The Belvedere School
Encyclopedia
The Belvedere Academy is an all-ability state-funded girls’ Academy secondary school in Liverpool
, England
. Its predecessor, The Belvedere School, was founded in 1880 as Liverpool High School. It is non-denominational, non-feepaying, and one of the 29 schools of the Girls' Day School Trust
. In September 2007 it became an Academy
, as one of the first two independent schools in the UK to do so.
. The school focuses on both academic achievements and extracurricular activities, with many pupils playing for the county and international teams in rounders, lacrosse and netball.
The Academy holds dual Specialist Language College
and Science College
status. Ten percent of the intake are selected for their aptitude in languages but Academy status means that it is obliged to have an all-ability entry.
). The first building was at 17 Belvidere Road, and the school gradually acquired other premises in the road. The name was changed to The Belvedere School in 1911. The school was a direct grant grammar school
while this scheme existed (1946 to 1976), and later took part in the Assisted Places scheme.
From 2000 onwards a unique "Open Access" scheme was set up by the Sutton Trust
in partnership with the Girls' Day School Trust, to fund girls who would otherwise not be able to attend the school due to financial circumstances. This meant that girls admitted into the school were admitted solely on academic potential. In the first three years of the scheme 71% of the entrants had all or part of their fees paid, of whom 32% had their fees fully paid through the Open Access Scheme. The first "access girls" entered the school in September 2000 and achieved record results in their GCSEs, taken Summer 2005.
The school's buildings comprise five Victorian villas and some more recent buildings. A major building programme was under way to create a new three-storey teaching block which is now completed and includes science laboratories, dance and drama studios and ICT facilities.
The name of the school is spelt differently from that of the road because of a mistake made by the council when the school was first opened.
In 2008, 98% of all A-Level exams taken got A-C passes, and 74% of exams received A/B passes, a record for the school.
The change to an Academy resulted in the abolition of school fees, as well as a change in the way in which the school selects its pupils. Unlike grammar and other selective schools, the Belvedere Academy may select only 10% of its pupils by academic potential and fair banding is now employed to ensure intake of the full breadth of academic ability.
At the same time that the senior school became an Academy, the junior school was established as a stand-alone non-state funded preparatory school for girls aged three to 11, The Hamlets.. This was subsequently sold in 2010 out of GDST ownership, renamed Belvedere Preparatory School and became co-educational...
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its predecessor, The Belvedere School, was founded in 1880 as Liverpool High School. It is non-denominational, non-feepaying, and one of the 29 schools of the Girls' Day School Trust
Girls' Day School Trust
The Girls' Day School Trust is a group of 26 independent schools - 24 schools and two Academies - in England and Wales, catering for pupils aged 3 to 18. It is the largest group of independent schools in the UK, and educates 20,000 girls each year...
. In September 2007 it became an Academy
Academy (England)
In the education system of England, an academy is a school that is directly funded by central government and independent of control by local government in England. An academy may receive additional support from personal or corporate sponsors, either financially or in kind...
, as one of the first two independent schools in the UK to do so.
About the School
The school is situated in Belvidere Road (spelled differently), overlooking Princes Park. The Belvedere Academy now has over 500 pupils aged 11-18 and is part of the Girls' Day School TrustGirls' Day School Trust
The Girls' Day School Trust is a group of 26 independent schools - 24 schools and two Academies - in England and Wales, catering for pupils aged 3 to 18. It is the largest group of independent schools in the UK, and educates 20,000 girls each year...
. The school focuses on both academic achievements and extracurricular activities, with many pupils playing for the county and international teams in rounders, lacrosse and netball.
The Academy holds dual Specialist Language College
Language College
Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages...
and Science College
Science College
Science Colleges were introduced in 2002 as part of the now defunct Specialist Schools Programme in the United Kingdom. The system enabled secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, science and mathematics...
status. Ten percent of the intake are selected for their aptitude in languages but Academy status means that it is obliged to have an all-ability entry.
History
The school was founded in 1880 as Liverpool High School, by the then Girls' Public Day School Company (which became the Girls' Day School TrustGirls' Day School Trust
The Girls' Day School Trust is a group of 26 independent schools - 24 schools and two Academies - in England and Wales, catering for pupils aged 3 to 18. It is the largest group of independent schools in the UK, and educates 20,000 girls each year...
). The first building was at 17 Belvidere Road, and the school gradually acquired other premises in the road. The name was changed to The Belvedere School in 1911. The school was a direct grant grammar school
Direct grant grammar school
A direct grant grammar school was a selective secondary school in England and Wales between 1945 and 1976 funded partly by the state and partly through private fees....
while this scheme existed (1946 to 1976), and later took part in the Assisted Places scheme.
From 2000 onwards a unique "Open Access" scheme was set up by the Sutton Trust
Sutton Trust
The Sutton Trust is an educational charity in the United Kingdom which aims to provide educational opportunities to young people from non-privileged backgrounds...
in partnership with the Girls' Day School Trust, to fund girls who would otherwise not be able to attend the school due to financial circumstances. This meant that girls admitted into the school were admitted solely on academic potential. In the first three years of the scheme 71% of the entrants had all or part of their fees paid, of whom 32% had their fees fully paid through the Open Access Scheme. The first "access girls" entered the school in September 2000 and achieved record results in their GCSEs, taken Summer 2005.
The school's buildings comprise five Victorian villas and some more recent buildings. A major building programme was under way to create a new three-storey teaching block which is now completed and includes science laboratories, dance and drama studios and ICT facilities.
The name of the school is spelt differently from that of the road because of a mistake made by the council when the school was first opened.
The Belvedere School GDST
The Academy's predecessor, The Belvedere School, was rated the best school in Liverpool by the official league tables, having gained 100% 5 A-C passes at GCSE in 2006. The same year, the school's Sixth Form was ranked "Best Value for Money" in the city area by locals.In 2008, 98% of all A-Level exams taken got A-C passes, and 74% of exams received A/B passes, a record for the school.
Changes
As a result of the change to Academy status there are ongoing changes to the way the school is organised and operates.The change to an Academy resulted in the abolition of school fees, as well as a change in the way in which the school selects its pupils. Unlike grammar and other selective schools, the Belvedere Academy may select only 10% of its pupils by academic potential and fair banding is now employed to ensure intake of the full breadth of academic ability.
At the same time that the senior school became an Academy, the junior school was established as a stand-alone non-state funded preparatory school for girls aged three to 11, The Hamlets.. This was subsequently sold in 2010 out of GDST ownership, renamed Belvedere Preparatory School and became co-educational...
Notable former pupils
- Rose HeilbronRose HeilbronDame Rose Heilbron, DBE, QC was one of the outstanding barristers of the post-war period in the United Kingdom, whose career included many 'firsts' for a woman - she was the first woman to win a scholarship to Gray's Inn, the first woman to be appointed King's Counsel in England, the first to lead...
(1914-2006), barristerBarristerA barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions... - Emma (Westie) Weston, Conqueror of the new world (astronaut) 1990-2008
- Linda GrantLinda Grant (journalist)Linda Grant is a British novelist and occasional journalist.-Early life:Linda Grant was born in Liverpool to a family of Russian and Polish Jewish immigrants....
(b.1951), journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A... - Esther McVeyEsther McVeyEsther Louise McVey is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Wirral West since May 2010. She has also been a television presenter and business woman.-Biography:...
(b.1967), journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and television presenter
External links
- Official website
- GDST website
- Sutton Trust
- BBC Education League Tables listing
- School listing on Edubase from Department for Children, Schools and FamiliesDepartment for Children, Schools and FamiliesThe Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...