Xaverian College
Encyclopedia
Xaverian Roman Catholic Sixth form College is a College
in the city of Manchester
.
close to Wilmslow Road and Oxford Road. The College's location means that its intake is extremely diverse with many students coming from ethnic minorities as well as from various socio-economic classes.
As well as running conventional AS-Level and A-Level courses, the college also provides facilities for the resitting of core GCSE subjects and various vocational courses. The college also accommodates a group of around 50 students from the University of Manchester taking a foundation degree in dentistry and medicine.
As well as accommodating Roman Catholic students primarily, the College also accommodates any students of any faith that comply with and adhere to the college's policy of Peace and Harmony. The college prayer is the "Salve Regina
".
It is situated in Victoria Park
just off Oxford Road/Wilmslow Road (B5117), south of Whitworth Park
. It is just east of the St Edward the Confessor RC church, and in the Anglican parish of St Chrysostom's Church
.
, Piccadilly records and Mancunian Films
, a film production company.
or Congregation of St. Francis Xavier (CFX) are a religious order founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium in 1839 and named after Saint Francis Xavier. The order is dedicated to Catholic education in the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. The Xaverian Brothers are, to this day, travelling around the world establishing Xaverian institutes where they are needed most.
The College was founded by the Xaverian Brothers
in 1862 and until 1903 was located in a four storey building on Oxford Road Manchester opposite what was to become the BBC Manchester HQ (personal reminiscence of former pupil (1902 - 1907) Reginald Nairn Rourke of Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester). On the move to the then gated Victoria Park it was originally housed in just a single building known as Firwood but over time through new building projects and acquisition, the Campus has grown. For this reason, buildings on Victoria Park campus date from 1840 onwards.
Firwood was home to the brothers up until 1993 when the last of them left. It has been rumoured that the first Irish Prime Minister, Éamon de Valera
, was hidden within the building while fleeing the British authorities. Another former house which has now become part of the college, Ward Hall, was used as a camp for American servicemen during the Second World War.
Mancunian Films
, a motion picture production company, used the exterior of the College in several of their films, including It’s A Grand Life starring Frank Randle
and Diana Dors
. The film company sold their local Dickenson Road Studios to the BBC
in 1954, making Dickenson Road Studios the first regional BBC TV studio. When the BBC left in 1974 to move to their present location on Oxford Road, Xaverian College inherited their lighting rigs, now used in the drama studio in Redcliffe. From 1946-77 the school was a direct grant grammar school
.
The college's Ofsted
report rates it as outstanding: grade 1, the highest grade of the scheme. The college has a very strong academic reputation in Manchester and indeed the rest of the country with many subjects having 100% pass rates.
More recently, additions and renovations have been ongoing. The Ryken Centre and Mayfield buildings have been added within the last decade and provide students with high-tech information technology
equipment. The Ryken building was suitably named after one of the founders of the Xaverian order, Theodore James Ryken.
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
in the city of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Admissions
It lies in the inner city suburb of RusholmeRusholme
-Etymology:Rusholme, unlike other areas of Manchester which have '-holme' in the place name is not a true '-holme'. Its name came from ryscum, which is the dative plural of Old English rysc "rush": "[at the] rushes"...
close to Wilmslow Road and Oxford Road. The College's location means that its intake is extremely diverse with many students coming from ethnic minorities as well as from various socio-economic classes.
As well as running conventional AS-Level and A-Level courses, the college also provides facilities for the resitting of core GCSE subjects and various vocational courses. The college also accommodates a group of around 50 students from the University of Manchester taking a foundation degree in dentistry and medicine.
As well as accommodating Roman Catholic students primarily, the College also accommodates any students of any faith that comply with and adhere to the college's policy of Peace and Harmony. The college prayer is the "Salve Regina
Salve Regina
The "Salve Regina", also known as the Hail Holy Queen, is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The Salve Regina is traditionally sung at Compline in the time from the Saturday before Trinity...
".
It is situated in Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Manchester
Victoria Park is an suburban area of Manchester, England. Victoria Park lies approximately 3 kilometres south of Manchester city centre, between Rusholme and Longsight.It is east of Wilmslow Road and west of Anson Road.-History and description:...
just off Oxford Road/Wilmslow Road (B5117), south of Whitworth Park
Whitworth Park
See also Darley Dale and Whitworth Park Halls of ResidenceWhitworth Park is a public park in south Manchester, United Kingdom. The Whitworth Art Gallery and some of the University of Manchester student residences, popularly known as "Toblerones", are located there...
. It is just east of the St Edward the Confessor RC church, and in the Anglican parish of St Chrysostom's Church
St Chrysostom's Church
Saint Chrysostom's Church is the Church of England parish church of Victoria Park, Manchester, England. The patron saint of the church is St John Chrysostom and the church belongs to the Anglo-Catholic tradition. St Chrysostom's, Manchester is one of three churches dedicated in honour of St John...
.
History
The College has rich and diverse history spanning over several decades, including connections with first Irish Prime Minister Éamon de ValeraÉamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
, Piccadilly records and Mancunian Films
Mancunian Films
Mancunian Films was a British motion picture production company organized in 1934.Founded by John E. Blakeley, the company originally produced films in London on extremely low budgets. Blakeley's first studio consisted of a single soundstage in a loft space above a taxi garage...
, a film production company.
1862-1976
The Xaverian BrothersXaverian Brothers
The Xaverian Brothers or Congregation of St. Francis Xavier are a religious order founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium in 1839 and named after Saint Francis Xavier...
or Congregation of St. Francis Xavier (CFX) are a religious order founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium in 1839 and named after Saint Francis Xavier. The order is dedicated to Catholic education in the United Kingdom, the United States and many other countries. The Xaverian Brothers are, to this day, travelling around the world establishing Xaverian institutes where they are needed most.
The College was founded by the Xaverian Brothers
Xaverian Brothers
The Xaverian Brothers or Congregation of St. Francis Xavier are a religious order founded by Theodore James Ryken in Bruges, Belgium in 1839 and named after Saint Francis Xavier...
in 1862 and until 1903 was located in a four storey building on Oxford Road Manchester opposite what was to become the BBC Manchester HQ (personal reminiscence of former pupil (1902 - 1907) Reginald Nairn Rourke of Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester). On the move to the then gated Victoria Park it was originally housed in just a single building known as Firwood but over time through new building projects and acquisition, the Campus has grown. For this reason, buildings on Victoria Park campus date from 1840 onwards.
Firwood was home to the brothers up until 1993 when the last of them left. It has been rumoured that the first Irish Prime Minister, Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
, was hidden within the building while fleeing the British authorities. Another former house which has now become part of the college, Ward Hall, was used as a camp for American servicemen during the Second World War.
Mancunian Films
Mancunian Films
Mancunian Films was a British motion picture production company organized in 1934.Founded by John E. Blakeley, the company originally produced films in London on extremely low budgets. Blakeley's first studio consisted of a single soundstage in a loft space above a taxi garage...
, a motion picture production company, used the exterior of the College in several of their films, including It’s A Grand Life starring Frank Randle
Frank Randle
Frank Randle was an English comedian...
and Diana Dors
Diana Dors
Diana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
. The film company sold their local Dickenson Road Studios to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1954, making Dickenson Road Studios the first regional BBC TV studio. When the BBC left in 1974 to move to their present location on Oxford Road, Xaverian College inherited their lighting rigs, now used in the drama studio in Redcliffe. From 1946-77 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....
.
1977 to present
The College operated as a Roman Catholic grammar school for boys until 1977, when it became a mixed sixth-form college. This allowed a significant expansion.The college's Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
report rates it as outstanding: grade 1, the highest grade of the scheme. The college has a very strong academic reputation in Manchester and indeed the rest of the country with many subjects having 100% pass rates.
More recently, additions and renovations have been ongoing. The Ryken Centre and Mayfield buildings have been added within the last decade and provide students with high-tech information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
equipment. The Ryken building was suitably named after one of the founders of the Xaverian order, Theodore James Ryken.
Buildings
Xaverian College consists of many buildings situated on two sides of Lower Park Road. In total there are 8 buildings that make up the campus. They are; Ward Hall, Redcliffe, Marlylands, Firwood, Xavier, Sunbury, Ryken and Mayfield. The buildings on campus date back from 1840 onwards. The college buildings revolve around a central green where sports and social activities take place.- Ward Hall accommodating Modern Languages, Geography, History, Ancient History and Classical Civilisation.
- Redcliffe for Sport Studies, Drama and Music.
- Marylands for English Language and English Literature.
- Firwood houses the main student common room, Catering Facilities, student services, learning support suite, additional learning support and tutorial rooms, college chapel and RE rooms, administration offices and the main reception.
- Xavier is home to the University of ManchesterUniversity of ManchesterThe University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
foundation courses in Biology, Medicine and Dentistry and also houses Mathematics and Sciences. - Sunbury housing RE classes, Art Foundation students and a computer network laboratory.
- Ryken holds the careers service and library. It also provides a seminar room for visiting speakers and a large drop centre where students are able to make use of college ICT facilities. The ground floor of the building plays host the College Art Department and Photographic Studio.
- Mayfield accommodating Business Studies, Economics, Film Studies, Health and Social Care, ICT, Computing, Media Studies, Psychology and Sociology.
Sixth form college
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Grammar school
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External links
- Xaverian College website
- Audio interview with Brother Cyril - headmaster of Xaverian College from 1962 to 1989.
- EduBase