Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School

Last updated

Blue Coat Church of England School
Blue Coat 300 SMALL.png
Address
Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School
Terry Road

Coventry
,
West Midlands
,
CV1 2BA

England
Coordinates 52°24′01″N1°29′33″W / 52.4003°N 1.4925°W / 52.4003; -1.4925
Information
Type Academy
MottoChristian education with care
Religious affiliation(s) Church of England
Established1714;310 years ago (1714)
Local authority Coventry City Council
TrustInspire Education Trust
Department for Education URN 137272 Tables
Ofsted Reports
Head teacherLisa Henden
Gender Coeducational
Age11to 18
Enrolment1,495 as of April 2021 [1]
Capacity1,634
International peace link Cross of nails school
Website http://www.bluecoatschool.com/

The Blue Coat Church of England School is a specialist secondary school and sixth form located in Coventry, England. It is an International Cross Of Nails (ICON) school, with links to schools all over the world. [2] The school is funded by the state, with academy status. It is a specialist Music, Maths and Science academy.

Contents

History

Part of the old site of Blue Coat School WTC badgersruleok a7-2.jpg
Part of the old site of Blue Coat School

Blue coat schools were mainly founded in the 16th century across England as charity schools, where they were known as "bluecoat schools" because of their distinctive blue uniform. [3] Blue was traditionally the colour of charity and was a common colour for clothing. The uniform included a blue frock coat and yellow stockings with white bands. [4]

The Original Blue Coat school was founded as a school for girls [5] in 1714, close to Holy Trinity Church in the city centre of Coventry, [6] and the ruins of St Mary's Priory and Cathedral. [7] It was re-built on the same location in 1856. [8] The original building as it stands today was designed by James Murray in a Gothic style to resemble a French château, and is currently used by Holy Trinity Church.

Plaque on the site of the original school Old Blue Coat School Coventry plaque.JPG
Plaque on the site of the original school

The school occupied the site until 1964, when it moved to its current site at Terry Road, Coventry. In 2011 the school secured a 125-year lease to the historic Charterhouse Fields in a bitterly contested six-year process. [9] In the same year, the school was granted academy status. [10] It also opened a football academy for talented female footballers in conjunction with Coventry City Ladies Football. [11]

The school marked its tercentenary in 2015. [12] Julian Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, visited the school in 2016. [13]

Heads

Ethos

At the start of the school year, each form elects several representatives to serve on the year council. Two or three of these year council representatives are elected to serve on the school council. The year councils discuss issues regarding school life and pass their findings to the school council, who consider them. The school council has a budget to facilitate resolution of these issues as long as they support the Christian ethos of the school.

International Cross of Nails School

In the latter part of the Second World War, Coventry Cathedral was heavily bombed during the Coventry Blitz. Three large medieval nails recovered from the ruins of the cathedral were subsequently shaped into a cross. This cross was replicated and became a symbol of peace. Many were presented worldwide to schools and organisations. [2]

Awards

Current Terry Road site Covenry Blue Coat School 25d06.jpg
Current Terry Road site

Choir

The school has an award-winning [25] eight-part (SSAATTBB) choir which in its current format was established in the 1976. [26] It can trace its roots back to the 18th century. [27] It performs choral works ranging from Thomas Tallis through Joseph Haydn to John Tavener. The choir has performed for the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Coventry. The choir marked its 60th anniversary at Holy Trinity Church, Coventry in July 2024. [28]

Performing venues

Blue Coat School Choir singing at York Minster Evensong in York Minster.jpg
Blue Coat School Choir singing at York Minster

The choir has sung at Holy Trinity Church, Coventry many times. [29] It visits cathedrals each year to sing services for the week while the resident choir is away. Venues have included:

Other locations include:

Awards and competitions

Television and film

Radio

The choir has appeared on:

Recordings

Alumni

Dramatic productions

The school has at least three annual dramatic productions. There is an annual musical open to all students, with productions including We Will Rock You, The Wiz, Les Miserables, [52] The Sound of Music, [53] Oliver [54] and Hairspray. There is a production for students in key stages 4 and 5 such as Sleeping Beauty, Lord of the Flies, The Lady Killers and The Good Person of Schezuan. Also, an annual production for students in key stage 3, including The Comedy of Errors, Ignite and The Canterbury Tales. There are also bespoke community drama projects in partnership with a range of organisations and student directed productions.

In 2017 a production of One Good Soul, with script by an English teacher and score by a sixth form student, made a debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. [55]

Uniform

The current Blue Coat School uniform for Years 7–11 consists of: School blazer, white shirt, black trousers or regulation skirt, House tie, black, grey or white socks, black shoes. The school changed to clip-on ties in 2013, citing neatness and safety. [56]

House system

Under Victoria Shelley, the school has implemented a new house system. [57] The houses are named Cavell, Dorsey, Lewis, Parks and Wilberforce. These were chosen to reflect the schools six values: Care, Hard work, Respect, Integrity, Servanthood and Togetherness, an acronym for CHRIST. Tutorials are based on house systems, and contain students from a variety of years to promote inter-year coherence. It also affects the tie a student wear – each house is designated a colour, and each tie has different coloured stripes.[ citation needed ]

Much like other schools with house systems, there are heads of each house, and prefects (student support members) under each head.[ citation needed ]

Previously when joining the school (from primary schools) all students were placed in the lower school which was identified by the colour green. In the following year students were placed into one of three traditional houses named after Bishops of Coventry: Neville Gorton, Mervyn Haigh, and Cuthbert Bardsley. The houses were identified by the colours red, yellow, and blue respectively.[ citation needed ] The houses were localised individually into the three main buildings of the school, but tuition took place across the site (based on academic streaming). Tutor groups were based on the house system and only contained students in the same year group. However, they contained students from each of the different academic streams. The house system was not used in the sixth form which was divided into a "lower sixth" and "upper sixth". [ citation needed ]

The academic streaming was initially based on a student's 11+ performance. However, students could move streams based on the school's end of year examinations in the lower school. The streams consisted of classes A and B (equal top stream), C and D (equal second stream), E and F.

Financial crisis 2015

It was announced in a letter home to parents on 5 March 2015 that the whole governing body of the school was to stepping down to make way for an interim governing body as the school was facing "serious financial issues". [58] A number of support posts were at risk. [59]

On BBC CWR's radio Breakfast show on 5 March 2015 there were calls from parents for Julie Roberts to stand down. The BBC reported that there was a £1.4 million shortfall in funding. [60] Roberts was put on special leave and in May 2015, she resigned. [61] F. Peacock became interim headteacher and in 2016 Victoria Shelley became the new headteacher, and Peacock reverted to his role in the History department.

As of the end of 2018, the school remained £668,000 in debt to the Education and Skills Funding Agency. [62]

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leicester Cathedral</span> Cathedral in Leicester, England

The Cathedral Church of Saint Martin, Leicester, commonly known as Leicester Cathedral, is a Church of England cathedral in Leicester, England and the seat of the Bishop of Leicester. The church was elevated to a collegiate church in 1922 and made a cathedral in 1927 following the establishment of a new Diocese of Leicester in 1926.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Blue Coat School, Oldham</span> Church of England academy in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England

The Blue Coat School is a co education Church of England academy for 11- to 18-year-olds, located in the town of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liverpool Blue Coat School</span> Grammar school in Wavertree, Liverpool, England

The Liverpool Blue Coat School is a grammar school in Liverpool, England. It was founded in 1708 by Bryan Blundell and the Reverend Robert Styth as the Liverpool Blue Coat Hospital and was for many years a boys' boarding school before restoring in 2002 its original policy of accepting boys and girls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Henry VIII School, Coventry</span> Private day school in Coventry, England

King Henry VIII School is a coeducational private day school located in Coventry, England, comprising a senior school and associated preparatory school. The senior school has approximately 574 pupils. The current senior school fees stand at £15,150 per year, with bursaries and scholarships available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Ely</span> Private school in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England

King's Ely is a cathedral school and now an all through co-educational fee-charging day and boarding school in the city of Ely in England. It was founded in 970 AD, making it one of the oldest schools in the world. It was given its first royal charter by King Henry VIII in 1541, its second by Queen Elizabeth I in 1562, and its third by King Charles II in 1666. The school consists of a nursery, a pre-preparatory school, a prep school, a senior school, a sixth form, and an international school. King's Ely is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. In 2021, The Independent Schools Inspectorate published their report writing that "King's Ely achieved the highest grading possible in every category inspected and was judged to meet or exceed all regulatory standards for independent day and boarding schools."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The King's (The Cathedral) School</span> School in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England

Founded by King Henry VIII in 1541, The King's School is a state-funded Church of England Cathedral Chorister School located in Peterborough, England. It is the Chorister School for Peterborough Cathedral. Former pupils are known as Old Petriburgians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinity School, Nottingham</span> Academy in Aspley, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

The Trinity School in Nottingham, England is a Catholic secondary school and sixth form with academy status for pupils aged 11–18. It is part of the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi Academy Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Wilts Grammar School</span> Academy in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

South Wilts Grammar School, formerly South Wilts Grammar School for Girls, is a grammar school in Salisbury, south Wiltshire, England, for pupils aged 11 to 18. Established in 1927, the school converted to an academy in 2011. In 2020, the name was changed to South Wilts Grammar School to reflect the admission of male students into the sixth form in September of that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Aidan's Church of England High School</span> Academy in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England

St Aidan's Church of England High School is a mixed Church of England secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England. It currently houses over 2500 students of both lower school and sixth form age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluecoat Aspley Academy</span> Academy in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Bluecoat Aspley Academy is a Church of England secondary school and sixth form located in the Aspley area of Nottingham, England, dating back to 1706. In 2007, the school had 1550 students aged six to eighteen, including 250 Sixth form students. Prior to receiving Academy status in January 2012, the school was titled The Nottingham Bluecoat School and Technology College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Music School</span> Independent day and boarding school in Edinburgh, Scotland

St Mary's Music School is a music school in Scotland in the West End of Edinburgh, for children aged 9 to 19 and is also the Choir School of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. The school, which is non-denominational, provides education for children with a special talent in music, and is Scotland's only full-time independent specialist music school. In 2023, the school had 64 pupils from many different backgrounds coming from all parts of Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad.

Higham Lane School is a secondary academy school in Weddington, Nuneaton, England. The school teaches students aged between eleven and eighteen, in preparation for their GCSEs.

Jeremy Daniell Filsell is an English pianist, organist and composer who currently serves as director of music at Saint Thomas Church, New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School</span> Voluntary aided comprehensive school in Hereford, Herefordshire, England

The Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School (BHBS) is a mixed comprehensive secondary school in the Tupsley district of Hereford, England. It is a voluntary aided school, which takes children from the age of 11 through to the age of 16. It is a Church of England school and is administered by the Hereford Diocese. The current Headteacher of the school is Martin Henton. The immediate past Headteacher was Sara Catlow-Hawkins who retired in 2018. She succeeded Andrew Marson in September 2007. Marson had led the school for 21 years.

Exhall Grange School is a special school located in Ash Green just outside Coventry in Warwickshire, England. The school meets the needs of children and young people age from 2 to 19 years with physical disability, visual impairment, complex medical needs, and social, communication and interaction difficulties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Saints Catholic College, Huddersfield</span> Voluntary aided school in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England

All Saints Catholic College is a Roman Catholic secondary school situated in Bradley Bar, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.

Blackheath Bluecoat Church of England School was a secondary school and sixth form located in the Blackheath Standard area of Blackheath, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Its closure was announced in January 2012 and the school formally closed at the end of August 2014.

Gordon Brodie Stewart is a British organist, conductor, and teacher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finham Park 2</span> Academy in Coventry, West Midlands, England

Finham Park 2 is a secondary school and sixth form located on Torrington Avenue in Tile Hill, Coventry. It was founded on 1 September 2015 as a sequel school to the already existing Finham Park School, a secondary school and sixth form situated on Green Lane in Finham. In the seven years since its creation, the school has amassed 665 pupils, which is close to the original intended capacity of 800. The school's age range is 11-18, as alike Finham Park School, it has two optional years of sixth form past its five mandatory years of secondary schooling. The headteacher is Will Keddie and the school has 65 staff.

References

  1. ↑ "Blue Coat Church of England School and Music College – GOV.UK". get-information-schools.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 "International Cross of Nails Schools". Coventry City of Peace. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "Records of Christ's Hospital and Bluecoat Schools" (PDF). London Metropolitan Archives. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  4. ↑ "A brief history of the school". Liverpool Blue Coat School. Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  5. ↑ "Look: Five inspirational Coventry teachers who helped shape education in the city". coventrytelegraph.net. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "Bluecoat School, Coventry". The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal (Vol. 22 ed.). London, UK: The Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal. 1859. p. 281.
  7. ↑ "Blue Coat School". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Thomas, John (1987). Coventry Cathedral. insert: London, UK. p. 28. ISBN   0044400144.
  9. ↑ "Outrage as Coventry's Blue Coat School wins field fight". coventrytelegraph.net. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "Coventry's Blue Coat School turns into an academy". coventrytelegraph.net. 18 July 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Women's football academy to be set up at the Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School". coventrytelegraph.net. 17 December 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "Former Blue Coat pupils help celebrate school's 300th anniversary". coventrytelegraph.net. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "Archbishop of Canterbury visits Blue Coat School". coventrytelegraph.net. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "Blue Coat School anniversary". coventrytelegraph.net. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  15. ↑ "Look: Five inspirational Coventry teachers who helped shape education in the city". coventrytelegraph.net. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "Coventry Blue Coat School head dies aged 58". coventrytelegraph.net. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  17. ↑ "Head of Coventry Blue Coat School steps down". coventrytelegraph.net. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  18. ↑ "Head of Coventry Blue Coat School steps down". coventrytelegraph.net. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  19. ↑ "New headteacher appointed at troubled Coventry secondary school". coventrytelegraph.net. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Message from our headteacher". youtube.com. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  21. ↑ "BlueCoat Governing Body". bluecoatschool.com. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  22. ↑ "Award for Coventry's Blue Coat School". coventrytelegraph.net. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  23. ↑ "Coventry Blue Coat School wins award for its GCSE results". coventrytelegraph.net. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  24. ↑ "Coventry's Blue Coat School receives Lord Mayor's Peace and Reconciliation Award". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  25. ↑ Lynch, Lucy (17 March 2008). "Coventry Blue Coat choir are simply the best". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  26. ↑ Lynch, Lucy (17 March 2008). "Coventry Blue Coat choir are simply the best". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  27. ↑ "Cash could help choir hit right note". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 7 December 1993. p. 15.
  28. ↑ Holly Clement (23 July 2024). "Coventry choir celebrated diamond anniversary". coventryobserver.co.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  29. ↑ "Radio 4". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Huddersfield, UK. 15 May 1993. p. 24.
  30. ↑ "Radio 4". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Huddersfield, UK. 15 May 1993. p. 24.
  31. ↑ "Choir trip to Cathedral". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 11 July 1997. p. 13.
  32. ↑ "Choir sounds appeal for robes fund". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 20 December 1997. p. 4.
  33. ↑ Coventry Live. "Choir celebrates 25 year landmark". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  34. ↑ "Family in harmony at St Paul's". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 22 August 1981. p. 5.
  35. ↑ "Choir will take over at Abbey". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 8 April 1989. p. 9.
  36. ↑ Coventry Live (14 April 2008). "Coventry City 1 Stoke City 2 – Coventry Telegraph match report". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK.
  37. ↑ Coventry Live. "Choir celebrates 25 year landmark". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  38. ↑ Coventry Live. "Choir celebrates 25 year landmark". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  39. ↑ "Music". Birmingham Daily Post. Birmingham, UK. 26 August 1996. p. 13.
  40. ↑ Coventry Live. "Choir celebrates 25 year landmark". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  41. ↑ "Award comes out of the blue". Coventry Evening Telegraph. Coventry, UK. 2 October 1998. p. 1.
  42. ↑ Songs Of Praise The School Choir Of The Year – All The Winners 2003–2011. London, UK: EMI. 2011.
  43. ↑ Lynch, Lucy (17 March 2008). "Coventry Blue Coat choir are simply the best". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  44. ↑ Coventry Live (28 April 2015). "Blue Coat choir appears on Songs of Praise with former pupil turned professional tenor". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  45. ↑ "Coventry Blue Coat School choir". bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  46. ↑ "Radio 2". The Independent. London, UK. 26 April 1998. p. 171.
  47. ↑ "Keep the Memory Alive". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  48. ↑ "Radio 4". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Huddersfield, UK. 15 May 1993. p. 24.
  49. ↑ Coventry Live (28 April 2015). "Blue Coat choir appears on Songs of Praise with former pupil turned professional tenor". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  50. ↑ Coventry Live. "Helen Daniels, mezzo". www.levedyensemble.com. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  51. ↑ <---not stated--->. "Imogen Russell (Soprano)". www.bach-cantatas.com. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  52. ↑ Coventry Live (21 April 2013). "Les Miserables at Coventry's Blue Coat School". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  53. ↑ Laura Davenport (8 March 2016). "Coventry school brings much loved musical to life". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  54. ↑ Laura Davenport (9 March 2015). "Blue Coat School's version of Oliver! leaves audience wanting more". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  55. ↑ Izzy Sanders (15 August 2017). "Coventry Blue Coat School production makes debut at Edinburgh Fringe Festival". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  56. ↑ Lucy Lynch (13 September 2011). "Coventry secondary schools switching to clip-on ties". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  57. ↑ "House Introduction – Blue Coat School & Music College" . Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  58. ↑ "Blue Coat Church of England School & Music College". Coventry Blue Coat School. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  59. ↑ "Blue Coat Church of England School & Music College". Coventry Blue Coat School. Archived from the original on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  60. ↑ "Coventry's Blue Coat School 'has £1.4m shortfall'". BBC News. BBC. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  61. ↑ Lynch, Lucy (25 May 2015). "Head of Coventry Blue Coat School steps down". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  62. ↑ "Accounts 2017–2018" (PDF). 31 August 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 January 2020.
  63. ↑ "Sonia Harris-Short". inventaire.io. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  64. ↑ Patsy Fuller (21 October 2014). "Pianist Jeremy Filsell returns to Coventry roots to raise funds for church organ". coventrytelegraph.net. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  65. ↑ "Coventry teen Jennifer Ledger rocks all over America". 20 May 2008.

Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.