Liverpool Blue Coat School

The Blue Coat clock tower.

The Liverpool Blue Coat School in Wavertree, Liverpool, United Kingdom, was founded in 1708 by Mr Bryan Blundell and Rev. Robert Styth as 'a school for teaching poor children to read, write and cast accounts'.

The original school expanded rapidly and a new building, the present Bluecoat Arts Centre, opened in 1708. At the start of the 20th century it was decided that the School needed to move from the polluted Town Centre to somewhere quieter, and the village of Wavertree was the site chosen. The architects chosen for the design of the new building were Briggs, Wolstenholme & Thornely, most notable for the design of the Port of Liverpool Building. In 1906 the school took posession of the buidling. It was described as 'spectacular' by Nikolaus Pevsner and later designated a Grade II* Listed Building. Later additions include the clock tower and domed chapel.

After the school received a Government grant of almost £8 million, together with more than £1 million from the School's Foundation Governors, the site was expanded and redeveloped.

The first stage of the involved demolishing the ageing swimming pool, 60s built sixth form centre, and old sports hall. The north wing was renovated and extended with modern laboratories, sports and dance facilities. The dining room became the new library with over 35 computers as well as traditional books, and the old library space as a new sixth form centre. A new administration area was built on the site of the old 6th Form Centre and the the South Wing has been sold to be converted into designer appartments.

The Blue Coat holds a long-standing academic tradition; examination results consistently place the school top of the local, and near the head of national GCSE and A-level league tables.

The school has been a part of much history aside from academia. Scenes for the film 51st State were shot around the grounds, and scenes for the Channel 4 programme Hollyoaks have been filmed inside.

The school motto is: Non sibi sed omnibus. (Not for oneself, but for all).

February 2006: The former location of the Bluecoat school, now the oldest arts centre in the world, is under consideration for National Heritage status after plans were revealed to sell fast burgers outside of the premises.

The Tercentenary Appeal

The School will be celebrating its 300th birthday in 2008, making it the longest educating School in Liverpool. Many celebrations are planned, and to mark the occasion the School has undertaken to raise £1,000,000 to fund two new developments. The first of these is to build a floodlit astroturf on the present playing fields, to carry the schools sporting successes further. The second is to reply to the negative response brought on by the substituting of a substansial, modern sixth form centre, for a room not half the size, by converting the front of the Old School, or East Wing, into a Study Area for the exclusive use of Year 13, as the 6th Form has already outgrown its present accomodation.

The Prefect System

The Blue Coat School prides itself upon its excellent Prefect model. There are usually between 40-55 Prefects from the Sixth Form, representing about 1/6 of the Sixth Form as a whole. Members of the Upper and Lower 6th can become Prefects through a complex process of Staff nominations and Interviews. These interviews take place in two batches: one in December, where around 10 - 15 Prefects are appointed from the Lower 6th, to supplement the 30 - 40 Upper Sixth Prefects already present, and a further set of interviews in May, to provide replacements for the soon-to-leave Upper 6th Prefects.

The Prefects are charged with maintaining order in the corridors during Break and Lunch times, and typically do two break duties and two lunch duties each week, together with members of Staff. The Prefects also play a large role in other events, the most important ones being the Entrance Examination, Prize Giving and Founders' Day, with the Procession at Prize Giving and Founders' Day being led by the Head of School (Head Boy or Head Girl) .The Prefects also play a part in the Parents Association events, helping after school at discos, fairs and quizzes.

There are several ranks of Prefect:

• School Prefect
• Senior Prefect
• Deputy Head of School
• Head of School

There are also Prefects specific to certain areas, such as Library Prefects and IT Prefects. These are recommended by the Head of Department to the Head of Sixth Form, who then decides whether they are to be made Prefects or not.

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With the entrance of girls into the school from September 2002, a Head Boy and Head Girl are now appointed, sharing the title of Head of School. The process to become a Head of School is again through Staff nominations and an Interview with the Head of Discipline (Pastoral Deputy Head), the Head of 6th Form and the Assistant Head of 6th Form . The Heads of School are supported by four Deputies, two Deputy Head Boys and two Deputy Head Girls, and four Senior Prefects.

Notable alumni

• Mitch Benn, musician and comedian
• David Morrissey, actor
• Ian Wilson, adult film actor
• Evan Harris, Member of Parliament
• Jonathan Harvey, writer
• Kevin Nolan, professional footballer
• Stephen Parry, Olympic swimmer
• Lord Rennard, Liberal Democrat chief executive
• Peter Serafinowicz, actor and comedian

Departments and Teachers

• Information Technology - Head of Department: Mr. Sanjeev Verma
• English - Head of Department: Mr. Edmund J. Crighton
• Groundskeeping - Head of Department: Jeff

Headmasters

• The Reverend Robert Stythe, M.A. (1708 - 1713)
• Mr. William Trenton (1717 - 1723)
• Mr. Theophilus Price (1723 - 1725)
• Mr. Horton (1725 - 1775)
• The Reverend John Shakleton (1776 - 1779)
• Mr. John Smith (1779)
• Mr. Robert Parkes (1800)
• Mr. George Chambers (1801 - 1811)
• Mr. John Fallows (1812 - 1816)
• Mr. R. W. Bamford (1817 - 1819)
• Mr. William Forster (1820 - 1848)
• Mr. Thomas Wood, B.A. (1849 - 1862)
• Mr. Thomas Haughton (1863 - 1867)
• Mr. George Tinker (1868 - 1869)
• Mr. Thomas Haughton (1870 - 1888)
• Mr. Arthur Mercer (1889 - 1920)
• Mr. Harry C. Hughes (1920 - 1926)
• The Reverend R. Bruce Wilson, B.A. (1927 - 1944)
• The Reverend T.C. Heritage, M.A. (1944 - 1945)
• Mr. G. G. Watcyn, B.A. (1945 - 1968)
• Mr. H. P. Arnold-Craft J.P., M.A.(Oxon) (1968 - 1989)
• Mr. John C. Speller B.A., M.A.(Ed), FRSA (1989 - 1997
• Mr. Michael R. Bell B.A.(Hons) F.I.Mgt. (1997 - 2001)
• Mr. Michael George 'Sandy' Tittershill (2001- )

External links

• Official School website
• Student Community website
• BBC Education League Tables listing
• Ofsted inspection report (June 2004)
• Extract from Discovering Historic Wavertree
• Blue Coat Arts Centre
• South Wing Apartments Development