Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI

Summary

The King Edward VI Foundation Birmingham is a charitable institution that operates thirteen schools in Birmingham, England.

Foundation of
The Schools of King Edward VI
in Birmingham
Address
Map
Foundation Office, Edgbaston Park Road

Edgbaston, Birmingham
,
West Midlands
,
B15 2UD

England
Coordinates52°27′01″N 1°55′35″W / 52.45018°N 1.92629°W / 52.45018; -1.92629
Information
TypeCharitable trust (foundation)
MottoEducational excellence for our City
Religious affiliation(s)Church of England
Established1552 or 1883
FounderGuild of the Holy Cross
LocaleBirmingham
CEOJodh Dhesi
ChairProf Hywel Thomas, PhD
Vice ChairErica Conway, ACA
Age11 to 18
Websitewww.schoolsofkingedwardvi.co.uk
Interior of St Martin-in-the-Bull Ring, regarded as the birthplace of the Foundation
The present-day Foundation Office, located at the entrance to King Edward's School

The Foundation was registered as a charity in November 1963 under the name "The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham". As of September 2022 the Foundation operates two independent schools and a Multi-academy trust called the King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham, consisting of six selective schools, and five non-selective academy schools.

In 2019/20 the Foundation had a gross income of approximately £21 million,[1] much of which is derived from extensive land holdings in the centre of Birmingham. The Academy Trust has a further income of approximately £47 million.

Origins

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On 28 October 1382, a chantry to say masses for the dead was established in New Street, Birmingham. As part of the religious settlement of King Henry VIII, laws were enacted suppressing all monasteries and chantries. In the case of chantries, little had occurred since the 1545 Act, so when King Edward VI came to the throne in 1547 new legislation to close chantries was soon enacted. Part of the process of suppressing chantries involved holding an inquiry into their property and assets. The New Street chantry was one of thousands abolished, though the people of Birmingham were told that the assets would not be seized by the Crown but made available for educational purposes.

When the assets still had not been returned to the town, a meeting was held at St Martin in the Bull Ring to petition the Crown to build a school on New Street on the land occupied by the former chantry. The Guild of the Holy Cross persuaded the Earl of Northumberland to release the land at New Street for the creation of a free Grammar School; a charter for its formation was issued on 2 January 1552 and King Edward VI School was opened in the chantry's hall. In 1883 a complementary Girls' School was formed, initially sharing the same site as the Boys' School.

Independent Schools
School Founded Original Location Current Location Since Gender
King Edward's School (KES) 1552 New Street
(Guild Hall)
Edgbaston 1936 Boys
King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS) 1883 New Street
(Barry Building)
Girls

Victorian expansion

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Owning land in the very centre of Birmingham gave the Foundation a secure financial base. In 1883, five new King Edward's schools were created to meet the educational needs of the expanding population of the city of Birmingham.

Due to financial difficulties,[citation needed] many of the schools were forced to sell the land of their original location to buy the cheaper land from the surrounding area in the city. Many of the schools have since changed location since their founding, with only Aston remaining in its original buildings.

All of the Foundation's grammar schools are now a part of the King Edward VI Academy Trust.

Selective (Grammar) Schools
School Founded Original Location Current Location Since Gender
King Edward VI Aston School 1883 Aston Boys
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys Camp Hill Kings Heath 1956 Boys
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls Girls
King Edward VI Five Ways School (KEFW) Five Ways Bartley Green 1957 Mixed
King Edward VI Handsworth School Aston
(with King Edward VI Aston)
Handsworth 1911 Girls

King Edward VI Academy Trust

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Logo used by the King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham since 2017

In 2013 the Foundation took control of Sheldon Heath Community College and it was renamed King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy. This marked the first time the Foundation had taken control of an existing educational establishment and its first non-selective school.

In September 2017 the Foundation divided the operation of its two independent schools (KES and KEHS) and its multiple grammar schools – including the non-selective KEVI Sheldon Heath Academy. A Multi-academy trust, known as the King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham, was formed to manage its non–fee-paying establishments, consisting of five grammar schools and one academy.

With the formation of the Academy Trust, the previously independent Handsworth Grammar School joined the foundation, becoming King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys.[2] Since then, the Academy Trust has taken control of one educational establishment each year with the exception of 2020 (due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

The Academy Trust inductee for the 2023/24 academic year is King's Norton School for Boys, having received approval in 2023. The school is expected to formally join in January 2024.[3]

Recent additions to the Academy Trust
School Founded Location Previous Name Joined Gender
King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy (KESH) 1955 Sheldon Sheldon Heath Community Arts College 2013 Mixed
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys (HGS) 1862 Handsworth Handsworth Grammar School 2017 Boys
King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy (HWGA) 1957 Handsworth Wood Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy 2018 Girls
King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy 1981 New Frankley Balaam Wood School 2019 Mixed
King Edward VI Northfield School for Girls 1939 Turves Green Turves Green Girls' School 2021 Girls
King Edward VI Lordswood School for Girls 1958 Harborne Lordswood Girls' School 2022 Girls
Upcoming additions to the Academy Trust
School Founded Location Expected Induction Gender
King's Norton Boys' School (KNBS) (c.1550)
1912
Kings Norton September 2023 Boys

Foundation Service

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Since the expansion of the Foundation in 1883, Year 7 pupils from each school of the Foundation have met once a year at either St Martin's Church or the Aston Webb Building's Great Hall at the University of Birmingham for a service to commemorate the King Edward VI Foundation. At this service, pupils have historically read from The Bible, sung hymns, and been told the story of the creation of the Foundation. More recently, pupils have engaged in musical performances, short plays, and recited poems.

References

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  1. ^ "The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, registered charity no. 529051". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. ^ Whinyates, David (21 September 2017). "See latest addition to King Edward VI Foundation". birminghammail. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  3. ^ "King's Norton Boys' School to join the King Edward VI Foundation". The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

Bibliography

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  • King Edward Grammar School for Girls, Handsworth 1883–1983, Alison Thorne, 1983
  • King Edward High School Birmingham 1883–1983, Rachel Waterhouse, 1983
  • King Edward VI Five Ways 1883-1983, David Wheeldon, 1983
  • King Edward's School, Birmingham, Tony Trott, 2001, ISBN 0-7524-2448-3
  • Victoria County History of England, Volume on Warwickshire, article by Tyson, J.C.
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  • The Grammar Schools of King Edward the Sixth in Birmingham
  • The Foundation of King Edward the Sixth in Birmingham
  • "The Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, registered charity no. 529051". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  • King Edward VI Aston Home page
  • King Edward VI Five Ways Home page
  • King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy Home page