The Chronicle 2015 - 2016 by The Glasgow Academy

Chronicle The Glasgow Academy

2015-2016

Chronicle The Glasgow Academy

From the Rector Another year of record results!

Autumn 2016 Number 336

The Saunders Centre wins its RIAS Award George Young (Dunne Group), Peter Brodie (The Rector), Bryan Duncan (Lead Governor for the Saunders Centre), Marianne Keating (Architect, Page\Park), Sarah Jane Storrie (Architect, Page\Park), Stephen Lynas ( Hadden Construction, a RIAS sponsor), Denise Bennetts (Director at Bennetts Associates; a RIAS judge).

Credit: Malcolm Cochrane

Editors: Emma Ross and Emma Merton with Alison Campbell

ur excellent SQA examination results were again amongst the very finest in Scotland. They are the successful outcome of our broad academic curriculum, lots of hard work by children and staff, and rich co-curricular experiences that build children’s confidence, focus, team work, time management skills and sense of self-efficacy.

Our pupils gained our best ever Higher and Advanced Higher pass rates, as well as our best A grade rate at National 5. The Higher pass rate at S5 was an outstanding 96.8% - 0.7% ahead of last year’s record high. 39 girls and boys gained 5 or 6 A grades at Higher. At Advanced Higher our pass rate was 93.2% and 11 pupils gained 3 or 4 A grades. Alasdair Forrest gained the highest mark in the country in Chemistry Advanced Higher, winning the Royal Society of Chemistry’s prize for Chemistry Advanced Higher. At National 5 our A grade rate was 81.2%, an excellent 5.7% improvement on last year’s fine results. The pass rate was 97.9%. Our new Saunders Centre won both a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Award and a RIAS (Royal Incorporation of Architects of Scotland) Award. It brought our architect, Sarah Jane Storrie, the Emerging Architect of the Year Award; it was also shortlisted for the Best Use of Timber Award and the Scotland’s Client of the Year

Award. It has been listed too for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award. Music and Drama reached new heights. The Watson Auditorium was christened by a classy production of The Importance of Being Earnest. That was followed by a charming performance of The Ladykillers, by S1-3. The Senior School musical - Fame - was widely acclaimed, and the Prep School show, Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits, was much enjoyed. In the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, the school’s Pipe Band finished second in their category and there have been glowing reports of the school’s chamber choir performances at various venues around Glasgow: the St John’s Renfield Concert alone raised £4500 for charity. The school’s sportsmen and women have excelled. We have a record 26 internationalists, including 11 in rowing alone. In addition to that, Katie Archibald (class of 2012)

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Excellence and opportunities

From the Rector won Olympic Gold in Rio as Great Britain smashed the world record to win the women’s team pursuit. Gavin Horsburgh (class of 2015) became a world champion for the second year running by winning the World U23 title in lightweight quads. Also representing Great Britain at the World Rowing Junior Championships were Josh Armstrong, Alex Rankin and India Somerside. Our rowing coach, Iain Somerside, was honoured as Sportscotland performance coach of the year and coached the GB junior women’s four. The Academy has become one of the UK’s top rowing schools, with some of the fastest boats in Great Britain, Josh being the UK’s fastest Junior sculler, having won every trial and singles competition this year, and becoming National Schools Champion and Scottish Champion. Our girls pair of Alex Rankin and India Somerside proved the fastest junior pair in Great Britain and won six international titles, becoming Belgium Junior Champions, Flemish Senior Champions, Scottish Champions and winners at the Munich International Regatta, beating crews from eight countries, including the French, Polish, Czech, Austrian and Dutch national teams. Callum Urquhart took two Golds for GB at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Poland and Callum Broad won the double sculls for Scotland at the Home International. Our girls quad won the prestigious Henley women’s regatta and at the British Championships Alex Milne won gold and Anna Colley bronze. The school has ten Scottish Champions in rowing. Autumn 2015 saw the inaugural Scottish Rugby Schools Conference fixtures across Scotland, in which The Academy was the most successful West Scotland school, coming top of the White Conference jointly with George Heriot’s. In hockey, our 1st XI won silver in the Robert Gordon’s tournament and our S1 A team were runnersup in the West District tournament. Five girls represented West District, three of whom were selected for the Scotland U16 Development squad. Our 1st XI cricket team had resounding wins against West of Scotland schools after a very successful tour in Dubai. The school’s CCF won the annual military skills competition held at Barry Buddon, a demanding competition for both the Combined Cadet Force and Army Cadet Force which tests tactics, first aid, command tasks, night navigation and fitness, with obstacle courses, speed marching and stalking. Our cadets worked extremely well as a team to overcome challenges that many adults and some regular soldiers would struggle with. They won two trophies - one for Top CCF and the other the newly-commissioned Piper Lairdlaw VC Trophy for best overall Cadet team. Our CCF also won the Welbeck Leadership Stem Challenge, recording the fastest time of any CCF on the high ropes course. The school became Scottish champions by a wide margin in the Enterprising Maths Challenge, a team maths event for S3/4 across Scotland. In the UK Mathematics Trust Team Maths Challenge our S1s and S2s won the regional final and represented Scotland in London for the fourth year in a row. In the Jaguar Cars Maths in Motion World Championships we came third in the World out of all the Senior Schools competing. This championship involves

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the application of Maths to Formula 1 racing. We have become a UK centre of excellence, through which training and support for other schools are available. At Scottish Schools Swimming Championships Iain Fletcher won the 100m butterfly and the 200m butterfly. The school’s Girls 12 and Under team won the 200m freestyle relay, setting a new Scottish Schools record. At the Scottish Schools Athletics Championships, pupils won three Silver medals, whilst Fraser Middleton became the British U18 Slalom Champion and ranked number 1 British U18 in the speed disciplines, continuing to perform for the Delancey British Alpine Team. In squash, Robert McNaught, Andrew Glen, Ewan MacAndie and Ruairi McGettigan won several of the most prestigious tournaments on the Scottish Junior Circuit, continuing to rise in the Scottish rankings. Our U14 basketball team enjoyed its finest season so far, reaching the Glasgow schools league semi-finals and the final of the Glasgow schools cup, where the team played hard but lost to a team with national players in it. 85% of S3 worked towards their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, and we have been delighted by the huge increase in the number of pupils taking part in the Gold expedition, making us one of Scotland’s top schools in having 101 pupils actively completing their Gold award. In the coming session we will be focusing on encouraging our pupils to use their volunteering section to make an even larger contribution to communitybased volunteering projects. Our role in the community is important to us and our pupils and staff engage with their communities in a wide variety of ways. Helped by all the support from parents, they raised nearly £33,000 for charity this session. Sharan Maiya was a finalist in the ‘National Science and Engineering Competition’ at the Big Bang UK Young Scientists Fair at the NEC, Birmingham. As well as earning a Gold CREST Award, Sharan’s 6000-word thesis was published in the Young Scientists Journal and his project won a prize at the Young Scientists Journal Conference in Canterbury. Congratulations to all our children who have achieved so much and had a lot of fun doing so. Bravo!

Yvonne Zhou Chess Scotland U12

Meet our Internationalists

Sam Abernethy Rowing Scotland Junior men’s eight

Holly Allan Rowing Scotland Junior women’s eight

Josh Armstrong Alexandra Black Rowing Shooting GB Junior men’s quads Scotland small-bore

Jamie Brennan Rugby Scotland U16

Callum Broad Rowing Scotland Junior men’s double

Kaydi Burns Dance Scotland U17 team

Anna Colley Rowing Scotland Junior women’s four

Youcef Djoudi Rowing Scotland Junior men’s eight

Bryn Doherty Tetrathlon Scotland (Junior)

Éirinn Fitzgerald Shooting Scotland small-bore

Ben Henderson Artistic Gymnastics Scotland U14

Anna Manuel Tetrathlon (Mini) Scotland

Arran McFadyen Shooting Scotland small-bore

Flynn McLean Tetrathlon (Mini) Scotland

Lewis McLean Equestrian Scotland U18

Fraser Middleton Skiing Delancey British U21 Alpine Ski Team

Jenny Olney Rowing Scotland Junior women’s eight

Alex Rankin Rowing GB women’s four Belgium Junior Champion Flemish Senior Champion Winner Munich International Regatta

Thandi Smith Tetrathlon (Junior) Scotland

India Somerside Rowing GB women’s four Belgium Junior Champion Flemish Senior Champion Winner Munich International Regatta

Callum Urquhart Rowing GB Coupe Junior men’s four

Holly Wicklow Rowing Scotland Junior women’s four

Philippa Williamson Tetrathlon (Mini) Scotland

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Charities and community involvement Every year we are able to donate to a wide variety of charities chosen by the pupils. However, without question, cancer charities have been the preferred choice for support this session, with Cancer UK, Beatson, Macmillan Cancer Support and CLIC Sargent all benefiting from the pupils’ hard work. The total of all charitable donations, from pupils and staff, for this session is £32,929.45. It was a very busy year in the south of Glasgow where the Primary 4 of TGA Dairsie decided they would like us to support Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS). There were various fundraising events linked to this throughout the course of the year, including ‘Funky Footwear Friday’. The main event was a sponsored read during the month of February, which tied in with The Sunday Post’s ‘Read for Robin House’ appeal. A total of £1800 was raised and a good few books were enjoyed! Once again Harvest gifts were passed to The Lodging House Mission, where the produce was used to help those in need. During Money Week, Primary 4 held a ‘Bring and Buy’ sale and Primary 2 a ‘Cake Sale’; the proceeds of both went to CHAS. The parents and staff kindly donated just under 50 Christmas gifts to the Glasgow Care Foundation which helped ensure the Foundation was able to give a gift to every child with whom they were in contact. Money raised from the Travelling Book Fair was donated to another children’s cancer charity, Sport Relief was supported when everyone wore something red for the day and the annual sponsored jog for ‘Children in Need’ enabled us to donate over £1600 to this worthy cause.

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TGA Milngavie supported 18 charities this year and raised over £1500. The organisations ranged from Glasgow Cares through to the Yorkhill Foundation and Get Kids Going. We were able to buy another pair of boots for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and children’s footwear for refugees. We improved our skipping skills as part of ‘Jump Rope’ for Heart and our reading skills for CLIC Sargent and The Roald Dahl Foundation. The children bought Fairtrade bananas and hot chocolate during Fairtrade Fortnight and were put through their paces by Virgin Active staff for Sports Relief. For Rainforest Concern, the pupils guessed the name of the leopard and they wore Pudsey ears during Children in Need. The Nursery/Kindergarten pupils donned woolly hats for NSPCC Bobble Hat Day and everyone dressed up during European Day of Languages to collect money for BookAid. The variety of different charities working in both this country and overseas shows how much the pupils are aware of the need to help others. At Kelvinbridge staff, pupils and parents have all been involved in charitable work. Our Rights Respecting Schools Committee held a bake sale in aid of Children in Need and raised a lot of smiling faces and £364. The younger children in the Nursery wanted to help veterans of conflicts and raised £67 for Erskine through making and then selling their own poppies. After School Care held a Parents’ Breakfast and raised £249 for MacMillan. On the last day of the Christmas Term the Pupil Council wanted to do something special and organised a ‘Christmas Jumper Day’. Along with an eccentric array of styles and colours,

they raised a fantastic £524 for Make a Wish, Macmillan Cancer Support and Save the Children. A very respectable £56 was raised through the Peace Poster Art competition and the collection after the Carol Service raised £312 for East Park School.

persuaded the Deputy Rector to participate in a sponge the teacher event! Between this, our Carol Service collection and the Santa Dash (a five kilometre fun run through the streets of Glasgow, which had 120 pupils and staff taking part, together), we raised over £2500 for The Beatson.

Primary 6 children collected clothing for Syrian Refugees and the £120 raised by the House Badge sale paid for the postage of these to Lesvos. Through the 90kg rice challenge, the amount of rice sold that would enable a Malawian farmer to pay for a year’s basic secondary education for one child, our Enterprise Club raised £243 for Just Trading Scotland, the importing/distributing arm of the Balmore Trust. Their sale of House water bottles raised £900 for Whizz Kids, a charity which supports disabled children across the UK. Finally, Primary 7 pupils raised a staggering £2895 for Children 1st through their annual sale. Over the course of the session, the Prep School at Kelvinbridge has raised over £8000 for different charities.

S1 boys raised £300 for Yorkhill children’s charity by organising a football tournament and raffling a football signed by the Rangers team and a signed Scottish rugby shirt. The English Department’s S1 Readathon raised the amazing sum of £2,072 to aid the work of the two Readathon children’s charities: Sargent Cancer Care for Children and The Roald Dahl Foundation. Both charities help children in Scotland who are ill with cancer, leukaemia and other blood disorders, epilepsy or acquired brain injury.

Since September, before the start of the school day, members of S6 have been attending the early morning service at the University of Glasgow where they have been remembering Academicals who attended the university and who fell during WW1, on the day they died. During the service pupils read a biography of the Academical before moving outside to plant a poppy in the garden of remembrance. Our teachers of Advanced Higher French and Advanced Higher Drama have supported pupils from a local school which has been unable to provide those courses for them.

Before Christmas the Chamber Choir raised £620 for Glasgow City Mission from their concert in Helensburgh and, at another event, collected £794 for the work of Wellington Church. In the new year over 30 members gave up a Saturday afternoon to perform a fundraising concert for Revive MS Support, who offer help to those living with Multiple Sclerosis. They performed to a packed church of over 450 people with a programme that included solo items from a number of SQA exam candidates, alongside some more light-hearted Rodgers & Hammerstein pieces. The standard was incredibly high and raised over £4000. The staff quiz night managed to raise £755 for Parkinson’s UK. This wonderful total went some way to diminish the discomfort caused by the winning team coming from the High School of Glasgow.

In the Senior School, members of Arthur House raised just over £400 for SCIAF by taking part in their ‘wee box’ scheme during Lent. Mary’s Meals collected 72 backpacks and a huge bag of shoes and toys. Almost 300 children in Malawi have received backpacks from the school over the past three years. The Scottish Association of Mental Health benefited to the tune of £510 from an entertaining staff Bleep test, cake days, and a raffle all organised by S5 pupil, Vivien Yu.

Events are often coordinated across the entire school. The Food Bank Appeal was one such event and we are confident over £3000 worth of food was collected and donated to 4 different banks. Another was our non-uniform day, which raised £1789. After moving reports in the national press about the plight of those who suffered and are still suffering after the earthquake in Nepal, the money was donated to help the Tearfund’s work in that region.

Our Head Boy and Girl were very popular when they

AL Evans

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Chairman’s Report As Chair of the Governing Body I feel very privileged to be part of this great school and I’m delighted to report that the Academy is in excellent shape. The school roll remains healthy, financially we are strong and every penny of surplus we make is reinvested in the school. Academic attainment is excellent; this year we celebrate our best ever Higher and Advanced Higher results. The Higher pass rate at S5 was an outstanding 96.8% - 0.7% ahead of last year’s record high. At Advanced Higher our pass rate was 93.2%. Well done everybody! Our results make us among the top performing independent schools in Scotland and these are terrific achievements.

The usual summer works maintenance and refurbishment have been carried out as normal across our three sites and at New Anniesland. In addition we are working up plans to create a new nursery and kindergarten at the Newlands Bowling Club site and this will further enhance our Dairsie offering.

Last year I reported that the new Saunders Centre had just been handed over by the contractors to the school. One year later I’m delighted to say how well it is working. The Biologists, Chemists and Physicists, both pupils and teachers, tell me what a wonderful learning environment it is and I assume that this will feed through to even better academic attainment?! The food technology facility is superb and of course it is a building that has so many other uses. The multi-purpose auditorium is being well used by the whole school and the social and public spaces are highly popular. It is a wonderful new addition to our facilities and has been so favourably commented on by all that have seen it. The quality of the building’s design has been recognised by three architectural awards, including our architect Sarah Jane Storrie of Page\Park winning the Emerging Architect of the Year award for it. We were also shortlisted for the client of the year award in recognition of the consultative and collaborative approach to the design involving staff and pupils in the design. The building has been shortlisted too for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award to be announced later in the year.

Earlier I mentioned our continuing investment in new and improved facilities and while this is important it means absolutely nothing without the right staff and it is the investment in people that really makes the difference in education. I never cease to be amazed at the quality of our people and I would like to pay tribute to our talented and committed staff who do such an outstanding job in educating and nurturing our children. Led by our inspirational Rector and his superb senior team they set the standard of excellence in everything we do. The Academy is a school with great tradition and heritage and that is important, but it is what we do now and in the future that will differentiate us. At the Academy whatever you do is important, valued, and truly appreciated.

With the high level of capital spend over the last few years inevitably there will be a period of consolidation ahead. We plan to repay our borrowings more quickly than the contracted loan terms and therefore maintaining our strong cash flows is important. Despite that we have authorised some capital projects over the summer, including replacement of the astro here in Kelvinbridge.

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This year has marked the 150th anniversary of the Glasgow Academical Club and what a year it has been. Led by President John Beattie the focus has been on what we can do for others and many charitable projects have been undertaken, working closely with Glasgow City Council to benefit those in the City most in need. The social highlights have been the Annual Dinner in Kelvingrove Art Gallery, the Civic Reception in the City Chambers and the sporting sections, rugby, hockey, golf and curling, all running highly successful 150th anniversary events. What you may not know is that our own External Relations department within the school have been instrumental in arranging and managing all these events. And not only that but arranging school reunions, events and communications to the thousands of former pupils all over the world are part and parcel of the daily routine for External Relations. I would like to express my grateful thanks to Malcolm McNaught, Mark Taylor, Suzanne Rae, and Liz McGowan for all the incredible work they do. I should also mention that External Relations do a fantastic job in running the School’s admissions, looking after the website and the marketing function.

Senior School

I’d also like to express my grateful thanks to all my Board colleagues for the support during the year: the time, effort, and expertise you all put in, and all for the love of the school, is very much appreciated. And also to David Rome and the PTA: what an incredible amount you’ve raised again for the school this year. And finally I would just like to thank every boy and girl at the Academy for the part you have played individually and collectively in the life of the school. We hope that leavers will keep in touch with each other and with us: I can assure you that a warm welcome will always be here for you at the Academy. Graham Scott

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at The Glasgow Academy has seen a record level of students both taking part and succeeding in completing their Bronze and Silver Award. Over 100 students in S3 have engaged with new skills, volunteering positions and physical activities in order to attain their Bronze Award, with Silver following suit. At all levels, students will agree that they are pushed beyond their comfort levels, whether it is camping in the Scottish rain or co-ordinating a volunteering campaign that engages with the Glasgow community. At Bronze level, we have continued our successful partnership with the Lochgoilhead Scout Centre who provide the excellent training and expeditions. The staff there have striven to give our children a series of demanding overnight trips that builds upon their teamwork and strengthens their independent nature. Navigation and the use of maps in new territory is always a challenging experience but, at the end of it, they all found their way home. SPECTACULAR Silver expeditions have continued to run with cycling, canoeing or hiking options. Our aim is to take students to

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remote, wild and spectacular parts of Scotland. The hikers were dropped off at the magnificent Corrour railway station for the beginning of their three-day hike through the Nevis region. The hike took each group across a unique trail that led each group to their finishing point underneath the magnificent Buchaille Etive Mor. Our Gold candidates had the opportunity to complete their Award over S5 and S6, rather than the year-long Bronze and Silver Award programmes. This allows them the opportunity to have time to focus on the success of their academic studies, as well as the multi-faceted Gold Award. PROGRESS 2016-17 looks set to be another successful year and we are on track for qualifying every student for their Award. There is every indication that the commitment and huge progress our pupils are making with their Awards means that The Glasgow Academy could soon be the very top school in Scotland for taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. DM MacLean

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Outdoor Education Selection Weekend “The trip to Lakeside was a fantastic start to the year. I have to say I had not been looking forward to starting school early, but it was really good to see some friends after the long holiday.”

On the first night we had all our food taken away, and we were instructed to make our way to our campsite, with only a few clues and a map. It consisted of three “comfy” beds around a fire and some food that was supplied for us. We were given potatoes, baked beans and smoked mackerel, which many of us were trying for the first time and surprisingly enjoyed. The rest of the night was spent sitting around the fire, cooking, talking and eating marshmallows. It felt really cosy and everyone got along well. Alexandra Pierotti

Northwest: September Weekend

“Jacob’s Ladder was the ultimate challenge of the trip! I was really surprised how the best team to attempt it was NOT the one I expected. Teamwork was all-important and having seen it done well I would love to have another attempt at it, with different partners.”

“By the end of the day I was exhausted, but the evening talks were interesting and certainly made me think about teamwork and leadership. Building the mousetrap certainly required a great deal of collaboration, discussion and was not straightforward. I wonder if it’s even possible?” 10

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Allow me to set the scene. My brave comrades and I are about to embark on the greatest adventure that this world has ever seen. We will sleep in the clouds, scale cliff faces and eat pasta off the road.

amazing to look out at the view that captured the beautiful Coigach area. With a merry smile and a jaunty wave farewell to Stac Pollaidh, we set off to sleep on an island in the middle of Loch Bad A Ghaill.

On the first day, we were set the perilous task of finding out how many million dollars there were in the universe, as well as how many card games could be made up on the spot. This was, as you may have guessed, the day that we left the iridescent city of Glasgow and began our epic journey into the mist of the motorways. On arrival, after the excitement of the journey, we managed to leave both the tent poles and the pegs in the van, so we of course had a lovely walk back in the dark through a marsh as rain peppered down.

On the fourth day we drove home, stopping off at some waterfalls so that all of us could jump off, knowing that this had been an amazing weekend. Theo Howe

On the second day, it was time to climb! After a breakfast that can only be described as a barbaric ritual that summoned the gods of old, we set off with all of our climbing gear. This carnival of climbing at Reiff, overlooking the beautiful Summer Isles, was interrupted for lunch (for which we only had one eating utensil between the group…). This day finished after the climbing with trekking up Stac Pollaidh. It was very high and cold, I remember thinking as I drifted off to sleep at the top. On the third day, we all decided to go scrambling. For those of you who don’t know it, it is advanced “not-falling-offa-rock”. This was by far one of the best activities as it was

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Outdoor Education

Ski Mountaineering

Snow Holing

One Friday evening in January after school, a group of six of us were lucky enough to head up north to try ski mountaineering. It was a new experience for all of us, so we were very excited to hit the slopes, although on finally reaching the cottage at Newtonmore after a tiresome threehour journey and finding out that the TV had Netflix, skiing seemed like a good plan B! However, after being dragged out of bed by Miss Goolden early Saturday morning, we managed to put on our gear and head out to the Glenmore ski area. We had aimed for skiing in the Northern Coires and plateau of the Cairngorms; however, high winds caused us to change our plans. Fortunately, the sun was out at Glenmore, which brightened our spirits and gave us the perfect weather in order to learn the proper uphill skiing techniques. Unlike normal skiing, ski mountaineering requires the use of a skin fitted to the bottom of each ski. This bristle-compacted surface prevents the ski from sliding downwards and is enough to withstand a skier’s weight,

allowing them to slide the ski upwards instead. At first it was a very bizarre feeling; however, we were able to quickly get the hang of it. After lunch up on the hill, we even managed to reach the summit of Carn Ealasaid.

I don’t know exactly how to describe the snow holing weekend I have just endured. Miserable, cold (which is an understatement) and hard work. I hope you get the picture; it wasn’t fun! Nevertheless, I survived to tell this story.

After getting up later on the second day, we decided to head over to the Cairngorm ski area but we became side-tracked by a husky sled racing event being held in the surrounding area, which was undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend for all of us! After spending time befriending some husky puppies, we eventually dragged ourselves to the slopes and made our way up. It was a rewarding feeling reaching the top of the Cairngorm after an exhausting and windy trek up, and we rewarded ourselves with a hot chocolate and marshmallows.

For weeks before, we had been hearing about how amazing this weekend would be; I imagined an ice palace with a bedroom, living room and, of course, toilet. I couldn’t have been any further from the reality... On arriving at the foot of Cairngorm, at the bottom of the ski slope we prepared for the cold, by wearing layer upon layer to keep warm. After what felt like an eternity, I remember looking around and not being able to see where the slope met the sky and how far from a steep cliff I was. Yet this didn’t bother me. We arrived at the top of Ptarmigan where we were going to dig our hole for the night.

Overall, it was an amazing weekend, and it was great learning new skills and spending time with some new people. Catriona Allan

snow hole, I began to cook the meal, struggling to bend my fingers to open the packets of pasta we hiked up with. As we began to finish and head into sleep, it suddenly dawned on me that the only thing between the harsh Scottish weather and me was a thin layer of snow and a sleeping bag. After having a hot drink and a couple of biscuits, I felt warmer, but definitely not a temperature I would describe as ‘normal’. Before leaving, we had a discussion about the dangers of snow holing, the risk of the roof falling in or that barricading the door to stay warm would lead to suffocation, both of which were running through my head. I did get to a point where I considered barricading the door, taking my chances with suffocation purely to stay warm, even for a short while; however, I decided against it! When everyone on camp had finally woken up, we decided to head down, quite quickly.

At this point I was thinking, “It’s not too bad, we are only going to get warmer.” If only. We began our dig; the secret is to dig down until the top of the door is to shoulder level. We then began the dig into the slope; after half an hour, we had built a doorway. After an hour, we had an entrance (if you can call it that). We then continued our dig, but before we knew it, it suddenly became very dark, and consequently very cold. The dig began to slow down considerably until suddenly we had made room for two people, and definitely no more!

Even though I would never, in a million years, describe this trip as fun, or enjoyable, I would agree that it was an adventure. That is something The Glasgow Academy will always deliver on an outdoor education expedition. On reflection, I reckon that this trip has been one of my favourite with the school, purely because it showed that no matter how difficult it may seem, it definitely will get better. If you are ever looking for a trip to push you and to test your limits, I definitely recommend going snow holing!

While the rest of the group added some final touches to the

Scott Duffield

P6 and P7 Climbing Teams, Ratho Our Ratho experience was one to remember. When we first walked through the doors we didn’t know what to expect; however, when we saw the climbing wall we were eager to get started. The routes looked difficult but we tackled them with confidence and Miss Goolden and Mr Gourlay helped us to reach our goal. There were different walls for different abilities. There was also an aerial assault course (one of the highest in Scotland). When we got up to the top we felt an adrenaline rush. Although it was extremely hard, the instructors helped us every step of the way. It was an amazing experience and after the assault course it felt like a great accomplishment, and one to be proud of. Ratho was a great opportunity. Honor Chapman and Anika Frame

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Outdoor Education S1 + S2 Adventure Weekend

On the day of the trip we all met at school at 9.30, loaded our bags and got on the bus. After driving for one hour we arrived at Loch Lomond, full of anticipation for the day ahead. After unloading the canoes off the bus, we were taught how to use them and figured out our route to the islands using a map. Then we began canoeing; it was difficult at first but we all soon got the hang of it after circling the nearby water to practise. We were originally aiming for a nearby island, about a kilometre off the coast, but as there were already people camping there we decided just to stop for lunch at the island instead. We had all brought along packed lunches and explored the island. After we all had plenty of time to explore, we climbed back onto the canoes and resumed our journey, in search of another island to camp out on. After an hour canoeing in the summer sun, we had finally reached our destination. Everybody agreed that when we saw the island it seemed just right for us to camp on. Once we had emptied all the bags and kit from the canoes, we began searching for the perfect spot to pitch our tents. Our group chose to set up camp on a nice clear area alongside the beach. As soon as we had collected our bags and brought them over to the area, we all began pitching the tent. It was quite difficult at first; however, when we began working as a team towards the end, the pace picked up and we had put it up within half an hour. Later that evening, we all gathered on the beach to begin ‘The Hunger Games’, which were a series of challenges to gain enough food for the night. Challenge 1: Silver cans of unknown food were tossed into the loch; we then had to race in our swimming costumes into the ice-cold water to retrieve two cans for every team. Challenge 2: Each group set off at different times based on their performance in the last challenge. Once you were selected to begin, your group would be given one clue to commence the hunt. The clue led us to the highest point of the island, where we found a bag containing

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one walkie-talkie. Once successfully set to the correct channel, it emitted one word: “buoyancy-aid”. We scrambled back down the hill, rummaged through the pile of them, to find our third and final clue which was simple enough for us to interpret… two of us had to canoe to a small rocky island, where we would find our final hope of a proper meal. Once there, one of us had to jump off onto the island and the other had to keep a steel-like grip to ensure the boat did not drift away into the waves. The person left on the island had to make a choice… pasta or rice. After a few intense moments, one bag of food was taken back to the main island, leaving the remaining groups with little option. After these two challenges were completed, any leftover food was collated and placed in a pile. Group by group, we were allowed to choose our ingredients until each team member had selected an item. Once there was no food left, each group was provided with a trangia (a device used to cook food in the wild), some fuel for it and a limited supply of pots and pans. Each team was supplied with just enough water to cook the dinner that night. We all greatly enjoyed cooking our dinner because it was a new experience for almost all of us, and allowed us to be truly independent with our food.

Battlefields Trip Between 31st March and 5th April, 40 pupils and 5 staff visited the First World War Battlefields of Ypres and the Somme. After an eventful journey on the overnight ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge we were swiftly in action visiting the support areas behind the front line at Ypres. Ypres holds a special place in the history of the British Army as every British army unit fought there at some point during the First World War. On our first full day we visited the Lijseenthoek Military cemetery, the final resting place for 10,755 casualties of the First World War. From there we visited the small town of Poperinge. During the war this was famous for its bars servicing the British troops. We visited Talbot House which was opened as a clubhouse for soldiers where they could borrow books and have a cup of tea. From there we visited Essex Farm Cemetery, where John MacCrae penned his famous ‘In Flanders Field’ poem and the magnificent In Flanders Field Museum in Ypres itself. From there it was to our accommodation at the Ypres Lodge and a return visit in the evening to frequent the many cafes and chocolate shops in Ypres centre. We spent the second day visiting the front line around Ypres, working our way from the south to the north of the battle

line. In doing so we visited the superb trench line in Sanctuary Wood as well as the largest commonwealth war cemetery in the world at Tyne Cot. The magnificent recreated trench line at Passchendale museum was also visited. That evening we attended the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres itself. A wreath was laid on behalf of all the pupils, staff, parents and governors of The Glasgow Academy by Flori Potter and Fayz Siddiqui who acquitted themselves admirably on behalf of the school. The following day we were off to the Somme battlefields where we visited the massive Theipval War Memorial and Canadian sites at Beaumont Hamel and Vimy Ridge. We also managed to visit Lochnagar Crater, which is all that is left of a massive mine which was exploded under the German Front line minutes before the main British assault on the German Trenches on 1st July, 1916. The History department has sponsored part of the new decking that surrounds the crater as the Battle of the Somme has a special place in the History of the School. At least 11 Academicals died on the first day of the Somme fighting in the 17th Highland Light Infantry. We managed a brief visit to Ulster Tower and the high point of Poizieres as well. That evening it was relaxation time as we frightened the inhabitants of Ypres with our bowling skills. The following day was an excellent one in Bruges on the canals and testing the delights of Belgian chips and chocolate yet again. The pupils were magnificent throughout the trip and were complimented on their respectful behaviour on at least three separate occasions. 100 years after the Battle of the Somme it was a real moment of importance historically and for the School that we were able to make the trip. It was special. S M Wood

After sun down, we all collected wood for a huge fire, which everyone sat around and toasted marshmallows; we all thought it was a great way to spend the evening there. The next day, after packing, we canoed back to the mainland, and enjoyed some fun water challenges along the way. Just before we arrived back at shore, some of us decided we wanted to jump into the water; to make the trip a truly unforgettable experience. Overall, the two of us thought this was an extremely enjoyable trip, which we will keep in our memories forever. We would both love to attend an equivalent trip for the older pupils, as we found this one incredible. We would like to thank Miss Goolden and all the helpers, for making this amazing trip possible. Lilias Burnel and Daisy Morris

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New York and Washington DC Trip A ‘Miserables’ time? Certainly not for the S5/6 pupils on the NYC/DC trip.

The New York/Washington trip is one of the highlights in the History and Modern Studies department’s calendar. Following on from four previous successful trips, this year’s excursion did not fail to impress and engage the pupils. The trip saw 48 pupils and 7 members of staff travel to New York and Washington DC, during the October holiday week 2015. After a long journey via Heathrow, the pupils and staff began a week of varied but enjoyable sight-seeing, and of course walking! The weather was excellent for the entire trip which allowed us to experience NYC and DC at their very best, as well as giving us the chance for the occasional ice cream and, in the words of Hugo McGregor, to create what must’ve looked like some dodgy Top Gun tribute with the amount of aviators present! The first day involved a very early start in order to squeeze in as much as possible in the concrete jungle. We started with a visit to Battery Park and then caught an early ferry to The Statue of Liberty which allowed for some fantastic views

of the NYC skyline and a chance to learn about the history of the statue rather than the pupils simply referring to the Ghostbusters film. We then spent the afternoon at the 9/11 Memorial and new Museum. The Museum’s exhibition tells the story of 9/11 through multimedia displays, archives and narratives. The impact of the tour can be easily summed up by Ashley Bell - ‘What I learned that day really moved me and will stay with me forever’. After dinner in the bustling atmosphere of Times Square, we were lucky enough to be treated to the amazing experience that is Les Misérables on Broadway. We were overwhelmed by both the set and truly outstanding performances, with only one or two pupils falling asleep from jet-lag - which is a record for us!

The poignant war memorials of Washington DC were a stark reminder of how lucky we are and also reminded us of the sacrifices of those who have gone before us. Furthermore, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial allowed us to remember a figure who changed the course of American and world history for the better. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Rachel Shannon

From the offset the pupils were excited and interested about our last full day in DC (obviously no relation to the fact they had some shopping time in the evening!). We arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo for the first stop of the day with the sun splitting the trees. The National Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States and was founded in 1889. Its mission is to provide leadership in animal care, science, education, sustainability, and visitor experience - perfect for those pupils interested in a career working with animals or science. Summed up best by Stella Pace - ‘The National Zoo for me was one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip - the Zoo is huge and has such a wide variety of animals that the 3 hours spent at the Zoo flew by (as well as many birds!)’. After departing the Zoo, we embarked on another journey to Arlington Cemetery. The visit to Arlington is described well by Andrew Barr: ‘Visiting Arlington Cemetery was surreal because here was the country-like, silent plot of land that was in the middle of a busy capital city, which only highlighted the level of respect and admiration the fallen soldiers receive.’ To round off the last full day in DC, we thought it was only

appropriate that the pupils got a taste of some real American culture - a visit to a shopping mall. Safe to say that it was a huge success. On the last day of the trip we still had a huge amount to pack in. First stop of the day was the US Capitol Building, with the pupils receiving a personalised tour of both the buildings and the grounds. The Capitol Building has housed the meeting chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives for almost two centuries, which links in directly with our Higher Modern Studies course and really gave the pupils the opportunity to ask detailed questions to our guides which they can then use in their essays. We then headed to the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense - The Pentagon or ‘Ground Zero’. After going through strict security, we were given a tour of three of the five floors and managed to see the new memorials for those people who lost their lives during the attack on 9/11. A number of the pupils were interested in the day-to-day activities and managed to link this into the CCF training from school.

Being one of the largest and most iconic monuments in Washington D.C., the U.S. Capitol Building was a marvel to see from not only outside, but inside. The history of the building seemed as vibrant and interesting as the artwork it houses, both of which were explained to us in great depth by our animated and informative tour guide who made sure our visit was as spectacular as the building itself. All of this combined to make sure the Capitol was one of the most important and greatest stops on the trip. Mark Wilson

The entire show was put together beautifully with a fantastic cast and an equally fantastic set and truly lived up to the expectations of seeing a show on Broadway! The building of the barricade and Aaron Walpole’s performance as Jean Valjean is definitely going to stay with me for a very long time. Éirinn Fitzgerald

Day two was a little more of a relaxed affair; however, we still managed to pack a variety of sights in. First stop was Central Park to visit the Alice in Wonderland Statue and Strawberry Fields, with the boys managing to sneak in a few games of American football (although I am not convinced the locals knew that’s what they were trying to play). We then headed downtown to Grand Central Station for a quick tour of the Vanderbilt Hall, the Terminal’s 12,000 square foot former Main Waiting Room, and lunch. We then walked to Madison Square Gardens for a personalised tour of the stadium and even managed to grab a preview of the New York Knicks opening cheerleading show. A personal highlight for Brandon Dempsey was being allowed to see Jack Dempsey’s - the World Heavyweight Champion, 1919-1926, and family relation - Hall of Fame picture. We then had the delight of dining at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, summed up by Claudia Lang: ‘The constant serenade by the enthusiastic waiters made for a unique and unforgettable experience’. Last stop of the day, before an early bed for our trip to DC the next day, was The Empire State Building. After a long way to the top, we were finally able to reap the rewards with a beautiful night sky line. According to Anna Swan, ‘Visiting the Empire State Building was definitely one of the highlights.’ After a bus journey to DC, we dropped the bags and headed out to enjoy the sunshine and Miss Keil’s amazing walking tour of DC. We were lucky enough to visit the WW2 Memorial, the

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Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King Memorial - all very important, but especially to the pupils studying the Cold War in Higher History. It was fantastic to hear them teach the other pupils about the Korean War and the impact it had on the emergence of the Cold War. Once we had returned to the hotel, pupils were handed a map, a curfew, a good luck and then sent on their way to dinner and to have a look around DC. It is clear when the pupils start to return an hour before curfew and are sleeping in their beds before you check on them, that you have managed the Holy Grail of school trips and tired them all out. What a day!

In all, we visited Battery Park, The Statue of Liberty, The 9/11 Memorial and Museum, St Paul’s Chapel, Wall Street, Central Park, Grand Central Station, Madison Square Garden, The Empire State Building, WW2 Memorial, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Smithsonian National Zoo, Arlington Cemetery- the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, JFK’s eternal flame, US Capitol Building Tour, The Pentagon and we also went to see the outstanding performance of ‘Les Miserables’ on Broadway.

us - interested, enthusiastic, and a real credit to both their parents and to the school. They learned a lot during our six days away (especially on how to ride the subway!) and we look forward to seeing them reap the benefits in their Higher and AH exams at the end of the academic year, and beyond.

The pupils were the best group we have ever taken away with

LF Murphy

The pupils do make the trip, but I could not have done it without the support of Paul Bisland, Angela Keil, Kirsten Black, Garry Waltham, Tim Mills and Lindsay MacNeill. Without them it would not have been possible, or half as much fun!

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Cricket tour to Dubai On 10th February, 15 pupils set off for a pre-season cricket tour to Dubai. This presented a fantastic opportunity for those individuals to improve their game, while playing at world renowned international stadiums and experiencing cricket on fast outfields and hard, road-like pitches, in the sweltering sun, and under floodlit conditions in day/night fixtures.

On our first day it took a while for us to acclimatise to our new surroundings - the change in time zone for a start, and not to mention the rather hot conditions many of us were not too familiar with back home. We spent the evening enjoying the Pakistan Super League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, where we would later play, whilst also seeing very famous, world-class cricketers - Kevin Pietersen, Shane Watson and Brad Haddin to name just a few - while also being able to witness the incredible atmosphere created in the historic stadium.

wickets, with their two UAE internationalists playing aggressively from ball one. A special mention goes to Ehsen Mahmood who was able to bowl a tidy spell later on in the game. Our second match was against Winchester College, also a touring team, at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Ground in Abu Dhabi. Once again batting first, our players played with confidence with Arman Khan putting in another solid performance, and forming a good partnership with Jamie Percival early on. This set a solid base to work from while Adam McMurray, Callum Bell and Ruairidh Russell accelerated the runs in the final overs. However, the pick of the bunch was Ross Heginbottom, who mustered 46 not out from 46 deliveries in a calm and collected innings. This gave us a solid total of 230 to defend, in which our bowlers were very impressive; in particular Arman Khan, who took a fantastic five wicket haul, leading us to a 83 run victory. Alastair Fry, Rick Mukhopadhyay and Euan McDonald also bowled very well, with very economical figures.

Our first match came the very next day, at Al Dhaid Cricket Village where we faced a very strong regional XI. This was a whole new experience for all of us, as we were not too used to playing in the middle of a desert! Batting first, we posted an admirable 195/6 which included 42 runs from Fayz Siddiqui, with Arman Khan, Ruairidh Russell and John Oliver making good contributions to the total. However, our bowling did not quite go to plan and we lost by ten

Our third game was a day/night match against Mercedes Benz XI at the Sharjah Stadium. Again, batting first we managed to post a total of 145/6. Unfortunately, we were narrowly defeated by two wickets, making for a highly intense game. Special mentions to John Oliver for picking up three wickets and taking a brilliant diving catch, Greg MacMillan for a tidy spell, and Adnan Iqbal, whose high catch made John Oliver’s previous one look average. Our

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fourth and final game against the Sharjah Cricket Academy saw an incredible batting performance all round to score 278 in 35 overs. However, Arman Khan produced the performance of the tour with a brilliant 59 ball century, that made him the youngest Scotsman to score a century at the prestigious ground. Other contributions with the bat were John Oliver’s overshadowed, but nonetheless great, half century, Ruairidh Russell’s 30 off 20 balls and Fraser Gordon’s 100% strike rate, which altogether made for a very successful first innings. We managed to win under the floodlights by 59 runs, with Arman Khan, Jamie Percival and Greg MacMillan all chipping in with wickets. Our fielding was exceptional in this game, with another great catch being taken, this time by Adam McMurray, and two quick stumpings by Fraser Gordon. Throughout the tour we visited many areas of Dubai, experiencing the desert, the old city, and, of course, many cricket facilities located around the city. These included the ICC Cricket Academy and the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, where the most ODIs ever have been played. The tour was a fantastic experience and helped in our preparation for the upcoming season, and we would like to thank Mr Hariharan, Mr Menzies and Mr Wilson for making it all possible. Ruairidh Russell

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S1 P RIS TRIP 39 children and 6 members of staff touched down in Paris for the annual visit of 2016; La Tour Eiffel shone its magnificence during our nocturnal ascent on the first evening and the children were most impressed. On several occasions we overheard pupils discussing the linguistics of the French language and the difference between avoir and être. Notre Dame and L’Arc de Triomphe struck a chord with a surprising number of pupils and some chose these cultural landmarks as their favourite places. This year Parc Astérix replaced Eurodisney as the most popular excursion. We “dabbed” with gladiators from antiquity in the Louvre, haggled with street artists in Montmartre and savoured the delights of French cuisine in a number of restaurants. The children thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the teachers felt it was the most relaxed trip in recent years. C Blair

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S2 Interdisciplinary

TRIP TO MADRID From 27th May to 31st May 2016, 40 S2 pupils and 8 teachers (from Modern Languages, English, Music, Drama, Geography and Biology) went on an Interdisciplinary trip to Madrid. Staying at the Tryp Atocha hotel, with comfortable beds and a huge buffet breakfast, we covered many memorable cultural and tourist attractions. Of all the activities we did, from Madrid Zoo, the Prado museum, Bernabeu Stadium, Rastro Market, Vaguada shopping centre, Mercado de San Miguel, Flamenco dance lesson, paella cookery lesson and seeing the Lion King musical in Spanish, the Zoo trip seemed to be the overall favourite. The wide variety of animals, ranging from racoons to elephants, and the freedom pupils were given, worked well. Despite the crowds, the Rastro market was also much enjoyed

with so much variety for lower than usual prices. The interactive museum at the Bernabeu football stadium was described as amazing by many, while the Prado museum was generally the least favourite activity. Although the weather was relatively warm, the unexpectedly colder than usual weather was a disappointment to some. The Interdisciplinary task of creating “A teenager’s guide to Madrid” was eventually won by Mrs McCready’s group: Molly, Matthew, Finlay, Katie and Sophie, but every guide submitted was of a very high standard. Overall, it was a great experience and pupils agreed they would definitely like to return in the future. Compiled from trip reports from Lilias Burnel, Matthew Campbell, Marlowe Crick, Hannah Madden and Daisy Morris

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RAASaY What a brilliant few days our S2 pupils had on the Isle of Raasay over the September weekend! Pupils had the opportunity to spend five days on the beautiful island just off the coast of Skye. Fraser and Temple went to Raasay first, with Arthur and Morrison going just a few days later. Going on the trip in Houses allows pupils to strengthen existing friendships, but also to get to know new people. It also allows a sense of camaraderie to develop within the House, which is nice to see as pupils move through the school. The weather was fairly mixed, as it usually is at this time of year, but the sun did shine on a number of occasions, making the trip all the more enjoyable! Everyone enjoyed taking part in a wide range of activities such as Archery, Crating, Coasteering, Kayaking, Island Explore and Climbing. As a special treat on his birthday Conor Massey even got to abseil down the cliff face down!

My favourite activity in Raasay was Coasteering. I liked this activity as it was full of action and everyone bonded well together. I would recommend this trip to all of the S2s as it was a lot of fun. You also get to meet new people and experience new opportunities. On the whole, the trip was excellent! Indi Small

My favourite activity in Raasay was Coasteering. I thought Coasteering was the best as we got to jump off cliffs into the sea and it was really funny. I also enjoyed all the night time activities because it allowed us to try different things. Overall, I would recommend the trip as it was really enjoyable, we got to try a wide range of activities and we learned to work together in a group. Aisha Saini

I think Coasteering and Pier Jumping were the best because they were the most exciting and you would never do them normally. I also enjoyed staying in a room with my friends as I got to know them better. Jamie Morrison

Pupils and teachers also thoroughly enjoyed the Pier Jump. The water was freezing but this activity proved to be really popular and exciting for all pupils. The pupils were very well-behaved and once again it was a pleasure leading this trip. I think all pupils surprised themselves and took part in an activity that they had never done before or one that they found slightly scary! JF Cuthbert

Raasay was absolutely fantastic. First was the high-spirited bus trip. Then we saw Raasay and we were all awestruck. My favourite activities were definitely Crating and Coasteering. The Crating required lots of teamwork and was good fun. The Coasteering was freezing but exhilarating and you were glad of the wetsuits. It was definitely an experience Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget. Finlay Whitton

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FAME In November 2015, The Glasgow Academy staged a highly ambitious and visually stunning production of the classic 80s musical, Fame. This truly unique production transformed the centre of the Cargill Hall into the iconic New York High School of the Performing Arts, ‘PA’, with the audience positioned in an ‘Avenue’ configuration on either side. As our Director and Head of Drama, Mr Waltham, said in his vote of thanks on closing night, the Academy takes tremendous pride in the quality of our shows and the responsibility of maintaining this reputation is one the whole creative team never forgets. Mr Waltham paid tribute to this ‘Dream Team’ of Academy staff and industry professionals, expressing his gratitude in being able to maintain this winning formula, following the success of Chicago last year. This team was again headed by our Musical Director, and new Head of Music, Mr Mills, with professional choreographer Amy Taylor returning, whilst also playing the lead in this year’s criticallyacclaimed Tron Theatre Pantomime, Sleeping Betty. Miss Merton was again our behind the scenes star, fulfilling the dual role of Acting Coach and Stage Manager, with Miss Ramsay expertly managing the role of Costume Designer in typically meticulous and creative fashion, whilst Mrs Wishart led a significant technical team, including Academy pupils and professional Lighting and Sound Designers, with her characteristic warmth and energy. Scenegineering were again commissioned to design and construct the production’s set, conceived around a colour-scheme of pink and purple reminiscent of the colours of the era. Enclosed by large raised platforms on either side of the hall, incorporating our band, led for the final time by our departing Head of Music, Mr Marshall, the imposing structures captured the essence of the New York location. The hexagonal centre-piece, however, framed by a steel truss from which hung a professional LED lighting rig and large screens conveying creative visuals reflecting the mood of the music, provided a stage upon which our students could truly shine. After six years of outstanding contribution to Academy productions, Anna Swan stepped up to the lead role of Carmen and delivered a truly stunning performance. Other memorable moments included Lauren Ferguson’s heart-felt rendition of ‘These Are My Children’, reducing many in the audience to tears, Gordon Stackhouse and Jasmine Leila’s sensitive portrayal of the relationship between Nick and Serena, James Hepburn’s hilarious proclamation that he ‘Can’t Keep it Cool’, Emily Rawlins-Graham’s show-stopping ‘Mabel’s Prayer’ and a beautiful dance by Lisa Gallacher and Fayz Siddiqui in the roles of Iris and Tyronne. As Abdullah Sattar emotively sang the opening lines of the final number, ‘Bring on Tomorrow’, leading to the spectacular finale on top of the purpose-built New York cab, the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation which defined the show’s meaning - that a truly special performance can indeed live forever! Sean McGettigan

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The Importance of Being Earnest Throughout the summer break, a production team of staff and pupils worked tirelessly in rehearsal of a very special production, the first to be staged in the new Watson Auditorium. Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, was staged in September 2015 and certainly lived up to such a significant moment. Directed by Head of Drama, Mr Waltham, with Technical Direction by Mrs Wishart and Stage Management by Miss Merton, this hilarious production charmed audiences and epitomised its billing as ‘A Trivial Comedy for Serious People’. Gordon Stackhouse, expertly portraying the titular role, formed a wonderful double act with Ben Taylor’s Algernon, Ben’s last Academy performance before embarking on professional acting training. The show also introduced a new performer to Academy audiences in Jocelyn O’Keefe, who epitomised the role of Cecily and enjoyed some highly comical moments of typical Wilde social commentary with the equally excellent Claudia Lang as Gwendolen. JJ Logan and Alex Jackson, again in her final Academy production before beginning her own university study of theatre, defied their years in producing a hysterical portrayal of the frustrated romantic feelings of the Reverend Chasuble and Miss Prism. Indeed, even Anna Swan and Abdullah Sattar, in what could have been regarded as smaller roles, produced waves of laughter through their superbly dry delivery of each servant’s responses. The

Watson Auditorium stage was undoubtedly claimed by Lauren Ferguson’s powerful and intelligent performance as the iconic Lady Bracknell, striking fear into the other characters and mirth amongst the audience in equal measure. With set by Giffnock Theatre Players and period costume provided through the assistance of former pupil, John Liddell and Scottish Opera, managed by Alexandra and Lara Pierotti, utilising the expertise they had developed in this area through their fantastic achievements in National 5 and Higher Drama, the production was a visual and aural delight! The Watson Auditorium will hold many performances in the years ahead, but no one who was there will ever forget the first! Sean McGettigan

Clubs and Societies Chemistry Club

Chemistry Club is specially for S1-S3 pupils and introduces keen scientists to the fascinating world of chemistry. Over the years, the Chemistry Department have developed a series of interesting and exciting experiments that every pupil can take part in, from sticky slime, flaming pumpkins, screaming jelly babies, magical genies in a bottle, shooting rockets and making tornadoes in a beaker. Every week there is a different experiment for

all to try. Some new ones for this year included making hand warmers, volcanoes in a lab and Dr Main once again making it snow! The activities are based on developing good, safe practice, enhancing observation skills and developing investigative skills, but most of all, having fun while learning a bit of Chemistry. C Main

Drama Club Drama Club is for S1-S3 pupils, and offers them the chance to engage in drama games, and present short improvised or scripted works on Tuesday lunchtimes. This year, as well as our weekly sessions, students had the opportunity to perform in full-scale production in the Watson Auditorium: a first for Drama Club! Over 50 students took to the stage, for one night only, to perform The Ladykillers. Allison Lavercombe shone as the scheming Marcia, and Katie Hendry made the most delightful, dotty Mrs Wilberforce. Georgia Bland, Roddy Gilkison, Pearce Hopkins and Mia Thiagarajan completed the comic band of robbers, and were ably supported by a large ensemble. The chorus of grannies was an unforgettable sight! EL Merton and MF Wishart

Games Lab Games Lab is available for S1 to S6. This year in Games Lab we have accomplished many things, from the integration of the Raspberry Pi into the club, letting children learn how things can be run on a Linux system, to creating games in Scratch and the multitude of other programs and languages the club offers to get children started in the wide world of coding. This year we also had someone gift the school some pieces of hardware called CodeBugs which are essentially

smaller and less complex versions of the Raspberry Pi, which allow you to get stuck into not only coding in Scratch but also being able to control small electrical components like motors or LEDs. This was a great success with some of the younger pupils who felt too intimidated by the Raspberry Pi and also helped them build their skills in Scratch. JE McDonald

The Gavel Club The Gavel Club provides an opportunity for students around the school to come together and talk about practically anything. The platform provided by the club saw many members discussing a huge number of topics, from the political to perhaps more casual chats. Encouraged by each other, I’m happy to say Gavel had another extremely successful year. Numbers remained strong and, thanks to hard work across the whole club, the line-up of speakers remained diverse, allowing for a wide variety of topics for speeches: from sharks to identity, as well as a lot of fearful sixth years talking about their terrifyingly imminent movement into a new stage of life. Overall, I am extremely pleased with what the Gavel Club and its members were able to accomplish and wish everyone who remains the best of luck with next year, specifically new president, Hugo McGregor. Have fun! Éirinn Fitzgerald

German Club Pupils from S1 to S4 have attended German Club to learn about the language and culture of German-speaking countries, as well as sampling food and drink from different regions. We have been learning vocabulary from various different subjects, such as animals, food and drink and also trying to figure out when to use the correct word for ‘the’ as there are six different words that you use in different cases, which is very confusing!

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We have also been listening to different songs in German by artists such as Rammstein and Kraftwerk. It has been very fun, and I have greatly improved my understanding of the culture and of the language. I would highly recommend it and would encourage anyone to come along. Hamish Brown

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Clubs and Societies Rampaging Chariots Rampaging Chariots was our Royal Academy of Engineering Collaborative Project again for 2016. This saw Johnstone High School hosting a very successful warm-up event for the Scottish Robotic Games for the Glasgow Academy, Turnbull High School, Smithycroft Secondary School and Garnock Academy on 3rd June. The Scottish Robotic Games took place at Leonardo in Edinburgh on 11th June and Pluto (P7 team), Samurai (S1 team), Red Thunder (S2 team) and Clint (S5 team) competed. RJ Sowden

Research Club

ECO Group The Senior School Eco Group have had an extremely busy and successful session. We have been working hard over the last year, making successful links from Kindergarten to Senior School, to ensure that the Kelvinbridge campus are collaborating in the run-up to the next Green Flag application. Both the Prep and Senior School Eco Groups have decided to take this one step further and will be working as a whole school including TGA Dairsie and TGA Milngavie so that the entire Glasgow Academy Eco Group community are working on the same topics within the same two-year period in time for our next assessment. Having just completed two years of hard work on the topics Litter, Transport, and Food and Waste, our focus continues to be Litter; however, we are in the process of voting for our next topics as a whole school.

The Research Club has been continuing to work on the School’s Collaborative Chemistry Project with the University of Glasgow. Last year the group had success with discovering a new compound (a new polymorph of calcium formate). This year the group has been conducting a series of experiments to study the crystallisation from different mixtures of calcium propionate and copper (II) propionate. Under the microscope some crystals look different from the known compounds. This could be a sign that a new substance has been formed. Samples are ready to be analysed by the University of Glasgow using X-ray Crystallography and Infra-red spectroscopy to confirm whether this is the case. Well done to Sambuddha Majumder, Shoumita Bardhan, Emma Murray, Ruiyang He, Michael Koene and Alexander de Koning. AR Gingele

Structures Club The Glasgow Academy S3 Structures Club was delighted to join over 60 participating schools, coming from as far afield as Shetland and Dumfries, to the Celebration of Engineering and Science, held at the Glasgow Science Centre. The programme of events for the day was actionpacked from the start: judging of showcases, Junior Saltire Award, Heather’s Hut (Heather from the Weather), 3D Printing and, the jewel in the crown, the ‘Go Forth’ Bridge building competition. The Glasgow Academy kicked off proceedings as the first club to be judged, presenting the laundry

detergent gel concept, an eco-chemistry solution to providing sustainable laundry care for clothes: a concept entirely driven and researched by Academy pupils. The team were then put through their paces in a number of challenges, set out by industry leaders, many of which they use in their recruitment selection of top university graduates. The pupils did a fantastic job completing every task successfully and within the time allocation. C Main

Thales Engineering Club Mark Andrew, from Thales UK, became involved with The Glasgow Academy through the Rampaging Chariots project, which has since gone from strength to strength. Thales UK have also sponsored two of the other major projects at the Club: the Greenpower car and 3D printer. The car has been ongoing for several years now, but recently the team have really been making good progress in preparation for the summer competition. Engineering Club were also lucky enough to have a visit from the University of Strathclyde Motorsports team. The team gave an engaging presentation in the newly commissioned Watson Auditorium and even managed to get their car into the Saunders Centre. This was a huge hit and really inspired many of those who come to Engineering Club, which has over sixty members. RJ Sowden

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It is worth noting that Eco Schools Scotland is refreshing and enhancing its programme to provide a better framework for action towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals and to promote broader participation and engagement in Learning for Sustainability. Due to this change in programme and assessment, the Eco Schools cannot apply for a renewal Green Flag at present but have applied for an interim Flag whilst the programme is being implemented throughout Scotland. It also means that the Eco Groups within TGA are going to have to work extremely hard next year introducing Sustainability to our remit on top of the other chosen topics. Over the last year we have come up with many great ideas. The Eco Group was divided into three teams (Litter, Food and Transport) with each group writing their own action plans for the year with many actions already being completed. Some of the achievements to date include ensuring that every classroom and social area has both a normal bin and a recycling bin with information on which products go in each. Alongside this, the Litter Group ran an S1 Bin Competition where the S1 tutor groups had to design and decorate their own recycling bin by only using recyclable products they had collected. During March, we took part in Waste Week 2016 for the fifth consecutive year. Activities were carried out during tutor time and in our Houses, such as ‘Bin of the Week’ where pupils were rewarded with vouchers for using the correct recycling bin. The Food and Waste group have been extremely successful in campaigning for more water fountains around the school to reduce the number of pupils buying bottled water each day. The group surveyed the pupils and staff before lobbying the General Manager and Janitors with the results. They managed to secure a little money and 3-4 new fountains will be installed over the course of the year. The Food group has also been working alongside our catering staff and the canteen now promotes

both organic and local grown produce on their menus. The Transport group, who have the most challenging topic, have all made excellent progress in completing some of their actions. The group have contacted SPT in regards to offering child fares to all children in school uniform even if over the age of 16 as well as completing a transport audit of pupils and staff. They hope to use this information to encourage more people to use public transport and are in the process of researching suitable bus and train routes to the school. Some of our more long-term actions are already in progress and we have had plenty of discussion on how we wish to tackle them. Some of these ideas include creating a recipe book based on the mantra Love Food, Hate Waste which will be full of ideas, suggestions and recipes so that leftovers don’t go to waste. We also wish to share more resources and ideas with our link school in India and are currently making a PowerPoint to send them with what we have covered this year. We have a Transport Tuesday planned where wholeschool activities will be carried out to raise awareness on the use of transport to and from school. We will be encouraging the use of alternative methods of transport that are cleaner and greener. Alongside this, we would like to see more of our pupils cycling to school, especially in the nicer weather, and have been researching ways we can make this easier for pupils and parents. We are also looking forward to thinking of new ways to tackle our actions as well as working with a variety of staff members and pupils to help make sure that every student at TGA is working together to make sure our school is Eco and Sustainably friendly! LF Murphy

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Jaguar Cars

Maths in Motion Challenge The Cars Maths in Motion Challenge, which is sponsored by Jaguar Land Rover, is now a global competition and this year The Glasgow Academy became a Centre of Excellence for the competition. This is partly due to the students’ continuing success in the challenge, but also due to our commitment to get other schools in Scotland involved and taking part by providing training. The challenge is all done on software which allows students to use a series of set-up screens to prepare a virtual F1 car which is then entered into a race against other cars. In their virtual garages they calculate percentages and timings, they measure angles and judge distances and they also develop sophisticated decision making skills throughout the process of car set-up. Once the cars are ready they race against each other in exciting and competitive races. Each week we used real F1 circuit plans and the students looked at weather forecasts, tyre choices, fuel requirement and pit-stop strategies to get their cars race-ready. The software gives the students instant feedback about their car, so that the decisions they make throughout the set-up directly affect how fast and reliable they will be in the final race, just like in the real sport of Formula 1. An enthusiastic group of S1 students joined the club this year and they were immediately designing fast cars with their names appearing on the international fastest lap leader boards regularly. Particularly impressive performances and car designs came from Finlay Brown, James Olney and Sambhav Chadha in S1, and Aisha Rasul in S3 continued her success from last year. Throughout the year there are a series of challenge races that the students can enter against hundreds of other schools from around the world. In December we entered a car into the International Christmas Race and although we didn’t finish on the podium our car was extremely competitive and we finished 6th.

gradually made their way up the grid. They had set up a really competitive car and by the last few laps were competing for a podium finish. They eventually finished in a fantastic 3rd place and were delighted to bring trophies and prizes for themselves and for the school back to Glasgow. They were particularly pleased with the amazing radio-controlled car kits and will enjoy making these during the summer holiday. They also won a £360 voucher for Rapid Education technology products, which we will donate to the Engineering Club for many students to benefit from. All the students that have taken part in the challenge and attended the after-school sessions this year should be extremely proud of themselves as it has been another fantastic year. Maths in Motion Challenge is open to all students in S1-4 and we meet in the Computing Department every Wednesday from 3.50 until 5.30pm. We would love to have some new members next year. You do not have to have any knowledge of Formula 1 to take part and would be made very welcome. Come along and give it a go. KM Russell

S6 Young Enterprise:

Bright Ideas I’ll never forget that first meeting! Thirteen hapless Sixth Formers sitting around that table disagreeing about who should take on which role and arguing about potential products. Was it the 13 that was the jinx? The allocation of positions on the Board was resolved by ballot. Those vying for the coveted position of MD each had to give a two-minute pitch to convince their peers why he or she was the best candidate for the post. We sourced a flipchart on which all of the “brainstorming” suggestions were written down – sound familiar? Hours of viewing The Apprentice had not been wasted on us! We drew up a table of pros and cons for the leading product contenders and eventually settled on The Cantern and The Glow Jar.

Our Mission Statement was: “To bring some much-needed cheer into people’s lives”. The two products which launched our company were The Cantern and The Glow Jar - both of which were targeting the festive season. Subsequently, we diversified from products into services to take advantage of the lucrative hype associated with St Valentine’s Day. The potential variety of products and services made us realise that we needed a punchy yet flexible company name that was capable of suiting an eclectic mix. After struggling to make a decision, one of our group remarked: “Does anyone else have any bright ideas?” – the name stuck! We began our product design process by sketching various possibilities. Our research had led us from lampshades produced from recycled tin cans to what we like to call The Cantern (a mash-up of can and lantern) – as someone joked: “This company has a can-do attitude”! We managed to get

the Prep School involved by launching a can collection competition. Each class brought in cans from home and one of our team went round regularly to the can collection points and emptied them, keeping a cumulative total. We used these cans to form a pattern using small holes from which an internal light projected a seasonal image like Christmas trees and star patterns, as we intended to sell our products at Christmas Trade Fairs. We then carefully spray-painted the cans in Christmassy colours such as reds, greens, gold and white. Our second product was The Glow-jar (a snow-globe with a light). This comprised a decorated mason jar containing a miniature Christmas snow scene. Every jar was unique and contained different scenes, such as snowmen with candy canes and little golden churches with snowflakes. We covered the inside jar lids with a snow blanket to camouflage the light attached to the lid interior. Aware of the need to keep developing the company, we launched Cupidly in Love in February. This was an event in which pupils were able to buy a rose and send it to someone either anonymously or with a personal message. The cost was:

• £1: a rose with a generic label delivered by a regular team member

• £2: a rose with a personalised message delivered by “Cupid”

• £5: a rose with a personalised message delivered by “Cupid” with a saxophone player and singer accompaniment.

During the winter months, at the start of this year, the students entered a series of races to try and qualify for the World Final of the challenge. They entered their cars into evermore competitive races and finally qualified for the World Final in the spring term. This took place on Wednesday 22nd June at the Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire, the home of Jaguar Land Rover. Aisha Rasul in S3 and Sambhav Chadha in S1 represented the school admirably. After an address from Lord Digby Jones and from the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover they were ready to set up their final car of the year. There was a lot of tension in the air and hopes were high as they had qualified in 11th out of 32 cars. However, they immediately dropped down to a disappointing 24th as other cars passed them in the first few laps. As the weather changed and they made pit stops at the correct times they

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S6 Young Enterprise:

Classics

Bright Ideas

Sales events

In May S1, S2 and S3 Latin pupils entered the annual Gilbert Murray Classics Competition run by the University of Glasgow. This competition, named after one of Glasgow University’s most accomplished Classics professors, is open to schools throughout Scotland and this year was Glasgow Academy’s finest ever performance. An unprecedented thirteen Academy pupils were awarded certificates of merit for their entries, which were a mixture of essays, creative writing, artwork, and graphic novels all based upon classical themes provided by the competition committee.

The Young Enterprise Trade Fair stood out as the pinnacle event of the first term. We really targeted it and put a great deal of energy into preparing for it as it seemed to be a brilliant opportunity to showcase our products. We even produced our own “sales bible” for our team entitled ‘How to engage successfully with customers’. Mind you, you can take a horse to water . . . The venue: The Wild Olive Tree Café in the Tron Church in Nelson Mandela Place. The date: 5th December 2015. It was a horrendous day. The rain was coming down in torrents. Consequently, we were really worried about potential foot-fall. However, on arrival it became clear that the problem would not be attracting customers through the door, but once in, how they would even know we were there at all. There was no signage. We were downstairs in a small room where the kitchen hatch was. Our only hope was that there would be a constant procession requiring access to the toilets, which were also conveniently (sorry!) located in the basement. The area was compact and cosy but not conducive to selling. Nevertheless, the judges were complimentary about both our stall and our sales pitch.

Congratulations to Ciara Bailey, Ava Bell, Enza Doheny-Olcayto, Katie Hendry, Freya Hill, Harmony Hill, Allison Lavercombe, Anne Lawson, Alexandra Livett, Rachel Lochhead, Nina Pickering-Glover, Siddharth Sakriya, and Sean Wong. A McKellar

Concluding Comments At the beginning of this report it was mentioned that maybe thirteen was an unlucky number to start with in a new team. However, we decided not to walk under ladders. Instead, throughout this whole experience we have climbed ladders! Sometimes it has been one step forward two steps backward but we reached the summit eventually! The company members of Bright Ideas would like to end with some of their own personal thoughts and memories:

The Trade Fair on the 12th was relocated to the Savoy Centre in Sauchiehall Street and we were invited along too. It was certainly a vast improvement although our location was a bit off the beaten track. The clientele were quite upfront and some openly said to us that they would have bought something but they did not have enough money on them. Sales were disappointing. Maybe we just weren’t persuasive enough. Maybe we should have possibly offered a discount voucher rather than just a flyer at the entrance to the Centre to lure customers. Fortunately, we already had a significant number of orders accumulated from the school’s own PTA Christmas Fair to fall back on.

“Throughout this process I have learned how to engage with the general public - a valuable new life-skill.” Daniel Frame

A highlight of the year for the Marketing Team was when Bright Ideas launched their Send-a-Rose idea, called Cupidly in Love. We used a promotional video directed by our colleague, Claudia from the Design Team, which was shown at a school assembly. The commercial was a great success and became a huge talking point on social media and amongst pupils. We set up a “St Valentine’s gazebo” in the Dining Hall in the week preceding the weekend of the 14th. Pupils could complete the order forms with their anonymous messages or romantic ditties. Whether sent for a joke or to ignite a romance or just to embarrass teachers, Friday 12th February was certainly memorable. We were very apprehensive about the venture and so we could not believe it when we sold 80 roses in total. The whole event was pure joy from start to finish. By the way, Cupid (that’s the dashing gent in the pink gown) was Ryan Sweeney from Marketing. The saxophonist was Sharan Maiya and the George Michael (almost) look-a-like singing ‘Careless Whisper’ was Shaun Edmond.

“Couldn’t believe there was an exam for this! I ‘m so glad I sat the exam as the certificate from Strathclyde Business School which I was awarded, together with my Young Enterprise Scheme participation certificate, should assist me when looking for summer jobs or a job whilst at Uni.” Lara Pierotti

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“I am glad to have had the opportunity to have a sneak preview of the world of work. The experience has taught me about the importance of a professional approach. I feel that we have all developed as individuals and together as a team, and I will be proud to mention this experience in my CV in the future.” Seri Oh “I have learned that saying you’re too busy to do something is just not good enough. Everyone’s busy!” Max Hutcheon

“Being thrown in at the deep end to manage your peers is really difficult.” Malcolm McArthur “It has taught me to view a challenge as an opportunity to shine.” Ryan Sweeney Last but not least, we wish to express our sincere thanks to our Link Teacher, Mrs Drummond, for all of her input, advice, passion and humour. We couldn’t have done it without her! The S6 Young Enterprise Team

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English

Rose Henderson Essay Prize Each year the English Department award the Rose Henderson Essay Prize to the best S5 Reflective Essay, produced as part of the Higher English Folio. This year’s winner is David Noble.

The way I will remember him In your eyes I found myself lost. My mind enraptured by your brilliance; my entire being totally captivated by your genius. As a child you were my inspiration and my aspiration - my motivation and my champion. However, now I find myself distanced and disconnected from you; your thoughts are sporadic and your memories disjointed. A flowing conversation quickly becomes a loop. You are no less human and no less loved now than you were then, but we have lost you… Because you have lost your mind. My grandpa has dementia. He has been laid-low by this degenerative nightmare and the loss of all functionality, sensibility and understanding which stealthily and insidiously follows in its destructive wake. This is not a revelation to me; he has been suffering this sickening fate for around five years now, but I reflect on it now because I am crippled by the fear that the disease may have progressed into its final stage. My grandfather is a proud man who could always be found helping others but would never be found accepting of help. He dealt with his problems in a quiet and self-contained manner, a feature of his generation that my own can no longer appreciate. Although I feel that on the whole we vocalise our problems in a forum that is much too public now-a-days, my grandfather’s pride has caused him grievous harm through his inability to express the dawning dread for fear of society’s perceptions. It must be shocking news to be told that you have dementia; to have lived an altruistic life as a well-muscled, wellrespected professional, only to be told that you are diseased and decaying as you begin to enjoy retirement. It must seem overwhelmingly unfair, but my grandfather would not have his dignity dented and was quick to dismiss his logic and deny the problem. His denial made his dementia a taboo subject: he prohibited discussion, rejected treatment and isolated himself from the support structure that was there to prop him up. There was a period when I too denied that my grandpa was dwindling; I insisted everything was “going to be ok” and that there was no real problem. I see now that this was childish, though; the symptoms were those of dementia and I knew it. My dismissal of the diagnosis was a futile attempt to try and omit its significance from my life. To an onlooker my reaction may seem puerile and woefully selfish, yet the way in which we, as a society, deal with problems is not dissimilar. We shy away and refuse

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to believe there is a problem simply because it’s easier to cope with life that way: there is no need to combat a problem if we pretend there isn’t one. However, this period of denial was a brief charade, ended crushingly when my grandpa asked, “What’s your name, son?” My own grandpa… my own flesh and blood had forgotten who I was. There was a rush of uncontrollable emotions; I was angry and then sad and then angry all over again. I refused to speak with him and isolated myself in my room whenever he was around: it hurt me to see him because I knew he didn’t know who I was. I hid from dementia as I hid from him. In hindsight it was an immature and selfish reaction to something outwith my grandpa’s control. Why would anyone do something so hurtful on purpose? Let alone my grandpa. Upon realising my mistake I tried to make amends; I spent more time with my grandpa. I put up with the incessant repetition of the same question, date, fact or figure and I endured it because I know that is what he would have done if the roles had been reversed. I became more and more accustomed to this new version of my grandpa; the one who said outrageous things and who would spend large periods of time silent during conversations. I won’t lie and claim that I became inured to him forgetting my name because it stung a little every time and continues to sting even now, but I will say that his forgetfulness became an expectation. However, unlike spending time in the company of my grandpa when he was whole, I gleaned no enjoyment - there was a sad longing for my true grandpa back; a glimmer of hope at the start of each new conversation that maybe he’d be different from everyone else with dementia; maybe he’d get better. Well he hasn’t and I’ve accepted that he won’t. My whole family has accepted defeat in the matter; the “revolutionary” drugs didn’t work and with this development our hopes died. I struggled to come to terms with my grandpa’s dementia but I only knew him for 11 years before its onset. It is my gran for whom this is the greatest tragedy. To love someone, a love as deep as that shared by my gran and grandpa, to grow to know and love a person for so long (a period nearing 60 years) only to have it ripped away piece by piece must be truly harrowing. My gran, however, shed no tears in front of me, displaying only a sad longing for the grandpa of old. She persevered and maintained a façade of happiness to keep the rest of the family from falling apart at the seams. Recently, however, this façade has cracked and when the worn and battered mask was removed I was so totally and utterly overcome with sadness that I retreated

to my room to cry. My gran, my rock, had been reduced to tears by the slow and unrelenting progression of dementia’s hold on her husband. It was as if the unstoppable force, dementia, had met with the immovable object, my gran, only to have the object crumble to dust in its path; the torrent of emotions was sustained and unrelenting. The toll that the illness has taken and is taking becomes more striking every single day. The final phase of dementia that spurred me on to write this essay is my grandpa’s trial period in care. My gran has been looking after my grandad on a twenty-four hour basis with absolutely no external help; the bond of love she has exhibited is the strongest I have ever seen. Yet, finally, the burden has become too much; my gran’s age and my grandpa’s rapid physical degeneration into a state of extreme frailty mean that it is no longer feasible for my gran to look after him on her own. The October week marks my grandpa’s trial week in a care home, and a break for my gran from the emotionally draining job of witnessing the strikingly intelligent man that she loves recede and become lost to her. The frailty of life and the futility of living “well” become ever clearer as I bear witness to the tragedy of my grandpa’s affliction. I even find myself questioning the merits of a restricted diet or lifestyle to remain healthy in the knowledge that death looms on the horizon for us all. The grandpa that I hold dear and that is fondest in my memories is the one I remember taking me to play on the swings in the playground when I was a child. To me the grandpa of now is almost a separate entity entirely. I cannot love him the same way: he is still the same person, but the loss of his mind in both his logic and his memory means that there is very little relation between us anymore. I can no longer have the long in-depth discussions that I previously took for granted, but I would do anything to have them back. Even if it was only for one day. I will treasure my grandpa for the time that I have left with him; every second will be irreplaceable and priceless to me. Though the very essence of my grandpa is gone I will maintain an everlasting love for him. I wish I had appreciated what I had when I had it, but I will never forget the way my grandpa captivated my imagination so wholly, because this is what my grandpa meant to me. This is the way I will remember him. David Noble

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Speaking With

Style

Every year the English Department hold the annual ‘Speaking With Style’ Competition. The winners of the S4-S6 prize are printed here; the theme this year was ‘Proverbs’. Our S1-S3 winners were Allison Lavercombe, Molly Scales and Lisa Gallacher.

500 miles Sing: “I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more, just to be the man who walks 1000 miles to fall down at your door…” The Scottish ballad is a great sing along, a crowd pleaser and, yes, one could argue that it is a precious thing. It gives us something to do when Scotland scores a try. It allows us to group together, share the joy of hope and to be part of the tribe. However, are they useful in our daily lives; are they instructive? I don’t think so. I do like a Proclaimers song and I am happy to sing it at a rugby match, but let’s get real. If my girlfriend moved 1000 miles to get away from me and I walked the 1000 miles and fell down at her door, would she be pleased to see me, would it be happy ever after, or am I more likely to end up with a rejection and perhaps a restraining order? Proverbs! That’s what we need to inform us, to educate us and guide us through life’s crucial decisions. They have been created over many years of trial and error. At a young age, we learn that ‘I want doesn’t get’ and ‘Practice makes perfect’. We learn to stop whining, start sharing, become better children, become better adults and have a happier life. But do we? The contradictions are confusing. For example: relationships. We are told that ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’, we are told that ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. We are even told that ‘Birds of a feather flock together.’ We should be confident, sure of ourselves and not swayed by the whispers from our friends and peers. ‘No man is an island’, so off we go ready to ask out the girl of our dreams. But wait! Whilst ‘There’s no time like the present’ and ‘Fortune does favour the bold’, we are also told that ‘Discretion is the greater part of valour’ and only ‘Fools rush in’. You can see the problem. Scotland has a great tradition of proverbs. These pithy phrases help to define our character, our personality, our national identity. Scots have a reputation for being careful

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when it comes to money: after all, ‘A light purse makes for a heavy heart’ and ‘A penny saved is a penny gained.‘ We can be a dour lot, with an approach to life that’s best described as cautiously pessimistic. For example: ‘To marry is to halve your rights and to double your duties’. There is also a wry humility: the ability to laugh at ourselves and to mock our own shortcomings. The tears flowed as Scotland lost to Australia in the recent Rugby World Cup. The nation wept as Scotland lost to Poland in the very last second of a recent football match. We are a nation who in the 1690s thought the Darien Gap was a good place to start a colony. One year later, with over 2000 dead and half our national savings lost, the words of Robert Louis Stevenson come to mind: ‘Our business in this world is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.’ If proverbs do define national identities, then I do worry about some other countries. For example, in Thailand, ‘The hen sees the snake’s feet and the snake sees the hen’s boobs.’ In Russia, ‘The thief has a burning hat’ and my personal favourite, the French ‘Jump from the cock to the donkey’. I have no idea what any of these mean, but they say travel broadens the mind. I am looking forward to discovering Thai hens, which in the space of a proverb, have become mammals. It is easy to mock foreign proverbs and perhaps that’s the point. The translations don’t travel well, but their underlying meanings are universal: to be cautious while being adventurous, work hard while remembering to enjoy life and be generous while not being taken for a fool. And remember, ‘All’s well that ends well’- unless of course it doesn’t. Iain Fletcher

Here’s a good proverb: “Many a proverb makes no sense”. You’d be hard-pressed to find a teenager who wouldn’t agree with me because from a young age we’ve all been pelted with every proverb in the book whenever our parents couldn’t give us a logical explanation for why we should or shouldn’t do something. These ludicrous situations were only worsened by the fact that these obscure nuggets just left us even more confused than before! Proverbs are simply bitesize pieces of wisdom that your mother will throw at you from time to time, regurgitating the age-old advice that may have meant something during the Middle Ages but certainly doesn’t anymore. The whole premise of proverbs is just silly. You cannot create a fixed group of general rules that describe human behaviour because of the nature of human behaviour itself. I am referring to the fact that it is so contradictory that you have to be self-contradictory in order to describe it! Therein lies the problem. Proverbs become convenient passes to justify and validate your ridiculous actions while still claiming to follow the path of wisdom. There are countless examples of proverbs which favour one thing and counter-proverbs which say the exact opposite. Apparently, “Birds of the same feather flock together,” but, “Opposites attract”. We are told, “Seek and ye shall find,” but we all know that, “Curiosity killed the cat”. Why is it that, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” if, “You’re never too old to learn”? “Great minds think alike,” but “Fools seldom differ”. The list goes on. In addition, many proverbs are now redundant in modern times. These proverbs were meant for a very different era – if you just stop to think about them, you’ll wonder if they are still appropriate for the present age. They say, “The best things in life are free”; in today’s world anyone who offers anything for free, either by post or email, is a scam artist. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”. Yeah, try and explain that to someone who’s had a strongly worded Facebook status

aimed at them. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”. Einstein literally defined insanity as doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result. Not only are there many proverbs which are completely irrelevant today, but they are also restricted by the culture they originated from. Francis Bacon said, “The genius, wit and spirit of a nation are discovered in its proverbs”. Proverbs reflect the wisdom of a nation and its culture. For example, in Argentina they say that, “A dog that barks all the time gets little attention,” whereas we in the west believe that, “Only a crying baby gets milk”. Of course there are also many proverbs from other nations that just make no sense to us. For example, the wise Jamaicans say that, “When you go to a donkey’s house, don’t talk about ears,” or how about, “A man with trousers that are too short should wear long suspenders”. In Morocco it is known that, “Little by little, the camel goes into the couscous”. Even if used on a relevant occasion, these proverbs would only confuse and perplex everyone around you. They are defined and limited by their culture (and maybe even time). Finally, for those who continue to insist on throwing proverbs around at the dinner table, let me make a compromise. I suggest that we refine some proverbs to make them more ‘user-friendly’ and acceptable in this modern digital age. Why not, “The carefully worded tweet is mightier than the sword”? How about, “Actions speak louder than passive-aggressive texts,” or even, “One man’s trash, is another man’s artsy Instagram”? It only makes sense that as our lifestyles change, our proverbs should develop with them. Proverbs can have a place in today’s world and do carry the wisdom of the ages, but like everything else in this digital age, they need to be modified, updated and tweaked, so that they are no longer just clichés. Sharan Maiya

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Geography

s p i r T d Fiel

It has been another interesting and busy year for the Geography Department. From iPads, to jelly baby pyramids, to outdoor learning weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a wonderful year with our students. Most impressively we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had rain on a single trip! As geographers, we like to get out into the field and our students have had the opportunity to visit a number of places of interest this year. To allow S1 to use their iPads in the field, S1 were treated to a cross-curricular outdoor learning event at the Botanic Gardens. Pupils used apps such as Skitch to annotate fieldwork sketches and QR Scanner to complete a numeracy treasure hunt. An enjoyable day was had by all! Our S3 students, having worked diligently throughout the year to complete five of the National 5 topics, were taken to the Yorkshire Dales to strengthen their knowledge of Limestone Landscapes. Our cohort of Higher students worked extremely hard throughout the year, particularly on their assignments, which were based upon fieldwork in the Lake District.

This year our Advanced Higher students enjoyed a mixture of residential and day-trips to sites of interest. The former of these was an overnight visit to Ben Lomond, staying at the Rowardenan Youth Hostel. The students measured a variety of factors that contribute to footpath erosion (and its management) on Ben Lomond. All of these trips - a river study at Lochwinnoch, an urban study on the Waterfront and a rural settlement study to realise the impact of National Parks upon their functions - serve to build the skill-set for the individual student to collect their own data. V Magowan, D Ford, D MacLean

The 4th annual Val Thomson The lucky judges met in the summer term to judge this exciting competition. The standard was extremely high and we were delighted to award the following prizes: 1st place and winner of the Val Thomson trophy - Ferosa Mackenzie P7 Layered Victoria sandwich cake with lemon and vanilla frosting and handmade rose from icing sugar

BAKE OFF

Joint 2nd place - Sol Waddell P7 Heavenly chocolate brownies Joint 2nd place - Molly Scales S2 Genoese cake with passion fruit curd coated with cream Joint 3rd place - Honor Chapman P7 Layered carrot cake with frosting Joint 3rd place - Griff Mann P6 Chocolate and vanilla fudge Thank you to all of the entrants and judges (Mrs Young, Miss Ross, Miss Merton and myself), and we look forward to seeing you next year! C Dolan

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Creative arts... Ian Halliday S6 Freya Leggate S4 Lauren Ferguson S6

Annabelle Brown S4

Laura McCabe S6

Dian Lin S5

James McNaught S4 Georgina Robinson S4

Rory Borthwick S4 Ilias Muckli S6

Robert McNaught S4 Emma Hunter S4

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Creative arts... P7 Project - Totem Poles

Yvonne Zhou S1

Molly Scales S2

Rachel McArthur S3 S1 Project - Hundertwasser Pots

Daisy Morris S2

LĂŠanne Harle S4 Lucy Thornton S2

Sophie Fisher S2

Anne Lawson S2 Allison Lavercombe S1

Nina Boothby S4 Eve Denholm S3 Timothy Chan S4 Heather Harden S3

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Kay Mackenzie S4

Mary Prempeh S3

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Creative arts...

Design & Manufacture...

Abigail Sproule S5, Nursery Storage Unit

Georgia Dunn S5

Dian Lin S5

Amelia Strachan Brooks S1

Rachel McArthur S3, Coat Hook

James McNaught S4, Ice Cream Holder

LĂŠanne Harle S4, Hair Straightener Holder

Katie Ballantyne S2

Taci Vercosa-Mccabe S1

Aisha Rasul S3 Benjamin Sanders S3, Toothbrush Holder Lauren Cooper S2, Mirror Storage Unit Leah Dunlop S4, iPhone Holder S2 Class Project

2R, Optical Art Group Project Marion Caskie S3

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S2 Design and Manufacture Class Project

1Q, Tessellated Clock Group Project

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CCF After 34 years’ service to The Glasgow Academy Naval Section Lieutenant Commander Rob Williams retired at the end of the session. For much of that time he was head of the RN Section and responsible for arranging a large number of cadets to attend courses: from sailing and canoeing to flying and climbing, the opportunities offered by the Royal Navy have always been varied and popular; possibly the most popular and competitive on which to get a place have been the crews of the tall ships. It is thanks to his networking and sound administration that our cadets have had these unforgettable opportunities and for that we thank him. After two years in charge of the Contingent, Major AW Mathewson was appointed to a headship in London and we were very sorry to lose him. He had been a cadet himself and his enthusiasm for the organisation was evident in the amount of time and effort he spent over the years training our competition teams. It is in no small measure due to him that we have had such success in national competitions, as we have done again this year. Although unable to join us regularly every Thursday we have been fortunate to recruit Lt S Harrison who is highly qualified and will provide much needed expertise on the range and on training exercises. I

RN Section I have stated in previous reports that the RN section remains the smallest in the CCF but this does not prevent it being extremely active and keen. To that end, this has been a busy year with cadets taking the initiative not only in weekly training but also in their involvement in camps and courses. The year began with our annual visit to the Ratho Indoor Climbing Centre to spend a day with the Royal Marines. The training package included weapons handling, field cuisine, small boat work on the Forth and Clyde canal, and abseiling. am pleased to report that Second Lieutenant CF Main has been promoted to Lieutenant. On Thursday 9th June it was our privilege to parade with cadets from Kelvinside Academy and march to Òran Mór (what was Kelvinside United Free Church) to commemorate the fallen former pupils of both schools who died in the Gallipoli Campaign. To this day there still hangs a peal of eight bells which were gifted to the church by a Glasgow Academical and they can be heard at 11am each year on the 11th of November. Sqn Ldr AL Evans

Army Section

Earlier in the year, the Army Section once again took part in the annual military skills competition held at Barry Buddon. This is a competition for both CCF and ACF which tests tactics, first aid, command tasks, night navigation and fitness. Our team worked extremely well and their hard work paid off as they were awarded two trophies; not only top CCF team, but also best overall team. A fantastic effort. We also took a team of nine cadets to Wellbeck to take part in their annual Leadership Challenge. This year the tasks included high ropes, orienteering, engineering, shooting and first aid. It is the first year The Academy has taken a mixed team to this competition, which proved to be a great success. Not only did they record the fastest time of the weekend on the high ropes course, but they came first overall and won the competition! An outstanding achievement. The sun shone for our Field Day at Dechmont Training Area and cadets were able to experience live shooting on the 25m range, a blank firing ambush exercise and were able to hear from a Scots Guards serving officer about life as a

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Field Day was spent on board the fleet tender Oronsay with a day of sea training. Although the weather was poor, the cadets undertook boat handling, coastal navigation and an exercise known as “stemming a buoy” which allowed the cadets to bring the ship - which weighs over a hundred tons - up to an extremely large buoy moored off Greenock. It called for precision and feel, and the cadets did well.

It was very encouraging to see the number of cadets attending summer camps and courses rise to a record number. The first course began on June 25th and the final cadet returned home on 22nd August! The courses attended were in HMS Excellent, Portsmouth; HMS Raleigh in Plymouth; and the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. The specialised activities undertaken included leadership, dinghy sailing, yachting, powerboating, first aid and an introduction to the first week in the life of an RN Officer under training. My thanks go to L/S Allan Brash, Captain C Duff and CPO Stevie O’Neill for their help and support over the year; thanks go to Éirinn Fitzgerald, Joanna Philip and Jasmine Leila for their organisation and initiative, and to the remainder of the Section for their tremendous enthusiasm and support which makes it all so worthwhile. Finally, my special thanks go to Sub Lt S Walker for her constant help and support over the last two years. As I leave the Section, I know it could not be in better hands. Lt Cdr RMI Williams

It was very encouraging to see six cadets take up the offer of a sailing camp at Port Edgar during the October break. The wind, unfortunately, was a little on the weak side, making the opportunity of sailing the bosun dinghies difficult. Nevertheless other activities, including paddle boarding and kayaking, were programmed in when the wind refused to co-operate.

Our Thursday training sessions remained as popular as ever and the Senior cadets, under the supervision of Cadet CSM  Ruairidh Hood, did an excellent job yet again. The cadets were enthusiastic, dedicated and an invaluable asset. The training programme, overseen by Cadet Training Team Staff Sgt Shannon, once again allowed members of all three sections the opportunity to work together to learn basic military and important life skills. We are pleased that so many of our S3 recruits enjoyed the very successful programme and it was wonderful to see so many of them at our Annual Summer Camp in Barry Buddon.

Recruit training was held at Garelochhead Training Camp where the usual broad initial training programme was undertaken. This included first aid, basic leadership tasks, archery, weapon handing, land navigation and archery. There was also a good deal of drill, which enabled the recruits to play their part during Thursday parades.

Centre where a very enjoyable day was had kayaking and paddle boarding.

Basic training continued on Thursday afternoons, with the cadets organising and leading it themselves, and credit must go to POs Jasmine Leila, Joanna Philip and Éirinn Fitzgerald whose enthusiasm, drive and organisation made it such a special year. Platoon Commander in an Infantry Battalion. Cadets also had the opportunity to see a Jackal armoured vehicle. It was an excellent day and a fitting end to a successful year of inhouse training for The Army Section. We were the largest contingent at Barry Buddon Annual Summer Camp this year, with 82 cadets from S3 to S6. It was an extremely successful camp with cadets experiencing a wide range of activities, including tackling the obstacle course, acting out and dealing with first aid scenarios, planning and carrying out section and platoon attacks, locating mines, and a 48hr overnight Military Exercise. On our range day, all cadets experienced live firing, not only using the Cadet Rifle, but having the opportunity as well to fire a Light Support Weapon (LSW) on automatic. We also had an excellent day doing Survival Training and with a Special Forces Instructor showing us how to live off the land, making fire, safe water, shelter and finding food. Thanks to all Cadets, CCF Army staff, Ms S Walker of the RN Section and Mr S Wallace, soon to be an officer in the RAF, for helping to make it such a successful week. Lt L Smith

We hosted a visit by HMS Neptune’s Submarine Outreach team in November and thanks must go to Lt Cdr Billy Adams RN for making this possible. We were treated to what it is really like living and working in a submarine: the training, the duties and then traditions associated with this most specialised arm of the Royal Navy. Thanks to our new Governor, Mr D Mackison, we were also visited by a serving Royal Marine officer, Captain Adam Broughton RM, in February. He addressed the Contingent as a whole and gave us an insight of his varied career to date. He also fielded questions from the cadet body and remained for a long time after his scheduled departure time, giving a much more detailed, personal and casual account of his experiences to those keen enough to press him further. This was very much one of the highlights of the year. Thanks to the initiative of PO Leila, contact between The Academy and Glasgow and Strathclyde University Royal Naval Unit was re-established with a visit to their training ship - a P2000 - HMS Pursuer. In the summer term we enjoyed two sailing evenings at the James Hamilton Heritage Park in East Kilbride. Summer Field Day was held at Port Edgar Watersports

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Hockey

RAF Section This year we have had lots of opportunities for flying the tutor aircraft at Glasgow airport. Every new recruit has flown at least once and most of the older cadets too. During their flights the cadets have taken control of the aircraft during normal flight and performed aerobatics too. This summer’s Field Day was spent at Dechmont Range with the Army section, taking part in shooting and tactical training. Cadets then camped out overnight and went kayaking the next morning.

The entire week was brilliant; the days were full of activities, but there was always a bit of time to do your own thing. At the Chemical Biological Radiological & Nuclear Wing we had a relay race with safety clothing and pipettes, and learned a bit about their state of readiness and involvement in emergencies. At the Military Police we were given the opportunity to search a car for hidden contraband and were shown round their ‘facilities’ should they require to deprive anyone of their freedom. We also had the chance to shoot on an electronic range; however, a favourite activity was the day in the field with the RAF Regiment. We spent the entire day surviving on a 24 hour ration pack, while learning about camouflage, building tactical shelters and methods of movement including the dreaded army crawl! In fact, we

were only in our RAF uniform for one morning; the rest of the time we dressed in combats and it was great. Our inter-flight competition, which included a non-military swim and quiz, revealed the individual talents of each cadet and proved that teamwork was essential. We were allocated individual rooms, which were inspected daily and spent an evening ironing our uniform and polishing our shoes for the drill competition. “On reflection, I relished my experience at camp; I’m sure it was the most exhausting but most enjoyable week of my life - I can’t wait to go next year. To anyone going on future camps, the best piece of advice is to make an effort to integrate with cadets from other schools right from the start; the camp will be much more memorable.” Taken from reports of attending cadets

During the first two terms, S4-S6 continued to hone their small-bore shooting skills in our indoor range under the tutelage of our Commonwealth coach, Mr Mabon. The team took part in several postal competitions and I am excited to report that we have three of the shooting team representing Scotland at international level. This is no mean feat, as only two teams of twelve firers were selected from all of the Scottish small-bore shooting schools and civilian clubs. Our three team members nominated to represent Scotland were Cpl Alexandra Black, Cpl Arran McFadyen and Cox’n Éirinn Fitzgerald. After their own shooting sessions, S4-S6 had the opportunity to practise their coaching skills, taking some keen S3 pupils through the skills involved in small-bore shooting. This proved to be very successful and many of the S3s have opted to take shooting as their Games option in S4 next year. There were also Saturday sessions that allowed for further practices.

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The pupils had grown very familiar with the new waterbased Astroturf, so the focus this year was to build on the fundamental skills and patterns of play.

The S3A squad were disappointed not to reach the further stages of their West District tournament but it was a good learning experience for the future. The S2A squad were narrowly beaten despite doing everything but scoring in the Hutchesons’ Invitational tournament. The Prep 6s experienced their first taste of competitive hockey as well this year, playing in various tournaments and festivals as well as some friendly matches.

In terms of performance, we have had a mixed season, with many narrow defeats at both the top and bottom end of the hockey club. The S1A squad were runners-up in the West District tournament and the P7s were semi-finalists in our own Prep tournament. The Seniors have also had some very close encounters this year, but finished the season well in the 7s tournaments, competing in both the semi-final at the

Shooting Team

Cpt CJ Duff

High School of Glasgow tournament as well as the West District tournament.

The pupils have a good understanding of the ethos which the staff have worked hard to develop and has no doubt had an impact on the overall performances of each year group.

In the first week of the summer holidays 16 cadets attended camp at RAF Honington, just outside Bury St Edmonds. Former Cadet Nina Ewing accompanied us as a female supervisor without whom the girls would not have been able to attend. We were joined by cadets from St Edmond’s School, Hertfordshire with whom we became inseparable friends. The Imperial War Museum, Duxford, was only 40 miles to our south and we had a fascinating day wandering round some of the hundreds of exhibits on our first day. Later in the week we had a tour of the American War Cemetery and Memorial, just outside Cambridge: a very moving experience for everyone.

I looked forward with enthusiasm to the prospect of another hockey season at the Academy.

All-in-all it was another productive year. Well done to everyone involved in what has been another busy season. I would like to thank all the players, staff, coaches, umpires, groundsmen and tea ladies for all their hard work throughout the season; it is very much appreciated. R Simpson

Hockey 1st XI The 1st XI has had a very varied season with some great wins and some hard defeats. As a team we have grown and improved massively throughout the season. I am pleased to say that every single player put in maximum effort in every game and training session to allow us to be as successful as possible. Our season got off to an excellent start securing our place as runners-up in the Robert Gordon’s Tournament. We took confidence from this result and worked hard to make the BP Plate final where we met The High School of Glasgow. After a tough match in which everyone fought right to the final whistle we were unlucky to be runners-up. This was a reflection of most of our season in which we were unlucky to lose matches by the smallest of margins. Throughout the season our team has grown extremely close and has had great team spirit which was reflected in our 7s tournament at the end of the season where we made the semis in both The High School sevens and the West District 7s tournaments. The majority of our team was made up of S6 players who brought experience throughout each line of play. Alex Fletcher and Rachael Cannon shared the vice-captaincy this year and both acted as great role models to the younger members of the team. Alex was solid in defence with some great link ups with the midfield down the right hand side of the pitch which proved extremely hard to defend against. Rachael was our top goal scorer this year and by using her pace we could always count on her to get a shot on goal. Our defence was extremely strong this year. Olivia Yeneka made some outstanding saves from the goal and was an effective communicator to the whole team. Laura

McCabe was our safety net at the back of the pitch and managed to save us from many sticky situations. Sarah McKee and Emily Duncan both proved hard to beat in defence. Becky Neilson, Morna Sinclair, Holly Wicklow and Rebecca Gray made up our midfield line and were all extremely effective at linking between the defenders and strikers, creating some great goal-scoring opportunities. Our front line consisted of Heather Allan, Claire Fitzpatrick, Nina Boothby, Jodie Judd and Iona Robinson who proved difficult to defend against. Their pace and determination combined made them deadly on the counter attack. The team would like to thank Miss Simpson and all the coaches this year for their time and effort to make this such a memorable season. Emma Webster

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Hockey 2nd XI

Hockey S3A

This year the 2nd XI had one of its most successful seasons yet. We got off to a rocky start as many of the members from last year’s team had moved on and there was a lot of fluctuation between teams at the beginning of the year. Despite this, there was a solid squad that turned out every week and helped drive the team to success.

Overall, I’ve loved playing with this team of amazing girls. I wish them all the best of luck next year, whether they’re continuing school hockey or moving on to the next step of their life. It’s been an honour captaining this team and thank you to everyone who made my last year of hockey so special.

After a few weeks, the teams began to settle down and the 2nd XI soon began a winning streak. There were some tough games and we were often put under pressure, but we could always rely on our strong defence: Carol Baxter, Emily Duncan and Emma Hunter. Special mention must be given to our centre back, Karin Shaw, and sweeper, Amie McIntyre, who we could always count on. They would always be there to ensure the opposition wouldn’t have the chance to score.

Katie Brennan

Our strong line of defence was a basis to our success. Special mention must be given to Alex Barber who, regardless of having an injury throughout the season, was still loyal to our team and as sweeper managed to hold the team together. Another special mention must be given to our other defenders Toni Collins, Fiona Short, Chloe Thornton and Skye MacKinnon who allowed our team to become more confident and, as a whole, stronger. Along with our defence team, a mention must be given to our two rotating goal keepers, Roisin Mousa and Alicia McAllister who provided us with a last line of defence support, which helped ensure our team confidence. With her ‘unique j-turns’, Jennifer Gillespie did not fail to impress and escape potential tackles as centre midfield. With Taylor Bradley, Anna Breckenridge and Lucy Roberts working on the line, we had a secure midfield team, allowing the ball to be swiftly transferred up the pitch. Our four strong strikers, Amber Colquhoun, Millie Collins, Laura Fitzpatrick

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Emma Brown, Kirsten Cannon and Annabel Ballantyne

POSSESSION In the tournament we started off very well, comfortably winning all of our group matches. In the semi-final against Hutchesons’, despite having most of the possession, we were unable to score and the match finished 0-0 and was decided on running penalties. Unfortunately and disappointingly we narrowly lost out.

Hockey 3rd XI

STRONG LINE OF DEFENCE

We have had a very successful four years together and we are very proud of what we have achieved as a team during that time. The team would like to thank Mr Ralph for his work and for the training and development of our squad which we are sure will benefit us in the years to come.

During the season we have improved our skills and learnt new ones in our Tuesday afternoon games sessions. In addition, we were invited to some training sessions with the 1st XI on Monday nights to help us prepare for our West District Tournament in February. This was a great experience and it gave us an idea of what senior hockey was like.

With such a strong defence it’s not a surprise that there were often breaks, particularly from Amie, which allowed the ball to be swiftly moved through the midfielders: Rosie Hutcheon, Jodie Judd and Isabella Ross. They would always be working hard to push the ball up to our strikers: Abi Sproule, Iona Robinson and Nina Boothby. This combination of talented players in the team allowed numerous goals to be scored throughout the season to help lead us to victory in many of our games.

This season, the 3rd XI senior team has had an impressive and successful streak of wins. The majority of our players from last year’s team had moved on and for this reason we were introduced to many new players from 4th year. It is safe to say that I was not disappointed with the new team formation as we managed to quickly and efficiently sort out positions and structures in which we all played best. As a team with a mix of players from each year group, we managed to get on very well together which, in turn, increased the quality of our Saturday morning performances.

The S3A team have had another successful season this year, winning 13 of our 14 Saturday fixtures and drawing only once. We scored a grand total of 58 goals and conceded only 3 in the process. We enjoyed some notable victories over George Watson’s (1-0), Dollar Academy (2-0) and Mary Erskine (5-1). Marr College provided us with tough opposition, particularly when we were playing away on their grass pitches which we were not used to; however, we managed to win 1-0.

Hockey S3B and Rachel Brown, helped us to score many impressive goals throughout the whole season, which finished a strong majority of our games on some remarkable wins. JOY AND ENTHUSIASM I would like to give a special mention to my Vice Captain, Millie Collins, and our team coach, Mrs FitzGerald, who helped me during my term of Captaincy and also helped to motivate and inspire our team altogether. It has been an honour to Captain this team of incredible girls and I wish them all good luck with their future prospects and hope that they continue to play hockey with as much joy and enthusiasm as they have throughout the year. Adina Iqbal

Throughout the hockey season we have become closer as a team and made some great friendships. Both our hockey skills and fitness have improved massively. We have had mixed results but overall have had a very good season. Our first match was a draw with Dollar Academy but then we soon went on to beat Marr College 2-1 a few weeks later. As the season went on we managed to beat George Watson’s 1-0 and had an amazing victory against Jordanhill winning 5-0. Unfortunately, quite a few of our matches happened to be cancelled throughout the winter. On our first match back we went out fighting but just managed to lose to George Heriot’s due to a couple of great shots from them. Our last match as a team went very well, beating Jordanhill 5-0 once again.

make our team the best it could possibly be throughout the whole season and push us to train and work as hard as we can. Overall we have enjoyed being Captain and Vice-Captain of the S3B team and hope the rest of the team enjoyed the season as much as we did. Jennifer Turner and Catriona Andrews

BETTER RESULTS At our Tuesday training sessions we have worked hard, particularly on the areas of shooting, hitting and gameplay. All of these skills have improved for everyone over the year and this has led us to our victories on Saturday mornings. The fitness side was very tough at the beginning of the season, but as we got used to it we realised that it was helping our matches and we were getting better results because of it. We would like to thank Miss Barr and Mr Wallace for all their efforts to

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Hockey S2A We started off the season with a tough 0-1 game against Dollar, but the next week we came out strong, resulting in a 5-0 win against Craigholme. We had a lot of frustrating games this season, causing us to have 4 draws against Kelvinside, St Aloysius’, Marr and Hutchesons’. This season, we have really begun playing as a team and supporting each other on the pitch. We can’t wait for next season! Georgia Bland, Katie Ballantyne and Lucy Thornton

Hockey S2B Overall, this year has been a successful season. We have fought some hard battles this year and even if we didn’t win all of them we kept putting 100% effort into every match. This season, we played many of our matches on grass. Grass is a much harder surface to play on than AstroTurf due to unevenness and lots of slippery mud! We definitely played well on grass, with some close matches with the Edinburgh schools and Marr College. We also played a touring team from Victoria College, who came all the way over from Ireland to play us. It was a great experience even though we suffered a defeat. The team has developed their skills and knowledge of the sport and how we have developed as a team. Long may it continue into the future! As a team, we would like to thank Miss McNaught and Mr Ralph for helping us to up our game every Thursday. Without them our success would not be possible. Sophie Manuel and Jodie Miller

Hockey S2C The C team had a strong season. We worked well as a team and always motivated one another. Throughout the season we worked on many aspects of our game, such as our level of fitness and individual skills. These have made a big impact on our Saturday matches. Although the team did not have many matches, we won most of them convincingly. One match that highlighted the resilience of the team was the final match of the season against Jordanhill. We started strong and managed to secure a goal within the first five minutes of the game. As the end of the match approached, the score was 2-2. During the last three minutes of the match, the team managed to secure a winning goal, which made the final score 3-2. We feel that the team progressed as a unit and has had an enjoyable year. We hope that the team will carry their success on in the years to come. Daisy Morris and Sara Pollock

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Hockey S1A This has been a very successful and exciting season for the S1A team. Our first match was a particularly strenuous one against Dollar and unfortunately we lost 0-2. After this disappointing start, we were even more determined to strike back positively and the following week we won 1-0 against Craigholme. Our next match was against Jordanhill and at half-time we had already scored five goals and we finished winning 9-1. We were elated with these results and they boosted our confidence and brought us closer as a team.

with the final result, we left with an enormous sense of pride. We would like to thank our wonderful coaches, Miss Bannerman, Miss McNaught and Mr Wallace, for helping us to improve throughout the season - especially Miss Bannerman for her patience, enthusiasm and hard work: we wouldn’t have done it without you! Rachel Lochhead

In January, our focus and priority was the West District Tournament in March. When competition day arrived, we were prepared and ready to go! We were in a very tough section with High School and Hutchesons’ so we knew we had a battle on our hands. We progressed to the semi-final stage and defeated Craigholme. Our opponent in the final was The High School of Glasgow and it was an incredibly tough match which resulted in a draw. This meant that the result would be decided on ‘running penalties’. High School’s goal-keeper was outstanding and we were unable to win the contest. Although we were hugely disappointed

Hockey S1B The 1st year B team enjoyed a fantastic season winning 10 out of 14 matches. We gelled well together as a team and thoroughly enjoyed working with one another. Our training was strenuous, but it ensured we reaped the rewards with some great Saturday morning results. Our match against Marr College in Troon was one of our most challenging fixtures as we played on grass and this is a surface we are lucky enough to avoid most of the time. We were all very determined to achieve a victory and I think this was one of our most hard-fought games. Individually we all played well and this ensured our team performance was strong and led us to a 2-0 win against a very challenging Marr opposition.

score all of 29 well-deserved goals! I am very proud to say that I have been a part of this wonderful team and formed great friendships with remarkable players. I can’t wait to see our future ahead! Hope MacKinnon

We take on board all of the constructive advice given to us by our coaches and greatly appreciate all of their help and advice, especially that of Miss Bannerman, who has been our main source of encouragement this season. Thanks also to our parents for driving us and supporting us on Saturday mornings. Without you, we would be unable to

Hockey S1C I think the C team played very well this year and managed to greatly improve our individual skills and team performances. It was difficult to make the transition into S1 as we had to learn how to play on a full-size pitch with 11 people in a team instead of eight. Our learning curve was steep, but we rose to the challenge.

Thank you to all our coaches and parents for encouraging us throughout S1. Connie McHugh

We won most of our matches, but some were certainly more difficult than others. However, it was rewarding when we addressed mistakes that we had made in matches and then saw how our performances developed week by week. We learned from all our experiences and gave a great deal of effort and determination during training to improve our fitness, skills and team play.

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Rugby

Boys’ Hockey 1st XI We began the season with many of the players new to the squad, having been promoted from the 2nd XI. Despite this, and after a few matches, the team had gelled and adapted to the higher level of hockey and the faster pace. In particular, Matthew Munro became a key member of the 1st XI. He showed great strength and physicality in defence, supporting attacks from that position but ensuring the defensive line was not left exposed to the opposition, and quickly tracking back to defend the goal. In the midfield we had another new player, Robbie Munn, who had recently joined the school. He quickly became one of our best attacking midfielders and will be remembered for his wonder goal against Robert Gordon’s. Our captain, William Prentice, was able to drive through opposition defences, scoring goals himself and creating chances for others in our games. John Oliver was exceptional on the left wing after performing many last ditch diving tackles to win the ball back and create a counter attack. Up front, Jamie Percival and Nicholas Rae showed good pace on the ball and excellent skills in getting behind the other team’s defence and taking a shot on goal or winning a short corner. Despite losses in the season, there were many highlights: comfortably beating Stewart’s Melville 3-1 on two occasions, and the very satisfying win over The High School of Glasgow which ended 4-0, were particularly memorable.

Saturday Hockey results 2015-2016 Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

1XI

At the end of the season we were invited to play in Hermitage Academy’s Invitational Tournament. We beat The High School again and, despite having suffered defeat to Hermitage in the weeks leading up to the tournament, beat them comfortably 3-1 and 2-0. The tournament saw us finish second after a late 1-0 loss to Hutchesons’, so the team was pleased to finish the season on a high. The season has had its ups and downs, and some of the boys showed remarkable character in their desire to succeed. I am sure we will do well again in the 2016-2017 season with many new exciting players coming up from the 2nd XI. Iain Scott

Teams

Tournament

Result

1XI

Robert Gordon’s Tournament

Runners-up

BP Plate

Runners-up

West District Tournament

Semi-finals

West District Indoors

Knocked out in section

Hutchesons’ 7s

Knocked out in section

High School 7s

Semi-finals

West District 7s

Semi-finals

West District Tournament

Semi-finals

Heriot’s 7s

Knocked out in section

3XI

S3A

S3B

S3C

S2A

S2B

S2C

West District 7s

Knocked out in section

S1A

S3A

West District Tournament

Semi-finals

S2A

Hutchesons’ Tournament

Knocked out in section

S1A

West District Tournament

Runners-up

P7A

The Glasgow Academy Tournament

Semi-finals

Jordanhill Tournament

Semi-finals

George Watson’s Tournament

3rd place

S1B

S1C

P7A

P7B

P7C

P7D

Boys’ 1XI

Boys’ 2XI

2XI

Season 2015/2016 saw the introduction of the Inaugural Schools Conference fixtures across the country. This meant, for the first time, schools fixtures becoming meaningful in respect of the results counting towards a league system. Each participating team from S1 and up counted towards a final whole-school result. DELIGHTED I was delighted to receive the news back in March that we had tied with George Heriot’s and became joint winners of the White Conference. This result has been achieved through a huge commitment from both staff and pupils, and I would like to personally thank everyone for this.

Tournaments

Teams

2XI

The season started with a tour to Portugal for the 1st XV, back in August. This 5-star venue allowed the boys to train alongside Ulster Rugby, while also bonding through excursions put on by our tour operator and Joe Boutell. On the training front the boys worked extremely hard and were able to create an on-field style of play while also creating a players’ charter for the whole school.

A couple of the highlights from the Conference games were the 1st XV demolition of the High School in a 31-0 win in terrible conditions and both S3 teams beating George Heriot’s in Edinburgh, the B’s in a 38-34 thriller and A’s holding out for a well-deserved 36-29 win. HISTORIC WIN Throughout the season we became well known, across the whole school, for our turn around results. At 1st XV level, after heavy defeats earlier in the season against both George Heriot’s and George Watson’s, we managed a draw with George Heriot’s and an historic win against triple Scottish Cup winners George Watson’s in the return fixtures. The under 16s turned a 50 point deficit into a win against George Heriot’s. The S3s having been beaten 29-0 in October by Merchiston Castle turned in the performance of their season in the return match to win by a point. The S2s similarly recorded a heavy loss in their first fixture against Merchiston Castle, closing it to a single score in the return fixture. Finally, the S1s were a group who struggled to pick up wins at A team level but continually impressed with their unrelenting effort at training across all their sessions; this was reflected in the B team results as they won 12 of their 15 games.

Hutchesons’ tournament where they were beaten in the semi-finals. At the High School tournament they were able to go one better by reaching the final, only to be beaten in the cruellest of fashions by a last second try. With reference to my own team, the 1st XV, I was delighted to see progression in two areas. Firstly, we competed against all opposition this year, which is the first time I can say this since arriving here three years ago. Secondly, we have started putting together some “real” rugby, that I feel is identifiable with the way I would like all Academy teams to play. This was shown in glimpses against all opposition but really obvious against teams where we were able to dominate. Going forward I hope that the players take confidence from this and start showing it for longer periods in all games. The one area of our game that cannot be measured but we have an abundance of is in our effort levels. I hope this team can pass this on down through the school as we strive to challenge ourselves to continue to improve our results. COMMITMENT Finally, captaining the 1st XV involves a huge commitment and a vast amount of hard work and dedication. Captains are expected to take on a bit more responsibility and to lead their team when times are tough as well as organise and support when things are going well. Part of the responsibility of being captain is how to deal with difficult situations and the commitment from these pupils is of paramount importance. In the Senior Rugby programme, Nick Sutherland has led the 1st XV extremely well. Always in the thick of things, both on and off the pitch, he was always there to provide some words of support and encouragement at the right time. A Conference-winning year should show that things are changing at the Academy and Nick has been hugely influential within this. I hope he and the other 6th year leavers continue to play beyond school as they will have a lot to offer any rugby club. Well done to all the rugby players.

The Senior 7s team showed a surprising appetite for the shortened version of the game, showing up well at the

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P Smith

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Rugby 1st XV The 1st XV spent pre-season on tour at the Brown’s Sport complex in Vilamoura. We spent ten days in the heat and sunshine aspiring to reach high levels of fitness and improve on basic skills, alongside building on team morale. Each day was packed with rugby and team gym sessions lead by Mr Smith, Mr Gillies and Mr McCaskey. The high quality of the complex was clear, as our next-door neighbours were the Ulster rugby team also preparing for the coming season. The tour was a fantastic experience, letting us bond as a team and prepare for the fast-approaching season. The start of the season had us facing some our closest

Rugby 2nd XV were all hard hitting in defence and also strong in attack. Logan McGonigle started almost every game as hooker; his accurate throwing at lineout time was complemented by Matthew Thorburn’s skill in the air. In the backs we had Under 16 Scotland internationalist Jack McCready; his ability to inject pace into the game and side step his way out of many tackles led to brilliant individual tries. Angus Frood and Luca Giovanazzi, playing at stand-off and full back, were both solid in defence and calm under pressure. The sixth years in the team acted well as experienced leaders in the team. At loose head prop, Max Hutcheon

The 2nd XV rugby team had a very successful and enjoyable season this year. The team, which consisted of up to 18 boys, who turned up every Saturday morning, contained many who did not take rugby as a games option, but who turned out to help the rugby programme and give the keen rugby players who weren’t fortunate enough to get a game in the 1st XV some playing time. Despite the lack of weekly rugby experience, the team still managed to get some of the best results in the school, beating all the Glasgow teams plus George Heriot’s to help the Academy to win the first of the SRU Schools’ Conferences. Not only did we beat all these teams but we also put up good fights against teams such as Watson’s and Stewart’s Melville, both of whom have massive rugby programmes and a lot more depth within their squads. I would like to thank all the boys who played alongside me this season for making the experience as good as it could possibly be, with a laid-back but switched-on approach to the games, still getting the results that we knew we were capable of. Thanks also to Mr McCaskey for his leadership and words of encouragement. Ali Fordyce

Rugby U16s

rivals, St Aloysius’ and Hutchesons’ Grammar. Even though we felt ourselves being the dominant team in both matches, we lacked clinical finishing skills and experience which could have prevented last-minute losses. However, the commitment and dedication were flawless. The sore losses were taken as a source of motivation for the following matches against The High School of Glasgow and Kelvinside. Our match against The High School was one of the best performances of the season as a team, with a record-breaking 31-0 victory. The match against Kelvinside was hard-fought for the first half; however, we emerged as clear winners during the second half, ending the game with a 17-10 win. The following games we found ourselves weakened with many injuries throughout the squad. In our match against the Scottish Cup champions George Watson’s we had many key missing players; however, we were able to give them a run for their money with some outstanding defence and dominant forward set pieces. The return match, away from home, had us witness our improvement giving the performance of our lives and winning 19-17 with tries from Logan McGonigle, Ruairidh Hood and Callum Taylor. Our last game had a memorable win over Dollar Academy. The 60-0 victory was a fantastic way to say goodbye to Glasgow Academy. The fifth years adapted brilliantly to Under 18 rugby. In the forwards Milo Graham, Callum Bell and Jack McLean

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was a strong battering ram gaining precious metres in big games; at tight head Ross Eadie was a rock at scrum time. The back row consisted of myself, Fraser Hepburn and Ryan Sweeney. Fraser’s hard chop tackle and Ryan’s notorious skills were vital to the team’s success. Steven Simmers and Daniel Frame have developed a great 9 and 10 relationship over the years which fully showed in the later games of the season with Steven’s pinpoint accurate passing and Daniel’s strong ability to read and control the game. In the centre we had Ross McCrea and Ruairidh Hood performing as both line breakers and quick ball dispersers, which allowed Callum Taylor to use his pace to burn round the outside of defenders, and Ben Chan to power through his opposite man. I would like to thank Mr Smith, Mr Gillies and Mr McCaskey for all their hard work on improving our team this season; as individuals we have all gained valuable knowledge of the game and I have loved the time we spent out at Anniesland. It is clear the future of Glasgow Academy Rugby is looking bright with younger leaders emerging in the squad and exciting new talents joining the Under 18 side. It has been a great experience playing for this school for the last seven years and I will always be proud to say that I played rugby at The Glasgow Academy. Nick Sutherland

It was a tough start to the season as our basic skills needed work, as was evident in the first few matches. We had a lot of handling errors and we were quiet in communicating with each other, but we quickly improved on these and it clearly showed. One of our first matches, against the High School of Dundee, was lost due to silly errors; however, by the second match our team had made a big improvement and we had a better structure to our game and beat Dundee in a cup match 17-12. The team had progressed in the first season, playing better quality rugby and they got noticed for it as many boys got into the Glasgow U16s. This meant extra training and this made the team even stronger. We managed to get to the quarter finals of the shield, playing Glenalmond College; everyone played their best and didn’t give up. We were winning 10-8 and in the last 10 minutes we defended very well as Glenalmond tried very hard to get a try, but with great determination we put a lot of pressure on them and forced errors due to our rush defence and this secured us the win. We were up against Merchiston Castle, where we unfortunately lost and were knocked out of the shield. This loss didn’t faze us and after that we had our best win over Dollar Academy, winning 50-0. Near the end of the season we were invited to play in the Heriot’s 7s. The squad of 10 did very well, beating big Edinburgh sides to advance into the semi-finals: the boys were well led by Alastair Thorrington being very vocal on the pitch and showing excellent leadership. However, we didn’t make the final, losing to Stewart’s Melville. Our team has played exceptionally well, progressing every week, especially Jamie Brennan and Lewis Hay, who both made the Scotland squad. We have played very well this season and have improved a lot since the start; we could not have done this without the help of the coaches. I would like to thank Mr Manson, Mr McNaught, Mr Smith and Mr Wilson for the excellent coaching and advice and for the huge commitment and support that they gave to the team. Robert McNaught

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Rugby S3A This year the S3 A team has improved both on and off the field. Our attitude to learning has drastically improved and that has had a great effect on our rugby. We started off our season with a thumping 83-0 win over Dundee High. This was followed by a close encounter with Edinburgh Academy where we just fell short. Two weeks later we beat our local rivals Hutchesons’ in convincing style. We then had a solid block of training where we were able to improve our skills and this showed when we defeated George Heriot’s 36-29. Our next game in an Academy shirt came against Merchiston where we started brilliantly. There was one score in it at half time, but sadly we fell off in the second half. The game against High School of Glasgow is always one of the most eagerly anticipated games in the rugby calendar. The boys were up for it from the start, the forwards put in a lot of effort and so did the backs and we reaped the rewards. It finished 43-5.

Rugby S2A depended on it. Penalty to Merchiston and they opted for goal: our hearts were in our mouths. Thankfully they missed and the celebrations started. It was a sensational victory, and one that showed what we could do as a year group. A break from fifteen-a-side and it was 7s time. A group of 11 travelled to Carrick and we came home Shield winners. Back to fifteen-a-side and the season was rounded off with a fantastic 65-12 win over Dollar. It has been a great season and every player would agree that we have got better and better as the season passed. This season would not have been possible without the help, support and fantastic coaching from Mr Wilson; also thanks to Mr McAslan for his encouragement and brilliant coaching in the last few weeks of the season. We look forward to under-16 rugby. Finlay Neilson

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Max Hedgecoe

Throughout the season we had our ups and downs but always managed to do well against the Glasgow schools: beating St. Aloysius’ four tries to three and High School of Glasgow with a very satisfactory result of 20-4. We also beat Kelvinside Academy by a safe amount: 29-7. We had a very disappointing one-point loss to a Hutchesons’ Grammar School U14 side that included a number of S3 pupils, losing 10-11. It is always hard when you are facing the Edinburgh Schools but we were very pleased with our 2 point loss to Merchiston and our 2 try defeat to George Heriot’s.

Rugby S2B

Rugby S3B

coach to have taken us this year. All the team will miss him and he has set us up perfectly for rugby in S3. Thank you from all of the team: we will miss you very much.

Of course we couldn’t have done any of this without our excellent coach, Mr Manson. We couldn’t ask for a better

Stewart’s Melville came to Anniesland and it didn’t go our way. It was a steep learning curve and after a heavy loss the boys were keen to never repeat it. A lot of our games were cancelled after Christmas, but after the February holidays we recorded one of the most special wins as a team. We welcomed Merchiston to Anniesland and you could tell as soon as the warm-up started that we were up for it. Mr McAslan had given us a stirring pre-match speech that got us all ready. We were keen to impress and show off what we had learnt. In a thrilling encounter the boys gave everything, putting in countless tackles and playing for one another. With a couple of minutes to go we were up by a point and defending as if our lives

This season has been a very successful and enjoyable one for us. We started the season with a great 48-17 win against Edinburgh Academy. We then continued our winning against St Aloysius’ and a fantastic 3834 comeback victory in tough conditions against George Heriot’s. We learnt our lesson from a tough defeat against Merchiston to record a fantastic 2215 victory over George Watson’s. Despite a slow start great resilience was shown to overcome our rivals the High School 50-12 with some great team tries. A tough away trip to Dollar was in store for us and at half time we were trailing 26-0. However, a massive second half push and great team spirit enabled us to score 37 unanswered points against a very good side to complete a remarkable comeback. The year was ended with a heavy loss against Stewart’s Melville. Due to the Scottish weather there were no games in January and so our first match of the new year was against George Heriot’s. With great motivation and determination another remarkable comeback saw us triumph 50-46. Unfortunately, our form could not be rediscovered again as we finished the season with two losses.

The season kicked off on a high, playing Dundee High School at home and beating them 5 tries to nil. Our second game was a particularly challenging one against Edinburgh Academy: in the end we were pleased with a 7-7 draw, a very close game!

On behalf of the team I’d like to thank Mr McAslan and all of the coaches who helped make this season so enjoyable and successful. Christopher Holdstock

The S2 B team has had an amazing season, winning the majority of our matches. We started off the season with a 32-7 win against Edinburgh Academy. We then went on to play St Aloysius’ and brought home another brilliant win of 47-11. Hutchesons’, one of our main rivals, was our next victim when we beat them 34-0. However, our winning streak was halted by George Heriot’s, who beat us 13-26. Sadly we had two players hospitalised in that match but still fought through till the end, keeping all of our spirits up. The highlight match for us was against Stewart’s Melville, who we beat 19-9 at their home ground. We particularly struggled against them last year so this was a great achievement. We learnt, as always, that Edinburgh teams are very impressive and therefore we will further improve to be able to tackle them, quite literally, successfully next season.

thank Mr Manson and especially Mr Fulton for coaching us through the season and improving us greatly so we could have a chance to beat a team such as Stewart’s Melville. Ollie Nicolson

Throughout the year the team as a whole has bonded strongly, with a few people moving up to the As. By next year we will be a lot stronger and will hopefully do even better than this year. On behalf of S2B team I would like to

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Rugby S1A The S1A rugby team has had to fight hard throughout this season, which has not been one of our most successful. It unfortunately all started with a 0-4 loss against High School of Dundee. The next game was against the much harder side fielded by Edinburgh Academy and saw us losing out 3-21. We did win our next game 11-3 against St Aloysius’ College, where we played a fairly strong game. Despite putting on a strong show we still came up short when we faced Hutchesons’. Our disappointment continued against George Heriot’s, Merchiston, George Watson’s, The High School of Glasgow and Dollar Academy.

not hold on and just missed out with an 8-11 loss. The whole team would like to thank Mr Gillies for being such a tremendous coach and keeping us motivated throughout the season, especially when we weren’t at our best standard, and for setting us up for what we hope will be a successful S2 rugby season. Bryn Doherty

At long last our hard work paid off and we thankfully won 7-4 against Kelvinside Academy. We then lost to The High School of Glasgow again; however, it was a much harder game for them to win as we managed to break their line multiple times. The next game was against George Heriot’s, where we were putting together one of our best performances until they managed to get a try and conversion in the final minutes of the game to beat us 7-12. Our final game of the season was against Dollar Academy; they managed to get the lead over us in the first half; we pulled back ahead in the second half of the game, but could

Rugby S1B This season Mr Kirby has installed a lot of belief in the team and there has also been a lot of healthy competition. A special mention must go out to Andrei who had never played rugby before this year, and is now a regular in the A team. The season started well and we built up some real momentum as we only lost to Merchiston and Watson’s throughout the whole season. The forwards provided some real go forward and Stuart’s hooking in the scrum never failed to provide good clean ball for Charlie or Alex at the base. This allowed our electric backs of Nitin, Zak, Murray, Kenneth, Monty and myself to tear opposition defences apart using Mr Kirby’s moves that we were thoroughly drilled in. This was evident in the fact we beat our closest rivals High School 54-0. We also recorded impressive victories against St Aloysius’

Rugby S1C The step from primary school to senior rugby has been a challenging one, but this failed to stop us from working and developing. This year the C team has been the best I have ever seen them: our mentality going into the games has been upbeat but aggressive and we are functioning like a cohesive unit, rather than individual players. We have functioned well as a developmental squad, producing several particularly strong players who have risen to the B and A teams. Even when we were lacking a try or two, we never gave up until the final whistle was blown - sometimes we walked away with a valuable victory, and others we walked away with a valuable lesson. I am proud of the growth we have achieved this year, and look forward to training together again in August. Kyle Scally

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43-6, Hutchesons’ 20-7 and Kelvinside 33-7, making us the best team in Glasgow. Sambhav Chadha

Cricket 1st XI This season, the 1st XI have enjoyed a number of emphatic victories, both on overcast Saturday mornings at New Anniesland as well as under the scorching Dubai sun. This year’s side was led by John Oliver, who was ably supported by Arman Khan and Ruairidh Russell in his captaining duties. The season got underway with the terrific tour to Dubai which saw the team come on leaps and bounds, and usurp Sharjah Academy Cricket Team at their very own ground, as well as Winchester College (widely regarded as one of the finest cricket schools down south). Highlights of the tour included Arman Khan’s charismatic century, encapsulated by the hearty smile he showcased following two hours of grit, determination and flamboyance. Arman also tore through Winchester College’s top order with a ferocious 5-for and recorded two other respectable innings. Captain John Oliver led from the front; his enviable fielding prowess, terrific bowling, and memorable 50 ensured that the younger players all had a role model to look up to. Nevertheless, cricket is a team game, and without the enthusiasm of every single player, particularly Jamie Percival who time and again was the calmest head on the field, Adam McMurray for his blistering pace, Greg Macmillan for his uncanny knack of picking up wickets and Ruairidh Russell for his general brilliance, the team would not have secured the two wins from four games: a terrific win/loss ratio given the heat and the unfamiliarity of the surroundings. Back in Scotland, our season began with a tight loss against Merchiston Castle, despite decent returns with the ball from Adam McMurray and equally respectable feats with the bat from John Oliver and Arman Khan. However, the season only got better. A win over local rivals High School of Glasgow memorably ended with a towering maximum from Arman Khan’s blade; a confident win against Kelvinside; an extremely well-fought victory against the XL Club, courtesy of level-headed batting from John Oliver and Jamie Percival; an excellent effort at the Sixes, culminating in success thanks to John Oliver’s big hitting in the final as well

as brilliant efforts from Arman Khan and Ross Heginbottom in the earlier stages of the tournament; a dogged attempt to triumph over the MCC resulting in a narrow loss; and, finally, huge wins over George Heriot’s and Dollar - once again courtesy of John Oliver’s batting brilliance as he plundered the second century of the season. When written as a list, as above, it is evident just how successful this year’s 1st XI have been; moreover, what is not visible, is the effort that every individual has put into every game. Tom Bouttell and Callum Bell’s late contributions have regularly disrupted opposition teams; Fraser Gordon and Fayz Siddiqui were both exemplary with the gloves, and good fielding from Dhruv Shah and Alastair Fry constantly ensured that every win was a win not just for the individuals, but for the team. Thanks are also due to Mr Hariharan for his stellar efforts in acquiring facilities and planning the tour, Mr Brodie for encouraging the tour, and Mr McCaskey for taking early-morning cricket nets from back in November. Also to Mr Wilson, Mr Menzies, and Mr Smith for their help in making sure that the season ran smoothly. Rick Mukhopadhyay

Results Matches

Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

Abandoned

2nd XI The 2nd XI enjoyed a short season consisting of two closecut matches against The High School of Glasgow and George Watson’s College. We were, unfortunately, pipped to the post by The High School, losing by two wickets with just over two overs to go, after putting up a respectable 127 runs. Rick Mukhopadhyay had an inspiring spell of bowling, bagging himself three wickets, and in the second innings Fraser Morris had an impressive knock and scored 19 runs. Later in the season, a spectacular innings from Adam Mennie, scoring 28 runs, wasn’t enough to defeat George Watson’s. We fielded well, with Nick Rae claiming two wickets and also comfortably taking two catches in the field.

I was impressed by the standard of both bowling and batting this season, with Callum Smith and Finlay Biok showing promise on the crease. The batting prize, however, was awarded to Fraser Morris, and the bowling prize to Alastair Fry. I must thank Jack McLean, Jack McCready and Adam Mennie for playing at short notice, and of course the teachers and coaching staff that made the season possible. It was a pleasure to captain the team, and I look forward to next season. Adnan Iqbal

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Athletics Glasgow Schools Primary qualifiers were held on 3rd June at Scotstoun Stadium. With full teams, the majority of individuals qualified for the finals night and our girls came 2nd overall, while our boys finished 4th. The finals night involved a return to Scotstoun on 15th June, where spirits and standards were extremely high. Saskia Wade delivered the performance of the night, taking the gold medal in the standing long jump. Silver medals were also won by Saul McGlennan in the 600m and Kirsty Wicklow in the 80m sprint, while Nicola Fletcher took bronze in the girls 600m event. Both primary 6 relay teams, comprised of Tom Wicklow, William Aggleton, Ben Henderson, Ben Thomson, Christian McCall, Chaorainn Hart, Kirsty Wicklow, Saskia Wade, Lucy Harris and Ruby Mason, finished 2nd. There were top 6 scoring performances for Andrew Harden, Lucy Harris, Sophie Mackellar and Sol Waddell in the cricket ball, Chaorainn Hart in the 600m, Jessica Smith in the long jump and Daria Martinolli in the 80m sprint. With the points all added together, the girls finished a very impressive 2nd overall with the boys finishing a creditable 6th. Three teams travelled to Hutchesons’ for the Scottish Schools Secondary Relay Championships on the afternoon of 4th June. In the U15 age group, Eve Denholm, Alessia Martinolli, Annabel Ballantyne and Honey Morris broke the school 4x100m record to finish 4th in the final. Nicola Waite, Iona Denholm, Abbey Orr and Ava Smith also broke school records, running 54.74sec for 4x100m. Adam Orr, Maximilien Yvan, Colin Taylor and George Gourlay finished 4th in their heats of the U17 boys event. Seven athletes entered the Scottish Schools Pentathlon Championships, which were held at Grangemouth on 4th June. It takes mental and physical strength to complete five different events in one day and all of our pupils showed they had plenty. Murray Fotheringham was the top finisher, scoring a school record to finish 3rd in the U14 boys competition. Despite being disappointed with her high jump, Ava Smith ran a superb 800m to finish off her day and rise to 5th place. Adam Orr finished 5th in the U17 competition and both Adam and Ava also set new school pentathlon records. James Smith competed in the U14 boys, Annabel Ballantyne in the U15 girls and Iona Denholm in the U14 girls events. The Glasgow Secondary Schools Championships were held over one day this year. What was potentially the hottest day of the summer term weather-wise, also proved to be hot in terms of performances. Murray Fotheringham won two gold medals with two new school records in the 1500m and the high jump. Annabel Ballantyne also set a new school record on her way to winning the 1500m. Adam Orr picked up three gold medals in the 400m, the pole vault and the long jump, while Ava Smith proved herself to be a versatile athlete, winning the sprint hurdles gold and having set a school record in the 800m earlier in the season. Scott and Stuart Briggs completed a family double, both winning the 400m hurdles, with Stuart setting a school record in doing so. Calum Wray, who has

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been a vital part of the school athletics teams throughout his school career, bowed out with gold in the senior sprint hurdles. Ellie Sung also set a new school record on her way to winning silver in the shot putt. All medallists are listed below. GOLD Ava Smith - sprint hurdles Abbey Orr - high jump Annabel Ballantyne - 1500m Emma Forrest - javelin Murray Fotheringham - 1500m Murray Fotheringham - high jump Stuart Briggs - 400m hurdles Scott Briggs - 400m hurdles Adam Orr - 400m Adam Orr - long jump Adam Orr - pole vault Maximilien Yvan - shot putt Calum Wray - sprint hurdles Alessia Martinolli - 100m Eve Denholm - 200m S1G - 4x100 S3 G - 4x100m S3 B - 4x100m SILVER Ellie Sung - shot putt Indi Small - shot putt Eve Denholm - long jump Craig McKee - triple jump Timothy Chan - triple jump Scott Sprang - 1500m Nicola Waite - 100m Sam Gray - pole vault BRONZE Sophie O’Neil - high jump Erin MacKenzie - javelin Jamie MacDougall - sprint hurdles Andrei Podaru - shot putt Lewis McLean - 1509m Zak Potter - high jump As a result of these performances, four TGA athletes were selected to represent Glasgow in the U15 Inter area match: Eve Denholm in the 200m, Abbey Orr in the high jump, Scott Sprang in the 1500m and Murray Fotheringham in the 800m and the high jump. This was a real honour and they wore their Glasgow vests with pride. In the league, five of our six teams made it through to the finals (S1G, S1B, S2G, S3G and S3 B), which were held at Hutchesons’ on 13th June. The competitions were tight

and there was some great team work to ensure maximum points were scored. The S1 girls managed to win their overall competition while both S3 teams were just beaten into second place. We returned from a very long weekend at the Scottish School Championships in Grangemouth with four medals and a clutch of school records and personal best performances. Eve Denholm completed a sprint double, winning silver in both the 200m and the 300m in the U15 girls competition. In the process, she also set two new school records. Murray Fotheringham ran a huge personal best to further lower the school record for the U14 boys 800m to 2min 09 and take the bronze medal. Later in the day, he went one better in the high jump, winning silver. Adam Orr and Sam Gray both cleared huge personal best heights in the pole vault, with Adam setting a new school record of 3m. Ava Smith made the final of the U14 girls sprint hurdles while Abbey Orr just missed out on a medal, finishing 4th in the high jump. Nicholas Anderson jumped a big personal best in the high jump, while Scott Sprang just missed out on a place in the 1500m final. Nicola Waite, James Smith, Alessia Martinolli, Iona Denholm and Maximilien Yvan all performed well in their first competition at this level. L MacNeill

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Cross-Country

Basketball

The Glasgow Schools Cross-Country Championships

This year has been a very successful year for the U14 Basketball team. The team was captained by Craig McKee and all players worked hard and really improved their skills and confidence throughout the season. The boys reached the final of the Glasgow Schools U14 Cup at Easterhouse leisure centre. This was a fantastic achievement for the players and is the furthest we have ever progressed in the competition as a school. The boys also did very well in the Glasgow Schools League and reached the semi-final of this competition. We lost at this stage to St Mungo’s Academy, the same team who won the U14 cup. SLAM DUNK The boys played really well throughout the season and did themselves proud. It was also lovely to see so many parents along supporting the team at both home and away games. As a treat at the end of the season, the U14s went along to see the Harlem Globetrotters at the SSE Hydro. This was a thoroughly entertaining event and James Hamilton has been taking notes and is getting closer and closer to a slam dunk! It has been a pleasure working with this group of boys and we look forward to taking them on into U16s after the summer. Our U18 boys who play as their Games option on a Wednesday afternoon are also making good progress. At the start of the year many of the pupils were new to basketball and they have really improved their skills and understanding of the game.

In March/April we played a head-to-head against St Aloysius’ Games group and over the course of three weeks we played them three times. Well done to TGA for winning overall with 2 games to 1. Sam Roberts led the team very well and played particularly well in all games. He has also been a good role model for the U14s and regularly attends and helps to coach our Wednesday lunchtime training sessions. WELL DONE Michael McMillan has also done a great job refereeing a number of our games this year. After doing his schools refereeing course he has developed his confidence and refereeing skills through helping us out at school games. Well done! Finally, if anyone out there is keen to get involved in Basketball, we train on Wednesday lunchtimes and also have Monday and Friday morning drop-in shooting sessions in the Games Hall. Please see Miss Cuthbert or Mr MacLeod if you are interested in coming along. J Cuthbert and R MacLeod

The Glasgow Schools Cross-country Championships took place at Netherpollock on 26th February. There were over 2250 pupils from 60 different schools entered in the 16 different races which ran throughout the day. The weather was kind and the course was relatively good underfoot, leaving way for some strong running from pupils of The Glasgow Academy. In the Primary events, there were individual wins for Charlie Treharne (P5B), Saul McGlennan (P6B), Amber Wade (P5G) and Kirsty Wicklow (P6G), with medals also going to Amiya Patel (Silver P5G) and Saskia Wade (Bronze P6G). The Primary 6 girls packed incredibly well, with Chaorainn Hart and Lucy Harris also in the top 5, taking the team gold with an emphatic victory over 2nd place. The Primary 7 Boys also won team gold, while the Primary 7 Girls won bronze medals. A list of those making the Glasgow Academy teams can be found below. Primary 5 Boys: Charlie Treharne, Nathan Nabili, Euan Bell, Blair Miller, Sam Kenyon and Casper Waddell Primary 6 Boys: Saul McGlennan, Christian McKay, Tom Wicklow, Guy Bell, Angus Taylor, Christian McCall, Ben Thomson and Oliver Calder Primary 7 Boys: Sol Waddell, Lyle Webster, Ruaraidh Hart, William Nicolson, Lucas Pierotti and Aaron Cooper

Primary 5 Girls: Amber Wade, Amiya Patel, Anna Miller, Jenna Hilditch, Ashley Herbert and Sophie Hannigan Primary 6 Girls: Saskia Wade, Kirsty Wicklow, Chaorainn Hart, Lucy Harris, Charlotte Martin, Anna Streule and Jasmine MacGregor Primary 7 Girls: Nicola Fletcher, Estelle Macaloney, Emma O’Neil, Abigail Gourlay, Philippa Williamson, Daria Martinolli and Jessica Smith The sun continued to shine as the secondary pupils descended upon the park in the afternoon. Murray Fotheringham started the day off with an individual bronze medal in the S1 Boys race. Scott Sprang collected a silver medal in the S3 Boys race while Annabel Ballantyne continued her winning streak at this event with a large margin victory in the S3 Girls race. In the team events there were Silver medals for the S3 Girls with bronze team placed finishes for the S1 Boys, S1 Girls and Senior Boys. These great performances all round are a result of the hard work that is being put in at Cross-country Club on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday night after school. Well done to everyone who took part! L MacNeill

The Glasgow Academy Cross-Country Championships In a change to last year’s format, this year the school Cross-country championships were all held on the Kelvin Way. The Prep 5, 6 and 7 pupils all ran a 1500m loop, while pupils in the Senior School were challenged with a 1.75 mile route, incorporating a tough hill at the halfway mark. The weather held out across the week and most of the races proved to be relatively enjoyable affairs. Everyone who ran earned valuable points for their house, with Fraser coming top in the senior competition and Morrison in the Prep School.

TGA Cross-country Club wishes him all the best and will follow his progress with interest. L MacNeill

Everyone who took part should be extremely proud of their achievements; however, of particular note was the win of Robbie Barr in the senior race, which sealed his 9th win in 9 years, from Primary 5 to Senior 6. It was a great way to finish his career at TGA as he now has his sights set on a collegiate career, running for a university in the USA. Everyone in the Prep 5 Boys

Prep 6 Boys

Charlie Treharne Nathan Nabili Ben Phillips S1 Boys

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Prep 7 Boys

Prep 5 Girls

Saul McGlennan

Sol Waddell

Amber Wade

Tom Wicklow

Lyle Webster

Amiya Patel

Guy Bell

Ruaraidh Hart

Anna Miller

Lucy Harris

S1 Girls

S2 Boys

Prep 7 Girls

1st

Saskia Wade

Nicola Fletcher

2nd

Fraser

Kirsty Wicklow

Estelle Macaloney

3rd

Temple

Emma O'Neil

4th

Arthur

S3 Boys

S3 Girls

Lauren O'Neil

Scott Sprang

Annabel Ballantyne

Robbie Barr

Alex Rankin

Max Hedgecoe

Molly Scales

Adam Orr

Freya Hill

Sam Abernethy

Catriona Allan

Harison Bradley

Katie Ritchie

Blair Inglis

Eve Denholm

Lewis McLean

Becky Neilson

Murray Fotheringham

Ava Smith

Stuart Briggs

Thomas Aggleton

Zainab Rasul

Jamie Maclean

Millie Howat

S2 Girls

Prep 6 Girls

Sen B

Sen G

Morrison

1st

Fraser

2nd

Morrison

3rd

Temple

4th

Arthur

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Football This season the 1st XI Football Team entered the Scottish Cup and the Scottish Schools Independent League and Cup Competition. Our squad contained more S4 students than ever before and this was one of the highlights from a series of very competitive fixtures.

The season started with friendly fixtures against Jordanhill and St Aloysius’. In both games our young team acquitted themselves well and improved their levels of fitness. Against Jordanhill we lost 3-1 in a game we dominated in the first half, but against St Aloysius’ we gave a very good attacking performance to win 4-3; Cameron Russell caused the opposition constant problems running in behind their defence and scored a stunning free kick. The Scottish Cup is often a bitter-sweet experience for Independent Schools and this season we were drawn against one of the best teams in the country in the first round and were well beaten by Bearsden Academy; it was no disgrace to lose this game as Bearsden Academy were excellent and a team who I would expect to go on and challenge for national honours. Despite this, the game was a learning experience for our players and it didn’t dampen their resolve or their determination to do well in the Independent School’s League and Cup. Once the league fixtures started we recorded two fantastic results. Firstly, we beat the High School of Glasgow 4-1 in what appears to be our best-ever victory against them. In this match the team created numerous chances spurred on by Cameron Ballantyne in midfield and led by Callum Taylor at the back: this was a confidence boosting win and a convincing one against our neighbours. We followed this with our best performance of the season against a strong Hamilton College side. Our opponents had their best team for a number of years, but we managed to beat them 1-0 thanks to a goal from Bill McIntosh and a strong performance from our back four. In these two matches we played some good football, passed the ball well and played at a high intensity which was impressive from such a young team. In both games we stuck to the tactical plan, gave few chances away and made few individual errors. Expectations were high coming into the final round of fixtures with opportunity to qualify for the knock out stages of the Independent School’s Cup. Our qualification this season depended on two games, one against St Aloysius’ and one against Hutchesons’ Grammar. A depleted Academy side battled hard against St Aloysius’ to no avail and despite playing well at times against Hutchesons’ we lost 3-1 and were unable to go any further in the competition. Despite the disappointment of not qualifying for the next round of the cup there were lots of positives to be gained this year. At times, we played some of the best football we have played for years and created a lot of chances in the process. We fielded a young team who have gained valuable experience for next season and many of these players were our best players: Bill McIntosh, Cameron Ballantyne, Oscar Hedgecoe and Ryan McCourt will be important to the team for the future and better players for the season they have just had. As ever, the players represented the school superbly and showed a strong desire to work hard at training.

The Chronicle

Well done to all of the players who played for the 1st XI this year; you have been a pleasure to work with and a credit to the School. Mr Shields and I would like to thank Callum Taylor, Alasdair Fordyce, John McDonald, Finlay McKelvie, Andrew Lynch, Murray Drover and Ilias Muckli for their efforts in the football team over the last few years. Callum was a good Captain who worked hard to prepare the team for matches and organise the fixtures; on the field he showed a strong desire to win and this rubbed off on the rest of the team. The Players’ Player of the Year for the 2015/16 season was Bill McIntosh. He worked hard in training, but won the award primarily for his skilful appearances on the left wing which impressed his peers. The Coaches’ Player of the Year was Nick Rae; Nick won this award for his impressive performances at left-back. Nick’s passing, tackling and positional play was very good and he improved as the season went on. Well done to both boys. Lastly, thank you to all of the parents who have supported the players in their matches this year and thanks also to Mr Shields for his help coaching the team: thanks also to Mr McColl for taking the S1/2 training sessions on a Friday afternoon.

Cameron Russell: The latest Academy pupil to work in the Professional Game.

Golf With the departure of Mr Adam Williams last June, golf at The Academy lost undoubtedly its most enthusiastic, talented and hugely-committed Master in Charge of Golf in many years. In his short time at The Academy, he raised the profile of golf to a new level.

This year we entered not just one but two teams in the Independent Schools Golf Association Matchplay Tournament, the first time we have ever done so. The ‘A’ Team of William Prentice, Matthew Robertson and Kerr Webster got the competition off to a great start in early October by beating High School of Glasgow on home soil by 2 games to 1. While we had a large group of talented golfers itching to play, we then suffered a very frustrating period during the late autumn monsoon season when many local golf courses were closed because of flooding. Because we were judged to have run out of time, we lost the ‘B’ team fixture to St Aloysius’ on the toss of a coin - and the St Aloysius’ boys went on to play our ‘A’ team at Glasgow Gailes on 10 February when Angus Frood joined Matthew and Kerr and battled bravely to win 2-1 against excellent opposition. It took a team from Merchiston Golf Academy to put us out of the competition in the semifinal. Playing at Longniddry Golf Club on 25 February our boys matched them from tee to green, but we couldn’t quite match the Merchie boys’ putting and we lost 3-0.

5-1 win against the boys of Merchiston Golf Academy at Pollok on 16 June. Our boys have been working hard on their games this season and their assured performance against tough opposition spoke volumes. Congratulations to William Prentice, Angus Frood, Matthew Robertson, Greg McCaffer, Kerr Webster and Calum Stevens. That set the team up nicely for their annual meeting against the Academicals at Killermont - a match that they won with some fine individual performances. Mr Duncan has continued to provide golf-improvement sessions at Great Western Golf after school on Fridays and has had a regular group of 10 or 15 who want to work on their game. We also have a rich crop of new golfing talent developing in the Prep School. In this year’s St Leonard’s National Junior Golf Championships played in St Andrews at the end of April they had a chance to show what they were made of. Such was the weather, however, that Cameron Hardiman, Fraser Thomson and John Collins - all in P5 together with Murray Thomson of P2 deserved a medal just for turning out on a day of arctic winds and snowy conditions, as did their parents for taking them there! Special congratulations go to Murray of Dairsie P2 who came third in the Under-9 Boys’ competition. Not bad for someone aged 6 playing in his first competition!

Two years ago we got to the national final of the HMC Tournament - so hopes were high that we might do well this year. However, we came up against Dollar Academy on a dreich day at the end of October at Dollar Golf Club - a tight wee course carved out of a hillside in Dollar Glen. Home advantage won the day and Dollar took the tie 2-1.

William Prentice has been an excellent Captain of Golf this year, both in terms of his sportsmanship on the course and his leadership of the team generally. We wish him every success as he goes off to study Financial Economics at where else? - St Andrews.

Of games played this year probably the highlight was our

MR McNaught

Following the likes of Campbell Ogilvie (the former President of the SFA and TGA pupil from 1956-68), Martin Bain (now CEO at Sunderland Football Club) and Woodville Gray who played for Scotland in 1886 the Academy has many links with Professional Football and the sport in its amateur days; the latest is Cameron Russell, our departing Centre Forward. A special mention must go to S6 pupil Cameron Russell. In over ten years of coaching Senior School Football I have seldom worked with a pupil who has been so determined, hardworking and driven towards becoming a Professional Footballer. I am glad to say that Cameron is the first Academy pupil in the modern era to gain a Professional contract and he will be representing Airdrie Football Club in the 2016/17 season. Cameron had very good technique, pace and shooting ability and scored a lot of memorable goals for the school. On behalf of the School I would like to wish him every success with Airdrie FC and in his Sports Science Degree course: I hope he makes his debut for them soon. D Ford

Andrew Kitson, Kerr Webster, Angus Frood, William Prentice (Capt), Calum Stevens and Greg McCaffer with The Keith Deighton Quaich after their win against the Academicals at Killermont The Chronicle

Rowing

This year our rowing programme continued to achieve success at the highest level with four athletes representing Great Britain, and a further seven becoming Scottish Internationalists. As always, our session started in August when, after a short summer break, it was back into the rigours of winter training. This was greatly improved by our new Ergometer Room in the former Physics building. It was here, out on the river and in the gym, that the athletes did the hard work which would allow them to achieve so much during the season.

year he won the World Junior Championship in Quadruple sculls. This year he was in a GB quad that came 11th at the World Championships in Rotterdam. Although the result did not reflect his potential, it left him wondering what might have been if he had been selected in his favoured event, the single scull.

The winter head racing season was very short due to the demolition of a bridge on the river Clyde, which resulted in no local events being staged on our stretch of water. We did, however, have great success at the Scottish Schools Head in Dullater, winning six events. On our annual trip to Inverness in November, we won the coveted “Antlers“ for a second time by posting the fastest boat of the weekend, with crews producing eight wins and nine second places. A second trip to Inverness in February saw a win by the Junior 16 girls eight.

Callum Urquhart followed his brother, Ross, into the rowing programme when he was in S1 and, as a slow burner, gradually made his mark. He won Scottish and British titles, representing Scotland and winning the Home International event in 2015 – a feat matched by his brother four years earlier. He was part of last year’s record-setting Henley quad and this year took a Bronze medal in pairs at the National Schools Regatta. After completing the gruelling GB trialling process he was selected to row for GB in the coxless four at the Coupe de la Jeunesse where he won two Gold medals – a first for Glasgow Academy.

In March, we travelled to London to compete in the Schools head and Scullery, where the girls quad came third on both days, and the boys quad fourth and then first - results that set them up well for the rest of the season. We had wins at Strathclyde Park Regatta, Castle Semple and Clydesdale Regatta, as well as a Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the National Schools Regatta. At the Scottish Championships, we had no fewer than 22 medal winners in both Senior and Junior events. The girls quad won at Women’s Henley and both the boys and girls quads raced at Henley Royal Regatta, with the girls quad going on to be the eventual winners. At the British Championships we had three medal winners: Holly Wicklow, Anna Colley and Alex Milne in J15 sculls. Josh Armstrong, India Somerside, and Alex Rankin represented Great Britain at the World Junior Championships and Munich International Regatta in Rotterdam. Callum Urquhart rowed for Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, and a further seven of our rowers represented Scotland at the Home International Championships. This year we said goodbye to four athletes who, through their dedication, hard work and performances have defined the ethos embodied in the Glasgow Academy rowing programme. Josh Armstrong joined the programme in S3 and, with an ideal rowing physique and single-minded drive, he very quickly established himself as an athlete with huge potential. Over the last three years he has represented Great Britain on three occasions, been National Schools, British and Scottish Open Sculling Champion. He won the prestigious Head of the Charles race in Boston USA , and was undefeated in this year’s GB trialling system, making him the top GB Junior. Last

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Alex Rankin and India Somerside also started rowing in S1 and were part of a year group that, from an early stage, showed great potential to achieve. They have both represented GB on three occasions, also rowing for Scotland and winning at the Home International Championships. Alex was part of the GB Junior four that came 6th at the World Junior Championships in Rio last year. This year the girls were the fastest junior pair in Britain, winning GB trials and trial regatta. They were Scottish Open and Junior Champions, won the Belgian Junior, Flemish Senior and U23 Championships, as well as quads at Women’s Henley. They were in the GB Junior Women’s four that won Junior fours at Munich International, Women’s fours at Ghent and Metropolitan Regatta. They represented Great Britain in the fours at the World Junior Championships in Rotterdam where they finished an agonising fourth, 4/100th of a second behind the USA. This four were arguably the fastest Junior four that Great Britain has produced and, in any other year, would have been racing USA for Gold. This year the standard moved on, which was a salutary lesson for the coach that nothing ever stands still.

GB Internationalist, National Schools Champion and Scottish Champion Josh Armstrong GB Internationalists, Belgian, Flemish and Scottish Champions Alex Rankin and India Somerside GB Internationalist, Scottish Champion and Coupe de la Jeunesse Winner Callum Urquhart Home International Champion Callum Broad

British Championships Gold Alex Milne Bronze Holly Wicklow and Anna Colley

Scottish Championships Gold Josh Armstrong, Callum Urquhart, India Somerside, Alex Rankin, Callum Broad, Holly Wicklow, Anna Colley, Holly Allan, Jenny Olney, Daisy Morris, Sofia Chatfield, Emily Milne, Darcie McCann and Honey Morris Silver Kirsty Hunter, Lauren Cooper, Catriona Andrews and Alex Milne Bronze Andrew Hodge, Mathew Hodge, Harry Mason and Zak Potter Scottish Internationalists Sam Abernethy, Callum Broad, Anna Colley, Jenny Olney, Holly Allan and Youcef Djoudi

All four of these athletes will be attending Edinburgh University where they will be part of the High Performance Rowing Group. It has been a great pleasure to have these hard-working young people in the rowing programme. They have clearly established the standard to which all our future rowers can aspire. Through their dedication, work ethic and resilience they have shown that no matter your size or sporting background, through hard work, you can rise to become a World Class athlete. It will now be up to our future rowers to continue to raise that bar. IC Somerside

The Chronicle

Skiing The year started off with the Primary Dual Slalom heat at Bearsden ski centre where two racing and two novice teams competed. Both novice teams went through to the finals at Snow Factor after a nail-biting ski off during which Bearsden A and Bearsden B teams (who train at the Bearsden slope) were beaten into 3rd and 4th place, which was very satisfying.

Fergus Munro, Saskia Wade, Amber Wade, Amiya Patel, Tom Wicklow, Nathan Nabili, Euan Bell and Ben Waite went through and the all-boys team came second in their pool, just missing going through to the head-to-head final between the two pools. The Ski cross finals are held in December at Snow Factor. The mogul slalom course is daunting, but our pupils love this competition. In the Primary competition Kirsty Wicklow came 4th, Melissa Sharp 16th, Robin Deakin 6th, Christian McCall 18th, Fergus Munro 23rd and Nathan Nabili 25th. Overall the team secured 3rd place. In the Secondary competition Jennifer Turner was 4th, Charlotte Sharp 15th, Theo Howe 21st and Gregor Cockburn 28th. Travis Colquhoun and Thomas Aggleton also competed for the first time and the team was placed 8th overall. We finally got to ski on real snow in the Glencoe heats of the Alpine series. With challenging snow conditions and even more challenging weather at times, it is fantastic that yet again the pupils achieved some great performances. In the Primary novice competition Anna Manuel came 1st and went to the final at the Nevis range, coming 4th in Scotland - a great achievement. Amiya Patel was 5th (8th in final), Rebecca Harrow 6th (9th in final), along with Abbie Burgess who was 10th. Sam Kenyon was 4th, Luca McGowan 6th and Ben Waite 8th in the novice race.

The Chronicle

Kirsty Wicklow came 2nd in the open race and 3rd in the finals at the Nevis range. This is a fantastic result in her first season skiing in the open category. Mairi McPhee was 5th, Melissa Sharp 7th and Anna Miller 11th. Robin Deakin was 5th (23rd in the finals), Christian McCall was 8th, but is actually a novice skier and came 7th in Scotland in the novice finals and Fergus Munro came 11th (28th in the finals). In the Secondary heats Ellie Campbell came 1st in the novice category. She went through to finals at the Nevis range and in glorious sunshine achieved 2nd place in Scotland. Emily Milne was 3rd and Nicola Waite 11th in the novice race. Theo Howe came 5th and Greg Saini 12th in the boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; novice competition. Jennifer Turner came 2nd in the open category, which is impressive given that in S3 she is up against girls in S6 from other schools. Charlotte Sharp was 7th and Gregor Cockburn 19th. The House ski competition was held at Bearsden ski centre in April on a very sunny afternoon. Each House put forward eight skiers, with the fastest four contributing to the overall score. Jennifer Turner (Fraser) won, closely followed by Gregor Cockburn (S4 Morrison) and Charlotte Sharp (S2 Temple) in 3rd place. The strong Morrison team won overall, with an all-girl Temple team in second place, Fraser House in 3rd place, represented entirely by pupils from S13, and Arthur House in 4th place. KR Graham

The Chronicle

Swimming Glasgow Schools Swimming The Glasgow Academy had another very successful year in swimming. The standard has been very high, with pupils performing extremely well in competition. A number of pupils attended the Glasgow Schools Prelims and, as a result of their performances, qualified for finals night. There were a number of excellent performances, and all that attended did the school proud. The team achieved an impressive medal collection as listed below. Congratulations and well done to all those that competed for the school.

Individual Races

Relay races

Alexander Hunter S1

1st 50m Butterfly

S1 Boys

1st

Bryn Doherty S1

3rd 50m Butterfly

S2 Boys

1st

Stuart Andrews S1

3rd 50m Back crawl

S3 Girls

3rd

Abdurahman Khan S1

3rd 50m Breaststroke

Conor Massey S2

1st 100m Breaststroke 1st 50m Butterfly

Craig McKee S2

2nd 50m Breaststroke

Patrick Wallace S2

3rd 100m Freestyle

Iain Fletcher S4

Holly Wicklow S5 Alexandra McFarland S5

1st 100m Freestyle 1st 50m Butterfly 2nd 100m Breaststroke 3rd 100m Freestyle 2nd 100m Freestyle

Scottish Schools Swimming The Glasgow Academy were well represented at the Scottish Schools Swimming Championships this year. There were some excellent performances, and an impressive medals haul. Conor Massey (S2) secured bronze in 13/14 boys 100m back crawl. Iain Fletcher (S4) continued his success in recent years by picking up gold in both the 15/16 boys 100m butterfly, as well as the 15/16 boys 200m fly. Nicola Fletcher (P7), Emma O’Neil (P7), Saskia Wade (P6), and Kirsty Wicklow (P6) put in a sensational performance in the 12 and under girls 200m freestyle relay. Not only did they claim gold, they also set a new Scottish Schools record in the process. Quite an achievement! Congratulations to all that took part and represented the school with such distinction.

Senior School Swimming Gala The 117th Senior Swimming Gala was held on 1st February at Drumchapel Pool, with Mrs Fletcher presenting the prizes. As ever, competition was fierce not only amongst the pupils but also between the house staff. Both Boys’ and Girls’ Championships were very exciting and competitive across all year groups. The Girls’ Championship was won by Alexandra McFarland, second place was Holly Wicklow and third place was Anna Breckenridge. In the Boys’ Championship Iain Fletcher was the winner, second place was Zander Grant and third Kavind Veerasamy. Below are the new records that were achieved: New Record

Stroke

Old Record

HOUSE RESULTS

Holly Wicklow

38.73s

50m Breaststroke

Holly Wicklow

38.82s

1st

Morrison

Isabella Ross

14.64s

25m Freestyle

Gabrielle Clark

15.10s

2nd

Temple

Iain Fletcher

25.50s

50m Freestyle

John Archibald

26.90s

3rd

Fraser

Alexandra McFarland

28.37s

50m Freestyle

Karen Smith

29.30s

4th

Arthur

Alexandra McFarland

35.53s

50m Back crawl

Lucy McCall

37.20s

Congratulations to all pupils that took part in this event. M Manson

The Chronicle

Tennis The first week of the tennis season began with our pupils playing in the snow. Fortunately, these conditions were short lived and within a couple of weeks we had gone from wearing thermals and waterproofs to tee-shirts and sun-cream. Tennis continues to be the most popular Summer Games activity and it has been terrific seeing all our 21 courts at Windyedge being fully used almost on a daily basis. The three courts at Colebrooke Street are also heavily utilised and we are looking forward to these being re-surfaced during the 2016 summer holidays. After-school tennis clubs took place on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday for boys and girls from P6 upwards and I am delighted to report that as usual, these were popular activities. Although our fixture list remains a small one, Saturday practices took place almost every week during the term at Windyedge to ensure pupils were given the opportunity to develop their skills or simply enjoy playing tennis with their peers. Our pupils are introduced to tennis skills in Kindergarten and as they progress through both Prep and Senior Schools, they undertake a block of the sport each year as part of their PE curriculum. For the third consecutive year, we entered a team into the P4 Glasgow Primary School’s Tennis Tournament and their job was even tougher knowing they

Morrison’s Academy

Saturday 14 May

Senior Girls

Won

Senior Boys

Won

Junior Girls

Won

Junior Boys

Draw

The High School of Glasgow

Tuesday 27 April

Senior Girls

Won

S3 Girls

Won

S3 Boys

Draw

S2 Girls

Won

S2 Boys

Won

S1 Girls

Draw

S1 Boys

Lost

P7 Girls

Won

P7 Boys

Won

The High School of Glasgow

Saturday 4 June

Senior Girls

Won

S3 Girls

Won

S2 Girls

Won

S1 Girls

Draw

P7 Girls

Won

The Chronicle

were defending the title! The four pupils selected were Alexandra Burdon, Gracie Hunter, Rory McMillan and Keir Wright and their performances throughout the day were outstanding. They reached the final and despite most of the matches being led by TGA, I think nerves took over and we unfortunately narrowly lost against Camstradden Primary. Sport provides children with so many experiences in addition to the physical ones and the P4s certainly felt confidence, determination, disappointment, joy, teamspirit, social interaction and sense of achievement during the event. As runners-up, we progressed to the West Regional Finals on 5th June at Scotstoun. The standard of tennis was outstanding and after three hours of playing, our team finished fifth out of ten teams. Congratulations to all four pupils!

We were invited to the annual High School of Glasgow Girls’ Tournament in May and this is a busy and exciting morning of tennis. Over 15 couple was Alexandra Fletcher (S5) & Emma Forrest (S3), Under 15 was Fiona Allan (S3) & Aisha Saini (S2) and Under 15 was Hannah Bell (S1) & Sophie McMillan (P7). The girls faced some particularly tough opponents this year and we finished in overall third place.

The High School of Glasgow Girls' Tennis Tournament

O15

U15

U13

Craigholme

Won

George Watson’s

Won

Lost

The High School of Glasgow

Won

Lost

Hutchesons’

Won

Draw

Jordanhill

Lost

Lomond

Won

St George’s

Won

Lost

TGA House Tennis Championships The finals of the TGA Tennis Championships were a treat to watch this year and the sunshine certainly helped! Our finalists are all very physically talented pupils; most excel in more than one sport. Callum Bell is an outstanding cricketer, badminton and rugby player and he certainly brought his ‘A’ game to the final. It was a tremendous match to watch but Alasdair Forrest’s experience ensured he was ultimately able to control the game. Andrew Glen was the Junior Boys’ runner-up and the training he has been undertaking to reach the national squash programme was noticeable. His squash coach, John Kirby, has been developing Andrew’s flexibility and this was apparent when he was seen sliding along the court performing what could be described as nearly the box splits! Move over, Djokovic! However, Fraser Craig calmly controlled the match and his experience and training with the Scottish Tennis programme took him to a comfortable victory. Junior Girls, Emma Forrest and Katie Ritchie enjoyed a very sociable final but despite all the chatter and laughter, the girls played a superbly competitive match. Alexandra Fletcher was challenging again this year for the Senior Girls’ title and played a tough match against Morna Sinclair. Both girls are very competitive so this was also an exciting match to watch. All finals were truly outstanding and all our finalists should be congratulated for displaying such talent and entertainment.

Junior Girls

Junior Boys

Senior Girls

Senior Boys

Overall

Arthur

4th

Callum Bell

Fraser

1st

3rd

2nd

1st

2nd

Emma Forrest

Katie Ritchie

Morrison

2nd

1st

2nd

1st

Junior Boys

Fraser Craig

Andrew Glen

Temple

3rd

2nd

3rd

P7 Girls

Hana Woods

Estelle Macaloney

P7 Boys

Alexander Hendry

Lucas Pierotti

Championship

Winner

Runner-up

Senior Girls

Morna Sinclair

Alexandra Fletcher

Senior Boys

Alasdair Forrest

Junior Girls

We have been particularly fortunate with our team of tennis coaches this year. In addition to the PE staff, our pupils continued to benefit from Mr John Kirby’s encouragement, experience and enthusiasm. We also employed former pupil Andrew Kraszweski, who left in 2006 to take up a tennis scholarship at Yale University. Andrew spent the summer term with us whilst taking a hiatus from his job in New York. Another former pupil, Cammy McCall joined us once again this year and Miss Heather Lockhart who previously coached with us some years ago also returned. Having such talented

and experienced coaches allowed us to deliver a topclass tennis programme to our pupils. In addition to Games afternoons, pupils were also invited to attend one of the three after-school tennis clubs or Saturday morning coaching. Many thanks to my PE colleagues, coaching staff, groundsmen, pupils and parents who all ensured the short but busy tennis season ran so smoothly. NLB Bannerman

The Chronicle

Sports Day

S2 Girls Winners 100m

Emily Irving

100m

Nicola Waite

200m

Aisha Saini

200m

Iona Denholm

400m

Aisha Saini

300m

Honey Morris

800m

Georgia Bland

800m

Ava Smith

1500m

Katie Ritchie

1500m

Milly Howat

75m Hurdles

Sophie O’Neil

70m Hurdles

Ava Smith

Long Jump

Katie Duffield

Long Jump

Honey Morris

High Jump

Sophie O’Neil

High Jump

Zoe Ng

Shot Putt

Indi Small

Shot Putt

Ellie Sung

Discus

Mandy Chan

Discus

Sofia Chatfield

Javelin

Sophie Manuel and Daisy Morris

Javelin

Ava Smith

that we remember him a century after the battle.

4 x 100m Relay

Fraser

4 x 100m Relay

Temple

There are some special plans being made to mark our 150th Sports Day next year.

Senior Boys Winners

The 149th Sports Day was a great afternoon. I always describe the weather because the event depends so much upon it; this year we were blessed with a hot and sunny June, but heavy rain on the days preceding the Sports! Although Anniesland was cloudy, we managed a full Sports Day with all of the high jumps and hurdle events completed. My Chronicle report last year posed a question of when the Morrison-Fraser stranglehold would be broken. The answer came immediately, as Temple produced a full team of willing participants who competed well and won the London Branch trophy for the first time in 40 years. Needless to say, the pupils and House Staff were delighted, and it goes to show that success can come if a team sets about a task in a determined manner. There were some modifications to the events this year, reflecting changes in athletics nationally. The weights of some of the throwing implements have become lighter, S1 girls and boys now run 300m instead of 400m and the hurdles races have been shortened, so we no longer have the senior boys 110m hurdles over 3’3’’ barriers. Although this may be a loss to some of the spectators who enjoyed watching the struggle, the competitors were delighted. The best record performance of the afternoon was Nina Boothby setting a new Senior Girls’ Shot record using the same weight as previously used. Ava Smith shaved her Under 14 800m record down to 2.39.1, and this reflects the good athletic season that Ava has had this term. There were also new events producing new records for Honey Morris and Jamie Wishart in the S1 300m races.

Finally, my thanks to the staff and coaches who made the afternoon work smoothly, Mrs FitzGerald for her efficient organisation, and of course, the extremely able ground staff, led by Mr Cheape. SW McAslan

London Branch Trophy

We are grateful to Dr A. Wray for presenting our prizes, one of which is the Senior Boys 100m commemorating Arthur D. Laird. Arthur D. Laird was captain of school in 1907-08 and fell on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, so it is fitting

Senior Girls Winners

25.7s

Mackay Shield

400m

Oscar Hedgecoe

52.7s

Fraser Bowl

800m

Ruairidh Russell

2.27.0s

Walker Quaich

1500m

Ruairidh Russell

5.14.0s

Campbell Challenge Cup

100m Hurdles

Calum Wray

15.82

Waddell Challenge Trophy

Long Jump

Ilias Muckli

5.06m

Murray Challenge Cup Murray Cup

2nd

Fraser

955 pts

Triple Jump

Timothy Chan

11.23m

J. Coleman Smith Cup

3rd

Morrison

904.5 pts

Shot Putt

Ross Montgomerie 9.43m

Muir Cup

4th

Arthur

837.5 pts

Discus

Jack McLean

25.76m

Academy Cup

Javelin

Angus Barbour

30.73m

Challenge Shield

Cricket Ball

John Oliver

67.83m

Challenge Trophy

4 x 100m Relay

Arthur

50.0s

Laird and Gentles Cup

4 x 200m Relay

Arthur

1.49.0s

Kenburn Cup

Tug of War

Temple

Alessia Martinolli

200m

Nina Boothby

32.7s

Upper Vth Trophy

200m

Eve Denholm

400m

Holly Wicklow

73.9s

GAPTA Trophy

400m

Kirsten Cannon

800m

Laura McCabe

2.50.8s

Pat Johnston Trophy

800m

Emma Forrest

1500m

Rebecca Neilson

6.01.8s

The Barr Trophy

1500m

Annabel Ballantyne

80m Hurdles

Isabella Ross

16.5

Susan Watson Trophy

75m Hurdles

Annabel Ballantyne

Middle School Trophy

Long Jump

Morna Sinclair

3.18m

The Sheila Crawford Cup

Long Jump

Eve Denholm

Janis M Rogen Trophy

High Jump

Skye MacKinnon

1.30m

Sheena MacDonald Cup

High Jump

Mary Prempeh

Westbourne Trophy

Triple Jump

Isabella Greenock

7.05m

Shot Putt

Katie Prentice

Shot Putt

Nina Boothby

8.45m

Discus

Assia Djoudi

Discus

Laura McCabe

17.10m

Javelin

Emma Forrest

Javelin

Alicia McAllister

14.28m

4 x 100m Relay

Fraser

Cricket Ball

Taylor Bradley

26.62m

Tug of War

Morrison

4 x 100m Relay

Tug of War

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Scott Briggs

1.65m

100m

Lorna A Murray Trophy

The Carruthers Cup for Throws was awarded to Emma Forrest

The Lang Trophy for Throws was awarded to Nina Boothby

200m

Ilias Muckli

The Sheila Crawford Bowl

GAPTA Quaich

Laird Cup

High Jump

14.8s

61.7s

11.9s

968 pts

Léanne Harle

Crichton Cup

Callum Taylor

Temple

100m

GAPTA Trophy

100m

1st

S3 Girls Winners

The Bilsland Bowl

S1 Girls Winners

Moira Thomas Trophy for Sprints was awarded to Eve Denholm

S3 Boys Winners

McDonald Cup

S2 Boys Winners

S1 Boys Winners

100m

Colin Taylor

100m

Stuart Briggs

100m

James Smith

200m

Adam Orr

200m

Stuart Briggs

200m

Angus Morrison

400m

Maximilien Yvan

400m

Craig McKee

300m

Jamie Wishart

800m

Fraser McDonald

800m

Craig McKee

800m

Murray Fotheringham

1500m

Scott Sprang

1500m

Ross Christie

1500m

Murray Fotheringham

80m Hurdles

Nicky Anderson

80m Hurdles

Blair Brown

75m Hurdles

James Smith

Long Jump

Adam Orr

Long Jump

Fraser McDonald

Long Jump

Rory Harris

High Jump

Nicholas Anderson

High Jump

Stuart Briggs

High Jump

Murray Fotheringham

Triple Jump

Adam Orr

Triple Jump

Craig McKee

Shot Putt

Andrei Podaru

Shot Putt

Maximilien Yvan

Shot Putt

Jonathan Green

Discus

Matthew Hodge

Discus

Bjorn Keuhne

Discus

Jonathan Green

Javelin

Chris Thurtell

Javelin

Kyle Sockalingum

Javelin

Jamie Morrison

4 x 100m Relay

Fraser

4 x 100m Relay

Morrison

4 x 100m Relay

Arthur

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Senior School

Music

Our year started promptly at the end of the first week back with a weekend away to Gartmore House for a workshop weekend with the Chamber Choir. Alongside the music staff, we were joined by singer Andrew McTaggart, who helped to put the pupils through their paces. This was a new venture for the department, taking advantage of not touring later in the term. Over the course of the weekend the Chamber Choir members worked tirelessly on a vast amount of repertoire in preparation for the busy year ahead. Those parents who came along to the Sunday afternoon performance at the end of the workshop were given a real treat. This weekend helped the choir to get started on much difficult choral work, including pieces for the Commemoration Service, John Tavener’s The Lamb and parts of Vivaldi’s Gloria. With the completion of The Saunders Centre, the Chamber Choir took the opportunity to put on an evening of entertainment and try out the acoustic. This sell-out October concert was a huge success and showed what a wealth of talent we have here. We were fortunate enough to welcome Sandra Hawkins as our soloist for the first half of the concert, which included John Rutter’s choral work Feel The Spirit, a suite of choral pieces based on well-known spirituals.

Orchestra, now in its second year, continues to grow in strength under the able direction of Mr Kevin Price and Mrs Elspeth Barron. We are incredibly lucky at The Academy to have such a wealth of talented instrumental and vocal tutors. My sincere thanks go out to all the tutors who work so tirelessly to get the very best they can for our pupils. As we look towards the future of Music at TGA we cannot deny that we have an incredibly strong foundation upon which to build.

The Christmas Concert was held in Wellington Church, making the most of the ample space to combine both Prep and Senior ensembles. Instrumental and vocal ensembles from both schools of the Kelvinbridge campus entertained a crowd of over 700 parents, friends and pupils. Highlights included the Senior Boys’ “interpretation” of Jingle Bells and the massed collection of instrumentalists (and Mr Marshall at the organ) for the finale of Highland Cathedral. Not only was this a spectacular end to an incredibly busy term, it was a fitting tribute to Martyn Marshall’s work over the last ten years.

I end with the words of my predecessor, Mr Martyn Marshall: Remember – making music makes you smarter!

The New Year saw us welcome Miss Catriona Thomas to the department. Any anxiety about change was soon dispersed as the busy term got under way. The ever-popular Senior Boys’ Ensemble continues to wow audiences with their popular performances. Again, they were invited to return to sing at the PTA Ladies’ Lunch event in February. It seems that no matter what is thrown at them, they relish the opportunity to put their all into a performance. They were well received at the packed ballroom at The Grand Central Hotel. The Chamber Choir returned to St John’s Renfield Church at the request of ReviveMS, a charity that supports MS sufferers and their carers. This concert was such a huge success that the pupils raised over £4500 for the charity. March saw the usual competition entries for Glasgow Music Festival. We enjoyed the usual successes with our Senior groups; however, particular mention should be made of the Prep School Junior Choir, who were awarded second place in their competition out of twelve other schools across Glasgow. We look forward to welcoming the Prep 7 pupils from this group when they move up to the Senior School. Numbers for Associated Board and Trinity music exams continue to grow, seeing a session of three and a half days for Trinity in June. Exam success has been high and many of the examiners have commented on the high standard of performance our candidates show. The Glasgow Academy

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T Mills

Competitions This year the standard at our annual competitions has continued to escalate. Each year the adjudicators comment on the incredible ability shown by our pupils. It is especially noticeable for those of us lucky enough to witness individuals improve year on year. Our instrumental competition this year was adjudicated by Peter Fry, Principal Double Bassist with Scottish Opera. Peter very kindly stepped in at the last minute and we were extremely grateful to him for coming along. We heard a wide range of performances across many instrumental families. The Elizabeth V Mackay Award was won by Aisha Rasul, with William Massie and Meghan Ray mentioned as highly commended performances.

this a very tough competition, proving what a high standard it was. Highly commended certificates were also presented to Georgia Dunn and Sean McGettigan. These evenings are always a pleasure to attend. My sincere congratulations go out to all the competitors from the two competitions. I hope to see many of you there next year. It certainly is an entertaining evening! T Mills

Pipe Band The Glasgow Academy Pipe Band has once again enjoyed a busy year performing at various school events throughout the session. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to our Director of Music, Mr Marshall, at Christmas. The occasion was well marked with a stunning musical showcase at the Wellington Church, which the Pipe Band were honoured to be part of. The band performed Highland Cathedral together with the school’s orchestra and choirs for the first time in a long time, which was a great success and an experience for all involved. The Pipe Band would like to wish Mr Marshall all the very best in his future endeavours. We have again had success on the solo drumming circuit this year. Callum Nelson of P6 placed third in his category at the annual Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band’s junior competition. This is a remarkable achievement for 10-year-old Callum as he was competing in the 15-andunder age category. Congratulations to Callum from all of the Pipe Band. The Glasgow Academy Pipe Band itself has also had success this year. The band once again took to competition in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships at Broughton

High School in Edinburgh. The band put in an excellent performance to secure second place in the Junior B category in only their second competition. The band’s drummers also managed to secure first place as a drum corps, which is another great achievement for our youngsters. The band’s performance is available to watch on the school’s YouTube channel. Massive congratulations to all members of the Pipe Band from Mr Henderson and Mr Wark. Again, as with every year, we must bid a fond farewell to some of our members moving on. Ruairidh Hood and Simon McAlpine-Scott, Pipe Major and Pipe Sergeant respectively, will both be leaving our ranks this year. The band, Mr Henderson and Mr Wark would like to thank them both for their years of service and dedication to their piping. They have played an integral part in the band’s success in recent years, for which we are all extremely grateful. Next year will see a new crop of budding pipers and drummers come in to our ranks as we look to build on the success of this year’s achievements. D Henderson

This year’s adjudicator for the vocal competition was Alison McNeill. Alison, a professional soloist in her own right, works with the RSNO Junior Chorus, NYCoS and Scottish Opera as part of a busy portfolio of freelance work. Like the instrumental competition, we were treated to a variety of vocal styles including British art song, operatic arias and musical theatre numbers. As someone who trained as an art song accompanist, this competition is one of the highlights of the year for me. The Nina Morrison Cup was awarded to Allison Lavercombe for her moving performance of ‘Memory’ from Cats, with Fraser Morris and Alastair McLeod mentioned as highly commended performances. The Seona Cameron Cup was awarded to Anna Swan for her performance of ‘With You’ from the musical Ghost. Our adjudicator found

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Senior School

Houses Arthur House

The year 2016 will be marked as a vintage one for Arthur House. We swept our way to the House Championship in June, following consistently strong performances in most of the House events throughout the year. We won the House Singing Competition in October, with a mashup of High School Musical songs in accordance with the Disney theme, conducted humorously by Andrew Lynch. This was followed by success in the House Drama Competition with a piece written and performed by pupils under the direction of Anna Swan. We had some stunning victories in the lunchtime sports competition, but it remains an area where we are not as strong as other houses, making our overall win even more impressive. Special mention should be given to Alexandra McFarland who spared our blushes in the swimming competition by dominating the Senior Girls event. Throughout the year our pupils came to events equipped with an incredible attitude. Whether it was Sports Day, House Skiing, Tennis, Chess, Cross-Country, Basketball, Hockey or Football, our pupils gave it their all and we almost always had a full team for these events, despite the various other commitments pupils had. The S6

played their role: organising teams, chasing up players at the last minute, supervising lunchtime Drama rehearsals and keeping the singers singing! They also made a good effort to come and support the events, with a committed group ensuring that they signed off from the school as House Champions. Special mention should go to our House Captains, Katie Morrow and Nick Sutherland, who led the S6 team brilliantly.

“Just can’t wait to be king” was our House song, showing our determination and mind-set for the year. A great collective effort, and lots of rehearsal, allowed us to start with confidence, ably conducted by Sean McGettigan with Cameron Ritchie leading the band. A great performance gained us second place in the House Singing Competition and fun was had by all. Fraser House had a slow start to lunchtime activities, but nevertheless we came second in the S1 basketball, then second in the S2 Basketball and first in the S3 Basketball. Our confidence was high as we continued to rack up the points by winning the S2 Hockey and dominating the House Rugby with 3 wins out of 4. Alasdair Forrest won the House Tennis championship and led our team to a very creditable second place. Our swimming team performed well and credit must go to Conor Massey for his supremacy in the pool. The last sports event of the year was Sports Day, an event we won the previous year. We were in the lead until the final moments of

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Last year we relinquished our House Champion title, but not for lack of trying. As always, our Morrisonians rose to the challenges of sports, which we won due to some fine performances throughout the year. Highlights included the lunchtime events and Swimming Gala where Iain Fletcher, in particular, was outstanding. Our House Singing was one of our best for years. Despite having an entire S1 cast for the House Drama competition, we came last; however, the performance was very moving and superbly acted. Sports Day didn’t quite go to plan: despite us having

competitors in nearly every event and great commitment, we were just lacking the finished product in some events. Katie Thornton and Ruairidh Hood deserve a lot of thanks for taking on many of the tasks, almost single-handedly, and for leading the House with passion and dedication. Onward into 2016/17 and an exciting new challenge for everyone in Morrison House: let’s get that House Cup back where it belongs! L MacNeill and T Menzies

Winning the House Championship has raised the bar for the new S6 and given Arthur something to defend this year. It will be difficult to top this year, especially with Katie Archibald adding an Olympic Gold Medal for Arthur in Rio in the Summer (as a former Arthur pupil, we feel Katie’s gold is a success for Arthurians everywhere). So the challenge to all Arthurians, past and present, is to win an Oscar in 2017 to help us to beat an incredible session! Thank you to the class of 2016 for all your hard work and good luck for the future. P Bisland and PM Ruddock

Fraser House Buoyed by a meteoric rise from fourth place to third place in 2015, our S6 were keen to continue Fraser House’s rise up the ranks and took many roles of responsibility to help support our younger pupils. This enthusiasm obviously spread amongst the House as we turned out for all competitions giving our best at every turn. Fraser House came a strong second this year, beaten very narrowly.

Morrison House

Temple House the day, but were pipped at the post and left in second place. Moving on to Drama, we had exceptionally talented actors playing lead roles in Fame and Lauren Ferguson is obviously a star in the making! Sean McGettigan and JJ Logan wrote and directed the House Drama Competition, with a cast of S1 and S2 students. They performed brilliantly on stage with a wickedly written script and were judged to be second on the day. In other areas, with the help of Alex De Koning we romped home with the Chess Trophy and, thanks to Sean McGettigan and JJ Logan, we reached the final of the House Debating. Our House Captains, India Somerside and Freddie Der, were very well backed up by Vice-Captains Ruari Taylor, Rachel Shannon, JJ Logan and Carol Baxter. The team organised the House ably throughout the year, allowing us to field teams where otherwise we may have missed out. A special thanks must go to Priya Gill for organising many House assemblies and being “Queen of the Quiz”. A big thanks also to Karin Shaw for taking care of the House noticeboard.

S1 Basketball was the first House event of the year; Max Hutcheon and Laura McCabe, our House captains, organised the victorious team and defined the Temple House motto for the year - participation! The S6 pupils also led the House in singing a very enthusiastic version of “Bare Necessities” in the House Singing competition. We had volume and focus, but lost out this time - better luck next year. Éirinn Fitzgerald and Andrew Barr represented the House in the Debating Competition and beat their opposition with flair in the heat, going through to the end-of-term final. They were always well-prepared, confident and committed: another well-deserved second place.

2015 saw Fraser House come fourth, in 2016 we came second and you don’t need to be a statistician to see this trend…Bring on 2017!

In the Spring term we were delighted to come second in the House Swimming competition; this was a result of having representatives in every race and utter commitment by our senior pupils, particularly Max Hutcheon, Laura McCabe, Nina Boothby, Iona Robinson, Calum Wray, Matthew Munro, Andrew Munro, Malcolm McArthur and Euan McLeod. The S3 team of Assia Djoudi, Catriona Andrews, Robert Brewer and Finlay Neilson swam very well throughout, as did our S2 and S1 pupils, who performed particularly well in their relays.

JF Cuthbert and RMR MacLeod

The House Skiing Competition is a popular and successful

event for Temple; however, this year we did it a little differently. Our all-girl team, five of whom were S2 or younger, achieved a fantastic second place. Special congratulations go to Charlotte Sharp (S2), who came third overall. The pupils in Temple House are traditionally very musical and also tend to get involved in lots of outdoor education: this continued through the year and the members of the choir, performers in Fame, all those completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards and those gaining musical certificates, should be congratulated for their efforts. As the year came to an end, we approached Sports Day with our usual “try your best” attitude. Clearly this was taken to heart, as for the first time in 40 years, Temple House won! Congratulations go to Calum Wray, Cameron Wray, Miles Ballantyne, Guy Matthews, Max Hutcheon, Nina Boothby, Rebecca Neilson, Laura McCabe, the S3 boys and everyone else who achieved even one point for the House. The tugof-war competition was particularly exciting, with our senior boys winning - another first in this millennium! We thank everyone for their participation this session: participation produces points. KR Graham and IA Mackie

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Prize-giving SENIOR 1

SENIOR 5

SENIOR 3

Biology, English, Latin

Christopher ANDERSON

Spanish

Thomas BARNETT

English

Ashley BELL

Modern Studies

The Blair Bowl for Modern Languages

Catriona CUTHBERT

Geography

Georgia DUNN

Classical Studies

Joshua ARMSTRONG

Prize for Exceptional International Achievement

The Scougall Cup for the Best All-Round Sportsman

Carol BAXTER

Business Management, Modern Studies

Mathematics

Katie BRENNAN

Biology

Jodie JUDD

Physical Education

Dian LIN

Design & Manufacture

The Da Costa Cup for Art

Isabella GREENOCK Geography The Canada Prize for Geography

Alexandra McFARLAND

The Gentles Prize for History

Jack McLEAN

Spanish

Greg MacMILLAN

Physics

Hannah BELL

Endeavour Award

Catriona ANDREWS

Hospitality

Angus FROOD

Sambhav CHADHA

Computing Science, Modern Studies, Science,

Zoë ARMSTRONG

Drama

Fraser GORDON

Shoumita BARDHAN

Chemistry, English, Mathematics, Physics

The Russell Prize for Mathematics Kenneth FRASER

French, Science

Robert BREWER Biology, Computing Science, French

Rory HARRIS

Sports

Emma FORREST

Sports

Louisa HERBERT

English

Millie HOWAT

Spanish

Lisa GALLACHER

Modern Studies, Speaking with Style

Allison LAVERCOMBE

Drama, History, Music, Speaking with Style

Nina GRAHAM

Geography, History

Harmony HILL

Biology, Computing Science, English, Geography,

The Nina Morrison Cup for Singing Linda LEE

Latin

Latin Van LAMBIE

Spanish

Honey MORRIS English, Geography, Mathematics

Rachel McARTHUR

Art

Annabel McCUSKER

Drama

Ava SMITH

Sports

Ian McNAUGHT

Geography

Yvonne ZHOU

Art, Mathematics, Science

The Frank Coutts Cup for Service to the Pipe Band

Finlay NEILSON

Sports

SENIOR 2 Nadia AL-HADDAD

Endeavour Award

Aisha RASUL

Art, Biology, Mathematics

Mandy CHAN

Latin

Fraser CRAIG

French

The Elizabeth V McKay Salver for Instrumental Music

Eilish DAY

Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science,

Benjamin SANDERS

Design & Manufacture

Kyle SOCKALINGUM

Accounting, Physics

English, Physics

Colin TAYLOR

Music, Physical Education

Joseph ELLIS English, Modern Studies, Spanish

Jack WICKLOW

Business Management

Andrew GLEN

Sports

SENIOR 4

Andreea HAGIU

Art

Nina BOOTHBY

Helena LEITE

Design & Manufacture

Jack McCAMLEY-WILDING

Biology

Timothy CHAN Mathematics, Music, Physics, Spanish

Lucy McCORKINDALE

Mathematics

Iain FLETCHER

Speaking with Style

Craig McKEE

Modern Studies

Ruiyang HE

Biology, Geography

Daisy MORRIS

Endeavour Award

Oscar HEDGECOE

Physical Education

Sophie O’NEIL

History

Hope HILL

French

Meghan RAY

Endeavour Prize, Music

Fergus HORNE

Design & Manufacture

Aisha SAINI

Sports

Katherine MacKENZIE

Art & Design, Biology, History

Molly SCALES English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Speaking with Style

Ehsen MAHMOOD

Accounting, Chemistry

James McNAUGHT

Art & Design

Robert McNAUGHT

Sports

Sean WONG

Roisin MOUSA

Modern Studies

Ritobrata MUKHOPADHYAY

Classical Greek, English, Computing Science,

Latin, Mathematics, Physics

Emily MURDOCH

Hospitality

Physics

Alessandro PIA Lucy ROBERTS Aman SALWAN

ADVANCED HIGHER PRIZES and SPECIAL PRIZES

Emma ALEXANDER

David NOBLE The Rose Henderson Essay Prize Jamie PERCIVAL

Music

Filip PETROV

Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science,

Mathematics, Physics

Gordon STACKHOUSE

Drama

Shreenil VANI Accounting, French, Mathematics Thomas WALLACE

The Sinclair Salver for Instrumental Music

Holly WICKLOW

Sports

English Music

Accounting

Simon McALPINE-SCOTT

Physics

Laura McCABE

The McNaught Rosebowl for Art & Design

Sean McGETTIGAN

The Iain MacLeod Prize for Literature

The London Academical Prize for History

Euan McLEOD

Design & Manufacture

Seri OH

French, Mathematics

Douglas PARKINSON

Computing Science

The McGranaghan Computing Science Prize

Alexandra RANKIN The Iain MacLeod Prize for Literature

Prize for Exceptional International Achievement

Cameron RITCHIE Chemistry, Ma thematics (Statistics) Karin SHAW The Ian Jeffery Travel Scholarship

Sports

Arabic

Rhys KERR

The David Hope Taylor Prize for English

India SOMERSIDE

Prize for Exceptional International Achievement

Anna SWAN

Drama, Latin, Music

The Seona Cameron Cup for Singing SENIOR 6 Andrew BARR

Politics

Rebecca COLLINS

Psychology

Alexander DE KONING

The Eric McNaught Quaich for Initiative

Éirinn FITZGERALD

The James Jope Shield for Public Speaking

The Rector’s Prize for Service Ian HALLIDAY

Art & Design

Ruairidh HOOD

Classical Studies,

The Stevenson Prize for Services to the CCF

Sarah McKEE The Alstead Award for Service to the Community

Niamh TAYLOR

Drama

Rebecca NEILSON

Modern Studies

Lewis WALKER

Business Management

Stella PACE

Philosophy

Emma WEBSTER The Westbourne Cup for the Best All-Round Sportswoman Claire FITZPATRICK

The Attril Cup for Head Girl

The Indian Trophy for Services to the School

Callum TAYLOR

Physical Education The Fraser Cup for Head Boy The Indian Trophy for Services to the School

Joanna PHILIP

Classical Studies

The Mowat Scholarship

Alasdair FORREST

Mathematics, Physics

The Temple Scholarship

Sharan MAIYA

Mathematics

Speaking with Style

McLaurin Cup for Dux

The War Memorial Scholarship

Lara PIEROTTI The Remploy Prize for Citizenship

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Cara ROONEY

Accounting

Nicholas SUTHERLAND

Sports

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Senior School

Appointments

Head Boy: Callum Taylor Head Girl: Claire Fitzpatrick Deputies: Sarah McKee, Emma Webster, Alasdair Forrest and Sean McGettigan

RUGBY Captain: Nick Sutherland Vice-Captain: Ryan Sweeney

HOCKEY Boys’ Captain: William Prentice Girls’ Captain: Emma Webster Boys’ Vice-Captains: Alastair Forrest and Simon McAlpine-Scott Girls’ Vice-Captains: Rachael Cannon and Alex Fletcher

ROWING Boys’ Captain: Josh Armstrong Girls’ Captains: Alex Rankin and India Somerside

SHOOTING Full Bore Captain: Éirinn Fitzgerald Vice-Captain: John (JJ) Logan

SWIMMING Captain: Iain Fletcher Vice-Captain: Holly Wicklow

BOYS’ ATHLETICS

GIRLS’ ATHLETICS

Captain: Calum Wray

Captain: Jodie Judd

CROSS-COUNTRY Captain: Catriona Allan

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CRICKET

TENNIS

Captain: John Oliver Vice-Captains: Ruairidh Russell and Arman Khan

Captains: Alex Fletcher and Emma Webster

Staff Tributes Ann Frances Dunn Ann Frances Dunn, who worked as a Classroom Assistant at Dairsie from October 1992 until June 2015 and then joined us at Kelvinbridge, sadly died on 11th June 2016. She will be remembered by generations of parents and pupils as a kind, caring assistant, hard-working and generous of spirit and always willing to help out, whether it was finding kit or comforting a tearful child. Colleagues will remember her loyalty, her sharp sense of humour and warm smile. She will be sadly missed by many of us in the school community and her passing at such a young age was a shock to us all, especially after so many years in the school.

Annette Shaw Annette Shaw began teaching in the late Seventies before embarking on a career in nursing. She enjoyed great success in this caring profession and was a nursing sister when her teaching vocation beckoned once again and she obtained a teaching post at the Glasgow Academy in 1999. We colleagues, privileged enough to work with Annette, witnessed every day the vestiges of her days in nursing: her compassionate, gentle manner coupled with her common sense and worldly-wise view of any issue, school-based or otherwise. A perfect listener, she was always on hand to provide the correct and balanced answer to any dilemma, big or small: a rare treasure in the busy world of today. Annette was adored by her P1 pupils, who appreciate her legendary patience. They loved that she was soft spoken and smiling in demeanour, while maintaining a firm approach to discipline and discreetly asserting her authority. She

commanded the respect of pupils, colleagues and parents alike. It seems very fitting that she worked with our youngest pupils, nurturing, cajoling, steering them and inspiring them to be the best they can be. The sight of a long line of infants walking quietly behind Annette is testimony to her strength and to the high standards she set. Her pupils have always been anxious to please her. It was a wonder to behold them arrive in class each morning full of stories to divulge to the keenly receptive Mrs Shaw. Her classroom was always a hive of activity, a colourful haven with skilful artworks which never failed to astound. Annette was very keen to promote early literacy too and worked together with Mrs Berry on the Library for many years, in their “spare time”. At each School Show, she willingly helped with the costumes, even though this meant having to wait until the very last moment before she could make her long drive home… A huge commitment, given that she was one of the first to arrive in school every single morning. Annette’s dedication to The Glasgow Academy and its pupils has been unswerving. The Academy will miss her, of course, but we on the Prep ground floor will miss her even more. All the best for your retirement, Mrs Shaw! Enjoy a well-deserved rest before you undertake the many projects planned for your future!

Martyn Marshall Martyn Marshall, the Academy’s Director of Music since 2005, left us mid-way through the 2015 - 2016 session in December to take up the position of Director of Music at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire. During his time at TGA, he had a huge impact on the department, culminating in a fantastic concert at Wellington Church in December.

Always encouraging, Martyn quickly developed a unique rapport with his pupils. He would always be promoting vocal and instrumental lessons to pupils in which he saw a flicker of talent. Quickly, the Academy saw instrumental and vocal lessons running at over 500 individual lessons a week. Alongside this, Martyn boosted the number of choirs and ensembles, resulting in more than 20 different groups now running, with a department of some 26 staff, including many professionals from major ensembles such as Scottish Opera, RSNO and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Martyn led tours to New York (twice), Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, London and the north of England - and of course there have been regular performances at the church where he was the organist in Helensburgh - and in the city. Performing internationally took our music to the next level. Children have had wonderful experiences, like performing in St John the Divine NYC, Central Park and at the chapel at Ground Zero, and watching - and meeting cast from - Chicago, the musical that they were themselves staging a month later. He has been Music Director for many shows here, including Les Miserables, Hot Mikado and West Side Story. His skill as a pianist was highly utilised during more recent productions such as Evita, Chicago and his final show with us: Fame. With a talent for Sibelius music notation software, he could often be found writing band parts for the Prep School shows, too. One of the highlights of Martyn’s year came every October when he was able to thunder on the organ of Glasgow Cathedral to the point where The Rector wondered at what level of vibration stones that had stood for centuries might stand no more. Stonyhurst has acquired a generousspirited and good man, and we wish him much happy thundering.

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Staff Tributes Sandy Mathewson Sandy joined the Academy from his probation year in Garscadden Primary School in August 2005. Initially he taught in P5 but then moved to P7, P6 and even had a stint in P3 too. That’s where you really learn your craft. Teaching, coaching and Sandy go together like malt and Scotland. In whatever stage he taught and whatever subject, he was and will remain, an inspirational teacher, knowing instinctively how to get the best out of the brightest and challenge them fully, and how to support and nurture those children who might struggle in a subject. He was infinitely patient in his explanations and generous in the extra time he would give a child who ‘didn’t get it’. Children seemed to warm instinctively to him and he to them and his enthusiasm for making an impact on children’s lives led him from the classroom out to the sports field, the CCF and residential trips too. His rugby teams were always successful, characterised by a tremendous team spirit, a fierce desire to win and a sense of fair play, reflective of his own self. His cricket teams were the same although I’m not certain that his cricketing expertise would ever match his passion for rugby, and Scottish rugby in particular. He was, and is, a very proud Scot and would feel the Six Nations losses that his beloved Scotland suffered deeply, coping well with any negative banter but giving it in equal measure should Scotland triumph (usually over the Auld Enemy). He instigated the very successful P6 and P7 rugby tours to Blaydon in Northumberland and even ventured to take S1 and S3 children too with the party. On these tours his propensity for mischief seemed to come to the fore, and it is remarkable how teachers’ bedding seemed to go astray. The tours were led with a great sense of fun, but the rugby was still paramount, and children and staff

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will remember the spirit engendered for many years to come. Sandy never seemed to stand still and if organising the P7 residential trip to go to Benmore Lodge at Dunoon, after many years at Lochranza, or being on the P6 trip to Abernethy wasn’t enough, he joined the school’s CCF, rising swiftly through the ranks from Lieutenant to Captain and Commander of the Army section, and eventually the whole contingent, where he was the youngest contingent commander in Scotland. He knew many of the senior pupils from their time in the Prep School but, as with everything he did, his energy, drive and enthusiasm soon meant that the CCF was bursting at the seams and, we believe, the largest voluntary contingent in Scotland. This enthusiasm for the CCF saw many Prep School staff sign up as officers, something highly unusual in CCF circles. Once promoted to Assistant Head then Depute Head, his boundless energy was applied to our curriculum, where he oversaw, amongst many other progressive and, indeed, sectorleading initiatives: the introduction of new testing, strengthening of the Prep School SfL department, better reporting, setting in Maths, improved transitions and a clear raising of the academic standard of the Prep School across the board. Pastorally, he had a considerable input, being right behind the Rights Respecting Schools initiatives and the International School Award, travelling to our partner school in India and generously sharing his ideas and initiatives with them. He was always looking to improve children’s experiences and pastorally to support children through any difficulties so that they saw how best to behave and work in school. He had a strong sense of right and wrong, and children understood and learnt from this. He was a fine role model for children and staff alike, and in his appointment as Head of The Dania School this will no doubt continue. With his boundless

energy, enthusiasm, wisdom, good humour and popularity with the mums, he will no doubt take this new school in London forward to greater successes. No doubt there are many achievements the writer has forgotten to include but suffice to say we miss him.

Kirsty Brown Kirsty joined the Biology Department at the Academy in August 2011 having taught previously in Robert Gordon’s College and Hutchesons’ Grammar, as well as spending time as Principal Teacher of Biology at Belmont House School. Kirsty is a native of Aberdeen and graduated with a BSc in Biomedical Science at Robert Gordon’s University, working initially for a short period of time in industry, before obtaining a PGDE in Biology/Science and beginning her career in teaching. I suspect this was a decision that Kirsty never regretted. She made a significant and positive impact in the Biology department, teaching with enthusiasm and expertise and enjoying the many successes of her pupils stretching through courses from S1 to S6. She valued and cared for the pupils under her tutelage, and had a talent for gaining their reciprocal respect in both subject classes and her tutor group (the silence in her tutor group when they were informed that she was not returning after Rex had been born was quite worrying!). Over her five years in Biology, Kirsty willingly contributed widely to many aspects of departmental development, including the writing of coursework material, homework and assessment in all courses and was a major part of our success as a department. Outside of the Biology department, Kirsty was a major player in some key areas of the co-curriculum. She had a passion for the theatre and dancing, and she enjoyed sharing her dancing expertise in helping pupils master their steps for the school show. Along with Lauren

Murphy, Kirsty was instrumental in raising the profile of Sustainability in the Academy. In a very short period of time, Kirsty, Lauren and a large number of Eco-school pupils’ enthusiasm and hard work resulted in the school being awarded the Green flag award, with this status being renewed in two subsequent visits, the last one being this summer. This involved creating a change in the mindset of the school community such that sustainability, biodiversity, recycling, litter control, transport, food and many other eco ideas became part and parcel of what happened in the Academy. This work was extended to the Prep School and involved outside agencies such as the RSPB. Although Kirsty was the architect of many of these innovative ideas, her real success and legacy was in empowering pupils to take control and responsibility for their local environment; something that we hope will last the rest of their lives. During Kirsty’s short time here, the two most important things in her life happened – she got married to Stevie, her soul mate, and Rex was born. I am sure that Kirsty will look back on her time at the Academy as the best of times. We wish Kirsty well for the future as she leaves us to look after Rex, now one year old. I am sure that we will see her back teaching in the near future!

Emma Ross I always knew that we would not keep someone as ambitious as Emma for long, but it did not make it any easier to see her leave. In her four years at the Glasgow Academy, Emma made a significant contribution to the English department in particular, and the school as a whole. Emma involved herself in all aspects of school life. She was appointed to the role of Literacy Coordinator, carrying out an extensive audit of current practice. She was also a keen member of

several working parties, where her common sense approach and vision were invaluable. Emma represented the staff body on the PTA, demonstrating some hitherto unknown face-painting skills at the Annual Fayre. For the last two years at the school, she did an amazing job of editing The Chronicle, where her organisational skills really came into their own. Emma also participated in several school trips, accompanying the Music tour twice, and journeying to Raasay with S2. Emma is someone who thrives on challenge, and in her final year at the school she combined what was already a demanding job with SQA marking, taking on the role of Team Leader, and also studying for a Masters in Educational Leadership. Throw into the mix a passion for cleaning, an on-line beauty business keeping TGA ladies looking lovely, organising a wedding, and a move to London and you get some idea of Emma’s drive! Frankly, she makes the rest of us feel lazy! Of course, Emma’s greatest talent was as an innovative, enthusiastic and caring teacher. She had a particular talent with those who really needed someone to talk to, and was always there for them, offering a sympathetic ear, but also ever practical - urging them to think about solutions, not problems! Our pupils will really miss her, as will we.

the pupils she taught, caring so genuinely for their every need. There is no doubt that the pupils lucky enough to be taught by Ciara will remember her for many years to come. Ciara also supported the Senior rowing team and was proud of all their achievements. Ciara has a love of the outdoors; she would cycle to work most mornings, frequently participate in triathlons and it wasn’t uncommon for her to run the occasional hill… at night! It came as no surprise when she announced that she was leaving straight after the P7 Prom to complete the Welsh 3000s, managing to complete 15 summits in an impressive 17 hours 24 minutes just a standard weekend for Ciara! Although Ciara was only with us for two years, we were witness to an incredibly exciting time in her life, where the summer after joining us, she married in the sunny climes of Portugal, bought her first home and spent her first wedding anniversary trekking in the Vietnamese Jungle. Ciara leaves us to join Holy Cross Primary School in the South Side of Glasgow and there is no doubt they will quickly realise what a gem they have amongst their staff. We wish Ciara and Hugh all the very best as they embark on their exciting future together.

We wish Emma and Jamie well for their big move to London; the teenagers of Dagenham are very lucky indeed.

Ciara Driver Ciara Driver joined The Academy in August 2014 and was an extremely welcome addition to the Prep 7 team. It quickly became apparent what a natural Ciara was in the classroom, where she showed a warm and compassionate nature towards

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New Staff Kirstin Allan I graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2014 with a BSc in Geography before completing my PGDE at the University of Strathclyde in 2015. My probation year was at St Ninian’s High School in Kirkintilloch and I have just recently moved to Lennoxtown. I was delighted upon getting my post at The Glasgow Academy and I look forward to the adventure ahead. I have a background in rowing, competing since I was fifteen. My sporting achievements include medals at Scottish and British Championships, and I have represented Scotland at the Home International Regatta. I also enjoy the outdoors and often go up north for some hiking, where I can appreciate some of the beautiful landscapes Scotland has to offer. I hope that throughout my time at The Glasgow Academy, I can add to both the academic and co-curricular life of our pupils.

Gillian Fowler I was born in Glasgow and attended Hutchesons’ Grammar School. I enjoyed my time at school, mainly studying in the Art department and taking part in athletics events. I moved to Birmingham in 2007 to study my BA Honours in Jewellery Design and Silversmithing. This was followed by a postgraduate year at Bishopsland Educational Trust and a period of working as a self-employed jeweller. I moved back to Glasgow in 2011 to continue my jewellery practice and gain teaching experience. The challenge of teaching and working with young people excited me. In 2012, I undertook my PGDE in Art Education at Glasgow University. Since then I have gained broad experience working in a

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variety of schools before starting at The Glasgow Academy in January last year. In my spare time, I enjoy making jewellery and further developing my skills in Art and Design. I also like to keep fit by training for, and taking part in, triathlons and running events.

David Gould

(Hons) degree in Maths with Teaching and completed my probationary year in East Ayrshire Council before joining The Glasgow Academy in August of this year. I have worked with the University of Strathclyde’s disability service, assisting many students with ASN. I was able to experience first-hand what many students are faced with on a day-today basis and this has enabled me to adapt my teaching practice to ensure all students within my classroom have their needs met, and that they are reaching their full potential.

Having completed my PGCE at Edinburgh’s Moray House Institute of Education, I spent six years teaching at George Watson’s College and then The Edinburgh Academy. These were great schools in which to start my career. I was then offered the post of ICT Co-ordinator at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Boys, where I enjoyed a wide range of successes over seven years, including being part of a team to be the first independent school in Wales to achieve ‘outstanding’ in all areas of an ESTYN inspection.

Originally from Campbeltown in Kintyre, I moved to the Glasgow area in 2007 and attended Lomond School in Helensburgh. In 2013, I graduated from the University of Glasgow with a BEd (Hons) degree in Primary Education.

My family and I then moved to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia where I took up the position of Assistant Headteacher in the highly innovative Garden International School. After three amazing years in one of south-east Asia’s premier international schools, we decided to return home and I was delighted to quickly take up the position of Stage Leader for P5 and P6.

After completing my probation year at Kilmacolm Primary School, I worked with Glasgow City and Renfrewshire Councils before joining The Glasgow Academy on a supply basis in 2015. In October of that year I was thrilled to take on a maternity cover post at The Glasgow Academy Dairsie and it has been a delight to work in such a warm and nurturing school.

I have been made to feel incredibly welcome by The Glasgow Academy community and already enjoy the wide range of opportunities available to the children and staff alike. I look forward to many more successes in the near future at The Glasgow Academy; both in and outside of the classroom.

In my free time I enjoy dance and fitness, travelling and spending time with family and friends.

Joanna Head I am originally from Paisley and attended the University of Strathclyde, where I studied Mathematics. I graduated in 2015 with a BSc

Hayley Hughes

Meghan Juby I grew up in Canada, in the Yukon Territory. After high school, I moved to Victoria, Canada to go to university. I graduated from the University of Victoria in 2008 with a BA in English Literature. After some time off, I went back to complete my teaching qualification, and graduated with a BEd in Secondary Education.

Keen to do some travelling, I accepted a job in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and taught at an international school for two years. I had many interesting experiences, teaching students from a variety of cultural backgrounds. I then moved to Glasgow, teaching in schools in the East End, then in Stirling before joining the Academy in August.

Chloe Livingston I was educated at Dollar Academy and graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MA (Hons) in Modern History before gaining my PGCE with distinction from the University of Strathclyde. I spent my early career in Scotland with posts in both Royston and Ruchazie. I particularly relished the opportunities and challenges that teaching in the East End provided. I have been fortunate to also spend periods of time teaching overseas in Hong Kong, the US and Ireland, which has helped to broaden my teaching perspectives from a global viewpoint. I have thoroughly enjoyed my five-year association with the Academy, teaching across all three sites, and am relishing the opportunity to contribute further in a full-time capacity.

Sophie Morrison Originally from Salisbury, Wiltshire, I moved to Glasgow in 2004 to study Psychology at Glasgow University. I subsequently gained a Masters degree in International Fashion Marketing before working in PR in London and Glasgow. In 2012, I decided to follow my childhood ambition of becoming a teacher and studied my PDGE at The University of Strathclyde. I completed my probationary year in East Renfrewshire and worked there for two years before joining The Glasgow Academy in August 2016. I got married in July and am looking forward to starting a new chapter

in my life at The Glasgow Academy. I am delighted to be part of such a welcoming and enthusiastic team.

After graduating in 2015, I completed my probation year in Duncanrig Secondary School in East Kilbride.

In my spare time I enjoy baking and I am a keen potter, having attended classes since I was eight years old. I also enjoy walking and am looking forward to becoming involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme with the Senior School.

Outwith the school, I am a keen chorister and enjoy singing with BBC 2012 Choir of the Year winners, Les Sirenes. In addition, I have toured internationally with the National Youth Choir of Scotland, as well as frequently performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and London Proms. I am hoping my experiences in this field will enrich the learning experience of all my pupils.

Annette Osterberg Born and raised in London, I enjoyed a wealth of experiences and cultures as a child. I attended Blackheath High School until sixth form and headed to the University of Bradford to study Business and Management. After an exciting career as a Commercial Manager for Marks & Spencer all across London, I decided to follow my true passion and head into teaching. Travelling the world and experiencing education in South East Asia and South America, spurred me on to complete my PGCE in Early Years Education at Goldsmiths, University of London in 2012. Staying in London to teach, I enjoyed those same experiences and cultures in the role of both Reception and Year 1 teacher. I was fully involved in school life, organising our School Council, wholeschool charity events, guest speakers, balanced alongside leading History, PSHE and our weekly cookery club. I loved it all! Having moved to Glasgow in December 2015, I am still finding my way around. My passions for food, basketball and exploration are leading most of my spare time pursuits. I am looking forward to my time at The Glasgow Academy and enjoying new experiences in my new home town.

Ellen Smith Hailing from the Shetland Isles, I moved to Glasgow in 2011 to study a BEd in Music Teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

I am delighted to be joining the vibrant and stimulating environment of The Glasgow Academy, and look forward to teaching in the Prep School at the Dairsie and Kelvinbridge campuses.

Catriona Thomas As a PGDE student at Strathclyde University in 2014 I was sent to The Glasgow Academy music department on placement, where I was taken under the wing of the excellent staff here. The knowledge and encouragement of the staff helped me grow as a teacher and prepared me for my probation year. I was delighted to return to The Glasgow Academy in January 2016 as a member of staff and have thoroughly enjoyed my first terms here. I studied music at the University of Glasgow and it was during my undergraduate degree that I discovered my love of writing music. I stayed on to study for an MMus degree for which I was able to explore my special interests in 20th-century composition. As well as composing, I play the piano and cello, and have a great love for musicals. Outside of music, I enjoy reading, painting and going to the gym. I am thrilled to be a part of The Glasgow Academy community and to be working with such a talented team.

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PTA It has been another very busy year for the PTA, one that I know everyone has enjoyed very much indeed. Moving into our second year as a new committee, we were only too aware of what musicians refer to as “that tricky second album” but what I have found is that the confidence we gained from a very successful debut season allowed us to take on, with growing confidence, a great number of projects this session. We said goodbye at the start of the 2015-16 session to a number of very hard-working volunteers, but welcomed many new parents in their place. I am very happy to report our membership is not only healthy but has within it a great number of very enthusiastic, hard-working mums and dads who give up many hours of their spare time. For the second year running we broke the £20,000 barrier and we thank those who came out to enjoy our events for the support they have given us. This year we added some new events to the programme and ran some that are old favourites. We made the decision to rotate out Christmas Cards and to run a project to design a Canvas Bag. Many thanks must go to Mrs Debbie Thorrington who worked tirelessly to co-ordinate this project. In total, 398 bags were ordered from families from Nursery to P5 and everyone was delighted with them. It was with some level of trepidation that we took over the running of the Winter Fayre this year. Mrs Patries McIntyre did such a good job last year that these were big shoes to fill. Everyone on the committee took responsibility to help me and I must thank them all for their support. On the day we had a full complement of stallholders; indeed we could have sold the pitches twice over. We would like to give thanks to all the pupils who entertained us that day, including junior choirs, the Taekwondo class and pipe band. Our thanks also go to their teachers who gave up their time to organise the performances. We had many stalls and activities on offer and without a very strong and committed team of helpers it simply would not be possible. We welcomed back Mrs Joanne Payne this year to the PTA and her work in organising the Christmas Parties in early December was amazing. Her energy and enthusiasm in organising every single detail was incredible. I must congratulate Mrs Flavia Cammarota and the Ladies’ Lunch Committee for all the hard work they put into organising the day. A record amount was raised this year, and we broke 5 figures for the first time. Once again the boys’ choir came along to entertain us, and yet again they were very well received. Our grateful thanks to the boys and choir masters for all the hard work they put into rehearsing for the day. We were also delighted to welcome back Edward Reid and he got everyone singing and dancing. Finally, I must thank Mr Sean Templeton for agreeing to act as DJ towards the end of the day. All in all, a very successful day and one that I know our Ladies look forward to every year. Yet again we invited pupils from P4-7 to our Prep Discos. I must give grateful thanks to Sean for all the hard work he did to get the sound and lighting set up. On the night we welcomed 283 pupils over both discos and all the members

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Prep School of the PTA who came along to help worked very hard to satisfy their needs! It seems the appearance of myself to do the YMCA dance is now obligatory and everyone seemed to have a great time. Thanks to all the teachers who gave up their time to help manage the events. Mrs Alexandra Fabvre-Meltser must again be congratulated on all the hard work she has done to keep our Uniform Shop running. Over the year she has been open as usual on the first Tuesday of the month in our wonderful new shop, located in the well of the main building, and I know she is very happy with this new accommodation. Over and above her usual Tuesday morning openings, she has run two Saturday sales: one usually in January and the other in June towards the end of the school year. Anyone free to help Alexandra run the shop is very welcome to get in touch with her. It is important to say some words about our donations to the Smileawi charity, who offer a number of charitable services to Malawi. I know that the charity we are partnering with are very grateful for all the clothing the school community, through the Uniform Shop, donate to them and the children benefit immensely from this. A new event for us this year was the Summer Street Party. We certainly did assume much by arranging an outdoor event in Glasgow in June! However, as intimated in correspondence at the time, the power of the PTA is such that we could guarantee sun – and it shone! Many hundreds of hours of preparation went into making this a very successful event and I would like to thank all of the committee and many of their partners and children, for their support and hard work in making this a fantastic afternoon on the terrace. We welcomed about 300 parents and children during the day and they were entertained by a number of choirs, bands, ensembles and of course ‘The Unteachables”. In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my committee again for all the hard work they have put into running what has been a very successful year. I would like to give special thanks to Flavia Cammarota and Pam Wong for undertaking their roles as Secretary and Treasurer with great energy and professionalism. We wish Flavia all the best as she leaves us and we welcome Joanne Payne as Vice-Chair and Mo Fletcher as Secretary for the season ahead. I would also like to thank the Rector, his Senior Management Team and all other staff on the PTA committee for giving up so much time and for giving so much advice to myself and the rest of the parents over the course of the year. Session 2016-17 will be my last as Chair and I am looking forward, along with the committee, to making it a year to remember! David Rome (1987)

The Prep School In the Prep School we have a strong sense of community, a broad and varied curriculum, dynamic teaching, and a wide variety of opportunities on offer for our children. We are a child-centred school and my staff strive to do their very best for the children, and I know our achievements reflect this. We believe all children are more than merely capable; they deserve to be challenged, extended and enriched year on year as they move up through the school. I feel that all I will report to you supports that. Our academic strengths are reflected in such achievements as Ruaraidh Hart and Jessica Smith coming in the top 10 in Scotland in the Royal Mail Young Letter Writer Competition that saw 97,000 entries across the UK. They each won a special prize of £80 and the same for the school. The Friends of the River Kelvin have a writing competition, and Rosie McFadzean and Jonathan Tan won in their respective categories and were highly commended. The Allander Rotary Club Writing Competition was again dominated by the Academy: Sophie McMillan won, with Struan Park and Lucy Wong being commended. This is the third year in a row we have won this competition so the challenge is set for P6 to keep up our winning streak. In the British Legion Scotland History competition, our presentation involved a battleship and a captured pig, and we were placed in the top five in the country. In Maths, William Nicolson and Ami Li won bronzes in the UK Mathematics Challenge. This year our young pupils have been using the new Saunders Centre, enjoying activities from 3D films on the human body and dinosaurs. to lectures on biology, budgets and volcanoes, whilst P6 use the wonderful Food Technology Room with Ms Dolan weekly. The PTA has been with us all year, organising our Christmas parties and discos, and helping at transition and new pupils’ events. My thanks to David Rome and his committee for all their hard work on our behalf. Our After School Care achieved ‘’very goods’’ in all the categories inspected and this went hand in hand with the

exact same set of grades for our Nursery. Both inspections highlighted the excellence of our provision and the qualities of the leaders in each setting, so very special thanks to Miss McCracken and her team in Nursery, and to Mrs Bremridge and her team in ASC. The school flourishes in so many areas, not least Enterprise Club, so ably lead by Miss Lisa Campbell. By selling house water bottles, pupils raised £900 which they donated to the charity Whizz Kids, who provide specialist wheelchairs for children. Other charitable activities have included the Children in Need Fayre, Barnardo’s money boxes, a Christmas jumper appeal for Text Santa, a non-uniform day for Cancer Research, selling poppies for Erskine, the Harvest collection for the Salvation Army, two food bank appeals, and six sacks of socks and gloves for Syrian refugees. Our Carol Service collection raised £312, which we gave to East Park School. The School Council visited them to present our cheque and we are looking to form a stronger link with the children from this school. In total we supported 14 charities, raising over £8500, and what is particularly pleasing is that so many of these activities were pupil inspired and lead. The School Council also ran a house event with an activity from Water Aid to increase awareness of water shortages in the third world, not something the children experience here in Scotland. This project built upon the work we have done to build global awareness and international links which saw us win our International Schools Award for the second time. Miss Ramsay’s P3.2 made a special contribution with their letters for the Send My Friend to School campaign. Cleverly, they invited our local MP, Patrick Grady, in to meet them to ask his help in delivering their letters to 10 Downing Street. He was most impressed with their desire to see all children have a chance of formal schooling, and went off with the bag of letters for the Prime Minister. Our visitors from Delhi came again in October, their last visit sadly as the British Council funding has ended and we are now looking to establish a new schools link.

This International Schools work links especially with our Rights Respecting Schools Award. We were proud to achieve the level one award and even prouder to achieve, after our recent inspection, the level two award. Mrs Oliver and her staff and pupil team across all three sites worked incredibly hard to achieve this award, which is not common to many schools. The Jaguar F1 project ran again in P7, and pupils from P7 again had the opportunity to perform with the Shakespeare Schools Festival. Their performance of Twelfth Night at the Platform Theatre in the East End of Glasgow was brilliant. The Festival Director commented on the children being professional, well-rehearsed and delivering a strong, clear and comic piece with strong voices and impressive stage presence - tremendous accolades of which the children should be very proud, being once again the only primary school in Scotland to participate. The Christmas Show, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, produced by Mr Simpson and Mr McColl, was as bright, entertaining and fun as ever. The Theatre Club built on this success with their tuneful, colourful and lively production of Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits. Mrs David, Miss Kirkwood and Mr Simpson, with a supporting cast of adults, managed to pull together so well and provide us with some great entertainment. Mr Mills took a pivotal role in this production and he has taken on the mantle of the Music Department this year too. There are more than 200 pupils having instrumental lessons: 28 children took exams and 21 of these results were distinctions or merits. There are pupils regularly working in the RSNO training choirs and Holly Rodwell and Brooklyn Moyo joined Scottish Opera’s touring production of Carmen. The Prep School involvement in the Pipe Band continues to grow, and Callum Nelson and Tom Wicklow helped the band to second place in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships. Callum’s drumming has also secured individual success against much older pupils too. Musically, mention too must be made of all 46 Kindergarten pupils who travelled to compete, and do very well, in The Glasgow Music Festival. In the European Day of Languages Art competition, Alix Beattie, Ruaridh Murdoch and Fraser Thomson all won prizes for their posters on a theme of Peace. Honey Fairfull added to that by being runner-up, out of 3,000 entries, in the Thimble Tumble Budding Illustrator competition. This year, P5 pupils travelled to Ardmay and it was a resounding success, fitting so well with our P6/P7 trips to Abernethy and Benmore Lodge respectively. These are just part of our regular outings and trips programme. We encompassed Victorian costume and dinosaurs at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Victorian times at Scotland Street and the Tenement House, also visiting Stirling Castle, Falkland Palace, Maryhill Fire Station and taking a Kelvin Walk. Visitors to the school included the Institute of Bankers, SSPCA, Zoolab, a Vulcanologist, authors and Childline to name but a few. P7 pupils were evacuated for a day, and held a hustings as suffragettes. P4 were medieval knights and ladies, and many exotic costumes appeared on World Book Day. All of these activities look to enrich and build on the work we do in class, and we constantly look to introduce new opportunities, although the old favourites are still clearly so valuable. We want to broaden the children’s experience and stimulate the pursuit of new skills and a new understanding of themselves and others through these activities.

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Sport builds on this and we have had many successes here. Our rugby tour to Blaydon was as successful as ever; our skiers acquitted themselves well, both indoors and outside, with the team coming third in the Scottish Schools competition indoors. Anna Manuel was fourth in The Scottish Schools Alpine Races at Glencoe in her category, with Kirsty Wicklow third in the Open Competition and Christian McCall, Fergus Munro, Robin Deakin, Amiya Patel, Mairi McPhee and Melissa Sharp all contributing very well across the season too. In cross-country in the Glasgow Competitions, Charlie Treharne, Saul McGlennan, Amber Wade and Kirsty Wicklow were all individual champions. In the Scottish Road Races, with over 50 schools competing, the P6 boys gained silver and the P6 girls were champion, with the P7 girls taking bronze too. We have a very strong and proud cross-country tradition and long may it continue. In hockey, the P7A team won 11 of 14 matches, the P7B team won 10 games and the P7C recorded one win. I am proud to say that the P7 girls won back the Carol Hamilton Memorial Cup from The High School of Glasgow. The P6 girls participated in a tournament at Craigholme, brilliantly winning all of their games. In rugby between the P7A, P7B and P7C teams, 30 matches were played and we won 10 of them, but always looked to play attractive running rugby. In P6, 26 wins were recorded from 34 matches and the P6 teams scored 546 points in the season. Our cricketing highlight has been coming second in the finals of the National School’s Primary Cricket Cup (P6), fielding a mixed team too. In taekwondo, Maia Macaloney was the gold medallist and best in class at the Scottish Open Championships, and Elise Campbell earned a bronze. In tennis, the P4 team progressed from second place in the Glasgow finals to fifth place in the Regional finals. In athletics, the girls won the Henderson Challenge with the boys coming third. At the Glasgow Schools, Saskia Wade took gold in the long jump, Saul McGlennan won a 600m silver, Kirsty Wicklow an 80m sprint silver, and Nicola Fletcher a bronze in the 600m event. Overall the girls’ team finished a very creditable second and the boys a respectable sixth. In swimming, we have had a very good season; in the Glasgow Schools competition we swept the board with 6 bronzes and 5 silvers in individual and relay events, topped by Amber Wade and Saskia Wade gaining 3 golds between them, with one of Saskia’s being a Championship record. Kirsty Wicklow won gold, Tom Wicklow won two golds, both now Championship records, and the P6 boys took the relay gold emulated by the P6 girls but in record time. We have Thandi Smith, Anna Manuel, Flynn McLean and Philippa Williamson as tetrathalon internationalists and Ben Henderson as a Scottish gymnast too. All these are tremendous achievements, some in school and some outwith, but they cannot be achieved without staff and parental support, and my thanks to my colleagues who give up so much of their time to nurture these talents and to their parents too for their nurture and support. AM Brooke

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Prep School

Rights Respecting Schools

Music

Since May 2013 The Glasgow Academy Prep School has been working on the UNICEF Level 2 Rights Respecting Schools Award helping the children in the Prep School to enhance their knowledge and understanding of this important area of the curriculum.

Music continues to go from strength to strength in the Prep School. Our music-making this year has involved many concerts and some competition success, too. The range of ensembles offered here at TGA is second to none. In short: no matter what instrument you play, we’ll have a group for it! For singers there are choirs for Prep 3, the P4 and 5 Choir, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ ensembles and, for the P6 and 7 pupils, the auditioned Junior Choir. Our instrumentalists are no less catered for, with the Prep Wind Band, Prep Strings, Prep Guitars, and the always-popular Prep Flute Ensemble. These pupils spend a vast amount of time week in, week out rehearsing their pieces with continuous support from our incredibly talented visiting tutors and teaching staff. This year, both Mr Hawkins and I have been hugely impressed with how hard the Junior Choir has worked. Following their auditions last summer, those who were fortunate enough to gain a place found themselves in a busy and popular group. Their usual performances at the Prep School Harvest Festival, PTA Christmas Fayre and end-of-term Carol Service were of a very high standard, preparing us for our annual trip to compete at The Glasgow Music Festival. This year we fought off stiff competition from twelve other school choirs from Glasgow to be placed second, being beaten by the winning choir by just one mark! The adjudicators were incredibly impressed with this group. We were delighted with them, and those of you fortunate enough to hear them at the Summer Concert will have heard their superb rendition of ‘Jonah-Man Jazz’ by Michael Hurd. National competitions next year?! The Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ ensembles both continue to develop, providing a great singing opportunity for boys and girls in Prep 5 to Prep 7. The boys enjoyed competing at The Glasgow Music Festival and the girls have continued to grow in number under the direction of Mrs Yeoman and Miss Thomas. The Prep 4 and 5 Choir have enjoyed a busy year, singing at Prince’s Square for the switching on of the Christmas lights and singing a few songs at the PTA Summer Street Party in June.

• Knowledge and Understanding of the Convention on the Our Instrumental groups continue to produce music of a high standard. We are fortunate to have a wealth of talent in our instrumental and vocal staff here at TGA. The Prep Flute ensemble, run by Mrs Guerrier, continues to provide a fantastic opportunity for our young and budding flautists. Similarly, the Prep Strings and Prep Guitars with Mrs Barron and Mr Gray continue to entertain at the Prep School concerts throughout the year, providing a performance platform for our string and guitar players. You’ll have also seen Mr Henderson’s Junior Drum Corps at these performances. Our young pipers and drummers continue to make great progress with Mr Henderson and Mr Wark. We have seen a large number of candidates presented for both ABRSM and Trinity music exams this session, with three and a half days of exams for Trinity in the Summer session. Pupils’ pass rates remain incredibly high and the examiners always comment on how well prepared and polite our students are. My sincere thanks go out to all our pupils who attend rehearsals regularly and show such strong commitment, the parents and class teachers for the support and encouragement they give, and the instrumental, vocal and department staff who continue to inspire our students. T Mills

Junior Girls’ Choir

P4/5 Choir

Every Wednesday morning at 8:30 our very committed and enthusiastic group of girls rehearse in the Performance Room with Mrs Yeoman and Miss Thomas. In the Christmas Concert we were delighted to perform, together with the Senior Boys’ Ensemble, the song ‘Can You Hear Me?’ (complete with sign language), and a two part arrangement of ‘Away in a Manger’. We worked very hard last term learning how to sing in Spanish for ‘Oye La Musica’ and had a lot of fun! Along with this, we learned ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ which the girls performed very well. The girls particularly enjoyed performing ‘Hakuna Matata’ from The Lion King and the beautiful ‘One Small Voice’ in the Prep School Summer Concert. The girls have put in a lot of effort and we have all greatly enjoyed our time on Wednesday mornings.

This year we had over 30 pupils who attended P4/5 Choir rehearsals every Thursday lunchtime. The choir were given the honour of singing at Prince’s Square when the Christmas lights were switched on, which meant they had to start practising Christmas songs at the beginning of October. In the summer term, they performed at the PTA Street Party, singing ‘Waiting for Love’ and ‘Hold Back the River’ (which sounded better than the staff band’s version). They also sang again at the Prep Concert and Joint Assembly. I have hugely enjoyed working with the P4/5 choir and thank them all for their efforts and enthusiasm.

C Thomas

In May 2016, the UNICEF inspectors visited the Prep School and spent a morning talking to the Rights Respecting Committee and to the children in the Prep School. Following their visit, I am delighted to announce that the Prep School has been given the Level 2 award and is now a UNICEF Level 2 Rights Respecting School. This means that the Prep School has embedded the following:

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A McColl

Rights of the Child.

• A rights-respecting ethos. • Children and young people are empowered to uphold the rights.

It also means that the values and principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) have permeated all aspects of the school community. Highlighted in the Inspectors’ report were:

• A strong ethos of inclusion within the learning community

and that ‘people have the right to be respected’ and ‘to be inclusive’. Pupils have good opportunities to play a full and active part in the life of the school, for example by becoming an elected member of the rights respecting steering group, eco-group, pupil council or learning council.

• Members of the RRS steering group have helped promote

RRS to the Senior School by giving presentations at assembly to S1-2 students and also to the senior pupil council.

• The Prep School pupil council have raised money and

visited a local special needs primary school, sharing and feeding back to others about how children were receiving their right to an education.

• One P3 pupil has given presentations both within the

school and in a local primary school about her experiences in witnessing at first hand the refugee crisis.

• The school has links with a school in New Delhi, India

which has led to several activities, including one about children’s rights, being shared between the two schools along with teacher exchange programmes. This work will be continued and plans are in place to develop activities which are linked to the environment, raising awareness of children’s rights within a local context and healthy diets.

The children’s comments below show what having rights mean to them: P1 - “We have the right to play.” P2 - “We have a charter with our rights.” P3 - “They are something you are born with.” P4 Homework activity - pupils were asked to identify a character from one of Charles Dickens’ novels and explain how some of their rights had been denied. “David in David Copperfield was at first denied an education because the conditions in the schools were so terrible.”

P5 - “It’s about showing respect for each other and working as a team.” P6 class - one pupil in reference to the Syrian refugee crisis said that, “The children do have the same rights, they are just not getting them.” P7 - “The school’s rights respecting ethos provides a supportive environment for diversity of views and beliefs.” Assemblies throughout the year have included a focus on looking after the environment, living more sustainably and the global goals. Class work has included many links to children’s rights through topic work and the health and wellbeing curriculum. In P2 the children visited Mr Lyth in the Catering Department and tasted food from around the world to celebrate International School Meals Day. In P4, pupils had explored rights-based issues in connection with a fictional logging company and their deforestation practice. A P5 cookbook has been produced with a focus on local produce from around the world and this has been shared with the local community to promote children’s rights to nutritious food. Pupils from P5, P6 and P7 took part in a twitter debate for UNICEF’s ‘Outright 2015’ campaign and have raised funds for UNICEF’s ‘Day for Change, 2016’. Each class in the Prep School has a charter which the children have created; they chose to focus on four rights which are:

• the right to be safe which makes us happy, • the right to learn, • the right to give opinions and be listened to, • the right to be the best we can be. The UNICEF ‘Child Rights Launch Pad’ is currently being trialled and the wider implementation of this tool across the school is to be encouraged in order to support pupils in their knowledge and understanding of rights. I would like to thank all the parents, children and staff who have helped the Prep School to gain this award and look forward to the next session where we will be focusing on the following:

• Incorporating the existing good knowledge and

understanding of a range of rights into widening the content of the school charters.

• Developing a whole-school approach to the use of Unicef UK’s ‘Child Rights Launch Pad’.

• Continuing to develop links with the Senior School to

support its journey towards RRSA level 1 and further develop rights-based outreach work with other schools.

• Further develop global citizenship themes by exploring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

R Oliver

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Prep School

Show

A Night Full of Eastern Promise

Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits It is very difficult to appreciate a show when one is part of the production; it is even harder when the part one takes happens to be the hind quarters of a camel, so you will excuse me if there are discernible gaps in this report. Hopefully, these will be filled by the budding theatre critics in the P6 year group! For the umpteenth year running, the show selected for performance was penned by Craig Hawes and, as the title suggests, was based in the city of Baghdad. The plot centred on the theft of the Sultan’s prized ruby by the Bongo Bandits and the attempts to retrieve made by an array of recognisable middle eastern heroes and their mythical allies. As ever the show was an explosion of colour: the backdrop, the props, the make-up and the costumes all added to a palette which defies description. Those members of staff responsible - namely Mr Fraser, Mrs Halliday and Mrs McLellan and their respective teams - again worked their creative magic to produce a feast for the eyes. The music, ably led by Mr McColl and his band of Senior School pupils, provided the basis of the catchy tunes and supported the cast as they sang, danced and cavorted throughout the show. The technical side was in the capable hands of Mrs Wishart, again with aid of a crew of Senior School pupils and the bangs, whizzes, whooshes and various sounds all hit their mark. The subtle lighting also added to the whole show, providing a backdrop against which the assembled cast could perform. I have mentioned previously that the Prep School show is very much a team event and it would be impossible to stage such a performance without these unsung heroes and our

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very grateful thanks is extended to them. Every pupil played their part to perfection and, whereas it would be invidious to name individuals, mention must be made of Lyle Webster as Alakazar, Sophie Hannigan as Ali Baba, Mairi McLeod as Flossie Baba, Francesca Fairlie who played Princess Satsuma and Jasmine MacGregor as the Genie of the Ketchup bottle. As one pupil said, they made “a magical tale unfold before our eyes: a tale of vile villains, handsome heroes and mystical magic”. Another pupil was “struck by the acting and found it captivating and could watch it again”. A third said that the “enthusiasm was at a very high level and it looked as though the cast were thoroughly enjoying themselves”. As a minor part of the cast I can assure her that we were! An interesting point was made by a pupil in P6.3 who observed that “there was great fun for the little kids and some adult humour for the parents”! This is a cornerstone of Craig Hawes’s writing; his shows do appeal to all ages and work at many levels. As ever, the show was produced and directed by the Three Stooges of Mrs David, Miss Kirkwood and Mr Simpson, who constantly come up with the goods. Their own enthusiasm rubs off on the cast and their commitment to the shows now over a number of years - is worthy of high praise and applause. How many Academy pupils look back on their time in a Prep School show with great affection? Finally, two comments, again from pupils in P6 who would “recommend this show to people who liked musicals” and thought that “everything was pretty much bang on”. RMI Williams

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Benmore

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n e t r a g r e d n i K e Kelvinbridg

Kelvinbridge Nursery

An autumnal walk in the park

Creating and playing together

Watching our chicks hatch

Enjoying outdoor play

Meeting one of our chicks

Drawing is fun!

Making and eating our fruity snacks

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Outdoor yoga in the sunshine

Our Teddy Bearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Picnic

Exploring and making new friends

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PREP 1

Honor Johnston in firefighter’s boots - P1.3 A Fish by Daisy Wilson - P1.2

Fire Engine by Lexi Mitchell - P1.3 Jamie Thomson dressing up as a firefighter - P1.1

A Penguin by Emilia Scott - P1.2 Making junk models for My City topic - P1.1 Callan Wright helping with the water hose when visiting the Fire Station - P1.2

A Crab by Ilyas Jackson - P1.3

Fox by Honor Johnston - P1.3

Lexi Mitchell with firefighter’s hose - P1.3

Dressing up as Police Officers - P1.1

Big Face by Isabella Wilson - P1.2

Morning exercises - P1.2 Jack Payne helping with the fire hose - P1.1

Making models of emergency vehicles from junk - P1.2

Laptops - P1.3 An Autumn Tree by James Gilkison - P1.2

A Snowman by Sylvan Troy - P1.2

Rainbow Fish by Amina Elkasrawy - P1.1

The Easter Bunny by James Gilkison - P1.2 Morning Choosing Time - P1.2

P1.1 World Book Day

Chloe MacDuff with the Queen - P1.3

Fish by Maxwell Millard - P1.2

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Autumn Tree by Jamie Thomson - P1.1

At work - P1.2

Class Photo - P1.2

Rainbow Fish Art - P1.1

Painting Time - P1.3

Spring Flowers by Iona Mallon - P1.1

Spring Chicks by Izzy Adams - P1.3

Spring Scene by Amina Elkasrawy - P1.1

World Book Day - P1.3

Relax Kids with Miss Chalmers - P1.3

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PREP 2

World Book Day - P2.2

Dinosaur Silhouettes by Anya Hetherington - P2.2

World Book Day - P2.1

Dinosaur fossil activity at Kelvingrove Museum - P2.2

Art Symmetry Self Portrait by Anja Boyd - P2.1 P2.3 Design for a biscuit during visit to The Tall Ship - P2.2

Maya Lei and Leilah Higgins Eco Competition Winners - P2.1

Olympic Trainer art work joint project - P2.3

Saami Luqman Fossil hunter - P2.1

Dinosaur Silhouettes by Eilidh Yeung - P2.3

Sunflowers by Irene Adobes - P2.1 Food Tasting - P2.3

Out and about visiting the suffragette tree - P2.1

World Book Day - P2.3

Mondrian Artwork by Leilah Higgins - P2.1

Sunflowers by Robbie Paul - P2.2

Little Reindeer - P2.1 Picture using 2D shapes by Murray Salmon - P2.2

Edward Liu & Gregor Salmon Using Polydron to make 3D shapes - P2.1

Vivek Somepalli with a model dinosaur egg - P2.1

Talvin Jhund Fossil hunter - P2.1

Practical Maths weighing - P2.2

Class Activity, term 1 - P.2.3 Dinosaur Silhouettes by Maya Lei - P2.1

World Book Day - P2.1 Group activity creating our own Van Gogh Sunflower paintings - P2.1

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Tasting Scottish produce - P2.1

Sports Day fun! - P2.3

Term 1 Art by Lexie Muirhead - P2.3

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PREP 3

Dinosaur Silhouettes by Anya Hetherington P2.2

Colourful Minibeasts - P.3.3

Charles Rennie Mackintosh Rose by Sophie MacAdam - P.3.3

Leaf Art by Daisy Mark - P.3.3

Butterflies by Josie Walker-Smith, Daisy Mark and Natasha Ewing - P.3.3

Van Gogh ‘Starry Night’ by Avneet Kaur - P3.1

Pond Dipping - P.3.3 Roman Assembly - P3.1 Minibeast Magnifying Glass by Neve McQuilter - P3.1

Minibeast Art by Katie Macfarlane - P3.2 World Book Day - P3.1 Sebastian King Releasing Butterflies - P3.1

June 2016 - P3.1 Our Shoebox Rooms - P.3.3 Releasing Our Butterflies - P.3.3

Sharing Shoebox Houses with P2 - P3.2

Rouken Glen Park - P.3.3

Mini Beast Maginfying Glass by Josie Walker-Smith - P.3.3

Pond Dipping - P.3.3

May 2016 - P3.2 World Book Day - P.3.3

Roman Mosaic by Nora Kuehne - P3.2 Roman Soldier and Coin by Lily Young - P3.1

Pond Dipping - P.3.3

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Releasing Our Butterflies - P.3.3

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PREP 4 P4.3

The outdoor classroom - P4.2

P4.1

Sophie Lovenkrands in Medieval costume - P4.3 Posters - P4.3 Medieval King by Harry Watson - P4.1

Egyptian Profile by Rory McMillan - P4.2

Working together in Maths - P4.2

Macaw by Freya Cattanach - P4.1

Castle in the Sun by Laurie McDougall P4.3

Jasmine, Laurie, Euan & Ruby at Kelvingrove The Lords and Ladies (and executioner) ready for the Medieval Banquet

P4.3 Ready for the Stage!

Christian Chan and Max Mackison dressed as Medieval Royalty - P4.1 Stained Glass Window by Oscar Johnston - P4.2

Stirling Castle - P4.2

Forest Tiger by Hetty McLeod - P4.1

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In the ICT suite - P4.2

Jamie Gibbons and Vita Webster in Medieval costume - P4.3

Designing the Class Newsboard - P4.1

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PREP 5 The Mayflower by Charlie Treharne - P5.3

Canoeing at Ardmay - P5.2

River Kelvin Walk - P5.2

Christmas Show - P5.1

The Finnieston Crane by Cody Kinnaird - P5.1

Kingfisher by Anna Miller - P5.4

Collaborative Group Work - P5.3

Apollo Dawn by Nathan Paterson - P5.4

Spaceman by Karanpreet Mahli - P5.4

Ox-Bow Lake by Sophie Hannigan - P5.3

Ardmay Trip - P5.1 The Mayflower by Rachel Howie - P5.1

Painting prints of the Mayflower - P5.2

Science trip - P5.3

Space Day - P5.3 Space rocket Pop Art by Abigail Burgess - P5.2

River Models - P5.4

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Science trip - P5.4

Mary Queen of Scots Group Investigation - P5.1

Classroom River Display - P5.4

Remembrance Poppies by Jenna Hilditch - P5.1

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PREP 6

Jacobite targe by Eilidh Harrison - P6.5

Katie Bell, Winner of P6 Poetry Competition - P6.3

P6.2

Ready for Christmas Show - P6.3

Jacobite portrait by Lucy Harris - P6.1 Jacobite Targes- P6.5

Clay tile by Saairah Iqbal - 6.1

Chaorainn Hart as Cyndi Lauper

Carmen Buter as Lady GaGa

Jacob Graham v Kirsty Wicklow - Fencing Club K-Ci Gomwe and Daniel Burdon as Michael Jackson - P6.1

Louis Game and Chaorainn Hart at the Static Electricity Workshop

Digestive System Experiment - P6.2 P6.5 Lewis Inglis as Bonnie Prince Charlie - P6.2

Japanese Club visit to Wudon

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Giant Snowflake by Hibbah Shabbir - P6.2

Generation Science - P6.2

A William Morris-inspired clay tile by Eve Whitton - P6.4

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PREP 7 P7.2 Evacuation

P7.1 Evacuation

P7.5

Tori McCusker and Abigail Tausney - P7.2

Stan Clark waiting to be evacuated - P7.5

Dragons’ Den - P7.1

Exploring plants, Lily Yu and Lisa Rennie - P7.5

P7.5 being evacuated during Evacuation Morning

Francesca Fairlie and Abbie Gourlay Protesting for Suffrage - P7.5 Angus McCorkindale, Flynn McLean and Marcie McDougal on Evacuation morning - P7.4

Flynn McLean and Christie McBurnie participating in Trading Trainers - P7.4

A Liberal Party hustings (Fergus Munro, Lyle Webster and Xavier Martin) - P7.2

Science Experiment, Anna Manuel and Lewis Mitchell - P7.3 P7.4

Suffragette Morning - P7.3

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Jessica Smith’s WWII poster - P7.3

Rebecca Roper - P7.2

P7.2

P7.2 Dragons’ Den

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B U L C ’ S D COOL KI

Prep

Hockey Hockey P7A The P7A team enjoyed another great season playing together. We started off playing Dollar Academy, who would become our biggest rivals this season, and lost by three goals. However, we were delighted to come up against them in the George Watson’s Tournament and thrash them 2-0! We met Dollar again, later in the season, at a friendly on their home pitches. Our defeat that day was soon forgotten as we joined the Dollar Academy team for dinner in their boarding house and had a brilliant time. Other notable successes of the season included beating Craigholme 6-0, and other strong victories against Jordanhill and St Aloysius’. Overall, special mention must be given to Nicola Fletcher and Sophie MacKellar, who both scored hat-tricks this season. I would also like to thank Miss Campbell, Miss Brackenridge and Mr Ralph for their amazing coaching: we couldn’t have done it without you! Daria Martinolli

Hockey P7B Wow! What a great season of Prep 7 hockey. Our fantastic team thoroughly enjoyed it! We are incredibly proud of all our achievements. Rain, hail or shine we were out on the pitch with our supporting Fan Club. Our first match was an amazing start to the academic year. Our team beat Dollar Academy 2-0. Every Monday and Friday we intensely trained for over an hour in preparation for our matches and tournaments. As well as making everlasting friendships, we also worked outstandingly as a team, winning the majority of our matches. We will definitely continue to pursue our hockey dreams. As team captains, we were delighted every week to lead a full warm-up before each session. During P7, we have participated in a wide variety of home and away matches, and tournaments; we were lucky enough to host our own tournament, inviting 16 schools to attend. At every match or tournament - win or lose - we played our absolute best! Throughout the season we had girls scoring several hat-tricks: big congratulations to Hana Woods who scored the most. When our previous sweeper left, Holly Jervis stepped in along with Abigail Tausney and didn’t let us down. Our final match was one to remember: 6-0 against Jordanhill. However, we would not have improved in our hockey

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skills and fitness without the love, care and help from our outstandingly supportive coaches – Miss Campbell, Miss Brackenridge and Mr Ralph. A big thanks to the umpires who spent their early Saturday morning providing instructions and praise through our competitions. It has been the most fantastic experience to be in this team: we are like one big family. We will definitely miss this team, although we’re sure lots of us will play hockey together in the future. Christie McBurnie and Olivia Egan

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Prep

Hockey

Rugby

The Carol Hamilton Memorial Cup - P6 We played for The Carol Hamilton Cup at top Windyedge against The High School of Glasgow. It was the first hockey match we played for the school and we were looking forward to it. We were split into two groups (the red squad and the blue squad). When we got off the bus and on to the pitch we felt nervous and excited! The blue squad drew the first match 0-0 and the red squad lost their first match 2-1. While we were getting ready for the second match we felt a bit more confident and it began to rain although we still played our best. The blue squad

won the second match 3-1 and the red squad won the second 2-1. Overall we won 10-6 and we were given The Carol Hamilton Cup. Carol Hamilton taught in the Senior School of The Glasgow Academy until she died in 2000; we were very proud to have won the cup in her honour. Everyone had had a great time. When we were walking off the hockey pitch we each got a caramel Freddo. All the parents were cheering and asking for pictures. Barbara Connolly-Wilkes, Rachel Brown and Saskia Wade

Craigholme Hockey Festival On 17th March, twelve excited P6 girls got on a minibus extremely enthusiastic about the morning ahead: we were playing in our first ever Hockey Festival! When we arrived, we were told by two polite Craigholme girls where to get changed. Finally, we got out to the pitch to warm up. Miss Dick told us our positions and we got useful tips from Mrs FitzGerald. The first team we played against was Hutchesons’. We had eleven girls in our team and three subs. The girls were Katie Bell, Kirsty Wicklow, Rachel Brown, Barbara Connolly-Wilkes, Sophie Heginbottom, Anna Streule, Lucy Harris, Milly MacFarlane, Ruby Mason, Saskia Wade and Chaorainn Hart. The first score against Hutchesons’ was 8-0 to us! Katie Bell scored two, Kirsty Wicklow two, Saskia Wade one, Anna Streule one and Rachel Brown two. At the end we did three cheers and shook their

hands. The next team we played was St. Aloysius’: we won 6-0. After each half time we got a delicious jelly baby to keep our energy levels up! Our last match was against Craigholme. They were the best team we played and we were tired by this point. We thankfully won the coin toss, with tails: it never fails! We won 4-0. After the match we did three cheers and shook their hands. We were very fortunate to have Lucy Harris as our goalie: she never let one goal in all morning! After, we went to the changing rooms, got changed, walked back to our minibus and had a delicious creme egg and many other goodies in our pack to enjoy on the trip back to school. When we arrived back at school we were extremely proud of what we had achieved. Hopefully our next tournament will be as successful. Katie Bell

Rugby P7A The P7A season has certainly had some significant highs as well as some lows, but has been great fun throughout. We started with a 4-4 draw against the High School of Dundee and secured notable victories over Edinburgh Academy, Hutchesons’ Grammar, Merchiston Castle, The High School of Glasgow and Kelvinside Academy. We had some narrow defeats but we never gave up. The bad weather throughout the winter affected both training and matches. However, a particular highlight was reaching the final of the St. Columba’s Tournament, playing well and beating many of our local rivals in the process, before losing out to a very good St. Aloysius’ team. Our rugby tour to Northumberland was great fun, even though we lost a close contest against Blaydon RFC and our game against Linlithgow was cancelled due to a frozen pitch. There was also an opportunity to play in our first 7s tournament, at Stewart’s Melville College, at the end of the season. Mr Jackson was our coach for a

second year and many thanks to him for his enthusiasm, coaching skills and hard work to help us become better rugby players. The final whistle has not blown for this team and there is huge potential for us in the future in Senior Rugby. Angus McCorkindale

Rugby P7B I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as captain of the P7B team this year and, although we ended up with a win/ lose ratio that went against us over the year, we have all really enjoyed the season. Isaac Burrows showed his best ability and captained the team on many occasions. Matthew Warne displayed excellent hooking skills in the scrum, taking any opportunity that came his way. Rory Spencer was our top try scorer through his tremendous speed and agility, and Sol Waddell played consistently well during the season, using his speed to great effect. Overall, the team had great respect for one another and listened well to our coach, Mr Mathewson, who taught us a lot this season, not only about rugby but also about discipline. We look forward to progressing our rugby next term and maintaining our team spirit which has been a major factor in our successes. The whole team

has progressed so much since the start of the session and we owe our thanks to Mr Mathewson and Mr Manson. Jack MacKenzie

Rugby P7C During the season, the P7C team did not play many games but we managed to win roughly half of them. Our coaches, Mr Robertson and Mr Gould, helped us to develop our skills and passing techniques. Over the season, the team improved and several players moved up to the P7B team. With Mr Gould as our coach, we managed to turn an 11-0 defeat by George Watson’s at the start of the season into an 11-6 victory in our last game. The team worked well together and appreciated the hard work and patience of both coaches, Mr Robertson and Mr Gould. Alexander Scott

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Prep

Rugby

Sports day

Rugby P6A The P6A team has had an extraordinarily successful first season of competitive rugby. Whilst we won our first game against the High School of Dundee, we lost the next three games against Edinburgh Academy, St Aloysius’ and Hutchesons’; however, they all provided valuable lessons that gave us confidence in our ability for the season ahead. Mr Fairlie-Clarke quickly spotted our potential and provided us with some inspired coaching and, after tinkering with some player positions, the team did not lose another game all season! From early October until our last game in March, every member of our team contributed in scoring a whopping 70 tries against the 30 conceded. In this run of games we beat George Heriot’s (twice), Merchiston Castle School (twice), George Watson’s, High School of Glasgow (twice), Dollar Academy (twice) and Stewart’s Melville College. Our season ended with us playing some excellent rugby on tour at Blaydon Rugby Club, as well as winning the

The Prep Sports Day was held at Anniesland on 13th June and the weather held out to give us another fantastic day. The morning session provided our youngest pupils with the opportunity to show off their individual skills, competing in their classes in various different running and obstacle races. The afternoon session this year was run in a slightly different format in order to provide the older pupils with the opportunity to compete for their individual year group

athletic championship. All pupils competed in a number of different athletic disciplines, including running, jumping and throwing events. As always the inter-class relays provide a great finale to another great day. Many thanks to Mrs Judd for presenting the prizes. R Simpson

Kelvinside Academy 7s festival against Hutchesons’, Kelvinside Academy and The High School of Glasgow. We are all very proud of our achievements this season and we would like to thank Mr Fairlie-Clarke for all his help. We are already looking forward to next season in the hope of continuing our winning streak. William Aggleton

Rugby P6B The P6 rugby team has had an awesome season. Winning a majority of our matches was a huge achievement and we are very proud of this. Memorable wins against The High School of Glasgow, George Watson’s, Hutchesons’ and George Heriot’s were highlights, but Dollar gave us a hard time. The tremendous team spirit has been one of the reasons we won so many matches with every player giving 100%. Although it is very hard to pick individuals, the two players who I think deserve a special mention are Pieter Rubens Buter for his powerful rucking, and Findlay Hunter for his ability to shimmy past the tackler. All of this wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for Mr Carlin’s discipline and coaching skills. Next season, we hope to achieve even better results. Oluchi Uwakwe

Rugby P6C The Prep 6C rugby team have had an amazing season, winning 3 out of 5 matches. We only lost one match and drew another. One of the best parts was the variety of try scorers in many different positions. One of our best matches was our last match; even though it was 7-7, we played very well as a team. We also recorded an historic win over Stewart’s Melville College, beating them 9 tries to 1. The team started on a high after beating George Watson’s. We have had as many as seven different try scorers and, as well as that, we have had a win as big as 10 - 0 against Kelvinside Academy. The team has improved a lot and everyone who played put in 100% effort. The team couldn’t have done this without the dedicated coaching of the one and only Mr Simpson! Thank you also to all the 120

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parents for coming to our matches. I’m sure everyone is very excited for P7 rugby and a lot more fixtures. Ben Thomson The Chronicle

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Cross-Country On 23rd April, Prep 6 and 7 pupils set off to Kirkcaldy for the Scottish Primary Schools Cross-Country Championships. This is a huge event which brings together over 50 schools from across the country, with each pupil running approximately 1 mile across undulating, grassy terrain. The Prep 6 Girls were first off, and set the bar high, with all 5 girls finishing in the top 25%. With the lowest team points total of the day (19 points), they were crowned the Scottish Champions, with Saskia Wade also collecting an individual bronze medal. Her superb run was backed up by Kirsty Wicklow (6th), Lucy Harris, (10th), Chaorainn Hart (16th) and Charlotte Martin (56th). In a very competitive race the Prep 7 girls also produced fantastic results, packing well and collecting the team bronze medals. Nicola Fletcher was first home in 8th place, closely followed by Estelle Macaloney (14th), Abigail Gourlay, (45th), Philippa Williamson (69th) and Jessica Smith (71st). The boys also performed exceptionally well, with the P6 boys (Saul McGlennan, Christian McKay, Angus Taylor and Oliver Calder) recording a top 10 team finish in 6th place and the P7 boys team (Sol Waddell, Ruaraidh Hart, Lyle Webster and Lucas Pierotti) in 13th.

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Scottish Schools Primary Road Relays On 24th October we travelled to Grangemouth Stadium for the Scottish Schools Primary Road Relays with 4 full teams, looking to build on our success from 2014, where all 4 teams finished in the top 10. There were over 50 schools entered into this competition, which brings runners from across the country together, with each team comprised of 3 runners who run a 1500m leg. Exceeding our expectations does not even begin to express how well we performed on the day. The Primary 6 Girls team had undoubtedly the performance of the day, leading from the start and finishing 52 seconds ahead of the 2nd team. The Primary 6 Boys had a fight on their hands, but held on to the silver medals, finishing with the same time as the 3rd place finishers. The Primary 7 Girls were faced with the fastest race of the day, but held their nerves to finish a very creditable 3rd and the Prep 7 Boys improved on their 9th place in 2014 to finish just outside the medals in 4th place. This ‘across the board’ success is a clear indication of the strength of the Prep Cross-country Club, where we are now pushing each other three times a week at training!

These performances are the result of hard training, with many of these children having trained up to three times a week with Miss MacNeill and Mr Doyle to achieve this.

P6 Girls - Scottish Champions: Kirsty Wicklow, Lucy Harris and Saskia Wade P6 Boys - Scottish Silver medallists: Jack Wicklow, Guy Bell and Saul McGlennan P7 Girls - Scottish Bronze medallists: Nicola Fletcher, Estelle Macaloney and Emma O’Neil P7 Boys - 4th place finish: Sol Waddell, Ruaraidh Hart and Lyle Webster

L MacNeill

The Chronicle

Prep

The Prep Swimming Gala was held at Drumchapel Pool on 1st February. Dr. A. Wicklow presented the Girls’ Inter-House Swimming title to Morrison and the Boys’ Inter-House Swimming title to Arthur. The Prep Gala is a very large event designed to involve as many swimmers as possible in house and class races; the strongest 6 swimmers in P6 and P7 compete in a championship competition over 3 strokes. The P7 girls and boys swim over 50m and the P6 over 25m, developing the competitive nature of swim racing. Saskia Wade has made quite an impact on our record books and is to be congratulated for her achievements. Kirsty Wicklow came second in each of the four races that Saskia won, and was inside the old record in three of these races! We certainly have a strong group of young swimmers that are training hard.

Of the older guard, some notable records remain: Fiona Gentles P7 Back crawl 18.5s from 1998, Kylie Walker P7 Freestyle 17.8s from 1998, Murray Steele P5 Breaststroke 19.9 from 1999, Gregor MacLennan P6 Back crawl 18.6 from 2001, Andrew McLay P7 Back crawl 18.2 from 2004 and P5 Back crawl 21.3 from 2002.

Whilst it is always nice to see standards rising, some good old records have fallen to the younger wave of new swimmers. Some of the notable names now fading from our record sheets are Karen Smith P6 Back crawl from 1994, Georgina Sellyn P6 Breaststroke from 2005, Ross MacLennan P6 Freestyle from 1995 and Murray Steele P6 Breaststroke from 1992.

We did have a Girls House trophy in memory of Adrianne Chawner from Westbourne which has disappeared over the years. I wonder if anybody knows where this trophy is, or whether someone would consider new donations for the girls’ and boys’ house events? S McAslan

The Chronicle

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Prep

Swimming Gala Girls’ Inter-House Swimming

Prep 5 Girls

Arthur

Fraser

Morrison

Temple

P6 Girls

Trans Girls

Totals

P7 Girls

Nicola Fletcher, winning the trophy donated by the Fletcher family

P7 Boys

Peter Shields, winning the trophy donated by the Fletcher family

P6 Girls

Saskia Wade

P6 Boys

Tom Wicklow

Arthur

Fraser

Morrison

Temple

P6 Boys

Trans Boys

Totals

Open Girls Butterfly 25m

Saskia Wade

16.1s

P7 Girls Freestyle 25m

Estelle Macaloney

16.6s

P6 Girls Championship Freestyle 25m

Saskia Wade

14.1s

P6 Girls Championship Breaststroke 25m

Saskia Wade

18.4s

P6 Girls Championship Back crawl 25m

Saskia Wade

17.3s

P6 Boys Championship Freestyle 25m

Tom Wicklow

14.5s

Freestyle 25m25m P6 Boys Championship Breaststroke

Tom Wicklow

14.5s 19.0s

P6 Boys Championship Breaststroke 25m

Tom Wicklow

19.0s

Open Boys Butterfly 25m

Tom Wicklow

16.2

P7 Boys Championship Freestyle 50m

Peter Shields

38.3

P7 Boys Freestyle 25m

William Nicolson

18.0

P6 Boys Championship Freestyle 25m

Tom Wicklow

14.5

P6 Boys Freestyle 25m

Mark MacAndie

18.7

P7 Boys Championship Breaststroke 50m

Peter Shields

53.0

P7 Boys Breaststroke 25m

Angus McCorkindale 24.6

P6 Boys Championship Breaststroke 25m

Tom Wicklow

MP4

P4.1

Christian Chan Shwetika Balaji, Jet Guan, James McCarey Sharanya Shashidharan & Rory Treharne

Pieter Rubens Buter

23.8

P7 Boys Championship Back crawl 50m

Fergus Munro

48.3

P7 Boys Back crawl 25m

Struan Park

23.4

P6 Boys Championship Back crawl 25m

Tom Wicklow

19.8

P6 Boys Back crawl 25m

Kyle McKay

21.3

Open Girls Butterfly 25m

Saskia Wade

16.1

P7 Girls Championship Freestyle 50m

Nicola Fletcher

32.2

P7 Girls Freestyle 25m

Estelle Macaloney

16.6

P6 Girls Championship Freestyle 25m

Saskia Wade

14.1

P6 Girls Freestyle 25m

Rachel Brown

17.0

P7 Girls Championship Breaststroke 50m

Nicola Fletcher

44.6

P7 Girls Breaststroke 25m

Daria Martinolli

22.3

P6 Girls Championship Breaststroke 25m

Saskia Wade

18.4

P6 Girls Breaststroke 25m

Emma Young

25.8

P7 Girls Championship Back crawl 50m

Nicola Fletcher

41.7

P7 Girls Back crawl 25m

Grace Connelly

22.6

P6 Girls Championship Back crawl 25m

Saskia Wade

17.3

P6 Girls Back crawl 25m

Carmen Buter

22.7

P7 Girls Relay

Morrison

P7 Boys Relay

Arthur

P4.2

Priyanka Thiagarajan Poppy MacGregor Raphael de Maigret

P4.3

Jamie Gibbons Elise Campbell Ffion Mann

P5.1

Eva Pollock Ruari Mavin Daniel Diez de Baldeon

P5.2

Karan Shah Aimee Teale Jamie Little

P5.3

Sophie Hannigan Charlie Treharne Casper Waddell

P5.4

Tage Bijral Rory Darling Karanpreet Malhi

P5 Maths Prizes

Karan Shah Amiya Patel Rachel Hannah Lois Williamson Rayyan Suleman

19.0

P6 Boys Breaststroke 25m

Murray Bett Iris Barr James Kennedy Amarachi Uwakwe George Murdoch Harriet Jones

The following new records were set:

Prep 5 Boys

The Chronicle

DP4

Congratulations to our Champion swimmers:

Boys’ Inter-House Swimming

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Prize-winners

P6.1

Daniel Burdon Rubens Buter Andrew Harden

P6.2

Tom Wicklow Oluchi Uwakwe Christian McKay, Danithmee Aluthduwehewage

P7.1

P7.2

P7.3

P7.4

P7.5

Basil Syed

Language

Lucy Wong

Environmental Studies

Sophie Tiefenbrun

French

Mairi McLeod

Language

Ruby Mackison

Language

Rebecca Roper

Environmental Studies

Mairi McLeod

French

Jessica Smith

Language

Rosie McFadzean

Language

Jessica Smith

Environmental Studies

Jessica Smith

French

Nicola Fletcher

Language

Evie Ellis

Language

Nicola Fletcher

Environmental Studies

Evie Ellis

Environmental Studies

Amy Li

Language

Alexander Hendry

Language

Alexander Hendry

Environmental Studies

Lisa Khorishko Rennie

French

P7 Maths Prizes

Headmaster's Maths Prizes

Sarah Zou

Poetry Speaking prizes

Max Mackison

Amiya Patel

Katie Bell

Nicola Fletcher & Lucas Pierotti

The Julia Donaldson Writing Prize

Nicola Fletcher

Mairi McLeod

Jacob Graham Maxwell Biggam Catherine MacCarey

The Director of Music’s Prize for Performance

P6.4

Ella Adams Iona McNeish Edward Howat

The Games Prizes

The Art prize

P6.5

Anna Streule Emma Young Nicholas Massie

P6 Maths Prizes

Language

William Nicolson Melissa Inglis Rory Spencer Alexander Brennan Freddy Pringle Eva Lavery

P6.3

Daniel Burdon Eisa Latif Juan Canales Joseph Provan Hibbah Shabbir

Vanessa Prescott

Lucas Pierotti Nicola Fletcher Evie Ellis Ruby Mackison

FRAME CUP For InterHouse Sports Competitions

Morrison

The House Shield

Arthur

THE DUX

Nicola Fletcher

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Creative Writing Green Eyes

by Nicola Fletcher, P7 The huge, gnarled trees were so tall that you had to crane your neck to see the very top. An eclectic mix of lush green plants surrounded me, and the gushing water crashed on to the rocks below. Sunlight danced and dappled through the trees which were so old they had grown twisted and lumpy like arthritic fingers. It was warm and humid, so hot that the heat sank deep into my bones. Creatures of all kinds were hiding in the dense greenery, and the place was filled with noise; the animals never seemed to quieten down. Dangling my legs in the ice-cold, crystal clear water, I stared up at my best friend Alex, and frowned to myself. Coming to the rainforest with my best friend had sounded like a dream come true, and it had been, at least for the first few days. Recently, Alex had been acting really strange: she was often muttering to herself and there was an odd gleam in her bright green eyes. I couldn’t help feeling like she was going mad. I sighed, and twisted my long, cascading curls into a ponytail. Why had the dream holiday become a nightmare?

TGA Milngavie You can’t learn about the outside if you are on the inside Whilst touring a prospective family around the school, three deer appeared at the top of the moor. The family were laughing and commenting that this must be staged. In fact we now see deer, along with squirrels and garden birds, all around the school grounds. How fortunate we are to be in this setting and so close to nature.

Suddenly, I heard a soft sighing noise behind me, and I abruptly sat up and stared at the terrifying person before me. Alex’s gleaming eyes had a crazed look in them; she looked like a maniac with no control over herself. Her fiery red hair was all over the place, and she was muttering furiously to herself. Petrified, I started to back away from my once best friend. She was a monster. She smiled eerily at me and followed me to the edge of the river. Fear jolted through me like an enraged cheetah as an icy grip took hold of me. I was alone, with no one to hear my screams. Suddenly there was a piercing shriek, filled with anguish and terror. It took me a moment to realise it was me. Before my brain had time to realise what was happening, I found myself crashing into the cool, clear water. I thrashed around, desperately trying to get some air, and then I felt hands gripping tightly around my neck. This was it. This was how I was going to die. Suddenly, I stopped moving and everything was calm. I felt peaceful, almost like I was already dead. The last thing I saw was those cold, green eyes. Then, everything went black.

The Queen And The Kelvin Kelpies by Jonathan Tan, P4

Long ago there lived, in Glasgow, a powerful Queen named Queen Botanica. She was mean and selfish - she ALWAYS won at games and she ALWAYS wanted money for winning! This made her feel happy and powerful. Every month the Queen played chess in the famous Kelvin Chess Championship. With each game, she became more and more greedy, demanding more money. ‘WOOHOO!’ she would shout, ‘WHERE’S MY CHESS REWARD?’ After each game her poor slaves were forced to carry 1000 gold bars as her prize. However, one day something unusual happened to the Queen. As she was walking back to the Palace Botanica, she paused on the bridge over the River Kelvin. Suddenly, she spied some little glowing, blue flies, fluttering in the air. ‘We are the Kelvin Kelpies’ they sang. ‘We live under the bridge – we challenge you to a game of chess!’ ‘Alright then,’ said the Queen. ‘We’ve been watching you,’ said the kelpies, ‘and we know how you love to play!’ But the kelpies were cleverer than the Queen and started to capture her chess pieces. The Queen hated losing – she began to cheat and became more and more bad tempered. The kelpies knew there was only one way to finish the game and to stop the cheating, greedy Queen once and for all. KAPOOM!!! With a puff of magic blue smoke the kelpies turned the Queen into a chess piece and tossed her into the River Kelvin. And there she stayed, finally having learnt her lesson.

The Curriculum for Excellence offers all children first hand opportunities to experience the outdoors, as this environment inspires passion and motivates pupils to become more successful learners. Surely, this adventurous approach to learning must be the way forward? Within the moor, the children have built shelters with the help of our parents. They have searched the water’s edge for insects and built minibeast hotels. Pupils can sit outside and record all they see, both upwards and outwards. They are constantly asked what they would like to do in the moor and we try our best to accommodate. Barloch Moor has always enriched ‘Atholl’ school life. After the Second World War, Miss Richie the Head teacher wrote: ‘Linked with our memories is the constant picture of our moor, at all seasons of the year, the haunt of young naturelovers and the setting for so many episodes in school life.’ The Owl Magazine 1947 At the beginning of summer term we introduced ‘Marathon on the Moor’, where many of our pupils get up early and run with staff and parents around the perimeter. Even the little Nursery/Kindergarten and toddlers who are not yet at school, are managing one lap at speed. We have already planted around fifty saplings courtesy of The

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Woodland Trust and the rangers from Mugdock Country Park have been teaching the children how to measure the height of trees, the best spots to place bird boxes, animal life and how to recognise seasonal changes through the plants and trees. Much of the curricular work we do in the school can be covered on the moor. Learning flows seamlessly between outdoors and indoors, as we try to make the most efficient and effective use of our resources. We have been creating stories inside metre squares made with branches. Time work can be completed using string and twigs. The only limit for Medieval Castles, Roman Forts and hunting for dinosaurs is the children’s imagination. We want the children to make choices for their own learning, whilst taking and managing risk. All our pupils, from three years to eight years benefit from our woodland environment and the skills they learn improve performance when they return to the classroom. Being outside is not an optional extra at TGA Milngavie. It is very much part of the curriculum, as are cycling, outdoor sport and looking after the fruit, vegetables and herbs in our decking area. Anyone who takes children outside regularly sees the enjoyment and sense of wonder that is generated when youngsters engage with their environment. J McMorran

The Chronicle

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y r e s r u N e i v a g n Mil

Milngavie

PREP 1 Working hard and having fun

Having fun in the sun

We love shared reading! Our class shop

Winning at the Mini Olympics

Outdoor learning is great! Raising money for Children in Need

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Milngavie

PREP 2

Milngavie

PREP 3

We really enjoyed our Dinosaur topic!

We love to get out and about!

Our Forest School Pop Art Painting

Telling the time

Nurturing our plants

Working on a portrait of Robert Burns

A great science lesson Reading â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fantastic Mr Foxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; together

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Milngavie

PREP 4

Eco Milngavie

We know all about the Egytians!

This is to certify

that the pupils of

The Glasgow Acad emy have achieved the

on the Woodland

Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green Tree Scho ols Award

Learning about coding Money week activities

Master chess players

Le Petit DĂŠjeuner

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TGA Dairsie

invite parents in for that, they asked them to come into school for a rainforest adventure, when they shared many of the facts and details they had learned.

Looking back to last August it hardly seems as if any time has passed, but it has indeed been a full academic year and once again the children at The Glasgow Academy, Dairsie, have worked with enthusiasm and vigour. We bade farewell to Mrs Preston at the October half-term holiday, who left us as she awaited her second child, and we shared her delight when her daughter was born that same month. We have been grateful to Miss Hayley Hughes for manning the fort in P1 whilst Mrs Preston has been enjoying her family. We have been delighted to have welcomed Mrs Langridge back after her maternity leave and were indebted to Mrs Denise Munro who took the reins in After School Care in her absence. At the end of the year we said farewell to Mr Davidson and gave him our very best wishes for the future as he embarked on his new job in Stirling. After many years of regular Friday morning visits, the Reverend John Whiteford retired and we were able to pass on the heartfelt good wishes of the school community when he joined us for the last time, in the middle of May. As a school we were deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Miss Dunn who had been a faithful member of staff since 1992.

The children in P2 had great fun investigating ‘Food without Fire’, which enabled them to share many tasty treats with one another; things that could be prepared without the aid of an oven or hob. Their studies on dinosaurs were as popular with this P2 as with previous classes and their trip to Kelvingrove Museum and Art Galleries for a special workshop helped fossilise their knowledge! Their studies centred on Katie Morag and island life was another favourite and gave rise to a super assembly in which the children told us about ‘Katie Morag and the Tiresome Ted’; the Scottish dancing they demonstrated was a fine accompaniment to the assembly. The children of P2 were also busy in the back garden: they planted some potatoes as part of their ‘Growing and Planting’ topic and grew various herbs in the classroom; I think we have quite a few green fingers around the school!

To mark the opening of The Saunders Centre at Kelvinbridge, we took eight children whose competition entries had been chosen to be placed in the Time Capsule; they each received a certificate that will allow them back for the opening of the Time Capsule in 2065 (I hope they keep the certificates safe!). We enjoyed our journeys with poetry again this year, back in October, in conjunction with National Poetry Day; we learned poems on the theme of dark and light, and the poems were about owls, bedtime, monkeys, candles and darkness. Our Scottish Poetry Competition in January was judged by Mr Matthew Pearce, our Deputy Rector from Kelvinbridge. Mr Pearce was most impressed by the standard of recitation and performance. After considered deliberations Mr Pearce announced the following winners: in P1 Charlotte Craig, Jessica Craig and Olivia Johnston; in P2 Poppy Montgomery and Eilidh Reid; in P3 Aidan King and Rory Julyan and in P4 Fajar Ashaq and James Kennedy. These children had a further opportunity to perform their poems when they recited them during our short concert on Grandparents’ Afternoon. Just before the May half-term holiday we donned anything green and held our Dairsie Eco-Daft Day. Mrs Crawford set up

Courtesy of the PTA we had a visit from the Hopscotch Theatre Company. We learned about the importance of being safe online through their ‘Cyber Buddy’ presentation and we hope their performance of ‘Be Keen to Eat Green’, has fostered and encouraged some good eating habits. Mrs MacLeod and our RRS group enabled us to focus on Fair Trade Fortnight, which we kick started with some ‘Divine’ chocolate treats that allowed us to sample different flavours and gave us a sugar high that almost lasted the full two weeks! Mrs MacLeod and a group of eight children visited a local nursery to teach them something about respecting each other’s rights, as well as to explain a little bit about moving into P1; the main message that came across from the TGA Dairsie children was that there was nothing to be worried about, and that P1 is great fun!

We have enjoyed learning about and celebrating the success of children who have participated in competitions and tournaments inside and outside of school. Fajar Ashaq, Iris Barr, Murray Bett, Arianna Carmichael, James Coyle and Charlie Farquharson all in DP4 were selected to have their story writing printed, as part of the Young Writers’ competition. Murray Thomson represented The Academy at the St Leonard’s Golf Tournament; and there have also been ‘Club’ successes in swimming, rugby, tennis and martial arts. A number of children received trophies in Judo from our expert instructor, Gary Edwards, as well as each child earning a coloured Judo belt.

The NK children had great fun learning about space and, in particular, they wanted to learn about the planets. They also enjoyed some specialist knowledge when Daniel’s mum came in to help them celebrate Chinese New Year and when Priya’s mum told them all about Diwali; both mums were kind enough to prepare many tasty treats for the children to try and so the children found out about foods that were traditional to each festival. They have had great fun with the construct-a-frame purchased by the PTA, which, amongst other things, has been a space rocket and during the summer term was transformed into a greenhouse thanks to Mrs Dunn’s expert sewing. This enabled the children to do some role play around the Garden Centre that was established in the room and they were also able to do some actual planting, both in the back garden and in flower pots. Parents, pupils and staff loved watching the NK girls and boys sing and tell us about plants and growing as they presented their assembly.

The boys in P3 created some amazing shoe box homes as part of their investigations into houses and homes. They thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Romans, as well as sharing that knowledge during their assembly, which was first class. They loved watching their caterpillars develop and transform, eventually being able to be released into the back garden. These were not the only mini-beasts they studied and they also informed each other about their creature of choice in a pre-prepared class talk.

During the first term P1 made a study of their healthy bodies as well as the City of Glasgow. They had fun learning about people who help us and this topic afforded them a trip to Newlands South Parish Church where they were given a guided tour by the Reverend John Whiteford. In the summer term, along with the sunny weather, the P1 children loved learning about all that lives in and by the sea. Their class assembly allowed them to display their knowledge about their favourite story, the ‘Light Keeper’s Lunch’, and we thoroughly enjoyed all their songs, sung with zeal and passion.

The children in P4 started the year by finding out a little more about the human body, then they travelled back in time to learn all about the lives of lords and ladies living in castles; they looked resplendent when they dressed up for their medieval banquet. Their studies on all things Egyptian had them researching gods and goddesses as well as making sarcophagi, amongst other things. During the course of the summer term, they worked under the canopy of a rainforest and enjoyed learning about such environments. The P4 children presented an assembly all about St Andrew in November, but rather than

The Chronicle

Generation Science came to give a workshop to P1 and P2 on ‘Day and Night’. P3 and P4 explored the science of power with a workshop entitled ‘Power from the People’.

It was lovely to be able to use our own grounds at the Bowling Club for a second year, to hold our annual sports’ day. Mrs Crawford and Miss Barr worked hard, not only in preparing the children for their events, but also in planning the courses and the races.

The children have worked tirelessly in the classrooms and beyond and should all be proud of the progress they have made this year; it has not all been hard graft, though, there have been many moments of fun and amusement too. This year we invited parents to join us for the class assemblies for the first time and they enjoyed being with us as much as we enjoyed performing for them.

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Shores, Provan’s Lordship, and Kelvingrove and Rouken Glen Parks, Whitelees Wind Farm, the Greenbank Garden, The Burrell Collection and Pollok Park to name just a few. A particular delight for the Nursery/Kindergarten and P1 children was a workshop held by the RSNO, entitled ‘The Toy Box’.

two assault courses at the Bowling Club, the children had great fun running in their ‘green’ outfits, enjoying the challenges of the courses. They also participated in different ecological matters. The P3 children visited Newlands Park to carry out a survey of mini-beasts and birds in the area. The other children made grass heads and then everyone planted seeds to take home and watch grow. All the children also learned about the correct way to recycle our waste packaging. Once again we celebrated World Book Day in style and all the children listened to the storytelling of Alison Galbraith. The weekly paired reading with NK has been enjoyed by all concerned and we hope it has further developed the culture of reading in the classrooms. The children have enjoyed numerous trips and outings throughout the course of the year, as well as visitors coming to the school. We went to Kelvingrove Museum and Art Galleries, Almond Valley, the Riverside Museum, Polmadie Fire Station, Newlands South Parish Church, the Sea Life Centre at Lomond

It has not just been the children and teachers who have been busy: the PTA, under the direction of the retiring Chairperson, Mrs Montgomery, has worked tirelessly throughout the year too. The PTA organised a full diary of events and parties for parents and children alike. We have been most grateful to them for the six iPads they were able to purchase for the school, which have been put to good use and have helped support the children’s learning. Whether it has been within the confines of the classroom, or further afield in our local environment, the children have undertaken an array of learning experiences; they have each developed as confident individuals, successful learners, effective contributors, and responsible citizens, as well as had some great fun along the way. We hope you have enjoyed a peek into this past year! HJ Logie

The Chronicle

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Dairsie Nursery Kindergarten

Dairsie

PREP 1

Making banana bread together

We loved Fairtrade Day!

Watering our potatoes

“I love painting!’

A trip to the Riverside Museum Our Seaside Assembly

Planting, nurturing and measuring our sunflowers

A trip to the Sealife Centre St Andrew’s Day Celebrations

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Dairsie

PREP 2

Dairsie

PREP 3

We know all about the Romans!

Looking after our garden

We were blown away by Whitelee Windfarm! Out and about at Kelvingrove Art Gallery

Artistic adventures outdoors

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World Book Day Celebrating the sunshine

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Dairsie

PREP 4

Dairsie

ASC

Bringing history to life at Stirling Castle

Fun with finger puppets

Sampling snails

Fundraising for Children in Need In the rainforest

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We too have stood the test of time. For more than 100 years, the traditional Scottish values of probity and prudence have guided our approach to making sound investments for a wide range of private and institutional clients, now spanning 63 countries worldwide. Like those Victorian bridge builders, our priority is long-term sustainability in identifying investment opportunities that will provide the most solid foundation for steady growth, whatever the future may bring. For additional information please visit our website at speirsjeffrey.co.uk If you are interested in becoming a client or would like to discuss our services further, please contact either Tom Brown or any of our investment managers.

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This advertisement is issued and approved by Speirs & Jeffrey Limited which is a member of the London Stock Exchange â&#x20AC;&#x201C; authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back the value invested. The past performance of investments is not necessarily a guide to the future.

The Glasgow Academy is an educational charity registered in Scotland. Charity Number SCO 15638.