The Editor is very grateful to the many sta! and pupils who provided articles and images for this issue of The Chronicle 30
COVER IMAGE
From a painting by Bethany Wagsta! (Upper Sixth), created as part of her A level Art course.
Bristol Grammar School Chronicle Volume 41 No 2
The Editor, Bristol Grammar School University Road, Bristol BS8 1SR editor@bgs.bristol.sch.uk
Bristol Grammar School is a
As the 2023–2024 academic year draws to a close, I am delighted to report that BGS is a school in fantastic shape. Among many highlights this year we were awarded The Sunday Times Parent Power Southwest Independent Secondary School of the Year 2024, as well as being listed in The Week magazine as ‘great for Dance and Drama’, and being included in The Spectator magazine’s top eighty Oxbridge schools in the country.
I am fortunate to have been elected Chair of HMC (the Heads’ Conference); a recognition, I’d like to think, of all that BGS is doing and leading the way on. My work has already brought into sharp focus the financial and political threats facing the independent schools’ sector, threats which will – unintendedly but undoubtedly – make our schools less diverse and harder to access. As you would expect, this is an issue we’re addressing seriously throughout the School, and particularly through our 500 Campaign, which is already having a tremendously positive impact, and ensuring that more and more pupils are funded to attend BGS through philanthropic donation. While challenging times may lie ahead, we are determined to protect the impressive depth, breadth and roundedness o!ered by a BGS education, and we remain committed to ensuring that all can benefit from it, regardless of their background and financial means. It is the pupils – bright, interested and interesting young people from across our city – who make BGS such a special place, and who have made this year such a memorable and successful one.
musical journey that highlighted the exceptional skill and passion of our musicians, and those of Wansdyke Primary School who performed alongside them as part of our Music Outreach programme.
Across the sports, our athletes demonstrated not only skill and determination but also sportsmanship and team spirit. We’ve seen team successes in county and regional tournaments in our main sports, but also celebrated victories in squash – where a BGS team won the inaugural KS5 England Schools’ Squash Mixed Plate final – and for our golfers, who retained the Avon Schools’ Team Golf Championship, to add to last year’s national title. Building on this strong foundation, we are excited to implement our new sports strategy, which promises to provide even more opportunities for our students to excel and grow, both on and o! the field.
On the academic front, our pupils achieved brilliant results across the board – testament both to their talents and hard work on the one hand, and to the dedication of the exceptional teaching sta! here at BGS on the other. Outside the classroom, this year saw BGS teams return to the Ten Tors Challenge for the first time since the mid–1970s, joining the ever-popular DofE Award in our Outdoor Education programme.
Our pupils’ involvement in the performing arts reached new heights. Our Dance show, The Book of Life, was a celebration of creativity and expression, in which pupils from Year 3 upwards took part. The Drama production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe showcased our pupils’ incredible acting talents, as well as the immense creativity of our Drama department with its inventive use of our performance spaces. I must also mention the wonderful Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – the performers in our Year 6 play convince me that the future of drama at BGS is in very safe hands as they move up into the Senior School. Our concert at St George’s, The Dark Side of the Moon, featured performers from the Juniors to Upper Sixth and was a
As we reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, it is important to recognise the role of our community in all that has been achieved. The bonds formed at BGS, the friendships nurtured, and the sense of belonging that permeates our School are what truly make us exceptional. These connections extend beyond the school years, creating a lifelong network of support and camaraderie. Our Old Bristolians’ Society exemplifies this spirit, o!ering time, expertise, and guidance to current students. It is this legacy of giving back that enriches our community and strengthens our culture. Each of you contributes to this legacy, and I want to extend my deepest thanks to every member of our community – students, families, sta!, and friends. Your support, enthusiasm, and commitment are the heart of BGS.
And so, as the year draws to a close, it remains only for me to say thank you and goodbye to those who are moving on from BGS. This year’s Upper Sixth leavers include a group of pupils who began their schooldays here, members of BGS’s very first Reception class who have now reached the top of the School –a special milestone in our history. No matter how long you have been a part of our School, we are bidding farewell to you, the Class of 2024, with the confidence that you are well-prepared for whatever lies ahead. Remember, no matter where your path takes you, as Old Bristolians you will always be a part of the BGS family, and you will always be welcome here.
Jaideep Barot Head of Bristol Grammar School
to the I&J section of this year’s Chronicle, which is once again packed with news and events from across another brilliant year at BGS. These are just a few examples of the many opportunities and joyous experiences our pupils have enjoyed; I’m sure your highlights will di er, and that’s the beauty of our diverse and enriching school life.
1. FIRSTLY, WOW! Across the Infants and Juniors, the children have raised a truly remarkable amount of money for charity this year. Through House and Year Group cake sales, crazy hair days, and circuits to help Olympians, they’ve demonstrated incredible generosity and community spirit. The grand total of over £8,000 is a testament to their kindness and dedication, and to the wonderful support of you, our parents and guardians. Please give yourselves a well-deserved round of applause!
2. MY SECOND highlight is the spectacular performance of The Dark Side of the Moon at St George’s. The collaboration of voices from BGS and other schools created an unforgettable evening. Hearing the positive feedback from the audience reminded me of the immense talent we have at BGS. It was a night of music and unity that showcased the artistic flair of our pupils.
3. NEXT UP, SPORTS DAYS!
It was great to see all our Juniors competing on one day. The teamwork and support on display throughout the day exemplified the spirit of kindness and healthy competition that we cherish at our school. Our Infants took part in their sports day with gusto and determination and engaged brilliantly with all the activities, with fantastic encouragement and support from our Year 6 children.
4. SEEING THE IMPACT
of the newly redeveloped Infant outdoor space and play equipment. Watching the children engage in active play and seeing them develop their motor skills and communication skills has been incredibly rewarding. The space and the wonderful play equipment available has also inspired imaginative play and the building of friendships it’s been a joy to witness the children’s excitement at learning and playing in this enriching environment.
5. FINALLY, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Infant Summer Concert!
What can I say but brilliant, magnificent, and wonderful? This production was a true highlight of the year, showcasing the incredible talent and hard work of our Year 6 pupils. Every member of Year 6 took part, working together to create a magical show that will be long remembered by both its cast and audience. Infants equally gave their all as they sang and advanced their way through the changing year on the farm. These amazing performance opportunities give everyone a chance to gain in confidence as they move through the I&J.
Picking just five highlights has been truly challenging, there are many more I could have included from the Infant Nativity’s delightful performances to adventurous residentials for our older pupils. Thank you to everyone pupils, sta5, and families who have contributed to making this year so memorable. I’d especially like to give a heartfelt thank you to all on the BGS Friends I&J team. Claire Sibley and Linda Barnes, along with other parents’ support, have organized many events, from a super Summer Fair to a competitive quiz. Their dedication has provided us with new bean bags, goalkeeping kits, a gra6ti workshop, Circus Skills, skateboards, and scooter sessions all described as ‘Epic’!
Reflecting on these highlights, it’s clear that our school is a place where pupils thrive, embracing every opportunity with enthusiasm and joy. Here’s to another year of opportunities, learning, enjoyment, and friendship!
Heidi Hughes
Infants and Juniors are privileged to be able to take part in a wealth of co-curricular events and competitions. From fundraising, special assemblies and author visits to maths challenges, chess tournaments and Giving Day, here are just some of the highlights of the past year…
To celebrate World Book Day everyone got involved in many book-related activities. From shared reading in the Infants and Juniors to library quizzes and book reviews, the day was a giant (reading) adventure. As always, the array of costumes around school was magical.
It was lovely to see such a richness of colour in the outfits so many pupils wore to celebrate Cultural Dress Day, representing the diverse cultures within our school community.
The carnival theme to this year’s Giving Day was certainly embraced as the Infants and Juniors got stuck in with the activities on o5er; welly throwing, hula hooping and skipping and undoubtedly the highlight for many was throwing a wet sponge at Miss Hughes! An amazing £354,024 was raised for our life-changing bursary award campaign at BGS.
Infants and Juniors should be very proud of their fundraising e orts this year as they raised an incredible £8,000 for charity.
The children came together for a special assembly in the Great Hall to sing and learn about the di5erent festivals of thanks from around the world. The amount of food and toiletries donated to the Bristol North West Food Bank was phenomenal.
! COMIC RELIEF AND THE LITTLE PRINCESS TRUST
Crazy hairstyles, big smiles and red noses were awash in aid of Comic Relief and the Little Princess Trust. £600 was raised for Comic Relief through red nose sales and a fantastic £303 for the Little Princess Trust.
In December we supported those in need with our reverse advent calendar donations for Street Life. A car full of goodies was gratefully received and made a huge di5erence to those in need across Bristol.
The Infant Nativity and Junior Carol Service raised £1,400, with an additional £150 boost from a Christmas jumper sale, which the children chose to split between Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Brain Injury Trust.
Many delicious cakes were bought and devoured at the termly House cake sales raising £469 for our chosen charities, Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Brain Injury Trust.
To celebrate the year of the Olympics, there was a special visit from a sporting hero - Bristol Flyers basketball player Corey Samuels, who led a brilliant assembly before the children joined him for a sponsored circuit challenge.
A whopping £3,940 was raised which was split between helping Olympic athletes pay for their training, Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Brain Injury Trust.
This school year has been a really wonderful year for BGS Friends I&J. We have brought our community together through some fantastic events and funded some excellent projects in the Infant and Junior school that enhance all of our children’s school experience.
THIS YEAR, for the first time in many years, we ran a parents’ quiz night which was a huge success. A brilliant parent, Anthony, took the role of Quiz Master and had the room entertained all night with a range of challenges including making instruments out of foil and having to play them! There were a lot of tears of laughter and we have already booked this event in the diary for next year.
In the Autumn term we held our annual school discos. As always, these were well attended, with lots of eager parent volunteers to help with the high energy and dance moves!
We also held the Christmas Bazaar towards the end of term where our children designed and ran their own stalls, while parents ran the tombola and café. The tombola is always a huge hit with many kindly donated prizes for both children and parents.
On World Book Day we ran the much-loved Infant Bedtime Story event. Our Infant children stayed after school and listened to stories being read by parents whilst enjoying a mug of hot chocolate and marshmallows.
In May we got together as a school to hold our Summer Fair. Parents and children ran traditional stalls; tombola, coconut shy, hook a duck, and many more. We also trialled a mini golf course which was a huge hit - luckily no broken windows to report! The Fair was accompanied by some very talented parent musicians who entertained us all while we enjoyed our Pimm’s and lemonade on the lawn. Our community did a wonderful job and the sunshine played a big part in making it a really fantastic day.
This year our funds have been used to provide extra experiences for the children including author visits, and a number of workshops including a gra6ti art skills and drama workshops. We have funded new instruments, hockey kit, games, badges, bean bags and a even a stereo. We are constantly trying to contribute to school provisions and we are so proud to be able to put on events and fund these extra special treats for our children and families.
We have a packed year of events coming next year. We are hosting our bi-annual black tie Parents’ Ball in the Spring term and we are also hosting a circus at our Failand sports ground in the Summer term. The quiz will return in the autumn as an event to welcome new families and reconnect with friends after the summer.
All Infant and Junior parents are members of BGS Friends I&J and we welcome everyone’s involvement to whatever extent they can, be it coming to any or all of our regular meetings throughout the year, by taking on the valuable role of class rep, or by helping out at events.
Lastly, a huge thank you to all those who have contributed throughout the year, particularly to the Committee including Linda Barnes and Claire Sibley (Co-Chairs), Janette Durrance (Secretary) and to Davy McGimpsey (Treasurer). Janette is standing down as our secretary this year and we are so grateful for all the hard work and commitment she has given to the role. Finally, we must say a huge thank you to the teachers of the Infant and Junior school and especially Miss Hughes who has been present at every BGS Friends meeting, given us ideas and whose support of BGS Friends I&J has been very much appreciated.
The school was a sea of festive colours at the end of the Autumn term as the Juniors sang their hearts out at their Carol Concert, the Infants had a magical Elf Day and last but not least all enjoyed a delicious Christmas lunch in the Great Hall.
The popular STEM challenge attracted many entries from pupils across the Infants and Juniors. The challenge was to create a design or make a working model for a green vehicle that does not rely on battery power. It could be designed to move on land, sea or air (or a combination). The creativity and imagination of the children when coming up with solutions was impressive. Not only were energy sources such as solar, tidal and wind used but also berries and pumpkins!
The Infants and Juniors were treated to four author visits this year: Matt Dickinson, Clare Helen Walsh, Chris Wheeler and Steve Gunner, all of whom gave captivating talks about their ideas and inspiration. Thank you to BGS Friends I&J for funding our visitors; all our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the sessions.
Pupils from Year 3-6 were selected after an initial General Knowledge Quiz round to form three teams. Competing against 72 other schools in the area heats, two of the teams made it to the semi-finals. There were some very di6cult questions and our pupils acquitted themselves very well against some strong opposition, but sadly did not make the final on this occasion. But there is always next year! Well done to those that took part.
There was an abundance of creativity and enormous uptake for this year’s Canvas Competition. Well done to everyone that took part. The overall winners were Emitis Eslami for the Infants and Krish Aggarwal for the Juniors (see page 12).
All Juniors embraced the challenge of trying and learning something new during a series of workshops on o5er throughout the year. They tried their hands (and feet) at skateboarding, playing steel pans, scooting, financial planning, first aid and circus skills.
During Life Skills week Year 3 were in for a great surprise when Miss Penny secretly arranged for our favourite local police horses Windsor and Arthur Apples to trot along and say hello. Their riders talked about the role of the police and the mounted section in particular.
Budding mathematicians in Years 4 to 6 proudly represented BGS in local and national competitions - Primary Maths Challenge, Inter School Maths Challenge and Junior Maths Challenge. All events certainly tested their knowledge and focus, and they reaped the benefits of taking part in such fiercely competitive environments. Well done to everyone who competed and special congratulations to our
We have many boardgame enthusiasts across the Infants and Juniors with Chess being the most popular club at school.
This year’s Junior House Chess tournament was hotly contested with 80 children taking part. All Houses played well with Boulton’s securing the win. Well done to all who represented their House.
In March BGS hosted the Junior Team Chess Challenge, the largest regional event for KS3 involving over 160 pupils from 18 schools across the region. Anay Misra and Adam Mussa in Year 6 joined a Senior team and did superbly well. Anay and Adam’s team came 11th out of 20 which is an amazing achievement.
In June BGS hosted the Bristol Megafinal of the UK Chess Challenge which involved 180 pupils from over 40 schools, including a BGS contingent of around 45 pupils from both Senior and Junior Schools. For several players, this was their first chess tournament and 16 BGS players, ranging from Year 2 up to Year 10, qualified for the next round of this national competition, the Southern GigaFinal. Congratulations to Max Li (Y2), Ethan Rowlands (Y3), John Parshall (Y4), Valerie Tang (Y4), Cerisse Lepora (Y5), Hanchen Wang (Y6), Lucas Probert (Y6), Adam Mussa (Y6) and Anay Misra (Y6).
A special well done to Karim Mussa (Reception) who played in the U8s section and was the youngest player in the tournament.
It was lovely welcoming our new families to our BGS community when we invited new Junior children to take part in some fun activities at school. At our forest in Failand Reception children enjoyed a Teddy Bear’s Picnic and taking part in a mini-beast hunt. These occasions were a lovely opportunity to make new friends before the first day of term.
The School Council gives children in BGS Infants and Juniors the opportunity to be part of decision making and raise ideas or make suggestions about any aspect school life. Our meetings are engaging and full of enthusiasm.
JUNIOR TOPICS HAVE INCLUDED:
At the end of the summer term we said farewell to Mrs Dixon. She spent an incredible thirty-five years at our school marked by unwavering dedication: from coaching girls’ games, to teaching Mathematics, to her infectious love for the great outdoors, she has dedicated her teaching life to the pupils and sta5 of BGS. Mrs Dixon joined BGS as Head of Senior School Girls’ Games in September 1989. She worked to improve the girls’ games o5er, as well as introducing a Senior School o5-site Sports Day. Later in her career, she moved to the Junior School taking on the role of Maths and IT Coordinator as well as teaching Games, Swimming and Forest School - sharing her expertise in bushcraft, she instilled in pupils a deep appreciation for nature and a sense of wonder at the world around them. We loved the fact that we reintroduced her to caving during the Year 6 residential. We will all remember Mrs Dixon fondly for her love of swimming and outdoor education; we really hope she will continue to support the BGS community in her retirement. Good luck Mrs Dixon, enjoy life after BGS but please come back and see us. You will be missed by us all!
Miss Hughes
Thank you to all the children who have been part of the School Council this year – you have done a great job!
Food: There was a consensus that there was too much banana o5ered at breaktime and a suggestion to have a Gluten Free station set up at lunchtime.
Thank a teacher: there was an initiative to have an anonymous postal box in the school o6ce where children can nominate their favourite teacher and say why. At the end of each term, the nominations are counted and the teacher with the most would be given the award.
Eco-club: each classroom made a pledge to be even more sustainable.
Playgrounds: a request for dedicated signage with a rota to show each year group where they can play during breaktimes; the Netted, Main and Paddock playgrounds.
Behaviour: the Junior reps reflected on pupil feedback about the Behaviour Policy, including the rewards and sanctions in place.
INFANT TOPICS HAVE INCLUDED:
Kindness and Integrity: in keeping with our values, the children were keen to have some signs in the playground to remind each other of how to play.
BGS Friends I&J supported this idea and kindly purchased a set of colourful new signs which have now been placed around the playgrounds.
Play equipment: the Infants requested several things for the playground including some books, new balls and a climbing wall (the latter was not promised!)
Gardening: Year 2 requested for some bedding plants to be planted termly in the new raised bed so that they can take turns to maintain it.
Miss Hughes
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in ART
Krish Aggarwal, Freya Rayner
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in TEXTILES
Alice Frost
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in ENGLISH READING
Thomas King
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in ENGLISH – WRITING
Isla Kirkland, Ravi Goswami
Kiran Liyanage
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in GEOGRAPHY
Vihaan Joshi, Luke Pritchard-Meaker
Tanya Hu, Wolfie Glover
Ashvath Kondaparti, Loki Down
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in HISTORY
Gabriel Barot
Gabriel Prego-Geraldes
Seb Dorbin
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in COMPUTING
George Gillham
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in MATHS
Kaikai Li, Hanchen Wang
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in PSHE
Lilah Hunnisett, Ashvika Sutharsan
Mia Foster
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in SCIENCE
Luke Tomlinson, Marcus Kan
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in ML
Sabella Sheehan
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in PE
Rhodri Chester-Glyn
ENDEAVOUR AND EXCELLENCE in PRE
Lewis Mather, Mila Gareh
SMITH SPELLING CUP
Alex Pick
BGS SINGING STAR (GIRLS)
Annabel Edey
BGS SINGING STAR (BOYS)
Oliver Phillips
MALTBY MUSIC CUP
Max Richardson, Valentina Zazas
GIRLS’ DRAMA CUP
Poppy Ernst
BOYS’ DRAMA CUP
Alex Beshay
MALPASS DANCE CUP
Emilie Levy
BARNES CUP: FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR
Henry Yates
MOST IMPROVED FOOTBALLER
Lucas Probert
LOCKYER CUP:
RUGBY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jack Werndle
MOST IMPROVED RUGBY PLAYER
Finlay Barnes
GIRLS’ HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alba Hirt Fernandez
BOYS’ HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Edward Wescott
GIRLS’ MOST IMPROVED HOCKEY PLAYER
Laura Briones Williams
BOYS’ MOST IMPROVED HOCKEY PLAYER
Ben McIntosh
NETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ayesha Craig
MOST IMPROVED NETBALLER
Alessandra Narduzzo
GIRLS’ CRICKETER OF THE YEAR CUP
Lekha Walter
BOYS’ CRICKETER OF THE YEAR CUP
Leo Bann
MOST IMPROVED GIRLS’ CRICKETER
Megan Mountford
MOST IMPROVED BOYS’ CRICKETER
Noah Price
BEST SWIMMER’S CUP & BEST SWIMMER’S AWARD
Benjamin Howard, Henry Rogers
FENCING CUP
Olivia Pegden
SIBLEY CUP FOR SPORTING ENDEAVOUR
Ottilie Downing
JFC CUP FOR SPORTING ENDEAVOUR
Joshua Sibley
VICTRIX LUDORUM
Lucy Barnes
VICTOR LUDORUM (MILSOM CUP)
Hari Pal
BROWN CUP FOR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT
Charlie Barnes
MAXWELL CUP FOR CITIZENSHIP
Lucas Kelly
HUCKLE CUP FOR ALL-ROUND ENDEAVOUR
Flynn Gillings
CHESS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Anay Misra
MOST IMPROVED CHESS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Adam Mussa
Mya Patel
Mair Nagata
Alex Spreadbury
Sanvi Thumma
This year’s Canvas Competition was a wonderful celebration of the creativity, originality and artistic talent of BGS Infants and Juniors. Another bumper crop of colourful and inventive entries provided a wonderful exhibition in the 1532 foyer ahead of MADD Evening, as well as presenting the judges with a tricky task in choosing this year’s winners. Well done to Emitis Eslami (I&f(&)s) and Krish Aggarwal (,‑&.o0s) who were the overall winners, and to everyone who received an award for originality, composition, endeavour or technical skill.
They had an action-packed week as the children’s physical and mental skills were put to the test. During the day, teamwork was the name of the game as they took part in lots of exciting activities: caving, canoeing and rock climbing to name but a few. It was a lovely way to end the school year and spend time together before moving up to the Senior School.
“I loved being away from school with my friends. Being at Mendip really opened my eyes to spending time outdoors instead of being inside all day.” HARI PAL
“It will be an experience I will never forget. I especially loved caving, low ropes and the assault course (although the mud was quite
HANCHEN WANG
“From crawling with spiders in the caves to climbing rocks and zooming down on the toboggan, the activities were so good! The food was amazing - the sausages and fajitas were perfect!”
MILA GAREH
Year 6 set o in glorious sunshine for their summer camp at the Mendip Activity Centre.
food all the way to the activities, everything was phenomenal.”
SANVI THUMMA
“I loved all of the activities, especially tobogganing, it was extremely thrilling!”
LAURA BRIONES WILLIAMS
of all the fun we had.”
LOKI DOWN
“The Mendip trip was the most memorable and amazing experience ever. There were so many fun things to do and the sta and instructors were so friendly and helpful.”
MYA PATEL
It was lovely to see Year 4 wholeheartedly get stuck into every activity during their residential at Skern Lodge in Appledore.
Sta were very impressed with the children’s behaviour, attitude, and resilience on their trip. For many it was their first time away from home overnight, so that was a significant achievement as well.
In October, Year 5 had an absolute ball in Bude on three-night residential. They all came away having gained new skills, formed new friendships and created many happy memories.
Year 2 were captivated in the wonderful science at Techniquest in Cardi .
“It was the best time I’ve ever had. The best bit was raft building because even though we couldn’t stay on for more than five seconds without falling o , we still managed not to let the raft fall apart. Yay!”
“It was so much fun. I really enjoyed the raft building because everybody kept falling o . The breakfast was so good - they had sausages, bacon and even a self-service toaster. I would recommend it to anyone who likes an adventure.”
“When we arrived at Skern Lodge I felt a bit homesick and nervous but I also felt excited to be on my first ever school trip!”
“It was an experience I will never forget!”
“My favourite activity was mountain boarding because I had never done it before”.
“I enjoyed the karaoke, and it made me more confident about coming out of my comfort zone.”
“I loved bonding with my friends.”
“All the activities were great especially the canoeing.”
“My favourite part of Bude was the mountain boarding, the morning swim and, of course, the breakfast.”
“I loved the high ropes - it was so fun that I chose to do it again at school as an activity.”
“I would definitely recommend it. We had a campfire with marshmallows, made a den, went on a scavenger hunt, played football and had a hot chocolate!”
“At Skern Lodge we did kayaking, beach games, raft building and we even had hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows. You have your own dorm, it’s amazing and we had tons of free time to hang out with our friends.”
Highlights included the opportunity to experience what it would feel like to be in a tornado, an earthquake or a space seat, the chance to be lifted into the air by a vacuum and the ability to move robots. Computer generated images turned pupils into other beings or made them feel like they were walking beside animals. All this, plus a long slide that went from the top to the bottom of the building, made it a special day out. Well done Year 2 for being super ambassadors for BGS.
Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Caerleon Castle and were fascinated by some of the facts they learnt about the Romans …
“I got to see a Roman Amphitheatre, it was so cool and the atmosphere was amazing!”
HARRI HEARNDEN
“On our trip to the castle we saw some Roman ruins and discovered that they ate stu ed dormice and peacock brains.”
LOUIS SEYMOUR
“It was really fun. I loved learning about how the Romans ate their food and enjoyed exploring the amphitheatre.”
ADHYA AYYAPPAN
“It was the best trip ever - I liked being a servant and serving everyone food. I’m not sure I would want to do it every day though!”
INDRA VAITHIANATHAN
“I loved running through the Barracks, exploring di erent parts and imagining what life was like in the Roman times.”
OTTO WALKER
Reception immersed themselves in their Water topic by venturing out to the Bristol Aquarium. It was certainly a super way to ignite the children’s interest in all things watery!
In April, Reception loved every moment of their trip to Roves Farm in support of their Growing topic. They enjoyed watching animals caring for their young and the chance to cuddle some new arrivals. They went on a tractor ride, built mouse houses (then met the mice who might live in them), played with kids (as in baby goats!), cuddled lambs and learnt a lot about pigs and cows. There was even time to visit the soft play, and the number of sleeping children on the journey home was a testament to how much energy they had used, and the fun that they had.
Year 6 stepped back in time
with a trip to STEAM in Swindon for a day focussed on the wartime experience in Britain. The museum’s exhibits had been transformed to recreate the era of the Second World War – the sta5 were dressed in 1940s-style clothing and our pupils joined in with the spirit of the day, dressing as 1940s child evacuees. Thank you to the sta5 of STEAM for such a brilliant day out for our Year 6 pupils.
Year 1 set o to see Cardi Castle to support their Castles topic
They had a tour around the castle where they learnt about the history of the castle and then headed into a workshop about knights. The children loved trying on di5erent forms of armour! The team at Cardi5 Castle couldn’t believe how much the children already knew about castles and were very impressed with how keen they were to share all their knowledge.
It was wonderful to see Year 2 take such in interest in their Bristol Topic as they fully embraced the chance to dress up as fearsome pirates for their much-anticipated trip on The Matthew. They enjoyed taking in the views of Bristol from the water, in particular spotting the SS Great Britain. Year 2 also went by foot to explore other parts of Bristol with many challenging their fear of heights as they climbed to the top of Cabot Tower. What a great adventure!
Year 5 had a great day out to the Big Pit in Wales.
During the underground tour of the tunnels they tried to imagine what life was like for the men, women and children that worked underground. They learnt a lot from looking at the artefacts and learning about 300 million
Year 5 enjoyed a fascinating talk from Professor Lepora (Cerisse’s father) about Robotics and the cutting edge work his team are doing at Bristol University.
The children found Professor Lepora’s talk incredibly interesting, giving them an insight into to the vast potential of robotics, and the challenges in developing the technology. Professor Lepora also kindly donated a book that he has written called Findout Robotics. Here’s what a few of our pupils had to say after the talk:
“I think that the technology that is being developed in the lab is amazing and could change the course of humans.”
Breanna Wong
“I never knew until today that the hands of robots are by far the most important thing to include in a robot and how complex they are to make and build!”
Georgina Howard
“In the future there are going to be robots that are better than us at many sports and lots of other things.”
Lottie Davis
“I learnt that you really need touch to create an e ective robot that could perform human tasks, you could even have a robot-v-human Olympics!”
Elias Magnus
“I have learnt that you can now 3D print a robotic hand which can move around very well. I think that in the future these hands could build other hands.”
Max Durrance
“There is a long way to go until we can build prosthetics that work as well has human hands.”
Lily McGimpsey
To complement their Geography topic of Rainforest Biomes, Year 4 shared an exciting day with Rainforest Dave, a rainforest expert and enthusiast.
Dave wowed the children with his knowledge and experiences of rainforest life and the children enjoyed getting up close and personal with his collection of exotic creatures.
“I loved the roadshow! The way Rainforest Dave explained it made it really easy to imagine all the animals and creatures living in the rainforest. Touching the animals was so much fun.”
Cora Barnes
“The Rainforest Roadshow was amazing! I never thought I could hold a great hairy spider and a millipede with thousands of legs! Rainforest Dave is really funny and we learnt a lot whilst listening to him.”
Libby Bendall
“We learnt about the di erent animals, plant life and people that live in this environment. We made rainforest necklaces and took turns to hold some of the animals. Rainforest Dave reassured us that the tarantulas don’t bite and that when millipedes climb all over your body you just feel a tingle.”
Abir Suri
Year 4 welcomed visitors from Bristol SACRE to enhance their learning on Hinduism.
The children had a fun interactive session where they tried on traditional dress, made some colourful prints and clay tea light holders, whilst learning how Diwali is celebrated.
The rain failed to dampen what was an illuminating way to bring an end to Year 1s topic.
Having learnt all about the Great Fire of London and created their own Tudor Houses as part of their DT project, Year 2 watched in earnest as they witnessed their houses being burnt down creating their very own Great Fire of Failand!
Year 1 loved their topic on artists. They learnt about artists past and present and used their work as inspiration for their own.
A particular favourite was Yayoi Kusama who is a Japanese artist. She was inspired by dots and used these in her paintings and instillations. The children used her as inspiration when creating polka dot compositions using tissue paper, card and of course sparkles.
It was a privilege to welcome some of our Infant parents into the classroom to talk about Chinese and Korean traditions to complement the Spring term’s topic of the Lunar New Year.
Year 2 were taught how to make paper dragons, lucky red packets and to say and write Happy New Year in both Chinese and Korean. Reception listened to traditional Chinese stories of the dragon and New Year celebrations and had great fun learning to write numbers in Chinese and make red lanterns.
A highlight of every week for all the Infants is going to Forest School where they enjoy the freedom of learning outside.
Here is what they have been learning about this year…
Reception have thoroughly enjoyed their Forest School sessions. They mastered the art of getting their wet weather kit on independently (most of the time) and have grown in confidence throwing themselves into activities. They’ve had fun learning how to use the resources in the forest safely and sensibly, making wands, building dens, camouflaging a picture of themselves and building houses for small world animals. They’ve used mallets and peelers (with adult supervision) and will build upon these skills in Year 1.
Year 1 love to be in the forest. They use hammers, mallets, hand drills and peelers and have created various items with them such as a bamboo and stick weaved fence, a wooden key fob and a picture frame. They’ve had fun cooking bread, toasting marshmallows and making mint tea (grown in the forest) using the Kelly kettles and have shown they understand the fire safety rules. The forest sessions incorporate Science work and the children have learnt the parts of flowering, deciduous and evergreen plants and tasted wild garlic.
Year 2 showed maturity and confidence in the forest this year. They’ve made magic wands using tools and named them with a Latin tree name. The children studied a chosen tree each month, identified it and noted the changes, recording the bark patterns by printing with mud. They’ve learnt to build fires using the wa8e technique and fed the Kelly kettles to boil water for hot chocolate. They’ve worked in small groups this year, learning teamwork skills whilst building dens and other structures. Popcorn cooked on the fire was an end of year treat, enjoyed by all.
Mrs Kate Hughes
Friday afternoons are a hive of activity as all the Juniors get to choose something they either love to do or try something new. Spending time with friends from across the Junior School makes for a fun afternoon and a great way to end the week. The only problem is how to decide which ones to do! Activities on o er this year have included tennis, forest skills, cookery, climbing, golf, chess, Taskmaster, orienteering and many more.
For those seeking a more active afternoon to burn o5 some energy, Gymnastics is a great activity to take part in. The specialist teachers are on hand to help children improve and learn new techniques.
Knitting proved a popular choice, and the knitters impressed us with their skills and knitted some delightful Easter bunnies and colourful scarves. Their enthusiasm has spread and there is now quite a knitting craze continuing at BGS.
Our keen Junior bakers showed o5 their culinary skills during some fun themed Bake O5s. They produced some scrumptious cakes – there were spooky creations for Halloween, festive treats for Christmas and a lot of love for Valentine’s Day and last but not least some delicious Welsh Cakes to celebrate St David’s Day.
“I love playing Table Tennis, not only is it great fun playing with friends but you get fit at the same time.” Lucas Probert
Juniors have a multitude of lunchtime and after school clubs to choose from to suit any interest. Here is a taster of the clubs that children have enjoyed taking part in this year
“I love learning all about coding so that when I’m older it will help me with my work.”
Adhya Ayyappan
“I like that you can code Scratch to play games like rock, paper, scissors.”
Shiv Parekh
“Animation Club is so much fun. I loved setting up the scenes to film on the iPad and then seeing my animation come to life at the end.” Ava Conway
“I like Journaling Club as we have the freedom to do whatever we want in our notebooks, and we all share ideas and stickers.” Etty Noble and Darci Hatfield
“I like to learn about more things outside of lessons. We’ve learnt about the Pangea and ancient civilisations.” Jake Sargeson
“It’s really fun as we paint and create guides to our made-up countries.” Alexander Rankin
“You can write positive messages and experiment and be you!”
Minni Black
There are lovely a variety of clubs for the Infants that take place after school to enrich their learning and enjoyment of school life. Top Trumps, Funky Fingers, Origami and Sustainability Club to name but a few.
New this year, Toots proved to be a popular choice for Year 1. A Toot is a very simplified flute and provides a brilliant stepping-stone between the recorder and playing a full-size flute. The Toots group were invited to play in a Brass and Woodwind Teatime Concert which featured musicians from Year 1 up to Upper Sixth. It was great to see our youngest musicians perform with such enthusiasm and confidence.
“I love making bracelets for my friends and family - it’s so fun.”
Sofía Quintana
“Hama Bead Club is relaxing and I like making up my own designs.” Jemima King
“In Drawing Club you get to relax and express your creativity. We like bubble writing and being with our friends.”
Gigi Oliver, Matilda Hastings and Olivia Goy
At Forest School Club, Year 2 loved making potions with soil and water, adding various plant parts found on the forest floor, printed leaves into clay and used lashing techniques to make a frame with a weaved picture inside.
“I’ve been to choir all year and I love singing songs with my friends and with Mrs Whitehead. I also love Gardening Club and we took home the plants we planted to grow in our gardens!”
Olivia Penny
“I love being outdoors and running around. This club is great as you get to keep fit with your friends.”
Conor Marshall
“I love Ukulele Club because I learnt a new skill with my friends and we played some cool music. I particularly enjoyed performing with the whole group in the playground one lunchtime.” Gabriel Barot
“Playing Badminton is great fun and I get to improve each week.”
Kiran Liyanage
“I love sport and learning to play tennis was really fun!”
Jackson Thacker
The annual Autumn concert at St George’s Bristol has gained a reputation for wowing audiences and this year was no exception as the collaboration of voices from BGS Juniors and Seniors and pupils from Wansdyke Primary School created an unforgettable evening. This renowned concert hall provided the perfect setting for a night of music and unity that showcased the artistic flair and integrity of our pupils.
We ‘fixed it, fashioned it, primed it, polished it’ until it was all in full working order. From the starting blocks, Year 6 were all revved up and raring to go!
Throughout rehearsals we learnt how to navigate some shocking chicanes and hazardous hairpin bends whilst always trying to hit to the apex. Yes we had to make a few pit stops and avoid jumping the gun occasionally, but we did it all without blowing a gasket! With a bit of fine-tuning, we found ourselves in pole position, heading for the home straight and racing to the top of the podium!
We had reached peak performance levels just when it counted and won the race against time. The show was a roaring success. The hugely appreciative audience, who had buckled up and come along for the ride, were transported to a spectacular world of magic and madcap adventure, where it was clear that, for all the children, teamwork had made the dream work!
Mrs Scott-Wilson
One of the first key events of the year was the annual trip to Young Voices. It is such a special occasion and a joy to be part of, with all the Junior children that took part singing their hearts out along with over 3000 other primary school children. Well done to them all on being part of such a brilliant evening of singing and for representing BGS so well at this huge event. And thank you to parents and guardians for their support in the audience.
Year 4 were in full voice at the Bristol Beacon’s Summer Sing Schools’ Concert. Joining over 1,000 children from schools across Bristol, the massed singing event featured a live band, and the themes of determination and pride came through in the joyous song selection. The children had a brilliant time and here is what they had to say about it…
“I ENJOYED IT BECAUSE IT HAD A LOT OF SONGS THAT I LIKED! AND I LOVE THE BRISTOL BEACON.”
Mattie
Watt
The BGS Juniors Shakespeare Club has become a firm favourite amongst our budding Junior thespians. This theatrical club has built a reputation for putting on high calibre performances and this year was no exception. Family and friends were treated to a fantastic performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The pupils commanded the stage, delivering some tricky dialogue. Their acting was second to none thanks to the hard work with Mrs Scott-Wilson and at home. Well done to everyone performing.
“I LIKED THE CONCERT BECAUSE YOU GOT TO SING WITH OTHER SCHOOLS AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY.”
Ivo Shandiz
“I loved it because I love singing and I like concerts. The song choices were really good and the whole concert was so fun. The conductors were really kind and funny and I was happy to sing in front of the audience.”
Rosa Harris
“I thought the concert was amazing because we sang with many other schools. The band were really cool as were the lights!”
Edward Nettleton
“I thought it was really fun. My favourite thing to do is sing. I love performing and I’m looking forward to taking part in more concerts when I’m in Year 5.”
Sophia Spendley
“I LIKED THE CONCERT BECAUSE I JUST LOVE SINGING AND EVEN THOUGH I’M NOT THE BEST IT ALWAYS MAKES ME HAPPY AND MAKES ME SMILE.”
Libby Bendall
The Infants demonstrated amazing acting, super singing and daring dancing in their wonderful Summer production of Hats O . We enjoyed a trip to the busy and bustling Great Oak farm where Apple the pony searched for the perfect moment to wear his wonderful hat. The children guided us through the di5erent seasons and shone like stars in each of their performances. Well done to all the children for entertaining family and friends who came to watch this uplifting and heart-warming show. Mrs Conway
The Infants nativity was a charming production of A Little Bird Told Me which tells the story of a cold, snowy night in the middle of winter, where a little Robin is shivering away wishing he could be somewhere a little warmer. A little bird tells of some exciting news about the birth of a very special king far away in Bethlehem, and the Robin is invited to join a flock of birds flying south to visit the baby. On their way they meet shepherds, angels and wise men and come up with their own unique present for Jesus. It was a heart-warming performance; the Year 2s gave glittering recitals and delivered their lines with gusto, while Year 1 and Reception lit up the stage with their angelic dances. All the children did a wonderful job at spreading Christmas joy to one and all; we are very proud of them!
Our Teatime concerts never fail to delight parents and guardians who come to watch their children perform. As ever there was a superb showcase of the breadth of musical talent from pupils in Years 1-6 giving performances on the violin, piano, harp, drums, guitar as well as some super vocals. The confidence shown by our young musicians was fantastic. Well done to all children for giving us such a special Teatime treat.
This year’s MADD (Music, Art, Dance and Drama) did not disappoint as family and friends were treated to a spectacle of music, dance and drama from those children who wowed at the annual Performing Arts Day. It was a delight to witness the wealth of creative talent in the Junior School and lovely to see Boulton’s, Harmony Choir, orchestra, brass and string groups and individuals perform musical numbers and many others perform dances. Drama performances made the audience laugh and were great preparation for the up-andcoming LAMDA exams.
Pupils and sta& were treated to a fantastic rendition of Cinderella whose cast comprised of Junior pupils who chose Pantomime as their Friday afternoon activity. There was much hilarity and laughter as the audience lapped up the traditional fairy tale - it was a great way to celebrate the end of term and get everyone in the mood for Christmas.
Sports Day for the Juniors saw lots of fantastic performances.
Although the sun didn’t shine, there were plenty of smiles and cheering in support of each other. It was a colourful and uplifting sight to see the children proudly wearing their House T-shirts. Well done to everyone who ran, threw and jumped for their House and a big thank you to all our parents, guardians and families who came along to support, it was a really glorious day.
A large number of records were broken and it was one of the closest set of results in many years.
FIRST PLACE: PITT’S – 318 POINTS
SECOND PLACE: BOULTON’S – 316 POINTS
JOINT THIRD PLACE: MCGREGOR’S & GOUGH’S - 270 POINTS
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
Infant Sports Day is always such a delight as all the children take part with gusto and determination.
From the sack race and obstacle course to the egg and spoon race and javelin on the astro, all the children engaged brilliantly with all the activities. Loud cheers from the sidelines from family and friends all added to the occasion.
Particular praise should go to the Year 6 children who gave such great encouragement and support to our youngest children.
Year 3 did themselves proud in their first ever House rugby event with Pitt’s coming out on top. Boulton’s came through as champions in Year 4, and in Year 5 Pitt’s ended up victorious. A very strong team from Year 6 Gough’s made them deserved winners. All the boys played with great team spirit.
Despite a very rainy and windy day in May, Year 6 got stuck in and enjoyed their House Cricket matches. Boulton’s were the overall winners, and Lekha Walter, Lewis Mather, Lucas Probert, Isla Kirkland, Freya Rayner, Laura Briones-Williams and Poppy Ernst were each awarded a certificate for excellent sportsmanship.
In contrast, Year 5 played their House Cricket on a hot sunny day with two very close tournaments. McGregor’s won, winning five out of their six games. Sportsmanship awards went to: Elizabeth Sulzmann, Rishi Mackenzie, Leone Canini, Max Durrance, Harry Liu, John Parshall, Seb Cowie, Freddie Orton, Rhys ChesterGlyn, Reuben Howard and Mr McGimpsey.
All the players did extremely well working together, showcasing their cricket skills and showing sportsmanship throughout each afternoon.
The girls showed super teamwork in their House Hockey matches. Pitt’s were the winners for both Year 3 and 4. Year 5 and 6 girls played enthusiastically on an icy afternoon at Failand with Pitt’s triumphant for Year 5 and Boulton’s for Year 6.
Well done to all Year 3 swimmers who showed fantastic team spirit and enthusiasm at their House swimming gala. It was won by Pitt’s, with Boulton’s coming second, McGregor’s third and last but not least Gough’s in fourth place.
Perfect running weather welcomed the Juniors to Failand for the 2024 House Cross Country competition. Everyone gave their all and ran with commitment and determination gaining important points to increase the chances of their House winning the competition. It was fantastic to see such great levels of support, encouragement and camaraderie. Well done to Pitt’s House who were the overall winners.
Year 5 and 6 girls came together on a sunny afternoon for a series of mini-matches. Ranging from experienced, seasoned players to complete novices, all the girls played with vigour and the matches were very close with scores on the board from all four Houses.
1st: Gough’s
Joint 2nd: Boulton’s and McGregor’s 3rd: Pitt’s
Most Valued Players as nominated by their teammates: Ayesha Craig (Gough’s), Alice Lillie (McGregor’s), Sophia Patacsi (Boulton’s) and Orla Whitehead (Pitt’s).
It was great to see so many Juniors keenly competing in a variety of Swimming Galas this year.
In May, 31 pupils represented BGS in a Swimming Gala against Badminton and for some this was their first ever gala. All swimmers performed brilliantly leading to a successful win. 20 Juniors competed in the Penguins Gala Final at Easton Leisure Centre. Pupils swam in individual events and relays and BGS proudly finished in fifth place. Henry Rogers and Georgina Howard received Silver medals for their individual events, 25m Backstroke and 25m Breaststroke respectively and Lottie Davis received a Bronze Medal for 25m Breaststroke.
In June, there was success at the Bristol Schools Gala. All swimmers swam well, with Benjamin Howard winning a Bronze medal in the 25m Breaststroke. BGS reached the finals of the Boys’ Medley and Freestyle relays and the Girls’ Freestyle relay. Our six strong relay team also qualified for the finals.
Well done to all the swimmers and thanks to all the sta5 who support the children at these competitions.
BGS Juniors took part in what was their first cross country relay competition in a few years. Held at Sidcot School, the wet weather did not deter our five teams. They ran through boggy ground with true grit, passed the baton brilliantly and paced themselves well. A big thank you to all the supporters who came to cheer us on.
At the Downs School Cross Country Races, our U11 runners did brilliantly and for many this was their first cross country event. There were three individual podium places, the U11 girls came first and the U11 boys came second.
In June, eight Year 6 pupils competed as part of the Southwest team at the National Prep Schools’ Athletics Championships held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. All the competitors did so well in what was a very strong field. Congratulations to Henry Rogers who came third in the 800m and Lucy Barnes who came second in the Long Jump. Well done also to Charlie Barnes, Leo Bann, Hari Pal, Flynn Gillings, Rhodri Chester-Glyn and Loki Down. It was a fantastic experience for these pupils, and they should all be extremely proud of their achievements.
It was a busy Autumn term for girls’ hockey where all year groups worked hard in their Games lessons, developing their passing and dribbling skills and learning about the tactics of the games.
As well as playing in variety of regular matches against our local competitors including Redmaids’ High School, Clifton High School and King Edward’s School, Bath. The U8s also enjoyed the opportunity to play at a festival at the Downs School, as did the U9s at the Clifton College festival. Two U10 teams represented BGS at an invitation hockey tournament at Millfield School where the U10As came joint third and the U10Bs came second in their groups, winning bronze and silver medals respectively.
“This year the U11s really enjoyed playing in the IAPS tournament. We played brilliantly in the group stages with wins over Cheltenham College, King’s School, St Albans School, Wycli e College and The Elms School. We were delighted to have finished top of our group but were unlucky to lose 1-0 to Clifton College in the quarter final. Though we were upset that we lost we realised how far we have all come and what a great experience it was.”
Alba Hirt-Fernandez
“I really enjoyed netball this year and the support from the team was amazing. IAPS was a super fun experience, which I will never forget. Our first match of the season was against Clifton High School where we had a comfortable win. We came second at a tournament at Millfield School and took part in one at Badminton School where we played well and there were some great skills on show. In our training sessions we learnt tactics and techniques to improve our defending performance. We are looking forward to playing more netball in the Senior School.”
Ayesha Craig
“At the start of the rugby term we had a training session to get to grips with our teammates. We were all excited to be playing again! We played many matches during the term and a highlight for the U11As was playing in the IAPS rugby tournament held at Sherborne School. During the six matches, we demonstrated a tremendous amount of teamwork, and played extremely well during all six games. We won three, drew one and lost two. Even though we came third overall, everyone was really happy about our performance, it was clear how much e5ort was put in and how we much love the sport here at BGS!”
Jack Werndle
The boys also had a good run in their hockey season. U10s performed well during a tournament held at Collegiate School, where they did not concede a goal. There were also some good results against Millfield School - U11As won 4-0, U11Bs won 3-2, U10As drew 3-3 and U10Bs lost a close game, the final result being 1-0. Such great results clearly shows that the boys are making excellent progress in hockey.
“The U11s had a fantastic season. We started by winning the Avon County Hockey Championships which led to a place in the Southwest Regional Finals. Before the finals we first headed o5 to Taunton to play in an IAPS tournament. We came second in the pool matches and then progressed to the cup competition and beat Taunton School 2-0 in the quarter final. We met Millfield School in the semi-finals, it was a very close game but were pipped at the post and lost 0-1. We were still proud to bring home a third-place medal.
On to the regional finals where the top fourteen teams from the U11 Southwest County Championships met to play at Millfield. We were unbeaten winning against Salisbury Cathedral, St Hilary’s, and West Buckland School in the pool matches. The pace then stepped up and we beat The Downs in the semi-final and Taunton Preparatory School in the final. We scored 16 goals in total (only conceded 2) and were so excited to be crowned the Regional winners. What a way to end the season! Our perseverance had paid o5 and we have all grown as individuals and as a team. Well done to Henry Rogers, Hari Pal, Charlie Barnes, Benjamin Howard, Edward Wescott, Luke Tomlinson, Alex Spreadbury, Leo Bann, Seb Dorbin and Ben McIntosh.”
Alex Spreadbury
“When the cricket season started, in preparation for our first match we all enjoyed doing the drills and practising at the cricket nets with the boys. It was very exciting when Mrs Penny announced that five team members would be playing in an IAPS tournament. Although we tried our best, sadly we didn’t make it to the finals. I really enjoyed the mixed boys and girls House cricket and I hope to continue my love of cricket through my time in the Senior School.”
Sanvi Thumma
The U11 IAPS football team enjoyed a lively day of football at Portsmouth Grammar School. They finished third in their group taking them through to the Shield competition. All the girls played well and worked hard to improve their game. It was lovely to meet some of the Portsmouth Ladies team.
A super experience for everyone!
“The U11 cricket team had a fantastic season reaching the final of the IAPS tournament at Millfield School. We started the day by winning our group with victories over: RGS Worcester, Farleigh School and King Edward Preparatory School. In the semi-final, we beat The Elms School and faced Millfield in the final. It was a close game which Millfield won by just 11 runs. Even though we lost the final we showed perseverance from the start to the end. A special well done to Noah Price for being awarded most improved cricketer and well done to Leo Bann for being awarded best cricketer.”
Anay Misra
The U11 boys season included playing in two tournaments. The first was an ISFA competition at Clifton College. They won their first match 2-0 and then went on to beat Millfield School 1-0. BGS topped their group without conceding a goal and the boys faced Truro in the quarter finals. BGS went 1-0 up but Truro equalised in the dying seconds which meant a penalty shootout. The boys were victorious and it was back to face Millfield in the semifinals. Sadly, Millfield proved to be too strong and won the match 1-0. The team should be proud of their e5orts and the progress that they have made this year.
The second tournament was at Millfield for the annual IAPS. The first match saw a 5-0 victory with Lucas Probert scoring a hat trick. The second match was a hard fought 2-0 loss but in the next couple of matches, the goals began to flow again with Loki Down, Leo Bann, Henry Rogers and Harry Liu all finding the target. Henry Yates performed admirably in goal, before being brave enough to step up and take a penalty in the quarter-finals, with an excellent defensive partnership of Luke Tomlinson and Leo Bann. Charlie Barnes and Rhodri Chester-Glyn were outstanding in midfield. An unfortunate 1-0 loss against the eventual champions, Millfield, saw the boys qualify from their group in third place. The quarterfinal was a tense game and ended 0-0 after extra time. It was then down to penalties which resulted in the boys being knocked out but they should all be proud of their performance, individually and collectively.
Mr Manley
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91:;,y 51a(4 62 73.668 Liv Daniels, Elizabeth Opoku-Denkyi
71n)6r O:1ra,)6n4 0r1213,4 Pat Bland, Yago Bailon Gonzalez, Rory Denison, Olwyn Lewis-Bowen, Zoey Starke
71n)6r 7)x,. F6r@ 0r1213,4 Riccardo Casali, Sophie Winfield
7)x,. F6r@ 0r1213,4 Ibrahim Alsaiyad, Sophie Chapman, Valentin Gay, Wun Man, Alissa van Duijneveldt
71n)6r A1ar 7 0r1213,4 Sam Stevens, Zara Wolfenden
A1ar 7 0r1213,4 Elizabeth Allen-Jones, Lizzie Clark, Esme Gouldsmith, Evan Gunawardena, Sofea Olpin, Emily Thomas
71n)6r 56;41 0r1213,4 Laura Boyle, Holly Morey, Micheal Kelly, Sophie Robinson, Henry Jervis, Maddie Portal, Rosa Gainsborough, Izabela Pietruszynska, Louisa Brown, Jasmine Lock, Tilly Boss, Clem Stokes
56;41 0r1213,4 Keira Devereux, Alexander Eastman, Harry Goudge, Naomi Parsons, Orla Webster, Teresa Mejo, Can Pehivanoglu, Prithija Perem, Lara Smith, Damon Watt, Lauren Briggs, Dominic Glydon, Matthew Merlin-Cone, Isaac Robinson, Archie Tucker, Ashton Clarke, Ollie Martin, Grace O’Brien, Oliver Mainwaring, Zoe Wakling, Gwil Davies, Alex El-Husseini, Samuel Greenish, Lucy Richardson, Kelly Wang, Anya Comer, Isla Comer, Jessie Mitchell, Aryan Nejabati, Nicholas Pestell, Isla Tunstall
It has been an absolute joy and privilege to be Head of School this year. I am grateful for the experience and, to all my loyal subjects, I am thankful to have been part of a community which I can look back upon only with pride. Exacting my tyrannical rule over all of you – alongside Liz Opoku-Denkyi and Liv Daniels – has been nothing short of an honour.
Humour aside, I do wish to extend a ‘thank you’ to everyone in the school community for enabling every student to thrive. Having worked with students and sta5 alike to strengthen pupil voice and improve the inclusivity of our school, I can truly appreciate the BGS community for all it does to foster creativity, talent and expression, alongside making students feel they’re safe and as though they belong. I firmly believe that none of this would be possible without the support and encouragement of the sta5 in every branch of the School, who help to build a community founded on principles of kindness, empathy and support. Over the years, I’ve seen how we as a school have striven to move past merely tolerating or accepting di5erence within our community, to actively celebrating the di5erent identities among our sta5 or pupil body. So, to all sta5, I’d like to extend a sincere ‘thank you’ from me and all my peers this year.
As a school, we shall always face challenges, but I am put at ease by the strength of this community to come together and overcome any hardships we may meet. It is this, I feel – alongside the opportunities we are given and the aforementioned community we are lucky enough to be a part of – which makes BGS such a fantastic school (and Independent Secondary School of the Year, South West!).
I have no doubts that this sentiment will only increase as time goes on.
Finally, I should like to thank my two deputies, Liz and Liv. Without them this year – indeed this role – could not have been half as enjoyable
or successful as it has been. They have truly been the best team I could have ever asked for, and have really helped to reach the wider school community and bring to life new initiatives and campaigns as suggested by the pupils. If I’m being perfectly honest, I should echo what I have said to almost everyone when asked about what my role truly involves; it was Liz and Liv who did all the work, and I was but a pretty face. So, to both of you, I thank you with all my heart.
I have no doubts that the Top Three next year will continue our legacy. If you are still reading this, I think it’s only fitting that I wish you to go forth from here full of kindness, integrity and rigour, whatever this School and the future may hold for you. From the bottom of my heart I wish you all the very, very best.
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After an arduous, eight-month application process involving personal statement, portfolio review, presentation and interview, at the start of the academic year we learnt that Lower Sixth-former Ben Branston had obtained a coveted Arkwright Scholarship for Design Technology. Ben will now receive funding to support his projects, mentoring from engineering professionals, and access to exclusive events.
This is a highly-competitive process – fewer than four hundred scholarships are awarded nationally – open to all Year 11 pupils undertaking STEM subjects and aspiring to study some form of Engineering at a higher level so we were delighted to end the school year with the news that Year 11 pupil Anya Olenik had followed in Ben’s footsteps and also secured an Arkwright Scholarship. The DT team is justifiably proud of Ben and Anya’s achievements and hopes more Arkwright Scholarships will come BGS’s way in future.
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In Summer 2023 the Sixthform Economists were given the opportunity to enter The London School of Economics’s essay competition, submitting a 1,500-word response to one of six titles o5ered, and applying their economic theory to real world debates. Isla Tunstall chose to answer ‘How can policymakers balance incentivising pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring potentially lifesaving drugs remain a5ordable for consumers?’.
Researching the process of pharmaceutical innovation and the drug trial process, Isla discovered that the innovation phase – where the drugs are discovered and non-human trials take place – occurred mainly in the public sector, in universities. She also found that the real expense in the drug process is the human trial, and concluded that a way to keep drug-prices down could involve using an academic platform trial rather than a human trial run by pharmaceutical companies. This reduces the risk level for pharma companies, and means more drugs will make it to trial. Nearly a thousand students entered answers to this question, and Isla achieved third place; it was a significant achievement in a prestigious competition, and everyone in the Economics Department is immensely proud of her.
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n November 2023 six BGS Year 10 and 11 pupils took part in the annual WorldWise Geography Quiz, organised by the Royal Geographical Society. The challenge involved other Bristol schools, and questions on every kind of Geography … from volcanoes to potholes, Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe, the highest waterfall to the deepest lake. We had to interpret Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s and use our practical fieldwork skills to identify di5erent meteorological instruments. Seeing pictures of faraway landmarks and learning facts about di5erent areas stretched our imagination, as it made us reflect on the fascinating places we’d like to visit one day, such as ice lakes in Canada and Hungarian rivers.
The atmosphere was suspenseful, as we didn’t know who topped the leader-board, yet it was very enjoyable! Thanks to the impressive setting inside Bristol University’s Wills Memorial Building and (most importantly!) the entertaining Geography, everyone had a brilliant time. BGS garnered commendable placings, considering the number of teams taking part: Naomi Penney, Lucy Goring and Georgie Richards achieved sixth, and Miranda Box, Rhiannon Green and Hannah Temple came fourth. We congratulated the winning team from Fairfield School.
Overall, we found this a really valuable experience that honed our Geography skills. We’re sure BGS will return next year with some eager new explorers.
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In November BGS hosted a Languages event called ‘The Word is Not Enough’, which was organised by Business Language Champions in partnership with GCHQ. In addition to welcoming students from three other schools, and their parents, a number of BGS Year 10 pupils took part in what proved to be a fantastic and informative day for all involved.
Cate Harvey reports for German: ‘The event was an opportunity to apply my language skills to real-world, highstakes situations. This sometimes involved languages – Arabic, Chinese and Korean – we had experienced only through taster sessions that very day. A codebreaking task also employed skills from other subjects, such as the ciphers work we had done in Computing.’
Paddy Ahern, for Spanish: ‘We enjoyed the positive atmosphere that GCHQ created, which fostered hard work on the problems at hand. One task involved guessing idiomatic expressions, which caused us to think of language in a more intuitive way, and approach our curricular languages with new passion. The event o5ered a great opportunity to connect with other Bristol schools, and solve problems collaboratively.’
ith the Economics ‘A’ level and IB specifications in mind, Sixth-form students visited The Watershed to listen to two lectures held as part of the Bristol Festival of Economics. The first centred on the future of food in the UK, discussing how the cost of living has a5ected demand and consumption, environmental and health concerns, and solutions available to individuals.
The most intriguing line of debate asked who is responsible for paying to cover the negative externalities and provide our social benefits: we the consumers, or the food producers, or the supermarkets and wholesalers? This arose particularly from the health scares, and disruption to chains of production, resulting from Covid 19.
Sumedha Das Chowdhury, for French: ‘We were tasked with solving a drugs case … in French: we had quests, code words and even disguises! We competed against brilliant teams from other schools in various languages and came second overall. It was informative and exciting, meeting people from so many di5erent backgrounds: many of us wanted to know more about careers in GCHQ!
Leo Margetts, for Russian: ‘The day involved engaging Russian practice, and ended with an absorbing presentation of di5erent transport networks and major cities in the country of our chosen language. It was enjoyable working with my classmates to complete these challenges, and the involvement of GCHQ members made it all the more interesting and
Year 11’s Anvith Sujay distinguished himself in an ‘Everyday Engineering’ competition, run by the Royal Academy of Engineering, which solicited ideas and creations aiming to make daily life more sustainable. Anvith, along with a team-mate from another school, reached the final three alongside entries from graduate students –a most impressive achievement.
His idea, ‘Ecoponics’, involves a stackable, vertical farming system that allows more plants to be grown in less space, without fertilisers or soil. He was ‘ecstatic’ to learn of his success, and commented that he ‘… would definitely like to turn Ecoponics into a reality.’
At present Anvith is contemplating a career in software engineering, focusing on AI, cyber-security and machine learning. ‘Developing code for products such as Ecoponics is extremely interesting to me,’ he said, ‘because it involves making di5erent products communicate using computing methodology. I hope to pursue this after my time at BGS.’ p 'I)Ca)8
The second talk, ‘What is the future for Generation Alpha?’, provided a fairly dismal analysis of falling fertility rates, the cost-ofliving crisis, and the impact of urbanisation while house prices are rising faster than incomes. Insights from the panel of speakers, however, introduced ideas about the future of a technology-based workforce, and the use of AI as an asset rather than something to fear.
It was a great opportunity to go to this Bristol-based event and be inspired by panels of experts both local and national.
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In December 2023 BGS was named ‘Southwest Independent Secondary School of the Year 2024’ in the Sunday Times ‘Parent Power’ Schools’ Guide, which ranks schools by the first true set of post-pandemic examination results. Its editor, Helen Davies, said that the Guide not only showcases academic excellence but also celebrates schools ‘…helping pupils flourish. Being a teenager is hard enough, and the past few years since Covid have made life even harder.’ It also includes details about extra-curricular clubs, wellbeing initiatives … and lunch menus. BGS Head, Jaideep Barot, commented that the accolade was for the whole School, and expressed his gratitude to pupils, sta5 and the wider community. He felt that the values underpinning such success run throughout the School, as BGS continues to develop young adults of integrity and character, ready to make a real and lasting di5erence in the world that awaits them. ‘Our work’, he said, ‘is about getting each child to a place they never thought they’d be.’
The award mentions BGS’s mission to enable a quarter of all pupils to hold Bursary Awards by 2032, the School’s fivehundredth anniversary. Himself the former recipient of an assisted place at Manchester Grammar School, Mr Barot has a firm belief in widening access. He opines that if the School attracts the ‘brightest, hungriest minds’ then it lifts the whole place, and he wants such opportunities to be available to everyone who could benefit from them.
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‘Our work is about getting each child to a place they never thought they’d be’
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On Friday 15 March we celebrated the 492nd anniversary of the award of our Royal Charter in a service at Bristol Cathedral. Our Charter Day service is always a memorable celebration of our community, and a reminder, with the great fortune we have had, of our responsibility to serve others. We are grateful to Old Bristolian, the Reverend James Harris who gave the address at this year’s service, and to the Lord Mayor and the many former pupils, sta& and governors who joined us in marking Bristol Grammar School’s long history and its ongoing contribution to our city.
Year 7 got to experience a Russian and Art workshop, and learnt about Russian clay toys and their history in the country. We were split into groups of two Houses to create our own clay sculptures, inspired by Russian filimonovo toys that had been brought in for us to look at. Filimonovo was named after the town in south-west Russia where the toys were created. Children in the village would make whistles, or get them from the sozdatel’ igrushek (toymaker). Many styles existed, some still practised today, others lost to history.
The whistles and dolls created in Filimonovo were painted in bright shades of yellow, red and green, with various shapes and patterns representing di5erent elements. I chose to look at the whistles, which made a three-tone sound emanating from the three holes in their design. Most were painted yellow with the red and green patterns on top, because the vibrant yellow provides a much better base for colour than the blueish-grey clay they use, from the Tula region. I really enjoyed being able to experiment with the clay and exploring the history of the toys as we moulded it.
As well as making our own sculptures, we painted wooden birds inspired by the toys. We took advantage of the various types of patterns and their symbolism to create an intricate and detailed display. We used circles to represent water, lines to represent plants and triangles to represent mountains. It was a great experience, and I’m really looking forward to learning more about Russian culture and exploring other art events in the future.
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On 18 March we welcomed Jim Hancock for a talk, and a question-and-answer session, about his career as a political journalist and his ongoing involvement writing, broadcasting and lecturing on current a5airs and on the impact of social media on today’s politics. During his long and varied career Jim was, among many other things, political editor for BBC North-West and for Granada (the original North-West franchise for ITV). He has interviewed every prime minister from Harold Wilson (1964–70 and 1974–76) to Boris Johnson (2019–22). His session at BGS was very well attended by students interested both in politics and journalism: they listened, enraptured, to
his anecdotes, ranging from his narrowly escaping the Brighton bombing at the Conservative Party conference in 1984 to an impromptu interview with prime minister Theresa May after spotting her across a co5ee-shop. He then proved himself an avid and superbly well-informed observer of contemporary political developments (despite having ‘formally retired’ from journalism in 2006) by expertly fielding questions on the recent Tucker Carlson/ Vladimir Putin interview, the implications of the rise of Reform UK, and how best to secure a face-to-face interview with a politician in today’s 24-hour real-time news cycle … and many, many more.
For his part, Mr Hancock was hugely impressed with the calibre of the questioning from the students in attendance, and has already o5ered to come in again next year. This should provide a significant boon in the ongoing quest to promote political awareness and engagement across the school community.
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On 19 Ear3. BGS was delighted to welcome prize-winning and highly-acclaimed YA fiction author Luke Palmer, who delivered an inspiring talk and an informative workshop.
In place of first period, the whole of Year 10 listened to a talk from Mr Palmer, in which he told us about his artistic method and authorial craft. We learned that inspiration for art can come from anywhere: for example, he took inspiration from his experience as a teacher for his first novel Grow, a story about the radicalisation of a fifteen year-old. He also explored the ways that reading stimulates the brain, showing us scans that reveal how brain activity after reading, and after running a marathon, are remarkably similar! Towards the end of the session he read us an extract from his second and most recent novel Play, which he said was his favourite of the two because he had written characters that he most associated with himself.
In the workshops that followed Luke Palmer spoke about the importance of convincing the reader to ‘suspend their disbelief’. We practised this with an exercise in surrealism. He also encouraged us to not be hermits, saying ‘get used to sharing your work’, because ‘writing is a more collaborative process than people think’. Finally, he insisted on the importance of stories having a ‘sense of change’: they must not remain static, and something monumental needs to have taken place by the end, or the reader’s time will have been wasted.
In some small way, we hope we have been able to apply some of Mr Palmer’s time-honoured rules here.
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On 20 Ear3. our Year 10 and 11 Russian students had the delightful opportunity to visit the University of Bristol for a Russian and Czech talent show. All performances were amazing, most notably from BGS’s Mark Velichko from Year 11, who played the oboe, and his brother Anton who, aged only ten, excelled on the bassoon. The two performed March from the famous Nutcracker ballet, after which both read poems in Russian.
The performers encouraged us all to sing along to the song Povorot by Mashina Vremeni, which everyone enjoyed. On top of this, Shen Xar Venaxi and Ligo, folk songs in Georgian and Latvian respectively, were performed by the Russian and Czech Department Choir, again with audience participation. One of our favourite songs, however, was the Czech ballad Přijdu Hned, skilfully and beautifully played on the balalaika, a traditional Russian instrument akin to a guitar.
Next came some sketches set in Soviet Russia, spoken in Russian, which raised many laughs with their unexpected and entertaining plot twists. Dialog u televizora (Dialogue at the TV) was the last performance of the evening, featuring every performer, and it was one of our favourite sketches.
After the talent show we were greeted with delicious Russian food and drinks, and audience and performers had a chance to sing Russian songs together, including the famous folksong Kalinka, which was very enjoyable. We are thankful to Mr Hartle and Mr Hawkins for making this possible, and are looking forward to the next opportunity.
2 ':r)8 2024 saw the Grand Final of the prestigious Gabblers’ Club public speaking competition. Gabblers is a unique Bristol institution, providing Lower-sixth students from across the city’s schools with the opportunity to hone their oratorial skills through a series of afterdinner speaking engagements, receiving expert feedback throughout.
BGS’s Gabbler, Seth Mason, excelled throughout the competition, delivering witty and perceptive speeches on the topics of ‘On a Roll’, ‘All the World’s a Stage’ and ‘All that Glitters’.
These dinners culminated in a blacktie Grand Final at the Bristol Hotel, where students performed before an audience of hundreds. Seth was supported by family, friends, teachers and our reigning BGS Gabbler, Liz Opoku-Denkyi, as he competed with over twenty talented rivals for the coveted title of Gabbler of the Year 2024.
Seth’s topic was ‘The Spice of Life’, and he delivered a speech full of ingenious twists and turns – from Geri Halliwell to gastronomic mishaps, Heinz Baked Beans to the human mind. Underlying Seth’s humour were life-a6rming insights into appreciating the joy of the everyday, and celebrating diversity, both culinary and cultural. His evocative imagery, perfect comic timing and ability to combine poignancy with hilarity were a recipe for richly-deserved success: to our delight, he was crowned winner of the competition. Congratulations to Seth on this superb achievement!
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Two trees have been planted on the school site in memory of Paul Abrams. Paul, who sadly passed away in July 2023, was a member of the BGS maintenance team for more than fifteen years, known and loved by many throughout the school community.
T.1 ,r114, a hawthorn –appropriately named ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ – and a flowering cherry, are planted on the Elton Road elevation of 1532 and the wildflower bank outside the Mackay Theatre respectively. Alongside each tree is a plaque remembering Paul. These were unveiled at a memorial service in April attended by many of his family and friends. The trees will provide a lasting place here at BGS for us to remember Paul and all that he gave to our community.
In Ear3. a team of BGS Active Travel Ambassadors – Year 7 pupils Charlie Fiddell and Ellie Young, and Astrid Vaught in Year 8 – presented their Active Travel proposal to a panel of experts and five other schools at Bristol City Hall. The team had planned a park and stride awareness campaign in June to encourage families to park further from school and walk the last section of their journey. The campaign aimed to help pupils with their physical and mental wellbeing and tackle congestion and the associated air pollution issues around the school site in the mornings. The team secured a £200 grant and an additional £25 as the panel were so impressed. The council then pledged an extra £200 to support the team.
When their campaign launched in June, the initiative helped raise awareness of alternative ways to travel to BGS and reduce tra6c around the site; in October their car survey counted over 100 cars in 10 minutes on Elton Road. During June’s campaign week this had dropped to under 50, and although it rose slightly again the following week, there was still a marked reduction in car numbers from the October benchmark. We are grateful to everyone who has considered how they travel to BGS and supported the ATAs in their mission to make the area around our school cleaner and safer for us all. Thank you also to the ATA team, whose hard work played a huge part in ensuring BGS was reaccredited as ‘Good’ by ModeShift, recognising our e5orts to promote and provide e5ective travel plans which highlight sustainability and active travel.
The BGS Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition returned in 2024 for its 20th instalment. Open to the whole BGS community – pupils from Reception to Upper Sixth, and parents, guardians, sta and OBs –the entrants are invited to share photographs celebrating the wonder and beauty of the natural world.
As in previous years, the competition was judged by a guest judge from the world of wildlife photography and filmmaking; this year we welcomed wildlife cameraman Olly Scholey whose career has taken him across the world, working on both BBC and Netflix wildlife productions. We are grateful to Olly for giving up his time so generously to judge the competition – another year of bumper entries ensured this was no easy task.
Thank you to everyone who entered and supported the competition and congratulations to our category winners and this year’s BGS Wildlife Photographer of the Year, William Stone from Year 9.
the Thinkers in Education team returned to BGS with further exciting ‘stretch and challenge’ workshops.
In the one-hour ‘CSI Forensic Anthropology’ workshop, Year 7 scholars grappled with a mystery involving bones and a code found in a partly-buried car. Joshie Broddle, a Year 7 academic scholar, writes:
‘It was an amazing experience to go outside my comfort zone; it showcased the pressure on detectives solving criminal cases. We worked against time, measuring bones and finding the connections between them.’
‘Pandemic’ workshop, Year 8 and Year 9 scholars used ELISA tests to trace the point of viral origin, and develop a blood treatment from people with immunity. Alexander Shields, a Year 8 academic scholar, writes:
in a full-day ‘Bunkered!’ workshop, Year 10 scholars had to manage a di5erent sort of crisis, an asteroid hurtling toward Earth! Year 10 teams appointed engineers to design survival bunkers and build generators to power them. They also appointed medical sta5 to diagnose genetic disorders in potential candidates for each bunker.
Evie Toy, a Year 10 academic scholar, writes:
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L1 ar1 (18)C.,1( to report that Kandara Acharya and Naomi Penney in Y%1* 11, who took part in the prestigious annual competition for the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators, have been awarded commendations for German.
Sixteen thousand students participated in the prize this academic year, so their success in the translation (a passage from a novel by Susan Kreller, entitled Elektrische Fische) is a significant achievement. Very well done to both.
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‘ We had to decide how we were going to test for Ebola, carrying out blood tests; a steady hand was needed to administer antibodies. We analysed our results, using an interaction list to pinpoint the source of the disease, and limit case numbers within our country. I really enjoyed applying science skills and learning about communication within teams.’
‘I really enjoyed the variety of tasks, particularly the DNA extraction task from a banana, and creating our own electrical circuit. The event tested skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and working at speed. Using formulae we calculated how to spend our team’s money, and we enjoyed answering questions about what we had learnt. Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and intellectuallystimulating day.’
This year students on the Bristol Education Partnership Student Leader Programme attended six workshops across Bristol, visiting a di5erent partner school each time.
The programme addresses various aspects of leadership and teaches us how to develop essential skills, giving opportunities to put them into action. A session in September introduced the course and what makes a good leader; then we started to get to know our fellow participants, from schools serving a diverse range of communities across the city.
Subsequent sessions were themed according to key characteristics of being a leader: teamwork, time management, public speaking and more. We also had a workshop on conflict, where we considered a variety of approaches to resolving disputes, and tried them in practical scenarios.
At the end of the course we collaborated on a ‘social action project’, working as a team to contribute back to the community on a topic of our choice. We decided to give an assembly to the Year 7s on time management and safe social media use: many of them have – or will soon be getting – ’phones, so we thought it would have a positive impact on that Year-group.
In addition, after every session we were given follow-on tasks to consolidate our learning at home: coaching another student, writing a short speech, shadowing a leader to understand their daily challenges and the skills required for the role. These tasks reinforced what we had learnt in the sessions, by applying the concepts to everyday life, as well as building our confidence as leaders of the future. Overall we really enjoyed the course, and were extremely grateful for the opportunity to develop these skills. p Dan3y F6I1r,46n
In June fifteen studious pupils from Years 9 and 10 were invited to take part in the Bristol Education Partnership’s ‘Inspiring Innovation’ event at the University of Bristol’s Department of Chemistry.
The day started with an exciting and inspiring lecture from Dr Sabine Hauert, from the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, on how swarms of intelligent robots can be programmed, based on behavioural patterns found in nature, to perform complex tasks e6ciently and safely. Examples ranged from the targeted release of cancer medication within the body to searching for wildfires in large, remote areas.
Following this, the pupils worked with peers from local schools to gain handson experience, in a series of interactive workshops, of how STEM can be utilised in research and industry. They covered how 3D imaging can be used on construction sites to manage safety and assure quality; how chemistry has been used to find out what was in a seven thousand year-old pot; how composite materials based on those found in nature can be used in design and innovation; the exciting emerging technologies of virtual and augmented reality; how we probe the unseen using radiation; using touch and light to create music; how aircraft fuselage design has been inspired by feathers, as well as how observing woodpeckers has helped to drive the design of e6cient, modern wind turbines.
Those attending were a real credit to the School and gained a great deal from the experience. They are currently designing a display piece to share what they learned, so do pop by the Chemistry corridor to take a look when it’s completed.
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Primary Music Outreach in the Music department has continued to flourish, and our partnerships with schools and institutions across the city continues to develop. In the Autumn, as Primary Music Outreach Coordinator, I devised a six-lesson scheme of work and teaching resources for a unison outreach choir to sing six movements of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon (which celebrated its fiftieth birthday this year).
Fortnightly hour-long sessions were delivered to sixty pupils across Years 5 and 6 at Wansdyke Primary School.
Through these sessions, I delivered National Curriculum Music at KS2, embedding technical keywords, partsinging, performing confidence, and inculcating a love of music through ensemble singing. This culminated on 22 November in the Dark Side of the Moon performance at St George’s Concert Hall, alongside 95 of our own pupils and BGS Junior School Harmony Choir.
‘Mr Morris’s lessons have changed my life since he taught us. Whenever I sing at the top of my lungs, I feel that I’m expressing my soul. It’s changed my mind and maybe I want to be a music teacher in the future too. My heart races when I sing at the top of my lungs. It makes me want to get my piano back out from the top of my cupboard’ (Year 5 pupil, Wansdyke Primary School).
‘The children have commented on the improvement of their self-belief and their confidence performing, as well as their enjoyment of Mr Morris’s lessons. The opportunity for the children to perform with other schools at amazing venues has been a once- (hopefully twice- for some!) in-alifetime opportunity’ (teacher, Wansdyke Primary School).
The Spring term was exceptionally exciting for outreach, as links with the newly-opened and refurbished Bristol Beacon have been established through regular meetings, team teaching and lesson observations. In meetings with the Beacon, we established a ‘heat map’ of where there were gaps in Primary Music provision across the city, and our mutual action plan to improve this across our respective outreach work. I attended the Royal Opera House Create and Sing; Magic Flute Inset for Teachers in January, looking at exploring a scheme of work devised for KS2 exploring the opera. This I delivered to Shirehampton Primary School Year 5s across weekly sessions in the Spring term, culminating in a fantastic class performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute to the pupils and parents in late April.
Plans for the Summer term include integrating our Music Scholars into our annual outreach workshop, following the success of Birdwell ABRSM 200 last year, and a musical performance linked to class topics. I thank all in the Department who have helped to support the outreach work this year. Stay tuned! p M.ar8)1 E6rr)4
In June BGS hosted a vibrant Children’s Theatre Festival, showcasing the talents of over a hundred pupils from Years 7 to 9. The blend of puppetry, masks, and fairytale performances enchanted an audience of two hundred in the MacKinnon Theatre, including students and sta from local primary schools.
The festival was designed to entertain and inspire young minds from Bowsland Primary, Crockerne Primary, Connaught Primary, and our own Year 3. Each group brought their unique energy to the event, making it a memorable day for everyone involved.
A diverse array of performances highlighted participants’ creativity and dedication. Puppetry added a whimsical touch, bringing handmade characters to life through skilful manipulation and storytelling. Mask performances allowed young actors to explore expression and character portrayal. Using imaginative twists, fairytale segments transported the audience to magical realms: for many it was a first experience with live theatre, making the event even more special.
When asked what they enjoyed most about being involved in the event, the student performers shared a variety of heartfelt responses: ‘performing to the little ones and seeing them smile’; ‘interaction with the kids’; ‘the enthusiasm in the compèring’; ‘that I got to hear all the laughs from the children, and how much fun it was overall’; ‘chatting with friends’; ‘making children laugh and be happy’; ‘having the opportunity to perform in front of crowds outside of lessons’.
The festival fostered a sense of community and collaboration among local schools; the hard work and dedication of students, teachers and sta5 highlighted the importance of arts education and the joy it can bring to both performers and audiences. The smiles of the young audience were a testament to the festival’s impact. We look forward to continuing this tradition, nurturing the next generation of performers and fostering a lifelong love for the arts.
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We looked at the theme of ‘Time’ as we celebrated all things STEM at BGS for the thirtieth anniversary of British Science Week. Some of our Year 12 STEM scholars performed a marvellous wholeschool Assembly, complete with a model of a single ray of light making its way across the Great Hall on a zipline to the stage in exactly eight minutes (the time it takes for light from the sun to reach Earth): it was a fine feat of design. They used these eight minutes to talk about how heavy mass can a5ect how time moves, about what would happen if the sun ever stopped, and about what might be happening in the eight minutes it would take us to find out (did you know 1I million individual baked beans are consumed every two minutes in the UK, or that we drink 28,000 cups of tea every four minutes?).
We carried on this time-theme into the House Assemblies, where more of our Year 12 STEM scholars delivered interactive presentations. They all spoke about the psychology of time before completing some games and challenges, including answering time-related questions about their Head of House.
We finished o5 the Science Week celebrations with a STEM Café talk from our very own Mr Alex Goodland, Head of Biology. He spoke to us about his time in the Galapagos last year, entertaining us all with anecdotes about the blue-footed boobies and seals that roam the island, as well as driving home some of the challenges facing the island including climate change and a rapid increase in tourism.
A huge ‘thank you’ goes to everyone who made Science Week great this year, especially to those who led any assemblies, and to Mr Goodland.
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It’s not rocket science …’ Well, this time it was, as BGS Physics Department entered a crew of students into the UK Space Design Competition, a challenge tasking teams with conceiving habitable settlements in deep space. In the regional round our versatility and teamwork shone through, securing us a place in the National Finals. In London we spent a day visiting museums; the real spacecraft in the Science Museum – some visibly scarred from re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere – fuelled our excitement.
It was an intense start on Saturday. Our teammates in Earhart Advanced Industries were from a variety of schools: we had to get acquainted quickly. Carlos Aguado Fu and Aarush Thumma gained elected roles – Vice-Presidents of Finance and Engineering respectively – while Kandara Acharya and Charlie Groombridge costed our project, Alexander Rashid and Tom Gri6th developed upgrades for the settlement, and Miranda Box was Systems Engineer.
With the stars overhead, we reached the overnight stage. Our company was split between two hotels, so coördination was tricky, and many ideas were secondguessed. As Sunday morning approached, the team frantically added the final diagrams and checked for miscalculations; submitting with only minutes to spare. After other teams had presented, it was our turn before the judges. Charlie and Miranda presented our slides, and the rest of our company joined them to answer the judges’ questions.
The entire crew put in stellar performances, and we left feeling we had given it our all. None of this would have been possible without support from Mission Control: Miss Woodland and Mrs BourtonClark provided us the chance to shoot for the stars. And some of us made it! A special mention must go to Miranda, whose tireless e5orts led to her being selected to represent the UK at the International Final in America, at the end of the school year (see below).
Over a thousand pupils entered the TeenTech Innovation Competition this year; 68 teams were invited to the final, 47 in the Years 7–11 category … and BGS managed to get not one, not two, but three teams through to the final! Everyone who entered this year (including those who didn’t reach the finals) made incredible projects filled with innovative ideas, and all enjoyed brilliant feedback from the judges. No-one from BGS got less than a Silver Award for the Project.
Our teams that made it to the final were Jay Mundray, Jonathon Zeng and Daniel Kelly with PedalPal, an under-desk bike to help improve the fitness and e6ciency of sedentary workers, winning rewards the while; Kandara Acharya, Lottie Livingston and Aarush Thumma with Maela, a wearable device designed to track hormone levels and speed up the diagnosis/treatment of various female reproductive health conditions; and Mark Velichko with a project on using plant smoke as an alternative to commercially available disinfectants, helping to clean surfaces using fewer toxic chemicals. They all spoke eloquently, passionately and knowledgeably to the judges about their projects and were praised for their teamwork, communication skills and diligence. The day ended on a high when it was announced that Mark had won the Health category, the judges giving him high praise, and saying they had never seen a project like it. Huge congratulations go to everyone who took part, and especially to Mark for this well-deserved win.
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For the first time ever, BGS had a pupil selected for the International Space Settlement Design Competition (ISSDC). This is an annual event that asks students to become part of fictional future companies bidding to construct a city in space.
At the finals of the UK space competition in March, BGS pupil Miranda Box, then in Year 11, was chosen to be one of twelve team members representing the UK at the international final and, in July, flew with her UK teammates to Florida for the event at the Kennedy Space Center! Team UK were then joined with others from India, China and the USA to form the fictional company Vulture Aviation, tasked with designing a lunar city with an enormous data centre.
Competitors were given three days to finish, an intentionally short time with students also expected to work overnight. Miranda focussed on thermodynamics, trying to find a way to generate enough power for millions of computers and attempting to revolutionise the way these were cooled. “Opting for a fleet of nuclear reactors and fluid cooling systems was daunting when others seemed fixed on the idea of solar power and radiators”, she said. But this work paid o5, eventually earning her the Anita Gale Creative Genius individual award. This is a newly established memorial prize in honour of the competition’s co-founder who passed away this year.
On the final day, each company presented their proposal to the judges (including a retired astronaut), followed by a Q&A. After some deliberation Vulture Aviation was announced as the winning bidder making the UK international champions!
The visit also included a tour around the Space Center, which houses the Saturn V moon rocket as well as the shuttle Atlantis. But what was possibly the most thrilling sight was watching a SpaceX rocket launch from the coast at night. Reflecting on the experience Miranda said: “Standing by the ocean at 2am with teams from around the world made the luminous spectacle all the more astounding. It really makes you realise that the dream of settlement on the moon is now close to reality!”
This year’s public examinations saw Bristol Grammar School pupils once again achieve outstanding results. When the IB Diploma results were released in July, BGS pupils had achieved an average score of 37.7 (out of 45), compared to the global average of 30.2.
ªmongst the BGS cohort, one student secured a perfect 45 out of 45 – a phenomenal score attained by under 1% of those who take the qualification worldwide. Two further pupils scored 44 points each, and five pupils in total scored 41 points or more, an outstanding feat.
The success of our IB students was matched by their A level counterparts. In one of the largest A level cohorts in the school’s history, 55% of the almost 500 exams taken by BGS students were awarded one of the top two grades. Impressively, over a third of our students achieved three or more A*/A grades, with 16 of them securing three or more A* grades.
Reflecting on the results Jaideep Barot, Head of BGS said:
“We’re so proud of all our students for their hard work and commitment, not just to their studies but to all that BGS has to o er. We wish them all the best at they move on to the next exciting phase of their lives, and we can’t wait to hear all about it.”
ªt GCSE the brilliant results of our Year 11 pupils were the highest any of our cohorts have achieved – a remarkable achievement given BGS’s long history of academic excellence. An incredible third of exams were awarded the top grade of 9, and more than half of results (55%) a grade 8 or 9 (with a grade 8 approximately equivalent to the previous A* grade and a 9 even higher still). Some 88 pupils secured eight or more grades of 7 or above (equivalent to grade A or above in the previous grading system) and the average GCSE points score of 7.4 was also the highest ever (excluding those years when grading was nationally inflated by the pandemic).
Jaideep Barot said:
“I’m delighted at incredible success, both at top end, and for those who have done better than they may have thought possible. I have immense pride in all of these pupils, who together are a hard-working, kind and wonderful year group and I am in awe – quite apart from their obvious academic success –when I think of everything else they have done in their time so far with us.”
The Old Bristolians Prize for Special Merit in the Upper Sixth for Art B1,.any LaC4,a22
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Year 7 Art Prize for the Commitment to the Study of Art 7)ya Ea3H1nV)1
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On 22 November 2023 the Music Department returned to St George’s Brandon Hill for our annual Autumn concert, and it was a night to remember!
This year we aimed high, presenting a grand performance drawn from Pink Floyd’s iconic album, Dark Side of the Moon. This ambitious project made up the entire second half of the concert, requiring extensive preparation and rehearsals starting from the Summer term of 2023 and continuing throughout the autumn.
Jon Rees, adapting Rick Lawrence’s orchestral arrangement, created vocal arrangements for twelve lead vocalists and a hundred-member chorus, including students from Wansdyke Primary and the BGS Junior School choir. Led by the entire music team, rehearsals were intense, totalling fortytwo hours, culminating in a full-day dress and technical rehearsal in the MacKinnon Theatre, with enthusiastic support from various Year groups.
The evening began with a captivating performance featuring the talented Hana Mirmedhi on piano, accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra, setting a mesmerising atmosphere with music from Einaudi.
The first half of the concert showcased the BGS Choir, vocal groups Cantata and Mantata, and the BGS Big Phat Band, along with BGS Chamber Orchestra’s impressive rendition of JS Bach’s Violin and Oboe Concerto in D minor, featuring standout solos from Bunty Buckman and Mark Velichko respectively.
Following the interval, the stage was set for Dark Side of the Moon. With lights dimmed and sound e!ects filling the hall, the combined forces of the BGS Orchestra, synth ensemble, rock band, and the hundred-strong choir delivered a sensational performance. Special mention goes to our AV team, Robb Gossett and Peter Tyler, for flawlessly managing the extensive technical requirements of the show.
We extend our gratitude to all performers and everyone involved in making this concert a resounding success. As we reflect on this achievement, the question arises: how do we surpass it? Stay tuned to find out!
p Jon Rees
The Autumn concert was, without doubt, a fabulous event for its audience of 350 parents, sta, and family members. However, we want the whole community to benefit from the magic of music. Subsequently, many whole-School events included music, most strikingly, with a Spring term featuring student ensembles in each whole-School assembly.
Some highlights included the Race and Equality assembly, where the choir matched the theme with Michael Tippett’s Nobody Knows from A Child of Our Time; or International Women’s Day where Cantata, our female close harmony group, sang TLC’s Waterfall; and the whole student body was led in a rendition of Final Countdown in a nod to the theme of British Science week, time. A standout moment was the jaw-dropping performance by Keith Chau and Eva Morton, who sang Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen accompanied by Roke Brobbey, India Barton and William Wang.
In other opportunities we raised Christmas cheer with ensemble performances at lunchtime in the Great Hall in December;
performed Dark Side of the Moon to four rotating internal audiences in the theatre; mirrored the solemnity of Remembrance Day with Steal Away, again from Tippett; and, for Charter Day in the magnificent Bristol Cathedral, performed Cantique de Jean Racine (Fauré) and Deep River (Tippett) to a thousand students and sta! Music has a deep, rich history, an essential aspect of all human civilisations. My thanks to those students and sta! who have helped continue that history within BGS this year.
p Guy Guerrini
New in 2024 was the Trailblazer Scheme, exclusively for Year 7 pupils, designed to encourage young people to have a serious go at learning a brass or woodwind instrument. We have had such a lot of fun. Twenty-five students have been part of the scheme, many attending the aptly-named Thursday night ensemble, The Noise. They have done well, and we have seen a remarkable improvement over the course of the year.
Camila Cabello’s Havana was positively received at the Christmas Cheer performances and our latest o!ering, Eye of the Tiger, went down a storm at the Pathways showcase concert for our woodwind and brass groups. Thanks to Mrs Rees for the many hours of transcribing, editing and redrafting to make the music appropriate for the students, and we look forward to seeing these Trailblazers convert into our musicians of the future.
p Guy Guerrini
February’s Senior School String Teatime Concert sits newly in the calendar, a vehicle for our string players to witness and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of their contemporaries: they did not disappoint! Parent helper, Katie Kennedy, introduced three pieces from the Reel Folk Group, followed by a sequence of outstanding solo violin performances culminating in Roke Brobbey’s performance of Chaminade’s virtuosic Romanza
Our Chamber Orchestra, who performed the Bach Concerto through the Autumn term, split in two: the junior half, directed by Visiting Music Teacher Juliet McCarthy, brought an Argentinian air to proceedings with Martin’s Going Places: Buenos Aires
Further excellent solos were capped by a violin favourite, Czárdás by Monti, expertly performed by Year 6’s Max Richardson.
These solos are drawn from a common learners’ repertoire, the pieces well-known to students and parents alike; this fosters a lovely sense of collective understanding and encouragement. The senior string ‘quartet’, directed by Paul Barrett, performed the finale
from Dvořák’s American Quartet, then their leader, Samuel Greenish, performed the virtuosic Sonata in A major (Movement 4) by César Frank. Nigel Nash, our accompanist, tackled this challenging piece with his usual no-nonsense professionalism. The concert ended with Mr Rees conducting the String Orchestra through engaging and popular renditions of Bad Guy (Eilish) and Eleanor Rigby (Beatles).
In the same space, the subsequent Brass and Woodwind Concert was a hoot: Year 1s played three tunes on their toots to a room full of whooping and clapping. Our Trailblazer group, The Noise, performed Eye of the Tiger with panache, led by Mrs Rees and backed by the rest of the music team. Our VMT-led ensembles were exemplified by the brass players Top Trumps, led by Mr Rogers, with gospel tune Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit: then came the first of the Jazz Quartets, a new enterprise from BGS’s jazz collective. For the Spring and Summer terms the Big Phat Band has devolved into four smaller ensembles, allowing each rhythm section more opportunities to develop their groove playing, improvisation, and part-reading. These quartets played a piece each, and are developing into fine outfits. Keywind, our advanced woodwind group, led by Mrs Parfitt, have enjoyed exploring Bizet’s Carmen: this wide range of genres is exactly what we encourage! The Concert Band wound up with a thunderous How to Train Your Dragon, with four timpani skilfully employed by James Wardle and a bassline from James Parshall: neither was playing his first instrument, but both were examples of the enviable adaptability of our musicians.
These Pathway concerts give our young musicians a platform to play to an engaged audience who know and understand the idiosyncrasies of learning that instrument. It is truly meaningful and an enjoyable experience to provide a space for this stratum of the community to assemble. Perhaps it increases student motivation – we hope so. Thanks to the triangle of support – sta!, VMTs, parents – that surrounds our young musicians and, most of all, thanks to our young people for their dedication and brilliance.
p Guy Guerrini
The annual Senior Carol Service is always a highlight of our musical calendar, the Great Hall filled to the brim with parents, OBs, teachers and peers. The opening procession from the Great Hall staircase is ever atmospheric, and this year Henry Jervis, from the Upper Sixth, led us bassily into Hall, candles in hand.
Both Cantata and Mantata had the opportunity to perform, Cantata singing the beautiful Ukranian Carol of the Bells folksong, and Mantata singing a newly-composed choral work, The Work of Christmas by Dan Forrest. The choirs came together to sing Stopford’s haunting Lully, Lulla, Lullaby
with a soaring solo from Martha Stable, and Tavener’s The Lamb. Following readings from pupils and sta!, and joyous congregational carols, the choir finished with a spirited performance of Ralph Allwood’s arrangement of Jingle Bells (sleigh bells and yo-ho-hos galore) ending in rapturous applause!
The Carol Service marked the end of a very busy term for the Music department, and we’d like to thank all the music teachers, and Mr Nigel Nash, our school accompanist, who made this great annual highlight such a success this year.
p Charlie Morris
Fresh from singing Evensong in Wells Cathedral, many students swapped soprano for electric guitar, or tenor for drum kit, for Battle of the Bands on 5 March.
Thirteen bands enjoyed a day of workshops, rehearsals, and soundchecks with local professional musicians, Will Peters and Jonathan Westhorp (also the judges). An exciting day culminated in a high-quality evening in the theatre, students appearing relaxed and happy on stage and experiencing the joys of professional lighting and sound (thanks to Mr Gossett and Mr Tyler!).
All the bands made the evening a pleasure to run: my sincere thanks to them for having the courage and fortitude to get involved. There were many highlights: watching Maddie Portal, Emily Thomas, Pat Bland, Lucy Day, Rosa Gainsborough, Lauren Briggs and Dom Glydon performing I’m Just Ken from the Barbie movie, fully clad in appropriate costumes; the Year 11 Stand by Me performance was highly musical, which is no surprise when you have Bunty Buckman, Harriet Bates, Harry Clark, Derrick Ababio and Daniel Kelly playing together; and the blend of voice and saxophone was balanced nicely in Stay with Me featuring Roke Brobbey, Leo Cogan, Will Clark, Chris Yang, Zayn Aullybocus and Keith Chau.
In the end the Quills and Arrows pair, India Barton and Eva Morton, left us spellbound with their arrangement of Radiohead favourite Creep, and justifiably received the ‘Best Emerging Talent’ prize. Last year’s winners, EDR and Co (Daniel Ababio, Adi Elan, Barney O’Brien, Bert Abedin, and Edward Rumley) were brilliant again with another new number penned by the band, and they snapped up the ‘Best Original Song’ prize. Our overall winners were The Pixels (Zak Crighton, Izzy Pietruszynska, Mayra Hobrock, Valentin Gay and Ollie Sleight) with a spicy version of The Cranberries’ Zombie. From plainchant to pop, all in the same week!
p Guy Guerrini
More than forty students have taken music exams this year across ten di5erent instruments. Mastery comes with practice and, with these results, our students once again showcase their fortitude, perseverance and drive for excellence. Whether a Grade 1 or a diploma exam, success comes from targeted, disciplined practice, transferable traits that we know spill over into their wider learning.
Outstanding student successes included Mark Velichko and Avi Tharmaratnam. The former achieved distinctions in both his Piano Grade 8 and his Oboe ARMS Diploma: the latter, after placing in the Rotary Competition last year, has continued to enter these events, winning both classes in the Bristol Music Festival and the Highbridge Music Festival, earning two trophies in the process.
p Guy Guerrini
On 21 April we joined Bristol Youth Orchestra and Bristol Youth Choir for their o6cial re-opening concert featuring a Massed Voices’ Choir of secondary school students from around Bristol. Representing over twenty secondary schools from Bristol and beyond, the programme included performances of three new commissions – Esther Bersweden’s Light, Roderick Williams’s Bristol Beacon and Toby Young’s The Importance of Music
It was a truly outstanding concert, and it was a privilege to be there. In the lead-up to the performance BGS twice hosted the mass ensemble choir practice, with a hundred students from about twenty schools all rehearsing Zadok the Priest and other pieces of music in the Great Hall. A fabulous enterprise to be involved with!
p Guy Guerrini
For many of us sta! and parents The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe holds a special place in our hearts, evoking cherished memories from childhood. Whether it was through the weekly BBC broadcasts or the pages of CS Lewis’s beloved book, the anticipation of stepping into the world of Narnia was a feeling we held dear since our earliest years.
As the wardrobe opened into BGS’s latest theatrical endeavour, the air was filled with palpable excitement and nostalgia. Under the direction of our talented team, this promenade production o!ered more than just a retelling of a timeless tale; it provided an immersive journey into the heart of Narnia itself. The essence of good versus evil permeated every corner, as we encountered the iconic characters of Father Christmas,
To collaborate with the exceptionally talented young individuals who brought these characters to life was nothing short of magical. Despite the challenges, the rewards were immeasurable. Each rehearsal was infused with radical joy, as we worked together to capture the spirit of Narnia. Special mentions go to Daisy Shepherd and Alfie King for their brilliant portrayal of the comedic duo, Mr and Mrs Beaver. Their chemistry and timing brought laughter and warmth to every scene. Martha Pritchard deserves recognition for her heartfelt portrayal of Lucy Pevensie, capturing her innocence and courage with grace and authenticity.
Hugo Sylvester, Seth Mason, Jasmine Lock and Laura Boyle were the Pevensie siblings: Jasmine’s portrayal of Lucy radiated innocence and curiosity, drawing us e!ortlessly into her world; Laura brought depth and poise to the role of Susan, capturing the character’s inner strength and compassion; Hugo’s portrayal of Peter exuded leadership and bravery, grounding the group and guiding them through the challenges they faced; Seth’s depiction captured the essence of Edmund’s journey from selfishness to redemption, with depth and nuance.
The narrators – Tom Stone, Barney Thomas, Esme Johnson, Naomi Penney, Sumedha Das Chowdhury, and Maeve Gri6ths – ensured that the audience was fully immersed in the story. I especially loved their moments of improvisation:
‘Dear audience, we must just wait here for a moment for the snow storm to clear’ was one of my favourites!
And then there were the villains of the story, Liz Opoku Denkyi and Dylan Roth-Elmes, who brought the White Witch and Grumpskin to life with chilling authenticity. Liz’s White Witch was nothing short of terrifying, sending shivers down our spines with every icy glare. Dylan, on the other hand, delivered a brilliant characterisation of Grumpskin, infusing the character with just the right amount of cunning and mischief.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was a triumph in every sense of the word. From its talented cast to its enchanting set design and captivating storytelling, it was an experience that will stay with us all for a very long time.
Once a king and queen in Narnia, always a king and queen.’
The atmosphere around BGS on 2 November was nothing short of electrifying. The day was filled with anticipation and excitement as pupils came together to showcase their creative talents in the annual House Drama event. This year’s theme was ‘Shadows’, and it led to an incredible mixture of hilarity, heart-warming moments, and thought-provoking theatre.
House Drama is a much-anticipated event, when students collaborate as directors, actors, stage crew, and writers to create and perform their ten-minute plays in a single day. The results are always astounding and a testament to the BGS community’s dedication and enthusiasm for the performing arts.
One of the most remarkable aspects of House Drama is the diversity of participants, ranging from the youngest Year 7 students to the experienced Upper Sixth. This inclusivity and the sense of camaraderie among all the participants makes the event even more special. Each year the pupils manage to impress everyone with their creativity and unwavering passion for theatre.
To make this event even more memorable, BGS was delighted to welcome a guest judge, OB Cecile Taylor, an accomplished individual who has recently graduated from Cambridge University with a degree in Biology. During her time at BGS Cecile was deeply involved in the performing arts, having directed House Drama twice and performed in notable productions like Peter Pan and School of Rock. She continued her passion for theatre at Cambridge by joining and performing with the prestigious Footlights Society, and she is currently enrolled at Bristol’s Actors’ Workshop. She recently made her mark with a small part in the Netflix series, Sex Education. All this made her an exceptional choice as the judge for House Drama.
Cecile was blown away by the talent displayed. After a day filled with outstanding performances, she had the di6cult task of selecting the winners. Arul Tharmaratnam (Glenn’s) was named the best actor, while Henry Jervis and Maddie Portal (Hilliard’s) received the honour of best directors. Charlie Groombridge (Short’s) was recognised as the best playwright for his exceptional contribution, and Glenn’s House received the award for the best group performance.
These accolades are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students, directors, stage crew, writers, and everyone involved in the House Drama event. Their commitment to their craft and their ability to bring stories to life on stage is truly commendable.
House Drama 2023 at Bristol Grammar School was an absolute triumph. The event showcased the boundless creativity and passion for theatre that runs deep within the BGS community. Congratulations to all those involved, and here’s to many more years of House Drama.
p Jen Walker
BGS’s recent ‘Studio Plays’ event, showcasing the talent and dedication of sixty pupils from Year 7 to Lower Sixth, was an ambitious project involving adaptations of four diverse and compelling short plays.
In the Drama Studio we opened with Year 10 performing Daisy Pulls it O , a performance described as ‘slick, funny, and full of joy’. The cast’s comedic timing and vibrant energy set the tone for the rest of the night. Each student’s enthusiasm and skill were evident. Every Brilliant Thing, performed by the Drama scholars, truly lived up to its name. Tackling sensitive themes with grace and depth, the young actors delivered a performance that was both heartbreaking and uplifting. Their ability to handle complex material with maturity and empathy was truly remarkable.
In the Theatre we kicked o! with Macbeth, demonstrating Year 7’s skill at handling classic literature with a modern twist: commitment and talent made each play a memorable experience. The Jury showcased the Year 8 and 9 students’ ability to engage with thoughtprovoking material, each bringing their unique flavour to the event.
Crucially rehearsals provided the students with the opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, and build friendships. The camaraderie and teamwork developed during these sessions were evident on stage, contributing to the seamless quality of the performances. ‘I really liked how the students o!ered lots of ideas, and then they were incorporated into the play,’ said one participant, highlighting the collaborative spirit that defined the production process.
Overall, the ‘Studio Plays’ was an evening filled with laughter, tears, and unforgettable moments. The performances were professional, full of life, and left a lasting impact. Congratulations to all the young actors for their outstanding work and to the dedicated sta! who made this amazing event possible. We eagerly anticipate the next showcase of talent from these remarkable students.
p Jen Walker
It began with a captivating dance, introducing a museum setting on the Day of the Dead; the tour guide (Sophie Peden) and the schoolchildren used excellent facial expressions to tell the story. We met the ruler of the Land of the Remembered, La Muerte (Sophie Winfield) and Xibalba (Pat Bland), who rules the Land of the Forgotten. The intricate set transformed into a village scene, taking us to San Angel and three young friends, Manolo (Martha Pritchard), Joaquin (Finn Williams) and Maria (Zhenzhen Li).
The Dance Department returned to the stage for this year’s production, The Book of Life. This was probably the most complex story we’ve told, but Mrs Field created a vivid portrayal of the plot, and exceptional choreography.
The upbeat music and colourful lighting enhanced the atmosphere of the performance, as did the incredible costumes created by Jane Black.
The audience was transported to ten years later, when the three children have grown up; Manolo was now played by Clemmie Pope, Joaquin by Izzy Hancock and Maria by Mini McClellan. A heart-warming duet between Manolo and Maria showcased their skills; this was followed by a trio among all three characters, outlining the jealousy between Joaquin and Manolo to win over Maria. The junior dance group came on menacingly, as the evil king Chakal (Aryan Nejabati) displayed his power through a high-intensity dance, heightened by the spectacle of flashing red lights. Act 1 ended with an emotive and technically seamless piece as Maria was supposedly killed by the serpent (Eloise Allpress) and Manolo followed to her to underworld by being bitten too. The use of red petals and excellent characterisation from everyone on stage made
Act 2 brought a world of vibrancy and colour: an elaborate tree, designed by a professional artist, was added to the set. The interval’s remarkable makeup transformation, to skeleton faces, marked the new underworld emphasis. Manolo’s journey through this land involved obstacles and reunification with past family members, as well as the realisation that Maria had not in fact died; this was portrayed exceptionally well on stage. The performance finished with a high-energy, uplifting finale dance with the whole cast on stage to celebrate the happy ending.
This sell-out production, with a cast of over a hundred dancers, was a great success, each night showcasing the talent that BGS Dance has to o,er. Rehearsals began back in April and the excitement of the show kicked in immediately. Expectations ran high after last year’s brilliant Cruella, but we aspired to raise the bar even higher with The Book of Life. It was an unforgettable experience, and everyone’s enthusiasm and hard work lifted the energy of the show even more. Each performer played a crucial role, and the dance community bonded greatly during the process. We had a wonderful time dancing in it, and all the students are extremely appreciative of every teacher, choreographer and stage crew member who helped make it such an incredible production.
p Clemmie Pope
Our dance experience in the Spring term was phenomenal: we had an extremely busy few weeks with competitions, showcases,
The following day we went to London and attended the ‘Move It’ dance convention, as well as seeing three shows: Moulin Rouge, Everybody’s Talking about Jamie, and a contemporary production by Wayne MacGregor about climate change. We also attended a three-hour creative workshop with Rambert Dance, which we all really enjoyed, as it made us think outside the box and get creative with our movements. This was a very popular and much enjoyed trip, which we would love to repeat in coming years.
p Mini McClellan
Throughout the Spring term the dance scholars were leading weekly clubs for Year 7 and 8, sometimes in styles we were confident with, sometimes in styles outside our comfort zones. We had an Irish dance workshop, a flamenco workshop, a hulahooping workshop and lots more.
This has been a great way to develop our leadership skills, and get younger members involved in our dance community.
The scholars also performed at the Scholar Showcase event in February, with a group dance and a duet: an entertaining experience.
As well as our particularly special residential trip, we also had theatre trips in Bristol, first to see Diversity dance group and also to watch Matthew Bourne’s Edward Scissorhands. Another performance evening we took part in was our annual ‘Reflections’ showcase, an event where GCSE and ‘A’ level dancers perform their practical coursework pieces. This presented the incredible array of talent at BGS, and we shared the stage with dancers from Bath Spa University and St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, who presented some amazing work themselves. To round o! our term, we helped with auditions for next year’s dance production of Alice in Wonderland, about which we are all incredibly excited already!
p Clemmie Pope
In March the MacKinnon Theatre was the venue for our annual dance showcase, Reflections, in which GCSE and ‘A’ level Dance students performed some of their practical exam coursework, which was outstanding as ever. We also saw brilliant performances from our extra-curricular dance programme, with our senior Dance company Surge, and our junior Dance company Silver Surge, performing some beautiful dances.
A standout performance for me was the Beginner Tap Club, our Lower Sixth students, who have challenged themselves to learn a new dance style and have developed as dancers so much because of this. We were also joined this year by the Dance degree students from Bath Spa who shared a really thought-provoking performance with us, plus ‘A’ level Dance students from St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, who came along to share their exam pieces with us, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
p Emily Field
On 7 March the annual Glenn’s House Tea-Time Concert took place in the Mackay, showcasing the remarkable talents of students from various Year-groups. It provided a platform for students to display their performing abilities in front of an audience comprising fellow students, sta!, and parents. The evening was filled with a diverse range of performances, ranging from classical pieces to contemporary songs, ensuring an enjoyable experience for all who attended.
Bunty Buckman captivated the audience with Tchaikovsky’s Canzonetta on the violin: her delicate and emotive rendition set a serene atmosphere for the rest of the evening. Next Bella Kempt and Jess Tylee took the stage to present a short extract from The Glass Slipper: their theatrical interpretation and dramatic talents charmed the audience. Gemma Davies followed on the piano, delivering a beautiful rendition of Billie’s
Song, captivating listeners with her expressive playing. Alex Shields brought a lively energy with his dynamic performance of a Cossack Dance on the fiddle before Jess returned to the stage, this time accompanied by Ayesha Keen, for a heartwarming duet of Love Story. Daniel Kelly showcased his talents on both guitar and vocal with a soulful Father and Son before the headliners, Can Pehlivanoglu and Micheál Kelly, closed the concert by performing Hold Back the River, which had been their Year 7 House Singing entry!
It was a delight to witness our Year 7 students performing in front of such a welcoming audience for the first time, and to honour our departing Upper-sixth students and thank them for their contributions over the years.
p Louise Glenn
In 2022 we ended in the top twelve of over a thousand cars, yet improvements needed in our two Greenpower electric cars Terazord and Redshift were identified. Accordingly 2023 did not promise high success, since we needed data to correlate incremental alterations with vehicle e6ciency, tweaking one aspect at a time. Motor control electronics was our first focus, as the season opened at Goodwood, and Redshift did indeed register higher top speeds despite no gearing advances from last year.
We implemented the same changes for Terazord, and raced both cars at RAF Chivenor in Devon, a new venue. Both cars su5ered damage from constant pounding on the rough terrain, and Terazord, driven by Oliver Burchell, flipped after a tyre exploded. Unfortunately scant data could be derived from this event and neither car covered enough distance to qualify for the final.
Our final chance to qualify was at Castle Combe in September; heavy rain made for a challenging drive, since the track allows cars to be driven at their maximum speeds (around 42mph) carrying speed through undulating corners on to long straights. We drilled drainage holes in the cars’ floors, and the crew were amazing at relaying information, preparing fresh drivers and co-ordinating activities during the two compulsory driver-changes in pit stops. Steady, safe driving saw both cars perform well enough to finish in the top fifty for the year, but two events at other circuits would still allow other cars to set distances that would push us down the leader board. Fortunately, we had done enough: we were invited to the final at the Goodwood circuit in October.
The finals race day started with two tyres blowing out during practice, which limited our data gathering. Race 1 saw both cars move from fiftieth on the grid into the top twenty within ten minutes, but disaster struck Redshift as Peter Chapman fought to steer through the busy field: he was following Terazord, racing at near-maximum speeds. Terazord’s rear-ward camera recorded Peter spinning through 360 degrees on the circuit before pencil-rolling three times and landing o5-track. St John Ambulance fixed the driver, who escaped with grazing and shock; Messrs Thomas and McNaughlty fixed the car in readiness for Race 2. Meanwhile Terazord continued to move up the field, finishing Race 1 in eighth place.
The very final race required incredible driving, and thanks to Sophie Chapman taking over the starting stint in the rebuilt Redshift, the car moved from 78th up to eleventh place in the first lap, finishing tenth overall, the other drivers being Solomon Anderson-Bentovim and Wilf Hargreave. Terazord started eighth and finished sixth, driven by Hayden Banbury, Oliver Burchell and Harry Blundell. Pit crew support came from Yago Bailon Gonzales, Thomas Chapman, Tom Stanniland, Anya Oleinik and Rufus Comer.
As a group of six with a starting budget of £50, we established ourselves as specialists in producing caps for our electronic pencils, under the name of `NO CAP’. Pencil caps are commonly-lost items at School: we thought they would sell, and that it was possible to put an entertaining spin on these nondescript pieces of plastic.
Development and production of the pen lids was overseen by Noah Westcott, assisted by Cooper Richardson: they used computer-aided design software and then printed the prototype using the 3D printer, and tested it with a view to making improvements. Using what we learnt, we made changes and then repeated this process over fifteen times during which we learnt that if we used the resin printer, we could produce a higher-quality product and reduce production time significantly, lowering unit costs and increasing profit margins.
After the prototype stage we started producing batches of fifty lids. Early on Carlos Aguado Fu and Cooper decided to aim for vibrant but professional branding, which involved using advanced video editing and photo manipulation software to show o5 our dazzling high-resolution renders of the products. We decided to create custom orders for teachers and students, engraved and painted in a colour of their choice.
This was our toughest season yet, but are looking forward to the sixteenth year of our racing in 2024, and intend to finish the build of our sixth Greenpower car.
On Giving Day we ran games and competitions, donating all profits to the cause. This increased brand awareness, honed our customer interactions, and brought in orders for personalised products. Complementing our pen lid production, we also made keychains on a laser cutter, and arranged a Christmas ra8e which was profitable for our group. We experienced delays and setbacks, but all of us know just a little more about how hard it is to run a successful business. p D6a. L14,36,,, Mar864 'C;a(6 F; , M66:1r F)3.ar(46n an( '81xan(1r 7@),.
It was a busy year for MUN at BGS: students attended a host of external MUN events, including conferences at Queen’s Taunton, Kingswood, Cheadle Hulme School and more, picking up many accolades along the way. The academic year was also peppered with our own Mini-MUNs, which focus on welcoming and developing the skills of newer MUN members from our School and beyond. It has been fantastic to see so many first-timers grappling with a range of global issues with such confidence!
By far the most notable event for MUN at School this year was BGS MUN, where we welcomed schools from all over the UK to take part in a full day of spirited debate. Delegates and chairs alike reflected on the success of the event, which was passionate, articulate, innovative, and as is often the case slightly bonkers.
The students and sta5 involved in MUN this year had a great time helping to plan and run the programme, and we are very much looking forward to an event of a similar calibre next year. It has been wonderful to see the spirit of MUN rekindled at BGS, as involvement with lunchtime clubs and external events continues to grow, and we are excited to see what next year holds!
p 'nC18)Ha M6G188
In another very successful year for chess at BGS it has been fantastic to see the strength and depth of interest. The regular inter-school tournaments in the Great Hall have been over-subscribed, with up to 170 pupils from over twenty schools from both sectors taking part in each one. BGS teams have won three of these regional events, qualifying us for the national finals of the Team Chess Challenge for both Senior and Junior (Year 7 and 8) levels.
We sent two teams to Birmingham in April for the national finals of the Team Chess Challenge, and our Junior Team finished in the top half of a very strong field. Our senior team also travelled to Nottingham University in June for the National Finals of the English Schools’ Chess Championships.
This year, Community Action Club a group of young students helping to make a positive impact inside and outside the community by assisting those who need it has been an amazing experience for us. We have done many trips this year, going into care homes, foodbanks and farms, for instance. The club has been running for a long time now, thanks to Mrs Cowell and Mrs Clare, and we are very grateful to them for opportunities to help the community in many di5erent ways, such as playing games with elderly residents at St Joseph’s near BGS, sorting food at The North Bristol Foodbank, and helping around the School in various other activities.
p '81x Ua88aC.1r
The House Chess Championships was retained by Hilliard’s; Niamir’s finished runners-up from Edwards’s in third place.
In June we also hosted a Megafinal tournament within the UK Chess Challenge, including a BGS contingent of twenty Senior and twentyfive Junior School players out of a field of 180. From this several of our players qualified for the next stage, the Gigafinals, and Nathaniel Wu finished as the runnerup in the Senior section.
We look forward to hosting a new regional primary tournament next year as BGS chess continues to flourish.
p Ura.a@ TG)
This year has been a phenomenal journey for our budding astronomers: sessions tailored for Sixth-form scholars, the Year 7 scholars, and the Space Design Club, who are pupils in Years 11–13 who meet weekly in the Autumn and Spring terms to prepare for the UK Space Design Competition. The excitement was palpable as we explored the wonders of the night sky using the Physics department’s various telescopes, o5ering a closer look at distant stars, our moon, far-o5 galaxies, and stunning nebulae.
The highlights of our astronomical adventures included gazing at the majestic Andromeda galaxy, the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way, and marvelling at its vast expanse. Our observations of the Earth’s moon were equally enthralling, revealing its craters and surface details with remarkable clarity. Additionally, the awe-inspiring Orion nebula captivated our young astronomers, showcasing the birthplace of new stars amid its vibrant clouds of gas and dust.
These sessions not only provided practical experience with telescopes, but also enriched our understanding of the universe. The Sixth-form scholars explored the range of the School’s telescopes and helped plan future events. Year 7 scholars embarked on their first astronomical forays, learning the basics of stargazing and planispheres. Meanwhile, the Space Design Club investigated our neighbouring galaxies from the pulsar observatory on top of the DT block.
The captured images Andromeda, the Earth’s moon, and the Orion nebula – exemplify the incredible sights we witnessed. Each photograph tells a story of discovery and wonder, highlighting the beauty and complexity of the universe.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all pupils, parents, and sta5 who participated and supported our astronomy activities. As we look to the future, we eagerly anticipate more stargazing nights, further unlocking the mysteries of the cosmos with our celestial explorations.
Keep looking up!
p F.)ann6n L66(8an(
2024 saw BGS participating in Ten Tors for the first time since 1975. This annual challenge attracts four hundred teams of six teenagers, who attempt to complete routes of 35, 45 or 55 miles across Dartmoor, visiting ten tors in under two days.
Training began in February: some thirty Year 10 and 12 students completed a day-walk in the Mendips, before venturing to the Brecon Beacons for the first of three full weekends. Our students spent Saturday practising their micro-nav and river crossings, then enjoyed dinner on the log burner at Tir y Cwm. Then they engaged their navigation skills, in poor winter conditions, summiting some of the Black Mountains’ highest peaks. Breaking the snowline in near-zero visibility, they used their resilience and competence to complete their routes, returning to the minibuses relieved but fulfilled after eight hours on the hills.
Mid-March saw them on Dartmoor. Months of rain had made for challenging, sodden terrain, but again our teams showed resolve in overcoming the elements, camping wild overnight in heavy rain. After the Easter break one final training weekend on Dartmoor remained, and the teams experienced some early summer weather. This was fortunate, as the routes they had to complete were significantly longer than on their previous training weekends, providing a real taste of what was to come.
One balmy morning in early May the eighteen students selected to represent BGS departed for Dartmoor one final time. On arrival at Okehampton Army Camp, they completed kit checks, planned their routes, then settled down in their tents for an early night, mindful of the momentous challenge ahead.
At 5 am students woke to the traditional Chariots of Fire from the camp speakers, and by 7 am they stood at the start line with 2,400 other teenagers, all ready to attempt their various routes. A single cannon signalled the start of the challenge and the teams set o5, disappearing into the moor in search of their first tor. They made excellent progress, covering many miles in high temperatures that saw an aboveaverage dropout rate thanks to exhaustion and heat stroke.
Following a wild camp on Saturday night, the teams woke on Sunday knowing that the miles that lay between them and the finish were their last. By mid-morning BGS 35A completed their route, the first ‘all-girls’ team to complete Ten Tors 2024, a huge achievement. BGS 35B soon followed, and by mid-afternoon our 45-mile team crossed Anthony’s Stile to complete a perfect return to the event for BGS.
Congratulations to our teams for being the first BGS students of the modern era to complete this challenge, but also importantly to all students who stepped out of their comfort zone and tried something new.
Finally, huge thanks to the sta53who made the reintroduction of Ten Tors possible this year, particularly Mrs Dixon, who retires in July, and who has championed outdoor education throughout her career at BGS, enriching the lives of countless students.
p L)88)a@ M8arH
Scan the QR code to watch the BGS Ten Tors 2024 Video Play video
The ‘DofE’ scheme remains enormously popular at BGS. In early June some 147 Year 9 pupils completed their training walk and camp at Failand, followed by their qualifying expedition in the Mendips. They had also worked hard completing the other elements of their Bronze award – volunteering, physical and skill – and we look forward to many gaining their awards as they move through Year 10.
In the Sixth Form 66 students have been working towards Gold awards, with expeditions on foot and by canoe. Those on their training expedition in the Brecon Beacons in May were treated to an amazing display of the Northern Lights, making the already-memorable DofE experience unforgettable.
BGS remains one of the largest DofE centres in the south-west. Not only have our pupils collectively covered some nine thousand miles on practice walks, expeditions and paddles, they have also given over five thousand hours to volunteer in a whole range of settings – from charity shops and
banks to Scout groups and infant schools. We are delighted that such large numbers of our students look to challenge themselves and help the wider community, gaining valuable experience and life-skills along the way.
After fourteen years as DofE coördinator I have decided to step down and pass the baton to others, as I near retirement. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with young people completing this award, especially through their expeditions which see them leave School with fantastic memories and friendships formed through camping and independent trekking through mountainous areas. I have also many memories of seeing young people struggle through adversity, and then their joy of eventual accomplishment. I shall also treasure the opportunities I have had to go to Buckingham Palace to witness BGS students collecting their Gold Awards.
p K6.n Marr
In ':r)8 ,G6 (6V1n 4,;(1n,4 of both Russian and History set out on a memorable trip to the beautiful city of Riga. This gave us opportunities to improve our language skills and revel in the rich history of the Latvian capital. We had supper in a di5erent restaurant every night, covering cuisine from Latvia, Uzbekistan, Georgia and the Czech Republic.
We visited two engaging museums: the Corner House was once the main base of operations for the KGB, and the interesting tour there involved activities that helped us comprehend what unfortunate ‘political criminals’ would have experienced during the Communist era; and a thought-provoking guided tour of the Museum of Occupation taught us about the struggles that the Latvian people had to face in times of occupation by both Nazis and Communists.
The teachers organised all types of amusing activities for us: on the Friday night we went bowling
in a group, and enjoyed pizza. On the Sunday evening we were sent to complete some entertaining escape rooms: each had a separate theme, Minecraft, zombies or vampires. It was a great experience, and the escape room leaders made it all the more exciting. On the last night of the trip the teachers provided us with an entertaining and lively quiz on all sorts of topics, including Russian language, and a picture round.
On all weekdays we were given the opportunity to learn from native speakers at the language school. We also garnered lots of useful linguistic hints to take back to School and put into practice. The language school also organised both matryoshka painting and borsch-making workshops for us all.
Overall, our Riga visit was a great learning experience and will create everlasting positive memories. I should like to thank the Russian Department for organising such a meaningful and enjoyable trip.
p R16 EarC1,,4
In O3,6I1r 36 :;:)84 2r6@ A1ar 9 flew into Naples and took a coach to our villa, where there were some adorable cats. Our first site visit was the archæological park of Cumae, where we explored the Sybil’s cave, before getting some delicious gelato, then a supper of pasta and tiramisu
Next day, on Vesuvius, we were consumed by mosquitoes, but it was fun at the top where the winds were blowing really hard: if you put your arms out it felt like flying. There were no toilets on Vesuvius. After lunch we went to the ruins of Pompeii, and saw tons of old architecture.
Herculaneum was fascinating: because of the volcanic mudslide a lot of wood was preserved, so we saw a lot of original buildings … as well as the skeletons in the boathouses. Then the coach took us to the Naples archæology museum, where we saw many beautiful old statues (mostly seeming to be Roman copies of Greek originals).
Our fourth and last day turned out a bit chaotic. We visited Puzzoli, and the Flavian amphitheatre, including the underneath where they’d kept animals. But it started absolutely bucketing down with rain and the whole group got soaked. Our coach driver
took us to a service station to get into dry clothes. In a food court I saw some Italian army guys in normal uniforms, but some of them had funky hats.
After driving to the airport we played dungeons and dragons; I was asleep for most of the flight but when we were flying over another country (France I think) I took a photo out of the window.
When we finally landed and got our bags, Mr Watkins took us to meet our parents. I found my dad and went home. It was a tiring but really enjoyable trip; thank you to Mr Watkins and the other teachers who made it so much fun.
D;r)nC F1Ir;ary .a82 ,1r@ a group of Year 10 pupils set o5 for a five-day study trip to the vibrant city of Valencia, accompanied by Mrs Macro, Miss Parratt and Mr Iwi.
The visit provided pupils with the opportunity not only to improve their language skills, but also to enjoy an enriching experience of Spanish culture.
Our accommodation was conveniently located on the Plaza de Ayuntamiento, Valencia’s largest and most impressive square, in the centre of the city. Pupils enjoyed entertaining and engaging Spanish lessons each morning in a language school situated in the heart of Valencia’s old town.
We followed a varied programme of activities each afternoon including a guided tour of the Mestalla Stadium, home of Valencia Club de Fútbol, where we learnt about the history of the club, and a visit to the local Fallas museum, which houses some of the figures from the annual Fallas festival parade. We also explored the unique City of Arts and Science complex, including a visit to the Science Museum and the Oceanogràfic aquarium.
During our stay we sampled lots of di5erent Spanish cuisine, including paella, Valencia’s most traditional dish; and, of course, no stay in Spain would have been complete without trying some tapas, which we enjoyed on the last evening in a local restaurant.
p 'nna Ea3r6
In O3,6I1r ,.1 7)x,. - 26r@ 'r, students headed down to St Ives for a one-night residential trip.
On the way we visited the Eden Project, which did not disappoint: we felt we were in a di5erent world. On reaching our overnight stop, we had a workshop from Greg Humphries, who taught us how to capture parts of St Ives in a way more abstract than just what you saw in front of you. This took some people out of their comfort zones, but it taught us a di5erent way of working.
On the second day we visited the Barbara Hepworth house and garden, a gallery of sculptures in all di5erent shapes, colours and sizes; it was interesting how these blended in with the colours of nature, and every angle of each sculpture seemed completely di5erent. The second gallery visit was to Tate St Ives, where many artworks caught my attention, especially in a room where the walls were painted black, and sheets of fabric folded and rippled in an assortment of di5erent greens.
After the galleries the coach took us to Newlyn, for another art workshop which tested everyone’s colour theory, using di5erent media such as pastels and coloured paper. This was a nice experience because it gave the Lower Sixth a chance to get to know the Upper Sixth better.
After the long day of working we had a very long coach journey back, stopping only for some food, which re-energised everyone a bit. Overall, the St Ives experience was one to remember, and we came home with skills and photos to incorporate into later work.
p E)88)1 71ar81
Y1ar 7 3a@: was a truly memorable experience; obviously any time o5 School is cool, but there are positive reasons why this camp was loved so much.
First, friendships: those carried on from the Junior School grew even stronger, but it was a great time to get to know the new Year 7 joiners and make them feel part of our great School. Sharing a dorm with people you don’t know might seem a bit daunting at first, but it really meant lots of chats with new people, and everyone got on brilliantly.
Second, the amazing activities: a favourite was the water-based task, getting water from the top of a hill, bringing it down and then flushing a ping-pong ball up a tube full of holes. We had to work as a team to plug these, which was hilarious because we were getting so wet! We did lots of teambuilding games, including creating a minibonfire to roast marshmallows as a pair. When we got back from camp everyone talked about their experiences and what they liked about their time away.
The evening was one of my favourite times, because we would sit round an incredible bonfire and listen to people’s funny stories and jokes: it was like something in the movies. The teachers also seemed to love hearing pupils’ funny stories, and that was nice to see. Getting to know our teachers better was great too. It is nice to see how we all bonded outside of class. Our teachers were incredible: they were so accommodating and kind on camp, as were the brilliant prefects who joined us.
Thank you to all the sta5 who helped to give us a time away that we shall remember with a smile for years to come.
p 'ryanna F8)n,
L1 I1Can 6;r ,r): with a visit to the Ulster Museum, where students explored the vast collection of Troubles-related artefacts to support our research, as well as appreciating the culturally significant artworks they had on display. Of particular note was the sectarian blackboard from the series The Derry Girls. Students then enjoyed a bus tour of Belfast, taking in the peace walls, Stormont and the Samson and Goliath cranes. Our guide pointed out the many Nationalist and Unionist murals, and students could see how the two communities used murals to direct their anger and spread their message. Despite the rain, our tour guide’s engaging style made the trip a great success and we all learned a lot. That evening, after a tasty dinner, we all watched The Hunger together.
The next morning we began our day with walking tours around West Belfast, led by ex-paramilitaries from the Nationalist and Unionist communities, and students were able to ask questions and gain a deep understanding of historic sectarianism and how it still resonates today. The afternoon visit to the Nationalist Museum allowed a greater understanding of the part played by women in the conflict. The tour around Crumlin Road Gaol provided insight into the grim conditions they lived in until the Good Friday Agreement. Overall the trip provided a great background knowledge for ‘A’ Level coursework, and for further study for IB students.
p 7ara Ba441,,
N6Q1@I1r ’ 4 A1ar 9 Black
Country Living Museum trip got o5 to a foreboding start: most of the way up the M5 we hurtled through ever-darkening and thickening clouds, heavy with an intensifying downpour until … suddenly the rainclouds parted and the sun shone providentially over Dudley as we came o5 the motorway and neared our destination.
Once there, the chances for the Year 9s to gain hands-on understanding of the Industrial Revolution section of their curriculum were too numerous to recount. A particular highlight was the recreation of an 1850s’ coal mine, simulating the conditions experienced by miners from the age of ten upwards, who mined the famous ‘Sta5ordshire Thick’, the country’s widest coal seam and one of the greatest energy sources of the Industrial Revolution.
Our pupils were also reminded of why they should be grateful for BGS’s relatively enlightened pedagogic techniques, as they sat through an 1842-style lesson at St James School, Dudley. Enquiring minds and pastoral care were clearly not the order of the day in this establishment: the class was drilled with military discipline through their rote learning and, curiously, Mr Pattie was singled out for punishment from the Victorian schoolmaster!
The rest of the day – when not sampling the museum’s famed traditional fish and chips cooked in beef fat – was spent wandering round the recreation, often using the original bricks of the buildings simulated, of a Black Country town from c.1850–1950. The shops, terraced houses, iron works, Methodist Chapel, cinemas, pubs, and even working buses we encountered were sta5ed by authentically-costumed volunteers, more than happy to o5er expert explanations of the historical context of their premises.
In short, a wonderful and enriching time was had by all 105 pupils and eleven sta5 at this absolute hidden gem of the West Midlands.
p
OThe next day was relentless.
A1ar 11 and Sixth-form
Classicists headed o5 for an eventful five-day trip travelling through the Greek mainland to rediscover the etymology of the stories we study. Waking early after a four-hour flight to Athens, the Classicist in each of us prevailed: bleary-eyed we set o5 to the Areopagus. Ascending to the top of the Athenian Acropolis we were mesmerised by the awe-inspiring view of the Athenian cityscape below.
Mr Keen led an entourage to Socrates’s prison, making tangible what was previously just text in a schoolbook. After a long day, we soaked up the Corinth Canal and eventually settled in Tolo, for a well-deserved rest.
The classicists journeyed to Epidaurus, followed by Asklipieio, then the ancient city-state of Mycenae, and finally the Temple of Apollo Epikourious at Bassae. Over the next few days, the BGS explorers also savoured Olympia, where some students partook in the ancient Olympic Games dash.
We ended the final day in the bellybutton of the world, Delphi, mixing the stunning architecture the site had to o5er with the world of prophecy. The finale of our trip was the National Archæological Museum, where we browsed among the ancient relics. The trip was an enriching experience and gave substance to the many sources we study, solidifying our understanding of ancient culture.
p Kay E;n(ray
T.)4 Ga4 6;r 2)r4, ,r): to Germany post-Covid, and what a fabulous return it was. Berlin is so lively, and historically so interesting, that the five days our Year 11 and Sixth-form Germanists spent there, in our Autumn half-term break, were definitely not enough! Every morning involved being proper Berlin commuters, taking the U-Bahn to Wittenbergplatz for three hours of Deutschstunden, in which students appreciated learning from di5erent teachers. They realised they know more German than they think they do, not only during the lunch-breaks, when it came to buying the many di5erent types of Wurst, Sauerkraut and Haribo, but also when trying the many other cuisines available in multicultural Berlin.
Every afternoon involved being a proper Berlin sightseer (sore feet included!), when we took in views from the Reichstag (the German parliament building) and the Fernsehturm (the TV tower) and cruised through the city centre on the Spree river. We learnt about recent German history at the Spionage Museum and at Bernauer Straße, where you can get a fascinating perspective over a stretch of ‘die Mauer’, as well as insights into what it meant to live in a divided Berlin.
We stayed, for the first time on our Berlin trips, in the A+O youth hostel in Friedrichshain, in eastern Berlin, where the evening karaoke and Mr Harford’s daily photo competition were a big hit. Many thanks also to Ms Corrigan and Mr Thackray for their wise, enthusiastic and energetic support! Personality of the trip was of course, das Ampelmännchen! The whole experience was entertaining, informative and a great boost for BGS German linguists.
p '4,r)( 014,188
In Ear3. ,.1 R6G1r - 4)x,. Physics scholars had the opportunity to attend a lunch gathering at the House of Lords, where we heard talks delivered by four prominent figures in the biomedical engineering field. These gave us an insight into the wide range of possibilities a career in engineering can o5er, including the skills and the problem-solving such endeavours would require. We all enjoyed the food and found the speakers inspirational. Thanks to Mrs Glenn for organising this great day out.
p 51nry L)88)a@4
Fr6@ 24 ,6 31 K;8y 2023 Mayra Hobrok and Aryan Nejabati (Lower-sixth Economists) attended Ru5er LLP Academy in London for a week’s work experience. It was an extraordinarily insightful and fulfilling experience. Whether shadowing professionals, meeting new people, or participating in workshops, I greatly enjoyed my time there.
A particular highlight, for me, was working in a team to research and present a pitch to the people at Ru5er, regarding whether the firm should invest in BP stock. The task allowed me both to apply my knowledge of current a5airs, and to enhance my skills of teamwork and public speaking.
I would highly recommend applying for Ru5er to anyone interested in a career in finance, or currently studying Economics. It definitely is a worthwhile experience.
p Eayra 56Ir6H
Y1ar 8 4 2r6@ Glenn’s, Parratt’s and Scott’s all travelled up to Snowdonia for their outdoor experience at the end of May. On the Monday morning, they all went on a walk, some up to the famous Swallow Falls in Betws-y-Coed and others around local llynnoedd (lakes).
On Tuesday morning, following a weather report foreseeing glorious sunshine turning into thunderous downpours, groups headed out into the gorge to go scrambling, up the mighty Moel Seabed, into a local mine, or climbing the local crag. In the evening, the groups enjoyed learning new card games from Mr Jervis and watching movies in the snug.
On Wednesday the rain was coming down and we were told we should either embrace the wet or hide from it: many of the groups favoured embracing the weather, and went into the gorge to go scrambling, climbing through small gaps, abseiling down waterfalls, and sliding into deep pools. Those in the mine enjoyed zip wires, boating flooded sections, climbing up waterfalls and experiencing their lunches by candlelight in the depths!
The groups enjoyed a quiz night, with quiz masters Miss Webb and Mr Keen asking the questions: the victorious team was ‘That One Night in Wales’.
As BGS were packing up in the morning, the sta5 at the centres were complimentary about the excellent behaviour they witnessed, from a group of polite young people who weren’t afraid to get stuck into new adventures! A successful trip all around!
Tr):4 ,6 ,.1
F)r4, L6r8( Lar Western Front battlefields provide pupils with an out-ofclassroom learning experience par excellence. This year’s, with the Year 10 History students, more than lived up to such billing.
Captivated by the brilliant storytelling of BGS’ perennial expert guide, Neil Matthews, our whole cohort of 43 listened intently and questioned intelligently at many sites. These included the Menin Gate; the Somme and the Thiepval memorial arch, Ulster Tower and preserved trench systems; and the British and German cemeteries at Tyne Cot and Langemark, as well as the memorial to the Indian missing at Neuve Chapelle.
A running theme was the internationalising of commemoration, challenging the jingoism that has recently attached itself to memories of the world wars. One instance was the Remembrance Ring Peace Memorial at the French cemetery at Notre Dame sur Lorette, a huge bronze-panelled structure naming all 579,606 WW1 soldiers (from forty countries) killed in the Pas-de-Calais, engraved alphabetically regardless of nationality or allegiance.
Human stories behind the horrifying statistics were brought home at the grave of OB Stanley Booker (at St Vaast Post Military Cemetery in Richebourg) and the Gloucestershire Cross (commemorating the dead of regiments Bristolian soldiers most probably joined). A group of our students laid a tribute-inscribed wreath, before prefacing a minute’s silence with heartfelt words of their own.
Such lessons in the human cost – when nationalist rhetoric is combined with military capability – are particularly valuable when, 110 years on from what was hoped would be ‘the war to end all wars’, a volatile international situation has again inflamed the debate about whether the UK and other liberal democracies should be increasing the size of, and spending on, their armed forces. Food for thought indeed, and something considered with admirable maturity and nuance by all who attended the trip.
p M.ar8)1 01ar46n
aQ)nC 812, Br)4,68 in early afternoon, we flew into Nice, welcomed by sunshine. Arriving at our hotel for the next few nights, we unpacked our bags, had our first sample of French cuisine, and headed out into the evening air for a walk around the neighbourhood.
Our first full day was a walking tour of Nice. We visited a waterfall and a castle, and explored the seafront and port that had many yachts moored up in all shapes and sizes. Our treat, after a vast number of steps, was a delicious ice cream.
The following day we had our excursion to Monaco and the train journey took us along the coastline, which was stunning. We were fortunate enough to walk around the Grand Prix track, through the chicane and tunnel, and we saw many expensive yachts and cars along the way. We also saw AC Monaco stadium … and the day was topped o5 with yet another ice cream!
The next day was our planned excursion to Antibes – another walking tour which kept our steps at an all-time high. We visited the Picasso Museum to see some of his famous pieces. Our final day was a wander over to the harbour and the memorial Promenade des Anglais … and then we boarded the bus back to the airport.
It was a very busy, tiring and fun-packed few days in France: we were very lucky with the weather, as the sun shone throughout.
p Ea(63 E1(G188
.1a( 62 6;r 73.68ar4 ,r): to the Hippodrome, Mr Morris kicked o5 the evening with some background to the art of opera, and the show (Così Fan Tutte) we were about to see. Some quick Italian lessons for those of us who knew less about opera, and a riveting performance from Mr Morris himself, prepared us for the evening ahead.
Once seated in the Hippodrome, the eighty pupils and ten teachers became immersed in the set, which depicted a school, in contrast to the usual eighteenth-century Neapolitan setting for Così Fan Tutte. We enjoyed how this changed the relationship dynamics on stage, the well-loved character of Despina now being portrayed as a hardworking dinner lady.
What had not changed from the original conception was the great emotion given by the actors, and the humour as each unfortunate circumstance unfolded, leading to an overall fantastic evening of entertainment.
One of the features of Così Fan Tutte is its blend of comic opera (opera bu a) and serious opera (opera seria). Mozart switches between the comedic antics of characters like Despina and the ‘Albanians’ and the almost tragic seriousness of Fiordiligi. The overture, though brief, encapsulates the opera’s essence. The solo at the beginning from the oboe – an instrument linked to Don Alfonso throughout the opera – and the erratic mood shifts in the presto section, foreshadow the emotional and tonal fluctuations of the story.
These musical elements set the stage for the intricate exploration of love, deception, and human nature that unfolds in Così Fan Tutte. Opera is sung without any amplification, and the performance the Welsh National Opera gave was exceptional. This was an exceptional opportunity, enhanced by the pre-opera talk.
p R;3y E6r8)nC
TG6 @1@I1r4 of a group of Year 10 students, who spent four March days in The Towers Residential Centre, reflect on some of the adventurous outdoor activities – including weaseling, via ferrata, abseiling, canoeing, bushcraft, mine exploration and canyoning –that they enjoyed.
‘The trip to the old slate mine took us through a slate quarry and a very picturesque and interesting temperate forest. In the mine we had to take a short boat ride through one of the flooded levels, and the skills we’d learnt from canoeing the day before were very helpful. There were many old artefacts in the mine and our instructor told us loads about its history.
‘At lunchtime we learnt about how mines are among the darkest places ever, and how our eyes and brain adapt to the low light levels. We then climbed a waterfall to get out of the mine. The walk back was amazing, through more forests and quarries, with a view of many mountains. Everyone loved this day, learning about industrial history and the people of the area. How many can say they have been down an abandoned mine?
‘On the morning of the final day we went scrambling up a fast-flowing gorge. After successfully navigating our way up a small waterfall, we had the option to jump in a plunge pool and get very wet (and cold!). Afterwards, we went back to the house to dry o5, before returning to BGS at the end of a really enjoyable trip. Thank you to Mr Carr for organising it.’ p K144 5arQ1y an( 5anna. J1@:81
K;n1 4aG ;4 ,aH1 ,.)r,y Year 7 pupils to Cheltenham Science Festival: it was an over-subscribed trip again, and all who were invited to attend were excited and made the most of the day. We started with a talk from Professor Michael Wooldridge about The Future of AI. He discussed how many things around us – from our smartphone to our toothbrush – already use AI, its limitations, and why it isn’t as scary as we might think.
We then had time to explore everything on o5er at the festival, including seeing a race car up close, chatting to the Woodland Trust and trying to fly a plane on a simulator, although many pupils also took great enjoyment in visiting the ice-cream stall.
Then came our time to visit the ‘Discover Zone’ and its interactive experiments, to talk to current professionals, to get our hands on as many freebies as we could … and to try our luck in a Crystal Maze-styled wind tunnel.
We finished the day with a workshop on ‘Mysterious Materials’ run by ‘Discover Materials’, exploring the hydrophobic e5ect of wax and palm leaves, the UV and other protection o5ered by di5erent fabrics, how far you could stretch di5erent sweets, and how much force di5erent chocolate bars could absorb. If you ever need to make a bike helmet from a chocolate bar, it turns out that your best option is a Wispa Gold.
p 06r,)a B6;r,6n - M8arH
In K;n1 , Lower-sixth ‘A’ level Russian students, and those about to start our ‘A’ level course, embarked on a trip to London’s Donmar Warehouse to see Anton Chekhov’s last play, The Cherry Orchard
The play, set at the turn of the twentieth century, looks at the demise of a Russian aristocratic family and the sale of their grand, but fading, estate. Yet this production, by Australian director Benedict Andrews, was a radical re-imagining, transporting us firmly into the twenty-first century, redefining both story and characters.
The set-design was striking: instead of an expansive Russian estate or the eponymous orchard, the staging was minimalist, with sleek, modern furnishings. Costumes were modern and eclectic. When the actors left the stage, they sat among the audience as though we were all participants in the action. Far from watching ‘a great play’ we were in someone’s home, witnesses to the foolishness of a dysfunctional family.
The sense of the domestic was underlined by the carpets on which the action took place. As the orchard is chopped down at the end of the play these carpets were destroyed, and that became the metaphor for the family experiencing change and loss.
AThe dialogue had been updated too. There were modern references to climate change and current events in the UK. There was even Australian slang! This contributed to the humour of the first act, with eccentric characters clowning around, but it didn’t diminish the power of the final acts when the collapse of the family and their way of life hit home.
The production was enjoyable and imaginative, but does something get lost in translation?
p 9a)4y L66(
, ,.1 1n( of the Summer term we went to visit our German partners at their school in Grenzach, just across the Swiss border. We stayed in a youth hostel in Basel, and in the evenings explored the historic city, walking along the Rhine and exploring attractions such as the interactive Tinguely museum, or the cathedral.
On school days we took the bus across the border to the Lise-MeytnerGymnasium, and met our German partners. We were welcomed by the Headmaster, and played some games with everyone. We then enjoyed German school lessons, especially science and technology, experiencing the German language and the di5erent style of teaching in German schools.
After lunch we went on exciting activities with our German partners. We visited the zoo together, where our partner Joris taught us how to say di5erent animals in German, and we had a tour of a traditional Swiss bakery on the last day.
On the Saturday we took the German highspeed ‘ICE’ train to Freiburg. On this day we tried all kinds of transport, including the ferry, tram, gondola to go up to a monument, and the bus. Despite the heavy rain we completed a scavenger hunt, during which we discovered historic places all over town, and we climbed the tower of its gargantuan ancient cathedral. On the Sunday we climbed the Swiss mountains in Reigoldswyl by cable car, and enjoyed an amazing traditional German lunch in a mountain-top restaurant. One of our highlights was watching the Switzerland vs England match on a big screen in Basel, alongside our Swiss colleagues.
We should like to thank our fantastic German teachers, Frau Hoelzer and Ms Pestell, for taking amazing care of us and putting this trip together, and also to thank our German school and partners for hosting us so well.
On arriving in Cape Town, 106 pupils and eleven sta5 enjoyed a rainsoaked visit to Langa, the settlement established in 1927 for Black Africans before the apartheid era; we made residential housing and primary-school visits, and learnt how arts projects have been established to support people creating their own businesses. The rain put paid to our scheduled hockey, netball and Rugby matches against Brackenfell Hoërskool, but we shared a meal, engaged in great conversations with our hosts, and played touch-Rugby in the car park.
Our planned excursion to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for eighteen years during Apartheid, was also stopped by the weather, as was the cable-car ride up to Table Mountain. But we had a successful guided tour around the Cape Peninsula: the big boulders in Camps Bay, Cape of Good Hope (the southwesternmost tip of Africa), and the rare African penguin colony at Boulders beach in Simons Town.
Atlantic storms had closed some schools, which e5ectively cancelled the next day’s sports, though our surfing trip still went ahead in the morning, on Muizenberg beach within False Bay on the Indian Ocean side of Table Mountain. Mist shrouded the mountain itself from our view.
Next day we headed to Camps Bay for beach games and team challenges, and the sun finally shone … on our sandcastles. We spent the evening at the Gold Restaurant, enjoying an African Cuisine experience.
On day seven all our sports fixtures went ahead against De Kuilen Hoërskool in Kuilsriver, just outside Stellenbosch. Hockey, netball and Rugby, U16 and U18, both boys’ and girls’ fixtures concurrently playing in ten teams: it was a sight to behold! Over a hundred pupils can now say they represented BGS in South Africa on the sports field. Both girls’ hockey teams won convincingly, as did the boys’ hockey team. The U16 netballers lost 18–9, the U17s won 28–7 and the U18s won 34–22, while the Rugby U16s won 35–17, and the U18s won 47–0. Back at the hotel in the afternoon, during downtime, we saw the clouds clear, and Table Mountain finally appeared.
Next day we flew up to Johannesburg and transferred to a hotel in Pretoria, where a big barbecue provided a great pre-match build-up for the England v Spain Euros football final (though that did not go the way we wanted!).
The following morning we headed to the safari park for guided wildlife tours. From caged trucks we watched gira5es feeding, and lions sprang up to give us a roaring welcome. Being so close to leopards and hyaenas, and driving past cheetahs and zebras, was an unforgettable experience!
Next we visited the Lesedi Cultural Village, a World Heritage site, and learned about the numerous tribes spread throughout South Africa that still connect the present with the past. This part of the tour ended with a dance performance and another African cuisine experience, this time a boma.
Our second set of sports fixtures, against Eldoraigne Hoërskool, took place in beautiful sunshine. All the matches were a step up from rainy Cape Town: in the girls’ hockey the Thirds lost 6–0, while the Firsts and Seconds both won 2–1. In boys’ hockey the U16s won 3–2 and the U18s lost 1–0. The Rugby U16s played a cracking game, never giving up, yet losing 39–27. The U18s, matching the physicality and intensity of their opponents, narrowly lost 12–7.
The evening on the dance floor rounded o53a day that had everything, epitomising what sports touring is all about.
On day eleven, having headed to the Bakubung Lodge Game Reserve 175km away from Pretoria, we boarded their ‘Game Drive’ trucks: some groups saw elephants playing in water, or herding close by; others saw gira5es, white rhinos, a lion cub dining in a bush, and zebras and wildebeest roaming the plains. During a short lakeside stop we also saw hippos and crocodiles. Dinner was an African BBQ, followed by a band playing music around a large campfire.
Next morning a 5:30am alarm call summoned us back to the wilderness. Sunrise across the plains was a sight to behold, and we observed leopards, rhinos, and hippos chilling by a lake. But after breakfast we boarded the buses to make our way to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg for the overnight flight home.
Special thanks must go to Mr Lacey for co-ordinating this lifetime opportunity for everyone involved, and to all the sta5 who looked after and cared for a ‘family’ throughout the trip. The 106 BGS pupils were a credit to their families and the School community: giving their all on the sports fields of South Africa, across sixteen fixtures, they made memories that will last a lifetime.
Bing bong out!
D)3H 5)88
0 15, L 7, 9 1, R 7; F 30, ' 32
Our great season started with a very challenging match in 30° heat against Kingswood, which we narrowly lost, the final score 2–3. Next came the first round of the England Hockey Tier 2 National Cup, which we won in a tense series of eighteen penalty shu8es after the match finished 0–0; Ruth Goodgame was the heroine in goal!
The season saw strong attacking performances by Zoë Wakling and Sophie Pickering, especially against Royal High School Bath in Round 2 of the Cup, which we won 10–0. A highlight of the season was Round 4 where – 24 hours after beating Kingswood in Round 3 – we faced Dauntsey’s. We were 0–2 down at half-time, but standout second-half performances from our midfield – Grace Atkin, Zoey Starke, Zara Wolfenden, Laura Boyle, Mabel He5ernan and ‘Players’ Player of the Season’ Steph Hamilton-James – made the di5erence, and we finished 3–2 winners (Mabel scoring an amazing solo winner in the last ninety seconds). We also enjoyed the Friday Night Lights games, especially against QEH, when Maddie Henderson, Lucy Richardson and Lizzie Clark held strong in defence, earning the 1–0 win.
Through the season we learned to play together as a team, and developed tactics that got us through to the Cup quarterfinals, where we fought Canford in pouring rain and blistering wind, with some amazing performances from Year 10’s Indie-Rose Murray and Tabby Wring. We missed the opportunity to progress to the semi-finals, and ended the longest Cup run a BGS girls’ First XI has had. Nonetheless we ended the season on a high, winning our last match against Collegiate; we rallied and secured a 2–1 win.
We should like to thank Liam Curnow for all his S&C support, and Miss Rixon for her commitment and perseverance while coaching us.
p R)VV)1 M8arH
0 9, L 5, 9 1, R 3; F 18, ' 15
We started the season strongly with a 2–0 win against Kingswood, which saw all the girls battle hard in the unusual September heatwave. We then faced Blundell’s, where we scored a dramatic late winner to claim a memorable 4–3 victory, twice coming from behind! Following a tough loss to a good Dean Close side, we went on to beat Taunton 2–0, with goals from the dynamic duo of Lenki Szpojnarowicz and Sophie Maggs, and a ‘Player of the Match’ performance from the ever-reliable Eloïse Allpress. Other results included wins against KES (2–0) and Clifton High (3–0), and a loss (1–3) to Cheltenham, which included a penalty flick save by Erika Aikens.
Captaining the Second XI has been a privilege this term, and it has been wonderful to feel us grow as a team. Our no-nonsense defending was led by Khandi Decordova – who rightfully earned ‘Players’ Player of the Season’ – with Tessa Smith always strong by her side. Our midfielders have worked tirelessly in every match to win the ball back, and get it up to our forwards. A special mention goes to Lucy Morling, who was always there, whenever and wherever we needed her, in every match! Thank you to my vice-captain Naomi Parsons, who kept morale high, and was always reliable in midfield and defence.
Last but not least, a massive thank you must go to Miss Light for putting up with us for a whole season, making sure we always had fun and played our best!
p R)Q 9an)184
0 9, L 3, 9 5, R 1; F 11, ' 8
It was a great season, players coming into the team from all three Year-groups, and rising to the challenge! A strong 3–0 win against Kingswood was a great start, especially given the heat that day. From then on our players worked tirelessly, achieving draws against many strong teams such as Blundell’s, Dean Close and Taunton School. Following a 0–2 loss to our local rivals, Clifton College, the girls picked themselves up again with a hard-fought 1–1 draw against Cheltenham College, and remained unbeaten until the end of the season. The season highlight was our match against KES Bath, played late under the lights, with a final scoreline of 2–1 and incredible performances all round.
Our successes would not have been possible without hard work from our forwards Keira Devereux, Sophie Winfield, Jasmine Lock and Lauren Dickie. Mention must go to our outstanding midfield players Ellie Burrows, Orla Farrelly, Anna Sugiura and Annabelle Ireson, with Lily Blunden, Kate Russell, Honey Venables and Mini McClellan out on the wings. Additionally – with Jemima Boss in goal, supported by Jessie Mitchell, Immy Yeo, Issy Vickery, Esme Gouldsmith and Sophie Robinson –we have always felt strong in defence.
The di5erent Year-groups mixed well, and the high number of girls from Years 11 and 12 augurs promisingly for BGS hockey. A big thank you goes to Mrs John, who coached us throughout the season, and to all the Third XI girls for their hard work and commitment to the team.
p P4@1 U6;8(4@),.
0 8, L 4, 9 3, R 1; F 16, ' 8
We had a great season in which we went undefeated, bar a closely-contested – yet disastrous – 0–4 loss against KES Bath.
We started o5 strongly, with a draw against Kingswood in 30° weather, and then showed great skill in a 4–0 away victory over Blundell’s. Over thirty girls wanted to play Fourth XI hockey this year, so the very first ‘4Ith XI’ was born, captained by Fran Edson. Both teams saw success in matches against Clifton High and Clifton College: part of our winning streak must be attributed to our wonderful goalkeepers, Abbie Wagsta5 and Pru George.
The season also saw two excellent comebacks: against Cheltenham College, where we came back from 0–2 down at halftime to draw 2–2, and also against Taunton School, thanks to a last-minute goal from Anna Reavley which secured a draw.
Many thanks to Miss Parratt and occasionally Mrs John for their positivity, patience, élite tactics and sweets which always improved our hockey and spirits.
p 'nya M6@1r an( T48a M6@1r
0 12, L 4, 9 3, R 5; F 22, ' 33
We had a great season. Although we won only four of our twelve matches, we improved massively on last year’s confidence, dedication and overall skill. Things started well as we drew our first game 3–3 against Kingswood, which gave us confidence for the term ahead. Our highlight was undoubtedly the match against Rugby School in the second round of the ISHC Cup. Rugby took an early lead and we were 0–3 down at half-time. Most of our heads were down, but some encouraging words from Miss Ripley and Miss Rixon saw us ready for the second half. We played amazingly and, despite still being 1–4 down with twelve minutes to go, made an extraordinary comeback: with amazing goals from Annabelle Julier, Mirre van der Werf, Isabel Canning and Tabitha Wring, we were able to win the game 5–4!
This win put us through to the last 32 independent schools in the country. Round 3 of the Cup did not go as well as we had hoped, and we unfortunately lost against St John’s Leatherhead, and were knocked out. Though this was unfortunate, we should be proud of how far we had come as a team.
We improved greatly throughout the season, becoming more confident and dedicated. Special mentions must go to Indie Murray, who made a lot of amazing assists throughout the term, and made her First XI début alongside Tabby Wring, and also to Isla Stark, who worked so hard every match.
A big thank you to Miss Ripley, our coach for the last two years, and to all the other coaches and Sports Leader Sixth-form helpers who made our matches and training sessions super-enjoyable.
p E)rr1 Qan (1r L1r2
0 9, L 3, R 6; F 10, ' 20
In the best season we have played so far every single member of the team improved massively in both skill and confidence, which clearly showed in all our games. Our coaches encourage us immensely, and we are all incredibly grateful for the time and e5ort they put in to organising and preparing us for matches.
Everyone who showed up, taking time out of their weekends, displayed unbelievable dedication and team spirit. Obviously I’m biased, but I would argue that the U15 ‘B’ is the most enthusiastic and supportive team at BGS, and I am so thankful to have been part of it.
Our most memorable match was against Clifton College; thanks to illness and injury we had only eight players and, while we borrowed help from some amazing U14 ‘B’s, we were still without any substitutes, and really up against it. This game definitely brought us closer as a team, and forged bonds we should otherwise never have made.
As well as this, we won 2–1 against Collegiate on the final day of the season. It was a highly tense match, both teams having scored once by half-time. We worked hard, however, communicating and pushing ourselves until we managed to score one final goal in the last few minutes … that’s how we won our very last match of the term. All the team agreed that this was the best match we had played, and it was a great way to round o5 the season.
p F86r1n31 Lr)C.,
0 12, L 6, 9 3, R 3; F 21, ' 18
This season has been very successful: one of our best moments was getting through to the last sixteen of the EH National T1 Plate, but unfortunately we were knocked out after a challenging game and an unlucky loss against one of our main rivals, Redmaids’ High.
This was the first year that our whole team played eleven-a-side. Many had never played a full-pitch match before, so our first game against Kingswood was a challenge, though we managed to keep it to a draw. Since then, our team has improved greatly and won against some strong sides.
Our best match by far was against Cheltenham College, a tough opponent: everyone played their best, and we were the only team in the School to secure victory that day. We should like to congratulate Ilsa Errington for being our top scorer for the third year running, and contributing some last-minute, game-winning goals. Esme Johnson, our goalkeeper, has had an exceptional season, making some crucial saves and decisions in critical moments. Without the security of her in goal, many results would have been completely di5erent.
Maeve Allen has been a constant defensive and attacking weapon throughout the season: her hard work and resilience deserve to be celebrated (says Lara!). Lara Holt has been a great leading example and overall, a big-impact player: she always leaves everything she has on the pitch and never fails to help the team win the game with her determination and skill (says Maeve!).
Finally, we should like to thank Charlie Thompson and Gary Phillips for being amazingly supportive coaches, and wish Miss Rixon the best of luck in her new school.
p Rara 568, an( Ea1Q1 '881n
0 8, L 1, 9 4, R 3; F 7, ' 9
Overall this season has been mixed in terms of results; we have lost and won various matches, and we also drew against some very tough opponents. Despite these results, anyone watching our training and matches could see the amount of improvement and e5ort from every player in this team.
Our defence has become much stronger, thanks to Grace Harris and Kami Long’s incredible tackles, and to Eva Wragg for saving so many goals. Our attack has improved significantly thanks to Sofia Radford with her insane reverses, and Mia Westney with her extremely strong hits.
As a team we have worked really well together. One of our strongest games was a 2–0 win against Blundell’s: Mia Westney was playing up front, getting link-ups from Sophie Yates, and went on to score one of the goals. Grace Harris and Kami Long tackled lots of people, stopping goals alongside Eva Wragg. One strong performance was our 1–1 draw to Taunton. Another incredible showing was a 1–1 draw against Clifton College, a very tough opposition: but Sofia Radford scored one of her many incredible goals with only fifteen seconds remaining. Overall our top players have been Eva Wragg in goal, Mia Westney and Sofia Radford attacking, and Grace Harris and Kami Long in defence. We have also had some of the ‘A’ team – Katie Dolman and Ceinwen Wharton – come down to play with us at times, and are truly grateful for their positive attitude and skill.
We have all improved considerably this season but we should not have been able to do this without our great coaches, Gary Phillips and Ollie Thompson. Thank you both for making this season amazing.
p Ear,.a 0.)88):4
0 4, L 2, R 2; F 9, ' 6
We had an amazing few matches – against Clifton College, KES, Redmaids’ High and Cheltenham College – and all were very enjoyable. In addition some of us played for the U14 ‘B’ team on Saturdays, and we went undefeated in these matches – and did extremely well. We had some outstanding bits of play, and goals by all our players. Our best match was the game against Clifton College, which we won 4–0! I am proud of the team for this marvellous performance.
I have had a great time with the ‘C’s and I think everyone played fantastically. It is amazing that we had so many people in the year wanting to play hockey that we got a ‘C’ team out, and I am proud of our achievements. This wonderful team played their hearts out and gave their all, every game.
p F;Iy 7:),1r)
0 8, L 5, R 3; F 21, ' 16
In a great season we started with a few tough matches, but our team improved greatly week-on-week, and if we could go back to the first few games I’m sure we should improve upon those results.
One highlight for the team was beating Redmaids’ High 4–2, thanks to goals from Immy Koupparis, Lamorna Lawrence and Zoë Snowden. Another great highlight was beating St Teresa’s E6ngham in our first knock-out cup match for BGS. We went down one-nil, yet a great goal from Lamorna Lawrence put us back in the game. With the scores level at full-time, we went into extra time and E6ngham scored in the first few minutes. We continued to work hard, however, and an excellent reverse hit from Immy Koupparis got us back into the game. The match went to penalty flicks and E6ngham didn’t stand a chance against Lizzie Kelly in goal. At the end of the tight match, we won! Sadly, we lost our lasttwelve match in the next round, despite a fantastic team performance.
A shout-out goes to our whole defence, who were great at getting the ball back up to our attack and taking the pressure o5 our amazing goalie. Likewise to Iona Gri6ths, who has improved so much, and is now one of the best players in our team.
Overall everyone had an amazing season, and improved greatly. A great ‘thank you’ must go to Mr Clements for helping us improve throughout the season, as players, and as a team.
p T@6C1n O6;::ar)4
0 8, L 4, R 4; F 17, ' 14
We didn’t have the best start, losing our first two matches; but in our third game things started to click and we managed to beat Dean Close 1–0. We then played in the Tier 2 U13 County Tournament and came fifth, thanks to some great goals from Frankie O’Mahony and amazing saves from both our goalies, Millie Bonnick and Maeve Chambers.
Our best match was against KES, where we won 4–1; this was an incredible game with some outstanding goals and defending. Throughout the season we have had very strong performances from Olympia Mottershead, Norah Tayler and many others. We have improved a lot as a team and are looking forward to playing full-pitch matches next year!
Match outcomes haven’t always been what we hoped for, but we worked well as a team and had fun while playing. Many players in our team have made a notable improvement from last year, moving up one or even two teams. Siena Mabbs and Ella Hurran have worked well in midfield: they are always in great space and both have had some great shots on goal.
0 8, L 3, R 5; F 11, ' 10
This season has been a great experience for everyone in the team, but a few individuals have stood out, such as Pippa Perks playing up front and scoring the majority of goals. In defence Sophie Carthy has been outstanding, protecting our goal alongside Ondine Devergne in defence and midfield. Shiloh Ekeocha, who has just started playing hockey, also did well and played all over the pitch, making endless tackles.
We had multiple goalkeepers this season, but Maeve Chambers was goalie for most of our matches, and what a great job she did! She won ‘Player of the Match’ almost every time, while playing for multiple teams some Saturdays; she always put in the maximum e5ort.
One of my favourite moments this season was a tournament in which we played five ten-minute matches against Collegiate, Redmaids’ High, KES, Clifton High and Millfield. We unfortunately lost a few games (including that against the eventual winner, Millfield) but also drew a few and won some. Despite a few losses, we always kept our heads up and stuck together as a team. This was an extremely enjoyable day, and we all had the best time.
One highlight of the season came against Cheltenham Ladies’ College. For the first three quarters we were 0–2 down, yet in the final quarter we scored three goals to win the match! Even though we had that amazing game, our main highlight was the final match against Collegiate: we scored five goals – thanks to Camilla Mistry, Pippa Perks and Ruth Grieve – and won 5–0!
I’d like to thank all our coaches including Miss Duthie, Mr Clements, Gary Phillips, Miss Light and every other teacher who has coached and trained us this term. Thank you all for giving us the best season! p F;,. Ur)1Q1
We had some extremely close matches, winning some, losing others. Taunton Prep scored a goal in the last twenty seconds to win their game, which disappointed us. During our match against Dean Close, however, we had a defending short corner that Liv Gracie passed up the pitch and we scored, which allowed us to win the match 1–0. This was a fine moment: the goal that led to our first win of the season!
Thank you to all our coaches for giving us a great term.
p T46I18 7.1:.1r(
0 7, L 4, R 3; F 17, ' 17
We achieved many great things together and had lots of fun! Despite a tough first few matches, we persevered throughout the whole season. We shouldn’t have been able to be so strong without our wonderful defence players, Izzy Iwasiuk, Aania Saad, and Eloïse Harvey. They played beautifully and kept the ball on our side.
Our most successful match was against KES Bath: we were losing 0–2 for the first three quarters, but then made a great comeback and scored three goals to take the win. This wouldn’t have been possible without our left midfield, Hanya Wang, who is always ready and tackles with no hesitation. Also, well done to Holly Foster, Cristal Nissim Santos, and Livy Williams for scoring those three goals in the match – they were very impressive and required much practice and accuracy.
Even though the end result wasn’t always what we were aiming for, we always worked really well together and enjoyed every second of the experience. We had very
0 7, L 5, 9 1, R 1; F 20, ' 7
We started a great season by playing Kingswood and, although trying our best, sadly conceded two goals without reply: this meant a loss for our first match – and our only loss of the season.
After a lot more training, a win against Blundell’s, and a bus-ride filled with karaoke and sweets, we felt confident ahead of our match against Dean Close, and won 3–1. This result gave us the confidence we needed to play Redmaids’ High a few weeks later. As usual, it was a competitive match, but we played well as a team, working the ball out from defence and up the pitch. We scored early, but in the last quarter we conceded a goal, causing us to draw. We hope to beat them next time …
Next up was our County Tournament, always the highlight of the season! We finished our pool in first place after playing some great team hockey, and went through to the knockout round for a chance to qualify for the Regional Finals. In a tense, competitive and physical game against
I loved the team spirit and great intensity everyone exhibited. We had a hard match against Kingswood, in boiling conditions that first Saturday back. We had never played together and ended up losing, but had a great team spirit right from the start. Our Captain’s Challenge Saturday was very enjoyable, when the Year-group split into di5erent teams and played with new people. Lots of girls showed up to play!
After that we had a great 5–0 win against Cheltenham Ladies’, featuring high spirits and great teamwork. After a few more great games came our final match, against Collegiate. We took a 3–0 lead in the first ten minutes, then got to 4–0 before conceding two late goals. We were very dissatisfied, but still determined to keep fighting as a team. We ended up scoring the last goal and winning that final game 5–2. We had a great season, enjoying every bit.
p Rara Jr11n
The whole U12 ‘C’ team are lovely and have worked incredibly hard this term, irrespective of the outcome of whatever match we were playing. We had a very good time with some notable wins, some close matchups and some unfortunate losses. Each member kept a positive attitude, and we have been a very harmonious team – especially over the second half of the season.
I played my first match for the U12 ‘C’s against Dean Close, which ended as a 1–1 draw. The next team we played was Cheltenham Ladies’ College, and we drew this match again (this time 0–0) having played excellently against an equally excellent team, especially in their attack. We also had many amazing matches against tough schools like Redmaids’ and KES Bath. Our defensive work has improved immensely, as well as our midfield and attack. I should particularly like to mention our very close match against KES Bath, which had great significance, even though we lost, because of our teamwork and perseverance. By the end of the first half it was clear that KES was a very good team, di6cult to beat, yet despite this we managed to pick ourselves up and finish the match on a real high.
Overall, participating in hockey this term has helped me (and I’m sure all of us on the ‘C’ team, and wider) to make new friends and bond with existing ones, giving us all very fond memories of our first hockey term at BGS.
p ')n1 0r),3.1,,
During the warm to wet-and-windy hockey season we had the opportunity to play many challenging and enjoyable matches. We secured a 3–2 win against Kingswood School, where we had to work hard on teamwork because it was our first match together. We were all very proud of ourselves because some of us hadn’t played a proper game before, so we all celebrated on the coach back by singing karaoke!
A week later came Dean Close and a 1–0 win; this was indeed close (yes, Dean close) but yielded a last-minute win. The opposition forwards were on fire – shots rained down on our goal – but our super keeper Maisie Watt saved every single shot in her first-ever match. Another mention must also go to Annie Want and Hannah Yu, who both took really great attempts on goal, nearly scoring lots of times.
Next, we were back to Cheltenham, against the Ladies’ College. Our main coach, Miss Parker, said they would be strong opposition, so we tried as hard as we could, winning 6–2 against the toughest team we yet had played. Ella Dangoor scored an amazing two goals in her first match. Against Redmaids’ our two splendid defenders – Jess Tylee and Beatrix Watson –helped us to a hard-fought 2–2 draw. One of our final matches was against KES Bath and sadly we lost 1–3, but we still loved playing against them.
Now the hockey season has sadly ended, I’m happy to say that the U12 ‘D’s had some amazing matches and losses, but we have all thoroughly enjoyed playing throughout the past months.
p D188 08;@Ir)(C1
Preparation for the season began in November, when the squad headed to Kingswood for our regional tournament, followed by both the U16 and U18 squads playing a match against QEH. The season had a great start, the girls travelling to Downside and achieving a 49-goal win, our best of the season, demonstrating fabulous composure and speed on court.
We faced some strong opposition through the term, at KES and Clifton College for instance, but the girls’ spirits remained high, and great encouragement on- and o5-court pushed us through tricky matches. Another notable fixture was our 27–16 win against Kingswood, a historically challenging opposition, where we certainly saw our hard work in training pay o5. Our fiery defensive unit – Sophie Robinson, Orla Farrelly, Millie Searle and Jessie Mitchell – was phenomenal throughout the season with its quick reactions and consistent pressure against the opposition. Our mid-court players – Grace Atkin, Stephanie Hamilton-James and Jasmine Lock –demonstrated amazing reliability on court, and maintained composure during critical moments. Zara Wolfenden, Clodagh Ashby and Maddie Henderson, our shooting unit, made up the final third of the team, and showed strength and determination on court, battling some aggressive defence.
Throughout the season, the squad’s skill and composure grew from strength to strength and we made many amazing memories. Our biggest thanks must go to Miss Parker: throughout di6cult times during the term she never failed to support us and make both training and matches enjoyable. All the Upper-sixth players are grateful to have been part of this team, and must thank Mrs John, Mrs McGinley, Miss Taylor and the rest of the PE Department for their dedication and support over the past few years.
p -ara L6821n(1n
‘A huge thank you goes to all girls who played this year, as well as to Miss Taylor, who helped us develop our skills’
0 9, L 1, R 8; F 81, ' 162
It was a good season, despite the ill reflection in the above scorelines. The girls worked hard together, establishing strong relationships across each year. Despite tough matches they always made sure to fight their hardest for a matched game.
The first game of the season was a friendly which the girls won, setting us up for an exciting term’s netball. During a Thursday game session, the girls played local rivals QEH with great determination, keeping an equal score right up to the final quarter, where they lost by two goals. The girls were very dedicated, everyone in the team making a visible e5ort to attend each training session and match despite various other commitments, and the weather.
Traveling to Worcester for the final time as a team was bittersweet and we should like to thank all the coaches, especially Miss Parker, Syd Palmer and Mrs John, and all others who were involved behind the scenes, ensuring the netball term and fixtures ran smoothly.
Good luck to those playing in upcoming seasons – there is a large amount of upcoming talent to be showcased – and a final goodbye to the Upper-sixth girls, who have finished their last competitive season with the School.
p Ear,.a 5arQ1y
0 8, L 4, 9 2, R 2; F 129, ' 141
The team has gone from strength to strength, improving our teamwork, communication and skills: the statistics showcase our hard work. The girls started with a nail-biting draw against Clifton College (21–21) and a clear win against Redmaids’ High at Failand. After a loss against Kingswood, the girls came back with a bang in the suspenseful match against Royal High School Bath in the Team Bath home ground, where we came home with a deserved victory, 16–14.
After a restful February half term and a cancelled match against Collegiate, the team came home with a convincing win against QEH. With two matches in a week, however, the exhausted squad drew 23–23 against the strong opposition of King’s Taunton, which followed through to the next week where the girls lost to our hardest opponent this season, Dauntsey’s.
Huge congratulations go to our Year 11 representatives Elise Sleight and Fran Edson in attack, Emma Wolfenden in midcourt and Tessa Smith in defence: all helped to maintain the flow of the ball, bringing it up court. Particular thanks go to Lucy Morling, unanimously our ‘Players’ player’, who made awesome intercepts, playing in a range of positions and keeping speed on the ball. The troops were rallied by co-captains Kate Russell, Mini McClellan and Esme Gouldsmith, who led the team through victory and defeat.
A huge thank you goes to all girls who played this year, as well as to Miss Taylor, who helped us develop our skills and gain the upper hand against opponents using a range of well thought-out tactics. Finally, ‘thank you and good luck’ to our Upper-sixth players Lucy Richardson, Esme Goldsmith, Sophie Winfield and Lizzie Clark, who made a huge impact on the team.
p Oa,1 F;44188
0 8, L 5, 9 1, R 2; F 121, ' 124 We began by getting to know each other, and were soon showing great versatility, as well as sharing useful advice and encouragement throughout the matches. We started the season with an expectedly challenging match, but managed to push through and came out with an 11–8 win against Clifton College. We went on to many more successful matches, including an impressive 28–6 win against Downside. We were all especially happy with this outcome, as it was our first away match together, and we had no idea what to expect!
Every player showed huge commitment and determination this season, especially when playing in unfamiliar positions. This was a great opportunity for everyone, as it really broadened our playing abilities for future matches.
In a tough match against Kingswood we started o5 by going four goals down, but persevered and came out with an unexpected 12–11 win. Unfortunately we did have a very challenging last game away, a 34–6 loss against Dauntsey’s. Every single player showed huge composure and resilience, even when we knew the game wasn’t going to be a win for us.
I want to give a special mention to Bella Janssen, who has been an incredible defender but unfortunately had to miss the last two games owing to an injury sustained during the QEH match, where she played as long as she was able, defending multiple passes from reaching the D, massively contributing to the 23–7 win.
Looking back on the season, we played brilliantly as a team, as was evident in many of our matches. We can’t wait to come back even stronger next season!
p O.4.a 7@),.
The strength-in-depth of our senior group meant that we could field a Fifth VII in our regular Saturday fixtures, and these girls really began to gel as a team. They had a tough starting fixture against Clifton College, but after tweaking playing positions and some team-specific training, they soon started to win their matches. Highlights included a 25–12 win against Redmaids’ High, and a 14–5 victory away in Taunton against a strong King’s College side.
It’s great that the squad are all Year 11 or Lower Sixth students, and so will be back next season; many will move on up through the senior teams as they progress. Thanks to Miss Barr, Mr Parris and Miss Parker, who worked with the team in training or on Saturdays.
p Fa3.18 K6.n
‘It’s great that the squad are all Year 11 or Lower Sixth students, and so will be back next season’
0 9, 9 1, R 8; F 79, ' 162
It was a tough term: although we finished with no wins, the girls played extremely well and improved as the season progressed. Following a heavy defeat in late January against Redmaids’ High, we lost by only a few goals at Dauntsey’s. Our last match was against King’s Worcester, where we lost by a narrow six goals.
Our defenders – Gita Hosdurga, Indie Murray, Sophie Peden and Saskia Molyneux – worked well together in and around the D, to making interceptions and stopping the opposition from progressing to goal. Midcourt, Mya Burke, Jess Harvey and Rozi Dickie smoothly carried the ball towards our attackers and made well-directed feeds to the shooters. Our team’s attackers –Maeve Gri6ths, Emily Allard and Sophie Russell – were mostly accurate in shooting throughout the season.
At times the girls played out of position, showing their versatility. A special ‘thank you’ goes to Tilly Bending and Sophie Yates for playing up from the U14 ‘A’ team for our match against King’s Taunton, and to Tabitha Wring and Imy Willis-Stovold, who played up from the U15 ‘B’ squad when we needed them. Another thank you goes to our coaching sta5 – Miss Gladdy, Miss Bovey and Mr Parris – for supporting us throughout the season.
p 76:.)1 F;44188
The team made great progress this season and developed a fluid style of play. They turned over ball well in the defensive end, and linked e5ectively with the midcourt players. Our shooting combinations were also e5ective and we always had three shooters on the team whom we could rotate.
The team had strong wins over Downside and KES Bath, yet their best performance came against Kingswood (17–9) where the whole team played exceptionally well. Without doubt all these girls will transition to senior netball and should feel confident to challenge for places in the higher teams.
Huge thanks go to Miss Bovey, who worked so well with this team all season in training and on match days.
p Fa3.18 K6.n
In a season filled with twists, turns and occasional tumbles, the ‘C’ team showed the key sporting attitude, resilience. Some matches had the occasional mishap that we can laugh about now; but we have had success in many ways, and our team has grown in its love for netball. We have learnt that you don’t need to win to have a good season.
I should say we have had an amazing season. It has been a pleasure to get to play with these girls, watching ourselves improve every week, whether in training on a Wednesday or in a Saturday fixture. We have had lots of amazing games, and super-close defeats against Clifton and Kingswood. One of my favourite moments was a win against KES, where I feel we really started to work together as a team.
We have adapted and worked with new team-mates every week. A big shout-out goes to all to all the captains who directed and sorted out the teams, keeping morale high from start to finish, no matter what the outcome.
The ‘D’s also had a good season, with lots of training and friendly matches, the best being an amazing 17–12 win against Clifton to open the season! I am sure this could not have happened without the whole team working so well together, and this persisted throughout the rest of the friendly matches, and through the skills they learnt on the way.
A massive ‘thank you’ to Mr Parris, Miss Bovey, Miss Gladdy and Mrs McGinley, who gave up so much of their time to find all the teams so many matches – especially considering all the rainy Saturdays. This has been an amazing way to finish our last netball season as a Year-group.
p 76raya F641 - F8)n,
0 8, L 1, 9 1, R 6; F 87, ' 138
The team put in a lot of effort this season and – though we didn’t always achieve the hoped-for results – we learnt a lot each week, and enjoyed every match. We had a great start with the county tournament up at Failand, putting a lot of work into coming out with good results. Special mentions go to Cecily Ashby, Connie Yeo, and Alice Barnes, who came up from the U13s to play with us for this tournament.
One highlight was our game against KES, into which we all put a hundred percent, and came out with a win. We also really enjoyed our friendly with the U15 ‘A’s: it was a great experience to play with them and it brought new understanding and skills to our team.
0 8, L 3, R 5; F 77, ' 120
We had a very difficult few matches, losing our first three, but things then took a turn for the better. We won a close game 17–13 against Kingswood School, and after the half-term break won again against King Edward’s, who have always been tough opponents for us. Unfortunately, ice on the courts meant our Collegiate fixture was cancelled.
Next came another two away losses, against strong King’s Taunton and Dauntsey’s sides. In the final match of the season we won against King’s Worcester, when lots of us played out of our normal positions and discovered new talents: Katie Dolman and Blenne Abate both played in unfamiliar shooting positions, helping us achieve an amazing 22–8 victory. It was a great match to finish the season on, and definitely one of the best and most enjoyable.
Milly Burchell was awarded ‘Player’s player’ for her contribution towards all our games, and Rebecca King was awarded ‘Coaches’ player’ for her increasingly impressive performances throughout. These two players worked really well together as shooters, but everyone in the ‘B’ team should be proud of their significant improvement, as reflected in recent matches. We should like to give a huge ‘thank you’ to our coach, Mrs Hambley, whose expert coaching and good humour have helped us – as a team and as individuals – to improve our netball skills throughout the season.
p J)88y 7,ann)8an(
This season we had some really tough games, especially against Dauntsey’s, but this national-level school really brought great new experience to the team and we had to adapt our style of play to work around theirs.
A huge ‘thank you’ to all the coaches who helped our development this term by teaching us so much at our training sessions. As for Michelle Hambley, who has brought so much knowledge and understanding to the team, we can’t thank you enough for all you taught us this season, for all the weekends and afternoons you gave up for us, and for coaching us so amazingly throughout all the matches.
Whether winning or losing, we’ve learnt and grown greatly as a team, and we’re already looking forward to the 2025 season.
p 76:.)1 Aa,14
0 8, L 4, 9 1, R 3; F 107, ' 108
Our most significant match was against Clifton College, where we won 22–5 in a great start to a good season. We drew to the U15 ‘B’/’C’s, a great and unexpected achievement for us against such a good team. Stand-out players were Sofia Radford and Pavani Chandrashekar. Our shooters also improved a lot throughout the season, Eva Wragg playing exceptionally well after moving up. Our mid-court worked well with each other to get the ball to the shooting third. Martha Phillips and Liberty Thompson swapped between centre and WA, to create good link-ups.
We’ve had a really entertaining season, and overall we shouldn’t have been able to do this without our favourite coach, Miss Schofield, and her enthusiasm and positive mental attitude!
p Ura31 5arr)4
0 7, L 6, R 1; F 122, ' 106
It was a very good season, and I’m most proud of our win against Redmaids’ High, a very exciting game we were losing until the final quarter in which we reached 15–16. We went into this match knowing how strong Redmaids’ were likely to be, and we proved how well our team worked together under pressure. Later we went to Collegiate for a six-school tournament and I think everybody should be properly proud of how they played that day: Millfield were our opposition in the final, and they gave us a tough, physical game … but we kept our discipline and ended up beating them. Zoë Snowden came up from the ‘B’ team for that tournament, then stayed in the ‘A’ team for the rest of the season. I think everyone would agree she fitted in well.
Alice Barnes also had an amazing season and definitely deserved the ‘Players’ player’ for all her amazing interceptions. Our ‘Coaches’ player’ went to GS Eve Lovatt, who was always there in the D and had a really great season. Our whole team really worked well together this season, and has done extremely well, but we couldn’t have done it without our amazing coach, Mrs McGinley, who has pushed us to be the best we could be, individually and as a team. I’m really looking forward to future seasons as a team, as I know we are set to be even stronger.
p T6na Ur)22),.4
0 7, L 4, R 3; F 68, ' 50
We started a great season doing a round robin. One of the schools we played was Clifton College, whom we beat 6–1. Zoë Snowden, who won our ‘Players’ player of the season’, was amazing in the centre court, playing centre throughout. One of our most memorable games was against Dauntsey’s, where at one point we were 7–1 down, but had almost caught up by the end of the last quarter, losing 13–14. Chloë Tadman, who has been both an amazing shooter and a great defender, shot a last-second equaliser, but it went in just after the whistle. Our best game was against King’s Worcester, where we were all excited for our last match; spirits were high although it was wet and cold. We were short of players so Millie Bonnick stepped up. The game started well and we were 12–0 up by half time. Lizzie Kelly made some strong centre passes and often got the ball from the back to the shooting D, and we ended up 19–1! Jeanie Wei was dubbed ‘Player of the match’ for her outstanding defending.
p Ea1Q1 M.a@I1r4
0 5, L 2, R 2, 91
We started on a high with a 4–1 win against Clifton; not our highest-scoring match, yet a close and great game overall. The season highlight came at the Redmaids’ High tournament, from which we returned with a gold medal. Here players such as Ondine Devergne and Lucy Vanstone stood out, and Camilla Mistry captained us to victory. We drew against KES Bath in a very close match, where Martha Pritchard scored all the goals she could and Olympia Mottershead helped through the whole court.
We lost against Redmaids’ High at home, but it was a tight match: they fully dominated the first half, after which we came back, and finished losing 8–17. We ended the season on a high with a smashing defeat against Dauntsey’s, where we dominated the ball in attack and defence, and Millie Bonnick and Shiloh Ekeocha in defence really helped to get the ball back down the court to attack.
A special mention must go to all who turn out on a Saturday to help us; in most of our games Gary Phillips was a great coach.
p FranH)1 O ’ Ea.6ny
In a very successful season we played six matches and lost only one, against Redmaids’. In the game against Dauntsey’s, we won with a mighty score of eighteen goals! Unfortunately the ‘D’ team didn’t have the opportunity to participate in any tournaments.
Over the season everyone had exposure to other positions, which helped our understanding of netball. All term we enjoyed a strong and stable warm-up, which exerted a positive influence on all the matches (even when we lost). Nearly all the ‘D’ team have been attending extra practices and Saturday fixtures, which has helped our evolution in netball.
Our coaches create amusing educational activities for us to complete, which makes us more motivated to excel. Thank you to Mr Phillips, and a special mention to Mrs McGinley, who have helped us notably in our netball development.
p -a.ra Mra)C
0 8, L 7, 9 1; F 143, ' 72
Our awesome unbeaten season started well with a win against Clifton College. Our fiercest matches of the season were the two against Redmaids’ High, who had both good defence and strong attack. In the first game they were up 4–1 in the first quarter, but our mighty defence held them o5, and our strong attack – transitioning the ball down the court to our handy shooters – ended the match with a 12–10 victory.
We progressed throughout the season with outstanding coaching from Mrs John, Mrs McGinley and Miss Light.
Olive Jenkins marked her player super tightly, grabbing rebounds with gamechanging interceptions. Sophie Barnes’s jump made for unbelievable interceptions. Bea Bending did a superb job of turning the ball over and bringing it right back down the court with amazing movement. Aryanna
Flint balanced the court superbly, helping us to make lateral and straight passes. Elena Gareh performed fiercely in defence and was extremely hard to play against. Áine Pritchett scored the majority of goals for the team, shooting from all over the D. Lara Treen played multiple positions: her adaptability really helped the team.
I found my job was to work around the D, helping our shooters find the shot, grabbing a few myself. Martha Benton made some exceptional shots from the top of the D, especially in tough games where goals were needed. Bee Reveler was super-quick to the ball on a centre pass, using her agility to make the interception. Anya Ahern moved the ball swiftly around the court. Holly Simons did a great job playing GK, jumping high for the rebounds in the final match.
Everyone had their moment of glory.
p E1C L1481y
0 7, L 4, 9 2, R 1; F 49, ' 38
We started the season with a di6cult game against Redmaids’ High, sadly losing 6–12, but managed to bounce back against Kingswood, winning 12–9. We played well against KES Bath, but drew 0–0 after an hour of back and forth. Our Collegiate matches were cancelled by snowfall. Against Haberdashers’ U12 ‘A’ we managed to walk away with an amazing 12–3 and fabulous memories for the team. Our most di6cult game was against Dauntsey’s: it ended 0–0 but it was intense, and they kept us on our toes. We ended the term away against King’s Worcester, a fabulous match and our final victory of the season (9–5).
All the girls progressed hugely throughout the term; Martha Benton and Bee Reveler moved up into the ‘A’s earlier in the year, Anya Ahern and Holly Simons joining them for the final matches. We couldn’t have got the good scores we did without our captains and vice-captains, who have been spectacular when helping with warm-ups and overall team spirit. Our coach, Mrs John, has helped us all with our abilities; from shooting to marking we have all significantly improved since the beginning of term, and much of that is thanks to her.
06, L 2, 9 0, R 4; F 24, ' 39
Netball this year has been great: the ‘C’ team improved greatly since the beginning of the term. Thanks to our brilliant coaches – Mrs John, Miss Light, Miss Parker, Michelle Hambley, Mrs McGinley, Mr Scott and Mr Hill – we have become the best netballers we can be.
Even through we lost a few of our matches we still had fun and enjoyed playing netball. The team was particularly proud about our tournament at Redmaids’ High: there were lots of good teams there, but we worked together as a team to come first.
All the team members played well across the season, but in our game against Monmouth School Emily Lamont-Smith stood out, scoring so many goals that we won 12–3. I’d also like to thank Olivia Atherton for bringing a good mood into every game, and making everyone feel better when we lost a match. Finally, I’d like to thank Flora Seymour for being an excellent defender who stopped plenty of goals across the season.
p 'nn)1 Lan,
We finished the season with the awards ceremony, celebrating all the successes: Jess Tyler won ‘Players’ player’, for being a fantastic captain in every match she led and also being an amazing goal shooter on court. ‘Coaches’ player’ went to Holly Simons, who joined the ‘B’s a game into our term and was an amazing addition, playing in many positions from goal attack to defence, and shining in all of them. We had a great time playing netball, and are looking forward to the coming years.
p B1a,r)x La,46n
We had a great start to netball, which some of us hadn’t played before: we should all be really proud of ourselves. We played five Saturday matches, the best being against Kingswood, which we won 13–3 thanks to some fabulous goals from Eva Murray-Sharma, Ivy King and Tazzie Elkins, a great shooting team. It was Mabel O’Brien who led us to this victory.
We did lose to Redmaids’ High; we were trailing a lot in the first half, until Miss Light gave us a motivational speech, and we nearly equalised, ending 7–8. Our highlight of the season was the tournament involving Redmaids’ and other schools. We came
third, sadly losing to our U12 ‘C’ team, who came first. For the final session we played a friendly match against the U13 ‘D’ team: a tough game, although we stood our ground.
‘Players player’ went to Mabel O’Brien, and ‘Coaches player’ to Hannah Yu; but to my mind, this could have gone to everyone in the team. We must give huge thanks to our coaches, Miss Light and Mrs John, who have been really helpful and encouraging. We shouldn’t have played these matches without them. We’ve all had a great season and are looking forward to next year!
p '8)31 L)88a@4 - K6n14
0 7, L 3, R 4
It was a season of tough fixtures. Our opening game was the hundred-ball cup against Clifton College: though we had strong bowling and fielding performances, including Sophie Pickering’s three wickets for seven runs and Liv Daniels’s three for eight o5 twenty balls, Clifton ultimately clinched the victory. An away match at Wycli5e saw our first, well-deserved win, featuring fifty runs from our opening batter Zoë Snelling, and forty not out for Sophie Maggs.
Later in the season we beat Collegiate in the closest match of the season: solid bowling, especially from Clodagh Ashby and Tilly Boss, kept the opposition down to 85 for 5. A nail-biting last over and a brilliant final four runs scored us 88 for 3, and the win. Most importantly, the First XI took on sta5 and parents and brought our best to the field: catches from Lucy Morling and Emma Wolfenden, and Eloïse Alpress’s taking wickets with her bowling, left all to play for in our batting innings. Hard running and great depth in our line-up secured us an excellent victory.
Thank you to Zara Wolfenden, Tilly Boss and Liv Daniels for captaining such a great team, and we look forward to smashing the next season of cricket.
p R;3y U8a((y
0 8, L 4, R 4
The team had an amazing season with many wickets, boundaries, and fifties. We began strongly with a win against Clifton College: stand-out performances came from Indie Murray and Mirre van der Werf who retired on 50, and Isla Stark who achieved two wickets in one over. A week later, we were playing Clifton again in our first cup game: the team put in a great e5ort, including two amazing batting performances from Mirre van der Werf and Tabitha Wring. We gained a total of 88–5 o5 a hundred balls, yet despite our bowling e5orts the opposition managed to take the win.
Back at home, we played King’s Gloucester, where we performed exceptionally well as a team: superb batting, as well as bowling, from Lara OsborneJones, Piper Mabbs, and Rozi Dickie, led us to a win. Next we met Collegiate on our home square in an unfortunate loss, though special mentions go to Evie Willis-Stovold and Annabelle Julier for their batting, and to Bella Daniels and Imy Willis-Stovold, who took two wickets apiece.
In our penultimate game, against Kingswood, we won by an astonishing ten wickets with three retirements, and a hat-trick from Indie Murray. Our last match was against Redmaids’ High, and featured outstanding batting performances from Tabitha Wring, Isla Stark and Imy Willis-Stovold, and excellent bowling from Gita Hosdurga.
Yet again, it has been an honour to captain such an amazing, friendly, and competitive group who have allowed me and their teammates to have fun while playing cricket.
p Tn()1 E;rray
0 4, L 2, R 2
It was a mixed season, thanks to the busy lives of the Year 10 girls, the weather, and various other factors. We started with a challenging game against a strong Royal High School Bath team: within eight overs we were reeling on 26 for 5, but a great recovery saw the team make it to 92 for 9, a total fit to challenge the opposition. In the end, they made the score with just three wickets down, but the BGS team stayed positive, buoyed up perhaps by the delicious cakes provided in the pavilion.
The following fixture at nearby KES Bath fell foul of wet grass and, the week after, Taunton didn’t have space to provide a pitch for a game. The Wycli5e game came on the same day as Ten Tors, and had to be called o5, but a softball match against Collegiate saw a fantastic performance, Saskia Osborne-Fitzgerald bowling the team to an innings victory, no less!
After half-term we lost one and won one – a narrow defeat to Kingswood, with great batting by Saba Emami and accurate bowling by Nancy Robertson – and enjoyed a final win against Redmaids’, led to glory by tight bowling from everyone, but especially Izzy Canning, and aggressive batting from Pernille Ntuk-Idem. Thanks to Izzy and Saba for captaining, and to Becki Davies for her support of the team.
p 'n(y O11n
In a mixed season, after losing three matches to cancellations, we first came up against Wycli5e U15s. It was a strong performance, with good individual scores from Maeve Allen and Ilsa Errington, but we unfortunately didn’t put enough runs on the board. Collegiate was an excellent match all around, and we scored 137: a strong opening partnership from Maeve and Lara Holt put confidence in the lower order. As a team we took consistent wickets and limited the extras, winning by 23 runs.
The last match of the season was against Redmaids’ High, where we won the toss and opted to field first. Sofia Radford bowled their opener out with the first ball of the match, which put them into panic. Liberty Thompson opened from the other end and took three wickets, and we limited them to 56 runs only. We lost our opening batters quickly and at one point were 14 for 3. We needed six runs to win, but only two wickets … and wickets were dropping rapidly. Luckily we took the win, a great end to a great season.
Thank you so much Mr Thompson and Mr Parris for always being so supportive and encouraging.
p J)88y B1n()nC
The team improved significantly Our intended first match was unfortunately cancelled thanks to poor weather, but our actual début was lost by nineteen runs against King’s Gloucester. In our next match we drew against KES Bath, and the next was a ten-wicket win against Collegiate.
After half term we continued to improve, beating our own U15 ‘B’ team by fifty-nine runs. We then won against Kingswood by six wickets (multiple wickets fell to Esme Johnson). Finally we won a close game against Redmaids’ High – previously a challenging fixture – by four wickets. In total, we played seven games, won four, drew one and lost one.
Honourable mentions go to Eva Wragg and Esme Johnson for excellent bowling, and to Lulu Rayner for outstanding overall performance. We should like to give a huge thank you to Mr Parris, who has been an excellent coach and has helped us all, as a team and as individuals, to improve our batting, bowling and fielding throughout the season.
p J)88y 7,ann)8an(
‘we came ninth overall (already a great achievement), improving throughout the day in what was possibly some of the best cricket we played all season’
0 10, L 6, R 4
Despite a few tough matches we all improved greatly, from bowling and batting to fielding. One of the main highlights was our great win against Clifton College, a major rival, featuring excellent batting from Lamorna Lawrence and bowling from Isla Watts. Another highlight was the tournament that lasted all day, in which we came ninth overall (already a great achievement), improving throughout the day in what was possibly some of the best cricket we played all season.
I think the biggest shout-out should go to Lamorna for her excellent batting performances in every single game, no matter what the circumstances. Additionally I should like to mention Isla Watts for her amazing bowling skills, getting a wicket in almost every game. Overall, every single person had a great season, improving in each training session.
Finally I should like to o5er a big ‘thank you’ to Miss Light for dealing with us, and supporting us through the cricket season.
p T@6C1n O6;::ar)4
0 7, L 5, R 2
We had an amazing season, winning five out of seven matches, with standout performances from our wicket-keeper, Nancy Routh Elmes. We kicked o5 with a 120-run victory against Royal High, thanks to Norah Taylor’s exceptional bowling and Iona Gri6ths’s powerful batting, and notably beat Kingswood by nine wickets. Although we faced challenges, such as a narrow loss by one run to Cheltenham College, we managed to secure fourth place, among twelve teams, in the first-ever Liv Daniels Cup.
Beyond the wins, the season was filled with fun and learning. It provided not only victories but also lots of happy memories among a great team.
p 0)::a 01rH4
0 4, L 2, R 2
We played three external matches and a tournament, winning two and losing one. We were due more matches: three had to be cancelled owing to poor weather. We tried our hardest to win our matches and the only loss was against Westonbirt’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams, who almost doubled our players, eleven to seven! This match was particularly di6cult, since some people had to bat twice, and we were so outnumbered on the field. Despite this loss we managed a triumphant win against Clifton College, by ten wickets.
Our star player this season was Holly Foster, who made it to all our matches and really improved in all areas, especially in her bowling; she was made ‘Bowler of the match’ against Westonbirt.
p E)88)1 B6nn)3H
0 10, L 8, 9 2
It was a truly amazing season. In our eight completed matches we fiercely dominated the competition. Some games were thrillingly tight, and the one against Millfield came down to the last ball.
In a gripping first match, against Royal High, Bath, we batted first, setting a positive total. In Royal High’s innings our bowling and fielding stood out, and we took nine exceptional wickets. Another highlight was a match with our friendly rivals Redmaids’ High: as always this match had an entertaining and competitive twist to it, but in the end we came out victorious.
All this was down to phenomenal coaching from Miss Parker: hats o5 to her! And of course we couldn’t have had such success without the warm team spirit all around.
Some amazing players carried the team though good and bad times. Aryanna Flint had superb bowling technique and played some cracking shots at the crease. Elena Gareh was a skilful opening batter, and confidently stepped in to do some marvellous wicket keeping. Our exceptional spin bowler, Emily Lamont-Smith, showed o5 her beautiful leg-spin action, which left batters puzzled. Olive Jenkins’s pinpoint bowling accuracy made the bails fall frequently, and Megan Wesley’s lightningfast bowling restricted run-scoring.
Bea Bending’s batting performance was amazing and added massively to our end score. Bee Reveller improved greatly, taking wickets throughout the tense matches; Lara Treen and Sophie Barnes both bowled impeccably. Holly Simon’s batting performance was really impressive, and she was an awesome player to have on the team. My job was more as a batter, which gave me many opportunities to express myself and have fun.
All in all, this was an incredible season with lots of memories made and lots of cricket played.
p Tra Da)H
0 10, L 5, 9 3, R 2
We had an amazing season, winning every match but two – it was disappointing to end with a loss in our last game, against Redmaids’ High. We played mainly softball and T20 games, which everyone found incredibly good fun!
Our best result was against King’s Gloucester, against whom we won by fifteen runs! Everyone in the team was fabulous, especially Mabel O’Brien and Olivia Atherton, who batted and bowled amazingly! Some of us were new to cricket and loved having the chance to play.
We have all improved a lot this season, which really showed in the matches we played. Everyone on the team should be very proud. I can’t wait for the U13s next season, and should like to say a massive ‘thank you’ to our coach Michelle Hambley, who supported us at every match.
p '8)31 L)88)a@4 - K6n14
The girls had a great start with a fixture away against Clifton College. It was a tough match, both sides still building their teams and learning how to work together: the result was an incredibly close one-all. A later match against Cheltenham College brought us the best win yet as the girls battled through the snow. This match showed the future of girls’ football: Year 10’s Mira Van Der Werf scored an incredible long-range e5ort to win us the match.
House football was a great demonstration of the progress the girls made this term. Despite some questionable moments with the referees, Hilliard’s managed to secure the win, and Edwards’s came a close second. The Spring term was rounded o5 with a redemption match against Clifton College, which unfortunately resulted in our only loss, despite involving our strongest performance yet. The buzz around girls’ football was high, and we arranged two more friendly fixtures in the Summer term, both against Clifton. Now the results were fantastic, wins of 5–2 and 4–0. Goals came from Annabelle Julier, Indie Murray and Annie Lewis.
The girls played incredibly and improved so much, as our almost unbeaten record shows, and we are looking forward to participating in the U18 ISFA National Cup competition next year. Thank you to all our coaches at training, especially Mr Abel and Livvy Chalk, for supporting us through all our matches and making it such an enjoyable season. We can’t wait to see how girls’ football develops at BGS.
p Da6@) 0ar46n4
The team navigated a thrilling season, finishing with a record of six wins and five losses. The journey was marked by moments of triumph and resilience, showcasing the essence of Rugby Union at its best.
Noteworthy victories included a dominant performance over QEH, where the team’s power and cohesive play were on full display. The away win at London Oratory added a layer of excitement, o5ering us a unique opportunity to travel up to London, witnessing a Harlequins’ game the following day. This experience not only elevated our Rugby knowledge but also served as a source of inspiration for the squad.
The pinnacle of the season came with the much-anticipated Friday Night Lights clash against King’s Gloucester. In a match that captured the essence of schoolboy Rugby, the First XV displayed exceptional teamwork, resilience and skill, securing a resounding victory that reverberated throughout the School.
In recognition of individual excellence, Harry Yeo emerges as the standout performer, earning the prestigious title of ‘Player of the Season’. Yeo’s skill, leadership, and unwavering commitment were integral to the team’s success, and his contributions will undoubtedly serve as inspiration for future generations of BGS Rugby players.
As the season concluded, the Rugby programme at BGS looked ahead with optimism, building on the successes and lessons learnt during this memorable campaign. The foundation has been laid for a legacy of excellence and sportsmanship that will resonate within the school community for years to come.
p R6;)4 Dan31H)Q188
0 9, L 3, R 6; F 135, ' 188
We had a mixed bag of results in a season in which we were doomed to struggle, since the numbers available to play were not great. This was exacerbated when Ollie Mainwaring got injured for the season after the opening five minutes of the first game, and Ollie Sleight went out for the season in game two. This meant that, for the first half of the season, we never finished a game with fifteen players and often started with fewer.
With the arrival of Alfie King, Seth Home and Ashton Clarke, however, we managed to get fifteen out and romp home to the first victory of the season against Collegiate, closely followed by two more wins, against King’s Gloucester and Bristol Cathedral. While the results might not be what we hoped for, the improvements in team and individual play were very positive. Our lineout was rarely bettered and we had some excellent tries out wide.
Roger Cox award for ‘Best Second-team Player of the Season’: three squad members played every minute of every Second-team game, and attended every training session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Joe Makin arguably scored a better try than Dan Ababio with his kick-o5 return against Pate’s, and Henry Williams reluctantly stood in at No 10 and played admirably, contributing some crucial, excellent tackles. But the winner was outstanding performer Barney O’Brien, who always gave everything, but was also an excellent leader. He was unlucky not to have had a chance to play with the Firsts this year; we do not expect to see him back in the Seconds next year.
p K6.n Marr
The ‘A’s showed great overall improvement, on and o5 the pitch. We started our season with three tough fixtures against KES, Kingswood and Dauntsey’s, and played some good Rugby, but ultimately could not come out with a desirable result. For our next game we travelled away to Wycli5e where we were very confident, and after a brilliant performance from the whole team – especially Ben Gracie and Ben Godfrey at 6 and 7, in addition to the pace supplied from Alex Cleary at 15 – we managed to secure a much-deserved first win of the season. The following week we played QEH, without doubt our biggest fixture of the season. We continued to play with confidence, and a Barney Thomas ‘Man of the Match’ – plus two great tries from Paul Walther – sealed a second win, in as many weeks, 20–17 over our old rivals in tough conditions.
Our first fixture back after half term was against a confident and as-yet undefeated Collegiate. Again, we played with togetherness and pride, frustrating Collegiate for large parts of the game. Ultimately two late tries took the match away from us, Collegiate eventually coming out on top 38–27. We ended our season with another tough game, away against Monmouth, where unfortunately we couldn’t find our feet and su5ered a 50–5 loss.
We should like to thank Mr Clark for being a great coach this season and helping us have a fantastic last year together as a squad; and we look forward to touring later this year in South Africa. My congratulations go to Frankie Drew, Ben Gracie, Ben Godfrey, Kaelan Hawkes and Seb Snowden for all making Second XV appearances; Kaelan and Seb made their First XV débuts as well.
p 'r3.)1 E)88)1r
‘'’: 0 12, L 1, R 11; F 140, ' 410 ‘B’: 0 4, L 1, R 3; F 55, '136
The ‘A’ team’s only victory came against Wycli5e College in Week 4 of the season, after a tough opening set of fixtures against KES Bath, Kingswood and Cathedral School Llanda5. Week 5 saw a very competitive game against Pate’s Grammar School, which resulted in a narrow loss (22–19) as the players could not get over the line in the last five minutes to secure victory. Having been 10–5 down at half-time, the team won the second half 14–12: Flynn Webster, Callum Johnstone and Leo Merrifield scored the tries.
The second half of the season saw a tough set of losses against QEH, Collegiate and Dean Close. Then there was an agonising 20–19 loss against Dauntsey’s in Week 11, in the freezing cold: Evan Clarke, Flynn Webster and Leo Merrifield scored the tries. Leo’s ‘Try of the Season’ saw him finish o5 a great try that started in our own 22m area. The team finished the season with a good performance against a strong Monmouth team.
The ‘B’ team’s only victory came against Dauntsey’s in Week 11. They tried their best every week and puts in lots of e5ort during training. Special mention goes to Adi Tayade, new to the game, who picked things up quickly and not only played all the ‘B’ team matches but also stepped up on several occasions to play for the ‘A’ team. This was testament to the mindset he had and the e5ort he put in to getting better. Several players played consistently well throughout the season: Alex Goodwin Lyon, with great evasive skills to beat tacklers; Will Sturdy, very strong in the scrums and important breakdown turnovers; Flynn Webster, for his strong runs to gain ground for the team; Sam Maggs, for organising the backline in attack and defence; Daniel
Potts, for his speed out wide and cover tackles; Leo Merrifield, for his strong runs out wide; and Salvador Errington for marshalling the defence. ‘Tackle of the Season’ was Adam Stevenson’s for his textbook ankle-tackle against one of the biggest players the team faced all season, in the match against Cathedral Llanda5
Overall it was a challenging season for the squad because of the strengths of a few of the teams they played against, and the number of injuries the squad su5ered. As a result of the injuries, the ‘A’ team was never able to put out the strongest XV all season. This meant that players new to the game had to step up and represent the School on match day, particularly in the ‘B’ team matches.
A big thank you goes to Ben Scott and Kieran Gallagher for their excellent e5orts throughout the season, coaching the boys during Games lessons to help them get prepared for matches. Thank you also to Andrew Nalty and Daniel Watkins for looking after the ‘B’ team on match days. Special mentions go to Callum Johnstone and Harry Holt for their e5orts on and o5 the field, showing great leadership skills, ensuring there was a team each week, and keeping the squad persevering all the way to the end of each match and the last game of the season. Both players were selected for the Bristol Bears’ Excel U15 North Group, which is a credit to their character and Rugby abilities displayed throughout this challenging season.
‘Players of the Season’: Callum Johnstone (‘A’), Peter Chapman (‘B’); ‘Most-improved Players of the Season’: Daniel Potts (‘A’), Freddie Gibson (‘B’); ‘Players’ Players of the Season’: Archie Callaghan (‘A’), Ade Tayade (‘B’).
We had a good season this year, su5ering only two losses. We were unlucky against QEH, when we had players missing, but we beat most other sides we faced. At the end of the season we endured some unlucky injuries but still managed to win against King’s, with a good performance. Throughout the season we had some great shifts from our forwards pack, especially against KES, which won us the game.
Our ‘B’ team also had a successful season, winning six out of eight games. It has been good to see a few of the ‘B’ team boys breaking through to play for the ‘A’ team. We had some great performances from Joe Hares and Will Mo5at, both of whom came up from the ‘B’s.
Throughout the season I have been really proud to see how well we have worked as a team, turning up to matches early to make sure we were prepared. When we had injured players, we filled in the roles; and the injured players still turned up to support the team.
Thank you to all our coaches who helped develop the team: Mr Lacey, Mr Morris, Mr Scott and Mr Hill.
p Eax Ba)C1n,
It has been a great season for the team! I’ve noted the progress we made, and have seen huge improvements in all players. We ended the season on a strong six wins out of nine, and a huge 141 point-di5erence. I loved the environment we created as a team, enjoying great communication skills throughout each game, as well as maintaining high spirits even if the odds weren’t necessarily on our side. There are many positives to take from this season, and they o5er excitement and growth for many seasons to come.
I want to thank every player for their commitment and dedication to our team, for giving their all to gain great outcomes. Finally may I thank the coaches for their support and e5orts in training-sessions and matches.
p P(()1 0;88)n
‘ We ended the season on a strong six wins out of nine, and a huge 141 point-difference’
0 10, L 5, R 5; F 170, ' 215
This year we had a very strong season; twenty-six boys represented the ‘A’ team, all putting in strong performances and causing many selection headaches for the coaches! The three local Derby matches –against QEH, Clifton College and Collegiate – yielded two wins, including a notable performance against Clifton College (a 20–10 win which, had it not been for the final five minutes, could have yielded a 20–0 scoreline).
There were lots of positives to take from the season, especially the depth of the squad, development of players in new positions, and the teamwork seen both on and o5 the field.
A special mention must go to the ‘Players of the Season’: Harry Searle, ‘Players’ Player’, scored a massive seventeen tries and was the School’s top pointsscorer for Rugby; Madoc Medwell was ‘Most-improved’, scrummaging excellently at loosehead; and Lucas Vanstone was ‘Coach’s Player’, epitomising the values of Rugby in everything he does.
We look forward to seeing what happens next season, and are excited to add flankers into the scrum!
p 71I 9aQ)14 an( B)88y Bann
We had an amazing season last year, winning six of our ten games and drawing two. We had pleasing comebacks throughout the season, being 15–30 down in the fixture against Kingswood with five minutes left to play when an inspired performance, led by Conrad Hay, meant we won 35–30 with the final play of the match. We never gave up, and it was our biggest celebration of the season!
We also were victorious in a triangular between Pate’s School and Clifton College, led brilliantly by Charlie Ellis at scrum-half, followed by a thumping 60–5 victory against Collegiate, where Jacob Potts was dominant in the back field. Our season was topped o5 with a fantastic game against Monmouth: having trailed 25–5 at half time against a very physical side, we rallied and battled hard in the second half, managing to draw the game 30–30 thanks to superb tries from Charlie Troup.
We could not have achieved these results without our amazing coach, Mr Abel, and we are looking forward to carrying on this success next season.
p -a3 E1rr)2)18(
The boys played some very exciting Rugby and worked well as a team throughout a season which was sadly curtailed by rain, making pitches unplayable towards the end. The players constantly adapted to a variety of playing conditions as they developed both touch-Rugby skills and, in some matches, worked the whole way up to contested scrums and rucks. Their commitment to running and exciting Rugby is demonstrated in their average of over five tries scored per match played.
A rolling cast of captains showed great leadership – with Jacob Westcott and Benedict Wescott always to the fore in both defence and attack. The highlight of the term was a 60–50 win over Clifton College in a titanic, end-to-end match that left all exhausted and smiling.
0 10, L 3, 9 1, R 6
The win-rate might suggest an unsuccessful season for the ‘A’ team; in fact it has been anything but. Over twenty-five boys have had a chance to play in the team, and all have improved significantly as the season progressed.
Highlights include the second-half comeback against Cathedral Llanda5, and the epic battles against local rivals QEH and Collegiate School. Top scorer for the season was Parish Bailey, who used his speed and agility to open up defences while also leading the team from fly-half. ‘Most-improved Player’ would probably be a split between prop Otto Hanmer and dynamic scrum-half Kei Sugiura. ‘Man of Steel’ undoubtedly goes to centre Zach Troughton, who tackles at twice his weight and is never far away from the action. Final named mention goes to Hugo McWhinney, who has been such a great role-model for his peers: he is always thinking of his teammates and does all the jobs, on and o5 the pitch, that rarely get attention.
The Rugby season finished for these boys recently with the Bristol Schools Sevens’ Tournament: they played amazingly well to get to the final. Unfortunately they lost there to an extra-time golden try, but this will only spur them on to make up for it next year.
p B1n 736,,
The team came on in leaps and bounds during the Autumn term. We developed a fast, exciting style of play, with the belief that we could win a game from anywhere.
The first half-term started slowly: we su5ered defeats against KES Bath and Kingswood while many players were having their first taste of Rugby. The week after the Kingswood loss, we made the trip over the River Severn to Llanda5 Cathedral School, and bounced back exceptionally, running in twelve tries thanks to some brilliant attacking link-up.
After half-term we welcomed local rivals, Collegiate, to Failand. We built on our exceptional performance at Llanda5 and scored some stunning individual tries, to give us a 60–40 win.
The season highlight came in the last game, when it was our turn to play host to our friends over the Severn. Monmouth were the visitors this time, a strong school with a reputation for playing good Rugby. We arrived at Failand with nerves among the squad, yet the constantly-improving mindset of the team meant that we were able to start the game focused on the task ahead. We ran riot in the first half, scoring six tries and playing some fantastic running Rugby, unusual for a cold, wet December Saturday at Failand. We finished with a brilliant 45–15 victory, to end the season superbly.
p O)1ran Ua88aC.1r
On a stiflingly-hot day in September the team gathered to play its first match of the season: for the majority it was to be their first taste of competitive Rugby. We played KES Bath, and came home with an amazing win. Everyone played really well and great teamwork enabled us to win, scoring lots of tries by spreading the ball wide, to make space. In our third-ever game, against Millfield Preparatory, we were surprised to know that we were graduating to phased contact. Despite this we came home with another victory and, impressively, entered half term as one of the only undefeated teams in the School.
After half term we carried on with our success: despite a few injuries en route, team spirit stayed strong. On a cold, windy day we played against our rivals, QEH: the match started cagily, and unfortunately one of our team went down early with an injury. It was a very physical game yet impressively, despite being several tries down, we did not give up, kept our heads high, and scored a couple of our own tries in the second half. In the end it was too much to come back from and we lost: our sole defeat in a successful first season.
All our team played extremely well, which helped us all become better players: we supported one another. At the endof-season pizza and awards evening, we congratulated several players, including Reuben Goring on being ‘Players’ Player’. p K64.;a Br6Gn1
‘At the end-of-season pizza and awards evening, we congratulated several players, including Reuben Goring on being ‘Players’ Player’
Teams competed in all age-groups during another action-packed term of Rugby sevens. The U12s narrowly missed winning the Bristol Sevens, losing to Collegiate in extra time; the U13s finished sixth. The U14s won the Shield final at the West of England Sevens, beating Kingswood 38–5. They also came second in the Bristol Sevens, beating St Bede’s, Westonbirt and QEH. The U15s lost three and won one in their Bristol Sevens tournament, while the U16s lost 3–5 to Clifton College in the semi-final.
The First XV had an electrifying sevens season, finishing as runners-up in the BGS Sevens at Failand and securing third place in the Bristol Schools’ Sevens, overcoming QEH in a thrilling playo5
In the West of England Sevens tournament, the First team competed against strong opponents like Millfield, Christ College and Bryanston, but gained substantial exposure through live stream coverage. Notably, Dan Ababio’s exceptional performance – including a sensational try and impeccable kicking skills – captivated viewers worldwide.
The boys then travelled up to Rosslyn Park and, despite a narrow loss to KES Birmingham, won two of three games, showcasing their resilience and the hard work put in by the group. A standout moment came from Will Clayton-Jones, whose outstanding work in the final group game, coupled with a unique cricket-style celebration, added flair to the tournament and a look forward to the cricket season.
Heartfelt thanks go to the sta5 for their invaluable support and dedication throughout this block.
p Tan J.6@a4
0 14, L 10, R 4; F 38, ' 22
After Christmas holiday fitness training, the boys were keen: a ‘friendly’ against an OB XI warmed us up for matches. We beat Clifton College, then lost two games, but responded well to Sam Stevens’s captaincy, making changes and approaching the next fixture with higher energy, giving the opposition much less time on the ball.
The forward unit – Toby Rushmer, Toby Smith, Seb Snowden, Josh Round, Paul Walther and Isaac Robinson – worked quickly and tirelessly, closing down, winning the ball, creating goal-scoring opportunities. Notably the team was quick to make and adapt to tactical changes and new formations, as when the back four became a back three: Harry Goudge and Henry Britton, the centre-back pairing, pursued this successful gambit.
The squad’s engine-room – Henry Williams, Sam Stevens, Harry King, Alex Whittle and Frankie Drew – ran from circle to circle, creating chances at one end and denying space elsewhere. Charlie Groombridge, Jack Mayes and Joe Preddy were the attacking wing backs, happy to advance and create the overload, focusing on man-to-man marking as required.
The talented Alex Gardner, Josh Pickering and Jake Groves shared goalkeeping responsibility; the support and advice they shared reflected the team’s togetherness and desire to improve. Team meetings were conducted by the players themselves; injured players managed the sideline, making substitutions and tactical changes; training sessions were designed by the players, based on their post-match reflections.
A variable season finished on a high. Having lost a cup match 2–4 to Kingswood, the squad hoped their Saturday fixture would upset an unbeaten side, and performed fantastically. It was a match of high quality and endeavour, and BGS finished on the right side of a 4–3 thriller.
This was a fantastic season: we wish the Upper-sixth leavers the best, and look forward to seeing them in OB games next year.
p Fran F):81y
In a very successful season the boys conceded only one game. We started with a strong 2–1 victory against a physical Clifton College, featuring goals from Hayden Banbury and Micheál Kelly. Following a 0–0 draw against Dean Close, we recorded an impressive 7–2 victory against The King’s School, Gloucester: during the second half we were especially dominant, thanks to a notable, three-goal performance from Jay Hunt.
We proceeded to successive victories against KES Bath, Warminster and Taunton, abetted by an impressive backline of Felix Bending, Jack Farrow, and Sim Dorman. Next came a tough 0–0 draw against King’s Taunton, then our sole loss, against Kingswood School, who scored two lastminute goals to go ahead 1–3. We finished the season with a strong 6–0 performance against Collegiate, in which Will ClaytonJones scored a hat-trick.
As a team we should like to thank Mr Short for giving up his time to coach this
‘'’: 0 12, L 3, 9 2, R 7; F 14, ' 26
‘B’: 0 9, L 3, R 6; F 9, ' 22
The season got off to a great start as the ‘A’s beat Dauntsey’s in the Cup and then Clifton College in the block fixture, both 2–1. Next was Dean Close, away up the M5, where the ‘A’s lost 1–0 to a brilliant reverse stick shot on the diagonal just inside the D line into the top corner of the goal. A loss to Clifton in the next round of the Cup followed a narrow loss to King’s Gloucester, 3–2. The ‘A’s beat Warminster 3–1 and drew with KES Bath 2–2 in an excellent game. Another trip up the M5 to play KES Birmingham in the Plate competition saw a close 2–1 loss, as KES were a well-drilled side with excellent stick skills.
After a strong positive first half of the season, things then fizzled out into tough losses against Taunton (4–0) and Kingswood (3–0), the best two teams the ‘A’s played against this season, intertwined with a 1–1 draw against King’s College. Several unavailabilities at the end resulted in a 3–1 loss to Collegiate, a disappointing way to end the season.
Leo Merrifield and Oscar Round were ever-present in defence, and Sam Maggs switched well between defence and lead striker. Joe Armitage scored several goals by being in his spot to deflect hits in. Leo Margetts was consistently in the right place at the right time, doing the simple things well. James Poore was excellent in goal all season, and made many great saves to pluck victories from the jaws of defeat.
The ‘B’ team got o5 to the perfect start, beating Clifton College 3–1, and then went on a rollercoaster ride alternating between winning and losing as they always tried their best. The ‘B’s beat King’s Gloucester and Warminster both 1–0, and lost to Dean Close and KES Bath. Tough matches against Taunton, King’s College and Kingswood saw three losses on the bounce and a final loss of the season against Collegiate.
Harry Holt was excellent in goal throughout the ‘B’s’ season, and Sam Beshay always wanted to get better and learn new skills as a goalkeeper. Archie Callaghan was a great presence in defence, and was justifiably rewarded with a promotion to the ‘A’ team against Kingswood and KES Birmingham.
Overall, a small group of boys in Year 10 progressed as the season went on, showed lots of commitment to representing the School on a Saturday, and consistently gave their best e5orts. Several will go on well to become a part of the Senior squad over the next three years. Many thanks to Gary Phillips for his excellent e5orts coaching the ‘B’ team, and to Kieran Gallagher for his great support coaching the goalkeepers during Games lessons.
Special mention must go to Salvador Errington, who consistently led from the front, giving his all in every match: he scored some great goals, most notably a drag flick short corner, passed on his knowledge each Games lesson to his teammates, and helped organise the teams each week.
‘Players of the Season’: Salvador Errington (‘A’), Harry Holt (‘B’); ‘Most-improved Players of the Season’: Leo Margetts (‘A’), Sam Beshay (‘B’).
p D)3H 5)88
This season was eventful for the team We have improved massively since last year, on and o5 the field: last year we did not achieve a single win, and this year we secured two. Our losses have often been close: against KES Bath last year we lost 7–0, but this year we lost unluckily 3–2 in a game we were dominating (and, at one point, leading 2–1). Our attack play has greatly improved this season, scoring twelve goals instead of last year’s measly four. Overall, we had three close games alongside our brace of wins.
Next year it would be good to tighten the margin between us and the bigger hockey schools such as Dean Close and Taunton, and commit to scoring more goals and getting up the field more. The defence worked really hard and we need to work on connecting with the midfield on a counter-attack.
As captain I should like to give some special mentions to top scorer Barney Woodhouse, and runner-up scorer Sid Patil, for some brilliant goals as the season went on. A shout-out goes to Kit McClellan, the rock of the team, making tackle after tackle in defence and working really hard in every game. Theo Vieten-Kay was also brilliant in a goalkeeping partnership with Artin Nejabati, making lots of saves.
p Ka3H L1481y
We had a challenging season: a tough fixture board providing some great competition. We started perfectly with a fantastic battle against Clifton College which saw some great end-to-end hockey. BGS came out winners; the 5–2 score included a George Sanderson hattrick. We followed this with a tense 1–0 victory over Dean Close, the goal coming in the final moments courtesy of a first-time finish from Jed Abell. A tough loss against King’s Gloucester was followed by an agonising 3–2 loss to KES Bath, where the boys battled until the end.
A return to winning ways after the halfterm break saw us cruise to a 4–0 victory over Warminster, thanks to goals from Will Mo5att and Jack Bradley, backed up by fantastic saves from Eddie Pullin, keeping his clean sheet. Unfortunately the rest of the fixtures saw us fall to narrow losses, and the season closed with a 1–1 battle against Collegiate.
We look forward to gaining some momentum, after showing promise this year, and look ahead to next season.
p Ka3H Bra(81y
We had a challenging term: ten matches played, four won and the rest lost. Despite the goals we conceded, however, we always kept our heads in the game and you can’t fault the work-rate that the team put in right until the final whistle.
There have been many outstanding shows of skill: one key moment was in the county tournament against Clifton College, where Lucas Durrance megged an opponent and then managed to squeeze an outstanding shot into the goal net. This was in the final minutes of the game and helped us come out with a 1–1 draw, progressing through the stages.
In that tournament we were missing Joel Wadey (captain) and Henry Vieten-Kay (goalie) but despite this still managed to get to the semi-finals where, sadly, we sadly lost to Kingswood.
Henry Vieten-Kay has been a brick wall at the back, saving countless goals and making many wonder-saves to keep us in the game. Even though we haven’t won all our games this season we have won two of our three eleven-a-side games: these will be our main fare next year, so we hope we shall go even further than we have this year.
Finally on behalf of the team I should like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Mr Carpenter for being an amazing coach, and also to all the parents for driving us to various games, and for all the cheering on the sidelines.
p K618 La(1y
The team had a great season, showing amazing team spirit. In our first game, against Millfield, everyone put in their best e5ort, but sadly we lost 3–1. A standout performance came from Thomas Hargreaves, who scored the only goal. Clearly after Millfield the team lost their spirit, and didn’t win until four games later when we bounced back 10–3 against Warminster, ‘Man of the match’ being Jonah Vittori-Garman. We won both our last two games, against Kingswood, with a pleasing win of 2–0. Stand-out performances came from Saul Biggin, Angus Reavley and Charlie Troup.
p M.ar8)1 Jr6;:
0 6, L 4, 9 1, R 1; F 24, ' 6
The team had a good season, but we did struggle in some games. We started o5 with a well-played draw against Millfield. Our next two games, against big names like Dean Close and King’s Gloucester, would prove less challenging: we won both with ease. Goals from Sam Gri6ths, James Colls and Freddy Want – as well as many others – help secured these wins.
We knew KES would be a well-drilled team, against whom we should need to play well, but in the end the fixture was really frustrating. Thanks to James Colls we were able to secure a 1–1 draw, but for the rest of the game we were pushing for the winner with some great attacking linkup plays among our well-organised team. Unfortunately in the last minutes of the match KES broke away with a fast attack, and sneaked it past our defence into the goal. It was probably our lowest point in the season.
We then had two internal fixtures. In the first, the ‘C’s and ‘D’s were mixed to form two teams which would join in lengthy battle. The next internal game was the ‘B’s vs the ‘C’s, where the former unfortunately came out on top … though not by much. I didn’t play the last game with the ‘C’s, but as far as I know they won 3–2 to Kingswood.
Many of the original ‘C’ team – such as Evan Leach, Harry Searle, Tom Barot, Freddy Want and Angus Reavley – moved up into the ‘B’s. It was a really great experience being captain of the team and I was sad to let it go. I should like to thank Mr Clements for his outstanding contribution, on and o5 the pitch.
p U16rC1 M688)n46n
We had a great season, our four games yielding two wins, a draw and a loss. It was unfortunate that we couldn’t play more, but several team members were able to play in the ‘C’ team when we didn’t have a game scheduled.
The team showed great defensive consistency across the season, conceding only three goals. Our biggest wins came against Dean Close Prep (8–0) and a 10–2 success vs Warminster, whose ‘B’ team had requested to play our ‘D’ team. Ruben Armoogum and Isaac White managed to score four goals in that one game! We had a 0–0 draw vs King’s Gloucester, where we played the opposition’s ‘C’ team after a bit of confusion about who should be on which pitches. Ben Collier received ‘Man of the Match’ after an excellent display of saves. Special mentions go to the defensive partnership of Josh Millard and Milo Wright, for their performances across the season, and to Isaac White, Ruben Armoogum and Elis Nagata, who brought skill and finishing to each game. Many thanks from the whole team go to Mr Clements and Mr Carpenter for helping us achieve these results, and aiding us in refining our hockey skills. Everyone in the team agrees that we have all improved hugely over the last few weeks: we can’t wait for next year.
K6na. X),,6r) - Uar@an
The season started brightly, with a close 2–1 loss at Millfield, and a draw away to Dean Close. George Bamford and Tom Stone were the outstanding leaders of the team throughout the term; Tom finished as top scorer.
Other notable performances were a 1–1 draw vs Kingswood and a 2–2 draw vs Warminster. The outstanding players of the season were Zack Troughton and Ayo Garrick, the mainstays of the midfield all season.
The highlight of the season was making it all the way to the final of our own tournament, the Booker Shield, eventually losing to Taunton Prep. Notable mentions, for strong seasons, go to Ed Owen, Tom Ellis and Dan Yates.
p Tan J.6@a4
The season started very well, beating a King’s Gloucester team lacking organisation 4–1, with three goals coming within the opening ten minutes of the first half. In the next game the boys came up against a very strong King Edward’s Bath squad but managed to come out on top, winning a high scoring game 5–2.
With two wins behind them, the team played Warminster next, who struggled with the depth we were able to field in each position which enabled us to put six goals past them and keep a clean sheet to win 6–0.
Finally the boys had two games to go to keep their 100% record, needing to beat Kingswood and Collegiate. They travelled to Kingswood early on a cold morning, knowing Kingswood had very strong results coming into this game. The team put in an excellent performance to come out with a 4–1 win, meaning their 100% record for the season all came down to the final game against Collegiate. After a slow start the boys put in a much better performance in the second half, ending up beating Collegiate comfortably. Well done to the team on an unbeaten season.
p Tan J.6@a4
0 12, L 4, R 8
It has been a season full of ups and downs, including a variety of successes in many formats. We started strongly with a convincing win against Wells Cathedral in the T20 Cup: a burst of wickets in Louis Watson Roper’s opening spell led us to a 41run victory. The next few matches proved tricky, against formidable oppositions, but Will Clayton Jones was an ever-reliable force behind the stumps, scoring 77 against the MCC; Ollie O’Dair scored back-toback fifties.
We returned to winning ways with a last-ball thriller against Collegiate, in which Liv Daniels took 3/16, and Louis Watson Roper’s crucial 46 not out steered us home. Another big win was the victory over local rivals QEH, when a quickfire 32 o5 sixteen deliveries from Toby Smith (including a six on to the 3G) helped us get to a defendable 144, followed by a great fielding display to bowl out our opposition with seventeen runs to spare.
Appearances from Year 9’s Sid Patel and Year 10’s Joe Armitage (his third year representing the First XI) prove that the future of cricket at BGS is bright, especially since Armitage scored 82 in our final match of the season. A big ‘thank you’ must go to Mr Lacey, Mr Phillips and Mr Gallagher for helping our team this season, and a ‘go well’ to those who will represent this team again next year!
p R)Q 9an)184 an( J6Iy 7@),.
0 7, L 1, R 6
It was a difficult season, with lots of close matches. Standout performances included a tight win against Millfield, where a strong opening partnership – where Luca Revill got 60 and Joe Armitage got 43 – produced a good total for our bowlers to defend. Sir Thomas Rich’s was our final game: a great opening partnership between Ivo Thomas (83) and Flynn Webster (44) got us to 153 o5 twenty overs … but we narrowly lost in the final over.
Highlights from the season are Joe’s 53 not out against KLB, Luca’s 54 against KES Bath, and Callum Johnstone three wickets for three runs against Dean Close, and some superb catches from Ivo on the boundary. It was a tough but very enjoyable season. Thank you to Mr Phillips and Mr Thackray for coaching us this year.
p R;3a F1Q)88
0 5, L 2, R 3
The season proved a challenge, though everyone played to the best of their ability and trained hard at every opportunity. Two cancelled matches (Kingswood, Taunton) left us more time to train and develop our skills before the first match, against KES Bath. We started strongly, winning by 43 runs thanks to one particularly skilful partnership, Salvador Errington and Sam Maggs.
Following an unlucky loss to Collegiate, we played Dean Close in a close shave, winning by thee runs thanks to several catches made by Leo Merrifield, and excellent bowling from Freddie Gibson and Ollie Chesham. This tense atmosphere continued in our next game, against Millfield, where we unluckily lost by three runs. Our final match, against Sir Thomas Rich’s School, was tense, unfortunately resulting in a close loss despite our determined e5orts in both innings. The highlight of the season was Red Hall’s catch during the Dean Close game: not only skilful, it also eliminated one of our opposition’s best and most threatening batsman.
Though we didn’t win every match, all our players have been determined to improve from the get-go and we can’t wait for next season to continue developing our cricket. Thank you to Mr Phillips and Mr Thackray for supporting us throughout, and coaching us so brilliantly from day one!
p 7a@ B14.ay
The typical British summer weather washed out the first three games of the season against Cathedral Llanda5, Kingswood and Beechen Cli5, which meant Taunton School was our first fixture. We batted first, scoring 108 runs for 8 wickets in 25 overs, but lost the game by seven wickets. We won the next two matches, against Beechen Cli5 (Sid Patel top-scored with 36 not out, and Advay Misra was the best bowler) and KES Bath (Jonas O’Brien topscored with 27 and Sonny Hancock was the pick of the bowlers).
Collegiate and Dean Close were competitive thirty-over matches, in which we scored 233 runs for 8, and 243 for 5, respectively. Josh Starke top-scored against Collegiate with 41 runs, closely followed by Theo Vieten-Kay with 39. Sid Patil scored a century against Dean Close, forming an excellent batting partnership of 96 runs with Jack Wesley. Yet we lost both matches by four and seven wickets respectively.
We won the County Cup semi-final against KLB by six wickets (Harry Tolfree was the best bowler), but then lost the final against QEH by ten wickets, scoring only 75 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs.
The penultimate match against Monmouth was our toughest of the season, and a great challenge. We scored 110 runs, Advay Misra top-scoring with thirty. They replied with 113 runs for 4 wickets in 25.2 overs, thus losing by six wickets. Advay Misra and Arthur Lillie were our best bowlers.
The victory against Sir Thomas Rich’s in the final match was testament to the perseverance of this team, which showed great e5ort and commitment. We scored 168 for 5 and won by five wickets.
‘Player of the season’ was Sid Patel, ‘Most-improved player’ was Advay Misra, and ‘Players’ player’ was Jack Wesley.
p D)3H 5)88
After the fixtures against Cathedral and Kingswood were rained o5, the team came strongly into the first match against the prestigious Taunton School, and ended up going home with a really good win, our bowlers having held Taunton to just 108 runs o5 the twenty overs, while conceding eight wickets. After yet another cancellation we played KES Bath in a high-intensity game with great batting performances from Will Burrows and Danyal Shafia, who achieved a sixty partnership, and Arthur Ruane who bowled an incredible five wickets for eighteen runs. Next we went on a losing streak, to Collegiate and Dean Close, but bounced back against QEH and Monmouth, beating them by 22 runs in each game: special mentions go to Ollie McCann, Jonas O’Brien and Harry Rajakaruna for a great bowling performance.
To finish the season we played against Sir Thomas Rich’s, to whom we lost last year. This time, however, we managed to pull through, winning by an astonishing fifty runs. Special mentions go to Harry Rajakaruna again for a good captaincy and bowling, along with Danyal Shafia for scoring 58 runs and Anay Patel who scored 21 runs, totalling an aggressive 79-run partnership in seven overs.
The boys would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Mr King, Mr Goodland and Mr Hill for being our coaches.
p 9anya8 7.a2)a
A rainy start to the cricket term saw the cancellation of our first three games (Cathedral Llanda5, Kingswood and Beechen Cli5 ). The playing kicked o5 against a strong Clifton College side, where we lost narrowly in a tight game. Beechen Cli5 was then our opponent in the Cup; we scored just 73, and they knocked them o5 in a dozen overs.
The team began to find form with three wins: the KES match was an all-round strong performance with both bat and ball; against Collegiate, Billy Bann scored 82 as we totalled 152 in twenty overs, and the bowlers restricted our opponents to 103; and Dean Close was a tightly-contested match, won in the last over.
Another two games – QEH and Monmouth – were then lost to rain, and the final encounter of the season was against Sir Thomas Rich, where we couldn’t take the win against a well-organised side.
Big thanks go to Mr Thomas for his guidance and coaching this term.
p B)88y Bann
This season has been one to remember Our first three games were unfortunately rained o5 and when we finally did play we lost to a good KES side. After this we comfortably beat Dean Close, winning by many runs. Sadly rain cancelled our fixture against QEH, but we then travelled to Monmouth and came out with a win, thanks to a big score from Toby Goodland.
In the final game of the season, against Sir Thomas Rich’s School, we were chasing 150 without much hope, but big scores from Ben Collier, George Collinson and Ruben Armoogum saw us win by three wickets. Overall it was a very good season.
p B1nWa@)n M688)1r
Our first game was against King Edward’s, Bath: after brilliant fielding and great bowling from Arwel Till, KES scored 48. In our innings, after good batting from the opening two and other hard-working batters like Evan Leech, we caught up to them and won the game.
In our second game of the season, against Collegiate, we again fielded and bowled well, with a particularly good performance from Rayyan Mussa. We managed to limit them to a reachable score, and won the match. In our final game we played Sir Thomas Rich’s School where, after a good performance from everyone, we managed to win by six wickets. p 'r,.;r Ur)22),.4
0 7, L 6, R 1
One or two games were cancelled thanks to rain, and the team had a tough start, losing in the first round of the cup against QEH, but held their heads high and looked forward to the next fixture. We went on to win all our Saturday matches, two of which were close games, the others easy wins. Against Dean Close and Sir Thomas Rich, Sam Wotton scored fifties, securing our wins by a good margin. Zack Troughton also scored fifty against Sir Thomas Rich.
Many congratulations go to Daniel Yates, who took a five-wicket haul on our home ground against Monmouth, getting their best batters out and winning us the game. One of our best wins was against Collegiate on a very tough batting pitch, but Sam Lees and Sam Wotton hit exactly a one-hundred partnership, both hitting in the forties before Parish Bailey got us the final runs. Arthur Johnstone took an outstanding catch against KES Bath, and also took five catches in a match later in the season.
Throughout the season we realised that we were working really well as a team even though we have known each other less than a year. Also, we are very grateful to our coach, Mr Abel, without whom we should never have got as far as we have. It has been an honour to captain this fast-growing team to many wins, and I am looking forward to being in Year 8 … and beating QEH, the only team we lost to this season.
p 7a@ L66,,6n
KES Bath was our first game, three having been cancelled. Some of the team had never played a competitive hard-ball match, but all were keen to try, excited to play their first cricket game representing BGS. We lost the toss and batted first, all feeling pressure from the supporters. In the end we came out on top by seventeen runs.
We then faced Collegiate, a game we expected to be tough. In the first eight overs one of our openers got caught out and, sadly, our second batter got retired at twenty. We ended with 98 runs, a very hard score to defend. Over by over we bowled them out, until it down to their final over: we needed one wicket to win, but they needed only five. We tried our hardest to bowl well … but lost.
After the QEH game was cancelled, we were up against Haberdashers’ Monmouth, keen to secure another win. We finished batting on 145 runs, our season’s highest score. When we started bowling, they scored only 61 runs: our best game in the whole season!
We faced Sir Thomas Rich’s in our last game, eager to win. Trying really hard, we achieved 105 runs, and after a couple of overs’ bowling we’d secured a couple of wickets. But their two batters stayed in for the rest of the innings, creating a good partnership. At the final ball of the game they needed just two runs to win … and sadly they got them.
Well done to Ayo Garrick, Will Allard, Josh Hatfield and Joshua Browne for getting lots of runs and wickets. Especially well done to Farris Shandiz for being an amazing wicket-keeper. Throughout the whole season, everyone played really well as a team and we are looking forward to next season.
p K64. 5a,2)18(
0 4, L 4
An amazing, undefeated season kicked o5, after a few cancelled matches, with a great win against KES Bath. Quite a few of us were playing our first hardball match, but we performed so well you couldn’t tell!
At Collegiate, our first away match, we won by 59 runs: Khizer Shahid managed to get eight runs o5 one ball, stemming from a no-ball and the only six of the game. We carried on hitting fours, which gave us a steady win. After this match everyone was excited: QEH could have been the fixture of the season … but sadly it was called o5 due to poor weather.
We then hosted Sir Thomas Rich’s School, winning the toss and opting to bat first; this did not go well for us, as our opening batter got a diamond duck, and our second batter went out soon after. We were on eight runs for twelve overs, not a very good score. In our thirteenth over we had Marc Bennet Baradad go in, as STR claimed yet another wicket. Marc became our saviour, managing to bring us up to 65 runs; he was clapped o5 having played an amazing game. We went on to reach 73 runs; in our bowling and fielding innings we played our best of the whole season! Our fielding was really on point: we restricted the opposition to 66 runs, and took three wickets on the trot in a maiden over, Jack Blay getting five wickets and taking home the match ball after his amazing performance. Seyum Viji, in the last over, finished the match in the most climactic way possible, taking two wickets in a row and getting them all out for 66.
It was a great season, and everyone is looking forward to the next.
p Fa)2 9)n
The boys started playing in a league, and kicked o5 a season full of ups and downs with a hard-fought 4–2 victory against local rivals, Clifton College. They followed up this form with another two league wins: a spectacular goal from Will Gallagher and a penalty save from Luke Birch gave us the win against Millfield, and a brilliant team performance – with some individual brilliance from Tommy Ford and Luke Colling – saw us beat Sherborne 4–2.
The boys were lucky enough to have a tour of Lisbon over February half term, where we enjoyed some Portuguese culture, amazing weather and great football against some local sides. This gave us a di5erent challenge, adapting to other surfaces and styles of play. We also had two training sessions with Benfica coaches, which made the whole trip something to remember.
Back home we were faced with games against Llanda5 and Cheltenham College, winning each 2–0: an amazing solo e5ort from Nicky Pestell against Cheltenham was the highlight. Following a dominant performance against Bromsgrove we unfortunately came up short, losing 5–3; and against King’s Taunton a second-half comeback, scoring three, was insu6cient to overcome our deficit … we lost 6–5. In the final league game we regrettably lost to a technical Bryanston side.
Nonetheless this has been a truly unforgettable season for all involved: big thanks go to Mr Lacey and Mr Ruck for their unwavering e5orts, and allowing us to play!
p TVaaH 5a)n14
With a squad largely unchanged from last season, the Second eleven enjoyed a striking improvement in terms of both performances and results. Our first win in the Autumn term, against Clifton College, preceded a comprehensive 11–3 win against KES, the hat-tricks coming from Matt Ashworth and Joel Fulco. Matt soon repeated the feat in our second fixture against Clifton, scoring another hat-trick in a 6–0 victory.
The Spring term brought the promise of more di6cult fixtures, but the boys were up for the challenge, evidenced by our dogged away win at Sherborne. During our half-term trip to Lisbon, Second XI players were mixed with members of the Third and U16 teams, significantly improving thanks to fixtures against local teams and training sessions with SL Benfica. Most importantly we had a great deal of fun: we are all very grateful to the PE department, particularly Mr Lacey, for making the trip possible. Special mentions must go to Ali Holt and Ollie Parker for winning prizes – for ‘Best player’ and ‘Best e5ort’ respectively –while on tour.
Improvements made in Lisbon shone through in a comfortable home win against Cathedral Llanda5, but the season’s high point came against Bromsgrove the following week. 2–0 down with under fifteen minutes to go, goals from Alex Cleary and Oliver Allard, and a rocket from Matt Merlin-Cone from range, saw BGS win 3–2 in the final minutes.
Standout players this season include unanimous choice for ‘Player of the season’ Matt Merlin-Cone, who ran the midfield and seemed to score from outside the box every other game; his midfield partner-incrime Leon Held; goalkeeper Felix Reid; Matt Ashworth, who finished ‘Top scorer’ despite su5ering a broken ankle halfway through the season; and Tyler Bell, also contributing a number of goals from left wing back.
p U16rC1 R1Q1r,6n
This was another really good season for the team. We were able to be competitive in each match, showcasing the improvements we have made. Many players who started in the Thirds moved up to the Second XI.
We managed to win a game this year: this shows the progress we have made. We were able to get a team out much more easily than last year, and we had more Sixth-form students representing the School, which meant the U16 were able to have a settled side.
As last year it was a pleasure to help organise the team: the attitude and e5orts shown were great. We did not have a regular keeper, but in each game someone volunteered for the role, and did their best with the rest of the team’s support. The boys represented BGS well: I hope the team enjoyed the season, and know we can continue to develop.
p O1Q)n U)881y
We started with a comfortable home game against Bryanston, in which the team played well and won 3–0. But unfortunately we lost to Sherborne, 5–2, in the second round of the ISFA Cup. In the plate we opened with a 4–1 away win over Truro, but unfortunately lost 3–0 in the second round, to Lingfield.
In January we lost 2–0 to Monmouth, but in the next game we came back, and beat Sidcot 3–1. We ended the season with our best team performance, but regrettably couldn’t come out on top, losing 1–0 to QEH. The team nonetheless played with great character and determination. ‘Top scorer’ was Will Woodman, ‘Top assists’ went to Charlie Shepherd, and good all-round performances came from Dom Roberts, Henry Hill and Flynn Webster.
p M.ar8)1 7.1:.1r(
It was a tough season for the U16s, many players moving into senior sides or succumbing to injury. We started with a challenging game against Clifton College, but the boys showed great spirit to bounce back for the next fixture against QEH, where Adam Colling’s introduction to the side, and goals from Musaab Eltoum and Ben Gracie, secured the boys’ first win of the season.
A week later we travelled to Monmouth for what we knew would be one of the hardest games of the season, but with a competent defensive display from Henry Thomas, and Jack Osborn’s consistent acrobatic e5orts up front, the team came away with a respectable 1–1 draw. Following injuries and absences the next few games were not easy; yet with Year 10s Henry Hill and Will Woodman coming into the side, the boys came out with some strong performances.
For the final game of the season we travelled all the way to Bryanston and despite a fantastic first-half performance, with goals from George Downing and Alex Cleary, Ali Holt’s departure to the Second team at half time left the boys somewhat depleted at the back: we were not able to see the result through.
A big thank you goes to Mr Moraca for coaching us all season, and to Mr Buck for stepping in when needed.
p 'r3.)1 E)88)1r
With many new players starting out, the season was full of challenges and learning opportunities. But – through hard work, determination, and teamwork – the U14s showed great progress and leadership through each training session and match played.
Led by captain George Sanderson, and vice Freddie Allen, the team played four games, and it was clear from the first that everyone was still finding their footing. Undeterred, they continued to work hard in every training session and game. The dedication paid o5 when they secured their first win, beating Sidcot by a comfortable two goals. There was a fantastic display of teamwork and skill in the first half, the team coming together nicely.
As the season progressed we faced tougher opponents, including rivals QEH. The QEH game was highly anticipated, the players determined to give their all. It was a tight match, both teams displaying great skill and determination: in the end QEH secured a last-minute winner, beating us by a narrow 2–1, but the lads from BGS put up an amazing fight and left everything on the field, with a class midfield performance and a strong defensive line.
Some highlights of the season include Jack Bradley’s free-kick screamer against QEH, and Barney Woodhouse’s first-half hat-trick against Sidcot. Another highlight was seeing how much the lads improved, as many in the team had not even played beforehand, but were still eager to make every session and play good football. This was fantastic to see.
Looking back, the U14s’ football season has been a wonderful journey of hard work and team spirit, which we hope to replicate next season too. All the boys would like to give a big thank you to the coach, Mr Williams, for his knowledge and support in all the training sessions and matches.
p U16rC1 7an(1r46n
The team had a great season, showing amazing team spirit. Our first game was against Crossfield’s School in the ISFA Cup competition. Spirits were high, but sadly this wasn’t enough, and we lost. Our second game was a thriller against Farleigh School, where we played on the First XI pitch. It was an end-to-end encounter for the full ninety minutes, and Parish Bailey, Kei Sugiura and goal-scorer Sam Wotton stepped up to play for the year above. After ninety minutes the game was headed into extra time at 3–3, when Freddie Barnes scored a fantastic free kick, to make it 4–4 … and penalties to come. As is often seen in English football, we unfortunately lost on penalties and were knocked out of the Cup. The game was a fantastic spectacle for all, and a great omen for what lies in store for the team.
Our next fixture was against a very strong QEH team, and Parish Bailey scored a screamer in an unfortunate loss, and Thomas Hargreaves in goal made some excellent saves to keep us in the game. Our last match, against Clifton High, showed how we could bounce back from defeat, and it was an amazing performance by the boys as we won 3–0, with an excellent left-footed strike from Joel Wadey. This was a great end to a tough season for the boys, as we played our best football yet. A big thanks must go to Mr Abel, Mr Gallagher and Mr Lacey for their support throughout the season.
p M.ar8)1 Jr6;:
Year 7 had two matches this season, and enjoyed both. Against Sidcot we were soon 1–0 up from Ayo Garrick, and minutes later it was 2–0 thanks to a good finish from Sam Wotton. After the break pressure was building, attacks raining in, but brilliant goalkeeping from Syum Vij kept it at 2–0. BGS scored a third, to complete Sam Wotton’s brace, but after a counterattack it was 3–1 … then 4–1, a Wotton hat-trick. Sidcot made it 4–2, and the full-time whistle came soon after. ‘Man of the Match’ was either Sam Wotton, or Syum Vij for keeping us in it. A shout-out must go to Will Allard in midfield for playing well in di6cult circumstances, and being the captain.
In our second match we soon went 2–0 down to a strong QEH side, but we kept fighting back and in the last ten minutes of the first half we equalised thanks to a brace from the captain, Kei Sugiura. In the second half we slipped somewhat and three goals rained in: the game finished 5–2, and we were disappointed after a successful first half. ‘Man of the Match’ was Ayo Garrick, who played exceptionally well in defence and at right back.
The ‘B’ team also had a game against QEH, sadly losing 2–0 but playing well, given only nine players and no subs.
Congratulations and thank you to the Rugby boys who were unexpected teammates and helped us get the numbers we needed. They played well thanks to Rugby’s getting cancelled.
Well done to everyone who played, and let’s hope for more matches next season!
A big thank you goes to Mr Mitchell for coaching us for both games and Keiran Gallagher for the second.
p 7a@ L6,,6n
The 2023–24 season was a uniquely challenging one for BGS climbers, who faced lots of injuries (mostly not caused by climbing!) and particularly strong opposition from across the twenty-one South West schools who now take part.
New team member Leo Blake put his recent Climbing Academy training to good use, placing fifth in the Junior Boys’ category. His route-reading skills and finger strength were impressive throughout the rounds. William Havill and Harry Blundell joined Leo in bringing back bronze medals for the Junior Boys, and achieving our best team place this season.
A squad of pupils from Years 6, 7 and 8 went to the regional schools’ South West Championships in the Summer term; it was great to see athletes across the Junior and Senior Schools train and compete together. Many of the squad then qualified for the National Championships in Birmingham at the end of the term. This was a really good experience, and included some impressive performances and personal bests: Elena Gareh (long jump and 100m), Sophie Barnes (long jump) and Joel Wadey (1,500m). The boys’ Year 7 relay (Tom Bailey, Parish Bailey, Ayo Garrick and Kei Suguira) performed superbly. The standout performance came from Parish, who ran a personal best in the 800m to secure a silver medal.
Earlier in the year BGS hosted the Bristol Schools’ Cross Country Championships, in which many pupils ran well in very muddy conditions. The following ran so well that they went on to represent Bristol in the South West Cross Country Championships: Bee Reveller, Freddie Barnes, Nick Pestell, Tom Moreton and Reuben Wadey. p Jr)4,an 0arr)4
It was good to see Orla Mac Ruairi gain a spot in the Climbing Academy squad this year, which we hope will prepare her for next year, as a Senior, to climb alongside her sister Roisin. Sophia Bailey and Izel Germaine, along with Roisin, persevered throughout the rounds to finish in fourth place. Iris Taylor showed some incredibly strong performances in the first couple of rounds, matching those of the eventual winners of the series.
The Senior Girls’ team has shown the true spirit of bouldering this season, working together on the problem-solving aspect of the sport. Nell Tierney and Izel both entered the competitions through participation in the Sixth-form Activities afternoons, which have been particularly popular this year. The Year 10 Games programme has also been full in every term, and has seen a large number of students with almost no experience at all taking the step into lead climbing.
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A squad of twelve BGS pupils from Years 7 to 13 entered the Bristol Schools’ Swimming Gala in February. For some it was their first or second gala, for others their last chance to swim for the School before leaving.
Three pupils represented BGS in the 2023–24 Public Schools’ Fencing Championships, all fencing well in this large and prestigious event. It was particularly pleasing to see how well experienced fencer Rory Redmond (who finished fifteenth out of 105) supported Jared Lepora in his first event of this scale. The best performance came from Thandar Glydon, who finished in sixth place.
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Highlights were individual golds for Harry Searle, Evie Toy and Phoebe Broster, while other medals were spread through the squad. The Junior Boys were third as a squad, having gained medals in their relays, and the Senior Girls were second overall, picking up silver in both relays.
The standout squad was the Intermediate Girls (Years 10 and 11) who won both the relays in their age-groups, setting new event records: they were crowned overall champions.
Congratulations to Evie Toy, Saskia Molyneux, Pia Lanham Lorena Molyneux.
0.61I1 Br64,1r
Although tennis is a relatively new sport , there has been a massive turn-out this year. Well done to girls and boys in every Year-group who played in any of this season’s twenty-two matches, of which we won the majority against schools including Clifton, Collegiate, QEH and Redmaids’ High: there were outstanding performances across the board.
Special mentions go to all participants in the ISTA championship at Eton, across four days: BGS entered five teams in the U13, U15 and U19 categories. Huge congratulations must go to the U13 girls, Lara Treen and Anya Ahern, who became ISTA champions and received the Ralph Cake trophy; and also to U13 boys Tom Bailey and George Bamford, who placed third in their plate event … an outstanding performance, as they were competing against some of the top independent schools in England.
We can’t wait to see how all our BGS players continue to improve their skills ready for next season, for even more wins; and we hope to see more pupils getting involved. A big ‘thank you’ goes to all the sta5 who have taken tennis matches this term.
p 7a4H)a E68yn1;x
For the second year in a row Sports Day was held at Yate’s Outdoor Sports Complex and, for the second year in a row, the weather was kind to us.
Alongside the friendly interHouse rivalry, there was a healthy dose of competitive spiritand plenty of impressive athletic performances across both track and field.
Thank you and well done to everyone who represented their House, both in the many sporting events and by cheering them on from the stands and the sidelines.
When the results were revealed in assembly the following day, they could hardly have been closer, with just 40 points separating second and fifth places!
However, the e5orts of Edwards’s House weren’t quite enough to catch last year’s champions Scott’s who retained the overall Sports Day title.
Of course, Sports Day is a team e5ort but there were also some standout individual performances. Well done to Year 7 pupils Elena Gareh (Long Jump), Parish Bailey (800m) and Bea Reveler (High Jump and 1,500m) and Year 8’s Joel Wadey (800m and 1,500m) on setting new school records.
Junior Victrix Ludorum was awarded to Bea Reveler, for her 3 wins and 2 school records, with special mentions to Elena Gareh (2 wins and 1 record) and Sophie Barnes (2 wins and a second place).
The Junior Victor Ludorum, with 2 event wins and a school record, was Joel Wadey. Special mentions go to Harry Searle and Will Mo5at, who both took 3 wins from 3 events, and Parish Bailey who won 2 events and set a school record.
Senior Victrix Ludorum, with wins in both her senior events, was Millie Searle, with a special mention to Tabitha Wring who secured 2 wins and a second place.
Senior Victor Ludurom was awarded to Thomas Moreton in recognition of his two wins, narrowly missing out on a school record in both, with James Poore, who won all three of his events, earning a special mention. Overall
It has been another very busy and enjoyable year for the House. After welcoming the new Year 7s in September, House Singing quickly became our main focus. This year we performed the Bonnie Tyler classic Holding Out for a Hero, singing and power-punching our way to a memorable victory. Well done and thank you to all involved – especially Laura Boyle and Holly Morey who (with a little help from Mr Guerrini) led us to glory.
On stage we also had the House Drama festival in the autumn: our actors put on a great performance under the watchful eye of our Upper-sixth directors. Our House Concert just before Christmas in the Mackay was an intimate a!air containing a nice variety of acts from Years 7 to 13. All the performers did very well: India Barton’s recital of some of her own poetry, and Tom Stone’s impressive rapping skills, were particular highlights.
We also had a good year on the sporting front. The 7ED boys shared the athletics title with Scott’s, while the 7ED girls completed a double as hockey and athletics champions. The 9ED girls won their netball tournament,
but undoubtedly our stars were the 10ED girls who completed the Grand Slam by winning the hockey, netball, cricket and athletics titles. Their cricket final was a classic, won by just getting the five runs required – from the last ball! The majority of the House turned out on Sports Day and put in an excellent e!ort, coming second overall. There were lots of great individual performances, among which those by Elena Gareh (setting a new school record in the Year 7 girls’ long jump) and Tom Moreton (winning the Senior boys’ 800m and 1500m) particularly stood out. Tom was also crowned Senior Victor Ludorum for his e!orts. A very enjoyable (and very hot) day was rounded o! by our winning the Holman-Selwyn relay for the second year running. Outside of School we also had a couple of stars in the swimming pool from 10ED: Evie Toy swam in the British Olympic trials and Pia Lanham competed for GB Juniors and then trained with GB Seniors artistic swimming teams. Well done, girls.
There was lots going on in other areas as well. All our entrants were excellent in the
House Dance competition, in which we finished second overall. Sophie Barnes deserves a special mention for winning the Junior Solo category. Solomon AndersonBentovim and Jeanne Wei led us to glory in the House Climbing competition and Zach Curtis came second in the School in the House Bake-O! competition (I can personally confirm that his carrot cake was delicious). Congratulations must also go to Seth Mason, who won the ‘Gabbler of the Year’ prize.
To finish I must thank Laura Boyle and Holly Morey and their team of House Captains for doing a great job leading the House this year. Laura in particular has made an outstanding contribution, and she received the Lockyer Cup in recognition of this. Thanks must also go to Miss Gladdy and Mrs Macro, who are leaving the House at the end of this term. Mrs Clare and I are very grateful to them, and the House sta! as a whole, for their contributions.
p Oliver Edwards
As we come to the end of our final busy term, Glenn’s House stands proud, reflecting on a tremendous year filled with many achievements and happy moments. We kicked o! the year in the traditional way, welcoming our new Year 7 students with a House party and family bowling event. The new additions quickly integrated into our community, their enthusiasm and hard work leading to several House sporting victories and the prestigious Year 7 House Cup!
The Autumn term was packed with House sports, including Rugby, hockey, and cross country, along with both House Singing and House Drama competitions. Our impressive performance of Shut Up and Dance was a highlight, and Glenn’s was crowned House Drama champions just three weeks later. Both events showcased our tremendous talent and creativity and were skilfully led by our Upper-sixth students. Our new Lower-sixth students were also welcomed
to the House with a Sixth-form meal at Cosmo in the Autumn term, but they had their moment to shine in the Spring term’s House Dance competition, where their participation and some individual successes were a highlight. The House Concert was another pinnacle of the year, displaying creativity and teamwork at their finest.
On the sporting front, Glenn’s House celebrated victories in House Squash for both Junior and Senior Boys, and performed very well in the brand-new House Basketball competition. The Summer term saw our Year 7, 8, and 9 pupils triumph in House Tennis, and our Sports Day was a joyful event in which everyone entered into the team spirit, cheering their teammates on with enthusiasm. The House Bake-O! competition made a welcome return in the Summer with a delightful preliminary round during House assembly, followed by a charity cake sale. We also continued our fundraising e!orts by soaking the teachers on one of the sunniest days of the year!
Every Year-group led a House assembly this year: we learnt about food from di!erent cultures, heard reports on the Year 9 outdoor adventure, and even participated in an escape game! Every Year-group also had a Form trip: our Year 8 students enjoyed an action-packed event at Laser Fusion, where they nearly beat Mr Jervis. Years 9 and 10 had a festive ice-skating outing, and Year 11 enjoyed a memorable night at their ball. The last Friday of the year was the annual leavers’ dinner, an evening of celebration for our outgoing Upper Sixth. This Year-group holds a special place in my heart, as the Upper Sixth students were the first Year 7s to join Glenn’s House. I am extremely proud of all they have achieved and contributed to the House over the last seven years. My heartfelt thanks go to them, their parents, and guardians, and to Miss Cox, who has been the most tremendous support this year!
p Louise Glenn
Sunday 11 August, writing a report due early July. This epic tardiness doesn’t reflect a lack of care, in fact quite the opposite: facing my last task as I step down as Head of House, a part of me has simply buried its head in the sand. The reality of approaching September has finally spurred me into action.
Sports Day was in my opinion a triumph, with a convincing repeat of last year’s bronze medal position despite the oppressive heat of the day. While busy telling you all to stay in the shade and put on sunscreen, I was inevitably doing the complete opposite … not realising that the green ‘H’ proudly painted on my bald spot would become a negative tan/burn feature for a number of days that followed. I suspect our not winning Sports Day for my entire twelve years’ tenure may be down to karma … and my future absence as Head may well improve the Green Army’s chances. Who knows?
I’ve been in three di!erent Houses while at BGS: I’ve liked them all, but I’m not changing again, so – while part-time next year – I shall remain absolutely green and proud to be in Bramley’s House. As I hand over that almost-completely-uncomfortable chair in the Great Hall, I feel it very fitting to thank Christopher Bramley for his time as Deputy. I’ve managed to get through some seven Deputies in twelve years, and he has stayed the longest by far; he clearly is a very patient man and I shall miss working closely with him. Undeniably I shall also miss the Prefects; I wasn’t able to see them o! at this year’s Leavers’ Dinner, so now is the time to thank a truly amazing squad led by Henry Jervis and Maddie Portal: Archie Tucker, Dominic Glydon, Lauren Briggs, Isaac Robinson and Matthew Merlin-Cone.
I shall in fact miss it all: House Drama, House Dance, the Entertainments Evening, the singing, the parties, the toilet-paper mummies, the sport, the chess …
what a routine! As each year comes and goes the underlying rhythm remains: things change but also stay the same. Year 7s join and Year 13s leave … but the Green House remains. I can’t help but love Dr Who, which holds similar values: the Doctor regenerates, but the completely di!erent new Doctor remains true to the heart of the character. It was nice to share ice-creams with the House on the last day, as I regenerated into Mr Bramley. He now has the dream job of leading you, and the House I’m sure will stay true to the heart of its character and values.
Lastly, my thanks not just to the current version of Hilliard’s as it draws to a close, but to all the fellow-travellers since September 2012, when a di!erent version of me took the stage. The job has made me, and changed me, and I shall be forever grateful, forever green. Thank you, Hilliard’s: it has been an honour and a privilege.
p Matt Hilliard
As a busy academic year comes to an end, it’s time to take a flight down memory lane and reflect on a year full of remarkable accomplishments and memorable moments in Parratt’s House. The year kicked o! with the cherished tradition of transforming the Prefects into mummies, as we warmly welcomed our new Year 7 students at the House Party.
7PT quickly made their presence felt with their enthusiasm and dedication, winning the House Dance competition in the Spring term. Their success didn’t stop there: Year 7 continued to soar in sports, the boys dominating the House Rugby and cricket competitions in the Summer term. The first Sports Day as Parratt’s House was also a great success. Congratulations to Bee Reveler and Parish Bailey in Year 7 for breaking school records in their first BGS Senior Sports Day.
Our new Lower-sixth students were also greeted with a warm welcome at the Sixthform Meal, while Year 7 parents showcased
their skills at the bowling alley and formed new friendships. Highlights of the Autumn term included the many Tutor trips to Laser Quest. Thank you to the Tutors and Mr Carruthers for organising these events.
House Singing was a huge success this year, involving a creative and rousing performance of Avicii’s Wake Me Up. The House would like to thank Mr Rees for his hard work that day.
Beyond sports, the House concert in March was a celebration of diverse talents, featuring students from all Year-groups who sang, danced, read poetry, and performed sketches. A talented and enthusiastic cast also did us proud in the House Drama competition. The Spring term also saw Year 11 students don formal attire for their prom: an enjoyable evening was had by all!
Parratt’s raised lots of money this year during Parratt-y Charity Week for Siblings United. Pupils organised a fantastic break and lunchtime ‘festival’, its events ranging from a delicious bake sale to ‘pin the beak on the parrot’. It has been wonderful to see so many
Parratt’s pupils flocking to sign up for House events this year. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Throughout the year, many House members have contributed to our Wednesday morning assemblies. Thank you, in particular, to Amelie Williams in the Lower Sixth for taking a wonderful assembly, teaching us all about her passion and great talent representing Great Britain for Artistic Swimming. Our prefects kept us entertained with quizzes and exhibited good leadership throughout the year. My heartfelt thanks go to them, and to Mr Carruthers, and the Parratt’s tutors for being such an integral part of our incredible yellow team!
It’s been a year to tweet about, and as we all take a moment to perch and reflect, let’s remember the high-flying achievements and the wonderful memories we’ve built together. Here’s to another feather-ru ing year ahead in Parratt’s!
p Natalie Parratt
What a year it’s been for Short’s House! As we look back on the 2023–2024 year, one thing is crystal clear: we’ve not just survived but thriven, turning every challenge and competition into a celebration of teamwork, sportsmanship and, of course, a whole lot of fun!
The House has embraced every challenge thrown our way, from cricket to Rugby, hockey to football, and netball to drama and House Singing. We cheered, we laughed, and we played our hearts out. A special shoutout goes to our Senior Boys’ Rugby team, who fought their way to a glorious win in the Senior competition! But the real win was the constant smiles and high spirits, no matter where we placed.
The Spring term’s Entertainment Evening was a superb show! The Theatre came alive with the sound of piano melodies,
electrifying drum solos, and every other talent under the sun. Short’s House, you never fail to amaze with your creativity and artistry. It’s nights like these that remind us just how much talent we have in our midst, giving us all something to look forward to next year! In addition to the concert we had other events to raise money for our House Charity – this year we supported OddBalls! –which included a Soak the Prefect and cake sale helping us raise nearly £300.
This summer we found ourselves back in Yate for Sports Day. The venue allowed the relaxed vibes to return, and though we didn’t have the Year 10 choir to accompany us there was plenty of cheering and amazing support for all the athletes. We didn’t quite achieve the highs of last year but it is always great to see everyone committed to the House and taking part.
None of this would have been possible without our incredible team. A huge ‘thank you’ goes to our tutors, who’ve created such a warm and positive environment every day. And our fantastic team of House Prefects, led by Tilly Boss and Clem Stokes, has been inspiring and committed to the House throughout their time in the School. Your e!orts have been immense: thank you all for your work leading the House.
We wrap up this incredible year with immense pride. Short’s House has navigated every twist and turn with grace, grit, and plenty of good times. Congratulations to every single member of Short’s House for making 2023–2024 a year to remember, and here’s to many more adventures ahead!
p Andrew Short
2023–24 has been an amazing year for Scott’s House as a whole, but particularly for our Upper-sixth group, who have taken the lead and put their own personal stamp on how we have moved forward. With Adiyat Zahir leading the School Prefect body, we have been connected to the bigger picture; Adiyat’s kindness and integrity have been clear for all to see. He presents an amazing example to his peers, and we wish him all the best for the future, which promises to be special and life-changing for all who connect with him.
The senior prefects this year – Jas Lock, Louisa Brown, Sam Stevens, Sam Greenish,
Zara Wolfenden and Olwyn Lewis-Bowen – were a special group of people whose dedication to serve was never in question, and they will be sorely missed by me in my daily movements around the School. I am sure that we shall all remain friends for life, with more memories than I could possibly retain at my age. I hope they will come back and take a few House Assemblies in future, and let us know the pathways they have chosen to take in the wider world.
Their last two years have been a blast. The comeback from Covid restrictions has been a hurdle, but one which this group has cleared with plenty of room to spare.
Success in House Singing, House Dance, House Drama, House Sports and Sports Day (repeat winners in ’23 and ’24!) has always been achieved with huge smiles and wonderful team e!orts. They have taken Scott’s House spirit to a whole new level, and their legendary status will live on in the actions of those who follow them.
Class of 2024, the best is yet to come from you; but it has been my pleasure to be part of your journey.
p Ben Scott
In September 2024 we welcome the following:
Mrs Bernice Ababio, BSc & MA, University of West of England, from University Hospital Bristol, as a School Nurse
Sam Armitstead, BSc, University of Kent, from Crypt Grammar School, Gloucester as a Teacher of Economics and Business Studies
Ms Alice Barkwell, BA, University of West of England, from Winterbourne Academy as a Teacher of Art
Miss Harriet Black, BA, University of Worcester, from The Downs, Malvern, as a Junior School Teacher
James Brabner, BSc, King’s College London, from Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital, as a School Nurse
Ms Eleanor Cater-Paull, BA, University of Cambridge, MSci, University of Bristol, from Eltham College, London as a Teacher of Spanish with French
Ryan Clune, BA, University of Essex, from Mandala Theatre Company, Oxford, as a Graduate Performing Arts Assistant
Miss Amanda Collard, FdSc, University of Plymouth, from Cotham School as School Counsellor
Miss Georgia Cudby, BA, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, from Engage Education as an Admissions O%cer
Will Darwin, BSc, University of Bristol, returning to BGS after travelling as an ICT Engineer
Miss Eleanor Ham, MMath, University of Exeter, as a Teacher of Maths
Mrs Felicity Hughes-Games, BA, London Metropolitan University, from Redmaids’ High School, as a Teacher of Art
Miss Daniela Hunt, BA, University of Bristol from Henleaze Infant School and Bishop Road Primary School, as an Infant and Junior Teaching Assistant
Alex James, from Paradigm Tech Limited as Admissions Manager
Mrs Liz Lewis, BSc, King’s College, London, MA, University of West of England, from Nordic Fitness as an Admissions O%cer
Glenn Maxwell, BA, University of Ulster, from Beechen Cli! School, Bath, as Head of Economics and Business Studies
Azim Mehrban, BSc, Birmingham City University from Tesco as an ICT Technician
Mrs Lyndsey Rao, BSc, Loughborough University, from Westminster Council as an I&J Learning Support Assistant
Harry Stephenson, BA, University of Plymouth, from Emanuel School, London, as Head of Hockey and Teacher of PE and Games
Ms Konstantinia Tzimouli, BSc, Thessaloniki, Greece, MSc, University of Bristol, returning to BGS from supply work as a Teacher of Computer Science
Additionally, from the BGS Class of 2024:
Laura Boyle as Performing Arts Assistant
Olivia Daniels as Sports Assistant
Izaak Haines as Sports Assistant
Olwyn Lewis-Bowen as Admissions and Marketing Assistant
Grace O’Brien as I&J Assistant
We wish all these colleagues happy and fulfilling careers at BGS.
Ann Dixon has spent an incredible thirty-five years at our School, marked by unwavering dedication: from coaching girls’ games, to teaching Mathematics, to her infectious love for the great outdoors, Ann has dedicated her teaching life to the pupils and sta! of BGS.
Initially appointed in September 1989, Ann taught Girls’ Games and PE in the Upper School (as it was then known), where she enjoyed teaching major sports like hockey and netball, and served as a Form tutor for Year 7 to Year 10 pupils and a member of Burns’s House (the Black House, which her own children ultimately joined).
In charge of Girls’ Games, she ran a large number of hockey and netball teams, encouraging other teachers to help run and umpire them. She was delighted to accompany girls’ team trips to Malta and the Netherlands, and a mixed trip to Barbados. Her commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowering environment on the field mirrored her dedication in the classroom, instilling in her players not only the fundamentals of the game but also the values of sportsmanship, resilience, and teamwork.
A keen sportswoman herself, she was key in restructuring the Senior School Sports day from a Saturday at Failand for keen athletes, to a weekday event – held initially at Whitchurch – in which all pupils were encouraged to take part, which helped engender a great sense of community, fostering House spirit.
Ann vividly remembers teaching PE in what is now the Junior School Hall and Food Technology room, but was once the gym complete with wall-bars, as well as preparing the pupils for a gym display, initially held in the Great Hall before the Sports Hall was completed. She has seen four Heads of Senior School, as well as Junior School Heads, and the development of the Sports Hall, DT building, Food Technology room and the Performing Arts Centre.
After her marriage to Andy in 1992, and the arrival of her own children Jono and Sarah in 1995 and 1997, she was appointed to the Lower School by Jane Jenkins, in 1999, as co-ordinator for Mathematics and IT. The role of IT co-ordinator expanded quickly, as computers became more commonplace in schools and in our lives, so another sta! member was appointed to take the lead with this. But since then, for an amazing twenty-five years, Ann has been the Maths co-ordinator for the Junior School.
Outdoor Education has been a strong thread running through Ann’s career in both Senior and Junior schools; initially she accompanied a week’s optional summer residential at Adventure International at Bude for the Junior pupils, and was instrumental in setting the pattern for the term-time residentials in the Junior School … in which one Year-group still goes to Bude!
Since her sabbatical in Nepal during Spring term 2018, Ann has increasingly become involved with the Senior School Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, accompanying groups to the Welsh Mountains and rivers. This year she was thrilled to be able to support BGS’s Ten Tors teams on Dartmoor, and particularly proud of the girls’ team that romped home first!
Ann’s passion for the outdoors knew no bounds: her classroom was not confined to four walls, but extended to the boundless realm of nature, where she found inspiration and joy. Sharing her expertise in bushcraft, she instilled in pupils a deep appreciation for nature and a sense of wonder at the world around them. Her enthusiasm was contagious, igniting a spark in the hearts of students and colleagues alike.
As Ann embarks on the next chapter of her journey, her impact will continue to reverberate within our community. Her dedication to teaching, coaching, and the outdoors have left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who have had the privilege of knowing her.
Thank you, Ann, for thirty-five years of adventure, inspiration and dedication.
p Veryan Rookes
Caroline Stone leaves BGS after sixteen years, during which she has worked in all parts of the Infants and Juniors, starting o! in the Lower School, as it was known back then. She has enriched the lives of hundreds of pupils, and there is no doubt that she is a member of sta! who will always be remembered with fondness, from both pupils and colleagues.
In true Infant-and-Junior fashion, we felt it was only right to say goodbye in the form of
An Ode to Mrs Stone:
She joined on a day in November
After School Club, her job to remember
A temp in 2007
Full time by 2011
An integral Lower School member
Mrs Stone, a super TA
A creator of marvellous displays
She backed boards like no other
Nothing ever a bother
Always a smile to start o the day!
She spent many years in Year 3
Welcoming new joiners with glee
She cleared lots of mess
Organised all the rest
Without her, oh where would we be?
Mrs Stone, how she loved a trip
From the Roman Baths to Avonmouth tip
The breath-taking museum
Ah, thrilling Caerleon!
Oh, she’ll miss those sarnies and crisps …
The Queen of the After-School Team
Sixteen years just living the dream
Sandwiches, fruit
A game, what a hoot
Plus working to build self-esteem.
Mrs Stone covered miles to the pool
In sandals, feet always cool
She loved to just chat
Give figures and facts
Her patience was noted in School.
She embraced the chance to dress up Drank gallons of tea by the cup
An exemplary multitasker
Filling the sta room with laughter
Brightening our days up!
We’ve all got a terrible hunch
Mrs Stone will miss eggs for lunch
Our BGS Elf
Keeping books on the shelf
She’ll be missed by this lovely bunch.
What next, it’s now time to tell
It’s fitness and coaching she’ll sell.
An exciting time ahead
New paths, she’s ready to tread
From BGS, we all wish you well.
In the words of AA Milne, ‘It makes such a di!erence to have someone who believes in you.’ Thank you, Caroline, and good luck.
p Jo Penny
Nicola joined BGS – as Nic Green – in September 2008, when she was appointed PA to Deputy Head Laura Carleton; as Laura’s responsibilities changed, so did Nic’s. She supported Laura with the Operations side of school life, including an ISI Inspection in 2009; she supported the Admissions and Marketing team when Laura line-manged that department; and she then supported sta%ng and coordinating HR and Recruitment.
In 2015 Nic went on maternity leave, to become the doting mum to Sophie. Putting her needs first, Nic wanted to return from maternity leave part-time, but unfortunately the role she’d left could not be facilitated on this basis. Laura and HR’s loss, however, became Admissions and Marketing’s gain: she became part of a job share, covering the Senior School Admissions O%cer post alongside Clare Melton (also returning from maternity).
As those who’ve had the pleasure of working with Nic will know, she is incredibly e%cient, powering through her workload with grace and accuracy, rather swan-like: you know that underneath she will be frantically working to ensure everything is as it should be.
An exceptionally supportive member of the Admissions team, Nic has always ensured that tasks are completed to reduce the pressure that can build within the Department. Throughout her BGS career she has done this consistently, and the School has benefited tremendously from having her behind the scenes, ensuring everything is running smoothly, and everyone is OK.
She has been an exceptional member of sta!, not only within the Admissions Department: dedicated, loyal, hardworking and caring, Nic embodies everything it is to be a member of sta! at BGS. These qualities and more epitomise the person Nic is, and I am sure the support, empathy and care she has provided over the years, throughout the Admissions process, have been among the deciding factors for parents choosing BGS, providing them with the confidence that we all know and care for their child.
We shall all miss Nic for the reasons above, and many more. She is always supportive, always caring: a colleague whom many consider a good friend. BGS’s loss is Filton Hill Primary School’s gain, where a new role awaits her. In fact, she has already been promoted and given a pay rise before even starting work there! A true testament to just how fantastic Nic is.
p Hollie Matthews
Hollie Matthews joined BGS in 2009, starting as an o%ce temp. Having been made redundant from her recruitment company, she placed herself in the temporary role at BGS, and enjoyed a fifteen-year career in the Admissions and Marketing Department. One of her first tasks was supporting the big end-of-term printed mailing to families of all the pupils; so her early memories of BGS are of sitting on the floor in the o%ce, surrounded by hundreds of envelopes, stu%ng them full of all the information the School sent out. It was like an assault course to get from one side of the o%ce to the other, and of course none of the machines worked properly: every envelope had to be hand-sealed and franked. Thankfully there were glue sticks, so she didn’t have to lick them all shut!
Even without direction, as a temp, Hollie has always been one step ahead of anything that needed to be done, for example when preparing the Sixth-form Open Evening at two weeks’ notice. After stepping in to provide maternity leave cover, in 2011 she was o%cially appointed Recruitment and Retention Manager.
Hollie has achieved much for the School and for the Department in her time. While the rest of her colleagues were sunning themselves on furlough, Hollie set up virtual opening mornings and virtual tours of the School, in a bid to keep pupil numbers up, which succeeded … in fact, during Hollie’s time at BGS, pupil roll hit its highest in a decade! She was instrumental in delivering the candidate meetings that provide sta! the opportunity to meet every prospective Year 7 pupil, and has been the driving force behind many successful Open Evening events.
In 2016 Hollie became Admissions and Marketing Manager, and has o!ered great support and advice to the team when needed. She not only led the team to professional success, but also scored a hattrick for the World Book Day costume challenge. She does love a challenge, and finds a solution to any problem that may come her way.
In 2021 Hollie became the first member of support sta! to become Chair of the Common Room, creating a whole host of social events for sta! to enjoy – Common Room chocolate and Friday biscuits are now much-loved regular treats – such as the wine and cheese tasting, and quiz and curry night.
Hollie is a regular friendly face at BGS Socials, and of course the infamous BGS Boat Party – she has a real zest for life and her love of sport saw her playing basketball with the Friday squad as well as participating in regular hikes, triathlons and 10ks.
We wish Hollie well as she jets across to the other side of the world. Although she did say ‘never again’, perhaps she won’t be able to resist the lure of a triathlon in New Zealand!
p Amy Tout
After fourteen remarkable years at Bristol Grammar School, Mrs Amy Finney is embarking on an exciting new journey to teach Information Technology at Nailsea School. Amy has been a cornerstone of the BGS community, through her dedication to teaching and her support for her colleagues and pupils, building the confidence of all to believe they can succeed.
Amy stood out from the crowd at interview, and never disappointed! Her BGS career began with teaching Information Technology and Business Studies. Her passion for these subjects quickly led her to become the Head of the IT Department, where she brought added focus and structure. When Computer Science was added to the school curriculum, she threw herself into the challenge of learning to code. She looked to work with the Infants and Juniors to link up our curricula, balancing the need to teach IT skills alongside the introduction of more Computer Science topics. Amy has given unequivocal support to sta! in both the Computer Science and Business Studies Departments, and to all the pupils she has taught. She always goes above and beyond when producing exciting, innovative games and resources and when giving additional one-to-one academic support in her own time.
Amy was pivotal in fostering a culture of inclusivity and excellence. Her use of the ‘Computer Scientist of the Week’ further motivated pupils by celebrating achievements of everyone in the field. She led the CyberFirst Girls competition, aimed at encouraging young women to explore careers in cybersecurity. They had a string of successes, inspiring many pupils, including Daisy Kilby, who is now pursuing an MSc in Cyber Security: a testament to Amy’s lasting influence on her pupils’ career paths.
She played an important role in the San Francisco trip, where pupils experienced computing and business theory in practice at companies like Google; and she showed how genuinely kind she is in her support of students in the Business, Accounting Skills in Education competition.
Amy’s impact at BGS extended far beyond the classroom. Initially supporting the squash club, Amy moved into supporting the netball programme for a number of years, helping with our junior age-groups, where she enabled hundreds of girls over the years to represent the School in the sport they love. Her friendly, approachable and kind nature meant pupils felt seen and cared for, both on and o! court.
Her commitment to pupil development was also evident in the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme. From the outset, she expressed interest in supporting this, becoming a qualified Hill and Moorland Leader. She was involved in many bronze and gold expeditions, especially in North Wales. Through doing this Amy rediscovered her own love for the outdoors.
Amy is a dancer, and shared her passion for that art by performing a showcase with Richard Jervis at the first House Dance competition, for which they were awarded House Colours. Since then they have inspired others through assemblies and House concerts, dancing beyond the School grounds, competing in Cardi! in October 2023 as a ProAm couple, and finishing with a dance at the Upper-sixth leavers’ dinner.
The School community admires her thoughtful, kind and unflappable nature. Amy is one of those wonderful people whose first instinct is to help and support others, regardless of her own circumstance. She is organised, generous and builds strong relationships across the School. She is the one who remembers everyone’s birthday, the one who organises the Computer Science Department social outing.
As Amy prepares to join Nailsea School, her absence will be deeply felt at BGS. Her colleagues and pupils will miss her immensely, but her legacy of kindness and dedication will continue to inspire. Reflecting on her time at BGS, a Year 8 pupil’s words sum it up best: ‘Aah, Mrs Finney, nice. I had her last year: she is really good.’
Thank you, Amy, for everything: we shall miss you, friend.
p Maddy Stow
Louis McKenzie walked through the doors of BGS in 2012, embarking on a journey that would leave an indelible mark on the institution and its students. Over the past decade he has been more than just a drama teacher; he has been a mentor, a source of inspiration, and a beloved figure in the school community.
From the outset, Louis’s passion for drama and teaching was evident. His ability to make lessons engaging and enjoyable quickly made him a favourite among students. Many fondly remember his portrayal of ‘Alan’ in Year 8, a performance that showcased his talent and sense of humour. His innovative teaching methods, including the much-loved ‘ten minutes of zen’ in the theatre, created a unique and enriching learning environment.
Louis McKenzie directed numerous memorable school productions. His début with Romeo and Juliet in 2012 set a high standard, followed by a series of remarkable plays that captivated audiences and showcased the talents of his students. Highlights include Matilda (2014), Pirates (2015), Alice in Wonderland (2016), Guys and Dolls (2017), Peter Pan (2019), and Annie (2023). His adaptation of The Odyssey (2022) was particularly noted for its creativity and depth, reflecting his dedication to pushing the boundaries of school theatre.
Mr McKenzie’s impact extended beyond the school stage. He guided students in the National Connections Festival, directing plays such as It Snows and Stu I Buried in a Small Town. His involvement in the Shakespeare in Schools festival, with productions of Macbeth and Hamlet, further demonstrated his commitment to bringing classic literature to life. Additionally, his leadership in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2016 and 2018, with The Twisted Tales and Eurydice, provided students with invaluable experiences on a prestigious platform.
When the Covid pandemic struck in 2020, Louis’s resilience and creativity shone through. He contributed to the School’s film festival with A Portrait of a Bombspotter, ensuring that students continued to have opportunities to explore and express their talents despite the challenging circumstances.
Mr McKenzie’s influence extended beyond the Drama Department. His colleagues and students alike admired his positivity, kindness, and dedication. His role as a tutor was marked by his supportive nature and ability to connect with students on a personal level. Many have shared heartfelt messages expressing their gratitude for his guidance, and the positive impact he had on their lives. Izaak Haines, one of his students, encapsulated this sentiment perfectly: ‘You’re responsible for my interest in drama, and the reason I did it at both GCSE and ‘A’ level. Wishing you all the best in your new pursuits.’ Another student, Will Woodman, highlighted Mr McKenzie’s personal support: ‘You helped me make friends, have a better reputation, and helped me be myself again.’
Louis’s departure marks the end of an era for BGS, but his legacy will endure. His final assembly, filled with wisdom and encouragement, left a lasting impression on all who attended. As he embarks on a new chapter, he leaves behind a community forever grateful for his contributions. His work has inspired countless students to pursue their passions and believe in themselves.
In the words of Alfie King, another of his students, ‘Your work has helped shape a generation of young actors at BGS, and I hope that wherever you go in the future, you continue to inspire and entertain others just as you have with us.’
Thank you, Louis McKenzie, for a decade of dedication, creativity, and inspiration. Bristol Grammar School is a better place because of you, and you will be dearly missed. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours and look forward to seeing what you accomplish next.
p Jen Walker
Kathy Stonham joined us as Examinations O%cer in September 2017, and we were pleased to be able to add someone with her experience and skills to the team. Her value to BGS and her level of expertise were confirmed over the following years through her successful and excellent oversight of the increasingly complex requirements of public exams, the introduction of IB, and the uncertainties and challenges of the Covid period.
Throughout, Kathy was dedicated and committed to making sure the best was done for the pupils – that their experience was smooth, that we were getting all the administration right, that we were able to respond to whatever was needed, and that we were ready and able to support them when required. To do this involves relying on and guiding a lot of di!erent people (colleagues, pupils and parents) and, in the exams themselves, depending on an e!ective group of invigilators. She has been excellent in her communication and management of detail, and has always enjoyed developing and supporting the invigilating team.
Family has always been Kathy’s priority and so, while she has greatly enjoyed being part of our community and is sad to leave us, she is looking forward now to being able to spend more time with her boys and her grandchildren.
It’s easy to take for granted that exams run well (especially when they do!) but it is important to say that we are thankful for the e!ort, energy and commitment that Kathy has put in. We are grateful for her support and direction of us, and thank her for all she has done for the children.
p Graham Clark
‘I’m living the dream!’ These words have been frequently heard around School since September 2018, when Niall Morris joined BGS from Beauchamp College in Leicester, bringing a level of energy we hoped would stimulate further development in our well-established Department.
Quickly adapting to the demands of a busy School and Department, his engaging, high-quality teaching went from strength to strength, and he became hugely popular with the students and his colleagues. An excellent classroom practitioner, he aims to inspire and enthuse all students.
Niall is one of those wonderful people whose first instinct is to help and support others: he always had his students’ best interests at heart, often giving his own time to deliver extra academic support. He approaches his professional and teaching duties with meticulous attention to detail, contributing to IGCSE Business, ‘A’ level Business, ‘A’ level Economics and IB Economics.
Niall’s charm and wit are a cornerstone of his lessons, and his kindness and strength of character have provided the firmest of foundations both for the students that he teaches and the tutees in his care.
A dedicated Sixth-form Tutor with the Black House, he supports his charges with warmth and seemingly endless empathy.
Having previously represented Ireland at various sports, Niall has continued his enjoyment of games by successfully coaching various Rugby teams at BGS. The students have really enjoyed developing a professional relationship with Niall on the field and outside the classroom.
It is with great sadness that we say farewell to him, wishing him every success as he embarks on a new chapter in his life, in a new industry, which will enable him to spend more time with his family. Our loss is very much their gain, and we wish Niall and his family all the very best with their new adventure.
p Sarah Biggin
Josie Rixon joined BGS four years ago as Head of Hockey. Having played for England herself and worked at Royal High, Wellington and Taunton, she brought with her a wealth of experience in the sport and coaching.
In her time at BGS Josie built a strong programme for boys’ and girls’ hockey, and she leaves the School in a really strong place. Her dedication – she was often coaching (co!ee in hand!) at 7.30am –and her coaching expertise, coupled with her unique way of getting the best out of everyone, meant she was an excellent Head of Hockey; but she also contributed more widely. She has provided invaluable input into the Scholars’ Programme, and taught infants to swim. Her teams have loved having such a talented cricketer as their coach, and her GCSE and ‘A’ level pupils enjoyed their lessons with her. She is a fabulous Form tutor and has built really strong relationships with pupils in her form … and countless others.
She leaves us to become Head of Sport at Bryanston Prep, and she will be hugely missed here by pupils, colleagues, parents and Team Hockey. Thanks so much Josie: keep in touch, and we look forward to your bringing a team to the Booker Shield, or meeting Bryanston in a Cup match.
p Tom Lacey
Michael joined us in 2020 from Merchants Taylors’ School, Liverpool. A highly experienced teacher and previous Head of Art, he had studied at the prestigious Royal Academy; on joining us he had just set up a collective art studio and been recognised for his teaching of stone lithography by the Heritage Craft Association. He interviewed during the pandemic, teaching virtual lessons with the cool composure he still radiates today. Clearly he would be an inspiring and innovative addition to the Department. His lessons are friendly and exciting, starting from the ‘Captain’s Table’, often moving quickly to his Forbidden Planet displays. He uses widely-varying materials, from a simple pencil to wire, ModRoc and spray paint: his classroom is an Aladdin’s cave of exciting artworks in mid-progress, always with some cool music playing, perhaps Jazz or Radio 6 to add to the creative hubbub.
Michael introduced the well-received Sixth-form Art activity, working with students on the Art school mural, and creating abstracts for the Sixth Form Centre. As a Short’s Form tutor he shared his reflective wisdom, and built supportive relationships with tutees, participating in their Duke of Edinburgh expedition. He has been hugely popular with pupils, who are genuinely pleased to see him, and greet him like a celebrity: he will be keenly missed.
We shall all miss him in the Art department, and feel privileged to have worked with him over the past four years. In his own words – heard recently while planning next year’s curriculum – ‘exchange is what’s needed to make you’. We are grateful for his exchange from Liverpool to Bristol, and wish him all the best with his next exchange, teaching art at the newly-built Muscat International School in Oman. Thank you, Michael, for everything you have done … and best wishes for your new chapter.
p Jane Troup
Debbie joined us in November 2020, experienced in medical provision for children but new to BGS and to school life … and then Covid struck for the second time in December. As well as having to navigate a new school and all that that entails, Debbie was thrown into the world of Covid-testing sta! and pupils. As always, she showed considered and measured responses to all the challenges she faced.
While blending the medical world and the education world can be challenging, Debbie did a brilliant job of adhering to the principles and practices that guided her as a nurse, while maintaining her sensitivity, warmth and respect for the education world. Throughout her time at BGS, Debbie’s professionalism in her interactions with sta!, parents and pupils was impressive, while we also witnessed her diligence, kindness and warmth, as she went above and beyond, time and again.
Alongside her nursing colleague Anna, Debbie provided sta! training on critical medical conditions, as well as ensuring record-keeping, filing and organisation were all meticulously done. All this was achieved alongside running an ever-busy Medical Room, with its almost non-stop demands.
Debbie left BGS in December 2023, to work at Charlton Farm Hospice: we know they will benefit from all the attributes she brought to her work here at BGS. We say farewell and thank you to Debbie for everything she brought to our community during her time at BGS.
p Aruna Gunawardana
Kate Pring joined BGS as a chemistry technician after the 2022 Easter holiday. When she started, she was writing up her master’s dissertation: she finished this the day before she left, at the end of September 2023, to start her PhD at the University of the West of England on 2 October.
As well as working as a chemistry technician for GCSE lessons, Kate helped with Eureka science club, and over in the Cookery department.
She was assisted by her faithful friend Professor Rufus (the cuddly stu!ed dog, who was always dressed safely for laboratory work) whom she left here to keep an eye on her preparation room: but even with his help she struggled to keep up with her favourite job … the endless washing-up!
We send her all our best wishes: I’m sure she will do well in her studies, and look forward to seeing her name on an article in New Scientist!
p Amanda Dutch
Ellie joined BGS to teach Art in 2022 after a PGCE at UWE. It was clear that Ellie would be a great fit: she had an obvious passion for drawing, and a warmth and enthusiasm for creativity which we all felt. Having studied for a degree in drawing and printmaking at UWE, she settled into teaching at BGS very quickly, and we were all impressed by her calm and empathic approach.
Ellie put her all into her time with us; besides teaching she supported a Tutor group, led a Year 7 art club, helped run the school Equality club, supported school performances, and attended the Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition. She also joined us for Art trips too many to mention, including our Sixth-form residential trip to London within the first few weeks of her starting with us, and another to St Ives last year. Ellie was successfully able to encourage the artistic skills of her pupils, and this is reflected in the beautifullydeveloped and engaging sketchbooks that her recent pupils now have.
She leaves us to continue her art teaching at a local school; we wish Ellie all the very best with this, and should like to thank her for all she has done in her sixteen months at BGS.
p Jane Troup
Joining BGS in May 2022 to oversee Senior School Admissions alongside Nicola Brand, Luena has filled the Admissions O%ce with glamour and a real sense of fun. To her surprise, when she started, Luena discovered she was not the only ‘Brazilian Lu’ working in the Admissions and Marketing o%ce. The presence of both Luena and Luisa in the team was a coincidence that led to some occasional, short-lived confusion.
Outside BGS Luena runs a successful events company, and she quickly found an opportunity to use her impeccable sense of style, and organisational skills, to elevate the Open Events at BGS. Luena’s flair for events and attention to detail saw the introduction of props and flowers, adding that all-important personal touch for prospective parents visiting the School.
These skills came to the fore and enabled the School to provide a beautiful backdrop for pupils celebrating their GCSE and ‘A’ level results, creating a photo opportunity that families will treasure for years to come.
During her time in the team Luena has welcomed hundreds of families into BGS, supporting one of the busiest recruitment years for the School. She has also thrown herself into all aspects of the School’s social life, including the team’s annual entry in the World Book Day costume competition. We shall all miss working with Luena, and wish her every success in her new role.
p Amy Tout
Ellinor Lepcha Shaw joined BGS in November 2022 from The Bristol Hotel, where she had worked as a People and Culture Advisor. Her experience meant she brought considerable knowledge and expertise to the newlycreated post of HR Advisor. Ellinor provided invaluable support to the school’s HR function, o!ering support and guidance to the sta! community on a range of employmentrelated matters and we are particularly grateful to her for providing ideas and new initiatives for the sta! wellbeing programme. Having settled into school life and the small team of school o%ce-based sta! well, we were naturally disappointed when Ellinor decided to move on from BGS, moving back into the hospitality sector to take up a role as HR Business Partner for a national hotel chain. While we were sad to see her go, we wish Ellie every success in the future. Thank you for everything you did for BGS.
p Camilla Granville
Lauren joined the Modern Languages department in September 2023 and taught a range of classes from Year 5 Spanish through to Lower-sixth French. She displayed flexibility and skill as she adapted her teaching to meet the needs of pupils in the di!erent Year groups. She was dedicated to creating an entertaining yet purposeful learning environment, with plenty of individualised support for her pupils. She always took care to plan lessons with creative activities that would help pupils develop confidence in their ability to communicate in the target language. Her work with supporting pupils in a Year 8 Tutor group was greatly valued by the pastoral team. Lauren played a key role in activities beyond the classroom: she supported lunchtime clubs and was a valued member of the sta! teams for the Year 8 and Year 9 outdoor experiences. In the Modern Languages department we shall miss working with such a kind and considerate colleague. We wish her every happiness for the future, and thank her for all she has contributed to BGS.
p Anna Macro
Fiona joined BGS in 2023, jumping straight into school life by running an INSET session for the whole sta! team. This was her first counselling position after qualifying as an Arts Therapist; she had previously been a teacher of Art, so she was familiar with school life – and she naturally gelled with the sta! in our Art department.
Those of us familiar with the therapeutic world will know that there is growing expansion from purely talking therapies into the world of arts and drama. This world could be glimpsed through Fiona in the counsellors’ room, which would be set up with materials for her student clients.
During her time here, Fiona embraced the busy-ness of counselling at BGS and, together with her fellow counsellor Monique Perez, has continued to form more e!ective recording systems, as well as looking at ways to reduce the waiting list. Characteristically she always reflects on her practice and displays lovely openness to learning. Despite what could often be tricky situations or challenging conversations, Fiona was focused on getting it right with pupils and parents.
Unfortunately for us, the commute from Glastonbury proved to be too great a challenge for Fiona. Although she has left BGS, it is pleasing to know that her first school therapy position was a positive experience, and we wish her all the very best as she decides what comes next.
p Aruna Gunawardana
Sophie joined the Modern Languages department in September 2023 and taught a range of classes, from Year 7 French to Lower-sixth Spanish. She was always supportive and encouraging with her pupils, guiding them carefully with their learning so that they developed confidence in their ability to communicate in the target language. As an Upper-sixth tutor, Sophie was a highly valued member of the Sixth Form team, and provided key support for her tutees.
Beyond academic lessons Sophie supported Year 8 and Year 10 Games; she was also involved with Ten Tors training, and accompanied the Year 8 outdoor adventure trip. Her positive energy and enthusiasm were appreciated by pupils and sta! alike during these activities.
She will be missed by all in the Modern Languages department, in particular for her kindness and cheery disposition. We wish her every happiness for the future, and thank her for all she has contributed to BGS.
p Anna Macro
Some readers may remember Nicole, a very gifted young chemistry graduate who flew through our Department last year. From the start we knew she was very talented and not likely to stay long on our lab tech team, but we did hope it would be a little longer than the few weeks of the Autumn term that she managed.
She was very knowledgeable in her subject, giving help and advice to the non-chemists on the Technicians’ team. She was quick and accurate in her work, but really needed more of a challenge: and when she was o!ered a research post nearby, we all knew it was in her best interests to take it. We wish her all the best in her new career; I am sure she has a great future ahead of her.
p Amanda Dutch
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raised so far for life-changing bursaries
“I promise to carry your kindness and generosity with me every step of the way. Your support has not only changed my life but also inspired me to pay it forward and make a positive di erence in the lives of others, just as you have done for me.”
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Bursary Award holder
More bright and ambitious children than ever before, from all backgrounds and without financial means, are now benefiting from an education at BGS, thanks to their own hard work partnered with the philanthropic support of over 800 OBs, parents and friends.
Our vision is that by 2032, the 500th anniversary of our school, one in five children will receive substantial (over 50%) means tested Bursary Awards through our 500 Campaign which is already creating a lasting impact – not only on the lives of the Bursary Award holders and their families, but on the whole school culture.
Funds raised come from leadership donors, some of our most generous supporters, who sponsor Sixth Form students- often with up to 100% of their fees. We are also grateful for and reliant upon all those who choose to donate with smaller donations and with their time, expertise and friendship.
The whole school community gathered on the 7 November for Giving Day –where over £400,000 was raised from 500 people and a large gift which was used for matched funding. This money raised has enabled 30 children to begin their Sixth Form education with us in September. In addition, thanks to funds raised throughout the year and together with support from trusts and our endowments, many more children throughout the school are receiving philanthropic support for their Bursary Awards.
Due to lack of funding we are still in the heartbreaking position every year of saying no to promising children who would benefit from being at BGS. Our aim is to ensure that all bright and able children, who would benefit, can have the chance to shine at BGS.
Look out for our new promotional film, which is coming out this autumn ahead of our next Giving Day in 2025. A new legacy brochure is also being sent to encourage those who choose to do so, to make provision in their will, so that we can create a permanent endowment to support more children.
To find out more, please contact our Development Director, Nadine Latte nlatte@bgs.bristol.sch.uk call 0117 933 9637 or visit our website.
Nadine Latte Development Director
FEBRUARY 2024 Donors Lunch
The Old Bristolians’ Society continues to cherish friendships, expertise, advice and support, hosting events throughout the year for all OBs.
MARCH 2024
Old Bristolians' Society Annual Dinner
FEBRUARY 2024 Past Presidents’ Lunch
MARCH 2024
OB Rev James Harris at Charter Day
2024 was my second year as Chairman of the Old Bristolians’ Society, my eighth year involved in the committee and 43 years since I first set foot in the Great Hall! As an Old Bristolian, a parent, a member of the Bristol community and a friend of the school and sports clubs, I feel honoured to work so closely with all involved. It was, as always, another great year working alongside BGS from our Networking Event in September, facilitating mentorships between current students and Old Bristolians, and making sure to support School events such as the Leavers’ Dinner.
JANUARY 2024
SEPTEMBER 2023
Speed Networking Careers Evening in the Great Hall
Old Bristolians returned to the Great Hall to help students with networking skills.
Old Bristolians London Networking Drinks
APRIL 2024
Filming our new project ‘Began at BGS’
NOVEMBER 2023
Remembrance at BGS and at Failand
NOVEMBER 2023 Giving Day
Our second-ever Giving Day raised over 350k for bursaries at BGS.
JUNE 2024 Leavers’ Dinner
Every year it’s an honour to welcome the most recent Upper Sixth into the Old Bristolian community. We welcome all former students and parents to attend our events or utilise our network. If you’d like to find out more, visit our dedicated Old Bristolians website www.alumni.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk
Marcus Cryer (OB 1993) Chairman of the Old Bristolians’ Society
The Class of 2024 said a fond farewell to BGS at Leavers’ Dinner
Roland Clare (1976)
Copy editor, The Chronicle
Peter Jakobek (1982) Alumni Relations Manager
Sue Poole (1985) Head of Mathematics
Ann Dixon (1989)
Junior School Teacher
Paul Roberts (1990)
Senior Deputy Head; Teacher of Mathematics
Anne Bradley (1994) Archivist
Andrew Dimberline (1996) Outdoor Education Adviser
Graham Clark (1997)
Assistant Head: Curriculum; Teacher of Mathematics
Oliver Edwards (1997)
Head of House (Blue); Teacher of History
Sarah Orchard (1997) Fees Manager
Rachel Atkins (1998)
Head of EPQ; Joint Head of Scholars; Teacher of Geography
Phill Thomas (1998) Teacher of Design and Technology
Colin Wadey (1998) Teacher of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Graham Iwi (1999) Teacher of Mathematics
Rachel John (1999) Teacher of PE and Games
Andrew Keen (1999) Teacher of Classics
Fran Ripley (1999)
Deputy Head: Safeguarding; Teacher of PE and Games
Rachel Hall (1999)
ICT Systems Manager
Roy Jones (2000)
Teacher of Computer Science
Elizabeth Corrigan (2001)
Head of French
Anna Macro (2001) Head of Spanish
Richard Smith (2001)
Head of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Nicola Smith (2001) PA to Deputy Head, Curriculum Assistant and Deputy Timetabler
Abigail Sawkins (2002) Communications Manager
Sara Bassett (2002) Teacher of History
Sarah Cooper (2002) Teacher of Art
Laila Dilley (2002) Head of Psychology
Matt Hilliard (2003) Head of House (Green); Teacher of Design and Technology
Raj Cullen (2003) Teacher of Biology
David Mair (2003) Teacher of English
Ben Scott (2003)
Head of House (Black); Teacher of PE and Games
Kay Surry (2003) Teacher of Biology
Joanne Abrams (2003) Receptionist
Oliver Chambers (2004)
Assistant Head: Compliance and EVC; Teacher of Mathematics
Justin Harford (2004)
Assistant Head: Director of Sixth Form; Teacher of Biology
Claudia Hoelzer (2004)
Teacher of German, French and Spanish
Jon Stone (2004) Head of Chemistry
Ivy Fackayan (2004)
School Administrator and PA (Operations, Planning & Learning Support)
David Briggs (2005)
Head of Creative Writing; Teacher of English
Aruna Gunawardana (2005)
Assistant Head: Wellbeing, Mental Health Lead; Teacher of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Lisa-Jane Knights (2005) Teacher of Design and Technology
Eva Yemenakis (2005) Teacher of English
Julie Pike (2005) PA to Heads of Department
Sean Takle (2005) Porter
Brie Barnacle (2006) Teacher of Art
Jennifer Benn (2006)
Learning Support Teacher
Claire Kent (2006)
Deputy Head of Sixth Form; Teacher of French and Russian
Stephanie Lelarge (2006)
Junior School Teacher
Steve Rich (2006) Porter
Aman Khera (2006)
Accounts Assistant
Peter Currie (2006)
Database Manager
Jane Hicks (2006) PA to Director of Sixth Form
Aylin Hutchings (2007) Teacher of Chemistry
Daniel Stone (2007)
Deputy Head: Sta%ng; Teacher of Chemistry
Jooles Whitehead (2007)
Teacher of English
Ian Stone (2007)
Physics Technician
Caroline Stone (2007)
Junior School Teaching Assistant
Louise Glenn (2008)
Head of House (Red); Teacher of Physics
Alexander Goodland (2008)
Head of Biology
Derek Rosling (2008)
Maintenance Porter
Thomas Matthews (2008)
Assistant Facilities Manager (Operations)
Benedict Tavener (2008)
Facilities Manager
Catherine Davies (2008) PA to Headmaster
Richard Thompson (2008)
Pavilion Manager
Nicola Brand (2008)
Admissions O%cer (Senior School)
Richard Jervis (2009)
Teacher of Physics
Craig Speers (2009)
Junior School Teacher
Daniel Watkins (2009)
Head of Classics
Jennie-Lee Plaisted-Smith (2009)
Junior School Teacher
Hollie Matthews (2009)
Admissions and Marketing Manager
Matthew Nice (2009)
Director of ICT
Emily Smith (2009)
Payroll and Accounts Assistant
Lucie Edwards (2010)
Infant Teacher
Lucy Bendall (2010)
Junior School Teacher
Amy Finney (2010)
Teacher of Computing
Kate Hughes (2010)
Infant School Teacher
Veryan Rookes (2010)
Deputy Head I & J: Teaching and Learning
Helen Rowlands (2010)
Teacher of Chemistry
Ciara Whitehead (2010)
Infant and Junior School Teacher
Jennifer Walker (2010)
Director of Drama
Amanda Dutch (2010)
Biology Technician
Cher Bailey (2010)
Catering Supervisor
Kim Brice (2010)
JCR Catering Supervisor
Zoe Claydon (2010)
Chef Failand
Carole Gould (2010)
Chef Failand
Hollie McCarthy (2010)
Catering Assistant
Lesley McCarthy (2010)
Chef Failand
Brenda Michalis (2010)
Catering Assistant
Lucille Osafo (2010)
Senior Librarian
Emma Goodman (2011)
Junior School Teacher
John Carr (2011)
Teacher of Mathematics
Paula Lobo (2011)
Joint Head of Scholars; Teacher of History
Andrew Nalty (2011)
Head of Activities; Teacher of Chemistry
Lois Ray (2011)
Head of Wellbeing; Teacher of Classics, French and Spanish
Andrew Thackray (2011)
Teacher of Mathematics
Michele Milton (2011)
Catering Manager
Carol Godden (2011)
Library Assistant
Steve Carruthers (2012)
Teacher of Physics
Alison Denny (2012)
Learning Support Teacher
Elizabeth Rees (2012)
Head of Academic Music
Lisa Hancock (2012)
Teacher of Mathematics
Richard Hawkins (2012)
Head of Russian
Gavin King (2012)
Teacher of Classics
Hester Klimach (2012)
Teacher of Mathematics
Ariana Magee (2012)
Teacher of Mathematics
Jennifer Penny (2012)
Junior School Teacher
Jo Penny (2012)
Junior School Teacher
Ben Schober (2012)
Assistant Head: Co-curricular and Planning; Teacher of Biology
Elizabeth Bullock (2012)
Year 10 Academic Tutor; Teacher of French and Spanish
Kitty White (2012)
Director of Dance
Louis McKenzie (2012)
Teacher of Drama
Abi Murray (2012)
Art Technician
Gerry Mitchell (2012)
Bursar
Dave Osgood (2012)
Assistant Catering Manager
Catherine Ball (2012)
Admissions O%cer
(Infant and Junior School)
Svetlana Parmenter (2012)
Russian Language Assistant
Kate Conway (2013)
Infant School Teacher
Emma Cox (2013)
Teacher of Classics
Astrid Pestell (2013)
Teacher of French and German
Andrew Short (2013)
Head of House (Brown); Teacher of Geography
Shelagh Akbulut (2013)
Biology Technician
Camilla Granville (2013)
Head of HR
Stephen Habgood (2013)
Workshop Supervisor
Vicky Sale (2013)
Performing Arts Administrator
Sarah Biggin (2014)
Head of Economics and Business Studies
Ellice Clare (2014)
Teacher of History
Benjamin Fellows (2014)
Acting Head of Year 7: Teacher of Maths
Stewart Harper (2014)
Head of Physics
Kelly Murphy (2014)
Director of Outdoor Education
Jane Troup (2014)
Head of Art and Textiles
Martha Cottam (2014)
Head of Year 7; Teacher of French and Spanish
Ashley Arnel (2014)
Head Groundsperson
Nicola Prince (2014)
Infant & Junior School Assistant
Joanna MacAulay (2014)
Assistant Facilities Manager (Maintenance)
Ashley Thomas (2014)
Technology Technician
Julie Elliott (2014)
Catering Assistant
Claire Watts (2014)
Helpedesk Administrator
Catherine Elliott (2014)
Catering Assistant
Tom Lacey (2015)
Head of PE; Teacher of PE and Games
Sophie Dale (2015)
Infant School Teacher
Alex Manley (2015)
Junior School Teacher
Charles Morris (2015)
Teacher of Music
Melanie Palmer (2015)
Junior School Teacher
Becca Smyth (2015)
Junior School Teacher
Sophie Thomas (2015)
Teacher of English
Rose Moscrop (2015)
HR Administrator
Ev Milker (2015)
German Language Assistant
Katherine Brimming (2016)
Head of Geography
Tom Carpenter (2016)
Teacher of Chemistry
Joanna Carter (2016)
Teacher of Mathematics
Jason Macro (2016)
Teacher of Chemistry and Physics
Sophie Bale (2016)
Teacher of English
Katy Irwin (2016)
Catering Assistant
James Ormiston (2016)
Chemistry Technician
David Ruck (2017)
Head of Future Pathways
Katherine Fide (2017)
Teacher of Drama and LAMDA
Christopher Bramley (2017)
Teacher of Science
Lindsay Joslin (2017) Teacher of PE and Games
Adam Manley (2017)
Junior School Teacher
Sam Mitchell (2017) Teacher of Mathematics
Simon Preddy (2017)
Infant & Junior School Teacher
Jon Rees (2017) Teacher of Music
Jack Williams (2017) Teacher of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Andy Lawrence (2017)
Maintenance Porter (Grounds)
Ruth Colling (2017)
Financial Controller
Rachel Isaacs (2017) 1532 Operations Manager
Chris Ashcroft (2017)
Sports Facilities Lettings Manager
Ailsa Buckman (2017)
Infant Teaching Assistant
Kathy Stonham (2017)
Exams O%cer
Rosemarie Stewart (2017)
Helpdesk Administrator; Lunchtime and Afterschool Supervisor
Joanna Cheek (2017)
Failand Catering Assistant
Jaideep Barot (2018)
Headmaster; Teacher of Physics
Emily Barr (2018)
Year 11 Academic Tutor; Teacher of Biology
Lillian McLeod (2018)
Year 9 Academic Tutor; Teacher of Psychology
Antonio Moraca (2018) Teacher of Classics
Niall Morris (2018)
Teacher of Economics and Business Studies
Natalie Parratt (2018)
Head of House (Yellow); Teacher of Spanish and French
Lara Allison (2018)
Infant School Teacher
Sian Scott-Wilson (2018)
Junior Teacher
Laura Hammond (2018) Teacher of Psychology
Nicola Smythe (2018)
LAMDA Teacher
Tamsin Yates (2018)
Assistant Head: Teaching and Learning; Teacher of Geography
Kevan Johnson-Hall (2018) Attendance & Helpdesk Administrator
Sarah Baker (2018) (Deputy) Exams O%cer
Portia Bourton-Clark (2018) STEM Co-ordinator; Physics Technician
Julie Rosling (2018)
Infant Teaching Assistant
Janev Stark (2018)
Junior Teaching Assistant
Jo Harper (2018)
Lettings Manager
Chantelle Floyd (2018)
Catering Assistant
Anna Iacono (2018)
School Nurse
Helen Tylee (2018)
PA to Deputy Head & Assistant Head; Pastoral Assistant
Kristy Stanniland (2018)
School Administrator
Emily Field (2019)
Acting Director of Dance
Laura Ash (2019)
Head of German
Katharine Bovey (2019) Teacher of Biology
Peter Forster (2019)
Head of English
Sophia Herbst (2019)
Teacher of Art
Edward Hofman (2019) Teacher of English
Heidi Hughes (2019)
Head, BGS Infants and Juniors
Corinne Kempt (2019)
Head of Learning Support
Megan Schofield (2019)
Year 8 Academic Tutor; Teacher of Geography
Judith Shimell (2019)
Infant and Junior School Supply Teacher
Madeline Stow (2019) Head of Computer Science
Josie Rixon (2019) Teacher of PE and Games
Ross Fuller (2019) Teacher of Computer Science
Michael Johnson (2019) Chemistry Technician
Ruby Martin (2019) Catering Assistant
Jasmine Potter (2019) Art Technician
Liliya Sadek (2019) Food and Nutrition Technician
Liz Shopland (2019)
Catering Assistant
Caitlin Spencer (2019)
Alumni Events & Communications O%cer
Peter Tyler (2019)
Performing Arts Technician
Laura Crosse (2020)
Teacher of Economics and Business Studies
Rebecca Davies (2020)
Deputy Head: Pupil Development; Teacher of History
Will Clark (2020)
Teacher of Geography
Ann Webb (2020) Teacher of Chemistry
David Mountford (2020)
Teacher of Mathematics
Rebecca Blazewicz (2020)
Teacher of Mathematics
Toby Brown (2020) Teacher of Physics
Michael Gill (2020) Teacher of Art
Luke Evans (2020) Teacher of English
Lionel Franklin (2020)
Deputy Head Groundsperson
Debbie Hemmins (2020) School Nurse
Carrie Rosser (2020) Assistant Archivist
Lucy Hargreave (2021)
Infant and Junior Learning Support Coordinator
Simeon Arnold (2021)
Head of Design and Technology
Angelika Cowell (2021)
Teacher of History
Victoria Drew (2021)
Deputy Head I & J: Sta! Leadership, Operations and Outreach
Polly Farrer (2021)
Infant & Junior School Teacher
Guy Guerrini (2021)
Director of Music
Kate Shearer (2021)
Infant School Teacher
Nadine Latte (2021)
Director of Development
Silvia Garcia (2021)
Catering Assistant
Amy Kennedy (2021)
Infant Teaching Assistant
Georgina Poole (2021)
Library Assistant
Sarah Serpe (2021)
French Language Assistant
Mandy Valerio (2021)
1532 Front of House Manager
Roxanna Cruzeta (2021)
Catering Assistant
Kerry Barot (2021)
I&J Learning Support Assistant (English)
Monique Perez (2021)
School Counsellor
Suzannah Frost (2021)
Catering Department Administrator
Amy Tout (2021)
Director of Marketing, Admissions and Communications
Sue Bray (2021)
Infant Teaching Assistant
Sarah Beshay (2021)
Infant Teaching Assistant
Kevin Gilley (2022)
Teacher of Economics and Business Studies
Lucy Gladdy (2022)
Teacher of PE and Games
Max Hartle (2022)
Teacher of Modern Languages
Andrew Jarvis (2022)
Teacher of History
Callum Jenkins (2022)
Teacher of Mathematics
Ellena Nobes (2022)
Teacher of Art
Ellie Parker (2022)
Teacher of PE and Games
Emma Taylor (2022)
Teacher of Biology
Ian Thomas (2022)
Teacher of PE and Games
Linda Rogers (2022)
PE and Games Departmental Administrator
Lyndsey Tucker (2022)
PA to Head of BGS Infants & Juniors
Fion Ho (2022)
I&J Learning Support Assistant (Maths)
Sejal Pandya (2022)
Junior Teaching Assistant
Luena Holliday (2022)
Admissions O%cer (Senior School)
Louise Osgood (2022)
Food Service Assistant (Failand)
Claire Lewis (2022)
Facilities Administrator
Alfred Dutch (2022)
Porter
James Prince (2022)
Porter
Harry Abel (2022)
Teacher Apprenticeship for PE and Games
Julie Ellis (2022)
I&J Specialist Learning Support Assistant
Carmel Golden (2022)
Educational Visits Administrator
Angus Masters (2022)
Admissions O%cer (Sixth Form)
George Nelson (2022)
Teacher Apprenticeship for I&J
Ellinor Shaw (2022)
HR Advisor
Yasmin Pritchard (2022)
Performing Arts Administrator and Cover Administrator
Elise Pfei&er (2023)
Teacher of German
Alison Pegg (2023)
Catering Assistant
Fiona Lewis (2023)
School Counsellor
Louise Cox (2023)
Reprographics Technician
Rowena Goodwin (2023)
Infant Teaching Assistant
Zoe Farmer (2023)
Infant Playtime Supervisor
Robert Gosset (2023)
Technical Manager
Liliana Garner (2023)
Infant Playtime Supervisor
Lee Stone (2023)
VLP and Sta! IT Trainer
Katie Baggaley (2023)
Teacher of Geography
Andrew Briggs (2023)
Teacher of Mathematics
Libby Charlton (2023)
Performing Arts Centre Manager
Christine Chung (2023)
I&J Learning Support Assistant
Roisin Crowsley Ward (2023)
Textbook and Stationary Administrator and Library Assistant
Lauren Dorward (2023)
Teacher of Spanish and French
Sophie Duthie (2023)
Teacher of Spanish and French
Felipe Gomez (2023)
Spanish Language Assistant
Nick Hill (2023)
Teacher of PE and Games
Tarani Jago (2023)
Teacher of Drama
Chris Jenkins (2023)
Porter
Patrick McNerney (2023) Porter
Joanna Morphey (2023)
Teacher of Geography
Louisa Opene (2023)
Head of Food and Nutrition
Tristan Parris (2023)
Director of Sport
Matthew Pattie (2023)
Deputy Head: Academic; Teacher of History
Charlie Pearson (2023)
Head of History and Politics
Elisabeth Ravenscroft (2023)
Teacher of English
Katie Smith (2023)
Teacher of Biology
Will Turpin (2023)
I&J Teacher of PE and Games
Rhiannon Woodland (2023) Teacher of Physics
Scott Crowley (2023) ICT Technician
Jean Fifoot (2023) Catering Assistant
Mattia Taddei (2023)
Commis Chef
Debbie Hull (2023)
Catering Assistant
Alex Bartlett (2023) Pupil Supervisor
Asha Goyal (2023)
Deputy Exams O%cer
Jasmin Harper (2024)
Catering Assistant
Lesley Benson (2024)
French Language Assistant
Emma McGrath (2024)
HR Advisor
Emily Brown (2024)
Chemistry Technician
Janine Gayler (2024)
School Counsellor
Emma Jennings (2024)
Finance O%cer
Scott Allen (2024)
Maintenance Porter
Dates show