# Wirral Grammar School for Boys

Wirral Grammar School for Boys is an 11–18 boys maintained selective grammar school founded in 1931. It is situated on a 9.1 acres (3.7 ha) site to the west of Port Sunlight at Cross Lane, Bebington, on the Wirral Peninsula in England. Academically successful, the school was placed 42nd in the top 100 in the Daily Telegraph A-Level table in 2015 and 145th in the DfE GCSE table in the same year, but has not been inspected since its conversion to academy status.
The school's most recent Ofsted inspection occurred in November 2022, with inspectors grading the school overall as "Good". By November 2022, a total of 1,057 boys attended the school, 271 of whom were in the school's Sixth Form provision.

## History
### Establishment

On 23 March 1925, Cheshire County Council passed a resolution to build a new secondary school in Bebington. Designed by the County architect, F Anstead Browne, the new school was opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire, Brigadier-General Sir William Bromley-Davenport on 26 September 1931.
The school was administered by Cheshire County Council until the council was dissolved in 1974; since then it has been administered by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, which maintains use of the 11+ for senior school admission.

### Harold Wilson

The school was the alma mater of former prime minister of the United Kingdom Harold Wilson, who was a member of the sixth form and the school's first head boy in 1934.

### Expansion

In 2008 the borough council resolved to replace mobile classrooms with a brick building for the mathematics department, business studies facilities, an extra Modern Foreign Languages room, additional science laboratories, a new music centre and several ICT suites.
There is now an exterior science area (including a greenhouse), and refurbishment of the main building included two sixth form history and politics classrooms. An entrance atrium, where exhibitions of pupils' work are held, is part of the new development.
ICT suites and business studies classrooms were also developed in the new building. Although special funding for such colleges ended in 2010, the schools has chosen to retain its focus on business and enterprise.
In 2008 a school radio station was established, called Livewire Radio, broadcasting daily at lunchtimes. Students and teachers host the shows, featuring various musical genres and discussions regarding issues relevant to pupils.
Over the course of summer 2013, further development included a new multi-purpose activity hall, refurbished conference hall, new cookery classrooms and refurbished changing rooms. During the summer of 2012, an outdoor classroom was built as part of the art department on land previously occupied by music rooms. The landscaped area is used by the department for observational work and the displaying of 3-d pieces. It came into use in September 2012.

### Enterprise School

The school was designated as a Business and Enterprise School in 2006 and became a Business and Enterprise College in 2008. This provided a grant for development of ICT facilities and for the business studies department to benefit both pupils and the wider community, including summer classes in ICT, photography and basic business skills.

## Overview
### Extra–curricular

The school has been commended for its sporting commitment, with particular efforts in Rugby union, with a tradition of the sport at the school. School rugby teams often tour, including to Australia and the United States. The most notable achiever in recent years is the rugby player Matt Cairns of Saracens & England. Other sports promoted in the school include athletics, badminton, basketball, cross country running, handball and volleyball.
Other outdoor activities (developed at the school's outdoor centres on Anglesey and near Mold) include abseiling, caving, climbing, raft building and various high level rope activities.

## Headmasters

* 1931–54 – James M. Moir
* 1955–72 – Bernard H. T. Taylor
* 1972–86 – Peter A. Fishwick
* 1986–97 – Bernard J. Treacy
* 1997–2006 – Anthony M. Cooper
* 2006–2020 – David R. Hazeldine
* 2020–Present – Simon Ascroft
Interim headmasters have included O. Wilson (1954), B. Thompson (1986, 1997) and A. P. White (2020).

## Notable former pupils

* Ken Beamish, forward for Tranmere Rovers
* Peter Black, Liberal Democrat member of the Welsh Assembly for South Wales West since 1999
* Matt Cairns, former rugby union player for Sale Sharks, Saracens and England
* Alex Cox, film director
* John Ebbrell, former football player for Everton F.C. as a midfielder
* Kenneth Halliwell, writer and also mentor, lover and eventual murderer of playwright Joe Orton
* John Hardwick, television, film and theatre director
* Daniel Hunt, musician, songwriter, producer and founding member, principal songwriter and producer of the electronic band Ladytron.
* Oliver James (footballer)
* Steve Jones, professor of genetics since 1992 at the Galton Laboratory of University College London, and author who wrote The Language of the Genes
* Bernard Elgey Leake, professor of geology from 1974–97 at the University of Glasgow, and president from 1986–88 of the Geological Society of London
* Kevin Lewis, footballer for Liverpool, Huddersfield and Sheffield United
* Justin Madders, Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston
* Max Power, footballer for Sunderland A.F.C.
* Ted Robbins, comedian and actor
* Tom Roebuck, rugby union player for Sale Sharks and England
* Ted Rowlands, Baron Rowlands CBE, Labour MP for Cardiff North from 1966–70, for Merthyr Tydfil from 1972–83, and for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney from 1983–2001, and served as a Foreign Office junior minister in Harold Wilson's government
* Grant Serpell, musician
* Sir Brian Smith, Vice-Chancellor from 1993–2001 of Cardiff University
* Paul Usher, actor who played Barry Grant in Brookside
* Air Commodore Bob Weighill CBE DFC, station commander of RAF Cottesmore (1961–64) and RAF Halton (1968–73); Rugby Football Union international player and captain; secretary of the RFU from 1974 to 1986
* Michael Wilde, former chairman of Southampton F.C.
* Barry Williams (athlete), Olympic hammer thrower in the 1972 Olympics
* Harold Wilson, Labour prime minister 1964–70 and 1974-6 (only attended the sixth form in 1932 to 1934, having previously been a pupil at Royds Hall School in Huddersfield)
* John Winn, British Army officer and winner of the Military Cross and Silver Star.