This article is about the school in Merseyside, England. For the college in New Hampshire, United States, see
Saint Anselm College
.
11?18 boys roman catholic academy in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England
St Anselm's College
is an 11?18
boys
,
Roman Catholic
,
grammar school
and
sixth form
with
academy status
in
Birkenhead
,
Merseyside
, England. It was established in 1933 and is located in the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
. It is one of four Roman Catholic secondary schools in the
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
, and one of three
Irish Christian Brothers
schools in the Merseyside area.
History
[
edit
]
Foundation
[
edit
]
The college was founded as a
fee-paying
school in 1933 by the trustees of the
Congregation of Christian Brothers
, at the invitation of
Hugh Singleton
,
Roman Catholic 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
school.
[2]
Grant-maintained status
[
edit
]
The Education Act 1993 gave the trustees the chance to re-enter the
maintained sector
and so, once again, offer parents the choice of a Catholic Grammar School education for their sons, irrespective of their ability to pay.
[3]
In 1995, the school became one of the first Independent schools to re-enter the maintained sector. The prep department retained its independent status and was previously known as
Redcourt St Anselm's
; however, Redcourt closed in 2019.
[4]
In September 1999, the school became
voluntary aided
in line with the Education Act 1998.
[5]
Specialist School status
[
edit
]
After two unsuccessful applications, the school finally achieved joint
Technology College
status together with
Upton Hall School
, another local Catholic
grammar school
, as part of the UK
specialist schools
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.
[6]
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.
[7]
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.
[8]
The school also announced, because of the success of the programme, its intention to apply for a second
specialism in Languages
. Both applications were successful.
In 2009 the college was invited to take up a third designation as a Leadership Partner School.
[9]
Academy status
[
edit
]
The school converted to academy status on 1 June 2011.
[10]
Overview
[
edit
]
Admissions
[
edit
]
Founded in 1933, the school was in recent years granted
Technology College
and then Academy status, in cooperation with
Upton Hall School
, the local Catholic girls' school. The school used its
specialist school
status as an opportunity to improve some teaching facilities and broaden aspects of the curriculum.
Links with the church
[
edit
]
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
lay
teaching staff of 44, maintaining strong links with the
Edmund Rice Family
and with the guidance of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
.
Ethos and mission
[
edit
]
Education at the school is, at its core, Roman Catholic, and inspired by the work of Blessed Edmund Rice. It is fundamentally based on the
Eight Essentials of Christian Brothers Education
,
[11]
and the
religious studies
programme at the school follows that prescribed by the
Roman Catholic 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.
Patron saint
[
edit
]
Saint
Anselm of Canterbury
(1033 or 1034 ? 21 April 1109).
Sports
[
edit
]
The college has a reputation for sporting achievement far outstripping its size.
[
citation needed
]
Notable sporting achievements include winning the National Schools Cross Country Championship at Intermediate Level and winning the Northerns Schools Championship countless times,
[
citation needed
]
regularly attending the National Schools Athletics Final and travelling the country competing in various rugby union competitions. The school also partakes in
hockey
and
cricket
competitions.
Affiliations
[
edit
]
The college had traditionally been affiliated with Redcourt - St Anselm's, a local independent 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
. Other joint activities include language talks and spiritual activities.
Notable alumni and staff
[
edit
]
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
.
- Dave Balfe
, keyboard player in various Liverpool bands especially
The Teardrop Explodes
and manager of
Blur (band)
- Harry Charsley
, footballer with
Mansfield Town F.C.
, academy graduate of
Everton F.C.
- Peter Davenport
, footballer with
Manchester United F.C.
,
Middlesbrough F.C.
,
Sunderland A.F.C.
- Bob Fitzharris
,
Archdeacon of Doncaster
from 2001 to 2011
- Christian Furr
, UK artist who painted HRH
- John Gorman (entertainer)
in
The Scaffold
- Austin Healey
, former England international rugby player (
Leicester Tigers
)
- Ben Johnston
, England international rugby player (
England Saxons
)
- Prof
Dennis Kavanagh
, Professor of Politics from 1996 to 2006 at the
University of Liverpool
- Ross MacManus
, UK musician; father of
Elvis Costello
- Chris Malkin
, former footballer with
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
- Prof
Paddy Nixon
FBCS FRSA, Vice-Chancellor since 2015 of
Ulster University
- Sean O'Connor (producer)
, Executive Producer since 2016 of
EastEnders
, and former Editor of
The Archers
on
BBC Radio 4
- Mark Palios
, former chief executive of
The Football Association
and owner of
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
- Chris Pilgrim
,
Newcastle Falcons
rugby player
- Prof
Christopher J. Schofield
FRS, chemist, Head of Organic Chemistry since 2011 at the
University of Oxford
and Fellow of
Hertford College, Oxford
- Oliver Shannon
, footballer with
Everton FC
and
Atlanta United FC
- Peter Stanford
, writer and journalist, Editor from 1988 to 1992 of
The Catholic Herald
- Scott Wootton
, footballer with
Leeds United F.C.
References
[
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]
External links
[
edit
]
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Primary schools
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Non-selective
secondary schools
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Grammar schools
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Independent schools
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FE & sixth form colleges
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Closed schools
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Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
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- Churches
- Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Birkenhead
- St Werburgh, Birkenhead
- St Columba, Chester
- St Francis, Chester
- St Werburgh, Chester
- St Mary, Congleton
- St Mary, Crewe
- St Mary of the Angels, Hooton
- St Alban, Macclesfield
- St Mary, Madeley
- St Cuthbert by the Forest, Mouldsworth
- St Peter and St Paul, New Brighton
- St Peter and St Paul, Newport
- St Anne, Rock Ferry
- St Winefride, Sandbach
- Our Lady and the Apostles, Stockport
- St Joseph, Stockport
- English Martyrs, Wallasey
- Our Lady Star of the Sea, Wallasey
- St Alban, Wallasey
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- Patronal Feasts of the Diocese
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