BGS View Summer 2013

View The Bristol Grammar School Newsletter Summer 2013 Issue 24

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition Lord Mayor’s visit Farewell

to the Class of 2013

Morocco and more BGS explores

Literary Events • Summer Sports Days • Jazz Barbecue • Activities Day

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View Summer '13 Issue 24

From the Headmaster Another year comes to an end and, as ever, there have been so many special achievements to note, many of them highlighted in the following pages.

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n all areas of life in the School, our students have pursued excellence: from dance spectaculars to outstanding successes in Maths and Biology Olympiads and involvement in a wide range of co-curricular and other projects, it has been a joy to witness the enthusiasm, skill and sheer hard work they have demonstrated.

But it has also been a difficult year during which we experienced the loss of two long-serving and respected members of staff: Shaun Holman and David Selwyn. You can read about their outstanding contributions to the life

of BGS in this magazine, and it is no exaggeration to say that their passing – within a few weeks of one another – shook our community deeply and leaves a significant gap.

However, the way that members of the School came together at that time to support one another, and the families of Shaun and David, showed the best of what we are about. It also demonstrated the best of what these two men brought to BGS and was very humbling to observe.

This edition of View shows both sides of life at BGS this year and, despite the

extremely trying and sad times we have lived through, it has nonetheless been a delight and a privilege to be part of this community.

I hope you feel the same and wish you and your families an enjoyable and refreshing summer break.

captain, Tom (Year 6), won four of his five games on board one and is clearly a player to watch in the future.

The tournament was controlled by our Senior captain Tom (L6), who is the reigning Welsh U21 Chess Champion. Tom will be travelling to Dubai this December to compete for the third consecutive time in the World

Junior Chess Championships. With BGS now established as a major centre for junior chess, we hope that he will soon have successors coming through the ranks.

Roderick MacKinnon

News

Chess Success On Saturday 18 May BGS hosted the national semi-finals of the English Primary Schools’ Chess Championships in the Great Hall.

The School was clearly a popular venue with in excess of 460 children from over forty different schools attending, some travelling from as far as London and Nottingham.

This was the first large tournament players from BGS Juniors had competed in and it was an excellent learning experience. Our Junior team

Chess Success

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News In memory of

David Selwyn and Shaun Holman The entire School community was deeply affected by the loss of Shaun Holman and David Selwyn, two much-loved and long-serving members of staff, within a few weeks of one another. We reflect on their outstanding contribution to the life of the School, made over almost forty years of service, below.

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oining the School in September 1975 – firstly as a Music teacher and then an English teacher – David Selwyn transmitted his passion for literature and the arts to generations of students at BGS. His expertise and enthusiasm made him an exceptional teacher who inspired many of those he taught. He was also a committed and compassionate Form Tutor to those in Years 10 and 11, and many students benefited from his care and wisdom. David always saw the best in students, believing in their humanity and potential (even when they might not have been putting their best feet forward), and his warmth, humour and optimism unfailingly guided them through a stage of their School careers that can, sometimes, prove to be challenging.

Speaking of David, Headmaster Mr MacKinnon said: “Inspiring young and old alike, David was relentlessly kind, generous and sensitive with his students, colleagues and friends. His interest and care for others combined with his intense and wide-ranging intellect meant that David made a treasured and inspirational impression on the lives of so many individuals as well as the whole school community of BGS. We are all grateful to have known him and greatly saddened by his passing.”

Like David Selwyn, Shaun Holman also joined BGS in September 1975 and in his years at the School touched the lives of countless students. He began his time at BGS as a teacher of Classics, but his classroom role was soon expanded to include more pastoral responsibilities, and he became Head of the Brown House in 1982. When his leadership of his own House came to an end in 2005 – some 23 years later – he continued to share his experience with other colleagues as Senior Head of House and then, in September 2008, took on the role of School Counsellor.

Shaun’s beyond-the-call commitment to the students was evident in the classroom too: long before it may have become fashionable in educational circles, he was intent on igniting imaginations and provoking interest which would extend far beyond what was necessary purely to pass exams.

Summing up Shaun’s impact on the BGS community, Headmaster Mr MacKinnon said that he was hugely loved and admired by students, staff and families, and played a vital part in many lives. “Shaun was a much loved member of the School community over many years; his involvement in all aspects of School life touched so many of us and his influence stretched far beyond the boundaries of Bristol Grammar School,” he concluded.

Further memories of both Shaun and David will appear in this year’s Chronicle, and the School will also be holding events to celebrate the lives of these two remarkable men in the Autumn term: Sunday 22 September for David Selwyn and Sunday 6 October for Shaun Holman. For further details please contact Pete Jakobek (pjakobek@bgs.bristol.sch.uk).

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News Engineering future success

Cooking up a storm

Eight BGS students have recently had the opportunity to attend debates on engineering at the House of Lords.

Aspiring chefs in Year 8 put their culinary skills to the test this term in the Year 8 Masterchef competition.

With delicious dishes such as peaches and Serrano ham with orange blossom, and sea bass with a tomato and spinach sauce served with crushed potatoes on offer, the standards were astonishingly high.

Congratulations to Jaya whose menu of pakora with onion, potato and spinach, followed by chicken curry with roti and raita was judged the winner by guest judge Dean from Jamie’s Italian.

Hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Engineering Group and chaired by Professor the Lord Broers, the debates have seen a lively exchange of views on ‘Where does Engineering fit into the school curriculum?’ and ‘Exciting opportunities for young engineers in industry R&D’. Our students have heard distinguished professionals such as Rick Parker, Director of Research and Technology Worldwide at Rolls Royce plc, Steve Yianni, Chief Executive for the Transport Systems Catapult, and Joe Greenwell, Chairman of Ford, speak with authority on these subjects.

Questions and answers from a wealth of other industry professionals, ministers and members of the House of Lords have given much food for thought.

Staggering statistics are often stated – most recently our visiting students were told that the number of people working in the engineering industries needs to double by 2020!

It is a privilege to attend these debates, and our students come away with a much more optimistic view of the future for engineering in this country. The career opportunities have never been better, and our

Prize Writers “What an incredibly talented group of young writers you have,” said Puffin editor Laura Squire, judge of the 2013 Puffin Short Story prize. The title, Mist, inspired some highly original writing.

Writer and comedian Charlie Higson was delighted to present the winner Ellie and runners-up Sophie and Julius with their prizes at a special Puffin Prize-giving Assembly held on 20 June.

students are in an excellent position to pursue a financially rewarding and highly-satisfying career in this sector if they choose this path. As always, our students have been a credit to BGS and it has been a pleasure for Dr Rosser to accompany them on these visits.

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Keep on running Alongside the familiar cake sales and Non-uniform Days raising money for this term’s School charity, Chernobyl Children’s Life Line, a group of BGS staff really went the extra mile taking part in the Bristol 10k run. The efforts

of Team BGS helped boost this term’s total to an impressive £931 which will help make a real difference to the lives of children affected by the Chernobyl disaster.

Dragons’ Den During the Spring term, students in Years 7–9 took part in our Dragons’ Den competition, with prizes sponsored by DPS-Global.

All that Jazz Would it be Summertime or Singing in the Rain for this year’s Jazz Barbecue?

In the end, every inch of space in the JCR was hung with bunting for a glorious evening of music, Pimms and a barbecue for a sell-out audience.

Each year, new student musicians join The Khameleonz and Sax Education, coached to a very high standard by Mrs Sweeney, for a repertoire covering soulful songs to dance numbers. The Surprise Trio (Mr Osmond on double bass, Miss Elcock on drums and Miss Dobson on clarinet) made the briefest of appearances with their Grade One piece before a few numbers from

Lucy and The Dads with stylish new backing singers.

Thank you to the Music Department and the Friends of BGS for a brilliant evening. Next year, space needs to be made for a dance floor.

This year 22 students spent the Spring term dreaming up new solutions to problems. Their creativity was very impressive, and the Information Sheets were comprehensive, clearly demonstrating the students understood what it takes to bring new products to the marketplace. The ideas were presented to the judges on Thursday 21 March in the JCR and this year’s Dragons – Andrea Wright, Nick Wray and Andrew Harrison – faced a difficult task judging such different ideas against each other when they were all so good in their own ways.

Nevertheless they did finally award first and second places in each year-group.

In Year 7, Sujan and Elliot came first with ‘Handy Heaters’, and Noah and Jamie came second with ‘Spine Bind’.

The winners in Year 8 were Jenny and Anya with ‘Braible it! Labels’, while Manmeet and Ben were placed second with ‘iStand’. Minnie and Sophia came first for Year 9 with ‘Click and Twist’, and Josh and Freddie second with ‘Rocker Stopper’. We were pleased to welcome a large audience of parents, staff and Governors to this most enjoyable occasion, which celebrated the ingenuity of our students. Well done to all the students who took part.

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News

BGS Activities Day Fishing

It was a complete change of pace for students who opted to take part in the fishing activity, swapping desks and pens for the river bank. What better way to spend the day?

With the School exam week out of the way it was time for a change of pace for students in Years 7–10 the day before half-term.

While Year 9 got a glimpse of their possible futures with World of Work day, other groups of students took part in a number of exciting activities around School and off-site, to indulge in a passion or try something new as part of BGS Activities Day.

Here’s a glimpse at just some of the things that went on:

Golf BGS students got into the swing of things on the golf course, enjoying some fresh air and exercise as they took the chance to improve their game.

Climbing

After the mental exertion of exam week, there was a chance to refresh the mind and test the body for those who took part in the climbing bouldering trip to Dartmoor. Experienced and novices alike, it was a great day for all.

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News

Zombie Movie

There were a few frights in store for those who remained in School as BGS fell victim to a zombie takeover. Memorable moments from the day include queuing for lunch with several zombies!

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Did you know black pasta was made of squid ink? Did you know eating pasta makes you happy? Do you know how to make fresh pasta?

After a morning at Jamie’s Italian, the group could answer all these questions with a resounding YES. Their hard work was rewarded with a delicious lunch at the restaurant before it was back to School to create their own sauces for the pasta they had made.

Banksy

BGS students got creative making their own Banksy-style stencils to create some urban art. The finished efforts would have made Banksy himself proud (whoever he may be!).

Make a garment World of Work For those inspired by the Great British Sewing Bee, there was the chance to make a garment in a day. Practical advice and tips were on offer to help budding tailors hone their skills.

Year 9 students got a taste of a wide range of possible future occupations on their World of Work day. From doing experiments on mouse DNA at the Medical Sciences Department of the University of Bristol, to a day spent at London’s V&A Museum with the Curator of Islamic Art, to tractor driving on the farm and yogurt making at Yeo Valley, the variety of their days was a true reflection of the huge range of opportunities open to them.

You can read our students' accounts of their World of Work days in the News section of our website, bristolgrammarschool.co.uk/news.aspx

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Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 There was another fantastic set of entries for this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

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Judge Philip Smith, photographer and Managing Director of the International Garden photographer of the Year competition, had his work cut out picking winners in each of the seven categories and then having to choose an overall winner. Commenting on the competition, he said: “It has been a pleasure to participate as a judge in your wildlife photographic competition; the winning images are inspiring enough – but it is also wonderful to see the deep appreciation of the natural world shown by all the entrants.”

Congratulations to this year’s overall winner Alex whose striking image of two blue tits was judged to be the best in an outstanding field.

1. Jasveer (Infant), Dandelion seed head 2. Alex (Junior), Gull in snow 3. Sam (Years 7–10), Eagle (Year 11 & the Sixth 4. Alex Form and BGS Wildlife Photographer of the Year), Blue tits 5. Pete Jakobek (Parents & staff), Pigeon 6. Alyce (Old Bristolians), Frogs 7. Craig Speers (Image Evolution), House relay 6

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Infants & Juniors Mr Huckle writes …

I am extremely proud of BGS Infant and Junior School, and am always delighted to welcome visitors who invariably comment on the enthusiasm, politeness and friendliness of the children. They also notice how proud the children are of their school and the way they demonstrate this through their smart appearance and care for their surroundings.

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e had a very special visitor at the start of the Summer term: the Lord Mayor of Bristol, Councillor Peter Main, spent a morning with us. He was delighted to give out stickers in our special Infant and Junior Assembly and visited every class in the School. The Reception children especially enjoyed his visit, and were fascinated by his robes and regalia.

Another first for the School was hosting the English Primary Schools’ Chess Association’s semi-final in the magnificent Great Hall. Young players travelled from as far afield as London, Hampshire and Nottingham to take

part. We had over 1,000 visitors, who all appreciated the warm welcome they received.

A third example of both breaking new ground and welcoming visitors was our Year 6 play Seussical Junior.

For the first time, this was a musical with no dialogue and every word was sung. This ambitious project involved the children learning over thirty songs and paid off wonderfully well with three performances which captivated the audiences. There was no doubt that the children were lifted by the warmth and reaction of all those who came to see the show (in some cases on all

three nights!).

These are just a few examples from a typically busy and rewarding term. I hope you will enjoy reading about Infant and Junior School life in these pages and, if you have not been able to do so before, you will think about paying us a visit.

Peter Huckle Headmaster, BGS Infants & Juniors

Can you dig it?

Whatever the weather (and it’s definitely been a mixed bag!) the hardy members of the Infant Gardening Club have headed out in to the Infant School garden to plant, sow, dig and, just occasionally, harvest.

Their efforts have had mixed success but the aim of the

Super scarecrows BGS Infants (and their families) were busy over the Easter holidays making scarecrows to keep the birds away from their sunflowers. We think you’ll agree the results were very impressive!

Club is to have a good time, get muddy and messy, learn about plants and nature, and begin to get some idea of where our food comes from.

Thank you to organiser Mrs Mamuda and parent helpers Mrs Round and Mrs Gracie.

Photo courtesy of The Post

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The visit of

General Claudius Maximus Year 3 got a taste of life as a Celt in Roman Britain with the visit of Roman General Claudius Maximus to Failand.

Under his watchful eye, the Year 3 Celts were put through their paces, learning how to move together as a unit and protect themselves with their shields in ‘The Tortoise Manoeuvre’. While one group were selected to join the Roman army, the remaining Celts had to face them in battle. Their spirited resistance was no match for the Romans’ training

Lord Mayor’s Visit

and organisation, but the defeat didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for the day!

It was a pleasure to be able to welcome the Lord Mayor, Peter Main, to BGS Infants and Juniors on Monday 15 April.

In a jam-packed morning he attended the Infant and Junior celebratory assembly in the Great Hall and enjoyed joining in with the singing and giving out stickers to children who were nominated as wearing their school uniform with particular pride.

The Lord Mayor then spent the whole morning visiting every class in the School, from Reception through to Year 6. He saw Dance, PE,

DT, French, Music, Maths, English and an array of Infant lessons. All the children really enjoyed meeting the Lord Mayor and telling him about the School, and Daisy and Sam proved excellent hosts as they showed him around.

We are very grateful to the Lord Mayor for taking the time to come and see BGS, and hope he enjoyed his visit to the School as much as the children did.

Roman holiday There was more hands-on experience of Roman life for Year 3 when they made the journey to Caerleon to visit the museum and remains of the Roman buildings there. Highlights included trying on some Roman armour, experiencing life as a rich Roman being waited on at a banquet, and taking a look at the 2,000-year-old baths. It was definitely a day which brought the past to life.

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Infants & Juniors Treading the boards

Fun on the Farm

Year 1 and Year 2 enjoyed a trip to The Egg Theatre in Bath to perform some scenes from books they had been reading on a real stage.

For Year 2 it was Michael Morpurgo’s The Butterfly Lion and the children first took part in a workshop to devise ideas and then created the form of animals, using their

Year 4 had a fabulous day at Folly Farm this term.

Highlights included a pond dipping session where several children were lucky enough to net a rare great crested newt. There were also damselfly nymphs and ramshorn snails to be found and the children relished the chance to get up close to so many different species of pond life.

Music to their ears On Sunday 21 April we welcomed the Bristol Concert Orchestra to the Great Hall who put on a free concert. As well as performing Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, the conductor introduced each instrument and told the audience which family it belonged to, while the musician played its highest and lowest notes. There was even the chance for some handson experience! Many thanks to the Bristol Concert Orchestra for coming to our School and playing for us.

Teatime Concerts From Infants to Year 6, children in BGS Infants and Juniors have had the chance to perform at a Teatime Concert this term.

Nerves were overcome and audiences delighted by the accomplished and joyful performances on instruments, such as the violin, piano, guitar, voice and many more.

own bodies, on stage Year 1 worked on scenes from The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson working on ways to bring characters from the story to life in their workshops – particularly by using their voices – and later performing an incredible echo sequence to Year 2.

It was a brilliant trip, which really brought the books they had been reading to life and it hopefully helped encourage a real love of reading in the children.

A thrilling performance!

On Tuesday 7 May Year 5 joined Year 7 and the Senior School Choir to sing in the Pop Medley in the Great Hall. They had been practising hard for a month, learning the words and actions to go with a medley of Michael Jackson songs. To orchestral accompaniment the massed Choirs sang hits such as Thriller and Blame it on the Boogie – a great experience for performers and the audience alike.

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Under the Sea The two Reception classes had a fascinating trip to Bristol Aquarium as part of their ’Under the Sea’ topic.

From top to bottom From the attics of the Jenner Museum, complete with rumoured ghost, to the castle dungeons, Year 4 certainly covered everything from top to bottom on their History trip to Berkeley Castle. From trying out the servants’ beds (uncomfortable) to discovering that prisoners were thrown 28feet down into the dungeons, followed by a few dead animals to try to make them really ill, the children discovered that life wasn’t always as pleasant in the past as the grandeur of Berkeley Castle might suggest.

Awesome Aprica After a sea life workshop, looking at different fish bones and types of fish egg, there was a tour of the Aquarium.

The children particularly enjoyed the underwater walk-

through tunnel where they saw reef sharks and rays as well as pufferfish and butterfly fish. They also had great fun spotting the clown fish (aka Finding Nemo).

Even a 6.00am start followed by a three-hour delay at the airport couldn’t lessen the excitement of those who went on the family ski trip to Aprica over the Easter break. With amazing snow allowing for some great skiing and plenty of evening entertainment (quiz night, a table football tournament, karaoke and even a onesies night), there was never a dull moment.

Fabulous France The Infants got a taste of French life and language with a French morning at the start of June. Croissants, hot chocolate and plenty of French-inspired outfits got the day off to a great start.

It was not long before all the year-groups were busy with a range of special activities organised by Miss Ballin. From boules in the garden and French Simon Says (run by a very helpful group of Year 10s) to French-inspired arts and crafts, there was plenty to enjoy. There was even some French cheese to sample for the adventurous – although not many appreciated the stinky blue!

Going underground On Thursday 9 May Year 5 went to the Big Pit in Wales. With all electrical equipment discarded (for fear of causing an explosion!) and hard hats donned, they headed underground to discover what life was like in the coal mines. Standing in the pitch-black tunnels they were very relieved to learn that it is no longer legal to send ten year olds down the pit!

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View Spring '13 Issue 23

Sixth Form

Hitting the right notes Congratulations to Robert Humphries who has been awarded a prestigious Choral Scholarship by Caius College, Cambridge.

Goodbye and Good luck From Medicine and Engineering to Art Foundation and Fashion Marketing, we send the Class of 2013 off to an enormous variety of futures. We wish all of them the very best, whether they are looking forward to further studies, the adventure of a gap year, or entering the world of work.

From the Head of School O ne of the great traditions of the Head of School is that they arrive late to the meeting in which they are asked to take on that formidable title. I was certainly no different, and thus began a whirlwind of a year. Alice, Rob and I were all warned repeatedly that we had no idea what we were letting ourselves in for, however the warnings proved to be wrong as I have had a cracking year.

This was in no small part thanks to a brilliant team of Prefects, not to mention two of the best Deputies imaginable in Rob and Alice. There has always been someone willing to gladly help with any job, and I am extremely proud of what we’ve achieved – not running out of tour guides on Open Evening anyone? Whether working with

younger pupils in a student panel, or in a deserted, snow laden School with fellow Prefects for the entrance exams, I have come to realise how lucky the School is with its pupils.

But we pupils are also extremely lucky with the school we have. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be close to the same person if I were somewhere else. I’ve been forced to play Rugby, been to Africa and Asia for the first time, made a fool of myself in plays and written a play to make fools of others, taken up the clarinet and piano, gone to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and all in all had a whale of a time. I will truly miss the School and its pupils next year, and I wish Millie as great a time as I've had.

James Graham

Rob plans to study Medicine at Caius College next year and the three-year Choral Scholarship means he will be able to enjoy singing lessons alongside his medical studies. Although Rob has previously sung with various choirs and vocal groups, he has never had a formal singing lesson – a fact which caused some astonishment at his audition!

In addition to singing lessons, the Scholarship also gains Rob entry to the highly regarded Caius College Choir and covers the costs of his participation in annual overseas choir tours; most recently the choir spent two weeks in Hong Kong.

Our thanks go to James, Rob and Alice, and their team of Prefects, for all their work this year.

We look forward to welcoming Emily Buckley and Deputies Tristan Bacon and Annie Koehli as next year's Head of School team.

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Sixth Form All the fun of the fair BGS Sixth-formers lent a hand at BGS Infants and Juniors Summer Fair this term, running the (temporary) tattoo and nail-painting stand. Always a popular stall, the girls had their work cut out keeping up with demand, but really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know some of our younger pupils and their families a little better.

Morocco Day A special Morocco Day was organised this term for BGS Juniors by a group of Lower-sixth students who had travelled to Morocco over the Easter break.

The fundraising day saw the Juniors looking wonderfully colourful as they came to School dressed in red and green (the colours of the Moroccan flag) in support of the charity Education for All Morocco.

The charity supports secondary school boarding houses for girls in rural Morocco, who live too far from school for a daily commute and whose parents cannot afford for them to board.

As part of the fundraising day, the Sixth-formers organised a Moroccan

card-making activity for the children, which included teaching them a little Berber and Arabic. There was also a quiz based on an assembly where Dr Dimberline had given a presentation about the charity.

The charity day raised over £250 and BGS has raised over £25,000 in six years. If you would like to find out more about Education for All Morocco and our links with the charity, go to www.educationforallmorocco.org

A real adventure Luke Grenfell-Shaw writes…

It is now eight months since I started my gap year, and during this time I have been incredibly privileged to have had some amazing experiences – from teaching in Nigeria to surveying for unexploded ordnance in the Arabian Gulf.

For the final chapter of my gap year, I am hoping to do something very different and very ambitious. Leaving the Estonian town of Narva – on the Russian border – I hope to cycle 10,000 km right across Russia, all the way to Vladivostok in the East. If I am able to

undertake this mammoth challenge, I will do it in aid of Help for Heroes in the hope that I can give something back to the servicemen and women who have selflessly fought wars in foreign lands.

I am deeply indebted to the School for all the help it has given me; most evidently the School Travel Award, but more subtly – and importantly – making me the kind of person who wants to explore the riches of life and the opportunities the world has to offer.

All around the world

With around 30% of our Sixth-form leavers taking a gap year before continuing their education, there are some exciting plans for travel to destinations near and far.

The School offers a variety of awards to help support those spending time abroad. This year’s awards are detailed below and you can also read news about one of last year’s recipients, Luke Grenfell-Shaw, who is currently on his gap year adventures.

The School Award has been divided between Jasmine and Georgia who are travelling to India to assist with medical work and go trekking, Michela who will be spending time in Uganda with a childrens’ charity, and brothers Alex and Marcus who are taking part in a conservation project in Peru.

The Far East Scholarship has been awarded to Conor who will be travelling to Japan to improve his Japanese.

The Jonathan Prestwich Award was made to Alice and Clare who will be in Russia on a Trans-Siberian Railway adventure and the OBs’ Award has been given to Marchant to help him in his plans to travel to Germany to do research for his EPQ.

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Literary Events Jekka McVicar On Tuesday 30 April the audience gathering in the JCR was greeted by the mellow, melodic music of the five-piece band Maverick Jack (an anagram!) and enticed towards delicious herby food and liquid refreshment.

Curtis Jobling

On Wednesday 15 May our Year 7 students were treated to an audience with Curtis Jobling: animator, designer, producer and most recently author of young adult fantasy horror series, Wereworld.

Jobling speaks at a hundred miles a minute, with a broad Mancunian accent that bursts with enthusiasm.

First covering his career in animation, Jobling explained his involvement in the creation of such classic characters as Bob the Builder and Frankenstein’s Cat. Everyone in the audience was stunned by Jobling’s quick-draw demonstration transforming Bob the Builder into Wendy with just a couple of quick flicks of the pen. A few more scribbles transformed Bob/Wendy into Were-Bob/Were-Wendy, and led us on to the meat of the session: Wereworld.

Set in the fantasy realm of Lyssia, the Wereworld series follows young werewolf and rightful heir to the throne of Westland, Drew Ferran, as he fights for freedom, honour and his kingdom.

A rapt silence fell across the room as Jobling began to read a passage from the first book, Rise of the Wolf, where Drew first discovers his power to transform. Full of high fantasy, Gothic horror, a cast of strong lead characters and epic battle scenes, Wereworld seemed to capture the imagination of everyone in the room.

Jobling left our students with one firm piece of advice: keep your hobbies going. His entire career was founded on a love of reading and drawing for pleasure, and catalysed by a work experience placement with Bristol’s own Aardman Animations. If our students keep their hobbies and cocurricular activities going, they could follow in Jobling’s footsteps and turn a passion into a career.

The students all clearly had an excellent time, evidenced by their rapturous applause at the end. Curtis put it best himself when he tweeted: ‘I had a grand time – would apologise for the noise and bedlam of my presentation but I wouldn't really mean it! ;-)’ Rob Hancock

There was also a charity tombola on wheels which circulated the room. And all this before Jekka McVicar began her talk.

Jekka took us on a journey through a variety of herbs and their uses. To enhance what she was saying she included many anecdotes about her travels and experiences. She talked about what the names of herbs told us about their properties, and how these vary around the world. In addition, the audience was provided with a fascinating array of gardening tips and recipes – such as when to plant particularly sensitive herbs, and how to make lavender meringue ice-cream.

The Q&A session that followed was a lot like Gardeners’ Question Time.

For example, someone asked how to grow basil in a North-facing garden. To every question Jekka replied with both knowledge and humour; the event could easily have run for longer. It was an interesting and informative evening for gardeners and non-gardeners alike.

Katie Olivia Elisabeth and Rose Year 10

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Charlie Higson Having read the bestselling Enemy series I was expecting big things from this legendary writer. His books have been sold internationally and have terrified readers of all ages.

Charlie captivated the audience with stories of his entry into television, and then his entry into the writing world.

He gave us a glimpse into the mind of the master behind the gripping, bloodcurdling sickness that has infected the grown-ups of London, forcing the children to band together to fight for survival. By retelling many of his first thoughts and views, he managed to grab the audience and hold their attention, terrifying the adults in the room as well as the children.

The laughs were ever present as he described his technique of using his own sons as ‘guinea pigs’ for the horror and gore of the book.

After the talk there was a Q&A session where he answered each question with a witty reply, helping the asker to understand the world of Charlie Higson.

Overall, it was a funny, friendly evening comprising of all the elements needed for a good literary event.

Olivia , Year 10

Sally Nicholls

Michelle Paver

On Wednesday 24 April the author Sally Nicholls came to our English lesson, to talk to two Year 8 forms about her books and how she writes.

Michelle Paver, the renowned writer of mythical fiction, visited the School on Monday 10 June to talk about her new book, Gods and Warriors. She spoke to Year 6 and Year 7, as well as visiting classes from other Bristol primary schools.

She introduced her whole backcatalogue of books. The first she talked about was Ways to Live Forever, about a boy who has leukaemia. He wants to know about UFOs, scientists, airships – and what it is like to die. The second book was entitled Season of Secret about a girl called Molly who has lost her mother and has a distant father.

When she sees a man running for his life she is intrigued to know who this man is, and whom he is running from.

The final book was her new title, All Fall Down, set in 1349, the time of the Black Death. It is about fourteen yearold Isabel and how her village dealt with the plague.

For the rest of the session we played games, where Sally gave us a scenario related to the Black Death, and then we would have to decide which solution to go with. At the end of this enjoyable and engaging session we were given the chance to ask some questions and buy some signed copies of All Fall Down, which was long-listed for this year’s Carnegie Award.

Jaya Year 8

Michelle explained how she researches her stories in great detail before putting pen to paper to begin writing.

During her research for Gods and Warriors she travelled far and wide, looking to immerse herself in the world and habitat of the characters in her story. This involved swimming with dolphins, hiking in Crete and exploring Athens.

Michelle also talked about how the main characters would live and survive in their surroundings. Her presentation was extremely practical and interactive.

She explained how to skin a rabbit, what parts of its carcass were used for different purposes, and about other tools and materials that were used by the early people of Greece.

Michelle wrote her first story when she was five years old, but continued a seemingly un-authorlike life. She went on to get a degree in Biochemistry and then got a job as a solicitor. However, when she tired of the law, she gave up her job to become an author – and we are very glad she did!

Noah Year 7

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Performing Arts

Seussical Junior

School Concert

This year’s eagerly anticipated Year 6 production was a version of Suessical the Musical, based on the book Horton Hears a Who, by Dr Seuss. It also features other characters from Dr Seuss books, including The Cat in the Hat and Gertrude McFuzz.

From the opening songs from Cantata to the finale performed by the Wind Orchestra (under the direction of Victoria Elcock in her last BGS concert), this term’s School Concert was a delight from start to finish. Performances by the Boys’ Choir (singing Video killed the Radio Star) and Girls’ Choir (Somebody that I used to know) bookended a spirited rendition of The Drunken Sailor by flute trio Concertante and the Chamber Orchestra performing The Jolly Man, a piece composed by Year 8 student Max , showcasing the variety and depth of musical talent at BGS. The audience must surely have shared the Music Department’s sincere thanks to all the performers whose hard work and dedication allowed this (and at least fourteen other musical events) to take place this year.

Director Mr Marsh said: “Asking any Year 6 child to perform a musical with 35 songs is very ambitious, but the children have proved to me just how amazing they are!”

And amazing they were. On Tuesday 21 May at 6.30pm the cast were ready with superb singing and acting for the first of their three-night run. Everyone was waiting behind the curtains in silence until they leapt with a spring in their step at the first “Seuss!” For the cast, the show flew by and it felt like seconds before the crowd started

applauding at the end of the show.

The other two shows were just as impressive and will definitely be remembered by all those who watched and performed.

A big thank you to all who worked and helped on Seussical from the Year 6 pupils, especially Mr Marsh, Mrs Cullen, Mrs Whitehead, Mr Harrison, Mrs Megson and Mr Speers.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe This year’s Middle School Play was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The cast and crew combined a creative use of set, costumes, lighting, music and characterisation to fuel the audience’s imagination, taking them on a journey to the magical land of Narnia. The young cast and crew were professional and worked exceptionally well as an ensemble. Special mentions must go to Saskia who was outstanding as the White Witch, Julius who was hilarious as Grumpskin, and Olly who captured the obnoxious character of Edmund perfectly. We had a very talented cast who impressed and entertained the audience. Well done to all those involved and our thanks go to all the staff who made this production possible.

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Exploration We shall remember them The annual History Department visit to the battlefields of northern France and Belgium took place over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Around Ronda Seven students from Year 11, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth took part in the week-long return leg of the Spanish exchange to Ronda in Andalusia during the Easter holidays.

Travelling early on Easter Sunday, they arrived in time to be met by host families keen for their British exchange partners to experience the final day of the Easter celebrations. The BGS students then went home with their Spanish families for their first taste of Spanish life.

Trips to Ronda and Seville filled the next two days, taking in the Spanish culture and historic architecture of these towns. Then on the Wednesday, after a breakfast of churros y chocolate, BGS students experienced life as a Spanish pupil, attending lessons with their exchange partners.

Thursday saw a day trip to Granada

to learn about life in fifteenth-century Moorish Spain, and a visit to the beautiful Islamic Alhambra Palace. On Friday students enjoyed a trip to the coast with their Spanish counterparts, visiting the old town and beach in Marbella and admiring the luxury yachts in Puerto Banús.

The students spent the final day with their exchange partners and families before a farewell evening out as a group. After such a fantastic stay everyone was sad to say goodbye to their Spanish hosts however, Mr Iwi and Ms Williamson are already looking forward to a return trip next year with another group of BGS students.

This year 51 Year 10 students made the journey, the largest number for many years. The visit took them first to the Ypres Salient, culminating in visits to the revamped In Flanders Fields Museum and to the nightly ceremony at the Menin Gate where the buglers play the Last Post. For many, this was a moving highlight of the whole tour.

Next they visited some of the major battlefields and cemeteries of the Somme, including Beaumont Hamel and Delville Wood, nicknamed ‘Devil’s Wood’ by the soldiers. A wreath was laid at the Gloucestershire Cross to remember those who died from our School and the local area, and a visit paid to the grave of Old Bristolian Stanley Booker, whose medals can be seen in the Great Hall.

Tour Leader, Dr Massey said “This was a memorable tour. We took our coach off the beaten track and found the graves of relatives of several Year 10 students. This added extra poignancy to our visit.” Preparation has already begun for next year’s visit, which will be in the centenary year of the outbreak of World War One.

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View Summer '13 Issue 24

Morocco

Parlez-vous francais?

This March a record 81 Year 9 students and twelve teachers left BGS for Marrakesh via Gatwick, ready for an eight-day adventure, trekking in Morocco.

There was an overnight stay in Marrakesh, complete with bargaining practice in the souk for items ranging from a bag of dates and mixed nuts to ‘magic’ boxes and traditional Moroccan clothing, and then the 81-strong student body split into their six trekking groups to begin their five days of walking. Each group arrived at a local guest house, where they were introduced to the guide, cook and mule drivers that would be leading them on their expedition.

As the treks progressed, groups were joined by the local children for a game of football, the exchange of gifts and were even taught a few Moroccan games. At night the guides, cook and mule drivers would teach traditional

songs and dances, as the day’s achievements were celebrated around a roaring campfire.

Once the treks were completed the groups travelled back to Marrakesh to be reunited with the others and swap tales of their adventures. Now experienced ‘wheeler dealers’ they set out for a second outing in the souk to buy souvenirs for family and friends.

Everyone – students and teachers alike – has brought back vivid memories, whether of a group of noisy sheep, a ride on a mule, falling in a river while trying to cross, or just hanging out in the campsite making new friends; none of them will ever forget the time spent in Morocco.

The Easter holidays saw eighteen intrepid Year 10s travel to France for the return leg of their exchange with students from St Genes in Bordeaux.

Anxiety about meeting and living with a new family was mixed with excitement at the prospect of experiencing French culture first-hand.

The visit was packed with exciting experiences: oyster sampling (not popular) and climbing the Dune du Pyla, the largest sand dune in Europe, to take in the spectacular views on a trip to the coast; a morning in a French school; exploring the beauty of Bordeaux (and its efficient but confusing tram system); and even macaroon making at a professional cookery school.

It also included the three-day Easter weekend celebrations, allowing our students to practise and develop their French-speaking skills with their host families, gaining invaluable confidence and experience in the language.

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Exploration

More Morocco

Up Pompeii!

Thanks to a 5.00am start, it was a group of bleary-eyed parents who waved 35 Year 7 students off on a four-day trip to the Bay of Naples.

Easter also saw eight members of the Lower Sixth travel to Morocco for a weeklong stay, taking in Marrakesh, the town of Imlil (where the girls’ boarding house supported by BGS through the charity Education for All is based) and Morocco’s beautiful scenery on a three-day trek.

During their stay in Imlil, time was spent playing with the local children – football, parachutes, or just trying on each other’s sunglasses – and the BGS students were as sad to say goodbye as the children were to see them go!

There was also a visit to the girls’ boarding house and school, giving our students the chance to meet the girls whose education BGS is helping to support. Initial shyness was soon overcome as beads, colouring and face painting drew the two groups together.

Leaving the comfort of Imlil for the challenge of the treks seemed daunting, but once underway the trekking was a joy with breathtaking

The trip saw them climb Vesuvius, the volcano which destroyed Pompeii, and visit Solfatara (another dormant volcano, this one complete with the sulphurous smell of rotten eggs). There were also outings to Pompeii, the

scenery to be enjoyed each day.

Everyone they met along the way greeted them with smiles and was keen to converse.

The trip ended where it began, back in Marrakesh and the bustle of the souk. Walking through a Moroccan souk takes an open-minded approach, with its onslaught of sounds, smells and vibrant colours. The shopping was wonderful and made amazingly affordable thanks to the art of haggling which our students were quick to learn as they purchased souvenirs of their visit to this beautiful and friendly country.

Naples Museum (packed with statues, mosaics and frescoes) and the small but wonderfully preserved site of Herculaneum. The group were amazed at the artefacts which had survived, and enthralled to be able to explore the streets exactly as they existed so many centuries ago.

Even an unexpected strike which postponed their entry to Pompeii and a delay which led to a three-hour wait at Rome Airport on the return home couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of our Year 7 students for the adventures they had enjoyed.

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Exploration Malaga Magic

Skiing USA

In the early hours of a wet Bristol Saturday morning 38 Year 7 and 8 students set off on their Andalusian adventure.

In the first week of the Easter holiday four members of staff accompanied 32 students from Years 8 to 11 skiing in New Hampshire in the USA. They were blessed with fantastic snow for the time of year and avoided the extreme cold that the area is known for, which made for comfortable and enjoyable skiing. The pistes at their bases at Loon Mountain and Bretton Woods were very well-maintained and had enough snow to make good use of the trails through the glades.

Beginner skiers and snowboarders alike made excellent progress and the more experienced ones were given good challenges by their instructors. Weary legs, bodies and minds were refreshed in the evenings by the comfortable hotel with its substantial meals and swimming pool.

After five days of skiing they departed New Hampshire for a New York stopover before returning home. A whistle-stop tour saw them pack in many of the crucial sights: Central Park, Times Square, Grand Central Station, Wall Street, the Statue of Liberty, and the views from the top of the Rockefeller Center. This stopover was a real highlight of the trip – as, no doubt, was the time spent in the shopping mall. Once again the USA ski trip was a fantastic experience, and many are looking forward to next year’s trip already.

Their arrival in Malaga was greeted by clear blue skies and bright sunlight – perfect weather to enjoy a day sampling the delights of the Tivoli World amusement park.

The next day they travelled to Granada and the Alhambra Palace, to see some of the finest examples of Islamic art and architecture left in the western world and explore this beautiful city.

The last full day involved a mixture of food tasting and walking on an historical tour of Malaga. There was plenty to see, from the Roman Amphitheatre to the Moorish Alcazaba, and the Contemporary Art Museum to the new port area with its boutiques, markets and cafés. The students practised their linguistic skills, haggling with the market traders in the popular Atarazanas market and impressed Ignacio, their local guide, with their adventurous spirit as they tried many regional dishes in the tapas restaurant, from deep-fried squid to spicy meatballs.

The group was also lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some of the Holy Week processions in the early evening; many of the students were fascinated by the costumes of the participants with their distinctive tunic and hoods.

Andalusia is certainly one of Spain’s treasures and the five-day visit allowed our students to appreciate the cultural diversity and attractions that this unique region has to offer.

It has been a fabulous summer of sport at BGS (provided you ignore the weather!) packed with fixtures and House competitions, plus three fantastic Sports Days – one each for the Infants, Juniors and Senior School.

BGS Infants were first out of the starting blocks with their Sports Day, held at Failand on a morning of rare glorious sunshine. Plenty of friends and family came along to cheer on the children as they ran, jumped and threw, collecting stickers for their efforts. It was lovely to see how the children supported and encouraged each other, and the enjoyment they gained from the day.

Get ready

get set

Second time lucky It was second time lucky for the Junior School after rain caused the postponement of Sports Day in May. The weather was kinder on the 6 June and BGS Juniors were able to enjoy a day of athletics at Failand. With 125 track and field events, the day was a major feat of organisation which ran smoothly thanks to the efforts of Mr Harris and the whole staff team. It was also hugely to the credit of the children who all ensured that they arrived in the right place at the right time to compete.

GO! Thank you to all the parents who came along to support – we hope you enjoyed the day as much as we all did – and congratulations to the overall winners Boulton’s House.

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Sport

On the right track On Wednesday 26 June the Senior School departed BGS, bound for Newport Stadium and the annual Sports Day.

As always there was great support from the watching students for their friends and House mates as the six Houses did battle on track and field for the overall title. Congratulations to the winners, Edwards’s House, who beat last year’s champions Catchpole’s into second place.

Records also tumbled: in Year 8 Ben set a new record in the javelin while Ada’ora Year 9) broke three records – shot put, high jump and 300m. In the Year 7 throwing events a change of weight category saw new records being set by Julian (shot put), Jamie (discus), Adam (javelin), Ellie shot put), Amara (discus) and Tasha (javelin).

View Summer '13 Issue 24

Climbing Congratulations to Hamish who competed for Team GB in the European Youth Bouldering Championships in Grindelwald over the Easter period.

Sandy Carr

He finished a creditable sixteenth in his first international competition, and is looking forward to adding to his international experience over the next few years. His name will now be added to the International honours board in the Sports Hall at School.

Another up-and-coming BGS climber, Matt (Year 8) competed in the British Youth Climbing Championships on Saturday as part of the South-west Region Team.

The team came second, with Matt placed twelfth in his age category.

Tennis The School tennis teams have experienced mixed fortunes this term with some excellent victories but also some disappointing losses to their name. It has been cheering to see so many players represent the School, and this enthusiasm was reflected in the hard-fought House tennis competition. Congratulations to Diamond’s (U13 boys’ and girls’ winners), Gunawardana’s (U14 boys’ and U15 girls’), Scott’s (U14 girls’), Edwards’s (U15 boys’ and Senior boys’) and Catchpole’s (Senior girls’ winners).

Swimming At the Bristol Schools’ swimming meet there was success for several BGS swimmers. Will took gold in the 50m backstroke while there were podium finishes for Barney Kelvin Rory Matt and Jono in their races.

There was more success at the Gloucester County event when Rory and Oli took gold in the 800m freestyle in the 12- and 13-year-old events respectively.

Swimmers from BGS Juniors have also been doing well. The freestyle relay team finished tenth and the medley relay team was placed sixth at an invitational event in Bromsgrove, and in the South-west region relays at Millfield the girls’ teams narrowly missed out on qualifying for the national finals, coming fourth in the freestyle and fifth in the medley relay.

Congratulations also to those who swam at Bristol Schools’ Primary Gala final in May – particularly Monty Freya and Lucy who produced personal bests.

An outstanding achievement this year has been produced by Alysia (Year 6), who reached the IAPS finals in Crawley, representing the School magnificently. She knocked two seconds off her personal best time to swim 50m backstroke in 34.91 seconds, and was placed third in the finals – the first time a BGS pupil has been on the podium in this prestigious competition. Earlier in the year, Alysia was placed first in Gloucestershire for her achievements in the County Championships, and she had the fastest 50m freestyle time for an under-11 girl in the country! She is a remarkable swimmer, and we shall all follow her progress with interest.

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Sport

Fencing

Cricket

Fencing has had another strong year with students competing regionally, nationally and internationally.

Our young First XI team has suffered a little from inexperience this season, but a six-wicket victory over King’s Worcester gave a timely boost to their confidence as they built towards the busy end of term schedule.

In the younger age-groups, BGS Juniors’ teams all performed very well against Colston’s and the Senior School teams have all had a winning season to date. With ten county players within these age-groups, we have a strong base for the future.

We were also delighted to welcome renowned international fast / medium swing bowler Matthew

Hoggard to BGS at the start of June. Students enjoyed coaching sessions led by Hoggard as well as an entertaining, informative, and refreshingly honest, Q&A session. His experience and advice was beneficial to those both looking to improve their cricket and those looking for insight as to what is needed to achieve success in any field.

Golf Two BGS students have been producing great form on the golf course this term. Alex (U6) and James (Year 9) both competed in the Avon Schools’ golf competition.

Alex finished fourth overall and is first reserve for the South-west Schools’ championship; she is also in the Gloucestershire Ladies’ County First Team. James came third on the day, qualifying for the South-west Schools’ round, and he is also the U16 champion, gaining him automatic entry in to the National U16 golf competition which will be held in Bolton in July.

Good luck James.

Seven BGS students qualified to fence in the National Championships at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

With only the top four from the region qualifying in each age category this is no mean feat. Congratulations to Henry Peter George Oli Hugo and Dillan who qualified from the South-west region and Tayler who won the Welsh qualifiers.

Well done to Henry and Peter – competing in their

first National championships – who both lost narrowly in the last 32 and to Dillan, also in her first Nationals, who fenced fantastically to reach the last sixteen.

In May James took part in his first international competition as he travelled with the South-west regional squad to Poland. It was a very tough competition and proved a steep learning curve for James which will place him in good stead in the seasons to come.

Rounders The rounders season has been hampered by rain, but there have been some encouraging performances when games have taken place. The Senior School has fielded thirteen teams, who have recorded seventeen wins and four draws from their 32 matches.

At Junior level the U11 girls performed well in the IAPS ‘all out’ qualifying games before being defeated

by St John’s Chepstow in the second round.

They also finished a respectable fifth in the KES tournament. The U9 girls enjoyed their festival at Colston’s and got the chance to play three schools in one afternoon, while the U8 teams have performed brilliantly beating Red Maids’, Clifton High and Kingswood.

View Summer '13 Issue 24

OBs

Congratulations to: Dan

Redd Ben Greg and Maddie (U18); Alex (U17); Hugo Joe and Nicole (U16); Ben Tom and Imi (U15), who have all been selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centre for hockey.

This covers Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Herefordshire; an invitation to join the centre is a considerable achievement.

Holly (Y11), who has made fourteenth place in the top twenty horse and riders at British Eventing Foundation Level thanks to three second-placings at the three events she has ridden in this season.

The BGS orienteering squad, who finished third in the Avon Schools’ league and to Gavin (U6) and Eleanor (Year 11) who won their respective classes in the individual competition.

Holly (L6), who won this year’s Bristol Real Tennis Schools’ Trophy.

(U6), who competed Edward in the British Youth Sailing Championships over the Easter break and came second boy overall, and first English youth. He has now been invited to attend some training in preparation for the European and world championships over the summer.

Hugh (Y8), who represented the South West in the U13 boys’ category of the London Mini Marathon. He finished sixteenth out of 64 helping the team to second position overall.

Siddharth (Y7), who came second in the Berkshire Margaret Tipton under-12 Badminton tournament in the doubles competition. He also won the doubles event and was runner-up in the singles event at the Torbay Junior Open tournament in the U13 category.

OB author returns to BGS Former BGS pupil and current MP for Kingswood, Chris Skidmore, chose BGS for the Bristol launch of his latest book, Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors. A review of the evening by Head of History Dr Massey is below.

Book launches throw up questions, and one point made to Chris Skidmore, concerned the degree of similarity between fifteenth-century politics and those of today. Yes, admitted Chris, there were many parallels, because human nature changes little.

Patronage and connection matter now and mattered then; being in the right room, making the right decisions at the right time is vital. One man in the wrong place at the wrong time and lacking supporters prepared to fight to the death for him, was Richard III. Chris’s fascinating talk took us across country in the footsteps of his unlikely challenger, Henry Tudor. Bosworth: The Birth of the Tudors tells the gripping tale of Richard III and of Henry Tudor’s brave bid to dethrone him. Why did

Richard suddenly decide in June 1483 to seize the very throne he was supposedly guarding for Edward V? What happened to the Princes in the Tower? How did a king of England, no less, suffer the ignominious fate of burial in a monastery later transmuted into that wasteland of our age, the car park? Bosworth was a close call.

Henry Tudor’s forces were greatly outnumbered, but the challenger held firm against a terrible charge led by the king himself, and the rest is history.

As Liz Thorne’s warm introduction reminded us, BGS can feel justly proud of its contribution to Chris’s development as a historian. Assemblies in the Great Hall polished him as a speaker, too. What particularly impressed me was his insistence on looking for physical evidence of Henry Tudor’s life in England, Wales and Brittany. Good historians should surely wear boots as much as elbow-patched jackets. But Chris adeptly combines fieldwork with archival research, and evidently many records remain to be uncovered, as Richard himself has been. Unarguably, all politicians would be better practitioners of their trade with a greater understanding of the past. Chris’s next project is a full-scale biography of Richard III. Political career permitting, of course.

Dr Massey

A Difficult Apprenticeship Viewers of the BBC programme The Apprentice will have seen former BGS student Sophie Lau taking part in this year’s competition, although she lasted just three weeks before hearing the dreaded “You’re fired!”.

Despite her early departure Sophie remains positive about her experience saying "It's one of the best things I have ever done and I have learnt so much, especially from Nick Hewer and Lord Sugar, who is exactly as you see him on television. He is extremely intelligent and witty."

Sophie is now focussing on her new business, Speed Plating, a combination of dining out and speed dating which will launch in London this summer.

We wish Sophie all the best in her new venture.

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Diary dates

Bristol Grammar School University Road Bristol BS8 1SR Senior School 0117 973 6006 Junior School 0117 973 6109 www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk

September

December

Monday 2 September: INSET Day

Monday 2 December: School Concert, St George’s 7.30pm

Tuesday 3 September: Induction day for all new Senior School students. BGS Infants and Juniors new pupils’ Family Picnic, Failand 2.00–3.00pm

Tuesday 3–Wednesday 4 December: Whole School Dance

Wednesday 4 September: Term begins

Friday 6 December: JISPA Christmas Bazaar, Junior School

Friday 6 September: Y7 Beetle Drive, JCR 4.00–6.00pm

12.00–3.30pm

Monday 9 September: Y7 parents’ meeting with Headmaster’s Reception, Great Hall 7.00pm

Monday 9–Wednesday 11 December: Senior School Play,

Production, Great Hall 6.30pm

Mackay Theatre 7.00pm

Tuesday 10 September: Headmaster’s Reception for Y10 parents: Introduction to GCSE, Great Hall 7.00pm

Wednesday 11 December: Junior School Carol Service,

Thursday 12 September: Headmaster’s Reception for L6 parents, Great Hall 7.00pm Friends of BGS AGM, J8 7.30pm

Thursday 12 December: Lessons and Carols, Great Hall

Wednesday 18 September: Lunch for the Class of 2012, Great Hall 1.30–3.00pm Friends of BGS Y7 Pot Luck Supper, JCR 6.00–10.00pm

Great Hall 6.00pm

5.00pm & 7.30pm Friday 13 December: Term ends, 12noon

Sunday 22 September: David Selwyn Memorial Concert, Great Hall 3.00pm

October Wednesday 2 October: Friends of BGS Y9 Pot Luck Supper, JCR 6.00–10.00pm Friday 4 October: Whole School Open Evening, 4.00–8.00pm (School ends 12.25pm)

Children's Laureate

Sunday 6 October: Shaun Holman Memorial event, Great Hall 3.00pm Monday 7 October: Infant & Junior Harvest Assembly, Great Hall 9.45am Wednesday 16 October: Friends of BGS Sixth Form Pot Luck Supper, JCR 6.00–10.00pm Thursday 17 October: Sixth Form Open Evening for BGS Y11 students and parents, Great Hall 5.00–8.00pm Wednesday 23 October: INSET Day Thursday 24 October–Friday 1 November: Half-term

November Wednesday 6 November: External Sixth Form Open Evening, Great Hall 5.00–8.00pm Monday 11 November: Remembrance Service, Great Hall 10.30am Thursday 14 November: Whole School Open Morning, 9.45am– 12noon Friends of BGS Y11 Pot Luck Supper, JCR 6.00–10.00pm Wednesday 20 November: Senior School House Singing, Great Hall 6.00pm Friday 22 November: BGS Juniors Entrance Tests (Years 3–6), 8.30am–12.30pm Design: adartdesign.co.uk Printed on 100% recycled stock using vegetable inks

Bristol Grammar School is a Registered Charity No. 1104425