The Boltonian 2018 by Bolton School Development Office

Boltonian 2018 THE

CONTENTS SCHOOL NOTES

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

THE HOUSES

CAMPS & JOURNEYS

MUSIC & DRAMA

SNAPSHOTS

CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK

SPORTS

100

SCOUTS

133

PARK ROAD

140

THE OLD BOLTONIANS

168

Editorial Staff Editor: Miss K.S. Wrathmell Artwork: Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Division Art Department Front Cover Artwork: Jake Williamson 13b Back Cover Artwork: Matthew Hope 8f Poppies: Oliver Leach 10e & Mrs. M.A. Ryder Photography: Old Boltonian Mark Power at www.karlkramer.co.uk, the School Marketing Department & Dr. D. Rogers Communications should be sent to the Editor, Miss K.S. Wrathmell, at School. News of Old Boltonians should be sent to the Development Office in School.

School Notes Review of the Year 2017-18 _______________________________________________________

write this review in the summer of 2018, ten years after I was moving across the Pennines with my family to take up the post of Headmaster. As is often the case with periods of time, that seems to be both a lifetime ago and to have passed very quickly indeed.

for awards, although it is nice that the School can be seen on the national stage, but because it is the right thing to do and not only does it make a difference for good to the people with whom the boys work whilst at school, but it also helps shape the lifelong attitudes that will make the men that the boys become take an active role in their community in later years. I have now been at school long enough to see Old Boys, whom I remember making a very important impact in this way while at school, continue with community engagement, not least, in a project on homelessness in Manchester.

Marking ten years at the helm (albeit a drop in the ocean compared to the 33-year leadership of Mr. Poskitt) perhaps a few personal reflections on change and continuity at the School during that time can frame my annual report this year. Just before I arrived at Bolton, I was sent some questions from some Year 10 boys, presumably now young men in their mid-twenties. One question I was asked was what car I drive; it was the Ford Ka then and it still is now; another was about following football and I said I was keeping a keen eye on whether Bolton Wanderers would be relegated - I was then, and I am now. In answer to a question about what I was looking forward to I wrote: I am really looking forward to having a part to play in shaping the life of a school, since with that goes the opportunity to influence so many futures as students move through the school, and the knowledge that each Old Boy may influence our world for the good. Bolton School has just the right mix for me of academic excellence, pastoral care, extra-curricular activity and a care for its community. I’ll be very happy with the ethos here. So, what about that academic excellence, pastoral care, extracurricular activity and community? Taking first the community: this year has seen further recognition for our national profile in community action, when, in February, we won the Times E d u c a t i o n a l Supplement Whole School Community Initiative of the Year Award; this was specifically for the programme of involvement in primary school sport across Bolton, but also more generally recognises the range, depth and sense of purpose of what we do. We engage in the community not

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Our extra-curricular programme continues to allow boys to try out a wide variety of activity in order to find what will be their passion and, very often, their area of excellence in later life; whether that be treading the boards in the production of ‘The Tempest’ or playing in the many musical events, such as this year’s Gala Concert in the Victoria Hall, playing in a sports team, debating at the Model United Nations (MUN) or taking part in Scrabble Club (to name just a few of the literally hundreds of possibilities). These are invaluable opportunities for the boys, but also an excellent way that my colleagues can share their passions outside the classroom. Highlights this year would be the Senior Chamber Choir heading to the finals of the Barnado’s School Choir of the Year Awards held at the Royal Festival Hall in London; the MUN team heading to its first weekend residential at Shrewsbury, coming away with high honours; the Under 13 Football team’s ISFA Cup run to the Quarter-finals and a County Cup Semi-final for the Under 15 Rugby team. The Creative side of school life was showcased at the Manchester Art Gallery in a joint event between the School and Old Boys.

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‘The Boltonian’ stands as the journal of record of all that has been accomplished and experienced this year and this edition speaks volumes about a lively, active, interesting school – I hope you enjoy reading it. Having browsed that 2008 edition to find my interview, it is clear how much the core values and rhythms of the school do not change at all (just like the Headmaster’s car) and that, albeit in a decade of great change in society and in education, we have remained very clear about our purpose whilst very open to thinking hard about how that purpose is best achieved. Mr. P.J. Britton, MBE Headmaster

Our pastoral care has also seen some notable highlights. The ‘Teenage Journey’ Programme, supporting parents in the issues their sons will face growing up, has been an innovative and very important development. The quality and impact of the proactive advice, nurturing and support for boys through the Pastoral Curriculum has developed enormously; the number of Old Boys assisting by coming back and sharing stories and advice is wonderful to see. Thinking of what has changed for young people and society in the decade since 2008 (back then Facebook was four years old, Twitter two and the iPhone had been launched just the year before I arrived here) we have been required to adapt our strong ethos to very new challenges and guide the boys through them. And I was right to imagine that this was a school where there was an academic focus and a love of learning. We have been very successful this summer with our exam results, but, over those ten years, we have also shaped a sense that what also matters is that every boy has nurtured a real enthusiasm for learning in at least one subject. Along the way, we have become national leaders in the sensible and blended use of e-learning and this year led a keynote session at the HMC Annual Conference on that theme.

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School Notes Valete – Mr. Doug Wardle _______________________________________________________

oting the retirement of a Deputy Headmaster after thirty years of service to the School is not easily contained within the space available in ‘The Boltonian’, but it is possible to capture the flavour of the many facets of Doug’s contribution to Bolton School. For a fuller story, you must read between the lines of the previous thirty issues and see the connecting strand of a man who lived the ethos of the School day by day and was at the very centre of school life. Doug arrived at the School in 1988 to teach Geography. He confesses himself at being surprised to find himself appointed at such a school, but soon found that his character and deeply-rooted values were absolutely aligned with all that Bolton School stands for. His passion for his subject is tangible – it was not possible to accompany Doug for long in the outdoors on a trip or visit without an exposition on some aspect of the physical landscape. Well-read and up to date in his subject to the end, Doug was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Geography in 2016. Generations of boys would rate him highly as a classroom teacher. Other boys remember their passionate football coach, driven and determined to see them succeed, and no mean footballer himself. With days of active coaching behind him, Doug could then be found refereeing the odd game on the levels, games which were always played with spirit and in good order.

school ethos. A tireless presence around school during breaks and lunchtimes, he would become a tangible sign of what ‘the right thing to do’ was. His Great Hall assemblies were well prepared, thoughtful and very much appreciated by the boys. It was entirely fitting that his farewell speech was not to the Common Room on his final day, but to the boys and colleagues from the stage in Great Hall, surrounded by the whole school and, after he had finished, acknowledged with a lengthy and heartfelt standing ovation.

Doug served three Headmasters – he was appointed by Alan Wright and worked also with Mervyn Brooker and with me. One touching end of term event was when several senior colleagues, including Alan and the Chair of Governors, gathered in the study to have lunch. It was an occasion full of fun and anecdotes. It spoke strongly of the sense of unchanging purpose over three decades whilst, paradoxically, there has been so much change. The Head of Year in 1993 could hardly have been dealing with the Social Media the Deputy Headmaster of 2018 was; but boys will be boys, and Doug knew their instincts and foibles well. Bolton School owes Doug an enormous debt of gratitude. We all wish him a long and happy retirement, doubtless full of long walks and ambitious expeditions, but also quiet reading and a good coffee. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Dr. James Reeson _______________________________________________________

The Staff Football Team 1995 Yet is was about the school corridors and first in B5, then in B1, where boys perhaps most remember Mr. Wardle. Five years as Head of Year 11, another five as Second Master and sixteen as Deputy Headmaster cemented his reputation as the embodiment of the

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ames joined Bolton School in 2005 as Head of Classics. A strong academic with a doctorate, he soon also proved to be an outstanding classroom teacher, inspiring a love of Classics in many boys and showing even those whose love of Latin was less strong, the purpose and power of understanding a little of the Ancient World.

School Notes Around school, he came to personify the subject and provided a strong profile for the Classics. In 2009, he reshaped the curriculum in Classics to allow all boys to study the subject to the end of Year 9, with a mix of Latin and Classical Civilisation options. He introduced Classical Civilisation as a GCSE to complement the existing A Level, whilst maintaining interest from that elite group who studied Latin and Greek at the highest level. There has been a steady stream of Oxbridge entrants during his leadership of the department. At a time when around the nation Classics may have been in some decline, he was a lively presence at Bolton School to maintain their place and momentum within school life. Not least, this would be exemplified by the trips and visits programme, whether to pottery collections, Hadrian’s Wall or the Bay of Naples. James was also a first-rate tutor, caring and, when needed, clear and purposeful in what he wished his middle school charges to do for him. His wit and eloquence, wide-ranging knowledge and selfeffacing manner endeared him to boys and colleagues alike. We wish him well as he crosses the Pennines to Bradford Grammar School to be closer to his family home. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Dr. Asad Altimeemy _______________________________________________________

sad joined the Physics Department in the September of 2006 as a teacher of Physics. He immediately made his presence felt by demonstrating his excellent subject knowledge and commitment to the role. He was very popular with his students, especially those in the Sixth Form. He was a great example and really inspired his students to do well and make progress. He contributed well in the department and developed detailed iBooks for each of the Physics topics at GCSE; he also did some work in developing schemes of work and end of topic tests. His extra-curricular contributions were well received by students interested in programming. Asad ran a very successful Raspberry Pi club, which was enjoyed by many students of all ages – he was very keen to inspire coders of the future. He also ran sessions to prepare students for the Physics Olympiad in Years 12 and 13. He motivated many students and they were very grateful for his extra input in this area.

Asad was also a dedicated form tutor, who accompanied his form on many Patterdale visits. He supported them and enabled them to flourish, even when they were finding work challenging. He enabled students to have good debates about scientific achievements and theories and encouraged them to question ideas, rather than just believing everything that is published. It has been a pleasure to work with Asad. His passion for the subject has been a great inspiration to everyone concerned. We wish him all the very best with his new company and hope that he enjoys success. Mr. M. Ormerod

Valete – Mr. Phil Howard _______________________________________________________

hil Howard joined Bolton School in September 2011 after two years teaching Mathematics at Thornleigh Salesian College. Phil decided to become a teacher after six years as a policeman and two years as an actuarial analyst. It was clear very quickly that Phil was a superb, innovative and dedicated teacher of Mathematics. He is an extremely knowledgeable mathematician, but his strength was in the classroom, where he enjoyed a strong and warm relationship with his pupils. He was comfortable with stretching the brightest and encouraging those who struggle. Those pupils he taught, knew that they had a teacher who not only cared about their education and could make even the most difficult of topics clear to understand, but also made lessons enjoyable. Phil was a valued member of the Mathematics Department within which his contribution was immense and appreciated by all; it will certainly be quieter without him being around. He would always go out of his way to help any pupil in his free time at any point in the day. Phil is also heavily involved with Edexcel, being a team leader on the A Level, and this experience was very valuable for the department, helping us to have an insight into how questions are marked. He has also being working his way towards a Masters whilst he has been working at Bolton – no mean feat. Aside from his involvement within the department, Phil also contributed to wider school life. He helped with School Badminton by running a session during the week and organising competitive fixtures against other schools. Phil was also in charge of the Community Action programme within school, which involved organising Primary Mathematics competitions and the organisation of a huge amount of volunteering taken on by a large number of boys in the school.

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School Notes His promotion to Head of Mathematics at Bury Girls’ was no surprise and thoroughly deserved and we wish him well in this new position. Phil’s energy and enthusiasm will be missed, and we wish him and his family all the best for the future. Mr. D.N. Palmer

Valete – Mr. Rob Lees _______________________________________________________

ob first left Bolton School in 1996, when he left the Sixth Form having been a boy here. He returned briefly to teach in 2002-03 before taking a commission in the Army. He returned to the School to teach in 2010. During his most recent time at Bolton, Rob has been energetic and passionate about improving as a teacher and building his skills in School Leadership. He taught Russian and Spanish, acting as Head of Spanish twice to cover maternity leaves. He was head of Manchester House, Head of Careers and most recently Head of Year 11, who left us with excellent results this summer. His teaching was well planned and connected, with boys of all abilities and inclinations – none were in doubt about what he expected, just as it was impossible not to have absorbed the many anecdotes from his army days; these added colour and humour to the classroom and became well known by his pupils. In taking on various roles in school, his characteristic was a willingness to listen and learn, an ability to ask for and take advice, whilst not being at all afraid of some hard work and making difficult decisions. He was a stalwart of many trips and was involved with Lower School Rugby teams. Rob was an active Old Boy before his return to school and maintained that whilst a teacher, doing much to engage his colleagues at school more closely with Old Boy events. I know we will see him in the future and hear more of his progress as Deputy Head (Pastoral) at Bury Boys’. Mr. P.J. Britton

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Valete – Miss Kate Brearley _______________________________________________________

ate Brearley joined Bolton School in 2013 and we are deeply in her debt for all that she gave the School in the past five years. Above all, her departure will be felt by the English Department. An excellent classroom practitioner, Kate was rigorous and erudite, compassionate and practical when assisting those who struggle, while also revelling in stretching the confident. Even having the Headmaster observe her teaching a particularly fruity section of ‘The History Boys’ was met with cheerful élan! A Linguistics graduate, she co-ordinated A Level English Language, steadily building the subject and offering a rare level of subject expertise from which students and colleagues benefitted immensely. Her contribution to English alone cannot however reflect all she gave the School. Enthusiastically, efficiently and with a certain dry humour, Kate oversaw the competitive zeal of the Scrabble Club, was The Bolt’s equivalent of Kay Graham and initiated a new course in Critical Thinking for Year 9. Her Lower School tutees were also the recipients of wise, fair and deeply principled guidance from her as a tutor. Kate is a deep and reflective thinker about education and the place of English within it, so it is unsurprising that she leaves us to take up a very well-deserved promotion as Head of English at Huddersfield Grammar School. Typically, even in her last weeks at the School, she co-constructed a new literacy course for Year 7, having already made a marked contribution to the re-writing of the new Key Stage 3 contribution. While Kate leaves, her legacy continues. We wish her the very best of success in her new role. Ms. H.K.R. Thomson

Valete – Mr. Weizhi Zhang _______________________________________________________

eizhi joined Bolton School in 2016, through a secondment from his school in China organised by the Confucious Institute. He joined us when the study of Mandarin had been part of the curriculum at Park Road for a few years and was just beginning in Senior School.

School Notes His expertise in language teaching allowed the subject to develop well and he was responsible for introducing the ‘YCT’ tests, which boys took online along with children in China to demonstrate their grasp of the language. At the point of his departure, he had begun to teach the first of the boys at GCSE level. Although the customs of the school were unfamiliar, he was always keen to join in, including attendance at the Old Boys’ December Dinner. He was an invaluable interpreter for Chinese visitors we have had over the years and a good source of cultural insight. It is a mark of how much a part of school life he had become in just two years that he intends to bring an exchange from his school in China to Bolton, and for them to stay at Patterdale, during the next academic year. Mr. P.J. Britton

New appointments to the teaching staff _______________________________________________________

eptember 2018 will see a number of changes to the Staff Common Room. Aside from the various colleagues who are represented in the valedictory section of the magazine, we also say farewell to our language assistants Mathieu Pollet (French) and Immaculada Ortega Perez (Spanish). From September, Mr. R.A. Catterall takes on the role of Deputy Head of Sixth Form and Mr. M.G. Chilton has been appointed Assistant Head of Sixth Form. Mr. H.S. Brown succeeds Mr. R. Lees as Head of Year 10, but relinquishes his role as Head of House; Mr. J.C. Moore has acquired this role. Mr. D.F. Teasdale has been appointed Head of SPACE as well as Year 7 Science Coordinator. Miss N.R. Lord has acquired an additional role and is now Director of Drama and Creative Partnerships. Miss H. Sherry has acquired the new role of Arts Mark Coordinator and Dr. S.W. Holland will assume responsibility for Careers. Mrs. J.L. Brewer has assumed the role of Lower School Art Coordinator. Mr. P. Costello, Mr. K.G. Brace and Mr. R. McMinn have been appointed as SCITT Coordinators. Mrs. M. Fox-Makin has been appointed as School Office Manager to succeed Mrs. J. Higham, who has been appointed as the Headmaster’s PA following Mrs. M. Leather’s retirement. There are also several new appointments to the School: Mrs. H.M. Brandon joins the Senior Management Team as Deputy Head (Pastoral). Mr. D.V.B. Lamb has been appointed as Head of Classics and Miss C.M.V. Buttigieg joins the department as Teacher of Classics. Mrs. K. Mills and Mr. G.D. Reavley have both been appointed as Teachers of Physics. Ms. K. Jagger has been appointed as Teacher of Mathematics and Ms. J.Z. Sigrist has been appointed as Teacher of English. Miss E.A. Bramhall has been appointed as Teacher of Chemistry and Mrs. J. White has been appointed as Teacher of Art. Mrs. M.A. Lapinskas has been appointed Teacher

of Spanish and Mrs. S. Chen has been appointed as Teacher of Mandarin. Mr. R. Humphreys and Mr. P. Shipley have been appointed as Proctors in these new pastoral roles and are in charge of Lower School and Middle School respectively. Mrs. A. Egan has been appointed as Activities Administrator within the School Office.

Tillotson Lecture _______________________________________________________

ctor, writer and former pupil Ralf Little, who left Bolton School in 1998, returned to his alma mater to deliver a humorous and instructive 45th Tillotson Lecture. Entitling the presentation “Reflecting on a 20 Year Career in the Arts” or “Ralf Little’s Unimportant Opinions”, he offered the audience of pupils, parents, teachers and the local community a series of lifehacks which he wished he had been told when he was a young man. Cleverly intertwining key moments in his life with 22 nuggets of advice, Ralf delivered an open and honest reflection on his findings so far. He explained that those aged over 40 might recall him from the television programme The Royle Family; those under 40 years of age from television’s Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps; and for anyone under 25, well television is like a long YouTube clip! He took the audience back to the beginning, recalling how he came through Bolton School’s Infant and Junior Schools before moving up to Senior School and making his way with a local drama group in his hometown of Bury. Aged 13, he landed a role in Sloggers, a television programme about a cricket team, much to the amusement of his classmates. This led him into life lesson number one: what people at school think about you does not matter! Ralf still felt indebted to the School’s Headmaster of the time, Mr. Alan Wright, for letting him take time off to pursue his acting and at the time was determined to work hard to repay the trust that had been placed in him. He proved himself a bright and capable pupil, acquiring 4 A*s and 7 As at GCSE. This was his second piece of advice: always keep your word and then people will believe in you. Acting was still a hobby for him as he moved on to take A Levels in Chemistry, Maths, Biology and Physics and he still had every intention of becoming a doctor. By his own admission, something went a bit awry at A Level, spending too much time playing football and focusing on extra-curricular activities and he made a mess of his

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School Notes mocks, failing everything. Shortly afterwards, he received his ‘big break’ and needed to be out of School for 12 weeks to film The Royle Family. This fed into his next piece of advice: own your mistakes, for you will make them! He again praised the extraordinary Head at the time who supported him, saying the School was about preparing rounded, unique individuals for the world, not just academics and if acting would make you a better person then you should do it. Suddenly Ralf’s life changed from getting up at 7.00am and waiting for the Ainsworth bus at the Bull’s Head to bring him to school to getting up at 5.30am to have a black cab pick him up and take him to Granada Studios. This prompted more advice: choosing the right path is hard, but never be afraid to take a risk. He also surmised that happiness is different to everyone and “is where you find it”. “When opportunity arrives, grab it”, he told the audience, “but also, have a back-up plan!” Having filmed The Royle Family, the schedulers did not air it until later that year and Ralf progressed to study Medicine at the University of Manchester. Three days into his studies, The Royle Family broke and it was an instant hit, which resulted in him attending four or five auditions a week, which proved costly as he travelled up and down to London on a student’s grant. Excusing himself from lessons proved awkward, as he was surrounded by doctors who wanted to know what the matter was with him! Life advice from this situation was sometimes you have to be fearless, but don’t string people along! Ralf also charted some of his learnings from social media. Facebook, he said, is for parents and Twitter is for arguments, but remember, wherever you post, what you say is there for life. Two years ago, he recalled sending an injudicious Tweet and instantly regretted it and deleted it, but it had already been re-tweeted 150 times! He told the audience that the best way to effectively delete a Tweet is before you press send. Despite the regret over the Tweet, he has also come to realise that you should always stay positive, as things pass. His next piece of advice, as he referenced his recent Twitter spat with Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, was don’t be afraid to state your convictions, but choose your words carefully. He recapped how he had Tweeted, questioning Jeremy Hunt’s figures on mental health after his appearance on the Andrew Marr Show. He was surprised to get a response and end up in a Twitter row, but said his challenge still remains on the table to have an on-air debate on Channel 4 News with Jeremy Hunt, medical professionals and fact-checkers. If the meeting comes about, he said he will be thoroughly prepared “like you would expect a Bolton School boy to be”; he also said he had inside knowledge as his younger brother is a doctor. Earlier in the day, Ralf spent time with pupils discussing how to juggle academic studies with other interests, delivering a masterclass to aspiring actors on the differences between stage, television and film acting and playing badminton with some of the School’s star players. The Tillotson Lecture, which is open to the general public, has attracted many eminent speakers over the years including Sir Ian McKellen, Lord Coe and Sir Philip Craven, and Michael Portillo MP.

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Remembrance Day Assembly _______________________________________________________

omorrow is the eleventh day of the eleventh month, and, at the eleventh hour, two minutes of silence will be kept throughout the nation and overseas to commemorate the signing of the Armistice at Compiègne, which brought to an end in 1918 the hostilities on the Western Front in the First World War. Today, on this tenth day of November, we make our own commemoration of those who laid down their lives for their country in two World Wars and other conflicts, and we remember most particularly those members of this School who were called to make that supreme sacrifice one hundred years ago. Before we consider more closely the detail of the circumstances of that sacrifice, it is worth calling to mind our own experience from the beginning of this term in September up to this tenth day of November, and before that to recall the days and weeks we spent from the 31st of July to the end of our Summer vacation. These have been days of pleasure and of work, and, even in our work, we have found much that must surely count as pleasure: learning new things in the Arts and in Science, renewing and extending friendships, taking pride in sporting success, setting the foundation for the future by applying to a university. For an earlier generation, the weeks from July 31st to this tenth day of November were not filled with such good things.

School Notes Each year, Remembrance Day sets before us the harrowing detail of others’ lives, their suffering and their loss. This year is no exception: indeed, in November 2017 we are duty bound to recall what is arguably the most harrowing and appalling of all narratives of the two world wars, the conflict we know as the Third Battle of Ypres, or simply and most starkly, Passchendaele.

heavy clay; moreover, with the heaviest rainfall for thirty years, the whole area became a quagmire. Tanks were immobilized; rifles were clogged; men and horses were swallowed and drowned in the thick reeking mud. The scarred face of the Belgian landscape, a hellish panorama, is memorably preserved in the photographs of Frank Hurley and the paintings of Paul Nash.

Ten members of this School lost their lives during this period and, later in this Assembly, we shall call to remembrance their lives and their service, and Daniel Morrison, Harvey Haworth and Logan Molyneaux will lay wreaths for them and all members of this School who were killed in the two World Wars. Many members of the School have recently gained personal experience of their predecessors’ sacrifice when they have visited the cemeteries maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This year is the centenary year of the Commission, founded in 1917 by Fabian Ware as the Imperial War Graves Commission. Tyne Cot outside Passchendaele is the largest of the grounds maintained by the Commission: nearly 50,000 men are commemorated there.

Those who survived were caught in a mud-drenched stalemate. We cannot imagine their suffering: the effects of trench foot were appalling and for these men, keeping the feet dry was impossible.

The procession of wreaths The Third Battle of Ypres ended a hundred years ago today. It had been conceived as an ambitious but necessary action. U-boats sailing from the Belgian coast were wreaking havoc on the Royal Navy and British merchant fleet. The Navy had warned the British government that the country could well collapse by 1918 if this were to continue. Thus the Commander in Chief of the Allied forces, Field Marshal Haig, wanted the British Expeditionary Force to break out of the Ypres salient, and make its way north to the coast to attack the U-boat pens and put an end to the threat they posed. The early stages of the offensive were in some ways encouraging, but, as with the Somme, the enormous bombardment lasting two weeks, in which 3000 guns fired 4.5 million shells, made little impression on strong German fortifications. The sheer scale of the artillery deployment is staggering: far more than was used at the Battle of the Somme, with British guns concentrated to provide one for every 5.2 yards of ground to be attacked. However, as had happened elsewhere, the constant shelling completely destroyed the drainage system of the locality – low-lying ground composed of thick

The conditions are presented clearly in a contemporary eye-witness account by Lord Douglas of Kirtleside, who as Sholto Douglas commanded 84 Squadron’s SE5 fighters in low-level attacks against the Germans. “What I saw was nothing short of horrifying. The ground over which our infantry and light artillery were fighting was one vast churnedup muck and mud, and everywhere, lip to lip, there were shell holes full of water… It was difficult for us to pick out our targets in the morass because everything on the ground, including the troops, was the same colour as that dreadful mud.” Between 31st July and 10th November, in addition to the French, significant numbers from today’s Commonwealth countries were fully engaged in this action: men from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Newfoundland and South Africa – Hindus and Muslims alike. Additionally, servicemen from India and the West Indies, labourers from China and of course doctors and nurses, all played their part in this tragically wasteful endeavour – one of the most gruelling of the war, an action in which scarcely a family in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales was unaffected. Strangely, the opening day of the battle saw the deaths of two famous, greatly respected, much loved poets, the English writer, Francis Ledwidge, so-called “poet of the blackbirds”, and from Wales, the renowned author Ellis Humphrey Evans, better known by his bardic name, Hedd Wyn, who died on Pilckem Ridge. Passchendaele has become an indelible part of Welsh cultural memory: twenty thousand first-language Welshspeaking soldiers were killed. It will be known to all in this Great Hall that each year, the Welsh language is celebrated at the Eisteddfod, the annual festival when people compete in singing, dancing and reciting poetry. How far from human carnage all those activities seem. In Summer 1917, Ellis Evans was chosen as winner of the Chair, the highest honour of the Eisteddfod reserved for the artists who had mastered the traditional Welsh verse form cynghanedd. Sixteen days before he died on the battlefield, shot in the stomach, every soldier’s worst fear, Private Evans had posted his submission to the festival; he would not know it would win him the Chair. At the Eisteddfod of 1917, the Chair stood empty and was draped in a black cloth. To this day, the ‘black chair’, Y Gadair Ddu, is the poignant symbol of Wales’ loss of their revered Hedd Wyn. I am greatly indebted this day to my colleague, Mr. Ian Hughes, who has most kindly agreed to recite for us the words of the poem ‘Rhyfel’, or ‘War’, written by Hedd Wyn, and then the words he composed for

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School Notes his friend David Owen Evans of Blaenau Ffestiniog, who was killed in the trenches. Mae’r hen delynau genid gynt, Yng nghrog ar gangau’r helyg draw, A gwaedd y bechgyn lond y gwynt, A’u gwaed yn gymysg efo’r glaw. The harps to which we sang are hung On willow boughs, and their refrain Drowned by the anguish of the young Whose blood is mingled with the rain. With the assistance of members of Year 10, Max Kelly, Jude Ashcroft, Thomas Higham, Nathan Glynn, Jacob Whetton, Emmett BrennanCalland and Husain Umarji, we now commemorate the lives of ten men whose early years were spent learning and teaching in this School and whose anniversaries occur at this time. Lieutenant George Glaister, 1st/5th Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 31st July 1917, aged 27 George Glaister was the son of Alfred Glaister, one of Bolton’s leading businessmen, the owner of several bleachworks in the town. He lived in Breighmet Hall, Bolton. He was a pupil at the School for just a few months, leaving to take up a directorship at the Mill Hill Bleachworks. A talented player of football, he was a member of the Worsley Club and the Lancashire Wanderers. He enlisted in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment soon after war was declared and he received his commission in April 1915. He was killed during the battle of Pilckem Ridge, Ypres. He is buried in the Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery. Lance Corporal Gerald Arthur Charrington, 2nd/5th Battalion the King’s Liverpool Regiment, died of wounds 31st July 1917, aged 19 Gerald Arthur Charrington was the son of a former professional soldier, Company Sergeant Major George Charrington, who came to be employed by Bolton School as the Head of the School Cadet Force, Swimming Baths Instructor and Caretaker. In the early days of the war, he returned to his regiment and his son Gerald took over the running of the School Swimming Baths. He himself joined the King’s Liverpool Regiment in 1915. The circumstances of his death are not known, but he is buried in the Étaples Military Cemetery, the largest in France to be maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Private Alexander James Robinson, 12th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, killed in action 31st July 1917, aged 20 Alexander Robinson was a pupil at the School from 1906 till 1910 when his father, a Congregationalist clergyman, took a post in the town of Lytham. He continued his education at the King Edward VII School in that town until he joined the Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in January, 1915. His parents received notification of his death in action in 1917 from his company Sergeant Major, who reported that he had sustained injury from a rifle shot whilst acting

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as runner between trenches. His wound had been treated and it was assumed he had gone on to a medical station, but he was never seen again nor was his body found. His name is recorded as one of the fallen on the Menin Gate Memorial. Lance Sergeant Harry Rostron, 5th Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 31st July 1917, aged 28 Harry Rostron joined the School aged 12 in 1900 and left in 1904 to join the staff of the Williams Deacon’s Bank in Bolton. He enlisted barely a month after the war began. Badly wounded in September 1916, he was sent home to convalesce, returning to the front in February 1917. He was killed in one of the fierce actions at Ypres and is buried in the Buffs Road Cemetery near the town of Wieltje. Private Thomas Hart Partington, 1st/5th Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 1st August 1917, aged 20 Thomas Partington was born in 1896, the son of a schoolteacher. On leaving Bolton School, he was employed at the Atherton branch of the Manchester and County Bank, subsequently taking a post in the Bolton branch. He enlisted in September 1914, aged 17, and by the following February, he was serving in France, assigned to assist the stretcher-bearer section of his regiment. He was killed during the Ypres campaign. His body was never recovered and his name is found on the Menin Gate Memorial. Lance Corporal Herbert Brindle, 59th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, killed in action 23rd September 1917, aged 27 Herbert Brindle was a pupil in the School from 1903 to 1906. He was for a time, a student teacher. He trained at Westminster Teacher Training College and took the post of Assistant Master at the Emmanuel Church of England School in Birmingham. He enlisted in October 1914, and in July 1915 was serving in France as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Within months, his bravery was recognised and he received the Military Medal for rescuing wounded men under heavy shellfire. On well-deserved leave in Bolton, he was married in May 1917; however, he was killed on 23rd September that year, accompanying stretcher-bearers deployed on the front line. He is buried in the Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery in Belgium. Private John Lilburne Davison, 7th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, killed in action 26th September 1917, aged 24 John Davison entered the School in 1904. He left in 1909 and joined the library service of Bolton Council. Promotion followed swiftly and, before the war began, he had been appointed Assistant Librarian at Goldsmith’s College, London University. In the war, he served as a signaller. It is not known how he was killed: it is assumed that, like so many others, he fell victim to a heavy artillery barrage concentrated on British lines. A month before his death, his parents had received news that their older son had been killed, who had been serving with the Sikh pioneers in Punjab. Second Lieutenant Herbert Green Ainsworth, 9th Battalion the Manchester Regiment, killed in action 9th October 1917, aged 23 Herbert Green was born in Egerton in 1894. He was a pupil at

School Notes the School from 1908 to 1911, when he became a bank clerk. In 1915, he became a member of the Manchester University Officers’ Training Corps, and he proceeded to take a Commission as Second Lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment. He was killed in the battle of Poelcappelle, three days before the beginning of the Passchendaele offensive. Lieutenant Ainsworth’s body was not recovered; his name is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial. Lieutenant Fred George Carrie, 5th Battalion the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 26th October 1917, aged 20 On leaving Bolton School in 1913, Fred Carrie took employment in the Treasurer’s department of the Bolton Council. He enlisted in November 1914 and the following August, received his Commission as Second Lieutenant with the Loyals; in October, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. On the 26th of that month, he was killed during the second action at Passchendaele. He had been chosen to lead his company into attack, a signal honour for one so young, but he had been killed by a sniper’s bullet and, mercifully, died instantly. He too is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. To these names can be added that of Rifleman Robert Stanley Chapman, 2nd/5th (City of London) Battalion, London Rifle Brigade, who died of his wounds on 22nd September 1917, aged 26. Robert Chapman had a teaching post at Bolton School in 1915. Educated at St. Olave’s School, King’s College, London and Pembroke College, Oxford, he taught History, English and Latin here. Before war broke out, he was studying Theology, with a view to seeking Holy Orders.

lads to bits; there were bits of men all over the place – a terrible sight, men just blown to nothing. I just stood there. It was still and misty, and I could taste their blood in the air. I couldn’t move. I stood there staring. Then an officer came across and shouted we were too far left and must go half right. I would have probably been dead but for him jolting me out of it. These men had just been killed and we just had to wade through them to get on. That’s one thing I’ll never forget: what I saw and what I smelt.” The second extract is from a letter written by an unidentifed German officer, who signs his name as Otto, writing on 20th September 1917: Dear mother, On the morning of the 18th, the dug-out containing seventeen men was shot to pieces over our heads. I am the only one who withstood the maddening bombardment of three days and still survives. You cannot imagine the frightful mental torments I have undergone in those few hours. After crawling out through the bleeding remnants of my comrades and the smoke and debris, and wandering and fleeing in the midst of the raging artillery fire in search of refuge, I am now awaiting death at any moment. You do not know what Flanders means. Flanders means endless endurance. Flanders means blood and scraps of human bodies. Flanders means heroic courage and faithfulness, even unto death.

For all this detail, we are indebted to the research carried out by Dr. Eric McPherson, author of the invaluable book, ‘Remembered with Honour – the Old Boys and Staff of Bolton School who died in two World Wars’. It is a great pleasure to welcome him to this platform this morning as he joins us in this Act of Commemoration along with the second of the Headmaster’s guests today, Mr. David Shaw, sometime Deputy Headmaster of the School. Passchendaele has become synonymous with failure: principally, the wasteful strategy of committing, time and again, huge numbers of men to assaults that were intended to wear down enemy fire. Haig had sought to justify the strategy of attrition, saying, “It was necessary. We could take more casualties than the Germans because we had more resources. That made it worthwhile.” Few, if any, would make such a claim about the use of human “resources” today. Behind the sorry narrative of costly, or some might argue, misconceived strategy, the statistics of lives lost, numbers injured, rounds shot and miles or even yards of territory gained and subsequently lost, there are the personal records of those who were there – simple, but priceless to those who received them. Private Bert Ferns, the 2nd / 6th Lancashire Fusiliers wrote of the way his officer said, “Come on, lads, it’s our turn.” And he continued: “I staggered up the hill and froze and became very frightened because a big shell had just burst and blown a group of

SCHOOL NOTES 11

School Notes Words cannot adequately convey the nature of such courage; but it can readily be noted that acts of courage and selflessness are a matter of record. On the very first day of this battle, the Victoria Cross was won more times than on any other single day of battle throughout the First World War; throughout the whole campaign, sixty-one were awarded. Most notably at this battle, the Victoria Cross was earned a second time by Captain Noel Chavasse of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was a most remarkable and very valiant man. The son of the Bishop of Liverpool, Chavasse had earned a First in Philosophy at Trinity College, Oxford. In the 1908 Olympics, he and his brother, Christopher, had competed in the 400 metre event. In August 1916, already the recipient of the Military Cross, Chavasse was awarded the Victoria Cross for saving the lives of twenty men, whose wounds he tended under heavy fire. On July 31st, carrying out the same task, he sustained a wound to his skull on the first evening of the battle. His wound was bandaged, but he refused to be evacuated and he insisted on returning to the field where, again under heavy fire and in atrocious weather, he attended the wounded in No Man’s Land and saved several lives. Tragically, on 2nd August, the post where he was resting was hit by a shell. All those present were either killed or grievously wounded. Despite his injuries, Chavasse managed to crawl half a mile to get help for the men. An operation was performed on a most serious wound to his abdomen, but he died on 4th August, having managed to dictate a letter setting out the reason he had refused to return to England. His words seem to sum up the attitude of his generation: “Duty called and duty must be obeyed”.

got hold of his arms and tried to pull him out, this did not produce much result and we had to be careful ourselves not to slip in with him. We finally procured a rope and managed to loop it securely under his armpits… We tugged at that rope with the strength of desperation in an effort to save him, but he was fast in the mud and beyond human aid. Reluctantly, the party had to leave him to his fate… The poor fellow… begged me to shoot him rather than leave him to die a miserable death by suffocation. I did not want to do this, but thinking of the agonies he would endure if I left him… I decided a quick death would be a merciful ending. I am not afraid to say therefore that I shot this man at his own most urgent request, thus releasing him from a far more agonising end. This is part of the grim reality that lies at the heart of the historical fact that we commemorate today. With the help of Balkrishna Ramji, who will play on the pipes a Scottish lament and Mr. Michael Pain, we use the two great gifts of music and of silence so that we may reflect on all we owe to those who gave their lives in that conflict and to those who are still socalled in the ‘fight against terror’.

Second Lieutenant Glyn Morgan was recommended posthumously for an award. He was killed on 1st August 1917, and he had written to his father a letter that was to be read in the event of his death: You, I know, my dear Dad, will bear the shock as bravely as you have always borne the strain of my being out here; yet I should like, if possible, to help you to carry on with as stout a heart as I hope to jump the bags… My one regret is that the opportunity has been denied me to repay you to the best of my ability for the lavish kindness and devotedness which you have always shown to me… however, it may be that I have done so in the struggle between Life and Death, between England and Germany, Liberty and Slavery. In any case, I shall have done my duty in a little way.

The Headmaster with his guests and Dr. Holland with the team of readers, wreath bearers and piper. Dr. S. W. Holland

Founders’ and Benefactors’ Assembly _______________________________________________________

In case it should be thought that one quotes that source and the records of the Victoria Cross whose motto is simply ‘For Valour’ in order to glorify war, I should now read Wilfred Owen’s denunciation of the concept ‘Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori’. But I have read that aloud many times before in this Hall and in classrooms. Instead, I choose to close with the words of Colonel Newbould, a most distinguished battle tours veteran, who was present at the Front:

he May Bank Holiday was the anniversary of the death of Lord Leverhulme, who died in 1925. Marking the occasion, in what is now an annual event, Mr. Britton gave an insight into the history of Bolton School in his Founders’ and Benefactors’ Assembly.

While I and others were taking supplies into the line at Ypres, we waded through mud all the way… One of our men was unfortunate enough to step out of line and fall into one of the mud-holes… We

Boys from Years 7-13 were reminded that the first record of Bolton School as a going concern dates back to 1516, the same year that Henry VIII was looking for a son with his first wife! The Headmaster

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School Notes also touched upon Robert Lever endowing what was the Bolton Grammar School in 1644, the same year as the Siege of Bolton in the English Civil War, and on the formation of Bolton School (Boys’ Division and Girls’ Division) as we know it today in 1915 by Lord Leverhulme. However, Mr. Britton chose to focus on two more recent events in this year’s assembly: the building of the Chemistry Block and The Tillotson Pavilion, both of which occurred sixty years ago in 1958. Sixth Form students Thomas Mair and Sa’ood Mulla delivered brief insights into what the world and Bolton were like in that year and noted that it was the year that Sir Ian McKellen left as Captain of the School. The Headmaster praised the tenure of Mr. Poskitt, who was Headmaster from 1933-66 and effectively oversaw much of the building of the School that we recognise today. In 1957, the East Wing was completed, which allowed an expansion of student numbers and the Chemistry Department determined to move out of the main school building and, thanks to the benefaction of local businesses, moved to its own stand-alone, purpose-built block. Two scholars that watched it being built went on to great things in the field. Professor Malcolm Stevens OBE FRS was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his work in the fight against cancer; he now gives support to current pupils through the Stevens Bursary Fund. Professor Sir Harry Kroto was given a knighthood and the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his part in the discovery of buckminsterfullerenes, also known as ‘buckyballs’, carbon atoms found in the form of a ball.

Considering the Tillotson Pavilion, the Headmaster told how this was opened by Fred Tillotson, who was the key benefactor in its construction. The School has been linked with the Tillotson family for many generations, including with Marcus Tillotson, who lent his name to the School’s prestigious Tillotson Lectures and, in the present day, Peter Tillotson will shortly deliver a dedication to the large outdoor clock, which was recently installed on the Pavilion. The Head told the boys that they should embed themselves in a shared history. He also said that all the aforementioned and successful former pupils told him upon their return that it was not just the qualifications that they left Bolton School with that set them up for success, but the attitude and approach to life that they had had instilled in them.

The assembly ended with the singing of the recently reintroduced School Song Forty Years On.

Senior Prizegiving _______________________________________________________

his year was “the hottest Prizegiving on record”, according to the Headmaster’s welcome. With the summer sunshine streaming in through the windows, the prizes were presented and address given by Old Boy Mr. Stuart Brooks CMG (1956-1966), who spent thirty-two years with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before moving to work at Chevron, where he is now entering his eighteenth year. The assembled audience also enjoyed further reviews of the school year from Chair of Governors Mr. Michael Griffiths and Headmaster Mr. Philip Britton, interspersed with musical accompaniment from pupils.

For the first time since 1966, the School song Forty Years On was part of the Prizegiving programme. Mr. Britton remarked that 1966 coincidentally was also the year Mr. Brooks was last at Prizegiving and also the last time England won the World Cup, so suggested that singing it again might perhaps bring footballing luck! In his address, Mr. Griffiths welcomed Mr. Brooks, congratulated the prizewinners, and thanked staff and parents for their support. He went on to speak about the importance of links with Old Boys and

SCHOOL NOTES 13

School Notes the Governors’ continued vision for the School as an integrated part of the community, capable of overcoming the issues of affordability and accessibility through the Bursary Fund. He also mentioned the Whole School Community Initiative of the Year Award, which the School received at the TES Independent School Awards. He ended by wishing those who are leaving School this summer good luck, and advising them to follow their instincts, make a difference for good and have fun. Prizegiving this year introduced two new prizes: the Ralf Little Prize and the Dobson Prize, both named after Old Boys. The Ralf Little Prize is awarded to acknowledge an exceptional contribution to the School’s extra-curricular Arts output. The Dobson Prize is given to the most promising student of Technology in Year 13 and aims to encourage pupils in their study of Engineering.

Mr. Brooks gave a thoughtful address, filled with nuggets of good advice. He first of all reminded pupils that the evening’s prizewinners may not be the ones invited back in future years: he himself did not receive a Monitor’s badge! He then spoke about things that have changed for the better since his school days, such as the introduction of the NHS and dramatic shifts in ethics, law and attitudes towards racism and social mobility. He briefly recounted his thirty-year career with the Foreign Office, particularly mentioning his work in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles and in the Moscow Embassy during the communist regime and the fall of the Berlin Wall. He also discussed what it was like to work with politicians such as Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. Mr. Brooks counselled pupils to “take the long view”, no matter how complex political situations may seem, as in his time he has seen several ‘intractable’ situations become resolved. While putting Global Warming into context alongside other threats faced in his lifetime, he advised that things will probably not turn out as badly as initial reports suggest and said that having passion

14 SCHOOL NOTES

and conviction is not incompatible with perspective. His final words of advice were to question so-called established wisdom, be open to all opportunities and experiences, remain relentlessly curious, and travel as widely as possible. Mr. Brooks ended his address with a few nostalgic words about his school days and early travels, before thanking his audience and speaking of the “surprise and honour” he felt at being invited to give the Prizegiving Address. Matthew Schaffel, the incoming School Captain, gave a vote of thanks, which celebrated Mr. Brooks’ long international career in the diplomatic service and thanked him for his insights and advice. Finally, the Headmaster gave his review of the year, looking back on the successes of the past twelve months. In Sport, he paid tribute to the Under 18 and Under 15 Water polo teams, who defended the School’s titles, and also various achievements in Table Tennis, Badminton, Football and Rugby. In more academic pursuits, he spoke of the CREST Awards, ChemQuiz, MUN, MFL Debating and hosting the first Northern Young Scientists Journal conference. He also mentioned the School’s Platinum Artsmark and led a round of applause for pupils who have achieved Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards. In addition, Mr. Britton bid farewell to members of staff who are leaving this summer: Mr. Zhang, Miss Brearley, Mr. Howard, Mr. Lees, Dr. Altimeemy, Dr. Reeson, and Deputy Headmaster Mr. Wardle; they each received a round of applause. Prizegiving ended with the singing of ‘Jerusalem’. During the course of the evening, there were three musical performances from students: Praeludium and Allegro (Kreisler) from violinist Victor Chow, Evermore Without You (David Zippel & Andrew Lloyd Webber) performed by Nicholas Clark and accompanied by Dominic Hardy on flute, and Andaluza (Spanish Dance) (Granados) from pianist Alex Gao. At the beginning and end of the ceremony, the Great Hall was filled with organ music provided by Senior Organ Scholar Ben Chowdhury.

School Notes Senior Prizewinners 2018

POPPLEWELL SCHOLARSHIP: Tom Paterson 13f Luke Cavanaugh 13g EMMA SAXELBY (French): Tom Paterson 13f Peter Johnson 12g METCALFE (Modern Languages): MAYNARD ANDREWS (German): Sam Warburton 13f CLIVE WILLIS (Spanish): Siddarth Nandalan 13i WATERHOUSE (Russian): Tom Paterson 13f GEOFFREY ROSSETTI (English): Luke Cavanaugh 13g Aden Stephenson 11c LIPSCOMB (Speech & Drama): THE RALF LITTLE PRIZE: Mohammad Master 13g BARONESS MORRIS: Tom Paterson 13f ROBERT AINSWORTH (Classics): Sam Warburton 13f H.T. LANE (Biology): Thomas Mair 13e VICTOR LAMBERT (Medical Studies): Ali Khalid 13d KIRKMAN (Biology): Balkrishna Ramji 13j SCIENCE INVESTIGATION: Ali Khalid 13d WARBURTON (Geography): Thomas Mair 13e LEIGH-BRAMWELL GEOGRAPHY PROJECT: Yusuf Adia 11c JUNIOR GEOGRAPHY: Luke Pek 9f BRAMWELL (Economics): Siddarth Nandalan 13i WILLIAM BROWN (History): Morgan Skeels-Caldwell 13f PENSTON MEMORIAL (History) 1st: Jack Swires 9d PENSTON MEMORIAL (History) 2nd: Moinuddin Master 9e ETHEL WIGGLESWORTH (Organ): Ben Chowdhury 11e BRIERLEY (Violin): Victor Chow 12f METCALFE (Music): James Stevens 13f DeMAINE (Choral): Jean-Paul Asumu 12g PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION (Chemistry): Ross Pursey 13g MELMOTH 1803 (Chemistry): Ali Ahmed 9c PHYSICS: Henry Webb 13g STONER (Physics): David Hawkins 10a Tyler Titley 10a RELIGIOUS STUDIES: Adam Vahed 11e HIGGINSON (Art): Will Hardy 11f

TILLOTSON (Typography): JARY (Art): BRABBIN (Art & Tech): MELLOWDEW (Design & Tech): DOBSON PRIZE (Engineering): BAGGLEY (ICT): AINSWORTH (Mathematics): TOM WATSON (Statistics): JOHN BLAKEY: GARDNER-TAYLOR: ALDERMAN STEELE: STEELE: RYLEY (Community Service): FRANK BROWN (Year 13): FRANK BROWN (Year 12): FRANK BROWN (Year 11): FRANK BROWN (Year 10): FRANK BROWN (Year 9): FRANK BROWN (Year 8): FRANK BROWN (Year 7): BERNARD CROSSLEY AWARD: SPECIAL ENDEAVOUR AWARD: GRANT KINNIE AWARD: RON BOOTH: NORMAN DAVIES (All Rounder): SIMMONDS: WAINWRIGHT (Blackburn): WAINWRIGHT (Chorley): WAINWRIGHT (Manchester): WAINWRIGHT (Wigan): FRANK GREENE: FRANK GREENE: BOLTON GRAMMAR OLD BOYS:

Luke James 12b Stewart Knights 13e Daniel Morrison 13a Daniel Morrison 13a Alexander Young 13e Shubham Jain 13g Henry Webb 13g Shubham Jain 13g Alex Gao 11e Luke Cavanaugh 13g Dylan Feingold 13c Veer Patel 7f Christopher Jacob 12d George Morgan 13d Dom Hardy 12i Jack Hainey 11d Thomas Platt 10b Scott Bowden 9b Mihir Patel 8e Evan Weston 7b Sam Ryder 12c Edward Bailey 12j Will Hardy 11f Jos Winstanley 12i Jack Phillips 12h Matthew Schaffel 12b Dan Southworth 13b Rehan Udwadia 13b Harvey Haworth 12e George Morgan 13d Thomas Mair 13e Sa’ood Mulla 13j Tom Paterson 13f

SCHOOL NOTES 15

School Notes Lower School Prizegiving _______________________________________________________

he inaugural Lower School Prizegiving celebrated the successes, achievements and wide-ranging participation of boys in Years 7 to 9. The three year groups were joined in the Great Hall for this special morning assembly by their families. The event took place one week after Senior Prizegiving and followed the same format, opening with a welcome from the Headmaster, Mr. Philip Britton, and the singing of the School Song, Forty Years On. Between the presentations of awards and the address, there was also a performance of Nocturne in C# Minor from William Miles in Year 9, the Lower School winner of the Young Musician of the Year Award.

put in spirited performances all the way to the County Semi-final; and in Football, the Under 13s reached the Semi-finals of the ISFA Cup and Year 8 boys enjoyed the Holland Tour. There were also many individual triumphs. The year’s highlights were not confined to the sporting arena. Lower School boys developed their public speaking, poetry and prose delivery and debating ability, and covered a diverse range of topics in the Lecture competitions. The Lower School play, ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’, was an entertaining triumph, and Lower School musicians have performed in concerts throughout the year and competed in the Young Musician and Young Composer of the Year Awards. Pupils’ enthusiastic involvement in a wide range of House Activities and charity work was also commended. Mrs. Waller also referenced the boys’ “individual, simple daily efforts to engage with school life and succeed”. She talked about their academic commitment and desire to learn and the hundreds of hours they have dedicated to the various clubs on offer. She talked about the Lower School Council, which has met throughout the year to represent pupils’ views. She ended her review by commending pupils’ character: “Collectively you are intelligent, resilient, wellmannered, thoughtful, calm, considered and humble young men and, in a world where those qualities are not always apparent, you should take pride in that fact.”

In her Review of the Year, Mrs. Waller said of the awards, “They will have required hard work, sacrifice, determination, resilience, effort, co-operation and willingness; all the important ingredients which go into making happy, successful and fulfilled young men and all things that we look for and seek to develop in boys at Bolton School.”

She mentioned the wide range of activities that pupils have taken part in throughout the year. Almost two thirds of the Lower School have represented Bolton School in Sport: they have helped to continue the School’s dominance in Water polo; the Under 14 Badminton team reached the National Final and finished fifth overall; the Under 13 Rugby team reached the County Final; the Under 13 Cricket team

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The awards were then presented to pupils by the Headmaster. Academic and extra-curricular achievements alike were celebrated, and in addition there were prizes given for development and improvement, participation in House and Patterdale activities and contribution to the Lower School Council. The Lower School Award for Eloquence was also presented.

Finally, Mr. Britton gave a closing address and the Lower School Prizegiving came to an end with the singing of ‘Jerusalem’.

School Notes Lower School Prizewinners _______________________________________________________ FORM TUTOR’S AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT:

Jake Partington 7a Ben Rimmer 7b Jayden Luhar 7c Ahmed Imran 7d Sam Paton 7e Alexander McKie 7f

Neeraj Singh 8a Zane Nirodi 8b Neerav Patel 8c James Logan 8d Sam Abram 8e Dev Ranka 8f

Max Rimmer 9a Alex Utley 9b Ben Bruton 9c Andrew Jacob 9d Matthew Mair 9e James Hopknson 9f

FORM TUTOR’S AWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT & IMPROVEMENT:

Archie Stocks 7a Nathan Elcock 7b Fletcher Mellor-Brook 7c Levi Higham 7d Yash Panasa 7e Akindi Heywood 7f

John Oxley-Harrison 8a George Seddon 8b Morgan Kirkpatrick 8c Rhys Davies 8d Jeffrey Chan 8e Haseeb Hajee 8f

Hamza Adam 9a Isaac Simmonite 9b Harvey Leigh 9c Ibrahim Ali 9d Freddie Holt-Gregson 9e Daniel Williamson 9f

COMMENDATIONS:

Jayden Luhar 7c Neerav Patel 8c Jack Swires 9d

HOUSEMASTER’S AWARD FOR PARTICIPATION:

BLACKBURN Levi Higham 7d Sam Johnson 8e Matthew Settle 9f

CHORLEY Alexander McKie 7f Awal Hassan 8e Ben Bruton 9c MANCHESTER Archie Stocks 7a Muhammad Choudhary 8a Sean Dobson 9c WIGAN Ted Kay 7e Anupam Tripathi 8e James Hopkinson 9f AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL:

Jonathon Brennan 7a Shahzeb Syed 8f Ben Whittle 9a

LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIR:

Sean Dobson 9c

LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL VICE-CHAIR:

Maani Parsai 9c

PARTICIPATION AND ACHIEVEMENT AT PATTERDALE HALL:

Tom Griffiths 7e Tom Brocklehurst 8f Ben Hunt 9e

EXCELLENCE IN EXTRA- CURRICULAR COMMITMENT:

Cameron Geskell 7b Laurence Britton 8a James Hopkinson 9f

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN MUSIC:

Harry Adams 7e Jamie Death 8a William Miles 9c

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN CREATIVE ARTS:

Billy Burrows 7b Henry Nuttall 8e Finley Littlefair 9d

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN SPORT:

Henry Ainscough 7c Tom Darbyshire 8c Ben Price 9c

LOWER SCHOOL AWARD FOR ELOQUENCE:

Jayden Luhar 7c Marcus Ashall-Payne 8e James Roberts 9f

SCHOOL NOTES 17

School Notes The Leverhulme Festival _______________________________________________________

ver 50 boys from Years 7-13 took part in The Leverhulme Festival at Port Sunlight. Activities took place across the site and included drama and music in the Lever Art Gallery, exhibitions and communal art in Bridge Cottage (once the home of Lord Leverhulme) and pupil-led tours, geocaching and treasure hunts out of the Port Sunlight Museum, as well as community art workshops in the basement of the gallery, led by the students themselves. Sunday 1st July 2018 was a glorious day in the village of Port Sunlight, the perfect day to celebrate the works of a great philanthropist, Lord Leverhulme. It was a day of family fun, enjoyed by pupils, parents, governors including George Apsion, who is the great-grandson of Lord Leverhulme, and the general public. With the stunning artwork of the Lady Lever Art Gallery as a backdrop, boys acted out, under the directorship of RoughHouse Theatre, the final performance of ‘My Room My Bolton’ inspired by the Mass Observation project of the 1930s. Elsewhere on the site, artwork by the Young Artists’ Collective was displayed at Bridge Cottage and students were on hand to talk about their work whilst undertaking communal drawing. Musical accompaniment for the afternoon was provided by the boys’ Junior String Quartet, Senior String Quartet, the Guitar Quartet, the Brass Group and a number of piano soloists.

The evening concluded with an awards ceremony, presided over by Governor George Apsion, which saw Matthew Hope win The Lady Lever Arts Award for innovative and creative extra-curricular work,

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Sam Warburton win The Port Sunlight Trust Award for dedication to creative work in the community and Jack Swires win The Lord Leverhulme Award for leadership in extra-curricular work.

School Notes

Monitors 2017-18 Back Row: Stewart Knights, Josh Kendal, Harrison Barker-Smith, Tom Stephenson, Shubham Jain, George Hill, Joe Smith, Alex Ramwell, Tom Ryder, Luke Cavanaugh, Steven Prescott. Middle Row: Sam Warburton, Ross Pursey, Manraj Notay, Jake Williamson, Andrew Mattison, David Meadows, Dylan Feingold, Ryan Thakrar, Siddarth Nandalan, Sam Bowden, Ben Sykes, Sammy Gatenby, Adam Hall, Ali Khalid. Front Row: Henry Xiao, Alex Young, Sina Ghanbari-Saheli, Jamie Fernandes, Sam Croston, Henry Webb, Thomas Mair (Vice-Captain), Tom Paterson (Captain), Saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ood Mulla (Vice-Captain), Sam Smethurst, Milo Holmes, George Morgan, Morgan Skeels-Caldwell, Akshay Pal, Balkrishna Ramji.

Class of 2018

SCHOOL NOTES 19

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects SPACE _______________________________________________________

PACE has now become an established part of the school routine since its introduction in 2013. A significant proportion of the PSHE and Careers provision for all year groups is delivered in SPACE via visiting speakers. Boys are also given the opportunity to experience a wide range of different activities, with the Triad Programme for Years 7 to 9 in the Spring Term being particularly popular, offering such diverse options as outdoor activities (water sports, climbing, hill walking, cycling, bushcraft), or, for the less energetic, cookery, yoga, astronomy and, new for this year, bell ringing and the very popular and exciting special effects make-up.

Cancer Trust. The total profit raised by Year 9 this year from their initial £600 investment was in excess of £3000, a wonderful effort, more than double the amount raised last year. Changes to the curriculum meant that Years 10 and 11 were unable to take part in the usual fortnightly sessions; however, they had their own dedicated SPACE Days at various times during the year. Year 10 took part in the Stoner Physics Prize and Duke of Edinburgh Award, as well as enjoying visits from guest speakers, including the Army Day, which was, unfortunately, affected by the weather.

The Year 9 Social Entrepreneurship scheme goes from strength to strength. One group of boys used their £25 investment to purchase the ingredients and jars for making and selling marmalade; their mini business grew to such an extent that they were able to return a handsome profit of £878 for their form’s chosen charity, the Teenage

Similarly, Year 11 were treated to inspirational talks from, amongst others, local councillor and Old Boy Chris Peacock, Dave Readle, a two-sport international and Commonwealth Games athlete, and Kelly Massey, an Olympic Bronze Medal winner, who told the boys

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects that â&#x20AC;&#x153;no-one is going to hand it to you. You need to find opportunities and take them. If you put in the extra effort, it opens doors for you.â&#x20AC;?

Careers _______________________________________________________

he Careers Department continues to be very busy organising events to prepare the boys for the world of work beyond Bolton School. These are a few of the highlights:

Year 7 spent a SPACE session enjoying talks given by representatives of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, RAF, Police, Fire and St. John Ambulance). Year 9 had a similar carousel of talks about various careers.

The Year 11 Film Day, during which the boys learnt about all of the processes involved in shooting and producing a film, including scripting, directing and starring in their own films, was a great success. The Year 12 and 13 programmes are designed to prepare the boys for life beyond Bolton School and include sessions on CV writing, life skills, including first aid, how to drive safely, finance, work-life balance and mental health, together with talks given by Old Boys about their particular career paths.

Year 10 were introduced to the art of CV writing, as well as enjoying the challenging exercises arranged by the Army.

The final session for Year 13 gave the boys a chance to let their hair down at the Fancy Dress Fun Run.

Mr. R.M. Harrison

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects The Year 11 Film Day introduced the boys to all aspects of the film industry and gave them the chance to write, direct and star in their own short film, with the best effort being awarded an ‘Oscar’. Mr. R.M. Harrison

Community Action _______________________________________________________

M The BEST (Business Enterprise & Skills Training) week gave the Year 12 boys the opportunity to experience the process of applying for a career. Visiting speakers guided them through video CVs, typical Assessment Centre challenges and an individual interview, in addition to visits to the Army base at Holcombe Brook and also to UKFast, one of the leading colocation and iCloud hosting providers, where the boys gained an insight into the careers available in the digital world.

r. Barry Dixon, Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, commended the Bolton School Community Action plan and the great breadth of volunteering that students commit to each year. Mr. Dixon, who gave the keynote presentation at this year’s Community Action Awards Evening, referenced his first-hand knowledge of the School, relating how he was involved in the assessment of its recent successful bid to gain the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS). Whereas in many other schools volunteering is ad hoc, he said: “This is the first time I’ve seen such a well thought through and structured programme that engages young people and allows them to undertake volunteering on so many different levels; I have been blown away by the assortment of volunteering activities”. He told how, from his experience, volunteering provides two things – a service to those that require it and also an opportunity for people to develop a range of skills, including their communication and organisation capabilities, whilst becoming more rounded individuals. Year 12 pupils across both Divisions celebrated their work in the community as an audience of parents, teachers, governors and representatives from partner organisations watched them pick up bronze, silver and gold certificates for undertaking more than 20, 50 or 100 hours of volunteering. Several pupils achieved double the Gold Award by undertaking more than 200 hours of service.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Individual students told their volunteering stories, which encompassed a range of activities, including work in hospices and care homes, in charity shops and food banks, at Bolton Lads and Girls Club, coaching sports teams, helping with the School’s SHINE programme on Saturday morning, mentoring younger pupils and helping with Brownies, Guides and local Scout troops. They spoke of the friendships they had developed, the new life skills gained and the enormous sense of wellbeing that it gave them.

Jos Winstanley said: “Whilst the impacts you may make may seem small to you, to those who need it and benefit from it, they can be far greater than you can imagine. School has always encouraged us to take part in volunteering from an early age, as it is seen by universities and employers as something that sets us apart from everyone else. Discipline, reliability and communication are all examples of skills which I have developed through my time coaching, refereeing and helping out during school events.” Matthew Schaffel, who volunteered at Bolton Lads and Girls Club, said: “For me, this is more than just another conversation starter at an interview or another line on my CV. It is a truly rewarding and satisfying experience, which gives a sense of truly being part of something special that makes a difference to people’s lives.” Mrs. Entwistle, Head of Community Action, compèred the evening and told how Year 12 students had, once again, committed over 9,500 hours of their time to volunteering, which amounted to over five years’ full-time work. She also told how other year groups at Bolton School, from Nursery to Sixth Form, regularly help out and assist in the local community as a matter of course. There was a farewell round of applause for Mr. Howard who, for the past few years, had been responsible for coordinating the boys’ volunteering. After the event, guests enjoyed drinks and cakes and inspected the range of QAVS memorabilia that the School holds.

Charity Committee _______________________________________________________

his year, the Charities Committee has consisted of the House Captains, Chairman Dylan Feingold and Deputy Chairman Mohammed Ibrahim. The Committee has helped in organising donations to a number of great causes both local to Bolton and further afield.

Dylan Feingold 13c

SHINE _______________________________________________________

he SHINE ‘Serious Fun on Saturdays’ programme, run in conjunction with the SHINE Charitable Trust, celebrated its ninth year and proved popular, with 44 Year 5 pupils taking part in 2017-18. Primary school teachers from 11 local schools nominated pupils who do not normally have access to academic enrichment activities outside of school or have English as an additional language. The programme seeks to raise educational aspirations and gives pupils the opportunity to access an eleven-week programme of enriching Saturday morning sessions run by Bolton School academic staff. The pupils studied a mix of traditional subjects, such as Maths and the three sciences, but were also introduced to a variety of languages including Japanese, Latin and Spanish! The children enjoyed new sessions this year, which included Art and Ancient Greek.

Highlights this year have been the fundraiser for Leukaemia CARE in October, which raised over £2000, as well as members of the Sixth Form signing on to the Anthony Nolan donor

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Sixth Form mentors were invaluable in assisting the Year 5 pupils with their learning and acting as excellent role models. Special thanks must go to the Lead Mentors Joe Abram and Khadijah Ali, as well as their Deputies Lara Grime, Annette Elmes, Matthew Schaffel and Alex Matthews.

Football Festival _______________________________________________________

eams from more than 50 local primary schools flooded the pitches at Bolton School to take part in the annual Football Festival. The non-competitive Year 3-4 event took place on Tuesday and was followed by the Year 5-6 tournaments on Thursday. The emphasis throughout the Festival was on good sportsmanship, based on the ESFA Code of Conduct. 70 teams took part in friendly six-a-side matches in the Football Festival for pupils in Years 3 and 4. Teams enjoyed ‘round robin’ matches, playing all of the other teams in their group. With fifteen games taking place simultaneously on the playing fields all through the late afternoon, the Football Festival made a wonderful spectacle and the children had fun in spite of some drizzle.

The programme culminated in a fun trip to the Catalyst Science Centre in Widnes. Pupils particularly enjoyed the focus on handson discovery within the Museum, particularly the thermoplastics workshop! At the SHINE Celebration Evening, pupils celebrated their achievements and proudly showed off their work to parents, staff and governors, as well as the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton. During the course of the evening, the children were presented with certificates and special awards for commitment and academic excellence, and enjoyed watching a video, expertly put together by Khadijah, summarising the highlights of the programme.

The Year 5-6 Football Festival enjoyed far better weather and was even larger, with 85 teams taking part and 17 pitches in use. Always a hugely popular event, the tournament is now split into the ‘A’ team competition, the ‘B’ team competition and the Girls’ competition, each with its own hotly contested cup. The ‘A’ team competition saw Lostock and St. James’ Daisy Hill face one another in a dramatic Semi-final, which ended 0-0 and came down to sudden death penalties, won by Lostock. Meanwhile, Markland Hill won its Semi-final against Prestolee 4-0. The Final was very closely matched, with both teams in fine form and cheered on by their passionate supporters; however, when the final whistle blew, the score was 1-3 to Markland Hill, the winners for the second year running.

The success of this important programme would not be possible without the support of my Girls’ Division counterpart, Miss S. Gunshon, inspirational colleagues across the Foundation and our fantastic student mentors; many thanks to all involved in this year’s initiative. Miss K.S. Wrathmell

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Markland Hill was also represented in the Final of the Girls’ competition, where they faced St. Saviour after both teams won their Semi-finals. Again, the Final was extremely close and ended with no goals scored; this meant that the Girls’ winner was decided on sudden death penalties, and this year the cup went to St. Saviour.

Bambara and deduce meanings of words of ‘Tok Pisin’ (a second language spoken in Papua New Guinea). In Music, they had a competition to recognise the works of famous Spanish, Italian and French composers, followed by watching the French comedy film ‘Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis’. The winners of the sessions were as follows: 1st 2nd 3rd

The ‘B’ Team competition Semi-finals were won by Ladybridge and St. Michael’s C of E, and there were dramatic scenes as the scores increased on both sides. Ultimately, the winning team was Ladybridge with a final score of 6-3.

Art Linguistics Dancing Henry Ainscough 7c Andy Shen 7a 7d and 7e Ketan Dhokia 7e Evan Weston 7b 7a and 7b Daud Khan 7c 7c and 7f

Music Jonathon Brennan 7a Lucas Ingham 7b Muhammad-Mustafa Patel 7b Ben Rimmer 7b Harry Taylor 7b Evan Weston 7b

The Football Festival was arranged by Head Football Coach and former Bolton Wanderers’ goalkeeper, Mr. Keith Branagan, who is also the PE Programme Manager for the Bolton Sports Alliance. Boys’ Division pupils assisted at the Year 3-4 Football Festival by volunteering as referees for the children’s matches.

Enrichment Week _______________________________________________________ Year 7 MFL Day At the end of the academic year, boys in Year 7 participated in a day of enrichment, drawing upon the cultures of several foreign languages. In the Dancing session, they were taught to perfect the moves of the samba. In Art, they reproduced the works of the French artist Robert Delaunay and famous landmarks such as La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow and the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In the Linguistics Challenge, they had to ‘master’ the word-order of Yoda of Star Wars (‘tricky… it was’), identify numbers in the West African language of

Mr. R.A. Catterall

Year 8 Outdoor Challenge Year 8 took part in an Outdoor Challenge during Enrichment Week, which included a tug of war, a penalty shootout, a crossbar challenge, and a cricket bowl out.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects The winning team with 90 points was: Oliver Leahy 8b Alistair Styler 8d Ben Male 8b Guy Seddon 8b JJ Cambell 8d Kaushik Kathiriya 8b Alex Old 8b Ismail Patel 8b

Year 10 Apprentice Day 28 teams of Year 10 boys set up rival pizza companies in the fictional town of Villeburg. They initially had to bid for their preferred site, then went on to make a wide range of business decisions including pricing, advertising, range of pizzas etc. During an 18 month period, they were faced with challenging scenarios such as a health crisis and were required to work as a team and take steps to ensure that the businesses remained profitable. The winning company Doughus Vult (managed by Harry Paterson, Zayd Ascroft, Amir Chauhan and Umar Ibrahim) made over £180,000 profit. They worked well as a team, which was the key to their success; they also thought through the implications of their business actions very carefully before implementing any changes. They clearly pitched their prices correctly for their clientele and did not waste money having fancy premises. Mr. D.W. Kettle

Mr. P. Fernside Year 9 Science Challenge During Enrichment Week, Year 9 carried out a Science Challenge. In Biology, pupils tested whether sports drinks could help improve their cognitive function and attempted to solve the murder of NM by using various forensic techniques. In Chemistry, the pupils identified and named Molymod molecules representing organic compounds before making ‘home-made’ ice cream, cooled by dry ice at a temperature of -79O°C! Dr. Kell is pictured demonstrating the neutralisation of sodium hydroxide solution by solid carbon dioxide and related this to the acidification of our oceans.

In Physics, the pupils created pinball-style runways, with the aim of making the ball take the longest time to get to the bottom of the slope. The winning design took 90 seconds. Also, they built boats from card and straws to carry the most weight.

Year 10 Leadership Year 10 was given the opportunity to discuss that most important of topics: leadership. It seems that every year affords numerous examples of situations around the world where good leadership is urgently needed and, like their predecessors, the current Year 10 boys reflected thoughtfully on the various qualities that should enable a leader to be effective. The group Balloon Debates showed how the boys had engaged well with the task of researching the lives of leaders in various walks of life. This year, unsurprisingly, football was a dominant theme, with Gareth Southgate being chosen by a number of boys as their debate persona. In this role, Elliot Longworth convinced his group that he has more to offer the world than his distinguished predecessors, Sir Alf Ramsey (played effectively by Thomas Britton), the Dalai Lama (Alfie Birkett) Stalin (Nabil Chanchwelia), Didier Drogba (Thomas Platt) and, the sporting theme continuing, A.B. de Villiers (Jack Danson). In another group, Archie Seddon also spoke about Gareth Southgate and highlighted the popular appeal, wisdom, ambition, motivational leadership and trend-setting image of the England football manager. Similarly, Matthew Rodger, Connah Mansfield and Ben Stone chose the rugby referee Nigel Owens, and they highlighted Owen’s inspirational qualities as a coach and the fact that he is well respected. An interest in motorsport led Cameron Matthews, Tyler Titley and Ben Shum to speak convincingly about Bernie Ecclestone, and they described his various achievements in leading Formula 1, noting too the various qualities that have enabled him to be successful.

Mr. T. Benbow, Dr. M. Yates & Mr. R McMinn

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Steve Jobs was another popular choice. By way of contrast, Stefan Campion spoke forcefully about the leadership qualities of Pope Francis, arguing that as the leader of a whole faith representing many millions of people, the Pope has a responsibility to try to unite the world and to use his popularity and oratory to help people find a way to improve their lives. Charlie Griffiths spoke knowledgeably about Fidel Castro, suggesting that tenacity and personal courage defined his character. Other characters identified as inspirational were Nelson Mandela (praised by Zayd Ascroft for being a powerful promoter of equality not just in South Africa but around the world) and Jesus of Nazareth, of whom Patrick Bentley spoke well, prompting a lively discussion of Christ’s philosophy of forgiveness. (In another group, these two characters’ lives were presented by Josh Blackhurst and Mohammedzafeer Musa). Politicians too were a natural subject for discussion, some of it perceptive and challenging. In one group, Matthew Roberts survived the challenge of President Obama (Ismaeel Ali), President Kennedy (Kyle Robinson) and Adolf Hitler (Max Kelly) at whom Matthew pitched a volley of well-judged questions, all of which revealed the quality of his sardonic humour and extensive historical knowledge. Elsewhere, Anthony Johnson spoke knowledgeably and convincingly about Angela Merkel, arguing that she has become a pre-eminent modern politician and an excellent role model in promoting both the economy of Germany and the interests of peace in central and eastern Europe.

The biennial walk, which sees boys walk in Form groups, is usually up to Rivington Pike and back to school, but due to the Winter Hill moorland fire, this year’s route was diverted and took the boys, who were kept well supplied with water, through Moss Bank Park and Bolton Old Links Golf Club and then down across Chorley New Road for lunch at Regent Park Golf Centre before making their way to Queen’s Park and then back to school.

The boys raised an impressive total of £10000 in sponsorship donations, which was distributed to the various charities.

The best speakers maintained a high standard and I am grateful to the several colleagues who guided the boys expertly through the issues, drawing upon their own knowledge and insight. I am also grateful to Mr. A.E. Jackson who helped to evaluate boys’ presentations. Dr. S.W. Holland

Charity Walk _______________________________________________________

lose to six hundred boys from Bolton School Boys’ Division Senior School undertook a 10-mile sponsored walk in sweltering conditions to raise funds for a wide range of worthwhile causes including Boot Out Breast Cancer, The Woodland Trust, The Peace Foundation, Leukaemia Care, Langan’s Foundation and Homeless Aid UK, as well as for the boys’ House charities of Nightsafe Blackburn, Young Person’s Housing Scheme, Bolton Hospice and Papyrus.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Bronze Award The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was perhaps one of the best opportunities I have ever been given in the pastoral sector of school life. When we were notified of this opportunity, I wholeheartedly grasped it with both hands. Given a chance to further myself socially, mentally and physically, I set about working towards my Volunteering, Physical and Skill-based areas of the Award before completing the expedition. Eager to find a placement quickly, I enquired at both a nursing home and charity shop, both of which unfortunately fell through; this did not stop me, however – I simply asked at my Martial Arts Dojang, and my instructor was more than happy to allow me to help out with the Tiger Tots (junior) class. After some brief consideration, I decided to further my DIY ability for my Skill section. I set about 3 one-month projects and thoroughly enjoyed the process of filming and editing the footage, perhaps learning as much about video editing as I did about the actual process, illuminating how much you can learn from this Award. The last section was Physical, which I chose as my 6-month section. I decided to take up an activity which I had always wanted to do: running – and since then, have been working up to a 10km run, which I will complete in September. Finally, and perhaps the most interesting section of the Award was the expedition. This process began with a training day, where we learnt about kit, safety etc. in preparation for the practice expedition, a 22km two-day hike with my friends. It was a thoroughly exciting experience, and though the weather had other thoughts, we still endured… ahem, I mean enjoyed; this, in turn, set us up for our final expedition, a thoroughly enjoyable experience with tent ‘banter’, a six-star chef and the occasional guyrope mishap, inspiring us to spend more time with nature and also to work together as a team.

To conclude, I, and a plethora of others, thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I know many are looking forward to our Silver Duke of Edinburgh and we would like to thank all those members of staff involved in the organisation of this opportunity.

Charlie Griffiths 10e

Silver Award For me, the Silver Award will be an experience that will forever be etched in my memory due to the challenge it has provided and because of the sheer scope of things you are able to do. The four sections of the Award are Skills, Volunteering, Physical and the Expedition. Each section is made accessible to everyone, regardless of their interests, due to the sheer multitude of options that are available. These sections are each so broad that you can pursue something you have a genuine interest in. The Award allows you to show employers or universities that you have what are known as ‘soft skills’ in abundance. For my Volunteering, I am working at a nature reserve. The work is mainly physical, but requires coordination between peers for things to be done effectively and efficiently. For the Skills section, I have been engaging in kayaking with several friends, which has made it a thoroughly enjoyable experience although it has required great focus to learn some of the more technical strokes and employing them in moving water has sometimes led to failure, but has also allowed for a greater mastery of the skills acquired. As part of the Physical section, I have been going to the gym and for my Expedition, I have chosen the walking option. What makes this award so unique is how dynamic it is. I hope everyone who is given this fantastic opportunity makes the best of it. Meesum Shah 11b

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Silver Award After completing the Bronze Award at the end of last year, I decided to continue on to the Silver Award, due to the variety of skills and life lessons that can be learned from the experience. A large aspect of the Award is the expedition; for the majority of those doing the Award, this aspect is the best as it can be completed with your friends in a short period of time (within two weeks), unlike the other sections of the Award. So far, we have undergone the practice expedition, which took place near and around Coniston Water. It involved three days of walking and two nights of camping, walking for about six hours a day including breaks. On the first day of the practice expedition, we were dropped off in a car park about 6 km away from Coniston Sports and Social Centre, which was the campsite where we were staying. At the car park, we met our expedition leaders and gathered any equipment we had requested in advance such as rucksacks and collected general camping staples such as tents and Trangia stoves. We were walking in groups of six or seven with an instructor from whom we could ask for help at any point of the day, whether it be for navigation or advice on what kit we should take. The first day was quite easy and straightforward due to the rather flat terrain. The main struggles were the weather, with temperatures reaching 25 degrees Celsius, remaining consistent throughout the day, and having to carry a heavy rucksack with supplies for the subsequent few days. Upon arriving at the campsite, we put up our tents and prepared food. On the second day, we were told that we were going to climb Old Man of Coniston, which is 803m in height and about 400m above sea level. The good news was that it was conveniently located near our campsite and since we were staying at the same campsite, this meant that all we had to carry was water and waterproofs. The main aim of the day was to further our skills in using OS maps and how to navigate and orientate using a compass. We travelled in the same groups as before with an instructor; everyone found this somewhat challenging, even though we were carrying much less equipment. The pace at which we were hiking massively decreased due to the steep gradient of the mountain, as well as the hot, humid conditions. We left at about 9 o’clock in the morning and returned to the campsite at about 6 o’clock, meaning we were out for about 9 hours. I think it’s safe to say that although the views were stunning at the summit, this was a real once in a lifetime experience.

On the final day, we had to pack up the tents and, this time, we were told that we would be travelling alone in our original small groups of 6 or 7. We would be walking around 10km from Coniston Sports and Social Centre to a car park in Elterwater, where we would return any borrowed kit and the coach would meet us to take us back to school. This was probably the best day, as we as a group felt independent travelling alone; this was the closest and most realistic representation of what the real expedition would be like. Overall, the entire experience was deeply satisfying, and I look forward to completing the real expedition, as well as more, possibly in the future. I would like to thank Mr. Bradley for not only organising this amazing opportunity, but for also accompanying us down to Cumbria.

Sadeem Alam 11b

Gold Award The five-day long practice Expedition began on Monday 16th July, when we all departed from school. We soon arrived at the picturesque Patterdale Hall and had our first briefing on the itinerary for the week. We soon found ourselves packing for the three-day long practice expedition, making sure to bring plenty of food and necessary items of clothing and making the important decision of who was going to carry the tent, the Trangia stove, and other ‘group kit’. I volunteered to carry the Trangia and the fuel, as well as the pegs and poles for the tent. With the kit packed, we met up with our instructor to find out where our walk would take us. After a quick meeting and final preparations had been completed, we commenced our practice. Since the time was already 1.30 p.m., our first day entailed a short walk from Patterdale Hall to Keppel Cove, located near to Helvellyn. Although a short 5km walk, this gave us our first experience of what the bags felt like and the sort of climbing we would have to undertake. This was my second night of wild camping in my life, and for the second time it rained; despite this, we had an enjoyable evening of cooking using the Trangia stove and headed to bed, eager to begin the next day of walking.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Duke of Edinburgh’s Award We emerged from our tents at about 7.30 a.m. the next morning to discover that the rain had fortunately ceased. After making a lovely pot of porridge, we set off at 9 a.m. to begin the day’s walk. This was a 17km walk, giving us lots of time to practise our navigation skills. We all took turns using the map, which allowed us to refresh our minds on how to use it. We made up good time as we sat down for our lunch break, covering a large distance in only three hours. We then continued until we reached the campsite. I very much enjoyed the evening, as the weather allowed us to spend the whole night outside before going to sleep at about 9 p.m. Chilli con carne was on the menu, which I thought was well-deserved after a long day of walking. Again, the group woke up at about 7.30 a.m. to begin another day of walking through the beautiful Lake District. Although my legs had a slight ache from the previous day, I was in high spirits and ready for the day ahead. After a quick meeting, we found out that the walk was shorter than on the previous day, but involved more uphill ground being covered. We set out to Blencathra Centre to start the day’s walk. We had been told that we had to reach three different checkpoints, which was useful as it meant that our navigation skills were being put to the test. After reaching the first two checkpoints in quick succession, we were confident in our navigation skills and felt ready for the Qualifying Expedition. The third one, although not difficult to navigate to, involved a great deal of uphill walking; nevertheless, we pushed on and reached the final checkpoint only four hours after starting. Following this, we battled a field full of heather before finally reaching the final footpath that would take us to the end of our practice. Tired, we all sat at the finish and congratulated one another. On arrival at the night’s accommodation, we had time to relax and get ready for the following day; this was questionably the most important day of the five for one reason: the route cards. So, after a night’s sleep, we started to write the route cards. My group had one goal: to reach the summit of Helvellyn during the expedition. This meant that we started with the last day (the day we would reach Helvellyn) and planned from there. After an hour of discussion, we had planned our route. Therefore, we were allowed to relax for the rest of the day and on the following morning, we were taken back to Patterdale Hall for unpacking and a debriefing.

it has also introduced us to new experiences and equipment that may be needed for the Qualifying Expedition. I want to thank Mr. Bradley for allowing myself and other students to take part in such a wonderful award, and all of the instructors at Patterdale Hall for helping us have such an enjoyable week in the Lake District. Jonathan Topping 12e

The following boys were awarded during the academic year 2017-18: ___________________________________________________ Bronze

Matthew Cavaliere 11f

Georgio Adamopoulos 11e

Vincent Chow 11c

Yusuf Adia 11c

Ben Chowdhury 11e

Michael Ahamed 11c

Teddy Clarke 11a

Adnaan Ahmed 11b

Tom Conroy 11c

Krishnan Ajit 11c

Charlie Cook 11a

Sadeem Alam 11b

Owen Critchlow 11a

Mohammed Ali 11d

Marc Crompton 11c

Meer Al-Talibani 11e

Marcus Crompton 11e

Huzaifa Anwar 11d

Joseph de Blaisin 11a

Daniyal Ashraf 11e

Oliver de Blaisin 11a

Mustafa Awda 11c

Ibrahim Dipoti 11e

Jamal Ayub 11e

Nathan Donalson 11a

Hamzah Babaria 11d

Henry Doyle 11c

Eddy Backhouse 12f

Gareth Edwards-Williams 11e

Luke Bagnall 11f

Luc Eppie 11d

Richard Birtwhistle 11a

Benjamin Fletcher 11d

Josh Bowers 12j

Joshua Fowler 11a

George Brennan 11d

Cian Gallagher 11d

I certainly enjoyed the practice expedition, as not only has it allowed myself and others to familiarise ourselves with the navigation required for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, but

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Alex Gao 11e

William Morris 11f

Haaris Giga 11d

Ben Munslow 11a

Moghees Gilani 11e

Matt Nally 11b

James Graham 11b

Saurav Nandalan 11e

Jamie Gregson 11c

Robert Nelson 11a

Alfie Grundy 11a

Ibrahim Panchbhaya 11f

Jack Hainey 11d

Praharsh Parikh 11b

Mohammed Hajee 11b

Oscar Patel 11c

Finlay Hanlon 11b

Jake Pearson 11d

Will Hardy 11f

Sam Phillips 11f

George Hargreaves (2017 Leaver)

Euan Pollard 11a

Robert Harris 11e

Tobi Ramwell 11b

Camran Harwood 11b

Siddharth Ranganath 11e

Zubair Hassan 11c

Muhammad Rashid 11b

Nathan Hayes 11c

Jonathan Ratcliffe 11c

Joseph Hextall 11b

Christopher Rhodes 11b

Dylan Hill (2017 Leaver)

Cameron Rose 11d

Max Hodson 11f

Hassan Sapra 11f

Joe Hogan 11f

Flynn Saturley 11d

Charlie Hunt 11a

Oliver Shaw 11b

Haad Hussain 11f

Matvey Shchetinin 11a

Alfie Inkster 11f

Jonny Shine 11c

Raafay Iqbal 11e

Mark Simons 11c

Haroon Iqbal 11d

Lewis Spencer-Ogg 11b

Akira Jepson 11e

Oliver Splaine 11c

Mohamed Jiva 12b

Aden Stephenson 11c

Suleman Jiva 11a

Guy Storey 11d

Charles Jones 11e

James Syers 11b

Joyal Joshy 11d

Ben Turner 11b

Yash Kalhan 11e

Adam Vahed 11e

Gary Kanda 11b

Lewis Warburton 11c

Abdul Kayani 11e

Henry Yearsley 11e

Aashir Khan 11d

Marcus Yu 11f

Callum Kilgour 11b

Adrian Zahir 11d

Luqmaan Rafai 11f

LeaĂľn Leech 13h

Daniel Sykes 12g

Simon Lems 12i

Gregg Tivey (2017 Leaver)

Jacob Male 12d

Jonathan Topping 12e

Elliot Mathieson 12b

Rupert Varley 12a

Thomas McGivern 12d Benedict Meech 12b

Gold

Matthew Melia 12g

Samuel Hall (2017 Leaver)

Shivam Patel 12h

Steven Prescott 13f

Jamie Price 12d Sam Ryder 12c

Thomas Underwood (2017 Leaver)

Matthew Schaffel 12b

Alexander Young 13e

Harry Steed 12f

Matthew Kyle 11c Joseph Leary 11d

Silver

James Leese-Weller 11b

Jack Bakker 12g

Luca Liu 11d

Sam Barnett 12e

Ciaran Lockett 11f

Jude Brennan-Calland 12j

Joe Maher 11e

Joe Dykins 13j

Nikhil Maini 11a

Dominic Hardy 12i

Jei Makino 11f

Ronak Hemmady 12f

Edward McDermott 11a

Christopher Jacob 12d

Charlie Mitchell 11d

Joshua Kendal 13b

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 31

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Bolton Children’s Fiction Award _______________________________________________________

ix authors and more than seven hundred pupils enjoyed a morning of celebrating reading before the announcement of the 2018 Bolton Children’s Fiction Award winners. Bolton School hosted the Award Ceremony and a morning of sessions with all six of the shortlisted authors. Twenty-three schools attended the 2018 Award Ceremony and morning of author talks. This year, for the first time, primary schools were involved, reading three books selected from the shortlist as most appropriate for younger readers and voting for a Younger Fiction winner. The whole of Years 5 and 7 at Bolton School’s Junior and Senior Schools also took part in the day.

other books, writing and the publishing process, where they find inspiration and how they develop ideas. Christopher Edge even explained elements of quantum physics and Schrödinger’s famous experiment in his session! Many pupils took advantage of the opportunity to ask probing questions based on their reading for the Award. After lunch, there was a book signing in the Boys’ Division Great Hall. Book sales by pre-order and on the day were provided by Ebb & Flo Bookshop, and pupils were delighted to have the chance to chat with the authors and get their books signed. Pupils returned to the Girls’ Division Great Hall for the main event. The Bolton Children’s Fiction Award Ceremony was compèred by Old Boy and crime fiction author Robert Parker. Robert, who left the school in 2001, gave a summary of his career so far. He also spoke about the importance of seeing the silver lining in everything and his attitude of using rejection and bad reviews to spur him on. A series of fantastic book trailers created by pupils from St. James’ were shown, each one highlighting a different book from the shortlist and capturing the emotion, excitement and key themes of the story. This was followed by a few words from each of the shortlisted authors.

Following a warm welcome from Miss Hincks, the Girls’ Division Headmistress, pupils dispersed around the School to enjoy two sessions with the visiting authors: Laurence Anholt (The Hypnotist), Theresa Breslin (Caged), Emma Carroll (Letters from the Lighthouse), Christopher Edge (The Jamie Drake Equation), Tamsyn Murray (Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart) and Lisa Thompson (Goldfish Boy).

The authors gave interesting and individual presentations. They talked about their work, with particular focus on the book that was shortlisted for this year’s award, but also discussed reading, their

Laurence Anholt spoke of books as doorways to other worlds and said that enjoying reading is about finding the right book and the right door. Theresa Breslin read an excerpt from Whispers in the Graveyard, which was about the power of words and reading. Emma Carroll talked about being a writer as a ‘dream come true’ and the way that bookworms feel about books. Christopher Edge mentioned NASA’s Voyager spaceship and his regret that children’s books weren’t included on the Golden Record, because they help to make sense of the world. Tamsyn Murray was delighted to be in a room full of people who love reading. Lisa Thompson offered her top five pieces of advice to the young writers in the room. They all thanked the audience and said how pleased they were to have been shortlisted for the Award.

Then the time finally came for Robert to announce the two winners to the excited audience:

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects The Younger Fiction winner was Lisa Thompson with Goldfish Boy. The Bolton Children’s Fiction Award winner was Tamsyn Murray with Instructions for a Second-Hand Heart.

at Bolton’s Holocaust Memorial in January, which students were invited to attend. This is the third time a Holocaust art project has been run at Bolton School.

The day of author sessions and the ceremony was organised by Head Librarian Mrs. Howarth and the Bolton School library staff. Throughout the day, they were ably assisted by Prefects, Monitors and Year 8 and 9 Ambassadors, who had been chosen for their active participation in the Award in previous years.

Holocaust Art Project _______________________________________________________

ineteen pupils from Years 8 to 13 have taken part in an art project to remember the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. They worked with visiting Holocaust art educator Caroline Slifkin in a session funded by The Holocaust Educational Trust.

The Sir Rhys Davies Mock Trial Competition _______________________________________________________

he Sir Rhys Davies Mock Trial Competition gives students an opportunity to practise the skills associated with courts of law in an authentic setting, presided over by bona fide court judges. This year, the venue was Crown Square in Manchester and, for the first time in recent years, Bolton School Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions fielded two separate teams. Sam Warburton, Bilal Asghar, Joseph Abram and Mohammed Patel donned wigs and gowns to act as barristers; Sammy Gatenby, Nicholas Clark, Stewart Knights and James Stevens wore crazy costumes as the witnesses to the trial, including Harry Houdini and an alleged tax-evader called Jamie Dodger; and Uzair Yaqub-Syed dressed smart as the court clerk. The boys won two of their three trials, narrowly missing out on a place in the Final and being placed third in the competition overall – joint with Bolton School Girls’.

The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2018 is ‘the power of words’. Pupils first looked at art created by Holocaust survivors and victims: these works express experiences of suffering, but also of building lives afterwards. The boys then used Holocaust victims’ and survivors’ work and imagery as inspiration to create their own powerful and moving pieces of memorial artwork. Students’ creative responses formed part of Bolton School’s display

Dr. J.E. Reeson

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Year 9 Mini-sagas Creative Writing Competition _______________________________________________________

his year marks the second year of our new internally judged creative writing competition, ‘200 Words Mini-Sagas’. We challenged Year 9 pupils to compose a short, 200-word dramatic story about any topic of their choosing, which was then judged within the English Department by Miss Harper. The stories were judged on their presentation and description of characters, creativity, use of language and overall originality. The submitted entries demonstrated our pupils’ flair and talent for story writing and it was a difficult task to select just six winners from the year group. The stories covered a range of different plot ideas; some were focused on serious events such as war and conflict, while others took a more philosophical and existentialist approach, considering life and mortality. The winners were as follows: Morgan Camm 9b Freddie Higham 9c James Hopkinson 9f Jack Phillips 9d Christian Stapleton 9d Jack Swires 9d The six winners were presented with a prize voucher and a copy of the winners’ anthology. The winning stories can be found in the Creative Writing section of the Magazine. Miss E.M. Harper

MFL Debating Competition _______________________________________________________

group of languages students from Bolton School’s Sixth Form attended the North Schools’ Modern Languages Debating Competition held at Cheadle Hulme School. They debated a variety of challenging motions entirely in a foreign language. Year 13 student Sam Warburton, who was on the German team, reports: “Our French team was made up of competition veterans Tom Paterson and Sam Bowden. Tom and Sam won their first debate on the topic of ‘The world was better before the Internet’, but were narrowly beaten in their second debate and so just missed out on the Semi-finals. “Once again, two teams from the Boys’ Division competed against two teams from Manchester Grammar in the extremely competitive

Russian category. Luke Cavanaugh and Ben Sykes won one of their debates, whilst Tom Ryder and Tom Stephenson narrowly lost both of their debates, therefore Manchester Grammar was, once again, victorious in the overall Russian competition. “Both Divisions entered teams to the Spanish competition, with Siddarth Nandalan and Ryan Thakrar competing for the Boys’ Division. Despite some excellent debating, both teams narrowly missed out on the Semi-finals, having faced last year’s competition winners Altrincham Girls’ in the group stages.” However, it was the German team of Sam Warburton and Joe Smith who enjoyed the greatest success on the night. They progressed to the Semi-finals, where they defeated strong competition from Stockport Grammar, and then had just fifteen minutes to prepare an argument in favour of the motion ‘Everyone should carry a weapon’ for the final. Following a closely fought debate, the Boys’ Division German team were declared the winners of the German Debating Competition! In conclusion, Sam said, “I would like to thank Mrs. Cotton and Mr. Robson for coordinating our entry and especially all of the Language Assistants for their support both in preparation stages and throughout the night. None of our teams would have been as successful if not for the tireless efforts of these individuals.”

Lecture Competition _______________________________________________________

ow in its sixth year, the Lecture Competition continues to be a popular and exciting part of our English curriculum.

The basic structure of the competition has remained the same, as we ask all pupils from Years 7 to 9 to write and deliver a talk on a topic which interests them; however, this year, we have challenged our pupils to expand their public oracy skills further. Year 7 chose a topic of interest, as with previous years. Year 8 pupils focused on persuasive speeches, expanded their knowledge of rhetoric and methods to convince their audience of an idea. Year 9 pupils were challenged to deliver a particular genre of speech, notably an inspirational speech on a topic of their choosing.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Across all three Finals, we heard many interesting talks on a wide range of topics, such as the perils of smoking, the dangers of plastic to the natural world, social networking sites and making dreams a reality.

it as part of Triads during SPACE afternoons. A bell is rung using a single rope and is handled in two positions: at the end of the rope and the multi-coloured part in the middle (the sally). Learning when to catch the rope takes quite some practice. A complex system of sensors, a computer, big screen and sound system means that ringers can learn how to ring whilst the bells are completely silent outside the church. Boys have enjoyed exploring a completely new area to them, as well as seeing the fantastic views of Bolton and beyond from the top of the church tower.

The speaking and listening skills of our pupils have continued to improve each year and the three finals saw some exemplary performances from all pupils involved. Despite the high standard, there could only be three winners: This activity will be available next year for boys to choose. There is much more to the mathematical and permutational aspects of method ringing than many think, and it would be great to build up towards establishing a band of Bolton School change ringers.

Year 7 Jayden Luhar 7c Year 8: Matthew Hope 8f Year 9: James Roberts 9f Well done to all pupils in Years 7 to 9 for their hard work with this task. Thank you also to our judges, Mr. Wardle, Dr. Mullins and Mr. Ford for giving up their time and sharing such helpful comments and advice to the pupils. We look forward to next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition!

Mr. N.S. Spooner

Miss E.M. Harper

Bellringing _______________________________________________________

or the first time, boys have taken part in bellringing as a school activity. The bells at All Souls Church, Halliwell have recently been restored and boys have been introduced to the ancient art of change ringing. Even the lightest bell is much heavier than the person ringing it and so it is essential to learn how to control it so that it rings full circle. Sixth Formers have learnt how to handle a bell on their own (no mean feat) as part of their volunteering programme; some boys in Years 7-9 also opted for

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 35

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Chemquiz Competition _______________________________________________________

an overall winner from each year.

As Drama and speaking skills remain an important part of our English curriculum, this competition helps pupils to develop their dramatic voice. It challenges them to present a highly accurate and fluent performance of their chosen texts, and to perform accurately from memory, while also developing their vocal technique and showing a real engagement with the texts selected.

his year, the Chemquiz team was made up of Jude Ashcroft (Year 10), Ben Hunt (Year 9) and Laurence Britton and Mihir Patel (Year 8). In this event, the boys had to take part in three activities: a team-based practical activity, answering questions on a series of multi-media Chemistry demonstrations and a quiz round, which included some questions of A Level standard. The boys did themselves proud by achieving a Bronze Award. The event was held at Manchester Metropolitan University Chemistry Department on 21st June 2018. The winner of this competition is nominated as the regional representative for the national RSC Top of the Bench Competition.

The winners were as follows: • Year 7: Billy Burrows, Lucas Ingham and Danyal Quereshi • Year 8: George Worth, Amaan Patel, Rishi Narla, Azhar Makkan, Awal Hassan, Joe Dady, Daniel Corr, Mohammad Choudhury, Tom Boardman and Sam Abram • Year 9: Matthew Mair, Owais Khalid, Ben Holden, Ibrahim Ali and James Roberts

Dr. I.K. Tranter

Poetry and Prose Competition _______________________________________________________

ow in its third year, pupils in Years 7-9 continue to impress with their dramatic choral performances of poetry and prose texts.

This competition challenges pupils to work collaboratively with their peers, in groups of four to five; they have to select a theme (such as love, innocence and growing up, war and conflict) and find extracts from poetry and prose texts to perform to their classmates. Once the texts are chosen, each group then explores various choral methods to present their texts to the audience. These include reading in unison, cumulative speaking and using antiphonal groups. The winning group from each class then takes part in a final to choose

As ever, it was a wonderful display of the creative talents of our student body. Every pupil who took part in the Final and heats within their classes should be very proud of their efforts and we look forward to next year’s performances. Miss E.M. Harper

Young Scientists Journal Northern Conference _______________________________________________________

n 7th February 2018, Bolton School hosted the first Northern Conference for the Young Scientists Journal (YSJ), entitled ‘Changing Science, Changing World’. The day saw over one hundred and sixty 14-18 year old students from across the region come together in the Boys’ Division

36 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects for an exciting day of lectures, workshops, practical sessions and panel discussions.

The delegates included around forty Year 10 students from across both Divisions, together with the Bolton School YSJ Hub Team. The team was made up from Year 11, 12 and 13 boys and girls, who had worked tirelessly with staff to organise, publicise and run the event.

addition, several sessions provided insight into particular subject areas, including medicine with Alison Beech and Rebecca Lefroy from Keele Univeristy, Biology with Anna Murphy and Fraser Scott from Huddersfield, post-graduate research with Anna Harper from UCLAN and working in industry with Chemical Engineer Nnamdi Nwaokocha of GHD Engineering.

After a packed morning, the students had a break for lunch, which gave them the opportunity to discuss the sessions they had attended and also to engage with the numerous exhibition stands provided by local universities and STEM companies. After lunch, the students enjoyed their second keynote lecture with Laura Waters from the University of Huddersfield, who asked ‘Can we replace animal testing when creating new medicines?’ In her talk, Laura engagingly challenged assumptions about animal testing, and shed some light on how drugs and make-up products are currently developed. She also told us about some of the new technologies currently in development, which might, one day, make animal testing obsolete.

Mr. Britton opened the day’s proceedings. After welcoming staff, students and speakers, Mr. Britton championed the work of the Journal, highlighting the opportunities it gives students to present their own original research and write about cutting-edge science in a peer-reviewed periodical, mirroring the processes seen in academia. Mr. Britton’s welcome was followed by the first keynote speaker, Mr. Adam Brownsell, editor of Chemistry World. An English graduate himself, Adam gave all those present a great insight into the realms of journalism and professional science writing. In his inspiring talk, Adam highlighted the importance of communicating science to the general public in an easy to understand manner and encouraged the young people to just have a go at writing and see what happens.

Becky Parker from the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS) then gave an inspiring presentation, encouraging students to get involved with real scientific research through one of IRIS’s many projects including ionic liquids, gene sequencing, and analysing data from the International Space Station and the Large Hadron Collider. Many of the students present were stirred to find out more and we hope to hear of many IRIS projects taking root in the North West. During the day’s two Keynote sessions, a smaller number of students were treated to Stephen Ashworth’s parallel practical session about Kitchen Chemistry. The session, which Stephen has presented all over the world, introduced students to science experiments which they can do at home involving nothing but ingredients commonly found in the average kitchen cupboards.

Adam’s lecture was followed by two workshops sessions, in which students could choose from a wide variety of seminars based on their interests. Students could learn more about extra-curricular engagement opportunities with All About STEM, could gain further insights into the world of science publishing with Adam Brownsell, develop their spoken sci-comm skills in ‘Amature to Attenborough’ with Manchester University PhD students Michael Daniels and Kirsty MacIntyre, or they could discover more about The Science of Poetry with Sam Illingworth from Manchester Metropolitan University. In

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 37

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects The final session of the conference consisted of two parallel higher education panel discussions. One of the sessions focused on Physical Sciences and Engineering, with lecturers and admissions tutors from UCLAN, Lancaster and Manchester Universities, whilst the other session focussed on Biosciences and Medicine, featuring representatives from Keele and Liverpool Universities. Both discussions were entirely Q&A based, giving students a valuable opportunity to ask about courses, admissions, entry requirements and university life.

Classics in Translation category, with Umar Ibrahim as runner-up. Congratulations to all of the boys who took part.

As the conference drew to a close, the delegates and speakers had nothing but praise for the Bolton School students who had been involved with the day. The students from the YSJ Bolton School Hub were very much front and centre, welcoming guests, chairing sessions, overseeing workshops, and faithfully seeing to the needs of all delegates and speakers during the day. They were, without a doubt, a credit to themselves and the school. Dr. J.E. Reeson The Hub will continue its work at Bolton School and will be recruiting a new group of Year 11 students to join us during the next academic year. This year, the group will focus on editing articles, encouraging new writers and writing blog posts. We also hope to be the first hub to produce vlogs for the journal’s website. We look forward to seeing articles written by William Miles (Year 9) and Lowena Hull (Year 11) in the coming issues and hope to see more and more articles submitted from Bolton School students across all year groups.

Salters’ Chemistry Competition _______________________________________________________

his year, Year 8 boys Matthew Hope, Will Fothergill, Mihir Patel and Siddhant Patel represented the School at the prestigious Salters’ Competition, which took place at the University of Manchester Chemistry Department on 13th June. This event is organised by the Salters’ Institute, a company which is very generous in supporting extra-curricular Chemistry activities. The boys undertook exciting practical activities, carried out investigations “like a real Chemist” and developed teamwork and problem-solving skills.

Dr. R.L. Kell

Regional Classics Reading Competition _______________________________________________________

ourteen boys from Years 7-13 recently took part in the regional Classics Reading Competition held at Cheadle Hulme School. The boys competed in a range of categories across the age range and most were required to read original extracts of either Latin or Ancient Greek, while others read Classical texts in translation. Several of the boys enjoyed considerable success: Thomas Britton was the winner of the GCSE Greek category, with Thomas Higham as runner-up, Matthew Schaffel was the winner of the Latin A Level category and Max Maloney was the winner of the

Dr. I.K. Tranter

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Shares4Schools Competition _______________________________________________________

hares4Schools is an annual national competition held over the course of several months, aimed at giving Year 12 students a taste at investing in stocks and shares, whether as a potential hobby, a career path or to gain some practical experience of what Economics or Business students learn over their first year. This year’s competition ran for seven months from 30th October 2017 to 18th May 2018 and it came down to a nail-biting finish.

With bated breath, we watched throughout the day as the competition drew to a close at 5pm on 18th May. Mere minutes from the close, another team had an incredible amount of luck and jumped into the lead ahead of us by less than 1% of profit, an infuriatingly slim margin. We came in second place nationally, but were North of England winners, with a total profit including commission of £2640, a total increase of 32% on our initial investment – an incredible feat for such a short period.

The competition started with each team having an investment pot of £2000 to spend as we liked on stocks, shares, bonds or any other form of investment, except US shares. Our team consisting of Manu Panasa, Dylan Heywood, Harry Cooke and I, under the careful tutelage of Mrs. Edge, began our seven-month period by investing £500 pounds in both Fevertree and Fulcrum Services. Fevertree is a premium drinks-mixer producer that, having unveiled plans for an American expansion, we expected to be a slow riser. After a short time, we also invested in Purplebricks and Cineworld, which meant we had two separate investments in building/services companies. Our logic behind this was that these companies’ shares had risen before we invested and were likely to continue to rise over the time period, especially post-Christmas, when housing prices were set to rise. Our investment in Cineworld proved to be our largest blunder by far. Two of us had seen news that Cineworld was likely to take over another cinema company, so we invested on this rumour, but events turned out to be the complete opposite: it was Cineworld that was being taken over, as we found out a few days later when our investment dropped £60 and we sold at a loss.

We were invited to London on 28th June for the National Winners’ Day. After an early train down to London, we spent the morning at a Reception in Mansion House, where we had a talk from investment experts from around the world about what they thought of our investment portfolios and how we could improve for the future. This was followed by a Q & A session, where the experts answered any questions we might have had, providing valuable insight for those wanting to do further investment in the future. After this, we had a speedboat ride up the River Thames, which in the heat of the City was a very welcome way to cool off. Overall, the whole competition was of great use to us, as business students and for personal investing; it has taught us much more than we might have gained without the practical experience and the nail-biting tension was a great experience of the stresses of investing. Doubtless we will all go on to invest in the future, thanks to this competition.

During December, we invested in WANdisco, a software and technology developer, which is typically expected to do well over the gift-giving period. This investment largely, with the help of a few others, helped push us into first place running into January/February. Sadly, over the months that followed, towards the end of the competition, our fortune waned somewhat and our lead started to slip. We sold everything except our original Fevertree investment, and invested all we had in more Fevertree and in Ocado, an online shopping service. With all of our funds invested in these two stocks, we counted down the days to the finish. Two days from the end, our Ocado shares had a massive jump, rocketing us into Regional and National first place. We sold immediately to keep our lead and watched with fingers crossed as we were now in pole position going into the last few hours.

Nathan Ashley 12a

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 39

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Bolton Station Community Gala _______________________________________________________

olton School Boys’ Division, which is part of the Bolton Station Development Partnership, provided actors, artists and musicians to entertain at the Bolton Station Community Gala, held at the town’s railway station and transport interchange. The Saturday celebration on 30th June marked 50 years to the day since the last steam train left the town’s locomotive sheds on Crescent Road and celebrated all things relating to public transport. In collaboration with RoughHouse Theatre, actors from across the year groups of the Boys’ Division, performed ‘My Room, My Bolton’, a specially commissioned play inspired by Bolton’s part in the 1930s Mass Observation Project. Travellers and rail enthusiasts were halted in their tracks as boys took their play to the general public, performing on the concourse of the town’s transport Interchange and then handing out jam and scones to the audience! Alongside ‘the stage’, Year 7 boys’ stunning train artwork was also displayed and, later in the day, former pupil and singer James Edgington delivered a wonderful set of pop classics. The action-packed gala also included vintage bus rides, a miniature railway, poetry, 35 stalls including face-painting, as well as live music and theatre. It was the culmination of the coming together of a number of groups to breathe life back into the railway station as a community hub. Further exciting developments of space in the railway station are planned for the near future.

Bolton Youth Vision Conference _______________________________________________________

n Tuesday 3rd July, four members of the Lower School Council went to the Bolton Youth Vision Conference at the Albert Halls in Bolton. The event’s theme was ‘Staying Connected’ and how schools were connected to their communities. Mohammed Faheem Jiva, Levi Higham, Hamaad Choudry and Andrew Jacob all went and represented Bolton School. The day started with us being directed to our table, which we shared with Westhoughton High and we were given a short time to get to know them. After our icebreaker, in which the presenter made us dance around and warm up, we then took part in several different activities or ‘missions’. Our first mission was identifying all the things our school does for the community, charity, the young, the elderly etc. The second mission was where our table was given 20 minutes to prepare an idea about how our school can help with a certain topic. Our topic was education and we had to present our ideas to a panel in the style of ‘The Apprentice’. Whilst people were presenting their ideas, the other tables took part in different fun activities like making badges, designing a new logo for Bolton 2030, playing Jenga and doing quizzes about Bolton. The event then finished with the Bolton Youth Council members performing a rap about the day. I really enjoyed the day because I got to meet some new people and see what they do differently in their schools compared to ours. The event was presented in a fun, enjoyable way and I would love to go next year. If you are in the Lower School Council next year, I would definitely recommend going to this event. Levi Higham 7d

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Clubs & Societies Club Animalia _______________________________________________________

lub Animalia is the students’ chance to help out with the care of the Biology Department’s exotic animal collection. The collection includes stick insects, giant Madagascan hissing cockroaches, a corn snake, African dwarf frogs, mice, a bearded dragon, and axolotls. With so many animals now present in the labs, the teachers and technicians need help looking after them. Sixth Formers have taken responsibility for the daily care of a different animal. Every Friday at Club Animalia, under their supervision, pupils from Years 7-9 help to clean the tanks and ensure the animals are comfortable. Favourite activities at the Club include bathing the bearded dragon, counting the cockroaches and feeding the snake. The boys get a chance to handle the animals and learn about their behaviour and biology, while also appreciating the responsibility that comes with owning animals.

A personal highlight of editing ‘The Bolt’ would have to be conducting each edition’s ‘Day In The Life’ interview. This year, ‘The Bolt’ even managed to interview a celebrity, with actor and Old Boy Ralf Little sitting down with me to answer some questions. Alongside this, we have interviewed a range of staff from across school, as well as the School Captain and, after seven years of working at the magazine, even I had to sit down and be interviewed for this year’s final edition. ‘The Bolt’ is published once a half term and managing this alongside school commitments is a daunting task only made possible by the unwavering commitment and effort put in by our team. Miss Brearley has supervised the magazine for the last four years and has guided ‘The Bolt’ during its transformation from a paper to a digital publication. Giving up time every week and ensuring writers make deadlines, Miss Brearley has been an invaluable asset to the team and as she leaves to take up a Head of English position, I thank her for all she has done and wish her all the best. Aashir Khan has served this year as my Deputy Editor, a role he has thrown himself into through contributing high quality articles in every edition and stepping up to edit the magazine whilst I have been on exam leave. Aashir has provided leadership on a weekly basis to a team of young writers and I thank both him and the entire team for their work.

Without the outstanding team of Senior boys helping to run it, the Club would not have been possible. We would like to express our thanks to Oliver Johnson, Chris Jacob, Eddy Backhouse, Tyler Titley and Cameron Matthews. In addition, we would also like to note the help and assistance given by the Biology technicians, Mrs. Hartley and Miss Dawber.

‘The Bolt’ has been a fixture of my school life since I joined Bolton School in Year 7. Having worked under four teachers and having edited the magazine for the last four years, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the magazine develop from its inception seven years ago into a high quality digital publication, covering complex global events and featuring detailed analytical commentaries. As I leave school and ‘The Bolt’ for university, I am confident that ‘The Bolt’ will continue to go from strength to strength under Aashir, who takes over as Editor.

Dr. N. Morgan

Sam Warburton 13f

‘The Bolt’ _________________________

Film Club _______________________________________________________

his has been another successful year for ‘The Bolt’ magazine. We have seen a significant increase in the number of pupils from all year groups contributing articles, relishing the opportunity to communicate their passions to the school community. Our dedicated team of writers has covered an immense range of topics, from politics and current affairs to entertainment and technology and it has been a privilege to edit these maturely written pieces.

ilm Club has run every Friday lunchtime and has continued to be exclusively for Upper School pupils.

Last year, we focused on some of the classics, as well as a few well-known action and adventure films, while this year, we have focused on dystopian fiction; this genre has seen a remarkable expansion in children’s fiction, so we felt it was the perfect opportunity to explore the on-screen development of it as well. We began with Peter Jackson’s ‘District 9’, a depiction of a world divided between alien and human communities, which is also based on the historical events of District Six in Cape Town. We took a break from our dystopian worlds to follow Will Ferrell’s adventures as a confused elf in New York in the approach to Christmas! Whilst this is a popular genre, we have tried to watch a variety

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 41

Clubs & Societies of current and contemporary films, as well as some that are less prominent. All of our members have enjoyed ‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy, inspired by Suzanne Collins’ popular novels, as well as clips from James Cameron’s ‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day’. Some of our members were less familiar with Kurt Wimmer’s ‘Equilibrium’, inspired by George Orwell’s popular novel, ‘1984’ as well as Ray Bradbury’s well known ‘Fahrenheit 451’ and excerpts from ‘Æon Flux’, a film remake of a graphic novel.

History Research Society _______________________________________________________

istory Research Society has continued to thrive this year. The project on World War One and the Old Boltonians has thrown up some interesting stories and the boys have produced work that has demonstrated a wide variety of research skills. The society has been ably led by Bilal Asghar and Matthew Schaffel, who summarise the year’s activities below:

Miss E.M. Harper

‘The HistOracle’ _______________________________________________________

nce again, our Year 12 historians produced two bumper editions of the Sixth Form History journal and have scooped the Historical Association’s prize for Best School History Magazine in 2018. The magazine allows boys to investigate historical issues beyond the A Level curriculum and helps to develop skills of research and essay writing. The Autumn edition this year focused on the theme of revolutions and featured articles that analysed the causes and effects of revolutions from Spartacus to the Arab Spring. The edition also showcased some of the artworks inspired by these events. To commemorate one hundred years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918, the Spring edition was dedicated to Women’s history. The range of articles produced by the boys was particularly impressive and included pieces on Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, Sirimavo Bandaranaike and, of course, Emmeline Pankhurst. We very much hope that the magazine will continue to win awards under the editorship of our new Year 12 historians next academic year. Miss S.V. Burgess

42 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Over the course of this academic year, History Research Club has been meeting every Thursday, continuing our project from last year, to help further our understanding of the ex-pupils and teachers who served in the armed forces during the First World War. The general aim of the club has been to produce short biographies on each of the ex-Boltonians killed during the war, detailing the key events of their lives. We also have an additional project focusing upon life in school during the war years, with members of the club using this project to reflect on the impact the war had in all aspects of society at the time. We are now some way towards having individual records for all those old boys and teachers who served during the war. A particular highlight of this year was our interview with the Headmaster, which focused on the topic of how the school went about daily business during the war. The Headmaster’s expansive knowledge on the subject helped to provide a great deal of additional information to aid us in our research. As our project on the First World War heads towards its conclusion, our Second World War project can now begin to take shape. With an eye on our activities next year, we are hoping to repeat the process of researching all those ex-Boltonians, who served and fell in the Second World War. In addition, we now have the added benefit of being able to interview those who lived and also served in the armed forces during the war, giving us a first-hand insight into these historic events and time periods; this, in particular, is something we look forward to as we move the club forward into next year. Miss S.V. Burgess, Matthew Schaffel 12b & Bilal Asghar 12a

History Society _______________________________________________________

istory Society continues to battle for its place in the busy lunchtime schedules, with its eclectic mix of activities from quizzes to panel games to special expositions on topics beyond the school curriculum. Reliable favourites are Just a Minute, Historical Pointless and Only Connect. A highlight this year was our visiting speaker in March, Professor Paul Salveson MBE, who spoke most entertainingly to a packed room about Railways and the North West. Professor Salveson works as UK Trains Group Advisor on Society and Communities for Arriva and has a wealth of knowledge about the region’s railway history. The boys learnt that the Bolton and Leigh Railway was the first

Clubs & Societies public one in Lancashire, being up and running two years before the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and that trains got faster and faster with some able to travel at up to 40mph! The boys asked a range of thoughtful questions, some showing significant knowledge of the subject themselves. Miss S.V. Burgess

Lower School Book Club _______________________________________________________

ow in its sixth year, Book Club remains a place for our pupils to discuss and share their thoughts about the exciting stories they have read. Our members are from all year groups and we continue to grow our membership base, as well as welcome new additions from the Lower School. This year, we have developed our focus on the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award and many of our members attended both the announcement of the shortlist and met the authors at the Award day and authors’ meal. We have expanded our repertoire of creative activities and have had the privilege of having a Q & A lunch with author Matt Killeen.

A Year in Book Club Hvving been at the school for almost three years now and having been in Book Club for most of that time, I would have to recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. At Book Club, we spend a lot of our time discussing books that we have been reading. A lot of our time is also spent on the Bolton Book Awards, from the announcement of the shortlist in September to the unveiling of the winner in July. We often do activities around these books that will eventually be shown to the actual authors of the books and many other schools that also participate at the final ceremony. We had the opportunity to meet the authors when the shortlist was announced in September, which was exciting. We have also created many activities focused around these books, which include creating and breaking code inspired by Emma Carroll’s ‘Letters From The Lighthouse’ and making spot-thedifference pictures inspired by Lisa Thompson’s ‘The Goldfish Boy’.

Miss E.M. Harper & Mrs. M. Howarth

Other activities that I have taken part in at Book Club include numerous quizzes relating to anniversaries and events taking part in the book world like World Book Day. A particular highlight for me was playing Harry Potter monsters Pictionary, where I was able to guess a leprechaun from a drawing of Ireland! More recently, I’ve also loved planning and creating book trailers ahead of the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award day in July. I would recommend attending Book Club to anyone who has a passion for reading, like me. It is so much fun that I’m sure others will find it the same if they choose to go.

Max Rimmer 9a

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 43

Clubs & Societies Mandarin Club _______________________________________________________

andarin Club is open to Year 7 boys and roughly ten students attend. Every Wednesday afternoon between 4 and 5 pm, we get together to learn Mandarin and experience Chinese culture.

During this year, students have grasped the Chinese Pinyin system, which can help them to read Mandarin so that they can communicate with Chinese people. We explored topics such as sport, music and food. The boys who attended the club know how to say some popular sports in Mandarin for example football, basketball, table tennis and golf. They also learned how to order dishes in Mandarin. We also looked at how the Beijing Opera indicates character by using special face painting. We discovered Chinese New Year traditions and learned some Chinese history and also tried to write Chinese characters with a traditional Chinese brush pen. Mr. W. Zhang

Model United Nations Society _______________________________________________________

t has been another eventful and successful year for the Model United Nations Society at Bolton School. The Society has seen new recruits join in order to learn the ropes of this debating forum and we have participated in a wide range of conferences and activities and even embarked on our first ‘tour’! The year began with some interesting Society meetings, debating Mental Health, the Freedom of the Media and the problems in Korea (which seem to now have been solved – I wonder if the political leaders involved were inspired when they saw on our Twitter feed that we were tackling the problem head on?!). These preparatory meetings stood us in good stead for our first competition of the year at Manchester High School for Girls in January. We have a good tradition of success at this conference, and this year was no different. We represented DR Congo and the UK, and there were a number of notable successes for individuals: Bilal Asghar was named the Outstanding Delegate (even receiving his own gavel!) Alex Matthews, Matthew Schaffel and Nick Clark were all Highly Commended, James Bradley was Commended and Thomas Britton was named the Best Young Delegate in his committee. With every member of the delegation receiving an award, the UK were also Highly Commended for their team performance.

44 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Attention then turned to the first ever Model UN Tour, as we prepared for Shrewsbury School’s Model UN competition in March. With a celebrity minibus driver in tow, we embarked on the tour and there were some interesting tactical discussions on the way; representing the delegation from the USA, some delegates were even in a cabal discussion involving a Year 10 secession from the Union, but, fortunately for all concerned, this did not materialise. During the opening ceremony, delegates heard from Lord Carlile, who shared insight on his time as a QC and in political work, and this was a fine start to an excellent weekend; cowboy hats, team caps, ‘Making America Great Again’ and backroom diplomacy at the social were all downtime highlights, but, in committee, there was lots of serious discussion, and the boys performed superbly well. Once again, the team performance was recognised, with the US delegation awarded Highly Commended, performing very well in the General Assembly and there were a number of notable individual successes.

Clubs & Societies Our final conference at Withington Girls’ School saw a return to the site of our first ever conference seven years ago. Current Bolton School pupils walked in the footsteps of previous winners, committing themselves well in some very hot and humid conditions. As ever, they kept their cool, with a number of notable individual awards in both teams. New delegates Hamzah Chariwala and Michael Du Plessis distinguished themselves at their first conference, and were respectively Highly Commended and Commended. Richard Drake, Thomas Britton and Thomas Higham all put in splendid performances for the Year 10 team representing Pakistan (with Thomas Higham receiving his first ‘Outstanding Delegate Award’) and Matthew Settle and Mohammed Patel did a superb job of negotiating their first conference. In our senior team representing China, Nick Clark, Matthew Schaffel and James Bradley received various commendations and Alex Matthew and Bilal Asghar took the reins leading rather than participating in the debates; they assured me that power has not gone to their heads, and they will be taking the floor again at the next available opportunity. As we look forward to next year, we have recruited a new advisor in Miss H. Torun, who will bring her international experience to the team, and there are a wide range of conferences, both familiar and newly established, to look forward to and new recruits are warmly encouraged to start learning the ropes of Model UN debating from September onwards. As ever, the Model UN Society has flourished this year because of the commitment and passion that the boys have shown for debating and current affairs. They have led meetings, r e v i e w e d performances and supported each other in developing the skills required for success and I am particularly proud of all of them. The senior boys have done an excellent job of coaching and supporting new delegates and the Society could not exist without their willingness to give their time and share their expertise in this way. The skills, knowledge and humility which the boys display at the UN conferences and in our Society meetings never cease to impress, and I would like to thank them all for their hard work and good company this year. Mrs. C.L. Waller

Model UN Colours _______________________________________________________

ebating Colours (Model UN) are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Debating. Colours were awarded to the following boys: Name Bilal Asghar James Bradley Nick Clark Alex Matthews Matthew Schaffel

Form Colour 12a Half 12g Half 12d Half 12a Half 12b Half

Physics Clubs _______________________________________________________

t the start of the academic year, Physics Ambassadors was set up to help aid younger students with Physics and science-related work. Aside from running a Physics clinic at lunchtimes to help younger, more committed students (even if some were forced to go), members of this Society engaged in other activities within the scientific field. Originally, the group was only made up of a handful of students, however, as people began to realise that Physics Ambassadors provided an insight into cuttingedge Physics and an enjoyable pathway to volunteering, the size of the society began to grow. Notably, Physics Ambassadors provided weekly lunchtime sessions. With guidance from staff, the group managed to host practical sessions and interactive quizzes aimed at Lower School boys. Activities included building drop capsules for eggs and even exploding canisters (in a controlled environment, of course). These weekly activities were entertaining and popular for the boys, who also developed their practical physics skills. Yet, more significantly, it has provided the Ambassadors with a medium to develop their leadership and interpersonal skills. On 4th October 2017, the School, with the help of Apple themselves hosted the Apple Innovation Summit. It aimed to demonstrate potential uses and the advantages of iPads in the classroom environment to teachers and lecturers from all around the globe, from Italy to Canada, and Sweden to Australia. At the event, the Society showcased four ways in which the iPads could be used, and how the use of iPad’s have benefitted lessons rather than just being “an alternative to paper”. For example, a Bluetooth sensor was utilised to wirelessly track the movements of a cart with the iPad automatically plotting graphs. The presentations delivered to teachers by the Ambassadors intended to show the time saved in lessons when using the iPads. With the weight of the School and Apple on the Ambassadors’ shoulders, the event allowed students

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 45

Clubs & Societies to develop interpersonal skills and confidence. Overall, it was an excellent opportunity to see how iPads are used in schools, thus helping students and teachers alike better utilise technology in lessons. Moreover, Extreme Physics is a club set up for Physics students wishing to be pushed beyond the limits of the curriculum and try difficult questions, which would not normally be encountered in class. The club also acts as excellent preparation for Oxbridge interviews and higher studies in science. Most of the weekly sessions involved answering questions on Isaac Physics on various topics including circular motion, humpback bridges and cat’s eyes. The biggest event of the year was the Society’s involvement in the Physics Olympiad. The first stage of this competition was a practical challenge. This involved investigating the vertical and horizontal motion of a slinky when dropped from a given height. To do this, slow motion cameras were used to analyse the displacement of the slinky. In order to take part, students had to write up an experimental report of the investigation including preliminary work, observations and analysis. Overall, Physics Ambassadors and Extreme Physics have been a huge success for those who were involved. The Society is aiming to build on its successes in the next academic year and hopefully increase its influence within the school.

the Plate Final by a margin of 60 points after several intense rounds. The team fought its way through questions on literature, geography, music, art, classics and other topics. They had some incredibly tough opponents and some rather challenging questions. To be one of the leading schools in a competition like this was an inspiring moment and next year we hope to win the whole competition.

The Junior team was pipped to the post from reaching the Final, despite being a formidable team. The standard of the questions given to the team was challenging and they faced an eclectic mix of subjects; moreover, they had a good time even though they were beaten. The club has become ever more popular throughout the year and we hope to see even more people attend next year.

Chris Smith 12j, Rupert Varley 12a, Lewis Dixon 12g & Matthew Cheung 12e

Quiz Clubs _______________________________________________________

he Junior and Senior Quiz teams have met throughout the year and every week has been different as what we did changed from general knowledge to topic-specific questions, sometimes competing as teams and sometimes as individuals; we even used buzzers! It is always different and that makes it so enjoyable. Throughout this year, we have been preparing for the inter-school quiz competition at Bury Grammar School. This is the pinnacle of the School’s quizzing calendar and is an event worth spending weeks practising for. The competition allows the students to compete with other schools from all around the North West and it is split into two sections: the Junior category comprises students from Years 7 and 8, held in March, and the Senior category comprises students from Years 9-13, held at the end of January. The trophies are also split, with the top team in each group going through to the Cup Final and the second team in each group going through to the Plate Final. In this year’s competition, the Senior ‘A’ team, which comprised Sam Warburton, Thomas Yates, Thomas Britton and Anuj Mishra, won

46 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Thomas Martin 9c

Russian Club _______________________________________________________

hitmore’s reforms bring yet more prosperity; well, more laughs, quizzes, cultural enrichment and rampant industrial progress at Russian Club during 2017-18!

President, Adam Whitmore, introduced a number of sweeping changes immediately after his inauguration; the previously-élitist ‘Joke of the Week’ competition was branded an institution of the bourgeoisie and was opened up to the people in a gesture of which Gorbachev himself would be proud. He also decided to impart some of his own wisdom during the new ‘Advice for the Weekend’ section. Technological advancement in the sphere of Microsoft Word also enabled IT guru, Adrian Zahir, to bring an exciting new element

Clubs & Societies to the ‘Celebrity of the Week’ quiz. Haad Hussain added a certain panache to whatever it was he did, and George Baxendale displayed skill and passion in his role as Motivational Speaker. Former Russian Club stalwart, James Bradley, was even invited back on special occasions!

l go to Science Crest Club because I have a keen interest in the sciences. This year, my project was on detecting drugs, which is a topic that forensic scientists regularly deal with. How can you tell the difference between cocaine, sugar and paracetamol when they all look exactly the same? I enjoyed using different apparatus in my experiments and discovering new ways to test for drugs.

Upon the start of study leave, however, a new leader had to be chosen; James Hopkinson captured the hearts of the electorate and, following a generous donation to the Official Politburo Fund, took office with a landslide majority. His own reforms started early, and several World Cup Specials attracted record numbers to B16. We thank all members for attending this year; without you, PGD and NRWW would spend their Fridays alone in B16, much like the rest of the week. We look forward to seeing what the tenure of James and his comrades will bring to Russian Club, and are keen to welcome you all in September. Mr. N.R.W. Wyatt

Science Crest Club _______________________________________________________

his year, three groups have carried out investigations for the Science Crest Club. This club enables students to complete a self-led investigation in science, mathematics or technology. There are different levels of awards. The boys explain below what aspects of the club they enjoy.

William Miles 9c This year during Science Crest Club, my group has been experimenting with measuring the energy in food; this has included burning Wotsits, Pringles, crackers and more. We have been experimenting with different equipment to do so. We started off using a bunsen burner and a test tube full of water, then we used a more sophisticated Calorimeter. So far, we have learned that Wotsits release the most heat energy per gram burnt, but Pringles produce the largest flame. It’s really fun seeing the size of the flames produced and getting to eat left-overs! Freddie Higham 9c CREST Science has been my favourite club this year. My group successfully completed the Bronze Award and we are looking forward to completing our Silver Award in the next two years. Completing the award brings a plethora of challenges. We investigated whether games affect blood pressure and heart rate in your childhood years. The experiment brought a variety of results, some of which were anomalous. As a scientist, you have to expect this; it makes you believe that anything is possible and makes you more determined to achieve your goals. The CREST Award made me a better scientist, and I improved my practical skills. It was a great opportunity to work together as a group and explore science in a whole new different way. I have received my Bronze Award and I am really looking forward to completing my next award. Thank you to Dr. Tranter and Dr. Catterall for making Science Crest Club a great place to spend your Tuesday lunchtimes, away from the noisy quad and Levels. Muhammad Choudhary 8a

Dr. I.K. Tranter

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 47

Clubs & Societies Scrabble Club _______________________________________________________

activities. For instance, we have explored ways to structure a debate argument, arguing the causality of points and how to define and develop our responses to a motion.

crabble Club this year has been very successful, being one of the most highly attended extra-curricular activities. Every Thursday at 1:35pm, the club meets to play Scrabble, providing an opportunity to both expand and improve upon your vocabulary; the club helps you to do this in a fun and engaging way. If you would like to exercise your competitive side, you could keep tabs on the scores each week and try to improve upon them. Both Miss Brearley and Miss Holroyd run the club in a piquant way, allowing anyone to test their luck at Scrabble. Joe Dady & James Hodson 8a

Public Speaking and Debating Colours _______________________________________________________

Miss E.M. Harper

Review of the Year Some say that the human instinct for argument is as deeply embedded as our primordial desires to love, laugh, learn and push doors marked ‘pull’. No wonder, then, that the Senior Literary and Debating Society, one of the oldest extra-curricular activities in school, continues to evolve, going from strength to strength as new and exciting opportunities for discussion arise from the crazy and convoluted world in which we live. Numerous contentious and pertinent issues have been scrutinised in the very smallest detail by the Society’s diverse membership, including the moral basis for cutting trade ties with countries that violate human rights conventions, society’s attitude towards sexual violence, the arming of the police, as well as age-old questions such as that of school uniform, the existence of Father Christmas and the legalisation of cannabis. Though we find it important to maintain sensitivities within the Society, it offers a platform where debaters can voice their views, sometimes leading to some controversial discussions.

ublic Speaking and Debating Colours are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Public Speaking and Debating. Colours were awarded to the following boys:

Name Yusuf Adia Krishnan Ajit Luke Cavanaugh Tom Paterson Matthew Schaffel Morgan Skeels-Caldwell Aden Stephenson Archie Aiken-Wood Akira Jepson Joyal Joshy Matthew Nally Ibrahim Panchbhaya James Stevens

Form Colour 11c Full 11c Full 13g Full 13f Full 12b Full 13f Full 11c Full 12b Half 11e Half 11d Half 11b Half 11f Half 13f Half

Senior Literary and Debating Society _______________________________________________________

his year has marked a period of exciting change and development for our School’s oldest Society. Before Christmas, we remained a joint society with the Girls’ Division. We debated motions such as the abolishment of school uniform, arming the police, freedom of speech and the merits of the arts and science-based subjects. From January, we have moved to a Boys’ Division only society and have now further expanded our repertoire of activities into exploring various debating skills, in addition to weekly debates and fun

48 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

There is no doubt that Lit & Deb offers something for everyone, whatever your interest or expertise may be. A key part of the attraction of Lit & Deb is the aplomb with which our participants engage in our lunchtime meetings. We also play a range of different debating games, as well as conducting formal debates; these include, ‘Just A Minute’ and Soapboxing, giving all of our members the opportunity to get involved. The atmosphere in the club is altogether pleasant and welcoming and our younger members have settled into the routine of our lunchtime meetings, particularly enjoying the opportunity to debate against our older and more experienced attendees, taking in their extensive skills and experience. Opinions from all backgrounds and all ends of the political spectrum are welcome, and sessions on debating techniques, as well as numerous competitions such as Debating Matters and the English Speaking Union MACE, have allowed beginners and veterans alike to hone their rhetorical skills, thus standing them in excellent stead for their future endeavours. Additionally, both the Girls’ Division Theatre and the Great Hall stage have proved themselves excellent locations for debating.

Clubs & Societies the re-nationalisation of the railways, what the EU’s position on Brexit should be and finally the implications of having a ‘minimalist’ state (where government intervention is kept to an absolute minimum). The competition encouraged a reliance on more ‘human’ emotional arguments, as opposed to the statistics-based contests to which we had become accustomed.

Thanks must go to this year’s outgoing Chair of the Committee, Morgan Skeels-Caldwell, for his insightful leadership and formidable knack for improvisation and, of course, to Miss Harper, whose diligent direction of the Society has provided many students with an enjoyable and intellectually challenging experience, giving them vital tools for their prospective careers and university courses. With Brexit on the horizon, corruption rife and trade wars galore being declared, the role of Literary and Debating Society as a platform for all students’ views cannot be understated. Tom Paterson 13f, Thomas Britton 10b & Charlie Griffiths 10e Cambridge Schools’ Debating Competition In addition to the weekly debates we run at school, this year, four members of the Society also participated in the Cambridge Schools’ Debating Competition, allowing us to further extend our debating skills. The competition’s format consisted of four rounds, with the team’s position in each round determining the quality of the competition it faced in subsequent rounds. For two of our team mates, Yusuf and Krishnan, this was their first inter-schools debating competition, so, naturally, they were particularly nervous. Despite this, it was refreshing to experience something new and it was an opportunity to perform in a high-pressure environment. It was also conducted in the British Parliamentary style that we were less familiar with, which meant we would have to break from our usual form of the lunchtime meetings’ debates (one of repeatedly beating our opponents over the head with facts until they gave up) as we would have to contend with fifteen minutes’ prep time for topics we potentially knew little about.

Our less experienced ‘B’ team encountered some of the top performers in the competition in their first round; however, they regrouped in their second debate and managed to finish in second place in their next two debates. In contrast to this, our seasoned ‘A’ team got off to a flying start: they finished in the top two in their first debate and ended the day debating against two of the schools who progressed to the final round (and eventually won the competition). Although our performances did not secure us a place in later rounds of the competition, our two teams gained valuable experience and we have now begun to understand some of the key debating skills needed to secure success in later competitions. All in all, there were four rounds, and although we might not have won, we did ourselves justice in the end. Matthew Schaffel 12b, Aden Stephenson 11c & Krishnan Ajit 11c English Speaking Union Schools’ MACE Having previously debated in the first round of the ‘Debating Matters’ Competition, I was chosen to represent the School in the ESU Mace Competition alongside my partner Tom Paterson. The format was very different to the Debating Matters Competition and a lot more demanding than my previous debating experience. The motion we were debating: ‘whether eSports should be made an Olympic sport’, was also an unfamiliar one. As a result, our preparation allowed us to research a topic area that neither of us were particularly knowledgeable about. Although this year we were unfortunate to be beaten in the regional stages of our debate, it was still a worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Luke Cavanaugh 13g

The debates centred around largely political and philosophical topics. Our first debate was based on the merits and disadvantages of punishing racially motivated crimes more harshly than equivalent non-racially motivated crimes. Subsequent debates focused upon

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 49

Clubs & Societies Young Artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Collective _______________________________________________________

ver the past two years, a selection of students from across the school have been involved in a new Art club called The Young Artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Collective. During this time, they have taken part in Screen Printing workshops by practising artists, visited the different sites of Port Sunlight and taken inspiration from the Lady Lever Art workshops. They have spoken to residents and have also enjoyed a visit to the museum and Bridge Cottage (the home of Lord Leverhulme). Historians such as Eric Fairweather and Gavin Hunter have visited the School and empowered the students to create their own brief, working together to producing a successful public exhibition that illustrated the historic link between our School and Port Sunlight Village.

Mrs. J.L. Brewer

Art Colours _______________________________________________________

rt Colours are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Art. Colours were awarded to the following boys:

The four pillars that build this project, and connect the two sites are: Innovation, Community, Heritage and Unity. The boys worked in unity to produce and host their own Art workshops, not only for the residential community of Port Sunlight, but also for a number of Junior Schools in Bolton. They have introduced both adults and children to the innovative method of collage and printing through the development of their own drawings and photographs, creating their own materials to develop individual artworks. They combined the heritage of Bolton School with the powerful imagery of Port Sunlight and created an exhibition of Music, Art, and Drama.

50 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Name Adam Hall Stewart Knights

Form Colour 13e Full 13e Half

Young Engineers Club _______________________________________________________

he alwaysbusy room of A8 is home to the Young Engineers Club, which meets at lunchtimes. I have gained a lot of experience in this club. After completing the initial beginner projects, in which I made a device that squeaked depending on the amount moisture it detected, and then a burglar alarm, I was eager to get into a project of my own. This is when

Clubs & Societies I started building my Diatone Tyrant S Racing drone. This was a challenging, but a very enjoyable experience in both building and then configuring the drone; flying it, however, was the hardest thing and the maiden flight was really exciting, although a little nerveracking! Next, I want to set up the FPV (First Person Video) so I can see things from the drone’s perspective. Once that is all complete, I would really like to enter the Airgineers flying contest and race against other drones. Jack Stevens 7b VEX Robotics VEX Robotics is a world-wide annual competition, in which teams build a robot to compete in a game arena. This year in Young Engineers Club, we entered the competition for the first time. Our team built a robot that stacked cones both autonomously and under driver control. Upon attending the regional heat in Morecambe, we were taken aback by the sheer size and complexity of the other robots, although many of them were over-engineered and broke very easily! Amazingly, we made it through qualifying and reached the regional finals and, whilst we didn’t win, we were invited as best runners-up to the National Final in Telford. We quickly got to work perfecting our robot and arrived in Telford for the weekend, although clearly as underdogs. The robots at the National Finals were beyond beliefsome were even 2 metres tall! The day went well and, astonishingly, we qualified 23rd out of 60 teams. The following day, we found out that we hadn’t been picked to join an alliance with another team and were disappointed. We watched the final matches and the Awards Ceremony, only to find out that we had received the Judges’ Award as most impressive newcomers.

we were unfortunately out of the competition. We will be back again in 2019, with an improved parachute! Isaac Simmonite 9b

We learned alot from our experience this year, and we intend to enter next year’s competition with a more sophisticated robot. William Miles 9c UKAYRoC Through the Young Engineers Club, a group of Year 8 and 9 boys entered the UK Aerospace Youth Rocketry Challenge. The aim of the competition was to design, build and launch a rocket which had to carry two raw eggs. The rocket had to reach an altitude of 800 feet, and the flight had to last 42 seconds, then descend using a parachute, and keep the eggs intact! We named our team BASA Bolton Aerospace Students’ Association. The regional competition was held at Elvington Airfield, near York on 9th May, and we had an excellent first flight. Unfortunately, on the second flight, there was a problem as the parachute was partially burned by the ejection charge that pushed it out, and this caused the rocket to fall too quickly, breaking the eggs and disqualifying the flight. The team attempted to mend the parachute and cords, but the third flight was also disqualified. Needing two flights to count,

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 51

The Houses The Lyde Cup _______________________________________________________

The House Captains in 2017-18 were as follows:

Captain Vice-captain Blackburn Daniel Southworth Luke Cavanaugh Sam Croston Alex Ramwell Chorley Tom Ryder Jay Harland Andrew Mattison Rehan Udwadia

he Lyde Cup is 115 years old this year and it is the oldest trophy presented in school throughout the entire year. So every time a boy pulls on his green, yellow, red or blue jersey, he should spare a thought for ex-Headmaster Lyde, the man who made it possible. Every time a boy participates in a House activity, he should remember that he is adding to Headmaster Lydeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy and contributing to what has become one of the most important traditions at Bolton School. House Captains play an important role in school life; they lead each House by helping organise House and Sports Days, provide their wisdom during House assemblies and sit on the Charities Committee making important decisions as to which charities deserve our help.

Manchester Harvey Haworth

Jamie Fernandes Luke James Peter Johnson

Wigan George Morgan

Josh Kendal Ali Khalid

Charities Committee Chair

Dylan Feingold

Various cups and trophies are competed for on House Days throughout the year, which contribute towards success in the Lyde Cup. Points are also now awarded for commendations earned during the year.

The overall results in the Lyde Cup were as follows: 4th place 3rd place 2nd place 1st place

Manchester Blackburn Wigan Chorley

Mr. P.D. Jackson

52 THE HOUSES

The Houses Blackburn House Report _____________________________________________

his year, Blackburn House chose for the second consecutive year to use a collection of items to help a local charity. We decided to support the local charity in the Blackburn area, Nightsafe, which works to provide shelter and support for young people who have found themselves on the streets. As a House, we saw Nightsafe as a worthwhile charity due to the work we’d seen them do in helping people of a similar age to ourselves who are in a less fortunate position. The House managed to collect over 500 toiletry items for the charity – well over our target of 350 items as a House.

Alex Ramwell, Luke Cavanaugh and Sam Croston, who supported the rest of the House as well as myself with merit. Dan Southworth 13b 2017-18 was another successful year for the House System, with boys competing in numerous House Days, sports days, outdoor challenges, music events and cross country runs. It is always great to see boys challenging themselves, but, more importantly, enjoying themselves from quizzing to cycling. Boys in Blackburn House from Years 7 to 13 have chosen and supported worthy causes, delivered assemblies and held meetings to promote the ethos of the House. The Blackburn Leadership Team is growing in number and I would like to thank those boys for their help and assistance across many events, in particular Dan Southworth (House Captain) and his Vice-captains. Congratulations to Chorley House on winning the Lyde Cup (about time!); we will be back next year and look forward to the various events and challenges a new year brings. Mr. M.G. Chilton

Sadly, valiant efforts in the three House Days and the other events involved with the Lyde Cup competition weren’t enough as we couldn’t make it three wins in three years; however, I’m sure Blackburn’s dominant display in the Lyde Cup competition will return next year. Finally, I’d just like to give a big thank you to Mr. Chilton for his work throughout the year in organising and ensuring the smooth running of the House, and the Vice-captains

THE HOUSES 53

The Houses Chorley House Report ____________________________________________________

horley House has enjoyed a wonderful year, bubbling with activity throughout. It has been ably led by House Captain Tom Ryder and Vice-captains Jay Harland, Rehan Udwadia and Andrew Mattison; I am indebted to their input and good humour in running the day-to-day affairs of the House. There has also been excellent leadership and participation further down the years, which most obviously represented itself with regard to House Days and charity work. This year, Chorley House chose Bolton Young Persons’ Housing Scheme as its charity. A previous idea of the former leadership team was to row the English Channel (in the gym). It was decided that this would be carried out this year. Every year group took time to go to the gym either as a collective if they were in Years 7 to 10, or individually if older. The boys acquitted themselves excellently and were able to row more than double the length of the Channel at its widest point. However, what was more important was the money raised. We raised over £1300 as a House, which is a very significant windfall for the charity. They have used the money to fund trips and activities so that young people in their care can feel, in their own words, ‘normal’ again. Most boys within our school are incredibly fortunate and it is therefore fitting that the boys, collectively, have been able to help try to improve the lives of those in our community who are less fortunate.

When Chorley last won the Lyde Cup back in 2000-01, Jamie Noorhaizamdin was the House Captain. At that time, George W. Bush was President and Tony Blair was Prime Minister. David Beckham was still playing for Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers were in the Premiership and had reached the FA Cup and Worthington (League) Cup Semi-finals the previous year. I myself, was just about to start secondary school. Jamie Noorhaizamdin could not have envisaged that

54 THE HOUSES

he would be the last Lyde Cup winner for Chorley for 17 years; however, the past is now forgotten and, having come so close last year, the lads were determined to remove Blackburn from its pedestal. Having performed excellently on House Days, but also gaining the most commendations, Chorley were finally able to overcome this stumbling block. It is hard luck that Tom Ryder did not get to collect the trophy as, with all successful Captains, he had left the school; however, Rob Heather was able to collect the trophy and will lead the House in its defence next year. Mr. Moore succeeds me as Housemaster next year and will do a magnificent job in leading the House. I would like to thank all the lads in Chorley House for their commitment and hard work, but also for their humour and sense of fun – I have thoroughly enjoyed leading the House for the past two years. Mr. H.S. Brown

The Houses Manchester House Report ____________________________________________________

s important as the competitive side of the House System is, just like the other Houses this year, Manchester House chose a charity and, in so doing, decided to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;go greenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by donating any unwanted recyclable clothing to Bolton Hospice, a charity which works to care and support those with progressive, life-limiting illnesses. The Leadership Team worked together with the Charities Committee and concluded that a donation of material goods would be a pleasant change from raising money. We therefore placed big bins around school, which were put there not for people to throw away their hopes and dreams, but to collect clothes for the Hospice to raise money in their charity shops, to enable them to continue with their essential care. An enormous amount of clothes made from recyclable materials, such as cotton, leather and wool, were donated. When representatives from Bolton Hospice visited the School in April to collect the donations, they were particularly impressed with why we chose to do this type of donation.

The House System is an integral part of the School and we feel honoured to have had the opportunity to lead within the House â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a truly unforgettable experience. Harvey Haworth 12e & Dylan Feingold 13c

THE HOUSES 55

The Houses Wigan House Report ____________________________________________________

t has been another great year for Wigan House – we won Sports Day and finished second in the race for the Lyde Cup; however, what has impressed me most this year has been the boys’ commitment to Community Action. Crucial in this fundraising activity (and all other House activities) were our team of year group leaders. These individuals were democratically elected by their peers. Each candidate spoke in a House assembly to explain their motivation for seeking the post and their ideas. The following boys were elected as Year group leaders: Year Year Year Year Year

8 9 10 11 12

Anupam Tripathi Dominic Flood, James Hopkinson Jude Ashcroft, Piers Skeels-Caldwell Rory Fielding, Oliver Shaw, Aden Stephenson, Adam Whitmore Matthew Schaffel, Jonathan Topping

During our first House assemblies, the House Vice-captains and Captain each nominated a charity and spoke passionately about why they believed we should support it. The previous summer, a number of students in the House had enjoyed a trip to the Caribbean island of Dominica as part of an Operation Wallacea expedition. When they saw the devastating impact Hurricane Maria had had on the island, they wanted to do something about it. Their idea was a mass-participation fundraiser, the ‘Hurricane Hike’. As a House, we walked the length of Dominica three times, a distance of around 200 km! The House raised over £1500, which was split between The Dominica Disaster Relief Fund and Papyrus, our other House charity.

56 THE HOUSES

The Dodgeball Tournament was again a great success. A scriptwriting team was formed, utilising talent from across the different Houses; their work formed the basis of another excellent film, the third in the successful ‘Staff All Stars’ series. Over £350 was raised for charities supported by different Houses. I would like to express my thanks to the Year group leaders and Housemasters for all their help and support in enabling the tournament to run so smoothly. Mr. D.F. Teasdale

The Houses Sports Day _______________________________________________________

House Colours _______________________________________________________

ports Day saw the return of the tug of war competition for the first time in over a decade. For all pupils in Years 7 to 10, the morning was filled with track and field events, and those not competing cheered for members of their House alongside family members who came along to watch.

Track events saw boys running distances of 100m, 200m, 300m, 800m and 1500m. Field events included discus, high jump, javelin, long jump, shot put and triple jump. The tug of war heats took place throughout the morning.

ouse Colours are a public recognition of service and commitment shown within the House System and Charity Committee. House Colours were awarded to the following boys:

Name Dan Southworth Luke Cavanaugh Sam Croston Alex Ramwell Tom Ryder Jay Harland Andrew Mattison Rehan Udwadia Harvey Haworth Luke James Peter Johnson George Morgan Josh Kendal Ali Khalid Dylan Feingold

Form 13b 13g 13h 13d 13f 13h 13a 13b 12e 12b 12g 13d 13b 13d 13c

Colour House Full Blackburn Half Blackburn Half Blackburn Half Blackburn Full Chorley Half Chorley Half Chorley Half Chorley Full Manchester Half Manchester Half Manchester Full Wigan Half Wigan Half Wigan Full Charities Committee Chair

Sports Day was brought to a conclusion with boys from each year group taking part in 8x50m and 8x100m relays, and the tug of war Finals added to the spectacle. Next year, the winning tug of war team will be awarded with the Wardle Trophy, named after Deputy Headmaster Mr. Wardle, who has left the School this summer. The 2017 winners Wigan House successfully defended their Sports Day title and were presented with the trophy once again.

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Camps & Journeys Rheinland Trip _______________________________________________________

nce again, October Half Term saw over a third of Year 8 heading for the Rheinland, accompanied by Senior Boys and members of staff. The programme of activities provides learning about the local and national German history, culture and geography, as well as the introduction of new vocabulary and idiom. Built into the six day trip are plenty of opportunities for letting off steam in visits to a waterpark and an outdoor toboggan run, as well as playing football and, perhaps the highlight, two nights on board a P&O North Sea Ferry. Visits to Heidelberg, Koblenz, Aachen, Rüdesheim and Cologne give the boys time for shopping as well as sightseeing. This year, we celebrated twenty years of staying at the Hotel Colonius in Sankt Goarshausen and we look forward to many more to come.

Joint Ski Trip _______________________________________________________

he trip started out on a cold wet morning in Bolton and eventually ended up in a frozen paradise. We scrambled onto the coach and after everyone was settled, the Rugby 6 Nations was put on: Ireland vs. Italy. Before we knew it, we were at Dover ready to board the ferry. We were soon in northern France, as we travelled closer and closer to our destination. After a long journey, we arrived at Claviere, a sleepy town in Italy, which was to become home to an extra 100 boys and girls. After we had unpacked and realised what a great a view we had from our rooms, we finally set off into the small town, where the only words we all knew were pizza and grazie. We had boots and poles fittings at specific times; it was like a flea market – poles and skis everywhere! The little shop looked like it was about to burst with the amount of activity. After we had got our equipment, we were excited for the first day of skiing. The following morning, we got salopettes on, then we began the process of putting on skis and getting out onto the main piste. After lunch, we got back on the slopes; some made us feel great, some not so much. When we got back to the hotel, we were exhausted.

What really sets the trip apart is the skiing and one of the best aspects are the jumps; the best people at jumping were Pierce Barker-Smith and George Yearsley. Over the course of the trip, we had many bizarre and strange ski stories, including skiing into poles, people and plenty of snow. One story featured Lawson Bates losing his phone in one valley and then finding it in another! Overall, the skiing experience in the numerous valleys was fantastic, with plenty of snow for some perfect carving, especially from Flynn Saturley and Asmara Stubley; however, as any skier would know, skiing is not about who went the highest or fastest, but who had a lot of fun, which every member of the trip did. We did lots of activities in addition to the skiing. One day, we went to see a ski display on a Black slope, the quiz night was more intense than we thought it would be, but crêpe night was delicious! The ice skating was a favourite and the disco was incredible, although the students were upstaged by the staff! Mr. R.A. Catterall

58 CAMPS & JOURNEYS

Camps & Journeys During the whole week, we skied in the resort of Claviere; however, on Friday afternoon we went to Montgenèvre. We sat on eight-seated chairlifts or got into a gondola with views to marvel at. We went down a couple of times, gaining serious speed as we did so and then were told that we had to push ourselves toward Claviere. Then came Saturday afternoon, when the lower sets were tested; we got told to ski down and the guides would assess us. In the end, we were treated to a hot chocolate before getting our last speed records in.

can eat it and it prevents wealthy people from showing off so that all distinctions between high and low are removed.

Once we had returned our kit, we got on the coach again and, as we made our way through France, we all tried to get as much sleep as possible. We got on the ferry and soon arrived in Dover to quite a surprise – sunshine. As we left the final service station, a reminder came that Rochdale were playing Tottenham. The banging celebration as Rochdale was one nil up, as we neared Manchester and half time, was enough to put a good smile on our faces and, with that, we arrived at Bolton School and disembarked the coach, ready to go home. Mohammedzafeer Musa 10c & Henry Yearsley 11e

Year 8 Trip to a Gurdwara _______________________________________________________

n March, Year 8 went on a trip to Central Manchester Gurdwara, which is a Sikh place of worship. Religious ceremonies take place here, and children learn about the Sikh religion, customs, traditions and religious books. Gurdwaras are organised by a specific group of people chosen by the community. People from all faiths and even no faith are welcome, and there are four doors on the Gurdwara to show that everybody is welcome to come in. There was a tall flagpole bearing the Sikh flag, the Nishan Sahib. As soon as I entered, I sensed a feeling of peace and warmth. On arrival, we removed our shoes and put them in a shoe rack. After this, we had an orange bandana tied to our heads by the local Sikhs. These were signs of respect for God. Then we went into the langar, a free kitchen, where anyone can have a free meal. Families worshipping at the Gurdwara take it in turns to provide the meal, or do ‘seva’ (selfless service), and ‘the food never runs out’. Only simple vegetarian food is served, so anyone

Next, we went into the prayer hall, which was above the langar. It contained a bedroom for the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book), a platform for ragis (musicians), a throne for the Guru Granth Sahib (tacht), a small bed (manji sahib), a canopy for the throne (palki and chanani), a rectangular silk cloth (rumala) used to cover the Guru Granth Sahib when not in use and a small fan made from the tail hair of a yak (chauri) to fan the Guru Granth Sahib whilst it is being read. There were no idols, pictures or statues of God or ceremonial items like incense in the room. The guide showed us a presentation about the Gurdwara and the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Golden Temple is an architectural masterpiece; it combines the Hindu ways and the Muslim ideas of construction. It was finished in 1601 and was overseen by Guru Arjan Sahib. Following the presentation, we were shown the Five Ks: Kanga, a comb to keep uncut hair in shape; Kachera, baggy shorts to show that Sikhs should control their lust; Kesh, uncut hair to symbolise one’s willingness to keep God’s gift the way it was meant to be; Kara, a steel bracelet to show that Sikhs should not do anything that their Guru would not want them to do; and the Kirpan, a small blunt sword, which represents the soldiers who died for Sikhism. We also met one of the Gurdwara’s Panj Pyare (a group of five devoted Sikh men who form the basis of the Khalsa). At the end of the tour, we were taken to the room where the Guru Granth Sahib lay when not in use. It contained the Guru Granth Sahib on a bed, a canopy over the bed and a rumala. This trip helped me learn a lot about the Sikh ways of worship and it was a very enjoyable experience as I not only learnt about the Gurdwara, but also saw what happens inside it. Dev Ranka 8f

CAMPS & JOURNEYS 59

Camps & Journeys pictures of Jews who were persecuted in the 20th century. The items in the room were absolutely magnificent and the scrolls lay in the ark, glorious as ever.

Trip to the Manchester Jewish Museum _______________________________________________________

s part of our Year 8 Religious Studies course, we were fortunate enough to visit the Manchester Jewish Museum to develop our knowledge of Jewish beliefs, customs and culture. Also, we learnt about the history of the museum itself, which was once a synagogue, a place of worship for Jews. Apart from the ancient synagogue’s religious significance, there were also elements of historical importance – a place to commemorate all Jews from the past, including the Holocaust in World War II, in which they were ruthlessly persecuted.

It was an excellent day for all to share and increase our knowledge of Judaism. I would like to thank Mrs. Fox and the other teachers who helped the day to be rewarding for the pupils. Muhammad Choudhary 8a

French Exchange to Moulins _______________________________________________________

We received a warm welcome from the museum staff and were placed into three groups. During the morning, we answered questions and found Jewish artefacts to gain points for our team. Each team also had its own leader and it was a good opportunity to ‘show off’ our Judaism knowledge. During the day, we wore a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl), kippah and tefillin.

We explored the museum to discover the history of Jewish people in Manchester. There were journals, extracts from newspapers and

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xcited for our trip to France, we met outside school early on Easter Monday, setting off by coach in the direction of a small hotel in Amiens, aiming for Moulins the following day. On our arrival, we spent our first night with the exchange family, which was a very alien environment for most of us. We got a good night’s sleep before a day of touring the area; we met down the road from Saint-Benoît and headed off to various venues, including the Michelin Tyre Museum, ASM Clermont-Ferrand and Moulins’ own costume museum. Everyone enjoyed songs such as ‘Formidable’, which were played on the coach from town to town.

After the first day, which involved a tour of the MuPop museum, a swimming session was held in the local pool, including both French and English students. Unsurprisingly, a race

Camps & Journeys ensued, which was effortlessly won by our resident water polo player, Thomas Yates. Similarly, a few months prior in England, an introductory match of water polo was held in Bolton School’s pool, allowing the French students to have a taste of English sport.

the sprawling metropolis of Moscow, lay shrouded in controversy surrounding the suspected poisoning of Sergei Skripal on the streets of Salisbury, we were confident that the next seven days in one of the world’s great capitals would bring nothing other than fond memories for all of us. Aside from a traumatic experience in a massage chair in Amsterdam and a delay brought about by the expulsion of a passenger who had somehow (and somewhat worryingly) managed to board the wrong plane, our journey to Moscow Sheremetyevo went without a hitch. After a short bus ride, we reached base camp for the duration of our stay in Russia, the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute; here, we would spend the next working week enrolled in intensive study, receiving rigorous instruction in grammar, as well as participating in numerous discussions, improving our grasp of the Russian language as we navigated the contentious issues of literature, sport, transport and many others.

The French Exchange trip was very successful for both the pupils and the teachers. The environment into which both the English and French pupils were immersed allowed them to learn plenty of French and English respectively, while also having unforgettable experiences. The second phase of the trip was located within the Auvergne region of France, an area where there are far fewer English speakers than the typical French holiday destination. As a result, we were able to learn a lot of French vocabulary and practical knowledge which will be applied in French lessons and exams in the future. I am certain that the first phase had a similar effect on the French students.

By night, we enjoyed the many cultural treats that Moscow had to offer, although our attempts to view Lenin’s mausoleum (and see if Len was indeed ‘in’) were thwarted on no less than two occasions, including by an impromptu military parade on Red Square; however, we witnessed a dazzling production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, took in the intriguing interior of St. Basil’s Cathedral, and made a poignant and moving visit to the well-hidden Gulag Museum. Our frequent excursions to the Arbat provided us with ample time to purchase souvenirs and unsuccessfully pretend not to be British.

Patrick Bentley 10f

Year 13 Moscow Trip _______________________________________________________

erminal 3, Manchester Airport, 3:55am – hardly the most auspicious of beginnings, but for the seven eager Year 13 Russianists assembled at the check-in desks, the excitement was palpable. Although our destination,

On behalf of all who undertook this trip, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Davidson and Mrs. Tymchyshyn for their tireless effort in organising this trip and for looking after us in Moscow, and to our teachers at the Pushkin Institute, Elena and Regina, for providing us with the chance to improve our spoken Russian no end. Although we were relieved to have returned unscathed and that war had not been declared in our absence, we were much enriched by our experiences and will remember them for years to come.

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Camps & Journeys Tudor Trip to London _______________________________________________________

ave you ever been on an enchanting holiday and never wished to come back? These were my feelings when I had the privilege to visit a city of historic importance, London, in May.

We first set off to a place known for imprisonment and bloody executions of royalists – the historic Tower of London. It has stood the test of time for nearly a millennium and was first built by William the Conqueror, who became king following the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It has survived countless wars, rampages and revolts.

Tom Paterson 13f

We entered the huge, black wooden gates of the entrance of the Tower. There were houses, dungeons, castle chambers, not to mention the bloody and spine-chilling torture chambers – everything a king could wish for! Grand and elegant banquets would be held by the noblemen, showing off their wealth and authoritative power and status. There was so much to explore in the Tower, including the White Tower, which was quite visible from a distance. We visited the Tower ravens, which was a spectacular display in itself, and watched the Tower guards marching around and shouting orders. We also saw King Henry VIII’s armour, deadly weapons which were on display and the old graffiti marked by previous prisoners in the Tower of London, who were soon to be executed.

Next, was a visit to the London Dungeons – something we were all looking forward to. All the pupils were scared out of their wits at the sight of gory brains and bits or at the torture weapons used. ‘Drop Dead’, the ride at the end, was the ultimate favourite and was a jawdropping, heart-thumping experience. The following day, after a hearty breakfast, we set off for Hampton Court Palace. Here, we learnt about the history of England and saw many familiar, famous paintings, including the ‘Field of the Cloth of Gold’ – a summit meeting between King Henry VIII of England and the fearless monarch Francis I of France. It was a vast palace and one of my highlights was the Banquet Hall, where I had a great

62 CAMPS & JOURNEYS

Camps & Journeys photograph taken sitting in the position of the king. It was a historic and extravagant room, admired by all; there were also attractive paintings of Roman gods and goddesses, bordered in gold.

In some cases, the variety is generated by the boys themselves, who embrace the different aspects of the trips in ever-changing ways. For example, what was notable amongst this year’s Year 7 cohort at Brougham – aside from the thankfully undiminishing enthusiasm for exploring a real-life medieval castle even in this era of Virtual Reality and computer gaming – was the tremendous effort put into the picnic experience in the middle of the day. Where one would previously have expected a range of rather predictable sandwiches, this year, the boys’ packed lunches yielded up sushi, samosa, Spanish tortilla and even a grilled steak; the medieval banquets served up in the Great Hall at Brougham would have been put to shame by such a cornucopia!

I would like to thank Mr. Moore, Mr. Brown, Mr. Teasdale and Mrs. Cotton who supported us throughout this trip. I would certainly recommend this trip to future Year 8s, as it was both magical and exciting. Muhammad Choudhary 8a

History Curriculum Trips _______________________________________________________

lthough we have now been taking Lower School curriculum trips to the Imperial War Museum North and to Brougham Castle for a decade, no two years are ever the same. At the Imperial War Museum in May, it was the Special Exhibition that marked out this year’s visit. The boys were genuinely enthralled and most certainly educated by a superbly curated exhibition on the conflict in Syria. A seven minute film summarised the origins and nature of the conflict in a way that was accessible to all, and the photographs and artefacts that accompanied the exhibition were fascinating.

Miss S.V. Burgess

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Camps & Journeys German Exchange _______________________________________________________

year ago, we were running for shelter from torrential rain during the visits to Manchester and Liverpool. The extraordinary weather this time around provided boys and girls in Year 10 wonderful conditions in which to enjoy time with their German Exchange partners from the Hardtberg Grammar School in Bonn. Perhaps one of our guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; more memorable evenings will have been watching England beat Colombia in the World Cup. We hope they enjoyed their stay with us in Bolton and that they keep in touch with each other in the future.

Mr. R.A. Catterall

Russian Trip to Cambridge _______________________________________________________

n a rainy Sunday afternoon, we arrived at school to embark on a journey of about five hours down to Cambridge University. Upon arrival, we were thrown straight into the action, with a Russian treasure hunt. The bar was immediately set high in terms of the level of language being used and the amount of Russian we were required to produce; it was a challenge to which the group rose, and intensive lessons by day were followed by evening activities that required us to interact in Russian and paved the way for a stimulating, but thoroughly enjoyable week. Lessons during the day included exploring delights such as advanced grammatical structures, discussions about films and poetry, and, generally, the advancement of our Russian skills. Although naturally challenging, we all found our feet in no time and were comfortable in discussion with the many different people on the course. At night, we were exposed to interesting topics such as socialist realism and fun activities such as traditional Russian dances and songs, culminating in a grand display by all the lads at the end of the week as we performed the unique Russian sailorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dance. Everyone participated well throughout the week, creating a great atmosphere on the course; we were even lucky enough to befriend Sasha, a young Cambridge local, who gave us a detailed tour of the town which will live long in the memory. In addition, we met many other interesting characters all with great stories to tell. Overall, the

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Camps & Journeys trip was a brilliant experience and we have to thank Mr. Davidson and the Russian Department for organising yet another successful adventure for us. Connor Davies 12d

Year 12 Biology Field Trip to Aberystwyth _______________________________________________________

he annual Year 12 Biology Field Trip to Aberystwyth left at the usual early hour on the final Tuesday of the academic year. Four hours later, after the usual pilgrimage to Oswestry Services, we arrived in a strange and unfamiliar place – Aberystwyth appeared to be bathed in an eerie orange glow that we had hitherto never encountered; once we realised that it was actually sunshine, we began our fieldwork. We aim to carry out a variety of ecological techniques that all seem to involve placing small square pieces of plastic along a tape measure (don’t worry, we tell the boys that this is called a transect and is a vitally important method of assessing how the changing abiotic factors affect the distribution of shoreline flora and fauna). The main project involves finding out if limpet populations that live on a sheltered shore have differentshaped shells to those living on an exposed shore. Aberystwyth is blessed with two shores that have very different exposures: College rocks in town are protected in a bay, while Borth rocks are exposed to the full force of the Irish Sea; the difference in their appearance is due to directional selection operating differently in the two habitats, a process we learned more about in a lecture given by staff at Chester Zoo on our return leg.

they are far easier to manage when disappointed. I would also like to thank Dr. Procter and Mr. Teasdale for their good company and enormous help and to Mrs. Hartley and Miss Dawber for organising all of the kit. Dr. N. Morgan

Another technique involved a method called ‘mark, release, recapture’, which we used to assess the population of periwinkles. Periwinkle populations are beginning to recover after the banning of an anti-fouling paint that contained TBT, a chemical that causes female periwinkles to develop male sexual organs – this is apparently highly inconvenient to them, leading to them stopping reproducing. I am happy to report that we found enormous numbers of them, although we did not check too closely what proportion had the full complement of functioning female organs. We did, of course, halt proceedings to watch the England football team bring the World Cup home to its rightful home (France) and we would like to thank Gareth Southgate and his men for not making the boys too giddy;

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Camps & Journeys Year 7 Trip to Paris _______________________________________________________

e left from school at 4.30am in the morning and the journey to France was very long. When we arrived, we stayed in Les Trois Hiboux, the hotel at Parc Astérix theme park.

On the second day, we visited the town of Versailles. On the coach journey, we passed the Stade de France, the French national stadium, where rugby and football is played. When we first got to Versailles, we went to the town centre and had free time. There was a market square in the middle with indoor markets as well, which were selling fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and cheese. There were also cafes and bakeries on the small road all around the town centre.

On the third day, as we came into the centre of Paris, we could immediately see the large number of cafes and restaurants. On our visit to the Eiffel Tower, we went up the stairs and stopped on the first floor. There was a café there and there were places to sit and enjoy the view. We then continued our climb up to the second floor. As we looked around, we could see the River Seine and the bridges on it. We then started to walk down to the bottom, chanting England songs, as we were playing later that night.

We then went to the Palace of Versailles. We started by going around the famous gardens, which had a huge lake right down at the very bottom. When we went inside the palace, there was art with the Roman gods represented in each room. We saw the room where Louis XIV died and also looked at the room that was full of chandeliers and lights where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, which brought World War I to an end. The final room that we looked at included paintings of several battles from French history. After our visit to the palace, we got back to the hotel and watched the France vs. Belgium Semi-final, which France won, sending them to the World Cup Final.

We then went on a boat trip on the River Seine, where we saw many famous landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre (home of the Mona Lisa), many famous bridges such as the Pont Alexandre Trois, the Eiffel Tower and the Musée d’Orsay. From the coach, we saw the Arc de Triomphe, a very famous landmark based on ancient triumphal arches in Rome. Around the Arc de Triomphe was the Place de L’Étoile, a roundabout with twelve exits. After that, we then went to the Sacré-Coeur (meaning sacred heart), a very large church with domes and many paintings on the windows and the roof. That night, we watched the England vs. Croatia game; unfortunately, England lost 1-2, sending Croatia to the World Cup Final later on in the week.

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Camps & Journeys English Trip to London ‘The Play’s the Thing…’ _______________________________________________________

t the end of the Summer Term, fifteen Year 10 boys and two teachers took an early train from Bolton to London for an English trip involving two nights, two plays, some whistle-stop sightseeing, one library and one Semi-final

(‘Alas…’).

On the last full day, we all went to an amazing theme park called Parc Astérix, which was right next to the hotel. As we walked through the park, we saw the biggest ride there – it was red and yellow, and my group all rushed towards it. It was so good as it had loops and corkscrews and a massive dip. The next ride we went on also had loops, but, on this one, when you got into Medusa’s lair, snakes would spray water! After that, we decided to go on a wooden rollercoaster, which looked really scary, but it was well worth it and was our favourite ride of the day. We then decided to go on a water ride and at the start, there was a rising water volcano and water bombs, then a small drop with a big drop at the end. We then decided to go on the log flume, which had three drops and got us soaking wet.

Arriving before lunch meant a free afternoon to explore, with Miss Holroyd and Mr. Heald leading a walking tour through Leicester and Trafalgar Squares via the National Gallery, along the Mall past Horse Guards Parade and Downing Street (‘though this be madness…’) and back via Westminster and the Embankment to Covent Garden, where eventually we attended our first play, ‘The Woman in Black’. This longstanding adaptation of Susan Hill’s novel did not disappoint, judging by the pupils’ – and some teachers’ – reactions to the various frights presented by the inventive production. We returned to the hotel via a quick stop at Piccadilly Circus, where French football fans ominously celebrated getting to the World Cup Final.

It was a really fun trip and we would like to thank the teachers for a great week in France. Matthew Cooney 7e, Thomas Norrington-Moore 7e & Daniel Connelly 7e

Inevitably, a certain football match involving England was looming on the horizon and, this being an English trip, we endeavoured to amend the schedule in order to view it (and write a piece of creative writing imagining England winning the World Cup?). We headed to Shakespeare’s Globe, via a detour over Millennium Bridge and up to St. Paul’s, with a tour of the theatre spiced up by the presence of Mark Rylance (Flop from CBeebies’ Bing, among others) rehearsing his upcoming ‘Othello’ – a treat indeed. The afternoon performance of ‘Hamlet’ provided a challenge of stamina, standing as groundlings – or ‘penny stinkards’ as our tour guide told us – in the baking afternoon sun and when some unwelcome helicopter gunships flew overhead (in preparation for President Trump’s visit), interrupting the cast. The play itself sustained us with a female lead (Michelle Terry) impressing as Hamlet in an inclusively cast production. Another stroll to Covent Garden for a pizza meal was followed by a quick dart back home for the aforementioned big match: the rest is silence.

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Camps & Journeys Like the football team, we had a memorable experience for as long as it lasted. Mr. S.P. Heald

Battlefields Trip 2018 _______________________________________________________

The final day entailed two workshops at the mightily impressive British Library, home to 150 million items and an archive of all published works from Britain and Ireland. The boys practised some research skills, saw the collection of treasures including the Magna Carta, Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebook and Shakespeare’s First Folio and then had an extraordinary session on spoken language, where we learnt of the different and surprisingly longstanding usages of the filler ‘like’ and the subtle differences in English dialects and accents. (‘Words, words, words…’)

t is doubtless a sign of progress that it is increasingly difficult for modern day Bolton School boys to imagine themselves in the place of their distant predecessors. However, an underlying aim of all our trips to the First World War battlefields is to create a connection between our Year 9s and the Old Boys and former staff members who served on the Western Front, many of whom were injured or lost their lives. Our final trip to coincide with the centenary commemorations of the Great War took the boys to visit the memorials of former pupils at six of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission sites in Belgium and Northern France – Tyne Cot, the Menin Gate, Vimy Ridge, Thiepval, Pozières and Lijssenthoek – and to see the School’s commemorative plaque in St. George’s Church in Ypres.

Finding names in the register at Thiepval Contributing to the difficulty in imagining the horror and hardship of the Western Front are the peaceful and even luxurious surroundings that the boys enjoy on this trip. The leisurely and extravagantly

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Camps & Journeys catered overnight ferry trips, the lovely hotel in Ypres – a beautiful town that has been entirely and faithfully rebuilt after its devastation in the war, freshly cooked and healthy food at a local restaurant, lots of fresh drinking water to deal with the ongoing heatwave, in-room Wi-Fi and big screen TVs through which to absorb the disappointment of a World Cup Semi-final… all these things conspire to remove us from the historical context of the trip.

In the dugouts at Passchendaele

All Health and Safety checks undertaken! Despite this, thanks to the excellent quality of the museums and visitor attractions, and to the interest and imagination of the boys, not a single boy comes away unmoved from the First World War battlefields. For some, it is the sheer scale of the graveyards and the staggering number of names on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing that brings the past to life; for others, it is the sombre desolation of the German mass grave at Langemark. Some find that the chalk tunnels of Vimy Ridge best conjure up the claustrophobia of war; others find the reconstructed dugout and trenches at Passchendaele most evocative. In Poperinge, some boys will be most struck by Talbot House, an oasis of very British calm, where soldiers of all ranks could rest and recuperate; others will remember the death cells and the execution post just down the street where those court-martialled for cowardice were shot at dawn by their own countrymen.

It is a simple fact, which gradually becomes clear to most of the 14 year-olds on the trip (and it should be remembered that the youngest authenticated British soldier in the First World war was 12 year-old Sidney Lewis), that had they been born just a little more than one hundred years earlier, their experience of the fields of Flanders and the Somme might have been very different. The ‘Last Tommy’, Harry Patch, died nearly a decade ago now and the Great War has receded beyond living memory, but this only makes it even more important to continue to visit the battlefields, and for the boys to remove their caps, put away their various gadgets and silently consider what happened here, lest we forget.

Laying a wreath to Old Boy Private Charles Herbert Turner, one of the very few who have a known grave

At Tyne Cot

Miss S.V. Burgess

Thiepval Memorial

In the tunnels under Vimy Ridge

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Camps & Journeys Trip to Saundersfoot _______________________________________________________

aundersfoot Camp 2018 was by far the most fun, fulfilling and enjoyable trip that I have been on during my time at Bolton School. I was lucky enough to be a part of the advanced party that travelled down the day before the main party to set up the campsite. Fortunately, when we arrived, the marquee was already set up, meaning we just had to set up the tents, the dining room and the kitchen.

In general, the trip was very lively, and I am hoping that I will be able to go back again as a Senior boy. Thank you to Mr. Humphrey, Mr. Walker, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Roberts and Mr. Jones for giving up their time to take us on this memorable trip.

Throughout the week, we had many different trips out including a day at Oakwood, Walesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; number one theme park, and, thanks to the great weather, we were able to visit several beautiful beaches. We also had a number of different activities to keep us busy during our time on the campsite, such as inter-tent cricket and football competitions and, my firm favourite, the inter-tent table tennis competition.

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Sam Abram 8e

Music & Drama Music Notes _______________________________________________________

t has been my pleasure, once again, to look back over another busy year of concerts and events which have taken place in school and at outside venues. This year, we have particularly enjoyed a collaboration with the Art and Drama departments, culminating in two spectacular occasions at Manchester Art Gallery for an Alumni Networking Event, and at Port Sunlight for the Leverhulme Festival. Also, this year for the first time, we invited members of the public, regulars at our lunchtime concert series, to the Young Musician of the Year Final. We were delighted with the excellent attendance and the comments that were made about the high standard of the boys’ musicianship.

At the beginning of the Autumn Term, we welcomed back our regular visitors, Devonshire Road and Gilnow Primary Schools, who take part in our SPACE sessions once a fortnight on a Monday afternoon. This is an ideal opportunity to share our music facilities with local schools. This year, Devonshire Road enjoyed learning about Samba and Gilnow took lessons on the drum kit. In mid-September, the Joint Samba Band performed at Bolton Hospice’s Bubble Rush fundraising event held in Queen’s Park, Bolton. It was the second year that the band has supported this wonderful event. Eight pupils in Years 8-11, joined by Mr. Forgrieve and Mr. Bleasdale, wandered through the park supporting the runners by creating a carnival-like atmosphere with their pounding rhythms. It was wonderful to observe the crowds thoroughly enjoying themselves whilst raising funds for such a worthy cause.

Many of our ensembles have continued to be involved in high profile events in school and in the wider community, and we were very pleased that the Joint Chamber Choir reached the final of the Barnardo’s National Choral Competition in March, which was held at the Royal Festival Hall in London. These musicians, and many others, have been great ambassadors for the School, and have achieved excellent standards that we can be very proud of. I am also pleased to report that our academic results have been recognised by the ISM (Incorporated Society of Musicians) for the third year running. This year we achieved a Silver Award. At the end of the Autumn Term, we said goodbye to Cathy HallSmith, who had taught the piano in the department since 2006, and, at the end of the Summer Term, we said goodbye to Violin teacher, Sophie Simpson, who will be moving to London to pursue her performing and teaching career there. Mrs. Hampson ended her classroom teaching career in the Boys’ Division at the end of the academic year in 2017, but, I’m happy to say, immediately joined us again in September as a Piano and Flute teacher. Please enjoy reading about the diverse range of musical activities that have taken place this year in the articles that follow. Mr. J. C. Bleasdale Autumn Term

Open Morning, which took place in October, was a good opportunity to showcase various ensembles holding open rehearsals in the Music Department, the Great Hall and the Arts Centre. Performances were given by piano soloists, the String Quartet and the Samba Band and the new recording facilities in C22 and C23 were also on show. The first of our two Musical Evenings took place in the Arts Centre in October. The Musical Evenings provide a platform for soloists ranging from Years 7-13 and, as always, there was a wide range of music, very much appreciated by the audience. The concert was opened and closed by the only ensemble to perform, the Junior Clarinet Group. Just after half term, we were delighted to present a cheque for £1000 to Trust Music, a local charity which aims to break down barriers standing in the way of musical opportunity to allow all children equal access to music, regardless of their background or circumstances. It provides a fund which allows children on free school meals to attend Bolton Music Service evening bands, choirs and orchestras free of charge. The money was raised from the proceeds of last year’s Battle of the Bands competition. Patricia Tremayne, a Trustee of Trust Music, visited school to receive the cheque on behalf of the charity. It was presented by Mr. Bleasdale

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Music & Drama and the 2017 Battle of the Bands winner, the Parallel Oreos: Adam Critchlow, Jay Harland, Hassaan Hussain and George Morgan.

The Joint Chamber Choir, conducted by Mrs. Whitmore and Mr. Ainscough, brought heavenly voices to the evening with accomplished recitals of The Cloths Of Heaven and Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know. The Classical Guitar Quartet offered up exquisite renditions of Canarios and Contradanza, before the Jazz Band, directed by Mr. Spooner, rocked the concert with Basin Street Blues and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.

The Trustees of Trust Music thanked Bolton School for its generous donation. The charity had recently been successful in being awarded a catalyst evolve grant from the Arts Council, which meant that the donation could be match funded and doubled up from the grant. Later in November, Boys’ Division musicians – with some help from the Girls’ Division – demonstrated the breadth and depth of their musical talent at the uplifting Autumn Concert held in the Great Hall. Mr. Forgrieve’s well-rehearsed Drum Corps and Tuned Percussion Ensemble opened the evening in fine style with rousing renditions of Doldrums Knot and Crazy for You; performances which bookmarked the School’s Joint Senior Concert Band’s masterly playing of West Side Story Selection and Sing, Sing, Sing directed by Miss Sherry.

The Brass Group offered up arresting renderings of Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer and Noel Gallagher’s Don’t Look Back in Anger before Mrs. Hughes-Williams led them through a tight and joyous playing of Tequila. The Ukulele Ensemble, a perennial favourite, impressed with their interpretation of Hotel California and, putting everyone in the festive mood, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Mr. Bleasdale expertly guided the Senior Guitar Group through the classics, Girl (Lennon/McCartney) and Eric Clapton’s Layla.

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The grand finale was provided by the whole of Year 8, directed by Miss Sherry and Mrs. Whitmore, who sang wonderfully uplifting versions of Riptide, Rhythm of the Night and Madness’ Our House. A delighted audience spilled out into the dark autumnal evening, awed by the talents of the musicians and with souls replenished.

A week later, the Year 7 Concert was held in the Great Hall with the usual magnificent effort by over 50 soloists followed by the ‘Massed Voices of Year 7’. The finale was led by Miss Sherry and the songs included The Eye of The Tiger, The Sound of Silence, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Sing and Happy.

Music & Drama Late in November, the twelve-strong Joint Jazz Band was the featured ensemble in a lunchtime concert at Park Road. It was pleasing to see two former Park Road pupils, Laurence Britton and Thomas Norrington-Moore, in the line-up, and nice to welcome Mr. Spooner, the band’s director, to the Boys’ Junior School.

As the Autumn Term came to a close, pupils, parents, teachers and governors joined together for a Christmas Festival of joyous singing and poignant readings as the Bishop of Bolton, the Right Reverend Mark Ashcroft, recalled the true meaning of Christmas. He commended the boys for their eloquent readings and reflections, which had made clear what the festive season is really all about: not presents, but the coming of Jesus. A range of choirs offered up an arresting selection of festive favourites, ably and frequently assisted by a large and encouraging congregation. Mr. Britton invited the gathering to worship, before Year 7 boys sang the opening verse of Once in Royal David’s City. There were similarly rousing renditions of O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, Mary’s Boy Child, Shine Jesus Shine and a roof-raising finale of O Come, all ye Faithful.

The appreciative audience was treated to some really entertaining music, namely Basin Street Blues, Shake, Rattle and Roll, Mercy, Mercy and Born to be Wild. Mr. Spooner talked to the boys about the various instruments featured, in particular the alto saxophone and the trombone. He was impressed by the knowledge of the Park Road boys and they really enjoyed the experience. At the beginning of December, the annual Year 11 GCSE Music students’ Concert took place in the Arts Centre. The idea behind the concert is to put the boys under a bit of pressure before taking their practical exam. It is also a chance for parents to see their sons perform, possibly for the last time depending on their plans for the future. Towards the end of the Autumn Term, the Brass Group and the Junior String Quartet entertained the Park Road pupils during one of their assemblies. This was a feel-good concert, which certainly set the feet tapping and encouraged everyone to get into the festive spirit with classics such as Jingle Bell Rock and a jazzy version of Good King Wenceslas. The concert was enthusiastically directed by Mrs. Hughes-Williams.

The carols were punctuated by carefully selected biblical readings and reflections from pupils, the Headmaster and the Bishop. The tiered wall of voices, which was the Boys’ Division Choir, sang On This Day Angels Sing, Angels Tell the Christmas Story and James R. Murray’s Away in a Manger. The Joint Chamber Choir performed harmonious renderings of What Sweeter Music, William Blake’s The Lamb and No Room, No Room. (Scan the QR code to hear the performance of The Lamb.) There were also strong performances from the boys’ Lower School Choir and Senior School Choir who sang What a Glorious Night and When Love was Born, respectively. Guests then enjoyed a festive toast in the Leverhulme Suite and a retiring collection was made for charity. Spring Term The first Spring Term performance was given by the Brass Group, who entertained Park Road pupils in a lunchtime performance as part of the Junior School’s ongoing concert series. The group gave splendid accounts of Let Me Entertain You, The Eye of the Tiger, Livin’ on a Prayer, Uptown Funk and Tequila. They were directed energetically by Mrs. Hughes-Williams. Mr. Mallon gave a

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Music & Drama very impressive rendition of Fnugg, a piece utilising complex and unexpected multiphonic techniques on the tuba. Demonstrations of the trumpet and trombone, together with impressive solos, were presented by Adam Battersby and Jamie Death.

Junior Finalists The enthusiastic members of the young audience provided rapturous applause throughout the concert and departed with the sounds of their shouts of Tequila ringing in their ears! At the beginning of February, we held the Year 8 Instrumental Evening in the Great Hall. Many of the soloists had performed the previous year in the Year 7 Concert and it was a pleasure to see how much progress they had made in just twelve months. The solo items were interspersed with some high-quality ensemble items. This year’s Young Musician of the Year Competition once again showcased a wealth of talent on another stunning evening of accomplished musicianship. The adjudicator was Jacqueline Tinniswood from Westholme Junior School and she was presented with the unenviable task of choosing a Junior and Senior winner from a collection of winners in March. In its fourteenth year, the competition had actually begun in mid-January, as hundreds of boys took part in heats in seven instrumental categories. The field was whittled down to 84 Semi-finalists – twelve performers, six Senior and six Junior, in each of the seven classes. Lasting the whole day, the Semi-final saw fourteen pupils become winners in their instrument class and each of these boys took away a trophy on the night of the Final.

The finalists were as follows: Senior Brass Will Hardy Piano/Organ Alex Gao Strings Victor Chow Voice Adam Whitmore Woodwind Tom Paterson Guitar James Stevens Percussion Henry Webb

Junior Jamie Death William Miles Mark Liu Anuj Mishra Daniel Morris Jacob Hughes Laurence Britton

After considerable deliberation, the Junior winner (Years 7-9) was announced as pianist William Miles from Year 9 and percussionist Henry Webb from Year 13 was awarded the Senior (Years 10-13) prize. Each boy took away a cash prize of £100, a winner’s trophy and had their name engraved on the Young Musician of the Year plaques which are on permanent display in school.

(Scan the QR code to hear William’s performance.)

Senior Finalists

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Music & Drama Conductors Mrs. Whitmore and Mr. Ainscough were delighted that the choir made it to the Final and enjoyed seeing the students thrilled to perform in such a prestigious venue as the Royal Festival Hall.

(Scan the QR performance.)

code

hear

Henry’s

There were also trophies and cash prizes for the Junior Young Composer of the Year, George Seddon, and Senior Young Composer, JeanPaul Asumu. A Most Promising Performer award went to Year 10 pupil Thomas Yates.

In the final week of the Spring Term, choirs and musicians from five local primary schools – Beaumont Primary School, Eagley Primary School, Blackshaw Primary School, St. Maxentius CE Primary School and St. Peter’s CE Primary School – joined pupils from Bolton School Senior and Junior Schools in delivering a wonderful Spring Concert at Bolton’s Victoria Hall. Instrumentalists from the primary schools joined the Joint Senior Orchestra to perform A Bolton Suite, written by the School Organist, Michael Pain. The piece was written for players of Grade 1 standard and above and has four movements: A Distant Prospect of Bolton, In Rivington Churchyard, Bradshawgate by Night and A Bolton Fanfare.

Once again, it was an exceptional evening of music. Sincere thanks to Jacqueline Tinniswood for judging; to the accompanists, Ms. Lien, Mrs. Colgan and Mrs. Whitmore; to Mr. Forgrieve for his help in organising the competition; and to Mr. Deakin for his technical expertise. Finally, thanks go to the boys – and their individual music teachers – for their hard work and for providing a wealth of wonderful music over a number of months.

(Scan the QR code to hear the performance of A Bolton Suite.)

Towards the end of the Spring Term, the Joint Chamber Choir travelled down to London to take part in Barnardo’s National Choral Competition Final. The choir progressed to the National Final after submitting recordings of two contrasting pieces which were judged against some very strong competition. The songs they submitted were The Cloths of Heaven (Victor Johnson/Yeats) and an arrangement of Somewhere Only We Know (Keane). The boys and girls from Years 10-13 performed before the judges in the afternoon, and then with everyone else in a special evening concert. Each choir performed one song as well as joining in two massed choir items.

Pupils from the local primary schools also joined pupils from Hesketh House and Park Road and the Girls’ Division’s Middle School Choir to sing the premiere of The Saga of Fred, a tribute to Fred Dibnah, which was written by Mrs. Price, Director or Music in the Girls’ Division. The Senior Concert Band had opened the evening with a flawless playing of Peter Graham’s Windows of the World. The Senior Orchestra gave inspired performances of the Overture to ‘The Barber of Seville’ and a Gershwin medley – Gershwin by George.

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Music & Drama Summer Term As the Summer Term got underway, we were delighted to welcome back Old Boy, Jordan Allen, to judge the Battle of the Bands Competition. His band ‘Jordan Allen’ is currently having great success, having played major festivals such as Tramlines, Dot to Dot, Live At Leeds and Isle of Wight. They have also had airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio X. The four bands who reached the final were Duo, The Ivories, The Parallel Oreos and the winners, Gelatinous Flamingo Cupcake.

(Scan the QR code to hear the performance of the Overture to ‘The Barber of Seville’.) The Joint Chamber Choir sang beautiful versions of Northern Lights and Sing a Song of Sixpence followed by the Senior Flute Quartet, who played Jour d’été à la Montagne. The Senior Guitar Ensemble had everyone’s foot tapping with their Montagne Sainte-Geneviève and Bamboléo offerings and the Girls’ Division Middle School Choir delighted with their rendering of I’ll Be There. The Function Band, a new joint ensemble seven piece, made an impressive debut with their renditions of Love on Top and Vida Del Funk. There were also stunning solo pieces from Abigail Naylor on saxophone, the recent winner of the Girls’ Division Carter Cup and from Henry Webb on drums, the recent winner of the Boys’ Division Young Musician of the Year. The spectacular evening ended with the Massed Choir being joined by the whole congregation in a rousing version of Jerusalem and a retiring collection for Barnardo’s.

The money raised from Battle of the Bands was given to Ross Smith, a twenty-year-old medical student and former pupil of Turton School, who was involved in a serious climbing accident, which resulted in his T12 vertebra being fractured and his spinal cord being damaged. The money will go towards providing a wet room at home, together with other personal care and mobility aids that will support him in living as full and independent a life as possible.

In April, members of Bolton School’s Senior Concert Band, accompanied by Miss Sherry, visited the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester to take part in the RNCM’s Wind, Brass and Percussion Festival. The band rehearsed and performed alongside students from Derbyshire, Stockport, Oldham and the RNCM itself, as part of a massed wind band performance of Stephen McNeff’s Ghosts. The pupils also watched a concert given by the RNCM’s Wind Orchestra.

The Ivories presenting a cheque to Ross Smith Jordan Allen – guest judge of Battle of the Bands The Public Lunchtime Concert Series which began in April and continued into May attracted a good audience, who were treated to excellent concerts given by our A Level Music students from both Divisions; students from the Junior RNCM; Violin and Guitar Duo (Jon

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Music & Drama and Nik Gjylaci); and Shaun Turnbull, Assistant Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral, who gave an organ recital in the Great Hall. In early May, eight musicians from the Bolton School Foundation performed to a very appreciative audience at Bolton Parish Church as part of its lunchtime concert series. The repertoire performed ranged from a reflective Chopin piano Nocturne to a foot-tapping solo electric guitar item, together with vocal, piano and trombone solos, and a vocal duet. Splendid performances were given by Jean-Paul Asumu, Ellen Bate, Nicholas Clark, Jamie Death, William Miles, Harry Paterson, James Stevens and Thomas Yates.

Ukulele Ensemble

Junior String Quartet

The second of our two Musical Evenings, both organised by Mr. Forgrieve, took place in the Arts Centre in May. Once again, we were treated to a very entertaining evening, mainly from soloists, but also from the Junior Clarinet Group and the Junior String Quartet. Also in May, the Music Department was awarded the Incorporated Society of Musicians Trust’s Silver Certificate. This means that more than 15% of all the School’s GCSE students achieved an A* to C in GCSE music and it places the School in the top 187 schools across England. In June, Bolton School’s latest Alumni Networking Event took place at Manchester Art Gallery. The evening ‘gallery takeover’ also celebrated the creative arts at Bolton School and the drawing together of the first phase of Artsmark Platinum status for the Boys’ Division. The evening included drama with RoughHouse Theatre, art, dance and music performances from current and former pupils.

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Music & Drama The networking event was followed closely by the Joint Ensembles Concert the following evening. This concert focused on the Junior and Intermediate ensembles and some of the chamber groups. The concert was held in the Arts Centre and gave a platform to our Joint String Orchestra, who performed Mozart’s Quartet no. 3 in G major (1st movement), Pirates of the Caribbean, and Happy by Pharrell Williams; the Junior Clarinet Group performed Le Petit Negre by Debussy; The Drum Corps gave us Fancy Four by Markovich; the Ukulele Ensemble played Limehouse Blues by Reinhardt and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles; the Junior Concert Band brought us right up to date with Black Magic by Little Mix; the Junior String Quartet played Skye Boat Song and Cavalcade; the Jazz Band performed Woodchopper’s Ball and what has become their signature tune Born to be Wild; the Tuned Percussion Ensemble played the Santana classic Oye Como Va and the finale was provided by the Intermediate Concert Band playing Fame and Family Guy. A perfect concert for a summer’s evening. As we approached the end of the Summer Term, we began our short series of Community Music primary school visits. The Joint Intermediate Concert Band visited Brownlow Fold Primary School and SS Osmund and Andrew’s RC Primary School. Their concert included performances of Fame, Rolling in the Deep and Beauty and the Beast.

The Brass Group performed at Oxford Road Primary School and Blackshaw Primary School and their concert included performances of Livin’ On A Prayer, Eye of the Tiger and Don’t Look Back in Anger. In all the concerts, pupils demonstrated their instruments to a fascinated young audience.

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At the beginning of July, pupils from Years 7-13 took part in a museum takeover day entitled The Leverhulme Festival at Port Sunlight on the Wirral, the model workers’ village created by the School’s founder, Lord Leverhulme. Activities took place across the site and included drama and music in the Lever Art Gallery, exhibitions and communal art in Bridge Cottage (once the home of Lord Leverhulme) and pupil-led tours, geocaching and treasure hunts out of the Port Sunlight Museum. It was a day of family fun, enjoyed by pupils, parents and governors including George Apsion, who is the great grandson of Lord Leverhulme, and the general public. With the stunning artwork of the Lady Lever Art Gallery as a backdrop, boys acted out, under the directorship of RoughHouse Theatre, the final performance of ‘My Room My Bolton’, ‘a love song to Bolton’ inspired by the Mass Observation project of the 1930s. Elsewhere on the site, artwork by the Young Artists’ Collective was displayed at Bridge Cottage and students were on hand to talk about their work whilst undertaking communal drawing. Musical accompaniment for the afternoon was provided by the Junior String Quartet, Senior Violin Quartet, the Classical Guitar Quartet and two piano soloists.

Music & Drama Music Colours _______________________________________________________

rts Colours (Music) are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Music. Music Colours were awarded to the following boys:

Name Jay Harland George Morgan Tom Paterson James Stevens Henry Webb Jean-Paul Asumu Victor Chow Nicholas Clark Adam Critchlow Shivam Patel George Speak Rupert Varley

Form Colour 13h Full 13d Full 13f Full 13f Full 13g Full 12g Half 12f Half 12d Half 13h Half 12h Half 12b Half 12a Half

Instrumental Music Examinations _______________________________________________________

Daniel Morris 9a Aden Stephenson 11c Simon Whitmore 8c Marcus Williams 8c Harvey King 10f Thomas Higham 10f Luke Eburne 10d Thomas Norrington-Moore 7e Joshua Fowler 11a Jacob Stevenson 9b

Saxophone Singing Saxophone Guitar Singing Clarinet Singing Trumpet Singing Piano

Spring Term 2018 – Associated Board Tom Paterson 13f Piano Jude Ashcroft 10c Theory Neeraj Singh 8a Theory Edward Miller-Stenton 10d Singing Anuj Mishra 9d Theory Harry Paterson 10b Theory Sammy Ramadan 10f Theory Neeraj Singh 8a Flute Piano Davyd Sywanyk 8c Marcus Ng 8f Guitar Charlie Ashton 8f Guitar Ben Bruton 9c Guitar Ben Rimmer 7b Piano Piano Siddhant Patel 8e Omar Al-Falahi 7b Piano

Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2

Merit Merit Merit Merit Pass Distinction Merit Pass Pass Pass

Grade 8 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1

Merit Distinction Distinction Merit Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Distinction Pass Pass Distinction Merit Pass

his has been another very successful year in our individual instrumental music exams. External examiners from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London have visited school in all three terms, examining 247 candidates from across the Foundation in a wide range of instruments, from Grade 1 to Grade 8. Pupils have been rewarded for their commitment in developing their musical skills and they can feel rightly proud of their achievements. In addition, several pupils successfully passed their ABRSM Grade 5 Theory exams at an external centre. My congratulations to all of the candidates on their impressive results, and to their teachers. Mr. I. K. Forgrieve Instrumental Examination Results 2017-18: Senior School Autumn Term 2017 – Associated Board Jean-Paul Asumu 12g Singing Nathan Burudi 10e Violin Harry Adams 7e Violin George Houghton 7b Clarinet Haris Imran 9c Singing Harry Diggle 10a Piano

Grade 6 Grade 5 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1

Autumn Term 2017 – Trinity Harry Paterson 10b Piano Laurence Britton 8a Drum Kit

Grade 6 Merit Grade 5 Distinction

Distinction Merit Merit Merit Distinction Pass

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Music & Drama Spring Term 2018 – Trinity Singing Adam Whitmore 11a George Morgan 13d Double Bass Nicholas Clark 12d Singing Daniel Aspinall 12h Singing Samuel Barker 12d Singing Christopher Rhodes 11b Drum Kit Thomas Britton 10b Guitar Jonny Shine 11c Tuned Percussion Rishi Narla 8a Guitar Matthew Hope 8f Saxophone

Grade 8 Grade 7 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 1

Distinction Pass Distinction Pass Merit Merit Pass Distinction Merit Merit

Summer Term 2018 – Associated Board Thomas Yates 10a Singing Sam Reilly 12i Violin William Miles 9c Organ James Logan 8d Violin Ben Flood 10d Singing Jacob Hughes 8f Guitar Piano Jayden Luhar 7c Danny Heywood 7d Guitar Oliver Pope 8f Piano Guy Seddon 8b Singing Cameron Weatherley 7b Cello

Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2

Merit Pass Merit Pass Merit Merit Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass

Summer Term 2018 – Trinity Drum Kit Jamie Death 8a Sam Ryder 12c Flute Ryan Wong 12c Guitar Singing Joshua Kay 10e Shivam Patel 12h Guitar Alastair Watts 9e Cornet Simon Whitmore 8c Piano Jude Ashcroft 10c Guitar James Hopkinson 9f Cello Thomas Higham 10f Clarinet Toby Yates 7d Guitar Archie Green 12b Guitar Praharsh Parikh 11b Guitar Samuel Couriel 8a Cornet Tom Barrett 9e Drum Kit Luca Sotgiu 8c Violin Ben Turner 7d Clarinet Henry Miller-Stenton 9c Guitar Rory Pixton 8c Piano Harry Laithwaite 7a Piano Benjamin Male 8b Drum Kit Raees Patel 7e Guitar William Pearce 7a Piano Max Sibson-Finch 9a Saxophone Evan Weston 7b Piano

Grade 7 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2

Distinction Distinction Distinction Merit Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Distinction Merit Merit Pass Distinction Distinction Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Merit Merit Merit

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Drama Review _______________________________________________________

his academic year has been packed full of cultural learning, formally in curriculum lessons and informally in enrichment sessions and trips, creating opportunities for pupils to express their ideas and establish informed values. Through theatre-based arts, boys have been encouraged to explore other cultures, their local community, theatre design, the arts industry and have been inspired to contribute to a year-long schedule of high quality public performances. What follows offers some glimpses of the social, academic and personal activities boys pursued this year. Senior Joint Production – Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ This year’s Senior Joint Production of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ brought “such stuff / As dreams are made on” for audiences on all four nights of its run. There was both magic and drama in the air as the cast of pupils, drawn from Years 10 to 13 in both Divisions, played out Shakespeare’s complex tragicomedy directed by Miss Lord.

The staging transformed the Arts Centre into Prospero’s magical island: a sandy ‘shore’ between the two ranks of seating was surrounded by familiar ‘flotsam and jetsam’ piled in strange arrangements, evoking both the shipwreck Prospero causes at the opening of ‘The Tempest’ and the strange land its survivors find themselves in. The play’s elaborate and enchanting soundscape transported the audience still further into another space and time.

Music & Drama state of King Alonso (George Morgan) and the utopian optimism of Gonzalo (Ali Khalid); however, the pair also brought the intensity necessary for their attempted murder plot.

Mohammad Master inhabited the part of Prospero: the sorcerer in charge of the mystical island. He delivered his orders and soliloquies alike with confidence and was a charming and powerful conductor of the action of the play. Sammy Gatenby-Brown’s Ariel effortlessly commanded the elements and controlled different characters on Prospero’s behalf through measured and accomplished movements of the Ariel Troupe (Dom Aly, Emilie Fielding, Charlie Griffiths, Rosalyn Harper and Aden Stephenson), which added an extra supernatural element to the performance. Sammy brought a light touch to the magic of ‘The Tempest’ while never letting the audience forget that he is a reluctant slave to Prospero, longing to be free. Meanwhile, Adam Critchlow’s sympathetic portrayal of the ‘manmonster’ Caliban made his plight seem all the more unfair. He was particularly compelling during Caliban’s famous speech about the island’s magic: “Be not afeared; the isle is full of noises / Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.”

The drunken scenes Caliban shared with The Tempest’s clowns, Stephano (Milo Holmes) and Trinculo (James Stevens), were very well executed and the three threw themselves into the revelry and physical comedy. The play’s humorous, rebellious subplot and the cast’s familiarity with the text allowed them to ad lib to hilarious comedic effect. Antonio (Alex Ramwell) and Sebastian (Stewart Knights) became a cutting double-act with their sarcastic commentary on the grieving

Pupils performing in the chorus had a vital role to fulfil throughout the play. They were particularly effective in creating Prospero’s storm through a dramatic movement piece, and also added excitement and vitality to the marriage masque dance. Dr. Kell and Mrs. Fielding respectively led the choreography and rehearsal of these set pieces. Lizzie Crowther and Jay Harland presented a heartfelt account of the play’s virtuous love story, but also added to the music of the play in their roles as Miranda and Ferdinand: Lizzie sang during the opening and Jay during the marriage masque. The musicality of ‘The Tempest’ was further enhanced by powerful live percussion using drums crafted from huge tyres which were incorporated into the set, performed by Jean-Paul Asumu, Adam Critchlow, Owen Critchlow, Will Hardy and James Stevens. The background sounds of ‘The Tempest’ were created using numerous sonic elements from the natural world, interwoven with ‘magical’ elements. The Senior Joint Orchestra recorded a short composed piece, which was then stretched and modulated into a feedback loop to create a sound which suggested the island’s supernatural and beautiful qualities. Other sequences mimicked Shinto rituals and taiko instruments from Japan and AMOS analogue synthesis evoked the more wrathful magic of the storm, while the marriage masque used Samba and Afro-Cuban rhythms from South America. The music was composed and processed by visiting Musical Director, Liam Maloney, from the University of York, and conducted by Miss Sherry. During the interval, the audience moved to the Leverhulme Suite to enjoy an Art Exhibition, featuring work by Stewart Knights inspired by ‘The Tempest’, and a display on mages like Prospero in modern literature. There was also a selection of home-made cakes and drinks

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Music & Drama provided by the Parents’ Associations. Stewart was also responsible for the design of the tickets and programme. Sam Warburton provided programme content and support for the production. The performances of ‘The Tempest’ were spectacular occasions for all four audiences. The cast and crew received glowing and welldeserved congratulations from the Heads, family members, staff and fellow pupils as the Joint Production came to an end on Saturday night. Park Road pupils enjoyed an afternoon on the set of ‘The Tempest’ as part of their Shakespeare Week led by Mr. Franklin. Over the course of the afternoon, pupils were introduced to key scenes from the show performed by Mohammad Master (Prospero) and Adam Critchlow (Caliban), who answered questions about their roles and acting in general. Liam Maloney (visiting Musical Director) demonstrated the various musical states and sound beds of the island and Mr. Deakin (Technical Director) demonstrated the accompanying lighting states and special effects. Boys and staff examined the magical tools of Prospero and Ariel and were treated to a walk around the set, including an opportunity for photographs, assuming Prospero’s position of power on the gantry. Special thanks to supporting staff Mr. Deakin, Mr. Kyle, the Estates team, Liam Maloney, Mrs. Sutcliffe, Miss Sherry, Mrs. Fielding, Dr. Kell, Mrs. Brewer, Mrs. Ryder and those who helped Front of House. Further thanks to Mrs. Critchlow and the Parents’ Association bakers for looking after us so well in the intervals.

German officer, who threatened that the audience would ‘never be seen again’ if they did not turn off their mobile phones! Ernie was expertly played in a bright and knowingly mischievous manner by Marcus Ashall-Payne and he was well supported by Matthew Settle and Thomas Hothersall in the role of Ernie’s parents. The repartee between the two was highly amusing with Thomas, the gruff and broad Northerner alongside Matthew’s elderly and rather fussy character. Luke Pek portrayed the rather world-weary doctor very well, with his initial interest soon bordering on impatience as he sought to dispense with the family in place of his full waiting room of what appeared to be particularly flu-ridden patients. Another stand-out performance was that of Finley Littlefair, Ernie’s elderly Auntie May, resplendent in purple. Ernie is determined to watch a boxing bout at a local funfair, much to his Auntie’s chagrin; however, Ernie is shocked when his Aunt then challenges the ruling champion and goes on to win the bout!

Miss N.R. Lord Lower School Production – ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’ The Lower School Production of Alan Ayckbourn’s comic play was both a delight and great success. The boys, directed by Miss Holroyd, delivered a slick and purposeful performance. The play follows Ernie Fraser, a young boy, who has an active imagination, but, to the horror of his family, his ‘illucinations’ have a tendency to turn into reality. When, for instance, Ernie wonders what would happen if a squad of soldiers were to turn up at his front door, having been tipped off about a secret radio transmitter, inevitably hilarious moments ensue. In sheer desperation, Ernie’s parents consult with a doctor and attempt to explain the strange events that have been occurring (mountaineering in a local library, secret agents, a boxing granny...!), but all does not go to plan. A vibrant and lively cast were crucial to the play’s success. Owais Khan relished the opportunity to open the play in the role of a

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The supporting cast added a real sense of fun to the play, with several boys taking on a variety of roles. The fairground touts were particularly convincing in persuading the crowds of the spectacles and acts available at the fair, and acted with both confidence and enjoyment. Miss Holroyd, as director and producer, chose a fun and engaging play, perfectly suited to the cast, who all pulled off a great performance with aplomb. Thanks must go to several other colleagues who were also involved in the production.

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Miss K.S. Wrathmell Drama GCSE This year, boys in Year 11 presented scene selections from ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’ for examination, working on lighting, sound and set design as well as performance.

Lower School Drama Boys in Lower School were introduced to a range of drama skills by their teachers Mr. Williams, Ms. Thomson, Miss Harper and Miss Holroyd. They also had the opportunity to work on scene selections or play reductions selected by their teachers. Miss Harper’s classes presented work in year group assemblies.

Boys in Year 10 worked on devised pieces inspired by Kim Cogan’s paintings and Maya Angelou’s ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’. They also led visitors from China in physical theatre activities, enjoyed a page to stage ‘War Horse’ workshop at the Lowry Theatre, a matinee of the touring production and a follow-up workshop in school based on the production’s rehearsal methods and use of Handsprung Company puppets.

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Music & Drama modern society through exploration of race relations in the US and of the culture and music of African-American communities. This, alongside powerful, vibrant renditions of the musical’s much-loved songs such as Luck Be a Lady, made this a stand-out show, leaving pupils and staff with much to mull over and discuss.

Miss N.R. Lord Review of Theatre Trips This year has seen a variety of theatre trips, allowing pupils the opportunity to experience plays ranging from the revenge tragedies of William Shakespeare and John Webster all the way to a contemporary piece exploring life in 21st Century Manchester. These visits to renowned regional theatres such as The Lowry and The Royal Exchange, as well as to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon have not only supported pupils in their study of English and Drama, but have crucially allowed them to develop a passion for cultural studies, touching on History, gender, race, stagecraft, Classics, war and many other issues relevant to modern life. During the first weeks of the school year, a small group of Classics and English pupils travelled down to Stratford-upon-Avon in order to watch a performance of ‘Vice-Versa’, a modern adaptation of the Roman comic playwright Plautus’ ‘The Braggart Soldier’. Staged in the smaller, more intimate Swan Theatre, pupils enjoyed a lively, interactive afternoon complete with mischievous monkeys and hapless slaves. Pupils studying Plautus gained a unique appreciation of the play as a comic performance rather than simply a text, noting how staging and interactive humour play an important role. Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday afternoon, set against the backdrop of scenic Stratford-upon-Avon. In January, pupils enjoyed a performance of ‘Guys and Dolls’ during what would be the first of many trips to The Royal Exchange in Manchester. The show was brought to the Exchange by Talawa, Britain’s foremost black-led theatre company, who successfully adapted the original 1950s text, making it relevant to

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Following a critically acclaimed run in Stratford-upon-Avon in 2016, pupils had the opportunity to see rising star Paapa Essiedu reprise the title role in a riveting and contemporary take on ‘Hamlet’ at the Lowry Theatre. A second visit to The Royal Exchange marked a dramatic shift in tone. The lights, energy and music of ‘Guys and Dolls’ were replaced by snap blackouts, macabre properties and a terrifying abomination in a theatrical rendition of Mary Shelley’s famous gothic novel ‘Frankenstein’. Perhaps the most immersive and certainly the tensest performance enjoyed this year, ‘Frankenstein’ gripped the audience from start to finish. Blackouts and sharp music, coupled with an eerie backdrop and grisly body parts, created a suitably gothic backdrop, which complimented Harry Attwell’s show-stealing performance as the Creature, whose haunting monologues about human nature and loneliness simultaneously disturbed and evoked sympathy from the audience. This play certainly did justice to Shelley’s text and despite a few moments of raised blood pressure and cold sweats, this was a superb experience. A group of particularly dedicated Sixth Form English students paid a further visit to the Royal Exchange during their half term break. Using the historic building as an ideal location for some revision, the class enjoyed an immersive performance of ‘Mixtape’, a newly devised piece by the Exchange’s Young Company, which used music as a means to explore the diversity of life in modern Manchester. Despite the threat of audience participation, namely dancing on stage, which struck fear into the hearts of pupils and staff alike, this lively performance contained an entertaining blend of humour, music and message, dealing with emotional themes from homosexuality and race to social media and disability. Another highlight of the year came in the Summer Term as A Level

Music & Drama pupils once again journeyed to Stratford to enjoy the infamously gory tragedy ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ by John Webster. This performance made full, gothic use of the Swan’s enclosed atmosphere and featured a symbolic carcass strung up on the stage throughout, gallons of blood and brutal murders that overspilled the stage to the extent that the front row were given blankets to protect them from the bloody mess; however, this performance was not simply a gory horror, as these elements were utilised in order to highlight the destructive nature of corruption, betrayal and revenge, whilst the noble Duchess’ purity was highlighted through graceful singing in the face of these horrors. Pupils studying the text at A Level undoubtedly benefitted from this viewing, which made for a dark, but wonderfully entertaining afternoon in Stratford.

the efforts they put in behind the scenes to organise such a variety of excellent trips. I know personally and from others how much that effort means to pupils who benefit from these pursuits. Sam Warburton 13f Enrichment In June, boys had the unique experience of interacting with members of the ‘War Horse’ Creative and Acting Company to explore some of the background principles of puppetry, the rehearsal and technical processes that have brought this magical production to life, as well as a chance to ask questions of company members. They then watched a matinee of the production and reflected upon the actors’ performances and the design. Then, at the beginning of July, boys enjoyed a workshop in School that allowed them to explore firsthand the rehearsal techniques of the ‘War Horse’ show, including experiments with Japanese Bunraku puppetry, the preferred method of Handsprung, the company who created the show’s signature puppets.

The final theatre trip of the year took place at The Lowry in the heart of Salford. Pupils from across the school were treated to a performance of Michael Morpurgo’s iconic novel ‘War Horse’ adapted by the National Theatre for the stage. Whilst all were familiar with the heart-wrenching tale of a young man separated from his beloved horse Joey due to the horrors of World War One, pupils were able to fully appreciate the text in its context thanks to an interactive workshop with the cast, which taught pupils much about the grim reality of war, as well as the stagecraft and puppetry behind the play. Moreover, pupils enjoyed their lunchtime at the Imperial War Museum, a vital opportunity for cultural studies, which allowed them to set the play in a very real and often harrowing context. Sixth Form literature students, who had studied the war from a Modernist perspective, were also delighted to discover artwork from vorticist Wyndham Lewis in the Museum. After this came the play itself, which perfectly captured the horror of war through sudden explosions and intimidating tanks, whilst also paying tribute to the fundamental kindness and resilience of human nature through comic moments and scenes of genuine empathy even across enemy lines. This day trip was educationally invaluable, but also managed to entertain pupils of all ages from the school. I hope this summary encapsulates the sheer breadth of culturally enriching theatre trips which have been enjoyed this year. I should like to sincerely thank Miss Lord and other accompanying staff for

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Music & Drama Year 7 Octagon Theatre Experience, Gallery visit and RoughHouse Taster Session As part of the SPACE enrichment programme, Year 7 boys enjoyed a trip to the Octagon Theatre to find out more about the range of jobs available in that branch of the creative industries. They also took part in a practical research and development session for a play commissioned by School, ‘My Room My Bolton’, with our resident theatre company and visited an exhibition at Bolton Art Gallery that presented scenes of Bolton by various artists including some from the Mass Observation movement. Boys’ reflections on the Bolton scenes were taken away by RoughHouse to incorporate into the script of ‘My Room My Bolton’. Boys also visited the set of ‘Big Corner’, an Octagon show about Bolton playwright Bill Naughton and Mass Observation.

Lower School Special Effects Makeup Classes As part of SPACE enrichment sessions, boys in Years 7 to 9 enjoyed masterclasses in SFX makeup, including cuts, burns and grazes, aging and facial hair. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and managed to create some believable injury applications.

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Music & Drama Shakespeare with Skyblue Theatre Company Boys in Year 9 enjoyed an interactive performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as part of the SPACE programme and to complement their work in English. The actors introduced the audience to each character as they rolled out the plot, with pupils taking on each role. Character motivation and context were reasoned out as the session progressed. Once the play had been considered in its entirety, the actors presented the scene where the Capulets and Montagues clash in the streets of Verona at the start of the play. This allowed boys to consider the varied subtle meanings of lines in performance and they relished the opportunity to direct.

was particularly impressed with their ability to interpret character, as the character names had been stripped from the documents.

The Old Boy had much advice for the boys, including writing about what you know and he told them that for drama to work, the characters need to be invested with a view or polemic. Sometimes, he said, dialogue can work better if the precise problem is not articulated; the indirect approach can be more interesting. He also provided examples of using overheard conversations verbatim from real life and illustrated how hanging ideas on tropes or stereotypes can also work. Ralf congratulated the boys on making the lines work and said he had seen plenty of professional actors who cannot read scripts for the first time that well! He also told pupils, having set up his own production company, he had come to learn that writing your own scripts is a good thing to do and a process by which you learn. Ralf Little delivers Acting Masterclass Aspiring actors enjoyed an instructive masterclass in the hands of Ralf Little, who left Bolton School in 1998. Enjoying himself immensely, Ralf, now a household name after starring in ‘The Royle Family’ and ‘Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps’, asked the boys to pore over three unseen script extracts from television, film and theatre.

The TV script was from ‘The Royle Family’ (where Barbara had just cut Jim’s hair), the film clip was from ‘24 Hour Party People’, in which Ralf played Peter Hook, Joy Division’s bassist, and the theatre dialogue was from ‘Ugly Lies the Bone’, a play written by his New York-based girlfriend Lindsey Ferrentino, in which Ralf performed at the National Theatre. The boys were asked to perform the different scenes in their own style and Ralf was very impressed by the manner in which they set about the task and their final interpretations. He

In a question and answer session with the boys, Ralf said that whilst taking GCSE or A Level Drama wasn’t and still probably isn’t critical to a career in acting, the subject is vital to fostering early passion and expression. He also told the students that all actors have a fear of the unknown, however successful they may be; it is a pervading shadow as you are at the mercy of other people’s whims. He mentioned that actors often wonder, if your last production bombs, then what next?

Post-session, Ralf said that it was his first ‘official’ visit to Bolton School in almost 20 years. He thought that it is an extraordinary school and couId see that astonishing progress has been made with the building of the Arts Centre and the opportunities, support and facilities for pupils that are even better than in his day. In a later

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Music & Drama tweet, he said: “Had an unbelievably enjoyable day at my old school yesterday. Nice to see (and gently mock!) some of my old teachers too. Current set of pupils smart, eloquent, charming and polite. The future is bright @BoltonSchool. Thanks for the welcome.” Bolton Diversity Awards Our pupil adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s novel Wonder (Lower School Joint Production, 2017) was shortlisted for a Bolton Diversity Award. Boys enjoyed attending the awards ceremony at Bolton Town Hall.

Early Years, Infant and Junior school children to watch the production, a story about Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins who lived at New York’s Central Zoo, hatched an abandoned egg and raised a chick together. The creative team included award-winning children’s director Paul Bosco McEneaney and international choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra.

Bolton Station Community Development Partnership Actors, artists and musicians entertained at the Bolton Station Community Gala, held at the town’s railway station and transport interchange. The Saturday celebration marked 50 years, to the day, since the last steam train left the town’s locomotive sheds on Crescent Road and celebrated all things relating to public transport. In collaboration with RoughHouse Young Company, actors from across the year groups of the Boys’ Division, performed ‘My Room, My Bolton’, a specially commissioned play inspired by Bolton’s part in the 1930s Mass Observation Project. As part of community rail partnership work, Miss Lord represented School at a Huddersfield University conference facilitating professionals from the Department of Transport, representatives of London Transport and Manchester stations through to community leaders at local rural stations. The purpose was to introduce arts and culture practice to station hubs to promote increased diversity in projects and participation at established and new station renovations. Community Arts ‘Penguins’ In May, ‘Penguins’ visited the Arts Centre as part of the Octagon Theatre’s Reveal season. ‘Penguins’, a co-production between Cahoots NI, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Prime Theatre, is a unique and engaging show for children about friendship, fun, identity and the ever-changing meaning of family. We welcomed 600+

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Theatre Company in Residence ‘My Room, My Bolton’ “A city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time.” Sir Patrick Geddes The profound and complex relationships we have with the notion of ‘home’, be they framed by memory, postcode, bricks and

Music & Drama reflected that Bolton town centre, the ‘commercial heart of one of the largest towns in the UK is in nothing less than an existential struggle.’ Sitting alongside this picture of the town is the Local Council’s Bolton Vision for 2030: ‘We want Bolton to be a vibrant place built on strong cohesive communities, successful businesses and healthy, engaged residents. It will be a welcoming place, where people choose to study, work, invest and put down roots.’ The work also sits within the context of a loneliness epidemic. Over a quarter of all households in the UK contain just one person (circa 7.7 million people) with a sense that this number will rise by roughly two million as the next decade unfolds.

mortar, travel, transience, cultural heritage, disenfranchisement, representation, nationalism or refugeeism, sat at the heart of our performing arts projects this year. Exploring the notion of feeling at home has unlocked conversations about identity, neighbourliness, locality, community and civic duty. The project has helped us work towards an understanding of what thriving creative community partnerships and area-based learning might look like in Bolton.

The work sits within a crisis in education. Using cognitive scientist George Lakoff’s framing theory (moral and conceptual), we might note that extreme emphasis on testing and academic achievement limits the way pupils view reality and their relationships with their communities. With testing and achievement emphatically in the frame, pupils’ socio-political and cultural hinterland fall away, along with opportunities to foster strong relationships through collaborative, applied pathways.

‘My Room, My Bolton’ evolved in collaboration with RoughHouse Theatre Company, a residency project with 12 to 15-year-olds. In the first year of our work together, we used verbatim theatre methods to capture and present the authentic voices of our pupils and wider school community. Pupils carried out questionnaires and recorded conversations on matters of race and social justice. RoughHouse drew these words together into a script, which was taken on a short public tour by our young company. It was apparent as the first phase unfolded that the second year of residency would need to be outward-facing. We needed to enfranchise people both vertically and laterally if it were to achieve its aim of diverse and democratic representation of opinions and ideas. Research and development quickly lead us to the Mass Observation project, an extensive exploration of the conducts and customs of the people of Britain that began in Bolton in 1937, 80 years earlier. ‘Worktown’ was Mass Observation’s case study name for Bolton. Using the original directives of the movement, we asked about the personal: ‘Tell us about a room in your home.’ We also asked for personal views about the public: ‘How do you perceive Bolton? How do you think Bolton is perceived by people that live elsewhere?’ We sent out questionnaires far and wide. As we set the project going, work coincided with an article, ‘The north remembers: how once-proud Bolton became ‘a nothing of a town’, published by the Guardian. In the article, Andy Walton

The voices captured in ‘My Room, My Bolton’ present a somewhat fractured community, labouring under the persisting stereotype that it’s ‘rough up north’, yet buoyed by pragmatic humour and an impetus to connect:

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Music & Drama I am a human. I love Bolton. It’s where my parents grew up. My family are here and where my family belong, I belong. Bolton is a town with lots of different neighbourhoods.

an event at Transport for Greater Manchester’s Bolton Interchange and Bolton Train Station, to raise awareness of the community activity taking place at the station. It is an early model for school creative community practice in Bolton. The show also toured to the Manchester Art Gallery and the Lady Lever Gallery, Port Sunlight.

People are very attached to their own part. Not all areas are easy to love and where there are more social problems, it’s also not an easy place to live. From down south, Bolton isn’t seen as a desirable place to live. Coronation Street paints my area in a bad light. It makes it seem like nothing good ever happens. We’re portrayed as uneducated, poor, rougher than we actually are. Some areas are rough, but I like my town. Bolton played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution. Many of the major players were born and bred in Bolton: Richard Arkwright. Samuel Crompton. John Fletcher. Bleach. Bolton is much more than what most people think. If I lived in California, the weather would be better. There are lots of outside walks. The Wi-Fi could be better, but there is nothing finer than walking in the fields and the country. It’s sad when architecturally important buildings like the Odeon and the Palais de Danse are pulled down and not given new leases of life. I like the old buildings, so I’m glad we still have some. An extract from ‘My Room, My Bolton’ The project coincided with an invitation to participate in a Community Development Partnership supported by ACoRP (The Association of Community Rail Partnerships). All of a sudden, ‘my room’ became ‘our room in our Bolton’. Due to the power of local networking and the promise that, “the [station’s] doors would be taken off their hinges”, rhizomatic grassroots are already taking hold. Railway buildings that had been standing in disuse are in the process of being opened up; they present not just new housing for creative community activity in Bolton, but a new home. When communities open doors to their own cultural capital, the doors are much easier to walk through. As urban writer and activist Jane Jacobs put it, “there is no logic that can be superimposed on the city; people make it, and it is to them, not buildings, that we must fit our plans.” Such projects, the rise of community-powered expression, allow diversity of talent and aptitude to flow through the space they open up. Conversation and collaboration hold out a hand to loneliness. Learning is made memorable as it is divergent and plaits emotional connections, social relevancy and applied activity around a project narrative. ‘My Room, My Bolton’ was performed at Bolton Station CDP’s Community Gala,

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Creative Arts Day and Alumni Networking A Creative Arts Day in School and at Manchester Art Gallery, involving several recent leavers, offered enrichment to boys and celebrated the recent submission of School’s Case Study for Platinum Artsmark status. Former pupil Hadley Stewart, now a successful journalist, started proceedings by speaking to able, gifted and talented pupils in Year 10 about how to get ahead in journalism, including writing for men’s health and medical publications and on diversity matters. Alex Greenhalgh, a social entrepreneur who left Bolton School in 2014, offered a similarly interactive session when he addressed the winners of the School’s in-house SPACE entrepreneurial competition about setting up Community Integrated Care (CIC) and his work within homeless communities. The morning concluded with an engaging workshop from screenwriter Jon Brackley, who includes ‘Spooks’ and ‘Humans’ among his credits, who told the boys that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to come up with new ideas, but the trick is to tell an old story differently and to try and put a twist on it. In a short exercise, he helped boys develop their own ‘blockbuster’ script and commended them on their use of humour, which he said is an integral part of hard-hitting drama. In the afternoon, boys from across Years 8, 9 and 10 worked with RoughHouse Young Company as they carried out final rehearsals of their play ‘My Room, My Bolton’, ahead of its debut performance that evening in a ‘gallery takeover’ event at Manchester Art Gallery. The creative arts were further celebrated in the evening through performances from a string quartet and ukulele ensemble, as well as immersive theatre in the form of wandering characters Prospero (Year 13 student Mohammad Master) and Mephistopheles (alumnus Alex O’Loughlin), practical print projects and dance. All this preceded a keynote presentation from former pupils Mark Radcliffe (BBC broadcaster) and Tony Wadsworth (former CEO and Chairman of EMI) along with compère Adam Woolley (BBC, School Captain 2012-13). Wrapping up a day of creative enrichment, Alex Greenhalgh offered up photography from his ‘Stories from the Streets’ project and former pupils Iman Orths, Adam Ekubia and James Barker all sang at the networking event.

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Our busy year was rounded up by recognition at the Arts Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North West Cultural Education Awards, shortlisted as finalists in the cultural leadership and innovation category. Staff, current pupils and alumni enjoyed the awards ceremony together. Miss N.R. Lord

Performing Arts Colours _______________________________________________________

rts Colours (Drama) are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Performing Arts. Arts Colours were awarded to the following boys:

Name Adam Critchlow Sammy Gatenby Jay Harland Milo Holmes Stewart Knights Mohammad Master George Morgan James Stevens Sam Warburton Sadeem Alam Dominic Aly Owen Critchlow Will Hardy Nathan Hayes Ali Khalid Ibrahim Panchbhaya Alex Ramwell Oliver Shaw Sam Smethurst Aden Stephenson Henry Yearsley

Form Colour 13h Full 13c Full 13h Full 13b Full 13e Full 13h Full 13d Full 13h Full 13h Full 11b Half 12g Half 11a Half 11f Half 11c Half 13d Half 11f Half 13d Half 11b Half 13b Half 11c Half 11e Half

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Snapshots

Patterdale..

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Snapshots

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Snapshots

. . and the Great Outdoors

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Snapshots

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Creative Writing & Artwork The Ones Who Never Died When humans find no evidence of something still around in the present day, they assume it simply isn’t there. But what if the evidence was there, just out of our reach? Every living creature has boundaries, where it can’t go. An earthworm can’t go into a desert, a fish can’t go on land. Humans, however, can go nearly everywhere on Earth. Nearly. The only place we haven’t gone, is below. Far below. Further below than all our coal mines and oil drills. Our boundary. If animals unlike fish can walk on land, then why could some animals unlike humans not go where we can’t, the Earth’s core? Never assume… In the outskirts of Tyranny, there was a family of four. George Washington (he was bullied at school for his somewhat funny name), the 10-year-old son of the family. He loved acting out scenes from famous movies and his granddad would always be willing to help out. George had always wanted a pet of his own, so when a little lizard scuttled out of his dustbin, he kept it, but it was a secret. Any forms of reptile were forbidden in Tyranny, because of the dark town legend… It left scratch marks from its claws wherever it went… George kept it a secret… Shoebox for a home… One day not found in the shoebox… Left eggs behind computer… Seven outside the home… Next day, school shut after infestation… Pepper and salt as weapons… Bloodsuckers and grows strong in the dark… All killed, yellow beetles crawl out of windows with egg shell on back… Sightings of scaly bird on the News… Charlie Silvester 7a Snow scene The snow had hit the town like an earthquake. No one was expecting it. It was like a bomb, waiting to explode – and when it did, disaster. The cars stranded on the sides of roads like an abandoned person left to die in the sea. The houses covered in snow, barely visible to the naked eye. Freezing cold weather, with the fireplaces glowing, the lakes frozen and still. The trees were bare, with no leaves, just covered in freezing cold ice. On the other hand, children were playing and laughing with their friends, throwing the large snowballs at each other like gorillas having a fight. The roads barely visible – it was like a white sheet of paper that covered them. Parents were struggling to drive their small, dim-witted cars into the frost and ice. Zane Nirodi 8b

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Adam Hall 13e The Christmas Truce A truce had commenced like a race. A great abundance of men charged into No Man’s Land, Charged like great stallions onto the wet, damp earth. Damp like their spirits, Damp like their hope. Now they were free. At last gunfire was at an end. At last they were free. Indulged in a game of football, The enemies became friends. The volcano of hate was at an end. But would it last? Is this the end? Is it possible to stay friends forever, Or will our feud continue? Only time can tell, For I am no oracle, I cannot decide our fate... We shook hands at the end. The game was lost 2-1, Yet the memory was not lost. The memory remained. Jake Partington 7a

Creative Writing & Artwork For I Am Death It is the last day of Earth. War has scarred the ground and all people are dead; and yet, I remain. I stand before God and the Devil, who, as their time and necessity run out, decide where I belong. But they can’t. I am the first, the only neutral soul to ever walk the earth. I am surprised they don’t recognise me yet. I have held hands with all the inhabitants of both heaven and hell, and soon I will hold their hands too. For I am Death and I come to all. I rise slowly, dropping my façade. A torn, black robe flows over my dilapidated husk of a body. My skin melts away and a grinning skull leers at the only living members of earth. My hand thrusts out and then they realise. As my scythe grows into my grasp, they scramble away with fear etched into every crease of their faces. They imagine what it will be like because they know that they cannot go anywhere near the afterlife. Blackness, probably. As I slowly glide towards them, they accept their fate. Their heads roll and I take their hands as we descend into the unknown. Jack Phillips 9d

Daniel Sykes 12g

Electricity Dependency As the eerie hum passed through our hectic city, everybody froze. Sparks flung out of light bulbs and televisions fell silent. Nobody knew what it was and everybody was too frightened to ask. Every single electronic circuit was disabled in seconds. What were we to do? We couldn’t live without technology! We are so dependent, we need our devices. What do we do if we need information? Libraries have been abolished for years over a simple protest that the reading tablet could replace any book. How are we to see in the dark? All our fossil fuels have been destroyed, meaning even other planets have been scavenged for their resources. One cannot simply light a gas lamp as they did in the 19th century and if you were to do so, those few drops of fluid would cost several millions of pounds. Panic, fear and anxiety swept across the streets, as people screamed at each other in trepidation. Only a few places had generators and now men and women were guarding their solar panels with large pitchforks and blades in a barbaric attempt to protect their energy.

Edward McDermott 11a

If only our dependency was not so strong, the world would not be in ashes… Jack Swires 9d

CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK 97

Creative Writing & Artwork Scientific Evolution I had started work on a new project, which included performing tests on animals. My vision was to create the strongest, smartest animal ever. The media probably wouldn’t have allowed it because “it’s inhumane”. This meant I had to work under cover of darkness. Every night, I would perform my tests, which involved creating mutations of rabbits and mice. I was to become famous for my work, I thought. One day, it backfired. I woke up after a night of experimentation and checked on my work. It became apparent that my mutation was, at last, smart. I caught the ‘rabbit’ sitting in my chair, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Regret flowed through my mind as the ‘rabbit’ suddenly picked up my pistol. In horror, I looked behind me to find another mutant, then two more and five more. They were much stronger, taller and smarter than I remembered. I also couldn’t recollect making more than ten mutants. They enclosed me – it was too much to handle. I woke up in a cage, my cage. I was no more than a filthy test subject… Andrew Hurt 11d

Freddie Higham 9c

Perspectives My mum, my dad and my sister were all gone. They had all been killed by those ghastly giants. It was just me left – I was the lone survivor and now they were hunting me! An inky shadow loomed over me. It screamed, almost deafening me. In a split second, it dashed out and in its place came an even bigger creature. Out of the living room, up the stairs and into the bathroom I ran; but there was another dead end – death was inevitable. As the footsteps grew louder, I quickly scuttled into the corner of the room. I’d been warned about these creatures before, hunting our kind and now, here I was about to be killed. I was told NEVER EVER go inside the house, but I didn’t listen. The giant picked me up and threw me into the bathtub. Water was everywhere within a matter of seconds. I held onto the side as best I could, but when the beast began to prod me into the waves below, I had no chance. I was pulled down and swirled into the murky waters beneath me. “The spider’s gone, kids!” “Thanks, Dad!” Morgan Camm 9b

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Hamzah Babaria 11d The Prophecy I have never been normal. Every day since I was born, people have stared at my arms. Nurses told my parents that I was an impossibility, a natural phenomenon. My arms were clear. Everyone else has a date on each arm. One is the date you meet your soulmate and the other is the day you die. At

Creative Writing & Artwork school, everyone learns of the Prophecy of the Destroyer or, as the children call it, the Clean One. I’ve been alive for fourteen years now, trapped in my cell. I can’t tell why they are scared of me, but even mass murderers cower when they hear my name spoken. On the eve of my eighteenth birthday, I understood why they feared me. As soon as the clock struck midnight, I felt my head heating up and fiery horns grew from my scalp. My nails grew into talons and my skin became blackened and cracked. My blood felt like magma. I knew what I had become, and I knew now that I had a choice to make. I must decide whether to remain in captivity or to be who I was made to be. There was only one logical choice. I am now free. James Hopkinson 9f

Will Hardy 11f

The Crater The sky was ashen grey. The surrounding fields were rich with the foul stench of blood. I listened to the jittering sound of machine guns, followed by the piercing arias of doomed men. I felt a screaminducing pain and looked down to see barbed wire tearing through my side.

Luke James 12b

I looked across the crater to see my enemy, who had suffered a similar fate. He was bleeding more than me, and his gun was aimed at me. I should have been terrified, but I wasn’t. I tried to speak, but could only mumble. This was it. I reached for my empty holster as my enemy fired an aimless trembling shot. I noticed that he was lodged, unknowingly, on top of a land mine. Could I get him to move? I smiled. This seemed to anger my opponent as he cracked off another shot. In agony, I raised myself to my feet. I fought the pain as the barbed wire twisted inside me. My enemy, unaware of the landmine, rose to his feet, mirroring my actions. There was an almighty roar as he was flung into the air, landing at my feet in bloody pieces. I fell back onto a luxurious bed of soil. I was safe, for now. Christian Stapleton 9d

Joseph Hextall 11b

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Sports Sports Preface 2017-18 _______________________________________________________

t gives me great pleasure to write a quick introduction to the Sports section of ‘The Boltonian’. When you read the numerous articles that follow, I am sure you will agree it has been another great year for Sport here at Bolton School. Our achievements and successes are many – both team and individual. Once again, we are the National titles winners in Water polo for our Under 18 and Under 16 teams. In Rugby, the Under 13s reached the Lancashire Festival Final, where they lost to Kirkham Grammar School. The Under 12s had a great season, losing only one game. In Football, the 1st XI had a great season, with a large percentage of wins over their many games, reaching the Semi-final of the Greater Manchester Cup. The Under 13 Football team capped a fine season reaching the ISFA Semi-final. 1st XI keeper, Paul Foster, went on tour with ISFA to Belgium. The Cricket season was very busy as we basked in the sun. We fell just short, losing out in the Under 15 Final and the Under 13 and Under 14 County Semi-finals. Many individual sportsmen went on to represent Bolton, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and England. At the annual Cups and Colours assembly, it was a great pleasure to award over sixty sportsmen their colours for a wide variety of activities. GB Water polo player Harrison Barker-Smith was awarded the Hindley Trophy for his tremendous achievements in Water polo. Jack Phillips and Jos Winstanley won the respective Ron Booth and the Norman Davies Awards for their contribution to School Sport. Both sportsmen have represented the School at several disciplines over many years.

Finalists and winners of Year 7 Gymnastics Competition

Under 14 Basketball Team

Finally, I would like to thank the many staff who give up countless hours to run School sports teams. This huge commitment, along with the continued great work by the grounds team, catering and transport sections of school, enable us to be constantly at the top of our game. We would also like to thank Julie Manley of Phoenix Physiotherapy for her expertise treating our injured players. At home or away, we are always very well supported by our parents – thank you very much for your continued support.

Boys at ESSA English Schools’ Cross Country Cup

The next pages of ‘The Boltonian’ will give you the chance to read about the fine achievements of our teams and individual athletes. Mr. P. Fernside

New Tillotson Pavilion clock from the Parents’ Association

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Sports

Under 13 Table Tennis Team at Greater Manchester Final

Regional stage of Under 19 National Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chess Championship

Finalists and winners of Year 8 Vaulting Competition

Sport Cups and Colours _______________________________________________________

port Cups and Colours are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Sport. Sport Colours were awarded to the following

boys:

Name Chess Luke Cavanaugh Ryan Thakrar

Form Colour 13g 13g

Half Half

Cricket Joe Ball George Morgan Roman Slusarenko Dan Southworth Rehan Udwadia Kurtis Watson Josh Bowers Tom McGivern Ryan Thakrar

12h 13d 13i 13b 13b 12h 12j 12d 13g

Full Full (reawarded) Full (reawarded) Full (reawarded) Full Full (reawarded) Half Half (reawarded) Half (reawarded)

Football Paul Foster Jay Harland Roman Slusarenko Rehan Udwadia Joe Ball Josh Bowers Luke Cavanaugh Connor Davies Lee Glover Andrew Mattison Tom McGivern James Porter Phil Robinson Naeem Seth Harry Steed George Taylor

13a 13h 13i 13b 12h 12j 13g 12d 12h 13a 12d 12f 12d 13d 12f 12c

Full Full Full Full Half Half Half (reawarded) Half Half Half Half Half Half Half Half Half

Hockey Sam Croston Jamie Fernandes Tom Mair David Meadows Ben Sykes George Brennan Sam Brennan Matthew Cavaliere James Larkin Elliot Mathieson Saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ood Mulla Manraj Notay Jamie Price Matthew Schaffel Ben Turner Rupert Varley

13h 13i 13e 13i 13b 11d 12a 11f 12b 12b 13j 13d 12d 12b 11b 12a

Full Full Full Full Full Half Half Half Half Half Half (reawarded) Half (reawarded) Half Half Half Half

Outdoor Pursuits Dominic Hardy Thomas Heyes Ryan Hibbert Chris Jacob Sam Ryder Alex Young

12i 11f 13g 12d 12c 13e

Half Half Half Half Half Half

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Sports Rugby Milo Holmes George Morgan Tom Ryder Morgan Skeels-Caldwell Sam Smethurst Dan Southworth Daniel Aspinall Chris Gillard Stewart Knights Jack Phillips Alex Ramwell Ben Sykes Jos Winstanley Swimming Andrew Mattison

13b 13d 13f 13f 13b 13b 12h 11b 13e 12h 13d 13b 12i

13a

Water polo Harrison Barker-Smith Andrew Mattison Aaron Murray Jack Phillips Jamie Price Matthew Schaffel Kurtis Watson Jos Winstanley Marcus Crompton Gareth Edwards-Williams Jacob Male Elliot Mathieson Chris Rhodes

13b 13a 12j 12h 12d 12b 12h 12i 11e 11e 12d 12b 11b

Full Full Full Full Full Full Half Half Half Half Half Half Half

Full

Full (reawarded) Full (reawarded) Full Full Full Full Full Full Half Half Half Half Half

Matthew Cavaliere 11f

Ashworth Trophy (Most improved Hockey player)

9c Sean Dobson

Eric Dawber Award (School Golf Captain)

Dominic Hardy 12i

TPP Award (Volunteer in Sport Award)

Jay Harland 13h

Bradley Trophy (School Football Captain)

Tom Mair 13e

Allison Trophy (School Hockey Captain)

Andrew Mattison 13a

Field Cup (School Swimming Captain)

Tom Ryder 13f

L.C. Jones Award (School Rugby Captain)

Dan Southworth 13b

Hyde Plate (School Cricket Captain)

George Taylor 12c

Chris Rigby Award (Football player of the Year)

From the Dugout _______________________________________________________ Sports Cups were awarded to the following boys: Name Karthik Ajith

Form Cup 9b Badminton Captain’s Trophy

Harrison Barker-Smith 13b

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Hindley Trophy (Best Individual Performance) Pearson Trophy (Water polo Captain)

he 2017-18 season saw yet another year of individual and team achievements that we can be proud of. Luca Latona and Joel Burgess were selected for the ISFA Under 13 North West team and have taken part in the Regional Festival at Shrewsbury. Both boys have also been selected for next season’s full ISFA Under 14 National squads. Ben Holden and Harry Forshaw had full National ISFA representation at Under 14 level this year, playing at St. George’s Park, which was a terrific opportunity for them both, and they were selected to join the ISFA National Under

Sports 14 squad on their tour to Scotland over Easter. At Under 16 level, Michael Ahamed and Euan Pollard have represented the ISFA North West Under 16 squad. At Under 17 level, Josh Bowers has received full National honours as part of the new ISFA Under 17 National squad, which is led by our very own Mr. Chilton, and Paul Foster received full National honours with the Under 18 side. These are all tremendous achievements and ones that the boys and the School should rightly be proud of. ISFA representation at any level is worthy of celebration for any boy and is a combination of hard work and determination, but, above all, a commitment to Bolton School Football first and foremost. In terms of ISFA competitions this year, our Under 13s were the pick of the bunch, performing remarkably well in reaching the Semi-final stages of their competition. They will have been disappointed with the result, but they deserve a great deal of credit for getting that far. Our Under 15s surrendered a two goal advantage to eventual finalists Cheadle Hulme and our 1st XI bowed out of the Under 18 competition with defeat to a very strong St. Bede’s School in the second round. The 3rd XI finished the season having won every one of their games, which is a fantastic achievement, and the Under 15s won the Plate competition at the MGS 8-a-side tournament. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, we fall foul of the weather and this season has, once again, been severely affected by the wet weather, with no fewer than six weekend fixtures being called off – in essence, a full half-term without Saturday morning matches. This has certainly had an adverse effect on continuity, development, and progress throughout the year. This aside, representing School on a Saturday morning can, at times, feel like hard work, especially when you have increasing demands on your time. It is an all too familiar feeling when the away fixture in Leeds looms large, but the boys’ commitment to the cause is both commendable and an essential part of being a Bolton School boy.

Finally, I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their dedication and time devoted to School Football. Without this, given freely on top of all of their other commitments, we would not be able to offer such an extensive football programme. Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

1st Xl Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 22 9 2 11 51 48 The season started with the strongest showing for a number of years at the ISFA Sixes Competition, in the fabulous surroundings of Charterhouse. Reaching the final eight, after defeating a Repton side that would eventually go on to win the ESFA Cup, far exceeded expectations going into the day and set up the season nicely.

The season came to a fitting close with the tenth annual Football Awards Dinner. Many trophies were awarded on the night and it was fantastic to see so many of the boys who represented School this year in attendance. Captains and colleagues shared the season’s high and lows and I wish to pass on my thanks to all of those involved in making the event such a success once again. The Awards Dinner also serves as an opportunity to say goodbye to our Senior boys, who have given so much to School Football over the years. We wish them well as they move on to pastures new and hope to see them soon wearing the black and white stripes of the OBAFC.

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Sports This side was always going to have a young feel, due to a limited number of Year 13 players, although it was hoped that the four regular 1st Xl players would take on and share responsibility for the team collectively. Paul Foster, as goalkeeper, was in possession of the number 1 jersey for the second season running and represented ISFA once again, which included being selected to tour Belgium. Centre-back Jay Harland and midfielder Roman Slusarenko brought much-needed experience and will leave having played numerous games over many years for the School; Rehan Udwadia, who joined in the Sixth Form, brought much-needed speed and firepower up front.

Year 12 provided a large percentage of the squad, which should bode well for next season. George Taylor’s energy and constant work rate over the season saw him awarded Player of the Year, Tom McGivern’s rise to the First team, ever present at left-back saw him awarded Players’ Player of the Year, while Josh Bowers was selected at National ISFA Under 17 level. Connor Davies provided competition in between the sticks and will look to make the position his own next year while it was good to see James Porter return to playing School Football as an orthodox number 9, with Harry Steed another attacking option. Experience at the back came from the quiet yet consistent Joe Ball and Lee Glover’s now well-established wholehearted displays. Phil Robinson had a fantastic run of performances towards the end of the season, while Ben Forshaw never disappointed when selected.

In the major Cup competitions over the rest of the season, a tricky (and long) trip to Brighton vs. St. Bede’s was always going to be a big ask in the ISFA Cup. The team, fresh from a tour of the School’s onsite zoo, started well, but could not quite get to half time level, with late first half and early second half goals effectively ending the tie. The Greater Manchester Cup provided highlights, beating Audenshaw and Sale Grammar School on the way to a Semi-final with the increasingly strong Altrincham Grammar School; the boys eventually lost this game 3-1 and were disappointed after drawing level and having the ascendency in the game. There was also defeat in the Semi-final of the ISFA Northern Eights Plate Competition to old foes Manchester Grammar School. It would be a few weeks later in driving wind and rain when we would come up against MGS for the third time of the season. Back in November, we had been comprehensively beaten away by a better side and although this return fixture ended in a 1-1 draw, the visitors would no doubt have been the happier team as Bolton played with passion, organisation and discipline; this approach and commitment had been seen before during the season with a 4-2 stand out win at home to King’s Chester. A Bowers hat-trick and an excellent team goal finished off by Slusarenko led to an excellent victory, although such results were too infrequent over the season. Games like this, however, do offer hope that a more consistent run could provide bigger cup runs and maybe even the odd trophy in years to come!

The Year 11 boys selected over the year will, as ever, have learnt lots with the jump from Under 15 to 1st Xl Football most certainly a shock to the system. Michael Ahamed, Jack Hainey, Euan Pollard and Flynn Saturley all showed that they should be able to perform at this level in future.

Upon reflection, this squad performed above expectations overall and this bodes well for next year with many of the 1st Xl entering Year 13. Again, there has been plenty of support from the sidelines

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Sports and on behalf of the players and myself, I would like to thank the friends and family that have been present week in week out – I am sure they will miss the buzz of the Levels on a Saturday morning as much as the boys themselves. I wish our leavers all the best and hope that they continue to play football to the highest standard possible.

against MGS. Both fixtures ended in a stalemate (what else would you have expected?), but the game at Old Hall Lane was played in blizzard conditions, with driving snow and icy wind. The determination, character and sheer willpower the team exhibited to recover from a one-goal deficit was superb; in truth, this was a draw that felt like a victory.

Mr. M.G. Chilton

There were some superb performances over the season. Connor Davies excelled with his agility and composure in goal, but was ably supported by his understudy Mohammed Jiva. He answered the call on those occasions when Connor was injured and did very well, a notable highlight being his clean sheet against Bury. Joseph Pimblett wore some eye-catching footwear at times, yet this did not stop him being ever-present in the side and defending resolutely on many occasions. Ben Forshaw was a superb right-back, a player who could get up and down the pitch tirelessly. Will Morris showed his immense versatility, operating in both fullback positions and at centre-half on occasions too. James Larkin, the Players’ Player of the Season, excelled in midfield and it is no coincidence that the side never lost when he played. Kurtis Watson was a tower of strength in front of the back four, doing the ugly side of the game with minimal fuss; but for a questionable decision, he would have scored the goal of the season in the game against AKS. Adnaan Ahmed, a giant in the centre of the park, developed immensely over the season, with his positional sense and eye for goal both proving to be assets to the team. It was pleasing to see young, exuberant talent emerge with the likes of Jamal Ayub, Euan Pollard and Flynn Saturley, all of whom got on the scoresheet during the season and threatened many an opposition defence with their speed and trickery.

2nd Xl Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 17 6 7 4 36 32 The 2nd XI can look back on this campaign with satisfaction and ought to be pleased with the progress that was made during the year. After all, an entire team needed to be reformed and rebuilt following the departure of established players, but it is to the huge credit of all those involved that they rose to the challenge and performed with such aplomb. A thumping 6-0 victory in the first game against St. Bede’s, which included a hat-trick from George Taylor in his one and only start for the team, augured well. There were excellent performances too from Henry Doyle and Joe Maher, who coped well with the physicality and wiliness of opponents two years their senior; both would go on to have very good seasons. A defeat to a very strong St. Ambrose XI followed, but spirits remained high. The team’s ethos of working for each other, of defending as a unit and of attacking with pace was clear to see. Certainly, the attacking element was very much in evidence when the side netted four in a thrilling game against St. Aidan’s. Andrew Mattison, the Captain and centre-forward, scored twice in this fixture and led the line supremely well; however, individual errors and lapses in concentration in defensive positions cost us the victory and we had to settle, albeit reluctantly, for an entertaining 4-4 draw. Little did we know at the time that draws would become ’our thing’ – the team fashioned innumerable chances in each fixture but, too often, failed to hit the target when it mattered most. This was demonstrated perfectly in a goalless draw away at King’s Chester and a 1-1 home draw late in the campaign with Stockport. In both fixtures, the team dominated, hemmed their opponents in and carved out enough chances to win five games! However, the most important part of the game – and the hardest – is putting the ball into the net and this is an area for us to address next year. That being said, there were excellent victories against Rossall, Bury, AKS and Sandbach amongst others, all of which hinted at the great potential within the squad. This made the fact that the side won only one game from January – drawing four and losing one of the six they played – all the more astonishing and remarkable, for the football was of a high calibre and the commitment was impressive. Much pleasure was to be taken from the team’s battling performances

Alan Hansen, the former Match of the Day pundit, famously said, “you can’t win anything with kids”, and, while he has often been parodied for it, there is some truth to this. The 2nd XI needs the freshness of the Year 11 arrivals, of course, but it certainly cannot succeed without the experience and wisdom of the more senior boys. In addition to Watson, Larkin, Pimblett et al., we were fortunate to be able to call upon the tireless Ryan Thakrar, the mercurial Logan Molyneaux, the goal-poaching instincts of Siddarth Nandalan and the unpredictability of Albert Sanchez-Roig, all of whom shone brightly over the season. Football is about much more than the eleven players on the pitch at any one time though. It is now, fundamentally, a squad game and I would like to thank the important contributions made from Michael Ahamed, who brought composure and stability to our play when he featured, and Luqmaan Rafai, who did well and scored a fine goal against Merchant Taylors’. There were cameos from Ollie De Blainsin, Harry Steed, Mohammed Ibrahim, Cian Gallagher and others. Their willingness to answer the call at the eleventh hour and represent the School with distinction was much appreciated. The team developed over the campaign, played good football and, importantly, conducted themselves in a manner befitting Bolton School. They approached each match in the right spirit and with the right mentality, even when playing a St. Ambrose side comprising

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Sports several first team footballers. Their embodiment of the ethos of the School and of going about their business in the right way was hugely pleasing to Mr. Williams and myself. Many of the boys will still be with us next year, and this represents a very positive sign. I wish to thank all the boys for their efforts and to convey our appreciation to Mr. Williams for his time, not least when he volunteered to referee. Mr. P.G. Davidson

3rd XI Football _______________________________________________________ This year, the 3rd XI had a real mix of players ranging from Year 11 to Year 13. Because of this, none of us knew what to expect going into the start of the season, but, after guidance in the first training sessions from managers Mr. Newbold and Mr. Teasdale, who were keen to have us playing with a ‘Man City-esque’ style, our confidence grew very quickly. However, none of us would have predicted that we would win our first games with such clear margins of four goals or more. The wins just kept on coming, with Captain Luke Cavanaugh ensuring that we all kept our cool in closer matches against Shrewsbury and King’s Chester, and top scorer Jacob Male somehow always seemed to find the back of the net whenever we most needed it.

last-gasp victory from a poorly defended corner kick. The result was a tad harsh on the boys, and the result did not reflect their commitment throughout the game. Victories and defeats then ensued until the half term break, after which a change in formation saw an upturn in our fortunes and real progress was made. The second half of the Autumn Term fell foul of the poor weather, but we did produce, arguably, our finest display of the season as we overcame Bury Grammar School; this result was significant as this was the first time that this year group had defeated our local rivals since they were in Year 4. It was a display full of grit, determination and teamwork, as we outplayed and outfought our opponents. The Spring Term provided us with yet more cancelled fixtures, but we did manage to head to Manchester Grammar School for their annual 9-a-side competition. We did not fare particularly well in the group stages, but somehow got our act together, making it through to the Plate Final, where we defeated MGS to bring home the silverware. This was a significant achievement for this group of boys, who had finally fulfilled the enormous potential that they have always possessed as a group.

The strength of the squad was proven in the MGS Sevens Tournament, a competition aimed at 2nd XI sides, where we reached the Semifinals and were knocked out on penalties by the hosts, who went on to win the Final. Apart from this, our winning streak continued for the entire season. We did have a few close calls – one being a home match against Hutton, which was a very even game that needed a last-minute winner from Ryan Wong to save the day. The biggest thanks of all though, must go to the tactical geniuses that are Mr. Newbold and Mr. Teasdale – not only did they make all the right decisions to win every game we played, but they also did it in an enjoyable way and we will all look back on this year with great memories. Harry Goodwin 12g

Under 15 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 14 5 2 7 37 27 One can describe 2017-18 as a season of highs and lows for the Under 15 squad. We began the season in style, with a comfortable win over St. Bede’s; this was soon followed by a midweek ISFA Round 1 game with Cheadle Hulme. Despite taking a two goal advantage, the visitors came back into the game and snatched a

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It is always difficult to give special mention to individuals in a team sport, but some boys are particularly deserving of praise for their play and commitment this year. Harry Diggle volunteered to play as goalkeeper during the prolonged absence through injury of Elliot Longworth, acquitting himself superbly in that role. Amaan Broughton came into the side in October, playing as a sweeper and adding a much-needed steely presence in defence. Cian SpencerMcDermott and Luca Williams-Denton pulled the strings in midfield, and Pierce Barker-Smith added athleticism and energy along the flanks. I hope that the boys will have learned from their experiences this year and I wish them well as they progress to Senior Football next year. Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

Sports Under 14 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 17 12 1 4 59 24 The first game of the season saw the Under 14 Football team travelling to St. Bede’s, hoping to start the campaign on a positive note. An excellent team performance culminated in a comfortable 4-0 victory. This assured display augured well for the rest of the season, particularly the way in which the boys played the ball out from the back and pulled the St. Bede’s team all over the pitch with their accurate passing and movement; Oliver Green in goal had a very quiet afternoon. A more challenging home victory against St. Aidan’s followed in the second game of the season and then an early cup outing brought a 6-3 victory over Mount St. Joseph’s in the preliminary round of the Town Cup. With games coming thick and fast, the depth of the squad was demonstrated with a number of changes made to the starting eleven for a fixture against Oldham Hulme in a home game at the end of September. A hat-trick apiece for Michael Ibeto and Alex Fitzpatrick were the highlights of an emphatic 8-0 victory that provided Mr. Hunt and Mr. Jones with plenty of selection dilemmas for the future. September had ended with four victories out of four, twenty-one goals scored and five conceded – expectation levels were consequently raised. The first round of the Greater Manchester Cup brought a tough home fixture against local rivals Canon Slade on a thoroughly wet Thursday afternoon at the start of October. A narrow 2-1 defeat was the first setback of the campaign. Returning to Saturday action two days later, the lads bounced back with a comfortable 7-0 victory over Altrincham Grammar, before the Saturday fixtures of the first half term were completed with a narrow 2-1 victory over Rossall. Both goals for Bolton came from the penalty spot in a game, entirely coincidentally, refereed by a Year 13 Bolton School student. The final week of the first half term of the academic year brought mixed fortunes in two cup competitions. A 3-2 defeat away at Parrs Wood meant that the team’s involvement in the national ESFA competition ended almost as soon as it had begun. Fortunately, this defeat was followed three days later by a 4-2 home win against Westhoughton High School, securing the team a place in the Town Cup Quarter-finals. Adverse weather conditions meant that only two games were played in November and none at all in December. A 3-0 defeat to a welldrilled team from Shrewsbury School was followed by a 2-2 draw with one of our closest rivals, Bury Grammar School; this competitive away fixture left both sides eagerly awaiting the return fixture. As it was, fixture cancellations meant Bury Grammar’s visit to the Levels was the next fixture played. Trailing 1-0 at half-time, a deficit that could have been larger had the referee punished goalkeeper Mackenzie Chantry’s robust (or is that reckless?) challenge on the Bury Grammar striker, the team produced possibly their best, and

certainly most committed, half of football in the whole season to secure a 3-1 victory. Bury Grammar’s inability to handle flying wingers George Warren and Henry Miller-Stenton in this second period was key in turning the game around. The remaining Saturday fixtures of the season saw further victories over King’s Chester and Manchester Grammar School, with the fixture list again being curtailed due to weather-related cancellations. This meant that the team had won all but one of their Saturday fixtures, the away draw at Bury Grammar School being the only Saturday fixture not to yield a victory. This was a fantastic achievement and led to many (if by ‘many’ we mean Mr. Hunt) dubbing the team the ‘Weekend Invincibles.’ A 5-1 victory over a Dutch touring team in the scorching May sunshine on a Sunday further demonstrated the team’s penchant for weekend football.

Unfortunately, cup games are not played at weekends. The team did progress to the Semi-final of the Town Cup with a narrow 1-0 victory at St. Joseph’s High School in the Quarter-final; the full-back play of Ben Holden and Ethan Smyth was a memorable feature of this game and gained praise from the opposition manager. The Semi-final defeat in the Town Cup at Thornleigh Salesian College was undoubtedly the low point of the season. A goal apiece from strikers Lucas Davies and Daniel Morris had put the team in a strong position, but defensive mistakes allowed Thornleigh to establish parity and saw the game enter extra time. As extra time was drawing to a close, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Jones consulted the substitutes about who the team’s penalty takers would be; this debate proved academic as Thornleigh scored a late winner. Despite being the better footballing team, the dreadful condition of the pitch acted as a great leveller and made it hard for the team to translate their superior technique into a winning score line. It also reminded us how fortunate we are at School to have the well-tended pitches that we have. So, a season that promised much failed to deliver any cups to a talented squad of players. However, local bragging rights were certainly maintained with victories over Bury Grammar School and Manchester Grammar School. The quality of the football played by

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Sports the Under 14s was, at times, outstanding. The fact that twentysix boys represented the School at Under 14 level is also a cause for celebration, reflecting the depth of the squad in this age group. Sam Olawumi, Harry Forshaw and Ben Holden represented ISFA, a great honour for both them and the School. Thanks must go to Mr. Branagan, whose coaching sessions gave the team a structure and style of play that provided a platform for so many wins. The dedication of parents in ensuring that the boys were always where they should be and in supporting the team both home and away also merits thanks; so, too, does the contribution of Tyler Bailey as Captain, who fulfilled the role with great commitment and pride. The size, talent and commitment of the squad suggests that they are certainly capable of achieving cup success next season. Mr. C.M. Hunt

challenge this season was for the lads to tactically progress from 9-a-side to the full 11-a-side game; this was achieved successfully as the boys quickly transferred their experiences from the previous year into a new system of 4-3-3. Their first challenge was a potentially tricky game against Leeds Grammar School in the ISFA Cup, in which they won 7-1, with goals from Joel Burgess, Alex Old, Max Carter and Luca Latona to breeze into the second round. After a disappointing draw against St. Bedeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, thanks to a great goal from Nat Kampers, the lads began to put together a winning run before their ISFA Cup second round game against Foremarke Hall. On the day, the opposition got off to a flying start taking the lead literally from the kick off. This lead was quickly doubled by some shocking defending and hesitancy. Max Carter pulled one back in the second half, but the game was slipping away until the Captain, Joel Burgess, was instructed to play up front and cause as much carnage as he could. The Captain delivered, scoring two late goals to put the School through to Round three. The lads continued to record some excellent wins on the Saturday morning fixture list, building great momentum and team spirit. It was clear that the most improved player of the season would be Ben Male at this point, as his calm defending under pressure and excellent composure was invaluable at left-back, showing tremendous consistency in his performance.

Under 13 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 20 14 1 5 77 36 The 2017-18 season did not disappoint as the squad continued their excellent form from Year 7, playing an excellent brand of total football, where quick passing and movement was the focus. The

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After drawing with St. Bedeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1-1 earlier in the year, it was evident that they would be tough opponents to play in the next round of the ISFA Cup. After a tough start, the lads began to edge the fixture and won comfortably, with help from an excellent finish from the everdependable Thomas Darbyshire. This meant that the lads would book themselves a place in the last four of the competition and would have to compete against a top team from down south. The lads waited with excitement and trepidation. Who would we get in the Semi-final of the ISFA Cup? In the end, the lads got what they wished for: an away trip to London against Lochinver House School and an overnight stay in a hotel.

Sports course of the year; with his involvement, the ability of the whole squad noticeably improved. As a result, they went from a team short on confidence and experience to one that can be confident that they can compete with most schools in future seasons.

The Semi-final was a tight affair, with nothing between the two teams, but, before long, after a couple of nervy mistakes, we found ourselves 2-0 down at half-time. Improvements were made and, as is usual in cases of emergency, the Captain went to play up front and bullied himself two quick goals to take it to extra time. Stick or bust was now the dilemma; unfortunately, Lochinver ran out 4-2 winners in a memorable and epic Semi-final. The lads were gutted, but proud to reach such a late stage of the competition.

There are various memorable highlights of the season that are worthy of note, including a thumping 8-0 victory over Rossall, a 6-2 win against local rivals Bury Grammar School, and a very competitive close-fought 1-0 win over East Manchester Academy in the third round of the Greater Manchester Cup, in which we reached the Quarter-finals. Equally challenging games included a dramatic last minute 5-4 loss to Cheadle Hulme and an entertaining 2-2 draw with Morecombe. However, the season ended on a positive note with an impressive performance at the MGS Sevens Tournament. After finishing third in our group thanks to two 1-0 victories (ahead of MGS), we qualified for the Quarter-finals. A tight game finished 0-0 and went to penalties, narrowly losing 5-4.

I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching the lads over the past two years and feel proud of their achievements. I wish them well for future years and will be keeping my eye on their progress up the school. Mr. M. Johnson

Under 12 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 25 9 1 15 75 99 As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The boy who is going to make a great man must not make up his mind merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win in spite of a thousand repulses and defeats.” Certainly, the Under 12 Football squad have faced their fair share of obstacles and challenges throughout this season! The year began with over eighty boys involved with football trials, which over the first half term was finally whittled down to a squad of around twenty-five, allowing us to be able to field two teams on a number of weekends. After a flurry of early defeats, experiments with player positions and a trial of tactical formations, a clear focus regarding the technical coaching required for the squad was established. It is fair to say, the managerial ‘dream team’ of Mr. Heald and Dr. Mullins certainly faced some challenges; nevertheless, great credit goes to the boys for remaining positive and persevering when results were tough to take. A significant factor in all of this was Mr. Branagan’s expert coaching, enthusiasm, patience and confidence shown during the

Goals were shared around the squad of both teams: Josh Dziobon, Noah Whitman and Kian McDonald all scored hat-tricks, whilst Joe Emery, Ollie McCann and Joe Carolan were eventually pipped by Harvey Husbands for top scorer. Joe Purnell, Tom Leach and Captain Robin Jaaskelainen had to show their resilience in trying to keep a tight defence, supported on occasions by Neo Fitzgerald, Patrice Rostami, Kiran Sastry, and Harry Summers. Elliot Davies kept goal capably, ably supported by Harry Laithwaite. The wingbacks, Kian McDonald, Billy Maher and Leo Allen displayed the tenacity and fitness to enable them to cover significant distances in the game. They were often supported by contributions from Noah Whitman and Anand Mistry. The often unsung but mercurial talents of the midfield engine room of Roman Lycholat and Tom Sharphouse provided many chances for the forwards to seize upon during the season, whilst providing robust cover for the defence. Sahir Jiva, and Darragh Livesey ably deputised for these two, when called to do so. Daniel Elding-Parry, William Pearce, Lewis Pierson and Vernon Baxter also played their part with great aplomb. At the end of season, 16 of the 25-man squad travelled to Holland on a European tour consisting of four games in four days against Under 13 boys. The time spent on coaching during the year and a shift to a 11-a-side format resulted in a fantastic return of two wins and two defeats. This included the performance of the season:

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Sports a 3-0 victory over Kickers FC – a match played with real intensity – perhaps inspired by the national anthems being sung in the prematch ceremony and their tour of the Ajax stadium, where England had recently played and won! Kian McDonald had an excellent tournament, earning him the Player of the Tour prize, while other notable stalwarts were Roman Lycholat, Billy Maher and Tom Leach.

on such a tour and, as always, the trip proved to be hugely enjoyable for all involved.

Each squad played four games over a four day period, facing new and old foes. The boys acquitted themselves with honour, producing some fine football against teams of varying ability. The highlight, once again, was our visit to FC Kickers, where we are always warmly welcomed – the matches were preceded by the singing of the national anthems and a welcome speech from our enthusiastic and energetic hosts.

The Coaches’ Player of the Year, who shored up the defence with some battling displays, was Joe Purnell, whilst the Players’ Player of the Year went to Captain, Robin Jaaskelainen, whose consistent performances shone through. It was great to end the season on such a positive note. Mr. S.P. Heald & Dr. F.H. Mullins

Football Tour to Holland _______________________________________________________

hirty members of the Under 12 and Under 13 Football squads embarked, once again, on the biennial football tour to Holland over the Easter holiday. This is the sixteenth time that the School has taken a group of boys to Holland

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The boys enjoyed a variety of activities and visits throughout the tour, returning home tired yet pleased with a superb week spent playing football and discovering a different culture. My thanks to my colleagues, who gave up some of their holiday to ensure that the tour could go ahead.

Sports The Under 13s played very well at Preston Grasshoppers to win their group before they lost in the County Festival Final to Kirkham Grammar School. The players switched to the Sevens with a highlight being the Under 15s, who won our own competition, staying unbeaten all day. The Under 14s also reached their own final before being beaten by Stonyhurst.

Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

A View from the Scrum _______________________________________________________

nce again, the season has been one of great numbers taking part in Rugby, from an unprecedented number of boys used in the 1st XV, to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; team matches down in the lower age groups. The season has been a frustrating one, as the bad weather meant many games were cancelled, restricting teams from gaining any momentum. Several Senior players from the 1st and 2nd XV struggled with injuries, meaning both sides were often very young, with only a sprinkling of experience. This will hopefully be rectified next year, with everyone a year older and hopefully a little wiser. School Rugby Captain, Tom Ryder, went on to play for North Independent Schools, with Morgan Skeels-Caldwell playing for Lancashire Under 18s. Daniel Bentham and Piers Skeels-Caldwell played for Lancashire Under 15s and Chris Gillard represented the County at Under 16 level.

The Under 14s and Under 15s went on tour to Cheltenham, with all the players and staff enjoying the trip.

Finally, a big thank you to all the Rugby staff, who give up vast amounts of their own time to ensure we run teams in every year group. Mr. P. Fernside

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Sports 1st XV Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 14 7 0 7 220 321

Jos Winstanley dictating play, and strong running and defence from Jack Phillips, James Holland, Ben Sykes and Joe Brooks. The fact that five Year 11 players – Teddy Clarke, Charlie Cook, Nikhil Maini, Shaun Hughes-Grundy and Chris Gillard – played with distinction for the 1st XV augurs well for the future and represents a positive transition from Junior to Senior sport. Morgan Skeels-Caldwell, Tom Ryder and Chris Gillard were all selected to play at a higher representative level, and increasing numbers of players are enjoying their rugby on the local club scene.

After the outstanding finale to last season, which saw the 1st XV reach the final four of the NatWest Vase, and thus represent the North of England, it was no surprise that pre-season training was well attended with enthusiastic squad members. The season was to prove to be the definitive ‘curate’s egg’, and one not helped by atrocious weather and disappointing cancellations by opposition. The loss of Harrison Barker-Smith, due to his success in Water polo, robbed the team of his athleticism, and Tom Guest’s departure to pastures new robbed the team of his strong running and ferocious tackling. Early fixtures did not go well; a 21-point lead away at Liverpool College was overturned due to lacklustre defence and poor decisions, but the side regrouped and prepared well for an impressive 22-0 victory over Hutton Grammar School. A mobile pack of forwards began to ruck and defend with physicality, with Daniel Aspinall, Morgan Skeels-Caldwell and Sam Smethurst in the front row and skipper Tom Ryder adding bulk and experience to help Chris Gillard in the second row. All forwards demonstrated the essential skills and commitment at the contact area and breakdown, with top try scorer Dan Southworth at number 8, and Stewart Knights and Shaun Hughes-Grundy being most effective in the back row. Excellent wins against QEGS Penrith and Ripley St. Thomas sandwiched a good performance in a defeat at Manchester Grammar School, and preceded a commendable and rare victory over Stockport Grammar School, with Jos Winstanley kicking the winning points with the final play of the game. This excellent team performance was followed by a commendable victory at AKS Lytham: 35-14, with attractive and enjoyable running rugby and interplay. The team was brought down to earth with a resounding defeat to an impressive Lancaster Grammar School team, but the excellent spirit and improving skills saw a most pleasing home win against Audenshaw 34-7, thus reversing a defeat at the start of the season. The back line began to gel, with Milo Holmes offering a counterattacking threat from full back, George Morgan, Joe Hughes and

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Over fifty players, staff and guests enjoyed the annual Senior Dinner at Bolton RUFC and it was gratifying that Old Boys and guests, including Old Boy, ex-international referee and RFU Committee member Mr. P. Hughes and Old Boy and 1st XV stalwart from the 1960s Roy Battersby, remarked how much the team showed a laudable camaraderie and clearly enjoyed playing the game. Thanks must be extended to the positive and encouraging support from parents, the hard work by ground staff, the unflinching and invaluable contribution from Julie Manley as physiotherapist, support from coach drivers and catering staff and by those who have contributed to coaching the squad this year, especially to Mr. I.L. Hughes and to Mr. P.D. Jackson. After thirty years of coaching the 1st XV, it was wonderful to hear that Old Boy Sam Hilton received an international cap this year for Saudi Arabia, and to see several Old Boys such as Will Bates regularly star whilst playing for Bolton RUFC – it is undoubtedly a measure of success for a school sport if players continue to enjoy that sport when they have left school. I wish all those leavers from this season the very best in the future and thank them all for their good humour and efforts during their 1st XV careers. Mr. C.C Joseph

2nd XV Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L 9 5 2 2 2017-18 marked one of the most successful seasons in recent years for the 2nd XV. This was a notable achievement given the large numbers of Year 11s representing the side. A young side can often be taken aback by their first taste of Senior Rugby, but wins early in the season against Liverpool College in the Cup, Audenshaw and significantly against rivals Manchester Grammar School away from home showed we had a quality side, eager to prove themselves. A defeat to Lancaster saw our Cup hopes ended, but the rest of the season lay ahead of us. Lengthening nights and dark mornings could only mean that the Christmas break was drawing near, but, in my opinion, there’s nothing better than 80 minutes of slogging it out against the likes of Stockport Grammar School on a freezing

Sports December to prepare you for the upcoming festivities! Previous matches against the likes of Stockport have been approached in the past with a grim sense of foreboding; this year, the outlook was different and, in spite of the obvious drop in temperature, we fought hard against arguably our toughest opponents of the year and managed to steal an unlikely draw – an achievement against such strong opposition. Performances like this were soon forgotten when we appeared at Bury, keen to get another win under our belts; however, this proved easier said than done. Complacency led to errors, which Bury seized with both hands and they secured the win leaving us a shadow of the team we had been weeks previously. Clearly, the Christmas break had had an impact and we returned to face an unusual second match against MGS, this time, on our turf, meaning we had the opportunity to salvage some of the spirit and attitude with which we had started the season. Once again, we came out on top of our Mancunian rivals, being one of only a few Bolton teams to best MGS twice in the same season. The draw to St. Anselm’s over on the Wirral in the final match of the season was hard-fought, which I feel wasn’t representative of the season we had had. Despite the losses, it’s hard to remember a season where we have beaten opposition like we did this year or showed the character we did when the going got tough and, as Captain, you can’t ask for more than that from your players. Alex Ramwell 13d

Under 15 Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 17 10 0 7 389 246 The Under 15s have had a particularly strong season. We started well, with two close victories against Audenshaw and Liverpool College, before a narrow loss to traditionally strong Sandbach, 1917. The displays were hugely positive and showed the defining characteristics of the side: hard work and defensive steel, with controlled aggression at the breakdown; however, it also illustrated areas that needed to be addressed, particularly game management and variation in attack, rather than relying on one-up rugby. Our next game against Blessed Trinity (Burnley) allowed us to play a more expansive game against a large pack. The back three of Matthew Rodger, Cameron Matthews and Matthew Morrison gave them a torrid time and we ended up winning comfortably, 39-10. It was a different tale that Saturday when Manchester Grammar School came to the Levels. Unfortunately, the monsoon season had started and conditions were atrocious, which put a hold on any free-flowing ambitions. The team defended manfully, with Piers Skeels-Caldwell, Tom Simpson, Daniel Bentham and Zac Donohue outstanding in defence. Regrettably, MGS’s superior kicking game and game management meant we ended up losing 21-5; however, the togetherness shown by the squad boded well for the upcoming challenges.

The subsequent two games showed continued development: a 15-7 hard-fought win against St. Mary’s, Crosby, and a fantastic 6812 Lancashire Cup Quarter-final victory against AKS Lytham. The

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Sports display against Lytham was particularly impressive, with some fine attacking rugby and a host of tries scored. This fine form continued during the rest of the winter and into the Spring Term, with victories over Audenshaw, St. Edward’s and West Hill and a narrow 17-12 defeat by Stockport Grammar School. The unsung heroes in the pack continued to improve, with Sebastian Bamford and Jude Ashcroft carrying well, and Edward Barrow, Thomas Platt and Connah Mansfield doing the dirty work. We then faced MGS in the Lancashire Cup Semi-final. MGS may have been concerned by the tough encounter between the sides earlier in the season and opted to play the game on Manchester University’s enormous 4G pitch. The tone for the match was set early on, when Zac Donohue mistimed a robust challenge on his opposite number and a ferocious, physical encounter ensued. Unfortunately, we struggled to defensively reorganise quickly enough on the fast, unfamiliar surface, and were soon two scores down; however, a wonderful team score finished by Jude Ashcroft got us right back into the game. Regrettably, we did not play with the same tenacity during the second half, with us yet again succumbing to MGS’s superior kicking game and we ended up losing 36-7. This result and the subsequent flurry of cancelled fixtures threatened to make the season fizzle out after the early promise. The Tour of Gloucestershire was the tonic the squad needed, and the lads were impeccable. Two competitive fixtures and an entertaining weekend allowed the lads to regain their swagger and the season finished with us winning the inaugural Bolton School Sevens Tournament. We played some outstanding rugby, with particular mention to Myles Garth, George and Alfie Yearsley, who played out of their skins – a fitting end to a very positive season.

Mr. T. Benbow

Under 14 Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 18 9 2 7 339 327 The Under 14s have completed a successful season that has seen many new players join its ranks. The team has had a good balance, with a mix of strong forwards and attack-minded backs. The squad finished with a total of over thirty players, who represented the School during the season – most played in the regular Saturday matches, some played in the ‘B’ team games vs. MGS, Woodhey or in the Town Competition on Monday nights. Whilst we enjoyed wins against AKS Lytham, West Hill, St. Edward’s, Bury and Liverpool College, there were losses to Rishworth, St. Anselm’s, Sandbach and MGS. In the county, we agonisingly crashed out after a 19-19 draw against St. John Fisher, because with the scores and tries level, the away team goes through; this put us in the Plate Competition, where we comprehensively beat Cowley at home 37-5. In the Semi-final, we had a tough draw away at Merchant Taylors’, who proved to be too strong for us, despite a very committed display by our whole team.

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Sports

We enjoyed our usual tough games against Audenshaw, both home and away, with honours probably breaking even, with a 7-7 draw at home and a narrow loss away 21-16 in a very physical game. The lads enjoyed a few days away on tour with the Under 15s, staying in Cheltenham. We played two games against Bournside School and Malvern RFC, and although both games finished with losses, rugby was the winner, as both our hosts looked after us superbly. The lads spent the whole of Saturday afternoon watching Malvern Firsts and the Six Nations in a packed clubhouse. Later that night, we headed out ten-pin bowling, where a few rivalries ensured a very competitive evening.

Unfortunately, the Kirkham Sevens Competition was cancelled due to bad weather, which left only our own competition for the Under 14s. After remaining unbeaten in our group, we beat Hutton Grammar School in the Semi-final, which brought us to the Final against Stonyhurst College. On the main 1st XV pitch, our visitors found too much space to run out easy winners, but our lads can take great credit from their performance throughout the day. The Under 14s show great potential for the future; some new talent has emerged over the season and these players will continue to help the team progress if they stay with the game. Personally, I would like to thank Captain, Ben Price, who played with his heart on his sleeve and was still in attendance when he unfortunately suffered a shoulder injury, and also thank our band of supporters, who travelled across the North West to watch us play.

Mr. P. Fernside

Under 13 Rugby _______________________________________________________ In many ways, this season has been truly outstanding for the Under 13s, who have worked hard together through good times and bad. They have come on leaps and bounds with regard to their rugby, but, more importantly, they have trained hard and consistently. After a very encouraging season in Year 7, albeit littered with more losses than wins, some may have been confused that I was retained as coach; however, the boys were far from deterred by a difficult first season at Bolton School. One might have presumed it would be business as usual as Audenshaw beat us in a tight game, dominated by their enormous and lightning-quick number 8; however, we showed good structure and shape, and scored some terrific tries of our own. An excellent, hard-fought win against a feisty but ill-disciplined Liverpool College side followed, which gave the boys huge confidence; however, this was followed by two tough matches against Sandbach and MGS, their ‘A’ teams being too strong for us. Nevertheless, the ‘B’ team pulled off a famous victory at Manchester Grammar, one that will live long in the memory for many who took part, particularly Arkaan Patel, who destroyed the opposition and cemented an ‘A’ team place in the process. We were victorious over St. Mary’s, Crosby, but were beaten by Stockport Grammar and Rishworth. Nevertheless, the year finished on a high, with a brilliant victory over AKS Lytham. The new year started well, with a draw with Cowley and a resounding victory over local rivals Bury Grammar School. We blew St. Edward’s away in the first half, but they fought back harder in the second half; however, the away victory against Audenshaw was an outstanding performance, probably the best in the team’s history. A brilliant St. Anselm’s team were able to defeat us at the end of the

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Sports season, but there was no shame in this. We had success in midweek games against West Hill, Oulder Hill and during Bolton Town Rugby fixtures, when the whole squad got an opportunity to wear the black and white. The team’s most notable and perhaps most surprising achievement this year was its performance in the Lancashire Cup Finals Day. To qualify, they won a tight game against Ripley St. Thomas in November. The finals day was played at Preston Grasshoppers in March and took the form of a group table format. The winners of the group would go into the Final. By playing the best rugby of their lives, the boys managed to beat AKS Lytham, St. Edward’s College, an incredibly physical Standish High School and Birkenhead School in order to reach the first Lancashire Cup Final in Bolton School’s Rugby history. Unfortunately, the boys went down to Kirkham, a rugby school, in the Final, but still put in a very spirited display against a formidable outfit.

My final piece of advice to the lads would be to not rest on their laurels; they have had a very good season, but they should target victories against the stronger teams like Sandbach and MGS. To do this, they need to be even more disciplined, determined and dedicated. I do not doubt that under Mr. Fernside’s excellent tutelage, they have every chance of achieving this goal next year. My thanks go to the boys for yet another wonderful season of rugby, but also to external coaches and of course the parents, who brave the touchline and ferry the lads back and forth, week in, week out. Mr. H.S. Brown

Under 12 Rugby _______________________________________________________ ‘A’ Team P W D L F A 11 8 2 1 78 28 ‘B’ Team P W D L F A 3 3 0 0 15 7 ‘C’ Team P W D L F A 1 0 0 1 4 15 The tables above show how much Rugby was played by this talented, committed and hardworking year group. To have played fifteen matches in total, and to have only lost three games, is a record that these boys should be very proud of.

Special thanks must go to Rory Pixton for his outstanding leadership of a team with plenty of characters. He has also further developed as a player, particularly with regard to distribution. It is also pleasing that Luca Sotgiu wants to lead and has done a tremendous job as pack leader. Will Duffy won Player of the Year as he is an explosive and extraordinary talent, who scored more tries than the boys have had hot dinners. Daniel Corr was the most improved player as he would not tackle in Year 7, but now thoroughly enjoys the contact and has used his pace and power to score plenty of tries. It would be impossible to mention all the players, but they should all be extremely proud of their season.

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The first game was away at Liverpool College, with Bolton winning 17-7. There were some impressive starts, in particular from Henry Ainscough, Jake Dickinson, Raees Patel and Noah Nethercott. A midweek victory against West Hill followed, with Ollie Cook making his debut and Evan Dare showing improvement from the weekend.

Sports A total of ten tries were scored, with Jack Stevens and James Bowie creating chances, and Joshua Dickens and Finn Flanagan outstanding in the forwards. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams recorded 6-3 victories against Sandbach the following Saturday, with Benji Evans scoring a brace in the ‘A’ team, and Archie Stocks and Kevin Longthorne impressing in the ‘B’ team. An away game at Manchester Grammar School proved significant, with the ‘B’ team comfortable winners: 5-1; Archie Stocks and Luis McPherson stood out and cemented their place in the ‘A’ team for the rest of the season. Billy Burrows, Mo Patel, Jonathon Brennan and Harry Adams were also stand-out performers for the ‘B’ team. The ‘A’ team battled to a 4-4 draw against a well-drilled MGS side, but showed a lot more physicality than the hosts. Ollie Cook showed his experience and ability, with an outstanding display of running. A 6-0 win at St. Mary’s followed, in difficult conditions on the coast; the forwards dominated the game, with Jake Dickinson a menace throughout. If St. Mary’s was a forward dominated game, the 9-1 victory at home to Rishworth was a complete performance. With Matthew Cooney taking the captaincy on a regular basis, the team started to gel; his work ethic and tenacity allowed the team to express themselves out wide. The handling in particular was outstanding. The supporters were treated to “one of the best displays of Rugby ever seen on the Levels”, according to Mr. Joseph. Unselfish play, drawing the man, finding space were made possible by straight running and excellent defence led by Matthew Cooney and supported by the everimproving Finn Flanagan. With Harry Connor now dictating from stand off, the back line of Cook, Nethercott, McPherson, Patel and Longthorne ran riot. Stockport visited Bolton during a sports lesson and brought 40 boys to play. The ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams won 5-3 with the ‘C’ team losing 15-4. Sam Paton’s performance in the ‘B’ team was noted, as were Jonathon Brennan, William Littlefair, Harry Roebuck, Thomas Norrington-Moore and Tana Nyahwo. Max Goodwin, Harry Taylor and Priyesh Fernando led the ‘C’ team and scored a few tries against a side that play regularly on the Stockport fixture card.

We returned after half term to a very difficult fixture at AKS Lytham. With Sam Banton making his debut at full back, Bolton started strongly and scored an early try. AKS then dominated the majority of the game and it was sheer enthusiasm, commitment and effort that kept the hosts down to two tries. Henry Ainscough was outstanding, tackling anything within five yards of him; Ollie Cook’s cover defence was excellent and Matthew Cooney, as ever, was at the heart of all the physical encounters, the last to get up from the bottom of any ruck when a scrum was awarded, fighting for every inch of advantage. The 2-2 score line flattered Bolton in terms of possession and territory, but this match showed all the qualities that this year group has in abundance. The intensity in training sessions continued throughout the year, with all players wanting to be in the 16-man squad on a Saturday. The team spirit was evident on match day, with every player contributing whenever called upon. At the start of the calendar year, Bury Grammar School were the visitors and they were comprehensively beaten 10-1, with their scrum-half fully deserving his try after a fantastic display. Sam Banton continued to develop his understanding of the game, scoring three tries early on; Luis McPherson should have scored a hat-trick himself, but was chopped down by a phantom tackler just as he was about to score. The team spirit and desire to remain unbeaten through the season was evident among the squad and the parents, who continued to support the boys both home and away. Audenshaw, with confidence from numerous victories, visited Bolton and started to dictate the play early on; with their centre dominating the midfield, Henry Ainscough took it upon himself to move out there and stop the threat. Jake Dickinson then began to impress with some strong running, supported in the forwards by Sam Paton, who was by now showing signs of becoming a really strong player who was growing in confidence. Patel’s brace gave Bolton a comfortable 6-1 win in the end, but the impressive aspect of the game involved the boys identifying the opposition’s strength and negating it. Unfortunately, the final game of the season was the only defeat away at St. Anselm’s, but we believe that this will benefit the boys in the

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Sports long term. At this tender age, it is crucial that boys handle victory and loss with dignity and respect. Every single boy who represented School this year should take pride in their achievements collectively. Some boys have been asked to play in a variety of positions for the sake of the team and also for their own development. Players have developed at different rates – some who started the season well have been replaced by those who have improved as the season wore on. Winning breeds confidence, enthusiasm and team spirit – this has been the case with these boys from September and we both hope that this will continue next year. It has been a pleasure coaching the players all this year and we wish to thank them and their families for their continued support through the year. Mr. L. Watkinson & Mr. I.L. Hughes

Hockey – A Review of the Season _______________________________________________________

e received the news in the Spring Term that after months of uncertainty, the building of the AstroTurf on the Leverhulme site will be starting soon and ready for use by September 2019. One more season at our temporary home of Preston Hockey Club, and then we can use our own facility for training and matches. There will be the challenges in the months ahead of managing expectations and protecting the spirit and approach that has attracted so many to Hockey over the years; it is also important to look after those who have endured years of playing away and training on concrete whilst embracing new players keen to represent the School on a brand new facility. Over the summer, we took part in an ambitious hockey tour based in Noordwijk in the Netherlands, taking twenty-four established team players from current Years 9 to 12. We played three fixtures, had expert coaching from Dutch international players, and went sightseeing and on cultural visits.

We continue to encourage some of our players to first join a local club and support the North West Hockey league and to be selected to attend training with either Lancashire or Greater Manchester. Congratulations to Matthew Mair, Ben Price and Lawson Bates, who have represented Lancashire. From the County groups, some students are selected to attend Regional Performance Centre training either in Manchester or the Fylde. Matthew Cavaliere, Ben Turner and Max Turner have all been attending the England Hockey Fylde Performance Centre, which is a tremendous achievement. We have had a very successful Friday Lunchtime Hockey Club for Year 8 in the Sports Hall and, as a result, have the makings of an excellent team. They have already had several games in the In2Hockey 7-a-side Tournament at Rossall and several friendlies on a full size pitch. Due to the paucity of current Year 9s, many of them have played up a year for the Under 14 team. Our Seniors have had a very successful season and we have been able to field a 2nd XI as well as a 1st XI against many schools. Such has been the competition for places that several talented hockey players have played both 1st and 2nd XI this season and students have happily played 2nd XI without too much posturing. I have been particularly impressed with Jamie Price (who scored the goal of the season against the Grammar School at Leeds) and Elliot Mathieson in this regard. We performed very well in the Regional Finals at Timperley, qualifying as Lancashire winners. In qualifying in the Under 18 League, we beat both Rossall and Merchant Taylors’, who traditionally are stronger than us. I was amused by the comments on finals day by an Altrincham Boys’ parent, who said they didn’t realise we played Hockey in Bolton and was it a recent thing?! In the Indoors Competition at Manchester Grammar School, we perhaps underachieved and, considering the amount of training we do indoors, we could have done better. My thanks to Tom Mair (1st XI Captain) and Ben Sykes (1st XI Vicecaptain), who have been fully supportive and able to rise above peer pressure to steer the team in the right direction, instilling positive attitudes to training and the right approach on the pitch. Ben is nicknamed by opposition coaches as ‘Mr Angry’ due to his

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Sports determined approach and he has given us a real competitive spirit in matches. Some Bolton School teams have been a little too nice on the pitch as well as off it. I wish Ben Turner and James Larkin well as they take over the leadership next season. At Under 15 level, our Joint Captains of Charlie Griffiths and Lawson Bates have worked hard with an enthusiastic group of players, who have made excellent progress. As they merge in with the Seniors next season, they will continue to progress. Max Turner has led the Under 14s with aplomb and has worked well with Mr. Moore in getting the best team out, mindful of working across two year groups. He has been supported well by Mihir Patel in Year 8 in setting up a very strong team. In goal, we believe we have a real talent in Mark Liu, who is entirely fearless and very enthusiastic; with the right channelling of talent and energy next year, he has considerable potential. It is an absolute pleasure to run School Hockey. The sport attracts students who are respectful of the rules and a sense of fair play. They are very supportive of each other and there is a real sense of appreciation of the efforts of the staff and that is the main reason why I continue to invest so much of my time into the sport. My grateful thanks to Mr. Moore with the Under 14s, Miss Holroyd with the Under 15s, Mr. Watkinson for supporting the Seniors and acting as driver to away fixtures on many an occasion, and to Mr. Ahmed for assisting us with the coaching.

a massive improvement from the 10-0 losses of previous seasons. This loss ultimately spurred the team on and the next games saw some impressive victories, namely a 2-1 win against Merchant Taylors’ and a 6-3 win against Rossall. The latter is an incredible achievement, considering Rossall have inflicted double digit defeats on this squad since our very first fixtures in Year 8. In November, the team entered the Indoor Hockey Finals at MGS; this proved to be a very hard day with some very good games against some skilful and experienced opposition. Although suffering two defeats out of three games, these were narrow losses and the team showed massive resilience and improvements in gameplay from the previous year. Overall, this was a good experience and will give the younger members of the squad experience of indoor hockey at a high standard. The cold and wet games on the approach to the Christmas break were especially hard. The rain, hail and darkness made match playing a rough affair, but a predominantly Year 12 side kept in high spirits, suffering an 8-1 loss against Sandbach and a 3-0 loss against Sedbergh. Due to the team’s outstanding performances in the qualifiers for the North West Final Competition, the 1st XI qualified with ease. The day consisted of three matches, in which the overall winners of ‘Pool A’ played the overall winners of ‘Pool B’, with both of these teams progressing to the next stage of the competition. In our pool, we faced Neston High School, Altrincham Boys’ and Windermere. Our first game was against a very complacent Neston team, who were expecting an easy victory; unfortunately for them, we were on top form and beat them 2-1. Next, we faced Altrincham, who, again, were expecting an easy game; regrettably, they scored the winner in the closing minutes of the game leaving the final score 2-1. Our final game was against Windermere, who we comfortably beat 2-0. In order to win our pool, we needed Neston to beat Altrincham; however, this was not to be. It is worth noting that despite being runners up in the pool, this was the best tournament finish by a Senior boys’ team since being part of this competition and I am immensely proud of the team for all their achievements this year.

Mr. A.C. Robson

Senior Hockey _______________________________________________________

he 1st XI Hockey squad has had its most successful season ever. Starting off with a 4-3 victory over Wirral Grammar School, the team and the new additions to the squad settled down and found their feet almost immediately. The next game against Manchester Grammar School was a tough match, ultimately ending in a 3-1 loss; however, this score line was

The North West Finals signalled the beginning of the end of the Hockey season, with only a handful of games left to play against

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Sports King’s Macclesfield, Cheadle Hulme and Birkenhead School. These games were mixed in performance, with some brilliant play against King’s Macclesfield (final score 4-3 loss) and some not so brilliant play against Birkenhead (4-1 loss)! All in all, this season has been a fantastic one, with some outstanding play and hard-won matches. Particular highlights for me include the North West Finals and the game against King’s Macclesfield, which showcased some brilliant skill and team play. As ever, I’d like to thank Mr. Robson for all his hard work organising the fixtures and umpiring them and also to Mr. Ahmed for his patience and coaching expertise. Finally, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the 1st XI squad, who have showed great team spirit and made every game and journey enjoyable. Tom Mair 13e

Under 15 Hockey _______________________________________________________

nder 15 Hockey plays a large role in our school lives and in many others’. As Joint Captains, we are tasked with leading the Hockey team against other schools and, may we just say, we couldn’t be more proud of us; though we may not have had as many wins as other teams or as many wins as in previous seasons, we feel we have progressed greatly as a team, especially considering the team has been playing several boarding school teams, who have had significantly more time to train. There have been many impressive personal improvements, reflected in the awards this year: Nathan Burudi was awarded Players’ Player, Haryan Notay was awarded Coach’s Player, Tony Varkey was awarded Most Improved Player and Anish Basu was awarded Captains’ Player. We have found that this season the team has really found its zen, so to speak, and we are starting to play with more co-ordination. After shall we say a shaky start against some impressive teams, we started to find our groove. After a few fairly large losses at the beginning of the season, when another team unfortunately managed to reach a two-digit score against us (2-13), we began to improve our playing, even scoring a few wins (2-1, 2-0, 4-3, 1-0) and draws (2-2, 1-1, 0-0). A moment of which we were particularly proud was our sterling effort against an Under 17 team at Birkenhead, a game which we managed to keep down to a 6-2 loss, particularly impressive as the opposition was two years older than us and trained much more regularly. On behalf of the team, we would like to thank the coaches, especially Miss Holroyd, Mr. Moore, Mr. Ahmed and Mr. Robson, and we are looking forward to more great play yet to come. Charlie Griffiths 10e & Lawson Bates 10d

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Under 14 Hockey _______________________________________________________

his season has been one of many ups and downs; it has also been a season of reflection and learning. We had many players at the start of the season who had never stood on a hockey pitch and played an actual match, and we had players who had absolutely no idea what to do in these gameplay situations, but that has changed over time. We now have players in the Under 14 squad who can play a game of hockey and have confidence in doing it. These players have also gained a massive amount of knowledge on what to do and when during a hockey match. We have only won two games this past season. The first one was a 2-1 win against St. Anselm’s, the first game of the season; it wasn’t a very smooth game because most of our players had no experience. We went ahead and then conceded a short corner, which the opposition scored off. We kept our heads held high and kept pushing, and finally found a winner through Alastair Watts. The second win was an emphatic 3-0 game against King’s Macclesfield: Matthew Mair’s jammy shot from crossbar to the bottom corner, some goal stealing by myself and a taking of Ben Price by the keeper ensured us our second win of the season.

Overall though, it wasn’t about the score, it was about how we went about improving throughout the season and I believe that next season, we will be even stronger. Max Turner 9c

Hockey Tour to Holland _______________________________________________________

t was 26th of August on a cloudy Sunday morning when the Hockey Team assembled in the entrance to Manchester Airport Terminal One. We arrived in Amsterdam later that day and were transferred to the hotel. We familiarised ourselves with the local area, where we would be situated for the upcoming week, which involved heading to the beach and having a little wander around Noordwijk, which had a lovely sandy beach. Sadly, we had

Sports no time to watch a top-level game that night and instead indulged in the local cuisine in the hotel, which on the first night consisted of what can only be described as fried cardboard and chips! The rest of the evening was spent unpacking in our rooms or further exploring the town.

On Wednesday, we had a session focused on distribution. Afterwards, we went off to Rotterdam to play arguably one of the biggest teams in the Netherlands. I can truly say it was an experience playing here and it will be remembered for a long time and, even though the result was a heavy defeat and the weather was poor, it was a truly rewarding experience.

On the Monday, we headed off to the local pitch after breakfast. Jamie Hoek led the session, which was different to the drills many of us had been accustomed to in England. In the afternoon, after some lunch from the local supermarket, we headed out to HC Weesp. With the Under 18s narrowly losing and the Under 16s winning, we felt confident heading back to the hotel, where a nice dinner of Chicken korma awaited us. Tuesday loomed, and we headed to Walibi Holland for a whole day at the theme park. The rides varied from the Ferris Wheel to some wacky and wild rollercoasters; some coped with the rides better than others as we were to find out when we made a diversion to the local pancake house and the pancake didn’t stay down long for some! However, a fun day was had by all, which enabled us to recover from all of the hockey on the previous day.

The following day, we were off to Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum was the first call of the day, which included some works from Van Gogh as well as the painting The Night Watch by Rembrandt. This was followed by a river tour through Amsterdam’s infamous canals to see sights such as Anne Frank’s house. The Hard Rock Café beckoned, where we had a rather large meal and ended up in the shop, where some were desperate to spend over £35 to see what the ‘free gift’ would be if we did! The final full day was jam-packed; the morning was spent at Tikipool, and in the afternoon, we were off to HC Ring Pass, the friendliest of all the teams as they bought a Domino’s meal for everyone after the game! Nevertheless, we got a result from a tight game and we enjoyed chatting with the opposition afterwards (mainly about Fortnite). And so, our final game and week in Holland had come to an end.

The Hockey Tour was a fantastic trip and a brilliant experience. I would like to give a special thank you to Mr. Robson for running it and for Miss Holroyd and Mr. Briscoe for helping it run so smoothly. Ben Turner 11b

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Sports Golf _______________________________________________________

he academic year began with the XL Trophy. Independent Schools throughout the North West are invited to play at Pleasington Golf Club with a teacher and three pupils making up a Texas Scramble team. Sean Dobson, Alfie Yearsley, Luca Williams-Denton and I made up our team. I knew with Sean’s consistency, Alfie’s driving ability and Luca’s short game, we had a chance of taking home the trophy – I was not wrong. The three boys played beyond their capabilities and we had an excellent score, well worthy of winning.

Towards the end of the academic year, Bolton Golf Club held its annual competition for schools in and around the area. I entered three teams and was slightly embarrassed with the end results: Bolton School Golf Team won the overall team prize, the individual nett and even the gross prize – a full clean sweep. Many thanks to Mr. Watkinson for accompanying the boys on the day and I am sure his inspirational words prior to teeing off gave the lads the confidence to deliver. During Golf Club this year, we have made the most of Bolton Golf Club’s facilities, especially the new indoor practice area. I would like to thank Ian Orrell, the professional at the Club, who has been giving lessons to the boys; we hope to continue these lessons next academic year.

Unfortunately, there are few golfers in School with official handicaps, so this year, we could not enter the ISGA or the HMC golf competitions; however, in the Lancashire Schools’ Championships, it was fitting to give the younger generation their opportunity and they surely grasped it with both hands. I entered boys in the Under 15 and the Under 18 Lancashire Championships and all boys gained valuable experience for the future. Well done to all of them. For the first time in many years, a golf trip was announced. Mr. McMillan and I, accompanied by twelve boys, travelled down to Shrewsbury during the Easter break. We were extremely lucky with the weather and were treated to some excellent accommodation and fine hospitality. We played four rounds of golf across three very different courses and even managed a snooker tournament in the evening. The boys thoroughly enjoyed their time at Hawkstone Park and we are hoping to return again next year.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate three members of the Golf Team who have, through much hard work and dedication to their sport, reduced their handicaps throughout the season and are beginning to receive deserved recognition on a County and even National level. These boys are: Sean Dobson, handicap 5; Alfie Yearsley, handicap 7 and Toby Yates, handicap 9. My thanks also go to all other pupils who have taken part in any competition this year and to Mr. Fernside and Mr. McMillan for their continued and invaluable help. Mr. C. Coffey

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Sports Athletics _______________________________________________________

any boys performed well in the Bolton Town Championships, with several athletes finishing in top three positions. Individual winners received a certificate from the Bolton Schools Association. In Year 7, Henry Ainscough won in the Shot Put, Sam Banton finished second in the 300m and Joe Carolan finished third in the Long Jump. In Year 8, Sam Allen was placed second in the High Jump, Luca Latona was placed third in the Triple Jump, while Joel Burgess secured third place in the 300m. Laurence Britton finished third in the 1500m and second in the 800m. In Year 9, Sam Olawumi won in the Triple Jump and Ben Bruton won in the Shot Put. Harry Bentham won in the Javelin, while Matthew Mair secured second place in the 800m. In Year 10, Myles Garth won in the Discus and Joshua Kay finished third in the 200m and third in the Triple Jump. Pierce Barker-Smith finished third in the 1500m and second in the 800m.

Parry Relays. From then on, all of the fixtures that were arranged were against the toughest opponents. Our silverware cabinet at the end of the 2016-2017 season had been crammed to breaking point and, as a result, Mr. Astles wisely decided we should face some tougher competition to challenge us. Facing the very best, our team fought on bravely, recording impossibly narrow defeats against schools such as Ripley St. Thomas and Manchester Grammar School, when, most of the time, our Senior team only fronted three swimmers instead of four, due to injury. Our Junior and Intermediate teams bravely tried to bridge the chasm when relay races saw points given away. Well done to them all. Despite these setbacks, the team soldiered on, and was rewarded with a substantial victory against Turton at the end of the year.

Overall, the Year 7 team finished in seventh place, the Year 8 team finished in third place, the Year 9 team finished in fourth place and the Year 10 team finished in fifth place. Mr. I.L. Hughes

Swimming _______________________________________________________

ast year was one of determination and growing strength for School Swimming although it was a difficult year for swimming results.

The squad has had to cope with the loss of influential Senior boys, who have left to go to university and pursue higher education. We experienced poor results at the first few galas; however, we soon recovered, and under the guidance of Andrew Mattison, our Captain, and Mr. Astles, our coach, we were soon able to celebrate a win at home against Oldham Hulme, when some outstanding individual and team performances won us a 176-133 point victory. The season was looking up. However, we soon hit a rough patch – facing tough competition, we narrowly missed out on final places at the ESSA Relays and the John

I should like to offer a special vote of thanks to Mr. Astles on behalf of all who swam in the squad during the year; he has guided this team with all his considerable experience in competitive swimming over the past two years and is now taking a role at Park Road. We all wish him luck and know that the future of Senior School swimming teams will benefit from having him guide and nurture the talent in our Junior School. In his place comes Mr. Watkinson, a man very highly regarded throughout school – I wish him luck when he takes over the team next academic year. Special thanks must also go to Mr. Hughes, who, turned up to every event without fail and offered support to us all. While last season may not have been the greatest in terms of silverware, I personally believe that the strength of character shown by all in the team makes it one of the most impressive years while I have been in the team. Swimming at Bolton School is often overshadowed by the considerable success of the Water polo team; yet, as the old saying goes, ‘every dog has his day’ and I believe that the Swimming team’s ‘day’ is just around the corner. James Leese-Weller 11b

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Sports Water polo _______________________________________________________ Under 18 Success has been synonymous with the Water polo team recently, and this year has been no exception. It is with great pleasure that the School can, once again, record a string of victories on a National level in all of our age groups. For me, as the goalkeeper of the Under 18 team, I have seen how as a unit we have worked tirelessly, with excellent attendance at training throughout the year. With a training programme incorporating both match play, fitness and gym work, we have progressed a great deal as a national force in Water polo over recent years. This year, our journey to the National Finals began at Manchester Aquatics Centre on 5th December, with score lines of 12-3 and 12-2 against local opposition, proving to us the quality we had in the side, but also confirming the work which needed to be done by the squad as a whole when facing more challenging opposition. The second round pitted us against St. Bede’s, Manchester Grammar School and King Edward’s School; we defeated each of these teams 5-2, 6-1 and 7-3 respectively. After these comprehensive victories, we were at the top of our qualification group with an unbeaten record – something which gave us a much-needed boost in confidence going into the Finals. The run of wintery weather just after the February half term pushed the competition back considerably, and there was doubt about whether it would even be played at all. Eventually, the Finals did take place on 21st March. The day itself was a nervous affair for all teams involved, but particularly for ourselves; we had only played once before at a National Finals with this age group, at Under 13 level, when we had been placed third. With the School’s consecutive run of twelve National Titles to uphold, and the dubious task of attempting to claim number thirteen, the Finals were a nervy affair. We were drawn in our group against Trinity and Haberdashers’ Aske’s, the two teams who had been placed higher than us at our previous National age group Finals. We beat Haberdashers’ Aske’s 7-2, and Trinity, the tournament favourites, 4-0, in what proved to be incredibly well-managed and skilled performances, given the nervy starts we initially endured. This now led to us qualifying first and playing King Edward’s School, Birmingham in the Semi-final. This match ended in an 8-0 win and set up a Final against Trinity. Having beaten the team earlier in the competition, it’s fair to say we were all feeling a mixture of emotions at the time; we had the knowledge that we knew how to beat this team, but also knew that they had been our closest result of the day. We were all too aware that Finals of this kind, if a team plays in an overconfident manner, often produce the most unexpected of results. After a powerful team talk by Mr. McGinty, we approached the Final with a sense of nervous apprehension in the air and, despite a slightly closer score line than previously (5-2), we were crowned National Champions and saw our year’s work come to fruition.

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Sincere thanks must be offered to Dr. Yates, Mr. Teasdale and Mr. McGinty for their efforts with the team; all the boys are very grateful for their help and skills at coaching, which have made an immeasurable difference to us all. Matthew Schaffel 12b

Under 15 In March, the Year 10 Water polo team travelled down to Northampton in order to defend our Under 15 National Title. In the opening game against Whitgift, a tight press closed down the opportunities for the other team to attack, leading to a fairly easy victory for Bolton, 8-2.

Sports The second game played against Haberdashers’ Aske’s was set up to be a relatively tough match; however, a strong performance from the team led to a comfortable 8-4 win. Having won both our group matches, we proceeded into the Semi-finals and defeated Trinity 6-2, moving on to the Finals. The depth and strength of the Bolton team led us to a 7-3 victory over Dulwich College, securing our twelfth consecutive National Schools Title.

were now considered to be one of the favourites to do well now that we were at the top end of the age group.

As expected, the Bolton Area round caused no problems and we found ourselves crowned Bolton Champions without losing a single rubber.

Thomas Yates 10a

Under 13 The Under 13s had a brilliant year of Water polo last year. We played multiple friendly games against St. Bede’s and Manchester Grammar School, which we easily won. We had the opportunity to develop our skills as a team on the Water polo tour to Cheltenham during the Easter holidays. We played well in the first round of the English Schools’ Swimming Association (ESSA) Championship, comfortably winning against MGS, but we lost marginally to St. Ambrose, two goals to one. We qualified for the second round, where we easily won both of our matches against Grantham and St. Bede’s, taking us to the Final in Northampton on 8th May. There were six teams in total, split into two groups. We won both group matches, 5-2 against Dulwich Prep and 4-0 against Alleyn’s School. Our Semifinal match against St. Ambrose was hard-fought and finished as a draw 2-2, taking us to penalties; unfortunately, it was not our day and we lost in sudden death. The third and fourth place playoff was against Trinity, again resulting in a 1-1 draw leading to penalties, in which we were successful and came out in third place. Overall, it was a good performance throughout the year.

The next stage went to plan, as we won our three group matches and the Semi-final, again without losing a rubber, to reach the North West Final; however, it was not all plain sailing – we came up against two very strong teams from Altrincham and Manchester Grammar School, with both matches involving gripping 15-14 victories for us, when it seemed that we were on the verge of losing. The Final itself was something of an anti-climax as we romped home 4-1 against Holy Family School. Several teams had one or two very talented players, but we had strength in depth and that is why we were ultimately successful. It was at this stage, as we represented Greater Manchester in the North West Final, that we expected the standard of the opposition to be much greater, but, for the most part, our worries were unfounded. We beat the Lancashire and Cheshire representatives, each by a score of 4-1; however, we then came unstuck against the Merseyside Champions and lost 3-2; it seemed that we were out of the running, only for them to be disqualified for playing their strongest player lower in the order. That left us needing to beat the Cumbria representatives to secure our place in the National Final; this we duly did, again by a score of 4-1. We were the North West Champions!

Aran Pomian 9f

Badminton _______________________________________________________

he Under 14 National Schools Championships was the tournament we had all been waiting for; this was our big chance to reach a National Final. Having been beaten by a strong group of older boys in the second round last year, we

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Sports And so to the National Final at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes. A 6:15 departure from Dobson Road on a Sunday morning is not much fun, but the boys, together with the parents who travelled with us, were raring to go, and what a day it was! We won the first of our two group matches, but then came up against the Webber School, who are based at the National Badminton Centre and had four England players in their team; unsurprisingly, we were well beaten 5-0 by them, leaving us in second place in our group and fighting for positions 4-6 in the second round. First up were Chulmleigh College from Devon and an extremely tense encounter that could have gone either way, with three of the five games being decided by no more than two points. Nails were bitten, parents could not cope with the pressure and had to look away – it was worse than a penalty shootout! Luckily for us, we eventually came out on top with a 3-2 victory, leaving us to battle with Camp Hill School from Birmingham for fourth place. Unfortunately, this was just one step too far, although we put a up a good fight before eventually going down 2-3. To come fifth in a national competition is a magnificent achievement and Karthik Ajith, Ben Clarkson, Callum Wong and Sam Schofield deserve many congratulations. It has certainly been a year to remember.

the home side to record a five wicket victory; the wake-up call which this prompted resulted in four successive victories, only marred by the defeat by Myerscough College in the T20 Competition, in which we have previously been so successful. Still, when a team loses two wickets in the first two balls of the game, it is a difficult position from which to recover and we didn’t! Wins against King’s Chester, Lancaster Grammar School and Manchester Grammar School demonstrated the potential in the team, but an inability to field our strongest team throughout the season resulted in more variability in performances and some disappointments. At King’s Macclesfield, Joe Ball posted his highest score of 159 (in his remarkably successful season), which enabled a total of 253 to be posted, yet the game was lost by three wickets; however, as scores mounted on the dry wickets at the end of our season, winning ways returned; totals in excess of 200 runs were posted on five occasions – largely as a result of Joe’s consistency – passing fifty on eight occasions and converting to centuries twice on his way to an aggregate of 770 runs and a season average of 65.

Mr. R.M. Harrison

1st XI Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 13 8 5

The 2018 season was one of many contrasts – the weather, the wickets, the performances and player availability. The soggy conditions which April brought caused a pre-season tour to Dorset to be cancelled and the ground conditions were so wet that full block fixtures were only possible in May. As in 2017, the 1st XI got off to a disappointing start in a low scoring game at Merchant Taylors’, Crosby, where a batting collapse allowed

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Other batting highlights in this period were Rehan Udwadia’s century at Manchester Grammar School, in which he was clearly on a mission to defeat his former teammates, as well as his second century at Birkenhead. Roman Slusarenko formed a sound opening partnership with Joe on many occasions and, together with his off-spin, came a close second to Kurtis Watson as our leading allrounder. Kurtis proved his increasing maturity and great potential with bat and ball in a rare victory over the MCC, scoring 88 not out and taking 2-18; hopefully, this might be enough to earn him a chance of playing at Lords for MCC Schools. Luca Williams-Denton has also showed glimpses of his real potential with his economical bowling when fit, and his half century in the win against the XL Club. Our performances with the ball often looked quite potent despite wickets becoming increasingly batsman-friendly as the warm dry weather continued. Kurtis Watson was the leading wicket-taker, but Praharsh Parikh often looked our most threatening bowler with his spin repertoire. Tobi Ramwell partnered Kurtis with the new ball and they have the makings of a formidable pairing next year as their bowling skills mature. The penultimate game of the season provided an opportunity to look at how some of our younger players in Years 9 and 10 might fare in Senior Cricket next year in a game in which experienced Old Boltonian cricketers, some 1st XI players and the youngsters were blended into two teams and over 400 runs were scored in a game decided by just seven runs! The promise and potential for success is clear, but it will only be realised if there is full commitment by all to practise, playing and maintaining the School’s proud cricketing tradition.

Sports I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all those players who have contributed to this successful season through their commitment, discipline and application, as well as to Mr. Watkinson and scorer Alex Old. I would also like to express my gratitude to the many sport staff, catering and ground staff, as well as parents, who have contributed to this season’s cricket effort throughout the age groups by their investment of a great deal of time, expertise and loyalty.

Merchant Taylors’ then beat Bolton, as we scored 62-7 after we faced some tight bowling and fielding. Merchant Taylors’ lost only four wickets and won the game with ease.

Mr. A.C.R. Compton

2nd XI Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 11 7 4

Once again, we held a successful winter net campaign with a good number of Senior players present that would ensure two sides once again.

In our annual match at home to our friends Audenshaw 1st XI, we finally won against our opponents. Bolton bowled Audenshaw out for 77, with Jack Diggle taking 5 wickets for 11 runs, including a hat-trick. Ryan Thakrar on 27 and Jack Phillips on 43 saw us home in a 7-wicket victory. On a lovely Wednesday afternoon, we travelled to play Stonyhurst’s 1st and 2nd XI and, for the second time in years, we also ran a 3rd XI. Stonyhurst 1st XI batted very well to score 121-4. Captain, George Morgan ran out of partners, as he was left stranded on 34 not out, as Bolton crashed to 89 all out. Bolton 3rd XI took Stonyhurst 2nd XI right to the wire, losing out in the last over of a very tight game. Both sides had a very enjoyable afternoon in the Lancashire countryside, with many players returning to Cricket after a big break or representing the School for the first time. The 2nd XI joined up with the Dukes XI and the Staff XI to play in a triangular night match. The staff’s 106-3 comfortably beat the 2nd XI 60 all out, but the lads showed great character to bounce back and beat the Dukes 80-8, as they passed the target for the loss of only two wickets.

In the opening match, we won away at Manchester Grammar School, with a last ball victory, courtesy of a four off the last ball by Andrew Mattison. Batting first, MGS scored 95-5 off their 20 overs, with Ali Khalid pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets for 7 runs. Bolton looked to be cruising, with Jack Phillips on 24 and George Morgan on 21 both being run out with the total in sight. With the loss of a few more wickets for very few runs, we looked in trouble – thankfully, Andrew Mattison stepped up to win the match. Once again, we hosted the 2nd XI 15/15 competition, this time, with Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Merchant Taylors’. As hosts, we played first and LRGS restricted us to 56-7. After a shaky start, LRGS won the match by 7 wickets, finishing on 61-3. In the second match, LRGS beat Merchant Taylors’ comfortably. Unfortunately,

At home against LRGS, our visitors batted well to score 123-8, with Paul Foster 4-17 and Jack Diggle 3-40 the best school bowlers. With the bat, five players got into the teens, but nobody finished off

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Sports the job and finished 29 runs short of a total we looked like we might get at one stage.

finish the festival and a fitting way for several Sixth Formers to finish their school careers with a well-deserved win.

On our travels to Cheadle, we encountered some difficulty raising 11 Senior boys; thankfully, five Year 10s stepped up and played a significant part in a last ball victory. Batting first, Bolton reached 107-7, thanks to Year 10, Ben Stone on 32 and Tjase Pindoria on 25. The total looked too low, as one Cheadle batsman cruised past 50, but, with the final ball of the day with four needed, another Year 10, Archie Seddon, clean bowled him for a marvellous victory – a fine example of 2nd XI cricket.

Sadly, King’s Chester, King’s Macclesfield and the Grammar School at Leeds did not have a 2nd XI; unfortunately, it is a sign of the times and further evidence of the hard work that goes into keeping Bolton School Seconds going. It is getting harder year on year to run a 2nd XI, but, as several schools have just found out, lose your Seconds and the Firsts will not be far behind. Bolton School can be proud of its unbroken tradition of still fielding a 2nd and, at times, even a 3rd XI.

Our final Saturday match was at home against Birkenhead School. Batting first, we posted 124-6, with Ryan Thakrar and Andrew Mattison top scorers with 34 and 30 respectively. Birkenhead were all out for 89, as the wickets were shared between the Bolton bowlers.

I must take this opportunity to thank my wicket keeper and Captain George Morgan, who has been an exceptional, ever-present leader. Despite many obstacles, we have always had eleven players on the pitch. Mr. P. Fernside

In our fourth year of entry in the four-team festival, we travelled to Yorkshire to play Silcoates School, Ratcliffe College, Leicestershire and Rydal Penrhos School, North Wales. The boys played really well and won all three games for the first time since we have entered. In the first game, we played the hosts Silcoates and batting first, we scored 2106, with Jack Phillips hitting 97. The bowling was shared around, with eight bowlers taking the wickets as we bowled out our hosts for 189. On the second day, we played Rydal at Wrenthorpe Cricket Club, a lovely ground with a very quick outfield. With another toss won, we elected to bat and Roman Slusarenko opened with 83 and Tjase Pindoria scored 87, giving us the luxury of declaring on 230-5 at lunch. Rydal made a good reply, with one player scoring 107. Jack Phillips was brought on to bowl and wiped out the tail with 5 wickets for 17 runs to give Bolton a 63-run victory. Back at Wrenthorpe for day three, the two unbeaten sides met, as Bolton took on Ratcliffe College. Batting first, their spinners tied us down and we struggled to 78-7 (with Jack Phillips on 44). Lee Glover then hit a quick 31 and Tobias Ramwell hit 49 not out; Ali Khalid played a vital role as the last wicket put on 52, as we finished on 172. Ratcliffe made 147 and Bolton completed the festival unbeaten, with all eleven players having contributed something over the course of the three days – a huge success, a marvellous way to

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Under 15 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 15 8 7

The Under 15s started this season determined to build on the success of being Lancashire Champions at Under 14 level and were looking to go one better than the solitary defeat suffered. After last season’s successes, the squad knew it would be a tough act to follow. The season started well, with an easy win over Kirkham by over 80 runs, with strong batting performances from Zac Donohue, 46 and Luca Williams-Denton, 45 not out. Bowling-wise, Cian SpencerMcDermott took 3-4. Our focus then turned straight to the next game, which was our first national 40-over Cup game against Sale Grammar. Losing the toss and being put in to bat on a day which was good to bowl on, we were already on the back foot. We lost wickets at regular intervals and were not able to form a partnership; however, Amaan Broughton

Sports managed to stay in with a helpful 25 and with some big hitting from Alistair Waugh near the end, we managed to crawl our way to 96 all out. With a below-par total, we knew we had to bowl and field well. Some tight bowling from Luca and Zac up front kept us in the game, but the one loose ball an over, which was punished by the Sale batsmen, kept their scoreboard ticking. With regular rain delays, Sale began to lose momentum and we took our chance to grab a few late wickets, with good death bowling from Zac. Suddenly, Sale found themselves 9 down still needing 10 to win off the last two overs, but a bit of luck and some loose bowling saw them get home with three balls remaining – although it must be noted that the final two overs were bowled in horizontal rain and a wind so strong the sidescreen blew over! We were out of the Cup. Unfortunately, the blow of losing in the Cup took a while to recover from and was combined with losing players through injury and school Senior teams – the senior players we had needed to step up, with three big games against Lancaster, Manchester Grammar School and Sedbergh. These were three decent games, but batting once again let us down, with no batsman making more than 36, and with losses in all, despite the bowlers making the games as tight as possible. Finally, we saw some form, with a win against King’s Macclesfield and Cheadle Hulme, when Jack Tyldsley scored 22 not out and Alistair Waugh scored 30 not out, and two easy T20 Cup wins against Bacup and Audenshaw, which saw us in the T20 Cup Finals day. We were drawn with Lancaster in the Semi-final and a 50 from Amaan, 40 from Luca and, again, big-hitting at the end from Alistair saw us get to 150-2, off 20 overs. Following this up with a strong and tight bowling performance meant we made it into the Final against Oldham Hulme. We batted first again, but not as successfully this time, as we only got 104-9 from our 20 overs. Two wickets in the first two overs got us in a good position and we managed to get more wickets at regular intervals in the game, which gave us a good chance to defend our small total; however, a few wides and good batting from the opposition got them to a position where they needed one run to draw and two runs to win from the last ball. With the field in, they managed to scamper a one to the keeper and eventually won on wickets lost. However, a strong batting performance against Birkenhead saw the team achieve a mammoth 235-5 off 25 overs, with top scorers Josh Kay on 58 and Ed Miller-Stenton on 46 not out. With such a large total, it was a chance for twelve bowlers to be used and saw Bolton victorious by 40 runs. It was an unlucky ending to our cup run, but there were many positives to take out of the year, and the boys will have learnt much about the challenges Cricket can bring and, more importantly, how

to overcome them. Mr J.C. Moore & Josh Blackhurst 10c

Under 14 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 12 8 4 The first game of the season involved a visit to King’s Chester, where we won with 9 overs to spare; the victory was based on a solid bowling display, with Sami Waheed and Max Sibson-Finch taking three wickets each, and Barney Horridge top scored with 17. A poor batting display chasing Lancaster’s 118 was the worst performance of the season when we reached only 50, with Seb Schofield top scoring. Another Saturday defeat followed at home against Manchester Grammar School, who scored 95 from 30 overs, with Ben Clarkson and Daniel Morris taking two wickets each. Henry Miller-Stenton top scored with 21. A narrow defeat against Sedbergh followed, but the scoring improved, with Sami Waheed and Jacob Stevenson scoring 21 and 46 respectively. Ben Clarkson was the top wicket-taker, with 4 for 24 from his six overs. A fantastic victory away at Leeds followed, with Jacob Stevenson scoring 57, but Henry Miller-Stenton outscored him with an unbeaten 61 – both innings included 9 fours. Sami Waheed was the outstanding bowler, taking 4 for 25 from his five overs. King’s Macclesfield were beaten at home, with Jacob Ashworth taking 5 for 11 from five overs. The 101 target was reached with five overs to spare, with contributions from Seb Schofield (13), Barney Horridge (18), Dominic Flood (17) and Daniel Morris (14) although the LBW given is still discussed in the changing rooms and in the Morris household! The Cup run started with a home victory against Audenshaw, in which we only scored 88 in the 20 overs, with only Dominic Flood and Barney Horridge reaching double figures – Jacob Ashworth did help the opposition by getting several of our players run out! Ten bowlers were used, with Jacob Stevenson taking three wickets. An away visit to Cheadle saw the hosts set 127 from their 25 overs, with Seb Schofield and Sami Waheed taking two each; these two also saw us reach the target with four balls to spare. Seb Schofield carried his bat for 59 and Sami Waheed was not out for 19; Daniel Morris scored a quick-fire 26 in an excellent innings. The Semi-final against Clitheroe Royal Grammar School started badly, with the visitors starting at a very high run rate. We slowed down the run rate, with the excellent Waheed supported by the medium to slow bowling from Ashworth and Morris, also known as ‘the Pace Brothers’! The 159 target off 30 overs was realistic, with Dominic Flood and Seb Schofield starting well. Seb Schofield and Sami Waheed put on 75 for the third wicket partnership, but

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Sports losing Jacob Stevenson and Henry Miller-Stenton cheaply proved very costly and we fell nine runs short. Valuable lessons were learnt that day that we will take into next year’s County Cup competition.

I would like to thank all the players who contributed to the season and I look forward to next season and our attempt to win our first County Cup.

We travelled to MGS two days later to play against their ‘B’ team and also some of their better players from the younger years. We scored 153 from our 25 overs, with Ben Price scoring 23, Jacob Stevenson 25 and Henry Miller-Stenton 40 from 23 deliveries including 2 sixes and 5 fours. MGS’ wicket keeper (who is in Year 7) scored an unbeaten 57, but they fell nine runs short, with Morris taking 4 for 9 from his three overs, including 3 in the final over of the innings. Twelve bowlers were used in this game, which shows the depth we have. It also shows that our attitude towards each other is a positive one and there are no complaints when we share the bowling or change the batting order for every match.

Mr. I.L. Hughes

Under 13 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 11 4 7

Our final Saturday match was a trip to Birkenhead, where we scored 166-6 from our 25 overs. Sami Waheed and Henry Miller-Stenton put on over 100 runs for the third wicket, with Waheed scoring 62 from 52 deliveries and the ever-improving Miller-Stenton 47 from 32 deliveries. The final delivery saw Barney Horridge score a four with a ‘Dilshan’. The hosts started positively and kept up the run rate set, but Aadil Patel and Sami Waheed slowed them down. Jacob Ashworth took three wickets late, with Jacob Stevenson and Aadil Patel taking two each. In the final week of term, Merchant Taylors’ came for a 20/20 game, which saw an excellent innings from Seb Schofield, who scored an impressive 82 from the 55 balls received – the score included 12 fours and it was, without a doubt, his best innings of the year. Barney Horridge supported him well at the top end and scored 23 for a total of 139 for 6. Captain Jacob Stevenson once again demonstrated his leadership qualities by using ten bowlers. Merchants started well, but Jacob Stevenson and Sami Waheed slowed the run rate between the ninth and twelfth over, which forced the visitors to attack Ben Price and Barney Horridge, who bowled exceptionally well and took two wickets each. Bolton won by 26 runs.

After some excellent pre-season cricket net sessions, the lads were looking forward to a competitive cricket season ahead of them. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm was quickly dampened with two early fixture cancellations and the news that their Captain and Lancashire leg spinner Alex Old would be on crutches for half of the season. In addition, this now meant that the team’s first matches would be against the strong and competitive sides of Lancaster, Manchester Grammar School and Sedbergh. Consequently, the lads struggled to find any form initially, as they crashed to four straight defeats; it was clear that standards needed to be improved if they were to turn things around. The lads worked hard to improve their overall standards, but particularly their fielding, as this was a constant area of disappointment. In the Cup, the lads produced a strong bowling performance to bowl out St. Monica’s School for 57 and knock them off comfortably. The performances were now improving and they produced their second win with a victory against King’s School Macclesfield. Zane Nirodi topped the score with a quick-fire 33 not out, supported by Anupam Tripathi (28), Thomas Darbyshire (21) and the returning skipper with 24. Unfortunately, the Cup run ended at the Quarter-final stage, with a defeat to the impressive Saddleworth School, who showed the lads how attacking and aggressive batting can make such a difference to

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Sports your score as they posted a huge 163-6 off 25 overs. Due to a slow start from Bolton and the loss of early wickets, this then meant that the needed run rate had become extremely difficult and, despite the efforts of Joel Burgess (31), Cian Patel (28) and Sam Allen (13 not out), the game was lost by 37 runs. After the disappointment of the Cup, the lads still produced two more excellent wins; the first was against a weakened MGS team, with Alex Old scoring an impressive 64. This was closely followed by a massive 189 against Birkenhead after an impressive knock of 32 from Kaushik Kathiriya and excellent bowling figures from Joel Burgess and Rahim Malik. Other noticeable improvements within the team came from Aran Pomian, Harry Whittles and the big-hitting from Simon Whitmore, with some enormous sixes. It would have been great to have recorded more wins, but I have enjoyed coaching the lads and have seen them make great improvements.

Manchester Grammar School, Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Sedbergh before playing in the Lancashire Cup. Up against a very strong Turton side, we lost a couple of early wickets before Josh Dziobon and Akshat Kamath both reached the Cup retirement score of 30, meaning Turton would need a run a ball to win. They had two very strong openers, with one reaching 30 and the other scoring a quick 15 before being bowled by Lucas Ingham. This led to a middle order collapse, giving us our first win of the season and, even better, we were into the next round of the Cup. In the Cup, we now played St. Augustine’s, who won the toss and elected to bat. Archie Stocks got an early wicket to get the opener out, which was followed by a Josh Dziobon wicket. They finished on 103, with Archie Stocks’ figures 2-12. In the chase, Akshat Kamath got a good 23, but Stocks proved he could also bat, reaching 30, with another 26 from Dziobon sealing the win and taking us into the last four! The following day saw a win against King’s Macclesfield at home to top our best week of School Cricket.

Mr. M. Johnson

Under 12 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 13 5 8 We had been training hard throughout the winter to play School Cricket, with Mr. Chilton, Mr. Compton and Mr. Fletcher (Lancashire Cricket Coach) taking the sessions. Our first match was against King’s Chester, where we elected to bat. With Akshat Kamath and Joseph Carolan opening, we started well and although we lost a few wickets, we ended on 76 with Carolan on 25 not out. We took early wickets, but King’s Chester then had a strong partnership meaning with three overs left, they would only need six runs. Ollie Cook then managed to take three wickets before the end of the game, but we came up just short as they reached the target.

In the Semi-final, we played Manchester Grammar School, who were notoriously strong. We elected to bat on a warm day and, after a good start, the big names of MGS struck and we were left to defend a low score. Josh Dziobon took a wicket on the first ball of the innings, which sparked wild celebrations, but it wasn’t to be, as MGS easily reached the target; we fielded and bowled very well, but they just outplayed us on the day and knocked our total off with a few overs to go. It was a good indication of our progress and it will be good to test ourselves against tough opposition next year. In the final few games, there were a couple of wins and defeats; we lost to Merchant Taylors’, but, in the biggest win of the season, scored 169 at Birkenhead, where Akshat Kamath got the biggest score of the year: 72 not out. At the end of the year, it was good to hear from the older boys about their seasons at the Cricket Dinner so that we can continue to improve. Josh Dziobon was awarded Players’ Player of the Year and Lucas Ingham the Coach’s Award, for his attitude and commitment over the season.

This was the story as the season progressed, where we realised that School Cricket at Bolton is pretty tough. We had hard games against

Josh Dziobon 7a

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Sports Tennis _______________________________________________________

School, but, unfortunately, the Under 13 team just lost out in a very close match.

our boys and three girls from Bolton School, who attended coaching sessions at the Manchester Real Tennis and Racquets Club in Salford, were thrilled to be paid a visit by HRH Prince Edwards, The Earl of Wessex.

Veer Patel, Thomas Martin, Ben Clarkson and Harvey Dhokia were taking part in a mini tournament against teams from Manchester Grammar School, Manchester High School for Girls, Stockport Grammar School and Haslingden High School. The Earl of Wessex handed out commemorative medals to all participants and then spoke with the pupils who had taken part in the training. The boys enjoyed some great tennis matches in the summer, despite the rather changeable weather. The Under 13 squad managed to avoid the heavy rain and play tennis against Clitheroe Royal Grammar School; the boys lost 4-8, but enjoyed the tough competition.

The Under 15 squad played in very tough conditions at Merchant Taylorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Crosby; nevertheless, both Ben Clarkson and Hamzah Chariwala played very well and won their Singles matches. The Under 15 team were victorious against Manchester Grammar

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Tennis Club proved a popular choice of activity, as nearly forty boys from Years 7-10 attended.

Scouts Beavers _______________________________________________________

As usual, favourite moments included our annual invite to Cub Camp, where the Beavers love the chance to cook around an open fire, climb trees, make dens and spend time with the Cubs singing around the camp fire. We have been supported this year with super parent helpers and this has allowed us to continue to offer a balanced and exciting programme of activities. This year, we have enjoyed an offsite visit to a climbing centre, where all Beavers pushed themselves to enjoy a new experience.

he young children in our Beaver Colony have had another very busy and productive year. We continue to be very popular and run a split-aged colony with nine children from Years 1- 2 and nine from Years 2-3. We are supported by parent helpers and Louise Hardy, our Assistant Beaver Leader. Beavers remain excited and committed to achieving a wide variety of activity badges and have embraced the new badges this year. We also work together as a colony to achieve a number of staged and challenge badges.

We have made the most of some sunny weather, especially since May half term, taking many of our activities outside; these have included fun water-based team games.

Mrs. J. Mees (Beaver Scout Leader)

Cubs _______________________________________________________

elcoming new Cubs is always an exciting part of the Cub year. Here are a few of our Thursday nights crew:

For the Cubs’ Our World Challenge badge, we took an Indian theme for many activities, including learning a new game Kho kho, which was great fun trying to remember all the rules! We also designed Henna hands and made a collage in preparation for Holi, also known as the Festival of Colour; this is a Hindu Festival which takes place at the beginning of March marking the arrival of Spring. A ‘colour run’ was also a really fun part of the celebrations.

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Scouts The last weekend in February saw the 19th Bolton Cubs Gala take place in the Swimming Pool at school; much fun was had by all and it was nice to see our newly invested Cubs eagerly taking part. During the Spring Term Badge Night, over 50 Cubs were tested on over 96 badges – that is a lot of sewing for parents! We had four Cubs tested on the new Snow Sports Staged Activity Badge, which was only available from 1st March. Well done to all the Cubs on their badges – a lot of hard work had gone into the preparation. In May, Evie Morris, Kelsey Liu, Nora Oesterle and Dhilan Jacobs represented our Cub Pack in the District Cub Swimming Gala. Amongst them, they won eight of ten races and ultimately the magnificent trophy by a large margin. Well done to our fabulous foursome!

Baloo’s award: Kyri Stivaros for great kindness and thinking of others Kaa’s Award: Olivia Laithwaite & Amelia Crompton for great teamwork. In June, we enjoyed two evenings at Bradley Fold Garden Centre undertaking activities towards the Gardener’s Activity Badge. The Cubs learned all about which season is best to grow our fruit and vegetables and what it is about those seasons that make them right to grow specific vegetables. The Cubs learned about the different tools you would use in a garden and how to use them safely. We planted sunflower and lettuce seeds, which were taken home to look after for the subsequent two months. Plant labels were also designed for the plants to identify which was which. It will be interesting to see how the plants survive and to see if there are any budding gardeners in our midst.

A ‘Giant’ Cub Camp The boys and girls of 19th Bolton Cubs enjoyed a gloriously tropical ‘Giant’-themed Cub Camp at Bispham Hall over the May Bank Holiday weekend. Swathed in suncream and sporting sunhats, almost 70 Cubs competed against each other in giant versions of board games such as Scrabble, Ker-plunk, Hungry Hippos and Tetris. Lots of fun outdoor activities ensured the Cubs fell exhausted into their tents to sleep after traditional hot chocolate, marshmallows and songs round the Camp fire rounded off the evenings. Camp ended in the time-honoured way with a presentation and prizes. Many thanks once again to the Cub Leaders (and Mr. Hough for his now legendary porridge!) for all of their hard work before and during the weekend, henceforth to be known as the BEST CAMP EVER! Roll on next year, when the same venue has been booked for the same weekend – fingers crossed the weather will be as fantastic too.

We Rounded the year off with water games and the now traditional ‘Cubs Got Talent’, where many of the Cubs shared their talents with us. We had a variety of musical performances, dancing, magicians and comics. The prizes were shared by Harriet Kennedy, Dhilan Jacobs and Kyri Stivaros from Wednesday nights, whilst Ashriya Ferando, Nora Oesterle, Cormac Thompson and Stanley Mathieson were the winners from Thursdays.

The winners of the awards at Camp were: Sixer of Camp: Emily Bowden & Rosie Heywood Seconder of Camp: Ella Nielsen Six of Camp: Claret

Follow our adventures on Twitter @19thcubs.

Akela’s Award: Benjamin Quilliam for overcoming his fears of camp

Akela, Baloo, Kaa and Limmerskin – Cub Scout Leaders

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Scouts Cub Camp (from a new Cub’s point of view) _______________________________________________________

hen I got to the camp my Dad zoomed off. I didn’t know many people there, so I helped Akela set up a game. Then I played the game. After that, the Cubs carried their heavy bags to their tents. Soon, we played Monopoly, but we had to run round the field; by now it was dark.

which included the notorious round turn and two half hitches. This was then followed by a useful session on navigation, even if later in the year it was proven that some of the leaders evidently didn’t pay much attention! Newly-learnt skills were put into immediate action, pioneering large elevated walkways to allow the Scouts to walk or shuffle across the main hall at Brookside at altitude. Simultaneously, half the Troop enjoyed the scenery and political discussion on a night hike up Winter Hill, even if the views of the coast and ‘The Lakes’ were obscured in the darkness.

After viewing our tent, we had hot chocolate inside. Making me jump, Akela shouted, “Go to sleep, Cubs.” I wasn’t even in bed when… I puked! (Luckily it wasn’t in the tent!) Sadly, I had to go home to a normal bed. Earlier than early, my Mum woke me up with a “Wakey, wakey rise and shine.” Soon after getting ready, I went into the lounge. What I hoped would happen is that I got to play all day, but it did not turn out how I planned. My mum took me back to Camp. When I got back to camp, my Six made a tower out of boxes. Next, was archery, then creating a tasty treat on ‘Ready, Steady Cook’. Next, was Battleships, grass sledging and, last but not least, Operation (in a paddling pool). That night, I challenged myself to sleeping on camp and luckily, I survived the night. In the morning, after lots of games, it was Awards and I got Akela’s Award – the prize was a mug and a dice. It was exciting because I met new people. My favourite part was getting Akela’s Award. Ben Quilliam 3B

Review of the Scouting Year _______________________________________________________

he 2017-18 Scouting year proved to be a great success. The start of the year was met with the usual excitement as the latest batch of patrol leaders set about getting to know their new patrols. We were also fortunate to have a couple of younger additions to our experienced leadership team. We kicked off the year with an observation and senses evening, comprising a rota of activities including a challenge to distinguish between different types of coke and touching an object in the dark to try and guess its identity. Early in the term, we practised some of our traditional Scouting activities, including a revision of knot tying,

A four-week rotation of meetings followed, including cooking, completing the World Challenge award, badge night and the opening stage of the annual Isherwood Cup for Winter Scouting. The lasagnes, crumbles and other dishes prepared were given to a charity, and a donation made to the Manchester City Mission for their work with the homeless after a visit and thought-provoking talk from Paul Winters, who spoke about his work with people out on the streets of London and Manchester.

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Scouts

Towards the end of the Autumn Term, we travelled to Widnes for a trip to the ice-skating rink; there were varying levels of ability, but thankfully, we were joined by the Explorers, who were friendly enough to offer a helping hand and free advice. 2017 concluded with the Scout Christmas Party.

The second part of the Isherwood Cup competition was an intensely fought affair, with each patrol vying for top spot after the first round. Tasks included, creating a free-standing flag pole, carving tent pegs, safely sharpening axes, and reciting the Scout Law. The overall winners were the Kangaroo Patrol, ably led by Joe Brennan.

The New Year brought a board games and card night. Monopoly was conducted in a surprisingly civil manner. However, the main event of the evening was a gripping chess match; a sizeable crowd gathered to witness the climax of the sporting game, although the audience was left disappointed by the fixture ending in a draw. Other meetings of the Spring Term included an evening of first aid, the Patrol Leaders’ meeting, and pancake making for Shrove Tuesday.

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As the weather improved with the arrival of the Summer Term, we were able to venture outside; this meant an evening of conservation was in order to help clean up the area around Brookside, including planting new trees and cutting back overgrown hedges. We were, once again, also able to practise one of the Scouting fundamentals: lighting a fire. After numerous failed attempts, Nature finally gave in, and fires were lit. Later in the term, we were introduced to the game ‘piggy’, involving the flicking of a ball off a stump and batting it as far as possible, and also enjoyed building catapults. The patrols were ranked on the number of troop leaders they could hit with water balloons, with some leaders proving to be significantly easier targets than others! The Gregory Shield competition for Summer Scouting, was closely fought, but also won by the Kangaroo Patrol.

Scouts Towards the end of term, attention turned to preparing for our annual Long Camp and our first visit to North East Somerset since 2014. A span of four years is a relatively long time, so careful planning was

Scout Long Camp 2018 _______________________________________________________

t the end of July, ten members of an advanced party, followed twenty-four hours later by forty Scouts and Leaders, departed for the annual Scout Long Camp to sunny North East Somerset. The good weather, for which the Summer of 2018 will be remembered, gladly prevailed for most of our stay. Camp kicked off with the seven patrols pitching tents and preparing their cooking areas, which they would use to live off the land. After our first excursion to the historic city of Bath, competition began to heat up with the Masterchef challenge for the Greenhalgh Trophy. Following a long afternoon of cooking (and an even longer evening of washing up) the patrol who came out on top was Peewits, with their delicious beef goulash and sweet banoffee pie.

required of everything from hike routes to hygiene procedures. As is conventional during the final meeting of the year, we played Wide Games. This year, the Capture the Flag and Card collection games had to be played at Brookside due to the moorland fires on Winter Hill.

As ever, a big thank you must go to all the Leaders for volunteering a significant amount of their time to run our evening meetings. Sam Brennan 12a (Troop Leader)

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Scouts The days leading up to hikes flew by, as the Troop settled into camp routines. The annual campfire took place on the Saturday evening, featuring Scouting songs and accompanying dances. This year, the Patrol Leaders put on a special sketch entitled Love Camp, a parody of the ‘Love Island’ TV show. Sunday morning brought the Scouts’ Own service, where we reflected on how the tongue can be a spark to create fires with words, both for good and bad; a very apt topic for a camp. Camp Olympics followed, with events both common and uncommon. As ever, the most heated event was the Tug of War between patrols, due to the friendly rivalry and pride of being the ‘strongest patrol’ at stake. After a long day in the hot sun, Peewits, led by Thomas Britton, came out victors.

Hikes were much anticipated due to the promise of a working, hot water shower at one of the overnight campsites. Groups set off from either the town of Cheddar or the main camp field and earned the right to the shower by walking between 12 and 15km – well worth the effort. Returning to camp, everyone took part enthusiastically in the Card Night competition. This year, the game was ‘Spoons’ and, after an hour of intense action, the winner was Joe Brennan, beating the runner-up Izzy Brennand. The Bushcraft competition brought together the skills learnt over the entirety of camp and this year saw the introduction of a new challenge: to create a mug from a piece of wood. Although a tough task, some very good results were seen. Otters, led by Luke Ferrier, won the Bushcraft competition with their excellent mug, knife and sourdough bread.

Towards the end of camp, the commando course took place, featuring tarps, a cargo net and a refreshing run through the muddy River Chew. After a short tour of the course, the patrols were under way, each competing to be the fastest group. The winning patrol were Kangaroos, although the ‘Scouts All Stars’ Patrol Leaders’ team, and the Leaders team took overall first and second places respectively. The last full day saw the wind down of camp, with a visit to the town of Wells in our first rain in 10 days and the beginnings of packing up. As the last day of camp broke, a soggy end to camp was cheered by the eager anticipation of the final results for the Nightingale Cup, the annual trophy for all points scored throughout camp. This year, the winners were Kangaroos, led by Patrol Leader Joe Brennan. A huge thank you must go to all of the Leaders for their time during the summer holiday to help run camp and we look forward to the next year of Scouting and what it might hold. Nathan Ashley 12a (Troop Leader)

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Scouts Paradox Explorers _______________________________________________________

he Paradox Explorer Scouts have participated in a variety of activities, which have introduced new skills and developed existing knowledge. The programme has included:

• the arts (abstract painting; visit to the Royal Exchange Theatre to see ‘Frankenstein’) • refining hand-eye co-ordination (archery and rifle shooting; ten pin bowling) • survival skills (navigation; backwoods cooking; first aid) • physical (evening walks on the West Pennine moors) Ann Chambers (Explorer Scout Leader Paradox) The Summer Term culminated with Gold and Silver Duke of Edinburgh qualifying Expeditions in the North Lakes. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme has continued to be an integral part of the Explorer Scout programme. Pleasingly, the five boys in Year 12 who completed their Silver Award at the start of the academic year, have chosen to work towards their Gold Award: Nathan Ashley 12a Sam Brennan 12a Oliver Johnson 12c Manu Panasa 12i Sam Reilly 12i There are three boys from Year 11, who have been working towards their Silver Award: Rory Fielding 11c Hassan Sapra 11f Krishnan Ajit 11c

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Park Road Review of the Year 2017-18 _______________________________________________________

t seemed like the year had only just begun when we suddenly found ourselves rushing towards July; what a lot we have managed to pack into such a short time! As ever, our focus has remained on developing the opportunities for the boys and encouraging them to be the very best that they can in all aspects of school life.

the whole school Medley, which is usually performed at the end of the Spring Concert, had its own dedicated timeslot this year. In commemoration of the centenary of the end of World War I, this year’s medley consisted of wartime songs, which gave the opportunity for flag-waving to add that extra bit of colour to the event.

The Year 6 play this year was ‘Aladdin’, which proved to be a real hit and had audiences scrabbling for tickets. As ever, ‘the girls’ stole the show, although they were very nearly upstaged by a carpet – a magic one no less!

Outside of the classroom, we have seen a wonderful variety of activity with the boys excelling in Sport, Music, Drama and Charitable endeavour. Sport this year has had a greater feeling of breadth to it, with boys competing in a number of sports including Basketball, Dodgeball and Water polo; we even managed to send one group of boys Crown Green Bowling. The Under 11 Football team reached the National Independent Schools’ Semi-final, but sadly missed out on the chance to progress to St. George’s this year. The Water polo team won the ESSA cadet Under 11 trophy for the North West region for the second year in a row and this area of school life continues to go from strength to strength.

Music has continued to grow in terms of participation and performance, with a wider range of ensembles in action and the quality of music improving all the time. We have had the usual range of year group concerts and the annual Music Festival, as well as opportunities to sing in locations such as Oldham Town Hall at the Music for Youth Festival. In a change to the usual arrangement,

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In our charity work this year, we have been very busy, with money raised for Water Aid and Children in Need. As ever, our Charity Fun Run was a colourful affair, with much effort put into considering the best costume for the event. Once again, the four Houses of School selected a charity based on presentations within their House meetings and we look forward to presenting cheques of approximately £1800 to each organisation.

Visits have been plentiful during the course of the year, including a Year 3 visit to the local Christmas Tree Festival, a Year 4 visit to

Park Road Dewa, a Year 5 Tudor visit to Ordsall Hall, a Year 6 visit to Quarry Bank Mill and a river study at Cuerden Valley and, of course, the whole school’s visit to the World Museum in Liverpool to see the Terracotta Warriors.

As the final bell rang through school, it was with great sadness that we said farewell to one of our most longstanding members of staff: Mrs. Pam Lockett. Mrs. Lockett joined Park Road 27 years ago and has served the School with great commitment and professionalism throughout that time. She has rejuvenated the Library and has certainly made her mark on the dramatic life of the School, leading the annual Year 6 Play with determination and great dedication. We were pleased that many former colleagues were able to join us in wishing her a long and healthy retirement, though I am sure that won’t involve too much putting up of feet. Mrs. Lockett will be a hard act to follow.

Park Road Prizewinners _______________________________________________________ Form 3A Charlie Simpson 3B Jamie Chen 4A Xavier Jones 4B Dhilan Jacobs 5A Edward Morris 5B Cory Leighton 6A Hashim Choudry 6B Nikhil Patel 6C Fraser Sackfield

Academic Stephen Nagai Charlie Butler Rith Narla Matthew Pearson Luke Burns Liam Pijper Adam Faulkner Amritansh Mishra William N. Martin

ADT SCIENCE KROTO AWARD DRAMA HISTORY PERCIK SALVER MATHEMATICS ENGLISH GEOGRAPHY COMPUTING PUBLIC SPEAKING MUSIC FESTIVAL WINNER MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR VERSE SPEAKING COMPETITION SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR SPORTSMANSHIP FOOTBALLER CRICKETER OF THE YEAR SWIMMER OF THE YEAR WATER POLO PLAYER OF THE YEAR PATTERDALE ULLSWATER CUP (YEAR 4) PATTERDALE ULLSWATER CUP (YEAR 5) PATTERDALE ULLSWATER CUP (YEAR 6) ATHLETICS VICTOR CHESS TOURNAMENT CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 3) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 4) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 5) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 6) GYMNASTICS SKI TRIP BADMINTON

Arran Patel Ollie Evans Amritansh Mishra & Sam Entwistle Fraser Sackfield Adam Faulkner Amritansh Mishra Anish Patel Adam Faulkner Edgar Keogh Ollie Evans Riley Ng William N. Martin Suhayb Valli Charlie Darbyshire Michael Gatenby Michael Stivaros Lucas McGann Matthew Reedy Robert Bentham Luca Ramirez Nievas Oliver Seddon Ted Danson Mark Lintott William N. Martin Alex Pierson Tom Finch Alastair Mogg Ollie Evans Frank Cooke Finley Kay Nikhil Patel

At the end of what has been another busy and exciting year, it is a pleasure to reflect on all that we have achieved, which provides the perfect platform from which to plan ahead. Mrs. S. Faulkner Headmistress

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Park Road Charities 2017-18 _______________________________________________________

he Charity year began at Park Road with our annual Harvest Assembly supporting Urban Outreach in Bolton with our donation of food and provisions.

April was Sport Relief and this year, it corresponded with a House Day. The boys were encouraged to attend school in sportswear with some House colours and £206 was raised for the Sport Relief charity. Our annual fancy dress Fun Run in May supported four charities selected by the four School Houses: Chadwick – British Lung Foundation; Crompton – Alzheimer’s Society; Dobson – World Wildlife Fund; Lever – BAND (Building A New Direction). The total of the donations to these four charities was over £680.

A MacMillan coffee morning was held on 29th September and, as ever, was well attended by parents and guests. Generous donations of delicious cakes, cookies and baked goods raised £198.06. The whole school supported the annual BBC Children in Need appeal in the Autumn Term with a non-uniform day raising £291.

We thank all families and friends for their continued support of our chosen charities this year. Mr. C.D. Hough

The House System _______________________________________________________

The School Council selected Save the Children for our annual Carol Service collection, raising £661. The choice of charity was an important consideration for the School Council – Save the Children in the UK supports young children living in poverty by improving their early learning, narrowing the gap between these children and their better-off classmates. Our Spring Concert collection raised £253 for the NSPCC. The boys had recently received a presentation by representatives from the charity, followed by workshops for Years 5 and 6. The ‘Speak Out, Stay Safe’ work helps children understand different types of abuse so that they can get help, if or when they need it.

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he House System continues to be a source of great pride, as well as being a platform for fierce competition and friendly rivalry, for the boys of Park Road. The boys accumulate merits for producing good work, being determined in their efforts and being kind and courteous to each other and to visitors of the school. Their scores are then added to the total of one of the four Houses: Chadwick, Crompton, Dobson and Lever – all names that are synonymous with Bolton and with charitable endeavour.

Park Road The boys particularly enjoy the House competitions that take place throughout the year and these usually involve some keenly fought battles and offer the chance for a variety of talents to be showcased. This year was no different, as each House had moments of triumph, alongside narrow misses and the occasional disappointment. Chadwick won the House Quiz, Crompton won the House Chess Tournament and Dobson and Lever battled it out on most fronts. Lever won the Football, Music and Badminton competitions, but victories in Cross Country, Sports Day and Cricket, alongside some consistently high merit-scorers, meant that Dobson ultimately prevailed over the course of the year.

Chess at Park Road _______________________________________________________

hess continues to flourish at Park Road under the watchful eye of Mr. Clissold and Mr. Wilson, and its popularity never dwindles. The boys have taken part in numerous friendlies and league matches throughout the year and built on their success from previous years. Park Road Chess players finished another fantastic season with a victory in June at Bolton University in the final BPSCL fixture for the year. The victory meant that we won the ‘A’ League again this season. Congratulations boys!

Lunchtime and after school clubs continue to be full to capacity and the trophy cabinet at Park Road is heaving under the weight of their spoils! Well done to all the boys who have participated in Chess this year. The boys also relish the prospect of House Day, a termly opportunity to work alongside boys from all year groups and strive towards a collective goal, such as problem-solving, Christmas crafts or orienteering. If anyone was in any doubt about the success or importance of the House System to the boys, then they should come along to the termly presentation of cups to the winners and witness first-hand the anticipation, excitement and joy as the winners’ names are revealed! It is a sight to behold! Mr. F. Morris

The National Primary Schools’ Chess Championship (NPSCC) Schools from all areas of the country come to compete in the NPSCC, an event held every year and open to all schools in England. As you would expect, lots of schools enter the tournament, meaning there is a lot of competition. At the start of the competition, all the teams in one area play each other. The top three teams then qualify for the Semi-finals, which are held in Bristol, Sussex and North Wales. Our Under 9 and Under 11 team had qualified for the Semi-final in Prestatyn, North Wales, which took place over two separate days, with three rounds each day. Finally, the weekend of the chess tournament arrived. The journey

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Park Road took quite a while, but we managed to get to the campus in time and we had to go straight into our first round of chess as soon as we had arrived. There were lots of extremely good teams from all around England, but we were determined to play our best chess and beat the teams that would prove difficult. During the day, there were lots of wins, but there were also a few losses; however, the amount of points improved during the day, so when we stepped onto the bus to go back home, the Under 11 team was near the top of the table whereas the Under 9 team was in the middle. This would mean that the Under 11 team would have a hard team to beat on the following day.

We did a Sixes tournament where each team had five overs to bat in. In that tournament, we won one game and lost two games, one of which was versus Manchester Grammar School. They are an excellent team, but we think we can beat them next time. The match in which we did win, we won by one run!

Again, we travelled by coach to Prestatyn, where we went straight into our fourth round of chess. The Under 11s’ opposition was a good team that was higher in the table and they checkmated nearly all of our team. The Under 9s were playing a lower ranked team, as they were lower down the table, and beat them with ease. Sadly, this meant that the Under 11 team went down the table, but the Under 9 team luckily went up. At the end of the day, there had been more wins and losses and the Under 11 team were placed fourteenth whilst the Under 9 team came eleventh, with both teams on 14.5; this meant that we sadly did not make it into the National Final in Birmingham. We came home thinking about our next chess game and how we should improve to achieve our best.

The team is looking forward to playing Cricket in Senior School, when I hope we can beat Manchester Grammar School.

Finally, we had one more game, which was against Stockport Grammar School; we played very well, but just lost the game by ten runs. The players deserve some credit for their effort and their playing abilities. We are all supportive to the team and we hope that they can become professional players!

The team wishes to say a big thank you to Mr. Duxbury for always being positive and always encouraging us if we lost a game. Thank you, Mr. Duxbury, and we will miss you. Lucas McGann 6B

Cross Country _______________________________________________________

s ever, the Cross Country team had a very busy start to the year. The first half of term saw the boys competing locally at Moss Bank Park, known as ‘The Swamp’ by the boys; the Park certainly lived up to its name and all boys competing, including lots of new runners, showed good character in tough conditions. The rest of the term continued in a similar pattern and the boys looked strong, as they had a string of consistent results.

William N. Martin 6C

Cricket _______________________________________________________

e started the cricket season with indoor nets at Senior School. We had great coaches there and we improved our cricket skills. We concentrated on batting, bowling and fielding.

During Sport in the summer, we do Cricket and our first match was against Manchester Grammar School; we did well, but unfortunately lost by 30 runs in the end, as they had an excellent player who got 50 not out.

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Running Club found itself with more and more new members as the House Cross Country presented some dark horses in our midst! In between the busy local fixtures, the Year 3-4 and Year 5-6 teams competed in the annual AJIS Competition held at Rossall School. As always, a windy day ended in a flurry of medals, as the boys picked up a Silver overall – an excellent result against some stiff competition.

Park Road Football _______________________________________________________ Under 11 Football So, there we were on the coach on our way to the Manchester City Academy training facility. Half of us were singing songs like ‘the wheels on the bus go round and round’, while the other half of us were discussing formations and tactics for the tournament. When we got there, all of our heads were in serious mode; we all wanted to win! But then we saw the competition. There were teams that we had thrashed before, but there were teams that we had lost to, and there were teams that we had never played before. At the start of the tournament, we got put in quite an easy group, winning all three of the group games; that put us in a good mood for the Quarters. Huzayfa scored an unbelievable amount of goals. We played the Quarters and the score was tied at 1-1 and it went straight to penalties. Our takers were Michael Stivaros, Ollie Evans and Charlie French. Charlie took his shot, but the keeper got a hand to it and hit it away. Ollie put his away bottom left. With each team scoring one penalty, there was a lot of pressure on Michael, and thankfully, he scored and put us through to the Semis.

The following boys took part: Year 5 Marty Arnot-Smith Neel Chadha Alastair Mogg Davian Patel Liam Pijper Freddie Yearsley Year 6 Phelan Brindle Charlie Darbyshire Archie Forshaw Charlie French Lloyd Ince Alex Rowley To finish another successful year, the boys competed in a series of runs at Moss Bank Park, which culminated in both teams winning their races on the day, with a number of ‘top 3’ finishers. Well done to all boys who competed and same again next year!

The whole team started cheering and chanting, but Mr. Duxbury told us to rest and get ready for the Semis, which was a sensible idea. As if we weren’t unlucky enough to scrape a victory in the Quarters, we got drawn against A.P.S. in the Semi-finals – Thomas Lennon’s old school! He said they were the best team at the tournament. We tried hard, but we lost 1-0, although it could have been worse. “It was just bad luck we got them when we did”, explained Mr. Duxbury. Bolton School was placed third in the City tournament and our dreams of winning came to a close – well, until next year! We also competed in some other tournaments that we did well in, like AJIS! We started playing in the group stage, playing three teams and beating them all and only conceding one goal throughout. Then, in the Quarters, we played our biggest rivals, Manchester Grammar School, and beat them 1-0. In the Semis, we played King’s Chester, beating them 2-1 in extra time. Then to the Final; we were all super excited about it. We were all very calm in the first half, building up to Archie Forshaw scoring a goal to put us into the lead! Then, in the second half, we slowed down, not pressuring hard enough and fizzing those passes to people. We conceded a goal, our heads dropped and in the last few minutes Cheadle Hulme scored. Everyone felt that Cheadle had a lucky win, since Bolton were the better team, particularly in the first half. And so, it came to the final game of the season. There had been some ups and downs throughout the season, but Mr. Duxbury didn’t mind as long as we stayed positive. We were playing our rivals – Manchester Grammar School – and the team were sad that it was the last game playing at Park Road, but we were happy to play the game. Happily, we won 3-0, which was a great end to the year. It also took our total number of wins against MGS this year to three!

Mr. A. Franklin The team have to say a big ‘thank you!’ to Mr. Duxbury, for creating

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Park Road these fixtures, for coaching us so well and for always inspiring us to do our best. You have been amazing, Mr. Duxbury, and we’ll miss you! Michael Stivaros 6B

Under 10 Football The Under 10 footballers gave an exciting glimpse into the future with some outstanding performances throughout the course of the 2017-18 season. They were defeated only once and recorded some outstanding performances, most notably against MGS and Birkenhead, playing with skill, tenacity and togetherness throughout. They also showed a fantastic attitude towards training, and it was especially pleasing that we were able to field three teams for some of the fixtures, even calling on some Year 4 reinforcements at times. Well done to all involved! Football Festival at Manchester City Football Club

Swimming _______________________________________________________

t Park Road, Swimming is one of our most popular sports. We have fortnightly swimming lessons over at the Senior School. Mr. Duxbury also runs a weekly Swimming Club and chooses his swimming team from those who attend. We have a great team in each year group and we all enjoy it. Every year, Park Road and Hesketh House have a swimming gala. The girls win most years, but it is usually quite close. We also do friendly galas against other schools to give us experience at competing. We also have a House Swimming gala; this year, Chadwick was the winner. The Year 6 team, made up of Ollie Evans, Robert Bentham, Zach Taylor and Matthew Reedy, entered the AJIS Swimming Gala earlier in the year. The team came away with individual gold, silver and bronze medals and in the team events we got silver in both the freestyle and medley relays. It was a good experience to compete against different schools from across the North West. This team also entered the ESSA National Primary Schools competition and did quite well. We qualified for the Finals in Sheffield in both relay events. In the Finals, we hoped to get the gold medal position, but didn’t have any luck. In our medley relay, we just about qualified for the ‘B’ Final and finished fifteenth overall. In our freestyle relay, we also swam well, but sadly we didn’t make it to the Finals. Matthew Reedy 6A

Under 9 Team

Music at Park Road _______________________________________________________

he boys at Park Road have all enjoyed another very busy year of music making with more than half having individual music lessons, either in school or at home, and a growing number learning more than one instrument. We are, as always, extremely grateful to all our visiting music staff for their commitment and dedication to the boys, and it has been good to welcome Ms. K.P.C. Lien and Mrs. A.J. Hampson to our team, following the departure of Mrs. C. Hall-Smith, who left us at Christmas to pursue other avenues of music.

Under 8 Team

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Our first musical event of the year, as always, was Harvest Festival, where the Upper School Choir performed The Harvest of Love

Park Road and the Year 4 Choir performed Everywhere Around Us. We also recorded two songs with the Upper School Choir and entered two competitions: the Barnardo’s ‘Choir of the Year’ and the Songs of Praise ‘Young Choir of the Year’. Although we did not progress any further in either competition, we received very encouraging feedback from both.

In early December, we had the first Ensembles concert, giving our instrumental groups and ensembles a chance to perform in front of an audience in the Autumn Term as well as the Spring Term. This featured the Tuned Percussion Group, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Band, Strings Group, Recorder Group, Guitar Group and Guitar Ensemble, as well as a couple of soloists and was very well attended in spite of its early start.

November saw the first of the year group concerts, with Year 5 in the spotlight. Some of the memorable performers were Nathan Pierson (Voice and Violin), Keeran Singh (Piano and Guitar) and Alex Pearce (Piano and Trumpet). The final item was a performance of Andrew Carter’s Galloping Godiva, which the boys thoroughly enjoyed. Throughout the year, we have had a series of lunchtime concerts given by members of the visiting music staff and attended by large numbers of boys. The first of these was given by Mrs. R. Finlow on percussion. Others have featured Ms. K. Lien, Mr. J. Gjylaci, brass and wind groups from the Senior School and former pupils of Park Road.

Our Christmas Carol Service followed the usual formal pattern of readings and carols and took place on 8th December in the Great Hall. Michael Stivaros was the soloist for Once in Royal David’s City and the whole school sang Silent Night in four different languages, Tell Out the News by Jan Holdstock and Rejoice and be Merry by J.A. Hinton. The Lower School Choir sang Away in a Manger, When Shall We See the Little One? by J. Althouse and The Holy Child by F. Roy Bennett and the Upper School Choir gave superb performances of Midwinter by Chilcott and A Maiden Most Gentle by Rutter. The Recorder Group took part as well, entertaining us with a medley of carols and the Chamber Choir sang Puer Nobis by Benger and Panis

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Park Road Angelicus by César Franck. Thanks to the very kind and generous donations from families following the Service, Park Road made a donation of £661.55 to Save the Children.

In January, we were treated to a return performance by The Pop Project, three musicians who travel around schools giving very entertaining and informative presentations. All the boys and many of the staff thoroughly enjoyed the occasion, which saw a number of boys participating.

The next important event for us was the Music Festival, an opportunity for every boy who has music lessons to compete in two days of festival classes. This year, it was held in February and our adjudicator was Mr. John Powell, former vocal coach at Bolton School and conductor of various choirs in the Bolton area. Classes included four Piano classes, one Brass, one Woodwind, two Percussion, two Strings, three Guitar, one Recorder, one Vocal Solo, a Duet Class and the Ensembles Class (always the highlight of the Festival). There were so many ensembles again this year that the Vocal Groups formed a second class, which was held at lunchtime to avoid spilling over to a third day! Mr. Powell was particularly encouraging to all the boys who took part and thoroughly enjoyed his two days at Park Road. The winner of the Festival Cup was Riley Ng for his sensitive guitar playing; he also participated in several groups in the Ensembles Class.

On March 1st, several of our boys took part in an Orchestra Day at the Senior School alongside boys and girls from several other junior schools in the area and members of the Senior Lower School. They rehearsed A Bolton Suite written by Mr. Pain, the School Organist, ready for a performance at the Victoria Hall. On the same day, a number of boys from the Upper School Choir rehearsed a new piece of music all about Fred Dibnah written by Mrs. Price, Girls’ Division Head of Music.

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Park Road We were due to travel to Rochdale for the Music for Youth competition on 2nd March, but the snow was so bad that the event had to be postponed! It was rescheduled for 15th March and the Upper School Choir sang beautifully in the wonderful setting of Rochdale Town Hall. We were invited to perform at the Fringe again in Birmingham, but unfortunately the date given was impossible for us to attend.

All three choirs sang: the Upper School Choir performed Butterfly by Alan Simmons and For the Beauty of the Earth by Rutter and the Lower School Choir gave enthusiastic performances of Every Inch of our Planet by J and A Copus and Let There Be Peace on Earth by Miller and Jackson. The Chamber Choir sang Remember by Emily Barden and Simon and Garfunkel’s version of Scarborough Fair and the concert should have ended with the whole school performing a medley of War Songs in recognition of the commemoration of the end of World War I. Unfortunately, Mrs. Ives’ husband was taken ill and the medley was rescheduled for the Summer Term.

On Tuesday March 6th, the Upper School Choir took part in the AJIS Music Festival at Bury Grammar School. The Choir sang particularly well and was commended on its performances of Butterfly by Alan Simmons and For the Beauty of the Earth by Rutter. They did not win the competition, which was adjudicated by Mr. John Powell, our Music Festival adjudicator, but were a credit to our School. The day after the AJIS Festival, all the Year 4s travelled to hear the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in one of their annual children’s concerts. The theme this year was ‘Come to Your Senses’ and we were treated to performances of Mozart’s overture to ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, Finlandia by Sibelius and Ravel’s Empress of the Pagodas alongside Boom-Box by Matthew Hindson and the theme tune to ‘The Incredibles’. It was an exciting concert and the community song, The Witch, was great fun.

The day before the Spring Concert was the concert at the Victoria Hall in Bolton, which featured the music rehearsed earlier in the month combined with ensembles and soloists from the Senior School. The Joint Orchestra really enjoyed the experience of playing on a large stage in front of an appreciative audience and the Combined Choir gave a very good première performance of Mrs. Price’s new piece. The Spring Concert this year was held on March 22nd in the Great Hall and all our groups and ensembles took part. The Recorder Group, Guitar Ensemble, Strings Group, Wind Band and Percussion Ensemble were joined by the Tuned Percussion Group and the Guitar Group. All of Years 3 and 4 sang We Are the Young by Mary Donnelly and Years 5 and 6 performed Jerusalem by Hubert Parry.

The Year 6 Concert took place on April 25th and was a splendid occasion at the Arts Centre. It was a long concert, with all boys performing on the Recorder and in the performance of the Beatles Medley. Amongst the considerable number of solo items were particularly memorable performances from Ethan Caswell (Voice and Guitar), Arun Patel (Trumpet and Piano), William Gandy (Piano) and William N. Martin (Piano). The Chamber Choir also performed singing This Ol’ Man by Greg Gilpin. On May 9th, the Year 4 Concert took place, featuring many up and coming musicians. It was a lovely event, with around 30 solos ranging from piano and guitar to clarinet and drums, culminating in a medley of songs connected with curriculum work in Geography and History. Soloists of note included Tanay Saravanan (Drums and Piano), Nishan Sharma (Clarinet and Piano), Jordy Dare (Voice and Piano), Dhilan Jacobs (Electric Guitar and Piano), Ephraim Jones (Drums and Piano) and Advaith Govindu (Piano and Guitar). It was good to see the enthusiasm and dedication to music of this year group. The last year group concert of this academic year was given by the Year 3s, who performed many solo items, mostly on piano and two

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Park Road pieces on the recorder per class. The boys really enjoyed performing and rehearsing the medley of Disney songs. It was very helpful to the boys that they were able to practise a full run through of the concert in front of the Year 2s, as well as the usual medley rehearsal. Notable performances were given by Alex Pierson (Voice and Guitar), Krishnan Velayutham (Guitar and Piano), Remi Molajo (Piano), Harry Roberts (Piano) and Charlie Simpson (Piano).

Our dedicated band of visiting music teachers must be given much of the credit for the smooth-running of the year group concerts. Mrs. Colgan, Mr. Gjylaci, Mr. Fowles and Ms. Chambers are always on hand to help with staging and accompanying and Mr. Walker has been a great help with our percussionists. We should also say a big thank you to the members of staff who run the ‘Music Circus’, which takes place in Year 4. Music making at Park Road continues to thrive! Mrs. S.J. Ives

Instrumental Music Examinations _______________________________________________________

his has been another very successful year in our individual instrumental music exams. External examiners from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College London have visited school in all three terms, examining 247 candidates from across the Foundation in a wide range of instruments, from Initial level to Grade 4. Pupils have been rewarded for their commitment in developing their musical skills and they can feel rightly proud of their achievements. My congratulations to all of the candidates on their impressive results, and to their teachers. Mr. I. K. Forgrieve

Instrumental Examination Results 2017-18 Autumn Term 2017 – Associated Board Riley Ng 6A Guitar Grade 2 Amritansh Mishra 6B Piano Grade 2

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Distinction Pass

Jordy Dare 4A Singing Grade 1 Distinction William Gandy 6C Singing Grade 1 Merit Autumn Term 2017 – Trinity Alex Pearce 5B Piano Grade 2 Merit Nishan Sharma 4A Piano Grade 2 Merit Jordy Dare 4A Piano Grade 1 Merit Matthew Pearson 4B Piano Grade 1 Merit Spring Term 2018 – Associated Board Nathan Pierson 5A Singing Grade 3 Merit Cormac Thompson 4A Singing Grade 2 Distinction Jordy Dare 4A Singing Grade 2 Merit Suhayb Valli 5A Singing Grade 1 Distinction Dhilan Jacobs 4B Piano Grade 1 Merit Calum McAndry 6B Guitar Grade 1 Merit Alfred Norse 6C Guitar Grade 1 Merit Nathan Pierson 5A Violin Grade 1 Merit Fraser Sackfield 6C Guitar Grade 1 Merit Alex Bowen-Heaton 6A Violin Grade 1 Pass Cello Grade 1 Pass Shivaansh Dubey 5A Ed Goodfellow 5A Guitar Grade 1 Pass Spring Term 2018 – Trinity Jack Fearnley 6B Piano Grade 3 Merit Piano Grade 2 Merit Keeran Singh 5B Samuel Obermüller 3A Piano Grade 1 Merit Stanley Mathieson 4B Piano Grade 1 Pass Dominic Farrell 6B Piano Initial Distinction Summer Term 2018 – Associated Board Nathan Pierson 5A Violin Grade 2 Distinction Aidan Shum 6B Piano Grade 2 Merit Suhayb Valli 5A Singing Grade 2 Merit Toby Holt-Gregson 6C Piano Grade 2 Pass Ollie Evans 6A Piano Grade 1 Distinction Keeran Singh 5B Guitar Grade 1 Distinction Ethan Caswell 6B Guitar Grade 1 Merit Liam Pijper 5B Guitar Grade 1 Merit Samuel Entwistle 6C Violin Grade 1 Pass Sid Kumar 4B Piano Grade 1 Pass Summer Term 2018 – Trinity Arun Patel 6C Trumpet Grade 4 Merit Alex Pearce 5B Cornet Grade 3 Merit Amritansh Mishra 6B Guitar Grade 2 Distinction Piano Grade 2 Merit Kyran Chitre 5B Hashim Choudry 6A Drum Kit Grade 2 Merit Kai Jepson 5B Piano Grade 2 Merit Sam Fitzpatrick 5B Guitar Grade 1 Distinction Laurence Wilkinson 5A Guitar Grade 1 Pass

Park Road Creative Writing _______________________________________________________

Let’s get the world plastic free, To save the planet for you and me.

My School Song

School, School! It’s really cool! Be best in the class! Do the exams and get a pass!

Argh - it’s Monday, the beginning of the week! Maths, English and Science all to seek. Tuesday seems a little closer, It makes the week seem that bit shorter. But Friday is the best day of the week! Wednesday means we’re halfway there. It’s one day in the week we all can bear. Sport, Art and playing out, That’s what school should always be about! But Friday is the best day of the week! Hooray for Thursday, one more day to go! It’s practise, practise, practise for the school show Everyone is happy and cheerful, even Miss, Because we all now know, tomorrow is: Friday the best and last day of the school week!

Maths, Maths must be done! Our teachers make it so much fun! Learning is an important thing. In Music we play instruments and sing. School, School! It’s really cool! Be best in the class! Do the exams and get a pass! Ed Goodfellow 5A

School Song

Nature’s Cards

Mandarin, Coding, Latin and DT, The curriculum is rich and helps us to see The benefit of learning, teamwork and support, And we can keep these skills, that we have been taught.

The lifeboat went out to sea, Without any doubt; As the English had their tea, Titanic went down with a shout.

We are Park Road, Bolton School smart and tall, Working hard and welcoming to all. Smart black blazers with a Cockerel on our chest, Striving hard to do our best!

As Nature played her final cards, Titanic entered her graveyard.

From Hockey, Cricket, Tennis and Basketball, To Cycling, Swimming, Rounders and Football. We enjoy a variety of sports, to keep us fit, Ensuring every member of the team works hard and does their bit.

Harry Butler 5A

Freddie Yearsley 5B

School, School! P.E., P.E. keeps you fit! Everyone likes our black and white kit. We’re great at Sport, It’s the way we’re taught. School, School! It’s really cool! Be best in the class! Do the exams and get a pass! Science, Science is so fab! We get to do experiments in the lab.

We are Park Road, Bolton School smart and tall, Working hard and welcoming to all. Smart black blazers with a Cockerel on our chest, Striving hard to do our best! Playing music and singing loud, Of our Strings and Guitar ENSEMBLES we are proud. Wind Band, Brass Band, recorders for all, With delightful sounds we fill the school hall! We are Park Road, Bolton School smart and tall, Working hard and welcoming to all. Smart black blazers with a Cockerel on our chest, Striving hard to do our best! Nathan Pierson 5A

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Park Road Titanic The ship was all set for sea, Titanic was a great sight. All passengers were as happy as could be, Entertainment lasted all night. First class was very grand, The people loved the playing of the band. The ship’s company was White Star Line, Across the Atlantic, sailing to New York. They hoped to be the fastest, how divine! Before that, they stopped at Cherbourg and Queenstown (near Cork). Cunard’s Mauretania had the Blue Riband prize. Could Captain Smith cause a great surprise? Midnight was when the great ship crashed, After the bang people flooded onto the deck. The Titanic was scraped and bashed, When the ship listed, passengers thought ‘oh heck!’ The Captain quickly ordered: ‘Abandon ship!’ As the Titanic went down for a dip. Carpathia searched and scanned Survivors in the freezing sea, Desperately holding out their hands, Few saved, as cold as could possibly be. The lifeboats were only half full, As slowly down went the Ship’s hull. Not many lived to tell the tragic tale, Bodies were sent to the bottom of the ocean. The few survivors were cold and pale. The whirlpool the ship made created a commotion. Not enough lifeboats were on deck; Now the rules have changed, to prevent a similar wreck.

Films watched have included silent Laurel and Hardy shorts, Hollywood blockbusters and those based on true stories like ‘We Built a Zoo’. Freddie (Year 5) said, “I found Film Club amazing! It’s so cool that you get to watch movies in school.” Mrs. L. Whittaker

Park Road Artwork _______________________________________________________ Year 4 Design

Advaith Govindu 4A

Jacob Keld 5B

Film Club _______________________________________________________

Henry Hughes 4A

group of Year 5 and 6 boys from Park Road have enjoyed attending a Film Club this year. Every fortnight, boys voted for a new film to watch and enjoyed discussing their favourite parts, rating the film and identifying special effects and camera angles. The boys also used the green screen alongside the Green screen by Do ink app on their iPads to re-create their own scenes from some of the films. The boys have really relished the opportunity to share some of their favourite films with their peers and watch some new and unexpected films too.

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Jude Dickinson 4A

Park Road Year 5 Wire bikes

Year 5 Clay work

Eesa Chariwala 5A

Freddie Bovill 5A

Kush Patel 5A

Oliver Hatton 5A

Harry Butler 5A

Kai Jepson 5B

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Park Road Art and ADT _______________________________________________________

the artwork. It was a fascinating exhibition, which all of the boys thoroughly enjoyed.

n November, the Year 6 boys visited Salts Mill near Bradford to see the two permanent Hockney exhibitions on display, accompanied by Mrs. Aspinwall and Mr. Morris, as part of their ADT curriculum and also spent some time learning about Victorian production of cloth to reinforce their history work.

Despite a chilly four degrees and an icy northerly wind in early February, the sun blessed the Year Art Monitor boys with an appearance to give us perfect photographic conditions for the reward trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The day ran as a competition where the boys were encouraged to collect as many photos on their iPads before later selecting their best to then enter into the 10 set categories. Apart from enjoying the sculpture work, the boys also seemed to enjoy the opportunity of being out in the open air, enabling them to perfect their cross country running skills by having to tackle various obstacles en route such as wading through excessively deep mud and negotiating Highland cattle! Boys from the Invitational Art Club travelled to Manchester in March to combine their art and history studies and to view ‘The Danger Tree’ exhibition, the world’s first augmented reality of fine art, which evokes the devastation of World War I. The narratives behind each painting tell the stories of those lost and lamented, but never forgotten. The artist, Scarlett Raven, is the first oil painter to work in the world of augmented reality. Using a smartphone app and iPads, the boys toured through the exhibition; the creative journey behind each artwork was revealed with animation, music and poetry, read by actors including Sean Bean and Vicky McClure, superimposed on

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Year 4 Trip to Chester _______________________________________________________

ear 4 boys experienced what it was like to be a Roman in November, as part of the DEWA experience in Chester. Part of the day involved them terrifying the locals as part of a Roman legion, practising their testudo and seeing their teachers fighting in the amphitheatre.

During the second half of the day, the boys experienced life in a typical Roman town and learnt what it was like to be cured by Roman doctors using various remedies. They also took a trip to the Roman baths, where the washing routines were explained. Year 4 are rather pleased that modern day toilets are different from ancient times! The boys ended their indoor activities by going underground to discover what lay beneath the streets of Chester and became archaeologists for the day.

Park Road Trip to Quarry Bank Mill _______________________________________________________

ear 6 travelled back in time in November on their trip to Quarry Bank Mill, where they experienced the hardships of a Victorian upbringing as part of their History studies. For one day only, there was no Xbox, Fortnite, Match Attacks or Fidget Spinners, but instead they faced hours of cotton picking, scavenging and some close scrutiny from the strictest disciplinarians. They all lived to tell the tale and returned to school full of knowledge, wisdom and gratitude!

The prize was a zorbing session in the Hall for thirty lucky boys, run by our colleagues at BSS Leisure. Great fun was had by all and some members of staff even got in on the act too!

Park Road Christmas Fair _______________________________________________________

ne of the highlights of the Park Road calendar is always the annual Christmas Fair and this year was no exception. It was a wonderful event, bustling with boys, girls and their families all having a good time. We raised over £2,000 for the Parents’ Association, which goes towards funding those extras that enhance life at Park Road. Many people put in a huge amount of work behind the scenes to make this event a success.

Zorbing _______________________________________________________

ll work and no play makes Park Road a very dull place, so when Mrs. Faulkner announced in December that she would be holding a draw into which all the boys could be entered for being noticed around school for positive things, such as for being helpful, kind, thoughtful or simply working hard, the stakes were high and all the boys were eager to hear their name called out!

One particular stallholder was extremely popular this year: ‘Reptile Man’, who brought in all sorts of creepy crawlies, snakes, lizards and insects; the boys and girls relished holding them and posing for photographs in front of the green screen with rainforest and jungle backdrops.

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Park Road

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Park Road Python Masterclass at UKFast _______________________________________________________

n February, a group of boys from Years 5 and 6 embarked upon a Python Masterclass at the managed hosting provider UKFast. Educators from the Manchester-based company gave the boys a tour of their impressive working space. The boys then participated in a session that built upon their coding knowledge and used the coding language Python to edit, play and debug their own games.

Trip to UKFast I woke up in the morning and thought ‘today’s the day!’ I was going on a trip to UKFast! When I arrived at school, I couldn’t wait to go. When we got there and arrived at reception, there was a lifesize chess set, egg chairs and a slide from the top floor all the way to the bottom floor! A man called Sax met us there, who was our tour guide, and seemed pretty hyped to meet us. He took us to our classroom for the day and on the desks were our very own UKFast notebooks and pencils! Sax started to give us our tour of the building – it was so cool! They had loads of laptops and they did Nerf wars! There was a resting area with beds, and on the top floor was a little pond with a bridge and a seat on an island! We got to have a go on the slide – it was awesome! We went back to the classroom and Sax taught us some coding. Then we played a cool game on the computers called ‘Code Wars’! During lunch, we saw an arcade in the lunch hall, and a gym next to it, which contained all kinds of equipment! Just before we left, Sax let us do a quiz; I won a UKFast mouse! On the way back to school, I started to doodle in my notebook. When we got back to school, it was home time and I couldn’t wait to tell my parents about the trip!

Staff commented on how impressed they were with the boys’ ability to code, their thoughtful questions and their impeccable behaviour. The boys took advantage of the exciting slide to move around the building and were shown many of the varied parts of the business, which proved both interesting and inspirational! The boys were lucky enough to see many of the day-to-day workings of the business and saw first-hand the benefits given to employees for working hard as part of a team. The visit was topped off by the appearance of an Old Boy, who has a senior role and was keen to share his experiences within the business and his memories of Park Road. Since this visit, UKFast has also presented at a Careers Carousel run for students in Year 6, which provided them with an insight into the skills and attitudes they are looking for in future employees.

James Woods 5B

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Park Road Year 6 Geography Trip to Cuerden Valley _______________________________________________________

n March, the Year 6 boys travelled to Cuerden Valley in Chorley for a half day spent ‘messing about on the river’ or rather, conducting fieldwork to observe, measure and record physical features of the River Lostock.

as a poor servant in the kitchen. During the day, the boys raided the wardrobes, spent time in the herb gardens, made pomanders to remove some of the less pleasant Tudor smells and role-played Henry VIII and his six wives. A few vagabonds even made their way into the stocks! The day concluded with a ghost story and a visit to the shop.

Luckily, the rain and snow held off, the river levels had subsided and everyone was able to get in the river to look at super examples of erosion and deposition, measure the speed of the water flow and identify living things in the water that proved just how clean the water is.

Mrs. K.E. Winstanley

Year 5 trip to Ordsall Hall _______________________________________________________

n March, Year 5 boys spent a thoroughly entertaining and informative day at Ordsall Hall in Salford to complement their study of the Tudors in History. The boys experienced life as a rich member of the Radclyffe family and then spent time working

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Ski Trip 2018 – Le Corbier, France _______________________________________________________

t the end of the Spring Term, Mr. Hough, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Stringer and twenty-four Year 5 and Year 6 boys flew to Lyon to travel to the French ski resort of Le Corbier. This year had been a good year for snow conditions and so there was plenty of deep

Park Road snow in the resort when we arrived.

No sooner had we settled into skiing, when it was time to start packing for the journey home, flying back via Geneva. When we arrived back in Manchester, we were all tired, but had had a lovely time. The boys enjoyed themselves throughout the week and although they were useless at keeping hotel rooms tidy, other residents of the hotel and locals commented on their politeness and good behaviour! Mr. C.D. Hough

Trip to the Terracotta Warriors, Port Sunlight and the Maritime Museum _______________________________________________________

I As it was approaching the end of the season, we always choose a high, snow-sure resort. Le Corbier is a small, purpose-built resort with the added bonus of being traffic-free and so is very safe for excited 9, 10 and 11 year olds!

n late April, boys in Years 5 and 6 enjoyed a rare opportunity to witness an iconic piece of world history close-up, as they made the journey to Liverpool to view the Terracotta Warriors exhibition at the World Museum. Boys in Years 3 and 4 visited the exhibition in early May.

The boys all skied well for four hours a day and, after only two days, the number of tumbles in the beginners’ group had dramatically decreased and confidence was growing all the time. ESF Ski School was once again excellent in encouraging the boys to try hard and develop skills over the course of the week. The weather was perfect for skiing all week and evening activities included games, karaoke, crêpes, pizzas and bum-boarding – enjoyed by both boys and staff! Some of the boys even tried frogs’ legs and snails at one evening meal. All the boys enjoyed their shopping expeditions to the local supermarket and shops.

Whilst the Year 6 boys remained in the World Museum, the Year 5 boys also enjoyed a trip to Port Sunlight in the afternoon and had lunch at the Lady Lever Art Gallery.

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Park Road The boys in Year 3 and 4 were fascinated by the tales of emperors, dynasties and the afterlife, and will surely remember their visit for years to come.

The workshops culminated in short performances at the end of each session. All the boys thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The Year 4s were also treated to an afternoon exploring the Maritime Museum, finding out a little bit about the Battle of the Atlantic and the Titanic.

Mrs. Whittakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trip to Chicago _______________________________________________________

eachers and leaders from more than fifty Apple Distinguished Schools from all around the world attended the Apple Global Summit in Chicago in May of this year.

The boys were captivated by some of the exhibits on show and brought their work back to school to discuss. The only downfall was that the boys wanted longer to explore what was on offer! It was a lovely and enlightening day for both staff and pupils to learn something new.

African Drumming Workshop _______________________________________________________

upils in Year 4 enjoyed African D r u m m i n g Workshops with Mr Ian Bamford. He brought with him a number of large djembes so that the boys could learn how to play. The two Year 4 classes spent an hour in the Hall discovering more about different rhythms, including call and response.

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There, they collaborated with and learned from one another and shared some of the amazing work being done by teachers and students. Mrs. Whittaker from Park Road and Mr. Ford from Senior School presented together about how they are working to build the next generation of coders. Mrs. Whittaker returned to Bolton very excited about sharing her experiences with staff and implementing some of the ideas taken from the Summit in the classroom at Park Road.

Park Road test; we all got tested on our knowledge so far. I was tested on spelling my name, but thanks to my knowledge, it was a breeze.

Year 3 Adventure Day at the Anderton Centre _______________________________________________________

ear 3 enjoyed a busy and challenging day in May, when they visited the Anderton Centre to take part in a variety of exciting activities. Luckily, the sun was shining as they ventured onto the lake in rafted canoes and managed to travel over 2km, developing their paddle skills. Their map reading aptitude was tested with an orienteering activity and teamwork was a strong focus for completing both the rope course and problemsolving games. Although the boys returned to school tired, they certainly gained some new skills, which will prepare them well for future trips to Patterdale in the coming years.

Then the t e a c h e r announced we were going to watch ‘The Silent Child’ – it was very interesting watching the teacher sign for the deaf children. It is about a deaf child that learns sign language, but when she goes to school, she has no idea what is going on as no one else uses sign. Patrick Humphreys 5A

Lancashire Schools’ Sustainability Conference _______________________________________________________

S Visit to Thomasson Memorial Deaf School _______________________________________________________

s a way of developing the Park Road boys’ understanding of the wider world and trying to give them an appreciation of some of the challenges faced by others, and as part of our PHSE curriculum, we linked up with Thomasson Memorial Deaf School in Bolton to learn some basic signed communication and gain greater awareness of the young deaf community.

ome Year 5 boys visited the Lancashire Schools’ Sustainability Conference at Ewood Park in Blackburn in June. It opened with an address from the two teenage girls who have founded the ‘Kids Against Plastic’ campaign and then the boys attended workshops, whilst staff had the opportunity to talk to school providers about opportunities for resources and activities in school next year. The day was rounded off with a Trashion Show with clothes made from all sorts of rubbish and the winners of the Trash Bang competition performed their rap, accompanied by music made wholly from recycled items. It was an interesting, informative and fun day for all!

Groups of Year 5 boys visited the School and all thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from the experience; they also had the opportunity to attend Thomasson’s end of term Summer Play ‘This is Me’. Deaf School It was an intriguing day the day I learned sign language. Once we arrived at the Thomasson Memorial School, we headed inside to the class. We were split up into groups and learned the numbers – it was actually really easy to learn. After the numbers, we went on to learn the colours all using sign language; we learned red, orange, yellow, green, blue, silver and lots more. After getting the hang of numbers and colours, we started the alphabet and I wowed my partner by knowing the alphabet already, thanks to my best friends Marty and Kyran. Then it was time for the

Mrs. K.E. Winstanley

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Park Road Year 4 Cookery Club _______________________________________________________

n abundance of enthusiastic budding Year 4 chefs attended after school Cookery Club during the Summer Term and all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Delicious culinary delights produced ranged from bread rolls and melting moments biscuits to imaginatively topped healthy pizzas and ‘World’ cupcakes. The boys were also coached on clearing and washing up! Thank you to Mrs. James, who is one of our Year 4 parents and a Food Technology teacher in Senior Girls’.

Field events had taken place earlier in the term, leaving the track events for the big day. The first events as usual, were the 8x80m shuttle relays, which allow many boys the chance to get their House off to a good start by uniting as a team. The standard Junior School distances then followed with the 150m, 600m and 80m sprints before rounding off with more relays.

During the course of the morning, four new school records were set: Corbyn Murray set a new Year 5 record for the 80m. Amazingly, Mark Lintott managed two new Year 6 records, one in the 150m and the other in the 80m, and perhaps most impressively, Benjamin Quilliam managed to knock a full six seconds off the Year 3 600m record. Throughout the morning, there were many very exciting and close finishes and it ended with a real feeling of success and accomplishment. The House totals for this year’s Sports Day were very tight indeed, with it all coming down to the very last race of the morning. The final placings were as follows: 1st Dobson 2nd Lever 3rd Chadwick 4th Crompton

Park Road Sports Day 2018 _______________________________________________________

fter more than two weeks of basking in a heatwave, the usual worry of ‘will it or won’t it rain on Sports Day’ was certainly not a consideration this year. Instead, with sun cream and water aplenty, the boys of Park Road took charge of the Levels and cheered their Houses in fine voice.

There were several boys in consideration for this year’s Athletics Cup, however, with two new records, Mark Lintott was a very deserving winner. Well done, Mark! Mrs. S. Faulkner

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Park Road Trips to Patterdale _______________________________________________________

e journeyed over to the Lake District for an exciting time at Patterdale Hall. I was excited to do all the cool activities. It was good to have the opportunity to be independent without Mum or Dad. It was fun to have five other boys in my room; it was like a giant sleepover! In the morning, I arrived at school all excited; soon, the bell went and we gathered in the hall with all our bags. Within minutes, the coach arrived and I sat down looking forward to the end of the long journey. While we were on the coach, we were admiring the awesome view of Ullswater Lake, where we were to go canoeing. Eventually, we arrived at Patterdale Hall. We all gathered in the lounge, where the instructor Tim split us into our Houses: Crompton, Chadwick, Dobson and Lever. Will, Jordy, Jude and I are in Crompton so we were together. Our first activity was gorge walking. First, we went to the wet store to get geared up then we went over to the gorge and jumped in. Will and I dunked our heads in the water and when everyone was in, we swam over to the small jump. We climbed up to the top of the jump and splashed into the water. I was waving at Jude as he jumped in. After gorge walking, we went back to Patterdale Hall to do our evening activities. After we went to bed, Harry and I couldn’t sleep so we played ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ and eventually drifted off to sleep. In the morning, we had the best breakfast – it was delicious! After breakfast, we went to do bushcraft; it was really fun because you got to cook your own bread and eat it. After that, we went back to have lunch, then we did our half day walk. We did some more exciting activities on the last day and then it was home time. I can’t wait to go again next year! Cormac Thompson 4A

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Park Road It was finally May and I couldn’t wait to go to Patterdale for the first time. When my mum dropped me off at the bus stop, I said one last goodbye until I saw her on the Thursday. When I got on the coach, my friends Matthew and Alistair were all excited; a few minutes later and we were away. When we got to Patterdale, we found out our rooms and I was with Alistair, Neel, Thomas, Kelsey and Laurence. I loved my room! We unpacked our bags and went downstairs to our instructor, who was called Joe. First, we did an assault course, which was really fun. We were told to count how many times we fell off and I fell off three times. Then we headed back to the Hall, where we did archery; it was very hard, but I did do it. We had tea and I had pizza then we went to bed. In the morning, Mr. Hough came to wake us up. Our first activity was the half day walk – it was very tough because it was three hours. When we got back, we had lunch then went kayaking, which was amazing, the best activity yet. We all capsized into the water, then we saw how long we could scream running into the freezing cold water. When we got back, we had a dinner of macaroni cheese. After that, we did orienteering in the rain – it was very hard. After that, we had cookies then went to bed. I got to sleep in about two minutes because I was extremely tired. In the morning, we did climbing and I got all the way to the top and all the way back down again. I loved Patterdale and I can’t wait to go next year. Ben Reece 5B

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Park Road We set off full of anticipation and, after the two-hour long trek, we had finally arrived at our new abode for the week. Eager to unpack and start our activities, we rushed to our room. Canoeing was my favourite activity because of the ‘Hairy Scary Man Jump’, a 15 ft. cliff jump into Ullswater Lake. Canoeing required us to work as a team, so Ollie, Riley, Matthew and I had to communicate to steer and get speed. We were the dream team – we beat everyone to the island, where we ate our lunch and had hot chocolate. It was a long, but enjoyable experience. Sailing was the highlight of the trip because, despite our efforts, Matthew and I got stranded in the middle of the vast lake. We started off well, but the strong wind caused our demise – we were overpowered and capsized; we turned the boat back over, but were unable to get back in. Eventually, we got back in, only to find there was almost no wind and the rescue boat came to take us back to shore. One of the activities was orienteering; we raced around the gargantuan grounds finding numbers and letters to prepare for the bigger and harder course on the final day. We saw many different parts of Patterdale, as well as new plants. On the final day, we bolted around the fields outside the grounds scanning our dibber on the readers. Matthew, Finley and I made a great team reading our maps and running from checkpoint to checkpoint. Our group came fourth, but our team came second. Our instructors were Kriss and Mr. Winstanley; they helped motivate us and pushed us to limits we never thought we could reach. When we weren’t doing activities, we had free time to hang out with friends, play football or relax – it was fun to rest and catch up with everybody after the long activities. It was fun to hang out and chat before bed. Patterdale was really fun because you got to hang out with people you normally wouldn’t and make new friends. Hashim Choudry 6A

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Park Road Year 6 Play – ‘Aladdin’ (Mrs. Lockett’s Swansong) _______________________________________________________

he months of preparation were finally over, the anticipation was building; Wednesday 4th July saw the start of a three-night run, as we were transported to Agrabah and the adventures of Aladdin. This was a large production, showcasing some demanding roles and fantastic singing performances. Bolton will never again see such a display of satin and midriffs!

enthusiastic courtship from ‘the Prince formerly known as the Artist’ (Alfred Norse). Even with this impressive display of masculinity, the Princess was unmoved. Princess Jasmine was accompanied by a very formidable Sultan, played by Edgar Keogh, commanding the stage as if it were his palace. No-one else could carry off his disco ball costume with such panache; his gold turban may even be seen at the Ascot Royal Enclosure next year! Jafar, Iago, Razoul and the guards were ever-present in the play, weaving in and out of the storyline, policing the populace like aspiring school monitors marshalling the dinner queue. The narrators kept the play running smoothly, with their singing commentary and dazzling showgirl leg kick dancing – no doubt a skill which has been honed during PE with Mr. Duxbury!

The spectacle opened with the townsfolk, creating an impressive and vivid scene outside the palace gates. We were drawn into the story by the skilful and humorous narrators (Adam Faulkner, Mark Lintott, William N. Martin, Michael Gatenby, Sebastian Gregson and Rayhan Vasanwala), as they began to introduce the colourful characters to the audience.

Michael Stivaros was a fantastic, pouting Princess Jasmine, who carried off blue eyeshadow with flair. In preparing to choose a husband against her wishes, the Princess was given the option of three visiting princes: cue energetic and athletic displays of prowess from Prince Baba of Ganoush (Fraser Sackfield), fantastic swordsmanship and swashbuckling from Prince Dahdu Rahn-Rahn (George Griffiths) and

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A street urchin, Aladdin, played by Amritansh Mishra, suddenly found himself with stolen bread and having to flee the guards. Amritansh played the part very well, with a mixture of boyish innocence, keen to speak to a girl, and the charm of a streetwise rascal. Princess Jasmine used the ensuing commotion to escape into the busy marketplace, where she bumped into Aladdin. The two shared a connection, but their escape was cut short when the Head of the Royal Guard, Razoul, cornered them and Aladdin was taken away despite Jasmine’s pleas. Jafar, played by Hashim Choudry, was an excellent pantomime villain; he had stage presence and had perfected the requisite villainous laugh. He was always accompanied by his colourful sidekick, the well-spoken parrot named Iago. He always gave good advice, but he was usually ignored and not given any respect by Jafar. Iago, played by Anish Patel, was an excellent cheeky contrast to the darkness of Jafar, who secretly rewrote the law so that the Princess must marry him if she failed to choose a husband. Jafar’s cave was brought to life by the creative scenery and lighting by Mr. Kyle and Mr. Deakin. In the cave, Aladdin finds a lamp and having given it a clean, he releases a genie with a striking accompanying smoke effect. Sam Entwistle brilliantly captured the

Park Road role of the Genie and the hearts of the audience. He brought great comedy and sparkling personality to the part and his confidence shone on the stage. The Genie was tricked into helping Aladdin escape the cave on a magic carpet. Ted Danson and Amaan Razaq-Aziz played the Magic Carpet under such hot conditions, wearing their black full bodysuits and bringing the carpet to life. Aladdin was then granted the first of his three wishes, which was to become a prince to try and impress Princess Jasmine. Prince Ali then arrived amidst a dazzling display of townspeople shaking glittery pompoms and dancers, who took to the stage with a rare display of enthusiastic dancing. The female dancers (Charlie French, Ollie Evans, Alex Bowen-Heaton and Archie Forshaw) added humour, a sense of fun and glamour to the event. There should also be a special mention of the falsetto singing. As the Prince displayed his naivety with girls, he only succeeded in impressing the Sultan.

Park Road has a reputation for putting on a fantastic Year 6 production and it is fair to say that this year was no exception. It was a showstopper finale for Mrs. Lockett’s final play after more than two decades of productions. All musical and acting talents were showcased superbly, and it was clear to see that everyone involved, including the audience, thoroughly enjoyed it.

What a fantastic way for the boys to end their time in Park Road and enter ‘A Whole New World’ in the Senior School! Stephanie Martin & Catherine Lintott

Razoul, played by Lucas McGann, was the perfect henchman, a humorous part in Jafar’s chain of command. After discovering Aladdin’s escape from the cave, Jafar and Iago suspect the new Prince to be a fake and possibly in possession of a genie. Prince Ali gained Jasmine’s trust and invited her to escape from the Palace with him on his magic carpet. Under spotlights, Jasmine and Aladdin, with backing vocals supplied by the narrators, sang the famous A Whole New World. It was a calming moment in the midst of a fast-paced story. It was on their return to the Palace, that Jasmine and Aladdin agreed to marry the following morning. Aladdin then used his second wish, after the guards, demonstrating their physical power, captured him again. Aladdin’s enthusiasm to thank the Genie caused him to leave behind the lamp, which is found by Iago. The grand finale was the wedding of Princess Jasmine and Aladdin. Aladdin confessed his true identity, Jafar was tricked into trapping himself forever as a genie and, as in all good fairy tales, everyone lived freely and happily ever after.

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The Old Boltonians Message from the President _______________________________________________________

y year as President of the Old Boltonians’ Association began last December at the Association’s Annual Dinner, when David Shaw handed me the chain of office that bears the names of several dozen of our predecessors. David played an important part in the School’s life over the last halfcentury, and my own decade as a pupil (which ended in 1964, just weeks before David arrived as a young teacher) is certainly short by comparison. But when I left, those ten years represented over half my life and had a profound influence on me. At the time, I rather took for granted the wide range of activities outside the classroom that our School gave us the chance to experience and how much they added to our development. I spent many happy hours in the Scout Troop and acting on stage, as well as at societies such as the Lit. and Deb. Perhaps I imagined all schools offer something similar, but, sadly, they don’t. Over the years since I left School, much has changed physically, with the building of the North Wing, the replacement of the gloomy old swimming pool, and now the addition of the Riley Centre, and I’m sure that teaching methods have moved on from the chalk and blackboard era; but from the different generations of former pupils I have had the chance to meet at the Alumni Dinners, I sense a remarkable continuity in the values of the School. I was, unfortunately, unable to go to the dinner in Edinburgh in May, but I have so far attended three most enjoyable dinners in Cambridge, London and the Lake District. The Cambridge Dinner was at Caius, where I had supervisions half a century ago. Then, hosted by Old Boy Professor Malcolm Stevens, MBE (Class of 1957), who is a Fellow of the Royal Society, we were able to hold this year’s London Dinner at the Society’s splendid headquarters just off the Mall. The Lake District was looking particularly lovely when some three dozen of us gathered for the Cumbria Dinner on a warm sunny evening at the end of June. The dinner was held as usual at the Lindeth Howe, a house above Windermere once owned by Beatrix Potter, where we were generously hosted, as always, by Old Boy Stephen Broughton (Class of 1969). In February, the Old Girls’ Association Chairman Laura Henthorn and I had the happy task of receiving, on behalf of the School, the Heraldry Society’s Corporate Heraldry award, in recognition of the many ways the School uses its armorial bearings to proclaim its identity.

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Sadly, only one regional dinner – in Oxford in November – remains in my year of office before I hand over the chain at this year’s Annual Dinner in December. I hope that some of our newest Alumni will wish to join us there, or take advantage of the opportunities provided by the Association to keep in contact with the School and their contemporaries for years to come. Lionel Price (1954-1964)

Old Boltonians _______________________________________________________

n leaving School, every boy automatically becomes a member of the Old Boltonians’ Association, and is subsequently given the title of ‘Old Boy’. Membership of the Association is free, and all Old Boys receive a Newsletter ‘The Bugle’ twice a year and invitations to a variety of events both across the country and in School. These events are a fantastic opportunity to keep in touch with both the School and former classmates, as well as to establish new friendships with other Old Boys. Old Boy sporting activities continue to thrive with events for cricket, football and golf enthusiasts held throughout the year. Our regional dinners span the UK in six locations from Edinburgh to London. At School, the Friends of Bolton School Dinner welcomes current and former parents and staff, as well as Alumni. In addition, informal Drinks events are held in university towns, and a City Networking Event is held annually. Around 80 Old Boys also regularly attend our Old Boys Lunches in the Arts Centre. Old Boys often return to School to share their experience and knowledge with current pupils. Old Boys are a huge inspiration and are truly valued in School, so please do come and visit. You are welcome at any time; simply contact the Development Office on the number below to make arrangements. Development Office Tel: 01204 434718 Email: development@boltonschool.org

The Old Boltonians Stay in Touch _______________________________________________________ Connect with Old Boys and Old Girls on the Bolton Alumni Network: www.boltonalumninetwork.com. Download the app at the Apple and Google Play stores. ‘Like’ our Facebook page for event invitations, School news and memories: search Bolton School – Old Boys and Old Girls (Official) Connect with fellow Old Boys on LinkedIn: connect with Bolton School Alumni and join the Bolton School Group Follow Alumni and School news @BoltonSchool / @BoltonSchAlumni

via

Twitter:

Watch short films posted on the School’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/boltonschoolmedia Read regular blogs from pupils and staff from across the campus: http://boltonschool.me/ Follow bolton_school_foundation and use #BSAlumni to share your memories and photos View photos of Alumni events at https://www.flickr.com/ photos/bsalumni/albums Visit the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website at www.boltonschool.org for event photos, Alumni career profiles, news of Old Boys, an up-to-date events calendar, to update your contact details and more.

School Captain 2017-2018 _______________________________________________________

s the academic year draws to a close and School Captain Tom Paterson makes the transition from pupil to Old Boy, he tells us about his year in post and offers advice to incoming Captain Matthew Schaffel.

Full Name: Thomas Alexander Paterson Years at School: 2011-2018 (Park Road 2007-2011) Thomas Mair, Sa’ood Mulla Deputies: Were you a member of any teams, clubs or societies in Sixth Form? My main interest outside of study lay in Music. I played baritone saxophone in the School Jazz Band throughout Year 12 and also in the Senior Saxophone Quartet, with whom I performed at the Music for Youth Finals in 2017. Indeed, most lunchtimes I could often be

found lugging the heavy, coffin-like case up the stairs to C Corridor. I switched to the more nimble alto for Senior Concert Band and the ‘Miss Saigon’ Showband. Elsewhere, I co-chaired the Literary and Debating Society, helping to foster an atmosphere of insightful debate on all manner of contentious issues ranging from the topical, such as gun control, to the more abstract, such as the pursuit of happiness. I also contributed a couple of articles to ‘CreativesNow’, the Sixth Form creative writing journal, attended the weekly French Film Club and dropped in on the Latin Reading Society (I did Greek, but I don’t think anyone noticed...). What were your key responsibilities as Captain? Although my role did consist of speeches and meetings with eminent visitors to School, it was mainly the quotidian yet essential duties for which monitors are responsible that occupied the majority of my time. I compiled a weekly rota to arrange lunch duties in the Crush Hall and at the scanner, as well as patrols of the corridors, and oversaw the dismissal at Full Assembly. The events taking place outside of school hours often required monitorial assistance as well, with occasions such as Prizegiving and the Tillotson Lecture. Thankfully, my job was made infinitely easier by an incredibly obliging team of Monitors, who sat without complaint through meeting after meeting of my insipid admin and fulfilled their duties with aplomb, as well as my utterly brilliant Vice-captains Tom and Sa’ood, who swooped in to help me out on numerous occasions. What was the most memorable occasion for you as Captain? I think what strikes me as a particularly poignant moment was the Monitors’ end-of-year celebration on the Headmaster’s Lawn – not so much the relief of the torch being handed to the next team of Monitors, but looking back in retrospect at all we’d achieved over the year and how far we’d progressed, not just as individuals, but as a unit. I remember vividly the pride I felt to have had the privilege to lead the student body of such a wonderful educational establishment. What was the most difficult aspect of being Captain? Keeping a sense of humour! I’ve always been a serious individual (I allegedly never smiled as a baby), but as School Captain, more than ever before, I began to realise that such a gloomy outlook would only be detrimental to me and my rapport with the Monitors; particularly at the start, when I was still finding my feet, I found it a real challenge to force myself to at least try to find the funny side in a given situation and keep the tone light. I even attempted to keep disciplinary measures tongue-in-cheek; Monitors who missed duties frequently became the subject of memes on the Monitors’ Facebook group! Were there any unexpected aspects involved with the role? I didn’t realise I was meant to be introducing Ralf Little at the Tillotson Lecture until it was almost too late! Thankfully, I had enough time to rattle off a classic ‘Royle Family’ pun without too much of a hitch and vacate the stage without further calamity. At the Apple Summit, too, we were forced to think on our feet after (ironically) the technology

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The Old Boltonians failed and sent some delegates to the wrong rooms! Has the role helped you develop any new skills? Having attended numerous soirées, dinners and talks, I feel like my capacity for small talk, which had never been my strong suit, has come on leaps and bounds. I have come a long way from the timid Year 7, creeping fearfully around the corridors, but in my final year particularly, I have been pushed well out of my comfort zone and, as a result, can acquit myself on any stage with many fewer qualms or nerves. What would your advice be for the incoming Captain? Delegate, delegate and delegate some more! For some, it may feel like a show of weakness to ‘give away your power’ or rely on others, but, in fact, it is quite the opposite. Your Vice-captains have been specifically chosen by a meticulous student and staff ballot to help you through the highs and lows of the year and in dividing up responsibilities between yourselves, you not only get each job done to a better standard, but free up more time to focus on your own interests and look after yourself. And that is my second tip! School Captains often find themselves juggling academic subjects, sports, music and a social life alongside their role in school and it can often seem overwhelming to try and fit it all in, but, at the end of the day, you are at school to make the most of your own potential and that should always take priority. Nobody is expecting anything superhuman of you (unless you can fly or read minds) so just do what you can in the time available and always find the opportunity to relax and unwind. How do you feel about leaving School? It certainly felt like my time had come to its natural conclusion and that I was ready to move on to new, exciting challenges, but I always knew it was going to be a tall order to tear myself away from something which has become such an intrinsic part of my identity. Which university are you going to and what will you be studying? I am currently at Selwyn College, Cambridge studying French and Russian. Are you planning on being involved in any activities/societies at university? I’m currently playing for the College Second XI in Football and attend the occasional Orienteering race, but also visit the Cambridge Union and am a registered member of the University Liberal Democrats Association. I’m also keen to get involved with some student journalism, whether that be writing scathing satire or more ‘serious’ pieces. Somehow, I managed to avoid the rowing hype, although the 6:00am starts never appealed to me much anyway... What are your career aspirations? I always used to want to be an accountant, but despite meeting some wonderful people on work experience, it became quickly apparent that it wasn’t my forte at all. I’ve taken the last couple of years to research and reassess, and now I’m quite keen to see what

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working internationally, either for the Foreign Office, the UN or even a charitable organisation, might hold in store. I still cling hopefully onto my childhood dream of becoming a novelist, however. Will you continue to be involved with School? Without a shadow of a doubt – it has been such a key part of my formative years and I am forever in debt for the skills, both academic and personal, with which Bolton School has provided me. Whilst some of my friends at university complain bitterly about certain aspects of their education, I have only fond recollections and I want to help make sure that the same is true for all future alumni of Bolton School. I’m sure twenty years down the line, I’ll be dragging my children around the corridors, boring them stiff with my tales of how it all used to be ‘back in the day’.

Old Boltonians’ AFC Report 2017-18 _______________________________________________________ ‘Up and down, back and forward – Old Bolts’ Football bounces on’.

he 2017-18 season proved to be one of contrasts and extremes – some might say the least and yet the most predictable of years!

On so many fronts, it has been unique across a timeline mirroring the highs and lows of the game at a much higher level, where Football so nearly came home in Russia ’18 and thoughts returned to England’s 1966 win. As we start to look forward to our centenary in 2020, we could also go back to the mid ‘60s and then celebrate Dave Lee’s FA 50 Year Long Service Award – he epitomises the essence of amateur football at its best, though quite how he has managed to keep abreast of the longest continually used football pitches in the world seems miraculous to many – the wettest winter coupled with the close season drought has proved an almighty challenge! Another celebration was that of the 25 year reunion for the Division 3B North winners of 1993. Coinciding with our hosting of the first West Pennines Veterans tournament, around 30 players were assembled by Kev Taylor, and experienced limbs enjoyed reliving glories of days gone by – admittedly, not for a full 90 minutes and, of course, liquid celebrations at the Chetham followed, predictably for longer than a full 90 minutes! Embodying combined ages of around 1300 years playing together on those pitches, that’s quite some timeline!

The Old Boltonians Today’s teams’ seasons failed to live up to hopes – the excessively crowded final month saw the Vets lose in their Cup Final, the ‘A’ team and Reserves unable to turn around their poor starts, both finishing in relegation spots and the 1st XI again runners-up, this year to runaway champions Mostonians. All this followed the difficult but very necessary decision to scrap the ‘B’ team early in the season, as turning out three never mind four Saturday teams became well-nigh impossible. We enjoyed the final Black & White Ball with good music, food and serious funds raised both for charity and Club development; four score diners enjoyed the last Annual Dinner in its present form. The Committee has striven to explore new avenues, determined to take the Club forward, whilst building on its wonderful history. Customary male 11-a-side Saturday afternoons become less and less relevant in general, but it will, however, remain the future centre of the club – three teams, robustly managed, can provide the sort of football that should be played for Old Boys and their friends and acquaintances on both the quality of the grass pitches at Chapeltown and also on hired 3G and 4G pitches through the winter to provide continuity of playing and avoiding the end of season crush. The Veterans’ squad for their Sunday programme promises the highest quality yet and The Legends’ smattering of friendlies and tours is now well established. Sunday afternoons will see Boltonians’ Ladies’ inaugural season. Working with Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, we are delighted to now have a Ladies team that will play in the Greater Manchester Women’s League – offering a still wider range of football for the broad Boltonian family. On the agenda for 2019 is a Boltonians’ Youth team – Under 18s and Under 21s options are being assessed, offering the likes of current Boltonians and the children of current and past players well-organised quality football – one more colour to add to the spectrum of those forming everything we do in the long-standing tradition and camaraderie of O.B.A.F.C. now and beyond our centenary in 2020.

and failed to make it to the 2018 Finals. We had sixteen entries for the Rosebowl Matchplay tournament and this event continues throughout the season. On a glorious Wednesday in June, fourteen players competed for the Taylor Trophy, the Society Singles Stableford Event: two players tied on 35 points, with James Chadwick beating Chris Carley on a card play-off to win the Trophy. Please get in touch if you would like to join us – the more, the merrier! I can be contacted at nhfletcher@icloud.com. Norman H. Fletcher (1961-1969), Golf Secretary

From the Archive - How did the Swimming Pool transform into the Arts Centre? _______________________________________________________

his year marks the 25th anniversary of the momentous day when HRH Diana, Princess of Wales, visited School to open the new Arts Centre. Younger boys might not, however, appreciate that it was actually built as a swimming bath in 1905 for the former Bolton Grammar School and that it is the oldest building on the main School campus.

Mr. M.P. Wadsworth

Old Boltonians’ Golf Society Report 2018 _______________________________________________________

he Old Boltonians’ Golf Society continues to offer golfing opportunities for all Old Bolts; however, the Society faces similar problems to those that are faced by Golf as a sport: we have a diminishing number of participants and an increasing age profile, therefore if you are reading this and are a young (or even older!) golfer of any ability, we would be delighted to see you at any of our events. In the middle of May, a team of six representing the Old Bolts played at Huddersfield Golf Club in the qualifying event for the Grafton Morrish Tournament, but, unfortunately, the team was unsuccessful

The Princess is greeted by excited Beech House pupils The gift of William Lever, later Lord Leverhulme, it was designed by Jonathan Simpson, who was one of William Lever’s oldest friends and who had already done a great deal of architectural work for him at Port Sunlight. It was constructed in William Lever’s favoured red Runcorn sandstone. The swimming bath was used for the first time on 3rd May 1905 and was formally opened a month later on 24th June. Four hundred guests attended the opening ceremony, when Mr. J.B. Barlow, JP, Chairman of Governors, accepted the gift on behalf of the School from William Brimelow, JP, who was representing William Lever in the latter’s unavoidable absence.

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The Old Boltonians During the proceedings, Jonathan Simpson donated a silver challenge cup for annual House competitions in Swimming that continues to be awarded to the present day. During the rest of the afternoon, the Band of the 9th Lancashire RGA Volunteers played a selection of music on the top Level, while refreshments were served in a marquee. There was also a cricket match on the lower Level between past and present members of the School.

and introduced to both the Headmaster and the Headmistress. Lord Haslam said that her presence had transformed a pleasant occasion into a ‘splendid and memorable’ one. Inside the Arts Centre, Her Royal Highness was entertained by pupils of both Divisions, who performed ‘The Lancashire Grocer and his Bars of Gold’, which told the story of William Hesketh Lever, the first Lord Leverhulme, who had founded the new Bolton School in 1915. After declaring the Arts Centre open by unveiling a commemorative plaque, Princess Diana was presented with a watercolour of the School by the School Captain, David Mohyuddin, and the Head Girl, Tara Mani (both Class of 1994). Before she departed, Princess Diana watched as students Richard Chant, James Ementon (both Class of 1995) and Charlotte Young (Class of 1994) abseiled down the clock tower and she was greatly amused and delighted when Richard presented her with a box of Milk Tray chocolates!

The Old Swimming Pool It remained a swimming bath until its conversion into the Arts Centre in 1993. Discussions about the need for an Appeal to fund major capital projects had begun in 1989, with the Arts Centre project being a priority. Early in 1990, Mr. Roger Kirk from the Boys’ Division teaching staff and Mrs. Ann Green from the Girls’ Division were appointed to direct the Campaign, which was marketed as ‘Funding the Future’. The Campaign was launched officially at the Old Boltonians’ Reunion in September 1990 and 15 months later, 1 million pounds had already been pledged towards the target of 2 million pounds. Over half the money had been promised by the 70 or so members of the newly-formed Bolton School Society, a group of local businessmen and industrialists, who responded to the Appeal in a most generous manner. The names of all these benefactors were detailed on a board that hung for many years at the foot of the stairs in the Arts Centre entrance hall, the major benefactor being Chloride Motive Power. The Royal Bank of Scotland paid for an attractive brochure explaining the Campaign to be sent to parents and Old Boltonians, and numerous events were organised to generate further funds. The Old Boys were as generous as ever, and parents, friends and staff all played their part. It was, in short, another shining example of the Bolton School community in action. The conversion work began in March 1992 and a year later, on 20th October 1993, the School welcomed HRH Diana, Princess of Wales, to perform the official opening of the new Arts Centre – the miserable weather could not dampen the general enthusiasm and excitement surrounding her visit! Wearing a deep pink and navy two-piece suit, the Princess was greeted by Lord Haslam, Chairman of Governors,

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Richard presents Her Royal Highness with a box of Milk Tray

From the Archive – How did Tenacity of Bolton come to be built? _______________________________________________________

oys who attended School around the Millennium will remember the Millennium Ketch (later named Tenacity of Bolton) gradually taking shape on Dobson Road Quad, alongside the Technology Department.

The brainchild of Mike Whitmarsh, then Head of Technology, Tenacity of Bolton was an incredible achievement, with his concept being to construct a usable offshore sail training vessel within the School Technology curriculum. The construction of such a vessel combined the traditional skills in building the hull and control systems with the high-tech aspects of the electronic navigation and communication systems. It proved to be an extraordinary crosscurricular achievement and, besides Technology, the construction of the boat incorporated the disciplines of Maths, Design and Science.

The Old Boltonians project to fruition. Some of the tasks, such as filing and sanding the hull and deck for painting, were probably monotonous, but the boys, and indeed all the other volunteers, maintained their enthusiasm, sharing a common pride in their endeavours and in the knowledge that Bolton School would be the only school in the country, other than Gordonstoun, to run such a vessel.

Pupils celebrate the completion of the Millennium Ketch

Mike Whitmarsh on board Tenacity Given the scale of the project, it was inevitable that it would extend over a number of years and, having been unsuccessful in raising financial support from large funding bodies, Mike adopted a more entrepreneurial approach and solved the problem by securing the extensive support of Old Boys, parents, Governors and friends, but not necessarily with money. A Governor donated the building framework within which the ketch would be constructed, an ex-parent who was an engineering designer offered to draw a suitable yacht design free of charge and free of copyright and others undertook the manufacture of items that could not be produced in School. Many volunteered their labour, whether skilled or unskilled, and most companies that were approached for general boat chandlery etc. agreed to give trade discounts or better. Another Governor kindly covered the cost of the coating systems personally. A parent, who was the head researcher at the Ferro Cement Research Establishment of a local university, offered his services free on a consultancy basis, and also later carried out the official structural analysis tests for the surveyor to ensure the vessel complied with regulations. Perkins Sabre donated a benchtested engine used for the British Steel Round-the-World Challenge. Spares were sourced through a parent contact with a Caterpillar connection. And so it went on. It became a project involving all strands of the Bolton School community, both near and far. Work began in 1998 and by the time it was completed in 2007, more than 1,000 boys had also played their part in bringing the

The vessel is prepared for transportation

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The Old Boltonians Once complete, Tenacity was moved to Glasson Dock on 14th May 2007, where she underwent rigorous sea trials before her main voyage in May 2009. In her first full season in 2010, she sailed over 2,000 nautical miles in the Irish Sea, taking pupils from the age of 12 to 18 to Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland and the North West coast of England. It had a displacement of 20 tonnes with accommodation for twelve people in five cabins, with a shower/wet room and two heads.

Since 2015, Tenacity has been sailing as part of the Tall Ships Youth Trust fleet and in May of last year, celebrated its tenth birthday. Headmaster Mr. Britton said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A lot of hard work went into the building of the ketch, hence it got its name Tenacity. It has provided pupils with life skills, including working in confined spaces within small groups, and practical skills, such as sailing, cooking, cleaning and looking after one another. I am delighted that she is still on the water, now under the guidance of the Tall Ships Youth Trust, and still regularly utilised by girls and boys from our Senior Schools, including for Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. We look forward to the next ten years.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Boys Division pupils take to the sea in 2009

Tenacity begins her journey to Glasson Dock

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The Old Boltonians Obituary – George James Garbett (Boys’ Division Staff, 1959-1967) _______________________________________________________

Lord Leverhulme and the Bugle – an interpretation _______________________________________________________

am a member of the School’s Young Artists Collective and over two years we have all worked on pieces of art inspired by Lord Leverhulme and his strong connections with Bolton School and Port Sunlight. This led to an exhibition of our work at Port Sunlight in July 2018. My piece of artwork was inspired by the William Morris wallpapers, originally used to decorate the houses in Port Sunlight village, and also included elements of the Bolton School crest. I used the wallpaper to create a final piece using a trumpet, which is inspired by the bugle that features prominently in the Bolton School crest.

im, who was fit, lively and talkative until last Christmas, fell ill in the New Year and died on 25th May 2018 in St. John’s Hospice, Lancaster, at the age of 87. His funeral in the Priory, where he was a lay reader, was attended by a large congregation, whose lives he had touched in many different ways. The order of service contained the valedictory notice written by George Grasby (Boys’ Division Staff, 1959-1980) for ‘The Boltonian’ of 1967; it perfectly commemorated Jim’s scholarship, clarity of thinking, energy and generosity, emphasising that ‘his services and qualities have been of unusual distinction’. The funeral address, given by Jim’s son-in-law, Michael Barton, showed that throughout his long life, Jim had been consistent in his aims, relationships and activities.

When Vice-Principal of St. Martin’s College, later the University of Cumbria, Jim developed his range of interests, notably in languages, literature and architecture, and continued to travel widely, accompanied by Sheila, his wife, alone or as a leader of expeditions. Sheila, who taught junior classes at Bolton School and directed plays, died when they were well settled in Lancaster. She had shared Jim’s enterprising and generous spirit and what they had shared gave him strength. Bolton School was already a long way in the past, but Jim was very helpful when Ralph Britton wrote the history of School Drama for the Centenary magazine. His own engagement had been considerable, introducing to the Miniature Theatre contemporary plays like Ionesco’s ‘The Bald Prima Donna’ and directing this year’s chief guest at Prizegiving, Stuart Brooks (1956-1966), in the lead role in Ibsen’s ‘The Pillars of the Community’. His presence amongst us for those few short years was a great gift to the School and for many; whether in the classroom, at the Stratford Camp, in the Debating Society or on his Italian trips, he is a vivid memory. To his daughter, Margaret, to his son-in-law, Michael, and to their children, we offer our sympathy.

The finished piece inspired by Bolton School heraldry

Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)

Wallpaper inspired by William Morris Matthew Hope 8f

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Destination of Leavers 2018 Harrison Barker-Smith Manchester Metropolitan University (2019) Geography

Logan Molyneaux

Apprenticeship

Sam Bowden

Birmingham University

Modern Languages

George Morgan

Imperial College London

Material Sciences & Engineering

Luke Cavanaugh

Cambridge University

English

Daniel Morrison

Loughborough University

Industrial Design & Technology

Adam Critchlow

Newcastle University

Combined Honours

Sa’ood Mulla

Manchester University

Medicine

Sam Croston

Liverpool University

Business Management

Ahmad Nagia

Liverpool University

Medicine

Subhan Dean

Liverpool John Moores University

Pharmaceutical Science

Siddarth Nandalan

Warwick University

Economics

Thomas Duckworth

Oxford Brookes University

Real Estate Management

Manraj Notay

Cardiff University

Geology

Joe Dykins

Leicester University

Medical Biochemistry

Akshay Pal

Oxford University

Engineering

Jack Evans

Lancaster University

Biological Sciences

Humzah Patel

Liverpool University

Medicine

Oli Fawcett

Birmingham University

Economics

Ismail Patel

Newcastle University

Economics & Finance

Dylan Feingold

Aston University

Translation Studies: German

Tom Paterson

Cambridge University

Modern & Medieval Languages

Jamie Fernandes

Pilot Course at CAE Oxford

Seán Pendlebury

Gap Year

Paul Foster

Salford University

Sports Science

Joseph Pimblett

Lancaster University

Economics

Sammy Gatenby

Birmingham University

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Steven Prescott

Nottingham University

Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Sina Ghanbari-Saheli

Gap Year

Jack Golland

Manchester University

Engineering

Callum Pritchard Dundee University

Physics with Renewable Energy Science

Zain Hajee

Manchester University

Medicine

Ross Pursey

Bath University

Chemical Engineering

Adam Hall

Cambridge University

Architecture

Rohan Raja

Loughborough University

Computer Science

Jay Harland

Loughborough University

Economics

Balkrishna Ramji

St. George’s University, London

Medicine

Umar Hatia

Birmingham University

Medicine

Alex Ramwell

Exeter University

Natural Sciences

Charlie Heron

Aston University

Mechanical Engineering

Hashim Razzaq

Gap Year

Ryan Hibbert

Lancaster University

Natural Sciences

Tom Ryder

Edinburgh University

History

George Hill

Keele University

Neuroscience

Abdullah Saddique

University College London

Natural Sciences

Luke Hodson

King’s College London

Medicine

Naeem Seth

Liverpool John Moores University

Pharmacy

Milo Holmes

Gap Year

Charles Shaw

Thomas Humphreys Aston University

International Business & Modern Languages

Morgan Skeels-Caldwell

Warwick University

History

Hassaan Hussain

Economics & Finance

Roman Slusarenko

Sheffield University

International Business Management

Sam Smethurst

Sheffield University

Economics

Joe Smith

Bristol University

Aerospace Engineering

Dan Southworth

Newcastle University

Law

Tom Stephenson

Southampton University

Acoustical Engineering

James Stevens

Nottingham University

English

Nikolaii Stewart

Manchester University

Politics & Sociology

Manchester University

Mohammed Ibrahim

Nottingham University

Mathematics

Ahmed Ismail

Manchester University

Dentistry

Shubham Jain

Gap Year

Luis Jones

Liverpool John Moores University

Business Management

Josh Kendal

Liverpool University

Philosophy & Politics

Ali Khalid

Imperial College London

Medicine

Stewart Knights

Lancaster University

Business Management

Apprenticeship

Aqeel Suleman

Gap Year

Edinburgh University

French & Russian Studies

Ryan Thakrar

Loughborough University

Economics

Ethan Lau University of Central Lancashire

English Language & Linguistics and Modern Languages

Benjamin Sykes

Jacob Law

Business

Rehan Udwadia

Gap Year

Leaõn Leech

Employment

Ahmad Umarji

Newcastle University

Dentistry

Thomas Mair

Geography with International Studies

Patrick Uzoka

Newcastle University

Geography

Sam Warburton

Oxford University

Law

Henry Webb

Imperial College London

Aeronautical Engineering

Jake Williamson

Huddersfield University

Architecture

Birmingham University

Manchester University

Hammad Majeed

Employment

Max Maloney

Manchester University

Classical Studies

Mohammad Master

Manchester University

Physics

Andrew Mattison

Manchester Metropolitan University

Physiotherapy

Kristian McInery

Nottingham University

David Meadows Connor Milton

Biotechnology

Henry Xiao Manchester University

Modern Languages & Business Management

Lancaster University

Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Jiajie Yang

University College London

Mathematics

Loughborough University

Economics

Alexander Young

Heriot-Watt University

Electrical & Electronic Engineering

176 THE OLD BOLTONIANS

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