King Edward VI High School for Girls
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King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS) (grid reference SP051836) is an independent secondary school in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England.
One of the most academically successful schools in the country, it is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham and occupies the same site as, and is twinned with, King Edward's School (boys) (KES), also one of the most academically successful schools in the UK.
Sarah Evans has been the headteacher since 1996.
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[edit] History
KEHS was founded in 1883 and occupied part of the 1838 (Charles Barry, architect} New Street boys' school for a few years. In 1887, when the adjacent Hen & Chickens Hotel was known to be closing the governors considered acquiring it. In 1888 KEHS moved to the recently vacated, and almost brand new (1885), Liberal Club in Congreve Street (a site now covered by the lending section of the Birmingham Central Library) under a short lease. Meanwhile plans for a new school on the Hen and Chickens site were being drawn up by the foundation's architect, J. A. Chatwin. In 1892 land behind the hotel was bought with the intention of building the girls' school off the main road, hidden behind new commercial premises on New Street to shelter it from street noise. Access to KEHS was along a long corridor from the New Street entrance along the side of the boys' school. The New Street school opened in 1896. It moved, along with the boys' school, to its present location opposite the University in 1940 to new buildings designed by Holland W. Hobbiss. At this time a new, green uniform was introduced. The New Street site was bought by the Prudential Assurance Company and leased for the Odeon cinema.
[edit] Ethos of the School
The school has a very strong academic reputation and has consistently been ranked top of the national league tables for both A level and GCSE which has resulted in the school receiving such recent accolades as “Independent School of the Year” from the Times newspaper.
There are places for approximately 550 girls, 78 in a year with entrance exams taking place in late January. The school places great emphasis on developing independent learning and fostering creativity. Students are offered a wide range of exciting and diverse extra-curricular opportunities. An education at King Edwards High School for Girls ensures that students are fully equipped for life in the 21st Century.
[edit] Music and Drama
The school works in partnership with the adjoining boys' school in many orchestras, choirs, and drama productions.
The 2006 joint drama production was Little Shop of Horrors. The 2007 production was "The Hired Man" Starring Nick Oakley and Helen Watkinson/Jenni Payne as the lead roles.
In December the school holds two Christmas Concerts, usually in the Adrian Boult Hall (part of Birmingham Conservatoire). In March every year there is an Orchestral and Choral concert in the Adrian Boult Hall, and then there is a Summer Concert, usually in Symphony Hall, to which all the ‘new’ girls for the following September are invited with their families. By going out of school to perform the players have the excitement of playing in a professional venue, and the audience can both see and hear what is going on! The school eagerly awaits the opening of Birmingham Town Hall which it hopes will become the new “concert-home”.
The school year finishes with the Syndicate Concert, planned, rehearsed and performed by students about to leave the two King Edward’s Schools. This is a Summer Evening’s music-making with strawberries and wine in the garden at the interval.
During the year there are six Lunchtime Concerts, held on Thursdays in the Concert Hall of King Edward’s School. These concerts give the musicians, both girls and boys, the opportunity to perform in front of a smaller, sympathetic audience.
The school's instrumental evenings (usually twice a year) give many of the players the opportunity to perform in a relaxed atmosphere to an audience of parents and friends, and gives parents the chance to meet and chat to the instrumental teachers. There is usually one for Years 9 and 10 in the Autumn, and one for Years 7 and 8 in the Spring. 2006 saw the introduction of a Music Festival to the girls’ school, a competitive performance event for pupils and in front of pupils of the first three years. Boosted by the presence of an external adjudicator, over a hundred performances assisted each form’s bid for the new trophy.
[edit] Sport and Outdoor Pursuits
Sport at KEHS is a very important part of the school’s extra-curricular programme. The school provides a wide range of activities in which all girls have the opportunity to participate. Involvement in activities is optional but all girls are welcome to try out clubs at any stage in their time at school.
Girls take part in activities on a recreational basis or they can choose to follow to a more competitive standard. The school hopes that the range of activities on offer inspires girls to pursue lifelong involvement in sport.
Activities are run during the lunch hour but some may also take place after school when both training and matches take place. As well as staff within the Department organising teams, the school also has a number of external coaches who help to provide expertise in a number of activities and enable the school to offer more to the girls. Many of the Sports Leaders and sixth form are keen to be involved in the running of teams for the Juniors and a number of girls have attended courses so that they can assist with officiating Junior matches.
The department offers a varied range of sporting activities catering for the needs of everyone; the school promotes excellence and a number of girls gain representative honours at a national level. Nevertheless the school also welcomes and embraces beginners.
The school also attaches particular importance to the role of outdoor pursuits. KEHS runs a very popular and successful Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme where girls can gain Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. It now runs a residential activities week for all of the the first years at Cleobury Mortimer. Each year the school plans to offer students in year 8 the opportunity to take part in Voyager expeditions whilst in year 9 students will be able to take part in First Challenge expeditions.
Some year 11 and 12 students are currently working towards a 'World Challenge' trip to Malaysia or Borneo. This will take place in summer 2007, and will include a week of community service.
Activities on offer during the course of the year are as follows:
Athletics,Gymnastics Hockey, Badminton, Lacrosse, Beginners Swimming, Life Saving, Cricket, Netball, Dance, Rounders, Fencing, Swimming, Football (A 5-Aside tornament is entered every year, this year we are currently 4th in the league with Sarah Blanks as coach), and Tennis.
[edit] Notable Former Students
Anita Harding- neurologist [1]
[edit] Sources
- King Edward VI High School Birmingham 1883-1983, Rachel Waterhouse, 1983
[edit] Further reading
- King Edward VI High School Birmingham, Winifred I Candler, Ailsa M Jacques, Beatrice Marion Willmott Dobbie, Birmingham Girls' Old Edwardian Club, Publisher: Benn, London, 1971, ISBN printed in book 0-510-76250-3 [sic], ISBN 0-510-26250-3
[edit] External links
