Birkdale School

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Birkdale School
The Johnson Building
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The Johnson Building
Res Non Verba
Latin: "Actions Not Words"
Established 1904
School type Independent, Christian
Head Master Mr. Robert Court
Location Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Website [http://www.birkdaleschool.org.uk/

Birkdale School is a public school for boys in the city of Sheffield, Yorkshire in England. It was founded in 1904 by the Reverend Maurice Asterley as a preparatory school for boys between the ages of 4 and 13 to provide a Christian education, an ethos it has stuck to throughout its 100 year history - it also employs staff on a preferred Christian basis. First housed in Birkdale House on Newbould Lane, it moved in 1915 to its present location in Oakholme House. Birkdale extended from just being a preparatory school in 1980, and established a Sixth Form in 1989. The school has gradually extended, and now is home to over 700 pupils, including approximately 40 girls in the co-educational Sixth Form.

There is a strong House system employed at Birkdale, four in total, each named after old Head Masters; Asterley (1904-09), Griffiths (Alban Griffiths 1909-33) Hall House (John Hall 1963-83) and Heeley House (Howard Heeley 1943-63). The Prep School has a slightly different house system, with a house dedicated to J.G.Roberts, Head Master 1933-43, and one to the family of Sir John Osborn, Conservative MP for Sheffield Hallam 1959–1987, of Osborn House, the current site of the Preparatory School.

Birkdale managed to enter the First Division of independent schools results tables in 2005. There is a regular stream of students gaining places at Oxbridge each year, due to highly successful annual A-level results. 2005 GCSE results were the school's best ever.

Birkdale School is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

The current Head Master is Robert Court, educated at St Paul's School, and a Cambridge graduate. He was the Deputy Head Master at Westminster School for 4 years prior to taking up the leadership at Birkdale.

The Deputy Head is Alistair Gloag, from King's School, Gloucester. He replaced Andrew Johnson, who left at the end of the Summer Term 2006 for the post of Headmaster at Stonyhurst College.

Contents

[edit] Facilities

[edit] Sporting facilities

The school has a selection of sporting facilities, most notably large playing fields, "Castle Dyke" located on the outskirts of Sheffield. It is primarily used for football, rugby and, during the summer, cricket.

On campus the school has a large sports hall and attached gym (for use of older pupils and staff only), including equipment for basketball and badminton. Separate changing rooms for boys and girls are located in the school building, complete with showers.

The £2,000,000 sports pavilion at Castle Dyke has recently been completed, offering unrivalled facilities in football, rugby and cricket in Sheffield.

In July 2006 there was a storm of public and media complaints as the school fenced off the popular playing grounds, handed to Birkdale School on a 125-year lease, in an attempt to halt irresponsible use of the area. School bursar David Taylor said the fencing issue was discussed with the Sheffield City Council, as the 125-year lease was negotiated.

[edit] Buildings

There are several large buildings forming the Senior School Campus:

  • Johnson Building (Lower School common room, English, Maths, Religious Studies)
  • Grayson Building and Sixth Form Centre (Modern Foreign Languages, Sixth Form Biology/Chemistry laboratoriess, Latin/Classics, Lecture Theatre)
  • Endcliffe (History and Government, Politics)
  • School House (Headmaster's House)
  • Science Block (Middle and Lower School Sciences)
  • Heeley Hall (Main school hall)
  • Westbury (Art and Library)
  • Caxton (Design Technology and Information Technology)
  • Sports Hall
  • Oakholme and Octagon (Music, Geography, Business Studies/Economics)

[edit] Houses

There are four houses: Asterley, Griffiths, Hall and Heeley.

[edit] Notable Old Birkdalians

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