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House System
Our House system promotes a sense of belonging and mutual support for all children. Siblings are often placed in the same House to support the family feel of the academy. It is one very important way that we foster the good, respectful relationships which underpin the life of our academy. Students in all years are placed into forms within one of our four Houses. Tile Cross Academy is proud of the heritage of the schools that have existed on our site. We keep our connection with that history through the names of our Houses: Central, Martineau, Kenrick and International.
Being in a House system helps new students to settle in and also provides leadership opportunities and a range of other experiences. Sports competitions and enrichment events are just some of the ways that this is reflected in our Academy life together.
Central House
Central House
House History
The famous Central Grammar School for Boys was founded in 1897 on Suffolk Street and relocated to Gressel Lane in September 1957. It was a three-form entry school with around 550 boys.
During the second World War half of the school was evacuated and shared with The West Monmouth High School for Boys at Pontypool under the Headship of Leslie Bradley, who had been appointed Headmaster in 1934. They returned in 1942 and reunited with the other half to a location in Bordesley Green.
In 1972 Central Grammar School for Boys merged with Byng Kenrick Girls’ Grammar School to form Byng Kenrick Central School.
International House
International House
House History
Our house is named for one of the more recent schools on our Academy’s site. The International School was created in 2002 on the site of Byng Kenrick Central School and Sir Wilfred Martineau School. The name was decided upon for a number of reasons including the International make up of the students along with the location being near Birmingham International Airport and the school being under the flightpath. In 2017, The International School joined the Washwood Heath MAT and changed its name to Tile Cross Academy.
Kenrick House
Kenrick House
House History
Our house is named for one of the first schools on our Academy’s current site – Byng Kenrick Girls’ Grammar School. This school was named in honour of Alderman Wilfred Byng Kenrick – English industrialist, politician and educationalist, who also served as Lord Mayor of Birmingham from 1928-29. Byng Kenrick Girls’ Grammar School was officially opened by Wilfred Byng Kenrick on March 14th 1959 and finally merged with Central Grammar School for Boys in 1972 forming Byng Kenrick Central School.
Martineau House
Martineau House
House History
Our house is named for one of the first schools on our Academy’s current site – Sir Wilfrid Martineau School which opened in 1959. This school was named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Martineau, a prominent politician who served as Lord Mayor of Birmingham from 1940-41. Sir Wilfrid was a member of the Martineau family who were very prominent in Birmingham with 5 of them taking up the Mayor/Lord Mayor post. In September 2002, Sir Wilfrid Martineau School merged with Byng Kenrick Central School to become The International School.
