The Boltonian 2020 by Bolton School Development Office

Boltonian 2020 THE

CONTENTS SCHOOL NOTES

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

THE HOUSES

CAMPS & JOURNEYS

MUSIC & DRAMA

CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK

SPORTS

SNAPSHOTS

104

SCOUTS

106

PARK ROAD

111

THE OLD BOLTONIANS

140

Editorial Staff Editor: Miss K.S. Wrathmell Artwork: ‘Song thrush’ (taken during Lockdown) Freddie Bovill 7c 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 2019-20 _______________________________________________________

write my review of the year as term starts in September, back in the study, with the noise of Sixth Form playing Kwik Cricket on Top Level drifting through the windows. For 175 days, the School has not been full of boys. Today is not normal – there are bubbles and zones and routes around school, staged breaks and lunchtimes, masks on corridors and many other issues and details, but it is nice to be back in our buildings as a school. It is another staging post in what, I am sure, will turn out to be the most extraordinary year for the School since the war. The first real signs of what was to come emerged as our February half term Ski Trip returned from Italy. In fact, they were absolutely on the Italian/French border, but nonetheless in Italy. A few weeks passed, none of those boys had COVID-19, but, little by little, School changed. Assemblies were no longer in the Great Hall, events had smaller audiences, Parents’ evenings were on the phone. In the week ending March 20th, the final Year 8 group was at Patterdale for the week; we brought them home on the Wednesday evening as the announcement was made that schools would close their buildings on the Friday. Acting quickly, we made sure there was a proper sendoff for Year 11 and Year 13, as good as we could make it, with all the normal speeches and traditions.

Then began the summer of ‘Zoom’; for the vast majority of boys, lessons took place with them and their teachers at home, connected using the iPads. Lessons were still interactive, using the technology, and we embarked on a summer of remote learning in a virtual version of the school community. One of the early and best choices we made was to keep the timetable exactly the same, making sure there was variety and routine to a school day. Our aim was to be sure that boys and their parents noticed it was the weekend and the feedback was they certainly did. I have seldom been more proud of the people, boys and colleagues, who make up the school than I was last Summer Term, when they all pulled together to make our remote school such a success. One aspect of that was how many Old Boys’ helped with online calls to Year 13 in their pre-university lessons, which replaced teaching when summer exams were cancelled. Of course, some boys and teachers never left school – key worker children stayed throughout and, mirroring the war, decamped to Park Road. The extraordinary situation this Summer Term inevitably produced many ‘firsts’ for the School. I recorded Great Hall assemblies against a green wall at home, so with the technology I could still have the stage and organ as a backdrop. Some assemblies began and ended with organ music. I appointed the new Captain and Vice-captains of School not in the study, but by video link. Prizegiving was recorded and available on YouTube, including the organ music for Forty Years On and Jerusalem. In all things, we did our best to work out how to do what we would normally be doing, but to do it differently. We had weekly sports challenges, virtual music concerts and much else besides. The letters written by the boys for older Alumni, who may have been more indoors, were very well received; this was a positive, and we perhaps should link the generations more often rather than require a national emergency to prompt us. There were other positive outcomes – my colleagues enjoyed the ‘mute’ button as a way of silencing the class online! Some more introverted boys thrived with this teaching style. The expertise of colleagues in online learning, already strong, experienced a step change.

Of course, before March 2020 we were moving through a normally successful and busy school year. Without doubt, the main point of note in September was the opening of the Leverhulme Pavilion allweather surface. Records show that this project may well have been in the planning stages since the late 1990s, and it was a great moment to have it ready for use. Our hockey players finally had a home surface on which to host games and it is useful for much else besides.

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School Notes possible in Spring 2021. My year began in lashing rain and wind in the Lake District. My year ended giving a final assembly, by live webinar, to the school from my dining room at home. And so we set out in hope at the beginning of a new school year. Mr. P.J. Britton, MBE Headmaster

Valete – Mr. Michael Griffiths _______________________________________________________ We began the year as a Platinum Artsmark school, a showcase for the creative life that is so integral to many things we do. The Year 7 Patterdale trip included storytelling around a camp fire. Year 7 started as the second year group to work on their Bronze Artsmark, and older boys advanced to Silver and Gold. Our concert band won a Platinum Award in the regional National Concert Band Finals and moved to the National Finals. The Great Hall saw a wonderful production of ‘A Christmas Carol’.

n December 2019, Old Boy Michael Griffiths (19581965) stepped down as Chairman of the Bolton School Governing Body, having served for 33 years, with the last twelve as Chairman. Here, we share his memories from his time in the Boys’ Division, and celebrate his service to the School and the town. Michael spent his early years in Leyland, with his father, an industrial chemist, his mother, who worked as an accounts assistant, amongst other roles, and his younger brother, David, who attended the Boys’ Division between 1965 and 1972. Upon joining the Boys’ Division on a Lancashire Scholarship (Direct Grant), Michael had a lengthy journey to and from School each day. He would ride the bike that his parents had bought him after passing his 11+ to Leyland Station, from where he would take a steam train to Bolton’s Trinity Street Station. The Number 33 bus down Chorley New Road brought him to School too late for morning assembly, for which he had a permanent ‘Late Pass’, arriving just in time for the Headmaster’s notices.

I joined Year 12 on their Amatt Challenge this year at Patterdale. Waiting for groups to pass checkpoints, meeting them at campsites and enjoying the company of bright young men was, as ever, a pleasure. The final phases of our refurbishment of Patterdale Hall are complete and it is, as it has ever been, a wonderful facility. April 2020 marked the beginning of the 25th year of the School at Patterdale and let us hope the postponed celebrations might well be

Michael recollects a School physically much different to the buildings of today. There was no North Wing to the Boys’ Division - it opened at the beginning of Michael’s final year - with three huts housing Shells A1 and A2 and the Third Form. The Divisions at that time were kept almost exclusively apart, with only Geography Society (and the accompanying field trips), Film Society, Scottish Country Dancing Club and the Christian Youth Group held jointly. After the family moved to Chorley when Michael was twelve, he joined the School Scout Troop, and was Owl Patrol Leader in his final year. Michael was a keen attendee of the Clifford ‘Butch’ Ingham Trek camps in the UK (his family’s circumstances precluding his attendance on the overseas trips) and remembers with warmth how

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School Notes ‘Butch’ would offer discrete financial support to boys wherever he could, in order that they should not miss out on the freedom his camps provided. Michael also recollects Mr. Poskitt with great warmth and affection. In 1964, he and a group of friends planned a nine-week trip to the Azores, funded by a grant from the newly established Scott Trust, during which he grew a beard. He returned home to a letter from ‘FRP’, asking him to meet with him the following day in order that he could invite him to be School Captain, necessitating the beard having to be shaved off much sooner than Michael had anticipated. After leaving School in 1965, Michael undertook a VSO Gap Year in the Solomon Islands. Whilst there, Michael built bridges, repaired water tanks, made a town plan, undertook a census and carried out the survey for the construction of an airstrip on a remote Polynesian Island, which when he visited it 50 years later, he discovered had been constructed on exactly the site that Michael had suggested. A second Scott Trust grant enabled him to make a film about the islanders that is still shown today; as the only photographic record of their ancestors, the film means a great deal to the islanders. Upon Michael’s return from the Solomons, he began his degree in Industrial Economics at the University of Nottingham. At the end of his first term, Michael became critically ill with malaria, which he had contracted in the Solomons. After an experimental cure, administered at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Michael made a full recovery, but his experience with the disease has inspired a continued involvement with the Solomons where, since 2009, he has volunteered annually to help with the global malaria eradication programme set up by his old friend, from their days together on VSO, Sir Richard Feachem. After graduation, Michael joined Arthur Andersen and became a chartered accountant, specialising in tax. In his late twenties, he decided to opt for a more entrepreneurial career. Starting his own business from scratch, he built up a group that manufactured specialised industrial protective clothing and watersports equipment, and, over the years, acquired and sold several other businesses. Michael met his wife, Karen, at university, and they moved back to Bolton, living in Bromley Cross before settling in Lostock in 1982; their four children, Tanya (1990-1997), Sam (1991-1998), Max (1994-2001) and Lisa (1996-2003), all attended Bolton School. Upon his return to the town, Michael joined the Old Boltonians’ Association’s Committee, serving as its Secretary from 1980 to 1988 and as the 1998-1999 President, and continued his involvement with the Scouts, acting as the Bolton West (the area that the School Scout Troop sits in) District Commissioner between 1983 and 1991. Michael joined the School’s Governing Body in 1986, becoming one of its youngest members, and served under the Third Viscount Leverhulme, Lord Haslam (Boys’ Division, 1934-1941) and Sir

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Alan Cockshaw, before his own appointment as Chairman in 2007. During Michael’s tenure as a Governor, the School site has been developed significantly, and he has been involved with the construction of the Arts Centre, Nursery, Beech House and Hesketh House, the redevelopment of Park Road and the Riley Sixth Form Centre, which opened in 2013. The impetus behind much of Michael’s service as a Governor has been his desire to ensure that the School remained open to any child of ability, regardless of their family’s circumstances. As Chairman of the Governors’ Finance Committee, in the early 1990s Michael wrote a paper, Life after Assisted Places, which would become the template for the School’s response to the withdrawal of government funding for fees after Labour came to power in 1997. Michael’s foresight had given the Governors time and opportunity to plan for this inevitable policy change and, immediately after the 1997 election, the Governors voted unanimously to commence a fundraising campaign with the intention of building a bursary fund capable of supporting those pupils who would previously have received that funding. Michael is deservedly proud of his involvement in the establishment of the Bursary Fund, which, through the endowment structure he developed, has grown to a point where today it offers one in five pupils in the School financial support for their education. The value of the fund now stands at over £30 million, and the Governors, under Michael’s direction, remain committed to the strategic aim of growing the fund still further within the next decade, to be able to support one in three pupils in the two Senior Schools, a ratio last experienced in the days of the Direct Grant scheme. Michael firmly believes that the School’s diverse pupil body is a huge strength, and that the School’s unique approach to education should be made available to all those who would thrive here. As the former beneficiary of a Direct Grant place, whose parents would otherwise have been unable to afford the School’s fees, Michael understands how vital a good education can be to maximising an individual’s opportunities. Michael believes that the Bursary Fund will enable the School to continue to produce the leaders of tomorrow, who will utilise the ethos and values of the School for the benefit of all of society, and is insistent that the School remains as a cornerstone of the local community. With a connection to School spanning over 60 years, over half of which have entailed close involvement on a voluntary basis, it is inevitable that leaving the Governing Body will be a huge wrench. In particular, Michael notes that he will miss the intellectual demands that being a Governor provides, the Governors, Heads and other staff he works so closely with, and the warmth of the School community as a whole. Michael has ended each of his Presentation Evening and Prizegiving speeches as Chairman of Governors over the past twelve years with the following exhortation to the Sixth Formers leaving that year:

School Notes play eight different musical instruments, notably the organ. We wish Mary all the best in the future. Mr. D.N. Palmer

Valete – Mr. Roger McMinn _______________________________________________________

“One thing I would ask is that in whatever you do, try to make a difference for good. How satisfying, if when you travel through life, you make each place a tiny bit better than when you arrived.” Thank you, Michael, for giving so generously of your time, energies and abilities in service of your School. You leave us changed infinitely for the better by your involvement. Mr. P.J. Britton

Valete – Mrs. Mary Smith _______________________________________________________

ary Smith joined Bolton School in September 2011 after a career as an actuary, most notably as a risk and pricing analyst. She is an extremely knowledgeable mathematician and it was clear from the outset that Mary was a hard-working, thoroughly organised, efficient teacher. She was well respected by the pupils, and she taught all the age ranges from Year 7 to Year 13 Further Mathematicians. She was comfortable with stretching the brightest and encouraging those who struggle. Her careful and valued expertise in Mathematics teaching has brought along a huge number of boys in their understanding of the subject, using innovative techniques. Within the department, Mary was in charge of the writing and organising of the content and tests for a year group. She was always willing to help a pupil during her free periods and lunchtimes. Aside from her involvement within the department, Mary also contributed to the wider school life. She helped to run school Kayaking Club by running a session during the week. Beyond school, Mary is a Scout leader, a British Red Cross volunteer, can speak French fluently having spent a year of her degree in Paris, and can

oger joined the department in 2012 and very quickly established himself as a reliable member of staff, who was eager to help the department progress. His positivity and sense of humour will be missed. His calm demeanour in lessons allowed him to create a good learning environment; this, as well as his enthusiasm for almost magical physics demonstrations, inspired both staff and students. He was always keen to engage with new ideas and was responsible for the development of many ideas and resources for use with the iPad. Roger was determined to ensure that students did well and was a key player in the development of spreadsheets used to track student progress, which enabled the department to identify students who needed assistance. He helped to make the Physics Olympics a success, and many students from the Bolton area and beyond benefitted from these events. As an experienced teacher, he was very happy to pass on his ideas. The advice was well received in the department. He later went on to become the Professional Mentor for Initial Teacher Training; this role developed over the years, and many teachers have benefited from his wealth of knowledge and continued enthusiasm. Roger’s commitment to the extra-curricular life of the School was remarkable. He enjoyed running the beekeeping department – a very successful endeavour, which resulted in the production of Bolton School Honey. He always put the students first, and this enabled them to take part in all aspects of the beekeeping. He is a very talented musician, who enjoyed taking part in many concerts and the Battle of the Bands. Many students enjoyed his juggling sessions, which were done during House Day activities. Roger has also been an outstanding form tutor. He enjoyed the trips to Patterdale, and was always keen to take part in the outdoor activities, leading by example. Roger has been a great asset to the School and we wish him all the very best for the future. Mr. M.R. Ormerod

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School Notes Valete – Miss Alison Holroyd _______________________________________________________

New appointments to the staff _______________________________________________________

lison Holroyd joined Bolton School in March 2014. Initially a teacher covering a staff absence, her quality was such that she joined the English Department the following September. We are deeply in her debt for all that she gave the School over the next five years. A rigorous and experienced classroom teacher, Alison’s contribution to the English Department was immeasurable. She was particularly enthused when assisting those who struggle with English, providing clear structures and a supportive classroom environment: Alison passionately believes that all students can be successful with effort. Yet, it was not only here where Alison’s skills lay. She achieved notable successes across all ages and stages. She pioneered the A Level English Literature students completing their coursework on independently studied tasks with tremendous success, laying the foundations for our current departmental practices, while other innovations included introducing the Word of the Week challenge in Year 7 and teaching Benjamin Zephaniah in Key Stage 3. Her support for other colleagues in the department was greatly appreciated, whether it was her cheerful sharing of resources, the expertise she brought as an A Level marker or her efficiency when co-ordinating Year 10 English in her final four terms. Beyond the classroom, Alison’s contribution to Bolton School was extensive. Her colleagues were grateful for her advocacy and integrity as a union representative. She was a dedicated and wise Year 7 tutor, who firmly, but kindly, guided cohorts of new students making the challenging transition from primary to secondary education. Her contribution to Hockey was substantial, drawing on her own skill as a sportsperson and committing much time to coaching her teams. Also considerable was her contribution to Drama, running the Junior Drama Club and in 2018 directing the witty and pacy Boys’ Division Junior production: ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’. While an excellent English teacher, it is ultimately Drama where Alison’s professional heart lies. A former actress and Head of Drama at a previous school, it was in order to return to teaching Drama that she left us, taking up a head of department position closer to her home in Preston. Her humour, warmth and commitment to the boys were infectious and much valued. We wish her the very best of success in her new role. Ms. H. Thomson

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eptember 2020 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 Idaline Luz Da Silva (French), Sanja Govorcin (German) and Enrique Navarro Camacho (Spanish). From September, Mrs. M.A. Ryder has been appointed as Head of Year 7 and Mr. H.S. Brown as Head of Year 8. Mr. M.H.J. Prentki becomes Acting Head of Lower School and Mr. J.C. Moore becomes Acting Head of Year 10. Mr. L. Watkinson becomes Acting Housemaster of Chorley House and Mr. N.R.W. Wyatt becomes Acting Housemaster of Manchester House. Mr. D.V.B. Lamb has been appointed as the SCITT (School-centred Initial Teacher Training) Hub Coordinator and Miss E.A. Bramhall has assumed the new position of Environmental Projects Coordinator. Miss E.J. Compton and Miss C. Dean have been appointed as Pastoral Projects Coordinators. There are also several new appointments to the School: Mr. M. Patel has been appointed as Teacher of English and Miss K. Murray has been appointed as Teacher of Physics. Miss B.C. Marsh has joined the History Department and Mrs. A.J. O’Regan has joined the Art Department, both to cover periods of maternity leave.

New Shared Sports Surface _______________________________________________________

upils and members of the local community alike have been making the most of a new all-weather sports surface at Bolton School since it opened at the start of September.

Work began on the synthetic turf pitch (stp) development on 1st April 2019 at a cost of just over £1m and the facility, which will be used primarily for lacrosse and hockey, was completed during the school’s summer holidays and looks spectacular. The Leverhulme Pavilion site on Chorley New Road is now open for school and community usage. The update to facilities includes improved spectator areas, separate shelters for visiting teams, floodlighting and increased parking. Notts Sport Ltd. have provided design consultancy expertise and Cleveland Land Services Ltd. laid the all-weather surface. Sharing the site with the local community was included in plans submitted to the Council. Bolton Hockey Club will use it as their base, the National Hockey Foundation will contribute a grant of £50,000 as they seek to fulfil their mission of improving hockey

School Notes at youth and community level and England Hockey will also be partners in running the facility. Local schools will receive 100 hours per annum of free usage and there will be 80 hours of half price availability for local junior hockey. During most school days, the surface will be used by Bolton School PE teachers for a variety of sporting purposes – there is space, for example, for twelve tennis courts. The facility will also be hired out in the early evenings and at weekends and holiday periods through BSS Leisure. Looking to the future, the School hopes to develop the site further by investing in the Leverhulme Pavilion changing facilities and meeting rooms. Mr. Britton reflected: “Plans were first suggested for an all-weather surface twenty years ago, so to have one now to catalyse the next steps in our success for boys’ Hockey is wonderful news. Finally, home games will actually be at home! However, what is better now than it would have been back then has been the opportunity to plan the school facility with the local club and be part of town-wide plans for facilities development. We hope that the facility will make just as much difference to hockey in Bolton as it will to hockey at Bolton School.”

Last year in our observance of this day, we commemorated the loss of twelve young men who had been boys at this school, who were killed in the last weeks of the First World War: some of them in battle, some as the result of tragic accidents. We also remembered the names of two young men who had taught here: Captain Robert Hearn MC and Lance-Corporal John Entwistle. In that connexion, it was a moving experience to have welcomed to the School in April Mrs. Barbara Hill, great niece of Captain Hearn, whose devotion to Robert’s memory has led her to research the details of his life and achievement. She has kindly given to the School a copy of this research. The text of this, along with the fine illustrations, have now been placed in the Headmaster’s Office, the School Library and the History department. This collection of material is surely one of the most precious that we have, presenting to the reader a moving account of the life of a young Cambridge graduate, who became an earnest and enthusiastic school master and who, on taking his commission, grew in stature and as the photographs show, into his maturity – a fine and responsible officer, who was greatly respected by the men whom he led. After hostilities were ended in November, 1918 three men who had been pupils at Bolton School met with their deaths. It is therefore fitting that we record their names and their stories in this assembly. Cadet Sergeant Stanley Bolton, Royal Air Force and Royal Engineers, killed whilst flying 13th November 1918, aged 28

Remembrance Day Assembly _______________________________________________________

oday is the eleventh day of the eleventh month and, at the eleventh hour of this most solemn day in the nation’s calendar, two minutes of silence will be kept 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. At this assembly, we make our commemoration of past members of this school, who laid down their lives for their country in two World Wars and other conflicts. The keeping of the two minute silence this year has additional meaning: today is the one hundredth anniversary of the first time people gathered in Whitehall, standing in silence to mark the first anniversary of the Armistice.

Cadet Sergeant Bolton was a pupil at the school from 1903 until 1907, having been awarded a Thomasson Scholarship. On leaving the School, he entered the cotton industry. Prior to enlisting in October 1915, he had been appointed under manager at a mill in Preston. Initially, a despatch rider in the Royal Engineers, with whom he served for more than two years in France, he came to join the Royal Air Force. He was posted to the 28th Training Depot Squadron at Weston-on-the-Green to complete his training and had only twelve more hours before qualifying when he was killed in a flying accident. His aircraft crashed into a field at Hardwick, a small village in Oxfordshire. He is buried in the churchyard of St. Andrew’s, Leyland. Captain Cyril Gerrard Hasleden, Royal Engineers Attached to Australian Corps Headquarters, died in France 27th November 1918, aged 40 Born in 1878, Captain Hasleden was admitted to the School in 1892, but left due to ill health. Little is known of his future education, but he was a member of Bolton Borough Surveyer’s Department, and, in time, emigrated to South Africa, where he was for a time employed in the Waterworks at Maitland, Cape Colony. He returned to England to enlist with the Royal Engineers and died in France soon after the Armistice. He is buried in Mauberge Cemetery. This town had been in German hands for almost all of the war and was only taken by Allied forces a few days before the Armistice.

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School Notes Deck Hand Jack Russell Brown, Royal Naval Reserve HMS Pembroke, died 1st January 1919, aged 19 Jack Russell Brown was born in 1899, the son of a local cotton spinner. He came to Bolton School in 1911 and left in July 1915 to take up service in the fishing fleet whilst also being a member of the Royal Naval Reserve. The Royal Naval Reserve had been formed in 1910 to recruit and train fishermen for wartime service in minesweepers. In the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Register for Bolton’s Heaton Cemetery (where Jack was interred) he is listed as serving with HMS Pembroke at the time of his death. This was the name given to a shore-based Royal Naval Barracks at Chatham. He died on New Year’s Day 1919 of cerebral spinal meningitis at his Bolton home; he was nineteen years old. We recalled last year the tumultuous events which opened the way to the ending of the conflict with the signing of the Armistice. There had not been time to record much detail about the Armistice itself. Written by the Allied Supreme Commander, Marshal Foch, it marked the Allied victory, but it had not formally been regarded by the German army as an act of surrender. It had truly been a hasty business: Foch only attended twice during the three days of negotiation, once to hear the German delegation’s protests at the harshness of the terms and finally to oversee the signing completed in his private train, stationed in the forest of Compiègne. The agreement only lasted until 13th December 1918, when prolongation was needed. That lasted until January 1919 until the second prolongation of February 1919 was required. Thereafter, the third prolongation, or Trèves Agreement, gave a further extension; with peace between the Allies and Germany finally being agreed by the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles. The railway carriage in which the Armistice had been signed was put on exhibition from 1921 until 1927 in the Cour des Invalides in Paris before being returned to the exact spot in the forest of Compiègne where the Armistice had been signed nine years earlier. There it stood, a monument to peace in its own special building, the Clairière de l’Armistice. However, for many, it stood not as a symbol of peace, but as a record of defeat and humiliation. It cannot be any surprise therefore that on 22nd June 1940, Adolf Hitler, Hermann Göring, Wilhelm Keitel, Joachim von Ribbentrop and others took their place in that very carriage to demand from France its surrender. As we sit in this Great Hall one hundred years after the Paris Peace Conference and the Treaty of Versailles, we can imagine the uneasy mixture of emotions of those who taught here at that time, of their pupils and of parents. Perhaps for some, a short poem written by A.E. Housman in 1905, but published by him in 1922, could have crystalized their feeling of relief that war had ended: Soldier from the wars returning Spoiler of the taken town. Here is ease that asks not earning; Turn you in and sit you down.

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Peace is come and wars are over, Welcome you and welcome all, While the charger crops the clover And his bridle hangs in stall. Now no more of winters biting, Filth in trench from fall to spring, Summers full of sweat and fighting For the Kesar or the King. Rest you, charger, rust you, bridle Kings and kesars, keep your pay; Soldier, sit you down and idle At the inn of night for aye. But for those who had followed the sluggish development of the peace through its several extensions and, more significantly, who had looked closely at the detail of the Treaty, it might have seemed alarming that the soil had been prepared in which further conflict could readily take root. Such fears are perhaps best expressed in the poem ‘Will it be so again?’ by Cecil Day Lewis. Will it be so again That the brave, the gifted are lost from view, And empty, scheming men Are left in peace their lunatic age to renew? Will it be so again? Must it always be so That the best are chosen to fall and sleep Like seeds, and we too slow In claiming the earth they quicken, and the old usurpers reap What they could not sow? Will it be so again…. The jungle code and the hypocrite gesture? A poppy wreath for the slain And a cut-throat world for the living? That stale imposture Played on us once again? Will it be as before… Peace, with no heart or mind to ensue it, Guttering down to war Like a libertine to his grave? We should not be surprised; we knew it Happen before. Shall it be so again? Call not upon the glorious dead To be your witnesses then. The living alone can nail to their promise the ones who said It shall not be so again. How disturbing for those who taught in Bolton School at that

School Notes time, watching as their pupils made progress with their studies and grew into manhood, a time when the economic slump and the strengthening of national grievance in Germany led to the rise to power of the sometime corporal Adolf Hitler, author of the provocative ‘Mein Kampf’. And when, eighty years ago they had seen him, scornful of appeasement, take possession of Poland on 1st September 1939, then two days later when Britain and France declared war, they could have recalled the fears of those who believed the Armistice of 1918 had merely been a postponement and not a cessation of hostilities, and they could have caught a glimpse of their pupils’ future foreshadowed in the anguished question put by Wilfred Owen in his poem ‘Futility’, “Was it for this the clay grew tall?” That said, it is right to recall what a new generation of this country’s men and women began fighting against in 1939, and to consider the struggle of the Polish people when their country was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia, an occupation defined by greedy economic exploitation and savage extermination. Indeed the intention of the Nazi hierarchy from the start was the complete destruction of the Polish nation, as stated in their Generalplan Ost and Generalsiedlungsplan (the General plan for the East and Plan for settlement) anticipating over thirty years the settlement of 12.5 million Germans into Slavic territory and the elimination by genocide of the native population. This would include the extermination of Poland’s entire Jewish population, some 3.3 million people. The policy was also to destroy Polish culture. Schools, universities, museums and monuments were closed, and the education of Polish children was set out in a memorandum of Heinrich Himmler in the following terms: “The sole goal of this schooling is to teach them simple arithmetic, nothing above the number 500, writing one’s name and the doctrine that it is divine law to obey Germans. He added: “Reading is not desirable.” During the 1939 German invasion, units of SS and police had the task of carrying out Operation Tannenberg, whose aim was to murder all members of the Polish elite, that is influential landowners, business owners, government officials, teachers, doctors, clergy and journalists. In 1939 alone, some 80% of Catholic priests in the Warthegau region had been sent to concentration camps. But although the Polish army had been defeated, the Polish government never surrendered and, in response to the invasion, the Polish people formed one of the largest underground resistance movements in Europe. The price for such valiant resistance was severe. Thousands of Poles were put to death in reprisal for such activity, and the wider Polish population suffered in so many ways: through mass deportation and through resettlement, through conscription to forced labour and being denied access to food, fuel and medicines. Some three million Poles died as a result of the Nazi occupation, more than 10% of the pre-war population. With the addition of the extermination of Jewish communities, Poland lost about 22% of its population, the highest proportion of any European country in the Second World War. In the Soviet occupied territory (some 52% of Poland) the picture was similar, the Soviet authority treating

brutally all who opposed them and deporting members of the Polish aristocracy, officials, intellectuals, clergy and others classed as “enemies of the people”. There too, every effort was made to wipe out Polish culture, with Polish literature and language study being abolished, replaced by Marxist-Leninist dogma. In December 1939, the Polish currency was withdrawn with no rights given for exchange to the rouble, thus ruining overnight the entire population’s life savings. Moreover, since the Soviet Union had not signed any of the international conventions on rules of war, almost all of the Polish officers and a large number of private soldiers captured during the war were denied prisoner of war status and were instead either put to death or were sent to internment. To commemorate and to pass to new generations the story of such atrocities is one objective of the annual Act of Remembrance. Over the next six years, the call to remembrance will lead us here to commemorate those young men of this school who lost their lives in the struggle to liberate Europe from the oppression of Hitler and the ruthless tyranny of his National Socialism. In that conflict, as in the First World War, the hopes, joys and expectations which all of you seated in this Hall today wish to claim were sacrificed by that generation who responded to the call of duty. There were fifty-nine Old Boltonians who lost their lives between 1940 and 1945. None was killed in 1939; the first fatality occurred in April 1940.

In those assemblies to come, reference will doubtless be made to some of the extraordinary acts of courage and endurance which whilst enshrined in the annals of our nation’s story have through film and television become part of popular culture. It is appropriate therefore to turn to one such film, ‘The Battle of the River Plate’ made in 1956; it records the first naval battle of the Second World War, which took place in the South Atlantic in December 1939. It is a story which gives us a clear understanding of the courage and dogged determination that war requires: a story of fire power and will power, strategy, diplomacy and ultimately personal tragedy. Germany deployed the heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee to destroy British commercial shipping. Formidable in her strength, she had sunk several merchantmen in the Indian Ocean and South Atlantic, and she constituted a grave threat to the British interest. The Royal

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School Notes Navy called together nine forces to search for the German cruiser. Force G, under the command of Commodore Henry Harwood, comprised the heavy cruisers HMS Cumberland, HMS Exeter, and two light cruisers HMS Ajax and Achilles. Harwood shrewdly decided he would attack on two flanks so he could divide enemy fire. He knew much of the ship’s capability, but he was entirely unaware of the remarkable personal qualities of the Admiral Graf Spee’s commander, Captain Hans Langsdorff, and during the battle, he did not know the ship was carrying every crew member of all the British merchant vessels that had been destroyed. For Langsdorff, a most humane and civilized man, had insisted on saving the lives of all such men before he sank their ships. The battle began on 13th December. Graf Spee’s reconnaissance aircraft were out of action and Captain Langsdorff realised too late that he was not facing the lightest class of destroyers. Harwood implemented his plan, ordering Exeter to turn north-west and Ajax and Achilles north-east. At once, he saw evidence of the German vessel’s capability: At 06.23 one of Graf Spee’s massive 11 inch shells exploded close to Exeter, splinters from the shell killing all the torpedo tubes’ crews. At 06.26 a direct hit to one of Exeter’s turrets put two guns out of action and shrapnel swept the bridge, killing or wounding all the crew except the captain and two others and wrecking all communications. At 06.38 Exeter managed to fire her port torpedoes, but took two more hits from 11 inch shells. Flooded, and with fires in her hold, Exeter nevertheless discharged her 8 inch shells, one of which penetrated Graf Spee’s armour and destroyed her fuel system. At 06.50 Exeter was forced to break off action; Ajax and Achilles moved in to draw the Graf Spee‘s fire from Exeter. Pounded by the German ship’s shells and taking more and more punishment, the British ships were unable to destroy her. At 09.46 Harwood therefore ordered Cumberland to assist and the Admiralty sent all ships within 2600 nautical miles to proceed to the River Plate. The dog fight continued all day, with Ajax and Achilles in position on either side of the German cruiser, each of them taking a heavy pounding from the deadly 11 inch shells whenever they came within range. But eventually, it became clear that Langsdorff had decided to enter the estuary of the River Plate. He knew he was losing fuel rapidly and needed somewhere safe to effect repairs. He chose the channel that would lead him to drop anchor in Montevideo, Uruguay, at about midnight on 14th December. This was his major error. He would have been better served by choosing the port of Mar del Plata on the Argentine coast south of Montevideo. Uruguay, though neutral, was sympathetic to Britain from whom she had benefited significantly for a number of years. During the next three days, whilst Ajax and Achilles stood outside the estuary, British diplomats played a skilful game. Firstly, they hoped to restrict the amount of time available to Langsdorff to carry out repairs, and they therefore sought to exploit Articles 12 and 14 of the Hague Convention, which limits the time belligerent

10 SCHOOL NOTES

warships may seek safe haven in a neutral port. However, soon realizing that Ajax and Achilles might not be able to finish off the battleship, even with the support of Cumberland, they then used Article 16, which prevents a battleship’s departure until its enemy’s merchant ships have sailed a full day’s voyage away from it. False intelligence was fed to the Germans, who consequently expected that the Graf Spee would run into a massive British force at the Plate estuary. Thus Langsdorff was caught in a hopeless quandary: aware on the one hand that if Uruguay were to join the Allies, his ship could be confiscated; aware too that he had used two thirds of his ammunition and would be unlikely to win a battle at the mouth of the River Plate. On 17th December, rather than engage the enemy in a short but bloody battle in which many on both sides would be killed, he decided to scuttle his ship, a decision said to have enraged Hitler. Witnessed from afar by the officers and crew of the British ship and a host of people in the harbour of Montevideo, the multiple explosions which carried the Graf Spee to the bottom of the River Plate illuminated the night sky and etched upon the minds of all present the personal agony of her captain. The next day, the crew of the ship were taken to Buenos Aires, where Captain Hans Langsdorff committed suicide by gunshot on 19th December. His funeral was carried out with full military honours, attended by British officers, who had come to respect the actions of a captain who so honourably had sought to preserve human life even whilst he performed his duties in his country’s wartime interest. There are many such films as ‘The Battle of the River Plate’, which record remarkable acts of courage. To name but a few ‘In which we serve’ (written by Noel Coward), ‘The Cruel Sea’ based on the novel by Nicholas Monsarrat, ‘The Dambusters’ (made in 1955), ‘The Guns of Navarone’ or ‘The Great Escape’ (made in 1963). Such gripping and exciting films have come to define the Second World War and in various ways to exemplify the values for which Great Britain was known. In more recent times, sad to say, films which are so confident in their portrayal of patriotism and the preservation of a traditional social order have attracted the notice (and comment) of those who are suspicious of such things. We proceed now to commemorate those members of this school who gave their lives in two world wars and to honour all members of the armed forces of our country who have made that supreme sacrifice. We may remember too that today is National Independence Day in Poland. Initially established to mark the restoration of Polish sovereignty in 1918, it was discontinued during the German and Soviet occupation and, of course, during the period of Communist control. As Poland emerged from communism in 1989, the original ceremony was restored. Zayd, Luke and Michael will lay before the Memorial Window wreaths, which are the kind gift of the Royal British Legion. We shall close this commemoration with the words inscribed upon

School Notes He went on to describe the Justice ecosystem: a system of systems, which also encompasses Parliament, the police and the prison service in addition to the courts and legal profession. In such a complex structure of organisations, reform cannot be viewed in isolation and Sir Ernest advocated a much broader, holistic, ‘joinedup’ approach similar to that taken with the other five Giants. With this in mind, he set the audience a challenge: “to examine the justice system as a whole, with the aim of slaying the sixth Giant.”

the Bolton War Memorial and with the two minute silence first ordered by King George V in 1919, as he wrote, as “a reverent remembrance of the Glorious Dead”.

He advised that such a task would require those responsible to be critical of the choices made in the past, realise that they might not have been the best choices at the time and not assume that they are the best choices now. He then advocated principle as the starting point, and identified and described his four basic principles of the justice system.

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

Tillotson Lecture _______________________________________________________

his year’s Tillotson Lecture was given by The Rt. Hon. Sir Ernest Ryder. An Old Boy, who attended the Boys’ Division from 1962 to 1976, Sir Ernest is now the Senior President (Chief Justice) of Tribunals in the UK, a Lord Justice of Appeal in England and Wales, a Privy Counsellor and the Chairman of the Administrative Justice Council. He spent much of the afternoon speaking with pupils and answering their questions, before taking the stage in the evening to speak about the changing face of justice. He began by posing the same question he was asked in his Cambridge interview: why do we not have a national legal service? To answer it, he gave a comprehensive overview of the past, present and future of the justice system. First, he looked back to the 1940s, when the Government tackled the “Five Giants of Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor and Idleness” and ultimately established the Welfare State, following the 1945 general election. However, there was a sixth Giant: Injustice, or the denial of access to justice.

Next, he questioned how these principles might be implemented. He went into some detail through his speech about the ways the sixth Giant of Injustice has been addressed so far, from the creation of the Legal Aid and Advice Act to further development of Tribunals and ombuds schemes; increasing online access to justice; the modernisation of courts and tribunals; and even the potential use of AI to determine the most appropriate pathway to justice. He also talked about moving from an adjudicatory to a problemsolving approach: justice systems around the world are now working to prevent disputes in the first place. He held up as an example the United States model of Interdisciplinary Team Practice, which aims to put the parties in the best position to resolve the dispute themselves. In closing, Sir Ernest said, “If we – if you – are to … help slay help slay the Giant of Injustice, to ensure that we can render to everyone their due, it is time to rethink how we deliver justice – preventative, consensual and adjudicative. It is time we take a new approach to it, treating justice as a system of systems, each with a necessary, funded and complementary role. If we do that, then our justice system will be properly fit for the twenty-first century: for your century.” Following his address, Sir Ernest took a series of questions from

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School Notes the audience. He offered his advice to those who aspire towards a career in the legal profession and said that advocacy, problem solving, decision-making and empathy are all crucial skills for a judge. However, he also noted that many careers, from medicine to architecture, also require these same skills and recommended that pupils go and see the law in action to discover if they have a passion for it. He also recommended having a plan and thinking practically. When asked questions about juries, he warned against interfering with the random selection process to make juries proportional and talked about the skills that individuals bring to the jury room. Looking to the future, he agreed that the UK will one day likely have televised court cases, especially since high court cases and significant civil cases are already being livestreamed, but warned that it would be unwise to do this with live evidence. He also spoke briefly about how media reactions to the judiciary, especially recently with regard to the ruling on Article 50, have affected judges negatively, but also said that it’s good for everyone to have a view about justice.

He told how an affinity with the School never leaves most Old Boys and they are always keen to return to deliver talks, career advice and sagacity. It was Headmaster Matthews back in 1895 who conceived the idea of an Alumni club and who organised the first dinner. 330 invites were despatched to all corners of the land and a group of 63 gathered at the Commercial Hotel in Bolton on 21st March 1895 for the inaugural dinner. One of the first endeavours of the Old Boys was to raise funds to enable the education of young men through what are now called bursaries. School Captain Ruairi McCabe took the audience back to 1895 and told of a not altogether unfamiliar world, where the UK had uncertain relationships with Europe, had experienced a number of relatively short-lived governments, was worried about the climate and had an ageing monarch at its head!

The Tillotson Lecture series was established in 1971 at the behest of the late Mr. Marcus Tillotson. Since then, it has become a major event on the Bolton School calendar and has attracted eminent speakers across the years, including a number of notable Old Boys like Sir Ernest.

Old Boltonians’ Association Celebration Assembly _______________________________________________________

choolboys were joined by former pupils for a special assembly celebrating 125 years of the Old Boltonians’ Association (OBA).

Mr. Britton told the 921 boys that a good number of them would, after leaving school, attend Old Boltonians’ Association events, even if they found that difficult to imagine right now. The OBA, which has a worldwide membership of over 5,500 former pupils, provides the link between Old Boys and their former school and offers social and sporting opportunities. Mr. Britton told how 26 former Presidents of the OBA are still alive and thanked the 14 of them who were present.

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Vice-captain Krishnan Ajit considered what the School looked like in 1895, with its 40 pupils and based in the centre of town; there too, some things sounded familiar such as a school production of ‘Julius Caesar’ and Popplewell Scholars heading off to university. The Girls’ Division, then the Bolton High School for Girls, was situated where the current Boys’ Junior School is on Park Road and, despite the distance between the two schools, Headmaster Matthews had to reprimand boys for climbing over the wall into the girls’ playground! After the singing of the school song Forty Years On, Old Boy Peter Acton, who is a former President and currently President of Old Boltonians in the South East, recalled how, after a chance encounter with Headmaster Baggley in 1972 at Russell Square tube station, he resolved to go to the next London dinner in 1973. In those days, it was a formal black-tie event for Old Boys only. The London dinner now is shared with the Old Girls’ Association and no longer black-tie; it has run for 117 years, is one of five Alumni regional dinners held in the UK each year and, with an average 100 attendees, is one of the most popular. Another Old Boy and current Russian teacher, Mr. Wyatt, spoke of the conviviality of Old Boy reunions and delivered amusing recollections which involved other Old Boy teachers including Mr. Teasdale, Mr. Watkinson, Mr. Lees and Mr. Brace.

School Notes In between the workshops and seminars, attendees networked in the ‘marketplace’, where over twenty exhibitors displayed their offers, including provision in dance, football, gymnastics, orienteering, biking, tennis and martial arts.

Black Lives Matter _______________________________________________________

R The morning ended with a rousing version of the unofficial School anthem, Jerusalem. Here’s to the next 125 years!

Health and Wellbeing Conference _______________________________________________________

his year’s Bolton School Games’ Health and Wellbeing Conference was hosted at Bolton School. The opening address was given by former World Champion and 10 times British Champion inline skater Jenna Downing, who, by telling her own story of never giving up, inspired the audience of 80 delegates from local primary schools. Jenna then went on to deliver one of several workshops, focusing on ‘Active Play through Storytelling’ supported by Disney and the FA. There was also an imoves Health and Wellbeing Workshop, which aimed to promote active learning, a session dedicated to inspiring the younger generation to take part in crown green bowling and a ‘Speedstacks’ session for Primary PE leads.

ecent events have brought to the forefront of all our minds the issue of systemic racism and the way in which the assumption of white superiority can pervade thinking consciously and unconsciously. We recognise that individuals may not see themselves as racist, but they can still benefit from systems which privilege white faces and voices. As in every school, it is our role to fight ignorance and inequality. In addition, we seek to promote diversity and inclusion, which are integral to the aims of the Foundation. We have been impressed by how many current pupils, members of staff, and alumni have been vocal in condemning racism in all its forms. In turn, we have committed to undertake a thorough review of current practices in order to evaluate where changes are necessary. In the short term, we have or will be taking these actions: In the Boys’ Division, Headmaster Mr. Britton led an assembly focusing on racism and recent events. In the Girls’ Division, a recent Heads of Departments’ meeting focused on the curriculum with regard to BAME culture to increase provision in this area. At the start of the next academic year, the Headmaster and Headmistress will lead a consultation with current students and parents, to which members of the alumni body will be invited to contribute. The Heads are currently looking for outside organisations with which they can work so that such a consultation is meaningful and well-focused. In the meantime, Old Boys and Old Girls are invited to share their experiences by emailing BLMConsultation@ boltonschool.org Although this is not an exhaustive list, we expect the review will explore issues such as the diversification of the History curriculum, increasing pupil exposure within the English curriculum and elsewhere to a diverse range of texts written by BAME authors, further developing our PSHEE curriculum in its consideration of racism and discrimination, developing our welfare provision for BAME pupils, looking again at how we might encourage strong applications for employment from the BAME community and providing ongoing training for staff on promoting diversity and the elimination of unconscious bias. In the longer term, we need to address the fact that, whilst the make-

SCHOOL NOTES 13

School Notes up of our student body across both Divisions reflects that of the local community in terms of ethnic breakdown, our staff community is not reflective of the pupil body. This is something we actively try to combat in any appointment through the way in which we word job adverts and in our recruitment processes. We shall continue to look at ways in which we can encourage well-qualified BAME students to join the teaching profession and to apply to work at schools within the Foundation. We have started to see some excellent candidates coming through Initial Teaching Training schemes which we host. As a Foundation, we acknowledge our role in actively dismantling systemic racism and prejudice within society. We are intent that our response to recent events should be meaningful and have long-term impact, and encourage all members of our community to continue to engage positively with this process in order that that will be the case.

Virtual Prizegiving _______________________________________________________

rizegiving at Bolton School Boys’ Division went virtual for 2020 as COVID-19 meant the country was in lockdown. Guest speaker Old Boy Ian Ross had agreed to attend the 2021 prizegiving in person and so it was Headmaster Philip Britton who led the online assembly, praising the collective effort of the school community during the last few months and lauding individual achievements throughout the course of the academic year. The audience of boys, parents, governors, staff and friends of the school were encouraged to sing along to the School song Forty Years On before three monitors reflected on their lockdown experiences. Ben Chowdhury played a piano piece before Mr. Britton read out the list of prizewinners. William Miles also offered musical accompaniment on the piano before the Headmaster gave a brief overview of the year, mentioning how the Hockey team had enjoyed the new all-weather pitch at Leverhulme Pavilion, the inception of the Rowing Club and its new home at Salford Quays, success in Water polo and Swimming competitions and the School’s Concert Band winning a Platinum Award. Academically, there had been much success, but Mr. Britton made specific mention of a Bronze medal in the first Cambridge Chemistry Race and of the awarding of Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and national selection for one boy in the Science Olympiads. Focusing on clubs and societies, he praised the success in local quizzing and Model United Nations competitions. He also spoke about the successful implementation of a new pastoral period. The virtual assembly ended with the audience encouraged to join in the singing of Jerusalem and by a Vote of Thanks from next year’s Captain, Charlie Griffiths.

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Senior Prizewinners _______________________________________________________ POPPLEWELL SCHOLARSHIP: Bilal Asghar (recent leaver) Alex Matthews (recent leaver) EMMA SAXELBY (French): Jack Hainey 13j METCALFE (Modern Languages): Robert Harris 13f MAYNARD ANDREWS (German): Henry Yearsley 13j CLIVE WILLIS (Spanish): Raafay Iqbal 13d WATERHOUSE (Russian): Adam Whitmore 13c GEOFFREY ROSSETTI (English): Marcus Crompton 13i LIPSCOMB (Speech & Drama) Senior: Jude Ashcroft 12f LIPSCOMB (Speech & Drama) Middle: Finley Littlefair 11f THE RALPH LITTLE PRIZE: Charlie Griffiths 12c BARONESS MORRIS: Aden Stephenson 13j THE MIDDLE SCHOOL RESEARCH PRIZE: Ali Ahmed 11a LEVERHULME SALVER James Leese-Weller 13f ROBERT AINSWORTH (Classics): Robert Nelson 13f H.T. LANE (Biology): James Leese-Weller 13f VICTOR LAMBERT (Medical Studies): Daniyal Ashraf 13f KIRKMAN (Biology): Michael Ahamed 13e SCIENCE INVESTIGATION: Alex Gao 13b WARBURTON (Geography): Nathan Hayes 13c LEIGH-BRAMWELL GEOGRAPHY PROJECT: Dawood Nalla 11a JUNIOR GEOGRAPHY: Jack Stevens 9c BRAMALL (Economics): Joe Maher 13a WILLIAM BROWN (History): Lewis Spencer-Ogg 13h BOOTH (Economics & Social History) Joe Maher 13a PENSTON MEMORIAL (History) 1st Alexander McKie 9a PENSTON MEMORIAL (History) 2nd Ewan Davies 9e ETHEL WIGGLESWORTH (Organ): Ben Chowdhury 13d BRIERLEY (Violin): Mark Liu 10f METCALFE (Music): Adam Whitmore 13c DeMAINE (Choral): Adam Whitmore 13c PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION (Chemistry): Alex Gao 13b MELMOTH 1803 (Chemistry): Freddie Higham 11e PHYSICS: Alex Gao 13b Jei Makino 13d STONER (Physics): James Logan 10d George Seddon 10d RELIGIOUS STUDIES: Dawood Nalla 11a HIGGINSON (Art): Oliver Leach 12b TILLOTSON (Typography): Will Haslam 11c JARY (Art): Harry Adams 9f BRABBIN (Art & Tech): Will Hardy 13c MELLOWDEW (Design & Tech): Jamie Gregson 13c DOBSON PRIZE (Engineering) Nathan Donaldson 13g BAGGLEY (ICT): Camran Harwood 13c AINSWORTH (Mathematics): Alex Gao 13b TOM WATSON (Statistics): Jei Makino 13d JOHN BLAKEY: Isaac Simmonite 11e GARDNER-TAYLOR: Alex Gao 13b ALDERMAN STEELE: Alex Gao 13b STEELE: Ethan Herring 7b RYLEY (Community Service) Mohammedzafeer Musa 12e

School Notes FRANK BROWN (13) Ben Turner 13f FRANK BROWN (12) Thomas Yates 12b FRANK BROWN (11) Daniel Morris 11a FRANK BROWN (10) Harry Whittles 10a FRANK BROWN (9) Peter Craig 9c FRANK BROWN (8) William Malley 8c FRANK BROWN (7) Ed Goodfellow 7a BERNARD CROSSLEY AWARD: Haad Hussain 13c SPECIAL ENDEAVOUR AWARD: Nathan Hayes 13c GRANT KINNIE AWARD: Emmett Brennan Calland 12i RON BOOTH: Ben Turner 13f NORMAN DAVIES (All Rounder): Tobias Ramwell 13d DONNY DAVIES OLD INTERNATIONAL: Jack Hainey 13j SIMMONDS: Tobias Ramwell 13d WAINWRIGHT (Blackburn) Levi Higham 9d (Chorley) Henry Yearsley 13j (Manchester) Cian Gallagher 13g (Wigan) Oliver Shaw 13h FRANK GREENE: Yusuf Adia 13f FRANK GREENE: Krishnan Ajit 13f BOLTON GRAMMAR OLD BOYS: Ruairi McCabe 13g

Lower School Prizewinners _______________________________________________________ FORM TUTOR’S AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT

Noah Spielmann (7a) Ethan Herring (7b) William Simpkins (7c) Eesa Chariwala (7d) Luke Burns (7e) Jayden Cheung (7f) Bill Hope (7g)

Abdur-Rahman Maljee (8a) Adam Berisford (8b) William Malley (8c) Toby Greenwood (8d) William Martin (8e) Subhaan Aslam (8f)

Alexander McKie (9a) James Bland (9b) Ketan Dhokia (9c) Levi Higham (9d) Evan Davies (9e) Benji Evans (9f)

FORM TUTOR’S AWARD FOR DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT

Ed Goodfellow (7a) James Wilson (7b) Leon McGuigan Lazo (7c) Davian Patel (7d) Alex Fitzsimmons (7e) Thomas Humphreys (7f) Muhammad-Mikaeel Patel (7g) Ethan Wong (8a) Michael Stivaros (8b)

Thomas Wilson (8c) Lucas McGann (8d) Ziyaad Patel (8e) Emillio Atherton (8f)

Vernon Baxter (9a) George Gkikas (9b) Ted Kay (9c) Harvey Dhokia (9d) George Houghton (9e) Jake Dickinson (9f)

COMMENDATIONS Year 7 Year 8 Year 9

Ethan Herring (7b) William Martin (8e) Veer Patel (9a)

HOUSEMASTER’S AWARD FOR PARTICIPATION

BLACKBURN Adam Winter (7f) Suhayb Valli (7f) William Malley (8c) Levi Higham (9d)

CHORLEY Ed Goodfellow (7a) Talha Pandor (7f) Mubasher Hafeez (8b) Raoul Saxena (9a) Veer Patel (9a)

MANCHESTER Junaid Doctor (7f) Fraser Sackfield (8c) Patrice Rostami (9c)

WIGAN Muhammad-Mikaeel Patel (7g) William Hoare (8a) Thomas Norrington-Moore (9b)

AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO Lucas Horridge (7b) THE LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL Rayhan Vasanwala (8a) Thomas Norrington-Moore (9b) LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIR Priyesh Fernando (9a) LOWER SCHOOL COUNCIL VICE-CHAIR

Michael Gatenby (8d)

PARTICIPATION AND ACHIEVEMENT AT PATTERDALE HALL

Keeran Singh (7g)

EXCELLENCE IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR COMMITMENT

Ethan Herring (7b) Mohammed Ali Sunni (8a) Joshua Dickens (9c)

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN MUSIC

Nathan Pierson (7a) Adam Faulkner (8e) Freddie Audley (9f)

SCHOOL NOTES 15

School Notes ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN CREATIVE ARTS

Billy Minshull (7c) Matthew Wright (7d) William Martin (8e) Jayden Luhar (9c)

ACHIEVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN SPORT LOWER SCHOOL AWARD: ELOQUENCE

Joe Nicholson (7d) Adam Berisford (8b) Archie Stocks (9f) Finlay Davidson (7c) Fraser Sackfield (8c) Tom Griffiths (9e)

School Partners with Tyrers Coaches _______________________________________________________

fter twenty-seven very successful years, Bolton School’s ‘in-house’ coach service, BSS Coaches, is ceasing to trade. In recent years, it has run almost half of the School’s coach routes for pupils and operated as a successful business, providing coach services to other schools, local clubs and groups as well as day trips across the region and trips abroad. During this time, the profit generated from transport has helped BSSL make sizeable donations to the School’s Bursary Fund, which enables children from families who would otherwise not be able to afford the school fees to access the education we offer. New legislation, which comes into effect from 1st August, stipulates that coaches and buses making multiple stops on a route must have disabled access. Unfortunately, the School’s coaches do not comply with this legislation and cannot be effectively adapted for disabled access. The transport business cannot operate profitably from external commercial work alone and, as a consequence, will cease running. However BSSL’s other trade from Leisure, Events, Patterdale Hall and uniform sales will continue, as will BSSL’s contribution to the Bursary Fund from these activities. From September, the School will enter into a partnership with Tyrers Coaches to deliver the eighteen school coach routes and transportation for many of the school’s other activities will also be provided by third parties. All the BSS Coach Drivers will be given the opportunity to transfer to Tyrers, where their conditions of employment will be protected. Clerk and Treasurer at the School, Cathy Fox, said: “It is with great sadness that we see the demise of BSS Coaches and I would like to offer a personal thank you to David Horrocks, the School’s Transport

16 SCHOOL NOTES

Manager, who has been with the company for 27 years, starting as a driver and successfully building the business as manager since 2004.”

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

ur final day together as a school was several months ago, on Friday 27th March. At the time, we were uncertain about how things would turn out, not least with regards to school. These were particularly uncertain times for Years 11 and 13, who didn’t know how their future education would continue and how their grades would be. However, I think it’s safe to say that through these uncertain times, the School has done a fantastic job at keeping a sense of routine, schedule and normality. For one, we have kept with our normal school routine with the lessons being just as they would have been otherwise, which has helped to make every day feel slightly different to the other. We have also had many of the normal assemblies from Mr. Britton, House assemblies, Year assemblies and even Form times, which has helped to continue to instil a sense of Bolton School community. Many of our extra-curricular activities have continued such as digital music ensembles, music lessons, we have had Sports Department fitness challenges and outdoor learning challenges. Recently, I attended a Zoom lunchtime meeting with the MP Mark Logan, where we were able to discuss many of the very prevalent issues at the moment. It’s ways like this that the School has helped to continue a sense of enrichment and has given us opportunities we would have had if we were still at school. In Year 12, we have had a lot going on, for example, during a Year assembly, we had a virtual trip to Mr. Wiliiams’ allotment and, during a cooking session, which I also had with Mr. Williams, he taught us about the fascinating chemistry of cooking utensils! Aside from this, in SPACE we have been hearing from Old Boys about their future careers, and we have also been starting up the process of UCAS, which will be very important in the next year. Ultimately, we have all had a bit more free time than we normally would have had and the School has helped us to keep sane by keeping our sense of routine, normality, and while things have been very different, I think it’s safe to say that this Summer Term has been, for the most part, a Bolton School Summer Term. Thomas Higham 12b

School Notes Class of 2020 Monitors ___________________________ School Captain: Ruairi McCabe Vice-captains: Yusuf Adia & Krishnan Ajit Michael Ahamed, Daniyal Ashraf, Luke Bagnall, Matthew Cavaliere, Joe Child, Ben Chowdhury, Teddy Clarke, Owen Critchlow, Joe De Blainsin, Ollie De Blainsin, Nathan Donaldson, Henry Doyle, Rory Fielding, Benjamin Fletcher, Alex Gao, Jamie Gregson, Alfie Grundy, Jack Hainey, Will Hardy, Robert Harris, Nathan Hayes, Raafay Iqbal, Akira Jepson, Matthew Kyle, James Leese-Weller, Joe Maher, Nikhil Maini, Jei Makino, William Morris, Saurav Nandalan, Ivan Ndahiro, Robbie Nelson, Mohammed Patel, Tobias Ramwell, Siddharth Ranganath, Cameron Rose, Hassan Sapra, Oliver Shaw, Jonny Shine, Lewis Spencer-Ogg, Aden Stephenson, Ben Turner, Zaman Ul-Haque, Adam Vahed, Lewis Warburton, Adam Whitmore, Henry Yearsley Photo copyright – Tempest Photography

SCHOOL NOTES 17

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects

PACE is the curriculum enrichment programme for all students 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

Taking part in activities in these areas is an important part of boys’ character development and helps to prepare them to succeed in all aspects of their lives. In this way, SPACE contributes to the School’s aim of helping to shape students into confident young men with the skills and attributes required to lead happy and fulfilled lives. SPACE takes place every fortnight on a Monday afternoon for boys in Years 7-9 and 12-13. Students in Years 10 and 11 have ‘SPACE days’, days off timetable throughout the year to participate in enrichment activities.

This myriad of options provided a huge amount of variety: students who loved the outdoors chose to engage in hill walking, trail running or water sports. Those who wished for a more academic option selected astronomy, architecture or engineering and those who fancied something a bit different picked a graffiti workshop, beatboxing and rap or Rubik’s Cube sessions.

Cookery One of the most popular sessions in the SPACE programme is cookery. This year, it featured more prominently with sessions for Years 7, 8, 9 and 12, as well as it appearing as an option in the Triads; this meant that more boys were able to learn important food preparation skills than ever before and they produced a variety of delicious dishes from pizza to quiche and victoria sandwiches. Sessions ran in the Girls’ Division food rooms under the supervision of Food & Nutrition teacher Mrs. James. They were even able to continue throughout the lockdown period thanks to the support of parents in ensuring a safe environment for home cookery.

Here are some of the highlights of this year’s programme:

Triads The ever-popular ‘Triads’ returned once again, allowing students in Years 7-9 to choose from a selection of 35 different activities in which to participate during three SPACE sessions. Students in Year 12 enjoying one of their cookery sessions

Students engaging in various triad options - astronomy, judo, dissection and water sports

Chicken Fajitas cooked and enjoyed by Year 8 on a tasty afternoon’s work!

18 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Sport

Pastoral Curriculum

Representing both the P (physical) and A (active) letters of SPACE, sport is an important part of the enrichment programme and this year, we were able to include more of it than has been possible before. Year 7 enjoyed a visit and talk from Olympic long-distance runner Tom Lancashire before they ran the school cross country course together (Tom was obviously at the front!). Years 9, 12 and 13 also enjoyed inter-form football competitions during SPACE, organised by the Sport department and a number of sport options appeared in the Triads including fencing, Olympic lifting and judo.

SPACE continues to be a key vehicle to deliver elements of the pastoral curriculum, including character education, PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic), SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural), RSE (Relationships and Sex education) and Universal Values led by the Senior Teacher, Miss Tunstall. Topics are addressed in a safe environment through a combination of lectures and workshops using appropriately qualified and experienced external speakers alongside expertise found within the school. Some of the most memorable sessions this year included a moving talk about mental health by former England Rugby International Danny Sculthorpe, tutorials to help Year 11 produce wellbeing action plans and a lecture by Old Girl Susan Bannister discussing her work tackling modern slavery.

An inter-form football competition in full swing

Creative Arts This area of school life continues to flourish under the guidance of Director of Creative Learning, Miss Lord, who has increased the opportunities for boys to engage in the Creative Arts and cultural activities during SPACE. The Arts Award completed by Year 7 and coordinated by Miss Lord and Miss Sherry has been extremely successful; staging post sessions for this qualification have taken place during SPACE. Year 8 enjoyed a trip to Bolton FM to learn about broadcasting and the results produced by Year 9 during their film day were excellent.

Year 7 enjoys a drama workshop with Old Boy Charlie Derrar as part of their Arts Award

Susan Bannister with students after her talk on modern slavery and its impact on victims Like in previous years, a carousel of activities aimed to help equip Sixth Formers with some of the practical competencies they will need for life beyond Bolton School has been delivered to Year 13. Sessions included finance, first aid and work-life balance. This year, an additional carousel was added to Year 12, which included sessions on car ownership, cookery and posture.

Year 13 engaged in a sleep hygiene session with Carly, our School Nurse. This was followed by a session on exam practice techniques and revision planning

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 19

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects writing tasks to encourage them to reflect upon various experiences during Lockdown and BBC Sports journalist David Woods gave boys his top tips for commentating before they produced their own piece of sports commentary.

Lockdown Innovation When lockdown was announced and school buildings were closed, many of the SPACE sessions that would have taken place in the Summer Term had to be either replaced or adapted at short notice. Thanks to the tremendous efforts and imagination of all involved, the quality of the redesigned programme actually exceeded what was originally planned. For example, Year 8’s Mindfulness carousel consisting of sessions based on art, music, literature and nature was adapted to suit the new remote working environment. Boys were still able to practise cookery, learn about first aid and codebreaking despite the restrictions. We were delighted to deliver our first ‘Culture Week’, encouraging all students to produce their own creative work and reflect upon some of the work being created by the UK’s creative industries during Lockdown. Thanks to Miss Lord for designing and leading this imaginative and hugely enjoyable creative enterprise.

BBC Sport Journalist David Woods’ sports commentary session was a hit with boys from Year 9

Some of the fantastic results from Year 7’s Lockdown cookery session My thanks go to all the staff who contributed sessions to the SPACE programme – it would not be possible without their dedication. The planning for next year’s programme is already well underway – we are aiming to make it the best yet! Mr. D.F. Teasdale Examples of art work produced by students in Year 8 as part of their Mindfulness carousel, 3D work based on their favourite song of the moment. One of the key opportunities that the Lockdown created was to allow us to engage high quality external speakers remotely, who had suddenly had their schedules cleared. Liam Maloney, a lecturer at York University and electronic musician was able to put together a session charting the evolution of House music, drawing from his Foundations of House project; this was explored through a series of curated video clips and short tasks, and revealed that House music has been shaped by issues of race, sexual identity and politics present in America over the last century. Award-winning poet and MMU lecturer, Andrew McMillan, guided boys through a series of

Careers _______________________________________________________

t is usually the case that one finds recorded in these columns the various activities that have graced the past academic year and made it memorable. Most unusually, one has to record this year a number of activities which unfortunately could not take place or which had to be adapted to the demands of distance learning and lockdown. This was particularly regrettable, for the year was to have been the first of a ‘new-look’ Careers Education Programme, offering students a graduated series of activities related to their progress through the Key Stages of their academic and

20 ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects personal development.

The cornerstone of the new programme is Unifrog, the online service which we have used hitherto to support the Sixth Form in their preparation to apply for university. But Unifrog offers so much more: a hugely varied careers database, which offers a wonderful window on opportunity. All boys in the school were introduced to Unifrog throughout the year and have already benefited from it. Each year group completed set tasks devised particularly for them and the appropriate time of year. In the Autumn Term, we invited Year 7 boys to begin thinking about their future and the things that they enjoy. Two Year 13 students, Mohammed Patel and Ruairi McCabe, talked to them about their own journey in school, describing how it was that their love of English or Mathematics led them to choose options and, in time, university courses. The boys then enjoyed working on a project which dealt with the questions, “Who am I? Who do I want to be?” The intention was to have broadened the boys’ learning in subsequent sessions, but home learning arrangements forced us to cut our cloth appropriately. We were particularly disappointed not to stage the Speed-mentoring session for Year 9 boys, first in the new programme’s events to mark the close and most fruitful cooperation with the Development Office, who had most kindly invited former members of the school to chat and answer questions about their careers in those five professions to which most of our alumni are drawn: medicine, law, engineering, banking, business and accountancy services. We were also disappointed not to have been able to complete our Armed Services sessions. However, we were delighted to welcome in January Squadron Leader Ed Stephens, who gave an excellent account of the breadth of service and opportunity offered by the Royal Air Force. It was also a great pleasure to welcome (this time from the skies) Lieutenant Commander (Royal Navy) Robert DeMaine, a former member of the school, who generously spent an afternoon in school whilst groups of interested students were permitted to see the EC135 Juno helicopter that Robert landed gracefully on the playing fields. Robert is Senior Pilot (SP) of 705 Naval Air Squadron (one of four such squadrons operating from RAF Shawbury, some eighty miles from the school). He and his colleague, Flight Lieutenant (Army Air Corps) Sam Dempsey, answered pupils’ eager questions about the helicopter, careers in the service and Robert’s work in surveillance and humanitarian operations.

A third event planned for April had to be cancelled just before distance learning arrangements began: an introduction to the Sandy Gunn Aerospace Careers Programme. I had been introduced to this early in the year when I had accepted an invitation to the inauguration of the programme at Cranfield. I look forward to publishing full details of this exciting programme and Bolton School’s contribution in the next edition of this magazine. Fortunately, during Lockdown we were able to introduce two other key features of the Careers programme as part of the distance learning arrangement. Year 10 students took their Morrisby assessment and registered with Unifrog in a single day. The Morrisby profiles will be the subject of interviews next year when the boys and their parents will be invited to discuss the various opportunities that could be open to them so that they may begin to plan for the future with greater optimism and understanding. The Year 12 boys were the first to take part in the new Skills Training (or SKILT) days. The intention was to take the boys through a virtual Assessment Centre, the process of selection which is favoured by many highly competitive companies, especially The Times’ TOP 100 Graduate Employers. We were delighted that a distinguished former member of the school, Mr. John Craven, kindly agreed to introduce the event with a recorded message and ‘top tips’. His background in engineering and his experience of advising public and private companies across a wide range of commercial sectors make him the perfect guest to describe the challenges and the rewards of a varied and stimulating career. We were very grateful too that two recent members of the school, Harvey Howarth and Elliot Henderson, graduate trainees with PwC and Smurfitt Kappa, who sent greetings and a wide range of advice to the students, presented in two further video recordings. It was a delightful experience to see two of our young people so generously making available the fruit of their own hard-earned experience. The best of Year project prizes were awarded as follows: Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Tamim Aani Subhaan Aslam Kevin Longthorne Sam Abram Harry Butler Hashim Choudry Uwais Mitha Joel Burgess Jonathan Featham Dimitris Demertzis Veer Patel Amaan Patel Jacob Keld Edgar Keogh Sam Paton Siddhant Patel Jake Kozera Fraser Sackfield Hamza Razzaq George Seddon Ben Pursey Rayhan Vasanwala Jack Stevens Brandon Yuen Zach Tyrer-Hall

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 21

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects The enormous wealth of professional experience which former members of both Divisions possess is the pearl beyond price in the Careers programme. Bolton School is so very fortunate in the generous assistance that former pupils give, especially at a time when we must ensure our young people are well informed, well advised and are given the encouragement to prepare well for their future. I must conclude this report by declaring my own gratitude to those who have helped us this year. I am also indebted to Mrs. Heaton, serving as Careers Assistant, for her own insight and experience drawn from a long career in banking; her meticulous attention to detail has helped enormously in a difficult year. I must also thank Laura Firth and her excellent team in the Development Office for their boundless enthusiasm and expertise.

Alongside the House charities, the School held several annual appeals such as the Poppy Appeal in support of the Royal British Legion, the Sixth Form Christmas Jumper Day, with contributions going to Urban Outreach, and the Christmas card competition, where the money raised was given to the NSPCC, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Backup North West (a charity providing temporary supported accommodation to young people in Bolton). Money raised from nonuniform days and events such as the Christmas Concert were given to charities we believed would really benefit from our contributions. The Boys’ Division also became involved with the Christmas Hamper challenge ran by Urban Outreach for those less fortunate than ourselves to ensure they could enjoy that special time of year.

Dr. S.W. Holland

In February, in an attempt to help the issue of homelessness, we decided to make care packages for the homeless, which we handed out in Bolton, Manchester and Liverpool during half term. This project is something that the Charities’ Committee are hoping to repeat annually and is not designed to solve homelessness, but rather let someone know they are cared for.

Charities Committee _______________________________________________________

he Bolton School Charities’ Committee has done some very good work this past year within the Houses. Each House committed to their own charity: Blackburn continued to support a charity they’ve helped for several years, Blackburn Foodbank; Chorley supported Parkinson’s UK; Wigan supported both the Wigan and Leigh Hospital and the mental health charity Mind and Manchester helped Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital’s Galaxy House, which provides mental healthcare for children. Events run by the Houses such as Blackburn’s food collection, Manchester and Chorley’s fundraising efforts and Wigan’s sponsored silence and walk meant that charity work involved every member of the School from Year 7 to Year 13.

Unfortunately, Coronavirus cut our work short, but we are very proud to have been involved in the charity work Bolton School does as a foundation. As well as charity work, it is brilliant to see boys across school volunteer throughout the local area, committed to giving back to the local community. We would like to thank all the Sixth Form members of the Committee for the time and effort they have put in and also a special thank you to Mr. Jackson for his hard work behind the scenes in making all of this possible. In these uncertain times, we believe it is more important than ever to help one another whether that be through volunteering or fundraising or checking in with a friend. Please continue to look out for and support those in need; this is a part of our school ethos we’ve become so proud of during our time here. Daniyal Ashraf 13f & Benjamin Chowdhury 13d

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The following boys were awarded during the academic year 2019-20: Bronze

Freddie Higham 11e

Tom Nally 11b

Hamza Adam 11d

Freddie Holt-Gregson 11d

Alex Nielsen 11c

Ali Ahmad 11d

James Hopkinson 11c

Sam Olawumi 11f

Silver

Hamaad Ahmed 11d

Barney Horridge 11e

Maani Parsai 11e

Sadeem Alam (2018 Leaver)

Karthik Ajith 11d

Thomas Hothersall 11b

Arsh Patankar 11e

Sebastian Bamford 12i

Ibrahim Ali 11b

Daniel Houghton 11c

Aadil Patel 11d

Emmett Brennan-Calland 12i

Ibraheem Ali 11b

Jack Huang 11c

Rikin Patel 11d

Thomas Britton 12a

Alvin Antony 11d

Benjamin Hunt 11c

Luke Pek 11c

Gareth Edwards-Williams 13j

Jacob Ashworth 11f

Haris Imran 11b

Jack Phillips 11b

Moghees Gilani (2019 Leaver)

Umar Awais 11e

Andrew Jacob 11c

Ben Price 11a

Max Hodson 13a

Tyler Bailey 11b

Zen Jepson 11f

Hamzah Quereshi 11b

Max Kelly 12e

Tom Barrett 11a

Oliver Kendall 11f

Max Rimmer 11e

Salman Khan (2019 Leaver)

Max Bianchi 11b

Owais Khalid 11b

Rishen Raja 11c

Leo Kitching (2019 Leaver)

James Blenkinship 11f

Ibrahim Khan 11d

James Roberts 11c

Connah Mansfield 12g

Scott Bowden 11a

Ben Kyle 11e

Harvey Ryan 11b

Mohammedzafeer Musa 12e

Jay Brabbin 11f

Harvey Leigh 11d

Seb Schofield 11b

Haryan Notay 12g

Ben Bruton 11a

Finley Littlefair 11f

Matthew Settle 11e

Mohammed Patel 12b

Morgan Camm 11b

Matthew Mair 11a

Max Sibson-Finch 11a

Shaon Sen 12h

Mackenzie Chantry 11a

Kei Makino 11d

Jacob Sidoli 11e

Isaac Simmonite 11e

Hamaad Choudry 11c

Joel Male 11a

Isaac Simmonite 11e

Piers Skeels-Caldwell 12h

Ben Clarkson 11a

Thomas Martin 11d

Ethan Smyth 11a

Tony Varkey 12e

Joe Cooney 11c

Moinuddin Master 11e

Christian Stapleton 11b

Thomas Yates 12b

Max Crompton 11f

Harry McDermott 11f

Jacob Stevenson 11a

Adrian Zahir 13c

Aamir Dalal 11c

William Miles 11a

Jack Swires 11b

Alex Dawson Mayol 11d

Henry Miller-Stenton 11c

Max Turner 11d

Gold

Joseph Edwards 11e

Cameron Milton 11d

Alex Utley 11d

Shahmir Fawad 11e

Anuj Mishra 11c

Amay Wahie 11b

Jack Bakker (2019 Leaver)

Alex Fitzpatrick 11d

Umar Mohammad 11e

Dom Walley 11d

Dominic Flood 11d

Shady Morgan 11b

George Warren 11c

Tom Fox 11c

Daniel Morris 11a

Alastair Watts 11a

Nat Gatenby 11f

Uzair Mulla 11e

Sam Whitaker 11d

Rafael Goloba 11e

Adam Mullins 11e

Benjamin Whittle 11f

Oliver Green 11c

Jake Murgatroyd 11c

Dan Williamson 11f

Ali Hanif 11d

Affan Nabeel 11e

Callum Wong 11c

Alastair Harris 11c

Abubakr Naeem 11b

Tom Yates 11b

Will Haslam 11c

Dawood Nalla 11a

Muneeb Yousaf 11e

Kamran Zaidi 11e

Matthew Cheung (2019 Leaver) Stewart Knights (2018 Leaver) Haaris Mirza (2019 Leaver) Matthew Schaffel (2019 Leaver) George Taylor (2019 Leaver) Jos Winstanley (2019 Leaver)

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 23

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award At the start of the 2018-19 year, we chose our activities that would fulfil the sections of Volunteering, Physical and Skills. I chose to volunteer at my local Athletics club, helping out a younger group in their weekly training sessions. Although quite testing at times, I learnt how to lead a group and the importance of commitment. For the Skills and Physical sections, I used my weekly music lessons and Rugby training sessions to qualify for the Award. Although easier than the Volunteering, it gave me an extra incentive to improve my commitment and attendance. In addition to those sections, we also had to complete the expedition, which was split into a practice weekend and a qualifier. Although we were used to spending time outdoors at Patterdale, we learnt how to be more independent as a group and to motivate each other to complete the weekend.

canoes couldn’t go into the locks, so we had to get out and move our canoes around the lock using small sets of wheels. It also took us over the Llangollen Aqueduct, which gave an impressive view of the surrounding countryside. Seven hours after getting onto the water, we reached our second campsite in Ty-Mawr.

Tom Fox 11c

Silver Award The Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has four sections. Similar to the Bronze Award, you have to complete separate Volunteering, Skill, Physical, and Expedition areas; however, Silver requires you to do six months of volunteering and another area that you select, with the final section only requiring three months.

The second expedition day was slightly shorter than the first, mostly due to the fact that there were fewer locks to carry our canoes around. This was also the day where we crossed the border into England. After about six hours of canoeing, we arrived at the Whitchurch campsite. In the evening, we decided to cook as a group, and made a big curry that we shared. On the final day, we got on the water early. The route was by far the shortest of all the days, but it also included the most locks. After only about four hours of canoeing, we packed our kit back in the minibus and returned to school.

Ben Hunt 11c

Gold Award For my Silver expedition, I decided to do the canoeing option, which involved three nights of camping and four days of canoeing. The first of these was a travel and training day, where we drove to Llangollen and canoed in the nearby canal. In the evening, we planned for when the expedition officially started, deciding when to set off, eat lunch, and when we wanted to reach the next campsite. After camping in Llangollen, we set off promptly in the morning for the first full day of canoeing. Our route for the first day took us past three locks, which are used to raise or lower barges. Unfortunately, our

Throughout Lockdown, I have been able to progress in two sections of my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. My original planned Physical activity was attending my local gym; however, due to the pandemic I have been unable to attend. Instead, I bought some resistance bands, which were relatively cheap (around £15), as I only had basic gym equipment in my household. I used YouTube and the manual attached to learn the different exercises that could be completed using the resistance bands. Honestly, they are great, as there are exercises for all body parts and they are as effective as weights themselves. Additionally, my gym provided me with virtual lessons and I have participated in classes such as High intensity

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects interval training (HIIT).

‘The HistOracle’ _______________________________________________________

Another section I have been able to make progress in is the Skills sections. My aim was to achieve Grade 5 Piano and, throughout the Lockdown, I have been practising and participating in online lessons. Hence Lockdown, has not really affected my Skills section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. I have been able to consistently develop my piano techniques such as fingering. I am looking forward to returning to my normal lessons with my piano teacher. Unfortunately, progress in the Volunteering section has come to a halt, but since I am near completion, changing the activity would be impractical. Therefore when social distancing guidelines are relaxed, I will complete the remaining hours required at the School Library. I am looking at completing the Residential and Expedition sections of my Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award as this will provide me with further ‘soft skills’, which employers and universities look for. Anthony Soi 12b

Volunteering Bolton School has received a certificate commending pupils for their Duke of Edinburgh volunteering endeavours. Whilst undertaking their Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, girls and boys have racked up 8,801 hours of voluntary service to the local community or the equivalent social value of £38,284.35. The hours were committed by students from both Divisions between 1st April 2019 and 31st March 2020. Sue Hincks, Headmistress of the Girls’ Division, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and very much in line with previous years. The DofE qualification dovetails well with our ethos of working with and in the local community. Ordinarily, we hold a Spring DofE celebratory evening for pupils who have achieved their award in the past year. Obviously, due to COVID-19, this did not happen this time round, but the certificate reminds us of the outstanding effort put in each year by a large number of students. All pupils, across both Divisions, undertake the Bronze Award, a third to half then go on to complete their Silver Award and half of those will complete Gold Awards.”

his year, our Year 12 historians have produced editions of the Sixth Form History journal under the editorship of Thomas Britton. Once again, they have scooped the Historical Association’s prize for Best School History Magazine in 2019; this is the tenth time that the magazine has won this prestigious prize in its twelve-year run. The magazine allows boys to investigate historical issues beyond the A Level curriculum and helps to develop skills of research and essay writing. Miss. S.V. Burgess

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 Hamzah Babaria Will Hardy Oliver Leach Amaan Patel Christian Stapleton Jack Swires

Form Colour 13c Full 13c Full 12b Half 11b Half 11b Half 11b Half

Headmaster of the Boys’ Division Philip Britton said: “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award provides challenge and learning, developing individuals’ leadership and teamwork skills and cementing friendships. Many volunteer locally at the likes of Bolton Hospice, Derian House and Bolton Lads and Girls Club, whilst others undertake their assignments further afield, including overseas. In recent years, the work that girls and boys undertake in the community has been integral to us winning both the TES Independent School of the Year Award and the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.”

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 25

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Visit from former Children’s Laureate _______________________________________________________

here was a buzz of excitement in the Great Hall as pupils in Years 5, 6 and 7 assembled to hear about Guardians of Magic, a new book by author, illustrator and former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell. Library staff organised this special event for Boys’ and Girls’ Division pupils in the Junior and Senior Schools.

Throughout his humorous talk, Chris produced a number of amazing live sketches as he talked about his writing and drawing process. He mentioned the strange ideas that end up in his “Naughty Drawer”, only to be pulled out and expanded later: the map that inspired Guardians of Magic was one of these. He also described his first experiences of drawing, some of his current projects and his previous work, particularly his illustrations for The Tales of Beedle the Bard and his Goth Girl series. He encouraged all of the aspiring writers and artists to carry a sketchbook wherever they go and shared lots of his own sketches. These included some of his daily “visual diary” sketches, which he started this summer. He described the process of drawing as “therapeutic” and a good way to feel better. He said this was particularly the case with some of his more topical and political cartoons. He also shared pages from a “magic” law library book from 1945, including the story of how he got it and why it is particularly magical, and images in his Mournful Eye sketchbook. Finally, he took the audience on a tour around the map at the start of Guardians of Magic and explained the unusual inspirations behind some of the place names. For example, the town of Beam came from the line about a “Beamish boy” in his favourite poem, Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, although in his book, the character is a “Beamish girl”. He also discussed the book’s main characters Zam, Phoebe and Bathsheba and brought his talk to a close with three readings to introduce them. Pupils left the Great Hall keen to get their hands on copies of Guardians of Magic and a lucky few had the opportunity to speak to Chris before going on to their afternoon lessons.

Cricketing twins return to Bolton School _______________________________________________________

allum and Matt Parkinson returned to school to talk to the current crop of aspiring elite athletes. Both cricketers attended Bolton School from the Junior Boys’ School (Park Road) until Year 11 of Senior School, leaving in 2013. In an informal question and answer session, the 22-year-olds talked candidly about their time at School and as professional cricketers playing for Leicestershire and Lancashire.

Matt recalled how he was picked for Lancashire at the age of ten and played with the Academy until he was seventeen years old; he recalled how the School was always supportive of him during this time, conscious that he was contributing a lot to school, district and county cricket. Both players talked about the struggles of keeping on top of their schoolwork and how they had to develop a routine, manage their time and often work at lunchtime. Both commented on how once they had left Bolton School aged sixteen, they felt more isolated and thought they would have got better A Level results if they had stayed on! Matt signed professionally for Lancashire in his last year of college. Callum talked about his time at Lancashire and his decision to sign for Derbyshire and then, after a year, for Leicestershire. Asked about his career path, he told boys and girls that they need to look at the bigger picture and if things are not going your way and you do not see a clear path, then don’t be afraid to take a risk. He told how, aged sixteen, he went down a couple of leagues and worked his way back up. Matt reflected how, at eleven years old, he was the fastest bowler with Lancashire at that age, but after talking it over with his dad, by the time he was the age of fourteen he had changed to become a seam bowler. The twins reminisced on how their year group had been blessed with sporting talent, including a crop of good footballers and Haseeb Hameed, who went on to become England’s youngest cricketing opener in 2016. They recalled winning the Under 15 ESCA/ECB T20 National Cricket Final in 2012, with an emphatic ten wicket victory

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects over Whitgift School from Croydon. Both players also recounted their best cricketing moments at school, with Callum citing a score of over 100 against Merchant Taylors’ School when he was in Year 11. Matt said for him personally, he always enjoyed ‘playing up’ a few years, as it put him out of his depth and made him improve. From Year 8 onwards, he regularly played in the School’s first team. Both were impressed with the School’s new elite athlete programme and talked of the importance of developing a relationship with teachers around work and exams.

interventions in the woods near the reservoir. Each group presented their final work to the rest of the students and staff and the day concluded with some thoughtful reflection and creative writing. As a result of the high quality creative experience, the Art department delivered a similar, but tailored series of workshops at Patterdale for Year 8. This offered a chance to consider and use the surroundings at Patterdale differently, and fed into a new project in Art lessons, looking at the use of non art materials to create art work. It is a programme we look forward to repeating in the coming years.

Asked about playing each other, they agreed that this was ‘one to get through’. Matt recalled how they were playing each other in the final game of the season when he learnt that he had been selected for the England Test and T20 squads to tour New Zealand this winter. The Chairman of Selectors had tried to call him, but he was fielding at the time and word got out to him via players on the pitch! Callum also looked forward to playing cricket over the winter in Adelaide and pointed out it was not too far away for him to go and watch his brother in action for England.

Mrs. J. White

Languages Debating Competition _______________________________________________________

hree teams of Bolton School students took part in the Languages Debating Competition held at Cheadle Hulme School and all three disputed their way to the finals in two different languages! Pairs from the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions took part in the Spanish competition, while a second Girls’ Division duo competed in French.

Art Outdoor Sculpture Workshops _______________________________________________________

o continue to extend Year 9 boys’ knowledge of art outside of the school context, the department organised a series of outdoor sculpture workshops in October. The Anderton Centre was the perfect location for our endeavours, and over the course of a single day, boys were engaged with individual, paired and group work using the surrounding resources and word-based stimuli to create a series of sculptures and

In the Spanish Competition, teams from both Divisions made it through the first rounds despite stiff competition. Rafaay Iqbal and Adam Whitmore went up against Altrincham Boys and King’s Chester, while Charleigh Adams and Lizzie Crowther faced The King’s School, Chester and Altrincham Grammar School for Boys. In the Semi-finals, the Boys’ Division met Manchester High School for Girls and the Girls’ Division debated against Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, with both Bolton School teams winning places in the Final! Both teams then had just fifteen minutes to prepare their arguments for and against the motion ‘green is better than red’. There was an atmosphere of friendly rivalry to this lively and heated final debate and, after a very close call, the Girls’ Division team were announced the winners. Mrs. Lapinskas, who accompanied the team, said: “Adam and Rafaay were very strong, and impressed both the judges and other teachers with their language and debating skills. The boys were very pleased with their efforts, and rightly so, as it was a tremendous

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT & COMMUNITY PROJECTS 27

Academic Enrichment & Community Projects achievement overall, as it is the furthest we had ever come in Spanish debating.”

With Caroline’s help, the boys looked at art as an act of spiritual resistance. In addition to looking at Jewish artists’ work, they also examined pieces produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses, Catholics, and Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, and explored how art gave these artists strength and spirit. With all of this in mind, pupils produced moving pieces based on this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme: Stand Together. The artwork was displayed at Bolton Town Hall for the town’s public Holocaust Memorial Day service on 28th January 2020.

Boys’ Artistic Holocaust Tributes _______________________________________________________

group of Boys’ Division pupils have created commemorative artwork to honour the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Art educator Caroline Slifkin worked with students for a whole day on this project, which was funded by the Holocaust Educational Trust.

Mrs. L. Turner

Pupils’ Environmental Impact Study _______________________________________________________

tudents from Boys’ Division are working with Sixth Form students from Haslingden High School and optometrist Professor Phil Morgan from the University of Manchester to find out how long contact lens materials last in the environment. Professor Morgan is a world-leading expert in the area of contact lens materials. Following a chance conversation over Twitter, Professor Morgan and Dr. Turner generated a research question. The project is funded by a Royal Society partnership grant, an established scheme to help school students work with researchers and which also provides a calendar of opportunities for communicating the results.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Plastics in the environment has been a hot topic since it first entered the public consciousness following David Attenborough’s hit documentary ‘Blue Planet’. There has been a lot of work in the area of single-use plastics in the food industry for example. Single-use plastics are ubiquitous in healthcare, as they offer a more hygienic alternative to instruments and devices that need sterilising between uses. This is one area where it is not easy to make changes to more sustainable materials. Contact lenses are one area where single-use is the most hygienic option and while there has been evaluation carried out on the packaging of disposable contact lenses, very little is known about the materials themselves.

the explosive capacity of hydrogen. The propulsive powers of this highly reactive element were also revealed as the demonstrators fired hydrogen-powered bottle-rockets across the increasingly smoky Great Hall, much to the delight of the audience! In what is always a fascinating presentation, the Chemistry students also learnt about the everyday practical applications of these reactions.

Boys from Year 8 and 9 are focusing on formulating mixtures that could be used to break down the polymers in contact lenses. The older students at Bolton School and Haslingden High School will be looking at using spectroscopic techniques to find out how the formulations are affecting the bonds in the polymers. Other research will look at what would happen if a contact lens was flushed down the toilet and explore the behaviour of disposable contact lens users when they throw lenses away.

RSC Christmas Chemistry Lecture _______________________________________________________

ver 1,000 local pupils from twenty secondary schools from across the North West joined pupils from the Boys’ Division and Girls’ Division for the annual RSC (Royal Society of Chemistry) Christmas Lecture held in the Boys’

Pupils quiz Author over Skype _______________________________________________________

upils from both Divisions chatted with Alex Bell during a Skype call organised by the Library staff. Two groups convened in the Arts Centre, where Alex appeared onscreen to answer lots of questions about her books, her writing process and being an author.

Great Hall.

The event was particularly exciting for boys and girls in the Year 7 and 8 Book Clubs, who are involved in the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award (BCFA), as Alex’s book The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club was one of the six novels shortlisted in 2019. After hearing about Alex’s journey to become an author, pupils asked about her favourite authors when she was growing up (J.K. Rowling, Enid Blyton and Terry Pratchett) and her favourite mythological creature (the unicorn, though now she enjoys making up new ones). The questions also revealed that Alex keeps a notebook where she jots down ideas, which is where the title for The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club came from, but does all her writing on a computer due to “unreadable” handwriting. She talked about why she made Shay a wolf-whisperer and her inspiration for her characters, as well as revealing which of them is most like Alex herself. The audience, comprising pupils from state and independent schools in Year 9 and above, was treated to a spectacular ‘Flash Bang’ show from staff from King’s School, Macclesfield. A range of captivating chemistry experiments was conducted on stage, which gave a basic introduction to the world of atoms, molecules, solids, liquids and gases. For seasoned attendees, there were some new displays this year, including ‘fire-flies’ and a great mortar finale. The science behind each colourful flash and percussive bang was fully explained, with students enjoying a wide range of demonstrations, including liquid nitrogen being used to create bright blue liquid oxygen and

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Alex also writes young adult horror stories and in the second session discussed this genre with Year 11, focusing on her book Frozen Charlotte and its prequel Charlotte Says. She began with her influences and inspirations, which include Gothic horror and romance, and the fact that she chooses particular tropes to use in her books because those are her favourites. When asked why she hasn’t yet written about ‘creepy clowns’, she explained that it’s very difficult to get away from Stephen King’s It and so she would only do so if she thought she could do something different with it. Alex talked about the real-world inspiration for the small but scary dolls that feature in Frozen Charlotte: she discovered the dolls when she was first researching for the book and thought they were an interesting and original twist on a traditional horror trope. She also talked about the writing process and the difficulties and benefits of writing a prequel. Pupils in both sessions were delighted to pose their questions to Alex to find out more about her books and what it’s like to be an author.

to talk about how science can open up theological questions and answers. As an example, he successfully performed a card trick with two pupil volunteers, then asked the audience if his correct predictions were down to luck, or if he did something behind the scenes they don’t know about. He suggested that something similar might be happening to orchestrate the universe. Finally, he talked about the joys of science and how humans are capable of wonder. He quoted Proverbs 25:2, which reads: ‘God delights in concealing things; scientists delight in discovering things.’ He said that the world is a gift from God and scientists are the ones who get to unwrap it. He also compared this to studying an artist’s work to get to know the artist: in a similar sense, science is a form of worship that allows scientists to know God better. Dr. Pritchard also led one of the thought-provoking workshop sessions that followed.

Science and Theology Conference _______________________________________________________

upils explored the intersection between science and faith at a God and the Big Bang Conference. Theology, science and the relationship between the two were explored through a series of thought-provoking talks and workshops organised by the God and the Big Bang project. The conference was attended by Boys’ Division pupils in Years 10 and 11 currently taking Religious Studies (RS) for GCSE and a group of Year 9 pupils who are either on the Gifted and Talented register for RS or have already chosen to take the subject to GCSE level.

The day began with a keynote speech from Dr. Matt Pritchard, a science magician and ‘Curator of Wonder’. He shared his wonder at the world through a series of optical illusions, magic tricks, examples of human engineering interacting with nature and more. After describing the Big Bang in scientific terms, he asked pupils to think about and discuss questions that might emerge from his explanation, such as: ‘If energy can’t be created or destroyed, does that mean there was something before the Big Bang?’ This led him

A session focused on DNA was led by Dr. Suzanne Kalka, Project Coordinator for God and the Big Bang, who has a PhD in Chemical Physics from the University of Salford. Her practical session saw pupils extracting DNA from a banana while exploring the question ‘Do all living things show evidence of a creator?’ She also talked to pupils about different views on DNA and used as examples Richard Dawkins, famously an atheist, who believes DNA has no creator, and Francis Collins, leader of the Human Genome Project who said: ‘Creation is awesome … DNA … is the language of God.’

The third session was led by Dr. Tim Middleton, who recently completed a doctorate in Earth Sciences at the University of

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Oxford and is now a postgraduate student in Theology at Oxford. His workshop asked pupils to consider society’s relationships with different kinds of robots, the difficulties with artificial intelligence, and what makes something ‘smart’. He asked the question, ‘Are we okay with this?’ about a variety of different kinds of robots, from a production line assembly robot to a blessing robot called BlessU-2, and pupils had the opportunity to discuss and share their responses. Finally, the day ended with a question and answer session chaired by Michael Harvey, during which pupils asked a range of thoughtful questions about both faith and science.

Chemistry Race _______________________________________________________

n the final day before February half term, while the rest of school was heading home to put their feet up, Thomas Britton, Thomas Yates, Alex Gao and I were travelling down to Cambridge to take part in the first Chemistry Race held outside the Czech Republic. As this was a new competition, we had little idea what to expect. We were told that we would have two hours to complete as many chemistry questions as possible and that we could bring any books or notes we wanted. With that last part in mind, Dr. Yates packed us a whole suitcase filled to the brim with some of the finest chemistry textbooks to grace the Chemistry Block! Armed with these books, we drove down to Cambridge through a heavy storm and arrived at our Premier Inn. The next morning, we promptly headed towards the Cambridge Chemistry Department, where we attended the opening ceremony. Here we heard from the students who were running the race about its origins in the Czech Republic, and the rules were finally explained in their entirety. There were around thirty teams present, with around half in one room and half in another. Every team would be given an envelope with six question cards within, labelled A1-F1. There was a desk of markers, one for each category of letter, who would confirm whether or not we got a question right. If we got a question right first time, we gained four points and, each time we got a question wrong, the possible points we could gain decreased by one (until you had only one point to gain, at which point it would decrease no further). To progress in a letter category, you had to get the previous question right: getting A1 correct would get you question card A2. The further along a letter category we got, the harder the questions would be; this required a lot of strategy – do you spend another minute checking your working for a question or do you risk getting the answer wrong in order to move onto the next question more quickly? What made matters even more interesting

was the fact that each room had a live scoreboard of every team and their current score and this scoreboard would be taken down with 20 minutes remaining to make the race even more tense. We were escorted into a large student café, where we were told to find the desk with our team name on: it was at this point that we realised that Dr. Yates (who was being held in the lecture theatre we had just come from) had forgotten to tell us our team name. Our first challenge of the race was to figure out what our name could be: upon seeing the name C60, the molecular formula of the ‘buckyball’ that the famous Old Boy Harry Kroto had discovered, we instantly knew this must be us. With two hours on the clock, the race started. We tore open the brown envelope on our desk and pulled out the first question card. I couldn’t believe my eyes when within one second of seeing the question, Alex Gao wrote down the answer and rushed to the desk of markers. Could he have possibly got it right that quickly? C60 soon climbed to the top of the live leaderboard. The next hour was a bit of a blur. We instinctively developed a system where we would all have a go at a question each and if we were struggling we would pass it to someone else. I focused primarily on the calculation questions, the two other Toms did whatever else was to hand and Alex tackled the A Level content questions (which the rest of us hadn’t got onto yet). We spent the majority of the first hour around tenth position, but, as the other teams began to struggle on the later questions, we soon shot up to fifth place with half an hour to go. We soon ran into a problem, however – there was one answer that we kept handing in and kept being told was incorrect. Three of us did the calculation separately and got the same answer, so I asked the lead organiser for some guidance. After a fifteen minute wait, we found out that, when translating the questions from Czech to English, they had mistranslated radius to diameter. The organiser gave a sincere apology and I was able to politely persuade him to compensate our lost time with some extra points. With twenty minutes to go, the leaderboard was taken down. We knew we were still in fifth place and were determined to get a podium finish. Thomas Yates and Alex had a remarkably quick succession of correct answers and we must have gained at least 30 points in that time. We finished the race having enjoyed ourselves greatly and we felt confident that we had done well.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects While all the points were being double-checked by hand, we had an excellent lunch in the nearby Fitzbillies, a great reward for our efforts. We soon headed back to the Chemistry Department for the Closing Ceremony. The organising team again apologised for the mistake in the question, but said that they didn’t give our team any extra points as it didn’t make a difference to the outcome. In our final 20 minutes, we had done well enough to reach third place, only four points ahead of the fourth place team. For this, we were awarded commemorative glass beaker mugs. We were extremely happy with how we did, not least because we were beaten by two of the most respected schools from London, and because we didn’t have a full team of five. We truly enjoyed this experience, and we thank Dr. Yates for driving us to Cambridge and making this trip possible.

The teams were ultimately judged on their design, development of a solution and communication of ideas. The judges were also looking for evidence of planning and teamwork and each group’s portfolio of ideas. The models were also tested to see if they could achieve a goal number of flashes, with extra points scored if the group managed to beat the goal by ten or more. After much deliberation, the top three teams were awarded medals: two teams from Canon Slade School received gold and silver, with the bronze going to Rivington and Blackrod High School. Canon Slade School also earned overall first place in the tournament. Patrick Tyrell, District Governor of the Rotary Club, presented the teams with their prizes.

Physics Olympics _______________________________________________________

ver a hundred Year 9 pupils from eighteen schools from across the region gathered at Bolton School to compete in the annual Physics Olympics, organised by the School, the Ogden Trust and the Institute of Physics. Thirty-one teams, each with four members, took part in five thirty-minute challenges and a Physics Quiz – the Fermi Quiz – that tested their skills and knowledge over the course of the day. Each team was named after a famous Physician from Archimedes to Volta.

Thomas Higham 12b

Rotary Club Technology Tournament _______________________________________________________

When all the overall placings of each team in each task were taken into consideration, it was a Parklands Academy Chorley group that ran out the eventual winners – they even did so with only three members, as a colleague could not join them at the last minute! Two teams from Priestnall School Stockport took the Silver and Bronze medals.

he Rotary Club Technology Tournament was held at Bolton School. Multiple teams from Bolton School Boys’ Division, Canon Slade School, Rivington and Blackrod High School, Sharples School and Westhoughton High School went head-to-head in the competition. The teams were challenged to build a tower and billboard with a flashing beacon on top. They had to work from scratch and without help from their teachers, using their engineering skills and knowledge of electronics to construct a working model. They also used their artistic talents to decorate the billboards. The judges and Rotary Club organisers circulated throughout the process to see how the groups worked together throughout.

The Physics Olympics was run by teacher Mr. Ormerod and Bolton School staff with assistance from the lab technicians and Sixth Form pupils. The Sixth Formers also gave enlightening presentations at the end of the competition to help explain the physics behind some of the answers in the Fermi Quiz. Mr. Ormerod announced the winning teams for each individual

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects event, with first, second and third place in each task receiving medals. All of the pupils who attended the Physics Olympics also received participation medals. During the day, girls and boys undertook a variety of tasks. The ‘Rainbow Babies’ challenge put pupils’ knowledge of physics principles to the test: they were asked to calculate the combined mass of three hand-knitted dolls using only a stand, a spring, a stopclock and a set of 100g masses. Pupils were given two methods, one measuring the spring’s oscillations and the other its extension, both of which are based on Hooke’s Law. They then had to use their knowledge and practical abilities to plot a graph before using all of the information to come up with the correct answer.

Mrs. Dootson ran a workshop for the teachers and lab technicians from the various schools. It proved a very popular and worthwhile session, which gave the visitors a unique opportunity to improve their understanding of physics and they were delighted with their “make and take” kettle man, which will assist in the teaching of mains electricity.

Pupils had lots of fun creating air-powered rockets in the ‘Bullseye’ task. Each team made their own paper rocket and then fired it along the corridor, aiming to send the rocket through a hoop attached to the ceiling for an extra ten points before landing it on a target, preferably on the bullseye for maximum points! Strategy and aerodynamics were both important for this task although pupils enjoyed launching their creations along the corridor regardless of the outcome! In ‘Sink or Swim’, the challenge was to create a boat capable of holding the greatest possible mass of marbles without sinking in a tub of water. This was certainly one of the most difficult tasks of the day, as pupils were given just two sheets of card, two plastic wallets and Sellotape to work with! Nonetheless, all the teams worked hard to come up with waterproof boat designs and to increase the buoyancy to maximise the number of marbles they could hold. Another construction task was ‘Jelly Baby Towers’, in which pupils had to build a tower that was capable of holding a hardboiled egg for ten seconds, using only brittle dry spaghetti and jelly babies! The tallest tower won the task, so pupils had to consider ways to strengthen their designs, as well as figure out how to hold the egg at the top. ‘Delayed Timing’ asked pupils to slow a marble’s descent down a sloping board, and, if possible, use it to turn a light on and off in the course of its journey. The Year 9s quickly discovered that this was not as easy as it appeared. They used 100g masses, cardboard and masking tape to construct mazes for the marbles to run through and came up with creative ways to switch lights on and off in the process. Throughout the day, there was also the ‘Fermi Quiz’ to complete: a difficult series of questions that really tested pupils’ knowledge, but a good way to pick up extra marks for those who managed correct answers. The eventual winner of this section was Stockport School.

Lecture Competition _______________________________________________________

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

As oracy is such as important skill, not only for our current GCSEs with the inclusion of a speaking task, but also for life in general, we have continued in the English Department to run our Lecture Competition. Though it can be a challenging skill to master, our pupils continue to deliver some excellent speeches, both in lessons and in their respective Lecture Competition Finals. After the development of this competition last year, in which we refined the focus for each year group’s speech, Year 7 delivered talks about a topic of interest to them and Year 9 took on the challenge of a particular speech genre (such as an inspirational or sports commentary speech). Unfortunately, Year 8 did not have the opportunity to take part in this competition due to current events; however, we look forward to watching their speeches next year. The speaking and listening skills of our pupils have continued to improve in each year of this competition and these three finals saw some exemplary performances from all pupils involved. Despite the high standard, there could only be two winners: Year 7: Finlay Davidson Year 9: Billy Burrows Though the winners of both years deserve special mention for their enthusiastic, engaging and knowledgeable speeches, the finalists

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects who took part exhibited great passion for their chosen topics and also spoke very well. The Year 7 Finalists: Nathan Pierson 7a Jake Kozera 7b Junaid Ahmed 7d Joseph Williams 7e Talha Pandor 7f Bill Hope 7g

Inter-schools Quiz Competitions _______________________________________________________

n Tuesday 4th February, it was time to hit the road once again and head east to Bury Grammar for the Annual Senior Quiz Competition.

Eight boys, imbued with a heady mix of nerves and excitement, boarded the bus with Mrs. Brace and Mr. Cropper, each boy hoping that the practice sessions which have been regularly held on Monday lunchtimes would bear fruit. Mr. Humphrey drove the minibus expertly through Bolton town centre and beyond. On arrival, we were taken to the Library for lunch and a rundown of the afternoon’s activities. Bolton Boys ‘A’ team (Ben Rimmer, Thomas Martin, Anuj Mishra and Veer Patel) was in Group 2 with Cheadle Hulme ’B’, Bury Grammar ‘A’ and Calday Grange ‘B’. Bolton School ‘B’ team (Amaan Patel, Ben Hunt, Hunain Tauseef and Levi Higham) was in Group 3 with Stockport Grammar ‘B’, Calday Grange ‘A’ and Cheadle Hulme ‘A’. The ‘A’ team won two games and thus qualified for the Plate competition. The ‘B’ team had a great win against Stockport in their third game, but it was unfortunately not enough to qualify.

The Year 9 Finalists: Jacob Carr 9d Cameron Geskell 9e Levi Higham 9d Jayden Luhar 9c Thomas Norrington-Moore 9b

In the Plate Semi-final, the ‘A’ team faced Oldham Hulme, runnersup in Group 1. In a terrific contest, our team was just edged out and was cruelly denied a place in the Final. We returned to school a little older and wiser and with a determination to do even better next year. On Wednesday 11th March, it was the turn of our Junior Quiz teams to take part in the Inter-schools Quiz at Bury, so eight boys set off to test their mettle and general knowledge. Two teams represented the School: Team ‘A’ consisted of Adam Berisford, Adam Faulkner, Ben Maher and Jonathan Frank, while Team ‘B’ comprosed Muhammed Yahya Bax, Adam Khattak, Abdur Rahman Maljee and Rayhan Vasanwala. Team ‘B’ had an early taste of the standard of competition in their group when they watched Lancaster ‘A’ defeat Merchant Taylors’ ‘B’ 430 – 0. Our team did better against Lancaster – the general knowledge displayed by two of their team members could only be described as phenomenal – and they ran Merchants close, but unfortunately all three group games were lost.

Well done to all pupils in Years 7 and 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! Miss E.M. Harper

Meanwhile Team ‘A’ fared better in their group. Having lost to Lancaster ‘B’, they recovered to beat Bury ‘C’ and Cheadle ‘B’, both by convincing margins. This meant the team qualified for the Plate Competition with the runners-up from the other three groups. In this Semi-final match, they lost to a strong team from Calday, who had travelled through from the Wirral – such is the draw of this wellestablished and prestigious competition.

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects The boys enjoyed the experience and discovered that speed on the buzzer is just as important as knowing the answers. Mr. P.N. Cropper

World Book Day _______________________________________________________

orld Book Day was commemorated with activities across the whole of Bolton School, from the Nursery through to the Sixth Form.

In the Boys’ Division, ‘Found Not Lost’ books were scattered around the school for pupils to find and take home, and boys could also search the corridors for science fiction and fantasy quotes to match with the correct book for a quiz organised by the Library. A short story was distributed in instalments to all pupils in Years 7 and 8, and these year groups were also encouraged to write mash-up microfictions in their English lessons, based on two cards featuring characters, places and creatures from sci-fi and fantasy texts. Boys also took part in the Great Book Bake Off by bringing in a delicious array of cakes and bakes impressively decorated to represent different sci-fi and fantasy novels.

Shares4Schools Competition _______________________________________________________

t was at the beginning of Year 12 that our team decided to apply for the Shares4Schools Competition. We thought that it would be a good test of our investing skills and that we would learn lots along the way. As the competition began, we decided to adopt a diversified approach across many different industries in an attempt to reduce our exposure to risk; this was especially important as the competition restricted us to trading almost exclusively on the London Stock Exchange, which meant that we were restricted to mostly UK listed stock (with the exception of certain funds). However, this diversified plan, although providing

us with slow and steady gains, was not effective enough under the immense time pressure we were under. It was then that we decided to adopt a slightly more aggressive and less diversified portfolio in an attempt to achieve a higher return given the limited time period. This worked out well for us, as we held Number One position for many weeks and, in our peak, achieved a fifty-two percent return before we lost out to COVID-19 volatility, and the competition was prematurely stopped. Omar Hasan 12f

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

s I’m writing this, I would most likely have just turned the page to face the 25 mark essay in Biology Paper 3, had all of this crazy stuff not happened. The last days of school were like a complete smack in the face. The week started just like any other had done. Some of my friends were self-isolating and I expected to see them the Monday after. That Monday, of course, very few of us returned to school. I remember I was staying late after school on Wednesday in one of Mr. Palmer’s after school maths sessions – struggling immensely I must admit – when he walked in and told me to pack up and go home. Exams had been cancelled. Everything I had worked towards for the past two years, that goal I have been focused on, just withered away. Then the new plan was to fit the victory lap of our last months of school time into just two days. On Friday, our last day, I teared up as I walked into school, having still not fully come to terms with the fact that it is all over. As with most things, however, I soon got over that wave of sadness. The massive three week Easter holiday, which was meant to be full of revision was now left bare, and in that vacuum I watched movies, played games and started a blog. I’m quite glad Lockdown happened and our exams got cancelled. I think it’s pretty likely that I would have burned myself out by the time exams were over and starting uni like that would not be a good idea at all. Instead I’ve been afforded the opportunity to relax and rest; in fact, I’d probably not have such an opportunity again until I retired! Yusuf Adia 13f

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects Old Boy TV Producer talks to pupils _______________________________________________________

onny Ashton, an award-winning Freelance Documentary Director, who left Bolton School in 2005, delivered a series of inspirational talks to boys in Years 9 and 11, and students in the Sixth Form in March. He described his job as being all about ‘telling stories’ and that this is different from producing news items or being a journalist. Having made documentaries for many channels – a recent show ‘Murder 24/7’ airing on BBC2 – he stressed how it is important to get to the heart of characters and stories and to ensure the audience is emotionally involved. He said that whilst it is good to have a plan, you need to be ready for surprises and that if you make a show which is exactly as you originally intended then you are probably not listening to people properly. He showed an example from the BAFTA-nominated ‘Mighty Redcar’, where a young man learns that he has been offered a music deal in real time and how this changed his life – and the course of the programme. He has also spoke about producing other documentaries including: ‘Celebrity Hunted’, ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’, ‘Ambulance’, ‘The Paras: Men of War’, ‘Surgeons: At the Edge of Life’ and ‘999: On the Frontline’. Jonny recalled how he was interested in drama at school, but went on to do a Psychology degree and then started on the bottom rung of tv production. He recalled driving the van, making the tea and carrying the equipment. He said he looked after the camera in his hotel room on shoots and was allowed to play about with it. This was great, he said, in allowing him to learn as much as he could about how the cameras work. He advised the boys to never be afraid to ask questions and to watch documentaries on YouTube to get a feel for how they are made and how interviews are conducted. He also advised that learning a language is a very good thing – for example, a command of Spanish would allow you to work in many countries. He said the best advice he could give is to have a sense of what you want to do, but be prepared to be flexible and change. When you get to university, he advised, join as many clubs as you can, and he recalled how he ran the Drama Society for two years and how it was a free ‘trial run’ at running a small business. He also advised of lots of other societies to join such as TV and Radio Clubs.

The boys also enjoyed listening to former pupil Luke Crompton, who left five years ago and is now an advertising copywriter, and Jamal Niaz, a sports and entertainment journalist. Following Jonny Ashton’s visit to school, he was immediately one of several television producers and crew involved in the Channel 4 programme ‘Coronavirus: How to Isolate Yourself’. Production company Parable contacted Jonny and others on Friday 13th March and just eight days later the show aired on tv. The programme offered an expert, no-nonsense guide on how to cope from Dr. Xand van Tulleken and psychologist Kimberley Wilson.

Reflecting on the making of the documentary, Jonny said: ‘My role was as one of the directors and the programme was made, by tv norms, in an incredibly short space of time. We started filming the day after they had called me. The overriding message of the programme was that we need to treat this seriously. If we ignore the advice on self-isolation and social distancing, there is a real danger that we can pass this disease on without even knowing we ever contracted it. Social distancing will give ourselves, our loved ones and the community the best possible chance of surviving. It is critical that we don’t overstretch the NHS and we ‘flatten the curve’ of infections.

Bolton School Bees help Urban Outreach _______________________________________________________

olton School Beekeeping Club has donated ten jars of honey to Urban Outreach, who, with the support of Bolton Council, are preparing food packages for those families most in need during the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, ‘Butchart’s Bradshaw Bees’, set up by DTE teacher Mr. Butchart, donated five more jars to the cause. Bolton School bees were moved off-site during Lockdown to Mr. Butchart’s back garden. The hives had to be sealed up early in the morning before the bees started flying and packed into Mr. Butchart’s car. They were driven though Bolton and, as Mr. Butchart was wearing his beekeeping gear, it attracted more than a few turned heads from people who clearly thought he had taken the PPE issue just a little too far! He took five hives home, which meant he had

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects 25,000 bees in the back of his car! Instead of having a few hives to look after, Mr. Butchart has nine, which is definitely more than he or his neighbours were expecting during the summer. At least the apple and pear trees were well pollinated, along with every other crop in a two mile radius!

The competition was set up by the Economics Treasury, run by Nick MacPherson and Andrew Crook, consisting of multiple rounds all judged by former senior economists at Her Majesty’s Treasury. We, as a team, were extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate, as well as honoured to be judged by economists of such prestigious backgrounds. Looking forward, however, only time will tell if the polices enacted by our real counterparts will be the source of revival for our economy. Mohammad Maka 12d

World War Two Day _______________________________________________________

O Economic Horizon Competition _______________________________________________________

n 25th June, the School commemorated the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War Two by holding a World War Two themed day. All departments created a wonderful array of resources that showed how World War Two impacted their subject. The boys were asked to research, and learnt many key elements of the conflict. In History, they created their own virtual museums, in languages, they learnt about the impact of the war on that country, sciences saw investigations in medical developments, synthetics and the bouncing bomb.

his year saw the launch of a new competition, labelled ‘Economic Horizon’, aimed at Year 12 economists. It consisted of teams, from independent schools across the North West, submitting their take on the task set. I was fortunate to participate in a team consisting of Omar Hasan, Nathan Burudi, Michael Wong and Charlie Middleton. The brief told us to devise and communicate the best analysis of the current UK economy and to prescribe the best policies for achieving its economic objectives. Entries were produced and submitted digitally, consisting of one pdf with a voice-over, lasting a maximum of ten minutes. Given the situation with COVID-19, economic policy is very much in the limelight, providing much to discuss, but it also creates a challenge, to tackle an unprecedented event in detail, within such limited time. The main issue was uncertainty, with the future being entirely uncertain. We had to decide on whether controlling the National Debt and our budget deficit was an issue to prioritise, which we decided against, a choice heavily influenced by the views of Paul Krugman. The existence of a second wave to the pandemic was another factor to weigh up, with terrible consequences should it be mishandled. We also had to look for the optimal policies to deal with the aftermath of the current recession. Our recommendation was a large package of infrastructure spending to help get the economy back on its feet, whilst maintaining the furlough scheme for the foreseeable future. This would have multiple effects, chief among them being economic protection during a second wave and a strong boost to help the economy grow once again.

Geography allowed them to look at how mapping influenced the D-Day landings, while Classics looked at symbols of power. English focused on poetry, and Art encouraged the boys to create their own piece of work symbolising the war. The day provided the opportunity for the boys in all year groups to see the complexity of World War Two, and challenged them to think about the impact it had. While this is a very serious topic, the day was delivered in a thoroughly enjoyable

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects

Bill Hope 7g way for the boys and staff. It would not have been possible without each department throwing themselves into it, for which I am extremely thankful. Mr. J.C. Moore

Offline Day _______________________________________________________

e settled into a routine of remote learning, which certainly served us well, but Offline Day presented a valuable opportunity to step away from the machines, unplug and unwind as we reflected on our experiences of Lockdown. Interestingly, designing a day without the use of technology was not as easy as one might imagine. The boys, however, made a seamless transition between their online and offline realities to complete the various activities with zeal.

Aariyan Chauhan 7c

Inspired by Bloomberg CityLab, we asked them to create maps to represent their lives and communities in Lockdown. We were invited into homes, on daily walks and came to understand what the boys valued and missed. It was a privilege to view these personal snapshots of daily life and although we face many challenges, Bill Hope’s map seemed to summarise our collective experience, mostly it was sunny, but sometimes it rained. Miss H. Tunstall

Ahmed Musa 8c

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Academic Enrichment & Community Projects

Boys were also encouraged to engage in some focused reading, to participate in the exercise challenges from the Sports Department and to be creative, whether that be actively listening to a piece of music, playing an instrument or doing some drawing as a relaxing mindfulness activity. The boys were encouraged to go outside and make an audit of the wildlife and plants and to be still and silent, listening to the natural sounds around them. The more adventurous embarked on the challenge of creating a bug hotel using materials to hand such as bricks, wood, dry leaves and cardboard.

All boys took a photo of themselves in Lockdown and wrote a letter to one of the 418 Old Boys who were contactable and over 70 years of age. The boys’ letters included detailed personal experiences of Lockdown and the remote school experience, and were mailed to the Old Boys, many of whom wrote in reply. Many of the boys’ Lockdown experiences can be found throughout ‘The Boltonian’.

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Clubs & Societies French Arts and Culture Club _______________________________________________________

his year saw the launch of the French Arts and Culture Club. The club is open to Sixth Formers studying French, and those interested in expanding their knowledge of this rich culture. The boys chose the themes for our weekly meetings, and over the year, they have enjoyed learning about French pop music, Louis XIV, the events of May 1968 and les comédies musicales to name but a few. The final topic covered this year was an introduction to Francophone literature written outside of the métropole, an in-depth study of Aimé Césaire’s Cahier d’un retour au pays natal (Notebook of a Return to My Native Land). The boys impressed with their commitment, genuine interest and appreciation of the subtleties and nuances of the language. The club has been an excellent way to supplement their A Level studies, and to provide a foundation for those interested in studying French at university. A special thanks goes to the school French Language Assistant, Miss I. Da Silva, who generously gave her time and expertise to help run the club. Thank you to all the boys who attended this year. We look forward to welcoming members old and new come September. Miss K.J. Roddy

Yoga Club _______________________________________________________

oga Club is a place to relax and release any stress you have that needs to be let free. Here, we do all sorts of stretches and lying down so you can feel calm and relaxed and help you carry on with your day. Yoga is also very healthy and good for your body, and is a great activity for you if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease. It also gives you strength, flexibility and mind-body awareness. Yoga can help you stay flexible and strong, without putting added stress and strain on your joints.

You don’t have to start yoga just because you are stressed about exams or homework. I began yoga because I play a lot of sport and I thought (and, my dad thought) that it would help me with Rugby. Yoga also helped me to get rid of back, chest and hip pains, by stretching them effectively and now they are much better.

Got no pains or stress? Sure! Still come along or get your parents to persuade you to. Yoga is good for literally any sport because it helps to build your core strength and stamina. We welcome any boys to come and join this amazing club, led by a professional, who knows what she is doing. More and more people are joining every week. So, do not hesitate – come to the Drama Studio C14 every Wednesday lunchtime and do some Yoga! It’s never too late to try. Jacob Audley 9f

Eco-Society _______________________________________________________

his year has seen the introduction (or resurrection) of an eco-society. With an initial aim of achieving Green Flag status for the School next year, the society has completed an environmental audit of the school. Based on the findings from this audit, we decided that our future plans will be based around the five strands of biodiversity, energy, marine, school grounds and waste. We have spent some time coming up with ideas of actions to put in place next year, both as a society and as a whole school through the Environmental Survey.

Our Survey went live over Lockdown and got 585 responses. The boys told us that they want to learn more, are concerned about

40 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

Clubs & Societies climate change and plastic pollution, want to have activities to participate in and suggested lots of great ideas. The Offline Day also provided the boys with the opportunity to observe and encourage biodiversity through a garden survey and bug house construction. Look out next year for news ways to learn, get involved and contribute to a greener future. Miss E.A. Bramhall

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

n my opinion, Bolton School is dealing extremely well in response to COVID-19 and its approach to remote learning. Our day is very well-structured and organised. At 8.45, our normal registration period, we meet our form tutors on Zoom. This works brilliantly, and all the pupils get to see each other virtually, which is amazing. Our structured day keeps us motivated and the engagement in the online lessons is just the same as it would be if we were in school. Most of our teachers use Zoom, so we sign in onto it at the start of every lesson until the end of period six. Every week, my Sports teacher sends us weekly sports challenges via email, which is what we do if we have Sport, P.E. or Swimming on our timetables. Normally in school, we would have an assembly every Tuesday and Thursday and at the end of term a Celebration Assembly – these normal events do not cease to exist, they carry on but are streamed on YouTube by the Headmaster. Lockdown has been a real challenge for some schools, but Bolton School is not letting anything get in its way!

Lower School Book Club _______________________________________________________

ow in its eighth year, Book Club continues to be a popular club amongst our eager Lower School readers. It has been wonderful to see so many new faces this year, as well as welcoming back many of our committed members from previous years. We have organised a wide variety of activities in our Book Club meetings this year, ranging from artistic creations such as making maps to discussing our favourite stories and genres. As ever, we look forward to welcoming new members in the new school year. Miss E.M. Harper & Mrs. M. Howarth This year in Book Club, we have taken part in many different activities. I would like to focus on two aspects of this club: firstly, what we have done with the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award shortlist and other annual literary events and secondly, some of our meetings that I have particularly enjoyed. Being a member of Book Club meant that we were invited to the unveiling of the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award shortlist before everyone else. We have also been encouraged to write reviews for each of the books, which has been very exciting. We were also able to attend other interesting events hosted by our school, such as Chris Riddell’s visit, in which he not only spoke to us about his writing experiences, but also drew many pictures for us, illustrating the stories he told during his talk. Another event that I thoroughly enjoyed was the question and answer session with Alex Bell. My favourite book series is The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club, so I found this event very interesting. The book award has definitely been a big part of Book Club and we have had several debates about which story we liked best.

Personally, I am really enjoying this Lockdown experience – the main reason is time. I don’t have a long bus ride to and from school every day any more or all my activities after school, which I do enjoy... just the gift of time. Zak McAlister 7a

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 41

Clubs & Societies Some of my favourite lunchtime activities have been creating maps, which could either be based on a book we had read (I did mine based on The Polar Bear Explorers’ Club) or a place of our own creation. At Christmas, we did a book-based quiz and played bingo, which was really fun.

becoming heated, Lockdown began, so it is détente, for now.

Finally, every year in Book Club we have a Harry Potter themed club session on the day closest to International Harry Potter Day. For this session, we are put into four houses and then take part in games such as finding and taming the monster book, charades and a Harry Potter themed quiz.

Mr. N.R.W. Wyatt

Book Club has been great this year. I will definitely go next year and I hope you will as well!

he Model UN Society, like so many others, has certainly experienced highs and lows this year, with an unfortunate early finish and some of our favourite conferences cancelled due to the restrictions of Lockdown, but there is still much to report from a very positive and enjoyable year of debating!

Miguel Jones-Brosed 8e

Russian Club _______________________________________________________

or the first time in recorded history, Russian Club began an academic year without a seasoned Year 10 or Year 11 boy at the helm. The success tasted under the leadership of James Hopkinson in 2018-19 was not enough to sway the masses, and the youngest ever Politburo, made up entirely of Year 8 boys, took office in September in a colossal victory for democracy. The boys in question (President Dimitris Demertzis, Vice President Greg Dorsky, Propaganda Minister Thomas Atkinson, Scribe Alex Dorsky and Cultural Attaché Aleks Clayden) argued that Russian Club had been stuck in a Brezhnevian period of stagnation under Hopkinson, promising an end to cronyism and a fresh focus on living standards. The cronyism is still in place, but a wave of new features swept B16 to appease voters. Dimitris introduced the Russian speedtalking competition which, though unpopular, was very impressive. Alex provided artwork of great imagination and Greg gave worrying insight into his social life. Aleks started a trend he has termed “the Slav Squat”, even giving masterclasses on how to perfect it, whilst Tom provided ever-reliable tech support. Sixth Formers were invited back to wax lyrical about past Russian trips and to give advice about further study of Russian. Those presentations were very well received, in part because attendance and applause were made compulsory for club members. The weekly Russian quiz continued to keep everyone in touch with developments in the Motherland, while at the same time ensuring that a diverse range of topics were covered, such that, like Russia itself, you could never predict what would come next. There were, however, dissenters amongst the People. Miguel JonesBrosed, for example, caused great furore in our one-party socialist paradise, with the creation of his Brenter Party. Sadly, as debate was

42 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to B16 as soon as we are able, and to meeting new members. Until then, please keep well, stay in touch with each other and see you when we see you.

Model United Nations Society _______________________________________________________

We began the year with a new launch of our weekly club, ably and confidently led by our Sixth Form MUN-ers, who were able to guide both new, as well as more experienced participants in the rules of procedure and advise on how to enjoy success at conferences this year. It was fantastic to see some new members from Year 9 join the club, and I sincerely hope that the experiences they have had will spur them on to enjoy Model UN for many years to come. As well as our usual society activities, this year saw an ambitious programme of trips and events to Oxford, Manchester, Patterdale and Shrewsbury, and whilst some of our later plans were thwarted by COVID-19, the year certainly got off to an excellent start as we made our way to Oxford University, and our second Global conference. Having enjoyed so much success at the Oxford University Global Conference last year, expectations for the event and our performance were high. Preparations began prior to the weekend, with the submission of policy papers for all delegates, providing excellent experience in research and writing proposals to solve world challenges. The conference itself also offered the opportunity to revisit iconic locations at the University; we made our usual stops at the Bodleian, the Sheldonian, Christ Church Meadows, the Examination Schools, enjoyed our usual Exeter College lunch and, of course, the slightly more informal provisions at Pizza Express. Debaters also had the chance to listen to guest speakers at the Oxford Union and our driver for the weekend, Mr. Britton, enjoyed a brand new challenge – trying to drive a rather wide minibus through the extremely narrow archway to our executive

Clubs & Societies parking spot in Somerville College, an experience we know he enjoyed a great deal.

However, it wasn’t all fun and games, and the weekend was one of intensive debating, literally from sunrise to sunset, working collaboratively with pupils from all over the world; it goes without saying that the standard of debate was, therefore, extremely competitive. Nevertheless, our delegates made their mark and were recognised for their many positive contributions. Oxford Global does not give team awards, but there were individual commendations for our individual contributions. Thomas Britton was recognised for writing the best position paper in his committee, Richard Drake received an Honourable Mention for his participation in the Security Council and Zayd Ascroft was named the Outstanding Delegate in his committee. We were extremely proud of all the delegates who participated in the conference and left Oxford ready to take on our local competitions with confidence, having learnt a great deal more about the art of compromise, collaboration and persuasion. Following Oxford, we regrouped at a debating weekend at our very own Patterdale Hall in January, joining with Senior Lit. and Deb. during a somewhat rainy weekend to further hone our debating skills. We reviewed the issues of genetic engineering and, through some thoughtful discussion and compromise, were able to pass a resolution. The weekend also allowed more pupils to experience the MUN format and, battling the rain on our return walk from Aira Force certainly developed resilience and team spirit amongst all Bolton School debaters! Back home, we were delighted to welcome yet more new debaters

to the club in Spring Term, with several new Year 11 pupils opting to give Model UN a try as we prepared for our next conference at Manchester High School for Girls – a fantastic conference and always a real highlight of the year, with connections being made with many MUN friends from local schools. This year, we sent delegations from the UK and DR Congo, with many of our delegates representing school for the very first time. After another weekend of fierce debate, once again, we were delighted to be recognised in many committees. Lily Rimmer was named the Outstanding Delegate in EnviroSci at her first ever competitive conference, Jack Swires, Finley Littlefair and Zayd Ascroft all received Special Mentions in their committees, Thomas Britton was Highly Commended in the Security Council, Thomas Higham was named the Outstanding Delegate in UNIDO and Luke Pek was Commended in his first ever conference. These were an outstanding set of results, with so many pupils from Bolton School recognised for their individual contributions.

Riding high on our success at the conference, we began to turn our attention to the preparations for SHREWSMUN, but sadly, it was not to be. As the situation around the global pandemic worsened, it soon became clear that our competitions for this year had now drawn to a close and succumbed, ironically, to the type of world event to which our Model UN-ers so frequently debate possible solutions. Whilst it has been a shorter year than usual, MUN Society still packed in a great deal and I have no doubt that when we can, we will return as ambitious and enthusiastic as ever. The club has developed and matured, now with a confident number of Senior boys able to lead and guide an enthusiastic crop of debaters from the Lower and Middle School, who are gaining in confidence at every meeting and conference. It is fantastic to see the collegiality between year groups and the support that is shared amongst our debaters; I am convinced that this is the reason for our continued success and, as ever, I would like to thank all the pupils who have participated

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 43

Clubs & Societies in Model UN this year for their hard work, enthusiasm and good humour. I would also like to extend my thanks to Miss Buttigieg and Mr. Britton, without whom, running the club activities and trips would simply not be possible. It is clear that the world faces many challenges at the moment; however, having seen the positive, open and collaborative approach so many young people take to solving such issues through activities like Model UN, I think we can remain positive about what the future holds. Mrs. C.L. Waller

Public Speaking and Debating Colours (Model UN) _______________________________________________________

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

Form Colour

Zayd Ascroft Thomas Britton Richard Drake Thomas Higham Thomas Whitehead Ben Bruton Matthew Settle Jack Swires

12a 12a 12e 12b 13g 11a 11e 11b

Full Full Full Full Full Half Half Half

Senior Literary and Debating Society _______________________________________________________

enior Literary and Debating Society has continued to run as a successful society, both internally within School and through our participation in external competitions. We have entered a range of debating competitions including the Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition, which focuses on the British Parliamentary style of debating, as well as the English Speaking Union’s MACE competition. This year also marks the second year of our revived Debating Retreat weekend, where we joined with Mrs. Waller and Model UN. We spent the weekend debating and participating in a Model UN competition, as well as visiting the waterfall at Aira Force. Aden Stephenson, Thomas Britton and Zayd Ascroft represented the School in our external competitions this year. As the rules for the English Speaking Union’s MACE competition have now changed, we were able to enter a team of three for this competition. Thomas, Aden and Zayd all proposed the motion ‘This House would make voting compulsory’. While all three spoke passionately and knowledgeably about the topic, we unfortunately did not progress to the next round. Aden and Thomas also represented Bolton School in the Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition, debating the decriminalisation of drugs and the implementation of domestic content requirements for media companies.

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. Colours were awarded to the following boys: Name Zayd Ascroft Thomas Britton Aden Stephenson Thomas Higham Thomas Hothersall Haris Imran Tom Nally

Form Colour 12a Full 12a Full 13j Full 12b Half 11b Half 11b Half 11b Half

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During our lunchtime society meetings, we have continued to debate topical and, at times, controversial issues. This year, we have debated issues such as whether one should use force in cases of selfdefence, the impact of climate change and dietary choices, whether childhood vaccinations should be compulsory and the merits of single-sex education. As in previous years, we have also continued to devote a considerable amount of time to the development of debating skills, such as deconstructing motions, developing and structuring arguments and defending difficult positions or motions.

Clubs & Societies In the afternoon, we focused on Model UN. We had been given time the night before to research our country’s views on the issue of genetic engineering. The room was divided: on one side, the delegate of Kazakhstan and I (the delegate of Russia) led the call for far-reaching legislation on genetic engineering while, on the other, the delegate of the USA fought for little to no legislation. The debate was heated, and it was unclear if any resolution would pass. At one point, the delegate of the USA proclaimed “having ambition is great, but having sense is better”. Despite this, we soon came to a compromise and a resolution was passed.

It has been wonderful to welcome some new younger members this year as well, especially at our Debating and Model UN Patterdale weekend, and I look forward to expanding the Society further in future years. We say farewell to Aden Stephenson as this year’s Debating Chair. He has represented the School in two prominent external debating competitions, as well as attending our Debating Retreat weekend and our society lunchtimes. He has been an active speaker in our lunchtime debates, speaking with confidence and knowledge about a wide range of topics. He will be missed by the Society and I hope he continues to debate in his future academic career.

That evening we watched ‘The King’s Speech’, which gave an interesting angle on how to improve public speaking. On the Sunday morning, we took a trip on a lake steamboat across Ullswater and walked to the Aira Force waterfall. This gave us a chance to reflect on the weekend while taking in the beautiful views around Patterdale. Upon arriving back at Patterdale Hall, there was an awards ceremony, where prizes were given out for notable achievements during the weekend. This was a very enjoyable weekend and we thank Miss Harper, Mrs. Waller and Mr. Britton for making it possible.

Miss E.M. Harper

Debating and Model United Nations Patterdale weekend In January, members of the Model UN Society and the Literary and Debating Society had the opportunity to spend a weekend at Patterdale. This was a great chance for many debaters to try out Model UN, and vice versa, for the first time while improving their debating skills. I was initially unsure how things would go, with such a range of pupils from Years 9 to 13, but I think it is safe to say the weekend was a success. Our first activity on the Friday evening was to try to speak for as long as possible ourselves about a given prompt word. I seem to recall receiving the word ‘blue’ and giving a nationalist rant about how it represents what it was to be French (this was not the last time the room was filled with audible sighs). The next morning was focused on debating. We started by forming pairs and writing down arguments for and against different issues. This helped us to prepare ourselves for the next activity, in which we worked in groups for our first debating competition. This was a great chance for everyone to show off their debating skills and led to some heated discussion. In fact, this continued long after the competition ended, as we were all eager to share our ideas.

Thomas Higham 12b The debating and MUN weekend at Patterdale Hall was thoroughly enjoyable. We left school on the Friday and travelled up to Patterdale Hall. We spent the Saturday debating and improving our debating skills. We then had a full debate, incorporating all of our new skills, on the benefits of veganism. Later that evening, we had a Model UN debate. I was a member of the Model UN Club, but I had not yet been to a conference. This was a great opportunity for me, as it helped me gain more practical experience of Model UN. I really got involved and enjoyed it. I was

CLUBS & SOCIETIES 45

Clubs & Societies the delegate for France in our debate about Genetically Modified Organisms.

Strictly Dance Club _______________________________________________________

I really enjoyed the second day of the weekend. My favourite moment was our boat trip across Ullswater and I especially appreciated the wonderful Lake District views. After we disembarked, we went on an amazing walk to Aira Force. I had been studying waterfalls in Geography at the time and took an interest in all the features. Overall, I really liked the weekend; it allowed me to enjoy nature and help me improve my debating skills, as well as spending time with other like-minded students who enjoy debate and MUN. I would thoroughly recommend this trip!

here has been a super uptake for Strictly Dance Club this year, with many new recruits from both Divisions. The club runs every Friday lunchtime in the Arts Centre for boys and girls in Years 9 to 13, and is an opportunity to learn the basics of Ballroom and Latin American dancing, which has never been more popular, thanks to the BBC TV series ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. So far this year, we have been learning the Jive, Cha Cha Cha and slow Foxtrot, which we are hoping to take forward with the addition of the Tango, Waltz and Samba up to Christmas. Some of our Sixth Form members have been with us for a number of years and have utilised their skills to complete practical elements required for their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.

Levi Higham 9d

Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition The Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition was a great opportunity for us to improve our debating skills in a style (British parliamentary) that is notably different to what we are used to. It was held at Manchester Grammar School. After arriving and eating a quick snack, we went straight into our first debate. The motion was “This House would decriminalise all drugs” and we, as Closing Government, had to support this proposition, and round up the debate for our team. There were many areas of keen debate, including the effect of drugs on global security, and the psychological effects of peer pressure. While our points were delivered well, and we seemed to make a noticeable impact on the debate, it was our rebuttal that we needed to work on. A short break followed before our second time. The motion this time was “This House would introduce a domestic content requirement”, a slightly niche topic that required a short presentation on what a domestic content requirement was (when the government introduces a quota on what proportion of media has to be produced within the UK). This was a more challenging debate, as we had to develop arguments for a very technical issue, and we were Opening Government this time (so we were the first speakers in the debate). Between us, we managed to present a convincing argument and managed to pre-empt most of the opposition’s points. We did much better in this debate, but unfortunately the great quality of all teams there meant we missed out on the cut for the next stage of the competition. It was, however, a very valuable experience from which I learned a great deal. Thomas Britton 12a

46 CLUBS & SOCIETIES

This year, we were fortunate to take part in Open Morning, where some of our dancers dressed up smartly for a vintage-style dance demonstration, proudly showing their new Jive skills to parents and prospective pupils.

Mrs. E.J. Fielding

The Houses The Lyde Cup _______________________________________________________

his year’s competition was somewhat marred by the weather and the global pandemic; however, in true Bolton School style, the competition still went ahead in the 117th race for the Lyde Cup.

This year’s winners were as follows: Junior Football Intermediate Football Senior Football Hockey Basketball & Dodgeball Junior Rugby Senior Rugby Cross Country Lydeman Challenge Tennis Chess Word Games Golf Angling Art & Technology Quiz Swimming/Water polo Outdoor Pursuits Music

Manchester Blackburn & Chorley Manchester Chorley Wigan Blackburn Blackburn Chorley Manchester Manchester Chorley Manchester Blackburn & Wigan Blackburn Blackburn Chorley Chorley Blackburn Wigan

The range of activities and the way in which boys competed was as fierce as ever. The current crop of boys should be proud that they are partaking in this highly traditional whole school competition.

The competition between Years 7 and 8 (Juniors) was won by Blackburn. The competition between Years 9 and 10 (Inters) was won jointly by Blackburn and Manchester. The competition between Years 11, 12 and 13 (Seniors) was won by Wigan. This year’s House Captains have been exceptional – they delivered House assemblies, helped raise hundreds of pounds for charity and were true role models: Blackburn Chorley Manchester Wigan

Nikhil Maini Henry Yearsley Cian Gallagher Oliver Shaw

The overall winner of the Lyde Cup 2020 was Blackburn House. Well done to all. 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: Name Nikhil Maini Marcus Crompton Tom Whitehead Henry Yearsley Jack Hainey Benji Fletcher Cian Gallagher Aashir Khan Cameron Rose Krishan Kotecha Adam Battersby Lucas Appleby Amaan Patel Oliver Shaw Aden Stephenson Rory Fielding Matt Nally Adam Vahed

Form Colour House 13a Full Blackburn 13i Half Blackburn 13g Half Blackburn 13j Full Chorley 13j Half Chorley 13j Half Chorley 13g Full Manchester 13d Half Manchester 13b Half Manchester 12h Half Manchester 12d Half Manchester 12i Half Manchester 11b Half Manchester 13h Full Wigan 13j Full Wigan 13h Full Wigan 13a Half Wigan 13f Half Wigan

THE HOUSES 47

The Houses Blackburn House Report _____________________________________________

his year has been nothing short of surprising; however, for Blackburn House, it has been a most successful year. Despite current challenges, Blackburn House achieved a number of things with the assistance of our Housemaster Mr. Benbow and the Blackburn Leadership Team. With the help of our Captain and Vice-captains, who went into different year group assemblies to explain to our younger pupils the type of donations the Foodbank needed, we were able to get in touch with the Foodbank and coordinate a collection date for the 450 meals collected. This was a great cause to support and we should all be proud of our efforts and the positive impact it made on the local community of Blackburn. Due to the unfortunate circumstances of this year, many things had to change in our daily school life; one such change was that all House Assemblies had to be done virtually. Through diligent organisation, Mr. Benbow was able to gather us all together through our iPads where he, along with the House Leaders, spoke to us all. What an impact these virtual assemblies had! Our collective efforts in the House Days this year were magnificent! Partaking in different activities suited our individual strengths. The members of Blackburn House took part in a variety of challenges, which required teamwork, skill and determination. For Sports Day, Years 7-10 competed in a decathlon, which was to take place at home. With each event offering a different number of points for the House, it was anyone’s game. Evidence had to be given along with each submission of points to ensure that there was no foul play. This Sports Day was a final chance to grab points for the House towards the Lyde Cup. With our efforts in the House Days and Sports Day, I am pleased to say that Blackburn House gathered enough points to be able to lift the

48 THE HOUSES

Lyde Cup. With our heads held high, this achievement marked the second successful year in a row for Blackburn House. Owais Khalid 11b In what has been a much shorter year leading Blackburn House than first anticipated, we have still managed to have a largely successful year. We have continued our strong relationship with Blackburn Food Bank, which has been built over the last six years. Over 400 non-perishable items were collected by members of our house, which greatly impacted the lives of the people in Blackburn. Additionally, House Day has continued to be a way in which members of Blackburn House have thrived, from areas such as football, to general knowledge, art and dodgeball. Personally, I would like to thank Mr. Benbow for his leadership and advice in his first year of being Blackburn Housemaster and, secondly, everybody in Blackburn House, specifically the Leadership Team, Marcus Crompton and Tom Whitehead. Good luck in the future year to everyone and I hope the hard work continues with the House.

Nikhil Maini 13a (House Captain)

The Houses Chorley House Report ____________________________________________________

his year, the House has been led by Captain Henry Yearsley and he was very ably supported by Jack Hainey, Benji Fletcher and Shaun Hughes-Grundy; I am indebted to their hard work and commitment to House Activities and promotion of the House Charity, Parkinsons UK. This worthwhile cause was nominated by the boys, due to personal experiences with the illness and the boys learned more detail about it through assemblies. Henry was proposing to do an Ironman in Germany to help raise extra funds, but unfortunately, circumstances have meant that has had to be postponed.

money, the House also had many assemblies on the disease to raise awareness in younger people. Along with the theme of assemblies, this year, the House initially focused on inspiration. We talked about many inspirational people like Steve Jobs and Thomas Edison. We then examined the role of charity in making a big impact on society, especially with vulnerable people. This academic year, there were many House Days filled with fun and excitement. From football to chess, House Day really does have a wide selection of things to do. On most House Days, the weather was perfect, which allowed all outside activities to continue. Henry Yearsley 13j (House Captain)

House Assemblies this year have covered a wide range of topics, alongside learning about Parkinsons UK. It has been particularly pleasing to see the Year Captains take great pride in preparing and delivering excellent talks on bullying, respect, inspiration and House memories. It has, at the very least, meant that the boys have not been put to sleep by their Housemaster! The boys have put in some supreme efforts on House Days, showing successes across the board. Particular praise must go to the Inters (Year 9 and 10), who have won the Inter House Cup for all their endeavours. From walking around the school on House Days, it is clear the enjoyment the boys have, and it always amazes me how even some of the most timid members of the House find a competitive edge. It has been a great shame that the current pandemic meant that there were fewer House Days than usual; nevertheless, the boys have still been working hard to achieve commendations that also count towards the Lyde Cup. Mr. J.C. Moore (Housemaster) This year, our charity was Parkinsons UK. Initially, we held a small meeting to come up with ideas on how to raise money for the charity and had some varied ideas, from a House Basketball competition to a bake sale. After picking and trying to plan many, our main idea was the Ironman taken by myself, which was connected to a GoFundMe, where the House would donate. Due to Coronavirus, the Ironman was cancelled; however, it will go ahead next year and the House is hoping to, once again, raise some money for the cause. Along with raising

THE HOUSES 49

The Houses Manchester House Report ____________________________________________________

anchester House has been busy raising funds to support Galaxy House this year. Galaxy House is a 12 bedded Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in-patient unit located adjacent to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. After the success of last year, supporting Manchester’s Children’s Hospital’s iMRI scanner appeal, we decided to stick with the charity and help out young people suffering with mental health issues. We have raised over £1200 through a number of different fundraising campaigns including the Humphrey’s Helpers boxes and Christmas Socks Day. Thank you to all who have given money generously to this very worthwhile cause. The money is being spent furnishing the specialist care unit to hopefully make the young people who are being looked after a little more comfortable. Mrs. A. Ebden (Housemaster) Despite how the year ended, Manchester House has e n j o y e d a largely successful time, engaging the school and the general public on a variety of fronts, pushing the boat out with regards to charity. Manchester as a House raised over £1200 for Galaxy House through a donation box and Christmas Socks Day. Galaxy House is a 12 bedded Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service inpatient unit situated next to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. They provide treatment to children who suffer from severe eating disorders and neuro-developmental difficulties, amongst others. The money that we raised will go to a section of healthcare often overlooked and understated, as one in four of us will experience a mental disorder at some time in our life. The money we raised will go to improving the care available and I would like to thank those who donated. With regards to the ongoing pandemic, COVID-19, I would like to thank my fellow House Captains Cameron, Aashir, Christian, Lucas and Adam, in what was probably the shortest term of

50 THE HOUSES

captaincy in recent years. I wish the Year 12s luck with next year’s charity efforts. Cian Gallagher 13g (House Captain)

The Houses Wigan House Report ____________________________________________________

t has been another great year for Wigan House. Consistently strong performances saw us amass a large number of points in the House Day events allowing us to win the trophy for indoor racquets and words/music. However, our biggest achievement in the House competitions was to win Sports Day for the second time in three years. This year’s Sports Day was unique, as it had to be carried out virtually, due to the closure of the School’s buildings. Boys competed in ten virtual events including the sock put, toilet roll hurdles and keepy uppies. A score and video evidence was then uploaded to Showbie. Victory in this Sports Day required not only athletic prowess, but also commitment and organisation to complete all the allocated events in the time. Congratulations to all who participated!

issues. In total, the House raised over £1000 for this excellent cause – a fantastic achievement! Crucial to this success was our absolutely excellent Senior Leadership Team, Oliver Shaw (Captain), Aden Stephenson, Adam Vahed, Rory Fielding and Matt Nally. A particular highlight of their leadership was their final assembly, in which they all selected a story from their time in the House and used it to explain what the House system meant to them; there were some touching and heart-warming memories shared, which I am sure will have inspired the younger members of the House. I would like to thank them for all help and support in organising events and leading assemblies throughout the year. Mr. D.F. Teasdale

Despite the success in House Day competition, what has impressed me most this year has been the boys’ commitment to community action. The themes during most of our assemblies this year introduced, informed and provided opportunities for boys to engage with this important aspect of the House System. Different sections of the House had different community action focuses as selected by the House Captain. Years 7 and 8 learned about the work carried out by Wigan and Leigh Hospice and then raised over £500 through a sponsored walk, which took place during a House assembly. Collectively, they managed to walk two and a half times the distance from the school to Wigan. The older year groups learned about the activities of the charity MIND and then raised money through a ‘Staying Silent for MIND’ event, a morning of sponsored silence at school. In a ‘silent assembly’ boys in Years 9-11 made charity boxes at the start of the morning. This event was chosen in order to raise awareness of the need to talk about mental health

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Camps & Journeys Cambridge Chemistry Challenge _______________________________________________________

n June 2019, a number of boys participated in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge for Lower Sixth pupils. After completing a difficult paper, the following boys were awarded with certificates:

James Leese-Weller Ruairi McCabe Alex Gao

13f 13g 13b

achieving the Roentgenium Award in the C3L6 challenge in June. On arrival, we met our camp leaders Dr. Peter Wothers and Tim Hersey, who then asked us to introduce ourselves to the other camp members. Hobbies, A-Level subjects and academic interests were exchanged. To my surprise, only roughly a third wanted to study Chemistry at university, and yet they had done so well in C3L6 to be invited to take part in the camp – clearly, I was together with a group of super intelligent young people.

Gold Award Gold Award Roentgenium Award

The Roentgenium Award was made to the top 50 students out of an entry of over 3000. Alex scored 60 out of a possible 64 points, placing him at the top of this category – an incredible academic achievement. In recognition of such an outstanding achievement, Alex was invited to attend the C3L6 Chemistry Camp in Cambridge in the summer of 2019.

The following day the chemistry part of the camp began. In the mornings, we headed off to the Chemistry Department and attended lectures with Dr. Wothers on university-level chemistry. Content included functional group levels, atomic orbital wave functions, Schrödinger’s equation and other topics, which I had never come across before, so I found them really challenging to understand, but I tried my best using my existing knowledge to make sense of them and I think that is the joy of such challenges! In the afternoons, we entered the grand university laboratory with our lab coats for the practical sessions. I am not particularly good at chemistry practical work, and I find it both exciting and stressful because you get to see the reactions like change in colours or precipitation on the one hand, but, on the other hand, you are also supposed to follow the instructions and carry out the experiment really carefully so you end up with the right amount of product, not to mention all the safety hazards involved. Personally, I absolutely struggled with hot filtration, but it turned out that I was spot on with the titration – at least I got something right without injury, so I was content.

C3L6 Chemistry Camp In August 2019, I made my way to St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge to attend the C3L6 Chemistry Camp, as a reward for

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The camp was, of course, not just about work. One evening, we went punting on the River Cam and I took charge of a punt for the first time albeit with great fear of falling into the river. St. Catharine’s College itself was superb: my mezzanine room, the scenery, the building (which I think closely resembles our school building) and the student helpers all made great positive impressions on me, and I totally enjoyed my three days there. Thanks to a late August heatwave, the sky was crystal clear during our entire stay and the temperature soared to 32°C – the C3L6 Camp most certainly gave us all a ‘warm’ welcome!

Camps & Journeys A significant change this year was accessing on foot for the first time the newly restored Loreley visitor centre and plateau, making for even more fabulous views over the narrow Rhine gorge below. Koblenz continues to provide a wonderful base from which to embark on a cable car ride over the river up to the Ehrenbreitstein military fortress. During our day trip to Heidelberg, we now travel to and from the castle by funicular narrow-gauge railway to enjoy newly restored landscaped grounds overlooking the Neckar River, a tributary of the Rhein. Cologne’s gothic cathedral continues to inspire awe and amazement, less so the rather gruelling climb up the narrow staircase to the viewpoint of the city. However, we always ensure the programme provides the boys opportunities to let off some steam, such as the toboggan ride above Sankt Goarshausen, the flumes and wave pools at a luxury water park or even the sight of the P&O North Sea Ferry as we approach King George Dock in Hull. Alex Gao 13b

Rheinland Trip _______________________________________________________

The chance to spend time sightseeing with fellow pupils in small groups in safe, car-free shopping precincts, sampling new foods, feasting on a never-ending buffet on the ferry, trawling the various street markets for Bundesliga merchandise and the daily trip to the Rewe supermarket all provide what we hope are fond memories. We do very much hope to return to Hotel Colonius again in the future, once we emerge from this horrendous pandemic.

nce again, staff from the German Department took a party of eager Year 8 and Year 13 students away to the Rheinland during October Half Term. The trip continues to have at its core the aim of teaching the boys local history, geography, culture and, of course, language learning ‘in the field’ and, with new attractions opening at some pace in this part of Germany in recent years, we have been able to alter and adapt our itinerary quite considerably.

Mr. R.A. Catterall

Kayaking Trip _______________________________________________________

y favourite school trip as of Year 10 was the Kayaking Trip to the Alps. This trip takes place every year and we camp in a campsite near the village of Guillestre, within the Alpes-de-Haute province, which is on the banks of the River Guill. The rivers here are ideal for kayaking as they contain glacial meltwater, so they are very clean and have a beautiful blue colour. Before the trip, each student was required to take part in a kayaking ‘crash course’, which involved regular kayaking sessions where each student was given his own development plan, which was tailored to help improve his kayaking abilities. Through this training, I developed my kayaking skills and techniques so that I was ready for the trip. These sessions took place regularly and so these skills could be learnt easily, and assistance offered if anyone was struggling to learn something. For example, before these sessions,

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Camps & Journeys I would panic every time I went underwater due to the fact that I could not see. After being taught several different techniques that I could employ at these kayaking sessions, I was able to become calm and collected every time I went underwater. The actual trip itself was amazing. When we arrived at the campsite, we spent the first day shopping for food and unpacking. This trip was different to any other as it gave us independence – we decided what we could cook and what ingredients we needed – it was a refreshing change compared to other school trips. As you can guess, the majority of our days on the trip were spent kayaking. We tackled many rivers, each unique in its own way, providing a different challenge and a new skill to be taught. The trip was completely tailored to us based on our skill level. If we didn’t feel like we could do a specific river then we would do something different. The whole experience was stunning, I couldn’t believe how different kayaking in the Alps was when compared to kayaking in the UK. Out of the ten days we had on camp, we only had one day off – the more kayaking the better!

We generally kayaked for around eight hours per day. We got up fairly early, had breakfast, packed our kit and left for the day. The camp that we stayed at was great, it had all the things that we needed and even some extra amenities such as a pool, which was nice to come back to and relax in after a day’s kayaking. Overall, the trip created many new friends as we became one big community, living together for two weeks. People I never thought I’d really get along with ended up becoming good friends. I would recommend this trip to everyone and it was the highlight of the year. Saul Farrell 10c

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Patterdale Astronomy Weekend _______________________________________________________

uring one dark and cold weekend, an intrepid group of Year 9 and 10 Astronomers visited Patterdale Hall. All the boys are studying GCSE Astronomy and used this weekend to enhance their studies and hopefully take part in some starwatching and astrophotography. The group was accompanied by Mr. Roberts, Mr. Ormerod, Mr. Britton, Mrs. Mills, Miss Murray along with two expert astronomers – Mr. David Ratledge and Mr. Gary Hill. Also, Alex Gao (13b) and Owais Khalid (11b) ably assisted in the smooth running of the weekend. The boys arrived at dusk on Friday, some of them with telescopes in hand. The star viewing on the evening could not take place due to the ever-present clouds that so hamper astronomy in the UK; nevertheless, they enjoyed a presentation on various constellations that we could have seen and an interesting presentation from Owais Khalid on how Greek and Roman mythology has influenced Astronomy. The evening was rounded off with a viewing of ‘The Martian’ in the lounge. The Saturday consisted of activities including a masterclass in observing using various telescopes led by Gary Hill; learning about, and making a realistic model of comets; a masterclass in rocketry including firing water-powered rockets and an opportunity to take part in some fun and challenging activities led by the Patterdale staff. After a themed evening meal that included items such as “Hubble and Squeak”, ably produced by Mike the chef, we were lucky enough to have 90 minutes of observation outside. The skies were clear and viewing conditions were almost perfect. With many experts on hand, the boys were able to identify Orion, Ursa Major, Cassiopeia and many other celestial objects. Muhammed Akhtar managed to take a superb picture of Orion surrounded by many stars not normally visible from most built up areas. The evening was rounded off with an excellent presentation from astronomer David Ratledge. There was an option to watch ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, but only James Logan managed to stay the course.

Camps & Journeys The Sunday started with another excellent presentation by David Ratledge, challenging the boys to calculate the distance of the dwarf planet Eris. The activities concluded with the boys making a scale model of the solar system in the grounds of Patterdale Hall. Mr. D. Roberts

The Astronomy Trip to Patterdale Hall was a most enjoyable trip that allowed the GCSE Astronomy students a chance to view the constellations in all their splendour due to the lack of light pollution which so plagues the astronomer living in an urban area. The trip also was full of both intellectual activities to prepare us for our exam and also practical activities including making a ‘comet’ and launching a water-propelled rocket, joined of course with a suitable amount of relaxation including astronomy-related films (for example ‘The Martian’), and time to appreciate the beauty of the Lake District. Overall, in my and many of my peers’ opinions, the trip was a most enjoyable, improving and useful experience.

During our visit to Patterdale, we learned about comets in our solar system and even made our own replica comets! First, we learned about the two different types of comets: long period comets, which come from the Oort Cloud, and short period comets, which originate from the Kuiper Belt. We learned about the different orbits each comet has around the Sun and we were also taught about the anatomy of a comet, with the two types of trails a comet leaves, and parts like the coma and nucleus of a comet. Most importantly, we learned what comets are made of: ice, dust and rock. With this knowledge, we tried our best to make our own comets. We poured mud and rock into a towel and, wearing gloves, we poured chunks of dry ice into it. Then we quickly crushed and compressed the towel as much as we could until we were left with what looked like a real comet. Everyone was impressed with how good they looked and we passed them around. They were very cold! It was fun to do and I learned a lot.

Laurence Britton 10c

The great advantage of staying in Patterdale for the trip was that at night, the skies were immaculately clear (at least when the weather behaved) and free from light pollution, and we could see thousands more stars and other celestial objects than in Bolton. During the two nights, binoculars and telescopes allowed us to see many of the fainter stars of familiar constellations. We identified the major stars of some common constellations and practised navigating around the night sky; my favourite constellation, Orion, actually looked like the mythological figure (and less like an over-stretched hourglass). The two telescopes trained on the lunar surface and Orion’s Nebula let us see the former in minute detail, providing an opportunity for Mr. Roberts to talk about observations in our coursework and to study the lunar features in a more interactive way; the image of the nebula was less defined, yet even the chance to view a somewhat small and blurry Orion’s Nebula with the naked eye was greatly valued. A talk with some experienced amateur astronomers about telescopes and photography during the second day meshed well with the observation evenings, and they provided a detailed insight into the more practical aspects of using manual and automated telescopes. One of the astronomers, Gary Hill, brought a pair of expensive image stabilized binoculars, with which we were able to look at the birds and the moon.

Another activity we did was mapping the scale of the Solar System. To do this, we needed to calculate the scale for how much distance one metre on Earth would represent, compared to the entire Solar System. To calculate this scale, we measured the entire length of the drive at Patterdale, finding it was possible to do our scale over 150 metres. Knowing that Voyager 1, the furthest space probe we have ever sent into space, is 150 AU away from the Sun, we concluded that every metre would be equal to 1 AU (an astronomical unit equal to the distance from the Sun to the Earth = 1,500,000 kilometres). Then we used a trundle wheel to measure how far away each planet was from the Sun, placing a stick in the ground each time. We recorded the activity on an iPad so we listed facts about the planets as we went along. Because we had so much space to work with on our scale of the Solar System, we even managed to include Pluto and space probes Voyager 1 and 2. Doing this activity really helped me appreciate the scale of the Solar System. We ended up walking for three minutes to get from one end to the other and, considering that each metre we walked was equivalent to the distance from Earth to the Sun, I got a sense for how incredibly tiny we are compared to everything else. George Seddon 10d

James Logan 10d

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Camps & Journeys German Weekend at Patterdale _______________________________________________________

s every year, a group of boys and girls from Years 11, 12 and 13 took part in our traditional German Weekend at Patterdale in early February. It is pleasing to see how popular this event continues to be – seventeen boys decided to come along this time, one of our biggest groups ever. The programme was extremely busy. We watched two German films, listened to German music and then also sang some songs ourselves, did a lot of speaking practice and, last but not least, engaged in some most enjoyable dramatical exploits. Amongst the highlights of the weekend were a play about a Stasi interrogation in communist East Germany, penned by the well-known playwright K.M. Hiepko, as well as an introduction to Austrian dialect by Sanja, our German Assistant. We also learnt about the Weiße Rose, a group of students who were part of the German resistance against Hitler and who were prepared to lay down their lives for their cause – the Nazis sentenced them all to death and had them executed.

about food, it should also be mentioned that the staff at Patterdale cooked real German food for us, which was both very tasty indeed and added to the general German ‘feel’ of the weekend. All in all, the trip was once again a huge success.

Mr. K.M. Hiepko

Ski Trip 2020 _______________________________________________________

he trip began on a very wet, very early morning. We loaded up the coaches and set off on a 950 mile journey to Claviere, along the French-Italian border. The first six hours were long, as we made our way to Dover, but once we made our way into France and after the tumultuous crowd of boys and girls had settled, the journey became more peaceful and enjoyable as we drew closer to our destination. Eventually, we arrived in Claviere, eager to get everything ready for the following busy day. I relished the opportunity to explore the local surroundings – the small village had one main shop, a couple of restaurants and one church in the centre. Luckily, the hotel was right next to the ski slopes, so we were all put into groups and went straight onto the slopes, eager for the day.

As ever, the pleasures of Patterdale Hall and its surroundings added to the success of the weekend. In spite of the trip taking place in winter, we managed a long walk and followed this by one of the greatest German inventions, Kaffee und Kuchen. Whilst talking

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Camps & Journeys This trip is the best I have ever been on because of all the exciting opportunities we were given and because of the actual skiing itself. I have never been on a skiing holiday with my family, only with school, so lessons at Chill Factore and two Ski trips have convinced me that this really is a great sport. One of my favourite parts was skiing off-piste, which, in the rolling Alps, is not so easy. The snow was so thick, just standing on it made you fall through. One situation I found myself in was when skiing along the great forests on the mountainside and with difficult snowy conditions, I managed to find myself positioned into, well… a tree! Almost out of nowhere, I collapsed into the branches, and after setting my arms free, I called on Mr. Bradley to help me out, but the first thing he did was take a picture! Levi Higham 9d

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

Another great thing about the Ski Trip was the activities during the evenings – one of the most entertaining this year I found was watching an ice hockey match, although some of my peers had a wandering eye towards the crêpe stand and the game became of less interest to them. I also enjoyed, although wasn’t much good at, ice skating. I left that rink substantially more bruised than when I entered. Other evenings included a disco and sledge riding down the slopes!

or remote learning, there is a brilliant app called Zoom to stay in touch with friends and it is almost like a FaceTime call with others and the teachers can show their iPad screens and work through slideshows. Another application we use is Showbie. This is an app you can submit classwork and homework into – it is a useful app for teachers to add deadlines for assigned work and check how long you spent on it. Overall, remote learning is a new, bizarre way to study, but many of us are getting the hang of it. Additionally, virtual assemblies, concerts and sports lessons have been put in place. Many of these are done via YouTube. The school and some teachers have accounts in which they upload videos, which they can share to students. Recently, a virtual concert has been set up by the Music Department, in which boys dress up smartly and perform. Boys ranging from Years 7 to 11 participated in this and it was a great success with more than 300 views! Additionally, assemblies are executed virtually on YouTube. Celebration assemblies have been shared to all boys via the School’s social media along with other important events.

Sadly, we had to leave and the return journey was soon over. The entire trip was amazing; I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would thoroughly recommend it for all, but who knows when trips like this may resume? This trip has certainly given me many fond memories. On our return, we learned more about this new virus that had gained traction in Northern Italy (thankfully not too near to us) and the rest, they say, is history.

In my opinion, Bolton School has done an amazing job keeping us busy during these unexpected times. Oliver Leahy 10a

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Camps & Journeys

Curriculum Trips to Patterdale Hall ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Year 11 Leadership Development Programme

Year 8

Year 7

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Music & Drama Music Notes _______________________________________________________

s you might expect, there are fewer musical events and activities to report on this year because we have not been in school since the 20th March due to Lockdown. Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Joint Spring Concert at Bolton Parish Church, Battle of the Bands, the Public Lunchtime Concert Series, a Musical Evening and our Community Music Primary School visits. However, all of us in the Music Department have become more proficient in the use of technology and, with a bit of help from the Marketing Department, we were able to put on two virtual concerts during the Summer Term, which appeared on YouTube and were a great success. As usual, the department had a change of personnel at the beginning of the new academic year. Just before we returned to school last September, Jon Gjylaci, one of our guitar teachers, moved to Oxford to take up a new position with Oxford Music Service and, in his place, we welcomed our new guitar teachers: Emma Smith and Sam Rodwell. We were also pleased to welcome back Mrs. Poole, who returned after maternity leave. Please enjoy reading the report on events from the beginning of September, many of which feature regularly in the Music Department calendar. Also, a report on the Summer Term virtual concerts, which may well become more of a regular occurrence next academic year!

Hundreds of smiling faces of all ages emerged from the bubbles, and it was wonderful to see such enjoyment, constantly punctuated with laughter. Substantial funds were raised for this very worthy charity and this has become a regular annual event for the Samba Band. Well done to our pupils! At the beginning of the Autumn Term, we welcomed back our regular visitors, Devonshire Road Primary School and Brownlow Fold Primary School to take part in our SPACE sessions once a fortnight on a Monday afternoon. Once again, this community project has proved to be a valuable experience for the visiting children and for the Music Department staff. We were delighted to receive news of one pupil from Devonshire Road, who had attended the SPACE sessions the previous year and had decided to continue with drum kit lessons. Just before Easter, we were treated to a YouTube video clip of him performing, having made some excellent progress. On Wednesday 16th October, 25 Bolton School pupils representing every year group from Years 7-13 entertained a highly appreciative audience in a Musical Evening in the Arts Centre. The concert began with Georgia On My Mind performed by the Joint Clarinet Group. This was followed by 20 bass guitar, clarinet, drum kit, piano, tenor horn and vocal solos, together with a vocal duet.

Mr. J.C. Bleasdale Autumn Term On Sunday 8th September, the Boys’ Division Samba Band performed at Bolton Hospice’s Bubble Rush fundraising event at Queen’s Park. Eight pupils in Years 8-12, assisted by Mr. Forgrieve and Mr. Bleasdale, enjoyed giving an encouraging energy boost to those participating in the 5K run, helping to keep tired legs moving amidst a carnival atmosphere. They entertained an appreciative audience for two hours whilst participants of all ages were sprayed with coloured foam by Bubble Commandos at four bubble stations.

As always, there was a huge range of musical styles to enjoy, performed to an impressively high standard. Congratulations to all of the performers!

On 17th November, the Joint Senior Concert Band entered the National Concert Band Festival (NCBF) heats, which were held at Newman RC College in Oldham. The young musicians and their conductor Miss Sherry, took this wonderful opportunity to play in front of experienced adjudicators and receive valuable feedback. The group played Into the Clouds, How to Train your Dragon and A Klezmer Karnival at the event, impressing the adjudicators with all three pieces. Following the performance, the Band was presented with a Platinum

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Music & Drama Award – the highest possible accolade. The Platinum Award came with an automatic invitation to perform at the Nationals in 2020, which would have been held at RNCM in April, but were unfortunately cancelled due to the Coronavirus.

Concert season in the Boys’ Division continued with the Autumn Concert. Pupils, parents and staff gathered in the Great Hall for performances which combined music from film scores and musicals with traditional tunes, choral arrangements and a range of reimagined chart hits.

The Drum Corps provided a lively opening with Marcia Ritmica, which was the perfect setup for the evening’s entertainment. This was followed by the Joint Senior Concert Band, who were on fine form, having recently won their Platinum Award at the National Concert Band Festival. They played their winning combination: Into the Clouds, How To Train Your Dragon and A Klezmer Karnival. The Tuned Percussion Ensemble then took to the stage to play instantly recognizable hits I’m Not In Love by 10cc and Hot Fudge by Robbie Williams.

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Next came the Junior String Quartet, changing the mood with two traditional pieces, Irish Washerwoman and Pretty Little Sally. The Steel Pans Group then played Mambo No. 5 and Walking on Sunshine and the Senior Guitar Group continued with the pop theme, performing Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Van Morrison’s Moondance.

Music & Drama The Joint Chamber Choir gave beautiful renditions of I Will Sing With The Spirit by John Rutter and You Will Be Found from the musical ‘Dear Evan Hansen’. Continuing the ‘Songs from the Shows’ theme, the Joint Clarinet Group played The Music Of The Night from ‘Phantom of the Opera’ and followed this with Coldplay’s Viva La Vida. The Joint Senior Violin Quartet completed the ensemble performances, with Gavotte by Scotson Clark.

The Year 7 Concert, which took place on 26th November, is a significant event for the boys. It is quite a daunting task for them to perform in the Great Hall so early on in their Bolton School careers, but it is a great opportunity for the Music Department to discover the new talent which has recently arrived in school. After hearing solos played on a wide variety of instruments and drawn from many genres, the whole year group performed the finale, which this year comprised of five songs with the theme of ‘Positivity’. It was led by Mrs. Whitmore, supported by a staff band, and the songs included: The Best Day Of My Life, What A Wonderful World, High Hopes, Lean On Me and You Can Get It If You Really Want. At the beginning of December, the annual Year 11 GCSE Music students’ concert took place in the Arts Centre. The idea behind this concert is to put the boys under a bit of pressure before they take their practical exam the following week. Hopefully, they will have worked hard for the concert and then the exam is just a formality! It is also a chance for parents to see their sons perform, possibly for the last time, depending on their plans for the future. Mr. J.C. Bleasdale At the end of the Autumn Term, Headmaster Philip Britton welcomed a large gathering to this year’s Christmas Festival at Bolton School Boys’ Division.

Boys in Year 8 provided a toe-tapping finale to the evening, singing a trio of pop hits: Love is Easy by McFly, Africa by Toto and finally Karma Chameleon by Culture Club. The audience was thoroughly entertained throughout the evening and, with such a wide variety of musical styles in the programme, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

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Music & Drama A rousing version of Once in Royal David’s City opened the evening, the first verse being sung by Year 7 Nathan Pierson before the Choir and congregation lent their voices. The first of several readings came from Joseph Williams, also Year 7, who read Isaiah 9: v2, 6-7 and this was followed by Darragh Livesey’s (Year 9) reflection ‘Jesus’ (Kenneth W. Osbeck). The Choir then offered up an inspiring version of Vivaldi’s Gloria before the whole congregation sang See Amid the Winter’s Snow. The Chamber Choir and the Lower School Choir then added their harmonies, singing, respectively, The Shepherd’s Carol and Christmastime. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Lower School Choir singing Christmastime. Further readings – Luke 2: v1-7 came from Jonathan Featham in Year 7, and Year 8 pupil Isaac Lucas offered up the reflection ‘Before the Paling of the Stars’ (Christina Rossetti). There were then congregational offerings of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Joy to the World interspersed with another reading from Luke 2 (v8-14) from Tolu Fatunde of Year 11 and the reflection ‘10 Christmas Commandments’ read by Xuan Wang. The School Choir then performed the atmospheric Precious Child, So Sweetly Sleeping. Old Boltonian the Reverend David Allen read from Luke 2 (v15-20) and Year 9 pupil Matthew Chae read ‘Good News’ (Larry Libby) before the Joint Chamber Choir sang the enchanting A Little Child There is Yborn. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the performance. There was the traditional rendering of Mary’s Boy Child, which saw solos from Aden Stephenson (Year 13), Joshua Kay (Year 12) and James Hopkinson (Year 11) and some wonderful supporting voices from the Congregation for the choruses. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen the performance. Mr. Britton read from John 1 (v1-14) and James Parfrey of Year 8 offered the reflection ‘Christmas is Really for the Children’ (Steve Turner) before the Senior Choir sang The Time of Snow with soloist support from William Martin and Michael Gatenby of Year 8 and Suyahb Valli of Year 7. Special guest for the evening was the Rector of the West Bolton Team, Reverend Stephen Tranter, who delivered an address on the importance of thinking of others and an updated and amusing 2019 version of the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which became The Night Before the Election poem! Stirring renditions from the gathering of Shine, Jesus, Shine and O Come, All Ye Faithful brought the festive evening to a close. The

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Headmaster offered thanks to the orchestra, the choirs, the soloists, the Music teachers, Mrs. Fox, for choosing the readings and readers, and to the Reverend Tranter for his contribution. As is traditional, refreshments were taken in the Riley Sixth Form Centre and there was a retiring collection for the Boys’ chosen Christmas charities. Mr. J. Newbould Spring Term The Year 8 Concert was held on Tuesday 4th February and it was good to see the significant progress made by boys who had played and sung just over twelve months previously in the Year 7 Concert. The whole year group had sung together in the Autumn Concert and so this one was for soloists and small ensembles only. Refreshments were served to parents as they arrived, and the relaxed and informal atmosphere set the tone for a very enjoyable concert. In March, the 2020 Young Musician of the Year Final showcased an incredible depth and breadth of talent. This year’s Senior Young Musician (Years 10-13) of the Year was trumpeter Jamie Gregson, a Year 13 student, and the Junior Young Musician of the Year (Years 7-9) was guitarist Akshat Kamath from Year 9. Both winners overcame stiff competition from six other musicians in each section. In many ways, everyone in the Final is a winner already, having won their instrumental category section in earlier rounds. Hundreds of boys began the competition on 13th January when, for almost two weeks, class music lessons and lunchtimes were given over to the heats. From each of the seven instrumental categories, fourteen pupils were chosen (seven Junior and seven Senior), which meant

Music & Drama there were 84 Semi-finalists, in an event which lasted all day. Shaun Turnbull, Assistant Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral, had the unenviable task of choosing one Junior and one Senior Finalist from each of the seven categories. The Final, in its sixteenth year, thus saw fourteen boys compete to take home the Senior or Junior award, which included a £100 cash prize, a trophy, and their name engraved on the plaques, which are on permanent display in the Boys’ Division.

There were also awards on the night for Zach Tyrer-Hall, who was crowned Junior Composer of the Year and for Adam Whitmore, who became Senior Composer of the Year. Each year, the Music Department receives entries from individuals and bands who have produced their own compositions. The two winners have their recordings played on the night and receive £50 cash prizes and a trophy.

Summer Term Just when we thought it was all over, the collective talents of the boys, the Music Department staff and the Marketing Department combined to produce our first Virtual Concert with twelve soloists lasting just over 23 minutes. This took place on Tuesday 16th June and it was followed a week later, by a second concert, this time with fifteen soloists. We were delighted to see all the year groups represented and we were particularly proud of all the performers, who went to great efforts to make these concerts such a big success. Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Virtual Concerts during Lockdown. The Joint Senior Concert Band also worked hard remotely to produce a socially distanced performance of Carly Rae Jepson’s hit Call Me Maybe during Lockdown.

An award was also made to Thomas Higham (woodwind) of Year 12 for being the Most Promising Performer. This prize is given to recognise an outstanding performance in the Semi-final, which was perhaps deserving of a place in the Final, but didn’t quite make it.

Use a QR Code Scanner to listen to the Joint Senior Concert Band’s performance of Call Me Maybe. Mr. J.C. Bleasdale

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Music & Drama

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

don’t think that I was alone in celebrating when Bolton School announced in March that it would be closing its doors for the foreseeable future. I was excited at the prospect of late morning lie ins, early evening finishes, and, of course, the chance to manage my curriculum time more freely. However, I would soon discover the difficulties of life away from Bolton School. I began to miss my weekly sports lessons, especially when cooped up in the house for days on end. I was not able to see my friends and peers, I could no longer partake in the extra-curricular activities which I loved, as I could no longer see my music teachers – indeed, it had been weeks since I’d had a music lesson. Yet, most importantly, I had realised the difficulty in learning new subject content alone, without the teacher there to guide me, and was understandably worried as to how Lockdown would impact on my education. But, thanks to the tireless efforts of our teachers, who quickly mastered Zoom, and skilfully transitioned to teaching remotely, we were able to maintain our normal schedule and continue our education at a rate unrivalled by most other schools. The Music Department has facilitated online lessons between students and teachers over Zoom, which, although not quite the same, have helped to continue musical development during the Lockdown period. The staff have also worked hard to allow some students to return, albeit briefly, to school, to socialise with friends. They are also working hard towards being able to run sports sessions according to social distancing guidelines. Although we will long consider this a most unusual summer, thanks to the efforts of the School, it will not have been a summer wasted. Jude Ashcroft 12f

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:

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Name Jude Ashcroft Adam Battersby Ben Chowdhury Alex Gao Jamie Gregson Thomas Higham Harry Paterson Edward Slorick Adam Whitmore Patrick Bentley Alfie Birkett Tyler Blundell Thomas Britton Nathan Burudi Tom Fox Charlie Griffiths James Hopkinson Josh Kay Max Kelly Thomas Martin Charlie Middleton William Miles Anuj Mishra Sammy Ramadan Thomas Yates

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

Instrumental Music Examinations _______________________________________________________

ur instrumentalists and vocalists have enjoyed great success this year in our individual instrumental music examinations. External examiners from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and Trinity College London visited school in the Autumn and Spring Terms, examining 169 candidates from across the Foundation, from Initial level to Grade 8, in a wide range of instruments. One pupil was awarded the ARSM Diploma. In addition, two pupils successfully passed the ABRSM Grade 5 Theory examination at an external centre. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, one day of Trinity exams had to be cancelled in the Spring Term, and no ABRSM or Trinity exams could take place in the Summer Term. Fourteen pupils opted to submit videos of their performances to Trinity as a temporary digital alternative to face-to-face exams, and we await those particular results. Our pupils can take pride in their splendid achievements and the recognition of their ongoing commitment to frequent practice sessions. Congratulations to all of them, and to their teachers, on these impressive results. Mr. I. K. Forgrieve

Music & Drama Autumn Term 2019 - Associated Board Adam Whitmore 13c Singing Ethan Wong 8a Cello Ben Chowdhury 13d Organ Thomas Higham 12b Piano Oliver Leahy 10a Piano Barnaby Keogh 10c Piano Jayden Luhar 9c Piano Freddie Higham 11e Piano Amrit Mishra 8f Piano George Sherratt 8a Piano Harry Brown 8c Clarinet Patrick Humphreys 7a Singing Lucas Stevenson 8f Piano

ARSM Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 5 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 2 Grade 1

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

Autumn Term 2019 - Trinity Marcus Williams 10a Guitar Grade 7 Merit Thomas Higham 12b Clarinet Grade 6 Distinction Oliver Shaw 13h Piano Grade 6 Distinction Thomas Britton 12a Guitar Grade 6 Merit Levi Higham 9d Saxophone Grade 6 Merit Nathan Burudi 12e Violin Grade 6 Merit Davyd Sywanyk 10d Piano Grade 6 Pass Amay Wahie 11b Piano Grade 5 Pass George Houghton 9e Clarinet Grade 4 Distinction Ben Turner 9e Clarinet Grade 4 Distinction Aidan Shum 8f Piano Grade 3 Distinction Alexander McKie 9a Singing Grade 3 Distinction Oliver Pope 10f Piano Grade 3 Merit William Earnshaw 7d Tenor Horn Grade 3 Merit Kai Jepson 7g Piano Grade 3 Pass Jonathan Frank 8e Clarinet Grade 2 Merit Patrice Rostami 9c Piano Grade 1 Distinction Oliver Garland 9e Piano Initial Distinction Spring Term 2020 - Associated Board Thomas Yates 12b Singing Grade 7 Distinction Marcus Fung 9a Violin Grade 7 Merit Thomas Higham 12b Theory Grade 5 Distinction Adam Battersby 12d Theory Grade 5 Pass Marcus Ng 10e Guitar Grade 4 Merit Suhayb Valli 7f Singing Grade 4 Merit Jacob Hughes 10e Guitar Grade 4 Pass Cameron Weatherley 9b Cello Grade 3 Pass Harry Butler 7f Singing Grade 2 Merit Archie Moffitt 7e Singing Grade 2 Pass Marlon Wen 8b Violin Grade 2 Pass Spring Term 2020 - Trinity Harry Paterson 12f Piano Grade 7 Merit James Hopkinson 11c Cello Grade 6 Merit Freddie Audley 9f Clarinet Grade 6 Merit Cameron Matthews 12c Euphonium Grade 6 Pass Arsh Patankar 11e Piano Grade 4 Merit

Matthew Hope 10f Sam Fitzpatrick 7b Ed Goodfellow 7a Keeran Singh 7g Harry Adams 9f

Saxophone Guitar Guitar Guitar Piano

Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 3 Grade 2

Merit Pass Pass Pass Distinction

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

nline learning has been better than first expected, though it may get boring at times. The lessons are not too different from before. Each morning at 8.40, I use my iPad to log onto my classes and register. The timetable of my lessons does not change, but it is sometimes hard to stay on track and stay on time as at home, there are many distractions that school doesn’t have. At home, there isn’t a teacher to keep you focused and so you have to stay determined. At school, I have two or three music lessons per week although this does not apply to my peers and so I have had to have my music lessons online. This is most likely the hardest thing to do online because music is about timing and notation and, through a device, it is very difficult to do. Harry Adams 9f

School at Home and the role of Arts and Creativity _______________________________________________________

ne of the first collective expressions we saw in public because of the Lockdown were rainbows going up in windows. Created by children to support the NHS and care workers, these little bursts of joy created instant community on our streets. Families came together to express compassion with a symbol of hope. It is recognised that parents are a child’s first teacher, but this takes on a different sense when many parents across the country are asked to step up as substitute teachers. It has certainly become incumbent on parents to step up to some form of a learning plate. Whilst School shifted directly into remote learning, families have, nevertheless, had to work out how to fill the additional time at home. It’s interesting how much we have turned to arts and creative activities. Reports of painting, drawing, cooking, active play, seed

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Music & Drama sowing, dancing, exercising, crafting and making have proliferated on social media. ‘At school’ we evolved and continue to develop many new forms of creative practice. As teachers and students, we have become digital producers, commissioners, and artists. We have collaborated with poets, musicians and theatre directors to create new work. We have engaged in the exciting range of digital opportunities made available by our theatres, museums, and galleries. We continue to support creative sector organisations, providing an audience and as partners, as they navigate the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses.

In the first half term of the year, the Octagon Theatre’s creative participation team led sessions inspired by Carol Ann Duffy and Tim Supple’s ‘Grimm Tales’ for Year 7 boys. Year 8 Pirate School began in September and continued into October, capably led by alumnus and ArtsEd graduate Charlie Derrar (Class of 2013). Charlie led ‘Treasure Island’- themed Drama lessons, Lower School Drama Club lunchtime sessions that culminated in peer group performances of scenes from ‘Treasure Island’ and dramatic movement taster sessions for Year 7 boys as part of their Arts Award carousel.

The increase in arts and creativity across the country is itself a symbol of hope. The education press foregrounds how often schools must make the case for the value of arts and creative activities. As an Artsmark Platinum school, we participate in Bolton’s Local Cultural Educational Partnership (BCEP), we are a steering school in the North West’s creativity collaborative and contribute to Arts Council regional and national arts leadership programmes. Lockdown gave us a chance to reiterate and amplify the value of the arts and creativity – now and moving forward. The promotion of the arts, sport and creative innovation during Lockdown underlined the importance of these areas to the development of essential, agile skill sets; of supporting well-being and to connecting communities.

December Throughout the Autumn Term, Senior boys worked towards staging Charles Dickens’ seasonal classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’. This show was produced in partnership with the Octagon Theatre and is here reviewed by Old Boltonian, Sam Warburton (Class of 2018).

The Year in Review The first part of our creative year in review takes in alumni and Octagon Theatre input into Lower School Drama sessions, our Senior production of ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Jazz Age Jeopardy’ rehearsals, colleagues promoting creative skills in other schools, GCSE theatre presentations and alumni masterclasses, which all took place before Lockdown arrived.

For four nights, pupils from Years 9 to 13 staged an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. The classic tale tells the story of the miserly misanthrope Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve and undergoes a dramatic transformation into a kind, warm and generous man.

The second part of the review takes up how we continued to enjoy arts and culture at home, via Arts Award projects, Celebration Assemblies to recognise outstanding pupil arts contributions, SPACE sessions, SPACE Culture Week and online auditions for 2020/21 theatrical productions. September - October

The production was staged in the Boys’ Division Great Hall. The Hall’s raised stage, central aisle and numerous doors were well utilised to create a truly intimate and immersive experience. The lighting and sound effects were incredibly impressive. Liam Maloney served as technical director, having previously assisted on shows with the school. Liam was assisted by Harvey Ryan and Nathan Hayes, who all did a marvellous job of creating and maintaining an atmosphere that shifted from foreboding to hopeful and from festive to frightening. The cast was led by Jude Ashcroft, who gave a commanding

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Music & Drama and energetic performance as Scrooge. Jude captured Scrooge’s callousness well, sneering down at Bob Cratchit and the audience from the podium, and then went on to portray a man forced to confront his own evils before changing for the better. Jude was supported by a talented cast of pupils, who exhibited not only great professionalism, but also a good sense of fun. Particularly memorable performances came from Tom Whitehead as Fezziwig and Finley Littlefair as Bob Cratchit, who serve as foils for the cold selfishness of Scrooge at the beginning of the play. Anthony Johnson and Jayden Luhar portrayed the ghosts of Jacob Marley and Christmas Yet To Come respectively and each gave suitably spooky and menacing performances.

This was a really enjoyable and professional play. Thanks must go to the Octagon’s Imogen Woolrich, and Mrs. Fielding, who provided direction and choreography respectively. Final thanks must go to our Director of Drama and Creative Learning, Ms. Lord, who produced the show and allowed a cast of very talented pupils to shine.

January From January to March, boys and girls in Years 7 to 9 devised material for an immersive Jazz Age ‘whodunnit’ murder mystery evening. Pupils planned to transform the Arts Centre into jazz club The Cat’s Meow, and had collaboratively written a script based upon research of 1920s and 30s social trends. Lockdown unfortunately arrived as we entered the final stages of rehearsals.

Kiran Sastry took on the iconic role of Tiny Tim and did so fabulously. His early scenes of familial joy and later scene where he welcomes the reformed Scrooge in for Christmas dinner were moving and a delight to watch. Hannah Clark, who joined the cast from the Octagon Youth Theatre, starred as Belle, Scrooge’s ex-fiancé and Tom Griffiths and Zayd Ascroft played the ghosts of Christmas Past and Present. Charlie Griffiths brought energy and hopefulness to the role of Fred, Scrooge’s nephew. The main cast was supported by an ensemble of pupils, who helped to frame the action and drive the story onward. Direct quotation from Dickens’ short story helped make this an authentic and meaningful piece, whilst the use of props such as Scrooge’s coffin and Marley’s chains really made key scenes stand out.

February The role of creativity in education is important to current educational pedagogy and practice. Creativity isn’t the sole dominion of artists

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Music & Drama and geniuses. It shouldn’t be confined to certain subjects in the curriculum – creativity in science is different to creativity in drama, but is valuable to both. Creativity is enhanced through subject knowledge. Arts Council England, via the Durham Commission, advocates for the taught development of children’s creativity. The recommendations the Commission has developed are aspirational and long term. They will require a great deal of collaboration and leadership to make them happen. The Arts Council has already pledged £500,000 of programme investment into a pilot of Creativity Collaboratives, where schools come together to develop best practice. Better recognition and evaluation of teaching for creativity in schools, a focus on digital technology and creative opportunities out of school hours and in the world of work are also priorities. The School has been party to setting up the North West’s pilot regional collaborative. In February, the creativity contingent of School’s Learning Development Group visited Stockport Grammar to present reflections on their creative teaching and learning trials. Focus will return to the development of collaboratives after the Arts Council’s necessary emphasis on Cultural Recovery funding in the context of COVID-19.

‘Lord of the Flies’ Year 11 boys performed two contrasting extracts from the stage adaptation of William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’, presenting accomplished performances to their visiting GCSE Drama examiner. The boys also produced an excellent piece of Brechtian devised work that drew ideas from Jonathan Safran Foer’s ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’, Ken Kesey’s ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, Walter Greenwood’s ‘Love on the Dole’ and Martin Parr’s documentary photography of Manchester and Salford.

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March Jonny Ashton, an award-winning freelance documentary Director who left Bolton School in 2005, delivered a series of inspirational talks to boys in Years 9 and 11 and students in the Sixth Form in the Spring Term. He described his job as being all about ‘telling stories’ and that this is different from producing news items or being a journalist. Having made documentaries for many channels – his show ‘Murder 24/7’ was airing on BBC2 at the time – he stressed how it is important to get to the heart of characters and stories and to ensure the audience is emotionally involved. He said that whilst it is good to have a plan, you need to be ready for surprises, and that if you make a show which is exactly as you originally intended, then you are probably not listening to people properly. He showed an example from the BAFTA-nominated ‘Mighty Redcar’, where a young man learns that he has been offered a music deal in real time and how this changed his life and the course of the programme. He also spoke about producing other documentaries including: ‘Celebrity Hunted’, ‘24 Hours in Police Custody’, ‘Ambulance’, ‘The Paras: Men of War’, ‘Surgeons: At the Edge of Life’ and ‘999: On the Frontline’. Jonny recalled how he enjoyed Drama at school, but went on to do a Psychology degree and then started on the bottom rung of TV production. He recalled driving the van, making the tea and carrying the equipment. He said he looked after the camera in his hotel room on shoots and was allowed to play about with it. This was great, he said, in allowing him to learn as much as he could about how the cameras work. He advised the boys to never be afraid to ask questions and to watch documentaries on YouTube to get a feel for how they are made and how interviews are conducted. He also advised that learning a language is a very good thing – for example, a command of Spanish would allow you to work in many countries. He said the best advice he could give is to have a sense of what you want to do, but be prepared to be flexible and change. When you get to university, he advised, join as many clubs as you can and he recalled how he ran the Drama Society for two years and how it was a free ‘trial run’ at running a small business. He also advised of lots of other societies to join such as TV and radio clubs. The boys also enjoyed listening to former pupil Luke Crompton who left five years ago and is now an advertising copywriter, and Jamal Niaz, a sports and entertainment journalist. Luke told how he initially dreamed of becoming a filmmaker and of his studies in Film and TV Production at Newcastle University. His initial work involved making short films for Instagram and Twitter for a wide range of companies, but since last September he has been working as a copywriter, where he thinks there is a more promising career progression. Jamal told how he had always wanted to be a sports journalist, how he studied Broadcast Journalism at the University of Salford in MediaCity. Having worked freelance since his university days, he shared some of his work covering boxing and rugby. His advice

Music & Drama to boys wanting to enter this field was to market themselves at university and beyond and to not always go where the money is.

May and June In the Summer Term, boys across Years 7 to 9 and Year 12 were variously involved in mime workshops, animation analysis, practical responses to Shakespeare, musical ethnography activities, exploration of museum collections and creative writing. Boys were led through activities by staff in SPACE sessions, in which boys followed digital course commissions from long-term collaborators RoughHouse Theatre Company, poet Andrew McMillan (the Manchester Writing School) and Liam Maloney (University of York).

Boys in Years 9 to 12 also participated in an online audition process for the December 2020 Senior Production of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. They are to be commended for producing excellent pieces to camera and the thoughtful completion of application forms.

Arts Award Later in the Summer Term, Year 7 boys rounded up their Arts Award projects in a SPACE enrichment session, drafting and delivering news reports in response to images, worked on portraiture/comic strip metamorphoses and composing and recording music to accompany an animation.

Year 9 boys carry out RSC freezeframe activities to explore ‘Julius Caesar’. They also enjoyed a celebratory round-up of the year’s Bronze Arts Award project following their Prizegiving assembly, in which Billy Minshull and Matty Wright won Year 7 Creativity Prizes for their top Arts Award portfolios. During the session, which gave an opportunity for the boys to share and reflect on their work, there was creative industry input from Old Boys Jonny Ashton (TV documentary maker), Robin Partington (architect, famously of the Gherkin) and Mark Radcliffe (TV and radio broadcaster, author and musician). A celebration summary video was shown, and there was peer review activity as well as the creation of video advice messages to incoming Year 7s.

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Music & Drama with established cultural partners, and projects that explore and critically respond to cultural heritage and contemporary cultural issues. The School’s CLP has continuously evolved to promote innovative ideas and practice across the key elements of schoolwide and school community participation; local community participation; creative development (including skills, training and work experience); cultural partnerships and community collaborations and research and development. The CLP actively engages with and promotes the foundation’s vision and policies regarding equal opportunities and diversity, participation and engagement. Ms. N.R. Lord The Arts Award programme is a range of unique qualifications that supports young people to grow as artists and arts leaders, inspiring them to connect with and take part in the wider arts world through taking challenges in an art form, from fashion to digital art, pottery to poetry. All boys in Year 7 are guided through the Bronze Award at Bolton School by Arts Award Co-ordinator Miss Sherry. The year’s programme has included arts carousel taster sessions in SPACE; research projects on a broad range of arts and culture professions, including focuses on parent arts practitioners and alumni creatives; a review of skills and subsequent reflection on school concerts, gallery and theatre visits and arts experiences streamed online during Lockdown; and guided independent project work at home during the period of remote learning and remote arts enrichment sessions. Creative Learning Director on Leaders for Impact Course Miss Lord, Director of Creative Learning and Partnerships, was invited to become one of eighteen committed professionals on the Royal Opera House Bridge’s National Leaders for Impact programme. The programme aims to empower its fellows to bring about change on a whole school, local and national level. Miss Lord also represents the Boys’ Division as a SLiCE fellow – a Specialist Leader in Cultural Education – via Curious Minds, the North West’s Arts Council Bridge Organisation. The School is thereby partnered with Manchester International Festival and The Factory. Work within this project draws together schools across Bolton to examine young people’s access and relationship to arts and culture, to work on removing barriers to participation and to promote young people’s understanding of creative skills and creative industry careers. Creative Learning Programme As the School year closed, the Boys’ Division published its Creative Learning Programme (CLP) for the 2020/21 academic year. The programme is designed to drive schoolwide arts and culture participation as well as broad creative engagement in the local community and region. The programme includes longstanding staples such as theatrical productions and concerts, new projects

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Performing Arts Colours _______________________________________________________

rts Colours (Drama) are a public recognition of talent and ongoing dedication to work within Performing Arts. Arts Colours were awarded to the following boys: Name Zayd Ascroft Jude Ascroft Thomas Britton Charlie Griffiths Nathan Hayes Anthony Johnson Max Kelly Oliver Shaw Tom Whitehead Muhammad Abdullah Ibrahim Ali Max Bianchi Charlie Bohanna Scott Bowden Dade Fishwick Thomas Hothersall Michael Ibeto Harvey Leigh Finley Littlefair Thomas Martin Shady Morgan Luke Pek Christian Stapleton

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

Creative Writing & Artwork Year 7: The Missing Chapter _______________________________________________________

n extra chapter for the novel ‘Rooftoppers’ by Katherine Rundell, explaining how the heroine ended up in a cello case in the middle of the English Channel.

The music was almost swaying with her. Sophie turned her head from side to side, taking in her surroundings as the music looped and swayed around the room in melodious tones. People laughed and drank, but the one person who stood out to Sophie’s six-month-old babyish eyes was an old and worried looking man. He kept looking out of the window staring into the stormy night, the thrashing rain. But surely that didn’t matter, when they were in the cosy indoors of this revolutionary ship? There were many rich people on this ship, but Sophie and her mother were not two of them. Her mother was the servant of Claudius Fuddle, the man who owned this ship and had thrown this party for his friends. Her mother was simply part of his personal orchestra, nothing more than an object used for entertainment. Sophie had spent virtually the first six months of her life travelling the world on this boat. Every now and again, the ship would shudder a bit, but the drunken lords and ladies couldn’t have cared less. Then was the moment where it all went wrong. Claudius Fuddle stumbled onto the stage with a microphone in his grasp. “Hello, Ladies and Gentlemen. Anybody who wins a round of Russian Roulette will promptly receive a payment of £5000.” Now you can imagine the uproar that followed. Claudius then pulled out the revolver, but nobody ever got round to the challenge, because he toppled off the stage and shot several bullets into the wooden wall of the ship. A spout of water trickled into the room. For a while, people just stood there. Then, all of a sudden, the wall gave way and water came gushing in. All you could hear was screaming as the most important people were loaded onto lifeboats. A tear-stricken mother was running with her child, when she saw Sophie. She put her in a cello case and ran. One hour. Two hours. The lights were fading from Sophie’s eyes. She awoke to see herself in a never-ending ocean, miles from her only relative and mother. All of a sudden, the sound of a foghorn alerted her inquisitive eyes to the lifeboat to the rear. The old and worried man from the ship lifted her into his caring arms. Jacob Kozera 7b

Omer Ibrahim 11d

Sophie’s Origin Roaring wind pounded on the window, horizontal sleet chipped the glass, but no one seemed to notice. Dancing, drinking and loud conversing swept through the pinepanelled bar, where all you could seem to smell was Pinot Noir ageing on the high, glass-encased shelves. Quiet whispers flew out of the windows – ‘Here’s two pounds, keep the change’ – as well as echoes of pounds and half pence being released onto the bar counter. Music crowded your ears, quartets in the corner being applauded by keen onlookers. Still though, no one seemed to notice the weather outside. Something else was happening. Screams bellowed through the corridors from every direction. One of these screeching noises was expelled from a little girl, who had fiery red, thick, silky hair draped like a mop over her miniature red cheeks. This little girl was the age of about two, wrapped up in snug, furry blankets, in a large cabin that had a pine-panelled, king-sized bed. As people outside clambered onto tight, wooden lifeboats outside on the deck, a red-haired, beautiful woman burst into the room clutching a large cello case. “Don’t worry, my sweet, everything’s going to be alright.” Judging by the tone of her voice, it was not. Climbing onto the soggy wooden deck, with the baby wrapped in her arms, she was jostled from every direction, until she found a boat. Gingerly stepping onto a lifeboat that was filled to the brim with men from the quartet, the cello case, now home to the small girl, slipped out of the woman’s hands and hit the ice-cold water with a slap. The woman screamed at the top of her voice. The baby wailing too,

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Creative Writing & Artwork the cello case was now more than four metres from her grasp. The boat slowly drifted away from the now half-submerged cruise liner, and so did the case. But there was one problem: it was floating in the wrong direction.

existed, but it was no longer his homeland. It was as if Aaron had disappeared, dispersed in the wind. The passports, which held his life in the balance, were of use no more, throwing him into an abyss of confusion. ‘Officially dead’ they said, yet there he stood alive and well, but dead to society nevertheless.

Lucas Horridge 7b Taken down from the top of the dresser, a container he would decant his life into: a suitcase. Looking around, Aaron’s eyes flitted over his possessions. He realised that he would not be able to take even a fraction of the things he owned. His eyes finally settled on a photo, a window to better times. In it, his wife and his child, all happy. This seemed like a million miles away in a different lifetime. Aaron picked it up and placed it in the case. At the sentimentality of a cracked teapot and the necessity of trousers and woollens, their entire life in a single bag, stood on the table before him. Aaron swept the curtains closed – it was time. His suitcase was packed, and that night they had lain in bed for a few hours, restless with fear. So, they were leaving this house and all of the memories it held, for the hope of a better future. Taking one last look around his house, Aaron threw on his coat. Seeing that his wife and child had followed suit, he cracked the door and looked out. Pools of light, spilling out from lamp posts, illuminate patches of pavement, islands in the frightening black, murky soup of darkness that wrapped around everything else in the street. They stepped out and were enveloped by the clutches of the night. Oliver Leach 12b

Year 8: The Departure Narratives inspired by ‘The Book Thief’ Knowledge is not power, it is only potential for power. Action is power. Aaron agreed, if only partially. He believed that while having knowledge is great, actually doing something with it is the purpose of having it in the first place. This was a stark truth in a context of totalitarian politics – tightening of restrictions squeezed Jewish jobs and the threat of ghettos loomed. Aaron decided to act on the knowledge he had and his gut instinct. He knew this was only the beginning, and that things would get worse. It became increasingly essential to depart from his homeland, entering into the dangers of the wider world. This would mean leaving behind the only place he had ever known, and this stirred every memory, good and bad. He was welcome in the town of his birth, now he had no place. Even those living in poverty and on the the streets – if they were not Jewish – were more welcome. Blocked from leaving his own country, the one he lived in, worked in and slept in for his entire life, he felt trapped and afraid. If you looked on a map, any map, Germany was still there, it still

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Every step carried the weight of being watched, by something just out of sight, just around the corner. Every minor sound seemed to announce their presence. The docks, despite only being half a mile away, seemed to be on the other side of Germany – a maze of streets resisting their exit plan. Every glance seemed to reveal a new enemy, a shadow made sinister by the dark, twisted by the buildings, shadows that seem to conspire to hold them back. They hurried out of the house and into the grey streets, darting amongst the shadows of the monsters that were eating up their home, their country. The looming threat of politics that had killed thousands, would kill many more. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– I tolerated a lot before the war bloomed blood-red across the globe. Now, I am simply overwhelmed, drowning in despair. It is too much for a man to bear. Nine years since have passed since I knew what it meant to be safe. It has been nine years since I had a full stomach. It has been nine years since I lay in the bed that I called my own and nine years since I have rested. For nine years, I have been denied my nationality, blocked from the only home I have ever known. It is nine years since I lost my wife and daughter. Nine years too many. How can a man carry such atrocities through his life? Fear that rumours are reality haunt my sleep. Each day I hear of men doing things that no man should ever do. Deeds that should never

Creative Writing & Artwork be done. It is impossible to believe the magnitude of the horror. I can only hope that humankind can change, grow, evolve. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– He counted: 152, 154, 156... and there it was, without a scratch, a bullet hole or even a smashed window. It was just as he remembered it. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. It was surreal, like a frozen moment in time, before all the fighting had begun. Aaron looked around the kitchen – not a thing had moved. Pans were still on the stove, cups still sat on the counter and hung on the wall. Photographs on the piano remained: reminders of better times. As he rested his eyes on the table, there she was! Her legs swinging from the chair, she was sewing. He walked around the table to take a look at her face and took in a sharp breath. It was his daughter. He could smell the warm challah bread baking in the oven as he sat down to contemplate her. Deydl was crackling out of the gramophone in the corner. He looked at her. She hadn’t taken notice of him yet. “Ariella?” Aaron managed, holding back the tears. Her face turned up to his, the sewing paused in her hands. “Ariella, I’m so very sorry.” He wept and his daughter’s face remained calm. Aaron moved to place his hand over hers, but she was gone, a memory, faded away. Ariella had been lost to Auschwitz some four years since. Jamie Logan 8b

Year 9: Writing inspired by WWI As we return to slumber The light burned my skin as we assembled in our positions. As more men joined us, a congealed mass of faceless drones emerged. All went silent as our commander prepared to give the signal: the final signal. Time stood still as he took a heavy breath and blew as hard as he could. Immediately, men flooded out of the trench and charged towards the enemy line. As I looked over to my right, I saw Davidson keeping pace with our line as he was filled by a determination I had scarcely seen before: charging even as enemy fire covered us in bullets. Over to my left was Sanders, who marched a metre or so behind the main line, and I watched in agony as the German artillery opened up and Sanders took the full force of a shell landing not four feet from his body. He was thrown ahead of me. When I reached him, I saw he had one eye missing along with his right arm and most of his legs. He attempted to speak, but his words were replaced by blood erupting from his mouth. I could see the utter horror in his eye, his arm was flailing about mindlessly, hoping to grab hold of something. I couldn’t bear it and neither could he – a stray German bullet broke into his forehead. His muscles contracted for the last time as life drained from his body, before lying back onto the ground: a pool of blood left behind his head. I reached the barbed wire and saw the German line buckling under the weight of the surviving soldiers. I raced after them as confidence flooded back into my body after seeing Davidson brave a machine gun post alone. But my bloodstained jacket caught in a tangled web of barbed wire. Frantically, I tried to escape my confinement, but my efforts were in vain, as slicing pains emerged across my forearm. Blood seeped out between the fabric of my clothing and dribbled onto the barren ground. I winced in pain as the metal buried itself deeper into my skin, tearing whatever muscle it found. I attempted to stand, but my ankles and legs were weary and buckled under my weight, causing me to back onto the barbed wire. I winced in pain, only to see the second wave approaching, I screamed for them to stop, but no noise left my throat: my chest was coated in blood. A bullet scraped the ground behind me, it bore the very same blood that was cascading down my chest. My head became clouded as I began to feel weak, but then a hand firmly grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me out of the wire, cut by others. They threw me onto a wooden plank and carried me as the second wave passed us, shells dropping all around them. Mere seconds between their approach on the barbed wire and the start of the machine guns – the slaughter began again. Ewan Davies 9e

Zain Akram 10f

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Creative Writing & Artwork an ocean of bodies. Swift yelled at us in his gravelly voice, like the grinding of dog tags. “With me lads!” He yelled. We didn’t move. “Hurry u...” He was cut off, rather literally in fact. A shell slammed into him, with a shriek.

Zayd Atcha 7c The Burrows 0800 hours. I sat in the trench, a long-stretching scar on the once unblemished beauty of the countryside. I pushed my back up against the warm, comforting ooze of the mud, clutching my battered rifle. I had barely even shot anyone with it, and yet it was like a friend. I carried it wherever I went. It was coated in mud, and covered in scratches. But it got me here. Not that here was anything good. I sat, deafened by the silence. The roaring of rifles was comforting. At least you knew where you were being shot at from. It was like we were in the eye of a storm, seconds before you were ripped up into the sky. The only noise was the occasional cough or splutter of a sick man. If the bullets didn’t get you, the pestilence would. The trench was rife with it. Close, muddy conditions, rats. It was as if the environment was engineered to spread disease. I noticed Brigadier Swift wiping down his whistle with the calloused, beige fabric of his sleeve. I gulped. I knew what was coming. I pushed myself up against the wall, making myself as small as possible. I was shaking violently. Brigadier Swift continued to wipe the mud from the cold steel. He didn’t exercise any emotion, as always. Still, he remained devoid of happiness, fear, anger. He was born for this, so he said. I think he was bred for it. He seemed barely human. His sabre swung at his hip as his arm moved. It was his pride and joy, his blade. The only time he ever showed even a trace of humanity was when he was tending to the sword. Corporal Seamus slammed into the mud beside me, narrowly avoiding the hail of bullets that danced through the mud. He clutched his head in his hands, hiding from the noise. Mud dripped onto his tin helmet, a landslide caused by the tremors of rounds. The rifles roared at us, like cornered animals. I clutched my head into my chest, my helmet slipping over my eyes. I moved it up to see

74 CREATIVE WRITING & ARTWORK

I closed my eyes as the air was filled with red mist. I squeezed them even tighter as I heard four dull splashes. I coughed, spitting up saliva that tasted bitterly of copper. A no longer shiny sabre planted itself firmly in the ground beside me. The blade was slick with red and brown. I scampered away. I fell onto my back, as a shell flung barbed wire through the air like a serpent. It wrapped around a soldier, pinning him to the ground. He was left to bleed, there was not time. One soldier wasn’t important right? I peered over the top, raising my head over the steep mud slope. A bullet punched into my helmet, a large dent scraping down the side of my head. I yanked off my helmet, tossing it aside. It was no use to me now. If it was hit, it would be planted deep into my skull. The strafe of machine guns caused a thin mist of brown and red. I crawled to my feet, pulling back the bolt and letting a bullet free. It missed. I hauled myself up a damaged wooden ladder. I pulled myself to my feet, aimed and fired again. Thwack. A small flick of red erupted as his head snapped back. I whooped. Then I stopped. He wasn’t the enemy. He was just a soldier like me. And yet I fired again. Another thwack. Another whoop. Bang, thwack, bang thwack, click. “Seamus, bullets!” “Are you...” “BULLETS!” I yelled with a sternness I didn’t know I possessed. They were tossed up, and I caught and reloaded. Ha! Another one in the mud. Soldiers fell left and right, the pitter patter like rain on a tent. Bullets floated around me, time slowing. I was a marksman, a hero. ROAR! A shell hit the leg of my watchtower, launching me from it, as the watchtower was obliterated. I landed hard on my back, winded. I turned to see a soldier with the leg of the tower embedded in his stomach. Seamus rushed to help him. I stood up and continued to shoot, despite the whizzing metal passing my head. I was slammed into and pinned to the ground by Seamus. “Have you lost your mind? What the...” He was flung off me, slapping the muddied slope. I closed my eyes as mist settled on my face, dripping off my nose and into my mouth. I coughed and spat. I dared not look at him, his head seeming to fuse with the mud, like the roots of a plant. On and on went the fire. Red danced in the air, floating in a gentle vapour-like liquid. Mesmerised by the ballet of bullets, I was barely conscious of the potato masher grenade that rolled to a soft stop by my foot. Tom Griffiths 9e

Creative Writing & Artwork The speed of an arrow the deer could outrun When after a year of chasing, he caught the fawn Erymanthus’ Boar was Eurystheus’ next ask Living on a mountain with tusks from its mouth Victorious would Hercules be in this task Even if he must wait for snow to come out Labour number five was a dirty job Augean stables that had to be cleaned But he had a plan of a way to swab Out of a river water came and his reward was redeemed Unhappy was Eurystheus with the success he could see Right he was not on how Hercules would be Since he didn’t expect him to do any On his task list now were Stymphalian Birds Flocked on a tree in the middle of a lake

Medal and logo designs for 2020 ‘Lockdown Olympics’, a creative task in Classical Civilisation Olly Hextall 9e

He used the krotala to scare off the herd Ending the birds with the bow he would take Right after he moved onto what was next Crete had a bull that was causing destruction Until it looked down at the ground for Hercules this was best Locked it down and stopped its obstruction Eighth was to capture Diomedes’ Mares Stallions who fed on the flesh of men

Year 9: Classical Civilisation creative task based on Hercules The grief that remained When he found what he had done Every crevice of his hand, bloodstained Left with no loved one Violence he had done while mad Even that had made him sad Learning of his crime A troubled Hercules made a trip Because his cousin Eurystheus gave his time O, but he would not let this slip Upon hearing about the event Rumbles of dismay from Eurystheus’ vent So to ten labours Hercules was sent Of these, the first was the Nemean Lion Ferocious beast with unpierceable skin However the lion’s own claw he decided to try and Easy the fight became to win Righteous was the trial of the hydra beast Cutting off its many heads Until his nephew Iolaus had an idea at least Light the necks on fire and leave it dead Even after these Hercules was not done Sprinting about Ceryneia was a hind with gold horns

They were hard creatures to bear When Hercules was done he fed their master to them Eurystheus’ daughter wanted Hippolyta’s belt Loving, caring Amazon queen Very luckily for Hercules the way she felt Even she gave him the belt once he was seen Labour ten was the cattle of Geryon A three-bodied giant who lived far west But when Hercules the island he was on One arrow shot could do the rest Unfortunately this is not where it ends Rudely Eurystheus would not make amends Since for two labours he was helped by friends One of the extras was the apples of gold Finding them was extremely hard Hercules took the heavens to hold Even though he could have fought past the guard Right now was the final labour Cerberus, a dog with three heads Underworld’s guard with a tail that can saber Light work for Hercules who left it dead Even though it seemed so bleak So many hard tasks that would seem like the peak Ben Turner 9e

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Creative Writing & Artwork Year 9: Transactional Writing A Moan on Laces What ties us so strongly to our laces? Or are our commitments, in fact, quite loose? It’s a lovely Saturday morning. You’re surprised that you’re finally in the mood for that run you’ve always planned. Smiling, you step out of the front door in your tightest Lycra... and crash to the ground, along with all your dreams of ridding that ‘midlife’ beer belly. Well, it’s happened to me. This week, and the last, and all the days in between. I’m sure you can find one of the videos somewhere, courtesy of my concerningly flippant daughter. Laces. Oh laces, why must you always snake viciously towards the oh so graceful arc of my foot? Why must you defy any attempt at staying in your neatly, perfectly formed bunny loops? For years, I attempted to improve my tying, find the perfect knot that would clutch those strings in perfect symmetry for ever and ever. Or even just a few hours, really. But one by one, they all failed. An hour, half. Every single one conceded their knots and faded into loose, murderous spaghetti. By now, you may be asking, well, why not just double knot? They don’t untie. Well, my clever reader, that would be cheating. In this mighty back and forth of lace and luck, a double knot is a crude tactic. This is a game, and if I must wear these laces, it’s one I intend to win honourably. But nevertheless, I wonder, how essential are these laces to us, to me, to you? How much easier would life be if we could simply chuck the string? And so it was then that I realised: Velcro. The answer to all of our problems. A simple, but effective solution with wasting potential. We give them to our children, solely for the fact that they are easy to put on, easily adjustable for comfort, and unlikely to come off. How much time could you save, not needing to scramble in the morning out of your doorway, with an apple nestled uncomfortably in your teeth? Hobbling with hands frantically trying to tie the flailing cords that are about to break your nose for the second time... no? Well anyway, I’m sure you could save something, if not your nose. Some people would object, I’m sure. They’d cling to their strings like flies in honey. And I suppose that’s fine. There’s a novelty to it, I’ll admit. Though I predict with the advent of the VelcRenaissance, they’ll be thrown in with the likes of hipsters and whole grains. David Chow 9e

Jake Murgatroyd 11c Year 11: If Dickens Were Living Now – Inspired by their study of ‘A Christmas Carol’, pupils responded to the topical issues of our time, as Dickens commented on those of his society. Wasted Lives Everyone knew him. The cold-hearted, ignoble, merciless killer who preyed on the weak and powerless. Sitting on his throne, in his false country, the butcher known as Qatal1 commanded his oversized army. “We shall not allow any rebellion or freedom; if there is any uprising, do not be afraid to intervene and ‘calm’ the situation.” With a deafening crash, the ruthless soldiers uniformly crashed their boots in salute to the dictator and row by row departed from the hall. Across the great barrier, far into the destroyed city, a young boy named Bara’a2 consoled his only family, his younger sister. Together, the siblings took shelter in an abandoned shop. The sand and dust of the debris surrounded the pair like a snake choking its prey. It created a bubble around the children and reduced the visibility to nothing, like the black cloak of the reaper. After the sand storm had passed, they slowly emerged from the shop and walked down the so-called streets, with collapsed buildings on either side, looking for water to quench their thirst. On their journey, the constant wailing of families echoed through the desolate city. “My child is gone!” screamed a mourning mother. “He died before he could see his father’s face.” The streets were flooded with tears, but the tears were surpassed with the amount of blood of the innocent. As Bara’a and his sister Arabic for killer Arabic for innocence

1 2

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Creative Writing & Artwork trudged like zombies through the wrecked town, the body of a child still attached to the umbilical cord lay in the sitting area of a home which had been crumpled. Blood scarred the soft skin of the wasted child. The corpse of the mother lay next to her child, with tears dried on her fear-stricken face. The sight did not disturb the children; at this point, it had become natural. War had corrupted the lives of everyone in the city. A day did not pass where destruction from the sky did not reign over the city. A day did not pass where the screams of children and women did not bellow through the streets. A day did not pass where the roads were not used as graves for the innocent. The children continued to walk for a while until they reached the well in the centre of the once thriving courtyard.

planted a knife next to the body of the child. They then left the body and carried on marching to bring hell to other families in Gaza. With another breeze, a storm of sand surrounded the corpse, but, this time, it did not leave; it just covered the bodies like a body bag. Hamaad Choudry 11c

“Our days of peace will come soon,” whispered Bara’a to his little sister, who was calmly washing the dirt off her face with the water. As soon as the words left his mouth, a huge explosion blasted the children. Another attack had occurred five hundred metres from their location. Bara’a lay still on the floor. With a burst of wind, sand engulfed the children, surrounding them like a cage. With a throat wrenching cough, he rose in tears. “Why is this happening to me and my people? We have done nothing wrong, yet we are being punished.” As Bara’a sat down next to the well, he turned to his sister. She was still lying there. Motionless. “Sister… wake up! Wake up!” She was not waking up… ever. Bara’a held her innocent face in his hands. “Wake up!” he screamed. “Wake up.” His meaning of life had just passed. The only reason worth living had just disappeared. For hours and hours, Bara’a sat with his sister. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t bury his sister. He couldn’t leave her there either. For days, Bara’a sat in the exact same spot, his lifeless sister lying on his lap. The sound of marching resonated through the hollow buildings. The sound crept closer and closer. It was the army of Qatal. Bara’a did not move. He was not afraid of death. After all, he would be reunited with his family. As the soldiers arrived, they immediately pointed their rifles at the young child. “Stand up with your hands on your head,” shouted one of the soldiers. Bara’a did nothing. “Stand up or you will be punished.” Slowly Bara’a placed his sister’s head on the ground and began to stand up. His eyes were filled with rage. Staring into the barrels of twenty rifles, Bara’a stated, “This is no war. Every day, you fight and kill people who do not want to fight. They just want to live peacefully. Every day, you tear families apart without mercy. Every day, you leave the city with even more rubble. Every day, you leave children without a home and without a family like me.” “This is no war, this is genocide!” Bara’a’s soul left his body and he was reunited with his family. The soldiers quickly turned and

Callum Wong 11c Ghetto Politics Osman Jackson jammed the brakes and the car began to grunt and wheeze until it eventually came to a halt. He tore his mixtape from out of the music player, checked his smile in the mirror and finally began to roll down his window to speak to the police officer. “What’s going on, OJ?” piped up Top Dog from the back of the rusty old vehicle. Top Dog was towering and confident, a figure whose chain would cling to his neck and whose tattoo-covered arm would now edge towards the back pocket of his stain-ridden jeans. OJ shot Top Dog a panicked look, as the officer leaned into the window to speak. “What are you boys doing in this area?” said the officer. As the sweat escaped his forehead, Osman’s lip quivered; the officer’s grip on his firearm tightened, until the point when he thought it just might break. “We’re just getting gas, Sir,” said Top Dog, calmness oozing from his being. The officer simply stared them down, allowing tens of seconds to pass until he finally nodded, although somewhat discontentedly, and allowed them to pass.

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Creative Writing & Artwork OJ’s daughter, who had remained silent for the duration of the interaction, finally spoke: “Why does the white man hate us, Daddy?”

its damp effect, smudging it over the rest of his face until his skin is covered in an oily sheen, his pale, blue eyes streaming salt.

Osman remained silent and continued to drive.

He rubs the fabric away with mild malcontent as he enters one of the grey buildings. He smiled snidely at the receptionist; he means to learn her name someday, but instead takes note of the shortness of her dress, and the despondent, sullen look in her dark eyes, and gives inflammatory advice to ‘perk up’. He doesn’t know what she goes home to, or the means by which she travels, nor does he care; she remains eye-candy to satisfy him as he walks into the ceaseless cesspit of appalling bawling and shouting. He sparks up a cigarette as he walks through them all, sucking up the noxious fumes into his corrupted lungs, and spreading the foul waste out over the crowd. They take little notice, for they stagnate in it already, they wallow, they thrive in it. They yell and scream down innocent phone lines to the poor and disadvantaged, who have accumulated some small wealth for themselves of their own accord, and are now willing to have it stripped off them by false promises and persuasive tongues. He has not a single friend here, despite his long term of employment; they all despise each other as much as the next, writhing and twisting over each other in a snake bed for the largest profit. He crushes the cigarette in his hand, though he has barely begun it, and takes out another, fitting it between his pearly fangs and clamping down his belligerent jaw with the force of a hydraulic press. He sits amongst an ocean of screens; arrows pointing up and down in psychedelic misdirection, labelled with companies and businesses he has never heard of before. He revels in it, spinning on his little chair in delight, and crushes another cigarette. With his cold clammy hand, he picks up the phone. His wolf fangs are bared, his bear claws are poised, and the corrosive venom in his snake eyes is potent to bring down even the strongest of cattle, as he bites down on the unsuspecting rat that has stumbled pathetically into his lair.

Omer Ibrahim 11d

Lucas Horridge 7b The Bear and The Bull He rubs his hand with avaricious delight as he takes an evening stroll down the avenue, steel girders of buildings piled high into stacks upon stacks of prosperity and abundance. But within, something sours. Within, thousands upon thousands just like him, trim-cut and bespoke suited, spend their precious time upon this earth scrounging and draining every last penny possible out of the everyday man, who gullibly laps upon the subsisting udder of the cow that sits beside the furious bull named temptation. The charging bull rears its hefty metal skull in every which direction permitted to it by the concrete confines of its cage, and, in its fire and fury, leaves nothing but oblivion. He swaggers past its monstrous horns, and readjusts his thin lapel, fraying slightly at the seams. The rest of his visage is inscrutable, however, perfect in each pinched fold and twisted corner that stretches to the confines of his sadistic, avaricious, lecherous soul. His jet-black hair is swept back by oceans of product to hold back the vivid orange skin, like a mountain range as it crosses the bridge of his corrected, addicted nose, travels between his thinlipped smile scarred into his face like a plagued wound, clinging by the plastic perforation pouring out of his plateaued forehead in the sweltering afternoon. He produces a velvet square from his breast pocket, and wipes the sweat neurotically away, but only exacerbates

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Luke Pek 11c

Alexander Cook 8a

Sports Sports Preface _______________________________________________________

t gives me great pleasure to write a quick introduction to the Sports section of ‘The Boltonian’. In what has been a difficult year, due to unforeseen events, the winter sports all had to be cut short and the Summer Term saw no competitive sport played at all. When you read the numerous articles that follow, I am sure you will agree it has still been another great year for sport here at Bolton School. Our achievements and successes are many – both team and individual. One that deserves an early mention, is that we are, once again, the National titles winners in Water polo at Under 18 level.

activities. First XI Hockey player Matthew Cavaliere was awarded the Hindley Trophy for his tremendous achievements in hockey, both inside and out of school. The new astro is now operational, and has become a great asset to both School Hockey and the School in general. 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. I 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, who I would like to thank very much for their continued support. The next pages of ‘The Boltonian’ will give you the chance to read about the fine achievements of our teams and individual athletes. Mr. P. Fernside

Sport Cups and Colours _______________________________________________________

In Football, the First XI had a great season of results, with a large percentage of wins over their many games. They reached the Final of the Greater Manchester Cup along with several junior sides, who also reached the latter stages of the Bolton Town competitions before they were abruptly stopped. Rugby and Hockey saw their chance to play in many end-of-season competitions also taken away. I hope that things will have improved next academic year. 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

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 Football Henry Doyle Cian Gallagher Jack Hainey Joe Maher Will Morris Euan Pollard Pierce Barker-Smith Jameson Goloba

Form Colour 13e 13g 13j 13a 13b 13a 12g 12d

Full Full Full Full Full Full Half Half

SPORTS 79

Sports Will Jackson Josh Kay Cian Spencer-McDermott Jensen Myerscough Henry Speakman Luca Williams-Denton

12d 12f 12g 12i 12g 12h

Half Half Half Half Half Half

Thomas Yates Harry Bentham James Blenkinship Robert Morgan Ben Price

12b 11f 11f 11f 11a

Full Half Half Half Half

Sports Cups were awarded to the following boys: Golf Alfie Yearsley

12h

Full

Hockey George Brennan Matthew Cavaliere Ben Turner Aibin Baby Joe Brennan Nathan Burudi Ben Chowdhury Jack Danson Charlie Griffiths Tom Hussain Joyal Joshy Tony Varkey

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

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

Outdoor Pursuits Patrick Bentley Emmett Brennan-Calland Max Kelly Harry Paterson

12i 12i 12e 12f

Full Full Full Full

Rugby Teddy Clarke Daniel Bentham Max Hodson Cameron Matthews Piers Skeels-Caldwell Zaman Ul-Haque George Yearsley

13i 12a 13a 12c 12h 13e 12a

Full Half Half Half Half Half Half

Swimming Tobias Ramwell Thomas Yates

13d 12b

Full Full (re-awarded)

Tennis (in recognition of previous years’ contributions) Ben Clarkson 11a Half Daniel Morris 11a Half Sam Schofield 11f Half Water polo Marcus Crompton Chris Rhodes Daniel Bentham Jensen Myerscough Tom Simpson

80 SPORTS

13i 13i 12a 12i 12h

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

Name Form Cup Matthew Cavaliere 13g Hindley Trophy (Best Individual Performance) Marcus Crompton 13i

Pearson Trophy (Water polo Captain)

TPP Award (Volunteer in Sport Award)

Jack Hainey 13j

Bradley Trophy (School Football Captain)

Shaun Hughes-Grundy 13e

L.C. Jones Award (School Rugby Captain)

Matthew Mair 11a

Ashworth Trophy (Most improved Hockey player)

Euan Pollard 13a

Chris Rigby Award (Football player of the Year)

Tobias Ramwell 13d

Field Cup (School Swimming Captain)

Hyde Plate (School Cricket Captain)

Ben Turner 13f

Allison Trophy (School Hockey Captain)

Callum Wong

Badminton Captain’s Trophy

11c

Alfie Yearsley 12h

Eric Dawber Award (School Golf Captain)

From the Dugout _______________________________________________________

t has been another busy year of Bolton School Football despite the curtailment of the season due to the pandemic. There has been a great deal to be proud of this year and here are some of the key achievements:

A youthful First XI featured in the Boodles ISFA Cup, falling to tough

Sports opposition in the form of Alleyn’s in Round 2, although much will have been gained from the experience as they progress into their senior years. Both our Under 15 and Under 13 squads made it through to the last sixteen of their respective ISFA Cup competitions, for which they deserve credit, with the former losing out to Cheadle Hulme School in a close contest and the latter defeated by a strong MGS side. On a different day, both squads could have progressed further, but it was not to be this year. In other Cup competitions, we wait to see whether the latter stages of the County and Town Cups will be completed in the new term. A good number of boys across the year groups were involved in trials and fixtures at regional level with ISFA this year, although their involvement was also cut short due to the circumstances and restrictions imposed on us during the Spring Term.

them for their commitment and loyalty over several years, and wish them the very best for the future. Remember that you will always receive a warm welcome from the O.B.A.F.C. should you wish to continue to play competitively when you are in Bolton. Finally, my thanks to my colleagues who give up so much of their time both midweek and on Saturdays to support the boys and provide them with the opportunity to play for their school. Let us all hope that we can get back to action as soon as it is safe to do so. Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

1st Xl Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 24 16 4 4 80 39

Although there have been Saturdays on which we have fielded ten or eleven teams, the norm is that on any given Saturday morning there will be six or seven teams playing – 66 or 77 players on the pitches at any one moment. The boys are extremely keen to play for their school, and this commitment is very much part and parcel of being a Bolton School boy. At some point in the season, the boys will all no doubt have stood on the sidelines, looking on, or at home, desperately wishing they were playing in that particular fixture. Many of the boys make way for others and switch positions to accommodate teammates on a regular basis, regardless of whether they feel within their comfort zone doing so. Their willingness to step up for the team and to be adaptable, versatile and selfless, are not only essential strengths on the pitch, but are traits that will also serve them well through life. Representing School on a Saturday morning can, at times, feel like hard work, especially when you have increasing demands on your time, but the boys never cease to impress me with their enthusiasm and commitment to the cause. Due to the global pandemic, we were not able to gather and celebrate the successes of the season with the boys at the annual awards dinner, but we were still able to award the various accolades remotely at the end of the Spring Term. Congratulations once again to all of this season’s winners. This year’s scheduled Holland Tour for our Under 12 & Under 13 squads was also cancelled, although we hope to be able to offer the tour to the boys next Easter. To the boys who have played their last game for the School, I thank

The 2019-20 season will always be remembered due to a seasonending pandemic, but it should also be remembered as another successful year on Pitch 9 for the 1st Xl. Twenty-four competitive matches were still manageable; the last of these was an even and well fought 2-2 draw away at MGS in mid March, an appropriate appetiser for the Greater Manchester County Cup Final that was due to be played before the curtain came down. This would have been a repeat of the previous season’s final (settled by the odd goal) and would have been a good yardstick on which to measure progress. Unfortunately, the lads will have to make do with the 4-1 win at home to MGS that took place back in November, a stand out team performance not only of this season, but over the last few years. The passage into the second cup final in two years certainly saw a number of highlights – the Semi-final win (4-1) away at Altrincham Grammar School showed grit and determination, while the 5-0 win at home to local rivals Canon Slade was as classy as schoolboy football could be. The round previous versus Blue Coat from Oldham wasn’t pretty, but late goals from Henry Speakman and Josh Kay showed great team spirit and fight.

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Sports Other notable results from the season included home and away 4-0 wins against King’s Chester, a 5-2 fightback to beat an upand-coming Rossall, a 4-3 win against Morecambe High School and victories against Lymm High School, St. Ambrose and a young Shrewsbury side. The ESFA Cup run started brightly, and could well have continued if not for some tricky away ties and spots of bad luck; that could not be said about the loss away at Alleyn’s in the ISFA Cup – no complaints there, but surely a competition in which we should look to improve our recent record. These two cup exits were only two of four defeats all season: the loss away at Merchant Taylors’ was out of character, along with a draw to the Grammar School at Leeds, where we just didn’t get going; however, each game was very much a learning experience for a young squad. In fact, only a handful of Year 13 boys saw their Bolton School Football careers out to the end of Sixth Form. Captain, Jack Hainey has been a consistent midfielder in the First Xl throughout his senior years; he has grown in stature over that time, quietly going about his business. Euan Pollard developed into a reliable player that could cover a number of positions going forward, chipping in with vital goals, sixteen in total. Cian Gallagher cemented his position as Number 1 while Henry Doyle and Joe Maher stepped up to add some steel to the team. All five players should be proud of their commitment to School Football over a number of years, which has been recognised with many of the end of year awards. The vast majority of the squad was made up of Year 12 boys, although many of these were still new to first team football, only lead scoring Jameson Goloba (19) and midfielders Cian SpencerMcDermott and Luca Williams-Denton having much previous game time. Jensen Myerscough provided a focal point up front and Will Jackson has grown as a centre back – both players learning lots about the game. The same can be said for the Year 11 boys new to Senior Football, always a difficult ask adapting to the physical demands of Under 19 sport, but they have risen to the challenge with the odd bump on the way. Sam Olawumi and Jacob Stevenson are ones to watch for the future, both capable of playing in a number of positions while Harry Forshaw showed glimpses of his brilliance, which is exciting for the future. With 75% of the squad set to return next year, it is certainly a shame that we will do so in uncertain times. Who know what the future holds, but, for now, we can look back at a solid season for the First Xl, even if it ended a few games early. Good luck to those players and parents leaving Bolton School Football behind them – as ever, I encourage you to stay in the game. I am sure you will agree 2020 has highlighted the things we love. Pre-season will return at some point for the remainder, as will the epic battles, cup runs or failures and the Saturday morning buzz of The Levels. See you soon and stay safe. Mr. M.G. Chilton

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2nd XI Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 19 11 3 5 55 40 Although the 2019-20 season will forever live in the memory as the one that was cut short by COVID-19, it should not be forgotten that there is a great deal for the Second XI to reflect on with fondness, and much good football was played during the curtailed campaign. The quality and fluency that were to materialise in the season were not immediately in evidence for the first match of the new season, which saw the Second XI fall to a 4-2 defeat to a very strong and powerful team from St. Ambrose. The situation did not improve in the next game, when careless defending and individual howlers led to a disappointing 4-3 away defeat at Hutton. Despite those defeats, there were clear shoots of optimism emerging, and a sense that the team just needed to gel a little more in order to show its true mettle. Henry Doyle excelled in defence and in attack, showing his versatility and eye for goal by netting three times in those fixtures. Indeed, Henry would go on to finish as the squad’s second highest goalscorer of the campaign, with an impressive nine strikes. Josh Kay, as ever, caught the eye with his superb forward play, a mixture of pace and speed of thought often catching out opposition defenders. He would have scored many more than the seven goals he got, had he not suffered a broken collar bone. The first victory of the season came against Hulme Oldham and was more convincing than the narrow 4-3 scoreline suggested. The match was important in that it provided the platform for key areas of the squad to become established. The midfield was beginning to knit together, with Felix Hill and Adnaan Ahmed showing the strength and power that any good team needs in this area. Indeed, Felix would go on to have a superb season and rightfully won the Players’ Player of the Season award. Oliver Green made his debut in goal in this fixture and was to become a regular thereafter, impressing many with his reflexes and excellent distribution. Will Morris continued to be ever reliable and tenacious in defence, while Ben Holden offered class and composure in the left back slot. Great away victories against Altrincham, King’s Chester and Shrewsbury underscored the talent in the side and emphasised the willingness of the players to work for each other and do what is often referred to as ‘the less glamorous side’ of the game; without it, though, no team would be able to succeed, and this maxim was something that the whole squad bought into. The two fixtures we lost after Christmas were both against opposition First XI teams, who were quicker, stronger and, quite simply, just better than us. But you learn a lot from your team when they are under pressure, and I am pleased to say that this team did not give up in those games and played with a purpose and work ethos that, allied to their skills, meant that they would soon bounce back to

Sports winning ways. This they did, with convincing victories over both Merchant Taylors’ and Ripley St. Thomas. It ought to have been followed by a win away at Leeds, but the team had to settle for a 1-1 draw after squandering a succession of gilt-edged opportunities and paid the price for a momentary defensive lapse. The games against MGS were superb and perhaps the highlights of the campaign. Having been forced to settle for a draw away from home, when a rather freak goal salvaged a 2-2 result for MGS, the team awaited what would prove to be the final fixture of the season with impatience. A cagey game exploded into life when Dan Morris and George Warren put us into a 2-0 lead before Henry MillerStenton slotted home a cool penalty to establish a commanding 3-0 advantage. But, credit where credit’s due, MGS fought back to make it 3-2, and could well have equalised had Oliver Green not produced a marvellous penalty save in the dying moments. All in all, the Second XI can be pleased with the football they played this year. Their battling spirit, willingness to work for each other and effort were faultless. There were excellent contributions from Joe Cooney and Michael Ibeto, while Amaan Broughton and Joe Maher formed an excellent partnership at the heart of the defence; their encouragement and leadership inspired others. Tega Uwanogho grew in stature throughout – strong, powerful and quick, he performed admirably well, be it in midfield or as a centre half. Dan Morris had an excellent season; his unselfish work up front was appreciated by all, not least by Henry Miller-Stenton, whose ten strikes, four in one match against Merchant Taylors’, made him top scorer. Ethan Smyth, Ben Clarkson and Alexander Dawson Mayol all made significant contributions at vital moments, underlining the depth of talent in the squad. There were notable cameos from the excellent Jacob Stevenson and Robert Morgan, as well as Ed MillerStenton and Finlay Taylor-Watson, whose passing caught the eye for its precision and speed. I wish to thank the whole squad for their time and effort this year. They have done remarkably well and have helped create a real team spirit that augurs well for next season – when it eventually starts. Mr. P.G. Davidson

3rd XI Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 12 7 1 4 38 19 This season may be remembered for being cut slightly short by the Coronavirus outbreak just before our final fixture and Sports Dinner rather than the football. However, there were still many highlights during the year. We had a relatively youthful Third XI this season, with most of the

team made up from Year 11. A strength of the team has been the flourishing midfield, which regularly demonstrated an impressive ability to score goals. Two examples of this were during away games against AKS and King’s Chester. Here, we played some of the best football of the season – high pressing and dynamic, with the fluent passing that we have come to expect from the best Bolton School teams. In attack, Tyler McCarthy, Archie Seddon and Ed MillerStenton proved to be a formidable front three; their speed, flair and the efficiency with which they converted chances was a great asset. Some of our away games stand out as particular highlights including victories at Stonyhurst and MGS. Against Stonyhurst, we arrived in fog, and after a wet week, the ground was saturated. The conditions were not ideal, but the team fought valiantly against a physical side and we always tried to play positive attacking football. Despite going 1-0 down, we eventually won the game 3-1. The away fixture at MGS is arguably our most difficult fixture of the season. We played with a high defensive line, trying to press MGS into their half, denying them space to play. This proved very effective and, in a high scoring fixture, we triumphed 6-3. Finlay Taylor-Watson had a particularly outstanding game and was named the Man of the Match. Other notable away victories were against Shrewsbury 2-1 and Hulme Oldham 4-2. The disappointment of the season is that our defence as a team was less consistent than in the previous three years – we lost as many games this season as in those previous three combined. Cheadle, MGS, Leeds and King’s Chester all beat us in our home fixtures. These were very entertaining, competitive games, but over the full 70 minutes, we lacked consistency and occasionally suffered costly momentary lapses in concentration. Margins were narrow – these defeats were all by a single goal, but improvement in this area is a priority for the Newbold and Teasdale management in 2021. One of the pleasures of coaching a relatively young team has been watching the rapid improvement of the players over the course of the season as they adjust to the demands of playing Senior Football. Some notable improving players this year have been Jacob Ashworth at left back, Lucas Thornley in centre midfield, and Joel Male and Oliver Kendall as versatile midfielders. We look forward to seeing new faces and overseeing the development of established players next season. Mr. P.J.Newbold & Mr. D.F. Teasdale

Under 15 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 19 10 3 6 63 41 This year saw some excellent individual and team performances. The major Cup competition for this year group was the ISFA Investec

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Sports Cup, with the team progressing through the early stages by defeating Birkdale School in Sheffield, followed by another away day at a rather windy AKS Lytham. We then faced Cheadle Hulme School in a closely-fought last sixteen fixture, which saw us come up short in a game that we really should have won, but for a combination of poor defending at one end and profligacy at the other. In our two other Cup competitions, we lost on penalties in both, when, once again, the games were there for us to win. The outstanding performance of the season when it all seemed to come together for the boys, was what turned out to be our final game of the season against our old foe MGS. A truly magnificent collective performance from the boys that day saw us defeat a strong MGS side after 70 hard-fought minutes, where no quarter was given from either side. There were some wonderful goals that day and some superb individual contributions, but a special mention should be given to Freddie Summers, who made a last minute save that any goalkeeper would be proud of, and which summed up the progress that he made throughout the year. Throughout the season, there were noteworthy contributions from many boys, and far too many to mention individually here. Although they did not always train with purpose and a desire to improve, this group of boys always gave of their all on match days, and this esprit de corps shone through when we hosted The Grammar School at Leeds, playing the entire game with ten men, with our guests only drawing level in the last few moments of the game. The boys’ mentality that day showed what they are capable of when they are disciplined and play for each other. My thanks to Ben Male, who captained the side this year with aplomb, leading the boys well and with great commitment to the cause. I wish all of the boys well as they progress to Senior Football next year. Finally, my thanks to Dr. Mullins and Mr. Branagan for their invaluable contributions and expertise throughout the season. Mr. M.H.J. Prentki

Under 14 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 19 6 2 11 60 67 Looking purely at the statistics, the 2019-20 season does not seem to be one that would live long in the memory for those involved with the Under 14 Football team; however, such a view of the season would be mistaken. This was a season when the squad of footballers of this age group displayed great character, and developed both their individual skills and tactical awareness. That such development was not reflected in more wins is unfortunate, but it does not diminish

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the progress that this group made during the season. Even where losses were suffered, the gap between the Bolton School Under 14 Football team and our local rivals closed considerably. One of the most pleasing aspects of the season was the number of times the team scored the final goal of matches. This displayed a level of perseverance and ‘never say die’ attitude that will stand the boys in good stead for the future, both on and off the football field. Coming back from 3-1 down against Shrewsbury School to draw 3-3 and setting up a tense finish away at Cheadle Hulme Grammar School by coming back from 3-0 down to, ultimately, lose 3-2 are examples of the determination that characterised the season. Cup interest was ended early in the season, as heavy defeats to Rivington and Blackrod School in the Town Cup, the team losing 7-3, and to Turton High School in the Greater Manchester Cup, a 6-1 defeat, meant that only Saturday ‘block’ fixtures would provide the team with the chance to gain some victories. The team did not have to wait long for such a victory, with a 6-2 win against Oldham Hulme Grammar School, providing Robin Jaaskelainen with his first goals of the season in the form of a hat trick and a brace from George Neill, suggesting that he had done the right thing in converting from rugby to football. A 10-0 victory against a weakened King’s Chester side proved a further opportunity for Robin and George to increase their goal tally, whilst Kian McDonald helped himself to a hat trick. A 4-1 home defeat to Manchester Grammar School demonstrated to the team that, in an evenly matched contest, mistakes in their own penalty box and a lack of ruthless finishing in the opponent’s penalty box would make it hard to win games. Fortunately, the team did not have long to wait to play against another team to display fragilities at either end of the pitch, with a 5-2 home victory against Bury Grammar School, the first fixture of 2020, suggesting an easier game than it was in reality. As the second half of the season progressed, the team developed greater defensive stability, and moving Joe Emery from full back to a midfield role, alongside the dependable Tom Leach, proved to be pivotal in improving the team’s performances. A comfortable 3-0 win against Morecambe High School, only the second clean sheet of the season, was evidence that the back four of James Fitzsimmons, Mohammed Natha, Billy Maher and Luke Johnson were providing goalkeeper Max Goodwin with greater protection than he and the unfortunate Elliot Davies, injured at King’s Chester, had been afforded earlier in the season. Even a 2-1 defeat at The Grammar School at Leeds was further evidence of how the team had progressed and had closed the gap on a rival compared to previous seasons. This narrow defeat was particularly commendable, given that the unavailability of both Elliot Davies and Max Goodwin meant that George Neil had to don the goalkeeping gloves and play ‘between the sticks.’ Had Bolton taken their first half chances more clinically, then the match would have been won, which would have been a just reward for George’s brave effort in nets. COVID-19 brought a premature end to the season on Saturday

Sports 14th March at Manchester Grammar School. With the team’s performances improving as the season progressed, this gave the lads a final chance to turn such improved performances into a victory. They did not disappoint. An emphatic 6-0 win was a fitting way to end the season, with no fewer than three ex-Premier League footballers in attendance. Two goals for Robin Jaaskelainen meant that he just pipped Kian McDonald to the top scorer’s crown, whilst two goals for Joe Carolan were just reward for some excellent recent performances in a more advanced midfield role allowed by the Emery-Leach midfield axis. Harvey Husbands should also be commended for filling in manfully at right back.

alongside the new talented recruit Zach Baumann, Adam Berisford and Isaac Lucas. In twenty-one years of coaching football, I don’t think I’ve had a more formidable central midfield unit.

The team saved the best until last in terms of both performance and result, but the 6-0 victory at MGS was a result that had been coming. As the team move to the Under 15 level, they should take confidence from the 2019-20 season as they demonstrated on a number of occasions that, when they have their strongest eleven players available, they are a match for any of our local rivals. I would like to thank the lads for an enjoyable season and Mr. Branagan for his work on the training field, which, undoubtedly, was the bedrock on which the team’s development was built. I would also like to thank Mr. Hughes for his help with cup fixtures, but not for his suggestion in the opening cup fixture to play our second most prolific goal scorer at left back!

Throughout the season, the lads only lost to our nemesis and arch rivals Manchester Grammar, which proved very frustrating. In fact, they knocked us out of both the ISFA and Greater Manchester Cup. This frustration was apparent when playing their final game of the season, 2-0 down at half time to the team from Manchester. A huge comeback to make it 2-2 showed the team’s character and work ethic after the lads refused to be beaten again by the boys in blue.

The games rolled in thick and fast, as did the goals scored by an exciting and talented team; scoring goals this year would not be a problem. Ollie Evans and Tom Lennon often led the line and were lucky enough to receive exceptional service from midfield and our flying wingers Thomas Wilson, Archie Forshaw and Phelan Brindle. By the end of the season, the side managed to score an impressive 119 goals and only concede 34 after 26 games.

Mr. C.M. Hunt

Under 13 Football _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 21 18 1 2 119 34 The Year 8 Football squad enjoyed a very successful and developmental season whereby they successfully made the transition to the full 11-a-side format. Led by the courageous skipper Michael Stivaros, the side boasted five academy players and a very talented set of squad players that complemented each other’s strengths beautifully. In our first game of the season, we beat Hulme Oldham comfortably and looked incredibly compact at the back. The defence looked strong, disciplined and well organised, with Michael Stivaros, Emmanuel Eze, George Sherratt, Yoji Haddow and the outstanding keeper, Ben Maher. This back line had speed, skill and strength to deal with the most dangerous attacking sides. Very rarely did I see any attacker get the better of our two accomplished centre halves. Our next two games saw us score eighteen goals, demonstrating that the midfield and attack, had a plethora of imaginative, creative and skilful players, who, on their day, were all capable of destroying any defence. Zach Giggs had a new role this season as a central midfielder, and it didn’t take him long to make the position his own

Despite the two cup exits, the lads managed to reach the Town Cup Final, but unfortunately never got to play it as a consequence of COVID-19. In summary, the lads enjoyed a tremendous season, with a considerable amount of highs, but some frustrations. The team is blessed with a tremendous amount of talent and I wish them luck next season when they play in the ESFA Cup and hopefully can force some revenge against our local rivals. Well done to all the boys involved. Mr. M. Johnson

Under 12 Football _______________________________________________________ ‘A’ Team P W D L F A 18 11 2 5 76 40

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Sports ‘B’ Team P W D L F A 8 4 0 4 27 32 What a fantastic and memorable first year we have had for Football at Bolton School! The team has been a close group since we all met on a rainy, but enjoyable, Thursday sport lesson. Under the experienced guidance of Mr. Branagan, Mr. Jones and Mr. Heald, all of the players made so much progress, whether by becoming more able to understand the game and more flexible in terms of positioning, or by developing technical skills that would be vital to the game. All the coaches have instilled in us the need to be passionate and determined players when winning, but, more importantly, to have respect and manners when losing. We produced some excellent results, with the highlight being our Quarter-final win against Turton High School, which we won 3-2! A dramatic start to the game cushioned us with a 2-0 lead, which we suddenly lost when it became 2-1 after a devastating goal. Later, individual brilliance gave us a 3-1 lead, with an outstanding goal. During the final minutes of the game, the team’s nerves began to get stronger when the opposition scored and was creating many chances; however, we managed to cling on to the win and get to the Semi-final. We would like to thank all of the coaches for their hard work and time they have put into the team.

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

uring Lockdown, we have been learning remotely. For the first term, I liked it as I could learn in the comfort of my own home and my own clothes. Yet, as time went on, it has been getting quite repetitive. Seeing and getting taught by our teachers online took a bit of getting used to because we are used to seeing them face to face. Waking up later on a school day is a massive bonus as I do feel more up for the day as the first thing I do is get dressed, register and watch the assembly on YouTube, which is something that I never thought I would be doing. Normally, at school, my favourite lesson would have been PE and Sport, yet remotely it isn’t, as I can’t have fun with my mates and competitively play. Personally, I am ready to go back to school and I am looking forward to it, as I should have been playing school, club and district cricket over this time period. Harry Connor 9d

Oliver Hatton 7a & George Holt 7g It was indeed an encouraging first season for the Under 12s, with lots of closely-fought, competitive matches. It was a shame that the Lockdown meant that, understandably, the squad was not able to tour Holland as planned or complete the Town Cup run, but great confidence should be taken into next year. Other highlights included an impressive away win at King’s Chester and pleasing victories over Bury Grammar and MGS. Oliver Peters finished top scorer, George Holt was awarded the Coaches’ Player of the Year award and Oliver Hatton won the Players’ Player of the Year, yet all of the boys should be proud of their contributions to both ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams. Mr. S.P. Heald & Mr. L. Jones

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A View from the Scrum _______________________________________________________

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’-‘E’ versus our friends and rivals Stockport Grammar School, to regular ‘B’ team matches down in the lower age groups. With regular Monday night fixtures versus local schools and our extensive two term fixture list, there was a lot of rugby on offer to the boys.

Sports The season has been a frustrating one, as the bad weather meant some games were cancelled, restricting teams from gaining any momentum. The Firsts and Seconds struggled with injuries, mainly to its senior players, which caused disruption to selection. School Rugby Captain Shaun Hughes-Grundy and his Vice-captain Teddy Clarke as well as Andrew Hurt all went on to trial or play for the North Independent Schools team. In the Cup and Sevens competitions, sadly the season was shut down early, bringing everything to a premature ending. Also the Senior Tour to Canada in 2020 was also cancelled, disappointingly for both the pupils and staff alike. Thankfully, the players and staff enjoyed a successful Presentation Evening in the Dining Hall just before the school closed. We hope things will be better for all on our return in September

As always, our season began with a week of pre-season training and preparation, which augured well in terms of fitness, skills, attitude and good numbers from all three year groups. The experienced leadership team of Shaun Hughes-Grundy and Teddy Clarke were joined by several others in Year 13 such as Andrew Hurt, Charlie Cook, Tobias Ramwell, Luke Bagnall, Max Hodson and Luc Eppie, who all performed commendably in the opening victories over AKS and Liverpool College. Sadly, all these players were to have injuries during the season and some prolonged absences, which led to younger players stepping up and others playing out of position. Further victories were enjoyed over new opposition The Grange, beaten convincingly with some expansive rugby and scintillating tries from Zaman Ul-Haque, and also Sandbach High School and King William’s College from the Isle of Man. A depleted side due to injury fought well in defeats to St. Ambrose and MGS, and as the injury count mounted due to strict adherence to the RFU head injury protocol, the First XV that gallantly went down against Wilmslow and Merchant Taylors’, Crosby was unrecognisable from that which had enjoyed five wins on the trot; however, it meant the Year 11 lads came to the fore, Harry Bentham, Harry McDermott and Harvey Goodwin in particular, whilst the Year 12 contingent of Piers Skeels-Caldwell, Daniel Bentham, George Yearsley, Sebastian Bamford, Tom Simpson and Connah Mansfield all grew in stature and developed experience, which will be invaluable next season. Impressive performances and results against Stockport Grammar School, Hutton Grammar School and St. Edward’s, Liverpool saw an end to a largely impressive and enjoyable season.

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. Mr. P. Fernside

1st XV Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 15 10 0 5 280 224 All the players, staff, parents and sponsors were hugely disappointed that our much-anticipated tour to Canada proved impossible in the circumstances of July 2020; however, we should all look back at not just this season, but, in the case of those leaving, many years of enjoyment, friendship, development and challenges and the positives will always prevail. I wish all the leavers my very best wishes for the future, and look forward to the 2020-21 season and whatever it brings us. Thank you to the help from Messrs. Benbow, Fernside, Hughes and Jackson, to the referees, the ground staff, the kitchen staff, the coach drivers, the support of parents, but, most of all, to the players for their good humour, commitment and camaraderie. Mr. C.C. Joseph

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Sports 2nd XV Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 12 6 0 6 248 216

The 2019-20 season was a very challenging, yet eventful year for myself and the team. We shared the joy of some outstanding wins, such as our game against Manchester Grammar at home where, in the final few minutes, we managed to secure our place in the next round of the Cup; however, we fell short in the next round and our cup dreams were over. Nevertheless, the boys lifted their spirits and after that setback, they worked hard every training session with true grit and determination in order for us to get better as a team, with the aim of reaching our full potential. It was an honour for me to captain the team throughout the season and also get the opportunity to play alongside my friends, who stood by me as their captain. The boys showed up in all kinds of weather to represent our badge and put on a show with all the effort they had in them, and as a captain, that’s all you can ask of your players. Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Jackson for his relentless support and enthusiasm as he taught and guided us every step of the way in our season.

This year, the Under 15 team has had a good season, which is not necessarily reflected in some of our results, and has made some big improvements since our time in the Under 14s. During the season, we have had some good wins against Liverpool College at home and a tough win away at Hutton, despite the odds being stacked against us. We had quite a successful Cup run, beating Standish and AKS, and progressing further in the Lancashire and National Cup. Unfortunately, we came up short in both those competitions, battling hard against two tough draws. The team itself has really come on, with players finding their positions, and developing their skills and tactical awareness. Some individual mentions should go to Tom Darbyshire, who scored five tries against Wilmslow, and Hashir Sapra, returning to rugby after a dalliance with the round ball, who scored a hat trick from number 8 against AKS. The forwards have had a good season with the new lifting rules at line outs, and have developed their attacking play to become a threat against opposition. The backs have had the introduction of new wingers and a new centre partnership, meaning that we could attack much better. We have had a problem though, with not capitalising when we were dominant in games, and allowing the opposition out of difficult situations with a bit of naivety.

Dan Houghton 11c

Under 15 Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 19 7 1 11 323 487

After February Half Term, rugby changed from Fifteens to Sevens, which changed how we needed to craft our game so we were now a threat. Our first competition was at AKS, where we played some very good rugby, but unfortunately didn’t manage to bring a trophy home. Unfortunately, the pandemic cut the season short, before we could build on our Sevens performances. This year, I have seen a significant improvement in our team, in the way we have progressed through the County and National Cup, and become a very respectable side. I would like to thank Mr. Benbow for putting up with us this season and helping us improve in many ways. I encourage everyone to carry on with rugby into Senior years, as many of our team have the potential to do well. Rory Pixton 10f

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Sports Under 14 Rugby _______________________________________________________

The players have shown a fantastic attitude to training, with a huge number at every session – a testament to the fantastic attitude the boys have towards the game.

‘A’ Team P W D L F A 17 12 1 4 519 330 ‘B’ Team P W D L F A 2 1 1 0 51 41

At the Town rugby on Monday nights, the team showed some great style to win most of their matches in the shortened format of the game. Sadly, the Sevens season was stopped at the start of the pandemic, a great shame because the players had acquitted themselves very well during the training sessions and were looking forward to both the Bolton and Kirkham Sevens. 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 within the game.

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 over thirty players, who represented the School during the season, with most playing in the regular Saturday matches and some playing in the ‘B’ team or in the Town competitions on Monday nights. The team has played very competitively throughout the year and the high ‘points for’ columns show their attitude to playing attacking rugby in so many of the matches. The side has scored points from all over the pitch, and it would be wrong to single out any individuals – so many players have been instrumental in producing the very strong playing record. The forwards have rarely been beaten in the set pieces, with the scrummage powerful and the lineout becoming more of a force as the season progressed. The back line, led by Ollie Cook at stand-off, thrived on the possession and scored tries from all over the field. Kevin Longthorne at full back was instrumental in both attack and as a last line of defence, where he was superb. Kevin deservedly won the team’s Player of the Year award at the Presentation Evening. Newcomer, Lewis Pierson won the Most Improved Player award, as he made one of the wing spots his own after showing great progress. The side has so many options for most positions that selection became very difficult, as the competition for places became fierce.

Personally, I would like to thank my Captain, Matthew Cooney, who played with his heart on his sleeve and led the team with great maturity throughout the season. Thanks also to our loyal band of supporters, who travelled across the North West to watch us play. Finally, a big thank you to IDNS, who very kindly sponsored the team’s warm up tracksuits and touchline suits. Good luck for the next season. Mr. P. Fernside

Under 13 Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 23 14 0 9 87 53

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Sports strong rugby squads. A cold, wintery fixture away at Birkenhead was to follow. The lads found the first half difficult, going down by five tries; however, there was a noticeable change in the second half, with Bolton School pulling back three tries, which sent a panic through the Birkenhead establishment. This was driven by solid second-half performances from Jack Entwistle, Matthew Reedy and Charlie Darbyshire. The game ended 25-15, but the lads went home proud of their secondhalf fight back.

The lads were raring to go in our season opener, away against Audenshaw. Against tough opposition, the boys put in a battling performance, where try-scoring opportunities were hard to come by. Nonetheless, three well-worked second half tries helped to reduce the deficit and highlight a determined group of individuals. The game ended in a 25-15 loss, but with plenty of positives to take away. Our first win of the season came at home against Liverpool College. A convincing performance from both the forwards and backs ensured a 30-5 victory against the travelling opposition. The momentum gained against Liverpool College was taken into our next fixture against West Hill. An all-round team performance, with regular rotation of substitutes proved too strong for the opposition, with the game ending in a 55-0 victory. Strong performances from Matthew Reedy and Matthew Roberts were well-received by team mates, coaches and fans. The Under 13 ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams then travelled to Sandbach to play in one of our more difficult block fixtures, where last season the ‘A’ team did tremendously well during a hard-fought draw. Unfortunately, our opposition came out on top, winning by 35 points to 10 against the ‘A’ team and 25-0 against the ‘B’ team; it was a difficult morning of rugby made worse by a fractured hand sustained by Mayan Kathiriya. Nevertheless, the boys bounced back quickly, with an impressive 30-10 win against a strong St. Mary’s, Crosby outfit. Strong performances from Sam Neill and Ammaar Ibraahim, supported by the rest of the squad, made life relatively easy in what was an enjoyable morning’s rugby. The following fixture saw Sammy Dziobon score his first try for Bolton School away against Wilmslow. The outside centre showed not only his strength in tackle, but his ability to go forward, which his teammates enjoyed considerably. Alex Rowley and Oliver Rowley once again showed their value to the team, with both adopting different positions throughout the game. Notable contributions from Lewis Bailey and Robert Bentham meant that Bolton School came out on top, winning by 45 points to 10. Unfortunately, two losses followed at the hands of Stockport Grammar School. The ‘A’ team lost 25-5 and the ‘B’ team lost 30-5. The boys weren’t too disheartened, however, as Stockport has a reputation of developing

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This form continued, with a hard-fought victory against Hutton. With the absence of prop, Basel Abdalla, due to a broken foot, the lads put in a serious shift to win a close 20-15 game. Hashim Choudry showed his strength, as did Jake Mayor, in this game of attrition. Our ‘B’ team then travelled to Manchester Grammar School, where they beat the opposition by plenty of tries to not so many. An excellent performance from Jamie Logan highlighted the strength of the Under 13 squad, and significant contributions from Caylum Baker, Mohammed Ali Sunni, Joe Howard and Harry Maher were very pleasing to watch. Jamie Logan followed on from his Man of the Match performance against MGS, by scoring his first try for the ‘A’ team. Jonathan Frank and Muhammad Thagia both showed their ability on the ball, and this proved to be the difference in a match that Bolton School won by 40 points to 0 against St. Edward’s. Three wins in the Lancashire Festival against Kirkham, Merchant Taylors’ and Audenshaw was a particular highlight during the season. In wet and cold conditions, the boys beat strong rugby schools to finish top of their group – a brilliant day all round. St. Anselm’s was next, and it was a tough game to say the least. The opposition were big and powerful, making it difficult for our boys to break through their defence. The game ended in a 36-10 loss, but with much to think about heading forward. The tenacity of the group often means that they want to put things right and, after a loss, we usually see a win the very next game. A comfortable 40-5 win saw Ethan Caswell and Finley Corrigan make their debut for Bolton School and showed that they weren’t out of place amongst the ‘seasoned veterans’. Joe Howard commanded the game, putting in some big tackles and organising the defence. Our final outing of the season, before COVID-19 forced the rest of the Sevens competitions to be abandoned, was away at AKS Lytham in their Sevens competition. A windy, cold outing was met by smiles and high spirits from Bolton School as they progressed to the Bowl Finals. There was no victory this year, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable competition. They were a tremendous group of lads that were a joy to coach and watch! Mr. L. Watkinson & Mr. H.S. Brown

Sports Under 12 Rugby _______________________________________________________ P W D L F A 19 4 4 11 57 75

the best teams I have seen – every player knew their specific role and made the correct decision in both attack and defence, but we showed great battling qualities under difficult circumstances, and managed to score three excellent tries against their ten. It is with great pride that I recall over twenty fixtures across the school year, ranging from the regular ‘A’ team fixtures to the aforementioned four team block against Stockport.

Looking back at the season, it was certainly split into three terms. The Autumn Term saw us record four wins, two draws and just the one defeat. The first two fixtures were just what Under 12 Rugby should be about, all the boys getting decent game time and three tries apiece for Audenshaw when they visited Bolton School and the same result when we went to Liverpool College. Two excellent wins against Sandbach and MGS should have been the start of the development which this group is more than capable of. The progression was halted slightly at St. Mary’s, where the boys were three tries down within five minutes of stepping onto the pitch; we recovered well to finish the game, losing five tries to three, but the game showed the spirit of the whole squad. The term ended with a stunning victory against Rishworth at home by seven tries to one. The dreaded two week half term and a difficult fixture list saw a disappointing run up to Christmas, with four defeats on the bounce. Wilmslow was a particularly strong side, and left the Levels with a fully deserved victory by four tries to two. A humiliating defeat against an excellent Stockport side on our annual mass fixture Thursday visit was the lowest point of the season. Further defeats against our close friends from AKS and Hutton led to the Christmas holidays. Local rivalry ended in a draw against Bury in the new year, with the teams sharing ten tries between them. A six try to five defeat at St. Edward’s followed the following, Saturday; although the defeat did hurt the boys, the style of rugby was excellent and when one outstanding player dominates all aspects of the game, it is difficult to compete. A visit to Audenshaw showed just how much our opponents had improved from the first fixture. The three try draw in September was now a harrowing 9-4 defeat, with a lack of aggression in defence the main cause for concern. The final Saturday fixture was a defeat against what can only be described as an excellent Under 12 side. In over twenty years of teaching, the current St. Anselm’s Under 12 team could potentially be one of

Junior Rugby as a whole is changing, with participation being the key component of boys wanting to engage in the sport. I am a firm believer that being a successful side will also encourage boys to continue turning up to training regularly; it is with deep regret that I have to mention the poor numbers attending training within this group. I do hope that this changes in the next few years, as there is a lot of potential within the squad. The game of rugby changes year by year, as boys grow physically, mentally and improve their skill set. The basics are honed during the lunchtime sessions, which may only be half an hour, but three times a week becomes an hour and a half. The schools against whom we suffered heavy defeats put hours of practice in every week, as their school day and location allows them to train after school; unfortunately, that is not the case with us. Although disappointed with the attitude towards training, I can honestly say that on a Saturday, the boys gave their all to their school and for each other. May I thank the parents for all their support throughout the year, and I hope we can share a coffee on a Saturday morning in years to come celebrating the boys’ development and success. Mr. I.L. Hughes

Hockey Review – A Review of the Season _______________________________________________________

s we drove past the Leverhulme site in the summer months of 2019, we could see the brand new AstroTurf taking shape, and regular updates on Twitter further increased the sense of anticipation amongst the Hockey community that this was going to be an historic moment. It was a race against time to be ready in time for the new school year, but what had seemed for many long years like an impossible dream had finally been realised. I had the honour of being the first colleague, along with the first team captain, Ben Turner, to hit a ball at the start of the first Senior Hockey session of the year. Due to inclement weather,

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Sports the landscaping around the pitch has not yet been completed, and the pavilion is due to be refurbished over the Summer of 2020. The pitch, which we share with girls’ lacrosse, has been fully utilised, and there has been a surge of participation in school Hockey. We are very grateful to the governors and headteachers of the School for supporting this development, and the acknowledgement by them in turn that the investment has made a difference. The winter months were characterised by many weeks of very cold and wet weather, and the facility has enabled school sports lessons to continue without the need to send everyone for another cross country run around the Levels. A major conundrum facing us in September was introducing Hockey for the first time into the Lower School games curriculum in a way that didn’t impact too greatly on other winter sports, while giving all those who wanted to try out hockey an opportunity to do so, managing expectations and producing a squad good enough to compete on a very high standard North West circuit in a very short space of time. We introduced a highly effective carousel arrangement in Years 7 and 8 in sports lessons, and then invited those who wished to be involved in squad training to attend additional practices. As the year progressed, we were able to offer these pupils the opportunity to represent the School in fixtures and tournaments. The Under 12s have worked hard and greatly enjoyed attending the Friday lunchtime training in the Sports Hall. Such has been the level of interest, we have had to put a limit on pupil numbers to twenty, and there is a waiting list to join the club. In the depths of January, they played their first outdoor fixture, a 10-10 draw with Ackworth School, which was an aggregate of four shorter seven-a-side games. They also beat the Under 13 team in an internal fixture after school in the pouring rain. Unfortunately, further planned fixtures were cancelled due to ongoing very poor weather in February and the onset of COVID-19. The Under 13s took part in two whole day competitions at Manchester Grammar School. In the first of these events, they lost to the hosts, King’s Macclesfield and QEGS Wakefield, but managed their first ever win 1-0 against AKS, Lytham. We also arranged two additional fixtures versus AKS, where they avenged their cup defeat. It was really gratifying to see our two schools starting in a similar position, trying to build up hockey from scratch, and making superb progress together in a relaxed atmosphere. We attended the Under 13 MGS Invitational Cup, losing heavily to King’s Chester and Sandbach, competing well versus Rossall and Wirral Grammar and losing narrowly to Lymm High School. Keeping spirits up on a very cold and wet day was a challenge, but we will come back stronger. I would say that the greatest achievement this season has been the development of the Under 14 team. At the start of September, we didn’t have a team at all. Two former Bolton Hockey Club players chose to prioritise rugby, and we quickly had to recruit and train up a brand new team from scratch. The coaches were given the job of training all the boys who hadn’t been chosen to do squad or

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development group football or rugby. The remaining boys had an initial choice of orienteering, dance or hockey. We allowed the boys who wished to train for the squad to remain on the hockey option for the duration of the year and the rest joined the carousel. Some further boys joined us from the dance and orienteering options after Christmas and after February half term, we offered the development footballers an introduction to hockey. We very quickly established a determined squad of fourteen players and they were invited to additional training in the Sports Hall after school in the Autumn Term and outdoors on the AstroTurf in the Spring Term. They worked tirelessly, and soon it became very voguish to be part of the now successful hockey squad. It is fair to say that not every boy has the mindset for football nor for the physicality of rugby and in hockey, many boys saw the chance to play a different school sport and socialise with like-minded individuals.

The Under 14s played in excellent friendlies against Merchant Taylors’, Ackworth and Wirral Grammar. We had two fixtures against AKS, Lytham, who played with a terrific spirit, resulting in a 3-4 and 4-5 loss respectively. The team entered the Lancashire Cup at Manchester Grammar School and went on to take part in the Tier 2 North West Finals at Timperley, losing to Birkenhead and Sandbach in the group stages, but beating QEGS, Penrith 1-0. In the classification game, we lost to Windermere, finishing sixth out of eight. When we consider that we are playing established hockey schools with a brand new team, this is remarkable. If the year

Sports group continues to work with the same commitment and dedication moving forward, they may well surprise a few more teams along the way. The Under 15s are already strongly established as a team and several boys play for clubs and their respective counties. Expectations for this year group were high, and it is fair to say that some of the team did not always train with the expected intensity and instead concentrated more on their individual success than that of the School team. In fairness, they matured considerably as a group, and began to achieve results in line with their potential. They also began to appreciate that training together as a cohesive unit improves results on the pitch. In the Autumn Term, they had narrow losses against St. Anselm’s College, Manchester Grammar School, Birkenhead and lost comprehensively to King’s Chester in the National Independent Schools’ Cup. In the Spring Term, they took part in the Under 16 Tier 3 North West Finals, with narrow losses to Wirral Grammar, St. Anselm’s College and Sedbergh, drawing 1-1 with King’s Macclesfield and beating Kirkbie Kendal 2-0. The greatest success of the season was a terrific 3-1 win up at Sedbergh against their Second XI. This gave us a glimpse of what they are capable of achieving moving forward.

The Second XI competed well against Manchester Grammar School, Birkenhead, St. Anselm’s College and Sedbergh, but didn’t get the elusive win. It is hoped that with an influx of Under 15s into the Senior Squad next year, we will be able to produce two very good senior teams with strength in depth. We hope to build on these successes next year. The cancellation of the Hockey Tour to the Netherlands in August and pre-season training at the Leverhulme has clearly put a dent in our plans. As soon as we are able to do so, we will resume training and ultimately fixtures with renewed determination. I wish to extend my thanks to Miss Holroyd, who left us at Christmas for her work with Junior teams over many years; to Mr. Moore for his hard work and patience with the Under 15 team and to Mr. Sutcliffe as coach for working tirelessly and successfully in raising the profile and standard of School Hockey in such a short space of time. It is also incredibly important to have the full support of the non-specialist PE staff in the development of School Hockey, and I thank them for their contributions to curriculum hockey and for wholeheartedly joining in with the coaching and their willingness to learn new skills and impart that knowledge to the boys. Seeing their endorsement of the activities and enthusiasm has massively changed perceptions of the sport. It has been a hugely successful season. Mr. A.C. Robson

1st XI Hockey _______________________________________________________

he 2019-20 hockey season I feel will be slightly overshadowed by other events; however, it has marked the start of a new beginning for Hockey at Bolton School. The opening of the School’s brand new pitch has started a new era of hockey players at school. Never before have there been so many boys playing hockey, which can only be a good thing. Mr. Sutcliffe has joined Mr. Robson in trying to create the next Matthew Potts or Matthew Cavaliere; all is not possible without their help. Mr. Robson’s planning of the games and time taken away from the classroom to attend almost every fixture is unparalleled, along with Mr. Sutcliffe’s coaching. I would like to personally say thank you to Mr. Robson for all his hard work in doing this, as, without him, School Hockey would be nothing. Maybe one day we will finally beat MGS!

The First team contained some exceptionally talented students, who were playing in National League Hockey, North West Hockey League First teams and training with Performance Centres. It was a delight to coach such highly motivated students, who could see the point of the training sessions and listened attentively to advice and tactics.

I am lucky enough to have been Captain of the First XI for two years and I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed it. This year, we have had some mixed results, beating St. Anselm’s twice, Birkenhead, The Grammar School at Leeds, King’s Macclesfield and Cheadle Hulme. We staged a late comeback against Sedbergh to draw 4-4 at home; however, on the return journey, we lost 7-2. There were further losses to MGS, Merchant Taylors’, King’s Chester, Rossall

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Sports and against Sandbach in the National Independent Schools Hockey Association (ISHA) Cup, (they would go on to be the eventual winners, albeit online!). We once again went to indoors this year and returned meritless. Without an end of season dinner, I would again like to say thank you to Mr. Robson and Mr. Sutcliffe and to everyone who has played in the last two years. Ben Turner 13f

Under 15 Hockey _______________________________________________________

Mihir Patel 10f

Under 14 Hockey _______________________________________________________

ith the installation of the long-anticipated, allweather AstroTurf in the summer of 2019, Hockey had a bigger presence at Bolton School. For several of us in Year 9, the opportunity was too great to miss. We went from the Year 9 Hockey team having one member to a whole squad, with a handful of reserves. We quickly set about training in both sports sessions and within the extra-curricular programme. The majority of us had only a brief knowledge of hockey and the finer aspects of the sport; however, that did not stop us from actively working towards several matches that were arranged for the coming academic year.

fter last year’s mostly successful season, the whole team were looking forward to a new and exciting year of hockey, especially with the arrival of our new coach, Mr. Sutcliffe, and also a brand new all-weather Astro surface to play our home games on. The team as a whole has improved massively with this new training surface. We lost out to very strong sides at the start of the season, but, as time went on, we greatly improved through participation in tournaments and further matches following the guidance of Mr. Moore and Mr. Sutcliffe. Eventually, we started to see some winning results from our many hours of training, beginning with a very strong game against Sedbergh 2nd XI, coming out with a well-deserved 3-1 win. Our final game of the season before the Lockdown ended up being our highest scoring game ever, playing against Ackworth and coming out with ten goals with only one conceded.

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After around two months of training and acquiring a grasp for hockey (the rules, positions and drills), we were ready for our first match: Merchant Taylors’. Our first game had us well-contested for control around the pitch. Merchant Taylors’ managed to break through our defences and score a goal – sadly, this was the only score of the match, yet we came out of it with a taste of what to aspire to. Our second game was against AKS, Lytham, where we picked up our game and succeeded in scoring three goals with our forwards doing some amazing shooting. Our goalscoring ability, however, was surpassed by theirs by only one and we kicked ourselves for coming within inches of a victory. With eager anticipation, we looked forward to our first tournament in facing multiple teams in one day in the upcoming Under 14 Lancashire Cup. The standard was extremely high, with many very talented players on the opposing teams. We first came up against Merchant Taylors’ again, who managed to beat us 2-0. We then faced our greatest challenge so far, Manchester Grammar School; they were definitely the more skilled team, and we were beaten 8-0.

Sports third match would decide whether or not we would ascend the pool games and earn a position in the top six. We were playing against QEGS, Penrith, and, right from the start, we had a feeling that this was going to be a good game. We pushed the opposition back many times and succeeded in scoring two great goals, ending the match with a 2-0 victory – our first! Now, in the battle for fifth place, we were to play against Windermere, a good team, who pressed their advantage when we were off balance. We did our best to minimise their window of opportunity and did have several unsuccessful runs of our own. Sadly, we went home in sixth place as the match ended with a 0-3 defeat.

Another familiar face awaited us in our final match of the day, AKS. Sadly, we were not able to close the gap as we had the previous time and were beaten 3-0. Although we had not succeeded in this tournament, we had learned several lessons and had enjoyed the experience of playing against some of the best teams in the county, who had been playing hockey for a long time. Our next fixture was away at Wirral Grammar School, where again, we battled for possession of the ball from the start. The players in the opposition were very skilled and even our best efforts in defence and counterattack came to naught, with the end result 7-0 to Wirral. Up again was AKS, and we had a better match than in our previous encounter; we secured a couple of goals against them and played well until the whistle, but the overall result was a loss of 2-4. Ackworth was the next school to face us, and we travelled there hoping to take part in a good game of hockey. In the first half of the match, we were in the lead, with some impressive goals and competent defending. In the second half, Ackworth pushed us hard for the victory and, in the last minute of the match, a well placed shot from their forward brought the hard-fought match to a close, 4-5.

Although we have endured many a tough match, where the outcome may have gone against us, it was our first hockey season together as a team, and I think we have given ourselves a good start, enabling us to enhance our gameplay next season. We have learnt from our past experiences, and have progressed a large amount as a team in such a short time – less than a year ago, there was no hockey team. On behalf of the Year 9 Hockey Team I would like to say that we are ready for what next season has to throw at us. Alexander McKie 9a

Golf _______________________________________________________

he academic year began with the XL Trophy. Independent Schools throughout the North West are invited to play at Pleasington Golf Club with a teacher and three pupils making up a Texas Scramble team. Sean Dobson, Alfie Yearsley, Luca Williams-Denton and myself made up our team. I knew with Sean’s consistency, Alfie’s driving ability and Luca’s luck, 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.

Our second and final tournament of the season was to be played at Timperley Hockey Club. In the pool games, we were drawn to play with Birkenhead in our first match. Sadly, we were unable to score a single goal in the first game and were beaten 3-0. Our second match was against Sandbach, and we were, again, hard-pressed, as the opposition was incredibly proficient in its passing and movement, and had superior communication throughout, beating us 7-0. Our

We drew Birkenhead School in the opening round of the ISGA and managed the most convincing of victories. The team consisted of Alfie Yearsley, Toby Yates and Luca Williams-Denton, with all three winning their individual matches. Scores were a resounding 5 and 4, 2 and 1, and 3 and 2 respectively. With a superb start like this, confidence grew, and the boys were already looking forward to the second-round draw. Next, was an away fixture against Rydal Penrhos, so we knew we were about to play an excellent team. One of their boys stars for Wales Under 18s. To ensure consistency and to further experience, I selected the same team. Bolton’s young starlets fought well and deserved more. They lost the match, 2-1.

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Sports This young team had progressed, but just could not manage to overcome the Welsh. The HMC Foursomes requires a team of six – Sean Dobson, Alfie Yearsley, Luca Williams-Denton, Connah Mansfield, Mackenzie Chantry and Toby Yates were selected. In late September, we welcomed Repton School to Bolton and convincingly overcame the Derbyshire boys, 3-0. Next on the fixture list was Oswestry. We have played the school on many occasions, so knew we needed to be at our best and we had the opportunity to play another home fixture. 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; however, changes to the team had to be made. Our star player, Sean, had an interview for a golfing scholarship in the United States so could not be with us. Many thanks to Oliver Shaw for stepping up to the breach, but, when you lose a category one player in scratch golf, any team will struggle. Worksop were too strong and played some excellent golf – we congratulate them. 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 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. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all 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. As I previously mentioned, Sean Dobson may be leaving School at the end of the academic year to pursue his golfing career in the United States. If this dream is realised, we wish him the very best of luck. My thanks also go out to all the other pupils who have taken part in any competition this year and to Mr. Fernside and Mr. Watkinson for their continued and invaluable help. Mr. C. Coffey

Swimming _______________________________________________________

he swimming season began with a Joint Gala at home against Canon Slade. It is always a great way to start the campaign alongside the Girls’ Division, competing against our local rivals. In a close contest, the talent on show from both schools was evident, with Bolton School managing to get their

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first win to get them up and running. Further wins against Hulme Oldham, Audenshaw and Manchester Grammar School showed the talent we have within the squads. The strength in depth shown throughout the first term of swimming was extremely pleasing to see. It is often difficult to get a full strength squad together all at once, due to individual commitments with other sports; however, this provides many opportunities for a number of boys to compete for Bolton School. Last season saw Bolton School bring home silverware whilst competing at the John Parry Relays. The boys travelled over to Bradford Grammar School in November for what was a very competitive meet. No trophies this time, but a cracking effort nonetheless. As always, our first gala of the new year is the annual Fastwater, hosted by Bolton School. We welcomed, Ripley St. Thomas, QEGS Blackburn, Merchant Taylors’ Crosby and Sandbach to the Arts Centre to compete in a unique swim, whereby every swimmer’s time counts towards the overall result. The talent on show was fantastic to watch, with some extremely quick swimmers doing their part for their school. Ripley St. Thomas were well-deserved winners on the night, with Bolton School finishing a close second. The highlight of the campaign came at the Bolton Town Swimming Championship held at the Jason Kenny Centre. Each year, a number of schools from around Bolton come together to compete in this exciting event, where the boys compete in a number of individual events as well as team relay events. Our Junior and Intermediate Squad both won first place, taking home silverware and our Senior Squad narrowly missed out on first place, only beaten by a strong Canon Slade side. Galas against Sandbach, Merchant Taylors’ and a trip to compete at the MGS Sutton Trophy capped off what was a terrific swimming season. Mr. L. Watkinson

Sports Water polo _______________________________________________________

ver the years, Bolton School has built up a reputation as an excellent school for Water polo. Having won the national title at all age groups numerous times, there was bound to be some pressure on the boys to maintain the success started by their predessors; it must be said that the lads did not shy away from the challenge.

The Girls’ Division too has been very successful in recent years and are starting to make a name for themselves in the sport. The girls are talented and will undoubtedly continue in their victories, especially under the coaching from the Boys’ Division’s own Mr. Teasdale, who has taken the team from victory last year to another strong podium position in 2020. Alongside Mr. Teasdale have been a number of boys, who help out with the girls at every Friday morning session.

With only two Year 13s in the Senior squad, the younger players really showed their mettle in stepping up to fill the gap left by a large and talented team from the previous year. A number of strong Year 11s and even some from Year 10 were involved in the team, playing alongside the older students, several of whom have represented their country, and they did not look out of place. The Seniors performed at a high standard throughout all of the qualifying games and beat all competition at the Finals in Nottingham and retained the title for the seventh consecutive season.

There have been more successful seasons in the past, but the future has never been so promising for the sport in school, with many talented, younger players moving up. With the help of coach Mr. McGinty and the ever-present and supportive Dr. Yates, the School is bound to grow in strength and depth. Marcus Crompton 13i

Senior Badminton _______________________________________________________

enior Badminton has continued to be a popular lunchtime sport this year. Within school, our lunchtime sessions have continued to grow, with many blossoming Lower School players joining our training. During our lunchtime practices, we have continued to run a number of different activities from singles and doubles games to practising game-play, defence, and tactics as well as some more fun activities such as ‘round-robin’ and mini tournaments. Outside of school, we have taken part in the Badminton England National Schools Championships and played a number of matches in the Bolton Badminton League.

Despite being less successful than the Seniors, both the Under 15s and Under 13s competed valiantly. A number of strong players have emerged, and with the teams’ development set to continue in September, there is a promising future for the boys, who will no doubt find success in the pool both for and outside of school. The older boys can rest easy, knowing their places will be filled by strong and skilful players when the time comes for them to move on.

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Sports

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

R Our Badminton team, captained by Callum Wong, has continued to play well in the competitive games and competitions entered and, in particular, our ‘B’ Team, consisting of Azhar Makkan, Amay Wahie, Morgan Camm and Mackenzie Chantry, has shown great improvement and development. Both teams took part in this year’s Badminton England Schools’ Competition, hosted by Cheadle Hulme High School. Our ‘B’ team faced some tough opponents and, despite developing their teamwork and racquet skills, unfortunately did not progress to the next round. Our ‘A’ Team, consisting of Callum Wong, Karthik Ajith, Ben Clarkson and Sam Schofield, however, were more successful, and faced Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in the Semi-final of the competition. They played well, exhibiting great skill on court; however, we narrowly missed a place in the Final, losing two games to Altrincham Grammar’s three. Although we did not progress further in this competition, all of our team players should be very proud of their performance this year.

It has been a pleasure 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! Miss E.M. Harper

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ecent times have been very bizarre and completely different for the entire country. It has also changed our school system dramatically, with all of our lessons being online on the new very popular ‘Zoom’. This allows the class to stay connected and the teachers to talk to us; this does mean work can be very independent at the moment, but I am enjoying that, as it allows me greater creativity, especially in my favourite subject, art. A big aspect of normal school life is the assemblies we have in the mornings, which bring together year groups, Houses and the whole school; these are now being uploaded as videos to the School’s YouTube channel, which we can access in the mornings. Sport is also a big part of Bolton School life, so many of the PE teachers have organised challenges and activities, which we can access through emails and Twitter. These little bits of exercise help me keep motivated whilst being stuck inside.

Josh Kay 12f

Sports Gymnastics _______________________________________________________

ur annual Year 7 Gymnastics Competition proved again to be a worthwhile and competitive element of the school diary. During PE lessons, the boys in Year 7 learnt a variety of core gymnastic skills and, as part of their assessment, competed for a place in the Final. The boys performed a six-piece sequence along four mats, which would then be judged by Mr. Johnson, giving a complete score out of 35. The highest scorers in the year were then invited to compete in the Final to win the Year 7 trophy, presented by Mrs. Brandon.

Joe Nicholson was a worthy winner, producing an excellent sequence, which was performed with skill, control and fluency. Gold Joe Nicholson 7d Silver Nathan Watts 7f Bronze Harry Butler 7f The boys in Year 8 learned and developed their vaulting skills as part of their curriculum lessons every fortnight. From the assessments in these

lessons, certain boys were selected to attend an extracurricular Gymnastics Club just for Year 8s. During this club, the lads received more specific and individual coaching on how to improve their technique, control and tension. After weeks of practising, a final list of gymnasts was drawn up and these boys competed in front of their peers over four rounds: through vault, long fly, rotational vault and double box.

Mr. Johnson had the difficult job of scoring such a close and exciting Final. In the end, the winner was just too strong for the other competitors. Congratulations to the winner, Alex Cook. Gold Alex Cook 8a Silver Lewis Bailey 8c Bronze Sam Neill 8f

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Sports My first proper introduction to rowing was at Salford Quays, where all of the rowing practice takes place unless the elements are against us. My first time in a boat was in a yellow practice boat. I was so afraid to fall in that I meekly pulled on the oar in a vain attempt to try and move; however, as is often the case, the weather was against me, as just as I turned to face the wind, a massive gust came towards me and, trying to overcompensate, every single stroke became a massive pull that sent me careering further and further out into the quay. So struck was I by the fear of falling in that my legs began to shake. As I climbed back into the minibus, I imagined the ride home being littered with jokes on how disastrously awful my first outing was; however, jokes were made at everybody’s expense, it being their first attempt. That’s the beauty of rowing; it is a sport that you can’t go rushing into, a sport that needs that extra hour in the gym, a sport in which you need to understand the boat, the water and the wind. But to me at least, rowing is a sport that you need to know your team, you need to know their endurance, their strength and their pace. If not, then you might be going for an unwanted swim in Salford Quays.

Mr. M. Johnson

Rowing _______________________________________________________

Zayd Ascroft 12a

his year saw the introduction of rowing at Bolton School – quite possibly a first to get boys down on the water in proper rowing boats. A Wednesday afternoon Senior Sport option, we started the year in the gym with a GB coach, progressed onto the water in uncapsizable yellow practice boats and finished the year with twelve young men rowing together in quads (four in a boat) in whatever the weather threw at us. They should all be proud of trying something new and making exceptional progress.

School introduced me to rowing through Wednesday afternoon sport at the start of the year. We rowed at Agecroft Rowing Club, and after a practice in the big yellow boats, started work in crew boats such as quad sculls.

Miss E.A. Bramhall

The Lockdown meant that no boats were allowed on the water over two months, although rowing was hardly the most important concern at that time. With the Lockdown being eased, the opportunity to row on the water is once again there, and I plan to continue rowing over the summer and throughout my degree.

Rowing in many ways is confusing. It is a sport in which you must work as a team, but show your individual strength. It is a sport where it is so taxing and so hard to exert a level of power that’s required to get the boat moving yet, at the same time, it is a sport where you simply must keep your balance and grace or fall into the water.

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Soon after in early October, I went down to the club on a weekend to spend more time on the water and develop my skills. I immediately fell in love with the sport and soon progressed to rowing in single sculls, a boat in which only one person rows using two oars. The single is a very difficult boat to row, but after falling out on a couple of occasions, I got the hang of it. I continued rowing during the winter, and managed to stay in my boat through the cold weather, thankfully; having finally made it to spring and the promise of warmer weather and racing, Lockdown occurred.

Most people start rowing at university; however I am incredibly thankful that I have been given the opportunity to start a year earlier than most. James Leese-Weller 13f

Sports Outdoor Pursuits – some reflections _______________________________________________________

ooking back at my time in Years 7 to 11, I have enjoyed a wide variety of outdoor pursuits, organised by Bolton School. On starting in Year 7, the first clubs I was keen to attend were Kayaking Club and Running Club; the latter took place either on The Levels, or in Queen’s Park. It was very interesting to get to know the local area, as well as improving my running. I also represented the School during several Cross Country seasons.

I took part in a training day at Haigh Hall for Orienteering, and used this knowledge for Lower School sport, often going into Queen’s Park for Orienteering. I also took Orienteering during SPACE Triads and House Days, often being in the successful team! The Triads also offered the opportunity of a variety of outdoor pursuits including mountain biking, climbing and walking. Kayaking Club was based in the pool, where we gradually learned to roll and to do rescues. This experience gave me the enthusiasm to take the outdoor pursuits option in Years 10 and 11, in which we would load the minibus and trailer every Wednesday break time, in anticipation of a hasty 1pm departure to a local kayaking destination, arriving back tired but happy between 5pm and 6pm. We continued with this option all year round, with lots of layers, gloves and neoprene hats needed in the winter months, but still relishing the challenges! On occasions when the water levels or weather was not suitable, we would join the climbing group, travelling to local indoor bouldering centres, or do mountain biking in our group. I was able to do Kayaking for my Silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition, the highlight of which was kayaking over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales.

As a Year 11 student and throughout my school career, I have enjoyed taking part in a range of different outdoor pursuits. I have enjoyed mountain biking, and I completed my Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition with a group of friends all on our bikes. I have been both kayaking and canoeing on regular trips to Patterdale Hall. I have also been on the annual school trip to Saundersfoot, on the coast in South Wales, doing canoeing and all sorts of other activities; I have been as a student, but then, in more recent years, as a Senior volunteer and member of the Advance Party to set up camp before the other children arrived. It has been a shame that we have been unable to arrange to go this summer because of Coronavirus. With my climbing too, I started as a member of the Park Road Climbing Club, an activity I have carried on throughout the Senior School. As part of the club, I have regularly practised on the climbing and bouldering wall at school, and then outside at Patterdale and at the nearby Anderton Centre, near Anglezarke Reservoir in Lancashire. Aside from these activities, there are other different outdoor pursuits that you can try out, or improve your skills if it’s something you already do. The Patterdale trips and weekend expeditions for Duke of Edinburgh have also allowed me to explore the outdoors and find a passion which I hope to continue in the future. Being outdoors has a great psychological and physical benefit too, and it has been great to be outside in the fresh air particularly during Lockdown. During the current pandemic, many of us who enjoy outdoor pursuits at school have been unable to continue our activities due to the Coronavirus restrictions. COVID-19 has restricted us from being outdoors; however, it hasn’t stopped me from going out on different walks and being out on my bike in the Lancashire hills, as well as more locally. We have all had to adjust our activities, and perhaps begin other interests instead. All of us who love the outdoors have been limited with what we can actually do, but I am sure that soon we will be able to resume the pattern of normal activities and meet up with others, perhaps go camping and start watersports and other outdoor pursuits too. I look forward to being able continue my outdoor activities, and I will be continuing my interest as I return to the Sixth Form in September. Alastair Harris 11c

Isaac Simmonite 11e

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Sports Rock Climbing _______________________________________________________

n Year 10 Sport, I decided that I am not the best at football or rugby, and I thought Sport would be the same as other years, but, when I found out I could do climbing, I was quite excited. On alternate weeks, we go out to one of the local climbing walls like Boulder UK in Preston, and the walls are great fun and perfect for all levels of climbing. As you progress, you are able to try harder levels and new things. Every other week, we stay in school and go on the school climbing wall, which may sound like it would get a bit repetitive, which is what I thought, but every week we have found something new to try, or we finish something we struggled with from the week before. As a group, we really enjoy every week because there is always something new to try. I have made a new group of friends from climbing, and it is always a laugh, as you can joke around and listen to music on the buses there, and if you are ever stuck on a problem, Mr. Kettle will come and help you get the right moves. Throughout the weeks of climbing, I have got fitter and got much better so I have moved up through the grades. I have now progressed to V4/5, and one person in our group is a very good climber and was already on V4/5, but has now progressed even more and is twice as good. I would really recommend climbing for Sport to everyone, especially people who dislike other sports, and it doesn’t matter what level you are at because you will definitely get better. Archie Swan 10d

Spain. For many of us, lead climbing was completely new, but with help and training from George and Mr. Bradley, we were soon able to use the right techniques and work independently in our pairs. The skills that we have developed in these sessions can and, for most of us, will be carried forward through involvement in climbing clubs and groups in the years to come. Those of us who go to the Depot Climbing Centre often join in with the Summer and Winter Bouldering Leagues, which consist of thirty completely new routes per month for three months, with a final for those with the best score. It’s an open competition for climbers of any ability, encouraging those with less experience to have a try. It’s always fun and challenging when you are trying to figure out the beta for a route as a group, and cannot quite figure out the key move. It can also be just as rewarding to complete a difficult route as it is to help a friend complete a route that at first seemed out of their reach. Although there were no podium placements for us in the Winter League this year, it was certainly a fun experience for all of us, with great memories that we are sure to remember. Max Kelly 12e

Paddling _______________________________________________________

he way I feel on the water is unmatched – its freedom, excitement and thrill culminate in forming some of my greatest experiences to date. When I first started to paddle with school, we spent time on the local canals and nearby Rivington reservoir honing in on skill development, and learning to paddle safely, prior to delving into the world of white water.

Senior Climbing _______________________________________________________

enior climbing has had a rise in popularity this year, with students from Years 11 to 13 honing their climbing skills both on and off the school climbing wall. During our Wednesday Sports sessions on the school wall, we have come up with our own climbing routes with which to challenge each other, and have worked on our precision footwork and speed climbing through fun challenges set up by George and Mr. Kettle. With multiple changes to the layout of the climbing wall over the year, there has been a variety of difficult and dynamic routes that highlighted our strengths and helped towards developing upon our weaknesses. Every two weeks, we visited climbing gyms such as the Depot Climbing Centre, Awesome Walls and Boulder UK, where we got to do a variety of climbing disciplines like bouldering, top rope climbing and lead climbing. A key bonus with this is that we could get accustomed to different styles of climbing, which came in handy for those of us who attended the climbing trips to Fontainebleau and

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The paddle sports venues quickly changed from flat and calm to energetic, bustling water, with our regular spots being the River Irwell and Halton Rapids on the River Lune. These offer safe paddling environments, with features such as waves and weirs to practise and develop white water skills. The energy of the group of paddlers after a day on the river conveys just how fun these paddling sessions are, which words cannot truly describe. Not only are these sessions for kayaking, they are filled with stories of daring rescues and

Sports dangerous tricks, and, of course, paddle awards, which help convey your competency as a kayaker. After my first year of kayaking, I took part in the legendary Alps Trip, which is by far the best trip that school offers, one which takes the sport to a new level, whilst being able to learn about yourself. The infamous rivers of the Alps are now conquered by a group of Bolton lads – an opportunity which wouldn’t have arisen without the excellent instructors and school support. After such an experience: two weeks of pure adrenaline complemented with a perfect look into French culture, I feel more self-aware and set on pursuing paddling even further! I cannot wait to return to the Alps next year! My second year of paddling at Bolton School took the sport to an entirely new level. We moved from small waves to much larger drops in the pursuit of the best of British white water. To date, we have explored some of the greatest, such as the River Dee and the Leven – both, I cannot wait to return to. We have not only been paddling in our afternoon Sport lessons, but also have been spending weekends travelling across the country chasing water levels and breaking the boundaries of what I thought was possible in a kayak. It is no longer about catching eddies and getting down a river; now, kayaking is centred around river play – learning to treat the river as a playground, not a scary mass of unapproachable water. Paddle sports not only encompass white water kayaking – we spend some weeks descending rivers in canoes or paddle boards, and those pursuing the Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards specialise in sea and expedition kayaking, with Gold enjoying the Fjords of Norway. With the impact of Coronavirus, the kayaking group has been left to sit in the bathtubs at home full of lust to relive some of the activities we have embarked on in the last few years, all of which were amazing and our gratitude for the instructors and School is infinite. Hopefully, in the new year, we can return to the greatest sport and spend some time exploring the hidden wonders of Scotland’s rivers, with the idea of a residential stay for a few days being rumoured. We have now formed an alliance of budding and amazing paddlers, who can’t wait to get back on the water! James Roberts 11c

Senior Paddlesports _______________________________________________________

started Outdoor Pursuits in Year 10, looking for something more exciting during Sports sessions. I am now in Year 12 and I spend most of my Sports sessions descending rivers in a kayak. As my skill level has progressed, so has my enjoyment of this sport as I have developed from still canal water to fast moving rapids. Through lunchtime pool sessions, I have developed skills that augment my experience, such as being able to roll my kayak after capsizing. This was especially useful when I capsized above a waterfall on the River Leven, meaning I had enough time to wipe my eyes before realising that I was already heading down the waterfall.

I have learned how to rescue people who have gone into the current and which water features are especially dangerous and need to be avoided. I have also learned how to avoid injury if I myself was caught in a current, should this ever happen in or out of a kayak. I enjoy the non-kayaking aspects of paddlesports such as canoeing down rapids, providing it is warm enough to accept the likelihood of falling in, and paddleboarding on Rivington Reservoir on the hottest day of the year. I hope to continue Paddlesports until the end of my school career, into university and beyond. I also hope to begin activities outside of school, as I am slowly accumulating the necessary gear to ensure safety. Emmett Brennan-Calland 12i

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

ife at Bolton School whilst working in Lockdown is very different to normal school life, but almost all of the lessons stay the same. A good example is our assemblies at school. We normally would all gather and listen to Mr. Britton (the Headmaster) or another staff member deliver an assembly in the Great Hall. Now, the assemblies are ready for us to watch on YouTube and it’s just Mr. Britton talking to us through a screen. I want to talk about our sports lessons and how they’ve changed throughout Lockdown. In school, Sport was one of my favourite things to do and we were given the choice of football, rugby and hockey – football being my favourite. At home, we get some different sport challenges every week, for example a run or cycle, and I like how we do something new every week and we do things that we can’t really do in a sport lesson. Ajay Guhathakurta 7e

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Snapshots

W hat t he Dickens is goi

ng on here?

A pict ure of star quality

B ooking in time of f screen

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Braving t he elements

Reaching a high point

A virt uall y f lawless perf ormance

Snapshots

In-gene-ious experiments

Hitting t he high notes

A zoom with a view

Getting kitted out for ch

ar it y

Feel ing buoyed up

Line up for success

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Scouts Review of the Scouting Year 2019-20 _______________________________________________________

ast year, I started my Boltonian report pontificating on change: the very lifeblood of progress. My concluding statement ended with, ‘where will we find ourselves this time next year?’ Well, where indeed?!

September 2019 saw the Group welcoming new Scouts into the Troop and Explorers to our Unit, with the Beavers and Cubs investing their new recruits after Christmas. With further changes in Cub Leadership, we’re delighted that Mike Fern has moved up to be with his younger son and Libby Hough has taken up the role of Thursday Cub Leader. Many thanks to Pauline Shannon for all her multifaceted contributions with the leadership of both Beavers and Cubs over the years; also, a big thank you to Saveena Pomian for her seven years of faithful and much appreciated services to Cubs and Year 6 Scouts. Although short-lived, we are grateful for David Pearson spreading his wings to help out with Year 6 Scouts as well as continuing his Cub Leadership. We rounded off 2019 with a grand Moving On Ceremony in the Boys’ Division Great Hall and a celebration of the younger end of Scouting at 19th Bolton. The Year 3 Beavers shared their favourite moment of their time in the Colony and the Year 6 Cubs reminisced over their experiences in the Pack. We were delighted that the audience, as well as parents and the Leaders, was made up of all the pupils from both Hesketh House and Park Road.

As the section reports explain in more detail, Lockdown has obviously had a dramatic impact on our activities at 19th Bolton. The world has changed, and in different ways we have responded to that. Who would have imagined we would hold a virtual Cub Camp? Lockdown hasn’t stopped some of our intrepid young people. I am delighted to be able to announce that Explorer Scout, Rory Fielding, has achieved his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and brothers Egan and Harlan Moore have

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worked really hard and gained all the activity badges in their respective sections of Cubs and Beavers – well done to all three of you. After being damaged, by some suspected serious gusts of wind at Brookside, the 19th Bolton sign had to be replaced. We’re now looking smartly branded with both the School and Scouting logos.

Hopefully, by the time you read this, we will have been able to resume some form of face to face scouting. Written risk assessments are now required, and triple-checked for every planned activity, but I guess that’s following our motto: ‘Be Prepared’. Anna Hough (Group Scout Leader) Email: alh@boltonschool.org

Beaver Colony _______________________________________________________

he 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. In the Autumn Term, we focused on getting the Year 2 Beavers through the rest of the Challenge Badges to help them achieve their Chief Scout’s Bronze Award, alongside a space theme that saw us have a visit from a mobile planetarium and have a spacethemed sleepover, open for the first time to the whole Colony, which was attended by 20 of the 24 Beavers. Ten Beavers ‘swam up’ to Cubs in a ceremony at Brookside and in the Moving On Ceremony in the Boys’ Division Great Hall they took their first steps into the Cub Pack. As the year went by, we had more and more children asking to be put on the waiting list, so the leadership team decided to extend

Scouts the Colony intake in January to 30 children, meaning we now have five lodges – Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga and Rabbit. We also have a strong team of Young Leaders from both Divisions of the School, most of whom were Cubs and/or Scouts.

Sadly, our annual visit to Cub Camp as well as the Year 2 Beavers’ Sleep-In have not been possible this year. Looking at challenges over the next 12 months, the main issue is going to be Leaders – Pauline Shannon will definitely move on and Melissa Wright’s daughter moves on to Cubs and it is not yet known whether Melissa will stay in the Colony. This will leave just Baloo, whose own work commitments mean she has had less time to devote to the Colony. A successful recruitment drive has seen some fantastic parent helpers step forward – now we just need to be able to meet face to face again…

Cubs Report _______________________________________________________

Year 6 Camp – lots of fun, lots of mud What seems like forever ago, the camp for our Year 6 Cubs was held at Bibby’s Farm back in September. We had two days of fun with lots of activities from woodcraft to grass sledging with the traditional hike to the chip shop included on the first day. By contrast, due to torrential overnight rain, we experienced a very wet second day, which resulted in Skip getting the Cubs extremely muddy with a mud slide into our campsite. When it came to packing up the minibus, it only got stuck on the field twice!

There is always lots of fun to be had at Beavers, from wordsearches to water rounders, apple bobbing to pioneering. We underpin our programme with the core Scouting values, introducing the children to the fundamentals and basic skills. Badge work forms the basis for our programme planning, which resulted in the awarding of 232 Activity Badges, 62 Challenge Badges and 8 Chief Scout’s Bronze awards, the first ever in the Colony.

Jane Welch (Beaver Scout Leader) Email: 19thbaloo@gmail.com

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Scouts Space Theme During our space-themed term, one treat that we had was an inflated, pop up planetarium evening, which gave an amazing 360° experience of the universe.

Smithills Night Hike While we were still able to meet face to face, we enjoyed an evening exploring the Smithills Hall Estate in the dark with torches. It’s amazing how different a place that was familiar to many of the Cubs and Leaders appears by torch light.

Keenest Cub of Camp: Antonio Brunetti Best Six Involvement: Claret (Charlie Simpson, Leon Spurdle, Natalia Glynn, Ishana Wahie, Odeta Oesterle and Tayo Banjo) Runner up for Best Six of Camp: Thursday Blue (Phoebe Masheter, George Pickett, Eve Kaboutian and Ashton Morrissey) Best Six of Camp (Nightingale Cup): Brown (Sebastian Smallridge, Isabella Hurst, Joshua Marland and Evie Morrison) Best Seconder of Camp (Leese-Weller Cup): Bella Heywood & Isabella Hurst Runner up for Cub on Camp: Egan Moore Best Sixer (Nightingale Trophy) and winning Cub on Camp: Phoebe Masheter

Zoom Activities – mug cakes Adapting to Cub meetings via Zoom, as we are unable to meet in person, has been a new challenge for our Leaders. Inspired by another Cub Pack, we made cakes in mugs all together; we then enjoyed eating them and chatting as we would have if we were there in person. Of course, as Cubs, this was rounded off by washing up!

Black Out Camp – different from usual Due to COVID-19, our annual camp was not able to happen in person, but the Leaders went out of their way to put together and distribute a special package filled with activities for the Cubs. As the date for camp fell on the VE Day Celebrations weekend, we had already picked the theme as World War II, which lent itself perfectly to our distanced experience. We had a campfire via Zoom, as well as opening and closing ceremonies. As part of our Closing Ceremony, the following awards were given out: Engineer in the making (Bouncing Bombs): Odeta Oesterle Den builder extraordinaire: Noah Walmsley Medics: Taran Guduru & Mateo Sprott Code breaker and maker: Charlie Simpson Semaphore sovereigns: Ashton Morrissey & Jaydn Patel Camp Milliners (Tin Hat): Jassim Patel & George Pickett Design Award for brims: Matthew Pearson, Charles Kaboutian, Eve Kaboutian & little Sarah Henry Moore art award: Natalia Glynn & Sebastian Smallridge Sepia Stylist: Joshua Marland Cub most dedicated to spending the entire camp on a tent: Evie Morrison Teamwork: Ishana Wahie & Ayush Wahie Most hands-on Leader of Camp: David Pearson Most involved Young Leaders of Camp: Thomas Britton & Laurence Britton Baloo’s Award: Stephen Nagai

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Libby Hough (Cub Scout Leader)

Tuesday Scouts _______________________________________________________

his year, the Tuesday night Year 6 Scout section has had a short year. We convened at Brookside on 21st January for our first meeting, where we had Skip (myself) and Tracker (Miss Dean) as leaders, together with the help of David Pearson. This year, we were joined by eight scouts from Park

Scouts Road and none from Hesketh House; hopefully, we can improve on numbers from both next year!

Scout Troop _______________________________________________________

ollowing an enjoyable camp at Armathwaite in the summer, we said farewell to seventeen of our older members, leaving us to join Explorers; this meant we started the year in a slightly more slimmed down version with just five patrols.

In the first meeting, we got to know each other better and laid out the programme for the year, which did not quite go to plan! In the six meetings that we managed, several scouts completed their hobbies talk and we started adding to the giant Jenga set. All boys were invested just after the half term, and we had an interesting meeting where the scouts were meant to sew all their own badges on. The instruction from home must be so much better than mine, as when the boys came back, the sewing had vastly improved under the direction of parents! As we settled into our winter routine of training, we focused on the Creative Challenge badge, which most of the Scouts completed. Our fun activities included a trip to the Ice Skating arena at Widnes, the annual Christmas Party and just before the sudden Lockdown, our annual pancake cooking night.

The only one of our trophies which was competed for was the Isherwood Cup, won by Swift Patrol (Patrol Leader: Simon Whitmore). It is a shame we could not continue with our meetings, but I do look forward to meeting the scouts at future scouting occasions and I hope our brief time together was enjoyable.

Congratulations to Simon Whitmore and Emily Reilly on achieving the highest award in the Scout Section – the Chief Scout’s Gold Award.

Skip (Mr. G.D. Bradley)

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Scouts • communication – tracking, Morse code, semaphore, cryptography and secret codes • physical – five-a-side football at Powerleague, evening walks on the West Pennine moors, ice skating with the Troop. • problem solving and teamwork – escape rooms were created by teams of Explorers • revision of Scouting skills – knots and their uses

Just before Easter, the year abruptly ended with the Coronavirus Lockdown, and sadly, for the first time in our 105 year history, we have not been able to hold a summer camp.

Due to COVID-19, the visit to Bolton Mountain Rescue, Long Camp to Eire and the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition in the Lake District had to be postponed.

As I write this, we hope that some form of scouting will return in September with the start of the new school year. Thanks, as ever, must go to our dedicated leadership team and the Troop Leader helpers for their commitment to Scouting at the 19th Bolton. Mr. J. Greenhalgh

Top Awards Completed:

Paradox Explorers _______________________________________________________

Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: Krishnan Ajit Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award: Akira Jepson Chief Scout Platinum: Thomas Britton, Thomas Hothersall, Thomas Martin

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

The programme included: • talks by external speakers – introduction to the Queen’s Scout Award by Paul Raine, GMN QSA Adviser • the arts – exploring visual language through quick sketches, and the relevance of drawing in all areas of life, exploration of the versatility of paper • sharing knowledge – through quizzes, in which each person posed questions based on a specialist area of knowledge; jamming sessions – Explorers were able to practise improvisation and learn new techniques • refining hand-eye coordination – pool, table tennis, darts • survival skills – navigation, backwoods cooking, theoretical scenarios to consolidate learning and the importance of teamwork • life skills – preparing a meal for a group in the Masterchef Competition and Christmas Meal

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Ann Chambers ESL Paradox

Pupils’ experiences of Lockdown _____________________________________________

chool life during Lockdown has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Regardless of the difficulties, the majority of students and I greatly appreciate the time and effort spent by the School to continue educating us. Amaar Ahmed 10a

urrently, we are all going through an extremely hard time, but as the great Winston Churchill once said, “never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never”. We must practise this quote if we want to come out of this stronger. It is vital we all support each other during this tough time. Robert Bentham 8e

Park Road Review of the Year 2019-20 _______________________________________________________

t is certainly safe to say that the year 2020 will be remembered for many years to come, but even a global pandemic could not quash the enthusiasm and sense of endeavour which runs through Park Road and makes it such a special place to learn. This year, more than ever, I am filled with pride at the commitment, energy and hard work of the boys, staff and parents as we continue to make our school truly great.

This year, we have seen a wonderful variety of activity with the boys excelling in sport, music, drama and charitable endeavour. Sport this year continues to have a feeling of breadth to it, with boys competing in a range of sports including hockey, rugby, basketball, water polo and, of course, football. We continue to be highly competitive in chess with the Under 9 and Under 11 boys reaching the EPSCA National Semi-finals in Prestatyn. Unfortunately, the Summer season of athletics and cricket fell by the wayside, but there was much promise shown by many, as we engaged in our own playground games.

The first part of the school year was filled with our usual sense of activity. I love nothing more than to walk along the corridors of Park Road, stopping to see what is happening in each classroom, or chatting with the boys about what they have been doing or where they are going next. In every case, I have been thrilled by the sense of excitement and engagement they share, and this is evident in their many achievements both within and beyond the classroom.

Music has continued to grow in terms of participation and performance, with a wider range of ensembles in action and the quality of music improving all the time. This year, the massed voices of Year 6 joined with thousands of other children at the Young Voices event held in Manchester Arena.

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Park Road

This year, boys from across the age groups united to form our Eco Committee. This team has begun the all-important work of helping us to develop a more environmentally friendly approach, both in school and at home, and we have taken the initial steps towards the Eco-Schools Green Flag Bronze Award; this is something which we look forward to continuing in the years to come.

worked incredibly hard to keep up with their usual lessons and we quickly built a new set of routines. Those included PE with Joe to wake us up each morning, a new ‘Skills’ lesson added to the curriculum, with boys setting themselves new challenges all the time. Most significantly of all, even though we were apart, the manner in which our boys and their families continued to engage with school life was most impressive; assemblies continued, and we were able to hold an art exhibition and the Year 4 Concert. We even managed to hold our usual Charity Fun Run, dressing up, getting active and raising much-needed funds for Bolton Hospice.

The Year 6 production of ‘The Jungle Book’ looked set to be an incredibly colourful and tuneful event. Undaunted by school closure, the boys continued to learn their lines and create wonderful costumes at home. Whilst we couldn’t then perform our show, much fun was had along the way and the boys learnt a great deal about the way that music and drama could bring them together, even if that was through video-link, rather than on stage.

Of course, the school year in its usual form, came to a rather abrupt end in March, with most pupils and teachers suddenly forced to work from home. During this time, it was clear that all of our boys

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As the Summer Term moved into its final weeks and days, we were delighted to be able to welcome the majority of our Year 6 boys back into school so that they could at least finish their Junior School years together. Once we had waved them off, each of the other year groups was able to return for an all-important Keeping In Touch Day. Watching the boys skip happily into school after such a long absence was probably the highlight of my year.

Park Road

All in all, the achievements of our boys in this most unusual of school years sums up the strength of community and character that we have worked so hard to develop at Park Road. This has also been reflected in the great work of our fantastic Parents’ Association, which has worked tirelessly to provide the boys with some fantastic events such as the Christmas Fair and Breakfast Clubs. So, as we close the doors on another school year, of course there is a little sadness at the things we have missed, but I look back at all that the boys have achieved with pride and look forward with great excitement and anticipation to what fabulous opportunities lie ahead for those who remain with us at Park Road and also to those who move on to pastures new, even if they’re not so very distant. Well done and good luck, boys.

Form 5C Yusuf Salih 6A Fin Wyatt 6B Tanay Saravanan 6C Harris Akram

Academic Stephen Nagai Sid Kumar Rith Narla Dhilan Jacobs

ADT SCIENCE KROTO AWARD DRAMA HISTORY PERCIK SALVER MATHEMATICS ENGLISH GEOGRAPHY COMPUTING PUBLIC SPEAKING MUSIC FESTIVAL WINNER MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR SPORTSMANSHIP FOOTBALLER SWIMMER OF THE YEAR WATER POLO PLAYER OF THE YEAR CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 3) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 4) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 5) CROSS COUNTRY (YEAR 6) GYMNASTICS BADMINTON

Harry Saaiman Dhilan Jacobs Freddie Wardle & Fin Wyatt Harry Bent Dhilan Jacobs Advaith Govindu Thomas Bent Milan Pitalia Ephraim Jones Tanay Sanavanan Advaith Govindu Nishan Sharma Henry Hughes Tom Finch Jude Dickinson William James Luca Ramirez Nievas Benjamin Houghton Rayyan Munshi Alex Pierson Tom Finch Benjamin Quilliam Shaurya Shaktawat

Charities 2019-20 _______________________________________________________

his year has been a very different year for our charity giving. The Autumn Term proceeded as normal, with our annual Harvest Assembly, supporting Urban Outreach in Bolton with our donation of food and provisions; Dave Bagley from the organisation came into school and presented our assembly for us.

Mrs. S. Faulkner Headmistress

Park Road Prizewinners _______________________________________________________ Form 3A Noah Walmsley 3B Taran Guduru 4A Keven Chen 4B Mateo Sprott 5A Steven Wang 5B Jack Rothwell

Academic Ashton Morrissey George Melling Ziyad Bagasi George Pickett Jamie Chen Usman Ahsan

The school again 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 selection boxes for food hampers for underprivileged families nominated in the Bolton area. We had a great response, collecting over 300 boxes towards to appeal and we hope to repeat

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Park Road our success next year. The boys really get behind the appeal and this year, the North West Ambulance Service joined in, boosting our collection.

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

This year, we collected £352 for the annual BBC Children in Need appeal with spotty accessories being worn by the boys and staff alike. Save the Children was the chosen charity for our annual Carol Service, with the collection raising £329. 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 betteroff classmates.

Badminton _______________________________________________________

ur Year 6 boys enjoyed an action-packed badminton season and, without exception, improved their range of shots and skills in the weekly sessions.

Fittingly, the curtain came down on the season with an epic final, watched by a full-house (pre-social distancing!) in the hall, between Shaurya Shaktawat and Thomas Bent.

In mid-March the physical collection of donations ended, as the country entered Coronavirus Lockdown. We decided that we would still be able to hold our annual Fun Run virtually, through JustGiving, though it would be very different. We asked the boys and their parents, siblings, friends and families to log distances run, cycled or walked over the course of a week and these distances would be added together with the idea of getting Mrs. Faulkner ‘around the world’, starting off from the school premises. The boys ‘sent’ Mrs. Faulkner from Bolton, through Europe to Turkey and onwards through the Middle East to Hong Kong.

Ultimately, Shaurya was crowned champion, but all of the boys should be commended for their commitment, energy and skill throughout the year.

Chess _______________________________________________________

he Chess season was stopped in full flow this year due to the pandemic, but there was still time for some real highlights and glimpses of promise that will undoubtedly be realised when the world gets back to normal.

She then journeyed across the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco and, rather than become stranded in the Mid-Atlantic, she finished off with a detour in a southerly direction to Mexico. We were surprised at how far she got, raising £2550 for Bolton Hospice in the process - Well done, boys!

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Our Under 11 boys were topping the local schools’ league by some distance and we had also enjoyed strong performances in the annual AJIS Chess Tournament, under the expert tuition of Mr. Wilson and Mr. Clissold, by the time the national Lockdown was imposed.

Park Road Henry Hughes: 44th Xavier Jones: 57th Henry Anderson-Munro: 60th Kyri Stivaros: 88th We were all delighted that the Year 5 boys had won Bronze position for their overall team score and the boys all went up excitedly to receive their medals. Most pleasing though was the sheer number of boys attending Chess Club and making themselves available for Saturday fixtures, suggesting that the game is certainly in good health in this area. Mr. F. Morris

Cross Country _______________________________________________________

he Park Road boys’ Cross Country season began in October with an excellent start, by convincingly gaining first place in the Bolton Schools’ Cross Country League. Over 500 pupils from 47 local schools took part in the League and we were proud of all of the boys from Years 5 and 6 that took part.

Later in October, the Year 5 and 6 teams ventured to Rossall School for their annual AJIS Cross Country fixture. First to race were the Year 5 boys with the following positions: Alex Pierson: 5th Ben Quilliam: 12th George Burrows: 15th Oscar Hatton: 38th Jasper Chan: 49th Yusuf Salih: 51st Will Roberts: 63rd The Year 6 boys completed the course with the following positions: Tom Finch: 13th Asa Backhouse: 27th

In November, Tom Finch and Asa Backhouse (Year 6), Ben Quilliam and Alex Pierson (Year 5), were invited to attend the Cross Country Championships at Rivington and Blackrod High School. All of the boys ran extremely well, and persevered through the mud and the challenges throughout the course. Tom Finch finished in an incredible 4th position, even after losing one of his shoes in the muddy patch – luckily, his shoe was found! Next home was Alex Pierson, in a fantastic 8th position. Ben and Asa followed shortly, both having run incredibly well. As both Tom and Alex came in the top twenty at this fixture, they then went on to represent Bolton in the Greater Manchester Cross Country event in February. Thirteen schools represented Bolton, and the boys were proud to be representing both Bolton School Junior Boys and Bolton itself. The boys arrived at a very cold and windy Heaton Park. Despite the extremities, the boys ran well around course, including an extremely steep hill at the end. Alex Pierson finished in 35th place overall and Tom Finch finished in 45th place out of over 100 runners from Years 5 and 6. The final race competed in involved the Year 3 and 4 Cross Country team at the Bolton Games Cross Country Fun Run held at Rivington and Blackrod High School. For some Year 3s, it was their first experience of participating in a Cross Country fixture for Park Road and they all did extremely well in some very windy and cold conditions! I am very much looking forward to giving these boys plenty more opportunities to race next year against each other at school.

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Park Road Well done to all boys that have represented Park Road in Cross Country this year. Miss M.L. Karn

Football at Park Road – Under 11 Football _______________________________________________________

Hockey _______________________________________________________

he Junior boys were able to take full advantage of the fantastic all-weather pitches at the Leverhulme Pavilion for hockey this year.

s always, we seem to have real strength in depth at School with the Under 11 ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams continually performing well in our fixtures.

For the Under 11 ‘A’ team, it was a frustrating season as, when we entered any competitions, we always missed out by the odd goal, goal difference or pure bad luck! This year’s team was a mixture of talented individuals who, to improve, needed to learn how to play together as a team. Encouragement and involvement of others would be areas to work on, and it was really pleasing to see them perform their best football of the season in the I.S.F.A. Competition just before Lockdown.

In early February, our Under 11 Hockey Team enjoyed a fabulous day at Manchester Grammar School, competing in the annual AJIS Hockey Tournament.

This year’s House Football winners were Chadwick. Mr. M. Duxbury

Under 10 Football _______________________________________________________

he footballers of Year 5 enjoyed a very promising year and showed themselves to be an extremely talented group.

Tournaments at St. Bede’s and the annual Manchester City fixture provided plenty of highlights and memories, as well as a real glimpse into what could be an exciting sporting future for many of them.

On a bitterly cold day, the boys gave a good account of themselves against some very strong opposition. We managed to record a win and four defeats, whilst learning lots from playing competitive fixtures against more experienced players. Many thanks to Mr. Sutcliffe for his wise words and encouragement during the course of the school year.

Music _______________________________________________________

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 of our visiting music staff for their commitment and dedication to the boys, and it has been good to welcome Miss Emily Howard to our team. Mrs. Alex Poole returned from maternity leave and Miss Emma Smith and Mr. Sam Rodwell joined us as guitar teachers. Mrs. Becky Finlow left on maternity leave in March, and we are delighted to announce the safe arrival of

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Park Road Matilda Alice on 16th June. Our first musical event of the year, as always, was our Harvest Festival, where the Upper School Choir performed The Harvest of Love.

In early December, we held 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 in the Spring Term. This featured the Tuned Percussion Group, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Band, String Group, Recorder Group and Guitar Group and was very well attended.

Late November saw the first of the year group concerts, with Year 5 in the spotlight. For the first time, we held this event in the Arts Centre. Some of the memorable performers were Jamie Chen (piano and guitar), Tanmay Gokul (piano and guitar), Stephen Nagai (violin) and Krishnan Velayutham (piano and guitar). The concert concluded with a rousing performance of songs from ‘The Sound of Music’. Throughout the early part of this year, Miss Ormerod 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 featured Mrs. Finlow, demonstrating both tuned and untuned percussion instruments. Miss Moore and Miss Howard presented the second concert, which featured string instruments but, unfortunately, the rest of the programme was curtailed due to the Coronavirus.

Our much-anticipated annual Christmas Carol Service followed the usual formal pattern of readings and carols and took place on 12th December in the Great Hall. Henry Hughes was the soloist for Once in Royal David’s City and the whole school sang Silent Night in four different languages, Twentieth Century Carol by Richard Graves and The Holly and the Ivy by John Gardiner. The Lower School Choir sang Away in a Manger and Carol of the Children by Rutter and the Upper School Choir gave superb performances of Donkey Carol and Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, both by John Rutter.

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Park Road The Chamber Choir sang Puer Nobis by Richard Benger and Panis Angelicus by César Franck. In January, the day after the Senior School Entrance Exam, we were treated to a return performance by the Pop Project, three former teachers, who travel around the country to schools giving very entertaining and informative presentations. All of the boys and many of the staff thoroughly enjoyed the occasion, which saw a number of boys actively participating in the singing and dancing.

Year 6 boys travelled to Manchester Arena in January to take part in the Young Voices event. After an exciting, but quite tiring afternoon rehearsal alongside more than 7000 other children from various schools in the North West, the boys really enjoyed performing and dancing in front of a packed to capacity Arena in the evening. It was an unforgettable treat for many of our parents and grandparents, particularly due to the additional performances by Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet fame!

The Year 6 Concert took place on 5th 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 ‘Spooky Songs’ medley from the 2020 Young Voices event, which included music from ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors’. Amongst the considerable number of solo items were memorable performances by Advaith Govindu (piano and guitar), Dhilan Jacobs (piano and guitar) and Laith Al-Shatri (drums).

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 on 12th and 13th February, and our adjudicator was Miss Helen Francis, former member of the BBC Northern Singers and currently a tutor at Chetham’s School of Music. Miss Francis was the wife of the late Mr. Richard Eastham, formally a Music teacher in our Senior Boys’ Division. Classes included four Piano classes, one Wind, 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! Miss Francis was particularly encouraging to all the boys who took part, and thoroughly enjoyed her two days at Park Road. The winner of the Festival Cup was Advaith Govindu for his wonderful piano playing. He also participated in several groups in the Ensembles Class.

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Park Road On Tuesday 10th March, Year 6 boys from the Upper School Choir took part in the AJIS Music Festival at Bury Grammar School. The Choir sang particularly well and was commended on its performances of Butterfly by Alan Simmons and Sing of the Lord’s Goodness by Ernest Sands. They did not win the competition, but were a credit to our School. It was also a good experience for our boys to hear choirs from other schools in our area.

Unfortunately, our Spring Concert this year should have been at the end of March, but due to the Coronavirus, all of our hard work was not showcased, in what is usually our most special concert of the year. Due to the global pandemic, the Year 3 and Year 4 concerts did not go ahead either, although many of the Year 4 boys recorded themselves playing or singing a solo to create a virtual concert at the end of June. 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, Mrs. Finlow and Miss Lien have been 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, and our Senior School colleagues, Mr. Forgrieve and Mr. Bleasdale, who continue to support us. Music making at Park Road is continuing to thrive! On Wednesday 4th March, the Year 4 boys travelled to Liverpool to hear the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in one of their annual children’s concerts. The theme this year was ‘Our Global Vision’ and we were treated to performances of Summer by Vivaldi, Malambo by Ginastera, The Penguin by Scott and Blue Whale by George Fenton amongst others. It was an exciting concert and the community song, People of Tomorrow, was great fun.

Mrs. S.J. Ives

Instrumental Music Examinations _______________________________________________________

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Park Road those particular results. Our pupils can take pride in their splendid achievements and the recognition of their ongoing commitment to frequent practice sessions. Congratulations to all of them, and to their teachers, on these impressive results. Mr. I. K. Forgrieve Autumn Term 2019 - Associated Board Milan Pitalia 6b Singing Grade 2 Merit Charlie Simpson 5a Piano Grade 2 Pass Aashan Subhani 6c Piano Grade 2 Pass Jack Rothwell 5b Singing Grade 1 Merit Kishan Bhatnagar 6c Clarinet Grade 1 Pass Rocco Latona 6b Clarinet Grade 1 Pass Charlie Butler 5c Singing Grade 1 Pass Autumn Term 2019 - Trinity George Burrows 5b Piano Grade 1 Distinction Rith Narla 6b Drum Kit Grade 1 Merit Yohaan Bhalme 5b Guitar Grade 1 Merit Sulayman Akiff 5a Piano Grade 1 Merit Jasper Chan 5a Piano Grade 1 Merit Jaydn Patel 5a Piano Grade 1 Merit Thomas Davis 4b Piano Initial Merit Spring Term 2020 - Associated Board Ilyas Khunda 6b Clarinet Grade 2 Merit Nishan Sharma 6a Clarinet Grade 2 Merit George Pickett 4b Cello Grade 1 Merit Henry Hughes 6a Singing Grade 1 Merit Alex Pierson 5b Singing Grade 1 Merit Spring Term 2020 - Trinity Ken Nagai 5c Violin Grade 3 Distinction Sami Khan 6a Saxophone Grade 1 Merit Charles Bovill 4a Piano Grade 1 Pass Charles Kaboutian 5c Piano Grade 1 Pass

Sport _______________________________________________________

port continues to be an important area of School life, whether it be in lessons, House competitions or representing School, and many pupils get so much enjoyment out of it.

Over the last few years, we have added more and more to the curriculum, with our latest sports being Boxing and Dodgeball. Sadly this year, because of the pandemic, we lost out on Athletics and Cricket, which was a real shame as lots of pupils look forward to these and I know this was definitely the case with the Cricket, as was shown by a large group of boys playing every day in the yard in

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glorious weather, as well as at home during Lockdown! Well done to all the boys who represented School, and a special thank you to all the staff involved for making it all possible. Mr. M. Duxbury

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

s soon as we came into the school, we were given our coloured bib. These were used for the bubbles that we were in. You had to keep two metres away from anyone who was wearing a different coloured bib. We brought packed lunches, and our own pencil cases and equipment; we did work on our iPads or in our books. We mostly had to stay silent for lessons, as we didn’t have to wear masks. Our tables were socially distanced, but lessons carried on as usual; we didn’t have our form teacher or an adult to help us. We did have a supervisor though. Lunchtimes were different, because if the weather was good, everyone got outside, as eating indoors wasn’t exactly the best thing to do. Everyone got a rota to go on the field, and the games we played were mostly cricket and rounders, as we could socially distance. Some lessons were not included in our timetable, like Mandarin and Religious Studies. When we went home, our parents had to pick us up, as the coaches were not operating. This continued everyday we were allowed back in school, but it wasn’t exactly boring, as we still had lots to do, even if we were distanced. At least we still got to see each other. Thomas Bent 6B

Park Road Swimming _______________________________________________________

adly, for one reason or another, we didn’t have as many fixtures this year, but Swimming continues to be a very popular sport in School.

Skill, sportsmanship and tactical nous were all evident throughout the competition, and all participants deserved great praise for their efforts and for providing the crowd of spectators with great entertainment. Roll on the new season, where a strong list of contenders lower down the school are already eyeing Henrique’s crown! Mr. F. Morris

Water Polo _______________________________________________________

We did manage to enter the A.J.I.S. Gala in Blackpool, for Years 5 and 6 and, although it wasn’t a team event, a number of our swimmers did very well. In the English Schools event, we fared less well this year and failed to qualify for the Finals in Sheffield, which ultimately had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Alas, this was also the case for our House Swimming Gala, which is always a popular fixture, but was not to be this year.

t was an excellent year of water polo training with lots of progress made and boys showing a lot of potential for the future. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, most of the school fixtures were cancelled, one of which was the English School Final, where we would have been amongst the favourites for a medal. Despite the pandemic, this was a great year for training, when we spent every Friday night working on various drills and skills alongside fitness. Mr. Winstanley was thoroughly impressed with the effort from both the Park Road boys and the Hesketh House girls. Well done to all!

Table Tennis _______________________________________________________

able Tennis continued to be a very popular club throughout the 2019-20 season and, after a thrilling tournament involving over thirty boys, the Year 6 Table Tennis title was eventually decided during a December assembly.

In a gripping all-6A finale, watched by a supportive and, at times, raucous crowd, Henrique Gaio Silva edged out Zain Burrill to emerge victorious to become the King of Ping Pong at Park Road.

Artwork _______________________________________________________

Ayron Dhokia 4A

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Park Road

Egan Moore 4B

Advaith Govindu 6B ‘A Moment in Time’

Asa Backhouse 6B ‘A Moment in Time’

Egan Moore 4B ‘A Moment in Time’ – Guy Fawkes

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George Burrows 5B

Jack Rothwell 5B

Park Road

Sohail Khan 5C

Year 6 World War II Project _______________________________________________________

n September, three boys from Year 6 at Park Road embarked upon a project that aimed to produce a film to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of World War II.

Dhilan Jacobs, Henry Hughes and Rith Narla began the project by interviewing veteran and Old Boy Kenneth Lee. The boys hoped to gain an insight into what life was like for a soldier fighting in the front line during World War II.

William Roberts 5A

Breakfast Club _______________________________________________________

he Park Road PA worked tirelessly throughout the year, putting on the increasingly popular themed Breakfast Clubs, on the last morning of each half term.

Boys (and staff alike!) flocked to the Dining Room to enjoy breakfast with their friends, whilst raising funds for the PA on each occasion.

As well as answering all of their questions, Kenneth shared his own personal experiences of being in the army, which inspired the boys to write a short film script. Fast forward seven months and the project had progressed and adapted to the limitations of Lockdown. The film script was adapted into a story and an amateur illustrator volunteered to create some pictures to accompany the story. A number of boys, including Advaith Govindu, Dhilan Jacobs, Aashan Subhani, Xavier Jones and Zain Burrill worked extremely hard to narrate the story, creating a fantastic eBook that they should be extremely proud of. Mrs. L. Whittaker

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Park Road Harvest Festival _______________________________________________________

Trip to London _______________________________________________________

ave Bagley of Urban Outreach thanked two hundred Junior boys for their kind food donations and told them how their products would be put to good use amongst those in most need within the town. He told the assembly that despite Great Britain being the seventh wealthiest nation in the world, some children go to school each morning without any food in their bellies. Dave explained how 53,500 lunches had been given out over the summer months, many to children who would ordinarily receive free school meals during term time. He also told how over Christmas they will again offer 2500 dinners and how their shelter with eighteen beds will be open every night. He then entertained the assembly by performing an intricate rap, written by his son Samuel, called I Wanna Be Me! The song considered how people have dreams and want to be tv stars, footballers and pop stars; however, he warned sometimes even the most simple of dreams of eating, caring and belonging can go horribly wrong. He thanked the boys for sharing their food and, by doing so, making some people’s dreams come true!

n October, boys in the Year 5 and 6 Challenge Group had the brilliant opportunity to visit London to learn all about the UK Parliament.

The trip began with a very early start to travel by coach to London. Once we arrived, the boys had the chance to go in their very own Challenge Group pod on the London Eye, where they witnessed the brilliant sights of London, including the Houses of Parliament that they would be visiting later on that day after lunch. At the Houses of Parliament, the boys were greeted by our two tour guides, who spoke to the boys about what Parliament is and the three parts that make up the UK Parliament: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Monarchy. The boys were then guided around the Houses of Parliament, visiting the House of Commons to learn about the important topics that are debated and laws that are discussed. Unfortunately, due to maintenance work for the Queen’s visit to the House of Lords, we were unable to go inside, but the boys were able to have a little glimpse through the doors.

The Junior Boys, along with a large gathering of parents, sang rousing versions of Praise and thanksgiving, Father, we offer and We Plough the Fields and Scatter, and Year 5 and Year 6 boys sang The Harvest of Love. Head Teacher Mrs. Faulkner in her closing remarks reminded boys to be thankful for all that they have and to use the opportunity to take a few moments to think of others.

After their tour, the boys visited the Education Centre for an exciting election and voting workshop. In this workshop, the boys learnt about the importance of democracy through forming their own political parties, holding an election and voting for the party they wanted to win. The boys were incredibly enthusiastic in the workshop, encouraging each other to vote for changes they felt strongly about

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Park Road such as helping the homeless, recycling and lowering the age to vote. The party with the most votes was the ‘Go Green Party’, who presented an excellent speech, with the help of Mrs. Winstanley, about the laws they wanted to implement. After their workshop, the boys met David Crausby, Bolton’s MP since 1997. David talked to the boys about how he had become Bolton’s MP and his aspirations when he was at school, including his enjoyment in debating and putting ideas forward. Many of the boys were inspired by his passion for wanting to make a change and putting himself forward to become MP. The boys enjoyed asking him lots of questions at the end to find out even more about his role as a Member of Parliament – there were even some questions asked by the boys about the current issues around Brexit. After half term, the boys presented a special assembly about what they learned on the trip and held their own election with the rest of the school. I wonder if any Park Road boys will be future MPs or maybe even the Prime Minister! Miss M.L. Karn

Visit from a GB Athlete _______________________________________________________

n October, we had the privilege to welcome British Athlete, Jenny Meadows and her coach, Trevor Painter to Park Road.

Jenny delivered an inspirational talk about how she became involved in sport and her journey to the very top. She shared her

highs and lows, and encouraged the boys to be ambitious and raise their own level of performance both inside and outside the classroom. Jenny spoke about her dream of being in the Olympics when she was just seven years old and how she now realises that it was the ambition she had at such a young age that led to her success. This is something we hope Park Road boys will be inspired by, with their own ambitions both inside and out of the classroom. In her talk, Jenny also spoke about the importance of balancing sport and interests, and most importantly, the message for the boys to believe in themselves and ‘never give up’.

Year 3 were then lucky enough to have a coaching session in the afternoon, which taught them the different techniques in running and warm up activities. After school, Running Club and Cross Country boys also enjoyed a coaching session, teaching them different warm up techniques, the importance of a wide stride and the skills of building up a pace. All of the boys thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and we hope they will use these skills to attain great success in Cross Country in the future.

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

ver Lockdown, there are lots of things we missed out on, but lots of things that we did that I really enjoyed. The thing that I was really sad about was that at the end of Year 6, we were supposed to go to France for a skiing trip. It would have been really fun because we got to take our phones and pick who we wanted in our rooms. We did have some good times though throughout the entire period. We did the play ‘The Jungle Book’, which was really funny. We also didn’t have to go to school because we were doing virtual lessons on Zoom. Over the time when we were in Lockdown at home, I made a colourful rainbow to show thankfulness for the NHS. We also had the yearly Fun Run, where we had to dress up as different countries – I painted my body as the British flag; it was really fun because I got to paint my dad as the American flag too. We also celebrated VE Day and we got to make bunting. We also celebrated Captain Tom’s birthday and I took a picture of me standing in front of the bunting.

So overall, Lockdown was fun in some parts, but a bit disappointing in others. Kishan Bhatnagar 6C

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Park Road Visit from Old Boy Cricketers _______________________________________________________

n October, some of our keen athletes and cricket lovers from Years 5 and 6 got a Friday treat when they were invited to attend an inspirational talk from Old Boys and star cricketers, Matt and Callum Parkinson.

Robert, who himself attended Bolton School from 1995-2002, answered the boys’ questions about being a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy. He informed the class that he is the Senior Pilot (SP) of 705 Naval Air Squadron, which is one of four Squadrons that operate from RAF Shawbury, with a fifth based at RAF Valley, and went on to explain how he is a Qualified Helicopter Instructor that helps train other pilots.

Trip to Edinburgh _______________________________________________________

uring October half term, Park Road staff took a group of Year 5 and Year 6 boys on the inaugural, cultural trip to Edinburgh, travelling there by coach and staying in a hostel in the heart of the city.

The twins talked our boys through their cricketing journeys, from Park Road to professional contracts at two of England’s biggest clubs. Our boys were transfixed, as they recalled their favourite games, teammates and teachers, and offered some great tips on dealing with the highs and lows of top-level sport. After photos and autographs, our boys skipped off to Friday’s sport lesson with an extra spring in their step!

The visit was billed as giving boys an insight into the history and culture of Scotland’s capital city and it didn’t disappoint. The three days were fast and furious, with visits to Edinburgh Castle, Mary King’s Close, the Museum of Scotland, Dynamic Earth, the Edinburgh Dungeons, the Scottish Parliament, Arthur’s Seat, Princess Street and the Royal Mile. The evenings were spent walking the hidden closes of the city and Greyfriars churchyard on a guided ghost walk and then some light relief with ten-pin bowling.

‘Flying visit’ from Helicopter Pilot _______________________________________________________

ear 3 pupils enjoyed a particularly fun Friday in October when they were visited by Lieutenant Commander (Royal Navy) Robert De Maine.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip and one of the highlights of the year for many of the boys. Not only was it a fantastic social experience, spending time away from school with friends, but it was also a chance to consolidate many aspects of curriculum learning: from Year 4 History, the impact

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Park Road of the Vikings and Celts; from Science in Years 4-6, the Learning Zones in the museum addressed the topics of friction, light, our solar system and the human body to name but a few; from Year 6 Geography, the volcano workshop at Dynamic Earth provided a fabulous range of artefacts and animations; and the Year 5 and Year 6 Challenge Groups were able to make direct comparisons between the UK and Scottish Parliaments.

Alex is the world-record holding polar traveller, who has skied further on an unsupported Arctic journey than anyone in history and spoke in detail about his failed attempt to get to the North Pole and of extensive periods spent in Greenland, saying at the end of the trip, they had achieved nothing that they set out to do, had created no headlines or records, but it was still one of his most memorable and haunting trips. The trick, he told the boys, is to try and make the best of the situation you find yourself in, saying: “there is no point going home and sulking!” – sage advice to all of the boys. He also told of his time spent with polar eskimos and how welcoming they were. Alex also spoke of journeys across the ice, telling the boys that grey ice is particularly dangerous as it is thinner and there is a water current running under the ice. He spoke of the extremes of temperature and how winds from the mountains can warm up the temperature from -30 to -5 degrees.

Art Trip to Salts Mill, Saltaire _______________________________________________________

n November, as part of their ADT curriculum, the Year 6 boys crossed the Pennines to visit the two permanent Hockney art exhibitions on display at the Salts Mill near Bradford, accompanied by Mrs. Aspinwall, Mr. Morris and Miss Karn.

Mrs. K.E. Winstanley

Life Lessons – Visit from an Artic Explorer _______________________________________________________ “When things go wrong – and they will go wrong – try to make the very best of the situation” – this was the advice of Arctic Explorer Alex Hibbert when he visited, spoke to and enthralled Year 6 pupils at Park Road in November. Alex, whose talk was accompanied by some very impressive polar photography, recounted tales of his successful and some less successful Polar trips.

A lot of Hockney’s work on display was created using an iPad, and the boys were enthralled by how he created such amazing images. The boys also spent some time learning about Victorian production of cloth to reinforce their History work.

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Park Road

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Park Road Bolton News Education Awards _______________________________________________________

Gymnastics Final _______________________________________________________

he boys and staff of Park Road were thrilled to win the Hayley Mathieson Bolton News Charity Fundraisers Award in November, in recognition of the money raised as part of our annual fancy dress Fun Run, which is the key fundraising event in the School’s calendar and which sees boys and staff dress up in a range of colourful costumes and pair up to run laps around the sports field.

n December, eleven young Park Road gymnasts performed in the Gymnastics Final in front of a suitably impressed audience of pupils, staff and parents. The standard of routines was extremely high this year, and the top three places only had three points to divide them! Joint 3rd place: 2nd place: 1st place:

Zaid Ahmed 6B & Usman Ahsan 5B Henry Hughes 6A Benjamin Quilliam 5A

Well done to all the boys who took part.

The event regularly raises £8,000-£10,000 and this year was no exception, with the monies raised being shared by four charities chosen by the boys – Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, the RSPCA and Make A Wish UK, all of whom received £2,040 each.

Christmas Fair _______________________________________________________

Mr. Morris and the Year 6 School Council members were even more excited to be invited to the Awards ceremony at The Last Drop Village to receive our certificate and trophy.

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.

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Park Road We had fifteen fabulous colour-themed Christmas hampers to raffle off, 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. We raised over £3000 for the Parents’ Association, which goes towards funding extras that continue to enhance life at Park Road. This year, Year 6 boys all received their leavers’ hoodies, which the PA kindly funded.

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

y parents are key workers, so I am in school right now – it is very weird. In the mornings, we do some sort of exercise (normally with Joe Wicks), and then we go upstairs to the room that the Year 6 bubble is in. We don’t Zoom every lesson, but every now and then, and it is nice seeing friends that are at home on Zoom. At break time, we normally play cricket. Lunch is just a sandwich, crisps, fruit and a chocolate bar, as we can’t have hot meals. Overall, I am just happy to still be learning. Zain Burrill 6A

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Trip to Quarry Bank Mill _______________________________________________________

n February, dressed in Victorian attire, Year 6 visited Quarry Bank Mill to learn all about life as Victorians. The boys learned about the various jobs at the Mill and the harsh working conditions experienced. The boys realised how repetitive, tiring and unpleasant the jobs were for children working in the Mill, particularly when working on the machines.

The boys also got to learn about the importance of water for powering the Mill, visiting the river close by and observing how the water wheel powered the Mill. After lunch, the boys travelled back in time to experience life in the Apprentice House, where they learned about Victorian school life, medicines and the rules for living in the house. The boys were particularly surprised with the toilet - a chamber pot kept under their bed that they would have to empty themselves! It was a brilliant day, which brought all of the boys’ History lessons to life regarding the Victorian era. Miss M.L. Karn

Park Road

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Park Road Hajj Workshop _______________________________________________________

Harry Potter Book Night _______________________________________________________

The fact that Imran could speak from personal experience about the different places discussed and could give 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, was important.

Wizards in their final year were invited to enjoy a fantastic evening based around the Triwizard Tournament!

n early February, Year 6 boys attended a very informative Hajj workshop delivered by Imran Kotwal from Muslim Learning. 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.

ark Road celebrated its first ever Harry Potter Book Night in February, when school was convincingly transformed into Hogwarts for the much-anticipated sleepover.

On arrival, each boy was greeted with a Sorting Hat cupcake to determine which valiant house he would be representing for the evening. We went on to have a great feast to gear up for the magical activities that followed. Quidditch proved to be rather difficult, although very popular, and many wizards defied witchcraft and managed to get their name into the Goblet of Fire!

The boys completed a worksheet on their ‘travels’, which they have since used to create Keynote presentations and some boys were able to wear Ihram to add to the experience.

Chinese New Year Gala _______________________________________________________

Golden snitches were up for grabs for those beady-eyed seekers that caught them first and Honeydukes Sweet Shop was open for business for the champions of each activity throughout the evening. Finally, we were ready to curl up and end the evening watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire before snuggling down to sleep (eventually)! We look forward to recreating this evening for many years to come to celebrate our shared love of the Harry Potter books.

ear 3 boys travelled to the Royal Northern College of Music in February for a special gala organised by the Confucius Institute at Manchester University, where they were treated to a feast for the eyes and ears as they watched special performances from Chinese lion dancers, acrobats and musicians, all celebrating Chinese New Year at a fantastic concert in honour of the Year of the Rat.

I would like to thank all the trainee wizards for their enthusiasm, excellent behaviour and magical attitude! Miss ‘Professor’ C. Cox

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Park Road World Book Day Shoebox Competition _______________________________________________________

Dance Festival _______________________________________________________

his year, World Book Day was celebrated a little differently at Park Road. Instead of the usual dressing up as our favourite literary character, we decided to mix it up and ask the boys to create a shoebox that represented their favourite book. We were amazed at the efforts of all boys that participated, and we struggled to not only find room to display them all, but also to narrow it down to a winner!

Reading is a great passion of many of the boys, and it was fantastic to see all of the boys’ creations. (Mrs. Aspinwall’s art lessons have definitely inspired them!)

n March, the Year 5 and Year 6 boys from Miss Karn’s Dance Club took part in the Bolton Schools’ Dance Festival at Thornleigh College in Bolton. The criteria was set for an Olympic theme to mark what would have been the 2020 Olympics this year. The Park Road boys worked diligently with Miss Karn to choreograph a dance to show the value of togetherness and team spirit that the Olympics brings. The day of the performance was filled with rehearsals and sound checks, as well as getting the boys used to their positions on stage. That evening, there were two performances for parents. The boys donned their costumes and eagerly awaited to perform to parents under the stage lights. The performance was great fun for the boys, and it was brilliant to hear them saying ‘I want to do it again!’ The dance began with Year 6 boys, Rith Narla and Laith Al-Shatri, performing on drums to the beat of the start of the song for their dance, ‘Wave Your Flag.’ In canon, the boys rose up, holding their individually made flags on wooden poles made by Mr. Winstanley. The choreography aimed to show the boys working together in unison, as well as solo parts to show the competitive values also shown in the Olympics. Steven Wang performed a solo piece to show his Ballroom dancing skills and Henry Hughes performed a jumping leap across the stage as part of his solo, carrying the Olympic torch. As the dance reached its crescendo, the boys came together with coloured hoops to symbolise the five Olympic Rings centre stage.

We look forward to celebrating World Book Day every year and strive to make it fun, accessible and engaging for all!

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Park Road Well done to Rith Narla, Laith Al-Shatri, Henry Hughes, Steven Wang, Harry Saaiman, Jenson Byrne, Aaron Patel, Zain Khan, Zaid Ahmed and Ben Quilliam.

Year 4 Water Efficiency Workshop _______________________________________________________

n March, as part of both our Geography and Eco-Schools curriculum, Year 4 enjoyed a very informative workshop on all things ‘water’ by Kingfisher Education, on behalf of United Utilities. The boys consolidated their knowledge of the water cycle and learned more about how dirty water is cleaned and returned into the cycle. They then created a human water cycle by each taking a process card and then organising themselves into the correct order.

Trip to Ordsall Hall _______________________________________________________

n early 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 herbs and spices to make scented bags and emptying the chamber pot! Luckily, none of them ended up in the pillory, but they did join in some Tudor-style dancing to finish the experience! The whole day was great fun, which consolidated and extended the boys’ History learning about Tudor life and Tudor homes.

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Later, the boys learned about the dangers of swimming in reservoirs and quarries, calculated their average daily water consumption, discussed ways of saving water and looked at the problem of ‘fatbergs‘ in our sewers! They may even have come home and told you about the ‘four Ps’ – the only things you should ever flush down the loo – or an experiment to see what happens to ‘flushable and biodegradable’ wipes when put into the toilet!

Park Road Helping the NHS _______________________________________________________

uring the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant shortage of PPE for frontline workers, who were exposing themselves to the deadly virus. This shortage was something that the Foundation could help with and there was a significant amount of science and technology safety goggles donated to local doctors, nurses and hospital workers. Park Road boys and staff tried to assist with the shortage of PPE on a nationwide scale, as they teamed up with the National Society of 3D Printing to help produce visors to a certified standard to be used on COVID-19 wards in hospitals, as well as for local nurses that had reached out for support. Altogether, over 250 visors were printed and sent out to people in need. The production of the visors then stopped, as there was a different request made by a local hospital, who needed help with the Italian designed ‘Charlotte valves’ that would help turn snorkelling masks into respiratory masks. There was an issue with the design of the valve, which meant it would not fit well with British equipment and so work began on updating and modifying the valve, to better suit the needs of local hospitals and British medical equipment. These valves were produced, as and when requested, and have been used to help prevent many COVID-19 patients being put on a ventilator. During this time, and initially unbeknown to school, Zain Khan, a Year 6 pupil, was also wanting to support the fight against the virus and so began producing 3D printed face mask clips to make nurses and doctors much more comfortable during the lengthy periods of time that they were having to wear such masks. Thank you to Zain for being so proactive in caring for and supporting people in the local community.

A pupil’s experience of Lockdown _____________________________________________

uring Lockdown, I went into school because my parents are key workers. I loved coming in – it was way better than staying at home, bored. During my free time, I created ear clips, which help people with loop bands because they are stress relievers. I made them to help the NHS. Zain Khan 6C

Creative Writing ‘Outside My Window’ _______________________________________________________ Outside my window, I can see the flowers blooming, Outside my window, I can see my neighbours talking, Outside my window, I can see the trees are ageing, Outside my window… I can see a world of love. Umayr Islam 6C

Outside my window I can see… The tall, strong, lush, leafy 200-year-old oak tree. The pink blossom tree is beautiful at this time of year, But sadly and far too soon, the blossom falls off like a running tear. The lawn is mowed and looks so pristine, At this time of year, it’s the best I’ve ever seen, The garden is enhanced by health and its vibrant colour of green. The beautiful sun’s rays shine through, I’m so lucky to have a garden like this, And boy, that is true! Fin Wyatt 6A

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Park Road In my garden, I can see some wonderful flowers, With wailing trees, with the wind blowing, And the day bleeds. A football net with a cricket set, Or the small pond, of which I am fond. Or the holly trees with the jolly bees. There’s not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky, I sit and stare at the birds flying high. As I sit and look in my garden, I begin to see, what a magnificent place it turns out to be. Harry Iddon 6A LOCKDOWN 2020 We’re in this together, the world as a whole, Who would have thought we’d be in this dilemma, but one thing’s for sure, we will always remember. We’re history in the making for future generations to know, how LOCKDOWN 2020 changed the world and where we go. We’ve parents homeschooling, who would have thought?! Teaching is different and meetings on Zzzzooooommmm, When, can I ask, will normality resume? Exercise once daily, run, cycle or walk, Through various platforms and screen time we talk. We’re all missing friends and loved ones alike, and can’t wait for the day to ride with friends on my bike. Animals roam free in empty spaces, streets and roads, There are sounds of birds tweeting, new life in the fields and the sounds of lambs bleating. Not yesterday, tomorrow, or even today, for now we’re in LOCKDOWN and that’s where we stay. Safe with our families until all this ends, one day soon, we will reunite with our friends, With now Captain Tom Moore we’ve joined in celebrations, celebrated family birthdays, Easter and VE Day as a nation. My vocabulary has broadened, I’ve learned lots of new words, such as ‘furloughed’ and ‘shielding’, it’s all quite absurd. We will make it together and memories live on, then hopefully soon the world will reopen again. Asa Backhouse 6B

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Year 6 Play – ‘The Jungle Book’ _______________________________________________________

he Year 6 play at Park Road has been a tradition for many years, allowing the boys to work together, showcase their talents and create a memorable way to end their time at Junior School together.

In March, the boys had worked incredibly hard for the auditions and, with much anticipation, all of the parts had been cast. When we first found out about school having to close, none of us knew how long this would be for, so the Year 6 boys eagerly took their scripts home and continued to have their weekly play session, learning their lines, rehearsing songs and acting out scenes on Zoom with the hope that the play would still be able to happen in some form. Unfortunately, by May, it sadly became apparent that the play would not be able to take place in the way we had hoped for. Nevertheless, due to the enthusiasm and resilience of Park Road boys, they were just as keen to work hard to produce something together from home or those that were in school. After announcing this to the boys, Mrs. Whittaker, Mrs. Winstanley and Miss Karn were inundated with offers from boys wanting to be involved with helping to create something towards the play: playing instruments, wanting to learn dances and create setting designs using their iPads. The show must go on... albeit online! We continued to collaborate together to create a montage of the play. Boys, kindly assisted by parents at home, set to work on designing and creating their costumes, using what they had at home or even in their garden, creating wonderful jungle costumes using all sorts of artistic licence! Family members also got involved, which was brilliant to see! Boys also created a range of sketches and animations using a number of apps to create scene backdrops, scene changes and an opening title page, which was then selected to be included in the film. Musically, the learning did not stop either, there was a Bare Necessities dance for all of the boys to learn, songs to learn to play on the piano or in GarageBand and Zoom singing sessions with Mrs. Ives. Hearing all of Year 6 singing together via Zoom gave us all goosebumps and it was fantastic to see them all continuing to work together as they would have done in school for the play. The boys were all instructed on what they needed to film at home and there was some excellent filming by parents, siblings and by the boys themselves, using filming techniques on their iPads. Mrs. Whittaker and Miss Karn filmed lots of boys in school using the green screen and it was a real treat to see their acting skills in front of the camera. Harry Saaiman designed a fitting opening title page for the play, further animated by Ilyas Khunda before an Indonesian jungle waterfall scene to introduce the prologue. Bagheera (Ben Heath) and Baloo (Fin Wyatt), energetically holding a banana, opened the

Park Road play, singing as a duo whilst both showing their different characters in the play. Mowgli (Freddie Wardle) dressed in his camouflage shorts and vest top, then introduced his character’s background, introducing the Wolves (Harris Akram, Zain Khan, Kishan Bhatnagar and Laith Al-Shatri) that raised him in the Indonesian jungle as a young man cub.

Following the prologue, Bagheera explains to Mowgli how the jungle is no longer safe for a man cub and how he must return him to the man village. A reluctant Mowgli tells Bagheera he wants to stay in the jungle, his home, and, on his escape from Bagheera, bumps into a number of characters, the first being Kaa (Henry Hughes), who tries to hypnotise Mowgli into staying with him (Trust in Me). Kaa sang a beautiful solo, complete with coils, (Zac, Advaith, Aaron, Amaan) animated by Zain Burill’s hypnotic eyes, using the green screen.

playground in their bubbles and some boys performing the dance at home or in the garden. It was a pleasure to put this scene together, and I have to say, I enjoyed the outtakes of this with the boys’ dance moves on the playground, all-importantly having fun with it. Dancing Baloo gets carried away and doesn’t realise Mowgli has in fact disappeared! The news is given to him by monkeys, (Ilyas Khunda and Zain Khan) before the entrance of King Louie (Jordy Dare), played in by a recording of Laith on the drums from the Music Festival. King Louie then performs I Wanna Be Like You, with the help of some other singing, dancing monkeys, (Sulaiman Seedat, Shaurya Shaktawat, Rocco Latona, Harry Iddon, Harry Saaiman) and the Jungle Ensemble (Thomas Bent, Ephraim Jones, Charlie Dewhurst, Thomas Morrison, Mustafa Malik). The dynamic of the play then changes when mighty Shere Khan (Dhilan Jacobs) makes a fiery, dramatic entrance, declaring that he is, in fact, the King of the Jungle, not some ‘confounded ape’, from whose claws no man cub can escape! After a powerful solo performance from Shere Khan, Mowgli is then seen running through the jungle to Chariots of Fire. Dramatically, Mowgli then falls and find himself surrounded by two cackling vultures (Kyri Stivaros and Luca Ramirez Nievas), who laugh at Mowgli calling him a scrawny and smelly old thing. Approached by a thistle (Rayyan Nasir), Mowgli is told he looks like he doesn’t have any friends, but is then corrected by a banyan (Thomas Bent), who reassures Mowgli that he does in fact have lots of friends in the jungle. Baloo encourages everyone that if they all work together they can keep Mowgli in the jungle, ‘Just like the Year 6s at Park Road, eh?!’

After Mowgli’s visit by Kaa, night then turns into the day with the help of Zaid Ahmed’s animation and Shanti’s (Aashan Subhani) singing. It’s not long until Mowgli then bumps into a stampede led by Colonel Haithi (Umayr Islam). It was fantastic to see the elephants dancing the stampede, some in their gardens, walking through trees (Rith Narla), some at home and some boys in school using the green screen too (Harry Bent, Sid Kumar, Elliot Foster, Eddie Griffiths, Nishan Sharma). After the loud bellow of Company Halt! from Colonel Haithi, Bagheera tells Mowgli enough is enough and he can no longer survive here. A laid-back, easy-going Baloo hears Bagheera’s comment and argues that all Mowgli needs to survive is the Bare Necessities.

A montage of photos from the boys’ experiences throughout Year 6 are then played with the boys singing That’s What Friends Are For in the background, recorded by Mr. Morris and Mrs. Winstanley on the Senior School Levels. The penultimate scene shows Shere Khan caught in the football net, which doubled up nicely as a jungle net, and celebrations from Baloo saying that Shere Khan has been caught. The final scene shows Bagheera and Shanti’s family, (Matthew Pearson and Tom Finch) telling Mowgli that he may belong in the Man Village, but he will always have a home in the jungle. The film then ends with a collection of the brilliant sketches created by the boys, as well as all of them wearing their costumes designed at home.

Using multiple split screens, boys were shown performing the Bare Necessities dance that they had learned, some on the school

I would like to thank all of the boys for their input towards creating this, from making sketches, designing their costumes, making their

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Park Road Virtual Fun Run _______________________________________________________

T costumes, learning lines, songs and dances to filming themselves at home during what was already a busy and unprecedented time for them all. The play’s story shows the importance of friendship and working together and it was a pleasure to see this happen through the play during this time. Their positivity and collaboration made it happen. Thank you to all of the parents and family members who helped with either filming or costume making and a special thank you to Will Hough for sharing his expertise in filmmaking to ensure our green screen shots were edited perfectly to enhance the boys’ acting even more for these scenes. Well done, Year 6!

he annual Junior Boys’ Fun Run is normally a fun and colourful highlight to the Summer Term. Although the usual plan was derailed in 2020 by Lockdown, the Park Road boys refused to give up on raising thousands of pounds for charity. The Fun Run went virtual, with the aim of following in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg and collecting enough kilometres to circumnavigate the world in eight school days! Boys and their families were encouraged to clock up miles each day by running, walking and cycling in their local area. Fogg’s route via Cairo, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Francisco and New York before returning to Bolton gave the school a total of 29,825 kilometres, or an ambitious 135km per child. Virtual sports lessons and the afternoon of 22nd May, the day on which the Fun Run would have been held, were devoted to the cause. Daily posts on Twitter and shared updates from the boys’ walks, runs and bike rides kept everyone up to date on how far they had collectively ‘travelled’ to keep everyone excited and invested in the challenge. On the day of the Fun Run itself, everyone dressed up to represent a country and completed their exercise in costume, with photos shared on social media. Laps around the garden, sessions on the exercise bike, some long family workouts and contributions of kilometres from staff across the Bolton School Foundation further boosted the total distance travelled.

Throughout the eight days of the challenge and over half term, donations poured in via JustGiving to support this year’s chosen charity, Bolton Hospice.

Miss M.L. Karn

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Mrs. Faulkner said, ‘we were, of course, disappointed not to be able to hold our usual charity fun run, as it is an enjoyable event and one which raises a lot of money for good causes. We didn’t quite get all the way ’round the world in our virtual Fun Run, but we did manage to raise just over £2500 for local charity Bolton Hospice.

Park Road

simply have some fun together to round off a unique term at Park Road.

We wanted to raise money for this local cause as we are aware that many smaller charities will not reach their fundraising targets this year as a result of COVID-19. The response from our boys and families was quite overwhelming.’ Bolton Hospice sent the following message: ‘We are enormously grateful to everyone at Bolton School Junior Boys for your continued support at this very difficult time – thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Without the support of people like you, we wouldn’t be here to care for those most in need – your support means the world to us.’

Year 6 Trip to Anderton Centre _______________________________________________________

fter weeks of lockdown, isolation and remote working, and the unavoidable cancellation of most of the traditional end of term activities planned for Year 6 (a week at Patterdale Hall, the Ski Trip to France, the production of ‘The Jungle Book’, Sports Day, Bikeability, the charity Fun Run, a theatre trip to see ‘Back to the Future’ – the list is endless!), the boys jumped at the chance to spend a day together in the great outdoors at The Anderton Centre. Whilst still managing to abide by all of the COVID regulations, it was possible for everyone to enjoy a range of team building activities and

During the morning, the boys went orienteering in the grounds and then put some Year 4 Geography knowledge about settlements to good use in the bushcraft session. They found the best location to settle and then used natural resources to build a shelter, giving due consideration to the prevailing weather conditions and physical features of their chosen site. This session wouldn’t have been complete without making a fire and toasting some marshmallows! After lunch, it was time to get on the water in rafted open canoes. Paddling skills and teamwork once again proved vital in the races

and a game of ‘World Domination’. Despite everyone remaining in their canoes, there were a lot of very wet boys (and staff) returning home at the end of the day, but they all had smiles on their faces! Mrs. K.E. Winstanley

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The Old Boltonians Message from the President _______________________________________________________

Old Boltonians _______________________________________________________

t the start of 2020, I had in prospect a busy but very interesting year; a prospect which quickly disintegrated for the reasons we all know. The opportunity to meet, reminisce and indulge ourselves in nostalgia was denied from late March onwards. But to bemoan the lack of Old Boltonian activity would be futile. Indeed, I am reminded of the line of a prayer often used in School assemblies in my time of the need to have ‘the serenity to accept the things which I cannot change’. We were able, however, to hold two dinners: at Downing College, Cambridge, and in the Long Room in the pavilion at Lords Cricket Ground. Both were most enjoyable, and those attending owe a great debt of gratitude to the staff of the Development Office, who organised these events with their customary efficiency and meticulous attention to detail. The Lords’ Dinner deserves special mention, not only because of the large attendance of between 160 and 170. It was marvellous to dine in the Long Room, to spend the evening in such a splendid setting and to meet up again with numerous old friends. It provided me with the opportunity to reminisce with Ian Riley, an old friend from cricketing days, and to be able to wish him well in his new role as Chairman of Governors. Sadly, that dinner brought an end to the Association’s social activity for this year. We have been denied the Scottish, Cumbrian and New York dinners, the MCC Cricket match, the Football Club Dinner and the May OBA Lunch and AGM. In such a strange year, it was encouraging to be reminded in August of the continued excellence of the School when the A Level and GCSE grades were announced. The ability to adapt and adjust with resilience and determination to new methods in such difficult times could hardly be demonstrated better. Congratulations to both staff and students for those achievements. Let us hope for a resumption of our activities in 2021. Roy Battersby (1953-1961)

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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, under normal circumstances, invitations to a variety of events, which 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. With restrictions on social gatherings continuing to change and evolve so rapidly, no in-person Alumni events are currently planned for the early months of 2021. We remain optimistic that we will be able to resume our usual calendar of events in 2021 and hope that from the Spring onwards, the Alumni Dinners, the Class Reunion and the Old Boys’ Lunches will take place. We will, of course, ensure that further updates and invitations are sent out as soon as we are able to confirm that each event is able to go ahead. If you have not previously received an invitation to any of the aforementioned gatherings, but would like to do so, please contact the Development Office. We look forward to seeing Old Boys and Old Girls in person as soon as it is safe (and legal) for us to do so. In the meantime, we plan to hold a number of virtual events for Alumni in the coming months, details of which will be shared by email and through our various social media channels. Development Office T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org

The Old Boltonians Stay in Touch _______________________________________________________ Connect with Old Boys and Old Girls on the Bolton Alumni Network: www.boltonalumninetwork.com. ‘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

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 on Instagram View photos of Alumni events on Flickr at www.flickr.com/ photos/bsalumni/albums Visit the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website at www.boltonschool.org to see event photos, read Alumni career profiles, find news of Old Boys, view an up-to-date events calendar, update your contact details and more.

T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org The Development Team: Laura Firth – Head of Development Hannah Fox – Development Assistant Frances Johnson – Development Assistant Caspar Joseph – Old Boys’ Liaison Officer Kathryn O’Brien – Development Assistant Laura Rooney – Development Manager

s the academic year draws to a close and School Captain Ruairi McCabe makes the transition from pupil to Old Boy, he tells us about his year in post and offers advice to incoming Captain Charlie Griffiths. Full Name: Ruairi John McCabe Years at School: 2013-2020 Deputies: Yusuf Adia, Krishnan Ajit

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Watch short films posted on the School’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/boltonschoolmedia

School Captain 2019-2020 _______________________________________________________

Were you a member of any teams, clubs or societies in Sixth Form? Most of my time was spent on activities outside of school, as I continued to compete in Irish dancing at an international level, training four times a week. I look forward to the day that this becomes a lunchtime activity. In school, my focus in Sixth Form was to aid younger students, which I did through weekly drop-in sessions in Physics, and individual support with maths. Being a member of the team for the UKMT Maths Challenge led to some interesting days out for competitions. A new-found interest in chess, although I was hopeless, meant that a weekly match was a welcome break from study. Of course, the most enjoyable club involved Yusuf, Krishnan and I ending table football tournaments in the Riley Centre to remind monitors of a shift that they were missing. What were your key responsibilities as Captain? Monitors were responsible for helping staff with lunchtimes, breaks, assemblies, and events. My role, with the help of Vice-captains and Senior Monitors, was to ensure that Monitors were attending their lunchtime and assembly duties (sorting shift covers if necessary), and overall, setting an example to lower year groups. Fortnightly meetings were held in the Headmaster’s Office, in which Yusuf, Krishnan and I would lead to organise events. Friday morning breaks were when the three of us would discuss matters for the week ahead, with coffee and biscuits courtesy of the lovely dining staff. Attending, and occasionally speaking at, school events was another key part of the role. What was the most memorable occasion for you as Captain? I remember being sat in Maths, when a Sergeant came to collect me. It took me a worrying amount of time to figure out what that meant whilst walking to the Headmaster’s Office. I won’t forget how surprised I was and how proud I felt to have been given the opportunity to represent School as Captain. Hiding the news when walking back into class was also a fun experience. What was the most difficult aspect of being Captain? There were times when I had to confront Monitors about missing duties or covering shifts and taking up their lunchtimes. Let’s be honest, no one would be happy to give up free time. This certainly

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The Old Boltonians took some getting used to, but got easier throughout the year. Speaking in front of an audience at school events was daunting at first, but I’m glad that I got the opportunity, as they were memorable moments. Were there any unexpected aspects involved with the role? The Old Boltonians’ Association and the events they organise was something I was only introduced to during my time as Captain. The dinners that I attended were some of the best occasions of the school year. The sense of community among Bolton School alumni was certainly an eye-opener for me. Has the role helped you develop any new skills? As someone who sometimes lacked confidence beforehand, this certainly forced me to step out of my comfort zone, to the point where I now relish the challenge of trying something different. Gaining leadership, communication and organisational skills are just a few of the many things for which I am grateful during my time in the role, which I am certain will benefit me immensely during my career.

Are you planning on being involved in any activities/societies at university? There are several societies that I have joined and wish to return to when it is feasible. I plan to participate in athletics casually this year, with a hope to try out for teams next year. Hiking is something I realised that I like doing over the summer, and look forward to meeting other students in the club. In the meantime, I have been looking into how I can volunteer virtually (a new concept for me), which the Careers Office introduced. On my course, I am a student representative, which involves attending meetings to give feedback to the faculty on improving the student experience, which I feel is more important than ever this year. Irish dancing is still something I am pursuing, with virtual training sessions. What are your career aspirations? After university, I aim to achieve Chartered status as an engineer and gain some experience in the significant industry of renewable energy generation. I predict that this sector will see huge advancements over the next few decades, as the need to reduce emissions becomes imperative, and I wish to contribute to this change.

What would your advice be for the incoming Captain? I would say to embrace every moment, including the difficult ones that being Captain inevitably brings. Striking a balance between the role and focusing on A Levels is vital. I am certain that Charlie will have a very demanding role this year, with the unusual and unfortunate circumstances of 2020, however, I have every confidence that he will have a successful year in the role and wish him the best of luck.

Will you continue to be involved with School? Leaving school as a student is only the beginning of my experience as a member of the strong Old Boltonians community. With the networking opportunities with alumni, as well as the events organised by the Development Office, I am sure I will be interacting with the school throughout my career.

How did you feel about leaving School? I was disappointed that the year ended so abruptly, but I appreciate the School’s effort to still give us a proper farewell. It felt surreal to walk out as a student for the last time, as I vividly remember walking in for the first. The opportunities and experiences I have had the privilege to enjoy over the last seven years will stay with me for a lifetime. It is only now that I truly see how much the School has given to me, a debt I look forward to paying, by giving back to the School in the future

Old Boltonians’ AFC Report 2019-20 _______________________________________________________

Which university are you at and what are you studying? I am currently undertaking a Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester. What has your experience of university life been like so far? Of course, university life has not been what I expected so far, as I haven’t been onto the campus yet, and the social life has been significantly reduced. However, I have still thoroughly enjoyed my time here, adjusting to online teaching and managing to connect with other students, sometimes virtually. The switch to completely independent learning is drastic, but the freedom it offers is great. I do hope to enjoy a more normal experience soon, where I can fully immerse myself into the student community.

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t goes almost without saying that the Football Club reached its one hundredth birthday in unique circumstances. The pandemic caused all three leagues in which the club has teams to abort their seasons. Consequently, whilst the season will not make the record books or see any awards, we should here record that at the time of closure, the Ladies team still had their 100% record in league and cup intact; a dozen games, a ton of goals – it may not be official, but it will last long in our memory. The veterans had not had the easiest of seasons, with huge numbers of players being needed to fulfil fixtures. The ‘A’ team were third from bottom of their division, but never overcame the difficulties such as promotion and the churn of players up to the higher level. The Reserves may look on the year as unfulfilled – we had played more than most and were looking forward to an uncrowded run in to consolidate the position in the top third. The First XI were perhaps the most frustrated. They topped the premier division at shutdown. Had any new-fangled points per game been used to complete the tables, they would have been usurped, but their form was strong and the other two clubs with a significant chance of the title had many more games to play – as we have found in the past, points on the board are more often the key. So unrecorded, but two virtual champions is a not unreasonable claim!

The Old Boltonians Trophy in mid-June and the Rosebowl Knockout Competition will run throughout the season. I will advise dates for the Gwynne Jones and Taylor Trophy in early 2021. As far as The Grafton Morrish Trophy is concerned, we did not attend the Finals in Hunstanton in October as there was no qualifying held this year and those schools that qualified last year were invited back. This was somewhat annoying as we only missed out by one point in 2019. Since then, however, we have had contact from a couple of Old Boys off very low handicaps, which is very welcome news and, with a full squad, I would expect us not only to qualify next year, but also to perform well in the Finals.

Writing in what would be pre-season, we should be reporting on the first phase of a year of centenary celebrations. These, like so much else, were put on hold and remain so – in simple terms, we intend to celebrate OBAFC’s hundred years… but also the 101th! A commemorative publication will still be published – indeed, we have already had contributions from near and far e.g. Bolton, London and the USA, with more memories and memorabilia welcome. With judicious use of grants available from government and the F.A., the pitches and pavilion are in well-nigh perfect condition for whatever sort of season awaits. The three Saturday teams are looking for success and consolidation; the Veterans seem rejuvenated by the break; the Ladies hope to be ‘promoted’ to reach a division which their magnificent brand of football deserves; the long promised Youth team expansion will start competitive matches on Sundays as an Under 18 team. The club feels strong as it enters its second century in whatever sporting world it finds itself. Mr. M.P. Wadsworth (Boys’ Division Staff, 1974-2006)

Old Boltonians’ Golf Society Report _______________________________________________________

think you will all agree this has been an extremely strange year, and one that we all hope will never be repeated. It was somewhat inevitable that organising any events for the Society would prove difficult. Whilst there has been a certain relaxation to the rules, the constant changes around post-golf gathering and dining have meant that it was thought best not to organise any events for 2020. That said, I do hope everyone has managed to play some golf this summer and those that have played competitively have enjoyed success. Given that we have missed a year, I am proposing to play the Gwynne Jones Goblets in early April 2020 when everyone will be raring to go for the new season. We will continue to play The Taylor

All that remains for me to say is, enjoy the rest of the golf season, let’s hope the weather (and Her Majesty’s Government) permits golf through the winter and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Society events in 2021. Mark Millhouse (1989-1994), Golf Secretary

From the Archive – Old Boy Philanthropy _______________________________________________________

he Old Boltonians’ Association (OBA) Committee began discussing the erection of an appropriate war memorial in 1921 and, although the initial proposal was for a stone memorial in the School grounds, it was eventually agreed to commission the splendid stained glass War Memorial Window that has now been a feature of the staircase leading to the Great Hall for 90 years, and which incorporates the crests of all the regiments with which the fallen had been associated. Also part of the scheme were the oak tablets bearing the names of the Old Boys and staff who had died, carved in bas-relief. The plans were delayed by the building of the new school and, when the Committee finally launched the appeal to Old Boys in early 1929, it was probably the first time that the Old Boys’ financial support had been sought. The War Memorial Window was unveiled by Mr. Lipscomb on 26th May 1930. In 1951, more oak tablets were added to include the names of all those Old Boys and staff who lost their lives in the Second World War and these were unveiled by the President of the OBA, Mr. J.M. Howarth, at a Service of Memorial and Commemoration held in the Great Hall on 18th November 1951.

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The Old Boltonians At the 1961 Speech Day, the Headmaster had stated that he considered the provision of new changing rooms to be a priority and it was the Old Boys who made the successful appeal to raise the £16,000 required to complete the project. The new changing rooms were officially opened on 14th September 1963 by Mr. Philip LeighBramwell (1920-1926), followed by football and hockey matches between the School and the Old Boltonians, all of which were won by the School. Mr. Poskitt died in 1983 and the Old Boys launched a Memorial Fund in his memory. The proceeds were to be used to help fund various School projects, but particularly the planned Sports Hall, which the Governors had agreed would be dedicated to his memory. Work started in May 1985, and in July 1985, the foundation stone was laid by Sir Robert Haslam, President of the OBA. The Old Boys raised around £90,000, which was an outstanding achievement. The Sports Hall was completed in the summer of 1986 and the Association organised a Grand Reunion for the weekend of 26th28th September. It is estimated that over 1,000 Old Boys, together with their families, attended the Reunion, which was the first major reunion of Old Boys ever held at the School. The weekend culminated with the Third Viscount Leverhulme unveiling a plaque dedicated to the memory of Mr. Poskitt in the new Sports Hall.

The need for bursaries increased immensely after the abolition of the Assisted Places Scheme in 1997, which presented the School with a formidable challenge. A further bursary appeal was launched and, in the 23 years since then, thanks to the fantastic and unstinting support of the School’s extraordinary Alumni, the Bolton School Bursary Fund has grown to such a level that it is now one of the most extensive in the country. The Governing Body’s long-term goal is to build the Bursary Fund still further to enable one in three pupils to receive some level of financial support, with the eventual ambition of securing fully need-blind access at the School. The Old Boys have an outstanding record of service to their School and their actions admirably reflect the philanthropic values of the first Lord Leverhulme. The School is indebted to them. Eric Fairweather

Looking Back _______________________________________________________

David Holt (1943-1949) found this photo of Form 5A2 in 1947

The Old Boys have supported the School in many other ways over the years, but their concern to help secure the future of the School really came to the fore after the School decided to become independent from the beginning of the Autumn Term 1976, following the Government’s decision to withdraw support for Direct Grant schools. The Governors were determined to preserve the tradition of Bolton School, whereby any boy or girl, whatever their parents’ means, should have the opportunity of a Bolton School education. The Governors decided to provide a number of bursaries from Foundation income, but this would not be sufficient to meet the demand, and the Open Door appeal was launched to build a substantial bursary fund. The response from all sections of the School community, including the Old Boys, was truly magnificent – by Summer 1977 the £500,000 target had already been exceeded, with the total raised rising to almost £700,000 by June 1979.

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The Old Boltonians

Peter Smith (1956-1964) sent in these pictures of the 1962 production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – Peter is third from right on the second row and fourth from right in the fight scene

Thank you to Nick Buxton (Class of 1978) for these photos of Sc6B1 with Form Master Dr. Chambers Back, L-R: Dr. Colin Chambers, Rob Stones, Johnny Leigh, Rick Hunt, Jon Swan, Nick Buxton, Steve Maxwell Peter also sent in this photo of the School Tiddlywinks team in 1963 after their stunning victory over Manchester Grammar – Peter is in the centre holding the trophy

Long Camp 1977, held at Ayton, near Eyemouth in Berwickshire – stirring the pan is Andy Roscoe (1973-1980), the two behind the fire are David Harper and Roger Harrop (both Class of 1982) and Jonathan Sharrock is on the right of the group of five standing

Front, L-R: Paul Makinson, John Ion, Pete Burns, Pete Davis, Stu Thompson, John Moores

This photo was taken during the Bolton School Choir tour in France at Easter 1984: Michael Tatman (Boys’ Division Staff, 1958-1991), Charles Walker (Boys’ Division Staff, 1978-1994), Norman Harper (Boys’ Division Staff, 1974-1984), John the coach driver, and Bert Scott, a friend who was the contact with Versailles Cathedral, one of the concert venues

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The Old Boltonians well established. To focus on the positives, during my Assistantship and now as an FY1 in Trauma and Orthopaedics at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, there has been an exceedingly positive sense of camaraderie and solidarity amongst the staff, helped by fantastic support from the public – clapping or no clapping.

This weather will be familiar to many boys who visited Cautley – this photo is from the 1980s

Thank you to Andrew Bird (1982-1989) for this photo of U6S3 in 1988-89

Old Boys join the fight against COVID-19 _______________________________________________________

e are incredibly proud of all of the Old Boys who have worked on the frontline during the pandemic from three such Old Bolts, all of whom have contributed to the NHS’ fight against COVID-19.

Waqqas Patel (Class of 2014) – Foundation Year 1 Doctor My final year of medical school was amended significantly so that my cohort could assist amidst the crisis, and it was a privilege to help out through an assistantship in General Surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. The pressures COVID-19 exerted on health, the economy and the national infrastructure are

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COVID-19 has affected my close family, those of friends and many others, and there have been a lot of difficult conversations in the past six months. Despite the challenges COVID-19 has presented, my approach to work remains the same: work hard and try to provide the best possible care you can. With a lot of establishments shut during the pandemic, I’ve started reading more, teaching medicine, and working on research. I think the pandemic has certainly highlighted the camaraderie within the NHS, but also areas of introspection that are necessary to ensure excellent healthcare for the future. Ashish Chaudhry (Class of 1999) – GP I work as a GP Partner in a training practice in Salford. Pre-COVID-19, a typical day would have been filled with face-to-face clinics in the morning and afternoon, with time over lunch to complete admin and co-ordinate care for my patients, review laboratory results, undertake home visits or meetings, and provide educational support for junior doctors. However, the pandemic mandated a reorganisation of our service to reduce footfall and potential spread of the virus within the surgery, as well as a need to meet the surge in demand from our patients for medical advice. We adopted a total triage system, which meant every consultation was conducted over the telephone first. Surprisingly, we realised many problems could be addressed without physically needing to see patients. We could take histories, organise tests and prescribe remotely by sending prescriptions straight to local pharmacies; this was a game changer as it reduced risk of exposure to people coming into the building. However, we identified limitations regarding the safety of relying solely on telephone assessments and lack of ability to examine. GPs often use their knowledge of an individual patient, as well as probability of illness to help guide their clinical decision-making. COVID-19 posed an unknown challenge, as there was little evidence about how this new disease would behave. We had also lost the ability to pick up visual cues from our patients, and this presented a risk of missing illness. We could always default to face-to-face reviews if needed, but this required a cordoned and sanitised hotzone area in the building, as well as wearing uncomfortable and intimidating personal protective equipment, which was not ideal.

The Old Boltonians We improvised with a hybrid model, through technology that was readily available to us and to patients, and asked them to email photographs or use video consultations as a preference. Unfortunately, in late March, I was exposed to COVID-19, but through the enforced digital transformation, I was able to embrace home working and consult patients remotely, as well as support colleagues through virtual coffee breaks and debriefs. As the pandemic leaves a legacy of effects on both health and economy, supporting patients who have had stressful personal or professional COVID-19 journeys has never been more important. As a GP, I miss the opportunities to build lifelong therapeutic relationships with people, which have been digitally diluted. But whatever the medium, we must continue to practise with humility, and strive to make a difference in these uncertain times. Mark Hills (Class of 1996) – Pharmacist I have been a community pharmacist for 20 years and am currently working for Bolton-based firm Cohens Chemists in Royal Wootton Bassett. This has been a strange time at the coalface of community pharmacy. Patients initially tried to be prepared for the unknown, and the quantity of prescriptions doubled overnight. We started to limit the number of people in the shop at one time, introduced social distancing, installed a perspex screen and started to wear protective equipment. All of these things make communication very difficult and the opposite of how a pharmacy should be.

Pupils’ experiences of Lockdown _____________________________________________

ife as a student in these times is certainly very strange. I had always hoped for longer holidays, but I have missed friendships I am used to in the four years I have been in the Senior School. This week, we were allowed to return to school in our small “bubbles”. Can you imagine having only six students in a class? Having to sit two metres apart is very strange and I miss the usual conversations. School was eerily quiet. Much of school is out of bounds and there is an echo to the corridors. I miss the usual hustle and bustle of pupils moving between lessons. Since the Lockdown, I have to say that school has been amazing in ensuring all our lessons continue as much as possible with the use of technology and Zoom. The teachers have tried to keep the timetable as normal as possible to before the pandemic, even down to the distribution of homework. I am due to sit my GCSE exams next summer so sticking to as near a normal teaching pattern has been important for me and my studies. Callum Cavanaugh 10b

Following the introduction of shielding for the most vulnerable, we had to work out how to supply those patients with medication. Fortunately, up and down the country, community spirit triumphed, and people volunteered to deliver medicines to the housebound. In Royal Wootton Bassett, we were lucky to have a band of volunteers, who stepped up and made sure this need was met, the mainstay of which was my fellow Old Boltonian, Adrian German (Class of 1975).

he swift nature of our last week at school meant I don’t think we were able to fully comprehend that we were leaving school for, what was quite possibly, the last time as pupils. On the Monday, we were preparing for exams that seemed inevitable; on the Friday, we were saying our goodbyes when we thought we still had a few months left in school together.

It has been incredibly fulfilling to be involved in the response to COVID-19; in a job that gives me enormous satisfaction on a daily basis, the buzz of problem-solving during this unusual time has only added to this. We must not forget, however, how many people have lost their lives to this awful viurs. We are now moving into the influenza vaccination time of the year, which I will be helping to deliver. This, coupled with the usual winter pressures on the NHS, means it will be a critical time. I urge as many people as possible to get the flu jab this year, as this will help to mitigate these pressures as much as possible.

Daniyal Ashraf 13f

I’ve used the Lockdown period to get a head start in cooking, and although I’ve had a few disasters, I think I’ve become fairly good. Celebrating an 18th in Lockdown was fairly strange although I was able to have a birthday of sorts via Zoom, which was a new experience!

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The Old Boltonians Lives Remembered – Former Staff Derek De Maine (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1998) _______________________________________________________

orn in Bolton in 1932, Derek attended Church Road Primary School and showed artistic and musical talent from a very early age. Drawing on any available blank piece of paper, he was regularly in trouble at St. Thomas’ Church, where he was a choirboy, for drawing inside the covers of the hymn books during the sermon. He learned to play the piano to an exceptional standard, although his lessons were curtailed when his teacher, who was German, was interned during World War II. He passed the 11+ exam to Bolton County Grammar School, then housed in the centre of Bolton and was delighted when the School was moved out to Bolton Old Links Golf Club for the duration of the war. Derek became a proficient golfer in his teens and was an Honorary Member of Old Links after being a member for 50 years. At 16, Derek saw an advert for a scholarship at Bolton College of Art, so he took himself off School for a day without permission to sit the exam, as his father wanted him to leave School. Winning the scholarship, his father relented, for an addition to academic monetary award, there was a substantial maintenance grant. He completed his College course very rapidly, as it was only necessary to pass all the units, for which there were no time constraints. He then won another scholarship to study Fine Art at Manchester University. There, he was awarded a six-month travelling scholarship to study in Rome, Florence and Paris. Whilst in Paris, shortly before returning to England, he read in a French paper about the invasion of South Korea from the Communist North. This led him to write to the Air Ministry to

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offer his services as a pilot, as this was the time of National Service from which he was already deferred. He was accepted into the RAF and attended Cranwell for Officer Training, after which he was sent to Canada to learn to fly - not unusual at the time. Completing the flying course in Canada, he was seconded by NATO to fly with the USAAF in Korea, where he was involved in considerable action as a fighter pilot. Returning to the UK, he declined the offer of a permanent commission as he wanted to teach, and he could fly at weekends with 613 City of Manchester Squadron, an Auxiliary Squadron. There was a short spell of action in Algeria during the conflict with France, but otherwise he happily spent weekends and summer school flying Vampires and Meteors. Teaching took him to a new department at Salford Grammar School, where he became Head of Art after a short time. Arriving at Bolton School in January 1964, he set about expanding the role of the Art Department to include Typography and Pottery. The Department flourished, and Derek became a valued member of staff, enabling boys to go to university to study Art and Architecture. Derek excelled in all aspects of his subject; there are a great many who will fondly remember the huge paper sculpture angel he made every year at Christmas to hang from the beams in Great Hall. It took hours of work each evening for a month before Christmas, as 20-foot-high paper angels don’t keep! Each year it was different, but beautiful and awe-inspiring. Derek was a superb pianist and could often be heard by anyone late in School, as he played the piano in Great Hall when he came into School to switch off the kiln. He was a Chopin devotee and when asked why, replied, ‘Because it’s difficult.’ That summed Derek up. He was a quiet, unassuming man, despite his prodigious talents. He had great intellect and wide-ranging knowledge over a large number of disciplines, he was a splendid linguist and an amusing raconteur. Staff of his time vividly remember his annual speeches for the ‘Tailor and Cutter’ Award after the Staff Annual Bowling Match. Derek himself was an excellent bowler, as well as golfer and initiated golf at School for the boys. In retirement, he sailed across the Atlantic with Old Boy Eric Forsyth (1943-1950), just the two of them. He was very active to the end and widely travelled to every continent, including Antarctica. Derek died quite unexpectedly from pneumonia in November 2019, leaving Hilary, his wife of 40 years and herself an ex-member of staff. He was a loving and devoted father to his children: Robert, also a pilot, and Elena, following in his footsteps as a teacher, and a proud grandfather of Arianna and Poppy. His passing was a great loss to his family, colleagues, and many friends. Hilary de Maine

The Old Boltonians Peter John Harrison (1944-1955 and Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1995) _______________________________________________________

eter Harrison was a gentleman; a man who valued honesty, integrity, duty and hard work. He was also a scholar, a teacher, a soldier, a cricketer and, above all, a loving family man. Peter was born in Bolton in 1936. He attended Bolton School and spent his free time cycling around the streets of Smithills and exploring Rivington Gardens with his friend Gerald, who later became his best man and Godfather to his children. He was a lifelong supporter of Bolton Wanderers and remembered standing on the Railway Terrace at Burnden Park watching his hero Nat Lofthouse. He continued as a season ticket holder and returning to the Wanderers with his daughter Ruth and his brother David was one of his ambitions after his stroke. He succeeded in this and was able to enjoy watching games until the suspension of the league earlier this year. Whilst in the Sixth Form, Peter developed a strong Christian faith and he attended St. Augustine’s Church in Tonge Moor, where he often met with friends to explore theological and philosophical questions. He loved to debate and discuss, and he was always keen to learn from others, showing an interest in a wide variety of topics and asking intelligent and perceptive questions. Some of the happiest days of Peter’s life were spent in Cambridge, where he attended university. It was here that he developed a love of languages, which led to his future career as a teacher and to his service as a Captain in the Intelligence Corps of the Territorial Army. He continued to study new languages throughout his life and was eventually able to speak eight in addition to English. Whilst at Cambridge, he formed friendships which endured for over 60 years. Cambridge was also where he met Joan, his wife of 58 years. Despite a first date during which she fell in the Cam whilst punting and broke her thumb, she agreed to be his partner at the May Balls in 1959 and 1960. Having mastered the skill of cycling side by side whilst holding hands, they realised that they were an excellent partnership and married in 1961. They had two children, Ruth (1974-1981) and David (Boys’ Division, Class of 1982).

ran the lower block and took part in many exchange visits to France. He opened the batting and kept wicket for the staff cricket team, once scoring 50 including hitting a six onto the pavilion roof. Peter remembered the bowler, himself a fine sportsman, looking at him with aggrieved astonishment. Boys do not always expect their teachers to have that kind of capacity, whilst respecting their presence in the classroom. They certainly respected Peter’s skill as a linguist, his clarity in explanation and the width of learning and experience, evident in his teaching and in the many addresses he gave in Assembly. He spoke memorably to the Debating Society about Brideshead Revisited and religious conversion when that novel became a television serial. Skill in communication was accompanied by a ready responsiveness to the views of other people. Peter formed lifelong friendships and, after his stroke, he took great comfort and strength from the visits of Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999) and David Shaw (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-2002). He was delighted to resume his meetings with them and with Ken Stockton (School Transport Manager, 1994-2004) and Martin Wadsworth (Boys’ Division Staff, 1974-2006) at Rivington Bowls Club, and to be able to attend a dinner for retired Bolton School staff. Above all, Peter was a family man – a loyal and devoted husband and a wonderful father. He and Joan created a safe and loving family home for Ruth and David. Amongst the many happy times, the annual family holidays to North Wales stand out: picnics and French cricket on the beach, swimming in the sea and walks in the countryside. The family life which Peter and Joan fostered was truly a blessing, and the happy memories created sustained us through the losses of David and of Joan. They continue to be a comfort. Many people will miss Peter as a friend, a brother, a cousin and a father, but having shown huge courage and gained the admiration of all who knew him in his fight back after his stroke, it is time for Peter to be at peace, reunited with Joan and David, and free of the struggles and pain of the last year. We love you and hold you in our hearts. Rest in peace. Ruth Sutton (née Harrison, 1974-1981)

After a brief spell working in London, Peter returned to Bolton where he began his long career at Bolton School. He taught languages,

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The Old Boltonians Bernard Nolan (Central Services Staff, 1965-1981) _______________________________________________________

ernard Nolan was born 250 yards from Bolton School, attending Devonshire Road County Primary School and the County Grammar School before beginning his career in the Bolton Education Office. During the early stages of the Second World War, after his day job, he was often found fire-watching on the roof of the offices at night. Following Army service in Algiers, Caserta and Venice, he returned to the Education Office resuming his administrative work. Promotion was not forthcoming locally, so, with his young wife Doreen, he went to the North East to develop his career. Three colleges and a school later, it was Bernard’s delight to move back to Bolton to become Clerk and Treasurer to Bolton School, where his two children were now able to attend. Driving forward innovations such as a new heating system alongside other cost-saving measures (he pointedly demonstrated the art of turning lights off in front of the cleaning staff), he eliminated the School debt. He was involved in raising substantial funds for the Assisted Places bursary scheme after the Direct Grant was abolished. At ease with people of all backgrounds, he enjoyed his working relationships and was often seen wandering around the kitchens talking to staff, as well as supervising work around the School estate – and, literally, in the air. Bernard was unafraid of heights and could be spotted with surveyors and workmen on the rooftops four storeys up, discussing building projects, pointing at tiles and checking on quality. His working style embraced an ‘open door policy’, which enabled a friendly discourse about financial matters amongst staff and department heads. Some of the female members of staff called him ‘Uncle Bernard’ because of his avuncular manner and his willingness to offer financial advice to colleagues. They felt they could go and talk to him easily and that he was approachable and sympathetic. He was always a welcome visitor to both Common Rooms.

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His social and leisure activities were extensive. He was a keen follower of Bolton Wanderers and also played cricket for the staff school team. Usually, on a Friday evening, after an extra stint in his office, he would end the evening playing snooker or bridge at Smithills Conservative Club. In addition to these pursuits, he undertook the demanding and important role of volunteer telephone counsellor with Bolton Samaritans, the first man to clock up 30 years’ service. In his early retirement, taken because of acute glaucoma, he enjoyed gardening, was a governor of two schools, became the keeper of the bowling green at Heaton Village Bowls Club and attended St. Margaret’s Church. He helped on the Fair Trade stall at St. Margaret’s Church, where friends there say he was ‘much respected and a lovely man’. With Doreen, he also enjoyed plenty of Mediterranean sunshine holidays. In the second phase of his retirement, after his beloved Doreen died, he moved to the Merseyside coast and, at 78, became an active member of the Southport retirement scene, taking up horse riding, bereavement visiting, archery, and later staffing ‘Sightline’, a medical advice helpline. Bernard was glad to attend the special reunion festivities at Bolton School together with Marcus and Claire. In the course of this visit, to his great delight, the entire dining room sang Happy 90th Birthday to him. He did not forget his early education and, on that same day, he spoke about his wartime experiences to a history research class at Devonshire Road School and presented them with a series of mathematical games he developed – examples of how easily he connected with people of all ages.

Bernard was a man of unfailing kindness and had charm reserved for everyone. This, together with a relentless attention to detail, is how many will remember him. Marcus Nolan & Claire Feiler

The Old Boltonians M.J. Tatman (Boys’ Division Staff, 1958-1993) _______________________________________________________

ichael Tatman completed National Service in the Royal Artillery, and a degree in French and Russian at Selwyn College, Cambridge. At Bolton School, he was able to concentrate largely on his lead subject, becoming Head of French in 1964, and taught some Russian in his early years. His enthusiasm took him beyond the classroom. The French Exchange continued to develop under his leadership, and he energetically encouraged pupils who wished to travel in France and to study languages at university. Locally, he was Chairman of the French Circle, hosting a variety of meetings on travel, history, literature and art, maintaining a healthy membership and helping members to develop their spoken skills. On one occasion, he addressed a staff discussion group on Albert Camus, expressing informally the knowledge and perception which made him successful as a teacher. Ready to take part in extra-curricular activities, he took the part of Caliban in a School production of ‘The Tempest’. It was a strong, compelling performance, particularly notable for the maturity which enabled him to act with School students without unbalancing the production. An outstanding member of the Bolton Little Theatre, with wide experience, he became Chairman, and guided the group to continual success. One year, the Bolton Little Theatre performed Michael’s own translation of Molière’s ‘The Miser’ (in which he also played the lead role) – a testament to the extent of his theatrical expertise. He was also an invaluable part of the set construction team, where his carpentry talents blossomed. He was also a regular performer at other local amateur theatres in the area, notable at Farnworth Little Theatre, Whitefield Garrick Theatre and Summerseat Players at Ramsbottom. Wherever he performed, whether in comedy, high drama or pantomime, his work was always of a superbly meticulous standard. Michael playing the Headmaster in ‘The Browning Version’ at Bolton Little Theatre He enjoyed all activities which involved speech, and in retirement became senior producer for the town’s Newstalk for the Blind service. Here, he played a further important part in technical management, having used related aptitudes in his offstage theatre work. Mike’s diverse skills and readiness to offer them and his thoughtful communicative manner won wide appreciation. The Bolton Parish Church, of which he was an active member, was crowded for his funeral and his three children, all Old Boltonians, celebrated his

life with readings and recollections, which told what a loved and excellent father he was. Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999) & Michael Haworth (1955-1962)

Old Boltonians’ Responses to Letters from Pupils in Lockdown _____________________________________________ The letters which pupils wrote as part of their ‘Offline Day’ were very well received by the recipients, Old Boltonians, many of whom replied with letters of their own. Here are some excerpts from their responses: ‘The Zoom lessons and general virtual communication will have prepared you for the years ahead when I think this will become a usual activity in the world of work.’ ‘It is good to hear your observations, particularly about your relationships with your teachers and your fellow students – at least some good has come out of this dreadful pandemic. It is good to hear that 60 years since I left Bolton School, the dedication of the staff of the School still prevails.’ ‘Hopefully, there will be some advantages, lessons and experiences to be gained from this trauma, which will help to offset the undoubted overall sad disruption to life as we have known it.’ ‘It is good to hear that the School is making the best of this very difficult situation, just as it did during my time there during the war.’ ‘It is a pleasure to see how you and the School are responding so positively to the current difficult situation in which we all find ourselves. Typical, may I say, of the ethos of the School in my day and obviously still so apparent, that difficulties are simply there to be overcome.’ ‘It’s great that you have been able to carry on your lessons during COVID-19. It’s a real testament to the commitment of the School Leadership, your teachers and all you boys. However, it is what I would have expected from Bolton School – don’t make a fuss, get on with it and do your best. I learnt those sorts of attitudes and selfreliance when I was there between 1958 and 1964, and they have stood me in good stead throughout my life.’ ‘Many thanks for your letter. It has helped to relieve the stultifying boredom of Lockdown.’ ‘I feel for all the boys – this remote learning at home via a video link cannot be easy and requires a considerable amount of self-discipline. I wouldn’t fancy it, but it seems to be the way of the world nowadays. It is remarkable how tech savvy even the younger boys are – they leave me way behind; however, they must be missing the physical contacts with all their contemporaries so let’s hope some sort of normality can be achieved soon. Some of the subjects still need some practical ‘hands-on’ work to get the best results.’

THE OLD BOLTONIANS 151

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