Solihull School - Prefectorial System

Prefectorial System

Pupils are selected by members of staff to hold positions of responsibility within the various sections of the school. They are, in the Senior School, known as Benchers. Benchers are selected based on fortitude of character and due to the belief that they will uphold the ethos of the school. Details of the different Benches are listed below in descending seniority:

• Heads of School - After a detailed interview process, the staff will select one male and one female member of the Upper Sixth to be Head Boy and Head Girl. A deputy of each sex will be assigned also.
• The School Bench - School Benchers are selected by means of a poll of their peers and members of staff at the end of their Lower Sixth year. They are responsible for the behaviour of pupils in the refectory; general behaviour and standards of other pupils; and giving tours of the school to parents of prospective pupils. Although they cannot, nowadays, directly give detentions, they can refer pupils who may be deserving of punishment to a House Master. They are the only pupils in the school who are allowed to walk across the grass in The Great Quadrangle; all others must walk around the paved perimeter. They are denoted by virtue of wearing a small, maroon rosette on the left lapel; It is affectionately known as a cabbage.
• Middle School Bench - Middle School Benchers are members of the Upper Fifth and are selected by members of staff. They wear a cabbage similar to that of the more senior School Benchers, but dark green rather than maroon.
• Lower School - Lower School Benchers are selected from the Fourth Form and wear a blue cabbage.
• Junior School - Monitors are selected from members of J4 and wear an enamel badge on the left lapel of the blazer. Their responsibilities are limited to the confines of the Junior School.

N.B. - Each section of the school has a Head Boy and Head Girl. The Head Boy and Girl of Upper School are known as Heads of School.