Wulfrunian 2013 by Wolverhampton Grammar School

WULFRUNIAN 2013

Merchant Taylorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Photography Competition Entry

Tom Aston RUNNING

IN THIS ISSUE

IN THE COMMON ROOM

A FOND FAREWELL

Common Room News

CLUBS & SOCIETIES

FUNDRAISING

Battle of the Bands

WGJS 16 Towers 20 Olivia 22 The Old Vicarage 24 The Great WGJS Bake Off 30 Music & Drama 34 House Round up

SPORT AT WGS

OLD WULFRUNIANS

100 Football 104 Rugby 107 Hockey 110 Netball 116 Cricket 122 Rounders 128 Tennis 129 Fives 130 Sports Day

WGS

ARTS & DRAMA 40 Guys & Dolls 42 Alice 44 Theatre Studies 46 Musical Notes 49 Diary of Events 50 Art In Focus 52 Merchant Taylorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Photographic Competition

132 OW Sports Festival 134 Annual Dinner 137 Ben Coppin 138 Alex Bandurak 140 Sathnam Sanghera 141 Christopher Hazell 142 David Hinde 143 Mike Flamank 145 Bernard H Colman 146 Do You Remember? 149 Obituaries

TRIPS

58 Year 8 at The Tate 60 Florence 62 Battlefields 64 Bude 68 French Exchange 72 Flachau 76 Towers 78 Coast to Coast 82 Duke of Edinburgh 84 Uganda

WELCOME Very few of this country’s head teachers have the privilege of taking over a school with over 500 years of heritage and tradition and I count myself lucky to be one of that rare and happy band. I have inherited a school in rude health, for which I express my sincere gratitude to my predecessor, Vincent Darby, who in five years achieved more than many would in twice that time: a new Junior School, a better uniform and the new pavilion, for instance, only hint at the chart of his real successes. At the same time as saying goodbye to Vincent, Dr Simon Walford, who served on the governing body for 18 years, latterly as Chairman of the Directors, stepped down from the Board. Also David Hughes steps down after 12 years. They were members of a group of dedicated and experienced Directors who give their time and expertise unstintingly. I thank Dr Walford, and the other Directors, for their support and wise counsel. Like me, they too are proud to be associated with this fantastic school whose achievements are again paraded for your delight and delectation in these pages. The Wulfrunian celebrates the school’s, and most significantly, our students’ year, so it is with immense pride that I read reflections upon the last academic year and add further to my understanding of the wealth and diversity of opportunities provided here at WGS. Teamwork, cooperation and involvement thrive in abundance, as do commitment, imagination and fun: a cocktail of qualities and soft skills that will immeasurably help equip the students of WGS for life beyond our walls. Enjoy your read. I hope that, like me, you feel delighted to be involved with such an inspirational school.

Kathy Crewe-Read Head of The Foundation

Common Room How quickly time flies. I cannot believe another year has passed. So what has been happening in the common room this year?

am sure, remember his friends. Also Caroline Hodgshon who leaves us for the big city life in London. Both were excellent members of the common room and will be greatly missed. From the ancillary staff we also lost the services of Keith Flavell, Steve Wade and Mark Taylor, stalwarts who contributed so much to WGS. On behalf of the common room I thank them sincerely for all their efforts and wish them well for the future.

Vincent Darby announced his retirement, which was a surprise to a lot of people; we thought he would see his building projects through, but the Directors thought his request for a new headmaster’s study with en suite and Jacuzzi a bit excessive. Seriously though, he certainly smartened the school up during his headship as well as helping to establish the very successful Junior School which is thriving under Andrew Hymer. Vincent has managed to steer the school through a period of serious recession, which has been no easy task and he leaves the school in a strong position to move forward. On behalf of the common room I wish him a happy retirement and a reduced golf handicap.

We say goodbye also to Rob Short, who came as cover for Owen Davis (who continues his battle with mister “C” in his own impressive style). Rob has been a revelation as a teacher and taker of assemblies. He has a natural gift for teaching and a wry sense of humour that will be missed in the common room, but one which will lighten up the staff room at Abraham Darby School.

We congratulate and welcome Kathy Crewe-Read on her appointment. I know she will be a huge success and there are exciting times ahead. She can expect the same professional support that Vincent enjoyed from a hard working and dedicated staff.

We say goodbye to Karla Thomas who was only here for a relatively short time, yet made such a positive impact. The common room appreciated her help and assistance and I know she will be a success in whatever role she fills. Another farewell is to Dave Simpson who retires after 24 years of teaching. He has been a star supporting Simon O’Malley in DT; we wish him a happy retirement. Dave will be hard to replace but the impact of new boy Steven Turnbull has been excellent in his first year here. He is a top signing.

The common room gained three excellent new members in Rhiannon Platt, Rob Mason and Simon Palmer and all three have embraced our collegiality and friendship. There was also a welcome return to Brian Hopson who was covering for Kath Finn.

We held the Christmas dinner in Big School for the first time.The food was excellent and potentially could have been an exercise worth repeating, if

We had to say goodbye to Phil Lovesey, who goes on to become a rich and famous writer, who will, I

not for the fact that our own catering staff were working to prepare and serve the food, and this was not right. What brought us all down to earth was the news that Kevin Butler had passed away which was announced at the dinner. Prayers were said for him and his family. He was to me what I imagine Father Christmas would be like, such a gentle and caring man.

new?). And though we’ve had parent and child combinations working at WGS before now (the Johnsons), is it the first time for a brother and sister (Ali and Duncan)?

Now that I am retiring and will be going part time next year (yes I know I’ve been that for years), can I take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to all the sports staff who have The Junior School welcomed Jill Trevor, carried me over the years as I pass on who has made an impressive impact, the sporting baton to the very capable teaching assistants Kate Whyton hands of Nigel Crust and Alison and Elliot Hopkin who have created McAllister. With their steerage, the excellent working relationships sporting future of the school looks with students and staff alike. Gloria extremely bright. Lofthouse was transferred to Senior School, for a massive fee as you would On behalf of the Common Room I expect and the transfer money was would like to thank James Millichamp, well spent on Janica Gayler who has Louise Stanley,Kate Baker and Claudine quickly settled in. Jones who have done so much on behalf of the staff in terms of arranging Congratulations to Diana Wassell and functions, collecting subscriptions, Anna Cousins who will be married by taking minutes and trying to make me the time this article is read. There are look like I know what I am doing, a lost two very lucky men out there and I cause unfortunately. hope they realise that. We also need to welcome to the extended WGS and Good luck to chairman PJ (Chas and WGJS family, Evelyn Cothey, obviously Dave already booked for Christmas do part of a long term strategy to fill I believe), Owen as secretary, Nathan Junior School, so watch out Diana as treasurer, Alison, Pav and Helen as and Anna! A twin welcome to Noah the dynamic social committee as they and Daisy King, two precious arrivals take over the reins next year. for very proud parents Clare and JJ Theo (Theo has been seen having the occasional nap in the common room at lunch time, but then again what’s

vincent

A FOND FAREWELL

joseph vincent darby

After five years, several cars, multiple rounds of golf and many changes to the WGS campus, Joseph Vincent Darby retired as head of WGS in 2013. Peter Hills, Deputy Head bids a fond farewell to JVD.

Vincent Darby had an illustrious career. He started out in the world of banking as a graduate management trainee with Midland Bank. Very swiftly however he saw the ‘light’ and following his PGCE at Birmingham, embarked on a teaching career that has seen him experience and indeed play a huge part in the development of three of the West Midlands’ leading grammar schools. He began his career at King Edward’s Aston as a history and games teacher and it is interesting to note that his colleagues back then identified his passions along similar lines to those we too might pick up on in his five years at WGS.

Vincent Darby achieved so much during his Headship. It was suggested by King Edward’s Camp Hill that the architect and cement mixer would follow him down the A4123 from Kings Heath to Wolverhampton. Indeed they did. In 5 years he has completed the language block, developed and updated the Sixth Form Centre, established the Junior School and enhanced its environment, refurbished Big School and more recently added the wonderful new pavilion.

For a Headteacher there is nowhere to hide and I hugely respected the numerous times over the last five years that Vincent dealt with parental They speak of flashy cars: a black escort XR3, situations with real skill. His ability to turn difficult followed swiftly by an XR3i in white with go discussions situations into those where a calm faster stripes; we’ve seen changes on the car front result, in the best interest of the pupils and school, too, the Audi A4 Convertible that proved rather was achieved has been a privilege to bear witness unsuitable for the wintry conditions in getting to. from his house to the main road, so that went, followed by the gleaming white ‘look at me I’m Nelson Mandela once said, a retiring Headmaster’ Audi TT. Vincent loves his cars. ‘It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front when things are going well and you are Vincent was a fashion guru too. For him, a sweater celebrating victory BUT you take the frontline became a vital part of school attire because when there is danger. Then people will appreciate evidently Vincent once managed to slice off the your leadership’. end of his tie in a school guillotine. To cover his embarrassment he allegedly, with a pair of Nelson Mandela got it about right. scissors, shaped and trimmed the end to hide his misdemeanour. So perhaps it is not so surprising We thank Vincent Darby, WGS’s 32nd Head for all that our fashion guru focussed so quickly on our the work done during the last five years and hope students’ uniform and smartened up the way they that he and Susan will have a wonderful retired life look. The tie and the badge in the Senior School together in Ireland. and red blazers in the Junior School have been a real success. 9

TWO STALWARTS RETIRE Simon Walford had been on the Board since 1995 and was Chairman for 11 years from 2001 when he succeeded Malcolm Ward. Those 11 years were spent working alongside two Heads, Bernard Trafford and Vincent Darby. That period embraced innovations such as the introduction of OPAL and Big Six, the development of the Music Rehearsal Rooms and the Arts and Drama Building as well as the re-establishment of the Junior School. We have much to thank Simon for, he led with significant commitment, quiet determination, no little diplomacy and true distinction and he is to congratulated on these tremendous achievements as well as the overall success of the School during his tenure in office, particularly whilst Chairman. David Hughes had spent 12 years on the Board, joining in 2001. An Old Wulfrunian, David always showed a real passion for the School and made an enormous contribution, particularly in bringing focus to the subject of Oxbridge recruitment. His legal skills were invaluable and he guided the Board through the intricacies of incorporation and so many other aspects where his keen attention to detail was invaluable. David also took his succession responsibilities very seriously and at his last Council Meeting there were no less than three Directors on the Board all personally introduced by him. Again, David is to be congratulated on his immense interest in and contribution to the success of the School. Fortunately, despite their retirement from the Board, both Simon and David will be continuing as Trustees, a vital role which they have fulfilled since 2005 with David as Chairman.

Kevin Butler on projects on home and garden, and catching up with his beloved hobby of fishing. In early 2000, he took up his post at the Grammar School, and was eagerly anticipating the birth of his first grandchild. Kevin’s new role amounted to a huge change of scene for him, and it is a mark of his many talents and personable nature that he adapted seamlessly to the job, speaking often of how he enjoyed the change and variety it offered. He quickly established a reputation as a reliable, trustworthy and hardworking employee here, the kind of man you could ask to help out, knowing that he most certainly would, and willingly. There have been many times when Kevin offered off the cuff practical advice on tasks, displaying a really impressive and enviable range of knowledge. Kevin leaves a widow, Irene, who was his childhood sweetheart. They met at school at 15 It is with real sadness that the school marks the and married some time later, buying a house in passing of one of our caretaking staff, Kevin Butler, Willenhall. Their two children, Elise and Nick, who died on 14th December 2012 at the far arrived in ‘74 and ‘85 respectively. Kevin doted on too young age of 63. An immensely likeable and all three and made it a priority to make his family talented man, Kevin is remembered with warm the single most important aspect of his life. He affection by teaching and non-teaching staff alike, made special occasions such as Christmas and principally for his helpfulness and friendly, positive birthdays magical, doing everything he could to ensure that everybody had the best time possible. attitude. Just prior to his passing, a fifth grandchild, Leila Kevin was West Midlands through and appeared, and it is some comfort to Irene that she through. Born in Wednesbury and attending managed to photograph Kevin proudly holding his Wednesborough High School, he excelled in tiny granddaughter. His four other grandchildren, practical subjects, such as technology, and at sport, Frank, Lola, Jack and Charlie loved their grandfather playing as a goalkeeper for school, local clubs dearly and he them, dressing as Father Christmas and the county side. After school, Kevin started every Christmas Eve to enhance their excitement. an apprenticeship at a local engineering firm, FH Lloyd, where he qualified as a skilled machinist and Kevin was one of life’s genuinely nice men. He he is fondly remembered for his considerable time enjoyed people’s company and an evening in his there, both in the working environment and as a would assuredly pass very pleasantly. He strived central member of the firm’s social scene.After the to make those around him comfortable and firm folded in 1982, Kevin explored and extended contented, and thought positively of everyone. his practical portfolio by working for a window He oozed practicality and was blessed with a high fitting company, before returning to engineering as degree of plain common sense. This school is a an employee of Wilkins and Mitchells in Darlaston. poorer place for his absence, and he is sorely missed Here again, he put his excellent skills to good use by his family and friends. They are committed to by being an extremely highly-valued member of a keeping the memory of this thoroughly decent team involved in the manufacture of heavy castings, man alive, by recalling with fondness the debt they with diverse applications ranging from the nuclear owe to him. All of our lives were touched, all too industry to bridge building. Again falling victim briefly, by this self-effacing, talented man. May he to market forces, the firm closed in the late 90s rest in peace. PJ and Kevin took the time to maximise his life as a family man, liking nothing more than embarking

Kay Hannah It was inevitable that Kay would eventually move on as she has so much to offer the independent sector and sooner or later a job too good to resist would pop up. Kay’s appointment as Housemistress at Bromsgrove represents a well-deserved promotion. For seven years Kay has committed herself to improving girls’ hockey at WGS and has led by example. The number of girls and boys who will have benefited from her coaching and enthusiasm is testament to her dedicated approach and has been much appreciated. As Director of Sport it makes life so much easier when you have such dedicated staff willing to give up their time, especially when trying to manage a young family at the same time. Kay’s contribution to sport at the school, in games lessons, PE sessions and extracurricular programme has been excellent. I thank Kay heartily for her support. Bromsgrove is very lucky to be getting such a talented lady. I know that Kay enjoyed her time here and that she will carry with her fond memories of the school. JMJ

Dave Simpson With great regret Design and Technology had to say goodbye to Dave Simpson at the end of the summer term 2013. Dave had been a remarkable asset to the department filling the technician’s role admirably. Not content to administer the daily routine, he was passionate about involving himself with the students, assisting them at all levels with the development of their skills. He was with us at WGS for four years coming from Codsall High School where he had been a Design and Technology teacher. In previous lives Dave had served in the Merchant Navy and often regaled both staff and students alike with tales from the high seas. Dave was an avid cyclist, had run marathons, enjoyed DIY, competed in ‘tough guy’ competitions and was a keen Morris dancer (well we can’t all be perfect). He is sadly missed by staff in the department and indeed throughout the whole school, though especially by Mr Anderson who now has to fix his children’s’ toys himself! Not content with ‘retirement’ Dave is volunteering his time teaching ICT classes in his local area of Bridgnorth and spending quality time with his wife, children and grandchildren. We wish him every happiness in his retirement and he is always welcome here at WGS and in the DT department (especially when coursework is due!) SOM

Caroline Hodgson At Christmas 2012 we also said goodbye to Caroline Hodgson who joined us here at WGS in January 2011 taking over from Ray Morris. Caroline joined us as an NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher - although other acronyms are available) and had to ‘hit the floor running’ at this time of year, dealing very quickly with the daunting task of both GCSE and A-Level coursework. She managed this admirably and all students were successful in gaining quality grades during her first year. A robust character, she was not only content with handling the pressures of her NQT year but partook in the Morocco expedition during the 2011 summer holiday. She left us to be with her partner who is based in London at the BBC and pursue a new opportunity in Graphic Design. She is missed by all her friends here at WGS and we wish her every success in her chosen career. SOM

Phil Lovesey Phil Lovesey joined the English department initially as temporary maternity-leave cover for Lisa Harris in January 2010. As the saying goes, ‘we were so impressed, we bought the…’. Well, not the company exactly, but when it transpired that we had a full time post to fill for the academic year 2010-11, it didn’t take long to realise we had just the person we needed in-house, and we were delighted when Phil applied for the full time post. We happily bought his time. Phil’s English teaching was characterised by verve, flair, brio and charisma. Blessed with a quick mind and fluent, lucid articulacy, he could hold a class in thrall with his wit, insight and (rather dark) humour. Students loved his lessons because they could be edgy and unsettling; he gave permission for controlled rebellion – at least, so they thought. Most significantly, Phil got students to think, explore and imagine. As a published author himself (of thrillers; look them out, they’re good!) he excelled at getting students to write creatively and expressively. He had the knack of de-mythologising texts and making difficult texts understandable, whether it be the modern gothic of Scandi-noir, at A level, or psychoanalytics of old favourites like Lord of the Flies for GCSE. So when Phil announced that he felt he had to move on, in December 2012, were disappointed; one doesn’t like to lose talent. We fully understood why. As stated, Phil is an immensely talented man, and as well as doing the ’day job’ with us he was latterly developing and reviving his writing career, not least securing a writing deal for a BBC drama. Recognising he could not do both careers justice, Phil chose to seize a rare opportunity and follow the writing. Understandable, yes, but sad too.The common room isn’t the same without his laconic yet acerbic wit and his wry, dry take on things. On the upside, though, the staff sugar bill has halved since he left! Never was there another man who had two spoons of coffee with his cup of Tate and Lyle! Phil Lovesey: not here long, but while he was, ‘the boy done good’! He’s missed. Mark Benfield

S M Clancy, BSc, Loughborough University T J Cothey, BSc, Lancaster University N H Crust, BA, University College of North Wales, Bangor Mrs A L Dalton, BA, Nottingham Trent University 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 D S Gibbs, BA, University of Bristol 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 J Hall, BA, University of Newcastle upon Tyne Mrs E S N Harris, BA, University of Southampton Mrs H Hills, BSc, University of Nottingham Dr S Hinchliffe, BA, PhD, MEd FRSA, Universities of Durham, St Andrews, Edinburgh & Open 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 D Lowe, Music Teacher Mrs P K Mahey, BA, University of Central England Mrs P Manzai, BA, University of Turin R W Mason, BA, University of Nottingham Miss A M McAllister, BSc, MA Universities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton D J McAllister, Tripos, Christs College Cambridge J J Millichamp, BA, MA, University of Wolverhampton 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 S P Palmer, Senior Coach R A Pawluk, Professional Certificate (RAM), LTCL, ALCM, Royal Academy of Music Mrs J E Pawluk, Professional Certificate (RAM), Dip RAM, LRAM, Royal Academy of Music M R Payne, BA, University of Warwick

COUNCIL MEMBERS Chairman P Sims, ACIB Members The Mayor of Wolverhampton (ex-officio) Mrs A Brennan M Brooker, BA Rev S Cawdell R Cooper, OW (ex-officio USA) Mrs M Crisp Dr S J L Gower, MA, PhD (OW) , Appointed by the University of Birmingham D J Hughes, MA (OW) P A Hawthorne, CBE, MA (OW) Professor K Madelin, OBE, MSc, CEng, FICE, FIHT P Magill, Appointed by the Merchant Taylors’ Company Dr M Nicholls, BA,MA, PhD Appointed by St John’s College, Cambridge A Phillips (OW) , Appointed by the Old Wulfrunians Association J Patel R Purshouse LLB (OW) S Sanghera, MA (OW) E A Sergeant, BSc, BTh (OW) C Tatton, BA, ACMA Dr S Walford, MA, MD, FRCP Mrs C Wood, JP, LLB Head Mrs K Crewe-Read, BSc, Aberystwyth University Deputy Head P A Hills, BA, University of Nottingham N J C Anderson, BSc, University of Leeds Head of Junior School A C Hymer, BA, DipEd, MA, NPQH, University of Sheffield, Birmingham City University Assistant Staff M R Allen, BA, Edge Hill University 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 N T Burden, BSc, University of Reading Dr J-P Camm, BSc, PhD, University of Sheffield A P Carey, BSc, University of London R B Charlesworth, BA, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford

J W Perkins, BA, Manchester Polytechnic Miss R E Platt, BA, University of Birmingham 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 Miss A Shukla, BA, University of Wolverhampton G L Smith, BEd, Loughborough University of Technology T D Smith, BA, Strathclyde University Mrs L E Stanley, BSc, University of Manchester J A Sutherland, MSc, The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College, Oxford Miss J R Trevor, BSc, University of Wales S M Turnbull, BA, MA, University of Huddersfield Mrs D M Tyler, B.Ed, Dip RSA, University of Birmingham I H M Tyler, BA, MEd, Universities of Saskatchewan & Birmingham, Dip DA, RADA K S Uppal, BA, MPhil, Wadham College, Oxford, & University of Birmingham Mrs K I Wainwright, BSc, 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

Miss J Anderson, BA Administration Mrs N Murphy Mrs N Williams, BSc Mrs G Lofthouse Miss N Richards Miss E Moore Mrs J Gayler

Marketing Officer Graphic Design Office Manager Administration Co-ordinator HR Administrator Operations Administrator Administration Assistant Junior School Secretary

ICT P Hancox C Frost, BSc M Price

Systems Director Network Manager

Operations Mrs J Taylor, MHCIMA Operations Manager M Bourne Senior Site Supervisor Mrs L Roden Site Supervisor K Petford Site Supervisor R Hingley Site Supervisor G Talbot Site Supervisor D Gregory Site Supervisor Ms M Loving Site Supervisor T Mitchell, C & G Dip Amenities Horticulture Head Groundsman L Homer E O Irving Head Chef Miss H Smith Mrs J Moore

Visiting Teachers Mrs L Bausor, ALCM (Oboe and Bassoon) Miss N G Pomeroy, Dip ABRSM (Piano) Miss L Glanville BMus, (Drum Kit & Percussion) B Perkins, ABSM (Guitar) Miss S A Hallam, BMus, (Viola,Violin) Miss A Picken BMus (Cello) Mrs L Key, Dip Musical Theatre (singing) Mrs A Straw, BA (French Horn & Trombone) D Lowe, (Electric Guitar) Miss P Milarova (Piano) Miss J Walter, BMus (Clarinet and Saxophone) J Wynn, BMus (Jazz Piano) Mrs K Morgan, BA (Singing)

Project Team D Gallop D Gillett C Parker T White Teaching Assistants Mrs C Keita Mrs S Causo-Garbutt Miss Lena Schabsky Mrs I C Raymond-Barker, BEd Mrs K Ralph Mrs C Whyton

Administrative and Support Staff Finance M Allen, MA BA (hons), FCCA Bursar S Cohen Finance & Compliance Manager Mrs D Hartshorne Senior Finance Administrator Mrs S Westwood Purchase Ledger

Projects Manager

French Assistant Italian Assistant German Assistant Junior School Junior School

Library Mrs L Johnson, C & G Dip, Information Miss M Drew D J McAllister Technicians Miss C Fendek, BSc A Bandurak R D Walker

Development & Marketing M Hand, BA Development Director Mrs J Morris Admissions Registrar Mrs G Evans Marketing Officer Alumni Relations

Librarian

Chemistry Laboratory Physics Laboratory Biology Laboratory

WGJS:

An incredible year After such a good first year, the challenge was to build on the success and continue to enhance our growing reputation. From the tug-of-war at the end of the first week in September, to the leavers’ evening at the Old Vicarage, the weeks and terms fizzed by in a blur.

year of competitive sport. Miss Trevor’s arrival allowed us to offer greater expertise in girls’ sports coaching. Our results began to improve and we ended the year with an even win/loss ratio. As always, it was great to see so many children involved in competitive sport.

Music was certainly a highlight of the year. Any thoughts that we may have struggled to match the quality of the previous year were soon dispelled. The quality of the very first note of the strings group at our summer concert will stay long in the memory. Strings are notoriously difficult to master for a junior group; however, the standard and range of our performers was exceptionally high. The summer concert even featured a performance by our very own junior rock band.

The activity programme is one of WGJS’ great strengths. Golf provided a welcome addition to our offering. Coached by the 3 Hammers golf professionals, our children made sufficient progress to play on the par three course. Our chess team deserve a special mention for their outstanding season. Playing in a Year 7 league for senior pupils, the team not only were competitive but ended the season as winners of the chess league beating the likes of King Edward’s Birmingham and Camp Hill.

Our two musical productions were both great successes.There were some wonderfully confident and polished performances in our Year Three and Four production of Children of the World. Our summer production Olivia, allowed full range for our many talented performers in our top two year groups. The school has rightly gained a reputation for its outstanding musical provision.

Whilst it is great to see our junior children so busy, it is hugely rewarding and reassuring to see all the superb work the children have produced this year. There is no doubting the commitment to excellence throughout the school. 2012-13 has been an exceptional year. My final thanks go to our superb team of teachers and assistants for all their help and dedication this year. ACH

Our sports teams benefited from our second

WILD, WET & WINDY Big Six’s Terrific Trip to Towers!

On Monday 14th January, Big Six set off to North Wales, excited and ready for the challenges that lay ahead. Around 9.30am, they said goodbye and loaded too many heavy bags onto the coach. A long three hour drive through the windy Welsh roads with too many students eating too many sweets could have been disastrous, but we made it successfully.

chain of sledges. As this went on, another group went rambling through the snow on lower ground. Pausing for a picnic in the snow overlooking the mountain views seemed idyllic but it turned into an almighty snowball fight between the students (mainly Samraj) and Mrs Baker and Mrs Dyer. I’m not sure who came off worse!

Big Six had a fantastic time at The Towers, between the zip wiring, mountain climbing and caving there were fun and frolics, yummy dinners and a chance to get to know everyone there. The weather didn’t get better and sadly, we had to leave on the Thursday evening following severe weather warnings for snow. It’s a good job we did as Friday brought an afternoon off school and a weekend that followed full of snowball fights, snowmen building and below zero temperatures. I’m glad we Day two brought a day out on the water and weren’t stuck up Snowden in that weather – who as we unloaded the different coloured kayaks, knows how long we’d have been stuck there! the sun began to appear and we knew it’d be a Oscar Triggs (6JRW) great day. Individually, we kayaked across the lakes in Llanberis with Snowden’s peak in the near distance. The girls did nothing but complain about their cold toes and fingers whilst the boys went full throttle to get to the other side – knowing that lunch was waiting for them. Then, on the way back in the afternoon, we got to experience Canadian canoes in larger groups. We stopped on the banks to drink hot chocolate and as the light began to fade we built a camp fire to warm our toes. Ross Deeley and Ed Bill didn’t just warm their feet but melted the ends of their welly boots as well...they blamed Mr Davies whose idea it was!

Our first night turned out to be little like we expected. Having made beds before doing a day full of activities we thought a nice cup of cocoa and an early night would be best, but no, we had a two hour hike ahead of us. It turned out to be fun though, Besides the laughs and scares in the dark, we learnt about the sky; how to identify the North Star and Jupiter.

Gorge walking was another favourite activity as Edward Puchase claimed; “I found it very exciting and adventurous but at times it was quite stressful because others found it difficult and were moaning!” It was wildly windy and we couldn’t avoid getting wet as the gorge was so deep in places. Unfortunately Lucy Newton, who was freezing before getting off the bus, fell in straight away and had to reach the top soaking wet with welly boots full of water. Whilst it was fun, we couldn’t wait to get back to The Towers for a nice warm shower and hot dinner. As the week progressed, the weather got worse. But for one lucky group, this was a chance to go sledging, although really, it was ice sledging. Mr Cothey was the ‘pusher’ at the top of the hill and this meant we went even quicker. In the end, Zac, me (Oscar), Edward, Harry and Sachin covered the greatest distance with a five-way

YEAR 3 VISIT TO BIRMINGHAM ART GALLERY & MUSEUM Erin Deeley (3JP)

On Thursday 29th November 3JP went to Birmingham Museum. The whole class was really excited because we were going on a school trip. We started out at nine o’clock, arriving at the museum at quarter past ten when Mr Hymer and Mrs Baker dropped us off at the entrance. First we looked at the Egyptian displays, we saw a mummy and it was real! We also saw some Egyptian bowls, spoons and keys made out of clay and metal. We had to complete an artefact quiz and a facts sheet in groups. After this we had our packed lunch in an area just for schools. Next we went to visit the museum shop. I had a good look round and chose two coins, an Egyptian

bracelet and a notepad. After we had all paid we went to an Egyptian workshop led by a person from the museum. We learnt about the death of a Pharaoh and we all had a chance to mummify the body. Arnav, Junior and I helped to wrap the body which was very exciting. After the body had been mummified we had a funeral parade. There were musicians and priests. Unfortunately I was a mourner. Finally we went home on the same minibus. I sat next to Jaya and I really enjoyed the trip. The best bit was in the workshop when we got to touch the special artefacts.

Year 3 Roman Day Annie Gregory (3JP)

Wednesday 8th May was Roman Day for 3JP. The whole class and the teachers dressed up as Romans and we all looked brilliant. We met Titus, a Roman soldier who had brought in a wide range of artefacts for us to look at and to explain a bit about Roman life.

eyes; this was to protect you as you charged towards your enemy. The wooden swords were held in our right hands ready to attack the enemy. We charged at Mrs Pawluk and Mrs Ralph shouting “left, right, left, right” in Latin, they looked really terrified!

First,Titus showed us a stick that the Romans used to wipe their bottoms with. They would get the stick out of a bucket of vinegar, wipe their bottom and replace it in the vinegar to wash away all the germs! Next, Titus told us that the Celts, who were the Romans’ enemies, used to put skeleton heads outside their homes, to show the Romans that they were fierce and could kill, which would hopefully scare them away. Then William tried on a heavy silver mask that the Romans used to wear during their games when they pretended to do battle with each other. He looked very scary!

Finally, Titus passed round a range of artefacts for us all to look at. He showed us many interesting items and explained to us that Roman soldiers used to wear shoes with studs on the bottom to stop them sliding on the slippery grass. I really enjoyed our Roman day and I learned lots of interesting facts and saw many fascinating artefacts.

After lunch we went outside to practise charging using swords and shields. We had to hold up the shield in our left hand, holding it just under our

Year 4 Viking Day Isaac Rodgerson

We learnt interesting facts about how the Vikings lived. They had money, making coins out of silver, which Eric showed us how to make. Two of my friends, Karam and Ellie, had a Viking wedding which had been arranged from their births without them even knowing! Is time travel possible? I thought not, until one day in the autumn of 2012, class 4DW travelled back in time to the ninth century. As we travelled through time our clothes changed from school uniform to those that a Viking would have worn. My clothes were now a leather hat, warm shirt, woollen cape, fur trousers and warm fur boots. Holding both ends of my cape together was a circular silver broach. Around my neck was a Thor hammer pendant, which also appeared to be made out of silver. I had a dagger and a sword hooked onto my leather belt. It seemed I was ready to fight! Suddenly a Viking appeared. His name was Eric Ericsson. He was our guide to the Viking world. He showed us the weapons and armour the Vikings used in combat. We tried these on. He also showed us the skins of a wolf and a boar that he had killed and the tail of an arctic fox.

Eric also told us about a girl in my class called Eleanor who had committed many crimes including stealing Eric’s beloved pony. He demonstrated the many ways Vikings used to punish people. The worst way to be executed was not immediate death, but to be outlawed, meaning Viking citizens could do literally anything to her (including tying her to two ponies and seeing how long it took to pull her apart). The Vikings were skilled craftsmen. Eric showed us many different hollowed-out horns and tusks. Some were horns to blow in battle; others were used as drinking cups. At the end of the day we travelled back to WGJS in 2012 and Eric was there in modern clothes. This Eric told us he was 30 to 40 generations, descended from Eric Ericsson, our Viking guide.

Big Six Laser Tag Ross Deeley

One warm Friday evening, as the summer term of 2013 was drawing to a close and another academic year would be put to bed, the two forms of Big Six were about to face the challenge of their lives… Laser Tag!

Miss Cousins)! Mr Cothey was a true action hero and found it difficult to put his gun away, supported by stealthy Mr Hymer. Many of us struggled to win the fight. By the time it had finished we were ravenous! We followed the smell of the barbeque and tucked in to some very appetising hot dogs.

We boarded mini-buses with some ‘brave’ teachers and set off for the Old Vicarage Adventure Centre in Stottesdon. Jumping eagerly off the bus when we arrived, the excitement was tangible as we dashed towards the forest.

We returned to school, where our parents were waiting, truly exhausted after all that fun. This was one of the best activities of the year for us Big Sixers and a great way to end such a memorable year.

First we were split up into our three houses, Attwood, Barnes and Campbell. Then we put hats with sensors on and were given a very heavy weapon! We played four games each lasting about half an hour. They were wild and extremely fast (and the teachers definitely needed their bravery). One minute you were safe and the next you’d been shot (though that was mainly just Mrs Baker and

OLIVIA

THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS JIGSAW

Lucy Newton 6TC For Year 5 and Big Six, the summer term was spent busily preparing and rehearsing for our annual production.This year it was Olivia â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a performance that could be considered as My Fair Lady meets Annie and Oliver with a hint of A Christmas Carol.

Karam Bisla (4DW)

At the beginning of December Years 3 and 4 did an amazing production called The Magical Christmas Jigsaw. It was about five children (Meg, Beth, Eve, Joe and Tom) who find out all about the story of the birth of the baby Jesus through a jigsaw that they were given by a toy seller at a Christmas market.

So much effort was put in, not only by every pupil but also by our amazing directors and producers, Mrs Pawluk and Miss Wassell who made it all happen so brilliantly. Mrs Baker adopted her usual position in the props and scenery department whilst Miss Cousins and Mrs Whyton were the costume queens and made sure everybody looked fit for a Victorian street.

I played Tom, one of the children and I had to sing on my own, as well as act. It was great fun in rehearsals: using props, moving from one place to another and watching it all come together. My favourite part was the start because of how much atmosphere there was on stage. We had carollers, toy sellers and the children. My favourite song was Up in the Attic because the five children and the toy seller sang about old toys from Victorian times.

There were some phenomenal performances. Notably, by Eve Eccles who played Olivia, by me Lucy Newton, otherwise known as Eliza Doolittle and by Reece McCarthy as the Artful Dodger. But perhaps the biggest and best performance came from Niall Hamad who played Fagin. He went from the quiet, unassuming boy we got to know throughout the year to the cheeky, sneaky cockney geezer we loved. None of us were prepared for his jaw dropping performance! The Flower Girls, played by Maddie Baugh, Ellie Darrall, Sophie Pye and Freya Thompson were also brilliant and caused many a giggle in the audience. They were a real hit!

All the parents really enjoyed our performance and it was great fun entertaining them all.

After two nights of singing, dancing and performing we were all exhausted and ready for the end of term. But it was a resounding success and there was nothing more satisfying than hearing the audience clapping and cheering. It was an amazing experience, and one that we will all remember for years to come.

DIWALI DAY 2013 Lucy Timmins

Diwali is the Hindu festival of light. People put lamps called diyas outside to decorate their homes. To start off Diwali day, we all came into school dressed in Indian clothes. We stuck lots of different things on footprints that went up on display. Also, we did some dancing which turned out to be great fun! I had never done anything like it before. We did some candle painting.We put two separate coloured lines of dots around the outside in paint. We had a choice of four colours. I chose red and blue. Form 5 AC did some amazing acrostic poems.They spelt Diwali down the side and managed to find sentences to go with them. They were decorated around the outside with a border and pictures.

A DAY AT THE ‘PANCAKE’ RACES? Brandon Taylor (5AC)

Tuesday 12th February provided an opportunity for our first Pancake Day races at WGJS. They were the most memorable ones I have ever seen; if not the only ones I’ve ever seen!

We had food tasting and I found some of it very unusual! We tried many different flavours; I think that everyone tried something new! I liked most but a few were definitely not what you expected, such as those very unusual Indian sweets, yummmm!

It rained on and off for over half an hour so we spent much of lunchtime getting set up and ducking back inside again to avoid the showers. Fortunately for us, it soon dried up and we were ready to demonstrate our nifty footwork and skilful flipping.

We had some Indian drummers come in to teach us, which was definitely the best part of the day. We learnt how to hit the two sides of the drum and make different sounds without breaking them. We had two huge drums, with two people on each one .The sticks on each side were different. One was bent and made a lighter and higher sound, the other was a straight stick and made a lower and louder sound.

The planned course was set out in a loop around the playground and every few metres the racer had to stop, flip their pancake without dropping it, and move on to the next checkpoint. Mr Hymer certainly enjoyed demonstrating the course and what to do – maybe a bit too much! It was a Pancake Day fashion parade with everyone, (even the teachers) dressed in fancy hats and aprons – everyone was in the spirit of the event and it was a flipping success. Disappointingly, we didn’t eat the pancakes afterwards but that was probably for the best, as most of them had been on the floor!

Finally, we had some henna tattoos which were amazing. We all loved them. We had a tear drop with lots of spots around it. For some of us, it was the first time we had ever had one and for most of us they stayed on longer than expected. I think that everyone really enjoyed Diwali day and will look forward to it next year.

THE OLD VICARAGE Years 3, 4, and 5 were packed up and ready for an adventure to the Old Vicarage in deepest Shropshire

In May,Years 3, 4, and 5 were packed up and ready to leave the school for an adventure to the Old Vicarage in deepest Shropshire.As everyone made their way to the coaches, there was excitement spreading in the air. Everyone was buzzing, as the coach revved its engine and drove off.The journey went in a flash as everyone was having such an amazing time talking and laughing with their friends. There were three groups in year 5, led by Mr Hymer, Miss Cousins and Miss Trevor. As soon as we arrived, we collected our bags from the coach and were lead to where we would be staying for the four days. After we got settled in our tents, and Year 3 and 4 got comfy in their dormitories, we all got ready for a jam-packed, fun-filled day! In our three groups we did loads of fun activities like archery, high ropes, raft building, caving, orienteering and much more. Everything at the Old Vicarage was better than the best! Not to forget the delicious food! No one had time to be homesick as everyone was having so much fun and also thinking about the amazing adventures they would have during their next activity! It was an experience of a lifetime and I’m sure Years 3, 4 and 5 can’t wait to go again for more adventures… Saaya Deb 5AC

THE GREAT WGJS BAKE-OFF In the spring term WGJS baked up a storm in their own baking competition rivalling that of the BBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great British Bake Off

In the spring term WGJS hosted its very own baking competition following the popularity of the BBC’s Great British Bake Off. What seemed like a simple plan to appeal to the budding bakers amongst the pupils turned into an almighty event and we had cake in abundance.

carrot cake and Zoe Bailey’s cupcakes made it through from our Big Six cohort. The challenge: to Those who wanted to enter the event were given recreate such delights in school on the following the opportunity to bring in their baked delights. Friday independently. Not only was presentation to be considered, but the cakes and biscuits would need to pass the The bake-off challenge day arrived and in true taste test and three lucky judges would perform WGJS spirit the pupils came into school armed the gruelling task of tasting each entry. The judges with baskets of ingredients, equipment and aprons. weren’t the only lucky ones to share a slice of the It was a long and hot morning in the DT room and cake as the rest were sold to pupils and staff at everyone worked tirelessly, following their recipes break time cake sales. A brilliant £142 was raised to recreate their competition entries. for Comic Relief from cake sales alone during the week. Mr Hymer, Mrs Harris and Mr Millichamp By lunchtime we had a table of sweet smelling were the three chosen judges and after tasting goods, ready to be devoured by Earl and Hilary, at least 40 samples of cake I’m not sure if they WGS’ professional chefs, and the bake-off regretted volunteering for the task! contestants’ toughest judges yet. After much munching the winners were agreed. Katie took Nevertheless, the finalists were selected. Erin third place, Angus and Roisin secured a second Deeley from Year 3 with her spiced lemon place tie and deservedly, Erin Deeley won the shortbreads; Year 4 was represented by Elizabeth competition with yet another amazing batch of Marshall who baked chocolate and cherry spiced lemon shortbread biscuits. It was great cupcakes; Angus Hamilton with his chocolate- to see such young budding bakers working so topped, fresh strawberry Victoria sponge and Katie confidently in the kitchen and so it was confirmed, Evans with some delightful strawberry cupcakes our pupils’ talents go far beyond the classroom. were selected from Year 5 and Roisin O’Leary’s KEB 27

CHESS REPORT Samraj Bhandal (6TC)

This season, a chess team composed of students from WGJS competed in the Birmingham and District Junior Chess League and in two additional tournaments. The team was made up of one Year 5 student and five Year 6 students. In the league we played five matches, winning three, drawing and losing one. Our first fixture was against Bishop Veseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grammar School and to our delight we won 6-0. This was an amazing result and boosted our confidence for the rest of the season. Our other victories were against Solihull School and Windsor High School. We played well against King Edwardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birmingham and drew; we fought bravely against King Edward VI Camp Hill but the opposition proved to be a little too strong. Overall we were winners of the Year 7 league and we came joint second with King Edward VI Camp Hill in the Year 8 league. Our first tournament was the so called Lightning Tournament. The tournament consists of four rounds, each being made up of two, ten minute games. Eight students took part in this tournament, namely Andrew Feng, Joshua Ogunnaike, Niall Hamad, Edward Bill, James Burchess, Edward Purchase, Madeline Baugh and Amrita Pahal. We played really well and came third out of four teams. This was a great result considering the tournament was open to any student up to Year 13. Our second tournament was the Closed Quickplay Tournament, again a tournament which is open to students below the age of 18. The tournament consists of three rounds, each round lasting 30 minutes. In this tournament we came a very pleasing seventh out of ten. A special mention must be made to Andrew Feng as he got 2.5 points out of 3. Overall we had a fantastic season with plenty of extraordinary games. We enjoyed the experience of playing chess against other schools and a special thank you must go to Dr Bradley for organising all the events.

YEAR 5 INDULGE IN CADBURY WORLD Adam Gregory

It was a day we had all been waiting for.The whole of Year 5 had been longing for this day to come. The day we went to Cadbury World. After many weeks of learning about the Aztecs, we were actually going to see what their produce was like. At last, the trip to heaven had arrived. It was going to be a day like no other! As we climbed into the minibus, we knew that our next stop would be at the land of chocolate. On the way there, everyone was chatting about what they thought it was going to be like. However, all our theories were wrong. When we arrived, we saw that it was a lot better than any of us had ever imagined. There was a huge window that allowed us to see the inside: there was the shop, full of chocolate, the shop from our dreams! To the left were the vines that lead into the Aztec jungle. We were about to enter Cadbury World!

a little bitter, and how he added sugar to get the wonderful result that we know today. When we got to the end of the corridors, it lead to a room with a screen and there appeared a man talking. He told us the story of Cadbury’s and how Dairy Milk Chocolate was made. It showed a ‘glass and a half’ of milk being poured into a mould.This mould was the shape of a common Dairy Milk chocolate bar we see today. This is where the symbol of Dairy Milk comes from. And then, the moment we had waited for - we went into the place where the chocolate was made. Here we had a tour around the machines. A number of massive cylinders were to be seen where lots of chocolate was being stirred around. There were huge chutes where chocolate that was ready to be eaten came whizzing down! As we opened the door to the next room, there in front of us was a huge fountain of drizzly chocolate with a variety of sweets that would enhance our tasting experience. We were given tubs to fill to the brim with warming chocolate. Then to accompany it, we were given a choice of sweets. I had a handful of marshmallows to make my day even better. As we tucked into our mouthwatering treats, a great sensation of warmth and delight filled us. Let me say that this chocolate was not like any other, it gave you a glowing feeling, due to the fact that it was fresh, straight from the factory!

In the factory, the smell of chocolate being made, wafted strongly through our nostrils. For our first activity we met a man who told us the story of how chocolate was made. We learnt that Hernan Cortes came to the Aztecs, and stole the cocoa beans and added sugar to get the chocolate that we know today. Following this, the man showed us a real cocoa bean. It was an oval shaped object that had hairs all over it and it was enormous! I had not expected it to be as big as it was. The bean smelt like hot chocolate; this was torture! After this, we explored deep into the jungle. This is where we saw trees with many cocoa beans growing on them. It was humid inside this dense forest. Just imagine going to get the beans in that heat! To be honest, it would be quite a hard task to complete with the lack of sunlight and possibility of dangerous creatures lurking!

Just as we were about leave, we were asked if we would like to go to the shop to buy some chocolate. Now, I can’t believe the teachers actually bothered asking us as I thought they would know we were dying to go. Well, if they did not, our reaction told them.We ran to the shop like a herd of wildebeest.The different types of chocolate and sweets was mind blowing. Shelf after shelf was We had a scrumptious amount of food for lunch, bulging with treats to taste. Eventually, we jumped however we knew it would be nothing compared on the minibus and set off back to school. to the chocolate we were going to enjoy later. Next, we went through tunnels, where there were As we caught the last glimpse of Cadbury World, small square screens with videos showing Hernan we all knew it would be a day that we would never Cortes and how he escaped the Aztecs. They also forget! showed how he thought the Aztec chocolate was

WGJS SCHOOL COUNCIL 30

School Councillors set themselves quite a challenge this year to top the super fundraising efforts of their inaugural Charity Week last year when £1350 was raised. So, at the end of April, Charity Week kicked off with ‘Boy/Girl Swap Day’ when WGJS boys dressed as girls and girls dressed as boys, raising a few eyebrows, lots of laughs and showing a great eye for fashion! In amongst the daily delicious cake sales were activities run by each year group including the ever popular ‘Throw a wet sponge at the teachers’! The action packed week organised and led by the Councillors resulted in a fantastic total of £1987.83 being raised and shared equally between our three chosen charities – our local charity, the Good Shepherd; our national charity, NSPCC; and our international charity, WaterAid. Of course, Charity Week is an important focus of the School Council’s calendar, but the work continues all year round with regular meetings to discuss students’ ideas and issues. Competitions and cake sales organised throughout the year have raised money towards purchasing additional playground equipment for all to enjoy. Serina Basra, Ben Thornthwaite and Thomas Wainwright

MUSIC & DRAMA

2012/13 was another exciting and busy year for music and drama at WGJS. During the autumn term the harvest assembly was led by the school choir and readers from across the school.The choir sang a selection of songs that celebrated the food we eat but also reflected on those who are not so fortunate. Wonderful singing, expressive readings and a fantastic display of generous harvest donations made this a memorable assembly for our parents and guest from The Good Shepherd Ministry.

from our hugely talented Big Six students and it is exciting to see them perform so confidently this early in their musical development.

In June, parents were treated to an exciting and varied programme of music and drama in the WGJS summer concert. The concert reflected the wide variety of ensembles and music making within the music curriculum and extracurricular activities. Additionally, a small selection of Mrs Adams’ speech and drama students performed highly entertaining The Christmas production performed by Years monologues.Her work in school is highly valued. 3 and 4 was another hugely entertaining event. The 70 strong school choir sang Firework with The children worked enthusiastically to prepare real commitment and energy and the hamber The Magical Christmas Jigsaw and despite many choir moved a number of the audience to of them having to take on new parts at the tears with their performance of the traditional very last minute due to an outbreak of illness, Ghanaian song Nanuma. Junior Wind Band and they all sang and acted brilliantly. The autumn String Ensemble gave confident and polished term concluded with our carol service in the performances and it was fantastic to see the recently refurbished Big School. The beautiful growing number of flautists in school perform setting and atmospheric lighting enhanced the brilliantly together as the flute ensemble. children’s joyful singing and it was wonderful We were entertained by ensembles from to hear every child in the school contribute to various year groups on recorders, percussion such a poignant service.A special mention must and samba and the highlight of the concert go to the readers from Big Six, instrumentalists for many was the energetic performance by Zoe Bailey and Charlotte Wallis and Eve Eccles our newly formed junior rock band – Electric for her wonderful singing of Once in Royal Shock. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening David’s City. and my sincere thanks go to the WGS music staff for all their help and support. The term WGJS afternoon tea concerts have once again culminated with the Year 5 and 6 production been a highlight of the musical calendar and of the Victorian musical Olivia! The hugely instrumentalists and vocalists from across the entertaining and high quality performances by school have treated the large audiences to a the pupils in Year 5 and 6 reflected the hard variety of wonderful performances. All pupils work and commitment that all the children are invited to perform in the concerts, no demonstrated throughout our preparations. I matter how inexperienced. The warm, friendly bid a fond farewell to our many talented Big audiences and delicious tea and cake make Six students and I have really valued their this an ideal platform for our young musicians. contribution to the musical and dramatic life of Indeed, so many pupils were keen to perform WGJS. I wish them all good luck in Year 7 and in the spring term we had to put in an extra look forward to being entertained by them in concert at the start of the summer term to the future at the many musical events that take accommodate them all! There have been many place at WGS. outstanding performances this year, especially JEP

WGJS GIRLS’ whistle, in spite of suffering an inevitable heavy defeat. We look forward to developing our skills on the netball court now we have established practices and games sessions for all girls.

ROUNDERS

For such a simple game, it’s incredible how technical rounders can be! We extend our thanks to senior colleagues who gave their time and expertise to provide invaluable tips and tactics. The impact of this ensured we won half of our 14 fixtures and have a strong team strategy for fielding from Year 3 through to Big Six and the transition to senior teams.

HOCKEY

The great (?!) Great British weather wreaked havoc with autumn hockey fixtures but the girls battled on to complete a baker’s dozen matches overall, playing teams from across Staffordshire and Worcestershire. After a settling-in period, training and getting to work as a team, the girls faced some strong, well-established opposition, so it was particularly pleasing to record five victories and two draws by the end of term. The highlight of the hockey season had to be a 5 -1 win for the U10’s at Bluecoat School, with an impressive, cohesive team performance.

The U9’s grew in confidence as soon as they gained their first victory at King’s Hawford’s tournament in June, continuing their winning streak to make The bleak winter weather continued into spring, the semi-finals. After that, there was no stopping with a number of fixtures cancelled due to ice them, and they won their remaining matches, with or snow making courts unplayable. However, our a particularly gratifying final performance securing teams still completed 18 fixtures, which included victory against Heathfield after a narrow defeat by several tournaments providing a vast range of them earlier in the season. experience for the girls.

NETBALL

We look forward to next season; applying ourselves wholeheartedly, using all our inherent grit and determination, but growing in strength and skill and further benefitting from the developing relationship with our senior colleagues. Miss Jill Trevor

Our U11’s faced King’s Hawford’s A team (a final practice match for Hawford before they played in the National Independent Schools tournament!) and our girls showed such grit and determination that Hawford’s coach commented on their commitment and endeavour right until the final

WGJS BOYS’ The sporting experiences the boys of the Junior School gained during the first year proved invaluable during 2012-13. The U11 rugby team was extremely competitive; team captain Lawson Billingsley and top try scorer Zac Thompson proved to be a deadly scrum-half and fly-half combination. Our first ever match against local rivals Tettenhall College saw WGJS run out as narrow 17-10 victors in a feisty, exciting encounter. Indeed it was Zac’s blistering pace and fearless tackling that proved the difference in closer matches, eventually seeing him rightfully awarded the WGJS rugby prize at speech day. Football is probably our strongest sport at WGJS. A number of WGJS Big Six boys played not only for their own year group, but also in the Year 7 team. Samraj Bhandal, our football captain, led by example. The team played well at tournaments at Repton as well as beating Mr Hymer’s former school, King’s Hawford 3-0 at the Winterfold tournament. The highlight of the footballing calendar again came against local rivals when The Royal School and Tettenhall College visited for a mini tournament against WGJS A and B teams. The A team were undefeated in three matches whilst the B team, with the superb Oliver Mason dribbling the ball with skills somewhat akin to the mazy runs of Gareth Bale, defeated both TC and The Royal, only losing to the more experienced A side. The U9 team also chipped in with their own 3-2 thriller at Tettenhall College: Jayran Chhokar and Cameron Brittain firing our youngest side to their first win of the year. In April, with thoughts of the previous washout summer still with them, the boys were eager to get off to a good start in the cricket season. Lawson Billingsley assumed the captaincy and his 50 not out against Stafford Grammar was scored at a lively pace, which is a phrase that could also be used to describe Sachin Basra’s bowling! Rarely did Sachin see a ball of his hit by the opposition; it was the unenviable job of wicketkeeper Oscar Triggs to keep the byes to a minimum! Amongst the impressive cricket performances was Samraj Bhandal – this time with a rare hattrick (all bowled out) against The Bluecoat School.

Ultimately the season ended with more losses than wins. Perhaps the boys had been watching a little too much 20/20 cricket? Their defensive techniques improved throughout the season, but not sufficiently to avoid a number of defeats. An exciting year for the sportsmen was capped with sports day. School records, set for the first time last year, tumbled and new names now appear on the records board. TJC

HOUSE ROUND-UP

Another bumper year of achievement in WGJS with another series of exciting competitions and challenges to be the winning house.

Attwood Barnes Campbell

Total for the year Scores including house point totals and competition points 12325 13012 12569

Highest scoring house point earners Attwood Barnes Campbell

Anna Dmitrewski Serina Basra Adam Gregory

House competition winners for the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events Tug of War

Barnes and Campbell tie

Quiz

Attwood

Rugby Hockey Cross Country Music Football Netball Art Cricket Rounders

Attwood Barnes Campbell Campbell Campbell Campbell Campbell Attwood Attwood

Sports Day Swimming

Barnes Barnes

House captains for the year Attwood Barnes Campbell

Sept â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Feb Lawson Billingsley and Isabel Wassermann Lucy Newton and Ross Deeley Sophie Pye and Edward Purchase

Feb - July Samraj Bhandal and Esme Gee Charlotte Wallis and Niall Hamad Ellie Darrall and Edward Bill

A LEVEL RESULTS Pass rate Grade A* Pass rate Grades A*-A Pass rate Grades A*-C

12% 44% 89%

GCSE RESULTS Number of candidates

Passes (%) A* 34% A*-B 89%

admitted to higher education Molly Adey Portsmouth University Mechanical Engineering Henry Anderson Plymouth University Geography Amber Bahia Aston University Optometry Rhys Bains Bath University Economics (Sandwich) Dillon Balaggan Birmingham University Dentistry (5 Years) Alice Baldwin Leeds University Theatre & Performance Lauren Bathew Manchester Metropolitan Uni Marketing Management Karan Batth Queen Mary Uni, London Biomedical Sciences Eleanor Beech Bristol University Geography Bethany Berwick-Lowe Birmingham University Drama & Theatre Arts Rebecca Bradley Leeds Metropolitan Uni Architecture Louis Brazenell Leicester University Geology Samuel Brueton Aston University International Business & Modern Language(s) Evie Carty Royal Holloway Uni, London Financial & Business Economics Samuel Commander Sheffield University Philosophy & Religion Christian Connorton Queen Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Uni, London English & Drama Alexander Crockett Keele University Politics (Major with 2nd subject) Alexander Daniel Manchester University Classics Lily Davies Birmingham University Mathematics Josh Doyle-Gibbons Uni College Birmingham Hospitality Business Management Harry Duff-Walker Leeds University English Literature & Theatre Studies Carl Evans Aberystwyth University Business & Management with French (4 years) Joseph Evans Manchester University English Literature

Lauren Evans Leeds Metropolitan Uni Biomedical Sciences (Microbiology/ Molecular Biology) Joshua Foster De Montfort University Architecture Daniel Genner Northumbria University Design for Industry Samuel Gibbons Worcestershire Uni Primary – Later Years (5-11 Years) Arjun Gill Queen Mary’s Uni, London Dentistry Henry Grantham-Wright Birmingham University Nuclear Science & Materials Eleanor Griffiths Glasgow University Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Music Kira Griffiths Bristol University Psychology Benjamin Hart De Montfort University Journalism Goran Hazar Birmingham University Physics (4 Years) Charlotte Holman Chester University Law & Psychology Thomas Husselbee Nottingham University Medicine Abigail Jones Durham University Primary Teaching (General) Amandeep Khosa University College, London Mathematical Computation Ian Kidson Exeter University Accounting & Finance Akshay Kumar Sheffield University Medicine (Phase One) Ricky Lally Coventry University Sports Therapy Daniel Lamsdale Aberystwyth University Animal Science Ajay Multani City University, London Actuarial Science (3 Years) Andrew Nicholls Oxford Brookes University Architecture William Nield Cardiff University Geography (Human) John Parnell Southampton University French & History (4 Years) Henry Parocki Durham University Philosophy, Politics & Economics Alice Parton Sheffield Hallam University Geography Ellis Poole Leeds Metropolitan Uni Business & Management Matthew Pritchard Sheffield University Medicine (Phase One) Alexander Purchase Manchester University Chemistry with Industrial Experience Taranveer Randhawa Wolverhampton University Accounting & Finance Jacob Rowlands Liverpool University Business Studies Kamrun Samra Birmingham University Nuclear Science & Materials Alexander Sankey Birmingham University Biological Sciences Joseph Sankey Keele University Biomedical Science Akansha Sethi Goldsmiths University, London Design Owen Shave Keele University Law (Single Honours) Ajit Juss Middlesex University Law Spencer Soley Manchester University Philosophy Coby Tunnicliffe Manchester University Life Sciences with Industrial/ ProfessionalExperience (4 Years) Naomi Wainwright Newman Uni, Birmingham Primary Education (QTS) Early Years Sophie Warren Birmingham University Law with French (4 Years) Charles Watt Manchester University Management & Leisure Thomas Weston Bath University Physics Alice Williams Manchester University English Literature Edward Williams York University Philosophy Nathan Williams Gloucester University Sports Therapy Samantha Wright Essex University English Language & Linguistics Serena Bachra Applying in 2014 Rhys D’Costa Applying in 2014 Matthew Danks Applying in 2014 Lauren Dennis Applying in 2014 Divya Patel Applying in 2014

Stanley Mason Poetry prize Here is this year’s winning poem for the Stanley Mason Poetry prize, awarded in our annual prizegiving, together with the two runners up.This year all three poems come from the lower end of the school.

Zephaniah’s poem ‘The British’, and the winning poem, ‘The Giants of My Mind’ by Katie Naylor, which was inspired by ‘The Thought Fox’ by Ted Hughes. Katie’s poem’s strength lies in its strength of imagery and her sheer precision: the control of pace through careful use of punctuation is outstanding, as is the structural progression. The third, Tanya Kasinganeti’s poem ‘Consultant’, even though it has one or two minor technical glitches, is impressive for its emotional depth and empathetic insight.

The judges liked the variety of styles and topics of the poetry this year, and liked particularly the sense of control and structure shown by these three young poets. Two of the poems are inspired by reading done in class, namely ‘The School’, by Max Rumble, which is a variation on Benjamin

Runners Up Consultant Just another face, She has gone numb with no emotion. The only face she is capable of making is one of fear Immune to the tears of terminally ill patients. Everything in the depressed world leads to death. They call it a profession, Words and a blurred future in their vision. Death in the front of her mind. Home again, where she is alone, with her, herself and she. All feelings are gone. A twisted fate unravelling itself, Many-a-time before slumber comes to pass The dismal emotion of the man who she brought death to Flashes before her drained eyes. The way he flawlessly broke down and wept Made it seem like a mastered art. A twisted, egotistical nation, Where no-one really cares for one and other. Death will carelessly pick its next victim. The victim may have the time to tell whoever they may, To try and calm their fears, But how many appreciate the mental torture she’s subject to? A question she endlessly wonders as she stares at her cup of tea In one hand and her shy remote in the other. She makes her living from death, and no-one cares. Tanya Kasinganeti, 9C

The School Pour some scientists, mathematicians and historians into a school And let them teach what they do best. The sprinkle in a glossary of bookworms and a scale of musicians. Allow them to natter about some matter. Stir them all together at Hutton temperature. Let their personalities roar and score. Add some drama and lots of energy. Boom! You’ve got s…s…speedy sport and competitiveness. Finally, take a range of students, All different shapes and sizes. Leave the mix to simmer and study. Serve with good behaviour, no homework and respect. Note: Warning: ENJOY!

Without all the ingredients nothing will work. If you use too Much the blend will become uneven and taste disgusting. No homework is the right idea, and students will turn acidic If you add homework.

Max Rumble, 9B

WINNER OF THE Stanley Mason Poetry prize The Giants of My Mind I lie here, Unable to move. I hear no sounds, I see only a blank wall. I allow my mind to drift, Leaving reality behind. I see a watering hole. The giants start walking. Their ears like butterfly wings, Acting as fans. Their ivory swords in front, The giants are coming. Their wise, sad eyes, Watching. Watching. Their heads held high, The giants are nearing. They march towards me. Our eyes meet. We share that moment. The Elephants leave me. Katie Naylor, 8P

GUYS & DOLLS A whirl of singing, dancing, comedy and romance, thanks to the extremely talented cast led by Ellie Griffiths

WGS does great theatre: fact! Whilst the spring term production of Guys & Dolls was no exception to this rule, it seems fair to say that it surpassed all expectations and symbolises the exceptional talent and commitment possessed by our gifted young actors. Guys & Dolls was a truly immersive experience, being daringly staged in the round which gave the production a real sense of energy and intimacy. The performances flew by in a whirl of singing, dancing, comedy and romance, thanks to the extremely talented cast led by Ellie Griffiths (Sarah Brown), Andrew Inglis (Sky Masterson), Nicole Roberts (Miss Adelaide) and Joe Sefton (Nathan Detroit). Notable cameos by Jack Wootton , Christy Connorton, Aren Fraser, Robbie Pawluk and Guy Jack added extra musical and comedic flair to the production whilst the band, led by Andy Proverbs, left the audience in no doubt we were in 1930s New York. When these elements were combined with the energetic choreography supplied by Lucy Key (how could we forget the Hotbox Girls?) and the innovative use of projection in order to set each scene, Guys & Dolls took on a life of its own. You could (and I say this without hyperbole) have been forgiven for thinking you were in the West End, rather than sitting in The Hutton Theatre in Wolverhampton Grammar School, such was the quality of this production. In closing, particular thanks go to the director, Ian Tyler, who successfully pulled all of the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elements together and guided the young cast through what is actually a rather mature story involving almost every deadly sin imaginable! Each WGS production presents new challenges and opportunities and each member of cast and crew certainly rose to those challenges, creating a truly unique theatrical experience that will live long in the memories of those lucky enough to have seen it. JRW

ALICE

The story “as you’ve never seen it before” directed by Mr Wood and Mr Payne, was a triumph.

Alice in Wonderland is one of the world’s best loved books, so the decision to rework it into a play that retold the story “as you’ve never seen it before” was a brave one, however the WGS production, directed by Mr Wood and Mr Payne, was a triumph. The cast bounced and skittled through a hilarious contemporary version of the familiar events complete with the White Rabbit in motor cycle gear, Caterpillar as a mixed up military officer and of course a bewildered and mildly troubled Alice, wonderfully played by Lana Harold. The idea that the adventure down the rabbit hole was Alice’s dream remained, but was nicely framed by a troublesome family who then became main characters with the neurotic Queen of Hearts as Alice’s mum, the diffident King and dad, the Duchess as a family friend, Humpty Dumpty as her teacher and the loopy Hatter a family friend. The cast were universally excellent with Talia Sinnott (Mad Hatter), Josie Dowswell (Queen), Archie Hamilton (King), Sam Wootton (Cheshire Cat), Jamie Pawluk (Door Mouse), James Cox (Caterpillar), Mollie Bate (Hare), Saroop Sangha (Humpty Dumpty), Laurence Pickin (White Rabbit) and James Birch (Knave) all catching the eye with original and often hilarious characterisations. Playing smaller but equally enjoyable roles were Loveday Thompson (Hedgehog), Caelan Ferguson (Royal Hedgehog), Emily Hunt (Tweedle Dum), Freya Thompson (Tweedle Dee), Reece McCarthy (Joe) and Reuben Khara and Charlotte Wallis (Commentators). A particular mention too for all the highly professional stage, lighting and sound crew, all recruited from the Middle and Lower School ranks. The wonderful original music of Mr Curran set the tone and neatly linked the production together. The breadth of imagination on show and skill of the performers was a joy to behold.This is a very promising group of young actors polishing their performance skills and working with assurance and maturity on a challenging text. We all look forward to the next exciting piece of theatre they produce. IHMT

This year was another high point for Theatre Studies. The U6 group took on the challenging issue of the effects of dementia within a family and wrote, designed and performed a wonderfully touching and often hilarious play entitled Never Mind. The plot covered the married life of a couple who raised three children and then found themselves in their retirement trying to cope with one personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s increasing dementia. Alice Baldwin brilliantly caught the pathos and humour of her character as she aged into dementia, while Harry Duff-Walker as her husband gave a restrained and immensely moving performance. Christy Connerton, Ellie Griffiths and Luke Hill were totally convincing as the children who grew up and as adults, found themselves with the dilemma of what to do about their aging parents. Shun Jevons and Andrew Nichols contributed excellent designs, lighting, AV and sound to enhance the production. A mature and moving piece of original theatre for which they deservedly scored the highest marks. Later in the year the L6 really challenged themselves in staging Jason and the Argonauts using only a ladder and two chairs as props and set. It was a fantastic success! Adapting the Splendid Theatre script, the company of actors sang, multirolled, physically characterised and narrated this hilarious and engaging version of the classic tale to rapturous reception from the audience and again, they were rewarded with excellent grades overall. The company of actors: Amy Chew, Aren Fraser, Guy Jack, Grace Lawrence, Nicole Roberts and Jack Wootton as well as designer, Vincent Wong, were universally outstanding. A very fine yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work from both Theatre Studies groups. IHMT

NEVER MIND Theatre Studies 12/13

MUSICAL NOTES

he Senior Choir was in excellent form at the annual Founder’s Day Service at St. Peter’s Church. The two anthems composed by the Director of Music: On His Lips a Whispered Name and Listen! Put on Morning! were adapted from Illuminationes Inlustrae a work written especially for the school’s Quincentenary in 2012. On His Lips a Whispered Name takes its inspiration from the war memorials on the walls of Big School, commemorating the old boys and teachers who lost their lives in the Great War, and is a setting of a verse from a war poem by Siegfried Sassoon. The rather more upbeat last movement is about linking the past and the future. It reflects poetically on the long and shared heritage of all the people associated with WGS in its first five hundred years, and encourages us all to turn our thoughts to what will come next. The choir sang incredibly powerfully in this version which included organ, brass ensemble and percussion.

The Performing Arts Evening was yet another roaring success this year. It provided a platform for many of our students who have a particular talent in the arts, but who may not necessarily perform in our more mainstream events. The ever popular Soloists’ Concerts gave the platform for students to hone their performance skills to appreciative audiences in Big School. All credit is due to the brave individuals who stepped forward to perform in both concerts. 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 a distinctly scary experience. The programmes included the, by now customary range of music including classical, jazz, rock and songs from the shows.

This year’s Jazz Spectacular was in musical terms one of the best ever. The new format, with its jazz club atmosphere along with a fantastic curry dinner was highly appreciated by all concerned.The sheer Bella a Cappella, who are increasingly in demand quality of the soloists; the ever increasing number both in and out of school were requested to of student led bands and ensembles and not least, perform at the Civic Hall in a Wolverhampton the power of the final Big Band set were brilliant. Grand Charity Christmas Concert. They brought The evening finished off with the traditional the house down with their rendition of Let it Snow, encore – Walking on Sunshine and the audience Let it Snow, Let it Snow! Later, they joined the went crazy. massed choirs from Wolverhampton in a rendition of The Snowman with a full symphony orchestra. Inevitably the evening saw the final appearances as Big Band members for a number of our Sixth The very next night saw the first of our two Form leavers. These students, along with many Christmas concerts which included the traditional others have contributed so much to the musical festive feast with Senior Choir, Chamber Choir, life of the school displaying not only their talents, Lower School Choir, Bella a Cappella, Fella a but an incredibly high level of commitment. Cappella, Training Wind Band, Intermediate Wind Heartfelt thanks go to Ellie Griffiths, Lauren Band, Senior Wind Band, String Ensemble and Dennis, Alex Daniel, Harry Duff-Walker, Joe Evans, String Orchestra. Big School looked particularly Ed Williams, Sam Commander, Ben Hart and festive this year with its new lighting and Christie Connorton. special decorations and candlelight providing an atmospheric backdrop which was very much in A special thank you must also go to Ben Markland the Christmas spirit. (teacher of double bass, bass guitar and jazz piano) who left us at the end of the Summer During the whole of the autumn term and beyond, Term. Ben has not only engineered the sound rehearsals were taking place for the musical Guys for Jazz Spectacular on many occasions, but has and Dolls which ran for a week in February. Many been inspirational in directing and arranging many of the performers in this musical were also key of the jazz ensembles both past and present. His members/players in our various choirs, bands amazing musicianship is second to none and he and orchestras. Guys and Dolls was an amazing has inspired countless generations of musicians at experience. Brilliant acting, singing, dancing and a WGS over many years. great band! It will live in the memory of all those AAP involved and there was a real sense of spirit in the cast from day one to the very last performance.

BIG SCHOOL ORGAN During the summer of 2012 the Harrison and Harrison organ that had been such a part of Big School for 33 years was unfortunately dismantled due to being in such a state of unavoidable disrepair that restoration of the instrument was not viable.

functional and reliable. Obviously the work that was required would cost a lot of money. Applications for grants from English Heritage and the National Lottery were frequently made to no avail. Fund raising concerts took place including a performance of Poulenc’s Organ Concerto played by myself with the The Victorian organ, originally housed in St. Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra. The Mark’s Church in Chapel Ash was installed in organ builders, Nicholson’s continued to Big School during 1979 as the nearby church tune and attempt to fix faults, but they were no longer existed as a place of worship. becoming increasingly despairing of the The Director of Music at the time, Richard instrument. It was also discovered that the Mynors and his colleague Tim Storey met floor underneath the organ was constantly with the vicar of the church, the Rev. John flooding and the instrument was at times Ridyard in September 1978. They were told literally sitting in water. Problems with Big that in light of the circumstances the Church School roof also revealed that dust and grime Council had offered to present the organ to was constantly leaking into the pipe work. the school. Advice was taken from a number of organ During the autumn term of 1978, 1,788 pipes builders and experts. The Headmaster were packed ready for storage in the school reluctantly took the decision that the cellars along with the intricate mechanism of instrument was no longer viable. I made the organ. From December 30th to January enquiries as to whether anyone was willing 10th an army of volunteers, consisting of staff, to take the instrument on, but no one was boys, OWs, parents and friends completed interested. Then during the spring of 2012 I the major removal work. By January 3rd the heard that another local organ needed a new whole of Big School was littered with bits home. A Spurden-Rutt pipe organ originally of organ. In order for the organ to fit in the built in 1940 for the RAF at nearby Cosford, recess, several pipes were shortened and was housed in St. Mary’s Church Albrighton the whole instrument was lowered into the whilst the church’s own organ was being floor recess. When it was finally assembled, refurbished. After playing the instrument I numerous faults were found including a very realised that the organ would fit perfectly in large number of small leaks, caused mainly by Big School and although there were minor shrinkage of timber due to the effects of the faults, it would be a suitable replacement for central heating. Dust from the concrete floor, the old organ.The owner – Tony Boden, kindly which had not been sealed was being sucked donated the instrument to the school and into the organ by the blower. The pipes that many hours, days and weeks of work were were stored in the cellar were covered with put in by him and his happy band of helpers mud and 400 of the smallest pipes were including several members of staff who turning rusty. volunteered their services during their Easter holiday. Installation was finally complete Despite all this, miraculously the organ was during the latter half of the summer term. used for the first assembly of school in September 1979. It was very sad to see the old organ go, however the story does have an element of a silver lining to it. St. Mary’s Church When I took up the post of Director of Music Albrighton whose own organ was undergoing in 1996, the organ was in a very sorry state. refurbishment took some of the pipe work Although it had been tuned on a regular basis, from the old Harrison and so in a small way it was clear that a great deal of work needed the instrument still lives on! to be done in order for the instrument to be AAP

THE ORCHESTRAL AND BAND CONCERT The Orchestral and Band concert featured our three wind bands conducted by Ronnie Pawluk; String Ensemble conducted by Mandy Hallam and Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Proverbs. The Training Wind Band features our less experienced wind players. However they performed with rhythmic precision and a fine tone which belies their relative inexperience - their performance of Turbo Rock was well and truly turbo charged. They were followed by the Intermediate Wind Band who excelled in a performance of the challenging military styled piece Call to Valour. Senior Wind Band entertained us with a medley of ‘scary tunes’ called Fright Night. They concluded their programme with a monumental performance of a piece call Rampage. The artistic direction is to play with reckless abandon and the band did not fail as they demonstrated the power and aggression that only our senior players can generate. Our younger string players were featured in the String Ensemble with lively and enthusiastic renditions of Fur Elise and the William Tell Overture. The concert culminated with a performance by our Symphony Orchestra. This combined our senior string players with selected wind and brass players from the Senior Wind Band. Dvorak’s memorable Slavonic Dance in G minor was followed by a spirited rendition of the first movement of Mozart’s Symphony no. 29. The Symphony Orchestra concluded the concert in true ‘Prom’ style with a rousing performance of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4.’ RAP

DIARY OF EVENTS March

October Founder’s Day

Steve Reich Concert Performing Arts Evening Battle of the Bands Chamber Concert Choral Society Concert

November

Senior Soloists’ Concert

May

December

Orchestral and Band Concert Middle School Soloists’ Concert

Civic Hall Christmas Concert Christmas Concerts

July

February

Jazz Spectacular Lower School Concert

Guys and Dolls Musical Production

ART IN FOCUS team members. Well done Abigail Jones, Rebecca Bradley, Elly Griffiths, Josh Foster and Shun Jevons all of whom got onto their various ‘Arts’ based courses.

he 42nd Annual Art Exhibition was an amazing success and possibly the best work we have seen on such a grand scale. Every room was full of displays and I must congratulate all the students who worked so hard throughout the year. It is all very well looking good but it has to be the correct line of study to achieve all those ‘A’ stars. We are, of course, subject to scrutiny each June when the OCR exam moderators descend on us. There were no disappointments this year and the A2 exam work in the Hutton Theatre looked spectacular. The paintings were suspended from the ceiling and then illuminated with floodlights. Many thanks to old boy Olly Cox who did the arranging with help from Kevin, our new

This year we exhibited work from Big Six and the Junior School, Well done to you and how very welcome to see your parents here in July. If you have not yet been to the Art Exhibition look out for an email in May this year, all are very welcome. It is little surprise that we have such an enthusiastic following as the art trips continue to attract serious support. The year eight students went on a mass exodus to Tate Modern in October to see a retrospective event based on the work of Edvard

Munch called the ‘Modern Eye’. Edvard Munch was born on the 12th December 1863 and grew up in Christiania in Norway. His childhood was marked by ill-health and tragedy, as his mother and beloved sister Sophie both died of tuberculosis. As a young man he became part of a bohemian circle of writers and artists who rejected traditional values in both their art and their lives. Munch drew on his anxieties and spiritual unrest for inspiration. The majority of his work was produced in the 20th century so he was a modern artist as much as a fin-de-siecle one. Later in the year Mr. Millichamp, Mrs. Ward, Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Fogarty escorted our major Art and Culture trip to Florence, one of the greatest cities in Europe. In the 19th Century Florence became an essential staging post during the grand tours of Europe. The landed gentry would tour the great Art Capitals as an essential finish to their education. The wealth of the renaissance remains in the form of Palaces, stunning churches, frescoes, the superb Ponte Vechio and wonderful squares. Well done and thank you all that took part this year. We also hosted a magnificent display of art work in the Viner gallery called ‘Depiction’. This was a

collection of paintings by local artist Derek Jones illustrating the themes of conflict associated with war. The event was exciting and rewarding, many students benefitted from a one-to-one workshop with the artist, Derek was willing to discuss his work on a number of occasions and we thank him for his continued support. JWP

MERCHANT TAYLORS’ PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION This year the theme for the Merchant Taylors’ Annual Photographic was ‘Our Sporting Heritage’, a fitting topic in the year of the London Olympics. Our students responded with gusto to this theme and budding photographers from across the senior school presented a stunning range of images, the best 20 of which were selected and exhibited in the Doctors’ Dinner at Christmas in the Merchant Taylors’ Hall on Threadneedle Street. Our own Will Core, a budding artist who has travelled to New York with us and was lucky enough to go and see some of the pageantry of the Olympics in our capital city was ‘highly commended’ for his work ‘Olympic’ and received a cheque from the Merchant Taylors’ Company. JJM Advait Kumar THE BLOCK Someone trying get possession of the ball.

Eddie Cooper TENNIS Serving up aces on the tennis court.

Alex Wilmot ZAK HELMING Together we are an ocean. Sailing a laser in Aberystwyth.

Harry Hales THE HEART OF THE MATCH The moment that you miss… Henna Kanda BLUR This photograph is of my younger brother playing tennis.

Alex Wilmot ZAK ON THE PICOS Reaching new heights. Climbing in Spain on the Picos mountain range. A terrifying but thrilling adventure.

Owen Shave TORCH The Olympic Torch, a symbol of nations united.

Andrew Shave BIG SCHOOL 500 years have gone by. Yet our tradition strongly remains.

Owen Shave FANS A snapshot of the crowds at this year’s Olympics.

Becky Bradley SUNSET FOOTBALL Games played whilst on holiday in Portugal.

Rajan Cheema THE CHALLENGE Two players racing for the ball.

Becky Bradley QUADBIKING Just before I broke my leg…

Tom Aston IN THE THICK OF IT The view of the participant, a moment to remember.

Becky Bradley THE HUNT Setting off.

Tom Aston RUNNING The experience of cross country running.

Becky Bradley SNOW ANGELS Before a hard day skiing.

Vinay Doal WALKING AWAY IN DESPAIR Today is not the day.

Caitlin Harper SHOOT OUT The man in action.

William Core OLYMPIC The Olympic stadium in the background with flowers in the foreground.

Eddie Cooper ILFRACOMBE Surfing under Blue Skies on Putsborough Beach, North Devon.

To see the complete selection of Merchant Taylors’ entries please see our website.

Vinay Doal WALKING AWAY IN DESPAIR

Becky Bradley QUADBIKING

DEPICTION: Themes of Conflict by Derek Jones Private View: Thursday 17th January 4.00 to 7.00pm Lecture and viewing Tuesday 22nd February 2013 - 2.30 to 3.30pm

This exhibition has not only provided food for thought for many of its visitors but also has had a real impact on the work of our art students. To see real artwork in an exhibition of this quality is hugely inspiring and to meet the artist, discuss DEPICTION: Themes of Conflict is a startling, with him his practice, ideas and techniques has powerful exhibition, dealing with issues of fascism, benefitted all of our young, aspiring artists and has totalitarianism and the human cost involved. We made a huge difference to their work and their were so pleased that Derek agreed to exhibit at understanding of what it is to be an artist and the the Viner Gallery and the event proved to be a power of art. Thank you, Derek, for giving us this huge success. We had a massive crowd attend on vital input. the Private Viewing including governors, teachers, students and parents. There was a string of visitors throughout the term, with representatives from regional art galleries in attendance as well as members of the public eager to see the work of this renowned artist. Derek was kind enough to talk to our students about his work and was available for the duration of the show, giving seminars to seniors and juniors, from U6 to Big Six and everyone in between. To support the exhibition Mr Perkins gave a lecture to our entire L6 cohort on the history of war art, giving a fascinating context to Derekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. This is Derekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second exhibition at the Viner Gallery and new work has been exhibited for the first time here at WGS. Derek has had a very successful career so far, exhibiting extensively across the West Midlands and beyond. He received an artist bursary from West Midlands Arts in 1997, and formerly worked with us as our Artist-in-Residence at Wolverhampton Grammar School, retiring in 2010. He has earned places in many of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most competitive exhibitions and has had two major solo exhibitions, one at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in 2000, and the other at the Lighthouse Gallery in 2002. Derek paints images from films and documentary photographs. The images he uses are very often just a few seconds in the film, a fleeting moment. With a painting he is able to stop that moment to give the viewer an opportunity to contemplate the frozen image. If the viewers have seen the film the painting allows them to remember the meaning and narrative, and also see new meanings that are emphasised by the paintings.Although his paintings are specific to their source, they are also universal in their meaning. This accessibility is enhanced by the expressive possibilities of painting.

Art in the Park WGS students visited Weston Park this year where they were given a unique insight into the artistic process by a renowned international artist . Students from WGS travelled to Weston Park to meet with artist Peter Walker ARBS, whose exhibition was being staged at the Granary Art Gallery and grounds at the Shropshire stately home. The youngsters aged between 7 and 18 met with the artist who explained the inspiration behind his latest work and gave them a master class in sketching, before taking them to see his sculptures. “It was fantastic experience for our students,” comments John Perkins, Head of Art at Wolverhampton Grammar School. “Peter gave a fascinating insight into the creative process and his teaching approach really inspired our students.” The sculptural pieces in the exhibition, which are geometric in appearance, explore the movement and mechanics of people and creatures such as horses and birds. The exhibition which ran until June, was supported by Benham BMW.

WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERy: pauline boty

We went to Wolverhampton Art Gallery on the 13th June to see an exhibition that showcased the work of Pauline Boty. She painted many interesting Pop Art pieces. Pop Art is a movement concerned with the news and culture of the time. Her works are displayed in an exhibition entitled Pauline Boty: Pop Artist and Woman. She was very influential in the British Pop Art movement. There were many paintings from throughout her life. The pop culture is shown in paintings such as My Colouring Book. In this painting she incorporated the lyrics from the song of the same title by Kander and Ebb into an actual painting. She painted the images as the song dictated them. She also painted many pictures with women as the subject matter. She painted many pieces of Marilyn Monroe such as The only blonde in the world and Colour her gone as she was a very famous female at the time. Marilyn Monroe was often talked about by men and this is also shown in her work It’s a man’s world II which shows nude female figures to show that is what men think about and showed that the world wasn’t equal. My favourite piece was untitled but it showed a woman dreaming. It was a stained glass window which was unique. I liked it because it had a very big contrast between the woman and her dreams. I found it surprising though because the woman had bright colours whereas the dream was grey. This could mean she was having a bad dream that was worse than reality. Nikhil Patel (8Q) Likes: my favourite painting in the exhibition we saw was called 54321. It is oil on canvas and was

painted in 1963. I like it because the colours are very bright and they jump out at you and also the fact that the numbers on the painting are fun and bold, and the red and white and black are good contrasting colours. My colouring book was also oil on canvas and painted in 1963. This is another good painting because it has an interesting newspaper print on it and it intrigues you. Also in has lots of different painting on one canvas making you look at it for longer and understand it better. Here is a picture:

Dislikes: I didn’t personally like an oil on canvas painting that was unnamed, painted 1960, as the women at the top of the painting look odd and very distorted. They give the painting a weird vibe, although I do like the fact that it looks as if the rest of the painting had been copied and pasted. Count Down to Violence is another of the paintings I wasn’t fond of as it was very propaganda style, very negative and had an unfriendly vibe. I also didn’t like the effect that everything was merged into one. I did think the count down at the top was interesting and bold. Jordan McCarthy 8Q

YEAR 8 AT THE TATE Kimran Batth

HENRY TATE AND THE FIRST TATE GALLERY

(including me!) and started telling stories that we couldn’t follow. This was very unexpected and quite fun if not a little unsettling to begin with. I was amazed at how they stayed in character The Tate Gallery was founded by Sir Henry Tate. when our Year kept asking them questions. I really Henry owned a sugar business called Tate and enjoyed this because, as well as being confused I Lyle. It was from this business that he decided was quite amazed at how the show in the Turbine to donate his very own collection of 65 pieces Hall was formed. It was unlike any art exhibition I of artwork to start a gallery, and alongside the had seen before. artworks he decided to donate £80,000 to make sure that the gallery would keep his collection of paintings safe. Henry built a new gallery in London, The Tate Gallery. The gallery was built on top of Millbank Prison. It opened on the 21st of July 1897. The original Tate Gallery had eight rooms and 245 I really enjoyed Sung Hwan Kim’s videos and how pieces inside. The new gallery grew popular very they really make you think. There was a video quickly. A hundred years later and Tate Modern about a girl.The video made you use your MIND a was opened to house the Tate collection’s Modern lot. Throughout the video you changed your view masterpieces. Open to the public in the year 2000, of it every minute. The subject of the video was it is a converted power station. The Tate Modern childhood, the story of life and history. The video has more visitors a year than any other gallery in was laid out like dream montages that explore Europe. the history of the person and their memories. The video was set out first in black and white and slowly turned into colour. The moods for the video were sad, depressing and scary. The video was set in the dark tanks, which made the mood scarier. The video was from South Korea. The When we entered the Turbine Hall we didn’t music was by David Michael Digreoriol. know it but we were met by a group of actors who were spread throughout the area. They then came together unexpectedly and began to sing and chant. The performance was very weird; the This video was made in 1960 and was categorised actors would walk, run, jog and sit around the as Electro Media. It was thought to be about hall. They also came up to members of the public childhood memories, different races, life and

The Tanks: Sung Hwan Kim

The Turbine Hall: Tino Sehgal

Aldo Tambellini

a death, hospitals and illness. The video was in black and white and had the sounds of heartbeats nd countdowns in the room. There were weird flashing pictures that came up. The moods for the video were scary, exciting, frightening. It had a scary feel because of the darkness, the heartbeats and countdowns. The artist gave it a sad and scary feel.

and exists in multiple versions. This painting was based on his sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tragic death from tuberculosis when he was only 13. Edvard was said to have an emotional struggle to complete the painting because it brings back traumatic memories. It was painted in 1907 at the beginning of the 20th century.

We were sent off to draw an Edvard Munch painting. I drew The Yellow Log which was painted in 1912. My favourite painting from Edvard Munch is The Sick Child because the painting kept drawing my eyes towards it; also Edvard had used lots of Edvard Munch was born on 12th December 1863. colours to form the painting, most of the colours He grew up in Kristina which is now known as you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see because he has mixed them into Oslo. His childhood was marked by ill-health and each other. tragedy, as his mother and sister both died from tuberculosis. Edvard spent most of his time in Paris My personal rating of the Tate Modern is 9/10 and Berlin. He is known as a Symbolist painter but because I really enjoyed the trip. Thank you to Mr mainly he is famous for the style of Expressionism. Millichamp and all the teachers who organised the day for us, I enjoyed the exhibitions and everything These were some of my favourite paintings; we learnt.

The Modern Eye: Edvard Munch

The Weeping Woman was painted in 1907-1909, it was oil and crayon on canvas. Munch made six paintings of the Weeping Woman, as well as drawings, a photograph and a lithograph. There is also a small sculpture, which Edvard planned to use for his own tombstone. Munch painted this idea of a woman with her head bowed in sorrow, the image creates a dramatic moment. The patterned wall paper and the bed return as Munch repaints these themes in further artworks. Workers On Their Way Home was painted in 19131914. Workers On Their Way Home is an oil on canvas painting and was set out so the workers were walking towards you.This worked when you had a crowd or a group of people. Munch started to use a small Kodak camera which he bought in Berlin 1902 and used for eight years. In 1926 he bought a pocket camera in which he used until 1932. Munch was up to date with technology and as well as being an intermittent photographer, he became amateur filmmaker. His use of the lens inspired the composition of this painting. The Sick Child was painted in 1907 and is an oil on canvas. The Sick Child is a major piece of art work

FLORENCE time in the Piazza del Campo where we Day 1 – Saturday 6th some had pizza for lunch and then continued on to the Palazzo Pubblico (the Town Hall) where we saw April

On a cold morning 27 students and four teachers got on a coach to Gatwick Airport to catch a flight to Pisa, then head west to Florence. For the whole journey to Pisa I talked to Saroop and Sophie about the things we were going to be doing over the course of the five days we were there. The flight went quicker than expected and we were soon on Italian ground. After collecting our luggage and getting on the coach it was another long drive to Florence, but we all kept each other entertained. Once we arrived we went straight to the restaurant where we had dinner every evening. After we had all eaten our meals we walked to our hotel, sorted out our rooms and we soon all went to bed. We were all thoroughly tired and couldn’t wait for the next day.

many frescos covering the walls of this magnificent building. On our journey home we stopped off to see the San Gimignano Towers which were very impressive. We climbed the tallest tower, Torra Grossa which is connected to the Town Hall as it was commissioned by the Mayor at the time. Again we had some free time before dinner and afterwards went for another walk in search of more ice cream!

Day 4 – Tuesday 9th April

Unluckily for us we had decided to go to see the Boboli Gardens in the morning and got caught in a very heavy rain shower. After the rain had subsided we walked around the gardens in our groups before heading to the Santa Maria Novella. th The Santa Maria Novella is a church which hosts Ghirlandaio’s fresco cycle and Giotto’s Crucifix On our first full day in Florence we went to the which were both spectacular. After seeing this Uffizi where we saw work by people such as church we had pizza before heading to the Pitti Filippo Lippi, Giotto and Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Palace where we had seen the Boboli Gardens an astounding piece of artwork which caused earlier that day.The most important family in many discussions in our groups. We then went to Florence, the Medici family, owned the Pitti Palace. the Bargello where we saw many statues such as Inside it are many works of art they bought from Donatello’s marble David and the bronze David, also artists such as Raphael, Caravaggio and Titian. It was by Donatello. I enjoyed looking at all the statues an impressive building with lots of extraordinary and taking in atmosphere of the Palace they were artworks inside it. in. After we had lunch, pizza of course, we headed to the Galleria dell’Accademia to see the famous As normal we had time before dinner and certainly David by Michelangelo. When we arrived we saw had time, yet again, for ice cream afterwards! many other statues but when it came to finally seeing Michelangelo’s David, its size and structure truly were amazing. Afterwards we had some free time at the hotel before dinner and then we went th on a lovely walk along the Ponte Vecchio bridge before having an ice cream then heading back to As Mr Millichamp said, we were all getting a bit ‘art-blind’ so needed a break from all the art, so the hotel to go to bed. we went to Italia in Miniatura which was a long coach drive away in Rimini. th

Day 2 – Sunday 7 April

Day 5 – Wednesday 10 April

Day 3 – Monday 8 April

This was a small theme park with scale models of famous buildings from across Italy and Europe and On the next day we had a whole day in Sienna. we all found something enjoyable and all had a fun To start with we saw the Duomo di Sienna, which time. We went back to the usual restaurant and was stunning on the outside and just as beautiful thanked the people there before Mrs Baker took on the inside. It had many pretty tiled images on us on a walking tour, going to what is said to be the floor and a fascinating stained glass window. the best ice cream parlour in Italy! Mr Millichamp After walking around the Cathedral we then spent treated us to a cup of ice cream each. We also 62

saw the house where Dante was born.Then it was back to the hotel for the last night.

Day 6 – Thursday 11th April

We all made sure we were packed and ready after breakfast before heading to the Duomo di Firenze and after a long, hard climb we all made it to the top. The views were truly breathtaking in the sunshine. I’m glad we left the Duomo until the last day as it was a spectacular thing to see before leaving. After we had finished at the Duomo we went to a different place for our afternoon meal and we were treated to dinner. We then said our goodbyes to the staff at the hotel and got on the coach to the airport in Pisa to go back home. When we finally got to the airport and were waiting for our plane we were ready to go home but we had all had a brilliant time.

Day 7 – Friday 12th April

Once we had got on the plane and arrived back in England in the very early hours of the morning, we were all happy to see our parents and to get home, but we made sure we had thanked the teachers before leaving from school after the wonderful trip. Over the course of our time in Florence we enjoyed many of the most amazing things in Italy. We were able to see many beautiful pieces of art, plenty of magnificent architecture and ate a lot of tasty Italian food! Thank you Mr Millichamp for organising the trip and thank you to Mrs Baker, Mrs Ward and Mrs Fogarty for all your help! Emily Hunt

HISTORY Battlefields

about the engines that were used to bring the coal back up to the surface.

In July Year 10 took a trip to the Battlefields of France to gain a better understanding of WW1. The students enjoyed fabulous fish ‘n’ chips that were cooked in beef fat, we also had a Victorian Helen Clinton tells us more. lesson in the old school house. The rules were On arrival in sunny France, the National Cemetery very strict back then and much has changed now. of Notre Dame de Lorette immediately showed We were able to experience going in an old canal us what cannot be fully understood on paper: the boat along the Dudley Canal which is only used scale of the Great War and the number of soldiers for tours now. who lost their lives as a result of it. White crosses, marking the graves of French soldiers stretched as We watched a film, about how the men who far as the eye could see. This sight was repeated worked in them would have to ‘leg’ the boat along. at the other French and German mass cemeteries We also experienced going down a mine, seeing we visited, while the numerous British cemeteries statues of people who used to work there. The mine was cold and damp; however it was a good felt more personal due to their smaller size. experience. The shops are exactly how they used Between the cemeteries and battlefields, the trip to be and are very realistic, some of the historical also included informative visits to museums, such shops include a Chemist, and a General store. as the In Flanders Fields Museum, and the chance to walk through cramped, zigzagging trenches. Overall The Black Country Living Museum is The huge, cavernous crater of La Boiselle, left by a fantastic place to visit which gives you a real a mine detonated in a tunnel, showed us that the understanding of what it was like to have lived in war was not only fought by infantry above ground. the Victorian era. Max Rumble (9B) The imposing Menin Gate and Thiepval Memorial commemorate the vast number of soldiers killed without known graves, including 14 Old Wulfrunians missing on the Somme, for whom we held acts of remembrance. Seeing in total nearly Year 7 began school straight after half term by 128,000 names helped us to reflect and further stepping back in time! On a bright and sunny understand the scale of the losses and how morning, we set out to explore the dark days of students in our position experienced the horrors mediaeval England. of the First World War. The stone walls of Warwick Castle towered above Tyne Cot, as the largest Allied cemetery in the us as we approached through its gardens. It must world, was a fitting end to a fascinating and eye- have been very daunting and intimidating to have opening trip. The whole experience brought to to march up to those tall battlements, and try to life our lessons on the Great War and I would like invade and conquer. It was even more scary when to thank the History department for providing the we encountered the vast array of weaponry muskets, swords, picks, arrows, axes, lances and the opportunity. terrible halberds – and imagined them being used as Mr Sutherland had described to us. A highlight was the demonstration of the trebuchet – a type of giant catapult – which fired a small boulder a On a snowy January day, Year 9 students visited huge distance at 150mph! The Black Country Living Museum. It was a crisp cold morning and the students bustled on to the We visited the armoury and the blacksmiths, and coaches, excitement flowing! As we drew up to the viewed the various rooms in the castle – from the final destination, the roars for Mr Sutherland began. King’s rooms to the kitchens. We even took turns We started with a guide in Victorian costume. The in the stocks. guide explained all about the museum; we learnt

Warwick Castle

A Blast from the Past

“Warwick Castle is a great place to visit – it makes history more fun.” said Richard Ling, a Year 7 student.

lot. We also learnt about what sorts of materials people would wear according to their ranks in the war - we had the chance to try them on too. As well as this, we saw what instruments Civil War era doctors would have to use if operating on wounded soldiers, and we were all left feeling glad to be alive now and not then!

Warwick Castle certainly brought mediaeval life to reality for Year 7! Josh Bradshaw (7Q)

Harvington Hall & Worcester Commandery Museum

After lunch at the museum we got back on the coach and headed to Harvington Hall. As we approached we realised it was a huge place surrounded by a moat. While at Harvington we had a tour allowing us to look at the kitchens, bedrooms and dining rooms. As well as this we had to take care moving about the site, as there were ‘priest hides’ dotted all around. This is where Catholic priests were hidden if the house was to be searched by the Protestant authorities in the 1600’s. We also had an opportunity to go in the hides but they were very small and uncomfortable. I couldn’t imagine how priests could stay there for days not knowing when they would be allowed out or what their fate would be if they were found.

On Wednesday, 13th March 2013 Year 8 visited Harvington Hall and the Worcester Commandery Museum. We went as we had been learning about the Civil War in our history lessons. The year group was divided into two and set off to their destination. My group first visited the Worcester Commandery Museum. At the museum we learnt about all the different weapons and armour used in the Civil War. At the museum we also had an opportunity to hold and try Civil War items including muskets, body-armour, pikes and many types of swords. Everyone enjoyed doing this as we all had a good laugh and learnt a

Overall we all had a great day out and on behalf of Year 8, I would like to thank the history department for arranging this very interesting trip. James Birch (8R) 65

BUDE

Year 12 Geography students embark on the annual residential field trip to Bude in Cornwall AJ Brennan One brisk and bright Wednesday morning during mid-March, Year 12 Geography students embarked on the annual residential field trip to Bude in Cornwall.

taking a scenic route to a sizeable cave, we stopped for some more recreational activities. First, we let our inner Van Gough’s show during a sketching competition of some nearby stacks. After our creative flair had warmed up, we entered into The prospect of measuring stones along Pebble a cut-throat sand sculpting competition, where Ridge in Westward Ho! before we got there, Sammie’s competitive nature shone through once however, was one that enthralled us. After a well- again in an incredibly lady-like manner. The quality earned break in the town’s arcade, our attentions of the sculptures made it hard to pick a winner, were redirected to Geography related matters.As but some notable entries were busts of Dr Camm we measured sediment size along the ridge with - complete with seaweed beard; Mr Brooker: a geographical precision that Mr Brooker would accompanied by scenes of renewable energy (to have been proud of, we began to progress slowly reflect his support of Greenpeace) and a life-size down the spit. Optimism filled the air as we began replica of Dr Hinchliffe weightlifting (evidently to speculate about the trip’s forthcoming activities, not life-like as well). The final beach activity was however, our daydreams were soon shattered - in slack lining (essentially a more accessible form both senses of the word - as a hailstorm began of tightrope walking) where the team member to lacerate both us and our investigation. We that walked the furthest unsupported won. It was regrouped after obtaining shelter in the infamous easier said than done, as the burn marks on our school mini-buses and hastily set off for Bude, legs indicated afterwards! gladly leaving Pebble Ridge in the process! Classic British drizzle greeted us as we woke up That night we attempted to analyse the data on Friday. In all honesty our warm beds seemed collected during the day, but we were soon much more appealing than the thought of trudging reflecting on the day’s antics; Hayley thudding to through the River Valency’s drainage basin. It was the ground on the beach,Tom narrowly escaping a however, fascinating to visit the source of the bust-up with the arcade manager and harmonising river: a very unexciting dribble, that, in August to Cathy’s rendition of Boom Boom Boom by the 2005, had caused utter devastation to Boscastle Outhere brothers. We began to anticipate that as floods struck. Seeing physical geography at this trip was going to be ‘Budeiful’. work in real life and understanding how it can change drastically in minutes, not only rendered Boys in nothing but their boxers who were up the trip successful from an academic perspective early catching some sea breeze and sunrays, but also brought to life subject matter that we greeted the girls as they opened their bedroom had only read about. curtains early Thursday morning. Stemming from this, James’ and Tom’s ‘bromance’ began to As we progressed further down the valley flourish over the idyllic scenery of Widemouth towards Boscastle we began listening to a not-soBay. After a surprisingly delicious breakfast we catchy broken record which detailed the effects shuffled along the cliffs above Sandymouth bay, of erosion, weathering and mass movement on gasping at the Synclines and Anticlines that Mr river environments.This wasn’t the first time we’d Baker pointed out. We listened intently to the heard it so we probably should have got it fixed, advanced geological lectures by Dr Hinchliffe, but we didn’t want next year’s geographers to where he scientifically explained that during mass miss out. movement, the weak ground goes ‘bluergh’. We eventually made it onto the beach itself and after The saturated ground from the morning’s

downpour was too much for Molly to handle as she disappeared sliding down a hill. In actual fact, all of our efforts to stay dry would soon prove futile as we decided to dissolve our inhibitions and go dancing in the sea: fully clothed! That night the fun times didn’t stop: after we’d written essays on the days investigations, we decided to play various variations of hide and seek such as ‘sardines’ and ‘murder in the dark’: the latter was in particular demand by Sarah. The thought of the next day’s surfing only added to our excitement.

the hang of things, though pro-surfers Elliot and Mr Baker didn’t hesitate on showing us how it was done. All was going well until we realised the hailstorm from Westward Ho! had caught drift of our whereabouts and was back with a vengeance. For ten minutes we were slashed by hail until our faces were as red as Mrs Stanley’s after she was sunburnt on Friday.

That evening, we concluded with a celebratory meal at a low-key diner in Bude, where the teachers had wittily given each of us personalised The next day soon arrived, and before we were card names.After dinner, groups of students had to allowed to look incredibly alluring in our wetsuits perform sketches on a given topic; the characters and wetsuit hats, we had another day in Bude ranged from a victimised cliff, to two rap-masters where hard and soft engineering along the coast ‘spitting rhymes’ on geology and lithology. Playing was on the agenda. After learning about the truth or dare that night ended the trip on a high extortionate price of a re-curved sea wall and and added a certain level of excitement to our observing various other forms of coastal defence, mood, especially in Emily and Lucie’s case. It also a well-earned break was on the menu. In a similar meant we could bond and reflect on what an fashion to Thursday, the beach games began and unexpectedly momentous trip it had been. the competition erupted once more, although we all knew it was a constant on one person’s mind. Waking up on Sunday morning meant facing the This time, a somewhat nostalgic stomp-rocket reality that we would soon be leaving Bude to competition captured our attention with a giant return home. As we sat glumly motoring along the target drawn in the sand. After the game played M5 we could only reminisce about our favourite out, it was time to head back to the centre to get aspects of the trip. Special thanks must go to Mr our surf gear on. Baker and the rest of Geography department for organising such a memorable trip, it couldn’t Once kitted out in wetsuits and severely attractive have been done without you. I would also like to wetsuit hats, we set off for the beach to learn the thank my fellow AS geographers because school basic surf positions before entering the water. We trips are what you make them and you made ours entered the sea with trepidation but soon got unforgettable.

FRENCH WORK EXPERIENCE WGS offers a work experience programme to French students from Year 11 – Upper Sixth. The programme is organised in conjunction with our partner school, Collège St Joseph and is run by Mrs Brentnall (WGS) and Madame Beurrier (CSJ) during the Easter holidays.

and independence, and plenty of new friends with whom I am still in contact. Ed Trotter LV1

I chose to do a new and exciting placement in ‘Gusto Café’ in Savenay on the 2013 Easter French work experience programme, hoping to improve Travelling with our French exchange group, my oral fluency in particular. Not only was ‘ma students are greeted by their host families on patronne’ very kind and considerate, for example arrival in Savenay and then spend the week taking me back to her house every day for an working in a range of placements and enjoying exquisite lunch during the lunch break, but most the hospitality of their French family. The week is importantly she encouraged me to talk to and very popular with our students and the linguistic serve the customers, teaching me how to make a benefits are significant, boosting grades and most proper cup of coffee and to become familiar with importantly, motivating students to immerse an extremely wide variety of teas. She also shared themselves in French language and culture. with me her experiences of setting up a business and her ideas for the future. Here are just some of the reports written by the students who participated last Easter: My host family was also fantastic, always talkative and very kind yet again. I had an absolutely fantastic WGS offered the fantastic opportunity to do experience whilst there and can’t wait to go back work experience abroad in France and I therefore again next year! spent a week last Easter working in a small Sam Linney LV1 restaurant in Savenay. In the mornings, I helped to cook and prepare the food, then at lunchtime Having recently had the opportunity to stay with I served customers from behind the bar and a French family, as well as do work experience in waited in the restaurant. It was great fun to be Savenay, I feel the French work experience was able to communicate with native speakers and truly beneficial. After the journey there, I was hold conversations, and I thoroughly enjoyed relieved to be welcomed into the open arms of a my time working there. I stayed with a very nice family who treated me like one of their own.Apart family who kept me very well fed and entertained, from my work experience, where I met some taking me to the cinema and a theme park as wonderful new people and gained an insight into well as to the top of a skyscraper and to a café French fashion, I made friends with lots of people which is the highest point in Nantes. It was a very my own age, with whom I am still in contact today. enjoyable week and I took a lot away from it: a I just cannot wait to go back next year! big improvement in my French, more confidence Nikita Jheinga LV1

Last year in April, I travelled to Savenay, France via coach and ferry along with 10 other students from Year 11, L6, and U6 who like me were going to do work experience.There were also several Year 7-11 students who were going on the exchange. We left late at night and arrived the following afternoon at St Joseph Collège where we met our French exchange families for the first time. After a brief meet and greet, we left with our families to our new home for the week. I spent the daytime at work in a clothes boutique, and the evenings and weekend with my family. For me, my family was great and over the Easter weekend I spent time with them speaking French non-stop, and indulging in some delicious French cuisine. In addition to this, I was lucky enough to visit a few places around Nantes, a favourite being La Baule, a beach where we ate some delicious crêpes! It was an absolutely fantastic experience and my family were so welcoming. I had so much fun, that I can’t wait to go again and see my French family! Simran Kang Yr 11

Going over to France to work for a week was one of the most culturally enriching experiences I have had this year. I was given the opportunity to work in the renowned artisan boulangerie in Savenay where I helped serve customers while improving my fluency at the same time. I had such a fantastic week in France, but the best part of it was the people I met while I was over there. Not only did this really help improve my speaking, but meant I made lots of new friends that I can see when I go again. I really look forward to going back soon! Amy Chew LV1 Between March and April, 11 students completed their work experience in France, some of whom were placed in cafes, sports shops, libraries, a supermarket, a bakery and much more. We all worked at our placements with enthusiasm and commitment, getting truly involved with the tasks at hand, whilst broadening our knowledge of the language. For example I spent my week at Intersport helping the bike mechanic Harold fix and prepare bikes whilst also serving clients. It was intimidating at first, but I left France feeling more confident with the language and with a feeling of real achievement. My employers seemed to enjoy having me and wrote a very nice reference! Callum Warrilow Yr 11

French Exchange 2013 Tuesday 26th March

Thierry’s place. He has a field of corn, a windmill and a bakery…all that you need to make bread, and the animals and ice creams are a bonus. The renowned cook Mrs Ryan is in her element anywhere in France, but especially here! It’s a great language learning session, and the Year Tens translate Thierry’s instructions for the younger students. I interview Megan Harding as she kneads her dough, and she tells me that her French family are “really nice”. Nicky Ryan tells me “I was quite apprehensive at first but now I’ve settled in and it’s good.” I interview half a dozen other students who tell the same story of being happily settled. Later on John Steel is to tell me that he’s had snails AND frogs legs. We sing the sleeping millers song in the windmill and spend some money in Thierry’s shop. Dan Mason and Nicky Ryan have some incredibly pink ice cream. Thierry worked at the Pornic fraiseraie in a previous life, so maybe the strawberry explains the pink.

Lewis Batho has made an excellent film of this year’s exchange. Copies are available from Lewis or via me. It records many details, including that for the first time ever we departed for Savenay from a Wolverhampton under snow! I had worried about this, but Cap’n Jacques was re-assuring, reminding me that coaches have special tyres nowadays. And now here is Lewis in the film, quietly telling the camera that we’re really setting off as parents wave from an icy small hours pavement and students settle into the comfy Leons coach seats. Sweets are passed around, chat is shared and eventually a few snores can be heard. We board the ferry at breakfast time and Mrs Brentnall quickly turns part of the cafeteria into a Sixth form classroom so that extra preparation for Work Experience can be done. The public listen in, impressed.

Thursday 28th March

Younger students explore and relax.

We are joined for our day in Nantes by the newlyretired Monsieur Jouan (aka Mister Playing, the games master) and his wife. As noted in previous Wulfrunians, Hugues and Fanchoune have hosted We go to the beach near Pornic for our annual countless WGS staff over the last 25 years. What sand yachting. Know what that is in French? It’s more can we do than present them with a Wolves char à voile, or literally cart (or tank!) with sail. shirt? We visit the cathedral and the Breton Dukes’ The wind isn’t as great as we’d like, but we manage castle. (Le chateau des Ducs de Bretagne) It’s the to get the yachts moving and have a lot of fun. closest to the Atlantic of the Loire castles and was Mrs Brentnall excels as a starter complete with built in the late Middle Ages by Duke Francis II and turquoise jacket and yellow helmet and flag. I ensure his daughter,Anne of Brittany, to defend the Duchy that our cool instructors’ words are understood of Brittany from the Kingdom of France. After the and then hide behind my new camera. Or should visit we enjoy galettes and crêpes before shopping I say my new tablet? The sun makes it difficult to time and a ride on the legendary elephant. use, but I get some good film anyway. The picnic on the beach wall is formidable, almost as good as th the sand yachting itself. But then you know me. We enjoy lessons in the morning and a school J’aime la bouffe! I enjoy photographing students dinner in the self. We play gallantly in the lunchtime with their picnics; some have the baguettes you’d football match and lose, but sport is the true victor. hope for and expect, while others have the factory For the first time I wonder if I’m too old to be a sandwiches which I think are also nice though I decent goalie, and I substitute myself! Ed Cooper wouldn’t want to admit it publicly. The abundance shines in my place. Afterwards we walk to Tépacap of red Super U logos on the water bottles and in the rain, and I am impressed by our students’ juice cartons reminds me of the Year 11’s and ability to sing and keep going. Ollie Hampton is a Sixth Formers back at Savenay getting started on very good chorus leader.The rain eases off and we their work experience. enjoy climbing up into the trees.

Wednesday 27 March

Friday 29

After the picnic our coach takes us on to La Petite Maison dans la Prairie, otherwise known as

March

Saturday 30th MarchSunday 31st March

and Mrs Hills to host him, and I thank them. I aim to get to know the whole French staff, teaching and non-teaching, before I’m done!

We enjoy an hour or too at Guerande market on Saturday before going our separate ways for the weekend. I interview Oliver Hampton, Celia Madeley, Nicky Ryan, Ed Cooper, Tom Steel and Nicky Ryan. It’s another wet day, but their eyes are sparkling! A good time seems to be had by all, especially John Steel who tells me later “I had crab, snails, frogs’ legs, shrimps and these MOLLUSC things! My French family are great! If you’re thinking of going on the French exchange but are worried…just go! It’s really easy once you’ve been here for a while.”

Many thanks to my staff team Mrs Brentnall, Mrs. Ryan and Mr.Ryan. The latter was a new-comer to the outward exchange, and worth his weight in gold. I’m also very grateful to James Cawdell and Elliot Rushton of year 11, Luci Darrall of year 10 and Oliver Hampton and Scarlett Rushton of Year 9 – all these students helped by counting up their groups on countless occasions, making my job much easier. Here’s to next year’s exchange-the 25th, with all the celebrations that the anniversary brings. VR-B

Monday 1st April

The French students join us for a day out at Branféré safari park. The birds and animals are amazing, especially the red wolves and the pelican which befriends Mr Ryan! After viewing the animals it’s a nice change to clamber about in the tree-high nets above the path. Sadly one of the French girls, Enora, is taken ill. This short-lived emergency shows Mrs Brentnall and Madame Vallat at their inspired best, and Scarlett Rushton is to be praised for her mature response to her host friend’s trauma. Enora recovered quickly and really loved the return leg in Wolverhampton.

Tuesday 2nd April

As we prepare to leave Savenay and the French parents gather to see us off, I take a picture of Sacha Staples and her French mum. Both are smiling in the photo, and it reminds me what the exchange is about. It’s about language, yes, but it’s also about families and friendship developing.

Sunday April 14thSunday April 21st

The French group visited Wolverhampton without Cap’n Jacques, whose back was playing up. I am pleased to announce that he has since fully recovered. The silver lining in the cloud was that we met Christine, a Collège dinner supervisor who stepped into the breach and took Jacques’ place at the last minute. It was a pleasure to host her, and to get to know such a nice new French person! It was also good for our WGS staff to meet a new teacher, Nicolas Léonard, who enthralled us with his stories of life as a Frenchman in New York banking and catering. It was very generous of Mr

RHINE VALLEY Emily Bradley

Having been on this trip many times, this proved to be one of the best. It didn’t rain at all but was still rather cold at times. We left school at 4am on an October Sunday morning ready to catch the ferry at 9:25am. The Dover-Calais ferry journey wasn’t too rough but still made us feel a bit queasy. After taking a few breaks in at least three different countries, we finally arrived at Hotel Scholz, Koblenz. We settled into our comfortable rooms with en-suite bathrooms and German televisions. As it ran into evening we had a delicious three course meal followed by a short walk along the river Rhine. We walked all the way to the famous Deutsches Eck where we saw an illuminated statue of Wilhelm II. Everybody went to bed tired but excited for the next day!

in the coach to an amazing theme park called Phantasialand!!! This is always the day that the students look forward to the most and the teachers not so much. This year some of us, including the coach driver helped to entertain Frau Grigat by physically dragging her onto the rollercoaster (a baby ride); she was absolutely terrified and acted very sick and unwell afterwards. At 6.00pm we returned to the hotel, shattered from all the running around, but nevertheless still willing to go swimming in the evening.The day was a great success.

On the third day we went to Cologne in the morning. The plan was to go to the chocolate museum but instead we went to a sports museum next door. This was worthwhile but had difficulty, The day started at 9:00am with a lovely filling in my opinion, competing with a chocolate museum. continental breakfast: choice of cereals, hot Above the museum there was a small football chocolate tea, orange juice, German breads, pitch and this gave us a chance to play football cheese, ham and jam. Doctor Bradley thoroughly together. The plan for the afternoon was to visit enjoyed the breakfast and was still eating when Cologne Cathedral; this we did, but not without we had a short German lesson in the morning to first visiting the gift shop of the chocolate museum remind us of some essential vocab’ needed. and buying some essential goodies. We had a guided tour of Cologne Cathedral; these tours are Monday morning was spent on a very enjoyable never boring or dull as the guides are well trained guided tour through the old town of Koblenz. in entertaining young people. It was very cold that morning (even Mrs Harris was complaining) and we were all glad to enter a Having explored the cathedral we returned to the small but cosy café where we could practise our hotel and got ourselves prepared for a talent show. German to order some warm food. Several students were bold enough to sing a song or tell a joke. The final day was spent travelling In the afternoon we travelled to a small quaint town and at approximately 8.30pm we arrived tired, but called Boppard to do some supervised shopping. happy, back at school. We also had to work through a questionnaire in groups to find out information about the town. Overall it was a fantastic trip and well worth This was great fun and another good opportunity coming on. You learn a lot of German, practise for us to speak some German.We returned to the what you have learnt in school and see new places; hotel, had tea, and then set off again to a brand you also have a good time with your friends. A big new bowling alley just outside of Koblenz. “thank you” must go to Mrs Harris for organising the trip and to Mrs Grigat-Bradley and Dr Bradley Day two started with a very early breakfast in for coming along to support. the hotel after which we had an hour’s journey

SLIPPING

& SLIDING

The annual ski trip to Flachau, Austria in February 2013

To say that I was nervous about taking 80 students on the ski trip is a bit of an understatement, but I am glad to report that the group did us proud. I had my first positive vibes when everyone arrived punctually (some even before the staff) at Birmingham airport in the early hours of February 15th. The flight and the transfer to Flachau went without a hitch for both groups. This was a fantastically

positive start to the trip, increased further by the view from the airplane as we arrived in the skies above Munich. I had never seen so much snow that far north of Austria before. I have a vivid memory of a previous year when all we could see during our approach to Flachau was lush green fields. This was much better, as was the fact that the journey from door to door had lasted for less than six hours as opposed to the usual 26!

Due to the fantastic conditions we had a brilliant week of skiing. After an initial ski test, all the students were put into groups to match their ability and all of the groups, under the guidance of their young and energetic instructors, made excellent progress. Black runs were handled with relative ease and the beginners were fearless. There is a vast range of slopes to suit all abilities in the Flachau area, which is why it is such a perfect destination. In addition to this there are plenty of lovely restaurants scattered about the slopes, where you can partake of some Austrian delicacies. The lead ski instructor was probably the most efficient and well organised one we have ever had, and our trusty Club Europe ski rep and old friend Joerg, was as reliable as ever. In addition to the skiing we also had some memorable evening activities. The swimming in Flachau is always very popular, largely due to its water slide where you start off in a capsule whose floor suddenly disappears beneath your feet, plunging you down into a black, watery hole, leaving you clutching onto your swimming costume for dear life! Many people also opted for the more sensible and relaxing option of the Jacuzzi ! During the week we also paid a visit to Salzburg where we all went bowling and we watched an ice- hockey match in Zell am See that was specially laid on for us. It was so special, in fact, that it was just Zell am See ‘a’ and ‘b’ teams playing each other in very similar kit, so no-one really had a clue what was going on. Anyway, the fights amongst the players are always far more entertaining than the ice hockey itself! At the show on the penultimate evening we roared with laughter at the WGS boys’ rendition of ‘Flachau’s Next Top Model’. They will go far if they decide to pursue their modelling careers! A group of students also produced and screened a really hilarious film, set in various locations around Flachau. Their imagination and creativity knows no bounds! There were some other very brave students who were prepared to perform in front of a very large group. Talking of performing, I have got to mention the performance on the slopes of two staff ski trip newcomers, namely Misters Burden and Millichamp. They had only previously been on a dry slope, but on the first day they managed to race and beat a piste basher down the mountain! I’m not sure how in control they were, but they managed to get to the bottom without any broken

bones, unlike two other party members who will remain anonymous ! We had a fabulous week. WGS students were a credit to themselves and to the school, the hotel was warm and comfy, the food was delicious and we had amazing snow conditions. I would like to thank the staff who came along for being so supportive and helpful - it was a great team effort. Thanks go to Mr Johnson, Mr Carey, Mr Davies, Mr Burden, Mr Millichamp, Mr Ryan, Miss McAllister, Mrs Dyer and Miss Whittaker. Here’s to Flachau 2014! I can’t wait. ESNH

Year 7 Camp Climbing

With the weather looking promising, June 26th saw Year 7 embark upon their first residential experience at WGS. We were bound for Stanley Head Outdoor Education Centre, just north of Stoke-on-Trent within the Staffordshire Moorlands. All set for adventure, spirits were high on the journey with everyone looking forward to the challenges ahead.

One of the best activities we completed on Year 7 camp was climbing. When we arrived at the climbing wall, we were amazed at how high it was (I would even say some of us were scared!). The instructor encouraged everyone to have a go, but no-one was forced to do it.

Upon arrival our first task was to unload the coaches and transfer the luggage to our camp site; the usual chaos and confusion ensued but the promise of lunch got this task completed fairly swiftly. It quickly became clear that Stanley Head was the perfect setting for our adventure, not to mention the positively luxurious facilities in comparison to previous camps. The students looked impressed by the four large tents present in the field; they were soon to find out that these were the staff tents and their first job was to erect their own shelters! The setting up of camp was by far my favourite activity of the week; a challenge not to be underestimated. Yet the students all did so admirably; some tents were sturdier than others and the promise of rain loomed worryingly overhead, nevertheless the sea of orange canvas was impressive to behold!

At first, the instructor picked a volunteer to hook up and climb the wall. He explained the rules and the equipment, we picked our teams of four and we were off! There were two walls, and two people climbed at a time. The one wall was supposed to be ‘easier’ than the other – it wasn’t! I was delighted to be picked to go first and on my first attempt I reached the top. It was nerve wracking as even though you are clipped in, you still feel as though you may fall. We had five climbs in all and whilst some people didn’t make it all the way to the top, everyone had a go. The three things I liked most about the climbing wall were: the tremendous physical challenge it created, it certainly looks easier than it is! Secondly, it is a big emotional challenge; many people are frightened of heights and have to overcome that fear to reach their goal. Finally, it creates a brilliant team spirit and encourages people to work together and support each other. I really enjoyed the whole experience and I will never forget it. John Steel (7R)

The activities planned for our visit were numerous and the students were certainly kept busy; I will leave it to the students to explain more. CJ

Bushcraft

jump off the edge! It lowers you down very quickly and the challenge is to land on your feet at the bottom. Most people landed on their bottom at the bottom! The high ropes was very challenging and very scary in places, but every single person in year 7 attempted a section of the tower – brilliant! Will Gibbons (7R)

The art of bushcraft is to understand your surroundings and use them for support in the wilderness without harming the environment around you. Our instructor explained how all the materials around us could help provide shelter or warmth if ever needed.

Canoeing

We began with shelter building and used broken tree branches to form a skeleton structure. We then had to collect smaller branches to weave through them and finally leaves and moss were added to fill in the gaps and provide a dry shelter for cooking, sleeping or warmth. Our next task was to collect material for making a fire. Dry twigs and branches were best. Unfortunately these were in short supply. The instructor showed us how to build a frame and stack the twigs. Shredded paper took the place of dry bark (there wasn’t any!) as kindling.We were given a fire steel and we all tried our best to get our fires started – it is definitely not as easy as it looks. Luckily our instructor had a pot of oven baked denim (‘cooked denim’ is very flammable!) and this helped us in getting the flames going. I learned some really useful skills and found out a lot about how our environment can help us to survive if we need it to. Bush craft was great fun. John Steel (7R)

I thought that canoeing was the best activity and definitely the wettest. Stanley Head has a sailing lake nearby and it was huge! It gave some people a chance to lead a group and be captain. We all got the chance to make new friends and bond as a group. Teamwork was very important. If you worked as a team, you could get across the lake quite fast and play fun games in the water. We also moved team members from boat to boat (some did get a little wet though!). It was hard work physically as you had to row a lot, but it was all worth it and the hard work paid off. It was a very enjoyable experience and even though some people had been canoeing before, the most important thing was that we all had fun and we all jumped in the water at the end. Caelan Ferguson (7R) A great time was certainly had by all and I am grateful to the WGS staff who gave up their time to make Year 7 camp a tremendous learning experience for the students.The Stanley Head staff were knowledgeable, organised and committed and really drew out the skills and ambitions of our students. Finally, I am delighted with our Year 7 students, they worked hard, tried new things, faced their fears and represented themselves and the school brilliantly – well done,Year 7. CJ

High Ropes The high ropes tower was huge! There was an upper and a lower course, meaning that if you were a little less confident you could start on the lower course and hopefully build up your confidence to have a go at the higher one. Safety was very important and you had to make sure you were attached to the wires at all times. Everyone had a spotter on the ground and we had to call to each other that it was safe to carry on The upper course was very challenging, with lots of different routes around. Everyone completed the course at different speeds and part of the challenge was to encourage and support each other when the course got tricky. You needed a lot of strength to get around the course as many of the sections involved pulling yourself along or holding yourself up. Once you had completed the course, there was a fun looking bungee at the end and in order to get to the bottom, you had to

TOWERS

The Towers Outdoor Adventure Weekend 11th-12th May 2013

On an early Saturday morning in May my friends filed onto the sports hall car park to load into two minibuses. From there we drove across country to the beautiful Snowdonia National Park to spend a fantastic weekend at The Towers, Capel Curig. I was busy playing in the semi-final of our football cup that morning so I met up with the group later (we won by the way, oh, and we went on to win the cup!). Overall, 26 of us went to The Towers, all from Year 8. This was my first time at The Towers and it was fantastic. The experience was thrilling, the staff were friendly and the surrounding area was awe inspiring. Over an action packed weekend we took part in many activities like climbing, gorge walking, zip wire, canoeing and kayaking.The activities we took part in were new to me and over the weekend I tried things that I had never tried before. The

rooms that we stayed in were cosy and made you feel comfortable and welcome, and the staff were very pleasant to us allowing us to get the most out of all the activities.The Towers site was very active and you would never get bored because, aside from all of the outdoor adventures and activities, indoors there were pool and table tennis tables that you could play on. The meals were really nice - home cooked food that was so enjoyable after a hard dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gorge walking! Overall my time at Towers has been a great experience and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to go next year. A huge thank you to Mr Millichamp, Mrs Dalzell and Mr Walker (Rob) for organising a brilliant weekend for us and a special thank you to the staff at The Towers who gave us such an enjoyable and memorable experience. Phoebe Ludlam

COAST TO COAST

oast 2 Coast is a 190 mile relay run from St Bee’s Head to Robin Hood’s Bay and this year’s team consisted of 11 runners: Megan Griffiths, Freya Cunningham, Bex Roberts, Luci Darrall, Sally Parnell, Fran Hopson, Andrew Shave, Jack Harris, Alex Dmitrewski, Gurtej Randhawa and Tom Aston. After completing a tough 30 minute running trial and a written application, we began our 16 week training programme so we would be prepared for the event. The charity the team chose this year was Headway Black Country which is a charity providing help and rehabilitation for people with acquired brain injuries.

After the team was selected, we started our training regime, which was made up of a variety of exercises, including long, slow runs, circuits and three runs every Monday. However, a particular favourite of the team was hills training on a Thursday, run by Dr Bradley. This required short bursts of energy and was definitely the most challenging part of the training programme. As we became fitter and relaxed into our new schedule, the weeks leading up to the event flew by, and before we knew it, Friday 24th May had arrived and we were packing up the minibus and heading up to St Bee’s. Our spirits were high, and we knew we were in for a great weekend.

As the morning continued, we settled into our routine and got used to the minibus, as it was to be our home for the next 24 hours. As everyone completed their first stint an even bigger obstacle was waiting for Alex and Andy.We approached the Lake District,and the two toughest hills of the Coast 2 Coast route (Hardknott and Wrynose) were approaching us. Andy took the lead up Hardknott, and despite it being a 30 percent gradient for most of the way, he managed to reach the top, and Alex continued the stint up Wrynose. With the tough parts mostly out of the way, we continued our runs and the event was quickly passing by without us realising, but the real challenge for Gurtej, Alex and Bex was yet to be completed; the treacherous run up Nateby Hill. Gurtej took the first half of Nateby and the last push was finished off by Alex and Bex. Despite struggling, they reached the top and finished their stint.

As the night drew near, we knew the next part of the event would not be easy, and we kept up our morale by singing and encouraging each other as much as we could. Our night time support vehicle, made up of my dad (Stephen Parnell) and Paul Griffiths (Meg’s dad) began to lead and we carried on into the darkness. It is at this time where the team really starts to make bonds which only someone who has experienced Coast 2 Coast can understand. As you’re running in pitch black around you, with the sound of the minibus engine When we arrived at St Bee’s School in Cumbria, and nothing else, all you have is your team behind the sun was shining and we unpacked our things you and the finish line ahead. and set up camp for the night on the sports hall floor, which was fun, if not a little uncomfortable. As it became light, Robin Hood’s Bay got closer We had a healthy fish and chip dinner to prepare and closer, and even though we were all tired and ourselves for the weekend ahead, and we strolled aching, we reached the finish line and dipped the around St Bee’s to soak up the evening sunshine tie in the sea! before getting into our sleeping bags and excitedly trying to get to sleep, with the thoughts of what With our parents cheering us and our tired was to come the next morning spinning around families waiting on the beach, we finally stopped running and had to cope with the surreal feeling our heads. that Coast 2 Coast was now finished. The massive The runners who start the event have to get up feeling of relief swept over us as we realised we an hour earlier than everyone else, so Megan, Jack were done, but it was also sad because we had and myself were awoken at 5.30 by Mr Millichamp. all become so much closer in the space of just After breakfast, we woke the rest of team, jumped 24 hours, and everything was now over. We had on the minibus and headed down to the beach, pushed ourselves to our limits and were definitely where the start of the run would commence. all ready for a long sleep and a shower by the Despite the early awakening, everyone was so end! We tucked into a tasty full English breakfast happy and excited, and the gorgeous sunshine and made the journey to our hotel, where we all made the morning even more enjoyable. Megan relaxed our aching muscles in the Jacuzzi and then dipped the tie in the Irish Sea, and the event was had a meal with our families and the teachers. finally underway. Coast 2 Coast is one of the most challenging

experiences most of us will ever have, but it’s worth every minute. However, we couldn’t have done it alone, and on behalf of the team I’d like to thank Mr Millichamp, Dr Hinchliffe, Mr Crust, Miss McAllister, Mrs Mahey, Dr Bradley and JJ for making it all possible. We also had help in our training sessions from Mr Burden, Mrs Kingshott, Ellie Griffiths, John Parnell, Paul Griffiths, John Crawford and Sam Grew, and we couldn’t be more thankful.

and helping their youngsters and it has been great to see such commitment and enthusiasm from the families this year, supporting in lots of ways.

As ever, we have had sponsors who have helped our cause and allowed all of the fundraising to go directly to Headway, so a special thank you to The Blakemore Foundation who provided very generous in-kind donation and have done for some years now, to the Holiday Inn, Doncaster A1 M who provided us with a great deal to cap off To any Year 9s who are considering trying out the weekend for the second year now, BJ’s News for Coast 2 Coast when they reach the trails in Smethwick who also generously gave an in-kind Year 10, I urge you to go for it, because it is an donation, Ron Flowers Sports, Premier Sports event that changes your life, and one that you and The WGS Friends for kitting up the team, won’t forget. Coast 2 Coast brings you memories Smugglers for organising our cooked breakfast at and friends and a once in a lifetime opportunity the finish line (much needed after some 26 hours and anyone looking for something different who on a minibus!) and St Bee’s School who kindly enjoys running shouldn’t let Coast 2 Coast pass allowed us use of their sports hall at the beginning you by. of our event. Many thanks also to Waitrose Sally Parnell Community Matters for selecting Headway Black Country and to their customers in voting for us. It has been my pleasure and a privilege to work The Coast 2 Coast team this year raised an with these incredibly dedicated youngsters. They incredible total of £6,155.43 including the Waitrose have achieved something truly remarkable in the donation of £295; I know that this money will feat of running from ‘Coast 2 Coast’ . The hours make a real difference to Headway Black Country. they put in through the training, whilst maintaining Well done. all their other commitments and school work, JJM show just how hard-working and giving they are. They have of course been working quietly outside of their training schedule to raise funds for their chosen charity, Headway Black Country, writing letters, doing extra fundraising events, getting sponsorship. Headway Black Country are a small charity based in Dudley serving the Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton area, helping to rehabilitate people with acquired brain injury. I would like to thank Alison Gibson and Steve Phipps at Headway for all their support and help liaising with the team and visiting school and allowing us to visit their headquarters. I would also like to thank all the people around the team who have helped to make the event possible. Sally has thanked the staff directly involved and I reiterate that heartfelt message, but also extend it to the WGS marketing department who have championed our cause far and wide, and to Mrs Dalzell and Mrs Wainwright who have both been a source of wisdom and guidance for me in the organising of things. Also the parents who have ferried and fed, pushed and prodded the team and who came out to cheer and clap on that sunny weekend in May. Our parents will always go beyond the call of duty in supporting

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD Silver DofE John Parnell

When I signed up for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, I didn’t really know what to expect. Some people had warned me about some awful walks across rain-soaked bits of the Long Mynd, or the Lake District if I was lucky. For Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, you have to go on two three-day treks, both of which I really enjoyed. These expeditions required quite a few sessions after school on a Friday, where Stella and Sarah Adamson from Navigation Education gave us lessons on how to put up the tents we would be using, how to use the trangias we would be cooking on, and how to pack our bags for the treks.

Sixth DofE group, as I had missed the previous year’s qualifier. After two years of after school meetings

with Stella I was well versed in how to read a map and draw up route cards. This year, the weather was much less kind however. The first day, from Hope Bowdler, took us around Caer Caradoc and over the Long Mynd to the village of Ratlinghope to the first campsite where heavy rain over the day meant we were all soaked to the skin by the time we got to the campsite. Aside from my group getting a little lost first thing, the second day took us back over the Lond Mynd to the village of Marshbrook, where good weather allowed a much To be honest, none of this was especially new to more relaxed evening, although from some very me, having been on similar trips in the past, but persistent midges did their best to spoil the fun. the real learning came with the preparations for Nevertheless, everybody was in high spirits, even the routes we would be following. This involved Emily Birch, who battled blisters all day, hobbling studying ordnance survey maps very closely, along for much of it.The third day was very relaxed, calculating how far we had to walk between with fabulous weather and only seven miles to different checkpoints along the route, using walk, so we took it slowly. We Ended with a lunch contour lines to work out how far we would of chips for both teams, paid for very kindly by Dr. climb over certain distances, and how that would Hinchliffe. affect our walking pace. Organising food for the team was also difficult as it had to be co-ordinated Alex Purchase remembers Silver DofE as: a long between the six (fussy) people in our team. process… the award takes up more than a years worth of your life, uses up your evenings when you The first of the two expeditions was in the Peak could be either doing something or nothing and District. Our first day of walking took us around forces you to get out of your house at weekends Dovedale to the small village of Wetton. The to do something apparently worthwhile with some second day took us up to the Tissington trail, which people you don’t really know. You then spend six we followed to the campsite at Pomeroy, under days either roasting in the sun, or cowering under brilliant sunshine, making the evening’s cooking a piece of tarpaulin, hiding from the unrelenting very easy. The third day was easier, with less far to rain. On the face of it, DofE looks like misery with walk - again with fantastic weather. We went along a certificate at the end to prove you suffered it. the picturesque river Lathkill to the small town of Alport, to meet the minibus that took us home. However, that is what DofE might look like to someone on the outside not doing the award. My second walking expedition was with the Lower On the inside it’s not as cold and wet as it seems 84

(sometimes it can be downright hot and sunny). And, most of our group’s members already did an activity (sports etc.), a skill (knitting, chess etc.) or some community work and thus the award did not require much of an increase in work load. If anything, DofE helps you too coordinate all the stuff that you already do in your everyday busy life, with only the stereotypical couch potato having to undertake extra effort. This year’s Lower Sixth form practice expedition saw the addition of two elder explorers (John Parnel and myself) who had been unable to take part in the previous year’s expedition. Day one did start with heavy rain, strong winds and sore feet (which doesn’t help dispel DofE myths) as the two groups of six students traversed their way across the Long Mynd in Shropshire, navigating through the rolling hills, and watching one group member run at top speed down a hill in full expedition kit chasing the map he had dropped. It all looked like a rather glum and wet episode of the Last of the Summer Wine. Upon arrival at camp for the first night, tents were quickly set up and Trangia’s set alight, with everyone’s eyes pointing up to the grey clouds, hoping that their water would boil so that

they could eat their pasta - the veterans of the group favoured the boil in the bag option for a quick and most importantly, hot option. The second day saw sun with light patches of cloud. Once breakfast had been eaten, the two groups traversed their way over hills covered in sheep, up onto the Long Mynd and past one of the UK’s highest gliding clubs. There the groups stopped to lie in the soft, mildly antiseptic (slightly hallucinogenic?) plants to watch the gliders. After this, both groups made their way down to gently sloping hills around Marshbrook and a road where the final sprint to the campsite commenced. By this time the sky was a perfect blue, allowing the explorers to set up camp in relative comport and to sit outside their tents chatting, playing football or nursing their (and each other’s) many aches and pains. The final day was a short and pleasant one, culminating in the savaging of several plates of chips. In the hour before everyone packed up to head home (for a shower to remove the sweat and dirt), everyone relaxed in the sun, chatting and cheerfully complaining about the several days of discomfort that they had all undertaken together. DofE isn’t easy, if it was everyone would do it. It’s the difficulty, the slightly cold food, the hayfever that won’t go away no matter how many antihistamines you overdose on, the sore feet which hurt so badly that you just want to crawl to camp. All of this makes DofE worthwhile, and makes it enjoyable and immensely satisfying, and that is something that only those who do DofE truly understand. Either that, or it was the hallucinogenic grass.

BRONZE DofE A record number of 31 students signed up for the Bronze Award which was to be supervised and delivered by Navigation Education. They had the support of Mr Ryan and Mr Mason along with experienced staff expedition support back-up team, namely Mrs Mahey, Mrs Kingshott and Mr Johnstone. Expedition training took place on Friday evenings after school for three months whilst participants enrolled in a number of volunteering, skills and physical recreation activities to fulfil the other sections of the award. All this was recorded on-line using the electronic ‘edofe’ record keeping system – paperless! Not only were they completing their award but they were gaining first hand experience

in paperless technology – a thing of the future they tell me. A training walk was undertaken in February, in surprisingly good weather; whilst the practice expedition over the Long Mynd, with camping in Little Stretton; and the Qualifying expedition over the Stiperstones, with camping at Bridges Youth Hostel, were completed safely and successfully – again in good weather, in May. Well done everyone. It was a pleasure working, walking and camping with you. JPR

UGANDA EXpedition

In July, 49 of our students set out on a once in a lifetime trip to Uganda \.

fter 18 months of preparation, departure day arrived and we were all so excited. After a long, tiring flight to Kenya and then a short hop to Uganda we had arrived. For the first phase of the month long expedition we were based in Jinja. Our home for the next few days was the Busoga Trust Guest House which was great and was also home to the gap year students; Frank and Gulu (the dogs) and a food stealing cat. After a midday rolex (not the watch!) we went out for an evening meal. Walking down the high street of Jinja was so strange, the noise, the hundreds of bodabodas and the dust (which we found we could not escape throughout the trip) gave us all a massive culture shock. We were all ready for bed as we were pretty tired and Alys needed a lie down after the surprise she had! The second day consisted of buying food supplies for the next few days and going to Sonrise Orphanage. On the way to Sonrise we had a ‘situation’ where we were stopped by the military because we were supposedly taking photos of the bridge (but this was mistaken for the ‘selfies’ we were taking). After the hold-up we arrived at Sonrise which was great! We had heard so much about it back at school so it was amazing to see it for real. We made a few friends, AJ with Brian, Paige (Abi) with Marie and Joe with Jole (soon to grow up to be like Sicily). The following few days consisted of visiting a HIV clinic,YAMBA, and Lords Meade, our link school. It was great to see where all of our fundraising goes to and how it helps so many people. The next phase of the expedition was our project phase in Nakidubuli. The first day of this was the day from hell. We were one tent down and we had no fuel to cook with so it was up to team leader AJ to sort something out. After a welcome ceremony of tribal singing and dancing the next few days involved building latrines, tippy-taps, digging rubbish pits and plastering houses. It was a great opportunity to interact with the local community and to learn some of the local language! One of my favourite memories of the project was while playing a game of football against the locals (which we won!); it was seeing Sammie being chased around the football pitch by about 40 children all wanting their photo taken.After nights around the camp fire, numerous games of football and having a black mamba in the latrines we were joyed at the huge impact we had made in the village, knowing that we had helped to improve lives.

It was now time to go to Nile River Explorers. Here we enjoyed a sunset cruise down the Nile with unlimited food and drink which was a great time to relax after working so hard in the village. For the adrenaline seekers of the group a much anticipated day had arrived, a day of extreme fun - white water rafting. Although thrown out of the raft in the rapids, we enjoyed our last night before a ten hour journey to our trekking phase in the Rwenzori Mountains. The amazing views and Guy’s birthday made the trek all the more enjoyable. After this three day trek we travelled to Queen Elizabeth National Park before we started our second trek. Once we had done the trek and had another tribal dance from the local community, it was time for safari. Waking up at 5am was not very popular among the group but it was vital to see the Ugandan wildlife. After the morning game drive we went back to camp and relaxed throughout the afternoon while playing one of our favourite games called ‘wolf’ (introduced to us by Dr E). The game always became very competitive with Sammie constantly being killed first and I, as usual was accused of being the wolf which resulted in me also being killed. In the evening we had an incredible cruise seeing elephants, crocodiles, hippos and eagles at sunset. The following day was Sammie’s birthday and another day of safari. We were now heading for the Ssese Islands for total relaxation. After six of us waited for four hours at the port for transport and breaking down due to the matata overheating and filling up with smoke we arrived to a BBQ on the beach and some dancing around a fire. The next few days were a complete chill out, playing volleyball, sunbathing and beach walks with little monkeys were some of the activities appreciated by the whole group.After a three hour ferry journey back to Entebbe, we spent our last few days shopping in Kampala, visiting a wildlife centre (where we fed giraffes!) and eating way too much. On behalf of the whole expedition group I would like to say a huge thank you to Dr Edlin, Miss Platt and our expedition leader Rob for such an amazing experience which we all enjoyed so much and will never forget. From all of the group, ‘pap’ and ‘shut up Meg!’ Dan Roberts

The experience of a lifetime Abbi Lavill L6

match with a last-minute, but very enthusiastic, Macarena and Cha-Cha Slide routine. It’s easy to imagine how well this turned out! The rest of our time was spent playing and interacting with the children; an England v. Uganda football match saw us lose horrifically, while the girls’ dancing skills were put to the test by the students who taught us some traditional Ugandan moves. Leaving the village was a particularly hard part of the trip, as during the three days we’d spent there, we’d really got to know and love the community. There was one cheeky chappy, Nick, we had all grown particularly fond of, who was nowhere to be seen when we said our final goodbyes. Luckily, and typically of him, he crashed out of the bushes about two miles down the dusty road and waved us off onto the rest of our adventure.

Three groups of students, comprising 37 students and six teachers, went to Uganda in July 2013 for two weeks. Many thanks go to Val Fogarty, Jim Ryan, James Millichamp, Kate Baker, Jonathan Hall and Ian Tyler for running the trips and to all the students who learnt and contributed so much. Here, Abbi Lavill (L6), writes about her experiences: It’s extremely hard to know where to start when asked to put our two week experience of Uganda into a few hundred words. I could maybe start with my expectations beforehand and then go on to tell you how this incredible and life-changing trip went on to smash every single one of them. Gone were my thoughts of children dressed in rags, dirty and hungry and miserable, instead replaced by images of little boys and girls full of energy, happy and smiling and so eager to meet us that they ran after the bus filled with somewhat less-than-fresh teenagers, alerting their friends that the ‘Muzungu’ were here, coaxing at least another 20 children out of their homes each time this sacred word was mentioned. Stepping out of the bus and into the waiting arms of these children and their families from the village of Bwikasa, each of them so welcoming and excited to see us, was perhaps the most memorable moment of the trip for me. The genuine warmth in the welcome we received was truly astounding. Bwisaka is Godfrey Kiganga’s village near Mbale about a four hour journey from Jinja. It has no electricity supply and the only water is from a well. Godfrey, as some of you may remember was the first Head of Lords Meade Vocational College. We spent our days at the village helping to renovate an area of the primary school for the staff to sleep, so that they didn’t have to make the enormous journey to and from the school every day, It was hard work, but every single person put their heart and soul into it; which was clear at the end of the day when most were close to falling asleep in the dinner that our hosts had prepared for us. We Brits just aren’t used to much manual labour you see. Some of us taught lessons to classes with over 40 students in them. It was great fun! The community thanked us by performing their traditional songs and dances, which we later attempted to

We spent the rest of the week at the Busoga Trust Guest House in Jinja, which soon began to feel like home after we’d rifled through their DVD collection, sanctioned off a section of the communal fridge for our milk (a decent cup of tea by this point really couldn’t go amiss), and I’d managed to flood our shower, resulting in an interesting ice breaker when our gap year students and fellow guests had to help us clean up. We were also lucky enough to journey to a village to visit a well that WGS has recently funded. We were greeted by a whole host of grateful villagers who sang and danced for us, as well as presenting us with a basket of their local produce. It was during this week that we visited our link school, LMVC, where we toured the grounds, sat in on lessons and set up sports fixtures, which ended in a win for the netballers and a very fair draw for the footballers! None of us had been sure what to expect from Lords Meade even though we’d been told so much about it over the years, but it was fantastic to walk around, to see where the funds we’d raised had gone, and to realise how invaluable this all was to both the students and the teachers.We visited the art room that WGS funded, to see their art exhibition, the students very proud of what they had achieved. The next day the exhibition was taken down and we brought all the drawings and paintings back with us for the joint art exhibition taking place at WGS in October 2013. One thing that we all agreed on during our trip was that we wanted to

continue fundraising when we returned home- it was impossible to think of simply forgetting all of the things we’d seen and experienced in Uganda at the end of the trip; this was just the beginning for us.

Within one day of being home I felt absolutely lost, and was already planning to return to Uganda as soon as I could. It’s true that the trip was challenging in so many ways, but truly the hardest part of all was leaving the place we’d all come, in such a short space of time, to love.

Over the course of the week we also visited various charities and orphanages. The Sonrise orphanage was a particular favourite for most! We spent our day taking the children on walks (to tire them out), then bathing them, dressing them, feeding them, and putting them down for their naps. I think it’s safe to say that every single one of us fell in love that day! We also later visited the older girls, at Mirembe Cottage, who taught us how to make beaded bracelets and played games with us until we were ready to drop. But, no rest for the wicked! – onto Yamba, the organisation which aims to give street boys a home, where we were treated to an absolutely hilarious rendition of ‘Gangnam Style’, and shown the boys’ art which is fabulous and is sold to raise money for the newly formed organisation. Gabriella Ryan, our gap year student from 2011, helped to set Yamba up and it was good to spend time with her. The trip also appealed to those of us who sought out a few thrills along the way. We visited a number of breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, as well as the Source of the Nile whilst on a sunset cruise. Perhaps the most memorable example of these thrills, however, was our visit to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where we were able to see the only wild rhinos in Uganda, and we were given a few tips on how to survive a rhino stampede. Interested? Just stand behind a tree, our guide said. We were also extremely fortunate to be able to go on a game drive, where we saw a huge variety of Uganda’s wildlife: elephants, giraffes, buck and hippos. Although this wasn’t anything new for us - the likes of monkeys and wildebeest weaved casually in between our tents at the Red Chilli Campsite, while the boys tried their hands at a few impersonations by snorting up to our tents in the middle of the night, something we were less than impressed with! Like I said, it’s impossible to sum up this experience in so few words. Our two weeks in Uganda were some of the best of my life, and to be able to see the difference we make to the lives of people which are so different, but at the same time so similar, to us was something I will never forget, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I was given.

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY they could look right inside the engine in order to see it from different angles. Next, we were taken to a balcony above one of the production floors. Here we could see several different cutting edge machines. We had a talk about what the machines do and how they work and then we moved to another production floor before heading back to the conference room to watch a presentation on the history of AMRC.

DT trip to AMRC

The trip helped us look at further careers in the manufacturing sector and showed us that DT isn’t just specific to one type of job, but is relevant to a whole range of careers.

On the 1st July, Year 10 DT students went to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield to look at cutting edge manufacturing in the workplace. The AMRC was established in 2001 and is in partnership with companies such as Boeing and Rolls Royce. The site itself covers 5,500m2 and the centre focuses on five aspects of manufacturing: machining, assembly, composite materials, structural testing and design & prototyping. AMRC undertake projects from companies and use software and manufacturing techniques to improve the speed at which the product is made and also the overall quality of the product. Some of the software used enables them to have a virtual projection of the product on a massive screen where they can move about and adjust compartments to see how the product fits together. They can then perform a series of timed tests to see how to reduce the manufacturing time.

The Year group would like to thank AMRC and Nuclear Engineering Serveries who kindly arranged and paid for our travel costs.

The Engineering Education Scheme The Engineering Education Scheme (EES) is a six month scheme in which students design, build and test a prototype in order to solve a problem set by an external company – in this instance Nuclear Engineering Services (NES).The problem we were given was to build a prototype clamp that could be used to hold various different shapes and sizes which, if made for real, would clamp nuclear rods before they are cut down ready for transportation and disposal.

On arrival we went to a conference room and were told about what AMRC does and what their work involves. After the talk, we were then taken on a series of tours: first, to a 3D cinema room where we were ‘virtually’ shown round the floor of a production room. We were also shown some of the machines and how they are constructed before being shown software that explores the products that are manufactured at the AMRC. We were then shown a Rolls Royce engine produced at the Rolls Royce factory on site and the software (projected on a huge floor to ceiling wrap-around screen) enabled us to ‘virtually’ take the engine apart in 3D to view its components. The person operating the software had a remote which meant

We started off with an initial meeting where we met the engineers with whom we would be working; we were also given the choice of which problem to solve. A few weeks later we attended the launch day of the Engineering Education Scheme where we had a lecture from JCB; took part in various group activities and finally confirmed our project choice. After the launch day we had weekly meetings with our engineers in school when we discussed what we had done during the week, how we could improve and what we needed to do next. In addition to the weekly meetings, we also did a huge amount of work in our own time - around 100 hours in total!

Just before we went on our residential trip, we visited the NES factory and were given a tour of the facility including all the projects which they are working on. We then had a meeting where we discussed the various aspects of our final design including the materials and dimensions, so that we were ready for our residential trip the following week.

we prepared for our presentation, each doing four slides. We did several final practice presentations, including one to our engineers who gave us last minute pointers on how we could improve our presentation. We also put together panels for our display board, showcasing what our project was and what we had done.

The trip, which took place between the 11th - 13th December, was to the Mechanical Engineering Department at Birmingham University where we had an orientation lecture, before starting to build our design. To begin, we used advanced CAD (Computer Aided Design) software to design our prototype electronically to exact size specifications, this was then used as a template to draw and cut out the individual parts. Finally once all the parts were cut, we assembled our clamp and tested it to make sure it worked. At the end of the residential we had to do a presentation in front of the organiser and the other participants, outlining what we had done during the residential, as well as what we were going to do next. In the new year we started working on the project folder that would be submitted as part of our overall project.This consisted of our design brief and problem, testing and evaluation of our design, further development of ideas, calculations, and redeveloped CAD drawings and models. We continued our weekly meetings with our engineers where they helped and advised us on how to produce the best project folder, also helping us with our presentation. During this time we also tested our project, seeing how well it clamped each shape with the different profiles, and from this we created a matrix showing the effectiveness of each clamping profile. We made several alterations to our prototype including dying the wood to make it look more professional for the celebration day, also shortening the screw thread and removing the screws from the fixed block so that the clamping force could be kept constant. We managed to work hard to finish and send off the project folder on time, then

On the celebration day we set up our display board and prototype, and then presented our project to representatives from the EES. We then had the opportunity to look at other groups’ projects before the representatives of the EES came to have a look at our working prototype and display board. After this we attended a few short presentations from sponsors of the EES including Network Rail. We were then presented with our certificates. We all found this a rewarding experience that helped us to further our engineering skills and develop our understanding of the industry. It also became a valuable arrow in our quiver when applying to university. An exhausting half a year, but one that was well worth it and certainly one that we would encourage any budding engineers studying Design & Technology to apply for in future years. In addition to the project folder we also had to do a presentation to representatives from the EES on our project during the ‘show and tell’ celebration day. This allowed us to show off our project to other schools taking part in the scheme. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the following for the guidance and support throughout the scheme: NES Sponsor: Mr. Chris Bill NES Engineers: Alpesh Patel, Chris Hayes, Mark Bennett and Ferdinando Refratti EES Coordinator: Mr. Denis Evans MBE Teachers: Mr. O’Malley; Mr. Turnbull

CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

FENCING CLUB

Enigma Society is in Social 2 after school on Fridays, all from Year 9 upwards are welcome.

Raphael Aldis, Fencing Coach

Fencing is now beginning its third successful year at WGS and although it has only been offered at With thanks to Mr Uppal. the school for a relatively short period of time, the results are going from strength to strength.

Let’s get Quizzical

Last year WGS fencers competed in several major competitions, bringing home a very commendable cache of medals including two gold, two silver, four bronze and the Warrior Challenge Trophy.

James Birch, 8R

On Thursday 28th February, students from Year 7 & 8, took part in a general knowledge quiz in Birmingham. The members of the team consisted of James Birch, Connor Beasley, Rajbir Chahal and Toby Binstead. At the competition we competed against teams from King Edward’s School.

Tom Steel has worked hard and finished the year ranked 2nd in the West Midlands and 48th in the British Youth Championships National Ranking Scheme. John Steel, Jamie Millichamp and Richard Hakeman-Ellison continue to make excellent progress, They worked extremely well as a team, supporting and encouraging each other at the Warrior Challenge 2013 Team Fencing, and at individual events have successfully reached the final eight, narrowly missing the semi-final places by only a few points.

We unfortunately lost our two matches however, everyone did their best.

POLITICAL FORUM Charles Grainger U6

After many years of absence, fencing was brought back to the school by the efforts of Tom Aston who became WGS’s first Captain of Fencing last year. Tom continues to lead, inspire and support all the junior fencers.

Enigma Society Leo Jackson (10D)

Affinity-fraud, detrimental sports, obscure words, language barriers and fiscal –irresponsibility. Holding true to previous years, Enigma has certainly been more cacophonous than quiet. Insightful (as per usual of course) were the discussions, but with the diversity of subjects why wouldn’t it be? Topical as ever (to a certain point) and yes we are up to date with the current ‘thoughtful’ and ‘humane’ Channel 4 documentaries. Lately though, sport has been vocally a super massive figurative elephant of debate, overtaking that of solicitation.

With the departure of Henry Parocki, the task of chairing Political Forum and deciding its agenda this year fell to Charlie Grainger and Isaac Hobbs. The past term has been a good one for the Forum as the number of students taking part in it has increased dramatically from previous years, with up to twenty students attending. All the while we have remained true to the original vision of creating a student run space that anyone is welcome to make their soap box. The topics of debate have varied wildly so far this year, everything from the European Union to globalisation and even the morality of private sector education has been fiercely debated, with some people realising they had opinions on topics they had never even considered before. Political Forum has always hosted an eclectic mix of people with a wide variety of political persuasions and this year has been no different. We began the first meeting by labelling a political spectrum with each of our names and rather quickly we discovered that while the chairs are left-leaning to say the least, there is plenty of balance to be found in the Forum as a whole. With Israel and Palestine coming up soon on the agenda, Political Forum promises only to get even livelier in the coming weeks.

Evidently nothing can remain unscathed from Enigma! Remembering a quote from Thomas Carlyle; “Thought once awakened does not again slumber”.

Warhammer This year Warhammer club has continued to grow. my Minotaurs. My Beastman chariot sped across We meet on Friday lunchtimes in the art centre the battle lines to be smashed to pieces on the for battles of Warhammer Fantasy and 40K. unbreakable wall of Jamieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bestigors. Our Gors and Ungors fought through ruined temples and I would like to thank the Purchase boys, who have eventually Jamie had my last unit trapped inside kindly donated their unused 40K miniatures. We a tower, surrounded, outnumbered, alone. Well now have a variety of armies so that more students done, Jamie on a close but definitive victory. can join in the darkness of future war in the abyss of space. Some of the battles fought at Warhammer Other news; Jamie Millichamp (yes, I am a proud club have been epic wars lasting over several dad!) came a close fourth in the Shrewsbury store weeks; Jamie Pawluk and I called our Beastman Armies on Parade competition with an incredible herds to civil war in the ruined woodlands and Night Goblin army led by Skarsnik himself, posed we spent some weeks locked in terrible combat. on a very convincing rugged and weathered battle Jamieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brayshaman summoned a Ghorgon out board. Well done! of the forest who was eventually forced back by JJM

LIFE THROUGH A LENS Kameron Sidhu (7P)

Photography club is a new club held each Tuesdaysafter school. Organised by Gary Williams the school photographer. Gary also runs his own wedding photography business.

each setting and the ways that they can be used in real life situations. You learn how to use these settings by practising as a group to improve your ability.

Photography club is open to all Years from year 7 to year 13 and it runs in the art centre computer suite. We use the computer room so that we can edit our pictures using Photoshop.

A good photographer has to be very patient and calm whenever they are taking pictures. Also, use the space and objects you have been given to create the picture. Some activities that we do at photography club are taking pictures of sports fixtures such as cricket and rounders matches; having a bit of fun by creating light paintings using LEDs and splashes with some peppers.

The equipment needed for photography club is a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera and a stable tripod. DSLR cameras are useful because you can change the lens depending on what you are photographing and control the settings to create amazing photos.

If you are interested in photography club see Mr Hills for more information.

At photography club you learn the meaning of 96

Mathematics Challenges Dominic Danks, Lawrence Green, Joel Plowright

Students again participated in the three national mathematics challenges and in two team competitions. Our results in 2012/13 were: Entries

Gold

Silver

Bronze

158 110 14

5 5 2

15 13 6

33 24 6

Junior Intermediate Senior

One of the gold certificates in the junior challenge (aimed at Years 7 and 8) was awarded to Samraj Bhandal in Big Six. In the senior challenge, Aman Khosa qualified for the Senior Kangaroo. Following the intermediate challenge, Chloe Macaulay, Robert Pye and Govind Randhawa qualified for the Kangaroo competition, in which Robert Pye received a Certificate of Merit.

Lower School Climbing Club One of WGS’ unique and valuable resources is our boulder wall. Often overlooked, it is hidden away behind the sports hall, allowing many students to gain a new experience and to develop their skills. The most regular users of the wall are the members of the Lower School Climbing Club, who meet there during the first half of Tuesday lunchtimes. We welcome everyone - no previous experience is necessary. Over the year, some students have gone from complete beginners to competent climbers, while others have been able to hone their technique. The sessions always include a time for independent climbing, but there is often the option to have a go at some specific routes and challenges, or to play a game of “shark attack!” Some of the challenges are set by Mr Millichamp and Mr Burden, such as climbing the overhang using only hands, or traversing the whole wall. The most gruelling challenges are usually set by club members, such as Bhavesh “the Mouse” Rai and Tom “Forearms of” Steel. The club is set to continue in 2013/14, and a trip is being planned to give students a taste of some longer and more challenging routes. If you are in Year 7 or 8 and fancy joining us, please come along - we’d love to “show you the ropes” (metaphorically - we don’t use any!). NTB

BATTLE OF THE BANDS In what has become an annual fixture in the WGS calendar, Friday 22nd March saw the Hutton Theatre host Battle of the Bands, a night of great music from WGS staff and students. The popular event, which helps to raise funds for WGS’s chosen charities in Uganda sees bands – all made up from WGS staff and students – take to the stage to battle for the crown of best live band. This year, guest of honour, Mr Raymond Owino, Head of Lords Meade Vocational College helped to judge the contest alongside fellow panel members Miss Platt and Mr Tyler. Sixth Formers Sam Commander and Ian Kidson helped to organise the event with sterling help from the following: Mr Millichamp (compere); Mr Johnstone, Mr Hall and Mrs Baker (backstage), Shun Jevons, Vincent Wong and James Cawdell (technical support) and Mr Lowe and Ollie Cox (sound and lighting). Thanks also to Ammo Sangha of Panoramic Moments for filming the event free of charge. The eventual winners were Nicole and Some Other People with the trio of Aren Fraser, Dimitri Patsiogiannis and Kishan O’Leary runners up. The event raised £335 for Uganda projects – so a huge thanks to everyone involved. JJM

FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

Ian Kidson and Vincent Wong (U6) It has been yet another successful year for the fundraising committee, raising money for charities in need. At the start of the year we began raising money for a local charity, based in Birmingham called St Basil’s. St Basil’s works across the West Midlands helping people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, providing varying degrees of semi-independent accommodation. We were therefore proud to announce that we had raised over £1000 for the charity, which helped those in great need.

The 37 students and six teachers who went to Uganda in July 2013 spent several days at the primary school in Bwisaka, using the materials that had been purchased with the help of our fundraising. Batiks and beads have been sold for other Ugandan charities too. The Fundraising Committee chaired by Mr Uppal, meets every Monday lunchtime at 1.20pm in SSR in the Sixth form Centre. If you would like to make a difference do come along.

One of the major highlights of fundraising this year was the teachers annual sponsored swim in aid of Cancer Research UK in which seven of our finest faculty swam a mile each. With the aid of a non-uniform day, this year we raised an incredible £1400 for Cancer Research. During the spring term we raised £5300 for Uganda community projects and our link school Lords Meade Vocational College. Most of this was raised by the students in Years 7-10 in the annual inter-form competition. 7P won the competition by raising a magnificent £825 in their sponsored ‘Not Playing on Computer Games for a Week!’ 9A were second and they raised money in a unique way by a sponsored Hay Bale Rolling Event and 10B were third by selling wrist bands for the cause. We would like to thank the form tutors and parents for their continued support. Providing the excitement this year was the annual Battle of the Bands featuring Nicole And Some Other People who won and trio: Aren Fraser, Dimitri Patsiogiannis and Kishan O’Leary who came second. This raised £335 for Uganda projects. Miss Platt, Mrs Fogarty and the fundraising committee asked the students for their suggestions about how the money should be spent. It was decided that it should split in the following way:

HAY BALE ROLLING Matthew Bill and Dan Adams

On the 4th March, Form 9A rolled a hay bale a totalof two kilometres to raise money for Uganda. We split into teams of four, with each team pushing the bale 100m. Organised as a relay, we aimed to push the very large, and extremely heavy bale a full kilometre, which is equivalent to 10 lengths of the Rugby pitch, but we actually managed to double that distance in practice, which was a fantastic achievement. We raised money at the event by going around with a collection box, and in all we raised the tremendous amount of £444. Well done to all involved and thanks to everyone for their generosity in giving to this worthy cause.

Lords Meade Vocational College sponsorship of three students £1260 Lords Meade Vocational College a classroom ceiling £ 450 Mirembe Cottage for Street Girls £1000 Yamba for Street Boys £1600 MUF0 to help buy materials to build a classroom at Bwisaka Village £1000

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1st XI Football

Tom Husselbee. At the start of the season we took a while Our involvement in the ISFA Cup was shortto find our feet. We received a number of lived. We did well to beat a large Chigwell additions to the squad and needed time to school in the first round but then came up work out how we all played best together. against a very impressive Leeds Grammar Many younger players made the step up to School side and lost 6-1. On the other hand, the 1st XI, and we became reliant on them we had the best City Cup run we’ve had for to bear heavy responsibilities in defence. a couple of years. In the first few rounds we Players such as Dane Connop, James Banks, convincingly beat Moreton (12-0), St. Chad’s Arjun Gill,Tom Heath, Alex Buckham, Callum (3-1) and Heath Park (1-0). Unfortunately, in Keane and Tom Chapman held important poor conditions and after a few weeks break defensive roles, and it was clear that they from football we didn’t perform well in the developed and improved their games over final and lost to St. Peter’s (2-0). We knew the course of the season. that we were capable of much more and this result came as a massive disappointment, The midfield was largely similar to last year. especially since the senior players have now Dan Genner and Tom Husselbee continued finished school without a cup win. to run the midfield, and the addition of Sam Gibbons helped us to keep the ball much We were unlucky in a number of our friendly better and control play. Jon Crawford also matches. We put on battling performances returned to the team and proved himself to be both home and away. On our travels we a consistent threat and great supplier to the lost narrowly to The Grange School 4-3 box from the wing. Lone striker Matt Danks after a dramatic last minute goal, and were held the ball up well and took his chances, unfortunate to lose 2-1 to Shrewsbury. even though support was not always there, However, one of our best results came in a and both Jake Foster and Jack Griffiths put 3-0 home victory against QEGS Blackburn. on some impressive performances in goal. Mentions also go to Josh Doyle-Gibbons, Joe Blount, and Aren Fraser, who each made an impact to the games they played in. The top goal scorer for the season was Matt Danks Whilst as a season, it ended on a frustrating note, this should not detract from what was (12 goals). a most enjoyable two terms. Credit for this Results were encouraging, but they did not must go down, not only to the two captains, always reflect the performances of the team. Tom and Matt, but to all those who played We played well in the six-a-side and eight- 1st XI football. They were a great bunch to a-side ISFA competitions at King’s Chester, be around, keen to learn and work hard. At where, in the eight-a-side tournament we the end of the season, we said goodbye to a finished 3rd out of a group of 6 and just number of Upper Sixth students, who had missed out on progressing to the knock-out contributed so much to WGS football. Tom, stages. Within our group we beat St. Bedes Matt and Dan set new standards as far as (1-0); drew with Liverpool College (1-1), fitness was concerned, with Gibbo’s positive RGS Newcastle (2-2), and with Bury (0-0); approach - despite Wolves demise during and lost to Manchester Grammar (3-0). In the season, worthy of mention. We will miss the six-a-side competition we were placed Josh, and his calf injuries, and Arjun for being in a very strong group but competed well, Arjun. We wish them all the best for the the highlight being an emphatic 5-1 victory future. NHC/JMJ against Oswestry. Unfortunately, we could

MANAGER’S NOTES

not repeat this and finished fifth in our group.

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U15 Congratulations to all our players on what has been a great season.There has been some fantastic individual progress but what really stood out was the team unity and the ‘all for one and one for all’ attitude. As well as the flair of certain individuals it has been the team’s ‘never say die’ attitude that has been the undoing of many of our opponents. It is, however, only right to mention a few players individually who have really impressed this year. Jamie Bostock has been superb between the sticks and he will no doubt be a great asset to the 1st XI next year and beyond. At the back, Harry Brueton has been both reliable and solid throughout the year, as has Tom Grainger whose pace has been a great benefit. In the middle, Ally Carey has won every 50/50 he has been within 20 yards of and his enforcing role has allowed the likes of Dan Gibbons and Andy Shave to control the midfield in crucial games. Up front, our captain Chad Danks never gave defences a minute’s rest and has mastered the art of the lone forward. The lads may have finished the season empty handed but each and every member of the squad will start next year with renewed enthusiasm and motivation to strengthen the senior squads. Good luck. OPD

U14

from Mr Hall of expected standards saw us battle back to draw level. Unfortunately, a screaming 30 yard free kick was our undoing in the closing stages. As well as the squad improving, individuals have improved massively. Jonnie Frith has come on leaps and bounds in goal for us. In front of Jonnie has been the solid back four. In particular I feel Dan Adams and Guarav Gaind have made a really positive impression. In the midfield we have seen some athletic and solid performances, Scott Barnett and Nihkil Sharma have played extremely well on the wings providing some good service to the forwards. Aaron Bachra has partnered me in the centre of midfield, where he has played some great attacking football and can give us the forward impetus we need at times. The midfield got through a lot of work this year, well done. Joe Timmins and Joe Fellows-Cox were the two upfront for us this year. They scored the majority of the goals for us, Joe FC with his killer instinct and Joe Timmins with his great first touch; they should continue to be a handful next season. Football is a squad game so throughout the season the subs played a very important role and deserve credit for coming in at key times in the season and not letting us down. Looking forward to next year offers another very exciting prospect. I hope we can finally pick up some elusive silverware. Keep working hard and well done.

U13

Tom Genner This year has yet again been another very successful season for the football team. In particular there have been some noticeable games where we played very well. Repton, as always, put forward their best team to face us, It was a spectacular game in which we ran out worthy 3-0 winners. This was probably our best game as a team from Year 7, as we dominated the match from start to finish and surprised our opponents. After an excellent start, our defence held firm in the final stages of the match for a clean sheet. As always, Thomas Telford provided tough opposition and despite going down 2-0, enough positives could be taken from our performance to suggest that the season would go well. In the city cup we made some good progress reaching the semi finals. We met St.Edmund’s, just losing 3-2; a poor first half saw us 2-0 down at the break and a ‘reminder’

Dom Holmes We started the season with some great results, thanks to the quality of our football with some outstanding football played in almost every game. Our best game was definitely against Thomas Telford. Although we didn’t win we played the best football we had ever played. We had Mr Darby on the side line cheering us on with lots of parents. In the end we drew the game which for us was a great effort knowing how strong a side they are. We played more and more fixtures, every game we improved and improved. Then we had to play Heath Park in the Wolverhampton city cup. Unfortunately we lost the game, but it wasn’t all our fault, some of us had tennis trainers on because it was a solid Astroturf pitch and the goals

104

Will Gibbons deserves special mention for his tireless running and particularly his outstanding goal scoring. With the support of Ollie Gilks, Archie O’Hara, John Steel, Emile Patel, Rohan Athwal, Laurence Picken, Toby Binstead, Kyran Cheema, Rohan Deb, Jake Thompson and the rest of the A squad, hard work will result in footballing progress.

were massive so we were unlucky. We knocked that result on the head and went and played a couple more matches and went back to our normal very high standard. So overall this season has been a great season for us, not losing many games, winning a lot and especially playing the quality of football we did was superb for a side of our age.

PAH / APC

I would just like to say a massive thank you to Mr King and Mr Munson for their time, effort and hard work, Thank you.

U12

Will Gibbons (Captain). We started the season with a heavy defeat to St.Edmund’s and the omens did not look good. However with hard work and organisation we bounced back in our next game to beat Highfields 7-1. There followed a number of victories most notably the thrashing of Deansfield 9-0 and a sound passing performance against Baverstock. The Wolverhampton City Tournament was played at WGS with many teams taking part. We reached the final against Wednesfield but as the light deteriorated, the final was delayed and is yet to be played. The most exciting game of the season came against Heath Park.We played them in the quarter-final of the City Cup and narrowly lost 4-3 but the team gave their all and it was no disgrace to be defeated by the eventual winners. Despite much five-a-side practice we were unable to progress beyond the group stages of the City Indoor Tournament. There were many highlights this season but most important was the progress of the team as a unit.

MANAGER’S NOTES The season was certainly not one of the Year 7’s most successful but it did reveal real character in so many of the squad who were up against it in several games.

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1st XV RUGBY This was always going to be a difficult season and so it transpired. With only two boys joining the senior squad from Year 11, squad numbers were down. Pessimistically, we wondered if we would even have enough players for a team with our first fixtures looming. We had risen to the dizzy heights of winning three Staffordshire School’s trophies (XV and 7’s) over the past two years and so expectations of ourselves remained high, even if our resources didn’t match. Little did we know how much of an influence the weather would prove to be? With probably the wettest and coldest autumn and winter on record, a number of games were postponed, cancelled or hastily re-arranged. Our stats did not look good – played nine, lost nine! However, what the stats could never tell was the tremendous never-die spirit that the team maintained throughout the season, always giving of their best, even if not enough to overcome the opposition. And then all that was left to play for was the Staffordshire Sevens. We had won the Plate for the last two years and realistically we fancied our chances again. We may have a small squad for XV’s but we were ‘big enough and good enough’ for sevens. It was then that the weather sealed our fate for the season – rain stopped play – yet again! Not for the first time that year a competition was cancelled. And so it proved a difficult season. JPR

U15

Luis Evitt, Captain The season kicked off with a pre-season match against a traditionally strong Ratcliffe College. Unfortunately, we were a little rusty and lost 40-10. Our second match of the season against Aldersley School proved to be better, winning 550. Having drawn Old Swinford Hospital School in the Daily Mail Cup, we put in an excellent performance against a very well drilled team. Leading at half time, we faded and lost 26-12.

School. We had been unfairly beaten, we thought two years earlier and wanted to put that right. Unfortunately, we lost 14-10, again feeling hard done by as we were clearly the better team – however the score said different! The final games of the season were in the Staffordshire Schools Sevens, where we discovered the team’s hidden talent. After narrowly losing to Weston Road 17-12, the team went on to beat King Edward’s Lichfield 25-0 and Walton High School 17-10.

The local derby game against Tettenhall College resulted in a 47-5 win before we set off for our tour to Edinburgh during the October half-term, Although tinged somewhat with regret, having based at the Murrayfield Hotel. come so close – but no cigar; this season was The first match on tour was against one of once again one of great development and gave Scotland’s top schools, George Watson’s College us high hopes for next season as senior players. which we won, 36 points to 5. Our second match was against Boroughmuir RFC, a strong local This season Staffordshire representative honours club side. which knew of our previous win and were gained by: George Bradley, Luis Evitt, Henry they fielded a very large and strong team. To our Purchase and James Tatton; whilst George, Luis and Henry were also part of the Leicester Tigers credit we never gave in, but succumbed 26-10. EPDG programme. There were further notable wins throughout the season against Abbotsholme, Repton School Well done boys, a fantastic effort! and St. Joseph’s College but the game we were really looking forward to was the Staffordshire Cup semi-final against Newcastle-under-Lyme

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U14

After a few weeks of training on Tuesday evenings and during games sessions the first game arrived with great anticipation among staff, players and parents. How would they fare against teams who been playing together as a team for at least a year? We didn’t have to wait long for our answer. The first game was a narrow loss 14-10; promising! All told, six games were played, with another four being cancelled due to weather. Of these six, there were three wins, one draw and two losses.

The U14 rugby squad was living proof that a successful team is far more than the sum of its parts. The squad contained a selection of experienced club players, along with some raw natural talent - a potent mix. Despite the potential, the team did not have an easy year, with matches against more experienced sides such as Ratcliffe College and Shrewsbury highlighting the need for better tactics and clearer communication.

Pleasingly, the team became more successful as the season went on. The final two games against Adams’ GS winning 33-17 and against Aldersley High School winning 35-7, underlined the potential in this team for the future.

Throughout the season the worst weather of the week always seemed to arrive on the evening designated for rugby training (changing the day didn’t help!). Nonetheless the squad turned up each week for an hour of drills, fitness work (“Not another run, Sir!” “Can’t we go to the gym, Sir?”) and mini-games. As a result, the skills of the group steadily improved, and the team ended the season with a more sophisticated game plan, and much improved cooperation between the forwards and backs.

A tremendous first season! JPR

The team used these skills to triumph repeatedly over local rivals Aldersley, whose squad was highly determined and physically more powerful. However, thanks to some clear leadership from captain, Karam Baden and vice-captain Tom Genner, we were able to out-manoeuvre the opposition. Throughout the season, the team did themselves credit with their positive approach, refusing to become demoralised. Given the progress the squad has made this year, it seems as if the tide may soon turn. We anticipate many more success stories next season particularly with the excitement of entering the National NatWest Cup competition as well as the Staffordshire Schools Cup. NTB

U13

Rugby fixtures begin in the senior school at WGS as part of the U13 team. For some, this means ‘playing up’ a year group, as many of the team members will be from Year 7. This is not uncommon in schools where there are limited numbers of boys to choose from. Indeed, we play many schools in a similar position who only field three teams: U13, U15 and 1stXV. Hopefully, here at WGS, we can give a wider experience of playing in a number of age groups.

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1ST XI BOYS’ HOCKEY Tom Weston U6

With an older, stronger side this year, there was a lot of expectation on the hockey team. It was a positive and enjoyable season, as we won nine out of 15 non-tour games. With wins in our first two games against a strong Adam’s Grammar team and Old Swinford, the season looked increasingly promising. Unfortunately our form did not continue for the following two games leading up to the tour to Scotland. The half term tour was full of good team spirit and banter, however, our hockey wasn’t up to the task. With close games fought out in the last two of our three matches, we regrettably came back from tour with no more wins under the belt. Playing against a very strong school side and two notably large Scottish clubs, we were still able to return from tour with some positives. Coming back and losing 4-1 to a much stronger KES Birmingham side the week after was not the start we wanted, however after this loss, we managed to pick up our game. Winning the next

six out of eight games, we found some flow and started playing as a unit, beating some strong teams including KES Aston, KE Camphill and Stourbridge; ending the season on a good 5-2 win at home to KES Five Ways. The annual mixed tournament held at WGS was another good experience for all the players. With the A and C team going out early in the group stages, the B team progressed, making it to the semi-finals before losing narrowly in a close game. Overall it was a successful and enjoyable year for hockey at WGS, with some great team and individual performances; leading goal scorer for the season going to Owen Shave for a consecutive year. Many thanks go to Glyn for umpiring us all year and Mr Smith for organising the Scotland tour, as well as coaching, driving and managing us. I also wish the best of luck to all remaining players for next year, as well as the two new captains, Lawrence and Sam.

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1st XI GIRLS’ Sammi Wright (U6)

The senior girls hockey team this year has really been a great joy to be a part of. Over the year we have built our friendship and team work and developed new skills that we have been able to put into practice in our matches. The standard of hockey performed this year has steadily improved over the season and we were greatly rewarded towards the end of the season, with some wins, draws and some very close losses. Everyone has worked hard to perform well and we have had some cracking shots at goal from Darcy and Chelsey, who have scored the majority of our goals this season. Louise in goal has made some fantastic saves under pressure, and has done a great job of keeping our defenders in the correct places. Despite changing coach after Christmas, the team has managed to keep up the hard work, even when everyone was getting tired and the season was coming to an end, and we welcomed our new coach with the jovial spirit of our team. The team spirit that everyone has shown this year has put new life back into the team and it has been lovely working with everyone, both in training and matches, and watching them all develop more skills and confidence both on and off the pitch is something everyone can be proud of. Although we have had a few lows this season, the team has not let that affect their confidence, and have fought back to reach some great highs. The cold weather didn’t affect the team spirit and despite playing in some close to freezing temperatures and bitter winds, the team kept up the hard work. I am very proud to have been fortunate enough to be a member of this year’s hockey team and to have witnessed the vast improvement in their skills as hockey players.

Boys’ U15 Following some excellent foundation work under the coaching of Mr Crust in Year 9, the U15 boys’ hockey team were in a positive mood as they began the year. Matches were played against Adams’ Grammar, Old Swinford Hospital, KE Five

Ways and King Edward’s, Birmingham. All were highly competitive and the boys developed as a team as the season went on. The match against KES saw a great movement and passing between several players resulting in Suky Shergill scoring the first and only goal of the season. I was particularly impressed by the improvement of Hugh Churn, who also captained the side. Thanks must also go to William Core for volunteering to play in goal. All in all, it has been a successful season and I have high hopes that some of these lads will represent the school in the 1st XI next year. NJCA

Year 10 GIRLS’ Bex Roberts (10D)

It would be our last season as a team with some of the players opting for netball at senior level. Our first match of the season started with a 3-0 defeat - as it seems to every season against a strong Ellesmere team. We really need to practice on a grass pitch before we play them next season!! The next game was against a very good King Edward’s High School for Girls side. At half time we were losing 1-0 but played excellently in the second half and were unlucky only to draw the match 1-1. We beat our local rivals Tettenhall College convincingly 4-1. Our performances were improving each match and our game against Solihull ended 1-1, a tight game where a mistake late in the game cost us a win. Three wins on the run against Princethorpe, King Edward’s Five Ways and Newcastle meant we had gone six games unbeaten scoring 12 goals and only conceding four. Our final game was a friendly against a senior side from Wolverhampton Girls High in which we did not play our best and lost 2-0. Overall this was a good season losing only once to a team in our own age group which was on grass - a surface we had never practiced on. I would like to thank Miss McAllister, Mrs Dyer and Mr Palmer for all their support throughout the season. On a personal note I would like to thank all the girls who have played with me over the past four years.

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Year 9 GIRLS’ Amelia Lewis (9A)

Firstly, I would like to commend the whole team on another successful year in hockey. We started off the year with a pleasing 1-0 win against Wrekin, shortly followed by an outstanding 8-0 win against Oswestry. This was the most remarkable score we have achieved, and we were all very proud, as almost every player in the team managed to score a goal. Throughout the season, the only loss we experienced was from a tough match against Ellesmere, with a 3-0 defeat. However, we remained strong, going on to achieve a 4-1 win against Tettenhall College. We completed the remainder of the season with tense 1-1 draws against Stafford Grammar, Solihull, Princethorpe and NULS. There has been some excellent play from the whole team, and I would especially like to congratulate Immy Gibbons and Tanya Kasinganeti (goalkeeper), for their wonderful performances in defence. Also, a special mention to Poppy Nabbs, and Bella Harris, our top goal scorers. Towards the end of the season, we sadly had to say goodbye to one of our lovely coaches, Mrs Hannah. She has done so well coaching us, and teaching us new techniques this year, and she will be sorely missed. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank Mrs Hannah for the amazing commitment and help she has contributed. Soon after, we welcomed our new hockey coach Mr Palmer to the team, and after a few weeks working together we noticed a big improvement in our skills. I am extremely pleased with the progress we have made this year and I hope we can aim even higher next season, as I am fairly confident there’s a bright future ahead of us. I would like to finish off by thanking all of the hockey coaches, and parents for their continued dedication and support over the past season.

Year 8 GIRLS’ Annabelle Hollinshead (8R)

This year our team has improved a lot. Even though we lost the majority of our matches our team work has been much better.With Maddie and

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Lisa up front, working as a great team and creating most of our goals, we had a very successful day at Oswestry.We were playing on grass, a surface that we hadn’t played on before and at the start of the match we were all over the place. This was mainly due to the rough surface and not having much control over the ball. However the end result was a 6-0 victory which we were all very happy with as we were not expecting it. After that we lost the rest of our matches, the closest being 3-1. Overall this has been a good year for all of the team as we have all improved and learnt knew skills.

Year 7 GIRLS’ Katie Oswald (7R)

As we welcomed a number of new girls, who joined WGS in Year 7, it was always going to be a tough start for the team, never having played together before. Needless to say, the first couple of matches we struggled to get a decent flow into our performance, but with the encouragement and patience of our coaches Mrs Hannah, Mrs Dyer and Miss McAllister, we improved no end and managed to fight through our losses, often putting ourselves in contention for a win. Our hard work was finally rewarded with two victories during the Solihull tournament and another shortly after over King Edward’s Five Ways. I am very proud of the girls and the grit and determination they showed and have high hopes for the seasons ahead. A big thank you to Ms Hannah, who sadly left to take up a post at Bromsgrove and to Mrs Dyer, Miss McAllister and latterly Mr Palmer, who never gave up on us and supported us throughout.

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1st VII NETBALL Alice Baldwin (U6)

The netball season of 2012 - 2013 has been a very enjoyable one, with various matches – some difficult and some entertaining, as well as a new squad, creating a very successful netball period. However, we began the season very unsteadily, due to the lack of netballers available for our annual away game against Cheltenham Ladies College. This fixture has always proven to be a difficult one, and therefore it was unfortunate that we lost 21-16 because of missing players. Nonetheless we suddenly had a winning streak of five games, against teams such as King Edward’s Lichfield, Solihull and RGS Worcester. We soon adapted to the new team, and every player began to understand their role which was projected through performance. Our winning streak continued through our netball and hockey tour of Northern Ireland, where we had the opportunity to enjoy our netball whilst experiencing a new place. We played three matches, which ended successfully against Loreto College, Sullivan Upper and Newry. It was an experience, which also gave us time to talk amongst other year groups, friends and spend time with the teachers! Our October half term of netball helped set us up for our upcoming fixtures in the year, and also added to our preparations to the County Round championships. However we missed out on the chance of going to Regionals, coming third in our age group. We continued our matches, with highly successful wins against Bishop Vesey’s (31-19), Old Swinford Hopsital (26-18) and King Edward’s Stourbridge (17-15). Our season didn’t end there as we had the City League championships to participate in, where we faced local schools including, Ounsdale, Smestow and Codsall High School. We won all of these matches, which put the team into the final, facing our rivals, Tettenhall College. All members of the squad played a brilliant match, which enabled us to be the City League champions! This topped off a great season of netball, winning 14 matches to five losses.We were helped by the unity of the team and the great support from Miss McAllister and Mrs Dyer. We’ve had a great season, and I hope it continues for the future!

2nd VII

3rd VII

Vasi Patsiogiannis (U6)

Phoebe Love Lowe (L6)

During the year, all the members of the 2nd VII grew in terms of agility, fitness and skill. This was because we were all determined to practice, work hard and succeed as a team. Not only did we naturally work well together, we also enjoyed each other’s company off the court.This was clear from the beginning of the year, when we went on tour to Northern Ireland. This was a great success, in terms of our performance in all our matches and I believe that it enabled us to grow closer emotionally. This is why our games flowed so smoothly and were so enjoyable.

To start off the netball season, we beat Shrewsbury 26-24 in a very challenging but rewarding match. Unfortunately, we lost our second match against King Edward’s Five Ways 16-25. We then went on to win our next two matches against Bablake (2322) and Bishop Vesey’s (34-12).

I cannot single out an individual as the ‘best’ netballer, because every single one played phenomenally and gave their all in every match! We have all enjoyed this year very much and I wish my friends all the best in their future years!

When we played Shrewsbury for the second time, we lost 26-18 but this only made us more determined. We drew with Wrekin, 25-25 and much to our disappointment, lost 4-14 to Shrewsbury again. However, we did not let this dishearten us and we went on to win our final two matches convincingly against Adams’ Grammar School, 26-3 and New College Telford, 27-13. This season has been successful and very enjoyable and we have played exceptionally well together as a team. Thanks to Miss McAllister, Mrs Dyer, Miss Whittaker and Mrs Harris for all their hard work.

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Year 10

Emily Lewis (10C) This season the Year 10a team have had a very successful year. We have become even stronger as a team and have improved our performance greatly. Although our matches were a lot harder with both wins and losses, the commitment of everyone in the squad has been outstanding. This was the last year that we played together as a squad and it has been great to be able to play together as a team for the past few years. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone in the squad. The season started convincingly, beating Cheltenham Ladies College 25-12, WGHS 11-9 and NULS 29-4. Having worked so hard as a team we pushed ourselves and we won several other matches against Solihull, Thomas Telford and St. Peter’s. Unfortunately, not every match ended in triumph but we never failed to keep our heads up throughout our matches. A great achievement for us this year was coming runners up in the City Tournament and in the City League losing a very close game to our rivals WGHS. The b team were also valiant this season, training hard and despite some tough losses showed impressive determination to keep working at their game and they should be very proud of their achievements. On behalf of the team I would like to say a massive thank you to our teachers for their support and for helping us through this netball season. It wouldn’t be possible for us to play at the standard we do without them. I would also like to say a huge thank you to our parents, as their support has helped us incredibly.

Year 9a Nicky Ryan (9A)

successful, shooting partnership was born. Holly Langston stepped up to the a team to play in the centre; a job that she approached with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Bella Harris and Charlotte Forrester also saw promotion from the ‘b’s and the new U14 ‘a’ squad was formed. We embraced the new team, trained hard and managed to win most of our matches. With unfortunate injury and illness towards the end of the season it was great to have the support from the whole squad to pull together and perform on court. As a team, we played extremely well and reached the finals in various tournaments and in the local league. However, we kept meeting the exceptionally strong WGHS side in the final stages of local competitions, and unfortunately were defeated, but as always there was a great sense of camaraderie after the match and I look forward to next season.

Year 9b

Morgan Colley (9B) The netball season this year comprised a mix of triumphs and setbacks. September saw the team working to re-build itself after one or two of last year’s ‘b’ team squad were promoted to the ‘a’s. Fortunately it didn’t take too long to settle into new roles and court partnerships. Our fantastic defenders Emily Bowden, Harriet Barber, Lauren Clift and Charlotte Forrester worked really hard to keep opposition score lines low.Their strength and skill proved to play a key part in our success. The centre court was dominated by Beth Cartwright, Alice Nightingale, and Celia Madley. Some fantastic netball from the centre court girls brought the ball out of our defensive end and up towards the shooters. Our wonderful circle attack players were Scarlett Rushton, Morgan Colley and Molly James, who scored some stunning goals throughout all of the matches that we had played. Everyone contributed to the success of the Year 9b team. Despite injuries and absences the team remained in high spirits. Everyone certainly played to the best of their ability.

Year 8A

This season the Year 9 netball team have competed extremely well, putting lots of effort into every Jordan McCarthy (8P) game. The team experienced a few changes since last year. One of our best players moved school The Year 8a netball team continued on from last and some ‘b’ team players were promoted! Our season playing great netball against improving newly recruited goal attack, Immy Gibbons, settled opposition. in brilliantly whilst Nicky Ryan dropped back very comfortably into Goal Shooter and a new, and very 114

This was reflected in our first match against Cheltenham Ladies College, winning by one goal 13-12. This was a fantastic achievement, as we suffered a massive defeat there last season. We unfortunately didn’t win for the next eight games with only one draw amongst them and several tightly contested games. We bounced back though, comfortably winning the last four games against Ounsdale, St Peter’s, Bablake and St Dominic’s. At the end of the season, we were invited to the City Tournament as defending champions. We made it to the finals and again faced WGHS. At full time the score was 12-12. In the additional two minutes extra time WGHS scored the winning goal, despite our best efforts. The ‘b’ team also had an enjoyable season with a significant win against Bablake School 32-8. The team reached semi-finals of tournaments and played very well in the league. Another enjoyable season for our teams has come and gone. We have grown once again in both confidence and ability and are looking forward to next season.

when we dominated against our neighbouring school St. Peter’s, winning 14-0! That achievement led to more wins against: Wrekin College 14-6; St. Dominic’s 9-4 and Solihull School 9-5. After many months of hard training we ended up becoming winners of the Wolverhampton City Netball Tournament, beating local rivals WGHS in the final 10-7. The season ended with the City Tournament where we were crowned champions again beating WGHS 8-4. Overall the Year 7a team performed extremely well throughout the season.This is due to the time and effort tirelessly put in by both students and teachers at WGS!

Year 7b

Elycia Thacker (7P) The Year 7b team has done really well this year. Even though we were not victorious in all of our matches, the team played well together and some of our players have even moved up to the ‘a’ team.

year 8B

We had lots of fun playing against other local schools in the City League and in the City Tournament. Despite not getting into the final, we tried our hardest and produced some good performances.

The U13's B played really well this year, we won many matches but found some quite challenging. In the local tournament we came third sadly beaten by Girls High and WGS U13's A team. We all worked really well as a team and enjoyed all matches. Well done girls.

We have bonded well as a team throughout the season and hope to produce some even better performances next year.

Aimie Evans

Year 7a

Georgia Harris (7P) This season, the Year 7a netball squad played exceptionally well, despite entering the season with a couple of unfortunate losses. Our first match was against Cheltenham Ladies College (CLC). The relatively inexperienced WGS team were sadly defeated with the score being 101. Just a few weeks later against Newcastle-underLyme-School we suffered a heavy defeat! As the season progressed our first victory was definitely getting nearer despite a narrow defeat to Thomas Telford 6-5. Eventually we experienced our first taste of victory

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GIRLS’ Cross Country In March, an U12, U14, U16 and U18 squad battled through the mud and wind at Colton Hills School. Captained by Lauren Evans, who led by example to win her age group, there were fantastic team performances from all the girls. Silver medals were awarded to Poppy Nabbs (U14) and Emma Morely (U18). Bronze medals were awarded to Laura Robertson (U18) and Freya Cunningham (16). In the league races the girls ran some tough courses and produced pleasing performances. AMM

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY The cross country leagues this year were disrupted a great deal by the weather and other school events, so they provided good experience for some of our younger runners, who knew what to expect when it came to the City Championships in March. The Championships were held at Colton Hills, and provided a real challenge for all our runners. Our senior team produced an outstanding effort under the leadership of Dan Genner. Dan has been City Champion at all age groups, and it was fitting that he should finish first in his last race for the school. Tom Husselbee and Rhys D’Costa provided excellent support. In the younger age groups, there were terrific runs from Roshan Jakhu and Andrew Shave, and mention must also go to Alex Carvell and Jaime Veitch who ran particularly well in this race, and had also contributed a great deal to cross country during their time at WGS. NHC

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GYMNASTICS Abi Lavill

I am extremely proud of all of the gymnasts this year for all of their hard work and commitment. After a cancelled competition last year, the girls were eager to show off their skills in this year’s competition and after months of practicing on the vault and perfecting their routines, the day finally arrived. Looking like true professionals in their matching leotards, the girls performed their vaults and floor routines with a huge amount of their usual confidence and flair. The day ended with Laura Simms receiving a bronze medal for her combined vault and floor routine, an achievement which must be highly commended! However, the biggest congratulations and thanks must go to Miss McAllister for her tireless support, encouragement and motivation.Without her and JJ, with his consistent ‘go girl’ attitude, the squad would be nowhere near the standard at which they are today. So a huge well done to all of the girls, and I look forward to seeing you all improve even further next year!

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CRICKET

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1st XI Cricket After last year’s wash out, everyone was hopeful of a full season, and we were not disappointed. In fact we were able to play six games in as many days in the last week, something not achieved for a few years.

Tom would be the first to admit that he received great support from many quarters. His fellow U6 players, Danny Lamsdale and Henry GranthamWright added much needed experience to a young team, and must be thanked for all they have contributed to WGS cricket over the years.

The season started with an encouraging win against Ratcliffe, followed by two positive results against Oswestry and Old Swinford respectively. Our final Saturday fixture before exams saw a very strong team from Bolton School give us a little bit of a cricketing lesson. With exams over, the team had a very busy three weeks. We played some strong sides, Denstone and RGS Worcester for example, and although we lost, the team battled hard throughout. We did beat Wrekin, something which we had not achieved for a while.

We were very lucky to have a strong group of cricketers in Year 12, and all played a large part during the season. Aaron Patel opened the bowling with real skill, and batted gracefully. He is a very cultured left handed batsman who I am sure will score more runs next season. James Caswell kept wicket very impressively, and opened the batting against some strong attacks with real determination. We are lucky to have two more good all round cricketers in that year group. Sam Linney and James Banks both had excellent Cricket week was a hot one. We had two seasons. Sam was outstanding with the ball, his enjoyable games against a Captain’s XI and an OW five wickets at Oswestry a real highlight. James XI, both played in excellent spirit, which resulted contributed in all areas. His attitude in the field in victories for the more experienced cricketers. inspired the boys, particularly in the 20/20 games. A close win against the Greenflies left only the His hard hitting batting, will be something to look Head’s XI to play. The Head’s XI produced a very out for next year. Finally Ed Farley deserves great determined fielding display in the searing heat with credit for a tremendously consistent season with BMB’s three wickets well deserved. The school XI the ball, and for the enthusiasm and cricketing then took early wickets, however were unable to knowledge he brought to the team. get through the stout defence of the late order resulting in another enjoyable draw. The team was given a particularly youthful look by the Year 11 and 10 lads that came into the The National 20/20 produced some excellent team. Sandeep Sandramouli, Jack Griffiths and games of cricket. We were in a group with Adams’ Sam Timmins, from Year 11, made excellent GS and Solihull, so it was always going to be tough. contributions, and should be delighted with the The boys produced two excellent performances, progress they made.Tom Costin also showed some led by captain Tom Weston, and won both games; potential with the bat. It was very pleasing to see the first time we have qualified from our group Ally Carey and Kieran Singh, both U15 cricketers for a few years. We then had to play the might of make the step up and play with confidence, Malvern. On a wet day, we batted first,Tom scoring particularly in the cut and thrust of the National a tremendous half century. In response, Malvern 20/20 competition. Both of these lads have bright passed our total, however we managed to take cricketing futures ahead of them. five wickets, including their first class cricketer for nought. A final word must go to all those who helped a busy season run so smoothly. Tom and Les again It was a most enjoyable season, and the produced outstanding wickets, and Earl and the boys deserve great credit. They played with team kept us well refreshed in the heat of July. tremendous spirit and determination, sticking in Unfortunately Brian Hall was unable to finish the there even when really up against it. There were season as umpire for us, however I would like to some outstanding cricketing performances; the thank Brian and Jackie for all they have done for stand out being the batting of Tom Weston. He WGS cricket in recent years. Dennis stepped in to scored over 700 runs in all forms of the game; help over the last few weeks as umpire which was the highlight; for me, technically, his half century hugely appreciated. against Wrekin in a 20/20 game in fading light. For NHC simply the range of shots played, his 92 against OSH was to be admired. 119

U15 The Under 15 squad have had a mixed season in terms of results. It began with promise and four straight wins, stalled with some close matches then petered out in disappointing style.

from Shropshire. The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first on a good pitch. Their openers came with strong reputations, which they enhanced as they put on 120 for the first wicket. Although the WGS bowlers took time to The start of the season brought victories in settle, they persevered and began to slow the run friendlies against Radcliffe College by 70 runs rate. However, they were unable to take wickets (WGS 153-8, with Kemp, Jones, Carey and and the fielding began to show the strain as the Mannon all getting into the 20s; Ratcliffe 83 all out, visitors pushed on to a formidable total of 198Randhawa 3-26), against Old Swinford Hospital 4. It was now the school’s turn to chase a total, School by 36 runs (WGS 172-8, with Jones scoring but with the exception of a stubborn knock of 52 a splendid 54 and Mannon 38; OSH 136-9, Kemp from Ciaran Singh and a late cameo from Gurtej taking 4 wickets) and King’s Worcester by 74 Randhawa, the home batsmen failed to cope with runs (WGS 158-4, skipper Carey starring with 56 the pressure. A final total of 116 all out was below not out, Diment 25 and C.Singh 23; King’s 84 all par for the pitch and the opposition and it brought out, C.Singh 3-8). Battling first on each occasion, a disappointment end to progress in this cup. WGS posted totals which put pressure on their opponents. This gave the team confidence in the As a result of postponements and withdrawals, field, which enabled them to force home their the team found itself in the final of the County T20 advantage. Cup, so they travelled to meet Denstone College at Swynnerton Cricket Club. Unfortunately, WGS The team took this confidence into the first found themselves in the field again as Denstone round of the prestigious National (Taverners) elected to bat first. The School attack bowled Under 15 Cup, where they were Staffordshire’s accurately, but, once again, they lacked penetration. representatives. Against Warwick School, WGS With wickets in hand, Denstone (130-3) were batted first posting a challenging total of 154-8 able to build on a slow start and hit out in the in 35 overs. Ciaran Singh 55 and Max Diment final overs. WGS began well, with Stephen Jones 34 were the pillars of a well-constructed innings. (30) playing some thrilling shots, but once he and Once again, the pressure told on the Warwick mainstay Ciaran Singh (35) had departed, the run batsmen as WGS bowled with accuracy. Tight rate began to climb and wickets fell under the fielding supported the attack, which dismissed pressure. Having looked like winners for much their opponents for 72 (Kiaran Patel 3-14) to win of the game, WGS eventually subsided to 116-7 the game by 82 runs. It was an impressive victory and defeat by 14 runs. This was another match and was, perhaps, the highlight of the season. that should have been won, but where lapses of concentration at key times took their toll. A much weakened side travelled to Bolton School, to be outplayed on a pitch which was less than The final games of the season were friendlies, perfect. WGS batted first, but could only stumble the first of which produced another close game to 69 all out, once Diment (25) and C.Singh (18) against Denstone College. WGS did well to bowl had departed. Bolton passed the total comfortably out their opponents for 101 (Kemp 3-25), but for the loss of only three wickets. Another away then batted ponderously in reply. Despite sound game, to Bishop Vesey, followed, but this was a knocks from Carey (35) and Singh (25), the team much closer affair. Vesey batted first and posted a could only finish on 99-6, two runs short. Against gettable total of 139-4, Randhawa taking 3-22. A RGS Worcester, in their final match, the Under remarkable innings of 81, the highest of the season 15s elected to bat first. They struggled in the heat by any batsman, from Alex Kemp, almost saw WGS and on a pitch with more pace and bounce than home. Unfortunately, last man Leo Jackson was they had met previously. Only James Tatton (30) the only other batsman to reach double figures as and Alex Kemp (21) made any real impression, as the team fell short by three runs in a game they WGS were dismissed for 99. RGS sailed passed really should have won. the total, without loss, in 16 overs to beat the school comprehensively by 10 wickets. This was This was not ideal preparation for the second their worst defeat in the last game of a season round of the National Cup, against Thomas Telford which had begun with such promise.

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The squad did not quite hit the heights of the previous season, but they did play some very good cricket at times. They favour bating first to post a total and all of the wins came from this approach. Several batsmen played notable innings, but not enough of them were as consistent as the team had required for success in the cup competitions. Some still need to learn from the experience of playing in longer matches, by occupying the crease for a while before going for their shots. The bowlers were more confident when defending a total, though they were more effective at containing than taking wickets. All have bowled well on occasion. The fielding was generally good, though not quite as consistently tight as last season.

What followed was our run in the cup. In the first round we faced St Peter’s who we managed to beat quite easily. Luckily we got a pass in the next round which put us against our arch rivals John Taylor. We had lost to them the two previous years in the cup and so hoped it would be third time lucky. Unfortunately it was not the case as, disappointingly we lost narrowly.

In the big three cup matches, it is perhaps no surprise that Warwick were defeated because the School batted first. They might well have won in the second round had they been able to remove the Thomas Telford openers and, with better concentration in the field and more composure with the bat, WGS would surely have become T20 County Champions against Denstone. The squad still has promise, bit it will need to learn this season’s experiences if it is to progress next year. Mervyn Brooker

It was a disappointing end to the season and our record doesn’t reflect how hard the players have worked.

We then played matches against Bolton School as a merged U14 and U15 side where we got thoroughly beaten. Losses also followed at Bishop Vesey’s, KES Five Ways, Denstone College and finally at RGS Worcester, where despite scoring at over six runs per over we still lost the game due to poor bowling and fielding.

I would like to thank Mr David and Mr Sutherland for all the hard work they put in this season.

U14

Max Diment The season was one of many highs and lows, as we won a few games but didn’t progress as far in the cup as we would have liked. The first game of the season included a long trip to Ratcliffe College. We bowled first and due to some tight bowling and a bad pitch, we restricted them to 119 off their allotted overs. Our run chase started well with openers Max Diment and Joe Timmins hitting above the run rate. However we started to lose wickets and, needing six runs off the last over we fell just one run short. It was a tough start to the season but we had our next match against Old Swinford. We batted first, posting a low total as the one side of the boundary was up a steep hill. However we still felt we were in the game, and down to good fielding and tight bowling we were able to win our first game of the season. Unfortunately our next game against King’s Worcester was cancelled due to flooding.

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U13 Played 11. Won 7, Lost 4. As U13 Staffordshire county cricket champions this was certainly a successful year.

comfortably by over 100 runs.

The semi-final against John Taylor High School saw us at our best. We posted 137 with good contributions Our first game was against Ratcliffe from Michael Hopson, Oisin Singh and School. We went into the game with Dominic Holmes. Our bowling and high expectations, we felt well prepared fielding were also on top form and with through our pre-season training with Mr Nikhil Patel taking three wickets for Hills.We won the toss and chose to bat. just 11 runs we were through to the Captain Oisin Singh scored 76 before Staffordshire cup final. retiring. He was ably accompanied by Harry Hales with 35. We followed Before that we took on KES Birmingham, our total of 235 with some excellent where on a damp wicket, we totalled bowling and won by a massive 168 runs. a respectable 102, largely thanks to top scorer Dominic Holmes with 52. Local rivals Old Swinford were our Unfortunately KES knocked the runs next opponents. They ran up a total of off with ease in more favourable batting 102 with one of their batsman scoring conditions. 85. Arjun Uppal took two wickets for just three runs in his four-over spell In the cup final there were many and then followed it up with a match watching eyes and the pressure was winning innings of 22, ably supported by immense. We won the toss and chose Edward Cooper who scored 28, as we to bowl first. They totalled 116 for scraped home with three wickets and three in twenty overs. A good total three overs to spare. but one that despite the tension, we passed with nearly three overs to spare. Narrow defeats then followed at Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Openers Oisin Singh (60) and Michael Worcester and Bolton Grammar School Hopson(40) batted beautifully and where useful contributions were made secured a memorable win. by Dominic Holmes and Nikhil Patel. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to say thank you, on behalf of the Our cup adventures began with a home whole team to Mr Hills for giving 100% tie against De Ferrers School. Oisin and hopefully he feels we gave 100%? Singh showed his full array of shots, Oisin Singh smashing 133 not out in our total of 194 from just 20 overs. Ollie Gilkes He certainly does. He also wishes the from Year 7 then took three wickets for team well following their Staffordshire a mere six runs as we progressed easily Cup victory as they now enter the into the next round. We were then National Knockout Competition. up against Highfields School and won PAH

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U12

Archie O’Hara The season started against Ratcliffe College. We found it tough, and lost cheap wickets. Sachin Basra was our highest scorer, with a patient 13 not out. In the end we scored 59 for nine. Ratcliffe also struggled with the bat as Deeraj Kumar picked up three wickets. Unfortunately, they had one batsman who proved too strong for us, scoring 37 not out, enabling Ratcliffe to win by three wickets.

respectively. Aaron Dhaliwal bowled well for us, taking two wickets, but it wasn’t enough and they reached our total in just 22 overs.

In our next match, we played Bishop Vesey’s. Their bowling was tidy but we managed to reach 115 from our 25 overs. They got off to a flying start with their openers getting 47 and 27

A big thank you to Mr King for all his time and support this season.

Our cup run continued as we next went to John Taylor school to play in the Staffordshire cup semi-final. We bowled well, restricting them to 65 runs and taking five wickets with Archie and Aaron getting two each, and Deeraj one. Dan Mason took a very important In our next game, we found ourselves catch behind the stumps, getting their playing Rawlett in the first round of the star player out cheaply. Ollie Gilks and Staffordshire Cup. The rain restricted Lawrence Pickin opened and batted the game to just 16 overs a side. very well to reach the 66 runs needed. Rawlett scored 108 for two, Aaron We were in the final! Dhaliwal and Archie O’Hara getting one wicket each. We batted well, losing The final of the Staffordshire cup was no wickets and Ollie Gilks scoring 50 the day after the semi-finals so we not out. Archie and Deeraj finished were confident and raring to go. Our things off as we reached our target, opponents were Denstone. We won winning by 10 wickets. the toss and decided to bowl first. Denstone batted well reaching 113 We then went to Denstone where we off 20 overs which we thought we started well, restricting them to 25 runs could reach. When we started batting off 10 overs. They pushed on though however, wickets fell quickly. Everyone and posted a target of 121 from their struggled to get runs, and we ended on 25 overs. They bowled well, getting our 56 all out. A disappointing result and openers out for single figures. We gave end to the season, as we did not do ourselves a chance with Will Gibbons ourselves justice. reaching 39 to keep us in the game. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to quite We will all be looking to work on our make it and ended short, reaching just games and come back stronger next 94. season.

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YEAR 11 ROUNDERS

YEAR 10

Kez Husselbee (11D)

Megan Griffiths (10D)

Due to the fact that the U16A rounders team were faced with a stressful summer of GCSE exams, we were unable to play any matches against the local teams. Nevertheless, because of our great victory in the local league as an U15a team in the previous summer, we automatically qualified for the national rounders competition. After our exams finished we ventured to Northampton as a team of 11 on the 12th July to play against the best teams in the country.

Once again the Year 10 team has been very successful, winning every match. We started off the season with a comfortable win against NEWA winning 20 - 10½.This year our team have achieved very impressive scores winning four matches with one innings to spare including the match against our rivals Wolverhampton Girls High with a score of 15 - 9½. This match displayed that we could all play under pressure at a high standard.

As we entered the group stages we played our first match against Streetly and ended the innings with a 5 ½ - 4 rounders victory.We continued our winning streak in the subsequent two matches against Thurstable School, 6 - 5 ½, and Dinnington School, 10 - 2 ½ . Our final game in the group stages was against Durham School. This was our toughest match of the group stage as we finished the game drawing of 7 ½ - 7 ½. Luckily as a team we worked our way to the quarter-finals due to us scoring a greater amount of rounders. In the quarter finals we faced Sheffield High School where we convincingly won 7 – 3 ½, which was mainly due to the team’s incredible ability to get the opponents out first time. Undefeated we went straight into the semi-final to face the resilient Manchester High School. Despite our tremendous efforts and great play by all, we unfortunately lost to our opposition by half a rounder – 7 ½ - 7. Throughout the day I was very proud of how well the team played, from Abbi Lavill’s bowling to Megan Griffiths’ remarkable catches, everyone played tremendously. We are now ranked the third best U16 rounders team in the country.

We eventually arrived at the semi-finals opposing Moreton in what was to become one of our closest games; winning 19-14 rounders. Winning the semi-final led us to the final against Smestow. With all our hard working and playing well as a team we won convincingly 21 - 13½ to become City Champions On behalf of the team, I would like to say thank you to Miss McAllister, Mrs Dyer and Mr Palmer for supporting us and teaching a high standard of rounders allowing us to become a successful team. A special thank you must go to Mrs Hills for umpiring and coaching our games so well. I would also like to say well done to all the team and how great it has been playing with you.

The team played outstandingly throughout the day and as captain I would like to especially thank Megan Griffiths, Bex Roberts and Eve Webb from the U15 team and Immy Gibbons from the U14 team for stepping up to join the U16’s and playing exceptionally. Finally I would like to thank our extremely dedicated coaches Miss McAllister and Mrs Dyer for putting up with us for five years and helping us to become an incredibly talented team.

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Grammar. We managed to win both of these matches with the exact same score 14 and a half to 7 and a half. This year we were also qualified for the Black Country Youth Games where we would play against teams from Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton at Aldersley Stadium. We won all of our group matches and met Willenhall in the final. Throughout the day we had been watching Willenhall, they were a very strong side with some big hitters but in the end we won by only half a rounder. It was such an achievement for us as it was so close and we were now through to the national rounds.

YEAR 9A

Immy Gibbons (9B) Our favourite time of the year: the rounder’s season. Our enthusiasm was very high. Every year we get entered into our City League and this year our first match was against Aldersley High. We were all a bit nervous as it was our first fixture but we soon got into the swing of things. We were delighted that our first competition was very successful as we won 16 - to 6 ½ and an innings. This contest now gave us the confidence to strive on. We ended up winning the next couple of matches against OLSC and then Codsall. Next up we had Smestow and also won this game 14 ½ - 3 ½ . We had now made it into the quarter finals and were thrilled. We didn’t know what to expect playing against Moseley Park School as I don’t think we’ve ever played them. Fortunately we won convincingly with a score of 15 - 9 and an innings.

This season was a major success as we managed to win every match. We all enjoyed every second of it and look forward to next year!

YEAR 9b Following some strong wins in the local league against North East Wolverhampton Academy (11-4), Ounsdale (13 ½ – 6 ½ ) and Highfields (15 ½ – 11), the U14b team once again found themselves in the semi-finals. Having lost just one league match against WGHS ‘a’ team, the girls came second in their group which meant that they had to face our own ‘a’ team in the semi-finals. As expected the ‘a’ team proved to be too strong and the ‘b’ team lost 4 ½ – 19.

It would be nice to think that for just one year the ‘a’ and ‘b’ team wouldn’t meet in the semi-final, but credit has to go to all of the girls in Year 9 for once again listening and working hard to produce another superb year of rounders. In addition The semi-finals were against the WGS ‘b’ team. to this, for the first year in the school’s history This was quite a sad match in a way as we knew every member of Year 9 represented the school that one of the teams would now be out of the at rounders in a competitive match with the U14c league but we were also happy that both teams team playing in a friendly against the Royal. Bring made it this far. What helped in this game was on next season! that we knew how one another played so we KAD knew the players’ strengths and weaknesses. We won this contest 19 – 4 ½ . So, we were in the final and we already knew who we would be up against - WGHS.We were all quite nervous playing a strong team like theirs but we managed to keep the nerves at bay and won by an innings! We were all delighted as we had won the City Cup! Throughout the season we also played some friendly fixtures against Bablake and Stafford

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YEAR 8a

YEAR 8b

Katie Naylor (8P)

Karishma Mehan (8Q)

We had a great rounders season this year but before I move on to my report I would first like to thank Mrs Dyer and Miss McAllister for all their coaching and support throughout the season.

This season the Year 8b team has had a very successful season. We started off with great wins against Morton, Aldersley and Mosley Park. Leah Bannister-Payne and Isha Kumar were top scorers in these games getting us many rounders. We also had a very tight match with Ounsdale, the score being 14-13 ½ to us, however, shortly after we were defeated by WGHS ‘a’ team but everyone played very well.

We had a rough start to the campaign when we were knocked out in the first round of the Jet Rounders Competition. This was a new format of the game that no one in the team had experienced before. However when it came to the local league we didn’t let this hold us back, we won every match we played. Results were as follows: Wednesfield (won 19 – 2 ½); Smestow (won 13 ½ - 7 ½); North East Wolverhampton Academy (won 11-3 plus one innings); St Peter’s (won 18 - 5); Highfields (won 18½ - 5½). Our semi-final had a little added spice because we were playing the WGS Year 8b team. It was a strange feeling to be playing against our friends and after a hard fought match the ‘a’ team won 7-5. This was quite a disappointing score but we were happy to be going to the final. In the final we played WGHS. As many people know there is a friendly rivalry between our two schools.This meant there was even more pressure on the match than it just being the final. We batted first and scored 9½ rounders.This was an average score but we made some silly decisions in running between the bases. However we made up for this in our fielding and we limited the opposition to only two rounders.We lost a bit of focus when they came back into bat. WGHS scored eight rounders in their second innings, giving them a total score of 10. We now only needed one rounder to win off 30 good balls. We scored that rounder on ball three of the innings. It was great to become City Champions for the second year running. Thank you to Maddie Hopkin for standing in for me as captain and backstop at the start of the season when I was injured. I would also like to thank the whole team for working hard and giving their best in every match. It has been a great year for rounders and I hope that next year will be just as good.

Despite this we made it to the semi-finals against WGS A team where it was very tight, by the end of the first innings we were half a rounder behind but we kept going making it a narrow defeat, the score being 7-5. Throughout the season we have had great catches from Evie Bramley and some great scoring from Sophie Hickman. All of the team has improved a lot and played well thanks to some great coaching and encouragement.

YEAR 7a Mia Foster (7R)

In a challenging but successful season the Year 7a team enjoyed a very some fruitful games and saw the team crowned City Champions following a hard fought 13-12 victory over close rivals the WGHS. The season started in a very promising fashion with the team running out an easy victory against Coppice School. Our performances in the local league fixtures remained consistently impressive beating Moseley Park and Highfields by open score lines. The team remained strongly on track to the final and even overcame both weather and opponents to beat OLSC in a game which was played inside due to rain. The first defeat of the season fortunately came away from the league fixtures. A close friendly saw Newcastle-under-Lyme narrowly clinch a win, 1713. The girls bounced back well winning friendlies against Solihull and Stafford before facing up to Smestow in the semi-finals of the local league. Smestow were a strong outfit but an excellent performance saw us cruise to the final with a 24.57.5 victory. Excellent individual efforts saw many players perform well with both bat, ball and in the field.

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In preparation for the final we faced up to Bablake in our final friendly of the season. Using the game to sort our tactics and team we were defeated but still remained confident going into the city final. Our opponents WGHS proved to be stern opposition but another fantastic performance, including wonderful individual performances in the field from both Jada Nesbeth and Elycia Thacker, saw us over the line, winning by one rounder. Finishing the season by winning the city league was a fitting end to a very impressive season and we all look forward to hopefully another successful season next year. A special thanks goes to Mrs Dyer for coaching the year 7a team.

YEAR 7b

Harandeep Athwal (7Q) This season, the year 7b team started on a low as we played the hardest team in Wolverhampton first.WGHS only had one team and that was their ‘a’ team. We started off strongly with our batting in the first inning but as we hadn’t had many practices, our fielding let us down. For our first match we did well, as the score was 21 ½ - 9. Our second match had a more pleasing result, as it was a very close game against Smestow who were a sports school. Unfortunately we lost 14 ½ - 11. We played very strongly in both the first and second innings but again our long distance fielding let us down. Even though we started our league games on a low, we finished on a high, playing Wednesfield and winning 21-7.Throughout the season we improved our fielding and our batting grew stronger but sadly we didn’t make it to the semi-finals. Our friendly matches also started on a down but picked up. In our first match we lost to Solihull 2014. Even though it was Solihull’s ‘b’ team they were still very strong and, on this occasion, unbeatable. To end our first rounders season we won our last match against Stafford Grammar ‘b’ team, 14-11. Well done to everyone in the team.

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BADMINTON It was another busy year for our badminton players, with a full league programme, and a City Championships for the seniors. Our junior team made excellent progress during the year.The squad, made up of Ed Cooper, Oisen Singh, Oliver Hales and Tom Pleydell worked hard to improve their range of shots, and tactical play, and this resulted in the team winning their league. Unfortunately they came unstuck against a strong St Peter’s team in the league play off final. Our intermediate squad goes from strength to strength. The commitment that the boys have shown has been most impressive, and they won their league quite comfortably; however in an excellent playoff match, they just lost to St Peter’s. Unfortunately due to the snow in December, their City Championships had to be postponed. However Ally Carey, Shaun Alexander, Alex Kemp, Hugh Churn, Jack Harris, Ed Pinning, Ciaran Singh, Gurtej Randhawa and Silas Lawrence all deserve great credit for their efforts over the winter months. For the seniors, it was the last year that Ben Hart (U6) would play representative badminton for the school. Ben has contributed a great deal to badminton during his time here, and is certainly one of the best players to have graced our courts in the last 20 years. He helped the seniors to the runners up position in the league. Unfortunately for Ben, he was not able to add the Senior City Championships to his list of victories, losing in a tough semi-final. Harjeevan Kandola did manage to reach the final, however was unable to overcome St Peter’s number one player. Ben and Harjeevan also made the doubles final, but unfortunately were runners up again. With both these players leaving it will be up to the likes of Sam Linney, next year’s captain, and AJ Brennan who performed well in the City Championships, to take badminton forward again. NHC

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Athletics

BOYS’ ATHLETICS

On Tuesday 9th July, in the blistering heat, the athletics squad performed brilliantly in the track and field finals at Aldersley Stadium.

The City Championship qualifiers unfortunately seem to clash more and more with other events, whether it be trips or other sporting fixtures, so we again were only able to take skeleton squads to the qualifiers. However the boys that went participated with great determination, and we had a number of boys in the finals in July. As always, to pick out individuals, when all tried so hard is difficult, however there are some worthy of a special mention: Ross Parker (Yr 10) produced some outstanding performances in the sprint events on the track, just losing out in both finals, and Harkirit Gill, won both his throwing events. Dan Adams flew the flag for the Year 9 team, performing well in the javelin final. A number of our Year 7 athletes also produced some very encouraging performances including Toby Binstead winning the Discus.

A plethora of medals were won with eight gold, six silver and 11 bronze. As a consequence the girls won bronze in the overall team competition and the Year 8 boys won gold in their team event. Gold medallists were Geneva Hoffman (HJ) Poppy Nabbs (1500m) Mia Foster (Discus) Jaimie Veitch (1500m) Harkirit Gill (Shot & Discus) Toby Binstead (Discus). Special acknowledgement must go to Alex Carvell (800m) and Elizabeth Mahon (Discus) who both won the City Championships, with Liz breaking the record in the process. Both went on to represent the West Midlands, winning their respective events to be crowned West Midlands Champions. Liz also represented West Midlands in the English Schools Athletics’ Association event held at Alexander Stadium on the 5th and 6th July. Congratulations to all our athletes on a great season. AMM

It was our Year 8 boys who were the headline act however. They won the overall Year 8 competition, thanks to some very impressive individual performances. Earlier in the term, they had represented Wolverhampton in the Black Country games, and done great credit to themselves. Byron Esson had a terrific season, producing some eye-catching performances in the sprint events. Alex Carvell, should be particularly proud of what he achieved during the term, not only winning the SSAW final, but also winning the West Midlands Championships in Birmingham. NHC

Swimming

Hannah Fellows-Cox and Elle Beech Split into two different ability groups, the club swimmers and the novices travelled down to the Royal School for the Wolverhampton Schools’ Swimming Gala. The competitors from other schools proved to be strong, however both our novice and advanced swimmers competed extremely well. The novice team consisted of Hannah Cox, Sarah Hickman, Kim Kandola, Rina Thiara, Molly Cooper and Christina Dmitrewski.We were placed third in the competition. Sarah Hickman swam very well scoring the team the most points. The club swimmers; Sophie Warren, Eve Webb, Maisy Gee, Lauren Evans, Celia Madeley, Sally Parnell and Elle Beech competed strongly but the opposition proved very challenging. Despite their valiant efforts the team only managed fifth in the club category. It was great to have an opportunity to represent the school again this year and for one of the senior teams to come away with some ‘bronzeware’ was a bonus!

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BOYS’ TENNIS The Year 10 Boys team, under the captaincy of Alex Dmitreski, produced some excellent performances during the season. By coming top of their group, it meant that they played Newcastle-under-Lyme in a play-off to reach the next round of the National

Knockout, but unfortunately narrowly lost. Squad: Alex Dmitrewski, Ed Cooper, Hugh Churn, Spencer Osbourne, Alex Kemp.

AEGON TEAM TENNIS SCHOOLS STAFFORDSHIRE LEAGUE 2013 Yr 10 Boys KE Old Hagley St Peter’s WGS Position Div 1 South Lichfield Swinford Hagley 12 - 0 8-4 7-6 2 - 10 2 KE Lichfield 0 - 12 2 - 10 0 - 12 0 - 12 5 Old Swinford 4-8 10 - 2 10 - 2 6-7 3 St Peter’s 6-7 12 - 0 2 - 10 7-6 4 WGS 10 - 1 12 - 0 7-6 6-7 1

GIRLS’ TENNIS Having decided that the National (Aberdare) Cup was not for us this year, it wasn’t until the end of April that WGS started its long season of tennis. Abi Houghton (L6) and Lauren Bathew (U6), and Immy Gibbons and Cristina Dmitrewski (both Year 9) competed in the West Midlands Girls’ School Lawn Tennis League. Abi and Lauren, our first couple, did exceptionally well in the pool stages remaining unbeaten. They then faced Edgbaston High School in the semi-final and dropped their form a little, losing 6-2 to the team from Birmingham. Immy and Cristina played in the competition for the second couples and despite being a very young team held their own, finishing fourth in their pool. In early May Abi and Lauren were joined by Becky Bradley and Sophie Warren (both U6) to enjoy some sunshine tennis at the Wolverhampton City Doubles Tournament for senior girls. Becky and Sophie surprised themselves by winning two of their four matches which meant they finished third overall. Abi and Lauren stormed through their matches without dropping a game and finished as worthy City Doubles Champions.The tournament provided a lovely end to the WGS tennis careers of the three Upper Sixth players. In the younger years, teams were entered in the Regional Round of the Aegon Schools’ Team Tennis. Matches took us outside the ‘local’ area with opponents in Hagley, Brewood and Lichfield. Results were mixed but the girls held their own, although neither team managed to play their way

through to the next stage of the competition. The U13 team comprised Mia Foster and Katie Oswald (Y7), and Maddie Hopkin, Lisa Obi and Alice Holden (Y8). The U15s were Cristina Dmitrewski, Immy Gibbons, Poppy Nabbs and Holly Langston (all Y9). Locally the U15b team (Morgan Colley, Hattie Barber, Amelia Bywater and Laura Simms – all Y9) played friendly matches against Tettenhall College whilst the U13a and U15a teams competed in some very ‘relaxed’ fixtures against TC, St. Peter’s and WGHS (the local leagues were disappointingly small). The tennis was great; all that was missing was sunshine, iced drinks and strawberries and cream. Morgan and Laura took a break from the rigours of exams and revision to compete in the Year 8 and 9 Wolverhampton Schools’ Doubles Tournament. As well as letting off steam, they did themselves and the school proud finishing in a creditable fifth position overall. Well done to all who have played tennis this season. It’s been fantastic to see so many students down on the courts at lunchtime to hit (and fetch) tennis balls- long may it continue. I very much look forward to giving a helping hand to WGS tennis next year. HSD

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FIVES ALIVE The competitive season started with the autumn ladder at Shrewsbury School. The format allowed everyone to add to their individual games and be stretched, in particular the girls playing alongside the boys. Tejas Netke was the overall winner in the girls’ competition, with John Price emphasising his improvement with a third place finish.

and were able to overcome the Rydal girls and some of the younger boys’ pairs. Following the on court action the WGS Team departed for Conwy en route back to the Midlands. With the minibus parked under the ramparts of Conwy castle, the team disembarked to acquire some of the world famous Conwy Mussels for a hearty Sunday tea. Hopefully this match will be become a regular The Rossall School Championship proved to be feature of the fixture list, if only for an excuse to a good test for the older players. In the Open bring home some of the local seafood! Doubles, captain of Fives Matt Pritchard and This year’s Northern Championships witnessed his partner Tom Husselbee reached the final, ten Wulfrunians, old and new, in competition at defeating Rossall’s 1st pair in the semi-final. Shrewsbury School. Returning and new players Whilst in the Open Singles, Ben Hart’s use of are always welcome at the club evening every smart tactics and drop shots saw him reach the Thursday. Meanwhile the younger players from semi-finals. Meanwhile in the U15 competition, WGS participated in the Spring Festival of Fives, Tom Aston represented WGS and performed taking the opportunity to blood some recent admirably. Thanks must go to the Aston family for newcomers to the game with some match supporting Tom and the team throughout both experience. Aaron Dhaliwal, Conor Jordan, Haris days. Malik and Gurkshan Beghal all benefitted from time on court and improved throughout the day. The WGS girls team stepped up to play adult Fives in the Midlands Ladies Festival at Repton School Fixtures with Shrewsbury School and KES and demonstrated just how far they have come in Birmingham provided a good warm up to this their Fives playing careers with Tejas Netke and year’s National Schools Championships. The Eve Cowan finishing in 3rd place and Beth Parlane highlight of the Championships was Tejas Netke and Ellie Frith in 6th. and Beth Parlane reaching the final of the Ladies Festival a fantastic achievement. Best wishes The Turnbull Trophy at Eton College is for to our four senior boys who are leaving us this school boy and old boy pairs, offering the school season and we look forward to seeing them back players an opportunity to play adult Fives and aid on court in Old Wulfs colours in the near future. Mark Yates transition to playing for the Old Wulfrunians in the future. Two Wulfrunian pairs made the quarter final stages and a third pair of Ben Hart and Greg Hammond were runners-up in the Plate. WGS also had its first all ladies match before Christmas, against Wrekin College; a great achievement for both school, each having recently introduced girls to the sport. The new year saw the WGS Fives team make their first foray across the border to a match in Wales. Having recently refurbished two further courts Rydal Penrhos, Colwyn Bay, were ready for their first home match of the modern era. The WGS team was greeted with a hearty brunch in the dining hall overlooking the sea. The U15 boys’ matches went Rydal’s way with their now experienced players demonstrating the benefits of regular practise sessions with their GAP year coaches over the past few years. However, in the ladies department WGS had the greater experience

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Sports Day The weather gods were in a good mood as both field and track events were completed in glorious conditions. The various field events were well attended and competition was fierce with some excellent performances. The track events were carried out in a carnival atmosphere and it was pleasing to see so many parents supporting the runners. There were many notable performances including a sprint double by Ross Parker - the flying machine; an excellent 800m by Alex Carvell; Liz Mahon winning the 100m having already won the shot, discus and javelin the day before; a brave performance in the 800m by Advait Kumar should also be mentioned. The senior pentathlon was particularly successful with so many of our talented Year 12 and Sixth Form athletes taking part. The standard was excellent and it was important that the younger students see just how many talented athletes we have in the senior part of the school. The dulcet tones of Mr Millichamp and Mrs Dyer kept the crowd involved, supported by music supplied by the Dan Thomas experience. The PA system was set up by old boy Olly Cox, who did a great job and the results were ready in record time thanks to old boy Lee Marsh. Theo was his usual efficient self, no false starts for the 20th consecutive year! Results: Best Athlete awards: Yr 7 boys: Jake Thompson 7P Yr 7 girls: Jada Nesbeth 7S Elycia Thacker 7Q Yr 8 boys: Byron Esson 8P Alex Carvell 8Q Yr 8 girls: Evie Bramley 8Q Yr 9 boys: Dan Adams 9A Ye 9 girls: Amelia Lewis 9A

Yr 10 boys: Rico Duncan-Browne 10C Ross Parker 10B Yr 10 girls: Liz Mahon 10A Form Winners: Yr 7: 7S Yr 8: 8Q Yr 9: 9B Yr 10: 10C Senior boys pentathlon winner: Roshan Jakhu 11A Senior girls pentathlon winner: Kez Husselbee 11C Well done to all athletes who took part and many thanks to the staff who officiated or looked after spectators. A massive thank you to our fantastic grounds men, Tom and Les who I cannot speak too highly of. JMJ

Chris Walker Memorial Mile The attendance for this special event was excellent with 49 runners taking part from junior, senior students, OWs and staff. Conditions were hot and humid and so the winning time was slower than standard but with good reason. The race itself was competitive and every athlete gave their all, which was exactly the spirit Chris himself would have shown. The race was won by Jon Crawford, closely followed by Isaac Hobbs and Arun Fraser. The run by junior school student Oliver Mason was particularly impressive, finishing seventh overall in a time of 6 mins 18 seconds. Overall Winner : Jon Crawford Second: Isaac Hobbs Third: Arun Fraser Staff (male): Tom Baker Staff (female): Alison Mcallister Girl winner: Grace Lawrence Special Award: Oliver Mason (Junior School)

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Old Wulfrunians’ Sports Festival This is the only article that appears in the magazine that happens this academic year, such is the high regard in which it is held. Thirteen football and eight netball teams took part in their respective competitions this year, approximately 250 OWs in total.The weather was very kind to us thanks again to Richard Wright looking down upon us. The day before was a different story however as the Old Wulfrunians’ Golf Competition was held at the Wergs Club in dreadful conditions – explaining why I came last! It is an event that needs supporting so keep watching the WGS website for news. Back to the competitions: following a minute’s silence, which was, as always, afforded utter respect, 13 football teams (or so I thought) commenced battle. Within minutes of the start another team came to register and as it was Josh Martin’s boys, who always support the event, it was a pleasure to accommodate them. The staff team was particularly strong thanks to the Bursar, Martin Allen only employing exprofessional footballers onto his staff, especially Daryl ‘Messi’. The semi- finals were tight affairs with penalty shootouts the order of the day resulting in Mark Cartwright’s team, the winners of the two previous tournaments being pitched against the mighty staff team.

with a superb set. There were presentations and speeches, especially Tim Browning deservedly receiving a standing ovation. Cuthbert and Ryan sang Jerusalem, as is tradition. The dinner party then snaked up to Chapel Ash to the Clarendon before hitting town. By this time the Mills’ twins were on fire, Paul Allen was emotional, and all was as it should be.Yours truly was dragged into Blast Off, but I didn’t mind as someone had to keep an eye on young Steve Clancy! Fair play to the new recruit, I met him next morning and he had just been to the cash and carry – up earlier than me. The overall event was as good as ever and it is such an important part of the school calendar. So keep your eyes peeled for details of next year ‘s event on the school website, the Old Wulfrunians’ Facebook page (Old Wulfrunians of WGS) or even on Twitter (@wgsow). Let’s see if we can get even more OWs back to celebrate their time at this wonderful school . JJ

The match went into extra time and penalties. Mike “the cat” McKewan looked to have saved the day for the Cartwright boys, only then to have his own penalty saved by Greg Rollason, who had been appointed as Head Caretaker for the day by Martin Allen. Thus the staff emerged victorious and to be fair, deserved winners. The netball tournament attracted eight teams and the competition was fierce.The staff had drafted in Rachel Bell (nee Baron) into their already strong line up and despite some heroic efforts by the OW teams, there was no stopping a clean sweep for the staff. At least Karen Walton had worked up a thirst for the evening. The dinner in Big School was a triumph and well attended. The atmosphere was conducive to much merriment: Nicole Roberts sang like an angel and was followed by the mini Big Band

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STUDENT SUCCESS Congratulations to the following former students:

Miss Helen Fisher OW 2002-2009

Secured a 2.1 Honours degree in History from the University of York.

Miss Sian Middleton OW 2006-2008

Attended Birmingham City University and came away with a 1st Class Honours degree in Primary Education with QTS.

Rachel James (Nee Cotterell) OW 1986-1988

Went to Nottingham University to study Social policy and Administration, then to Charing Cross Hospital to train as a nurse. Moved to Canada in 2000 where I still live, married with three children. A potted history! Thank you for all your hard work, WGS was hugely influential on my life and I loved every moment of my two years there. Apologiesâ&#x20AC;Ś We mentioned in the last edition of the Wulfrunian magazine that the following former students attended Birmingham City University, they actually attend the Russell Group University of Birmingham. Jodie Hoffman, Alexandra Benion, Stephanie Davies, Edward Holden, Connor Scott and Jake Williams.

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Annual Dinner The Annual Dinner returned to its spiritual home of a newly-refurbished Big School on Saturday, 2nd March. Some 130 attendees, including guests, sat down to an excellent meal, provided, as ever, by Joanne Taylor, Earl and their staff.To them we again accord our grateful thanks. Once more, Stewart Ross oversaw the organisation of the dinner, ably assisted by contributions from Nic Anderson, together with valuable work by Mark Hand and his team of ladies from the Development Office. This year it had been agreed to make changes to the format of the evening, firstly by holding the event on a Saturday and secondly by reducing the number of speeches. The idea of this was to assist attendees with travel arrangements and also to maximize the time for OWs to meet and talk to friends not seen for many a year. These changes appear to have been popular and so similar arrangements will be made for the 2014 dinner.

Thus, the formalities being kept to a minimum and after the necessary intermission, the toast to the school and the Headmaster was proposed by Michael (Jess) Griffiths, OW. This task was performed with aplomb, with Jess hitting exactly the right note, bearing in mind that he was also addressing a Headmaster attending his last dinner in that role. In his response, the Headmaster gave a brief outline of the achievements, both academic and sporting, of the school, and, as usual, these were many. Vincent ended his speech with a touching reference to his time at the School and his pleasure at being involved with the association. He wished the school and OWA all success in the future and trusted that his successor would have such a memorable time as he had enjoyed. The President, Tony Phillips, then had the

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great pleasure in presenting His Honour Judge Malcolm Ward and Eddie Sergeant with certificates according them life membership of the association. This was in recognition of their superb service to the School in their capacities as Governors, stretching over many years, and also for their contribution to the success of the association.

honour of electing him to that position and since his term had now ended he had great pleasure in passing the chain of office to the current VicePresident, Robert Purshouse. Bob, having thanked everyone for their attendance, then concluded the proceedings with a reminder that the next dinner will be held in Big School on Saturday, 1st March 2014.

Malcolm, at one time, held the positions of both Chairman and President of the OW, whilst Eddie, in the early 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, played a large part in the restoration of the Annual Dinner to its rightful place in the association calendar. The awards were met with acclaim. In thanking those responsible for the success of the evening, the President made particular reference to John Pearson OW, who, owing to the rare absence of Jim Chugg, stood in at almost the last minute to provide the musical accompaniment. The President then thanked everyone for the

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Wedding News Alana Brereton nee Walton OW 2001-2003 On leaving WGS, I went onto Keele University, to study for a degree in English and History. After leaving Keele I then got a graduate trainee job in the operations department of a metal company. I was there for two years before realising that teaching was the profession I really wanted to go into. I applied for a Primary PGCE place at Wolverhampton University and was accepted, so I left work and went travelling for seven months with friends from WGS, before beginning my PGCE. Dan and I met in 2009. He lived in Leamington Spa at the time, and I was studying in Wolverhampton. Dan moved to Wolverhampton about 18 months later and about a year after that we brought our first house in Penn. He proposed on his birthday, during a holiday in Dubrovnik last year. Almost a year to the day later we got married on the 9th August 2013. It was an amazing day which we shared with about 130 of our friends and family! Dan works in Logistics and I am now in my fifth year of teaching having just changed jobs to teach at a different school in Wolverhampton.

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HIGHLIGHT OF MY COURSE WAS SPENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

Ben Coppin OW 2002-2009 I have just finished a four year oceanography finally Los Angeles, all within a month! It was (marine science) degree in Southampton. This with a heavy heart that I flew home, and I’d was fantastic, but the highlight was spent at love to relive the experience if I could. But the University of Miami – also known as UM I am so grateful that I was given the chance or ‘The U’! This chance to spend my third to live in Miami for a whole year, and it was year in America could not be turned down. an experience I won’t be forgetting any time So I packed my bags and boarded my (eight soon. hour) flight into the unknown. Living in Miami was a world apart from the UK. With palm trees everywhere, South Beach a half an hour drive away and the blistering Florida heat, it was difficult to remember that I was there to study and not on holiday! That, or I was just unwilling. Even the marine science building where I had my lectures was on the Florida Keys. I could take a break from classes and relax on a deserted tropical beach – I wouldn’t expect that in Southampton! I found the transition to American life fairly easy, despite a hurricane warning in the first At the first college football game of the year: week! But things only got better, and I soon Miami Hurricanes v. Ohio State made a lot of new friends from five different continents. American colleges place a huge emphasis on school sports.The UM (American) football team; the Miami Hurricanes, is one of the best college football teams in the USA, with weekly games at the local Sun Life stadium. These were overwhelming, and it was great to see the huge amount of school spirit that so many people had. However, this fun was balanced by an intensive work load. Aside from coursework and final exams as in the UK, there were also mid-term exams, and weekly homework assignments. Students in Miami definitely work hard, and play hard! Showing some school spirit (The U) at South Beach in Miami. Travelling outside of Miami was a great aspect of my year. I went on a road trip down to Key West in August, and visited one of my flatmate’s homes in Connecticut in November, taking part in a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I think we should try and adopt a similar tradition here in England! I also visited Orlando and Washington DC in Spring Break. To top off an amazing year, I took another road trip up the East Coast to New York. I then flew across to Seattle and travelled down the West Coast, via Portland in Oregon, then San Francisco, and Visiting the Space Needle, Seattle

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SHARKY BUSINESS Alex Bandurak OW 2002-2009

I have recently completed the MSci Master of Marine Biology degree programme at the University of Southampton, through which I have been able to not only travel, but also experience marine animals in their own environment around the world. Spending six months living and studying at the Universitetet i Bergen in Norway in 2012 gave me an amazing insight into the culture and lifestyle of another country, however, it was on two separate month-long research expeditions to South Africa in 2011 and 2012 that I was able to truly experience the sheer joy that made me choose a degree in Marine Biology. Based in Mosselbaai (or Mossel Bay) on the Western Cape, Oceans Research is a platform for budding marine scientists, zoologists, and research professionals which has now expanded to include internships in wildlife journalism and photography. Run by world-leading scientists they offer internships to university students around the world, providing hands-on experience and skills necessary for a career in the field of marine science. In September 2011 I joined up with a small group of other interns from a number of different countries (including New Zealand, USA, UK, Germany) spending the month assisting with research projects being undertaken by Oceans.

The main focus of this was on the local shark population, Carcharodon carcharias, the great white shark. Mossel Bay is one of only three places in South Africa with its own white shark population, due to the aptly named ‘Seal Island’, a cape fur seal colony of about 2,500 animals just 200 m from the local beach. White sharks are found in the bay year round, and come to the ‘Island’ to hunt. It was here that these sharks were first observed hunting at night, and here that cutting-edge research is still taking place. From one of the two small research boats owned by Oceans, a team of five or six interns accompanied by a field specialist would set out early morning (6 or 7 am) to study these sharks, trying to examine the questions of ‘How many are there?’, ‘How long do they stay in the bay for?’, ‘Where do they go when they are not hunting?’, ‘Are they a danger to the surfers or other humans using the bay?’ and many more. The sharks are attracted to the boat using chum (mixture of fish guts and saltwater), with a tuna-head used to keep their attention once they are close (called Baitroping). Once they are in sight, data on them can be gathered, such as size, sex, any markings, with photographs being taken off the dorsal fin to allow accurate identification. The dorsal fin of a

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shark is as unique to them as a fingerprint is to us, allowing a permanent database of known sharks to be created. The first white shark I saw in the wild was a 4 m long female called Nicole, a shark well known to Oceans. I had been in South Africa for less than 48 hours at this point, and was close enough to reach out and touch her. Words simply canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t describe the experience of being that close to such a misunderstood and endangered animal. As the weeks passed we got to know the sharks like they were friends, able to identify known sharks whenever they appeared, or naming new ones as we met them. Towards the end of the month we travelled to Durban on the eastern coast to be able to dive with a number of species of sharks. First though we were able to use our newly acquired skills of free-diving (without SCUBA equipment so you hold your breath) to dive with black-tip reef sharks, zambezi sharks, and a few others.

Being able to take part in this research has been an incredible experience for me, one that has shaped the Marine Biologist I have become, having used data from Oceans in my dissertation on the humpback and southern right whales in the bay. I look forward to being able to put the skills and abilities I gained both there, and throughout my degree into practice in the coming years. University of Southampton MSci Master of Marine Biology, 1st Class Honours

We opted not to use SCUBA so that we could get closer to the sharks without them being scared off by the bubbles and noise, and so were able to come nose to nose (literally) with animals that most people would never dream of getting close to. Swimming amongst them, surrounded by sharks you begin to appreciate them for what they truly are- incredible animals that if shown respect, are no more dangerous than a common house-hold cat, who are hunted by humans for their flavour-less fins. The human perception of sharks as a whole, edged on by media furores and films like Jaws give sharks an unjust and unfair reputation. As soon as you see one in the wild, in its own environment, you realise just how important and amazing they can be, and yet, there is a very real chance of them becoming extinct during our lifetime. Although the ability to work with sharks is an incredible experience, it is whales, particularly humpback whales that I specialise in, so upon my return to South Africa in late 2012 I spent more time studying the whales and dolphins of the bay than I had the previous year (although I still got out on a load of shark trips). Whether viewing them through binoculars from the shore, or from up close on a boat, seeing these incredible animals in the wild is simply awe-inspiring.To be able to get close enough to reach out and touch them, to see them in the wild as they are meant to be, to get to know their individual personality traits and quirks, it makes you realise how small and insignificant the human race truly is.

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‘I FEEL LIKE A CONFUSED EXTRA ON THE SET OF CARRY ON RAJ’ Sathnam Sanghera OW 1988-1995 humbling. I tell you, you will struggle to find a city (outside Scotland) more aggressively uninterested in the English than Mumbai.

The British Asian writer Sathnam Sanghera (OW 1988-1995) suffers an identity crisis on a journey to India People sometimes assume, quite understandably I suppose, that India must be a less stressful prospect for British Asians than for most. However, in my experience, being stuck between East and West make the sub-continent even more of a challenge. As a child, the difficulty came in the form of being forced to visit thousands of relatives you didn’t recognise, having your Indian language skills and dress sense mocked in the process of so doing – and, occasionally, resisting offers of opium. As a student, India was onerous because I was in a country that should have felt like home, but which made me feel homesick for somewhere else, and my male cousins would badger me ceaselessly with inquiries about my-non-existent- Western debauched sex life. (Also, no one offered me opium any more.) More recently, as India has grown in economic and cultural confidence, the problem has essentially become one of irrelevance. Having columns republished in Indian papers has given me the surreal experience of being taken to task on the claim that I am “Indian” in the way I used to get harangued by British readers for calling myself “English” (“Can you name the Indian president?” etc). And while I recently enjoyed an exhilarating visit to booming Mumbai, it was also

All of which raises the question of why the hell I agreed to go to the Rajasthan International Folk Festival. It’s an annual event in Jodhpur, which, I discover while reading about it on the plane there, is aimed at revitalising “Rajasthan’s heritage” in the face of the influence of Western pop and Bollywood, and will involve me enduring “global dance grooves”, performances from Indian and international folk artists (including “the world’s most virtuoso didgeridoo player”), and staying in a “royal encampment”. To read more on Sathnam’s adventure In India, please follow the following link: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/magazine/ article3650209.ece Courtesy of The Times on Saturday Also, Sathnam Sanghera came back to Wolverhampton a month or so ago to sign copies of his debut novel, Marriage Material.

The award winning journalist and Times columnist came back to his home city as part of a nationwide book signing tour. Sathnam attended WGS in the 1980s before going on to Christ’s College Cambridge to study English Literature. Marriage Material, his debut novel follows on from his award-winning memoir, The Boy with The Topknot which recounts his experiences as a young Punjabi boy growing up in Wolverhampton.

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PAVAROTTI COULD BE DIFFICULT BUT HE HAD THE MOST AMAZING VOICE Christopher Hazell – OW 1959 - 66 Courtesy of the Express and Star I know it is a valuable job - I wouldn’t be where I am now without my teacher at school. “After leaving college I joined a music publishers and they asked me if I wanted to have a go at writing somgs and one of them was taken up by The King’s Singers, and recorded by Decca.”

Cathy Spencer from the Express & Star meets a four-times Grammy winner who comes from Wolverhampton. He has four Grammys and has worked with the likes of Aled Jones, Pavarotti and Alfie Boe. But it was during his time as a schoolboy in Wolverhampton that Chris Hazell acquired his love of music. The 65-year-old has even had a spell in front of the camera when he presented, and wrote the music for the popular 1980’s children’s TV show Let’s Pretend. Chris, who was a pupil at St Jude’s Primary and here at WGS, started learning the piano when he was six-years-old. Today he works with some of the most famous orchestras in the world and composes music for glittering occasions such as Last Night of the Proms and BBC’s Songs of Praise. Chris, 65, who has two daughters - Jasmine and Ruth, as well as two grandchildren, says after leaving school he went to the Royal College of Music and then joined a music publishers. “At the time music wasn’t seen as a good career choice - you felt the chance of getting a job in music was going to be tough”, he says. “My mum, Eunice, told me I could always teach if I did fall on hard times. I didn’t want to be a teacher but

Decca Records were so impressed with Chris’s music they took him on as a record producer. “Within a few months I was working with St Martin-in-the-Fields, which is a chamber orchestra. They have some of the best musicians in the world and I had to stand in front of them and tell them where they were going wrong.” Chris, who grew up in Finchfield, was with Decca for 25 years and during that time got to work with some really big names including Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa and Pavarotti. “Pavarotti could be difficult to work with but then there are a lot of big-time singers that are like that - their voice is their life,” he says. “When you are recording a song it is like taking your clothes off in public - you can’t hide from the microphones, but he had the most amazing voice.” It was in the early days with Decca when Chris was asked to write music for a children’s show called Pipkins, which ran for 10 years. Then Let’s Pretend started and he became one of the presenters. “On the show I played the piano, the guitar and the double bass - anything that happened to be lying around.” Chris, who now lives in Bedfordshire, says while with Decca he worked in some incredible venues such as St Paul’s Cathedral. He also recorded the entire works of Bach with an English organist, which included 25 LP records. In 1997 Decca closed their recording department and Chris was made redundant - but it wasn’t long before work started pouring in for him. “I worked with Bryn Terfel, who is a Welsh bass-baritone singer and a really nice guy,” he says.

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“He has been wonderful to work with and I’ve done orchestra arrangements for him on five albums. I’ve also won four Grammys - three for producing and one for arranging.

• • •

“I was lucky enough to write music for Last Night of the Proms in 2008 with Bryn Terfel and for the Millennium Songs of Praise choir.”

• • • •

Chris is now the director and owner of ICBA Music Limited where he works regularly with stars such as Alfie Boe and Aled Jones.

•

Mr Chambers, who wrote SEPTIMUS he left to become a head. Mr Wiseman, “Put im down” a great latin teacher. Mr Sheen, legendary but far above me in maths. Mr Viner, we really did a lot in art. George Taylor, to whom I owe so much. Mr Owen, certificate A etc., Mr Robertson, the gymnasium, boxing and athletics. Dr Woyslawski, uprooted and alone we did not treat him kindly. Tony Stocks, who dragged us into another era. Mr Stevenson, in my later years.

So, as Chris encountered any problems during his career?

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“One problem of working with an orchestra is the money it costs for going over the agreed time,” he says. “Musicians cost a lot of money and once I went 15 minutes over, which cost me $10,000 dollars for every five minutes - that’s not the kind of thing you want to be doing every day.”

These are just some. There are others I know, and a few who did not make the grade. It was a time of uncertainty and for some personal tragedy and hardship. After I had left school I had the privilege of visiting a few of the above at home. As far as I am aware most of the staff lived in modest circumstances. The winters during the war were cold. There was no central heating except at school. There was rationing and there were shortages. Some of the staff had to look after aged or sick relatives. It was not an easy life.

Thoughts & memories David Hinde OW 1939-1949

I much enjoy the Wulfrunian. I find what is going on currently most impressive. I am also entertained by the various accounts of earlier times which you publish. I am in my eighties and joined the school when I was eight just as war began. Warren Derry was the Headmaster then and to him among many other tasks fell the responsibility of keeping the school staffed. It was surely difficult with all the constraints and restrictions of the time. I did not know all the teachers during my time and there are some whose names escape me with whom I did not come into contact. Anyway here are those I can recall: • Mr Blanchard, who took over when Mr Moline retired. • Mr Dance, time charts on the wall. • Mr Bailey, who died at sea early on. • Mr Walker, who taught my father as well. • Mr Robb, who taught me maths. • Mr Rust, who had time for everyone, Polly Wolly Doodle. • Mr Carheart, a great teacher who wrote a French text book.

On top of all this they had to live with the awful burden that many of the boys before us whom they had taught and nurtured had left school and been swallowed up by the war. Many died in bomber command and elsewhere. Of this we were mercifully unaware since we were not given information. Despite all this, I am amazed at what they were able to achieve in such a cheerful and generous manner. These people managed through commitment and dedication with sparse resources to give us an education which enabled us to hold our own with whatever the country had to offer. Today I marvel at this. At the time I think we mostly took it for granted and did not think too much about it. It was all part of school and school was a special country in its own right. As a post-script I recall that we had just left school and were in limbo waiting for call-up or whatever. We were in a pub car park. We were making some noise pushing an old beat-up car which had been parked askew. The owner came out and looked at us with disgust. “I fought to save buggers like you”, he said. Yes, well we were the lucky ones. What came next, is another story.

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R M SIMPSON FONDLY REMEMBERED Mike Flamank OW 1953-1960 I remember my first parade when I entered 3 Alpha. Spent and wasted a Wednesday afternoon trying to clean the brasses he gave me. Next day on a charge up in front of “Panic” R E Holmes aka Mousey. He confirmed my guilt and at the end said give me new brasses. So I had been set up. A few weeks later it was ‘Vlamnick’. It is Flamank sir, you’re on a charge Vlamnick. Set up again. The last Thursday of the school year (1954-55) when everyone else had been dismissed I was told to stay behind and sign a form. The first line was something like ‘Candidates must have to be twelve years of age before applying to join the CCF’. My twelfth birthday was that week. In uniform, in all his pomp the epitome of a smart arse, this was then the start of my distrust of things military. Due to fee financial failings (with more to come) low flying helicopters and jets don’t visit us so frequently. What a bonus!

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A Cold Spyhunt by a Crummy Army Newspaper Tim Topps transports us to the sardonic world of a very laidback army depot in The Paper Caper This light historical fiction takes an amusing look at life at the beginning of the Cold War, in an army depot full of staff visibly rewinding after the previous war. Much of the story will bring back memories for those called up in the years after Hiroshima… The ebook follows the newly-commissioned (but determinedly unmilitary) Tim Topps, who arrives at an immense army depot in 1947. Along with regimental and storehouse duties, Tim is immediately appointed Editor of the depot’s weekly newspaper, which he has never seen or even heard of. Expecting a newsroom bursting with activity when he makes his way to meet his staff, the new editor is met with a small private who is currently operating the paper single-handedly, at a desk in the far corner of the ‘Print & Pubs’ shed. To no surprise, the paper itself can mostly be found holding a portion of chips at the end of the week. It is soon revealed that Tim’s true role as Editor is to expand the paper, using it to trap a Communist ‘sleeper’ who MI5 have discovered planted within the civilian staff. He is to be aided by a charming and efficient ATS Corporal, with whom he is doomed to (strictly contrary to army regulations) fall in love. Tim and his assistant eventually narrow down the suspects to one officer, but all is not as it seems. They are led on a chase beyond the depot, to ruined castles up and down the Welsh border, coming to the end of their journey near a fishing village in the south of France. Here they will confront their enemy for the last time… During 1938, aged 10, Tim Topps had a six-part adventure story published in a national Sunday newspaper. In 1945, at 16, the BBC broadcast his short play: next day, Hitler shot himself. Tim’s National Service commission has now prompted The Paper Caper with its authentic background. After Oxford, he ran a university-linked business (next novel coming up!). Tim lives in Oxford with his second wife, an artist. PUBLICATION DATE 18th October 2013 ISBN: 9781783067749 Price: £3.99 For further information please contact Rosie Grindrod email: rosie_grindrod@troubador.co.uk.

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It’s that man again… Bernard H Colman OW 1934-1941

I always read ‘The Wulfrunian’ with great interest.

the room. It was an innocent accident but…

In the last issue it was mentioned that the origin of Mr (as he then was) Rust’s nick name was unknown. It happened accidently one day that is deeply imprinted in my memory.

Perhaps this tale should remain hidden in the mists of time??

In 1940-41 there was an extremely funny weekly radio programme called ITMA; “It’s that man again”, led by Tommy Handley and listened to by everybody. The characters included Colonel Christrap, who was always thirsty and would mishear words such as e.g. thin or risky for gin/whiskey etc. “Don’t mind if I do Sir”. Also Mona Lott, “It’s only by being so cheerful what keeps me going”. And Mrs Mopp “Can I do you now Sir”. There was also Ferdie/Ferdinand who was somehow associated with the word Friday. I imagine he’d be rather like today’s TV Spanish waiter in Fawlty Towers. The jokes were re-enacted endlessly between lessons. I’ll not go into detail except to say that ‘Friday’ had been called just as Mr Rust entered

Do masters still have nicknames? I wonder if the older Wulfrunian readers remember the much loved gentle ‘Daddy’ Walker or ‘Froggy’ Mr William Harold Carhart, an excellent teacher of French, or ‘Piggy’ (why?) Evans who was brilliant in Physics; or the ‘Pecker’ Mr Wyatt-Edgell with a curiously shaped nose, who did his best to try and teach us chemistry. I left school incidentally in 1941 having come up through to ‘B’ stream (regarded with distant and contempt by Headmaster Derry); and so came to school certificate in ‘V’ B care of Mr Harry Brogden, a splendid master who was very proud of ‘us’ ‘V’B. To this day I remain thankful to have come under his influence. He regarded VB as the best form in the school he told me, years later and looking back I think they were certainly a more colourful lot. Mr Broghen became Headmaster of Brighton Grammar School and I know was very well respected in the town.

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DO YOU REMEMBER Replies below from OW’s who have kindly written in with further information on the Page 120 photo query.

DR RICHARD J PALMER

Next row: Roger Steel on left then Ray Humphreys, then the missing one, in spectacles is Ian Wright.

A tribute to one of the finest men I have had the privilege to know…

STEVE WILLGRESS

OW 1952-1958

OW 1959-1966

With reference to page 120 in the last edition of the Wulfrunian magazine.

I received my Wulfrunian magazine and at once recognised faces. The photo was taken at the th The rather handsome chap standing 5 from left Weymouth Easter Festival; I was seated bottom as one views the likeness is my eldest brother, row on the right. Stuart Haydn Palmer, who became Head Boy (Senior Prefect) 1952-1953 when I was a “fresher” Left end bottom row: This is Buckley; left hander who played reverse stick – is that slowed now? in Remove A. Middle row: 2nd from left is Mac Fullwood who Haydn’s stand out quality was that, unlike previous organised the “Young Wulfs” those of us who were Head Boys, he never achieved Ox/Bridge success. still at school, which I was I’ve forgotten his name nd In essence he is unique in the history of the school but the goalkeeper 2 from right on the middle to that date since he was selected as Head Boy row was also a young Wulf. Isn’t it Bob Purshouse by Warren Derry for his outstanding personal middle row on the right. I’ve also forgotten the attributes which outshone, by a country mile, name of the guy stood on the right of Mac looking anyone else in his year whatever their academic, at the photo, but he was a rubber technologist at social or sporting abilities. He carried out his Goodyear who still made tyres in Wolverhampton duties to such good effect that Warren Derry then! could comment:“I could have left the whole school to him confident that it was in capable hands”.

MALCOLM BURGESS

Haydn Palmer became a role model for many pupils (including myself) at WGS and in the schools at which he himself subsequently taught. As a games player he was outstanding; as a “sportsman” he had no equal. A man of great principles but very few words (always well chosen at that), Haydn’s too early death was a blow too many of us OW’s who fed regularly on his wise counsel and dry humour. In essence WGS never had a better advert. However, I have to add that I have never forgiven him for the 200 lines, each of 21 words (including WGS in full!) he gave me for being caught in the bike sheds in a milk fight with Bobby Knight of Lower 3B at 4.30pm on Friday, 12th February, 1953!

JOHN HUTCHINGS OW 1947-1955

Lower 6th Mathematics – Back row: 2nd from left Cooksey, 3rd James Roseblade.

OW 1947-1953

A few names from the mathematics class of 1952, as seen in the 2012 Wulfrunian. Back row: ?, Howard Stride, ?, Graham Cooksey, Haydn Palmer, James Roseblade, Ian Wright, Alan Millichamp. Front row: Geoff Dalton, ?, Graham Hewitt, ?, ?, ?, ?

JIM ROSEBLADE OW 1947-1954

As you say, the photograph at the foot of page 120 is of Lower Sixth Maths 1951-52. I met Geoffrey Dalton again after 60 years at the Quincentenary dinner in June, wonderful meeting him again. Front row: Left to right, starting from Geoffrey Dalton: Davod P Timperley, Graham Hewett, John Wrigley, Michael J Ratcliffe, John Phillips, Alan Cotterell (on the arm of the bench).

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Behind them zig-zagging from left to right: Roger Steel, Howard Stride, Raymond W Humphreys, Graham L Cooksey, S Haydn Palmer, Jim Roseblade, Ian Wright, Alan Millichamp. Alan Millichamp and Haydn Palmer died some years ago. I am in touch with Graham Hewett (also at the dinner), who is a fount of knowledge about some of the others. He told me that about 20 years ago Roger Steele was a social worker and also ran a pig farm. Alan Cotterell became an architect, whose practice designed the Molineux stadium. Graham Cooksey (also at the dinner) became a maths teacher and remained much in touch with athletics through helping young people. Graham thought that Howard Stride had become a chartered accountant. Ian Wright became a civil (?) engineer. Michael Ratcliffe spent some time in the merchant navy until eye problems caused him to leave. I think there may have been others in that form who were not in the photograph. Barry J Crane perhaps. He was at the dinner and told me of his career as a GP in Bath, and then retirement back to the Midlands. I was the only one to become a professional mathematician and have spent most of my career here in Cambridge, specialising mostly in algebra. I retired from the pure mathematics department in 1999 and from teaching in Jesus College three years later. Additional I was also informed that the photo on page 120, very bottom, back row fifth from left Roger Steel and eighth from left Alan Millichamp.

CLIVE FAULKNER OW 1951- 1959

Mr Clive Faulkner (OW), kindly sent in the following photos. Do you recognise any of the faces in the photographs? If so please send any details to gle@wgs-sch.net First Photo CCF Photo. The only names that are remembered on this photo are the following: Scholey, Wrigley, Robertson, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mouseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Holmes, Merrett, Bowen, Ackstein, RSM Simpson.

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Second Photo WGS Athletic Team circa 1956 with ‘Shorty’ Robertson.

Third Photo Jenyns House of circa 1958 presumably with teachers Taylor and Pollock.

Fourth Photo Back row: David Greatbatch, Moore?, Bradley? Front row: Thomas?, Hingley, Shuttleworth, Gregory, Faulkner.

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OBITUARIES with her sister Ann Proctor, her husband Alan, who was a training manager at the Express & Star, and their children. After a spell working at Bilston Girls’ High School, she joined the grammar school, which was then a boys’ school and was voluntary aided. Miss Brough worked under four headmasters – the late Ernest Taylor, Tony Stocks, Patrick Hutton and Dr Bernard Trafford. On her retirement in 1997, Miss Brough told the Express & Star: “Being the boss’s secretary is a fascinating job. “Everything good or bad passes over your desk. “The joys, the triumphs, the spectacular achievements and also the downsides, the failures, the disappointments, the sadness and the tragedies.”

Connie Brough

1932 - 2012 Sadness over death of Wolverhampton Grammar School’s ‘friendly face’

She died of cancer on December 8th at New Cross Hospital.

A long-serving secretary at Wolverhampton Grammar School who was known as the “friendly face” that greeted visitors has died. Constance Brough was 80.

Her sister Ann said today: “She was very well known. She had lots of friends at the grammar school and people always knew her as the first friendly face people would see when they visited the school.” Courtesy of Express & Star

She was secretary to four headmasters at the school in Compton Road until she retired after 25 years. Before that, she was also secretary at the I last wrote something about Connie when she former Bilston Girls High School to headmistress retired in 1997. My tribute in the 1997 Wulfrunian Hester Mottershead. started, “Where does one start to describe Connie either as a person or as a headmaster’s Miss Mottershead tragically died in August of secretary? After a quarter of a century in the a suspected stroke just hours after burglars school, she is an institution who knows everyone ransacked her home. and is known by all. She was appointed by Ernest Taylor, served Tony Stocks and Patrick Hutton Miss Brough, a former Wednesbury Commercial throughout their tenures, and taught me the job College pupil, started her career as as clerical for seven years.” worker at Willenhall and Wednesfield police stations between 1948 and 1965. I remember when she retired: we all found WGS She grew up in Willenhall, where her parents Horace and Minnie ran an off-licence in Stafford Street. Miss Brough then went on to live in Tettenhall

life impossible to imagine without her. Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as it seemed, because we weren’t entirely without her. She was still a regular attender at concerts, plays and school events. And of course she organised those amazing gatherings of retired staff, a regular lunchtime gathering that

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all valued immensely. In her retirement her family saw more of her, which they greatly valued: Auntie Con was a huge figure in the lives of the children and grandchildren of her sister Ann with whom she lived and whose husband,Alan Proctor, ran the school’s marketing and PR for several years in the 1990s. Post-retirement Connie’s garden flourished (I have a feeling she never rid herself of that hazardous habit of single-handedly lugging around enormous paving slabs). And she continued for years to help with the tea trolley at New Cross Hospital until her own ill-health prevented her. Only at the very end, for perhaps the last year of her long life, did she start to fade out of people’s lives, as her iron constitution finally began to fail. But I’m starting at the end. Let me return to the beginning.

Arguably it was possible for one secretary to run the town’s grammar school. Independent schools, without that big Council office behind them and with the need to collect the money in, count it and pay the bills, have become ever more complex organisations. As one office after another filled up over the years with administrative staff, Connie used to laugh good-naturedly about how she had run the place on her own. Mind you, she still was a remarkable worker even when she was approaching retirement. When I became Head in 1990 she was still running the entire admissions operation. She used to go into school on Boxing Day to start sending out the letters inviting registered applicants to come for the entrance exams in January. She would sort out all the post-examination interviews, too, and type up Patrick’s notes on them. It was an extraordinary feat every year, and she did it uncomplainingly.

Miss Constance Brough (she didn’t like taking liberties with her name or title), joined Wolverhampton Grammar School from Bilston High School, where she had been a secretary, in 1970. She came as school secretary. Just the one. That’s all schools had in those days, one secretary to act as PA (a term never heard in those days) to the Headmaster, and to run the entire school.

Notwithstanding all that, she was always eager – perhaps her friends and family would have said too eager – to help. A young and overambitious Head of Music, what could I do but accept her offer of help to type programmes beautifully, to sort out all the texts for carol concerts and Founders’ Day Services.And when I stopped being a music teacher and became head, she carried on helping others as she’d helped me.When I wrote my tribute in 1997, She replaced the redoubtable Mrs Chesterman, a I noted that “she would still always find time to legendary figure in her own right. Her first boss was help with typing colleagues’ dissertations, articles, Ernest Taylor, for all of a year. Ernest was renowned references and even letters of application. How as a high-profile head, big in the Methodist Church many teachers achieved higher things through a and in the Headmasters’ Association (HMA). She letter typed immaculately by Connie?” I wasn’t used to recall that she rarely encountered Ernest: alone. he would leave her letters to type on an earlymodel dictaphone. It wasn’t just typing, either. She was a dab hand with concrete. One fondly remembered tale concerns That was 1973. A year later Ernest Taylor retired, Patrick Hutton’s casual remark on a Friday that to be replaced by Tony Stocks. There followed a he was having a load of concrete delivered the warm and happy working relationship, and she and next day, to form a base for a large shed he was Tony remained in close and regular contact until purchasing to house his antiquarian books. “Have the end. you got your shuttering sorted out?” Connie asked. Patrick was nonplussed. “What’s shuttering?” In 1978 Tony elected to leave the transition to independence to another man, and Patrick Hutton Rather than let Patrick’s dearly-bought concrete was appointed. Together Connie and Patrick (with run away down the hill in his garden in Brewood, help from a lot of other people!) steered the Connie swung into action, organised John and school into independence. It was only a few years Florence Darby as helpers, and arrived briskly in into their working partnership that I first met Brewood. By the time the concrete lorry arrived, Connie, in 1981. there was a perfect arrangement of wooden shuttering in place to contain the cement and Even then independent schools were, in their way, create the required base. It was typical Connie. as different from the maintained as they are now.

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Yes, she used to overdo it. I remember in the mid90s she had a dreadful cough and chest infection that simply wouldn’t go away. The hacking would ring down the corridor – but she wouldn’t stop. She never stopped for anyone, except when they needed her help. She never complained, and always had a funny reminiscence and a cheerful word of wisdom. Riddled with superstitions – she would never pass the scissors directly, nor would she pass anyone on the stairs – she would laugh at her own foibles far more than those of others. She had the patience as well as the kindness of a saint. The congregation at her funeral on 28th December 2012 filled St Michael’s Church, Tettenhall. And that was just the people that could get there. She had a long and fulfilling life. She left many happy memories, endless examples of kind thoughts and good deeds, yet we still mourned. The world is a poorer place without her. Rest in peace. Bernard Trafford

COULSON (JIM) LACEBY

life, not just in the academic arena but also on the Sports field. I believe it was in those years that he developed his passion for Modern Languages, who ironically brought him back to the school in later years. On leaving the Sixth Form, Jim joined the Army Intelligence Corps and spent most of his time in Germany, further pursuing his passion for the language. Once back on English soil he was accepted into Manchester University where he completed a BA Hons in Modern Languages and it was in no doubt that this was the career path Jim had so eagerly anticipated. With his degree Jim went onto study further and qualify with a Teaching Diploma at London University which having completed, led him back to WGS in 1962. This time however it was as a teacher within the Languages Department, teaching both French and German too many pupils who will still remember him today. He was for several years Head of the Junior School too, always adding strings to his bow as they say. As I have been reminded on many occasions, my Grandfather was not just an enthusiastic and determined teacher but also a strict one! He believed in a fair but firm approach which in essence I believe is the reason for so many of his former pupils still remembering him with a grin; a balance which is not easy to master.

OW 1938-1945 – Headmaster At WGS Junior School 1962-1984

Sadly in 1984, he took early retirement through ill health however it is here that a new chapter of his life began with his wife Yvonne. Together they travelled the continent and spent many happy times in Pembrokeshire, even meeting up with a WGS Field Trip too, proving that he, like many others, couldn’t resist staying involved!

It is with a smile and a tear that I am writing this tribute to my Grandfather Coulson (Jim) Laceby who sadly passed away on the 6th June, 2013. Like many of you who read this, Coulson (or Jim as he was so fondly known) was a true ‘Old Wulfrunian’ and spoke so passionately about his time with WGS for as long as I can remember. He was very proud to become a pupil at the school in 1938 where he enjoyed every aspect of school

Jim was incredibly popular with his colleagues and made many close friendships throughout both his working and retired life. Many of those friendships remain to this day and it is a testament to what an inspiring and remarkable man my Grandfather really was. Married in 1951, he leaves behind his wife Yvonne, his son Rob, his daughter Anne who predeceased him and four granddaughters. Jim couldn’t have been happier watching his granddaughters grow up and all go through WGS, unable for us to visit without filling him in on how school life was going. As I said, an Old Wulfrunian to the end. Holly Laceby, Granddaughter OW1998-2005

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Mr Alfred Bowen

Mr Ian Wooding

Passed away last year 2012. His daughter wrote that her father remained proud of his education here at Wolverhampton Grammar School throughout his life, and she would like to wish WGS every success for the future.

Passed away 14th January, 2013 Ian was a lovely man. He was treasurer of the OWA way back and greatly helped Tony Phillips in the early days after he became involved with the OWA and OWC financial affairs. He regularly attended the dinners.

OW 1926-36

OW 1937-45

IN FOND REMEMBERANCE Mr Derek Shorthouse

Mr Laurence Graham Sidwell

OW 1943-49 Passed away 27th November, 2012.

OW 1956-63

Mr John Henry Hardiman

Passed away 5 May, 2013. It was with deep regret that Professor Keith Sidwell (OW 1959-66) brother of Laurence (known as Graham) informed us of his brother’s passing on 5th May, 2013. Graham was a noted local broadcaster for many years and a journalist on the Birmingham Post. th

OW 1965-72 Passed away 11th November, 2012.

Mr David George

OW 1939-47 Passed away before Christmas 2012.

Mr Peter Harrer

OW 1950-58 Passed away 31st January, 2011.

Mr Andy C A Bryce

Christopher John Godfrey Turner

OW 1978-85 Deceased 1st November, 2012.

Mr P F Astbury

OW 1953 - 59

Distinguished Byzantinist and Russianist, peacefully on Tuesday 30th July 2013, of complications of his Parkinson’s disease of eleven years. Beloved husband, father and grandfather, he was modest, intellectually brilliant, and full of practical common sense and personal holiness to the end. Irreplaceable. Funeral took place at St John’s Shaughnessy Anglican Church, Granville and Nanton, Vancouver, BC, Canada on Saturday 3rd August at noon. Donations in his memory to the Parkinson’s Society of Canada, the Wolverhampton Grammar School, Sidney Sussex College Oxford, or to the Christian or Humanitarian charity of your choice. Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness, my beauty are, my glorious dress; ‘Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head’.

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OW 1934-39 Passed away last year 2012.

Mr Derek James Woodward OW 1935-43 Passed away last year 2012.

Mr R K Chatergee

OW 1969-76 Passed away last year 2012.

Mr Lionel John Haynes OW 1935-39 Passed away last year 2012

Mr B Neville

OW Passed away June 2013.

Merchant Taylors’ Photography Competition Entry

William Core OLYMPIC

Merchant Taylors’ Photography Competition Entry

Owen Shave TORCH

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Wolverhampton Grammar School Compton Road Wolverhampton WV3 9RB 01902 421326 www.wgs.org.uk

Wolverhampton Grammar Junior School Compton Road Wolverhampton WV3 9RB 01902 392960 www.wgjs.co.uk

Registered Charity Number: 1125268

Wolverhampton Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. For more information on this aspect of the school, along with a copy of all WGSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s key policies can be found at www.wgs.org.uk

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