SCHOOL PROFILE
Celebrating 125 years
Birmingham’s
King Edward
VI High School
for Girls is
celebrating its 125th
anniversary this year
with several events. With
applications on the up,
Helen Kaut looks at what
makes the school so popular
with Birmingham’s parents
Happy birthday: King Edward VI High
School for Girls celebrates its 125th
HE KING Edward VI High School birthday this year. Pictured is head, Sarah
T
for Girls (KEHS) was founded in Evans, with some of her charges, while
1883 and is located in Edgbaston, the school is also shown (below)
Birmingham, next to the King
Edward’s School for Boys.
KEHS is built to accommodate course and part of general studies, which all 6th- prepare for these exams, which test how girls respond
up to 550 girls, who are of “good formers take. It teaches them how to think, reason and to information they may not familiar with. The school
academic ability”. During this academic year, the write coherently and logically. This course is especially discourages coaching or tutoring and instead advises
school has held a lot of events to celebrate the 125th useful for those girls who want to study medicine or parents to talk to their children, encourage them to read
anniversary. These included a gala concert in Symphony law, as the tests for admission to medical schools and a lot and be interested in what is going on in the world
Hall, an exhibition for the summer term, the launch of law courses involve an element of critical thinking. around them.
the KEHS Bursary Appeal, and a book charting the PE includes a wide range of sports from hockey Teachers like Chris Hosty appreciate the freedom
125-year history of the school. and rugby to gymnastics and athletics. Music plays an they are given at KEHS. Ms Hosty has been teaching
Despite the current economic climate, KEHS has important part at KEHS and the school provides plenty maths and general studies here for 20 years. She thinks
actually seen an increase in applications: of 355 girls, who of opportunity to learn instruments. Furthermore, the good pupil-teacher relationship at this school is the
applied this year, 343 sat the test and 87 were accepted. KEHS participates in exchange visits to places such as main reason behind its success.
Last year, 312 applied and the year before 293. Australia, New Zealand, France and Africa. “Most of the teaching staff here are passionate about
How does Sarah Evans, head of KEHS since 1996, KEHS offers a wide range of extra-curricular their subject and the life of the mind. And we are very
explain the school’s popularity? activities. The girls can participate in the school’s lucky in that most of the little 11-year-olds who start children from disadvantaged backgrounds, she believes
She told me: “I think people value education very orchestras and bands, join drama clubs and choirs, with us come in bright-eyed and shiny and keen to that by 18 the culture and general knowledge gap is
highly and see it as something which is worth making dance workshops and sports clubs. They can also learn,” she explained. enormous.
lots of sacrifices for. I think they see this as being the write for the school’s magazine, Phoenix, work for “And as staff we respond to their enthusiasm. By the “It’s very hard for an 18-year-old to start in an
leading school in the Midlands and they look at it as an the school’s own radio station, or join one of the many time they get to the middle years, where some of them Oxford college from a school where they never had any
example of where the social diversity of the Midlands societies. maybe going through difficult teenage phases, we’ve of this kind of background. Here we take them at 11,
coheres extremely harmoniously and that’s seen as a Community service plays a very important part already established this family relationship. We are a they mix with a wide range of backgrounds.
great strength of the school.” at KEHS. The girls organise fundraising events for small school and they are almost like our own children. “We’ve got children from consultant surgeons
Another reason is the high success rate in A levels different charities such as Macmillan, World Aids Day They do know that we love them.” alongside children whose parents are unemployed.
that the girls achieve at this independent school. In or Breakthrough Breast Cancer. They also help out in Sending your child to KEHS is not cheap – the They learn from each other and they learn from us. They
2007, 100 per cent of all the pupils passed their A local nurseries, infant and junior schools, schools for school charges £8,850 per year. However, parents don’t feel they are lacking this social background,” she
levels and 90.5 per cent of them achieved grades A and disabled children, and older people’s care homes. earning less than £65,000 a year can apply for a means- added.
B. Over 50 per cent of the girls achieved four or more “The girls themselves come from a hugely diverse tested bursary, which is largely funded by the Kind For the future, KEHS, jointly with the boys’
grade As. The school was ranked sixth for A levels in range of backgrounds and I think the community Edward Foundation. school, is planning a new performing arts centre.
the league tables for independent schools last year. service work allows them to both contribute to the Bursaries are mainly awarded to girls who join The staff is also looking at new ways to develop the
KEHS offers a broad curriculum, which is focused wider community and to continue to learn more about when they are 11-years-old. A small number of girls curriculum and is currently working on the AQA
on academic studies and also on creativity. The girls that community,” Ms Evans continued. join the 6th form. Out of about 80 girls, probably 15 are Baccalaureate for the 6th form, which will allow girls
learn Latin and Ancient Greek as well as modern Prospective pupils have to a pass a demanding awarded a bursary. Widening access to higher education to research and write individual projects. SecEd
languages such as French, German, Italian, Russian entrance test to be accepted into this school. KEHS at a much earlier age is important to the school.
and Spanish. is looking for bright young girls who are quick- “If we want these girls to go to a top university, • Helen Kaut is a freelance education journalist.
The curriculum also includes subjects such as thinking, have a thirst for knowledge, and are excited we need to start that process at the age of 11,” Ms
economics and business studies, psychology, theatre by new ideas. Past achievements are not as important Hosty said, and although Oxford, Cambridge and other
Further information
studies, and art and design. Critical thinking is a short as potential. It therefore proves rather difficult to leading universities are working hard to bring in bright www.kehs.org.uk
A fresh and sunny perspective
Ray Barker
This serves several purposes – leaders share their do not tell school leaders, and funding sometimes just is unknown. There is plenty of confusion as to
experiences with their peers and discuss the real issues, magically appears. The need for greater transparency how schools are now going to be measured. The
looks at BESA’s
and BESA can then help to get leaders’ views out to the is paramount; otherwise we run the risk of schools suggestions of “stage not age” measurement will be
industry, to other school leaders, and to government and missing some funding entirely. difficult to manage and is seen by many as being
other agencies. Here is a snapshot of what this year’s At the focus group, one leader told us that in at odds with government initiatives like Assessing
recent leadership
secondary leaders had to say. their area, three academies work together with one Pupils’ Progress.
fundraising manager, as most leaders do not have
forums and
Workforce planning and CPD
the time to do all their own research. However, most
An interesting conundrum
Despite the increasing unemployment rate, many are schools simply cannot afford to fund a role like this Are you experiencing the following scenario at
what they have revealed
saying that they are finding it difficult to recruit good unless the manager earns more than their own salary your school? While personal aspirations and self-
quality staff members, and that local authorities are in fundraising. esteem is low among children, the expectations of
poaching experienced teachers. There is also a trend towards bidding for European children, parents and teachers are rising. Secondary
RING ON summer I say! After a As general workforce costs increase, the cost and funding, and although it is time-consuming, some decision-makers have told us that it is difficult to
B
rather tumultuous year in education, I quality of external training courses are also having an leaders have advised us that it has been rewarding. sustain this view, and that personal and social skills
am sure all we want to think about is impact on providing teacher CPD. Many leaders indicate Many see the reason for an increase in “top slicing” need to be fostered more in school as well. How?
packing the sun cream, picking up a that they are looking to alternative sources for CPD. in local authorities as a result of the creation of the Some are suggesting through designing more “open
couple of lazy beach reads, and high- Although suppliers do have an overall agenda to Department for Children, Schools and Families, which schools”.
tailing it out of here. With a week or develop relationships with current and prospective school has in turn led to the creation of new roles at local After such an interesting time in education (some
two of school to go, now is a good buyers, schools can benefit from the free training available authority level, whereas this funding would have once would say stressful, others may say exciting), it was
time to take a deep breath and reflect on all that we have through suppliers, which is particularly beneficial if you gone directly to schools. really refreshing to hear directly from school leaders
faced in the last year, and what we can expect when already use the supplier’s products or services. about the real impact they are facing day-to-day. Have
school returns in September.
Removal of SATs
a great summer. SecEd
Each May, BESA invites secondary leaders to
Funding
The removal of key stage 3 SATs has liberated
hold an in-depth focus group to talk about what really As I am sure most schools know, finding out about schools according to many secondary heads. The • Ray Barker is director of the British Educational
matters to school leadership teams at the moment. funding streams is difficult. Many local authorities only problem is that at the moment, the future Suppliers Association. Visit www.besa.org.uk
22 SecEd • July 9 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24