wulfrunian 2011
e Borneo Identity is year’s senior expedition sees WGS students get up close and personal with the residents of the Borneo rainforest
Also inside Juniors return to WGS Inspection success A year of sport ...and much more
Up the Beach by Amy Frost From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.
Head’s foreword.
Welcome... ...to the 2011 Wulfrunian, a publication that once again celebrates the great and the good of a year in the life of WGS.
O
ur students have done themselves proud yet again, displaying commitment and dedication across the board in a year packed with activity. Trips to Borneo, Morrocco, France, Germany and – closer to home – Bude gave students to the opportunity to expand their learning beyond the classroom whilst sports teams went almost as far afield – most notably Newcastle to sample the bracing air of the North East. As always, the huge breadth and quality of activity at WGS provides our students with a wonderful range of opportunities, few of which would be possible without the ongoing enthusiasm and commitment of our gifted and loyal teachers. This year colleagues have joined us in English, DT, music, PE and the bursarial department. We also welcomed the Andrew Hymer who came to us as Head of our brand new junior school, more of which you will be able to read about later in the magazine. It was a year in which we also said farewell to colleagues moving on, including two stalwarts of the common room Tony Page and Tony
Bennett, both of whom retired after a combined service of 56 years. Another superb year was once again topped off by a very successful exam season: 75 percent of A Levels being passed at grades A* - B and 63 percent of GCSE examinations passed at A*/A grade. This coming year will be a pivotal one for WGS – sitting as we are on the cusp of the 500th anniversary celebrations. Much of the planning for the quincentenary has now taken place and although we have had one eye on this momentous date, it is important to remember 2010-11 was a remarkable year in its own right: a year in which not only the aforementioned junior school came to fruition, but also the school underwent a highly successful and – complimentary ISI report. So, as we look back on another wonderful 12 months, please enjoy this issue of the Wulfrunian as it celebrates another vibrant year in the long and proud history of WGS. Vincent Darby Head
Wulfrunian 2011 | 1
Contents.
Contents. 04
10
20
05
14
23
09
16
32
04. In the common room. Say hello, wave goodbye… a year in the life of a busy staff room.
05. A fond farewell. 56 years and counting, long service for two of our colleagues never passed so quickly.
09 Current staff. The WGS cast list in all its glory.
10 On closer examination. Another summer of success for our GCSE and A Level students
14. A year of development. Inspection success and juniors return to WGS after seven decades
16. A dramatic year. WGS audiences are tamed by Shakespeare’s shrew.
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20. Musical notes. WGS students jazz it up in another ‘spectacular’ year for our musicians.
23. Art. Going going gondola’s! Venice is the destination for this year’s art trip.
32. History. Taking command of the past with our historians.
33. Classics. Beneath the ashes – our classicists visit the ruins of Pompeii.
Contents.
Contents. 36
47
76
38
52
86
42
64
110
36. Geography. The Cornish coast plays host to our natural scientists.
47. Clubs & societies. 76. Summer sports. So what exactly is the Enigma Society… find out here.
38. Language matters. 52. e great A ‘franc’ (and German) exchange outdoors. heralds another successful year for our language students.
42. Getting technical. How a grant from the Wolfson Foundation transformed a seldom used corner of the DT department.
From Borneo to Bude and Morocco to Mid-Wales, is there anywhere our students haven’t visited this year?
64. Winter sports. The WGS netball trophy cabinet is full to capacity once again as we review another successful season.
Yes, despite the rain, a full programme of summer sports was completed… but only just.
86. Old Wulfrunians. On the cusp of its 500th year, Old Wulfrunians take the opportunity to look back – and forward.
110. Obituaries. We bid a sad farewell and celebrate the lives of OWs and colleagues no longer with us.
Wulfrunian 2011 | 3
Teaching news.
In the common room. imilarly, the future of WGS is constantly being shaped by the flow of students and staff through its doors, and this year has been no exception to that rule. September saw numerous arrivals: Kathryn Burden joined the music department, and the English department welcomed Mark Payne and the return of Phil Lovesey. Later in the year also saw the arrival of Caroline Hodgshon in DT, Simon Marsden as our new bursar and the appointment of the Head of the new Junior School, Andrew Hymer. We also greeted a number of staff on a temporary basis, some of whom returned for a second or third time. Helen Peat, Danni Wilcox and Dave Lowe all stepped in to provide cover for maternity leave; they were joined by former staff members Julieanne Lloyd and Nuala Gilchrist. We are immensely grateful for their hard work and the support they offered the students whilst they were here. In addition to the ever growing brood of WGS babies, Nikki Guidotti and Tom Baker were blessed with the arrival of their second
child, Louis; Claudine Jones and her partner Iain celebrated the birth of Sebastian; whilst during the summer holiday Maria and Simon O’Malleys’ second son, Francesco, was born. A number of members of staff also took up new positions: Jonathan Hall became Head of Year 9; Mark Benfield was appointed Head of English and Assessment; whilst Simon Hinchliffe became Head of sixth form with Chris Preston and Nigel Crust as his deputies. As we welcomed and congratulated so many members of staff, we also bade a fond farewell to others. At the end of the Autumn term, Ray Morris left us to concentrate on his charity and volunteer work; he was followed in April by our former bursar, Simon Jones, who went on to become Foundation Secretary for the Warwick Group of schools; and our gallant maternity cover team also left at the end of the year: Julieanne Lloyd returned to her SENCo role in Shrewsbury, Nuala Gilchrist slipped back into retirement, Dave Lowe resumed his peripatetic music teaching role, whilst Helen Peat returned home to the Peak District and Danni Wilcox became Head of girls games at St. Mary’s School (Worcester). They were joined by Pete Curtis, one of our hard-working IT chaps, who left to become a developer for a company working in the public sector. The summer term also saw the departure of some of our longest serving staff. Jann Boss,
Head’s PA for both Bernard Trafford and Vincent Darby, moved on to pastures new after 14 years, becoming PA to the Chief Master of King Edward’s School (Birmingham). Finally, we wished a happy retirement to the two Tonys’: Tony Page, who retired as Head of economics and business Studies after 29 years, and Tony Bennett who left his role as Head of PSHE/independent learning and teacher of physics after a similarly lengthy service of 27 years to the school. We wish everyone who has moved on from WGS during this past year all the happiness, health and success that they deserve. The summer also saw the now seemingly traditional WGS wedding. This year Kate Ward became Mrs Wainwright as she married her partner, Dan. Congratulations to them both! As this has been my final year as Common Room Chair, I’d like to thank not only the committee of staff who have worked with me over the past two years, but everyone on the staff for their support and guidance in a role that is, at times, demanding – that is when we aren’t debating lunch queues and the price of tea and coffee. As I pass the baton to the true Master of the Common Room, John Johnson, I wish him and his team all the best in what I’m sure will be an exciting 500th anniversary for the school. JW
Louis Baker
Francesco O’Malley
Sebastian Jones
A wise person (and I’ll leave it to you to determine who it was) once said: “Always in motion, the future is.”
S
4 | Wulfrunian 2011
Teaching news.
A fond farewell. Jann Boss
J
ann was the first point of contact at WGS for so many parents who rang, students with worries or news, teachers needing information and Heads needing ... almost everything. Jann served WGS with energy, loyalty and no little skill for 14 years. And, in that time she played a variety of roles well beyond what might be expected of her. She helped with open days, school events, socials – she gave her time freely and was so often the smiling face who welcomed visitors to the school. Jann also produced or helped to produce so much of the information sent out from the school – indeed without her efforts, I doubt that we’d ever have got the Wulfrunian out on time and it certainly wouldn’t be the super quality production it is every year without her input and expertise. In her role as Head’s PA, Jann got to know everything and everybody and she was always
there for them, especially if things weren’t going well. Jann really cared for people and knew just what to say and when. And for both Bernard and I, Jann was everything a PA could and should be – knowledgeable, discreet, willing to show initiative and always having the best interests of the children and the school at heart. And, Jann’s family also committed to WGS – indeed her son Ben was a star on the stage, on the hockey pitch and in the classroom for the school. But Jann was never one for standing still – she did a full-time job, ran a home but also continued to study for her degree and we were all thrilled when her years of hard work were rewarded with honours earlier this year. And now, of course, Jann has been offered a much bigger role at King Edward’s School, Birmingham. We shall all miss her but we know that she will keep in touch and will always be remembered fondly at WGS by the many friends she made. JVD
Wulfrunian 2011 | 5
A fond farewell.
Emma James
E
Tony Bennett
A
fter 27 years service at WGS Tony Bennett has decided to retire. He joined WGS as second in physics in 1984 from Churchfields comprehensive school, Sandwell. Tony is an excellent physics teacher. He has tremendous subject knowledge and he likes to embellish his lesson with stories about physics. Some are anecdotal, some quite gory but nearly all humorous. Often it’s been these stories that students have remembered to aid their understanding. His wealth of experience leads him to teach in a variety of different ways and he is always willing to attempt new methodology. Tony was involved in Wednesday afternoon activities and for a while he was also a district scout leader. These two things meant that he was keen that education developed the wider person. Consequently the next logical step was to develop PSHE at the school. He started the PSHE department from nothing and leaves it in its current vibrant state. Through his association with the National Children’s Bureau, Tony was a founder member of the PSHE association; a nationally recognised educational institute. He is still recognised within the institute as the expert for independent schools. Within Wolverhampton Tony has put many hours into the Healthy Schools Initiative and expanding PSHE throughout the city. In addition to physics and PSHE Tony was responsible for the aviation society, which at its peak had over 100 members. This would meet on a Thursday lunchtime for discussions and lectures from members of the armed force and commercial airlines. The highlights were probably when Captain Andrew Watts landed his Gazelle helicopter on Moreton’s piece and the visit to the Joint Services Day. Outside education Tony is keen gardener, painter, genealogist and cricket supporter. He exhibits his model railways nationally and in recent years has become a bit of a fitness fanatic. He hopes to keep these activities going well into the future and we wish him a long and happy retirement. NPM 6 | Wulfrunian 2011
mma joined WGS in June 1991 as a young 20 year old. She started as admissions assistant to Connie Brough, the then Head’s PA, quite a change from her previous career as a ballet dancer/teacher. During her time at WGS she worked for many people including the late Alan Proctor, Lesley Peat, Helen O’Donnell, Kris Griffin and most recently, Mark Hand. Three of the most important events in her life happened while she worked at WGS, her wedding to Gary and the birth of her two children, Molly and William. The birth of her children saw her move from working full time to part time and it was in the development office, when she had returned from maternity leave with William, where I first met Emma. I had joined WGS as her job share in the admissions department and was greeted by her warm, bubbly personality and endless enthusiasm for the job. Always immaculately dressed with designer handbag in tow, she gave endless support and advice to current and prospective parents and saw hundreds of children progress through the school. In fact years ago when children were invited to show a talent as part of their bursary application, Emma would be found in reception chatting to parents whilst their child had built an enormous lego sculpture, obviously feeling quite at home! Emma was always at the forefront on open days, entrance tests and new parents’ evenings smiling and chatting to everybody and making the children feel at ease. You could pretty much guarantee that she would know the majority of parents before their children started at WGS. However, 20 years later the world of facials, pilates and coffee mornings beckoned and after moving further away from the school into Newport, Emma decided that she would leave her ‘family’ at WGS to spend more time at home to enjoy her own family and plan her next project on her barn conversion. She had actually signed up for a course on Interior Design shortly before she left but making pin cushions wasn’t quite what she had in mind! Emma still has a connection with the school however as her daughter, Molly is in Year 8 and perhaps it’s this connection which made her
decision to leave a little easier. Even now, 12 months on, occasionally parents will ask for Emma, perhaps she became a part of the fixtures and fittings here at WGS but I think that there will always be a place in Emma’s heart for her other family! One thing is for sure the office is definitely a quieter place since Emma left but she is sorely missed by all who worked with her. JM
Danielle Wilcox
B
y the time this article has been published Danni will have started her new job as Head of Department at St.Mary’s school, Worcester, and we will have said our goodbyes, and just how difficult that task was is a testament to the high esteem in which this young lady was held. To make such a lasting impression in one year of teaching is no mean feat but to say Danni ‘fitted into WGS like a glove’ is an apt statement. She is so easy to like, a genuinely nice person, and at the same time, a thoroughly professional colleague. She managed to build up a disciplined but mutually respectful working relationship with her students, who were devastated when they realised she was moving on. As a member of the common room she made friends with just about everyone and I never heard a cross word said against her. It is testament to her ability and ambition that Danni has secured a job in times when the market is so competitive, and as a head of department? I know that she will make a success of her new job and will go on to greater things, and who knows maybe back here at a school she cares so deeply about. Quotes on DW: Munsey, “the best work experience girl we’ve had”. Scary, “the best tea girl we have had”. Ali, “never send Danni to post a letter in Tettenhall – she may end up in Perton” Kath, “little miss gullible when it comes to rules of rounders. Crusty, “marvellous”. JJ, “just an absolute pleasure to work with”. JMJ
A fond farewell.
Tony Page performing one of his final duties at sports day 2011.
Tony Page
A
brief search of Google for famous Doncastrians will not leave you disappointed. There aren’t any. Not unless you count Alexander Allan Foote (no, not heard of him either) and Tony Capstick, he of Hovis fame, and of course Tony Christie, the silver-haired, leaden-voiced crooner, who is personally responsible for making Amarillo a destination nobody the right side of robust mental health wishes ever to visit. Step forth then Tony Page, our very own recently retired Head of Economics and Business Studies. Born in Wakefield Prison in 1872, the only son of a Crimean War deserter and a vaudeville music hall act, it was touch and go at first, but they decided to keep him, and what an excellent decision that turned out to be. Tony joined WGS in 1982, on the crest of a wave as the all-Yorkshire shin-kicking champion and soon graduated from being a teacher of geography and economics to become the Head of economics and business. Under his guidance, the department flourished and remains today one of the most popular A level choices in the sixth form, a legacy of which he can and should be justly proud. Over the course of almost three decades, Tony’s students have consistently produced excellent results and have him to thank for their ongoing success. A highly intelligent man, he brought out the best in the brightest pupils, whilst at the same time simplifying complex theories and concepts to those who may have struggled. He was also a consistently excellent form tutor and mentor
to his students, getting to know each of them well, patiently counselling them in both academic and pastoral matters, and ultimately looking after them dutifully, always being there to advise and guide them whenever help was needed. As well as academic success, Tony contributed so much to the extra-curricular life of students at WGS also. He not only enlivened economics and business studies with the annual trip to Paris, but it is no exaggeration to state that without his energy, enthusiasm and commitment, there would be no rugby played at the school. He will be the first to thank other colleagues for their support in this, but without his leadership and input, the robust fixture list he has left as one aspect of his legacy to the school is his achievement alone. As a staffroom colleague, Tony was valued and respected in equal measure. He embodies the Yorkshire down-to-earth plain speaking and patriarchal concern for others that engenders genuine affection. He has always been a generous colleague, not only in his openness in listening to others, but also in his willingness to put practical help into place: in short, if he could help he would, be that driving a minibus to pick up students from airports, or stepping in as a last-minute replacement. Tony is clearly a much-loved family man, with a wife, children and grandchildren he clearly adores. There is no doubt that his loss to the school will be their added gain. We wish him a long and happy retirement; he thoroughly deserves it and we will all miss him. PKM
Peter Curtis
P
eter first joined the IT department in June, 2008 as part of his work placement year whilst studying at Wolverhampton University. He quickly settled into his role and became an integral part of the technical support framework. It was clear from very early on that Peter had an abundance of natural ability and talent for programming and software development projects – something that I’m sure many sixth form students have appreciated whilst completing the required programming element of their coursework! In 2010 Peter accepted a full time position having accomplished a BSc first class in Computer Science. It was from this point that Peter’s passion and flair for software development began to shine: in his last year he was responsible for the development on the school’s iphone/ipad app and the redesign of the schools online learning platform and information kiosks. Peter has left us to take the position of software developer for a leading bespoke software company specialising in electronic weighing systems and everyone here in the department and at WGS wishes him well. PH
Wulfrunian 2011 | 7
Movement by Alex Manley From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.
8 | Wulfrunian 2011
Current staff.
Governors and staff. Chairman Dr S Walford, MA, MD, FRCP
Vice Chairman E A Sergeant, BSc, BTh (OW)
Governors The Mayor of Wolverhampton (ex-officio) M Anderson BA, ACA Mrs A M Brennan Mrs T Crisp Appointed by the University of Birmingham D J Hughes, MA (OW) Professor K Madelin, OBE, MSc, CEng, FICE, FIHT Mrs J Mills, BA Appointed by Merchant Taylors’ Company J M Mumford, BSc, FIPD Dr M Nicholls, BA, MA, PhD Appointed by St John’s College, Cambridge Dr J Orledge, MB, BS, DRCOG, MRCGP R Purshouse LLB (OW) S Sanghera, MA (OW) P Sims, ACIB C Tatton, BA, ACMA His Honour M B Ward, MA, LLM (OW) P E J White, F Inst Mgt (OW) Mrs C Wood, JP, LLB, SRCh, MChS
Head J V Darby, BA, NPQH, University of Lancaster
Deputy Heads P A Hills, BA, University of Nottingham N J C Anderson, BSc, University of Leeds
Staff Mrs K E Baker, BA, Swansea University T Baker, BSc, Edinburgh University B M Benfield, BA, GCD, Universities of Leeds and Birmingham Dr N J Bradley, BSc, PhD, University of Nottingham Mrs S F Brentnall, BA, University of Birmingham T J Browning, BSc, University of London Mrs K H Burden, BA, Worcester College, Oxford Dr J-P Camm, BSc, PhD, University of Sheffield A P Carey, BSc, University of London R B Charlesworth, BA, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford N H Crust, BA, University College of North Wales, Bangor Mrs H S Dalzell, BA, University of Birmingham J G David, BA, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne O P Davies, BSc, University of Birmingham Mrs K A Dyer, BSc, University of Gloucestershire
Dr J D Edlin, BSc, PhD, University of Manchester Mrs K L Finn, BA, University of Manchester Dr K J Flavell, BSc, PhD, University of Wolverhampton Mrs V E Fogarty, BSc, University of Salford Mrs P D Grigat-Bradley, Erstes und Zweites Staatsexamen Ruhr-Universität Bochum Dr T D Guard, MA, M.St, DPhil, University of St Andrews, Hertford College, Oxford Ms N T Guidotti, BA, Anglia Polytechnic University Mr J Hall, BA, University of Newcastle upon Tyne Mrs S K Hannah, BA, University of Reading Mrs E S N Harris, BA, University of Southampton Miss L M Harris, BA, University of Wales Mrs H Hills, BSc, University of Nottingham Dr S Hinchliffe, BA, PhD, MEd FRSA, Universities of Durham, St Andrews, Edinburgh & Open University Miss C F Hodgshon, BSc, Aston University Mrs M I Howard, BA, University of Leicester, Dip RSA J M Johnson, BSc, University of Aston P Johnstone, BA, University of Hull Miss C Jones, BA, Nottingham Trent University, Dip RSA L J Judson, BSc, University of Leeds T King, ICC, Senior Coach Mrs A J Kingshott, BA, MA, Royal Holloway & Bedford New College, London Mrs R M Laurino-Ryan, Cert Ed, University of London P L Lovesey, BA, Manchester Metropolitan University Mrs P K Mahey, BA, University of Central England Mrs P Manzai, BA, University of Turin Dr C W Martin, MA, PhD, Jesus College, Cambridge, and University of Birmingham, BSc, Open University Miss A M McAllister, BSc, MA Universities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton J J Millichamp, BA, MA, University of Wolverhampton Mrs M J Moss, BA, University of London N P Munson, BSc, University of Birmingham Mrs R E Munson, BA, University of Leeds Dr C O’Brien, BSc, PhD, Imperial College, London S L J O’Malley, BA, University of Wolverhampton R A Pawluk, GRAM, LRAM, LTCL, ALCM, Royal Academy of Music M R Payne, BA, University of Warwick J W Perkins, BA, Manchester Polytechnic Mrs C A Preston, BSc, University of Sheffield A A Proverbs, BA, Huddersfield Polytechnic School of Music, ALCM V P Raymond-Barker, BA, University of Kent J P Ryan, BEd, Crewe & Alsager College, MEd, Adv.Dip. SNE, Open University, AMBDA, SpLD APC Mrs L E Stanley, BSc, University of Manchester J A Sutherland, BA University of Oxford I H M Tyler, BA, MEd, Universities of Saskatchewan & Birmingham, Dip DA, RADA K Uppal, BA, MPhil, Wadham College, Oxford, & University of Birmingham Miss K I Ward, BA, MSc University of Birmingham Mrs D M Ward, BA, MA, University of Birmingham Miss H V Whittaker, MChem, University of York J R Wood, BA, Royal Holloway, London AJ Bennett, BSc, MA, Universities of Birmngham and Manchester Metropolitan DJ Lowe R Morris, BEd, University of Wolverhampton TD Page, BA, Middlesex Poytechnic Mrs HC Peat, BMus, King's College London& LRAM Royal Academy of Music Miss D Wilcox, BA Liverpool John Moores University
Wulfrunian 2011 | 9
Results.
On closer examination. 2011 saw another excellent set of examination results at WGS. At GCSE, 33 percent of passes at A* grade, with 63 percent of all passes at A* - A. Within the school’s 100 percent pass rate, students achieved 99 percent pass rate at grades A* – C. 10 | Wulfrunian 2011
“
GCSE results are becoming increasingly important when it comes to securing a place at a top university,” commented Head of Year 10 & 11, Mrs Fogarty. “And this year’s excellent results will once again provide our students with a platform for success. We are looking forward to working with them once again as they embark on the next stage of their education.” For those who had taken that next step – on to A Levels - their results were just as pleasing. More than 75 percent of this year’s A Level passes were at grades A* - B with almost half of all passes (48 percent) at A or A*. “According to national value added statistics, WGS students achieved at least a grade higher than their peers at schools and colleges throughout the country last year,” commented head, Mr Darby. “And this strength continues year on year so well done to our 2011 GCSE and A level cohorts.”
A
t A Level, results have been above the national averages for all maintained schools and maintained selective schools. The results in 2010 are broadly similar to the previous three years. Results at GCSE and A Level are good in relation to pupils’ ability, indicating that their progress through the school is above the average for pupils of similar above average ability. Independent Schools Inspectorate Report, March 2011
A Level results.
A Level results. Board OCR OCR OCR EDEXCEL OCR EDEXCEL OCR OCR EDEXCEL OCR OCR AQA OCR AQA AQA OCR OCR OCR EDEXCEL EDEXCEL OCR AQA EDEXCEL Totals
Subjects Art Biology Business Studies Chemistry Classical Civilisation Design & Technology Economics English Literature French Further Maths Geography German Gov't & Politics History Information Technology Latin Mathematics Music Music Technology PE Physics Psychology Theatre Studies
A* 6 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 3 1 2 25 13%
%
A 8 4 1 5 0 1 4 7 5 0 1 2 3 5 1 2 8 0 0 0 3 6 3 69 34%
B 3 3 4 4 2 0 0 7 1 2 1 0 0 5 0 1 4 2 2 2 1 6 4 54 28%
C 0 0 3 1 2 0 0 7 0 1 2 0 0 4 0 1 2 0 1 2 1 2 0 29 16%
D 0 2 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 12 6%
E 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 3%
U 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0%
X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Entries 17 15 9 14 6 1 4 22 6 3 7 2 3 15 2 4 20 2 3 6 8 17 9 195 100%
A Level statistics. Number of Candidates: Number of Entries: Pass rate Grade A* Pass rate Grade A: Pass rate Grades A* - A Pass rate Grades A* - B Pass rate Grades A* - C Pass rate Grades A* - E
62 195 13% 34% 47% 75% 91% 100%
Average A Level points per candidate: Average A Level point score per entry: Average A Level passes per candidate:
908.7 288.9 3.1
Pass rates recent years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 This Year 2011
Grades A&B 69% 75% 80% 77% 75% 75%
Grades A-E 99% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
(A = 270)
Grades A*-A
47% 47%
Wulfrunian 2011 | 11
GCSE results.
GCSE results. Board OCR AQA AQA AQA OCR OCR AQA OCR AQA OCR AQA OCR AQA EDEXCEL AQA AQA AQA AQA
Subject Art Biology Chemistry Design Technology English Language English Literature French Geography German History Italian Latin Mathematics Music Physics Religious Studies Science Additional Science TOTALS % of entries
Total Entries 46 80 80 33 91 91 33 63 52 64 11 16 91 17 80 19 11 11 889
A* 40 29 25 2 6 13 5 17 3 9 5 3 23 5 33 3 0 0 221
A 6 32 27 9 38 29 14 23 16 38 5 5 50 9 29 8 1 1 340
B 0 16 27 17 38 37 8 21 17 16 1 4 18 3 17 5 9 7 261
C 0 3 1 5 9 10 4 1 14 1 0 3 0 0 1 2 1 3 58
Total ABC 46 80 80 33 91 89 31 62 50 64 11 15 91 17 80 18 11 11 880
100%
25%
38%
29%
7%
99%
GCSE statistics. Number of candidates Papers sat Passes (%)
91 889 25% 63% 99% 100%
A* A* + A A* - C A* - E
Students gaining C or above in 5 or more subjects Average number of passes (A*-C) per candidate Average number of GCSEs taken by each candidate Students gaining 9 or more passes at A* or A
no. 91 9.67 9.77 30
Pass rates since 2001 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
A*/A 58% 61% 62% 50% 60% 62% 54% 58% 58% 71% 63%
12 | Wulfrunian 2011
A*-C 98% 97% 98% 96% 96% 98% 98% 98% 97% 99% 99%
% 100%
33.0%
0
1
6
3
0
Total D-U 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
1%
0%
0%
0%
D
E
1 2 1 1
1
F/G/U
1
1
Higher Education.
Admitted to higher education. Student: Henri Adams
Inst Name Birmingham City University Alexander Anderson Applying in 2012 Daniel Bains Nottingham Trent University Georgina Baker Leeds University Nicholas Bandurak Birmingham University Richard Bates Imperial Beth Berwick-Lowe Adam Bolas
Amy Booth
Jessica Carty Harriet Carver
Applying in 2012 University of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Pontypridd University of the West of England, Bristol Cambridge Sheffield Hallam
Shohidul Choudhury Manchester Met Harriet Cox Liverpool John Moores Oliver Cox Birmingham City University Annabel Craddock Cardiff April Dalton Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Rachael Daniel Oxford Lucy Darby
Manchester
Jay Dassan Natalie Dayes
Warwick Solent
Shobhan Dhir James Dumbell Josh Edwards Charlotte Fellows-Cox
Newcastle Manchester Bristol Liverpool John Moores Oxford Brookes Birmingham University Leeds University Birmingham University Manchester Aston Southampton Sheffield Edinburgh
Amy Frost Luke Gainham Frederick Gough Harriet Grew Samuel Griffiths Thomas Hammond Chloe Harrison Freya Husselbee Mike Inglis Rachel Isgar David Jackson Charlotte Jarvis
Sheffield Hallam Birmingham University Bournemouth
Course Placed Accounting and Finance
Student: Inst Name Arren Jaspal-Mander Glasgow Matt Johnson Huddersfield
Business
Caroline Johnston Daniel Jones Michael Jones Jamie Key
Psychology Sport, Physical Education & Coaching Science Biochemistry with Research Abroad
Feyisola Latunji Felicity Maidment Alexander Manley
Edge Hill York Aberystwyth Birmingham University Aston Cardiff Sheffield Hallam
Film & Video
Equine Business Management Law Hospitality Business Management Psychology Architecture Visual Communication (Graphic Communication) Ancient History Theatre Design Archaeology & Anthropology International Business, Finance & Economics Economics Media Technology (with Foundation) Mechanical Engineering Mathematics Law Business Management
Corrado Manzai Prashanth Mohan Jordan Moxey James Owens Mollie Parr Tamira Patel Sanjeev Rattan George Rowe Gabriella Ryan Puvann Samra Manjeet Susch Alexandra Sutton Luke Tatton Catherine Thexton Stephanie Thomas Lucy Tutton Alex Wake-Warlow Alec Walton Christie Williams
LSE Sheffield Birmingham University Aberystwyth Leeds College of Art Leeds Applying in 2012 Birmingham University Edinburgh Swansea Loughborough The University of Surrey Sheffield Applying in 2012 Birmingham University Birmingham University Birmingham y University Apprenticeship Birmingham University
Course Placed Medicine Exercise, Physical Activity & Health Geography English Sport & Exercise Sciences Chemistry French & English Language Music Architecture & Environmental Design Philosophy & Economics Economics Medicine Zoology Art & Design Economics & Philosophy Modern Languages Religious Studies Genetics Psychology Theatre Studies History Physics (International Study) English Ancient History
Geography
Interior Architecture Economics & Political Science Sport & Exercise Sciences English Chemical Engineering Mathematics Geography Geography Geology & Physical Geography Psychology Dentistry Marketing Wulfrunian 2011 | 13
A Year of Development.
Report still excellent after 500 years. In March, WGS underwent inspection by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate (ISI).
T
he ISI interim review looked at all areas of the school’s offering during a two day inspection in the Spring. The inspection, which focused on key areas including the quality of pupils’ learning, pupils’ personal development and the effectiveness of leadership found that: “...pupils’ overall achievements are excellent (and are)... strongly supported by knowledgeable teaching of excellent quality... and a broad curriculum 14 | Wulfrunian 2011
which caters for all ages and abilities.” “We are thrilled that the ISI has deemed what we do here as excellent,’ commented Mr Darby. ‘The inspection was an intensive scrutiny of everything we do. With just two days notice before Inspectors came into the school, it was quite an intense period of time, but everyone did themselves and the school extremely proud. “We believe their independent findings reflect exactly what we offer here at WGS: excellence is something we always strive towards and it is encouraging to hear that we do achieve it.” The Independent Schools Inspectorate is the body approved by the Government to inspect schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council. The Inspection which was undertaken by two independent inspectors comprised a
pre-inspection questionnaire sent to students and parents, formal interviews with students, staff and governors and the observation of various elements of the school day. “The school is rightly proud of what it offers to students and families,” continued Mr Darby. “The ISI report found excellence in everything we do, which is of course extremely heartening to hear, as the school has always passionately believed that it is not simply academic excellence that matters and that the development of the individual as a whole is the most important aspect of what we teach.” A full copy of the report can be downloaded from the WGS website at: www.wgs.org.uk/home/latest-inspection-report
A Year of Development.
Juniors back after 67 years. In September 2011, WGS saw the return of junior education to the campus after a break of 67 years.
“A new school marks a new beginning for pupils and staff alike. Our constant challenge of course, is to make learning fun and varied. Judging from the smiles and buzz of each day, the early indications at WGJS are very positive; in fact many parents have commented if only their junior years had been so engaging and
challenging. Well, long may this continue.” Incorporating Big Six, WGJS is very much an integral part of the WGS Foundation and as such we look forward to reporting on its continued success in future issues of Wulfrunian. MJH
M
any OWs still remember the old gothic mansion which housed the old junior school and which, after falling into disrepair was consigned to history to eventually make way for the new sports centre which sits on the site of the old building. The new junior school was a long time in the planning and, after various proposals were put forward was sited in the Hallmark building which at the time was the home of the modern languages faculty. With the decision to house youngsters from ages 7-11 in the Hallmark, the first problem was where to house modern languages. The solution presented itself in the form of the former gymnasium – latterly art block – which, having been derelict for several years was transformed into a faculty housing five learning spaces and a dedicated language lab. This new provision was duly opened as the Ward Modern Languages Suite in honour of OW and former Chair of Governors, His Honour Malcolm Ward who performed the official opening of the faculty on Founder’s Day, 5th November, 2010. Having ‘removed’ languages, work began in earnest to transform what had become in reality, a tired and dated part of the school, into a vibrant place for young students to develop their learning. The elements were all in place with large, bright classrooms, spaces to accommodate a library and outdoor play and, with the old school gym, a large indoor space in which to hold assemblies, plays and a myriad of other events. With building work on track Wolverhampton Grammar Junior School set about appointing its very first head, who arrived in the form of Mr Andrew Hymer. Mr Hymer came to WGJS with a wealth of experience, most recently from King’s Hawford School in Worcester where he had been deputy for nine years. WGJS is now a vibrant, successful ‘school within a school’, and with an incredible 87 youngsters forming its very first cohort, the future looks incredibly positive for WGJS. “As almost 90 pupils took their places on the first day of the new term, there was a real sense of satisfaction that after many months of planning, the arrival of students brought our buildings and facilities to life,” commented Mr Hymer.
The rear of the Hallmark was transformed into the WGJS main entrance
His Honour Malcolm Ward officially opens the Ward Modern Languages Suite
Wulfrunian 2011 | 15
A Dramatic Year.
Review of the year. T
he choice of plays for the Hutton Theatre this year reflected the very strong group of young actors we have at WGS and also our belief that as a school we should give them the unique opportunity to take on the challenge of classic texts, high quality dramatic writing and all the technical and emotional challenges they contain. It is a big ask and I can only offer the highest praise to everyone involved in this year’s productions, because they all succeeded wonderfully on every level. The acting was
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fantastically skilled from all the casts and the direction, design and technical support were of the very highest standard. The Taming of the Shrew and Grimm Tales were the highlight of the season and these were closely followed by the Theatre Studies productions, which included the U6 student’s two brilliantly original plays: Falling Through a Sea of Green and Mama Don’t Preach while the L6 Theatre Studies group performed a witty, energetic and engaging interpretation of The Arabian Nights.
We are very fortunate at WGS to have wonderful theatre facilities, but I think equally important is the passion and dedication that the students and staff bring to each production. The hours are long, the rehearsals are detailed and exciting and no one would swap these unique experiences they have for anything. WGS drama productions are landmarks in these students’ lives and it is a privilege and pleasure for all of us to be involved. IHMT
A Dramatic Year.
Wulfrunian 2011 | 17
A Dramatic Year.
Grimm T Tales.
he lower and middle school production of Grimm Tales saw an unprecedented number of auditions and so the audience was given fantastic value - four plays in one night! Each story was told by just a few thespians from Big Six to Year 10. The evening began with Poppy O’Hara’s convincing portrayal of Little Red Cap with Guy Jack extending his role of host to become the scheming wolf. Mary-Anne Willets as the mother pitched her performance perfectly and Elliott McDowell was hilarious as Little Red Cap’s grandmother. The night had begun with a bang and the professionalism of the actors was immediately evident. The next play was the highlight of the night for me. The Hare and the Hedgehog saw Alastair Winning and Josie Dowswell as Mr and Mrs Hedgehog fooling a hare, AJ Brennan, into thinking they could outrun him. Every time Josie or Alastair pronounced “I’m here already”, a new burst of laughter erupted from the audience. I could have watched this for hours because it was as funny the last time as it was the first. The costume design was witty, with the
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hedgehogs in large glasses and waistcoats contrasting AJ’s athletic hare look with sports kit and some serious looking racing shoes. Not to be outdone, the cast of Rumpelstiltskin joined together to create an eerie image of this mysterious figure. Shona Wright played the miller’s daughter intelligently providing the audience with a sincere interpretation of her character’s tribulations. The audience shared her relief as she triumphed over Rumpelstiltskin. It was great to see a large contingent of our youngest performers as they begin their WGS acting careers and amazing to see how talented they are on stage. The last play of the night was Snow White. Elliott McDowell narrated this final story, doubling as the mirror. The pure and gentle Snow White was gracefully played by Freya Cunningham (who also narrated The Hare and the Hedgehog). The dramatically exciting dynamic between her and Lydia Manley as her stepmother highlighted the differences between the two, and demonstrated Freya and Lydia’s considerable performance skills. The Prince, Charlie Grainger (seen previously in the evening painting trees in another role), and Huntsman Jack Wootton gave brilliant performances to an enraptured audience. The team of dwarfs similarly captured their characters’ spirit enthusiastically to give the final piece a last burst of energy. At the end of the evening the audience emerged buzzing and full of praise for the young actors. Mr Wood and Mr Payne directed with wit, skill and precision bringing the success from the whole company. Light and sound created an inspiring atmosphere, and much credit must also go to Sophie Hickman, Lydia Bridgewood, Ellie Anderson and Sophie Pritchard, who worked tirelessly backstage alongside the tremendous acting that we almost come to expect from an evening in the Hutton Theatre. Elizabeth Bamford, L6
A Dramatic Year.
e Taming of the Shrew. A
udience seated and ready for a traditional Shakespearian production were in for a shock when the lights went down and the silence was broken with shout of '1,2,3!' followed by a live, rocking soul rendition of the sixties classic, Land of a Thousand Dances complete with full company choreography in 60s style. Directors Ian Tyler and Mark Benfield transferred the play from 16th century Padua to swinging sixties London, complete with soul band, flared trousers, mini skirts and Top of the
Pops dance numbers. Their interpretation worked brilliantly and energised the show so that the audience soon forgot Shakespeare and joined in ‘the happening’ that was The Taming of the Shrew. Beth Berwick-Lowe and John Gromadzki ,as Kate and Petruchio, drove the show as part of a fantastic cast of comic characters. Beth, playing the Shrew, portrayed headstrong feminist with spite to spare, whipping herself into furious tantrums and comedic come downs. Of course, the play wouldn’t have gone on without a tamer and suitor to Katherine and John Gromadzki, seamlessly fitted Petruchio’s sleek, debonair sometimes deceiving ways. At times he was a sympathetic lover and at others a crazy pirate continually putting Katherine off her stride. Beth and John’s wonderful acting skills and chemistry commanded the stage and let loose the mayhem of characters around them. Returning to the boards with another comic role, lederhosen clad Jake Williams received hearty laughs from the audience as hapless Hortensio. Taking on the nerdy comic persona of Gremio was Charlie Grainger, who made his line nasal whine of the line 'to cart her rather' more famous than ever planned. Joe Sefton was also outstandingly funny as Petruchio’s browbeaten servant Grumio.
Playing the role of love struck Lucentio very convincingly indeed was Adam Barlow, whose lisping lover won the heart of fair Bianca, delightfully portrayed as a dim wit by Ellie Griffiths. Every Lucentio must have a Tranio and Alistair Macaulay fashioned a memorable cockney geezer as the loyal sidekick and clever servant, 'Twanio', managing to switch to posh faster than you could say “what ho, Tranio?”. Walking luggage rack, Biondello was played by the emerging young comedic comic Elliott McDowell and Al Anderson was impressively frustrated as the gruff and confused father to Katherine and Bianca and Hannah Sefton as the frosty faced oldest sister: the widow. Live music was provided by Mr Proverbs and the wonderful Apollos, whose 60s soul hits cleverly punctuated the show. Particular mention must also be given to George Rowe and Jordan Moxey who sang brilliant soul songs throughout. Suzannah Westwood’s choreography was wonderfully witty and engaging from beginning to end. Another triumph and proof, if there needed to be any, that WGS drama continues to take on challenges of the great plays and produce wonderfully entertaining and skilfully acted evenings in the theatre. Aaran and Karan Baath, L6
Wulfrunian 2011 | 19
Musical Notes.
Musical notes. I
never cease to be amazed how our students rise to the challenge and have such fun in doing so, yet (and I’m always saying this) it doesn’t happen by chance. Hard work and practice underlies everything that we do. It is also a sign of immense commitment in attending many rehearsals at lunchtimes and after school when so much pressure is on students to fulfil their academic goals and expectations. The Senior Choir started the year in fine voice whilst leading the proceedings at the Founder’s Day Service at St Peter’s Church. Their rendition of Gerald Finzi’s God is Gone Up was sung with immense power and emotion. The term ended with the traditional Christmas Concerts which featured many of our large scale groups including Senior Choir, Junior Choir, Junior and Intermediate Concert Bands, Senior Concert Band, String Orchestra. String Ensemble and Bella a Cappella. The audience fuelled with mulled wine raised the roof as usual with their rendition of The Twelve Days of Christmas. A special mention must go to Katie Naylor and Tanya Kasangineti who on respective nights started off the proceedings with a solo of the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City. This was a bumper concert of epic proportions which left everyone in festive mood. The senior school play - The Taming of the Shrew - Shakespeare’s words but in a 1960s setting was a great production which featured
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many classic hits from the swinging sixties. The band, directed by Dave Lowe provided the backdrop for some brilliant renditions of old favourites. A special mention must go to the band’s vocalists George Rowe and Jordan Moxey who helped provide a thoroughly professional musical backing. The Soloists’ Concert featured 20 brave individuals who stepped forward to perform in front of a large audience in Big School. It is a mark of the character of so many students at WGS that they are prepared to rise to the challenge of performing individually in what could be seen by many as distinctly scary experience! The programme included the by now customary range of music including classical, jazz, rock and songs from the shows. The Chamber Concert was immensely successful. Fifteen ensembles, which consisted of instrumental and vocal groups, performed an incredibly wide range of music to a very high standard indeed. There were over 100 students involved in the various groups and many thanks must go to the music staff for coaching and directing the ensembles. The annual Orchestra and Band concert featured two of the WGS concert bands: Intermediate and Senior directed by Ronnie Pawluk as well as the String Ensemble and String Orchestra directed by Mandy Hallam. The standard of the String Ensemble just gets better each year. I was particularly impressed by their performance of Autumn from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. We were then treated to a
Musical Notes. performance of Wallace and Gromit and Hawaii-Five-O from the Intermediate Concert Band. The ensemble skills and tone displayed were as good as many older and more experienced bands would wish to achieve. The String Orchestra then gave a polished performance of Handel’s Zadok the Priest and Por una Cabeza. A very high level of musicianship was achieved in what is highly demanding music. The Senior Concert Band pulled out all the stops to close the concert in style with a toe tapping version of The Final Countdown and a rousing and atmospheric rendition of The A Team. Our thanks go to Miss Moran, Mr Pawluk and the students for all their hard work in preparation for this concert. The Battle of the Bands and the Help for Heroes concerts showed once again the depth of talent that exists in modern music at WGS. Many of the groups and bands involved were led by the students themselves and again reflected the hard work and consequent excellent performances achieved. Finally, in the last week of the Spring Term, the Choral Society’s concert of Handel’s Messiah was outstanding. I decided this year to give major solo parts to students. Felicity Maidment (soprano), Eleanor Griffiths (contralto), George Rowe (tenor) and Edward Holden (bass).It is normal practice on these occasions to hire professionals to sing the extremely demanding solo parts, but it is a mark of the sheer quality of our students that these four brave and accomplished singers were able to perform with such style and panache. The chorus were also in tremendous form demonstrating their commitment and love of music in what was an unforgettable performance which was both moving and exuberant. The last two weeks of the school year saw a flurry of activity; two major musical events took place: The Jazz Spectacular and the Lower School Concert. The Lower School Concert gave the opportunity for our younger musicians to shine and how they did! Twenty soloists from Year 6 – 8 performed a variety of music on a wide range of instruments. The concert came to a rousing finale with performances from Lower School String Ensemble and Lower School Chamber Choir. The days leading up to the Jazz Spectacular were spent setting up lighting, finalising sets and sound checking. Special thanks are due to Dave Lowe and Ben Markland for their help with the sound and lighting. This was another great year of music making. My thanks go out to the staff and especially the hundreds of young WGS musicians who have contributed to some unforgettable performances. AAP
Wulfrunian 2011 | 21
Musical Notes.
Jazz Spectacular. Jazz Spectacular once again lived up to its reputation of being the hottest event in the school calendar.
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A
n audience of over 350 strong turned up to witness the talented singers and musicians of WGS perform in a concert that lasted late into the night. It began with some terrific solo performances from a diverse range of students, some as young as 12 years old. Chamber Choir in wonderful voice led by Helen Peat and The Penguins directed by Joey Walter played a great set. Wee Band directed by Ronnie Pawluk was in great form giving a performance that belied the years of its members. There was some terrific playing by the lower school and middle school jazz trios and really accomplished performances in diverse styles from Pash, Arthur Rhodes and the Modal Nodes and Mainland Vocal Band. It gave the audience a great insight in what to expect later, as many of the students were performing again in the main attraction of the night - Big Band, conducted by Mr Proverbs and fronted by George Rowe, Ed Holden, Jordan Moxey and Jess Carty, finally took the stage and entertained the audience for the remainder of the evening with a number of popular jazz and soul tunes. The audience were unrelenting and danced non-stop from beginning to end. It was great to see so many people taking part in a conga that practically emptied Big School. Safe to say, this was a night enjoyed by all and one that I will never forget. Only 12 months until Jazz Spec 2012. Whatever you do, don’t miss out! Jordan Moxey, U6
Art.
Showtime. T
his year’s summer exhibition not only looked forward (towards the quincentenary), but also back, featuring as it did, a selection of work from the past 25 years. The retrospective, including work depicting the Black Country, will feature in a major exhibition which will be held in the gallery over the summer of 2012 - our 500th anniversary year**. With regards to this year we were very pleased with the sixth form achievements once again. 14 A grades - six of them at A* were just rewards for our A Level students whilst a remarkable 40 out of 46 GCSE entries gained an A*. The year itself was another full of hard work, skill, angst and determination: with a full programme of exhibitions, art trips, tours abroad – this year to stunning Venice, another Merchant Taylors’ Company photographic competition, not to mention the work that is always on display throughout the year. This coming year should be particularly special; the aforementioned retrospective will celebrate at least two generations of work and we hope that as many OWs as possible will come back to the school to see the work on display. ** For details of the summer exhibition and other art events taking place at WGS, please email Gail Evans at gail@wgs-sch.net who will add you to our database. NB Following the summer exhibition, the art department will be paring down the archive held in school, so if you believe you have work from your time here at WGS, that you would like to reclaim please contact the art department via gail@wgs-sch.net to arrange to come and visit the archive. JWP
Wulfrunian 2011 | 23
Art.
Day Two
Venice A art & culture visit. 11th- 15th April
I
n the first week of the Easter holidays, 27 WGS students went to Venice with Mr Millichamp, Mrs Fogarty and Mrs Ward. It was amazing and there isn’t anywhere like it. The weather was perfect. Every night we stayed up later than our mummies would usually allow.
Day One
O
n Monday we met up at the fearful hour of 1am outside our deserted school. We set off for Gatwick airport. Around 12 hours after we met at school, we had our first glimpse of Venice, its gondolas, masks and piaza. It was a brilliant feeling to come to a place which is actually as good as it is made out to be! Mrs Ward took the opportunity to look for shoe shops. Along the canal there were plenty of mask shops and the pizza was definitely better than in England. In most pizza shops you could watch the man making it and they were certainly more generous with their slices. It was good just to sit around and take in the scene.
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s we didn’t know just how slowly everyone would walk we woke up nice and early for breakfast. We plodded over bridges and along canals and far, far away to the Gallery Dell' Academia. It was brilliant and Mrs Ward was in her element. We saw works by Bellini, Da Vinci and many other famous artists. Personally, Bellini was my favourite because his paintings were so vibrant and thoughtfully laid out. He used lots of symbolism: a skull = death, an egg timer = time (running out!) and flowers = life. In the afternoon (after pizza and, you guessed it, ice cream!) we went to the Doge's Palace. We had a special tour around the more obscure parts of the palace. They showed us the part where staff worked so it was dim, cramped and plain (the Doge didn’t need to impress his workers). We also saw THE DUNGEONS! and were told the tale of a man called Casanova (a prisoner who was punished for being a magician but who was also a soldier, spy, diplomat, writer, adventurer and womaniser) who escaped – or anyway, his embellished version of what happened. Then we left the tour guide and wandered around the more fancy, famous and breathtaking sections of the Doge’s palace. The ceilings were incredibly decorated with gold and spectacular paintings and frescos in massive expanses. The walls were lavishly covered in tapestries and the floors were shining wood. Nothing had been missed where decoration was concerned if it would make an impression.
Day ree
W
e went to the Peggy Guggenheim collection. This was the modern art section in our, so far, classically
themed trip. We saw examples of Surrealism, Cubism and Abstract Expression. We also saw paintings by (drum roll) PICASSO! The collection included sculptures and one of the group’s favourites was The Angel of the City, a sculpture of a man riding a horse. The collection was massive for one lady to own or even one family. I think most people’s favourite part of the collection was the outdoor sculptures. This was because there were some which were interactive. Once everyone had finished looking round, we went to Piazza San Marco, ‘the drawing room of Europe’ as Napoleon said, perhaps because there is a lot of noise but it is mostly made up of human voices – like a drawing room. Then we were released into the wild for four hours! Some of the group went to explore the canals, and guess what they did? NO, not jump in! They went on gondolas, the real Venetian experience! Shared between a number of people, it was brilliant value and definitely worth it. Mrs Ward took the opportunity to look for shoe shops. My group went on the Grand Canal and saw the Rialto Bridge from the water! In the afternoon we went into what must be the most glorious and magnificent basilica, church or holy place in the world! Saint Mark’s Basilica, the jewel of Venice. ‘I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOOOO MUCH GOLD IN MY LIFE!’ that's what I thought when I first went in, but however long I stayed, I couldn’t really process it all. When I’d been round once I had to go back in to see it all again.
Day Four
I
nstead of doing what we had planned, which was to go to the glass-blowing island of Murano, we hopped on a water bus (our shoes and feet were wearing out) to the Gallery d'Arte Moderna in Ca’Pesaro. We saw some Gustav Klimt which was amazing and one
Art. of Mr Millichamp’s favourites. Upstairs, there was an oriental museum with displays ranging from 20th century frescos (they filled a whole room) to old weapons and swords. In the afternoon we went for lunch on the Rialto Bridge, the ultimate tourist site. The bridge has shops actually on it and there are stalls everywhere. It is one of only three bridges that span the Grand Canal and was buzzing with people of all nationalities. Special mention must be made of Dmitri, Rodrigo and Roshan who after seeing the Rialto settled down to a pizza-eating competition with some of the biggest pizzas I have ever seen. Mrs Ward took the opportunity to look for shoe shops. We then went to the Glass Museum. We saw how Murano glass was made and how to tell a fake version from an original Murano product. This was slightly disconcerting as I had just bought mum a supposed ‘Murano’ necklace which was 10 times cheaper than it should have been! However, I have never seen so much beautiful glass in my life. In the evening, after our last visit to the Brek Restaurant, we had a farewell quiz and a late night. Mrs Ward never managed to buy a pair of shoes!
e Last Day
W
e had a relaxing morning, buying presents in Billa, an Italian supermarket, and then we drove off to the mainland where we would be catching our flight… or not! We arrived at the airport to discover that there was a strike and our flight was cancelled. We would have to drive to Verona to catch a different plane. So we saw a bit more of Italy than we bargained for, and then got on a trustworthy British Airways plane to continue the journey to Wolverhampton. Freya Cunningham 8S
Wulfrunian 2011 | 25
Art.
Year 8 visit to e TATE Galleries, London. On the 13th October, the entire Year 8 cohort travelled the distance to our capital city to experience two of the most important and exciting galleries belonging to our great nation.
T
ATE Britain and TATE Modern together hold more amazing artwork than we could have possibly hoped to experience in one day alone, but we gained a glimpse of the wealth and range of the incredible art on show and hopefully we gave our students a taste for more. TATE Britain is the world centre for British art and has one of the greatest collections of art in the world, to present an unrivalled picture of the development of art from the time of the Tudor monarchs in the sixteenth century, to the present day. We were treated to work from the Romantics, including whole galleries featuring Blake, Turner and Constable. Contemporary artists also featured, including Lucian Freud and Damian Hirst. These special exhibits are set amongst the work of William Hogarth, sometimes called the father of English painting; portraiture from the age of Queen Elizabeth I; of the eighteenth century portraitists Gainsborough and Reynolds; of the
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animal painter George Stubbs; of the artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who revolutionised British art in the nineteenth century; and in the twentieth century of the work of Stanley Spencer, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Francis Bacon. We also saw Fiona Banner’s amazing Harrier and Jaguar, real Royal Air Force jet-planes suspended in the Duveen Galleries, as we entered the TATE. This incredible sight simply took the breath away. During our visit we also focused on the special exhibition Art and the Sublime. Many artists, writers, poets and musicians have sought to evoke or respond to it, but what is the sublime? The word, from Latin, means something that is 'set or raised aloft, high up' and is defined as having such greatness, magnitude or intensity, whether physical, metaphysical, moral, aesthetic or spiritual, that our ability to accept or understand it is temporarily overwhelmed. As you can imagine, this was an awesome exhibition. TATE Modern showcases international art from the TATE collection which comes under that broad umbrella, yes, ‘modern’. We were incredibly lucky to get to see the amazing Sunflower Seeds here at the Turbine Hall by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. Sunflower Seeds is made up of millions of small, apparently identical seeds, but these are actually unique, intricately hand-crafted artworks in porcelain. Traditional methods of crafting have been manipulated in order to invite us to look more closely at the ‘Made in China’ phenomenon and the geo-politics of cultural and economic exchange today. Not only was
this a ground-breaking exhibition but as we went on the first week of opening, our students got to experience the artwork as intended by the artist. We walked on the seeds and interacted with them, but, due to regulations, from the very next week it was no longer possible to walk on the surface of the work; visitors could only walk close to the edges of the sunflower seed landscape on the west and north sides, or it could be looked upon from the Turbine Hall bridge. We had a truly unique experience of a truly one-off art installation. Ai Weiwei has continued to feature in the news as his art continues to challenge and question the artist’s role in society. All the students who took part in this visit wrote a report on their experiences of the day and below Eve Webb describes some of her favourite pieces from the two galleries, with some details about the artists who made them. JJM
After Lunch (1975) by Patrick Caulfield
A
n outdoor view, realistically treated, is hanging in a restaurant interior that is depicted in simple black outlines against a flat, two-toned background. The variation of tone contributes to the atmosphere of the scene by suggesting a shadow, thrown across the imaginary space. The scene takes place in the afternoon when the lights have been turned off, and the waiter surveys the empty restaurant. A life-sized
Art. object is placed in the foreground, in this case a chair, in order to draw the viewer into the scene. This type of chair is not usually found in a restaurant. The colour of this painting is basically all blue but when you look out of the window there is a lot more colour and life. Most of the shapes in this painting are rectangles and squares, also most of the lines are straight. Patrick Caulfield (1936-2005) was an English painter and printmaker known for his pop art canvases. He was born in London, although his parents were from the north of England. After attending evening drawing classes while serving in the Royal Air Force (1953-1956), Caulfield decided to study art full time. He began studying graphic design at the Chelsea School of Art and then transferred to the department of painting. He went on to study at the Royal College of Art between 1960 and 1963. As a student Caulfield was influenced by the work of American abstract painters such as Jackson Pollock and Marko Rothko, but he only experimented with abstract work for a short time. Many of his early works are characterised by thick black drawing or an outline used to bring out the full strength of other colours. In the 1970s, Caulfield began painting interiors, often combining different styles of representation.
e Little White Girl by James Abbott McNeil Whistler
J
ames Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was an American born, British based artist. The work shows a woman in three-quarter figure standing by a fireplace with a mirror over it. She is holding a fan in her hand, and wearing a white dress. The model is Joanna Heffernan, the artist's mistress. Though the painting was originally called The Little White Girl, Whistler later started calling it Symphony
in White, No. 2. By referring to his work in such abstract terms, he intended to emphasise his ‘art for art's sake’ philosophy. In this painting, Heffernan wears a ring on her ring finger, even though the two were not married. By this religious imagery, Whistler emphasises the aesthetic philosophy behind his work. The colours of this painting are quite dull, but at the top graduate brighter. Most of the lines in this painting are straight but then on the young girl’s dress they are feathery. This is a two-dimensional painting apart from the side of the fireplace.
e Plains of Heaven by John Martin
J
ohn Martin (1789-1854) was an English Romantic painter, engraver and illustrator. This is the second picture in Martin’s triptych. Unlike the others it is characterised by tremendous tranquillity and harmony. In the central panel, The Last Judgement, the good are shown assembling in ‘the plains of heaven’. The celestial landscape continues into this picture, representing salvation. Martin included a number of poets and artists among the good, who are seen in white on the crest of the hill in the foreground of the picture. Behind them stretches the deep blue expanse of a heavenly lake, filled by the rushing water of the distant falls, and surrounded by majestic scenery.
e First Book of Urizen pl.6 by William Blake
W
illiam Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. He did not attend school, and was educated at home by his mother Catherine Wright Armitage Blake. The Blakes were Dissenters, and are believed to
have belonged to the Moravian Church. The Bible was an early and profound influence on Blake, and would remain a source of inspiration throughout his life. Blake started engraving copies of drawings of Greek antiquities purchased for him by his father, a practice that was then preferred to actual drawing. Within these drawings Blake found his first exposure to classical forms through the work of Raphael, Michelangelo, Marten Heemskerk and Albrecht Durer. His parents knew enough of his headstrong temperament that he was not sent to school but was instead enrolled in drawing classes. He read avidly on subjects of his own choosing. During this period, Blake was also making explorations into poetry; his early work displays knowledge of Ben Jonson and Edmund Spenser. The Book of Urizen is one of the major prophetic books of the English writer William Blake. It was originally published as The First Book of Urizen in 1794. The book gets its name from the character Urizen in Blake's mythology, which represents alienated reason as the source of oppression. The book describes Urizen as the "primeval priest" and tells how he became separated from the other Eternals to create his own alienated and enslaving realm of religious dogma. Los and Enitharmon create a space within Urizen's fallen universe to give birth to their son Orc, the spirit of revolution and freedom.
Self Portrait Strangulation by Andy Warhol
A
ndrew Warhola (1928-1987), known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as Pop Art. He had been drawing self-portraits since he was a teenager. He was dissatisfied, to the point of obsession, with the way he looked and was very careful with the way he both presented himself artistically and marketed his image. In these six works (displayed as a group) he shows himself seemingly in a life-threatening situation. The hands of an unseen assailant strangle him, while his eyes are directed heavenward rather like a martyred saint. The predominantly dark colours, some partly obscuring his head, as well as the ‘expressionist’ brushwork, give the paintings a distinctly ominous feel. Warhol was shot and critically injured in 1968 and, although death was a recurring theme in his work since the early 1960s, this experience heightened his fears about dying. Eve Webb 8R
Wulfrunian 2011 | 27
Art.
e Merchant Taylors’ annual photographic exhibition. T
his year, the school was invited to enter the second annual Merchant Taylors' Photographic Exhibition. We were involved in the inaugural exhibition last year and our students had their work shown in an exhibition in London. We were invited to put forward 20 high quality images that represented the talent and creativity of our students. The competition was open to the sixth form with the photographs on any subject of the student’s choice. The art department staff then selected
the best from an excellent range of entries, to send to London. Not only were the selected photographs to be exhibited in London but the best ones will also form a part of our retrospective exhibition this coming year, in celebration of 500 years of creativity at WGS. Every one who entered had at least one image selected and these were sent to the Merchant Taylors' to form part of their annual Exhibition, which forms the focus for their Doctor's
Dinner, held at Threadneedle Street, London. The exhibition was also open to the public on Thursday 16th December, 2010 prior to the Doctors’ Dinner. We will be hoping to enter again in 2011 so all you budding photographers get snapping! Also look out for details of this year’s exhibition at Threadneedle Street and for information about the retrospective exhibition to be held at school. JJM
Blind by Ellie Smith From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.
Pink by Alish Dhir From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.
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Art.
As Above, So Below by Hattie Cox From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.
Chillin at the bay by Themba Fraser From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.
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Art.
Jackfield Tile Museum. O
n Friday the 21st of June, Year 10 artists visited the Jackfield Tile Museum. This is where we would be making a tile that would contribute to our GCSE art coursework. We had spent weeks beforehand planning which images we would be making the tiles from. Each tile would be connected to our work that had started back in September. When we arrived the organisers explained to us what we had to do and about the colours. First of all we traced the design onto our tiles and then we looked at a huge board with the colours of the glazes when they have been put in the kiln and fired. This is very useful as when you apply the glaze they are all a sludge, grey colour so it is hard to distinguish between them. Over the traced lines on the tile we used a diluted clay mix and piped it to form a barrier between the colours to stop them merging together when fired. The painting style used was like dabbing the glaze on the tile to form a thick hard layer; the water from inside the glaze was immediately absorbed into the tile leaving the colour behind. When we had finished painting we looked round the museum of tiles which was very interesting, particularly the part that was an imitation of the London underground. As it got towards the end of the day, we spent time looking around the museum itself and the gift shop. There were plenty of tiles and gifts to pick and choose from. Even though this day was very important and required a lot of work, it was made into much more than just another piece of coursework. Lizzie Sargent 11C and Hannah York 11E
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History.
Battlefields. Our journey in early July was to the Western Front, where the battle of Somme took place and many First World War cemeteries are situated.
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he coach and ferry journey lasted many hours, but we eventually reached our first stop. Notre Dame de Lorette is a massive cemetery for French troops. The graves that stretched out to the horizon really put into perspective the scale of death and disaster WW1 had caused. The Holiday Inn in Arras was our base for the trip, and provided comfortable accommodation and a place to relax. The next day began with an early start and a big breakfast. We got onto the coach and crossed into Belgium to our next destination of Ypres. We arrived at the Menin Gate, which is a vast memorial presented in the form of a bridge like structure. It contained thousands and thousands of individual names in memory of the missing of the British Empire from the Ypres salient, 1914-17. The Gate contained over 55,000 names, and seeing the immense number of names in front of us helped us understand more of what WW1 really was like. Later that day we visited two museums. The Sanctuary Wood Trench museum provided a section of trenches that had been preserved, which really gave us an insight of the kind of conditions soldiers in the war experienced. We also visited a more modern museum, and this gave audio and interactive descriptions of
the weapons, armour and effects of the war. I particularly enjoyed this bit of the trip as it really helped to build my understanding. On the following day we visited the German cemetery of Neuville St Vaast. This cemetery was significantly different to those of the French and British. There were simple black crosses inscribed with four names and their ranks in the war. These stretched as far as the eye could see, a depressing and bleak experience, and very different to the white gravestones, surrounded by flowers and memorials, of the French and British. We also visited the Langemark cemetery and this was the cemetery that really had an affect on me. It was a German cemetery and listed as many as 20 names on each headstone. It was a dark cemetery and a very sombre place. Finally we visited the Tyne Cot cemetery where the Allied soldiers lay. This was a particularly serious place as it was men that had died during Passchendaele. The majority of the soldiers buried here were unknown, unidentified after this bloody and devastating battle. On the whole I would encourage many students to take part in this trip as it definitely widens your knowledge and understanding of the First World War. Hannah Fellows Cox, 10D
Warwick Castle. is year, Year 7 went to Warwick Castle. e trip was very exciting and I found it amazing as it was my first time there.
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he stair walk was very steep and there were a lot of steps but I didn’t find it a problem. Some groups didn’t get to go in the dungeons but that didn’t matter, it was just the fact that we were there and there was plenty of other interesting stuff to do such as The Flight of the Eagles falconry display, which I thought, was the best bit of the day. I also thought that seeing the trebuchet fire was awesome. I found the stair walk very nerve racking because the towers were so tight, also it was very weird to know that people in the
middle ages must have been a lot smaller and thinner than us. In my opinion this was the favourite trip I have been on in my life. Also I think that if you have the chance to go to Warwick Castle you should take it with both hands and don’t turn it down, because you will love it. Even though it rained that didn’t stop it being exciting. Although people grumbled about the dungeons and the stair walk, they still thought it was an amazing trip. Thanks to the teachers who organised it. Oliver Hampton, 7S Wulfrunian 2011 | 31
History.
Living history. One morning in March, Year 8 set off on a history field trip.
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heir aim was to learn more about the civil war and religion in the seventeenth century. To achieve this, we visited Harvington Hall near Kidderminster and the Commandery museum in Worcester. When we arrived at Harvington Hall we were greeted by a group of very helpful and informative guides. Some of them were even dressed to fit the part. In the following couple of hours we had a very in depth tour of the manor house. As our aim was to learn about religion we paid particular attention to the priest holes, and Harvington Hall is full of them! Most of the priest holes were constructed by Nicholas Owen and even though he himself was captured and tortured to death, his priest holes were never discovered; until recently. We got to try one of the priest holes ourselves. We learnt that to be a Catholic priest at that time was very dangerous and frightening. The other part of our trip was to the
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Commandery museum. Here we were taught about the civil war in a very different way to the classroom. After being greeted we went to learn about the soldiers. Some very lucky people got to dress up as soldiers. First up was the pike man. We were taught how to handle a pike, how they were used in battle and why they were so effective. Next we were taught how to reload and fire a musket before finally moving on to the cavalry. After this, more lucky people (they might say other wise) got to dress up as everyday civilians. It was then we learnt about life in the 1600s
before moving on to medicine. We now know that you would not like to find yourself injured in the seventeenth century. Some of the methods they used really were gruesome. To round the trip off there was a visit to the gift shop! Our history field trip to Harvington Hall and the Commandery museum was very enjoyable and informative. It gives you extra understanding about life during and around the civil war. I would certainly recommend continuing the trip in the future. Hugh Churn, 8Q
e weather was bitterly cold, though the experience at e Black Country Living Museum was without doubt, one of the highlights of the school year.
hough dwelling in the mines was dark, dank and depressing, the entirety of Year 9’s perception of the experience was one of utter enlightenment. We also learned a lot about the harshness toward women during the Industrial Revolution. As well as this, we became aware of the harsh conditions constituting the life of chain makers. Though, the gift shop, merry-go-round and fish and chips were mere side dishes by comparison to the main course, (if anything, a delicatessen) the fabulous: Canal Barge (which dared to venture into the Black Country’s infamously dangerous, underground, contradictive, safety proven caves). Frankly, the most enjoyable experience of the year as we collectively learned about the production of products and the lives of the working class during the Industrial Revolution. By Alex Buckham 9A
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Classics.
Rome and Pompeii 2010. Working on the sound principle that seeing things is better than reading about them the Classics Department embarked on another tour of classical monuments.
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ast time it was Greece which was so memorable that it was clearly time to follow up with a visit to Rome and Pompeii. Notwithstanding the perils of coach travel, body searches at Gatwick and air travel, everyone set out with spirits high. We were only a little phased by the delay at Gatwick caused by a technical fault which was miraculously cured by a man with a toolbox and we were soon on our way. We caught glimpses of the Channel, France and the tops of the Alps before we were soon landing in Naples. Our first visit was to the Naples Archaeological Museum, which was a fascinating taster experience for what was to follow. Getting out of Naples was real eye-opener for anyone not used to Italian driving. No prisoners were taken on any side as we struggled to get free of early evening rush hour traffic. Naples was still ankle-deep in rubbish as the local unions continued their long-running disputes with the authorities. The next day we caught the excellent Circumvesuviana railway, first to Oplontis. The excavated villa there, thought to have been home to Nero’s mistress then wife Poppaea, was fascinating and extremely photogenic. Its frescoes, mosaics and gardens, many of them familiar from the pages of the Cambridge Latin Course and elsewhere, provided excellent insight into the life of wealthy Romans. The next stop was Pompeii. We set off to take in as much of the huge area as was humanly possible – a very tall order. There is
so much to see and information to absorb in a short time. The sheer scale of the site, with its rambling streets packed with houses and shops, the forum, the theatre and the baths, never ceases to amaze even after numerous visits. In the not too far distance looms Vesuvius, the volcano which brought so much havoc to the ancient city. The highlight for me was visiting the house of Caecilius, to see where he was ‘in horto’, so well-known to those who had studied Book 1 of the Cambridge Latin Course. Our third day saw us weaving by coach through the heavy traffic to Herculaneum. When Vesuvius erupted in AD 79 it covered this town in mud (rather than ash like Pompeii), so the surviving buildings were buried almost intact, which means that the archaeological remains are more complete than those at Pompeii. The scale of remains is much smaller here but somehow this brings out the detail of the architecture and the life-style of the inhabitants. Some of the buildings still have their upper floors and it gives a good impression of the narrow Roman streets with their very high curbs. It is easy here to see how deeply buried the ancient remains are beneath the modern town. It is intriguing to see the volcano that destroyed these places, so that afternoon as rather sedate tourists, we cheated and drove most of the way up Vesuvius before the final climb on foot to see the vast crater. As the mists closed in and the temperature plummeted the prospect of a climb to the top became less appealing, but almost everyone joined the trek. The crater is truly daunting, especially having just seen the damage it can do, and when the mist clears the view over the Bay of Naples makes the ascent worthwhile.
On day four it was on to Rome and the climax of the tour. I handed the navigation over to the intrepid Mrs Moss on the walk into Rome itself. Then came the long procession of monuments and museums. We visited the San Clemenente Basilica with its intriguing Mithraic remains, secretive even in Antiquity, far below street level. Now it was on to the Colosseum, scene of gladiators, lions and bloodshed for public entertainment (though thankfully not during our visit!) and then the Roman Forum with its many temples and official buildings which provided the centre of Roman civic and imperial life. The chance highlight here was in the Senate House, where we happened upon the touring exhibition of the Terracotta Warriors from China, an added and quite unexpected bonus. Our final day saw us braving the commuter tram into the ancient heart of Rome (I still completely failed to understand the ticket system!). Of course, we were compelled to visit the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica which are always well worth the queue. The main attraction was the Vatican Museum with its immense wealth of artefacts from the Roman period (and beyond), in particular the bronze statue of Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf, for many the ultimate symbol of all things Roman. I can only hope that the students who took part in this tour enjoyed it as much as I did, and that it has brought the ancient world to life for them in new ways. It was a real pleasure to travel with them. In the finest tradition of the Oscars, I would like to thank my colleagues Andy Proverbs and Joy Moss for their help and support. AJK
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Classics.
Classics tour 2010. Como e’bella ce’la luna brille e’strette como e’tutta bella a passeggiare, sotto ill cielo di Roma… Giorno Uno (Day One)
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ur tour began with an early start, involving dancing on the pavement to keep warm, followed by a lengthy coach journey to Gatwick. With help from Aeolus, we arrived in Napoli – cue the guitars a-strumming – and exhausted, yet bursting with anticipation, we wound our way through
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the uneven streets of the city, arriving at our first port of call, Naples Archaeological Museum. With the bright lights of Sorrento beckoning, we piled back onto our coach and made our way to the mysterious Ascot hotel. As we drove further and further up into the mountains and around the coast, we felt a sense of unease – would we ever get there? It then transpired that we had passed our hotel long ago, which involved a difficult manoeuvre by the coach driver – bravo!
Giorno Due (Day Two)
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fter waking up to an ‘oriental’ breakfast (as Fliss described it!), we walked through the godly floods from the hotel to the train station, paying a few denarii for a ride amongst authentic Italians to Villa Poppaea at Oplontis. Here, we gazed in wonder at the decorated walls, hunted for a peacock, and desperately tried to work out what a certain gigantic stone basin would have been used for (we later found out that the room we were in would have been the kitchen!). We then got the train to Pompeii, where we decided to sample the fine Italian delights that the local restaurants had to offer. A few of us wanted to try authentic Italian Spaghetti alla Carbonara, but were severely disappointed with our meals of dry pasta and scrambled egg! Full of food and full of joy, we
made our way to the ruined city of Pompeii. Here we stumbled upon our favourite Cambridge Inn Course character, Caecilius’ house, where Jacob whipped out his 1st year textbook – an opportune moment for photographs! The train ride back to Sorrento involved a few of us, along with Mr Proverbs, trying to recite the entire school song, Carmen Wulfrunense – we managed to remember every single line by the end of the journey! After our evening meal, most retired to bed, ready for the next morning’s early start and a small group went out to see what Sorrento had to offer!
Giorno Tre (Day ree)
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e packed our cases and got onto the coach – next stop, Herculaneum. Similar to Pompeii, but more intact, Herculaneum was also destroyed by volcanic ash. Some of us were deeply affected by the bodies which still remain due to being preserved by the ash. It was a joy walking round with Mrs Kingshott and Mrs Moss, as they were like our own personal, very knowledgeable tour guides. We had a look round some of the stalls and conversed with the locals, who persuaded us to buy all sorts of tat, including bracelets that broke the same day and ‘real’ volcanic rocks. An opportunity to climb Vesuvius was given to
Classics. those who wanted a challenging walk – for those who weren’t keen on braving the climate; the sanctity a wooden hut/café was available. Here, we drank small glasses of water and ate Panini, after ordering in Italian, German and French, not knowing the nationality of the owners. After a ‘quick’ shuttle across the length of the country, we reached Hotel Portamaggiore, Rome and faced a vexing half hour trying to ascertain where our rooms were!
Giorno Quattro (Day Four)
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e woke up to a beautiful sunny day in the capital, and walked to Colosseo, or the Colosseum as we know it. We took many novelty photos and posed with gladiators (in tights!). We were then taken to a church with underground chambers, where a service was taking place. Some of us decided to light candles. We went for lunch near the Arch of Constantine, and decided to be brave and order the Spaghetti alla Carbonara again, having been told by the waiter that it was delicious, and very creamy; unfortunately, we were once again given scrambled egg. After buying the essential ‘I heart Roma’ t-shirts, we walked to the Forum, where some of us cried “not more ruins?!” and Steph experienced the wrath of a pigeon, who relieved itself on her
shoulder! On the long walk back to the hotel, we were allowed to stop and purchase gelati along the Via Nazionale and have a look round the shops, although mouldy leather coats were not to everyone’s taste! Some of us ventured into what looked like a beautifully decorated shopping centre, complete with fountains, before being accosted by people in white coats, asking us if we wanted our eyes tested! Back at the hotel, after being guided there by Google Maps (thank Jove for Blackberry!), we were given our favourite meal of broth, accompanied by slices of processed cheese…we think the hotel may have run out of pasta that evening! We slipped on our Roma t-shirts and headed down to the lounge, where we gave an impromptu concert and presented the staff with their thank you gifts – we hope Mrs Moss regularly dons her ‘Birth of Venus’ apron, and that Mrs Kingshott hasn’t left her Malibu chocolates to ferment!
Giorno Cinque (Day Five)
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ith heavy hearts, knowing that we would be leaving the same evening, we packed up our cases and left them in the hotel foyer, ready for an action packed day at the Vatican. We experienced the tram, with its lack of seats, which we travelled on all the way to the Vatican. We then saw the size of the queue
and knew it would be a long wait! Along the way, we were pestered by no fewer than 20 tour guides, wanting to sell us their knowledge – every time a new one appeared, we would invent a new story, including all of the students having one father – Mr Proverbs! Eventually, we entered the Vatican, and were all looking forward to seeing the famous Sistine Chapel – and we were not disappointed by its glory. After seven minutes in St Peter’s Basilica, and lunch out of a van (lots and lots to do!), we went to the Pantheon, where we sat and admired the structure and the décor. We had been desperate to visit the Trevi Fountain and throw in our coins, while wishing and re-enacting famous scenes from films, and were finally given the thumbs up from Mrs Kingshott to do it! Aran and Karan, having visited the famous monument before, led the way. Out came the cameras, but just as the moment came to throw in our coins and have our photograph taken, Beth threw her head back and off came her sunglasses into the water…the resulting picture is of our backs, retrieving them out of the depths! We made our way back to the hotel, with bleeding feet but many joyful memories of the tour.
Arrivederci Roma! Karan Batth L6 and Beth Berwick-Lowe U6
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Geography.
A Bude awakening. On the afternoon of March 12th 2011, 30 lower sixth formers set off to Bude. We travelled down on three minibuses driven by Mr Baker, Mr Browning and Rob Walker.
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heir competitive natures really shone through as a race broke out to try and get to the Bude Outdoor Adventure Centre first. The journey took a little longer than expected due to several toilet stops needed by certain people (cough, Charlotte Hedgecock, cough). On arrival, after a much needed supper, we settled in and we were introduced to our new ‘inmates’. The next morning we set off early to begin our coastal fieldwork. Reluctantly we climbed a steep hill to begin our coastal walk to Bude, little did we know that it was five miles long. However, the teachers kept us going with the promise of an ice cream at the end of it. Even Niamh Murphy made it back in time after a trip to A&E, as she managed to stab herself in the eye with a clipboard. Another early start for yet another walk, which thankfully wasn’t as long as the day
before. We made our way to Braunton Burrows sand dunes, to work in teams collecting a range of data from plant cover to sand depth and pH, to name only a few. After a couple of hours of roaming the dunes, it became clear that it would take longer than expected, so we headed back. Of course, in the true geography spirit, we got lost and ended up jumping down a huge sand dune. In the afternoon we went to Westward Ho! – the only village in the UK to contain punctuation in it’s name. It is home to pebble ridge, where we spent the afternoon measuring the stones and testing different hypotheses. We finished in time for a game of cricket, mainly by the lads, while most of the girls went for a splash in the sea – fully dressed of course. We then headed back to the centre, to relax and attend a geography class where we collated the data and talked
Geography. about what the next day held. On Tuesday morning we packed our wellies and headed off to the Coombe Valley for a morning of meanders and data collection. There was no shortage of volunteers to stand knee deep in freezing river water, collecting slimy rocks and chasing run away airflow balls. It’s safe to say almost all of us were soaked through by the end of it - following several splashing wars, and a few ‘unlucky’ people falling in. Nevertheless some people benefited from getting soaked as Alishya Dhir and Niamh Murphy paid Amy McCullagh to sit in the river, which then sparked a massive water fight including Hannah Sefton and Emily Nightingale All in all we collected plenty of data and definitely had a laugh while doing it. A quick trip back to the centre to dry off and a change of clothes before heading out to Boscastle, the site of the 2004 flood. We weren’t welcomed with open arms by all of the town’s residents when querying the event of the flood, as Becky Braham found out, but a short walk with some amazing coastal views along with another ice cream, of course, made it all worth while. At the start of our penultimate day in Cornwall, we travelled north to Hartland Quay in Devon, where two major rock types – sandstone and mudstone – have folded to form spectacular coastal scenery. Whilst navigating the surrounding rockfalls proved tricky for some people, the caves, anticlines and synclines that we visited were well worth it. However, some people faced difficulties even before reaching the beach, within five minutes Zoe Stirling had managed to cut her leg open by stepping straight into a pot hole. After an exciting morning of looking at the spectacular rock formations and finding a fish in a rock pool, we set of to do some human geography work on tourism in Bude, which also became a chance to do some shopping. The next few hours were dedicated to asking the locals and tourists around the town about their opinions on the increase in tourism, some were more willing to share their experiences than others. We finished off in the town and headed to Widecombe Bay for an afternoon of surfing. This was the highlight of the holiday for most, bar Mr Browning who was in the sea for a total of five minutes! Our resident pro surfers, Mr Baker and Sam Amos, really put us to shame as they were quickly standing up and riding waves while most of us struggled to lie on the board. However, beginner Ria Wagstaff quickly got the hang of it and was riding waves like she had been doing it all her life. We all arrived home to WGS in one piece, even though many of us had a few cuts and bruises. The trip was very beneficial in term of the geography A Level course but also was great fun too. Monisha Bancroft, Will Bowden, Amy McCullagh, Hannah Sefton (L6) Wulfrunian 2011 | 37
Language Matters.
French exchange 2011 seen through a film. is year Tom-Paul Martin came on the Savenay Exchange to make a film about it. e end-product was much admired and enjoyed at a special exchanges evening in the Hutton in September where Mr Pinning, father of intrepid exchangers Robert and Edward, gave a very good talk about the exchange from a parent’s point of view. Both the talk and the film gained much deserved applause.
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he film begins in Compton Road; driver Colin introduces the coach and VR-B counts heads. All students present, just some teachers missing! Music is heard as the coach sets off, skip the motorway services, the next shot is the French port (Roscoff) in the
early morning, then Vannes where we do our usual shopping centre lunch visit followed by a walk by the sea. Instructions are given as the coach nears Savenay and Collège Saint Joseph. Any worries, tell the teachers, we’re your parents while you’re here. That is, the French parents are your parents, so we’re your uncles and aunties! Have fun! Cut to the school hall, known as the Salle Polyvalente. Students wait at designated tables for their host students to arrive to meet them. Miranda says nervously to the camera that she’s forgotten all her French! She still manages to be typically cheerful. Cut to the next day. A relieved VR-B, French sun on his face, says that everybody’s happy. Students chat about how they’re getting on. Before you know it we’re on the other side of the Loire estuary at a country bakery near Pornic. Thierry the baker explains that the word boulanger comes from the boule (or ball) of dough which becomes the baguette, pain, petit pain or ficelle, and shortly afterwards we’re eating Thierry’s bread and excellent caramel spread while we wait for our own to bake. Thierry shows us his windmill (from Ouessant) and tells us how the village people knew when the miller was asleep. Fast-turning windmill blades meant that no corn was being ground. Hence the song Thierry teaches us, Meunier, tu dors! An afternoon of sand-yachting is followed by a morning at Guérande market. Ed and Silas commentate expertly to Tom on the medieval walls. Many eat gaufres, which are possibly not medieval at all! The camera picks up a short talk on the coach back to Savenay encouraging students to get stuck in to speaking French over the coming weekend.
The screen now shows Luci Darrell (Year 8) and her French mother Florence, who has a dual role as she also organises the exchange with Cap’n Jacques and Lady Blandine. Luci says how at home she feels, and we see part of her visits to Le Croisic’s Océarium and the picturesque local coast. Cornwall can’t be far away! Each student eats differently with his or her family; we see Luci’s family preparing a barbecue. Monday is the morning in school. The film shows a superb music class singing Rock around the Clock in perfect English! Lunchtime brings the international football match. We draw the first half 1-1 (scorer O.Hampton) but we needn’t talk about the second half! Mr Johnstone, who had surpassed himself as our sand-yachting expert, now shows that his brilliance extends to football with some passes worthy of Wilkins, Ball or even Ardiles. Mrs Brentnall faces the camera for the post-match interview and makes generous comments about our performance. An afternoon at the local hypermarket with a worksheet (merci, Cap’n Jacques!), a day in Nantes including the cathedral, the castle, galettes, pancakes and an elephant ride, are followed the next day by some golf at Savenay’s own prestigious club. A typically French picnic by the lake and it’s time for Tépacap, introduced on screen by Mrs B and Mr J in the familiar Tépacap suits. Students enjoy this activity as much as Alton Towers during the home leg. Cut to the Salle polyvalente an hour or so later, and it’s time for the talent show. VR-B tells Tom that it’s extra work but well worth it. Olly plays for us, as do Silas, James Anderson, Nadia and Luci to mention but a few. The film highlights Miranda’s star performance of A Thousand
Nadia and Lana enjoy the market at Guerande
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Language Matters. Miles. Cut to the ferry the next day. Students tell Tom how much they’ve enjoyed themselves; there is a toast to the exchange. Then it’s three weeks later, and the French are visiting Molineux! My thanks go to Tom for making the film; it combines really good music, humour and action with smooth segues and the totally professional finish that I knew he would give. I expected that, but he managed much more. Each viewing reveals an extra detail, and his voice is superb. I’m also grateful to Tom for his
help as an extra teacher, and to SFB, PJ and Laure for their support and friendship. None of it would be possible without the vivacious and co-operative participation of the students, too many to name here. James Lawson and Oliver Hampton were awarded the Savenay French Exchange prize. The biggest thank you is to the families, students and teachers of the Collège Saint Joseph. Four people deserve special mention. Cap’n Jacques Jeanniard du Dot, Madame Sourget and Madame Vallat (also French mother of Luci) worked hard, sensitively and skillfully to make our week so
successful. The fourth person is a man who, with his wife Fanchoune has hosted countless WGS staff and students since the early 1990s, including most notably on many occasions Mr King, Mr Johnstone and Mr Stott. Hugues Jouan has always been strong in his friendship and in promoting the exchange, generous in invitations to his well covered table, practical in advising and supporting events, especially in the sports hall which was his second palace! We all wish him and Fanchoune a very happy retirement. Nos portes vous seront toujours ouvertes!
James Cawdell smiles for the camera
Jack Price-Darbyshire makes the most of Tepacap!
Josie Dowswell finds her way along the Tepacap course
le shopping a Nantes Wulfrunian 2011 | 39
Language Matters. VRB
Ă travail. At the end of Easter term, with our French oral exam fast approaching, six of the AS French students from WGS departed with the French exchange to Savenay, a small town in the north west of France. Since the Winter term, the
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French department had been busy organising work experience placements that best suited each individual student.
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ur placements ranged from assisting in a crèche and primary schools, to serving in a restaurant or working in the famous Hyper-U supermarket. Each placement had its own individual advantages and we each took different things from our experiences in France, but we all benefited from the trip in terms of improving our vocabulary and pronunciation. We and our teachers have all noticed a significant improvement in these areas in particular since taking part in the trip. We were placed in independent work placements where it was necessary to constantly speak French, and although this may sound daunting, it was this aspect of the trip which made the biggest difference in terms of the development of our language skills. Ironically, Charlotte and I struggled to speak English to each other after the first few days of our placements, which shows just how effective this aspect of the trip was. During the week, we were able to further our French both in terms of topics relevant to the AS course, but also in terms of the language in general, including idiomatic phrases with which we were previously unfamiliar. Not only did the work experience itself help us to further our French, but our French correspondents and their families with whom we stayed during the week, played a significant role in improving our language skills. They encouraged spontaneous conversation in French which helped prepare us for our oral exam. The families we stayed with were incredibly welcoming, helping us to establish a relaxed environment in which we were treated like family members. This encouraged us to learn about the French culture as well as the language. Several of us visited Nantes, a famous French city, and GuÊrande, a medieval town famous for its salt, and one us even went to see Scream Four in French, an interesting experience to say the least. France is famous for its food, and this was certainly an aspect of French culture in which we were able to indulge on this trip. From
Language Matters.
croissants, to brioche, to Hyper-U’s finest range of cheeses, all of us were happy to embrace French cuisine. On the last night, the sixth form group, along with our French
teachers and Madame Palou, who arranged our work placements, went out for a meal at the restaurant in which Aran Bath had been carrying out his work placement. With the
coca cola flowing thanks to Rob Pinning and his friends at Hyper-U, this was the perfect end to our trip as we were able to share our experiences and discuss what we had gained
On the 6th April we made our way to Birmingham airport which would inevitably take us to Dusseldorf, from where we made our way to Bochum.
or most of us this was our first exchange, and making our way through the train station waiting to meet our exchange families was both an exciting and nerve-racking experience! After the first night with our host families, we spent day one at school, which was a very surreal experience, as things were so different! We had a friendly introduction from their headmaster and then we were thrown into lessons. Our favourite lesson was “Englisch” (we were the best in the class!). On the evening we went to see the show Bochum is famous for hosting, Starlight Express, and that meant that Becky and Alex could cross another musical off their list! The following day we made our way to Cologne (on a double-decker train). We spent the day looking around the city, getting the shopping done and touring the cathedral. The cathedral got the Matt Wild seal of approval for its ‘gorgeous’ architecture. On Saturday with our partners most of us met up for an idyllic picnic in the park for a day of sunshine, sweets and mini golf, wrapping the day up with a quick dip into Bochum’s nightlife. On
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Sunday we spent the day with our host families, with Abbie visiting a German television studio, Sabrina going to the cinema and Alex even got to visit a theme park (we’re still envious about the latter!). The next day we visited Oberhausen for a full day of shopping before heading off to watch a football match between Bochum and Hertha Berlin. Much to the disappointment of the Bochum fans, they lost 2-0. On the last full day we returned to the school, where Matt discovered his hidden artistic potential (Becky not so much) and we all had a lesson in which we had no idea what was going on, not even what subject it was! That final evening we all went bowling, where we found that Alex really couldn’t bowl and Will was a bowling whiz. The next day we had to bid our final farewells with our exchange partners, which was sad as we had all become such good friends. But we will all keep in contact, and we have taken away valuable language skills as well as lasting memories from this fun trip. Becky Braham, Matt Wild and Alex Benion, L6
German exchange.
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Getting Technical.
Number crunchers. is year WGS students participated in the three national mathematics challenges and in two team competitions.
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Alistair Macaulay and Paawan Sharma formed our team for the Senior Team Challenge, originally scheduled for the Jennie Lee Centre in November. Unfortunately, we arrived in the middle of a fire alarm and had to return in December. In April, Josh Firkins, Chloe Macaulay, Robert Pye and Priya Sharma enjoyed the activities of the Team Mathematics Challenge at the same venue. CO’B
t was encouraging to see gold certificates reappear in the Senior Challenge, but numbers in the other competitions were slightly down. Following the Intermediate Challenge, Henry Parocki was invited to take the Maclaurin Olympiad paper whilst Amar Baden, Matthew Danks and Chloe Macaulay were invited to enter the European Kangaroo competitions. Ashwin Abraham-Thomas, Elizabeth Bamford, Entries
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Junior
186
4
24
32
Intermediate
109
11
20
28
Senior
13
2
5
5
Quiz kings. On 15th March 2011, four students from Year 7 and 8 went to King Edward’s School, Birmingham, for the Junior General Knowledge competition.
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hey were Robert Pye, the captain, Nikhil Sharma, Jake Sidhu and Nathan Williams. We’d practised every Tuesday lunch time throughout the year with Dr Flavell. The competition was held after school on a Tuesday, which meant we missed the last lesson. We went in a minibus and practiced with questions on the way. All of us were very excited by the time we arrived. We had a drink and sandwich before we started, and then went to play our first match. It was against King Edward’s Birmingham, and we lost. Then we entered a
plate for the losing teams. We won the first match, but then lost against the next team. As a result we came sixth out of eight teams. We did well and got lots of difficult questions. One of the hardest was. “What term beginning with ‘A’ is used for a representation of something as existing or occurring at other than its proper time in history Anachronism”. Jake Sidhu did very well to get it right and we were all amazed! We didn’t get any prizes, but it was lots of fun and we all enjoyed it. Robert Pye, 8P
Getting Technical.
Hands T on design.
he Design and Technology department has benefited from the refurbishment of room 15, thanks to a grant of ÂŁ40,000 from the Wolfson Foundation during the last 12 months. The Wolfson Foundation is a charity that was established in 1955. It aims to support excellence, generally through the funding of capital infrastructure in the fields of science, medicine, health, education and the arts & humanities. Room 15 had acted as secondary teaching room, mainly used for lower school classes, and as an overspill from the main workshop, but the room was not being used to its full potential. Since receiving the grant and with
Room 15 before refurbishment
Room 15 after refurbishment
Year 7 Keyrings
Year 8 Coat Hooks
Year 9 Memphis Clock
Year 10 USB Stick
the help of the bursar and senior management the department has transformed the room into a dedicated CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design/Manufacture) modelling room. The CAD room now incorporates modular work stations to allow students to model small projects. Changing the purpose has increased curricular opportunities. Students throughout the school have had the chance to gain hands on experience using the laser cutter and the two dimensional drawing software. New projects include key rings, Memphis style clocks, USB sticks, coat hooks and various GCSE project work. SO’M
Year 11 GCSE Project
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Big Six.
Exam Week. Every year, Big Six takes part in school exam week although unlike their older counterparts, we only spent a small amount of time doing exams.
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o, after completing our daily exam, we took part in a themed week and this year, the theme was art with our artistic muse being peppers. On the first day, we did an oil pastel study on black A3 card. We had to make sure we filled the whole page leaving no negative space so most people did a zoomed in picture of their chosen pepper. On Tuesday, we did a textured painting of our pepper. We used normal poster paints but added glue, plaster of paris and sawdust to vary the texture and experiment with the change in consistency. When they had dried they felt rough like sand paper. We also did pencil and coloured drawings of the peppers.
On Thursday, we started our 3D models of the peppers using chicken wire, mod-roc and papier mache. Katie Naylor from Big 6Y said, ‘“It was so much fun using the Mod-Roc and making the frame of the pepper!’ I enjoyed it too, everyone got very messy and our hands were white after using the Mod-Roc, not to mention the state of the floor!” On the Friday we finished the modelling of the peppers, which took much longer than expected and on the following week we painted our models using acrylic. They all looked great and we even managed to sneak a space at the school’s art exhibition to display our creations! Emily Hunt, B6X
Big Six.
Art Club. Every Friday lunchtime Mr Baker and Mr Millichamp hosted Art Club.
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rt Club was set up to allow children in years 6-8 learn new artistic skills whilst having fun and producing art work of their choice. We held a meeting and decided that the first aspect of art club would be pop art. We used Adobe Photoshop to change the colours and graphics on our selected images;
some of us used personal photographs whilst others found pictures on the internet. When we were happy with our new picture, we printed it off and traced it onto a piece of board, canvas or paper. We painted the picture using acrylic paint in a ‘pop art’ style. Hardeep Bhamra (6Y) said, “Art club is a great chance to be creative.” Whilst Christian Thomas (6X) who also attended said, ‘‘Art Club is a very fun way to spend your lunchtime, painting and drawing.” Art Club was thoroughly enjoyable and because of the teaching the art turned out amazing; we hope we get to do it again next year. Jenna Bailey and Katie Naylor, B6Y
Drama in Big Six. ZIP ZAP BOING! To you I am probably speaking utter nonsense but to Big Six it’s just a drama warm up.
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his year, drama has been taught in termly blocks to each house (Jefferson, Kennedy and Lincoln) whilst the others have been doing DT and art lessons. Generally, drama has been very popular with Big Six students as eaitsch activity has developed our acting skills whilst it's also been very good fun. In the first half of the drama term we would get used to performing and learn how to improvise. Then, in the second half, we would prepare for a our own production that we wrote ourselves. Two productions were performed in front of
Years 6 - 11 with Lincoln and Kennedy performing silently in the style of Charlie Chaplin. We had to use our bodies to say things rather than our mouths and we would make the movements very big and bold as we had no words. Doing silent productions not only saved us from learning lines but it allowed us to explore silent theatre and helped us to use actions better. Overall, drama in Big Six has been very enjoyable for everyone and we were very fortunate that we were taught it as a separate subject. Karishma Mehan, B6X
e big, Big Six Sleepover! As winter drew to a close and the charity committee launched its annual fundraising competition, Big Six thought it appropriate to do something ‘far-out’ and in traditional style, they did not disappoint!
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s always, we entered the competition to raise the most amount of money for our link school, Lords Meade in Uganda, with a sponsored event and what could be more exciting than sleeping overnight in the newly refurbished Junior School Hall. We spent the day in pyjamas, just to get in the mood, went home for tea before arriving back at school with sleeping bags, camping mats and copious amounts of sweets for the midnight feast that Mr Baker and Mr Millichamp promised. What a night we had! Pizza was provided from the kitchens, lots of parents sent in homemade cakes (to which we were very grateful) and we even held a dance-off. We played party games and had loads of fun that we would
remember for a long time to come. By 11pm we were all pretty exhausted and settled down in our sleeping bags to watch the film, Stardust. Interestingly, none of us managed to stay awake for the duration, including Mr Wood and Mr Evans who were kind enough to give up their Friday night to join us. The fun ended at 8am on Saturday morning when we sleepily stumbled into parents’ cars ready to head home for a warm shower and a comfortable bed! Whilst we didn’t win the fundraising competition, we did place highly in the ranks raising almost £700 between the two Big Six forms. It was a superb event and we were all proud to be a part of it. KEB
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Big Six.
Big Six bound to Birmingham Art Gallery. When we went to Birmingham Art Gallery I really enjoyed the experience and loved the fact that I had the opportunity to go.
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he first paintings I saw were by a group of seven people called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood; they were all under the age of 23 and founded the movement around 1849. They were dissatisfied with the standards of the Royal Academy, so they looked into early Italian Art (Pre-Raphael) for inspiration. There were three main artists: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt. One of the paintings I especially liked was The Finding of the Saviour in the Temple by William Holman Hunt. I liked the detail put into every character and the way they merged together. It wasn't just focused on one thing and I liked the amount of detail put into each part of the picture. Next we came to a picture by Jan Van Scorel called Noli Me Tangere. This particular picture is a ‘triptych’, which means it had a main picture and two smaller side pictures. A
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triptych would have been used as a portable alter piece and so often had a religious theme. The main picture was of Mary kneeling to Jesus. You can tell the painting is depicting when Jesus had just risen because you can see people searching for him in the background. The two side pictures are the donors; the people who donated the money so the picture could be painted. Noli Me Tangere means ‘don't touch me’ in Latin because that’s what Jesus was saying to Mary. We also looked at a painting called Work by Ford Maddox-Brown. It was commissioned in 1852 and finished in 1863. The painting is oil on canvas. It was a picture that showed different statues on a work yard and you could distinctly tell who had a high and low place in society. In a different gallery we viewed something completely different. It was a sculpture of a sort of half-man, half-robot on a rock drill. This one was a replica though the original, produced in 1913, was by a man called Jacob Epstein. It was all about man becoming part of the machine and therefore, the machine becoming the man. Finally, we saw the impressionist paintings and one of them was called Portrait of a Woman by Mary Cassatt. Mary Cassatt was an American artist and she was very different to all of the French male artists who were typically the Impressionist painters. The portrait is very unique because the lady in it looks like she is grinning from
the one side but she looks like she is sad from the other side. Also, the portrait doesn't look finished because it isn't sharp around the edges and it has still got the marks from when the artist first sketched onto the canvas. I really enjoyed the trip and would recommend it to anybody. I am very pleased I had the opportunity to go to the gallery. Evie Bramley and Dilan Thiara, B6Y
Clubs and Societies.
In-print. Printmaking Society underwent a change this year, and has now been the refuge for senior artists twice a week.
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n the new arts’ centre, our most committed A Level and GCSE students have been involved in dry point printing activities. This has not only been great fun and an engaging activity in itself, but it has also extended our artists’ portfolios for presentation at exam level; given them a flavour of art college activities and offered an experience of an intricate and professional technique. For the Quincentenery year this coming term we shall be re-launching as The Viner Printmaking Society and all senior artists will be welcome to come and try out printmaking activities including dry point, lino-printing and etching, using our newly acquired printing press. We look forward to seeing a huge amount of interest and the fruit of our labours will form part of the exhibition programme this year. JJM
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Clubs and Societies.
Enigma. T
his year Uppal Club has varied hugely. From a record week when 14 of us sat around Social 2 not quite knowing what to do with such large numbers (although we did consider social experiments) to a sunny afternoon when Frosty and I read Mr Uppal Elizabeth Taylor’s obituary from the newspaper (he enjoys these ‘storytime’ sessions, but it does make him sound like a child). The middle part of the year was taken up with trying to organise a trip. In time honoured fashion we could not decide and subsequently failed (this was an all time low in terms of organisation, even for us). Then Mr Uppal spent a few weeks suggesting we were to be inspected by some other member of staff. Frantically searching for party tricks and other odd things we can do, we looked for ways we could distract them from ever finding out what actually goes on. When this did not happen we began to question Mr Uppal’s sanity (he may prefer the term artistic licence but is not here to complain). At some point in the year we probably discussed something deep and profound (or at least that is what I keep telling myself) and I could not possibly divulge (unless you come along armed with biscuits). Enigma meets every Friday after school in Social 2. Elizabeth Bamford, L6
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Political Forum. Political Forum was supposed to be one of those good ideas that you never quite get round to using, one of those brainwaves that stay buried in the back of your mind that you regret never having shared with anyone.
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ut last year something I envisioned with a few friends of mine (Alexander Baugh and Matthew Wild) became reality: an impartial atmosphere for students in the school where they could discuss political issues and debate controversial topics, as long as they held the toy gun of conversation. Political Forum grew quickly, attracting the curious, the politically ignorant but willing to learn, and the seasoned debaters. This eclectic mix provided much laughter, head shaking and angry exclamations every Thursday lunchtime in room 902, and the group grew confident and eloquent debating topics I’d frantically put together the night before. One thing I was often told was “I don’t know anything about politics!”, but the beauty of this forum is that no one has to. I might have chosen to debate David Cameron’s immigration speech one week, but more often than not the whole group was likely to be found giggling at a political cartoon. The aim of this forum was always to make politics a less intimidating subject, to make it more approachable, and I think we’ve succeeded. The reins were handed over to Henry Parocki this year, and I’m confident he’ll carry on doing what I did, in fact he is likely to make it much better. TG
Clubs and Societies.
Fundraising committee. Over the last year the Fundraising Committee has been led and organised by six devoted members of the lower sixth, headed by Mr Uppal.
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ur first event was a Fancy Dress Day on the 19th November. We raised money for Project Trust, who support gap year students undertaking overseas charity work. We have a new link with this charity, as our head girl is doing her gap year with them. Our second fundraising venture was the ‘Crisis Christmas Coffee Morning’ and the ‘Guess the name of the Reindeers’ competition. We got very Christmassy selling mince pies and festive treats and all whilst wearing Santa hats and listening to Christmas carols. We raised over £100 for Crisis, a charity who help the homeless. Our biggest fundraiser this year was the ‘Battle of the Bands’, featuring Blind Fire who won and Pash, who came second. We raised over £650.00, this money went to the Borneo trip who were doing conservation work in the rainforest, and also to projects in Uganda. The money raised from a non-uniform day also went to Uganda. Our last fundraising event of the year was for Cancer Research UK, for which Mr Uppal has been raising money for 10 years. First of all we had a non-uniform day, which was followed by the teacher’s annual swimathon. Every year a group of teachers get sponsored to swim a mile. This year on the tenth birthday of the Cancer Research swimathon we raised £2200.00, which is the highest yet. This was the perfect way to end a successful year, and we can’t wait for more fun next term. Becky Braham, Becky Bacon and Alex Benion, L6 Wulfrunian 2011 | 49
Clubs and Societies.
Coast 2 Coast. On the 28th May, 10 students including myself, set off to complete Coast 2 Coast 2011.
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e had trained for a lengthy, 16 weeks, all building up to this weekend. During the training, we completed many runs each week. Nearing the end of the training, we had to endure three runs on a Friday, including one before school, at lunchtime and after school. Not forgetting hills training on a Monday after school and circuits before school on a Tuesday. The training was tough but provided a sense of achievement, as we watched ourselves improve. Nearing the weekend we were all anxious and a few of us were carrying injuries, we arrived at St Bee’s school which provided our accommodation for the Friday night. As we arrived in St Bee’s we had a large satisfying meal of fish and chips on the coast, and visited the beach, the place where we would begin the next morning. Later that evening we slept on the sports hall floor at St Bee’s and were awoken at 6am to begin our running. Dan Thomas was our first runner and as he left St Bee’s coast, it was tipping it down with rain. We each had a running order where we would either run with a partner or by ourselves throughout 24 hours. We ran through the night and into Sunday morning. On the mini-bus, was lots of food ranging from cold pasta to
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chocolate bars, all provided by the Blakemore Foundation. As we approached the dreaded Hardknot and Wrynose Pass, the Anslows and Caswells accompanied us, as the mini-bus couldn’t venture up the hills with the runners. We were also given the opportunity to dress up in costumes to run in, when everyone was starting to feel worn-out .This included avatars, Mr Bump, Batman, a fairy and Ironman. Covered in blue paint, costumes, feathers and tutus, we carried on our runs which lasted 30minutes at a time. We used the Schools honours tie as a baton. Dipped in the sea at St Bee’s it was passed on to each runner until we reached Robin Hood’s bay. Many parents and supporters were situated at different points where they cheered us on and kept the morale high. The night runs were some of the hardest, there were two busses, the running bus and the sleeping bus. Some of the team were sent to the sleeping bus to catch a few hours sleep before their next run. Waking up at the very early hours of Sunday morning was a challenge but something that had to be done. We also had to resort to peeing in deserted fields when there were no toilets open, which wasn’t the most private of occasions! Accompanying us on some of the runs were the teachers, which helped keep us going. The Anslows also drove in front of the runners throughout the night, to ensure we were protected from oncoming traffic and didn’t feel alone; this helped a lot. Approaching the morning, we were all eager to reach our destination, and even had to slow down as we had run too fast! Reaching Robin Hood’s bay gave us a sense of achievement we hadn’t felt before, and as we ran down to the
Clubs and Societies.
coast together greeted by family, friends and teachers, the honours tie was finally dipped in the sea, marking an end to this event which we had worked so hard for and a total of around 190 miles was run between the team. A full English breakfast greeted us after the busses had been cleaned. Exhausted, dirty but full of accomplishment we got back into the busses and set off to the hotel. Knowing we had just raised around £6,000 for the Haematology Ward at New Cross Hospital, as a thank you for the care that they gave to Dan Thomas’ dad before he passed away . We arrived at the hotel, limping and drained; we checked into our rooms and went to relax in the pool and sauna. Eventually we got ready for the celebration meal with all our supporters. A buffet of Mexican food was provided and after lots of speeches and congratulations, we headed to our rooms. Monday morning we headed back to school together in the bus, and as we reached school a sense of sadness was present as all the training and hard work was at an end. All in all, with the memories from Coast 2 Coast it was one of the best weekends of my life and I would encourage everyone to try and get involved in Coast 2 Coast. There are many stories to tell and I can’t explain just how amazing the experience was. The 2011 Coast 2 Coast Team was: Matthew Anslow, James Caswell, Isobel Diment, Ffyona Downes, Hannah Fellows-Cox, Lawrence Green, Sam Grew, Grace Lawrence, Wahab Malik, and Daniel Thomas. Hannah Fellows-Cox, 10D
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e Great Outdoors.
Borneo Expedition 2011. e summer expedition to Borneo was a month which will never be forgotten.
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he members of the team from WGS, consisting of 17 students, two members of staff- Miss McAllister and Dr Edlin, and the infamous Chip, had spent a year and a half preparing for the expedition in terms of fitness and teambuilding, and we were more than eager to get the trip underway. On arriving at Heathrow, we met our Adventureworks’ leaders, Tim and Jo, and Anna (a university student who would accompany us for the next month). After a 30 hour outward journey which included a tour of Brunei, we finally arrived in Borneo where we were met by our in country guide, Henry. Shortly afterwards, we were taken to the Step-Inn lodge, the accommodation which became our base over the following four weeks. It wasn’t long before we were given our first taster of Bornean food which mainly consisted of noodles and rice (as did the majority of the food, which we ate for the duration of the trip!). We spent our first full day in KK on a tropical island in order to acclimatise to our new surroundings and in 52 | Wulfrunian 2011
the afternoon Henry took us on a mini jungle walk to ease us in. It was on this walk that we encountered the biggest spider we were to see on the whole trip- so perhaps not the easiest start after all! After a day of acclimatisation, the group was ready to make their way to Long Pa Sia, a village on the outskirts of the rainforest. The villagers welcomed us warmly in to their homes where we were given an insight into their culture and everyday life. The next day, we began our first trek; after four hours of walking and climbing terrain, we arrived at camp at exactly the same time as the rain began to pour. Putting up hammocks in this torrential weather was certainly an interesting experience, mainly because this is when our group was first introduced to leeches; one of the less treasured memories of Borneo! We adapted a lot to jungle life during the first trek, and although the walks and activities undertaken could be difficult at times, the support we gave each other as a team and the friendships we were developing helped everyone through. On our arrival back to the village of Long Pa Sia, we were given time for some much needed relaxation. In the evening, the team came together to play a football match with the locals, in which we were unfortunately defeated! We then visited the chief ’s house to watch his family perform a traditional tribal dance; we were later asked to attempt this, resulting in some hilarious dance
moves from both staff and students. These are just some of the great memories we took back from the first trek. On our return to the Step-Inn Lodge, we were all ready for a good night sleep in preparation for the next phase of our trip. After a day of rest, we set off for Henry’s village; it was here that we saw our first glimpse of Mount Kinabulu, the mountain we were intending to climb in four days time. Yet again, we were greeted warmly by the local people; they performed a traditional dance to welcome us and even taught us how to play music on gongs - a skill which we didn’t quite master. The next day, we set off on our second trek; the terrain we encountered on this was the most mountainous yet, but as always the team pulled together to encourage and help each other when the trek got difficult. Our second camp was one of the highlights for many of the group; as far as jungle camps go, it was luxury. We arrived to find a pre-built cooking area, bamboo benches and a hut which later became a social area. We even found a section of the river which we could swim in; a great way to relax after a hard day’s walking. On the following day we were given the opportunity to practice jungle survival skills, from making a cup out of bamboo with a machete to building animal traps to catching fish and crabs in the river (this made for a tasty evening meal). That night, we took part in a night-trek on which we were given an insight
e Great Outdoors. into the happenings of the rainforest after dark; we saw some amazing wildlife and learned that the jungle really does come alive at night. After a great three days at the camp, we returned from our trek eager to undertake our next challenge: climbing Mount Kinabalu. Our first day climbing the mountain was intense with an eight hour trek to the 6km point at which we would be staying that night. After a hearty evening meal we went to bed, prepared to be woken up a 2am with head torches and woolly gloves at the ready for our ascent to Lowe’s Peak. The next four hours saw us up to the summit; an achievement of which our team was extremely proud. On our descent, as daytime approached, we saw for the first time the mountain which we had just climbed; the views from the top were incredible and they really put our accomplishment into perspective. It was a great disappoint that two students and two members of staff were unable to take part in climbing the mountain due to illness within the group, but it was with them in mind that we were able to succeed in our goal to reach the summit. The final phase of our trip was the project phase in which we carried out voluntary work at a Rainforest Discovery Centre. This was a difficult task in the Borneo heat, but yet again the support we gave each other enabled us to complete our goal with many laughs along the way, including a water fight which got a little out of hand! We were also given the chance to visit Sepilok Orang-utan Sanctuary, the highlight of the trip for Miss McAllister. It was an amazing experience seeing the Orang-utans so up-close, and I’m sure all the team will agree that it taught us to appreciate the work that many carry out in Borneo to protect the animals of the rainforest. We returned to The Step-Inn Lodge in KK for the final few days of our expedition. Our last full day was spent white-water rafting, an event which became extremely competitive and ended in a race to the finish line. That evening we went to an Aussie Bar to indulge in steaks and burgers while watching our last sunset in Borneo. This was the perfect end to the perfect trip. On behalf of the students of the team, I would like to thank all the teachers, leaders, and guides who helped organise the expedition and supported us throughout. Special thanks must go to Simon and Christine Amos who looked after the group in ways we couldn’t have imagined. We would also like to pay particular thanks to Mr Davies, who unfortunately couldn’t take part in the expedition; without him this trip could not have happened. Our experience in Borneo and the friendships we made along the way were unforgettable to say the least, and I would recommend to anyone considering taking part in future WGS expeditions, to do so. Megan Caswell U6 Wulfrunian 2011 | 53
î “e Great Outdoors.
Morocco 2011.
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e Great Outdoors.
Group 1
Group 2
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n Sunday 10th July, Group One departed on a trip to Morocco. For the first week we aimed to conquer the Atlas mountains, by reaching the summit, Mt Jebel Toubkal. For the second week, we were in the coastal town of Essaouira, going round the market stalls and souks (Arabic marketplace). We also planned to go on the beach for a day and to go to a pool of some description. On Sunday we left from the final preparation day to go to Gatwick Airport. We arrived in Marrakech in the early afternoon, which was very hot and humid. In the heat, we went on a ‘minibus’ (which was our first unpleasant but enjoyable experience) in which at first we couldn’t open the windows, which as you can imagine, in such a hot country, was not a pleasant experience! After a two hour journey travelling through the mountainous regions of Morocco we arrived at the hostel in Imlil. After dinner, we endured a night of many incidents including a number of spiders which occupied our room, and freaked out Dan throughout the night, which made me (Dom) laugh a lot! We woke up the next morning to find a huge, hairy spider on the wall! The next few days consisted of us acclimatising, socialising with village folk and trekking up to base camp and preparing us for summit day. After another acclimatisation walk, summit day was upon us and we were extremely excited. We woke up at half past three in the morning, (which some of us found considerably hard to do). The conditions we were walking in were quite challenging especially considering we were walking in the dark. About an hour into our walk it was sunrise and the views were spectacular. After three hours into the walk the summit was upon us which gave us an extra morale boost to get going to reach the top. Once we reached the top, we were thrilled, we could see for miles. After spending half an hour at the summit we started our descent. After a few hours and a few stumbles we arrived back at base-camp. The next day we travelled back down to Aroumd. From here we went on a long coach ride back down to the coastal town of Essaouira. We arrived in Essaouira in the early afternoon and spent the rest of the day looking round the markets and looking for restaurants to eat for the next week. For the final week we had a great time wandering through the souks and relaxing on the beach and by the poolside. Overall, we had a great time as a group, and we got on really well with each other, even though we went through some rough times!! On behalf of Group One, I would like to thank all the teachers and staff who gave up their time to help achieve our goal of reaching the summit of the Atlas Mountains, and also to our Outlook guide, Anya. Dom Price 11E, and Dan Roberts 11B
n the 2nd week of the summer holidays, eleven Year 9 &10 students accompanied by Miss Whittaker and Miss Hodgshon set off for a two week expedition to Morocco. The objectives: to climb the highest mountain in North Africa - Mount Toubkal, to experience a completely new culture and to have as much fun as possible! The whole team arrived at school on the 17th July, pumped up, slightly nervous and most of all anticipating what promised to be the trip of a lifetime. In no time at all, we arrived in Morocco and were met at the airport by our fantastic guide Khalid, who took us back to our gite (Moroccan hostel) for the night. After a great meal, and the first experience of goat meat for most of us, we settled down in our sleeping bags for the night. Little did we know that we would be disturbed later that night by a moth the size of a bat! Thankfully, after several screeches from the girls, Matt Anslow stepped in, saved the day and released the creature back out into the world, allowing us to get a good night’s sleep. The next morning, we awoke early to start our trek to Aroumd, where we would complete a days walk through the beautiful scenery and just as importantly celebrate the 15th birthday of our team mate Guy Jack. Unfortunately, we then faced the longest of our walks, from Aroumd to the base camp - a very hard, but also rewarding seven hour trek. After an acclimatisation trek up into the Atlas mountains to an altitude of about 4200m, preparations began for the biggest part of the whole expedition - summit day. After a team chat, bag packing and a pep-talk from our leader for the day Michael Whiting, we played cards and were taught 'The Wolf Game' by another Moroccan Leader, Mohammed, before turning in for the night. Alarms awoke us ready for our 3.30am start, and eventually, armed with head torches to guide us through the pitch black, we began our ascent. Gradually, we climbed our way up until, after four hours, we reached 4167m - the summit of Mt. Toubkal. Emotions were high and every member of the team was overwhelmed by a great sense of achievement. On the way back down to base camp and on the walk back to Aroumd, spirits were high and the team really pulled together. To end on a high, all the students and Khalid slept under the stars on the roof of our gite. For me, this was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. With no light anywhere, the sky was perfectly clear. The next part of our trip was to go camel trekking. The company was run by a lovely family, who welcomed us and even entertained our attempts at speaking Arabic. They showed us to our accommodation for the night; two huge teepee tents which surprisingly were very comfortable. The scariest part of the trek was probably getting on the camels, which were easily bigger than horses and quite a bit
grumpier! We rode the camels across rocky terrain and sand dunes to reach the sea side where we spent the afternoon, sinking each other in the sand and getting soaked, before riding back. The final phase of our trip was staying in Essouira, a beach resort on the coast of Morocco, for three days. We stayed in a brilliant hotel called Riad Nakhla, which we had chosen and booked ourselves. Sunbathing on the beach, shopping in the markets and souks and swimming in the sea was a great way to spend the last few days of the expedition. The medina market was incredibly colourful and busy, particularly at night. Every street led into many more alley ways filled with stalls selling crafts, clothes, and little handcrafted wooden things. After a few days souvenir shopping, our bags were crammed full! Before we knew it, it was time to move on to Marrakech, ready for the next day's flight home. To celebrate our last night as a team, we went out for a wonderful meal which, despite the ridiculous heat (47°C!), was the perfect way to draw a close to the whole experience. The team would like to thank our guides Khalid and Jamie, and most of all Miss Whittaker and Miss Hodgshon for making the expedition possible. Abi Wild 11E
Middle School Expedition
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fter an overwhelming response from the students, the summer of 2011 saw not one but two separate expedition parties (made up of Years 9 & 10) going out to Morocco for two weeks each. In the 18 months preceding the trips, a lot of training and preparation occurred; from fundraising events such as car washing, cake stalls and discos, to days out hiking in the Shropshire hills. All the training paid off with a hugely successful ascent of Mount Jebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa at over 4160m – no mean feat for students of this age group. A massive thanks goes to Mrs Wainwright, Miss Hodgshon and Dr Hinchliffe for their commitment and support both during the trip and the lead up to it. And finally, an enormous thank you and well done to all the 23 students – a fantastic experience for all! HW
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e Great Outdoors.
Fun in Flachau, ski trip 2011. We left WGS on Friday 18th February after a spell of particularly mild weather and arrived in a worryingly slushy Austria the following day.
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e were met by our faithful ski rep Joerg and after a very efficient ski and boot fit we all unpacked and relaxed. After supper we got into our tutor groups for the traditional ski trip quiz, kindly prepared by Mrs Johnson, our librarian. This was won convincingly by Mrs Harris’s team! The first day of skiing dawned bright and sunny – picture postcard perfect. However, it was a tad warm and the snow on the lower slopes was very slushy. We assembled on the nursery slopes and all the students were put into ski 56 | Wulfrunian 2011
groups appropriate to their ability, met their instructor for the week and then the fun started! By mid afternoon the snow on the lower slopes resembled even more the consistency of one of those icy slush drinks you can buy from the tuckshop and it proved to be a very challenging run back down the mountain, with a lot of people taking a tumble. In the evening, with energy levels restored we jumped back on the coach and headed off to a skittle alley in the village of Filzmoos. Imagine my relief when on Monday morning we awoke to snow falling – thin and fine, but snow nonetheless (although the Austrians would probably dispute that!) Then the flakes became thicker and fluffier and the snow continued to fall all that day and the following one as well. Perfect timing! During the week all the ski groups made fantastic progress. The beginners who had never been on a mountain in snow before, were coming down the red runs expertly by the end of the week. They even ventured off piste and were spotted darting amongst the trees and leaping over jumps! The advanced and intermediate groups also
managed to improve on technique and speed and the intermediates bravely and successfully tackled a black run. The evening activities proved to be a big hit – with swimming, ice hockey, ice skating, skittles and a mountain based roller coaster ride on the menu. And last but not least – the WGS show. How we all laughed at the male fashion show with the likes of Will Nield, Sam Amos, Alistair Macaulay and Josh ‘Swagga’ Gibbons, along with some braver younger students, parading down the catwalk in short skirts, platform shoes and swimwear! Fiona Jones sang beautifully, accompanied by Callum Keene. What a fantastic week of skiing and entertainment. Zoe Stirling won the ski race on the last day with an excellent time of 42 seconds. All students participated in this and did themselves proud. A big well done and thank you to everyone who came to Flachau for being such good fun and so well behaved, and of course a big thank you to all the staff whose help, advice and support was invaluable – JJ, Mr Carey, Mr Davies, Mrs Dyer and Mrs Wainwright. LH
e Great Outdoors.
e Towers outdoor adventure weekend. is year’s Year 8, 9 and 10 trip to Towers OEC, North Wales, 20th - 22nd May 2011, was a great success.
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veryone always had a smile on their face from the activities and was ready to get involved with all the plans. There were lots of different activities to choose from over the weekend, from gorge walking to rock climbing. We had the choice
of which we wanted to do, so we split off into groups. My first activity was gorge walking; it was funny, exciting, and challenging: during this we were able to stand underneath a huge waterfall, where, at the back and pressed up against the rock, you couldn’t get wet from the torrents of water rushing down. I think the best part of the gorge walking was when we got to jump into what they called the ‘plunge pool’. The water was freezing, but it was worth it in the end. Some of the people in the group had a second go at it! While we were there, the others were canoeing and kayaking: everyone enjoyed this - probably the most memorable part of that activity was people falling in and getting
canoes filled with water! The group went down a lake and rapids, then at the end played in a huge rapid pool. The next day, we had the choice of rock climbing and abseiling or gorge walking. The rock climbing was exciting; we climbed on a real rock face (as opposed to a climbing wall). We navigated our way around the course, using foot holes and ledges, ropes and small nooks in the rock. When we had all finished the course, some of the group had a chance to go on a tree swing that had been set up. Their goal was to stand on a nearby tree branch, then try and reach the next one up from that. Most of the group achieved it and had fun doing it. After this we headed over to the climbing and abseiling wall. On this we had to abseil down the wall, then work our way back up on the climbing part. While one group was climbing, the other group had gone gorge walking. They had as much fun as we did the day before. The most memorable parts were climbing over waterfalls and huge rocks. The food was delicious, with enough on your plate to fill you up. The breakfasts were big and tasty and for lunch we had sandwiches, which we made ourselves. The food was different every day, and it had something that everyone liked. At night, after long walks, we were given hot chocolate and biscuits before bed. Unfortunately, the trip was only for the weekend. A longer trip to fit in all the activities would be really great! Helen Clinton 8Q
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î “e Great Outdoors.
Year 7 camp Forest of Dean. Days 1 and 2
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e departed from school at around 9:15am, we had lovely drive down to the camp site, surrounded by some amazing views. On the way to campsite people were not excited about going camping mainly because they would not have their little luxuries. When we got to camp we got a briefing on what we were going to be doing over the time we were there, we were also told what people were going to be in our group. Some people were surprised that they we not put in a group with all their friends . Once our groups were decided the rain came and we had to go into the marquee, we then made our menus with each of our groups. This was a difficult task seeing as we had a few people that had allergies and could not eat certain foods . We had spaghetti on the first day, mini hotdogs on the second and spaghetti again on the final day. I felt this menu was very 58 | Wulfrunian 2011
easy to make but realised I was wrong when we were given four small trangias between each group. Our group leaders helped us a lot and we soon got the hang of it. Whilst some of us were cooking others were told to put up the tents . At first my group found it quite hard but then we soon got the hang of it and when our tents were done I was quite proud of it . For the rest of the day we played a number of activities with great competition between the groups that involved team work games. On the second day of camp we woke up bright and early at 7am, had a wash and then we all had breakfast in the marquee. We all had cereal that the staff provided but we had a choice of about five different cereals. Soon after breakfast each different group departed from the camp site with their own instructor and one of the teachers. We all did the same fun activities but on different days with our groups. As for our group we started of with caving. We went for a 20minute walk down
some steep hills and in the forest which was great fun! In our opinion caving was great, we went right through the caves and through lots of gaps, however some people did not adapt to the small space. Our second activity was canoeing, we drove down in the minibus to the River Wye, which is the river that separates England and Wales. Canoeing was our favourite activity, our instructor taught us how to turn different ways, and go forwards and backwards in the canoe. Also he did some fun activities which involved a lot of us falling in the river, which was really funny and safe at the same time because we had our lifejackets on. Our final activity of the day was climbing which was also great! We had a choice of three different rock faces to climb whilst three of our friends were pulling the rope beneath to support us. Back at camp we had a shower, made food for ourselves, and topped off the day by playing some fun activities. Karam Baden, 7S
e Great Outdoors.
Days 3 and 4
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n day three, group two decided to go on an adventure walk. I know it doesn’t sound particularly thrilling but it was actually really fun! Iain was our instructor for the day and he was really funny and by far our favourite! We started our trek going up a steep hill in the nearby forest. It was really tiring but our tactic was to put our slowest member of the group at the front so he could set the pace. At the top of the hill was a cave, we walked inside. We spent a small amount of time in the cave, when we were out, we decided to light a camp fire! Everyone kept trying to make the fire start however, it wouldn’t set alight. Mrs Dyer even tried to light a sweet wrapper and crisps to try and get it started, I thought at one point she was going light her sandwiches! But we failed. Iain said we’d try again the next day. Our trek then took us down an extremely steep slope. Immy and I kept slipping over as it was really muddy. We looked behind us, only to see Mrs Dyer wrapping herself around a tree like a koala bear! She was wearing a woollen hat, florescent pink socks, and a terrified face, which made this moment absolutely hilarious! It was a hard activity that day at camp, and we were so looking forward to a good night’s sleep, back at the camp sight. However, we felt we needed to brighten up the mood, so Immy and I pulled out our harmonicas and serenaded the whole of Year 7 with our delightful folk inspired music! As the day drew to a close, we zipped our tents up, settled down, and eventually, went to sleep. On day four, there were mixed emotions going round camp, as it was the last day. However, before we left we had to do our final activity. For group two, this was bush craft. Mrs Dyer had such a lovely day with us on day three, that she decided to come out with us again. To get to the forest we had to walk up a very steep hill and for many people this was quite hard. We all encouraged each other up the hill and we all made it up in the end. When we were all together, Iain told us that we were going to be abseiling down into a deep cave. We all wanted to have a go at this once in a life time experience. We were all so excited! Mrs Dyer went first and then took the opportunity to do a spot of sun bathing, as the sun shone through the trees! After we had safely finished our activity, we went over to the camp fire we had set up the day before. Iain was determined to make a successful fire this time. It took a while, but he did it. Yay! We all toasted some marshmallows as we sat round the warm fire. As this was our last day, we had to get back to camp early to pack up our suitcases and to help tidy up. We were all ready to head home to reality, proper food, a sturdy shelter, and of course, a bed! Nicola Ryan and Immy Gibbons, 7S Wulfrunian 2011 | 59
e Great Outdoors.
Uganda. One of the most vivid memories I have of my Ugandan experience is seeing the waters of Lake Victoria in the late afternoon, golden hued and lovely, as our minibus “ooh’d” and “aah’d” at the view.
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suppose I didn’t expect it, when we hear of Africa, we usually have images of hunger and poverty, but no one stops to mention the beauty of the place, the lush landscapes or the vitality of its undefeated people. In a way it has been discovering Uganda’s beauty that has been the most rewarding aspect of my trip, especially when it was in unexpected places. I knew before I’d even set my eyes on the Bujagali falls that they’d be beautiful and they were: arresting, terrifying, amazing to feel the spray on my face. But the beauty of the day spent with Chris from the Busoga Trust watching the local women dance and sing in jubilation because of a new well in their village was nothing I can explain. Waterfalls and forests and rhinos are one thing, but knowing that some children somewhere in the world are going to have a better chance of survival because of a well you’ve seen being built is another. I was a bit unprepared for the disparity between
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the two versions of Uganda we saw on the trip. On the one hand Kampala was a bustling metropolis with all the trappings (including a Nando’s, which I was assured, was nothing like what we have ‘back home’) and on the other were mud huts with thatched roofs and stoves made from clay, and children with bare feet and big smiles. I hadn’t been sure of what to expect in Lords Meade even though I knew so much about the school and its pupils. I knew, for example that they’d been able to build a new art block due to the money raised by us, I knew that we’d helped fund a photocopier, that students from our school had helped set up a music department, and a choir, that we’d donated old sports equipment and books, but I hadn’t realised just how invaluable this was in the school. To see the photocopier being put to good use by the teachers, the students singing with gusto in their choir, and to see the mural on the art block helped me connect the fund raising we do at our school with faces, and people who were incredibly grateful for the effort we put in each year to raise funds. We were also solicited by a primary school in Jinja to paint and spruce up some weather weary walls. The children here were mischievous and curious about these strangers armed with paintbrushes and bottles of water, and we were more than ready to abandon painting to play a game of tag, or take a few pictures with them. We also visited an orphanage, where the bravest of us all held babies, and the luckiest escaped being burped on. Our visit to ASCO (or the African Street Children Organisation) was nothing like I expected, I suppose I’d expected what I’d seen on the telly sometimes, emaciated children in rags drinking from nearing empty bottles and miserable wretched eyes. When we joined them in celebrating their collective birthday (collective because many of the boys don’t know their own birthdays), the boys were excited, animated, bouncing on energy provided by their birthday superiority.
This picture of them has stuck with me, these children and teenagers who are healthy and happy, and secure, but also children who lack many of the things we take for granted. We visited the boys again before we left, and we saw their creative side, cards and paintings made by them were hanging for sale, and I felt good as I bought some, imagining a boy being told his painting had been so amazing that it had been sold. The trip also provided the necessary thrills for the adventure seekers among us. We visited the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where we could observe rhinos made lazy by the sun. We went on a safari in the Murchison Falls National Park, where we stayed in the Red Chilli Campsite. We also made time to go chimpanzee trekking, we were able to see quite a few chimpanzees, and being inside the forest calmed something inside us, as though the noise of the insects and the green shade of the overgrown trees were somehow putting us in a meditative state of mind. We were also able to go on a game drive, where we had the good fortune of seeing not only giraffes and elephants but also a solitary lioness, something which both excited and terrified us. Going to Uganda was an amazing experience, and I didn’t realise until I was there how privileged I was to be able to go there, to be able to see the links we foster with our Ugandan link school, to see the difference we make in the lives of students so completely different, yet so connected to us. I don’t think I could have embarked on a more enriching journey. By the time I was on the plane home I was already making plans to return to Uganda, to come back and re-discover the beautiful country. It was not adjusting to the sporadic water supply, or to the face melting heat, or to the different currency that was the hardest part, it was leaving Uganda. Ishanee Roy, U6
e Great Outdoors.
Following the leader. Rother Valley Country Park, just off the M1 near Sheffield, was, for the third time running, our home for a weekend of leadership exercises designed to encourage initiative, confidence and teamwork (amongst the teachers!);
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hilst also providing ample opportunity for getting wet, muddy and making strange animal noises (not the teachers this time - honest). The course followed a series of lectures and
practical sessions that had taken place back at school for all lower sixth form students. The weekend at Rother Valley represented an extension of this activity for the more senior student leaders in the sixth form, or those likely to soon to find themselves in positions of responsibility. Thus, sports captains rubbed shoulders with the leading lights of stage and orchestra, and student parliament members mucked-in with potential prefects. Mrs Preston and Mrs Harris were in attendance to make sure that I behaved myself and Mr Crust made a guest appearance on Saturday to take advantage of the pie and peas on offer and to make sure that I had some male support in the face of superior numbers of female colleagues (superior female colleagues?!?). To be honest, I’m not convinced that traversing of planks, clambering over obstacles, scrutinising maps, traversing ropes and paddling of ramshackle, home-made rafts provides much in the way of specific competencies that potential leaders might
employ later in the school lunch hall or on Big School stage (or in the board room in later life). However, at WGS we have seen activities such as those enjoyed at Rother Valley contribute to the formation of successful teams and, when structured appropriately, they appear to go some way towards fostering a ‘can-do’ attitude, or perhaps more accurately a ‘can-do’ identity, in participants that has positive knock-on effects beyond the muddy realms of outdoor education. Nudging folk out of their comfort zones in unfamiliar contexts also enables students and teachers alike to have a good look at each other and to begin to work out who might be suitable for roles of responsibility in future – or who they want to work with. Sprinting along the various jetties, avoiding the wild fowl and back-flipping into the lake was just for fun however. At day’s end the first set of leadership activities had gone very well. Pie, chips, mushy peas, ten pin bowling and Match of the Day saw us through the evening. And, on hard floors and in drafty tents we passed the night waiting for the morning fry-up (and wishing we could do something permanent to the nocturnally noisy masses of Canada geese). Sunday provided opportunities for sailing, canoeing, mountain biking and tea drinking. Tortuous leadership challenges were put on hold and we busied ourselves instead with team games and having fun. After hot showers, lunch and a collective debrief we hit the long miles of the M1 and A38 and reflected on a weekend spent well. As always, our lower sixth formers rolled-up their sleeves and had a crack at everything we threw at them. We, the teachers, had undertaken a bit of talent spotting for future reference and everyone had had a very good time. Many thanks go out once again to all the instructors at Rother Valley Country Park (including those with more than just a passing family resemblance to the current Head of sixth form) for their hard work, and also to the cafe staff for looking after us so well. See you again in 2012 all being well. SH
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î “e Great Outdoors.
L6 biologists bring out their inner farmers! It may puzzle some to think why in the world a group of biology students would go to a farm!? Well, we did!
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e braved the scorching heat, put on our wellies and trooped into Wheaton Aston on the 1st July to enrich our biological knowledge of extensive and intensive farming. Perfectly linked in with our A2 syllabus, the biology behind farming was taught hands on, by seeing the differences between two farm systems, and the conservations of agricultural areas. A combination of the wonderful staff and warm weather created the perfect
atmosphere for a visit out of school. We walked through endless amounts of flowers, fields and grass being taught about the methods of land conservation and the use of subsidies in the area. Unexpectedly, we were spotted by a herd of cows who seemed curious and excited by our presence in their field. Almost being attacked by a herd of excited yet friendly cows, we scientists cleverly escaped through various gates and bushes, but not without a few pictures of our new friends first! We moved through the day, visiting animal pens, milking stations, meadows and even slurry houses seeing a variety of fields, animals and machinery. Narrated by Mrs Foxall, we learnt about the different systems in place in England today, along with some interesting statistics. Actually seeing a farm first hand made the topic come to life and literally jump off the page into our hands. As we dodged the poo, and took in the rich
farm smell, the links between biology and farming became clear. The trip enriched our knowledge about where our food actually comes from, and how much the human population rely on the farmers of this country and animals and crops. Taking a couple of last photos, we made our way home back to our biology lab, with our new found insight of the biology behind agriculture. If it was petting some of the baby goats, admiring the sheer size of the horses, or taking in the beautiful landscape, there was something that everyone in the group enjoyed, even those who aren’t really the outdoorsy type! It was truly an enlightening, relaxing, and memorable day out. We must thank all the staff that arranged to take us there and accompanied us on our trip and also a big thank you to Mrs Foxall for welcoming us into her farm, showing us round, and giving us a truly hands on experience. Kiran Aulakh, L6
Winter
sports.
Winter Sports.
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Winter Sports.
Football. 1st X1
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he reputation that Wolverhampton Grammar School has earned over the years as a good football playing school has been enhanced this season by this particular 1st X1 squad. We unfortunately have no trophies to show for an excellent season but in terms of playing football on the floor, as a passing game, in terms of playing as a team and most importantly playing in the correct spirit, then this team can be proud of its efforts. The fixture list continues to be of the highest quality against the strongest football playing schools and we compete with the best of them, not winning to be honest against the likes of Manchester, Shrewsbury and Repton, but giving them a tough challenge. The Independent Schools Cup is the biggest competition we enter, and have a good record in, but we faltered this season but again by the narrowest of margins. Having won the Wolverhampton City cup three years running, a record in itself, we lost in a tight semi-final to Heath Park on their astro pitch which didn’t make it a level playing field - pun intended. Some of our team play was excellent and we scored goals of the highest team standard, and these occasions were the most satisfying for Crusty and me. Dan Jones led by example, a tireless midfield player who would have even more energy if he stopped flapping his arms about! Nic Banderak was immense, such a talented footballer, who I am sure would have been picked up by a professional had he have chosen this sport as his first choice. It was such a pity he sustained a serious shoulder injury against Blackburn that threatened his England hockey commitments (sorry mom and dad). Dan Bains has so much pace that he should score more goals than he does but is an exciting player to watch; Jon Gromadzki is an excellent character, such fun to work with,
2nd / 3rd X1
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t was so satisfying to see so many senior students competing for positions in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd X1 teams. The attitude and attendance to training on Monday evenings were excellent which make coaching a team at this school an absolute pleasure. The problem is trying to give everyone the opportunity to compete for the school and we know that some students would have liked to play more games. The efforts on the pitch reflected the same positive approach we had
and is a very competitive young man; Mike Inglis is a strong player, some of his distribution is wayward, but when you are tackled by this marauding Scot you know you have been tackled; Luke Gainham can be a pain at times and he knows that, but he is also an excellent team player who will play in any position for you, and do it well; Sam Griffiths is another character that will be sorely missed, such a gifted sportsman (especially tennis) who is a much better footballer than he gives himself credit for; the return of Alex Stilwell was a highlight of the season and some of his performances were outstanding. It brought back the memories of the team that won the city cup, for three consecutive seasons as Year 7, 8 and 9 respectively, a feat seldom achieved. The lower sixth formers coming through will have major jobs next season. Will Nield was outstanding and deservedly will be appointed captain for next year; the likes of Sam Amos, Jake Williams, Josh Banks Josh Doyle-Gibbons,
Olly Hales, Elliot Hopkin, Themba Fraser, Jeff Hunt and Ryan McNeil-Ball all made significant contributions this season and will be looking for permanent starting positions. There are some very talented Year 11 players coming through and the likes of Tom Husselbee, Dan Genner and Matt Danks have made an excellent impact this season and will have major roles to play. Jonathan Crawford, our Wednesfield transfer, has been outstanding. Why Wolves let him go is a mystery and is Bristol’s gain but tragically our loss as Jon moves to Bristol hopefully to make a successful football career. He will be greatly missed by the school and we wish him well. It is a pity we are losing other potential 1st X1 players such as Matt Gwardiak, Alex Russon, Jon Walmsley, Lucas Johnson and Harry Corbett-Evans, who are moving to new schools. We wish them every success. To the upper sixth we say thank you and look forward to seeing you as old wulfrunians. JMJ, NHC
witnessed in coaching sessions with all players trying to play a passing game and compete in the true spirit of fair play. It was good to see David Jackson back playing football with such enthusiasm. The contributions of Mike Jones, James Dumbell, Alex Manley, Adam Bolas and Jay Dassan in the upper sixth form were much appreciated and we hope they continue to play football at university. With the likes of Will Bowden, Ed Potts, Dan Braham, Jake Williams and the tireless Olly Hales coming through, the future for senior football looks strong. This is backed up by a number of impressive Year 11 players
such as Sam Gibbons, Josh Foster, Ellis Poole, Danny Lamsdale, Nathan Williams and Arjun Gill applying pressure for places in the senior teams. The fact that so many students turn out regularly to represent the school, try to play a cultured style and in the manner the game should be played, is an important part of the extracurricular fabric of this school and which sets us apart from our competitors. We may not win as many games against the bigger schools as we used to but the style and spirit most definitely lives on. JMJ, NHC Wulfrunian 2011 | 65
Winter Sports.
U15
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n intriguing campaign, where the results and accolades never quite rewarded the Ruud Gullitt inspired ‘total football’ mentality. Despite this, it was a very pleasing season, especially regarding the progress that was made individually. It is always disappointing to go out in the early rounds of
U14
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t seems that I am growing accustomed to stating an improvement in the team’s performance over the course of the season. This season then, was no anomaly. One collective performance epitomised our development from previous years in my view: a friendly played against Thomas Telford. In years prior to this day, the team had anticipated a heavy loss against this opposition and inevitably, with that mind-set, we had been thoroughly thrashed. We had approached this particular contest having eradicated the previous mentality and opted for a new, more positive one. Though the final score stood at WGS 0 – 1 Thomas Telford, there were arguably, more positives to be taken from this game than from any other the team has ever played. It was also abundantly clear that an increased level of both resilience and togetherness had been present throughout the entirety of the game. Standout performances go to: Andy Inglis and Chris Ryan, two players that worked tirelessly
U13
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he Year 8 football team enjoyed another successful season in which they worked hard in training and achieved many successful results. The team consisted of mainly the same players as the previous season, but the addition of Eni-Ayo Ajayi alongside Chad Danks up front gave the team a lot more firepower. It’s a pity that Eni emigrated to Canada before Christmas and we all wish him good luck in his new school. Tom Grainger moved from centre forward to central defender and formed a solid defensive partnership with George Bradley.
U12
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his season saw the Year 7 football team progress from a group of individual students to an established football team who proved very hard to beat. A fantastic 9 – 1 victory against The Grange School was followed by a 7 – 4 thrashing of Stafford Grammar. Mr Hills, Mr Carey and Mr O’Malley were very proud at the football we were playing. Despite fighting performances defeats followed against 66 | Wulfrunian 2011
the ISFA cup, but even more so following that superb performance against a strong MGS side. However, the team bounced back with a great series of wins to progress to the semi-finals of the City Cup. Although, every player deserves a huge pat on the back for the effort they put in, it is only right to mention a few names. Captain Callum Keene and dynamo Isaac Hobbs made up a formidable midfield displaying hard work, hard
tackling and ruthless efficiency allowing the creativity of Wahab Malik, Tom Heath and Joe Blount to frequently run riot. The defence was strong and efficient, though we are still waiting for right back Aren Fraser to get back from one of his forward runs. It is excellent to see these players now pushing for places in the 1st XI. Well done to all on a fine season and as for the prizes - blame the management!. JMJ
throughout the game. The final result was not my perception of the reflection of the game, far from it. Telford scored from a corner in the dying minutes of the game. In the match though, all 11 players constituting the team displayed qualities worthy of considerable merit. The other key highlight of the season was undoubtedly our progress to the final of the City Cup played at Wolves' training complex in Compton. Our opposition had been
unbeaten for two-an-a-half year so perhaps it was no surprise that we narrowly lost, but as was evident all season, pleasing progress had been made on an individual and collective level. So to summarise, more improvement continues to occur in our team, transforming the players from aspiring youngsters, to young adults who are verging on Academy level. Well done lads! Alex Buckham, 9A
The biggest competition of our season was the ISFA Under 13 Cup. We had a very tough draw against Foremark School from Derbyshire but played our best football of the season to win 6 - 0. Confidence was very high and was boosted further when Jamie Bostock, Ally Carey, Andy Shave and James Tatton were all selected for the Wolverhampton Schools District team. Unfortunately in the second round we were drawn against King’s Chester and considered ourselves unlucky lose 2 - 0. We found out later in the year that King’s Chester went onto reach the final. If one or two important decisions had gone our way it could easily have been us.
The team did not allow this disappointment to dishearten them and excellent wins against Thomas Telford and The Grange quickly followed. The second half of the season saw the team progress smoothly into the semi-final of the city cup. In the semi-final we played Colton Hills and unfortunately lost 2 - 1. The opposition played well but it was a match that we could easily have won on another day. Our aim is to win the city cup in 2011-2012 and continue to play the style of football that we saw on occasions this year. Thank you very much to our excellent coaches Mr Munson and Mr King. Ally Carey, 8Q
Manchester GS and Thomas Telford. In the City Cup we played an exciting game against St Peter’s winning by just one goal 7 – 6. In the next round against Wednesfield we attacked well but defended less well and ended up losing 3 – 2. The final game of the season saw a wonderful victory at RGS Worcester including a wonder goal from Joe Timmins. A number of B team games enabled many boys to represent the school during the season. Our squad included a number of Big Six students who played a major part in the success of the team. Top scorer was Joe
Fellows-Cox, a natural goal poacher. Team: Michael Hopson, Jonnie Frith, Aaron Bachra, Daniel Adams, Nathan Williams, Scott Barnett, Tom Genner, Tom Pleydell, Joe Timmins, Joe Fellows-Cox, Callum Addiss, Omair Ali, Edward Cooper, Yash Aryan, James Birch, Ben Oswald. I would like to say a very big thank you to Mr Hills, Mr Carey and Mr O’Malley for their help, coaching and support. I would also like to thank the parents for their continuous encouragement and support. Tom Genner, 7S - Captain
Winter Sports.
Rugby. 1st XV
T
he first XV had a tough season this year, facing fierce opposition from established rugby schools, nonetheless, as usual, we punched well above our weight, no matter how good the opposition and never giving in. Our first match of the season went well beating Tettenhall College 12-5, a promising start. However, after a strong start to the season, we had a run of bad luck against some strong teams and although we lost, we managed to get some good scores and notable tries against Birmingham Metropolitan College and King Henry VIII School. Then, like the rest of Britain the rugby season came to an abrupt halt due to a light scattering of snow. Several friendlies were cancelled, but in this unscheduled break we managed to beat King Edward’s School 24-10, with some excellent tries by Luke Tatton, Tom Watson, Jordan Ram and Corrado Manzai, and then a spectacular conversion by Elliot Hopkin. A week later we continued our winning streak with a win against New College, Telford, with tries from Luke Tatton, Sanj Rattan and another conversion by E. Hopkin. Unfortunately, this winning streak was not to last, as we sadly lost our last few games. It has been a tough season with injuries and matches being cancelled but when we won, we won with style. The highlight of the year was undoubtedly the Staffordshire school’s Sevens Tournament, held at Newcastle-under-Lyme School. Having being drawn in the pool which housed one of the teams which would eventually make it through to the final. We played against quality and experienced opposition resulting in a steep learning curve. Despite gallant efforts by all the boys, we were moved into the plate competition having learnt much about how to play 7’s in double quick time. Our first match in the plate began well, with us taking an early lead but facing a comeback by the opposition .
U13
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he season began with two tremendous wins; against Tettenhall College 35-0 with an outstanding team effort, and against King Edward VI Camp Hill, 28-19 with a hat-trick of tries from Chad Danks and some excellent kicking from James Tatton. After those couple of warm up games we had our first County Cup match against Friary School winning 24-20 in what proved to be a tough game.
At the end WGS were ahead by a sole try, a hard earned win. Our semi-final was to be less strenuous, with little resistance from an exhausted opposition who were outclassed by the determination and new found skill and confidence of the WGS team. After our comfortable win, we were advised not to become complacent but to continue to focus our efforts for the last match, the Plate Final. Our opposition, Stafford Grammar, were a team to whom we had lost earlier in the season in a Staffordshire Cup semi-final.
Confident, fired up and ready to avenge our loss we marched on the pitch to the cries of, “Do it for Pagey!” from Jamie Key. A quick score by WGS was followed by a quick reply from the opposition, the game was tense, but two further scores gave us a fairly comfortable 15-5 victory. A fitting end to our season and the efforts and encouragement of our coaches Mr Ryan and Mr Page, the latter of whom has dedicated many years to the education ‘through rugby’, of many generations of WGS students. Great finish boys. Ed Holden, L6
Our second County Cup match was against Queen Mary’s ,Walsall, a strong rugby school, but again we managed to show great character and skill winning by 10-12. This was a complete turnaround to the previous match against them where we had lost 27-40. The County Cup semi-final played against Newcastle-under-Lyme School, again a very strong side, was lost against the run of play, with the team very disappointed at the 12-5 result. I am delighted with the amount of commitment, talent and competition for places that has taken place this year and impressed
with the squad who want to learn, be successful and part of a great sport. We have achieved some very good results against some strong teams from recognised rugby schools and are all looking forward to even greater success next season. Played 12 Won 6 Drawn 0 Lost 6 Points for 213 Points against 223 Luis Evitt, 8R - Captain Wulfrunian 2011 | 67
Winter Sports.
Boys hockey. 1st XI
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always knew that this season was going to be tricky especially after the loss of so many key and influential players from last year’s side. Our first match of the season against Bishop Vesey’s really showed this as we suffered a heavy defeat to a much older and more experienced side. However after this we rallied and played some attractive, fast flowing hockey. The resemblance to Arsenal was uncanny and even Mr Anderson had a certain Arsene Wenger look about him. We then beat Princethorpe 3 - 2 with excellent goals from Messer’s Hickman, Weston and Pritchard but even though we had a 3 - 0 lead we were our own worst enemies and only a sensational
Coach’s Report.
A
s is becoming a tradition in these articles during my WGS career, I would like to thank this years’s captain, Puv, for his commitment, dedication and hard work as captain. He certainly led from the front and deservedly was awarded the Purshouse Hockey prize for his efforts. Credit is also due to John Hickman who finished top goal scorer with eight goals. I am certain John will enjoy his year as captain. Thank you to all the boys who played school hockey this year. NJCA
Mixed Hockey Tournament.
T
he mixed tournament at the end of the season was something we had all looked forward to but our lack of profligacy up front cost us time and time again. Our ‘A’ team was put into a touch group but battled valiantly to finish third in their group so just missed out on qualification to the semi-finals. The ‘B’ team showed real promise but their remarkable ability to miss open goals cost them and despite looking good just missed out on qualification by two points. The ‘C’ and ‘D’ teams battled well but were drawn up against the eventual winners Thomas Telford who were just too strong. The two best teams Adams’ Grammar School and Thomas Telford contested the final but after a gruelling contest Thomas Telford emerged victorious 2-1. NJCA
68 | Wulfrunian 2011
penalty save from Jake Rowlands prevented a comeback. After this victory we thumped Adams’ Grammar School 4 - 1 with Nick Bandurak returning to the side to score a fantastic hat trick. We then beat Old Swinford Hospital 6 - 0 with some squad players all making valuable contributions in the goal-scoring department. We then moved on to play the head’s old school KES, Camp Hill with Owen Shave scoring two, Henry Grantham-Wright opening his school account, Matt Pritchard continuing his fine form and Nick Bandurak scoring two. Unfortunately we lost to a much older and stronger Shrewsbury sixth form side where not even a brace from Nick could save us. A good performance against KES Aston gave us a 1-0 win but it could have been a very
different story had Ben Hart not converted one of our umpteen chances. Unfortunately after this we lost our fluency and suffered defeats at the hands of Thomas Telford, Adams’ Grammar School and twice to King Edward’s, Birmingham. The fact that we have been able to compete with schools that are much larger than our own with a far wider talent pool is a true testament to the ability and determination to work on our skill of the team. I would like to thank Mr Anderson for organising the fixtures and driving the minibus, OW Glyn Thomas for umpiring and all the squad for what was an enjoyable final season in my grammar school hockey career. I wish the squad all of the best under the able tutorage of John Hickman for next season. Puvann Samra, U6
Winter Sports.
Girls cross country. On a blustery Autumn afternoon schools from across the city arrived at WGS for the first league race.
W
GS dominated across the age groups and it was quite a sight to see over 150 girls running around
the school grounds and it was even better to see WGS near the front of each race. In the U12 race, Poppy Nabbs took first place with ease, with Amelia Lewis, Laura Simms and Morgan Colley not far behind. In the U14 race Hannah Lea finished high with Eve Webb, Alex Wilmot and Chelsey Russell not far behind. Finally in the senior race, Zoe Stirling, Becky Bradley and Freya Husselbee finished strong putting the team in 3rd place. The following two league races followed similar suit, with Poppy Nabbs being a
dominant force remaining unbeaten by some margin. The journey team won the U12 competition, the U14 team came 4th and the senior team 3rd after the final races. In April the girls once again took to the fields for the City Championships with Poppy Nabbs taking gold, Amelia Lewis runner up and all other girls performing magnificently. A very successful season with much strength and depth for the future. Well done to all. AMM
Boys cross country. As usual the season was split into two halves, with the league races filling the first part, and the Championships providing a challenging ending.
the team. The championships were extremely competitive, as ever, with some excellent
performances from all who ran, Andrew Shave, particularly standing out. NHC
W
ith the League races being held at Smestow, Colton Hills and Wednesfield, there were different challenges for the boys to face, and all those who represented the school teams should be pleased with how they performed. The Year 7 squad learned fast about judging the pace of races, and the likes of Manraj Dhillon, Ben Oswald, Max Diment and Daniel Adams all ran impressively. With Tom Genner, Callum Addis and Aaron Bachra also pushing themselves hard in the runs, the squad can be pleased finishing a close second overall. The Year 8/9 team carried all before them. Alex Buckham and Roshan Jakhu dominated some of the races, but received good support from the likes of Josh Evans and John Hickman and Andrew Shave competing well; it was a great team effort. Dan Genner led the 10/11 team to victory in the League, with a number of impressive runs. His determined running style, grinding it out from the front, has been working well, and led to him running in some representative races. He pushed the senior runners on a number of occasions. It was good to see the Coast 2 Coast team, come out and represent the school as well, adding strength and depth to Wulfrunian 2011 | 69
Winter Sports.
Girls hockey. 1st XI
T
he girls 1st XI hockey team this season has been exciting with a lot of positives. It has been extremely enjoyable to be involved with everyone on the team, with the high levels of optimism and enthusiasm at every match. We started off the season with a couple of defeats against Wrekin and Ellesmere but then really got stuck into the match against Newcastle-under-Lyme School, where we drew 1 - 1. Eleanor Barnett, who played centre half, scored our first goal of the season! It was a challenging match with Chloe Harrison, our centre forward, making the crucial runs and tackles. In the county rounds tournament, we drew against Denstone, which we found an amazing achievement as we lost against them 8 - 0 in a previous match and they are one of our toughest opponents. We drew 1 - 1 with King Edward VI School and won 1 - 0 against Stafford Grammar
School. With the success from the county rounds, we carried our confidence to Abbotsholme where we won our first match of the season 2 – 0: Sammi Wright and myself finding the back of the net. This match proved how much the team has bonded and formed friendships over the season as everyone was working and communicating together to secure our win. Our right wingers Charlotte Jarvis and Becky Bradley and our left wingers Amy Frost and Eleanor Beech were playing extremely hard this match with their constant runs and tackles up and down the right side of pitch. This was definitely the highlight of our season. Our next match against Princethorpe School was very tough with a loss of 10 - 0. This match did not reflect our true abilities as a team and we were very let down by the result. Therefore in the next match against Tettenhall College we picked up our confidence and enthusiasm to win 1 - 0. Our
defence worked extremely hard with Charlotte Fellows-Cox, Lydia Collard, Victoria Askew and Jaskiran Gill making the vital tackles which ensured our win, With centre forward Harriet Cox, Charlotte Hedgcock on the left half, Sammi Wright on the right half, and Eleanor Barnett as centre half, we ended the season on a high by winning against King Edward’s Stourbridge School 6 - 1! Our main goalscorer this season Eleanor Barnett, who has scored amazing goals. Our new goalkeeper, Niamh Murphy has been outstanding all season and has made some really fantastic saves. I would like to say a huge thank you to the team for a great season! I would also like to thank Mrs Hannah and Miss Wilcox for being such fantastic coaches! Tamira Patel, U6
special mention has to go to Hannah Fellows-Cox who had great commitment in midfield and to Emily Birch who was committed on the wing. Our next game was against Newcastle-under-Lyme with another loss of 2-0. The last few matches, as you can imagine, had really dampened our spirits. The next match really illustrated this with a heavy 6 - 0 defeat against King’s Warwick. Credit goes to Ffyona Downes, who shouted encouragement during the match and tried to get our spirits up. Our next game was against King Edward’s, Five Ways, we lost 4 - 1. Special mention in this game goes to Laura Legister and Phoebe Love-Lowe who were strong in defence. At half time we were 1 - 0 up but unfortunately in the second half we lost shape. The goal scorer was Abi Houghton who combined with Amy Chew to score in our best move of the match. The last two matches were an U15/U16
combined team. We faced Newcastle-under-Lyme again with a draw this time of 0 - 0. Special mention goes to Molly Cooper who played strongly as sweeper, getting the ball into their half consistently. As well to Simran Samra who committed to every tackle. The last match was against another local team - Wolverhampton Girls’ High, and finally we ended on a good note with a 3 - 0 win. The goal scorers were Barney scoring two and Emily scoring one. Special mention in this game as well goes to Maisie Gelder who offered strong encouragement and dedication. Overall, this being the last year that we will play hockey as a year group, I am proud to say everyone throughout has played to the best of their abilities and have put 100 percent in, even if times got tough. Well played girls! Rachel Booth, 10E
the team and has improved radically and definitely should be aiming to do her best again next year. In out last match of the season against Bablake we lost rather heavily, and it was a disappointing end to the year. This year has been a real learning curve for the team and I know that everyone has taken onboard the lesson and we will continue to train hard and face the next season with renewed confidence. To finish I must say a huge thank you to our coach
Miss Wilcox, whose bright, bubbly and positive attitude kept everybody’s spirits high. We learnt a lot from her and she will be sorely missed. Pippi Grantham-Wright, 9B
U15
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his year, U15 hockey had its ups and its downs. Although the scores haven’t been in our favour, the team morale certainly has. Throughout the season we played 8 games in total, with 5 losses, 1 draw and 2 wins. The start of the season wasn’t the start we were all hoping for with a 0 - 1 away loss against King Edward’s, Edgbaston. Our next game had a more positive start, with a 5 - 0 win against local team - Tettenhall College. Sarah Hickman scored an excellent goal using a flick, Amy Chew, Rachel Booth, Hannah Fellows-Cox and Lizzie Sargent all found the back of the net. Ellie Amos also played well and battled throughout, shouting from the back, and giving us lots of advice; and Louise Hingley made some cracking saves in goal. Our next game was against Stafford Grammar School, with another loss, of 1 - 0. In this game,
U14
2
010/2011 was certainly not a good year for the U14 hockey statistically, having only won one match and drawn one. That being said, we fought through our losses with a deeper commitment to team spirit. Although we weren’t doing so brilliantly in our matches; we kept training hard each week and progressed with our skills and fitness. A player who showed great strength this year was Kez Husselbee who was committed and dedicated to
70 | Wulfrunian 2011
Winter Sports.
U13
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hat proved to be a tough season started with a defeat against King Edward’s, Birmingham. Our following games were whilst on tour in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. We came back unbeaten after a 0 - 0 draw against a strong RGS Newcastle team and a win against a local hockey club, Morpeth. The opposition
consisted of a mix of both boys and girls of varying ages. A disappointing Denstone tournament saw us win one game and lose two, both 1 - 0. The highlight for our team was a 6 - 0 thrashing of our local rivals Wolverhampton Girls’ High. During the season we played 11; won 5; drew 3 and lost 3; our better performances again coming
towards the end of the season. Thank you to all the parents for their support throughout the season and special thanks to Miss McAllister and Mrs Dyer for putting up with us and making the Newcastle Hockey Tour such fun and a great experience. Bex Roberts, 8P
tournament and won one, lost two and drew one. After practicing our tackling, hitting and roll outs, we were ready to play our next match against King Edward’s Five Ways (we played against their Year 8s)! For the first half of the match they had more possession of the ball but in the second half with some excellent play from our defenders Immy Gibbons, Morgan Colley and Tanya Kasinganeti (goal keeper) we
managed to keep the score at 0 - 0. To finish the season we played a 12-a-side match against Wolverhampton Girls’ High which we lost 2 - 1. The top goal scorers for the season were Poppy Nabbs and myself. As captain I would like to thank Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and all the parents for their wonderful support. Amelia Lewis, 7R
U12A
T
he season for the team started very well with a 4 - 0 win against King Edward’s, followed by a 3-0 win against Wrekin. We were very pleased with our strong start and were determined to learn new skills to improve our style. The season consisted of two tournaments. The first one was at Solihull where we won two matches, lost two matches and drew one match. We then played at the Denstone
U12B
W
e had a year of mixed results starting with an amazing game against Wrekin. It was a sunny day and when that whistle blew, about every girl jumped. But those nerves and enthusiasm paid off as we gained a 4 - 0 victory including two goals scored by our talented winger Geneva Hoffman. The winning streak continued as we played a match against Wolverhampton Girls’ High School, I could not attend this match but I heard they played excellently and could proudly announce a 5 - 1 win. After having our winning streak, our next match was against NULS. After the opponents
scored two goals, we all felt it was over, apart from two girls from Big Six who weren’t giving up. Annabelle Hollinshead played brilliantly and Poppy O’Hara scored a magnificent goal making the game end with a 2 - 1 loss. It was great to see talented players in Big Six and I hope they will shine in the following years. We experienced a 2 - 0 loss against King Edward VI Five Ways and played NULS again earning ourselves a respectable 2 - 2 draw. The teachers have been great coaches and my teammates have played fabulously. Thank you everyone! Charlotte Forrester, 7S
Wulfrunian 2011 | 71
Winter Sports.
Netball. 1st VII
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his season has been both an enjoyable and challenging one. The squad trained really hard and were rewarded with some great performances against strong sporting schools such as Bablake, King Edward’s, Stourbridge and Adams’ Grammar. Early in the season we faced Cheltenham Ladies’ College, an eagerly anticipated fixture for all squads. After a brilliant start which saw us leading 21 - 15 at half time, we were unable to keep it up. Cheltenham’s shooters found the net at every opportunity and by the time the final whistle blew, the score line read 27 - 34. As much as this was a disappointment, the performance the girls displayed in the first half and the fighting spirit that remained in the second was a sign of exciting things to come. Sure enough, the squad was quick to bounce back and we soon secured victories over Shrewsbury VIth Form College, King Edward’s, Stourbridge and Adams’ Grammar. A particular highlight of the season was the National Schools’ Championships, where we took part in both the County and Regional rounds. Success continued throughout the remainder of the season. One of the best performances was against Bablake, a team who had progressed to the Nationals. In the final quarter, it was goal-for-goal. However, some great turnovers in defence and accurate shooting in attack meant we could pull ahead and finish the match leading 28 - 25. Similar success was seen by the U18 A team, who finished the season unbeaten. The most notable performances were against Tettenhall College and Heath Park, where we
won 32 - 5 and 23 - 0 respectively. However, my own personal highlight has to be when the upper sixth form girls challenged the boys to a netball match. The boys enlisted the help of Mrs Dalzell to ensure they were well prepared for the clash. Teachers, parents and students of all ages gathered in the sports hall and the match ensued to a backdrop of music, chants and cheers. After a fiercely fought battle, with sweat and blood shed by both sides… [cue drumroll] … the girls emerged victorious! Whilst we can shed a sigh of relief, the boys can be extremely proud of themselves for being such tough opposition. The final score, a close 14 - 11,
is a reflection of how well the boys played. I look forward to hearing of future clashes between the students of WGS and hope that the girls’ reputation for being the best netballers remains untarnished. Good luck to all of the teams next year and I’d like to say congratulations to Jodie Hoffman on her new captaincy. She has played some outstanding netball the past two years and will be a great role model to the girls. Last but certainly not least, thank you to Miss McAllister, Mrs Dyer, Mrs Harris and Miss Whittaker, whose hard work and effort has made this season so successful. Jordan Moxey - U6
the match progressed we managed to pull away taking a 16 - 11 lead. By the third quarter the opposition had stepped up a gear leaving us 18 - 19 down and unable to recover. Unfortunately they maintained their lead and the final score was 23 - 24. Although a loss, we learnt a lot from the match and from then on became stronger as a team.
In the second half of the season we maintained a solid performance winning six out of seven matches, our biggest victory being against Oswestry School, where outstanding shooting from Carrie Wright and Sophie Warren led us to a victory of 43 - 7. Overall the season has been enjoyable and successful. Fiona Jones - L6
quite literally, at times, with me face-planting on the court. This was a definite highlight for Charlotte Holman. Most of all I'll remember the 'thirds banter'; 'that's SO funny'. Over-enthusiastic defending followed us everywhere, often aimed at shooter Harriet Carver, or sometimes dished out by our own Lauren Dennis! We won more matches than it
seems we did, due to a special kind of determination that only 'the thirds' could possess, and I hope that this year, finally, Shrewsbury Sixth Form College get to see that determination in action - provided the game isn't constantly stopped because of non-existent footwork! Stephanie Thomas U6
2nd VII
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e had a great start to the season beating our rivals Cheltenham Ladies’ College 21 - 3. We then went on to win six out of eight other fixtures. One match which particularly stood out was a fixture against Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School. It proved a battle from the very beginning and after the first quarter it was a draw at 7 - 7. As
3nd VII
O
ne day a 3rd VII will beat Shrewsbury Sixth Form College. That day did not come for us this year, even though we played them virtually every week. We did win several games against other schools and our best performance was against Telford New College, with a glorious 32-5 victory. We had our ups and downs throughout the season and 72 | Wulfrunian 2011
Winter Sports.
4th VII
I
enjoyed captaining the 4th VII netball team in the Autumn and Spring Term of this school year. Throughout the netball season we played in some very close, competitive matches. Our first game against Shrewsbury sixth form, was very tense; by the end of the second quarter WGS and Shrewsbury were drawing 10 - 10, but unfortunately in the second half,
Shrewsbury emerged as the stronger team and we lost 19 - 30. The highlight of our season was our game against William Brookes. The game didn’t get off to the most promising of starts for us as we were trailing by one shot by half time. However, an improvement in our play saw us pull back the score in the second half to win 15 - 11. I was really pleased with the progress the
team made throughout the season, both in training and in matches. On that note I would like to thank, on behalf of the team, the sports teachers for the hard work they invested in organising our matches and training throughout the netball season. Megan Caswell - L6
College. After some great interceptions and defence we were 10 - 4 up at half time and went on to win 18 - 9. We played our next three matches losing narrowly to Bablake, winning 29 - 4 against the Girls’ High and against Codsall, 23 - 6. Due to superb team efforts we qualified for the final where we once again faced Tettenhall College. We were playing a team who had
trained together all year round and had great experience but we carried on fighting to the end. Unfortunately we lost narrowly 15 - 14. As the last match of the season we travelled to Oswestry where we ended our Under 16 season on a high; winning 31 - 13. Superb play by all the girls and many thanks to Mrs Dyer and Miss McAllister for being great coaches. Abbie Jones - 11B
6 and 29 - 11, respectively. We ended our winning streak with a disappointing loss to the Girls’ High School of 9 - 12. We picked up our steam again thrashing Codsall High with a tremendous score of 30 - 3. Unfortunately, we lost our last match to Bablake 28 - 9, we were disappointed but could not be too upset as our performances throughout the season had been solid and we were the League Champions beating the Girls’ High School in the finals 15 - 11.
The City Tournament was played at the start of the Autumn Term and I’m pleased to say that once again we took the title playing our rivals (the Girls’ High) in the finals and winning. It’s been a great season and even though our star shooter Sarah Hickman was injured, Laura Legister stepped in and played fantastically well- we couldn’t have done it without her. Well done team, onwards and upwards. Phoebe Love-Lowe,10E
of the regional competition, I know that all the girls are geared up to making it to the Nationals next season. A win against Newcastle-under-Lyme 30 - 21 took us into our last game of the season against Ellesmere College at home. The whole team put all the skills learnt during the season into use in this game and crushed Ellesmere 37 - 11! Overall our results in the league put us into the final where we met Wolverhampton Girls’ High
once more. We held our nerve and had a pleasing win 22 - 13 which meant we had won the league for three years in a row, well done girls. Many thanks to our parents who have supported us at home and away during the season. Special thank you to our coaches Miss McAllister and Miss Wilcox for all their guidance and help throughout the year. Olivia Jones - 9C
U16A
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hen the season started our team was somewhat short as members of our team had chosen senior hockey. Having borrowed these girls back we began our fifth season of netball as the U16s. Due to playing for separate teams (and sports) we lacked the experience of playing together but we were well up for the first match of the season against our local rivals Tettenhall
U15A
I
t was another successful year for the U15 Netball. Our first match with Cheltenham Ladies’ College didn’t give us the result we would’ve liked; it was a narrow loss of 19 -21. However, we were soon back on our winning streak and won four matches in a row. In these games we not only won overall but dominated in every quarter. We played Tettenhall College and won spectacularly 31 - 5. Thomas Telford were defeated 29 - 18, we beat St Peter’s and King Edward’s, Birmingham convincingly at 28 -
U14A
T
he 2010/11 season was a successful year for the team, with some fine individual performances throughout. After our opening game against King Edward’s, Lichfield, winning 19 - 13, we went straight into the City Tournament where we came up against many of our city rivals. We managed to beat them all and go on to take victory 15 - 5, against Our Lady and St Chad’s School in the final. Further victories against Tettenhall College and St Peter’s, followed with a particularly strong win against King Edward’s, Birmingham 38 - 3. Kez Husselbee and Pip Grantham-Wright showed precision shooting in this game, hardly missing any of their chances. Only a loss to Bablake School, 16 - 13, dampened our spirits. However we soon picked ourselves up with further victories against Codsall High 26 - 4, Heath Park 29 - 5 and King Henry’s 28 - 23. We also had a convincing win against our strong local rivals, Wolverhampton Girls’ High, yet they proved tough opposition. Our defence Amrit Mann, Fiona Shorthouse and Kim Kandola were the difference between the two teams and held firm in a 26 - 12 eventual scoreline. This year also saw us enter the county and regional rounds. With a near miss in the semi-final
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Winter Sports.
U14B
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his year we have won three games out of a possible six, however that didn’t stop us from reaching the finals of our netball league. Unfortunately we did lose to Ounsdale, 11 - 16, but this was still our first time to actually ever reach the finals. Also this was the first time we had got a certificate and a medal for our netball skills. I am very proud
to be part of the U14B netball team and I am also very proud of what the team has achieved over the past three years we have been playing together. I would like to say thank you to my team mates for supporting me as the captain and helping me to ensure our netball can be of the best standard we can play. Therefore, thank you to Abbi Lavill, Amrita
Samra, Bethany Parlane, Chelsey Russell, Ellen Hopwood, Lara Fraser, Olivia Bolas, Serena Gangar and Tejas Netke for all their hard work and commitment to the team. All I can say now, is bring on next year because the Bs are going to come back fighting! Mary-Anne Willets - 9A
College 32-2. Throughout the season we played very well with only four losses. We also made it through to the League Final and came across our biggest rivals, the Girls’ High School; we played a very exciting match and convincingly conquered them 27-17. Throughout the season and year, I was very proud of how we played and improved. On
behalf of the team and myself, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and Miss Wilcox, for all their excellent coaching. I’d also like to thank my team mates for all their hard work and dedication. Finally I’d like to say thank you to all the team’s parents for their time and support. Emily Lewis - 8Q
won a lot more matches than last year. Our best victory this year was against Wednesfield in a local league and won 10 - 1. After this, we went to the second round of the local league and beat St Edmund’s, 9 - 4. Apart from our amazing victories we have had loses; Ounsdale 9 - 10 and St Dominic’s 7 - 10. In both of these matches we were very close and only lost by a few goals. We did learn from our
mistakes and next year, we’ll be sure to beat them. Aside from the team, we wouldn’t have won any of our matches without the help from our brilliant sport teachers, who put up with us when we weren’t our best and who made every netball practice fun. So on behalf of my team, I would like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and Miss Wilcox. Daisy Brazenell - 8Q
lost by the narrowest of margins. Nevertheless, we can hold our heads high and believe that next year we can win the league. We also faced WGHS in the final of the City Tournament in which we played magnificently. After a very closely fought match we came out on top as worthy winners! I know we couldn’t have achieved so much
without the coaching and the time that the PE staff contributed to the team. I am overwhelmed at the commitment that the team showed in the snow, rain and hail. I would like to thank the teachers and my loyal team mates for their dedication to WGS and the Year 7 Netball Team. Poppy Nabbs - 7Q
U13A
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he U13A team has progressed remarkably since last year. We have really bonded as a team, our performances have become so much stronger and also our commitment to netball has shown throughout the year. We started really well by beating Thomas Telford 12-7, then continuing on a high; beating Perton Middle School 10-4, and thrashing Tettenhall
U13B
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would like to say a big thank you to all my team mates for playing a great season of netball. Throughout the season we have won more matches than lost. This is because of the fantastic team work and skills that we have improved on throughout the year. Helen Clinton and Liz Mahon have worked extremely hard this season in their shooting skills, the whole team is very grateful for this, as we have
U12A
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am so proud of my team this year, they have played brilliantly. We have made outstanding progress throughout the year and I know we can improve even more in Year 8. The culmination of our season was the incredibly tense final against the Wolverhampton Girls’ High School, which went to extra time twice! Disappointingly, we
U12B
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his season has been a pretty good season as we won six games and lost four. We also came first in the City league final and came 5th in the City Tournament. Winning the league 11 - 0 was a great victory for our team. The tournament was very close as we nearly made the semi-finals but it came down to goal difference. Our most exciting game was against King Henry’s School, Coventry. In the first quarter the score was close and we were losing 2 - 1. At half time it was all level at 5 - 5. In the third quarter they pulled ahead 9 - 5 and at the final whistle we lost 11 - 7. We all thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of such a close game. Thank you to Big Six player, Jemima Cooke who was a strong shooter in the circle and to all the players throughout the season. Well done! Holly Langston - 7P 74 | Wulfrunian 2011
Winter Sports.
Gymnastics. e gymnasts of the school once again graced the arena for this year’s City Championships.
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he competition had a change of venue for the first time in a while and we headed across to Deansfield High School, home to Wolverhampton Gym Club for the day. The 22 WGS gymnasts looked ever the professionals in glamorous leotards and performed their practised floor routines and vaults with flair. Leading by example, captain Alice Baldwin demonstrated how it should be done by winning gold on floor and silver on vault. She was supported by Abi Lavill and Serena Samra both picking up medals on the vault.
This year also saw WGS put out a team in the U13 club category, which was excellent to watch. It was a closely fought competition with many exciting floor routines and daring vaults and it will be great to see them progress throughout the years. Much deserved thanks needs to go to Mr Johnson, who supported all the girls and myself this season. His ‘go for it girl’ approach has really developed the vaulting within the squad. Well done girls, and I look forward to the medal haul next year! AMM
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sports.
Summer
Summer Sports.
76 | Wulfrunian 2011
Summer Sports.
Cricket. 1st XI
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t was a strange season for the 1st XI, which never really got going until the end of June. A late Easter, and then exams, meant that we only had a handful of games before half term. This saw a strong performance which ended in defeat against King’s Worcester, and a good victory against Oswestry, with Will Nield scoring a century. With a number of games unable to be rearranged, the team did not meet up again until KES Birmingham, never an easy game at the best of times. Despite the team’s best efforts, we lost, however Tom Weston showed, not for the first time, what potential he has as a batsman. Further frustrating defeats followed against Repton and Wrekin, the latter by two runs. The disappointment felt by the team after these defeats was taken out somewhat on Newcastle-under-Lyme School, who we beat convincingly. A century from Tom Weston helped, as did the fact he was dropped on nought! The last week of term, saw the usual busy schedule. A loss against the Old Boys, and a draw against an increasingly youthful Greenflies team, produced some solid displays, but the team did well to beat QEGS Walsall, never an easy place to play. Unfortunately the Heads XI game was rained off. In the National 20/20 competition, we were drawn against KES Birmingham and Denstone. A young WGS side competed well against
KES, however found the array of talent that Denstone have managed to put together, too strong. Despite some frustrations, the boys must take immense credit for the positive way that they played. In the end, the captain sets the tone for the team to follow, and Michael Jones led the way with great enthusiasm, and plenty of skill. He has matured greatly as a cricketer, and is now a very proficient batsman and off spin bowler. He will go on and play some very good cricket. Will Nield, next year’s captain, has big boots to fill, however Will is confident character, and is certain to rise to the challenge. Will showed on a number of occasions what a talent he has, and I know he will set himself high standards next year. Our batting was impressive at times. Michael and Will did not have to shoulder all the responsibility; Tom Weston saw to that, producing a number of outstanding innings, the best possibly being at Walsall, in a tricky situation. To score the number of runs he did was tremendous, and he has laid down a marker for next year. Sam Amos, although not always finding it easy at the top of the order, kept battling, and will remain an integral part of the team next year. The middle order was full of experience, with Mike Inglis, Sam Griffiths, Nick Bandurak, who unfortunately missed a large part of the season due to injury, and towards the end of the season, Josh Banks and Henry Grantham-Wright, added
some useful runs. Tom Watson, who also kept wicket very tidily, hit the ball with great power. The bowlers can be pleased with their seasons, working hard against some strong batting line ups. Elliot Hopkin bowled with real pace, and is an exciting prospect. Aaron Patel (Year 10) stepped up, and bowled extremely well in a number of games, Luke Gainham, with Sam and Mike and Danny Lamsdale bowled tidily, and Ashwin Abraham-Thomas’ left arm spinners bamboozled many. The season was in the end a success, although it was disappointing to lose the Head’s XI game to the weather. All the players deserve credit, for their efforts, not only this year, but for those leaving - the previous six. Tom and Les produced some excellent wickets, and many thanks to Brian Hall (OW) and Bob Mason for help umpiring and Jaqui for scoring. We now all look forward to what will hopefully be an enjoyable quincentary season. Averages 2011 Batting Inns T WESTON 9 M JONES 8 W NIELD 8
Runs Average 478 59.75 264 37.71 258 36.85
Bowling Overs Maidens Runs Wickets M JONES 66 9 269 15 E HOPKIN 58 9 228 10 NJC
2nd XI
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t is testament to the number of students that play cricket at school that the standard of the 2nd XI team is so high. The team is very much used to support the 1st XI side, so that when called upon players can make the necessary transition and some students can feel genuinely disappointed that they did not play for the top team more. One player who successfully made the transition was Josh Banks who is useful batsman to throw in to make quick runs in the middle order, and this he managed successfully. Stalwarts such as Puvann Samra and David Jackson were essential to the team and both are good technical batsmen that should continue to play at university. Gavin Cheema should definitely be pushing for a 1st team place next season if he puts his mind to it. John Hickman is another very good all rounder who has a lot to offer the game. Ed Potts hits the ball miles as he proved in one particular innings when he sent
two sixes into orbit around Merridale. Josh Doyle ñGibbons is a useful left arm bowler who, when he gets his rhythm, is difficult for batsmen to play against. Alec Walton is such a reliable individual who is capable of some big hitting when the ball is put into his favourite arc. There were some fine bowling performances from the Year 11 players such as Tom Husselbee, Alex Daniel, Matt Pritchard and Danny Lamsdale. Josh Sanghera and Kurran Sidhu are useful cricketers to have in the squad and there was even the much appreciated cameo appearances by Corrado Manzai. Dan Jones is a good wicket keeper and, like his football, very competitive. There are no cups to play for at this level but the cricket is taken seriously and also with good banter, which makes it such an enjoyable team to coach JMJ
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Summer Sports.
U15
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he Under 15 cricket team had a reasonably good season after a rather difficult start, suffering heavy defeats against two very strong teams from King’s, Chester and Bolton School. However, after this things began to improve; against King’s. Worcester we scored 184, with Arun Patel finishing on 97 not out, and then bowled them out for 96, with both Arun and Sam Linney taking 4 wickets apiece. Bishop Vesey’s School were our next opponents and we won comfortably with Sam Linney scoring an undefeated 112.
After a difficult game against RGS. Worcester we then played KES Five Ways, here rain curtailed the game but there was time enough for Sam Linney to take 5 wickets in dismissing them for 54. Then came Repton, the biggest game of the season. We bowled first and took some early wickets but they recovered to make 113, a respectable target under the circumstances. Like Repton we then lost some early wickets but James Caswell batted throughout our innings and scored 41 not out, and with Wahab Malik also scoring 40 we gained a very encouraging win by 4 wickets. Both Sam Linney and James
Caswell also made good scores against our final opponents, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and another victory was recorded. Overall there were excellent contributions with bat and ball from Sam Linney and Arun Patel and other encouraging performances from James Caswell, Wahab Malik, Ed Farley, Isaac Hobbs, Tom Heath and Dom Price. On behalf of the team I would like to thank Mr Browning for giving up his time to coach the team and to thank the parents for their support throughout the season. Arun Patel,10E - Captain
Arguably one of our biggest highs of the season was a 4 run victory against Newcastle-under-Lyme. This was made to be special because due to illness and other commitments, we were restricted to players available. However, we worked well together as a team posting a competitive 95 off our 25 overs. Our bowlers and fielders fought hard to bowl Newcastle out for 90, with a notable performance from Sam Timmins who got a 5 wicket haul. We also had a successful cup run which included wins against Aldridge, Ellows Hall and Stafford Grammar. This eventually ended in the
semi-finals where we were beaten by Denstone. There were many encouraging performances during this competition from the entire team, most notably from Jack Griffiths, Tom Costin, Aaron Wilson, Ally Carey, Ciaran Singh and myself. Overall, it was a much improved season from the last and the lads should be proud of their efforts. Also, many thanks to Mr David and Mr King for giving up their time to coach us throughout the season. Sandeep Sandramouli, 9A
Nevertheless, this allowed other players to come into the team and show their talent. In particular, Henry Purchase hit the ball hard and scored a lot of runs, George Bradley bowled with great pace and Jamie Bostock diplayed a lot of ability behind the stumps. After a couple of disappointing results the team gradually started to improve and victories over KES Birmingham, King Edward’s Five Ways and Stafford Grammar School meant that the season ended on a very positive note. For the second year running we drew John Taylor School in the County Cup semi-final.
After beating them narrowly last year they were out for revenge. They have a very strong team containing a number of County players and despite setting a good total we were unable to bowl them out. Hopefully next season we will avoid them until the final. In the final weeks of the season Stephen Jones returned to score a splendid half century and James Tatton, Ciaran Singh and Ally Carey were all bowling fast, accurately and taking wickets. The team would like to thank Mr Sutherland for all his hard work with the team this year. Ally Carey, 8Q
early wickets but again let our opponents back into the game. Victory was achieved however with more than 20 runs to spare. There followed a nail biting victory against De Ferrers where Scott Barnett made a significant contribution. Success continued with victory against KES Five Ways but we were soon deflated by an inadequate batting, bowling and fielding performance against King Edward’s Birmingham although with the ball, Joe Timmins almost pulled off the impossible. This was followed by further disappointment in the Staffordshire Cup where we were defeated in the semi-final by John Taylor School. Ridiculous running between the wickets cost us dearly! The season ended on a high note with a thoroughly professional victory over
Newcastle-under-Lyme. Our bowling was tremendous Keiron Patel taking two wickets for 3 runs, Yash Atyan 3 for 6 and Joe Timmins 2 for 5. We knocked off their meagre total with ease. Some very good individual performances and a very positive team spirit contributed to our many successes. I would like to thank Mr Hills and Mr King for their great help through an enjoyable season. Team: Ben Oswald, Max Diment, Joe Timmins, Keiron Patel, Yash Aryan, Joe Fellows-Cox, Scott Barnett, Michael Hopson, Manraj Dhillon, Nikhil Sharma, Tom Clinton and Tom Genner.
U14
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ur season got underway with a tough opener against King’s Worcester. We never really got going with the ball and Kings posted a sizeable 235 off their 35 overs. We lost wickets at regular intervals and eventually subsided to 95 all out, which was a disappointing start to our campaign. Sadly, we also lost in our next match against RGS Worcester, although this match was much more closely contested. Despite this defeat, we knew we were capable of much better and got back to winning ways with a comfortable 7 wicket win against King Edward VI Five Ways.
U13
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s reigning County champions, the U13 squad trained hard over the winter months (7.30 am every Friday morning) and were looking forward to the new season with great confidence. Unfortunately things did not go to plan. During the Easter holiday all-rounder Gurtej Randhawa broke his arm and would miss the whole of the season. Within half an hour of the start of the first game of the season Ally Carey (finger), Luis Evitt (hand) and Stephen Jones (knee) were queuing at casualty and would all miss a substantial part of the short cricket season.
U12
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his has been a largely successful season for the U12 team despite not reaching the final of the Staffordshire Cup. The season started in fine style with an opening win against King’s Worcester. Kieron Patel made 27 not out in our innings of just over 100 runs but victory was only sealed by a good bowling spell from Max Diment when a win seemed to be slipping from our grasp. The next fixture against Bishop Vesey’s, School was a fairly comfortable win having been delayed by rain. The next day we set off to RGS Worcester. We won the toss and battled first. After early wickets we struggled to 120 all out off our 35 overs thanks largely to Max Diment’s 50 not out and the lower order making useful contributions. We then took 78 | Wulfrunian 2011
Ben Oswald, 7P
Summer Sports.
Badminton. Another busy season for our badminton players.
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he club on Tuesdays and Thursdays continues to thrive and it has been encouraging that a number of those students who have worked at their games so hard, are getting the opportunity to play in competitive situations. In the badminton leagues, our seniors under the captaincy of Sam Amos, played consistently well. With Will Nield offering strong support, in both singles and doubles,
and the likes of Tom Watson and Rob Pinning combining to make a fearsome doubles partnership, we ended up runners up in a strong league. Both Will and Sam reached the latter stages of the city championships, which were not completed by the end of the school year. Our intermediates played with plenty of skill, with Ben Hart once again showing what a promising player he is. Their squad was a strong one, with Matt Gwardiak, Adam Barlow, Henry Grantham-Wright and Harry Duff-Walker all playing well. It was also good to see AJ Brennan and Jacob Howard making their league debuts. The junior squad goes from strength to strength, with the side often having to work a
rotation so all the lads could play. Ally Carey and Silas Lawrence were regulars, along with Stephen Jones, Jack Harris,Thomas Grainger, and Hugh Churn. A number of other players made great progress through the year. The city championships proved to be competitive, so congratulations to James Tatton and Silas Lawrence for their victory in doubles, and Ben Hart’s continued success at intermediate level. Rob Pinning battled hard to win the senior plate. In the senior competition, Freddie Gough and Shobhan Dhir in the final year, showed they still retained some of their ability – although they did go out in the early rounds. NHC / JMJ
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weapons, it was dropped from the curriculum. However, fencing is once again becoming a popular sport for children. Although we have only been fencing at WGS for half a term many of the students are getting used to their swords and are flourishing in the art of fencing, I hope fencing will grow in popularity and remain at WGS for many years to come. Tom Aston, 8S
Fencing. I was first introduced to fencing by WGS’ current coach Ralph Aldis at my previous school.
enjoyed it so much that after conversing with Mr Johnson we finally brought fencing to WGS. Fencing was first part of the Olympics in the summer of 1896 and has been a part of them ever since. At one time fencing was part of the high school physical education programme but towards the second half of the 20th century, due to health and safety and the thought that it was making children violent and encouraging them to use dangerous
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Summer Sports.
Tennis. T
he season started early with the Year 10 team qualifying for the National Finals in Nottingham. This was an excellent achievement, having overcome the likes of Shrewsbury School to get there. This is an extremely competitive event, and we managed to get through our first round, but then unfortunately lost in the quarter final. To reach the last eight in the country is an outstanding achievement, so Henry Paroki, Alex Dmitrewski, Adam Barlow, Matt Pritchard and Matt Gwardiak, deserve tremendous credit. The new season started with the Year 10 team seeking to get through to the Nationals again. Having beaten St Peter’s and Old Swinford, they unfortunately came unstuck against a strong Ellesmere College team. Again, Alex competed well, along with Spencer Osbourne, Elliot Mcdowell, and Ed Cooper, who is part of a number of good young players, making excellent progress. With the likes of Alex Kemp, Hugh Curn and Tom Costin all competing well in city events, the future of WGS tennis looks bright. NHC / JMJ
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race Baker, Abi Houghton, Fiona Jones and Ria Wagstaff were the awesome foursome in the Senior Girls' Tennis
team. This year saw the 100th year anniversary of the Midland Girls' Tennis Tournament. On the 7th May, the senior girls' tennis squad headed over to King Edward VI High School for Girls for a day of tennis celebration and doubles tournament competition. Sixteen schools from across the Midlands competed with Abi Houghton pairing up with Grace Baker and Ria Wagstaff partnering Fiona Jones. The day began rather stormy with heavy rain and dark cloud, so in traditional Wimbledon style 'rain stopped play' for just over an hour. After that the day brightened up and the girls competed in 6 doubles matches playing in two divisions. Both pairs battled hard and despite not reaching the final, produced performances they should all be proud of. This 100th anniversary annual tournament was also attended by former Wimbledon Champion, British No 1 and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Ann Jones, who presented the tournament plates and trophy to the winners
and entertained guests with tales of her own tennis experiences. In the National Aberdare Cup Competition the girls healthily beat Newcastle-Under-Lyme School in the first round. They were joined by Georgina Baker in the second round but sadly lost to a very strong Ellesmere College. In the rest of the school, the U13 squad lost to WGHS in the local league and the U15 squad took the Girls' High match to a tie break where they sadly lost 10-4. AMM
Swimming. is was the second year of the new format for the City Swimming Championships, held at e Royal School.
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plit into two sections, junior and senior, we took our enthusiastic teams down to take on the Royal’s Swimming Academy, amongst others. They proved very strong, particularly at senior level, however our lads competed extremely well. In the senior competition, Louis Brazenell, led from the front, producing some excellent swims, and the contributions from Sam Griffiths, Freddie Gough and Mike Inglis will never be forgotten, by all who witnessed them. The juniors also battled hard, with Tim Evans and Josh Evans winning medals. Oliver Bramley showed tremendous technique and was unlucky to miss out on a medal, and Ed Cooper one of our younger swimmers showed potential. The ladies also took to the pool in the U13 gala. They came up against some strong opposition but performed very well. Many thanks to all others who took part, and we look forward to next years competition. NHC / AMM 80 | Wulfrunian 2011
Summer Sports.
Rounders. Big Six A his year the Big Six Rounders A team had two matches, one of which we lost and the other we won. Both matches were very close and were against Stafford Prep School. On the day we travelled to Stafford we lost by just one and a half rounders. I won the toss so we fielded first. Their first three batters were good but we soon stumped them out on second, fourth and first respectively. The rest of the batters were hitting balls along the floor and our long
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barriers were a bit rusty so we had trouble fielding to start off with. However, as we settled into the game our fielding got much better. We then batted and most rounders were scored by Eddie Cooper who hit the ball further than any fielder could throw. We were 7-4 down at half time. But being a WGS team we tightened up our fielding and got all of them out, quick as a flash, but with only a couple of good hits in our second innings we
knew we had lost. On the rematch at home we were ready. We smashed the ball in all areas and our fielding was also very good so by half time we had the 7-4 advantage. In the second innings our batting once again was very good, scoring an extra five rounders to add to our score. Outstanding fielding enabled us to get Stafford all out for three rounders. Many thanks must go to Miss Wilcox for teaching us. Tom Pleydell B6Y
9 ½ – 3 ½. We were all so happy as it was the first match we won. After that match we continued to improve and did not lose again for the rest of the season which was a real achievement. I was very happy to win against Stafford Grammar as they had already beaten us in netball and they are a tough team to play against. We also played a lot of league matches and we won all of them up to the semi-final. We were all nervous about the semi-final against Moreton, but we got off to a really good start and beat them 24-3, we were now through to the final and over the moon. We were excited and nervous about the final as it was against Girl’s High, our arch-rivals, and at half time we were just ahead with a score of 11-7
½ but at this point it could of been anyone’s game. Girl’s High batted again in the second innings and only scored 2 ½ rounders, which means we won by one rounder and an innings! We were all so pleased and I was proud of how far we have come over the last term. All the practising at school had finally paid off as we won the Wolverhampton League Final. I had the privilege of being captain of this wonderful team too! We would not have had this opportunity though if it wasn't for all the teachers that have given up their time to teach us new skills and we are all very thankful. Immy Gibbons, 7S
U12A P 9
W L D 8 1 0 he rounders this year has been great, and we have all really enjoyed practices and matches. At the start of the year our rounders skills were a bit wobbly as we were just getting to know the game, but thanks to Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and Miss Wilcox we have all come on leaps and bounds. I for one am very proud of the team as we work together so well. Our first match was against Newcastle-underLyme and the weather was terrible on that day but we still played and we sadly lost 16-6. We were all disappointed but we knew we would do better next time. The second match we played was against Oswestry and we won
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U12B
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his season for rounders we all played excellently even in the games we lost. We won four out of the six games successfully beating Smestow, Ounsdale and Our Lady and St. Chad’s A and B teams. These great wins meant that we had qualified for the semi-final of the Wolverhampton City League against the Girl’s High School. We played well but the Girl’s High were just too strong for us on this occasion and we lost 10-11 ½ . I was really pleased with the team, a great season. Top scorers were: Molly James, Jemima Cooke and Makenzie Harris-Thompson. Great performances also came from Harriet Barber at backstop, Charlotte Forrester on first base and Katie Naylor who was an excellent fielder in general. I hope we can play just as well next year, if not better! Thank you to Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and Miss Wilcox for all the help in lessons and at practices. Molly James 7R
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Summer Sports.
U13A
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nce again the U13 rounders team has had a successful season. This season our year were entered into the JET national knock-out competition. We could have been drawn against schools from anywhere across the country and for the first time we played an all out innings. In the first round we were drawn against Edgbaston High School for Girls. The teams consisted of nine girls from our year and two from the year below, Immy Gibbons and Poppy Nabbs who stepped up superbly to the standard. WGS were batting first and all ready for a good win. We started slowly but with the help of Eve Webb and Isabel Jones we pulled off a victory. The next round took us to Packwood Haugh. This game didn’t seem to go as we would have liked as they too were a strong team but we still tried and at the end of both of our batting innings we ended on 8 rounders and it wasn’t too long till Packwood
U13B
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am very proud of our team. We won a lot of our matches and had a lot of fun at the same time. After Easter it was straight into training and our first match was soon upon us. Funnily it was against our A team and despite losing by rather a lot, we played well and couldn’t wait for our next match. Our next match was against Smestow and after some awesome batting by the likes of Miranda Roberts; we won 12-10 and were buzzing. In the following match against Ounsdale we weren’t doing to well after our first innings, but managed to bounce back in the second innings with great fielding by Isabel Shave, Emily Doyle-Gibbons and Isobel Sharma also some good batting by Amelia Gilmour
U14A
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t was another successful year for the U14A team winning all but one of our matches. New addition Tejas Netke made a huge difference giving us more confidence when we came to bat. Our first match was a friendly against Newcastle-under-Lyme School, we knew that this would be tight as it is always close in netball and hockey. Sadly the weather didn’t do us any favours, the heavens opened and we only got the chance, to play one innings, losing 8 – 9. However, this was a great
U14B
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011 was a very satisfying one for the U14B team. As a result of us working well together, we won many of our matches. The first match was against our A team who we unfortunately lost to however only by 8½ 82 | Wulfrunian 2011
matched our score, went passed us and won. We didn’t let our heads go down and carried on with the season winning the rest of our matches. From getting knocked out of the JET competition we went and played a friendly match before starting in the Wolverhampton City League. Our friendly match was against Newcastle-under-Lyme School. The weather wasn’t so great but it didn’t seem to bother us that much. There was great partnership between Bex Roberts at backstop and Eve Webb on first base and so it didn’t take long for these pair to stump the opposition out quickly. They were all out for 5 rounders and we then went into bat. Straight away Elizabeth Mahon scored our first rounder from the first ball followed by Emily Lewis’ backhand shot which went for another rounder. The score then finished on 7½ to us and 5 to them. The Wolverhampton City League was great. We won all our matches and qualified for the semi-final against our main rivals the Girls High School. This game soon began to look very
shaky for us when we were batting and were all out for 2½ . So with our heads still low from batting we got Girls High out for 7½. At half time we all thought it was over but with strong words from both Miss McAllister and Mrs Dyer we began to bat with determination, which seemed to pay off as we finished on 14½ and still with determination we fielded very well. The final score was given and we won 14½ -10. Now were in the final we didn’t want to repeat what happened in the semi- finals. After getting them all out for 13 we then became very nervous when we went to bat. But it paid off as we had won with 21½ rounders. We won the City League once more. Let’s hope we can repeat this again next year. I would just like to give thanks to the parents for their support and I would also like to say a big thanks to Miss McAllister and Mrs Dyer for their support and for coaching us because without them we wouldn’t have achieved what we did. Thank you. Megan Griffiths 8R
and Melissa Antwine.The final score was 8 ½8. Our winning streak continued a further two games with our biggest victory at Wednesfield, we won 22-9½ and at OLSC we won 17-14. These wins put us at the top of our league and so through to the semi-final, which we played against Perton Middle, unfortunately we lost but we were just very glad to have got that far, it was a good match and they had some very skilled batters. Throughout the year we have played well and I have seen a great improvement in everyone. Well done to the whole team but I would like to particularly congratulate Melissa Antwine, who was our top scorer with sevn rounders. A big thank you to all the members of staff who trained us for the semi-finals and for all the support they gave us throughout the season. Holly Pleydell 8R
Megan Griffiths, Year 8 who played for England during their rounders tour of Dubai,
warm up match before the local league started. We successfully beat our B team and Codsall in the first couple of matches and then travelled to Our Lady and St. Chad’s, a team that had beaten us in the semi-finals two years ago. We were all very nervous and made a few daft mistakes but a stern team talk from Mrs Dyer made us pull our socks up and come out with a great win, 16 – 9. We then went on to win our final group match and also our semi-final 18 ½ - 4 ½ against Moreton. The final was against the Girls’ High - an
excellent team but the superb triangle of Abbi Lavill (bowler), Kez Husselbee (backstop) and Pippi Grantham Wright (1st base) kept Girls’ High score down. Tejas Netke made some crucial catches in the second innings which meant that we had to go into bat and score only 1 ½ rounders. Mrs Dyer told us not to rush but I think by about the 6th ball we had made the score we needed to and were crowned champions of the Wolverhampton City League. We were over the moon! Kez Husselbee 9C
rounders. We then went on to beat Smestow 17½ - 10½, Codsall 11 – 9 and Ounsdale 20½ – 12. These were very good results for us as we beat these teams by considerable margins. Unfortunately, we were beaten in our semi-final by Wolverhampton Girls’ High but it was a close(ish) game as the score was 21 –
14! I would like to thank Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and Miss Wilcox for their brilliant coaching this year and for all of you who supported us! In addition an extra special thank you and goodbye to Miss Wilcox. As ever, we look forward to the challenges of next season! Eve Cowan, 9A
Summer Sports.
Fives. Season 2010/11 saw further expansion of Fives at WGS with the fixture list now including Rydal Penrhos, Wrekin College, Uppingham, Oakham, Shrewsbury, KES Birmingham and competitions at both Eton and Harrow.
F
ives is an integral part of the games programmes in Big Six, Year 7, 8 and 9, with the after school club flourishing and filling all courts. The WGS U13 Fives team, comprising: Silas Lawrence, James Anderson, Dan Adams, Tom Aston, John Price, Robert Pye, Ben Timmins and Shaun Alexander made a successful trip to Harrow school for the U13 championships. Many of the boys had only started playing Fives during the Year 8 games lesson and it was pleasing to see how quickly they adapted to playing in a large competition. Our first pair, James and Silas, made progress from the qualifying pools into the knockout rounds; however, a rapidly improving Rydal Penrhos pair prevented any further progress. The remaining pairs moved into the plate competitions for the rest of the afternoon play. The boys conduct throughout the day, both on and off court, was a credit to the school and their play continues to develop. Many thanks to Mrs Lawrence for her help and support during the day. Our Year 9 team of boys and girls made the trip to Eton College for the National Schools Championships. The qualifying pools in both main competitions saw WGS up against the likes of Highgate, Shrewsbury, Mill Hill and St Olaves, and all our players acquitted themselves admirably. All four pairs moved into the plate competitions for the afternoon and their play improved dramatically, with everyone finishing the day with a smile. In addition to playing Fives, the team got to take lunch at Eton College and visit the original Fives Court. It is to be hoped that as all of the team will be eligible for the same tournament next year so that we can return with even greater vigour.
Girls Team: Tejas Netke, Beth Parlane, Eve Cowan and Ellie Frith Boys Team: Sandeep Sandramouli, Aman Grewall, Myles Smith and Aarun Kahlon The Year 11 boys from WGS made their way to Eton College with great optimism after last year’s success at the U15 Nationals. However, Fives at U16 level this year turned out to be highly competitive. Tom Weston and Ben Hart were drawn in a qualifying pool with pairs from Shrewsbury, Eton and St Olaves. All their qualifying matches were tight affairs, with a single defeat to Shrewsbury and a loss in a decider to Eton preventing progress to the knockout stages. However, Tom and Ben did finish the day as runners-up in the plate. Tom Husselbee and Matt Pritchard made much quicker progress from their qualifying pool with victories over pairs from Shrewsbury and
RGS High Wycombe. However, the second round produced a tough draw against a Highgate pair. Despite losing the first two games, Tom and Matt won the third, but with Matt’s injured left hand it proved too much and Highgate took the fourth game. As the boys continue to develop their game and play more fixtures with the Old Wulfrunians, the disappointment of this year’s Nationals should lead to future success. In summary, 20 pupils from WGS competed in national competitions with many others representing the school throughout the season. All looks set for a successful 2011/12 season, a fitting way to celebrate 500 years. Many thanks to all those involved in supporting Fives at WGS. MWY - OW 1985 - 92
Wulfrunian 2011 | 83
Summer Sports.
Athletics. Athletics club continues to thrive and cater for all abilities which is most encouraging.
T
he school once again entered the Wolverhampton Schools Championships for track and field athletics but as in the previous season, fate conspired against us and we could not put out our strongest teams. There were some excellent performances from both boys and girls in the finals and we finished high up in the medals tables despite missing some of our athletes. It always impresses me just how our students give it their all and then are dignified and
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magnanimous in victory or defeat. The following athletes won their respective events to become city champions: Poppy Nabbs Daniel Adams Elizabeth Mahon Amrita Samra Roshan Jakhu Dimitri Patsiogiannis Manraj Dhillon Andrew Shave
Yr 7 girls 1500 Yr7 boys javelin Yr 8 girls shot Yr 9 girls discus Yr 9 boys 800m Yr 9 boys triple jump Yr 7 boys 1500m Yr 8 boys 1500m
It is a pity that senior athletes no longer take part in the championships. That is not our decision, it is just the trend that has occurred over the last 20 years within the borough and I sincerely hope that trend is reversed in the future. When you consider the talents such as Benji Pearson who has developed into a leading national javelin and discus thrower, it is
a great shame that we cannot see that happening at school level so that others may be inspired. School Sports Day continues to celebrate our excellent tradition in athletics and does give the opportunity to senior athletes to take part in the heptathlon and the support for this event was outstanding. The weather was good and the atmosphere created by athletes and supporters was uniquely WGS. The effort put in by the students on the track was excellent (apart from an attempted threelegged race which was not in the tradition of the many thousands of Old Wulfrunians who have competed on previous sports days). The senior pentathlon was well represented and of an impressive standard and is such an important vehicle for advertising to our younger students that the school possesses some talented athletes in the sixth form. JMJ
Summer Sports.
Chris Walker Memorial Mile. î “e tradition carries on. î “e last Wednesday of term is a special day in the calendar when we run this one mile challenge in memory of a fine young man.
A
ll those that took part did so in the true spirit of the event. You do not have to be the best runner to take part but you do have to give of your best and that was certainly the case. The race was run at a challenging pace and was eventually won by Mr Munson who fully deserved his victory having supported the event for many years. The staff representation was excellent and hopefully will inspire more students to participate next year. The first female home was Mrs Wainwright; the first student was Aaron Bachra in a time of 6.46, an excellent time for one so young. Tom Pleydell was second with James Birch third. Poppy Nabbs was an impressive winner of the girls’ event in a time of 7.38, with Molly Parr and Freya Husselbee finishing second and third respectively. Many thanks to all who took part and I look forward to more students taking part next year. JMJ
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Old
Wulfrunians. You are all part of history… almost.
A
fter what seems like an eternity of waiting (well, half a millennia to be precise), OWs can finally say, I am part of history. When the clock strikes 12.00 at the end of this year and the 31st December 2011 becomes the 1st January 2012, the school officially enters its 500th year a moment when every Old Wulfrunian becomes one of a select band with a shared history that stretches back to the reign of King Henry VIII. This year’s Wulfrunian is a curious one as it celebrates the academic year just gone, whilst being ever aware of the pivotal year ahead. So although we are on the verge of what will be a very special year, it is important to remember that 2012 is in some ways just another milestone within 499 equally special years - and that is what makes being an Old Wulfrunian so special. Yes the 2011/12 cohort will be particularly privileged to have been at the school at the focus of the quincentenary celebrations, but everyone who has ever passed through the school – in whatever year - is equally privileged to have been at this wonderful school. This year’s OW section once again brings together an array of voices from the immediate and more long term past and what those voices share, is the commonality of an experience that has remained with them throughout their lives. The majority of articles celebrate the joys of attending a school like WGS, but, this year two articles highlight the fact that not everyone’s experience of school was quite so positive. They give an honest picture of schooling in eras when students were treated – and indeed looked upon – rather differently as they are today. Some readers may not agree with these very personal portrayals, others may see echoes of their own experiences in their words, but whatever the reaction, we hope readers will appreciate them for what they are – another fascinating voice in the myriad of voices that, if you pause to listen for a moment at midnight on 31st December, echo back through five centuries of life here at Wolverhampton Grammar School.
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Old Wulfrunians.
Schedule of Events. DATE
SCHOOL ACTIVITY
EVENT
16th September
OW Sports Festival Golf day
A golf tournament for OWs attending the following day’s Sports Festival is being arranged. Details tbc.
17th September 2011
OW Sports Festival weekend Inc. Big Band Reunion
The OW sports festival would mark the ‘unofficial’ launch of the year of celebration. Sports events will be held during the day followed by a meal in Big School. Dinner to include a reunion of former Big Band members who will perform. It is envisaged that the event will be extremely popular therefore it is likely that places at the 2011 festival will need to be reserved by ticket.
1st October 2011
Open Day Inc. art exhibition
To include a retrospective art exhibition including the work of OWs over the past 25 years (to run throughout the year)
15th October 2011
Open Day WGJS
21st October 2011
Founders Day Civic Launch
Founder’s Day would be used as the official ‘civic’ launch of the year of celebration. The service at St Peter’s will be followed by the launching of 500 balloons from St Peter’s square and then lunch at WGS for invited guests (including staff / Governors / W-ton civic & business leaders) etc.
26th October 2011
WGS Lodge meeting
WGS Lodge to meet at WGS (Big School)
12th November 2011
WGS /Merchant Taylors’ float at Lord Mayor’s show
WGS to represent the Merchant Taylors’ with a float in the procession at the Lord Mayor’s show
18th November 2011
Ghost walk
From 7.00pm: Evening guided tours featuring ‘ characters’ from the school’s past
13 - 14th December 2011
Xmas Carols
The traditional concert with an eye to the past 500 years.
8 - 11th February 2012
School Production
The Beaux Stratagem
2nd April 2012
Choral Society
To include the premiere of Illuminationes Inlustrae a piece specially written by Director of Music Mr Andy Proverbs to commemorate the quincentenary.
w/c 21st May 2012
Official Opening of WGJS
Official opening of Wolverhampton Grammar Junior School by VIP (to be announced). Ceremony to be followed by refreshments at school.
29th June - 1st July 2012
2012 weekend of celebration
Friday 29 June (day) OWA golf tournament. South Staffs golf club. Saturday 30th June (evening) OWA dinner. Prominent OW to be invited as guest speaker. The dinner to end with a fireworks display. School tours would be available to visiting OWs throughout the weekend. Sunday 1st July 11.00am: 1st XI cricket match v. RGS Worcester. This fixture is believed to be the oldest fixture in the WGS cricketing calendar. Spectators are welcomed.
6th July 2012
Jazz Spec
Jazz Spec in Big School
w/c 9th July 2012
Festival of Sport
WGS’s own 2012 Olympics. A celebration of sport involving students from local primary schools To be held in partnership with Wolverhampton LEA and the Black Country 2012 Olympic planning Committee.
TBC: Autumn 2012
VIP visitor to open refurbished Big School
To receive regular updates on the events taking place throughout 2012 via the 2012 e-newsletter please email gail@wgs-sch.net
Wulfrunian 2011 | 87
Old Wulfrunians.
500th Anniversary Gifts. To celebrate Wolverhampton Grammar School’s 500th anniversary, we are pleased to be able to offer a range of 'Quincentenary' branded merchandise. WGS – A History of Wolverhampton’s Grammar School This lavishly illustrated book traces the history of this remarkable school from its founding from humble beginnings by Sir Stephen Jenyns, right up to the present day. Cost: £25.00 plus £3.00p+p Reference No: QF001 Book-mark Your Place in History Our WGS bookmark is made from recycled leather, with the school crest and the logo WGS 1512 – 2012 Mark Your Place in History stamped in silver foil. Cost £1.50 + £1.00 p+p Reference No: QF0022012 Compact Mirror A limited edition stainless steel compact measuring 6cm x 6cm which features the quincentenary crest and the dates 1512-2012 on the lid. One of only 20 commissioned for WGS. Cost £15.00 plus £3.00 p+p Reference No: QF003 ‘Part of History’ Mugs A commemorative mug featuring a stunning image of WGS with the logo Wolverhampton Grammar School 1512 – 2012. Part of History. Cost £5.00 plus £3.00p+p Reference No: QF0042012 Hoodies & Polo shirts Our anniversary polo shirts and hoodies are 100% cotton, Guildan clothing, with the WGS crest and the logo WGS 1512-2012 embroidered on the chest. Polo shirts & hoodies come in red and black with contrasting embroidery crestPolos come in chest sizes from 30” (Junior) - 54” (XXL). Cost £10.00 + £3.00 p+p - Hoodies come in chest sizes from 26” (small) - 50” (XXL). Cost £20.00 + £3.00 p+p - Polo shirts; Reference No: QF005 Hoodies; Reference No: QF006 Quincentenary Ties This unique commemorative tie has been produced jointly with the Old Wulfrunians’ Association. The classic silk tie is in WGS school colours with the date 1512 picked out diagonally at the bottom of the ‘V’. There is also a choice of the classic OWA tie and bow tie, that come in school colours wihout a logo.OWA ‘school ties’. Cost £12.00 + £3.00p+p 1512 Tie: Reference No: QF007. OWA Tie / bow tie: Reference No: QF008 Trinket Box A specially commissioned enamel trinket box, this limited edition gift is inscribed with a watercolour of the school on the outer lid and the words WGS 1512 -2012 on the inner. This unique gift is one of only 100 made for WGS comes complete with satin lined presentation box. Cost of each box is £85 + £5.00p+p Reference No: QF009 Cufflinks These silver bar cufflinks have been specially commissioned for the school’s quincentenary. With the school crest depicted on each enamel face, cufflinks are presented in their own velvet lined box. Cufflinks cost £15.00 per pair + £3.00 p+p Reference No: QF0103
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Old Wulfrunians.
WGS Watercolours Jane Carpanini’s paintings can be found in the collection of the National Museum of Wales. She has produced a set of two prints for our celebration year. Each numbered print is one of a limited edition of 250. Each individual print (unframed) costs £25.00 plus £5.00 p+pSet of both prints (unframed) costs: £45.00 plus £5.00 p+p Front of WGS; Reference No: QF011Pupils in Quad; Reference No: QF012 1512 Pen Set Our anniversary pen set contains a ball pen and a mechanical pencil in stainless steel, each is engraved with the inscription Wolverhampton Grammar School 1512 - 2012. This classic Parker set comes complete in its own gift box. Cost: £20.00 + £3.00 p+p Reference No: QF013 Whisky Tumbler Something a little different - each cut glass tumbler is engraved with the historic WGS Masonic Lodge crest and is one of 100 commissioned by the Lodge to commemorate the school’s quincentenary. Each tumbler comes in its own gift box and costs £15.00 + £5.00p+p. Reference No: QF014 All gifts are available from Wolverhampton Grammar School and can be purchased in the following ways: By post; download the order form from http://www.wgs.org.uk/old-wulfrunians/2012-gift-items and return it along with a cheque for the required amount to Nina Longstaff, WGS Development Office, Compton Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 9RB. By telephone: Call Nina Longstaff / Gail Evans, WGS Development Office Mon – Fri between 9.30am – 4.30pm with your order reference number and payment details (credit / debit card). All items are available to purchase directly from the Compton Road site Mon – Fri between 9.30am – 4.30pm. If purchasing from school please come to main reception and ask for Nina Longstaff / Gail Evans. Payment can be made by cash, cheque or credit/debit card. Please note if purchasing gifts directly from school there is no charge for post & package.
Latest news from OWs in the USA. Hello from the USA and a Happy Holidays from all those who reside many miles from WGS.
T
o those of you who are resident in the USA we have an opportunity to contribute to the school. There is match funding available from an anonymous donor in the UK, who is going to match donations that are from the USA. All our procedures are setup and working. If you feel that you can contribute this year, talk to your financial advisors as it may be tax deductable in the
USA. Contact myself or Mark Hand at the school for details. On another matter, we are doing our best to contact all those in the USA who are alumnae of the school. Please make sure your contact details are up to date and if you know of anyone that we are missing, ask them to get in touch. Perhaps we could all arrange a get together [in a pub preferably] at the 500th anniversary weekend. Robin Cooper - rdgcooper@gmail.com
ensure it can continue to meet the needs of students now, as it did when they were in attendance. For more news on OWs in the USA go to: www.owsintheusa.com
O
ld Wulfrunians in America Inc. was established to provide a forum for US based OWs so that they could celebrate their commonality – attending Wolverhampton Grammar School - and to explore ways of supporting the school to Wulfrunian 2011 | 89
Old Wulfrunians.
OW Sports Festival. e morning after the morning after the night before...
F
or anyone who lasted the entire night, surely the lasting memory of Sports Festival 2011 was JJ flying the flag for the 'older generation' on the dance floor of Blast Off. For those who didn't make it that far... let's just say you were the lucky ones! The OW sports festival on Saturday September 17th marked the ‘unofficial’ launch of the year of celebration marking the 500th anniversary of the school. It was fitting that that record numbers of OWs came back to the school to play football, netball and hockey and to re-live memories of their days at this remarkable school. The Sports Festival was followed by the OW Dinner which, this year, saw the return of Big Band. They really saw the evening go off with a swing - the rousing rendition of Jerusalem possibly being the finest the school had heard
90 | Wulfrunian 2011
in a long, long time. In terms of the competitions (once again all played in the spirit of the occasion): the OW Golf Tournament held at South Staffs Golf Club on Friday 16th was won by OW and WGS Governor, Mr Robert Purshouse. The Football competition saw the 2009 First XI, captained by Mark Cartwright, secure victory, though all the plaudits must surely go to the staff team for their brand of ‘Total Football’ and for the goal of the tournament scored by a certain Mr M. Benfield. In netball, the current First VII took the title, beating the staff team in the final, whilst in hockey, a strong tournament was ably supported by the OWA Hockey Association. The sports festival and the evening dinner were a real celebration of everything the school stands for and the consensus is that it was a truly fitting way to 'kick off' the quincentenary year. And now we are looking to make a visual record of the day’s events from photographs taken by the school and more importantly from the imagery taken by OWs on the day(s) and evening activities.
So, if you have any photographs of any of the events, please send them to mark@wgs-sch.net and they can be uploaded into a record of the festival on the WGS website. Please send only those images you are happy to share with your fellow OWS and indeed the world, and remember, the WGS is a ‘family site’ so we reserve the right to censor any of those that may not be appropriate (those of JJ engaged in any kind of dancing for example.) A selection of photographs will also be included in the 2012 e-newsletter which you can register for by emailing Gail Evans: gail@wgs-sch.net. Thank you for your continued support of this very special event, and don't forget, now that this year is over, we're already looking towards next year. The dates for which are as follows: OW Golf Tournament Friday 14th September OW Sports Festival and Evening Dinner Saturday 15th September
Old Wulfrunians.
Filling the gap. Every year a few students venture out from WGS to volunteer at our link school Lords Meade Vocational College as well as other local projects for six months.
L
ast year I was lucky enough to be one of the people chosen to go and although the prospect was terrifying, I was determined not to wimp out. From the moment I arrived I was treated like family by Mark Malinga (headmaster of Lords Meade), as well as the Lords Meade staff and students. I never felt out of place or lonely and every spare moment I had was spent talking to either the teachers or the students about the difference between our two countries. What was nice about volunteering at Lords Meade was the variety of ways in which I could help out. For example, I was able to teach a few lessons in history, English and art, as well as doing some painting on the art block buildings, filing paperwork for the head’s secretary and helping to organise and catalogue the library. In some ways it is easy to forget how much help Lords Meade as a school needs. The staff and students seem so happy that you think it must be easy for them. However, I was able to experience some of its deficiencies too. At the height of the Ugandan summer, during the run up to mid-term exams, the Lords Meade classrooms turn into ovens. I have never before in my life found it so hard to stay awake. And while the students are hardworking and keen to learn, when you couple this heat with the fact that they go to bed at around 11pm and have a 5am morning prep, you can’t help but notice how difficult it is for them to concentrate. As well as this, a lack of text books mean that the teachers are forced to dictate their notes while the students copy, for the majority of the lesson, which isn’t very stimulating. It’s conditions like this that make the fundraising we do here at WGS so important. With continued financial aid, Lords Meade may be able to build proper ceilings into the classrooms instead of the metal roofing which makes it so hot, and perhaps make it possible for each student to have a textbook to refer to, something which we take for granted here. In addition to working at Lords Meade I was able to get involved in other local projects too. One of the main projects I grew attached to was a
home for ex-street boys called ASCO which stands for African Street Children Organisation. The organisation was was founded in 2009 in Jinja, by Moses Kiyimba a local artist. Currently ASCO accommodates 20 boys aged between 6 -16. ASCO’s mission is to provide a safe, loving and nurturing home environment where the boys can develop physically, socially, educationally and emotionally. All of the boys at ASCO have been orphaned, abandoned or have run away due to family breakdown, poverty or abuse. They survived by begging on the streets of Jinja but became very malnourished and are generally not very healthy. Whilst there, I was able to help by setting up a link between ASCO and WGS. Thanks to the money WGS raised earlier in the year, we were able to pay for two of the boys (Thomas and Paul) to start at Lords Meade where they can get a better education, and we were also able to
purchase two bikes for them to cycle to school, as ASCO is some distance from the school. With continued help from us, ASCO may be able to start accommodating other boys too, as sadly there are still many that remain on the streets in Jinja. My six months spent in Uganda has possibly been the best time of my life and I would strongly encourage students to consider it as an option. Of course it’s a scary prospect being that far away for that long, but no one was more scared than me and I can honestly say that I don’t regret a minute of it. I would like to thank Mrs Fogarty, in particular, for working so hard to create this incredible opportunity. I really hope that WGS as a school can reciprocate this by strengthening the relationship with the projects we will support over the years to come. Gabriella Ryan
Wulfrunian 2011 | 91
Old Wulfrunians.
Captains’ XI Hockey Match. e annual Captains’ match was hugely competitive affair again this year.
T
he match saw an older Captains’ side take on the younger Captains’ with a few guest players from inside the school and outside. The score of 2 - 2 was in the end a fair result. Peter Middleton and Kieran Murphy scoring for the Oldies and Tom Hammond and Andy Peters for the select side. It should be noted that the Oldies missed the inspirational Nick Gray in midfield (on holiday!) and Andy Peters missed an easy chance to win the game in the last minute. With all the celebrations at WGS next year, I hope all the past captains will be available for the match. NJCA
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Old Wulfrunians.
Old Wulfrunian Degree Successes. FIRST CLASS HONOURS David Bamford Jaiya Bhandari Lisa Hughes Henry Jarvis Michael Wright
Cardiff Nottingham Nottingham Nottingham Worcester
English Literature Chemistry Geography History PE & Sports Coaching Science
SECOND CLASS HONOURS (UPPER) Mike Anson Mark Bannister Mark Blything Jack Bolshaw Thomas Bowen Rachael Czyzyk Laura Dady Richard Dunling Anthonia Evans Sarah Gibbs Faye Hingley Jeevon Jakhu Suneet Julka Ryan Moore Francesca Ryan Catherine Sargent Linden Vytelingum Kwok Fai Wong
Stafford Manchester Sheffield Loughborough Manchester Nottingham Lancaster Liverpool John Moores Keble College, Oxford Royal Veterinary College, London Aberystwyth Manchester Metropolitan Aston, Birmingham Nottingham Sheffield Leeds Aston, Birmingham University of Birmingham
Law with Business Aerospace Engineering English Literature Physics & Mathematics Business Management Pharmacy Psychology Real Estate Management & Business English Literature & Language Intercollated Veterinary Pathology Psychology & Genetics Accounting and Finance International Business & Modern Languages Archaeology English Literature Music Politics & Economics Mathematics
SECOND CLASS HONOURS (LOWER) Pardip Gill William Leigh Michael Jewes
Wolverhampton Aberystwyth Leicester
Primary Education Marine & Fresh Water Biology International Relations
OTHER AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS William Anderson Paul Balian Luke Dady Duncan McLauchlan
The University of Warwick – passed his finals in a Joint Degree of Bachelor of Medicine & bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) Ecole des Mines de Dousi MA (Merit),First World War Studies, University of Birmingham Distinction in MA, Public History, Royal Holloway, London
Wulfrunian 2011 | 93
Old Wulfrunians.
Memories of Robert Brandon. H
aving received my 2010 Wulfrunian magazine and reading about Robert Brandon’s retirement, I wanted to give my recollection of my time as one of his students. Robert (or Bernie, as he was sometimes known) joined the school one year before my start date of September 1970. It wasn’t until I entered the lower sixth, however, that I joined one of Robert’s classes. I had discovered that I had a talent for languages, and in a golden era for the school in that department with John and Molly
Manfield at the helm, I took Latin, Italian, French, German and Russian, the latter three to ‘A’ level. As a subsidiary course, the school ran an OA Level in World Affairs since 1939 for the lower sixth, and it was in opting for this subject that I experienced Robert. I only managed grade ‘C’ in the exam at the end of the one year course, but Robert had so whetted my appetite with this “hobby” subject (mostly on the Cold War) that I chose to read International Studies at Birmingham University (specialising in Soviet Studies) rather than just continue with languages. International affairs
remain one of my great interests to this day. For someone who had struggled with history as a subject, finding it rather dull, I have to say that Robert brought this topic to life. The classes were very interactive with little use of the blackboard, and designed to make students reason out loud why state leaders followed the policies they did. So while my experience of Robert was short, it was also very much of the sweet, and I should like to give him belated thanks for opening up a topic that I still enjoy today. John Dickenson - OW 1970-77
‘Royal’ role for top businessman. I
t was with great sadness that just prior to the Wulfrunian going to print, WGS learnt of the death of David Grove at the age of 63, who passed away at home with his family on Saturday 12th November. David who attended WGS between 1959 - 64, was a wonderful advocate and keen supporter of WGS and this issue of Wulfrunian had planned to carry an article on David’s appointment to the office of High Sherriff to the West Midlands which took place earlier this year. This latest accolade was another recognition of a man who had achieved so much not only in his personal and business life, but one who had worked so tirelessly for his community and for the region in which he lived and worked. On having been notified of his sad passing, and after consultation with his family, we felt that it would be a fitting tribute to run with the article as planned; an article which we believe is an affirmation of a man who was not only immensely successful in his chosen career, but someone who was universally regarded as a true gentleman by all those who had the privilege of knowing him. Mr Grove will be sadly missed by his wife, sons Jonathan and Simon and all his family and friends.
I
t has been a remarkable few years for one of our OWs: in 2009 David Grove (OW 1959-64) was awarded the OBE in recognition of his long and distinguished career in business; and this year Mr Grove 94 | Wulfrunian 2011
who was born and raised in Penn was offered the prestigious role of High Sheriff. The Office of High Sheriff of the West Midlands is a ceremonial position made by the British Monarch and the appointment is awarded to people of stature in the West Midlands who have significantly and positively contributed in some way to the county's community either through voluntary work or through commerce or industry. “I was first approached about the role about three years ago,” commented Mr Grove. “I’d obviously heard of the Sheriff of Nottingham, but this is a bit different to that. My past has been about building up businesses and making them successful, so we will see what I can bring to this new role.” David, the son of Della, a former worker at Beatties, and Leslie Grove, a one-time engineer who worked in Wolverhampton and Wombourne, was formally appointed as the High Sheriff of the West Midlands at a special ceremony at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Court building on Wednesday, April 27th 2011, during which he was officially welcomed into the role by the 2009-10 High Sheriff, Anita Bhalla, OBE. “The ceremony in Birmingham was very formal, but I felt quite relaxed,” said David. “It lasted about half-an-hour or so and then that was it. I had to make a declaration, which every High Sheriff has to make before taking office. There were some High Court
judges taking part in the ceremony, but I was there talking to them about an hour before hand so it was quite comfortable. “I have not really been in the court environment before, so I found it all quite interesting. I am looking forward to learning more about the court process over the coming year.” David, talking of the previous incumbent added “Anita has been really helpful and I would like to thank her for that. I would also like to congratulate her on the past year in the role”. As the new High Sheriff of the West Midlands, Mr Grove, will act as the Queen’s representative for law and order in the region and will be expected to support the Lord-Lieutenant on royal visits. After leaving WGS, David went to study economics at Nottingham University before spending a number of years working as a chartered accountant. He founded Grove Industries limited in 1991 and the company now employs around 1,500 staff. David Grove OW 1959-64
Old Wulfrunians.
Sir Mervyn King. 2011 saw one of our most eminent OWs recognised in the Queen’s honours list.
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o mark the occasion, the Express and Star ran the following article, in which WGS’s current head, Vincent Darby was quoted.
Bank of England boss Mervyn King is knighted.
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ank of England boss Mervyn King was today leading the way in the Midland honours as he picked up a knighthood for his efforts to help stabilise the economy. The Wolverhampton-educated banking boss
was one of 23 of the region’s great and good rewarded for their efforts today in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. From childcare workers to journalists and charity fundraisers, unsung heroes from the West Midlands and Staffordshire were among those recognised for their work. Mr King’s education at Wolverhampton Grammar School laid the groundwork for him to become a leading academic economist before he was recruited to the Bank of England 20 years ago. Being in charge during one of the worst global recessions since the Second World War has made him one of the most powerful to hold the position. He has been awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, or GBE. He said: “I am honoured to receive this award. It is a tribute to the hard work and professionalism of the Bank of England staff.” Vincent Darby, head of Wolverhampton Grammar School, said: “It is so pleasing to see former students of the school do well.”
Express & Star Saturday 11th June 2011, 11:30am
School reporting. Public speaking was nothing new to the guest of honour at WGS’s senior prize giving ceremony, as she is one of the leading female sports commentators in the UK.
school changed in the years I’ve been away.” After studying German at Leeds University, she retrained as a journalist before spending a year gaining experience in a variety of aspects of journalism. Jacqui who recently gave birth to her first daughter, joined BBC Radio Five Live in 2003 and in 2005 became the first woman to commentate on a football match on British network radio. “We were thrilled to have someone of Jacqui’s stature come back to school, to share her experiences with our current students,”
commented Mr Darby. “It has been remarkable to watch Jacqui’s career develop and her commitment and drive to achieve what she has – particularly as a woman in what has traditionally been a male dominated environment, will be an inspiration to all our youngsters, especially some of our girls as they look towards the next step in their educational careers,” continued Mr Darby. “We hope Jacqui enjoyed returning to her old school and that it offered up some happy memories for her,” he concluded.
J
acqui Oatley who was at WGS between 1990 - 92 became the first female football commentator on BBC’s Match of the Day in 2007, returned to the school to be the guest speaker at the school’s Senior Prize Giving ceremony on 28th June. Jacqui, who can regularly be heard on BBC Radio Five Live, returned to her native West Midlands where she previously worked as a news reporter for BBC WM before moving back to London to work as a sports reporter for BBC London. She began her broadcasting career with BBC Leeds. “I am honoured to have been invited back to the school where I have so many happy memories,” commented Jacqui. “It was wonderful to catch up with some of my old teachers and see how the Wulfrunian 2011 | 95
Old Wulfrunians.
e Great Wall of China Charity Challenge Trek. “You need some exercise,” said Jean my wife. Until seven years ago, she had been a keen walker and usually dragged me along too, but as she could no longer walk, we had both stopped.
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ND is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys the nerves to muscles. As a result, limbs become progressively weaker and there are increasing problems with speech, eating and breathing. There is no treatment or cure and life expectancy is usually two to five years. Getting out of my well-established ‘armchair-sports-supporter’ mode required a purpose other than getting fit. Jean is very active within the MND Association and organises a lot of fundraising locally. The Association does a superb job of supporting those with MND and funding research attempting to find treatment and a cure for this terrible disease. Through the Association’s literature, I saw they were asking to join their ‘Great Wall of China Challenge’ to raise funds. Over a few beers with a friend, we both agreed that this was the right challenge and signed each other up, deciding we would fund the trip ourselves so that every penny donated would go to the charity. A short while later and the enormity of the challenge was made apparent when the training schedule arrived, a six month programme of increasingly arduous activities were recommended in order to be fit for the task ahead. There was only one thing for it and I had to get fit! There followed six months of walking every hill in the Forest of Dean, tramping up and down the stairs ‘till the carpet was wearing out and eventually, consecutive days of seven hour hikes. I was determined to be ready for the challenge ahead. Of course, alongside the fitness training went the fundraising and I contacted everybody I knew and even some I didn’t, asking for sponsorship. So many people were hugely generous and the money rolled in, mainly due 96 | Wulfrunian 2011
to the affection in which Jean is held and the complete surprise that the ultimate couch potato was actually getting up from the sofa! In no time at all, the big day arrived and we all met at Heathrow for the 14 hour flight. At Beijing Airport, we were greeted by our local guide James, and given our final instructions for the week ahead over the first of many superb Chinese meals and a glass or two of local beer. We were also introduced to the rigours of life in China, the need for exemplary personal hygiene and avoidance of unbottled water to ensure the dreaded tummy bugs did not strike. We were informed about the acceptable Chinese habit of spitting everywhere and warned of the less than savoury public loos, though some of us had to resort to them during the week. Five day trekking for several hours over very demanding terrain, took us over different sections of wall, some restored, some not. We were stretched to our individual limits with rough terrain and thousands of steps on some days, many over two feet high. Temperatures reached as high as 30ºC adding to the challenge. Doctor Andy was on hand to ensure we stayed fit and hydrated. Led by guides Adrian and James, we started Day 1 on a beautifully restored section of the Wall at Mutianyu, giving us the opportunity to see how it would have looked at its magnificent best. An hour’s walk through a steep, wooded valley took us to the Wall and the first of many flights of steps, culminating with 400 to a watchtower with views over the entire area. Many other visitors were on this section, though unlike us, most used the cable car to go up and down from the local village. For the more adventurous amongst us, there was the excitement of a toboggan run down to a nearby village. Day 2 provided a different challenge, walking through thick undergrowth and through the Black Dragon Paw Park, a water formed granite gorge. The day culminated in a two hour stiff climb to a watchtower on a derelict part of the wall that gave spectacular views and the opportunity for a group photograph. Day 3 was, by agreement, the highlight of the week. The Great Wall at Gubeikou has the section known as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. We trekked along Hidden Dragon, an undulating, unrestored section; and relatively rarely visited, so we were alone all day. The scenery was magnificent and helped take our minds off the rigours of the trek. With temperatures climbing over 30ºC and clear blue skies, it was a wonderful day’s trekking though a
stiff challenge as we repeatedly climbed and descended steep slopes, following the route of the Wall. That evening, the beer was especially welcome as was the cool shower. Day 4 continued along the same section from Jinshaling. Not quite as magnificent as the preceding day, it was still a beautiful, if demanding section and a challenge to us all. Along this section, the wall has watchtowers every few hundred yards as well as the occasional larger fortified tower. It is also possible to see that the wall is, in fact, an interconnecting complex of walls. During these two days, we were accompanied by ‘wall walkers’, local farmers who supplement their meagre income by carrying tourists’ bags along the Wall. Some members of the group utilised their services. At the end of the day, they also produced books and other souvenirs to sell. Even though they were selling at inflated prices, many of us felt paying the price was something worth doing for people who have so little but were so cheerful and such good company. Day 5 was at Juyongguan, the most popular section of the Wall with Chinese tourists. James described this section as the ‘Oh my God, Steps’ as it contains a single continuous run of over 1200 steps of varying height, from three inches to three feet though it felt more like twenty feet as we approached the top! We set off at 4.45am and had the Wall to ourselves, a wonderful experience with a beautiful sunrise to watch from the top as we ate our breakfast.
Old Wulfrunians.
Returning to our hotel, we passed thousands of Chinese visitors, many of whom found us such a novelty that there were frequent requests for photos, especially with the blonde members of the group. Greying black hair didn’t seem so popular for some reason! A celebratory glass of Chinese fizz greeted us to mark the end of our challenge. We then were taken into Beijing where we had the chance to do a little sightseeing before heading home. No trip would have been complete without seeing Tiananmen Square and the wonders of The Forbidden City, though I especially enjoyed visiting the park early in the morning, joining in the T’ai Chi classes and watching artists and musicians performing. All too soon, our trip was at an end and we were on our flight back to the UK. Back home, it was time to collect sponsorship money and to share the memories of our trip with family, many friends and business contacts who had sponsored us. I am thrilled that I have raised over £17,000. Once gift aid has been collected, this will reach an estimated £20,000. In summary, the trip provided us all with a challenge, long days trekking over demanding terrain. The unrestored sections of the wall with an uneven path along the top of the remnants of the wall, contrasted with the restored sections with hundreds of steep steps. Both in their own way were equally demanding on our tired legs. The views though more than compensated for the tired legs.
For me, the most special part of the challenge was the people who went on it. Eighteen of us had undertaken the trek. We were all raising funds for the MND Association and each of us had our own special story and close connections to MND. Some had lost family members, some close friends and others had family members living with MND. This
commonality led to close bonds being formed within the group; bonds I know will prove to be long lasting and supportive in the years ahead. This is the greatest achievement of the Great Wall of China Challenge and something I will continue to treasure. Steve Waters - OW 1965-73
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Old Wulfrunians.
Timber cruising in Canada. is requires a trip back in time - to 1954 to be precise for it was then that I found myself in British Columbia, on Canada’s west coast.
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had left England a year earlier, and after living in Toronto I headed for Vancouver. By the Fall of that year, I had decided not to return to Toronto and instead went north to work in Kitimat, where a new town was being carved out of the wilderness, and an aluminum smelter was being built. My previous experience in surveying helped me to find employment with a company building roads as well as a right-of-way for the railroad that was to link Kitimat with the northern town of Terrace. I later witnessed the arrival of the first train in Kitimat, which reassured me that the tracks had been laid out satisfactorily. As Winter set in, it was no longer possible to continue survey work and I returned once more to Vancouver, intending to begin study towards a degree at the University of British Columbia. This would only happen, however, if I could save the funds required to get me through the first year. To accomplish this meant forgoing urban living for the entire Summer of 1955, when once again my surveying experience came in useful, and I found employment timber cruising for MacMillan Bloedel, which at the time was Canada’s largest forest products company, later taken over by Weyerhauser. I hadn’t the foggiest notion about cruising timber, but I learnt very quickly what it was like to be flown into a remote area of the west coast of
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Vancouver Island, set up camp, sleep under canvas, be entirely self-sufficient, hike all day long over rugged terrain in a virgin rain forest, and have no contact with the outside world for three or four months. The cell phone and GPS were not yet heard of, and the isolation meant that radio communication was out of the question. We worked in three-man crews whose task was to catalogue the trees in selected areas in order to eventually determine whether there was sufficient merchantable timber to merit an application to the province of British Columbia for a Forest Management Licence, entitling the company to eventually log the desirable timber for its own use. The preparatory phase required aerial photographs of huge forested areas to be taken at a fixed altitude along parallel flight paths. Photogrammetrists then paired the photographs and determined by stereoscopy where the timber cruising should be carried out. Equipped with this information and with topographical maps of the area, as well as all their equipment, several crews would be taken in small float planes or helicopters to a lake, where a camp would be set up. Crews would head out each morning, and with the aid of photographs, maps and compasses, proceed to specific sampling areas. This was where the pairs of photographs were put to use, for with a small, portable stereoscope, it was possible to identify in three dimensions such features of the landscape as mountains, rivers, creeks, ravines, clearings and, more importantly, individual trees. To appreciate the latter, one need only consider the enormity of a several hundred years-old Douglas Fir -- the largest and tallest member of the pine family -- which has been documented on the west coast up to 485 cm (16 feet) in diameter and up to 99 metres (326 feet) tall. The crown of a big Douglas Fir, then, was clearly visible in 3-D on the photographs, and in conjunction
with the topographical map helped to pin-point a crew’s location Once a starting point for the proposed inventory was identified on the photographs, a compass direction was laid down and an area of one-third of an acre was established by measuring a fixed length and breadth. While a senior member of the crew, usually a graduate forester, recorded the data collected, the other two members worked a fixed distance on either side of the line and identified all the features of the trees within the established area. The difficulty of the terrain and the distance we had travelled from camp determined how much we could accomplish in a day, for we often had to hike several hours before arriving at the sample area. The data were eventually sent to the head office in Vancouver, where photogrammetrists extrapolated from the aerial photographs an estimate of the merchantable timber. In the more than 50 years that have elapsed since that time, considerable change has taken place in logging operations. Mechanisation has replaced the individual logger equipped with his power saw, and has led to the clear-cutting of huge forested areas that one forestry expert has described as “An ecological trauma that has no precedent in nature except for a major volcanic eruption”. For the first time since 1965 I shall be returning shortly to Vancouver Island to vacation with my family, and am uneasy about the sight that awaits me on its west coast of the once majestic forests that I came to cherish during several Summers spent cruising timber and that have since been laid waste. The following website offers more information on Vancouver Island: http://www.vancouverislandabound.com /aboutvan.htm Peter Allan OW, WGS 1943-47
Old Wulfrunians.
Old Wulfrunians’ Lodge No 7411. e Old Wulfrunians’ Lodge is one of about thirty Masonic Lodges and Orders. It meets at Linden House on Tettenhall Road.
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lthough the school and the various Old Wulfrunians’ organisations have long histories, the Lodge dates from 1955. The Lodge is a member of the Federation of School Lodges and greatly values its unique status. Unlike any other Masonic Lodge, 7411 requires its members to have links with WGS as a governor, staff, parent of student, son of OW or friend. This means that our members have a common interest as soon as they join. The age of members range from mid-20s to mid-90s so any OW of any generation who joins is likely to be pleasantly surprised by a number of familiar faces. We will be playing a part in the 500th anniversary celebrations of
the foundation of the school by holding one of our autumn meetings in Big School. This meeting will be the installation meeting and will use Old Boys who are Masons but not members of the Lodge visiting the school from many parts of England and Wales. Likewise members of other Old Boys Lodges will be visiting. The meeting will be one of the first events of the 500 year celebration. The photograph shows Ed Hart on the occasion of his installation as Master together with Ed Humphries viewing the gifts available to celebrate 500 years of the school. Freemasonry in England has origins which can be traced back to the craft lodges of the medieval stonemasons who were responsible for the building of our castles and cathedrals. Modern Freemasons Lodges are social and charitable organisations. The idea that Freemasonry is a secretive society is a myth. Anyone can find out about the ceremonial aspect of our activities by a visit to a library or by searching the internet. English Masonry is based on charitable works, not self-interest, and the Old Wulf ’s Lodge has raised thousands of pounds over recent years for national charities such as the RNLI and Cancer Research. We
support local good causes such as Compton Hospice, the West Midlands Air Ambulance and the Royal Wolverhampton School Orphan Foundation and WGS Appeal Fund. The members of the Lodge meet formally seven times a year and also hold a number of other informal functions. There are many opportunities to visit Lodges all over the country often in historic and unusual locations. Masonry offers a very special opportunity to be involved in a sociable organisation and is yet another way of maintaining links with OWs and the School. Interested OWs can make informal contact by writing to the Secretary of the Old Wulfrunians’ Lodge No. 7411, 211 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands or to any of the following members of the Committee at the same address: From OWs who attended WGS in the 1940s and 1950s: Neville Evans, Tony Foster and Ed Humphries. For the 1960s and 70s: Tim Lawrence, Anthony Harris and Mel Eves. From the 1990s onwards: Edward Hart and Alex Stangroom. Ed Humphries - OW 1948-53
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Old Wulfrunians.
Setting myself on fire. An alternative view of life as a WGS student
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ver the years, mainly through the pages of the Wulfrunian, I have read with interest of those alumni who viewed their life at WGS as one, if not the only one, of the reasons for their success. In such reflection lies many dangers, two of which stand out. Firstly there is that of attributing degrees, commissions, offices, titles and all other achievements to the school's account and, secondly, there is the trap of listing a particular headmaster's or teacher's undeniable virtues and blandly assuming that, by the process of osmosis, these virtues become implanted in the hearts of all the boys in the school. It is also true that since memoirs usually come from the highly literate and exceptionally talented, using them exclusively may well result in undesirable bias. Surely better when evaluating the virtues and successes of a particular school is an examination of the social and economic factors of the period in discussion and the major aims and objectives of the institution itself at that particular time in its history. Let me be forthright from the start. The WGS I attended (1952-58) did me few academic favours. At the time, the school had an intake of 90 boys per year from a vast Staffordshire+ catchment area and, in consequence, took those boys who scored the highest marks in the 11+ exam of the period. Hence, those who made it were an elite being judged highly intelligent but only as measured by a since denigrated examination. At WGS, if a boy was placed in the top third of the 90, then a place in Remove A virtually guaranteed a four year passage to ‘O’ level and, thus, an opportunity of at least three years in the sixth form. I happened to be one of those boys and began my school life in fast-tracking Remove A. Why was it then that in a matter of a few months I had been stripped of all the confidence I had gleaned from being a ‘high-flyer’ in the primary system and found myself forever within the bottom three in the class in every subject I was studying except for English where Paul Mercier described my poetry and compositions "sensitive, appealing 100 | Wulfrunian 2011
and, at times, extraordinarily charismatic"? Throughout my life, it has become increasingly obvious that I am a relatively slow learner but considerably determined and capable of long periods of concentration. Thus, it took me until I had completed several pieces of serious research in Education as a Lecturer in a British University to realise just what had happened to the highflyer from the rural primary school when he took on WGS of the early 1950s. I discovered that in Remove A of 1952-3 ,only five of us were not what I term ‘second generation’ grammar school pupils. In other words, whilst I was struggling with Latin and French and the terminology, let alone the facts, applicable to science and mathematics, many of my peers were able to steal a march on me by going home to be assisted directly by parents who knew all about conjugation, declension, notation and the mysteries of "x" and "y". On one occasion in tearful desperation, I asked my father, a shift-working tyre builder, if he could help me with my Latin homework. He took one look at my primer and solemnly announced "Sorry son, it's all Greek to me"! So what about the English? My mother's knowledge of poets and poetry and her excellent grasp of our language and it's grammar gleaned no doubt from love as well as early 20th century Board school rote became a rich source for me to mine. Besides the ignominy of ‘demotion’, then I was forced, by the system, to choose either classics or science or modern languages to study for the remainder of my school life. Because of the school's rigid setting arrangements, in choosing German, I was forced to be in the top set for Latin! By the time I was 16 and in my ‘O’ level year, I had learned very little science, hardly any geography and was forever trying to catch up in Benny Polack's Latin classes! It was clear, too, that the major aim of the school in those days was the successful achievement of Oxford/Cambridge scholarships. No stone was left unturned to achieve this aim and it seemed one had failed in the eyes of the school if one left at the end of the fifth form, there must have been some very bright lads who took articles with accountancy and law firms or joined the Civil Service or the Forces. And yet, nowhere in the
magazines of the school for that era can be found lists of such alumni, many of whom became important figures in the town and highly competent in their respective fields. It seems a great shame that many individuals were ‘sold short’ of a useful education; useful that is to them. It was, indeed, the Tripartite system at its very worst and proved a very poorly balanced education for a majority of very intelligent material. Mine was an eternal struggle. I had Benny Polack to thank for squeezing me to a bare pass in Latin, Frank Rust for keeping me sane and tending to my regular bouts of sheer panic, mopping up my floods of tears even before his own brow! I have Shorty Robertson to thank for employing me in Years 4 and 5, alongside two other strugglers, to blow up the school's footballs at lunchtimes, At least it gave all three of us a chance of a crafty ‘drag’ in the pavilion between bouts of academic failure! My salvation was sport, I represented the school at every level in soccer and cricket and was 1st XI goalkeeper for two years. It was in this capacity that I had the good fortune to visit and board in several public schools and it was playing against the likes of Shrewsbury, Repton, Malvern and Brentwood that sparked off a life-long interest in the public school system, its history, its headmasters, their eccentricities and their pupils, however, it was all a time coming. On my school report of 1958, the Headmaster had written: "He is not cut out for an academic career." By 1995,I had taught for 30+ years in schools, colleges of education and universities, both home and abroad, and, in so doing gained a plethora of professional qualifications alongside a BA., MEd and Ph.D with none of the latter being in any way connected with sport. Perhaps Ernest Taylor's remarks had spurred me on. Do not believe a word of it! There was no such thing as spontaneous combustion either. I had to set myself on fire! All I had required really was a much fairer chance for survival in Remove A and an educational system within the school that suited my needs. The ability was there for sure; it just required more careful nurturing. I suspect the WGS of today would have been right up my street Dr Richard Palmer, OW 1952-58
Old Wulfrunians. Two OWs sent in detailed articles which give quite an insight into life at school during their time at WGS – and indeed how a WGS impacted on their entire lives. Here we offer some excerpts from their articles, however to see the full articles please go to...
A Rare Breed of OW. E
very year in the Wulfrunian magazine we read with justifiable pride, of high achieving Wulfrunians both present and past, all of whom are a credit to the school. I too am both pleased and proud to have been a Wulfrunian however; as I write this piece I have to admit that I presented an unfair challenge to the school and left without gaining any documented evidence of academic achievement. Not the fault of the school - all entirely mine - but please read on. My father, who was in the Civil Service, meticulously kept all my (and my siblings) school reports and correspondence. When he died, in 1977, my elder brother, who was one of father’s executors (and a headmaster) passed them to me together with a few taunting head masterly comments – even though by that time I was 44 years old. The reports made embarrassing reading and for that reason to this day I have not shown the file, in its entirety, to anyone, but only read out selected parts. These were mainly the very few laudatory remarks, although they too, usually carried a sting in the tail. One such remark was for music, by the Rev. F.D. Rust which read, “The best musical perceptions of any in the form but he does not do his best”. The general tone of my reports commented on a lack of concentration, effort, common sense and a casual approach. At that time, Richmal Crompton was my most favoured author; to me her William books signalled a far greater and more engaging story telling skill than William Shakespeare. With a brother and sister around 10 years older than me, and a home and leisure life seemingly similar to schoolboy William, maybe I had unconsciously adopted him as my role model. I started in Remove B in 1945, (miraculously having passed the Entrance Examination) and left in 1950 without having collected the School Leaving Certificate - at that time almost unthinkable at WGS. It had become increasingly obvious that my poor scholastic performance and general lack of academic effort meant that there was not even the remotest chance of my achieving a pass in sufficient subjects for a ‘School Cert’ to be awarded. So to save any further waste of everyone’s time, effort and substance I was not entered for the school certificate exams. I would have been 17 at my next birthday so it was decided that the best course of action was for me to leave school and make a start in some sort of gainful employment. 1950 was the last year of the School Certificate system in which a single certificate was awarded if the examinee achieved the required standard in a number of core subjects. I dare say that I
might have achieved a poor pass or two in the following year, 1951, when the system of General Certificate of Education (GCE) was introduced but that was not to be. My only certificated success was when I gained the CCF (Combined Cadet Force) Certificate A Parts I & II. Part I was easy but Part II was significantly more difficult and I was the only boy to achieve it in that year. Even headmaster, Warren Derry made a mildly congratulatory comment on my school report; the only time he ever had cause to make a nice comment about White. B. J. Warren Derry’s valedictory comment on my final report read, “I hope he will do well in the work he has taken up.” I earned a great many detentions and lines and was twice given “The Whack” (a four and a six) by Warren Derry. I remember Warren Derry as an austere but charismatic figure: his appearance and vocal delivery alone commanded respect and I doubt very much if his judgement or word, were ever challenged. I’m sure he had a sense of humour hidden somewhere but I never gave him cause to show it in my direction. Nonetheless, classicist Warren Derry was, and remains my stereotype for a headmaster. In all my years I have never met a headmaster to match him in either the independent or maintained sectors and with times and teaching philosophies, changing (in my opinion not always for the better) I‘m sure I never will. Despite academic shortcomings, while a pupil at WGS I was aware that there were better known educational establishments such as the most famous southern duo Eton and Harrow, but what I knew and Etonians and Harrovians probably didn’t, was that my school was the finest and most prestigious seat of learning in the land, short of Cambridge University. From such feelings springs lasting confidence. As the years progressed I increasingly realised that WGS had shaped my attitudes and philosophies. Certainly, while aware that my school reports were ample testament to prove that my performance had not measured favourably with that of my peers, I came to recognise that a great deal of learning, of all sorts had been absorbed. The ethos of the school also instilled a respect for good manners, honesty and fair play which I would like to think has, with perhaps a few lapses over the years, remained with me. Discipline in the 1940s was very strict and calling out in class, unless invited to do so, was strongly discouraged. During a lesson in Big School, Frank Rust was on the stage seated at the grand piano demonstrating contrasting musical styles. First he played a few fluttering bars of the Farandole from Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite but
when he followed it with a few typically heavy, Wagnerian chords, White BJ showed off by calling out Die Meistersinger, infuriating FGR. who launched himself from the piano stool and landing at the edge of the stage, demanded that the caller-out should own up to his crime. I was duly ordered to see him after the lesson. As the rest of the class dispersed, I ascended the steps to the stage and stood beside him while he ignored me and continued to play the piano fortissimo and with gusto. My knees were knocking so violently that I could have been mistaken for a woodpecker in springtime. Eventually when he judged that I was sufficiently chastened he ended his playing with a crashing series of chords and spun round to face me looking really furious and bellowing, “Do not shout out in my lessons”, but then adopting a more conciliatory tone continued, “but well done for recognising Die Meistersinger”, and handed me a sixpenny piece as a reward. Phew! My particular friends at WGS were JA (Johnny) Russon and BG (Brian) Pitt but I lost contact with them after I moved to Essex. Sadly and very recently, while in the process of trying to re-establish contact, I learnt that both had died a few years ago. Although I didn’t take advantage of the considerable opportunities on offer, The School did not fail me but gave me as great an all round education as a wayward schoolboy would allow. Please be assured that I feel both privileged and proud to have been a Wulfrunian. If any OW who recognises my name (I was known as “Bunny” White by my contemporaries) would like to get in touch and have a chat about bygone days, the school office can provide my postal address, e-mail address and/or telephone number. I still have my copy of the School Lists (which we knew colloquially as the Red Book) dated October 1948. Is your name in it? BJ White, OW1945-50
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Old Wulfrunians.
From back street to Big School. In September, 1942 I entered Wolverhampton Grammar School as a scholarship boy from a back street junior school in Bilston.
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t was to be quite a transition; an introduction to imposing buildings, extensive playing fields, elevens and colours, Latin, timetables, clubs and societies, gowns, detentions, and uniforms both school and military. New pupils were placed in one of two Remove forms. Mine was situated in the junior school, another Victorian building but this one was formerly a rather grand house. It was separated from the main cluster of buildings by the headmaster’s garden and a football field. These spaces are now occupied by the library, sports hall and music room. Our uniforms were grey flannel short trousered suits with white or grey shirts. Ties were black with thin red diagonal stripes and grey socks and pullovers trimmed in these colours. Caps were red, with the badge of Sir Stephen Jennyns’ coat of arms. In our classroom we met our form teacher who dictated timetables and outlined some basic school rules and procedures – members of staff were acknowledged by the touching of our caps, we stood up when a teacher entered the room, and we were addressed by our surnames. We were then taken to Big School for our first assembly. Big School made an immediate impression on me and still does: lofty and soaring, panelled, portraits and plaques. It easily accommodated the 550 or so boys on roll. It was also my first impression of the headmaster, Warren Derry. With his patrician features and immaculate dress he was an imposing figure. His portrait, which I think is now in the Big School lobby, does him full justice. The assembly had a strict order of precedence. The Removes sat at the back and then in order of class seniority progressed up to the front, with the four V1 forms Classical, Modern Languages, Science and Art and Maths occupying the front rows. Prefects and probationary prefects sat on the benches at the school side of the hall doing their best to 102 | Wulfrunian 2011
look important. Masters and the two female members of staff sat behind the Removes under the 1914-1918 Memorial Screen. Assemblies began when Mr Derry walked up the central aisle (the school rising as one) and mounted the platform. Accompanied on the piano by the music master, the Reverend Frank Rust, there was an opening hymn perhaps sung with more gusto than reverence. The lesson would be read by a prefect standing at the lectern. Mr Derry would then give out the notices following which the head prefect would mount the platform and dismiss the classes. Again the precedence was observed. VI classical always the first, a reminder of the School’s 19th Century traditions and the Removes last. I think it true to say that most of us enjoyed these assemblies - we got to know each other, if only by sight. The first year in any new setting is a learning experience with the forming of new relationships and the assimilation of a culture. We quickly picked up the school jargon. ‘Cave’ pronounced as in English, not with the stressed last syllable as in Latin, was to warn of approaching authority; ‘prep’ was homework; The XI’s were the Schools’ cricket and football 1st and 2nd teams; ‘School’ was shouted to cheer the XI’s; the Headmaster was the ‘Beak’; a caning by the Headmaster was the ‘whack’; ‘crib’ as a verb meant to copy work or cheat, as a noun a pre-prepared guide, in any form, to help in a test; ‘quad’ was the former open area, where the technology building now stands, where pupils gathered and chatted at break time; ‘Lines’, a sentence to be written out as a punishment, usually 50 or 100. They could be handed out by masters or prefects. We could do them quickly by writing the first word down the page, then the second and so on. Also we always chose a simple sentence and spread out the words. And there were terms and customs peculiar to the school. Eton Fives, Founder’s Day, the School song in Latin ‘Carmen Wulfrunense’, the Corps, Big School, Colours – the awards for representing the school at games, boxing athletics and chess; the naming of the terms Michaelmas and Lent, Masters in gowns and three who were clergymen. There remains the House System. Dependent on where we lived, we were placed in Houses, North, South, East and West; I was in East. ‘Cockhouse’ was the winner of the inter-house competitions which was declared in the summer term. Sporting activities for inter-house and
inter-school were organised at four levels, under 12½ years, under 14½ years, 1st and 2nd Xl’s. For the voluntary games these levels did not apply, common sense dictating the balance of the sides. The ordinary football strip was black shirt with red collar and dark blue shorts. For the colours the shirt for the 2nd Xl had a red diagonal strip from the left shoulder to the waist. For the 1stXI the same but with the school crest on the pocket. For cricket the 2nd Xl a plain white cap with a red band, for the 1st Xl the same but with the date of the award in black. Mine was for 1947, oh dear. The colours were also entitled to wear a white blazer edged with red piping. The 1st Colours also had the school crest on the pocket. There was a further distinction for the 1st Colours. They were entitled to wear a red tie with a thin black tie with a thin black stripe within a white one. As the Colours numbered about 20/25 in any one year they were rather a status symbol. I represented the school, at both cricket and football, at all levels. I was also in the boxing team and was awarded my 2nd class colours in 1945. There is a photograph of the boxing team on page 66 in the WGS. A History of Wolverhampton’s Grammar School, I am extreme right front row. At cricket my promotion to the 1st Xl was rather rapid. In my first season in the 2ndXl was one of the opening bowlers and with my fellow opener bowling out sides very cheaply. The new sports master was Noel Stokes, just back from the war, he was an old boy and a ‘Lampas Honoris’ winner. He summoned us both for a net to look us over. I must have impressed him; I did bowl him, because I was selected for the 1stXI’s next match. I was in form 4A. My first match could not have been more
Old Wulfrunians. testing. It was against King’s School Worcester, our toughest fixture. I did creditably, taking one of the four wickets that fell and taking a slip catch, albeit a soft one. Thereafter I was a regular member of the team, being awarded my 2nd Xl colours that season and my 1st in the following year. I have stayed in intermittent contact with the school over the years. My son was a pupil there in 1984-1990 and my wife and I attended many events in this period, Gala days when I played cricket for the parents against the school; concerts in Big School, my son was in the orchestra, brass band and the choir; jazz spectaculars in the Derry building; carol concerts in the civic hall; and we have rattled collecting tins when the brass band played in the Mander Centre at Christmas time. In this period we met Patrick Hutton whom we both remember as a considerate and caring Headmaster and his successor, Bernard Trafford. In appreciation, I suppose, for this family connection, my nephew was also a pupil in the 1970s, we took out a covenant to help fund
the Art and Design Centre and we were invited to the opening ceremony. Memorably, on September, 15th 2001 we attended the War Years Reunion. For me it was a journey into yesteryear, meeting friends I had not seen since I left school remembering faces and recalling others. We lunched on the staple food of the war years, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, carrots and cabbage,
finishing off with jam roly poly pudding and custard. We were waited upon by senior pupils, our successors. At the end we sang ‘Carmen Wulfrunense’, there was scarce a dry eye in the place. If I am still about I shall visit again, with my wife, for the 500 year celebrations. Louis Willis, OW 1942-47
Badminton at and onwards from WGS. e report in the latest edition of the Wulfrunian of badminton at school brought back some very vivid memories.
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remember clearly being taken into the gym by a very good sixth form friend, Peter Sadler, to be shown the rudiments of the game for the very first time. It was in the lunch break when I don’t think we should have been there at all. I don’t think Mr Robertson, the gym master, would have been very pleased but it was a great insight to the game. Again I seem to remember that we slung a net between the bars on opposite sides of the gym! I played with Peter in a local youth club for a bit and then very briefly in the Army during National Service before Cambridge when badminton became a very serious issue. By the time I reached my third year reading natural sciences, I was playing six times a week, captaining the college team and playing for the university. Perhaps the peak of my badminton career was the match against Oxford, the oldest and most deadly of enemies! I remember it well. We
knew we would win but that was not enough – total annihilation was the only acceptable result. In those days, we played the best of five games, each of 15 points. I remember winning my singles game three – love but horror on horror, I allowed my opponent to get twelve points in the second game! But it wasn’t all success. I fought my way to the semi-final of the university open singles championship, only to be drawn against Raj Bandari. Not only was Raj captain of the university team, he was also captain of the Indian international side. It was my turn to get annihilated!
Surprising as it might seem, I did also get a degree – in geology. But I didn’t do very well in the geology practical finals, largely because, during the term, geology practicals were on a Wednesday afternoon and that was when the university teams trained! I played lots of sports in my time at WGS But badminton is one of the greatest. Don’t be put off by the feathers. It is one of the fastest, demanding games there is, requiring tremendous strength, agility and fitness. And you can play it almost anywhere including the gym!! ENJOY!! Ian Fowler - OW 1944 - 50
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Old Wulfrunians.
Name game. anks to all of you who supplied names to the photographs featured in Name Game 2010 (see below) ack row: counting all the boys standing: sixth from left I think is Andrew Goodwin. Eighth from left David Pedley. Centre behind Rev. Frank Rust is myself Chris Hazell. Second to my right (as you look) is Dennis Whalley, two past him (fifth from right) somebody Buckley, and on the end, somebody
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Lansley (who has older brothers who attended WGS). Sitting to the left of Rev. Rust (as you look) ?Torrence?, front row, in front of Rev Rust’s left knee (as you look at it) somebody Brotherton (Fred?), second from right, ?Sidwell, and on the end is Howard Jones (who I remember as he
played cornet in the school brass band with me). This was a long time ago, however it may jog others memories. Courtesy of Chris Hazell OW 1959 – 66
B
Lansley. Middle row: ?, ? Fallon, FR, Richard Stanton, Stephen Willgress (me). Front row: Mervyn King, Roger Pollard, Terry Powner, ? Wh?, Fred Brotherton, ? Hales, ?, Keith
Sidwell, Howard Jones. Courtesy of Steve Willgress - OW 1959-66
ack row: ? Mulliner, Peter Cadman, ? Clift, ?, ?, ? Goodwin, Charlie Church, David Pedley, Chris Roger, Chris Hazell, Tim Scott-Barrett, Denis Whalley, ? Fosbrook, John Buckley, SED, Jonathan Mytton, ?, Malcolm
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Old Wulfrunians.
For this Year… OW, Louis Willis.
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ho sent us the article Back Street to Big School (see p.102), also sent us a selection of photographs including these two cricketing shots from the 1940s. The smaller shot features (l-r) Mr Willis with fellow students Tony Richards and JM Lee. But as for the larger photograph, do you recognise any of this 1947 line up (you will find the answers on p.112)?
Does this imposing stare look familiar?
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’m sure many of you will recognise the rather stern looking gentleman pictured here, but can you remember his name? The photograph was supplied by Keon Orves, OW 1949-45 who sent it with this rather telling caption: The CCF RSM (name supplied on p.112) in the orderly room about 1955. As far as I can remember the photo was taken by David Bamford. To take thus he had to enter the orderly room without knocking. How he survived is one of life’s mysteries.
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Old Wulfrunians.
WGS: e First 100 Years (1512 – 1611). When I discovered that the new history of the school was being published by a London organisation and written by a foreigner to the Midlands, albeit a Financial Times journalist with some local experience, I was disappointed that an OW historian of note had not been employed.
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H
owever, Paul Cheeseright’s ‘WGS – A History of Wolverhampton’s Grammar School’ described in the blurb as “lavishly illustrated”, would certainly glorify any coffee table but is much more than that: imaginatively laid out and written with high competence and flair with an interesting blend of school, town and social history. I would wager that any aforementioned OW historian would agree. How about you George Jones? A pity that it had to be printed in Italy though. So why am I bothering to précis Gerald Mander’s 1913 Magnus opus which Cheeseright refers to as “the standard work on the subject”? Cheeseright’s covering of the first 100 years takes five pages including copious illustrations, whereas Mander employs nearly 80. When I made my red-capped appearance in 1948, there were six Houses: Jenyns, Nechells, Offley, Moreton, Homer and Marston. Boys were told nothing about the school’s benefactors except Jenyns as the founder. I wanted to be in Jenyns with one of my primary school mates but I was dumped in Homer. Tony Phillips told me he was in Homer so it obviously wasn’t a dump. In 1985 Houses were reduced to four: Attwood, Barnes, Campbell and Derry. As you will discover if you read on, the choice of Barnes was surprising as he was sacked as Head in 1610. And now to discover Mander’s take on Stephen Jenyns. Records do not reveal any place of education in Wolverhampton until Stephen Jenyns, born in 1448, son of William of Tenby and Ellen Lane of Wolverhampton, founded in 1512, a “faire Grammar School” for “relatively poor: poor relations of the upper classes, the middle classes, young sons of nobility, farmers, lesser landowners and prosperous tradesmen”, although the trust Deed was not signed until 1515. Stephen had been apprenticed to the “Fraternity of Taylors and Linen Armourers of St John the Baptist” in the City of London, and after twice being chosen Warden was elected Master in 1489. In stark contrast to the shenanigans of recent parliamentarians he refused “certain allowances…” which were available to him as Master and also compelled future holders of the position to sacrifice their financial rights. One can only imagine his popularity with his successors may have been somewhat diminished. It would appear that members of Merchant Taylors’ had influence on local affairs, for
Jenyns was appointed Sheriff of London in 1498, Alderman in 1499 and Lord Mayor in 1508. The streets of London were indeed paved with gold, for at Henry VIII’s Coronation dinner in June 1509, the young King “before he sat down to dinner he had dubbed (Stephen) Knight”. In common with contemporary philanthropists Jenyns might have been expected to benefit his birthplace and that came to pass when he purchased the Manor of Rushock near to Chaddesley Corbett and Harvington Hall, whose rents would pay for the upkeep of his ‘Scholar Grammatical’ ‘pro pueris erudiendis in bonis moribus et litgeratura” – (for the instruction of boys in good morals and learning) and for the maintenance of a master and usher. Instruction was given free but parents paid an entrance fee and provided candles and stationery. Holinshed’s history of 1577, making mention of Wolverhampton, records that Sir Stephen Jenyns’ bullied there Scholar Howse and Rowmes for the master and usher adjoining thereunto; on the south side of the Towne, leaving its government to the Company of Merchant Taylors’. It is possible that the school was an extension of the family home situated near to the main road from Worcester on Johns Lane and accommodated the master and usher whose annual salaries were £10 and £2 respectively. Up to his death in 1523 Sir Stephen looked after the welfare of the school, which onerous task was taken up by John Nechells who had married the founder’s daughter Catherine. Nechells continued the Trust, originated by his father-in-law, until 1531 whence it was passed to the control of the Merchant Taylors’. The only Master’s name recorded up to this point was a Mr Davey MA Oxon, but 1562 saw the commencement of written records which revealed the Master as a Mr Raby, but for how long he had been in control is not recorded, nor for how long he had not been popular in the town. “Gret mislikinge” were expressed by local citizens who requested his removal. Apparently he was accused of spending too much time attempting to increase his “modest income” and neglecting the children. In 1572 he was summarily dismissed in a letter delivered by the hand of Sir Thomas Offley (Nechells’ son-in-law) which also appointed Mr Maddox to replace him. So, three of the Houses in my time at WGS were named after the founder and two of his relations by marriage; ‘keep it in the family’
Old Wulfrunians.
some cynics may feel – 500 years before Rupert Murdoch. But unlike the Murdochs, Nechells and Offley had made their own way in the world, albeit with assistance from Merchant Taylors’. Offley was born in Stafford in 1500 and became Master of Merchant Taylors’ in 1547, the year of Henry VIII’s death. Then after Edward VI’s brief reign, signed the Letters Patent to appoint the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey as his successor. Surprisingly Offley survived and with ‘Bloody Mary’ on the throne he became reconciled to the old religion and even brought Lord Guilford Dudley (Jane’s husband) to the scaffold on 12th February 1554, for which service he was knighted by the Queen. Meanwhile the new Head,Thomas Maddox proposed a more modern curriculum and in a letter to Merchant Taylors’ complained about the state of the buildings: “for the better reparacion bothe of Schole and Dwellinge howse which are now in Decay…” and appealed for a salary rise. Merchant Taylors’ appealed to the town which declined any present assistance. However Merchant Taylors’ took notice and despatched an inspector to recommend what “reparacions is moste needful be done” as a result of which an account of £5 19s 11d was agreed. Negotiations for Maddox’s salary continued and Jenyns had only provided £10 but “a debased coinage had long since led to a rise in prices’ wrote Mander. Eventually Maddox’s salary was increased to 20 marks (whatever that may mean) possibly because a letter from local dignitaries praised the Head: “A man not only of good and honest life but also learned. A man Bothe Willinge Dillgente and as paynefull in his good trade of teaching as any hathe been in that room and Office…” dated October 1573 and signed by 30 inhabitants. There followed ten years of freedom from complaints and, apparently as a reward, Merchant Taylors’ promised a new porch for the entrance in 1586 but whether it was built is in doubt because on 22nd April 1590 came the great fire which was not extinguished until the 27th and destroyed the school, 104 dwelling houses and 30 barns full of corn. Mr Maddox lost everything and it took five years for Merchant Taylors’ to offer a rather miserly compensation, perhaps persuaded by a visit from the Dean of Westminster who accused the organisation of parsimony. To raise the necessary funds it was decided to inspect Rushock with the intention of increasing rents and the inspectors were cautioned that they “will be frugal in their expenses”. A new lease
for Rushock resulted in the Usher’s pay being doubled to £4 and Maddox to £30, just in time for him to die in office in 1605. Richard Barnes, an usher at their London school, was appointed to replace Maddox and agreed to the reappointment of the William Burton as second master on an increased salary of £10. A mistake which Barnes was to regret as Master and assistant were to fall out over the curriculum, teaching methods and most particularly the treatment of children of recusants (Roman Catholics who refused to attend Church of England services as the law required). Where Madox had admitted such children, Barnes would not. One suspects that the Master was being undermined by his deputy, for a letter signed by 101 residents of the town, suggested that children had been removed and that it would be “better for us there were no free school at all, than such a one as now it is”. Mr Barnes responded with a testimonial signed by 99 inhabitants including local clerics and schoolmasters. Handbags at dawn then, so an inspector was despatched from London who found the school in decay and feelings against the Master
worsening: his early removal would be beneficial to a “snug benefice”, meaning that he should be found an acceptable position. It was however three years after his removal that Mr Barnes became vicar of Sellindge in Kent until his death in 1637. He had been dismissed by letter on December 3rd 1610 and ordered to hand over the school to William Wilson, MA Queens College Oxford, which letter concluded: “And so we bid you farewell and rest your loving friends’” signed by various luminaries from Merchant Taylors’. One may wonder why Barnes was selected in 1985 as one of the four replacement houses. Perhaps his decision to publish the very first list of pupils 1609 which showed a total of 69: 41 with the Master aged 11 – 18, and 28 with the usher aged 6 – 13, together with his success in persuading London to erect a gallery in St Peter’s Church to accommodate them in 1610, was an influence in the management’s decision. Despite a few alarums and excursions, which included a dispute with William Burton, William Wilson’s tenure lasted until 1627. Malcolm Thirlby - OW 1948-55
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Old Wulfrunians.
Changes. I was very glad to receive that tremendous History of Wolverhampton Grammar School book the other day.
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s at MGS, it is very evident that very significant changes have happened at WGS since my brother and I were there. The main quality of a grammar school is that it develops a student totally, not merely academically. It finds out the capabilities, attributes and aspirations of each student and finds ways of encouraging and extending them. The word "discipline" is understood not to denigrate the individual but "the training of people to obey rules or a code of behaviour." We were encouraged to acknowledge the seniority of certain people and were trained to expect restraint of any kind when behaving in a way which did not ‘conform.’ Detention, ‘lines’ and the threat (very rarely implemented) of the cane or the gym shoe could be used fairly. One follower of the rule of physical inflict was a teacher Wiseman who, although threatened
to use the gym shoe, never in fact to my knowledge, did so. The unfortunate boy who had ’transgressed’ was bent over a desk and his blazer lifted over his head. Wiseman then paced out his ‘run’ from outside the classroom door and then moved quickly with his right hand raised. As soon as he reached the cowering unfortunate, he dropped his hand to his side, moved the boy gently from his cowering position and led him gently back to his desk. This was all that was necessary. With three homework’s to do every weekday and five homework’s every weekend and sports twice a week, every Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, no-one was keen on extending our days at school by having to stay on afterwards in detention. I have to confess that the time at sport was not enjoyable for me. I have never enjoyed playing association football or cricket and they were the only sports available. The gymnasium was dominated by a retired sergeant major who was too old to demonstrate the moves we were expected to make but thrust us over the horse if it looked that we could not do it. Anyone who transgressed was reprimanded by him with the words, "Miserable boy. Go home and tell your father and mother that you have transgressed in the eyes of the sergeant major and are no longer worthy to be called your son." He was then hoisted half way up a rope and told to
climb up the rest of it. The matter was then finished with and forgotten. When I went to MGS I found that soccer, rugby and lacrosse were available in the summer and swimming was available at the school baths as an alternative to cricket or running. Derry was my headmaster. The 1920s and 1930s were a grim time in The Black Country. My father keeping his own pharmaceutical chemist shop in the High Street in West Bromwich was finding business very difficult because of the high level of unemployment and that is why we moved to the area of Didsbury in the outskirts of Manchester, where employment conditions were relatively better. John Kemsey-Bourne - OW 1931-34
My first day at school. It was September 1932 and I was eight years old.
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y mother deposited me at the entrance to the Junior School in Compton Road and I joined the 20 or so other new boys going inside. It was very different from St Jude’s elementary school where I had spent the first three years of my scholastic life (in mixed classes with girls, one of whom would later become my wife 61 years ago). In the main entrance hall of the building was a large staircase on the left and opposite was the door into the juniors form room. Inside stood a boy named Vale who having joined the form late the previous year had stayed down. He challenged each new boy as we entered to establish his position as “cock of the form. Most accepted his superior position 108 | Wulfrunian 2011
but, although smaller I decided to ‘have a go’. Within seconds I was on the floor. This enabled me to say years later that I had literally fought my way into Wolverhampton Grammar School! But the most memorable event of the day happened at noon when we all left to home for lunch. I had just descended the four steps at the entrance when a voice called out “Boy!” I turned and there at the top stood ten feet away stood God! He wore a gown and mortar board which I had never seen in my life before and he continued, “Are you Willie Coast’s son? When I replied – very nervously – that I was, he said “If you do half as well as your father you will be doing very well”. And with that he strode off up to Big School. I later learned that he was Mr Crickmay, Deputy Headmaster who had taught my father before and during WW1 before he went up to Caius, Cambridge to read the Engineering Tripos. Needless to say I turned out not to be
academic and my ten years to Christmas 1942 were mostly spent as ‘tail-end Charlie’ in most forms, except Form II where I received The Three Musketeers as Third Prize. I still have a number of the many beautifully bound leather covered volumes which my father won, all with the WGS gold embossing on the front. The termly fee in 1932 was £6.13.4d and this remained constant throughout the ten years. My father taught in Wolverhampton all his life, fetching up as Deputy Principal of the Wulfrun College of Further Education. It is ironic that in 1931 his teacher’s pay was cut by ten percent, as the country suffered an enormous economic downturn such as we are experiencing today. To ensure my school fees would be forthcoming, we took in a lodger, that most dependable of species – a banker! David Coast - OW 1932-42
Old Wulfrunians.
e Royal Wedding. I
n the year that this current generation of students witnessed the global phenomenon of a Royal Wedding, our attention was brought to the following poem written by a WGS student at the time of the wedding of Her Majesty the Queen (then Princess Elizabeth), which records the emotions of the time. We hope you enjoy this little trip back through time.
The bold outrider sallied forth Before the Royal Coach, Wherein sat stately Elizabeth, Wearing a diamond brooch. She sat with her father in the coach, Driving down the Mall; The crowd did shout their throats quite hoarse To the clear trumpets’ call. Through Admiralty Arch and down Whitehall, And up to the great West Door, Where she walked past a guard of honour White the crowd cheered her more. Past the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior And through the crowded nave; By the glimmering candelabra To her father’s arm she clave. Then out from the Poet’s Corner Came Philip to his worthy bride; And when she got to the altar Philip was at her side. The service was not very long The crowd was quiet and still; And there was an even greater hush When Elizabeth said “I will.” Then loud the fanfare echoed, The horses pawed the ground; And the happy pair were carried home On a surge of coloured sound. Then on the palace balcony The Royal Family stood; The crows they cheered their heads right off As loudly as they could. All this grandeur was a sight For noble eyes to see; In the evening they came out again Upon that balcony. John E Perrin Form lower III A OW 1943 - 53 Wulfrunian 2011 | 109
Obituaries.
Obituaries. Bill Starkey 1921 – 29/09/2011 ributes were paid to Bill Starkey a former policeman who became the youngest ever CID officer in Staffordshire in the 1940s. Bill Starkey, who was just 19 when he was made an officer, has died aged 90. Bill was a former pupil of WGS, and joined the police force after leaving school. His daughter Christine Chapman paid tribute to her father, who was also instrumental in introducing self-service to supermarkets in the UK. Bill left the Midlands when he left the police to join the Army. He attended officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey where he won the sword of honour and was commissioned into the
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Roger F Langley WGS staff member: 1965 – 80 vividly recall Roger (or ‘Rolf ’, the soubriquet by which he was known) arriving. Our fifth form was his first class as form teacher at the school. His first couple of English lessons were a personal account of his time in Italy, a country he clearly loved throughout his life. At school he also ran an art appreciation group and organised cultural trips to Europe. ‘Rolf ’ was simply inspirational and I noted some years ago on Friends Reunited that he encouraged creative writing. He encouraged me to be both analytical and creative through the use of liberal praise. Forty five years on I still recall particularly his pleasure at my insight into the witches in Macbeth, my comments on the structure of Jabberwocky and his amusement at an essay on Beards that I wrote. I have just re-read his reports on me
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Reconnaissance Corps. He was invalided out of the army in 1945 and joined the National Cash Register Company and travelled to America to learn about marketing and self-service. He was one of the pioneers of the concept of supermarket-style shopping working alongside Jack Cohen opening the first Tesco supermarket in 1956. He also joined Litton Industries becoming senior vice-president until his retirement in 1978 when he and his wife Hilda moved to Sandbanks in Dorset. Mr Starkey was also awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 1978 in recognition of his services to the city and to marketing. He lived in Sandbanks with his wife, former police officer during the Second World War, until her death in 1995. He then moved to the Isle of Man where he died in hospital. His daughter Mrs Chapman, a funeral director
in Surrey said “Dad enjoyed his work and all his other projects.” He leaves three grandsons and one great-grandson. Courtesy of the Express & Star
and they were thoughtful and incisive. There can be few teachers who leave such an indelible mark yet I was not an English scholar but a scientist and went on to a career in medicine and education. Peter Hendy-Ibbs - OW 1961 – 68
been our privilege and pleasure to publish in these pages”. Roger leaves a widow, Barbara (whom he first met on the staff at WGS), children, Ruth and Eric and a granddaughter, Holly. Michael Pyke
Roger F Langley
From Tom umb
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We should accept the obvious facts of physics The world is made entirely of particles in fields of force. Of course. Tell it to Jack. Except it doesn’t seem to be enough tonight. Not because he’s had his supper and the upper regions are cerulean, as they have been Each evening since the rain. Nor just because it’s nine pm and this is When, each evening since we came, the fifty swifts, as passionately excited As any particles in a forcefield, are about to end their vesper flight by Escalating with thin shrieks to such a height that my poor sight won’t see them go. Though I imagine instantly what it might be to separate and, Sleeping drift so far beyond discovery that any flicker which is left Signs with a scribble underneath the galaxy.
oger Langley, who died on January 25th, 2011, was a greatly respected member of the English Department here at WGS, where he taught throughout the 1970s, leaving in 1980 to become Head of English at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, Sutton Coldfield. After retiring in 1999, Roger and his wife went to live in Suffolk, where they had holidayed for many years. It was here that Roger achieved the status of an important 21st century literary figure. Roger had already begun to publish poetry in small presses, periodicals and small anthologies but achieved a breakthrough in 1999, when some of his work appeared in the Harvill Anthology of Twentieth Century Poetry in English. In 2000 his Collected Poems was published by Carcanet Press and was nominated for a Whitbread Book Award. A second volume, The Face of It, was published by Carcanet in 2007. This was described in the Daily Telegraph as “one of the classics of early 21st century English poetry”. Roger was also a prolific diarist and from 1994 onwards regularly publishe extracts in the poetry journal, P N Review. In 2006 these were published in book form by Shearsman Press. In an outline tribute to Roger, the editor of P N Reviews writes that Roger “wrote some of the most beautiful and durable poems it has
By Roger F Langley From Collected Poems
Obituaries.
David Leslie Grove OBE
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avid Grove was an inspirational business leader, entrepreneur and mentor. As principal of Grove Industries and Chief Executive and Chairman of Hill & Smith Holdings Plc, he led the transformation of a number of manufacturing businesses and, in the process, created, secured and enhanced employment in the West Midlands, the wider UK economy and beyond. David was the incumbent High Sheriff of the West Midlands, a former President of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and was awarded the OBE in 2009 in recognition for his services to business. He was also a trustee of Midlands Excellence, a charity formed to improve the productivity of UK business, and was heavily involved in Help for Heroes, the Birmingham Institute for the Deaf and Marie Curie Cancer Care, in particular its current Big Build Appeal. Born in Blakenhall, Wolverhampton, David attended Wolverhampton Grammar School, with which he has retained very close links. He read Industrial Economics at Nottingham University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Whinney & Murray (now Ernst & Young) before joining manufacturing group Johnson & Firth Brown Plc. During the 1980s David rose to the position of Chief Executive at civil engineering group Mabey Holdings and was involved in the construction of the Severn Bridge. In 1991 David sought out his own industrial group to buy and develop. Ultimately Close Brothers supported his buyout of Anglo Engineering Ltd, a Midlands-based ‘metal-bashing’ group and he was joined by Les Litwinowicz to form Grove Industries. Two decades later, David and his associates have built a portfolio of diverse, independent businesses with annual sales of over £300m which employ over 1,500 people. The group has interests in sectors as diverse as automotive component manufacture, chemical formulation, printing, and magazine publishing. Alongside his role as principal of Grove Industries, in 1998 David was appointed as Chief Executive (later Chairman) at the Solihull-based transport infrastructure provider Hill & Smith. Under his leadership the business was transformed from a struggling group with a share price of 30p into a confident international company with a share price that touched £4. The acquisition of Ash & Lacy Plc (sales £115m) by Hill & Smith (sales £50m)
was integral to this turnaround and won David many plaudits amongst his peers. Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham, an adviser to Grove Industries, commented that David’s approach to business through inspiring and incentivising management teams had shown itself to be ‘incredibly successful’. Lord Jones added: “He had enormous common sense. He always looked to the medium, not the short term. He was a dear friend. If only the West Midlands had 50 David Groves”. David was a plain speaker who focussed above all on nurturing the management of a business and encouraging sustainable growth over the long-term, eschewing the short term exit strategy commonly favoured by private equity firms. Before his untimely death, David emphasised that he had created a structure whereby Grove Industries would continue ‘were I to walk under the proverbial number 9 bus tomorrow’. He reached the highest levels of achievement in business but he never lost the ability to communicate with colleagues and friends from all social backgrounds. Above all, he was able to inspire incredible levels of loyalty by treating people with compassion and respect. He often used his wit and sense of humour to highlight important themes such as excessive public spending and the unnecessary bureaucracy that he believed restricted
business growth. David also championed a need to create incentives by simplifying the tax system. David was a keen sports fan. He travelled to the West Indies, Australia and South Africa to watch the England cricket team as part of the Barmy Army and, closer to home, enjoyed trips to Twickenham and to the Hawthorns to watch his beloved West Bromwich Albion. He also enjoyed many an hour on the golf courses of Portugal as a break from his hectic business schedule. David passed away unexpectedly at his Warwickshire home on 12 November and is survived by his wife Jane and two sons Jonathon and Simon.
Offices and Awards received by David during his life: 2011: 2009: 2009: 2006: 2003:
High Sheriff of the West Midlands OBE for Services to Business Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute of Chartered Accountants Runner up in the Financial Times Entrepreneur of the Year Award President of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry
19962002: Member of the CBI Regional Council
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Obituaries.
Obituaries. Robin K. Chatterjee WGS 1969 – 76 obin K. Chatterjee, universally known as ‘Chat’, sadly died in October 2011 whilst on holiday in Tenerife, aged just 54. Chat was hugely popular during his time at WGS with both staff and fellow pupils, many of whom remained life-time friends. After leaving the school, Chat continued his studies at Nottingham Trent University, finishing with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Chat then spent the next 30 years in Wolverhampton as entrepreneur and businessman; as an avid, loyal and much travelled supporter of Wolves and the England
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national side; as a respected lecturer at Sandwell College; as an exam board examiner and, just as importantly, as a bon viveur. Chat had literally hundreds of friends – of the real, not Facebook kind! – and thousands of acquaintances, accumulated over the course of his rich and varied life. Few of these would have had a bad word to say about him. Chat’s recent funeral in Codsall was attended by several hundred mourners including dozens of former school friends, WGS staff and OW sportsmen. Chat was a larger than life character who will be sadly missed by his family and many friends. He is survived by wife, Julia; daughter, Ruth; sons Roy and Mark and mother, Beryl.
Andrew omas Morgan OW 1991– 98 adly died at the age of 31years, May 2011.
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Amandip Singh Sukraat Maheru OW 1985 – 92 mandip was Dr Bernard Trafford’s first head boy, who sadly passed away May 2011.
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Dr Herbert Alan S Walker OW 1937 - 44 adly passed away on the 19th October 2011, at the age of 85years.
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Garry Lockley OW 1963 – 71 arry died young, June 2010.
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Answers for ‘e Name Game’ Main cricket photo 1947 Back row left to right: A R Agg (scorer), A McGookin, J V Smith, J C Horsfall, G M Genno, F Shale, A Morrell, A E Jay, Noel Stokes Front row left to right: D C Bourne, P O Bourne, W A Richards, J M Lee (Captain), M R Fellows, J G A Jump, L Willis
Wolverhampton Grammar School Compton Road, Wolverhampton WV3 9RB Telephone: 01902 421326 Email: wgs@wgs-sch.net Website: www.wgs.org.uk Registered Charity Number 529006 Designed and printed by WavePrint Telephone: 0121 454 9441 www.waveprint.co.uk
By Oliver Cox From a series of winning photographs from the Merchant Taylors’ annual photography competition.