refurbished as part of the school redevelopment. Notable improvements include:
  • All four clock faces on the clock tower being replaced, and the clock mechanism repaired
  • Extensive repairs to the roof and masonry work
  • Redecoration and restoration of the chapel and its organ
  • Restoration of the historic board room
  • Installation of catering facilities for private functions
  • The mothballing of the former headmaster's study and office areas for use as a future Year 13 study centre.


The facilities of the Foundation, including chapel, board room, reception areas and the Shirley Hall are all available for hire, including for weddings and religious services, as of July 2006.

Prefect system

There are usually between 40-55 prefects appointed from the sixth form, representing about one sixth of the sixth form as a whole. Students in Years 12 and 13 are eligible to become prefects.

Prefects are charged with maintaining order in the corridors during break and lunchtimes, alongside members of the teaching staff. The prefects also play a significant role in other events, including the school entrance examination, prize giving ceremony, and Founders' Day service, and also assist with after-school Parents Association events, such as discos, fairs and quizzes.

There are four ranks of prefect, appointed by staff nomination and interview:
  • Prefect
  • Senior Prefect
  • Deputy Head of School
  • Head of School


There are also prefects with responsibility for specific facilities, such as Library and IT provision, nominated by senior teaching staff from each specialism.

Since the readmittance of girls to the school in September 2002, a Head Boy and Head Girl have been appointed, sharing the title of Head of School. The Heads of School are supported two Deputy Head Boys and two Deputy Head Girls, and a team of Senior Prefects, and are members ex officio of both the Sixth Form Council and the School Council. The Heads of School also attend school Leadership Group meetings and Parents Association meetings. They have their own office facilities, and play an active role in all parts of school organisation, including parents evenings and other after-school events.

The Heads of School and their deputies also play a part in deciding school policy, especially with regard to the sixth form. Providing a formal communications channel between the teaching staff and the sixth form, they meet regularly with the headteacher and the head of sixth form to discuss issues important to their peers.

Music Society

The school has an active Music Society, including an 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...

, 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...

, choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...

 and jazz band
Jazz band
A jazz band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz music. Jazz bands usually consist of a rhythm section and a horn section, in the early days often trumpet, trombone, and clarinet with rhythm section of piano, banjo, bass or tuba, and drums.-Eras:SwingDuring the swing era in the mid-twentieth...

, participating in concerts held throughout the school year. The orchestra takes part in the annual Liverpool Music Festival, and occasions such as prize giving and Founders' Day. The school choir and concert band, which incorporates players of all musical abilities, plays in all school concerts. The choir has toured internationally, including to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...

 in 2003, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...

 and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

 in 2005, and northern Spain in 2007. As part of the school's 300th birthday celebrations, the music department organised two major concerts, one in St George's Hall and the other at the Philharmonic Hall.

Headmasters and headteachers

Headteacher Start year End year
Rev Robert Stythe, MA 1708 1713
Mr William Trenton 1717 1723
Mr Theophilus Price 1723 1725
Mr Horton 1725 1775
Rev John Shakleton 1776 1779
Mr John Smith 1779 1799
Mr Robert Parkes 1800
Mr George Chambers 1801 1811
Mr John Fallows 1812 1816
Mr R W Bamford 1817 1819
Mr William Forster 1820 1848
Mr Thomas Wood, BA 1849 1862
Mr Thomas Haughton 1863 1867
Mr George Tinker 1868 1869
Mr Thomas Haughton 1870 1888
Mr Arthur Mercer 1889 1920
Mr Harry C Hughes 1920 1926
Rev R Bruce Wilson, BA 1927 1944
Rev T C Heritage, MA 1944 1945
Mr G G Watcyn, BA 1945 1968
Mr H Peter Arnold-Craft JP, MA(Oxon
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

)
1968 1989
Mr John C Speller BA, MA(Ed), FRSA
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...

1989 1997
Mr Michael R Bell BA(Hons) FIMgt 1997 2001
Mr Michael George 'Sandy' Tittershill CertEd. NPQH 2001 2008
Mrs Debbie Silcock BSc PGCE NPQH 2008

Heads of Subjects

  • Art - Mrs Watson
  • Biology - Mr Kenny
  • Business Studies and Economics - Mr Jamieson
  • Chemistry - Mrs J Beggs
  • Citizenship - Mrs M Roberts
  • Design Technology - Mr L Ainsworth
  • English - Mr T Kershaw
  • French - Mrs Jackson
  • Geography - Mr J Lamb
  • History - Mr M Pearson
  • Information Technology - Mr P Keating
  • Latin - Mr P Watson
  • Maths - Miss K Wilson
  • Music - Mr S Emery
  • Philosophy - Miss Moss
  • Physical Education - Mr John Rees
  • Physics - Dr P Wilde
  • Politics - Mr Cox
  • Psychology - Miss A Murphy
  • Religious Studies - Mrs H McDonnell
  • Spanish - Mrs G Irvine

Senior Management

  • Mr S Shipgood - Head of Key Stage 3
  • Mr N Barends - Head of Key Stage 4
  • Ms L A Holland - Deputy Head of Sixth Form
  • Mrs C MacKenzie - Head of Sixth Form
  • Mr Cox - Deputy Head and Head of Pastoral Care
  • Mr Pennington - Deputy Head
  • Mrs Silcock - Head Teacher

Notable former pupils

  • Richard Ansdell
    Richard Ansdell
    Richard Ansdell was an English oil painter of animals and genre scenes. He was also an engraver.-Life:Ansdell was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, the son of Thomas Griffiths Ansdell, a freeman who worked at the port, and Anne Jackson. His father died young and Richard was educated at the Bluecoat...

    , R.A., noted 19th century artist
    Artist
    An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...

  • Mitch Benn
    Mitch Benn
    Mitch Benn is a British musician and stand-up comedian known for his humorous songs performed on BBC radio. He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's satirical programme The Now Show, and has hosted other radio shows.Benn has performed at several music festivals, and at the Edinburgh Festival...

    , musician and comedian
  • Daniel Cavanagh
    Daniel Cavanagh
    Daniel Cavanagh is an English guitarist and singer who formed the British band Anathema in 1990 with his brother Vincent Cavanagh...

    , musician
  • Craig Curran
    Craig Curran
    Craig Carl Curran is an English football player who plays for Football League One side Carlisle United.-Career:Curran made his first appearance for Tranmere Rovers on Saturday 13 January 2007 coming on as an 84th minute substitute in the 3–2 loss to Bristol City.He scored with his first ever...

    , footballer
  • Bill Foulk, promoter, Isle of Wight Festival
    Isle of Wight Festival
    The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...

    , 1968-70
  • Ray Foulk, promoter, Isle of Wight Festival
    Isle of Wight Festival
    The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...

    , 1968-70
  • Ronnie Foulk, promoter, Isle of Wight Festival
    Isle of Wight Festival
    The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...

    , 1968-70
  • Dan Haggis, Musician and Drummer of The Wombats
    The Wombats
    The Wombats are an indie rock band formed in Liverpool, England. The band comprises native Liverpudlians Matthew Murphy and Dan Haggis , alongside Norwegian-born Tord Øverland-Knudsen...

  • Evan Harris
    Evan Harris
    Evan Leslie Harris is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon from 1997 to 2010, losing his seat in the 2010 general election by 176 votes to Conservative Nicola Blackwood....

    , former Member of Parliament
    Member of Parliament
    A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

  • Jonathan Harvey
    Jonathan Harvey (playwright)
    Jonathan Harvey is a British playwright whose work has earned multiple awards. He is also a former secondary school English teacher.-Life and works:...

    , writer
  • Lizzie Magee, Young Apprentice 2011 contestant.
  • Kevin Nolan
    Kevin Nolan
    Kevin Anthony Jance Nolan is an English professional footballer who plays for and is the current club captain of West Ham United in the Football League Championship. An attacking midfielder, he has represented England at under-21 level....

    , professional footballer
    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...

  • Andrew Norton, American politician
  • Stephen Parry
    Stephen Parry (swimmer)
    Stephen Benjamin Parry is a former British butterfly swimmer. He competed internationally in 100-metre and 200-metre butterfly distances....

    , Olympic
    Olympic Games
    The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

     swimmer
  • Lord Rennard, former Liberal Democrat chief executive
  • Paul Roderick, head coach of the Long Island Rough Riders professional soccer team.
  • Mathew Sloane, writer

External links

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