Senior School students perform Shakespeare's most popular comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream
ALSO IN THIS EDITION: J ulia Donaldson and Lydia Monks bring stories to life for children in Wolverhampton
Meet this year's Coast 2 Coast team
A ctivities and Adventures in Arthog
So far in 2022, there has been a great deal to celebrate in and around School. I hope you enjoy this edition of ‘The Independent’ which reports on some highlights of the Spring term and looks forward to more after the Easter holidays.
In mid-March you may have seen a story on BBC Midlands Today or in the Express & Star about our very successful public event at Grand Station in Wolverhampton with the renowned children’s author Julia Donaldson and the illustrator of several of her books, Lydia Monks. We were delighted to host 900 children from over 40 state primary schools in and around our city to a show in which Julia, Lydia and Julia’s husband Malcolm brought her stories to life with song, dance, acting and audience participation. Later in the day, Julia, Lydia and Malcolm conducted a storytime session for our Reception and Year 1 children before officially opening our Infant playground. The Gruffalo was also in attendance!
The day was the brainchild of WGS Head Librarian, Zoe Rowley, who – in addition to the great work she does in School – runs a fantastic network for librarians and literacy lead teachers in local schools, sharing her insights and the author events and literary competitions that she organises for the benefit of children across Wolverhampton and beyond. You may remember the entertaining visit in November of Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, which was broadcast live from WGS to an estimated 80,000 children in schools up and down the UK.
The next public event to take place at School will be focused more towards an audience of adults and older students. On the evening of Thursday 28th April, Times journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera (OW 1995) will be joined by three other erudite speakers and thinkers to discuss a number of the themes emerging from his book Empireland and television series
Empire State of Mind, which was partly filmed at WGS and broadcast on Channel 4 last October. Chaired by television presenter Arti Halai, the panel will cover a number of areas under the title of ‘Empire Reflecting Back’, with a particular focus on the experiences and reflections of Wolverhampton’s Black and Asian populations. Promising to be a thoughtprovoking and lively evening, the event will be free to attend and information on how to book a ticket will be sent out soon via our social media channels.
Our ability to entertain parents, friends and supporters at School is firmly back now, and our first full theatre production since 2020, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was an absolute treat to attend just before half-term. Our young actors and actresses, led by the indomitable directorial duo of Messrs Tyler and Wood, performed at an incredibly high standard and provided a feast for the senses, including music, stage-fighting, mistaken identity, disguise and absolute mastery of Shakespeare’s verse and complex dialogue.
The Spring Concert on the evening of Monday 28th March opened the last week of the term, with a fantastically varied programme of instrumental music and song from across the ages and around the world. Our young instrumentalists and singers, aided by the Music Department, raised the roof of Big School with the quality of their performances and the sheer fun of many of the numbers. Roll on the Summer term and Jazz Spec!
This term we have also been down to London to honour our historical affiliation with the Merchant Taylors’ Company. Four WGS Design Technology students made it to the finals of the MTC Schools’ Design Competition which was judged at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in early March. The Hall was also the venue towards the end of term for the confusingly titled but
extremely enjoyable Doctors’ Dinner – not for medical types, but for the Heads and Head Boys and Girls of all the schools affiliated to the Company.
Our connection to the Merchant Taylors’, which goes back to our foundation in 1512, does still make a difference to WGS and its students. We have just been granted, for example, full funding for a bursary place for a student joining Year 7 in September 2022. Thanks to the generosity of the Merchant Taylors’, therefore, we have been able to extend the opportunity of a transformative WGS education with full fee assistance to one more child than normal for the coming intake – something to celebrate indeed!
Alex Frazer Head
World Book Day is an occasion where the entire School community is encouraged to celebrate books and reading. As part of this year’s celebrations, students in the Junior School dressed as their favourite book characters whilst the entire School was invited to take part in our Where's Wally? House competition. Over 200 children entered this challenge and were awarded with House Points for locating the ten images of Wally hidden around the campus.
There have been a number of fundraising events across the school this term, raising nearly £3,500 in total. The Senior School held a Ukrainian ‘Yellow and Blue’ Appeal day to raise money for the Polish Red Cross who are helping Ukrainian refugees crossing the border into Poland. This, together with a collection in the Junior School raised over £1,900. Junior School also held a ‘Rainbow Day’ raising over £200 for this year’s Junior School charities. A Senior School non uniform day raised over £1,100 for Epilepsy Action and this year’s Coast 2 Coast team kick-started their fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust with a Samosa sale, raising over £200.
Thank you for all of your support for our fundraising efforts.
Our book themed menu in the Derry also proved to be very popular, as children enjoyed items which included Mr Twit’s wormy spaghetti and Harry Potter inspired chocolate frog cakes.
Finally, our annual World Book Day quiz was a great success and we would like to congratulate all students who took part.
Our bank details have changed. We are now banking with Lloyds and our new bank details are:
Account Name: Wolverhampton Grammar School Ltd
Sort Code: 30-18-56
Account Number: 29721460
Please update your records for all future payments.
Don’t worry if you have made a payment to our old account recently, it will be forwarded to our new account.
During the School holidays, our Main Reception is open from 8.30am - 4pm, Monday - Friday, and our staff are always on hand to answer any questions. You can contact the School by: Email correspondence via info@wgs-sch.net
Telephone: 01902 421326
Parent Portal
Social Media: @WGS1512 Wolverhampton Grammar School Official Wolverhampton Grammar School
Wolverhampton Grammar School
The Summer term commences on Tuesday 19th April (a ‘blue week’ for the two week timetable).
After a hiatus of two years, thanks to the pandemic, WGS theatre came back with a bang with a thrilling production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Playing to three packed houses every night, the cast put on an extraordinary show that was testament to all the hard work and commitment they'd been putting in since October.
Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, tells a tale of four young lovers who flee to a forest which is ruled by mischievous sprites and a feuding Fairy King and Queen who are at war over an orphan child. Their paths are crossed by Bottom, Quince and their keen amateur acting pals rehearsing a play which they hope to present at the Duke’s wedding. Chief mischief-maker Puck is on-hand to ensure that the course
of true love and play rehearsals are anything but smooth. Chaos, fantasy, love and dreams all ensue in Shakespeare’s most beguiling comedy.
"It was lovely to see so many students in the Hutton Theatre, many of whom had never been lucky enough to see a school production before," Mr Wood commented.
A hearty well done to all involved - we're already looking forward to the next show that will be on just before half term in May. Make sure you book your tickets early!
On Tuesday 15th March we were delighted to welcome former Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson, her husband Malcolm, and award-wining illustrator Lydia Monks to Wolverhampton for a day of storytelling, singing and drawing. Children in Year 2 and Year 3 joined over 800 children from more than 40 local schools in enjoying a wonderful morning event at Wolverhampton’s Grand Station, in which Julia performed What the Ladybird Heard and Lydia led a group draw-along. This was a fantastic experience for all, with every child in attendance gifted a free copy of What the Ladybird Heard.
Mrs Rowley commented: "It was an honour to welcome both Julia and Lydia to Wolverhampton to meet hundreds of children. As one of the most successful children's authors and illustrators, the duo delivered a brilliantly entertaining event, which brought well-loved stories such as A Squash and A Squeeze and What the Ladybird Heard to life. It truly is a privilege to be Head Librarian at a School that works to extend its reading provision far and wide to encompass so many young people and, by gifting every child with a signed book at this event, we have inspired over 900 children to begin their reading journey."
alongside the amazing Mrs Rowley in helping to arrange unforgettable author events for so many children," Mr McAllister said.
In the afternoon, children in Reception and Year 1 had their own special storytime in the Jenyns Library with Julia, Malcolm and Lydia, after which Julia and Lydia officially opened the Infant School provision.
"It was a great thrill to afford hundreds of children from Wolverhampton Grammar School and other local schools the opportunity to meet Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. The event was wonderfully interactive, with children singing songs on stage with Julia, participating in a draw-along with Lydia and meeting the fantastic Gruffalo. The School's generosity in gifting a free signed copy of What the Ladybird Heard to every child in attendance was the perfect way to reinforce the message that reading for pleasure is so important for all children, and I am so proud to work
Thank you SO much for putting on the event today at the station. My daughter was incredibly excited about going and we were a bit worried she’d be disappointed because her expectations were so high. But she wasn’t - at all! She enjoyed all of it and came back absolutely delighted. And it was so generous to give her (and all the children) a book. Such a lovely experience for her!
Ms Jackson
Parent from Woodfield Primary School
Well done to Annabelle Hayes in Year 2 and Ethan Braitch in Year 3 for representing the School so well in the morning event, whilst a huge thank you goes to Julia, Malcolm, Lydia and the Gruffalo for making such an unforgettable day for so many children.
Residential stays allow children to develop greater independence and confidence. For many, a residential trip may be the first time a child has been away from home. This term Year 6 enjoyed a three-day residential trip to Arthog, Wales.
Parents and fellow students could keep up-to-date and follow the adventures of Year 6 from their Arthog Blog by Mr Cothey. Here's a snapshot of just some of the adventures they got up to:
After a three hour journey full of singsong and lots of ‘How long till we get there?’ type questions from a very excited Year 6, we finally arrived at a windy Arthog.
Group activities on site proved excellent for team building: rope balancing, team problem solving and walks to the beach were enjoyed by all.
The salty air whipping off the sea was a bracing start to the trip - coupled with some shell finding, washed-up jellyfish on the beach and sand dune climbing proving great entertainment.
A hearty meal later, with many children opting for seconds of an excellent roast dinner, the students got their kit back on for a night time walk. Stunning views of the lights over Barmouth and a chance encounter with a half-asleep flock of sheep blocking our path were great talking points, prior to a hot chocolate and biscuit before lights out.
Mrs Brown, Mr Palmer, and Mrs Whyton began the ‘Arthog Room Inspection’ process and the students really impressed with their made beds, tidy bags and neatly swept floors (yes Mums and Dads, they really can do it!).
The groups were then divided into Mountaineering and Canoeing for whole-day adventures.
Mountaineers managed to fit in: harnessed rock climbing, scrambling and even a ‘summit bid’ for two groups with an ascent into the clouds! Rock climbers all achieved personal bests and supported each other fantastically on the wall itself and with the walks to and from the rocks.
The canoeists found the going tricky on the windy Mawddach Estuary and, after battling the conditions, ended up wading through the sand and mud as the tide gradually receded. A tough day with a lot of resilience, perseverance and tenacity demonstrated as well as some leadership skills to the fore.
Exciting challenges on our second full day enthralled the students and they continued to impress with their enthusiasm towards the activities and each other.
Mrs Whyton and Miss Yates’ groups hiked in the morning and took to the gorge in the afternoon. To begin the day, stunning views awaited the children, who were wowed by the splendour of North Wales’s rocky ridges and lakes.
Mr Palmer, Dr Bradley and Mrs Brown’s groups began with a gorge walk and moved onto canoeing after lunch. Finally, fun challenges on the lake meant the children learnt how to manoeuvre their canoes (cue lots of spinning vessels and facing the wrong direction) and how to work as a team to race and play ball games on the water. Another optional submerge in the lake was breath-taking for those who decided to take the plunge.
As the evening drew to a close, a birthday celebration lifted the spirits and a good sing-song left the children feeling warm and cheery.
You can read the full blog (and see lots more pictures) in the Junior Section of the Parent Portal.
Swap butter for dairy-free quite as luxurious.
Throughout this term our awardwinning caterers, Holroyd Howe, have produced some fantastic theme days from Valentine’s Day to St Patrick’s Day. Our personal favourites were the special menu created for World Book Day and the Gruffalo cakes made for the visit of Julia Donaldson. In the last week of term, we were delighted to sample some tasty Easter treats.
600g butter
600g dark chocolate
10 large free range eggs
400g caster sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
300g plain flour
100g cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
12 Crème eggs, cut in half length ways
2. Melt chocolate and butter in bain-marie. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
1.Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
3.Beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until the mixture becomes thick, creamy and pale in colour.
4. Slowly add the cooled melted chocolate and butter to the egg mixture.
5.Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt, fold into egg mixture.
6. Transfer to a parchment lined gastro tray and lay the creme eggs evenly across the brownie with the inside of the egg facing up.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until set with a slight wobble in the centre.
8. Cool and chill overnight before portioning.
Makes 12
300ml unsweetened soya/oat milk
50g dairy-free spread
500g strong flour
10g fast action dried yeast
70g caster sugar
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. mixed spice
50g sultanas
60g plain flour, mixed with a little cold water to form a pipeable paste
Method
If you would like to sample them for yourself, why not try out one of these recipes over Easter?
Makes 24
400g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
170g shredded wheat, crushed
400g mini chocolate eggs
1.Put the plant based milk in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once simmering, add the spread, remove from the heat and allow to melt. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Mix the strong flour, yeast, sugar, salt, sultanas and spices in a mixer with a dough hook. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture, combine and knead on a medium speed for 10 minutes.
Works well with most cereals - Popped rice, taste great!
3.Cover and leave in a warm spot to rise, for 1hr or until doubled in size.
4. Turn the dough back onto the surface and divide into 12 even-sized pieces. Roll each one into a ball. Arrange the buns on the baking sheet, leaving a 2cm space between each one.
5.Cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to prove until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 190°c.
6. Remove the cling film then using the flour paste mixture, pipe a cross over each of the rolls. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
Workswellwithmostcereals-Poppedrice,cornflakesandgranolaall
Addflavoursintothenests–suchasdriedfruits,seedsordesiccated
7. To glaze, warm 2 tablespoons apricot jam and brush over the slightly cooled buns.
Desiccatedchocolatechipsandorangezest coconutandglacecherry Whitechocolatechipsanddriedcranberries
Method
1.Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie.
Add flavours into the nests – such as dried coconut. The possibilities are limitless… simple easter nests Makes 24 400gmilkchocolate,brokenintopieces 170gshreddedwheat,crushed 400gminichocolateeggs Method 1.Meltthechocolateinabain-marie. 2. Pour the chocolate over the shredded 3.Spoonwheatandstirwelltocombine.
cupcakecases(orlightlygreasedcupcake
2. Pour the chocolate over the shredded wheat and stir well to combine.
4. Place3minichocolateeggsontopofeach. Chillthenestsinthefridgeuntilset.
3.Spoon the chocolate wheat into 24 cupcake cases (or lightly greased cupcake or muffin trays) and press the back of a teaspoon in the centre to create a nest shape.
4. Place 3 mini chocolate eggs on top of each. Chill the nests in the fridge until set.
Now in its 24th year, the annual Wolverhampton Grammar School Coast 2 Coast challenge involves a group of Year 10 students running the 170 miles from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire as a tag team in just 24 hours. This year’s Coast 2 Coast challenge will start at 7am on Saturday 28th May from St Bees, with the aim of arriving in Robin Hood’s Bay by 7am on Sunday 29th May 2022.
In preparation for their challenge, the students undertake 16 weeks of extreme training before, during and after school. The team is coached and supported by School staff throughout their training and the challenge itself; with special thanks to Mr French, Mrs C Harris, Mr Hancox, Mrs Powell, Mr Griffiths, Mrs Wainwright, Mrs E Harris, Mr Doman, Mr Humphreys, Mr Palmer, Mr Anderson, Mr Jones and Miss Yates. Parents and siblings also support the team along the route and celebrate their huge achievement at the end of the challenge.
The team is made up of the following Year 10 students: Sachi, Luke, Mason, Caleb, Nacardo, George, Kyla, Jasraaj and Elliot.
This year, the team has chosen to fundraise for Teenage Cancer Trust. The charity has a specialist unit in almost every major NHS cancer treatment hospital across England, and funds expert nurses, youth support coordinators and multidisciplinary team
co-ordinators to provide the very best care and support for young people facing cancer.
Alex Frazer, Head of Wolverhampton Grammar School, said: “Last year’s team raised over £8,000 for The Haven Wolverhampton and I was in awe of their utter determination and commitment to completing the challenge. I have no doubt that this year’s team will raise an incredible amount for Teenage Cancer Trust and I look forward to joining them along the route in May.”
Before the end of term, the team held a Samosa Sale to help raise money towards their fundraising target of £3,000. Staff and students in the Senior School and Sixth Form supported the team and raised £206.05 - well done everyone!
We were thrilled to welcome Laura Ellen Anderson to our School in March 2022 to help us celebrate World Book Day. Laura is the best-selling children's author and illustrator of the highly successful Amelia Fang series, and she introduced to Junior School students her latest best-selling book series, Rainbow Grey
Laura led an interactive draw-along for students, before talking about what inspires her as an author and illustrator. At the conclusion of the event, Laura signed copies of her books and posed for photographs with students who had dressed in rainbow inspired clothes for the day.
Thank you to Merridale Primary School for joining us for this event.
Sponsorship opportunities are available as well as your donations of course too!
If you think you could offer any support, contact Caroline Harris at School email: cah@wgs-sch.net or donate on their JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wgscoast-2-coast2022
This term, Year 5 have been working tirelessly on their performing arts cabaret, Apart Together, which celebrates the hardships and changes we overcame during lockdown and the resilience that friendship and laughter afford us. With a mix of monologues, instrumentalists, dance and musical theatre, the show that they produced, with the help of Miss Austin and Miss Bassett, was enjoyed by cast, crew and audience alike! Next term, the Junior School will be getting to work on their Year 6 production to round off the year on a high!
The Wolverhampton Young Authors’ Prize is an annual creative writing competition established by Wolverhampton Grammar School. The competition challenges young people, aged 8 to 16, to write an original, short story in no more than 400 words around a particular theme, with this year’s theme being ‘The Journey’
We were thrilled to see over 300 students enter this year's competition. As a reward for the quality of their stories, 100 students from six local schools were shortlisted and attended Wolverhampton Grammar School in February 2022 for the Grand Final. Best-selling authors Jenny McLachlan and Ben Davis joined us for an afternoon full of fun and imaginative activities.
Jenny and Ben read aloud the winning stories, before handing out trophies to the winners and runners-up in the respective age categories.
Year 11 student, Mayashan Sharmadekker will be taking part in her first international wrestling competition in April where she will compete and represent Great Britain in Spain. Mayashan has been practising the sport for two years and first got accepted into the regional squad after winning gold at her first wrestling
competition. A few months after her win, she was invited to a trail to represent Great Britain and was accepted into the team; she then completed her training and was appointed captain of the U17 & U15 girls squad. Following this great success, Mayashan then went on to compete at the English Championships in March where
Many congratulations to Harry McGrath, Tulsi Koria, Gurjot Kular and Devina Sharma, who joined students from Bilbrook Middle School, Pool Hayes Academy and Coppice Performing Arts School in being chosen as the best story writers.
she won all her fights to reach the final and won Gold!
Congratulations on this fantastic achievement, Mayashan; we look forward to hearing about her international competition in the Summer term.
Congratulations to Lucie Halford in Year 8 for competing at the Gymnastics British Championships on Thursday 24th March, at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool.
The four-day event saw gymnasts from across the country showcase their best artistic routines in front of a panel of judges.
Lucie took part in the Women’s Espoir Under 16 competition, and performed a phenomenal routine on the beam, as well as taking to the floor. Well done, Lucie; we can't wait to hear more about your next competition!
Following two years of cancellations and postponements, we are delighted that school trips have been able to resume due to the relaxation of Covid rules.
Providing an exciting and fulfilling life outside of the classroom is key to a child’s physical, mental and social wellbeing, and is something we pride ourselves on offering at Wolverhampton Grammar School.
This term, Junior School children have spent time at Dudley Zoo, West Midlands Safari Park, Carding Mill Valley and the Botanical Gardens. In Senior School, Lower Sixth artists enjoyed an Art Gallery
Many of you will already know our Admissions Registrar, Mrs Jane Morris, who plays a pivotal role in getting to know our children during our recruitment and admissions process, so that we understand them and their needs before they even join our School.
In September, Mrs Morris welcomed a new member of staff to the team, Mrs Pindi Rai, following Mrs Robert's successful appointment as one of two Alumni Engagement Officers along with Miss Jacques, to form the Development Office trio with Mrs Erskine.
Mrs Rai joined the School following 13 years at St Edmund’s Catholic Academy in the City. Mrs Rai is delighted to join the Admissions team and has already enjoyed meeting many of our current and prospective families at a variety of events this year.
"I've been welcomed into the School community with open arms; the team are incredibly friendly and I love the variety my role brings each day. Touring families round our beautiful school is a pleasure and I feel proud to work for one of the oldest schools in the country", Mrs Rai commented.
Mrs Morris and Mrs Rai have welcomed over 300 families to School this term; our Senior School and Junior School Open Days were a great success following the decision to invite families in to school for an individual tour of our facilities.
Preparations are well underway to welcome our new Year 7 students to the Senior School, and we look forward to meeting them all at our New Parents' Evening on Thursday 5th May.
& Museum Trip and Year 10 had their first taste of Duke of Edinburgh, enjoying their first Bronze training walk in the March sunshine.
In the Summer Term, we are looking forward to Geography field trips for Year 10 and Lower Sixth, the Year 7 residential to Oaker Wood and the Music Department tour to Jersey. 2022/23 sees the return of overseas trips, with students travelling to Porto, Holland, Iceland, Austria and France!
There are limited places available in Reception and Years 3–6 for September 2022 and we encourage families to contact the Admissions team by telephone: 01902 422939 or email: admissions@wgs-sch.net if you would like to register your child for a place at
Peer Support
Meet some of our Peer Support team:
Higher Education and Careers Forum 2022
A detailed bio from each OW was shared in advance, enabling students to make an informed decision about which talk to attend. OW's shared thoughts around what influenced their decisions to choose the subjects they did at GCSE, A Level and university. How to make the most of Open Days and the university experience were also topics of clear interest and full of useful, relevant and relatable advice. Our guest speakers helpfully shared insight into their journey from WGS to where they are now - the highs, the lows and most memorable moments. They talked about their career paths, both conventional and unconventional, and encouraged students to have the confidence to think outside of the box –and to basically, take flight!
A huge thank you to our OWs –Helen Clinton (OW 2016), Poppy Flint (OW 2004), Geneva Hoffman (2017), David Jackson (OW 2008) Jenny Wilson (2011), James Cox (OW 2019), Talia Sinnott (OW 2016), Tom Steel (OW 2018) and Ben Ward (OW 2021) for giving their time and sharing their experiences!
Friday 18th February was the inaugural Wolverhampton Grammar School House Talent Show, where each House put forward two acts to compete in what turned out to be a diverse and inspirational competition. Early in the term, the House and Vice Captains were tasked with holding auditions and finding the acts that would represent their respective Houses. The auditions had an incredible turnout, and many entertaining skills were on display, including stand up comedy, a cricket demonstration and a confusing yet highly entertaining rendition of the 12 days of Christmas from Jomi Hamzat in Year 9. The sold out show managed to raise £146.60 for Place 2 Be, a youth mental health charity. Each performer did themselves proud, and even though Mr Jackson-Turnbull tried to gatecrash the event by disguising himself as a Ninja Turtle playing the Drums, the show was a resounding success. The judges had a tough time deciding the final winner, but eventually settled on Tar, and therefore it was a victory to Jenyns.
The acts that were put forward to compete in the House Talent Show were:
Jenyns Representatives:
Lucie Halford - Gymnastics
Tar Dzvengwe - Singing
Moreton Representatives:
Freddie Hodgetts - Drum solo Shalom Ndereyimana and Mohini Samanta - Duet
Many thanks to our Old Wulfrunian judges: Tom Watson (OW 2012), Laura Simms (OW 2017) and Greg Rollason (OW 2010) for returning to School to enjoy the show!
Old Wulfrunians Tettenhall Cricket Club (OWTCC) has a long association with WGS; players both past and present have attended, or currently attend, the School.
A family friendly club, OWTCC celebrates its centenary this year. It is also one of over 2,200 clubs and centres registered with the England and Wales Cricket Board to run All Stars courses.
The programme provides children aged 5-8 with a wonderful first experience of cricket. They will learn fundamental movement skills including catching, throwing and batting, with a clear emphasis on fun!
U6N Form Feat D.J. Blything and M.C. Guidotti - Boomwhackers
Natalie Saunders - Singing
Ryan Mehan, Karam Shergill and Zacky Jan - Martial Arts
Demonstration
Summer Bloor - Singing
The Year 7 talent completion gave a fantastic opportunity for Year 7 students to show their talents and skills to their friends and peers. 12 acts performed over two morning assemblies with acts ranging from comedy to singing. Olivia Woodall was the overall winner with her rendition of Save Your Tears by The Weekend played on her violin.
Are they 5 – 8 years old?
Why not register them for the 2022 ALL STARS 8-week cricket programme?
The Summer term always promises to be full of exciting activities and this year is no exception. With an array of House competitions due to take place, Senior School students can look forward to:
• Cricket & Rounders and Sports Day
• DLS Football Game and Chess Competitions
• Spelling Bee and Pokemon Go contest
The next 8-week course begins on Friday 8th May. For further details contact Old Wulfrunian Chris Hallam: chris.hwolves@blueyonder.co.uk.
Well done to all students who took part in the first Minecraft Competition before the end of term in Big School. Congratulations to Jenyns for coming out on top in the competition, followed by Nechells, Offley and Moreton.
We are really excited to announce that Discovery Day is returning to Wolverhampton Grammar School after a two year break due to Covid.
A group of students in the Senior School have been attending BBC Young Reporter Club.
BBC Young Reporter is the BBC’s journalism and media project supporting young people to develop content creation skills, find out about careers in broadcasting and share their own stories. This has seen students provided with the tools to report in their own words on topics about which they are truly passionate. Topics chosen by our students include surrogacy, social anxiety, the lack of diversity in Formula One, computer science and the effect on butterflies of climate change. To help with their reports, students have interviewed several prominent people, including Britain’s first surrogate mother and an expert lepidopterist.
We congratulate the following students for their hard work in producing original and passionate video reports:
Jaipal Uppal
Harry Wade
Edoardo Candido
Elliot Woodall
Alfie Cockell Gwinnett
All students’ reports have now been entered into the BBC Young Reporter 2022, and we wish them all the best of luck in the competition.
On Saturday 14th May, the School will open its doors to Year 5 children across the city and beyond to come and experience a day in senior school. This popular event has been designed with Year 5 children in mind and will provide
Well done to everyone who took part in the Easter Fun Run on Thursday 31st March.
A House point was awarded for every student who took part and a Good Conduct Award was given to every Junior School student.
The three best costumes across all runners were awarded a small prize by Mr Hughes – congratulations to Seb Tapper in Year 3, Harry McGrath in Year 4 and Tapiwa Mpedzisi in Year 7.
them with an opportunity to explore curriculum topics that they may not have experienced before. Children will also be able to enjoy more familiar subjects such as Geography, Music, Sport and Art and will enjoy a delicious lunch provided by our award-winning catering team, Holroyd Howe.
If you have a Year 5 child or know somebody who may be interested in coming along to this free event, please register online at www.wgs.org.uk/discoveryday or contact the Admissions team at admissions@wgs-sch.net
Elliot Woodall in Year 10 and Hattie Thomas in Year 6 were awarded trophies for being the first boy and girl to cross the finish line.
Keep your eyes peeled for more sporting activities in the Summer term; we can't wait for Sports Day!
Wolverhampton Grammar School hosted its annual Dance Showcase this term, with a repeat performance to a sold-out audience on Wednesday 30th March. Featuring over 50 dancers across the Junior, Senior and Sixth Form, performing a range of styles.
Year 8 students enjoyed learning about the French festival, La Chandeleur, with Mrs Munson and marked the celebrations by making crêpes with Holroyd Howe in The Derry.
Our U18A and B girls' teams ended a successful season by securing first and second place in the City Tournament this term.
The Year 9 and 10 tournaments also saw great success with our Year 10A team winning, and the Year 9A team coming runners-up in their respective age categories. Well done to all involved!
Upper Sixth student, Kate Fitzpatrick is this year's Dance Captain and played a pivotal role by showcasing leadership skills and her natural talent for performing.
With special thanks to Miss Manning and the Sports Department for their commitment and encouragement during months of rehearsals and practice.
Year 2 have been studying ‘Sensational Safari’ as part of their curriculum this term. To enhance the children’s understanding of this topic, they visited West Midlands Safari Park on Tuesday 22nd March. During their visit, the children had a guided tour of the safari drivethrough and visited other animal enclosures and trails.
The move to Sixth Form is a natural progression for Year 11 students at Wolverhampton Grammar School and children are already being prepared for this move, but did you know that we offer taster days for external Year 11 children to come and spend the day in Lower Sixth? Children have the opportunity to spend the day experiencing those subjects they are interested in studying at A Level and can also explore our Sixth Form facilities. For further details regarding this and any other taster days, please contact the Admissions team at admissions@wgs-sch.net
The end of term saw the return of the Spring Concert in Big School with a variety of musical performances by students and staff.
During this year's concert, a collection was held for the Polish Red Cross who are supporting frontline work at the Ukrainian borders.
Mrs Cuthbert, Director of Music, is delighted to add more Music trips to the School calendar. This year students will be performing at Young Voices in Birmingham, and to conclude the academic year, the Summer Concert will take place on Friday 8th July 2022 and the department will be going on Tour to Jersey during the Summer holidays!
We were proud to host an art exhibition celebrating A Level work from schools across the region this term.
The exhibition was sponsored by the Arts Society of Wolverhampton, who were delighted to award the judges three favourite pieces with individual prizes of £100. This was a fantastic opportunity for schools across the West Midlands to come together to celebrate all students and their exceptional work.
The School's Viner Gallery was the perfect setting to host the exhibition and the event provided a chance for the Art Department to celebrate its reopening following its closure during the pandemic.
Part of the show was also dedicated to the successes of the British Art Show 9 (BAS9); a group of Wolverhampton Grammar School students worked with artist Sophie Huckfield to create a BAS9 film titled “Many Hands Make Light Work”, which was displayed in the gallery and can be viewed online – visit: www.vimeo.com/666489860
If you would like to learn more about how to hire our facilities, contact Abigail Elliott, Lettings and Visits Administrator at School telephone: 01902 421326 or email: lettings@wgs-sch.net
The staff Wellbeing Committee organised a Wellbeing Coffee and Cake morning on Thursday 24th March. Staff were invited to pop along to Big School for refreshments and a chat. As well as encouraging staff to take a short break from their busy day, the Wellbeing Committee provided information and tips to staff on how they can look after their mental wellbeing.
Signs of Spring around campus always guarantee to put a smile on the faces of staff and students as the realisation that Summer is on its way, and the nights will be soon be getting lighter, filling us all with positivity.
We're delighted that Carrie Bennett will now be providing the School with her creative, sustainable flowers and foliage from her garden, the Shropshire landscape and British flower farms.
Looking after our environment is key and we’re pleased that our bouquets have minimal flower miles, are organic and environmentally friendly.
Carrie's bouquets are also delivered in 100% natural, biodegradable and compostable material.
Carrie is passionate about gardening, sustainability and the environment and has teamed up with Moongate Plant Centre to teach workshops to people on how to grow cut flowers, vegetables and fruit.
If you would like to enquire and get in touch with Carrie about a bouquet or ways she can support your special occasion, email: carrie@carriesgarden.co.uk for more information.
Four students at Wolverhampton Grammar School had their creative designs shortlisted as part of the Merchant Taylors’ Company Design Competition.
The competition was open to all Year 10 – Upper Sixth students from Merchant Taylors’ Company affiliated schools. Students were given the task of identifying a design problem and coming up with a solution.
Charlie Hulme in Year 10 was shortlisted in the intermediate category for his glasses tracker design. In the Senior category Lower Sixth student Vishwas Kumar was shortlisted for his finger heater design, and Upper Sixth students Charlie Hesson and Jacob Gilkes for their multi-functional living and recycling designs, respectively.
Simon O’Malley, Head of Design & Technology, commented: “I’m delighted that our students have been recognised for their original designs. The competition has given them the opportunity to expand on their creative thinking and problem-solving skills using innovative design methods.”
Mr O'Malley, Mrs Clancy, Charlie, Vishwas, Jacob, and Charlie visited the Merchant Taylors' Hall in London for the Grand Final on Wednesday 9th March. The students enjoyed showcasing and discussing their ideas to other participating schools and had the opportunity to experience a special tour of the building.