St Anselm's College, Birkenhead
2768600
225023584
2008-07-11T14:44:46Z
80.46.107.85
{{Cleanup-school|date=March 2008}}
{{Redirect|St Anselm's College}}
{{Infobox UK school
| name = St Anselm's College
| image = Sac-birkenhead.jpg
| size = 150px
| motto = ''Fides Quarens Intellectum''
"Faith Seeking Understanding"
| latitude = 53.390
| longitude = -3.048
| established = [[1933]]
| type = [[Voluntary aided school|voluntary aided]], [[Grammar schools in the United Kingdom|grammar]]
| religion = [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
| head_label = Headmaster
| head = Simon Duggan
| founder = [[Congregation of Christian Brothers]]
| founder_pl = yes
| specialist = [[Technology College|Technology]] and [[Language College|Languages]]
| specialist_pl= yes
| city = [[Prenton]]
| county = [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]]
| country = [[England]] {{flagicon|England}}
| postcode = CH43 1UQ
| LEA = [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]]
| specialism = [[Technology College|Technology]] and [[Language College|Languages]]
| specialism_pl= yes
| ofsted = 105114
| staff = 44
| enrollment = 830
| gender = Boys
| lower_age = 11
| upper_age = 18
| website = http://www.st-anselms.com/
| website_name = www.st-anselms.com
}}
'''St Anselm's College''', is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[Voluntary aided school|voluntary aided]] [[grammar school]] located in [[Merseyside]], [[England]]. It is one of four [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] schools in the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral]], and one of three [[Congregation of Christian Brothers|Irish Christian Brothers]] schools in the [[Merseyside]] area. The school is located within the Catholic [[Diocese of Shrewsbury]].
Founded in 1933, the school was in recent years granted [[Technology College]] status, in cooperation with [[Upton Hall School]]. The school used its [[specialist school]] status as an opportunity to improve teaching facilities and broaden the curriculum.
== History ==
The school was founded in 1933 by the trustees of the [[Congregation of Christian Brothers]], at the invitation of the Rt. Rvd. [[Hugh Singleton]], [[Bishop of Shrewsbury]]. In 1946 it became a Direct Grant [[Grammar school|Grammar School]] and continued as such until 1975, when the trustees opted for the school to be [[Independent school|independent]] in order to continue as a [[Single-sex education|single-sex]] [[Selective school]].
The [[Education Act 1993]] gave the trustees the chance to re-enter the [[Grant-maintained school|maintained sector]] and so, once again, offer parents the choice of a Catholic Grammar School education for their sons, irrespective of their ability to pay. In 1995, the school became one of the first Independent schools to re-enter the maintained sector.
In September 1999, the school became [[Voluntary aided school|voluntary aided]] in line with the [[Education Act 1998]].
The teaching staff at this and other Christian Brothers schools have traditionally been avowed Christian Brothers, but over the decades, the responsibility for this provision has been passed down to what is now a full-time [[Laity|lay]] teaching staff of 44, maintaining strong links with the [[Congregation of Christian Brothers|Edmund Rice Family]] and with the guidance of the [[Diocese of Shrewsbury]].
== Ethos and mission ==
Education at the school is, at its core, Roman Catholic, and inspired by the work of Blessed [[Edmund Rice]]. It is fundamentally based on the ''Eight Essentials of Christian Brothers Education'',<ref>http://www.christianbrothers.org.uk/schools/eightessentials/eightessentials.html</ref> and the [[religious studies]] programme at the school follows that prescribed by the [[Diocese of Shrewsbury]].
The study of the history and ethos of the college forms a part of the Religious Studies programme at [[Key Stage 3]], and is a common focus for the weekly assemblies. (The [[Congregation of Christian Brothers|Christian Brothers]] resident in the house that adjoins the college ensure that Sixth Form students are kept well informed about the ethos of the college by an annual programme of discourse which complements the PSHE programme.
Saint [[Anselm of Canterbury]] (1033 or 1034 – April 21, 1109), patron saint of the college, was an Italian medieval [[philosopher]] and [[theologian]], who held the office of [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] from 1093 to 1109. Called the founder of [[Scholasticism]], he is famous as the inventor of the [[ontological argument]] for the existence of [[God]].
== Facilities ==
{{Expand-section|date=June 2008}}
Recent additions to the school grounds include the Br O'Halloran Building and the Br Senan Kerrigan Sports Hall.
Completed in time for the 2004/2005 academic year, the Br O'Halloran (named after one of the current Brothers who live adjacent to the college) is a specific language and mathematics block.
== Achievements ==
=== Specialist school status ===
After two unsuccessful applications, the school finally achieved joint [[Technology College]] status together with [[Upton Hall School]], another local Catholic [[Grammar school|grammar]], as part of the UK [[Specialist school]]s initiative. The school had been able to apply for specialist [[Language College]] status because, [[Wirral Grammar School for Girls]], another school in the Wirral [[LEA]] had already applied for this specialism.
Since achieving the status the school has further developed its programme for [[Advanced Level (UK)|A-level]] and [[GCSE]] in [[ICT (education)|ICT]], installed a [[Wi-Fi|wireless]] computer network in many areas of the school, increased the number of computer workstations available to students for academic work, and also made an email service and extranet available to all students.
In 2006 this designation expired, and the school has announced its intention to make an application, independently from [[Upton Hall School]] to renew its status.<ref>http://www.st-anselms.com/newsletters/NewsletterNov06.pdf</ref> The school also has also announced, because of the success of the programme, its intention to apply for a second specialism in [[Languages]].
=== Sport ===
The school has a reputation for sporting achievement far outstripping its size. Notable sporting achievements include winning the National Schools Cross Country Championship at Intermediate Level, regularly attending the National Schools Athletics Final and travelling the country competing in various rugby union competitions.
=== Business ===
As [[Head teacher|headmaster]], Christopher Cleugh helped the school attain Investor in Technology status and also secured the schools foreseeable financial future by moving the school over to the [[Grant maintained|graint maintained]] system.
== Affiliations ==
The College has traditionally been affiliated with [[Redcourt - St Anselm's]], a local [[Independent school|independent]] primary school, and although independent from its [[Secondary school|secondary]], both schools are part of the [[Congregation of Christian Brothers|Edmund Rice Family]], and share sports facilities in [[Nocturum]].
The joint-technology college status of the school with [[Upton Hall School]] until Autumn 2006 gave rise to increased cooperation between the two Catholic grammar schools on the [[Wirral Peninsula]]. This has particularly seen fruit in the [[sixth form]], where students have the opportunity to take certain subjects offered at either school. A [[mini bus]] is used to transport the students across the 3 miles between the two schools. Other joint activities include language talks and spiritual activities. There has been talk among the members of the sixth at both schools about whether this may lead to the development of co-education in the sixth forms at the schools, as has been the case at the neighbouring [[Wetherhead High School]].
== Alumni==
Alumni of the school are referred to as ''Old Anselmians'', or within the school as ''Old Boys'', reflecting the single-sex nature of the school. The alumni association of the college is the [[Anselmian Association]].
* [[Paul O'Grady]], UK television presenter and creator of the character [[Lily Savage]].
* [[Peter Stanford]], writer and journalist.
* [[Christian Furr]], UK artist who painted HRH Queen ELizabeth II aged 28.
* [[Austin Healey (rugby player)|Austin Healey]], England rugby team.
* [[Ben Johnston (rugby player)|Ben Johnston]], player on England rugby team.
* [[Simon Mason (rugby player)|Simon Mason]], former Ireland rugby international.
* [[Christian Saverimutto (rugby player)|Christian Saverimutto]], former Ireland rugby
international.
* [[Ikem Billy (british runner) |Ikem Billy]], British Athlete
Jonathan O'Neill-Son of Famous Judge.In top 15 of The Times Rich List.
==References==
<references/>
== Sources ==
* http://www.st-anselms.com/Information/history.shtml
* http://www.specialistschools.org.uk/
* http://www.christianbrothers.org.uk/
== External links ==
* [http://www.st-anselms.com/ St Anselm's College]
* [http://www.christianbrothers.org.uk/ Christian Brothers, England]
* [http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/ Diocese of Shrewsbury]
* [http://www.wirral-mbc.gov.uk/ Wirral Learning Grid]
* [http://www.specialistschools.org.uk/ Specialist Schools and Academies Trust]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Anselm's College, Birkenhead}}
[[Category:Schools in Wirral]]
[[Category:Grammar schools in Merseyside]]
[[Category:Boys' schools in England]]
[[Category:Birkenhead]]
[[Category:Christian Brother (Irish) secondary schools]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1933]]
[[Category:Technology Colleges in England]]