Friends who work outside education have asked me this term if school life is “back to normal”. The answer at Wolverhampton Grammar School is a resounding “yes”, thanks to the determination and dedication of students and staff alike. It has been a huge pleasure to watch top-quality cricket and rounders matches, attend superb drama productions, visit the excellent GCSE and A Level art exhibition, enjoy high-spirited sports days, listen to an entertaining summer concert and tag along on the Coast-to-Coast challenge. As I write, a group of our musicians is getting ready to tour Jersey, this being our first overseas trip since the start of the pandemic. With plenty more on the schedule for 2022-23, students will be travelling as far and wide as Iceland, the USA and South Africa.
In academic terms, the return to normality has no clearer statement than the restoration of public exams after a two-year hiatus. Those who achieved their GCSE and A Level grades through the Centre Assessment Grades process in 2020, and the Teacher Assessed Grades process in 2021, worked hard under stressful circumstances and were justly rewarded for their efforts and the ability they showed. But it has also been incredibly testing for the Upper Sixth and Year 11s of 2022 to rise to the challenge of their public exams, without the normal preparation of sitting GCSEs or internal exams over the years beforehand. They have kept their focus through their January mocks to the end of teaching and into their final revision and exams. I am proud of them all and grateful to the staff who have supported them so attentively.
I am also extremely proud of the runaway success of our two major developments at School this academic year: adding Junior School classes in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2; and reintroducing the House System to the Senior School after an absence of nearly 30 years. It seems
fitting that this was the year to expand downwards in terms of age, as some of those now leaving the Upper Sixth were members of the inaugural Year 3 when the Junior School opened in 2011. As well as allowing us to enhance still further the quality of pastoral care in the Senior School, the House System has engendered a new sense of belonging and a great deal of fun competition across many fields. The Summer term has provided a wealth of opportunities to reconnect with Old Wulfrunians across the generations. In late April we had a superb public event Empire Reflecting Back, co-hosted with Spectra, a social values agency based in Wolverhampton and headed by a current parent. Journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera (OW 1995) and British Asian Trust CEO Richard Hawkes (OW 1983) discussed with two other eminent panellists the experiences and reflections of Wolverhampton’s Black and Asian populations.
The term continued with: a London Reunion on the terrace of the House of Lords, very well attended by OWs aged from 94 to 20; a day of reminiscences by former pupils of Tony Stocks who taught at the School in the 1940s-50s and returned as Headmaster in the 1970s; a reunion of most of our 2012 leavers; the return of the OWs’ cricket festival. In the penultimate week of term, we were addressed at Prizegiving by the inspirational Sanjay Bhandari (OW 1986), Chair of Kick It Out, the football equality and inclusion organisation. This is just one of the ways in which current students benefit from the interest and commitment of OWs; another is for the three Upper Sixth Formers who have been awarded leaving scholarships generously funded by alumni to help them start university on the best possible footing.
Finally, I should like to pay tribute to three longstanding teachers who are retiring this
summer following a combined total of 65 years’ service to the School.
Mrs Petra Grigat-Bradley has taught Modern Languages since 1999, focusing primarily on her native German, advocating eloquently for the richness and relevance of its culture and sense of place and leading an untold number of trips to Stadt Hagen near Hannover and the Rhine Valley. She has also taught French, been a stalwart of the Running Club and managed successive German and French Assistants over many years.
Mr Peter Johnstone joined in 2000 as the School’s inaugural Head of Psychology, a post which he hands on to Mrs Keely Worsey (OW 2004) who is one of his former students. As well as being a memorable and expert teacher in the classroom, Mr Johnstone has been heavily involved in sports coaching and refereeing, trips and the Greenpower project through which he has shared his love of cars and his mechanical expertise with students Arriving in 2002, Mrs Patrizia Manzai has taught Italian – in the clear tones of her home region in Northern Italy – and French to students from Year 4 to Upper Sixth. Inculcating a love of good food has gone hand-in-hand with the teaching of language and culture, with students enjoying homemade treats cooked variously by Mrs Manzai herself or her daughter, a professional chef. In past years, Mrs Manzai headed the School’s Amnesty International group and directed Voluntary Service.
I am sure you will join me in wishing Mrs Grigat-Bradley, Mr Johnstone and Mrs Manzai health and happiness in the next chapter of their lives.
Alex Frazer Head
Mrs Rowley’s BBC Young Reporters Club is one of the many extracurricular clubs that students can take part in after school. This year all students were entered into the BBC Young Reporter Competition and we were delighted that Jaipal Uppal in Year 11 has been chosen as the West Midlands Regional Winner.
Jaipal’s winning report covered the issue of surrogate births and was inspired by the personal story of her Auntie’s journey to having a baby via this method. As part of her research Jaipal was able to talk to Kim Cotton, the UK’s first surrogate and founder of COTS
Through Surrogacy), the first UK
Vishwas, Jack, Ahmed and Tom raced in the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Formula 24+. This was the culmination of a year of hard work and dedication in designing and building a race-ready electric car as part of the Greenpower Trust Challenge.
Race Day did not come without its challenges and a breakdown in the first ten minutes due to a disconnected battery called upon quick thinking and team work to resolve the problem. Despite the initial hiccup, with Ahmed at the wheel, Team Old Gold was able to complete the required 18 laps within the hour.
Surrogacy Agency. Jaipal’s natural flair for journalism also caught the attention of those looking to change the surrogacy law in the UK. Since her win, Jaipal has been asked to share her experience and represent the views of other young people as part of a children’s surrogacy focus group, working with the Law School at Leicester University. She has also been invited to participate in the Children’s Conference for Surrogacy Law in November.
We are so proud of Jaipal and can’t wait to see the professionally produced version of her film which will be aired by the BBC later this year.
Residents at Arbour Lodge Care Home enjoyed an extra special Platinum Jubilee garden celebration thanks to the help of Offley House. Eighteen students were joined by Mrs Ray, Mrs Cuthbert and Mr Jeavons as they donned overalls and got to work painting fences, jetwashing flagstones and planting up some new colour in the garden. Garlands of red, white and blue bunting provided the perfect finishing touch to the newly renovated garden.
The Greenpower Education Trust is a UK charity that aims to inspire young people globally to engage with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) through participation in motorsport. Tom and Vishwas, who have been part of the team this year, are interested in pursuing an engineering degree at university and both feel this unique experience has been invaluable. Mr Villafrati and Mr Johnstone have been running the Green Power Project Club on a Tuesday lunchtime and you can sign up again in September, either as a returning member or a new one!
Huge thanks go to Mr Thacker and The Walsall Wheelbarrow Company for their generous donation of plants, hanging baskets, fence paint brushes and paint, compost, gardening and disposable gloves, trowels, forks, flexi tubs and even a bright blue wheelbarrow!
The annual Coast 2 Coast Challenge is a firm favourite for all the staff involved and it is always rewarding to see a new group of students take on this amazing feat each year. The progress from the first days of training at school, to the actual day itself, running across the country from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay is incredible. Needless to say the highs and the lows are not just referring to the terrain! Every single member of this year’s team has worked together, digging deep when the lack of sleep and physical toil called upon their last reserves, and in the process have raised a fantastic £7,500.
This year our Coast 2 Coast team was made up of nine Year 10 students: Mason Holles, Luke Hemmings, Kyla Robinson, Caleb Laing, Sachi Bhambra, Nacardo Lewis, George Margetts, Elliot Woodall and Jasraaj Sandhar. They chose to support Teenage Cancer Trust and were given an extra boost by a family
friend of the team, who came to see the minibus depart from school. Morgan, who has been receiving treatment for Leukaemia over the last two years with the support of Teenage Cancer Trust and Birmingham Children’s Hospital, buoyed the team by explaining what a difference their support would make to others like him, through raising vital funds for this important charity.
On a glorious, sunny May morning, the 2022 team assembled at 7am on St. Bees beach in Cumbria to begin their journey. As is tradition, a Wolverhampton Grammar School tie was dipped in the Irish sea to symbolise the start of this momentous journey. After the gruelling 170-mile journey which covered some of the steepest hills in England, the team successfully arrived in Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, 25 hours and 52 minutes later the tie was ceremonially dipped in the North Sea by a happy but tired team.
During the course of the challenge, the team more than doubled their fundraising target for Teenage Cancer Trust and received messages of support online from Teenage Cancer Trust North West & Cumbria. We are extremely proud
of Mason, Luke, Kyla, Caleb, Sachi, Nacardo, George, Elliot and Jasraaj who at 9-strong, were a slightly smaller team than usual but still completed the course in a very respectable time.
A special thank you to Mr French, Mrs Harris, Mrs Dyer, Mr Johnson, Mr Crust, Mr Jones, Mr Griffiths, Dr Bradley and Mr Frazer for supporting the team during their 16-week training schedule and throughout the course, and to the parents who have been there from week one of training, all the way to the finish line.
We would also like to thank our sponsors and supporters who contributed to this year’s challenge, including:
• Shingler Group who provided our Coast 2 Coast hoodies.
• RMW Electrical who sponsored our red training tops.
• Premier Sports for supplying our red training tops.
• Holroyd Howe for the supplies of water, food and snacks for the students.
• The Friends for supplying our day sacks.
"On the 28th May, a group of nine students started the fabled Coast to Coast challenge. After 16 long weeks of vigorous training, we were more than ready! As a team, we decided to pick the Teenage Cancer Trust as our charity. It was essential to us that the money we raised was going to a well-deserving cause.
For me, the hardest part of the challenge was the training. Whether it’s running every day or waking up early for circuit training, it all adds up. In my opinion, Fridays were the hardest; we had to do one early morning run in the cold, a quick lunchtime run, and then a final long after-school run. However, this training teaches you more than just how to run; it teaches you to be resilient and to persevere even when you don’t think you can run any further.
Thanks to the hard work put in during the training, the run itself was a great experience. We ran for half an hour at a time through the meandering roads of northern England and then passed the tie to another teammate.
The dread of a steep hill and the anticipation of getting out of the bus into the dark at 2am was a huge challenge but nonetheless, we persisted and managed to finish the course in just under 26 hours. I am really proud to have been a part of this year’s team."
Mason HollesIf you would like to support the Coast 2 Coast 2022 challenge you can still donate here using our secure JustGiving Fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wgscoast-2-coast2022
This term, working in partnership with Authors Aloud UK, we have enjoyed a bumper crop of author and illustrator visits to WGS. We have also extended this opportunity to 12 local schools, reaching over 500 children!
Our first visit was from bestselling children’s author and science educator, Lucy Hawking. 60 students from St Bartholomew’s Primary School, Penn Fields School and Caldmore Primary Academy joined our Years 3, 4 and 5 children for an afternoon of science, storytelling and saving planet Earth. Lucy shared her passion for science, inspired
by her late father Stephen Hawking. She enlightened the children on contemporary scientific topics such as climate change and extreme weather. Students were also lucky enough to be given a sneakpeak into Lucy’s latest climate-conscious bestselling book series ‘Princess Olivia Investigates: The Wrong Weather’ and were able to have their own copy signed.
Chris Smith of BBC Radio 1 fame was our next guest. His visit marked the launch of his latest fantastically funny book, Frankie Best Hates Quests. In the book, Frankie’s grandad gets kidnapped by gnoblins forcing Frankie to embark on a rescue mission across a magical realm filled with strange creatures, dangerous enemies and, worst of all, absolutely no WiFi! Years 4, 5 and 6 along with Year 7 students from Beacon Hill Academy and Our Lady & St Chad Catholic School, enjoyed hearing Chris read an extract from his latest novel and were privy to Chris’ list of storytelling secrets!
The Jenyns Library has been a busy venue at the weekend as well as during the School week. Illustrator Lydia Monks gave a workshop with Mrs Rowley for Year 5 students at their Discovery Day ahead of joining Senior School. The
book What the Ladybird Heard illustrated by Lydia, featured again in a Discover Reading Day in conjunction with Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). It was brought about through links with Old Wulfrunian, Dr Stephen Hegedus, the Dean of SCSU, who put us in touch with three Professors in Education. The transatlantic partnership will reinforce the importance of reading for young children of primary school age.
On the day, WGS hosted a ‘Farm on Wheels’ bringing to life the farmyard world of What the Ladybird Heard by Julia Donaldson. Award-winning author and illustrator Peter Horáček was also there to share his books and illustrations of different farm animals. It is hoped that this landmark event will be followed up with several more activities, all of which will have a positive influence on literacy rates in our local community.
As the half-term drew to a close we launched the 4th Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award celebrating a selection of children’s books published in the previous year. Head Librarian, Mrs Rowley, who came up with the concept, is passionate about encouraging children to read for pleasure and works tirelessly
to facilitate a myriad of opportunities for our students and the wider community. As a result, we are now attracting some very big names in the publishing world and WGS is fast becoming an extremely popular destination for author events!
The Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award asks children aged between 9 and 13 years to read a range of fiction and nominate books for a long list. A short list of titles is then drawn up from which the children vote for their favourite book. The Award involves not just WGS students, but children from across the region. It was a pleasure to
Primary Academy, Brewood Middle School, Beacon Hill Academy, Pool Hayes Academy and Merridale Primary School to this year's award ceremony on Thursday 30th June. The shortlisted titles for 2021 were: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, The Great Dream Robbery by Greg James and Chris Smith, Anisha, Accidental Detective: Show Stoppers by Serena Patel and The Hideaway by Pam Smy. It was wonderful to welcome three of the authors to the award ceremony.
Pam Smy, Serena Patel and Chris Smith led workshops, offered tips for story writing and illustrating, and shared some of the inspiration behind their work. We are sure that the next generation of writers were inspired!
By popular vote, this year’s winner was Pam Smy for her powerful and thought-provoking book The Hideaway. Pam was presented the award by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Sandra Samuels.
Our final author visits of the term included five-time BAFTA nominated sibling duo, The Brothers McLeod. Myles enthusiastically read and acted out snippets of their comedic Knight Sir Louis
book series whilst Greg drew along as the story unfolded. The afternoon was enjoyed by Year 5 and 6 who were joined by students from Penn Fields School.
Lastly as part of the Year 6 Induction Day we welcomed Francesca Gibbons to introduce the magical world from her bestselling series, A Clock of Stars. Following her presentation, Francesca helped us to launch this year's Wolverhampton Young Authors' Prize and Summer Reading Challenge with a magical writing masterclass. Thank you to Christ Church Junior School and Glenthorne Community Primary School for joining us for this event.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes to Mrs Rowley and Mr McAllister for their continued enthusiasm and dedication to promoting a love of reading at WGS and beyond. They were recently shortlisted finalists in the Association of Marketing and Communications in Schools (AMCIS) 2022 Awards in the category of Outreach and Partnership. Given their sterling work engaging local primary and secondary schools in literacy events this was thoroughly deserved and we are very proud of them.
For well over three millennia, the story of Jason and his fellow Argonauts has enthralled the world. Jason’s quest to obtain the fabled Golden Fleece and bring it back to his homeland is a magnificent story of grit, compassion and revenge.
Over the centuries many versions have been recorded, but the essence of the story remains the same: an adventure of epic proportions. Although it is believed that the story was first told in about 1,300 BC, the most authentic and comprehensive version comes much later in the 3rd century BC from Apollonius, head librarian at Alexandria. His account ends, however, before the return of Jason to Iolcus. Hereafter, much of the story is culled from common tales.
In their no-prop, no-scenery adaptation, using a script created by Splendid Productions, our young actors in Years 7-10 transported the audience to ancient Greece, as we joined Jason and his 'Argonauts' on their voyage across the Aegean Sea. The audience of family,
friends, staff and students was royally entertained and we are extremely proud of our young actors for returning to (or making their debuts in) the Hutton Theatre. They conducted themselves like true naturals despite the long wait for the return to live theatre. The cast’s
humorous and comedically timed delivery made for an entertaining two-night run of this epic tale. Well done!
Thank you to our production team: Mark Payne, Director & Lighting, Mark Blything, Assistant Director, Ray Curran, Musical Director and Ian Tyler, Stage Manager. The production would also not be possible without those working tirelessly behind the scenes - Kevin Petford on Set Construction, Assistant Stage Manager Krishna Gudipati and Graphic Design by Harriet Leith.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, Year 6 have been working tirelessly towards their production of Alice in Wonderland, WGJS's first staged Year 6 show since 2018!
Last year saw the children recording and editing their performance of 'Wind in the Willows' as a feature-length movie, but they finally came back to a full-scale musical with a live audience on 5th and 6th July in the Junior School Hall.
With features from classic characters such as the Dodo, the Mock Turtle and the almighty Queen of Hearts, the script combined the novel and the animated movie storylines to best show off the talent in the year group. Gorgeous music and harmonies, extravagant costumes, dancing and bold performances entertained a thrilled audience on both nights.
Whilst the show has been directed and choreographed by Miss Austin, the Year 6 children were in charge of lighting, sound and stage managementa difficult feat to pull off at age 11, and a wonderful testament to the independence of this year's Year 6 cohort - bravo everyone!
Following their victory in the Lady Taverners Indoor Cricket Competition last term, our Under 13 Girls went on to finish joint runners-up in the Regionals, narrowly missing out on medals by runs scored. After the Tournament, they enjoyed a tour of Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
opening game, and again vs the Old Wulfrunians XI! The team returned dominant achieving a 10 wicket victory vs King Edward’s School following the exam period.
Students in Year 6 to 8 benefited from a masterclass with former Olympic Hockey player Kali Takher. Kali was born and schooled in Wolverhampton and went on to achieve 104 international caps for England and Great Britain during his hockey career. He delivered a skills session on the Astro followed by a Q&A. We are sure that some invaluable tips were picked up ahead
Meanwhile Boys’ cricket has been in full bloom with outstanding performances across the age groups. U13 Captain James Margetts achieved a 6 wicket haul vs Derby Grammar and Vice Captain Ansh Kohli had two tremendous innings of 75 not out and 50 retired vs OSH and Derby Grammar respectively. 1st XI Captain Adithya Manigandan scored an impressive century in the season’s
Special congratulations go to the U12 boys, who made WGS history by reaching the District Cup Final for the first time in 12 years and came away with runners-up medals.
What a season it has been for WGS football! The U12, U14 and U19 Boys all reached the City Cup Finals and the U19s were City Champions ending their season with a fantastic 2-1 win over Heath Park to bring home the Alan Thompson trophy. In what was a typically tight match, Heath Park scored first but then missed a penalty on the stroke of half time, which was to prove vital. After the equaliser, WGS scored a second time and under the strong leadership of skipper Tom they held on well until the final whistle. Congratulations to Max Thompson in Year 11 who was chosen as Man of the Match for scoring the first goal and putting in a solid performance throughout the whole game.
Congratulations to Charlie Hulme in Year 10 who has just qualified for the English Open Gymnastics Championships, the second biggest competition in the country. He achieved a qualifying score competing in the London Open in March. Charlie’s goal at the English Championships, where he will compete at U18 level, is to qualify for the British Championships. With gymnastics being such a big sport at this year’s Commonwealth Games there will be lots to inspire him in his training –good luck Charlie!
Not to be outdone, the U12 Girls also secured victory and were crowned the inaugural winners of the Girls’ City Cup winning 7-0.
Did you know that WGS offers a Sport Scholarship for Sixth Form? We are currently taking applications for entry in September 2023. Contact Mrs Morris in our Admissions Team email: jam@wgs-sch.net for more information.
After an all WGS game with our U12A playing our U12Bs in the semi-final, the U12A team went through to the City finals along with the U13A, U14 and U15s. We are thrilled that all four teams have qualified for the finals this season. Due to the short summer term, these are due to be played in September.
The Area Athletic City Finals took place on Wednesday 6th July at Aldersley Stadium and we had great team success with our Year 7 and 9 girls finishing in 2nd place, and Year 7 boys and Year 10 girls finishing in 3rd place. The Year 10 boys were crowned City Champions and Captain Nacardo Lewis proudly collected the trophy. Special congratulations go to our individual Gold Medallists: Year 7: Gabrielle Ilugbo (Shot Putt), Zara Patel (Javelin), John Junior Addo (100m), Nashe Kasinganeti (300m), Zara Patel, Chenice Laing, Gabrielle Ilugbo and Nashe Kasinganeti in the Girls’ 4x100m Relay, Year 9: Zena Asbury (1500m and Triple Jump) and Year 10: Eve Beards (Triple Jump), Nacardo Lewis (100m, 200m and Long Jump), Kyla Robinson (300m) and Destiny Nwachukwu (Shot and Discus).
Adding to our silverware, at the end of term we were invited to the Wolverhampton Area PE and Games Presentation at Grand Station to receive an impressive haul of 10 trophies gained by WGS teams over the last year in football, netball, indoor athletics, table tennis and cross country.
Our Junior School students have had fantastic success in the WASPS tournaments played this term. In Swimming, we were Silver Medallists in the boys' and girls' individual and relay events. Our U11 netballers were unbeaten in the league and in their first WASPS final they came a respectable 4th in the whole Wolverhampton area. In Football, the U11s were group winners in an unbeaten run up to the semi-finals but were just pipped to the post by the opposition who were the eventual cup winners.
At the Ratcliffe Cricket festival we were extremely proud to win all 3 games including our first ever win against the sporting stronghold that is Solihull School. Outside of school Gurjeevan Athwal scored 49 runs and took 5 wickets for Warwickshire U11s.
Taking part for Wolverhampton, and beating Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley Schools, our junior athletes took part in a range of sportshall athletic activities, including relays, high jump, standing long jump and speed bounce. We were crowned overall winners of the event, receiving our gold medals from Gymnast, Olympic and double Commonwealth gold medallist, Craig Heap.
Ahead of their Music Tour to Jersey this July, the Music Department has had a busy Summer term at WGS.
In the Junior School, students have continued to enjoy a wonderful array of musical opportunities. The Junior Teatime Concert was a delightful display of solo and ensemble talent, including performances by Flute Club, Recorder Ensemble and the newly formed 'Composition Collective', who wowed with a beautiful performance of their own evocative composition Changing Seasons. This term also saw the first ever Infant Teatime Concert, with bold and beautiful solo performances on the piano, voice and violin, alongside a rhythmic percussion class performance by Year 1 and a brilliant display of recorder talent by Year 2.
Year 3 have enjoyed class lessons on the violin with our Head of Strings and all Junior school students have continued to develop their recorder skills with an impressive number of children gaining bronze, silver, gold and, for the first time ever, we presented platinum medals for achievement.
Director of Music, Mrs Cuthbert, and Mrs Nicholls took a group of our Junior School students to join 5,000 other children from 108 schools at the 2022 Young Voices Concert at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham. The day began with a long and exciting afternoon of rehearsals, followed by the big concert in the evening. Wowed by a wonderful line-up of professional artists including the Urban Striders dance group and the Beatbox Collective, the children had a fantastic time singing and dancing the night away to hits including Mambo Italiano, and they enjoyed making friends with students from other schools.
Life is always busy for our Music Scholars and on the 25th May Year 7 scholar Davina Dennis and Year 9 scholar Jasamar Gakhal were selected to perform in a recital evening run by Wolverhampton Music Service. The concert showcased some of the most talented pupils from Wolverhampton and beyond, many of whom were Sixth Form students. The girls performed exceptionally, holding their own among a much older and more experienced group of performers. Davina performed a lively dance by Madeline Dring on the oboe and Jasamar performed the hauntingly beautiful Vocalise by Rachmaninov.
Piano has been the focus for competitions in both the Junior and Senior School this term. The Judge Malcolm Ward Piano Competition involved 12 junior finalists and 7 senior finalists. Congratulations to Isaaq Dingwall in Year 7 who won the Junior Cup and joint runners-up Aymann Rayyan (Year 9) and Charlotte Chung (Year 8). In the senior competition the winner was Samuel Ezeazu in Lower Sixth performing Merry-Go-Round of Life by Joe Hisaichi with Jenny Chan as the runnerup. There was an impressive display of
talent across both competitions as we were treated to an array of classical, contemporary, and jazz numbers. Well done to all involved!
Non-traditional music has been an exciting addition to the music curriculum this term. Harjit from Azaad Arts visited School to conduct dhol workshops for our Year 7s. Students were introduced to traditional Punjabi Folk instruments and learnt about their history and international emergence into the modern music scene. Everyone then had the chance to play a small dhol themselves. Mrs Cuthbert is currently surveying students to garner interest for instrumental lessons on the tabla, dhol and harmonium. Please do get in touch if you would like to know more by emailing Mrs Marson on exm@wgs-sch.net.
featuring in the television broadcast was Lower Sixth Music Scholar, Laura Partha Sarathi, who has been recognised for her talent in Carnatic singing.
Congratulations go to both Dharam Sangha (Dhol) and Leah Gopal (Voice) who are the incoming Sixth Form Music Scholars for 2022 and to Isabelle Mason who has been awarded an exhibition for her excellent flute playing. It is also wonderful to see so many talented young musicians emerging from the Junior School and we are delighted to award scholarships to Arrun Abbi (Piano) and Rose Harvey (Violin) as well as a vocal exhibition for Charlie Hamill.
Mrs Cuthbert is now inviting applications for Music Scholarships for September 2023 entry into Year 7 and Sixth Form. Whether it is voice or instrumental, our music scholarships offer discount on fees and free instrumental music tuition on one instrument whilst at school. More details are available on the School website: www.wgs.org.uk/admissions/ scholarships-and-bursaries.
As the academic year came to a close there was just time for our Summer Concert which included impressive performances by the Junior String ensemble and a joyous rendition of Walking On Sunshine by the Year 4 ukulele group. It was also a showcase for some of the 26 students from Years 7 to 13 who are headed for a Music Tour of Jersey. The Big Band, String Ensemble, Flute Choir and Vocal Group will perform at Mont Orgueil Castle, Howard Davis Park and in a collaborative show with the Jersey Academy of Music at Chateau Vermont. We are sure they will have a fantastic time!
One of our more accomplished dhol players is our future Sixth Form Music Scholar, Dharam Sangha in Year 11. Dharam has been playing for 10 years and was recently filmed for an ITV news piece as part of a celebration of South Asian music. Those able to attend the Spring Concert earlier in the year were wowed by his dynamic playing. Also
ABRSM and Trinity examinations have continued this summer and 47 students in Years 2 to Upper Sixth have sat exams ranging from initial grade to grade 8 on a wide variety of instruments. Our WGS musicians have also supported events including the Wolverhampton Community Games Baton Relay and Big Band
As royal fever hit the country, the Junior School children were busy with preparations for their special Jubilee Week ahead of the half-term break. Throughout the week, students participated in plenty of fun Jubileethemed activities including cake sales, bunting making, and a penny trail. In addition to the penny trail, each year group organised a Jubilee-themed stall and these included ‘Pin the Crown on the Queen’, ‘Guess the name of the Corgi’ and a Jubilee Fruit Machine. All monies raised throughout the week will go towards the Junior School chosen charities for the year – Birmingham Children’s Hospital, RSPCA and WaterAid.
The celebrations ended on a high with a royal street party on the playground. The sun was shining and there were big smiles all around. As we wished Her Majesty The Queen a very happy Platinum Jubilee we also sent her the winning portrait entries from our Jubilee House Art Competition. We think you will agree these all look rather splendid!
Congratulations to our winners:
• Reception - Iyla Baden
• Year 1 - Amelia Khanom
• Year 2 - William O'Neill
• Year 3 - Isaac Campbell-Castle
• Year 4 - Zaine Cole-Equiano
• Year 5 - Aarin Patel
• Year 6 - Chidimma Iwuorah
Visitors were wowed by GCSE and A Level artwork on display at the 50th Annual Art Exhibition. The large scale A Level pieces were all individually hung from the ceiling of the Hutton Theatre, providing an extra special setting for some truly exceptional pieces of work. GCSE students’ work was displayed upstairs in our stunning commercial art exhibition space known as the Viner Gallery.
Years 2-6 embarked on their residential trips to enjoy a few days of fun and adventure in the great outdoors. Read on for an account of some of the exciting things they got up to!
After a quick 30-minute journey, a very excited group of Year 3 students arrived at Laches Wood Outdoor Education Centre. They were greeted by typical drizzly English weather but that didn’t dampen their spirits. An afternoon of climbing, caving and team building ensued and it was lovely to see the children support each other when some members of the team were a little nervous to enter the caves.
In the evening everyone re-fuelled with a delicious roast dinner and headed back out to the field for a run around before the evening activitythe photo trail! Exhausted from their first day of activities, the children had just enough energy left to enjoy a comforting hot chocolate with marshmallows before bedtime.
After a good night’s sleep (eventually!) and a hearty breakfast, the students were re-energised and ready for the day ahead. Year 3 were then joined by Year 2 who, on arrival, were faced with the challenge of making their
Year 3 went orienteering and on a blindfold trail, followed by canoeing. Year 2 enjoyed making a fire and toasting marshmallows, followed by a spot of shelter-making for the resident teddies of Laches Wood. The day ended with everyone joining in with songs around the campfire.
On their final day, it was Year 2's turn to try orienteering and take on the blindfold trail. This involved lots of teamwork and communication and also helped to develop their map reading skills. Meanwhile, Year 3 were learning bushcraft, and were taught how to build a shelter to survive in the wild. They also had a go at making a fire using a flint and steel, toasting marshmallows once they were successful!
All too soon it was time to jump on the bus and head back to school. The children couldn’t wait to tell everyone about their adventures.
On the way to Blackwell Court Year 4 took a small detour to Avoncroft Museum for an immersive Tudor experience. Activities included brickmaking and using the ‘wattle and daub’ method to construct a wall. Students were then taken on a tour of the extensive grounds, which included a Tudor house, air-raid shelter and windmill.
Year 5 arrived at their destination earlier and started off with a spot of lunch before getting settled into their pods. Students then all split up into groups and got stuck into their activities. These included: crate stacking, Giant’s ladder, archery and team building challenges. Everyone had a blast and really challenged themselves.
Whilst Year 4 were enjoying hot chocolate and winding down for the evening our Year 5 had other plans and set off to experience orienteering and rocket building. The challenges continued the following day with zip-lining, team building activities, archery, caving and outdoor climbing. Meanwhile, Year 4 took on tree-trekking, indoor climbing, ziplining, and crate stacking.
On their final day all groups enjoyed the last two activities with the 3G Swing and the Fan Descender being particular highlights!
This year the Junior School was extra excited to gather down in the Valley for the start of their Sports Day as this was the first time the Infants had taken part. The youngest members of our WGS family certainly got stuck in, and they jumped and ran with all their might! It was a lovely family occasion as parents and siblings assembled with their picnic hampers for the traditional Junior School Sports Day picnic and The Friends offered extra refreshments of freshly picked strawberries with cream. In the red, green, yellow and blue camps dotted around the field there was tremendous camaraderie on display. As the scores were announced by Mr Cothey everyone waited with bated breath – would it be Attwood, Barnes, Campbell or Derry? This year’s winners were… Attwood! The trophy was lifted by triumphant House Captains Rose Harvey and William Evans amidst lots of cheers.
For the Seniors the sun was beaming down on Moreton’s Piece and the House flags and bunting signalled the beginning of a competitive afternoon of sport. The
Offley Monster and Moreton’s Ninja Turtle were also braving the heat to cheer their teams on! This was the first time we have competed as Houses and it made for a terrific atmosphere with some recordbreaking performances.
As part of the day, Year 11 and Sixth Form are invited to take part in the pentathlon which is made up of the 100m and 800m, plus a choice of three more throwing or jumping events. A strong field of 25 athletes competed. Congratulations to Safa Mahmood and David Osamudiamen who came first respectively in the girls’ and boys’ competition. The best individual athletes in each year group were awarded the Victor and Victrix Ludorum trophies based on the number of events won and the final points were totalled up to give our overall House winner…with 870 points the cup went to Moreton!
On Friday 24th June there was an excited buzz about school; Big School was festooned with House garlands and flags and a familiar looking sorting hat had been laid out in preparation. This could only mean one thing…the much-anticipated House Reveal Day had arrived!
The Heads of House assembled with their newly appointed House Prefects and introduced themselves to the Year 7s, each one vying for new members and promoting the benefits of joining either Jenyns, Moreton, Nechells or Offley. Offley even had their own blue monster mascot at the ready!
As the students were called forward to lift the sorting hat and reveal their destination, there were cheers and whoops as everyone got into the House spirit. Each student received a House tie and a welcome postcard from their Head of House.
As part of our continued focus on pastoral care we are pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Maggie Keeley as our new Head of Wellbeing. Mrs Keeley will be launching a new Wellbeing Programme in September. This will see students in all year groups being taught by a specialist group of teachers in the Wellbeing Department, and covering topics such as forming positive friendships, diversity, online and real-world safety, mental and physical health, first aid, personal finance and much more. This will be enhanced by a group of guest speakers and enrichment activities.
Mrs Abbi, School Counsellor, whose core role is to provide one-to-one counselling to those who require it, has also been busy this term offering exam drop-in support sessions to Year 11 and Upper Sixth. In addition she has recently run self-confidence, self-esteem, and assertiveness workshops for small groups of students who have requested this, and will continue to offer such workshops going forward.
In September Mrs Abbi will meet with every new Year 7 student to help them with their transition into Senior School. In
another new initiative, we have recently appointed Piya Dhatt and Jai Kanda in the Lower Sixth as Prefects to mentor Year 7 students throughout the year.
As research has proven, wellbeing education not only helps young people to achieve their potential by supporting them in tackling issues that can affect their ability to learn, such as anxiety and unhealthy relationships; it also helps students to develop skills and aptitudes including teamwork, communication, and resilience. These attributes are crucial to navigating the challenges and opportunities of the modern world and are increasingly valued by employers.
Please look out for our WGS Parent and Student Wellbeing Surveys which will be coming out in September.
WGS staff and students marked Mental Health Awareness Week from 9th to 15th May with our own “Wellbeing Wednesday” in the Jenyns Library. This year the Mental Health Foundation’s theme was loneliness and the impact it can have on our mental health. Undoubtedly the pandemic has had a huge impact on our connections with others but we are continuing to foster a sense of community and belonging at WGS. The pastoral team at WGS which includes Mrs Keeley, Miss Jones, Heads of House and Mrs Abbi, ensures that our wellbeing care is as individual as our students and that everyone feels valued.
It was a great joy to be able to return to St. Peter’s Church for our annual Prizegiving, the first time we have been able to hold our ceremony there since 2018 due to the norovirus and then coronavirus outbreaks. During these last few years there have been multiple disruptions but our students have continued to excel and achieve beyond their expectations. These successes were recognised in the many awards presented to students in Years 7 to Upper Sixth by guest of honour and OW, Mr Sanjay Bhandari.
Sanjay is a former student and attended our Sixth Form in the mid-80s. He graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Law and went on to have a very successful career as a litigation lawyer before switching to a career in business consultancy. In more recent years Sanjay, a life-long football fan and recognised leader of equality, diversity and inclusion practice, has been a vocal advocate for inclusion in English football in his role as Chair of the charity Kick It Out. We thank him for his fascinating address and for presenting the awards to our 2022 prize winners.
An extremely proud Mr Peters welcomed parents to our first ever WGS Infants’ Speech Day. The children thought about ways to ‘be brave’ and talked about the people that might inspire them to try new things. Prizes focused on the Junior School rules of kindness, politeness and doing one’s best. A musical treat included the Year 2 recorders and featured some of our Junior School musicians. At the Junior School Speech Day later the same day, the children were encouraged to “just be you”, safe in the knowledge that we celebrate diversity here at WGS. As Year 6 prepared to move on to senior school, they shared their experiences and performed a rousing medley from their recent production of Alice in Wonderland.
We are so proud of our Class of 2022 who have taken the exam season in their stride, applying themselves diligently and undertaking their public exams without the benefit of having sat for GCSEs in Year 11.
In anticipation of a lively last day, our Upper Sixth were whisked away to expend their energies paintballing at Warped Sports, Cosford. Having worked up a good appetite it was then time to return to School for a special Leavers’ Lunch in Big School accompanied by parents and teachers. Mr Frazer thanked some of our most longstanding parents, who through elder siblings of our 2022 leavers, amount to an association with
Wolverhampton Grammar School of up to 22 continuous years!
It was a lovely way for our Upper Sixth to mark the close of their time as students at WGS and to say their goodbyes. They were also excited to receive the much-coveted Leavers’ Hoodies and Year Books offering lasting mementos of their WGS journey.
Before the end of term, the muchanticipated Upper Sixth Leavers' Ball was held at South Staffordshire Golf Club giving rise to one final celebration. Thank you to The Friends who organised an official photographer to capture the event.
We now welcome our Class of 2022 to join our ever-growing Old Wulfrunian community; we are sure that Mrs Erskine and her team will be inviting them back to Compton Road before too long!
Students in the Senior School enjoyed a fun-packed final few days of term. The return of ‘Activities Week’ provided the opportunity for students to experience a range of extra-curricular activities and trips, all chosen and designed to further develop skills, knowledge, teamwork and leadership whilst at the same time being a lot of fun!
For Year 7 their residential trip to Oaker Wood marked the end of a busy and productive first year in the Senior School and it was a chance to show how well they could work together as a team. They also tested themselves with a variety of outward-bound activities.
Years 8 and 9 enjoyed a day trip to Warwick Castle to learn about its incredible history dating back to the Norman Conquests. They were able to walk on the walls, climb the motte, and experience a falconry show.
Back at school they took part in a practical science and engineering experience STEM Day and an array of Problem Solving activities. Students developed their teamwork and communication skills through a carousel of different tasks; these included ‘Tyres of Hanoi’ and Spider
Ball; whilst another called the ‘A Frame’ involved balancing one of the group on the frame only using ropes to keep the frame in place and upright. As well as a lot of action there was plenty of guidance on the importance of reflecting to improve progress, learning to accept all types of feedback and taking on leadership roles.
Year 10 had an extremely busy few days: a trip to Ackers Adventure Centre saw them engaged in bushcraft, tubing and disc golf, whilst at Wolf Mountain Climbing Centre they undertook caving, archery and climbing. At School, as well as Lower Sixth students, they experienced the Challenge Academy which was designed to improve performance and develop planning and problem-solving skills through a range of outdoor activities and challenges.
Finally, Lower Sixth students had a go on the ‘Mobile Big Rig’, and they scaled the dizzy heights of the high rope course at Go Ape in the Wyre Forest. Going from the great outdoors to the confines of a prison cell, their final experience was to immerse themselves in the life of an inmate at Shrewsbury Prison before attempting to undertake an escape room in one of the prison cells.
What a fun, action-packed final week of term. It must be about time for a summer holiday!
Children in Year 4 and 5 were given the opportunity to participate in a Bikeability course at school, run by Wolverhampton City Council. Bikeability is the modernday cycling proficiency, designed to help children build confidence on their bikes whilst improving their cycling skills and bike control. It also addresses road cycling safety, instructing children how to ride on the roads correctly.
The children learnt how to prepare for a journey, check their cycle ahead of setting off, slowing down and stopping, signalling and pedal control. This gave them a great foundation for demonstrating the skills necessary to move to Level 2 which is recommended for students in Year 6.
Congratulations to Vishwas Kumar and Ella Grew who shall step into the highly esteemed Head Boy and Head Girl roles for the 2022/23 academic year.
Vishwas and Ella joined the School in Year 7 and Year 5 respectively, and both aspired to be Head Boy and Head Girl from the beginning of their time at Wolverhampton Grammar School. When asked why they wanted to fulfil these roles, Vishwas commented: “I wanted to contribute back for everything the School has given me."
Vishwas is currently studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Chemistry, and hopes to study Engineering at university, with dreams of pursuing a career in Formula 1. Ella studies Biology, Chemistry, and Maths, and shall be applying to study Medicine at university.
Both students have been highly involved in the wider aspects of school life, particularly through their sporting endeavours.
Congratulations to our new Teacher of Wellbeing and Games, Mr Martin, who was the fastest male runner along with Mrs Harris, the fastest female, in this year’s Walker Memorial Mile. Several members of staff were joined by students to run the mile around Moreton’s Piece in memory of former student Chris Walker who tragically died in 1983.
Vishwas has been a valuable hockey player throughout his school career, and has been awarded the role of Captain for his final year. Ella has also represented the School playing hockey and netball, and was a respected member of the resilient 2020 Coast 2 Coast Team. Vishwas and Ella are also both trained Peer Supporters, which is a fine reflection of their caring natures and leadership abilities.
When asked what they value the most about the School, both students expressed appreciation for the sense of community and support available. Ella reminisced about her earlier days at the School: “People are so friendly; it immediately makes you feel more at ease." The three words Vishwas and Ella would use to sum up the School are: ‘Welcoming’, ‘Community’ and ‘Inspirational’.
Our new Lower Sixth House Captains Harry Davis and Nana Appiagyei (Offley), Thomas Watson and Sophie Newey (Jenyns), Thomas Frith and Jenny Chan (Moreton), Amar Sidhu and Natalie Saunders (Nechells) were voted in this term. They join Head Girl Ella and Head Boy Vishwas along with our new Year 7 Prefects Piya Dhatt and Jai Kanda to form the new prefect team. They recently received their prefect ties from Mr Frazer and have already been busy helping out at school events.
Whilst the Queen’s Baton was travelling the globe ahead of the Commonwealth Games, WGS was delighted to be involved in the Wolverhampton Community Games generating excitement closer to home. Along with schools across Wolverhampton, we were assigned to represent a Commonwealth country and invited to take part in the Wolverhampton Community Games baton relay. Our nominated country was Grenada.
part in their own baton relay. Following the Junior School baton relay, members of Year 8 ran a full circuit of the athletics track before the baton moved from ‘Grenada’ and on to ‘Nigeria’ represented by Merridale Primary School.
Tennis & Squash Club on Friday 1st July. The students took part in table tennis, boxing, squash, wheelchair basketball, wrestling, cricket and archery. They met Commonwealth squash player Declan James who is taking part in this year’s Games, as well as retired Paralympic athlete, Mel Clarke, who won silver in the 2012 Olympics.
The baton was received from students of Wolverhampton Girls High by our Junior School House Captains. A huge celebration then took place on Moreton’s Piece. Music Scholars played the national anthem of Grenada and students joined in a celebratory dance to Grenadian music before every Junior School pupil took
As a continuation of the Community Games baton relay, 26 Year 7 students participated in the Wolverhampton Roadshow at Wolverhampton Lawn
As the real Commonwealth Games draws closer, we celebrate that Lucie Halford in Year 8 has been selected to bear the official Games Baton in recognition of her sporting commitment to gymnastics and her representation at the British championships. Lucie trains hard, at least five times a week, but still finds time to dedicate to her academic studies as well as sporting commitments on behalf of WGS. Good luck Lucie!
If you would like to hear more about anything featured in this edition of The Independent please contact the School email: info@wgs-sch.net
Wolverhampton Grammar School
Compton Road
Wolverhampton
WV3 9RB
01902 421326
www.wgs.org.uk
@WGS1512
Wolverhampton Grammar School Official
Wolverhampton Grammar School
Wolverhampton Grammar School
Friday 2nd September 2022
Induction Day for Year 7 and Lower Sixth
Monday 5th September 2022
Term begins for all students
Saturday 8th October 2022
Whole School Open Day
Friday 21st October 2022
Founder’s Day – no afternoon School
Monday 24th October 2022 –
Friday 4th November 2022
Half term
Friday 16th December 2022
End of term (School finishes at 12.30pm and School Transport departs at 12.45pm)