The Boltonian 2019 by Bolton School Development Office

Boltonian 2019 THE

CONTENTS SCHOOL NOTES

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

THE HOUSES

CAMPS & JOURNEYS

MUSIC & DRAMA

SNAPSHOTS

CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK

SPORTS

SCOUTS

117

PARK ROAD

126

THE OLD BOLTONIANS

161

Editorial Staff Editor: Miss K.S. Wrathmell Artwork: Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Division Art Department Poppies: Oliver Leach 11e & 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 2018-19 _______________________________________________________

am sure that by now you will have heard that Bolton School is the TES’ Independent School of the Year. The Times Educational Supplement judges the top award ceremony for independent schools and this is their top award. This seems the very best place to start a review of the year since it reflects so well on what boys and colleagues do at the School day by day. We are justifiably pleased and proud to see our school gaining this national recognition.

The professional association for development departments judged our own Development Team the best in the country for their fundraising, which is so important to maintaining the nature of the school.

Finally, the Department for Education performance tables show that we add more value to A Level results at Bolton than any other school or college in the North West. I am especially pleased with this since our results might be expected to be good in absolute terms as we are selective, but that they are also top of the pack with value-added, says something important about how we get the best out of the boys.

There are five other marks of distinction to share with you this year. Firstly, we have, once again, been awarded Apple Distinguished School status and are now widely regarded as one of the top few large secondary schools for e-learning as part of the variety of classroom life. For the first time, we have been awarded Platinum Artsmark status, the top category, for our creative work in School; this has brought together the music, art, English and drama in School to really focus all we do. The Independent School Parent magazine judged us Boys’ School of the Year; this is important, as there are less than 100 all boys’ schools left in the UK and we believe we serve a real niche for the education of young men in the ‘best of both worlds’ environment of Bolton School.

SCHOOL NOTES

Of course, the awards are not just a snapshot in time, and they do not simply mark a ‘one off’ year. In fact, in many ways, they are not at all about this academic year, but reflect the long-held purpose of the School and the variety of our activity here now and for many years to come. That sense of enduring purpose, within everchanging times, is made possible by the contributions of leaders within the school community, who themselves embody our mission to ‘make a difference for good’. Two men who certainly did that were Mervyn Brooker and Roger Kirk, whose obituaries appear in these pages. Mervyn did much to shape the modern school in the 21st Century during his five years at the helm. Roger, with his seven-decade association with the School, man and boy, helped and guided so many to be the men they are today. They will both be sadly missed in the School community.

School Notes Teachers lie at the heart of any school experience and this year has been our first as part of the National School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programmes for Maths, Physics and Modern Foreign Languages. In doing so, we are joining in an important scheme to develop the next generation of teachers within the nurturing environment of first-rate schools. Last year, this added three teaching colleagues to various schools in Bolton, who may very well not have applied to the area without this scheme. This is only one example of successful partnerships, which make real the promise that Bolton School can be a force for good for all the young people of Bolton, not just those who have their education here. But the School is about the boys: their talents, their character, their humour; the thrills and spills of a huge range of activity and their intellect as it develops and questions and is recognised with achievements and awards. All of that is recorded in these pages and ‘The Boltonian’ remains a tremendously important permanent record of all of those individual experiences that come together to make Bolton School. Mr. P.J. Britton, MBE Headmaster

Valete – Mr. Andy Jackson _______________________________________________________

fter two final years in a part time capacity, Andy Jackson retired last summer after 34 years’ service at the School. Arriving in 1985 as the ‘young Mr. Jackson’, (Harry Jackson strode the school corridors back then) Andy was employed first as a Classics teacher, but quickly became Head of Classics in 1990. During those years, he occupied many roles, not least with the Lit and Deb Society and several years editing ‘The Boltonian’. In 2002, he began to be involved in more senior managerial roles, first as Assistant Director of Studies and then as Director of School Development Planning. In 2009, he became Director of Learning and from 2013, Director of Professional Development and Learning. In all these, he brought a great attention to detail, a skill at drawing inference from data and, above all, a keen sense that all this only mattered if it made a difference to the classroom. In his roles, he had the task of beginning a modern process of development plans and review in a school whose culture was only just ready for such change, as well as new reporting and assessment methods. He approached the tasks methodically with strong and detailed research, often visiting schools to see what had been done and then implementing processes that were coherent, sensible and logical.

In creating the Learning Development Group in school, he showed the same purpose and vision, making the first steps in what now seems commonplace for us when we take notice and use the best of modern educational research. At that stage a more experienced colleague, his enduring concern for the quality of his own teaching was exemplary and he was a strong adopter of new technology when the iPads arrived. His nurturing role with new colleagues in their induction year with ISCtip was much appreciated and understood because whilst he would encourage colleagues, he would also be very clear about what was needed from them to excel. ‘Young Mr. Jackson’ left school as he began – a first-rate and much valued classroom teacher, with years in the interim of leading important developments across the school. His first GCSE Greek class achieved top grades almost to the man and so did his last. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Mrs. Chris Sutcliffe _______________________________________________________

hristine was an Old Girl of the School, but joined the staff of the Boys’ Division in 1986. She retired this summer after 33 years at the School. During that time, she gave tremendous service developing the Careers curriculum within school, building up an enviable list of contacts amongst alumni and local businesses and designing a programme that was continuously developing, as it must in this field. Aside from the important administrative aspects of the role, key developments that will be associated with Chris are the BEST programme for boys, first at Patterdale and then more recently at school, the careers interviews and the enormous Careers Fair that took place every other year. It is a sign of her commitment that in her final year she was looking at the new Gatsby benchmarks in careers and making some adjustments so that we would meet them. Chris also embraced the all-round ethos of the school, leading many trips to Patterdale and, for a long time, being in charge of orienteering. We wish her well in her retirement. Mr. P.J. Britton

SCHOOL NOTES

School Notes Valete – Mrs. Susan Yates _______________________________________________________

usan joined Bolton School in 1998 to assist with secretarial duties in the Music department, but soon became part of the Headmaster’s Office. As admissions became more complex and far more central to the success of the school, she was appointed as Admissions Registrar and trained to develop her skills in that role. Her calm competence guided parents, boys and colleagues through the sometimes emotional process of admissions, and she designed systems that, without doubt, significantly account for the success of admissions in school today. We wish her well in retirement. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Mr. Greg McMillan _______________________________________________________

reg McMillan is an Old Boy of Bolton School, whose first steps in returning to school on the other side of the teacher’s desk were as a sports coach in 1999, which means he had served two decades at the School before retiring this summer. Greg has a passion for Rugby and was an accomplished player (he had been Captain of Rugby whilst a boy at school) who was recruited back to the Levels to coach the Under 13 rugby team.

their skills with Greg, will know he was a skilled, practical and, in the inevitably frustrating situation of working with IT that does not always work itself, a rather patient man. Greg was also Housemaster of Blackburn House for many years, at a time when the House System was developing its range of activity and moving its profile forward in our charity work within school. It is perhaps as a form tutor most boys who were in his care will remember Greg. They will know a good dry sense of humour, high standards fairly and consistently applied, and an enduring personal sense of the ethos and purpose of the school. They would also know he cared. The Common Room will miss a key member of the crossword team and we all wish Greg well for the future. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Mrs. Mari Leather _______________________________________________________

ari retired as Headmaster’s PA in September 2017, and was succeeded by Jayne Higham. Her commitment to the smoothrunning of the School was evidenced by the time and effort she put into a very smooth handover period. Appointed by Mervyn Brooker, I am personally grateful to her for guidance during my early years at the school and her endless optimism in the face of a diary that was always full, the not always reasonable demands of colleagues and the busy and unpredictable nature of the School Office. Her aim was always to provide calm and purpose at the centre of school life, which she did with great skill. Mr. P.J. Britton

As is so often the case, he was drawn more into school life as the years went by and it was in designing the Sports department website that his future direction in school perhaps first emerged. That foray into IT was followed by a time as a staff ICT mentor in the days when the use of computers was spreading rapidly in education, heading towards their ubiquitous presence in the modern school. Drawn into teaching boys as the IT provision in the curriculum increased, Greg took professional qualifications in teaching whilst working in school, and for several years had a timetable balanced between Sport on the Levels and the IT rooms. In his last few years at school, IT became the dominant partner in his teaching time, not least as he was instrumental in introducing GCSE IT into the curriculum, which further increased the teaching requirement. Boys who have learned

SCHOOL NOTES

Valete – Mr. Leon Deakin _______________________________________________________

aving previously worked in the Arts Centre, Leon leaves School having added terrific value to our work across the creative arts. As AV technician, he has allowed the range and scope of school productions to increase, has brought his sound

School Notes engineering skills to the musical concerts and has been a reassuring presence on the big occasion when sound and AV needed to work well and without concern. Generous with his time and a man with a tremendous range of skills, we wish him well as he moves on in his career. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Miss Hatice Torun _______________________________________________________

atice Torun joined Bolton School in 2016 as a newly qualified teacher and immediately settled into her role as a French and German teacher with the confidence and skill of an old hand. Her engaging personality, sharp wit and nononsense approach endeared her to boys and staff immediately. In addition to being a first-rate linguist and classroom practitioner, Hatice also took on the additional task of advancing e-learning in the French and German departments, producing digital courses to go alongside every course book, and an exhaustive series of tutorial videos to allow boys to improve their grammatical knowledge independently. These resources are of huge value to the MFL department and will be used by boys for many years to come. Hatice is almost terrifyingly well-organised and driven, and we will miss her honesty and commitment to advancing the cause of MFL, helping them to thrive here at Bolton School, where nationally they are experiencing some decline. Outside the classroom, Hatice has coached several boys to success in the national French Spelling Bee Finals in Cambridge, accompanied and organised overseas trips, and involved herself in Model UN. Colleagues and boys have really appreciated her company, expertise and energy in these activities. Hatice has also been an excellent form tutor, most recently to Year 7, who have benefitted from her help and guidance. We wish her all the best as she travels to Thailand, no doubt to continue to thrive and progress in her career under sunnier skies.

Valete – Mr. Paul Shipley _______________________________________________________

aul served as one of the first Proctors at Bolton School, having previously been involved in Outdoor Learning; he leaves us to return to that field. During a year when the role was evolving, he brought to it a clear sense of purpose, adaptability and a personable nature, which has helped define the role for the future. We wish him well. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Mr. George Reavley _______________________________________________________

eorge joined Bolton School as a newly qualified teacher and spent his first year with us developing and honing his skills. During the year, he was involved in the astronomy lunchtime teaching, contributed his skills in rugby and introduced boys and staff alike to his amazing expertise in origami. We wish him well in the next steps of his career. Mr. P.J. Britton

New appointments to the staff _______________________________________________________

eptember 2019 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 Dorian Clauzon (French) and Jorge Diego Bravo (Spanish).

Mrs. J.L. Cotton From September, Mr. A.C. Robson has been appointed as Head of MFL and Mrs. J.L. Cotton becomes Head of French and Spanish. Mr. T. Benbow succeeds Mr. M.G. Chilton as Blackburn Housemaster. Ms. J.Z. Sigrist succeeds Dr. R.F. Booth as EPQ Co-ordinator and Mr. S.P. Heald becomes Assistant Professional Mentor for Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Miss E.M. Harper has been appointed as Coordinator of Extra-curricular Activities.

SCHOOL NOTES

School Notes There are also several new appointments to the School: Miss K.J. Roddy has been appointed as Teacher of French. Miss G. Fletcher has been appointed to cover a maternity leave in Park Road. Miss A. Stansfield has been appointed as Art & DTE Technician and Ms. J. Hodkinson has been appointed as Biology Technician. Mrs. J. Worth has been appointed as the Assistant Librarian, Mrs. J. Preston joined the Learning Support Department as the EAL assistant and Miss E. Cullen has joined the Outdoor Learning Department. Miss M. Peters has been appointed as Deputy Proctor. Mr. N. Sutcliffe has been appointed as a Hockey coach. Ms. A. Fenton has been appointed to succeed Susan Yates as the Admissions Registrar.

TES Independent School Awards _______________________________________________________

But what made Bolton stand out was the important role it plays in its community. From acting as the Northern SCITT hub for MFL and Physics as part of the government’s teacher recruitment drive to hosting public lectures from the likes of Simon Armitage, the RSC Christmas Lecture and the Royal Statistical Society, alongside travelling theatre productions and a re-enactment of the English Civil War, the School has become a focal point for local activities. At a time when many regional schools have struggled to survive, the judges commended Bolton on how it has helped its community to thrive. Events for local schoolchildren such as the Football Festival and Bolton Children’s Fiction Award, attended by 700 pupils, as well as 10,000 hours of volunteering by Sixth Formers, further cemented the School’s place in its community.

Lead judge Dr. Helen Wright said Bolton was chosen because of “their impressive outreach and the way in which they involve the whole community in a plethora of enriching events.”

t the prestigious TES Independent School 2019 Awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, Bolton School won the Independent School of the Year and Senior School of the Year categories.

Despite tough competition, Bolton School was chosen as the TES overall School of the Year, with unanimous backing from the judges. Earlier in the night, the School was chosen as TES’ 2019 Senior School of the Year “not just for its outstanding achievements, but for its broad outreach activities and deep community relationships.” One of the oldest schools in Lancashire, with a history that can be traced back to the early 16th century, Bolton School has evolved to become a regional success story. Over the last academic year, pupils in both Divisions achieved a wide range of successes, from the Year 9 girl who won the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ School Competition to the boys’ Water polo team scooping an unprecedented 13th national title. Both Divisions also performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the final of the National Choral Competition, as well as at local events, while the boys staged several performances of their original play, ‘My Room, My Bolton’.

SCHOOL NOTES

“It was a wonderful evening and we were incredibly proud to pick up our awards on behalf of everyone who is part of the Bolton School family,” said Sue Hincks, Headmistress of the Girls’ Division. “Aside from strong academic results, we were delighted that both our extracurricular provision and work in, and with, the local community was recognised, as these are areas that are very important to us.” Headmaster of the Boys’ Division Philip Britton said: “It was a very special night and a pleasing affirmation of all the time, energy and initiative that boys, girls and colleagues put into their work and how well that is supported by parents and Alumni. The evening also recognised how we – and many other independent schools work hard to progress learning across our region and enjoy mutually beneficial relationships with a wide variety of local schools and their pupils. The award also touched on how we endeavour to provide an education for all, through our generous bursary provision, with one in five of our pupils receiving fee assistance.” The awards follow other recent accolades including being named Independent School of the Year by the Independent School Parent, becoming the first school to earn Queen’s Award for Voluntary

School Notes there is so much to celebrate both in and out of the classroom. It is gratifying that our engagement with the local community has been recognised, including our enrichment lectures, educational and sporting festivals for local children, our SHINE Saturday morning programme, our Sixth Formers providing afternoon tea for local residents and our organising of the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award.”

Service status, winning last year’s TES Community Initiative Award and the MEN Active Community Award. The Boys’ Division won the Boys’ Independent School Parent School of the Year Award and was also recently re-awarded Apple Distinguished School status and a Platinum Artsmark.

Independent School of the Year Award _______________________________________________________

olton School (Girls’ Division and Boys’ Division) has won ‘Independent School Parent’ magazine’s inaugural Independent School of the Year Award as decided upon by a judging panel comprising leading figures from the sector. The submission focused on the School’s work in and with the local community, pupils’ volunteering, as well as the wide range of extracurricular and academic achievement across both Divisions. In the same awards, the Boys’ Division was named Independent Boys’ School of the Year and the Girls’ Division was Highly Commended in the Independent Girls’ School of the Year category. The School was also Highly Commended in the Independent School of the Year for Community Outreach section, where the entry focused on the hosting and organising of the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award. There were almost 250 entries to the awards. Chair of the Awards, Dr. Helen Wright, said: “Well done on the success of your school, and the great work that you do!”. Girls’ Division Headmistress and GSA President-Elect for 2019 Miss Hincks said: “We are delighted to receive this award. We are a large school and across both Divisions

Headmaster Mr. Britton said: “We strive to ensure that our pupils go out into the world capable of making a difference for good so for their volunteering work, including large numbers of pupils who undertake the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the National Citizen Service (NCS), to be acknowledged is particularly pleasing. The Award also recognises the part we play in the community, including recently becoming the Northern hub school for the Department for Education’s drive to recruit more MFL and Maths and Physics teachers.” Henry Barton of ‘Independent School Parent’ said: “I would like to congratulate you for winning both the Independent School of the Year Award and The Boys’ School of the Year Award. We were overwhelmed by the response to our inaugural awards and it was a highly competitive category so an incredible achievement to have won.” The ‘Independent School Parent’ magazine tweeted news of the award by saying: “Among many other fantastic achievements, last year the school was the first in the country to be awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Many congratulations!” and, reflecting on the Awards, commented that: “The judges were delighted by the positive and public response to the awards, which were held to celebrate the quality of the student experience in British independent schools. They scrutinised every entry and enjoyed reading stories of transformative and innovative projects in schools from Scotland to Cornwall. What the entries to the awards showed was an independent school sector that is truly thriving: from small rural pre-preps through to senior schools which are household names.”

Fundraising Campaign of the Year _______________________________________________________

olton School has won this year’s Institute of Development Professionals in Education (IDPE) Schools’ Fundraising Campaign of the Year award. The accolade was bestowed upon the School after voting from other IDPE member schools. Head of Development Laura Firth and Development Manager Laura Rooney were delighted to collect the award at a ceremony held at Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole Hotel during the IDPE Conference, at which Headmistress of the Girls’ Division Sue Hincks was also in attendance, in her capacity as 2019 President of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA).

SCHOOL NOTES

School Notes

The winner was deemed to be the School that had best raised the fundraising bar by demonstrating creativity or innovation and success within a fundraising campaign. The judging panel’s shortlisting comments were: ‘This was a well-executed fundraising campaign that shows what can be achieved if everyone is working to the same objectives.’ Mrs. Firth, who had earlier delivered a session at the conference with Headmaster of the Boys’ Division Philip Britton, said: ‘Our longterm ambition is to build a Bursary Fund able to support one in three children, replicating the level of access enjoyed during the Direct Grant era. Using the School’s centenary celebrations as a catalyst, in September 2014, we began the 100 Campaign for Bolton School Bursaries, with the aim of raising £5m by August 2018, a target we were delighted to achieve.’ During the four years of the 100 Campaign, every £1 spent on fundraising resulted in £6.40 for the School. Participation in the 100 Campaign came overwhelmingly from alumni, but also from former parents, current parents and charitable trusts. The 100 Campaign galvanised new and existing donors in their support for the Bursary Fund, embedding the School’s ambitious long-term vision for open access within the psyche of the entire School community.

Assembly remembers Lord Leverhulme _______________________________________________________

upils celebrated the birthdate (19th September) of Lord Leverhulme, the School’s benefactor, in an assembly given by Headmaster Mr. Britton. Having, in recent years, focused on Leverhulme’s palm oil plantations in Africa and the repelling of his philanthropy in the Scottish Highlands, the Head turned his attention to the soap magnate as a public figure. He told how William Hesketh Lever, who had always been a great admirer of Gladstone, became a Liberal MP for Wirral in 1906, the constituency in which his soap works and model village at Port Sunlight was sited. His opening address in Parliament was a speech imploring the adoption of an old age pension, similar to that which his own workers enjoyed and, it could be argued, helped sow the seeds of the welfare state.

SCHOOL NOTES

Jumping forward to 1913, the Head told how Sir William, as he was now known, experienced a busy year. On 1st April, he signed papers leading to the formation of Bolton School (Boys’ Division and Girls’ Division) and in the summer, whilst dining with the King and Lord Derby, his Rivington bungalow was set on fire. Whilst Bolton and Chorley fire brigades were informed, neither attended and his home burnt to the ground. It has never been proven who set the blaze, but it is widely accepted that it was women’s suffragists; ironically, he was a supporter of this movement – Bolton School itself was a physical manifestation of his beliefs, but, as a very public figure, it was seen as a visible act against the establishment. In 1917, he became Baron Leverhulme, the “hulme” element of his title being in honour of his wife’s family, and also the High Sheriff of Lancashire. A year later, he became the Mayor of Bolton – the only person to undertake this role as someone who was not a local councillor – the council had wanted to reward him for everything he had done for the borough and referred to him as “a notable son of the town”. His benefaction to his native Bolton included Hall i’ th’ Wood, Leverhulme Park and Lever Park in Rivington. The council, in their wisdom, refused his offer in 1924 to invest in the fabric of Bolton by building a boulevard from Queen’s Park to Deansgate, instead deciding to build a small extension to the Town Hall! The Head concluded his talk by telling the boys to take inspiration from the philanthropist, describing him as: “a man of great instinct and powerful vision, with a passion for getting things done.”

The Tillotson Lecture _______________________________________________________

he 46th annual Tillotson Lecture was given by Old Boy John Derbyshire OBE, whose involvement with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) British Sailing Team spans 32 years as a coach, Olympic Manager and Director of Racing. He spent the whole day in school, during which he was interviewed by young sailor Thomas Platt in Year 11 about his experiences, and also met with gifted and talented sports pupils over lunchtime. In the evening, Sixth Form students and other members of the School community gathered in the Great Hall for his Tillotson address.

School Notes saw the youngest team ever win three gold and two silver medals, smashing their target of three medals in total. This was the fulfilment of a programme of supporting young sailors, which John suggested after his 1996 Olympic disappointment. The success of 2000 transformed the sport: with Lottery funding, sailors could become full-time athletes, and there was a culture shift, which meant that sailors didn’t just want to be the best in the country, but the best in the world.

After a welcome from Headmaster Mr. Britton and a brief introduction from School Captain Matthew Schaffel, John took centre stage to reflect on his career, provide insight into Olympic Sailing and explain how Great Britain became one of the best sailing nations in the world. He was first grabbed by this physical and tactical sport while still a pupil at Bolton School between 1963 and 1974. He said that it was the mental side of sailing which really interested him, describing it as “chess on water”, with sailors anticipating wind shifts and the movements of other boats in order to be successful. After leaving Bolton School, he briefly went into teaching; however, in 1984, he had the opportunity to work at the National Sailing Centre as a coach, and from there successfully interviewed to become an Olympic coach. His first Olympic Games in 1988 was “the most amazing experience”: he recalled the incredible roar of the crowd during the opening ceremony and several other unforgettable moments from those Games. However, for the 1996 Olympics, he was hit with disappointment, as he was not selected as the laser coach. He dealt with this by getting involved with Paralympic sailing, and after being chosen as the Paralympic coach, they won a gold medal. Looking back on this experience, he advised the audience to “try to find a positive” from disappointment. Moving on to talk more broadly about his approach to leadership as his career progressed, he said that coaching is in essence “creating the environment for athletes to be the best they can be.” He talked through the values he set for the British sailing teams, which not only included passion, innovation and a commitment to excellence, but also honesty and collaboration between all sailors on the team, despite the fact that they were in competition with each other for Olympic places, and the importance of having fun. He discussed two more Olympic Games in detail. First was the “interesting and challenging” Sydney Olympics of 2000, which

John went on to speak about the 2012 home games in London, during which he was the Performance Director. The sailing target was four to six medals, but he also planned to leave behind a legacy for the future of sailing. This included facilities and the establishment of a training base, securing sponsorship for the next Olympic cycle and inspiring the next generation: all of which he managed to achieve. He also briefly talked about some of the VIPs he escorted during the 2012 Olympics, including Princess Anne, David Cameron and the Duchess of Cambridge. Bringing this section of his talk to a close, John pointed out that between 1980 and 1996 Great Britain won just five sailing medals, but since then have secured twenty-four: a massive improvement. Next, he talked about the future of sailing and how the team secures its funding through evidence, which is gathered by establishing “what it takes to win” and creating performance profiles for each sailor, so that every element of their race can be analysed and improved. He also talked about the training for Tokyo 2020, which is now underway, and the facilities that the team is making use of in Japan. Finally, he said that although he didn’t have a plan when he left school, he gradually built on the opportunities that came along. He reassured pupils in the audience who might be in the same position, saying: “You never know when the thing you want to do with the rest of your life will come along. When it does, grab it, take a chance and have some fun.” The floor was then opened up to questions. John talked again about his favourite Olympics and favourite host city, which in both cases was Sydney, and described the importance of being respectful of other cultures and transferring knowledge when travelling to the Olympic Games. When asked about the innovations in sailing, he said that there is “a constant stream of good ideas”, but everything must stay within the rules. He also talked about his experience of continuing to sail for a few years after becoming a coach, and the difficulties of not having enough time to do both well. However, he said that since his retirement this year, he has got back into the sport again! Vice-captain Bilal Asghar led a vote of thanks to bring the evening to a close, after which guests were invited to the Riley Centre for refreshments.

SCHOOL NOTES

School Notes

The Tillotson Lecture was established in 1971 at the behest of the late Marcus Tillotson, and since then has become a major public event in the School calendar. The series has attracted eminent speakers, including notable alumni like John, who have delivered thought-provoking lectures to the School community.

Remembrance Day Assembly _______________________________________________________

t this morning’s assembly we look ahead to the commemorations that will take place on Sunday when, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, two minutes of silence will be kept throughout the nation and overseas, to mark 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, we make our own commemoration of past members of this school, who laid down their lives for their country in two World Wars and other conflicts, and we remember most particularly those who made that supreme sacrifice one hundred years ago. Last November, we recalled what is arguably the most harrowing and appalling of all narratives of the First World War, the conflict we know as the Third Battle of Ypres, or simply and most starkly, Passchendaele. This year, one hundred years ago, on 8th August

10 SCHOOL NOTES

1918, the Battle of Amiens had reversed the disastrous setback of the Ypres offensives, and the great allied advance of seven miles that was accomplished on the first day of the action set in motion the beginning of the end of the First World War. Launching an attack that would surprise the German forces was a crucial element of the plan. The large-scale use of tanks, for the first time available in considerable numbers, was intended to remove the need for heavy bombardment, adding even more to the element of surprise. Moreover, British advances in artillery techniques meant that there be no need for preliminary ‘ranging shots’ to be used; the resulting effect would be unexpected, powerful and devastating. Much of the plan had been the idea of Lieutenant General John Monash, commander of the Australian Corps, approved by General Sir Henry Rawlinson, commander of the British Fourth Army, and in succession by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, commander of the British Expeditionary force, and General Ferdinand Foch, created Marshal of France that year. For the first time, this offensive would see Australian and Canadian forces fighting side by side; both had a reputation for strength, determination and a record of success. The battle began in dense fog at 4.20 in the morning of 8th August. The attack was so unexpected that German forces only began to return fire after five minutes, but they chose as their target the initial positions, which by then the Allied armies had already left. By 7.30, the first wave had advanced more than two miles and had captured the first German position. By 11 o’clock, the Canadian and Australian forces had moved so rapidly that they captured a party of German officers and divisional staff who were eating breakfast. A fifteen-mile gap was punched through the German line, and German communications were destroyed. Some sixteen thousand prisoners were taken. Total German losses were estimated at 30,000 on that first day, with the Allies sustaining some 8,000 casualties. From that day, the morale of German soldiers deteriorated, and their purposefulness faltered. A negotiated peace rather than victory became the objective, but the path to a cessation of hostilities was far from easy. How could it possibly have been otherwise? At the end of September 1918, Quartermaster General Erich Ludendorff informed the Kaiser and the Imperial Chancellor that he would not be able to hold the front for another two hours. The German High Command considered that they had passed to the government the responsibility for dealing with the situation that government had created, but they had not understood that the allies required that the Kaiser’s abdication would be a necessary part of negotiation. In late October, General Ludendorff therefore changed his mind and sought to extend the war. He and others found it impossible to accept the far-reaching consequences for their country of the terms that were being imposed, not least the loss of the dynasty and their being forced to break their oath to the Kaiser. However, German soldiers were no longer the force they had once been and when, at the end of October, the sailors’ revolt spread across the country, the proclamation of a republic followed swiftly on 9th November and negotiations for the ceasefire were completed hurriedly. Fighting continued in some areas right up to the agreed eleventh hour of the Armistice. On that eleventh day of November, there were nearly

School Notes eleven thousand casualties, of whom 2,738 men died. And now members of Year 9 will read from the School’s Book of Remembrance the details of twelve former members of this school, who lost their lives in the weeks leading to the Armistice: Second Lieutenant John Gordon Ward, 63rd Training Squadron Royal Air Force, killed 7th May 1918, aged 25 John Ward was born in 1893 in Bolton. The family lived in Chorley New Road; his father had interests in a number of cotton mills in the town. When the war began, John and his brother George enlisted together into the Public Schools Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. John was commissioned whilst in France and, at some stage, was transferred to the newly formed Royal Air Force. Whilst engaged in pilot training at Joyce Green aerodrome on Dartford marshes, he was killed, one of a large number of trainee pilots and instructors who lost their lives there when the service was in its early months. He is interred in Heaton Cemetery, Bolton. Lieutenant Leslie Cyril William Bauchope, Royal Air Force, died in an accident 21st May 1918, aged 21 Cyril Bauchope was born in 1897; his father was a senior official of the Inland Revenue. After leaving Bolton School in 1913, Cyril worked in a bank for a little over a year before he enlisted into the Royal Fusiliers. He was wounded in France in 1916, and a year later was in training for a commission in the infantry. However, he decided to transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. He very soon became a flying instructor in the newly formed Royal Air Force. He was killed in a flying accident whilst based at Stamford. He too is buried in Heaton Cemetery, Bolton. Second Lieutenant James Bromily, Royal Army Service Corps Mechanical Transport, 394th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, killed 28th June 1918, aged 31 James Bromily was the elder of two brothers who were both killed in the war. After leaving Bolton School, James gained experience of the cotton and textile trade working as a salesman; he went on to found the firm of Howe, Bromily and Co. He enlisted in April 1917 and was sent overseas early in 1918. He was killed on a train whilst on his journey home on leave to visit his wife and young child. He is buried in the Blargies Communal Cemetery Extension. Private Fred Worsley, 13th Battalion The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, died of wounds 25th August 1918, aged 22 Fred Worsley was born in 1896 and joined the school in 1906. He left in 1911 to become an articled pupil to the Engineer and Surveyor of Marple Council. Enlisting in 1916, he was posted early in 1917, but was sent back to England suffering with the severe infection known as trench foot. He sustained a shrapnel wound to his neck in April of that year. On 23rd August 1918, his regiment took part in an action to gain and hold a section of the Arras-Albert railway line, which was placed in a deep cutting. Thick fog delayed the arrival of supporting artillery and strong German forces made any advance impossible. Private Worsley sustained severe head wounds

that day and died two days later. He was buried at the Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille. Gunner Herbert Hermann Gustav Grossman, 9th Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, died of wounds 5th September 1918, aged 24 Hermann Grossman was born in 1893. When he entered Bolton School, his father was manager of the Victoria Hotel in the town. The family were required to move a good deal and Hermann’s education was frequently interrupted. Late in 1914, he joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as a gunner; it was about this time that he adopted the name Herbert in place of Hermann Gustav. It should be remembered that King George V had agreed to change the Royal Family’s dynastic name to Windsor and when Prince Louis of Battenburg lost his post as First Sea Lord, he adopted the title Lord Mountbatten. Herbert was sent overseas early in 1916. He was badly wounded in September 1918 whilst taking part in action near the Canal du Nord, Pronville, threatening the Hindenburg Position. He died the following day and was buried in the Ligny-St. Flochel British Cemetery. Private Percy Gerald Evetts, 10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, killed in action 14th September 1918, aged 22 Percy Evetts entered Bolton School in 1908 when his father had been appointed Principal of the Bolton Teachers Centre. He enlisted in 1915 and was killed in action against German positions near Trescault. His body was not recovered, and he is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, which records the names of 9,000 servicemen killed between August 1918 and the day of the Armistice. Second Lieutenant John Fletcher, 4th Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, killed in action 28th September 1918, aged 21 John Fletcher was born in 1896, son of the Headmaster of Haulgh Board School. He became an engineering apprentice with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company at its Horwich Locomotive Works. He was a member of the Manchester University Officer Training Corps, but he enlisted as a private in the Manchester Regiment in December 1914. In June 1915, he was sent with the seventh Battalion to Gallipoli, but, having contracted dysentery there, he was sent home. Commissioned second lieutenant in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, he was killed in action, having served on the Western Front for just five weeks. He is buried in the British Cemetery at Anneux and his name is recorded with other employees of the railway company who were killed in the war on the fine bronze memorial at Victoria Station in Manchester. Second Lieutenant Harry Bentley, Northumberland Fusiliers, drowned by enemy action 10th October 1918, aged 28 Harry Bentley was a member of Bolton School from 1903 till 1905, after which time he joined the staff of London City and Midland Bank. An enthusiastic sportsman, he belonged to Dunscar Golf Club, the Bolton Cricket Club and Wyresdale Football Club. In 1918, he

SCHOOL NOTES 11

School Notes was employed as an accountant inspector working for the Ministry of Munitions. In this role, he had been working in Dublin and was returning to Holyhead from Ireland when he met his death as a passenger aboard the mail packet Leinster, which was struck by German torpedoes. He was among the 176 passengers and crew who were lost, many of them women and children. His body was never recovered, and his name is recorded on the Hollybrook Memorial in Southampton, on which are set the names of some 1,900 men and women of land and air forces whose bodies were never found.

Lance Corporal John Entwistle, 77th Field Regiment Royal Engineers, killed in action 23rd September 1918, aged 32 John Entwistle taught woodwork at Bolton School, Rivington Grammar School, Kearsley West School and Prestolee Council School. He was a fine cricketer, swimmer and table tennis champion of Farnworth. He went to France in 1916. In September 1918, he was with a working party when he was struck by a piece of shell, which killed him instantly. He was buried near Sorel-le-Grand. His commanding officer had noted for his widow that he had been “one of the cheeriest of men…a thoroughly reliable and trustworthy NCO”.

Private Charles Herbert Turner, 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers, died of Wounds 17th October 1918, aged 24 Charles Turner was born in Bolton in 1892, the son of a Congregationalist clergyman. Private Turner sustained injury in action in Belgium and died of his wounds at a Casualty Clearing Centre. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

Last year was the centenary year of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Founded as the Imperial War Graves Commission, it is now responsible for the care of cemeteries and memorials at 23,000 locations in 154 countries, ensuring that those who fell in battle are honoured with dignity. In this connexion, it is appropriate that this year we should reflect on the faithful work of all those who maintain the many memorial statues around the United Kingdom (sadly in recent months a target for those who would deface our public memorials). The people’s response to the end of the war and the huge losses that were sustained should also have the strongest claim on our attention. The loss sustained by the combined armed forces of the British Empire was around 1.1 million. During an early Armistice Day broadcast, it was stated that if all those servicemen who had been killed between 1914 and 1918 were to have marched south in ranks of four to Whitehall in the centre of London, on the front rank’s reaching the Cenotaph the last rank would still be in the city of Durham. In the months after the November Armistice in 1918, there were many demands for memorials. This had been anticipated even in 1914, when a series of articles published in the ‘Architectural Review’ commented on the dearth of fine dignified memorials erected in England in contrast with those that had been built in France, Germany and Italy. One commented, “At the close of the War, the Nation will demand the erection of a national memorial to the memory of her fallen sons. There must be no niggardly dealing in connection with it. Isolated statues and mediocre tablets will not suffice to reward the terrific nature of the struggle”.

Private Kenneth Hardie Crowe, 4th Battalion The Border Regiment, died of wounds 22nd October 1918, aged 20 Kenneth Crowe was a member of Bolton School from 1909 to 1912 when he became a pharmacist’s apprentice. Aged almost 18, he enlisted in the Border Regiment and died on 22 October of gunshot wounds received earlier that month. He is buried in the St. Sever Cemetery Extension.

To these names we should add: Captain Robert Cecil Hearn MC, 20th Battalion The London Regiment, killed in action 30th April 1918, aged 26 Robert Hearn taught Classics and English at Bolton School for just one term before he joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps in January 1915, receiving his Commission to the London Regiment. He had been educated at St. Olave’s School along with Robert Stanley Chapman, who also taught Latin and English at Bolton School and whose anniversary we commemorated last November. Hearn was an Exhibitioner of St. John’s College, Cambridge, a talented violinist and prominent member of the university Music Society. He received the Military Cross in 1918, but was killed in action in Palestine. He is buried in the Jerusalem War Cemetery.

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Many of you who have travelled to see the war graves in Belgium will have seen the remarkable memorials such as the massive Thiepval arch designed by the architect Edwin Lutyens, which was unveiled in 1932. Despite the production of many grand schemes and the work of numerous committees set up to assess them, London has nothing on such a scale. Instead, we have the simple Cenotaph in Whitehall, another fine example of Edwin Lutyens’ skill: a simple, even severe, single pylon supporting a huge symbolic sarcophagus. Originally set up rapidly and fashioned from wood and plaster for the Peace Celebrations of July 1919, the Cenotaph immediately became the place which led to an outpouring of public feeling and grief, and it was visited by over a million ordinary people. Surrounded by the many wreaths and flowers which they had left, it at once became the focus of National sentiment. In due course, what Lutyens himself called “the human sentiment of millions” prevailed, and the government agreed that the temporary structure should be replaced

School Notes by the present one built of fine Portland stone. Walter Marsden, a native of Accrington, designed the Bolton War Memorial. Like a number of members of this school, he served in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He fought at Passchendaele and was awarded the Military Cross. After the war, he was a member of the council of the Royal Society of British Sculptors and he worked on many war memorials in the country. His work for the Bolton Memorial is one of his most notable achievements. Unveiled by the Earl of Derby on 14th July 1928, it is presented as an arch, around which stand the allegorical figures of Struggle, Sacrifice and Peace. Part of the inscription reads: Tell ye your children, Our brothers died to win a better World. Our part must be to strive for truth, goodwill and peace that their sacrifice be not in vain. Lest we forget. In these past five years when it has been my great privilege to have led the school’s Commemoration of its former members who suffered and lost their lives in the long and bitter struggle that was the First World War, we have concluded our Act of Remembrance with the laying of wreaths, the generous gift of the Royal British Legion. This year, it is right that we should pay tribute to the dedication and commitment to the work of the Legion which was shown by Mrs. Barbara Ronson, who died on 28th October. Mrs. Ronson was the first woman to serve as Leader of the Bolton Council. She had a strong sense of public service and in this connexion, each year she faithfully delivered to Bolton School the poppies that so many of you are wearing today. We lay wreaths again this year, and in addition to calling to mind all who lost their lives in that terrible and tumultuous conflict, we remember the enormous significance of the Armistice one hundred years ago and the cessation of hostilities that brought peace, albeit an uneasy one, which needed three further discussions until the Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919, took effect in January, 1920. For many people at the time, the defeat of Germany and her allies would have been seen as victory: for others, it would have been seen as cause for relief. As time passed, the sheer scale of the losses both of military and civilian personnel, prompted analysis of political decisions and criticism of military strategy. The First World War brought about some 40 million military and civilian casualties. Great Britain and her allies lost about 5.7 million soldiers; Germany and the Central Powers lost about four million. However, from January 1918 to December 1920, humanity had to face an even greater peril: the deadly influenza pandemic, known somewhat unhelpfully as the ‘Spanish Flu’, which infected 500 million around the world, resulting in the deaths of some 3 to 5 per cent of the world’s population. Most unusually, this pandemic killed healthy young adults. Possibly the aggressive nature of the virus was in part to blame, but almost certainly the conditions created by the First World War contributed in no small way to this catastrophe: scarcely no family in the world had no cause to mourn. In the Bolton School Book of Remembrance, there is one such, the family of Charles Pilling, who left Bolton School in 1914. He trained as a wireless telegraphist and had seen service on board the Royal Naval transport ship HMT War Python, one of a fleet of ‘oilers’, servicing other vessels at sea. He died on 30th October 1918, the Bolton

News obituary notice recording the cause of his death as “septic pneumonia following influenza”. The second wave of the pandemic in 1918 was worse than the first, wreaking havoc around the world, worst of all in Western Samoa, where ninety per cent of people became infected and 62 per cent of the populace lost their lives.

We shall soon stand and Josh Bowers, Harvey Haworth and Dylan Heywood will carry to the school’s Memorial Window wreaths that represent three of the world’s great faiths; Connor Davies will carry the school’s Book of Remembrance. Before this, we shall stand as a school to keep a short silence. In this silence, we may call to mind the way that the tumult of war shakes all aspects of the even temper of the lives of people and powers. At a time of uncertainty (and some anxiety) about far-reaching development in the United Kingdom’s role in the world, we can also be grateful for the good order and governance that serve well the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth. As the wreath bearers make their way to the school’s Memorial Window, we do not walk this year to a lament or solemn melody. Mr. Pain has kindly agreed to play instead the Festival March written by Tchaikovsky in 1883 for the Coronation of Tsar Alexander III. It is a splendid piece, a confident statement and joyous celebration of the succession of dynasty. Thirty-one years after it was written, war would ravage the entire world. In that war, more than six-and-a-half million Russian soldiers and sailors were either killed or wounded; one-and-a-half million Russian civilians were killed, and in July 1918, the dynasty was ended in the brutal murder and mutilation of Tsar Nicholas II, the Tsarina, their five children and members of their household. Let us use our moments of silence today to reflect on the great good for us of what the old Prayer for the High Court of Parliament in their Session describes as “the safety, honour and welfare of our Sovereign and her Dominions; that all things may be so ordered and settled … upon the best and surest foundations, that peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety, may be established among us for all generations”. Tell ye your children, Our brothers died to win a better World. Our part must be to strive for truth, goodwill and peace that their sacrifice be not in vain. Lest we forget. Dr. S.W. Holland

SCHOOL NOTES 13

School Notes

Former teacher remembered _______________________________________________________ Captain Robert Cecil Hearn, M.C. Born 30th October 1892 Killed in action 30th April 1918

he pattern of a school year, in common with the annual cycle of many organisations, is predictable. This can afford assurance, but, from time to time, the advent of something novel or unexpected can define anew a term or even a whole school year: it is a fine thing indeed when such an event is both memorable and enjoyable. Monday 29th April 2019 is notable in my diary for having brought such an event to the school, but it was only my privilege to have experienced it and is therefore my duty to record it.

Centennial Anniversary memorial service which had taken place in the chapel of St. John’s College, Cambridge on Saturday 28th April 2018. It had been attended by his family along with representatives from the College and St. Olave’s School, where Robert had been educated (along with Robert Stanley Chapman, who had also taught Latin and English at Bolton School before the war). Mrs. Hill kindly accepted my invitation to visit us; the date that was arranged entirely by chance had solemn significance, but presented too an opportunity to introduce her to Dr. Eric McPherson, who researched the biographies of the Bolton School men whose lives were lost in the two world wars. I was delighted that Eric could give Mrs. Hill a copy of his book, ‘Remembered with honour’, but I was most grateful indeed to accept from her on the school’s behalf her gift to the archive, a file of precious material about Robert, which she and members of her family have lovingly compiled. This material will greatly interest colleagues and boys in Bolton School for many years: a valuable resource, which sets before the reader images of Robert’s life, school, university and military experience, all of which certainly provide a telling answer to the question drawn from the prophet Ezekiel, “And can these bones live?”, which I quoted in the foreword that Eric had asked me to write for his book. But these images do much more. The moving pictures of Robert with his parents at the Senate House, Cambridge on the day he took his degree, and of him wearing the uniform of a 2nd lieutenant in the 20th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment, remind us of his generation’s participation in those several rites of passage, which continue to define life’s progress and, we hope, bring us joy. So very poignant therefore is the picture of him relaxing at Deir ElBalah, probably the last photograph that was taken before he was killed at Shunet Nimrin whilst in command of A Company during the Second Transjordan raid. Robert Cecil Hearn, M.C. lies in the Jerusalem War Cemetery. The Order of Service of the St. John’s College Centennial Service has a picture of this place and bears the words, “Let those who come after see to it that his name be not forgotten”. Mrs. Hill and her family have done so much to ensure that Robert’s life is not forgotten. Through their work and that of Dr. Eric McPherson, one is proud to know that this school will not fail in its duty to commemorate him (and others); his story is a feature of our history but, more importantly, a solemn trust. When he left Bolton School, Robert Hearn could not have known that his name would outlive most of his generation. We are grateful that we have the opportunity, along with St. Olave’s School and St. John’s College, to share in his family’s pride. Dr. S.W. Holland

As part of the School’s Remembrance Commemoration in November 2018, I read from the Roll of Honour the names of two young men who had taught at Bolton School before they had enlisted: Captain Robert Cecil Hearn and Lance Corporal John Entwistle. Some weeks later, I received an email from Mrs. Barbara Hill, a member of the late Robert Hearn’s family, who kindly told me about the impressive

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School Notes Holocaust survivor shares her experiences _______________________________________________________

olocaust survivor Iby Knill visited the School to speak about her experiences prior to and during the Second World War. All Senior Boys in Years 9 and 10 attended the talk, along with some students in Years 11 to 13.

Iby began with a brief history and geography lesson to give the audience the appropriate background knowledge they would need to see the implications of her talk. She gave a clear overview of how Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party rose to power after the First World War and explained that Jewish people were an easy target, before moving on to her personal experiences. She spoke about her childhood in Bratislava, in particular focusing on the changes that occurred when the Nazis rose to power: she was forced to change schools, could not attend academic institutions beyond the age of 16, her family’s business was ‘Aryanised’ and taken over by non-Jews, the family were forced to leave their apartment, and they had to wear yellow stars on their clothes to mark them as Jewish.

She went on to talk about the terrible conditions in Birkenau and the daily routine which, she said, was designed to keep everyone under control. Eventually, she volunteered as a nurse on a labour transport and therefore escaped Auschwitz-Birkenau. She survived 40 days and nights in the camp and was eventually liberated on Easter Sunday 1945. She talked briefly about her life after the war, working as an interpreter for the German government, meeting her husband Bert, who was a British Army officer and marrying him in three ceremonies to satisfy the Czech, British and British Army laws and regulations. Finally, she spoke about returning to Hungary and Germany with a BBC film crew in 2010 to retrace her journey for a film, sharing pictures of some locations that were key to her story. She ended her talk with the image of Shoes on the Danube Bank, which is a memorial in Budapest for the victims who were shot into the river, and reminded the audience: “You had people … who were only too pleased to kill people who were different to them, and today you have those dangers all over Europe, all over the world again.” The boys were invited to ask questions at the end of this thoughtprovoking and deeply personal address.

Uniformed Services Dinner _______________________________________________________

special Uniformed Services Dinner, presided over by the Headmaster and Headmistress, saw staff and former pupils, many of whom had connections with the armed services, as well as current pupils gather to pay tribute to the 81 Old Boys who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War One.

She described in some detail her escape to Hungary in 1941, her experiences hiding in Budapest, her involvement with the resistance movement and her arrest as an illegal immigrant. In June 1944, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau alongside 3,000 Hungarian Jews. Iby described her arrival at Auschwitz, where everyone was stripped, shaved, showered in cold water, given rags to wear and registered. There were so many people that they ran out of ink and so she does not have a tattoo. This inspired the name of her first book, ‘The Woman Without A Number’. She had decided to assist the doctors and nurses with looking after Jewish patients during their evacuation from Hungary, and therefore was listed on her registration papers as a nurse: she said that this and the red triangle designating her as a political prisoner probably saved her life.

The three-course dinner, held just over 100 years after the 1918 Armistice, took place in the School’s Arts Centre. The evening began with a drinks reception at which guests, including Cubs, Scouts and Cadets and other uniformed organisations, viewed moving displays charting the life profiles of former pupils, each one being commemorated with a ceramic poppy, which had been originally displayed at The Tower of London.

SCHOOL NOTES 15

School Notes Senior Prizegiving _______________________________________________________

M In a moving tribute, the School Captain and Head Girl read out the names of each of the former pupils who lost their lives whilst a poppy was placed against their name on a roll of honour. There was also a powerful reading by Classics Teacher Mrs. Hone of ‘We Shall Keep The Faith’, which Moina Michael wrote as a response to John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’, promising to remember the fallen with the symbol of the poppy.

r. Michael Griffiths, who retires as Bolton School’s Chairman of Governors at the end of December, was the guest speaker at this year’s Senior Prizegiving. Fittingly, he had also delivered the keynote address in his first year as Chairman of Governors twelve years ago. Mr. Griffiths told how he took immense pride in his association with the school, which stretches back to 1958, when he first joined as an 11-yearold, travelling in via bike, steam train and a double-decker bus from Leyland. Recapping his school career, his time reading Economics at university, volunteering on a remote island and his early career at accounting firm Arthur Andersen, he told the gathering of boys, teachers and parents to play to their strengths and to never lose their curiosity, and that the more situations they could expose themselves to, the more they could learn about themselves. He then spoke about creating his own business and the importance of taking calculated risks, following your instincts and living your dreams.

Mr. Griffiths thanked the outstanding Headmaster Philip Britton and his outstanding staff and spoke of the buzz and vigour that he can always feel when he enters the buildings. He referenced the School winning the TES Independent School of the Year Award and

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School Notes how this reflected the school’s important engagement with the local community and provision of bursary support. As someone who had himself benefitted from a free scholarship from Lancashire County Council to study at Bolton School, Mr. Griffiths has always been passionate about providing fee support and was delighted that Bolton School has also won the IDPE’s Fundraising Campaign of the Year for its 100 Campaign for Bursaries. One in five senior school pupils currently receives fee support and the aim is to make this one in three by 2030. He praised the boys, especially those receiving prizes in a school of high achievers, and told them to go out into the world and to make a difference for good. He said that this would be the last time in the Great Hall for Year 13 students, but almost certainly not the last time they would visit and that they could always be assured of a warm welcome. Finally, telling them to have lots of fun, he wished the boys good luck!

He concluded his address by saying that a school is not about the buildings and premises but about the people – the pupils and teaching colleagues – and they are what makes this such an impressive school. The evening was punctuated by a series of accomplished musical offerings, including a performance by the Junior Organ Scholar William Martin, the singing of the school song ‘Forty Years On’, two violin solos by Victor Chow, Jamie Gregson’s trumpet solo, a performance by a vocal ensemble of ‘Ave Maris Stella’, written by Year 12 student Adam Whitmore, the School’s Senior Young Composer of the Year, and a rousing rendition by the Hall of ‘Jerusalem’. Captain of the School Ruairi McCabe offered a Vote of Thanks to Mr. Griffiths and refreshments were taken in the Leverhulme Suite.

Thanking the Chairman of Governors for his address, Headmaster Mr. Britton reflected how, although much had changed, the School’s ethos had remained constant throughout Mr. Griffiths’ association with the School. He told of the threat to independent schools from ‘those that do not understand us’ and of his strong belief that our school, which attracts pupils from all backgrounds, makes a difference to social mobility in Bolton and the North West. The TES Award has demonstrated that Bolton School is showing nationally what independent schools can and should do and, along with the two Independent School Parent magazine awards and the IDPE award, that it is the go-to place for partnerships, selection, bursary provision and community engagement. Schools like ours, Mr. Britton said, are the solution, not part of the problem. Mr. Britton paid tribute to former Headmaster Mervyn Brooker, whose premature death earlier this year had come as such a shock, before recapping what had been another busy and highly successful year, lauding academic and value-added, sporting and outdoor, music and drama and other extra-curricular achievements, including national awards and appearances in numerous national finals as well as the now firmly-embedded character development of pupils. He also reviewed the various enrichment activities and visits by guest speakers, many of them former pupils.

SCHOOL NOTES 17

School Notes STONER (Physics): William Miles 10a Dawood Nalla 10a RELIGIOUS STUDIES: Lucas Appleby 11f HIGGINSON (Art): Hamzah Babaria 12c EMMA SAXELBY (French): Andrew Garcia-Cox 13j TILLOTSON (Typography): Haryan Notay 11b METCALFE (Modern Languages): Adam Whitmore 12j JARY (Art): David Chow 8e MAYNARD ANDREWS (German): Harry Goodwin 13g BRABBIN (Art & Tech): William Hardy 12c CLIVE WILLIS (Spanish): Bilal Asghar 13a MELLOWDEW (Design & Tech): Noah Smart 13g WATERHOUSE (Russian): Matthew Schaffel 13b DOBSON PRIZE (Engineering) Sam Bruton 13a GEOFFREY ROSSETTI (English): Lee Glover 13h BAGGLEY (ICT): Habib Chanchwelia 13f LIPSCOMB (Speech & Drama) Senior: Nicholas Clark 13d AINSWORTH (Mathematics): Shivam Patel 13h LIPSCOMB (Speech & Drama) Middle: Charlie Griffiths 11e TOM WATSON (Statistics): Cameron Duckett 13a THE RALPH LITTLE PRIZE: Aden Stephenson 12j JOHN BLAKEY: Hamzah Chariwala 11c BARONESS MORRIS: Matthew Schaffel 13b GARDNER-TAYLOR: Alex Matthews 13a THE MIDDLE SCHOOL RESEARCH PRIZE: Thomas Britton 11b ALDERMAN STEELE: Luke James 13b Amir Chauhan 11b STEELE: Amrit Mishra 7c LEVERHULME SALVER Nathan Ashley 13a RYLEY (Community Service) Krishnan Ajit 12f ROBERT AINSWORTH (Classics): Matthew Schaffel 13b FRANK BROWN (13) Christopher Jacob 13d H.T. LANE (Biology): Jude Brennan-Calland 13j FRANK BROWN (12) Adam Whitmore 12c VICTOR LAMBERT (Medical Studies): Arjun Agarwal 13c FRANK BROWN (11) Max Kelly 11d KIRKMAN (Biology): Oliver Johnson 13c FRANK BROWN (10) James Hopkinson 10c SCIENCE INVESTIGATION: Christopher Jacob 13d FRANK BROWN (9) Neerav Patel 9c WARBURTON (Geography): Dominic Hardy 13i FRANK BROWN (8) Levi Higham 8d LEIGH-BRAMWELL GEOGRAPHY PROJECT: William Jackson 11b FRANK BROWN (7) Ashton Kay 7g JUNIOR GEOGRAPHY: Laurence Britton 9a BERNARD CROSSLEY AWARD: Haaris Mirza 13f BRAMALL (Economics): Bilal Asghar 13a SPECIAL ENDEAVOUR AWARD: Kieran Moon 13f WILLIAM BROWN (History): Joe Abram 13j GRANT KINNIE AWARD: Oliver Johnson 13c BOOTH (Economics & Social History) Bilal Asghar 13a RON BOOTH: Kurtis Watson 13h PENSTON MEMORIAL (History) 1st James Logan 9d NORMAN DAVIES (All Rounder): Kurtis Watson 13h PENSTON MEMORIAL (History) 2nd Henry Nuttall 9e DONNY DAVIES OLD INTERNATIONAL: Cian Spencer McDermott 11c ETHEL WIGGLESWORTH (Organ): Ben Chowdhury 12d SIMMONDS: Gareth Edwards-Williams 12j BRIERLEY (Violin): Victor Chow 13f WAINWRIGHT (Blackburn) Daniel Sykes 13g METCALFE (Music): George Speak 13b (Chorley) Nathan Hodkinson 13d DeMAINE (Choral): Jean-Paul Asumu 13g (Manchester) Peter Johnson 13g PARENTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ASSOCIATION (Chemistry): Matthew Schaffel 13b (Wigan) Dominic Aly 13g MELMOTH 1803 (Chemistry): Freddie Higham 10e FRANK GREENE: Dominic Hardy 13i Arsh Patankar 10e FRANK GREENE: Bilal Asghar 13a Thomas Yates 10b BOLTON GRAMMAR OLD BOYS: Matthew Schaffel 13b PHYSICS: Rupert Varley 13a

Senior Prizewinners _______________________________________________________

18 SCHOOL NOTES

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

Ryan Coombes (7a) William Martin (7b) Dimitris Demertzis (7c) Fraser Sackfield (7d) Adam Berisford (7e) James Parfrey (7f) Tony Yang (7g)

Alexander McKie (8a) Joe Emery (8b) Jayden Luhar (8c) Evan Weston (8d) Ewan Davies (8e) Sam Paton (8f)

Muhammad Choudhary (9a) George Seddon (9b) Simon Whitmore (9c) JJ Campbell (9d) Max Carter (9e) Marcus Ng (9f)

FORM TUTOR’S AWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT

Noman Khan (7a) Sam Neill (7b) Jenson Connah (7c) Soumil Kumar (7d) Toby Greenwood (7e) Thomas Wilson (7f) Jonak Laha (7g)

Vernon Baxter (8a) Kevin Longthorne (8b) Luis McPherson (8c) Matthew Cooney (8d) Olly Hextall (8e) Jake Dickinson (8f)

Tom Boardman (9a) Jack Fletcher (9b) Dan Jarvis (9c) Ammaar Haffeji (9d) Sam Allen (9e) Jacob Hughes (9f)

COMMENDATIONS

Year 7 Year 8 Year 9

William Martin (7b) Veer Patel (8a) Neerav Patel (9c)

HOUSEMASTER’S AWARD FOR PARTICIPATION

BLACKBURN James Parfrey (7f) Thomas Hunt (8b) Reuben Simpson (9a)

CHORLEY Mubasher Hafeez (7f) Alexander McKie (8a) Sam Abram (9e)

MANCHESTER Michael Gatenby (7b) Archie Stocks (8f) Muhammad Choudhary (9a)

WIGAN Jake Mayor (7e) Ted Kay (8c) Henry Nuttall (9e)

AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL

Joe Howard (7e) Hamza Razzaq (8d) Aarij Khan (9d) & Jack Fletcher (9b)

LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIR Tom Brocklehurst (9f) LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL VICE-CHAIR

Hashir Gul (9f)

PARTICIPATION AND ACHIEVEMENT AT PATTERDALE HALL

Oliver Hinks (7b) Jayden Luhar (8c)

EXCELLENCE IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR COMMITMENT

Mohammed Ali Sunni (7g) Levi Higham (8d) Laurence Britton (9a)

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN MUSIC

William Martin (7b) Marcus Fung (8a) Laurence Britton (9a)

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN CREATIVE ARTS

Subhaan Aslam (7b) Charlie Silvester (8c) Matthew Hope (9f)

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN SPORT

Charlie Darbyshire (7c) Ollie Cook (8d) Azhar Makkan (9f)

LOWER SCHOOL AWARD: ELOQUENCE

James Parfrey (7f) Lewis Pierson (8f) Amaan Patel (9a)

SCHOOL NOTES 19

School Notes

Monitors 2018-19 Back Row: Nathan Hodkinson, Alex Matthews, Edward Bailey, Haaris Mirza, Christopher Jacob, George Speak, Arjun Agarwal, Luke James, Nathan Ashley, Connor Davies, Shivam Patel, Jos Winstanley Middle Row: Nick Clark, Noah Smart, Jean-Paul Asumu, Ronak Hemmady, Habib Chanchwelia, Rylan Fairhurst, Peter Johnson, Jonathan Topping, Joe Abram, Jude Brennan-Calland, Lee Glover, Joe Ball, Robert Heather, Rupert Varley, Jack Phillips, Kurtis Watson Front Row: Sam Reilly, Victor Chow, Dominic Aly, Manu Panasa, Andy Garcia-Cox, Chris Smith, Bilal Asghar (Vice-captain), Matthew Schaffel (Captain), Dom Hardy (Vice-captain), James Holland, Tom McGivern, Phil Robinson, Aaron Murray, Sam Ryder, Aamir Mogra

Class of 2019

20 SCHOOL NOTES

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects SPACE _______________________________________________________

PACE is the fortnightly curriculum enrichment programme for all boys in the school, designed to expand the boys’ development in the following areas:

S P A C E

Social, Spiritual Physical, Personal, Practical Active, Aesthetic Community, Cultural Enterprise, Entrepreneurship

A few of the highlights are below: The Lower School experienced democracy in action as they cast their votes to decide what their elected Youth MPs would debate in the UK Youth Parliament, making them part of a 1.1 million strong youth voice. Year 7 started the Artsmark Journey, pursuing a huge variety of interests and developing skills as they worked towards the Bronze award. We worked with a range of local providers and partners to offer an exciting programme of activities, including Bolton FM, The People’s History Museum and the Fusiliers Museum. We were delighted to welcome back Old Boy Alex Greenhalgh to talk about his ‘People of the Streets’ initiative and to launch the Year 9 Social Enterprise Challenge; his advice was invaluable in helping boys achieve success in raising money for their chosen charity. Several groups managed to grow the initial £25 they were given to over £200; the money-generating initiatives included selling homebaked goods and homemade conserves, car washing and cinema screenings.

Middle School activities focused on leadership challenges, with boys working towards the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award and the Army Leadership task. Year 13 student Dominic Hardy shared his summer expedition experience in Nepal, paving the way for boys to pursue Scott Trust applications and create their own adventures. There was an emphasis on careers and preparing for examinations, with advice on anxiety management techniques from Charlie Waller Memorial Trust. A group of students in Year 10 visited Darcy Lever Gravel Pits once a fortnight and helped to maintain and improve conditions at the site. The gravel pits are home to nationally important species like the great-crested newt and provide habitat for one of the best dragonfly populations in the North West. The Sixth Form programme considered life beyond Bolton School, covering a range of topics from Higher Education, apprenticeships, employment and interview skills to driving safely, personal finance and work-life balance. In the Spring Term, Year 13 enjoyed a Fancy Dress Fun Run.

The ‘Triad’ programme at the start of the Spring Term, which offered a choice from a wide range of activities, was the undoubted highlight for many boys in Years 7 to 10. The more physically inclined visited the Anderton Centre to take part in water sports, climbing and abseiling, whilst others went hill walking, mountain biking or trail-running. School-based activities included karting, architecture, cookery and dissection. Dissecting a frog with Dr. Procter in one of the Triad sessions

Interviewing Liverpool FC footballer and old-boy Nat Phillips for a Year 7 Study Skills session to examine what can be learnt about high performance revision strategies from a Premier League football club

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 21

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects

Boys learning about Olympic lifting during Triads supervised by current British Champion and Old Boy Mackenzie Middleton and former Commonwealth Champion Dr. Booth

Paint being applied under the careful direction of Mrs. Brewer during the Screen Printing Triad

The Fencing Triad led by former Olympic Fencer Robert Kiss

Cookery Triad in action

Fun on the water with Canoeing, Sailing and Paddleboarding at the Anderton Centre as part of Triads

22 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Careers _______________________________________________________

he Careers programme offers numerous opportunities throughout the year for boys to consider their future beyond Bolton School. These often feature alumni as well as external speakers, who kindly offer their expertise and insight within larger events or as part of the pupils’ SPACE programme. In the Autumn Term, a day was arranged for pupils in Years 10 to 13 interested in Careers relating to the Environment. This touched on a wide range of careers, from Countryside Management and Landscape Architecture to working as a Civil Servant in the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. A number of the speakers were alumni of the school or current parents, who returned to share their experiences with today’s pupils. The day was a great way for pupils to find out more about these varied and interesting careers, all of which can have an impact on the environment in different ways.

There were also talks on chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering; graduate careers in football, sports and events; insurance and their service providers; intensive care medicine; journalism; the music industry; pharmacy, working in the community and drug licensing; social work with adults; software engineering; and surveying, real estate and commercial property development. Students were encouraged to ask questions and engage with debate throughout the talks to make the most of the World of Work morning. Hearing from the guest speakers was a great opportunity for them to look at a range of career paths and gain an insight into the variety of jobs available today. Later in the Spring Term, activities organised and run by the Army North West Outreach Team helped pupils in Year 10 to develop their teamwork, communication, problem solving, leadership skills and resilience. The boys were challenged to get their team across three blocks using two planks that were shorter than the gaps, recover equipment from the centre of a ‘minefield’, transport a stretcher full of equipment across a ‘pond’, guide a teammate through a ‘minefield’, and several more perplexing tasks. Each team rose to the occasion, working together to figure out the best approach and hopefully the solution, as they worked their way through the carousel of activities.

In the Spring Term, a morning of talks from guest speakers helped Year 12 students to explore the World of Work. The keynote speech was given by Old Boy Alex Hilton (1997-2003), who is now Head of Sustainability at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), where he is driving forward the UK Government’s efforts to minimise single-use plastic. Alex’s speech made for an inspiring start to the day for the whole of Year 12. Students then split into smaller groups to attend a further three sessions with visiting speakers. Alumni were on hand to give talks on a range of careers: Stephen Lintott (1982-1989) talked about a career in Law; Natasha Lomas (2000-2014) discussed working as a freelance Musician; Tia Louden (2002-2011) discussed working in ‘tech’; Amina Mohammed (20112018) and Alistair Fraser addressed life as a broker, covering Risk Management, Financial Services and Broking; Ross Taylor (19912004) talked about Financial Planning as a career; Archaeologist Dr. Joyce Tyldesley (1964-1978) covered the subject of picking a non-vocational degree and how ‘thinking outside the box’ in this way can be of benefit. Aaron Winstanley (2008-2015), who now teaches Technology at Park Road, was joined by Abbey O’Donnell to discuss routes into teaching; Architect John Wood (19982003) talked about the skills needed to access this career.

This valuable day was not only enjoyable, but also helped the whole of Year 10 to develop a wide range of transferrable skills. Two Sixth Form pupils joined local accountants and business advisors Cowgill Holloway on the Future Stars Programme. This initiative is designed to give students in the Sixth Form an in-depth insight into the world of business and finance through a series of placements. These will last four weeks in total, spread over the school year. Successful applicants join staff at Cowgill Holloway to experience specific areas of the business, experiencing audit, tax, business recovery, wealth management, corporate finance, and support services. In each department, a wide range of tasks will be open to them, allowing them to attend meetings, complete project work and shadow senior managers. Rory Fielding and Macey Edwards, who are both in Year 12, were the two successful applicants this year

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 23

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects following the application and interview process.

decisions. This session was run by KPMG employees: Sophie Mondo and Ruth Winter on the Tuesday and Old Girl Hannah Taylor and her colleague Richard Woolley on Thursday. During the same week, students also took part in a Leadership Training course with the Army, which included an intensive assault course.

In the Summer Term, Year 12 students took part in two days of Business Enterprise and Skills Training (BEST). This event is designed to prepare them for the world of work by helping them to develop a range of skills relevant to business and entrepreneurship. As a warm-up task to begin the first day, boys were asked to come up with marketing ideas for a new game. This was followed by a keynote address and an interview skills workshop with Chris Reynolds. Students spent the rest of the morning creating video CVs on iPads, which were then reviewed in groups with constructive feedback from staff and peers. In the afternoon, Phil Warriner led a session on communication and students practiced assessment centre activities with Steph Foster. After school and an energiser activity, students had the opportunity for some interview practice and obtained feedback from the volunteers, who were mainly parents and former students.

On the second day, students reconvened for more skill-building through a variety of workshops. Steph Foster talked about the ‘Recruitment Hoops’ that must be jumped through and, in the afternoon, led a task to help improve communication skills. Practical tasks ‘All Adrift’ and ‘Don’t Spill It’ got the boys to focus on their teamwork. Old Boy Pete Aunins (Class of 1996) led a session on ‘The Economics of Free Apps’ and challenged the Year 12s to consider how companies convince their users to keep playing. There was also a Dragon’s Den style challenge, in which groups had to consider which London restaurant they would like to renovate and run, and produce a plan with detailed reasoning behind their

Mrs. C. Sutcliffe

Community Action _______________________________________________________

he Community Action Celebration Evening for Year 12 annually recognises the enormous contribution that Bolton School students make to the wider Bolton community through their volunteering efforts. Mr. Chilton, Assistant Head of Sixth Form, welcomed everyone and pointed out that, on the same day, a team of Sixth Form students had been in London for the National Final of the Goldsmiths’ Company Community Engagement Awards, where they showcased the School’s strong links with the local community and extensive volunteering activities. This follows on from Bolton School’s receipt of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2017 as an acknowledgement of pupil and staff community action involvement. Mr. Chilton reminded the assembled audience that, in continuing Lord Leverhulme’s legacy of giving back, pupils today gain a better understanding of the world around them, as well as developing valuable skills. Thomas Whitehead spoke about his involvement with World Challenge, which took him to India, and his work helping a veterans’ charity to put on a 1940s weekend on the East Lancashire Railway. He spoke of his pride in the work completed and the vast skills set he has developed as a result.

24 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Yusuf Adia gave an honest account of his changing attitude towards volunteering, from a chore to something he consistently looks forward to each week. His presentation focused on his work with Max Potential Respite Care Home for disabled adults, which has developed from admin tasks to working more with the service users and increased his confidence and abilities through this. Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards were then presented to students by the evening’s guest speaker, Chairman of Governors Mr. Michael Griffiths, and Head of Sixth Form, Mr. Williams. This year, students across both Divisions provided 10,637 hours of voluntary service, with 86% of Year 12 completing more than 20 hours of volunteering. A total of 29 students received Gold Awards for logging more than 100 hours. Five students achieved over 200 hours of volunteering across the year.

Mr. Griffiths then took the podium to deliver a thoughtful address. He began with a comment he recently heard from a Year 11 student, “The whole community gains from volunteering.” His earliest experience of volunteering was as an 11-year-old Wolf Cub (now known as Cub Scouts). He commented that growing up in the 1950s, there was a strong community spirit, from his parents, who were involved in volunteering, to the Wolf Cub promise to help others. He therefore assumed that volunteering was something that everyone does, and this belief was confirmed when he arrived at Bolton School as a pupil. Mr. Griffiths went on to explain that volunteering has continued throughout his adult life, saying: “Once you have ‘the bug’ you never leave it.” He shared some anecdotes from a year with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) immediately after leaving school: a challenging and exciting experience, which took him to the Solomon Islands. He said that VSO was and still is a great opportunity for voluntary work to make a real difference, which he would recommend. After his return

to the UK, he became the Scout District Commissioner in the early 1980s and this led to him becoming a Governor of Bolton School in 1986, a post that he has held for 33 years. In more recent times, he has returned to the Solomon Islands to help with a project attempting to eradicate malaria. Finally, he commented that the young people attending the Celebration have already made a difference for good in their local communities and encouraged them to continue to do so.

Charities Committee _______________________________________________________

enior boys 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, perhaps most importantly, sit on the Charities Committee, making important decisions as to which charities deserve our help. This year has seen this committee go from strength to strength, with House Captains, together with Luke James (Head of the Charities Committee), meeting regularly to discuss new ideas for both raising money and helping worthy causes. These boys sell poppies in the run up to Remembrance Day, run the annual Christmas Card Competition and the choral service collection. They also assist in the School’s Non-Uniform days, which have raised in the region of £4000. Each House Captain has also played a significant role in assisting Housemasters in raising monies and community-led projects within each house. Blackburn has collected foodstuffs for the Blackburn Food Bank, Chorley has raised awareness of mental health supporting Alzheimer’s Society, Manchester has raised a substantial amount of money for a new MRI scanning machine at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Wigan has spent the year trying to raise awareness of the need to use fewer plastics.

Mr. P.D. Jackson

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 25

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Football Festival _______________________________________________________

ver the course of the first two days of May, over 1000 pupils in 133 local primary school football teams competed in this year’s Football Festival. The emphasis throughout was on good sportsmanship, based on the English Schools’ FA Code of Conduct. 53 teams took part in friendly six-a-side matches on Match Day One for pupils in Years 3 and 4. Teams enjoyed ‘round robin’ matches, playing all of the other teams in their group. With fourteen games taking place simultaneously on the playing fields all through the late afternoon, the Football Festival made a wonderful spectacle.

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. Pupils from the Boys’ Division assisted on both days by volunteering as referees for the children’s matches.

The Festival for Years 5 and 6 on Match Day Two was even larger, with 80 teams taking part. Always a hugely popular event, the tournament is split into the ‘A’ Team competition, the ‘B’ Team competition and the Girls’ competition, each with its own hotlycontested cup. The ‘A’ team competition Final saw St. Brendan’s overcome Highfield 3-0, the ‘B’ team competition saw Devonshire Road lose out to Horwich Parish 1-0 and the Girls’ Final was a tense affair, which saw St. Michael’s beat Markland Hill on sudden death penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Final.

26 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Duke of Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The following boys were awarded during the academic year 2017-18: Bronze

Luke Ferrier 11e

Mohammedzafeer Musa 11c

Silver

Zain Ahmed 11a

Jack Fisher 11d

Jensen Myerscough 11a

Joe Abram 13j

Archie Aiken-Wood 13b

Ben Flood 11d

Haryan Notay 11b

Yusuf Adia 12f

Saleh Albaghdady (2018 Leaver)

Nathan Fu 11e

Luke Ormerod 11d

Meer Al-Talabani 12d

Timothy Funk 11a

Mohammed Patel 11f

Daniyal Ashraf 12f

Muhammad Ali (2018 Leaver)

Myles Garth 11c

Harry Paterson 11b

Luke Bagnall 12g

Ismaeel Ali 11d

Jonathan Gilding 11d

Tom Platt 11b

George Brennan 12b

Nathan Glynn 11f

Abu Bakr Rafiq 11c

Matthew Cavaliere 12g

Jameson Goloba 11f

Shailin Raghvani 11e

Ben Chowdhury 12d

Charlie Griffiths 11e

Khaleel Raja 11c

Lewis Dixon 13g

Sammy Ramadan 11f

Michael Du Plessis 13c

Matthew Roberts 11d

Robert Edwards 13j

Kyle Robinson 11d

Ben Gidman-Knowles 13c

Ayyoub Anwar 11f Lucas Appleby 11f Abdullah Arshad 11c Hamaad Asad 11f Jude Ashcroft 11c Arjun Aulakh 11b Aibin Baby 11e

Jamal Hameed 11f James Hammond 11f Sahil Hathi 11b David Hawkins 11a

Matthew Rodger 11a

Thomas Higham 11f

Muhammad Saddique 11e

Fynn Backhouse 11b

Felix Hill 11d

Jake Baker 11d

Jude Hill 11c

Sebastian Bamford 11f

Matthew Houghton 11f

Oliver Bargh 12e

Shaun Hughes-Grundy 12e

Pierce Barker-Smith 11e

Andrew Hurt 12d

Edward Barrow 11c

Tom Hussain 11b

Anish Basu 11b

Umar Ibrahim 11c

Will Bateman 11b

Will Jackson 11b

Lawson Bates 11d

Ben Jayasekera 11e

Adam Battersby 11c

Jake Johnson 12c

Daniel Bentham 11e

Anthony Johnson 11f

Patrick Bentley 11f

Myles Johnson 11b

Alfie Birkett 11b

Thomas Jones

Josh Blackhurst 11c

Josh Kay 11e

Daniel Bolton 11b

Max Kelly 11d

Kayan Bonshahi 11d

Salman Khan 11c

Emmett Brennan-Calland 11f

Sikandar Khan 11d

Thomas Britton 11b

Harvey King 11f

Amaan Broughton 11a

Leo Kitching 11e

Nathan Burudi 11e

Jaime Lambert 11c

Shoeb Bux 11f

Oliver Leach 11e

Hamzah Chariwala 11c

Elliot Longworth 11b

Amir Chauhan 11b

Harrison Lynch 11e

Tony Dai 11e

Nauman Majeed 11e

Archie Seddon 11a Shaon Sen 11d Meesum Shah (2018 Leaver) Umar Shaikh 11b Ben Shum 11a Tom Simpson 11a Piers Skeels-Caldwell 11f Anthony Soi 11a Henry Speakman 11a Cian Spencer McDermott 11c Mattie Stephenson 11b Ben Stone 11a Charlie Swan 11f Tyler Titley 11a Leo Tobin 11b Jack Tyldsley 11a Amin Ughradar 11c

Robert Harris 12f James Larkin 13b James Leese-Weller 12f Luca Liu 12h Joe Maher 12a Jei Makino 12d Saurav Nandalan 12h Toby Ramwell 12d Siddharth Ranganath 12f Dominic Soi 13f Guy Storey 12j Oliver Thompson 13e Ben Turner 12f

Gold Dominic Aly 13g Jude Brennan-Calland 13j Luke Cavanaugh (2018 Leaver) Sam Croston (2018 Leaver)

Husain Umarji 11c

Jamie Fernandes (2018 Leaver)

Tony Varkey 11e

Ryan Hibbert (2018 Leaver)

Joe Walker 11d

Christopher Jacob 13d

James Wallwork 11e

Shubham Jain (2018 Leaver)

Alistair Waugh 11d

Stewart Knights (2018 Leaver)

Luca Williams-Denton 11c

Jack Danson 11b

Mohammad Maka 11d

Joe Dick 12h

Connah Mansfield 11a

Harry Williamson 11e

Harry Diggle 11a

Cameron Matthews 11a

Michael Wong 11e

Zac Donohue 11b

Ruairi McCabe 12g

Uzair Yaqub-Syed 11d

Richard Drake 11b

Edward Miller-Stenton 11d

Thomas Yates 11a

Luke Eburne 11d

Dominic Morgan 11d

Alfie Yearsley 11a

Tom Stephenson (2018 Leaver)

Oliver Fairclough 11c

Matthew Morrison 11f

George Yearsley 11d

Daniel Sykes 13g

Jacob Male 13d Jamie Price 13d Callum Pritchard (2018 Leaver)

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 27

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award In order to achieve the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh, there are four parts included: the Skills, Physical, Volunteering and Expedition sections. Personally, I believe the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme is great for team building and communication between groups of people, whether that is with the public during your volunteering section or with your expedition group. For the Skills section, it is necessary to choose an activity that develops practical, personal interest and social skills. I chose to develop my go-kart driving and technical skills through being a member of the school Go-karting Club. I have learned how the engine, clutch and gears work, as well as having to repair the gokart after some minor bumps and scratches. I have learned the importance of safety equipment, the effect of weather and water on the tyres and the effects of steering, acceleration and deceleration in the rain. Playing rugby with Bolton Rugby Club has enabled me to participate in the Physical section. Our coaches supported us throughout the season. We trained for future games to practise set routines and to improve team cohesion, whilst also increasing overall fitness. Over the season, I have attended all the training sessions and games and I am intending to continue playing rugby as part of my Silver Award. For my Volunteering section, I have volunteered for an extended period over the last year at Queen’s Park Junior Parkrun. Junior Parkrun is a free event for children to run around a set 2km course for fun. Some children run each week and are quite competitive, others take part because they enjoy the opportunity. This section is great for communication, with members of the public and helping other people. It allows you to develop speaking and social skills whilst volunteering. As a Parkrun volunteer, I have been a photographer, timekeeper, race marshal and race coordinator. The final section involves a two-day expedition with your chosen group, in which you camp for a night. Our expedition was based at the Anderton Centre near Bolton and Rivington. We were fortunate to have a practice expedition before the final expedition to develop our teamwork, map reading skills and communication skills and many more personal qualities. During the final expedition, my group camped at Causeway Farm. We walked through the pouring rain all day; however, on the second day, the weather was much better.

Taking part in the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has been really enjoyable and a worthwhile experience for me. As a result, I am continuing with my Silver Duke of Edinburgh now, and I would like to continue to complete my Gold Award too. Bolton School gives us the opportunity to participate in all these activities; it is also a brilliant thing to do and include in CVs for placements and careers in the future. Alastair Harris 10c

Silver Award Our expedition was at the height of the British summer in 2018, when we were blessed with unprecedented weather and an unprecedented England World Cup campaign. The trek was hard, but it was one of my fondest memories. At times, it seemed it would never end, but it was at those times when our group pulled together and pushed on. A member of our group had particular problems carrying the weight of his bag and the rest of the team took turns carrying his bag so he’d have an easier time, especially on the steep climbs. Map reading was a skill none of us were particularly gifted in, but, through taking turns in pairs, we made it to the campsites on time, which couldn’t be said for a particular group who climbed the wrong mountain laughing at another group who were following the correct route! Karma indeed. However, the highlights of that expedition were when we watched Eric Dier slot away a penalty against Columbia as England progressed to the Semi-final with the chants of ‘It’s coming home’. A week later, we watched England lose to Croatia, all wondering what might have been. I volunteered at Bolton Hospice, where the focus is on palliative care – helping those nearing the end of their lives. This has been a privilege and helped me see life and death in a completely different

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects light. Being present for those who surround their family member as the end nears really does put a perspective on what’s going on in your life. Just a chat about the weather or a book recommendation or even just a smile and the offer of a cup of tea, has shown me how important those little actions are. Coping with death, especially of a favourite patient has been something which can be particularly difficult, but these experiences have really helped me grow as a person emotionally, as well as preparing me for events in my own life. For my Skills section, as part of a group I helped write a German play about the immigration crisis in Europe, focusing on the problems faced daily by a Syrian immigrant in a German school as he adapted to this new environment, as well as the bullying he faced from those opposed to his existence. This was an opportunity, which allowed us to discuss current problems faced by the world, opposing views, as well as focusing on the individual and their importance to the world around them. For my Physical section, I played rugby for the Under 16s and 2nd XV. To be honest, the most difficult part of playing was waking up early on a Saturday morning. Rugby involves communication, physicality and mental strength, but you only actually understand what those concepts mean when you’re trailing by a try in a cup game with not long left to play and a 6 foot 4 man is running at you and you’re expected to make a tackle. The Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award has given me memories I will cherish in the future, as well as developing skills that are beyond the school curriculum and will benefit me throughout my life.

Daniyal Ashraf 12f

Gold Award Gold Duke of Edinburgh consists of a slightly different format to Bronze and Silver, in addition to the Volunteering, Physical and

Skills section taking more time, a residential section must also be completed. For my residential section I spent time in South Africa on Operation Wallacea, helping with conservation efforts in the Greater Kruger National Park, carrying out surveys on species such as elephants and marula trees. For Volunteering, I helped out in the school Library, helping with its day-to-day running and organising events. For the Sports section, I did scuba diving, trying to improve my skills and become an overall better diver. I particularly enjoyed the residential section and the focus on doing something which made a small impact to a serious world issue. James Leese-Weller 12f

For the expedition section of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which I completed with the 19th Bolton Scout Troop, we spent four days and three nights hiking and camping in the Lake District, with the aim of investigating the state of footpaths in the wild country. My group was lucky enough to avoid the torrential rainfall, which has plagued many a D of E expedition group in the past, but we were victim to one of the hottest summers ever recorded in the UK. To cope with the high temperatures and the steep hills, we were forced to adopt innovative cooling strategies (dipping our clothes in the nearby rivers) and to adapt our route to more favourable terrain. After a tiring day of trekking through mountains and fields, each evening we were greeted at the campsite by the reminder that we had to set up our tents and cook our dinner, which usually consisted of some form of boil-in-the-bag-meal. Despite the arduous nature of the expedition, there are undoubtedly many life skills which those who undertake the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award will have cultivated. Personally, I believe that completing the award has made me more independent and resourceful, while the expedition specifically has developed my resilience and adaptability. Overall, the challenge of the expedition coupled with the company provided by the rest of the group ensured that the experience was enjoyable, memorable and most certainly enriching. Krishnan Ajit 12f

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Patterdale Hall

t has been another busy year at the School’s fantastic residential centre in the Lake District. Over 4,500 guests came through the centre, staying on average for two nights. Over 33,000 meals were served, keeping everybody well fed and watered.

The Boys’ Division returned for all their usual visits – the lads from Park Road in Years 4, 5, and 6 got stuck into their programmes, with new activities including stand up paddleboarding and rock climbing on our newly adapted quarry.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Patterdale Hall The Senior boys attended as usual in Years 7-9 and 11-12, with the Year 10 boys undertaking their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition around the Rivington area. Highlights of the boys’ Year 9 programme included canoe sailing, scrambling and a visit to Yorkshire for some caving.

Another new venture was the Boys’ Year 10 optional weekend in March. The boys get to choose what they want to do and on this visit, twelve tenacious boys both developed their rock climbing and went mountain biking at Whinlatter Forest Park. We believe it is important to give the lads the opportunity to visit Patterdale Hall every year and further develop their skills and experiences.

Beyond the outdoor activities being fun and enjoyable, a strong focus for the School is providing opportunities for the development of ‘Confidence and Character’. Programmes are carefully designed to maximise the opportunities for the development of such things as organisational skills, determination, a positive mindset, empathy, self-control, intellectual curiosity and determination. With further attention to this back at school, we aim to help develop students for the ever-changing world beyond the classroom.

As well as the regular joint German weekend visit, a small cohort of boys held a Literary & Debating weekend in January – a visit that we hope will grow in popularity in years to come. It’s wonderful to make use of the Hall over the winter months for experiences outside of the normal outdoor activities.

Mr. T. Taylor

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

uthor Penny Joelson and her novel I Have No Secrets was this year’s winner of the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award, organised by Bolton School and voted on by hundreds of children from across the region over the course of the school year. A delighted Penny told the Great Hall audience of pupils from nineteen schools and four other shortlisted authors of her delight at winning the award: “Thank you to everyone for voting for me. It feels really special to be the winner today, thank you so much from me, but also from the (disabled) main character Gemma – it is great to have her voice heard! I wrote the book with the intention of producing a good story and it is magical that it has also raised issues.” Penny shared the stage with fellow shortlisted authors Natasha Farrant (Children of Castle Rock), Juliette Forrest (Twister), Mitch Johnson (Kick) and Will Mabbitt (Embassy of the Dead), as well as with compère for the ceremony, Andy Briggs (author, screenwriter and producer). Alex Bell (The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club) was the sixth shortlisted author, but could not make it on the day. Prior to the announcement in what was one of the closest competitions in years – the winning book won by just 10 votes – each author spoke to the audience. Andy Briggs talked about how good writing is not just needed for books, but for songs, TV, films, video games and much more. He told the boys and girls that storytelling is all about the characters. Natasha Farrant talked about “the mad things that happen in authors’ brains” and shared an anecdote about writing her next book when a character just appeared out of nowhere. Juliette Forrest felt that “to be an author you had to be incredibly intelligent” and never considered it, but advised that if you’re passionate about it, don’t let anything put you off. She also explained how she came to writing later in life, so it’s something you can always return to. Penny Joelson pointed out that she is quite shy, but one of the things about being an author is that you’re expected to talk to hundreds of people! She thanked pupils for their enthusiasm and fantastic questions and said that such events are great to bring together readers and give authors an opportunity to meet them. Mitch Johnson reflected that it had been a “wonderful” morning and thanked everyone who read Kick, especially the people who didn’t think they’d like a book about football, but discovered something new. He also said he hoped it got readers thinking about the issues of garment production and exploitation. Will Mabbitt told how he was honoured to have had his book recommended through the Award. He thanked the organisers, librarians, helpers and teachers who arranged the day, and thanked readers for reading the books.

Post-announcement, the authors spent an hour talking to children and signing copies of their novels.

Earlier in the day, the writers had taken part in a carousel of workshops, reading excerpts from their work and shedding light on the writing process and how they gain creative inspiration for their novels. Top tips included “be a sponge”, write about what you know and show, don’t tell, the personality of your characters! Each author talked about their work, with particular focus on the book that was shortlisted for this year’s award, but also discussed reading, their other books, writing and the publishing process, where they find inspiration and how they develop ideas. Many pupils took advantage of the opportunity to ask probing questions based on their reading for the Award.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects

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.

Year 10 – Apprentice Day 32 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 Hot ‘N’ Crusty (managed by Ethan Smyth, Ben Hunt, Shady Morgan and Morgan Camm, as well as his German exchange partner Christian Hensch) made over £200,000 profit. They worked well as a team, which was the key to their success. They also thought through the implications of their business actions carefully before implementing any changes, and they pitched their prices correctly for their clientele and did not waste money having fancy premises.

Enrichment Week _______________________________________________________ Year 8 – Geography Day The boys enjoyed taking part in a carousel of different activities, which included a life safe earthquake building workshop, a specially designed version of the board game ‘Articulate’ with geographical key terms and a ‘Fantastic Plastics’ session, in which the boys planned to reuse or remodel their plastic objects into something new to help the people of Nepal.

Mr. D.W. Kettle

Year 10 – Leadership Activity The ‘Leadership activity’ is now a very well-established feature of the Boys’ Division end-of-term arrangements. All Year 10 boys, ably led by members of the Common Room, who have strong opinions to share about the different leadership styles, spend the final morning of the Summer Term researching the lives and achievement of men and women who have earned either fame or infamy as leaders in diverse fields: politics, war, science, religion, commerce to name but a few. Discussion began with reference made to figures from the ancient world, but in a month when consideration of leadership is dominated by persistent (at times prurient) interest in the personal

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects lives of those who would be leader, minds were soon concentrated on modern concerns. Mr. McNeil led the boys of 10a in a Parliamentary-style debate to explore the various ways in which qualities of leadership might be seen in the Commons chamber: from the chair of the Speaker, in leading statements from the Government and Loyal Opposition benches and from the backbenches. Ben Bruton sat with dignity in Mr. Speaker’s chair, reminding us of the quiet but assured manner of Mr. Speaker Weatherill, who oversaw the Proceedings of the House from 1983 till 1992. The boys concluded that the occupant of this chair must be patient, fair, calm, without bias and exercising great personal self-control, which will inspire respect. (How insightful they are.) Outstanding contributions to the debate about the use and impact of modern technology were made by William Miles, Matthew Mair, Tyler McCarthy and Ali Ahmed, but the whole class agreed that the exercise had shown them that leadership can rightly be rooted in the strength of an argument rather than the strength of a personality. Mrs. Edge and Dr. Yates chose to lead a Balloon Debate, in which Jesus of Nazareth, Harry Potter, Theodore Roosevelt and Hitler each made his case with eloquence, with the boys (Tyler Bailey, Tom Hothersall and Max Bianchi) making good use of their research. This was a close-run contest, the winning team comprising Jack Swires, Christian Stapleton, Charlie Bohanna, Hamzah Quereshi and Ibraheem Ali. 10c, led by Mr. Brace and Mr. Davidson, also took part in an excellent Balloon debate, this one featuring Jesus, Nelson Mandela, Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin and Martin Luther King Jr. The research the boys carried out was impressive and the atmosphere in the room most conducive to an interesting debate. Mr. Putin long kept his place in the basket: his team comprised George Warren, Oliver Green and Daniel Houghton. In 10d, Martin Luther King prevailed. His supporters included Ibrahim Khan, who played his part, Kei Makino, who put very good questions to him, Karthik Ajith and Max Turner, a most able researcher. In 10e’s session led by Mr. Williams, interest was strong in the life and achievement of Steve Jobs, Imran Khan, Mustafa Atatürk, Caesar Augustus, Nelson Mandela and Pablo Escobar. Here, the case for Imran Khan was made well, in a detailed, well-prepared speech; audience questions were handled confidently and cogently. Finally, in 10f, led by Mr. McMillan and Dr. Morgan, the basket was rocked by the competing claims of Sir Winston Churchill, Stalin, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Einstein, and, once more, Jesus of Nazareth. Richard Branson won the class vote; however, colleagues noted the case of Jesus was both very well planned and humorous. Uncle ‘Joe’ Stalin had some good historical knowledge, but Albert Einstein sacrificed himself before the vote, a very magnanimous gesture. This year, all colleagues noted how closely engaged all the boys had been with the task. Which of them, one wonders, some twenty or more years hence, might find himself leading the many and recalling that morning in Bolton School when the best qualities of true leadership were so unerringly identified and celebrated? Dr. S.W. Holland

Parents’ Association Fundraising Ball _______________________________________________________

oney raised at the hugely successful Bolton School Ball has been donated to the School’s Bursary Fund. The Boys’ and Girls’ Division Parents’ Associations, who organised the sparkling event in June 2018, were delighted to hand over a cheque for £10,000. The Ball was held at the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford and provided 360 guests with a night of entertainment along a 1920s Gatsby theme. Fundraising was conducted through a fun ‘Heads and Tails’ competition, raffle and pre-event online silent auction.

Nissa Smyth, Chair of the Girls’ Division PA, and Helen Critchlow, the Boys’ Division Parent Governor, present a cheque to the Chair of Governors, Michael Griffiths.

Bolton School Open Art Exhibition _______________________________________________________

he inaugural Open Art Exhibition ran in November and revealed amazing in-house artistic talent across a wide range of creative disciplines.

Opening the event, Mrs. Ryder talked about how art and creativity are both a fundamental part of being a complete human being. Headmaster, Philip Britton and Miss Hincks, Headmistress of the Girls’ Division spoke of how creativity is particularly important in today’s

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Mrs. Ryder said “The exhibition was everything we had hoped it would be – a true celebration of the breadth and depth of creative talent which lies within Bolton School and beyond. The excitement in the Arts Centre Hall was fantastic, with several hundred visitors enjoying the work showcased. It was a first for Bolton School and one that will definitely be repeated. Many thanks to all involved!” Mr. J. Newbould & Mrs. M.A. Ryder

Art Colours _______________________________________________________

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

Name Dominic Aly Luke James Will Hardy

Form Colour 13g Full 13b Full 12c Half

Sir Rhys Davies Mock Law Trial _______________________________________________________

n Saturday 24th November, a team of Senior and Sixth Form boys assembled at Manchester Crown Court in Spinningfields to compete in the Sir Rhys Davies Mock Law Trial. This is a prestigious annual competition, which sees teams from across Greater Manchester’s Independent schools pitch their legal wits against each other; it has been running for eighteen years.

world. They both commended the community for delivering such a rich and varied collection. The exhibition was open to anyone associated with the Foundation, including pupils, parents, teachers, staff and alumni and numerous Highly Commended rosettes were awarded to particularly outstanding pieces. There were over 100 entries in a range of disciplines, including painting, drawing, print work, photography, ceramics, textiles, graphics and sculpture. The Boys’ Division Parents’ Association curated the exhibition and many staff helped to prepare the exhibition space – a true team effort.

The purpose of the competition is to help young people gain an understanding of criminal law, the criminal justice system and how courts work, through taking part in a criminal trial. The Mock Law Trial calls upon skills of listening, reasoning and, of course, arguing a case by thinking on your feet. For the boys who participated, their experience will have the lasting value of helping to demystify the law and legal process and demonstrate their vital importance in a democratic society. The competition is not just about people who want to become barristers, it’s about what the law means in British society and what it means to be a citizen involved in the process. It’s also incredibly good fun! The 2018 team were: Bilal Asghar, Alex Roberts, Thomas Britton, Matt Nally, Tom Nally, Joe Child, Mohammed Patel, Henry Yearsley and Aden Stephenson. We received guidance from our expert team of barristers: Louise Harvey, Guy Mathieson, Gareth Brandon and Colin Buckle. In the first round, the boys took on Manchester High School for

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Girls and won 13 points to 6. In the second round, we beat a confident William Hulme team in a convincing 13 points to 4 victory. In the third round, however, we lost an ill-tempered round to The Grange. We performed impressively in a premier league and were commended by the judges for the high quality of our advocacy skills, self-confidence and holding our nerve in an incredibly intimidating setting.

the signs and symptoms of nerve agent exposure are, as well as giving details of how to treat the patients. After the talk, several Sixth Form pupils stayed behind to ask thoughtful and pertinent questions. Dr. Gent then spent the afternoon speaking to Sixth Form physicists on “Polonium-210: a Case Study.”

I would like to thank all the boys and our assisting barristers for their dedication to making our performance so successful. Congratulations! Mrs. H.M. Brandon

Old Boy explains Salisbury nerve agent incident _______________________________________________________

here was standing room only in the Leverhulme Suite as Old Boy Nick Gent (1969-1979) delivered a fascinating talk about his work at Public Health England and his involvement with the nerve agent incidents in Salisbury and Amesbury in 2018.

Business Enterprise Challenge _______________________________________________________

our teams of Year 12 students congregated in the Arts Centre for the Final of the annual Business Challenge; these were the winning teams from the business plans pitched on the initial competition day. The students had just a week to refine their varied concepts and perfect their presentations in preparation for the Final, where they had to present their idea once again in front of a panel of judges in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style contest to see which business was worthy of receiving potential funding. The judging panel this year was made up of: Governor Roger Gould, Stephanie Foster, a Careers Coach, and Phil Warriner, a former BT employee, all with extensive entrepreneurial experience.

Dr. Gent is one of only a very small team of senior medical advisors on high threat chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear issues in the country and as Deputy Head of Public Health England’s Emergency Response Department, he has played a key role in most of the chemical, biological and radiological incidents in the UK in recent years. Dr. Gent praised the education he received at Bolton School from his former teachers, saying that in his work, he still regularly uses the basic principles of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, which he learnt here and urged any aspiring medics to study Physics, as he believes an understanding of this is a good basis for any medical career. He went on to give an enthralling account of his role in the Salisbury and Amesbury incidents, describing how a multi-agency response is coordinated when a major incident such as this is declared. He explained what a nerve agent actually is, how they work and what

Each of the teams presented their business ideas to the judges, peers, staff and family and then answered searching finance and marketing questions from the judges. They also clarified issues such as the level of competition in the marketplace, as well as questions specific to their business ideas and presentations. Before announcing the winner, Stephanie Foster on behalf of the judges, praised all of the teams’ endeavour, teamwork and initiative. “The four finalist teams in this year’s competition have really impressed, both with their presentations and the products they have devised to take to market. The students have exhibited the skills that employers are seeking – not just intelligence and good delivery skills, but real business acumen and creativity. You have used your influencing skills well and what we have seen tonight bodes well for your future careers.”

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Winning the competition overall was Napee; the judges were impressed by an innovative idea, which would help to alleviate a major world environmental problem. In second place was The Puppy Place, a dog café in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, which also aims to work with mental health charities; in third place was Trail and Tail, a business retailing a pet collar with a host of extra features such as GPS, fitness tracking and a scent diffuser and in fourth position was Body Sense, who offered an infrared sensor that scans body temperature and automatically adjusts the room temperature to the optimum.

French Discussion Day _______________________________________________________

ixth Form students taking French at A Level were joined by native speaker Richard Peltier for an interactive day of discussion, conducted entirely in French. Students in Years 12 and 13 from both Divisions spent time with Richard to further their language learning.

All of the finalists received prizes, and the Napee team, made up of Ollie De Blainsin, Nathan Hayes, Joseph Leary, Lauren-Rae McGann, Sana Thagia and Charley Wakefield, was presented with the Business Enterprise trophy at the end of the evening.

Royal Society of Chemistry Christmas Lecture _______________________________________________________

Year 12 students talked about new family types, the dangers of cyber-society and the ‘Seventh Art’, cinema in the French-speaking world in their sessions. Year 13 students discussed whether prison is a good or bad solution, teenagers’ views on the right to vote and their political commitment, and the cultural heritage of the Frenchspeaking world and whether it is a benefit or disadvantage. All of these complex topics were set in the French-speaking world and linked to the A Level curriculum. Students were invited to join in by answering questions, debating the issues and reacting to videos and quotes.

lmost 1000 pupils from 20 schools from across the North West travelled to Bolton School to watch this year’s Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Christmas Lecture.

Dr. Frank Mair of the University of Manchester held the Great Hall audience mesmerised over the course of two presentations as he delivered a series of exciting chemistry experiments live on stage. Whilst this was a basic introduction to the world of atoms, molecules, solids, liquids and gases, there was no compromising on excitement! The science behind each colourful flash and percussive bang was fully explained, with students enjoying a wide range of demonstrations, including sublimation and the formation of dry ice, a wonderful display of chemiluminescence using nitrogen monoxide and carbon disulfide, and liquid nitrogen being used to create bright blue liquid oxygen. The explosive powers of hydrogen were also demonstrated, with Dr. Mair popping hydrogen-filled balloons with a much louder bang than the helium variety! The propulsive powers of this highly reactive element were also revealed as he fired hydrogenpowered bottle rockets across the Great Hall, much to the delight of the audience! In what was a fascinating presentation, the Chemistry students also learnt about the everyday practical applications of these reactions.

The day was a great opportunity for students to increase their confidence and fluency while speaking French.

Holocaust Memorial Day Art Project _______________________________________________________

group of boys from Years 8 to 13 have created artwork to commemorate the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Pupils worked with Holocaust art educator Caroline Slifkin for a whole day, during which they produced work on this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme: ‘torn from home’.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Speaking to open the conference, Headmaster Mr. Britton encouraged the student delegates to enjoy the presentations, engage in discussions, and think and challenge themselves throughout the morning. The first speaker was Old Boy Mark Bisson (1975 to 1984), who is now Director within Anti-Financial Crime at Deutsche Bank. After giving a brief overview of his career, he asked ‘Who’s the victim?’ when it comes to financial crime. This included an in-depth look at money laundering and its links to other types of crime, such as drugs, cybercrime, terrorism and human trafficking, and comments on corruption, bribery, fraud and terrorist financing. During the session, which was funded by The Holocaust Educational Trust, pupils considered how they could use colour symbolically to portray the events of the Holocaust and its aftermath: the vibrancy of life beforehand, the colourless world of concentration camps and ghettos, and life afterwards for the survivors, where colour might return, but nothing could ever be the same. The work of artists Samuel Bak and Ceija Stojka was also used as inspiration. Caroline commented on Twitter: “Always a pleasure working with Mrs. Turner and students @BoltonSchool. Excellent day of Holocaust art looking at the art of Holocaust survivors #TornfromHome #HMD2019. Such impressive art created by students.” The art went on display at Bolton’s Holocaust Memorial Day service in January in Bolton Town Hall’s Festival Hall.

Spring Conference _______________________________________________________

trio of fascinating speakers and over 100 delegates from five schools in the North West joined students from the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions for the annual Spring Conference, hosted by the Boys’ Division. The theme for 2019 was ‘Making Philosophy Real’ and the guest speakers brought into focus three examples of real-world issues, which have philosophical concepts at their hearts: financial crime, personal identity and climate change.

Next, delegates heard from Professor Sophie-Grace Chappell (Bolton School Class of 1983), Professor of Philosophy at the Open University, about personal identity and the philosophy underpinning debate around identity and transgender issues. She focused on addressing and explaining some of the “myths of transgender”, in the hope of giving delegates greater understanding and empathy. Finally, the question, “Is it too hard to change the world?” was posed by Professor Derek Bell, Professor of Environmental Political Theory at the University of Newcastle. He addressed personal and political responsibility in the age of climate change, encouraging delegates to think about what each individual should do to address the threat of climate change in relation to the harm principle within philosophy. This is the fourth year that Bolton School Boys’ Division has hosted a Spring Conference, the aim of which is to address a major and current educational issue through stimulus from expert speakers, panel discussions and time for participants to discuss and deliberate.

Spanish Film Festival _______________________________________________________

ixth Form Spanish students and one brave Year 11 boy travelled to Manchester to attend the annual Viva Spanish film festival at HOME cinema, which celebrates and premieres the best filmmaking from the Hispanic world. After an early tea, naturally at a tapas restaurant, our full stomachs and the plush surroundings of this art house cinema did

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects not deter us from buying copious quantities of sweets before we settled down to enjoy the film. ‘Retablo’ is a Peruvian film by the director Alvaro Delgado Aparicio, and tells the story of a young boy, who has spent his whole life idolising his father and intends to follow in his footsteps as an artisan. He discovers that his father has been hiding a secret, which goes entirely against the highly religious and chauvinistic society he lives in, and the film tracks his attempts to come to terms with this and find a new sense of self. In addition to the natural linguistic benefits, the film dealt with many interesting topics covered in the A Level Spanish syllabus, such as the patriarchal society, the treatment of indigenous people in Latin America and gender politics. While the boys may not entirely switch their allegiance from American blockbusters to foreign language independent films, it was an enriching experience for all and there was much to discuss on the minibus journey back to school. Mrs. J.L. Cotton

Lecture Competition _______________________________________________________

ow in its second year since we revived and developed the competition, the Lecture Competition continues to be a successful part of our English curriculum.

As spoken eloquence and confidence is such an important, though sometimes challenging, skill to master, the changes to our longstanding Lecture Competition continue to complement the spoken talents of our students. Last year, we developed the focus of each year’s participation. Year 7 delivered a talk about a personal topic of interest, Year 8 constructed an argument or discursive speech and Year 9 took on the challenge of a particular speech genre (such as an inspirational talk). Our pupils continue to present an array of interesting talks on complex issues.

The chosen topics during each final demonstrate both the varied interests and, as previously mentioned, the growing skill and confidence of our speakers. Some of our Year 7 finalists’ topics included passenger ferries, the meaning of light and, from our winner, Ollie, amputee football. Our Year 8 speakers debated the merits of issues such as artificial intelligence, school uniform and, from Thomas, our winner, the dangers and harm created by single-use plastics. Finally, our Year 9s chose to deliver inspirational speeches and choose for their focus ideas such as the ‘power paradox’ and speeches to inspire sports teams.

Well done to all pupils in Years 7 to 9 for their hard work with this task. This is always an interesting time in the academic year for the English department as we get to learn about such a wide variety of topics! Many thanks also to our guest judges, Mrs. Brandon, Mrs. Ryder and Mrs. Waller. Miss E.M. Harper

Science Olympiads _______________________________________________________

hree students in the Sixth Form have achieved four Gold Awards between them in the Biology, Chemistry and Physics Olympiads. A high number of students also achieved Silver and Bronze Awards. The Olympiad competitions, which run annually, give students across the UK the opportunity to be challenged, develop their critical thinking and apply their existing scientific knowledge in contexts beyond the curriculum.

The speaking and listening skills of our pupils have continued to improve each year of this competition and these three finals saw some exemplary performances from all pupils involved. The winners were as follows: Year 7: Ollie Evans Year 8: Thomas Sharphouse Year 9: Barnaby Keogh, Charlie Ashton

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Alex Gao achieved Gold Awards in both the Chemistry and Physics Olympiads, and Nathan Ashley also received a Gold Award in Chemistry. Jude Brennan-Calland attained a Gold Award in Biology and a Silver Award in Chemistry.

bubbly water and so, so much more. Inspirational work indeed.

The Chemistry Olympiad not only saw two Gold certificates awarded, but also four Silvers and seventeen Bronze. In the Biology Olympiad, a further four Silver and five Bronze Awards were achieved. Six students also received Bronze Awards in the Physics Olympiad. Alex and Jude were not the only students to receive awards in multiple Olympiads. James Leese-Weller was awarded Silver certificates in both the Biology and Chemistry Olympiads. Yusuf Adia, Krishnan Ajit and Daniyal Ashraf each obtained a Silver Award in Biology and a Bronze Award in Chemistry. Six students each received two Bronze Awards: Christopher Jacob, Yash Kalhan and Jonny Shine for Biology and Chemistry; and Meer Al-Talabani, Jei Makino and Ruairi McCabe for Chemistry and Physics. In the Chemistry Olympiad, Nathan Ashley, Eddy Backhouse and Matthew Schaffel were awarded Silver certificates. Bronze Awards were given as follows: to Dominic Hardy, Robert Harris, Sunny Hassan, Raafay Iqbal, Aashir Khan, Siddharth Ranganath, Christopher Smith and Adam Vahed for Chemistry; to Luke Bagnall, Edward Slorick and Zaman Ul-Haque for Physics; and to Arjun Agarwal and Robert Edwards for Biology.

Art Department Summer Exhibition _______________________________________________________

Mrs. M.A. Ryder

Spanish Translation Bee _______________________________________________________

ear 9 Spanish students Matthew Hope, Neerav Patel, Rory Pixton and Harrison Gee made the short journey to neighbouring Thornleigh Salesian College to participate in the Final of the inaugural Spanish Translation Bee, which was organised by Bolton MFL Hub. The Final came after several in-school rounds throughout the academic year, in which the boys competed against each other to orally translate key words and phrases from Spanish to English. Our four finalists performed fantastically well in the competition, with Matthew Hope battling fierce competition both from his fellow Bolton School boys and five other schools to emerge victorious. Although the glory would certainly have been enough reward for his performance, I’m sure Matthew was nearly as happy with his shiny trophy and £100 (yes, really) shopping voucher. Mrs. Lapinskas, who prepared and accompanied the boys, described it as a very enjoyable experience, which challenged and engaged the boys. I am sure we will be able to see the positive effects of this competition in their GCSE work next year.

he Summer Exhibition is always the highlight of our creative year. The talent and commitment of our students is so easily seen in the Studio Gallery as the hours spent showcasing their strengths is so easy to see. The diversity on show this year is breathtaking, with sketchbooks and portfolios, with more digital presentations than ever before. They portray initial ideas, lots of development of ideas – in fact, the boys don’t stop until an idea is developed to a perfect created conclusion and what of those? This year, a bathroom installation that explores anxiety issues, a sculptural tent with stitched faces of immigrants surrounded by

Mrs. J.L. Cotton

40 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Clubs & Societies Model United Nations Society _______________________________________________________

he Model United Nations Society (MUN) has been on the road a lot this year, enjoying two residential trips to Oxford and Shrewsbury, along with two further conferences at Withington Girls’ School and Manchester High. Once again, we have enjoyed great success, with almost too many highlights to mention here!

Exeter College and in the corridors of the Examination School, and not at the MUN social, where the loud music and flashing lights sadly put paid to effective diplomacy. The trip was a roaring success for Bolton School boys; to be recognised in huge committees at a conference organised by undergraduates at one of the world’s best universities is, I hope, an achievement which they will be proud of for many years to come.

The year began with a splendid trip to Oxford University to participate in their Global Conference. The format of debate was slightly different to our previous experiences; with the rapid pace, huge number of delegates and complex range of issues debated, this conference certainly posed some new challenges, even for our most experienced pupils. There were over 700 participants from schools across the world, including those as far away as Malaysia; it goes without saying that the standard of debate was, therefore, extremely competitive. Despite these challenges, our delegates were remarkably successful. There were no team awards at this conference, but an astonishing seven of the nine delegates from Bolton School were rewarded for their debating skills. Thomas Britton and Zayd Ascroft were named the best delegates in their committees, each winning a much sought after Model UN gavel! Thomas Higham received an honourable mention, whilst Richard Drake, Bilal Asghar, Alex Matthews and Matthew Schaffel (who made many of his customary Cicero references across the weekend) were named the Outstanding Delegates in their respective committees. These were huge achievements in the face of very challenging competition and showed that MUN delegates from Bolton School were able to work collaboratively, compromise and devise original solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. Such was the extent of Bolton School’s success that approaches were made by a number of international schools seeking to find out what our secret was! As well as their superb performances in debate, our delegates were also able to enjoy some tactical discussion and lobbying outside of the committee rooms. This was more successful over a lunch at

Riding high on the success we enjoyed at Oxford, the next conference saw two delegations representing France and India travel to Manchester High School for Girls, where we were represented both by experienced delegates, as well as some newer members of the Society trying out Model UN for the first time! Across two days of debating, the boys tried to find solutions to a complex range of problems, including a hostage crisis, with a focus on bravery, politeness, de-personalisation and empathy when dealing with international issues. With this spirit in mind, our delegations represented India and France with great success. Matthew Schaffel was Highly Commended in the Human Rights committee and Thomas Britton, Alex Matthews, Thomas Higham and Zayd Ascroft walked away with gavels as the Outstanding Delegates in their debates. Our newest team member, Hashir Gul, received a special mention and Bilal Asghar and Richard Drake were Commended. Our teams were both Commended (France) and Highly Commended (India) overall. Our team then had Shrewsbury School’s MUN conference in their sights. After narrowly missing out on a win last year, they had retribution in mind! Once again, the team brought home the silver not the gold, but this was still a fantastic team performance which, pleasingly, showcased some of our new talent, as well as giving our most committed and longstanding delegates a final chance to debate with their friends. As well as being named as a Commended Delegation overall, there were a number of individual awards. Bilal Asghar and Hashir Gul were Commended, whilst Zayd Ashcroft and Matthew Schaffel were Highly Commended for their performances. Alex Matthews and Nick Clark were also named the Outstanding Delegates in their committees – a just reward for these boys’ several years of commitment to Model UN. The tour was ably led by Miss Torun, who has been an invaluable asset to the Advisor team this year, but this was sadly also her swansong, though I know that she will be taking her passion for MUN to her new school next year and the team is very grateful for all her support.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 41

Clubs & Societies to reach positive outcomes for all. And yet, at Model UN Society, it is clear to see that many of our young people certainly do have the enthusiasm, knowledge and negotiating skills required to build a better world. Mrs. C.L. Waller

Senior Literary and Debating Society _______________________________________________________

After the Shrewsbury conference, the Society welcomed many new, younger members, who have maintained their commitment this year, guided by older boys; this is such an important aspect of MUN – the secret to success is entirely down to the fact that members mentor, support and advise each other, learning from their experiences and sharing them with others. It was therefore pleasing to see one of our youngest ever Model UN delegates represent school at our final conference of the year – Withington Girls’ School WIMUN XII, where Year 8 pupil, Dylan Lincoln, tried his hand at the conference in Youth Committee. There were several other notable performances: Thomas Higham was Commended, Thomas Whitehead was Highly Commended and Zayd Ascroft and Thomas Britton were named as the Outstanding Delegates in the Human Rights and Political Committees, respectively.

his year has been an exciting and successful one for the Senior Literary and Debating Society, both internally within school and through our successes in external competitions. We have entered a wide range of external debating competitions, including several British Parliamentary style competitions, such as the Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition, the Cambridge Union ‘ICYD’ (International Competition for Young Debaters) and the Lancaster Schools Competition. We also continue to participate in the English-Speaking Union’s Mace competition, in which we progressed to the second round; we also enjoyed success in the Oxford Schools’ debating competition, where we took part in the Finals Day held at the Oxford Union. We revived the tradition of holding a ‘debating retreat’ weekend in Patterdale, which was particularly enjoyable for both staff and pupils involved. We spent the weekend debating and arguing various motions, practising specific debating skills and even managed to squeeze in a walk to Aira Force.

There are a number of exciting developments to look forward to next year for all our Model UN participants. We welcome a new MUN Advisor, Miss C. Buttigieg, who will be lending her expertise to the team going forward and the Society also continues to be very grateful to Mr. Britton, who has played an invaluable role as an Advisor this year, too. We have another tour to Oxford University planned, as well as some exciting (but so far top secret!) additional visits and events to help boys hone their debating skills. Finally, the weekly club will continue to allow boys to practise debate, improve their public speaking skills and support each other in preparing for our local conferences. It has been fantastic to see the club continue to grow and boys succeed at the very highest level this year. Once again, they have led meetings, reviewed performances and supported each other in developing the skills required for success. Whilst we have said goodbye to many long-standing delegates this year, who have moved on to new pastures at university, their experience has been shared with our current senior boys, who are now taking on those leadership roles. In the current global context, it is easy to become disillusioned with humankind’s ability to engage in dialogue and compromise in order

42 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

During our lunchtime society meetings, we continue to debate topical and, at times, controversial issues. This year, we’ve argued the merits of corporal punishment, the possibility of a second EU referendum vote, gender equality, and surveillance in our society. We’ve also spent a considerable number of sessions honing and practising our formal debating technique, from structuring speeches, interpreting motions and dealing with rebuttal and PoIs (points of information). It’s been a joy to welcome some new younger members this year as well, allowing us to further expand our Society. This year, we say farewell to Matthew Schaffel, who has not only made a significant contribution to both debating within and outside of school, but has also been our debating Chair this year.

Clubs & Societies

Miss E.M. Harper English-Speaking Union Schools’ Mace The ESU Schools’ Mace competition is an annual debating competition for all secondary schools across the UK. This year, Aden Stephenson and I were representing the School. The first round took place at Blackpool; we were opposing the motion: “This House would ban the sale and consumption of meat”. In this debate, we focused heavily on the necessity of protecting the personal freedoms that we believe people should enjoy and also suggested how an unregulated black market for meat would ultimately be set up as a result of the ban. Despite the initial nerves and the confusion of having to debate just minutes after our arrival at the venue, we were one of the top three teams selected to progress to the next round. The following round took place at Urmston Grammar School. We were, again, opposing the motion, which this time was: “This House would boycott the works of artists who have committed morally reprehensible acts”. Again, our argument focused on personal freedoms and the fact art is not necessarily connected to the artist. This proved to be a highly competitive round, and indeed the judges took almost the length of an entire debate to deliberate over their decision; unfortunately, on this occasion, it proved not to be in our favour. However, the judges’ feedback was still incredibly valuable as we move forward to further debating competitions. Matthew Schaffel 13b Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition, Oxford Schools’ Finals Day (Oxford Debating Union) This year, Matthew Schaffel and I took part in the Oxford Debating competition. The first round was hosted by The Manchester Grammar School in January. We won our first debate, arguing on whether

prostitution should be legalised. We were in favour and argued that safety was the key element and that policy should be decided on that principle. Our second motion was ‘This House would make the voting age 15 in all future elections’ and we drew the role of ‘Closing Government’ (CG) so we were arguing for this change. It was a particularly interesting debate as the usual age touted is 16. One of our fundamental arguments put forward was that 15-year-olds have the same right to vote as 16 and 18-yearolds and that this alteration would improve our democratic process. We managed to win a place to the National Finals in Oxford. The Finals Day began in the Oxford Debating Union. We took part in four debates, and we came, in order, fourth, first, fourth and second. The motions were challenging and unusual: the ethics of organ sales, the question of whether to involve terrorist groups in government (which we proposed), the role (and ‘glorification’) of motherhood in the feminist movement, and finally, the question of former colonial nations allowing more immigration from former colonies. Although we did not progress to the Grand Finals, the day was very fun, and taught me a lot for the future. Thomas Britton 11b Debating Retreat The Literacy and Debating weekend in Patterdale was a very enjoyable trip, with lots of activities aimed at improving and practising our debating schools, as well as lots of time for recreation and team building within the society. I especially enjoyed the balloon debates I took part in, as defending someone’s right to live is always a very interesting task. We watched the film ‘12 Angry Men’ and analysed the debating techniques demonstrated in the film and their effects, as well as ways we could implement these into our own debates. Most importantly, we spent a lot of time focusing on the structure of our debating speeches and how to keep our arguments concise to ensure they had a significant effect on the audience. These activities were supplemented by our walk to Aira Force, a breathtaking waterfall, after a journey on an old lake steamboat, which too was complemented by the dynamic views of the Lake District. The zenith of the weekend was the final competition, where

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 43

Clubs & Societies we had to argue the best use for a government grant in Bolton. Though I lost this debate, the planning and debating was the most enjoyable part of the weekend, especially because of the other people’s suggestions, though mine was the only sensible one!

Mrs. M.A. Ryder

Emmett Brennan-Calland 11f

‘The HistOracle’ _______________________________________________________ Public Speaking and Debating Colours _______________________________________________________

ublic Speaking and Debating Colours are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Public Speaking and Debating including Model UN. Colours were awarded to the following boys: Name Bilal Asghar Alex Matthews Matthew Schaffel Yusuf Adia Krishnan Ajit Zayd Ascroft Emmett Brennan-Calland Thomas Britton Nick Clark Richard Drake Thomas Higham Matthew Nally Aden Stephenson Tom Whitehead

Form Colour 13a Full 13a Full 13b Full 12f Half 12f Half 11f Half 11f Half 11b Half 13d Half 11b Half 11f Half 12a Half 12j Half 12g Half

365 Club _______________________________________________________

65 Club is for all: a creative meet up that encourages members to simply create for joy. Each week, A7 is packed with boys working on independent projects, surrounded by like-minded people. This year has seen a multitude of personal work, ranging from turtles, rappers, Donald Duck, penguins, castles, cars, planes and “just a beautiful scene”. It is wonderful that the boys are finding time for themselves and with the most recent member being our one hundredth, I am sure we will only go from strength to strength.

44 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

‘The HistOracle’, a magazine written and edited by students, has won the Historical Association’s top prize for Best School History Magazine. ‘The HistOracle’ is now in its tenth year and has published over 20 editions. We first entered it into the Historical Association Young Historian competition in 2009 and since then it has won the award for Best School History magazine seven times. When they join the Sixth Form, as part of an informal contract with the History Department, all of our History students agree to write at least one article for the magazine during their A Level studies; in practice, many of the boys choose to write more than one. They are encouraged to write about any aspect of history at all in which they are interested and to explore historical topics beyond their experience of the subject at school. This has led to a fascinating range of topics over the years. Each edition has a core theme on which boys can focus their articles if they choose. We try to decide on themes that are topical and relevant: First World War commemorations, the centenary of the Russian Revolution and the enfranchisement of women have generated some very interesting articles. There are two editions a year and each magazine is edited by a team of Year 12 boys, usually one from each A Level set. Editors collect the articles, proofread, write the editorial, design the cover and create additional features such as quizzes. Producing ‘The HistOracle’ gives the boys valuable additional experience in research and formal writing and allows them opportunities for creativity beyond the curriculum. The magazine has now become a firm feature of the A Level History experience at Bolton School and every year the boys are justly proud of it. Ms. S.V. Burgess

Clubs & Societies Lower School Book Club _______________________________________________________

ow in its seventh year, Book Club remains a place for our pupils to discuss and share their thoughts about the exciting stories they have read. Our membership has grown immeasurably this year, and it’s been a pleasure for us to be able to welcome so many new members, as well as our long-standing older members. This year, we have continued our focus on the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award; again, many of our members attended both the shortlist unveiling and met the authors at the award day and authors’ meal. We’ve also made some thematic reading selections based on topical points throughout the year and school-wide focuses such as books with a wartime setting, books with character that display traits we feel make us mentally strong and successful, and following various book award shortlists.

Therefore, I would recommend Book Club to anyone who has a passion for any kind of books as we will discuss all books, ranging from manga to picture books and novels. The activities we take part in are great fun and have helped to introduce me to many books that I had not considered reading previously. Max Rimmer 10e

Miss E M Harper, Mrs. M. Howarth Having been at the school for almost four years now, and in Book Club for most of that time, I would have to recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. At Book Club, we spend much of our time discussing books that we have been reading recently, not just reading during the club. 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 at the end of the school year. Often, we will also 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. For example, the previous two years have included a competition between the girls’ and boys’ Divisions to see which side had read and voted for the most books. For me, the highlight of Book Club has to be the participation in the 2018 Book Awards, where I acted as a Book Club ambassador for the School. This included the opportunity to go to two talks from the participating authors and help lead other schools around to their talks. The previous evening, I was also able to attend a dinner with the authors, where I was able to chat with them and have their books signed.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 45

Clubs & Societies Young Artists’ Collective

upils in Years 7-10 have created artwork to be displayed at Horwich Parkway Station. The boys were asked by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), who own the station, to create artwork that celebrated Horwich Parkway, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

The boys really enjoyed their experience of working together towards a professional brief. After visiting and photographing the local area, talking with local residents and businesses in Horwich, the boys worked hard to produce some superb outcomes through a variety of different media. It’s great to see this artwork at Horwich Parkway. YAC has a passion for art and design and the pupils have worked brilliantly as a collective and as individuals to produce art that reflects both their own interests and the surrounding area. It’s a showcase for their talent and provides a real connection between the station and the local community. I hope the many passengers who use Horwich Parkway get to see and appreciate it. A great job, lads. Well done!

Called the Young Artists’ Collective (YAC), which meets weekly, the students created a range of artwork to reflect the themes of sport, industry, transport and the environment.

The artwork was opened in June with representatives from TfGM, Northern, Network Rail and Bolton School. The work will be on permanent display.

46 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Clubs & Societies Patterdale Hall

Michael Keating, TfGMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rail Stationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Manager commented that he was really grateful to have been able to work with the talented students from Bolton School to create artwork that represents Horwich, Bolton and Greater Manchester. He talked about such art installations being a fantastic example of how the local community can work together in partnership and really inject that sense of pride into public facilities. Mrs. J.L. Brewer

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 47

Clubs & Societies Quiz Club _______________________________________________________

he School Quiz Teams continue to flourish, with Juniors and Seniors meeting weekly to showcase and enhance their impressive array of general knowledge, and to practise the skill of speedy buzzing. Both teams competed in the North West heats for the Schools Challenge Quiz Competition held at Bury Grammar School, a national quiz competition based on the University Challenge television programme. Here, they met a collection of twelve schools in a series of closely-fought competitive matches. The Senior Team comprising Thomas Yates, Ben Hunt, Anuj Mishra and Thomas Martin made it through to the Semi-final of their competition to compete for the Plate trophy. Here, they met Manchester Grammar School, where a nail-biting match saw them narrowly defeated by 580-550 on the final question. The individual expertise and effective teamwork of the Junior Team comprising George Houghton, Alex McKie, Veer Patel and Ben Rimmer from Year 8 saw them qualify from their heats to earn a place in the Plate Final, where they also met Manchester Grammar School. A closely-fought match saw Bolton come out victorious, with a lead of 520 points to 450 and take the trophy back to school. All boys are to be commended on their commitment and vivacity. Mrs. C.A. Brace

Russian Club _______________________________________________________

ollowing his non-violent ousting of former President Adam Whitmore last summer, James Hopkinson’s first year as Head of State proved highly successful. He wasted no time in shunning the old guard and surrounding himself with like-minded, progressive individuals. He ruffled feathers in appointing Dan Williamson as ‘IT Guru’ and Dominic Flood as ‘Guy Who Sits There’, but in creating posts for Aamir Dalal and Jack Huang, shook Russian Club to its very core. The optimism of those heady autumn days of James’ early Presidency was infectious, and all was good in B16. Little did we know, however, that the smiling Party we saw on those propaganda posters was, in fact, crumbling. The popularity of Jack as Culture

48 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Coordinator and Aamir as Agriculture Minister led many to question their faith in James, and whispers of coup d’état were heard in field and on assembly line, as well as in the corridors of power. How will this game of chess develop? We look forward to next year’s end game. We thank all members for attending this year. Jack’s art masterclasses have opened Russian Club up to a new demographic, Aamir’s advancements in farming have left many dumbfounded, and the various tales from our recent trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg have been inspirational. We look forward to welcoming members old and new to B16 come September. Mr. N.R.W. Wyatt

Science Crest Club _______________________________________________________

his club aimed at boys in Years 8-10 runs during Wednesday lunchtime, whereby boys undertake exciting scientific investigations over the course of the year; these can then be submitted for a Crest award and, in some cases, published in the Young Scientific Journal. In the past, boys have investigated if it is possible to identify the colour of skittles purely from the taste and without visual clues. This year, one group has submitted their work for the Bronze Crest award: they investigated the mass of tar collected from cigarette smoke – a Büchner flask, syringe and vacuum pump was used to mimic ‘smoking’. A group of Year 10 boys is aiming for a Silver Crest award by investigating the calorific content of various foods. If you enjoy Science, this club is definitely for you! Dr. I.K. Tranter

The Houses The Lyde Cup _______________________________________________________

ouse 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.

This year’s race for the Lyde Cup was as competitive as ever. Years 7-11 took part in the traditional sports, quizzes, debating, drama, music, art and everything in between. Years 12 and 13 competed in team building activities in an attempt to win the Lydeman Challenge, now in its third year. As always, the weather caused disruption to both the Autumn and Summer House Days, with the former having to be rescheduled. The Summer Term saw the introduction of another new event proposed by Mr. McNeil – French boules was selected by the more civilised boys, who steered clear of the now legendary battles, which take place in the dodgeball arena.

The House Captains in 2018-19 are as follows: Captain Vice-Captain Blackburn Daniel Sykes James Bradley Sam Brennan George Speak Chorley Robert Heather

Arjun Agarwal Nathan Hodkinson Dilawer Idrees Tjase Pindoria

Manchester Harvey Haworth

Jamie Fernandes Luke James Peter Johnson

Wigan Dominic Aly

Jonathan Topping Jack Wilson

Charities Committee Chair

Luke Jones

This year’s overall totals are as follows: 4th place 3rd place 2nd place 1st place

Juniors Cup (Years 7 & 8) Wigan Chorley Manchester Blackburn

Intermediate Cup (Years 9 & 10) Blackburn Manchester Wigan Chorley

The Lyde Cup is the School’s most prestigious and expensive trophy and was first presented in 1903 by the then Headmaster Lyde. The final standings were as follows: 4th place 3rd place 2nd place 1st place

Manchester Wigan Chorley Blackburn

(12171 points) (12419 points) (12813 points) (13713 points)

Mr. P.D. Jackson

THE HOUSES 49

The Houses Blackburn House Report _____________________________________________

or Blackburn House, the year has been a rather successful one. When I came to write this review, I was thinking how I could do it; then it became apparent – start with the most important and successful thing of the year: our charitable efforts. A democratic vote by the leaders of each year group led to our decision to continue supporting a charity we had twice previously: the Blackburn Foodbank. This meant that we could have a larger impact on the lives of the people which they are helping.

I’m sure everyone in the school and not only the House would join me in saying that this cause is a very worthy one and that the response the House members gave to this collection was a great success, with almost 500 meals provided. Every House member should feel proud of their efforts and the positive impact they have made on the local community. The full House assemblies this year focused on key topics such as mental health. As I’m sure everyone can agree, mental health is a very important issue that needs to be addressed in today’s modern society. All members of the BLT were involved in conveying this message to the rest of the pupils in the House and, in so doing, we hope we have made this issue much easier to speak about. The final question of the year was ‘can we get the Lyde Cup back from Chorley?’ Having won the historic Cup in 2017, we were keen to get the yellow ribbons tied back on. Mr. Chilton was keen to lift the trophy for his second time, and this being his final year as Blackburn Housemaster also gave us that extra push. Thankfully, after a close run, the totals were added up in late June – Blackburn were Lyde Cup Champions 2019! A big thank you must go to the BLT and all the members of staff who have been involved in making the House System work. Finally, I would like to thank my Vice-captains James Bradley, George Speak and Sam Brennan, and give a very big thank you to Mr. Chilton as he departs as Housemaster. He leaves a winning House to Mr. Benbow, to whom I would like to wish the very best as he takes the reins as Blackburn Housemaster along with incoming House Captain Nikhil Maini.

To start this collection campaign, the Leadership Team (or the BLT as we have become known) went into House year group assemblies explaining to the pupils what the charity does in the local area. Sam, James, George and myself contacted Blackburn Foodbank to see what type of donations they required; due to it being the run up to Christmas, they required a lot of tinned meat and your typical Christmas dinner trimmings, as well as the usual non-perishable items, which they give out in their food parcels.

50 THE HOUSES

Daniel Sykes 13g

The Houses Chorley House Report ____________________________________________________

horley House e n t e r e d this year as Lyde Cup Champions, something that could not have been said for the previous 18 years. The House put up a stout defence of its title, winning the Senior Cup, the Intermediate Cup, but sadly was not able to hold on to the Lyde Cup. The year did end on a high with victory on Sports Day, in which all four tug-of-war teams made their relevant finals, with the Year 9 and 10 teams powering to victory in the inaugural Wardle Cup.

In addition to raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society, we even dedicated an assembly to teaching the lads more about the disease, how it affects people, how we can notice it and what can be done to help. Alongside the usual high-spirited Chorley performances on House Days, we have informed the boys about an extremely important issue in their lives, one which is gaining momentum in society, in charities and in social media. By doing this, we hope to have made them at least think about their own mental health and those around them and how it can be improved. Robert Heather 13i

The House has been led by Captain Robert Heather and he was very ably supported by Nathan Hodkinson, Arjun Agarwal, Tjase Pindoria and Dilawer Idrees. I am indebted to their hard work and commitment to House Activities and promotion of the House Charity, the Alzheimer’s Society, which was elected by the boys after hearing about the impact mental illnesses can have on people’s friends and families. The main collection was done via the boys donating foreign or obsolete currency, as well as the selling of pin badges and wrist bands, meaning that several hundred pounds have been raised. Some boys made donations of over £50, which was exceptionally generous. This has been my first year as Housemaster, and the boys’ excellent commitment and good sense of humour has made it very enjoyable. I would like to thank all the Year Captains for their contributions, as, without their assistance, the House would not run as smoothly as it has done this year. Mr. J. C. Moore House Captain’s Report Although we have visited various topics throughout the year, we have felt that the members of our House should learn not only about their own mental health, but that of those around them. Several members of the House and I first spoke about the mental health of young people in the Great Hall during a Full House Assembly to give some information on what sort of mental health issues they might be experiencing and how they could manage them. Mr. Moore added to this theme of mental health by giving us all an assembly about Robin Williams, the late actor, who himself suffered from mental illness.

THE HOUSES 51

The Houses Old Boltonians _______________________________________________________ Manchester House Report ____________________________________________________

On leaving School, every boy automatically becomes a member anchester House and has is subsequently given the of the Old Boltonians’ Association, a successful title of ‘Old Boy’. had Membership of theyear. Association is free, and all Old Most importantly, weand invitations to a variety Boys receive a Newsletter twice a year raisedtheover £2000 of events both across country andfor in School. These events are our chosen charity, through donation a fantastic opportunity to keep in touch with both the School and boxes, Christmas and variousnew friendships with other former classmates, asquizzes well as to establish Oldother Boys.events. This money was raised for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, contributing towards an iMRI scanner, the first of its kind in the world. It will help surgeons scan the brains of children whilst still in surgery instead of having to move them through separate parts of the hospital mid-surgery, which is dangerous, time consuming and very upsetting for the families. We were lucky enough to have numerous assemblies from one of the leading doctors at the Hospital, as well as a guided visit to the site, to see where our donations will be spent. This, combined with the fact that we came third instead of fourth place in the Lyde Cup, is testament to our work as a House and bodes well for the coming year.

Cian Gallagher 12g

52 THE HOUSES

The Houses Wigan House Report ____________________________________________________ It has been another great year for Wigan House. Consistently strong performances saw us amass large numbers of points in the House Day events, on Sports Day and through the number of Commendations we were awarded. Unfortunately, we ended up finishing a close second in both the race for the Lyde Cup and on Sports Day. However, what has impressed me most this year has been the boys’ commitment to community action. Crucial in this and all other House activities were our team of Year Group Leaders, who spoke in a House assembly to explain their motivation for seeking the post and ideas. These individuals were democratically elected by their peers: Year Year Year Year Year

9 10 11 12

Anupam Tripathi Dominic Flood & James Hopkinson Jude Ashcroft & Piers Skeels-Caldwell Rory Fielding, Oliver Shaw, Aden Stephenson & Adam Whitmore 13 Dominic Aly (Captain), Jonathan Topping & Jack Wilson (Vice-captains)

I would like to express my thanks for all their help and support in organising events and leading a s s e m b l i e s throughout the year. In particular, the Vice-captains and Captain formed the best Senior Leadership Team that I have had the pleasure of working with in the years I have been Housemaster of Wigan. The themes during many assemblies this year revolved around sustainability and how we could usefully contribute towards improving this, both within and outside school. A meeting was held to generate ideas and we settled on building an art installation the ‘Wigan Wave’, which every member of the House would contribute towards by

bringing in a single-use plastic bottle to place on one of the wooden dowels which protrude outwards from the wave. In exchange for this, and a £5 contribution, members of the House would receive a Wigan House water bottle to be used instead. Placing the single-use bottle on the Wigan Wave represents a commitment to reduce the use of single-use plastics. The Wave itself acts as a metaphor, representing the idea of man being crushed by a wave of its own single-use plastics. The remainder of the £5 was donated to a sustainability charity. The House Vice-captains and Captain each nominated a sustainability charity and as all of the charities received widespread support during voting, funds were donated to all three charities: The Rainforest Alliance, Surfers Against Sewage and Waste Aid. House Leaders also worked closely with catering staff to help reduce the use of single-use plastics in the Dining Hall. As a result, plastic cutlery and sandwich packages were replaced with a vegware/paper option and staff were asked to bring their own Tupperware for takeaway lunches rather than being given a polystyrene tray. I look forward to meeting with the House Leaders in September to plan a range of exciting activities for the House to participate in and build on the successes of this year.

Mr. D.F. Teasdale

THE HOUSES 53

The Houses Sports Day _______________________________________________________

n excellent morning of athletics in the warm Bolton sunshine saw boys compete in their Houses for the Boulter-Whittle-Goudge Cup. The trophy is named after Boulter (1964 and 1968 Tokyo/Mexico Olympics), Whittle (1948 London Olympics) and Goudge (1956 Melbourne Olympics) and you can see pictures of all three men on A Corridor near the Sports noticeboards.

Mr. P.D. Jackson

House Colours _______________________________________________________

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:

This year’s events were highly competitive, with boys going neck and neck in many of the track race finishes. This year saw the first competition for the Wardle Trophy, a new event which pits Houses against each other in a tug of war. A keen sportsman himself, I’m sure Mr. Wardle would have been very proud of this year’s winners – Chorley, who certainly knew how to pull the crowd! The 2019 overall Sports Day winners were also Chorley House.

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Name Daniel Sykes James Bradley Sam Brennan Nick Clark Haaris Mirza George Speak Robert Heather Arjun Agarwal Jack Bakker Nathan Hodkinson Angus Roe Luke James Peter Johnson Joe Hughes Manu Panasa Dominic Aly Jonathan Topping Jack Wilson Matthew Schaffel

Form Colour House 13g Full Blackburn 13g Half Blackburn 13a Half Blackburn 13d Half Blackburn 13f Half Blackburn 13b Half Blackburn 13i Full Chorley 13c Half Chorley 13g Half Chorley 13d Half Chorley 13j Half Chorley 13b Full Manchester 13g Full Manchester 13e Half Manchester 13i Half Manchester 13g Full Wigan 13e Full Wigan 13j Full Wigan 13b Half Wigan

Camps & Journeys French Exchange to Moulins _______________________________________________________

fter 35 years of partnership, the difficult decision was taken to make this year’s exchange with Saint Benoît in Moulins the final one. We were particularly determined to ensure that this year’s cohort had a wonderful experience.

A small group of eleven boys and three girls made the journey to Moulins during the October half term holiday, travelling by BSS coach, with an overnight stay in Amiens to break up the journey. Our coach and driver Garry remained with us for the many and varied excursions. The French children accompanied us on the visits throughout, as we were staying during the school holidays. We greatly enjoyed the visit to ClermontFerrand and the Michelin Tyre Museum, learning about Michelin’s involvement, not just in tyre manufacture, but in pioneering mapping and the famous Michelin tourist guides, using innovative advertising through Bibendum (Michelin Man) and its diversification into railways and aeronautics. In the afternoon, we toured the ASM Clermont Rugby Stadium and Museum with a passionate guide.

In June, we returned the hospitality by welcoming our guests to Bolton. It was a very busy week in school – they saw first-hand life in our school, attending lessons for two mornings and had bespoke lessons on ‘How to play Hockey?’ and ‘The Life of the Beatles and study of the Sergeant Pepper album.’ Our students accompanied them on a visit to Liverpool, taking in the Beatles Story and the Maritime Museum, and to Salford Quays to learn about L.S. Lowry, as well as a superb visit of the BBC Studios at Media City. The French students also had a day at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, particularly enjoying the Tim Peake descent from space experience.

Another successful day was to Beaune in the Burgundy region, visiting the world-famous hospices and the mustard factory. An unexpected success was a guided tour of Bourges, courtesy of the tourist information office, where we learnt about the physics of flying buttresses in the cathedral and a fascinating look at the old town. We spent plenty of time more locally taking in the Popular Music Museum in Montluçon and a turn of the century house in Moulins, owned by Louis Martin and beautifully restored to reflect life in the early 1900s. We had our annual reception at the town hall, with our mocked up wedding ceremony and a chance to quiz councillors about politics in France. We enjoyed some free time in the town’s swimming pool complex and, of course, sampling the local cafés.

Visits are only a part of an exchange visit. The main focus is time in respective families and letting people into your life and getting to know you well. It is this aspect that is the most rewarding and fascinating, but also the aspect that causes the most apprehension. It is clear that while those who take part enjoy the experience immensely, there are fewer and fewer students and staff willing and able to embrace the experience. After a break, we will find new ways of engaging our students in the love of the language and culture of the languages they are studying. Mr. A.C. Robson

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Camps & Journeys Year 8 Geography trip to Blackpool Zoo _______________________________________________________

s part of our Year 8 Geography course, we visited Blackpool Zoo to increase our knowledge of tropical rainforests. We saw a plethora of animals and learnt about their characteristics. The trip was organised by the Geography and Biology departments. On our arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the staff at Blackpool Zoo. We discovered how we could potentially save animals from extinction during a lecture by the zoo experts. In particular, we learnt about the orangutans. Palm oil plantations are one of the main reasons that they face the threat of extinction and within 1015 years, they may no longer exist. This trip has made me more aware when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m buying palm oil products and I would certainly recommend it for future Year 8s. Robin Jaaskeleinen 8b

Year 9 trip to Ingleton Waterfalls _______________________________________________________

n the morning of the 17th and 20th of June, two split Year 9 groups had the privilege to go to Thornton Falls in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. Upon arrival at the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, we disembarked from the coaches and collected our lunch, ready for the journey ahead. The first stage was to get from the beginning of the trail to the awe-inspiring Pecca Falls. Afterwards, we went to the historical and natural landform, Thornton Falls.

As we neared the falls, we could feel the sensation of water hitting our skin as it bounced up from the plunge pool like a cold mist descending upon us. In the final stage, we hiked up to the ice cream van, past Twistleton Farm. On our way, we saw a quarry, which was huge and stood out from all the other scenery as it was carved deep into the landscape. Oliver Leahy 9b & Muhammad Choudhary 9a

Year 10 trips to East Manchester and Dean Brook River _______________________________________________________

e arrived in East Manchester for our field trip in April. We did two data collection methods: index of decay and environmental quality. These two methods showed us distinct and exciting changes in the buildings as we moved away from the city centre. It became very clear that urban decay was evident, once we had walked 400km and the warehouses and factories had fallen into disrepair; this was quite contrasting to the new modern flats found close to the CBD. As we approached the end of our transect, we reached our anomalous result: the Etihad Stadium. It was clear that the Manchester City campus had caused regeneration in and around East Manchester. We had a delightful tour of the stadium and we were given a perspective of just how much money had been spent to make this area what it is today. Overall, this was a very good experience, as it gave us a visual insight of regeneration occurring in a major city. In June, after two weeks of rainy weather, Year 10 assembled and ventured down the upper course of Dean Brook. We began by measuring the dry width of the river and used systematic sampling to collect our results. We continued further downstream to repeat the test with three sites in total at 1km apart from each other. The results we obtained were phenomenal and clearly proved the Bradshaw model was correct as the river became wider and deeper. We were able to see slight changes in the bedload roundness, as the rocks were colliding when the water depth was deeper, causing erosion.

Ben Hunt 10c & Hamaad Choudry 10c

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Camps & Journeys Year 12 trips to Manchester, West Didsbury, Rusholme and Easedale Tarn _______________________________________________________

German Exchange _______________________________________________________

e were delighted to welcome to Bolton thirteen students from the Hardtberg-Gymnasium in Bonn, having visited them for a week at Easter. With day trips to Blackpool Pleasure Beach and the National Football Museum in Manchester, a climbing wall in Bonn and an evening of bowling, there was sufficient opportunity for the boys and girls in Year 10 to enjoy each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company. We hope they found the whole experience rewarding.

he Year 12 pupils have their trips split over three school days during the year. The first trip looked at the changing quality of life as you follow the main trunk road through Rusholme towards suburban Didsbury. This is part of the urban environments section of the syllabus and the boys conducted surveys to look at what factors were influencing house prices and crime data.

The second trip was a combination of physical and human geography. During the morning, the boys were given a guided tour of Manchesterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CBD to look at the ways in which microclimates are formed by building design and urban landscapes. In the afternoon, we then focused our attention to a regeneration scheme in Castlefield, looking at the successes and failures of Urban Development Corporations. The final day changed to the glaciation section of the syllabus, with Mr. Rutter and Mr. Jackson leading the groups around Easedale Tarn. This trip provides pupils with the opportunity to experience many unique glacial features firsthand and it has proven to be the stimulus for boys wanting to undertake a glacial project during their final year.

Mr. R.A. Catterall

Mr. P.J. Newbold

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Camps & Journeys Operation Wallacea

his summer, 28 boys and four members of staff travelled to South Africa for an unforgettable two-week expedition with Operation Wallacea.

The journey to our first camp took approximately 40 hours and consisted of two flights, a ten-hour coach journey and a two-hour ride in open topped 4x4 safari vehicles. But even before we arrived in camp, it was clear that this was going to be an amazing trip that more than justified the arduous journey. On our drive into camp, we saw elephants, giraffes and antelope. The setting of the camp itself was spectacular, sitting just above a bend in the Olifants River; the view from camp was constantly changing, but there was always something interesting to observe; we saw lions chasing a warthog, a crocodile sneaking up on antelope and baby hippos crossing the river with their parents to mention just a few of the sights.

Each day, the boys participated in different activities, which included lectures, workshops and surveys. The surveys included vegetation surveys, mammal transects and bird point counts; the purpose of these is to help monitor the health of the reserve

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and the data collected is used to inform future management strategies. Through a series of lectures and workshops delivered by local guides, camp staff and external experts, the boys learned more about local species and the pressures that the ecosystem was experiencing.

The passage below is an entry from the expedition diary, which the students took turns in writing whilst on expedition. It chronicles one of the days in the first week: â&#x20AC;&#x153;After falling asleep to the soothing sound of hippo grunts echoing in the African Bushveld, we woke up for breakfast before embarking on our first bird point count; this involved driving

Camps & Journeys along a transect starting from camp and stopping three times for ten minutes to analyse the species and populations of birds in the area by identifying them by their appearances or calls, which we had learnt in the bird identification session the day before. South Africa is home to many interesting bird species including the ‘grey go-away-bird’ and ‘African fish eagle’, which we became very familiar with. Whilst on our bird point count, our driver, Johan, received information from another group that there were African Wild Dogs in the area. After hearing about this, the performance of the mighty Mahindra pick-up truck was tested, reaching lightning speeds of 55mph. Fortunately, when we arrived, the dogs were still there, in a pack of around 9 individuals. There are only 6000 of these worldwide, making them an extremely rare find. After arriving at our next site after the detour, the wild dogs also arrived shortly after, while we were on foot. For a short amount of time, the alphas of the pack seemed interested in us, however they soon perceived us as being too big and left the area. After this, we enjoyed a lecture and activity about the benefits of biodiversity before having lunch.

In the second week of the expedition, we travelled to a site called Sodwana Bay, renowned worldwide for its excellent diving. The majority of the boys were not qualified scuba divers before the expedition, so completed their Open Water qualification whilst out on site. The diving exceeded our lofty expectations; the corals and the fish were vibrant and diverse. The boys’ favourite sightings included sharks, turtles and octopus.

When not diving, the boys undertook a wide range of activities to learn about the biology of the local ecosystem including rock pool identification workshops, sand dune walks and daily lectures.

In the afternoon, we began a game survey, which involved driving along an 11km transect and counting every single mammal in the area. While we encountered a few giraffes and elephants, most of our data was made up of impala. One of the impala we encountered was floating in the watering hole, right in front of a very content crocodile. Unsurprisingly, this impala was not included in our survey!”

The diary entry below logs one of the days in the second week of the expedition: “After some perfectly toasted bread, referral group 4 gathered to head down to the beach for the first day of open water diving. The day would consist of two dives composed of practising various different skills such as: clearing a partially flooded mask, regulator retrieval and hovering. Although I was initially frightened by the treacherous conditions on the surface, once I’d descended to the ocean floor, I was at ease. The sensation of entering an almost alien environment is something that cannot be expressed by words. The terrestrial world ceased to exist.

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Camps & Journeys Any lingering problems faded. It was surreal. We executed the aforementioned skills with varying levels of difficulty, so the dive master signalled to ascend after a near eternity in this wonderland. We reached the surface. Fresh air filled our lungs and we all sighed with relief. Obviously, we were glad to have survived the experience unscathed. On the other hand, we were reluctant to leave this new world that we had found. We took a well-needed and deserved break before returning to the waters for the next of many more dives. This time, we practised sharing air with a buddy, as well as clearing a fully flooded mask. This dive was a lot simpler, as we had adequately acclimatised to the reef. The highlight of my dive was when the group was in the middle of a huge shoal of thousands (or millions?) of small transparent fish that James referred to as ‘glass fish’. There were so many fish, there were times when they caused me to lose sight of other divers in the group. Being surrounded by this huge shoal moving in a synchronised manner was a magical enough experience, but further intrigue was added by the presence of predators - kingfish and mackerel - hunting members of the shoal. The glass fish responded in unison to the darting movements of the predators, both predator and prey displaying amazing speed and agility. It seemed as though the shoal were trying to use the group of divers as cover from the predators; whether or not this was true, we were certainly right at the heart of the action – the scene was truly breathtaking. Once more, we returned to the beach, feeling proud of our achievements. More importantly, we had to change from our wetsuits and rash vests as quickly as possible in order to warm up and enjoy the remainder of the day at the beach. A bumpy transfer took us back to the camp, where we were later greeted by a gorgeous chicken stew. The exodus camp was quiet that night, as it housed a small village of exhausted divers.”

My thanks to the staff involved – Mr. Benbow, Dr. Morgan and Dr. Procter for giving up their time to accompany the expedition. We look forward to the next expedition in 2022 with great anticipation! Mr. D.F. Teasdale

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Camps & Journeys Rheinland Trip _______________________________________________________

e were, once again, blessed with good weather for our six-day trip to the Rheinland during the Autumn Half Term break. Accompanied by forty boys from Year 8 and ten helpers from Year 13, we undertook a tried and tested itinerary, starting at Cologne and then south to our hotel overlooking the Rhein, before heading even deeper into Germany to Heidelberg and its magnificent castle. The scenery in the valley never disappoints, and this year saw water levels at their lowest in recent years, allowing locals from many towns to sunbathe on the dried up river bed. The boys returned home, we hope, with a greater appreciation of the region’s history and culture, and many produced excellent logbooks and detailed accounts of the impressions formed during the trip.

Mr. R.A. Catterall

Russia Trip _______________________________________________________

o matter how many times you go to Russia, there is always a tingling and seemingly contradictory sensation of excitement and trepidation as you board the plane destined for the vast expanse of territory that lies beyond the former Iron Curtain. This year’s trip was no different. A party of 59 of Bolton School’s finest flew out in comparative luxury – we had TV screens, headphones and good food on the outward-bound BA flight to Moscow. We arrived in warm sunshine, without the slightest hint of snow or ice anywhere. Moreover, all the baggage turned up too – a bonus and not something that can always be guaranteed on such excursions.

steadfastly unchanged. Poor Mr. Wyatt almost missed out on dinner one evening as he failed to produce a dinner token that he had never received when asked by the lady ‘on guard duty’ at the restaurant. Fortunately, this guardian of culinary delights fell victim to his charms and unending politeness, eventually letting him join the fifty-eight other people in his party who were contentedly munching away.

The boys had little difficulty adapting to their new environs, be it bartering on the Arbat, or taking in the magnificent spectacle of Red Square at night, or even watching a ballet at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre. Aided by some magnificent spring sunshine – on some days, you didn’t even need a coat – Moscow was resplendent and the four days we spent there were outstanding. We did so much that we have not the space here to detail it all. That said, it is worth mentioning that we paid homage to the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, when we visited the Cosmonaut Museum; we witnessed first-hand what the old Tsars and Tsarinas wore on our tour of the Kremlin; and we visited our link school, No. 416, for an afternoon that will live long in the memory. The hospitality we received was outstanding and we were welcomed at the school as if we were pop-stars. Various activities ensued that culminated in many friendships being formed and, thanks to social media, strengthened, but it was Bolton School’s penalty shoot-out victory in the football match that stole the show. A stirring second-half comeback laid the foundations for success in the shoot-out, although support for the home side was scant; nearly all the crowd were chanting for Bolton School throughout the game.

Having breezed through customs and passport control with an efficiency few would associate with the Eastern Bloc, the party headed by bus to the Hotel Cosmos, our ‘home’ while in the Russian capital. The Cosmos was as endearing as ever, trapped as it is for eternity in 1980s Soviet Russia. While allowances are made for modern technology – Wi-Fi is readily available now, for example, – the service and décor that makes the Cosmos Russian remain

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Camps & Journeys up the wooden spoon in the staff match with a performance that left him with, ahem, shall we say, room for improvement. For those interested, Mr. Ormerod showed that he had a demon eye for the skittles and Mrs. Ebden finished strongly, along with yours truly, for a three-way tie for first place. We even managed to fit in a visit to a World War II memorial that involved us climbing over some fencing (the least said about that, the better) and a trip to Yusupov Palace, the home of one of Russia’s most noble and wealthiest families and the venue for the murder of Rasputin. It was with a heavy heart, therefore, that we boarded our flight back to the UK, but such was the fun that was had, the sparse offerings on the return flight (no TVs nor inflight meals) made little difference as we all knew we had enjoyed a week that will stay in our minds forever.

The overnight train journey north to St. Petersburg followed and it was superb. Slippers, toothbrushes, towels, Wi-Fi, televisions and even free snacks, such was the ‘hardship’ that we experienced as we headed for the Venice of the North. The city, formerly known as Leningrad, is one of the twelve Hero cities of the old Soviet Union, an honour conferred by Stalin on those places that fought the Nazi onslaught with particular heroism. St. Petersburg has all the beauty and refinement that one would expect of a former capital and where the tsars of Russia lived for centuries. When we arrived, the contrast between it and Moscow was stark; St. Petersburg is more sedate, more refined and less boisterous than the Russian capital and, for our stay, it was also much colder: snow and sleet greeted us upon our arrival. As you might expect, we crammed a great deal in during our time in St. Petersburg. There were tours to the Hermitage and Peter the Great’s log cabin, a visit to Catherine’s Palace, an outstanding folklore show and a competitive bowling match to boot. Mr. Brown was central in the latter two events, having been picked by a dancer to strut his stuff on stage in front of all at the folk show. To his credit, he performed with aplomb and impressed all and sundry with his Cossack dancing skills. He received a huge kiss on the cheek from his impromptu female dance partner that was still there several hours later. Unfortunately, his bowling skills were not as good as his Russian dance moves. Although few could match Thomas Darbyshire’s astonishing score of 156, Mr. Brown picked

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Many thanks go to the boys for their superlative conduct and for adhering to the two main rules of the trip. I would also like to thank Mrs. Waller, Mr. Brown, Mr. Ormerod, Mrs. Ebden and, of course, Mr. Wyatt. Without their assistance, their patience and their willingness to embrace the irrational just because, well, it is Russia, this trip would not have happened and certainly would not have been as much fun. Thank you to all. До скорого! Mr. P.G. Davidson

Camps & Journeys Sixth Form Trip to Moscow _______________________________________________________

he 2019 Moscow trip was a hugely enjoyable event for all. Early morning flights and a long journey added to the excitement levels as we arrived in Russia. As it was my first visit to the country, I found it particularly interesting to finally see a real-world benefit to the language skills that I have spent the last six years developing. Ordering meals and buying metro tickets provided us all with a chance to hone our Russian abilities, whilst visits to the circus and the opera allowed us to experience Russian culture first-hand. During the trip, we also visited numerous museums and churches, including the Cold War Museum and the Gulag Museum, as well as hugely significant sites, such as Red Square and the Kremlin. Throughout the week, we had daily lessons in the Pushkin Institute, which were unlike any lessons that I have ever experienced in England. Each was ninety minutes long and taught entirely in Russian, and, unsurprisingly, at first, we struggled to adapt; however, by the end of the week, we had become used to this fast-paced style of learning and began to see real progress with regards to our conversational language skills. My personal highlight of the trip came during a visit to a local Russian secondary school, where we won, via a dramatic penalty shoot-out, the annual ‘England vs. Russia’ five-a-side football match that has become a staple of the Russian trip.

Year 7 Paris Trip _______________________________________________________

he annual Year 7 trip to Paris entered its 21st year and was a fitting end to the Summer Term. We stayed again at the Resort Hotel Trois Hiboux at Parc Astérix, winning over the Hotel staff with our excellent behaviour and courtesy to others. A large group of 71 students was divided into two coaches and covered identical itineraries in a different order. One day was spent in Central Paris walking up to the second stage of the Eiffel Tower; taking in a boat trip on the River Seine and a walk up the hill to the Sacré-Cœur church in Montmartre. A second day was spent visiting Versailles town centre, the château and its gardens. Both groups spent a further day together exploring Parc Astérix.

In summary, the week in Russia was the best preparation that we could have possibly had for our upcoming A-Level Russian examination. Personally, I feel that my confidence in my own Russian ability has greatly improved, and I look forward to returning to Russia for a year abroad as part of my chosen university course in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bolton School and the teachers that gave up their time to accompany us to Russia for allowing us all to have this experience. It was a week that I will look back upon with fond memories for many years to come. Philip Robinson 13d

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Camps & Journeys Here are some accounts from boys on the trip: “My favourite part of the trip was the trip to the theme park. We went to it on the Saturday, the day before we left, and the phrase “saving the best for last” was obviously correct for this trip. There were rides for everyone and even games at stalls to win things from unicorns to large rainbow balls with handles on them. My favourite ride was the large red and yellow rollercoaster. This ride is definitely not for the faint-hearted, as there are large drops, rapid speeds and loops causing anyone to become lightheaded. Although the rollercoaster is the main ride, there are also lots of other rides that are good as well, such as the swing ride, which allows people to be swept upwards.” Joe Howard 7e “My favourite part of Paris was Parc Astérix; the theme park was named after the French cartoon character. It features some truly exciting and adrenaline-pumping rides such as Goudurix and Zeus. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and it was well worth the journey and the early start.” James Parfrey 7f “My favourite part of the trip was the day we went up the Eiffel Tower and went on a boat trip. This was because the Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous and iconic places in the whole of Paris and probably France. As well as this, it was very exciting to see the majestic city from so high up, although I chose not to go to the second floor. For the other half of the day, we went on a boat trip along the River Seine. It was very peaceful and you learnt many facts along the way. We also saw many different landmarks like Notre Dame (or what’s left of it after the fire) and where Napoleon was buried. It was a little disappointing seeing plastic waste in the River at times. We also made a little stop at the Sacré-Cœur and the basilica. It was a beautiful, peaceful church, but I wished that we had spent more time in it.” Toby Holt-Gregson 7f “My favourite part of the trip was Parc Astérix. My favourite ride was the Pirate Ship ride as it made me feel like I was flying. While we were there, it was super

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sunny and I could feel the heat on my back. Suncream was reapplied many times so we didn’t get burnt. We were given a Greek-style lunch of falafel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We were also given €15 each so that we could stay hydrated. The Goudurix ride had seven loop-the-loops and after finishing the ride, my legs were trembling with excitement. My friends and I went on this rollercoaster three times. At the end of the day, we ate a lovely dinner in the restaurant with mouth-watering food” Josh Moffitt 7f “After our wait outside the group entrance of the palace of Versailles, we finally made it through the scorching hot marble entrance. The walls were filled with old and delicate sculptures. Our next part of the visit included seeing the many different rooms (mostly filled with gold) that were used for the royalty of France. The gardens were a lovely sight and the greenery was well-tended. The wide expanse was used for us to explore and we loved it!” Rayhan Vasanwala 7e

My thanks to Miss Torun for leading the trip and all the preparation and administration beforehand. We wish her well in her new post overseas. Grateful thanks to all the other colleagues who participated in the trip and their care and expertise in keeping everyone safe and allowing everyone to relax and have fun.

Mr. A.C. Robson

Music & Drama Music Notes _______________________________________________________

olton School Music has had another busy and successful year with over 400 individual music lessons taking place in the Boys’ Division Music Department each week and over 30 ensembles partaking in weekly rehearsals across the Foundation. There are many opportunities for the boys to develop their musical skills in school by taking part in a wide variety of concerts; internal and national competitions; Joint Productions; ABRSM and Trinity grade exams; and, of course, the option to take Music at GCSE and A Level. At the beginning of September, we were pleased to welcome Emily Howard, a violin teacher, and Rachel Toner, a singing teacher, to join the Boys’ Division Music staff, and both have already made a great contribution to music at Bolton School. At the end of this academic year, we say goodbye to Leon Deakin. Part of his job was to work as the Music Department Technician and he has been invaluable in this role. His knowledge, skill, expertise and friendly disposition will be greatly missed, but we wish him well for the future in developing his career. We are very proud of what the boys have achieved this year and you can read about the rich variety of musical events and activities that have taken place in the articles that follow. Mr. J.C. Bleasdale Autumn Term At the beginning of the Autumn Term, we welcomed back our regular visitors, Devonshire Road Primary School, and our new visitors, Brownlow Fold Primary School, to take part in our SPACE sessions once a fortnight on a Monday afternoon. This community music project is a great opportunity for us to share our music facilities with local schools and this year, Brownlow Fold enjoyed learning about samba with Mr. Forgrieve whilst Devonshire Road took lessons on the drum kit with Mr. Bleasdale. In September, the Samba Band performed at Bolton Hospice’s Bubble Rush fundraising event at Queen’s Park. This is the third year that the band has supported this wonderful event. Eight pupils in Years 9 to 12, joined by Mr. Forgrieve and Mr. Bleasdale, were delighted to give an energy boost to those participating in the 5K run, helping to keep the legs pumping in a carnival atmosphere. They entertained a receptive and appreciative audience for two hours.

During September, Miss Sherry organized two trips for GCSE Music students. Those in Year 10 attended a concert given by the Hallé Orchestra, which took place at the Bridgewater Hall. It was programmed for GCSE Music students and included performances of their set works with a commentary. Students in Year 11 visited The Beatles Museum in Liverpool, where they also attended a lecture on their set work, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. In the evening, they attended a concert of popular classical works given by The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Just before half term, twenty-two pupils from Years 7-13 entertained a supportive and appreciative audience in a Musical Evening in the Arts Centre. The concert began with Viva La Vida performed by the Joint Junior Clarinet Group. This was followed by clarinet, classical guitar, drum kit, electric guitar, piano, trumpet and vocal solos, together with a marimba duet. There was a huge range of musical styles to enjoy, including classical, contemporary, jazz, pop, rock and romantic. The Music Department has been supporting the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK for a number of years now by providing musicians for local fundraising concerts. In November, the annual Bolton Concert

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Music & Drama Next to take the stage was the Brass Group, playing William Tell and Singin’ In The Rain. The Steel Pans Group then performed Spanish Eyes and Yellow Bird, followed by the Senior Guitar Group playing Livin’ On A Prayer. In the first vocal performance of the evening, the Joint Chamber Choir delighted the audience with renditions of The Way You Look Tonight and a stunning arrangement of The Writing’s On The Wall, featuring several solos. was held at The Bridge Church, Bradford Street, Bolton. Alex Gao (piano) and Jamie Death (trombone) joined Royal Northern College of Music students Matthew Chadbond (violin), Ryan Hunt (tenor) and Maria Stratigou (piano) to give a superb concert, which was very well received by the large audience.

A few days later, many of our ensembles performed familiar tunes in a broad range of musical styles at the Autumn Concert. Director of Music Mr. Bleasdale began by reflecting on the 400 individual music lessons taking place each week in the Boys’ Division, and the fact that the School is fortunate to be able to teach Music as part of the Lower School curriculum, enabling the whole of Year 8 to provide a fantastic finale to this event. The first item on the programme was the Drum Corps, which provided a dramatic opening to the evening’s music with Swinging Accents and Rolling in Rhythm. Next, the Joint Senior Concert Band performed Highlights from ‘La La Land’ and Chick Corea’s Spain, which included some great brass solos. The Tuned Percussion Ensemble skillfully played two instantly recognisable pieces: Summertime and Moondance. They were followed by the Ukulele Ensemble performing Limehouse Blues and Hey Jude. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Ukelele Ensemble playing Hey Jude by The Beatles

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The Classical Guitar Quartet performed Allegro (from Concerto in D Major) by Antonio Vivaldi. The last instrumental group to perform was the Joint Jazz Band, playing Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Basin Street Blues and Born To Be Wild. Finally, to bring the Autumn Concert to a close, the whole of Year 8 stood to sing three songs: Paradise, It Must Be Love and Pompeii. This made a spectacular end to the evening’s music and all of the boys performed well, especially the soloists. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to Year 8 singing Pompeii by Bastille

Music & Drama A week later, the Year 7 Concert was held in the Great Hall. This concert provided an opportunity for the boys to perform solos on their instruments to a large but supportive audience and then for the whole year group to perform the finale, which this year comprised of five songs with the theme of ‘sunshine’, optimistically looking forward to the warmer weather in the Summer Term. The finale was led by Mrs. Whitmore and the songs included: Here Comes The Sun, Sunny Afternoon, Summer, Sunny and Blame It On The Boogie. At the beginning of December, the annual Year 11 GCSE Music students’ concert took place in the Arts Centre; this concert was the final preparation for the practical GCSE exam, which took place just before the end of the Autumn Term. It was a very rewarding concert, not least because we were listening to music students who had made huge progress since they had first started the GCSE course fourteen months before. The Christmas Festival opened with the traditional singing of Once in Royal David’s City. Year 8 pupil Haseeb Ahsan gave a clear and beautiful solo performance of the first verse before he was joined by the choir, congregation and orchestra for the remainder of the carol. The congregation was in great voice throughout the evening and enthusiastically added their voices to See Amid the Winter’s Snow, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!, Joy to the World! and Shine, Jesus, Shine. They also joined in for the chorus during Mary’s Boy Child, while the verses were sung as solos by Sam Barker in Year 13 and Year 11 pupils Ben Flood and Jude Ashcroft. The singing of carols, accompanied by the excellent orchestra and the organ, was interspersed with choral items and contemplative readings and reflections.

The Choir performed Bethlehem, Mighty Good News and Away in a Manger. During this last item, William Martin in Year 7 sang the second verse as a lovely solo. Shout for Joy, Ye People! was sung by the Lower School Choir, accompanied by Year 13 student Victor Chow on violin.

The Chamber Choir also sang three pieces: the soft and emotional Glow, a beautiful rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear? and a soulful a capella version of Mary, Did You Know?

The meditation was delivered by Rev. Mark Simpson, pioneer minister at Wellfield Church in the Blackburn diocese. After opening with a humorous story about the origin of the fairy on top of the Christmas tree, he drew particular attention to one of the readings, Hebrews 1: v1-3, which is not often used in Christmas services. He invited everyone to take in the wonder of these words, which challenge assumptions, and discussed the importance of listening to and appreciating other points of view. Finally, he talked about the hope that Jesus’s birth brings, drawing attention to well-known phrases from carols, which poignantly express why Christmas is a

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Music & Drama time for joy and hope: “Our hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight” and “Born to raise the sons of Earth, born to give them second birth.” This was followed by a moving performance of There Is Faint Music from a quartet of boys: Jean-Paul Asumu and Nick Clark in Year 13, Adam Whitmore in Year 12 and Josh Kay in Year 11. The Great Hall was once again filled with the congregation’s singing as the orchestra and organ played O Come, All Ye Faithful! to bring the Christmas Festival to a spectacular close. Afterwards, the Headmaster Mr. Britton thanked all who had made the Christmas Festival such a wonderful occasion. Spring Term In January, Old Boy Rick Pilkington (Class of 1974) returned to Bolton School to share his passion for music with current pupils in Years 10 to 13 from both divisions. He decided at the age of 50 to pursue his first love, music, and since then has enjoyed success with musical partner Chrissy Mostyn as The Blackheart Orchestra. They have released four albums, toured the UK, Europe and Australia, and last year played to 13,000 people in seven dates with Hawkwind, including two nights at The London Palladium. He began the lunchtime talk with his very first taste of music. His mother bought him a Spanish guitar when he joined Bolton School at the age of 11, but he hated formal lessons! It was only when he bought Cream’s album ‘Disraeli Gears’ that he fell in love with music: he put away the Spanish guitar, bought an electric guitar and taught himself to play. At school, he and his friends formed the “infamous” band Black Cat Bone and he recalled some of his musical experiences as a Bolton School pupil. Rick proudly mentioned four other members of his form who found success in music: Tony Wadsworth, who has had a lifelong career in the industry, radio broadcaster Mark Radcliffe, Radiohead’s manager Bryce Edge, and Buzzcocks drummer Mick Singleton. He asked whether or not it is possible to teach music and discussed his idea of the “two different kinds of musician” and their distinct skills and abilities. However, most importantly, he said, “Music is beautiful: whichever way you turn, don’t ever give up on music.” This was a theme throughout his recollections and anecdotes. For those wishing to pursue a musical career, he offered some words of warning about the “wolves” of the music industry, who are interested only in making money; however, he also encouraged his audience of young musicians to take their dreams seriously. He passed up an opportunity to join a band, which went on to be successful, because his mother wanted him to go to college. Although he enjoyed his resulting career in advertising, he said: “Deciding to make a living out of music was the best thing I’ve done in my life. Don’t wait until you’re 50!”

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At the end of the talk, there was time for questions. When asked how to make contact with people in the music industry, he was honest about the difficulty, but gave some helpful tips as well. He also discussed his method of writing new material and said that the most important thing is to “find out what you are, be yourself and be brilliant at what you do.” Some pupils stayed behind to chat to Rick about their musical aspirations and to ask individual questions. Bolton’s annual Civic Commemoration for Holocaust Memorial Day proved to be a very moving event, presided over by Reverend Canon Dr. Chris Bracegirdle, Vicar of Bolton. The Mayor, several Councillors and many of Bolton’s religious leaders of all faiths were present, alongside children and staff from several local primary and secondary schools and members of the public. The service began with the Violin Quartet playing Cantabile by Nardini and after the candle lighting ceremony, the quartet played Lift Thine Eyes by Mendelssohn. This was followed by a number of poignant readings presented by pupils from other schools and religious leaders. Artwork, provided by Bolton School boys in Years 8-13, which commemorated the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, was also displayed at the event at the Festival Hall in the Town Hall. At the beginning of February, we held the Year 8 Instrumental Evening in the Great Hall. This concert was similar to the Year 7 Concert, but it was for soloists and small ensembles only. Refreshments were served to parents as they arrived and the concert that followed had a relaxed and informal atmosphere. As always, it was a pleasure to see how much progress the boys had made in just over twelve months since their Year 7 Concert. Bolton School Boys’ Division’s fifteenth Young Musician of the Year competition showcased the school’s outstanding range of musical talent to be found across Years 7-13. The Great Hall audience was entertained by fourteen contestants, all of whom were already winners, having won best in category awards across Junior and Senior sections. Jamie Logan and Jamie Gregson had been crowned winners in the brass section, in the Junior and Senior categories respectively; Xuan Wang and Alex Gao had been winners in the piano/organ section; Mark Liu and Victor Chow had

Music & Drama won awards in the Junior and Senior strings category; Billy Burrows and Adam Whitmore had been winners in the vocal section; Neeraj Singh and Thomas Higham were winners in the woodwind section; Toby Yates and Sammy Ramadan, guitar section winners; and Jamie Death and Tyler Titley, percussion section winners. On the night, each boy played a piece in their chosen category, as the evening provided a spectacular finale to two months of music-making; the unenviable task of choosing two winners went to the Director of Music from Stonyhurst College, Andrew Henderson. The original contest, which began in mid-January, had seen entries from hundreds of boys and from this group, 84 Semi-finalists had emerged – 12 performers, six senior and six junior, in each of the seven classes. Lasting the whole day, the Semi-final saw 14 pupils become winners in their instrument class. On the night, the audience was also treated to the two winning compositions in the Young Composer of the Year category by Rishi Narla (Junior) and Adam Whitmore (Senior). We also heard a performance of Michael Jackson’s Rock With You by the Most Promising Performer, Jean-Paul Asumu. Adjudicator Andrew Henderson offered detailed and perceptive feedback to each contestant and told them: “All of you are winners tonight and what the audience sees here is the top of the pyramid. Music is a language and each performance has been about how we communicate. Really what I have been looking for is the best performance of the evening.” He then declared the Senior Young Musician of the Year to be Year 13 student Victor Chow, who played violin and the Junior Young Musician of the Year to be pianist Xuan Wang from Year 9. Each boy took away a cash prize of £100 and a winner’s trophy and they will have their name engraved on the Young Musician of the Year plaques, which are on permanent display in school. All the finalists also received a category winner trophy. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to Senior winner Victor Chow’s performance

excellent judge. He also thanked Mr. Forgrieve for organising the competition; the accompanists Ms. Lien, Mrs. Hampson and Mrs. Whitmore; and Mr. Deakin, for making everything sound so great. He finally thanked the boys – and their 21 individual music teachers – for their hard work and for providing a wealth of wonderful music. In March, the Joint Gala Concert at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall brought together musical talent from across the Bolton School Foundation for a stunning evening performance. Pupils from Years 3 to 13 in the Boys’ and Girls’ Junior and Senior Schools provided an uplifting programme of varied music, from classical pieces to modern pop tunes, culminating in a rousing Beatles finale. After a brief welcome from Boys’ Division Headmaster Mr. Britton, the compère for the evening, Rebecca Pukiello, a broadcast journalist and Old Girl (1992-1998), took to the stage to introduce the first act of the evening. The Joint Drum Corps marched onto the stage to play #AC1DC, a military-style piece written by Girls’ Division Director of Music, Mrs. Price, which was embellished with drumstick visuals. They were followed by the Joint Senior Concert Band, directed by Miss Sherry. The band, which comprises musicians at Grade 6 and above, gave stunning performances of two challenging and upbeat pieces: Arabesque and Into the Clouds.

The Joint Tuned Percussion Ensemble’s version of Bach’s famous Toccata in D minor, arranged by Mrs. Price and directed by Mr. Forgrieve, was hugely entertaining and provided a different take on this well-known piece of classical music. The performance included xylophones, drums, cymbals and even tubular bells.

Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to Junior winner Xuan Wang’s performance

Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Joint Tuned Percussion Ensemble perform J.S. Bach’s Toccata in D minor Director of Music, Mr. Bleasdale, said that it had been an exceptional evening of music. He gave sincere thanks to Andrew Henderson for being an

Fresh from their win at the Last Choir Singing competition, the Park Road Choir was in fine form under the direction of Mrs. Ives as they gave an exquisite rendition of John Rutter’s anthem Look at the World.

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Music & Drama The Senior Guitar Group normally performs acoustic instrumental versions of rock classics, but for the Gala Concert they were joined for their performance by vocalists Adam Whitmore and Ellen Bate. Mr. Bleasdale directed the group as they played The Eagles’ classic Hotel California. At the heart of the programme was a trio of songs sung by the Joint Year 7 Massed Voices, accompanied by a staff band. Under the direction of Miss Sherry, the combined Year 7 cohorts from the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions came together to sing Strangers by Sigrid, Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars and Reach Out, I’ll Be There by The Four Tops. They handled the different styles of the pieces with confidence and filled the hall with lively sound.

finale: Ticket To Ride, Yesterday, A Hard Day’s Night, Let It Be, All You Need Is Love, With A Little Help From My Friends, and Hey Jude. The verses were sung by ten soloists including Jude Ashcroft, Jean-Paul Asumu, Nick Clark and Josh Kay. The combined massed voices of Year 7, the school choirs and the audience raised the roof during every chorus, bringing the Gala Concert to a thunderous close. Girls’ Division Headmistress Miss Hincks thanked the evening’s compere, Rebecca Pukiello, the Boys’ and Girls’ Division Directors of Music, Mr. Bleasdale and Mrs. Price, and all of the music, pastoral and technical staff for bringing everything together for a wonderful evening celebrating music at Bolton School.

Early in the second half of the concert, Steppenwolf’s hit Born to be Wild was performed by the Joint Jazz Band, led by Mr. Spooner. The Joint Chamber Choir has now been a fixture of Bolton School music events for over 25 years, and once again they put together a sterling repertoire for the occasion with two contrasting pieces. Mrs. Whitmore directed the soulful Abendlied, while Mr. Ainscough directed Tonight Quintet from ‘West Side Story’.

Summer Term This year’s Battle of the Bands once again showcased the musical talent of Boys’ and Girls’ Division pupils as four bands each played one cover and one original song for an appreciative audience in the Arts Centre. Old Boy Rob Jones (Class of 2008, School Captain 2007-08) returned to judge the competition, having won the trophy himself back in 2007 as a member of Radio Edit.

Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Joint Chamber Choir perform Tonight Quintet from ‘West Side Story’

The first band to take to the stage was Shaky Foundations. Ben Chowdhury, Andy Garcia-Cox, Joshua Marshall and Rupert Varley gave the competition a fitting opening with Rock ‘n’ Roll Star by Oasis, which they followed with their original song Tell Me The Truth.

The Joint Senior Orchestra then took to the stage. The 51 pupils were directed by Mr. Bleasdale as they performed two pieces: Bacchanale by Camille Saint-Saëns from his opera ‘Samson and Delilah’ and Offenbach’s Galop, more commonly known as the Can-Can. Both of these complex pieces were played to a very high standard by the young musicians.

Next up were Millie Ashton, Joseph Edwards and Xena Logan performing as The Tepid Grapes. They prefaced their original song Brutal with an energetic medley of three rock classics: Can’t Stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Basket Case by Green Day and Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.

The Gala Concert drew to a close with ‘A Tribute to the Beatles’ from the massed choirs, orchestra and audience, all directed by Mrs. Price. In her introduction to the medley, Rebecca pointed out a littleknown link between the Fab Four and Bolton School: Ringo Starr played his first gig with the band at Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight, the model town created by the School’s benefactor Lord Leverhulme. Six Beatles hits were smoothly linked together to create a spectacular

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Music & Drama Youth Concept’s Patrick Bentley, Charlie Griffiths, Harry Paterson and Sammy Ramadan were crowd-pleasers with lots of fans in the audience for their performances of Catfish and the Bottlemen’s Soundcheck and their original song Dopamine Machine.

Finally, Funktionality rounded off the Battle of the Bands 2019. JeanPaul and Roxanne Asumu, Owen Critchlow and Joshua Marshall played Tints by Anderson .Paak and their original song, Mine.

The difficult task of choosing a winner from those four worthy performances fell to Rob Jones. On stage to announce the winner, he said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to be back here judging the Battle of the Bands competition. … I really hope that all the bands I’ve seen today carry on doing what they love and making music throughout their lives because there really is nothing that can beat it. I was blown away by the quality of music that I saw, particularly the original material I heard from each band.” Rob also praised all the bands’ great energy, but said that he was particularly impressed with the musical complexity of one of the acts. He commented, “If I walked into a bar and that band was on, I’d stay, and that’s why I’m going to award the first prize this year to Funktionality.” Delighted winners Jean-Paul, Roxanne, Owen and Joshua returned to the stage to accept their trophy and shake Rob’s hand. Jean-Paul

spoke on behalf of the band to thank Rob, the audience and, in particular, Boys’ Division Director of Music Mr. Bleasdale, the Music Department and all the staff who helped to organise and run the competition. Just after half term, we were delighted to present a cheque for £1403.29 to Daytrippers (Bolton). This is a parent and carer led registered charity that provides mutual support and companionship, via days out and other activities, for families that have children with disabilities. The money was raised from the proceeds of the Battle of the Bands competition. In May, thirty-five pupils from Years 7-13 entertained an appreciative and enthusiastic audience in another Musical Evening in the Arts Centre. The concert included highly enjoyable ensemble performances from the Joint Clarinet Group, Junior String Quartet, Steel Pans Group, Intermediate String Trio, Classical Guitar Quartet and Senior String Ensemble. These were interspersed with impressive piano, vocal, clarinet, xylophone, tabla and violin solos. A wide range of musical styles were presented, including calypso, baroque, classical, romantic, pop, jazz, music from TV and the musicals, and a polka. Each year, the Boys’ Division Music Department organizes a series of free Lunchtime Concerts, which are open to the public. This year’s series began in April with a performance from nine of Bolton School’s A Level Music students. The second concert featured three Junior RNCM musicians – percussionist Simone Herbert-Moores, classical guitarist Joe Orme, and double bassist Nick Broughton. Mathew Chadbond gave a recital on the violin in May, with piano accompaniment from Robert Aston, and the series closed with a classical guitar recital from Will Scattergood, also in May.

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Music & Drama Appreciative audiences of local residents, Bolton School students and visiting pupils from local schools very much enjoyed these concerts. Top musicians joined performers from the Bolton Music Service, Oldham Council Music Service and the Greater Manchester and Derbyshire Hubs in rehearsing and delivering creative and exciting performances at the Royal Northern College of Music’s Wind, Brass and Percussion Festival, ‘Soundscapes of Heaven & Earth’. During the day, the musicians performed with Conductor Mark Heron alongside students from the RNCM. Reflecting on the event, Mr. Heron said: “This has been a fantastic project with young musicians from around the North West. You were all brilliant!” Later in the evening, four boys joined the incredible RNCM’s ArkEnsemble for their final piece, in what was a truly inspiring concert. In our final event of the year, the Brass Group visited Brownlow Fold Primary School. The children from Brownlow Fold were fascinated by demonstrations of brass instruments given by the members of the band and the group played familiar pieces such as the Theme from ‘Hawaii 50’ and ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. Pupils of the school eagerly joined in on the final number, Tequila, playing a wide range of percussion instruments. The children thoroughly enjoyed the concert, which was a great way to end a year of close links between the two schools.

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 Jean-Paul Asumu Victor Chow Ben Chowdhury Nick Clark Alex Gao Jamie Gregson Joshua Marshall Haaris Mirza Shivam Patel Jonny Shine George Speak Rupert Varley Adam Whitmore

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

Instrumental Music Examinations _______________________________________________________

his has been a highly successful year in our individual instrumental music examinations. External examiners from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College London have visited school in each of the three terms, examining 279 candidates from across the Foundation in a wide range of instruments, from Initial level to Grade 8, and at ARSM Diploma level for one candidate. In addition, one pupil successfully passed his ABRSM Grade 5 Theory examination at an external centre. Pupils should feel very proud of these achievements, which are the result of their commitment to regular practice. Many congratulations to all of the candidates and to their teachers on these splendid results. Mr. I. K. Forgrieve Autumn Term - Associated Board Jean-Paul Asumu 13g Singing Jamie Gregson 12c Trumpet Edward Slorick 12g Cornet Adam Battersby 11c Trumpet Ben Chowdhury 12d Organ Thomas Higham 11f Piano Brandon Yuen 9c Flute Ethan Caswell 7g Singing Max Turner 10d Singing Kiran Sastry 8c Trumpet

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Grade 8 Grade 8 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3

Distinction Distinction Distinction Pass Distinction Merit Merit Merit Merit Merit

Music & Drama Haryan Notay 11b Violin Grade 3 Pass Sammy Ramadan 11f Singing Grade 2 Merit Freddie Higham 10e Piano Grade 2 Pass Jamie Patel 8b Guitar Grade 1 Distinction Autumn Term - Trinity Alfie Birkett 11b Cello Grade 7 Merit Marcus Williams 9c Guitar Grade 6 Distinction Mark Liu 9c Violin Grade 6 Distinction Haaris Mirza 13f Clarinet Grade 6 Merit Peter Johnson 13g Guitar Grade 6 Pass Rikin Patel 10d Guitar Grade 5 Distinction Nathan Donaldson 12g Saxophone Grade 5 Distinction Levi Higham 8d Saxophone Grade 5 Merit Haaris Mirza 13f Singing Grade 5 Merit Jack Fearnley 7f Piano Grade 4 Merit Rishen Raja 10c Piano Grade 4 Merit Oliver Fairclough 11c Singing Grade 4 Merit George Houghton 8e Clarinet Grade 3 Merit Matthew Hope 9f Saxophone Grade 2 Distinction William Pearce 8c Guitar Grade 2 Merit Christopher Williams 9f Guitar Grade 2 Merit Alexander McKie 8a Singing Grade 1 Distinction Joe Burrows 9f Drum Kit Grade 1 Merit Thomas Hothersall 10b Guitar Grade 1 Pass Spring Term - Associated Board Victor Chow 13f Violin ARSM Distinction Thomas Yates 11a Singing Grade 6 Distinction Jude Ashcroft 11c Singing Grade 6 Merit Ben Price 10a Theory Grade 5 Pass Daniel Heather 9f Piano Grade 4 Pass Adam Faulkner 7c Cello Grade 3 Merit Billy Burrows 8e Singing Grade 3 Merit Haris Imran 10b Singing Grade 3 Merit Riley Ng 7e Guitar Grade 3 Pass Ben Rimmer 8b Piano Grade 2 Pass Marlon Wen 7g Violin Grade 1 Pass Spring Term - Trinity Nick Clark 13d Singing Grade 8 Merit Laurence Britton 9a Drum Kit Grade 6 Merit Jude Ashcroft 11c Guitar Grade 6 Merit Simon Whitmore 9c Saxophone Grade 6 Merit Sam Barker 13d Singing Grade 6 Merit Anuj Mishra 10c Singing Grade 6 Merit Neeraj Singh 9a Flute Grade 6 Pass Dominic Aly 13g Piano Grade 6 Pass Matthew Kyle 12j Tenor Horn Grade 6 Pass Thomas Higham 11f Clarinet Grade 5 Distinction Jonny Shine 12d Tuned Grade 5 Distinction Percussion Davyd Sywanyk 9c Piano Grade 5 Pass Ben Price 10a Trumpet Grade 5 Pass

Harry Adams 8f Violin Grade 4 Distinction Luke Eburne 11d Singing Grade 4 Merit Henry Miller-Stenton 10c Guitar Grade 4 Pass Sean Dobson 10a Drum Kit Grade 2 Merit Joel Male 10a Drum Kit Grade 2 Merit Summer Term - Associated Board Xuan Wang 9d Piano Grade 8 Merit Marcus Fung 8a Violin Grade 6 Merit Oliver Evans 7e Piano Grade 2 Distinction Priyesh Fernando 8a Violin Grade 1 Distinction Christian Pejo 8d Piano Grade 1 Merit Jenson Connah 7c Piano Grade 1 Pass Summer Term - Trinity Haaris Mirza 13f Clarinet Grade 8 Pass Rupert Varley 13a Clarinet Grade 6 Distinction Oliver Shaw 12h Saxophone Grade 5 Distinction Arun Patel 7c Trumpet Grade 5 Distinction Anuj Mishra 10c Piano Grade 5 Merit Rory Fielding 12h Saxophone Grade 5 Merit George Brennan 12b Guitar Grade 5 Pass Joe Brennan 11f Guitar Grade 5 Pass Brandon Yuen 9c Flute Grade 4 Merit Jonathon Brennan 8a Guitar Grade 4 Pass Ben Bruton 10a Guitar Grade 3 Merit Evan Weston 8d Piano Grade 3 Merit Max Sibson-Finch 10a Saxophone Grade 3 Merit Amritansh Mishra 7c Guitar Grade 3 Pass Anish Patel 7d Piano Grade 2 Merit Ethan Caswell 7g Guitar Grade 2 Pass Harry Adams 8f Piano Grade 1 Distinction Raees Patel 8f Piano Initial Distinction

Drama Review of the Year Platinum Artsmark _______________________________________________________

he Boys’ Division has received the Platinum Artsmark Award, confirming that the School’s arts and cultural provision is of the highest possible standard.

The Artsmark assessment panel commented: “Your school has an excellent range of offer and this has deepened as you have developed inter-departmental collaboration, digital creativity and pupil self-management, with Arts Award going from strength to strength. You have extended your already excellent partnerships with arts providers and have established links that will see you strongly influencing provision for the arts beyond your setting. As this progresses over time, as you showcase high-quality teaching of the arts in your CPD offer to other settings, as pupils themselves become ambassadors for the arts and support CPD beyond your setting, and as you build case studies that evidence the positive

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Music & Drama impact of the arts on outcomes for young people, you will make a major contribution to the advocacy of the arts in your region. Congratulations on your Artsmark Platinum Award!” The School’s Director of Creative Learning and Partnerships, Miss Lord, said, “We are very proud to receive this level of recognition for our work in School and with the wider community. It represents our ongoing commitment to arts and cultural education at a governing body level and to the provision of opportunities that stretch our whole School setting. Our pupils are offered equal opportunity to influence, lead, experience and evaluate a broad range of highquality arts and cultural activities across a wide range of media. We enjoy strong partnerships with arts and cultural organisations and the long-lasting positive impact of this collaboration is evident across School life. We are looking forward to establishing our position as a regional and national opinion-former within arts education, as further progress to the leadership role we have established locally.” The Platinum Award has been achieved following two years of development, which began with an assessment of the arts and cultural experiences already on offer. This process revealed interesting interdisciplinary opportunities and openings for collaboration, which have, in turn, helped to enhance under-represented areas. Provision has been refined: all Year 7 pupils are now invited to design and fulfil individual creative projects through Bronze Arts Awards over the course of Lower School, with the option to progress to Silver and Gold. The school’s technicians and librarians, as well as teachers, are trained as Arts Award advisors and support pupils with research skills and technical expertise. Boys can weave together interests across different strands of the curriculum, echoing the School’s ethos of ‘education all round’. In response to the increased scope of arts and culture, Headmaster Mr. Britton created new roles: in addition to the pre-existing Director of Community Music, Mr. Bleasdale, a Director of Creative Learning and Partnerships, Miss Lord, and an Arts Award Co-ordinator, Miss Sherry, have been appointed. Governor, Helen Critchlow, is the dedicated caretaker of creative arts in school. Amongst other projects, she was involved with planning the Open Arts Exhibition, which showcased artwork by current and former pupils, parents and staff. Alumni links are key for pupils interested in pursuing a creative arts career. Old Boys frequently return not just to speak to pupils, but to offer masterclasses and mentoring. Most recently, Ralf Little worked with drama students; boys have also worked with Andy Paterson (film producer), Brian Appleyard (journalist and author), Barney Pilling (film producer), Mark Radcliffe (broadcaster) and Robin Partington (architect). In

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2015, Sir Ian McKellen returned to meet pupils, lecture in the Great Hall and ratify the School’s work as Stonewall Champions. Through teachers and specialised careers days, boys are able to access feedback from and ongoing contact with alumni. External partnerships have developed exponentially since the School first applied for the Artsmark, and the School is part of the Arts Council’s Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP) programme. Theatre in residence projects with RoughHouse Theatre culminated in public verbatim theatre productions, presenting community voices back to the community. In the first Artsmark year, this was related to opinions on race and justice. The second year was based on the Mass Observation project, which started in Bolton and the resulting production ‘Worktown: My Room, My Bolton’ was performed as part of wider community partnership projects: the Bolton Station Community Gala and The Leverhulme Festival, a pupil-led takeover day at Port Sunlight. At both events, pupils also provided musical entertainment and art exhibitions. Work with the Octagon Theatre has grown to include visiting productions. The Arts Centre became a venue for the Octagon’s Reveal festival: 600 primary school pupils attended ‘Penguins’, a show about family diversity commissioned by Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Stonewall, and the School offered related drama CPD for primary colleagues. Bolton School enjoys enduring relationships with Bolton Music Service, Greater Manchester Music Hub, Dance Manchester, Bolton University, Skyblue Theatre Company, the Globe Theatre, Neo-Artist studios and multiple local primary and secondary schools. New partnership work with Bolton FM, Bolton Film Festival and the RNCM will offer even more opportunities. Each area of the creative arts is well-resourced: pupils use the School’s multiple on-site theatre venues, studio spaces, screenprinting equipment, kiln, dark room, soundproof booth and recording studio. Young musicians perform both in school and beyond in local primary schools through the Community Music Programme, at Bolton’s Victoria Hall and at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. Further engagement with arts and culture is provided through extensive regional, national and international theatre, concert and gallery trips.

Music & Drama Artsmark is a standard mark reviewed every two years. On that basis, planning is already under way to capitalise on the strong foundations of the Platinum Award to inform education in local, regional and national contexts. To this end, the School is part of a regional digital arts initiative and the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) cultural learning working group, focused on reimagining the creative curriculum for the 21st century. The Platinum Artsmark attests that arts and cultural provision is flourishing in the Boys’ Division, and there are still more creative prospects lined up for the coming academic year and beyond.

Bolton Film Festival _______________________________________________________

t isn’t every day that schoolboys get to attend an exclusive screening with an Oscar-winning producer and a multi awardwinning writer and director. That’s exactly what happened on our visit to the opening day of Bolton Film Festival in October, however.

Boys in Years 8 to 13 attended a screening of Sam Johnson’s ‘Earthy Encounters’, a mini-Spielberg-esque action-adventure film. Then, Oscar-winning producer Julie Foy presented a screening of her film ‘The Silent Child’. After each screening, Sam and Julie were happy to take part in a question and answer session. Sam, who worked on ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Skyfall’, explained his experiences of working in the industry – from being a runner to becoming a writer and director. He spoke about the opportunities a career in film provided and how his job has enabled him to travel the world. When asked by one of the pupils about the cost of filmmaking, he explained that his first film cost £200, but his latest cost £56,000. Sam also inspired the students by talking about how many hundreds of different jobs are available within the movie industry.

Year 8 Broadcasting Project with Bolton FM _______________________________________________________

upils in Year 8 worked on an exciting radio broadcasting project with Bolton FM during their SPACE sessions. The project saw them work in groups to produce their own radio programme to be broadcast live on air. Keith Harris, Business Manager at the radio station, visited the School to introduce pupils to Bolton FM, explaining that, as a community radio station, it relies on volunteers. He then went on to discuss the kind of skills the boys would need to successfully complete the project, or indeed to work in radio production. This included teamwork and both verbal and non-verbal communication skills, but also literacy and maths to work out the correct timings of each segment. He asked pupils what segments might go into making a radio show, from the host introducing themselves and ‘teasing’ the content of the show onwards and talked about how long each section should last. Boys then split into groups to assign roles and start planning their programme, based on a role model. Pupils visited Bolton FM in town to work on interview protocols, ad v e r t i s i ng techniques, music and e d i t i n g and studio recording. Three boys were lucky enough to join Jim Bailey live on air to open the Drivetime show, during which they talked about SPACE enrichment and presented the weather. Miss N.R. Lord

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Music & Drama Sir Ian McKellen’s 80th Birthday Party _______________________________________________________

n Saturday 25th May, old boy Sir Ian McKellen turned 80. Sir Ian had spent the previous day in school, reconnecting with former classmates and performing his one-man show for current pupils in the Great Hall. What Sir Ian did not realise however, was that he would be returning to school that evening for a surprise birthday party, organised by his long-time friend and professional partner, director Sean Mathias. A small group of students and recent leavers were invited to perform at Sir Ian’s party, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Recent leavers travelled from across the country to join old boy and actor Ralf Little in this performance, a tribute to Sir Ian, which saw pupils and leavers reprise the very same roles which Sir Ian had once performed at school. Whilst we were rehearsing in the Riley Centre, we caught brief glimpses of Sir Ian’s guests arriving at the Arts Centre. Amongst the procession of household names who would comprise our audience for the evening were Sir Derek Jacobi, Richard Wilson, Janet Street-Porter and ‘M’ herself, Dame Judi Dench. These famous faces greeted us with a round of applause as we walked into the Arts Centre to perform. First up was Ralf, who spoke of Sir Ian’s enormous impact on the School before introducing Year 8 pupils, who gave powerful readings from Tolkien and the ‘All the world’s a stage’ speech from ‘As You Like It’. Jude Ashcroft then burst into the hall as Malvolio, urging the A-list audience to cease their merriment – to rapturous applause. This was followed by an ensemble of Middle Schoolers and Sixth Formers, who presented a scene from ‘Macbeth’, before recent leavers Alex O’Loughlin and Billy Morrison took on the roles of a young Prince Hal and the King he would grow up to be. O’Loughlin’s Prince Hal lamented the burden of kingship, whilst Morrison’s King Henry gave a fiery response to a mocking gift of tennis balls from the Dauphin.

Year 8 returned bearing placards, which catalogued a scene from the Stonewall Riots; the boys and Ralf with unbuttoned shirts revealed ‘I am Gandalf and Magneto. Get over it!’ t-shirts beneath. This clearly

moved the audience, who applauded and cheered the boys as they arrived on the stage. Stonewall had been founded 30 years earlier, to the very day, in McKellen’s living room. Lewis Pierson spoke lines about service from the ‘As You Like it’ speech and alumnus Charlie Derrar followed, with an equally moving speech from ‘Sir Thomas More’, focusing on timely issues such as tolerance and respect. Recent leavers Mohammad Master and Adam Critchlow then reprised their roles as the wizard Prospero and his slave Caliban from the School’s 2018 production of ‘The Tempest’. The scene combined elements of physical comedy, dramatic confrontation and pathos and many guests went out of their way later to congratulate the two on their superb performance. To close our performance, Mohammad and Adam were joined on stage by fellow recent leavers James Stevens, Sammy Gatenby and myself. The five of us read extracts from Sir Ian’s teenage memoirs, in which Sir Ian fondly remembered his school days and reflected on the transition from boyhood to manhood. We were met with a standing ovation whilst Sir Ian came up to shake our hands. It was difficult not to be overwhelmed by this emotional climax and many in the audience were in tears whilst pupils took their bow and made their way to the back of the hall where they were able to enjoy the rest of Sir Ian’s party. Watching the remainder of the performances, I was struck by just how much Sir Ian meant to his friends and colleagues. Tributes came pouring in from friends who could not make it, including Sir Elton John and Dame Maggie Smith. Sean Mathias closed the event with his own deeply moving tribute to Sir Ian. Sir Ian posed for photos with recent leavers and thanked each of us individually. Dame Judi spent some twenty minutes chatting to us, taking a genuine interest in our lives and applauding the bravery of pupils, particularly the Year 8s, who had just performed in front of some of the most talented actors in British history.

This was a magical, surreal night and I can confidently speak for all of the boys involved in saying that we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and will never forget this experience. Thanks must go to Mrs. Firth and Miss Tunstall for supervising and supporting pupils throughout the evening, to Ralf for his calm leadership, which quelled our nerves and, most of all, to Miss Lord, who put the entire performance together and without whom none of this would have been possible. Sam Warburton (2018 Leaver)

76 MUSIC & DRAMA

Music & Drama ‘Wastelands’ _______________________________________________________ ‘Wastelands’ was performed for parents in an evening show and twice the following day for Junior School boys. Junior School questions and discussions explored who the actors were representing, where they might be and what attitudes they related. Discussions circled around letters home and censorship, political dissent and women’s changing social position. Miss N.R. Lord

n Tuesday 2nd July, pupils from Years 10-12 staged their first performance of ‘Wastelands’. This production was the culmination of a yearlong collaboration with the school’s Theatre Company in Residence: RoughHouse Theatre. RoughHouse directors Shane Morgan and Moira Hunt worked alongside the boys to devise the piece, which draws inspiration from T.S. Eliot’s seminal poem The Waste Land. The show explores the politics of conflict whilst also reflecting on the countless private tragedies suffered by soldiers and their families during the First and Second World Wars. This was a promenade performance, which saw the audience visit five locations around the Boys’ Division whilst singing along to the World War One marching song Pack Up Your Troubles. The Memorial Staircase became the site of a conflict between warmongering propagandists and conscientious objectors, whilst the cloisters were used to tell the stories of individual soldiers, who one by one recounted their ordeals. The Drama Studio was transformed into the trenches, with the eerie calmness of the night and soldiers sharing jokes suddenly giving way to the haunting sounds of mortar fire.

Elements from Eliot’s poetry were well-integrated into the performance, with reference made to the well-known line: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust”, an allusion to the classical Sybil of Cumae, which highlighted the widespread feelings of despair following the unprecedented destruction caused by war. The performance ended with the final line of The Waste Land – a call for peace, which clearly resonated with the audience. This was an inspiring performance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Jude Ashcroft was a commanding lead, who kept the audience engaged and involved throughout. Jude was supported by a truly talented cast of boys, who each gave moving and meaningful performances. Sam Warburton (2018 Leaver)

‘Great Expectations’ _______________________________________________________

olton School collaborated with the Octagon Theatre to put on this year’s Joint Middle/ Lower School production of ‘Great Expectations’. BAFTAnominated writer and director Janys Chambers created a brand new adaptation of the story, breathing new life into Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, and Jane Linz Roberts, a London-based award-winning designer, designed the set, which was especially built for the production by the School’s technicians.

Under Janys’ direction, the cast of almost forty pupils in Years 8 and 9 from both Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions impressed audiences during the two-night run with a new version of this classic tale. The production captured the timeless pleasures of a good yarn and audiences were blown away by it.

MUSIC & DRAMA 77

Music & Drama Janys said: “There was so much talent in our young cast. ‘Great Expectations’ is a huge story with huge emotions and Dickens’ language is not easy. This was a complex version too, with a lot of interwoven choral work, but the young people worked incredibly hard and rose to the challenge of the piece magnificently. The whole ensemble was brilliant and I was very proud of them all.” Miss Toland, Second in the English and Drama department in the Girls’ Division, said: “This was such a fantastic opportunity for all the students involved. To work with a BAFTA-nominated writer and director, within a professionally commissioned set, was incredibly enriching and rewarding for the pupils. The girls and boys got so much out of the experience and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. They made new friends and memories to last a lifetime!”

Pupils in Years 10 to 13 transported their audiences into the world of fairy tale as the story wove together the familiar stories of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. Their compelling performances explored the consequences of the characters’ actions and the price of saying “I wish”, skilfully blending together humour, pathos and thought-provoking themes. Beautiful renditions of the musical’s songs added to the magic, each one accompanied by live music, conducted backstage by Girls’ Division Director of Music, Mrs. Price. Interval refreshments, including a selection of fresh homemade cakes, were provided by the

The two first-rate performances took place in the Girls’ Division Theatre and volunteers from the Boys’ and the Girls’ Division Parents’ Association provided an amazing spread of refreshments on both nights.

‘Into The Woods’ _______________________________________________________

Girls’ Division and Boys’ Division Parents’ Associations. They asked for donations in exchange for drinks and sweet treats and raised over £300, which will support the renovation of the Girls’ Division Theatre and the Boys’ Division annual Wish List.

Senior Drama _______________________________________________________

his year’s Senior Joint Production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical ‘Into The Woods’ impressed audiences across all three nights of its run.

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ear 11 pupils presented some impressive devised theatre this year. Boys began by looking at a range of different paintings by Kim Cogan, an artist who was particularly interested in American interiors, such as corner stores and subway carriages; they also looked at the similar work of Edward

Music & Drama Hopper. Cogan himself notes that in these public spaces people ‘occupy a small space and yet are isolated from each other’. Pupils used image theatre to trial scenes inspired by these paintings; they then transposed the train carriage work into different eras and explored the strict manners of the 1940s, contemporary social isolation and the differing protocols surrounding unattended luggage across these eras. Concurrently, other pupils explored ideas of repressed expression inspired by Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. They considered the impact of repetitious daily regimes, negative classroom experiences and social dynamics built within institutions and during leisure time. Year 10 pupils are in the late stages of rehearsing their first devised piece, ‘My Life Story is the Story of Everyone I’ve Ever Met’. Amongst other stimuli, the boys’ work draws from Ken Kesey’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, the documentary photography of Martin Parr, Richard Billingham and Gillian Wearing, Walter Greenwood’s Love on the Dole, post-punk music from the Manchester scene and Michael Symmons-Roberts’ poetry collection ‘Mancunia’.

Persians’, is one of the Western world’s oldest extant dramas. The myth of Danaus and his fifty daughters, on which the story is based, was transformed as Aeschylus’ Danaides became sons of Danaus and combined the play’s focus on fugitives seeking protection with ‘The Jungle’s’ contemporary representation of displaced peoples and asylum seekers. Those focused on set design and lighting created an immersive Afghan Café based upon its namesake in the Calais camp. Boys performing in the Frankenstein selections focused on the moments before and after the creature is brought to life, with Charlie Griffiths presenting a doctor wavering between self-absorption and charismatic conviction. Set design and lighting for this work drew from the National Theatre’s staging of Nick Dear’s Frankenstein. Sixth Form pupils also made significant progress with the design and direction of their self-led production of ‘The History Boys’, which they will perform in the Autumn Term.

Theatre Trips _______________________________________________________

Here is their early research and development phase described by Year 10 pupil Finley Littlefair: Our initial ideas were generated from the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. A quotation from this novel immediately foregrounded two key areas of thought: of the individual in the ‘massness’ of society and of invisible suffering or hardship. We chose to unite these ideas in the form of an AA meeting at first, and although the idea of alcoholism was later dropped, the ‘meeting’ grew to become a key motif in the piece. We considered Brechtian character archetypes to help develop some of the personalities in the meeting. Background research and a synopsis of ‘Split’ was presented to the group. From here, schizophrenia became of interest and we decided that the different people in the meeting would be diversions of one man’s personality. The meeting therefore came to represent the constant conversations in his mind and the circle of chairs, the limits of his strained subjectivity. This line of limitation has also led to fourth wall Brechtian experiments, where, as performers, we trial different ways of communicating urgent messages to our audience. This firmly establishes the piece as lehrstücke (learning play). Year 11’s scripted work focused on a mash-up of Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson’s ‘The Jungle’ with Aeschylus’ tragedy ‘The Suppliants’, as well as selections from ‘Frankenstein’. The former tells stories of loss and hope, of the Calais refugee camp’s creation and of its eventual destruction. The latter along with Aeschylus’ ‘The

on Warrington’s Willy Loman was at the centre of his own universe at the Royal Exchange. In any production of Arthur Miller’s tragedy ‘Death of a Salesman’, the salesman is orbited by his wife and sons, but in Sarah Frankcom’s in-the-round staging, they could do little else but circle. The unsettling depth of this play captured pupils’ imaginations and they wrote some very impressive live theatre reviews as a result. We also attended an afternoon study session at the theatre in relation to the show. The story of ‘The Producers’ follows failing theatre producer Max Bialystock and his accountant Leo Bloom, who discover a theatrical flop could bring in more cash than a hit. Staff, boys and their parents loved this production. Whilst it was full of energy and truly hilarious, the show was also a timely reminder of our ability to absorb political shock and repackage it for ourselves as something altogether more palatable.

MUSIC & DRAMA 79

Music & Drama Year 8 boys have followed a devised project focused on the story of Derek Bentley, the birth of youth culture and capital punishment, as well as a scriptwriting and scripted performance project focused by the stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.

1927’s innovative 70-minute show ‘The Animals and the Children took to the Streets’, which mixed live actors and animation, made for a perfect theatre social with Year 8 pupils and parents. It centres around life in a seedy tenement block, Bayou Mansions, on the fringe of a big city. The sharply subversive script presented a gang of child-pirates on the rampage, taking over sedentary middle-class parks, immune to the nurturing attempts of do-gooding parents. The show was an exciting mix of Berlin cabaret, silent movie and social commentary. The Octagon’s company is currently performing in various venues around Bolton while the theatre is being refurbished, and we saw ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ in the Albert Halls. Designer David Woodhead and director Suba Das set the play in a Victorian photographer’s studio, which occupied the whole stage. Perhaps good fate that we attended to gather fodder for a design-based live theatre review as the piece was visually stunning, but we struggled to get to grips with the acoustics of the venue. Boys enjoyed a linked Octagon workshop.

Lower School Drama _______________________________________________________

oys in Year 7 have followed an ‘Introduction to Theatre’ course (voice, movement and core devising techniques) and a micro-theatre project in which they have presented a sequence of five pieces using their tiny allotment of theatrical space as inventively as possible. Pupils have turned their 1 x 2m real estate into boats, rollercoaster trucks, the tops of skyscrapers, graves and high-security bank vaults amongst many other things and presented extraordinary events therein.

The Theatre of Peterloo _______________________________________________________

uring SPACE sessions, Year 9 pupils have made trips to the National Centre for Democracy, better known as the People’s History Museum, in Salford. The Peterloo Massacre in St. Peter’s Field in Manchester took place 200 years ago in 1819; boys uncovered the story of the day with the Museum’s theatre practitioners, who introduced them to two very different eyewitnesses and encouraged pupils to make their own decision about why the peaceful protest turned into violence. The Museum’s living history workshops used performance, interactive drama activities and gallery exploration to bring the boys’ learning to life.

As part of the ‘Disrupt? Peterloo and Protest’ exhibition, boys viewed original Peterloo artefacts, brought together for the very first time, alongside pieces telling more recent stories of protest. We held discussions in the exhibition’s creative space, the ‘Protest Lab’, in which pupils shared ideas about causes they feel strongly about.

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Music & Drama Performing Arts Colours _______________________________________________________

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

SFX Make-up SPACE Triads _______________________________________________________

Name Jean-Paul Asumu Nick Clark Aden Stephenson Adam Whitmore Zayd Ascroft Jude Ashcroft Daniyal Ashraf Thomas Britton Nathan Burudi Stefan Campion Luke Eburne Ben Flood Charlie Griffiths Anthony Johnson Chris Jacob Joshua Kay Max Kelly Sammy Ramadan Piers Skeels-Caldwell

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

cross three SPACE afternoons, boys in Year 9 learned how to create latex SFX applications and to add makeup to bring them to life. We achieved a range of successful burn and wound applications. Many thanks to Mr. Coffey for hair-drying multiple layers of fake epidermis and performing minor surgeries to solve many critical fake-cut issues.

MUSIC & DRAMA 81

Snapshots

Taking t he plunge

Taking the plunge

Learning t he ro pes

82 SNAPSHOTS

O n a cl if f edge

Holey bells

The end of an innings

Gearing up for a climb

Snapshots

O n t he home stretch

Making (air)waves

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s al l downhill fr om here. .!

Mar io time!

Making a play for t he pr

ize

Infect ious laughter

SNAPSHOTS 83

Creative Writing & Artwork Potential Value It’s difficult to admit it, but I’m sure I am insignificant, an insufficient dot, an apostrophe. You know that, although I’m desperate, I won’t change what is just. All you want is one alteration, a small sign, a symbol, something reassuring to tell you, a reminder from me, that I can help you.

Harrison Lynch 11e The following poems by Year 8 were entered into the Foyle Young Poet of the Year Award: A Song for Whitman One day, I arrived to celebrate the achievement of myself and I stayed happy until I was expected to sing. The energy came, it flowed within me and what it felt like was indescribable. I came to the point where I had to assume that you will judge. You will never find out my glory unless you assume the power given to me is to be happy. For every single molecule and every single atom belonging to me at this moment in time, is as if the world is good again. So what belongs to me must belong to you if we are to prosper.

To tell you, maybe, that despite doubt, there’s a pre-written list of more, more for you to have a go at, to try or see. But I’m an apostrophe, I’m just a symbol to remind you of absence. Tom Griffiths 8e I am Chaos I am your end. It was I who disembowelled your tuna mayo sandwich all over your new clothes. It was I who magically removed your car keys. They say I am nothing but I am something more extreme than Monday. I am the pain of a stubbed toe. I am the bane of driving half way to work and realising that you forgot your work pass. I am an ancient, terrible threat beyond all reality. George Houghton 8e

Ismaaéel Patel 8f

84 CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK

Creative Writing & Artwork

Luke Ferrier 11e Jack Fisher 11d

A Suburban Moment

Degrees of Separation

An evergreen tree Sits Under a dark storm cloud. The house cowers.

I The skies are so bleak. Damp streaks glaze the garden wood, Foregrounding fields of flat green grass. Leaves lie on the ground. Fallen trees collapse fences and A vast wood behind heaves. A man is on the field as The darkness starts to set and Silhouettes vanish. II Late evening sky With a blue filter over it And the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lens glaring in the glass. Clouds form in the sky, Birds sweep through the air And shadows start to form.

A shining blue car, Hiding almost beyond a streetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corner, Rests beneath leafless trees. A quiet, damp street. A figure dressed in purple. Three further cars. The three clean cars are parked in front of a brick house. Its windows are dark and An empty driveway runs next to the green depth of garden. Next, a red car. Seven cars. One street. And one more. They are wet from recent rain. Ben Rimmer 8b

Rough outlines of trees begin to Mist and haze, covering the land Which has grown into an unclear landscape And degrees of separation. Fletcher Mellor-Brook 8b

Luke James 13b

CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK 85

Creative Writing & Artwork Nightfall Streetlights failing: reality blurs as dark wins. The rain drenches all smudges from the distant sky and the floor glistens. Electrical air – the night brings danger. Cars clutter the streets abandoned by their owners and vestiges of light tease the darkness. Trees are the only life left as light succumbs and people retreat. Shining from windows, the gloom is pierced a thousand times as people announce luminance saves them.

Dan Sykes 13g Earth is Complex Drink! Drink! There is so much to drink – Toast that which is the Earth’s. The streets deep below are full of blood. Reach high – there is so much to eat. The great, white ball high up in the sky, the Source of life, source of light, Shines upon our great, green host. A great, green host until the light fades. The leaves fall and the skies are full of snow. Ewan Davies 8e

Evan Weston 8d

Jude Hill 11c

86 CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK

Ben Jayasekera 11e

Creative Writing & Artwork It’s Hard to Raise a Riot from the Dead This once great nation is now half its former self. For some, life was hard. For some, food remains all they need to survive, to work, to raise their children. They still feel warmth, as if a fire or a spark still glows. In other countries they would riot, but no one here can hear news from outside. The emperor has built the Greatest Wall, from the matter of the dead. Peter Craig 8c

Kingston had just begun to drink a sip of his tea, when the porter ran into the room, breathless. ‘Mr. Kingston, a young child is at the door – he is wet and demands to speak with you urgently! I don’t know why he has come to bother you in the middle of the night. Should I tell the young sir to come tomorrow in the morning to…?’ ‘Why, why should we do that? Let the young child just wander off in the dark? Goodness knows who might be lurking in the darkness!’ Tom could no longer be patient. He ran into the living room, leaving a trail of wet and muddy footprints behind. “Mr. Kingston, I need your help’, Tom shouted to the man who was bewildered to see him. ‘Tom, my dear boy! Why have you come to me in the middle of the night? Your father will be worried to death if he does not ﬁnd you sleeping.’ ‘It is my father I wish to talk about. He’s in trouble!’

Haryan Notay 11b The following piece of writing is an extract from a creative piece called ‘Time is running out’, which won the Geological Society Plate tectonic stories competition: Thomas Kingston sat solemnly on his chair, simply staring at the cream coloured wall in front of him. He held a warm cup of tea in one hand and the other held the saucer. Moments of tranquility were perfect, it was what Kingston needed – a night that was silent, giving him enough minutes to ponder wildly, making use of those grey brain cells. Behind him his porter stood, his hawk-like eyes scanning the surroundings, ensuring everything was perfect and that his master was enjoying his tea at its best. Only the faint ticking of the wooden grandfather clock could be heard, but even that would not disrupt Kingston whilst he was absorbed in his thoughts. In the kitchen, the two maids were wiping and tidying the place before stumbling up the staircase, tiredness overcoming them. London is a colossal city – in it, there are both grand and ordinary houses. Among those houses and dark alleyways was a small, yet comfortable street named Kentlin Avenue. If you happened to walk down the street – which is rather difficult to do in torrential rain and fog, as was the case that evening – then you would surely be presented to an elegant house in the middle of the road that stands like a precious gem.

Kingston looked at his porter and told him to bring a warm blanket and a cup of warm hot chocolate. ‘Dear Tom, what is the matter?’, questioned Kingston after the porter left the room. ‘Well, my father went for a few days out for this geographical investigation’, began Tom, ‘and he always contacted me every day. Two days ago, my father did not call me – I tried to call him, but I was still unable to reach him. When I happened to walk into my bedroom, I found a mysterious note. After I had read it, I ran into my father’s study and there, another note was found.’ ‘What did the note say?’ Tom took the crumpled note out of his pocket and showed it to him. Kingston examined the note and let out a cry of dismay. He put his head into his hands. ‘Your father was right all along...it is my fault I did not take action earlier!’, said the old man. Muhammad Choudhary 9a

Tom Platt 11b

CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK 87

Sports Sports Preface _______________________________________________________

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

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. A couple deserve an early mention: once again, we are the National Titles winners in Water polo at Under 18 level, and Football had a superb season, with the Under 14s winning both the Greater Manchester and Bolton Town Cups. In Rugby, the Under 13s reached the Lancashire Festival Final. In Football, the 1st XI had a great season of results, with a large percentage of wins over their many games, reaching the Final of the Greater Manchester Cup along with the Under 12s, who also won the Bolton Town Cup. The Cricket season stuttered, as we basked in the rain. At the time of writing, the Under 12s had reached the Semi-final vs. MGS. The Under 13s had reached the Finals day – postponed until September. The Under 14s went out in the Quarter-finals and the Under 15s lost by one run in the County Final on another rain-affected day. 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. ISFA footballer Cian Spencer McDermott was awarded the Hindley Trophy for his tremendous achievements in Football. 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.

88 SPORTS

Mr. P. Fernside

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 Sam Brennan George Speak James Leese-Weller Cricket Joe Ball Josh Bowers Tom McGivern Praharsh Parikh Tjase Pindoria Kurtis Watson Jack Diggle James Larkin Toby Ramwell

Form Colour 13a 13b 12f

Full Full Half (re-awarded)

13h 13j 13d 12d 13e 13h 13h 13b 12d

Full (re-awarded) Full Full Full Full Full (re-awarded) Half Half Half

Sports Football Joe Ball Connor Davies Ben Forshaw Lee Glover James Larkin Jacob Male Tom McGivern James Porter Phil Robinson Harry Steed George Taylor Henry Doyle Jack Hainey Euan Pollard

13h 13d 13e 13h 13b 13d 13d 13f 13d 13f 13c 12e 12j 12a

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

Golf Sean Dobson Alfie Yearsley

10a 11a

Half Half

Hockey George Brennan Matthew Cavaliere James Larkin Elliot Mathieson Jamie Price Ben Turner Rupert Varley Sam Brennan Ben Chowdhury Joshua Marshall Max Topham

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

Full Full Full Full Full Full Full Half Half Half Half

Outdoor Pursuits Haaris Mirza Sam Ryder Jack Fisher Nathan Fu

13f 13c 11d 11e

Full Full Half Half

Rugby Daniel Aspinall Jack Phillips Jos Winstanley Luke Bagnall Teddy Clarke Charlie Cook Luc Eppie Ben Gidman-Knowles Joe Hughes Shaun Hughes-Grundy Andrew Hurt Toby Ramwell Oliver Thompson

13h 13h 13i 12g 12i 12h 12i 13c 13e 12e 12d 12d 13e

Full Full (re-awarded) Full (re-awarded) Half Half Half Half Half Half Half Half Half Half

Swimming Gareth Edwards-Williams James Leese-Weller

12j 12f

Full Half

Water polo Marcus Crompton Elliot Mathieson Chris Rhodes Daniel Bentham Jensen Myerscough Tom Simpson Thomas Yates

12i 13b 12i 11e 11a 11a 11a

Full Full Full Half Half Half Half

Sports Cups were awarded to the following boys: Name Form Cup Matthew Cavaliere 12g Ashworth Trophy (Most improved Hockey player) Sean Dobson 10a

Eric Dawber Award (School Golf Captain)

Lee Glover 13h

Bradley Trophy (School Football Captain)

Oliver Johnson 13c

TPP Award (Volunteer in Sport Award)

Cian Spencer McDermott 11c

Hindley Trophy (Best Individual Performance)

George Taylor 13c

Chris Rigby Award (Football player of the Year)

Ben Turner 12f

Allison Trophy (School Hockey Captain)

Kurtis Watson 13h

Hyde Plate (School Cricket Captain)

SPORTS 89

Sports Jos Winstanley 13i

L.C. Jones Award (School Rugby Captain) Pearson Trophy (Water polo Captain)

Callum Wong

10c

Badminton Captainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trophy

Thomas Yates 11a

Field Cup (School Swimming Captain)

From the Dugout _______________________________________________________

he 2018-19 season has been a quite remarkable season for our football teams.

In a first for the School in living memory, our Under 14 squad reached the final eight of the ESFA Cup, which is a tremendous achievement, as over 600 teams enter this competition at the start of the season. Very well done indeed to them. In the Greater Manchester Cup, the 1st XI, Under 14s and Under 12s all qualified for the Final. The Under 14s won their final against Blue Coat School, Oldham, but the 1st XI and Under 12s both fell short against MGS. Again, this is a terrific achievement and further evidence of the strength in depth that we currently enjoy in School Football. Our Under 12 and Under 14 squads also both won their respective Town Cup Finals, which were hosted on the Levels. In terms of ISFA competitions this year, our Under 13s bowed out in the early stages of their competition. Both the Under 15s and 1st XI were in the last sixteen of their respective ISFA Cups, for which they can both be proud, and both squads will have had their regrets in

90 SPORTS

terms of what might have been. The Under 15s ended their season by winning the MGS 9-a-side competition.

Joel Burgess had full National ISFA representation at Under 14 level; he played at St. Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Park over Easter, which was a fantastic opportunity for him. At Under 16 level, Cian Spencer-McDermott has received full National honours, which is very much to his credit in an increasingly competitive selection process. Ben Holden has been selected for the Under 16 National squad ahead of their summer camp at Oakham School. These are terrific achievements and ones that the boys and the School should rightly be proud of. ISFA representation at any level is a fantastic achievement for any boy and is a culmination of hard work, dedication, but above all, a commitment to School Football first and foremost. There have been over 190 matches this year so far, which equates to approximately seven games per week since September - a significant number of games, which requires great commitment from boys, their parents and staff. My thanks, as always, to the Senior boys who leave us this year; many of them will have represented their school in over 200 fixtures. I wish them all the very best as they move on and wish them every success for the future. I would also encourage them to keep in touch with the OBAFC, as they would be more than welcome to play for the club as and when they return to Bolton in the coming months and years.

Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

Sports 1st Xl Football _______________________________________________________

season as Number 1, while even James Larkin (King’s Chester at home) and Harry Steed (away at MGS) took the gloves!

P W D L F A 27 21 1 5 105 33

With the wealth of senior boys in the squad, it was always going to be difficult for younger boys to get game time, but over the season Year 11 players Cian Spencer-McDermott, Jameson Goloba and Luca Williams-Denton all became regular fixtures, much to their credit. In what is always a developmental year, all three will have learnt much. Cian was rewarded for an excellent season with a call up to the ISFA National Under 16 side, playing a number of International matches – a great achievement.

The stats do not lie; a win percentage of 78% is a fantastic achievement at any level in any sport. This is a testament to a group of footballers that have not only performed well as a 1st Xl, but for a number of years, having progressed through the system of Bolton School Football from Under 12s, to 2nd Xl and even 3rd Xl for a number of players, before eventually receiving their elusive First Xl socks.

Despite such a wonderful season, the lack of a trophy will no doubt pain; of the defeats suffered in the Cup competitions, all could have quite certainly ended differently. A poor start against Shrewsbury (ISFA Cup) and a bad ten minutes against Canon Slade (ESFA) proved costly and after a penalty shoot-out win in a tricky Semifinal tie away at Blue Coat, a Final match vs. MGS in the Greater Manchester Cup was most certainly a mouth-watering affair. The game did not fail to live up to its bill: goals, action, tackles, certainly end-to-end stuff. At the final whistle, although disappointed, we could not complain about the 5-4 result. Different circumstances may have left some wondering what if, but like all schoolboy football, it is hoped things will be learnt from the experience.

They say you can’t buy experience and this has particularly been the case during the 2018/2019 season, with the vast majority of the squad coming from Year 13. The squad was captained and led by the vocal Lee Glover, whose chirpy persona will be missed on The Levels next year. The likes of Tom McGivern, Phil Robinson and Joe Ball have all epitomised the commitment and character of a schoolboy footballer, something certainly for younger boys to look up to. Ben Forshaw and Kurtis Watson have also never let down when called upon. James Larkin and Jacob Male brought desire and versatility to the team, whilst also chipping in with timely goals. Male found the net 13 times while who could forget Larkin’s Cup Final strike? – one well and truly for the history books. James Porter and Harry Steed provided different attacking options, while Josh Bowers added 12 goals to the 105 goal tally. It was Players’ Player of the Year George Taylor however, who led the way on the scoring front with 22 goals over the season – this was despite not scoring for the first seven games! His total included four hat-tricks – a tremendous year – but he could not quite beat the five goals scored by Year 12 Euan Pollard in one game vs. The Grange. Another Year 12 player, Jack Hainey, showed maturity beyond his years and was rightly recognised for this at the end of season awards. Jack is developing into an excellent all-round midfielder and he will need to take on board this season’s experience to drive on what will be a young team next season. There was Year 12 competition for places in between the sticks, with both Cian Gallagher and Oliver De Blainsin finding game time. Connor Davies started and ended the

That aside, there were some fantastic performances over the season. Altrincham Grammar School away is as tough as it gets at Senior level – to win is a good result, to win 5-0 is unheard of. The game saw the birth of the 3-5-2 formation that came about more due to a lack of personnel than tactical insight, but it certainly worked on this day. More pleasing than the clinical goalscoring however, was the energy, shape and teamwork when the team didn’t have the ball. King’s Chester at home (2-1) was the opposite, a great performance and win built on passing and possession while the 2-1 win away at MGS was ground out based on desire and work rate – both games without a recognised goalkeeper. Sandbach, The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL), The Grange and Bury Grammar School were more free-flowing victories, but the pleasing thing about the year was the different manner in which games were won; that adaptability, application and football intelligence is hopefully something the boys will take with them and demonstrates the progression they have shown to develop into all-round footballers, something that will no doubt stand them in good stead off the pitch.

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Sports Bede’s (during which Jameson Goloba chipped in with a stunning five strikes), a flurry of goals from the mercurial Albert SanchezRoig (who would go on to end the season as top scorer with an impressive sixteen goals), and the emergence of the Joe Maher Harry Goodwin partnership at the heart of the defence. These two lynchpins may not share much by way of words on the field, but their understanding was almost telepathic. Maher featured in every match in the campaign and the likelihood is that Goodwin would have too, but for his occasional go-karting commitments; the two were instrumental in keeping the ‘goals against’ tally so low with their fine defensive play.

For the large number of the 1st Xl leaving Bolton School, good luck – continue to enjoy your football, wherever that may be. The boys have also been fantastically supported over a number of years by parents, grandparents and family. I am sure they will join me in thanking you and I am sure you will all agree that Bolton School Football will be missed. The rebuilding for 2019/2020 begins. Mr. M.G. Chilton

2nd XI Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 21 14 2 5 75 25

There is no doubt that the Second XI will reflect on the most recent campaign with much satisfaction. A meteoric start to the season saw the team score 21 goals in their first five matches and keep five clean sheets in the process. The team played with much vim and vigour throughout this period, continually attacking and putting the opposition on the back foot, with a relentless intensity that would have made Pep Guardiola proud. Captained by the superb Henry Doyle, the team’s confidence and spirit quickly grew. Highlights from those early matches included a thumping 10-0 victory over St.

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That said, they were not alone. They were ably supported by the likes of William Morris, who offered flexibility in both full-back roles; Zubair Hussain, whose willingness to add width to attack often caught the eye; and Michael Ahamed, whose composure and range of passing were assets to the team when he featured. In goal, there were important contributions from Oliver de Blainsin, Elliot Longworth and Cian Gallagher, all of whom made crucial saves at vital moments when they featured. The competition for places in goal underscored the array of footballing talent in the Senior School and bodes well for future campaigns. A solid backline is the platform for success and that was certainly a feature of the Second XI this season. It was something of a surprise then that our clean sheet record was smashed when four goals were conceded against Sandbach at home, albeit Jensen Myerscough’s fine performance in that match – he scored four – went a long way to securing a narrow 5-4 victory. Indeed, Jensen was to prove valuable throughout the campaign, both with his eye for goal and his tenacity. He scored a crucial penalty in the return fixture when, faced with a hostile crowd and some questionable refereeing, the Second XI came from 2-1 down to win 3-2. This refusal to give up, to always make an effort even when the odds are seemingly against you, was something that ran through the very fabric of the team this year. It manifested itself in most matches, particularly in midfield, where the combative Kurtis Watson and powerful Adnaan Ahmed often took the fight to the opposition. They covered much ground for the cause, with their pressing and energy, chipping in with some fine goals on the way too. The contributions of Felix Hill and Pierce Barker-Smith should not be underestimated either; both adapted superbly to Senior School Football, making the step up with minimum fuss. Their ability to sniff out danger, to support the attack and even to score goals – in Felix’s case his first for several years – offered tangible proof that they will excel in the years to come. Sometimes in football, as well we know, you do not always get your just desserts. Our first defeat of the campaign was most undeserved. Despite dominating away at King’s Chester, the team were simply unable to convert their chances. Up against a goalkeeper in inspirational form and a side that played defensively and, it might be

Sports argued, cynically throughout, we went down 1-0 to a goal very much against the run of play. A stirring 2-2 draw away at Shrewsbury followed, with two goals in the final ten minutes underlining the resilience of this squad of players. The match was also memorable for the fact that Martin Atkinson of the Premier League no less, refereed the game; you don’t get that on Pitch 9, that’s for sure! A narrow defeat to MGS preceded a run of five consecutive victories, as the team had little difficulty in overcoming the likes of AKS, Bury, Sandbach and a sweet victory in the return fixture against King’s Chester. The challenge of playing First XI opposition in the form of Merchant Taylors’ and Altrincham proved slightly beyond our grasp, as we lost both fixtures, albeit the boys acquitted themselves very well in each match. In fact, there was a definite sense that while they lost to stronger opponents, they learnt a great deal, both about their character and the skills needed to excel at this level. Indeed, the boys’ willingness to do the less glamorous aspects of the game was commendable and gratifying to see; it showed that there was a real sense of camaraderie and spirit in the camp, often essential ingredients of a successful quad. Two thumping 3-0 victories for the team ensured that the season ended on a high note, especially for William Morris, who scored the last goal of the campaign and his first for several years in the win against Stockport. Confidence, therefore, is high that the next campaign will be just as successful, particularly given the burgeoning talent within the ranks. Joshua Kay showed that he has the touch and pace to thrive in the forward positions, while Henry Speakman demonstrated that he not only has the skills, but also the all-important final pass to provide a cutting edge. Both ought to be pivotal to the team next season. A small word should be said for the cameo appearances this year from Michael Du Plessis, Chris Smith, Ben Forshaw, Euan Pollard and Ryan Wong. They all answered ‘the call’, so to speak, when asked – some on several occasions – and they each did very well. Their willingness to represent the School and to give of their best on the field was admirable, and school football simply could not operate without such contributions. My thanks go to all the boys for their unstinting efforts this year and to Mr. Williams for his assistance and, when called upon, fine refereeing. I look forward to a similarly enjoyable season next year. Mr. P.G. Davidson

3rd XI Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 14 9 1 4 42 14 This year, the 3rd XI had a younger average age than in recent years. The long-term partnership of Newbold and Teasdale had decided

that youth would be needed following the departure of some Year 13 legends and the promotion of Harry Goodwin and Jacob Male to the 2nd XI and 1st XI squads. The management opted for a new formation of 3-5-2 bringing a ‘Conte-esque Chelsea’ style to the 3rds’ play. A smaller physical team built around overloading possession was the philosophy. We started the season well, winning most of our games in the first term with a run of five wins including Hutton, Stonyhurst, King’s Chester, Shrewsbury and Cheadle Hulme, but just falling short against MGS 4-2 in our final game before the Christmas break. For the second year running, we punched above our weight, as we entered a 2nd XI competition. We finished group runners-up with three wins and one loss. We entered into the knockout stages, winning our first game against Stockport 1-0, but lost in the Semifinal to St. Bede’s by a last-minute own goal from a long ball free kick. It was a disappointing way to lose, but progressing to such a late stage in a 2nd XI competition was a fantastic achievement and demonstrated the strength of the team. The 3-3 draw with Hutton was one of the main highlights of the year; we played their 1st XI, which largely comprised of Year 13 boys. Against a very physical opposition and tough pitch conditions, we found ourselves 3-1 down at half time. It would have been easy to roll over and accept defeat, but the character of the 3rd XI has been superb. Battling for every ball and with sheer determination not to lose, we pulled two goals back and created numerous chances which, on a different day, we would have taken and clinched victory. Our most consistent player this year was Will Jackson. He won the most votes from his team mates to be crowned ‘Players’ player’ at the end of season presentation. He has a Fernandinho-esque presence in front of the back four and keeps the momentum of the team ticking over. Harry Diggle finished a close second in our Player of the Season awards due to his willingness to help out the squad and the consistently high standard of his performances. Josh Stephenson won the Coaches’ Award for his reliability and determination in training and matches, and his commendable attitude towards playing out of position when needed. During the 5-0 massacre away

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Sports to Leeds Grammar, Josh carried on diving into challenges and never gave up, even in gale-force winds and cold Yorkshire rain. We thank the boys for their efforts this year. We are looking forward to working with some members of the squad again next season whilst watching the progress of other players in the 1st and 2nd XI teams. Mr. P.J. Newbold & Mr. D.F. Teasdale

Under 15 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 24 16 3 5 64 43 It has been another excellent season for this group of boys, winning nine out of fifteen Saturday morning block fixtures. We experienced disappointing runs in the Town Cup and Greater Manchester Cup, but our run through to the last sixteen of the Investec ISFA Cup more than made up for it. Winning the Manchester Grammar School 9-a-side Competition late in the Spring Term capped off a year of magnificent performances from the boys. The season began well, with comfortable wins during an eight-week unbeaten spell, scoring 32 goals in the process. During this period, we made it through the early rounds of the ISFA Cup, before we faced a home tie against Moorland School, who had previously won the ISFA Cup at Under 13 level. Leading going into the final throes of the game, Moorland levelled proceedings with a somewhat fortuitous goal seconds before the final whistle blew. Extra time it was, with both sides going all out for the win and thus avoiding a penalty shoot-out. Their goalkeeper saved a penalty before they scored what proved to be the winning goal. Our lads did themselves and the School proud against the much-fancied side from Clitheroe, falling agonisingly and undeservedly short in extra time.

The season came to a close with the annual Manchester Grammar School small-sided competition. We had won the Plate Competition

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the previous year and were determined to finish the season off in style by going one better. We won all of our group games before progressing through the Semi-final to reach the Final against our hosts. In a close encounter which ended 1-1 after normal time, we prevailed after a penalty shoot-out, scoring all three of our spot kicks; this was a fitting finale to the season, and I am glad that the boys’ hard work and dedication were rewarded with some silverware. The boys will experience new challenges next year, as they progress up to Senior Football, and I wish them all the very best in their sporting endeavours. Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

Under 14 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 36 25 7 4 126 80 It would not be inappropriate to use the old cliché ‘it’s a marathon, not a sprint’ to describe the 2018/19 Under 14 Football season. Following thirty-six games (just two short of a Premier League campaign), hundreds of miles covered travelling to fixtures and the participation of thirty different boys, the season finally came to a successful conclusion on Friday 10th May at the AVRO Stadium in Oldham. But more on that later… 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 3-1 victory, with new additions to the squad Noah Halford and Faris Khan adding a transatlantic sheen to the side. This assured display augured well for the rest of the season and was quickly followed by an emphatic 8-2 victory in the first round of the national ESFA competition against St. Michael’s High School in Chorley, which saw Joel Burgess score four times and Nathaniel Kampers score a hat-trick. This proved to be the first leg of a long journey in the competition, which saw the team tour Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. A challenging home defeat against St. Aidan’s followed in the second Saturday game of the season, which demonstrated that maintaining winning ways would not be straightforward when squad rotation was employed. Nonetheless, comfortable away wins against Oldham Hulme Grammar School and Altrincham Grammar School demonstrated the high level of talent present within the squad. The first round of the Bolton Town Cup brought a tough home fixture against local rivals Rivington & Blackrod High School at the start of October. A narrow 2-1 victory was secured to ensure passage to the Quarter-final competition, which would be played shortly before Easter. A home draw in the competition brought about a fairly comprehensive 5-1 victory against St. Joseph’s RC High School,

Sports with Captain, Max Carter revelling in the space afforded by the first XI pitch to control the midfield. A much tougher Semi-final was endured at St. Catherine’s Academy, where central defender Noah Halford and ever-reliable striker Joel Burgess were major fitness doubts. Fortunately, the former was fit enough to play the entire game, whilst the latter made a cameo appearance from the bench to score two crucial goals in a fraught 4-2 victory on a windswept afternoon. The Final of the Town Cup was a more facile affair, with a fairly routine 4-1 victory against Canon Slade. All of the goals came in the first half, with centre halves Noah Halford and Alex Old scoring from corners expertly delivered by Sam Allen. Sam grabbed a goal himself, whilst the pick of the goals came from a superb counter-attack following a Canon Slade corner. Joel Burgess burst down the left wing before switching the ball inside to meet the run of Nathaniel Kampers, who produced an assured first-time finish past an on-rushing keeper. Controlling possession in the second half meant that our opponents were unable to build any sustained pressure and ensured that silverware, along with local bragging rights, was secured.

Block fixtures during the rest of the Autumn Term were completed without any further defeats, the most competitive fixture being a 3-3 draw at Manchester Grammar School. This game saw the team come from behind twice to secure a draw with a last-gasp goal from Luca Latona. The resilience displayed by the team during this fixture was symptomatic of a ‘never say die’ attitude frequently shown by the team throughout the season and a major reason for the success the team enjoyed. Success in the national ESFA campaign continued apace during the Autumn Term, despite the computerised draw stuck on providing us with away ties. Victories at Balshaw’s High School, Broughton High School and Ashton Community College completed our tour of Lancashire, before we eventually received a home draw against Calderstones School from Merseyside. A narrow 2-1 victory brought yet another away draw, this time a return to Manchester Grammar School. Despite conceding a goal within the first minute of the game, an exhilarating second half display brought a 3-2 victory and progression to the seventh round of the competition. The interplay

between forwards Joel Burgess and Luca Latona was a real feature of the win at MGS, as was the stout defending of centre-halves Noah Halford and Seb Thompson, who repelled late pressure from our opponents as they sought, in vain, a late equaliser. Yet another away draw saw the team travel to Kirkby High School in the seventh round of the competition. First half dominance produced a two goal to nil lead, as Kirkby struggled to handle the in-form strike-force of Burgess and Latona; however, the last kick of the first half brought a goal for the opposition to half the arrears and the wind was very much in their sails as the second half commenced. Ten minutes of poor defending saw Bolton School’s 2-1 lead turn into a 3-2 deficit. Fortunately, further goals from Joel Burgess and Luca Latona gave the side a nervy 4-3 win and, remarkably, passage to the Quarter-final of a competition which had started with 626 schools entered. With no other teams from the North West remaining in the competition, a rare home tie was very much welcomed. Thomas Telford School were our visitors and were worthy winners. A late consolation goal from Joe Irving was the highlight of a 4-1 defeat, though Bolton School did have the best chances in the first half of the game. This was the team’s first cup defeat of the season and to the eventual finalists of the ESFA Under 14 competition, which puts the defeat into context. The remaining Saturday fixtures of the season saw mixed results, but very few weather-related fixture cancellations, although an away game at Leeds Grammar School was memorable for the atrocious weather conditions that had to be endured by players, coaches and spectators alike. Midweeks were also busy as the Town Cup played out and the team progressed through the rounds of the Greater Manchester Cup. The second round of this competition had been played in autumn at the Co-operative Academy, the team having had a walkover victory in the first round. A fortuitous 4-3 victory was perhaps the team’s least convincing cup performance of the year. This victory brought a Quarter-final tie at home to Parrs Wood High School. Defensive mistakes on both sides brought a high scoring affair, with a penalty save from goalkeeper Anupam Tripathi helping the team to a 7-4 victory. A much improved defensive display in the Semi-final of the competition at Hazel Grove High School secured a deserved 2-1 victory and a place in the Final against Blue Coats School Oldham to be played at a neutral venue in… Oldham. This was, of course, the team’s second Cup Final of the season and the game being played on a Friday night gave the opportunity for many parents to attend. The team did not disappoint, and whilst the three goals scored came from the usual sources of Nathaniel Kampers, Joel Burgess and Luca Latona, the performance was built on a solid back four display from Alex Old, Seb Thompson, Noah Halford and Ben Male and a typically hard-working display from the midfield triumvirate Max Carter, Ben McCarthy and Sam Allen. Indeed, whilst the goalscoring exploits of the attacking players often caught the attention, it would not have been possible without the selfless running of those behind them. Special mention to goalkeeper Azhar Makkan, who performed admirably in both Cup Finals, having stepped in for the unfortunate regular ‘keeper Anupam Tripathi, who sustained a wrist injury.

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Sports the lads recorded an excellent 3-2 win against a talented Moorside team, coming from behind to progress to the next round of the ISFA Cup; however, the cup dream soon came to an end, with an uncomfortable 5-0 loss, away to Cheadle Hulme. This loss knocked the stuffing out of the lads, as it soon emerged that they would have to work harder on their defensive responsibilities and team shape if the results were to improve. The Christmas break came at a good time, allowing the lads to ponder on their performances and dust themselves down. January brought an excellent run of form and a newly discovered confidence and energy, whereby they won four games in succession. A particular highlight was beating Bury Grammar School 4-1 for the second time, followed by a terrific 6-4 win against King’s Chester. So, the season ended with two trophies won and a Quarterfinal appearance in the national ESFA competition – a long, but successful season that the boys, their parents and the staff involved with the team will remember for a long time to come. Many thanks to Mr. Branagan for his coaching prowess, and Mr. Hughes, who accompanied the team to all of the cup games and whose favoured diamond formation brought the best out of the players. Thanks also to Dr. Mullins for his pearls of wisdom. Finally, a big thanks to all the parents who supported the team home and away, mostly away, during the season. The two cup wins were, I hope, a suitable reward for their dedication. If the boys show the level of resilience in Year 10 that they frequently displayed throughout the 2018-19 season, then I am confident that they will go far in the cup competitions once again. Mr. C.M. Hunt

Under 13 Football _______________________________________________________

In summary, the lads enjoyed a much-improved season, where they made lots of improvements as both individual players and a team. I will look forward to seeing their results next year, in the hope that they will continue to grow and develop as a team. Mr. M. Johnson

Under 12 Football _______________________________________________________ ‘A’ Team P W D L F A 26 21 3 2 125 35

‘B’ Team P W D L F A 14 11 1 2 87 27

P W D L 23 8 2 13 After a disappointing season as Year 7 footballers, the lads in the squad were hopeful and optimistic that the new year would bring together a better set of results and performances. During pre-season training, it quickly became evident that the squad didn’t all possess the necessary fitness levels that were required as a prerequisite for a busy and competitive set of fixtures. An exciting 4-4 draw against St. Bede’s kick-started the season and showed that the squad had some potential, but defensively there was clearly a lot of work needed and it was going to take some time to solidify the team. The season stuttered in the Autumn Term, when any wins were quickly followed with a string of losses. Despite this inconsistency,

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A successful season for the Under 12 football squad culminated in two cup finals, two top scorers and just two defeats apiece (for both ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams respectively): proof indeed of the talented and competitive group of footballers in Year 7, and promise of much more to come.

Sports The season started with four wins out of four in the annual trial game against St. Joseph’s, after which a squad was picked with obvious strength in depth. The ‘A’ team promptly went on a tenmatch winning run, spearheaded by the goals of eventual topscorers Thomas Wilson and Archie Forshaw. Meanwhile, the ‘B’ team busily began racking up convincing victories, with Deji Fatunde and Monty Horridge leading the attack, supported ably by the likes of Edgar Keogh, Michael Gatenby and Charlie Parrott. One of the closest battles came against Thornleigh in the Greater Manchester Cup, with the ‘A’ team eventually running out 3-0 winners after Zach Giggs stopped the fight back, with a characteristic long-range strike. The team also made strides in the Town and ESFA Cups with a dominant midfield that included Captain Adam Berisford (Players’ Player of the Year), Thomas Lennon and Isaac Lucas, while Lucas McGann and George Sherratt provided width at wing-back. At the same time, the unbeaten ‘B’ team was comfortably overcoming ‘A’ teams from other local schools, thanks to mainstays Zach Taylor, Lucas Stevenson and goalkeeper George Warren.

The second final, in the Greater Manchester Cup, was delayed until the Summer Term, and proved to be one of those memorable yet agonising occasions so familiar to followers of the England Men’s Football Team. Our opponents, MGS, started strongly by scoring early on; thereafter, we gradually worked our way back into the game on a baking hot afternoon. With about ten minutes remaining, Phelan Brindle set up Adam Berisford to score a fantastic equaliser, to the obvious delight of the coaching team of Messrs. Heald, Jones and Branagan, and a late chance went agonisingly wide as we searched for the winner. Inevitably, the Final went to penalties. Despite a valiant effort, we lost the shoot-out, but the boys could be proud in defeat. It certainly should not take away from the fantastic performance of the whole squad over the season, with both ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams recording strong winning records and scoring over 200 goals combined. Some of the football played was of the highest quality and the attitude of the lads over the year was excellent: the future is bright for this talented squad.

The unbeaten run ended somewhat abruptly against Cardinal Heenan, Liverpool, in the ESFA Cup, who served up a lesson in how to control a game both physically and skilfully: out-fought and outthought. Ominously, MGS also provided the usual stiff opposition, with a closely fought 1-1 draw in a Saturday block fixture. Form returned after the Christmas break and, although the Greater Manchester Cup Semi-final away to St. Matthew’s looked tricky on paper, one of the performances of the season ensured a 5-0 victory, with our strong defensive linchpins of Emmanuel Eze and Michael Stivaros (Coaches’ Player of the Year) providing a platform on which our attackers could thrive. Indeed, this proved to be the case in the Town Cup Semi-final, where Thornleigh, once again, provided a stern test, forcing some good saves from goalkeeper Ben Maher, until a quick counterattack resulted in Ollie Evans’ late clincher. And so to the cup finals...

Mr. S.P. Heald

A View from the Scrum _______________________________________________________

The first, the Town Cup Final, went smoothly once the team clicked into gear. A first-half penalty by Archie Forshaw settled the nerves before he doubled the lead with a tap-in. Second half strikes from Thomas Lennon and Thomas Wilson ensured the game and the Cup was convincingly won, as the boys collected the trophy on the Tillotson Pavilion balcony to cheers from below.

nce again, the season has been one of great numbers taking part in rugby: from an unprecedented amount of people used in the Under 12s, with teams from ‘A’ – ‘F’ out home and away versus our friends and rivals Stockport Grammar School, to regular ‘B’ team matches down in the lower age groups.

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

The season has been a frustrating one, as the bad weather meant some games were cancelled, restricting teams from gaining any momentum. The 1st & 2nd XV struggled with injuries, mainly to its senior players, 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 Jos Winstanley and his Vice-captain Daniel Aspinall went on to play for North Independent schools. Congratulations must also go to William Duffy from our Under 14s, who has joined the Warrington Wolves RLFC programme and we wish him well with his training over the summer. In the Cup competitions, we had some success: the Under 13s played very well at Preston Grasshoppers at the County Finals Day, the Under 14s reached the Semi-final of the Plate and the Under 15s enjoyed their run in the School’s Bowl Competition

Odd socks for Anti-bullying Week Mr. P. Fernside

1st XV Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 15 9 1 5 326 270

The players switched to the Sevens, with the highlight being the Under 14s, who won our own competition, staying unbeaten all day. A Senior tour to Canada in 2020 is currently at the final planning stage, with a significant number already signed up for what should be a fantastic experience. The players and staff enjoyed a successful Presentations Evening in the Dining Hall with Leigh Centurions’ RLFC Head Coach John Duffy presenting the prizes. The season began with the traditional pre-season training on the Levels – there was decent weather, numbers and the usual casualties to the fitness sessions. The squad performed well in our practice games at AKS Lytham and began with wins against Liverpool College and Runshaw College. The senior players such as Captain Jos Winstanley, his deputy Daniel Aspinall and the versatile Jack Phillips were joined by fellow Year 13 players Oliver Thompson, Ben GidmanKnowles and James Holland, all contributing physicality, enthusiasm and developing skills throughout the season, although some were dogged by injury. A narrow defeat to MGS, but a tremendous team effort proved to be symptomatic of a season of commendable spirit and tenacity displayed by all those who played for the team this season, including Jamie Price, a star of the Hockey team, but willing to play when asked and needed, and contributing laudably. A further cup victory against Fallibroome Academy led to a visit to Worksop

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Sports College, a team with several visiting scholarship players from South Africa – the team showed great willing, but were ultimately wellbeaten by a faster, well-drilled and ruthless opposition. The victory at Stockport Grammar School will be most memorable, with the 5432 score suggesting a lot of excellent running rugby, great individual performances from Teddy Clarke, Andrew Hurt and Tobias Ramwell; however the most admirable feature of this game was that a team robbed of its captain to an injury and down to twelve men at one stage demonstrated an indomitable spirit. Further victories over Rossall, Lancaster RGS and Hutton followed – the last of these games involved six Year 11 players representing at first team level, a fact that augurs well for the next two years. Daniel Bentham, Piers Skeels-Caldwell, George and Alfie Yearsley all had fine seasons at this level, testament to their skills and efforts, and the excellent preparation for Senior Rugby they received last season form Mr. Benbow, who coaches the Under 15s. A convincing win over St. Edward’s Liverpool and a narrow defeat to St. Anselm’s brought to an end a creditable and enjoyable season.

P W D L F A 12 5 0 7 109 224 It’s been a pleasure captaining the boys this season. The effort put in from the players and Mr. Jackson has been faultless. With highs and lows throughout the season, team morale has stayed high all the way through. Exciting prospects from boys in younger years have been showcased, starting their journeys in Senior Rugby. Thanks to players and Mr. Jackson for their continued commitment to the sport and having made this season a pleasure. Charlie Cook 12h

Under 15 Rugby _______________________________________________________

We travelled to the 7s tournaments at Birkenhead and Stonyhurst, where we acquitted ourselves well, winning several games, making and maintaining friendships and playing in the right spirit and style. The season, as always, ended with our Senior Rugby Dinner at Bolton R.U.F.C. – the players were joined by Old Boy Roy Battersby, who played 1st XV in 1961, and Jack Forster, who was Captain in 2006 and went on to play for Gloucester, Sale Sharks and England; other Old Boys attended along with staff and guests, who all enjoyed a splendid evening. My personal thanks go to Jos and Dan, all the players for their efforts, good humour and comradeship, and also to Mr. Jackson and Mr. Hughes for their help, to the grounds, kitchen and transport staff and to the parents for their loyal support on the touchline. A tour to Canada in July 2020 will make next season one to anticipate keenly. Mr. C.C. Joseph

2nd XV Rugby _______________________________________________________

P W D L F A 19 6 1 12 350 454 It has been a very tough and eventful year for the Under 15s. We had a difficult start to the season, struggling at times to cope with the physical and organised challenge posed by older grade rugby. Although effort was never lacking, there were too many games in which we lost out by a fraction, such as the home game against Sandbach and away at Manchester Grammar School; both were tough battles in which some poor team decision-making and game management cost us. As the season progressed, our results improved, with us buying into the game plan and improving our tactical awareness. We exemplified this with a narrow win away at St. Edward’s Liverpool, defending heroically for the last ten minutes to deny them a winning score.

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Sports Towards the end of the season, we headed out in good form to a Sevens tournament at Audenshaw High School. After performing well in the group stage, we met a well-fancied side from Lymm High School in the Final of the Plate Competition. At the end of a back and forth game, we were victorious, bringing some prized silverware back to Bolton.

and at home to Standish in the County Cup, where we had been guilty of not taking our chances. In the Plate Competition, we beat Cowley 41-19 before losing to MGS.

Overall, I would say we have had a very up and down year as a team and it has taken some time for us to come together as a squad, but I believe we have now become a very strong side, both physically and mentally. Finally, as Captain, I would like to thank Mr. Benbow for his dedication and support towards our team this season. Daniel Houghton 10c

Under 14 Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 19 6 2 11 348 375

The side enjoyed wins against Liverpool College, Westholme, AKS Lytham, West Hill and a great second half comeback versus Sandbach. At the Town Rugby on Monday nights, the team remained unbeaten, winning all nine matches in the shortened format of the game. We enjoyed our day at the Kirkham Sevens, where we quickly learned the value of how to better look after the ball. A turn around in results had just started when Aran Pomian unfortunately injured his shoulder. Later that week, we hosted our own Under 14s Sevens and, with the lessons learnt from Kirkham, the team remained unbeaten throughout the day, and lifted the trophy, with wins against Audenshaw, AKS Lytham, Bury and others – a great way to complete the season.

The Under 14s have completed a successful season that has seen many new players join its ranks. The team has had a good balance to it, with a mix of strong forwards and attack-minded backs. The squad finished with a total of over twenty players who represented the School during the season, with most playing in the regular Saturday matches and some playing in the Town Competition on Monday nights. Despite the number of losses, the team has played very competitively throughout the year, and the small gap between the points for and against (in the statistics above) shows the closeness of many of the matches.

The Under 14s show great potential for the future, with a number of players capable of playing rugby to a good standard when they are older. Some new talent has emerged over the season, and these players will continue to help the team progress if they stay with the game.

On a tough fixture list, we lost to Audenshaw, Birkenhead, Stockport, St. Mary’s and at our friends and rivals MGS, where our ‘B’ team nearly pulled off a huge win, going down 22-10.

Personally, I would like to thank my Captain Rory Pixton, who played with his heart on his sleeve and led the team well throughout the season. Will Duffy should also be commended for his inclusion in the Warrington Wolves RLFC training programme and we wish him luck in the process. Thanks also to our band of supporters, who travelled across the North West to watch us play.

The team was very unfortunate to lose narrowly to Hutton, Rishworth

Mr. P. Fernside

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Sports Under 13 Rugby _______________________________________________________

t has been an absolute pleasure to coach the Under 13 rugby team this season – a squad of tremendous potential, but also thoroughly pleasant young men. Although the ‘immortals’ of Year 7 were unable to repeat their Herculean undefeated efforts of last year, most pleasingly, the team still played some wonderful rugby. I can safely say I have never had so many selection headaches, with so many talented players all vying to make the team on a weekly basis. I have absolutely no doubt that these fine young men will go on to be a highly successful team, who will always be in with a shout of winning silverware. It would be somewhat formulaic to go through each game as they happened. Therefore I have decided to pick out some of the highlights of the season. Firstly, it is incredible that this team have managed to draw four matches. In two of those games, the lads were behind on the scoreboard and against Audenshaw, pretty far behind. To show the strength of character to group together as a team, put past errors behind them, and find a way to get something out of a match that seemed lost, showed real grit and determination. This will certainly stand the team in good stead for the future. Secondly, this Under 13 team had a tough time on Finals Day at Preston Grasshoppers, not least because the weather was abysmal. However, in the final game of the day, they managed to beat an MGS side, with whom they had drawn earlier in the year; this game clearly meant a lot to the lads and to see them grind out an epic onetry victory over such a fine team was a real triumph. What was most pleasing was that they managed to neutralise MGS’s main threat, something they had struggled to do in the reverse fixture, which showed genuine progress.

competition for places next year. Matthew Cooney has led the team with distinction. He leads by example as he is always ready to be first receiver and set up the next phase. Jake Dickinson was elected as Players’ Player of the Year and deservedly so. The young man’s strength is incredible, but his game has also developed massively. Ollie McCann was voted as Most Improved Player, something I could not agree with more, as his adaption to play almost anywhere and give the team valuable yards has been impressive. Our back line can threaten any team as it has been well led by Ollie Cook and also by the new man George Neill. These two have great capability at setting up space for the likes of Banton, Longthorne, Nethercott, Baxter, Johnson and Patel whilst Evans has been a fortress at full back. Harry Connor is the perfect link player between forwards and backs, whilst scrum halves Archie Stocks and Jack Stevens have pushed each other all the way. It might be added that I don’t recall Stevens missing a single training session. The forwards have been outstanding, with Evan Dare, Sam Paton, Joshua Dickens, Daniel Connelly and Harry Adams providing the power, whilst Luis McPherson’s transition to Second Row has been seamless. Finn Flanagan and James Bowie have added flair and skill to the dynamic of our pack. This squad undoubtedly has huge potential, but must not rest on its laurels. I am hopeful that under the outstanding guidance of Mr. Fernside, this team can go a long way in the cup competitions and, without doubt, can give any team a good game. I would like to thank them for being a pleasure to coach and would also like to extend my thanks to the parents, who brave all different types of weather to support the team come what may. Mr. H.S. Brown

Under 12 Rugby _______________________________________________________ ‘A’ Team P W D L F A 16 13 1 2 85 28 ‘B’ Team P W D L F A 6 1 1 4 17 29

Thirdly, Town Rugby was an undeniable success, as so many players were able to take part and show so much spirit against, in some cases, genuine, out and out athletes from other schools. Through Town Rugby, lads like Tana Nyahwo, Harry Summers, Jonathon Brennan and George Houghton have thrived and their respective games have developed massively. Undoubtedly, there will be major

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Sports Our first game was away at Audenshaw, where we won by 8 tries to 3. The team was very different to the team that finished the season, but the mainstay of the team was selected in that first match with Robert Bentham, Alex Rowley, Charlie Darbyshire, Lewis Bailey, Jack Entwisle, Sam Neill and Oliver Rowley. Liverpool College came to Bolton, but left without scoring a try, having conceded 8. Jonathan Frank, Joe Howard, Hashim Choudry and Matthew Roberts had by now established their place in the squad.

24 players in their squad. The ‘A’ team got back to our winning ways at Hutton, with the ‘B’ team drawing. We travelled to Lancaster Royal Grammar School to play their ‘B’ team one Friday afternoon in late November and played some excellent rugby, winning the game by 6 tries to 1. After Christmas, we played St. Edward’s at home and won 4 tries to 2, Audenshaw away where we won 6-2 and Westholme at home, which was another comfortable win.

Mr. Watkinson then persuaded our deadly duo of Basel Abdalla and Ammaar Ibraahim to fully commit to the Rugby squad and, as a result of their direct running, the team started to play some entertaining Rugby. A 3-3 draw away at Sandbach also saw the ‘B’ Team play their first match and although they lost, there were a lot of positives to take, with Jake Mayor and Matthew Reedy having outstanding games. The ‘A’ team also defeated West Hill by 14 tries to 3 the following Tuesday. Our first defeat of the season was away to MGS, where we insisted on kicking the ball away, despite being told on several occasions not to by Mr. Hughes. The loss was a valuable lesson to the whole squad and we returned to training the following week with a positive mindset – the ‘A’ team beat St. Mary’s 7 tries to 1 while the ‘B’ team won by 5 tries to 2, with Nikhil Patel outstanding. Muhammad Thagia’s significant improvement led to his inclusion in the squad against Rishworth, where we won by 1 try to 0 in awful conditions. Mr. Fernside organised a block fixture away against Stockport during a sport lesson before October half term. The ‘A’ team won a tough game by 4 tries to 2, the ‘B’ team lost 5-4, the ‘C’ team lost by 3 tries to 2 and the ‘D’ team won 4 tries to 1. That day, we had 54 boys representing school from our year.

A comfortable victory against Sale Grammar School by 12 tries was a good start to the new term, followed by the home block against Stockport, where we won the block 3 wins to 2. AKS came to Bolton and we beat them 6 tries to 2, but that was followed by a defeat at Birkenhead when Mr. Watkinson had to try to beat a side which had

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Hockey – A Review of the Season _______________________________________________________

uoyed by a hugely successful preseason to the Netherlands, the Senior end of the school played with great confidence in the early weeks with strong wins over Wirral Grammar School and a very useful, promising Cheadle Hulme side. MGS and King’s Chester gave us a reality check although we regained some confidence with a strong win against GSA Leeds and a draw versus St. Anselm’s in a game we should have won. The Indoor Competition proved to be a disappointment at Under 16 level, with heavy losses to Sandbach and Altrincham Boys’ although in the Under 18 Competition we competed better, with a narrow loss to Sandbach and a narrow win over King’s Macclesfield. The poor January weather meant that our only game was one versus Sedbergh. We rallied in February, with a defeat of a Rossall 2nd XI and strong performances towards the end of the season in return fixtures versus King’s Chester and King’s Macclesfield. The Under 16s represented Lancashire in the Tier 3 Competition at Timperley, losing to Sandbach and Sedbergh, drawing with St. Anselm’s and beating Birkenhead School.

Sports Ben Turner, Matthew Cavaliere and Tom Hussain have been selected to attend the England Hockey Fylde Performance Centre.

Matthew Mair and Alastair Watts have represented Lancashire North.

1st XI Captain Ben Turner (12f) gives us his take on the season:

I have asked Matthew Mair (10a) as Team Captain to review the season:

“The season started for the 1st XI with our tour to the Netherlands, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all and also useful in gaining valuable experience playing against top drawer opposition, while also gelling as a team for the upcoming season. The season on the whole was a rather quiet one for the 1st XI – we didn’t progress to the North West finals this year at Timperley, nor did we progress at indoors. Our first game in the Lancashire League was a 7-1 loss to Manchester Grammar School (to be expected). Our next league game pitted us against Merchant Taylors’. After scoring early on, we were denied another late on in the game due to a ‘clear back stick’; we went on to lose the game 3-1. We also suffered a heavy loss to King’s Chester away from home. This was followed by our 8-0 beating by MGS indoors and 4-3 loss to Sandbach; however, we then enjoyed a 4-3 win over King’s Macclesfield. All this didn’t bode well for the rest of our season. However, results started to pick up with a 1-1 draw to St. Anselm’s, followed by a 7-0 win over the Grammar School at Leeds. Then, it was the return fixture against King’s Chester; this was a much closer game than the previous one we had played, even though we lost 3-2. The performance by the team was infinitely better than the one seen at Chester, in which we lost 6-0. This, along with a few umpiring anomalies, made our season enjoyable for all. On reflection, I would say that it was a calm and steady season, in which we improved considerably throughout. This season has allowed us to build ready for the next, when we may even have a chance to defeat the mighty MGS!” It would be fair to say that the Under 15 team has had a mixed season. We have had to recruit new players in order to be able to put out a uniquely Year 10 team without the assistance of very talented Year 9s in the year below. Some of the players have only been playing for one year and all results should be taken in that context; nevertheless, there have been several excellent results although some fixtures were lost to the weather in the winter months. Congratulations to Ben Price on his selection for initially Lancashire and subsequently the Fylde Performance Centre joining Max Turner.

“The Under 15 Hockey squad has put out a strong side and has had some very good performances against some very formidable teams throughout the year, such as Rossall (multiple times), performing very well against the high standard of hockey at that school. Facing Ackworth, we scored many goals in the game. The Under 15 squad as a whole has really developed this year and, hopefully, the few losses acquired during the season can be diminished next season.”

Our current Under 14 squad has huge potential and has been very committed indeed. The boys have shown great resolve to improve and have a superb attitude at Friday lunchtime training. Congratulations to Mihir Patel on his representation for Greater Manchester in addition to his selection for Tensworth the previous season. Several of the team, including Thomas Brennan and Simon Whitmore, are now playing at local clubs and making excellent progress. Under 14 Captain Mihir Patel (9e) gives us his view of the season: “The Under 14’s season has been eventful, at least starting out a bit shakily. We have nearly balanced out wins and losses and have improved on all areas of our game. Our first match of the season was a close defeat to Merchant Taylors’. The following week, we started strong, scoring early in the match, and beat St. Anselm’s College away. Then came Ackworth, who weren’t a challenge at all for the strong side we put out. After that, came the dreaded MGS game, which eventually ended in a close 0-1 defeat to the strong ‘A’ team after playing their ‘B’ team, which resulted in a 0-0 draw. Then, we headed off to Birkenhead, where we eventually came out victorious against a side we usually and regularly lose to. After the Christmas break, we suffered an unlucky defeat to St. Anselm’s College, mainly due to missing and unavailable players. Then, after the half term break, we headed off to the second match of the season versus Birkenhead. We won 4-2 after two “jammy” goals and our striker hitting the ball for the first time in his life. Our final match of the

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Sports season was against King’s Macclesfield. We held them back in the first half, coming out of the break 2-1 up, but they ran away with the match in the second half and we lost 4-2. Despite several losses, we have played well as a team and improved massively, not only on performance, but getting to know everyone’s specific playing styles as well.”

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, Edward Barrow and myself made up our team. I knew with Sean’s consistency, Alfie’s driving ability and Ed’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. It is easy to win a competition once, but retaining it is much more difficult, so well done, boys! We entered two national school competitions this year – the ISGA Singles Matchplay and the HMC Foursomes. I am hopeful that in the next year or two, with the experience gained, we can make the National Finals of at least one of them.

We set up a before school Hockey Club for Year 7s, ably assisted by Senior players. A group of 8 boys have attended with tremendous determination to get to the Sports Hall for 8 a.m. every Friday; they have greatly enjoyed the experience and the effort has been worth it. My thanks to Mr. Moore for overseeing the Under 14s, to Miss Holroyd for her work with the Under 15s and to Mr. Watkinson for helping with the Development Squad at Senior Level. Both myself and outgoing coach Mr. Ahmed are grateful to them for their support of School Hockey. Looking forward, we have an experienced coach in place for September and the AstroTurf build is well on its way ready for use in September. I am confident that the potential of the School’s sportsmen will be realised. With the added input of the PE Department, who are ready to be trained up to deliver on a new investment, Hockey is in great shape and we have plenty to cheer.

We drew Sedbergh School in the opening round of the ISGA and managed the most convincing of victories. The team consisted of Sean Dobson, Alfie Yearsley and Toby Yates, with all three winning their individual matches. Scores were a resounding, 7 and 6, 9 and 8, and 8 and 7, respectively. With a superb start like this, confidence grew, and the boys were already looking forward to the second-round draw. Next, was a home fixture against Merchant Taylors’, so we knew we were about to play a decent team. To ensure consistency and to further experience, I selected the same team. Bolton’s young starlets performed to a level which saw them win the match 3-0; the future is clearly very bright. This young team had now managed to reach the regional final. Obviously, this was going to be a very difficult challenge. We drew Rydal Penrhos, with the match to be played at the neutral venue, Prestatyn Golf Club – a beautiful links course. Unfortunately, we lost the match 2-1, but the boys fought hard and were magnanimous in defeat. The HMC Foursomes requires a team of six – Sean Dobson, Alfie Yearsley, Luca Williams-Denton, Edward Barrow, Jack Diggle and Toby Yates were selected. In late September, we drove to the Welsh border and played against Oswestry School at Oswestry Golf Club – designed by the renowned golf course architect, James Braid. The boys dug deep and all won their respective matches on the closing holes. Next on the fixture list was Merchant Taylors’; we have played the Liverpudlian school on many occasions, so knew we needed to be at our best and we got the opportunity to play excellent courses.

Mr. A.C. Robson

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Sports This year was no different, in Royal Liverpool. On a blustery winter’s morn, the boys stood on the first tee and imagined who, in the past, had trodden before them. The previous two times, The Open was held at Royal Liverpool, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods had been victorious. The boys played some excellent golf and once again, managed a 3-0 win. The highlight of the day came on the fourth hole. Luca Williams-Denton struck a perfect seven iron, which held against the wind, landed on the green and rolled close to the pin. We could see the ball getting ever closer to the cup and could not believe our eyes seeing the ball disappear. Most golfers go through their entire life without a hole-in-one and Luca, at the age of fifteen, got his first on one of The Open courses. The odds of this happening on any course are approximately 12,500 to 1, but for it happening at Hoylake, must be considerably higher. After two victories, Bolton School reached another regional final and after the huge disappointment in the ISGA Singles, we knew once again, it would be extremely difficult. We drew Worksop School in the Final, who had gained a reputation for producing superb golfers in recent years. The fixture was played at Moortown Golf Club, a Ryder Cup venue in 1929. The Worksop boys were in Year 13, vastly experienced and all category one golfers. Our lads played well, but, in the end, lost all three matches. I hope a lot was learned throughout the day.

swing. Next academic year, I do encourage more boys to join the club and even for those who have never tried this wonderful sport, come and have a go.

In April, Mr. McMillan and I, accompanied ten boys and travelled down to Shrewsbury. 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. The boys thoroughly enjoyed their time at Hawkstone Park, and we are hoping to return again next year.

he season started with success for the Year 7 Cross Country team winning the Bolton Town Championship held at Rivington in the Autumn. This was followed with even more success for the same age group at the Greater Manchester Indoor Tournament at the Etihad Arena. The team consisted of Zach Giggs, Adam Berisford, Thomas Wilson, Charlie Darbyshire, Ollie Evans, Michael Stivaros, Sam Neill, Ammaar Ibraahim and Muhammad Thagia.

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 at national level. These boys are: Sean Dobson, handicap 3, Alfie Yearsley, 7, and Toby Yates, 9. Mr. McMillan is leaving Bolton School this year and I would like to thank him for all his hard work. He has been an invaluable help with fixtures, as well as the organising of House Day Golf. I am sure the boys will miss his fine words of wisdom and extensive knowledge of our sport. Mr. C. Coffey

Athletics _______________________________________________________

The Summer Term was affected by the weather, but both the Junior and Inter boys progressed to the ‘B’ Finals of the ESAA competitions, but unfortunately both events were cancelled due to extreme conditions on the day. The Bolton Town Championships moved to Leigh Sports Village this year and the Year 9 and 10 Boys competed well and finished fourth and third respectively, with Harry Bentham (Javelin), Sam Olawumi (Triple Jump) and William Duffy (200m) winning Gold and becoming Town Champions.

During Golf Club this year, we have made the most of Regent Park Golf Club’s facilities. Boys ranging from Years 7 to 11 have taken the opportunity to attend the extra-curricular activity and work on their

Year 8 finished third in theirs whilst the Year 7 team won yet another competition as a team, with Ammaar Ibraahim winning the Discus, Sam Neill the 800m and Thomas Wilson setting a new Championship Record in claiming Gold in the 300m.

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Sports This is the first time in years that a Bolton School Athletics Team has won a Bolton Town Championship as a team, and hopefully this year group will continue to commit and compete in years to come. Mr. I.L. Hughes

Swimming _______________________________________________________

he academic year began by discovering a number of talented swimmers who would come to make up the Year 7 and Junior squads. As is often the case, the vast majority of our boys also represent Bolton School at Water polo, making them highly adept in the water. With the squads finalised, the boys could now look forward to the first gala of the year, away against Hulme Oldham. All age groups travelled to the fixture and put in an extremely convincing performance, which resulted in a comfortable victory. For the Year 7s, it was a good opportunity to experience their first gala for Bolton School and for the older boys a chance to get the first win under their belts. The lads didn’t have to wait long for the next gala, which saw the Juniors and Inters travel to Everton for the ESSA Championships on the Friday night. It was a difficult evening for our swimmers, as the squads narrowly missed qualification from the regional round; however, it was particularly pleasing to see the effort and commitment from our boys and the abundance of talent on show from schools across the North West. The first home gala of the season was joint with the Girls’ Division against Canon Slade. In a fiercely competitive meet, both boys and girls put in some impressive swims to claim victory over our close rivals. In particular, the performance of the Senior squad made the difference, with a convincing win of 50 points to 30. It was a very enjoyable gala, which highlighted the strength and depth of Swimming at Bolton School across both Divisions and one that is valued by all. The highlight of the swimming season was the John Parry Relays, held at St. Peter’s York. Harry Bentham, Rikin Patel, Robert Morgan and Finley Littlefair made up the Under 15 team, whilst Thomas Yates, James Leese-Weller, Gareth Edwards-Williams and Marcus Crompton made up the Under 18 team. Impressively, both teams made the Finals of the medley relay and the freestyle

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relay, however, it was the Under 15s that stole the show by winning the 4 x 50m freestyle relay final. Bolton School claimed silverware by beating Nottingham High School, St. Peter’s York, Merchant Taylors’ and The Grammar School at Leeds – all tough opponents indeed. The following week saw Audenshaw travel to Bolton School, bringing their Juniors, Inters and Senior squads. Bolton School Juniors won 43 points to 37, the Inters drew with 40 points each and the Seniors lost 32 points to 48 – an overall win for Audenshaw, but some promising results for the Juniors and Inters. Bolton School Senior Boys then teamed up with Park Road in order to tackle our fiercest opponents: Bolton School Girls’ Division. The number of boys, girls and spectators was extremely pleasing to see as they all filled the swimming pool and surrounding areas. Boys and girls competed in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle events, as well as the medley relay and freestyle relay. On the one hand, the boys were disappointed about losing this fixture; however, on the other hand, they were very pleased with the success and individual performances of the Girls’ Division swimmers. It was a fantastic event that highlights what goes into Bolton School Swimming across the board. The last gala of the calendar year saw Ripley St. Thomas travel to Bolton School, who took the win by just one point. The boys worked extremely hard during the Autumn Term and deserved to enjoy an extended break over the holiday period. The new year began with the annual Fast Water Gala hosted at Bolton School. Sandbach, Ripley St. Thomas, Hutton, QEGS Blackburn and Bolton School all competed to win a unique competition where it’s all about the lowest cumulative time. The team that wins doesn’t necessarily finish first in every event, but posts the overall lowest time. Ripley St. Thomas won the extremely competitive gala, with Bolton School finishing a close second. The individual highlight of the season came at the Town Gala, when Matthew Reedy won Gold in the 50-metre Breaststroke Final. Matthew has impressed since arriving at the start of Year 7 and has posted significantly competitive times both in lessons and galas. The last two galas of the season were the MGS Sutton trophy, where the Inters and Seniors competed against several schools, and at home against Merchant Taylors’, seeing out what was a thoroughly enjoyable and competitive season with many successes along the way. I would like to thank all the boys for their dedication throughout the campaign and look forward to the 2019/20 season. Mr. L. Watkinson

Sports Water polo _______________________________________________________

olton School Boys’ Division Under 18 Water polo team successfully defended their English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) title in March. The team travelled to Nottingham University and convincingly progressed through the group stage, defeating Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School 10-0 and Alleyn’s School 10-2. As group winners, they played Trinity School in the Semi-final, whom they overcame 6-0. The Final saw Bolton School defeat Dulwich College 4-1 and retain the title for the sixth consecutive year. This age group has won ESSA titles at Under 14, Under 16 and now Under 18 level.

Later in March, the School’s Under 15 team travelled to Northampton Boys’ School to defend the title the School has held since 2014. They defeated Whitgift School 7-3 and Northampton School for Boys 4-1 in the group stage. As group winners, they played Manchester Grammar School, runners-up in the other group, in the Semi-final, whom they defeated 5-3. The Final saw the School narrowly lose to Trinity School 2-3 in an exciting and closely contested final.

The Under 13 Water polo team renewed their campaign for national success in May when they took part in the Semi-finals in Northampton. In the group phase, they lost to eventual winners Trinity School and defeated Warwick. They drew with Whitgift School in the Semi-final and unfortunately lost in the penalty shootout. They defeated Northampton School for Boys to take the Bronze medal in the competition.

Senior Badminton _______________________________________________________

his year has seen great success for our Senior Badminton players. Within school, our lunchtime sessions have grown and we have been delighted to welcome new members from Year 9 and above, as well as some talented players from Lower School. During our lunchtime practices, we run a number of different activities from singles and doubles games to practise game-play, defence, and tactics, as well as some more ‘fun’ activities such as

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Sports ‘round-robin’ mini-tournaments. To mark the end of the season, we also held an in-house double competition.

Some of our regular competitive players this year include: ‘A’ team members – Callum Wong (Captain) Karthik Ajith Ben Clarkson Sam Schofield

Outside of school, we have taken part in a number of competitions. These include the Badminton England National Schools Championships, the Bolton Badminton League and Schools Games.

Our ‘A’ team, captained by Callum Wong, has played excellently this year and has won the vast majority of their games in all three competitions. They excelled in the Bolton League, won the Schools Games against some skilled and challenging opponents and progressed to the North West finals of the Badminton English Schools Championships. Although our four ‘A’ team players exhibited great skill and effort on court, we unfortunately did not progress further in this competition; however, all should be very proud of their performance this year.

‘B’ team members – Sean Dobson Ben Hunt Akshat Kamath Azhar Makkan Amay Wahie It has been a pleasure for me to run both the lunchtime practice sessions and the external competitions and I am incredibly proud of all of our young badminton players. I look forward to developing our teams next year!

As the year has continued, more and more able players have emerged, and we have been able to enter ‘B’ teams into these competitions as well. For many, this has been their first experience of competitive badminton and, though they have not advanced though the competitions, all have played well and shown great sportsmanship throughout.

Miss E.M. Harper

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Sports Gymnastics - Year 7 Gymnastics Final _______________________________________________________

ear 7 boys showed calmness under pressure as they performed a series of outstanding gymnastics routines and sequences in front of the whole of Year 7 and their teachers. The seven finalists (one pulled out injured on the day) each performed an eight-piece sequence, having won through earlier rounds, which had involved the whole year group. The boys performed amazingly well given the pressure they were under and produced some very impressive balances and travelling movements.

It was a tough task to judge the competition, as each pupil performed an almost flawless routine. The eventual winner was Alex Cook, who was given one of the oldest cups in the School, as the competition has run for well over 100 years. Mrs. Brandon, the Deputy Head, handed out second prize to Frank Cooke and the Bronze medal to Umar Darsot. All boys received a certificate for making it to the final.

Year 8 Vaulting Final _______________________________________________________

ight finalists in this year’s Year 8 Vaulting Final wowed the judges with a series of outstanding vaults. Each boy performed a through vault, a long fly vault, a rotational vault of their choice and a double box vault, comprising a through vault as well as a choice of their own. The competition took place in the boys’ gym in front of the whole year group, as well as the boys’ Form Teachers and PE staff.

It was a highly competitive final, one of the best in years, with boys performing to a very high standard. They have shown exceptional poise, balance and bravery and all this in front of a large audience. It was ‘edge of your seat’ viewing and many staff who watched were amazed at the quality. After some deliberation, the Gold medal was presented by Deputy Head Mrs. Brandon to Kevin Longthorne, with Sam Neill taking Silver and Joe Carolan Bronze position. The other competitors, who were already winners, having won through to the Final in earlier rounds, all received certificates and were Haseeb Ahsan, Tom Griffiths, Kian McDonald, Leo Allen and Kiran Sastry.

Mr. J. Newbould & Mr. M. Johnson

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Sports 1st XI Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 10 3 6

The shorter Summer Term began in a promising manner, with convincing wins over King’s School Chester and Manchester Grammar School. Half centuries from Captain Kurtis Watson and Josh Bowers enabled an imposing total of 188-6 to be posted; then, three wickets from leg spinner Tjase Pindoria prevented the opposition’s innings gaining any momentum and it subsided very quickly, producing a 100-run victory. Against Manchester, dominating batting performances from Joe Ball (65) and Kurtis Watson (47) formed the backbone of a challenging total of 164-6 in 20 overs. Accurate bowling all round, together with a three-wicket haul for Cian Spencer-McDermott allowed the School to win by a comfortable 29-run margin. These April wins augured well for the season, but proved a false dawn as the next victory did not come until the final week of term!

trip up to Sedbergh was always going to be a challenge and their two County Cricket Academy players dominated the game, scoring nearly 230 of their 295-4 total. Despite a resilient 43 from Kurtis, and a promising debut from Seb Schofield, we were unable to make any inroads into the huge score, subsiding to 130 all out. The second game against Birkenhead started well, reducing the visitors to 6-3 in 4 overs before a century from their captain rescued their innings, creating a target of 191-8. Again, a promising innings from Danny Morris and Seb Schofield – two of our Under 15 players – in partnership with Kurtis Watson (47) was a highlights of an otherwise disappointing batting performance, which was marred by a couple of run outs. The final week of term saw a brief return to winning ways, with a strong batting performance based around an enterprising knock of 86 from Josh Bowers, who then went on to take 4-21 to help reduce the XL Club to 177 all out – 48 runs short of our highest score of the season. As this was a game played on one of our newly laid wickets, their more consistent pace and bounce will hopefully inspire next year’s 1st XI to build bigger innings and totals than what was achieved in this game. The MCC game which followed, pitted the skills of the current team against an experienced side consisting of five Old Boltonians and experience won the day! MCC scored freely against the School’s tiring bowling attack (after two unusually warm July days) and their target of 230 in 40 overs proved too much, although Danny Morris (47) and Josh Bowers (33) gave us fleeting hopes of making it an exciting finish.

A low-scoring defeat by Lancaster Royal Grammar School was both as the result of batting first on a sluggish wicket and a failure to post a total which could create any pressure on the opposition, particularly as one of their openers batted patiently throughout their innings passing our modest total of 74 with 4 wickets to spare. The longer format game against MGS on a good wicket followed a similar pattern, and a disappointing batting performance (113 all out) ensured that, despite some spirited bowling, conservative batting by their openers reversed the result of our earlier encounter. Sadly, we bowed out of the National ESCA T20 Competition at the first hurdle against Birkenhead School, whose captain batted us out of the two games played this season. Despite a few promising cameos, losing wickets regularly prevented us from gaining any momentum in chasing their total of 151-3. The half term break was followed by the wash out fixture against the Grammar School at Leeds and against King’s School Macclesfield, despite a more promising batting performance, when Joe Ball’s 71 gave us a platform upon which to win the game, the rain came down to cause it to be abandoned. The

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This was an unusually difficult and disappointing season – it was always going to be a challenge to create momentum when, on average, there were at least three changes to the team for each game and four Saturdays were lost to half term and rain in the middle of the season. The situation is critical, as perceived pressure of exams and other absences continue to undermine Senior Cricket in this and all other HMC cricket-playing schools.

Sports Nevertheless, there were many enjoyable performances and causes for optimism. Kurtis Watson led the team by example and has been one of the most committed cricketers and leading performers over the years. He and Praharsh Parikh have both gained County recognition to further our proud reputation in supporting Red Rose cricket. Joe Ball, Tom McGivern, James Larkin, Jack Phillips and Josh Bowers have, throughout their time in School, all made significant contributions, for which I thank them sincerely as they now move on to higher education. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the many who have assisted me in enabling the cricket tradition to be extended through this difficult season.

Once again, we hosted the 2nd XI 15/15 Competition, this time, with Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Sedbergh. As hosts, we played first and restricted LRGS to 75. Mohammed Ali achieved 4 wickets for 3 runs, Jack Diggle 3-21. Bolton reached the total with ease, with Mohammed as top scorer with 24 not out. The second game was against Sedbergh, who batted first and reached 114-5. Bolton fell short on 92-5, but it was a great day that brought some much-needed competition to 2nd XI Cricket. The following week, we travelled up to Lancaster RGS. The game had hardly started when our fielder, Umar Shaikh, dived full-length to stop a boundary; unfortunately, in the process, he damaged his shoulder and was taken straight to hospital. The team battled on, but LRGS posted 156-5. The remaining players put up a fight before eventually being bowled out for 90. On a lovely Wednesday afternoon, we hosted Stonyhurst 1st XI. A much younger visiting side played a school Year 12 side, with several players returning to School Cricket after some years. Stonyhurst batted well, posting 142-5 in their twenty overs. Momentum was an issue for our batsmen, and we were dismissed for 83, with Teddy Clarke and Cian Gallagher top scorers with 13 and 10 runs respectively.

Mr. A.C.R. Compton

2nd XI Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 5 2 3

Sedbergh returned to school for a Saturday match and Bolton batted first, posting 89 runs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a total that was to prove twenty or thirty runs short. A disastrous run out led to Mohammed Ali being out of his ground on 25, and the chance of a decent total had gone. Despite bowling and fielding well, Sedbergh just scraped home by three wickets. In our fifth year of entry in the four-team festival, we travelled to North Wales to play our hosts Rydal Penrhos School, Ratcliffe College, Leicestershire and Silcoates School, Yorkshire. 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 the opening school match, we won at home to Manchester Grammar School. Batting first, our visitors made 80, but were bowled out in the final over. Several players took wickets, with Tjase Pindoria the pick with 3-12.

The first match was against Ratcliffe College and took place at the impressive Colwyn Bay Cricket Club. Bolton batted first, and openers Jack Phillips and Tom McGivern scored 55 and 34 respectively. Progress was sluggish on what looked like a good wicket and we finished on 149 all out, with a few of our 40 overs left. Our fielders missed a few chances and Ratcliffe reached the total with ease for the loss of only two wickets.

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Sports We returned to Colwyn Bay CC on the second day vs. Silcoates School. Again, Bolton batted first and reached 184-5. Tom McGivern led the way with 52, Jack Phillips scored 30 and Tjase Pindoria scored 30 not out. Silcoates had two good spells with the bat, including a late flurry from their 7th and 8th order batsmen. Thankfully, our young bowlers Josh Blackhurst and Pierce BarkerSmith took late wickets to see us home by 40 runs

put on 100 runs for the fourth wicket, each scoring 50. Daniel Morris scored nine 4s and Henry Miller-Stenton scored seven 4s and three 6s. With Seb Schofield and Sami Waheed opening the bowling, LRGS struggled to score runs. Sami Waheed took two wickets in his first spell, Hamaad Choudry took three, and Max Sibson-Finch also claimed a wicket, which resulted in LRGS falling well short of Bolton’s score.

In our final match, we went to play Rydal, who we would like to thank for being superb hosts. Bolton won the toss and again elected to bat. Tom McGivern scored 40, Jack Phillips 20 and a rear-guard action from Tjase Pindoria of 32 saw us limp to 156 all out, a total that seemed to be 40 runs short. Rydal looked to be sailing at 90-0 until Harry Diggle took 5-29 in his last match at school, including a hat-trick to put Bolton back in control. A loose ball hit the wicketkeeper’s helmet and cost us five penalty runs, which turned the game in Rydal’s favour, and they scored one off the last ball to win by one wicket.

Manchester Grammar School came to Bolton the following week, and we scored 108 from our 30 overs on a difficult bottom level. Daniel Morris was top scorer with 37, and Jacob Stevenson, the Captain, supported with 21. Our opening duo reduced MGS to very few runs in the opening eight overs, which allowed Jacob Stevenson to bring on Jacob Ashworth with devastating effect; he took both their main batsmen, supported, once again, by Hamaad Choudry, Aadil Patel, Ben Clarkson and Sam Olawumi, and MGS fell 50 runs short of Bolton’s score. Stockport were the next visitors and, following a slow start, the Bolton innings reached 173 from 25 overs, with Jacob Ashworth scoring 34 not out from 58 deliveries, while Henry Miller-Stenton scored a quick-fire 35 from 20 deliveries. Ten different bowlers were used in restricting Stockport to 85 all out from their 25 overs. Seb Schofield, Aadil Patel and Ben Clarkson took two each, and Dominic Flood also claimed his first wicket of the season. St. Hilda’s were despatched relatively easy at Tonge Cricket Club, with Sam Olawumi and Ben Clarkson taking three wickets each and Henry Miller-Stenton taking a pair also. The target was reached without a wicket being lost, through Seb Schofield and Jacob Stevenson.

Sadly, during the season, there were two cancellations, which restricted the number of fixtures played as several schools no longer field a 2nd XI. Bolton School can be proud of its unbroken tradition of still fielding a 2nd and, at times, even a 3rd XI. I must take this opportunity to thank my joint Captains Tjase Pindoria and Jack Diggle, both of whom have been an exceptional, everpresent leadership team. Despite many obstacles, we have always had eleven players on the pitch.

King’s Macclesfield’s visit started well, as Bolton reached 141 for 7 from their 30 overs, with the runs shared evenly throughout the side for the first time this season. Jacob Stevenson, Sami Waheed, Daniel Morris and Ben Clarkson all scored just short of twenty runs, with Henry Miller-Stenton on 21 and Ben Price as top scorer with 26. Disappointingly, we couldn’t continue after lunch due to the rain, therefore the game was declared a draw.

P W D L 11 7 1 3

Back to the County Cup and a visit to St. Peter’s Orrell, where Seb Schofield smashed 44 from 31 deliveries, but Sami Waheed was top scorer with an unbeaten 47 from 42 deliveries. Although one of the St. Peter’s boys showed some real resistance and courage playing on with an injury, he was forced to retire on 25 not out and the hosts fell 40 runs short. A comprehensive loss to an outstanding Sedbergh team the following day was not the best preparation for the Lancashire Schools Final Day at Longridge Cricket Club, but lessons were learned in terms of competing at the next level.

Following successful winter nets, with good attendance and a varied programme, our first match was away at Lancaster Royal Grammar School. We chose to bat and scored an impressive 183 from 30 overs, only losing five wickets. Henry Miller-Stenton and Dan Morris

The rain reduced the usual 20/20 format to 18 overs against MGS in the Semi-final. Bolton scored 108 for 6, with Daniel Morris and Henry Miller-Stenton as top scorers with 31 and 28 respectively. An outstanding 45 from the MGS opener was the only real threat

Mr. P. Fernside

Under 15 Cricket _______________________________________________________

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Sports to Bolton’s score, with Jacob Ashworth taking a brace and Seb Schofield returning at the end of the innings with three wickets. The Final was reduced to a T10 match against a formidable batting side from Ribblesdale High School, who scored 136 from their 18 overs in their Semi-final. They elected to bat and reached 71 all out from 10 overs. Sami Waheed took four wickets from his two overs and Daniel Morris a brace. Seb Schofield reached 27 from 26 deliveries and Sami Waheed 15. We fell one run short on the last ball, but the best team won on the day and deservedly went through. A glorious morning on the Wirral was the setting for the next match against Birkenhead Grammar School. With both teams losing players to their respective first teams, Bolton scored 151 for 8 from their 25 overs. Henry Miller-Stenton opened and scored 35 from 26 deliveries and Ben Price came in after losing four wickets and scored an impressive 28. Jacob Stevenson also scored 27 from 12 balls and Arsh Patankar finished 19 not out after an impressive display. Hamaad Choudry and Umar Awais opened our bowling; Umar took three wickets, two from catches from Ben Price and an excellent caught and bowled. Jacob Ashworth was brought in for the 20th and 22nd overs and took two crucial wickets and the game ended with Max Sibson-Finch taking the final batsman. The final game of the season was at home versus Merchant Taylors’. We scored 119 from 30 overs, with Jacob Ashworth scoring 31 and Daniel Morris 39. The visitors’ opening batsman scored an outstanding 47, until Dominic Flood caught him off Max SibsonFinch’s ball. Jacob Ashworth took his usual double, while Max Sibson-Finch took another, as did Aadil Patel, but the visitors reached our target with four overs to spare. The improvement from last year in teamwork, communication, organisation and attitude was clear to see. Jacob Stevenson’s leadership allowed every player to contribute during the season, and all the players bought into this ethos. The disappointment from the Ribblesdale defeat will haunt these boys, as the opportunity to win the Lancashire Cup for the first time was there, as was the opportunity to represent our County at the North of England Competition, something Bolton School has not done at this age for three years. Leading these boys for two cricket seasons has been a roller coaster, but there has been a vast improvement in individuals and in the team, clearly seen by the number of boys being called up to Senior Cricket matches and, indeed, for the MCC games. Moving from Under 15s to Senior Cricket is a challenge, not only playing with and against older boys, but balancing revision and commitment to School Cricket. These boys have been able to do both for two seasons and we hope this will continue for the next three, so that School Cricket creates memories that boys will cherish for years to come.

We would like to thank the parents, who have travelled the length and breadth of the County and beyond, in glorious sunshine and windswept sub-zero temperatures to support the boys and the School. Mr. I.L. Hughes

Under 14 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W L 12 8 2 Preparations for the Under 14 Cricket season began early, with the first indoor practice taking place in January. The winter schedule stretched across three months, allowing for many opportunities to hone skills ready for the season opener against Cheadle Hulme. Unfortunately, the British weather wasn’t in our favour and the opening game of the season had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. The following week saw Lancaster travel to Bolton School, who won the toss and elected to bat. The sun was out and a score of 45 not out from Zane Nirodi, assisted by Alex Old’s quick-fire 23, helped Bolton School to reach a competitive total of 95. In reply, Lancaster got extremely close, with a score of 93; however, some tight bowling from Bolton School restricted the opposition well. Anupam Tripathi was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 15 off 6 overs. Our first away game of the season ended in defeat to a strong Manchester Grammar School side. From their 30 overs, MGS reached 153 for 3, meaning our batsmen had a job on their hands in order to be in with a chance. Zane Nirodi (31) and Finlay HughesSolomon (22) gave their best effort, but, unfortunately, Bolton School fell way short of the total, ending on 92 for 9. The following week, boys were looking to bounce back, away at Stockport Grammar School. On a good wicket, Stockport won the toss and elected to bat. Opening bowler, Harry Whittles, bowled superbly well, returning figures of 3 for 8 off 5 overs to dismiss the Stockport top order. Chipping in with two valuable wickets was Kaushik Kathiriya, bowling delicate in-swingers that restricted the opposition to 95 off 25 overs. Bolton School were convincing whilst chasing the modest total, winning the game by 7 wickets. Another standout performance from Zane Nirodi saw him score 48 not out and continue his rich vein of form.

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Sports The first game back after half term was supposed to be away at the Grammar School at Leeds, although, again, the weather had other ideas and scuppered any chance of getting a game in.

Thank you to the boys for their commitment throughout the season and all members of staff involved. Mr. Watkinson & Mr. J.C. Moore

In the last 16 of the LSCA Cup, Westholme travelled to Bolton School on another wet day. A result was needed, so the two teams were forced inside in order to determine the winner. In a modified match, boys were able to score runs by hitting the walls, as well as running between the wickets. Bolton School chased down Westholme’s total and advanced through to the Quarter-finals to face Manchester Grammar School. Before that, the next Saturday fixture was away at King’s School, Macclesfield. A 25 over game was agreed, due to a bleak weather forecast later in the afternoon. Bolton School batted first and made 111 runs for the loss of just 4 wickets. Again, Zane Nirodi scored the bulk of the runs with a cautious 37, but it was a quick-fire 21 from Anupam Tripathi that set up the match in Bolton School’s favour. Everyone from Bolton School managed to get a bowl except for the stand-in captain, Zane Nirodi. A bizarre spell of bowling from Simon Whitmore meant that King’s Macclesfield would struggle to get near our total. In two overs, Whitmore grabbed 4 wickets for 8 runs. His first over lasted approximately 37 minutes, with the inclusion of 2 wickets and 7 individual wides. Nonetheless, Simon bowled some cracking deliveries In between and Bolton won the game just before the heavens opened. Our next visitors at Bolton School were Sedbergh, with a later start time of 11:30am. Sedbergh won the toss and elected to bat, with the hope of putting runs on the board, creating scoreboard pressure. Again, our bowlers proved to be difficult to get away, forcing Sedbergh to take risks in order to score runs. After sleeping in and turning up late at King’s Macclesfield, the later start time against Sedbergh was ideal for Bhavesh Raghvani; he was instrumental in restricting the visitors to 120 by returning figures of 4 for 27 off 5 overs. Bolton School won comfortably by 8 wickets, with Alex Old top scoring with 39 and Zane Nirodi hitting 38 – a very impressive win against tough opposition. Unfortunately, the following week saw Bolton School get knocked out of the LSCA Cup by Manchester Grammar School, where, in wet conditions, the boys weren’t able to reach the score set by MGS. The last Saturday fixture of the season ended on a high, with the boys beating Birkenhead School by 141 runs. It was pleasing to see Thomas Darbyshire score his first half-century for School, whilst Alex Old also reached 50 in quick fashion; however, the highlight of the match was Cian Patel’s hat-trick, dismissing Birkenhead’s middle order batsmen. The bowling unit proved to be too strong for the visitors and a win on the final Saturday was a pleasing finish to the schedule. Two midweek games in the final week of term ended the season with two wins against Merchant Taylors’ and King’s Chester.

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Under 13 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W D L 9 6 0 3 After a modest season as Year 7s, the Under 13s made considerable progress with their cricketing skills, both as individuals and as a team. Winter nets was well-attended as the lads worked hard to improve their batting and bowling techniques. Unfortunately, the beginning of the season didn’t go to plan, when I missed the first six weeks through illness. Many thanks to the staff who did such a great job and helped to look after the team in my absence. Early losses to Lancaster and Manchester Grammar Schools quickly set the tone for the standards needed to improve results and individual performances. Easy wins soon followed against Stockport, Abraham Moss and Parklands, where excellent bowling was demonstrated by Joseph Carolan (3-4-3) and Harry Connor (3-4-2). This run of victories led to a challenging and difficult home tie against Cheadle Hulme School in the Quarter-final of the County Cup. After some impressive bowling and improving fielding standards, the guests were restricted to 78. The game was perfectly poised for the Captain and batsman, Akshat Kamath, to take control and he demonstrated a great deal of maturity in seeing the game through to the end with an excellent 33 not out and 3-11-4. This led the boys to a home Semi-final against the winners of either Lancaster or Clitheroe Grammar School. Unfortunately, due to a delay in the cup fixtures being played, there was no time to play this fixture in a very busy, short Summer Term. Therefore, the organisers have changed the usual format of the competition and rearranged a finals day in September at Longbridge Cricket Club. Therefore, this has proved to be an anti-climax to a season that had been building in momentum. Hopefully, the lads can stay fit and in good form with the bat and the ball with their clubs over the summer and return ready for what will be a very exciting finals day. Congratulations must go to all the boys on their massive progress this season. Well done. Mr. M. Johnson

Sports Under 12 Cricket _______________________________________________________ P W D L 9 6 0 3

Perhaps the most pleasing part about this rain-affected season was the fact that almost 30 Year 7 boys represented the Under 12s this season. Due to a good number of ‘B’ team matches, boys were able to play between the two sides, with many happy to take on leadership responsibilities with bat and ball when called upon for either team. The season began with some difficult games against Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Manchester Grammar School and, despite these resulting in defeat, there were some good performances that would bode well for the remainder of the season: Tom Wilson hit 27 late in the innings against LRGS and Ben Maher achieved 2-8 off four overs. MGS ‘A’ team proved too strong, but we would have the chance for revenge later in the year. Good batting performances from Charlie Darbyshire (wicket-keeper) and Lewis Bailey in the ‘B’ team fixture were further indications of our strength in depth. More comfortable games against Stockport Grammar School and King’s Macclesfield followed, with wickets and runs shared around the team – Lucas Stevenson got 3-3-3 in the latter. There was also a fine ‘B’ team victory vs. King’s Macclesfield, with Tom Lennon hitting 38 from 38 balls, while Fraser Sackfield and Matthew Roberts impressed with the ball. The early Lancashire County Cup rounds proved to be a mismatched affair, with our opponents, Little Lever and Audenshaw, restricted to below 50 runs. Nikhil Patel achieved a five-wicket haul in the Little Lever match.

Next, there was an exciting development fixture against a strong MCCF (Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation) side, one which was made up of some of the best local junior cricketers. Chasing 108 and having used eleven bowlers (including normal wicket-keeper George Warren, who got a wicket!), Sammy Dziobon led the charge with an impressive half century (53); however, in the end, we were bowled out, needing only a further six runs. It was a great learning experience nonetheless and good preparation for the Lancashire County Cup Semi-final, where we would meet MGS for a second time. We had clearly learned from earlier games and, on a gorgeous morning, we set a solid score; however, it was not to be, and having conceded extras, MGS reached the total.

The final two games of the season were against usually chirpy opposition from Merseyside: Birkenhead and Merchant Taylors’. After an early collapse, Monty Horridge and Nikhil Patel stepped up with the bat, as we posted a more reasonable score; the total was easily defended, and we bowled out Birkenhead with over 30 runs to spare. However, the most pleasing win of the season and the most exciting finish was saved for our final match away at Merchant Taylors’. Our hosts scored exactly 100, and we were looking on course to reach the total inside the last over, with wickets in hand, but Cricket is a funny old game and the match was eventually drawn; in some ways, a draw was probably a fair result. This year group has a large number of talented boys – match practice and experience will come, especially with the bat. The indoor batting tee sessions with Mr. Fletcher (whom we would like to thank for his coaching throughout the season) are the basis for good cricket that should be worked on and the boys will undoubtedly learn and develop their game over the next year as they move up to Under 13 cricket. Mr. M.G. Chilton

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Sports Tennis _______________________________________________________

Many Year 7 and Year 8 boys have also attended after school Tennis Club on a Thursday although the Bolton weather did on occasion get the better of us!

en Clarkson, Daniel Morris, Sam Schofield and Oliver Hinks represented Bolton School at Under 15s Tennis this year. They were entered into the Lancashire region of the National LTA Schools Cup. Four games were played during the season and good sportsmanship was evident in all matches.

Oliver Hinks 7b

The first match was against MGS at home. There were some great performances, but unfortunately, MGS won overall by a very fine margin. The game was decided by a sudden death tie-break after finishing 6-6. Away against Christ the King Catholic High School in Southport, Bolton School was victorious, winning almost every match comfortably â&#x20AC;&#x201C; well done, boys! Playing at Robin Park in Wigan, Bolton School had another great performance. The team came home again as winners in almost every match. The final match was a decider against MGS, with the opposition unfortunately taking the spoils; this was another close game and left the boys even more determined to beat MGS in 2020. Year 7 boys Isaac Lucas, Jonak Laha, Jonathan Frank and Alex Cook all represented our Under 13s this year along with Year 8s including Priyesh Fernando.

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Scouts Review of the Scouting Year 2018-19 _______________________________________________________

hange is the very life blood of progress: at worst – merely survival; at best – adaption towards continued excellence. 19th Bolton (Bolton School) Scout Group has seen some changes this year both to Brookside and within the Leadership.

has moved across from Friday night Scouts. The Scout Troop continues to be faithfully led by Mike Evans, Chris Ferrier and John Greenhalgh. Sam Brennan, Nathan Ashley and Hannah Ferrier have all completed their DBSs moving towards adult leadership. Explorers are the embodiment of constant change. With their programme being devised by the young people of the section, every new member brings fresh ideas. The one constant is Anne Chambers, to whom we are truly indebted for her sterling leadership over a number of decades. If you, or someone you know, would like to try the four-week Leadership Challenge in any section of the Group (but especially Explorers), do please get in touch with me.

Last summer, Brookside received a new coat of paint, which especially brightened up the dark tongue and groove in the entrance area. Floors have been sanded, carpets replaced, and rooms have been named after long-standing Group Scout Leaders and Section Leaders. The old Guild Room has been repurposed with multimedia equipment. With further exciting developments planned, our building is moving forward. Our hugely respected Scout Leader and Group Scout Leader, Roger Kirk, moved up to the Eternal Scout Group. His legacy of Brookside will continue to benefit many young people in the generations still to come. After being integral in the setting up and leading of our Beaver Colony, at Christmas, Mrs. Mees decided it was time to hand over the leadership. Our grateful and heartfelt thanks to her, also to Mrs. Hardy, for their faithful support of the Colony. Baloo, Jane Welch, was happy to embark on a new challenge and is having great fun leading our youngest section, which – with the support of two Cub Leaders, one new Assistant Beaver Leader (Melissa Wright) and one Section Assistant (Mike Fern) – has pleasingly grown from 18 to 24 eager Beavers. Amongst other exciting innovations, the inaugural Beaver Sleepout was a very successful experience. We’re looking forward to our first Chief Scout Bronze Awards being achieved in the Beaver section. Baloo continues to lead Wednesday Cubs too, wonderfully supported by Cath Marland (Assistant Cub Scout Leader) and the loyal band of Wednesday leaders. We also welcome Dan Sykes into adult Leadership. At Thursday Cubs, due to Guy Mathieson’s work commitments in London (though he does make an appearance now and then), I am delighted that Pauline Shannon has stepped up to Cub Scout Leader. We were also pleased to welcome back Saveena Pomian from her stint with Year 6 Scouts. After completing the fourweek Leadership Challenge, we are delighted that Miss Cox and Rick Regan have joined our Leadership Team.

Both Mr. Britton and Jane Welch have taken up Assistant Group Scout Leader roles, for which I am grateful, supporting me in the Group Scout Leader position. This year has seen a bumper crop of Leadership awards: Daniel Sykes and Paige Twidale gained their Young Leaders’ Belt. Libby Hough, Andrea Perry, Pauline Shannon and Cath Marland all achieving their Wood Badge, with Pauline and Cath also being awarded their Nights Away Permits. Impressively, Ann Chambers has been presented with her Silver Acorn Award. With Scouting nationally trialling a new section for four and fiveyear-olds, and discussion of changes in uniform, where will we find ourselves this time next year? Anna Hough (Group Scout Leader) Email: alh@boltonschool.org

With a change of time: 4.30 - 6pm on Tuesdays, Skip (Mr. Bradley) has been joined at Year 6 Scouts by Tracker (Miss Dean), who

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Scouts Beavers _______________________________________________________

There is always lots of fun to be had at Beavers, from word searches to water rounders, bobbing for apples to pioneering.

here have been some changes at Beavers in the past twelve months. Mrs. Mees stepped down from leading the Beavers Colony in the Autumn Term. She and Mrs. Hardy had established a very vibrant Colony, and this has been developed by the new Leadership Team, led by Baloo (Jane Welch). The Beavers had a chance to say thank you to Mrs. Mees in an assembly at Beech House. The Colony’s programme is built around achieving as many of the Challenge Badges as possible so that the children have the opportunity to attain their Chief Scouts’ Bronze Award in their last term in the Colony. Having worked towards the ‘My Teamwork Challenge’ in the Autumn Term, the rest of the academic year saw the Beavers achieving most of the elements of the Skill, Adventure, Outdoor and World Challenges. 119 activity badges and staged badges were awarded during the last year. The older Beavers also took part in their first Scouting sleepout, which had a Gruffalo theme. The Beavers and the leaders thoroughly enjoyed it and are planning to have one sleepout each term from now on. The highlights of the year were the visit to Cub Camp, which piqued the children’s interest in Moving Up to Cubs, when they will be able to achieve their ambitions to sleepover. And secondly, a small group went to the District Beavers Activity Day at the District campsite at Bibby’s Farm; this had a medieval theme and again was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

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The Year 2 Beavers will ‘swim up’ to Cubs in December 2019, so the Colony is hoping to recruit eleven new eager Beavers for lots more Scouting fun. Jane Welch (Baloo)

Cubs _______________________________________________________

Scouts

e have ensured that we provide Scouting-based programming by taking regular feedback from the young people: the main theme of which seems to be to keep doing what we are doing, refreshing the programme as we go. Our Autumn Term had a piratical theme, with cannonball drops to practise pioneering skills, limerick writing, new sports and sewing skills being tested. Wednesday Cubs hiked up to Rivington Pike when it was illuminated for Remembrance Day and Thursday Cubs hiked a couple of weeks later to Liverpool Castle. We had a visit from a volunteer from the Rivington Estate, who talked about Lord Leverhulme. The Cubs were particularly fascinated that our great School benefactor’s successor companies now own wellknown ice cream brands! The term ended with us saying goodbye to 24 Cubs, with 16 gaining the Chief Scout’s Silver Award. With the new recruits starting in January 2019, we have been able to rationalise the two meetings, with Wednesdays currently running at 32 Cubs and Thursdays at 24. Having some spare capacity, we ran a recruitment drive with an invitation to ‘bring a friend’, which was very popular with the Cubs. The start of the Summer Term was focused on preparations for our Wild West themed camp over the first May Bank Holiday weekend. Just before half term, taking advantage of the lovely weather, we hiked through Barrow Bridge, including a much loved ‘splodge’ through the brook. Towards the end of the term, we looked at the environment, with an evening devoted to the Community Impact badge. A short term ended with evenings of water fun. One of our former Cubs is booked onto the adult training scheme now that he has turned 18, demonstrating that once a 19th Bolton Scout, always a 19th Boltonian.

There are a handful of places available in the Cub Pack. Applications should be sent to ‘Akela’ (Mrs. Hough) at Park Road: alh@boltonschool.org Jane Welch (Baloo – Cub Scout Leader)

Tuesday Scouts _______________________________________________________

n January, eighteen cubs from Park Road and Hesketh House formed the 2019 Year 6 Tuesday night Scout Section. We went to Brookside on a minibus straight after school and met Skip and Tracker, who were the leaders. They showed us lots of new games including Human Noughts and Crosses, and Cat and Mouse. We also made our own giant Jenga blocks, which we decorated ourselves and added to the Scouts set. We also made paper caterpillars that we raced, and Kieran was the champion!

We learned how to make our own woggles and once we were invested, we got to wear them. We also got our Hobbies badge by giving a talk to the rest of the group about our hobbies. James and Anuj from the Scout Section, who helped at every meeting, also showed us how to tie lots of knots and showed us some of the things they do on a Friday night.

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Scouts The best part of Tuesday Scouts was when we went to join the Scouts Long Camp for four days during the summer holiday. Skip took us up in the minibus and we each joined a patrol for the weekend. We had to put up our tent when we got there, and Skip and John helped us. We helped our patrols in the MasterChef competition; took part in the Camp Olympics Commando course, where we got very muddy and stung by nettles; and finally the swimming gala, where Kelsey won all his races. We also did a sketch at the campfire! On the last day when the Scouts went on their overnight hike, we made our lunch on an open fire, which we managed to light without a match on our first try! We really enjoyed our time on camp and enjoyed everything we did with Skip and Tracker on Tuesdays. Many thanks! James Woods, Kelsey Liu, Shivaansh Dubey & Keeran Singh 6B

Contemplating the next move

Friday Scouts _______________________________________________________

Cooling down

A knotty challenge

Discussing strategy

Building fires First aid incidents

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Scouts

Go-kart racing

Pancakes

Investiture

Receiving the neckerchief

Kimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game

Map and compass work

Stove skills

Stretcher making

Table top pioneering

Training for camp

Marshmallow toasting

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Scouts Scout Long Camp 2019 _______________________________________________________

he 2019 Scout Camp proved to be a roaring success, with many memorable moments.

The first day saw the arrival of the whole troop and provided the first opportunity for the newly-formed patrols to meet. Each patrol contributed to the setting up of camp either by digging a bog or sawing wood. Then the focus was on building each patrol’s area, with a quick refresh of the basic knife, saw and axe techniques. In the evening, we had our annual Spoons Competition, a relatively new tradition on camp. Each patrol had a series of matches to determine who would represent them in the Grand Final, which is now a lot less corrupt than the first iteration of the competition!

The following morning, we visited Penrith on our first excursion. Here the group visited the shops, explored the town and went swimming. On our return to camp, we started one of the staples of camp: bushcraft and survival. This involved creating a comfortable and practical shelter out of natural materials. The cooking section was complicated by intense rain, which led to the creation of a river through the patrol areas! The Dutch ovens made their second appearance on camp, after the success of last year. This fostered a competitive

spirit amongst the patrols as to who could bake the best bread. Alex lost the cooking war as Mrs. Greenhalgh described Scott’s attempt as “The best bread I have ever seen!” In the evening, each patrol came

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together to decide upon a menu for MasterChef. After poring over the collection of cookbooks in the camp library and reminiscing over past successes, each patrol had a list of ingredients which they needed. On the fifth day of camp, the troop went out to Carlisle, with the Scouts keen to try out the local Nando’s and find out something about the history of the place – often in that order! Each patrol was then let loose in the supermarket in order to purchase the necessary ingredients for the afternoon’s MasterChef competition, which involved cooking two courses on a fire. The event was a close affair with all the patrols showing a good combination of skill, ambition, teamwork and execution. This year’s winners were Kangaroos Patrol.

Saturday was a very active day for the troop, with the Commando Course followed by the Swimming Competition. The Commando Course saw each patrol running, jumping, climbing and crawling as fast as they could, all whilst getting filthy in the process. Despite Tom Howarth’s failed attempts to change the way time penalties were distributed, the Patrol Leader All Stars were victorious. The Swimming Competition, which took place in Penrith, consisted of normal races and some less conventional relays. Kangaroos Patrol won this year’s event. Saturday evening was our annual campfire, where we were joined by a few Year 6 Scouts for an evening of singing, sketches and cocoa.

Sunday morning gave us an opportunity to take a break from the frantic schedule of camp in the form of Scouts Own. This year, we

Scouts this was followed by numerous throwing, jumping and tossing events. Dan Williamson and Simon Whitmore performed very well, earning the admiration of the audience. A sudden shower of rain meant the limbo competition was carried out in the feeding shelter, which led to a raucous atmosphere. Once the rain had passed, we were able to complete the rest of the day’s events – peg hammering, egg and spoon relay and the infamous chicken race. This year’s champions were Owls Patrol.

After a busy weekend of events, the Year 6 Scouts headed home as the troop prepared for its first game of ‘Capture the Troop Leader’ in four years. The lack of recent experience showed, with only one Troop Leader, Luke Ferrier, caught. This spared the Scouts’ blushes and left them saying “Cheers, Luke!” Whilst others were sighted, they put up too much resistance despite the valiant efforts of a group of five led by Nat Gatenby. The next two days consisted of hikes, with groups heading off to campsites in different parts of the Lake District. This inevitably brought moments of difficulty, with Scouts huddled around maps and half-erected tents. However, everyone returned with reinforced knowledge of the hiking essentials, including the golden rule: to always remember your toothbrush!

focused on different topics, such as what it is to be a Scout and the achievements of former Scouts such as Neil Armstrong. This was followed by camp photos of the troop, patrols, leaders and selected other individuals. Camp Olympics followed in the afternoon, with numerous members of the troop sporting their favourite tank top. We began, as always, with the Cross Country run;

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Scouts As we entered the final few days of camp, minds started to turn to the upcoming Patrol Leaders’ Council. Before that, we had the Incident Course, where each patrol went around completing a set of challenges. Tom Howarth again took charge of the ‘matrix’, with the newly-arrived Adam Whitmore being especially gripped by the day’s events. The penultimate day of camp was our final excursion as we visited Lightwater Valley Theme Park. The park provided a range of attractions, from the hurtling speed of ‘The Ultimate’ to the leisurely pedalo. As we returned to camp, the first stages of packing up had begun, with tents starting to be taken down. A game of rounders was set up, as the new patrols for next year were decided upon. I am sure the new batch of Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders will provide plenty of energy and enthusiasm as they look to replicate the impressive work of their predecessors.

The programme included: • talks by external speakers (an Afghanistan war veteran and a para-sportsman; a mountaineer) • the arts (group painting inspired by the Surrealist artists); visit to the Royal Exchange Theatre to see ‘Barber Shop Chronicles’; informal music-jam session; visit to the cinema to see ‘Avengers: Endgame’ • refining hand-eye co-ordination (archery and rifle shooting; ten pin bowling) • survival skills (navigation; backwoods cooking) • physical (Thai boxing; five-a-side football at Powerleague; Be Ninja; evening walk on the West Pennine Moors) • Gold Duke of Edinburgh qualifying Expedition in the North Lakes • Summer Camp – Brownsea Island and the Dorset Jurassic Coast. The itinerary gave the Explorers the chance to pitch their tents on the site of the world’s first Scout camp, as well as to explore the mainland’s coastline by kayak and on foot Top Awards Completed Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – Gold: Nathan Ashley, Sam Brennan, Oliver Johnson, Manu Panasa Ann Chambers (Explorer Scout Leader Paradox)

Congratulations to all our Scouts gaining their Chief Scout’s Gold Award All that was left to do was to clear the field and announce the winners of the Nightingale Cup. Taking the crown this year was Owls Patrol. As we headed back to Brookside, there was sadness, as a memorable and enjoyable camp ended. However, 19th Bolton continues to thrive and play an important part in Bolton School life. Sam Brennan 13a

Paradox Explorers 2018-19 _______________________________________________________

he Explorer Scouts planned their programme to include activities, which enabled them to acquire new skills, develop existing knowledge, as well as having fun and socialising.

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Summer Expedition Report The Paradox Explorers’ Summer Expedition was ten days, nine nights, six campsites and forty miles of walking, taking in castles, churches, art, coastal geography, plenty of the outdoors, sea, cliffs, beaches and water sports. Beginning our journey at Winchester Cathedral, the burial place of Jane Austen, we soaked up the atmosphere and lit a candle. The day was drawn to a close by a tasty barbecue. Then we camped on Brownsea Island, where, in August 1907, Lord Baden-Powell’s experimental camp set the foundation of the Scouting and Guiding movements. The island was beautiful and seemed more like a Canadian forest with Californian beaches than you can get in England! Plenty of wildlife was present including red squirrels, peacocks (which repeatedly tried to steal our pasta), and jellyfish. An outdoor performance of ‘Richard III’ was a highly enjoyable way to complete our stay on the island. The only bad weather of the trip came as we were leaving the island, but we found an indoor activity in the very large and interesting

Scouts

Tank Museum, and the smaller house of the famous T.E. Lawrence, whose grave we would visit later on in the trip. The next day was a hike from our campsite (from which we saw frequent steam trains running along the adjacent railway line) to the amazing coastal features of Old Harry Rocks. We returned to campsite on a Battle of Britain class steam train.

All too soon, the Explorer Camp 2019 came to an end. On the final day, the Explorers went to the ancient Maiden Castle and then travelled on to Bristol, seeing another spectacular Gothic Cathedral and a large and interesting museum, as well as wandering around the beautiful docks area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a great end to a thoroughly enjoyable trip! Many thanks to Ann and Frew Chambers for making this brilliant experience happen and to Mr. Britton for accompanying the trip to add insights into all things physics! Thomas Britton 11b

Next was sea kayaking in Poole Harbour, completing a circumnavigation of Brownsea Island by water! Some of the Explorers went kayaking, while a few stayed on dry land exploring Highcliffe Castle. Another walk along the splendid Jurassic coast near Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door came next day, with some uncharacteristically very hot weather to enjoy! We went sightseeing as well, seeing the medieval Corfe Castle, Abbotsbury Swannery and the famous Chesil Beach, all of which were very good days out, with great walks around them for some adventurous Explorers.

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Park Road Review of the Year 2018-19 _______________________________________________________

s ever, this year at Park Road has been filled with a great deal of activity both inside the classrooms and beyond. At the start of the year, we were joined by Miss Karn as English and Year 6 form teacher and also Mr. Winstanley, Design Technology and Year 5 form teacher.

well, gaining one win, one draw and one loss – good results for a team still developing their skills on the playground. We are very much looking forward to being able to train on the new all-weather surface next year. In Water polo, a mixed Park Road-Hesketh House team won the ESSA Cadet Under 11 trophy for the North West region and enjoyed a number of fixtures throughout the year. This team continues to go from strength to strength. In Swimming, the Year 6 relay team made it through to the ESSA National Finals held at Ponds Forge in Sheffield. Our athletes also performed very well with Asa Backhouse and Charlie Dewhurst both medalling at the AJIS Athletics meeting and, as ever, our Cross Country Team prove to be great champions for sport at Park Road, with another successful season.

The centenary of the end of World War I provided a focus for the Autumn Term, with the boys learning about this historic event through a variety of lessons, assemblies and even a visit from a ‘World War I soldier’ – Corporal Tommy. We were delighted to invite parents to join us at a special assembly on the morning of 11th November, where the boys shared their thoughts and prayers. This theme also inspired the artwork of Year 5, and the Year 6 Design Technology Club worked hard to create a permanent memorial in the form of a planter. Later in the year, a group of 40 Year 5 and Year 6 boys visited the battlefields of Ypres to further develop their understanding of the War; upon their return, they shared what they had learned with the rest of the school and their parents in an assembly, preceded by a continental style breakfast.

Music continues to grow and we have seen a wonderful variety of talents on show at the many musical events this year. Highlights have to include being part of the wonderful whole school event at Outside the classroom, we have seen a wonderful variety of activity, with the boys continuing to excel in Sport, Music, Drama and charitable endeavour. Sport this year continues to have a great feeling of breadth to it, with boys competing in a number of sports including basketball, dodgeball and water polo; crown green bowling also seems to be making it onto the annual calendar. The aim of sport in school is to get as many boys as possible involved in representing the school, whilst giving our best athletes opportunities to develop and showcase their talents. In football, the Under 11 team lost out in a very close Semi-final of the AJIS Cup; unfortunately the North West element of the National Independent School’s football competition was cancelled due to the weather. In Hockey, the boys took part in the AJIS Tournament for the first time and performed

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Park Road the Bridgewater Hall, as well as the success of the Upper School Choir in the Last Choir Singing Competition. That said, the year group concerts are always a wonderful opportunity for those boys learning their instruments to share their work with an appreciative audience and this year was no exception. I always enjoy watching the boys perform for the first time in Year 3, taking those tentative steps onto the stage and then being able to see them again in Year 6, confident and relaxed as they take that final bow.

the year, a visit from author Andy Briggs brought a fitting close to a year in which we have been celebrating boys’ reading.

This year, the boys of Year 6 put on ‘The Lion King’ as their end of year show. This was a wonderful performance, bringing together the wonderful musical talents of the boys, along with some great choreography and acting skills, to put on a memorable show to soldout audiences on all three nights.

The boys’ charity work continued apace this year, with much being done to raise funds for a range of worthy causes. Altogether, the boys of Park Road have raised around £10,000, which has been donated to charities including Water Aid, Save the Children, Cancer Research UK, RSPCA, Make-A-Wish Foundation UK and Macmillan Cancer Support. It wouldn’t be Park Road without mention of some of the many visits and visitors we have had this year. There have, of course, been the by now old favourites of Year 6 at Cuerden Valley and Quarry Bank Mill, the Year 5 Tudor visit to Ordsall Hall and Year 4 at Dewa in Chester. This year, we were also pleased to be able to return to the Egyptian galleries at Bolton Museum after a long wait for their refurbishment to be completed and this certainly didn’t disappoint. There were a few trips to the theatre spread throughout the year, one to see ‘Dr. Dolittle’, another to ‘Billionaire Boy’ and, of course, at the start of the year, ‘Horrible Histories - Awful Egyptians’ too. We have also been lucky enough to have a number of visitors coming into school to share their expertise with the boys. Corporal Tommy met all boys from Years 3-6, all boys enjoyed the range of Chinese workshops that were put on in conjunction with the Confucius Institute to celebrate Chinese New Year and, at the end of

Of course, our parents do a great deal to support the work of the school and this year was no exception. Our very busy Parents’ Association has excelled itself this year, putting on a number of themed Breakfast Clubs, which have proven very popular amongst the boys. The Christmas Fair is always a highlight of the school calendar which, this year, was added to with a most enjoyable Summer Fun Day, which was a great way to end a very busy school year – bringing our families together to enjoy a relaxing and fun afternoon. It has been an exciting year at Park Road, with so many achievements of both individuals and teams all working incredibly hard to achieve their very best – it will be hard to top that in 2019-20, though I’m quite sure that we will try to! Mrs. S. Faulkner Headmistress

Park Road Prizewinners _______________________________________________________ Form 3A Aryan Nunkoo 3B Shoaib Ismail 4A Remi Molajo 4B Faheem Akram 5A Freddie Wardle 5B Sami Kha 6A Harry Shannon 6B Freddie Bovill 6C Kyran Chitre

Academic George Pickett Teddy Wilson Jamie Chen Krishnan Velayutham Rith Narla Dhilan Jacobs Luke Burns Eesa Chariwala Ed Goodfellow

ADT SCIENCE KROTO AWARD

Davian Patel Eesa Chariwala

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Park Road 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 CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 3) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 4) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 5) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 6) GYMNASTICS

Ed Goodfellow Liam Pijper Oliver Hatton & Davian Patel Luke Burns Max Roberts Nathan Pierson Luke Burns James Woods Nathan Pierson Alex Pearce Henry Hughes Sam Fitzpatrick Jacob Collinson Oliver Hatton Davian Patel Kelsey Liu Luca Ramirez Nievas Stephen Nagai Umayr Islam Harry Butler Corbyn Murray Rayyan Munshi Alex Pierson Tom Finch Corbyn Murray Harry Butler & Henry Hughes

Save the Children was the chosen charity for our annual Carol Service collection, raising £408. 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 £436 for WaterAid; this charity was chosen as the concert was held at a time of a flooding disaster in Southern Africa. Our annual fancy dress Fun Run in May supported four charities selected by the four School Houses: Chadwick – RSPCA Crompton – Make-A-Wish Foundation UK Dobson – Cancer Research UK Lever – Macmillan Cancer Support The total of the donations to these four charities was over £6700. We thank all families and friends for their support of our chosen charities this year.

Charities 2018-19 _______________________________________________________

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

Mr. C.D. Hough

House Competitions _______________________________________________________

The whole school joined with the entire school Foundation in supporting ‘Christmas Dinner on Jesus’ for Urban Outreach during November and December. It was our task to join in with the collection of chocolate selection boxes for food hampers for underprivileged families nominated in the Bolton area. We had a great response, collecting over 300 boxes towards the appeal and we hope to repeat our success next year.

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hroughout the course of this year, we have continued to provide a wide range of opportunities for boys to represent their House in whatever area of strength they can. As a result, we have had a number of exciting and close competitions in many different aspects of school life. In addition to the House Competition, the boys enjoyed taking part in two House Days during the course of the year; the first being the now annual Great Christmas Decoration Day, which usually involves a great deal of crepe paper with just a smattering of glitter,

Park Road

but somehow in a very short space of time, the whole school takes on a very festive feel. The Easter House Day is all about teamwork and communication, with a range of challenges from blindfolded obstacle events to treasure hunts to iPad challenges, all finished off with the House Quiz and Easter Eggstravaganza. The Houses now form a much more integral part of school life and it is good to see the boys of different ages coming together, not only to hand in merits, but to work as a team, learn from each other and build positive relationships across the school.

Ultimately, when all of the scores were added up, it was Crompton who emerged victorious and are able to bask in glory for the next twelve months. Their combination of sporting, musical and academic success meant that they edged Lever into second place, with Dobson and Chadwick in third and fourth respectively.

Chess at Park Road _______________________________________________________

hess continues to flourish at Park Road under the watchful eyes 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 have built on their success from previous years.

Particular highlights this year have included our annual fixtures with QEGS Wakefield, involving over 60 boys in total, our title-winning campaign in the Bolton Primary Schools Chess League and the selection of various boys to compete at regional level.

Well done to all of the boys for their efforts in what has been another action-packed House calendar. Mrs. S. Faulkner

House Cricket _______________________________________________________

obson took the title this year, with Lever coming second. The boys played valiantly in unseasonably cold conditions for the time of year!

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Park Road One Year 5 boy, Shaurya Shaktawat, even travelled to St. Petersburg with Manchester Chess to pit his wits against the finest strategists from across the globe!

as a team. They have been able to take part in local and independent school competitions and festivals and have experienced success at each level.

We also qualified for the National Finals in the EPSCA competition again this year and both our Under 9 and Under 11 teams performed well against stiff opposition. As the Summer term drew to a close, we were excited to be travelling with our Under 10s to the National Schools Chess Championships at Uppingham School.

Mr. A. Franklin

Under 10 Football _______________________________________________________

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! Long may it continue! Well done to all the boys who have participated in Chess this year.

ur Under 10s have enjoyed a comprehensive fixture list this year against both local schools and schools from further afield. The boys showed great potential across all areas of the pitch and were bolstered by the addition of Freddie Wardle in goal and Finn Wyatt in midfield. Both boys showed quality and composure on the ball and added to the dynamism and energy of the likes of Tom Finch, Kyri Stivaros and Charlie Dewhurst. Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of the campaign was the fact that over half of the year group got to represent the School at football and pull on the famous black and white striped jersey alongside their friends. The squad also took part in the annual tournament at Manchester Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Etihad Training Facility in February.

Football at Park Road - Under 9 Football _______________________________________________________

t has been another successful year for the Year 4 squad football teams. It has been difficult to pick teams from such a strong year group of players, but all boys involved in fixtures throughout the year have worked hard to fight for their places. The Year 4 boys have been able to play in more fixtures than usual and have found that playing more regularly has helped them to develop new skills and gel

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Mr. F. Morris

Park Road Under 11 Football _______________________________________________________

hat a fantastic and memorable year for football at Park Road! The team has been a close group of boys throughout the four amazing years we have played together, under the experienced guidance of Mr. Duxbury. All players have achieved so much with their football skills, as well as making lasting friendships. The team has become more versatile, players capable of playing in multiple positions, with improved fitness and agility to help the team to become stronger. Mr. Duxbury has instilled in us to be passionate and determined players when winning, but, more importantly, to have respect and manners when losing. We have produced some excellent football results, with the highlight being one of our first tournaments of the season, which was an incredible tournament at Powerleague in Bolton. We played many games – the best we had ever played – and got through to the Quarter-finals but, unfortunately, we got knocked out by penalties; although disappointed, we bounced back quickly and trained hard for our next tournament. Overall, I am sure that the team thoroughly enjoyed the tournament and hope for more like these next year in Year 7. In another tournament later in the year, we played a thrilling Semifinal against King’s School, Chester, after a victory over local rivals, Manchester Grammar School. The Semi-final was an incredible but dramatic game, which was a seventeen goal thriller. Devastatingly, we unfortunately were the team that was on the wrong side of the scoreline and lost the match 9-8. Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Duxbury and Mr. Stringer for all their time and effort they have put into training the team. Oliver Hatton 6A

Swimming & Water polo _______________________________________________________

ater polo at Park Road continues to go from strength to strength, with more and more boys from Years 5 and 6 trialling for the squad, which now also includes some girls from Year 6 at Hesketh House. This year, Mr. Winstanley has taken over the responsibility for coaching and fixtures and the squad has made massive progress under his tutelage. Fixtures are always hard to come by, as most junior schools don’t play Water polo, but the squad did play four fixtures against Year 7s from St. Bede’s College, Bradford, and MGS twice. In addition, three teams were entered into the City of Manchester Winter Water polo Festival, where the ‘A’ Team finished in a creditable position against club opposition.

The season was rounded off with a fantastic win at the ESSA Under 11s North West Region Cadet Tournament. Again, three teams entered, finishing first, second and fourth and retaining the title for a second, successive year.

All of the players were recognised at the Boys’ Division Senior School Aquatics Presentation Evening in May. Luca Ramirez Nievas won Player of the Year, Harry Butler was named as Coach’s Player of the Year and Hannah Faulkner won Most Improved Player. Ollie Hatton, who has been Captain of the team this year wrote: “What a fantastic end to the year it has been winning the English Schools’ Cup! Congratulations to all of the squad for putting in the hard work we needed, together with Mr. Winstanley’s excellent coaching, which came to fruition during this important tournament!

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Park Road Reflecting over the year, we have learnt an enormous amount about the sport, the rules, the tactics and how physically demanding it is; also, how to conduct ourselves respectfully in a contact sport. I personally have enjoyed this sport, as it gives the opportunity for all to play defensively and in attack. Next year, we are looking forward to welcoming new players, learning more skills and competing against many more teams.

I am really excited for next year to see the current boys progress even further and also to welcome new Year 3s. Well done to all of the boys that have been involved with Cross Country and Running club this year.

We have been very lucky to have been coached by an incredibly talented England Water polo player and therefore, on behalf of the team, I would like to thank Mr. Winstanley for the time and effort he has put into training and inspiring us all to enjoy the sport as much as he does. Also, not forgetting Mrs. Winstanley, who has been encouraging us in all the games and keeping team spirits high!â&#x20AC;?

Cross Country _______________________________________________________

t has been a pleasure to run the Cross Country team and Running Club this year. What a brilliant year theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had! The Year 5 and 6 boys did extremely well in the Bolton Schools Cross Country League, gaining third place in the Autumn Term and second place in the Spring Term.

Miss M.L. Karn

Music at Park Road _______________________________________________________

The Year 3 and 4 boys also got a chance to try the challenging Moss Bank Run in April, gaining the fantastic position of first place!

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 Miss E. Howard to our team. Mrs. A. Poole has been on maternity leave since October 2018 and Mr. P. Fowles left the School earlier this calendar year. Also, Mrs. Ives has reduced her hours to three days a week and Miss Ormerod has joined in the task of Joint Music Coordinator. Our first musical event of the year, as always, was Harvest Festival, where the Upper School Choir performed Harvest Time Has Come and the Year 4 Choir performed Beautiful World. This was followed by a very poignant Remembrance Day commemoration in early November, where our Chamber Choir sang Remember and Nathan Pierson performed A Peace Song.

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Park Road Our Christmas Carol Service followed the usual formal pattern of readings and carols, and took place on the 8th December in the Great Hall. Nathan Pierson was the soloist for Once in Royal David’s City and the whole school sang Silent Night in four different languages, This Child by Graham Kendrick and Sussex Carol by Rutter. The Lower School Choir sang Infant Holy, Heaven Bell-ARing by Goetze and Star Carol by Rutter, and the Upper School Choir gave superb performances of This Little Babe by Britten, Ding Dong Merrily arranged by Andrew Carter and Shepherd’s Pipe Carol by Rutter. The Chamber Choir sang Three Kings by Dinham, Carol of the Bells by Wilhousky and Christmas Blessing by Stopford.

Late November, saw the first of the year group concerts with Year 5 in the spotlight. Some of the memorable performers were Dhilan Jacobs (Piano and Electric Guitar), Advaith Govindu (Piano and Guitar), Ephraim Jones (Piano and Drums), Tanay Saravanan (Piano and Drums) and Nishan Sharma (Piano and Clarinet). The final item was a performance of Persephone by Andrew Carter, which the boys thoroughly enjoyed rehearsing and performing. Throughout the year, Miss Ormerod has arranged a series of lunchtime concerts given by members of the visiting music staff and attended by appreciative audiences of Park Road boys. The first of these was given by Mrs. R. Finlow on percussion. Others have featured Victor Chow, violinist and winner of the Senior Young Musician of the Year; Adam Whitmore and Jean-Paul Asumu, singers from Year 12 and 13; and Mrs. A. Hughes Williams and Mr. A. Mallon on brass. In early December, we had our Ensembles Concert, a now regular event 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 and Guitar Group and was very well attended in spite of its early start.

In January, we were treated to a return performance by ‘Travelling by Tuba’, two 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.

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Park Road

The Year 6 Concert took place in early February 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 Thank You for the Days medley from the 2019 Young Voices event. Amongst the considerable number of solo items were particularly memorable performances from Nathan Pierson (Voice and Violin), Alex Pearce (Trumpet and Piano), Keeran Singh (Piano and Guitar) and Suhayb Valli (Voice and Piano). 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. Steve Martin, former Director of Music at Bolton Boys’ Senior School. 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. Martin 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 Nathan Pierson for his wonderful rendition of Consider Yourself. He also participated in several groups in the Ensembles Class. The day after our Music Festival, all Year 6 boys travelled to the Manchester Arena to take part, once again, in the Young Voices event. After an exciting, but quite tiring afternoon rehearsal alongside 7000

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other children from various schools in the North West, the boys really enjoyed the singing and dancing in front of a full Arena in the evening. It was an unforgettable Valentine’s Day treat for many of our parents and grandparents, particularly due to the additional performances by Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet fame!

In early March, most of the boys in Year 4 travelled to Liverpool to hear the Philharmonic Orchestra in one of their annual children’s concerts. The theme this year was ‘Sound Values’ and we were treated to performances of Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story’, John Williams’ Dartmoor and Libby Larson’s Collage: Boogie amongst others. It was an exciting concert and the community song All Our Different Voices was great fun. Two days later, the Upper School Choir travelled to Rochdale to take part in the heats of the ‘Music for Youth’ Competition. They sang

Park Road beautifully in the wonderful setting of Rochdale Town Hall, ably accompanied by Miss Lien, and were invited to perform at the fringe event in Birmingham in July.

the end of the Summer Term.

In the middle of March, the Year 4s from the Lower 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 Hushabye Mountain by Sherman and Sherman and Roller Ghoster by Alan Simmons. They did not win the competition, but were a credit to our School. It was also a good experience for the younger boys to hear choirs from other schools in our area.

Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Upper School Choir singing Look at the World by John Rutter

In late March, the Upper School Choir entered the Last Choir Singing competition organised and funded by True Bearing Chartered Financial Planners. This was the first time we had entered this competition and we won the heat, which took us through to the Final in Blackburn. For both the heat and the final, we had to learn a set song and a song of our own choosing. The Final was held at King George’s Hall in Blackburn on Friday 21st June and, although we did not win, it was a great experience for the choir.

The week before our Spring Concert, was the Senior School Concert at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, at which the Upper School Choir was invited to perform. They sang Look at the World by John Rutter and then joined with Hesketh House Choir and the boys and girls of Year 7 for a spectacular Beatles medley arranged by Mrs. Andrea Price, Director of Music in the Girls’ Division. This was Mrs. Price’s last joint concert, as she is leaving School for pastures new at

In April, our own Spring Concert was held in the Great Hall and all our groups and ensembles took part. The Recorder Group, Guitar Ensemble, Strings Group, Wind Band, Percussion Ensemble and Tuned Percussion Group all took part. All of Years 3 and 4 sang All Our Different Voices, and Years 5 and 6 performed A Little Can Change Our World, one of the songs featured in the Young Voices event attended by Year 6. All three choirs sang, the Upper School Choir performed an Andrew Lloyd Webber medley and Look at the World by Rutter, and the Lower School Choir gave repeat performances of Roller Ghoster and Hushabye Mountain. The Chamber Choir sang The Lord is My Shepherd by Goodall and This Old Man arranged by Greg Gilpin, and the concert ended with the whole school performing a rousing medley of songs by ABBA.

In May, the Year 4 Concert took place, featuring many up-andcoming musicians. It was a lovely event with around 30 solos, ranging from piano and guitar to clarinet and violin, culminating in a medley of songs from ‘Mary Poppins’. Soloists of note included

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Park Road Jamie Chen (Piano and Guitar), Tanmay Gokul (Voice and Guitar), Krishnan Velayutham (Voice, Guitar and Piano), Samuel Obermüller (Piano and Clarinet) and Alex Pierson (Voice and Guitar). It is particularly good to see the variety of instruments being played in Year 4.

Instrumental Music Examinations _______________________________________________________

The last year group concert of this academic year was given by the Year 3s, led by Miss Ormerod. The boys performed many solo items on many different instruments, ranging from piano and guitar to trumpet and cello. Each class played two pieces on the recorder and sang one song and the concert ended with all boys singing Photosynthesis, which they obviously thoroughly enjoyed. 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 concert rehearsal. Notable performances were given by Harry Farrington (Piano), Reuben Wardle (Violin), Mateo Sprott (Trumpet) and George Pickett (Cello).

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, Mrs. Finlow and Miss Lien are always on hand to help with staging and accompanying. 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

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Autumn Term - Associated Board Cormac Thompson 5A Singing Grade 3 Distinction Ilyas Khunda 5A Clarinet Grade 1 Distinction Nishan Sharma 5B Clarinet Grade 1 Distinction Ayaan Akiff 6C Guitar Grade 1 Distinction Advaith Govindu 5A Guitar Grade 1 Distinction Charlie Simpson 4B Piano Grade 1 Distinction Aashan Subhani 5A Piano Grade 1 Distinction Jamie Chen 4A Piano Grade 1 Merit Yash Raja 4A Piano Grade 1 Pass Autumn Term - Trinity Nishan Sharma 5B Piano Grade 3 Distinction Matthew Pearson 5A Piano Grade 3 Merit Thomas Humphreys 6B Piano Grade 2 Merit Laith Al-Shatri 5A Drum Kit Grade 1 Pass George Burrows 4B Piano Initial Distinction Charles Kaboutian 4A Piano Initial Merit Jaydn Patel 4A Piano Initial Merit Noah Plenderleith 4A Piano Initial Merit Jasper Chan 4A Piano Initial Pass Aadam Mitha 4A Piano Initial Pass Spring Term - Associated Board Nathan Pierson 6C Singing Grade 4 Merit Suhayb Valli 6C Singing Grade 3 Merit Oliver Seddon 6C Cello Grade 2 Merit Milan Pitalia 5A Singing Grade 1 Merit Daniel Han 4B Piano Grade 1 Pass Patrick Humphreys 6B Singing Grade 1 Pass Spring Term - Trinity Samuel Fitzpatrick 6C Guitar Grade 2 Merit Freddie Bovill 6B Piano Grade 2 Pass Stephen Nagai 4B Violin Grade 1 Distinction Tanay Saravanan 5B Drum Kit Grade 1 Merit

Park Road Summer Term - Associated Board Dhilan Jacobs 5B Piano Shivaansh Dubey 6B Cello Jamie Chen 4A Piano Laurence Wilkinson 6A Singing Harry Butler 6A Singing Archie Moffitt 6A Singing

Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1

Distinction Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass

Summer Term - Trinity Alexander Pearce 6C Alexander Pearce 6C Liam Pijper 6B Keeran Singh 6B Jordy Dare 5B Edward Goodfellow 6C Hamza Ahmad 6A Jamie Chen 4A Tanmay Gokul 4B Adam Winter 6C Eddie Griffiths 5A Matthew Fern 3A Harry Roach 3B Theodore Wilson 3B Finlay Metcalfe 3A Ayush Wahie 3A

Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Grade 1 Initial Initial Initial Initial Initial

Merit Merit Merit Merit Merit Pass Merit Merit Merit Merit Pass Merit Merit Merit Pass Pass

Cornet Piano Guitar Guitar Piano Guitar Guitar Guitar Guitar Guitar Drum Kit Piano Piano Piano Piano Piano

Design & Technology at Park Road _______________________________________________________

room, as three new machines were installed for Woodwork and the Parents’ Association kindly donated two new 3D printers. These additions have opened up a tremendous number of opportunities for boys to be creative, and transform their original ideas into functional and practical products. Design and Technology has been extended beyond the curriculum, with the Year 6 DT club manufacturing a memorial poppy planter to commemorate the 81 Old Boys who lost their lives in WW1 and the 3D printers were instrumental in allowing Park Road to introduce the new Blazer Book Belt Reading challenge. There are many plans to develop the subject further and integrate its opportunities into school life. Next year will see the addition of a Design Fiction unit and an Electronics topic, which will help to develop existing skill sets. The extra-curricular programme looks promising, as it will hopefully allow for our DT Club to manufacture Sphero aids and courses, and develop our very own Creative Makers’ space.

his year, Park Road has seen the introduction of Design & Technology across Years 4, 5 and 6. The subject and all its disciplines are highly thought of in Senior Boys’ Division and so the chance for Park Road to offer this has been welcomed with great enthusiasm from both staff and boys. Throughout this year, all boys have studied a combination of Woodwork, 3D Printing, Sublimation Printing, Digital Design and Laser-cutting to name a few. To allow these subjects to be taught, there have been some vital additions made to Park Road’s ADT

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Park Road Creative Writing _______________________________________________________

he stories that follow were entered into this year’s BBC 500 words competition.

been waiting for. It showed a dark cave at the foot of a cliff. In that cave was a broken ship with the words barely visible. Frank could just make out the odd letter and, when pieced together, made the words Cross and Bone. As he sailed into the cave, he felt nervous, but excited. He couldn’t believe that he has found the long-lost pirate ship that he had read about so many times.

The Voyage into the Unknown Splash! The boat was launched. He was on his voyage at last. Everyone said he wouldn’t be able to find it. But he was determined he would. Frank was a boy who loved to go on adventures, especially water adventures. He had just turned nine years old and his bedroom was full of photographs of famous pirates, ships and ocean voyages. He was very interested in the long-lost Cross and Bone, a pirate ship which had gone missing one hundred years ago. Although many had been defeated in trying to find it, he had hopes that one day he would be the one to find it. This is how his adventure started. It was on a sunny Saturday that he had an idea to go and find the Cross and Bone. He put on his sailor outfit and grabbed his blue and red sailor bag. In it, he stuffed a few things he thought he might need for the journey, but, more importantly, he remembered the old map and compass his grandad had given him all those years ago, just before he died. His grandfather was a great sailor and that is how Frank had got his love of sailing too. He had gathered enough food and drink to last his journey, grabbed his rucksack and ran down to the jetty to the boat his grandfather had restored for him – The Red Skull. At first, the ocean was calm. He looked at the map his grandad had given him and noticed that he was heading straight for a cloud named Augustus. He didn’t understand what this meant until the map started talking to him. It bellowed “You’ll never get past me alive! I am Augustus Storm! BEWARE!” As Frank sailed into the storm, he took out the compass that his grandad had given him, and it began to spin out of control. First this way, then that way. What was it doing? He turned his boat so many ways he didn’t know what was going on and neither did Augustus Storm. It had worked. The storm cloud was confused. It had been tricked and The Red Skull was free. “Phew, that was close!” Frank stuttered. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all, but it’s too late to turn back now!” So, he continued with his journey. There were other perils along the way, including a strong whirlpool, but Frank was determined. The next picture to appear on the map was the one that Frank had

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Egan Moore 3A In the footsteps of Cousteau “2040, 2041, 2042, 2043, 2044, 2045!” Yani and his sister Jade had been practising how many seconds they could hold their breath. Yani was twelve years old and his sister Jade was seven years old. Yani had black wavy hair and loved Minecraft, but what he loved even more was LEGO! He would spend hours making different Lego figures with his one Lego set, using his imagination. He lived with his mother, his father and Jade. His dream was to be like Jacques Cousteau, a famous French explorer, who dived all over the world. He was the top of his class for every subject, but his specialty was swimming: he was a master and could do what his instructor wanted perfectly. He somehow managed to hold his breath for 22 minutes! Even though he lived in paradise with a caring family, Yani’s family were poor. They couldn’t afford for their son to go diving, but Yani’s uncle had a diving boat and he invited Yani to come on, though he wasn’t allowed to dive because the boat was for tourists, but he would go anyway. On one particular day, Yani saw dolphins and turtles – some of the dolphins did double backflips! The tourists had gone underwater and Yani was now getting bored. But that was when

Park Road he felt a rumble, causing gigantic rocks to fall under the surface! “Could it be a megladon?! Could it?! COULD IT?!” exclaimed Yani. Suddenly, the whole crew on board became anxious and started jumping in with their diving gear to see what had happened. Some tourists bobbed their heads above the water, but when Yani counted heads, he could see that four people hadn’t come up! So Yani, without a second thought, leaped out of the boat into the ocean...

the Veggiepool vs. ManchesterVeggie game on VeggieVision. The score was 3-1 to Veggiepool.

Yani swam down very deep until he found a cave that had been blocked by boulders, apart from a small gap. He saw bubbles and knew that the family must have been down there. Remember, Yani had no tank on his back so he could squeeze though a tiny gap in the boulders. That is when Yani realised he had studied this cave and knew which tunnel was the one to escape from. He saw the family and took them through the right tunnel and back up to the boat in about ten minutes. He single-handedly rescued them with his quick thinking and agility. They were so grateful, and everybody cheered!

“The Sugars, they’re coming my lord!”

“Sir! Sir!” came a voice from down the hallway. “Sir!” It was Miss Pepper, Billy’s right hand veggie. “What is it?”

“What!? Where are they going?” demanded Billy Banana. “Sugar-Veg Mountain!”

Only after Yani saved the family, he realised they were actually a famous family from Hollywood! Yani and his family put on the news on their little TV, and they saw the family describing him as a brave, international HERO! His parents and sister were so proud. The family wanted to reward him with enough money for a big house and lots of Lego. Yani felt like his hero Jacques. Yash Raja 4A The Fruit War Isaac the ice cream cone towered over his subjects in his kingdom of Sweetonia. Everything in Sweetonia was made of (you guessed it) sweets! The houses, the streets and even the electricity was made from melted chocolate! Isaac’s kingdom was sugar blocks with Nutella cement. All of his subjects were sweets and chocolates, with not a single fruit or vegetable to be seen for miles... Until you came to Veggieland. Sweetonia and Veggieland had had a feud for as long as anybody could remember. The leader of Veggieland was Billy Banana (or as some people called him, ‘the banana that never splits’). “My subjects!” bellowed Isaac, “Our kingdom is in danger. The Veggies are planning to push us out of our kingdom!” A murmur washed around the Sweetonian people. “I will not let that happen! I shall stand tall with my army and we shall meet them at Sugar-Veg Mountain and destroy all the vegetables!”

“Right, mobilise the troops and set a course for Sugar-Veg Mountain!” Isaac and his men were walking through Chocolate Gorge, about 1km away from Sugar-Veg Mountain, when they could just about make out the gate to Veggieland. The sky was orange and not a cloud could be seen. The water was warm, but Isaac had his eye on something peculiar. It was a sword, which suddenly became blindingly bright. In the blink of an eye, the chocolate flew up and followed Isaac over the bridge, only to find Billy and his men facing them at the peak of Sugar-Veg mountain. “Stand down!” bellowed Isaac. “Never! Veggies, attack!” screamed Billy. All the foods started to fight, as the two leaders met on the battlefield. “Why are you doing this!?” asked Billy. “Because I really hate fruit and vegetables and I was the one who banished your kind!” “You monster!”

A loud ‘Hurray!’ came from all across Sweetonia. The next day, Isaac and his army set course for Sugar-Veg Mountain, ready for battle. Meanwhile in Veggieland. Billy Banana was hatching a plan. He was standing in his castle, which was made from pineapple blocks with banana barbed-wire and raspberry coulis cement. He was watching

“Hey, that’s how I roll...Whoaaaaaaaaaah!”. Isaac suddenly slipped on a banana skin, and tumbled over the mountain side. The next day, Billy was crowned king of Sweetonia and the two kingdoms were united. But rumour has it that Isaac may still be

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Park Road lurking at the bottom of the mountain to this day. The End... or is it? Kyri Stivaros 5A Untitled I lived with my mum, and my dad was hard working all day. My family was very poor. All I wore was a ripped t-shirt and pants with no shoes. We had three rooms (kitchen, living room and basement). We slept in the living room, except me. I slept in the basement alone. It was a Saturday morning at around 6.30am and I was off fetching some water. I was carrying a ten-litre bucket with me to get some water from the nearest well. I got home as quickly as I could because of the bombing that could potentially happen. They haven’t dropped bombs yet, but they might be coming. I didn’t know anything about it really. I’d only heard rumours. I didn’t even know if it was true. I was very anxious. I was so nervous, that my heart skipped a beat. So many questions flew in through my head about the bombings. It made me the most worried I had ever been.

Adam Abdalla 6B

I ran into the house, feeling a bit safer, but my heart was beating so fast. It was like I had run a marathon. I gave the bucket to my mum and sat down. BANG! BOOM! My ears popped and I could barely breathe. ‘They were right. It was true.’ I said to myself, using all of my remaining breath. I could smell the smoke. I stood there petrified. Quickly, I ran outside to see where the explosion was. It was nowhere to be seen. I turned around to go back into the house and I saw a huge hole in the roof. I was going back inside as a bomb landed right next to me. “ARRRRGH!” I roared, as I ran into the house and into my bedroom (the basement). I went under the covers of my bed. They won’t be able to see me in the bed from the sky in their aeroplanes if they did manage to break the roof. A scream – which sounded like my mum – went on for about three seconds and then ended suddenly. As soon as I heard that scream end, a terrible question popped into my head. Was my mum still alive? As soon as that question came into my heard, I flooded with tears. This was the worst day by far.

Ayaan Akiff 6C

Isa Khan 6C

Year 6 Landscapes _______________________________________________________

ear 6 pupils once again created an impressive range of landscapes using acrylic paint during their art lessons. The boys’ work was put on display outside the Theatre during the Year 6 Production, allowing the audience to enjoy some art before and after the show, and during the interval.

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Kyran Chitre 6C

Park Road

Louis Bates 6A

Patrick Humphreys 6B

Theatre Trips _______________________________________________________

he boys’ love of theatre continues to grow and be nurtured at Park Road and they have made visits to both The Lowry Theatre and Preston Guild Hall this year, as well as watching productions from Senior School.

In November, boys from Years 3 and 4 took a trip back in time to the Guild Hall in Preston to watch a brilliant performance of ‘Horrible Histories - Awful Egyptians’. They learnt all about the Pharoahs, how they built the pyramids, and discovered foul facts of death and decay during this period of history. Luke Burns 6A After the interval, the boys donned their 3D glasses and were treated to frighteningly lifelike interactive scenes, which had them screaming in terror one moment and rolling in the aisles the next. Great fun was had by all, and they learnt a lot about the Egyptians too!

Oliver Hatton 6A

Following the excitement of the Christmas Fair in December, boys from Years 3, 4 and 5 rounded off the festivities with a trip to The Lowry Theatre to see a fantastic production of ‘Dr. Dolittle’. “Wow! That was amazing!”, “The Giant Pink Snail was my favourite bit how did they make it so big?”, “I loved all the animals. The puppets

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Park Road were so lifelike!”, “I keep singing that song about talking to the animals”, “It was really clever how they made it look like they were on a boat.” “Pleeeeease can we go on the next trip?” were just some of the comments from the awestruck members of the audience. On the last day of Spring Term, a group of Year 5 boys visited The Lowry to watch an enthralling production of David Walliams’ ‘Billionaire Boy’. The much-loved story of Joe Spud was an excellent mix of child and adult humour, with some very catchy tunes and amazing dance routines and running throughout the story, a powerful message that money certainly isn’t everything. The boys and staff thoroughly enjoyed themselves and voted unanimously to put their names down for the next theatre trip.

Amongst the many activities on offer, the boys have had the opportunity to attend clubs as diverse as DT Club, Art, Card and Games Club, Coding (encompassing a trip to the Apple Store in Manchester), Everyone Can Create and Podcasting Clubs. In the run up to the Year 6 Play, aprons were donned as Baking Club took off in style, as vast numbers of Lion King themed cakes and cookies were mass produced for sale at the three-night run in late June.

After-school Activities _______________________________________________________

he after-school activities which have taken place at Park Road this year have been many and varied – there really has been something for everyone!

For movie lovers and would-be critics, there has been Film Club, the stalwart Chess Club continues apace for all year groups, jujitsu remains an ever-popular martial art and LAMDA for our budding thespians is always well attended and very lively! Boys can take part in numerous sporting pursuits before and after school, as well as during lunchtimes. Running Club, routed through Queen’s Park (come rain or shine!) remains a firm favourite with the boys, as does the newly-formed Fitness Club. Cricket and Rounders Clubs took place in the Summer Term when the weather permitted and again, were well populated. Neither Table Tennis nor Badminton could be rained off, as both took place in the Hall and boys of all ages at Park Road enjoyed these activities.

Film Club _______________________________________________________

t Film Club this year, we have seen a group of Year 4 and 5 boys explore the wonderful world of film. They have watched a range of genres, including a mixture of old classics and Hollywood blockbusters. Boys have had the opportunity to contribute their favourite films and share them with their peers, voting democratically to determine what they would watch. They have all actively taken part in discussions and debates about each film, putting forward their opinion and justifying their argument. Boys have worked well to be respectful towards one another’s opinions and listen thoughtfully, taking others views on board. Aaron (Year 5) says: “It’s really fun. You get to watch a variety films that you would not watch at home and talk about them with your friends.” Miss G. Fletcher

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Park Road Corporal Tommy _______________________________________________________

imperfect protection that soldiers were expected to use in order to survive. Each session came to a close with one pupil wearing all of the kit a typical soldier would carry in the trenches. Sergeant began and ended his talks by reminding pupils that this year marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. Speaking solemnly, he remarked that the act of Remembrance on 11th November each year fulfils our obligation to those men who fought and died, and in return asked only that they are remembered.

WWI Remembrance Service _______________________________________________________

n early November, the boys were introduced to ‘Tommy Atkins’, who gave a thorough overview of what life was really like in the trenches of the First World War. Introducing himself only as ‘Sergeant’ and dressed in uniform, he captivated pupils in a series of interactive hour-long sessions throughout the day. Sergeant took the boys on a whistle-stop tour through a typical soldier’s kit, illustrating what they faced between 1914 and 1918 through the items that they carried with them. He also talked about key moments of the First World War.

Shortly before 11 o’clock on the Friday before 11th November, Park Road boys gathered in the Hall for a Remembrance assembly. They were joined by parents and family members on this occasion to commemorate the centenary of the signing of the Armistice on 11th November 1918. All pupils were involved in pebble painting to create a stunning Remembrance poppy, which was on display in the centre of the hall throughout the assembly. Mrs. Faulkner began with a few poignant words about the importance of this occasion: “Remembrance is bigger than just ‘remembering stuff’. It’s a time when we all stop, take a while out of our busy day and reflect on something that happened, which still affects our lives today.” The Chamber Choir gave a beautiful and moving rendition of The Lord is my Shepherd, which included several solos. Nathan Pierson also sang The Peace Song.

The range and capabilities of weapons, such as rifles and bayonets, bullets, hand grenades and mills bombs were discussed; however, Sergeant focused heavily on the horrifying wounds that these weapons could inflict, which prompted boys to consider the reality of the injuries and deaths on the Front. He also talked about gas, which was used as a chemical weapon for the first time in 1915, and the

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As part of the commemoration, pupils shared work which was based on their study of ‘War Horse’ by Michael Morpurgo. A Year 6 pupil read out a poem he had written about the trenches. Before the silence at 11 o’clock, boys in Year 6 read out the names of all the Old Boys of Bolton School, who gave their lives in the First World

Park Road War. The Junior Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; School also paid tribute to the fallen Old Boys with a window display featuring poppies and the silhouette of a soldier.

Aryan Agrawal 4B

Elliot Foster 5B Aadam Mitha 4A

Aaron Patel 5A

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Park Road

Henry Hughes 5A George Burrows 4B & Usman Ahsan 4A

Tanay Saravanan 5B George Kiely 4A

Zaid Ahmed 5A

Harry Iddon 5B

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Park Road Year 3 Adventure Day at the Anderton Centre _______________________________________________________

oing shopping on Sunday, I could feel a glow of excitement inside me – it would soon be time for Adventure Day. Beep beep went my alarm on Monday morning. On the way to school, I was so excited. Was it really going to be an adventure-filled day on a Monday? “Everybody off the coach!”, shouted Mrs. Hough. Getting my arrow ready to fire, I was squinting to try to hit bullseye, but I hit the blue! Walking to lunch, I heard my tummy rumble. Lunch was amazing – the orange chocolates were better than Oreos! I had a terrific turkey sandwich and Wotsits. Finn, Jax, Harry and I had a great time! Our afternoon activity was canoe rafting – Shayan soaked me! I was in Mr. Morris’ canoe and we won the races. Surprisingly, I had to do ten log rolls.

Year 4 Trip to Chester _______________________________________________________

he Year 4s once again headed to Chester for further enrichment around their study of the Roman era and, in particular, their settling in Britain. During the day, the boys were treated to a tour from a soldier, who showed the delights of the amphitheatre and Chester’s walls. They were also able to go beneath the streets themselves and explore Roman ruins and evidence of footpaths and roads beneath Chester. By exploring a Roman town, the boys were able to develop their understanding of how a typical Roman might spend their day, although I am not too sure that they liked the idea of the Roman bathhouse, with all of its unpleasant happenings.

Gymnastics _______________________________________________________

My favourite part was getting exterminated by cold water! Mum enjoyed hearing about my day; “That sounds like a hard day at the office!”, she joked!

n December, pupils and parents at Park Road enjoyed a gripping display of floor routines in their morning assembly, as eleven competitors from Years 5 and 6 competed in the Gymnastics Final. The finalists had won through a group of 109 pupils from across both age groups in the School and performed some very impressive routines.

Teddy Wilson 3B

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Park Road Mrs. Faulkner said: “Each boy has done incredibly well to make it to the Final and they have all performed outstandingly this morning.” Rory Hodgson of Year 6 was placed third with 25 points, Year 5 pupil Zaid Ahmed took second place with 27 points and, with 31 points out of a possible 35, the joint winners were Year 5 boy Henry Hughes and Harry Butler from Year 6.

front of the green screen, with rainforest and jungle backdrops. We raised over £3,000 for the Parents’ Association, which goes towards funding extras that continue to enhance life at Park Road.

Hajj Workshop _______________________________________________________

ear 6 Junior Boys at Bolton School enjoyed an informative Hajj workshop delivered by Imran Kotwal from Muslim Learner Services.

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 lovely festive time.

Firstly, the boys identified the five pillars of Islam – faith, prayer, charity, fasting and the pilgrimage to Mecca, otherwise known as Hajj. They were then taken on a metaphorical journey, where they learnt that that all able-bodied Muslims are expected to undertake the pilgrimage once in their life and that 25,000 British Muslims will make the journey each year. Imran told the boys that it now costs approximately £7,000 and pilgrims are expected to make the journey in the last month of the Islamic calendar once they have saved this amount – they are not allowed to borrow it. Back in 2004 when Imran first undertook the visit, it was a lot cheaper and he only paid £2,000!

We had 15 fabulous colourthemed Christmas hampers to raffle and our chocolate and bottle tombolas were overflowing. We were extremely grateful to all who kindly donated auction prizes – these were some incredible donations, and this really helped our fundraising efforts. An amazing band of PA volunteers and Park Road staff worked tirelessly in the run up to the fair and on the night.

The fully engaged year group learnt how the pilgrimage lasts five days and how Muslims must visit several holy sites and perform a number of rituals. They were told how the flight from Manchester to Jeddah takes six hours and how many travellers change into their Hajj dress, known as Ihram, just before the flight lands in Saudi Arabia – some airlines even have a prayer room! It is then an hour’s bus ride to Mecca, a city whose population swells by two million every year at this time.

Once again, one particular stallholder was extremely popular this year – Reptile Man, who brought in all sorts of creepy crawlies, snakes, lizards and insects, with which the boys, girls and even members of staff relished holding and posing for photographs in

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The style of the session, with the boys moving between the pilgrimage sites at Mecca to replicate the five days of Hajj, worked well and kept the boys engaged. Imran spoke from personal experience about the different places and gave background information about the reasons for the stages of Hajj, in an anecdotal manner, whilst always retaining factual accuracy and suitable respect for the subject matter. The boys completed a worksheet on their ‘travels’ and some boys were able to wear Ihram to add to the experience.

Park Road Electro City Creative Building Workshop _______________________________________________________

ver the course of two days, all boys at Park Road, Bolton School’s Junior Boys’ School, enjoyed the delights of creative building with Lego, which involved developing their science and technology skills.

herbs and spices to make scented bags and emptying the chamber pot! A few of them even ended up in the pillory, but not before they’d joined in some Tudor-style dancing! The whole day was great fun and both consolidated and extended the boys’ History learning about Tudor life and Tudor homes.

In a highly engaging and hands-on workshop run by Stephen Pilling, pupils were given the opportunity to explore their creative minds, problem-solve and build some amazing cities of Lego, which spread out across the School Hall. Working in teams, boys became architects, town planners and electricians, building intricate townscapes of Lego, which included football pitches, churches, hotels, cinemas, car parks, fire stations and so much more! The boys also incorporated electrical circuits into their cities and illuminated the buildings and streets using light bulbs. At the end of the session, the lights were dimmed, and the boys stood back in awe to view their creations lit up ‘at night’.

Year 6 Geography Trip to Cuerden Valley _______________________________________________________

I Year 5 trip to Ordsall Hall _______________________________________________________

n March, the boys from Year 5 spent a day at Ordsall Hall in Salford experiencing Tudor life ‘upstairs and downstairs’. They dressed up as Lord and Lady Radclyffe and their wedding party guests in the Great Hall and then spent time working in the kitchen and the Star Chamber as servants and knights – wearing mail, roasting a hog, carrying water from the well in a yoke, grinding

n March, each of the three Year 6 forms enjoyed half a day in the great outdoors, completing geography field work at Cuerden Valley Park near Chorley. This complemented their curriculum studies about river processes, with the boys being able to see at first hand examples of erosion, deposition and the formation of river meanders and an ox-bow lake. Much to their obvious delight, there were plenty of opportunities for the boys to get in the River Lostock, where they measured the speed of the water flow at various points and took samples of the water, identifying what they ‘caught’ as a measure of just how clean the water is.

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Park Road World Book Day _______________________________________________________

his year, the Park Road boys celebrated World Book Day by once again dressing up as a chosen character or another aspect of a book. Boys were encouraged to think outside of the box and not put too much pressure upon themselves in terms of purchasing a new costume for the day. There were lots of creative and resourceful examples on show throughout the day and the boys did not let us down.

Throughout the day, boys took part in World Book Day themed activities and were able to share, discuss and create work based on what they have read. Part of the day involved all year groups exploring the picture book ‘The Dam’ by David Almond. All year groups and staff took part in this and were able to read and interpret the text in different ways. This inspired writing in some classes, yet motivated others to create their own versions themselves. There was also a design element to some of the lesson, which was inspired by the beautiful illustrations throughout the book; this was a perfect way of showing how such a book can have such a powerful message for learners of all ages and that picture books do not have to be confined to the classrooms of Key Stage One. During the afternoon, teachers swapped classes and moved away from their usual timetable to read a story of their choice to another class. All boys and teachers enjoy this part of the day, where the emphasis is placed solely on reading for pleasure and sharing something that might be quite close or of interest to a particular member of staff. All boys went away happy and buzzing with excitement about the day and there was hopefully a lot more gained from the day than simply ‘dressing up’. World Book Day is about much more than that and it is a useful reminder to boys and staff that the true joy of reading comes through sharing these personal experiences and engaging in discussions with others.

Apart from the dressing up, there is a wider message and reason behind celebrating World Book Day. One of the benefits of this is that the boys and teachers can engage in further dialogue about books and reading that may not link with what is being studied in lesson time. These discussions between teacher and pupil have been invaluable and this has then spread to boys discussing their own costumes with each other.

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Park Road Year 6 History Trip to Quarry Bank Mill _______________________________________________________

n April, suitably dressed in their Victorian attire, the Year 6 boys visited Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire to learn about the lives of Victorian children. The boys enjoyed learning about the machinery in the mill and the dangers and hardships Victorian children working there would have endured. They also carried out different tasks in the Apprentice House, learning about school life, medicines and the rules of living in the Apprentice House.

the names of former pupils who lost their lives in the Great War and whose names were inscribed on the memorials at the Menin Gate; they then laid a wreath and watched the moving Last Post Ceremony. The boys also visited the informative In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres and Passchendaele Memorial Museum, where they enjoyed a hands-on experience exploring the dugouts and trenches, before visiting the Tyne Cot British Cemetery, which they described using the words “solemn, humbling, sad, sunny, inspirational, enormous and mixed emotions”.

There was also some time for the boys to dress up in some brilliant Victorian costumes, where the boys certainly got into character and also had some time to play with Victorian toys – no Xboxes, that’s for sure!

In the nearby town of Poperinge, the boys enjoyed lunch before visiting the Death Cells and Execution Post behind the Town Hall. At the Essex Farm Cemetery, where John McCrae wrote ‘In Flanders Fields’, two of the group recited the poem beautifully and one left a poignant message in the visitors’ book.

Year 5 & Year 6 History Trip to Belgium _______________________________________________________

orty boys and five staff from Park Road enjoyed a short but memorable trip to the First World War Battlefields of Ypres in Belgium in April.

The boys shared details of their experiences with their parents during a special Belgian themed breakfast buffet and assembly in May, where the audience learnt how the boys had sought out and found

The last visit on this unforgettable experience was to the Hooge Crater Museum. The boys and staff managed a little evening relaxation, going ten-pin bowling and watching the Barcelona vs. Manchester United game on television! Each boy was presented with a souvenir photo album of the visit, which they were all delighted with. The boys and staff had a great time and the visit proved a wonderful way to bring learning from the classroom to life. Mr F. Morris

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Park Road Patterdale _______________________________________________________

he Junior Boys start or continue their Patterdale journey in Summer Term every year. Over 150 excited boys descended upon Patterdale Hall over the course of the term and had a very enjoyable period of action-packed activities.

Activities range from canoe rafting, paddle boarding, backcountry skills, gorge walking, hill walking, climbing, archery and rope courses, culminating with an overnight camp for Year 6. The activities experienced by each year group are an opportunity for boys to begin to show independence and responsibility and they certainly do this!

Mr. Franklin, Miss Fletcher, Miss Karn, Mr. Winstanley and Miss Cox all had a great time with this group of boys; they were inspiring throughout and should all be proud of the skills they applied both on and off activities whilst at the Hall. The boys cannot wait to return to Patterdale Hall next year, where they will be faced with new and increased challenges and different activities. Well done to all involved.

All boys this year were organised and well-behaved and they represented the School as best they could (even leaving a minimum amount of clothing abandoned in the drying room!). Year 4 The Year 4 boys took part in four different activities: canoe rafting, backcountry skills, gorge walking and a half-day walk. Each boy undertook all activities, even though there were a couple of boys who were a little reluctant at first. It was also an opportunity for boys to begin to show independence and responsibility and they certainly did this. All boys were organised and well-behaved and they represented the school as best they could (a mere three items left in the drying room after three days is very impressive!).

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Year 5 It was particularly remarkable to see a different side to a number of individuals during the trip. Some boys had never stayed away from home before and this was challenging for some. However, all were very resilient and enthusiastic about the trip and quickly began to appreciate everything that they had left behind at home. A huge part of the learning behind the trips is to take some of the dependencies of home away and the boys often reflect on how much is done for them on a daily basis and how they

Park Road can learn from this and appreciate things they have. Small tasks like being responsible for their own rooms and organisation can be quite difficult and it is a good opportunity for boys to show increasing maturity and responsibility.

I learned that you are stronger than you think you are and to not give up even though it hurts! If I’d given up, I wouldn’t have had the feeling of satisfaction of reaching the top. When I got back down to the lower level of the lake, I was impressed with myself for walking that far. We went back to Patterdale Hall, where we were treated to a nice, hot cup of chocolate or hot Vimto. Ryan Chadha 6A My Visit to Patterdale Patterdale is really fun and challenging at the same time. The food is really nice, and we usually get a three-course meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dorms are good and I like the way the bunk beds let you have one mate at the top and one at the bottom. There are usually six in each room. It’s a good time to spend your free time here with friends.

This year, the staff had a great time with all the boys; they were inspiring throughout and should all be proud of the skills they applied both on and off activities whilst at the Hall.

At Patterdale, you split into groups with around 14 boys in each group and you do the activities together. It means you have to share things.

Year 6 Mountain Challenge I found mountain walking the hardest thing at Patterdale. We had to walk for about six hours uphill. At one point, I really wanted to go back, but the instructors kept telling us to keep going and not give up because we were nearly at the summit. As I reached the top, I was relieved and happy – the walking uphill was over! As I looked down, I thought, “Wow! Look how far I’ve come!” We started our descent and I was thinking that I’d done all of the hard work and there was just the easy walk down to enjoy.

Free time is actually really good because it’s your time to rest after the activities that you’ve just done and it’s a good time to chat to friends that aren’t in your group. The Games Room is useful too, as there are pool tables, a football table and a table tennis table. You can also chill in the lounge.

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Park Road Overall, Patterdale is really good: you spend time with everyone and the activities and instructors are really good as well. I recommend it to everyone! Neel Chadha 6C Gorge Walking The gorge walk was a favourite for a lot of us. There is a gorge next to Patterdale Hall, where we had to wear a lot of layers, as it was very cold. We had to wear a wet suit and also a fleece, some waterproof trousers and a buoyancy aid (a cushion to help you float).

Cycling Proficiency _______________________________________________________

ear 6 enjoyed a cycling proficiency course through the Bolton Council Bikeability scheme. The high-quality annual training provided a great opportunity for the boys to develop confidence on their bikes. Bikeability aims to ensure life-long skills of safe cycling are ingrained at a young age, while encouraging a healthy lifestyle, boosting confidence and developing independence. The course lasted for eight hours, split over two four-hour sessions.

We entered the gorge through a small tunnel, which passed underneath the bridge of the ropes course and into the main gorge. The activity began with a team task – we had to link arms with everyone and try to get through the water together. After, we swam upstream to a rock with stone steps, which led to a small platform high up where we could jump off if we wanted to. Most of us were brave enough to jump into the plunge pool below. Later, we claimed a path back to the Hall, where we could have a shower and get warm.

Park Road Charity Fun Run _______________________________________________________

he annual Park Road fancy dress charity Fun Run on the last day of May half term saw all the boys dress up in a wide range of colourful costumes to run around the Senior Levels. This year’s chosen charities were Macmillan, Cancer Research, Make a Wish UK and the RSPCA and the generosity of the boys’ sponsors raised £8223 to be split equally between each charity.

We had learned to fight our fears with the jump and work together as a team to get through the rocks. Adam Abdalla 6B

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Park Road The event is always one of the most hotly anticipated events in the Park Road calendar and, as usual, the boys worked in tag pairs and completed as many laps of The Levels as they could, enthusiastically encouraged by parents and family, and accompanied by members of the teaching staff.

Primary Engineer Leaders’ Award _______________________________________________________

n June, Year 6 pupil, Eesa Chariwala, was named as winner for his age group at the Greater Manchester Region Primary Engineer Leaders’ Award 2019. Eesa’s winning idea, out of over 3000 entries, was for a potential cure for cancer through his invention of the T.E.K. (Track, Encapsulate, Kill) Cell! In a prestigious ceremony held at the University of Salford, Eesa picked up his award from Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham. Eesa’s design and that of fellow pupil, Shaurya Shaktawat in Year 5, who received a Highly Commended certificate in his age group, then went on public display at the University.

As ever, there was a good range of colourful costumes on display – a particular theme this year was, given their reunion tour, the Spice Girls – particularly amongst members of staff! There were the perennial favourites – footballers and superheroes such as Batman, Captain America, Superman and Spiderman, as well as Harry Potter, Dennis the Menace, Mario, Robin Hood and sumo wrestlers – they were joined by a range of foods, including pizza slices, bananas, a peach and a fried egg!

Given that former pupil Sir Ian McKellen was in town to visit Senior School that day, it was rather fitting that there were several Gandalfs amongst the boys. It was also fitting that Mr. Winstanley, who had recently been selected for the GB Water polo squad, was dressed in a diving costume, complete with flippers!

The competition asked the question, ‘If you were an engineer, what would you do?’ Eesa interviewed an employee at Mercedes during a lecture at Bolton University and undertook research into engineering, before looking around to find problems that an engineered solution could solve. Alongside their annotated drawings, an accompanying pitch letter was required to persuade engineers to choose their design to build. Each entry was then graded by engineers and educationalists. Mrs. Winstanley, who leads the Year 6 Challenge Group, said, “Eesa’s invention was ingenious and would certainly be very beneficial to the human race! Eesa put an enormous amount of effort into his entry and his success is thoroughly deserved. The Junior School has introduced Design and Technology into the curriculum this year and Eesa was able to use some of his newly acquired skills when presenting his annotated design diagram. It was also a chance for him to use persuasive writing techniques to convince the engineers that his project was worthy of consideration. Everyone at Bolton School is very proud of him.”

Lancashire Science Festival _______________________________________________________

n June, over a period of three days, the popular annual Science Festival took place at UCLan in Preston. This year, fourteen budding young scientists from Years 3, 4 and 5, together with Mr. Hough and Mrs. Gould, visited for the day. They spent some time exploring various different exhibits on the ‘Show floor’,

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Park Road looking at themes ranging from structures and microbes to circuits.

The group took part in three exciting workshops throughout the day – handling animals and learning about adaptations, learning about scientific method and research with crazy mousetrap contraptions, and visiting a planetarium, learning about Tim Peake’s experiences in the International Space Station.

Year 6 Play – ‘The Lion King’ _______________________________________________________

ell, I think I can safely say that this is the first play I have seen that began with a trailer! (Mr. Morris’ description following initial minor technical difficulties with the sound system at Thursday’s performance. Normal, or should I say outstanding, service was soon resumed). The courageous move to restart the play was taken; it was the right move and the first of many. We were instantly transported to the wild plains of the African Savanna. Enthused rather than deflated by the hitch, Year 6 belted into the first musical number, The Circle of Life – a spectacular display of costume, voice and, above all, gusto, as all the animals arrived on stage. The excitement was palpable. The event was well-organised and attended by many schools from the region. We are looking forward to going again next year. Mr. C.D. Hough

Bolton Youth Vision Conference _______________________________________________________

n June, Zain Khan and Elliot Foster (both 5B), together with Mr. Hough, walked to the Town Hall to attend the third Bolton Vision Youth Conference, attended by many of the schools in Bolton, as well as the Mayor of Bolton. The students at the conference had a chance to debate what is good about Bolton and what could be better, together with a chance to put their ideas forward to a local VIP and councillors from the Borough as to what their vision is for Bolton to be like in 2030.

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The essence of the story is about the circle of life; knowing one day we will all grow up and that the baton of knowledge and wisdom will be passed on to us from our fathers, so the legacy lives on. The play explores sibling rivalry and rites of passage and the tensions, jealousies and conniving that this can stir within families...including murderous intent.

Park Road The casting was inspired. Each actor played to their strengths when portraying their character. This brought them to life and made them all the more authentic. Costumes were a fantastic blend of mask and attire, combined with creative make-up to perfect visual effect, allowing us to see both actor and character simultaneously, with no loss of magic! Scenery and backdrops were understated and highly effective.

effect and with gleeful and oleaginous delight! Adam Winter was perfect as the playful cub, Simba, with a devil-may-care attitude that was intoxicating to all watching. The transition to his older more considered self was carried out with a subtlety that served to stimulate the imagination. Nathan Pierson, who took the role as the older Simba, has a very natural performance style and is clearly talented. Watch this space.

Our spiritual guide through the musical was deftly delivered by Suhayb Valli playing Rafiki, a wise mandrill. He appeared at key points to provide words of wisdom and clarity, carrying his role with great presence. The jealous, insecure and scheming villain of the play, Scar, was handled with tremendous contempt and disdain by Ed Goodfellow. Scar is the character we love to hate. Ed’s performance was always strong and quietly menacing.

Mufasa, the King of the Pride and ill-fated leader, was performed with poise and confidence by Harry Butler. He was able to convey the great responsibility that went with the character’s role, whilst desperately wanting the best for his son, not unlike all of us sat watching.

I loved the pomposity and self-importance of Zazu, perfectly portrayed, with a maturity beyond his years, by Eesa Chariwala. He is seen desperately trying to keep his young charge, Simba, safe from manipulation by Scar and his cackle of feckless hyenas, led by Shenzi, Banzai and Ed. Lead Hyenas, Freddie Bovill, Haider Abbas and Rory Hodgson clearly enjoyed their roles, doing Scar’s bidding with great comic

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Park Road Nala, Simba’s best friend, was played by both Kai Jepson and Keeran Singh. Kai was the young cub, keen to be around her friend and always besting him in their play-fights. Later, Keeran stepped up to the plate and provided concerned voice and heartfelt emotion to the older Nala in Act Two.

All in all, a fantastic achievement for pupils and school alike and much enjoyed by the audiences on all three nights. The confidence found in all performances can be attributed to the culmination of the School’s and the boys’ collective work throughout their years at Park Road.

Pumbaa and Timon (Ayaan Akiff and Alex Pearce) provided welcome comic relief at the end of the first act and beginning of the second as the easy-going outsiders. This delighted the audience. Sparring off each other, Ayaan and Alex worked well as a team and it showed, especially when introducing Simba to the concept of ‘Hakuna Matata’ (no worries).

The choice of musical play was apposite and inspired, given our Year 6 boys’ next adventure. It suggested some of the challenges and achievements they might experience when joining the ‘big beasts’ in Senior School and the knowledge and wisdom they will carry with them. ‘Hakuna Matata’, people! Enjoy the summer, boys, and all the best in Senior School.

As with all good yarns, order is restored and the bad guys are sent away with a flea in their collective ear and the rightful King is back in place, restoring law and order...phew! The boys sang beautifully and with true conviction throughout the night in words of Swahili, Zulu, Sesotho and Setswana. The songs were stirring, and the rhythm and tempo greatly enhanced by the fantastic group of drummers comprised of Marty Arnot-Smith, Kelsey Liu, Kush Patel and Kyran Chitre, all creating that idiosyncratic Afrobeat. As with the cast, the audience went wild!

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Mr. A. Bovill

The Old Boltonians Message from the President _______________________________________________________

t seems that the first half of the Presidency has simply flown by since the dinner in the Arts Centre last December when I received the Chain of Office. I have really enjoyed the opportunities to represent the Old Boltonians’ Association. The year has provided many memorable moments and events. Two events really stand out so far. Firstly, the ‘9 Year Leavers’ Reunion achieved a record attendance. It was so good meeting up with old friends. The highlight of the afternoon was when Eric Tyson (Class of 1979) re-enacted our very last School assembly. On that occasion, he surprised the School by playing the Monty Python theme tune as we all marched out of the Great Hall. This time, we sat and listened; the intervening years have not slowed down those fingers. The other remarkable event was Sir Ian McKellen’s birthday lunch and performance at School. The event gathered many of Sir Ian’s contemporaries for lunch followed by a unique performance of his one-man show. Not often will Gandalf’s sword have been brandished and sweets and fruit been thrown from the Great Hall Stage within such a short time. I have been keen to meet as many people during my year as President as possible and the regional dinners provide a forum for doing this. Each of the dinners has its own character, age profile and charm, but the constant feature is interesting and entertaining company. On several occasions, I have found connections with people which go beyond everyone’s common interest in the School and its former pupils. The service for Mervyn Brooker, who was Headmaster whilst my son Nick (Class of 2006) was a student, was a moving event, excellently managed by the School. My first sighting of Mr. Brooker was just before his first term as Headmaster, at the National Water polo Championships in Walsall, well beyond the call of duty and showing a great commitment to the School. The memories recalled during the service spoke of a keen sportsman, mountaineer and, most importantly, as leader of the School at a time of pivotal change. I have attended and thoroughly enjoyed the Football Club Dinner many times over the years and was disappointed not to be able to attend this year’s event due to a prior commitment. This year, the dinner was mixed, recognising the growth in the women’s game and the formation of a ladies’ team.

a full IronMan, but I would have another go at a half. I am very grateful to everyone who supported and sponsored me – we raised over £5,600 for Breast Cancer Care. The cricket match against the MCC provided a pleasant day on the Bottom Level. With an impressive quality of cricket and lunchtime catering, it proved a good taster for the impending World Cup Final. Looking forward, I really cannot believe there is only the Oxford Dinner and Annual Dinner to attend before my Official Duties come to an end. I am very proud to have undertaken the role and wish my successor, Roy Battersby, all the best in his year of office. Tim Taylor (1964-1979)

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 Old Boys and Old Girls. 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 T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org

In May, I did take a week out from the duties as President and took part in a Half IronMan in Majorca. Fortunately, I had trained hard and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This is not a step towards

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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 2018-2019 _______________________________________________________

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

Full Name: Years at School: Deputies:

Matthew Michael Schaffel 2012-2019 Bilal Asghar, Dominic Hardy

Were you a member of any teams, clubs or societies in Sixth Form? I tried to keep myself as active in school life as possible in the Sixth Form, knowing this would be some of my final years at the School. Despite not regarding myself as much of a natural sportsman, I found a role for myself as the goalkeeper in the Water polo team, and also played Hockey (albeit rather poorly) for the 1st XI. The Captain and Vice-captains’ gym session on a Friday morning was another way I kept fit throughout the year. Being a keen debater, chairing the Literary and Debating Society was a notable highlight of my school week, and I travelled across the country with both Lit. and Deb. and Model United Nations teams. I was also an occasional visitor to French Film Club, and helped pass on my knowledge of Latin as a mentor to boys in the Lower School. At History Research Club, I worked on updating the School records on former pupils who had passed away in the Second World War. I also volunteered at Bolton Lads and Girls Club every Friday.

T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org

What were your key responsibilities as Captain? On the whole, the role of Captain involved keeping track of all the Monitors, making sure they turned up to both their lunchtime and assembly duties (and running to the Riley Centre to get them if they weren’t!). I would also organise Monitors for School events, and meet and greet guests (sitting in on the odd dinner as well!). The Captain also presides over the weekly monitorial meeting and also the Friday breaktime meeting with the Captain and Vice-captain, which I succeeded in making so immeasurably boring and repetitive that the Monitors started to play Monitor Meeting Bingo.

The Development Team: Laura Firth – Head of Development Frances Johnson – Development Assistant Caspar Joseph – Old Boys’ Liaison Officer Kathryn O’Brien – Alumni and Development Assistant Laura Rooney – Development Manager

What was the most memorable occasion for you as Captain? The day I was appointed was probably the most memorable for me; I was in the middle of performing a section of Cicero’s Pro Milone to my Latin class, when a Sergeant came to collect me! The sheer embarrassment of having members of my year salute me as I walked down the corridor after the news got out, will certainly stick with me.

What was the most difficult aspect of being Captain? I think the idea of relying on other people came as a bit of a shock to me. I’m not the most trusting of people and tend to prefer to do

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The Old Boltonians things myself, so I know they will get done. Letting go and allowing others to take control was very daunting at first, but, over time, it got easier. It’s also fair to say organising covers for people was fairly hard. Monitors really don’t like having their lunchtimes taken off them! Were there any unexpected aspects involved with the role? I would say the most unexpected aspect was the lower years thinking I was a teacher at the start of the year, as they saw I stood at the front of assembly and had a different tie. It’s fair to say that I had far fewer doors held open for me when they worked out that I was a Sixth Former! Also, the amount of dinners I had to attend was a (pleasant) surprise! Has the role helped you develop any new skills? The role has given me a better array of organisational skills and has also helped shape how I interact with others. I now feel far more confident when I’m around strangers or people I’m less familiar with. It’s also taught me to listen to others, but, at the same time, to be decisive and not to spend needless time pontificating on the best thing to do. What would your advice be for the incoming Captain? I would first of all say just to savour your last year in school and enjoy all the opportunities it brings. Sometimes, the role of School Captain can be difficult, but, ultimately, it is a rewarding one. Be kind and polite to those around you and, as the model pupil of the school, make sure to embody its values, in your own way making the school community that little bit better. Remember to balance your time wisely, as important as this role is, make sure you dedicate the necessary time to your university preparation and A-Levels. How do you feel about leaving School? It’s fair to say the fact I have left is still to really sink in. Having spent seven of the best years of my life at the School, it seems strange that I have finally moved on. I will definitely miss the sense of community, which I think makes this place so special. I’ve so many good memories, and I’ve made so many great friends from school. The sense of gratitude I feel, at having the opportunity to come here, is immense. Which university are you going to and what will you be studying? Provided I get the grades, I will hopefully be going to Brasenose College, Oxford, to study Classics. Are you planning on being involved in any activities/societies at university? Without doubt, I want to keep up my interest in debating and current affairs. I can certainly see myself joining the Oxford Union and I’ll certainly have a dabble in student politics as well. One of our last Model UN conferences at school was in Oxford, so I hope to get involved in organising the next one some time soon. Both Water polo and Hockey are sports I’m keen to pursue, and I’d also love to find something new to enjoy as well.

What are your career aspirations? My main career ambition is to join the Civil Service, ideally in the Foreign Office. One of the main things I’ve gained from being at the School is a love of travelling and to incorporate that into my career would be very fulfilling for me. After this, I’m not really sure, but I’m determined to pursue something to do with foreign or current affairs. Will you continue to be involved with School? Of course – I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to come back! As I said before, the strong sense of community makes the School feel so welcoming. I’m sure whether its engaging through the Old Boltonians’ Network, or even attending the school concerts and festivals, Bolton School will remain an important part of my life.

Old Boltonians’ AFC Report 2018-19 _______________________________________________________

ootball at so many levels seems like an all year-round activity. At its pinnacle, in what used to be the close season, continental men’s competitions, such as Copa America, the Africa Cup of Nations and the Under 21s Euros, plus, on the global scale, the Women’s World Cup offer us a yearround smorgasbord; down at OBAFC grass-roots level, we mirror this – ladies’ and youth teams augmenting the men’s multi-layered offering. The last matches were played in early May; however, by mid-July, pre-season training and friendlies had already started. Following a strong year financially, we have been able literally to do some grass-roots work: much-needed remedials on the pitches with verti-draining, sanding and reseeding already in place. This, as well as new goalposts, will add to the image of a club in its hundredth year, determined to keep high quality on and off the pitches. For that newborn Ladies team, early steps were wobbly, but they are now firmly on their feet. Mid-table was a very respectable outcome for the first season, with striker Sue Doak taking Club Top scorer honours with 43 goals, so our parental instincts are expecting the infant to further progress on all fronts. The Vets boast a squad blending natural class and enthusiasm tempered by experience; they challenged their divisional top

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The Old Boltonians spot with an eight-match unbeaten start, but form fell away a little; nonetheless promotion to Division 1 was achieved after a heartrending Cup Final defeat.

The high spot for remembering triumphs past for many was the celebration for hardy players and enthusiastic spectators at the Silver Anniversary Reunion organised by Kev Taylor. The triumphant ‘A’ team of the early nineties was reunited with a full-scale match, played with enthusiasm and impressive skills if not speed! The Club approaches its centenary in good spirits on many fronts, evolving and developing as ever, welcoming new players and supporters, both old and new, up at Tower Street, as the celebratory season unfolds. Mr. M.P. Wadsworth

With both having dropped a division, and under new settled management, the Reserves and the ‘A’ team strengthened their squads with useful new recruits. The Reserves were a watchable outfit, led on and off the pitch by the imperious Clubman of the Year, Stewart Williams – consolidation in the top third of the third tier was the eventual outcome, and silverware was just out of their grasp as they too lost their Cup Final. Despite a couple of mid-season hiccups, the cohesive group of players that constituted the ‘A’ team meant selection problems this season unusually were “who to leave out?” Those hopes of immediate promotion were achieved, indeed as champions; bad luck comes in threes, so goes the proverb, and the double was beyond the ‘A’ team, as they too lost their Cup Final, as if to prove old wives may be truthful. The first team has trodden new ground...sadly! Close defeats in early rounds of both cups meant focus was on the league and, for once, it was the bottom places, not the top, with which Ste Eccleshare’s Jekyll and Hyde outfit initially flirted. The verve of such as newcomers and eventual champions Whitworth Valley and returning Burnley Belvedere proved too much in the end – second half form was better than any other team and a fifth-place finish ensued. The thoughts of “what ifs” are now tempered by some new talent and training regimes leading to optimism for ‘19-‘20. Plans to initiate an Under 18s side are still alive as a conduit for new young recruits. The first sessions for the newly formed Boltonians Youth team have been taking place at school in preparation for their inaugural season, starting in September. Two old chestnuts – poor attendance at training and difficult match and membership fees collection, have largely disappeared, with healthy competition for places and the new universally beneficial monthly overall direct payment package scrapping match fees. The Club has never been in ruder financial health and so the Annual Dinner remained the celebratory showcase, but trod new ground being ‘mixed’ this year, with the welcome addition of the Ladies team, and was enjoyed by around a hundred diners, players, supporters and guests.

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Old Boltonians’ Golf Society Report _______________________________________________________

write as the golf season is in full swing and we are looking forward to an Open Championship hosted in Northern Ireland for the first time in nearly 70 years.

As far as the OBA Golf Society is concerned, there are several items to report on. As usual, we sent a team to Fixby Hall to try to qualify for The Grafton Morrish Trophy in Hunstanton, Norfolk. Regrettably, the team came up just two points short of qualification, which was disappointing, as all pairs felt they could have played a little better. The team consisted of Mark Millhouse, Mark Worsley, David Johnson, Jeff Bennett, James Chadwick and Rob Lomax. The season-long match play competition for The Rosebowl Trophy has reached the Semi-final stage and we wait to hear whether it will be Frank Hodgkiss, Chris Carly, David Johnson or Phil Riding who will emerge victorious. We held The Taylor Trophy on 12th June at Bolton Golf Club. Despite threatening skies all day, 16 players went out and thankfully it stayed dry all evening. There was some excellent scoring, with Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs President Norman Fletcher finishing third with 38 points and James Chadwick, with a stout defence of his title, scoring 39 points. In the end, it was Ross Taylor who triumphed, with an excellent 41 points to win The Taylor Trophy for 2019. I would urge any Old Bolt who plays golf to get in touch with me by emailing mark_millhouse@yahoo.com or calling 07711 594030. Mark Millhouse (1989-1994), Golf Secretary

The Old Boltonians Harold Vaughan Brookes _______________________________________________________

n September 2019, it will be one hundred years since Harold Brookes was appointed as Mathematics teacher at Bolton School and it is therefore appropriate to reflect upon the enormous contribution he made to the School during the ensuing 43 years. ‘Bill’ Brookes, as he was affectionately known to the thousands of boys who knew him, was born on 6th September 1896, and began his education at Conway Road Council School, Birmingham, before moving first to King Edward VI School, Camp Hill, Birmingham in 1906 and then to Carmarthen Grammar School in 1908, where he remained until moving on to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1915. He completed his Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge in 1918. Teaching V Form Maths Set, October 1950 He was appointed to Bolton School with effect from 18th September 1919 at an annual salary of £250. In a hand-written letter of appointment, Mr. Lipscomb, Headmaster, wrote that he hoped ‘we may look forward to a very long and happy association in school work’, but neither party would have expected that Mr. Brookes’ career at Bolton School would be as long as it proved to be. Mr. Lipscomb also suggested that Mr. Brookes should bring his bicycle with him, as it would ‘at least be useful for shortening the distance to town and there are some quite pleasant rides in the neighbourhood’. From the beginning, he immersed himself in the life of the School, with the enthusiasm that was characteristic of his approach to life generally. By the end of his first term, he had already played the violin in a concert given by the School orchestra (an association that would continue until after his retirement), taken part in two debates with the Debating Society and become Assistant Scout Master. He also supported the Natural History Society, giving a humorous lecture in Autumn 1920 on ‘Animals and Plant Foods’, which he concluded by giving the boys a menu comprised of such unusual dishes as snails, minnow sauce, roasted hedgehog, caterpillar omelette and stuffed young rat! The Scouts were dear to his heart, and throughout his time at School, he did not miss one School Camp. He did miss five Scout Long Camps, but each time for very good reason: for his marriage to Peggy in 1937, their Silver Wedding Anniversary in 1962 and the births of their daughter and two sons. He took the boys camping in all parts of Britain and many parts of Europe, with the first School

trip to Europe coming in 1922, when he took a group of nine boys on a cycling holiday in France. Carrying their equipment with them, they crossed from Southampton to St. Malo and then worked their way down to the south coast of Brittany and back. He derived much pleasure from cycling to the extent that when the School Camp was held for the second time at Aber, near Llanfairfechan, in 1922, a number of boys cycled all the way there with him – whatever the reason, no boys cycled with him to North Wales the following year! Front row right, with Masters at Aber Camp, 1930 He became Scout Master in 1925; the troop flourished under his leadership and, over the years, his efforts were recognised several times. He was appointed an Assistant District Commissioner in 1944 and awarded the Silver Acorn by the Chief Scout in 1951. Then, in 1961, he was awarded the Silver Wolf by the Chief Scout. Scouting’s highest honour, the Silver Wolf is awarded only for service of a most exceptional nature. He became Senior Mathematics Master in 1935 and, upon the retirement of Mr. E. Gwynne Jones, became Second Master in 1945. He retired on 26th July 1962, although he continued to teach Mathematics on a part-time basis and, at Speech Day that year, the Headmaster said that it was ‘doubtful whether anyone ever had a more profound influence on the spirit of the School, or been more significant in the lives of individual boys’. 1962 Speech Day, with Headmaster Mr. Poskitt, Guest Speaker Prof. Lambert and Mrs. Lambert He died on 17th February 1978 and members of the Baden-Powell Guild acted as bearers at his funeral at Christ Church; Scouts and Venture Scouts acted as ushers. He had been a great teacher and an inspirational Scoutmaster, who led by example. Generations of boys are indebted to him.

How Great is the Tillotson Connection? _______________________________________________________

hilst all boys will be aware of the Tillotson Lectures, they will not necessarily appreciate the longevity of the Tillotson connection with the School.

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The Old Boltonians The Tillotson family moved to Bolton in 1831 and it was Fred Tillotson’s father, William Frederic Tillotson, who had formed the Bolton Evening News in 1867. William married Mary Lever in 1870 and, as Mary was the sister of William Hesketh Lever (later to become Lord Leverhulme) Fred was William Lever’s nephew. Fred Tillotson Shortly after leaving Balliol College, Oxford, in 1899, Fred joined the family business, becoming Chairman of Tillotson’s Newspapers Limited, when it was formed in 1919. His long connection with School dates from 1905, when he was appointed a Governor of the former Grammar School, ten years before the new Foundation was established. When the New Lever Trust was set up in 1913 to manage William Lever’s endowment, Fred Tillotson was nominated by the Governors of the Grammar School to be one of the initial five Trustees, and two years later, he became one of seven co-optative Governors appointed to the Governing Body of the new Bolton School Foundation. Each Governor sat initially for five years, but Fred remained a Governor for the rest of his life.

its inception. He had been Chairman of the Boys’ Committee for 13 years and Vice-Chairman of the Governors for 31 years. He was the last member of his family to be actively associated with the School’s chief benefactor, Lord Leverhulme, and never gave up hope of realising his uncle’s plans for the provision of a complete new building, albeit this was not to be completed in his lifetime. His son Marcus was already a Governor at the time of his father’s death, having been elected in 1949 and continued as a Governor until 1990. Marcus, the cousin of the Third Lord Leverhulme, shared his father’s passion for the School and was a regular attender at School events. For 20 years, between 1963 and 1983, he was Vice-Chairman of the Governors and for 21 years he was Chairman of the Boys’ Committee. He also served as Chairman of the Trustees. In 1953, to mark the Coronation, he presented the School with a handsome teak seat, inscribed ‘Elizabeth R June 1953’, for the Cricket Pavilion and it was he who endowed the annual Tillotson Lectures in 1971. He died in 2005. Marcus Tillotson, Governor 1949-1990

His commitment to the School was exceptional and he was almost certainly a Governor for longer than anyone in the School’s history. He was also most generous in his support for the School. When William Lever was created a Baronet in the Coronation Honours for King George V in June 1911, Fred presented a flagstaff and new flag to the School to celebrate the honour bestowed upon his uncle. Later, when the Boys’ Division occupied its new Great Hall and Library in 1929, he marked the occasion by giving the School the bust of Lord Leverhulme by Sir William Goscombe John, which may be seen to this day in the Boys’ Division Entrance Hall. It was thanks to his generosity too that the Entrance Hall was panelled during the Christmas holidays in 1952, so as to be in harmony with the panelling of the new War Memorial and he also made the gift of the Tillotson Cricket Pavilion in 1955, after having completed 50 years as a Governor. The bust of Lord Leverhulme in the Boys’ Division Entrance Hall He remained a Governor until his death in 1958, having been a Governor for 53 years and a Trustee of the New Lever Trust since

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Other members of the Tillotson family have also given valuable service to the School as Governors. Alan Tillotson, Marcus’ brother, served between 1961 and 1972, and Peter Tillotson, Marcus’ son, served between 1977 and 1991. Between them, these four gentlemen have collectively performed the role of Governor for a remarkable 119 years.

Alan Tillotson

Peter Tillotson

Between 1905 and 1990, there was always a Tillotson on the Governing Body. For one family to sustain such a high degree of involvement in the running of the School over such an extended period was truly extraordinary and is a record that is unlikely ever to be surpassed.

The Old Boltonians Sir Ian McKellen spends Special Day at School _______________________________________________________

but made famous in the 20th century by McKellen himself.

A lively Q&A session followed, with the boys keen to find out what House Sir Ian had been in at School (Blackburn), what his favourite subject had been (Geography) and whether Gandalf or Magneto would win a contest between the two!

he Boys’ Division was delighted to welcome Sir Ian McKellen (1951-1958) on his 80th birthday weekend. Taking time out of his national tour – 80 performances at 80 venues to celebrate his milestone anniversary – he attended a lunchtime reunion, where 30 of his 80 year-old classmates had gathered to wish him well and remember old times, before performing an abridged version of his ‘show’ in the Great Hall in front of 600 pupils, former pupils and staff.

Later that day, the Arts Centre was the venue for a surprise 80th birthday party. Sir Ian was genuinely bowled over by the stellar list of guests – which included actors Dame Judi Dench, Sir Derek Jacobi, Richard Wilson, Timothy West and Luke Evans, as well as journalist Janet Street-Porter, pop star Neil Tennant and writer Armistead Maupin – who had gathered to celebrate his big day. The evening’s entertainment included a short show of Sir Ian’s acting life at School, performed by current pupils and a number of younger Old Boys, who were thrilled to receive a standing ovation from the A-list acting audience.

Sir Ian and Derek Lever (1955-1962)

After ‘the most wonderful day’ at Bolton School, Sir Ian was ‘back on the road’ on the Saturday evening – although he did not have to travel too far, performing at Bolton’s Albert Halls.

Members of Form VA1 1953/54 discuss who influenced whom at the School’s former Hopefield Theatre – L-R: Bill Duncalf, Tony Caldwell, Robert Hart and Ian McKellen Walking down the centre aisle, Sir Ian opened with a reading from Lord of the Rings. Two boys then found themselves on stage holding Glamdring, Gandalf’s actual sword, and were thrilled to get a ‘selfie’ with the world-famous actor wearing the Gandalf hat! He then told of his love of pantomime, reprising the Widow Twankey role, which involved throwing sweets, oranges and bananas into the audience, much to the delight of the boys. Using a clever combination of narration and acting, Sir Ian revisited early memories, including his first theatre experience, aged three, of seeing ‘Peter Pan’ at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. He recalled the three professional Bolton theatres in the 1950s, the Hippodrome, the Theatre Royal and the Grand Theatre (sadly all now demolished) and described how being allowed to spend time backstage at the latter sparked his desire to act. He also referred to his involvement in Bolton School’s Hopefield Theatre, where plays were produced every term and where he acted in ‘Henry V’, and he acknowledged how his teachers had indulged and nurtured his passion for acting. He reminisced over his Cambridge days, where he met actors such as Miriam Margolyes and Sir Derek Jacobi and his subsequent career in repertoire theatre. He also spoke candidly about realising he was gay and how Section 28 inspired him to become an activist. He closed with a speech from ‘Sir Thomas Moore’, a play which was revised by William Shakespeare, although never performed during his lifetime,

Lives Remembered – Former Staff Mervyn Brooker (Headmaster, 2003-2008) _______________________________________________________

olleagues, former colleagues, Old Boys and friends were shocked and saddened to hear the very sad news that Mervyn had died after a short and sudden illness. A man equally as energetic in his retirement as in his working life, his friendship, wisdom and commitment will be missed by many in the School community, who remember his time at the School, many of whom he was still in touch with, maintaining his interest in their lives and news. Mervyn contributed enormously to both the success of the School at that time and, through developments he initiated, its success today. He was drawn to and nurtured the community feel of the School; he found a group of colleagues to work with, who were enthused about their subjects and about the development of the boys; he revelled in the rich extra-curricular programme, which he felt so important to the wider purpose of the School. Two aspects of that were his particular passion: Patterdale Hall and Cricket. Patterdale reignited in him a love of walking, which then led to many of his

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The Old Boltonians adventurous treks in retirement. A notably able cricketer himself, Mervyn established the groundwork that rekindled the national profile of Cricket at the School. Careers education, a particular area of expertise, burgeoned under his leadership. Above all, Mervyn is remembered for his commitment: he spent time to be present, at events, for colleagues when they needed advice, and for parents and boys. He gave of himself to the School completely. His experience from his first Headship in Birmingham, coupled with a determined sense of purpose, did much to modernise the School for the 21st Century. Mervyn Brooker was born in Burton-on-Trent, attending Lancaster Royal Grammar School and Burnley Grammar School. He read Geography at Jesus College, Cambridge, and stayed on there for teacher training. An accomplished cricketer, he was awarded a Cambridge Blue and played minor counties cricket for Cambridgeshire and Staffordshire. He played for Lancashire over50s whilst Headmaster. His teaching career began at Saffron Walden County High School in Essex, before successive promotions at Royal Grammar School Worcester and at Highfields School, Wolverhampton. After a spell as Deputy Head at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys in Birmingham, he was promoted internally to its Headship. From there, he moved to Bolton School to become Headmaster of the Boys’ Division. In semi-retirement, he renewed his association with the King Edward Foundation in Birmingham, becoming its Education Advisor, with responsibility for establishing its academy in Sheldon Heath, Headteacher appraisal and a key project concerning admissions and Primary School Liaison. He also thoroughly enjoyed some part-time teaching, as well as being a Governor at Wolverhampton Grammar School. Mervyn enjoyed a walk in the Lake District fells a week before he suddenly fell ill, with complications arising from meningitis. He is survived by his wife Brigid and their two daughters. The flag was flown at half-mast at School as respects were paid to this remarkable man, and a special assembly paid tribute to his contribution to Bolton School.

‘A true gentleman in every meaning of the word.’ ‘A top, top bloke whom I shared many discussions with about cricket and life after School. The first Head to make me understand that School was about more than just the subjects you learn.’ ‘He was a superb Headteacher, genuinely interested in everything that went on in School and quick to praise both pupils and staff for their contributions.’ ‘Mr. Brooker was a wonderful person and one of the finest educators I have come across. He was fair, very able and genuinely interested in the development of the students.’ ‘He was a true inspirational leader, always putting the well-being and development of his pupils first.’ ‘Mr. Brooker was one of life’s gents. A wonderful, happy, highly intelligent and inspiring leader.’ ‘I will remember him warmly for his charm, dedication and his cricketing prowess.’ ‘Mervyn was a listener. He treated everyone with quiet respect and, although primarily concerned with getting things right for the School, he always showed an interest in people and life outside the School – a truly balanced individual.’ ‘Mervyn was a good friend to the Old Boys’ Association and a delight to work with.’ ‘I feel we have lost a good man and a true Old Boy of our School.’ ‘He was unfailingly good-humoured, even when disagreed with, and an excellent Headmaster to work with.’ ‘Wise and kind, modest and down-to-earth, Mervyn was one of the nicest people you could wish to meet. I feel blessed to have called him a friend; it was a privilege and a pleasure to work for him. He will be greatly missed by so many and the world is a poorer place without him.’

Mr. P.J. Britton, Headmaster

A huge number of former colleagues and Old Boys contributed their memories of Mervyn Brooker via an online book of condolence – here is just a small selection of the many heartfelt messages: ‘Mr. Brooker was an outstanding Headmaster. He had a rare gift of putting people at ease, from younger boys to parents and colleagues alike. His calm, unassuming yet assertive style of leadership will stay with me. He was, without doubt, a formative influence on many of us who knew him during our time at School.’

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‘[Mervyn led] the School – calmly, visibly, and completely unwaveringly – through shattering tragedy, as we lost three great friends and a dearly loved teacher to car accidents, pneumonia and meningitis. When, for us, the heart of our School seemed to have been ripped out, he helped hold the stitches in place whilst we, and it, slowly but surely, began to heal. He was a man that cared, genuinely and authentically.’

The Old Boltonians Cricket Match in memory of Former Headmaster Mervyn Brooker _______________________________________________________

Roger Kirk (Class of 1949, and Boys’ Division Staff 1958-1992) _______________________________________________________

espite the rain dampening the start of this game to mark the significant contribution Mervyn Brooker made both to Bolton School cricket and to that of Edgworth Cricket Club, the occasion proved to be very enjoyable for the sizeable crowd that had gathered to pay tribute to the former Headmaster and boost funds for his Nepal Appeal.

oger won a scholarship to Bolton School from Brandwood Street School and very soon became involved in the life of the School – joining the Scouts, becoming a Patrol Leader and eventually Troop Leader. He was a swimmer, did lifesaving, was appointed a Monitor and was awarded the Alderman J.F. Steele Prize. Leaving School in 1950, Roger went as a student to Appleby’s Farm in Shropshire for a year, then went to Leeds University where he gained a BSc in Agriculture. His appointment to Farm Manager at Masons Farm in Turton followed and he became Chairman of Bolton Agricultural Society.

After a minute’s silence, the School XI, which included current pupils and a number of Old Boys, batted first and were ultimately victorious against the Edgworth team.

However, it was in 1958 that Mr. Poskitt invited Roger to teach General Science at School, initially on a trial basis. This was soon to become permanent – so teaching, Scouting and other School responsibilities were major aspects of his life. He had a great interest in boats and helped in the construction of the School’s ketch Tenacity. Roger was always interested in all the family, his nephews and nieces and his ten great-nephews and great-nieces, being very supportive and helpful and pleased with all their achievements. He will be very much missed by us all: a very caring and thoughtful son, brother, uncle and good friend. His life was a life well-lived and we must treasure our memories. The family has been amazed and touched by the very many outstanding tributes and cards received, and we extend our very sincere thanks to you all. Gwynneth Nightingale (née Kirk, 1943-1953)

Mervyn’s wife, Brigid presented the trophy to winning captain Liam Watkinson (Class of 2009) after the game and everyone was appreciative of the strong family presence and support from both the School and Club communities. In his memory, the Mervyn Brooker Trophy will be contested each year and it will also be awarded as a School prize for the Sports Player who demonstrates play in the spirit of the game.

I first met Roger Kirk in 1958 when I joined the School in Shell A1 and he was our General Science Teacher. Into the room would stride Roger – large, affable and smiling, with a host of stories about the outdoors; often, these had a direct relevance to the subject but, equally as often, they did not; but, for an 11-year-old at the start of life in the ‘big’ school, these were exciting lessons to look forward to. It is over these last 40 plus years that I have got to know Roger from a different perspective. Bolton School and the Scout Troop were extremely special to him. I consider myself very fortunate to have come under his influence in my formative years, but also to have benefited from his example and wisdom in later life. Roger was an exceptional Schoolmaster and Scoutmaster. His contribution

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The Old Boltonians to Bolton School and to the success of generations of pupils he has helped, over so very many years, has been immense. Michael Griffiths (1958-1965 and Chairman of Governors) Whilst the Country was still at war, Roger started life in the School, and was invested as a tenderfoot in Fox Patrol at Makants in 1943; advancing to Patrol Leader, he moved to Owl Patrol and was made Troop Leader in 1948; then in March 1950, he was warranted as an Assistant Scout Master (ASM), after the Group had moved to Belair. He was at the opening of the new headquarters at Woodlands in 1951. In 1958, back at School on the teaching staff, he became deputy to ‘Pip’ Porter as ASM, and took over as SM in 1960; the troop at this time consisted of 12 patrols, each of up to seven Scouts, in two sections meeting alternately on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, with Saturday evenings open for all (even during School holidays). He became Group Scout Leader (GSL) in 1971, on the retirement of Bill (H.V.) Brookes, and the Troop continued to flourish, but, in the early 1980s, the School had to sell Woodlands and work started on new premises, Brookside in Ladybridge Lane, which was opened in 1985.

with its associated activities such as Scouts and coaches, was the principal focus of his life for so many years. His loyalty to the School was immense. He was genuinely interested in his pupils, delighted eventually to be teaching their sons; he was wholeheartedly supportive of his colleagues and wonderfully generous with his time, talents and initiatives as seen in all those camps at Heswall, South Wales, Hawick, Instow and at Cautley. His total dedication and dogged persistence, together with inspirational leadership, brought 19th Bolton from the despair of the loss of Woodlands to the palatial facilities of Brookside. In my view, of far greater significance is his personal impact on each of us who were privileged to know him. He enriched our lives. I can hear him give a chuckle and the utter his catch phrase ‘Is that so?’ at such a thought. Roger, we salute you. Alan Wright (Headmaster, 1983-2002)

In 1992, Roger retired from School and in 1997, he joined the B-P Scout Guild upstairs, until he could no longer climb the stairs, after which, since late 2016, the Guild met at Roger’s house whenever he felt well enough. Roger was awarded the Medal of Merit in 1960, and the Silver Acorn in 1975, for services to Scouting.

My abiding memories of Roger (Reccy) Kirk at School were playing a fairy in a pink tutu in the annual Scout Group Gang Show in the Great Hall and driving one of the Scout Group coaches through the narrow Devon lanes on our way to the Fourth Form Camp at Instow. It was these coaches that created the embryonic School Bus service in the mid-1970s. The legacy of that work is BSS Coaches – the biggest private coach company in Bolton, running 20 routes for pupils from across the North West.

Keith Taylor (Class of 1957)

Peter Acton (1964-1971)

Fabian Clancy (Visiting Staff 1973) _______________________________________________________

‘A national treasure’ – it’s a media phrase with which we have become familiar. Roger Kirk was undoubtedly a Bolton School treasure; he was more – he was a legend.

etween contracts with the British Council, Fabian gave us temporary help when there was a shortage of staff in the English Department. Despite his brief tenure, which included a memorable lecture to the Current Affairs Group, he remained in touch with us, taking part particularly in gatherings of retired colleagues. Having served in the Royal Navy, when he qualified as a translator of Russian, he read History at Trinity College, Cambridge, and undertook training for teaching abroad. Widely travelled and a lifelong Catholic, he loved to engage in conversation, drawing on his experiences and beliefs and expressing his continuing interest in people and events. After a long illness, he died in September last year and we miss his presence amongst us. Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)

Knowing everybody in the School and their history, and seemingly in the town as well, he touched so many lives. Returning to his old school in an inspired appointment by Richard Poskitt, Roger became the epitome of the complete schoolmaster. Bolton School,

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The Old Boltonians G.A. Perkins (Boys’ Division Staff, 1995-2007) _______________________________________________________

eoff had the early option of joining his family’s painting and decorating business. A fine footballer and a better cricketer, he chose to begin a career in sport. On one occasion, he played for Gloucestershire in a County Championship match during the Cheltenham Cricket Week and later was a regular slow left-arm bowler for the County Second XI. His real preference was for the theatre, as an actor and author, and he had notable early success as a writer of sketches. As an actor, he had roles in repertory, which led eventually to a contract with the Octagon Theatre, where he met Mary, his wife. It is a romantic story and a long and happy marriage followed. Geoff found more regular employment at British Aerospace and, after a long period there, arrived as Lab Steward at Bolton School to our very great advantage. An active supporter of School and of Old Boltonians’ Football, he had an immense knowledge of the game. We knew he loved his rural background in Oxfordshire and that he was a devoted member of St. Luke’s Church, where his generosity of spirit was abundantly recognised in the service commemorating his life. From his brother, we learned informally that he had accomplished so much. A versatile and companionable man, his modesty matched his achievements. Rivington Friends

Dr. S.P. Cooper (Boys’ Division Staff, 2002-2018) _______________________________________________________

t the start of the summer holiday, we heard the sad news that Steven Cooper had died of a heart attack at the age of 48. Although he had left Bolton School the previous year, he was remembered as a first-rate schoolmaster and the news was a shock for us all. Both boys and staff alike held Steven in high regard as a Chemistry teacher, where his passion, intellect and teaching expertise inspired many boys. He had been a research chemist before entering teaching, and his skill and deep knowledge of the subject transferred itself to the boys. He would actively engage with cuttingedge research and share that with his classes. He was also

amongst the first group of teachers in school to begin thinking very carefully about teaching and learning, as new methods developed in the classroom; he blended those with a tremendous ability to captivate with a practical demonstration or elucidate a point with an amusing anecdote. No Year 7 boy who had seen him burn a school tie to show how dangerous they were in a Bunsen flame ever forgot to tuck his tie in during a Chemistry lesson. Above all, he cared about the boys and they knew he cared about them, so they tried their best in his subject. On the rugby field and, especially, with his National Champion Cricket team, of which he was immensely proud, he was active in the sporting life of school. He would often work with those newer to rugby and instill a passion for the game. Arguably, his first sporting love was cricket. As he watched his team play, he would use his quick mind to calculate the run rate and, perhaps slightly less scientific, always walk the same way round the boundary so as not to bring bad luck. Without doubt, the highpoint for him was the national T20 success with his Under 15 team. He followed the professional careers of members of that team with great pride and was delighted to see three of them play professionally, with one playing for England. Another has since had a national call up, and Steven would have been overjoyed to see that. Again, very often the boys played well because they knew he cared about them and that it mattered to him. This is the magic ingredient of a consummate schoolmaster. Perhaps more unusually, Steven brought new life to the Fishing Club and introduced the school to Disability Snowsports UK, a link which still exists. Steven was also a Housemaster and form tutor, where his pastoral instincts helped many boys grow up and become comfortable with their character. In all that he did, Steven brought a first-rate intellect, a rich variety of interests and a balanced and rounded approach to life. Many of us were saddened by his obvious health struggles in his last few years at school, yet we were pleased to hear that he had been very much improved until this sudden and shocking end. He will be missed, and the School is better for him having been amongst us. Mr. P.J. Britton

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Destination of Leavers 2019 Joe Abram

Edinburgh University

History

Peter Johnson

Arjun Agarwal

Imperial College London

Medicine

Alex Jones

Gap Year

Archie Aiken-Wood

Lancaster University

Computer Science

Sameer Khan

King’s College London

Medicine

Dominic Aly

Bath University

Architecture

James Larkin

Birmingham University

History

Bilal Asghar

King’s College London

Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Simon Lems

Liverpool University

Geography

Nathan Ashley Warwick University

Chemistry (with industrial placement)

Jack Maguire

London School of Economics

Finance

Daniel Aspinall

University of Central Lancashire

Sports Coaching & Development

Jacob Male

Sheffield University

Accounting & Financial Management

Jean-Paul Asumu

Royal Northern College of Music

Music

Max Mannion

Sheffield University

Accounting & Financial Management

Eddy Backhouse

Lancaster Univerity

Mathematics

Joshua Marshall

Sheffield University

History

Edward Bailey

York University

Environment, Economics & Ecology

Elliot Mathieson

Nottingham University

Environmental Science

Jack Bakker

Liverpool University

Law

Alex Matthews

Warwick University

German & Economics

Joseph Ball

Loughborough University

Business, Economics & Finance

Thomas McGivern

Loughborough University

Business Psychology

Haaris Mirza

Warwick University

Samuel Barker Sheffield University

Economics and Modern Languages & Cultures

Sam Barnett

Liverpool University

Accounting & Finance

Josh Bowers

Leeds University

Earth & Environmental Sciences

Edinburgh University

German & Politics

Engineering

Aamir Mogra Warwick University

Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics Economics (MORSE)

Zaid Mohammed

Gap Year

Kieran Moon

Warwick University

Mathematics

Aaron Murray

Sheffield University

Economics

Manchester Metropolitan University

Accounting & Finance

James Bradley

Gap Year

Sam Brennan

Exeter University

Economics with International Study

Jude Brennan-Calland

St. Andrews University

Medicine

Sultan Nawaz

Warwick University

Politics & Sociology

Joe Brooks

Salford University

Graphic Design

Luke O’Donoughue

Joe Brown

Newcastle University

Geographic Information Science

Manu Panasa

King’s College London

Economics & Management

Sam Bruton

Leeds University

Mechatronics & Robotics

Dan Parkes

Nottingham Trent University

Accounting & Finance

Habib Chanchwelia

Leeds University

Computer Science

Shivam Patel

Imperial College London

Mathematics with Statistics

Employment

Jack Phillips

Gap Year

Mathematics & Statistics

Tjase Pindoria

Sheffield University

Economics & Politics

Leeds University

Mathematics

Matthew Cheung Victor Chow

Edinburgh University

Nicholas Clark

York University

History

Jamie Price

Connor Davies

Nottingham University

Russian & History

Hashim Razzaq

Manchester University

Economics

Jack Diggle

Reading University

Quantity Surveying

Sam Reilly

Warwick University

Computer Science

Lewis Dixon

Brighton University

Mechanical Engineering

Cameron Duckett

Bristol University

Mathematics

Philip Robinson Exeter University

Flexible Combined Honours with Study Abroad

Michael Du Plessis

Dundee University

History

Angus Roe

Hull University

Psychology

Robert Edwards

Gap Year

Sam Ryder

Manchester University

Electronic Engineering

Rylan Fairhurst

Edinburgh University

Physics

Adam Salisbury

Leicester University

Banking & Finance

Zaakir Fazal

Manchester University

Pharmacy

Albert Sanchez-Roig

Barcelona University

Medicine

Benjamin Forshaw

Newcastle University

Business Accounting & Finance

Matthew Schaffel

Oxford University

Classics

Andy Garcia-Cox Bath University

Integrated Mechanical & Electrical Engineering

Noah Smart

Loughborough University

Mechanical Engineering

Chris Smith

Warwick University

Chemistry

Ben Gidman-Knowles

Newcastle University

History

Dominic Soi

Leeds Beckett University

Biomedical Science

Lee Glover

Lancaster University

History

Harry Goodwin

Leeds University

Languages, Cultures & Business

George Speak

York University

Music

Archie Green

Warwick University

Classical Civilisation

Harry Steed

Newcastle University

Mathematics & Accounting

Hector Greenwood

Leicester University

Banking & Finance

Dom Hardy

Lancaster University

Physical Geography

Sunny Hassan

Gap Year

Harvey Haworth

Apprenticeship at PwC

Robert Heather

Newcastle University

Economics

Ronak Hemmady

Sheffield University

Dylan Heywood Nathan Hodkinson

Daniel Sykes

Employment

Ben Taylor

Sheffield Hallam University

International Business

George Taylor

Aston University

Finance

Oliver Thompson

Cardiff University

History

Max Topham

Nottingham University

American Studies & History

Medicine

Jonathan Topping Leeds University

Aviation Technology with Pilot Studies

Huddersfield University

Business Management with Finance

Salim Vahed

Aberdeen University

Law with English Law

Nottingham Trent University

Law with Criminology

James Holland

Northumbria University

Marketing Management

Rupert Varley

Cambridge University

Engineering

Ellis Howarth

Liverpool University

Joe Hughes Dilawer Idrees

Mathematics with Finance

Kurtis Watson Leeds Beckett University

Science of Sport Performance (2020)

Liverpool University

Geography & Planning

Jack Wilson

Bath University

Mechanical Engineering

Royal Holloway University London

Business & Management

Jos Winstanley

Liverpool University

Politics & International Business

Christopher Jacob

East Anglia University

Medicine

Ryan Wong

Coventry University

Automotive & Transport Design

Luke James

Angela Ruskin University

Illustration

Mathematics with Financial Mathematics Gap Year

Mohammed Jiva

Apprenticeship at PwC

Xixi Xiao Manchester University

Oliver Johnson

Woodland Ecology & Conservation

Salman Zaidi

University of Cumbria

172 THE OLD BOLTONIANS

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