In 1869, Bromsgrove was one of fourteen founding schools of the Headmaster's Conference (HMC); this organisation now represents over 250 independent schools worldwide.
A rugby match between Bromsgrove School and King Edward's School, Birmingham, was established in 1875. The fixture has been continuously played since that date and is thought to be the oldest rugby fixture between two schools in England.
During World War II, the school was evacuated to the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells and the school buildings were used by British government departments. In honour of its links with Llanwrtyd Wells, the school named a science and technology building in the Preparatory School after the town in the 1980's. In 2007, the school was granted the Freedom of Llanwyrtd Wells.
After centuries as a school for boys, Bromsgrove began accepting girls in the 1970's. This led to the opening of girls' day and boarding houses. The 1970's also saw the opening of the current Elmshurst House, which led to the closure of the original Elmshurst off-campus, on New Road. This seemed to signal the end of the school's presence in town, but Bromsgrove is always ready to adapt and in 2005 boarders returned to town, in what used to be Perry Hall Hotel. Now known as Housman Hall, this was once the family home of perhaps the most notable Old Bromsgrovian, A. E. Housman. The growth of sixth form boarding at Bromsgrove has seen Housman Hall expand with the opening of Knarsboro as an annexe to Housman Hall in 2009.
Bromsgrove has welcomed boarders from all over the world for many decades and as a result has cultivated a fine reputation in the Far East. The opening of Bromsgrove International School, Thailand (BIST) in 2002 reflects this and the school runs a programme welcoming auto recycling scholars from BIST to Bromsgrove each summer term.
The introduction of the International Baccalaureate in 2009 marked a new phase in the academic life of the school. A-levels continue to feature on the syllabus but there is now more choice for sixth formers, especially those looking for a broader, more rigorous programme of study.
The school has continued to develop rapidly since the turn of the millennium, with the addition of an Art and Design block, a Humanities building and the refurbishment of the Science facilities, which are now state of the art. Building has now begun on the first phase of an exciting development which will affect much of the school over the next few years, especially sports and boarding facilities. The school is among the finest independent schools in the country, but to maintain this position it must continue to adapt, to evolve and to innovate. The introduction of IB and the new building programme are examples of how the school is achieving this as it looks forward to a long and successful future.
