In Focus 2020- 2021

HIGHLIGHTS B I R KO N I A N W E E K LES MISERABLES P E T E R PA N R E M E M B R A N C E DAY O L D B I R KO N I A N S O C I E T Y BULLETIN

2020 - 2021

IN FOCUS 2021

Index Highlights Welcome . ............................................. 4 Early Year s ......................................... 6 Outdoor Lear ning .............................. 10 Little School ...................................... 12 Junior s . .............................................. 17 Birkonian We ek Peter Pan ........................................ 28 Les Misérables ................................. 30 Awards Evenings ............................... 32 Speech Day ...................................... 34 Sports Days ...................................... 35 Inspiring Talks Series . ...................... 36 News Highlights ................................ 38 Be Inspired ...................................... 41 Charity & Community . ...................... 46 Parents Association .......................... 50 Start Activities ................................. 51 Senior s ............................................... 57 Music ................................................. 70 Spor t .................................................. 77 Sixth For m . ....................................... 82 Futures . ........................................... 84 Nicholls Lecture Series ..................... 90 Student Leader ship .......................... 92 Leaver s ........................................... 95 Academic Results ............................ 100 Staf f Leaver s ................................... 102 Old Birkonian Society Bulletin . . ...... 104 Front cover artwork by Jackson Eugeni, Upper Sixth Student

Birkenhead School, 58 Beresford Road, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 2JD Tel: 0151 652 4014 Email: enquire@birkenheadschool.co.uk /birkenheadschool

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IN FOCUS 2020

We l c o m e From the Headmaster curricular programme. The pandemic brought widespread media concern about ‘knowledge gaps’ following months of remote education. Safe in the knowledge of Birkenhead School being able to deliver a strong ‘remote programme’ when required, one of our aims for the year was to maintain as much of our sporting, musical and creative programme that ‘bubbles’ would allow. We committed significant extra resources to ensure that the students continued to benefit from the physical rewards, enjoyment, teamwork and the development of resilience and inner confidence that such activities bring. I trust you will see this reflected within the pages that follow.

It is a pleasure to welcome you, once again, to read this year’s edition of InFocus. It is a near impossible task to sum up the 2020-21 academic year with any degree of succinctness; suffice to say that if the end of the 2019-20 year was defined by ‘Zoom’, then ‘Social Distancing’, ‘Face Coverings’, Bubbles’ and ‘Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs)’ were the watchwords of the last twelve months.

However, more important than all of these terms put together has been the sense of community, togetherness and basic grit that has got the whole School community, from Nursery through to Upper Sixth, through this year, and with considerable success. It has been a real privilege to work with such a dedicated staff team who have gone the extra mile in everything they have done; whether it be embracing new technology to deliver remote learning, virtual Open Days, Parents’ Evenings and live-streaming events, or regular phone calls home to support those students struggling academically and pastorally.

My thanks also to so many parents and Old Birkonians whose kind words to staff throughout these tumultuous times has provided uplifting encouragement at just the right times. It has, at once, been perhaps my hardest, but also my proudest year within almost a decade of Senior Leadership.

As a School, we continue to seek to inspire and lead both our students and the wider community. The year saw the launch of the ‘Be Inspired’ Programme, with Year 5 & 6 pupils from Primary Schools across Birkenhead enjoying an expansive programme of academic, sporting and creative enrichment on Saturdays during the Summer Term. I have no doubt that the programme will expand in the years to come as we look to broaden accessibility to the opportunities a Birkenhead School education affords.

Integral to this provision is our belief in the enjoyment and lifelong skills that arise from participation in a broad co-

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These attributes were perhaps best exemplified by the 54-strong cast and crew of Les Misérables, who, fifteen months after the curtain was first due to open in March 2020, undertook a run of nine unforgettable performances during June 2021. One of the overriding memories of my year will be the emotion shown by the seven Old Birkonians who returned to School to perform their lead roles, and thus bring a fitting closure to their school days. What this says about these young men and women, the bond they have with the School, and their values, was truly special to observe and share. Thank you.

Lastly, a message about this year’s Year 11 GCSE and departing Upper Sixth A Level candidates. These year groups have experienced perhaps the most significant disruption and anxiety to their education, yet have my utmost respect for how they went about their business of study, revision and sitting assessments which have led to this year’s TAGs. They have earnt their grades every bit as much as any cohort before or after them, and I congratulate them on their individual and collective resilience and good humour as they leave to continue their educational journey at a range of institutions, be it Oxbridge, Drama School or apprenticeships with leading global technology companies that reflect our belief on focusing on individual outcomes.

And this is perhaps an important note to end on. The new academic year will see core values placed at the very heart of everything we do, as these secure foundations allow us to be ambitious for our students, families and the wider Wirral community. We will look to balance some post-pandemic stability in teaching delivery during the 2021-22 academic year with progress on a number of the School’s capital projects, including refurbishment of the School Library and development of our sporting facilities, amenities that will benefit both current and future generations of students, alongside the local community also.

Thank you for the part you play in the success of the Birkenhead School community. I wish you an entertaining read and every success for the 2021-22 academic year.

Beati Mundo Corde.

Paul Vicars @Birkenhead_Head

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IN FOCUS 2020

From the Head of Prep I am delighted to write a short introduction to this amazing issue of In Focus! I’m so proud of the children and staff in Prep and Early Years. They’ve not let the pandemic hold them back and have shown the most incredible resilience and determination.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading of the children’s wonderful experiences, and you’ll be amazed at the plethora of activities and opportunities provided. To whet your appetite, I’ll mention some of what’s in the pages ahead… you can enjoy articles on remote learning, musical performances, educational trips and Y6 responsibility posts; write-ups of World Book Day, the Y3 Roman Day and the Year 5 Travel Agents project; news of House Competitions and Sports Days; and reports on Road Safety, Mental Health Week and Science Clubs. And, would you believe me if I said I allowed a Gorilla to visit… and that I let Guinea Pigs take up residence as well?

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to this year’s In Focus and congratulations to all the children for what they have achieved during this most challenging of years.

So, have a good read and my very best wishes for a healthy and happy year ahead.

Harry FitzHerbert, Head of Prep

Take a 360° Virtual Tour of the campus at: www.birkenheadschool.co.uk/ admissions/360tour

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Early Years

By Mrs Mason, Head of Early Years

I cannot believe how quickly this year has flown past. It really doesn’t feel like 12 months since I was sat here trying to condense all the wonderful things that have happened in our Early Years department to share with you once again.

We have been continuing to working hard this year to enhance our whole provision ensuring a holistic, child-centred approach. It really is a joy to look back on all that we have achieved and experienced.

Resilience, as we know, is a key factor in giving children the skills to stave off potential negative effects of challenging experiences, and it involves them persisting despite difficulties. Resilience is something we are not born with, but we learn through our early experiences and relationships.

Positive relationships with pets can also help assist language acquisition and enhance verbal skills.

We have already seen evidence of this within the provision, and it is an absolute joy to witness.

First, we continue our ongoing transition to a blended learning approach with a more fluid way of learning. Alongside our phonics and mathematics programmes, we use 'in the moment planning' to excite, challenge, extend, and give the children the time they need to practice and incorporate what they have learned in their play. The children are engrossed in what they are doing and are unaware that they are learning through their play. If they are happy, comfortable and having fun, they will remember the things they are being taught. We continue to develop our 'Loose Parts' resources, and the children in Pre-Prep have been experimenting with transient art.

We have also had some delightful furry additions to our department. Luna and Kiki, our Guinea pigs who divide their time between Nursery and Pre-Prep and more recently Humphrey, our six-month-old wirehaired dachshund. The benefits of children coming into regular contact with animals have been well studied and documented. The evidence suggests that children who have regular, consistent contact with animals have stronger immune systems, feelings of importance, social competence and self-esteem.

Animals can help promote empathy and pro-social skills, such as learning to take responsibility and selfdiscipline, which contribute significantly to building resilience.

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Christmas 2020, our Pre-Prep children performed a wonderful nativity led by Mrs Pratt and the PrePrep team. We weren’t able to share this with you in person but again, virtually. However, despite this, the children out sung themselves and performed beautifully, brimming with confidence and eager to participate.

Our Baby Room more recently had the most wonderful afternoon tea on the Terrace with their teddy friends as special guests. They were truly amazing and sat so well, enjoying their sandwiches, turn-taking and sharing. Right from this very young age, they are so many opportunities to develop independence, self-esteem and emotional and social development.

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Our Toddler room have been studying the life cycle of a frog. We first had lots of frogspawn; the children were able to see the tadpoles wriggling around in their tiny cells before they poked their way out. They eagerly watched as they metamorphosed into little frogs over the coming days before releasing them back into the school pond.

The Rising 3s have hatched five stick insects from the tiniest of eggs. They clearly enjoy the bramble, ivy and privet leaves as they are already an inch long.

Apparently, they can grow up to 10cm, so we may need to be on the lookout for a larger terrarium!

Our Pre-Prep learnt all about butterflies this year and were incredibly successful with our hatch and release rate. We introduced the children to insect metamorphosis and entomology. Our tiny caterpillars were soon not so tiny and spinning their cocoons before hatching into beautiful painted lady butterflies.

More recently, we were very excited to have reallife parents visit us on our sports day! The children were so thrilled to see you all. It was a fantastic event. We were blessed with amazing weather, and our parents’ races were a huge success with lots of eager participants.

As you can imagine, this is such a small snapshot of all the learning opportunities that have been taking place this past year. As we look ahead to the introduction of a new Early Years Foundation Stage in September, a framework that will truly allow us to be present in the moment with children’s learning rather than continually trying to capture it and document it, we are very excited for all that the new academic year will bring our staff and our children.

Finally, I wanted to share some conversations I had with our Pre-Prep children during my regular Friday afternoon storytime. I have been focusing on children’s well-being, being loved and loving others back, being kind to one another and believing in ourselves and all that we can do. One afternoon after reading ‘Super Duper You’ by Sophy Henn we were discussing what we wanted to be when we grow up.

One boy said, “King of the whole wide world.”

Another said that “I want to be a penguin when I grow up.”

Another little girl confidently said, “Sam, I want to be five things when I grow up. A mother, a teacher, a ballet dancer, a cook and a doctor.”

Our Pre-prep setting received a makeover this year.

There is not much I can say after that apart from, we are very proud to help install such important foundations in our children, enabling them to continue to learn, grow and have the desire to achieve all that they set out to.

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Nativity

Pre-Prep held their annual Christmas Nativity in Prep Hall.

It was a wonderful celebration of the birth of Jesus and the performance was recorded for families to enjoy at home.

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Furry Ears in Early Years Over the last few months, we have had a few furry friends stay with us in Early Years — guinea pigs, Luna (grey) and Kiki (brown). The children and staff have loved getting to know and playing with the little fellows. The pigs take turns visiting the different age groups, from Under 2s to Pre-Prep; the children can have them on their knees, stroke them, and brush them. They feed them their favourite food, which is spinach, kale or cucumber.

As well as the enjoyment of having a class pet, animals can provide many important benefits to a child’s development.

School pets may: • Stimulate children to think and to learn, as they have a high level of natural interest in, enthusiasm for, and enjoyment of animals.

• Encourage a respect and reverence for life in children, and thereby improve their relationships with their peers, parents and teachers.

• Foster a sense of responsibility in children.

• Improve academic achievement.

Moreover, the benefits of school pets are far reaching and can be broken down into the following development aspects: • Cognitive development – companionship with a pet stimulates memory, problem solving and game-playing, and can improve reading skills.

• Emotional development – a school pet improves self-esteem, acceptance from others and lifts mood, often provoking laughter and fun. Animals can also teach compassion and give relief from anxiety.

• Environmental benefits – a pet in a school contributes towards the creation of a homestyle environment, with all of the above benefits continuing long after the school day is over.

• Social benefits – a school pet provides a positive mutual topic for discussion, encourages responsibility and wellbeing, and develops social skills and focused interaction with others.

Pets in school also have social benefits for the school community: • They enhance the learning environment, creating a sense of security and family warmth for the children.

• They encourage the involvement of parents and the wider community in school activities.

• They help to promote the school as an important nurturing influence in the community.

• Children naturally identify with animals; we use the children’s interactions with animals to teach them how to respect each other and how to show empathy.

• Teaching children to respect and protect even the smallest animal is vital to ensure that we support the development of adults who will continue to show a respect for protecting our environment, animals and plants for generations to come.

• A child’s attitude toward animals can predict future behaviour; we will teach kindness and empathy towards animals which will foster a positive attitude and in turn will reduce the likelihood of anti-social behaviour.

We have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming Luna and Kiki into our Birkenhead School family and they are greatly loved by all our children.

• Physical development – interaction with a pet reduces blood pressure, provides tactile stimulation, assists with pain management, gives motivation to move and walk, and stimulates the senses.

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Outdoor Learning

By Mr Smith and Mr Davies

It has been a busy year for all things Outdoor Learning related; pupils across Prep have been making use of our many wonderful outdoor areas to enrich their learning, get their hands dirty and even have a go at growing veg!

One of the children’s favourite places to visit in School must be Forest School. The pupils from Pre-Prep up to Year 3 have all enjoyed making numerous visits to our Forest School this year and their excitement and enthusiasm for this time spent outside is palpable. The pupils love having the space to explore the outdoors safely and with few limits – digging in the ground, climbing trees, ducking under branches and climbing over things. It provides much needed time in the fresh away from screens and allows the pupils to play and explore imaginatively, develop practical skills such as problem solving and team work.

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During Michaelmas Term, the School’s dedicated Estates Team got busy creating a new allotment area, funded generously by the Parents’ Association.

Our excitement that this new area to plant fruit and vegetables in would be ready for Spring planting was only marginally marred by the news of another national lockdown meaning pupils would not be on site to see and use it for some time. In true Birkenhead spirit we carried on, choosing instead to send all Little School pupils at home a variety of seeds they could begin growing before bringing back in with them when lockdown ended. Upon return to school in March the children across Prep enjoyed getting stuck in to planting in the allotment. Infant children had great pride planting their seedlings out and pupils in other year groups enjoyed sowing herb seeds, vegetable seeds and even planting potatoes. Of course, the best part of all the hard work was getting to pick the fruits of their labour – quite literally. The children have been able to cut sweet pea flowers to brighten up the Prep Office and pick pea pods straight from the plant and have a taste. The children have been mesmerised to see the

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plants growing day on day and have helped ensure they are watered and cared for. Our new allotment also inspired its fair share of learning – Year 2 pupils carried out science experiments to see why only some things can be composted down and the effects of this on landfill. Year 1 pupils enjoyed planning a meal using only food that could be grown in our allotment.

Next year we will continue to grow a range of fruit and vegetables and who knows maybe some of this food will make it onto the children’s plates.

Year 1 pupils have continued to enjoy taking part in Nature Club as part of our co-curricular offering. With so many areas to take care of the pupils have enjoyed helping out in the allotment, looking after the sensory garden and planting new plants to keep our school looking bright and colourful.

Throughout the year pupils across Prep have been making use our Outdoor Classroom, Willow Dome and other outdoor areas to liven up their learning and inspire a love for the outdoors.

Whilst Outdoor Learning is already a key part of what makes our School special, the work never stops. In the future we hope to expand our sensory garden further with a sensory path, develop the use of the Forest School area, create more areas of wildflowers to help pollinators and, having already gained our Level Two RHS School Garden Award, strive to gain our Level Three Award.

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Little School Highlights Home Learning and Class Dojo

By Miss Harris, Head of Little School

What a year it’s been, but we can’t let the year end go by without looking at all the positive elements that have been achieved both by teachers and students. Eighteen months ago if we had even talked about Zooming or delivering an online curriculum I think I, as many teachers, would have screamed. It has certainly been a learning curve for all involved. I think at times the children have taught us, as their skills with modern technology, far outweighs ours.

On a serious note, I would like to thank all of my staff for embracing the changes, getting stuck in and learning as we go along. I feel we can all feel a great deal of pride for the way we have conducted ourselves, and ensured our utmost that the children in Little School could still access the curriculum in a meaningful

way. This has been largely due to the introduction of a fantastic teaching and communication tool called Class Dojo. I am sure all parents agree it has been a fabulous resource to us all throughout the periods of lockdown and as an easy day to day resource to contact the teacher rather than emailing.

We have been able to set and mark work, reply to messages almost instantly, and upload videos to assist with the teaching of subjects.

We will be continuing to utilise this fantastic tool in future years and also continue to develop the ways in which we use it, as I know the children and parents love to see the children’s news as and when it is happening and enjoy seeing their children’s photographs from celebration assembly on a Friday.

Thank you to everybody for the last 12 months, it has brought a whole new sense of meaning to the word ‘community’ for me. Here’s to a more ‘normal’ school year next year.

Year 2 Write to Chris Quirk In the Lent Term, Year 2 learnt how to write letters.

As part of this, the classes read a story called ‘Alexander and the Curly Wurly Caterpillar’ by Christopher Quirk.

Mrs Pye, Miss Harris and Mrs Pythian set the children the task of writing a letter to Mr Quirk asking questions about his book. The children then sent their letters via email to him. The children were delighted when he wrote back to them and it gave them a real purpose for writing.

Year 2 Go Back in Time The Year 2s enjoyed a fabulous day in November learning about what school was like for Victorian children.

They all came to School dressed in traditional Victorian clothing and were met by their governesses for the day (Mrs Pye and Miss Harris) who were in full strict character!

(Although they couldn’t maintain that for long!) The children experienced writing in slates, completed some arithmetic and copied lines in full cursive style. They also got to play with some Victorian toys and watch clips about what life was like in that era. It was a really fun and educational day for all involved.

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Christmas Production – A Twinkly Tree Top Tale

performing separately in their year group bubbles. We then had the concert ‘stitched’ together into one production which families could enjoy together at home via a link on Vimeo.

This year’s Little School Production was ‘A Twinkly Tree Top Tale’, a Christmas show with a difference as for the first time we didn’t have a live audience.

However, the children were just amazing and we were so proud of every single one of them.

Directed by Miss Harris with some musical support from Mr Shannon it saw the children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2

The musical talents of Little School were, as always, fully on display and despite the fact they were performing to an empty room, their enthusiasm and energy was electrifying.

All the children acted, sang and danced beautifully and had real determination to do their very best and spread Christmas cheer to the school community. The children’s mission was successfully accomplished.

Year 2 Adventure to Knowsley Safari Park The Year 2 pupils were lucky enough to visit Knowsley Safari Park in June. They had been studying ‘Safari’ as their Humanities topic in school, so this was a great support to their knowledge.

They started the day with a talk about herbivores, carnivores and omnivores, learning lots of new facts. They continued the day by attending the sea lion show which they all thoroughly enjoyed. After a break for lunch, the children took to the coach and excitedly travelled through the ‘car friendly’ route of the park.

They were lucky enough to see the antelopes, rhinos, ostriches, monkeys (from a distance), deer, bison, lions and much more.

A fantastic time was had by all!

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Little School Highlights The Queen writes to Year 1

By Mr Smith, Year 1 Teacher

During Lent term, the children in Year 1 read "The Queen's Hat" by Steve Antony. In the story one of the Queen's hats gets blown away and flies all over London, flying past lots of London's most famous landmarks.

The story tied in perfectly with not only our Literacy work, but also our Geography topic about London.

The children loved the story and did a whole half term of writing work based on it. Amongst other things the children created a missing poster to help try and find the Queen's hat — using lots of adjectives to describe it so people know what to look for — designed a new hat for the Queen, wrote letters offering the Queen their new hat to replace her lost one and also designed postcards showing different London landmarks. The children's work was packaged up and sent off to the Queen and the children were delighted to receive a letter from Her Majesty thanking them for their work.

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Summer Production – A Theme of Hope

By Miss Harris, Head of Little School

‘Hope’ was a theme that I thought was very appropriate for our summer concert this year. Hope is a word that has kept us going throughout the last 18 months and I wanted the children to think careful about their hopes for the future.

Each year group contributed with a variety of songs, poems and paintings and we were treated to an afternoon of pure delight. Songs included: This is me, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Happy, Joy and Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Here’s to hopefully welcoming you all back for ‘live’ performances next year.

A wonderful year in Reception

By Ms Bentley-Jones, Reception Teacher

It has been a busy and productive year in Reception, every week has brought new learning experiences and lots of fun! From healthy eating workshops with the Very Hungry Caterpillar to visits to our Forest School we have made the most of our time in School.

Even during our periods of Remote Learning, the children were fully engaged in phonics and maths activities, outdoor physical tasks and lots of finding out about the world around them.

Our contribution to the Christmas concert was a great success, dancing Santas and hand-jiving Christmas trees will live long in our memory! We were lucky enough to fit in a long-awaited visit to Chester Zoo in the summer term and our Sports Day was a true highlight in an extraordinary year.

We are so proud of the children who have shown great resilience under sometimes difficult circumstances and reminded us all to keep smiling, keep laughing and keep learning.

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A trip to

By Mr Shannon, Year 1 Teacher

As a special end of year treat, the children of Reception and Year 1 (along with the staff) went on a wonderful day out to Chester Zoo. The children had the amazing opportunity to explore the enormous Chester Zoo site, visiting many different animals in their habitats. They also took part in a ‘Curious Creatures’ workshop, which was housed in the Learning Centre. During this session, the children were involved in an in-depth discussion about different animals and creatures which have curious or unique features. This included learning about what rhinoceros horns are made from!

Each of the children was asked to try and identify different objects, from peacock feathers to giraffe hooves and dung.

They then had to sort animals from different tables into one of five options; large, fast, underwater, colourful or nocturnal. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed these sessions, and undoubtedly learned something new!

Following on from these workshops, the children then had the opportunity to continue their tours of the zoo, seeing many different animals. A particular favourite on the day were the lions, who were busily lazing in the lovely weather.

The Reception and Year 1 children and staff would like to thank all those parents who were able to offer their support during the trip; it is greatly appreciated.

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C OV I D - 1 9 N o B a r r i e r to Co-Curricular Inspiration

By Mr Halpin, Deputy Head of Prep

The start of any new academic year focuses the mind on the exciting year ahead, and this year’s planning has included facing the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic head on.

Children are adaptable and resilient by nature, and we could not have been prouder of their committed approach, and that of staff, during yet another exceptional year: indeed, many have truly flourished. But the School’s vision is to inspire each and every student, and not just within the classroom, nor purely through external exam grades. Driving academic excellence for all students will always remain at our core, but equally important is the wider curriculum that typifies a Birkenhead School education – those sporting, creative and ‘out of comfort zone’ opportunities that grow a child’s confidence, character and perspective so key to success and happiness in later life.

It is why we have approached the Government restrictions on co-curricular activities not as a barrier to participation, but as an opportunity to be creative, to reassess our offering, and to increase our resourcing of this key area of School life.

In sport, the current staff roll already boasts many with international playing and coaching experience. However, in the Lent term, we have added further to the ranks, increasing the students’ access to coaches aligned with England Lacrosse and with the performance pathways associated with clubs from both the Rugby Premiership and the Netball Superleague.

The importance of physical activity and wellbeing begins in Prep where pupils participate in sport and PE several times a week within the standard curriculum, alongside further after-school sports sessions. To this has been added an even more extensive Clubs programme than usual: whether you’re a keen climber or budding scientist, an actor or dancer, or prefer Lego, board games, music, multi-media or nature, there’s a club for you at the School.

This summer saw the sad passing of Sir Ken Robinson, educationalist, author and supporter of creativity within

“We have approached the current Government restrictions on co-curricular activities not as a barrier to participation, but as an opportunity to be creative, to reassess our offering, and to increase our resourcing of this key area of School life.” the lives of children. It is a philosophy that includes the celebration of intelligence taking many different forms, and is an ethos that runs through a series of integrated programmes at Birkenhead School: ‘Enrich and Explore’ in Years 1 & 2; ‘Future Skills’ in Years 3 to 6, and subsequently ‘Beyond the Curriculum’ in Years 7 & 8. Here, students might learn skills as diverse as sign language to mindfulness, problem solving to philosophical enquiry, etiquette lessons to theatre skills, and we drafted in an accomplished National Theatre actor and choreographer to deliver this later module.

“If we choose to embrace these hurdles with a positivity focusing on what is important to a child’s development: opportunity, academic and wider challenge, encouragement and balance, then they will emerge from this period of their schooling more resilient, resourceful and skilled than ever before”

Recent months have posted multiple and complex challenges. But if we choose to embrace these hurdles with a positivity focusing on what is important to a child’s development: opportunity, academic and wider challenge, encouragement and balance, then they will emerge from this period of their schooling more resilient, resourceful and skilled than ever before. We aim for this to be our positive legacy during a time of considerable change and uncertainty.

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P r e p - Ju n i o r H i g h l i g h t s Outside the Classroom, The Show Still Goes on!

The final House activity is the award of the Housepoint Shield to the Year 6 House Captains of the winning House.

This year it was extremely close with only 38 housepoints, out of over 15000, separating first and second. The final standings are listed below:

By Mr Corran

With multiple restrictions to contend with and limited opportunities for inter-school fixtures this year, Prep can be justifiably proud of the extensive range of activities and competition that have taken place ‘in-house’ throughout the year both within our own curriculum and through our co-curricular programme.

Bidston

15,747

Kingmead

Beresford

15,196

Shrewsbury 14,998

15, 709

From Table Tennis to Lacrosse, Yoga to Nature, Science to Climbing, and more, the vast list of opportunities provides something for all. Taking place before school, during lunchtime or after school, great enjoyment and fun is had by all whilst learning new skills delivered by our own dedicated staff.

Healthy competition always forms a key part of a child’s education at the The Prep. Nowhere is this more evident than in our inter House competitions. Whether it be on the crosscountry course, the various sporting pitches, the ‘Boccia’ field of play or in the classroom, everyone is encouraged to participate, do their best and come together to gain housepoints. Individual weekly housepoint winners for each year group are announced on a Friday during assembly together with the weekly housepoint totals. At the end of each term, cups are awarded to the pupil from Years 3 and 4 and from Years 5 and 6 who have gained the most housepoints for their house. The latest summer term’s winners were:

Beresford

YEARS 3 AND 4 Auley Geoghegan

YEARS 5 AND 6 Luke Ashton

Bidston

Hashim Burhan

Chloe Cooper

Kingsmead

Samuel McCormick

Georgia Alcock

Shrewsbury

Sasha Price

Charlotte Fogg

'Boccia Rolls On' Despite being restricted to year group bubbles, The Prep House Boccia tournaments proved another most popular and highly exciting event.

Four separate year competitions, with over 150 children participating, ran throughout the last half term of the year.

Unfortunately, year group isolations mean that the Year 6 competition and Year 3 Plate Final will have to be completed at the beginning of next term, but our remaining successful pairs are listed below:

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YEAR 3 WINNERS Jack O'Neil and Barnaby Smith for Bidston

YEAR 4 WINNERS Cayden Barker and Jacob Thistlewood for Bidston

YEAR 5 WINNERS Sam Smith and Leonardo Hirons for Kingsmead

YEAR 3 PLATE FINALISTS Maya Evans and Livvy Young against Philippa Hardy and Ava Grist, Both for Shrewsbury

YEAR 4 PLATE WINNERS Izzy Halpin and Martha Ballantyne for Shrewsbury

YEAR 5 PLATE WINNERS Sam Vicars and Eli Walters

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BARNSTONDALE Years 3 to 6 This year, we were delighted to return to Barnstondale, with Years 3 to 6, for their residential trips. The children thoroughly enjoyed all the activities on offer including abseiling, climbing, archery, target shooting and river crossing.

All the outdoor adventurous activities (OAA) allow children to support each other as they work as a team, learn new skills, and grow in confidence as they tackle challenges and overcome obstacles.

In the evening we had a BBQ and campfire before settling down for the night. A night away from home was a new experience for some, but the part they had all been looking forward to the most! As they left the centre the following day with huge smiles on their faces and with a real sense of achievement over all they had achieved, they were already asking when they could return.

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Road Safety All children in Prep developed their awareness of road safety through various activities in School during National Road Safety Week.

One of the optional activities was a Road Safety Poster Competition and lots of children entered and Mr FitzHerbert thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone's super designs. The winning posters have been professionally printed and are on display both inside and outside of School to remind us all of the importance of road safety and some of the important safety considerations on the roads around the School.

PGL Year 6 Trip

By Olanna Quinn, Prep Head Girl

Year 6 were fortunate enough to experience a wonderful trip to PGL in May. The trip was filled with sunshine, good fun and probably a few too many sweets. We enjoyed so many exciting activities kayaking, abseiling, orienteering, rifle shooting, giant swing, trapeze and lots more.

We had a lovely team leader named JP who made our trip even more enjoyable. The stand out moment for me was when I got stuck at the highest point of the giant swing with my friends Lottie and Sophia but on the upside at least we got to go three times on it! It was an experience that we all will remember and cherish for many years to come.

By Vivaan Arora, Prep Head Boy

PGL is one of the best outings of Year 6. The trip is one of a kind with fun activities, tasty food and amazing accommodation. Being away from our parents, it helps develop independence.

The joy of staying together with friends for a weekend away will create memories you will never forget. The course consisted of many activities which some children may never have experienced before. These included a giant swing, orienteering, trapeze, rifle shooting and many more. There are four activity groups and each activity group follows a different order. In some activities, such as orienteering, teamwork is a vital skill. In others, such as rifle shooting, you need to be accurate by yourself. You wear a harness for some activities that include heights to make sure you are safe.

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Prep Sport Tennis in Prep

By Mr FitzHerbert, Head of Prep

Post lockdown, it was wonderful to re-launch our Prep Tennis Programme, with the support of the Lawn Tennis Association. We were delighted to welcome back Phil Leighton, an experienced LTA Coach and Tennis Development Officer, who offered not only optional extra clubs for Junior pupils, but also “tennis for all” through our Games programme for Years 2 to 6.

Phil has an amazing talent for getting people enthusiastic about tennis, whether young or old. Our teachers thoroughly enjoyed working alongside him in Games lessons and various members of staff have now got the tennis bug!

Prep playground was the perfect venue for setting up our mini-tennis nets and it was a great pleasure to see so many children developing their skills and enjoying the game throughout the summer term.

I encourage the children to keep playing tennis – it really is a wonderful sport and social activity that can be enjoyed by everyone.

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S C I E N C E I N J U N I O R S e

By Mrs Clark

b in Year Science Clu n ru e v a h e orked This year w fants have w In e h T s. le b e Group Bub rds and hav ir Crest Awa e th s rd a w to tar Level. completed S is

ite parts of th of the favour e m so f o t Here is a lis emic year! strange acad al during Ment rep allotment P in g in nt la 1. P eness Week.

Health Awar ass and every cl eek in March W e nc e ci e.

S al challeng 2. British a fun practic took part in king a tally 2021 and ta ch at w d ir B en 3. Big Gard of birds. allenges.

Elf STEM ch 4. Christmas ched pupils resear onth where M ry to is H 5. Black l scientists. inspirationa

Prep Crest Award In Prep Science Club last Year, the children completed a range of science investigations with Miss Harris and gained their Crest Award.

Lots of them are now completing their Superstar Crest Award with Mrs Clarke in Year 3 Science Club. Very well done to our budding scientists!

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Year 4 Charlotteʼs Web Dressing Up As part of Big Write Year 4 studied ‘Charlotte’s Web’. During their lessons children got into character as Fern and Mr Arable and prepared questions for a ‘hot seating’ session.

Roman Day in Year 3 Year 3 had a day dedicated to Roman activities.

During the day the children learnt about Roman villas, including the rooms in a typical Roman house and what decorations they would have had.

The children dressed up as traditional Romans, wearing togas in true Roman citizen style! The pupils were also taught by Mrs Washington (Head of Classics in Seniors) how to speak like a Roman; they learned Latin greetings such as "salve" (hello) and "vale" (goodbye).

They went on to discuss the Romans' love of the theatre, and learned that the actors used masks. Year 3 had a go at making their own masks (porci, lupi and militi), and acting "tres porci parvi" (three little pigs) - with the big bad wolf arrested by Roman milites (soldiers) — all in Latin!

Meet our new Prep Guinea Pigs!

The Parents’ Association have very kindly bought Prep two guinea pigs. They are yet to be named and there will be a naming competition in September. The Parents’ Association are hoping that they could be called something beginning with a P and A, so get your thinking caps on.

The Guinea pigs are part of the TheraPet initiative that many schools have invested in, and we hope as they settle into School, they will provide much joy and enrichment to all our pupils. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

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TeachRex Prep Year 5

By Mr Pillow, Year 5 Teacher

Teach Rex

In April, Year 5 were incredibly lucky to have a visit from ‘TeachRex New Age Education’, who delivered inspiring and thought-provoking workshops on sustainability and endangered animals of the rainforest. I am sure they will all remember the day they met ‘Thomas’ the Gorilla.

During the first workshop the children came face to face with Thomas and were immersed in the story of Thomas’s life. Through story-telling by the TeachRex team, the pupils developed an emotional attachment with Thomas and his home, exploring the positive and negative impacts of human behaviours on our world.

The story outlined the importance of sustainability and raised awareness of our human footprint on the world around us.

They made their own movies using iPads and green screen technology and developed their creating writing skills by writing persuasive letters to the poachers.

Thomas grew so attached to The Prep that he donned the famous red and black cap and joined the children for after school pick up. After what had been a challenging period of remote learning for the months before, a very enjoyable day was had by all!

Year 5 Travel Agents Triumph!

By Mrs Thomas, Year 5 Teacher

In the last week of the summer term, Year 5 enthusiastically took on the role of Travel Agents selling bespoke holiday packages to visiting teachers.

Pupils set up shop in their classrooms with stalls bursting with information on different countries, cultures and traditional food to sample. Impressive customer service skills were demonstrated and persuasive techniques were employed to convince teachers that they must purchase these once in a lifetime trips! Behind the scenes, the children worked incredibly hard in groups to research their chosen countries.

In learning about destinations around the world, they utilised geographical skills and developed their ability to problem solve and work as part of a team. Each group was most knowledgeable about their country of choice and the preparation and attention to detail was remarked upon by the teachers that came to visit. Well done Year 5!

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Mental Health Week

By Mrs Brand, Year 4

Monday 1st February marked the first day of Children's Mental Health Week, a week that is recognised by schools up and down the country. With the current climate, Prep staff felt it was important to try and put a positive spin on the subject, which fitted in well with this year's theme ... 'Express Yourself'.

Getting the ball rolling, Monday saw the children embarking on a 30-Day Positivity Challenge. Over the next 30 days, the children had the opportunity to become powerful, positive thinkers with little tasks to undertake for example writing a happy note to a friend or writing down three of their strengths. The children responded well to this and were keen to share positive thoughts with peers.

Throughout the week, the children carried out numerous tasks across the curriculum, being given the opportunity to express themselves in a variety of ways.

On Friday, to mark the end of Children's Mental Health Week, the children were given the opportunity to turn up to school or Zooms, in an outfit that 'Expressed Themselves'. We were amazed at the variety of different ways the children chose to express themselves and we are very proud of all our Prep pupils.

Odd Socks Day Odd Socks Day is an opportunity for people to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes them unique.

In the Michaelmas term Prep pupils and staff were invited to wear odd socks as an initiative to raise awareness of bullying.

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Prep Leadership We would like to thank and congratulate all of the pupils who held leadership positions during the past academic year.

Prep Prefects

Holly

Scarlet

Sophie

Swasti

Prep Head Students

Vivaan

Kylan

Lucca

Prep House Captains

Britney

Olanna

Chloe

Rishi

Pri

Isobel

Charlotte

Charlotte

Jasper

Prep Music Prefects

Vivaan

Charlotte

Peter

Dylan

Scarlett

Patrick

Prep Sport Captains

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Aaron, Athletics

Darcey, Cross-Country

Fern, Athletics

Imogen, Rounders

Lloyd, Cross-Country

Noah, Rugby

Sophia, Netball

Shiv, Cricket

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WORLD BOOK DAY World Book Day 2021 was celebrated throughout the whole of Birkenhead School. Students were able to attend a variety of online author talks and activities to inspire a love of reading and improve their creative writing.

Working in conjunction with Linghams Bookshop, students were able to hear from authors Dermot O’ Leary, Liz Pichon, Radzi Chinyanganya and Ellie McNicoll along with not one, but two ‘Author Roadshows’.

On Tuesday 2nd March, Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 attended a Zoom Webinar where children’s murder mystery novelist Robin Stevens gave a detailed background into her world of writing. She explained her unusual upbringing on a university campus and her love of murder mysteries. She detailed

how these experiences influenced her pursuit of a career as an author. Students participated in a Q&A session with Robin, compered by Mrs Reeve, answering a wide range of excellent questions. The talk was specifically for Birkenhead School students and Robin was the latest speaker in the School’s Inspiring Talks Series.

In Prep, pupils dressed up on World Book Day inspired by their favourite book. We were delighted to see that along with the key worker children on site, our Prep pupils, while remote learning at home, also dressed up for the special day.

World Book Day is an important date in the academic calendar and we believe it is essential that we mark the occasion to help inspire our pupils and to help them develop a love of reading that will last a lifetime.

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Pe t e r P a n

Birk onian Week 2 021

By Mrs Delaney, Director

We were intrigued when Mrs Keating discovered a brand new version of the well-loved children’s classic ‘Peter Pan’, that had been written just last year. The memorable and heart-warming songs, alongside plenty of funny ‘one liners’ had us ‘hooked’ from the start! In fact, Mrs Keating began the teaching of these songs back in January in Year group Zoom Singing lessons.

Our audition process began five weeks later than usual this year, due to lockdown. This was more than a little daunting, but never to be deterred, we were just so delighted to know that the Production was getting the go ahead. In true Prep style we wholeheartedly proceeded with hope, enthusiasm and commitment, despite these uncertain times. We were both delighted with the effort and talent that the pupils put into their auditions.

This year, Mrs Molyneux made and sourced all of our costumes, which were absolutely spectacular. The cast looked amazing! Our talented band consisted of Mr Barton on the piano, Charlie Ashby on the drums and Luke Crocker on keyboard. The incredible sound they created elevated the Production to spectacular heights. We thank them all so much.

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Nicky Cross is a professional actor and has been teaching pupils throughout the whole of Birkenhead School this past year. She initially joined us to help with the typically problematic issue in this show of how to make the children, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell fly! She agreed to create a dance for this which was truly stunning. Before long, Nicky had become a fully-fledged and invaluable member of the Production team. We thank her from the bottom of our hearts for all the time, effort and inspirational ideas she gave us with the acting, dancing and movement for all the musical numbers. We were so lucky to have her ‘on board’!

All of the Year 6 pupils gave their very best throughout the rehearsal process. The enthusiasm and commitment of them all and the whole production team to put on an amazing live show has been really inspiring. Each member of the cast shone in their individual roles. We could not have been prouder on Monday evening when they performed to a live audience. They were absolutely sensational!

Mrs Keating and I wish the whole cast every happiness and every success in the future and we hope that ‘something of Neverland’ will always be with them.

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Bi rk on ian We e k 2 0 2 1

As epic as Victor Hugo’s original novel may be, this could easily be matched by the epic journey of getting Les Misérables on stage.

By Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head and Director

Already an ambitious project, the cast and crew were primed and ready for opening night in March 2020 when Covid laid waste to our plans. In theatre tradition we left a light shining in our empty theatre while we waited for Covid to play its way out of the plot.

Sadly this has not been a straightforward process, but the arduous twists and turns have been made palatable by the unbelievable passion and commitment of our students and the staff involved in supporting the production. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement in March of an end to restrictions, we took to rehearsal again, and I was unsure what or who from the cast and crew would remain. I need not have worried. In addition to Senior students in exam years willing to find time for both final assessments and rehearsal, back from university and places of work came Old Birkonians from near and far. Reprising their roles we had Ed Oulton playing Valjean, Alex Herod as Javert, Ben Goodwin playing Enjolras, Toby Meisner delighting as Thenardier, Esme Brennan entrancing as Eponine and Jack Hodgson keeping the gang together playing Foreman, Sailor and Soldier. In an equally delightful turn of events, Ed Brodbelt returned to keep us all on our toes on the tech desk — a consummate professional.

How lucky we are to have such a wonderful group of young men and women wanting to share their talent with us.

However, Leaving Students of 2021 deserved their place on the stage and I have never worked with a more talented group of young actors and musicians. And so, Lead Cast 2021 saw Tom James playing Jean Valjean, David Turner Javert, Nick Johnson Enjolras, Ted Ford Marius, Grace Harvey Eponine and Sophie McGrath Cosette. Also leaving us this year was Emmy Barry, who has danced in a number of productions, and Simon Lawrence from our orchestra. The run of nine shows saw two entirely different sets of lead cast combinations named the ‘Year 13 Cast’ and ‘Year 14 Cast’ – a complex and exhausting challenge, but one that all the students fully embraced. Indeed the morale and friendship between the cast, including students as young as 11 and as old as 22, was truly remarkable.

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From March through to the end of June the students rehearsed every weekend, and throughout the half-term. This kind of commitment is impossible without a dedicated team of staff ready to take on a significant extra workload at an already busy time.

The show could not have gone onstage without our hugely talented Musical Director Philip Robinson.

Also invaluable to the success of the production was the Assistant Director Louise Smeaton and all-round superstar Carol Keegan.

Despite the hard work, the tears and the uncertainties, we were left in no doubt that this was a sacrifice well made as the audience stood as one in a standing ovation at the culmination of each and every performance.

With the difficulties this year has brought us in getting Les Mis on stage, a poignant point has been made regarding the importance of theatre, music and drama in the lives of human beings. I will always remember 2020, and not, I have realised, because it was the ‘Covid Year’, but because it has brought home to us all the value of friendship, commitment, determination and the wonderful community of Birkenhead School, of which we are all a part.

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Birk onian Week 2 021

Sports Awards Highlights

Junior Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year - Sofia and Dan

Intermediate Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year - Millie and Owen

Wild Family Senior Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year - Camilla and Henry

2020-21 Sports Captains and 2021-22 Sports Captains

Cricket - Colour Awards - L-R Archie Samarth David Louis Henry Andrew

Cricket - David - Senior Player of the Year

Cricket - James - Junior Player of the Year

Football - Half Colours - L-R Louis Samarth Matthew Jacob

Football - Matthew - Player of the Year Award

Golf - Cameron - Captain Award

Boys’ Hockey - Colours - Andrew and Archie (Rohan, Jackson, Nicholas absent)

Boys’ Hockey - Junior Player of the Year - Ewen

Girls’ Hockey - Colours - L-R Katie, Lizzy, Lexi, Rachel

Girls’ Hockey - Katie - Senior Player of the Year

Girls’ Hockey - Millie - Junior Player of the Year

Lacrosse - Camilla - Senior Player of the Year and Full Colours

Lacrosse - Frankie - Junior Player of the Year

Netball - Camilla - Senior Player of the Year

Netball - Colours - L-R - Camilla, Lexi, Lizzy, Catherine

Netball - Darcy - Junior Player of the Year

Orienteering - Adeyn - Colours & Orienteerer of the Year

Orienteering - Simon - Colours & Captain Award

Rounders - Emme - Player of the Year Award

Rugby - Colours - L-R - Henry, Ted, David, Jack, David, Elliot, Isaac, Henry

Rugby - Finn - Bowling Young Player of the Year

Rugby - Dylan - Junior Player of the Year.

Rugby - Isaac - Senior Player of the Year

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Arts Awards Highlights

Annie - Senior Creative Writing Award

Archie - Watson Prize for Creativity, Half Colours - Music

Beth - Full Colours - Music

David - Sandberg-Lee Vocal, Full Colours - Music, Full Colours - Drama

Emily - Sandberg-Lee Vocal, Most Promising Young Dramatist

Emmeline - Outstanding Contribution to Dance

Eve - Most Promising Junior Designer

Grace - Sandberg-Lee Instrumental, Full Colours - Music, Half Colours - Drama

Jack and Charlie - Young Dramatists of the Year

Lizzy - Full Colours (with Honours) - Music

Mary - Choir Prefect 2021-2, Full Colours (Music), Sandberg-Lee Vocal Award

Natasha - Best Contribution to Design & Technology, Senior Musician (Brass).jpg

Nick - Commitment and Dedication to the Creative Life of the School, Full Colours - Drama

Rebecca - Young Artist of the Year

Rhys - Junior Creative Writing Award

Sam - Full Colours - Music

Simon - Full Colours - Music

Sonny - Val Levitt Cup for Drama, Full Colours - Drama

Soyra - Senior Musician (Voice), Full Colours - Music, Half Colours - Drama

Tasmin - Sandberg-Lee Instrumental Award, Senior Musician (Strings), Full Colours (with Honours) - Music

Ted - The Michael Scott Award for Inspirational Contribution to Music, Full Colours - Music, Full Colours - Drama

Thomas - Best Newcomer - Drama

Tom - Thomson Cup for Contribution to the Arts, Full Colours - Drama

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Birk onian Week 2 021

Speech Day

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Birk onian Week 2 021

Sports Day Highlights

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I n s p i r i n g Ta l k s S e r i e s Our Inspiring Talks Series sees leading professionals within their respective fields visit the School to talk to students and the wider community.

Given the importance placed on providing inspiring opportunities to our students, we did not want a global pandemic and lockdown, put a stop to these during 2020-2021 and we were delighted to offer a range of virtual talks for our students to enjoy. Past guests have included: Konnie Huq, Lisa Williamson, George Alagiah, Nikki Henderson, Joe Wicks and Old Birkonian and former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones.

Dame Floella Benjamin Dame Floella Benjamin spoke to pupils in Little School and Year 3 via Zoom in October about her book ‘Coming to England’ based on her own inspiring true story of travelling to Britain from Trinidad, celebrating the Windrush Generation.

Sibéal Pounder On Friday 11th December, Prep pupils were delighted to attend a Zoom webinar with children’s author Sibéal Pounder, along with 25 other schools across the country, totalling 6000 children. Sibéal discussed her new novel “Tinsel” - the story of a young girl called Blanche Claus (Mrs Claus). Sibéal is the author of the bestselling Witch Wars and Bad Mermaids series of books. Her debut, Witch Wars, was shortlisted for ‘Sainsbury's Children's Book Award’ and ‘Waterstones Children's Book Prize’.

Her latest book ‘Tinsel’ focuses on the story of a young girl called Blanche Claus, and asks the question: what if a long time ago we all got the Santa story a bit wrong?

Sibéal wanted to celebrate the character of Mrs Claus, whom she stated is quite often “forgotten” at Christmas time.

During the Zoom webinar, Sibéal read the first chapter of her new novel, introducing Mrs Claus as a young girl who wasn’t particularly fond of Christmas — until she receives her first Christmas present from a stranger. This random act of kindness sparks the beginning of Blanche’s Christmas journey.

Sibéal went on to present a fun and interactive Christmas quiz with the pupils. They thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the music round where they were asked to guess the Christmas song being played ‘poorly’ on the

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recorder. Sibéal concluded her webinar with a Q&A. She gave tips on how to become an author, explained how long it took her to complete her novel and talked about her favourite authors.

Sibéal described how she became an author — she told the pupils that she has had a love of storytelling from a young age and would tell them to her parents and friends. She enjoyed using her imagination to create fantasy worlds where her characters' adventures would take place. It wasn’t until her mid-twenties that she began believing that she could be an author for a living - she was previously writing for a newspaper. She hopes to inspire children to write stories, and if they have a passion for it, to pursue a career in storytelling without reservation.

Sibéal is the latest speaker in the School’s Inspiring Talks Series, which sees high-profile individuals visit the School to speak to students and the wider community.

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Robin Stevens Mrs Reeve arranged an online event with Robin Stevens, author of the phenomenally successful Murder Most Unladylike series, exclusively for students at Birkenhead School during remote learning. Robin talked about her books, and in particular, the final book in the series, Death Sets Sail, as well as sharing where she gets her inspiration from and her writing process.

It was a delight to welcome Robin back to speak to the students, albeit virtually this year, following her last visit to the School in 2018. Students from Prep and Seniors welcomed the opportunity to ask interesting questions for Robin to answer about the books themselves and the writing process. Robin also shared what her future plans are now that she has completed the Murder Most Unladylike series.

Mrs Reeve said "We were delighted to invite Robin to speak exclusively to students at the School. Robin is one of the country's leading children's authors, well known to many of our pupils at the School, with her books available in the School library. We are committed to offering opportunities such as these to inspire and excite pupils about literature and we know many students through talks that have taken place have been inspired to write stories themselves. We look forward to continuing to offer more talks in the future.”

The talk ended with some tips from Robin on how to write a good detective story and we hope many students were inspired following the talk by Robin. A Year 5 parent commented, “'It was lovely listening to my daughter tell me all about the talk with such excitement and it was one of the highlights of remote learning. She has since started to write her own murder mystery book having listened to Robin. The talks offered by the School are excellent and offer wonderful memories that she talks about months and in some cases years later.”

A World Book Day Bonanza

Liz Kessler

During lockdown, children in Prep and Seniors enjoyed an array of authors to excite and enthral them whilst working from home. The sessions were pre-recorded and hosted on the School’s World Book Day Firefly page. If you didn’t catch them at the time, there still there for all to enjoy!

Liz Kessler spoke about her new novel in a pre-recorded talk to students in Seniors at the start of the summer term.

• Dermot O’Leary spoke about the latest book in his Toto the Ninja Cat Series – ‘Toto The Ninja Cat and the Mystery Jewel Thief’. Dermot holds a soft spot in our hearts after he recorded a special video specifically for pupils last year when the live talk they were due to attend with him got cancelled due to COVID. • Liz Pichon, author of the Tom Gates series, entertained children with tales from Tom, her inspiration and showed pupils how she draws her iconic covers during an online drawing class!

• Radzi Chinyanganya – former Blue Peter presenter, Radzi, got children to try out some of the moves in his fab new book ‘Move Like a Lion’. Perfect for Lockdown PE sessions at home and school!

• Different authors entertained during Author workshops including Konnie Huq, Chris Waklin, Andy Shepherd, Jonnie Duddle, John Kane and Julia Patton entertained with fun facts about their books.

• Ellie McNicoll, spoke about her latest book ‘Show Us Who You Are’. Elle’s first book ‘A Kind of Spark’ is highly acclaimed and was named Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Year 2020 and won the Blue Peter Book Award in March. Both books feature neurodivergent characters as Elle is a passionate advocate for greater representation in children’s books.

During the talk she spoke about her new novel, ‘When the World Was Ours. The story talks about three young friends, who are cruelly torn apart as Europe descends into darkness as events during the Second World War. Inspired by the true story of Liz’s father’s escape from Nazi-occupied Europe, ‘When the World Was Ours’ is an extraordinary novel which shows how the bonds of love, family and friendship allow glimmers of hope to flourish, even in the most hopeless of times.

Cressida Cowell Children’s Laureate, Cressida Cowell, spoke about her incredible ‘Wizards of Once’ series in May as the final book ‘Never and Forever’ was published.

Clare Balding A talk by Clare Balding was made available to Prep pupils to coincide with the launch of her book ‘Fall Off, Get Back On, Keep Going’. Containing anecdotes from her own life and from the lives of people she most admires, Clare’s book looks to empower children with the confidence to own their mistakes, face up to failure, keep going – and emerge stronger and happier.

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Re m e m b r a n c e D a y S e r v i c e s Annual Remembrance Day services and activities took place throughout the School from Early Years to Sixth Form to commemorate and remember those who have been lost to war.

This year, services were held differently, reflecting the times in which we are currently living. In Prep, Mr Stockdale filmed a virtual assembly that saw him talking to the children about former students who had been lost in the war and then visiting Flaybrick Cemetery in Birkenhead, to pay his respects at the grave of J. R. Mac Swiney, MC, 10th Battalion of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool Scottish) who lost his life on the 2nd November 1918, just nine days before the end of the war. Mr Stockdale then recorded himself in the School Chapel to show the children the war memorial, displaying the names of all students lost, along with two members of staff. The assembly was streamed into each classroom at 10.45am and was then followed by the two minutes silence.

been possible for today’s service to have taken place, and we are delighted to share this below along with Mr Stockdale’s assembly.

Father Mark commented, “It has been a privilege to join with the whole School in remembering those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Today we have respectfully, and, with due reverence, honoured the fallen in a very different way. In a year that is so far from the normal, our students wanted to mark this occasion together, as a community.”

Other activities also took place throughout the School.

Mrs Vicars created a beautiful display of poppies surrounding a human silhouette. Tags were then placed between the poppies with written tributes naming former students who had been lost and thank you messages from current students. The display was on show during todays service and will now be placed on permanent display within the library.

In Seniors, Years 7 to Upper Sixth, paid their respects on School Field which was a move away from the traditional service held in Bushell Hall. The field was marked out in advance with students standing two metres apart with their year group to ensure social distancing was adhered to. Mr Vicars and Father Mark addressed the audience from a central stage. Former students who had lost their lives in conflict were read out by Head Students, Archie Parker-Goff and Lizzie Hyatt, in the Roll of Honour. The Last Post was played by Lower Sixth student Natasha Keeling, and The Reveille was played by Tom Molloy, Year 11 student.

Mr Vicars commented, “circumstances meant we either had to conduct a virtual Remembrance Service, and concede to Covid, or be creative and create a fitting tribute to the fallen. We chose the latter, and the result, with the behaviour of the students impeccable, was a poignant tribute to all those Birkenhead School families who sacrificed so much.”

Given the importance of the occasion, and being unable to guarantee the weather, a virtual Remembrance Day service was recorded in advance, should it have not

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In English, Year 8 studied War Memorial by World War I poet, Siegfried Sassoon and performed it to their peers during lessons.

Poppy displays were also created by pupils from our very youngest children in Nursery through to our Sixth Form students. Children from Nursery visited the School Chapel and presented their creations to Father Mark so that these could be displayed with the others on the altar.

Other displays were placed along the edge of School Field and next to the Ashcroft Steps, which were built in memory of three brothers; William, Edward and Frederick Ashcroft.

Mrs Pankhurst, who organised the day's service was moved to retain this, most important of commemorations in these socially distanced times. “In moments of crisis it is tempting to be more introspective. However, here at Birkenhead School we encourage our students to look outwards, and remember not only the fallen, but also those struggling and recently bereaved within our community. Thus, standing together, was a symbol of the strength of community in times of difficulty.”

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Birkenhead School and AJIS

By Mr FitzHerbert, Head of Prep

The Association of Junior Independent Schools is a vibrant organisation of 32 schools across the North West of England. AJIS (as it is known) was founded in 1987 by David Franklin (Head of Prep at Birkenhead School from 1977 to 1990). He organised and hosted an initial meeting of 14 Independent Junior School Heads, during which they established a constitution and decided to arrange termly Heads’ meetings.

Other independent Junior schools across the North West soon joined and the association became firmly established.

Harry FitzHerbert joined AJIS in 2013, on his appointment as Head of Prep here at Birkenhead School and, having just relocated with his family from Madrid, he recalls hosting the Association’s 79th Heads’ Meeting in his very first term.

“This ‘surprise’ was a parting gift from my predecessor, Janet Skelly, and it turned out to be the start of a fascinating journey for me. We had an excellent meeting and the Heads particularly enjoyed their three-course lunch with table service – something Birkenhead School is renowned for! Everyone was so warm, friendly and supportive and I realised this could become a valuable support network for me in my new job.”

At the AGM, which took place the following term, Mr FitzHerbert was elected to the Steering Committee. He took a keen interest in developing further opportunities for pupils through fixtures and events, and also for staff through subject meetings and training courses.

In September 2018, when Mr FitzHerbert attended the annual AJIS Conference, he had now served on the Steering Committee for 5 years. The position of Chair was about to become vacant and, before the AGM began, the outgoing Chair asked him if he would be interested in being proposed for the role. Mr FitzHerbert said he’d be delighted to be proposed and, if elected, would willingly take on the role.

At the AGM, he was unanimously voted in and so that very evening, he found himself having to make an after dinner speech!

He thoroughly enjoyed his first year as Chair, hosting another meeting at Birkenhead School – and of course another amazing lunch! AJIS launched a new series of Maths, English and Science courses for staff and these proved very popular.

Various long-standing Heads reached retirement and new Heads joined, so Mr FitzHerbert was often busy sorting out role allocation as the positions of Secretary, Activities Coordinator and Courses Coordinator all needed filling. With the 100th Heads Meeting due to take place in May 2020, Mr FitzHerbert decided there ought to be an event to mark this milestone. He put it to Steering who all agreed and, a year in advance, Mr FitzHerbert set about organising a conference in the Lake District. He invited current and former Heads and arranged a key note speaker and a formal dinner.

Sadly, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event had to be postponed and it is still yet to take place. In the meantime, Mr FitzHerbert has been chairing regular video meetings for the AJIS Heads and these have proved an invaluable way of sharing practice and discussing approaches as the Heads guide their schools through these unprecedented times.

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At the 2020 AGM (which had to be a virtual meeting), having completed 2 years in the role of Chair, Mr FitzHerbert was unanimously re-elected. With three new Heads joining the association, the latest initiative is a buddy system – experienced Heads within the association making themselves available to provide support and advice for new Heads.

As the 2021-2022 academic year begins, the AJIS Heads are really looking forward to resuming in-person meetings and they all hope the conference in the Lake District will be able to go ahead this year. However, what the Heads are most looking forward to is the full re-start of AJIS sports fixtures and cultural events. “At the heart of AJIS is the commitment of member schools to provide great opportunities for pupils. The other Heads and I can’t wait to see our schools competing and collaborating with each other again. Whilst ensuring that the safety of our pupils and staff remains our top priority, we will work tirelessly to provide exciting interschool opportunities for the children.” He thoroughly enjoyed his first year as Chairman and hosted another meeting at Birkenhead School – and of course another amazing lunch. AJIS launched a new series of Maths, English and Science courses for staff and these proved very popular.

Various long-standing Heads reached retirement and new Heads joined, so the Chairman was often busy sorting out role allocation within Steering as the Secretary, Activities Coordinator and Courses Coordinator positions all needed filling. It was decided at Steering that, with the 100th Heads Meeting due to take place in May 2020, there ought to be an event to mark this milestone. A year in advance, Mr FitzHerbert set about organising a conference in the Lake District. He invited current and former Heads and arranged a key note speaker and a formal dinner. Sadly, due to the Covid pandemic, the event had to be postponed and it is still yet to take place. In the meantime, Mr FitzHerbert has been chairing regular video meetings for the AJIS Heads and these have proved an invaluable way of sharing practice and discussing approaches as the Heads guide their schools through these unprecedented times.

At this year’s AGM (which had to be a virtual meeting), having completed two years in the role of Chairman, Mr FitzHerbert was unanimously re-elected. With three new Heads joining the association, the latest initiative is a buddy system – experienced Heads within the association making themselves available to provide support and advice for new Heads. As Mr FitzHerbert embarks on his second term as Chairman, he can’t help wondering if he will be able to host the 100th Heads Meeting as planned. However, what he is most looking forward to is the day when matches, tournaments and cultural events for AJIS pupils can resume: “at the heart of AJIS is the commitment of member schools to provide great opportunities for pupils through the collaboration of our schools. The other Heads and I can’t wait to receive the Government go ahead for our inter-school fixtures and events to resume, but rest assured the safety of our pupils and staff will always remain our top priority.”

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Be Inspired B E YO U R B E ST S E L F

An Exciting Community Course for Children in Years 5 and 6 This year we were delighted to launch a new and exciting community course for children in Years 5 and 6 at local state primary schools to help them prepare for secondary school regardless of their destination for secondary education.

In the summer term we launched a new and exciting community course for children in Years 5 and 6 at local state primary schools to help them prepare for secondary school regardless of their destination for secondary education.

The programme launched at a time when preparing young children could not be more critical given the recent lockdowns. ‘Be Inspired’ ran over a six week period between May and June and local schools and parents were invited to nominate children who will be invited to attend one or more of the weekly sessions.

The children selected were exposed to new subjects and activities, as well as building on the national curriculum with engaging, creative lessons supplementing the work done in their Primary Schools. Sessions ranged from ‘You Want to Be an Astronaut’, combining Chemistry and Astronomy to Rock Music sessions and sports using the school’s sporting facilities.

The lessons were led by teachers supported by Sixth Form pupils, who acted as mentors for the younger children – academically, as well as offering advice on aspiration, university and confidence.

Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head, who headed up the project says: “The aim of the programme is to inspire and ignite young people's passions and interests. We were delighted with the excellent uptake and high calibre of students from across the Wirral who were ably led by our sixth form students in subjects such as climbing, music, team sports, writing, advanced mathematics and career guidance. We were delighted with the excellent uptake and high calibre of students from across the Wirral. We look forward to running the programme again in 2022.”

Mr Vicars, Headmaster, comments: “As a school our aim is to inspire as many youngsters as possible whether it be our own pupils or those in the local community. We are delighted with the response to the programme and hope that through the range of academic, sports and creative pursuits, that we have been able to help prepare the pupils to thrive in their new secondary schools.”

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Yo g a

By Mr Parry, Head of Yoga and Assistant Head

In a year filled with uncertainty, worry, stress, isolation and remote learning, students have needed physical and mental support more than ever. It was great that Yoga had the opportunity to support the amazing Pastoral support network at the School and to contribute to the hard work of the Physical Education team.

around the world, and we were very proud that Georgie Cox and Abi Price, from the Lower Sixth, both gained a place.

They have since completed their Level 1 training course and will be moving on to Level 2 in September. Completion of the Level 2 course will qualify them as yoga teachers, and we are hoping that they can then support some of the sessions that are planned for Year 3 and 4 as part of our whole school approach to yoga.

Yoga has enjoyed its place as part of the Year 7 and 8 'Beyond the Curriculum' provision on a Tuesday afternoon.

Students have undertaken sessions on physical yoga (asana), focussed balance and breathing and relaxation. One of the favourites is the session on guided meditation where students are taken on some mental journeys with a view to showing them how to relax, lower their heart rate and blood pressure and to manage some of the worries and tiredness that they experience. We speak a lot about research into how cortisol and other natural chemicals found in the body can be reduced through a regular practice.

Here are some words from Georgie and Abi about their year of Yoga:

In Sixth Form, students can opt for Yoga as their chosen activity for Senior Games. This allows them to spend their Wednesday afternoons at McAllester Playing Fields in the atrium of the pavilion. We have had a really successful year and managed to carry on through remote learning using Zoom sessions. Mr Parry has delivered these from his classroom, using the area normally setup for Virtual Reality lessons. Due to the nature of the lockdowns, it was possible for the sessions to be open to other students from Year 11 upwards too which was great. Sessions were also run with the Cheshire Netball squad.

Our main success story this year is that two of our Senior Yogi's achieved places on the first ever Teen Yoga Ambassador Course. Twelve students were selected from

'It has been great fun getting to grips with all of the yoga that we have done with Mr Parry this year. We have mastered some really complex balances, spent time controlling our breathing and generally unwinding from our busy schedules whilst building strength and flexibility. We were so pleased to be accepted onto the first ever Teen Yoga Ambassador Scheme and it took a month of sessions and zoom training to complete Level 1. We learnt about the different aspects of yoga such as breathing techniques, balances and stretches and the benefits that these all have on our daily lives. It was important for us to gain these key skills and to develop our understanding of yoga in order to be able to teach yoga to others when we have completed Level 2. One of our favourite parts of the course was being able to share it with other people and learn different ways of practising yoga.

We made some really strong friendships with other students from all over the world which has really strengthened our love for yoga. We are starting Level 2 in September, and this will allow us to be able to teach other students so we are keen to help Mr Parry with some of the planned sessions that he is going to offer to the Prep students.

We would recommend yoga to everyone to help with their mental and physical wellbeing.'

Georgie and Abi who were appointed Global Teen Yoga Ambassadors.

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I n a u g u r a l J P H a r g r e av e s D i p l o m a Aw a r d s

By Mr McKie, Assistant Head and Head of History

Five of our current lower Sixth Formers, Maddie Hill, Natasha Keeling, Varun Singh, Ellie Price and Natalie Hallam hold the distinction of being the inaugural recipients of the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma.

The Diploma encourages students to cover a broad base of skills and activities, whilst allowing them the flexibility to follow any special interests or talents.

Students are rewarded for their efforts undertaken throughout Years 9-11 and the bar is set very high, so these recipients deserve a great deal of praise for their achievement and commitment.

The J. P. Hargreaves Diploma consists of seven categories, each of which is based upon experiences and skills young people might be expected to have a grasp of as they proceed through School and then beyond. The Hargreaves Diploma helps students to explore their successes and experiences and challenges them to consider how they might transfer these skills to their future studies and careers.

The result should be a well-rounded individual who can articulate what they can offer a prospective employer or institution. We hope that it will also support them to embody the Birkenhead Way, and therefore enjoy life at School, separate from the rigours of examinations.

Natalie commented as follows: “I found that with the range of opportunities available here I was able to comfortably satisfy the necessary categories to complete the award.

Without activities such as the School play and sports teams, I don’t think I would have completed it. I especially enjoyed the Duke of Edinburgh Award: that was definitely my highlight as it was a great experience and instilled in

me how to work efficiently as part of a team. Natasha, a keen musician, was able to fulfil the criteria partly due to her musical aptitude, being both a member of Chapel Choir and a regular performer in the House Music Competition.

However, Natasha also represented the School in the BBC News Report and in public speaking, both areas that made the award of the Diploma much more likely given her wider commitment to the life of the School. Maddie organised a bake sale and led an assembly in Prep, helping to raise funds for two separate charities. In addition, she also took part in Rotary Debating Competitions and is a regular in School sports teams for both netball and hockey. Varun commented that the criteria for the Diploma encouraged him to take part in activities that he would not normally participate in, including helping with the lighting for the School play and focussing much more on exercise, regularly attending a swimming club to help him gain the award. In a similar vein, Ellie remarked that in striving to achieve the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma, the most rewarding section was the one on ‘service to others’, where she helped to raise a significant sum for charity.

All of the above students got involved in activities that helped both the School and the wider community. They also pushed themselves to get involved in areas that perhaps meant they had to get out of their comfort zone, and for that they should all be highly commended. Working towards the Diploma should hold them in good stead as it has helped them to gain skills that universities and employers’ value – teamwork, curiosity, communication, perseverance, and resilience. I look forward to seeing how the next cohort of Birkenhead School students rise to the challenge of the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma.

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Updated School Unifor m The new academic year brought the launch of an updated School uniform, most notably a new range of ties and a bespoke tartan kilt in Year 6 and Seniors.

School uniform plays an important role in setting the tone for academic and wider success and students are visible ambassadors for Birkenhead School, both on and off-site.

The changes bring more colour and vibrancy to the uniform, which is smarter and of higher quality. The collective improvement in appearance is significant. In Prep, a new tie has been introduced; although the look of the tie has remained much the same, it has changed shape to a traditional pointed tie and the quality of tie has improved.

Seniors students have seen several improvements to their uniform. A new, better quality blazer has been introduced, with more tailored options available for girls. One of the most

significant changes is the bespoke tartan kilt, which is to be worn at a length comfortably below the knee. The trousers have a new design with a School crest watermark.

New ties have been introduced, with the red and yellow being more prominent. It was important to the School that the student voice was heard and contributed to the decisionmaking process regarding the changes to the School uniform; the student body has chosen three of the four new ties that have been introduced.

In addition, a new grey school jumper or tank top with gold stripe is an optional item for those cold winter months. If a student wishes to wear a scarf, there is a new scarf design available. The Uniform Shop has also been upgraded. It has relocated to the old Combined Cadet Force building, providing a better setting for parents and students to purchase their uniform.

Happy T hanks-giving Day Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head and Heads of Year organised a day for everyone to take time to say thank you to their teachers, classmates and those who contribute to school life during the Michaelmas term.

Each student and staff member received a white ribbon with an attached message of appreciation for them to display on their uniform. Each year group celebrated the day in their own unique way, taking time to reflect and appreciate one another and those who help them at School. Overdale was filled with white helium balloons to mark the day. Year 11 also took the time to write thank you cards to our catering staff, estates team and the other nonteaching departments who help to run the School.

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Continuing Academic Excellence And Widening Accessibility Are Key Themes In The Years Ahead For The Sixth Form At Birkenhead School Driving continued academic excellence and widening accessibility are two key themes that will characterise the coming years for Birkenhead School’s Sixth Form.

Since September 2016, student numbers across the School have increased by almost 15%. This demand has necessitated a move to a four-form entry into Year 7 and planned refurbishment of the Sixth Form Centre over the next 18 months to accommodate anticipated growth towards approximately 140 A Level students by 2023-24.

Much of the Sixth Form increase comes from a growing trend for students to enter the Sixth Form having completed their GCSEs elsewhere. They are attracted by the School’s academic pedigree, alongside a strong

sense of community and focus on the individual. Each student is fully-supported by their Form Tutor and the Futures Team throughout their A Level career, as well as guided in the development of core skills in preparation for the ever-changing 21st Century workplace.

Each year, Sixth Form Access Scholarships are available to those students outside of the independent school system who achieve excellent GCSE grades and impress at interview: a good and positive attitude, a desire to seek out opportunities and give back to the community are attributes desired of all the School’s Sixth Formers.

Hear from Archie and Faith below, who both joined the Sixth Form in September 2020, about their own personal experiences.

Archie “In the long “summer holidays” of 2020, beginning in March, I had a lot of time to anticipate coming to Birkenhead School to begin Sixth Form.

Arriving, mask in hand, was as intimidating as moving to any school. A new environment with new people is always a little nerve wracking, but after such a long summer, I was glad to finally be starting.

Upon entering the Sixth Form Centre, I was immediately greeted by other students, eager to know the new arrivals. Within minutes, I was getting to know people whom I still call friends to this day. Having bounced around schools over the previous few years, this felt like a novel experience – at no point did I feel like ‘the new kid’. Despite coming to an environment where students had known each other for years, and in some cases a decade, there wasn’t a moment where this felt apparent.

Of course, once familiar with new friends and new buildings, the academics became the focus. I had initially been attracted to Birkenhead School because of the strong academic record and beginning A-Levels here I felt I would be in a strong position heading into exams. A-Levels are always challenging, but within days I had begun building good relationships with teachers and adapting to the flexibility that Sixth Form brings. Being challenged and starting with four subjects can be difficult, but I have always felt well supported in each of my subjects.]While academics are the primary focus of any Sixth Form experience, co-curricular activities have bene a strong presence over the past academic year. Despite being a year stunted by lockdowns and a pandemic, there have been many opportunities to enjoy new experiences and grow in the process. For example, even in the January lockdown, taking part in the ESU School’s MACE Debating Competition allowed me to work on my fear of public speaking – a skill which will prove useful for years to come.

Looking forward, to the Upper Sixth and beyond, the School has provided opportunities and support that has left me feeling confident going into further education. Another aspect that had initially attracted me to the school was the Futures Team and the focus on helping us achieve our individual ambitions.

With the support of the school, and the friends I’ve made in the past academic year, I feel incredibly well placed for the years to come.”

Archie has been appointed Head Student for 2021-22.

Faith “In November of 2019, I had the pleasure of visiting Birkenhead School for a tour of the School as I was considering joining for my sixth form years. I was at once amazed by the courtesy and exceptional atmosphere set by the School and knew that this is the best place to complete my A-Levels. Now, having been a Lower Sixth pupil at Birkenhead School I am very firm in my belief that I had made the right decision.

Over the past 9 months I have been impressed by the support and dedication of alumni and staff. I have high ambitions to continue my education at Cambridge University and feel strongly that I am being given the best opportunities and support to achieve this goal. Despite some personal challenges, I have been helped through academic difficulties and given the tools to ensure that going forward I am a competitive candidate. Through staff and pupils, I have been given an amazing academic and pastoral support-base encouraging me to succeed and become a well-rounded individual for higher education and the working world.

I have also been able to get fully involved with the school culture, attending sports matches and co-curricular activities which have allowed me to make friends in other areas of the School. I consider myself lucky to have made friends within both Lower and Upper Sixth and I strongly appreciate how welcoming and kind everyone is. Finding my way round at the beginning of the academic year, I was never short of help where needed. The sense of community and warmth is widespread within the Sixth Form and wider school. Staff and pupils alike have treated me in an exemplary way, such that I look forward to arriving each morning.”

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Charity & Community

By Father Mark, School Chaplain

During the year Michaelmas term, Birkenhead School has supported a number of charities both at home and abroad.

In October, we had our usual Harvest collection. Recognising that this year families have been hit hard with the financial implications of the pandemic, we wanted to offer our help.

We sent half a tonne of food and products to Wirral Food Bank to assist. There were also significant donations made by individual families which were too numerous to name them all and great in their generosity. Thank you!

Children in Need

In November, Children in Prep once again enjoyed Children in Need day and came into School in their own clothes in return for a £2 donation. In total £742.70 was donated to the national charity that will directly benefit children via local and national charities. We always support this day as our students feel strongly about the need to support other children.

Royal British Legion

As we approached Remembrance Sunday we were, as always, keen to support the Royal British Legion. This year we held our service outside on the field and sold poppies, raising £380.

In the lead up to Christmas, the School ran a number of charity initiatives:

Neo Community & Number Seven Café in Birkenhead

In early December, each tutor group in Seniors was given a Christmas tree and asked to donate money that would go towards decorations and local charities. Thirty trees adorned the School grounds, on display by Overdale, McAllester and Sixth Form. On the last day of term these trees were donated to local families in need via Neo Community along with a ‘Bag for Christmas’ that contained decorations, food and other items for the families to enjoy.

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The Click and Collect campaign asked members of the School community to donate food items. On Saturday 12th December, a team of Sixth Form students and I headed out in the School minibus to collect the items directly from people’s houses.

Local businesses contributed to the campaign and we are grateful to The County and Family Court in Birkenhead who donated £200, Muffs of Bromborough and The Mouse in Brimstage as well as individuals who also donated money to purchase food items. A number of Old Birkonians donated very generously to this cause including the Gidman family and Nick Thomas, thank you all so much!

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Koala North West

Nursery and Pre-Prep families surpassed themselves yet again with their kind and generous donations to help local families in conjunction with Birkenhead charity, Koala North West.

Presenting the cheque to Neo Community.

The food was shared with Number Seven Café in Birkenhead and Neo Community for local families in need. The School further supported the charity by making a financial donation to each charity to help purchase additional food.

Ema from Neo Community commented, “This year more importantly than any other year, the help from Father Mark, the School and the staff pulling all of this together is absolutely amazing. With over 12,000 children across Wirral on free school meals already needing this support, and working families not meeting the criteria for other statutory support - being able to have that extra help provided from the School and from others coming together is more important than ever. More than anything, 2020 has taught us that together we’re all stronger.”

Andrew from Number Seven says, “Birkenhead School has really has helped us this year and it’s so important. It’s been a massively hard year for everybody and the help that the School has given has helped us reach so many more people and they really do appreciate it. On behalf of our members I would like to thank you. You have been amazing – we couldn’t do these things without the support of yourselves and others within the community – thank you so, so much.”

Families were asked to select a gift tag from one of the trees located outside Nursery and Pre-Prep which offered information on who the gift would be given to. The Early Years department (Nursery and Pre-Prep) has been supporting the charity, which was formerly known as Home Start Wirral, for a number of years and once again we were overwhelmed by the generosity of our parents.

Alison from Koala North West said, “We want to say a big thank you to all the families in Birkenhead School Early Years, you have surpassed our expectations and you will never know how much of a difference you truly make to the families – when their eyes light up as they realise that they can give their children a Christmas is an amazing thing to see. Thank you again from the bottom of our hearts.”

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Charity & Community Charles Thompson Mission in Birkenhead

Prep families and Sixth Form students looked to support the Charles Thompson Mission at Christmas time. Families in Prep were asked to donate food to help make up hampers for local families along with toys that could be distributed to children in the Birkenhead area.

In the Sixth Form, students chose to support the homeless via the charity. Students collected toiletries and other items to make up washbags for those in need. On Thursday 17th December, Sixth Form students, Rachel and Lexi, who had helped coordinate the collection, visited The Charles Thompson Mission with Father Mark to donate the items.

Rachel commented, “We already knew how important this appeal was but visiting the Mission really made us realise how necessary it is.”

We are also grateful to Andrew Almond from A&A Marketing who kindly donated the bags for our washbag appeal.

continued

Change a Child’s Life

This year, it was not possible for Chapel Services to be held due to the pandemic. Instead, services were recorded and shared with parents online. In lieu of the retiring collections, parents were asked if they could make a contribution to ‘Change a Child’s Life’.

‘Change a Child’s Life’ operates in and around the slums of Nairobi in Kenya, assisting orphaned and deprived children by providing safe accommodation, free education, fresh drinking water and food. Since 2019, the School has been sponsoring four-year old Natalia so that she can attend the Maria Immaculata School. This year has been extremely difficult for many vulnerable children and their families, with many experiencing extreme deprivation. Thanks to sponsorship, Natalia and her brother have been supported with food and all their basic needs during school closures.

Through the donations raised, food parcels will be provided to families in need.

Natalia who is supported by Change a Child’s Life at Birkenhead School.

Claire House & Save the Children

On the last day of term students across Prep and Seniors had fun wearing their Christmas jumpers and other festive adornments in return for a money donation. The money raised was then shared between local charity Claire House and Save the Children. The total raised was over £1700!

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Nine Lessons and Carols

This year we could not meet as usual for our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, however we did go online, all socially distanced and filmed separately. 120 people watched live on the evening and a further 500 views afterwards. This service is still available to watch via the Birkenhead School Music YouTube account.

Talking about singing – Prep raised £20 by way of a singing concert! Well done!

Bake sales – Thank you to Year 4 and 5 who raised an amazing £270 for our school charities through organising Bake Sales.

Lent Term

Lent term was beset with more challenges than Michaelmas for our charity collections, but we did the best we could under the circumstances.

Under the government’s special circumstances, following all rules and guidance of the time, Father Mark was pleased to preside over the wedding of Mr and Mrs Ray on January 9th 2021. It was a lovely occasion, that was attended by the bride and groom, both sets of parent and a whole host of congregation from all around the world via a zoom link. It was such a joy and pleasure to be part of their wonderful day. (See page 109 for a picture of Mr and Mrs Ray).

In January we had a post-Christmas food collection for Number Seven Café, recognising that local families need food at more than just harvest time. The School undertook to fill my car three times over with extra donations of harvest type products. Well done to all our School community for getting involved in this initiative.

Easter is always a time of hope for Christians. A great symbol of hope is the Easter Egg, for me a reminder of the empty tomb of Jesus, that death has been conquered. The hope that our School community was able to offer at Easter was that families were able to share in that chocolate gift. On the 1st April -– Nursery and Pre-School teamed up with Koala North West and collected eggs for local families. Well done Nursery and Pre-School!

In conjunction with Nursery’s and Pre-Prep’s efforts, the rest of the School community also took to collecting Easter eggs of hope. By the 8th April 800 eggs had been collected and distributed to number Seven.

In Prep Chapel we could think of no better way of ending a big term with a little bit of fun. In fact a lot of fun! Year 6, Father Mark and Mrs Sewell joined together to record the Jerusalema dance.

This was seen by over 13,000 people online. The dance itself is a prayerful one.

Trinity Term

After such a strong start to the year, as the pandemic has taken its toll we have not been able to arrange all those things which we wanted. Cake sales have continued in Prep, in fact there was an excellent effort from Year 3 who raised an amazing £146!

Thank you all so much for your support for our charity work this year. As you can see we have really made an impact into our world, area and local community.

Every blessing Father Mark

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T hank you to our Parents’ Association

By Melanie George, Chair of Parents’ Association Last year I wrote about how the fundraising year for the Parents’ Association came to an abrupt end in March. Little did I know that this year I would be writing again about the pandemic disrupting our fundraising activities. Disrupted maybe but not entirely stopped.

Lockdown made everyone think about ways of doing things differently and the PA was no exception. No discos or fireworks but we did manage to hold our first online Christmas raffle and I can safely say that it was a great success. Despite the many hardships suffered by retail and other businesses the parents within our School community continued to show great generosity and support for which we were extremely grateful. Sales of tickets were brisk and we managed to raise an incredible £2,700. For me, the highlight of Christmas fundraising was the Chinese Raffle held throughout Prep. Prizes were displayed, tickets purchased, those who were isolating were involved too and the excitement grew. On the day of the draw all children watched the online draw from their classrooms and the cheers for the winners could be heard throughout the prep building. Chocolate, lego and nerf guns were the favourites and prizes were evenly spread across year groups. Many thanks must go to Lynn Pownall for organising the production of Christmas cards and gifts again raising a considerable funds for the benefit of children across the School.

As you can see, it may have been a difficult year but we have continued to support School in every way we can to enhance the school life of as many pupils as possible. Once again Lynn Pownall has organised the ever-popular hoodies for Year 6.

PA members have been helping out with refreshments at the Les Misérables production.

Would you like to join us?

The Parents’ Association is made up of a group of parents working together to organise events to raise funds and provide some fun for the pupils. Every year we say goodbye to some members of our committee and this year we wish Sarah Rushworth-Tizzard and her family the very best of luck as they begin a new life in Canada. We thank Sarah for all she has done. We are always looking for new people to join us. It does not need to be a huge commitment but it is a great way to get involved and meet other parents (especially once your children go to the Seniors and won't let you near the school gate!). We will be holding our AGM in September and look forward to seeing lots of new faces.

Thank you and I look forward to meeting you.

Where have the funds gone?

We try and spread the funds across the School in order to benefit as many as possible. In 2020/21 funds have been awarded in the following way:• Allotment in Prep • Climbing frame in Nursery • Funding towards the Peter Pan backdrop (Year 6 Production) • Sponsorship of Les Misérables programmes (Seniors Production) • Musical instruments in Little School • Post ‘fun lunch’ ice-creams across the School in October • Contributions to Leavers’ Balls for Upper Sixth and last years’ leavers

Find out more!

• Ice-creams at Sports Days and fun days from Nursery to Upper Sixth • Guinea Pigs for Prep (Juniors)

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www.pta-events.co.uk/birkenhead

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/birkenheadschoolPA/

• A promise of funds for a Lunar Loft in Overdale

New allotment are in Prep.

Parents’ Association Website

Ice-cream on Sports Day.

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Year 6 Hoodies organised by the PA.

AT BIRKENHEAD SCHOOL Another extraordinary year for Star Activities, but one I’d like to congratulate my wonderfully hard working team upon. We managed to successfully run our courses throughout the duration of the pandemic and not have one positive Coronavirus case.

I believe this is due to the hard work and dedication of the team to keep everybody safe. Well done and thank you to everybody who played their part in the success.

This last year saw increased numbers across our variety of courses due to us being one of the only holiday courses operational throughout the pandemic. We introduced new courses such as a Magic Masterclass, Nature Detectives and Performing Arts.

This summer promises to be just as fruitful with new additional courses in Science, Spanish and Creative writing being added.

We look forward to seeing you all this summer and welcoming you onto our courses as the World returns to some sort of normality. Thank you all for your continued support.

Star Activities – SCIENCE! There are two summer science courses on offer each summer. CSI Science is offered to children aged 10-15 years and concentrates on gathering evidence to solve crimes.

We learn about a range of different scientific roles and skills involved and the children set up crime scenes for each other to investigate. I am sorry to report that (cardboard) Tim Peake featured in two crimes this year!

The second course is offered to children aged 7-15 years and includes lots of activities aimed at reinforcing the scientific method. Of course, we are on holiday and so we get to play with the slime, playdoh, and lava lamps that we create. Even the balloon kebabs go home! This year we have included some engineering challenges, spaghetti structures and paper bridges with an element of competition. The winners get to choose some activities for the last day. Water rockets are sure to feature again!

By Mrs Tharme, Teacher of Science

By Miss Harris, Head of Infants and Star Activities Director

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IN FOCUS 2021

MAY THE 4T ROMANESC

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ckpea, potato

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Chartwells

By Andrew Deeny, Catering Manager

Just like many families and organisations, the School’s catering team had a really difficult and challenging year in 2020-21. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, necessary social distancing and a period of lockdown, we had to slightly reduce the breadth of food on offer, serve in two very different main settings (Bushell Hall and the Dining Hall). We followed all government guidelines to keep students, pupils, and staff safe and we were determined to give the pupils and staff the same quality as they were used too.

As we went through the period of “opening safely”, Prep pupils and Seniors students returned to the main dining, we brought the World Food Bar back, and from September we look forward to re-introducing the salad bar which is a big hit with staff and students alike.

We have had some great times during this period, dressing up and producing food for a “May the 4th be with you” Star Wars theme day when we also prepared a selection of dishes on the three different themes, Dagobah, Tattooine, Hoth – with such items as Green Swamp soup, Roasted Porg Nests and the Mangolorian.

While all our staff are allergen-aware, this year we introduced more identifiable allergen awareness champions wearing a mustard yellow apron so that all children with specific dietary needs know who to get their food from.

We also brought a Chartwells nutritionist in to do the hungry caterpillar workshop with pre prep pupils — the kids loved making faces with the food, then getting to eat it, while being taught about healthy eating.

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In September we will have the nutrition team back with a smoothie bike, where they put fruit in a blender attached to the bike, and the faster they pedal the better the smoothie.

This will be situated in the Sixth Form for the morning, then in the Dining Hall for lunch. Hopefully Pete the cycling chef will be involved ….

Over the last weeks of term we catered for some great functions, a Chapel Choir dinner, the Sports Award dinner, a sports teams BBQ and Sixth Form leavers’ breakfast. It was great to have some normality while innovating to remain within Covid-safe guidelines in existence at the time. We also catered for the Les Misérables production with theatre food boxes and drinks for each performance We also did a guess the number of sweets to win a Euro 2020 football and all the sweets from the guess. Jake from Year 6 was the closest and was so excited to win the prize.

We will also be introducing a new fuel concept to the menu cycle to highlight a healthy fuel-filled offer everyday. The menus are usually available via the School’s Firefly system, and you can also follow our Twitter account to see what is on offer to children at the School - @BHead_Catering.

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IN FOCUS 2021

Carl Hodgson Carl Hodgson has been a long serving member of the catering team at Birkenhead school, with over 15 years’ service and has decided to move on to pastures new this year. Over the years he built a brilliant relationship with teachers and students, being their first line of call.

He delivered, served and worked various hospitality functions from etiquette lunch, to wine and nibble events throughout the year. Then going back to the dining hall to support the team for lunch service.

He worked in all weathers across the school, driving the familiar red buggy, always smiling and polite.

In his spare time at Birkenhead, he would be seen fixing ipads and iphones for staff, he was full of knowledge about the history of the school, when Chartwells took over the catering, he worked closely with myself to develop and build on the quality of the catering service, for all events.

He was known in the kitchen as being a bit of a joke teller. Always trying to put a smile on the teams face.

He will be missed, by myself and the team, but we wish him all the success in his future where he has moved to be closer to family.

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IN FOCUS 2021

D u k e o f E d i n bu rg h ' s Aw a rd

By Mr Graham Hill, Teacher of Geography

I am glad to say that we were able to keep the whole DofE programme going throughout the pandemic, albeit with considerable modifications, but in June this year we returned happily to full Gold and Silver expeditions involving overnight camps.

remains a highlight for our young people. Grateful thanks go to Mr Britton, who emerged from retirement to help us again, and to my indomitable colleagues Mrs Fountain and Mr Robinson for all their support.

We fielded three Gold and three Silver teams which undertook four and three day expeditions, respectively, in the Yorkshire Dales. If there was any 'skills leakage', there was no evidence of it and perhaps moving the training programme onto Firefly was a help. I was so impressed with the performance of all our young people and, I am glad to say, so was our Gold Assessor - Mr Nigel Greenwood - who is himself the father of an Old Birkonian. All groups passed the expedition stage successfully and now it only remains for them to do their expedition presentations in the Autumn term. We experienced, it seems, three seasons in three days as we were lashed with hail on Fountains Fell on one day, only to be sweltering in the sunshine on the next. It was good to see all Gold groups negotiate Ingleborough on the final day and some taking in Pen-y-ghent on the previous one. By all accounts the expeditions were sufficiently challenging without detracting from a strong sense of enjoyment and it is clear that the attraction of 'hanging out' and socialising with teammates at the end of each day

Photog raphy Competition During the past year, Mrs Buckley has run photography competitions across Prep and Seniors. Students submitted photos based on different themes and here are some of the highlights. Well done to everyone who took part.

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Auley Year 4

Auley Year 4 1

Damon Year 7

David Upper Sixth

Gene Year 5

Kit Year 6

Kit Year 7

Lucy Year 7

Lydia Year 5

Michelle Year 7

Noah Year 6

Rachel Year 7

Rebecca Lower Sixth

Shona Davies Year 8

Shona Year 8

Zach Year 8

Zach Year 8

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IN FOCUS 2021

20th Birkenhead Cubs and Scouts

By Mr Kelvin Britton, Group Scout Leader

January 1908, and a public meeting is being held at the YMCA in Birkenhead. A couple of Senior Birkenhead School pupils decide to see what it is all about (well, there was nothing worth watching on television as no-one had bothered to invent it yet!).

A paraphrase of their verdict runs along the lines of “interesting speaker, but no way will his ideas of a ‘movement’ or ‘association’ take off.” In this way, the chance of the School hosting the oldest Scout Troop in the world passed, although the 2nd Birkenhead does date its start to this talk by Robert Baden-Powell.

Fast forward a few years; in 1924 our Group, 20th Birkenhead started under School sponsorship, and so we are just a couple of years short of our Centenary. This might be a good time to look back at our history, but in my mind it is an even better time to look forward to the future. However, it would be remiss of me not to look at the most recent years, for obvious reasons.

Covid proved a challenge; for much of the time face to face Scouting was not allowed. However, we ran regular Zoom sessions for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, and those who were willing and able to adapt and adopt this way of working made astonishing headway; I don’t think we have ever issued as many badges, all backed up by evidence submitted electronically. Several parents told us that our hand-written letters containing the badges were the carrots their children needed to keep their motivation going. At last, although camping was still not allowed, the Scout section held a modified Expedition Challenge in summer 2020; tents were carried and pitched, meals were cooked, but then the tents were struck to allow a night at home before more

hiking the following day. At last the summer term of 2021 arrived, and regular face to face meetings could resume.

We organised camps and activity days for all three sections, putting the OUT back in ScOUTing, and giving at least one Beaver his “best day ever”.

As for the future, there are some very exciting developments in the pipeline. The Scout Hut is clearly showing its age (of almost 70 years). Birkenhead Scout District and the School have begun discussions about a replacement, and architects are being approached to design a suitable new building to house both the District Headquarters and our own Scout Group. All being well, we may see the building begin to grow at McAllester Field next summer. In the meantime, The Scout Association is due to launch a new section, Squirrels, for 4 and 5 year olds. School, Group and District are all in favour of starting this up, and so we are hoping for the approval to be able to offer this from next January.

We always want to offer fun and adventure to as many children, boys or girls, who wish to participate. The current times are Beavers (aged 6-8) on Mondays after School until 5.15, Cubs (aged 8-10.5) on Wednesdays until 5.30 and Scouts (aged 10.5-14) on Thursdays, 4-6. One of the District Explorer Units also meets at our Hut on Wednesdays, 7-9. If anyone wishes to join, needs further information, or can provide adult help, perhaps to share some skills or raise money to help equip the new facilities, please email kelvin57britton@gmail.com. The pay is not great, but the enjoyment is immense. Who knows, you might even end up going to the World Jamboree in South Korea in 2023, or Poland in 2027!

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IN FOCUS 2021

T h e A Te a m – C o v i d Te s t e r s

By Mrs Higgins, Covid Testing Team Leader Who would have thought a virus would cause the world such grief, With Heros in the NHS providing such relief, But for us in education it’s been a testing time Children stuck at home, and learning done online After months of indecision and not knowing what to do The pupils could return to school with an adjustment or two The whole school was signposted and hand gel out on show Everyone could come back in if they passed a Lateral Flow The A Team was assembled and trained on every angle Bushell Hall was ready, with as many testing stations as it could handle Signs were on the floor and walls, and PPE laid out The radio was on full blast, to drown any coughing out The A team set to work, test kits and droplets in hand Teachers assisting all the pupils, so they’d be safe and understand 100 tests per hour, each pupil needed three To get everyone in the school back to learning wifi free The first day went quite smoothly, 600+ kids and staff With Abba on the radio, the staff singing was a laugh Tapping feet and dancing, the A Team kept the ambience light Two more days of testing, to get the Health & Safety right Day two went even quicker, the A Team were the best The pupils now quite adept, and confident to test Another 600+ tests, completed in a day Just one more day to go, then pack the kit away The final day was looming, the PPE was light Would the delivery arrive on time to complete the final fight And then the boxes all arrived, and day three was complete Over 2000 Covid tests completed, an extraordinary feat Despite the horrors Covid formed, the A Team played its part To ensure the pupils came back and made a fresh new start To see their friends again, and get back to a routine To home test twice a week and wash hands to keep them clean So thank you to the A Team, teachers and pupils too Thank you to the parents who supported all the way through Thank you to all essential workers, and of course the NHS Birkenhead School community, really gave its best

A huge thank you to the ‘A Team’ of support staff who supported the School’s Covid testing programme by completing over 1000 tests in January and 850 tests in March prior to the return to School for students and staff. The staff rose to the challenge and certainly embraced the ‘any other duties required’ of their job descriptions.

Well done to everyone involved and for working together, despite individual concerns, for the collective good of the School community.

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IN FOCUS 2021

Re m o t e P r o v i s i o n i n S e n i o r s d u r i n g a n o t h e r E x c e p t i o n a l Ye a r

By Mr Whitworth, Deputy Head (Academic)

There is no doubt that the circumstances of the last 16 months have provided significant challenge to our ability to deliver a quality educational provision. However, from challenge can often come creativity, innovation and new, improved ways of working.

Room and Zooms For periods of 2020-21 there were students from the same class both at School and isolating at home.

Efforts were made to involve those at home through a Zoom ‘window’ into the classroom and some dialogue with teachers. This was a huge challenge for all concerned but it did allow those isolating to maintain their connection to the group and to School.

Remote Teaching There is no doubt that our ability to teach via Zoom, and students’ ability to learn, developed well over time. With regular staff sharing of best practice and student feedback, the use of break out rooms, screenshare and other tools became commonplace.

There were even occasions when isolating teachers taught from home into the classroom – with this example showing Mr Higginbottom teaching a remote DT lesson. Additionally, I certainly feel we saw the importance and value to students of the pastoral ‘check in’ during Form in what has been a tough period emotionally as well as academically.

Certainly, as we reach the end of the academic year, we have great pride in the ways in which our teachers, support staff and students have worked together to overcome the hurdles of bubbles, self-isolation and more besides. Future decisions will centre round which elements of this year’s innovation we keep going forward.

Parents’ Evenings – Schoolcloud Arguably, one of the most successful innovations of the year has been the use of Schoolcloud for individual, remote appointments.

With no queueing, absolute privacy, no travel requirement and the ability to work round the home calendar; remote parents’ evenings seemed to be a well-received necessity of the times. It will certainly be interesting to see if this is a change in practice that we look to retain in full or part in future years.

Options – Head of Department Videos/ Appointments In the absence of a physical A Level Options Evening, this year we created Head of Department video overviews to send to students and families which summarised the key elements of courses and other key information.

In addition, some current Sixth Form students created their own videos to share and aid the decision making process. Individual Schoolcloud (online) appointments were then available for those that wished to discuss further with subject specialists. View the full range of subject videos on Firefly at: https://birkenhead.fireflycloud.net/year-11/ transition-to-sixth-form/2-a-level-options-2021-22

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IN FOCUS 2021

Overdale

By Mrs Tharme, Head of Year 7

Kind, Brave and Grateful This cohort had had a sudden and unexpected end to Year 6, without many of the traditional rites of passage they would have enjoyed. We were delighted to have an induction day with them all and our experienced Form Tutor team quickly helped to ensure a smooth transition.

Kind, brave and grateful — these are the words we use to help us to make the most of our community. We encourage honesty about mistakes, and a desire to learn from them, in all that we do.

We have enjoyed lots of clubs, some started by the children themselves and ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ club is an excellent example of this. Oliver Scammell-Flavell, 7MRB, took the lead here.

Although restricted in what we could do this year, we have made lovely memories and enjoyed a range of events.

On ‘Appreciation Day’ in October, Overdale was transformed with white balloons and ribbons and students and staff exchanged notes of thanks and wore ribbons.

A special lunchtime club to prepare for Christmas gave us the opportunity to enjoy arts and crafts, and Overdale was transformed again! How lovely to see the children teaching each other to make large door decorations. Students also particularly enjoyed handbell ringing.

The Christmas Tree festival was beautiful. The forms competed against each other and used the themes ‘Kind,’ ‘Brave,’ ‘Thankful’ and ‘Care,’ This was a wonderful way to celebrate our community.

January brought the period of lockdown and we were so proud of how they, with support from home, approached this period, and the way in which these young students adapted to the new routines.

It was so good to get back to school after Easter, and for the children to finish the year properly. We enjoyed Sports’ Day, a trip to Anglesey, performing in Les Misérables and of course Prize Giving.

Expansion and Changes to the Overdale Team It has been a fun year, where we have made the most of every opportunity, and learnt through experience. All worries, small or large, are shared openly and the Overdale Pastoral Office has become quite a hub of activity.

Mrs Loftus and Mrs Jordan have joined the pastoral team this year and are such a lovely addition. Mrs Loftus has moved through School with this year group and has become a much-loved member of the Seniors’ team very quickly. She is helping with organisation skills and ensures the children know where and when they need to be in different buildings.

A Level 3 teaching assistant, Mrs Loftus works closely with some students and has a reassuring smile for the whole year group.

Mrs Jordan was new to school in September 2020 but that seems hard to believe now! A sports coach, notably growing our skills in athletics field events, and a netball player herself, the children have quickly learned that she is great to be around. Working closely with a few students, she is a real asset to the team and has been appointed to the role of Pastoral Assistant, from September 2021.

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Mrs Loftus

Mrs Jordan

After several years in the Year 7 team, Mr Bell will fulfil a new pastoral role higher up the school and so we say goodbye to him in Year 7. His love of language and creative story telling makes him a very popular tutor and we will miss him.

Miss Hamblett also leaves the team but returns as Mrs Carins! Congratulations to her and Andrew on their wedding over the summer.

This means that, from September we will welcome Mrs Jones into the team and our four Forms will be 7DRC, 7HCB, 7LJJ and 7MTW. We are excited to see the new Forms together, and to another lovely year. Good luck to all our students moving into Year 8, I look forward to seeing your smiles around Overdale.

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IN FOCUS 2021

Beyond the Cur riculum

By Mr Murdoch, Head of Overdale

Once again, the inspiring Beyond the Curriculum programme (BtC) proved to be very popular with our Overdale students. Organised in line with the House system, it is an excellent opportunity for students to mix with those outside their Form and academic groups in order to develop new practical skills, to boost confidence and creativity, and to lead them beyond their comfort zone.

Each year, we refresh the programme as new staff share their own passions and experiences with our Year 7 and 8 students and this was no exception. Alongside established favourites such as Yoga, Dragon’s Den, Body Language, Careers, this year we were able to introduce sessions on Mindfulness, Digital Footprint, An Introduction to Politics, Making a Music Video and the immensely popular Theatre Skills. During our last BtC session of the year, I asked students to share some of their highlights and reflections from the programme and I present some standout comments below:

While elements of the programme were disrupted over the last year, we are very much looking forward to reintroducing both the Etiquette Training and Etiquette Lunch from this September, as well as the Cookery sessions which always prove to be highlights for our Overdale students. In addition, we will be extending our activities to allow for short courses within the overall BtC programme.

For Year 8, this means a combined long-form project with Mrs Reeve, Mrs Vicars and Mr Whitworth, covering Research Skills, Critical Thinking and Presentation Skills. For Year 7, we will be introducing Creative Study Skills sessions for all students in the lead up to Interim Assessments and Summer Exams, as well as Beginner Level Mandarin and a short Mindfulness course. Once again, it looks to be a very exciting, varied range of activities to broaden our students’ horizons and to challenge and inspire them in new ways.

“The highlight of the year was early on when we did Yoga with Mr. Parry. It was really relaxing and refreshing before the exams.”

“Research Skills was really interesting to me because I thought you could just Google anything and get the info you need but you have to be careful about good sources.”

“My favourite BtC lesson this year was doing First Aid with Nurse Debs. It was a double lesson and we got to learn how to do CPR.”

“One of my highlights is when we had yoga with Mr Parry as we had him for three weeks and we learned new flexible moves. Also we had a drawing and colouring Mindfulness lesson which was relaxing and fun.”

“I really liked doing the Theatre Skills during BtC because I was able to show my inner self.”

“My highlight from the BtC programme was Yoga with Mr Parry. This was a highlight because it was fun and also exercise. I liked doing the different positions and it showed me how good I actually am at Yoga.”

“I looked forward to doing Theatre Skills because I was able to express my feelings without words.”

“One of my highlights from BtC was finding out more about Politics so I can understand more about what’s on the news and talk to my family about it.”

“I really enjoyed doing the Dragon’s Den this year because it showed me that you have to be creative to become an entrepreneur, not just good with money.”

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IN FOCUS 2021

New Appointments

Mr Rule appointed Head of Middle School I was appointed as Head of Year 10 in 2013, having spent a year shadowing the previous occupant of the role, Mr Parry. Pastoral care is an area of education that I have always been interested in and, despite teaching almost exclusively students of A Level, I have been fortunate enough to be placed as a Form Tutor with Key Stage 4 during my time at the School.

These are formative years, and a strong pastoral input can make a huge difference in the development of mature and resilient young men and women. I was Head of Year 10 for the following five years before rotating between Years 9, 10 and 11 thereafter. I have managed to gain considerable pastoral experience during this time and have worked with many excellent and dedicated Form Tutors.

The role of Head of Middle School has been driven by the growing number of students in the School. In September the first four years of Senior School will average over 80 students per year and ‘Middle School’ will be the largest ‘section’. We currently have a Head of Overdale and a Head of Sixth Form, so this position was the next logical step. The appointment was also made to reinforce the School’s commitment to excellent pastoral care. I will oversee the work of the Heads of Years 9, 10 and 11 and help them to support the needs of our students in a way that is consistent throughout their GCSE years. With a firm but fair approach, I try to treat the students as maturing young men and women. It is important to recognise that students do make mistakes

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and close pastoral intervention and early communication are key to a student’s developmental journey. Being a presence around School and proactive in dealing with issues is central to ensuring that students are well cared for and supported.

Part of my role is the monitoring of student performance and coordinating of academic interventions. I will be working closely with Heads of Departments and the Academic Deputy Head to ensure that students are given the best opportunities to meet their potential. With the help of our Futures Team, I will also be looking to provide early guidance to support students on to the next stage of their educational journey. This will often involve A Levels at our Sixth Form and robust applications to universities, but in some cases, students may need additional help to plan out an alternative route.

I am hoping to develop a Leadership Team in Year 11, which will allow students to take a more active role in shaping the School, as well as providing crucial role modelling for younger members of the School community.

The J. P. Hargreaves Diploma will also fall under my supervision now and I look forward to seeing increasing numbers of students completing this in the years ahead.

I am excited by the challenges that this new role presents, and I am dedicated to developing further the excellent levels of pastoral care, student behaviour and academic performance, on which the School prides itself.

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IN FOCUS 2021

Mr Murdoch appointed Assistant Head (Pastoral) Upon joining the teaching staff at Birkenhead School in 2011, I immediately felt impressed by the value that the School placed on Pastoral Care.

of Overdale, my experiences had given me a firm belief that Pastoral and Academic support must go hand-inhand if a young person is to reach their potential.

On the first INSET day, I met with John Clark, Headmaster, to discuss one of my new Tutees. Having spent an hour discussing the background, challenges and personal circumstances of this particular student, I realised how important a detailed understanding and awareness of the individual would be at the School. As a Year 9 Form Tutor, led by the genial and unflappable Head of Year, Will Hughes, I saw how well staff knew not only their Tutees but also so many students within the community.

I understood how invaluable it would be to ‘get to know the individual’ and this principle remains fundamental to my approach.

With the arrival of Mr Vicars and Mrs Pankhurst, the Senior Leadership Team and the Governors only invested further in the Pastoral system and I have been very grateful for their ongoing support, both personally and in terms of the School structure. The growing numbers in Overdale over the last four years led to the appointment of Mrs Tharme as Head of Year 7, and she has done a fantastic job with our new Seniors students. I am very grateful to work alongside Mrs Tharme, as well as Mrs Reeve, our excellent Head of Year 8, Mrs Loftus, our experienced TA, and our multitalented Pastoral Support Assistant, Mrs Jordan. Along with a superb Form Tutor team, they are the reason why we are able to provide excellent Pastoral care for our Overdale students.

Having come through Birkenhead School as a boy, I had very much enjoyed the academic challenge and the wide range of co-curricular opportunities but I had rarely given much thought to the pastoral care offered by my teachers. It was only when I began my own teaching career that I realised how much they had supported me throughout the various challenges of School life, and how their stability and guidance were prerequisite to my progress. In particular, I owe a great debt to the Head of Junior School, Gary Hopkins, and to the Head of Sixth Form, Dave Edmunds, both of whom continued their support as colleagues when I began teaching here some twelve years later.

As Deputy Head at the time, Dave encouraged me to apply for the Head of Year 9 position, noting my interest and strong belief in the Pastoral aspects of the teaching role. Lacking in experience, I was very grateful for the support of an experienced Form Tutor team, with special mention for Maths teacher/touring prog rock bassist, Dave Jones, who was always prepared to share his time, reflections and experiences over a cuppa. I was also very thankful to my Heads of Department, Teresa Washington and Marion Holgate, for all of their guidance and words of encouragement. By the time I moved from Year 9 to Head

There remain opportunities for improvement, however.

I believe that we can provide greater continuity and additional layers of support across the whole School, not only from Prep to Seniors but between Year Groups.

The House System and School Council also have great potential to integrate our students into the Pastoral support system and to develop the Student Voice. With these key targets in mind, I am delighted to take on the role of Assistant Head (Pastoral) from September.

I am looking forward to working closely not only with Heads of Year but also with the new Head of Middle School, Mr Rule, and with the Head of Sixth Form, Ms Smeaton. One of my aims is to create more ‘vertical’ support across the whole School, including Prep, so that we may support all students in the appropriate way at the appropriate time. I am very pleased to remain as Head of Overdale alongside this new role, not only to work with such an excellent team, but because I will be able to get to know every new student who comes through our doors. As I have learned from ten years at Birkenhead School, this is the basis of outstanding Pastoral care.

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By Mrs Margerison, Head of Art

Despite the restrictions and difficulties associated with teaching a practical subject in the time of Covid, I am delighted to report that the Art Department safely delivered a full curriculum across Seniors this year.

With help from our amazing support staff and the students themselves, the liberal use of wipes, disinfectant, masks and more wipes, along with bubble boxes, departmental videos and visualisers have enabled students to draw, paint, collage, print and work with clay, textiles and wire almost as normal. A determination to allow students to be creative in a time when the opportunity for this outlet is more important than ever has driven us to find solutions and new ways of teaching for all.

Much has been made possible by making short, and sometimes long, (how do you cut a two-hour drawing down into ten or less minutes?) videos to demonstrate and teach processes which would normally require being close to students. By the second period of Remote Learning, Mrs Cormack and I had honed our iMovie editing skills with YouTube channels brimming with content (our music choices continue to be deemed questionable by Year 10!). Even Mr

Parry, teaching a Year 8 class this year, added his own art video. We have been lucky in remaining within McAllester, providing much needed continuity to exam groups who have been incredible in pushing their work despite reduced access compared to a normal year. With sadly no trips to kick start projects, students took inspiration from many sources.

The current crisis led Year 11 students to produce microbe lino cuts with one developing work into a ceramic plague mask, one student used the music of Elton John to inspire her, while others explored identity through different forms of portraiture.

A level students Jonathan Lee and Jackson Eugeni looked at the world of nature, exploring the beauty and fragility of our environment in a pandemic while Archie Finter explored Aztec mythology in a way only Archie can (out of chaos…!).

Cerys Evans linked nature and fashion in her clay and textile work and Annie Robertson pushed drawing to its limits inspired by the literature of Samuel Coleridge. Nada Mostafa freaked us all with her disturbing surrealist style pots; the thought of covering eyes and blocking ears to the world at times being one we can all empathise with.

Visit our Virtual Exhibition to see fabulous work by students from Year 7 through to Year 13. Well done, everyone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dm9wS2gNMY I would like to finish by wishing leaving students all the very best for their futures and to thank Mrs Cormack, Mr Parry and our art technician, Miss O’Connell for their good humour and incredible work throughout this second year of Covid. Stay creative and stay strong.

KEY STAGE 3 ARTWORK

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Business & Economics

By Andrei Daroti, Jack Doran, Jimmy Sergi and James Webster

Students reach National Final Over the period of remote learning in January we began preparing for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) BASE Competition.

We were given a business scenario and had to present our thoughts on three possible solutions, using the skills needed to be a chartered accountant. We recorded our presentation in March upon returning to school, and submitted it online. We heard back in April that we had reached the National Final. While usually this would mean a trip to Birmingham, unfortunately current restrictions meant that it was an online format. The final on the 16th June involved seven questions, testing the skills needed to be a chartered accountant. Despite facing some technical issues, and with one of us at home isolating, we were able to participate in the final, learning valuable things about a future career in the accountancy sector. We would like to thank the ICAEW for holding the competition, and Mrs. Fountain, who helped us reach the national final, beating over 450 schools from across the country.

ICT & Computing

By Mr Bell, Head of ICT & Computing

The wait is finally over!

GCSE ICT is finally here. We are delighted that we are now able to offer pupils the option to study ICT at Key stage 4. Pupils will now have the opportunity to take the Cambridge IGCSE examination in ICT. This qualification will offer a seamless transition for those who want to study ICT at A Level, or beyond.

The qualification has a nice balance between Computer Science and ICT topics. The course develops both practical skills and theoretical knowledge. At the end of Year 11, pupils will take a written examination to test their theoretical knowledge and understanding along with a practical assessment, which will be conducted on a computer to assess their practical skills.

Due to the extra demands this has placed on the department, we have recruited Miss Sarah Purvis to join our team. She is a young and dynamic teacher whose Business and ICT experience will bring many benefits to the pupils learning. She is starting in September 2021 and will be teaching pupils mainly in the Senior school but also a small number of classes in Year 6. She will not only be an excellent addition to the department but also to the life of the School.

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Classics

By Mrs Washington, Head of Classics

To develop their studies on Roman theatre, and following the Cambridge Latin Course Stage 5, Year 7 Latin students created their own masks.

Students worked on three pieces of evidence, based on frescoes and statues, which showed the types of masks which would have been used in theatres in Pompeii, and they made their own interpretations of the characters by creating their own designs.

SEND Department

By Mrs Williams, SENDCo and Co-ordinator of Spanish

This academic year has brought several changes for the SEND department in School. The study skills teachers of Mrs Oxley and Mrs Cederholm and SENDCo Mrs Williams were all very pleased to return to on site teaching in September 2020 and focused on supporting their students with the transition back to “normal” school and the return to face-to-face lessons.

The increase in access arrangements for the additional examinations and challenges of all year groups sitting examinations at the same time has been challenging, but with the leadership of Ms Buckley and support of the wider teaching staff and external invigilators, the progress check and external examination weeks ran smoothly.

Touch typing club has continued either as a lunchtime club for Year 7 or remote tasks for other year groups and students have made excellent progress in perfecting their speed and accuracy providing real benefit to their wider studies.

In December 2020 we bid a fond farewell to Mrs Cederholm who retired after 12 years as a 1:1 Study Skills teacher. In January 2021 we welcomed Mrs Storer as our new Study Skills teacher supporting students in Years 7-11 bringing with her a wealth of experience. She has been a very positive addition to the department and rose to the challenge of developing her support lessons initially online before returning to site in March 2021.

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English

By Mrs Ballantyne, Head of English

It has been a most unusual and challenging year for Birkenhead English Department – one that has engendered creativity and flexibility in teachers and pupils alike.

Whether it has been the challenges posed by remote learning or the logistical implications of being involved in the Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition via Zoom, English will always be a subject that lends itself to awakening our inner talents, creativity and interests.

Debating Despite having to compete via Zoom this year, we are exceptionally proud of our Senior Debating team, who managed to make it to the International Finals of the Oxford Schoolsʼ Debating competition, having qualified from the regional rounds earlier in the month.

A mammoth logistical operation involving teams from as far as Beijing, Hong Kong and Canada and including participants from some of the top-performing schools in the country. Over several gruelling heats, in which teams had just 15 minutes to prepare, our students gave an impressively confident and well-argued performance.

Gothic Poetry Competition Winners This term Year 8 have been studying Gothic Writing, looking at Dracula, Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights.

The unit ended in a hotly contested Gothic Poetry Competition, for which there were prizes up for grabs. Six Highly Commended Prizes were awarded, in 3rd place was Lucy, 2nd place was Carmen and the winner, with his poem entitled ‛Halloween Dusk to Dawn’ was Luca.

Motions covered were wide-ranging topics, from education to mass tourism, as well as media coverage of terrorist incidents and the emphasis of personality in politics.

Over four debates, our team came top in two – a truly impressive result.

Jimmy and Isabella were thrilled to be able to represent the school at such a high level, a result of their commitment to Debating Club throughout Senior school.

Seniors Students become Published Authors alongside Ramsey Campbell With restrictions preventing a repeat of last year's successful 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' event, students submitted stories for inclusion in a printed book.

'Those Who Wait' takes its title from a story by Sophia Campbell and features a range of stories from students in every year group at senior level. Available from online publisher Lulu, the book features striking cover art by Annie Robertson.

The world-famous horror author, Ramsey Campbell, again leant his support to the project, writing an introduction commenting on each story and including a piece written by his eleven year old self.

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Sixth form Literature students helped with the editing and Mr D. Bell helped with the formatting of the manuscript.

Project organiser, Mr M. Bell said, “this is a fabulous opportunity for the students who can now describe themselves as authors published alongside a critically renowned writer. The imagination evident is outstanding and there are some fabulously crafted tales in the volume. It was also a great opportunity for sixth formers to gain experience of editing. Thanks are due to all those who took part and to Mr Campbell who has generously linked the students' work to that of his early career when he was guided by August Derleth. It is exciting for the students to be part of a literary lineage. Hopefully we can run the event live again in the Michaelmas term 2021-22 as well as publish a second volume of stories in the spring”.

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Geog raphy

By Miss Barsoum, Head of Geography

Lower Sixth Geography Fieldwork Lower Sixth Geographers had to complete four days of fieldwork in October and then go on to produce their own research project, called the NEA, which constitutes 20% of their final grade.

The NEA has to be a project of their own design but must link to one of the topics studied in the course.

Before this can happen they need to be introduced to some of the techniques of hypothesis definition and testing, including fieldwork techniques, data processing and analysis.

Their practice fieldwork involved comparing two beaches — Talacre in N Wales and Thurstaston on Wirral — with contrasting sediments, aspects (the direction in which the beach faces) underlying Geology, gradients and widths.

The fieldwork was followed by a further week of sediment analysis in the Science department at school.

Highly Commended Award Lower Sixth student, Jack, received a Highly Commended Award for his entry in a national competition run by the Financial Times and the Royal Geographical Society.

The competition was open to all students studying A Level Geography and the task was to interpret and discuss data related to sustainability and climate change related to Cop-26 2021.

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S C I E N C E Biology

By Mr Armstrong, Head of Biology

The events of this 2020-21 academic year caused us to work hard to give our students as full an experience as possible despite the prevailing circumstances. While trips were largely put on hold, we managed to squeeze in our regular visit to Ainsdale sand dunes with the Lower Sixth, allowing them to collect data for one of their A Level required practicals.

We also completed three Olympiad competitions this year, albeit with a smaller number of students. In the prestigious Biology Olympiad with the Upper Sixth, Archie Finter achieved a Silver award and Theo Appleby a Bronze award.

In the Intermediate Biology Olympiad with the Lower Sixth, Gold awards were achieved by Jack Anderson, Varun Singh, Connor McCausland, Callum Byers and Natalie

Hallam. Silver awards were achieved by Ethan Holt, Rosie Baker, Tom Gogerty and Ellie Price, and a Bronze award by Grace Carroll. In the Biology Challenge, George Ayre and Bonnie Lau in Year 10 achieved Gold awards, and Nat Ford and Harrison Brodbelt achieved Silver awards. In these competitions, many other students achieved various levels of commendations.

Several year groups attended ‘pop-up dissection club’. This format allowed year group bubbles to attend over several lunchtimes and complete a rat dissection. It worked so well that we plan to repeat the ‘pop-up’ format next year, rolling it out to several more year groups as we go.

Through this year, we have had the pleasure of Mrs Quinn teaching Biology, covering Mrs Brooks’ maternity leave.

I think I speak for all of her students when I say that we have been privileged to have such a brilliant teacher in the department. We are equally delighted to have Mrs Brooks back with us again and I know that she is looking forward to hitting the ground running in the new academic year.

Senior Research Group and the ‘Big Bang’ competition.

We have four research projects in the pipeline this year and have been disappointed not to be able to compete in the Regional and National Finals as normal due to Covid.

The projects look at the impact of Vaping, Plant diseases, Space Debris and Mars Rocks. Dr Wilson, Miss Crawford, Mr Matthew and Mrs Tharme have learned lots with the students this year!

The Gold Crest Award that these students also apply for, continues to provide evidence of the strength of our Senior students’ ability to do independent research.

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By Mrs Tharme, Teacher of Chemistry and Co-Curricular Co-ordinator

Science Leaders The group of students, from Year 7 to Upper Sixth, embody their motto “Role Models who share their Love of Science”.

Getting the students together has been made difficult under Covid restrictions, but that did not stop this amazing group!

We have had Zoom discussion groups, demonstrations via video and outdoor clubs too. Our Year 10 leaders especially have impressed, they have taken the initiative to plan, demonstrate and lead with Junior Science Club in the last half term. Max Hendry has also helped to video some classic Chemistry demonstrations, and these are available to view on FireFly in the Science Leaders area.

Psycholog y

By Miss Hadley, Head of Psychology

Psychology has continued to be a popular choice to study at A Level this year; a reflection of its relevance to everyday life. Despite the challenges faced during these unprecedented times, our students have remained positive and eager to apply their knowledge of human behaviour.

investigate cognitive functioning and eye movements in early-onset schizophrenia.

We are very much looking forward to another exciting year in the Department in 2021/2022, with new topics, challenges and competitions – kicking off with our in-house True Life Crime conference in October.

In December, Upper Sixth students welcomed neuroscientist, Dr Guy Sutton, for the School’s annual ‘Brain Day’. They explored exciting breakthroughs in the field of neuroscience, with a particular focus on the damaged brain and how abnormalities can result in mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, or even lead to criminality.

Lower Sixth students also made a fantastic effort to support the charity ‘Young Minds’, by hosting a cake sale for the School’s first #HelloYellow event, for World Mental Health Day. Their exceptional baking and persuasive selling techniques proved very fruitful for a charity that’s close to their hearts. In April, two teams of students competed in the National Psychology Competition with Royal Holloway University. They produced some incredible videos and written responses to ‘How Psychology can be used to create a better future’.

A number of students have also taken the opportunity to participate in psychological research with Kingston University, where they completed a range of activities to

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By Mr Robinson Director of Music

Music has felt the full force of the Covid-19 pandemic perhaps more keenly than many other areas of School life, given that the vast majority of our co-curricular activity relies on students from different year groups being able to mix with each other. The imposition of year group bubbles therefore has had a pretty devastating effect on what had been able to take place... in person, at least. However, as they say, the show must go on... and whilst it has certainly not been a ‘normal’ musical year, there have been numerous amazing achievements and some unexpected surprises here and there!

One of the most important areas of departmental life is our programme of instrumental and vocal tuition, and our thanks go to the entire team for the amazing way in which they adapted to the restrictions put in place during the periods of lockdown with lessons being delivered via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Apple FaceTime to hundreds of our students.

We say goodbye and thank you to our cover flute teacher, Miss Jenna Thackray who has been with us since January, and a poignant farewell to singing teacher, Mrs Evgenia Petrenko, who moves to London with her family as her husband, Vasily, takes up the position of Music Director with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra after fifteen highly successful years as Chief Conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. We also send our best wishes and thanks to Mrs Carla Sousa and Mr David Price as they move away from the area.

We welcome to the team a new addition to the percussion staff, Mr Charlie Ashby, who covered a period of drum teaching last year, as well as new singing teacher, Mr Jon Christos. Mr Christos teaches at Trinity College, London, and is an extremely experienced and versatile performer and teacher, and Mr Ashby is an amazing drummer who has performed at the highest level all over the world and has a particular love of Samba music. Watch this space...!

Junior Royal Northern College of Music (JRNCM) We have a long history of our most able musicians spending their Saturdays studying at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester but never before have we had three at the same time. Grace Harvey (cello and voice), Mary Cotton (voice) and Nat Ford (voice) have all been members of the junior conservatoire this past year, both in person and via Zoom, and you can read the thoughts of Grace and Nat below: “I have spent most Saturdays of term time over the past two years at JRNCM in Manchester, where I study Cello and Voice. I leave this year, to go to university, but I have loved my time there and have made countless invaluable friendships with musicians old and young from all over the country. I would recommend auditioning for Junior Conservatoire to all aspiring musicians as there really is a whole world out there which it is easy to miss in traditional education. My only regret is not starting earlier there, so please if you are curious, take a leap of faith.” Grace (Upper Sixth).

“I have thoroughly enjoyed singing from the first lessons I took back in Year 5, and so I was delighted to receive a place at the Junior Royal School of Music in Manchester.

Although Covid has had serious impacts on how we were able to practise and perform music this year, I have still been able to improve myself as a musician. Recently, as term has come to a close, I have recorded several songs with two vocal ensembles that I have been practising in throughout the year. JRNCM on a Saturday has been an uplifting event week in week out and has allowed me to flourish as a musician.” Nat (Year 10).

Above and Beyond – Student Successes

In addition to the wide range of musical experiences offered in School, a growing number of our students are taking advantage of some of the amazing opportunities on offer, both regionally and nationally.

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Early Music as Education (EMAE)

You may have read in this publication over the past few years about the inception and expansion of the local charity, Early Music as Education, in which Birkenhead School students have played leading roles. Founder members, Dionne and Tasmin Lee, Armand Rabot, and Grace Harvey have paved the way for the next generation of young string players to work together in exciting ways with children from all over the region under the inspiring leadership of Dr Alberto Sanna. Tasmin and Grace have continued to play with the EMAE senior ensemble, the Early Music Youth Orchestra.

“A group I’ve been especially passionate about playing in has been EMAE, a baroque orchestra based in Liverpool run by Alberto Sanna. From September last year we have been able to rehearse together, which has led to a performance in December and a residency in the Scottish highlands in July. The musical highlight of my year so far, this residency was the most fulfilling end to music outside of school for me I could imagine, having been one of the first students in EMAE, when is was founded five years ago.

I would not be the same cellist I am today without them, and I wholeheartedly say I owe almost all my musical and instrumental development to them. They took a chance on me when I was just a beginner and gave me opportunities I wouldn’t have been given anywhere else, as a late starter at 14.” Grace Harvey (Upper Sixth)

Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and Choir (LPYO & LPYC)

In addition to gaining her first violin diploma, continuing to play regularly with EMAE, leading the orchestra for Les Misérables, and being appointed the incoming Head of School, Tasmin Lee ARSM has also continued to lead the second violin section of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Year 9 musician, Ben Cuthbertson, has also maintained his commitment to the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir, and you can read a little about how they have both kept very busy during the Covid-19 pandemic below: “The past academic year has been a musically incredible and enriching one for me. Though challenging at times with numerous lockdowns and restrictions, I was fortunately able

“To continue my musical experiences outside of school is something that is really special to me. Two years ago, I was given the opportunity to be a part of the junior ensemble at Early Music as Education, a charity that provides Merseyside students with the chance to play Baroque music authentically as part of an orchestra. This year, one to one lessons with the tutors have allowed me to develop my technical skills on the violin, learning new concepts of intonation, bow control and early stylistic playing that I can then incorporate into pieces at the weekly rehearsals. Whilst the programme this year may have been interrupted by a shift to sessions on Zoom, it has been incredible none the less, and concluded in a fantastic tour to Gairloch in Scotland in July. Here, I was given the opportunity to train with the senior Orchestra and perform in part of a concert, consisting of a programme of music by Purcell, Albinoni, William Corbett and Gregori. I am also currently applying for a place in the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Academy Orchestra.

My memories of making music both with EMAE and in school this past year have been nothing but fulfilling and immensely enjoyable, bringing positivity into what has been strange and uncertain times.” Sophia Campbell (Year 9) “Outside of school, I’m in a programme called EMAE. We play baroque music with a variety of composers. On the 5th of July, we went on a trip to Gairloch, Scotland for a week. Being in the intermediate group, it was such an opportunity to be invited on this trip with the advanced orchestra.

In Gairloch, we went to the museum, swam in the sea on a picturesque beach and even went on a boat trip. We saw puffins, seals, sea urchins, and lots of marine wildlife, especially birds. We did the concert in the community hall, Sophia and I played for the first half, but for the second half, watching the advanced orchestra play was truly inspirational. I enjoy being part of the EMAE programme and it is so beneficial, from the musicianship sessions to the technique or playing with the orchestra.

Being with EMAE has given me more knowledge with baroque music and improved my cello technique and my cello playing in general!” Storm Woodward (Year 7).

to continue with the majority of my extracurricular activities.

This year marked the end of my time with the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Just one term after joining the orchestra, I was leading the 2nd violin section, an honour I’ve had for the past 3 years. A fulfilling experience, it has been a journey on which I made lifelong friends and gained a lot from. This year has also been my 4th year leading the 2nd violin section in a Baroque orchestra, Early Music As Education. We were fortunate enough to travel to Gairloch, Scotland for a week’s residency during the summer, and practised technique, musicianship and had daily orchestra rehearsals. An immensely enjoyable experience, EMAE has provided me with the opportunity to play with young, likeminded individuals, whilst developing my musical knowledge even further. Lastly, one of the greatest opportunities given to me this year was running the Birkenhead School Music

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Department’s Instagram account. It has been a fantastic learning experience that has combined an interest in marketing with my passion for music, and has allowed me to connect with musicians across the school community. I cannot wait for the opportunities the coming year brings!”

Tasmin Lee (Lower Sixth) “Over the past 12 months, despite the strict lockdown restrictions, music has kept me motivated throughout the year. Having been a member of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir since Year 5, rehearsals have continued throughout the pandemic on live video calls before moving to face-to-face rehearsals after May half-term. Over the last month, I have been attending the ‘Cambiata Voices Group’ a collection of RLPYC members with changing/ changed voices, led by local composer & musician, Ian Stephens, with a focus of the transition from a treble voice to a tenor, baritone or bass range. This year’s work culminated last weekend in a performance of various numbers at our Covidfriendly sharing session, located in the great hall of the Liverpool Philharmonic. This included an adapted four-part version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, a Les Miserables medley and You Raise Me Up. Previously at LPYC, we have studied works of John Rutter, Benjamin Britten and attended other events such as the annual Spirit of Christmas concerts.”

Ben Cuthbertson (Year 9)

piece specially commissioned for NCO Online 2021 called NCO On The Move, which premiered online on 1st July.

I am very fortunate to have a place in the EMAE programme. We have weekly rehearsals at Liverpool Parish Church playing early music using a baroque bow.

Through EMAE, I have been able to continue through the lockdowns to make music with other people, something which I love.”

National Ensembles

We are extremely proud of two of our younger musicians, Emily Year 8 and Patrick Year 6, who have been offered places this year in two national youth music organisations: the National Youth Choirs (NYCGB) and National Children’s Orchestras (NCO).

Partrick writes: “In February I took part in an online workshop with Opera North working on the Waltz from the opera, The Merry Widow. It was run by members of the Opera North Education Department and led by members of the Orchestra of Opera North. I am really looking forward to August when I will be spending 4 days with Opera North at their Strings Academy.

I also took part in NCO Online during the summer term.

This involved up to 3 online sessions a week covering lots of different activities such as improvisation, performance and even creating a soundtrack for a Wallace and Grommit scene. It included small group zoom sessions with our tutor, Matthew Lee, sub-Principal Cello with the BBC Concert Orchestra. We worked on a huge NCO multi-track

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Emily writes: “I successfully auditioned for the National Youth Choir of Great Britain in November of last year.

Normally there are two residential courses to attend each year but due to Covid restrictions, it was decided that it wouldn’t be possible to hold a residential course in the spring of this year. Instead I took part in the course remotely via Zoom.

The five day course that took place in April involved music rehearsals, vocal technique sessions, workshops with special guests, musicianship and social activities. A couple of the sessions were run by SK Shlomo who is an awardwinning singer-songwriter, beat-boxer and music producer.

The guest artists also included the performer, composer and conductor Ken Burton who has worked on television programmes such as Songs Of Praise, The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. Choirmaster, Gareth Malone, best known as presenter of the BAFTA award-winning BBC series ‘The Choir’, held a session on the Monday evening too which was really enjoyable.

I am very much looking forward to going on the summer residential course in August which takes place at Rossall School in Lancashire.”

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Goodbye to our Upper Sixth

The sense of loss felt as we say goodbye to our wonderful Upper Sixth form musicians happens every year, but perhaps particularly with this year’s cohort who have given such a huge amount of dedication and commitment to the musical life of the School over many years. They have been a vintage crop, and you can read the thoughts of our three outgoing A Level music students below. We thank them, together with the rest of their quite exceptional year group, for all they have done and wish them the very best for the future.

“I have found Birkenhead Music School to feel like a second home to me; a place which is open for creativity and to shelter when there are outside stresses. Due to the freedom which is given in the Sixth Form and the hours spent working in the recording studio at lunch times, the Music Department helped me find my passion for music composition and production which I will be studying at LIPA from September. I am thankful for the many opportunities it has given me and I am now really looking forward to the future.” Ben Keating “Leaving Birkenhead School is really sad for me, my years here have truly shaped my life and allowed me to discover my love of music. I have fond memories of performing in many school concerts over the years, and of being a member of the Chapel Choir. In November 2019 I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to organise a school Jazz Night, something which provided me with experience in event planning and organisation. During the 2020 summer lockdown I started making multi-instrument videos of famous funk tunes. I have also been involved in the latest two musicals — West Side Story and Les Misérables, and this September I will begin a degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where I’ve been offered a place to study composition.” Ted Ford “Music has been such a big part of my life at School and I have so many fond memories of it going forward into my adult life. It was the Chapel Choir which was my first real involvement in School musical life. Little did I know that it would indeed form most of my life for the next nine years, having joined in Year 5. I am so thankful for both the musical

enrichment that being in the Chapel Choir gave me, knowing many hymns and sacred music by heart, but also the company and friendship that it gave me, nothing as valuable as a group of friends who can be as geeky about music, especially choral, as you can. I feel so lucky to have such a strong sentimental connection to both a group of people but also the Chapel and Music School, where I spent most of my time, and I love knowing that just a visit will bring me back to all the joking in the vestry, whispering in the choir stalls and sleepy carols at the Midnight Eucharist.

When I started learning to play the cello in Year 9 I was also able to be part of the instrumental side of music at the school, playing with the orchestra, and also having the chance to join several quartets and trios. I am so thankful for this experience as nothing brings you closer to another musician than playing in a chamber ensemble with them.

Many of my strong friendships were formed in this way and developed in ensembles that were both inside and outside school.

Of course, it goes without saying that my experience in the musicals at the School really formed me into the musician I am today. Meeting older students who were passionate about music made me excited about music, forming friendships with them and singing with them really establishing music as a core part of my personality and making me learn that music was something to be shared.

Furthermore it was Mrs Howard, a former member of the English faculty, that urged me to start writing songs, something which gave me the confidence to develop as an artist even to this day, hoping to record my first EP this summer.

I am planning to continue my studies in cello at Durham university as well as auditioning for the university orchestra and forming a string quartet or trio. I will try and get involved in choral singing and musical theatre as much as I can, but in particular I am keen to continue writing songs and getting more into the folk scene at university, both folk cello and singing a big passion of mine.” Grace Harvey

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A Virtual Christmas

Christmas was certainly different this year as we embraced the wonders of video editing and the Birkenhead School Music YouTube channel. Four Prep Christmas Celebration Services, a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Christmas Concert, and finally the Christmas Eucharist on Christmas Eve kept us all exceptionally busy. Although not able to make live music, the response to the video content was remarkable, reaching a much wider audience via the internet than is ever possible through live events in Bushell Hall or Chapel.

Each year group in Junior Prep prepared the usual selection of seasonal poetry and songs, and these were recorded in Chapel and then stitched together and given a YouTube ‘premiere’ during the final week of term.

Each class performed their own poem, and the pupils were spread out in the now all-too-familiar ‘diamond configuration’ to sing safely within Covid guidelines.

The Christmas Concert was another huge success, with a range of performances from a socially distanced Prep Orchestra – recorded in separate year group bubbles, the combined voices of Years 3-6 (with cello soloist), and even the entire Year 8 playing ukuleles! In addition, there were contributions from Prep soloists, the massed upper strings, Year 6 Flute Ensemble, Year 7 and 8 members of Senior Choir, Year 8 Bubble Band, Year 9 Piano Trio and Bubble Band, Year 10 Horn Ensemble, Piano Duo, and Oboe Duo, Year 11 Brass Trio and Vocal Ensemble, Sixth Form Choir, a Prep/Seniors String Duo, and a beautiful performance from Year 2 pupil, Anya Petrenko singing a Russian Christmas song with her mother! The concert finished with more from the Sixth Form Choir, the Sixth Form Saxophone Quartet (plus Henry!), a wonderful duet

from Soyra Bhagwat and OB sister, Mallika, and the grand finale: staff and students from across the whole campus joining together in Sir Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime! The video is still available to watch on YouTube if you missed it!

Our flagship ensemble, the Chapel Choir, was hit particularly hard by the need to keep students within year group bubbles, but that didn’t stop us from celebrating Christmas in Chapel. This year’s Nine Lessons and Carols was recorded separately in year groups, with the wonderful Sixth Form Choir taking the lead. Once they had recorded a carol, as many other years as possible recorded their voices singing in time with the Sixth Form, with these being mixed together as part of the (lengthy!) editing process. The different format this year did allow for one lovely ‘extra’ — the massed voices of Years 3-6 sang Away in a manger as Father Mark blessed the crib, together with a beautiful cello solo from Patrick MulveyFanneran.

The same format was used for the traditional Christmas Eucharist, which went ‘live’ on the Birkenhead School Music YouTube channel shortly after 11pm on Christmas Eve. One of the surprising positives to come out of the last challenging period has been the feedback from Old Birkonians and friends of the School who no longer live locally. The two main Christmas services, together with the Christmas Concert have been watched over 2,500 views on YouTube, with lovely comments being received from OBs as far away as Germany and Canada. As a direct result of this, we are having cameras and streaming technology installed in Chapel over this summer break to allow us to record, edit, and hopefully even livestream future services and events. Watch this space for further exciting developments!

Staff and students all joined in for the Christmas Concert.

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Festival of Music In these challenging times, a normal Festival of Music was impossible and so this year our celebration moved online and both students and staff were invited to submit performances which were then added to the Music YouTube channel.

Wednesday 11 November

We were absolutely delighted with the response, with students from Year 2 to Upper Sixth taking part, together with a terrific number of our talented team of music teachers. As a result, the festival week was extended to a fortnight, and you can still enjoy the performances by visiting the Co-curricular Music section of Firefly. Our huge thanks to all who recorded performances and made this year's festival such a wonderful success.

We also had several more brave students who submitted recordings, including a selection of original tracks from Ben Keating, plus videos from Han Khoo (Year 10), Seb Richmond (Year 9), and Patrick Mulvey-Fanneran (Year 6).

Sunday 8 November On Friday 6th November, our Sixth Form Choir recorded a service of Choral Evensong for Remembrance Sunday, which was broadcast on Sunday evening. The music sung includes a brand new setting by our very own Ted Ford of Laurence Binyon's poignant words, “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.”

Monday 9 November Monday’s staff performances were submitted by two of our visiting music tutors: piano teacher, Miss Bell and saxophone teacher, Mr Fazakerley. Miss Bell played Debussy's beautiful Arabesque No. 1, and Mr Fazakerley was the saxophone soloist in a gorgeous performance of Imagine by the Band of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment. The first student performances of the week were submitted by Ted Ford (on one of his YouTube channels), Sam Gregory, and brothers, Ralph and Alistair Burgess.

Tuesday 10 November Two more excellent staff offerings were published on Tuesday in the form of some beautiful Corelli from Mrs Coleman and Mr Barton, and a pointer in the direction of guitar teacher, Mr Gaskell’s YouTube channel, where he posts an eclectic mix of recordings, covers, and original material.

The featured track from Mr Gaskell is based on a piece of art by Southport based artist, John Corcoran, entitled Liverpool Waterfront, and is an original composition played on a nylon strung guitar.

The music is named Memories of Loch Etive and was put together on holiday one Summer whilst staying in a crofters cottage on the banks of Loch Etive, Scotland. Please do explore more of Mr Gaskell's music via his YouTube channel – well worth a visit!

Our Infants music teacher, Mr Shannon, played and sang a song from The Greatest Showman, and horn teacher, Mr Gibson, performed the beautiful Nocturno by Franz Strauss.

Thursday 12 November Two more staff offerings appeared on Thursday, with a beautiful performance of Eva Cassidy's version of Over the Rainbow by our violin and viola teacher, Mr Glossop, and Panis Angelicus from Mrs Keating and her daughter, Emily. You can hear much more from Mr Glossop by visiting his website and YouTube channel: https://mattglossop.com Even more fantastic student performances came from the mighty Year 10 bubble band (!), Gene (Year 5) & Miles (Year 3) Coleman, and Anthony MulveyFanneran (Year 4).

Friday 13 November Our Friday playlist began with a couple of duets from Year 11 trumpeter, Tom Molloy, and his teacher, Miss Baker, and was followed by Soyra Bhagwat (Lower Sixth), who sent in a beautiful video of her singing Fauré’s Clair de Lune (not the more famous Debussy piano piece of the same name), with Mrs Petrenko playing piano. Sophia Campbell (Year 9) sent in a terrific performance, and Grace Harvey and Ted Ford had already submitted videos earlier in the week in other musical styles, but showed their versatility by sending in yet more!

With the week coming to a close, we had two compilation videos of yet more students who managed to get performances recorded and sent in. Performances were by Olivia Parfect (Year 7), Alice Khoo (Year 7), Han Khoo (Year 10), Jemima Blair (Year 7), Ava Noor (Year 8), and Jack Vicars (Year 8), Anya Petrenko (Year 2, and the youngest performer of the week!), Holly (Year 6), Samuel (Year 3), Alice Jones (Year 3), Thomas Huxley (Year 5), and Jake Thistlewood (Year 4).

And finally... a light-hearted end to a busy week came from Mr Robinson, with a little something he felt inspired to write when (at a time without Lockdown!) he spotted an inquisitive badger whilst on holiday in the Lake District!

In addition, there were further student performances from Sixth Form musicians, Grace Harvey and Tasmin Lee, Year 9 pianist Leo Sampson, and Year 8 vocalist Jack Vicars.

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Music 2020-21

continued

Individual achievements

Festival Extra!

Though the original plan was for a week of performances, the recordings just kept coming in, and so the following week started with flute teacher, Mrs Sousa, playing a piece called Sunstreams by Ian Clarke. There were further staff performances from cello teacher, Mrs Dennerly, and three more songs from Mr Shannon.

Our last student submissions began with our Sixth Form Saxophone Quartet, playing Ain't misbehavin', followed by lyrical piano playing by Head of School, Lizzy Hyatt. The very last word went to our wonderful Prep pupils, with a compilation of fantastic performances sent in by Hannah Washington (Year 4), Eliza Robertson (Year 2), Nathaniel Glascott-Tull (Year 5), Scarlett Lloyd (Year 6), Cayden Barker (Year 4), Lloyd Owen-Jones (Year 6), Imogen Holmes (Year 6), Anthony Mulvey-Fanneran (Year 4), and Patrick Mulvey-Fanneran (Year 6).

Alumni news

Our congratulations to Alexander Van Ingen OB who, after three years as Chief Executive of leading baroque orchestra, the Academy of Ancient Music, took over as Chief Executive of the London-based Philharmonia Orchestra in September 2020. Prior to his work in Cambridge with AAM he was an Executive Producer and A&R lead at Decca Classics for five years, working with artists including Daniel Barenboim, Nicola Benedetti, Janine Jansen and Leonidas Kavakos.

After originally being offered a place to study composition, Armand Rabot OB is currently a second-year undergraduate vocal student at the Royal Northern College of Music studying under Quentin Hayes. Armand recently won the prestigious Junior Kathleen Ferrier Bursary award and last summer was highly commended in the Elsie Thurston Prize. He has also recently won the Charles Wood Junior Song Competition and the Junior Charles Wood Song Prize and placed second in the inaugural Flat Pack Music Opera Competition.

Finally, it is with immense sadness that we report the death of Sir Graham Vick CBE OB, who passed away from Covid-19 complications on 17 July 2021. Sir Graham was the Artistic Director of Birmingham Opera Company, and had worked extensively in the world’s major opera houses with the world’s leading conductors, including Muti, Levine, Haitink, Gergiev, Runnicles, Ozawa and Mehta. After receiving his CBE some years ago he was knighted in the 2021 New Year’s Honours list. Some further interesting background from the Old Birkonian Society: “Graham entered Birkenhead School from Well Lane Primary.

He studied singing and conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester but dropped out of the course after two years although in later years he returned and held an international chair in opera. He joined Scottish Opera to run their Opera Go Round offshoot taking small scale performances to remote parts of the country before being appointed Director of Operations in 1984 for three

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The Chapel Choir Prefect for the next academic year is Mary Cotton, Co-Cantors will be Soyra Bhagwat and Samuel Jones, and Librarian is Natasha Keeling. The new Senior Musicians, awarded to our leading Upper Sixth form musicians, are Soyra Bhagwat (voice), Tasmin Lee (strings), Natasha Keeling (brass) and Edward Wells (woodwind).

They will help to lead the rebuilding of the co-curricular programme in September.

Exam update

This year’s high flyers, reaching the heights of Grade 8, are Grace Harvey (cello, with Distinction), Simon Lawrence (flute), David Turner (tenor saxophone), Beth Hitchen (pop vocals), and Sam Gregory Y10 (oboe). Sam’s achievement, with Distinction, was also his second Grade 8 after he passed his Grade 8 piano two years ago! Going even further were Elizabeth Hyatt (piano) and Tasmin Lee (violin), both of whom gained their ARSM Diploma and with it the elusive Full Colours in Music with Distinction. Congratulations to all students who passed exams this year.

years. Following his vision of connecting opera with the community he co-founded the City of Birmingham Touring Opera which eventually became the Birmingham Opera Company. In 1994 he joined Glyndebourne leaving in 2000.

Outside Britain he directed at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, but he mainly enjoyed working in Italy including La Scala, Milan. He was fluent in Italian.

He has been described as a brilliant but provocative opera director who took the art form into uncharted territory. He was knighted in the 2021 New Year’s Honours’ List.”

Did you know that the Music Department is on Social Media?

You can follow them on YouTube: /BSMusicSchool You can follow them on Facebook: /birkenheadschoolmusic You can follow them on Instagram: birkenheadschoolmusic You can follow them on Twitter: @BSMusicSchool

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Continued Support for School Sport The teams at Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot have shown their continued support to the sports department at Birkenhead School.

Bridging Finance Solutions have donated cricket covers to help protect two of the School's three cricket squares, preparing and maintaining the pitches to the highest standards. Quilter Cheviot have donated county standard cricket screens and a new electronic netball scoreboard and continue their long support of the School.

The sponsorship from Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot has allowed the School to build on an already excellent sports provision by allowing further enhancements to the facilities and kit offered to students, supporting the School's vision for sport moving forward.

Keith Fowles, Director of Sport, commented: "Sport is a fundamental aspect of School life at Birkenhead School and an area in which we look to continue to invest and grow with future plans including the development of a new Sports Hall.

This year's sponsorship from Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot has been invested in cricket equipment, enhancing the playing time and game conditions for our students in both Prep and Seniors. In addition we have also

purchased a new electronic netball scoreboard that has been placed in the Sports Hall over the summer.”

“As a leading independent school, we want to offer the best sports facilities in the area to our students to help them develop as athletes. We are extremely grateful to both companies for their continued support and shared vision for excellence."

Steve Barber, Managing Director at Bridging Finance Solutions added: “We’re pleased to be able to support the school and the sports department – cricket is an important part of the school’s sporting tradition and we’re keen to help preserve this. We look forward to some exciting games across all school years in the months ahead!”

Nigel Hibbert, Executive Director and Head of Liverpool Office, at Quilter Cheviot comments, “On behalf of the Quilter Cheviot Liverpool office, I am thrilled to be continuing our support of Birkenhead School again this year. We have had a relationship for a number of years, working together on career initiatives, supporting the school’s sports programme, and this year we launched financial education workshops for sixth form students to help them prepare for life after school.

I, and my team, wish all students at Birkenhead a very successful academic year ahead.”

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A Ye a r o f S p o r t

By Mr Fowles, Director of Sport

2020-21 Sports Captains.

As I reflect on the last 18 months of the pandemic and the 2020-21 academic year and a successful Birkonian week involving Sports Awards Evening, Sports Day, Senior Fun Sport Day and Sixth Form Sports BBQ, I feel proud of our community and the way we have worked together to overcome so many challenges.

As a School we have seen students, parents and colleagues pulling together to offer our students as many opportunities as we could, while still keeping ourselves safe and following guidance.

We ran remote Focus Sport clubs online during lockdown, we had Mr Hendry’s Fitness-at-Home workouts and challenges and as soon as we were allowed, we offered Saturday training and Birkonian bubble fixtures. During the summer term we were then allowed to play competitive Rounders, Tennis, and Cricket and also offered some Netball and Rugby legacy fixtures for Senior students against other schools.

Throughout the year, we have been able to further improve our facilities. We have partnered with Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot who have supported the purchase of new cricket covers, sight screens and an electronic netball scoreboard. The cricket nets at McAllester Field have also been refurbished and improved as part of our continued investment. We now have Netball and Cricket facilities the envy of our neighbours.

We have had great team and individual success for our students in a range of sports. Students have played at District, County, Academy and National levels in our Focus Sports, and also achieved success in our Representative Sports. I would like to wish Matthew Corran every success in his new adventure as a professional football player for Wigan. He is a big loss to both our Rugby and Cricket programmes but what an opportunity — good luck Matthew!

The sports department and I are already excited and planning and confirming arrangements for the next academic year. I hope you enjoy reading our other sporting stories, I look forward to even more success next academic year!

Northern Region Winners and great success in the Nationals

By Mr Pillow It was a very successful year for our young and talented golf team, who reached the National Finals of the Independent Schools Golf Association Trophy. Their journey to this prestigious event saw them beating Merchant Taylor’s at Formby Hall, before a trip to the beautiful Cumbrian countryside, where they defeated Sedbergh and Scarborough to become regional champions! All matches were scratch games (no handicaps) and they were often up against older and more experienced players, which made this feat even more impressive. The National Finals beckoned at Worsley Park in Manchester, where we faced some of the top Independent Schools in the UK. With an incredible standard of golf on show across the course, a gallant effort from Cameron Walker, Spencer Davies and William Ward ensured that we more than held our own, eventually finishing 9th out of 18 schools. The boys can be extremely proud of themselves, and with youth on our side, I am looking forward to further successes in the coming years.

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Cricket

By Mr Lindberg After the loss of the 2020 season, it was a relief when the ‘safety police’ finally relented and allowed the students to participate in competitive school sport once again. Despite a very wet May, and the loss of the annual cricket festival (sadly some restrictions still in place), we managed to play 13 fixtures, with just two rain affected. The team was primarily made up of Sixth Formers (though talented youngsters, Oscar Jennings (U15), James Coghlan and Louis Hursthouse (both U14) came in for the 20:20 cup fixtures and/or the Marylebone Cricket Club game) and an excellent collective spirit was displayed throughout the season; enabling us to win three tight games from seemingly losing positions.

The overall profile of seven wins, three defeats and three draws, earned against strong opposition, is a reward for the determination and commitment shown by the players.

In addition, it was pleasing to have a competitive 2nd xi, in which Bradley Thrikawala, Jamie Price, Jack Anderson, Matthew Corran, Ethan Bryers and Thomas Gogerty all made notable contributions, particularly in securing victories over King’s Macclesfield and Cheadle Hulme.

After defeating King’s School, Chester (David Turner 79 n.o.) and Wirral Grammar School (Mason 5 for 7), our run in the National 20:20 competition was ended (for the 5th season in succession) by the ‘immoveable object’ that is Sedbergh School (National finalists once again). The momentum of comfortable wins over Newcastle UL (Horrocks 99 and Wild 71; 3 wickets for Mason and Othick) and Kirkham ((Rutherford 65; Mason 4 for 2; Turner 3 for 7) was halted by poor weather (Manchester Grammar School game cancelled and the Lancaster Grammar School rained off) and a mid-season break for assessments.

On resumption, two narrow victories were secured against St. Anselm’s (Rutherford 60, Bradley 56 n.o. and Wild 50

n.o.) and King’s Macclesfield (Parker-Goff 49 and Webster 3 for 18) respectively, prior to a draw against the usual, very strong Marylebone Cricket Club. side (Rutherford 105 n.o. and Mason 2 for 19), led by ‘Old Boy’ Simon Stokes. A below par performance against Cheadle (Hursthouse 46 and 3 for 28; Coghlan 2 for 33) resulted in a heavy defeat and rain intervened in the match against Calday (Rutherford 65; Wild 56; Kumar 3 wickets). A disciplined, tenacious effort in the field enabled us to bowl a strong Bolton School out for 97 (Mason 4 for 22; Wild 2 for 15), when only defending 115, before former student, and North of England U18 performer, Seb Botes (102 n.o. and 3 wickets) proved too good for us in the last match versus Wirral Grammar School (Parker-Goff 73 n.o.; Webster 2 for 15).

Andrew Rutherford finished as the leading batsman (450 runs), with his exceptional 105 n.o. versus the M.C.C. the undoubted highlight. This achievement has earned him a trip to Lords and kit supplier ‘Gray Nicholls’ presented him with a ‘top of the range’ bat. Meanwhile, bowler Louis Mason had an outstanding season, taking 27 wickets (the most for many years) at an average of 11.9. In addition, left-arm U17 bowler, Rebecca Othick, represented Cheshire. Captain Henry Wild made a strong, all-round contribution and managed the squad very capably, both on and off the field. Thanks go to Mr Walker for his coaching and enthusiastic support throughout the season, Mr Fowles for organising fixtures, umpires, minibuses, teas, etc. and the team of grounds staff, who keep the pitch and surroundings in such great condition (so many of the umpires tell me it is their favourite school ground).

All cricket A-teams reached at least the Quarter-Final stage of the Cheshire County Cup knock-out competition and our U14 team reached the Final.

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The Cricketer Magazine editor Simon Hughes said: “This year’s Schools Guide is particularly important in showcasing our schools who have kept the game alive through a very challenging summer. Whether it has been remote video sessions, drills in the garden or even Zoom quizzes, schools cricket has emerged resolutely from this pandemic and the appetite to get back out on the playing fields is palpable.

“There should be deserved praise for all the teachers, coaches and volunteers who have put in so much hard work, in the most difficult of circumstances, to preserve a love of the game among the next generation.”

Cricketer Magazine We were delighted to be featured in the The Cricketer Magazine Schools Guide 2021. The guide celebrates the top 100 senior, the top 50 prep/junior, and for the first time, the top 20 all-girls’ schools.

The guide involves an exhaustive process which saw a record number of schools submit entries to be included in the guide, despite the ongoing pandemic. All entries were judged against an extensive set of criteria, which included a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixture programmes and coaching.

Netball

By Miss Gilbride During this academic year, we have witnessed some netball highs and lows. It has been a frustrating netball season with only our junior ‘A’ teams getting to play one competitive match due to Covid regulations. That being said, it did not stop the netball spirit at Birkenhead School, for all years and genders.

Rugby challenged the first VII Netball on the court, with the girls taking an impressive 16-8 win on the day. Looking for revenge, the Upper Sixth boys braved the Upper Sixth girls to a rematch. The girls remained on top (just about) with a 13-12 win. The final Sixth Form Netball game of the season saw the Lower Sixth boys and girls battle it out on the court.

Let’s just say the boys have a little more work to do for next year… well done to all involved!

The students experienced netball practice on a weekly basis in their year group bubbles. This consisted of competitive relays, netball skills and team games. We then held a Super Saturday once a half term for all the players to come in and play bubble netball at a competitive level. There was a Netball Christmas Special where all teams had to get in the Christmas Spirit, played some fun netball and de-iced with some cookies and hot chocolate.

Sixth Form netball was a show stopper this year, with both boys and girls getting involved in some Netball and Rugby. We set up a number of Netball/Rugby sessions on Saturday mornings that both students and staff thoroughly enjoyed. We had a Christmas special where the first XV

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Orienteering

Medals were awarded for the School Championships and some of the students also achieved their North West orienteering yellow award medals. This award scheme recognises the progression of orienteers through courses of increasing technical difficulty.

By Mrs Barnes

Senior School Orienteering Club This academic year, the Orienteering Club met weekly for after school training sessions on the School site and in Birkenhead Park. The students all enjoyed using the new updated maps of the main school site and of Mac fields.

With all interschool events cancelled due to Covid, we instead staged three of our own intra-school competitions.

Approximately 20 students took part in the first event at Eastham Park on Saturday 3rd October. Students used the ‘MapRunF’ app on their phones to record their results.

MapRunF provides GPS based punching and timing for orienteering courses. One year 7 student commented, "It's like Pokémon Go without the monsters!". The app provides instant feedback with a personal result and a leader board screen. Emily Pownall, Year 10, was the winning student on the yellow course and Aden Husseyn, Upper Sixth, won the more technical light green course.

British Orienteering Young Leader Award Year 10 students Isla Barnes, Emily Pownall, Bonnie Lau, Anna Leuf Nichols, George Ayre, Henry Christian, Hrithik Muhuputra and Jacob Williams all achieved the ‘British Orienteering Young Leaders Award’. This award aims to encourage students to undertake an involvement in sports leadership and volunteering that will hopefully continue later in life. Through the course the students improved their own orienteering skills and then learnt how to work with younger students to teach them the basics of orienteering.

The second event, which was held in Arrowe Park on the 24th April, was attended by 28 students. Everyone manged to complete the long and technical course and they all came back smiling! The course was won by Isla Barnes, with George Ayre and Henry Christian in very close joint second place.

The final event of the school year was the Birkenhead School Orienteering Championships, which was held in Birkenhead Park on Monday 14th June. Twenty-two students competed enthusiastically and tried their best to find all the checkpoints in the fastest possible time. The winning students were, Year 10 – Isla Barnes and Jacob Williams, Year 9 – Seb Richmond, Year 8 – Michelle Liang, Conrad Baker and Murray Cowan, Year 7 – Harry Holden and Erin McCausland.

After achieving the award, the students helped to set up a Prep Orienteering Club. Some of the students used the award to complete the volunteering section of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.

Prep (Year 6) Orienteering Club The after-school course was regularly attended by thirteen pupils from Prep. They all enjoyed competing on short courses around the School site and learning how to read a map and use a compass. All thirteen students achieved their Northwest Orienteering White Award medals. We finished the term with a highly competitive whole year group orienteering competition held on the school grounds.

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Re f l e c t i o n s o n t h e Ye a r & S i x t h Fo r m

By Ms Smeaton, Head of Sixth Form

As yet another academic year draws to a close, I find myself with a moment to reflect on what has been an extraordinary twelve months. As I said in my speech at this year’s Leavers’ Chapel Service, it’s safe to say that Birkenhead School has had to endure its fair share of challenges since its foundation one hundred and sixty-one years ago.

Common to them all, however, is the compassion, courage and resilience that our school community demonstrates in the face of adversity. As I look back on this year in particular, therefore, there continues to be much to celebrate, and much about which our students can feel justifiably proud.

In early October, led by our Head of Psychology, Miss Hadley, and her A Level students, we supported the Young Minds #HelloYellow event in aid of World Mental Health Day. The Sixth Form atrium was festooned with citrus yellow bunting and balloons, and students took the opportunity to don their favourite yellow accessories. The bake sale proved a huge success and, within minutes, only the aroma of freshly baked cookies and cupcakes remained and, most importantly, we had raised funds for a really worthwhile cause.

At the end of the same month, an intrepid group of Upper Sixth students set off on their Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition. Restrictions meant that travel was limited but, as the ever-positive Mr Hill observed, it afforded our students a unique experience to see their home region from an entirely new perspective.

Fast forward a few weeks and our Sixth Form students were to be found filling washbags with much needed toiletries for the homeless, through the Charles Thompson Mission. The brainchild of two members of our Upper Sixth, the venture is yet another example of the generosity of spirit shown by our students, and by the School community as a whole.

It was with heavy hearts that the cast and crew of Les Misérables left Bushell Hall on Sunday 22 March 2020, sad in the knowledge that, just a few days before the opening night, the production would not be going ahead as scheduled. However, the Headmaster gave us his assurance that the show would go on when circumstances allowed and, true to his word, in April this year, rehearsals once again resumed. A flurry of emails was dispatched to cast members, including the (now) Old Birkonians involved and, before long, the tinkling of the ivories and the dulcet tones of our Director could once more be heard drifting across the campus. Whilst I look back fondly on every production in which I’ve ever played a part, and never cease to be amazed by the talent of our students, I know, without doubt, that this production in particular will live long in the memory.

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Of course, the opportunities mentioned thus far represent a mere handful. The Nicholls Lecture Series, curtailed somewhat this year, still included a number of inspiring guest speakers, such as orthopaedic surgeon, Andrew Taylor, John Barnes MBE and Admiral Sir Philip Jones, OB, to name just three. Our Beyond the Curriculum programme has featured courses in baking, ceramics & textiles, digital multi-media and film studies, whilst the Advanced Tutorial Groups in Science and the Humanities have sought to challenge intellectually those looking to apply to the most competitive university courses.

In June, Lower Sixth Formers attended our annual Futures Conference, during which they covered such important topics as university and career choices, and creating a competitive application. The event builds on the Futures programme we launched at the start of this academic year and is part of the ongoing support our students receive here.

Indeed, it’s fair to say that June was a rather busy month, highlights of which include a fun-filled and adrenalin-fuelled excursion to Alton Towers, and a fancy dress and inflatable obstacle course extravaganza, both of which formed just part of the celebrations to mark our Upper Sixth students’ final weeks at school.

And at this point, it would be remiss of me not to say a few words about our leavers. I make no secret of the fact that I consider it a privilege to be Head of Sixth Form, and no more so than during the last two years. This year group has shown, in abundance, those qualities that make me so proud to have been their Head of Year, and it is with more than a tinge of sadness that I pen this farewell to them now, therefore.

For the Upper Sixth, the summer of 2021 marks a milestone in their lives: a fifteen-year relationship for some, for others, a mere two. Yet they have all contributed to the life of the School in some way, and we are richer for their having been here. They step into an uncertain world, but, as they embark on the next exciting stage of their journey, I hope it is with a certain fondness that they look back upon their time with us.

Life-long friendships and memories have been forged and, in the same way that they will keep in touch with one another, I like to think they will want to keep in touch with us too.

As I bring this to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues and our parents, for the support and kindness they have shown to the School, and to me, this year. I wish all our Sixth Form families a happy and healthy summer and I look forward to seeing them again soon.

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Medical Students presented with personalised s t e t h o s c o p e s c o u r t e s y o f Pe t e r Pe n n i n g t o n O B Last year’s leavers returned to the School in the Michaelmas term to collect their gift of a personally engraved stethoscope to help them on their way as they begin their courses.

We send our grateful thanks to Peter Pennington OB for donating the stethoscopes for many years, a wonderful offer that has been most appreciated. Peter's involvement stemmed from wanting to encourage new medics and show his appreciation to the medical community following treatment that he had received.

for giving up their time for the session that was extremely valuable. We wish them all the best in the studies and hope to see them again at School in the near future.

The School is very proud of the number of our students who pursue a medical profession and we look forward to presenting the 2021 Leavers during the forthcoming year.

2020 Medics John Nguyen - Newcastle University Shivank Sharma - University of Birmingham Toby Brown - University of Oxford Alex Herod - University of Birmingham While at School they were also kind enough to attend an Upper Sixth Beyond the Curriculum session and answered questions and gave helpful advice to the next year of students who will soon be applying to go on to further study. They were questioned on how difficult the application process was, what were expected interview questions, and what to put in personal statements. Thank you to the leavers

Ed Mahoney who left in 2019 and is currently at University College London, was unable to attend his cohort’s presentation returned to be presented with his stethoscope in 2020.

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Futures - Careers Upper Sixth destined for great futures

will be at my fingertips with the Emirates Stadium only 20 minutes’ walk away from Whitechapel Campus.”

The strength of character, determination to succeed and consistent perseverance of our Upper Sixth students during what has been probably the most testing period of their lives, has shown remarkable rewards by the excellent degree and apprenticeship offers they have received.

Three Oxbridge offers, four medicine and two dentistry, are part of a cohort that sees over 70 per cent looking forward to starting degrees at Russell Group universities in the next academic year.

The range of interests and courses is also quite staggering for a group of 57 students. From Marine Biology to Physiotherapy, Fine Art to Building Surveying, plus a number wishing to progress into Business Management, Economics and Engineering. Along with university places, Louis Mason has accepted a degree apprentice position at Microsoft.

This comes after interviews and offers from several major companies, including IBM and Bentley, where Louis was subject to intensive applications processes which involved several rounds of testing and interviews. Louis has worked extremely hard throughout the whole process. Graham Felton has also obtained a degree apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying with Liverpool engineering firm, HE Simm. We offer our congratulations to both Louis and Graham.

Of our aspiring medics, Luca Infante said of the application process and choosing Queen Mary University of London: “I approached virtual open days open minded but knowing I preferred courses with an integrated curriculum with early clinical experience. Barts open day was brilliant: complete and perfectly organised, with medical students’ participation, a virtual tour of the facilities and even a session on the 5th choice. I researched further and made it my first UCAS choice not because of rankings but core values: diversity, strong sense of community, medical specific societies and outreach activities and possibly one of the challenging catchment areas with its diverse and complex mix of ethnicities and health issues. Last but not least, London

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Futures Prog ramme We are very proud to see students who have found creative passions through study and co-curricular opportunities, such as Sonny Boardman who has been offered a place at LIPA to study Acting, and Ted Ford who will read Music Composition at the Royal Northern College of Music. Ted said, “I’ve enjoyed creating new melodies and harmonies on the piano for a long time, but for GCSE and then A-level Music I had to work on original compositions for the first time.

I discovered a great fascination for musical composition.

When I was looking at university options, I realised that my passion was for music, and I wanted to pursue this.

After a lot of consideration and many conversations with my music teachers, I came to the conclusion that a course in composition at a conservatoire would suit my skills and interests better than a formal university music degree. The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester is one of the best conservatoires in the country and is located in a great area for musicians, so applying there felt very natural. I’m very much looking forward to starting there in September.”

Durham, currently ranked 7th in the UK University Rankings, is a popular choice for many, with three students having this university at the top of their list. Their subjects include to read History, English and Philosophy, and Engineering, which Head of School, Elizabeth Hyatt, has chosen as her future pathway. Elizabeth said, “In 2017 I had the most incredible experience on the Mission to Mars STEM trip to the Johnson Space Centre. By this time, I had a firm foundation in my love of all things science and engineering. This resulted from taking part in the weekly school Science Club experiments and led me to give a speech to an audience including Major Sir Tim Peake at the University of York about the School’s involvement in space sciences and astronomy. When I started to look at applying to university, general engineering was the obvious route. The collegiate system and small city of Durham, in proximity of other major cities, was the perfect fit, and I am very much looking forward to going there later this year. For me, the strong course reputation was a key factor, but also the wide range of sports and music opportunities the university offers is a very exciting prospect.”

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Futures Prog ramme Congratulations to those who have received Oxbridge offers, including Rohan Singhal who will be going to Cambridge to study Medicine. Andrew Rutherford is also set for Cambridge to study Land Economy, saying, “I am really excited to have this offer. Land Economy caught my eye because of its unique combination of Law and Economics, and how applicable the degree is to the real world.” Destined for Oxford to study Economics and Management, Deputy Head of School, David Turner, said of his experience in choosing the subject: “I first started seriously looking at what I wanted to study at university after my GCSEs. That summer, I spent some time reading and a lot of that time was spent with a focus on economics because that was going to be a new subject for me at A Level. I had some interest in economics already which is why I chose the subject at A Level but that reading made me realise that Economics was something I wanted to study beyond school and I began looking at courses that involved the subject. I decided upon Economics and Management at the same time I decided I wanted to apply to Oxford. I thought the addition of management to the course was a great balance to the economics and was something that I thought could be helpful when thinking about my career. I chose Oxford partly because of the course and partly because I thought it would be a great place to study. I’d been a couple of times before and I had loved the beauty of the place but I also knew that it would be one of the best places for me to learn in great detail about what I was interested in whilst also setting me up well for a career.”

Among a significant number of students who have chosen courses relating to Business and Economics, Aden Husseyn is hoping to go to Warwick to study MORSE, which is Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics. The MORSE programmes are Mathematics degree courses which integrate the study of pure mathematics and statistics with their applications to economics, finance and management, all core skills required in modern business analytics. Meanwhile, humanities subjects are also popular, with Deputy Head of School, Amelia Sowerby, looking to move to the capital to read History at UCL. Amelia said, “I have chosen to study History as my degree as it will give me the opportunity to study over 5000 years’-worth of historical topics, from different countries and continents across the world. It will also allow me to have some flexi-modules, to give me the chance to further my skills and knowledge in other subjects, from languages to economics, as part of my degree! School was extremely helpful in reach my decision about where and what I wanted to study, providing information and guidance over different course structures, places and future career options that I could explore.”

We are very proud of all of our 2021 leavers who have worked tirelessly to achieve their goals, and whichever path they have chosen now, or in the future, we wish them every success and happiness.

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Careers Advice for All Your future is in your hands — Students were able to gain valuable careers knowledge via virtual opportunities.

This year the Futures team have been promoting careers activities and have taken advantage of the range of online resources available to showcase to students. While students were away from the School site during lockdown they were able to explore the wider world of work and Higher Education and kept informed of the latest opportunities.

National Apprenticeship Week in February offered a chance for students and parents to find out more about the growing range of apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships on offer. Apprenticeships are becoming a competitive alternative to university for students who are keen to explore the options of having their course paid for by employers and being given a wage, studying for a valued qualification, gaining important work experience skills, and often being offered a job at the end of the course.

Our current students were invited to speak to some of our recent leavers who have gone on to study apprenticeships.

Via an online forum, students met 2020 leavers Mairead Anderson, who is currently a Digital Marketing Degree Apprentice at the BBC, Austin Dalby, who is studying for a BSc in Construction Management at Redrow, and George McCann, who is studying Accountancy at Bertram Burrows.

The group discussed the application process and what the students can expect, the differences between apprenticeships and university, and how much they are enjoying working, meeting new people, and earning a wage.

Mairead said, “It’s definitely a big step to leave school and go into a working environment where you are completely self-reliant, but it’s also very rewarding and a great option for anyone looking to gain valuable experience and a change from full-time education.” Austin added, “I chose an

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apprenticeship over university as I learn best from being in a structured environment and getting hands on learning and experience whilst creating a network of people in your industry. Moreover, I finish my degree faster than I would if I did a full-time degree and come out with no student debt.”

The week also included tasks for the students to complete via a dedicated Firefly page, which is still available and can be accessed at any time. The tasks ranged from videos on the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers, an activity pack to help students understand what apprenticeships are and what opportunities are available, and profiles of our recent leavers with helpful hints and tips on applying.

National Careers Week followed in March where students were offered the opportunity to explore a range of digital resources to help discover their potential career path or what their next area of study might be following school.

Featured items included the NCW Virtual Careers Fair, where students could find out more about employers such as the BBC, Virgin, NHS, Accenture, Natwest, Siemens, GSK, PwC, O2, BAE, and many more. There were also links to explore job profiles with BBC Bitesize and First Careers where students could get behind the scenes access to lots of different professions and hear interviews from those doing the jobs about what they are like.

Students could also take the ‘Jobs Personality Quiz’ to find out their personality traits and what jobs may suit them, along with a ‘Skills Builder Benchmark’ helpful selfassessment tool to discover their essential skills strengths and potential areas for improvement.

There was also a bespoke parent guide available providing information for parents to help their children make the right choices for successful futures following school, information about options including university and apprenticeship guidance, super curricular activities, and the latest virtual work experience opportunities to explore.

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A d v a n c e d Tu t o r i a l G r o u p s

By Andrew Rutherford, Upper Sixth student (Studying Land Economy at Selwyn College, Cambridge, from September)

At the beginning of Lower Sixth those wishing to apply to some of the most competitive University courses attended the Advanced Tutorial Group, run by Mr Turner. These included those applying to Oxbridge, Warwick, London School of Economics, Imperial, and many others leading universities.

Initially, we met in person; however, we switched to Zoom meetings during the remote learning period.

The support provided ranged from general guidance around selection of course and university, to more specific advice about writing our personal statements and other aspects of our individual applications. This enabled us all to maximize our chances of receiving offers for interview.

Starting the ATG (Advanced Tutorial Groups) early in Lower Sixth gave many of us the time to really consider the arduous application process and exactly which course we wished to apply to. This was especially important for me, as I was undecided between four economics-related courses at the time: Economics and Land Economy at Cambridge, and Economics/Management and Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford.

The sessions that focused on Oxbridge explored differences between the two universities. Mr Turner guided us to find the right university and course, by showing us where to research, and what to base our decisions upon. He also guided us through the application process and timeline, so we would be fully prepared for the early entry deadline and admission tests. The Futures Team found the right teachers to scrutinize our personal statements as well as write our references. This was vital for my application, and Mr Rule helped me greatly through the entire process from personal statements to interviews. Applicants had their own mentors, and this allowed for genuine tailored advice to give us all the best chance possible.

After choosing the course we were looking to apply to, for me Land Economy, we were divided into smaller groups for more personal advice. The specific guidance for my application from the Futures Team assisted greatly in my preparation for the entrance exams and interviews. Two other students and I worked with Mrs Eassie and Mrs Vicars on the Problem Solving and Critical Thinking aspects of the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment) respectively. Being able to seek support with any questions I had not understood from someone who could explain the answers clearly was of great assistance in my preparations. Many of the techniques Mrs Eassie and Mrs Vicars discussed helped me in completing questions faster and more accurately, and, as admissions tests are such a crucial part of the application process, this support was invaluable.

After receiving interview offers, through Mr Turner and the ATG we received advice regarding interview preparations for both general and subject specific interviews. In addition, we had mock interviews, either with other teachers in school, or professionals who had studied or were working in the fields we were hoping to enter. Interviews are something many 17- and 18-year olds have done very few of before, therefore being exposed to many mock interviews best prepared us to be interviewed by some of the leading academics at these prestigious universities.

Overall, the Advanced Tutorial Group, our reference writers and the Futures Team greatly boosted our confidence, and I know that I, and all the other applicants, are incredibly grateful for the time and effort spent to help us progress onto the best next step possible.

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M e d i c a l A d v a n c e d Tu t o r i a l G r o u p

By Rohan Singhal, Upper Sixth student, (Studying Medicine at University of Cambridge from September)

During the whole of Sixth Form, the Birkenhead School’s Futures Team supported me, alongside the other Medicine and Dentistry applicants, greatly during the arduous medical application process. The help provided came in many different forms, ranging from mock online interviews with practising healthcare professionals, to help with preparing for admissions tests, to learning about the history and founding principles of the NHS. Starting from the beginning of Lower Sixth, Mr Armstrong, the Head of Biology, hosted the Advanced Tutorial Group for prospective Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary applicants, every Friday lunchtime. At first, these sessions were aimed at the application process. For example, during one session, Mr Armstrong arranged for a successful Upper Sixth medical applicant to speak to us about his experience, tips, and pitfalls to avoid.

As the year progressed, the focus shifted to the skills and knowledge needed to succeed at interview. For example, during one session we took it in turns to do a mock role-play with Mr Armstrong in front of the class, which was extremely helpful as we were able to give each other constructive feedback. In other sessions, we talked about a variety of topics such as medical ethics, the qualities of a good doctor and breaking bad news - all skills required by trainee medics.

In addition to these sessions, Mr Armstrong offered us all help during the summer with our UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) preparation and for those doing the BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test), like myself, he arranged a session to go over Biology topics that were not covered at GCSE. He also meticulously dissected many of our personal statements, wrote many of our UCAS references and made sure that we were applying to universities that would maximise our individual chances.

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Alongside the aforementioned sessions every Friday lunch time, we were also fortunate enough to be visited every Thursday after school by a range of different practising doctors, led by Dr Murphy and arranged by Mr Turner.

These sessions focused on honing our interview skills. Although daunting at first, answering practice interview questions with everyone else listening really boosted my confidence during the real interviews as I knew that my answers were the culmination of feedback from my peers, teachers, and doctors. Many of the medical professionals who came to see us had themselves conducted interviews for Medicine courses, so had first-hand knowledge of what the universities are really looking for such as, structuring answers clearly and even nuances such as greeting the examiner appropriately and smiling. Even during the height of the pandemic when Dr Murphy and her team were working extremely hard, she ensured that, without fail, there was someone to speak to us every week, either via Zoom or in-person. One of the most useful sessions that we did was the mock multiple-mini interviews organized by Dr Murphy & Mr Turner, and conducted by parents and friends of the school who work in various healthcare professions. This was such a good learning experience for us all as Dr Murphy went through our interview feedback on a 1-to-1 basis, telling us what we needed to practise or research more and what we can help others with. Moreover, for those applying to Oxbridge, like myself, Dr Murphy also arranged mock interviews with doctors who had attended these medical schools. This was incredibly helpful as the Oxbridge interview process is quite different to other universities’ and places more emphasis on the candidate’s scientific knowledge and aptitude.

I know that all the Medicine and Dentistry applicants and I are extremely grateful for all the time and effort put in

by Mr Armstrong, Mr Turner, Dr Murphy, her team of volunteers and the whole Futures Team.

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Wo r k E x p e r i e n c e O v e r L o c k d o w n

By Ellie Price, Lower Sixth student

Over the course of the past year, students have been faced with the challenge of obtaining work experience. As a result, they have had to be innovative with their ways to finding different routes, both virtually and in person. Several students from Lower Sixth have discussed their approach towards gaining work experience in their different fields of interest.

Three students Jack Grundy, Ellie Price and Hattie RogersonBevan have been part of a team of volunteers for Arrowe Park Hospital during the pandemic. As volunteers, they help greet patients and staff entering the hospital, to ensure social-distancing guidelines are enforced, as well as making sure patients receive their belongings. The experience has provided them with an insight into how the hospital has dealt with Covid-19, as well as allowing us to develop interpersonal skills among a wide variety of ages.

Faith Hasan attended a virtual work experience for St James’s Place, a wealth management company. During the week, they went into depth about what the specific roles were and what it was like working for their company. For Faith, it was a valuable experience as it allowed her to decide on a career choice and confirm her ambition of a profession in actuarial work. Although Faith mentioned that she would have liked to be there in person, so she could gain a real insight into what it is like, one of the positives was that she did not have to travel and could easily learn about one person’s jobs and responsibilities and then another.

In addition to that, Alice Walker took part in a Graphic Design work experience course, which entailed explaining the different roles involved in Graphic Design and what they do as part of their job. Alice felt it was informative because it was a career path which she was initially interested in, but this experience showed it was not what she had anticipated it would be like. As a result, she was able to explore different careers which were better suited to what she enjoyed.

Springpod also ran a virtual work experience course, which was attended by Maddy Hill and Edward Wells, for Law. The work experience included completing a variety of modules and attending seminars, led by people in the industry, where they were able to engage with them. They both said that it was accessible, due to the fact you could complete the modules at your own pace, and so could take information in a lot more easily. They felt it was an extremely rewarding experience, as they were given an insight into the different aspects of law, so they were able to gain an understanding of the areas which they found most interesting.

Although the students who took part in virtual work experience opportunities expressed that they missed interacting with people and the face-to-face aspect, it was very helpful for those researching their specific careers, as it has given them the opportunity to seek advice from professionals and appreciate what that career is like, despite the difficulties Covid has presented.

Lower Sixth students Jack Grundy, Ellie Price and Hattie Rogerson-Bevan volunteering at Arrowe Park Hospital

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Nicholls Lecture Series The Nicholls Lecture Series provides Sixth Form students with thought-provoking lectures on a broad range of topics to introduce them to ideas, interests and experiences beyond the academic curriculum.

Despite a period of great uncertainty, Mr Anderson was kind enough to visit our School and deliver two illustrated talks – one for Sixth Form and another specifically for A level geographers. In both of his talks, Brian Anderson drew upon his visits to over 60 countries, utilizing his personal experiences and insights to help stress the importance of the topics in question. I believe that these lectures have helped my peers and me to understand how relevant our anthropic impact is for our generation, as a race we are continuing to put great environmental stress on the World.

Brian Anderson

By Caelan, Upper Sixth Form Student

On Friday 18th September Birkenhead School was delighted to welcome Brian Anderson to present 'The Anthropocene Era and Global Commons' as our first Nicholls Lecture of the academic year. The students thoroughly enjoyed the presentation with A level geographers particularly benefitting from the talk.

I also had a particular interest in Anderson’s discussion on the global commons, especially how geopolitical factors are threatening the longevity of the Arctic, with nations seeking to extract resources for personal gain – once again showing how these issues are very much relevant and current for my generation. I would like to thank Mr Anderson on behalf of Birkenhead Sixth Form for taking the time to deliver these illustrated talks.

During his lecture, Mr. Taylor talked about his journey to medicine, what an orthopaedic surgeon does and the demands that come with working in the NHS. Though the photos of compound fractures and motor-cycle accidents were not for the faint-hearted, the main message of his talk is certainly applicable to everyone: “Work hard but also play hard”. Speaking about his own experience at medical school, Mr. Taylor told us about how he enjoyed playing sports to help balance his gruelling studies. I know that this will be very useful advice for my peers and me as our A-Level preparations continue to intensify over the coming months.

Mr Andrew Taylor

By Rohan, Upper Sixth Form Student

Mr. Taylor, an orthopaedic surgeon based at Spire Liverpool, was kind enough to visit our School and deliver a socially distanced lecture entitled, “So you want to be a surgeon?” to the Upper Sixth and to prospective medical applicants in the Lower Sixth.

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As an aspiring doctor, I found Mr. Taylor’s lecture very insightful and interesting as, although he explained that Medicine is not the glamourous career it is often made out to be and requires much sacrifice, he emphasised that he would never dream of doing another job since he feels that by being a doctor he can truly have a positive impact on people’s lives.

On behalf of the Sixth Form and Birkenhead School, I would like to thank Mr. Taylor for taking the time to come and talk to us.

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PFA First Division Team of the Year in 1988, 1990 and 1991.

It was truly an honour to have such a prestigious guest speaker to take part in the Nicholls Lecture Series for our Sixth Form. John began the lecture by diving into the historical aspects of racism and prejudice in the UK and around the world. He addressed issues such as the Black Lives Matter movement, which sparked mass protests last May following the killing of George Floyd, and why athletes taking a knee prior to sporting events, is only raising awareness of the issue of racism, however won’t lead to the change he believed was necessary in the fight against racism.

John Barnes MBE

By Jim, Lower Sixth Student

In March, John Barnes MBE delivered a passionate and interactive lecture on the history of race and prejudice to Birkenhead School Sixth Form.

John Barnes is an internationally recognised household name for his achievements whilst a player at Liverpool Football Club, where he picked up two First Division titles, two FA Cups, a League Cup and three FA Charity Shields.

As well as this, he has won personal accolades such as PFA Player’s Player of the Year in 1988 and was included in the

Mr Barnes continued by sharing personal experiences of racism he faced on and off the pitch, including an infamous recollection of his, when a football supporter threw a banana aimed at him when playing football for Liverpool, and that he had recieved racist abuse from opposition players throughout his playing career To conclude the lecture, John answered many questions from the eager Sixth Form, through a virtual Q&A session.

On behalf of Birkenhead School, we thank Mr Barnes for taking time to speak with us, who educated all of us, providing fresh perspectives on a critical issue facing the world.

The title of the lecture was: 'Dealing with Imposter Syndrome, Embracing Meritocracy, Exploiting Opportunities' and it was through these three ideas that Sir Philip Jones’ humbly described his career.

Sir Philip began the lecture with a brief outline of his childhood and career. He was born on the Wirral and attended a local primary school before studying at Birkenhead School. As the first person in his family to go to university he studied at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth and Oxford University. From there he progressed through the ranks of the Navy until being appointed First Sea Lord in 2016, the highest position in the Navy.

Old Birkonian, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, delivered an insightful lecture to students from Year 10 to Upper Sixth entitled 'Dealing with Imposter Syndrome, Embracing Meritocracy, Exploiting Opportunities'.

"I genuinely believe that my ability to make it in that world (the Royal Navy) was down to the gifts and skills that I was given at Birkenhead School." Admiral Sir Phiip Jones, March 2021

By David Taylor, Deputy Head Student

Although he acknowledged what an achievement it was to reach such a powerful position, he described his success not just as a result of his talents, but rather because of his ability to seize the opportunities that he was presented in the meritocracy of the Navy. And his message to students revolved around this point. He said that anyone can succeed if they are able to work hard to bring out the abilities they have inside them and by seeing and taking the opportunities that are presented. If you are able to do this, then the presence of imposter syndrome should be diminished because any success that you achieve is fully deserved.

Admiral Sir Philip Jones served as First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy from 2016-2019. It was a great privilege to receive a lecture from such a high-ranking individual and his words came with extra power knowing that he had achieved his career as a pupil of Birkenhead School.

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Student Leadership We believe it’s essential for all of our students to develop their leadership skills, to be better prepared for their working lives and to give them the resolve, commitment and resilience that sets apart a good leader from a great one.

Motivation is a key factor in leadership and we believe that all students should be encouraged to develop their passions, skills and talents in all areas, so that they can go on to inspire others. In order to do this, we encourage our students to take on roles in a number of different areas that not only promote leadership qualities but also their confidence, ability and knowledge. Thank you to everyone who took on leadership roles during 2020/21.

Head Student & Prefect Team 2020/21

Reflections From Our Head Students mind, our form set to task. After several intense ‘planning’ meetings, our tree was assembled. Art was never my strong point, but even I contributed to the task, buying a rubber Christmas toy and impaling it on top of the tree as a de facto Christmas star. By some miscarriage of justice, another form was elected to have won; writing this in May, I’m still not over it… A couple of weeks later, on the final day of term, the trees – along with their lavish decorations – were delivered to less fortunate families across the local area of Birkenhead.

This was an excellent initiative run by the school, which was both fun to take part in, but also a great way of having a positive impact on the local community. For me, it is certainly one of the highlights of the year.

Archie Parker-Goff, Head Student Over the last nine months, Birkenhead School, whilst overcoming the many Covid challenges, has produced an academic year full of highlights and memories. Immediately, whilst returning to school in September, it was evident that this was not going to be a normal collection of terms. The School was filled with hand sanitising stations and ‘one way’ signs were everywhere. Lesson locations were changed to reduce ‘year group bubble’ mixing and black and yellow tape ensured students followed the government guidance.

However, despite all these measures, it was great to be back.

Towards the end of the Michaelmas Term, there was the Christmas Tree initiative.

The School Chaplain, Father Mark, challenged all forms across Seniors to decorate their own form Christmas tree and compete to win tree of the year group. With this in

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As Christmas passed and the new year beckoned, it was announced to the UK that there would be another Lockdown and that schools would not be returning in early January. In all honesty, this was a crushing blow as, armed with a laptop, many mugs of tea and even more digestives, we embarked on a second load of Remote Learning! Although the dayto-day life of Lockdown Learning was a little monotonous, the School’s Remote Learning Provision was excellent and ensured we did not fall behind in our studies. Truth be told: staring at a desk in your bedroom all day is no substitute for in person school, and this was laid bare for all to see as the euphoria of the returning students in early March was palpable.

The first lunch time back provided the Sixth Form with the return of its competitive lunch time football. With passion akin to the Merseyside Derby and drama like that of the Champions League Final, the two teams battled hard. I’m delighted to report there were no (serious) injuries sustained by any of the players, though there were certainly some questionable displays of ‘talent’ on show for us all.

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After a restful Easter break, the School returned for the Summer Term; my favourite of the three because of the cricket and (supposedly) better weather. The cricket pitch had been prepared, the sun was shining (on some days), and there was a positive and happy atmosphere around campus.

Unfortunately, Covid had decimated inter-school sport fixtures in the Michaelmas and Lent Term, but thankfully, by the Summer, fixtures were booked in and competitions were organised.

In my final few weeks at Birkenhead School, I was really able to appreciate just how lucky we all are to attend a school with such a beautiful campus and close-knit community feel, in which teachers know all pupils and pupils know all teachers. In a year dominated by gloomy headlines and new vocabulary such as lockdowns and Zoom, it is important to remember how fortunate we all are to call ourselves Birkonians. Archie leaves the School to study Economics at the University of Bath from September.

training, weekend matches and sports tours, I have enjoyed wonderful times when competing with my friends alongside me and my love of sport is something I will continue through university.

This has been a year like no other, however the first lockdown of 2020 put in place an ethos of successful remote learning that rivalled the teaching we received in School. Although this was a period that made it hard to stay motivated, I think it has certainly put everyone in a better position, able to understand their own learning needs more and this is a skill that will be so important in the future.

Lizzy Hyatt – Head Student Where has the time gone? I joined Birkenhead School as part of the first cohort of girls in the summer term of Reception in 2008, and I am off to the University of Durham to study General Engineering in September.

School has really provided me with the foundation for my interest in STEM subjects. From the weekly science clubs I attended in Overdale to a week at the Johnson Space Centre in Texas in 2017, the latter being a highlight of my school career, designing rockets and Martian habitats, and even meeting an astronaut. This amazing opportunity not only inspired me, but made me realise that doing something in this field was a very real possibility, and hence why I am hoping to study engineering. The amazing support from the Futures Team has helped to guide me through my university application process and I am very grateful for this.

I have many fond memories from form assemblies in Prep, leading up to our Year 6 performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat. Sport is such a big part of School life for so many of us. With after school

Leading up to Christmas 2020, every form group was given a Christmas tree to decorate. This brought real excitement and a competitive edge to Christmas tree decorating! The school site was a festive scene but more importantly, both the Christmas trees and their decorations were transported by the Estates Team to families in Birkenhead who otherwise would have done without. This, coupled with the food bank collection organised by Father Mark was a very fitting end to what had been a tough year for all.

This past year, Archie and I were given the honour of being Heads of School. Despite the challenging circumstances, the School has still pushed forwards with ways to develop and enhance what is already on offer, and I have really enjoyed being a part of some of these decisions. The resilience of the School, students, and teachers in what has been a taxing year has been so important and will help us move forward with a positive outlook.

This school year has certainly been different, and nothing like I would have expected for my last year in school. Nevertheless, from my time at Birkenhead, I have made friendships that will stay with me for life and the opportunities and life skills I have gained will be invaluable in the future. Lizzy leaves the School to study General Engineering at the University of Durham from September.

I joined Birkenhead School in Year 6 at the age of 10. Having spent almost half of my life at the School it has been a huge part of my education and has shaped my development greatly. Whilst at the school I have enjoyed myself fully, and I have been allowed and encouraged to pursue my interests whether in Music, Sport, or Academics. These opportunities have allowed me to form amazing memories of my time here at the school.

Some of my most vivid memories include the music tour to Barcelona where, whilst battling the hot weather, we were able to perform in some beautiful cathedrals. I’ll also remember playing sport at the School, from cross country running and football in Year 6 to representing the 1st XI and 1st XV in cricket and rugby respectively.

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Reflections From Our Head Students continued David Turner, Deputy Head Student I’ve also been able to represent the School in the UKMT National Team Maths Challenge Final, a more unique way through which I’ve been able to develop my competitive behaviour and academic skills.

The Chapel Choir has been a constant part of my time at school. I joined the Choir shortly after I joined the school in Year 6. With the Choir I have experienced some of my most memorable experiences and it have developed deep friendships with others who sing. It has really been a highlight of my time at the school.

Looking back at the most recent year it is hard to not think about all the things that I’ve missed out on as a result of the pandemic. From a cricket tour to the Caribbean, to performing evensongs in the Chapel, as well as playing 1st XV matches for the Rugby team as an Upper Sixth Former and representing the School at open days, there are many events which could have made the last year even better.

But, despite the circumstances there have still been many notable occasions. The Nicholls Lecture series that the Sixth Form receives was disrupted but we were still given lectures online by John Barnes on race and prejudice and Admiral Sir Philip Jones, an Old Birkonian, on his career in the Royal Navy.

It should also be mentioned that the remote learning that the school provided was very comprehensive. Under challenging conditions, we were able to keep up with the courses and has put me in a great position to study Economics and Management at Oxford next year. Finally, this year I’ve had the opportunity to take on the role of Javert in the musical Les Misérables. Through drama and music at the school I have gained a lot of confidence and it’s another avenue that with which the school has allowed me and others to develop.

As I leave the School, my final thoughts are ones of gratitude. I would like to thank all of my teachers, particularly Mr Robinson, Director of Music, for allowing me to enjoy music to the greatest extent. I would also like to thank my friends who played the biggest role in me enjoying my time at the School and Ms Smeaton for her caring guidance in the Sixth Form as well as for putting up with me whilst being my form tutor this year. Although I’m sad to be leaving, Birkenhead has given me a great platform from which to go out into the world and I think it is true to say that I would be a different person if it wasn’t for my time here. David leaves School to study Economics and Management at University of Oxford from September.

of break! It was a great day as we were all able to have fun and dress up in yellow ribbons, socks and nail varnish, whilst supporting such an amazing and important charity for people of our age group, which has been especially busy during the current pandemic and all the struggles it has brought.

Amelia Sowerby, Deputy Head Student My time as Deputy Head may not have been conventional, but it certainly has not been any less full of fond memories and fun. The inter-form Christmas tree decoration contest was one of my highlights. It really made us pull together as a team to ensure that our tree was full of the best decorations for Mrs Pankhurst and Ed to judge. This required a form trip to ‘Inspirations Wholesale’ to get the decorations, where our budgeting skills were definitely put to the test, and some hard negotiations in order to get the best-looking tree once they arrived on campus. Even though we sadly did not win the competition, it is a memory of my Upper Sixth I shall never forget.

Hello-Yellow day is also a memory that I will cherish. We all wore yellow in support of the teenage mental health charity ‘YoungMinds’, and Ms Smeaton and Ms Keegan beautifully decorated the Sixth Form Centre for us all. There was also a bake-sale, and the cookies I made for it sold out by the end 94

Beyond Upper Sixth, my favourite memory has to be of my trip to Washington D.C. and New York. Being able to see two such historical and global cities in just ten days was a whirlwind like no other. The best part however has to be the game of hide and seek we played in the National Museum of Natural History in D.C., taking inspiration from the ‘Night at the Museum’ movies. Not only did we have lots of fun as a group, but it also allowed me to learn more about early American History, a subject I didn’t know much about, which I thoroughly enjoyed learning about here, and which I hope will help me in my history degree next year.

I also loved helping out at Years 3 and 4 Drama club in my Lower Sixth year, as it helped me enhance my leadership and communication skills, as well as giving me a lot of joy in seeing younger children enjoying drama as I always have done.

Although this year has been thwarted by isolations and lockdowns, it really has still been one to remember, as have all my school years here at Birkenhead. I have made friends here that I will have for life, and learnt things about myself and the world that are invaluable for me and my future at university and beyond. Birkenhead taught me how to believe in myself and my potential, and how to work for what I want; for this I am eternally grateful. For only moving here in Year 10, due to the incredible school community, I feel as though I have always been here, and I will miss it very much next year. Amelia leaves School to study History at University College London from September.

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S i x t h Fo r m L e a v e r s - Class of 2021 -

Leavers 2021 Theo Appleby, Camilla Azurdia, Emmeline Barry, Henry Bevan, Sonny Boardman, Chloe Byers, Rachel Corless, Elliot Cotton, Luke Crocker, William Delaney, Matthew Diaz-Rainey, Jackson Eugeni, Cerys Evans, Graham Felton, Archie Finter, Ted Ford, Mackenzie Fowler, Theo Haralambous, Isaac Hardisty, Grace Harvey, Aden Husseyn, Elizabeth Hyatt, Luca Infante, Tom James, Nicholas Johnson, David Jones, Katie Jones, Lexi Jones, Ben Keating, Samarth Kumar, Vineet Kumar, Simon Lawrence, Jonathan Lee, Matthew Lloyd, Vinh Ma, Izza Majeed, Louis Mason, Sophie McGrath, Natasha Mirrlees, Catherine Molloy, Alan Morris, Nada Mostafa, Lillie O’Halloran, Matthew Palmer, Archie Parker-Goff, Shahzeb Pasha, Caelan Phillips, Annie Robertson, Andrew Rutherford, Katie Sergi, Rohan Singhal, Amelia Sowerby, Jack Taylor, Jacob Toolan, David Turner, Madeleine Unsworth, Henry Wild.

Destinations 2021 Accounting, Accounting & Finance, Acting, Biochemistry, Building Surveying, Business Economics, Business Management, Chemical Engineering, Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Composition, Conservation Biology and Ecology with Professional Placement, Conservation of Objects in Museums and Archaeology, Criminology, Dentistry, Economics, Economics and Management, Economics with Hispanic Studies, Engineering (Mechanical), English Literature, English Literature and Philosophy, Fashion Buying and Merchandising, General Engineering, History, Human Physiology, International Business with American Studies, Land Economy, Law, Marine Biology, Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics, Economics (MORSE), Mechatronics and Robotic Systems, Medicine, Music (Song Writing and Production), Paramedic Science, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations, Psychology, Real Estate.

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We b i d o u r S i x t h Fo r m e r s a f o n d farewell at the end of the summer ter m

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Mrs Vicars

Mrs Parry Jones

It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to my Upper Sixth leavers this year. A year group united in their determination, refusing to let the pandemic quash their spirit, they exhibited the values of true Birkonians in both their approach to learning and in their support for others. Elliot, the form spokesperson, always with a funny anecdote to offer, enlightening us with some sage advice for the week ahead, occasionally accompanied by a quote of inspiration from his favourite athlete.

Jacob, whose pride at representing the School was always palpable, but who was also able to engender that aspiration for success in others. Lexi, whose drive and determination are matched by an open heart and a desire to give back. Values shared by Rachel and exemplified by their tireless efforts to provide washbags for the homeless at the height of the pandemic. Rachel, our cheerleader and team player. Whatever her own worries and fears and despite the unfamiliar challenges we were facing, always had time to listen and help others.

As an example of resilience, Caelan remained focused on self-improvement as he pursued his academic goals. In his role of prefect, (alongside Rachel, Lexi and Isaac) he also displayed exceptional leadership to others within the School community through his graceful and composed demeanour. You will be hard pressed to find a student who loves Birkenhead School more than Isaac. Whether he was giving everything on the sports field or showing prospective new students and parents our School, he embodies the pride that underpins our community. I wish all of them the very best for the future and, I look forward to hearing all about their successes in the years to come.

Mrs Quinn and I wish you all every success and happiness into the future.

Mr Hill Henry Bevan: Henry is, on the surface of things, one of the ‘quiet men’ of the Sixth Form but don’t be deceived. Beneath the modest exterior, there is a workshop of activity going on. The last seven years have not just been about academic study but also about some formative work experience in tech industry and significant sporting achievement. I could imagine him becoming an Alan Sugar character, but with greater modesty and kindness. He is a man to watch.

Henry is also a keen footballer, captaining the school’s First Eleven and representing us every year in Rugby. But what strikes me most is Henry’s interest in developing younger players. There are many for whom the supreme objective is personal performance at the highest level, but to find one who is just as much concerned to enable others to perform to their best, is rarer and is an example to the whole year group.

Theo Haralambous: Theo would be a good poker player as his expression betrays very little and he approaches life with a calm equanimity. Instead, and much more advisedly, he is hoping to study International Business. Perhaps the difference is not so great! A keen student of languages, Theo studied Spanish in the Sixth Form, but has also been teaching himself Modern Greek – as you do if your name is Haralambous.

Theo is no stranger to the world of work.I gather that if you want a bathroom refurbished, he is the man to speak to.

Tom James: Tom’s plans for the future read like the Abstract

A very fond farewell to Will, Graham, Samarth, David, Archie, Matthew, Annie, Nada, Camilla and Catherine.

There is a huge gap in my lab now where you all used to sit! In time other students will physically fill that, but your collective energising presence at the start of each day has been significant to the positive and cheerful ambience of the room I spend all day in. I have so appreciated and enjoyed your company over the past two years. It has been very special to bear witness to how you have all matured into such delightful adults, all with individual personalities and very much your own people, through the most challenging of sixth form times.

You have all had your personal battles to deal with during unprecedented times, but your resilience and fortitude has been remarkable. Despite interruptions to activities both in School and outside, Archie, Annie and Nada your passion for art has shone through as shown by paintspattered uniform at the end of the day! ; Sam, David, Graham, Matthew and Will, I hope that your following of sport remotely can now revert to full active involvement; and Catherine and Camilla that you can pick up on the netball and lacrosse and continue to enjoy these into the future. I hope that you are able to have a lot of fun over the summer and can reflect on how much you will have got out of your time here. As I work towards the end of my teaching career I also reflect on what a privilege it has been to be a small part of your lives in this wonderful school.

of a PhD thesis. I was impressed, particularly as it was mostly over my head. If you want to know anything about the ‘Jungian shadow,’ then Tom is your man. We shall also miss the sound of his voice, whether in form period (usually late) or in Chapel Choir or, for that matter, in the many school musicals in which he has performed.

He is actually ‘Captain of Drama’ and I am so glad that there has been a revival of Les Misérables so that Tom can have his day at the barricades after all. He has had to manage all these things at once and has become one of the most resourceful and resilient members of the sixth form.

Izza Majeed: On first acquaintance Izza is quite reserved.

Typically, she will be found minding her own business and drawing quietly in form period. Then someone will raise an interesting question and it is a bit like ‘lighting the blue touch paper’: Izza will suddenly become animated and will begin to discourse in a knowledgeable and confident manner on pretty much any subject. She is a successful Whittam Smith essayist and has participated in Rotary ‘Youth Speaks’ and other debating competitions.

However, most impressive has been the fact that Izza has twice won the 6GRH form quiz, which operated during the first and second lock downs. Not many know that she also enjoys baking and finds time to learn an amazing array of languages. I gather that she is heading for the law and so she should be able to keep you out of prison anywhere in the world!

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Fa r e w e l l t o o u r U p p e r S i x t h Mr Hill continued Alan Morris: Alan will not be separated from two things: one is his mobile phone which I have threatened to defenestrate on countless occasions and the other is his beard, which has got him into all kinds of trouble. A more affable fellow you would go a long way to find. He also holds the record for the number of days off school due to self-isolation and, humour apart, he is to be commended on the resilient way in which he has kept his sixth form studies on track. Alan is interested in Accountancy and will do much to change the stereotype of that profession. I never realised that Alan organised a ‘Finance Club’ at school, but I did know that he represented the school at Rugby and I imagine that he will continue to play at University.

Mr Armstrong Your Sixth Form years were always going to have been your most difficult – that’s a given, but to have had the additional onslaught of challenges brought by Covid-19, makes your experience unique… and one that will make your great-grandchildren yawn when you keep going on about it! I am so proud of how you have coped with it all and how you have grown to appreciate the real value of friendship and connectivity. I trust the world will have suitably righted itself on its axis as you leave for the big world beyond these hedges. To Emme, Jackson, Aden, Katie, Vinnie, Simon, Jon and Vinh, thank you for being such a fun and friendly bunch to register each morning and afternoon. We’ve had some big laughs, and yes, I did hear everything you chatted about, although I had to look quite a bit of it up in the urban dictionary. An even bigger thank you for those of you who consistently humoured me on Form Zooms over the long lockdown months, even if it was in your PJs with your cameras off!

Please keep in touch with us and God bless.

Mrs Fountain Being a member of the Sixth Form Tutor Team is a really important part of my job. It is always enjoyable watching students flourish whilst they are in Sixth Form, getting ready for the move onto Higher Education or employment.

This group of students have had a challenging time and yet have continued with determination. Chloe arrived new to Birkenhead Sixth Form, a little daunted by her new surroundings but with an ambition to achieve. She leaves as a well-rounded, accomplished student, whose caring nature and empathy means she always has a positive impact on those around her. Cerys has shown a tenacious attitude.

I have enjoyed looking at the creativeness of her Art work. She should be proud of her achievements and look forward to university and beyond. Mackenzie was one of

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Andrew Rutherford: Andrew strikes me as the archetypal post-Covid leader. He has been an excellent school prefect combining an un-ostentatious authority with a comprehensive knowledge of how the school works. He is an initiative taker — the Jeeves of the prefect world — who has already done what you need him to do without first being asked to do it. Andrew aims to be a Land Economist and sees the post-Covid world as being filled with opportunities to create a more sustainable global economy. But he is not all ‘high brow’; a popular figure around the Sixth Form he is someone who volunteers to look after younger students on the climbing wall and I associate him particularly with cricket (school, club, and district) and also as a hockey player in the winter terms. Most of all, I will remember our many interesting conversations in form period. He is a student who bridges the gap between the adult world and the teenage one, as he is equally at home in both.

Mrs Margerison These past two years have quite possibly been the most challenging and strangest ever for students and I could not be more impressed by the way Ben, Grace, Lillie, Sophie and Sonny have dealt with them. They have successfully navigated their way through A levels in the time of Covid and approach the next stage in their lives ready to take on anything; I shall miss their good company (in person or via zoom) and encourage them to keep pushing towards their dreams, knowing they will go on to achieve much. Grace will no doubt excel in any number of the arts; writing, singing, acting, performing her cello, and possibly doing all at once! I fully expect to hear Ben’s name announced at future music awards as the composer/producer behind globally known tunes, Lillie, realising her long-held goal to be a paramedic, Sophie becoming a great research scientist, and Sonny treading the boards or leading some top rated Netflix drama. Finally, having discovered with them that the best form of mindfulness to cope with impending assessments is eating Werthers Originals, may I wish them the sweetest success for the future.

Keep in touch Class of 2021.

the quieter members of the form, but someone who always arrived with a smile on her face. She has a thoughtful nature and is a good friend to others. I have enjoyed watching her confidence increase and her determination and organisation skills will serve her well in the future. Luke has worked tirelessly in pursuit of his ambition.

He has been rewarded with his place at Cardiff to study medicine and I’m sure he will go on to have a great career.

I have enjoyed our chats about lower league football and his patience, listening to me when I had regular IT failures during form time.

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Mrs Fountain continued Henry has matured considerably, even he acknowledges that he was prone to a moan in L6! The move to online learning saw him develop an impressive, focused approach to his studies and he set himself high targets. He also discovered a love of Porter’s Generic Strategy – he will discuss this at any opportunity.

Mrs Holgate You have been a very special year group and your departure brings a real sense of ‘the end of an era’ for me and my family.

Enjoy University and take advantage of all the opportunities available. Good luck to you all in everything that you do, you will all go on to do amazing things after school. I wish you success in your careers and most importantly, the happiest of lives! Keep in touch.

Katie and Maddie as members of my Sixth Form group and all three have been here since the early days, bringing a bit of sparkle to the BPS nativity plays!

This Pre-Prep photo from Mrs Porter’s class in 2006 includes Shahzeb and Ted (top row) and Matthew (bottom row), all loyal Birkonians who survived right the way through to U6MLH!

Birkenhead School Prep

Luca arrived in Year 4 when I remember teaching him French and noticing his exceptional talents as a budding linguist even back then.

Did Nick start Pre-Prep a little later, or was he here? Either way, his larger-than-life character since joining our form has more than made up for his absence in this class photo!

Next came the girls, when several joined our Reception after Easter in 2007. I have been privileged to have Lizzie,

Mrs Eassie It has been a pleasure and a privilege to act as the form teacher for U6KPE over the course of an extremely difficult and challenging year for all of you. I am proud of the way that you have all dealt with the unusual circumstances in which we have found ourselves. I have had the pleasure of teaching Theo both Maths and Further Maths over the past two years. His sense of humour shines through everything he does (including his personal statement!) I wish him all the best for his continued studies in Maths, hopefully at an institution close to a golf course. Louis has displayed a quiet determination this year in preparing for, and being offered, some outstanding apprenticeships with global companies. Approaching his studies in the same understated and efficient way I fully expect him to achieve everything he puts his mind to. Natasha is an intelligent and talented young woman. I am sure that she will go from strength to strength in her future studies in Law. Matthew has helped to ensure that our form periods have been filled with in depth political discussion, as well as taking part in the most competitive school council election I have seen in my time at Birkenhead School. I am sure that such

Finally, David joined towards the end of Prep and was also in L6MLH before defecting … or perhaps I should say before being ‘promoted’ with Lizzie to U6LS. You are a talented group of students and I look forward to hearing about your success over the years to come. I wish you all the very best in achieving your ambitions!

an intelligent and articulate young man will go far in his chosen field of politics. Rohan has shown an immense work ethic and determination to succeed. I very much enjoyed helping him with BMAT preparation during form periods.

I also had the opportunity to teach him Maths for a short time. I am so pleased for him that his efforts paid off with an offer from Cambridge. I am sure I will be asking for help and advice in preparing future students following in his path.

Jack has grown into a confident and hardworking student.

I will particularly remember his achievements as manager of the Beresford House football team a role which he took extremely seriously. I am sure that his organisational, motivational and leadership skills will stand him in good stead in his future career as a dentist. In a year in which we have spent a lot of time online I have, perhaps, not had the opportunity to get to know all of you as well as I might hope. However, I can say that you are an impressive and talented group of young adults. You have all shown great resilience this year and I am very proud to have had the chance to share a small part of your journey through Birkenhead School. Please keep in touch and good luck in everything that the future holds.

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A L e v e l Re s u l t s 2 0 2 1 Upper Sixth students celebrated in August following their A Level results and now continue their educational journey at leading universities and apprenticeships across the UK. Mr Vicars, comments: ‘The results are not just about statistics, but a chance to reflect on the journey these very special students have been on throughout the majority of their Sixth Form studies. Over the last 18 months, this cohort of 58 students have shown remarkable perspective, resilience and academic courage as they have overcome one hurdle after another to deliver these individual and collective results. Their approach to the March and May assessments in particular, key data points in calculating the Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) this year was memorable, and made staff very proud; their focus, and desire to take responsibility for their learning and outcomes was at a level we have perhaps not seen before.

Throughout this journey, they have been supported through periods of remote learning and bespoke catch-up by a teaching and support staff team that have gone above and beyond in supporting the academic progress and mental welfare of the students – the focus on each individual’s needs has been very special to observe.

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This year’s cohort, many of whom started back in Pre-Prep fifteen years ago, has always been known to possess a highly academic ‘top end’, matched only by their brilliant attitude to learning. Fifteen students have achieved 3 or more A* across their subjects; three students now take up their places at Oxbridge, studying Land Economy, Economics & Management and Medicine, alongside a further four medics at medical schools across the country. Other students follow their passions to take up Russell University places in subjects ranging from Physiotherapy to Politics & International Relations, Engineering to English Literature & Philosophy. A number of students, inspired by the cocurricular provision, move on to study music and drama at leading institutions, while an apprenticeship at Microsoft has been added to recent years’ apprenticeship destinations at the BBC, Redrow and Auger.

Perhaps even more importantly, are the skills that these students now take with them on their journeys beyond Birkenhead School, safe in the knowledge that they have got the resources and adaptability to survive, even thrive, when confronted with adversity. In summary, the approach of this cohort to what has been thrown at them this year will live long in staff memories and we could not be prouder of them.’

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G C S E Re s u l t s 2 0 2 1 The excellence of this cohort’s individual and collective GCSE results are a reflection of the balanced and determined approach taken by each and every one of the 61 students over the course of this last academic year.

Mr Vicars commented: ‘The positivity has continued with the publication of this year’s GCSE grades, again calculated by Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs), moderated both internally and externally. As a staff body, we have reflected in recent months how this year group took so much of the exam uncertainty and remote learning of the last 16 months in their stride, following this up with a very mature approach to their March and May assessments. They deserve every one of their grades, unlocking the door to their next educational steps, the majority continuing into the School’s Sixth Form,

where the students will typically whittle down their academic interests into four A Level subjects, alongside optional Extended Project Qualifications.’

Highlights from the results include: • Two students who achieved a clean sweep of Grade 9s • Seventeen students who gained Grades 7–9 in all their subjects • Our pride in all students, the values they have shown throughout the last year, the increased academic independence they have developed, and their commitment to the School’s co-curricular programme throughout their GCSE years, an aspect integral to their overall development.

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Staf f Leaver s Barbara Cederholm “I know it has been a long three years helping me as your student but I have really appreciated the effort and knowledge you have shared with me. I wish you a happy retirement” Henry Christian “Thank you Mrs Cederholm for helping me through the years that I have had you. Thank you for being patient and understanding when I am learning something difficult, also thank you for helping me revise for exams aiming for me to do my best on them. I hope you have a good and happy time in retirement.” Evie Clewes.

“Mrs Cederholm was a great teacher and always made me smile. She always greeted me when I came in with a cheerful ‘Hi Henry’ and brightened my day. She helped me with maths and English and taught me lessons that I will never forget. I miss Mrs Cederholm.” Henry W-Roberts

Mrs Cederholm initially started working on the Birkenhead School campus using her room in McAllester as a base for Dyslexia Institute.

In 2008 she then joined the teaching staff to support Ms Smeaton, then SENDCo, in offering bespoke 1:1 lessons to support the learning of students with dyslexia. Her students benefited from many varied years of teaching experience and her absolute dedication to their progress in overcoming the difficulties they faced. It is clear that her lessons instilled lifelong skills in her students. James Mitchell who left in 2015 for University was delighted to know on a visit to campus related to his work for GLOD in 2019 that Mrs Cederholm was still teaching here. He said to me, "I use what she taught me every single day when I am preparing and delivering my sessions".

Current students were asked for memories of her lessons and this is what they had to say: “Mrs Cederholm’s lessons were fun and taught me a lot, especially long multiplication” Jacob Fowler

Annie Barsoum

“Mrs Cederholm taught me lots of great stuff and she is such a good teacher. I had lots of good lessons with her and I learnt so much new stuff. Thank you so much for teaching me and being a great teacher.” Rachel Hughes As a colleague, Mrs Cederholm was always very welcoming and kind to all, a great person to chat to over a coffee in the staff room and hear about her family. She had continued teaching beyond the normal years of duty and only a pandemic could bring her career to a close and finally lead to her extricating herself from her Aladdin’s cave of a room.

Mrs Cederholm is highly knowledgeable and skilful when it comes to teaching phonics and she was an expert at supporting our students.

All the staff and students at Birkenhead wish you the very best for the future when the world gets back to normal and you can get further afield to do all the things you have planned.

By Mrs Oxley and Mrs Williams, SENDCo and Co-ordinator of Spanish

Je n n y E l l i s

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to Annie Barsoum, Head of Geography, as she leaves to pursue other interests outside of education.

Under her leadership the Geography provision has been significantly bolstered, with greater student interest in the subject and geographical events outside of the classroom being particular developments. I know both staff and students will want to wish her well in this new and upcoming chapter. We look forward to hearing of her future successes and welcoming her back into School when the opportunity arises for a visit.

Jenny leaves after almost 15 years as The Lodge Secretary to explore pastures new and to spend quality time with her son.

We will miss Jenny – her efficiency of course, but even more her kindness to everyone and her generosity in giving her time to help in whichever way she could. We wish her all the best, but hope for many visits from her and the gorgeous Joshua.

By Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head

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Sheila Brew precise title was. I have spoken with Sheila a number of times, but the relationship between the Ladies’ Committee and Parent’s Association remains confusing to him, perhaps hints of the type of rollercoaster ride that the Johnson-Cummings relationship has encountered from time to time.

What is uncontestable is that, for many years, the Ladies’ Committee provided the backbone of catering at sporting events (in particular) and raised welcome funds for extras for which the School might not otherwise have budgeted.

These included such things as furnishing some of the newly built Sixth Form Centre in 2011, supporting Sports and Music Tours, goalposts and other sports equipment. As well as the natural links with sports and even projects indicating Sheila’s scientific links continuing, such as the refurbishment of the pond area and the purchase of a turtle tank.

Sheila Brew is among the few who have been working at School in five decades, starting in 1986, but this wasn’t the start of her association with School as her son Iain had attended from 1972.

Despite this long association, commitment and service, Sheila remains an enigma, not least because the personnel file has long since been archived. Or perhaps it has been lost to protect the innocent. In any case, it renders research of Sheila’s career more difficult, but also means that any story the Bursar makes up is harder to disprove.

Sheila began her working role at School in 1986 – a Science Technician when Professor Brian Cox was not yet even a Dream – that should read a D:Ream keyboard player. It is difficult to recall what state science was in those decades ago – gravity existed, but quarks were mere concepts that hadn’t yet been gathered into hadrons and collided.

I can imagine, however, that the state the technician’s room was most ordered, and that Mrs Brew ran a substantial part of the activities, and in a formidable fashion.

Of course, computers would hardly have occupied the full spectrum of activity and major part of our work and home lives as they currently do, consisting mainly of the Spectrum and BBC Micros at that stage. Working alongside Alan Davies, I am sure Sheila had the opportunity to embrace the computing revolution along the years, but managed to resist it quite thoroughly. I think the paid Technician role ran alongside Sheila’s position as Chair/President of the Ladies’ Committee or Group Captain of the Catering Corps or whatever the

Je s s C o t g r a v e

Most will know that I had been a senior police officer for many years so I was well aware of the roles of Property Officers but hadn’t encountered one who was “Lost” before. When I did find Sheila, I was most reassured that there was someone looking after this important area, if intrigued as to how computers remained resolutely uninvolved.

IT is clear that the affection Sheila has had for the School, and her commitment to it has been naturally reciprocated by colleagues, with, for example, strong links with the Lodge part of the Administration Team. This has included concerns after a particular health scare and ongoing challenges, amplified by Covid-19 and self-isolation. Indeed, this was probably the last straw which made it clear that the Lost Property Officer role was unsustainable for her and we were glad to have a lower key leaving event for her last year.

It is fitting that, after 17 years a Technician, and 17 years a Lost Property Officer with many years of support in the Ladies’ Committee as well, we have the opportunity to recognise and thank her. Sheila will be a hard act to follow.

By Mr Turner, Bursar

Wa y n e D a v i e s

Jess left to take up a new post after joining the Lodge Admin Team in August 2019. Jess’s enthusiasm and warmth had a lasting effect on many students, parents and staff and we wish her well with her aspirations of becoming a counsellor.

By Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head

Back to paid roles at School. Sheila made the transition to become the School’s Lost Property Officer having retired as Technician in 2003. This new role also involved much mystery, such as what the link was between the number of items returned and the number of items available for the Ladies’ Committee to sell as good quality secondhand uniform at the annual Bazaar which for many years saw Sheila plying this trade.

Wayne left the School in the summer after six years. Wayne was one of the School minibus drivers and ran the Neston route. Wayne was a former policeman and dog handler and had an excellent rapport with everyone. He helped develop the minibus offering and along with Rob introduced home visits to prospective families.

He built excellent relationships with the children and many saw him as an extension to their family as he would pick up and drop off at the children’s homes each day. He will be missed and we wish him well as he leaves to spend more time with his grandchildren and family. By Mr Williams, Estates Manager

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T H E OLD BI RKON IAN SOCIETY

O L D B I R KO N I A N S O C I E T Y B U L L E T I N such as the rugby match against Birkenhead Park, the London dinner and the Liverpool lunches also fell by the wayside as well as the Hoblyn Cup and the bazaar.

Despite these disappointments, the Council continues to work hard on several schemes and initiatives to keep improving on the very solid foundations of the Society. We have continued to meet on Zoom every quarter as well as one or two extra strategy meetings to discuss individual issues in more detail. With the help and support of the Headmaster and the wonderful Carol Keegan (Alumni Officer), the Council is looking to build up the Society further into a more useful and efficient organisation for the benefit of its members and current pupils at the School. A lot of effort has gone into making several modifications in the background and further changes are afoot. The Council members are all working very hard in voluntary roles to make something special for both existing and future generations of OBs. Rome was not built in a day, but updates and enhancements will be communicated in due course and I am genuinely excited about the future.

Chairman’s Report 2021 My third year as Chairman began with the AGM which took place online for the first time due to Covid-19 restrictions. The event was a success despite my lack of technological expertise and it is likely that future AGMs will allow members to ‘attend’ virtually. This hopefully will lead to larger attendances in the future and give members a further opportunity to contribute to the running of the Society; it is an ideal forum to communicate directly with the Council.

There was nothing controversial on the agenda that needed to be discussed or raised. However, I was delighted that Pippa McKeown was voted in as Michael Burrell’s successor as President of the Society. On behalf of all the Society’s members, I give my thanks to Michael for his input and involvement during his tenure which was extended for a year to maintain stability while several changes to the Council were made.

Unfortunately, the usual lunch and OB weekend events could take place due to the pandemic. We were also prevented from keeping up the momentum of the new events that had recently been added to the OB diary such as the under-25s drinks and the wine-tasting evening. Traditional ‘fixtures’

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A number of improvements have already been made to modernise the Society and make it more useful. We have organised a new website, OB merchandise, regular social media content, a broader range of events for the membership to attend, gifts for sixth form leavers (using ethically sourced materials), and a new crest to name but a few. On top of this list of achievements, the Society continues to support pupils at the School through sixth form scholarships.

Any changes made to the Society are all very well but for them to be effective we need the engagement of the alumni network. So once the world returns to normal, I would urge all members to support events and provide any feedback or thoughts on what could improve the Society further. The Council that represents the Society members cannot begin to know everything so please communicate with it via Carol Keegan or me. Please reward the hard work of the OB Council and other volunteers by embracing the changes, the new events and any new systems we put in place for the benefit of the Society, its members and current pupils of the School. We want to create a society that enhances the experiences of its members by focusing on three pillars: Social, Careers and Networking.

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt everyday life and this has also impacted on the developments of the Society I had hoped to oversee over the last 15 months.

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Hopefully, some sort of normality will resume later this year, but we will have to monitor the situation closely in terms of future Society events. We are optimistic that some can take place, but time will tell. I hope any potential events we can arrange will be well supported given how long it has been since we have been able to get together.

At the time of writing, we are due to return to normality at the end of June and for many of us this cannot come soon enough. Normal life is something we all took for granted before the pandemic and I am sure we will not do so again. However, for others a return to normality (or ‘the new normal’) may not be possible or even welcome. So, my theme this year is the same as last year: to think of others and help in any way you can.

While the Council is looking to create a more sophisticated service for the OB Society, I would urge members in the meantime to consider how they might be able to help current pupils of the School, recent leavers, or existing members with regard to careers advice and employment opportunities.

There is a strong community feel at Birkenhead School and within the OB Society. If you are willing and able to give up half an hour of your time to provide careers advice to a fellow OB or current pupils at the School, please let Carol Keegan know. There is a wealth of experience and expertise amongst our membership; we should share this with individuals who may be facing an uncertain future due to the pandemic.

To those at the start of their careers, I would say reach out to the OBS for advice. All leavers of the School automatically become a member of the Society so please do make the most of it. If you do not know where to begin please do not hesitate to contact Carol Keegan or me through the OB website.

In terms of the wider world, the School continues to work closely with local charities such as Wirral Foodbank, The Hive and Claire House so please do consider helping. It is always a sobering thought that even in the 21st Century there are still a huge number of people who rely on the generosity and kindness of others. We are all guilty of grumbling about the most insignificant things so retaining a sense of perspective is important. Now more than ever we all need to work together as a community and harness the spirit and energy that exists within the OBS and Birkenhead School. Please contact the School for more details of these charities and how you can get involved to help make a difference.

As I did this time last year, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mr Vicars, Mr FitzHerbert and all the staff at the School for the support provided to the current pupils in these extraordinary times. We have all had to adapt quickly to a rapidly changing situation and the School has been no different in this regard.

Finally, I would like to thank the wonderful Council members who surround me and continue to help me in this period of transition for the Society. I am also very grateful for the support I have received from the Society’s President Pippa McKeown, the Archives department, and other voluntary leaders of our Group activities. My thanks also go to Carol Keegan and the Headmaster who have been hugely supportive of what we are trying to achieve. Both are working with the Society to ensure it benefits all OBs as well as current pupils who will one day become members of this wonderful Society.

I wish you and your families all the very best.

Will Roberts (‘82-’96), Chairman of the Old Birkonian Society

Old Birkonian Society Council Members 2020-2021 President: Pippa McKeown Chairman: Will Roberts Hon Secretary: Andrew Maxwell Hon Treasurer: Trevor Mathew-Jones Members: Phil Adams, Daniel Ellis, Kirsten Stewart, Josh Stirrett, Jennifer Taylor, John Williams

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In Memoriam We offer our condolences to the families and friends of Old Birkonians of whose passing we have been informed during the past twelve months.

Name M W Whiteside

Years at School (1958-65)

Passed 2015

Name M F Land

Years at School (1952-60)

Passed 2020

P Dade

(1950-55)

2019

E J A Haygarth

(1940-50)

2020

D Harris

(1944-52)

2019

W I M Dow

(1949-56)

2020

W J R Miles

(1958-65)

D C Leaver

(1945-51)

2020

J C Croft

(1972-79)

2020

T G Thomas

(1978-85)

A R Potter

(1947-53)

2020

N H Coupland

(1945-50)

J W Taylor

(Staff)

2020

E B Hall

(Staff)

D J Brighouse

(1941-49)

D T Spencer

(1952-58)

S Graham

(Staff)

2020

I A H Witter

(1934-44)

2021

J Moore

(1954-62)

2020

P Swan

(1957-65)

2021

M E Robinson

(1950-58)

2020

S Martin

(1954-61)

2021

D J Exton

(1958-65)

A C Moore

(1936-43)

2021

C H Cashin

(1947-54)

2020

D J Tomsett

(1956-63)

2021

G Austin

(1971-78)

2020

S Jones

(1953-61)

G Berry

(Staff)

2020

J C Bradley

(1942-46)

2021

K J MacKenzie

(1954-61)

2020

D H D’Arcy

(1953-57)

2021

I G Adams

(1977-83)

2020

A H Lee

(1948-56)

2021

2021

Obituary: Glyn Davies (’63-’70) Glyn Davies, who was at Birkenhead School from 1963-70, died on 18th July 2020, aged 69. He died about nine months after pancreatic cancer was first diagnosed.

He was cremated at Stockport Crematorium under Covid-19 restrictions with blessings from the local Buddhist Community.

After leaving School, he studied at Prifysgol Abertawe and Manchester Polytechnic. He followed a career in public housing, eventually retiring as senior policy and development officer with a housing charity.

He leaves his widow, Marion, two sons and a daughter, and four grandchildren.

He was much loved and is sadly missed.

Picture: Glyn with his daughter Lucy at her wedding in 2018

Obituary: Tony Haygarth (’45-’50) Edward James Anthony Haygarth (Tony) (’45-50) died in April 2020.

A pupil at the time that the School sports programme was headed by the old sergeant major, he participated in the rugby, cricket, tennis, hockey, and athletics teams.

The School also equipped him with an excellent academic education. Having graduated from Liverpool University, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant (coming top in the country in one exam) before going on to work in commerce.

Hugely proud of his School, he was regularly seen wearing his old boy’s tie in recent years.

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Picture: The First Rugby Fifteen from 1949/50 (Tony is third from left in the front row)

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Obituary: Phil Swan (’58-’65) Phil Swan (‘58-’65) passed away on 21st April 2021 after a two-year battle against cancer. Throughout all his life he was a well-loved, fun guy to be with and an absolute gentleman to all to worked, and relaxed, with him.

His love of flying came from a visit to Liverpool Speke Airport when he was invited to join some of his class colleagues

by Rob Leay for a trip there one weekend and in his words, “from then I knew that I wanted to fly professionally”.

Phil took the opportunities that Birkenhead School offered, he joined the RAF section of the CCF, won an RAF Cadet Flying Scholarship to gain a Private Pilot’s Licence at 16, before he could have a Provisional Driving Licence. When he left School he went to the College of Air Training at Hamble and then to British European Airways, initially on HS 748s around Scotland, then to Tridents covering Europe and finally under the British Airways flag, 747 Jumbo Jets on global, long haul routes. He retired at the mandatory age of 55 with the rank of a Senior Captain.

He met his wife Liz when she was a member of his Cabin Crew and they went on to have 4 children, Natalie and Olivia who are both BA Cabin Crew, Kingsley who is serving in the London Fire Brigade and Matthew who is an Accountant.

Natalie recently had a very premature daughter Millicent, and Phil lived to see his Granddaughter start to thrive after a prolonged time in hospital.

Phil attended many of the London Branch Reunion Dinners, he supported Andrew Sutton’s Class of 65 Scholarship fund raising and will be sorely missed by all of those who had the pleasure of enjoying his company.

By Eric Thorne

His memorial page on Icarus, which is dedicated to BA personnel, has many tributes both to his being fun to work and relax with on his travels and many anecdotes of him being a caring, sympathetic and highly professional Captain in the best of traditions.

Obituary: Graham Berry, teacher of mathematics Many Old Birkonians will have heard of the sad death on 5th January of Graham Berry, who was a member of staff at School between 1974 and 2000. Brian McGuirk, Head of Maths at the time, wrote an appreciation of Graham for the School Magazine in 2000 and he has kindly agreed that we may reprint it now.

Graham was originally from the North West and attended Stockport Grammar School. He went on to read mathematics at St Peter’s College Oxford, a college popular with Birkenhead School staff – Harold McCready, a former Head of Physics and Deputy Head and Alan Davies, later network manager, are also alumni of St Peter’s. Graham played hockey and cricket for his college and also won a university half blue in lacrosse in each of his four years at Oxford.

Graham’s first teaching post was at Loughborough Grammar School where he first encountered Stephen Smith who at that time was a sixth former – later to become Deputy Head of Birkenhead School. From Loughborough, Graham went on to teach mathematics at Glasgow Academy, where he had the opportunity to indulge his passion for hill walking.

and dedication inspired many boys to continue playing for many years after leaving School. He saw the expansion of the sport from quite a minor activity into one of the most popular and successful games in the school. Both his sons, Ian and Neil, were very talented hockey players – and it gave Graham and his wife Sue great pleasure when Neil won his hockey blue at Oxford.

Graham was a quiet member of the staffroom who had strong views but did not feel the need to broadcast them.

He was noted for his ability to predict to the minute the time that away teams would take – no matter who the coach driver was (this included Jack Huggins!). In his younger days, he was a regular member of the ‘Angoras’ (the staff cricket team) where his loopy leg breaks bamboozled the opposition (a slow version of Shane Warne?) and his outstanding fielding abilities showed up the rest of us.

We wish Graham a long and happy retirement as he continues his hill walking and, no doubt, his ‘Munro bagging’.

By Brian McGuirk

In 1974 Graham joined the Mathematics Department at Birkenhead School. He quickly settled and proved to be a thoroughly good teacher and a deceptively shrewd judge of the mathematical capabilities of his pupils, often being the first to spot high flying mathematicians in Junior School. He particularly enjoyed teaching mechanics in the Sixth Form; he was effectively the ‘Mr Mechanics’ of the Department.

Outside the classroom Graham’s greatest contribution to the life of the School was on the hockey field. He organised the sport from his early days at the School and his enthusiasm

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Obituary: SA (Alan) Martin (’54-’61) Alan was an outstanding sportsman at School. He represented Cheshire in the All England Athletics Championship a record six times 1956-61 and received a plaque to commemorate the achievement; won the School Victor Ludorum in 1960; played for the 1st XV Rugby Team 1959-60-61 and was awarded a Distinction Cap each year. He was the first schoolboy to play for the senior Cheshire County Rugby team in 1960-61 when they won the County Championship. He studied Natural Sciences (Metallurgy) at Christ's College, Cambridge and was awarded three Cambridge University Rugby Blues. In 1964 he played in the England Rugby trials. Alan played several games for the Old Birkonian Rugby club, although other senior local teams asked him to play. In 1966 Alan and Jenny were married by Rev Ted Smailes at St Stephen’s Church, Prenton. He worked initially for John Summers, Shotton, then he worked for Euromax, Corby in the 1980s, with the family moving to Rutland in 1990. Alan and family were keen golfers, playing at Vicars GC, Chester then Glen Gorse GC, Oadby, Leicestershire and latterly at Rutland Water GC. Alan and Jenny had two children and four grandchildren.

Memories of Steve Jones Steve Jones died peacefully at his home in Heber Springs, Arkansas on Friday 26th February 2021, with his wife, Barbara, at his side.

My first contact with Steve, known universally as ‘SK’, was as team mates on the rugby field, playing for the Old Birks.

He was a lively, quicksilver, nimble-footed scrum half, always voluble, who regarded all referees as members of the opposition!

But Steve was not just a rugby player he was an all-round athlete, a cricketer, a tennis player, and he even excelled at ‘fives’. His abilities were recognised at school where, in addition to gaining his school colours with distinction, he was in the school cricket team, the athletics team the tennis team and the fives team. With all that to occupy his mind one might wonder how he found time for schoolwork. But find time he did as after leaving school he went on to gain his degree in Modern Languages at St Edmund Hall, Oxford.

But his skills at rugby were not forgotten and he secured a place in the Oxford Greyhounds – the university second fifteen. However, it was his abilities in languages that was to open up a varied and always interesting life.

Iain Matheison writing from France comments on his primary school days – “we were mates from the age of five when we both started at Bidston Avenue Infants School in 1947. We were close friends ever since.”

He was to finally settle down in the USA where he became quite domesticated. Barbara, his wife, writes: “He loved the property here and worked diligently to make it lovelier with flowers, rock walls and borders. He most loved walking our dogs through the woods and often quoted poetry as we made our rounds”.

I can think of no better way to finish this piece than by echoing Barbara’s quotation from Wordsworth: - That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight.

Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendour in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.

Au revoir Steve, from all your OB mates.

By David Allan

He began his career as a linguist by teaching in several local schools but, seeking a more interesting and adventurous career, he started a business in which he guided small parties of wealthy tourists around the cultural treasures of Europe – mainly in France and Spain, using a variety of vintage vehicles to add to the experience. He had a flat in Barcelona in which we were once privileged to stay — he very generously allowed us to use it during a holiday in Spain. On one occasion it was his fluency in French that enabled him to persuade the French gendarmerie to release his team mates from the Bastille, or some such French equivalent, after a minor incident on a rugby tour!

Steve was an informed and erudite speaker – who can forget that talk, full of reminiscences, that he gave at an OB rugby reunion dinner at the Wheatsheaf in Raby in 2015.

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News Congratulations Mr and Mrs Ray! Congratulations to OB Tim Ray (‘91-’98) and his wife Lydia, who were married on Saturday 9th January during lockdown in our School Chapel under the 'exceptional circumstances' criteria of the regulations.

Tim said, “Having originally planned a wedding for 100 people, from either side of the world, in Bali for October last year, we sought the help of the School to have a blessing on our return, but then to marry, at the Chapel, when it became apparent we wouldn’t be able to continue with our original plans.

We applied for our special licence for the Chapel with the help of Fr Mark and sorted out photographers, suits, flowers and cars for over here, arranged for Lydia’s dress, parents and brother to come here and isolate as per the guidelines and even had to move flat in the process to accommodate them!

Then came the announcement of the lockdown in late December to begin in January, the Monday before our wedding day!

Having also had our oven break down on Christmas Eve while everything else was going on, we were luckily able to laugh as much as cry, thanks to our ability to lean on each other and the regular contact of the chaplain throughout.

We will be forever grateful for the work he put in, contacting the C of E legal minds, to get us special dispensation and allow our wedding to go ahead.

We got the go-ahead on the Wednesday afternoon and after a quick phone round the car company, florist (who I’ve known for 30 years thanks to my walk to school!), the

photographers and suit shop again, we could finally have our big day!

We couldn’t have the 100 guests we had originally wanted, with only us and our parents allowed, and the zero degree temperature wasn’t quite what my in-laws were used to, but it was an incredibly intimate, special day, which made me feel proud and privileged to be an OB! We have had so many comments about how wonderful the chapel looked and are extremely grateful to the School.

We are thankful, especially to Fr Mark for his guidance, for keeping us sane in the face of one hurdle after another and to him and his wife for making our day so special, in spite of all the extra worry we caused them on the day with all the restrictions and guidelines they had to ensure were followed.

Fr Mark even helped in enabling us to set up a link so Lydia’s family could watch from Indonesia and allowed us to set up a laptop so we could show a recording of the readings by my sister and nephew.

Another thank you should go to my friend Simon Russell OB, for playing the organ exceptionally well, as ever, and making the day that much more special by playing, at short notice, an unusual choice for us to process out to, in tribute to my grandfather.

We could not have asked for more from everyone involved.

I know the School are always in our family’s thoughts and prayers on both sides of the world.

Beati Mundo Corde has been inscribed in both our rings, as a reminder of how and by whom our marriage was made possible.”

Picture: The Ray’s inscribed rings

Picture: Mr and Mrs Ray in the School Chapel with Fr Mark Turner

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Head of Amazon UK appointment John Boumphrey (’80-’93) has been appointed Head of Amazon UK, effective November 2020. He joined Amazon in 2011 and spent four years working in UK leadership roles, before moving to the group’s Seattle headquarters in 2016. Moving back to the UK in September 2018, he was appointed Vice President of Amazon Fashion Europe. Before joining Amazon, John was a Trading Director at Homebase, and earlier in his career he worked as a consultant at Bain & Company. Previously he studied Modern Languages at Pembroke College, Oxford. John currently lives in Oxfordshire with his wife Lillie and three boys. At School John was Head Boy from 1992-93. He played 1st XI Cricket and Hockey and was awarded a Hockey Blue at Oxford in 1998.

Pippa McKeown announced as OBS President Pippa McKeown (’00-’02) has been elected as the first female President of the Old Birkonian Society at the AGM in September 2020.

Outgoing President, Michael Burrell, provided a warm welcome to Pippa at the meeting and explained her very special relationship with the School, being part of the first cohort of girls who joined the School in 2000. Pippa is also married to an Old Birkonian - Andrew; her brother, father and uncle all attended the School, her grandmother taught in the Prep.

Pippa thanked Michael for the welcome and also, on behalf of the OBS, for his time and contribution as President for the past three years, as did Chairman Will Roberts.

Pippa said that she was delighted to take on the role of President and expressed her thanks at being elected. She also commented that her heritage provided a unique link to

both the past and the future which Pippa believed would assist her in her role.

Pippa also praised the Headmaster and the School generally for their commendable efforts throughout the extremely difficult and challenging circumstances presented by Covid-19.

Picture: Pippa McKeown

Also at the AGM, Will Roberts noted the great sense of community spirit at Birkenhead School and within the alumni network, and hoped this has been strengthened further in the face of adversity. He noted that, as part of this community spirit, the School continues to work closely with local charities such as Wirral Foodbank, The Hive and Claire House, and called on OBS members to consider helping.

Dr Adam Qaisar makes strides at the National Nuclear Laboratory A world-first electron microscopy and materials characterisation instrument has been installed and commissioned by Dr Adam Qaisar (’99’06) after he was awarded £3 million from the Henry Royce Institute for nationally significant nuclear materials research equipment. After leaving Birkenhead School, Adam continued his education at the University of Leeds, reading Nanotechnology (BSc Hons) and being awarded a PhD in materials science. Now a materials scientist and electron microscopy specialist at the UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory, Adam and his team have installed the world’s only Plasma-Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry capable of examining nuclear materials. The instrument will be used to investigate the structure and composition of a wide range of treated nuclear waste materials. The treatments are aimed at permanently encapsulating the fissile material, neutralizing the waste materials for thousands of years. The new instrument will enable researchers to look in greater detail at how fuels are behaving in reactors when they are being used to keep lights on in homes, and also how the UK’s waste immobilisation remedies will behave in long term storage for a millennium.

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Picture: Adam and his colleague Dr Ian Vatter conducting factory acceptance tests of the microscope in Brno, Czechia

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Frank Croft Hulme Resting Place Following research by the Friends of Flaybrick in 2018 of past editions of Birkenhead News at the Birkenhead Central Reference Library, Birkenhead Park has been able to discover the resting place of one of their greatest past players — Frank Croft Hulme. Born in Oxton on 31 August 1881, he attended Birkenhead School. He played for Birkenhead Park Rugby Club, Cheshire, The Barbarians, England 1903 - 1905 and the Great Britain Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia 1904. His position was halfback; Frank was a soldier in the First World War with the Liverpool Scottish Regiment.

Once the story had been logged on to the Friends of Flaybrick database, a visit to the Birkenhead Reference Library enabled them to research and discover that on 7 September 1935, 53-year-old Frank was buried in grave CE7/189, following other family members who had predeceased him. The funeral service was conducted by Rev Edward Henry.

Despite the inadequate memorial, the story of Frank was, in the Friends’ opinion, too important not to cover in the guided walks programme, and so it was decided to research the story fully and include it as part their first walk for 2019.

The Friends of Flaybrick were then delighted to learn that having been made aware of the story Birkenhead Park Rugby Club and the lack of a suitable memorial to this legend of English rugby, the Club was arranging for the provision of a headstone more in keeping with the achievements of this son of Birkenhead.

The headstone and Frank’s resting place were due to be commemorated at a ceremony in May 2020, but it has been postponed to a later date.

With thanks to Rob Dolphin, Chair and Walks co-ordinator, The Friends of Flaybrick, and Phil Tarleton, Birkenhead Park Rugby Club.

By Rob Wood from The Birkenhead History Society

A quick check on the map details held by the Friends followed by a visit to the Memorial Gardens very soon revealed a sad sight. As part of a ‘modernisation’ programme some years ago, the Council had removed all memorials which consisted solely of kerbing; these kerbs once removed were discarded and replaced with small rectangular plaques.

In the case of the Hulme grave, the plaque proved to be too small to hold all the information held on the kerbing and ironically it was all reference to Frank which had been omitted. A double check was carried out to ensure that Friends had discovered the correct location and they were able to confirm that it was indeed Frank Hulme’s final resting place.

John Hearnshaw receives The Crawford-Hunter Lifetime Achievement Award Each year, the International Dark-Sky Association recognises and celebrates the incredible achievements of individuals and groups who are committed to their mission to preserve the night. As leaders in their communities, the awardees play a key role in strengthening the global dark sky movement and empowering others to join the fight against light pollution. This year IDA's Crawford-Hunter Lifetime Achievement Award went to OB John Hearnshaw (’57-’64) who lives in New Zealand and was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Canterbury until his retirement in 2014.

The Crawford-Hunter Lifetime Achievement Award represents the highest honour that IDA bestows upon individuals who, in the course of their lifetime, have contributed an extraordinary effort to light pollution abatement. From 1976 to 2008 John was Director of Mt John Observatory in New Zealand. During this time, he took steps to protect the observatory from encroaching outdoor lighting from the nearby Tekapo Village. Specifically, he lobbied the Mackenzie District Council to include lighting regulations in their District Plan. This goal was achieved in 1981. In 2010, these regulations were extended to include

a large expansion of land inclusive of the town of Twizel. Consequently, this regulation’s control of light led to the 2012 designation of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve (AMIDSR). After this Picture: John Hearnshaw success, John formed the AMIDSR Board and was elected Chair, a role he continues to hold to this day. He is the driving force for the board, especially in organizing Starlight Festivals in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Under John’s leadership, the AMIDSR was awarded the International Dark-Sky Association Dark Sky Place of the Year 2018.

Then, in 2019, John was the principal organizer of the New Zealand Starlight Conference. This IDA-sponsored conference brought together participants from different backgrounds to discuss the inter-related themes of dark-sky protection. These themes include the effects of artificial light at night on star-gazing, the environment, and human health.

John is an active member of the International Astronomical Union and he is especially involved with education, outreach, and protection of the night sky. Additionally, he is a member of IUCN Dark Sky Advisory Group. Further, John is the National Focal Point for New Zealand in the UNESCO Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative.

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OB Plaque to commemorate the Ashcroft Family The Old Birkonian Society Council have organised a memorial to recognise the funding contributions made by Mrs C W Ashcroft to transform the original ‘slope’ connecting the path by the School field with the Gymnasium, into the Ashcroft Steps.

The donation was made by Mrs Ashcroft in honour of three of her sons, who were killed in the First World War. The original refurbishment of the steps was finished in 1955, and more recently it has been transformed along with the Prep playground. A plaque bearing the names of the Ashcrofts is now placed at the bottom and the top of the steps.

Mr and Mrs Charles Wesley Ashcroft had six sons and two daughters, with sadly three of those sons not returning from the War. Lieutenant William Ashcroft, of the 19th Battalion The King’s Regiment (Liverpool), was the eldest son of the family, born in 1881, and killed in action near St Quentin on March 22nd 1918. William was at Birkenhead School from 1896 to 1900, and was a School Prefect, Captain of the Cricket XI, and a member of the Rugby XV. William’s loss was felt by his many friends and his untimely death was described a tragedy.

Lieutenant Edward Stanley Ashcroft, of the 17th Battalion The King’s Regiment (Liverpool), was the second son, born in 1882, and died of wounds while a prisoner of war on May 12th 1918. Edward entered Birkenhead School in 1896 and left in 1900. He was a School Prefect, Captain of the Rugby XV and a member of the Cricket XI. Edward was also very committed to the work of the School Mission and spent much of his spare time devoted to the interests of young people.

His loss was a severe one to the community.

Second Lieutenant Frederick Ashcroft, of the 18th Battalion The King’s Regiment (Liverpool) was the fourth son of the family, born in 1886 and killed in action at Arras on April

Potential, by Dennis Elliott (’62-’69) My Headmaster at School was John Gwilliam. For whatever reason I seemed to build a relationship with him that not only resulted in his helping me practically in my life but also in giving me some great wisdom. I pass his wisdom on here.

John Gwilliam believed that everybody on earth is born with a set of capabilities and gifts. He also believed that most people fail to recognise their gifts and as a result squander their opportunity and ‘potential’. For those who manage to recognise their particular set of ‘God-given talents and do something about it’ (he was a religious man) opportunity awaits on a scale that few get to experience.

He was of course an intelligent man given his lifetime academic role but it was in sport that he had formulated a set of rules that transfer into everyday life. He was athletic and a large man such that his nation Wales’s national sport Rugby was something he was introduced to at an early age.

As a young man he told me he would go to bed and dream of playing for Wales. He had heroes and he would watch 112

Picture: Ashcroft Family Plaque

9th 1917. Frederick was at School from 1896 to 1905 where he was a School Prefect, Captain of the Cricket XI and a member of the Rugby XV. He was in the cricket team for four years and in his last year made more runs than had ever been made by any boy in one year at the School, as well as taking over 100 wickets. His loss was felt as a personal one by many.

Along with the new plaques on the steps, and being named on the School’s First World War Memorial, there is also a memorial window in the Chapel, placed in 1921, for the three Ashcroft brothers who lost their lives. Such dedications for the Ashcrofts, and for all who gave their lives in both the First and Second World Wars, serve as a reminder to us all that their sacrifice may never be forgotten and that their example will continue to inspire generations to come.

them play and observe what they did and what made them the best. In time his progress on the field confirmed he had a future as he was selected for some representative teams.

It was at this time that he told me of a very important formula he had discovered in order to make his ambition at the highest level a possibility. ‘I decided I wanted to be the best,’ he told me, ‘and I sat down to work out what would make the best Rugby forward in the world.’ He was big and mobile but he needed to learn to jump in order to catch the ball in the line-outs. As a result he decided to take up skipping in order to be light on his feet and he described how he would work up and down his mother’s washing line leaping as high as he could and imagining himself heading a football, as he believed this would enhance his timing. He told me he would practise doing this for hours. He also wanted to be the fastest forward on the pitch and he decided to learn to run fast ‘downhill’. His logic was impeccable as he believed the velocity he gained from the relative lack of gravity would ensure his balance and, actual running style would benefit. He ran down the road in his Welsh village hour after hour becoming, as a result, fabulously fit. This tale has a significant conclusion: in time John Gwilliam did play for

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Wales and what is more he captained the national team. He did so to win a triple crown and, perhaps best of all, he was the last Captain to lead Wales to victory over The All Blacks.

Surveys of players did not exist back in the day but as far as rugby is concerned John Gwilliam lived up to his ‘potential’ and then some.

Of course, for those who would listen to him, his philosophy regarding rugby translates into real life.

I remember one Friday morning he was giving a lecture to the Sixth Form on how to be ‘successful in life’. Most missed the point of what he said. Thankfully, I did not. His message was threefold. First of all aim as high as you can, be the best in your chosen field — not ‘one of the best’, not ‘amongst the best’, the very best. If ever you bother to look at the really great companies in the world you will see that clearly defined in their corporate goal will be an intention to be at the very top of their chosen field. Secondly, he encouraged the idea that in everything you do in aiming for your goal you need to do it to the very highest standard you can possibly think of. Thirdly and in some ways the most important of all, do what you do with an attitude that represents ‘doing the right thing’. Do not compromise and do not let those doubters or people who seek to take short cuts influence your drive and whatever you do be honest and upright as a person.

Interestingly, only last week I was listening to a podcast in which the Head of The British Army was interviewed and his life pathway almost exactly mirrored this thesis.

When I look back on my own life, I am happy to say that I took a lot of John Gwilliam’s advice on board. Whatever success this grandson of a coal miner has had can be firmly identified as benefitting from approaching challenge based upon these three principles. In truth I now think that rather than making life difficult it does, looking back, make it much easier. If in any business your benchmark is ‘pre-eminence’ then taking ‘ordinary steps’ becomes a ‘no go’ so you do not waste time. If you want to win at something then practising for second place has no sense. Finally in the end your own soul will confirm or otherwise whether you have approached life with a pure heart. Our School motto was ‘Beati Mundo Corde’ another reason maybe while all of this made sense to me.

In my school year over 30 boys went to Oxford or Cambridge many with scholarships. I was one of around three boys who did not go to university.

Instead, I began work in a Stockbroking firm in Liverpool before moving down to London. Over time I became an advisor to major investment organisations and I had the privilege of running the Global Securities division of a major Investment Bank in New York. Back in London I enjoyed various management roles and enjoyed extensive travel opportunities advising the major Investment Institutions of the world and all the major Sovereign Funds. My final formal role was as a Global Partner of a major Investment Management Company based in Atlanta Georgia. I currently live in Devon and retain a keen interest in Investment. Seeking to understand the world and how it is likely to change is at the centre of my activities.

On a sporting note, at School, I was Vice-captain of an all-conquering rugby team, Captain of Athletics and Cross-Country Champion. I was Drum Major in the corps of Drums CCF (Combined Cadet Force) and in my early years a chorister. I acted in many plays and was a member of School House.

When I left school the Old Birkonian Rugby Club was still in place. I had the honour of Captaining the club for two seasons and played alongside many wonderful Old Birks. On moving to London, I played for The Harlequins and for six years I wore the Number 10 shirt of The Stock Exchange representative team. During my business career I ran many marathons alongside others to raise money for various charities. I ran three London Marathons, two New York marathons and even the awesome Marathon du Mont Blanc (the clue is in the title!) often alongside my wife Liz who is well known to many Old Birks. I also completed a London to Brighton 'race walk’.

I played rugby until I was 43 then I took up cricket - that most wonderful of games. I am happy to record that in time I represented both Hertfordshire and Devon in the over 50s ‘County' competition. Thanks to my wife, in my early sixties I joined a running club (too many cricket teas). Inspired by watching my son take part in The London Triathlon I fell in love with a new sport. I competed in many races all over the world and completed four full Ironman events. In my late sixties my knees cried ‘enough’ and, as a result, cycling has become my passion. I have since completed a mountain stage of the Tour De France, the truly awesome Milan San Remo course, and this year to celebrate my 70th birthday I rode my Fat Bike (a sort of mountain bike with oversize wheels) the equivalent of the height of Mount Everest to support a local charity.’

I have of course passed on these words of wisdom to many but few, interestingly, have followed its message. To those who read this and have followed the message, I suspect a moment of reflection might be in order. Well done, by the way.

To those who read this and recognise that they have not, in fact, lived up to their potential then perhaps it is not too late.

In part, anyway, change your ways, aim high, set yourself the best of standards and behave with honour and integrity. It makes sense.

About Dennis: ‘In the 1960s Birkenhead School was a Direct Grant School recognised as an institution of excellence. The annual intake of boys, around 90, was made up of those who paid fees and who had gained entrance via a formidable 'two part' examination process. The remaining places were offered to those boys who, in the Birkenhead area, had been placed in the top 10% of the 11+ exam. As such the sons of lawyers, doctors and many other professional activities were educated alongside the sons of Dockers, Bus Drivers and Council Workers. The chemistry was a powerful one.

Picture: Dennis Elliott on his Fat Bike

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How Birkenhead School helped change children’s lives at home and abroad

By Paul Kenny Joining Year 10 at Birkenhead School was an exciting time for many students. It was the year in which students could choose one of the armed forces to join as a cadet. It had a lot of appeal and excitement surrounding it and the outdoor activities were something that certainly appealed to me. But there was also the alternative option of ‘community service’, and it was this option that shaped my life and the lives of many others both at home and abroad.

Led by Mr Cameron, a long-standing and inspirational teacher at Birkenhead School, community service gave students the opportunity to share in his passion for community projects that make a difference to people’s lives and help those in need of support. I was placed as a volunteer at the specialist child development centre at Clatterbridge Hospital for children with special educational needs. It was an incredible place staffed by some of the most amazing people. The children had a variety of special needs across a full spectrum of physical and mental disabilities and were often supported by other wonderful organisations such as Wirral Autistic Society, now known as Autism Together.

there was a keen interest from other people also wanting to help. It was from this interest I decided to form the charity Change a Child’s Life, which many of you will know through the kind support of Birkenhead School and the sponsorship of Natalia aged 5.

Change a Child’s Life is a charity operated on an entirely voluntary basis and to date has supported over 85 children from underprivileged backgrounds through its sponsorship program. It costs just £1.36 per day plus Gift Aid to sponsor a child through school and to provide them with safe boarding accommodation and a healthy diet. Peter completed school and trained as an electrician and Grace completed a university degree in Nursing at Nairobi University and now works at Nairobi Hospital supporting patients on the COVID wards. Grace also volunteers for Change a Child’s Life as a mentor and assists with the medical needs of the children, which has proved invaluable during the pandemic, and Peter has supported the charity with its building projects.

We have had several exceptional students who, despite their backgrounds, have qualified as a barrister, an accountant, a nurse and a teacher to name just a few. There are others who have qualified with vocational qualifications such as a vehicle mechanic, an electrician, a hair dresser and a tailor. They are remarkable achievements and we are very proud of each and every one of them, all of whom we remain in close contact with through our mentoring program, which was set up to support the next generation of young children like Natalia.

The incredible team at Clatterbridge worked tirelessly to support the unique needs of each child in a caring and supportive way to help with both their educational learning and the skills required for life. There was an underlying ethos of giving every child the best possible opportunity in life no matter what their circumstances. This struck a chord with me.

The underlying ethos to give every child the best possible opportunity in life no matter what their circumstances is at the heart of Change a Child’s Life. It is an ethos and value that I learnt whilst at Birkenhead School and I am grateful for the opportunity Birkenhead School gave me to work in the community.

Upon completing university in 2007 I took a gap year and, inspired by my experience whilst at Birkenhead School, I volunteered at St Monica Children’s Home near Nairobi in Kenya.

In 2015 I was approached by OnSide, a charity who had an exciting ambition to create an all encompassing and stateof-the-art youth zone on the Wirral. The vision was to create a safe place for all young people to thrive. It was to offer all young people ‘somewhere to go, something to do, and someone to talk to’.

The children’s home catered for orphaned children many of whom had lived on the streets of Nairobi, in slums such as Kawangware or from remote rural regions where there was extreme poverty. During the day I worked as a volunteer at Maria Immaculata School — a school (visited by Mr FitzHerbert in 2019) with special focus on supporting the needs of children from underprivileged backgrounds.

There were many very sad life stories amongst the school community from those who had experienced extreme famine to those who had suffered from physical, mental and sometimes sexual abuse at unfathomably young ages.

However, these children were the lucky ones who had been rescued and were now under the care of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. Some of you may remember Sister Martha’s visit to Birkenhead School in 2017 where she participated in the Nicholls Lecture Series.

I offered to sponsor two children, Peter, a primary school child who had survived for four years living on the streets of Nairobi, and Grace, an orphan whose older sister was selling cushion covers on the street corner to try to pay for Grace to go to school despite not having had the opportunity herself.

I shared my experience when I returned home to the UK and

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I visited another centre in Wigan (Wigan Youth Zone) which was also a creation of OnSide. I was extremely impressed by what I saw on my visit. On the surface the facility offered a fabulous array of activities from football to dance, from art & craft to DJ’ing. However, it offered much more than just first class facilities. It offered children a safe place to go, a place to receive guidance and a chance to fulfil their potential no matter their background. It was a place that embraced everyone with equality at the heart of everything it did.

What stood out for me was that the children who attend the facility really take it as their own. They are involved in the decision making as to how the centre is run. They hold it close to their hearts and they treat it with pride.

When I was asked to become a patron of the ‘yet to be established’ Hive youth zone it was an easy decision for me. I could see the immense benefit it would bring to young people on the Wirral. The Hive was completed in 2017 and now has over 3,000 members. It costs just £5 per year to join and 50p per visit — and fees are waived for anyone who cannot afford them. This is achieved through the kind support of local businesses on which it depends.

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It offers an array of sporting activities, dance, drama, music and arts, but also incorporates a safe haven with qualified youth workers and counsellors who are trained to help those in need and those who are victims of abuse.

During the pandemic The Hive has had to adapt, but it has proved invaluable to our most vulnerable people in society. Its online interactive activities had an incredible average weekly reach of more than 23,000 young people on the Wirral. However, it is its outreach programme which has proved most invaluable by supporting underprivileged families through its food bank programme and, critically, supporting children whose situation makes them highly vulnerable to domestic abuse. The Hive is continuing to work with children and their families across the Wirral to support their wellbeing, with particular focus on the mental health challenges brought about by the pandemic.

The value to society brought about by organisations such as The Hive, Change a Child’s Life, Autism Together and Clatterbridge Hospital cannot be overestimated. They have a shared ethos of enabling every child to reach their full potential. I am proud to have been able to play a small part in each of them and I am grateful to Birkenhead School and Mr Cameron for introducing me to the concept of philanthropy and how we can collectively make the world a better place. It has helped shape my life and the lives of others both at home and abroad.

Picture: Old Birkonian, Paul Kenny, with children sponsored through Change a Child’s Life at Maria Immaculata School in Kenya. It costs just £1.36 plus Gift Aid per day to sponsor a child and provide them with a good education, safe boarding accommodation and a healthy diet.

If you or your business could help or you would like more information about any of the community projects please follow the links below:

Change a Child’s Life Contact: Paul Kenny, Trustee Phone: 07736937971 Email: paul.kenny@changeachildslife.org.uk Website: www.changeachildslife.org.uk

The Hive, Wirral Youth Zone Contact: Catherine Sandow, Head of Fundraising Phone: 07989513233 Email: catherine.sandow@thehiveyouthzone.org Website: www.thehiveyouthzone.org

Picture: Natalia (age 5), sponsored by Birkenhead School, excitedly receives her new school shoes.

Autism Together Contact: Chloe Jones, Fundraising Officer Phone: 07925832012 Email: chloe.jones@autismtogether.co.uk Website: www.autismtogether.co.uk w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

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Books New book on Bob Dylan by Michael Gray Non-fiction writer and OB Michael Gray (’57-’64) has published a new book, OUTTAKES ON BOB DYLAN: Selected Writings 1967-2021. It will first be a UK hardback, £20, from Route Books, and can be ordered directly from the publisher at www.route-online.com The book is a large collection of essays and articles on differing aspects of Dylan's multifaceted career, and spans almost 55 years of Gray's writing. Some of this is new and/or previously unpublished work, while the majority has been brought together from articles originally published in a variety of magazines, newspapers and more, from the Daily Telegraph, The Independent and The Guardian to Rolling Stone and Melody Maker, and from the Canadian Folklore Canadian journal and the Japan Times to The University of Southern Denmark Press.

Michael Gray is a critic and public speaker. He pioneered the serious study of Dylan's work with Song & Dance Man: The Art of Bob Dylan, 1972, the first such critical book.

Born in 1946, he grew up on Merseyside and, after attending Birkenhead Prep School and Birkenhead School, studied History and English Literature at York University, where he interviewed British historian A.J.P. Taylor and chatted with visiting American guitarist Jimi Hendrix. His books include the massively updated Song & Dance Man III (1999), The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia (2006), and Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search Of Blind Willie McTell (2007).

He is married to food-writer Sarah Beattie and has lived in southwest France since 2008. His website is www.michaelgray.net In 2000, Michael returned to School to deliver a talk on Bob Dylan in relation to the history of rock'n'roll.

Books on Tunnels and Railways Mark Chatterton (’69-’76) has published two new books, the first is Britain’s Road Tunnels, which has been inspired by going through the Mersey tunnel as a child; it has grown into an interest in the history and engineering of the various road tunnels. It has involved travelling all over the country to visit them and take photographs.

The book is out now and is published by Amblerley Books.

The second is on the various Parkway Railway Stations which looks at their history and raison d’être. It has been inspired by Mark’s love of railways which started when he was a pupil at Birkenhead School and he used to come to school each day by train all the way from Chester! The book is available via Mortons Books.

Graham Richards: A Scientific Life Graham Richards (’51-’58) was one of the pioneers of computer-aided drug discovery, a computational chemist with a long career at Oxford plus periods in Paris and a spell at Stanford and Berkeley.

He is the author of over twenty books and was the originator of the enormously successful screensaver project which involved more than three and a half million people in more than two hundred countries. He played a major role in the commercialisation of academic science and founded several successful companies.

His book A Scientific Life is out now available on Amazon.

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John Bradshaw: Brushes with Brains Professor John L Bradshaw (’50-’58) has a Personal Chair and Emeritus Professorship at Monash University, Melbourne.

His 2018 memoir Reflections of a Neuropsychologist – Brushes with Brains is a very readable account of his childhood, education, and adventurous travels as a schoolboy, undergraduate, Organisation & Methods Officer at ICI, research student at Sheffield and eventually academic in Australia, also of course his research work in neuropsychology.

He received a scholarship to study Classics Languages at Merton College, Oxford in 1958. His intention even then was to have a career in medicine, and once in the Fifth and Sixth Form studying arts subjects, he taught himself physics, chemistry and biology during school geography classes. The necessary practical work was done at home in a greenhouse converted into a small lab. He had no help from

the science teachers, who were no doubt surprised when he received excellent O level results. He did however benefit from the School debating society (the FE Society), becoming Chairman; he later found that the ability to make impromptu addresses was very useful. There is brief mention of the CCF (Combined Cadet Force), and an exercise in North Wales when there was time for a visit to the White Horse in Cilcain.

John parked his .303 rifle outside the pub, and the army truck was well on its way back to Oxton before he realised his rifle was not with them. The driver was not amused, and John’s progress up the CCF ranks was delayed for some time.

If you wish to find out more about how he was glad to leave ICI, how he created a basement lab for his PhD research, and how his career and adventures in Australia and elsewhere developed, you will have to read the book, published by Routledge!

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Ye a r s P a s t 10 YEARS AGO 2010/11 To commemorate the School’s 150th Anniversary a service was held in Chester Cathedral and Vasily Petrenko conducted the Liverpool Philarmonic Orchestra in ‘Perfect Pitch’ staged on the School Field. Andrew Sutton OB was appointed Chair and Julia Moore Vice Chair of Governors. Graham Melville, Chemistry, Junior Cricket and CCF (RN Section) retired after 20 years at School. School pupil numbers 405, Prep 314.

30 YEARS AGO 1990/91 Graham Hurton OB stepped down as Chairman of Governors, but remained on the Board. Janet Skelly was appointed Headmistress of the Prep. Deputy Headmaster Harold McCready OB Physics, David Reynolds (Chemistry) and Andy Collins OB (Classics) all left, after 37, 21 and 10 years’ service respectively. Work started on the new sports hall. Sir WO Wade OB was appointed a life peer, and DG Hornby OB was awarded an OBE. There were 12 Old Birkonians on the teaching staff. School pupil numbers 750, Prep 252.

50 YEAR AGO 1970/71 29 pupils were awarded places at Oxford and Cambridge. The Prep School took over two form rooms beneath Big School. Graham Vick OB, left the school and entered the Royal Northern College of Music; he later became well known in the field of Opera. School pupil numbers 652.

70 YEARS AGO 1950/51 Science Hut No 2 was erected near Hut No 1 Bidston Road (the site is now the artificial sports’ pitch). WTC Rankin took over from ‘Willie’ Woodhouse as Headmaster of Junior School. Mrs P L Richmond-Coggan, who had taught at the school since 1937, replaced Miss Bendall as Headmistress of the Prep School.

The grounds staff acquired a miniature tractor.

School pupil numbers 563, Prep 167.

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20 YEARS AGO 2000/01 Girls were introduced into the Sixth form, initially five girls in Lower Sixth. AS courses started. A portrait of Sandy Irvine, Everest mountaineer, was added to the Bushell Hall collection, unveiled by Julie Summers, his great niece. Judge David MacKay OB retired as Chairman of Governors, having served 10 years. Mick Bowyer, PE and Geography, retired after 31 years, David Speers, Head Groundsman, who had been at the school since 1972 retired, Carl Williams being appointed the new Estates Manager. School pupil numbers 556, Prep 328.

40 YEARS AGO 1980/81 Work on the new School Hall (later named ‘Bushell Hall’) commenced in November.

The school cap ceased to be part of the Senior School’s uniform. The Assisted Places Scheme was introduced, replacing the previously abolished Direct Grant Scheme for new pupils. GL (Leslie) McAllester OB, Governor and benefactor, who presented ‘Mac Field’ to the school in 1948, died. ‘Larry’ Leather (Classics) and Des Bower OB (Prep and CCF), both retired after 28 and 35 years’ service. Mr Bower continued to help out part time. School pupil numbers 690, Prep 208.

60 YEARS AGO 1960/61 A new gymnasium floor was installed, along with other improvements. A new flag pole was erected next to the Cricket Pavilion. The CCF Army Section annual camp was held at Aldershot where at the Sunday Drumhead Service, the March Past was taken by ‘Monty’, Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, who retired later that year. Alan Martin was awarded a plaque to commemorate representing Cheshire Schoolboys at the All England Athletics Championships for a record six years. LI ‘Laurie’ Rimmer OB played rugby for England and represented Cheshire when they won the County Championship — Alan Martin also played, being the first schoolboy to represent the county. School pupil numbers 631 (209 in the 6th form).

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Ye a r s P a s t 80 YEARS AGO 1940/41 The School cricket pavilion became the headquarters of the local Home Guard with the rifle range being put at their disposal.

The staff had a rota for fire-watching duties.

Cellars under ‘Overdale’ were furnished as classrooms for the Prep school, which had moved there for the duration of the war.

School pupil numbers 260.

100 YEARS AGO 1920/21 A book ‘Memorials of Old Birkonians Who Fell in the Great War 1914-18’, which was instigated by Rev CA MacVicar, was published by the school. This contained pictures and obituaries of 96 OBs who lost their lives in the First World War. A new stained-glass window was donated to the Chapel by Mr and Mrs Ashcroft, in memory of their three sons, all OBs, who gave their lives in the Great War (Mrs Ashcroft left a legacy to the School which went towards the ‘Ashcroft steps‘, built in 1956). Nos 38 and 40 Bidston Road were purchased and converted for use as a science block — they were known as ‘New Schools’. A new stained-glass window was put in the Chapel by Mr and Mrs Harris, in memory of their son John who died on the 5th May 1917 aged 16. F. Griffin, Headmaster since 1897, retired and RK Davis was appointed as his replacement. Graham White became Chairman of the Board of Governors.

School pupil numbers 350, Prep 150.

130 YEARS AGO 1890/91 In the early 1890s the iron railings down the side of the school field, adjacent to Beresford Road, were replaced with the current wall.

Various prizes listed in 1890 are still awarded today: Jackson prizes for English Literature and Geography; the Brassey prize for History and the Wood prize for Latin Prose.

150 YEARS AGO 1870/71 Summer term 1871 was the last at the original site in Park Road North before the School moved to the new buildings in Shrewsbury Road (see sketch), which opened in Autumn 1871.

90 YEARS AGO 1930/31 FE Smith died on the 30th September (then the most famous OB). A fire broke out in the cricket pavilion but was soon extinguished.

RK Davis, Headmaster since 1921, left to take up the Headship of Magdalen College School, Oxford. WF Bushell was appointed as his replacement. Graham White OB, Liberal MP for Birkenhead East and later Postmaster General, retired as Chairman of Governors.

A new four- house system was introduced: Pearse’s, Sloman’s, Griffins’s (named after previous Headmasters) and School House.

Davis’s and Bushell’s were added in 1949.

Tennis was introduced with the building of two grass courts in the gardens of 38 Bidston Road and one within the grounds of ‘Overdale’. Pupils were now required to wear a black blazer and grey flannels as uniform, in addition to the school cap that had been worn for many years. School pupil numbers 304.

110 YEARS AGO 1910/11 The School celebrated its Golden Jubilee. Of the 60 original schools listed in Birkenhead in 1860, Birkenhead School was one of the few which had survived.

The Old Birkonian Society helped to raise Jubilee funds which were used to purchased Noctorum Field, which had previously been rented, on behalf of the school. The present Cricket Pavilion on the school field was opened.

School pupil numbers 214, Prep 84.

120 YEARS AGO 1900/01 Various news reports reached the school from OBs serving in the Boer War. The School was given a half holiday on 19th May to celebrate the relief of Mafeking. The School Speech day guest was the Bishop of Liverpool, Dr Chavasse (one of whose sons was awarded two VCs). A new flagpole and Union flag were presented to the School by Mrs Pelling.

140 YEARS AGO 1880/81 In 1881 an advertisement described the School as ‘standing on a most healthy and elevated site of six acres, two miles from Birkenhead. Accommodation for 40 boarders was in the Headmaster’s house’.

160 YEARS AGO 1860/61 Birkenhead Proprietary School (later changed to Birkenhead School) opened on 9th August 1860 in Park Road North with 18 boys (numbers increased to 30 before the end of the first term) and four staff.

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Birkenhead School, 58 Beresford Road, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 2JD Tel: 0151 652 4014 Email: enquire@birkenheadschool.co.uk /birkenheadschool

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