Latest News

A New Head at Camp Hill School for Boys

Mr Vincent Darby has left the School this August to take up his new post as Head of Wolverhampton Grammar School, an independent school, in September 2008. Before becoming Head of Camp Hill School for Boys in January 2003, Mr Darby had a long and successful career with the Foundation Schools dating back to September 1978. We wish him every success in his new post.

Mr Mike Roden will take over as Head of Camp Hill School for Boys this September. He began his career with the School as a geography teacher in 1982. After leaving in 1990 for a post elsewhere, he returned to Camp Hill in September 1995 to take up the post of Deputy Head, which he held until August 2003. From then until his return to the School this September, he has been working at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, as Assistant Head with responsibility including teaching and learning, and strategic development of ICT.

125th Anniversary of Foundation Schools

19th Century Birmingham is largely remembered for its striking industrial growth and technological advances. However, it was not simply as a premier manufacturing town in which Birmingham led the field. 

The Governors of King Edward’s School in New Street had been providing Birmingham’s elite with a classical education since 1552, but it was in 1883 that the governing body pioneered the spread of education across the city by creating the King Edward VI Grammar Schools and the High School for Girls. 

This re-modelling of the Foundation schools heralded a significant new era in educational provision for the children of Birmingham. Today, the grammar schools and the High School for Girls enjoy a reputation for excellence in and beyond Birmingham and countless Old Edwardians have gone on to make their mark in the world.

The King Edward VI Foundation is proud to celebrate 125 years of education in Birmingham. 

Expedition to Venezuala

Enterprising pupils from King Edward VI Handsworth School have used the infamous ‘hoodie’ to raise money towards an expedition to Venezuela later this year. They hope to donate some of their earnings to the local community in which they will be working during part of their stay.

The three GCSE students, Hardeep Pangli, Harpreet Chowila and Rachael Stanford, are selling ‘hoodies’ embroidered with the school crest or the pupil’s name. Demand for these personalised garments has been high and the girls hope that in the future they will be able to extend their business venture to include other schools.

King Edward's School, Birmingham

King Edward’s School, Birmingham Inspection Report

(Click here to download the complete report in pdf format)

King Edward’s School was inspected in May 2007 by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, the independent school equivalent of OFSTED. The report was released in July and the conclusion is as follows.

‘The school is direct in its aims and in its aspiration to be a school of the highest academic quality and the richest personal experience for as wide a community around Birmingham as possible. This it achieves to an outstanding degree and it seeks to do even better. Governance, leadership and management are strong and confident. The provision for the pupils is excellent and their learning and attainment is outstanding at all levels. Teaching is often excellent. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is excellent. Links with the parents and with the community are outstanding and a deliberate part of the school’s programme of outreach. The range of opportunities open to pupils, both as individuals and as teams members, is immense and of the highest quality. Clear pastoral structures and effective policies ensure a very happy and confident community that is proud of its school and eager also for better.

‘Since the last inspection in March 2001, the school has moved well to measure the potential of all pupils on entry, to provide very well for the particularly gifted and talented among its number and to ensure that those with learning difficulties and disabilities or with English was an additional language are especially provided for. The extent and use of independent learning has significantly increased. The use of the library as a learning resource has been transformed and the provision of information and communications technology is to the highest standards. The professional development of teachers has not only been encouraged by specific appointment and provision but it has already had an excellent effect. The school is well aware of its current strengths and it has also identified what it seeks for the future.’

John Claughton, the Chief Master, said that everyone in the school was delighted by the report. 'It is very important that the report should see the many different ways in which the school is outstanding. We aim to provide for all of our pupils the best possible time here, in and out of the classroom, and that shines through in the report. It is also important how often the report speaks of the boys’ pride in the school and the warmth of relations between pupils and between staff and pupils. The report is also right that we want to be the best and we are striving to improve all the time.’

Academies in Birmingham

Seven schools in Birmingham (Heartlands High, College High, Kings Norton High, St Albans, Sheldon Heath, Shenley Court and Harborne Hill) are earmarked to become Academies. The King Edward’s Foundation has decided it will explore becoming an educational sponsor and is seeking a partner to act as the financial sponsor by providing the £2m required. The Foundation has confirmed it will not provide the £2m – a view held for several years. The involvement of the Foundation is dependent upon a financial sponsor being identified and negotiations with the Department for Education and Skills and Birmingham City Council.