MGS Life

mgs life Inside Record Results for MGS Students BAFTA award for Khalil Meet the founder of Pets at Home Cameron Neild signs up with Sale Sharks

Magazine of The Manchester Grammar School

2013/2014 edition

Academic Success | mgs.org

WELCOME

Our magazine can only give a brief glimpse of the range of opportunities on offer at a school like MGS, but I hope that you will get a sense of just what an exciting place this is from reading its pages.

There is so much on offer here, from sport, music and drama, to camps and trekking; the biggest problem a boy should face is how to fit it all in.

These pages celebrate some of the headline successes, but what is really great about the School is the fact that every boy who has attended MGS leaves a brighter, wiser and more rounded individual than when he arrived and this is the true success of the School. I can include myself in this; I left the School as a pupil in 1986 and have returned this year as High Master. As you will read later in this magazine, MGS shaped the person I was to become and I owe a great debt of gratitude to the School for opening up so many horizons for me, a debt I hope to be able to pay back in the coming years.

Dr Martin Boulton High Master

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Captions 1. A-Level boys 2. GCSE boys 3. IB boys 4. Medics

5. Top Universities: James Becker – Princeton 6. Ribal Ahmed, Japan 7. John Pyrah and Ali Qasim, Accenture

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A-Level

Top Universities

Over a quarter of all grades achieved were A* – three and a half times the national average.

93% of grades were at A*, A and B, with over 69% A* and A.

Our students receive offers from some of the world’s leading universities; this year was no exception: Ŕ 28 Oxbridge

Record Results for IGCSE and GCSE

Ŕ 13 Imperial

Our students received record results this year, with over 91% of grades at A* or A. 39 boys achieved straight A* grades. 117 boys achieved 7 or more A* grades.

Ŕ 35 Medics (including 4 Dentistry and 1 Veterinary Science)

International Baccalaureate It was a truly world class performance at IB, with our students achieving a record average score of 41 out of 45 points. James Martin came in the top 1% in the World by achieving the maximum 45 points.

Ŕ 34 UCL Ŕ 15 King’s College, London Ŕ 10 LSE

Ŕ 7 American universities, including Stanford and Princeton

95% of students going straight into higher education were accepted at their first or second choice universities.

Six Months in Japan Ribal Ahmed is joining the Red Cross as a Medical Assistant after applying to Latitude Global Volunteering for one of the few places available.

He will be working alongside doctors and nurses and is looking forward to learning to speak Japanese, as he will be undertaking all tasks and procedures in the language. Ribal hopes to gain valuable experience in paediatrics, an area of medicine he wishes to pursue as a career in the future.

Gap Year with Accenture John Pyrah and Ali Qasim earned places on a prestigious gap year programme with global management consultancy company Accenture, and will be based in London.

John and Ali’s roles will see them assisting Accenture’s senior managers with budget monitoring and projects, including having first-hand contact with Blue Chip clients across three sectors.

Academic Success | mgs.org

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CHALLENGING THE NATION

Top One Per Cent

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In a Mensa IQ test, Harrison Kaye, aged 11, scored the highest mark possible (162), making him one of the youngest people ever to do so.

Harrison’s score places him in the World’s top 1%, with any mark over 140 being considered pure genius.

By achieving 162, he also has a higher score than Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking and Steve Jobs, who all obtained 160.

Prestigious Essay Prize Hugh Williamson was awarded Oxford University’s prestigious GA Wainwright Schools Essay Prize. Hugh’s 5,000 word essay featured on the University of Oxford website.

His prize was awarded by the Gerald Averay Wainwright Fund, which aims to encourage the study of the nonclassical archaeology of the Middle East.

Hugh left MGS in July and is studying Egyptology and Near Eastern Studies at Oxford.

02 Captions 1. Harrison Kaye – 162 in Mensa IQ test 2. Hugh Williamson – GA Wainwright Schools Essay Prize 3. Top L to R, Michael Li, Souradip Mookerjee and James Meng with Mr Buckley – Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad; Sam Heath – International Linguistics Olympiad; Sam Tate, Ivan Paul, Heval Turel – Physics Olympiad; Matthias Hoffman-Vagenheim – Maths Olympiad

4. James Wills – German National Olympiad 5. Christian Owen – World Literacy Day spelling competition 6. Daniel Fernandez – National Schools’ Chess Championships 7. Luke Tyler – Conservation and Forest Ecosystems scholarship

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The Olympiads Chemistry

Physics

German

Three Sixth Form students made it through to the UK final of the Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad, taken by more than 4,500 students around the UK; six MGS students have made it to the final in the last 20 years. The three boys were each awarded a Gold medal for their achievement.

Ivan Paul, Sam Tate and Heval Turel were all awarded Gold in the Physics Olympiad, placing them in the top 50 UK students within their age group; they are now looking forward to this year’s Olympiad competition. MGS has had considerable success in the past with our boys making it onto the national team.

Sixth former James Wills was runnerup in the first ever German National Olympiad. James rewrote the Grimm Brothers’ tale of Hansel and Gretel for the competition which was held at the Bodelian Library, Oxford.

Linguistics Sam Heath beat more than 1,200 other entrants with his talent for decoding and interpreting both modern and ancient languages. He became one of only eight UK finalists to take part in this year’s International Linguistics Olympiad. The final, hosted by MGS, required Sam and his competitors to undertake both an individual event and a team challenge.

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Mathematics Matthias Hoffman-Vagenheim became one of the highest-scoring boys in the country on the Maths Olympiad paper, scoring 50 marks out of 60. The result places Matthias within the top 50 in his age category for the competition; this achievement is all the more impressive as he was competing against those who were a year older.

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World Success Christian Owen fought off competition from thousands of children around the globe to become the top UK entrant in the World Literacy Day spelling competition. He battled through five rounds of spelling and was ranked 18th in the World, the only pupil in the UK to reach the top 20. The event was organised by Unicef, Spellodrome and the World Education Games.

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Chess Hat Trick

Scholarship

MGS Chess team won the National Schools Championships for the third year running, which has equalled the best performance by any school in the history of the competition. Key players were Andy Horton, Daniel Abbas and International Master Daniel Fernandez, who won every game they played in the competition.

Luke Tyler won a scholarship worth £2,000 to study Conservation and Forest Ecosystems at the Bangor University after sitting an entrance exam, competing with other students across Britain.

The Arts | mgs.org

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Captions 1. and 2. Sweeney Todd 3. Femi Nylander 4. Glyn Webster 5. Khalil Madovi 6. Jonathan Hargreaves 7. Barnabus Rex 8. Thomas Hayes-Powell

BRIGHT LIGHTS

9. Will Dobbs, winner of the U14 Living Edge Art Competition 10. Corpse Bride: Junior School production

Sweeney Todd The three great schools of Manchester came together again for this year’s spectacular production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. James Butchart gave a chilling performance as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, alongside Amelia Coen, from Manchester High School for Girls, who portrayed Mrs Lovett, the deranged owner of her infamously dubious pie shop.

The cast, which included girls from Withington Girls’ School, superbly pulled off the complex musical, with Director Matt Nichols acknowledging that the piece “would prove challenging for a cast of established professionals”.

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The actors played to a sell-out crowd, accompanied by a full orchestra conducted by MGS Sixth Former Robin Wallington.

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LAMDA Gold

Art Exhibition

Femi Nylander became the first MGS student to gain a LAMDA Gold award for acting.

MGS Art teacher Jonathan Hargreaves showcased his talents outside the classroom when his work was exhibited at the Albert Square Chop House in Manchester recently.

Femi passed the challenging Grade Eight exam with a distinction. He is now studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford, but still aims to pursue his passion for the stage.

Voice of an Angel After recent choral concerts at the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall, Glyn Webster sang the part of the Angel in Opera North’s production of Handel’s classic, Joshua. He then went on to play Cobweb in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Both performances were at Leeds Grand Theatre. A Midsummer Night’s Dream also appeared at The Lowry, in Newcastle and Nottingham, and received rave reviews from the critics.

BAFTA Celebrating the first BAFTA win of his career, MGS pupil, rapper and actor, Khalil Madovi, triumphed in the Performer category for his role as Josh Carter in CBBC’s 4 O’Clock Club.

Owner Roger Ward said: “Jonathan is one of the region’s great artists; I’ve been very keen to do an exhibition here and continue our mission to promote wonderful artists in the Chop Houses.”

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On Tour in the USA A group of former MGS students have formed an exciting new band and are set to take their music on tour in America.

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Known as Barnabus Rex, the Didsbury band comprises Billy Ward and Dan Mizrahi, who formed the original lineup in 2010; they were recently joined

by Ethan James, Andy Goddard and Billy’s brother Joe. The band’s genre is blues-rock and the boys discovered their common interest in music when studying at MGS. 06

Jazz Band After enduring an arduous nine hours of auditions, Thomas HayesPowell was delighted to be offered a sought-after place in the new Greater Manchester Jazz Band.

Thomas will play the First Tenor Sax in next year’s busy calendar of events, including the Manchester Jazz Festival.

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A Postcard From | mgs.org

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

We always look forward to hearing from MGS Owls after they have left the School and thought we would share a few of their stories with you.

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The World Bank MGS 2002-2006 Olly featured in our last edition of MGSLife. His most recent ‘postcard’ told us he had been offered a role with one of the World’s leading financial institutions after being awarded a First Class Honours degree in Chinese at Oxford and recently graduating from Harvard University.

Celebrating, Olly said: “I am so grateful to my family for the great sacrifices they have made in order to send me to such an outstanding school as MGS. It was there that I first began to develop an interest in energy and the environment. I am also extremely grateful for the Kennedy Scholarship I received, enabling me to fund my Harvard studies, which has in turn provided me with such fantastic opportunities.

I am thrilled to be joining the World Bank and hope that as I develop professionally I can play an instrumental role in the continuation of the organisation’s outstanding work in making a real difference to people’s lives.”

Captions 1. Olly Kerr

4. Pushkar Jha

2. John Oxley

5. Ben Lazarus, celebrating his Oxbridge offer in 2007

3. Matt trekking in Norway: The first student to achieve his Gold DofE at MGS and the first to meet the Duke of Edinburgh

6. Ben Lazarus

John Oxley

I also set up a Twitter feed highlighting stories concerning religion, philosophy and ethics for a wider audience, which many schools now follow.

Paralegal – Ayesha Vardag MGS 2001-2008 “After leaving MGS, I read History at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where I thoroughly enjoyed not only my studies, but also being part of the university community.

During the 2010 General Election, I served as Chairman of Cambridge University Conservative Association, reminiscent of my days at MGS, and enjoyed staging a ball for 1,300 guests as part of my college’s May Ball Committee.

After university, I studied the law conversion and Bar courses in London and was awarded a major scholarship and called to the Bar, by Middle Temple.

I am presently working as a paralegal for top divorce lawyer, Ayesha Vardag, and starting pupillage in 2014 with leading family law chambers QEB. MGS influences continue and I am involved in several charities, including cycling 100 miles for the Samaritans this summer.”

Matthew Bolton Teacher of RS and Philosophy Bedford School MGS 2002-2009 “I left MGS to read Religious Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Having always enjoyed the co-curricular side of MGS, I immersed myself in university life in the same way, assisting in a Student Union scheme in which English-speaking students proof-read work submitted by foreign students.

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At the end of each year I returned to MGS to work as an exams invigilator, cover RS lessons and participate in outdoor visits and activities. This reinforced my wish to teach and I successfully applied for a job teaching RS and Philosophy at Bedford School.

To make a career out of what I love doing is truly amazing – not only am I teaching my favourite subject, but I’m also assisting with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.”

Pushkar Jha Merrill Lynch – London Office MGS 2001-2008 “Studying Economics at university gave me a great insight into how financial institutions function and the leading role the City plays in industry; it led me along a natural path into the world of investment banking.

I joined the Global Markets Division at Merrill Lynch as a Trader on the Sterling Interest Rate desk. The role involves monitoring various UK data – such as the rate of inflation, levels of growth and spending, amount of investments, etc. – and forming a view of how the UK economy will perform in relation to other countries’ economies.

Although things can get pretty intense, the trading floor is full of highly motivated and intelligent people who push you to achieve your best... something it has in common with MGS!”

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Ben Lazarus Public Sector Audit and Advisory – KPMG LLP MGS 2000-2007 “During my Sixth Form years at MGS I developed a real passion for Geography. I was offered a place to study the subject at Oxford where I specialised in humaneconomic geography.

I left Oxford in 2010 and moved back up north. With a new-found interest in the world of business, I gained a place on the KPMG graduate scheme, within their Public Sector Audit and Advisory practice. Over the past three years I have worked with a diverse range of public sector entities, from hospitals to universities to colleges to councils.

While working I studied for the ACA qualification and in October this year I qualified as a chartered accountant.

It’s certainly been a jam-packed and exciting six years for which MGS prepared me well.”

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Making History Series | mgs.org

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ANTHONY PRESTON

MGS 1966-1973

Sitting opposite Anthony Preston is a calming experience. His natural ability to put you at ease makes you realise his success as a businessman was not just down to acumen, but also his empathetic nature.

Anthony tells me he came from humble beginnings; his parents were wholesale hardware merchants and also distributed supplies to local pet shops. He joined the family business as a third generation in 1982 and – thinking the pet sector looked ripe for development – bought a pet supplies wholesale business.

In 1991, Anthony opened his first Pets at Home retail outlet in Chester; by 1999 he had expanded the chain to 60 stores around the country. The company is now the largest pet supplies retailer in the UK with around 320 stores and 5,000 employees.

Both of Anthony’s sons went to MGS. The eldest, Martin, works in advertising in Wilmslow, and Edward in accountancy in London. Daughter, Jenny, attended nearby Withington Girls’, and is now a teacher at New Islington Free School, which has strong ties with MGS.

When you joined MGS aged 11, how did you travel in each day from Eccles?

“I caught the No 15 bus to Manchester, then the No 50 out to school. Although this took an hour and a half, I wasn’t alone; it was commonplace in my day.

The reputation of MGS was so strong and dominant in the area and with good reason as there was such value added.”

What do you mean by ‘value added’?

“The teachers. They instilled in you the belief you could do well. I was a peer of journalist Martin Sixsmith who, like me, studied languages in the Sixth Form.

I chose French, German and English.

I well remember my German teacher, Arthur Shutt. He was in the Secret Service during WWII, a real man of mystery and very disciplined. We were so lucky to have him.”

Were there any teachers who made a difference to you personally?

“Apart from Arthur Shutt [Anthony went on to read German at Wadham College, Oxford], my maths teacher, David Rhodes, who also ran the Lacrosse Club at MGS.

I was a keen sportsman and played lacrosse for the School and also captained my local club. Other staff I remember well were Peter Downes, an outstanding French teacher, along with David Nott and Andrew Mayne.

I applied to Manchester Business School, but wasn’t accepted. Fortunately, I was offered a job with a firm of ventures capitalists at 3i where I worked for four years. It was fantastic; I was immediately involved with local Small/Medium Enterprises (SMEs), buying equity stakes with their money. Studying literature at university helps you to understand what others are thinking - it was certainly good fun playing with other people’s money.”

Tell us about joining the family business “I joined my father, Norman, in 1982, but the small corner shops which we served were starting to decline.

The fact I was so well taught and disciplined was excellent preparation for university and I really enjoyed studying German.”

Are you still in touch with friends from your time at MGS? “Yes, with a small number of classmates, but I saw so many more at the OM Reunion last year. Peter Downes and David Nott were also there and it was a pleasure to catch up with them too.”

What were your aspirations after leaving university?

“My family always talked about the business over the dinner table. I found it fascinating and felt that I could also have the ability for it.

Charged with finding new things to sell to the stores in the hope of extending their life, I thought the pet sector looked ripe for development and so we bought a pet supplies wholesale business to give us another string to our bow. There was a retail recession in 1991, the year we started Pets at Home, but this helped us to find high quality retail space on a newly developed warehouse park in Chester. This was our first store and eventually took off after two years. By 1999, we’d expanded to 60 retail stores and in 2000 bought our competitor Petsmart, instantly trebling in size, which gave us a dominant position in the sector.

The concept was family friendly entertainment all on one level, with great value pet food and accessories, along with live small animals and fish.

We also introduced Companion Care in store with full-service vet practices including 24-hour emergency call out.”

The fact I was so well taught and disciplined was excellent preparation for university, and I really enjoyed studying …

What was it like to go from family business to a leading UK retail chain in less than 10 years?

“It was such great fun creating and building the business. We worked with fantastic staff who were dedicated, energetic, capable and simply amazing.”

Anthony stepped away from the boardroom of the £1bn enterprise in 2010, but his business interests continue and he now supports local start-ups and charities, such as Cheshire Community Foundation.

“I was a financial investor in Kids Allowed when founder Jenny Johnson formed the enterprise in 2010, and made a contribution by offering mentorship and support; it was very satisfying. I also invest in east Africa.

It’s a fascinating economy and developing strongly. The key is urbanisation; cities are growing large populations with an appetite for education and new housing.

I cannot imagine ever retiring; the business world is such a stimulating environment to be involved in.”

Anthony Preston was talking to MGSLife Editor, Sally-Anne Rogers

People and Personalities | mgs.org

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BEHIND THE SCENES

As we head towards the School’s 500th birthday celebrations it seemed an appropriate moment to feature the work of our Development Office, and those who are leading our latest campaign to raise a further £10 million for our Bursary Fund.

Each year, around 240 pupils benefit from free or part-assisted places here at MGS, and we are extremely proud that our founding principles, laid out nearly 500 years ago, continue to this day: educating boys, facilitated by our Bursary Fund, who could not have otherwise enjoyed an MGS education.

Our Director of Development is a former MGS pupil and Geography teacher, Simon Jones. Simon joined MGS in 1988 following in the footsteps of his two brothers, Stephen and Chris, and father Mike.

Simon commented: “I have been incredibly fortunate that my family were able to afford my MGS education. But I am equally aware that previous schemes of financial assistance that enabled my father to benefit from an MGS education in the 1950s and 1960s have played no small part in providing the foundations for my education and that of my brothers and sister.

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While celebrating the fact that there are now 240 boys in the School receiving bursary support, I am mindful that last year there were 30 boys who demonstrated in our admissions tests that they are of MGS quality, but sadly for whom the MGS Trust had insufficient funds. My role at MGS is to raise money for the MGS Trust to try and ensure that our only barrier to entry is academic ability, not parental income.”

These pages illustrate a few of the many thousands of boys who have benefited from an MGS education and could not have otherwise been part of our 500-year history.

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Ian Thorpe Direct Grant – MGS 1962-1969 “I was 10 when I travelled by bus with my mother from Rochdale to MGS to take the Entrance Examination. My family lived within narrow horizons on a council estate; when I took up my Direct Grant place at MGS my life changed dramatically. I found that I liked academic work, as well as the many friends I made from a wide range of backgrounds.

At school I played a lot of football and tennis, went to Grasmere camp and acted in a few plays.

Some great English teachers catapulted me to Cambridge, which made my parents inordinately proud. Eight years later I was back at MGS in an English Department whence the gods who had taught me had thankfully departed.

I have learned much more whilst on the staff at MGS than I did as a pupil, with a succession of jobs spanning 36 years to date. I am most happy to have spent the last few years establishing the School’s own bursary scheme which can enable today’s council estate boys to follow a similar exciting journey to mine.”

Martin Boulton Assisted Places Scheme MGS 1984-1986 “I was born in Altrincham, raised in south Manchester and later moved to Bury where I attended the Derby School before joining MGS in the Sixth Form through the Assisted Places Scheme.

MGS was a quite remarkable environment. The education was distinctive in that I was suddenly among the brightest pupils in the North of England, being taught by highly qualified academics with a passion for their subject; but school was never about just studying three A-Levels. The School was renowned for what it had to offer outside of the classroom; the options programme Captions 1. Simon Jones and Ian Thorpe 2. Simon Jones aged 11, school picture 3. Ian Thorpe, U15 football 4. L to R Dr Martin Boulton (fourth from left), The Chekroud boys; Sam Wheeler; Milo Donnelly

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introduced me, a scientist, to subjects ranging from European Literature to Philosophy and even Folk Music. The programme of summer trips was aweinspiring. I went on two of the three-week summer treks, one to the Zillertal in Austria and another to the Vanoise in the French Alps; this is where my lifelong passion for mountaineering began.

I went on from MGS initially to study for a degree in engineering, and then went on to complete a PhD. I then worked for Arthur Andersen, although I did not find this challenging in the way I had expected.

I decided I wanted a change of direction and memories of being taught by inspirational teachers with expertise and interests that went far beyond life in the classroom would, I thought, make teaching, particularly at a school like MGS, a much more rewarding career.

What has delighted me on my return to the School as High Master is that the education is still as distinctive today as it was then, and what it has to offer boys outside the classroom is, if anything, even more inspirational.”

Adam, Ameen and Sammi Chekroud Bursary Scheme Adam: MGS 2003-2010 Ameen: MGS 2005-2013 Sammi: MGS 2005-2012 “My results this year mark a celebration for our entire family as we achieved a ‘hat trick’ by all securing places at Oxford University. My older brother, Adam, graduated this year with a First Class Honours degree and is now studying an MSc in Neuroscience.

Last year I had to be separated from my twin brother, Sammi – who is currently studying Experimental Psychology – as serious illness meant that I could not sit my A-Levels alongside him.

MGS supported all of us financially; I was extremely lucky to have received

continuous support from the Bursary Fund. I just could not have repeated the year otherwise.” Ameen Chekroud Sam Wheeler Bursay Scheme MGS 1999-2006 “How many sons of a 17-year-old single mother living on a council estate in Longsight manage to get to Oxford? MGS creates these pathways and opportunites for people like me and has been doing for 500 years.

My time at MGS instilled in me not only a passion for social justice, but the skills to put that into practice. As such, politics was the only path for me, and I give special tribute to the late Dr Rod Martin for inspiring me.

I am now working in Westminster for a Labour MP. Each time I put pen to paper I remember that MGS didn’t just teach me how to write, it taught me what was right.”

Milo Donnelly Bursary Scheme MGS 2006-2013 “I joined MGS, aged 11, on a bursary and believe it is so important that the School’s commitment to educating students from all backgrounds is something that should be celebrated. I can honestly say that the School was amazing; I loved my time there.

My interest in maths means I will go on to study the subject next year and I’m looking forward to researching all the options to ensure I take the right course.

Meanwhile, I’m taking a gap year so will undoubtedly do some travelling and would also like to undertake volunteering in Russia, as well as teaching in Africa or the Far East.”

If you would like to learn more about the work of our Development Office, Simon would be delighted to hear from you – s.jones@mgs.org

People and Personalities | mgs.org

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Captions 1. Susanne Gilmore 2. Tim Cambell-Green 3. Clair Vaughan 4. Nicole Reynolds 5. Shona Reed 6. Richard Hedley 7. Amber Leigh 8. Victoria Tierney

JUNIOR LIFE

Our Junior School offers creativity and challenge in all areas. Academic life includes an innovative options programme with skill-based topics to extend and satisfy even the most curious child. Boys can choose from over 60 clubs to broaden their interests or realise new talents.

The Junior School teaching assistants (TAs) make a huge contribution to every aspect of our school life.

They play a crucial role in our school development and are carefully selected for their caring nature, innovative ideas and sense of fun. They are encouraged to follow their individual talents and to lead initiatives, be it introducing a conker competition or reconstructing an archaeological dig!

Their roles encompass both pastoral care and the support of academic work. In the classroom they support groups and individuals, always working closely with our teaching staff.

On the playground they’re often the first to bat in cricket, but also the first to offer friendship and kindness to those who need it. Wraparound care is made successful by TAs helping to supervise homework, but then offering fun activities to wind down after a busy day.

I have been leading the Junior School for five years now and I still delight in the laughter and love of learning shared by boys and staff alike.

Linda Hamilton Head of Junior School

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Suzanne Gilmour

Nicole Reynolds

Worked for eighteen years in the chemical industry after leaving Sheffield with a degree in Chemistry.

Gained a degree in Social Policy at the University of Manchester and went on to work in the retail sector, taking time out to raise her two children.

She decided on a change of direction after a career break to take care of her three children and recently completed her PGCE at the University of Manchester. Suzanne is a keen walker, especially enjoying regular trips to the Yorkshire Dales.

She is a parent governor at Heald Place Primary, and recently completed her Teaching Assistant qualification.

Outside school she loves to be by the sea with her family, camping, walking and cycling.

Tim Campbell-Green Shona Reed Developed a deep love of archaeology at an early age which led to a PhD from Sheffield University, specialising in the study of pottery and ritual archaeology in the Greek Bronze Age.

Grew up in Berkshire and after obtaining a degree in Modern Languages joined a major IT company, spending several years working in the Translations Department.

His ambition is to teach and he will be moving on from MGS to pursue a PGCE in the near future.

She went on to work as Product Marketing Manager within the organisation and took the Chartered Institute of Marketing Advanced Certificate, before making a career change into education.

Clair Vaughan Studied postgraduate Law and was called to the Bar in 1999.

She went on to work in civil litigation at three firms in Manchester. She plans to pursue a PGCE when her children are older. Clair enjoys walking and visiting National Trust properties with her family.

Richard Hedley Completed his degree in Philosophy and Politics at Durham, and became a police constable with Greater Manchester Police.

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He joined the Independent Police Complaints Commission and worked on a variety of investigations in Salford.

Richard decided to pursue a career in education, initially working in a north Manchester high school supporting children with special needs.

Amber Leigh Recently graduated from Edge Hill University with a Primary Education (with Qualified Teaching Status) degree and plans to undertake a Master’s degree at a later date.

She is actively involved with her foster-caring parents and enjoys family life immensely.

Victoria Tierney Graduated from Edge Hill University with a degree in Supporting Teaching and Learning. Prior to joining MGS, she worked for eight years as a TA at a Junior School in Sale.

Victoria enjoys travelling and experiencing different cultures, hoping to visit her favourite place, Mexico, again next year. Family time is enjoyed creating recipes and baking with her two sons and walking with their two dogs.

Adventure and Activities | mgs.org

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Captions 1. Stuart Leeming

5. Akhil (left) and Mark

2. George Bulman – Principal NIFS

6. John-Henry Charles

3. Linda Hamilton

7. Finlay (left) and Jacob

4. L to R, DofE Fairbourne, IB students

CHARITIES AND CHALLENGES

Schools are not simply collections of buildings and playing fields, they are communities of people, and the extraordinarily active MGS community extends far beyond the School gates, to the immense advantage of our boys.

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Junior School Outreach Programme Teachers and pupils alike contribute to and benefit from projects as diverse as the establishment of New Islington Free School (NIFS) in Ancoats, near to the birth place of Hugh Oldham, our Founder; the Children of Success Schools Trust, raising educational standards for primary school children in Wythenshawe; and Community Action, which places our pupils in the heart of our wider community, supporting the young and old alike.

The skills, the insight and the understanding our boys achieve through this work can’t be taught in the classroom, yet they are a crucial platform for a successful and fulfilling life and career. For 500 years now we have belonged to the Greater Manchester community; that’s really quite special!

Stuart Leeming Deputy High Master

The Junior School Outreach Programme is flourishing and strong links have been made particularly with the setting up of NIFS and the Children of Success Schools Trust. As a Director on both boards, I am fortunate enough to play a small part in the vision and strategic planning of three schools.

NIFS opened in September and we are looking forward to an effective partnership, with the sharing of ideas and expertise.

Over the past year we have developed close links with the Wythenshawe Academy, and their Gifted and Talented children have been regular visitors to the Junior School.

We have opened our doors to an even wider group of schools for such events as our Bexwyke Lecture and U9s tag rugby experience. Being an Outreach hub is beneficial to all schools, including MGS, and allows us to build up a strong partnership whilst working creatively together.

Linda Hamilton Head of Junior School

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Fairbourne Railway

IB Students Partner for Charity

As part of their DofE award, Raymond Ding and Alberto Meschi spent a week this summer cleaning and repairing the Fairbourne Railway traverser, which enables steam locos to be moved between sheds.

For the last two years, IB students from MGS and Manchester High School for Girls have held a 24-hour sponsored badminton event. The money raised has been used to send books and other educational materials to schools in Tanzania.

The steam railway comprises a two-mile track through Fairbourne village, Gwynedd, and along the sea front.

Fairbourne Railway Preservation Society helps keep the railway financially independent and is run by volunteers.

MGS IB students also organised a ‘Mufti-day’ with a difference. Boys were asked to donate a book in exchange for wearing non-uniform. Thousands of books were shipped to Tanzania and Uganda, along with £4,000 raised to help build wells and schools in Uganda.

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Heartbeat

Nordic Challenge

Sixth Formers Akhil Anand and Mark Humphrey participated in the 26-mile Manchester Cycle Ride in June to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Former MGS student John-Henry Charles – currently studying Earth Sciences at Oxford – cycled 2,523km in 21 days from Nordkapp to Verden’s Ende in Norway; two and a half times the distance as the crow flies.

Young Volunteers of the Year

Support from the MGS Community, friends and family, helped them raise over £1,000.

John-Henry camped along the way, carrying gear on his bike. He raised nearly £3,000 for Macmillan and the Brain Tumour Charity, in memory of his uncle, who died of a brain tumour.

At the end of the trip an elated JohnHenry said: “MGS offered opportunities to foster a real passion for difficult challenges, both physical and academic.

The camps, treks and activities that the School provides are brilliant and really inspired me to combine my love for a challenge with raising money for two vitally important charities.”

Jacob Snelson and Finlay Markham have been awarded the David Knight Memorial Trophy by Chadderton FC, presented to those who work beyond expectations to improve the club.

Jacob and Finlay volunteer as CFC Junior coaches and help organise weekly training sessions for six to elevenyear-old girls. They support disability coaching and mini-soccer festivals with primary schools, partnered with Radclyffe and North Chadderton schools. They were also runners-up in this year’s Oldham Sports Awards Young Volunteer of the Year category.

Adventure and Activities | mgs.org

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THE MGS SENSE OF ADVENTURE

Whether boys want to travel on our renowned treks and trips to distant lands or join in the numerous activities here in the UK, the variety of adventures on offer at MGS is simply staggering.

The Treks During October half term, a total of 1298 accumulated boy days were spent on trips all around the World – from China and the USA to Germany and Spain.

These pages give just a glimpse of the variety on offer here at MGS, but you can experience more by viewing our Flickr photo stream hosted on mgs.org

There were two treks again this year: the first was to Norway at Easter, the second to Marrakech in October. Marrakech was our 15th Desert Trek since they began in 2000; all have been organised and led entirely in-house, which means we are able to keep costs to a minimum.

The Desert Trek was the longest so far, covering 300km and involving 15 Year 11 and 12 boys. They flew to Marrakech and began by crossing the High Atlas Mountains on their way to the Moroccan far south and the Zagora region.

South of Zagora, the trek explored four dune massifs, two mountain ranges of the Moroccan Sahara, and dry river beds and valleys, entirely on foot for 14 days, supported only by what could be carried by camels. Boys and staff slept on the ground under the stars and mingled with Moroccan nomad caravan guides. All returned to Manchester having experienced incredible life-changing experiences.

Eric Cittanova Trek Leader

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China For two weeks in October, 27 boys visited Beijing, Xi’an, Wuhan and Shanghai. They saw the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Terracotta Warriors Museum, experiencing first-hand both the ancient and modern sides of China.

There were plenty of opportunities to practise the language and form friendships during home-stays and with the locals.

Teacher Ru Lan, who led the trip, said she was delighted with the improvement in the fluency of the boys’ Mandarin and their motivation to continue to learn the language.

Madrid

USA

Scuba Diving

34 members of the MGS Year 8 and 9 football squad enjoyed a trip to the Spanish FA in Madrid.

14 boys and two staff spent October half term on a road tour of Western USA, travelling through California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. They visited the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite National Park, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Alcatraz.

Exploring the underwater world is one of life’s great experiences.

They were trained by the Spanish team’s coaches while staying in the national team complex.

Germany The annual October trip to Ausburg saw 14 boys and three staff celebrating 15 years of exchanges between MGS and the Maria Theresia Gymnasium.

They spent eight days getting to know Bavaria and exploring Augsburg, with excursions to Munich, Dachau, Nuremberg, as well as a hike in the Alps. They were officially greeted in Augsburg Town Hall by the Director of Education, and experienced the warmest of welcomes from our various host families.

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Italy

Our students are taught the theory at sessions in the MGS pool by John Mitchell and MGS staff member Tom Richmond, from Yu Diving. They learn the basic skills, with an understanding of all the safety aspects. With this solid foundation our boys are in for a lifetime of adventures, able to enjoy safely all the stunning beauty the sea has to offer.

Our Year 6 boys enjoyed a fabulous five-day visit to Italy in June, revelling in the array of activities on offer, including rowing, sailing, dry wall climbing and monkeying around in a tree-top activity park.

Bird’s Eye View

This is an annual trip; our Year 5 boys also have a fun-packed water sports week in Wales.

Enthusiastic boys listened to talks by RAF pilot John ‘JJ’ Jackson and BA Airbus pilot Tim Westwater.

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‘MGS Adventures’ also happen within our grounds: this year, three helicopters landed for the annual Junior Science Day.

Captions 1. China 2. Madrid 3. Germany 4. USA 5. Italy 6. Scuba Diving 7. and 8. Birds Eye View

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Adventure and Activities | mgs.org

FUN AND GAMES

Every year, for one week in June, our boys are offered the opportunity to explore and experience a variety of activities including camps, sports, drama, rowing, Latin fiesta, Masterchef,TimeTeam, Media City, radio broadcasting and photography, to name just a few. Here is a selection of images from this year’s Activities Week.

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Sports News | mgs.org

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Captions 1. U16 Lancashire Cup 2. Junior Rugby

11. Harry LewisMitchell

3. Cameron Nield 4. Harry Aaronson

COMPETING ON THE NATIONAL STAGE

10. Junior Cross Country

5. U16 Football

12. Table Tennis, Arvin on the right

6. Jake with dad Steven and brother Kyle

13. Billy Kershaw

7. Lancashire U17 Cup 8. Junior Cricket

14. Richard Hall 15. Harry Budworth

9. James Ratcliffe

Rugby

Football

MGS U16 rugby team won the Lancashire Cup this year with an impressive 43-5 victory in the final against Kirkham Grammar School.

MGS U16 football team are Greater Manchester champions after winning the Greater Manchester Schools Cup. They won 4-3 against Wright Robinson Sports Academy.

A jubilant U11 team were thrilled to win the final of the Association of Junior Independent Schools Rugby Sevens tournament, the first time MGS has taken part in the competition. The boys played with skill and determination and emerged as victors in a 5-1 win.

Cameron Neild has been selected for the U20 England Rugby team, having already earned an England Rose at U18.

Formerly U16 Captain for Sale Sharks, Cameron has now been officially signed up by the Club.

Harry Aaronson has been chosen to play for an U16 rugby league side, the Huddersfield Giants. Harry’s rugby career began when he was selected to play for his much loved Saddleworth Rangers Club at the age of six.

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Last year’s MGS first team football captain, Jake Bentwood, received a full tuition soccer scholarship at Lynn University in Florida where he is now studying for a degree in International Business Management.

Cricket MGS won the final of the U17 Lancashire 20/20 Cup thanks to an excellent bowling and fielding performance. Ali Qasim and Luke Wolstenholme shared an unbeaten 80 run partnership to claim the trophy.

Our Junior Cricket team won the Association of Junior Independent Schools Cup. This was the first year MGS had entered the competition, and MGS managed a 47 run win over King’s Chester, who had been undefeated throughout the competition.

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Athletics Athletics Captain James Ratcliffe won a host of medals at the Cheshire County Athletics Championships. He won Gold and was crowned Cheshire champion in the U15 category in three separate events. James – a runner for Sale Harriers – also won Silver in the javelin.

Our Year 5-6 team were crowned Manchester champions for the second year in a row, coming first out of over 100 schools in the Manchester Primary Schools Cross Country Finals.

Drew Baker, who won the race, represented Manchester in the Greater Manchester Championships for the second year running.

Our Year 3-5 team won the team prizes at the Trafford Athletic Club cross country races at Longford Park.

Year 6 also won the team competition.

Harry Budworth enjoyed great success at the Saddleworth Village Olympics where he won six medals: long distance, standing long jump, sprint, relay, rugby and football.

Swimming Harry Lewis-Mitchell added to his large collection of medals at the National Age Group Swimming Championships in Sheffield. He reached the final in every event he entered, winning both Silver for the 100m fly and Gold in the 4 x 200m relay.

Table tennis Arvin Ashtab won the main competition in the Secondary Schools Individual Table Tennis Competition, with Joe Shenton joining in the success as runnerup in the Plate competition. Our U19 team came third as they represented Greater Manchester in the Zonal Championship.

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Lacrosse Billy Kershaw was selected to join the Elite English Knights. They will train for the next two years to take part in the Bison Brawl and the Gait Cup at Gettysburg University in Philadelphia.

Billy also earned a place on the England Academy’s U15 team.

Squash Richard Hall is celebrating a win in the Cheshire County Squash Championships for the fifth year in a row, making him number one player in both the U13 and U15 teams. He is now ranked the third in the country, and 13th in Europe.

Richard plays in the U19 MGS team.

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Sports News | mgs.org

MGS Life Managing editor: Sally-Anne Rogers Assistant editor: Danielle Shepherd Design and artwork: VisualSense.com The Manchester Grammar School Old Hall Lane, Manchester, M13 0XT

COMPETING ON THE NATIONAL STAGE Captions 1. Ben Brownson 2. Arron Gould with his dad 3. Kai Wolgram 4. Matthew Haji-Michael

Eight MGS pupils participated in the 19th Maccabiah Games – the Jewish Olympics – held in Israel every four years. Around 10,000 athletes from over 80 countries competed in 30 sports during a three week period.

Maccabiah Games

Sailing

Ben Brownson

Kai Wolgram

Ben was appointed as the youngest manager across all delegations in the history of the Games and was the Team Manager of the GB Junior Golf Team.

Junior pupil Kai Wolgram holds the impressive 65th place in the national rankings out of 253 nineyear-old sailors and will now trial for the GBR teams to represent his country at next year’s international competitions; he has also been invited to join the Welsh National Optimist squad.

Ben, who left MGS this year and will join Deloitte on their BrightStart Scheme, said: “It was an incredible experience and great to see the boys get along with their fellow athletes, creating friendships for life.”

Arron Gould Arron was the youngest player in the Water Polo competition, competing in an experienced adult men’s team.

Although GB did not win the tournament, they played extremely well against the five teams representing Brazil, Italy, Israel, USA and Hungry. Arron’s dad also represented GB in the Masters Golf.

Kai collected his first sailing trophy in June at the Optimist National Inland Championships, battling it out against 250 other sailors.

Matthew Haji-Michael Matthew qualified for the Topper National Racing Squad after another successful year of competitive sailing. He is now part of Team GBR which has given him access to a world class training programme.

Sailing most weekends in national events throughout the UK, Matthew had a successful year at the World Championships in Holland in 2012, and competed at the 2013 World Championships in Brittany.

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