St Anselm's College, Birkenhead
Encyclopedia
St. Anselm's College is a Roman Catholic voluntary aided
grammar school
located in Merseyside
, England
. It is one of four Catholic schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
, and one of three Irish Christian Brothers
schools in the Merseyside
area. The school is located within the Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
.
and Academy
status, in cooperation with Upton Hall School. The school used its specialist school
status as an opportunity to improve some teaching facilities and broaden aspects of the curriculum.
, at the invitation of the Rt. Rvd. Hugh Singleton
, Bishop of Shrewsbury
. In 1946 it became a direct grant grammar school
and continued as such until 1975, when the trustees opted for the school to be independent
in order to continue as a single-sex
Selective school
.
and so, once again, offer parents the choice of a Catholic Grammar School education for their sons, irrespective of their ability to pay. In 1995, the school became one of the first Independent schools to re-enter the maintained sector.
In September 1999, the school became voluntary aided
in line with the Education Act 1998.
teaching staff of 44, maintaining strong links with the Edmund Rice Family
and with the guidance of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
.
. It is fundamentally based on the Eight Essentials of Christian Brothers Education, and the religious studies
programme at the school follows that prescribed by the Diocese of Shrewsbury
.
The study of the history and ethos of the college forms a part of the Religious Studies programme at Key Stage 3
, and is a common focus for the weekly assemblies. (The Christian Brothers
resident in the house that adjoins the college ensure that Sixth Form students are kept well informed about the ethos of the college by an annual programme of discourse which complements the PSHE programme.
201-213 - English, ICT, Art, Geography, History, Latin
301-307 - Sixth form
400-407 - Sixth form, Library
501-508 - Science
600-604 - MFL
605-608 - Mathematics
701-702 - PE
801-806 - Music
901-902 - Food Technology
To date, the most recent addition to the school is the Food Hub, funded by a £200,000 grant given to the college in order for it to be able to offer Food Technology on the curriculum.
status together with Upton Hall School, another local Catholic grammar
, as part of the UK Specialist school
s initiative. The school had, at the time, been unable to apply for specialist Language College
status because, Wirral Grammar School for Girls
, another school in the Wirral LEA
had already applied for this as a first specialism.
Upon achieving the status the school further developed its programme for A-level and GCSE in ICT
, installed a wireless computer network
in many areas of the school, increased the number of computer workstations available to students for academic work, and also made an email service and extranet
available to all students and staff.
. Both applications were successful.
In 2009 the college was invited to take up a third designation as a Leadership Partner School.
primary school, and although now independent from the secondary school
, both schools are part of the Edmund Rice Family
, and share sports facilities in Noctorum
.
The joint-technology college status of the school with Upton Hall School until Autumn 2006 gave rise to increased cooperation between the two Catholic grammar schools on the Wirral Peninsula
. This has particularly seen fruit in the sixth form
, where students have the opportunity to take certain subjects offered at either school. A minibus
is used to transport the students across the 3 miles between the two schools. Other joint activities include language talks and spiritual activities. There has been talk among the members of the sixth at both schools about whether this may lead to the development of co-education in the sixth forms at the schools, as has been the case at the neighbouring Weatherhead High School
.
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
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...
located in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, 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...
. It is one of four Catholic schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
, and one of three Irish Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
schools in the Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
area. The school is located within the Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The diocese encompasses parts of the North West of England and parts of the West Midlands...
.
Admissions
Founded in 1933, the school was in recent years granted Technology CollegeTechnology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
and Academy
Academy
An academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
status, in cooperation with Upton Hall School. The school used its 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...
status as an opportunity to improve some teaching facilities and broaden aspects of the curriculum.
Foundation
The school was founded in 1933 by the trustees of the Congregation of Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
, at the invitation of the Rt. Rvd. Hugh Singleton
Hugh Singleton
Hugh Singleton was an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the Bishop of Shrewsbury from 1908 to 1934....
, Bishop of Shrewsbury
Bishop of Shrewsbury
The Bishop of Shrewsbury is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury in the Province of Birmingham, England.The diocese covers an area of of the counties and unitary authorities of Cheshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin with parts of Derbyshire, Halton, Merseyside, Greater...
. In 1946 it became a direct grant grammar school
Direct grant grammar school
A direct grant grammar school was a selective secondary school in England and Wales between 1945 and 1976 funded partly by the state and partly through private fees....
and continued as such until 1975, when the trustees opted for the school to be independent
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in order to continue as a single-sex
Single-sex education
Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and...
Selective school
Selective school
A selective school is a school that admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria, usually academic. The term may have different connotations in different systems....
.
Grant-maintained status
The Education Act 1993 gave the trustees the chance to re-enter the maintained sectorGrant-maintained school
Grant-maintained schools were state schools in England and Wales between 1988 and 1998 that had opted out of local government control, being funded directly by a grant from central government...
and so, once again, offer parents the choice of a Catholic Grammar School education for their sons, irrespective of their ability to pay. In 1995, the school became one of the first Independent schools to re-enter the maintained sector.
In September 1999, the school became voluntary aided
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
in line with the Education Act 1998.
Links with the church
The teaching staff at this and other Christian Brothers schools have traditionally been avowed Christian Brothers, but over the decades, the responsibility for this provision has been passed down to what is now a full-time layLaity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
teaching staff of 44, maintaining strong links with the Edmund Rice Family
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
and with the guidance of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The diocese encompasses parts of the North West of England and parts of the West Midlands...
.
Ethos and mission
Education at the school is, at its core, Roman Catholic, and inspired by the work of Blessed Edmund RiceEdmund Ignatius Rice
Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice , was a Roman Catholic missionary and educationalist. Edmund was the founder of two orders of religious brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers....
. It is fundamentally based on the Eight Essentials of Christian Brothers Education, and the religious studies
Religious studies
Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to...
programme at the school follows that prescribed by the Diocese of Shrewsbury
Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The diocese encompasses parts of the North West of England and parts of the West Midlands...
.
The study of the history and ethos of the college forms a part of the Religious Studies programme at Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...
, and is a common focus for the weekly assemblies. (The Christian Brothers
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
resident in the house that adjoins the college ensure that Sixth Form students are kept well informed about the ethos of the college by an annual programme of discourse which complements the PSHE programme.
Room locations
101-111 - English, Religious Studies, Technology201-213 - English, ICT, Art, Geography, History, Latin
301-307 - Sixth form
400-407 - Sixth form, Library
501-508 - Science
600-604 - MFL
605-608 - Mathematics
701-702 - PE
801-806 - Music
901-902 - Food Technology
To date, the most recent addition to the school is the Food Hub, funded by a £200,000 grant given to the college in order for it to be able to offer Food Technology on the curriculum.
First Specialism
After two unsuccessful applications, the school finally achieved joint Technology CollegeTechnology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
status together with Upton Hall School, another local Catholic grammar
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...
, as part of the UK 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...
s initiative. The school had, at the time, been unable to apply for specialist Language College
Language College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
status because, Wirral Grammar School for Girls
Wirral Grammar School for Girls
Wirral Grammar School for Girls is an all-girls grammar school located on the Wirral Peninsula, United Kingdom.-Admissions:It is situated on Heath Road, Bebington, on the Wirral Peninsula, England, next door to Wirral Grammar School for Boys. The school consists of lower school and Sixth Form ,...
, another school in the Wirral LEA
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
had already applied for this as a first specialism.
Upon achieving the status the school further developed its programme for A-level and GCSE in ICT
ICT (education)
Information and communication technologies in education deal with the use of information and communication technologies within educational technology.-Purpose:...
, installed a wireless computer network
Wireless LAN
A wireless local area network links two or more devices using some wireless distribution method , and usually providing a connection through an access point to the wider internet. This gives users the mobility to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network...
in many areas of the school, increased the number of computer workstations available to students for academic work, and also made an email service and extranet
Extranet
An extranet is a computer network that allows controlled access from the outside, for specific business or educational purposes. An extranet can be viewed as an extension of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company, usually partners, vendors, and suppliers...
available to all students and staff.
Reapplication and Second Specialism
In 2006 the joint Technology College designation expired, and the school announced its intention to make an application, independently from Upton Hall School to renew its status. The school also announced, because of the success of the programme, its intention to apply for a second specialism in LanguagesLanguage College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
. Both applications were successful.
In 2009 the college was invited to take up a third designation as a Leadership Partner School.
Sport
The college has a reputation for sporting achievement far outstripping its size. Notable sporting achievements include winning the National Schools Cross Country Championship at Intermediate Level, regularly attending the National Schools Athletics Final and travelling the country competing in various rugby union competitions.Affiliations
The College had traditionally been affiliated with Redcourt - St Anselm's, a local independentIndependent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
primary school, and although now independent from the secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, both schools are part of the Edmund Rice Family
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
, and share sports facilities in Noctorum
Noctorum
Noctorum is a suburb of Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, England, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. At the 2001 Census the population of Noctorum was 4,990 ....
.
The joint-technology college status of the school with Upton Hall School until Autumn 2006 gave rise to increased cooperation between the two Catholic grammar schools on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
. This has particularly seen fruit in the sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
, where students have the opportunity to take certain subjects offered at either school. A minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
is used to transport the students across the 3 miles between the two schools. Other joint activities include language talks and spiritual activities. There has been talk among the members of the sixth at both schools about whether this may lead to the development of co-education in the sixth forms at the schools, as has been the case at the neighbouring Weatherhead High School
Weatherhead High School
Weatherhead High School is a single sex girls' Comprehensive School, with mixed Sixth Form, located in Merseyside, England. It is a specialist Media Arts College located in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral...
.
Notable former pupils
Alumni of the school are referred to as Old Anselmians, or within the school as Old Boys, reflecting the single-sex nature of the school. The alumni association of the college is the Anselmian Association.- Prof. Michael Campbell, OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, Director of Policy and Research since 2008 at the UK Commission for Employment and SkillsUK Commission for Employment and SkillsThe UK Commission for Employment and Skills is a non-departmental public body that provides advice on skills and employment policy to the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations.-History:... - Christian FurrChristian FurrChristian Furr is an English painter. He was, at the age of 28, the youngest artist to officially paint Queen Elizabeth II.He was born in Heswall, Wirral, England....
, UK artist who painted HRH Queen Elizabeth II - Austin Healey, rugby player
- Ben JohnstonBen Johnston (rugby player)Ben Johnston is an English rugby union footballer who plays at centre for Nottingham R.F.C. in the RFU Championship.Johnson started his professional career at Saracens in 1998...
, rugby player (England Saxons) - Prof. Dennis KavanaghDennis KavanaghDennis Kavanagh is a British political analyst and since 1996 has been Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool, and now Emeritus Professor. He has written extensively on post-war British politics...
, Professor of Politics from 1996-2006 at the University of LiverpoolUniversity of LiverpoolThe University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic... - Ross MacManusRoss MacManusRoss MacManus was an English musician and trumpet player, who performed with Joe Loss and his orchestra, and the father of singer Elvis Costello....
, UK musician; father of Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader... - Peter StanfordPeter StanfordPeter James Stanford is an English writer, editor, journalist, and presenter. An alumnus of St Anselm's College, Birkenhead, he was the editor of The Catholic Herald, and a regular contributor to the New Statesman....
, writer and journalist - Chris PilgrimChris PilgrimChris Pilgrim is an English rugby union player, his position is Scrum-Half. He currently plays for Newcastle Falcons and made his debut against Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership in September 2009. He attended St Anselms College Birkenhead and Loughborough University.-External...
, Newcastle Falcons Rugby Team - Scott WoottonScott WoottonScott James Wootton is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Manchester United.-Career:Having started his career in Tranmere Rovers Centre of Excellence, at the age of 13 he moved to Liverpool...
, Manchester United Football Club
See also
- Anselm of CanterburyAnselm of CanterburyAnselm of Canterbury , also called of Aosta for his birthplace, and of Bec for his home monastery, was a Benedictine monk, a philosopher, and a prelate of the church who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109...
- Congregation of Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian BrothersThe Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
- Edmund Ignatius RiceEdmund Ignatius RiceBlessed Edmund Ignatius Rice , was a Roman Catholic missionary and educationalist. Edmund was the founder of two orders of religious brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers....
- Grammar schoolGrammar schoolA 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...
- Specialist Schools and Academies TrustSpecialist Schools and Academies TrustThe Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is an independent, not-for-profit, membership organisation with headquarters in the United Kingdom, dedicated to raising standards and achievement in secondary schools in England and internationally...
- Upton Hall School FCJUpton Hall School FCJUpton Hall School FCJ, is a single sex girls' Roman Catholic voluntary aided grammar school located in Merseyside, England. It is one of four Catholic schools in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, and was founded as a girls' convent school by Nuns of the Society of the Faithful Companions of Jesus...