Wulfrunian 2021

A MAN WITH A BIG HEART, A VERY SPECIAL MAN

John Johnson shares an insight into his 47 years’ experience at School, as he celebrates his 70th birthday.

IN

Making Sense of Cellular Senescence Memories from School

Discovering DISCOVERER

Welcome to the 2021 edition of the Wulfrunian magazine

With life gradually getting back to a ‘new normal’, Old Wulfrunians and current students have had a busy year, filled to the brim with awards, honours and a whole host of inspiring activities and achievements.

In this issue we have a plethora of features from our Old Wulfrunians including insight from long-standing member of staff John Johnson, former Sunday Times journalist David Mills (OW 1981) and a trip down memory lane from Tim White (OW 1970).

We also celebrate the successes of S ENISCA CSO Professor Lorna Harries (OW 1988), researcher in aerodynamics Nicholas Crisp (OW 2008) and Habitat Design award-winning Sophie Hickman (OW 2018).

If you have a memory to share or a story to tell, family news or a promotion to celebrate, an idea for a future event or a plan to visit School, do get in touch; we would love to hear from you!

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Welcome from the Head

With much relief, the Summer and Autumn terms allowed us to restore not all, but many of the enjoyable events that bring fun to the calendar of any school. One such was the OW Sports Festival in September, where I was delighted to share in advance celebrations for the 70th birthday of our ‘Wulfrunian’ cover star, the indefatigable and unique John Johnson. This edition’s fascinating profile of JJ captures his own reflections and those of others across his 47 years’ service to WGS in a variety of roles that continues to this day.

From my perspective, JJ has already been a big part of my experience of the School since I joined as Head in September 2020, going out of his way to encourage me in that subtle, reassuring and steadying way in which I know he has boosted so many students, colleagues and friends over his professional life. As the custodian of many important WGS traditions, he has been on every one of the 23 Coast-toCoast challenges, for instance. Since C2C happened twice in the 2020-21 academic year (albeit once in Cannock Chase under restrictions), for me that meant two enjoyable periods of time up hill and down dale with JJ, not to mention the obligatory Robin Hood’s Bay breakfast followed, after a sleep, by the celebratory dinner in Doncaster. JJ has maintained the Chris Walker memorial mile over nearly 40 years: it was incredibly moving to welcome Chris’s brother Alan (OW 1981) to the 2021 event and hear his praise for how JJ has

kept Chris’s memory and example alive for generations of Wulfrunians since.

As one of the Heads of House when the system was discontinued in the 1990s, JJ has been around long enough to see the wheel turn and Houses return to the Senior School in the form of Jenyns, Moreton, Nechells and Offley. As you can see in the later pages of the magazine, the system has been redesigned and relaunched for September 2021 as our pastoral organising principle to enhance continuity of care and to allow for more fun competition across a range of endeavours from sport, tug-of-war, photography, baking and quizzing to name just a few. Our other significant innovation for September 2021 has been the incredibly successful introduction of Infant classes at Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, making WGS available to children of all school ages for the first time in our 510-year history.

Extra-curricular activities, such an important part of WGS life, have been firmly restored for all ages and interests. As ‘Wulfrunian’ goes to press, we are looking forward to the first school play in two years, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. We are also delighted to be getting a whole lot more alumni events back in the diary, whether at School, at the House of Lords for our London Reunion or even across the Atlantic as we plan to meet OWs on the West and East Coasts of the USA in late October. I hope that as many readers of ‘Wulfrunian’ as possible will be in a position to attend an event. It will be a great pleasure to meet you, if you can.

Also in this edition, we pay tribute to Carrie Bennett who will be known to many Old Wulfrunians as the School’s Director of Marketing & Communications since 2014. Very sadly, Carrie received an extremely challenging cancer diagnosis in Autumn 2020 and

has recently elected to step down from her post to concentrate on her recovery. She served the School not only with exceptional professionalism and skill but also great love and kindness. I know I speak for our whole community when I wish her the very best for her continued return to full health.

Alex Frazer Head, Wolverhampton Grammar School

A Man with a Big Heart, A Very Special Man

Wolverhampton Grammar School has been through a myriad of changes during its 500-year history, with, arguably, the most radical changes taking place in the last 50 years. Joining the WGS staff, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in September 1974, John Johnson (JJ) has been there through it all; the transition to becoming an independent school, the introduction, and end, of the Assisted Places Scheme, the acceptance of girls into Sixth Form, the shift to becoming completely co-educational and the opening of the Junior School.

JJ turned 70 in 2021. This provided the perfect opportunity to hear from WGS’s longest serving member of staff about his highlights so far, the challenges the School has faced and what it was like having the whole family as part of the WGS community.

A Question of Sport

JJ was spoiled for choice when asked to share some sporting highlights; here are just a few, of the many, examples: WGS reaching the final of the 1998 ISFA (Independent Schools Football Association) Cup, playing at Leicester City’s home ground against Hampton School. Despite losing 2-1, getting to the final was a victory in itself; winning the National Independent Schools 6-a-side Cup two years in a row, first captained by Pete Austin (OW 1996), then by Jake Sedgemore (OW 1997) and Marvin Robinson (OW 1998); travelling

to Wembley in 1985, to watch Andy Husselbee (OW 1979, Oxford), Carlton Evans, Gary Baker, the late James Rentoul (all OW 1982, Cambridge) and Angus Whyte (OW 1981, Cambridge), compete in the Oxford vs. Cambridge football match. Cambridge won 4-2, with Whyte, Evans and Husselbee all scoring.

Of course, there are far too many sports tours, ski trips and away fixtures to include here; however, it would be remiss to not mention some of JJ’s greatest triumphs: Coast2Coast, raising thousands of pounds each year; the Walker Memorial Mile, held in memory of Christopher Walker (OW 1983); the OW Sports Festival, held for over 25 years in honour of Richard Wright (OW 1987) and other OWs who have sadly passed away. JJ is an integral part of each of these traditions, having been involved since their inception.

Encouraging, funny and humble.

One of my favourite people at WGS.

Emma Fisher (née Tolley) (OW 2001)

Each September, OWs come from far and wide for a day of friendly competition and catching up. The OW Sports Festival 2021 saw a record turnout, due to a surprise celebratory birthday lunch for JJ being part of the day’s schedule. Gary Baker (OW 1982) even made the trip from France to attend the event, proving how special and far-reaching JJ’s impact is. As former member of staff Peter Hills articulated on the day: “We come together because JJ draws us together.”

Going Through Changes

"I have had the privilege of being part of this great institution for 47 years and the opportunity to watch the School adapt to a number of changes", JJ began – and big changes they were.

In 1979, in the aftermath of the Education Act 1976, WGS transitioned from a day and boarding state Grammar School to an independent, fee-paying school. JJ explained that the introduction of the Government Assisted Places Scheme in 1981 offset the impact of the move to independence and enabled children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to still have

access to a grammar school education, with over 40% of pupils during the 1980s and early 1990s reliant on this funding.

1984 saw the introduction of girls into the Sixth Form, a move that JJ praised: "Girls add a different dimension to the School", although he noted that it was seen as a controversial move by some at the time. This was extended further in 1992 when the School became fully co-educational, which JJ believes was a ‘great move’. This, arguably, marked a new era for WGS, with School looking very different to the boys’ day and boarding school it once was.

On a more sombre note, JJ explained how, soon after, the wider political landscape, again, necessitated change at School. In the aftermath of the

There must be hundreds if not thousands of kids from WGS whose lives will be better for having known JJ.

Andy Walford (OW 1997)

JJ is pictured with Head of Biology, Rachel Young (OW 2000) and their 2021 Upper Sixth tutor group.

abolition of the Assisted Places Scheme, under the Blair administration in 1997, School faced financial challenges unlike any it had seen before. The loss of assisted places funding meant that the number of students on roll dropped from 121 to 90 in one year group and, as a result, five members of staff were made redundant. "It was a very, very sad time", JJ recalled "but is something that School should remember."

The challenge facing School year on year is maintaining numbers, JJ posited. "The baton started 500 years ago to maintain high standards and send young adults out into the world, ready to make a positive impact in whatever field they pursue", is something that is engrained in WGS and should be celebrated. This, alongside the community environment, in JJ’s view, will continue to attract new students. WGS’ ability to modernise and adapt demonstrates resilience and strength of the School’s spirit: "We have taken time to get where we are, we have adapted and that’s what makes the School special".

JJ hailed the re-opening of the Junior School in 2011 as the biggest positive change in recent history: "Following the immediate success of introducing Big 6 in 2004, 'the School within a school' has been thriving ever since, especially now with the incredible expansion to embrace infants, children aged four and above, into the WGS community."

JJ isn’t the only member of the Johnson family to be a part of the WGS community. Lynne, JJ’s wife and our former librarian, and their three children; Tom (OW 2002), Holly (OW 2005) and Natalie (OW 2008), have all, at some stage, either worked at or attended the School. "We all used to get in the car in the morning to come to school, it was a really happy time", JJ reminisced. The Johnson family is, very much, part of the history of the School and epitomises the familial spirit at WGS. Tom, former Head Boy, is married to Nicole (née

'WGS is a second family to me'

Above: Nigel Crust, Steve Clancy, Claire Ray, Simon Palmer, Immy Gibbons (OW 2017), Rebecca Powell, Theo King.

Left: Peter Johnstone, Nigel Crust, Theo King, Rachel Munson, Nic Anderson (OW 1990), Nick Munson.

Left middle: Neil Bradley. Bottom left: Nick Brown (OW 2000), Amelia Grant, Robert Mason, Greg Rollason (OW 2010).

Fox, OW 2003) and, JJ explains, lots of their friends, even now, are from WGS. This is something that many OWs will be familiar with and is testament to the strength of the relationships formed at School, under the care and encouragement of such dedicated staff.

If you could describe WGS in three words, what would they be?

After much deliberation, JJ settled on: "Happy, friendly, welcoming, multi-cultural, diverse, wonderful, life-changing environment." As the font of all knowledge when it comes to WGS, JJ is forgiven for using more than just three words, but in doing so, he has got to the heart of the matter. WGS means something different to each individual and, due to the emotion that it engenders, cannot be summarised in only three words.

Something that is a common theme when describing WGS however, is a shared love and respect for JJ. In the weeks prior to the OW Sports

Festival, with JJ’s birthday in mind, the Development Office got in touch with OWs to ask for some messages and photographs for a scrapbook, which was to be given to JJ on his birthday. To say that we were inundated with replies would be an understatement! So many OWs from around the world got in touch to share their memories, with one OW touchingly adding: "That 40 years later I can still call him an inspiration and friend, is a gift I treasure."

"WGS has shaped my whole life", JJ explained, although as the WGS community knows, it is JJ who has helped, and continues to help, shape the

lives of many OWs. It is no surprise then, that he is held in such high esteem by OWs, former staff and parents alike. JJ epitomises the family and community ethos of WGS and is almost as much of an institution as the School itself. Many have benefitted from a kind, compassionate ear and discerning advice, alongside a hearty rendition of Sloop John B. from time to time, from JJ. He is more than just a teacher and colleague; he is a dear friend.

JJ always had this way of making you want to be the best person you can be in lifehaving that impact on a teenager can never be underestimated.

James Evans (OW 1984)

James, pictured in the white top and bib number A44, can be seen alongside JJ as they prepared to take part in the annual charity fun run organised by the late Graham Lewis. The then Head, Patrick Hutton, can be seen in the foreground.

Above: JJ with Tim Browning (former staff), brothers David Mills (OW 1981), Jon and Jim Mills (both OW 1987) and mum, Gerry Mills.

Left: JJ on a school trip to South Africa with Fiona Lister (former staff, centre) and Rachel Munson.

Making Sense of Cellular Senescence

In conversation with Professor Lorna Harries

Lorna Harries (née Pate, OW 1988) is Professor of Molecular Genetics at Exeter University. Lorna is also cofounder and Chief Scientific Officer of SENISCA, a company dedicated to the research and development of new approaches to reversing cellular ageing.

We spoke to Lorna about her life, work and thoughts on how to encourage greater diversity in STEM.

When did you become interested in Molecular Genetics?

I loved biology from the very start. I can trace my love of the subject back to my A Levels. Biology is endlessly fascinating; it’s elegant and intricate. I actually did my Genetics degree though, as a stepping stone into veterinary college! About three weeks in I got absolutely hooked, which completely changed my mind about what I wanted to do. I’m so glad as it’s opened up all sorts of interesting opportunities for me.

Describe your work at biotech company SENISCA and how this came about

The accumulation of senescent (old) cells drives most of the diseases of ageing. My team has basically identified a new mechanism by which cells age and discovered that we can target this to effectively turn back the ageing clock in tissues. It’s very exciting! We started SENISCA so we can explore the best ways to influence these factors and design some interventions for specific diseases that we can then start to move towards clinical trials. We’re trying to target the common, underlying

causes of age-related disease, not just the symptoms, which is how they are treated at the moment. We’re currently looking at how we might be able to help people with a rare lung condition called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, that has no cure, as well as more common conditions such as osteoarthritis and age-related macular degeneration.

What do you like most about your work?

Every day is different! I can be designing new experiments, giving talks around the world, teaching undergraduates and postgraduates or analysing data all within one week! When you’re working at the very edge of what is known, there is a moment with each new discovery when you are absolutely the only person on the planet that knows that piece of information. It’s a privilege to then be able to explore that and let the world hear about it. I also love being able to help other folks in my team reach their potential and realise their own ambitions. I work with some amazing people.

Research is 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration (but worth it for that 1%!)

Why do you think there are disproportionately fewer women in STEM/ research and how might this disparity be improved?

The path to the top in academia is a difficult one and the early stages can be very competitive. Although at undergraduate level women have great representation, as you get higher up the ladder, the gender balance becomes more and more skewed. We lose a lot of women if they take family leave – many don’t come back because it’s very hard to return if you have had a significant amount of time out. We need to do much better there with flexibility for people. The current situation means that people end up not taking the time that they want, to avoid slipping back down the ladder.

It’s possible to have both – I had five years completely out of science, returned as a technician and worked my way back up, but it was very hard! We need to make it much easier for anyone who has had time out to come back. There are some dedicated fellowships now that mean you don’t have to choose between family and career. I also think that some of the stereotypes around science and scientists doesn’t help. We

need to create some really persuasive role models from all under-represented groups, so that anyone interested in science can see a place for themselves in that arena. It’s not just about lack of opportunity for women either; there are lots of really talented people from other under-represented groups that science is much poorer without. Diversity is essential for creativity and invention.

You have also undertaken work in getting more children into science, what did this entail?

I’ve been very involved with schools’ engagement since I started my group at Exeter. Young children are inherently fascinated by how the world works. As they get a bit older, they lose some of that enthusiasm - my job is to give it them back! I have worked with over 2000 Year 9 students over the years with hands-on lab activities. Several of those kids have actually come back to us as undergraduates. I think the most exciting thing I have done however is a big Citizen Science project, run over two years with 120 A Level students from all over Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. We had them designing and undertaking a real research project to look at the chemicals found in plastics, to assess whether they could take action to avoid

them in their diet and see what these might do to the expression of genes. The students designed and followed an avoidance diet, gave samples and analysed and published the results. That was a whole lot of fun. They have all got two peer reviewed papers in academic journals out of that and one of them is doing a PhD in my lab!

What is next on your horizon?

I wish I knew! That’s one of the most amazing things about science: you can never tell where it will take you! I think in the long term I would like to see some of our discoveries actually in action in the clinic. That’s my ultimate ambition. Apart from that, I’m going to see where it takes me. We’re doing things now that I wouldn’t have thought possible 10 years ago!

If you could give one piece of advice (life or careerwise), what would it be?

Be curious. Follow your dream. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. You can. It’s yours for the taking.

An image of senescent (old) skin cells, credit: Lorna Harries.

My Olden Days Career

by David Mills (OW 1981)

I left university in 1985 without any clear idea of what to do next. I blame my education. Like most arts students back then, I had been encouraged to disparage business and industry while pursuing the higher life of the mind – not that I had the faintest idea what business and industry might involve, just that they could not possibly be as important and life-enhancing as wrestling with Wordsworth, or pontificating on Pope.

Wolverhampton Grammar School must take some blame for this state of affairs. My memory of careers advice in the 1970s is that it comprised a few suggestions of local industries, which still then existed, for boys not going to university, or the army while those of us hoping for university were patted on the back and left to get on with it.

Of course, Wolverhampton Grammar School prepared us pretty well on the academic front and I marched off to Cambridge where my ability to lounge around reading books and thinking about them was hugely enhanced, while my knowledge of the world outside shrank further.

I had thought I would become an academic but exposure to actual academics while at university cured me of this ambition as I realised, I could not sustain an interest in a narrow enough area of study for the requisite number of years. Meanwhile my contemporaries seemed unnervingly well-versed in what the world had to offer: “banking”, it turned out, did not mean sitting behind the counter at Lloyds, nor did “insurance” mean going round door to door collecting premiums on a Friday night. There was a university careers service, but this was still in its infancy. One of my contemporaries took its automated questionnaire to discover his ideal career. It advised him to join the WRNs. (He ended up in the special forces and MI6 before it all ended in tears – and the pages of The Sunday Times).

Book publishing looked like the ideal career for me. “I’m really good at reading books, so can I have a job, please?” was the basis of my applications. I didn’t get anywhere and instead, took a job as editorial assistant on an art magazine. I

didn’t really know what was involved or what an editorial assistant was; there were only two of us on the editorial staff after all. The main reason I got the job, I realised in retrospect, was my willingness to do it for £5,000 a year, which even in 1986 was not realistically enough to live on. I took the job because the magazine was an offshoot of a book publisher, reasoning that I would be perfectly placed for stepping across into the heady world of book publishing. Instead, I discovered that book publishing was not what I thought – there was very little lying around reading books and lots of meetings to brainstorm bestsellers (which largely meant copying books that were already selling well).

In the interim I found that I rather enjoyed working on a magazine – it suited my restlessness. I wrote articles,

Back to school: Mills as a Sixth Former again in 1996

Good copy: the Culture Editor at his desk in the Sunday Times office in 1996.

designed page layouts, edited copy, wrote picture captions and headlines, directed paste-up, commissioned other writers, went out and met people, interviewed famous artists, proof read pages, checked colour registration, replied to readers’ letters, dealt with complaints, talked to potential advertisers, went on press trips (mostly to pencil factories in Nuremberg), helped out on photographic shoots… eventually it dawned on me that I was doing journalism.

The advantage of working for a small outfit was that I was given such a range of opportunity and responsibility so quickly; helped by the fact that due to a series of unfortunate events I was soon in sole charge. I had the insouciance of innocence: had I known the reality of the burdens I was carrying (tens of thousands of pounds in advertising revenues and several people’s jobs dependent on my getting the magazine out on time) I might have wilted but I was shielded by youthful ignorance.

I still wasn’t earning much money, however, and hoping that I might now have some claim to call myself a journalist I wrote to newspapers to see if one of them might take me on.

It was now 1989 and even I had managed to acquire a word processor. Using a media directory, I identified likely

people on all newspapers, four or five on each title from the Daily Express to The Times, and using my trusty Amstrad sent them a seemingly personally tailored letter of supplication. I shoved 63 such missives in the letter box at the end of the road, figuring that some law of opportunity must operate if I increased the numerical chances.

Sixty-one of those letters came to nothing. One resulted in a disastrous interview at the, just about to launch, Independent on Sunday with the deputy editor, Sebastian Faulks. The other ended up on the desk of the Managing Editor, Arts and Leisure, at The Sunday Times

In the late 1980s and early 90s, newspapers were expanding rapidly –wholly new titles were appearing, The Independent, Sunday Correspondent, and existing titles were getting bigger, adding more and more pages, and more sections and supplements. There was probably never a better time to look for a job in the press. The Sunday Times was about to launch a separate arts section. My timing was perfect and for once I was applying for a job that I actually had the relevant experience for.

So began what turned out to be 31 years at The Sunday Times. I tell it this way to indicate what seems to me now the casual haphazardness of it all. It can

still happen like this, but it is increasingly rare. Most young people coming into the media now have been focussed on it as a career for years and usually complete a post-graduate journalism course. I don’t disparage this, far from it. From tough libel and privacy laws to bribery and freedom of information requests, it is a much trickier field than it used to be and a measure of professional qualification and competence is to be welcomed.

The fundamentals of journalism will always remain the same: it is about finding stories and telling them in the best way to engage people. Being a journalist is like having a superpower that pushes you into events (when often you would rather walk away from them) and emboldens you to ask the questions. In my career at The Sunday Times, I would count being involved in reporting on the death and funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and 9/11 as the most astonishing episodes. Most of the time it was just fun, such as when I sailed around New Zealand on a tall ship, and sometimes just bizarre, such as when I went back to school as a sixth former at the age of 33. I was asked at the time which school would have enough confidence, in itself and its pupils, to allow a journalist in undercover. Of course, it would have to be one that set its pupils up for life: Wolverhampton

All at sea: Mills aloft in the tall ship Soren Larsen off the NE coast of New Zealand in 2004.

DISCOVERING DISCOVERER

How many of us can say that our jobs are out of this world? For Nicholas Crisp (OW 2008), that’s an everyday reality. Nick has been a researcher in Orbital Aerodynamics for the DISCOVERER project since 2017 and has recently started lecturing in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Manchester.

Based at the University, Nick is currently working on the Satellite for Orbital Aerodynamic Research, SOAR, as part of the wider, European-funded DISCOVERER project. The project aims to enable the commercially viable operation of spacecraft in very low Earth orbits (VLEO), particularly focussing on missions for Earth observation.

SOAR, a 3U CubeSat, is used to study the interaction of the atmospheric gases on the satellite’s surface, while testing new materials to help increase the satellite’s aerodynamic performance and reduce drag in lower altitude orbits (below 450 km). The project looks to develop technologies to enable earth observation satellites to operate more effectively in VLEO.

The Aerodynamics Payload, developed at the University of Manchester, features a set of fins coated with four different test materials. The fins can be independently rotated with respect to the oncoming flow and, once in orbit, the interaction between the test materials and residual atmosphere will be recorded and studied by Nick’s team. Since the start of the Cold War, when they were used for reconnaissance, VLEO satellites have been employed very little. This is a result of various challenges that limit their useful lifetime, including increased aerodynamic drag experienced in orbit, due to reduced atmospheric density at lower altitudes, and their need to carry enough fuel

to last the duration of the mission. Longer missions would need more fuel storage, requiring larger, more expensive satellites, meaning that they were not seen to be economically viable.

Nick explains that the obvious benefits of VLEO satellites are that they can be smaller, lighter, and able to provide equivalent or improved resolution; thus, being more economical. The images captured can be used to provide valuable infrastructure and environmental monitoring; for defence and security intelligence, disaster monitoring and response; alongside facilitating higher bandwidth and lower latency communications.

There are also wider environmental and social benefits to the success of the DISCOVERER project and increased use of VLEO spacecraft. The positive environmental implication of operating satellites in lower altitudes is the sustainability of space for future generations. VLEO satellites can be naturally disposed of rather than adding to the ever-increasing amount of space debris. Use of atmospherebreathing propulsion systems, rather than fuel-based, mean that the satellites do not need to store as much fuel for the duration of the mission and can be smaller.

The recent increase in demand for higher-resolution satellite imagery has led to a boom in the commercial market for earth observation (EO) data

but the costs of procuring such data is high. This is currently pricing lowerGDP countries, with smaller aerospace budgets, out of global collaboration projects, leaving them unable to access the same level of data. Nick’s work is contributing to making VLEO satellites more durable and commercially viable. The increased use of VLEOs would help enable the ‘democratisation of space-based information globally’. If a cost-effective way of sending VLEO satellites into orbit is found, collecting data becomes cheaper. This would allow the types of data mentioned above to be collected more cheaply, thus encouraging collaboration and information sharing with lower socioeconomic countries.

From September, when not in the lab, Nick has been lecturing in Aerospace Engineering, travelling full circle since joining the University in 2008. Although not necessarily considering research or academia as a career on leaving school, Nick began his PhD straight after finishing his undergraduate degree and hasn’t looked back since. When asked what advice he would give to his younger self, Nick said: "See where the curiosity takes you and take opportunities as they come."

We can’t wait to see how the SOAR project and Nick’s career develops, watch this space – no pun intended!

Photo credit: NASA

Photo credit: NASA

Photo credit: NASA

Memories of the School, 1964-1970

It is a salutary fact that 1964 is over fifty-five years ago. My memories are those of a school-boy – a deliberate choice of word reflecting the times.

I am not a social historian so I will be circumspect. That apology notwithstanding, it is relevant that I note:

The early ’sixties saw the introduction of non-selective education. This introduction pressured the educational system of the day – selection by open public examination (the ‘grammar school system’).

The late ’sixties saw the age of majority reduce from 21 years-of-age to 18. This meant that some of my fellow VIth-formers became legal adults.

During the ‘sixties, there was a background of inspirational science and engineering. To a generation of schoolboys, the Gemini and Apollo spaceprogrammes were exciting, wide-eyed, scientific and technical achievements of pure optimistic exploration: cold-war motivations and politics were distant and abstract.

So, I’ll come clean: I am a ‘techie’. My memories, here, are those of a schoolboy of my time and who is now retired from a career as a government research scientist in the forefront of cyberdefence which, in 1964, was something not yet even thought of.

In 1964, the School was a single-sex, state grammar school: I was awarded my place after a selection exam (the

‘eleven-plus’). I remember not quite understanding that my selection was something special.

June 1968 saw my GCE ‘O’-levels – and also my 15th birthday. I’d realised that pure mathematics was my joy and forte: I entered the maths sixth. Within a term, I’d had the opportunity to attend a weekend ‘taster’ course in computing at the University of Loughborough. The School had five places on the ‘taster’ course with interest from ten boys: it was decided to draw lots; I drew the fifth, and last, lot …

I left my School, in June 1970, to enter the University of Sheffield. Software engineering was a newly recognised, nascent discipline; there were no chips; there was no web; the Information Age was yet to come. And we hadn’t recognised – didn’t have vocabulary for – cyber-threats to personal privacy and to national interests nor for the consequential needs for cyber-security.

In June 2013, I retired.

My first memory of the School remains powerful. During the induction day, I felt immediately at home. The induction briefings were welcoming; the masters were understanding of a nervous new school-boy; the atmosphere was terrifically positive. I had a strong feeling of déjà vu, remembered vividly to this very day. Importantly, I remember also – and equally vividly – an odd apprehensive feeling that this seemed like it was going to be fun: challenging, demanding even, but fun.

The word ‘school-boy’ is important. We were most definitely treated as ‘schoolboys’: the School had to prepare for changes to come in 1969/70. Other customs fell under pressure: Forms I and II wore a different short-trousered uniform; we were addressed by our surnames; we addressed each other by surnames too, and this lead to a culture of nick-names; we attended

01b - Nechells House Choir, 1967.

School on Saturday mornings to July 1968, the ‘sting’ being that this meant an extra evening’s ‘prep’ on Fridays! The Combined Cadet Force was dis-banded about the same time.

The masters were always considerate to the boys even when they’d spotted you had a weak subject: mine was Latin. I remember my Latin masters’ patience: that’s another story but I was clearly not destined for the Classics VIth! However, along the way: I had met an analogue computer; I had been ‘wow’ed’ that I understood Euler’s result eIπ = -1 inter alia; and I had met my first storedprogram digital computer (a huge ICL 1900).

I remember with great fondness the extra-curricular clubs.

It was in the Science Club that I saw my first laser (guest lecturer, 1969, so cutting-edge stuff); although, a separate chemistry lecture went humorously wrong – voluminous polymer foam overflowing off the lab bench!

In the ’sixties air-travel was less usual, so our School trip to Switzerland was by sleeper-train. My 1968 diary notes: ‘the train … arrived in usual British custom - 20 mins late - but we were off’ whilst ‘we arrived at Martigny - in Swiss custom - dead on time’. Our selforganised trip, Easter 1970, to Germany, by car, was going fine until we got separated from our German master’s car; he was holding the passports and, importantly, the foreign currency – not

good when you’re still several miles from Rüdesheim Youth Hostel and the ‘petrol-low’ light has come on!

film! chemicals!! and a converted storeroom off a physics lab) on signing-out the key from the Physics master but otherwise unsupervised. I forget how we started the School Archery Club with visiting coaches from a local Tettenhall club.

Externally, there was Scouts. The School had its own troop – the 4th Wolverhampton (Grammar School). I remember well a character-building camping trip to Yorkshire which was disastrously rained-off by torrential rain that inundated every tent we had: soggy abandonment.

Finally, careers advice. The emphasis was on the choice of university / course. In 1970, with an apparently buoyant economy, careers advice at School did not indulge in deep analyses. The School Careers master had given me this advice:

Find something you like doing: find someone to pay you for doing it [after Whitehorn]

Some activities were supervised by prefects. For example, extra-curricular House track-athletics (my preference over cricket!), House cross-country (much preferred to football!!) and House choirs. These were part of a friendly House rivalry: the cock-House Competition was keenly fought.

Other activities were conducted individually – for example, as VIthformers, a friend and I would use the photographic dark-room (photographic

I had. I did. Told you it was going to be ‘challenging, demanding even, but fun’.

Tim White – formerly, until retirement:

T A D White OW BSc(Hons) CEng

FBCS CITP MIET AMIMA

[dstl] Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Malvern and Porton Down Salisbury

Ministry of Defence UK

Hard work really does pay off…

Sophie Hickman (OW 2018) won the Habitat Future Design Award at the 2021 New Designers awards ceremony.

Simon O’Malley, Head of Design & Technology enjoyed seeing Sophie back in School inspiring current students: ‘We are delighted that Sophie’s talent has been recognised and all of her hard work rewarded by this national award.”

Keen to hear more about her recent success, we invited Sophie back to School. This gave her an opportunity to revisit the Design & Technology department where she had spent so much time during both her GCSE and A Level studies. Sophie also talked with current Year 8 and Lower Sixth Design & Technology students, sharing her experiences of School and Birmingham City University, where she successfully gained a BA (Hons) Degree in Product and Furniture Design.

New Designers is the UK’s leading exhibition of emerging design talent, providing a unique platform to connect graduates with industry professionals, creative businesses and consumers, for creative exchange, career opportunities and collaboration. The Habitat Future Design Award –Furniture, Product, Industrial & Spatial Design brief called for designs that could sit alongside Habitat’s curated collection of beautiful, sustainable and functional products and furniture.

Sophie’s design impressed the Habitat judges as she explored the use of tactile organic forms, specifically curved plywood, to create an elegant pill-shaped shelf. Her use of colour combinations exhibited how colour can change the mood of the user and how stress and clutter can affect the mood in the home.

Sophie will receive mentoring from Senior Designers at Habitat and subsequently gain invaluable industry experience. As if the accolade of winning such a prize isn’t enough, Sophie’s design may even go to commercial development and production – what a great achievement!

It was great to be back in School, engaging with current students.

In the Common Room

I always look forward to the publication of Wulfrunian, as it serves to remind me what a thriving, diverse and successful community Wolverhampton Grammar School is.

Looking through the articles and the photographs in the magazine I realise how fortunate our students are that staff are so willing to devote their time and energy to providing so many enrichment activities. The School can celebrate another wonderful year of activity.

What a strange couple of years it has been, and the start of this academic year has not been without Covid repercussions. Despite absences and some restrictions due to the pandemic, the School managed to continue its daily life and staff were able to offer a wide range of extracurricular clubs, alongside teaching their normal lessons. Some staff even managed to teach from home, beaming in live to a classroom full of students.

As one would expect from a school such as this, the students have remained engaged throughout. The Common Room has remained a lively and friendly refuge from the hustle and

bustle of the school day; a place where staff can sit and have a friendly chat or take part in the daily lunchtime quiz. We are very fortunate to be part of such a welcoming community.

At this time of year, we must also pay tribute to the staff who have left the School and welcome new members of the Common Room.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy, successful, and hopefully Covid-free year.

Liz Harris Chair of The Common Room

Dr Karen Flavell

by Rachel Young

Karen joined WGS in January 2003, a highly organised kind-hearted teacher who has helped nearly 450 students gain Biology GCSEs and 200 students an A Level. Karen is the most organised colleague in the department – thank you for your efficiency and forward thinking - it helped me significantly whenever you reminded me about the deadlines looming on the horizon.

Karen gave Year 7 students seeds to take home, allowing them to explore Biology beyond the laboratories – a reminder for them of her inspiration as these flowers grow and reseed in their gardens. Sixth Formers will miss her greatly and appreciate how she made such a difference to their progression in Biology.

Risk assessments play a crucial role in science to keep everyone safe. Karen was a member of the Health and Safety Committee and tested the extreme of these risk assessments over the years by walking into benches, chairs, and doors. Her most dangerous stunt was observed in room 60 as Karen entered head first, flying down the stairs and landing in a heap - the red and white tape at the top of these stairs is a permanent warning to all who enter room 60!

Karen was delighted to return her beloved iPad to IT – an iPad which had a mind of its own! Worries about technology were not just limited to

iPads, they included video players, sound bars, dvd players and audio tape players! Signs decorate the walls in the department, detailing how to use various pieces of equipment and also outlining shortcuts for typing different symbols. These reflect Karen’s nature of wanting to always do her best. Every time she learned a new skill she wrote instructions in a brown notebook – I am not sure who she handed this over to!

Karen led a general knowledge team, taking two teams each year to Birmingham to compete. Students loved the General Knowledge Club so much so, that even when they were too old to compete, they requested to continue to attend. Karen has also keenly participated in educational trips alongside the Geography department.

Karen is a keen pianist and gardener and is hoping to get more time to enjoy the fruits of her labour. She is also a cat lover - I’m still not sure whether she used the distraction of her cat loudly purring to get a break from a regular check in phone call during lockdown – I guess I will never know!

On behalf of the Biology department and the rest of the Common Room, we wish Karen all the best in this next chapter of her life as she begins her retirement. Thank you, Karen, for your 18 years’ service to School.

Roberta Keys

by Tom Smith

What a year it has been: Coronavirus pandemic; Teacher Assessed Grades; welcoming Roberta, and saying farewell too!

Let me take you back to 2016: after being encouraged to start a Twitter account by the then Head, Kathy CreweRead, and well before the post in the department was vacant, the first and only follower I had was Roberta Keys! Nearly every day since then she kindly liked or retweeted my attempt at words of wisdom.

Every student will miss Roberta for her expert teaching. Roberta spends time finding out how each student is doing, tries to understand their weakness and constructs each lesson to meet their needs. She has contributed hugely to our resources and helped me with great patience and kindness to become a better Head of Department - for that I am extremely grateful.

STOP PRESS: I am delighted to announce that Roberta will be returning to teach at WGS in September 2022!

Alex Frazer

Scott Li

by Nick Brown

Scott Li joined Wolverhampton Grammar School in September 2018 having relocated to Birmingham from St Olave’s Grammar School in London. Scott soon became an important member of the Maths department by taking responsibility for overseeing the curriculum changes at A Level.

A very intelligent mathematician and an excellent teacher, there was a hive of activity in his classroom, with students working hard and always keen to learn more. The calm atmosphere fostered by Scott gave students, who had perhaps in the past found Maths challenging, a secure space to gain more confidence.

During Scott’s time at WGS he coached Sixth Formers for the Team Maths Challenges and after his first Walker Memorial Mile redeveloped his love of running. He was training towards a marathon and was close when the pandemic hit. Look out for him in the London Marathon very soon!

Sadly, for WGS, Scott’s need to work closer to his home was clear – as he and his wife Claudia welcomed baby Asher into the world. We wish him all the very best for the future and thank him for all his work and support during his time in the Maths department.

Stacey Jackson

by Joe David

Two and a half years ago WGS bid farewell to the legend that was Russell Charlesworth. Who would be the new Head of History? Who could replace such an academic titan? Who was this Head of Department that had plied her trade in prestigious international schools in Egypt and Armenia? And more to the point, why was she coming to Wolverhampton?

It didn’t take long for us to realise that Stacey was just what the History department needed. She swept away some of the cobwebs, quite literally when it came to the office. Stacey brought greater diversity to the History curriculum; she changed the exam board we use at IGCSE; updated our schemes of work; and even introduced a History department WhatsApp group. She worked exceptionally hard and brought energy and enthusiasm to work each day.

Stacey will be sorely missed by the students at WGS. Her teaching put great faith in them facilitating their own learning and challenging them to be creative. It speaks volumes that her opening gambit when first arriving at the School was to ask the students what sort of learner they are, and the style of teaching they prefer. She had a brilliant rapport with the kids who valued her humour, honesty, and passion for history.

Stacey steered the department through the upheaval of the Coronavirus pandemic with positivity. She was generous in sharing ideas and resources and handled the Teacher Assessed Grades process with a real calmness and serenity.

Stacey managed to fit two school trips into these troubled times. The first was an unforgettable trip to Lichfield Cathedral to hear the moving testimony of a Holocaust survivor. The second had slightly less intellectual gravitas and was a trip to the local curry house with the 2021 Upper Sixth leavers. Stacey left WGS to make her fortune. Health and happiness are what’s important in life and we wish her the best of luck for everything she does in the future.

Carrie came to us from the University of Birmingham bringing a wealth of experience in Marketing, Communications and Higher Education. Although new to independent schools, she wasted no time in immersing herself in our community, and soon grasped the essence of WGS. A talented wordsmith, she led a much needed re-branding exercise which saw us articulate the many strengths of the School for the first time. ‘An education as individual as your child’ captured the heart of our mission and was very much what Carrie believed we should be offering for our pupils.

Of course with a brief including communications and school image, there was little of WGS life that didn’t involve Carrie. She brought her expertise to bear on so many aspects of school from letters and publications to uniform. With a quick mind and sound judgement she made invaluable contributions to the School’s strategic plan and was an important member of SMT, playing an integral part in their success as Leadership Team of the Year 2018. She was, as many colleagues will remember, the go to ear-of-staff for much of her time at the School.

Determined to show that support staff were as integral a part of WGS as teachers, Carrie involved herself in all school life, from staff training to the extra curricular programme. She understood the needs for us to deliver high levels of

customer service, spearheading the use of stakeholder surveys to improve both student and parent experience, and with the staff to ensure WGS was a great place to work. Whatever Carrie turned her hand to received 100% of her attention and energy.

A highly respected manager, confidant and a dear friend to all those within her team. Her passion to help students enjoy and improve their skills at debating, as well as enjoy the great outdoors at Gardening Club; she continually helped everyone thrive at WGS.

Carrie continues to enjoy her beloved garden and animals at home in the tranquil surroundings of Homer, Shropshire and looks forward to the next stage of daughter Rosie's life as she comes to the end of her education at WGS in Upper Sixth – a place that will forever be home to the fondest of memories; a home from home.

Carrie Bennett by Kathy Crewe-Read, Head of WGS 2013 – 2020

"Having been at WGS for 16 years, I have seen staff come and go, none of whom have left such an impression on me as Carrie. A true professional and an absolute pleasure to work with, she exuded energy and enthusiasm in everything she did. Over the years, she has supported me both professionally and personally and has become a valued friend. WGS will miss her dearly but she will leave a lasting impact on our school.

Although I won’t see her every day, I know we will remain good friends, and I will be continuing to ask her advice on all things vegetable related!"

Jane Morris, Admissions Registrar

"Thank you for how you improved life for everyone at School. I remember Gardening Club in the Junior School fondly but I can see all the times you have touched our lives at School."

Current Upper Sixth student

"Carrie is one of those people who makes every day brighter and better. A true professional who loved her job and the School. She is an individual who has made a huge difference in her role and touched so many lives at WGS. She will be sorely missed both as a person, but also in the job that she did so brilliantly. She is an inspiration to me and so many others. We wish her well."

Nic Anderson, Deputy Head

"Seeing you smiling all the time at people, since the day I joined in Year 7, is something many people appreciated, including me."

Current Lower Sixth student

"My introduction to Wolverhampton Grammar School began with the most heart-warming and friendly welcome. You were my first point of reference and representation of the School and I cannot thank you enough for your bubbly and friendly nature"

Current Upper Sixth student

and welcome to...

Jason Piggott Acting Head of Art

Annemarie Fellows Teacher of OpAL

Congratulations to Annemarie on gaining a permanent position as Teacher of OpAL, after a period of temporary cover in the department.

Annemarie graduated from the University of Birmingham and has 26 years' teaching experience; her previous post was Deputy Head Teacher and Special Educational Co-ordinator at a Junior School in Birmingham.

The best thing about teaching for Annemarie is being able to work with young people and to support them to reach their own potential – whatever their strengths and gifts are.

Annemarie is also a Year 7 form tutor and is enjoying having the opportunity to build relationships with students in different year groups.

Annemarie has received a very friendly welcome from staff and pupils alike and is looking forward to getting involved in all the opportunities School has to offer.

Mark Brassington Teacher of Business and Economics

Mark joins our Business and Economics department on a temporary basis until Easter 2022. Mark has 34 years of teaching experience; his most recent post was at ACS Egham International School. Mark graduated from Leeds and Exeter and completed an MSc at Cranfield School of Management. He wants to make a difference to young people’s lives, regardless of their background.

Huw Humphreys Teacher of Biology

Huw joins Wolverhampton Grammar School at the start of his seventh year in teaching, from The English College Dubai.

He studied Biomedical Material Science at the University of Birmingham. He enjoys engaging students in practical work allowing them to develop stronger understandings of the biological world around them and discover links between the curriculum and current news. Already developing strong relationships with staff and students, Huw is enjoying getting involved with different aspects of the extra-curricular opportunities in School.

Jason was educated at the University of Wolverhampton, studied Product Design, and has 13 years' teaching experience; his previous position was Subject Leader at King Edward VI Five Ways School in Birmingham. He joins a thriving Art department as Acting Head of Art whilst Emma Bowater, Head of Art, is on maternity leave.

Jason loves helping students find their own way to express ideas and investigate the world around them through Art and Design. The most rewarding part of teaching for him is when students are proud of their pieces and even more so when they successfully pursue a career in the creative industry.

He feels privileged to be working with young people who have such high expectations of themselves and in a position to fully resource their ambitious ideas.

Manisha Rattoo Teacher of Maths

Manisha gained a BSc Mathematics at Coventry University and completed a PGCE at Birmingham City University with her placement at Queen Mary’s High School. Manisha joins WGS as a newly qualified teacher and, prior to completing her PGCE, was a part-time Maths tutor. Manisha enjoys sharing her knowledge with younger generations and supporting them to achieve their potential.

Manisha has settled well in to life at WGS and enjoyed her first term. She has been welcomed by both staff and students and feels lucky to be part of the WGS community.

In addition to Academic staff, a warm welcome goes to all new members of the School’s professional support teams, including several OWs:

• Sarah Baker (née Hocking, OW 1998)Teaching Assistant 1:1 Support

• Serena Basra (OW 2021) –Junior School Classroom Assistant

• Helen Clinton (OW 2016) –Junior School Classroom Assistant

• Thomas Galarneau – French Language Classroom Assistant

• Immy Gibbons (OW 2017) –Sports Coach Apprentice

• Geneva Hoffman (OW 2017) –Junior School Classroom Assistant

• Rhianne Jacques –Alumni Engagement Officer

• Ranjit Mann – Housekeeper

• Karla Parkes – Junior School Lunchtime Assistant

• Bhupinder (Pindi) Rai –Admissions Assistant

• Veena Rangla – Junior School Teaching Assistant

• Laura Simms (OW 2017) –Teaching Assistant 1:1

• Timur Spittle – German Language Classroom Assistant

Wolverhampton Grammar School employs nearly 200 teachers, professional and technical staff.

You can learn more about our staff here:

www.wgs.org.uk/about/our-expert-staff.

Many congratulations...

Congratulations to Emma Bowater, Head of Art, and her partner Chris on the safe arrival of Poppy Ann Bowater on Monday 18th October 2021, weighing 7lb 4oz. Poppy has already visited the Art department and we look forward to seeing her again soon.

Congratulations to Hattie Grew (OW 2011) on the safe arrival of Theodore James Povey, fondly known as Teddy. Born on 14th May 2021 weighing 7lb 14oz, he has already made his first appearance at an OW event - the Class of 2021 Leavers’ Reception. We look forward to seeing him at more events in the future.

Congratulations to Lauren Hill, Junior School Teaching Assistant, and James Griffiths, Reception Teacher and Junior School Assistant Head, on the safe arrival of Alfie Owen Griffiths on Tuesday 6th July 2021, weighing 6 lb 13 oz. ‘Alf’ has visited the Junior School, to the delight of both pupils and staff alike!

In fond Remembrance

The following tributes to those we have lost are written by loved ones, classmates and colleagues; fitting tributes to their lives, memories and connection to School.

Ian Wright (OW 1953)

Sadly passed away on 28th May 2018, aged 81.

Roy Blower (OW 1951)

A dependable right back for the OWFC for many years. Sadly passed away in December 2018, aged 88.

Peter Noble Woodward (OW 1946)

Sadly passed away on 30th July 2020, aged 92.

Roger Fellows (OW 1956)

A long-standing member of South Staffs Golf Club, sadly passed away on 3rd February 2021, aged 83.

David Guest (OW 1957)

Sadly passed away on 24th February 2021, aged 82.

Roger Wilkes (OW 1944)

A regular member of OW hockey teams and brother of George ‘TOG’ Wilkes (OW 1943), sadly passed away in February 2021, aged 93.

Charles James Deacey (OW 1951)

Sadly passed away on 3rd February 2021, aged 88.

Lewis L C Cowan (OW 1952)

Sadly passed away on 26th October 2021, aged 85.

Robert ‘Bobby’ Thomson‘Tommo’ (OW 1973)

Bobby was a good centre forward who played for OWFC for some years. After a brief illness, Bobby sadly passed away on 2nd November 2021, aged 64.

Malcolm Burgess (OW 1953)

Despite suffering from dementia in his later years, Malcolm was very well looked after in a nursing home and is survived by his wife, Sue. Malcom sadly passed away on 11th November 2021, aged 85.

Patrick ‘Paddy’ Anthony Byrne (OW 1980)

Sadly passed away 15th February 2021, aged 58.

Paddy Byrne was a character; popular with fellow pupils and teachers alike. He will be best remembered for his gift of repartee, sporting prowess and being true to what he thought was right. Everyone at the School knew Paddy. His deep-rooted values made him a strong and loyal friend to all.

Born on 6th April 1962, into an Irish Catholic family, Paddy was the eldest boy and third of five children. He attended Woodfield Avenue Primary School before passing the 11+ and joining WGS in 1973.

He loved his time at WGS and threw himself into everything that the School offered; academic, musical, or otherwise. Ever loyal to the underdog, Paddy was an enthusiastic and proud captain of the Offley House team.

It was at WGS that he first developed his skills in public speaking, notably a Founders’ Day speech on Marxism. Using his wit and charm to great effect, and standing at 6 foot 5 inches tall, he was a commanding speaker to the most unforgiving of audiences.

His greatest passion at school was sport and (though never the fastest mover!) he represented WGS in football, cricket, basketball and volleyball. At 15, Paddy represented the School in table tennis and played in the Wolverhampton Under-19s team. In Eton Fives, Paddy used his ambidexterity to great effect as a core member of the highly successful WGS cohort of the 1970s. He became National Champion twice and was runner-up in the 1979 Open Championships. In 1977, he was a semifinalist as an under-age participant in the Under-16 competition.

In June 1984, he joined British Caledonian Airways and started a 36-year long, fulfilling career at the company. Here, he met the love of his life, wife Stephie. In recognition of his dedication and integrity, he twice received an Award for Excellence and Outstanding Achievement from the Group Chief Executive. He was incredibly well thought of by his colleagues, especially amongst the pilots he worked closely with as Duty Flight Crew Manager.

On top of building a successful career, Paddy volunteered. He had a strong interest in education and became a Foundation Governor, with a period as Chairman of the Parent Teachers Association, at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Bracknell. Typically, Paddy put the children at the top of the agenda during his tenure and left a lasting legacy.

Paddy’s volunteering efforts did not stop there. He involved himself in several London to Brighton charity walks, including one in 2012 which raised £60,000 for Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Paddy always kept up his interest in sport. He became a passionate golfer and active member of Cottesmore Golf Club. He was an avid fan of London Irish Rugby Club and was the fan sponsor of the Captain Bob Casey for many years, travelling to New York for their first ever rugby match outside Europe. He remained loyal to Wolves FC and proudly took his son, Joseph, to the Molineux and Wembley (once!) to watch them play.

Working in the air industry allowed Paddy to enjoy another passiontravelling. With highly discounted FirstClass tickets as a perk of the job, it was never clear whether his love of flying was due to exotic destinations or the chance to watch a few movies back-toback in a comfortable seat and be plied with booze for the length of a longhaul flight! San Diego was a particular favourite where Paddy enjoyed three long trips with his family.

Paddy was in his element in the company of close friends, holding court and brandishing his razor-sharp wit and clever quips. A typical evening with Paddy would be a heated discussion on the topic of the day, a highly competitive game of Scrabble or Yahtzee, topped off with a quiz about the old days (often referencing the School Red Book). All, of course, accompanied by a few pints of Guinness and some wine. Open, insightful, brutal, yet always goodspirited; Paddy could prick any bubble of pomposity or self-importance with a single jibe.

He was a much-loved, inspirational friend and will always remain in the memory.

He leaves a wife, Stephie, and son, Joseph.

Karl Paulins (OW 1980).

Peter Edmund Radnall Davis (OW 1960)

Sadly passed away 3rd February 2021, aged 78.

Peter and I were both at Wolverhampton Grammar School and in the same set, studying Classics under James Taylor, Bennie Polack, and Bruce Sherdley. While at School, one hobby we had in common was electronics (in the days of thermionic valves!), particularly transmitters. We discovered some exarmy ones which we bought cheaply, intending, along with a third friend, to be able to talk to each other from our homes. This had some success but unfortunately, the frequencies used clashed with something official. The police visited WGS and someone shopped us; words were had with our dads and we had to stop.

Peter and I read Classics at Cambridge; Peter at Trinity and I at Caius. Once, the two of us, my girlfriend and a friend of hers, had a camping holiday for a month in Greece, taking Peter's elderly Sunbeam-Talbot four thousand (more or less) trouble-free miles. Peter was an usher at our wedding - I married my then girlfriend - in Caius chapel but after we left Cambridge, we lost touch with each other.

Touch was resumed fifty years later after my wife died and we did our best to catch up on the intervening years.

Peter spent his life teaching, as I did, at a series of prep schools until he retired in 2001. While he was keen to be involved in sport: 1st XI cricket, 2nd XV rugby, and soccer, his main interest was music.

He loved Britten operas, directed various chapel choirs and was a talented pianist and organist himself; concentrating particularly on the keyboard works of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. He always stressed the quality and importance of live performances by cathedral choirs, compared with the dry perfection of CDs.

His love of cars continued throughout his life and he was a regular visitor to the Motor Show. He successively owned a series of sports saloons: a Sunbeam Rapier, an Audi, a Ford Corsair and latterly, a Volvo. He travelled widely; mostly in France, which he loved. We never met again after leaving Cambridge but we exchanged a whole series of emails (I have more than ninety on my computer) on current affairs and academic subjects. These revealed the sharpness of his brain, his interest in and knowledge of philology and the development of languages, as well as the more remote areas of Classical Literature, Art, and Archaeology. He was, of course, an expert with crosswords. As one would expect, modern political correctness annoyed him, an annoyance which he had no hesitation in voicing. Unfortunately, his lifetime of smoking eventually caught up with him, and he died in February 2021. He never married.

David Morgan (OW 1960) .

Peter Shaw (OW 1959)

Sadly passed away 1st October 2021, aged 81.

Peter loved his time at WGS and spoke fondly of the School throughout his life. After leaving school, Peter attended Leicester University where he studied English.

Before taking the plunge into corporate life, Peter worked as a teacher in London. He then moved to be an Export Director for Parkinson Cowan, before joining British Gas as an Account Director where he stayed until retirement in 1995.

His corporate life allowed him to travel the world, something he loved. Peter married his wife Susan in 1980, after a chance encounter near to his workplace. Peter was a step-father to Sonja and a loving grandfather to his two grandchildren, Sarah and Luke, who both adored him. Peter was one of life’s true gentlemen with a real passion for cricket, horse racing, gardening, animals and his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Sarah Moriarty-Clancy, granddaughter.

Anthony Charles ‘Tony’ Foster (OW 1951)

Sadly passed away 2nd January 2021, aged 87.

Anthony Charles, born 2nd May 1933, spent most of his childhood on a farm in Shropshire with his grandparents and joined Wolverhampton Grammar School in September 1946.

At School, he was an enthusiastic member of the Cadet Force and particularly enjoyed shooting. He rose to the rank of Cadet Sergeant Major and was well regarded, by the officers and the RSM, for his organisation of younger cadets.

Tony was called up for National Service with the 18 Medical Regiment (Royal Artillery) in 1951. On his discharge two years later, he became an articled clerk with a local accountant. He worked for several local companies and went on to run his own accountancy firm; he was well known and respected in Wolverhampton. David Orme (OW 1956) worked with him for some years.

Tony was a very cheerful and sociable OW, always ready to help a friend in need. He was active in the Old Wulfs Club and Association; he was often in the Club House in Queen Square and subsequently, at Castlecroft.

He was a regular supporter of the OWA Dinners throughout his life; he could often be found at the bar in the Derry Hall until the early hours of the morning. He greatly enjoyed these occasions and had many years of WGS stories to recount.

Tony was an enthusiastic Freemason and joined the Old Wulfrunians’ Lodge on 15th January 1975. He became its Master in 1987 and was then Treasurer for many years. He joined many other masonic orders and was well known in the Provinces of Staffordshire and Shropshire for his charitable work. He was a leading member of Ed Humphries’ Demonstration Team, which raised nearly £20,000 for a variety of national and local charities. He was also a keen supporter of the Federation of School Lodges and enjoyed visits around the country.

Tony was an energetic sportsman throughout his life; playing tennis, squash and then racquet ball until well past his 80th birthday. Younger OWs were amazed by his energy and prowess on the courts. He particularly enjoyed outdoor pursuits and was closely involved in breeding game birds. He was active in a shooting syndicate until his last few months. Appropriately, his funeral was held at Ryton Church in Shropshire, in the countryside where he spent many happy hours.

Tony is survived by his children: Andrew and Sally, and his five grandchildren. We extend our condolences to them. He will be sadly missed.

Tim Lawrence (OW 1971).

Donald Ibbs (OW 1947)

Sadly passed away 20th April 2012, aged 83.

After leaving Wolverhampton Grammar School, Donald became an apprentice water engineer with ThompsonKennicot. Thereafter, he worked overseas for many years in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Donald retired to the Philippines, where he lived until his death in April 2012.

David Ibbs (OW 1950).

Raymond ‘Ray’ J Jenks (OW 1953)

Sadly passed away 19th March 2021, aged 85.

Ray will be remembered as an accomplished footballer, golfer and a delightful companion whose sense of humour was so much enjoyed.

Ray had been frail for some time, before he passed away peacefully.

Joseph Henry Tyler (OW 2005)

Sadly passed away 31st July 2021, aged 34.

Like many of us reading this, Joe Tyler was an Old Wulfrunian but, like me, he was also an English teacher at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood (a school attached to the same Livery Company as WGS), at the time of his premature death. When Joe joined Wolverhampton Grammar School in 1998, he was not only joining a school where his Dad (again like me) was also a member of staff, but he was in the first intake of the School's OpAL programme, designed to provide additional support for dyslexic pupils. Perhaps Joe's empathy for others stemmed from his own experiences of trying to navigate his way through the education system with dyslexia, or perhaps it was just Joe's inherently kind nature, but Joe was the most empathetic person – son, brother, husband, father, teacher, colleague and friend – I have ever known. When somebody dies, there is often a tendency to overstate their qualities and their contributions to our lives. Not with Joe, though: no superlatives are too great when it comes to describing the many positive ways his life touched so many of ours.

During his time at WGS, Joe took part in a number of drama productions, not least in his father Ian's production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, in which Joe was cast somewhat surprisingly as the idiotic, dim-witted knight Sir Andrew Aguecheek, described in The Wulfrunian 2003 as "an enfeebled love-sick knight

[who was] a delight [with his] drunken song and dance routine" causing the audience to be in "stitches of laughter". He must have been a good actor, with his Grade 8 LAMDA, for a fool is certainly not a word anyone would use to describe Joe. He was also a keen member of WGS rugby squad, which was an enthusiasm he carried forward to his teaching career, coaching the young rugby players of the future.

When Joe left WGS, he went to study English Literature at Cardiff University, where he met his wife Maheera, with whom he moved to North London when Joe got his job at Merchant Taylors'. The cherry blossom trees on the Long Drive of the School were enough to tempt Joe (and Maheera) to a life temporarily in Northwood. And "cherry blossom moments" are what we have come to call special moments of Joe's musings, when he would capture a passing moment so eloquently, with a poet’s heart, and with full, honest and unabashed immersion, letting go of the cynicism and materialism of the world.

Joe’s own biggest cherry blossom moment was surely the birth of his daughter Cecilia, who is now 4 years old. Joe's love for Maheera and Cece shone through in everything he did.

Joe was one of the first people I met when I arrived for interview at Merchant Taylors', a friendly face and manners so gentlemanly that Joe never

walked through a doorway in front of me – either that day or any other subsequently. Joe also continually steered conversation away from himself and towards the person he was speaking to – with always a kind word or a compliment. As one of his favourite authors F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote: "[he] believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself." Time spent with Joe was time well spent. It was also a time when everything around you seemed calm, as if all was at peace with itself. Joe's classroom was a pleasure to enter during any lesson: it exuded tranquillity, simultaneously with a strong sense of academia and a desire to inhale all of Joe's wisdom, especially when it came to American Literature, a favourite genre of his. He once told a fellow colleague of mine that reading for 30 minutes felt like an hour and watching television for 30 minutes felt like 15 minutes: thus, reading added years to your life. A fountain pen and companion pot of purple ink were always poised on Joe's desk, ready to add dignity to all the work

it marked, along with his fine dress sense: scarves, corduroy and tweed emanating style and scholarship. His passion for English, along with his empathy, is one of the many reasons pupils loved being in his classes so much. Joe's ability to put himself in someone else's shoes and consider things from their perspective is surely why he was soon promoted to a pastoral role at Merchant Taylors' –Head of Spenser House – perfect for Joe because, not only is it named after the poet Edmund Spenser, but also because Joe’s pastoral qualities were put to the greatest possible effect. It is no wonder that many old Spenser boys turned up to his memorial service to pay their respects to a wonderful man. Having sat opposite an apparently healthy, as ever entertaining and kindhearted Joe at a Christmas dinner in mid-December, it was then a few months until I saw him again because Joe fell ill just after Christmas 2019 with a rare, aggressive form of Ewing sarcoma (cancer in the lung tissue). Despite his positivity and grit, some online teaching, a couple of lectures on his beloved American Literature and (what seemed at the time) a realistic plan to return to teaching English fulltime in September 2021, Joe sadly died in hospital on 31st July 2021 with his family around him.

Frederick Charles Owen (OW 1943)

Sadly passed away 8th September 2021, aged 94.

It is a privilege to have been asked to write this obituary, but it is still hard to accept that Joe is no longer with us. So, there is nothing much that can be done except, once again, to learn from Joe: he lived every day like it was the first day of Spring; beautiful, enjoyed completely, filled with happiness and love. And he would tell us all to live and love every moment we have in this world that he enjoyed so much. As Joe himself said the day before he died: “I have led a rich fulfilling life. I have been loved, I have loved, I have passed on my love for life, and I have not taken life for granted. If you can do that then I think you’ve done rather well.”

In the words of one of Joe’s favourite modern poets, Owen Sheers, from his poem Hill Fort:

"…it isn't the number of steps that will matter, but the depth of their impression."

The steps that Joe made were fewer than they should have been but, luckily for us, the depth of their impression on our lives has been great indeed and we are infinitely the better for it.

Eleanor Trafford (OW 2002).

Frederick attended the School as a day boy, after winning a scholarship from the Wolverhampton Education Authority. After school, he went to work as an accountancy clerk with Bertram Kidson, where he stayed for many years.

Towards the end of the war, Frederick took a break from accounting and volunteered for the Air Force. They were oversubscribed, so he transferred to the Army and served for four years in Asia. After the war, he returned to the accountancy office and stayed there until the early 1970s. On leaving Bertram Kidson, Frederick became the Financial Director for Sydney Smith & Sons; a family firm of iron founders that he helped found. He retired from there in 1991.

Frederick was proud of winning his scholarship and thoroughly enjoyed his time at the School. Pamela, daughter.

Alfred Roy Pearson (OW 1943)

Sadly passed away 10th July 2021, aged 95.

A simple lad, Roy was born on Duncombe Street, Stourbridge, before moving to Pennfields where he attended Bradmore Infants School. Following a workplace accident, his father retired from being a conductor on the railways and the family moved to Kinver. Roy gained a place at Wolverhampton Grammar School and would cycle to school, grabbing the back of passing trucks to make the journey a little quicker and of course easier up the hills; health and safety was not yet on anyone’s agenda.

Looking at his school certificate, he was not the smartest of pupils but would always say: “Hard work and common sense is also very important as well as how you get the most from the people around you”.

After leaving school, Roy joined Lloyds Bank in Darlaston and apart from a period of service in the RAF from 1943 to 1948, remained with Lloyds Bank until October 1953. Roy met Barbara when working at the Hanley branch and was then sent to work in Cleobury Mortimer. With just three employees and very few customers, he soon found he had a new skill - rug making!

In 1953, Barbara found a Sales Clerk role opening at the Royal Doulton head office and encouraged Roy to apply. During the interview, the Managing Director asked why Roy was leaving a career in banking. The lucky card was when Roy said: “You probably don’t understand as you may not have heard of Cleobury Mortimer, but it is not exactly the wish I had after working in Colmore Row”. The Managing Director replied, “Mr Pearson, I was born in Cleobury Mortimer”. Roy got the job, married Barbara and the rest is history.

During his 36 years of service, he worked his way up the ladder to Sales Manager and then Sales Director; followed by a period as Managing Director of both the Royal Doulton Retail Division and Royal Doulton Australia. Roy was President of Royal Doulton China USA, based in New Jersey and New York, for the final five years of his career, and retired in December 1989.

Roy said of his time at Wolverhampton Grammar School: “I learnt so much during those seven years, made some lifetime friends and developed as a teenager ready to take on the world.”

mindset. A ‘can do’ attitude would always be at the forefront of every task that lay ahead.

Outside of work he had a very large and diverse group of friends, travelled the world and ensured that every day was fully utilised with no valuable time lost. Roy was not ‘flash’ and saw no need to take a first-class flight when economy could get you from A to B in the same time. He was a Wolves fan all his life and would always check the results on a Saturday afternoon, even attending some matches until recently. He moved with the times, spending time on his computer or iPad making spreadsheets or simply taking care of his beloved digital photographs; he was a keen photographer.

He was forever grateful for his years at Wolverhampton Grammar School and would still say: “Wolverhampton Grammar School made me who I was and what I did in life”.

Roy often talked about respecting others and treating people as you would expect to be treated; the need to be open and honest and straightforward, to keep life simple and to always have a positive

Roy and Barbara were happily married for 67 years until Roy’s death and have two sons. He was well liked and through to his death was a true gentleman.

Tony Pearson,

son.

Eric George Dent (OW 1943)

Sadly passed away 11th September 2020, aged 95.

John Campbell Spencer (OW 1951)

Sadly passed away 26th March 2021, aged 88.

Eric George Dent was born in 1925 and grew up in Villiers Avenue, Bilston. He attended Wolverhampton Grammar School from 1936 to 1941. A keen footballer, he played for and captained the School team and followed the fortunes of Wolves for the rest of his life. He was just 14 years old when the War started but saw active service with the Royal Navy in the latter stages, spending time in India. His mother said he always wanted to ‘work with money’ so it was no surprise when he began a career in banking with Lloyds Bank after the War. His whole career in banking was spent with Lloyds. Starting with several branches in central Birmingham, where he met his future wife Hazel, he eventually became the manager of Lloyds Bank in Fenton, near Stoke on Trent. The family, now including daughter Julie and son Philip, moved home to nearby Newcastle under Lyme. Coincidentally, an old friend from Wolverhampton Grammar School, Roy Pearson, came to live in the same road with his family.

Eric and Hazel were close friends with Roy and his wife Barbara, spending several holidays abroad together with much laughter and stories aplenty.

Eric moved back to Birmingham to take charge of Lloyds Bank Small Heath. The family moved to live in Solihull for many years before Eric and Hazel eventually retired and moved to Alvechurch, near to Hazel’s family roots. Here, with a course on the doorstep, he finally took up golf which he enjoyed for many years, passing his skills on to grandson Alex during his many stays there. Alex was born in Wordsley, maintaining Eric’s Black Country roots and continued to support Wolves.

John was born in Walsall and attended Wolverhampton Grammar School from 1944. In 1951, he joined the British Army in Arborfield, Reading for two years. John completed his education at Bristol University from 1953 to 1956, graduating with a degree in Engineering.

In 1956, he was employed by Reed Paper Group in Aylesford as a Project Engineer and enjoyed playing on the company’s cricket team at Cobdown Sports Ground. In 1964, he emigrated to Canada to join H.A. Simons (International) Ltd., consulting engineers to the pulp and paper industry, until retiring in 1997.

After being diagnosed as terminally ill in 2019, John was well cared for at home until he passed away peacefully.

Eric and Hazel’s final move was to Cradley, near Malvern, in a purpose-built annexe to Julie’s property where he passed away peacefully, spade in hand in his vegetable patch - his favourite pastime. Hazel sadly passed away just a few months later, aged 90.

Phil and Julie, son and daughter.

John is lovingly remembered by his wife of 44 years, Helen. He was predeceased by his brother Hugh (OW 1955). He will be sorely missed by surviving family and friends in Canada, England and Scotland. His passions were computers, music and photography. He was a kind man with a wonderful sense of humour.

Helen Spencer, wife.

Kenneth William Sproson (OW 1948)

Sadly passed away 4th April 2020, aged 90

Born in 1929, Ken attended Wolverhampton Grammar School and later, Wolverhampton College of Art. He served as a radar specialist instructor in the Royal Air Force before completing his education at the Royal College of Art in London. Ken was a designer for Wedgwood and married his childhood sweetheart Jean, also from Wolverhampton.

Ken and Jean emigrated to the United States in 1956. They became citizens in 1968 and moved to Hawley, Pennsylvania. Prior to retirement, Ken founded Sproson Designs Inc., a printing

company for custom ceramic and glass decals. After retirement, Ken spent part of his time living with his children and in 2017 moved to Wilmington, Delaware, to live with his daughter and son-in-law.

Ken was a ‘Renaissance man’ with the charm of an English gentleman. He was fiercely independent, enjoyed travelling and had many interests and hobbies. In addition to ceramics, art and design, other interests included: track and field, judo, aerobatic flying, photography, astronomy, and geology. He was generous and enjoyed giving his time and talent to serve others.

Lieutenant Colonel Michael J Wellings (OW 1954)

Sadly passed away 4th April 2021, aged 85.

Michael attended Wolverhampton Grammar School from 1946 to 1954. He played defence for the outstanding, and unbeaten, First XI football team in his final year and was the senior in the Combined Cadet Force.

After reading Maths at Jesus College, Oxford, he joined the Army, serving in: Malaysia, Sudan, Germany, Belize and Northern Ireland. He retired, aged 55, as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Corps of Transport. He then worked for six years for SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association), the charity helping veterans and their families.

Ken died peacefully at Millcroft Skilled Nursing Facility in Delaware. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Jean, who died in 1998.

Ken is survived by his daughter; Wendy, his son; Derek and four granddaughters; Sarah, Emily, Shannon and Jacqueline. Wendy Frydrych, daughter.

In his later years, he was a passionate gardener, buying and developing a plot of land in Farnham. To this day, the land is used for nature lessons by local schools and opens regularly to the public.

Roger Wellings (OW 1955).

Bernard Rockett (Former Staff)

Sadly passed away 24th March 2021.

Bernard Rockett joined the Chemistry Department at WGS in 1988, following his retirement as senior lecturer at the (then) Wolverhampton Polytechnic, and gave ten years of service. Not that he was new to WGS – he saw two sons, and later two granddaughters, progress through the School.

He quickly became a popular teacher by seamlessly adapting his teaching approach to cater to the younger audiences he was now facing. His knowledge of Chemistry was profound and, thanks to his numerous other interests, his wider experience was also great. This meant that he was an obvious figure to teach a GCSE course in ‘Science and Society’. He was also a Sixth Form

Tutor, where he displayed his ability to communicate with older teenagers.

A very modest gentleman, it was only by throwaway remarks in conversation that the spread of his outside interests became apparent: small railways, especially the Glyn Valley Tramway; natural history with a special interest in dragonflies; walking - including ‘Letter Boxing on Dartmoor’; and his interest in motor sport which led to a special focus on the super strong lightweight polymers used in racing car cockpits. Another interest was the military. At one time, preceding his WGS years, Bernard was a partner at a gun and militaria shop and took over an old gun manufacturing company.

Jeremy Francis Butler (OW 1983)

Sadly passed away 22nd April 2020, aged 55.

It is with great sadness that I tell you that an ‘Old Boy’ of the 1976 to 1983 vintage has passed away. Jeremy Butler was a friend to me from almost my first day of school at Woodthorne in Tettenhall, back in 1969, and for the next 51 years.

We both moved on to Wolverhampton Grammar School and were in the same form up until Sixth Form, when we chose different A Levels. However, we both continued our studies in Manchester where Jeremy graduated in Business Studies from UMIST. He then went on to get an MBA from Warwick University.

Jeremy was very thoughtful and kind; he was also shy with a bit of a gruff exterior and an incredibly dry sense of humour. It took time to get to know him but once he was your friend, he was someone you could rely on utterly. I have met few people who were as generous.

We would meet every fortnight or so for a beer and Jeremy would often speak very fondly of School and clearly appreciated the time he spent there. He would reminisce about the teachers and antics we got up to on the WGS skiing trips to Pamparovo, in Bulgaria, and Macugnaga and Madesimo, in Italy. One trip in the Sixth Form, to Noordwijk

He wrote several books, ranging from a university Biochemistry textbook through to several books on small Welsh railways and even a children’s book on whales.

As far as his colleagues are concerned, the memory of his frequent penning of notes for his family, as a way of constantly keeping in touch, showed his strength as a family man.

What a person!

Our thoughts reach out to Val, James, Peter and their families.

Gareth Phillips, former colleague.

in Holland was a highlight, particularly the excursion to Amsterdam – for its museums and culture, naturally.

Jeremy had an incredibly tough time during the last 10 years of his life, losing first his father in 2011, then his sister two years later and finally his mother three years ago. Despite these tragic events, he never lost himself to bitterness or anger – his kindness and generosity of spirit shone through to the end.

Jez was my oldest friend and I will miss his friendship enormously.

Steve Knowles (OW 1983).

Sophie Pritchard (OW 2014)

Sadly passed away 30th March 2021, aged 24.

When asked what they remember most about Sophie (Soph), people often say her infectious laughter and glowing smile. If you ever heard her laugh you will know how difficult it was to ignoreonce she started giggling, she couldn’t stop, often causing the whole room to follow suit. Soph always found the joy and light in life; a sombre obituary just doesn’t seem fitting. Instead, it feels right to pay tribute to the fun, smiley, cheeky, kind and determined woman she was.

In 2006, Soph joined WGS as part of the last Big Six class to enjoy a year of fun and adventure under Miss Martin. She remained at WGS for secondary school and over her eight years there, navigated the many developments of every usual teenager. Unlike her peers, she also faced a constant battle with her body as she struggled with the symptoms of Friedreich’s Ataxia, a degenerative disease. This did not define Sophie. Her passion for life and determination to always have fun is what she would want us to celebrate and remember.

Soph had a cheeky, sometimes mischievous, streak. I could list the many pranks she was at the forefront of, but the one that roused most suspicion was just how many times we got stuck in the School lifts. This was one of her regulars and served us well across our years at WGS; it meant that we were able to sneak a few extra minutes

gossiping, giggling, and enjoying ourselves rather than working. We would eventually reach the classroom, just a little late, and Soph would always act shocked when the teacher queried how we managed to get trapped this time. Naturally, she managed to charm the teacher’s annoyance away every time.

Soph was determined to never miss out on anything. When we did a high ropes assault course in Lower Sixth, she was adamant she would take part, which she did, and on our walking trips in Games she would be more than willing for us to lift her over fences in her chair so we could continue routes which, at first, didn’t appear accessible. She was fiercely competitive and was a keen sportswoman, competing in numerous adaptive sports. Due to her basketball abilities and enviable seated throw, you wanted her on your team for end of term King Ball tournaments. When it did become harder for her to partake in certain sporting events at school, she took this in her usual determined way and turned her attention to becoming the number one spectator instead - her form could always depend on her on Sports Day for the best chants and whoops of encouragement.

She was the most loyal and honest friend you could wish for and would challenge you, while supporting you, no matter what. In Year 9, when I suffered

from terrible stage fright in the runup to a school production of Dracula, she came to performances to support me, alongside helping Ellie and Jess backstage. At the time, while all feigning a sudden genuine interest in costume, makeup and stage design, and helping dress me for each performance, they achieved their main aim to ensure that I always had a friendly face backstage. Each night, prior to the show, Soph would sit in the girls' changing room chatting away about anything and everything and helped keep my nerves in check. It wasn’t just her friends she supported; she was always on hand to cheer up anyone who was having a tough time.

After completing her A Levels in 2014, she studied a BTEC at Wolverhampton College. Here, she made more friends and worked towards her goal of studying at Aston University. In 2016, she was offered a place on their Accounting for Management degree programme. At university, Soph was determined to experience the usual

things students did and moved into university accommodation. Here she enjoyed the highs and lows of living in student digs, immersing herself in the Birmingham nightlife and attempting to cook. Her time at university came with challenges but she remained determined to complete her degree and, above all else, have fun. She graduated in 2020 (sadly online) with a 2:1. I am told she was a firm favourite of the lecturers and her fellow students, just as she had been at WGS.

Whilst at Aston, Soph undertook a year in industry at Limitless Travel, a company specialising in adaptive trips and travel for people living with disabilities. It was the perfect fit for her as she loved to travel. She holidayed annually in Cornwall with her treasured dogs, travelled to Spain, as well as convincing her parents to take her on various daredevil-style trips to Hawaii and Egypt. Soph joked that while there were many disadvantages to being in a wheelchair, getting good tickets to events and shows was not one. She certainly took advantage of this and attended the London Olympics, saw her favourite band McFly on numerous occasions, and almost annually went with her family to watch Wimbledon. Her death came as a terrible shock, at a time when many of us could not meet in person to celebrate her life. It is a testament to Soph, her parents Helen

and Steve, and her brother Matthew that she achieved and experienced so much in her 24 years. Listening to Helen, Steve and Matthew’s incredible eulogies, I was reminded again of how inspirational she was (she would roll her eyes at me for calling her that). I know that many of her loved ones, including myself, continue to follow her mantra of ‘just keep going’ no matter what, even though now we must live in a world without her.

In 2022, the School will be hosting a charity tennis event involving the Class of 2014. The aim will be to raise money in Sophie’s memory for charities who helped her throughout her life, whilst coming together and enjoying tWo of her favourite things: tennis and cake!

Lydia Manley (OW 2014).

Paul Jennings (OW 1960)

Sadly passed away June 10th 2021, aged 79.

Paul had a modest childhood and attended Bingley Street Primary School, before passing the 11+ and joining WGS. He flourished academically, as well as finding his lifelong loves of music, Bridge and fell-walking.

Paul won a State Scholarship and Postmastership to Merton College, Oxford, in 1960 to read Maths, where he became the captain of the College darts team and ‘Master of the Winks’.

Paul met Carole, on holiday in Iceland, and, after much toing and froing to visit each other when they could, they married in 1966.

In 1964, Paul was appointed Maths master at Burnley Grammar School by Noel Stokes, himself a former member of staff at WGS, and was subsequently promoted to Head of Maths then Deputy Head. He also taught Bridge and in 1979 won the English Schools Cup, with three players going on to play at the highest level.

A Wolves fan his whole life, Paul retired in 2002, and was wonderfully supported by Carole throughout.

Extracted from the eulogy read at Paul's funeral.

Peter Ernest Richardson (OW 1944)

Sadly passed away 1st August 2020, aged 93

Peter Ernest Richardson was born in Wolverhampton on 4th April 1927 to Arthur, a WW1 veteran from Northampton working in the motor trade, and local girl Alice. In the early 1930s his parents opened a shop in Salop Street, Peter’s Retailing ‘Clothes for the Discerning Lady’, specialising in mourning wear.

be an accountant. He spent some time in Cornwall before returning to Wolverhampton to join his parents in the family fashion retail business Peter’s, where he did the bookkeeping and stock purchasing.

From Crowther Grove, he moved with his parents to a bungalow, that he helped design, in Finchfield. One day, he returned home with his dog called Chris; his parents were not best pleased.

He enjoyed concerts and theatre and saw the all-time greats at the old Hippodrome, including George Formby, who he always enjoyed listening to. He was also a friend and regular attendee of the Grand Theatre.

chatting with residents and helping out at social events. He was always the first to arrive to help and the last to leave. In 2007, Peter was nominated for the Wolverhampton Volunteer of the Year Award. On his 80th birthday, he attended the Mayoral awards reception and won the runner-up prize. He was described as ‘a wonderful ambassador for good and a testament of his faith and his love of people.'

Peter, an only child, grew up and spent the war years at Crowther Grove, Tettenhall, attending Richmond House School until the age of nine. His school reports show that he was good at Maths and had an interest in scripture. His singing, described as only 'very fair', improved with age; he had a lovely singing voice in his adult life! After Richmond House, Peter went to Wolverhampton Grammar School and his school reports made mention of his ‘uncontrollable chatter’. Although his headmasters' reports were never particularly encouraging, in December 1944 he passed the School Certificate with Credit in English Language, French, German, Elementary and Additional Mathematics.

Like his father, Peter was a good snooker player. He started playing when he was around 10 and in 1946, reached the last eight of the ‘All England Youth Championships’, beating the national champion en route. The Express & Star described him as ‘a modest lad’ and his unassuming manner stayed with him.

After school, Peter worked with Gilbert Shedden, where he trained to

In 1965, Peter married Heather in Brewood Church. Kathryn was born the following year and Rosemary two years later. North Wales was the family holiday destination of choice and they holidayed in Harlech every year.

He founded the Brewood Chess Club with Charles Spencer in the 1980s and organised Theatre trips for club members.

Peter’s Christian faith was important to him throughout his life. His main motivation in life came through his love of helping others and he worked voluntarily for various organisations, often behind the scenes.

For many years Peter volunteered for the Samaritans. He was also involved in the Wolverhampton Coronary Aftercare Support Group and became a committee member for the NSPCC. There were many occasions when his two-hour slot with a collection box outside Sainsbury's would turn into an all-day event, if the collector due to follow on couldn't make it.

He spent 25 years as a volunteer at The Woodlands Residential Home in Penn; organising games evenings,

On retiring, Peter joined the 050 Friendship Centre in Wolverhampton. He enjoyed many new activities and made longtime friends. New activities included; climbing Ben Nevis, to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and learning to ski at 67 years old. He also enjoyed more sedate games of indoor and crown green bowls.

After a stint in hospital, Peter spent three happy years in Holmebank Residential Home. He was quickly won over by the manager’s dog Alfie, whom he called ‘Fluffy’, who spent many a morning sitting on his lap in the lounge. Peter was one of the fittest in the home and loved to help and support other residents.

In 2016, after another stay in hospital Peter moved to Atholl House Nursing Home. He was a popular resident and nicknamed ‘Mr Smiler’. He had a lovely room overlooking the garden and enjoyed daily visits from his daughters.

Peter passed away with Kathryn and Rosemary by his side. He is remembered fondly by his family and friends. Many recall his sense of humour, patience and kindness; ALL describe him as a gentleman.

Kathryn Robinson, daughter.

Sir Michael Rutter (OW 1951)

Sadly passed away 23rd October 2021, aged 88.

Professor Sir Michael Rutter was born on 15th August 1933, in Lebanon where his father ran a hospital near Beirut. The family returned to Britain just before the Second World War and Michael was evacuated, aged seven, to North America and lived with a Quaker family from 1940 to 1944. On returning to the UK, Michael attended WGS, followed by Bootham School, York, and then went on to Birmingham Medical School, where he trained in general medicine, neurology and pediatrics, before specialising in psychiatry.

In 1966, Michael joined the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London as a senior lecturer and was then appointed as the first Professor of Child Psychiatry in the UK, particularly known for his research into the early years of children’s emotional development. Regarded as the ‘Father of Child Psychiatry’, Michael laid the foundations of Child Psychiatry and Developmental Psychopathology as it is today.

He has published more than 400 scientific papers and chapters, alongside 40 books including: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - now in its sixth edition - which is accepted as the established textbook in the field.

In 1984, Michael established the MRC Child Psychiatry Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry, followed 10 years later by the Social, Genetic and Developmental

Psychiatry Centre, which aims to narrow the gap between ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’.

He was the recipient of numerous honorary degrees and was an honorary member of the British Academy. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1987 and was knighted in 1992 for his contribution to the field of Child Psychiatry.

In 2014, on Who’s Who, Michael stated that he was fond of ‘fell walking, tennis, wine tasting, theatre [and] family’. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Excerpts from Michael’s obituary in The Telegraph

Keith Thomas Brockless (Former Staff)

Sadly passed away 24th November 2021, aged 84.

After I arrived at WGS as a young teacher in 1968, I was in awe of many members of the teaching staff. To me, they were like a race of Titans, very intelligent, right on top of their subjects, academically very formidable – though saved from being intimidating because of their kindness and their great spirit de corps.

Keith, who had been recruited to an outstanding Classics department in 1960, was one of that Common Room. He could hold his own with any one of them in terms of ability. No one who came into contact with him, as a colleague or pupil, could remain unimpressed by his remarkable intelligence and scholarship. Even his manner of speaking, precisely formulated and clipped, gave a good indication of the clarity and penetration of his understanding.

He left in 1964, to go to France for three years, to master the language (one huge benefit of his stay being that he met Nicole and, somewhat to the surprise of his parents, returned to England with a wife and two little daughters). Later he learned German in just a few months in order that he could take a school exchange visit to that country, so he taught Latin, Greek, French and German at WGS – until his retirement in 2000, after nearly 40 years.

When one reads our Founder’s Day speech of the Headmaster, E.R Taylor,

when he expresses a welcome back to Keith on his return from France in 1967, one can sense his pride in attracting staff of Keith’s academic quality –winner of the Porson scholarship at Peterhouse, Cambridge, with a firstclass degree in Classics and, in 1974, of another first-class degree, in French, from the University of London. Keith was a man after his own heart. On his first departure, in 1964, he was praised in The Wulfrunian for his ‘ranging beyond the immediate disciplines of his subject’, for his ‘enthusiasm’ and his ‘always inventive’ teaching.

What did his colleagues think of him? Those in the languages departments saw him as a walking dictionary and encyclopaedia who could always supply immediately the meanings of obscure words, their etymology, the social, political, economic and historical contexts of language. He was kind, obliging, cheerful – and with all that knowledge, modest and unassuming. And his pupils? One of them writes, ‘I never really came across Mr Brockless until my second year sixth, when a few of us decided to do French as a voluntary subject. The man we met was kind, punctilious, and almost conspiratorially encouraging. I remember us doing Anouilh’s Becket with him and having a ball of a time’. A colleague in the French department, on a French exchange visit, remembers

overhearing pupils discussing their teachers: he says, ‘they thought the world of Keith.’

So, please, if you never came across Keith, do not imagine that he was a Gradgrind, a Dry-as-Dust compendium of facts; or a Casaubon, spiritually crushed by recondite learning. For he was witty, amusing, cheerful, irreverent – in fact, capital company. Always he retained a hint of boyish fun and enthusiasm about him. His leaving speech in 2000 was redolent of all these qualities and is still remembered today.

Keith was very thorough and efficient. Whatever he organised went smoothly – whether it was a course of study, an exchange visit – or the tuckshop, which he ran for great success for many years. Let us hope that in that time he did not produce too many Billy Bunters, but I feel sure he had scorn for the ambition of the modern, all-regulating state to prescribe even what we eat.

He was very communally-minded too. He helped with the Scouts in his early years; he was an invaluable member of French and German exchange visits. For a time he played the oboe in the School orchestra. (In fact, his earliest ambition was to become a professional oboist). He sang in the choir, played the organ, accompanied junior assembly on the piano. ‘None sought his help in vain’, The Wulfrunian recalled in 1964.

Independently-minded, sometimes quietly forthright, and very highly principled, senseless rules could cause his hackles to rise, and if he recognised a decision as unreasonable, unjustifiable, or bureaucratic obfuscation, he was likely to oppose it with determination. After his retirement he found himself imprisoned, with many other passengers, on a metro-tram that had broken down. A wait of several hours was likely, as the passengers were forbidden to disembark until the tram had been towed into a station. In the face of dire threats of prosecution, Keith led all the passengers off it in perfect safety – an event commemorated in The Express and Star

Very highly principled people are sometimes censorious and narrowminded. Keith was tolerant and reasonable. Once, on the cross-Channel ferry, in the course of a French exchange visit, the purser of the ship approached Keith with a complaint that some Sixth Formers (who were over the legal age) were having a drink of beer. Keith (who, himself, was drinking tea) replied that they were with him, that they were young adults, that they had paid their fares like any other passenger – and that he was to leave them alone! So the purser was sent packing! And, on another occasion, very unusually, he swore when it was suggested in a department meeting that work should be marked with green pens, as red ink was too ‘threatening’.

He was very kind. He would do anyone a good turn. When I was seriously ill in hospital, he gave up his lunchtimes for three weeks to transport my father to the hospital. Many other people will remember similar acts of kindness. He was almost totally selfless. So, goodbye Keith! We shall miss you so much – our gifted and lovable friend, colleague, teacher. What could serve best as an epitaph for your life and work? Yes – the enviable compliment paid to you in 1964: ‘None sought his help in vain.’ That indeed – together with our deep gratitude for what you were and did.

We send our heartfelt sympathy to Nicole and their daughters, Hélène and Judith.

Robert Brandon, friend, and colleague.

"I was very sad to hear from Alex Frazer that Keith Brockless had died: he was, of course, a legend in the School, immensely popular and respected, and regarded with amazing affection by the boys. He taught me for one year in the Sixth Form. It was very good to have some Latin taught by someone who was also a modern linguist. I remember how he used to teach semi-concealed behind an enormous brief case and swathed in a scarf. He used to get us to translate in the order in which we were sitting in the room, so some boys would calculate ahead which bit was theirs and prepare only that bit!"

Simon May (OW 1978).

Peter Henry Evans (OW 1952)

Sadly passed away 3rd December 2020, aged 86.

As well as being a very successful businessman, Peter was also a brilliant sportsman, both during his time at WGS and afterwards. He played hockey for the Old Wulfs and was even offered an opportunity to play football for Manchester Utd, turning it down to stay in Wolverhampton with Anita!

both Richard and James, the former being a successful business consultant, the latter a director in a software company.

Keeping the family tradition alive, of Peter’s 10 grandchildren and four great grandchildren (… so far!) two of James’ daughters are also OWs and one is a current student at WGS. Katie (OW 2021) has just completed work experience at her old school, as part of her PE degree course at Leeds.

was his way. Peter made lifelong friends gained whilst at WGS, and with Anita, created a family that will always hold WGS in the highest regard for the start it gave them in education and sport.

In Loving Memory of Peter Henry Evans

Together Peter and Anita leave a wonderful and memorable legacy and are both sadly missed by all their friends and family.

15th April 1934 - 3rd December 2020

Peter was incredibly proud of his three sons James (OW 1984), Carlton (OW 1982), and Richard (OW 1988). Carlton carried on with the football genes, gaining his Blues in the Varsity matches for Cambridge whilst studying Law there. Carlton is a senior partner at Linklaters; London has also attracted

After losing his wife Anita in January 2019, Peter was looked after by his three sons. He had battled with Parkinson’s for quite a few years, never giving in as

I, like many, marvelled at Peter's elusive footballing skills. ‘Titch’ Evans (as he was almost universally known) was an extremely elusive, and nimble-on-hisfeet, footballer. His dribbling skills would frequently cause would-be tacklers to be completely wrong-footed.

Monday 15th February 2021 at 10.30 am St Bartholomew’s Church, Penn

Bernard White (OW 1952)

Those privileged to have played sport with Peter will know that he excelled at football, hockey and golf. How well I remember being in the OWFC 1st X1, which boasted a forward line comprised of Brayshaw, Ross, Durnall, Palmer and Evans. We at the back just gave them the ball and watched them play havoc with the opposition defence.

Tony Phillips (OW 1961)

Peter’s family thank you all for attending today and for your kind words and sympathy at this sad time. Donations, if desired, to Compton Care c/o Jennings Funeral Directors at the address below.

Paul Douglas John Brighton (OW 1977)

Sadly passed away 19th November 2021, aged 62.

A former BBC colleague and great friend remembered: “He loved interviewing politicians but managed to stab Denis Healey with a pen by accident in the studio, drawing blood from the former chancellor. It all ended in laughter though, as it so often did with Paul.” One of Paul’s proudest moments was when he interviewed John Major on an election bus and it broke down so, instead, they went into the nearest pub together for a pint.

Paul joined WGS in 1970. He played a mean cornet and in many brass band performances. In the Sixth Form, he gained a scholarship to Trinity Hall, Cambridge. There, he studied English and in 1981 gained a First-Class degree, followed by a Masters in 1985. Paul even managed to fit in an appearance on Mastermind, with Gladstone as his specialist subject, and reached the semi-final.

Paul’s journey into radio began with a job in the Advertising Department of Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton. After a successful time at Beacon, Paul applied to BBC Radio WM and became the local reporter. His talents were recognised and he was soon offered his own programme, ‘Coming Home’, based in Edgbaston, where he developed the content and gained a good audience.

Changes at BBC WM prompted Paul to move to Radio Oxford for a short period before successfully securing a lecturer post at the University of Wolverhampton, where his broadcasting experience was enormously valued by colleagues and undergraduates alike. He co-published a course book, News Values, and later co-developed a well-respected foundation degree course in Broadcast Journalism for Wolverhampton University and College. Finally, he became Executive Principal Lecturer and Head of Media and Film at the University.

By 2013, Paul was well established and working on his next publication. However, in June that year he suffered a severe stroke, which impacted his active career. A group of former colleagues from the University helped publish Paul’s final book, Original Spin: Downing Street and the Press in Victorian Britain.

Derek Thom, cousin.

OWs in the USA

RACE ACROSS THE SKY

Since 1992, when the race was first hosted, the Leadville 100 is probably one of the most well-known endurance mountain bike races. Starting in the mining town of Leadville, high in the Rockies at 10,050ft above sea level, approximately 1,600 riders race over 104 miles and must finish in under 12 hours to officially finish. Finish in over 12 hours and it doesn’t count. The race crosses 11,000 feet three times with over 12,000 feet of elevation gain. At 12,000 feet there is a third less oxygen compared to sea level. It’s a beast. Lance Armstrong has won it and lost it once and the front of the race is typically a who’s who of professional road and mountain bike athletes.

After moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2010, to set up an office for a UK renewable energy company, I fell in love with the Rocky Mountains and realised that riding a bike up and down them was a lot faster than hiking. At 5,300 feet, at the foot of the Rockies and with miles of trails and mountain roads to be explored, Boulder is an obvious base for cyclists. If you want to ride bikes seriously and live in the U.S., Boulder is ground zero.

I had no experience of riding bikes; my WGS days were occupied with playing hockey with cameos at cricket and football.

After finishing my first Leadville Mountain Bike race I knew exactly how Steve Redgrave, one of the most successful British Olympians, felt when announcing retirement after winning Gold in Atlanta in 1996: “If you ever catch me near a boat again, shoot me”. I said pretty much the same thing. Finishing in 11 hours 50 minutes I was done, physically and mentally and my language was much more colourful. Two years later and nine months after breaking my tibia and fibula in, yes, a mountain bike crash, I was back. The body does an amazing job of erasing pain and this time I was aiming to break nine hours. Nine hours and 21 minutes after starting I threw up, collapsed and uttered the same expletives about never riding a bike again.

After my second attempt, and after swearing I would never do it again, I decided to have another go – this time with the goal of finishing in under nine hours - and committed to raising $3,000 for the Livestrong Cancer Foundation. I followed a rigorous diet for six months, to lose weight and help me gain power, and trained six times per week. I planned to take in 70 grams of carbohydrate an hour, fueling 5,000 calories to offset the 10,000 I would burn. Nine months of planning and training for nine hours (hopefully) of racing. Finally, eight hours and 47 minutes after starting I was one of three hundred people to break nine hours and finish the race under my target time. An amazing feeling.

Charles Purshouse (OW 1995) lives with his wife and two children in Boulder, Colorado. After leaving WGS he gained a BSc Marine Geography at Cardiff University, a MSc Environmental Technology (Energy Policy) at Imperial College, London and graduated with an Executive MBA from the University of Colorado in 2021.

‘FROM WOLVERHAMPTON TO THE WIDE WORLD OF ISLAM’

Professor Nile Green (OW 1990) holds the Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to write Global Islam: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2020), which is now available on Amazon.

globalisation. So last year, I published a short book on global Islam for Oxford’s Very Short Introduction series.

When I left WGS in 1990, Religious Studies seemed an unusual choice for a degree programme. Over the years since then, global Islam has become a pervasive but opaque topic of contemporary debate. In writing a book for the general reader, I tried therefore to cut through the complexity and confusion by addressing two simple questions: What is global Islam, and where did it come from? By way of answer, looking at three phases of globalisation from 1870 to 2020, the book explains how the religion was radically transformed in modern times.

My research for the book built on travels that began in Turkey when I was awarded WGS’s Peter Stroud Travel Scholarship, then

expanded over the decades to: Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Morocco, Sri Lanka, South Africa, East Africa, Myanmar, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Chinese Central Asia, the Caucasus, and most recently, the Balkans.

After thirty years of travelling through the Muslim world - journeys that began during my last two summer vacations at WGS - I decided to draw together what I’d learned, both as a historian and as an observer of Islam’s recent decades of

After introducing the concept of ‘global Islam’, three core chapters show how the religion was repeatedly reinterpreted as increasing numbers of activists, organisations, then states claimed the authority to define Islam, and acquired new methods to propagate their preferred version of the faith. From the rise of Arabic printing to the spread of smartphones, increasing access to the communicational toolkit of globalisation made it ever easier to do so. Yet paradoxically, the global religious landscape that resulted was not one of homogeneity and unity, but of fragmentation and, in some cases, conflict.

Consequently, the book covers not only the Middle East and Europe – the familiar story of ‘Islam and the West’ – but pays equal attention to Asia and Africa. In doing so, it summarises the doctrines of a wide variety of political and non-political versions of Islam, across the wide spectrum from Sufism to Salafism. My overall aim was to help readers recognise and compare the many competing organisations claiming to represent the true version of Islam.

Read more about other recent OW book releases on page 68.

A SCHOOL BUS JOURNEY TO LAST A LIFETIME

Nathan Owen and Zoe Ward (both OW 1991) first met in September 1989, after Zoe joined Lower Sixth from St Dominic’s Convent in Stone, riding the School bus from Stafford. They began dating a year later and Nathan was quickly able to convert Zoe from being a fan of the Red Devils to a shared passion for the Old Gold.

Their relationship withstood the test of Zoe, as House Captain of Attwood, seeking to drive higher performance from Nathan in House events, as well as several hundred miles of physical separation at university where Zoe studied Biology at York and Nathan studied Economics and Politics at Bristol.

Nathan joined Deloitte (at the time, Touche Ross) in Birmingham and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1994, while Zoe worked for the Ministry of Agriculture as a mad cow detective during the BSE era. At the end of 1999, Nathan was offered the opportunity within Deloitte to work in Paris; specialising in mergers and acquisitions (M&A). He became a partner in the firm several years later, working extensively for public company clients such as L’Oreal, Renault-Nissan, St. Gobain and

VINCI groups on their overseas M&A projects, putting to good use all those lessons in French and Business German - albeit with a Wolverhampton accent. Nathan and Zoe quickly adapted to French life (and plumbing) and got married in 2004, in French, with a reception held in a beautiful château near to their second home in Normandy, on the eve of the 60th Anniversary of D-Day. Richard Keeling (OW 1991) looked spiffing as best man and many friends and family brought the best of the British wedding traditions to the Normandy countryside. Further to one overseas transaction, Nathan was asked to become Chief Financial Officer of LAZ Parking, one of America’s largest parking operators. In December 2009, together with their daughters Isabelle and Charlotte who were born in Paris in 2006 and 2009, they relocated to Farmington, Connecticut. They remain there to this day, enjoying frequent visits to a ski and golf retreat in Vermont and a vacation rental in Orlando to help cope with the

New England winters as annual snowfall is typically six feet or more.

Thirty-three years on from first meeting on the Leon’s bus, their love for each other, for the Old Gold (fortunately all games are streamed live) and for Balti, remains undimmed.

LEARNING AND LITERACY ACROSS THE POND

Thanks to Dr Stephen Hegedus (OW 1991), Dean of Education at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), a team of academics specialising in literacy have been working in partnership with Head Librarian, Zoe Rowley, to help develop student participation and engagement in learning. Zoe is delighted at this developing collaboration:

"Throughout the past twelve months, we have been excited to work in partnership with Associate Professors Regine Randall, Louise Shaw and Laura Raynolds. They all have extensive experience in writing instruction and lead clinical courses in reading intervention and literacy. In May 2021, we were delighted to virtually welcome this team to observe a Year 7 ASPIRE Accelerated Reader lesson. During this lesson, students read an extract from a

book, engaged in discussions and undertook mini ‘Accelerated Reader’ quizzes. We look forward to inviting the Professors to join us again in future for more lessons linked to books and literacy. Their feedback will be beneficial as we incorporate their expertise into future planning.

In combination with our work in the Library at WGS to inspire reading for pleasure whilst boosting literacy attainment, we are hopeful that this partnership will lead to new ventures in 2022."

Stephen is hoping to visit the UK in 2022 and we look forward to seeing him then.

TAX-EFFICIENT GIVING FROM THE US

We have recently put in place an agreement with British Schools and Universities Foundation (BSUF) – a non-profit educational, scientific, and literary foundation – to facilitate taxeffective donations from the USA. This replaces a previous agreement with Chapel & York: as an entirely voluntary organisation, BSUF does not take any commission or apply any fees. To read more about BSUF, please visit: www.bsuf.org/about-bsuf

Dr Robin Cooper (OW 1956) has kindly agreed to be our US representative. He can be contacted with any queries by email: rdgcooper@gmail.com

Further information about all ways to donate to BSUF can be found here: www.bsuf.org/donate and donations can be made here: donatenow.networkforgood.org/ BSUF

FIRST US REUNION

After another year on hold due to Covid restrictions we are really hoping that our first US Reunion will finally take place. A schedule for late October is taking shape, to include events on both the East and West coasts, and we look forward to sharing further details very soon.

To register your interest in attending, please email development@wgs-sch.net

A word from the Development Office

Despite the continuing challenges faced by many during the past year, we have been amazed and inspired by the encouragement and ongoing support of our Old Wulfrunians. To everyone who has volunteered their time, given a gift in kind, or donated during the past twelve months, thank you.

NEW, EXPANDED TEAM

Ed Cornaby (OW 2008) left us in April for pastures new, after just over two years in his role as Alumni Officer; we wish him every success.

Plans to expand the team and level of activity were already in hand and towards the end of July Julie Roberts (pictured left) and Rhianne Jacques (pictured right) arrived. Julie moved from the School’s Admissions team where she had worked for just over three years. A keen runner, competing in half marathons, Julie has also recently taken up yoga. Rhianne studied Ancient History at the University of Edinburgh and previously worked in Customer Success. Rhianne enjoys being outdoors, travelling and anything true crime. Vegetarian for just over a year, she loves everything about food!

As Alumni Engagement Officers, Julie and Rhianne’s primary focus is to help OWs remain connected to School and to each other. If you would like to visit, have news to share or an idea for an event or would just like a chat, please do get in touch, either by email: development@wgs-sch.net or by phone: +44 (0)1902 421326, Ext. 217/207.

1512 SOCIETY INAUGURAL LUNCH

The inaugural lunch of the 1512 Society will finally take place in School on Saturday 2nd July 2022, to coincide with the Summer Art Show, providing guests with an opportunity to enjoy the amazing creative talents of our 2022 GCSE and A Level Art students.

WHAT DOES WGS MEAN TO YOU?

Over the past 18 months it has become abundantly clear just how many OWs hold their old school in very high regard. During chats on the phone, through emails, in responses to social media posts, and more recently from visits, the warmth and affection for WGS is evident. And wonderfully heart-warming.

However, many of the stories shared aren’t recorded; and what of all the ones we haven’t yet heard?

1512 SOCIETY

So named in honour of the founding year of WGS, the 1512 Society has been created to recognise and thank those who wish to support WGS by leaving a gift in their will or have indicated their intention to do so in the future. If you would like to join the Society or would like further information on how to remember the School in this way, please contact Tina Erskine, Development Director, either by phone: +44 (0)1902 392962 or by email: ter@wgs-sch.net

We would love you to share with us what WGS means to you. It could be a specific memory or experience, or a view of how attending the School shaped your life. You could focus on the knowledge gained, which helped shape your career, the impact of a single teacher, the friendships you made and kept long after leaving school, the camaraderie and shared experiences you enjoyed as part of a team, or the support you received (financially or otherwise).

The format is entirely up to you: perhaps in three short words, a quote, a poem, a paragraph or two or even a page or more…

The essence and impact of WGS: with the help of OWS young and older, we’d love to capture it in words!

Do get in touch either by email or by phone; we look forward to hearing from you.

COMING SOON... NEW ALUMNI COMMUNITY PLATFORM

Work is progressing on the exciting development of a secure alumni community platform, which will significantly enhance our ability to communicate with OWs and, importantly, enable OWs to connect with one another. Networking within and across industries and professions: signing up to reunions: careers talks and social events: acting as or seeking a career mentor: joining university groups: searching for job opportunities: reuniting former sports teams: school clubs and societies: reminiscing with old classmates in a private group: the opportunity for connection and support is enormous. Watch out for the launch of our new alumni community platform in Spring 2022!

DEDICATIONS AND DONATIONS

Our warmest thanks go to all those who donated items to the Archive and the Library this past year. We were also delighted to welcome David Nash Williams (OW 1949) back to School and receive a plaque dedicated to his father and three uncles, all of whom attended WGS. Similarly generous, Imtiaz Munir (OW 1989) has recently donated a bench by way of thanks to ‘a transformational school and my parents’.

Throughout the year OWs have responded to requests for help, volunteering their time in all manner of ways: from mentoring Sixth Form students to helping with Covidtesting, virtual events to classroom talks and more. The value of your collective support is incalculable. Our students benefit immensely, and we so appreciate it.

Donations received during the year to 31st August 2021, from single or regular gifts and legacies, amounted to a little over £228,000. This included £33,850 specifically for the Emergency Appeal Fund (EAF). Since it was launched in May 2020, support for the EAF has exceeded £252,000 in total, enabling 28 students to remain at WGS during a financially desperate time for their families, specifically due to Covid-19. The response to this emergency appeal was not only amazing but literally lifechanging for those it has helped; thank you to everyone who donated. In order that we may return to our primary focus of raising funds for bursaries, the EAF is now closed to donations.

Dr Robin Cooper (OW 1956, a Trustee of the Independence Appeals Fund and President of the OWs in the USA) continues his longstanding and transformational support for his old School. During the past year Robin has indicated his intention to include a gift in his will, specifically for the creation of a science bursary endowment, to support local, talented students of modest means, intent on studying science subjects at both A Level and university, and with a determination to pursue a career in a science-related field.

Robin's generosity continued with a recent donation of £42,000 as seed funding to assist with plans for a science outreach project. Robin asks if other OWs might come together to match his gift: "As a Research Chemist, I am motivated to help the School to be a scientific centre of excellence and to develop its teaching to benefit other surrounding schools, as well as our own students. Today, practical laboratory experience is required by the top science universities but equipment is expensive. I challenge all OWs to help WGS acquire the right type of instrumentation. We have already upgraded the laboratories and collected some equipment, but more is required.’'

Please contact Tina Erskine, Development Director, for further information by email: ter@wgs-sch.net

New for 2022, the Zeps Natural Sciences Scholarship has been made possible following a generous annual commitment by former Head Boy Professor Nik Zeps (OW 1988). Nik studied Biology at King’s College London, completed a PhD in surgery/ pathology at the University of Western Australia and became a cancer biologist. After 20 years of experience working in senior leadership and healthcare research, Nik is a Partner at Chrysalis, a health-care focused management consulting firm. Nik lives with his family in Melbourne, Australia. He remains a biologist at heart and is keen to support his old school, which he believes gave him so much.

The Scholarship is open to students studying Biology, Chemistry or Geography to full A Level, based on an application and interview. The successful recipient will receive £1,000 to help support their study of Natural Sciences (or a related discipline) at university.

Nik’s twin brother Rob Zeps generously created the Graham Lewis Maths Scholarship in 2015. Read about the recipients of the 2021 Graham Lewis Maths Scholarship on page 76.

We are inspired by and grateful to them both

NEW HOME FOR THE ARCHIVE

The School’s Archive was re-located over the summer and Dr Chris O’Brien, retired former Head of Maths, has returned to oversee this important area, on a part-time basis

Chris recently put his knowledge of and interest in the School’s history to good use, unearthing memorabilia from the Queen’s visit in 1962 in preparation for the arrival of a film crew from ITV News Central. Several OWs were interviewed about their memories of this special day - more about this in Wulfrunian 2022!

Our warm thanks to Simon May (OW 1978), retired Head of Classics and Archivist Emeritus at St Paul’s School, for taking the time to visit in June. Simon provided valuable insight and recommendations around the storage, management and recording of documents and other materials of historical and cultural importance to WGS. Thanks also to Brandon Taylor (OW 2021), for helping to catalogue archive materials over the summer.

If you have an archive-related query or wish to donate an item to the Archive, please contact Chris by email: archive@wgs-sch.net

REMEMBERING JUDGE MALCOM WARD

An annual piano competition has been created in honour of the late Judge Malcolm Ward (OW 1949, longserving Chair of Governors and ardent WGS supporter). In the Spring term, finalists were selected from recordings submitted by Senior School students; these talented young musicians played to a panel of judges after which a Junior Cup was awarded to Alby Rescigno and a Senior Cup to Lucy Munson.

Malcolm generously bequeathed a Bosendorfer baby grand piano to the School. Simon, one of Malcolm’s sons said: "I think the idea of holding a piano competition in Dad’s name is a super idea. He was always very competitive in everything he did - and I am sure he would approve!"

Our WGS community extends well beyond the classroom to Old Wulfrunians, former staff, current and former parents and friends. The Development Office aims to:

• Bring people together, both in School and further afield. From careers events to reunions, art exhibitions to sports festivals and much more.

• Facilitate ongoing networks of support, for current students, Old Wulfrunians, parents and friends alike, at School, through university, into the world of work and beyond.

• Encourage a culture of giving, continuing the philanthropic traditions of the past to benefit future generations.

If you have an idea for a future event (in School, elsewhere or virtually), would like to help in some way, or just want a chat, please do get in touch; we would be delighted to hear from you.

Development Director: Tina Erskine

Alumni Engagement Officer: Julie Roberts

Alumni Engagement Officer: Rhianne Jacques

Email: development@wgs-sch.net

Telephone: +44 (0)1902 421326

Website: www.wgs.org.uk/alumni

Old Wulfrunians News

Here is a selection of the wonderful news shared with us over the last year by our diverse, multifaceted and international OW community. Please do get in touch and update us with your news. We always enjoy hearing from you; whether by email, phone, social media or in person.

SIR WALTER MERCER MEDAL FOR ASHLEY BROWN

In March 2021, Ashley Brown (OW 2006) was awarded the Walter Mercer Medal, for gaining the highest mark out of all Orthopaedic trainees across the UK, in the Trauma and Orthopaedic Fellowship exam in 2020.

After leaving WGS, Ashley completed his Medical degree at the University of Glasgow, graduating with Honours, and has since specialised in Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, where he has been trained under The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Centre of excellence.

The exam is in two parts, covers the whole trauma and orthopaedic curriculum and is taken by senior registrars prior to becoming a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. The Sir Walter Mercer Medal is the highest honour that can be won for the gruelling exams.

Ashley said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be the latest Oswestry/Stoke trainee to win the FRCS Orth medal.

I consider myself to be extremely privileged to be on the Oswestry/Stoke training rotation with RJAH at its centre."

Ashley’s hard work has also earned him a place on the Lower Limb Arthroplasty Fellowship Programme at the worldrenowned Holland Orthopaedic Centre in Toronto. After completing his training

August, Ashley and his family (including wife Sally Costin-Brown, OW 2006) moved to Canada for 12 months.

When Ashley and family return to the UK next year, he will be applying for consulting posts.

Left, Rob Banerjee, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and training programme director and right, Ashley Brown, lower limb arthroplasty specialist trainee.

ELLIE MAKES HER DEBUT

During her time at WGS, Ellie Denton (OW 2019) was a regular participant in school plays and developed a passion for the arts. On leaving school, Ellie went on to study Fine Art at Newcastle University. “I knew I wanted to continue acting”, Ellie explains, “so it was a nobrainer for me to join the Newcastle University Theatre Society.” In March 2020, after many hours and late nights rehearsing, their production of My Mother Said I Never Should was devastatingly cut short by COVID.

Unable to perform to a live audience for the foreseeable future, the Theatre Society decided to do something different. To raise money for arts charity Acting for Others, they decided to film The Importance of Being Ernest, directed by Adam Kineen, at The Sunderland Empire for audiences to stream from 2nd to 23rd July. The charity provides emotional and financial support to theatre workers in their time of need, a cause close to the hearts of Ellie and the rest of the theatre community.

Ellie was awarded the role of Miss Prism, 'a woman with a history of faults that altogether round her into the most cultivated of ladies' and began rehearsing over Zoom. The project took 10 months in total including filming, editing and promoting. Ellie noted that the rehearsal process “was completely unlike anything I have ever experienced before”, with the director using digitally drawn shapes to demonstrate blocking and staging. Three original scenes written by the director emphasise the impact and importance of art in Wilde’s life. Appropriately for the current situation, the play’s message is that 'saving them would be, and always should be, non-negotiable'.

Ellie describes the experience of seeing her fellow cast members for the first time in person as a “big turning point” after rehearsing via Zoom for so long.

By wearing masks and having two lateral flow tests a week, the production had zero cases of COVID and filming went ahead over two days in May.

Summing up her experience, Ellie explains: “I did not anticipate how intense the whole process was going to be. But the pay-off was worth it; it looked phenomenal. I feel so lucky to have been in this production and to have lived the play-experience I have missed so sorely. We are all incredibly proud of the outcome and are so grateful we were able to produce something this amazing, whilst simultaneously supporting and raising significant proceeds for Acting for Others, during such a tumultuous time.” We look forward to seeing what Ellie, alongside the Newcastle University Theatre Society, will do next!

TWO WHEELS FOR MARK WHEELER

Inspired by former WGS teacher R F Langley, recently retired Mark Wheeler (OW 1977) wrote a piece summarising his life and career:

“Anyone who vaguely remembers Mark Wheeler might have formed the opinion that what that boy needed was a sharp blow to the head. Precisely this was achieved in 1998, when a car ran a red traffic light and knocked Mark from his motorcycle as he rode home from work as an art psychotherapist in a Child & Family Therapy Clinic. After a week in a coma, Mark learned to walk again and become even more talkative than he had been before. Seven years of rehabilitation enabled a phased return to the work he loves, from which he has just retired on 1st September 2021. After various previous careers ranging from cleaning toilets in a factory, through photographing bands in the extended toilet that was CBGB’s, social work and more commercial photography, Mark trained as an art psychotherapist and was the first in this field to work in Sheffield (1991) and Nottinghamshire (1994) NHS Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). After having built the Nottinghamshire service up to six art therapists across CAMHS and four in Adult Mental Health, Mark sustained a severe traumatic brain injury on his way home from work in 1998.

IT’S OFFICIAL!

Mark gradually returned to work in Mansfield CAMHS from January 2000 and has since published articles in books, magazines and journals –alongside being a journal peer reviewer. Mark has been invited to speak at international conferences and is on the Department of Health Clinical Expert Database, so that bang on the head did seem to focus his attention. Mark was even awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society in 2004.

Greg Rollason (OW 2010) has recently become a Level 2A referee, refereeing for National League Premier and Premier League 2 games, alongside acting as a fourth official on EFL Championship, League 1 and League 2 games.

It’s a great achievement that Greg has worked hard for, rising through the ranks from Level 9 to Level 2A - only one level below the National List - watch this space!

Mark has not done too badly despite everything. He will continue publishing, making art and working in private practice, including clinical supervision, and will have art works in exhibitions in the East Midlands soon.

Mark is moving to Scotland to enjoy the contradictory delights of good biking roads and tranquil scenery”.

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Unlike many alumni stories you'll read here, this one says ‘don’t be like me’. I was, and arguably still am, an underachiever, probably because I was ‘pretty good’ at so many things. I’m also quite good at being happy with very little – hardly the attribute of a successful businessman. Greed, we are told, is the spur, with jobs and prosperity following in its wake.

In 1970, I became one of the BBC’s panel of freelance composer-arrangers, working for Norrie Paramor, and contributing around 50 full orchestral scores. I also belonged to, and wrote for, many of the excellent jazz orchestras that are still blowing in the greater Birmingham area. I was a member of many brass bands playing trombone, bass trombone, baritone horn and euphonium and became first-call ‘dep’ for a championship band on bass trombone. My band arrangements have sold all over the world.

I wrote the music for many theatre shows, including one which celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Cancer Research Organisation, staged at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. Our own orchestra was augmented by a choir of 100 and the Band of the Her Majesty’s Coldstream Guards.

My book ‘The Composer/Arranger’ is highly acclaimed and is available as a paperback and as an ebook with playable MP3 examples and hyperlinked

contents and text references. It has sold to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the world. My interest in American cars resulted in two of my complete renovations being featured in magazines.

Oh, and by the way, I was classicallytrained as an artist. I was student of the year in 1958, receiving my prize from Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman.

At 80 years of age I still work at my Digital Audio Workstation writing, arranging and mixing music which I submit to production hire companies. Most of them are accepted, whereas a success rate of 50% is considered to be OK. One of them was recently used on TV in the USA. They don’t tell you where.

So, as people keep telling me, I haven’t exactly been a failure but if people could see my circumstances today they would inevitably ask themselves ‘what went wrong?'

I know what went wrong. In an increasingly competitive world it is more important than ever not to spread resources too thinly. That is the essence of this message; ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’. As human knowledge expands, it becomes increasingly sub-divided into specialised compartments, so that it no longer helps us to say that Leonardo Da Vinci, for example, was artist, inventor, engineer, and so on. The rate of

progress in all areas is exponential. Before a new product is even launched, companies are already hard at work on its replacement.

I was dismayed to read that John Anthony (Jasper) Stocks had passed to the common room on high. He always seemed to recognise some worth deep inside me, for which I am still, even after all these years, so very grateful.

In his final report as my fourth form master he commented that I showed flashes of marked intelligence.

Hmm…

John Morton (WGS 1951-1956)

FIVES' RETURN

Despite Covid restrictions preventing a full season of fixtures, there is still some positive Fives news to share this year.

MORGAN’S REPORTING FOR DUTY

You may remember seeing Morgan (OW 2017) in 2019’s edition of Wulfrunian, talking about her career aspirations pre-COVID. We thought it would be great to check in, to see how COVID has impacted her journey and helped her find her path. "In 2019, I got through the selection process of the CAE Aviation Academy but everything was soon put on hold due to COVID", Morgan explains. The pandemic put things in perspective and seeing the fragility of the airline industry, Morgan decided that she wanted ‘a more secure career, with ample opportunity for promotion and development’ and decided to look elsewhere.

Finishing her job as a translator and tour guide in Paris in March 2020, just as COVID hit, Morgan returned to the UK, got a part-time job and set about completing her degree in lockdown. "It was really hard doing it on Teams", Morgan admits, although she still achieved a great overall grade! Morgan applied to the West Midlands Police Graduate Programme but applications were put on hold due to COVID. Undeterred, she applied for the degree apprenticeship route instead and was successfully offered a place. In September, Morgan became a Police Officer.

True to her advice in Wulfrunian 2019 of really putting effort into something you are interested in, Morgan is balancing

being a fully-fledged Police Constable alongside studying for her Professional Policing Practice Degree Apprenticeship and playing netball for West Midlands Police in the Police Sports League. "I am really enjoying it", says Morgan. "In the New Year, I will be joining West Bromwich Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to gain experience in a different department."

In May, Ben Hart (OW 2013), a postgraduate at Oxford, played in the Oxford Men's Second Team, helping to secure a 3-0 win over their Cambridge opponents in the Varsity Match 2021.

In July, Chris Austin and Sid Simmons (both OW 1993) competed for the MJS-J Cup. Although not winning, they were hailed as a ‘powerful Wulfrunian pairing’.

In October, Ben Hart was again, on top form, this time reaching the semi-finals of the Universities Championships, which saw a healthy turnout after COVID affected last year’s numbers - a great feat!

Also in October, Old Wulfrunians finished second in their Barber Cup match versus the Old Millhillians. Not a bad season after all!

Recently retired, Andy Husselbee (OW 1979) is now coaching Fives at School.

The Old Wulfrunians Club night is on Wednesdays at 7.30pm and all

Although Morgan has had a change of heart from wanting to become a pilot in 2019, her determination to excel has not changed.

Finishing on another piece of advice from Morgan: "There are so many opportunities out there, some of which you don’t know about until something as striking as a pandemic puts things into perspective – so give anything you’re interested in a chance!"

Source: etonfives.com

I have high hopes and aspirations for myself and want to progress to a point where I can utilise my degree in International Business with French.

Pictured: Sid (blue) and Chris (red) competing in the 2021 Veterans Tournament .

Congratulations to: Rachel Attenborough (née Trafford, OW 2003) and her husband Ben (who you may recognise from their wedding announcement in last year’s Wulfrunian), on the birth of baby Rowen on 4th February 2021.

JAMES APPOINTED TO BCCJ EXCOM

James Nepaulsingh (OW 1998) has, this year, been appointed as a member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) Executive Committee. Working in Japan for over 14 years, James aims to ‘increase the representation of minority groups in the BCCJ and indeed, in Japan’ through his role. Established in 1948, the BCCJ is a not-for-profit membership organisation whose goal is to ‘strengthen business ties between the UK and Japan, promote and support the business interests of members’.

CBE FOR MARTIN DUFFELL

Congratulations to Martin Duffell (OW 1981) who was awarded a CBE in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to Public Finance. Martin has been Head of Dealing at the Debt Management Office since 1998. He kindly visited School in October and spoke to Business and Economics students about his role and the wider UK economy, providing fascinating statistics and plenty of food for thought. When asked what guidance he would give to his younger

WARREN DERRY OXFORD DINNER

In late 1957 or early 1958 the late Keith Holloway (OW 1954) organised a dinner at Oriel College, Oxford for the recently retired WGS Headmaster, Warren Derry; all current WGS Oxford undergraduates were invited.

John Hutchings (OW 1954) remembers it as a ‘warm occasion’ and would love to hear from any other OWS who attended.

We would love to connect you, so please do get in touch by email: development@wgs-sch.net

self during a Q&A session, Martin advised: "Appreciate where you are, study something that interests you and do something that you love."

MBE FOR SERVICES TO EDUCATION FOR IAN

We recently learned that Ian Forster (OW 1974) was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list of 2019 “for services to education and to the British Community”. The award was conferred by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, attended by Ian and his close family – many congratulations, Ian!

Leaving WGS in 1974, imbued with a lifelong love of Music, History, English and football (playing and watching), Ian embarked on an interesting journey through life despite, in his own words: "Sadly showing little talent for Latinand other subjects!"

Ian’s award was the culmination of 21 years of international school leadership and headship. His last position, as head of The Anglo-American School of Moscow and St Petersburg, a diplomatic International Baccalaureate (IB) school with 1,500 students aged between 4 and 18, took place amidst ever growing tensions between the host country and the supporting embassies. The pressures were particularly felt after the Ukraine crisis of 2014, which culminated in the forced closure of their St Petersburg campus by the Russian government in 2018.

A gap year in an accounting office was followed by university, after which he moved to the South East and entered the commercial world; moving from a general office position into management, then company directorship. Approaching a decade as a company director, Ian decided it was time for a change. He made the radical transfer to education, moved back to the Midlands, specifically Herefordshire, and began working in the state education sector. Six years later, encouraged by a friend, the family discussed the idea of working overseas and this triggered the start of a new chapter in their lives.

The family moved to the Sultanate of Oman, for six years, before Ian gained his first headship at The International School of The Hague, in the Netherlands, an IB school of 1,300 students aged between 4 and 18. Here, he was instrumental in the building of a new campus before leaving for Russia.

Steering the School in Russia through troubled political waters was not always easy but Ian looks back on his 11 years there very fondly, particularly the community within the School, the

warmth of the Russian people, and the culture and history of the country - which he and his wife fully engaged with. They became regular attendees at the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres, among others, and travelled widely around the region. They loved their time overseas and Ian says that, in many ways, he wishes they could have been abroad longer to experience even more.

Now back home in Herefordshire, Ian is still involved in international education as a consultant and, though travel has not been on the cards recently, has been supporting school management and governors, delivering professional development, project management and mentoring via video call. He is also a governor at a local school and is involved in several community projects. Ian has been married to Susan - a physiotherapist and subsequent humanities teacher - for 40 years. They have two daughters, both of whom are teachers; one son, an accountant; and five grandchildren.

TAKING SILK

William Thomas (OW 1991) was appointed to the Queen’s Counsel in December 2020, with effect from March 2021, for excellence in advocacy in the highest courts of England and Wales, as well as in tribunals or arbitrations. The appointments are made by Her Majesty The Queen, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, following consideration by an independent panel.

Will’s law journey began with a Law conversion course in Surrey, sponsored by Eversheds, where he subsequently worked for, just shy of, 18 years and became a partner. During this time, he arbitrated in Paris and worked as a solicitor in public international law; advocacy played a huge part in this. In February 2017, Will moved to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he is now a partner, and specialises in international commercial arbitration. He has represented parties before both the International Court of Justice and the Iran-US Claims Tribunal.

Of 281 applicants, Will is one of 116 to have been successful after a rigorous selection process.

SOPHIE TAKES ON THE LONDON MARATHON

In October, Sophie Warren (OW 2013) completed the 41st London Marathon in just 4 hours 50 minutes, raising £2,425 for The Haven Wolverhampton, a local charity supporting women and children who have been subjected to domestic abuse.

The non-profit organisation, which is often supported by students at WGS, is very close to Sophie’s heart having been founded in 1972 by her late grandfather. During her time at School, Sophie volunteered at various refuges and at The Haven’s head office in the marketing department, phoning corporate sponsors; Sophie knew the importance of fundraising in helping the charity to continue providing support.

Seeing the London Marathon place advertised by the charity, coupled with her love of running, made it the perfect opportunity for Sophie to build on her grandfather’s lifetime contributions to a very worthy local cause.

After completing the run, Sophie received drawings from children at the refuges as a thank you present and reflected on her achievement: “This touching gift re-emphasises the importance of supporting local charities and the individuals that benefit from the fundraising”.

We look forward to hearing about Sophie’s continued involvement with The Haven; coming soon is a project focused on education and employment opportunities. Congratulations Sophie for successfully completing the 26.2 miles in the capital and raising valuable funds – you have done your grandfather proud!

INTERLINKING IN INTERLAKEN

Tim Hinton (OW 1965) has been keeping himself busy since retiring in 2007. He has learned to play the saxophone, joining not one, but three bands; attends ballroom dances weekly with his wife; and has travelled the world via cruise ship, with a world trip in 2009 and almost bi-annual trips since.

Tim has been in contact recently with a touching anecdote of how a school trip changed his life:

"Around Easter of 1962, I embarked on the School trip abroad. All travel was by train, first to Southampton where we got a ferry to Le Havre and subsequently moved on to Paris. After this, we went to Venice for four days and then on to Interlaken, Switzerland, for another four days. The trip was led by Mr Noel, accompanied by his wife, and Mr Anderson.

Whilst in Interlaken, we embarked on a trip up to the Jungfraujoch, the highest

railway station in Europe, where we met a group of girls from Doncaster. We got talking and met up again in Interlaken later on that day. We agreed to correspond once we got home and I ended up writing to Gillian.

Fast forward to 1965 when Gillian started at a teacher training college in Walsall. As they say, the rest is history! We married in 1971 and are celebrating our Golden Anniversary this year. So yes, without WGS my life would have been totally different."

AARON’S OUR CUP OF TEE

Congratulations are in order for Aaron Rai (OW 2013), by now a familiar face in Wulfrunian, for finishing joint 19th in this year’s Open Championship, alongside the likes of Sergio Garcia and Brandt Snedeker. He was the second-highest placed English player in the tournament and finished ahead of well-known golfing greats such as; Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau.

RICHARD JOINS THE UNICEF UK BOARD

Richard Hawkes (OW 1983) has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of UNICEF UK, for a term of three years – just a year after he was awarded an OBE for services to the charity sector. Richard received his OBE from HRH The Prince of Wales, in December 2020, at Windsor Castle. He has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 25 years and is also a member of the Advisory Board of the World Humanitarian Forum and the UK’s Charity Bank.

JOURNALISM FOR JADA

Congratulations are in order to Jada Joshi (OW 2019), for successfully completing her apprenticeship with the BBC, passing in all areas. She is now classed as a Band A journalist and working as a digital journalist with Midlands Today.

WHAT’S THE SCORE?

On 9th and 10th November at the National Stadium in Cardiff, Glyn Thomas (OW 1959) captained Wales’ Over-75s hockey team in their first international tournament. Glyn was not the only OW on the pitch however, as Ray Jeff (OW 1964) was playing - against him - for the England Over-75s, the reigning European Champions.

England won both games 2-1, much to Glyn’s disappointment, but we are assured that the games were exciting and much fun was had by both teams. Testament to this is the team photograph, showing Glyn and Ray together, front and centre!

JULIAN MOVES NORTH

This year, we learnt that Professor Julian Griffin (OW 1990) had been appointed as the new Director of the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen, beginning his role in July. The Rowett Institute is a research centre for studies into food and nutrition where there are currently research projects into food inequality, food security, obesity and the sustainability of food, among others, taking place.

Professor Griffin received his D.Phil in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford before working at Harvard

Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Radiology. Employed at both Imperial College London and Cambridge over recent years, Professor Griffin has been working in the field of Metabolomics, the study of chemical processes involving metabolites, to further understand how nutrition and metabolism contribute to metabolic disease.

SCHOOL FEATURES IN SATHNAM SANGHERA’S ‘EMPIRE STATE OF MIND’ ON CHANNEL 4

Times journalist and author Sathnam Sanghera (OW 1995), came back to the School in the Summer term to film elements of a television series ‘Empire State of Mind’, based on his best-selling book ‘Empireland’.

Released last year, ‘Empireland’ featured in our 2020 edition of Wulfrunian. In the book, Sathnam demonstrates how so much of what we consider to be modern Britain is actually rooted in our imperial past. The British Empire existed for centuries, covered vast swathes of the world and is fundamental to understanding Britain today – yet empire is still a subject often hidden

from view and obscured in school history books.

During his visit, Sathnam met with members of our Prefect team (pictured) and also spent time with Dr Bernard Trafford, who was Headmaster of Wolverhampton Grammar School when Sathnam was a student. Much discussion was had about the themes in ‘Empireland’, how the topic fits into the School curriculum and the wider discourse of Imperialism

The series, ‘Empire State of Mind’, was shown in two parts on Channel 4 in November. Sathnam’s exploration of how imperialism has shaped modern

Britain, and how this affected his upbringing in Wolverhampton, was as fascinating and thought-provoking on screen as it was in his book. The School featured mainly in the second episode but both episodes informed, entertained and raised plenty of questions for further serious debate.

A WOMAN TO WATCH

LESSONS IN LOCAL HISTORY

Keith Cattell (OW 1951), a retired architect, has spent time investigating Wolverhampton’s local history and has kindly shared some of his findings with us.

One area of interest for Keith was the story behind the Saxon Cross shaft in St Peter’s Gardens, the oldest Christian monument of Wolverhampton’s early history.

The Cross initially baffled historians due to its established Saxon origin (between 850 and 950 AD) contrasting with its, notably Mediterranean, acanthus leaf decoration. Popular in classical architecture, the acanthus leaf was an unusual inclusion in Saxon art, "not unlike inserting a strip of Art Deco decoration into a Robert Adam classical frieze", explains Keith.

Keith has linked the column to a tradition that suggests it was recycled from the Roman city Uriconium, modern day Wroxeter, in Shropshire - providing a possible explanation for the contrasting design influences.

Interestingly, Keith notes that the column is "the only monolithic Roman column in Britain that has probably been standing since it was first erected nearly 1,900 years ago, apart from its brief journey to Wolverhampton", we are lucky to have something so unique as part of our local history.

Keith has also addressed the mystery surrounding the origin of a medieval stained glass staircase window, at the now demolished Tettenhall Wood House, built at the start of the Victorian period. The window was fine-quality Flemish glass from the late 15th or early 16th century but was damaged during World War II when a bomb fell on Wood Road.

With no record of the missing panels, Keith began investigating the origin of the glass, tracing it back to the de Croy family in Luxembourg and dating it back to 1480, using the tabard style as a point of reference.

Keith has written articles on both of the above so please do get in touch if you are interested in Wolverhampton’s local history and would like more information.

Congratulations are due to Becky Lumlock (née Biddulph, OW 1991) for her great achievements this year in raising the profile of women in business. During her time at Network Rail (the owner and operator of all the rail infrastructure in the UK), Becky was Executive Sponsor for their gender equality network and entered the company into The Times’ ‘Top 50 Employers of Women’ awards. Despite there being a record number of applicants, Network Rail made it onto this prestigious list and were even mentioned as a case study in The Times’ report.

Becky has been selected as one of the ‘Women to Watch 2021’ by Cranfield University’s School of Management. The Women to Watch award shines light on talented women in business who will continue to make an impact. What a great year for Becky - we look forward to hearing about her new job at Brookfield Asset Management.

School Visits

Effectively closed to visitors in the early months of 2021, we were delighted to open our doors once more during the summer. Since then we have enjoyed welcoming numerous OWs back to School, four of whom are mentioned below. Whether for an event, to talk to students or to take a trip down memory lane, a warm welcomes awaits.

BRIAN GRIFFITHS (OW 1974)

An open request for a birthday message for JJ, followed by a nostalgic email conversation, resulted in a visit to School and we are so glad that it did. In the Autumn term Brian Griffiths took a heartfelt trip down memory lane, meeting the Head and catching up with some teaching staff too. Brian is an OW, former parent (of son Paul - OW 2016) and contemporary as a fellow PE teacher in the city. Witnessing the reaction of teachers Nigel Crust and Theo King as Brian walked in confirmed the strength of the relationships and friendships made.

During his visit, Brian shared documents that his 94-year-old mother had recently found. Taking a moment to compose himself, Brian read the original letter notifying his parents that ‘a place has been reserved for your son in Wolverhampton Grammar School for the beginning of the Autumn term 1967’. "I owe everything to this", Brian recounted, but it wasn’t always easy. Of humble beginnings, WGS was worlds apart from what Brian was used to and he described the struggles that came with feeling like he didn’t fit in. Common ground with his peers was

sport, in particular football, and resulted in acceptance. This paved the way for lifelong friendships within the team; they all return to School each year for the OWA Dinner.

A special ‘thank you’ to Brian’s mum for being a modest hoarder of school memorabilia, which already has its place in our Archives.

If you would enjoy a coffee, a tour of School and a trip down memory lane, please do get in touch with the Development Office, it would be great to see you.

TIM WHITE (OW 1970)

We were delighted to welcome Tim back to School in December, visiting for the first time since leaving WGS over 50 years ago.

Whilst enjoying coffee in the Meeting Room Tim was amazed to realise that he was seated within inches of where his LVIM (Lower Sixth Maths) desk had been and which, likely, he last sat at on 23 July 1969, the final day of that academic year. A truly surreal experience!

After dropping into the Library, Tim happily sat in on two Maths lessons with Sixth Form students; he even went away with some homework, which he planned to look at with friends that evening over a drink! Lunch in The Derry followed, which was a very different but nonetheless enjoyable experience.

Tim was pleased to meet and chat with Alex Frazer, the Head, Zoe Rowley, Head Librarian, Nick Brown (OW 2000), Head of Maths, as well as Dr Neil Bradley and other Maths Department staff. His visit gave Tim a real opportunity to reminisce and compare the School he knew as a boy to the one it is today.

We look forward to welcoming Tim back, and to finding out how he did with his homework!

See pages 18 and 19 for Tim’s article ‘Memories of the School, 1964 – 1970.

ALAN WALKER (OW 1981)

Whilst over for a visit from the US, with his wife Claire, Alan was able to visit School and watch staff and students run the Walker Memorial Mile.

The annual run was created in memory of Alan’s brother Chris, who tragically died in April 1983, in a drowning accident. Chris was 17 and an Upper Sixth student.

Alan is very grateful to John Johnson for continuing to invite his late parents to the event each July for nearly 40 years. Alan’s late father David Roger Walker was also an OW (1958).

ANNA HERRITTY (OW 2018)

It was great to welcome Anna Herritty, former Arkwright Scholar, back to School. Anna joined Year 10 Design & Technology lessons, at the launch of this year’s Arkwright Engineering Scholarships, and was able to share her experience of the application process together with her success in being awarded the Scholarship. Anna is currently a Design Engineer Intern at Worcester Bosch, in her fourth year studying Product Design & Manufacturing at the University of Nottingham.

Old Wulfrunians Book Releases

THE AGNES

By Andrew Harding (OW 1968)

The book is set in Warburton, a Wolverhampton-esque town, in the 1960s. Schoolboy Jimmy Emmett is growing up in a puzzling world. In his search for The Knowledge, Jimmy - an instinctive chess player - plots and weaves his way through many adventures and misadventures.

Jimmy’s adroit negotiations help him forge his way through life and relationships - encountering dangers and love in a multicultural environment. But in Jimmy’s life one thing remains constant: The Agnes.

Andrew is a law professor, currently working at the National University of Singapore, acclaimed for his cutting-edge specialism in the field of comparative public law in Asia. He is the epitome of the renaissance polymath, with multifarious interests ranging from classical Roman literature, history, music, and philosophy to the game of cricket.

As an international globetrotter, Andrew travels to international conferences and has lived and worked in four continents. The Agnes marks his debut as an author of fiction.

Andrew lives in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, with Sam and three dogs.

WHAT’S MY JOB’

By Matt Millard (OW 2000), known as ‘Johnny Oddsocks’

Having dabbled in sci-fi/fantasy writing in the past, Matt has recently turned his hand to writing and illustrating children’s books – his two toddlers being his inspiration.

‘What’s My Job?’ follows Marmaduke the Mole, who needs a new job but doesn’t know what he would be good at. He tries running; but is too slow. He tries working in an office; but moles sleep in the daytime. He tries flying; but that doesn’t go well as moles have awful eyesight! So – what would Marmaduke be good at?

The ‘What’s My…?’ series aims to encourage young children to try new things and understand that everyone has a different set of skills and interests. The message is that if you persevere, you will find something that suits you. The books are bright, colourful and engaging; written in humorous rhyme for the perfect bedtime story.

Matt (or Johnny) has now published three children’s picture books – one of which began as a poem that he wrote in Mr McKee’s English class!

ARE YOU A PUBLISHED AUTHOR?

If you have released a published book, or are planning to do so this year, and would like to share news of it in Wulfrunian 2022, please email details to:

development@wgs-sch.net

CAN YOU HELP?

We almost have a full collection of Red Books but are missing a few editions. If anyone has any copies of the books for 1924-5, 1927-8, 1940-1 and 1952-7, and would be willing to donate them to the School's Archive, please do get in touch by email: archive@wgs-sch.net

Old Wulfrunians Events

We had hoped to expand our events calendar in 2021 to include more opportunities to bring our community together, virtually and in-person. Although some of our planned in-person events had to be postponed we look forward to resuming a full calendar in 2022.

CAREERS COLLABORATION

The Development Office and Careers Officer, Mrs Sarah Hind, have joined forces to connect current students with OWs who are either studying a course they are interested in, or work in a field they are considering. Sarah is busy meeting all students in Year 11 and above to find out what their aspirations are, with a view to scheduling a series of lunchtime career sessions - so if you would like to visit School, have a tour and meet some of our students, we’d love to hear from you!

A number of students have already connected with OWs and we thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to help. Students have connected with OWs who work in the Arts, Engineering, Medicine and third sector fields - humanitarianism and sustainability.

A special thank you to Janey Harold (OW 2019), Emma Morley (OW 2015), Katie Naylor (OW 2018) and Jenny Wilson (OW 2009) for their help with our Year 9 Take Flight careers morning on Friday 17th December

RECONNECT, REMINISCE, AND MARK HISTORY IN 2022

A full schedule of events can be found on page 91, but here's a sample of what's to come:

Class of 1997 25 Year Reunion at School

Saturday 2nd April 2022

Chris Checketts (OW 1997) invites you to join him for a relaxed gettogether back at School.

Class of 2012 10 Year Reunion at School

Saturday 18th June 2022

2021. Reflecting on how they felt in Year 9, students heard first-hand about the choices they made in School, experiences from university and their working life; the aim of the morning was to inspire the students to start thinking about the kind of choices they have.

OWs even shared a few confessions about their time in School, as an ice breaker to the morning. Can you work out which OW…

• lived on the road opposite School but was always late?

• missed a whole page of questions on one of their final GCSE exams?

• is doing a degree in subjects they never studied at school?

Please get in touch if you are happy to connect with current students, or indeed happy to help with any career-related event – it would be great to hear from you.

Charlotte Holman and Fiona Jones (both OW 2012) are organising an afternoon of fun and activity and would love you to join them.

30th Anniversary – Introduction of Girls to Senior School

Autumn Term 2022

If you were part of the first cohort of girls who joined the Senior School in 1992, we would love to welcome you back to mark this historic anniversary.

Celebrating 25 years at WGS, on the hockey pitch!

Saturday 3rd September 2022

Nic Anderson (OW 1990) will celebrate 25 years of teaching in 2022; he is calling all OW hockey players from his time as coach (1997 - 2014) to a reunion - on the hockey pitch!

To register interest for any of the above events, please email development@wgs-sch.net

CONNECTING CURIOUS MINDS

Keen to explore the possibility of pursuing a career in medicine, we were delighted to connect Lower Sixth student Ollie Brookes with retired GP Dr Simon Lockett (OW 1970), in January 2021.

Ollie and Simon corresponded by email when national restrictions were reintroduced for a third time. Over a period of a couple of months they covered a wide array of topics, from qualifying as a doctor to baking, Trollope to Dr Who, medical politics to volunteering, WGS in the sixties to life in the Sixth Form under Covid, Biochemistry to Psychiatry, friendship to family, Cambridge MA to UCAS forms and more.

Ollie had nothing but good things to say about the experience: “It was wonderful to gain an insight into the more nuanced and less openly discussed aspects of the life of a doctor. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and am very grateful to Dr Lockett for being so generous with his time; he has given me a lot to think about!”

Spring term is also the time of year when universities and employers attend our annual Higher Education and Careers Forum. In recent years, we have welcomed a growing number of OWs as guest speakers to the event.

Determined that students would not go without because of COVID restrictions, in March we virtually welcomed five younger OWs to share some first-hand

CALLING ALL CRICKETERS!

We are looking forward to hosting two special cricketing events on Moreton’s Piece in July 2022.

Old Wulfrunians Tettenhall Cricket Club Centenary Game

Wednesday 6th July 2022

experiences and advice on life beyond school and at university.

We were delighted to be joined by current university students Haran Athwal (Medicine, Aston University), Thayla Bradley (Psychology, University of Manchester), Laurence Pickin (International Business, Finance and Economics, also University of Manchester) and Oliver Evans (Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham), all from the Class of 2019, and Mia Seager (Modern Languages, University of Nottingham), from the Class of 2020.

From their classrooms, students in Years 10, 11 and Lower Sixth were connected to the panel of OWs via Zoom. After a welcome from Alex Frazer, the Head, each OW talked briefly about their individual route to, and experience of life at, university. They also shared an example of their most rewarding, and conversely their most challenging, moments so far. Finally, a single piece of advice offered by each panel member to their young audience brought the thought-provoking session to a close.

Rhi Clancy, Head of Sixth Form, said: “I couldn’t be prouder of our panel of OWs. They were honest, open, positive but realistic and provided some great insight and messages of reassurance for our students.”

Founded in 1922, the Club celebrates its centenary in 2022. What better way to mark this special and historic birthday than with a cricket match between the Club and Wolverhampton Grammar School’s 1st XI, on Moreton’s Piece! If you would like to attend and watch what promises to be a great game, please contact the Development Office, details below.

OW Captain’s XI

Sunday 10th July 2022

After the disappointment of having to cancel last year’s hugely popular event due to Covid-19 restrictions, we look forward to welcoming OW cricketers past and present back to Moreton’s Piece this year, either as players or spectators.

Both events present a wonderful opportunity for OWs sharing a common passion for cricket to come together for a day of competitive spirit and fun. Refreshments will be available and families and friends are also warmly invited.

To register interest for either of the above events, please email development@wgs-sch.net or telephone: 01902 421326 Ext. 217/207.

Please also see inside back cover for dates of all OW events planned for 2022.

CLASS OF 1977 VIRTUAL REUNION

Following on from the ‘50 years after’ reunion in 2020, we continued the newly-annual Zoom call on 12th September 2021. This was for the cohort of ‘boys’ who started in 1970 (O levels ’75, A Levels ’77). Pleasingly, there were 16 of us this time - an increase on the previous year.

Those who could not make it in 2020, caught us up on what they had been doing for the 40 (plus) years since we all left WGS; careers, families and ups and downs. There were tales of business success, then failure, then recovery. Discovering art therapy, eco homes, dark skies and new ventures and projects. Reminiscences of drag acts, musicians from the 1980’s at the Lord Raglan, Blakenhall Cubs, smelly curtains at gang shows, and coming across an old boy dressed as Santa.

We speculated about those who we could not reach, talking about possible ways to contact them. We remembered those who have passed and listened to those who have faced significant personal challenges since we last caught up. There was talk of music, art, mathematics, science and fond reminiscing of the teachers who had inspired us. And, of course, the Wolves. It was a free flowing, yet very respectful and fun, chit chat (not much talking over each other!). It was as if we had only seen each other last week and were eager to hear each other’s stories. One OW even donned his school scarf and

tie, in an unconventional manner, and read from the 1975 red book.

After almost two hours of friendship, amusement and irreverence, where everyone got a chance to speak, we resolved to convene again next year at 10am on Sunday September 11th 2022. I look forward to seeing them all again, plus hopefully a few more.

The ‘50 years after’ WhatsApp group remains open all year; some like to post, some like simply to observe. Whichever your preference, if you were in the same year group, please join by visiting the link below. We will post details in the group of how to join the Zoom meeting 2022: https://chat.whatsapp.com/ BZhdsCNSbyc9EQSPTTcCK8

Attendees: Mark Wheeler, Martin Ratcliffe, Nick Hough, Peter King, Martyn Russell, Chris Ball, Spike Humphrey, Tim Phillips, Andrew Tyler, Julian Hayward, Adam Fleet, Alan Wright, John Hyatt, Antony Hopkins, Steve Morris, Jon Rice.

Honourable mentions also to Paul Fabian and Phil Clarke, who have joined the WhatsApp group.

Martyn Russell (OW 1977)

It’s great to see a group of OWs reuniting each year and shows that WGS really is a community that continues beyond School. If you would like our help with organising a reunion, or in reaching out to your old classmates, please do get in touch.

Old Wulfrunians Sports Festival 2021

It is fair to say that, despite being unable to host the event in 2020, the OW Sports Festival was back with a bang in 2021!

This year, we decided to schedule the event slightly differently, over two days, so that everyone had a chance to play the sport, or sports, of their choice.

On Friday 9th September, rounders and hockey players turned up with equipment in tow, braving the cold and wet weather to play a fantastic evening of competitive sport – we were even joined by a special, furry friend!

A wide range of OWs took part, with our youngest being in Upper Sixth and our oldest, Glyn Thomas (OW 1959), playing in goal for the OW hockey team. The Upper Sixth teams came first in both the hockey tournament and the rounders, what a great result for our soon-to-be newest OWs.

The following day, around 150 OWs, former and current staff, and current students, arrived at School ready to don their kit and get stuck into a day of sports, with a little twist this year.

The sun came out as morning turned into afternoon, providing perfect conditions for players and spectators

alike. With OWs coming from all over the UK (and one even making the trip over from France), much fun was had by all, catching up and reminiscing.

After a great day of competitive sport and friendly competition, the winning teams were:

Football

Dan Powner (OW 2010) XI

Netball

Heidi Dalzell (Former Staff), Cerys Bate (OW 2008), Pippi Grantham-Wright (OW 2015), Keziah Husselbee (OW 2015), Mollie Parr (OW 2011) and Carrie Wright (OW 2011)

Fives

Daniel Mackernan (OW 1994)

The afternoon culminated in a BBQ to celebrate, the one and only, John Johnson’s 70th birthday. Special thanks go to: Andy Husselbee (OW 1979), Tim Browning and Peter Hills (both Former Staff) for their wonderfully touching speeches –there was barely a dry eye in The Derry!

Thank you to everyone who participated, we look forward to seeing you next year.

Old Wulfrunians Golf Day

The promise of bacon butties and a good catch up, after the last year of COVID uncertainty, saw the OW Golf Day secure its best ever turnout of 37 players, including four former staff members and 29 OWs, on Friday 10th September 2021.

Although the weather was initially great for playing golf, the rain eventually took hold, and a few players were forced to retire to the pub.

Tom Smyth (OW 2000), pictured right, demonstrates the extent of the rain; he is judging how close he was to a hole in one!

Congratulations are in order for Bryan Dix (OW 1974), who took first prize in the competition and was the only player to play to handicap.

James Evans (OW 1984) who was runner up, with William Pitt (OW 2001) coming in third.

Tom Heath who won a prize for the longest drive. Further awards for ‘Nearest the Pin’ went to:

2nd hole

Richard Harris (OW 1987)

7th hole

William Pitt (OW 2001)

10th hole

Tom Smyth (OW 2000)

13th hole

Nick Phillips (OW 1988)

Save the date for 2022!

If you are interested in playing at next year’s OW Golf Day on Friday 9th September 2022, please email Jim Mills (OW 1987):

jim.mills@leaas.co.uk

Class of 2021 Leavers' Reception

In early September, we had the pleasure of welcoming our ‘Class of 2021’ Leavers back to School for drinks and canapés on Moreton’s Piece.

Former Head Boy John Steel and Head Girl Lucia Hoddell (both OW 2019) kindly attended and gave a few words of encouragement to our outgoing Upper Sixth. There was a clear theme to what both had to say – and very appropriate in the age of Covid – about taking each opportunity that comes your way and having a willingness to adapt. The speeches were motivating, honest and well received, by our leavers and their parents alike.

Moreton’s Piece was striking as the sun set on the evening and, fittingly, on the Upper Sixth's time as students at WGS, marking the start of their journeys as OWs; at university and beyond.

Good luck Class of 2021!

School News

Not one but two Graham Lewis Maths Scholars in 2021

Musicians in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) opened a new headquarters in the city centre on Friday 10th September. Former Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP (OW 2000) invited musicans from Wolverhampton Grammar School to perform at the grand opening.

THANK YOU!

Well done to the following students for representing the School: Sophie Adams, Jenny Chan, Emma Herritty, Mason Holles, Lucy Munson, Natalie

Congratulations to Andrew Fenn and Elena Martellini, who were both awarded the Graham Lewis Scholarship this year, against a strong field of mathematicians. Following an application and interview each received £1,000 to help with university costs. Andrew studied Further Maths at A Level and spoke of his interest in Artificial Intelligence. He is now at King’s College, London, studying Computer Science.

Elena shared her passion for tackling the overuse of plastic. She also talked about how cathartic Maths is. Elena particularly enjoys finding different ways to prove Trigonometric Identities. Now at the University of York, Elena is studying an MSc in Chemistry (with a year abroad).

The Scholarship is available to Upper Sixth students studying either Mathematics or Further Mathematics at A Level, with ambitions to continue in a related subject at university.

In the Autumn term we supported local and national charities by donating a range of items to help and support those in need. We were inundated with donations for the Afghan Community and Welfare Centre Walsall and Care4Calais in October, so much so that a School mini-bus and a car were jam-packed with items. Both charities were extremely pleased to receive the donations and were overwhelmed with the generosity shown by so many in our School community.

This annual award is made possible thanks to the generosity of Robert Zeps (OW 1988). Mr Zeps created this Scholarship in 2015 and dedicated it to his Mathematics teacher, the late Mr Graham Lewis, who inspired him to pursue Maths for both career and intellectual satisfaction.

A cause close to their hearts

On Saturday 30th October 2021, Upper Sixth students Rosie Bennett, Katie Goodridge, Anya Rogers and Katie Joyner took part in the Race for Life Pretty Muddy 5K obstacle course.

The team raised over £2,200 for Cancer Research UK after scrambling over the A-frame and crawling through the mud pit!

If you would like to make a donation and help raise valuable funds for life-saving research against Cancer, please visit: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk. org/team/rosie-and-katies

Team GB Triathletes

Congratulations to Upper Sixth student

Cian Gopal (left), Lauren Evans (OW 2013) and Oliver Evans (OW 2019) on representing Great Britain in their age group at the European Sprint triathlon in Valencia.

All participants completed a 750m swim, 20km bike followed by a 5km run.

Sixth Form Subject Scholarships

Over 25 students sat the first ever WGS Sixth Form Subject Scholarships earlier this year in a range of subjects from Art to Physics. Year 11 students were invited to apply for any subject that they intended to study in the Sixth Form at WGS before sitting a subject specific paper followed by a general scholarship exam which tested their ability in verbal reasoning and numeracy. The standard demonstrated by students was incredible and all entrants attained extremely high results as they competed for the prize of £500, a Sixth Form Scholar’s pin badge and the title of Sixth Form Subject Scholar. Huge congratulations go to the following students who were successful in their endeavours and thanks to all students who entered. We also congratulate two Sixth Formers who were successful in their Sixth Form Music Scholarship applications, this being a programme which has been on offer for several years already.

• Sophie Newey – Art

Looking after our local area

Year 6 students walked to West Park and Bantock Park with Mr Cothey and Miss Yates, picking up littler around the local community on the way to and from the parks.

• Ahmed Imran – Biology

• Jak Sidhu – Chemistry

• Thomas Frith – German

• Jenny Chan – History

• Hamzah Ansari – Maths

• Edward Hamill - Physics

• Ella Grew and Vishwas Kumar –General Sixth Form Scholarship and Governors’ Academic Scholarship

• Natalie Saunders – Sixth Form Music Scholar

• Laura Partha Sarathi – Honorary Sixth Form Music Scholar

Meet this year's Head Boy and Head Girl

Towards the end of each academic year, staff and students vote for who they would like to form the next Prefect Team.

The School's Head Boy and Head Girl are the student figureheads of our School community and play a vital role in supporting the day to day activities that go on across the Junior, Senior and Sixth Form from welcoming prospective families at open events to taking leading roles in School activities.

This year, Emma Herritty and Adithya Manigandan were chosen as our 2021-2022 Head Prefects.

The Prefect Team also consists of the following students: Rosie Bennett, Oliver Brookes, Arun Giri, Cian Gopal, Josh Harris, Morgan Lathbury-Cox, Lucy Munson, Olivia Roberts, Anya Rogers and Beth Seager.

Fact file: Adithya Manigandan

• Adithya joined Wolverhampton Grammar School in 2015, in Year 7, from the Old Hall School in Telford. Emma and Adithya were in the same form with Mr Wood in 7Q!

• Adithya is currently studying Maths, Physics and Geography at A Level and will be going on to study Aerospace Engineering at university.

• He can often be found in the sports hall either using the cricket nets with Mr King or using the multi-gym.

• Adithya loves sports, playing centre back in the football 1st XI as well as being cricket captain.

• Did you know that Adithya really enjoys skiing and has been to Austria three years in a row in Years 8, 9 and 10 on the School ski trip?

Fact file: Emma Herritty

• Emma is studying English Literature, Religious Studies and Theatre Studies.

• She is a member of the National Youth Theatre after completing her intake course in August 2021.

• After Emma has completed her A Levels, she plans to take a gap year to travel and focus on some passion projects before going to university.

• In the seven years she has been at the School, Emma has been in every school play available to her.

• Did you know that Emma knew she wanted to be Head Girl since Year 7? She feels very lucky to have achieved this goal after working incredibly hard during her time at school.

Miss Jones spoke to Emma and Adithya about their time at the School and their future prospects.

Third time lucky!

At the start of the year we were disappointed to learn that we couldn't return to campus due to another national lockdown. Our School community was exceptional in adapting to remote learning during this time and when the announcement was made that all students were to return to School on Monday 8th March preparations began to welcome everyone back to campus.

Safety first!

Our campus security is paramount and we ensure that we invest heavily in the safety and security of our grounds and buildings.

Students in the Senior School enjoyed taking part in a filming project with our biometric supplier, Suprema, during the summer term. Students worked alongside

Mr Hancox, Mr Billingham and Miss Leith to showcase the benefits of having biometric and keycode entry into each building on site.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

In the Senior School, all students were required to take a Lateral Flow Test before heading back to the classroom. Miss Jones, Miss Leith and Mrs Harris worked together beforehand to produce a video which helped explain the testing process so that Senior School students knew what to expect when they arrived at our testing centre.

We were delighted to receive a certificate from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award that highlighted the total number of volunteering hours our students had spent from the 1st April 2020 - 31st March 2021; an impressive 884 hours, which equates to the social value of £4,022, were spent helping others.

Thank you

Sarvjit Sra inspires Art students

This year, students have been working alongside Midlands-based photographer, Sarvjit Sra, to practice the art of storytelling through photography. Hearing his motivation and inspiration engaged the students in developing their own imagery throughout the summer – some working towards their A Level Personal Investigation, others building their own portfolios.

Workshop sessions were kindly delivered by Sarvjit Sra, as part of his Arts Council funded-project “Invisible”. After the sessions, he commented that, “It was wonderful to see the students work after the summer break. I was really impressed with not just the quality of the work, but the thought that had gone into creating the images”.

Thank you to all our OW volunteers: Lizzie Cawdell, Manvir Moore and Josie Dowswell (all OW 2017), Charlotte Forrester, Steph Scott and Morgan Colley (OWs 2017), James Cox (OW 2019) and Ed Purchase (OW 2020). and staff for the tremendous effort that you put in to ensuring the smooth and successful testing process; we couldn't have done it without you!

Well done to everyone who took part and committed to helping others as part of their award.

Coast 2 Coast 2021 makes fundraising history

A group of twelve Year 10 students completed the famous Wainwright route from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay, running as a tag team in 25 hours 42 minutes to raise funds for their chosen charity on Saturday 29th March –Sunday 30th March 2021.

The annual challenge made its rightful return to St Bees after restrictions meant that the 2020 challenge had to take place closer to home at Birches Valley, Cannock Chase. Each team member took it in turns to run as far as they could in 30-minute intervals with support and encouragement from staff and families.

This year’s team was made up of the following Year 10 students: Harry, Jaiya, Bella, Jack, Leah, Tom, Freddie, Sahara, Dhiren, Isabelle, Max and Ava. With special thanks to Mr French, Mrs Harris, Mrs Dyer, Mrs Powell (nee Bradley), Dr Bradley, Mr Crust, Mr Johnson and Mr Frazer for their guidance and support en route.

The team set an initial fundraising target of £3,000 in aid of The Haven Wolverhampton which provides practical and emotional support services to women and dependent children who are vulnerable to domestic violence, homelessness and abuse. In awe of their determination and

achievement, members of the School community, family and friends have since donated a phenomenal £8,000.

Jade Secker, Fundraising Manager at The Haven Wolverhampton said: “We are so grateful for the incredible support from the team of Year 10 Students at Wolverhampton Grammar School who took on their Coast to Coast challenge in aid of The Haven. The updates on social media throughout the 24 hours showed just how much hard work and effort the team had put into training and how much they were all striving to do their absolute best to complete the challenge with flying colours, and raise as much as possible for the women and children we support. Together, they have raised a staggering £8,000 to support our vital work and we could not be more grateful to every single student who took part. A donation of this kind could cover the cost of 4,000 emergency calls to our helpline. For many women, this is their first brave step away from abuse and is very often lifesaving.

Everyone at The Haven Wolverhampton would like to say a huge thank you to the team of Year 10 students for their amazing support – we hope you are all super proud of yourselves for the incredible difference your support will make in the local community.”

We are extremely grateful to our sponsors and supporters who contributed to this year’s challenge, including:

• Shingler Group who provided our Coast 2 Coast hoodies

• RMW Electrical who provided all our red training tops

• Premier Sports for our Coast 2 Coast medals

• Blakemore Foundation for a voucher towards supplies

• Holroyd Howe for the supplies of water, food and snacks for the students

Tim Thursfield, Express & Star

We’re so proud of you all!

Divya goes above and beyond!

School was extremely pleased and proud to hear that Year 9 student, Divya Kumari went above and beyond during the pandemic to help elderly residents in the local area. The Express & Star was contacted to cover Divya's acts of kindness by the daughter of Mr and Mrs Hill.

"The owners of a Wolverhampton shop have been going above and beyond for a couple in their 90s, delivering essentials daily and even sending flowers when Mrs Hill broke her wrist.

Paul Kumar and Usha Kumari, owners of Paul’s Superstore on Penn Road, have been helping Robert, 93, and Patricia Hill, 94, by delivering essentials since the start of lockdown. Their daughter Divya, who is a student at Wolverhampton Grammar School, helps her father with the deliveries and at Christmas gave shortbread to all the elderly customers they have.

Usha said: “She does most of it, she goes with Paul. It was her idea to buy a Christmas present for elderly ladies in the community so she bought them shortbread. She is a bit different from my other two children, she’s a very sensitive child, I’m very proud of her.”

“They are elderly, when you’re in a situation like this it’s what you can do. I

Maths Challenge

2020-2021

think what if my parents had been like this, as they’re in India. It’s a little way of giving back to society.”

Mr and Mrs Hill’s daughter Stephanie said: “They’ve been delivering the paper but when lockdown started they said if there was anything else they can do and since then they’ve been beyond kind for them. They have brought groceries every day, they’ve delivered the paper every day and have even gone to different grocery stores if their wholesaler couldn’t get something but more than that they’ve been a fabulous ally for me as I live in Bath.”

Stephanie added: “They have been the kindest. On mum’s birthday they delivered some flowers from the whole team.

She broke her wrist so when she came out of hospital they delivered some then too. Mum feels loved, she feels valued, she feels that she has somebody who truly cares in addition to her family. She cannot say enough.”

“In a world where we’re finding all sorts of horrors it’s so important to say thank you to the people who are being beautiful.”"

Article by Jordan Reynolds, Senior reporter at the Express & Star

With the progress in technology and the arrival of a pandemic, the UKMT this year modified the Maths Challenges to be completed online. We were given more flexibility on when to run these events and, in turn, were able to offer the competitions to more students.

We began, as ever, in November 2020 with the Senior Maths Challenge for our sixth form Mathematicians. The students achieved ten Bronze, two Silver and two Gold. Our Gold certificate winners, Brandon Taylor and Oliver Andreae, also qualified for the Senior Kangaroo.

At the beginning of February 2021, it was the turn of students in Years 9 to 11 to take part in the Intermediate Maths Challenge. There were 29 Bronze, 20 Silver and one Gold, of which ten Year 9 students qualified for the Grey Kangaroo (Year 9 only) and Vishwas Kumar in Year 11 qualified for the Pink Kangaroo (for Year 10 and 11). Vishwas’ score of 90 earned him a Merit, which is an excellent achievement.

Finally, at the end of April, Year 7, 8 and Dr Bradley’s Year 6 Maths set took part in the Junior Maths Challenge. Between them there were 31 Bronze, 12 Silver and 11 Gold certificates. Ten students out of Year 7 and 8 qualified for the Junior Kangaroo. Bernard Oakes, now in Year 9 and pictured above, was our first qualifier for the Junior Olympiad in several years. This is only open to the top 1,000 students in the Junior Maths Challenge, and we are very proud of him for achieving a merit.

Pictured is Mrs Hill with Divya with supplies from her father’s store. Credit: Express & Star.

The Senior School House System

Planning for the re-introduction of Houses at WGS has been a most exciting project over the last year or so. Aiming to align fantastic pastoral care and extra-curricular involvement, the WGS House System is one of the most anticipated changes in recent School history. The starting point was the leadership of each House; staff and students working together to create four communities, four families within School. Heads of House are ultimately responsible for the welfare and wellbeing of all members of their House. They will be supported by Assistant Heads of House who will also take a lead role in organising House Activities and events. House Captains and Vice Captains will, in turn, support the planning and running of these activities as well as acting as mentors and role models for the members of their House. Finally each tutor group will elect two form captains who will coordinate the contributions made by their form.

Jenyns Nechells

Head of House –Mr Crust

Assistant Head of House –Miss Bowater

Head of House –Mr Clancy

Assistant Head of House –Miss Watson

Head of Sixth Form – Mrs Povey (Jenyns and Nechells)

Moreton Offley

Head of House –Mr Jackson-Turnbull

Assistant Heads of House –Mrs Dyer & Mr Jones

Head of House –Mrs Ray

Assistant Head of House –Mr Jeavons

Head of Sixth Form – Mrs Clancy (Moreton and Offley)

Building excitement and enthusiasm for the House System was an absolute must, so House Reveal Day was going to be pivotal. Working with the House Captains, the Heads of House planned a day never to be forgotten! Balloons, bunting, face paints and flags - each year group had their own sorting ceremony. Students were called forward and welcomed into their new House. Smiles, cheers and whoops were aplenty and a real sense of fun and excitement for the new academic year was felt by all.

The big move to Big School

Well done to all Year 7 students who have made the successful transition to Senior School. Year 7 marks a key transition between primary and secondary school life and the start of an exciting and special journey at Wolverhampton Grammar School. Year 7 students have started to develop a strong sense of community by taking part in inter-form competitions and events. Prefects, Rosie and Oliver, are also responsible for helping Year 7 settle into the Senior School and took a role in delivering the news to all form groups when their new form names were announced.

Mr Birch worked closely with Mrs Erskine, Development Director, to communicate with six Old Wulfrunians, all former Head Boys and Head Girls or their families that the School would like to name a form group in their honour.

Mrs Clarke's form is now 7WB named after William Beards (OW 2020).

Mrs Fellows's form is now 7MS named after Mia Seager (OW 2020).

Dr Green's form is 7EA named after Lizzie Anderson (OW 2021).

Dr Pounder's form is now called 7BT named after Brandon Taylor (OW 2021).

Mrs Rowley's form is now 7LD named after Lauren Dennis (OW 2013). Lauren sadly passed away in 2018, aged 23.

Mr Smith's form is now 7AM named after Amandip Maheru (OW 1992). Amandip sadly passed away in 2011, aged 37.

Have you seen our new House ties?

After a very successful and eventful House Reveal in July, students in Years 8 - Upper Sixth were given their new House ties on the first day back to School in September.

The House system continues to flourish across the Senior School with our new pastoral hub in The Derry and the competitive edge that being assigned to a House gives each student. House events and competitions are certainly bringing our community even closer together.

These names will change each year with the exception of Lauren Dennis and Amandip Maheru who, in memory of them, will remain form names in the coming years.

Each OW or their families wrote a good luck card to their respective form groups. These were shown and read by this year's Prefect team Rosie Bennett and Oliver Brookes. Rosie and Oliver are also the Year 7 Captains and help Mr Birch and Year 7 form tutors organise fun activities for the students.

Wolverhampton Grammar School expands its provision

Wolverhampton Grammar School was proud to announce the expansion of its Junior School to incorporate Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 from September 2021. The wonderful news meant that Wolverhampton Grammar School was to become a true all-through school, providing the opportunity for children of all school ages (4-18) to join a truly unique community and experience our award-winning approach to education.

The City’s leading independent school received full approval from the Department for Education to increase the age range of the School, following a rigorous review of suitability by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. The new provision will benefit from remodelled classrooms featuring an inside-outside learning space as well as a purpose-built, beautifully landscaped Infant Playground within the School’s existing 25 acre campus.

Dan Peters, Head of Wolverhampton Grammar Junior School commented: “We are so excited that children will now be able to join us at the very start of their educational journey. Opening our doors to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 from September means that we can ensure our pupils make the very best progress from the word go.”

James Sage, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Wolverhampton Grammar School added: “We are delighted to have been given the approval by the Department for Education to expand our education provision to children aged 4-18. High-quality teaching, devoted staff, small class sizes and our caring ethos in the Junior School allow our young children the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential.”

Wolverhampton Grammar School provides an outstanding education for children attending the Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form. Constantly achieving outstanding GCSE and A Level results, providing the largest range of extra-curricular activities of any independent school in the area, and continuing to be the independent school of choice for parents of children from across Wolverhampton, Shropshire, Staffordshire and wider West Midlands.

In 2021, we were fortunate to hold Sports Day events in the Junior and Senior School, albeit without the cheers and encouragement from parents due to restrictions. Students across both schools enjoyed supporting their classmates in their year group bubbles as they competed in track and field events.

Most importantly, it's the taking part that counts – whether that’s competing, cheering in the crowd or just enjoying the down time with your fellow classmates on Moreton’s Piece and down the Valley.

A big thank you to the Sports Department and all the teachers who helped deliver the events this term.

Next year will see the Senior School host their first House Sports Day – who do you predict will win: Jenyns, Moreton, Nechells or Offley?

Lights, camera, action!

Thank you to all the students and members of staff who were involved in the production of the staff video over the summer. As one of the largest employers in the City, we pride ourselves on our expert staff. The summer term provided the perfect opportunity for our teaching and support staff to talk about their experiences of working at Wolverhampton Grammar School.

Staff were encouraged to talk about their education and careers, their commute to and from work, the professional development opportunities that are available to them, and their relationships with students.

As part of the production of the video, the Marketing team also took the opportunity to capture footage of Dr Green and Mr Walker in Lab 21, Mr Crust with Year 9 students: Estherjoy Mohammad, George Margetts, Sandeep Marwaha and Eliza Tarrant on Moreton's Piece, as well as Miss Hill in The Derry with Charity from Holroyd Howe.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot makes waves in Big School

International best-selling writer and illustrator of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Jeff Kinney, visited Wolverhampton Grammar School in November 2021 as part of the UK leg of his global tour to celebrate the release of his new book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid DriveThru Experience on the evening of Wednesday 17th November saw families from Wolverhampton and cities across the UK enjoy a fun and interactive outdoor experience themed around Jeff’s new book. The experience enabled families to drive through sports-themed scenery and participate in basketball and football challenges before reaching the finish line where Jeff personally delivered signed books and posed for photographs with his fans.

The following morning, Wolverhampton Grammar School, Puffin Books and Authors Aloud UK organised a virtual event which was live streamed to over 80,000 school children from 800 schools across the country. Head Librarian at Wolverhampton Grammar School, Zoe Rowley, interviewed Jeff about his new book and his journey to becoming a global best-selling sensation.

Students in Years 6 and 7 from Wolverhampton Grammar School had the pleasure of being part of the live audience in Big School, and competition winners from the Junior and Senior School were fortunate to be able to ask Jeff questions about his life and what inspired him to write the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Intriguing questions were also posed to Jeff from school children as far away as Bristol, Cornwall, Coventry, Nottingham, Swindon and Plymouth.

Zoe Rowley commented: “The virtual event was a huge success and we felt extremely honoured to welcome Jeff to our School as part of his global tour to celebrate the release of his new book. Interviewing Jeff in front of our students and the children who joined us from their classrooms was one of the highlights of my career; to be presented with a unique Team Wimpy top and welcomed into the team by Jeff was a personal favourite moment too!”.

Jeff Kinney is the number one New York Times best-selling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is a six-time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favourite Book and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C.

area and moved to New England, where he and his wife own a bookstore named An Unlikely Story

In 2007, Jeff published his first Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, introducing readers to Greg Heffley and his family, his best friend Rowley Jefferson, and the dreaded Cheese Touch. More than 250 million copies later, Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a beloved book all around the world.

Schools from across the City of Wolverhampton and the wider West & East Midlands were invited to join the free event as part of the range of projects the School conducts to help inspire reading for pleasure. The School has previously welcomed Claire Balding and Humza Arshad to its campus, alongside David Baddiel who launched his book The Taylor Turbochaser at the Grand Theatre in November 2019 in front of 1,200 children who all received a signed copy of the book as a free gift, thanks to support from The Merchant Taylors' Company.

Prizegiving and Speech Day

The annual prizegiving and speech day ceremonies for Senior and Junior School students are an opportunity to celebrate some of the brightest and best contributions made by our students throughout the year. Students are nominated by staff for awards that explore a range of skills and abilities including individual academic achievement, progress, overall contribution, coursework, public speaking, acting, music and sport.

Both events were held virtually and celebrated the extraordinary

A day trip to Laches Wood

Before the Easter holidays, Mr Peters and all year groups in the Junior School went on a day trip to Laches Wood Outdoor Activity Centre. Children enjoyed a jam-packed day of fun activities which included toasting marshmallows over a fire, building an outdoor den and helping one another through an obstacle course.

achievements of Years 3-6, Year 11 and Upper Sixth. They were also an opportunity to commend our students for their contribution to the School in what has been an extraordinary year for them.

Prize winners in Years 7-10 were presented with their awards during their own virtual assemblies in school.

A special thank you to Helen England (née Thorpe) who prepared a recorded speech for the event. Helen attended Wolverhampton Grammar School Sixth Form from

1985 to 1987. She was in the second ever intake of girls into WGS and was in a year group where boys still outnumbered the girls by at least 9:2. Helen’s links to WGS started years before she was a pupil at the School. Her late father, John Thorpe, was Head of Biology for over 30 years and in the final years of his career held the role of Examinations Officer.

Ayanna Dennis and Destiny Nwachukwu in Year 10 spoke confidently about the Windrush Generation and prominent Windrush campaigner, Paulette Wilson during a virtual assembly to fellow Senior School and Sixth Form students.

Throughout the course of the Autumn term, significant tutor time has been spent discussing topics such as the Empire, Windrush, Food Poverty, Climate Activism, Slavery, Human Rights and War.

Students and their form tutors are given resources to watch and read before carrying out an activity based on the topic at hand.

As part of Black History Month, Adeo Fraser (OW 2009) appeared in ITV News Central 'In My Shoes' feature. Adeo spoke about his experience as a barrister in the Midlands.

Certificate of Excellence

Congratulations to our award-winning catering team who, for the fourth year running, have achieved their Certificate of Excellence in Allergen Management and a food hygiene rating of 5.

Wolverhampton

Farewell to Class of 2021; hello to our newest Old Wulfrunians!

For the Class of 2021, their final year in School began normally; schools were open and life felt as if it was getting back to what we were used to. However, as the Autumn term came to a close, we all sensed that a further lockdown was imminent and the start of the Spring term saw schools closed and home learning recommenced. Fortunately, this lockdown was much shorter and students were soon back in School.

Thankfully, during their final term restrictions lifted and our outgoing Upper Sixth students were able to enjoy a morning of paintballing and an afternoon of farewells with their teachers; a lovely day marking the end of their time as students at WGS.

They received the much-loved leavers’ hoodies and year books, providing lasting memories of their journey through School.

We said farewell to our students in the Summer Term with a promise that we would give them a proper send-off as soon as we could. We were therefore delighted to welcome back the Class of 2021 and their parents for a Leavers’ Reception in September, just before they were due to embark on the next chapter of their lives. See page 75.

Each student was gifted with a personalised pen – something new for this year – and a clear message that our door is always open.

Are you from the Class of 2021?

Don't forget to join our official alumni group on Facebook or LinkedIn. Search for Old Wulfrunians of WGS on Facebook (or follow Wolverhampton Grammar School Official), join Wolverhampton Grammar School Development Office on LinkedIn or stay engaged on Twitter @WGSOW.

You can also follow the School's Instagram account by searching for: @wolverhamptongrammarschool.

Good luck to the Class of 2021 as you move on to the next chapter in your lives …

Solomon Brazier-Painter has secured employment in the property sector.

Alet van Gerven has secured the position of Engagement and Experience Director at ASC (Assisting Students Creatively) and also has a number of art commissions.

Ben Ward has secured a Computer Science Degree Apprenticeship at PricewaterhouseCoopers and is studying at the University of Birmingham.

The following students have taken a gap year: Serina Basra is currently Classroom Assistant in our Junior School; Zak Mahmood has set up a Personal Training business; Gillis Robbie is running Christian camps at a holiday centre in Sheffield; Manvir Ajimal, James Bebb, Raajan Chahal, Lauren Hagerman, Angus Hamilton, Sahand Kadir, George Middlebrook and Maham Nauman are also taking a gap year. All are intending to go to university in 2022.

UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND COURSE *

ArtsEd

(University City of London)

Aston University

Birmingham City University

Brighton University

Cardiff Metropolitan University

George Patsiogiannis - Musical Theatre

Jass Grewall - Construction Project Management

Shaun Sunar - Business Enterprise Development

Hannah Dzvengwe - Paediatric Nursing

Harry Ewen - Design for Performance: Theatre, Film and Live Events

Archie Steventon - Business Studies

Thomas Wainwright - Sport Media

George Ewen - Business Management (Marketing)

Oliver Mason - Financial Mathematics

UNIVERSITY STUDENT AND COURSE *

Emily Lloyd - Drama and Theatre Arts

Sophie Negrine - Law with Criminology

University of Birmingham

University of Bristol

University of Cumbria

University of Exeter

Joga Rai - Accounting and Finance

Harjorth Sanghera - Pharmacy

Jugraaj Singh - Accounting and Finance

Edward Poole - History

Alexander Bishop - Geography

Elanor Charlson - Law

Isabella Gillott - Mechanical Engineering with Year in Industry

Mya Sidhu - Exercise and Sports Sciences

University of Leeds Sophie Alexander - Chemical Engineering

University of Lincoln Joe Cartwright - Visual Effects and Animation with Arts Foundation

Cardiff University

Dominic Sage - Human Geography

Olivia Spencer-Caseldine - Human Geography

Libby Stewart - Pharmacy

Benjamin Thornthwaite - Business Management

University of Liverpool Georgia Bradburn - Business Management

Saaya Deb - Law with French

University of Manchester Natasha Sund - Fashion Management

Elizabeth Anderson - Medicine

Durham University

Brandon Taylor - Mathematics and Philosophy

Hartpury University Jaymie-Leigh Walker - Equine Business Management

King's College

London

Leeds Beckett University

Liverpool

John Moores University

Andrew Fenn - Computer Science

Katie Evans - Physical Education

Emily Naylor - Interior Architecture and Design

Roma Dhatt - Pharmacy

Syam Dhatt - Pharmacy

Harrison Chalmers - Politics and International Relations

University of Nottingham

Abbie Bayliss - Politics and International Relations

Charli-Alicia Bloor - Medicine

Faruq Giwa - Finance Accounting and Management

Moneeka Randhawa - Law

University of Portsmouth Marcus Perks - Psychology

University of Reading Rishikumar Ramkumar - Pharmacy with Foundation Year

University of Salford Darcie Gibbons -Sports Psychology

University of Sussex Sarika Beli - Law

Loughborough University

Jed Hathaway - Business Economics and Finance (with placement year)

Stephen Jong - Business Analytics

Hamzah Khan - Economics and Management (with placement year)

University of Warwick Oliver Andreae - Computer Science

University of York Elena Martellini - MSc Chemistry (with a year abroad)

Nottingham Trent University

Oxford Brookes

University

University of Bath

Rimanjeet Kaur - Business Management and Marketing

Jaya Kumar - Interior Architecture and Design

Charlie Whitehouse - Motorsport Engineering

Lucy Timmins - Psychology

Also this year, congratulations go to...

Louise Craven (OW 2020) who is now studying Biomedical Sciences at the University of York.

Cameron Grewal (OW 2020) who is now studying Pharmacy at the University of Birmingham.

Varun Toora (OW 2020) who is now studying Dental Surgery at the University of Liverpool.

Class of 2021 memories shared

At the end of each academic year, we ask our Upper Sixth students to sum up their experience at Wolverhampton Grammar School. This year, at their Leavers' Reception, we asked them to write down some advice that they would give to their younger selves.

Feedback is really important to us and we use it to help identify what we are good at and which areas we can work on improving.

We wanted to share with you some memories and advice shared by our Class of 2021 this year:

Grab any opportunity with both hands and make unforgettable memories (and work hard!)

Hannah Dzvengwe

Incredibly supportive throughout, both inside and outside of lessons.

I will miss it - I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment since Year 5.

Brandon Taylor

Have fun! You’ll miss School once you’re gone, don’t regret anything. Getting stressed isn’t worth it! Exams don’t define you and be 100% yourself.

Darcie Gibbons

Get outside your comfort zone and take the opportunities they give you.

Harry Ewen

The two years I’ve spent at WGS have been phenomenal. The teaching is exceptional and the strong community spirit allowed me to settle in quickly (despite the little time we actually spent on the campus!)

Oliver Andreae

Talk to a wide variety of people and look out for those in need.

Andrew Fenn

Amazing, I love the community and the School's ethos. Everyone was always so helpful, friendly and kind and there is such a sense of community with everyone looking out for each other.

Lizzie Anderson

Dates for your Diary

We are delighted to be able to share a full calendar of events for 2022 and look forward to seeing many OWs, both in School and further afield, in the year ahead!

Class of 1997 25 Year Reunion

Saturday 2nd April 2022

Memorial Event for the late Anthony Stocks, Former Staff and Headmaster

Thursday 11th May 2022

London Reunion at the House of Lords

Thursday 9th June 2022

Charity Tennis Day in Memory of Sophie Pritchard (OW 2014)

Saturday 11th June 2022

Class of 2012 10 Year Reunion

Saturday 18th June 2022

1512 Society Inaugural Lunch

Saturday 2nd July 2022

OWTCC Centenary Match v 1st XI

Wednesday 6th July 2022

Captains’ XI Cricket Day

Sunday 10th July 2022

Class of 2020 & 2021 Summer Drinks

Wednesday 13th July 2022

30th Anniversary –Introduction of Girls to Senior School

Autumn Term 2022

Class of 2022 Leavers’ Reception

Thursday 1st September 2022

Nic Anderson (OW 1990) Hockey Reunion - Celebrating 25 Years at WGS

Saturday 3rd September 2022

OW Golf Day

Friday 9th September 2022

OW Sports Festival

Friday 9th September 2022 (Evening)

Hockey and Rounders

Saturday 10th September 2022

Football, Fives and Netball

US Reunions

(East and West coast)

Late October

Alumni Art Exhibition

Saturday 19th November 2022

Class of 2022 Festive Drinks

Monday 19th December 2022

To register your interest for any of these events, please contact the Development Office, either by email: development@wgs-sch.net or by phone: 01902 421326 Ext. 217/207.

Wolverhampton Grammar School

Compton Road

Wolverhampton

WV3 9RB

+44 (0) 1902 421326

www.wgs.org.uk

@WGS1512 @WGSOW

Wolverhampton Grammar School Official or Old Wulfrunians of WGS

Wolverhampton Grammar School

Wolverhampton Grammar School Development Office