In Focus Virtual Open Day

2018 - 2019

HIGHLIGHTS

B I R KO N I A N W E E K

W E S T S I D E S T O RY

INSPIRING TA L K S E R I E S

O L D B I R KO N I A N SOCIETY BULLETIN

IN FOCUS 2019

Index Welc o m e. . . . . . . . . . ........................................................ 3 Ea rly Yea r s . . . . . . .............................. .......................... 4 Sch o o l N ew s.. . . ............................... .......................... 7 Birko n i a n Week. ..................................................... 18 I n sp i r i n g Ta l k s S er ies .............................................. 20 Sch o o l Pro d u c tions......................... ........................ 2 4 Trip s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... ........................ 2 8 I n the C o m mu n ity.................................................. 34 Ch a p l a i n c y . . . . . . .............................. ........................ 36 Sta r A c ti v i ti es . ............................... ........................ 38 Pa ren ts ’ A s s o c i ation................................................ 39 Art. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. ........................ 40 Cla s s i c s . . . . . . . . . . . ...................................................... 42 Co m p u ti n g . . . . . . . .............................. ........................ 43 D esi g n & Tech n ol og y...................... ........................ 44 En g l i s h . . . . . . . . . . ............................... ........................ 46 Geog r a p hy . . . . . . ....................................................... 48 M ath s . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... ........................ 49 Histo r y . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................................................... 50 M o d er n Fo rei g n L an guages.............. ........................ 54 M usi c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. ........................ 55 Sci en c e .. . . . . . . . . . . ...................................................... 61 Relig i o u s Stu d ies.................................................... 65 Spo r t .. . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... ........................ 66 Si x th Fo r m : B usiness Studies & Psycholog y . . .............. 73 Si x th Fo r m Ref l ec tions............................................ 74 Birken h ea d F u tures................................................. 76 L ea d er s h i p . . . . . . . .............................. ........................ 78 A L evel Res u l ts ............................... ........................ 79 GCSE Res u l ts .. . ...................................................... 8 0 Sta f f Leaver s .. . . .............................. ........................ 8 1 Si x th Fo r m L eaver s................................................. 8 7 O BS B u l l eti n . . . ............................... ........................ 8 8 Birkenhead School, 58 Beresford Road, Oxton, Wirral, CH43 2JD Tel: 0151 652 4014 Email: enquire@birkenheadschool.co.uk /birkenheadschool

@birkenheadschl

www.birkenheadschool.co.uk 2

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

IN FOCUS 2019

We l c o m e From the Headmaster It is a pleasure to introduce this year’s In Focus magazine.

A school tries to achieve many things, but a particular focus for all staff at Birkenhead School is to provide a breadth of opportunity that enables every student to flourish.

We hope that desire is evident in the pages that follow, a synopsis of this year’s events that show the School to be thriving and in good health.

The desire to celebrate the many and varied talents of students and staff was a feature of this year’s inaugural Birkonian Week.

We hope that this will develop into one of the most popular weeks within the annual Birkonian calendar providing the opportunity to celebrate a key part of the School’s DNA - the belief in the education of the whole person - with so many friends of Birkenhead School.

I hope that you enjoy the read and my very best wishes for a prosperous 2019/20 academic year.

Paul Vicars @Birkenhead_Head

From the Head of Prep At the end of another amazing year at Birkenhead School, I am sure you are all looking forward to reading this issue of In Focus.

There has been a great buzz of purposeful activity in Prep throughout the year and I hope the articles you read will give you a flavour of that. I’ve been delighted with the hard work and enthusiasm shown by our pupils over the year and the plethora of opportunities the staff have provided for them.

The opportunities that children take during the Prep years serve to build their confidence and develop their skills and it is wonderful for me to see them flourish as they go through the Prep.

When I first joined the School in April 2013, many of our Year 6 pupils were in Reception, so I have had the privilege of seeing them all the way through Prep. Their stunning performances of Annie Junior at the end of June were a reminder of just how far they’ve come and we are all enormously proud of their achievements, both individually and as a whole year group. The wonderful thing about this school is that the vast majority of our pupils move up to Seniors, so they’re not really saying goodbye to Prep. Many will no doubt return to support with the academic mentoring programme or to assist with clubs or orchestra; some may even play in the band for future Year 6 shows!

So, enjoy a good read of In Focus this summer and my congratulations to all children and staff for their wonderful contributions to this School year, which has been a truly memorable one.

Harry FitzHerbert w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

3

IN FOCUS 2019

By Mrs Mason, Head of Early Years

The term ‘The Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) is probably one that we take for granted and may not really take as seriously as we should, after all they are so little surely it doesn’t matter as the real learning starts once they are in reception, doesn’t it?

But as cliché as it may sound a child’s early years really do lay the “FOUNDATIONS” for all that is to come. Researchers have ascertained that our brains develop the majority of its neurons, and is at its most receptive to learning, between birth and three years of age. In actual fact, the intake of new information is critical to the formation of active neural pathways. Early education has a huge responsibility and can play a critical role during this important developmental period. It really is so incredibly important that we do our best to get it right for our children so that they can go on to succeed in whatever and wherever their hearts may lie.

We are incredibly lucky to have an amazing Early Years provision, from 3 months to Pre-Prep. It was established and advanced by Mrs Jan Dorney who retired in March this year. Since I joined the School I have been working hard to continue in Jan’s footsteps to progress further all our Early Year’s opportunities.

In both our Nursery and Pre-Prep, we continue to provide a nurturing, stimulating, exciting environment for your children.

Somewhere where they are allowed to take risks (managed risks of course!) but nevertheless risks. We want to build resilience so that when things happen, they are able to keep going. We want them to feel nurtured and have a true attachment to their Key Person. We want them to learn how to make friendships and care for one another and to be challenged and given experiences that empower them. Most of all we want them to be happy as happy children thrive!

Since April, we have been updating the Nursery with calming neutral décor and new flooring. We have also been looking at natural, open-ended, loose parts resources to further enhance and develop the children’s instinctively inquisitive minds. These resources provide such an extensive range of opportunities; they ignite children's imaginations to turn them into something else or just use them as they are. They allow them to experience, to create, to problem solve, to negotiate, to extend and so much more - literally endless possibilities and opportunities.

dexterity, their confidence and self-esteem, all of which are precursors to developing their handwriting skills. The children and staff love to sing the dough song and at around 11 am each morning the Nursery becomes a hub of musical and creative ingenuity so listen out if you are passing by, I can assure you it will make you smile!

In our new Toddler Dining room, we have introduced opportunities for children to extend their own independence and develop their “can do” attitude. Children have their own table setting and place mat and are encouraged to get their own knife, fork, spoon, plate, bowl and cup (not all at the same time I might add!). We work hard to support the children to “have a go” at cutting up their own foods, again important skills which help progress your child’s independence skills, hand to eye coordination, fine and gross motor skills. All-important skills for the foundation of learning! Given their age there will often be plenty of mess whilst they learn these new skills but children can often do far more that we think they can. We aim to provide them with as many opportunities to stretch them as we can, all the time supported by encouraged by our highly experienced team of practitioners.

In early June, our last section of outside area was fitted with artificial grass, very kindly funded by the Parents’ Association. We have added a little track, some herbs and strawberry plants and will be looking to add lots of openended materials to continue the process of exploration and inspire creativity.

How a child engages with the people around them and their environment - playing, exploring, active learning, creating and critical thinking all are the ‘FOUNDATIONS’ of learning and development across all areas and support the child to remain a motivated and effective learner.

Finally, this year has been another exciting year for our Early Years Department and I would like to say a huge thank you to an outstanding team, to all our families for their support and to the Birkenhead School Estates team. Everyone has worked so hard to transform and update our Nursery and we are truly thrilled with the results.

We are looking forward to the new academic year and all the opportunities it will bring in Early Years at Birkenhead School.

In our Toddler Room we have introduced “The Chatter bag” to enhance Communication and Language and also Personal & Social skills. The bags are taken home and the children fill it with their favourite things. We have had everything from pictures of friends and family, a single car to 25 cars, mummy’s gloves, and even a tool box! The children have been incredibly excited and eager to share with their friends their favourite things and it really is a lovely opportunity to develop new words, listening skills, confidence and selfesteem.

We have also introduced the ‘Dough Disco’ which is a fun, interactive activity that combines the use of playdough with a series of hand and finger exercises to progress and improve the children’s fine motor skills. These movements develop the children’s hand to eye coordination, fine and gross motor 4

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

IN FOCUS 2019

Fo r e s t S c h o o l Mr Davies and Mrs Mayers are very proud to see the successful implementation of their dream to set up and deliver a Forest School area and curriculum to enhance the outdoor learning experiences.

It began with Mr Davies completing the in-depth Forest School course successfully and becoming a Level 3 Forest School Leader. The Forest School activities provide opportunities for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning within each activity. Forest School activities are flexible, enabling all children to achieve with a degree of challenge, building confidence and self-esteem and encouraging the perseverance that will help to build resilience.

This year we have planned and given Pre-Prep and Reception children the opportunity to explore and experience the Forest School while developing invaluable skills such as teamwork, listening, observational, problem solving, confidence, independence, caring and appreciating the natural world. Thank you to the Estates Team for the super fencing to secure the area and to the volunteers that have donated equipment and time to help us develop it further.

We are looking forward to what next year will bring.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

5

I N FFOOCCUUSS 22001 199

By Mr Davies, Pre-Prep

It has been a wonderful year in Pre-Prep with so many exciting and memorable experiences to look back on.

Back in Michaelmas term we visited Greenacres farm. The children were very excited about their first school trip and it did not disappoint, with animal talks and a chance to pet a number of animals in Animal Corner, to a tractor ride through fields with Highland cows and Llamas. It was a fantastic day and one that led to many exciting learning opportunities during the rest of term.

Michaelmas term came to a close in Pre-Prep’s traditional and well-loved Nativity Play. The children sang with gusto and the applause at the end highlighted how proud staff and parents alike were with the children for their effort.

Throughout the year, Pre-Prep have looked at different ways to develop the children’s love of stories and a number of initiatives and events have certainly helped to promote this.

The children have been paired up with a Year 6 Reading Buddy each term, sharing a range of stories and building up some wonderful friendships. We were also privileged to welcome Year 2 children who had written and illustrated their very own stories, which they shared eagerly with the children.

-Pre The Pre

Pre-Pre

6

p Sports

p Nativity

Day too

k place

at Christ

in May

mas

Yr 6 Reading

We have also been lucky to welcome a number of ‘Mystery Readers’, relatives of children in Pre-Prep, who have been to share their favourite story with the children. This has proved to be an exciting opportunity for both children and adults alike.

To link in with a number of topics throughout the year, a variety of special people have visited Pre-Prep to motivate and inspire the children. John, a local poet, brought his dog Koby, to help share his rhyming story. Mr McGuigan brought a chicken into Pre-Prep to develop the children’s understanding of life on the farm. This was a really exciting opportunity for the children to ask questions and learn about how to care for animals.

The year culminated in the children practising very hard for Sports Day and the Summer Concert. These events were the highlight of the year, with the Pre-Prep joining in with Little School children, running and taking part in obstacle races.

They also learned a number of tricky new songs, performing them with a piano in front of a large audience in Prep Hall.

What a fantastic year it has been and all of the Pre-Prep team are very proud of the children’s endeavour and achievements.

Buddies

s one of the Transport wa red this year topics cove

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

om A visit fr

Reading

Dog - Ko

The Sum mer Con place du ce ring Birko rt took nian We ek

by

INFOCUS 2019

Little School Highlights

Chester

Sophy Henn - Bad Nana Sophy Henn, author and illustrator, visited the School in June, as part of the School’s Inspiring Talk Series, and entertained children in Years 1 and 2 with her stories about Bad Nana.

ks Chic

d vide n pro May o i t a i in ssoc tors nts’ A d incuba enjoy, e r a P n T h e c h i c ks a p u p i l s t o y c l e s . r -c some r younge bout life a u g o n r fo rni t lea whils

Zoo

Recepti on enjo yed a w to Ches onderfu ter Zoo l trip in May. had a fa The chil ntastic ti dren me takin the ‘Curi g ous Cre atures’ w part in and exp orkshop loring th e Zoo!

K n ow

s l ey S

afari P a rk

Year 2 Know had a won sley in de early rful time w J u n e. hen t hey

visite

d

ese Chin on Drag ing c Dan n had a ghreeairt

ptio ing t e Rece erform n danc e p o s time se Drag e Chine e h t n i e h at C lebr to ce Year!

New

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

7

INFOCUS 2019

Little School Highlights

continued

Clubs

have e School from Littl n range re a d il in h C ke part ta to a n c e, le b been a cluding D in r a e y this lub, of clubs cience C Nature, S all , B ry e d k n o a o C Tennis , h is n ad! a p n s bee h Choir, S of fun ha ts o L . s Sport

eritage H e r i F o isit t Year 1 V tion Centre ca cation and Edu e g and Edu ta e Great ri e the H about th t trip to and learn ugh the years. njoyed a ebruary ro F th Year 1 e in e e ic tl Boo e Serv Centre in don and the Fir n o L f Fire o

ro u n d t h A s a m t is r h C

Year 2 Victo ria

e World

tmas n was ‘Chris ol productio o ption, ch S ce e le R tt m Li ildren fro ch This year’s w sa d an s World’ d friend who Around the to family an rm o rf w. e p 2 ar hristmas sho Year 1 and Ye m in their C e a, Tilly, th ili ch m E at w a, d by Yahi ye had come to la p , the rs o at six narr d to find out There were s, who wante e it. m te Ja ra b d le an a that ce Sasha, Jemim e countries th d an as tm is story of Chr n, Hawaii, to visit Spai us r fo f le ib e it poss lling a part o ica, each te fr The play mad A d n an w o na ir the ca, Chi h showcasing ng and India, Ameri Story and eac , sa d as te tm ac is n hr re C the child s nguage skill ng. All of the wing their la o dance and so sh n ve e e th , tifully tmas in danced beau Merry Chris audience a e th ng hi is by w e. tive languag country’s na

8

n D ay

Victorian Day took place in Year 2 class December an enjoyed dre d each ssing up in p eriod dress.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Ju n i o r P r e p H i g h l i g h t s Just some of the many highlights from this year...

lies Class Assemb

erform ption, with p e xc e o n s a online! d this year w staying safe highlight, an to a t ys se a d in lw a m re th blies a ving a grow Class Assem rtance of ha o p im e th m ranging fro

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

ances

9

INFOCUS 2019

Ju n i o r P r e p H i g h l i g h t s

continued

Christmas Chapel Services

Liverpool Philharmonic

Years 3 to 6 performed songs and poems for friends and family at the Christmas services held in Chapel at Christmas.

In March, Years 3 to 6 took part in the Liverpool Philharmonic Schools’ Concert. During the concert the children got to perform, both sing and sign (language) a song that they had been practising with Mrs Keating during lessons.

Romans Day for Year 3

Year 4 Visit to Speke Hall

Year 3 enjoyed a day with Big Heritage in March to bring what they had learnt about the Romans in their lessons to life.

Year 4 enjoyed a visit to Speke Hall in May to expand the students’ knowledge of the Tudors which they had been studying in class.

Bikeability Training In June, Year 5 pupils completed ‘Bikeability’, a cycle training programme that is designed to give students the practical skills and confidence to ride on today’s roads.

The course the students take part in is based on the government approved National Standards for cycle training.

10

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Year 5 Activities Day In June, Year 5 pupils enjoyed a full day of activities delivered by MSE (Military Style Education). The activity days are designed to develop the pupils’ skills in areas such as team work and problem solving, whilst also being lots of fun!

The day was run by a team of ex-military mentors who support schools to enhance wellbeing in children. The activities develop transferable skills that the staff used during their military careers, including resilience and determination, which are important for the students as they transition to Year 6 and beyond.

Drama in the Curriculum

By Mrs Delaney

Drama lessons have formed part of the School curriculum for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils for the past two years.

Some of the key aims are to develop the pupils’ concentration, speaking and listening, ability to share ideas, work cooperatively in groups and appreciate each others' work. I have been delighted with how this subject has developed, how much enjoyment the pupils get from Drama and to see their skills and confidence grow. Drama clubs are available through the wider CoCurricular programme of clubs and activities and children have the opportunity, should they wish, to work towards LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) qualifications.

Humanities Highlights in Prep

By Mrs Mills, Humanities Subject Leader

During the year, both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils have experienced a number of highlights.

Reception have been investigating polar habitats. Year 1 learnt about The Great Fire of London and visited the Fire Museum in Liverpool. Year 2 dressed up for a Victorian day, where they experienced what school was like for Victorian children. They have also studied Kenya and a variety of animals that you may encounter on a safari.

They had a fabulous trip to Knowsley Safari park to round off their studies.

Year 3 were treated to an Interactive Roman Day. The pupils enjoyed being gladiators and defeating the teachers!

They have tasted Roman delicacies and Caribbean fruit. The Year 5 encountered a mummified hand that was 3,500 years old! Year 6 visited The Imperial War Museum and thoroughly enjoyed their experience.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

11

INFOCUS 2019

WORLD BOOK DAY World Book Day is always a highlight in the School calendar with activities across all ages taking place!

From reading to writing, to lots of fun and laughter, it was a wonderful day! Thank you to everyone who took part and to all of the parents who helped create the fabulous costumes on display.

12

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Students and staff in Overdale celebrated World Book Day with a Literary Cake Competition. From George’s Marvellous Medicine to Harry Potter - there were a variety of cake creations on display to admire (and of course enjoy!).

Mr Ryan, Year 5 Teacher in Prep, launched his novel ‘Invasion of the Teacher Snatchers’ during World Book Day. Mr Ryan shared with the children how he got the idea for history and how he then turned this into a publication. Mr Ryan has set the book at Birkenhead School and it is available to download via the School website. Money raised from the book will go to one of the School’s supported charities Change a Child’s Life which raises funds to help children in Nairobi, Kenya.

We welcomed Old Birkonian Fergus Magennis back to the School to talk to Senior students as part of our World Book Day activities.

Fergus published his first novel Kings and Criminals in early 2019 and shared with the students about how he turned the idea from concept to a published reality whilst also working in the City for one of the top management consultancies. Fergus, who publishes under the name ‘Mungo Magennis’ gave an inspiring talk about the writing and publishing process and shared some of the challenges he faced along the way, demonstrating that you can turn dreams into reality if you have the determination to do so.

Alex T Smith, award-winning children’s illustrator and author, visited the Prep in March to talk to children in Years 2 to 4 as part of the School’s wider World Book Day activities.

Alex is the creater of the CLAUDE and Mr Penguin series that appears on Disney Junior and we were extremely lucky to be part of Alex’s busy schedule last week that included being a guest at 10 Downing Street and appearing on Blue Peter the night before his visit.

Alex instilled the belief of ‘drawing with confidence’ and it’s exciting to think that our ‘Inspiring Talk’ may have ignited a love of drawing that may last a lifetime and who knows - one or more of them may become an illustrator themselves in the future.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

13

INFOCUS 2019

Te n n i s i n P r e p Every child is an individual and finds inspiration within different areas of school and wider life. By employing staff who are passionate about their academic subject, but also interested and gifted in other activities, we aim to provide a co-curricular programme that offers something for everyone.

We hope that there will be those pivotal moments, during a student’s time with us, when a spark is ignited, which leads to a lifelong interest and participation. We pride ourselves on the breadth and range of opportunities we have on offer, which help add, not only to our students’ education, but also to their experiences, which, in turn, creates both interested, and interesting, lifelong learners.

By Mr FitzHerbert, Head of Prep

This year, I was delighted that our application for funding from the Lawn Tennis Association was successful. With the help and support of Phil Leighton, an experienced LTA Coach and Tennis Development Officer, we have been able to launch an exciting tennis development in Prep.

We kicked off with a special event at the beginning of April to promote tennis for all and to provide children from Reception to Year 6 with some fun tennis activities and games. Phil had set up some fantastic inflatable equipment on the playground to be used in skills sessions, but sadly the rain came down in torrents and we had to switch some groups to our indoor venue, the Prep Gym. Phil still managed to make it fun and the children all had a great time.

one for Years 1 and 2 and the other for Years 3 and 4. These were led by Phil and his team of coaches, Scott McCormack, Ellie Tsimbilakis (Cheshire Ladies Number 1) and also former Prep pupil, Ed McIntyre. The coaches were assisted by myself, Mrs Thuraisingam, parent volunteer Fiona Smith and three superb students from Seniors, Miles Morton, Mairead Anderson and Esme Brennan. The programme was fantastic and the children developed their tennis skills so much during the term. My thanks to everyone who’s been involved so far and I can’t wait to see the development of our budding young tennis stars in the years to come!

We then received equipment for the school, training for staff to introduce tennis in PE and Games lessons, training for Senior pupils to become Tennis Leaders and then access to LTA coaches for after school clubs for Years 1 to 4. So, in the summer term, we ran two after-school tennis clubs, 14

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

BEYOND THE CURRICULUM As an independent school we are proud to be able to offer opportunities, both within and outside the curriculum, that go over and above those that may be available elsewhere.

We offer a range of programmes that look to broaden knowledge and understanding, beyond the National Curriculum, to offer a broad and holistic education that will ensure our students stand out.

From etiquette training and public speaking to architecture and classical Greek qualifications – there is something for everyone to enjoy and provide stretch and challenge to their education at the School.

Spotlight on the Year 7 Beyond the Curriculum

By Mr Murdoch, Head of Overdale Our Beyond the Curriculum programme has once more proven very popular. This year, we extended our range of activities and topics even further to broaden our students’ horizons, to encourage them to think more deeply and to look forward to a happy and successful life beyond School.

These varied aims were perhaps best encapsulated within the sessions run by Mr Parry, our new Head of Yoga. Students were unanimous in their praise, and several commented on the calm focus they felt after their yoga lessons and the opportunity to reflect on various aspects of their lives. For many, this was the first time they had practised yoga and the immediate demand for an after-school club says a great deal about the students’ enthusiastic response. I know that this is in discussion for next year and that there will be further opportunities in Year 8.

In a range of weather conditions, this was a challenging but very rewarding task and one particular student’s feedback was emphatic: “Can we just do this instead of Maths?” While I make no promises on that note, I am very confident that we will build on this activity next year with our expanded Beyond the Curriculum offering.

With further sessions on Ethical and Green Living, Careers, The Meaning of Life, Cookery Skills, Thunks, Body Language, Event Management and Learning to Fail, among others, the BtC programme has given our Year 7 students a fantastic opportunity to learn what life at Birkenhead School can offer.

We not only believe in academic excellence for all, and in developing sporting, musical and dramatic talents, we also want to give students an even wider range of experiences to explore, and the curiosity and confidence to embrace new challenges. With that in mind, I’m delighted to say that we will also be introducing Beyond the Curriculum to the Year 8 timetable next year. I very much look forward to seeing our Overdale students continue their excellent progress and personal development.

A more established Beyond the Curriculum favourite was the Etiquette Lunch. This Year 7 event has been running for several years and it continued seamlessly with support from the entire Catering Team and the ever-popular Mr Hodgson. Having replied in writing to a formal invitation from the Headmaster, students enjoyed a session on the correct dining table etiquette, how to make appropriate conversation with a range of guests and the truth behind the so-called ‘cat poo coffee’. This was followed by a five-course lunch in the Headmaster’s Dining Room where the mango sorbet proved particularly popular. I continue to live in hope that next year, I will receive an invitation!

Thankfully, outdoor Survival Skills are rarely necessary in the Overdale playground but this was the venue for a series of group sessions run by Mr Higginbottom and Mr Robinson.

As students focused on team-building and communication skills, their goal was to build and sustain a fire using organic materials foraged from the area and to boil a small kettle of water for a celebratory Pot Noodle.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

15

INFOCUS 2019

Academic Extension

By Mr Whitworth, Deputy Head

Academic extension is a key part of our offering at Birkenhead School. From stretch and challenge in the classroom, to clubs, trips and visits; our desire is to foster a love of learning and a real enthusiasm for subject areas.

This year we have produced termly overviews of our extension activities; although not exhaustive, they give a flavour of the breadth and depth of offering.

As part of this, we held our inaugural Whittam-Smith Essay Prize which looks to develop student writing and interest.

Our Beyond the Curriculum (BtC) programme in Years 7, 12 and 13 has broadened this year with the addition of yoga. Plans are currently being developed to extend the BtC offering into Year 8 in 2019-20, with a range of further skills development at its core including presentation skills, financial awareness and debating.

The J. P. Hargreaves Diploma

By Mr McKie, Assistant Head

A new initiative this academic year, the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma will be awarded to students who have made a very significant contribution to the wider life of both the School and the local community.

J. P. Hargreaves was a past President of the OBS (1908-1910), Chair of Governors and was absolutely committed to an all-round education.

The Diploma itself encourages students to cover a broad base of skills and activities, whilst allowing them the flexibility to follow any special interests or talents. It commences in the first week of Year 9, and will be awarded to successful students at the beginning of Lower Sixth.

It is made up of seven categories that are based upon experiences and skills young people might be expected to have a grasp of as they proceed through School and then beyond. It 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 is a well-rounded individual who can articulate what they can offer a prospective employer or institution and helps support them to embody the Birkenhead Way, and therefore enjoy life at School separate from the rigours of examinations.

The categories that form the Diploma cover the following areas: • Academic • Cultural activity • Physical activity • Communication • Service to others

John Hargreaves came to Birkenhead School in 1863, only three years after its foundation. He left in 1870 and it is believed to be the first Old Birkonian to obtain a First Class Degree at Cambridge.

He was a member of the Governing body for no less that 39 years and Chairman for 24 of them.

It was Hargreaves who coined the word ‘Birkonian’.

• Developing a skill • A commitment to private reading

16

THE J. P. HARGREAVES DIPLOMA IS AWARDED TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE MADE A VERY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE WIDER LIFE OF BOTH THE SCHOOL AND WIDER COMMUNITY.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Whittam Smith Essay Prize In October, over 80 students took part in the inaugural Whittam-Smith Essay Prize with Sir Andreas Whittam-Smith CBE, selecting the winner in each of the three Key Stage categories.

The competition was designed to stretch and challenge and selecting the top three for each Key Stage was certainly a difficult task. The Year 7 to 9 / Key Stage 3 winner was Harrison Brodbelt, writing an essay on the impact of technology in sport. Sophia Campbell and Isabella HeckstallSmith took second and third place, respectively.

The Year 10 to 11 / Key Stage 4 winner was Izza Majeed who wrote a detailed piece on the power of globalisation: Izza was also awarded a two day work experience at a local media company. In second place was Bobby FitzHerbert, with Jimmy Sergi also taking a podium spot in third.

Sir Andreas Whittam-Smith CBE, Old Birkonian and one of the founders of The Independent newspaper.

The Sixth Form / Key Stage 5 award went to Shivank Sharma writing on the topic of ‘beauty’. Shivank will visit The Liverpool Echo for a two day work experience as part of his prize. In second place came Will Blessing, with Toby Brown in third. All nine prize-winners received Amazon gift vouchers and certificates, with the three winners taking home a glass trophy. To develop this further in 2019-20 students will receive some guidance on essay writing structure and style.

Congratulations to everyone who took part!

As Prep staff meet to plan and prepare lessons, Eureka is firmly positioned within those discussions to ensure all children are given the opportunity to stretch themselves beyond the already rigorous core curriculum content in the form of engaging activities. These may be woven into the core lesson tasks or feature as exercises at the start or end of the session. Eureka groups have also been established across different year groups in Prep with pupils enjoying dedicated time to focus on specific areas of Mathematics.

Here, those numerically adept are able to test their wits against one another, relishing the opportunity to extend their learning.

Eureka in Prep

By Mr Halpin, Deputy Head of Prep This academic year has witnessed the introduction of the academic extension programme, Eureka, into our Prep classrooms.

Pupils embrace the opportunity to challenge and extend themselves and so it is vital that our curriculum supports the thirst for learning that our children display. Eureka serves to provide extension activities, both in the classroom and beyond, that challenge their understanding and ability to apply their knowledge practically apply their knowledge.

Whilst Eureka may focus, in some part, on pupils who have demonstrated particular ability in a subject or topic, it also represents challenge and extension for all children as part of their ongoing journey through our developing curriculum.

As we move into the second year of its inception, Eureka will look to expand across the curriculum and broaden its reach beyond the core subjects. It will also aim to feature in assemblies, on Firefly and also in the form of regular competitions. There may even be Eureka challenges for parents, so do keep an eye out!

Storm Woodward says

‘I very much enjoy the challenge of trying difficult work. It supports my own research and helps me understand at a greater depth.’

Rohan Kapoor says

‘I feel extremely satisfied when I complete a piece of work that is particularly tricky.’

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

17

INFOCUS 2019

B i r k o n i a n We e k

By Mr Vicars, Headmaster

Summer 2019 hosted the inaugural Birkonian Week and the success of this final week of the academic year will now see it established in the School diary for the years ahead. The week provided a succession of opportunities to get together as a community and celebrate the many and varied talents of our students and staff, from dramatic productions to creative exhibitions.

I can think of no finer start to a celebratory week than letting loose the creative talents in Year 6 and they earmarked their final days in Prep with an outstanding production of ‘Annie Jr’. For three consecutive nights, following a matinee, dress rehearsal performance to the rest of Prep, the audience was transported back to 1930’s United States and the plight of the young orphan, Annie. It was a privilege to see the product of so many weeks’ work for all the cast, crew and production team and easy to forget that all those on stage were only ten or eleven years of age. Seniors will be the beneficiary of all this talent in the years to come.

Sunday 30th June saw Caldy Golf Club host our School Golf Day, which meant a quick change for our golfing choristers for them to lead our worship at the evening’s Old Birkonian Choral Evensong. The size of the congregation that gathered both in the Chapel and afterwards at the Outdoor Classroom for the Summer Serenade was testament to the talents and commitment that our community of musicians display on so many occasions during the School year.

Of course, in true Birkenhead School fashion, this was merely a warm-up for the following evening, where the marquee within the sports hall, enjoying its first outing in approximately 6 years, played host to the Arts Awards and Summer Concert. In a brave move which saw musical interludes sandwiched between the presentation of a variety of awards, the audience were treated to a quite staggering breadth of different genres of music, from performers as young as the Little School Choir, through to the Sixth Form Leavers and to staff (ages unmentioned!). Perhaps the highlight for myself was that every performer seemed to be having fun, and the vision of many of the Prep performers, arms in the air, swaying to a rendition of ‘Hey Jude’ will live long in the memory. The musical theme continued with the Little School Concert on the Wednesday, where the pupils, no doubt inspired by the evening before, showed that creative talent runs deep into the early years, performing a delightful repertoire to the parents and grandparents enjoying the sunshine and atmosphere around the Outdoor Classroom.

The final two days brought greater formality to Birkonian Week, with Thursday given over to the Pre-Prep Celebration Assembly followed by Prep Prize-Giving in the evening. Miss Julie Yardley, former Head of Merchant Taylor’s Mixed Infants and Junior Girls’ School, presented the prizes, while Mr FitzHerbert’s address, highlighting the importance of talents and core values both inside and outside the classroom, finished the evening off in style.

Friday brought Speech Day, a day during which it was important to recognise the final few hours at School of our departing Upper Sixth. These Leavers, alongside their parents, were treated to a fine breakfast in the Dining Room followed by an emotive final Chapel Service, which marked their move into the Old Birkonian Society. We hope that they will use and add to the great network of supportive OBs in the coming years. Lucy Pearson, former Head of Cheadle Hulme School, was our Guest Speaker, whose message to all at Prize-Giving, of enjoying the journey, rather than always seeking a final destination, could not be more important in today’s 24/7 society. I hope the ‘Guard of Honour’ provided a suitable final send-off for our Leavers, who then joined the rest of the guests in enjoying drinks and canapes in Bushell Hall. Throughout the whole week, the Bushell Hall had provided guests and visitors with the opportunity to take refreshments while admiring the exhibition of Art and Design & Technology work of our students.

There are simply too many members of the community to thank for their role making Birkonian Week such a success, but considerable thanks are certainly due to Mrs Kirsten Pankhurst who co-ordinated such a celebratory succession of events. A tiring end to the term, but one that duly celebrated so many within our community and, I hope, gave the Upper Sixth the send-off their efforts over so many years deserved.

A day earlier, Tuesday saw the completion of our Sports Days, culminating with the Years 5 to 8 event which showcased wide participation and individual excellence against a backdrop of great teamwork and camaraderie.

A number of these athletes enjoyed the sit down dinner followed by the Sports Awards the next evening which celebrated the individual and collective achievements of our sportsmen and women. I remain immensely proud of the students whose desire to represent the School in a great many sports far outstrips many of our competitors and means that we continue to ‘punch above our weight’.

18

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

19

INFOCUS 2019

Inspiring 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.

BOUMPHREY LECTURE SERIES // NICHOLLS LECTURE SERIES STUDENT TALKS // PARENT SEMINAR PROGRAMME SPORTS PERSONALITY DINNER // PUBLIC EVENTS

Public Events (In conjunction with Linghams Booksellers) Kate Humble

Kate Humble, TV Presenter and author, visited the School in November to talk about her new book, ‘Thinking on my Feet’.

The clear passion and exuberance for nature and the world we live in shone from Kate’s incredible tales. Kate expressed how lucky she felt, that her career had allowed her to build on this passion for ‘how endlessly fascinating the world is’. Kate spoke how she wanted children today to explore the outside, so that, hopefully, they too will gain this love that will encourage a generation to take care of its natural surroundings and to strive to create a sustainable future.

Jeffrey Archer

Novelist and former politician, Lord Jeffrey Archer, visited the School in October to talk about his latest book ‘Heads you Win’.

During the talk, Lord Archer spoke about how he became one of the youngest Members of Parliament at the age of 29 and how, after a poor investment in a Canadian Company, he was left on the brink of bankruptcy. This led to the start of his literary career, when determined to pay his creditors in full, he sat down to write his first novel ‘Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less’. The debut novel sold to 17 countries within a year and was later televised by the BBC. ‘Kane and Abel’ is one of Jeffrey’s biggest selling novels and became a number one bestseller in hardcover and paperback all over the world, selling a similar number of copies to ‘Kill a Mockingbird’ and ‘Gone with the Wind’.

Joe Wicks

In January, the School welcomed fitness coach, TV presenter and author, Joe Wicks, on his Veggie Lean in 15 book tour.

Joe Wicks, otherwise known as The Body Coach, spoke to a full audience, who had travelled far and wide to listen to Joe talk about his Lean in 15 approach to diet and fitness. Joe Wicks is a fitness phenomenon and we were delighted to welcome Joe to the School in conjunction with Linghams. January is a time when many of us will have set resolutions for the new year, so it was great timing for one of the UK's leading personal trainers to share his advice on exercise and eating a healthy diet.

20

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

S t u d e n t Ta l k s During the year we welcomed a number of other authors to the School to inspire our children. These included: Chris Riddell, Sophy Henn (page 7), Alex T Smith and OB Mungo Magennis (page 13).

Chris Riddell We were delighted to welcome award-winning British illustrator and writer of children’s books, Chris Riddell to the School in September.

Chris visited the School for our Inspiring Talks Series, in conjunction with Linghams of Heswall, as part of his book tour to promote the new edition to his fantastic series ‘Goth Girl’ as well as his books ‘One Upon a Wild Wood’ and ‘Poems to Live Your Life By’.

As Children’s Laureate from 2015-2017 and political cartoonist for the Observer, Chris gave an incredibly fascinating and inspiring talk which saw him answering students’ questions via drawings. His accounts of childhood, inspiration, his favourite books and how he was first published all came to life on the screen, with the help of a visualiser, in front of a mesmerised audience.

With the signed drawings then being given out to the students who’d asked the question, this was a very special visit that truly inspired all students, many of whom bringing in sketchbooks the next day to start their own collection of drawings.

Chris also spoke about the upcoming J. K. Rowling book, ‘The Tales of Beedle the Bard’, for which he has created the immersive illustrations.

As part of our Community Outreach Programme, other local schools were invited to attend the talk and to watch a true artist at work, creating incredible scenes in moments.

Boumphrey Lecture Series This year guests have included Anthony Measures from the Environment Agency, Mrs Parry-Jones from Seniors and Old Birkonians Ian Boumphrey and Chris Rice.

Read more about lectures from Ian Boumphrey and Chris Rice in the Old Birkonian Society Bulletin on page 93.

Parent Seminar Programme The 2018/19 Parent Seminar Programme was filled with wide-ranging and enlightening advice from a varied panel of experts.

The programme started in September where Lisa Stone provided helpful advice on supporting our children’s mental health. This was followed in October with David Parvin talking with frank honesty on drugs and the dangers they pose. A favourite from a previous series, Alicia Drummond shared insights on how to support our children as they move from Prep to Seniors as well as before, during and after their exams.

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

Read more about this year’s series on page 75.

We would like to offer parents the opportunity to let us know if there are any particular areas of interest or support - do contact us with ideas or suggestions. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

21

INFOCUS 2019

First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones returns to Birkenhead School In March, we had the pleasure of welcoming First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones back to Birkenhead School, where he attended as a pupil in the 1970s.

Sir Philip spoke to the audience about the role of the Royal Navy, the challenges and opportunities it faces and shared fascinating insights into his role as the professional head of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy.

alumni and people who remembered him from his time as a student at the School. Members of Birkenhead Sea Cadets and 4th Heswall Sea Scouts also attended and had the opportunity to meet and converse with Sir Philip, who thanked them for their service.

During the evening prizes were awarded to the winners of a national Royal Navy Engineering Competition with two of the three winning teams, Harrie and Richie Jacob from Year 10 and sixth form students, Christopher Rowlands, Adam Durband and Toby Meisner, coming from Birkenhead School.

The evening was run in conjunction with Wirral Hospice St John’s and over £700 was raised for the charity through donations.

Sir Philip was also greeted by Old Birkonian Society

Sports Personality Dinner Graham Rowntree, former England Rugby Union player and Leicester Tigers legend, was the guest speaker at Birkenhead School’s Sports Personality Dinner held in May. The Sports Personality Dinner is an annual highlight in the School’s calendar that raises funds for the School’s sports tours and charities local to the touring destinations. This year the Senior Rugby squad from the School travelled to Namibia and South Africa for two weeks of sporting fixtures. The School were also delighted to welcome Judge John Roberts as the Master of Ceremonies and Paul Boardman, comedian, who provided entertainment following Graham’s talk.

Headmaster Paul Vicars commented, “The Sports Personality Dinner is always an annual favourite and I am grateful to Graham, Judge Roberts and Paul, and all our sponsors, many of whom are long standing supporters of the School, for making the evening such an enjoyable event.”

22

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Mr Parry, Assistant Head, has been appointed as the School’s Head of Yoga Mr Parry, our Assistant Head (Academic), has also recently been appointed as Head of Yoga. This important role places him as possibly the first head of Yoga in a UK school and highlights the importance that the school has placed on helping our students to learn skills to build a physical and mental resilience that will help them to be best prepared for life in our modern world.

Mr Parry first started practising yoga over four and a half years ago. He found yoga after suffering from a serious back injury which left him unable to stand up or move around unaided. Having been a junior gymnastics and trampolining champion this had a profound mental impact on him too as the fear of life without the ability to undertake the active lifestyle that he had led up until this point was immense.

After several months of medical investigation, he was given an operation on his lower back, called a microdiscectomy, to remove a section of his intervertebral disc that had broken off. His rehabilitation involved years of hard work and focussed dedication. Once he was back on his feet again, one of his friends introduced him to yoga as a way to rebuild his strength and flexibility. He never looked back.

In the summer holidays last year, Mr Parry undertook a 60-hour Teen Yoga Teacher Training course which is organised by the Teen Yoga Foundation and involved the study of Anatomy and Physiology, Socio-psychology and Neuroscience and is accredited by the Yoga Alliance, Sport England and the Independent Yoga Network. The Teen Yoga Foundation was set up by Charlotta Martinus with a mission to promote the well-being of young people through the practice of yoga, in schools and elsewhere, in the UK and abroad. They also support research into the impact of yoga, mindfulness and meditation on young people and Charlotta

is also part of a working party in the House of Commons with the aim of getting yoga onto the curriculum in all UK schools.

Yoga is being delivered as part of the Year 7 ‘Beyond the Curriculum’ programme and also as part of the Senior Games provision to Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13. The programme helps students with an increased flexibility, improved toning and strengthening, an ability to regulate hormone imbalances and it also encourages healthy circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. A big part of the yoga practice also promotes an increased emotional resilience, increased compassion, patience and understanding and it can build self-efficacy too. All of these skills and practice help our students to self-regulate and manage their own awareness of body and mind.

Mr Parry has also taught yoga to some of the Senior Sports Teams in School to help with their core strength and performance enhancement and the GCSE Physical Education specification also has a module on non-team sports which has allowed him to take exam groups in Year 10 to show them the benefits of yoga across all sporting activities.

The feedback from the students has been really encouraging and even the parents have noticed a change in their children with many commenting on how they are more relaxed and happy when they get home from school on days when they have had a yoga practice. As the main stress hormone (Cortisol) runs in high levels through most teenage bloodstreams and the proof that yoga practice can help the body naturally dissipate this up to three times quicker than without a practice, it is hardly surprising to hear.

The Parents’ Association have also contributed funds towards the purchase of additional Yoga equipment, to support the School’s commitment to mental health and well-being, for which the School and Mr Parry are extremely grateful.

Staff have now started an after school yoga group under the guidance of Mr Parry and there is much more planned integration in the coming years so watch this space for more exciting yoga news.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

23

INFOCUS 2019

“I say Go! Go!” And GO it certainly did. From auditions in October through to the closing performance on the 30th March, West Side Story was a resounding success.

24

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

By Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head and Director of West Side Story

West Side Story is the modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Set in America in the fifties, Riff and his Jets become embroiled in a feud with Bernardo and his Sharks. Tension mounts when Tony falls for the beautiful sister of Bernardo - Maria. Despite the best intentions of the young lovers, and protected by the glamorous Anita, tragedy strikes.

A much-loved musical, West Side Story began as a Broadway production in 1957 before hitting the screens in 1961 and being awarded ‘Best Picture’ at the Academy Awards that year.

The Birkenhead incarnation featured students from Year 7 through to Year 13 (and also one year 5 and a Physics Head of Department) alongside a team of dedicated staff, all working together to act, direct, accompany, and create a production elevated above that of ‘school show’.

When I first proposed the idea of West Side Story to colleagues, both at School and with theatre experience, I was met with a range of responses - from ‘you are mad’ to ‘I wouldn’t’. I received helpful comments on how children were not capable of that level of choreography, to the music requiring professional singers. I am sure, and the reviews from audience members will bear this out, that this wonderfully talented group of students proved them all wrong.

Also taking on a leading role in his final year, Euan McGrath played a vulnerable and entirely believable Tony and he will be sorely missed next year. Also in her final year at School, Katie Leyland has been part of the orchestra for many years and an integral part of the team and I sincerely hope she joins us next year if she can take some time off her university studies.

This year we also had some ‘firsts’. The run began with two charity performances for Autism Together and The Hive Youth Zone. Both audiences and the cast enjoyed these opportunities and they are set to become tradition. Another highlight of the run was the Matinée Lunch which also included a delicious meal and is firmly in place for next year too. The Matinée Lunch also included a certain Pete Price in the audience, and his glowing review on his Radio Show has been shared with excitement on Twitter.

I feel privileged and humbled to be able to work with this wonderful community. The students involved are talented, modest and excellent company and the staff are committed and generous with their time. It is especially important to acknowledge the talents and time of Philip Robinson and Louise Smeaton, without whom we could not produce a production of this standard and quality.

With another wonderful production now a memory, we look ahead with excitement to the announcement of the 2020 production!

It would be impossible to single out the most accomplished performers, as one audience member put it ‘even those with no lines in the crowd are amazing’ and so instead I would like to mention those for whom this is their final production.

Holly FitzHerbert, our Head of School was astounding as Anita. Her stage presence, beautiful voice and accomplished acting earned her the accolades she fully deserves. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

25

INFOCUS 2019

By Mrs Delaney, Director

Jr

Having loved and watched the 1982 film version many times in my younger years, I was very keen to stage the musical theatre version of ‘Annie Jr’ in Prep.

The storyline and songs are magical and I knew the children would enjoy it and that it would warm our audience’s hearts!

Our 64 Year 6 pupils went through a rigorous audition process with myself and Mrs Keating at the start of this year, before casting was completed a few weeks later. They have all worked so hard in rehearsals over the last four months and it has been such a pleasure seeing them ‘grow’ into their roles. At the end of the summer term they performed three wonderful shows to packed out audiences every night.

The play is set in 1933, during the depths of the Great Depression. Eleven year old Annie, (played by Sienna Walters) is living in the Municipal Orphanage on New York's Lower East Side. The tyrannical Miss Hannigan (played by Emily Keating) is in charge of the orphanage, where the children are expected to clean, make clothes and are fed nothing but ‘mush’. However, unlike the other orphans, Annie has hope. She wears half a silver locket round her neck and she has a note from her parents, saying they will come back for her one day.

Annie decides to escape and try to find her parents. Whilst she is on the streets she rescues and befriends a loveable stray dog by the name of Sandy (played by Theo Hendry).

But she is soon found by Officer Ward (played by Henry White) and returned to the orphanage. However, Grace Farrell (played by Sadie Cardall), secretary to the billionaire Oliver Warbucks (played by Jack Vicars), is searching for an orphan that she might invite back to the Warbucks' household to celebrate Christmas.

26

Despite Warbuck's initial disappointment that Grace has not found him a boy, Oliver takes to her and grows to love her.

He decides to adopt her but when Annie says she wants to find her real parents, he institutes a nationwide search to try to find them. Miss Hannigan’s crooked brother Rooster (played by Charlie Goodwin) and his girlfriend, Lily (played

by Ellen Price) come up with a cunning plan to disguise themselves as Annie’s parents in the hope of claiming the $50,000 reward.

Grace realises there is something suspicious about the couple and their fraudulent claim is exposed - at the same time it is discovered that Annie's parents had, in fact, died some time ago. Warbucks then proceeds to adopt Annie officially and her fellow orphans are invited back to his home to share in the festival of Christmas - just as America looks forward to future prosperity in the wake of the depression.

It was a sheer joy to see their professionalism, confidence and amazing acting and singing talent. Congratulations to the whole cast, we are so proud of you!

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

27

INFOCUS 2019

Ru g b y To u r t o N a m i b i a & S o u t h A f r i c a 2 0 1 9

By Mr Rule

We arrived in Namibia and were pleasantly surprised to discover the glorious weather from the Wirral had followed us. Shorts and T-shirts were the order of the day and, after settling into our rooms, everyone descended on the open air swimming pool for some recuperation from the overnight flight.

We had our first fixture against Windhoek High School the following day and, whilst we put on an impressive performance in both matches, the altitude, our fitness and the excellent organisation of the opposition all played their parts in seeing our two sides defeated comfortably. The after dinner hosting was as good as we received throughout the tour, however, and we headed back to the hotel feeling very optimistic about what was ahead of us.

After a long drive to Walvis Bay we grabbed a bite to eat and then took on two of the great highlights of the tour, the quadbiking and dune boarding. The wisdom of the organisers to add speedometers to the quadbikes was brought into question as we motored around the dunes of the Kalahari Desert. Dune boarding was equally thrilling, although the sheer exhaustion of climbing back up the dunes meant that most were satisfied by just one go. The following day we went on a ‘Sea Safari’, which, despite being shockingly chilly, did not disappoint. Pelicans, seals and dolphins were all on show and our tourists were treated to wildlife lectures from two very knowledgeable guides. We arrived at Karibib Private School that afternoon a little earlier

28

than planned and were given time to have a training session on their local playing fields.

We stayed in the School hostel that night, with basic facilities and five to a room. Following a dash round the local supermarket the tour settled down to a picnic tea and a quiz.

Later we would generally agree that this was one of the best nights on tour. The following day didn’t disappoint either with two fantastic wins against our hosts and an enormous braai.

The 1st XV match provided the most entertainment with the boys coming back from a two-point deficit to win in the closing minutes. The ‘best day on tour’ was concluded with a trip to one of Windhoek’s finest restaurants and a chance to see the closing stages of England’s win in the Cricket World Cup. The next few days were spent purely on R&R. We travelled to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve and stayed in a camp on the edge of the ‘bush’. We were treated to two game drives, seeing the nearly extinct black rhino, cheetahs, hippos, buffalo and countless other animals, but the highlight had to be the male and female lions who wandered out of the long grass and right past our vehicles. A day was also spent at Sun City, where several of our party got to play the Gary Player championship golf course and others had a swim and Segway experience.

The next leg of our tour took us to a very wet and stormy Cape Town. This was to be the only inclement weather on tour, but it did manage to put to bed any ideas of seeing

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Robbin Island or climbing Table Mountain. Hosted for the first time, this added a different dimension to the tour and allowed the players spend time with South African families and get to know some of the players they would be facing off against the following day during the match. The whole School came out to watch our third fixture and despite great endeavour by the second team and a tremendous second half by the first team, we came away with two further defeats.

Licking our wounds, both literal and metaphorical, we headed down the garden route on our last leg of the tour.

Arriving in Oudtshoorn we were treated to another Braai containing three varieties of meat. I think at this point a coastal seafood dinner at Plettenberg Bay couldn’t come quickly enough. We played two more matches the following day against Oudtshoorn High School, but with injuries mounting the second team fixture was shortened and the first team match ended in a comfortable defeat. Once again the local attractions were available to lift spirits and the Ostrich Farm and Wildlife Ranch didn’t disappoint. A number of tourists took advantage of the animal encounters and we treated Mike Hayward to a Cheetah Experience for his 59th birthday. En route to Port Elizabeth, we stopped over in Plettenberg Bay and, as well as seeing the final stages of the Open and being treated to a fish dinner, we also got to relax on the beach. In spite of my reservations and rising heart

rate, several players and staff took the opportunity to have a dip in the sea, which I’m reliably informed was a highlight of the tour. The next day we drove to the Addo Elephant park and had another game drive. As advertised, elephants were in plentiful supply and we did manage to grab sight of another lion, this time sleeping under a nearby tree.

Port Elizabeth was the final stop on our tour and it’s pretty safe to say that our tourists had little left to give. Billeted for the last time by Grey High School, players stayed with extremely welcoming hosts and were treated to even more Braais and meals out. Beset with injuries we played a combined first and second team against a mixed Grey High School team, but struggled to gel in the face of dominating opposition. A number of junior tourists stepped up and performed well, but unfortunately defeat was inevitable. This was perhaps one match too many for a squad that had given its all but on whom the tour had taken its toll.

We arrived back at School to glorious sunshine and were greeted with the smiling faces of our loved ones. Looking at the tourists as they slowly drifted away I could see they were exhausted and would likely sleep for a week, but there was no denying that they had had experiences that would stay with them for the rest of their lives.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

29

INFOCUS 2019

N e w Yo r k & Wa s h i n g t o n Students from Years 10 to 13 travelled to New York and Washington in October. Read Reeve Taylor’s review and highlights of this fantastic trip.

On the 23rd October, students from Years 10 to 13 touched down in one of the world’s most famous and historic cities: New York. A first visit for many of us, the so-called ‘Big Apple’ had a lot to live up to - creating an atmosphere of excitement, and anticipation, as we crossed the bridge leading into its heart: ‘in its first wild promise of all the mystery and beauty in the world’ (to quote F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby).

Later that night, after first settling in, we set off for Times Square, cameras at the ready, and wrapped in layer upon layer to oppose the bitter cold. Nowhere fully encapsulates the city better than Times Square. We were in awe of its bright lights and neon signs; after a small photoshoot we headed back to the hotel.

On day three, some students opted to take part in a jogging tour of the newly constructed High Line Park, before the whole group took the subway to the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Seeing the artefacts and hearing the stories behind the event, in the place it happened, is one of the most moving educational experiences we’ve ever had. Following a trip on the Staten Island Ferry, passing the Statue of Liberty, the group headed to watch the award-winning musical ‘Kinky Boots’ on Broadway. As a first experience of Broadway, ‘Kinky Boots’ was an excellent spectacle.

On our final day in New York, we strolled across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge before seeing a new side to the city while travelling through, and dining in, Chinatown. This was our last experience of New York on the trip, as shortly after we departed for Washington D.C. Day two was our first true look at New York, seeing the serene nature of Central Park on a cold but sunny day is a memory that will last a lifetime. Our visit to Central Park was part of our Great Gatsby themed guided walking tour, a part of the trip very much appreciated by the English Literature students. The rest of the day involved an insight into how the US TV channel NBC operates from the Rockerfeller Center, and an exploration of Midtown Manhattan. Following a meal at a typical family-run Italian restaurant, we visited the Empire State Building. This was one of the most memorable parts of the trip for everyone, the beauty of New York at night is difficult to capture on camera.

30

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Arriving in Washington D.C., we promptly stretched our legs and laid eyes on our hotel. The Hilton Garden Inn, a larger hotel than the Holiday Inn we stayed at in New York.

Compared to New York, the Washington leg of the trip showed us the more factual and political side of the United States; where New York had given us comic book stores and culture, Washington offered us the wonderful Folger Shakespeare Library and the famous Capitol Building. I noticed that Washington D.C. was, surprisingly, a lot calmer than I expected from the capital city of the world’s only superpower. The skies shone a picturesque blue and the grass was a vibrant green. Washington proved a different type of beauty to New York.

On the first day, we visited a few museums and became acquainted with US history. We learnt about the history of the nation. The Air and Space Museum was fascinating, as we learnt about the history of human flight in the country in which it was born. After visiting the museum, we also visited the Folger Shakespeare Library, again a part of the programme that proved informative to the English Literature students. The day ended with a much-needed shopping trip to the mall!

Our final full day in D.C. was filled with more museums, including the impressive journalism museum, the ‘Newseum’, which had not long opened. This visit enabled us to see various interesting pieces of history, such as parts of the Berlin Wall. Later that evening, some students opted to take part in a scenic night walk of the monuments and memorials.

The trip ended by being quite informative and educational, teaching us about the history of America and its culture, along with other useful experiences that only a trip like this could teach us.

By Reeve Taylor Lower Sixth Form Student

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

31

INFOCUS 2019

Outdoor Pursuits Year 6 PGL Trip Team work, independence and confidence were just some of the skills developed by the Year 6’s when they went on their annual PGL trip in April. The PGL trip offers fantastic opportunities to get into the outdoors and have an exciting adventure and this year's trip was no exception; filled with new challenges, new friendships and lots of laughs.

‘My PGL Trip’

By Lucy Parfect, 6S ‘On the 24th of April, Y6 went on PGL to Boreatton Park in Baschurch in Shropshire. Most of the year group stayed there for three days, making the most out of the outdoor experiences and opportunities put in front of us.

We took part in activities such as kayaking, air rifle shooting and archery in our six groups of about ten.

Our school was led by two instructors: Harry and Oreos.

Throughout the trip, we completed these activities:

32

orienteering, climbing, kayaking, archery, giant swing, air rifle shooting and Jacob’s ladder. Also, we had evening activities; we had splash, and my favourite one which was giant swing; an activity of both courage and teamwork.

My partner and I were lifted into the air via a rope pulled by the other members of our group (that is where the teamwork element comes into place). So, when we got to the very top it seemed quite unnerving for us, as both of us were petrified even though we tried not to let it show.

As I pulled the string we fell and floated through the air for a few minutes before coming to a sudden halt. It was so much fun!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at PGL, and I can’t wait for our outdoor pursuits for the next few years in Senior School!’

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Years 3 & 4 Adventures in Barnstondale Pupils went on their adventures to Barnstondale in the summer term where they developed their teamwork, confidence and independence through a wide range of activities such as archery, abseiling and zip wires.

The Barnstondale trips are a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their skills outside of the classroom and they have introduced them to ‘Outdoor Adventure’ style learning.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 2019

By Mr Hill, teacher in charge of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Ernest Shackleton is reputed to have placed an advertisement in the Times newspaper ahead of one of his expeditions to Antarctica which read: ‘Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.’

If I had been recruiting for the Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE expeditions completed this summer in this magazine, I might have said ‘students wanted for adventurous journey. Reasonable cost, hot and sunny weather, or at

least warm and overcast. Long hours of daylight, all safely returned, recognition in the event of completing the programme, perhaps including a visit to a royal palace. We can’t offer Antarctica, but Shropshire, the Yorkshire Dales and Snowdonia served our purposes just as well. With imagination Ingleborough can become your Everest and the Long Mynd can become your long haul to the Pole'. (Pole Bank (516m) that is, not the South Pole). However, my abiding memories are the friendships: students and staff talking together at the camp sites at the end of another demanding journey. Happy days.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

33

INFOCUS 2019

£38,698.94

!!!

Claire Hous e Life Time Fundraising Total from B irkenhead S chool (As at July 2 019 )

In the Community ‘Mr Vicars Runs the London Marathon’ On Sunday 28th April, our very own headmaster, Mr Vicars, joined Sir Mo Farah, Chris Evans and a giant Big Ben on the starting line of the 2019 London Marathon. An enormous 26.2 miles of London’s streets lay ahead, for what was to be the 39th year of this iconic event. It was the biggest London Marathon yet, with over 40,000 courageous people registered to run.

Mr Vicars pledged to run the marathon to raise money for Claire House Children’s Hospice. Claire House is a local charity who support seriously and terminally ill children and their families. They provide care in the home and the hospice, to allow children to have the best quality of life possible and to give the families respite. Eighteen runners, including Mr Vicars, ran the London marathon for Claire House this year.

£8000! This contributed greatly to the £40,000 sum that was raised for the charity by the marathon runners that day. The amazing effort shown by all of them, will enable the charity to provide nearly 5 full days of care and support for the children and families at Claire House and in the community.

Speaking about the race, Mr Vicars said, “The whole experience has been humbling, from how little I knew before undertaking the challenge (and still do…) to the staggering support of the school community and beyond for Claire House. There is no doubt that this very special charity was foremost in my mind during the second half of the run and certainly kept me going through the last few, somewhat slow, miles. I would like to congratulate all of the Claire House runners, whose hard work and effort has helped raise invaluable funds, so that Claire House can continue to make a difference to so many children and families within the region and beyond.”

Mr Vicars made it over the finish line at 15:33 with an incredible time of 4.51:33. The School community would like to congratulate Mr Vicars on this brilliant achievement, and thank the 100+ donors who gave sponsorship money which will be so gratefully received

by Claire House and the families they support.

Mr Vicars started his training regime all the way back in the Michaelmas term. Students spotted him on his rainy morning runs around Oxton, and keenly followed his progress on Twitter, where he shared the lessons he was learning by undertaking the challenge. Most notably, Mr Vicars shared the need for properly fuelling your body before a run… apparently huge quantities of custard creams are not the way to go!

Finally, the big day arrived, and at 10.42am Mr Vicars crossed the starting line and set off. The whole school community was supporting him, with many following his progress online. Donations had been flooding in during the final few days leading up to the race, and whilst he was running, his fundraising total was taken to over

34

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Big Bang at Birkenhead School for Cubs and Brownies We welcomed over 150 Cubs and Brownies to two fantastic evenings of science at the Big Bang Science Fairs in January, facilitated by Big Bang North West.

The evenings offered 10 interactive science and engineering activities that Cubs and Brownies could take part in led by our student Science Leaders. All activities offered their own degree of pops, bangs, whooshes and fizzes. There were pneumatic targets, an air bazooka, mixing experiments, universal indicator pictures and the chance to be encased in a giant bubble, just to name a few of the activities that all Cubs and Brownies were keen to get to work on.

BTR Wirral Half Marathon and 10K Staff, students, parents and Old Birkonians came together in September to form Team Birkenhead to run the BTR Wirral Half-Marathon and 10K. A notable family affair were Prep parents Dave and Heather Alcock, Dave finishing 4th in the marathon and Heather winning her age category in the 10k. Also coming out on top was staff member and parent Abi Phythian, who won her age category and placed as 8th fastest woman in the marathon, and Old Birkonian Rosie Durband who came first in the Under 20 10k race.

Primary Schools Sports Outreach Programme The School has welcomed a large number of pupils from local primary schools to play at one of our Sports Festivals.

This year the programme has expanded to include a Pop Lacrosse festival to its already popular tag Rugby, Netball, Kwik Cricket and Rounders tournaments. The focus is very much on learning and enjoyment and gives Sixth Form students the opportunity to practise their coaching skills with small groups of very enthusiastic Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils from schools across the Wirral before they officiate in friendly matches. Each festival ends with the presentation of medals to all those who have taken part.

Wirral Chamber of Commerce ‘In Business’ event Co-operation and co-ordination between education providers and businesses was the topic of discussion at the Wirral Chamber of Commerce ‘In Business’ event hosted at the School in February. The event was attended by over 80 leading business people from across the region.

Wirral Hospice Fundraising Dinner We are delighted to continue supporting Wirral Hospice and hosted a fundraising dinner in October for the charity.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

35

INFOCUS 2019

Birkenhead School Chaplaincy

By Father Mark Turner, School Chaplain

Weddings

This year in Chapel we have been blessed with a wedding of an Old Birkonian Mr Nick Rees with his wife Rebecca. Two parents Mr and Mrs Clapp also tied the knot this summer and finally our very own Mr and Mrs Kirkbride who are support staff within the School. The School Choir sang for all of these lovely events. We wish the all happiness and a God filled long life together.

Confirmation

In May we welcomed Bishop William Alaha Pwaisiho who, on behalf of the Lord Bishop of Chester, confirmed in faith two Year 7 students. This was a lovely event which included a School Eucharist and a reception afterwards at which gifts where presented by the Headmaster.

Messy Chapel

We trialled Messy Chapel this year which was very well attended by Prep and Little School pupils. In true Messy Church style we had plenty of craft activities, a Bible story, and a time of prayer and of worship. It was also well attended by parent helpers. A real time of community.

Guest Speakers for Weekday Chapel

Baptism

We have had a variety of speakers in Chapel this year including Wirral Youth for Christ, Wirral Deen Centre and Glod Holidays. This has given us a wider range of inspiration to start our day. Daily services for Little School, Prep and Seniors is a time to reflect and consider our own way forward.

The Old Birkonian Society purchased a font for the School last year which was used for its first Christening / Baptism of Pixie Luna Ryan last academic year. This year we have also seen current pupils, children of staff members being baptised. Please hold the following in your prayers as they start their Christian journey.

• Peter David Morris • Claire Morris • Hattie Florence Brand • Matilda Elsie Brand • Rafferty Henry Brown • Amelie Ellen Dulson • Clementine Alice Whitworth

36

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Guest Speakers for Evensong

Charity

Christmas Nine Lessons and Carols & Midnight Mass

This year, charities that we have supported include:

The local Merseyside clergy have all been generous with their time coming to School to preach at our Evensong service. We have also enjoyed a varied diet of Bach Cantatas, Eucharists, Festal Evensong, Mothering Sunday, Remembrance Sunday and our ‘normal’ Evensong. We have had a few people come over from Liverpool to support us, including the Liverpool Football Club Chaplain.

This is the crown in the jewel of the Chapel year, in which nearly 800 people come through our doors to celebrate the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. For most of us this really is the sign post that leads us into Christmas. I would highly recommend these services to people if you get the chance.

This year we have worked hard with non-uniform days, cake sales, talent shows, Children in Need, Christmas jumper day, collections for those who are homeless in Birkenhead, House drama, Comic Relief, Sports dinner charity collection, coats for local children, collections for Harvest, Advent and Lent and Charles Thompson mission collections. Giving is more than just money, we have invested time with the Hive packing Christmas gift packs, extra performances of the Seniors' production of West Side Story for an Autism Friendly audience.

• Give a Child a Chance • Cancer Research • Autism Together • Feed Birkenhead

Did you know that Father Mark is on Social Media You can follow him on Twitter: @birkenhead_chpl

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

37

INFOCUS 2019

House Drama The beginning of December saw the return of the inter house event that brings out the students’ competitive spirits like none other, the House Drama competition.

Upper Sixth students are tasked with writing and directing a short play for their house to perform in front of an audience of their teachers, parents and peers.

The sixth formers put a great amount of effort in to the plays which never fail to impress and entertain. Weeks of script writing, prop buying on a low budget and directing students from Years 7 to 13 at rehearsals all comes down to one night.

2018-19 performances: ‘BS, I Love You’ (Bidston) ‘A Breaktime at Birkenhead School’ (Shrewsbury), ‘Shrek’ (Kingsmead), ‘IT’ (Beresford).

During 2018-19, the Star Activities team introduced new courses during the holidays to excite and delight children aged from between 4 and 15 years of age.

Wonderful Wildlife

Dance

Music Explorers

There was something for everyone from hip-hop and contemporary and jazz to lyrical dance styles.

Wonderful Wildlife ran in August and was a fun and interactive course with activities that included constructing a minibeast hotel and gourmet bird feeder. The children who took part also enjoyed a visit to Tam O’Shanter’s farm.

Children aged from 5 to 9 years of age got to enjoy the new Music Explorers course run by Mrs Robinson and Mr Robinson, Director of Music. Each day the children learnt a new song and had opportunities to learn to play new instruments.

Dance was introduced this year into the holiday course offering. Everyone aged between 7 and 15 years of age was welcome from enthusiastic beginners to trained dancers.

Trampolining

Participants got to take part in trampolining and gymnastics at the Drill Grange Road West.

Magic Masterclass

In August, a week-long Magic Masterclass took place. The course gave participants an allround knowledge in the basic concepts of magic and allowed them to perform and create their own magic effects!

Science & Investigation This course was all about sparking curiosity and designing experiments to investigate!

Drama

The week-long course gave participants the opportunity to work on creating character and story as well as stagecraft techniques and terminology.

Star Activities Website

http://www.birkenheadschool.co.uk/Star-Activities

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/Staractivities

38

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

News from the Parents’ Association Our Fundraising 2018-19 The Parents’ Association has enjoyed another busy (and successful) year of fundraising through a variety of different activities and events.

The academic year began with a Coffee Morning and Uniform Sale and, in addition to funds raised for the Parents’ Association, £164 was raised for MacMillan Cancer Support. Autumn Discos for Prep children (Pre Prep through to Year 6) were held just before Michaelmas Half Term and were very well attended as usual. Our Bonfire Party was as spectacular as ever with an amazing fireworks display coordinated by Colin Gaskell – everyone enjoyed plenty of soup and hot dogs to keep warm and Noctorum Field was alight with glowsticks! The lead up to Christmas included the sale of personalised artwork Christmas Cards (and other gifts) to Prep parents and personalised Lego stocking fillers. A fabulous Winter Sparkle event was held at Thornton Hall Hotel at the end of November and guests enjoyed dinner dancing plus the chance to win some

The Committee & Our Supporters All parents are welcome to join the Parents’ Association without any obligation to take on a formal role as a Committee member.

None of our events would be possible without the support of the parents who volunteer on the Committee and from those who help out ad hoc at our events; I am very grateful indeed for the support I have received from everyone during my year as Chair. A considerable debt of gratitude is also owed to the admin team in the Prep and Senior School Offices; to the School Marketing Manager, Karen Alcock; and to Carl Williams and the Estates Team. All have provided considerable help behind the scenes and their support and patience is very much valued. Thank you all, for all that you do.

I have been a member of the Parents’ Association since my son was in Reception. I was the Treasurer for several years and took the role of Chair for this Academic Year – roles that I have enjoyed very much as they have provided opportunities to make a real difference to many members of the School Community.

In order for the Association to continue to flourish we need to re-evaluate the needs and wants of parents and pupils in terms of social events; and recruit new members with fresh ideas to propel the Association forwards. The roles of Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary will be vacant at the time of our AGM in September and I would urge both current and new parents to consider taking on a position in a new, revamped organisation.

With all good wishes for the new academic year.

Clare Jones Chair, Birkenhead School Parents’ Association 2018-19

amazing sparkling prizes. As always, the Christmas Bazaar was our biggest fundraising event of the year, co-hosted with 20th Birkenhead Scout Group – visitors enjoyed Santa’s Grotto, a revamped array of stalls in the Sports Hall plus the Luxury Gift Hall and delicious lunches and treats provided by Café Noel. The Easter Discos included a bake sale, arts and crafts, plus some exciting games of Easter Egg Bingo – an eggcellent time was had by all!

Our Contribution to School Life The monies raised by the Parents’ Association are used to fund items and events that are not part of the regular School curriculum; extras that surprise and delight and which enhance the learning (and extracurricular) experiences of students across the whole School.

This year the Parents’ Association have made the following contributions: • £250 – Positivity signs for Junior Prep Playground • £2000 – Seniors’ Rugby Sports Tour Kit • £300 – New ruffs for Chapel Choir • £700 – Sixth Form Leavers’ Ball • £750 – Yoga Equipment • £650 – Gymnastics Equipment used by Prep Gym Club and Seniors • £290 – Incubators and Chicks for Little School • £3165 – Little School Allotment Project • £1000 – Ice Creams for all pupils at their respective Sports Days • £500 – Chapel Choir activity day

Parents’ Association Website

www.pta-events.co.uk/birkenhead

Facebook

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

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

39

IN FOCUS 2019

Spotlight on Art

By Mrs Margerison, Head of Art

Our year began with a fulfilling day in London, with Year 12 & 13 touring Tate Modern, The Natural History Museum, and the Victoria & Albert where an impromptu fashion show added to our enjoyment.

In November, students from Years 11, 12 and 13 attended a Film Workshop run by SAE at their Liverpool Campus – educational and entertaining in equal measure.

Painting the back of Bushell Hall for West Side Story kept us busy in the spring while Year 7 worked on a yummy food related project, creating group canvases which will be hung in the refurbished dining room.

On Show This year, the Art Department celebrated the achievements of our creative students with work at two renowned galleries on the Wirral; The Williamson and The Lady Lever Art Gallery.

In October, Year 11 displayed their sea-themed work alongside pieces from the permanent collection of the Williamson whilst in March both Year 10 and 12 presented ceramics birds, mixed media pieces and oil paintings as part of the ‘Fresh Perspectives’ exhibition at The Lady Lever. This finished with a Family Friendly Saturday workshop run by Year 10 students, inspired by their exhibited work.

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

You can follow them on Twitter: @Birkenhead_Art Or follow them on Instagram: /birkenheadschoolart/ birkenheadschoolphotography

40

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Art and Design & Te c h n o l o g y E x h i b i t i o n Birkonian Week gave us the opportunity to showcase and celebrate Senior School creative achievements with the Art & Design Technology Exhibition; a fitting ending to a very busy and successful year in Art. I would like to add none of the above would have happened without the hard work and support of Mrs Cormack and our amazing new art technician, Miss O’Connell.

Chester Christmas Tr e e Fe s t i v a l We entered into the wonderful Christmas Tree Festival at Chester Cathedral once again this year and we were delighted to be announced the winner of the School category for the second year running.

The festival features 50 majestic Christmas trees decorated by local schools and businesses from across Chester and beyond. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 created the angel tree decorations during their art lessons with Mrs FitzHerbert and this year the theme was angels.

In the summer term, ten students visited the Chester Cathedral Falconry experience as a prize for the School winning the Festival.

This year the Festival raised ÂŁ11,000 for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

41

INFOCUS 2019

Classics

By Mrs Washington, Head of Classics

Year 7 Latin trip to Roman Chester (DEWA) A Latin fun day was held in October, at Deva (Roman Chester) for our students in Year 7. During their visit to the Grosvenor Museum, students had the chance to handle real Roman artefacts from the Roman period found at Chester.

They also took part in an archaeological discovery and a hands-on session at the Dewa Experience. The day finished with a guided tour around the Roman Walls and the amphitheatre. The annual Classics trip to Chester is always an excellent opportunity for students to put their learning into context and to bring the CLC I textbook to life.

Year 3 Roman Lifestyle Year 3 have been studying the Romans as part of their curriculum, and to enhance their knowledge further, they had a visit from Head of Classics in Seniors, Mrs Washington, and three Year 10 GCSE Latin students in February.

Pupils learned about how the Romans had lived and what they had introduced to us. In their investigation of a Roman villa, they focused on the Triclinium, the formal dining room in a Roman house. Following this, the children learnt how to put on a toga. It was often the case in Ancient Rome that wealthy people would have had slaves to dress them, so the children took turns in being the master, wearing the toga, and the servant, helping to dress them.

We run the following clubs as part of our cocurricular clubs programme: • Beginners Greek for Years 8-9: The Greek alphabet, origins of words (derivations), Classical Greek culture.

• Introduction to GCSE Greek for Years 10-11: Classical Greek Language.

After changing out of their togas, the children then heard all about the food that Romans would have eaten, as well as about the foods we have today that wouldn’t have been available in Ancient Rome. There was a traditional Roman feast had been set out for them to enjoy. On the menu were foods such as cucumber and celery salad, olives, mushrooms in garlic, lentils, Roman bread, honey (what the Romans used as a sweetener as they didn’t have sugar), cheese, carrots, cabbage, pears, melon and grapes.

For dessert, a traditional Roman favourite: egg custard garnished with pepper! To drink there was pure red grape juice for the children to try. All of the children had a fantastic time throughout their ‘Roman Lifestyle’ session.

Creating Roman Theatre Masks: Roman Mask Making To develop their studies on Roman theatre, following the Cambridge Latin Course Stage 5, our Year 7 Latin students created their own masks.

They based their work on three original pieces of archaeological evidence from Pompeii, and then they made their own designs from the evidence provided.

42

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Computing

By Mr Bell, Head of ICT & Computing

This year throughout the School, students have been developing their ICT skills and have been enhancing their understanding of computational thinking.

With Artificial Intelligence and Robotics being such a big part of their futures, we are endeavouring to prepare them for this new and exciting future. Coding is something that is introduced in Year 7 and is built on throughout Key Stage 3.

A level ICT gives students the opportunity to develop a range of ICT and Computing skills to a very high level that will prepare them for university and their working life. We actively encourage students to embrace and develop their coding skills in their free time to open up a diverse range of possibilities for them in the future.

It has been a pleasure to have two Physicists, Mr Webster and Mr Matthews, working in the Computing department this year and they have been able to add the Science into Computing. With the introduction of Firefly this year, students have benefited from having digital resources at their fingertips which has seen a massive reduction in the excuse “Sorry, but the dog ate my worksheet” being used.

Lastly, in Animation Club students have been learning Adobe flash to create 2D animations and are now using these skills to create their own short animations. In years to come we hope that Birkenhead School will have unearthed the next Nick Park or a creator of the latest Pixar blockbuster!

Digital Leaders

By Mr Pillow, ICT Subject Leader

Following on from the very successful introduction of the Digital Leaders programme last year, 10 new candidates from Years 5 and 6 took on the mantle of pioneering ICT and computing across Prep for the academic year.

After passing a careful selection process, the elected pupils have had some exciting opportunities, most notably a trip up to Senior School to try out the new and exciting Virtual Reality technology. This unique experience allowed the Leaders to take a tour around the human heart, climb out of a space station and practise target shooting with a bow and arrow. It’s fair to say, they were buzzing with excitement throughout the whole experience and can’t wait to go back.

A large element of their role has been to organise and run their own clubs with younger children, mainly in Year 1 and 2, where they taught them coding skills each week. Additionally, the Prep ICT teachers have been grateful for the assistance and support during lessons, where the Leaders have assisted with children logging on and any pupils who need a helping hand with their work. Over the Lent Term, the Leaders started their own Digital Newsletter. With the help of our marketing team, they learnt about reporting skills and how to write and edit a news story. They reported on news in Prep, from sports fixtures to extra-curricular clubs and combined typing and editing skills with their own photography. Their edition of ‘Prep In Focus’ was even showcased to prospective parents and pupils at our School Open Day in April. I’d like to extend my thanks to the team for all their hard work and effort this year.

“VR was incredible, I had so much fun. One day I think most lessons in School will be like this!”

Charlie Scrivener, 5H.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

43

INFOCUS 2019

It has been an exciting year for the Design and Technology department. Our new Head of DT, Mrs Dean, has been working with students in a vast array of different materials and processes, utilising the laser cutter and 3D printer to add value to their existing practical work.

Year 8 Pewt

Year 10 Flat

44

Year 8 Lego

er Casting

Pack Furnitu

re

Year 10 Chris

Figure

tmas Decora

tion

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

Year 7 Desk

Tidy

Year 12 Salad

servers

INFOCUS 2019

The Year 10 and Year 12 students also entered a national competition for the Royal Navy Boat Design competition being judged by Cammell Lairds and First Sea Lord Sir Philip Jones.

Our students produced amazing designs and were awarded two of the three national prizes. We were delighted that the First Sea Lord was able to present to our winners before addressing an audience that evening in Bushell Hall.

Year12 Winners Christopher Rowlands, Toby Meisner and Adam Durband

Year 10 Winners Harrie and Richie Jacob

We also teamed up with Lexus Chester and Briggs Automotive for our design careers conference and we were lucky enough to have several loan cars for the evening for our students and visitors to look at and sit in.

The careers event was an impressive way of supporting our students by giving them the chance to meet and connect with local business specialists for specific university and careers advice and we would like to thank everyone who came to help on the evening.

Our final bit of news has been the roaring success of the Virtual Reality equipment that has been in use in the DT department. It is part of a school wide initiative to investigate the future of Virtual Reality in education.

We were lucky enough to be supported by HTC Vive and our students have been designing products for their coursework using Masterpiece VR 3D design software and then 3D printing their work. It is an exciting time for this interesting and innovative hardware and seeing the VR software catching up at speed poses some interesting questions for the future of teaching.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

45

INFOCUS 2019

English

By Mrs Ballantyne, Head of English

It has been another busy year for the English Department, with a plethora of activities going on each term.

Michaelmas Term coincided with both the Wilfred Owen 100 Year Anniversary commemorations and National Poetry Day. Our usual focus on War poetry was given an extra sense of poignancy during Armistice Day as Year 8 pupils used the words of Wilfred Owen to read out their own ‘found poetry’ in Chapel. We were also able to incorporate the excellent resources provided via #BBCLiveLessons into our work. The first of many literary competitions was attended by our two mixed year group teams, this year’s ‘Kids' Lit Quiz’, held in Liverpool. Our most avid readers performed excellently, coping well with the most obscurely named rounds (‘cattle’ was our favourite!).

Debating Our success with the Rotary ‘Youth Speaks’ competition continued this year with both our Intermediate and Senior Teams experiencing wins at branch level. It was superb to see a very young and inexperienced Intermediate team make it through to the regional finals at Wrexham University, with confident and eloquent performances given by all.

Our first forays into the English Speaking Union’s Churchill Public Speaking Competition were tentatively made. Having intended very much on ‘testing the water’ with our inaugural and very young team, we were delighted to reach the Liverpool Branch Final alongside much more experienced and older teams. Samuel, Isabella and Jim delivered superb performances at Liverpool Cathedral, with Samuel winning the coveted Molly Meredith Shield for ‘Outstanding Personality’.

Our Public Speakers’ efforts continued into Lent Term as we enjoyed success in another first attempt, this time for the ESU’s MACE Debating competition. A superb display of eloquence and quick-thinking was given in this parliamentary-style contest by our very young team made up of ‘The Two Jimmys'.

46

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

B B C Yo u n g Re p o r t D a y Lent term was also punctuated by a visit to the BBC with a group of budding journalists. This year’s BBC Young Reporter Day was designed to inform and educate students with a potential interest in Media careers.

Students were able to sit in on lunchtime news bulletins, experience presenting for BBC Sport and all learnt how to film on mobile devices. Another excellent experience for our students, thanks to the BBC.

Congratulations!

Congratulations go to Patrick Mulvey Fanneran and Scarlett Lloyd who came third and second respectively in the aged 7-11 category in the West Kirby Literary Festival Competition held in June.

Fr a n k M o r a n Yo u n g Wr i t e r A w a r d The expressive power of the written word was also celebrated this year as several of our students, ranging from Year 11 to Year 13 along with OB Kathryn Rutherford, were shortlisted for the Athenaeum Club Liverpool’s Frank Moran Young Writer Award.

The variety and standard of their efforts was commended by the judges and we were extremely proud to learn that Alice Langan in Year 11 had won this year’s competition. As the Athenaeum’s new ‘writer in residence’, Alice’s story, based on the theme of identity, will be published in the Liverpool Echo and produced via BBC Merseyside. A truly excellent achievement.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the prestigious competition.

Did you know that the English Department is on Twitter?

You can follow them on Twitter: @Birkenhead_Eng

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

47

INFOCUS 2019

Geog raphy

By Miss Barsoum, Head of Geography

Geography has had a very positive academic year and a large number of students have immersed themselves within the subject in a number of ways both inside and outside of the classroom.

We have seen numbers increase opting to take Geography at both GCSE and A Level, which is fantastic!

December saw the first ever UK Geographical Skills Challenge, involving a large proportion of Year 9 students from Birkenhead School competing against other schools in which we achieved a very impressive first and third place.

We have had a number of academic extension opportunities for students to extend their knowledge beyond the curriculum, which involved lectures from the new Geographical Association President on the Geography of Tropical Diseases and a Geopolitics lecture from Sir Ian Huntley.

In addition, a number of field trips have occurred throughout the year. A Level students participated in trips to Liverpool, Llandudno and Chester. This involved developing a wide range of fieldwork techniques both human and physical to prepare our students for their non-examined assessment.

Moreover, our GCSE students attended a residential to the Lake District to study both Rivers and Conflict in Communities, which was a fantastic couple of days both academically but also in terms of developing teamwork skills.

Year 7 also participated in their first fieldwork day in the Senior School. They visited Delamere Forest in order to develop map skills in a practical sense finishing the day with an orienteering course - even the exceedingly heavy rain did not dampen spirits!

The Geography Department are very proud of all our students this year – well done to each and every one of them.

Did you know that the Geography Department is on Twitter?

You can follow them on Twitter: @Birkenhead_Geog

48

Katherine Rutherford OB 16-18 and students at the UK Geographical Skills Challenge

Climate Change Miss Barsoum is amongst the first 80 teachers in the UK to complete the new UN Climate Change course and has achieved UN accreditation.

This will allow the Geography Department to deliver up to date Climate Change lessons and equip our students with the latest developments in legal frameworks and mitigation projects. We look forward to introducing some opportunities to integrate climate change into our academic extension programme next year.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Mathematics

By Mr Hope, Head of Mathematics

We entered all the UKMT individual and team competitions once again this year.

In the individual competitions our students won many gold, silver and bronze certificates.

Particular mention must go to those who qualified for the next rounds of their competitions: Ethan Carley, Max Arthur, William Harvey, Steven Chen and Toby Brown who qualified from the Senior Challenge (Ethan for the more prestigious British Mathematical Olympiad), Samarth Kumar, David Turner, Bobby FitzHerbert and Thomas Gogerty who qualified from the Intermediate Challenge and Max Hendry and Han Khoo who qualified from the Junior Challenge.

Our Senior and Junior Challenge teams performed well at the local rounds of the Team Challenges but were not able to emulate performances from previous years when we have qualified for the London finals.

February half term saw the Mathematical Education on Merseyside and Liverpool Mathematical Society competitions, the three levels of which are open to all students in school. We were delighted that students achieved a range of prizes, in particular Ethan Carley and Will Harvey whose entries were won “Highly Commended” prizes.

In previous years, students from a variety of year groups have enjoyed lectures in the “Maths Inspiration” series.

Although we have been unable to do so this year, we hope to be offering students from some year groups the opportunity to attend a Maths in Action lecture and a Maths Inspiration lecture next year.

Maths Challenges The Maths Team Challenges are all-day events involving all pupils from Year 5 and Year 6. The teams were put through a number of tasks including Cross Number, Problem Solving and a Maths Relay Race.

The events were a great success, and enjoyed by all.

In the Year 5 competition the final team scores were very close, but eventually one team emerged as the overall winners. This team consisted of Kai Jackson, Lincoln Hibbert, Reefe Pankhurst and Olivia Gould, and they were all presented with individual trophies. Organiser, Mr Maher was impressed by all of the participants, he said,

“Every pupil was engaged throughout and each demonstrated the tenacity and diligence needed to get through the demanding day”.

UKMT Primary Schools Maths Challenge Sixteen schools from across the Wirral and South Liverpool came together to compete in Birkenhead School’s Primary Challenge in June. The challenge is in its seventh year at Birkenhead School with activities that promote mathematical dexterity, teamwork and communication skills.

Congratulations to everyone who took part and in particular our own team, Avalon School and Barnston Primary School who were in the top three places.

Birkenhead School Team

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

49

INFOCUS 2019

History

By Mr McKie, Head of History The History Department has enabled pupils in both Years 6 and 8 to have a tour of Chapel and an informative talk delivered by Mr J. McGrath (ex-teacher and OB) on the stories surrounding the Old Birkonians in the two World Wars, including for example the three MacSwinney brothers who all perished in the Great War. As part of their study of the Industrial Revolution, Year 9 historians in November visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. The textile demonstration was the highlight of the day as the students became acquainted with what it must have been like for children working in the mills in Victorian times.

As part of our study of Medieval Birkenhead, in mid-June, Year 7 students were afforded a tour of the docks and Birkenhead Priory, the oldest building on Merseyside. Their trip concluded with a visit to the Museum of Liverpool.

Lower sixth students entered two essay competitions: the Vellacott History Prize Competition run by Peterhouse College, Cambridge and the University of Sheffield equivalent. These prestigious competitions have been running for many years and demand that students write an essay on a topic they do not study at School. Consequently, they offer good preparation for what lies ahead at university.

P ro f e s s o r G a r y S h e f f i e l d Vi s i t

By Jack Grundy, Year 10

On Thursday 7th February Year 10, 11 and the Sixth Form had the honour of listening to Professor Gary Sheffield. Gary Sheffield is a Professor of War Studies at Wolverhampton University and has published many books on the First World War. Some of his publications include ‘Douglas Haig: From the Somme to Victory’ and ‘Command and Control on the Western Front: The British Army’s Experience 1914-18’.

As well as it being a great honour to listen to Professor Sheffield, it also proved to be very useful as the First World War forms a large part of the IGCSE syllabus for the Year 10 and 11 students.

Professor Sheffield talked about some very controversial topics such as ‘was Haig the butcher of the Somme?’ and shared his opinion about Haig with us. “Haig was neither the butcher nor the hero that people thought of him to be”.

We learnt that Haig was a competent commander in many ways but that he also made some vital mistakes early on in his career. Haig was placed in command of the British army to get the job done no matter what, and Haig did that.

On 18th November 1916 the battle of the Somme ended and the Allies emerged victorious. We also learnt that one of the main reasons Britain joined the war was to secure control over the seas as the German navy had become very strong in the build up to the war. Professor Sheffield also said that the First World War was unique as it was a “Total war” meaning that everyone was involved, not just the army.

Civilians at home had to sign up, women had to do hard labour, and even members of Britain’s vast empire were pulled into the war. Men and resources from the colonies were taken to Europe to help the war effort.

America’s contribution to the war was vital. Not only did they join the fight in the final months but American banks funded a massive amount of the British and French efforts on the western front. Another fact which was surprising was that

50

over 60,000 Americans pretended to be Canadian so that they could go to Europe and fight. What’s more is that it was the success at the Somme which led to America joining the war. The events at the Somme had dented the German army so badly that they believed that they could no longer win the war by fighting on land. They turned to their navy to try and bring them success and reintroduced unrestricted submarine warfare (this meant that the submarines could fire upon any vessel which came into British waters, hostile or not).

America then joined the war in April 1918.

Finally, Professor Sheffield talked about the effectiveness of the British blockade and the differences between the eastern and western fronts. The British knew that Germany had a very small coastline compared to the size of its country and set up a massive blockade stopping them from getting any resources, such as the food that was desperately needed.

The blockade was so successful that in the winter between 1916-1917 the Germans had what was called the ‘turnip winter’. The staple diet for the majority of the population was the potato but in the 1916-1917 winter they were forced to eat turnips which was regarded as peasant food. The differences between the two fronts was astounding. On the western front there was deadlock with neither side able to move more than a few metres at a time. Whilst on the eastern front there were thousands of square miles of land that either side could use to try and execute flanking manoeuvres or try and break through gaps in the enemy line.

By 1918 Britain had adapted to modern warfare, unlike Germany. Britain used planes, artillery and infantry/calvary to attack the Germans to devastating effect at the Battle of Amiens in August of that year. They would all work in a team; the planes directing what was going on, artillery causing the damage and the infantry/calvary finishing the job.

Listening to Gary Sheffield was a privilege and very interesting.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

H i s t o r y Tr i p t o t h e M u s e u m o f Science and Industry in Manchester

By Jonathan Stam, Year 9

In November, Year 9 travelled to Manchester to have a look around the Museum of Science and Industry.

After a pleasingly uneventful journey, we arrived at the museum with our blue booklets in hand, ready to fill them in with information about the museum.

Once at the Museum, we were greeted by Stephenson’s rocket – it was extraordinary to see with our own eyes the very object that we had been taught about in lessons!

However, we couldn’t dawdle in the reception; next, we climbed a few flights of stairs to the cloakroom. Here we deposited our bags and divided into our history classes to commence the tour.

After the Power Hall, it was time to return to the warehouse where a demonstration was taking place. We were shown how the raw cotton was turned into yarn in the Manchester factories and were also shown some of the machinery from the time in action. The machinery was incredibly loud and, especially considering that there would’ve been hundreds operating at once, it was easy to see why factory workers had to be so good at communicating via sign language. The end of the demonstration marked the completion of the tour of the museum and there was nothing left to do but to go back to school, except, of course, to visit the gift shop!

The first area my class looked at was the Air and Space Hall. The hall was housed in a building across the road from the main entrance and, on the inside, we found it to be an enormous chamber filled with all manner of aircraft. There was too much in the Air and Space Hall to examine it all in detail – it contained everything from bombers to gyrocopters – however, I personally spent most of the time with the Japanese Ohka, a small kamikaze aircraft used against American and British ships during the Second World War. After the Air and Space Hall, we set off to the Station Building. Preserved by the museum, Liverpool Road Station is the oldest surviving railway station in the world and was part of the first ever inter city railway which ran between Liverpool and Manchester. Sitting in the station, there were many visible differences between it and the stations of today.

One that stood out in particular was that the track was on the same level as the rest of the station – there were no raised platforms. We descended to the booking hall, a tall, airy and beautifully decorated space. When the station was in operation, this was where first class travellers would wait for the train whilst the other passengers would wait outside by the tracks.

Once we emerged from the station building, the next stop was the Main Building. It was a warehouse from 1830 and we spent some time there scanning the exhibitions for particulars to jot into our booklets. However, time was ever-pressing and so we had to move quickly up to the cloakroom where we were reunited with the other classes and consumed our packed lunches.

After lunch, it was time to resume the tour of the museum.

In the afternoon we went first to the Power Hall and then finally attended the Manchester Mills demonstration before boarding the coach home. The Power Hall was a similar space to the Air and Space Hall, however, instead of aeroplanes, the Power Hall contained a plethora of steam engines. The engines ranged from relatively small ones to huge behemoths – larger than cars – which would’ve powered entire factories.

Did you know that the History Department is on Twitter?

You can follow them on Twitter: @Birkenhead_Hist

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

51

INFOCUS 2019

Wi l f re d O we n C o m m e m o r at i o n

By Mr McKie, Assistant Head

Wilfred Owen lived in Birkenhead for many of his formative years. His experiences there, coupled with his mother’s staunch piety, shaped his later life and poetry. In 2018, the School played a significant role in the many Wilfred Owen Commemoration events, which aimed both to celebrate his life, as well as to remember all the fallen from Birkenhead, 100 years on from the end of the First World War. Owen himself tragically died one week before the conclusion of the Great War. Many activities and events took place in November to remember the fallen, with some organised as part of the Wilfred Owen Commemoration.

Below are a few of the examples of how we paid our thanks to ensure we never forget the ultimate sacrifice they made:

Wilfred Owen – In Memoriam Concert This was a fantastic evening, at Christ Church in Birkenhead, of music and poetry that remembered the life and work of Wilfred Owen and his comrades from Birkenhead. Part of the evening included three settings of Wilfred Owen poems, set to music by Graham Ellis, the ex-Director of Music here at Birkenhead School, and performed by our Chapel Choir and instrumentalists.

War Horse Puppetry Workshops Pupils from local primary schools were invited to join some of our Prep pupils for a workshop in conjunction with the National Theatre and as part of the Wilfred Owen Commemoration. This was a fantastic event that taught the pupils various techniques that the Warhorse Puppetry cast used during the theatre show. Dame Patricia Routledge was also in attendance, as the official patron of the Wilfred Owen Commemoration, to enjoy watching the workshop in action.

School Remembrance Service During our Service of Remembrance, the Last Post was played as we remembered former students and others who valiantly gave their lives. Displayed on the stage were 96 knitted poppies, one for each of the Old Birkonians who died during the First World War. Year 10 students then carried out research into the OBs and displayed this on their knitted poppy.

3D Poppies in Hamilton Square Poppy packs were given out to Years 7 and 8 as part of an event organised by The Wilfred Owen Commemoration and Frank Field’s team. Students received all materials and instructions needed to create their own 3D poppies and all were invited to Hamilton Square on Saturday 10th November to ‘plant’ their

52

poppy in readiness for the Service of Remembrance the following day. Overdale students, along with the help of the Art Department, created fantastic and very effective 3D poppies.

First World War Official War Artists Year 9 students focused on First World War official war artists for their art project and Jim McGrath OB came to talk to the students about the Old Birkonians who died in the war. The students then produced their own responses to this.

Wilfred Owen Poetry Analysis The English Department conducted their own Wilfred Owen poetry analysis in lessons and Year 8 students then read out their poetry, during their English lesson in Chapel, that had been inspired by Wilfred Owen’s work.

Students used Wilfred Owen’s original words in their own work to show a deeper understanding of what he referred to as “the pity of war”.

A Concert of Remembrance This was a concert of music written a century ago, led by the Wirral Symphonic Wind Band, conducted by Philip Robinson, together with musicians from Birkenhead School, Brackenwood Infants School, Town Lane Infant School and Trinity with Palm Grove, Birkenhead.

Additional events saw GCSE and A Level students take part in a Music Composition Masterclass at Christ Church and our own Chapel saw Perspex figures put in place in the pews to represent and commemorate those pupils from Birkenhead School who fell during service for their country.

Every event played such a wonderful part in commemorating those who lost their lives for their country and we would like to thank everyone involved.

We will remember them.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

53

INFOCUS 2019

M o d e r n Fo r e i g n Languages Bonjour Paris!

By Grace Harvey, Year 11

It is safe to say that the trip to Paris organised by the School was a great success for Art and French students alike, capturing both the vast history and culture of the city as well as its swiftness.

Only an hour and a half flight from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Paris was a breath of fresh air. The itinerary of the trip was exciting in itself. It began with a walking tour of Paris, and despite my comical (but I like to hope endearing) 5 year-long struggle with French, I was placed in the group whose tour guide was persistent in speaking it only. Packed with wistful tidbits of Paris’ long and streaming history, I half translated our tour guide’s fluency into something English and admired the beauty that was seemingly everywhere in the city, simultaneously inescapable and liberating.

This was a common theme whilst in Paris, the subconscious and involuntary notion to stop all other thought but that of admiration for the city in which you stand. It is no coincidence that not one person that I know dislikes it. Despite the pickpocketing and crime, it is a city loved by all, the poor, the achingly rich, the somewhere in between. I believe it has a type of magic accessible only to those who visit.

If you do, it would be foolish to not go to the myriad of galleries found in the city centre. I found that visiting the art galleries in Paris was one of my favourite parts of the trip, partially because of the art but also because of the refuge found in their air conditioned shade compared with the intensity of the 37 degree weather outside. It was interesting seeing famous works such as the Mona Lisa in the Louvre and Monet’s Water Lilies in the Musée d’Orangerie in real life.

It is strange seeing a painting in its detail compared with an image of it online. I believe it tells a different, personal story in more depth, with far more eloquence.

By taking the metro, we were able to see the true nature of Paris. There is something about being amongst strangers in a large city that offers an experience superior to that of scheduled tourism. I feel this is what I enjoyed most about the trip, being amongst people going about their daily lives, daydreaming of what life would be like living in Paris, scheming and plotting a future inspired by the nonchalant pulchritude of my surroundings.

In retrospect, I believe it was a trip beloved by all. There was something for everyone, a trip not confined to one genre of interest, a great homage to Paris, short yet inevitably sweet.

UK Linguistics Olympiad 2019 On 5th February, 23 students in Years 10 and 11 competed in the United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO). They tackled complex problems based on languages they had never studied before, deciphering writing systems, translating texts using clues they had been given and using their knowledge of how languages work to predict how words may be formed in different sentences. We had great success in the Intermediate Tier, with Y11s Andrew Rutherford and David Turner achieving Silver Awards, along with Bronze Awards for fellow Year 11s Rohan Singhal and Simon Lawrence, and for Y10s Bobby FitzHerbert, Samuel Jones, Harvey Davies and Jimmy Sergi. Next year, the Year 11 students will compete in the Advanced Tier which could lead to appearances at the National Finals for the most successful competitors.

54

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Music 2018-19

By Mr Robinson, Director of Music

Our First Team: Chapel Choir It has been another superb year for our amazing Chapel Choir, which actually began in August with a return trip to sing for the weekend at Blackburn Cathedral. The new academic year then kicked off with a combined Leavers’ and OB Service on Friday 7th September, one of an increasing number of opportunities for former choristers to come back and sing with the choir.

Choral Evensong… with Extras!

Following the Cantata Evensong presented in February alongside the Liverpool Bach Collective, the choristers in the Chapel Choir decided that the format was highly enjoyable, and that we should try to stage another one! Bach’s music is notoriously difficult, but four intrepid soloists (Mary Cotton Year 10, Esme Brennan Lower Sixth, Edward Oulton Lower Sixth, and William Blessing Lower Sixth) agreed to take on the challenge of learning the required soprano, alto, tenor, and bass solo movements of one of the cantatas written for Trinity Sunday. Together with our fantastic string players, regular organist Graham Eccles, and the loan of Philip Duffy’s beautiful chamber organ, we presented our very own Cantata Evensong on 16th June including Bach’s Cantata BWV 165 ‘O heil’ges Geist und Wasserbad’ – on the very Sunday for which it was written.

The Chapel Choir sings Choral Evensong in Chapel every Sunday during term time at 6.30pm. We welcome a wide range of visiting preachers from all over the area, and the services are open to all. If you have not yet made it to a Sunday Chapel service here at Birkenhead School, then please do come along in September and enjoy some quiet reflection and beautiful singing. Refreshments are served before the service from 6pm in the Headmaster’s Dining Room, and all are most welcome.

Visiting Musicians Greg Beardsell choral director

In October, the music department hosted the annual HMC North West Directors of Music meeting, and Mr Robinson invited the renowned choral music expert, Greg Beardsell, to speak to the delegates and work with them on vocal improvisation techniques and musicianship in the classroom.

Alongside the visiting Directors of Music, a number of our students were invited to attend the improvisation session, and learnt a great deal about how to survive without sheet music! At the end of the day, Greg kindly then offered to stay on after School to lead the Chapel Choir rehearsal and help them prepare for the next Sunday service. This was an incredible opportunity for our young choristers to work with a world class choir director, and they rose to the occasion and sang exceptionally well for him. Greg is Music Director of the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir, the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, the Peace Proms, Artistic Director of the Irish Youth Choir and Choral Director for the Gabrieli Consort and Players’ education initiative, Gabrieli ROAR. He is also Deputy Artistic Director of National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and was Artistic Director of the inaugural International Youth Choir Festival in partnership with the Royal Albert Hall. He has adjudicated at the Grand Finals of the UK Choir of the Year competition, the Cork Choral Festival and the Llangollen Eisteddfod.

Liverpool Bach Collective

Former Director of Music at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Philip Duffy, now spends much of his retirement travelling around Merseyside performing Bach’s wonderful cantatas and we were delighted that he agreed to bring his musicians here in February to join with the Chapel Choir in Evensong for the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas). At the conclusion of the regular evensong service, the superb bass singer, Stuart O’Hara, led a performance of Bach’s Cantata BWV 82 Ich habe genung to a packed Chapel, largely consisting of members of the public who have not visited us before.

Florian Mitrea Piano

Internationally-renowned pianist Florian Mitrea led a workshop on one of our GCSE set works, to which we invited pupils from other schools. He spoke in detail about Beethoven and his Pathétique Sonata and compared it with other works by Mozart and Haydn and gave excellent advice to students in preparation for their GCSE listening exam.

Florian was in the area to give a recital for the Hoylake Concert Society, a group with which we have strong links.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

55

INFOCUS 2019

Music 2018-19

continued

Students, staff, Old Birkonians, parents and friends of the School all performed together at ‘Come and Sing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’.

Festival of Music

us both their mastery of their instruments and how much fun you can have when you can play music.

Now a firm favourite with students, parents, friends and staff, the third annual Birkenhead School Festival of Music began with a special Service of Remembrance in Chapel on 11th November to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War. This took the form of a reflective service of words and music sung by the Chapel Choir, including the Last Post played by Matthew Oulton OB. Music technology is an area that has seen massive growth over recent years, and is now firmly embedded in the music curriculum throughout Senior School. On the Wednesday morning, we were visited by Old Birkonian, and aspiring DJ, Jack Pritchard, who returned to the School to deliver a Music Technology Workshop to pupils from Years 7-11. Jack recently played a set at the prestigious Creamfields Festival in 2018 (and is due to return this summer) and is keen to pass on his creative digital music skills to our current students.

We also welcomed 150 pupils from local schools to a GCSE and A Level Study Morning, led by renowned Beethoven expert, Dr Kris Worsley, and GCSE Music students also took part in a performance workshop with local mezzosoprano, Jennifer Johnston. The focus of the Study Morning this year was another Edexcel GCSE Music set work, Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata, and proved to be a fantastic opportunity for our students, and those from local schools, to gain valuable knowledge and insights on this topic. Dr Worsley is a pianist and lecturer who specialises in music of the 18th and 19th centuries. He has lectured widely on music history across Britain, Europe and North America and had his work published in books, scholarly journals, magazines and newspapers. As a pianist, he has performed his own realisations of unfinished works from Beethoven's sketchbooks alongside standard concert repertoire, and regularly gives lectures and lecture recitals at music festivals.

He teaches at the Royal Northern College of Music, Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Every day of the festival week was also a chance for pupils to witness the extraordinary talent of our instrumental teachers in a series of lunchtime recitals. Mr Glossop (violin and viola), Mrs Dennerly (cello), Mrs Bell (piano), Mrs Thomas (clarinet), Mr Gaskell (guitar) and Miss Sousa (flute) showed 56

On the Friday evening it was time for the annual Birkenhead School’s Got Talent show. Run entirely by the Student Council and featuring a vast array of talent from across the whole School, this is always a fun and entertaining event.

The final event, which ended this year’s Festival of Music in style, was Come and Sing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’. This saw musicians tackle one of the most recognisable and wellloved choral works, with its wonderful sunny nature and distinctive melodies and rhythms. Alongside this piece, we also enjoyed hearing from some of our most advanced string players performing music from several of Vivaldi’s contemporaries – alongside the inspirational violinist and musicologist, Dr Alberto Sanna and his Early Music as Education Orchestra.

Overall, this was another fantastic week of high quality music making, with something for everyone, and we’d like to thank all of the musicians who took part.

Matt Glossop performing at a Lunchtime Recital in Chapel during the Festival of Music

Save the Date: Sunday 1st December Come and Sing Advent Carols!

An opportunity to join with the Chapel Choir to sing some fantastic seasonal music, including Bach’s Cantata BWV 140 ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Music in the Community

Carol Service at Christ Church, Higher Bebington

Chapel Choir Trip to Blackburn

On Sunday 19th August, the Chapel Choir travelled to Blackburn Cathedral to sing the daily services. They were met by former Chaplain, Mrs Howell-Jones, whose husband is the Dean of Blackburn. They led worship at the morning Eucharist service, which featured music from Haydn’s ‘Little Organ Mass’, including a stunningly beautiful soprano solo from Choir Prefect, Verity Walker. After lunch and some free time in Blackburn, the choir then sang again at Evensong, before returning home. Once again, we received a warm welcome, and have been invited to visit again.

Wilfred Owen Commemoration

The Wilfred Owen Commemoration was organised by local MP Frank Field, to mark the 100-year anniversary of the end of the First World War. On the centenary of the death of Wilfred Owen, Mr Robinson presented A Concert of Remembrance at Christ Church, Higher Bebington with our friends from the Wirral Symphonic Wind Band, soloists, and pupils from local schools.

Our Year 10 and 11 musicians attended a day of inspirational GCSE and A Level composition workshops with the professional composers Tim Jackson and Ian Stephens, held at Christ Church, Birkenhead.

The flagship event was a concert entitled ‘Wilfred Owen – In Memoriam’, which was a poignant and thought-provoking evening, also at Christ Church Birkenhead, of music and poetry that remembered the life and work of Wilfred Owen and his comrades from Birkenhead. Included in the concert were three settings of Wilfred Owen poems, set to music by Graham Ellis, the ex-Director of Music here at Birkenhead School, and performed by our former singing teacher, Nick Hardy. The Chapel Choir, accompanied by instrumentalists from the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, performed a selection of music including Purcell’s Funeral Music for Queen Mary, and Arib Islam Upper Sixth sang a moving song by George Butterworth. The finale was a collaboration between all the musicians present, led by the newly-formed Wilfred Owen Choir, and accompanied by our own senior string players, and the evening was brought to a close with a rousing rendition of 'Jerusalem'.

Wirral Bazaar

The Chamber Choir once again supported the wonderful efforts of the Wirral Bazaar in early November by singing a selection of Christmas Carols, and bringing some (very!) early Christmas cheer to those present. The total amount raised this year for North West Cancer Research was £41,000.

The Chapel Choir was invited to lead the annual Carol Service at Christ Church in Higher Bebington this year alongside the church choir. This was a great opportunity to prepare some of the music for the following Sunday’s Nine Lessons and Carols services, and to reach out to a new audience at the same time. The vicar, Revd Mike Loach, spoke very highly of the singing of the choir and has invited them back next year.

Christmas Family Fun Concert

A new addition to our festive programme this year was the inaugural Christmas Family Fun Concert, held in Bushell Hall and led by the amazing Wirral Symphonic Wind Band. Also performing in the concert were our own Little School Choir, the Luminelles (an incredible choir from Birkenhead High School Academy), and we even had a visit from a Singing Santa! This was a super occasion, and one which we will look to repeat next year.

Royal Visit

In January, our senior strings once again teamed up with the Wilfred Owen Choir to provide some music in Hamilton Square for the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. This was a memorable occasion for all involved, and the Duke even took a detour from his walkabout to compliment the musicians on their playing and singing!

Festival Success

There was once again a solid representation from the School at this year’s Wirral Music Festival; our Brass Ensemble again won their class at the festival as well as the Christie Edwards Trophy. In addition, Elizabeth Hyatt (Y11) came 3rd in the Open Piano Solo (Classical) class, Ellora Chatwin (Y5) was third in the U11 vocal solo class, and Carmen Wu (Y6) gained first place in two violin classes as well as a second and a third place on the piano! Congratulations to all who took part and a huge thank you to our brass teacher, Miss Baker, for her continued hard work and dedication. The Brass Ensemble also then travelled to The King’s School, Chester, to take part in the Chester Competitive Festival of Performing Arts, where they took second place in the Open Brass Band class.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

57

INFOCUS 2019

Concerts and Events Christmas Concert

The annual Christmas Concert is always a highlight in the School's calendar and this year was no exception, with musicians from Prep and Seniors coming together to delight a packed Bushell Hall.

Guests were entertained by the Clarinet Ensemble as they arrived and were then thoroughly entertained by performances from Prep Orchestra, Senior Choir, Wind Ensemble, Year 6 Choir, Brass Ensemble, Senior Orchestra, Chapel Choir, Folk Band, and Big Band! Following last year’s One Day More flashmob, the grand finale this year saw students, staff and friends of the School all joining together in an uplifting performance of This is Me from ‘The Greatest Showman’. A wonderful evening with exceptional performances from all.

House Music

This year’s House Music Competition took place in late February, and again featured wonderful performances from pupil from both Prep and Seniors. There are now three categories, Junior Open (Years 5-8), Senior Open (Years 9 upwards), and House Song. Kingsmead did themselves proud (again!) with an overall win, with Emily Keating’s beautifully sung 'Caro mio ben' (Junior Open winner), 'La La Land Medley' (Senior Open winner) from the string quartet (Dionne Lee, Tasmin Lee, Jessica Brodbelt and Grace Harvey), and the group song was the fun (and slightly repetitive!) 'Piña Colada Song'.

Birkonian Week

Christmas in Chapel

Decorated so beautifully by parents, Chapel is a particularly special space in December. There were once again three very impressive Prep Christmas Celebration Services, and the Chapel Choir sang the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, finishing with the Christmas Eucharist at 11pm on Christmas Eve.

58

Music featured prominently throughout the first ever Birkonian Week at the end of the Summer term, and in particularly on the Sunday and Monday evenings. Sunday 30th June was the final Choral Evensong in Chapel, followed by jazz and a reception at the Outdoor Classroom. A fantastic number of Old Birkonians attended, with some singing in the choir, and others even bringing their instruments to play with the Big Band. On Monday 1st July we held the Summer Concert and Arts Awards in the splendid Marquee that had been erected in the Sports Hall. Our second Whole School Concert, this featured music beforehand from the Clarinet Ensemble, afterwards from the Folk Band and Saxophone Ensemble, as well as performances from Prep Orchestra, Little School Choir, Brass Ensemble, Senior Choir, Year 5 Choir, Senior Orchestra, Chapel Choir, Folk Band, Big Band, and an impromptu extra item by some of our outgoing Upper Sixth musicians. The finale was a wonderful rendition of 'Hey Jude' by Esme Brennan with the Big Band, in which she was joined in song by the entire Marquee!

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

59

INFOCUS 2019

Senior Strings and Early Music As Education Although it was only set up at the end of 2016, between March and June 2017 EMAE ran a very successful trial programme involving twelve students from Birkenhead School and two other local schools and four tutors who, in July 2017, performed an inaugural concert hosted by the High Sheriff of Merseyside in the Capstone Theatre.

In addition, Dr Sanna and the first cohort of tutors – who have since gone on to pursue professional careers or postgraduate studies in music – performed and presented the initiative at King’s College London, the University of Oxford, in San Ginesio (Italy) and in Nairobi (Kenya).

at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, a number of awareness events across the UK, and a concert tour in Barcelona and Catalonia. The trip to Catalonia in July provided an opportunity for the students and their tutors to take part in chamber-music workshops led by early-music specialists of international stature, whilst immersing themselves in the local history and culture.

Over the course of the year, the newly-formed Junior Group (David Coyne Lower Sixth, Samuel Jones Year 9, Sophia Campbell Year 7, and Storm Woodward Year 6) have learned 5 pieces from the long 18th century, while the senior players (Dionne Lee, Tasmin Lee and Grace Harvey) now have nearly 4 hours of music in their repertoire.

Since then the scheme has expanded considerably and the current academic year has marked the beginning of a new two-year cycle involving forty students from ten different schools who, in September 2018, started to train in early ensemble music with Dr Sanna and his tutors for an hour every week. This new intake of violin, viola, cello and double-bass players ranges from Year 6 to Upper Sixth and include schools of various types and religious denominations. The groups vary widely in terms of technical and musical abilities as well as social and economic profiles.

A further nine string players (including three of our most advanced musicians) have now graduated from the school programme to pursue a more intensive and advanced level of education. This takes the form of a two-hour rehearsal in the Liverpool Parish Church of Our Lady & St Nicholas every week and participation in several high-profile events and concert productions, both nationally and internationally.

Highlights of the 2018/19 season included a residency

Individual Achievements

Exam Update

The Chapel Choir Prefect appointed for the next academic year is William Blessing and the Senior Musicians, awarded to our leading Upper Sixth form instrumentalists, are David Coyne (woodwind and strings), Dionne Lee (keyboard and strings), Reeve Taylor (brass) and JJ Vallance-Owen (brass).

Our huge thanks go to Claire Lawrence, Holly FitzHerbert, and Katie Leyland for all their hard work in these roles over the last twelve months.

Dionne and Tasmin Lee have both been members of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra this year, in addition to their work with the fledgling Early Music Youth Orchestra mentioned previously. Grace Harvey has been offered a place to study both cello and voice at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music, starting in September. In July, our Organ Scholar Dionne Lee took part in a Royal College of Organists Summer School, where she had organ, conducting and choral singing instruction under the tutelage of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s Head of Organ, Daniel Moult.

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

You can follow them on Twitter: @BSMusicSchool

60

Once again, a number of dedicated students have gone on to reach the dizzy heights of Grade 8 on their chosen instrument(s), including Claire Lawrence Upper 6 (euphonium), Tasmin Lee Year 10 (violin), and Sam Gregory Year 8 (piano). A special mention must also go to our organ scholar, Dionne Lee who, as a result of the high mark scored in her Grade 6 exam, is a winner of the Miss Margaret Wethered Prize – awarded to the recipient of the highest mark in a Grade 4-7 ABRSM exam in the Merseyside area.

Just a few months after receiving this award, she then added a Grade 8 with Distinction on the organ to her previous piano and violin achievements!

Alumni News

We were delighted to welcome back Simon Lawford OB, whose father was formerly Director of Music here, to play organ for the service of Choral Evensong on Advent Sunday.

This was the first time that Simon had visited the School for many years, after a career as an organist and Director of Music at a number of churches and cathedrals in both the UK, France, and Australia!

Belated congratulations to Alexander Van Ingen OB, who is now Chief Executive of the Academy of Ancient Music, a world-renowned period instrument choir and orchestra.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

By Mrs Clarke, Science Subject Leader in Prep What an exciting year we have had in Prep Science!

At Prep we value the questions that children ask us.

During a range of exciting Scientific opportunities the children have explored and found answers together.

They need time and space to explore and they have learned from their mistakes. At all times curiosity has been invited. We are very privileged that every junior class has timetabled access to the Science room.

Science Clubs have continued to run very successfully throughout the year both in the Infants (Mrs Mudge) and Juniors (Mrs Clarke). Chemistry, Physics and Biology programmes have been followed in a practical and explorative way.

Pupils work towards Crest Awards in Science Clubs

We are thrilled to have followed and been awarded the exciting Crest Awards at Star and Superstar levels. Crest is the British Science Association’s scheme for STEM project work that inspires young people to think and behave like scientists and engineers. We have close links with Senior School who also complete Crest awards at higher levels. For the older students involvement in the award scheme can lead to improved GCSE grades and an increased interest in continuing in STEM education and careers.

We were excited this year to take part in The Big Battery Hunt. It is a nationwide battery recycling initiative funded

by Duracell. Young people in schools across the UK are encouraged to think about the importance of recycling, and then challenged to collect as many used batteries as they can. This proved a very popular initiative with interest across the entire school.

Throughout the year social media has been used to demonstrate to a wider audience the vast range of practical opportunities on offer to our pupil. These pictures have included projects completed for the Crest award scheme and also practical work in Science lessons. During Open Day, Junior Science leaders ran demonstrations throughout the day. This year we have purchased an exciting new range of Galore Park textbooks to further enhance Science lessons throughout Year 3-6. It is a stimulating and rigorous approach to Science that goes beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum for pupils and is tailored for independent schools.

All in all Science is thriving and will continue to do so!

This year, pupils took part in the Duracell Battery Hunt and had great fun collecting old batteries!

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

61

INFOCUS 2019

Science Leaders

By Shivank Sharma, Lower Sixth

The role and importance of academic mentors is often shadowed by the likes of the Prefect teams and the additional work teachers put themselves under to ensure that students are engaging, understanding and most importantly enjoying the sciences as most as they can.

Despite this, over the last two years, many of these ambassadors have been nominated as Science Leaders. We create an environment in which we are able to engage with those with a love for curiosity, enticing others excitement, help peers and those lower down the School who may be struggling to grasp scientific concepts. We further have the pleasure in outwardly getting involved with science in the community, spreading the word to those younger and perhaps most impressionable about the zeal that science can offer. This has come to be increasingly important with our push to see more female scientists, as we attempt to move away from a seemingly male-driven scientific community.

This opportunity to encourage and engage with students whilst tutoring those with upcoming GCSE examinations has proved to be invaluable to me. This has helped me develop social skills, speaking in more of a concise manner as well as honing down on key scientific theory, enabling me to excel further in Biology and Chemistry A levels. It proves to be especially rewarding to see the excitement in the eyes of those who get that ‘woah, it kinda all seems to make sense now!’.

Astronomy Club Our Astronomy Club runs between October and February half-term holidays. Disappointed when it ended, we extended it this year to become Astronomers’ Club up to Easter, even though we couldn’t view anything!

The struggles of failure are not exempt from learning, and it is important to note that schooling isn’t as simple as attending classes and sitting an exam. We help to provide an atmosphere in which we are open and accepting when things don’t go our way, for what is more important is learning, overcoming and subsequently growing. This helps to nurture the virtues of perseverance and strength of mentality, necessary skills if not in the field of science, but livelihood.

With the new space at the top of Overdale becoming available, a Lunar Eclipse and the 50th anniversary of the Lunar Landing this year, we have named the space ‘Lunar Loft’. This will be further developed over the next year and we look forward to unveiling and sharing it with our School community.

I am proud of being a Science Leader, and hope that this scheme proves to provide further success in the future, not in helping students to attain high grades alone, but to instill positivity, diligence and a generation not afraid to think and apply themselves in a world which seems to be becoming ever more challenging by the day. The ability to be able to provoke and influence someone is very moving.

All aboard!

Next year cannot come sooner!

We are in the detail stage for our Florida trip now and jet off in October 2019 for the latest STEM adventure.

Over fifty students and five staff are involved. They are looking forward to being immersed in the Science, Technology and Business of running the theme parks. Twenty of the group will spend a few nights at the University of Florida and train at the Police Department’s facility, in all things Forensic.

N ex t s t o p. . .

Science Leaders at this year's Big Bang Science Events

62

A European adventure for the younger students is now well within our sights too. Mrs Tharme and Mrs Clarke travelled to the European Space Centre in Belgium to do some risk assessments and planning. It was wonderful to spend some time looking at how we can make the STEM transition even more smooth, and we hope to offer a trip incorporating STEM and adventure for the academic year 2020-2021. Watch this SPACE!

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

N a t i o n a l Yo u n g Scientists of the Ye a r : Ru n n e r s U p The Science department and a group of Upper Sixth students celebrated this year after coming Runners Up in the Big Bang Fair National Finals in March.

Sixth Form students Arib, Cameron, Holly and William competed in the Big Bang Senior Science Competition category with their project entitled ‘Fat?berg! Fuel or Foe?’.

The group qualified for the National Competition which recognises and rewards young people’s achievements in STEM subjects, after winning the North West regional heat and being awarded ‘North West Young Scientists of the Year’ last summer.

During the three-day national event in March, the team presented their research which focused on both the challenge and opportunity of the fatbergs in our ageing sewers. Intrigued, or maybe horrified, by the London Fatberg; this was in the news when we first discussed possible projects. A more local event, where fatbergs arrived on the Seacombe coastline, led to the team’s decision.

The group worked on the project during the ‘Beyond the Curriculum’ science sessions that provide an opportunity to undertake work or explore areas that fall outside of their academic studies. The project based work offers an opportunity to explore any area of interest and develop independent learning skills. The scope of the competition is deliberately broad, so any project in the field of STEM can enter.

The BtC team included Euan McGrath, Anna Mallucci, William Harvey, Cameron Marshall, Edward O’Mahoney, Steven Chen, Arib Islam and Holly FitzHerbert. Congratulations to Arib, Cameron, Holly and William – a great achievement!

By Holly FitzHerbert, Upper Sixth Taking part in the Science Research Project during Beyond The Curriculum has been a truly amazing experience. It has not only helped me with the practical element of my Chemistry A-Level, but has really improved my research skills which has been a great help with my research project for A Level Spanish. I have also thoroughly enjoyed working with the team and have developed closer friendships with

many of the group during my time in the Sixth Form.

When we started the project, I didn't have much interest in 'fatbergs', however, with Mrs Tharme's contagious excitement to encourage me, I began to truly engage in the topic and much to my surprise, my interest flourished. Presenting the project at the North West Big Bang Fair was a real turning point as I really enjoyed talking to the public about our real and current research. However, little did we know that we would be awarded Young Merseyside Scientists of the year and later, National Runners Up at the Finals in the Birmingham NEC Arena. We then returned to School to find out that we had also been awarded Gold Crest Awards for the project!

We couldn't have done any of this without the support of Mr Hayward who helped us to overcome the many problems that we faced during our research and during our countless experiments. I am over the moon that Mr Hayward was awarded the Special Award for Practical Science at the National Final; the shocked look on his face will be a moment the team and I will never forget.

I feel so proud to have been part of such an incredible project which, above all has shown me not to judge a book (or a fatberg) by its cover.

The Gatsby Charitable Foundation is a grantmaking trust, that focuses on six key areas, including science and engineering education.

Gatsby is committed to strengthening the country’s science and engineering skills. The Special Award for Practical Science is indeed an accolade to be proud of and is a fitting reward for Mr Hayward, and all of his enthusiastic and ‘grabbable’ investigative science.

In the ideas sessions for the project he can turn a suggestion into an exploration within a heartbeat. The students then run with, expand and challenge each other to ensure the scientific method is followed.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

63

INFOCUS 2019

O x f o r d Tr i p

By Ellie Price, Year 10

On Thursday 4th April, a group of students from Years 9 to 12 were lucky enough to be given the chance to visit Oxford University for a chemistry trip.

The day started with a tour of the university’s Chemistry Research Laboratory, led by Professor Graham Richards, an Old Birkonian, who had previously invested in the construction of the department. He showed us a typical day of the students studying there, and the facilities they use every day in their research and development, which include some of the best apparatus in the world.

Later on, we visited the Department of Biochemistry. Here we were informed, by a tutor in the university, about job opportunities created by chemistry as a subject in general, which was a great insight into possibilities for the future.

Later on, Professor Richards gave us a motivating and engaging talk about his life and the opportunities he was given pursuing both Chemistry and Business Studies, in running his own company, Oxford Molecular Ltd.

Afterwards, we went to visit his old college, Brasenose, where we were shown around the Chapel, student accommodation and grounds. It was very interesting to have such a personal guide of the College, by someone who had both studied and taught there.

Following the tour of the College, we were able to wander through city, most memorably visiting Christ Church College and Worcester College, which were both unique experiences.

The day was so inspiring and it was definitely worth the 5am wake up! We’re so grateful that we got the privilege of visiting such a prestigious place, and sightseeing in such a beautiful city. Thank you to Mrs Tharme for organising this trip and Professor Richards for everything he did to make us feel welcome and taking the time to show us round.

L o n g S e r v i c e Aw a rd for Mrs Thar me Mrs Tharme was awarded a Long Service Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry at the 2019 AGM. The long service award recognises 25 years of active service for the Society.

Mrs Tharme is the Chairperson for the RSC Liverpool section and has held the roles of Young Chemist, Publicity Secretary, Education Secretary, Vice Chair and Chairperson.

Mrs Tharme says, ‘I became a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry as an undergraduate and attended lectures and other events. Seeing how the community worked together inspired me to get more involved and I guess the rest is history. I took a short break from this voluntary service whilst starting my family, but soon missed the academic challenge and support from my peers. I am proud, although somewhat bemused, to be recognised for this at such a tender age!’

64

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Dissecting Biology

By Mr Armstrong, Head of Biology

In Biology, Year 10 completed the Biology Challenge competition and among them collected gold, silver and bronze awards.

In June, our Sixth Form took part in a Biology Olympiad and we took two teams to Edge Hill University for their Schools’ Biology Olympiad competition, with the added bonus of getting a tour of their resident electron microscope (we don’t yet have one of these at Birkenhead School!).

Trips in Biology were focused at A level this year with a field work trip to the rocky shores of Anglesey for the Upper Sixth at the beginning of the year, with one to the rolling sand dunes of Ainsdale for the Lower Sixth at the end of the year. The trips involve a mixture of rainhoods and suncream as well as all the other relevant measuring and sampling equipment.

All Lower Sixth students were taken to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to hear a lecture on the problems of snake bite in rural Africa, a tour of the Herpetarium and a live snake milking demonstration (food for nightmares, if not inspiration to become an immunologist).

This year, we have bid farewell to the long-serving and wellliked Kelvin Britton, who has given 99 terms to educating our young Biologists. We are looking forward to a seamless transition with the arrival of Mrs Helen Brooks after the summer.

Re l i g i o u s E d u c a t i o n

By Ms Grey, Head of Religious Education

They then tested themselves at the Athenaeum and Oxford Schools’ debating competitions, in which they performed very well under intense pressure and were a credit to the School.

We have had a number of trips this year which have complemented our study of world religions.

Year 9 spent a very interesting morning at the Wirral Deen Centre, enjoying the warmth and hospitality of the ever friendly and kind Imam Mustaq Haque. The open-minded and respectful way in which he discussed issues of gender and gender identity certainly reminded us that so much of the media image of Islam as intolerant is factually incorrect.

Year 10 got to meet the new vicar of St James’ Church.

Revd Keith Addenbrooke gave us a tour of this important Birkenhead landmark and the work they do for their own community and others. Revd Addenbrooke’s knowledge and enthusiasm were a delight and we hope to return soon.

All year groups were involved in charitable collections of food and toiletries for the Wirral foodbank and for local community centre, BEE (Birkenhead Early Excellence) who have a social supermarket and provide help for some of the poorest families in Birkenhead.

Years 10 and above honed their skills in the arts of persuasion and public speaking at Senior Debating Society. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

65

INFOCUS 2019

Sport

By Mr Lytollis, Head of Games and PE

It is with something of a heavy heart that I sit down to pen this, my last, yearly report as Head of PE & Games here at Birkenhead School, after nearly 32 years at the helm.

In many respects it is a report like any other, one which highlights the achievements of our boys and girls, both individually and as part of generally successful teams. Yet, perhaps what is far more important is what underlies this success, as without that a small school such as ours would struggle against what are generally much bigger schools and often bigger and more athletic opponents. As ever, the answer is far more complex than the question may suggest, but the interaction of students, staff and parents fundamentally is the key.

Not only do we have a wealth of students who love playing sport for ‘their’ school but also some who are selfless enough to play despite it not being their favourite pastime, and their involvement is very much appreciated. We also have great support from parents, many of whom travel far and wide to our away fixtures, with breakfast stops planned en-route!

Finally, we have staff who are prepared to go ‘the extra mile’ for their teams, provided of course there is liquid refreshment at the Caernarvon Castle afterwards! To everyone who has helped to make sport at School such a vibrant and worthwhile activity I would simply like to say a big thank you!

Results P W D L 15 10 1 4

Ist XI Cricket

By Mr Lindberg

Three victories in the festival matches (at UCS London this year) meant that the 1st xi season finished on a high and was extremely successful overall. Despite poor weather early on in the summer (and unreliable opposition) causing several cancellations, along with an ever-lengthening exam period, we have managed to fit in a healthy number of matches, winning two thirds of them.

Highlights of the season include:

This is a particularly impressive statistic when taking into account that the fixture list is far stronger than it was 10-15 years ago, as we now take on all the best cricketing schools in the North West.

Jack Corran, who took 25 wickets (at an average of 8.4; the best school figures for many years, including spells of 5 for 16 and 3 for 6 versus UCS and George Watson’s College (Edinburgh) respectively) and scored an impressive 69 in the drawn game against an MCC side packed with current and former minor counties players

In the National 20:20 competition, comfortable wins against comparatively weak opposition in King’s Chester and Grange took us to Bolton School. Toby Brown’s virtuoso batting performance (88 n.o. off 51 balls), on a slow pitch, proved to be the difference and led to a comfortable 33 run victory. The regional semi-final pitted us against Sedbergh and, after rain delays, we travelled up there in peak exam season, minus a couple of key players. Nevertheless, we were competitive (if below par in the field) throughout, eventually losing by 16 runs (despite Seb Botes batting through the innings for 83 n.o). Sedbergh have once again gone on to reach the National Final.

Long term injuries to some of the sixth form students has given an opportunity to some of the younger players and three quarters of the squad will still be available next year. Despite the age range within the squad, the camaraderie and togetherness has been evident throughout the season. Whilst we do have a few star performers, everyone has pulled their weight and most players have made a match influencing contribution at different times.

There are a number of destructive batsmen within the team and this has enabled us to rack up some impressive scores against the weaker bowling attacks. However, flaws in defensive techniques and a lack of patience have occasionally cost us when confronted by skilful, disciplined opponents. In the field, astute captaincy, committed fielding and intelligent bowling have turned us in to a cohesive unit and we have caused problems to most batting line ups (and been far too strong for several).

66

•

The leadership, tactical acumen and inclusiveness demonstrated by captain Toby Brown, in addition to his match-winning 104 versus Bolton (his favourite opposition), after being 6 for 3.

•

The all-round contributions of:

Seb Botes (Year 10), the leading run scorer (473), including 95 and 85 versus Newcastle and Aldenham respectively, and who also took 15 wickets (at an average of 11.5)

Jack Breheny, our dogged and consistent opening batsman (300+ runs), left-arm spinner (10 wickets) and occasional wicket-keeper Henry Wild, who finished the season with flourish, scoring a rapid 84 n.o. versus UCS and taking 12 wickets overall.

•

Bowling Cheadle out for a paltry 27 (3 wickets apiece for Shenoy, Botes and Corran).

•

Ed Tilleard’s spell of 5 for 7 to knock over the Stockport Grammar tail, having been out for several months through injury.

•

In the same game, Madi Arthur became the first female student to represent the 1st xi, removing two top order players in her spell of 2 for 24.

•

A 201 run victory over Newcastle, in which wicket keeper Andrew Rutherford also scored 76 (he topped this later with 80 runs versus UCS).

Other talented players, such as Will Harvey, Louis Mason and Ed O’Mahoney and Rohan Shenoy (10 wickets), made telling contributions in several matches.

I know that the players would like me to pass on their appreciation of coach Nigel Walker’s enthusiasm, good humour and expertise, throughout both the winter months of practice and the playing season. I would also like to wish Rick Lytollis a fulfilling retirement; he has organised all the fixtures and offered great support throughout my time in charge of the 1st xi.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Cricket Student Achievements Birkenhead School has always had a fine tradition of developing outstanding cricketers with a number going on to play professionally in the County game. This year’s cohort would appear to be continuing that tradition with no less than six boys and girls representing Cheshire this summer.

Congratulations to Louis Hursthouse (Year 7), Oscar Jennings (Year 8), Rebecca Othick (Year 10), Sebastian Botes (year 10) and Toby Brown (Year 12) on their outstanding achievements.

Congratulations also go to Toby who has been named Cheshire Youth Cricket Ambassador by Cheshire Cricket Board in July. Toby has represented Cheshire Youth Cricket from the age of 10, through to the under 17 age group where he is currently the Captain at Neston Cricket Club. The Ambassador role will see Toby acting as a link between the players on Cheshire Cricket Board’s Player Pathway, and ‘the Board’s’ Performance Manager.

Senior Football

By Mr Lindberg

Once again the small Wednesday afternoon football group has been occasionally boosted by players borrowed from the hockey and 2nd xv rugby squads. This has enabled us to play a total of 10 fixtures against 2nd and 3rd teams from other schools, such as King’s Chester, QEGS Blackburn, Merchant Taylors and Ellesmere College amongst others.

Max Hall and Noah Lawrenson shared captaincy duties, depending on availability, and thet provided experience and strength within a young side. Hockey coach Miss Nokes kindly allowed Luca Infante (an assured centre back) and Matthew Diaz-Rainey (a dynamic, skilful midfielder) to play whenever possible and they provided a significant boost to our regulars (Tom Dodd, Jacob Toolan, Louis Mason, Theo Appelby, Sonny Wills, Shahzeb Pasha, Seb Morgan and Timur Alcock).

Highlights of the year included a comprehensive victory over QEGS 2nds (Diaz-Rainey scoring all four goals) and a last minute winner, following fine link up play between Noah Lawrenson, Sonny Wills and Ben Travis, against King’s Chester 3rd xi, in the final game of the season.

Once again, nearly 30 boys have represented the school this season and there is no shortage of interest. With other strong football schools, such as Grange and Bolton, also wanting to add us to their fixture list, there will be plenty of opportunities for games next season, if/when sufficient players are available.

Hockey

By Miss Noakes

This was the most successful year we have had since I started coaching at the school, where both our 1st XI and U16 boys won over 75% of their games over the duration of the season and both achieved a place at the North West finals day in Timperley.

The 1st XI had a very difficult group, losing two and winning one finishing third overall. These losses were to two of the best hockey teams in the North and only narrowly missing out on getting something from both games. I couldn’t have asked for more from a very cohesive team, that have worked hard all year and have been a pleasure to coach. A special mention to Will Harvey, who has captained for two seasons and has led the lads fantastically in that time, to help create such a successful team atmosphere.

The U16 boys had a tougher day at the finals, where the lack of competition experience from some of our players showed over other teams. We narrowly missed out in the first game 2-1 to St Anselm’s and the disappointment couldn’t be shaken off for the rest of our group games.

Nevertheless, it was a fantastic day out and the boys should be proud of their season and the achievement of reaching the finals, which hasn’t been done in many years.

This team has grown together over the past few years and it will be exciting to see the majority stepping into the 1st XI next season, giving them a new target goal to keep progressing their hockey as an individual, but also as a team.

Our 2nd XI also had a very good season, with winning over half of their games and has been a team that has massively helped develop some of our younger boys to be able to step up into the 1st XI next season.

The U14s had quite a difficult season, with over half the team being U13 boys. I can’t fault them for their efforts throughout and they never gave up, improving with every single game. Towards the end of the season we were matching teams that significantly beat us at the start. I am very hopeful for this team next year, where the U13 boys already having played a season at this level and will be more than ready to compete against all opposition next year.

A few of our boys also had added success at club level.

Cameron Marshall is playing North Prem for Oxton HC, which for his age is a brilliant achievement. Some of our U13/U14/U15 boys also got through to Junior Development and Academy Centres (JAC/JDC), which hugely helps in the development of the players at a regional level. I look forward to seeing how much they have progressed going into next year.

Finally, to the Upper Sixth boys who are leaving, it has been a pleasure to coach you over the past 3 years and to see you develop into the players you are. I wish you every success for the future, whether it be University, travelling or going straight into the working world. I look forward to you visiting and keeping us up-to-date with life after Birkenhead School.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

67

INFOCUS 2019

Rugby

By Mr Hendry

It has been a mixed season at home with 9 wins from 18 games for the 1st XV, whose strength comes from a strong core of 23 players who have played the majority of the matches.

Always keen to learn and improve, this set of players should enjoy all the opportunities of going on the tour to South Africa, and I’m sure they will have come back with some great memories.

Losing influential captain, Lawrence Kehoe, to a serious knee injury, in only the fourth game of the season really made life difficult for the team. However, both Max Arthur and Max Hatherly stepped up and filled Lawrence’s rather large boots and managed to steady the ship after a run of 5 defeats.

I hope many of our leaving Upper Sixth boys will continue their rugby at university or club level once the tour is over, and those boys returning to school in September 2019 should be able to go into the new season fit and full of confidence.

A well drilled set of forwards provided some good ball for a talented set of backs, who are always keen to run the ball when given half a chance. This has led to some exciting rugby which it has been a pleasure to watch. Jack Breheny was the top try scorer with 10 (3 from interceptions) closely followed by Max Hatherly, with 9, who carried the ball strongly and got us over the gain line throughout the season.

Jack Corran kept the scoreboard ticking over with his excellent kicking and finished top points scorer.

Rugby Reward for Outstanding Team Players It has been an outstanding season for our Under 14 Rugby team, remaining undefeated throughout the year. As a just reward, no fewer than five of the team have been selected for the Sale Sharks DPP. This is a joint initiative between Sale Sharks, the RFU and the Counties. It is designed to provide enhanced development opportunities for the best young players in the North West and a first opportunity to identify players with the greatest potential to enter the pathway towards the professional game. Our congratulations go to Ayman Ahmed, Jyon Hosseini, Marcus Clapp, Finn Collins and Alex Parkinson on their outstanding individual achievements.

Congratulations also go to Isaac Hardisty on his selection for both Cheshire Under 1b rugby team and Sale Sharks, another outstanding individual achievement.

AWARDS Captains Cup – Lawrence Kehoe Players Player of the Year – Sean Carpenter Young Player of the Year – Henry Wild

Orienteering In this year’s Cheshire and Merseyside Schools Orienteering League Birkenhead School placed 10th out of 17 schools. This was a highly commendable result, particularly given that the School team were unable to attend one of the five inter-school competitions. In the individual leagues Aden Husseyn won the bronze medal for year 11 and Isla Barnes won the gold medal for the year 8 league.

The following students have achieved the North-West Orienteering Association Colour standard awards. These awards recognise the progression of orienteers through increasingly difficult courses.

AWARDS Light Green Award – Simon Lawrence (Year 11) and Cahan O’Driscoll (Year 12) Orange Award – Isla Barnes (Year 8) and Aden Husseyn (Year 11) Yellow Award – Henry Christian (Year 8)

Orienteering students pictured at an event in March

68

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Girls’ Sport in Seniors

By Miss Gilbride

This year has been one of the most successful for Netball to date. We had all years from year 6-11 competing in the Nationals Schools Championships, Independent Nationals Schools and Nationals Tournament.

Out of 6 teams that we entered into the Wirral Schools County Tournament, 5 teams qualified for the Merseyside finals.

At the Merseyside National’s tournament, the U18 had a difficult group and didn’t qualify for the next round, the U16’s girls were unfortunate not to qualify for the next round finishing 4th in their group and the U14 starting the day strong and maintained this approach throughout winning 6 out of their 8 games and finished in 2nd place based on goal difference. The girls have qualified for the Regional Round of National Schools Finals and will be competing against the top schools in the North West England, a first for Birkenhead School.

win. The trophy was intent on returning to the Wirral, with a final consisting of Birkenhead School and Wirral Grammar.

The girls had a fantastic start and had a 2 goal lead at half time. Unfortunately, the long day of netball caught up on them and they finished in a respectably 2nd place, losing the final 4-7. The girls also received the “Spirt of the Games” award!

The lacrosse girls had a really good year, this has been the first year we entered a Year 7 and 8 team into the North of England Tournament. The Year 7s gained great experience from the trip and the Year 8s finished third overall. The Seniors had a good year despite having such a young team.

They had a rewarding trip to the Nationals in London and hopefully gained lots of experience for the years to come.

The U14 team played in the U14 Nationals Schools, Cheshire round. The girls finished 3rd overall, and just missed out on qualifying for the next round.

At the Merseyside finals, a mixed year 7 & 8 squad topped their group, winning all 7 games. They progressed to the semi- final vs. Scarisbrick and sailed into the final with a 6-1

International Honours for Rebecca It has been an outstanding year on the hockey field for Year 9 student Rebecca Hennessy. Not only has she been selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centre but she has also played for the UK Lions, first of all in a tournament in Spain in December and then in Holland in April, with a further tournament in Ireland later this year. Whilst hockey may be Rebecca’s first love she has contributed enormously to all school sports and was even a member of the 1st XII lacrosse squad which played in the National Schools Tournament in March; a first rate example of the sporting ethos we hope to create here at Birkenhead School.

Regional Honours for some of our young lacrosse stars The Regional Lacrosse Academy is an important stepping stone towards International Representation and the England Under 19 team. Six of our girls have been selected for the Academy this year and our congratulations go to Isabella Lornie, Holly Hall, Anastasia Grundy, Scarlett Walters, Lucy Andrews and Camilla Azurdia. Camilla was also selected to play for the North in the National Under 18 Regional Tournament which they won, and has been successful in securing a place in the U19s England National Lacrosse Academy.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

69

INFOCUS 2019

Girls’ Sport in Seniors Lacrosse World Championships Festival this Summer Little did Lucy Mayers and Ellie Simpson think, when they first picked up a lacrosse stick in Year 7, that one day they would be representing their country at the Junior World Cup Championships, but this summer that is just what they will be doing. Both girls have been members of the National Lacrosse Academy for the last year and Lucy has already represented her country, playing in goal for England in the Home Internationals earlier this summer. Both girls are training extremely hard and we wish them every success in Canada.

A n E x c i t i n g Ye a r for Prep Sport!

By Mr Corran

continued

Netball Honours As a true ‘all-rounder’ Year 8 pupil Darcy Jenkins represents the school in all sports as well as swimming and playing rugby outside school! Netball, however, is one of her true passions and since September 2017 she has been playing for Chester Netball club, as well as attending weekly County sessions in Warrington, for whom she played against Australia’s Touring Schools Team in December.

As part of this squad she was invited to attend Manchester Thunder Trials along with 150 other County players from North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.

Darcy was the only Cheshire player invited to join the Under 15 Manchester Thunder Performance final trial list for October. We wish her every success in those trials but it is reassuring for her to know that if she doesn’t quite make it this time she will still join the Youth Academy as being one of the youngest girls there, she will still have the opportunity to be selected the following year.

It is not just our U11 Girls who have competed to a high standard, all of our Netball teams have done extremely well this season. It is wonderful to see how many of them are taking the sport to the next level and joining local clubs, such as Boughton Belles, Ellesmere Port and Chester Netball Club.

It has been an exciting year for Prep sport. The pupils have thrived from the many competitions and fixtures that they have taken part in. There have been more opportunities for our girls than ever, covering a variety of sports and competitive fixtures from as young as Year 3.

The range of sports have included: rugby, football, lacrosse, netball, tennis, hockey, line dancing, cross country, athletics, boccia, golf, rounders, cricket, cycling, gymnastics, badminton and table tennis.

One of the headlines this year, has been the huge success of our U11 Netball team. The girls had an excellent season, with victories against Queens Chester, Bolton, BHSA and a draw against King’s Chester. In addition to this, the girls went on to play in the England Schools Netball competition and became the Merseyside champions. They are looking forward to their prize of tickets to see the Netball World Cup in July.

70

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

This year we were delighted to launch lacrosse in Prep, with Carina Walsh from Oxton Lacrosse Club coaching the girls from Years 5 and 6. A number of these girls were given a call-up to Senior School teams to represent School in a variety of fixtures.

Football has played another prominent role throughout The Prep this year with a full fixture list. Over 60 matches have taken place during the season on top of numerous tournaments that have been entered. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the year, was the Year 6 team reaching the final of The Liverpool Echo Shield in early May. Unfortunately, they came across a very strong Holy Rosary side from Liverpool and fell at the final hurdle but should nevertheless be proud of themselves for their achievements.

The Prep have had a very successful Cross Country season this year. All Junior children have run in halftermly races in School where they can reach bronze, silver or gold standards. We have also taken around forty Prep children to the Wirral Schools Cross Country races where they compete against children in a number of other local primary schools. We have had great success this year with our girls’ team regularly coming first or second and our boys team ended the season with a second place in the final race. Thank you to our captains for the season, Sofia Grundy and Jack Phythian and special mention must go to Scarlet Grundy, Olanna Quinn and Darcey Golborne from Year 4 and Sofia Grundy from Year 6 for regular top 3 finishing places.

Weekly Gymnastics clubs are now thriving in Prep with pupils from all year groups regularly in attendance.

Thanks must go to Amanda Moseley for all the time and effort she has put in. We have been lucky enough to have been invited to several competitions where we have enjoyed some success.

The summer of 2019 saw the launch of a new Tennis programme in Prep with significant funding gained to invest in equipment and expert guidance from a team of highly qualified coaches including our own Mr FitzHerbert and Mrs Thuraisingam. Fun taster days were organised for all children from Year 1 up to Year 6, training was undertaken by all PE staff to introduce tennis into the curriculum, Senior School pupils were given the opportunity to fulfil a coaching qualification and weekly clubs were established for all children throughout Prep.

The positive feedback from pupils, parents and staff has demonstrated the success of the venture thus far.

In mid-June, Prep took part in the annual AJIS Outdoor Athletics Championships at The Trafford Arena in Manchester. With the best athletes from over 30 NorthWest schools taking part, the events were all extremely competitive but we managed to return home with an impressive medal haul.

Medal winners were: Daniel Stanton: 3rd in the Year 6 Hurdles and 3rd in the Year 6 Cricket Ball Throw Zack Barwick: 2nd in the Year 5 150m and 3rd in the Year 5 Cricket Ball Throw Sophia Rowland: 3rd in the Year 6 High Jump Reefe Pankhurst: 2nd in the Year 5 600m.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

71

INFOCUS 2019

Another popular sport that has blossomed in the summer term is that of Boccia, an inclusive version of Bowls. Over 180 children have entered our annual House competition this year!

Primary School Sports Festivals Sports teams from Prep had fun taking part in the Primary Schools Sports Festivals that were organised by Seniors as part of the School’s wider outreach programme.

Boccia Winners

Victor Lodorum Winners at Sports Day held in the Summer Term

72

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Business and Economics

By Mr Rule, Head of Business and Economics

Teaching just under half of the Sixth Form this year, Business and Economics have grown to become two of the most studied A-Levels in the School. We strive to provide interesting and challenging co-curricular activities to enhance our students’ experiences.

In November our Lower Sixth Business class visited Downland Ltd, a bedding company in Liverpool. Fraser Smith the director of the company, and a parent of the School, organised for our students to have a tour of the factory and hear talks from key personnel in all functions of the business.

It was great to see a local business thriving and growing in a time of such business uncertainty and students really benefited from the experience.

We have run three major competitions this year for our Economics and Business students. In the Lent term two teams took part in the national ‘BASE’ competition, run by the accountancy association the ICAEW. Teams were asked to assess the value of a variety of sustainable initiatives and present their finding to the judges via a video upload.

In June several Economics students put entries in for the Institute of Economic Affairs’ national essay competition, which is aimed at stretching and challenging the most able.

The best candidates looked to go beyond the specification and take on material studied at undergraduate level.

Last, but certainly not least, Dionne Lee was selected to take part in Churchill College Cambridge’s inaugural ‘Exchange Rate Challenge’. She had to predict, a month in advance, the level of the British Pound against the Euro to four decimal places and justify her answer and methodology with a short essay. I’m delighted to announce that, out of nearly 200 entries from some of the best Schools in the country, Dionne’s entry was highly commended by the college and recognised on their website.

At the end of the year we ran our annual Dragons’ Den Day for Year 7. This is an enterprise day for the whole year group focused on developing key skills and improving their awareness of business issues. Students were asked to design a device to solve a household problem related to waste and the environment. At the end of a day of creativity and endeavour the teams faced questions from our fearsome Dragons and had to sell their products. Well done to all who took part, a great time was had by all!

Lastly, our Lower Sixth Business students finished the year by ‘helping out’ the marketing department. They took on the challenge of creating a variety of Instagram posts that marketed to different segments of the School community.

P s y c h o l o g y Ye a r

By Mrs Howard, Head of Psychology

Psychology continues to be a popular choice among A-level students. This year the department had a number of opportunities to engage with the subject outside of the hard work done in the classroom.

At the beginning of the year the Upper Sixth Psychology class had two talks from visiting lecturers – Dr Giulia Rampone and Dr Andy Jones – from Liverpool University.

The talks were both very engaging and allowed students a ‘taster’ of studying Psychology at University.

In October, the Upper Sixth Psychology and Biology students were treated to a Brain Day – a one-day introductory tutorial in neuroscience. This was given by the inspirational Dr Guy Sutton; Director of Medical Biology Interactive and Honorary (Consultant) Assistant Professor at University of Nottingham Medical School.

The day’s highlights included the various sessions on the connection between genes and the brain, the sheep brain dissection and the session on the relationship between brain

damage and crime. Later in the year both the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth Psychology classes attended the Science and Psychology conference in Manchester. This was an exciting day with talks on: music and psychology, magic and psychology and hypnosis – in which a couple of our students were even brave enough to take to the stage!

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

73

INFOCUS 2019

Last Day for Upper Sixth 11 Memorial and Museum in New York will live long in my memory, whilst a tour of the Shakespeare Folger Library was a rare treat in Washington.

Also worthy of mention this year was the production of West Side Story. For the first time, the week long run opened with two charity performances for Autism Together and The Hive Youth Zone and, as always, I was left feeling privileged to have been part of such a wonderful experience.

This has been another exceptionally busy year in the life of the Sixth Form. With the focus in Summer Term very much on AS and A-Level exams, I hope that, by the time you read this, a sense of calm will have been restored to your families.

In spite of their commitment to academic study, however, our students have impressed me once again by their willingness to give freely of their time to support the wider School community. Whether it’s running clubs for younger pupils, assisting with Year 5 Assessment Days, acting as Peer and Academic Mentors, or involvement in the Year 6 production of Annie Jr, it is testament to our Sixth Formers’ generosity of spirit that they can find time to do all this, alongside their own school work.

Of course, one of the particular highlights for me this year was the cultural and historic tour to New York and Washington during October half term, which included students from Year 10-Lower Sixth. As I mentioned at the time, our visit to the immensely moving National September

Similarly inspiring has been this year’s Nicholls Lecture Series, which has included such eminent speakers as Old Birkonians John Vater QC, Professor Peter Abrahams and John Egan, as well as James Shone, who set up the charity I Can & I Am to inspire confidence in our young people.

I would not be able to conclude without mentioning our Leavers. They have proved to be an incredibly strong, kind and supportive year group and, as their time at the School draws to a close, I hope it is with a certain fondness that they reflect upon their experiences here. Whether they joined us fifteen, seven or just two years ago, their contribution to the life of the School has been considerable, and I would like to thank them publically.

As I type, Birkonian Week is just two short weeks away, and I look forward to celebrating the many and varied successes and achievements of your sons and daughters. For our Upper Sixth, perhaps the highlight of the week will be the much anticipated Leavers’ Ball, for our rugby players, no doubt it will be their tour to South Africa. In any case, by the time this reaches you, much will have taken place over the summer and many new memories created.

By Ms Smeaton, Head of Sixth Form

Last Day for Upper Sixth This year, Upper Sixth students celebrated their last day by coming to School in fancy dress. The start of the day was filled with lots of creativity and even more laughter as the year dressed up to celebrate.

74

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

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.

This year we were delighted to welcome the following speakers and Old Birkonians to the School: • John Vater – QC • Dr Adam Boddison – CEO of the National Association for Special Educational Needs • Bruce Nixon

• Sharon Nicholson – Mencap • Jonathan Rushworth – City of London • Jim Grainger – Film & TV Industry • Professor Peter Abraham – Clinical Anatomist • James Shone – Headteacher • Graham Lysaght – SAE • Chris Martin – Commercial & Marketing Director • James Boumphrey – Technology Consultant • Roisin McCafferty – Physiotherapist • John Egan – Speciality Carbons Operations and Product Line Director • Jonathan Cunningham MBE • Mark Malcomson CBE – Principal / Chief Executive, City Literary Institute

• Dr Michael Morton – Obstetrics & Gynaecology

• Paul Parrish – Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Aspire

• Dr Glyn Môn Hughes – Senior Lecturer in Journalism

• Sepe Sehati

• Ian Huntley – Brigadier from the Royal Marines

Nicholls Lecture Series - Ber nie Broad Former Grenadier Guardsman and Captain of the GB Invictus Games Team The Sixth Form welcomed Bernie Broad, former Grenadier Guardsman and Captain of the Great British Invictus Games Team to talk to them as part of the Nicholls Lecture Series.

By Toby Brown, Lower Sixth Student Mr Broad, an ex-Grenadier Guardsman and captain of the Great British Invictus Games Team, came into School on Friday 1st March to talk to the Sixth Form as a part of the Nicholls Lecture Series. I know I can speak for the entire sixth form when I say that it was a great privilege to be able to hear about Mr Broad’s experiences, and listen to how passionately he spoke about the ethos of army life, and how that can be translated into our own school lives.

Mr Broad briefly introduced the circumstances that led to him choosing a career in the army, outlining a family history with the services and a long-lasting desire to serve Queen and country. He elaborated on how his training and early experiences in the army shaped him into the leader he became later on in life, urging the sixth form to not allow homesickness to get in the way of experiencing new situations. Mr Broad also talked of the circumstances under which his injuries occurred in Afghanistan, and spoke of his recovery process from the injuries, poignantly relaying the emotional strain both he and his family were under during the process. After he had made his recovery, following two individual below-knee amputations, Mr Broad talked about how the Invictus Games had benefited him and others in similar positions to him, instilling a sense of camaraderie

between team members and allowing some ex-servicemen and women to return to a degree of normality competing in sports, as many would have done prior to their injuries.

Throughout the lecture, Mr Broad referred back to the ethos of army life; Integrity, Courage, Selflessness, Loyalty, Respect and Discipline. It was these values that Mr Broad said he aimed to live his life by, and found comfort in during the most difficult days of his recovery, going on to implore the sixth form to find our own ethos in life to live by, and stick to it.

Also, during Mr Broad’s lecture there was an undercurrent of thankfulness to society for supporting charities who helped in his recovery from his injuries. However, the general consensus was that it is in fact we as society that should be most thankful for the sacrifices made by Bernie Broad and other servicemen and women around the globe, an acute reminder that we owe our safety to those who fight to protect society and the values we hold.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

75

INFOCUS 2019

Birkenhead Futures

By Ms Smeaton, Head of Sixth Form

A particular highlight in the Sixth Form this year has been the launch of Birkenhead Futures, an exciting new programme designed to prepare students for Higher Education and the world of work. Whilst some Sixth Formers will have a very clear idea of their chosen career path, we do not expect that this will not be the case for all, and the aim of Birkenhead Futures is to support every student, as they prepare to pursue their own personal goals and fulfil their ambitions.

Since its introduction in February, our Lower Sixth Formers have participated in a range of engaging and interactive workshops and seminars. In June, we held our first Futures Conference, in which students were given further insight into the range of apprenticeships available to them, invaluable advice on how to write an effective personal statement and time to start completing their UCAS applications.

As part of the Futures initiative, I have been delighted to see the expansion of the Sixth Form team this year. A dedicated Internship and Apprenticeship Advisor will raise awareness of internships and apprenticeships and how they support effective routes into high profile national and international graduate schemes. In addition, we have two Future Skills Advisors, providing students with opportunities to develop their wider reading and research skills, as well as support with interview practice and tailored preparation for the various tests required for certain courses. A newly appointed Futures Co-ordinator will oversee the programme.

76

Next year, we are introducing an eight week timetabled Futures course, aimed specifically at developing interview, presentation, research and critical thinking skills. Over the summer, we are also creating a Futures room within the Sixth Form Centre, which will provide a base for the team, a place where students can receive one to one advice, and where they are able to practise the various university aptitudes tests they may be required to take, in one of two testing booths.

The expansion of the team and the developments to the Sixth Form Centre, are both designed to provide our students with the very best and bespoke preparation that will ensure they stand out in the highly competitive world beyond Birkenhead School.

Linked closely to this are our careers conferences, the first of which took place in April last year and focused on professions in healthcare. In January of this year, the conference focused on Engineering and Design, whilst ‘Inspiring the next generation’ was the theme of our ‘Media and Arts Career Conference’ which took place at the end of Lent Term this year. This series of specialised conferences provides an opportunity for young people from across Wirral to speak to experts in a variety of fields.

Of course, this is merely the start, and I look forward to sharing news of further developments to the Futures programme with you next year.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Spotlight on the Media & Arts Conference Every year the UK’s creative industries contribute £92 billion to the economy. At our ‘Media and Arts Career Conference,’ students got the chance to speak to experts and gain advice on what they can do to make it in this competitive sector.

‘Inspiring the next generation’ was the theme of our ‘Media and Arts Career Conference’ which took place at the end of April. The conference was the third in a series of specialised career conferences held at the school and was an opportunity for pupils from across the Wirral to speak to experts in fields including journalism, digital marketing, app building, and media education.

The event was opened by Nick Pollard, former head of Sky News and Old Birkonian, who provided a fascinating look at the evolution of the media and its relevance in today’s society.

He also gave invaluable advice on how to start a career in the media and what to look out for when choosing university courses.

Alastair Machray, the editor of the Liverpool Echo, then took to the stage to offer a captivating and humorous talk titled, ‘The Media: Are you mad enough?’ He covered the characteristics and traits you would need to thrive in the world of journalism, including a thick skin! He then continued to share his perspective on the dynamic world of local journalism and its shift towards digital content.

Following this, the informal segment of the evening got underway. All those attending were given the opportunity to ask advice from the array of professionals in the room, and parents commented on the fact it was ‘so good to see relevant modern media careers on show.’ Alumni Officer, Carol Keegan,

added to this, commenting, “This event is one of a series of conferences that draw on the expertise of our alumni network and wider community. The network allows us to offer expert career advice to our students in specific fields, and we are looking forward to organising more events like this in the future.”

Honest accounts of working in radio were given by Radio City presenter and entertainer of 50 years, Pete Price, and former Liverpool Football Club player and Sky Sports presenter, Neil Mellor, who gave guidance to those students wanting to combine a love of the arts with a passion for sport. The Manchester Film School, LIPA, the Apprenticeship Hub and two Liverpool universities were also on hand to guide students into making A-level and further education choices which would suit them, whilst still enabling a fulfilling career in the media and arts sector.

The organisers of the conference were thrilled to see such a large number of Old Birkonians, parents of pupils and friends of the School offering their time to inspire the media experts of the future. Those who attended reported that ‘having so many experts in one room was invaluable.’ Katherine Rutherford, Old Birkonian, commented “it was a fantastic opportunity to gain direct access to leading professionals within their fields and the event opened my eyes to the number of options available to me within the media and the arts.”

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

77

INFOCUS 2019

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.

We have a range of opportunities available for students to shine in their chosen field:

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.

• Heads of House

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.

Heads of School

• Heads of School, Deputies and Senior Prefects • Student Leadership Teams in Overdale and Prep • Student Council • Captains • Subject / Area Leaders We would like to thank everyone who has taken on these roles in 2018/19.

Overdale Prefect Team

In Sixth Form, the Heads of School lead a team of Deputies and Senior Prefects, all from the Upper Sixth, and are integral to the smooth running of day to day life at School.

They not only organise internal events, but also act as spokespeople of the School at a range of public events.

It is an honour and privilege to be elected as a Prefect and students who do so will have a record of service and commitment to the School.

Heads of School

Deputy Heads of School

Prep Prefect Team

Prep Head Boy & Head Girl

2018/19 Senior Prefect Team Congratulations go to the following students who have been selected to take on the following roles in 2019/20: Heads of School Ed Oulton & Dionne Lee Deputy Heads of School Will Blessing & Toby Brown

78

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

A L e v e l Re s u l t s 2 0 1 9 It has been another proud year for the School as students celebrated their A Level results which collectively placed the school as one of the leading schools within the North-West. Against a national backdrop of the lowest proportion of A* and A grades for a decade, the School bucked the trend with an increase to almost half (49%) of all grades awarded at grade A or above.

Paul Vicars, Headmaster, writes: ‘Convention dictates that schools quote grade statistics like those above, and we are extremely proud that this year’s results continue the strong academic tradition of our School, with significant numbers heading to Oxbridge, Medical School and Russell Group universities. However, we are equally proud of those students who have worked diligently throughout their time with us, have achieved excellent exam results, and who have contributed wholeheartedly to the School community.

Of the forty-five students that took A Levels this year, almost a quarter achieved A* or A grades in all their subjects. 18% of all grades awarded gained the highest A* grade. Three students gained A*s in all their subjects leaving to take up places at Cambridge, Durham and Imperial. Two further students will now move to Oxford University to study Law and Economics & Management, while four students now take up their places at medical school. The School is well known for its medical pathway, supported by a Science Department where 91% of A Level grades this year were awarded A*-B.

Our focus at Birkenhead School remains on supporting each individual, developing happy and confident students who pursue a great many opportunities across not only academic disciplines, but also sport, music, theatre, leadership and many others. This cohort, with their wide skill set and lifelong friendships, now become part of a great global network of Birkonian alumni.

The breadth of courses and university destinations is a further source of celebration. These range from Philosophy, Politics and Economics to Product Design, from Civil Engineering to English at universities as far geographically apart as Exeter in the South-West, to Glasgow in the North.

They leave as preparations continue apace for the new academic year, with summer work across all age ranges at the School, from refurbishing the Nursery and Overdale (Years 7 and 8) to a new Futures facility preparing the Sixth Form for life beyond Wirral. Exciting times ahead.’

“Our focus at Birkenhead School remains on supporting each individual and developing happy and confident students who pursue a great many opportunities across not only academic disciplines, but also sport, music, theatre, leadership and many others.”

- Mr Vicars, Headmaster -

91% of A Level grades in Science this year were awarded A*-B w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

79

INFOCUS 2019

G C S E L e v e l Re s u l t s 2 0 1 9 Staff and students celebrated excellent GCSE results, confirming the school’s leading position within the region and its role in adding value to all students.

20% of all grades were awarded the highest grade of 9, with 57% of all grades awarded at grade 7 or above.

Particularly pleasing were the girls’ results, with 69% of all grades at grade 7 or above.

The results continue the School’s tradition of delivering strong performances for girls and boys across a highly academic curriculum. Eleven students out of the cohort of sixty-four achieved grades 7 to 9 in all of their exams, a reflection both of their diligence, but also the commitment of the teachers and the School’s focus on each and every individual. The students now move into the School’s Sixth Form where the majority will study four A Levels, alongside undertaking core modules in skills including Critical Thinking, Interview and Presentation Techniques as part of the new Futures programme.

Headmaster, Paul Vicars comments: “I am proud of every single one of our students who undertook GCSEs this year.

For the majority, many of whom have been with us since Nursery, these are their first set of significant external exam

results and they tackled the exam period with great calmness and perspective. Such a mature approach in part stems from our belief in balance, and this cohort contains many who were prominent in the Lent Term’s musical West Side Story, alongside representing the School in a number of School sports teams, musical groups and wider co-curricular clubs throughout the summer term.

At Birkenhead School, we pride ourselves on knowing each and every student and the majority of this cohort will use their GCSE grades as a stepping stone to our Sixth Form where the small class sizes and tutorial style teaching will continue to add great value to their learning over the next two years.

Grades are, however, just one part of the wider learning process at school, with our Sixth Form placing great emphasis on preparing students for life after school. From September, our Sixth Formers, enhanced by a significant intake of new students from across Wirral, will engage with the Futures Team to start developing their skills and profile that will position themselves competitively for some of the leading university courses and degree apprenticeships in the UK and beyond. As the new academic year begins, we look forward to working with our Sixth Form to lead the whole School community through another successful year.’

"At Birkenhead School, we pride ourselves on knowing each and every student and the majority of this cohort will use their GCSE grades as a stepping stone to our Sixth Form.”

- Mr Vicars, Headmaster -

20% of all grades were awarded the highest grade of 9 80

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Staf f Leaver s April McGoldrick The English Department are very sad to say goodbye to retiring friend and colleague, April McGoldrick this year.

Always full of energy and enthusiasm for the subject, April will be sorely missed by everyone she has taught in School.

As Head of English she injected a huge amount of creativity and fun into the subject – her encouragement of imaginative

writing and drama in lessons, serving to engage even the most reluctant of students. Her involvement with many Public Speaking events over the years has left an extremely strong legacy, one that will continue to thrive with every new generation of orators. As a Sixth Form tutor, April gave an immense amount of pastoral and academic support to her students – her caring and supportive nature balanced perfectly with a wonderful sense of humour and determined belief in potential. April leaves to spend more time with her ever-expanding family and to pursue several creative avenues with her inimitable energy, positivity and sense of style.

Mrs Ballantyne, Head of English

D e b Ro b e r t s Deb leaves after nine years as Head’s PA and Seniors Admissions to a much deserved promotion as Head of Admissions at the Merchant Taylor’s Schools in Crosby.

During her time at Birkenhead School, she has worked/put up with four Headmasters, and I am confident I am speaking for all four when I describe Deb as the consummate team player whose approach was characterised by a desire to get a job done regardless of whether it appeared on her job description or not. It may only be when Deb leaves that we will truly understand the extent and breadth of her commitment to the students, staff and wider School community.

From a personal perspective, Deb was instrumental in assisting Vikki, myself and the children settle when we first arrived and her knowledge of the School and feeling for its ‘mood’ at any point have been key guides over the past three years. No day is the same in Deb’s Office, and I will miss her perspective and humour even when others seemed to be losing theirs! A great number of staff, current and former parents count Deb as a friend, a feature of her care and welcome for families and colleagues over the years. We wish her well at Merchants and I sit easy knowing that she will remain in contact with a great many of us here.

Mr Vicars, Headmaster

Georgina Mudge The end of the summer term saw a sad farewell to Georgina Mudge from Little School.

Since 2010 Mrs Mudge has made a fantastic impression and quickly became a valuable member of the team.

She made an almost immediate impact developing and enhancing the EYFS Curriculum and the outdoor area. Moving to Year 2, Mrs Mudge enthused the children with her fondness for Science, starting the Science Club, which has gone from strength to strength with her patient planning and commitment.

Another key role she covered was Prep SENCO; stepping in, she seamlessly allowed for continuity so as to ensure the best for the pupils.

Most recently in Year 1, Mrs Mudge has continued with her enthusiastic fondness for Science and it has been a tremendous benefit for the children, who have enjoyed the subject immensely, both in class and in Science Club. This dedicated team player is leaving to take on a new adventure, relocating with husband Damian and son Isaac to Malaysia.

We will all miss her sunny smile and cheeky sense of humour.

Good luck from us all.

Mrs Mayers, Reception Teacher

A talented teacher who is always happy to help and encourage learning, whether on trips she has planned and led or when inviting top quality guest speakers, she has remained determined and focused on bettering the children’s educational experience.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

81

INFOCUS 2019

Staf f Leaver s

continued

Ja n D o r n ey After 13 years as Head of Early Years, Jan Dorney decided to take early retirement at the end of March, 2019.

Jan made a huge contribution to Birkenhead School, leading, developing and managing our Early Years department since we opened our doors to 0 to 3 year olds back in January 2006. She had responsibility for Nursery, Pre-Prep and Fun Club throughout this time and her tenure was characterised by her warm, caring and professional approach and her vast knowledge of the

Early Years Foundation Stage. With Jan’s conscientious and caring approach to all matters, supported by an excellent and highly qualified team, it was no surprise that the School achieved “Outstanding” in all Early Years inspections during Jan’s time here.

Jan and her husband Mike are now enjoying retirement together and have lots of travel plans. So, as Jan enjoys new journeys in her retirement, she can rest assured that she has given an amazing start to so many individual educational journeys here at Birkenhead School.

Mr FitzHerbert, Head of Prep

P i p Ta y l o r Pip has worked as the School’ Finance Manager for over four years. She brought considerable experience with her both from audit roles and working as an accountant within the food and music industries.

This placed her in the ideal position to guide the School’s finances through the year with advanced approaches to management of year-end accounts and the audit process. Pip has also turned her attention to a number of key costing exercises supporting plans for investment as well as reviewing the effective

use of resources. Alongside this, Pip has also performed the role of Payroll Manager to the benefit of all staff! In leading the Finance Team, she has worked with other established and valued colleagues and established the role of a Finance Assistant. This has enabled the embedding of some improved processes and Pip has also created some mammoth spreadsheets!

Pip leaves School as she moves with her family more permanently to Anglesey having spent holidays there for many years. She leaves with our best wishes and with gratitude for the solid foundations she has either established or maintained. These all assist the sustained prosperity of School for current and future generations of students.

Mr Turner, Bursar

G i l l To o l e y At the end of the Summer Term, 2019, Mrs Gill Tooley retired from teaching after 9 years at Birkenhead School. Over this time, she provided one or two days per week (depending on demand) of study skills lessons to individual pupils.

Gill had a great impact on our Learning Support over the years, with her particular expertise in helping pupils who have dyslexia or who need some support to develop their understanding and knowledge of phonics. She provided oneto-one teaching sessions with such dedication and care, and always liaised most effectively with our SENCo and class teachers to ensure the very best of support for her pupils.

She gave pupils strategies that they could employ in their day to day work and she undoubtedly boosted children’s selfconfidence with her caring “can do” approach. Mrs Tooley will be greatly missed and we wish her a long and happy retirement and a well-earned rest!

Gill has been an integral part of our Special Educational Support for the past nine years. Her knowledge and understanding of a variety of specific learning difficulties and additional languages has been so important in ensuring the children here at Birkenhead School have been supported to the best of our ability.

Her kind, caring nature and willingness to help has been noted by all the staff who have worked with her over her time with us.

I personally have worked very closely with her and will really miss her support and kind words. On behalf of the Special Needs department and the children she has supported I would like to send her a huge thank you and wish her all the best as she begins the next chapter of her life.

She will be greatly missed and I hope she will keep us all updated on her concerts with the choir she is part of and stories about her grandchildren. Goodbye and good luck Mrs Tooley!

Mrs Pye, Little School Teacher and SENCO

Mr FitzHerbert, Head of Prep 82

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Rick Lytollis I first met Rick Lytollis when I was a 13 year old pupil and he arrived as a third year student from Loughborough University on teaching practice at my school and taught me gymnastics!

After graduating from Loughborough in 1981 Rick arrived at Birkenhead School in January 1988 having taught at Hipperholme Grammar School in West Yorkshire and William Hulme’s G.S. in Manchester. He came in as the new Head of PE & Games and immediately started organising the first overseas rugby tour in 1990 to Canada and the first ski trips to Austria and France. Since then he has run innumerable sports trips that have taken him to both North and South America as well as Africa, the Caribbean and most of the slopes in Europe!

School was very different then with the Headmaster insisting staff addressed him as ‘Headmaster’ and ‘masters’ wandering around campus in their gowns smoking their pipes or cigarettes, but not the Head of PE of course!!

Not long after arriving he started the very successful Holiday Courses and often had over 300 children running around School Field during the weeks of the Summer holidays; he was also a Housemaster for a while. However, his real passion in school has been developing the sporting talents of many, many students over the past 32 years.

His first love has always been rugby and, after an early retirement himself through injury, he has coached all the different age groups, with great success, during his time in school. He is also passionate about athletics and gymnastics and, more recently has been running the cricket in school.

During the second half of his time in school he has overseen the introduction of both A level and then GCSE PE and of course there were major alterations to the PE curriculum with the arrivals of girls.

The school going co-ed brought the arrival of a third Lytollis to Birkenhead School, Charlotte joined her older brother Nick and the sporting legacy continued. Nick represented Cheshire at various age groups at both rugby and cricket and Charlotte went on to play lacrosse for England. No doubt they would both put a lot of their success down to the sessions that ‘dad’ used to run for them after school and at weekends when they could be found sprint training on School Field!!

The lure of Mac Field is proving too much for Rick and he will continue as a rugby coach for a few hours a week and of course on Saturday mornings but, as he moves gradually into what I hope is a long and healthy retirement, when he will be able to spend more time with his family, travel around the UK to watch his children play their sport and exploring the ski slopes of France!

Mr Hendry, Teacher of Physical Education & Games

Niamh Gilbride Having graduated from John Moores University with a BA (Hons) Secondary Education, PE, Sport and Dance, Niamh Gilbride worked at St Mary’s College in Crosby, on a oneyear maternity cover. She then moved across the water to Birkenhead School in September 2012.

During her time here she has been a form tutor to Years 9, 10 and 11 as well as a very competitive Head of Beresford House!

Within the PE department her major role has been overseeing the progress and growth of girls’ sport where she has improved the levels of participation, in terms of representing a school team, and has achieved success at both regional and national levels. It is clear the girls have a great deal of respect for her coaching and organising capabilities and greatly appreciate the time and effort she puts in for them.

Academically, she has delivered both GCSE and A level PE, and has been instrumental in overseeing the success of our Sixth Form students.

A positive and energetic personality, she has taken every opportunity and has accompanied or organised a number of trips including ski trips to Canada and America, two sports tours to South Africa, annual trips to the Lacrosse Nationals in London, the Battlefields of Northern Europe, tennis at Wimbledon and trekking in Nepal to visit the school we support out there!

It comes as no surprise then that she is leaving us to pursue her travels around the world, starting in India and heading across Asia to arrive in Japan to support Ireland in the Rugby World Cup. Niamh, we wish you many safe journeys as you take off around the World and look forward to hearing about your adventures when you return.

Mr Hendry, Teacher of Physical Education & Games

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

83

INFOCUS 2019

Staf f Leaver s

continued

Ke l v i n B r i t t o n The year was 1986 and the latest arrival at Birkenhead School was Mr Kelvin Britton, one of Mr Gwilliam’s last appointments.

Kelvin had obtained a 1st class honours degree in Zoology from Christ Church, Oxford and then took an MSc by research at Bristol University, where he named two species of sea slug from Hong Kong – Paraoncidium hongkongensis and Platevindex mortoni. Having had plenty of experience with these lesser lifeforms, he was fully prepared to join us at Birkenhead.

Kelvin is nothing short of a ‘brainbox’. If I had a pound for every time I heard someone comment that Kelvin is the smartest person they know, I’d be able to put at least one of my children through Senior School. He is often the first person to see the unintended irony in a serious statement and he frequently comes off with punchlines during staff meetings that make for excellent light relief. I am surely one of many who is grateful for Kelvin’s generosity in sharing his factual knowledge, often in the form of his “Top Three All Time Favourite (whatevers)”. It could be his “Top Three All Time Favourite exam answers” or his “Top Three All Time Favourite book spines”, but you’re surely in for a chuckle.

Through his entire time with us, Kelvin has been a Sixth Form Tutor, offering useful advice to all who approached him. It is his genuine interest in and knowledge of the students that has allowed him to write authentic UCAS references for them through the years. There are many students who look back to his advice as a significant influence in their career choice.

Kelvin had a long period as a popular Housemaster, both as Head of Sloman’s and then Bidston House. I remember one Sports Day a few years ago when Bidston House could only find three runners for their 4x100 relay and it was Kelvin himself who stepped up to the starting line. The speed that he was able to hare around the track surprised everyone, no more than a pace behind the rest of them!

Outside of the classroom, Kelvin has been busy in all aspects of school life. Having captained Bristol University on ‘University Challenge’, he really was the best option to lead the quiz team and House quizzes here at school.

He was also one of the esteemed members of the former CCF. A thoroughly decent member of staff, he is known to everyone as the mug man who will do absolutely anything for anybody. Whether driving a minibus all weekend for DofE or playing casualty at a First Aid course, he will be the first to offer his services. Thanks to his massive input into the Scouts here at school, all the Prep pupils simply greet him as ‘Kelvin’. While another whole essay would need to be written to outline his contributions to Scouting, most here at school recognise him as ‘Mr Bazaar’. Kelvin’s organisation and attention to detail ensure that it all comes together in the end (sometimes just at the VERY end!), with that delightful amateur vibe, that gives the impression that it was all just thrown together.

Now that Kelvin is retiring, he will be able to do precisely whatever he wants, which, to be honest, is what he did here anyway. But much of his plans include travelling the world in search of the more elusive bird families that haven’t been decent enough to turn up in the North West of England.

Known to the birding community as the Welsh Peregrine, Kelvin is a keen twitcher, with impressive British and World lists reaching into the thousands. My early impression of this pastime was that it was a wild goose chase, but having crossed the wild geese off his list, I have to admit that I was quite incorrect.

Anytime I meet a school leaver, they always ask if the members of staff that taught them are still here and they are always pleased to hear that the familiar Kelvin is still with us.

Although he is now retiring, I expect my answer will be much the same. I suppose I will tell them, “He’s not here every day”, because I know that he will continue to be around school as an active part of our community… not least to enjoy the occasional free meal and wifi.

Mr Armstrong, Head of Biology

Steve Guinness Steve Guinness joined us from Christleton High School as our Head of Design and Technology in 2009 bringing with him several years of design and manufacturing experience.

His enthusiasm and passion for teaching was always at the forefront of his time here and he always put the students’ education first. He ran the unicycle club and a Lego robotics club for many years and he brought his love for Lego into the classroom in schemes of work and also to help students with their models and idea generation. During his time here he also appeared on the Lego Masters TV programme on 84

Channel 4 and was the first ever winner with his team mate Nate. Steve’s participation in the programme saw him being filmed by BBC North West Tonight and Granada Reports at the School.

Steve left Birkenhead School at the end of the Michaelmas term to start up his own business taking Lego into schools to help them visualise complex design work and build creative solutions to problem solving briefs. We wish Steve and his family well in the future as he moves on to this exciting new venture in his life.

Mr Parry, Assistant Headteacher and Teacher of Design & Technology

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Mike Hayward Mike Hayward previously worked at Caterham School for 10 years, primarily as Head of Chemistry and, before that, he had spent 6 years at Stowford College (also in Surrey) working with excluded pupils.

For the majority of his 21 years at Birkenhead, he was Head of Science, bringing together three different departments under one banner and putting science at the heart of the curriculum, rather than having the three subjects within the option blocks. He continually looked for ways to provide scientific opportunities for the students and to raise the profile of the department. It is no coincidence that the percentage uptake of science at A-level, and beyond, increased significantly during Mike’s time at the helm.

He was a sixth form tutor for the bulk of this period and numerous students benefited from his motivational skills, knowledge of the UCAS application process and advice in completing EPQs. Mike was adept at identifying initiatives and projects that would both widen students’ experiences and bring in money for the Science Department and the School in general. In the days when we embraced being part of the European Community, he managed to secure our involvement in The Comenius Award (a 20,000 Euro Project) which enabled our students to work with others in Spain and Germany. The Wolfson Grant (£40,000) helped to renovate the labs and the Barclays New Futures Award earned £5,000. Annual Science fairs introduced hundreds of primary school children to the excitement of experimentation, with Mike’s final flurry of ‘bangs’ and ‘flashes’ flouting safety guidance and setting off numerous smoke alarms (and in some case doing permanent damage to ceilings).

In addition to achieving outstanding individual results with the more academically able, he has been tireless in his efforts with those who find science more challenging; running support sessions for those struggling or underachieving and developing the intervention group to help students improve their ability to both learn and apply.

Youngsters always know when teachers really care and, consequently, they try harder for them as they don’t want to let them down. Every year, Mike’s aim was to try to ensure that we made it difficult for any student to fail and they rarely did.

His love of teaching through the use of practical work is legendary, particularly amongst the various technicians he has worked with. Even a ‘full book’ of practical requests wouldn’t prevent him making a ‘quick grab’ for additional chemicals/equipment if a novel idea came into his head, or if a student needed a sensory reinforcement. Ordering systems went out the window if he felt a quick explosion or colour change would benefit the learning process.

As well as taking students to compete in practical competitions, Mike has developed a fantastic reputation for the Senior Science Research Group. Numerous students have completed Nuffield Bursaries, there have been 170 Gold Crest Awards (32 in 2012/13 which was recognised as the most by the British science association) and we had nine successive teams in the National Final of the Big Bang Young Scientists of the Year (runners up in 2019).

His advancement of co-curricular science has been recognised by individual accolades, including the Rolls Royce Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Science Teaching’, the RSC School Education Award for the ‘Promotion of Experimental Chemistry’ and most recently the Gatsby Special Award for Practical Science, presented at the Big Bang National Final earlier this year.

A sports enthusiast, he kept playing competitive rugby long past his ‘sell by date’ and the functionality of his hips.

Throughout his time at School, Mike has passed on his passion for rugby to a succession of students, taking various year group teams and the 2nd xi for a number of seasons. In addition, he also organised a Wednesday afternoon running group for the female students, cheerful plodding/limping along with the stragglers. As part of this commitment to sport, he has acted as Tour Manager on four tours to South America and South Africa.

Invariably direct, honest and straightforward, he maintained that approach when asked to become Acting Deputy Head in 2015 and wasn’t afraid to make firm decisions and suggest improvements. He elected to return to the role of classroom teacher in 2017 and his commitment has been as full on as ever, setting and marking tests and required practical exercises right to the end; ensuring that his numerous resources are fully updated for use by the department into next year and beyond.

As he hangs up his multi-coloured lab coat for the last time, he leaves with best wishes from the multitude of students he has inspired and the colleagues he has supported. We hope he has an exciting and fulfilled retirement; no-one would deserve it more.

Mr Lindberg, Head of Science

We also wished the following members of staff best wishes as they left the School: Georgina Lambert, Gill Moonan, Rachel Button, Chrystalleni Kyriakou, Jack Wolstenholme, William Osgood, Andrew Edwards.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

85

INFOCUS 2019

S i x t h Fo r m L e a v e r s - Class of 2019 -

86

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

S i x t h Fo r m L e a v e r s - Class of 2019 -

Leavers 2019 Aaron Anderson, Maximilian (Max) Arthur, Maximilian (Max) Beardwood, Ethan Carley, Patrick Carpenter, Seán Carpenter, Steven Chen, Jack Corran, James Cottier (Jamie), Oliver Dean, Thomas Dodd, Hannah Durband, Maximilian (Max) Eugeni, Holly FitzHerbert, Thomas Goodwin, William Harvey, Max Hatherly, Arib Islam, Daniel Jones, Lilli Jones, Chaim Jordan, Lawrence Kehoe, Claire Lawrence, Annabel Lewis, Katie Leyland, Sonya Liao, Harry Lloyd, Anna Mallucci, Cameron Marshall, Euan McGrath, Lewis Ng, Mark Nichols, Edward O’Mahoney, Samuel (Sam) Pachter, Safiya Pasha, Priya Samra, Katie Toolan, Verity Walker, Mathew Walsh, Flora Webster, Harrison Wild, Gregory Wilkinson, Harriet (Hattie) Woolons. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

87

INFOCUS 2019

O L D B I R KO N I A N SOCIETY BULLETIN In terms of sport, over the course of the Old Birkonian Society weekend the Society lost to School in netball (17-30) and hockey (3-4) but gained parity with victories in lacrosse (10-9) and rugby (50-15). The Society’s rugby team also played its annual fixture against Birkenhead Park in December 2018 which ended in defeat (19-46).

The traditional social events in the diary have been well attended as usual, with the Artists Club lunches and the Athenaeum Christmas Lunch maintaining their popularity.

Meanwhile, the London Dinner was held in the glorious surroundings of the Globe Theatre, with views over the river to St Paul’s Cathedral.

We have hosted our first networking drinks events. One in London which had a good turnout despite the date coinciding with the first leg of the Barcelona versus Liverpool semi-final. Twenty five Old Birkonians came along for some free drinks and it was lovely to see two former classmates meet up for the first time since they left school forty years earlier. The drinks event in Liverpool was equally well attended.

Chairman’s Report 2019 My first year as Chairman of the Old Birkonian Society has certainly been a positive and enjoyable experience.

It began with an enthusiastic debate surrounding a proposed name change to the Society. The suggested alternative was “The Birkonian Society”. The subject was raised at the AGM in September 2018 and a survey was rolled out to the wider membership to canvass opinion. While there were strong arguments on both sides, the Council felt retaining the existing name was the best course of action at this stage.

The feeling was that we needed to explore other options first to freshen up the Society to increase participation amongst the membership, especially those in their younger years.

However, what this exercise highlighted was the strength of feeling towards the Society of a proud membership. I hope that these strong emotions will be channelled towards the continuous support of the Society going forward. My thanks go to all those members that took part and offered an opinion.

Later on in the evening, a dinner was held in the School Dining Hall. This attracted nearly fifty attendees including some of the 2018 School leavers. The catering team treated the diners to an excellent three course meal and the Headmaster summarised the latest position regarding the School and his future vision.

88

The Council continues to liaise with the School regarding the use of the Charity funds and we are confident the Society will soon be assisting with scholarships in the next academic year. As the new font in the Chapel demonstrates, the Council will also consider capital projects for the School for which we are given the appropriate recognition.

Looking to the future, I am very excited about the plans for new events and structures that we are looking to implement in conjunction with the School, for the benefit of current pupils and Old Birkonians. We have identified three key “pillars” that should provide the firm foundations for the future of the Society and appeal to all members: Social, Careers and Networking.

The social side of the Society continues to thrive but I feel the other two pillars can be developed further. The recent careers conferences held by School demonstrate the range of industries and sectors that members of the Society represent; this could and should be harnessed for the benefit of those seeking to find their path in life or considering a career change.

For those more established in their careers, Old Birkonians should be communicating more with one another professionally for their mutual benefit. With this in mind, I would encourage members to join the LinkedIn group which has gained considerable momentum over the last few years.

Please search for “Birkenhead School Alumni” and ask to join. We also have Facebook and Twitter accounts where events are advertised so please do join or follow the various groups to keep up to date with the Society’s activities.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

We shall be holding further informal drinks evenings in London and Liverpool later this year. In addition, we are looking to host a drinks event on Wirral for recent leavers and gauging interest for a "ladies-only" event in Liverpool. All these occasions will be subsidised by the Society in one way or another as we are keen for all Old Birkonians to become involved in the organisation.

We have created a strategy committee within the Council to explore different events and ideas to improve the workings of the Society. However, any input from members is always welcome.

Whatever the age of an Old Birkonian (or indeed an Old Birkonian in waiting) the Society should be able to help in one form or another. I would remind all recent leavers that you automatically became a member of the Society upon leaving the School, so please do make the most of it. I would also encourage all members to contact myself, the Council or Carol Keegan (the Alumni Officer) if they have any useful suggestions for the Society.

Finally, I am thankful to my predecessor, Roger Ewing, for all his hard work in previous years to ensure I inherited a solid Council and I am lucky to be surrounded by such a strong

team. We are certainly building on the firm foundations put in place by him. I am also very grateful for the support I have received from the Society’s President Mike Burrell, the Archives department and other voluntary leaders of our Group activities. We have also welcomed Tom Atherton into the fold as the Society’s representative in London.

My thanks also go to Carol Keegan and the Headmaster who have been hugely supportive. Both are working with the Society to ensure it benefits all Old Birkonians as well as current students who will one day become members of this fantastic Society.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first year as Chairman but there is still more work to be done. This will throw up many challenges but I look forward to developing the Society further. I would encourage all members to support the Council and Society in any way you can. Without the participation of the membership, the Old Birkonian Society cannot fulfil its enormous potential.

I look forward to meeting many more Old Birkonians in the coming year.

Will Roberts (1982-1996), Chairman of the Old Birkonian Society

Upcoming Events

8th November London Dinner, HMS Belfast £80pp, 7pm

7th – 8th September OBS Weekend

15th November Liverpool Lunch, Artists' Club, 12:30pm Contact: brian.boumphrey@btinternet.com

12th September Young OB Drinks (Under 25's), The Courtyard, Oxton, 6pm – 8pm 20th September Hoblyn Cup Golf Tournament, Caldy GC Contact: jimmcgrath98@btinternet.com

5th December London Drinks, venue TBC, 6pm – 8pm 12th December Liverpool Christmas Dinner, Ginos, 7pm

16th October Liverpool Drinks, Liverpool Gin Distillery, 6pm – 8pm

For more information or to book on to any of the above events, email Alumni Officer, Carol Keegan on carol.keegan@birkenheadschool.co.uk or see www.birkenheadschool.co.uk.

Old Birkonian Society Council Members 2018 - 2019

President: Michael Burrell.

Chairman: Will Roberts Secretary: Andrew Maxwell.

Treasurer: Trevor Mathew-Jones.

Members: Daniel Ellis, Tom Harrison, Jim McGrath, Kirsten Stewart, Josh Stirrett, Jennifer Taylor

The Old Birkonian Society Bulletin is produced by the Old Birkonian Society. w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

89

INFOCUS 2019

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

Years at School

Passed

Name

Years at School

Passed

P. Basnett

(1950-1957)

2018

D.J.Brighouse, Lord

(1941-1949)

2018

I.P.Shaw (1975-1982) 2018

J. Harvey

(1949-1956)

2018

D. Blythe

2018

D. Andrew

(1987- 1994)

2019

B.Rothwell (1964-1967) 2018

A. Joseph

(CCF 03-14)

2017

H. Casey

(1945-1951)

2018

D. Leftwich

(1948-1954)

2019

K.Evans . Cmdr, Prep

(1928-1929)

2018

T. Moody

(1955-1962)

2019

J.R.Kelly (1958-1965) 2018

A.C.Sprigings, Capt.

(1939-1944)

2019

C.Weir . OBE.

(1961-1968)

2018

J.R.Pugh (1940-1946) 2019

C.Trewhella

(1957-1963 - Staff)

2018

J.G.Blanchard (1947-1955)

2019

D. Wallis

(1944-1948)

2019

R.Eaglesfield (1947-1954)

2019

(1947-1952)

Obituary: John Harvey John died last year at the age of 80.

He was brought up in Irby on the Wirral peninsula by Eddie and Marjorie. His Dad was with the Blue Funnel Line and his Mum a school teacher. After John had attended Dawpool School and then Birkenhead School he studied Geography at Liverpool University and then took a job as a physical oceanographer at the Fisheries Laboratory in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

After a few years he was appointed a lecturer at the Marine Science Laboratories on Anglesey, a part of the then University College of North Wales, now Bangor University.

In 1989 John took early retirement from UEA to embark on another challenge, leading outdoor activity holidays (mountaineering, navigation and sailing) with the help of his wife Chris.

The centre of their activity overlooked Loch Lomond and they extended some of their activities to Europe.

John was an accomplished hill walker and climber, having scaled all 282 of the Munro mountains in Scotland, completing the challenge in 2003.

Keen on sailing they circumnavigated the British Isles.

They returned to South Norfolk in East Anglia in 2004 but during the last decade of his life John suffered from myeloma facing the treatment with his typical fortitude.

Obituary: Tony Moody 1955-1962

deserts. He arrived in Australia in 1986, working for the Australian Federal Government, Ministry of Agriculture.

He settled outside the town of Orange, where in his spare time ran his own vineyard at Emu Swamp.

Tony lived in Claughton, a walking distance from School. He was appointed a School Prefect and as a Queen’s Scout in 1960 attended the World Scout Jamboree in the USA.

Tony was contacted by Chris Talbert who was in the same year at School and living a few hours’ drive away outside Sydney – both had been in Australia for over 30 years. Tony wrote an article for “In Focus” June 2016 with a photograph of them sampling Moody’s Shiraz.

He studied geography at Oriel College, Oxford and after graduating joined seven other Oxford students who drove across the Libyan and Chad

90

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

He is survived by Chris, whom he married in 1961, their sons, Robert and Michael, and grandchildren, Kate and David.

INFOCUS 2019

Obituary: Commander Keith Evans He died aged 98 on 26th June 2018.

Born 6th September 1919 at Bidston Hill, Birkenhead, he briefly attended Birkenhead Prep School before being sent to Pangbourne Nautical College. He was one of the last prewar survivors of the battlecruiser HOOD. When Evans joined HOOD in early 1938, she was the pride of the Royal Navy and he was her most junior officer.

Evans led a charmed life during the Second World War: four ships in which he served sank soon after he left them.

It was while entering Durban in the cruiser HAWKINS that he heard the news of the loss of 1400 men and the mighty HOOD in May 1941. He admitted to crying.

From 2014-2017 Evans was chairman of the HMS Hood Association and became involved in plans to revisit the wreck at the bottom of the Allantic. At first it was “Look-but-not-touch”, but later he was persuaded, reluctantly, to agree the raising of one of the three bells. The one brought to the surface was taken to Portsmouth and

Commandant Keith Evans was proud of the achievement to recover it from a depth of 9200 feet. Postwar, Evans was a shipmate of the young Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, often covering for him as he courted Princess Elizabeth.

They became firm friends.

A Long Time Ago Edgar Downs Edgar Downs, ROI, (1876–1963) was a British painter, known for painting agricultural scenes.

Downs was born on 12 October 1876 at Claughton, Birkenhead, the son of William Downs. He was educated at Birkenhead School and the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, and received a silver medal there.

He exhibited paintings called Our Daily Bread and The Edge of the Bog at the Royal Academy in 1911, when his address was given as 12 Bedford Gardens, Kensington, London. His other addresses included Arun House at Clymping, West Sussex, and latterly Mudeford, Hampshire, where he died.

During World War I, he served as a war artist, including spells at Gallipoli in 1915 and Salonica in 1916. He was assigned to the 1st County of London Yeomanry in July 1918. One of his paintings made at this time hangs in the Headquarters of the Inns of Court & City Yeomanry.

CATTLE PLOUGHING IN A LOCAL LANDSCAPE

GATHERING KELP

Two of his works, Gathering Kelp (1914) and Cattle Ploughing in an Open Landscape (c. 1914), are in the collection of Fordingbridge Town Council at Fordingbridge Town Hall.

He was a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (“ROI”), the London Sketch Club and Chelsea Arts Club.

In addition to the RA, ROI, and London Sketch Club, he exhibited at Royal Cambrian Academy of Art and the Walker Gallery.

“Blown off Course!”

A group of mischievous sixth formers (probably led by School House!) contrived to move the Naval Section’s Whaler from its base on the School grounds and out into nearby Wellington Road.

Many hands would have been needed and although the leader cannot be identified, the “crew” included Beddoes, Ambler, Porter, Minnis, Gracey, Land, Visser, Dyson, Allan, Morton, Youd, Warr, Rogers, Davies, Connor and Pope. The event coincided with a local Bus strike and a poster on board, advertised - “Free Lifts at Your Own Risk”.

This photograph appeared on the front page of the local Newspaper In that Summer of 1957 – no one can recall how the vessel was returned to School and no one was expelled!

Len Kirkham – from The Archives

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

91

INFOCUS 2019

Events

Father Mark Turner, Roger Ewing and Roger Clarke (69-76) Chaplain to Bishop of Chester

First Year Of The Font The Society is delighted, of course, that the gifted Baptismal Font was so well received last year.

Pixie Luna RYAN, Peter David MORRIS, Claire MORRIS, Hattie Florence BRAND, Matilda Elsie BRAND, Rafferty Henry BROWN, Amelie Ellen DULSON, Clementine Alice WHITWORTH.

Father Mark Turner welcomed nine new members to the Church through special services at the School Chapel during 2018-2019. They included eight children all very much part of the Birkenhead School Community family:

Giving back – Careers advice The amount of generosity from Old Birkonians willing to offer their time and expertise for careers advice to current students has been remarkable. Thank you to everyone who has given up their time through phone calls, face to face meetings, emails and those who have taken the time to attend the specialist careers conferences at School.

At the Engineering, Design and Technology Careers Conference in January were Food Technologist Kirsten Stewart (02-04), who is also a member of the OBS Council; School Governor Mike Furniss (72-79) who is former Programme Manager at Booking.com and Head of IT at MoneySuperMarket.com; Caroline Van Ingen (00-02) who is a Lifecycle Engineering Team Lead for Rolls Royce; Deputy Chief Nuclear Inspector for the Office of Nuclear Regulation Michael Finnerty (76-83); and Rodney Gilmour (73-80), who is a Process Engineering Consultant and Expert Advisor/ Witness, who addressed the audience and talked about his education and career following School.

A Media and Arts conference followed in April, and featured Nick Pollard (62-68), former Head of Sky News, as Key Note Speaker.

92

Nick Pollard, former Head of Sky News

Other OBs in attendance were Nick Mason (78-89) the Managing Director at Mason PR, and his son Alex Mason (02-11), a Journalist for the Daily Mail Online; Dr Glyn MonHughes (67-74), Senior Lecturer in Journalism at Liverpool John Moores University; Joe McDonnell (92-99), who is Solutions Manager at Monterosa; and Independent Media Consultant Richard Coombs (71-83).

The OBs were joined by a host of parents, education and apprentice providers and other local and national professionals who had given of their time to come and talk to students about their futures.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

OB Lectures Old Birkonians have again been extremely generous in offering their time to provide informative talks to the Sixth Form in the weekly Nicholls Lecture Series.

In the first lecture of the academic year on Friday 7th September, Ian Huntley OBE (65-79), a retired Brigadier with the Royal Marines, discussed the differences between management and leadership, with an original outlook on the distinctions.

Also in September, Dr Adam Boddison, (93-00) Chief Executive for Nasen, addressed ‘The Truth About Inclusion’.

Through the use of statistics and examples from his personal experience, Dr Boddison presented the issue of inclusion and exclusion in the education system, from styles of teaching to standardised testing and its implications for those with special educational needs.

Also in February, John Egan (83-90), Speciality Carbons Operations and Product Line Director from the Cabot Corporation, came in to speak on ‘Engineering = Ingenuity’.

John spoke to students and staff about his career as a chemical engineer.

Paul Parrish (76-82), who is Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Aspire, which supports people with spinal injuries, also gave a lecture. Paul has also successfully completed the infamous ‘Arch to Arc’, the world’s hardest triathlon. He was the oldest man in 2014 to take part in the London to Paris challenge where participants run to Dover, swim the Channel and cycle to Paris.

Finally, Mark Malcomson (75-82), Principal and CEO of City Lit, Europe’s largest adult education college, and previously Director of Executive Education at London Business School, spoke to the Sixth Form in March. Mark has taught all over the world and is a strong advocate for education continuing throughout a lifetime. Our congratulations to Mark for also recently receiving a CBE for services to adult education.

In addition to Sixth Form lectures, there is also a Prep lecture series entitled the Boumphrey Lecture Series, which began on in 2018. Ian Boumphrey (49-61), who is also a School Governor and active member of the Archives Team, gave the inaugural lecture back in 2018 and he was welcomed back in May to give his second lecture. Last time, Ian spoke on the History of Prep and this time his topic was Wirral on the Home Front. Ian was helped with his talk by John Williams (77-82), also from the Archives Team.

Dr Michael Morton, (59-64) also talked about his career path as a Gynaecologist and Obstetrician and the unlikely circumstances that led his work across the world, in a lecture entitled, ‘Birkenhead, Bermuda, Beijing, Bangkok’.

In January, John Vater (82-89), QC, Barrister and Arbitrator, gave an inspirational lecture to Sixth Form students about the importance of resilience, courage, effort, determination, as well as hard work, as part of their weekly Nicholls Lecture Series.

Also this year was a talk by Chris Rice (96-03), who is the Global Strategy Director for the marketing company Zero Degrees West. He inspired the children with his exciting work including the material he and his team had put together for films such as Spider Man!

On 1st February, James Boumphrey (00-07) was welcomed back to the School and gave a lecture about his career as an ‘ethical hacker’, which involved working closely with the company Maersk, responsible for 15% of all world shipping.

James, who works for Deloitte, explained how the company oversaw Maersk’s malware attack, which massively impacted the business.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

93

INFOCUS 2019

Events

continued

On-screen Competition Calling It has been an exciting year for Old Birkonians on the small screen as familiar faces regularly popped up on the television, keeping their wits about them on popular TV competitions.

We watched in anticipation as Siân Round (08-15) progressed through the recent series of University Challenge on BBC2, with her Durham team.

They did an excellent job and made it through to the semifinals of the highly competitive show, only being narrowly beaten by Edinburgh.

Luca Galvani (99-14) also featured on TV in September when he and his three team mates won an amazing £100,000 between them on ITV’s The Chase.

Following these successes, Richard Coombs (71-83) who also has the TV quiz bug, would like to try to get a team of OBs together to face Victoria Coren-Mitchell on Only Connect, get in touch if you are interested.

Special Successes Mark Mitchell (69-80) Appointed High Sheriff of Cheshire The Old Birkonian Society is very proud that one of its members, Mark Mitchell (69-80), has been appointed High Sheriff of Cheshire.

Mark was educated at Bidston Avenue School, Birkenhead Prep and Senior Schools and Leeds University, where he read Economics. Always entrepreneurial in spirit, he displayed his business acumen at an early age, securing a bank loan when still at school in order to start a motorcycle business at the school gate while a teenager, much to the mild disappointment of then Headmaster, John Gwilliam.

He made rapid progress as a Graduate Trainee at Austin Rover, the Ford Motor Company and then Jaguar Car, returning to the Wirral at 27 to start his own business with his wife, Anita. The business now comprises three state-of-theart showrooms of Lexus, Mitchell Mazda and Mitchell Skoda on a five-acre complex at Cheshire Oaks.

Mark is much looking forward to discharging his responsibilities as High Sheriff as he visits many different communities in Cheshire, supported by Anita. The couple have two sons, James (22) and Elliot (18), both of whom followed their father in attending Birkenhead School. Mark is particularly looking forward to working with and supporting the large number of charities in the County, something to which he attaches considerable importance. Old Birkonians will be very interested to hear of his activities in a high profile position in the County of Cheshire, in which he was born in 1962 and, indeed, continues to live.

94

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Special Successes

continued

Flying high with Otto Dawes (02-17) “This year I have been working with the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, before I move on to flying training. This has provided an opportunity to learn more about the RAF and develop new skills. In the coming months I will move on to the first part of flying training, with the ultimate aim of becoming a multi-engine pilot. Multi-engine pilots fly the very large, heavy lift RAF aircraft such as the A400M Atlas and the C-17 Globemaster, different to fast-jets but yet very exciting flying. I am very pleased to say that I will be attending ground school in July, to then start my Elementary Flying Training (EFT) in December. Once I have completed EFT I will be going to Bournemouth to attend a very intensive course to train up to be a fully-qualified pilot.

incredible, upside-down at 150 feet flying at 400mph directly toward another aircraft over the Mediterranean sea is by far the best thing I have ever done.

I am looking forward to coming back to school to give a lecture to the Sixth Form in November, I am keen to pass on my experiences but more importantly, prove that there are so many routes to take post A-Levels; university is not the only route!”

In the meantime, the position with the Red Arrows – carrying out various support roles – isn’t all bad! I have been very fortunate to be able to fly with the Red Arrows, in the rear seats of the aircraft, on a number of occasions in various positions of the nine-ship formation, experiencing some of the most dynamic flying that I will in my career. The flying is

Andrew John McCully Notification appeared in the Times on 8 June of the CB, Order of the Bath, awarded to Andrew John McCully for Services to Education. Andrew was at School from 1975 to 1982.

Since reading Classics at Oxford, Andrew has worked in the Civil Service and is currently Director General, Early Years and Schools Group, Department for Education. He was previously awarded the OBE in 2000.

N e w s f ro m H o m e a n d Aw ay David N Burton (52 – 59) In 1952, I arrived at Birkenhead School from Mersey Park Primary and, during the next four years, experienced bewilderment, rebellion, indifference to learning and laziness. At the end of 4Mid, I was ‘bottom of the heap’.

So, if I was to pass my O Levels and go on to A Level and University, I’d need to do some work! I did just that and from then on, the academic side of my school life went well. Of course, I made some good friends, among them the late Nick Herdman and the best pal of my teenage years, Dave Dobbing. One school report warning – ‘Friendship with Dobbing not a good idea!’ What nonsense! I also enjoyed rugby and continued to play with the OBs until I left the UK in 1965. After completing my Ph.D in biochemistry, I was married and went to the US. Following three years in California and Wisconsin, my US visa expired so I had to leave. After considering several offers, we decided on Winnipeg, Manitoba. The University of Manitoba is a large (27,000 students) ‘full service’ institution. I worked

there for over 30 years, teaching and doing research and administration. I’m often ask why I chose to move to Winnipeg. It’s true that we are a ‘Winter City’ which can be very cold indeed. But it's a great place to live and bring up a family – we have two sons and a daughter and now, grandchildren. There are about 800,000 residents, so it’s a big enough to have anything one might want – arts, entertainment, recreation etc – without suffering the congestion and pollution of a megacity. Outside the city, Manitoba is a sparsely populated and pristine place with a variety of ecosystems – tundra, boreal forest, thousands of lakes and fertile farmland, ideal for lovers of fishing, hunting and camping. Now retired and closing in on 80, we still love Winnipeg.

Coming here was the best decision we ever made!

Dave Burton

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

95

INFOCUS 2019

N e w s f ro m H o m e a n d Aw ay

continued

FW Tyler - leaving present We recently received an enquiry from a lady in Iowa, USA, Lisa Beames, asking if we could throw any light on the glass bowl pictured above which she bought in a local antiques store.

The inscription says it was presented to FW Tyler by the OB Society in 1925 in gratitude for 27 years of service at school.

Tyler, a graduate of St John’s, Cambridge, taught at School from 1898 until his retirement.

We have several photos of Tyler in archives, but as yet have been unable to find out what subject he taught. Apparently an identical bowl was presented to Fitzgerald French at the same time at a joint ceremony at the OB annual dinner on 3 October 1925. The cost of the items was paid by subscriptions from OB members so did not go through the OB accounts.

We have no idea of its value or how and why it ended up in America. Can any reader provide any further information concerning Tyler or the whereabouts of the twin bowl?

Iain Mathieson (52-59) It was interesting to hear from Captain Iain Mathieson who joined the Merchant Navy soon after leaving school and has since seen a large slice of the world.

In 2008 he was appointed a Marine Adviser in Jakarta, Indonesia for the design and installation of offshore oil facilities. For a time he had been living in Pahang, Malaysia.

Currently Iain serves as a Marine Consultant to the China National Offshore Oil Company in Beijing.

This has included many seafaring roles such as serving as a Master with the Canadian Pacific, a Pilot with the Dubai Port Services, an Operations Manager and a General Manager in Bahrain which included Marine Salvage operations during Iran-Iraq War. In 1990 Iain became a Pilot / Marine Manager for the China State Salvage Bureau.

In contrast, however, he has contacted us from his address in St. Savinien, France. This beautiful village nestles on the banks of the Charente River which meanders through the Saintonge Region and in striking distance of some fine beaches on the Atlantic Coast.

Stephen Rimmer (66-77)

I now provide occasional financial advisory services, I give private tutorials in maths and physics and help with speech writing.

After graduating in Engineering Science and Economics at Oxford University, I joined KPMG (a leading accountancy and consulting firm) in London in 1981.

Most of my career was with KPMG. I accepted a two-year secondment to Brazil in 1986 and went to Brazil again in 1994, joining the partnership in Rio de Janeiro in 1986. I retired in 2014 having completed many years in the mergers and acquisitions department, predominantly advising companies making investments into Brazil.

96

I was married in 1989 (now separated) and have three children. I have been very involved with various aspects of the British community in Rio de Janeiro for many years. I was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British School in Rio de Janeiro, as well as Treasurer.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Jon Williams Visit To Archives It’s been nearly 30 years since I left school, and I’ve been living away from the Wirral for over 20. Meeting up with a few school friends in January instilled some nostalgia, and back in the Wirral visiting my family with my 8 year old son during February half term, I took the opportunity to visit the School Archive.

I was hopeful to see some photos or articles mentioning me at school, and had also asked the Archive about any videos of house or school plays that may have been digitised over the years, and also of the first pop/rock concert that was allowed to be held at the school in 1988/89 (the two bands in question being formed by pupils: The Design (Chris Morris, Mark Hanson, Graham Wood, Mike Jones, there were others) and the support band (I can’t remember the name, but I think it was led by Charlie Eyre?)

I have great memories of my time at school, and was glad to see how the school has been improved and modernised since – both in terms of facilities and attitudes (I’m sure that certain traditionalist headmasters would not have allowed girls at the school!). I was also touched by the enthusiasm of the Archive team, who obviously take pride in the work they do.

For former pupils who haven’t been back to the school, I would urge you to arrange a visit to the Archive. You may get a chocolate biscuit, you may be encouraged to buy a school archive magazine, but you may also be able to relive (for a few moments) your youth!

When my son (Jacob) and I arrived at the school, I was pleasantly surprised to be met by Mr Hudson, my former Latin teacher. He took us to the Archive rooms, where I met other members of the Archive team, including Mr Cameron (my former Physics teacher). After a catchup over coffee (keeping Jacob quiet with a couple of choccy digestives) and a brief tour of the Archive rooms (housed in what I’m sure used to be the creaking old house of the Modern Languages (French) block), Mr Hudson gave us a tour of the Bushell Hall (“New Hall” as I knew it) followed by K Block (where my form rooms were) and the general grounds.

Archive had retrieved a couple of photos of me, though I saw more of my friends’ photos, and I read a few articles of house plays and school cycling trips (I wasn’t mentioned by name – but I was there!). Unfortunately no video footage was found of school plays or concerts from 1989 (and even if it is yet to be found, video film tends to perish rather easily over time – so I’m not holding my breath).

40th Anniversary Reunion – Class of 1979 In June, the class of 1979 had a small but lively 40th anniversary reunion gathering at the Wheatsheaf pub in Raby.

Class of 1979 reunion L-R Paul Dillon, Jed Stubbs, Brian Fleetwood, Philip Rees-Roberts, Steven Downes & Andrew Morton

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

97

INFOCUS 2019

N e w s f ro m H o m e a n d Aw ay Together Again After a brief chat at the 2018 Annual General Meeting, Brian N Jones (50-57) and Eddie Hignett (48-56) teamed up to locate John Whiteman (49-56). A mere 62 years ago the three were all selected from three local scout groups to attend the 1957 Scout Jamboree at Sutton Coldfield, after which they all went their separate ways.

John went to Birmingham University to study Metallurgy, and then taught the subject at Sheffield University, retiring in 2001. Now he is in Newcastle having been involved with the Ramblers, the Boys' Brigade and the United Reformed Church. During that time he had renewed contact with some old pals including Roy Beddoes (who sadly died a few years ago), Norman Poole and Brian Roberts.

continued

In 1989 Captain Jones brought the last Blue Funnel ship into Liverpool. Brian retired in 1999 and set about climbing the Munros, fulfilling an ambition in 2006 by completing the Cuillin Ridge on Skye.

Eddie, the senior member of the group, spent his earlier years in Wirral doing research at Liverpool University, and developing a career with the Central Electricity Generating Board. He enjoyed many sports including cycling, tennis, basketball, rugby and athletics. Some may recall Eddie as a sergeant in the CCF, or as a Scoutmaster with the 78 Birkenhead Air Scouts. In later life he has spent many years in Cumbria, Lakeland, where he has been a long-serving member of Carnforth Rotary. He was appointed President in 1994-5.

The trio met up at Carnforth earlier this year (think “Brief Encounter”), and as a gentle walk in the Lake District appeals to each of them, they are considering a further get-together.

Brian left school to become a midshipman with Alfred Holt. He spent some time at the Outward Bound School in Aberdovey. He progressed to his Masters in August 1967.

The same year Ocean Steam Ship Co restructured and divided their fleet between Blue Funnel, Elder Dempster, and Glen Line. In 1969 Brian was appointed “Cadet Training Officer”.

Dr Nigel Williams (63-66) Career Details I left Birkenhead and finished secondary education at The King Edward VI School Edgbaston. Took medicine at Liverpool University, two years at Walton Hospital. Joined GP Vocational Training Scheme in King’s Lynn, Norfolk in 1977. I was offered a GP partnership in 1980 at a practice in Wisbech and never looked back until I retired in 2011. Spent three more years as locum. Then fully retired.

Personal Details I married Sally, a local girl, in 1985. We have four daughters (now grown up) - they attended Wisbech Grammar School; the then headmaster had been offered the Headmastership of Birkenhead School - to replace Mr Gwilliam - but he turned it down!

Our eldest daughter attended Liverpool University (politics), and is now married with two children; she works at Imperial College. Our second daughter took French and Modern Linguistics at Manchester, then a course in speech therapy - she is now working with acute neurological cases at QMC Nottingham; our third daughter is a primary school teacher

98

in a small Norfolk School teaching over three age groups she attended University of East Anglia and gained a degree in music, subsequently gaining her postgraduate certificate in education at Anglia Ruskin University; finally, our fourth daughter obtained a degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, and now works in media.

My particular interest in life is Freemasonry. I am a member of a University Lodge in Cambridge, and am very happy to see suitable candidates from all walks of life and any race or belief in a supreme being, join and enjoy the benefits of Freemasonry; particularly raising money for good causes.

If I can be of any help to any pupils or OBs, particularly in East Anglia; please let me know. Because of my Freemasonry, I do have contacts within Cambridge University, so please pass my contact details on to anyone needing a friendly ear.

Although I split my “secondary” education between two public schools, I still have a fondness for Birkenhead (other than the twice weekly cross country runs I had to undertake as a day-boy member of School House!) Thank you for the opportunity to reconnect!

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

Sports OB Weekend 2018 The annual Old Birkonian Weekend was packed full this year with events and activities to suit all interests. Beginning with a service in Chapel on the Friday evening to welcome the new raft of 2018 leavers into the Old Birkonian Society, the service also served to thank the OBS for the generous donation of a new font for the Chapel and to have it officially blessed. The service was followed by the Leavers’ Presentation Evening in Bushell Hall, with refreshments afterwards.

Saturday started with netball and hockey matches, with School winning both games, 30-17 in netball and hockey 4-3. Players of the matches were Charlotte Cullen (11-18) and Toby Brown. The Archives were open with tours of the School given to visitors by Prefects. The AGM became a rather heated affair as a change in name to the Society was suggested and a full vote deemed necessary.

Charlotte Cullen, Captain of the Netball Team, with Roger Ewing

The incoming Chair Will Roberts and Headmaster Paul Vicars spoke of their visions for the future, and they thanked outgoing Chair, Roger Ewing, for his excellent work on the OBS Council. A delicious buffet lunch was then served in the Sixth Form Centre.

The afternoon saw lacrosse and rugby matches played at Noctorum Field, the OB’s regaining their dignity winning both matches. The OB lacrosse team won 10-9 and rugby team won 50-15 bringing the days 4 matches to 2 all in OB v School games. Players of the afternoon were Ellie Simpson for School and OB Matthew O’Hare. The Annual OBS Dinner in the evening was well attended and held in the newly refurbished Dining Hall.

Sunday saw Team Birkenhead (comprising staff, students, parents and Old Birkonians) run the BTR Wirral Half Marathon and 10k. Many had chosen to run in memory of Prep pupil Krishan, who was sadly lost in 2017.

The windy weather at the start location in New Brighton brought its challenges for the runners, but they came out with excellent results and, most importantly, with smiles on their faces, having achieved their wonderful goals.

Matthew O’Hare being presented with the Man of the Match Trophy

Birkenhead Park vs Old Birkonians

Saturday, 29th December 2018 The annual festive fixture at Park was played in ideal conditions in front of a reasonable crowd. With O.Bs having had very comfortable back to back victories in the previous two fixtures, Park put out an infinitely stronger team this time.

OBs were under pressure from the start and Park dominated affairs for most of the first half, scoring four unanswered tries, two of which were converted. It was only just on half time that O.Bs got on the scoresheet with an unconverted try. The half time score was 24-5 to Park.

The OB tries were scored by Will Grabe, Alex Williams and Man of the Match, Tom Gornall, with conversions by Will Brewster.

OBs improved in the second half and although Park scored a further four tries, only one of which was converted, OBs scored two excellent tries of their own, both converted.

Following the match, the players and most of the spectators retired to the Clubhouse to enjoy the usual Park warm hospitality.

The final score was a well deserved 46-19 to Park.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

99

INFOCUS 2019

Sports

continued

Old Birkonian Golf Report 2018–2019

by Jim McGrath Hoblyn Trophy Event, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, September 2019 On a beautiful autumn day in September 2018, the annual Hoblyn Trophy event was held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, and the results were as follows: Hoblyn Trophy - Tim Hoblyn Hoblyn Prize (handicap 14+) - Brian Welsh Mick Bowyer Shield (Scratch) - Tim Hoblyn Putting Cup - John Hughes

2018 Hoblyn Trophy Winner - Phil Rees Roberts presenting the trophy to Tim Hoblyn

An excellent event was hosted by Brian Welsh, at very short notice, and the prizes presented by Phil Rees-Roberts.

OB Golf, Heswall Golf Club, June 2019 Another very sunny day greeted us at Heswall, the day after the course was closed by a deluge of rain!

A most enjoyable day made even better by a number of new, and in some cases very young, faces; the results of this event were as follows,

Mike Croker was willing to tell everyone, at least those willing to listen, about his birdie 2.

Hoblyn Trophy, 20th September 2019, Caldy Golf Club Due to the Walker Cup being played at Hoylake this year, I have booked Caldy Golf Club for this year’s event. Please reserve the date in your diary and I shall post the final details very soon.

Grafton Morrish 2019 Anthony Shields has advised that we have qualified for this year’s final in October.

1. Tom Dodds - 36pts 2. Paul Chadwick - 34pts 3. Peter Wood - 31pts

O B We e k e n d 2 0 1 9 Saturday 7th September 2019 10am: Netball, School Courts 10am: Hockey, McAllester Field 10.30am to 12.15pm: Archives Open plus tours of the School, 44 Bidston Road 12.30pm: AGM, Meeting Room above Library 1.15pm: Lunch, Sixth Form Centre 2.30pm: Lacrosse, Noctorum Field 2.30pm: Rugby, Noctorum Field 7pm: Annual OBS Dinner

Sunday 8th September 6.30pm: OB Evensong, Chapel

100

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

INFOCUS 2019

The OBFC Cricket Club Whimsical Memories of an Old Cricketer Many still talk with awe about the glory days of the Old Birkonian FC Cricket Club.

Their formidable fixture list (Oxton 3rds away, The Angoras etc) did not reflect the outstanding ability of this truly inspirational team, a team that brought together the talents of cricketing ‘greats’ such as Barry Porter, Ronnie Grice, Peter Williams and Neville Duncan. Why this fine side never made the annals of Wisden is still a controversial topic today.

Formed in the late 1960s, with its heyday in 1970, it struck terror into the hearts of it's opponents, only playing those who dared to take it on.

The success of Old Birkonian Rugby in the 1960s owed a lot to the cricket team that had arisen as a spin-off from the Rugby Club. Although initial ambition to join the County Championship was denied to them by the Machiavellian politics of the ECB (English Cricket Board) nevertheless they did make their mark in local cricket. Sadly, the proud photo of David Allan and Barry Porter, batting 10 and 11, standing in front of an Oxton scoreboard that registered an OBCC total of 13, has gone missing.

Your author remembers being castigated by the future MP for Wirral South for falling victim to an unplayable ball when he, Porter, had just got his eye in and was preparing for his maiden century and victory!

Talking of cricket centuries again, your author modestly remembers featuring in a century stand described as ‘remarkable’ by those who witnessed it when we defeated the staff of Merchant Taylors in Liverpool, and here I must lapse into the first person singular. I had been promoted from 11 to 9 in order, as the skipper said, “to take the sting out of the deadly Merchant’s attack”. At the other end was Michael Burrell (now President of OB Society) clearly struggling against deadly spin on a ‘sticky wicket’.” Mike” I said, “You stick around and leave the rest to me”. An hour later or so, I gallantly allowed him to score, not only the winning run, but also to bring up his century – I had made eight! - Not sure what went wrong really!

The OBFC Cricket team lasted about five years and certainly proved to be an admirable vehicle for keeping the Rugby Club members together during the Summer months and, importantly, maintaining that essential team spirit, so valuable in those amateur days.

Whatever it did, or did not, contribute to cricket, we certainly had some fun!

David Allan (49-56) May 2019

Shown in photo: John Pyke, Neville Duncan, Trevor Roberts, Barry Porter, Peter Williams, David Ewing, John Gregory, Michael Burrell, John Brown, Michael Taylor, Peter Steele, Graham Wood, David Allan, Ronnie Grice.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

101

INFOCUS 2019

Ye a r s P a s t 15 years ago 2003/04: Mike Goosey retired after 28 years teaching PE in the Prep

10 years ago 2008/09: School became fully co-educational.

School under 14 Lacrosse team became North of England Champions. Pupils 395 + 320 in Prep and 57 in Nursery.

20 years ago 1998/99: Cricket under 13 XI won the National Final of the Calypso Cup at Headingley when they beat Millfield. Appeal launched to raise funds for the Foundation Trust.

30 years ago 1988/89: Stuart Haggett appointed Headmaster, School Archives team formed. School Scouts attended the 60th Anniversary Jamboree at Arrowe Park.

40 years ago 1978/79: No. 17 Kingsmead Road renovated as the Middle School Centre. Prep performed the operetta “Paradise Island”. Sir James Mountford died - he had been Chairman of Governors 1944-1948 and President until 1979. Governors launched an appeal to raise £190,000 for new buildings and bursaries. Pupil numbers 703 Prep 220.

50 years ago 1968/69: New Language Laboratory created, sponsored by the Parents' Association.

TA (Tappy) Pringle left after 23 years teaching woodwork, also swimming.

Cricket First Xl were unbeaten against school teams.

70 years ago 1948/49: OTC became CCF with the founding of the Air Force Section. Nos. 42 to 48 Bidston Road redeveloped. Two new senior houses (Davies and Bushells) were created to due to increased numbers. Big school numbers 529.

75 years ago 1944/45: School granted a holiday after VE Day. Big School numbers 412.

80 years ago 1938/39: Governors decided to strengthen the cellars, which could then be used for lessons in an emergency if war broke out.

Prep moved into “Overdale” Junior School, as the Prep building was used for the HQ of two anti-aircraft batteries.

102

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

35 years ago 1983/84: School Boarding House closed. Des Bower retired after 38 years of teaching in the Prep, also as an Officer in the CCF. Computer studies introduced as a new subject with the OB Society Endowment Fund enabling the creation of a Computer room in the Science Block.

60 years ago 1958/59: CW (Charlie) Jones retired after 26 years as PE instructor. Mrs MJ Ewing, Deputy Head of Prep, left to become head of Merchant Taylors’ Prep Crosby. George Smoker retired after 22 years as Head Groundsman - as a Hampshire cricketer, he once played against WG Grace. Armorial Bearings were granted to the school. Big school numbers now 613.

INFOCUS 2019

Ye a r s P a s t 90 years ago 1928/29: Old Birkonian RUFC pavilion opened. The World Scout Jamboree held at Arrowe Park which was attended by 14 School scouts, JH Rogers scored 1224 runs and took 101 wickets for the Cricket XI. 110 years ago 1908/09: Rev CA MacVicar (OB) joined the staff as Chaplain. GD Tobey awarded the Royal Humane Society Silver Medal for assisting in the rescue of a lady from West Kirby marine lake. AH Ashcroft played rugby half-back for England. The original main School Building was bisected, creating the New School Hall, known as ‘Big School’ (now Prep Hall).

135 years ago 1883/84: Rev WC Wood replaced Rev JT Pearse as Headmaster. School chapel built and porch added. School clock installed. School magazine revived (last published 1875).

Woodwork shed built (demolished 1956).

85 years ago 1933/34: Big School redecorated and 180 inscribed chairs installed. First Old Boys’ Day held. Miss Cox died - she had been the Prep Headmistress for 42 years since its inception in 1889.

100 years ago 1918/19: OB society held a dinner at the Exchange Hotel Liverpool with FE Smith (OB) in the chair. Sports were held at the end of the summer term for the first time since 1914.

Big School numbers 241, Prep 104.

120 years ago 1898/99: F Griffin (who had taught PG Wodehouse at Dulwich and coached Winston Churchill) appointed headmaster. School playing field (which had previously followed the incline of Beresford Road) was levelled, opening with the annual sports day. The School was given a half-day holiday to celebrate the Relief of Mafeking in the Boer War. 130 years ago 1888/89: Rev AJ Sloman now Headmaster. Prep School opened with 15 pupils - fees for boys under 8 - £12 pa + 8-10 - £15 pa payable termly in advance. Team photo taken of rugby 1st XV. 140 years ago 1878/79: School House (building now part of the Prep) opened with capacity for 40 boarders.

150 years ago 1868/69: School year divided into three terms and an additional classroom built.

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k

103

INFOCUS 2019

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

@birkenheadschl

www.birkenheadschool.co.uk 104

w w w. b i r ke n h e a d s c h o o l . c o . u k