The Central Region

The "Central England" region forms an approximate circle of 60km radius around the city of Birmingham in the centre of England and has member schools in the counties shown in the map and in the menu list above.

England is made up of areas called "Counties". The name 'county' was derived from a Norman term for an area administered by a Count (lord). These Norman counties were based upon Saxon 'shires' which were established as areas for raising taxes, and usually had a fortified town at their centre. These became known as the 'shire town' or later the 'county town', for example Nottingham in Nottinghamshire.

The Central England region is a taste of "real England". It is very easy to get to (just 75 minutes by train from London to Birmingham) yet it is still largely undiscovered by main-stream tourism.

In Central England you will meet more English speaking people and fewer foreign visitors than you may in London and the south east of Britain.