When you get a footballer as talented as Jack Grealish it is sometimes easy to forget about their beginnings.
Like most of us, Grealish’s early footballing career was spent playing for local teams and his school, before he eventually worked his way up the ladder to playing professionally.
So what was Jack Grealish’s upbringing like? Where is he from? And what school did he go to?
We take a closer look at those questions in our blog today.
So let’s get started…
What School Did Jack Grealish Go To?
Jack Grealish was born in Solihull and went to Our Lady of Compassion Roman Catholic Primary School and then St Peter’s Roman Secondary School, both of which are in the town. He is very much a born and bred Brummie and admitted in a documentary that he loved growing up in Solihull.
Is Jack Grealish From Solihull?
Yes, Jack Grealish was born in Solihull on 10 September 1995.
As he was welcomed into the world at Solihull Hospital, there is a good chance We Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson was playing, as that was the Number One single in the UK at the time.
That same day Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi in the US Men’s Tennis Open to claim his third US Open title and his 7th Grand Slam in total.
Braveheart was the top movie at the UK box office at the time, and would go on to win an Oscar for best picture that year
The day before Jack Grealish was born Sony released its pioneering PlayStation console, and OJ Simpson was on trial for the murder of his wife and her best friend.
And the internet was beginning to make its first waves. By the end of 1995 there were an estimated 16 million users of the internet, 0.4% of the world population.
Typing all of that has made me feel very old! I remember it well being a 16-year-old at the time.
So Is Jack Grealish From Birmingham?
Solihull is a town in its own right and a quite big one at that.
The 2021 Census estimated the town’s population to be 126,577 and the population of the borough of Solihull to be 216,240.
Solihull is not inside the city of Birmingham, but the town is considered part of Birmingham’s authority.
So it is fair to say Jack Grealish is from Birmingham, and that is why he has a broad Brummie accent!
Anyway let’s get to the title question
What School Did Jack Grealish Go To?
Jack Grealish went to Our Lady of Compassion Roman Catholic Primary School from the age of 4 to 11, and then St Peter’s Roman Secondary School from the age of 11 to 16.
He left school in 2011 after being offered a contract by Aston Villa.
The two schools are both in the heart of Solihull, around 2.5 miles apart.
Our Lady of Compassion has a reasonable sporting pedigree for a primary school, along with Grealish both Dan Evans (the former British Tennis Number 1) and Callum Reilly (Ex-Birmingham footballer) went to school there.
And it was obvious even then that Jack Grealish was destined for greater things as Chris Bentley, head teacher and manager of the school football team, remembers:
“I remember for us Jack was straight in the team in Year 4, which is exceptional. He wasn’t one of the bigger lads but, at the same time, he was like a ‘pocket rocket’. He wasn’t ever physically intimidated. He was very skilful and never seemed to lose his balance.
“He also had great spatial awareness to be a step ahead, and his ball control was superb.
“We won the league with him in Year 4. Then, a couple of years later, we got to the Solihull Schools Cup final, which we drew and the sides shared the trophy, so he won that as well.”
Chris Bentley, former Head Teacher at Our Lady of Compassion Roman Catholic Primary School
By the time Grealish joined St Peter’s Roman Secondary School at the age of 11, he had already been part of Aston Villa’s academy for almost five years.
Tom Seickell who taught PE to Grealish, said the school was well aware of this:
“We knew when he came to us in year 7 that we were getting this lad who was at the Villa,” he said.
“We were aware of his reputation on the football pitch, so we knew we were getting an exceptional footballer.”
Tom Seickell, PE Teacher at St Peter’s Roman Secondary School.
Studies came a distant second to football for Grealish as Mr Seickell recalls:
“But I don’t think he’d be offended if I said he wasn’t the most academic lad – but that wasn’t his focus. He was being touted as this up and coming star who was going to make it in the football world.
“Football was what he loved to do – playing it in the playground and in PE lessons. He had a strong circle of friends who weren’t all footballers.”
Tom Seickell, PE Teacher at St Peter’s Roman Secondary School.
Final Thoughts
Jack Grealish’s hometown of Solihull holds a very special place in his heart.
He went to both primary school and secondary school in the town, attending Our Lady of Compassion Roman Catholic Primary School and then St Peter’s Roman Secondary School.
Just before the World Cup he surprised pupils at his old secondary school when he returned to film a documentary charting his upbringing.
He made his love for the area he grew up in obvious saying: “I loved growing up in Solihull. I had such a good childhood, I’ve been so fortunate and so blessed. Solihull will always hold a special place in my heart”.