The Blue Coat School

The Good Schools Guide Review of The Blue Coat School, Birmingham, B17 0HR

Our View

The school was founded in 1722 by the Reverend William Higgs as a co-educational charity school (making it one of the oldest co-ed schools in the country) and now occupies a truly beautiful site in 15 acres of playing fields and gardens. Moved here in 1930 and the buildings, nearly all of which were erected at that time, are clustered around well-manicured lawns, giving the impression of a cloistered antiquity that would not be out of place in a public school. This is a true oasis of peace and tranquillity just outside the bustling heart of inner city Birmingham.

One might suppose that the avowedly Anglican tone of the school might fit uneasily within the modern multi-ethnic West Midlands community. Yet it all seems to work remarkably well and the school has retained its Anglican tradition - with its own lay chaplain - and lovely collegiate-style school chapel. At the same time it has a school roll of which about 50 per cent are from an ethnic minority background, and only some of the rest are in any sense strictly Church of England. Whilst there is no doubt that the Anglican voice is the dominant one, the school has gone to great lengths to invite visiting speakers from other Christian denominations and to introduce discussion of the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh traditions. This is a school where tolerance and mutual respect are taken very seriously indeed.

It has an innovative approach to language teaching, with all the children having the opportunity to taste Italian and Spanish before focusing on the main language, French. Science and art both flourish conspicuously, helped by some quite outstanding facilities. The success of so many pupils in the demanding King Edward VI entrance examinations says much for the quality of the teaching of the core academic subjects. As you would expect with a musical headmaster, music is especially strong, and the school has well-established links with Birmingham Cathedral and Birmingham Conservatoire, no doubt one reason why Sir Simon Rattle sent his children here. Chapel choir and four other choirs, numerous orchestral ensembles and 235 children learning at least one musical instrument. A notable recent addition is a Steinway concert grand piano. Lots of wonderful concerts, most notably special events at Symphony Hall (conducted by Rattle), St Paul's, Hockley and the CBSO Centre.

Boarding a thing of the recent past. The house system, originally designed for a predominantly boarding population, has been imaginatively reorganised to meet the needs of a day environment. Every prep school child is designated a house, uses its commonroom facilities and is under the care of a particular houseparent. This ensures that pastoral support is especially strong and each child has a very intense sense of belonging to a small, intimate unit. It also means that the school is able to offer very effective and well organised out-of-school care until 6pm - a great boon for working parents. Happy, well-motivated children.

A great deal of emphasis is placed on a wide range of games, and the hugely impressive sports centre (incorporating a 25 metre pool) enhances this sporting tradition. The school organises its own sporting tournaments, which are enthusiastically attended by preparatory schools from far and wide.

Blue Coat's enormous strengths make it the natural choice for parents looking for a traditional preparatory school education within this city.

Headmaster

Since 1998, Mr Alan Browning (mid-fifties). Married to Helen, who is very much involved in school life; three boys, one who has just left Cambridge, one at Durham, and one at King Edward's School, Birmingham. Educated Clifton, Trinity Cambridge and Oxford. A musician, started career as a lecturer at Leicester University, thence to Blue Coat as director of music in 1982 and then deputy head and director of studies in 1993. 'He is someone who has lived and breathed the school for most of his professional career,' remarks a parent. This is of course both a strength and a weakness. A devout evangelical Christian, sees his faith as central to his role as headmaster. A man who is deeply committed to the interests of the children. 'This is a school that really cares about its pupils,' says the parent – a reflection of the head's most important priority.

Entrance

Usually at two into pre-prep or seven into prep. Test and interview at seven. Most children sign up at or near birth. The vast majority of the pupils enter the nursery (Buttons), then move through the school. Head keen to ensure that the girl/boy balance is maintained. Some places (dependent on natural wastage) at all levels but especially at seven. The vast majority of the children are recruited from the local Edgbaston and Harborne areas but the school is expanding its catchment area.

Exit

Blue Coat copes well and in many ways prospers in the demanding educational environment of Birmingham. The aspiration of most parents is to get their child into one of the super-academic King Edward VI schools or one of the many fine selective maintained schools in the area. Bearing in mind that the intake is an academically wide one, the school does well to get the largest single group into the King Edward schools. Others to schools such as Solihull, Edgbaston High and Old Swinford Hospital.

Special Education Needs Survey

SEN Statement

SEN for senior school is as per the existing GSG entry.

Pre-Prep, small group 'booster' sessions for English and Maths in years 1 and 2. Prep: 1-1 withdrawal for children with SEN/Learning Support, eg those with dyslexia.

The needs of gifted and talented children are provided for by a differentiated approach to teaching. The school's extensive programme of extra-curricular activities provides additional opportunities for the most able children. The school hosts specialist masterclasses for gifted and talented children within Blue Coat and the local community.

Sept 2010

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Aspergers Syndrome Mild
Aspergers Syndrome Moderate
Aspergers Syndrome Severe
Autism Mild
Autism Moderate
Autism Severe
Semantic Pragmatic Disorder
Other Autistic

Behavioural Difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Attention Deficit Disorder Mild
Attention Deficit Disorder Moderate
Attention Deficit Disorder Severe
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Mild
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Moderate
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Severe
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Mild
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Moderate
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Severe
Conduct Disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Oppositional Defiant Disorders
Tourettes and other tic disorders

Genetic and related Disorders

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Down's Syndrome Mild
Down's Syndrome Moderate
Down's Syndrome Severe
Fragile X
Other genetic

Learning difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Moderate learning difficulties
Profound and multiple learning difficulties
Severe learning difficulties

Specific learning difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Dyscalculia Mild
Dyscalculia Moderate
Dyscalculia Severe
Dyslexia Mild
Dyslexia Moderate
Dyslexia Severe
Dyspraxia Mild
Dyspraxia Moderate
Dyspraxia Severe
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Mild
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Moderate
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Severe
English as an additional language

Sensory Impairment

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Hearing Impairment Mild
Hearing Impairment Moderate
Hearing Impairment Severe
Multi-sensory Impairment
Speech and Language Difficulties
Visual Impairment Mild
Visual Impairment Moderate
Visual Impairment Severe

Medical and Related Needs

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Cerebral Palsy Mild
Cerebral Palsy Moderate
Cerebral Palsy Severe
"Delicate" children
Epilepsy
Eating disorders
Physical Difficulties (Not indicated elsewhere.)
Other

General Questions

Are all children tested for SEN on entry to the school?
Please outline the screening programmes used by the school.
How many children with statements of need or equivalent do you have in the school?		One.
Do you make special provision for exceptionally gifted children?
Please outline what is on offer for such children		See above.
Please indicate if the school has or has available to it any of the following:
Behaviour Support Unit.
Learning Support Unit.		The School has a Learning Support Department
Pupil Referral Unit.
Other withdrawal.		See above.
Specialist language centre
Schemes or Initiatives such as SHARE or Playing for Success.
Please indicate if the school has any of the following characteristics:
SEN accreditation, for example by CRESTED?
Centre of excellence for SEN that is Not already outlined?
Good wheelchair access
Provides outreach support?
Receives outreach support?
Do children with SEN participate fully in sport and other extracurricular activities?
Please provide information on staffing. Does the school have:
A SENCO or equivalent?
Staff who will administer prescription medicines to a child		Nursing sister in the Health Centre.
Qualified teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment(please say how many, in full-time equivalent).		Full time SENCo covering Pre-Prep and Prep, plus 2 part-timers in Pre-Prep (total = 2fte).
Non-teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment(please say how many, in full-time equivalent).		Part-time learning support assistant.
Please list specialist qualifications held by teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment.		Diploma for Teachers of Learners with Specific Learning Difficulties (Dip.SpLD); PG Certificate in Professional Studies (SENCO).
Please list specialist qualifications held by non-teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment.

School Features

Sports

Fencing

Comments

Be the first to comment on this school.

Please login/register to comment.