Founded in 1860 and soon established as the leading boys' school in the locality. Girls were admitted to the sixth form for the first time in 2000, and the school became fully co-educational in 2008. It has pleasant late-Victorian and modern buildings on an estate of some 50 acres on an open site in the village of Oxton, a suburb of Birkenhead. All the main buildings are on the same campus. The principal playing fields are central and others are two minutes' walk away. There have been many additions and improvements to facilities in the last 20 years. A good general education is given and examination results are very good. The school has a strong Christian tradition and prayers are held most mornings in the chapel. The chapel choir is well known to be outstanding and performs at the level of a cathedral choir. The music, drama and art departments are very active; high standards are attained in sports. There is also a wide variety of extra-curricular activities including a CCF contingent. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is well supported and pupils have had many successes.
Pupils: Total age range 3-18; 738 day pupils (603 boys, 135 girls). Senior school 11-18, 395 pupils (359 boys, 36 girls); girls only recently accepted throughout. Entrance: Main entry ages 3, 4, 11, 13 and 16. Own entrance exam used; for sixth form entry, 6 GCSEs at least grade C (grade B in sixth-form subjects). Academic excellence and breadth of interests looked for; no religious requirements. 35% of main secondary intake from state schools (plus 5% to sixth form). Large proportion from own prep department (enquiries tel 0151 652 4114).
Annual scholarships and bursaries available. Parents not expected to buy textbooks.
15+% doctors, lawyers etc; 15+% in industry and commerce; 15+% university staff.
Headmaster: John Clark, in post from 2003. Educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn, and Oxford University (modern languages). Previously taught at St Paul's and at Whitgift School. Teaching staff: 65 full time, 5 part time. Annual turnover 6%. Average age 42.
GCSE: 61 pupils in Year 11, 98% gaining at least grade C in 5+ subjects (56% gaining 7 grade A/A*). A-levels: 52 in upper sixth, achieving an average final point score of 365.
95% of sixth form leavers go on to a degree course (16% after a gap year), 8% to Oxbridge. 10% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 34% in science and engineering, 49% in humanities and social sciences, 7% in vocational subjects eg psychology, computing and management. A few typically go straight into employment.
GCSE, AS and A-levels. 21 AS/A-level subjects offered. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS, 3 at A-level. 30% take science A-levels; 33% arts/humanities; 37% both. Key skills not formally assessed. Vocational: Work experience available. Special provision: Some help for dyslexic pupils. Languages: French, German and Spanish offered at GCSE, AS and A-level. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum. 250 computers for pupil use (12 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access.
Music: About 20% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. 5 musical groups including choral society, 2 orchestras, bands, brass ensemble; chapel choir regularly sings in English cathedrals and on foreign tours. Drama: Some pupils are involved in school productions and majority in house/other productions. Art and design: On average, 25 take GCSE, 10 A-level.
Sport: Options include rugby, cricket, hockey, athletics, tennis, netball, lacrosse, rounders, orienteering, cross-country, climbing. Some county representatives. Activities: CCF, Duke of Edinburgh, community service and Young Enterprise. Up to 20 clubs including science projects, debating, drama club, astronomy.
Uniform: School uniform worn throughout; prefects wear gowns. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head of school, head of house - appointed by the Headmaster in consultation with staff, fellow pupils and outgoing prefects. Religion: Christian school. Daily service in the school chapel. Social: Debating, concerts, plays, choral society. French, Spanish and German exchange schemes, numerous other individual visits, ski trips, sports tours. Pupils allowed to bring own car or bike to school. Meals self-service. School shop.
Pupils failing to produce homework would be given extra work and expected to produce the original work; those caught smoking cannabis on the premises could expect automatic expulsion.
The Old Birkonian Society, run by Mark Feeny, Chairman, c/o the school
Rt Hon Sir Donald Nicholls (Lord Appeal in Ordinary), Alan Rouse (mountaineer), Canon Graham Routledge (Canon of St Paul's); Professor Neville Willmer (histologist), Andreas Whittam Smith (journalist and co-founder of The Independent).
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