Wulfrunian 2015

WULFRUNIAN 2015

The Right

Location, Location, Location

Two families share their personal WGS story

Verbal Reasoning with Mrs Darby One woman’s influence shapes the next generation of students at WGS

Where are they now?

Students of 2001 bring us up to date.

Can you help us reunite the class of 1991?

Are you LinkedIn or Linked Out? Social Media connects a global OW community

Also in this edition…

Remembering the fallen of 1915, How OWs are a truly global force and Meet the Class of 201

WULFRUNIAN 2015

1

Welcome to the 2015 edition of the Wulfrunian Welcome to the latest edition of the Wulfrunian, the official magazine for Wolverhampton Grammar School’s alumni and friends.

Our website and social networking sites allow greater ease for the distribution of news and information, but there is still nothing quite like sitting down with a piece of print and taking a little time out for

Contents

reflection. So, welcome to this, the latest edition of The Wulfrunian we hope you enjoy this opportunity to reminisce and reconnect with each other and the School.

Stay in Touch

In the Common room

04

Class of 2015 Results

07

Email: development@wgs-sch.net Post: Development Office, Wolverhampton Grammar School, Compton Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 9RB

Features Reflections on Adulthood

08

The WGS Guinea Pig

09

Home of Education for the Berrimans

10

Telephone: +44 (0) 1902 421326 Website: Visit the alumni pages on the School website www.wgs. org.uk for event photos, alumni profiles, events calendar and more.

Florence Darby 12 A Family Affair

14

Preserving our Heritage

16

In Fond Remembrance

18

F Facebook ‘Like’ our Facebook pages, search for: •

Wolverhampton Grammar School Official

•

Old Wulfrunians of WGS

Lest we Forget 20 Our Global OW Community

22

Class of 2001 24 Events and Celebrations OWA Annual Dinner

26

Leavers 25th Anniversary

28

London Reunion 29 OW Reflections

30

OW Sports Festival

32

t Twitter Follow alumni and School news, search for: •

@WGS1512

•

@WGSHead

•

@WGSOW

l LinkedIn Connect with alumni on LinkedIn, search for: Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and Friends

y YouTube Subscribe to our YouTube channel, search for: •

School News Junior School News

34

Senior School News

36

Art, Drama and Music

44

Wolverhampton Grammar School Instagram - search for:

•

Wolverhampton Grammar School

Sport 50 Careers Network 54

2

Tell us your news Thank you to all OWs who have sent us their news.

Get Involved 56

Unfortunately, we cannot print everything we receive

Merchandise 57

but all OW news is published on our website below.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Welcome from Kathy Crewe-Read Head of Wolverhampton Grammar School I hope you like the front cover of our 2015 edition of the Wulfrunian.

The Berriman family have played a significant role in Wolverhampton for years, yet still model an important on-going relationship with our School. It is our great pleasure to have Maisie here, following in the footsteps of her father Nick (OW 1991), who was preceded by his father David (OW 1952). They help us demonstrate that the Wulfrunian is about celebrating the best of WGS 2015 as well as looking to the very real contributions of our past heroes.

The contrasts between those who once were at WGS, and those who now are, never cease to amaze me. Young people - generations - seem to evolve at an exponential pace, reflecting perhaps, our increasingly technological society. That my own children are direct descendants of Sir Stephen Jenyns (verified by our Head of Maths and accomplished WGS genealogist, Dr Chris O’Brien) brings home to me the extraordinary diversity that the passage of time brings!

Just a quick look at the fantastic picture of ‘the class of 2015’ below demonstrates this: what would Sir Stephen have thought?

Over two years in to my WGS adventure and I am still impressed by the sense of community felt by all who are part of the School.

One would wish such community never to be tested, but after the

Thank you for keeping in touch with us. I hope you enjoy what

tragic death of Owen Davies, teacher of chemistry and games, this

you read of our people (your fellow alumni) in this edition of the

September-aged 30 years, WGS was put on its mettle again. I am

Wulfrunian.

unbelievably proud to be a member of this community. Surrounded by past and present students who innately understand what is to be human, I have great confidence in the work of our Directors, staff

Kathy Crewe-Read

and young people.

Head, Wolverhampton Grammar School

Our Class of 2015

WULFRUNIAN 2015

3

year was, of course overshadowed In the Common Room This by the death of Owen Davies. I speak for

to History’s Joe David. Although no longer

It has been an eventful year in the common

everyone here when I say that he was the

leaving WGS in July, Kate Baker is known

room. In July we said goodbye to WGS

heart and soul of the common room and

by her new pupils as Kate Millichamp after

stalwarts Christine Preston and Vincent

that his loss is still keenly felt. Coming

her marriage to James Millichamp in the

Raymond-Barker who between them served

after the death of Andrew Proverbs, the

summer. Congratulations go to Rhiannon

the School for an incredible 56 years. Both

loss of Owen was yet another bitter blow

Platt and Steve Clancy who intend to tie

are now supposed to be enjoying well

and it is hard to believe that in just under

the knot in 2016 and Kartar Uppal who also

deserved retirements yet they can’t seem to

18 months, WGS has lost two of its most

recently married (unusually, his wife is not

stay away from WGS. Sightings of Christine

inspirational and best-loved teachers. The

another member of WGS staff). Also, to new

in the exams office are still common and

common room has been greatly diminished

parents Diana Gibbs and Anna Dalton who

Vincent still stalks the Modern Foreign

by the loss of these two colleagues and

are currently on maternity leave from the

Languages department in his tireless

our thoughts are with their families. Head

Junior School with new arrivals Ralph and

enthusiasm for the French Exchange.

of Chemistry, Andy Carey, gives a personal

Amelie respectively and Natasha Richards

tribute to Owen below.

from the Estates department who is about

a member of the common room after

to return following the birth of baby Max.

As in previous years, most teaching staff who have left have gone on to well-

On a happier note, common room

We wish them well with the exciting, if

deserved promotions and we wish them well

marriages continue apace as Helen

exhausting years ahead.

in their new posts. You can read more about

Whittaker returned from the summer

Robert Mason

them in the contributions that follow from

break as Helen David after her betrothal

their various Heads of Department.

Owen Davies Owen joined WGS in September 2008 as a young Chemistry, Physics and Games teacher. He quickly displayed a thorough knowledge of his subject and an ability to relate to the students, which made him both a great teacher and a huge asset to the School. He worked hard at planning his lessons and loved the practical nature of the subject. What he wanted was for students to enjoy learning. I never saw him angry or upset. If a student was struggling he would give them extra time after lessons and would never grow impatient with them. The

School, but he continually amazed us and

We have been truly fortunate to have had

fact that he was always smiling and joking

the doctors by his quick return to work.

Owen as a fabulous friend and colleague

made Chemistry the favourite lesson for

Many of our younger students would never

over the last seven years. We have lost

many students, even if it wasn’t one of their

have known his struggle with illness. Parents

a wonderful, witty, caring, smiling, kind,

stronger subjects. For many others he was

spoke of a lovely man and a dedicated

intelligent, sharp, warm, positive, thoughtful,

the inspirational teacher who encouraged

teacher who touched so many lives and left

sensitive and friendly young man. People

them to go on and study the subject to an

an indelible mark on their children. I know

loved going into the staffroom knowing

advanced level and beyond.

that many a car journey home was lit up by

that Owen was there. He brought humour

stories of Owen’s lessons.

and fun into people’s lives. We will never forget his wicked wit and talent. His smiling

Education goes beyond the curriculum.

4

Owen’s form periods were filled with music,

Owen was first in the queue when it came

face will be missed by us all. He always

jokes and laughter. Human pyramids, music

to volunteering for school trips. The Peru

saw the best in everyone and his kindness

battles between JLS, Shaggy and TLC. He

expedition, numerous visits to The Towers

touched everyone. His strength in the face

was funny, caring and kind. Some students

outdoor activities centre, Think Tank and of

of adversity was a lesson to us all.

required a lot of his time, others less so, but

course the annual school ski trip. Over the

he always made a point of looking out for

last few years he became an outstanding

Our deepest sympathy goes to Charlotte

everyone, listening to them and checking

skier and I was looking forward to passing

and all of Owen’s family. I hope that they

how they were.

over the leadership of the trip to him in

can take some comfort from knowing

February. Sitting at the bottom of the piste in

the very high regard in which Owen was

In January 2011 Owen was diagnosed

Flachau, with Owen singing and dancing to

held by the students, parents and staff of

with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer,

Austrian Europop, is a memory that many of

Wolverhampton Grammar School. I have

particularly in adults. Scans, radiotherapy,

us have been so lucky to share.

never met a braver or more courageous

chemotherapy and recuperation meant

man. Rest in peace.

that Owen had periods of absence from

Andrew Carey

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Christine Preston Universally known as Mrs P - Chris arrived in

The School’s first computer room (room 45)

when to cajole, threaten, deliver a (purely

1986 as a Maths teacher with responsibility

was built during her second year (the first

metaphorical) clip round the ear and when to

for the School’s computers. She made an

had been seriously lacking in computers!)

mother. She steered students calmly through

immediate impact on her first O Level group,

and she subsequently became the first

many a crisis and earned huge respect.

which included present Deputy Head, Nic

Head of Information Technology. Mrs P

Anderson. Chris’ first love in teaching was,

ensured that computers became an integral

Whatever the role (too numerous to

and remained, mathematics. Communicating

part of the School’s work and guided the

mention) Mrs P has been at the heart of the

the subject with accuracy, enthusiasm and

early stages of their development here.

School and life and soul of the common

enjoyment throughout her 29 years here,

room. She has always taken part with

generations of students have learned

Coming to the realisation that despite their

enthusiasm and gone well beyond the call

to love mathematics as a result of her

unreliability, vagaries and the difficulties

of duty. Although retiring from teaching,

approach. Though she would be offended

they generate, the average sixth former was

she will continue to work as Examinations

if I suggested that she had ever persuaded

easier to get on with and more amenable

Officer, so we will not lose her altogether.

anybody to love statistics: as far as she is

than the average computer, she became

We wish her and her husband, Paul, a long

concerned, pure maths and mechanics are

Deputy Head of Sixth Form in 2003. Mrs

and happy retirement.

all one needs.

P was in her element in this role knowing

Chris O’Brien

Vince Raymond-Barker

accompany over 700 Grammar School

Chilli Challenge, the Battlefields and Paris

Vincent Raymond-Barker joined the

students to north western France, sharing

Economics trips and was a demonstrably

French department in 1988 and after

with them the numerous local tourist

keen supporter of music, sports and art at

seven retirement parties, finally hung up

attractions to be found in the area, as

the School.

his béret last summer. A true Francophile

well as sampling local delights, including

and excellent linguist, he joined the French

crêpes, galettes, sea salt and homemade

The French Department and the common

department as a young teacher of French,

caramel – the list is endless and very

room will not be the same without him; we

soon becoming Head of House and

tasty! More than this, though, our students

will miss Vince’s huge heart, his unstinting

eventually Head of Department.

have been privileged to have been given

desire to help others, whether pupils or

both linguistic immersion and the unique

colleagues, but most of all, his sense of

His love of France and all things French is

opportunity of staying with a French family

humour and terrible jokes! We wish him

palpable, with his greatest achievement

through which long lasting friendships

well in retirement!

outside the classroom being the founding

and life changing experiences have been

Sarah Brentnall

and running of the French Exchange for 26

gained. In addition, ever the team player,

years with Collège St Joseph in Brittany.

he has been involved in so many aspects

He has worked tirelessly to recruit and

of WGS life, including Year 7 camp, the

WULFRUNIAN 2015

5

Kate Millichamp (nee Baker)

her inspired teaching and the enthusiasm

Kate joined the School in 2008 to take up

she brought to learning. As a gifted artist,

the position of Head of Big Six. Before the

Kate was an amazing source of props and

foundation of the Junior School, Big Six

scenery for our productions.

gave pupils the opportunity to join WGS to spend a year ‘learning how to learn’. Kate

As Head of Year 5 and Big Six and in

was instrumental in making Big Six the fun,

her final year as Assistant Head, Kate

exciting and rewarding year it continues to

organised the daily running of the School

are delighted that Kate has moved on to a

be today. Scores of children in our Senior

with great skill and commitment. Whilst she

Headship of Shrewsbury High Prep School.

School remember Mrs Baker for her care,

will be a huge loss to the Junior School, we

Andrew Hymer

Jill Pawluk Jill was one of the first teachers to join the

juggled her many different roles in School,

Junior School in September 2011. As an

but still found time to join us on residential

accomplished musician and outstanding

visits. We all enjoyed her many productions

teacher (Jill was previously a member of

and choirs over the four years she spent in

the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra),

the Junior School. Moving north was always

she quickly set the standards in music and

Jill’s aim who leaves us to join Yarm Junior

drama. Her skills were quickly recognised

School as Director of Studies.

and she became Head of Year 3 and then

Andrew Hymer

Assistant Head in her final year at WGJS. Jill

Nathan Burden

Students invariably enjoyed his lessons and

Nathan Burden joined WGS in September

the excitement that he generated about the

2011. He threw himself into school life

subject.

wholeheartedly both in and out of the classroom. He was a quiet unassuming man

Away from the classroom Nathan enjoyed

and did many things that would often go

rugby at School. He was also a valued

unnoticed.

member of the ski trip and was quite fearless in his approach, one of the few

He was a very talented and industrious

people I have seen go down a black

teacher. His lessons were invariably

run within a few day of starting skiing,

entertaining and he loved to try out new

admittedly a large portion was completed

methodologies and ideas. He particularly

on his backside. Nathan took over the

He will make an excellent Head of Physics at

enjoyed demonstrations and experiments

coast to coast team for several years where

John Henry Newman Catholic College and

and was often seen building something

his enthusiasm and organisation were an

we wish him all the best in the future.

new to explain a particular concept.

asset.

Nick Munson

Alison Kingshott During her 11 years at WGS Alison Kingshott

department. Alison’s first love will always

was a teacher who inspired devotion

be for her music and she willingly gave

amongst her small band of classicists. As a

her spare time to singing in various choirs

true connoisseur of Latin, Alison’s expertise

(including our School one) often taking the

was vital in decoding the vagaries of the

star soloist role. She volunteered to help on

School song. Her School trips to Greece

many Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and

and Sicily were never short of students or

her commitment to early morning circuit

willing volunteers from the staff. Alison’s

training was second to none. She leaves us

passion for the ancient world was infectious

for a promotion to Director of Sixth Form at

and resulted in a high percentage of her

Malvern St James’ and we wish her every

students going onto pursue Latin and

success.

Classics at university. But her commitment

Helen David

to the School went way beyond the

6

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Class of 2015 Results GCSE

501

* GRADES A-A

A LEVEL

99% *

89% * A-C GRADES

A-C GRADES

Over a quarter of students celebrated over 9 A*- A grades

101

* GRADES A-A

A quarter of students celebrated straight A*- A grades

2 OUT OF 3

WOLVERHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL STUDENTS ACHIEVED FIRM OFFERS

UNIVERSITY

STUDENT AND COURSE

UNIVERSITY

STUDENT AND COURSE

Aston

Holly Hayer - Computing for Business (ITMB)

Imperial

Amish Bedi - Mathematics and Computer Science Priya Sharma - Medicine

Simran Kang - Engineering and Applied Science (Foundation) Rishika Mehan - Computing for Business Bath

Joshua Evans - Physics

Birmingham

Oliver Bramley - Civil Engineering Hayley Brown - Physics

KCL

Amar Baden - Dentistry Keziah Husselbee - Music Aaron Matto - Physics

Keele

Samuel Colman - Medicine Manvir Gangar - Law

Aaron Kalirai - Accounting and Finance Amrit Mann - Biomedical Science

Lancaster

Laura Robertson - Medicine and Surgery

Elliott McDowell - Modern Languages

Liverpool

Andrew Inglis - Geography (Foundation) Andrew Pelenski - Accounting and Finance with a Year in Industry

Emma Morley - Physics and Astrophysics

Callum Warrilow - Computer Information Systems

Simon Reynolds - Ancient History Samuel Timmins - History

Liverpool John Moores

Kimeran Kandola - Applied Psychology

Oliver Ward - Business Management

Reece McNeil-Ball - Biomedical Science

Birmingham City

James Maidment - Computer Science

Aaron Shergill - Engineering and Technology (Foundation)

Bristol

Edward Craddock - Economics & Management Philippa Grantham-Wright - History of Art

Fiona Shorthouse - Pharmacy Loughborough

Cambridge

Chloe Macaulay - Engineering

Manchester

Cardiff

Nottingham

Geena Bains - Architecture Sandeep Sandramouli - Economics

Olivia Bolas - Media, Journalism and Culture Lara Fraser - Pharmacy

Rodrigo Guerra Alves - Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology Ellen Hopwood - Biomedical Sciences

Joshua Marchant - History Joseph Sefton - Education with English and Drama

Eve Cowan - Graphic Communication and Illustration Aaron Wilson - Chemical Engineering

Tejas Netke - Medicine

Nottingham Trent

Ranjeet Bhogal - Construction Management Ryan Jackett - Business Management and Marketing

Bethany Parlane - English Literature Christchurch Canterbury Justine Davis - Forensic Investigation

Oxford Brookes

Olivia Jones - Interior Architecture

Coventry

Baldeep Dhillon - Accounting and Finance

Plymouth

Eleanor Rockett - Law with Business

DeMontfort

Bijal Karia - Finance

Reading

Harry Thomas-Bishop - Computer Science

Dundee

Robert Pawluk - Medicine

Sheffield

Dominic Price - History

Durham

Elinor Catherine Frith - Music Barnaby Edward Lawrence - Geography

Myles Smith - Geography Southampton

Goldsmiths Guildhall School of

Thomas Ward - General Engineering

St Andrews

Ellen Stimpson - Geography

Alastair Norton - Journalism

Staffordshire

Lydia Manley - Midwifery Practice

Kishan O’Leary - Music

UCL

Grace Lawrence - Arts and Sciences

Hull

Jacob Stokes - History

Joel Plowright - Music School/Conservatoire UEA

Abbeygayle Worton - Pharmacy

Peter Lloyd - Mechanical Engineering

UCB

Darcy Laceby - Food Development and Innovation

Andrew Sime - Chemical Engineering

Warwick

Richard Freeman - Law

Alex Buckham - Politics and International Relations

Winchester

Joseph Hickman - Marketing

Roberto Saad - Coastal Marine Biology

York

James Cawdell - Chemistry

Music & Drama Herriot-Watt

Nathan Chan - Accounting and Finance Louise Hingley - Politics and International Relations

Henry David Parocki - Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Alex Evans - Economics

2014 & 2015 Graduates

2012 - 2015 A Level Results 52%

75%

26%

43%

National Average A*- B

WGS Average A*- B

National Average A*- A

WGS Average A*- A

HIGHEST Over half of WGS students have gone on to Russell Group universities studying a variety of courses ranging from Economics to History.

A*-B RESULTS

OF ANY INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

IN WOLVERHAMPTON WULFRUNIAN 2015

7

Reflections on Adulthood Searching for ideas for this year’s edition of the Wulfrunian sent us rummaging through the School’s archives, and past editions of this magazine, for inspiration. It was on one of these journeys into the archive room that we set about in fits of laughter at

“

the work of a young student featured in the 1988 edition of the magazine and his very candid views (and illustrations) on adults. We couldn’t resist the temptation to contact him to see if he had, in fact, grown up to become a librarian, teacher, dentist or traffic warden…

A recent letter from The Wulfrunian

of Lincolnshire, and have been working

design and technology set seed for a

reminded me of an amusing article I

in community pharmacy in diverse

budding graphic designer; I can’t be

wrote for the magazine almost thirty

roles since then. I’m very lucky in that I

sure, but I do know that my time at WGS

years ago, describing my views of adults.

thoroughly enjoy what I do, and perhaps

was most memorable and it provided

As a thirteen year-old, adults appeared

owe much of this to my time at WGS,

an excellent foundation for my chosen

unexciting and authoritative, but even

as my current roles focus on designing,

career.

with this happy naivety at this age, I

writing and delivering learning and

knew that I wanted to be a pharmacist,

development solutions for pharmacists

But what of my current views of being an

combining my love of chemistry and

and pharmacy teams. Perhaps the

adult? Parenthood, my profession and

biology in a way that could help people.

evocative, gassy odour of the WGS

adult life come with many responsibilities,

chemistry labs embedded a deep-set

but that inquisitive, mischievous thirteen

I qualified as a pharmacist in 1997,

desire to teach science, or the hours

year-old boy is still there. He just has a

beginning my career on the east coast

spent at the drawing boards during craft,

few more wrinkles and less hair.

”

Paul Jenks OW 1993

A Child’s View of Adults

by Paul Jenks (2S) Wulfrunian 1988

An adult is a large fool who walks around telling children what to do. These take many forms such as teachers, librarians, traffic wardens, and dentists and are all mean, boring and strict. Each one is described below.

Librarians

Dentists

Librarians are very old

Dentists are super-sadistic. They tell boring (get it, bore-ing) jokes

with half moon glasses,

and make you feel ill. It all starts when you enter the waiting room,

a long black dress and

and you have to wait half an hour listening to drills, screams and “the

grey hair tied up in a

Chair!” Finally you enter the surgery and sit on, “the Chair”.

tight bunch. They put

The dentist tells a joke and then jabs

fun books such as “101

a long needle into your gum “Aagh!”

uses for a dead cat” on

You shout. He beings to drill your

the highest shelf and the encyclopaedias on the “normal reach” shelf:

teeth but he does too many teeth.

and also they make you pay twice the fines for books one minute

You leave the surgery with a numb

overdue. They shout at you at the top of their voice to ‘be quiet’ and

mouth and a silly sticker saying,

give people who speak a sharp kick up the rear end. They wear

“I love my Dentist”.

perfume that smells like the rotting flesh of a dead hippopotamus.

They always shut fifteen minutes before closing so if you need to

Traffic Wardens

bring a book back it’s much too late!

Traffic wardens are morbid and brutal. They tell you can not ride your bike but must walk home taking the bike with you. They give you a

Teachers

parking ticket if you are standing on the kerb and walk round banging

Teachers are very strict but are tall and very morbid. If your

parking meters so that they come up on excess charge, then penalty.

homework is late you have a detention or lines. They work to a strict

They slap parking ticket upon parking ticket on car windows.

timetable which is top secret. They never reveal other people’s

8

marks; their mark books are Top Secret. They are the ultimate sadists

Conclusion

e.g. they make you write long notes when your pen runs out and then

Adults can be nice but most times are nasty and morbid. They spoil

make you write lines for not having enough ink. They set ultra large

all fun and would much rather you be working. Kids, when you grow

home-works. These notes don’t include English teachers.

up, don’t be an adult.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

The WGS Guinea Pig Wolverhampton Grammar School has, for over 30 years been co-educational. After looking back through our extensive archives we discovered an article published in the 1999 edition of the ‘Wulf’

written by Ruth Parry discussing her experiences as the first ever girl at WGS. We wanted to not only share this article but also delve deeper and find out what happened to Ruth 16 years on.

At the WGS Open Day during the 1983 Autumn term I wore a

.... After Sheffield I joined ICI on their graduate scheme, where I

badge saying “Ruth Hutton – Guinea Pig”. This was not a reference

met my husband, and eventually via various smaller companies

to my appearance (as far as I know) but the fact that I was at the

I ended up at BT. I worked for BT for nearly 20 years, taking

time the only female pupil in the School a year before girls were

voluntary redundancy last year to pursue a life of hedonistic

due to be accepted into the Sixth Form. I was at the School for one

leisure. If the weather is good I now spend my time on a horse or

term to sit the Cambridge entrance exam and, despite (or maybe

a bicycle, and if it’s bad I’m inside sewing or knitting for various

because of) being the headmaster’s daughter, I had a great time.

charities.

There were a total of 21 of us sitting the Oxbridge entrance

I think a Law degree is a pretty good preparation for most areas

exams that year, five taking English. I suppose I must have done

of work, even if you are not planning to go into legal practice. It

some work that term (although my results might have indicated

teaches research techniques, how to phrase an argument effectively

otherwise) but I have more memories of

and how to filter useful information. All useful

time spent in our common room than I do

skills in any walk of life. A degree in Law is no

of time spent in the library. The room in

more or less valuable than any other degree,

question was the Henry Hallmark Room

but seems to generate a level of respect that it

in the tower, where the Subbuteo table

really doesn’t deserve.

was usually the centre of attention and competition was intense.

Having worked from my home office in the garden for the past 14 years, possibly one of

On one occasion, a particularly windy

the most interesting assignments I have had

day, we decided that it was time that

to date was creating a 3G network for the

we explored further up the tower, so

Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, which involved

ignoring signs forbidding us to do so, we

putting mobile phone masts in, among other

climbed the stairs to the room above. In

places, a number of lampposts and phone

it we discovered boxes of out-of-date WGS prospectuses, made

boxes around the Stadium. You’d be surprised how much one can

of wonderful crisp shiny paper – perfect dart material. I am sure

learn about lampposts.

anyone would understand that the temptation to put our dart making skills to the test was overwhelming, and the thermals rising

A career highlight for me has been running the trials for a fixed

from the building below us made for exhilarating flying. We drew

line text service - this means you can send a text message to a

straws to determine who was going to retrieve the dart that landed

land line which will automatically be converted to speech and

on my father’s windowsill, and to this day I believe that I was set up.

delivered as a voicemail. It was a huge project, with about 1,000 trialists all using both mobile and fixed line phones to try and break

As I was the only girl in the School I was, by definition somewhat

the system. We had hilarious meetings trying to work out how to

conspicuous. Initially I was subjected to a certain amount of hassle

deal with emojis, and there weren’t that many of them at the time. I

by the junior members of the School, but this soon stopped when

dread to think what the code looks like these days!

my colleagues decided to punish any untoward behaviour with a bizarre variety of tasks which included walking the headmaster’s

I’m planning to apply to be a magistrate next year - finally after all

dog round the Valley Field for the entire lunch hour (the dog, Holly,

these years getting back into court. In the meantime I’m doing a bit

rarely came to School but when it did during that term it fell to me

of charity work, and enjoying having more time to ride my horse.

to exercise him. Obviously my preferred method of doing so was to get someone else to do it and insubordinate 1st years were ideal).

Three words that best describe WGS for me are Conspicuous, Subbuteo and Uncle Shah*.

As a result of all my diligent work at WGS, girls are now accepted throughout the School and I ended up studying law at Sheffield University, not Cambridge as had been the original plan. Don’t knock it, I had a great time there too, but that is another chapter...

*I know ‘Uncle Shah’ is two words, but I called my father Shah, so all my classmates started referring to him as this.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

9

Home of Education for the Berrimans It seems that the Berrimans are not the only family to have three or more generations walk the corridors of Wolverhampton Grammar School, but they highlight in this edition of the Wulfrunian the faithful service and high regard that our ex pupils and staff give to the School by not only coming back again and again, but by entrusting their greatest legacy… their offspring.

We had the pleasure of interviewing three generations of the Berriman family this year and here are the results of a fun hour spent in front of the camera with a barrage of questions.

Nick Berriman also celebrates 25 years since leaving the School and is inviting his leavers group to join him for a special celebration at the Annual Old Wulfrunians dinner to be held next February.

More details about the dinner are on page 27.

David Berriman OW 1952 and Nick Berriman OW 1991 If you had to compare your time here at WGS what do you think

answers to obscure questions! Maisie can access the knowledge in

the differences between the generations would be?

a fraction of the time with just a few taps on her iPad.

David: In my time the School was very much more formal with narrower horizons. This was the time of Warren Derry as

If there was one thing you could change about your time at

Headmaster when anything other than Classics was beyond the

School, what would it be?

pale. The facilities are now very much better in almost all respects

David: I think I would have tried harder to take advantage of the

and probably the most visible change is that there are now girls!

opportunities available.

Nick: On my first day at school it all seemed very daunting, I was

Nick: I genuinely don’t think that there is much I would have

eleven, which was the youngest age you could attend in those

wanted to be different - I loved being at the School and enjoyed

days. On my daughter’s first day she breezed in without a care in

my time as a pupil. Perhaps I might have changed the time I was

the world, all at the grand old age of seven! I think that schools

threatened with the slipper by Mr Lambert!

have become much more welcoming with a more cosseting feel What are your most memorable moments at WGS?

certainly WGJS offers that experience to Maisie.

David: Warren Derry sleeping through a Rev Frank Rust orchestral In your opinion what impact has technology had on each

concert in Big School or being selected for the U11 cricket team once

generation?

when the match was rained off and I was never selected again.

David: We had very little in the way of technology. Computers,

Nick: My most memorable moment was undoubtedly walking

calculators, mobile phones and the internet were still to come

into School on A Level results day and finding out that, contrary

so the present generation has an almost infinite amount of

to many expectations, I had achieved straight A grades which

knowledge at the press of a button which we did not have so

allowed me to go to the university of my choice. Thank you to all of

easily. Much of that knowledge was available to us but only

my hard working and patient teachers for making that happen.

through books and encyclopedias. One could perhaps argue that information available too easily is not a good thing, but I would

Who was your favourite teacher?

have found it of enormous assistance.

David: Tony Stocks. Our 3 Alpha was his first as form master and

Nick: Technology has moved on so far and at such a pace since

he subsequently went to the Collegiate School of Liverpool before

I was at School that it seems ridiculous to think that a scientific

returning to WGS as Headmaster.

calculator was considered state of the art in my day! The immediate

Nick: David Iddon was my French teacher and he was brilliant and

availability of knowledge is a world away from the 1980’s when I

Tony Duffey was my science teacher and WGS scout troop leader -

remember sitting in the School library for hours on end trying to find

I can’t decide between the two!

What in your opinion makes WGS so successful?

10

WULFRUNIAN 2015

What in your opinion makes WGS so successful?

David: Its ability to move and change with the times and never to rest on its laurels.

Nick: The leadership of the School means it never falls behind the competition and the standards of the teaching staff has always been incredibly high.

With your granddaughter/daughter now in the Junior School, how do you see yourself engaging with WGS in the future?

David: Supporting activities, attending concerts and events. I was fortunate to serve as a Governor for many years so have been able to keep in touch with the School.

Nick: I would love to be able to help the School

Maisie Berriman (WGJS)

in whatever way I can, I intend to be as involved as possible - not just to support Maisie but also to

What do you like best about school?

try to give something back to the institution that served me so well.

Being in a friendly environment and the way the teachers encourage the children.

What life/career advice will you be giving your What’s your favourite subject?

daughter/granddaughter?

Art

To make the most of the opportunities she has in her very fine School, to work to the maximum of her potential and so build a sound foundation for

If there was one thing you could change about school what would it be?

her future.

To have more breaks in the day!

Nick: To work as hard as she can at School and afterwards to make sure that she can realise her

What do you want to be when you grow up?

dreams.

Archaeologist

WULFRUNIAN 2015

11

Florence Darby Memories of Music, Maths and Verbal Reasoning

Mrs Darby

M

by Nic Anderson y first memory of Florence Darby was in 1984 when she taught my

form 2S music. She was the only female teacher, until the arrival of Mrs Preston in 1986, and clearly loved her work. She inspired me to learn the song needed to audition for that year's choral society. In those days, students had to sing a solo in front of their peers and my hard work paid off as I was chosen to sing Handel's Messiah in the concert. The only time in my WGS life that I ever sang with the choral society.

By the time I returned as a member of staff in 1997, Florence had retired, but she and John regularly attended Maths Department functions. She was full of advice and help in those early years and my wife appreciated her friendly manner and support as I settled into my new job. Florence's love of Wolverhampton Grammar School was apparent in everything she did.

On becoming Head of Lower School in 2005 I became responsible for the School’s Entrance tests, the Verbal Reasoning paper having been set by Florence for the past 20 years. She enjoyed the connection with the School and I looked forward to our annual communications about the questions, answers and marks. Florence would mark and John would add up and this year marks the end of an era.

When former students talk about WGS, they mention Warren Derry, Patrick Hutton, Bernard Trafford as former Heads, but next in line are the Darbys. Over the last 60 years their commitment and service to WGS is remarkable. Florence is a true ambassador and servant of our School and I am certain that this will continue.

12

WULFRUNIAN 2015

My First History Lesson for Some Years…

by Katie Guest

I

joined Wolverhampton Grammar School as Head of

Florence’s over-riding memory of her time here was teaching

Development this September and first came across the

her Lower Sixth A level Music group Friday period 8 outside the

wonderful Florence Darby in Nic Anderson’s office whilst she was

Music Department under the Chestnut tree, no one would ever

handing to him the mantle of entrance Verbal Reasoning papers.

have thought it was the day of her retirement! One of John’s first

Florence and her husband, John, had retired in 1994 after 68

memories was using his table tennis skills with a board duster to

years of combined service, but it seems not in their entirety! Whilst

curb an errant wasp and disposing of it completely under foot in

researching for this year’s edition of the Wulfrunian I had come

front of a classroom of boys stating ‘now that’s what will happen to

across an article entitled ‘Forty Years Gone!’ written by Florence for

you if you step out of line’.

the 1994 edition of the magazine. It is hard to imagine that already another 21 years have passed and that Florence is, well I suppose,

I look forward to the next edition of their memoirs and my next

retiring again.

afternoon visit.

Florence might have been a Music and Maths teacher, but her 1994 article has given me my first valuable History lesson in some years.

I suspect her next lesson will be entitled ‘Sixty Years of Change!’ I had the pleasure of visiting them at their home in Wolverhampton.

We spent a lovely couple of hours talking about their time at School - the admission of the first girls, when there was just one car on site, garden parties and evening dances and Florence’s life skills lessons - button sewing, cooking and shoe cleaning for the Sixth Form boys. Maybe the need for these has not changed especially after receiving a text from my own son, currently in his first term at university, telling me he was missing my cooking (I promise I did give him lessons).

WULFRUNIAN 2015

13

A Family Affair with current teachers Mr and Mrs Hills Having met on their PGCE course at Nottingham University in

in September 1987. Helen followed in September 1998 to teach

October 1982, the Hills came to live in Wolverhampton when Peter

Biology – their son Michael had just completed his first year at the

joined Wolverhampton Grammar School as a Mathematics teacher

Grammar and their daughter Emily joined the School in 2000.

Did you always want to go into teaching?

What advice would you give students considering teaching careers?

Peter: We both come from teaching families, my Mum was a PE

Helen: To take a degree in your chosen subject and then do a

teacher. Within a few days of starting my PGCE and being in a

PGCE.

school I knew it was the career for me.

Peter: Experience what it feels like to stand in front of a class, if

Helen: Both my parents were teachers, but my father was

you are in any doubt then do something else. However if you feel it

originally a research physicist. His departure from his job at Dunlop

is for you then there is no occupation so rewarding.

Research Centre into teaching triggered my own interest and right What advice would you give today’s students?

from year 9 I knew I’d like to teach.

We understand that with today’s competitive jobs market, What attracted you to join Wolverhampton Grammar School?

academic results and extra-curricular activities are paramount for

Peter: I didn’t realise when I applied for the post of Second in

university and job applications, but just remember to slow down

Maths at WGS that it was an independent school and as a state

sometimes and enjoy life. Once in a while stop, think and watch

school boy I probably wouldn’t have applied! I didn’t get an

the world go by.

interview for that post, but received a call from Patrick Hutton one Sunday evening inviting me in for a chat. During that chat with

Describe Wolverhampton Grammar School in three words?

Patrick and Graham Lewis, Head of Maths, I let slip that I had an

Fulfilling, fun and frenetic!

interview the next day at Queen Mary’s, Walsall, a state boys’ grammar, and closer to home. They turned to each other and said ‘well if we want you then we’ll have to offer you the job now’ – and they did! At that point I had worked in three schools in five years and this year I celebrate 29 years at WGS! What have you most enjoyed about working at WGS Helen: The friendships formed with staff and students over the years and we never cease to be amazed by the affection and fondness our ex-pupils have for the School.

Peter: The students have a unique desire to return year after year to share their news and experiences - not only with staff but our current students too. The staff camaraderie has added so much pleasure to each day’s work.

What have been your most memorable experiences?

Helen: For me it would have to be the special events – Founder’s Day, concerts and plays – Godspell and Twelve Angry Men spring to mind, but they are all brilliant. It would also be the bond with the students in my form over the years.

Peter: Head of Lower School (Years 7 and 8), which I did for 16 years. We were housed in what is now the Junior School and it was like being the Headmaster of a school within a school. At the London Reunion last year Gavin Norville (1991-1997) reminded me of the time I sent him home with a razor line in his hair – I don’t remember being that strict!

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WULFRUNIAN 2015

Michael Hills (2004) and Emily Hills (2007) Peter and Helen’s children are ex-pupils of WGS and are now both

Emily is Head of Geography at Trent College, Long Eaton.

teachers - Michael teaches Maths at Radley College, Oxford and

What was your most memorable moment at WGS?

Emily: A Year 9 expedition to the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. We

Michael: Getting a lunchtime detention from Dad, sitting my first

visited the battlefields of the Gallipoli Campaign and paid tribute

GCSE exam (maths) and playing hockey on tour in Ireland.

to ex-pupils of the School that had died there. It was surreal and

Emily: The Ecuador expedition in the Summer of 2007, the first

really increased my personal awareness of what these young man

week spent in an orphanage and the second planting trees on a

faced. I even found part of an old rum jar that had been left behind

farm using horse manure as fertiliser - something I never thought

by a British soldier.

I would do! The 2002 South Africa trip (I didn’t go to play sport as I was only 12 at the time), the highlight of which was visiting Table

What’s been your career highlight to date?

Mountain and where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.

Michael: My Year 10s getting a full house of A*s.

Emily: Probably seeing my first tutor group in the School achieve

What what have you done since leaving WGS?

their GCSE grades. It’s one of the most rewarding aspects of being

Michael: I went to Oxford to study Maths graduating with a Maths

a teacher, seeing the pupils you have known and taught for so

Undergraduate Masters. I then went to teach at Radley College

long becoming responsible and mature young adults.

where I still am now.

Emily: I completed a Geography Degree at Nottingham University

What was it like having your parents teach at the same school?

and the year after, my PGCE. I am now Head of Geography at

Michael: It worked well having both parents there. Lifts home were

Trent College in Nottingham, where I have taught for 4 years.

easy. I got very little negative attention and any I did get I just used the line ‘at least you don’t have to live with them’. To be honest

What made you go into teaching?

more often than not them was replaced with him!!

Michael: I toyed briefly with the idea of something else but after

Emily: Interesting! Not too bad really, Mum actually taught me at A

two years of my degree I knew I wanted to be a teacher and so

level and she was fantastic! I can see why the pupils love her.

completed a PGCE. Emily: At School I was adamant I did not want to be a teacher,

Who was your favourite teacher at school?

partly because my friends said I would make a good one! However

Michael: Easily Dr Bradley - very positive, knew his stuff and

after helping out on a Year 7 trip and volunteering in a primary

taught us ‘juicy’ maths to help with interview preparation. I do hear

school I found that I really enjoyed it! The rest is history.

the Head of Biology is very good also though!

Emily: Dr Bradley was definitely my favourite teacher, I teach a

Where’s the most unusual place your career has taken you?

little bit of Maths now and again, and I honestly don’t understand

Michael: I’ve been lucky to go on trips to Iceland, Russia, China,

how he explained everything to make it so easy for us. We had

Germany, Netherlands and Belgium with school, but the highlight

cake Fridays which was a highlight of my week! Mrs Preston was

was Tanzania last summer where I had the opportunity to climb

also a favourite of mine, although she never taught me Maths, she

Kilimanjaro and help my students teach in a local school.

was my form tutor in Sixth Form.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

15

Preserving our Heritage Zoe Rowley, Senior Librarian (pictured below with the

This project has inspired some of our current students

student Archive group) came to the School in 2014.

to volunteer their support by helping to catalogue

Since joining, she has, like many of you before her been

the historical content within the archive. This not only

fascinated by the history of the School, its buildings and

gives the students a unique opportunity to handle

the stories of our former students.

and document historical records, but also provides a valuable opportunity for them to learn new research and

School has a permanent display of memorabilia from

referencing skills.

the past in the Archive Room next to main reception and former students are always welcome to come and take

Do you have any documents or photographs that you

a look. The Jenyns Library also has its own archive room

would like to see preserved at School? Or perhaps you

where the vast majority of School records, photographs

could spare some time to help us put names to faces

and documents are stored for safe keeping. With the

on old photographs or would like to leave a lasting

support of award winning library designers, 0 Point 8,

legacy with funding for the project? If you think you can

Zoe is currently looking at ways to showcase the School’s

contribute in any way, please call the Development Office

history and provide a pleasant place for former staff and

on 01902 421326 or email development@wgs-sch.net.

students to research or remember their time at School.

Archiving WGS

by Harnaik Khun-Khun (10A) Currently the Library archive is a room full of potential. It contains a wealth of history relating to Wolverhampton Grammar School dating back over 300 years. It holds photographs, historical information, sports results and fascinating details about students who previously attended the School. It is just a shame that it is currently all boxed up and not readily available to view.

All of the items in the collection show us details relating to the history of our School. As part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award we, as a group of Year 10, students are hoping to develop this room. The new improved archive will show how the School has changed over time, from a boys’ boarding school to the WGS we know and love today. Our main aim is to help display our WGS heritage, which is currently kept in boxes. The room will

“

The School has existed for over 500 years and despite various

books and documents relating to the early days, not a great deal of detail is known. However, especially since the move to Compton Road in 1875, there is a mountain of information available.

be reinvented to act as a museum, rather than a storage room, where Old Wulfrunians can spend hours revisiting their time

I have derived great pleasure from referring to this over many

at WGS and current students can learn about the teachers and

years and now that there is an ideal opportunity to put all this into

students who walked the corridors before them. The ‘museum’,

a properly referenced archive, it should be done, as I am sure that

we hope, will make students proud of our rich history as a

others will get a similar amount of enjoyment from reading the

school.

history of a School we are all proud to have attended and which, in many ways, shaped our futures.

We look forward to working with Mrs Rowley and OWA representative Tony Phillips to develop this project.

16

Anthony (Tony) Phillips (1959)

WULFRUNIAN 2015

”

Anthony (Tony) Phillips OW 1959 Tony Phillips is a familiar face in School as a former student and now an active member of the Old Wulfrunians Association. He has generously donated historical documents and is supporting Zoe Rowley and our students with the School’s archive project.

What was school life like back then?

What subjects did you enjoy at school?

I joined the School in 1954, the Second World

History, Geography and English. I also enjoyed Art, which I took at O Level along with

War had ended 9 years earlier and money

Architecture.

was tight, but because we all wore the same uniform it put us all on a level playing field. It

Has the WGS environment and ‘community’ changed since being at school?

was boys only and only male teachers, who

It has changed tremendously, in my day there were only masters and few support staff.

wore gowns when teaching. The facilities

We still had the Combined Cadet Force and played soldiers every Thursday afternoon.

were a bit basic, but we knew no different

However, that made us grow up in as much as we had to put up with a lot of taunting by

and were just happy to be here. We all wore

other kids as we walked through town in our army uniform.

school caps, except I think for the Sixth Form, and you were in big trouble if spotted not

There were lots of after school clubs, which if you visit the archive you can read about in

wearing it. Where the Derry building is now

old editions of the Wulfrunian magazine, and a House system.

there was a Fives court, bicycle sheds and another football/cricket pitch.

Obviously, since independence and the advent of co-education, both, in my view, eminently sensible and also helping to secure the School’s future, the operation of the

What were your teachers like?

School has changed completely. It also must have altered the attitude of both boys and

Most were very friendly and helpful,

girls towards each other and helped in their development and social skills.

especially if you did your best and respected them. This was especially so in the 5th year when we took our O levels.

Once you reached the 3rd year they treated us like young men, not children.

What are your memories of the Headmaster while you were at School?

Warren Derry was Headmaster and in my opinion one of the best the School ever had. He was stern, but fair; had a great presence and had a wonderful sense of humour. Even now, Old Boys are fond of recounting stories of him and things he said and did. These are known affectionately as “Derryisms”. I know most of them!

Did you ever misbehave at school?

Me? Never! Well, on occasion, but never anything too drastic and I never came anywhere near being caned. Boys will be boys and that means things happen. The masters were pretty tolerant and so lines or detentions were the usual punishments.

Did your education at WGS help you in later life?

Yes, immensely. For example, Geography and three school trips gave me an interest

Where was your favourite place at WGS?

in travel. Basics in conversational French, developed over time during family holidays,

Moreton’s Piece. I played for all the School

helped me get my last job as Financial Controller of a French-owned company requiring

football teams, including the 1st XI in my

frequent trips to head office in Paris. History started a life-long interest in 20th Century

last year. I loved sport, although I did enjoy

events, particularly the Great War and I have been visiting the Western Front annually for

most subjects.

over 25 years.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

17

In Fond Remembrance Jamie Rentoul OW 1982

academically brilliant too, gaining the top first in

Sadly passed away 1st July 2015.

Psychology at King’s College Cambridge in 1983.

My brother Jamie Rentoul, who died of cancer

Starting at the Department of Health, then known

aged 50, was a distinguished civil servant, but

as the DHSS, in 1986, he became speech writer

was modest about his brilliant career. It wasn’t

for Kenneth Clarke, then Secretary of State for

until he died that I realised just how important he

Health until 1990, when two things happened.

had been in so many of the important changes

The first was meeting Rowena, his future wife, at

in the NHS over the past 30 years, including the

a ceramic class at Morley College Lambeth and

campaign to change Britain from a country where

the second, the Conservatives deposed Margaret

lots of people smoked, everywhere, to one where

Thatcher, which meant Jamie was working for the

far fewer do. His family and friends mainly knew

new Health Secretary, William Waldegrave.

him as a wonderful companion, generous, witty and laid back.

In 1995 he and Rowena moved to California where he studied for an MBA at Stanford

Jamie and Rowena were married on a beach on

Born in Bangalore, where our father was a

University. On his return he became Deputy

Iona, Scotland, where we had stayed as a child

minister in the Church of South India and mother

Director and Acting Head of the Prime Minister’s

and where they and their son, Billy, and various

a teacher. We returned to Britain in 1969, first to

Performance and Innovation Unit under Tony

relations usually spent part of their summers.

Bristol and then Wolverhampton, where Jamie

Blair. He was Head of Strategy at the Healthcare

Jamie’s vast and intricate mazes have at one time

attended WGS. He was six years younger than

Commission, which became the Care Quality

covered every large stretch of sand in Iona, for

me, with sisters Sue and Brigid in between, but he

Commission, before returning to the Department

the children to navigate, and for the tide to wash

was more than my equal at absolutely everything.

of Health, latterly as Director of Health and Well

away. He is much missed by all his friends and

He could beat me at football, one against one

being – the sad irony being that he was working

family.

in our garden, and went on to be star of the

on improving early detection of cancer when he

football team at school and university. He was

was diagnosed himself.

John Rentoul - Brother and OW 1977

Philip Moore OW 1960

He was always supportive of the School, and

As is obvious, Philip was a man who enjoyed

Sadly passed away 23rd November 2014.

appreciated the great start in life that it gave him.

living a full and varied life. Yet he never sought

In recent years Philip was involved in overseeing

the limelight and was eminently satisfied to

With the passing of Philip Moore at the end

the organisation of the Association’s Annual

have contributed to the enjoyment of others, a

of 2014, the Association lost one of its true

Dinner, I was responsible for inviting the guests

contribution achieved in a quiet, understated way,

gentleman and someone who had contributed

and organising the bar, whilst he did all the hard

but with great success.

greatly to its success in the recent past and to

and tedious part.

whom we owe a great debt of gratitude. A quiet,

To the end, despite his failing health, Philip

unassuming man, Philip went about his work with

Philip’s love of music gave him immense pleasure

retained his dignity, his unshakable faith, his

the serene, confident air of someone who knew

and his talent was put to good use. It was a gift

humour and his resilience. He was, in so many

exactly what he was doing and would let nothing

which was passed on to his daughter Helena and

ways, a remarkable man and one whom we were

interfere with the success of whatever task he

his grandchildren. This was never more evident

proud to have called our friend.

was undertaking.

than when, at the funeral service of his beloved wife Pat, they played together. It was a moving

Philip went on to study Mathematics at Keble

experience, and an act of devotion and, indeed

College, Oxford, returning to Wolverhampton to

great, bravery.

Tony Phillips OW 1959

lecture in Business Studies at the Polytechnic.

Sadly Passed Away 2014 - 2015 Stephen John Pickering OW 1971

David Owen Jones OW 1941

Dr Christopher Ernest Upton OW 1972

Stanley Rogers OW 1943

It is with sadness that David Owen Jones passed

Sadly passed away 1st October 2015 at the age

Anthony Walker OW 1946

away on 11th February 2015, at the age of 88

of 61 years.

David R Whatley OW 1983

years.

Kenneth Squire OW 1942 Sadly on 25th November 2014, Kenneth Squire passed away in his 89th year.

18

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Nigel H Fanshawe OW 1929

Nigel won a place at Wolverhampton Grammar

He was a truly great man whose fundamental

Sadly passed away 6th February 2015.

School and shone as a mathematician. University

lessons were that selective education can

beckoned, but his family couldn’t afford it, this

transform individuals and transform a society, and

On Monday, I posted a birthday card to one of my

was 1929 and the state made little provision for

that inspirational teachers are born, not made, and

dearest and most admired friends. He was about

such luxuries. With characteristic determination he

must be cherished.

to turn 104. However, he never got to see the card,

won a scholarship to Cambridge, but when that

hours before his birthday he died, peacefully, with

wasn’t enough proceeded to win scholarships

his only surviving child, he had outlived the others,

from his school, county and charitable institutions.

at his side.

Graduating in 1932 with a first-class degree in Mathematics from Gonville and Caius College, he

Nigel Fanshawe was headmaster of my old

went on to work at Radley and Eton. But his heart

grammar school King Edward VI in Chelmsford

lay in selective education and aged 38 took over

Essex from 1949 to 1977. He was never simply a

King Edward VI. By the time his school celebrated

headmaster and personified why, 50 years ago,

its 400th anniversary in 1951, he had given it a new

the teaching profession was held in such high

sense of purpose and identity, and of rigor.

regard and individual teachers commanded huge respect. In his hands the School transformed the

Today, he would, I hope, have been called a

lives of thousands of boys, not just equipping them

‘super-head’ and given a knighthood. But in those

for the best universities but turning out young men

days exceptional teachers were taken for granted,

with proper values and deep sense of intellectual

though his boys never forgot him, nor he them, and

curiosity. He believed passionately in elites and

many of us became friends for life.

in excellence, but was no elitist. His great regret was that no government developed the idea of

He retired aged nearly 67, but such was his sense

the technical school properly to ensure a first-class

of vocation that he soon resumed work as a maths

education to children whose talents were not

teacher at an independent girls’ school in London,

academic ones.

stopping years later only when his headmistress

An extract from a tribute by Simon Heffer for the

found out his real age and, as he put it to me,

Daily Mail, the full article can be found at

‘feared I might drop dead on the premises’.

www.wgs.org.uk

the Christian Faith and he was told “Well, we can’t

undeniably proud. John eventually returned to

ordain you then”. Fortunately for John, David

the Wolverhampton area and was priest in charge

Jenkins, Bishop of Durham, himself somewhat

of Pattingham and Patshull for six years until he

Reverend John Ellerbeck Daimond OW 1956 Sadly passed away on 7th September 2015

outspoken on certain issues, was on the

retired in 2007. In a very short time he endeared

During his time at Wolverhampton Grammar

interviewing panel and he too had reservations

himself, not just to his parishioners but to a wide

School John became Head Boy. John went

about some of the said articles, stuck up for John,

cross section of the community.

to Durham University, briefly studying Maths

carrying the day.

before switching to Philosophy. After achieving a

He never used any notes, delivering his pointed

commendable 2:1 degree, he went to Rippon Hall

John was in the ministry for more than 50 years

and pithy sermons in his commanding and

in Oxford to study Theology.

including a period as an RAF chaplain, during

inimitable voice. His wit, his honesty, his humour,

which he served in many parts of the world

his sensitivity, his compassion, his charm and

John very nearly did not get ordained, when in

including the Middle and Far East. In 1989, then

above all his deep spirituality will be remembered

June 1963 he came before the Bishop of Lichfield,

based at Strike Command in High Wycombe,

by all who knew him.

Stretton Reeve, and apparently a bit of a stickler.

he was appointed Honorary RAF Chaplain

John couldn’t attest to belief in all 39 articles of

to Her Majesty the Queen, of which he was

Norman Levers OW 1953

Apologies Mike Astwick

Florence and Revered Leslie Morris

Jeffrey Fieldhouse OW 1964

It is with great sadness that we have to announce

Florence taught Mathematics from 1968 until

We published in the last edition of the Wulfrunian

the passing of former Head of Art, Mike Astwick

1970, and Leslie taught Chemistry from 1948 until

magazine that OW Jeffrey Fieldhouse had

at the age of 84. Mr Astwick leaves his wife

1952. Florence sadly passed away March 2012,

passed away. We would like to send our sincere

Margaret who also worked in the Art Department

and then after a short illness Leslie passed away

apologies for this misprint, and to inform all of his

here at Wolverhampton Grammar School.

March 2015.

peers that he is very much alive and well!

WULFRUNIAN 2015

19

Lest We Forget In the 2014 edition of the Wulfrunian we marked, along with the

thought it would be “all over by Christmas”. With that in mind we

rest of the world, the 100th Anniversary of the outbreak of the First

continue to remember our fallen Old Wulfrunians and the legacy

World War. A war that was to last four years even though many

that they left our students today.

Bookended in Blood

by Russell Charlesworth ‘In the middle of the term we heard that our

Fifty miles to the south, at Arras in April 1916,

and Leonard Lawson of the 6th Battalion.

local Regiment had been heavily engaged

his brother Herbert died of wounds. There’s

William Sidney Mathie, a Lance Corporal in

… among the fallen were several Old Boys’.

a headstone partly dedicated to the Walters

the 5th Battalion, was severely wounded in

The Wulfrunian of December 1915 was right:

boys in Merridale Cemetery, and they featured

the head, and died at King George’s Military

the South Staffs’ attack on the Hohenzollern

in Dr O’Brien’s assembly about the parish of St

Hospital, London, on 27th May 1916. It was,

Redoubt on 13th October resulted in the death

Chad’s in WW1. The family’s loss was colossal,

without question, one of the darkest episodes

of five OWs on the same day, with another

but as we’ll see, far from unique.

in the history of the Grammar School. The

dying of wounds seven months later. At the

Hohenzollern Redoubt wasn’t captured until

very end of the school year, on 1st July 1916,

Between Ypres and Arras is the small northern

five, or possibly six OWs were killed on the

French town of Loos. This was the coal mining

first day on the Somme. If 1914-1915 had been

country of Zola’s ‘Germinal’, a landscape

Mercifully, it was a quieter winter. But like a

characterised by the urge to serve, 1915-1916 at

foreign yet familiar to the OWs who fought

bloodstain, the Great War seeps into the pages

WGS was truly a year bookended in blood.

here. With the Gallipoli campaign stalled,

of the ‘Wulfrunian’ and the consciousness

attention turned again to the Western Front,

of our school. The Cambridge Letter to the

These momentous events will be considered,

and the initial attack at Loos went well. True,

editors, a regular fixture in the magazine,

but the school magazines of 1915-1916 also

many British divisions were inexperienced,

speculates about Lord Derby’s scheme to

speak of a School in good heart, where

and there were problems with the cylinders

introduce conscription. The Debating Society in

the normal routines of work and play were

for dispensing poison gas (the gas blew back

December 1915 was witness to some vigorous

observed. In September, there was a ’record

onto the attacking infantry, and the cylinders

exchanges about Gallipoli: ‘Payne sought to

entry of sixty new boys’, and there’s a long list

were soon replaced with gas shells). The main

prove that the operations had been grossly and

of academic prizes awarded at Speech Day.

stumbling block to a decisive breakthrough

culpably mismanaged’, but Elliott ‘showed how

There’s a lively debate in the Wulfrunian about

was the heavily fortified Hohenzollern Redoubt,

the preoccupations of the Turks in the Gallipoli

the origins of the school, with Arthur F Leach

which protruded out menacingly into No

peninsula had acted as a shield for India’. There

contending that Sir Stephen Jenyns merely

Man’s Land from the German front line. 137th

was a lecture on British Field Guns by a Mr

took over and re-endowed a school that had

Brigade, including the 5th and 6th Battalions

Sankey in February 1916, and a poem about life

already existed for centuries. That doesn’t wash

of the South Staffordshire Regiment, attacked

in a dug-out from Corporal Edgar Oliver. The

with Gerald Mander, or with WGS exile Harry

at 2pm on 13th October 1915. W N Groves, at

War isn’t all pervasive. April 1916 lamented the

Hill Beckett, who trumpets the conventional

school 1907-1912 and now serving with the

sad death of ‘little Reidy’, a 14 year old virtuoso

date of 1512 in a poem penned in New Zealand.

6th Battalion, described what happened in a

violinist, from pneumonia. There’s the usual

In sport, G L Howell was ‘not a scientific

letter to the Wulfrunian: ‘Then came the eagerly

run of sports reports and even a good natured

footballer’, but the centre forward scored 21

awaited order - ‘Charge!’ The lads were over

dig at the Girls’ High for borrowing verbatim

times for the First XI, exactly half the WGS tally

with smoke helmets on their heads ready to

a phrase from the 1910 Wulfrunian. However

for the season. Notwithstanding any of this,

pull down at a moment’s notice, and bayonets

the July 1916 edition starts soberly: ‘It is by no

as the pages turn and the editions pass, the

gleaming; they looked like so many devils.

means an easy task to write the customary

reader is struck by the insidious and consuming

Of the horrors of this battle I will not write but

editorial when we are all thinking of far more

presence of the Great War.

only of the glory … Perchance some of my

serious things than school matters’. Those

readers have a relation or a friend who fell in

‘serious things’ were the battle of the Somme.

The December 1915 Wulfrunian turns the black-

that charge. They may take comfort that those

edged list of casualties from July’s edition into

who gave their lives died bravely - heroes - with

The plan for the Somme offensive, the events

faces. There’s a double page spread entitled

their faces to the foe’.

of that climacteric first day, and the days that

‘Pro Patria’, including the photograph of Alfred

20

1918.

followed, have long been argued over. This

Oswald Hall that featured on last year’s student

Of the two companies of the 5th Battalion

isn’t the place for a discussion of any of that.

planner. How striking and how poignant would

that got into Big Willie trench, adjacent to the

By July, Old Wulfrunians were serving all along

these pictures have been? Most of the OWs

Redoubt, every single officer and man was

the 18 mile front from which the ‘Big Push’ was

are photographed in uniform, but John Walters

hit as they tried to advance. Five OWs were

launched. Consequently, their battle experiences

is resplendent in his football kit. At school

killed that day, Leslie Gardner Shaw of the 5th

would have been very different, even if some of

1907-1910, he was the first to be killed during

Battalion, and Sydney Melville Butler, Edward

the outcomes were grimly similar.

the 1915-1916 school year, at Zillebeke, Ypres.

Arthur Cresswell, Basil Victor Bate Hewitson

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Six OWs lost their lives on 1st July 1916. Captain

The first day on the Somme was the bloodiest

short of his twentieth birthday. In an eight year

Thomas Baker, modern languages teacher at

day in British military history. It’s more famous

WGS career, the Wulfrunian writes that Cyril

WGS 1910-1912 and now serving with the 10th

than the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt,

Hurdman ‘had given himself unstintingly to all

Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed

but for WGS no more merciful. And 1st July was

the pursuits of the School’. He was a cricketer,

in action at la Boisselle, towards the centre of

only the beginning; the battle would grind on

footballer and runner; a debater, a Librarian

the attacking front. His second in command

for another 140 days, into the mud and misery

and a scholar, who won a place at St. John’s

said subsequently ‘the tighter the corner our

of mid-November. By the end of July, Albert

College, Cambridge. He was Head Boy 1914-

company is in, the more we miss the able

Molineaux had been killed in a flying accident

1915, and Editor of this magazine. On 19th July

leadership and guidance of one who was

near London and six more OW’s perished on

1916, just a month after arriving in France, Cyril

loved and looked up to by us all’. Alfred Ernest

the Somme, in very different actions. Among

Hurdman, 2nd Lieutenant, 6th Battalion, Royal

Bendall, a private in the same battalion, was

them were Stephen Castle, killed by poison

Warwickshire Regiment, was killed in a night

killed on signalling duty. At the northernmost

gas at Mametz Wood, and Robert Herbert

action at Laventie.

limit of the offensive, the South Staffs were

Hoole, killed while acting as a stretcher bearer.

heavily involved, and Second Lieutenant

Frederick Norman Willcock was still at school

1915-1916 was the year in which the demands

Reginald Page fell while leading his platoon

when the war broke out, but by 1916 he was

of total war took their toll on WGS. The year

in a charge on Gommecourt Wood. Two other

a veteran of two engagements at Ypres, with

began and ended with terrible losses, in

South Staffs men killed in action were Private

the wounds to show for it. In the attack on

campaigns which failed to decisively break the

Horace Whitehouse, of the 5th Battalion, and

Contalmaison, towards the southern end of the

stalemate of the trenches. The school certainly

William Norman Groves, the author of that

Somme sector, he took responsibility for the

functioned, maybe even thrived at times, but

letter. Hubert Piper is included on the memorial

charge of the two leading platoons following

this was uncharted and challenging territory for

panels at the back of Big School, and he was

the loss of the other officers in his company.

OW’s at the front and the WGS community back

killed in France on 1st July 1916, but he isn’t

He was shot dead as he stood on the parapet,

home. After the Somme, they suspected, and

included in school admissions records.

calling for reinforcements. He was two days

we know, that there was much more to come.

Former Students Killed in Action During 1915 Armitage D W - 25th September 1915, aged 22

Hunt F H W - 27th September 1915, aged 22

Sims C E - 11th March 1915, aged 28

Butler S M - 13th October 1915, aged 22

Job B C K - 18th April 1915, aged 27

Smith L - 16th May 1915

Cresswell E A - 13th October 1915, aged 32

Lawson L - 13th October 1915, aged 19

Walters J - 11th September 1915, aged 22

Hall H G - 3rd May 1915, aged 21

Malet F L - 4th June 1915, aged 22

Wilkinson G B - 4th May 1915, aged 33

Hall A O - 3rd May 1915, aged 21)

Mould H G - 24th April 1915, aged 23

Winter A - 29th April 1915, aged 27

Hewtison B V B - 13th October 1915, aged 19

Shaw L G - 13th October 1915, aged 25)

Leslie Gardner Shaw (1901-1905)

Edward Arthur Cresswell (1895-1900)

Oswald Alfred Hall (1904-1907)

Frank Louis Malet (1908-1912)

Sec. Lieutenant, 1/5th S. Staff. Regt.

Captain, 6th Batt. S. Staff. Regt.

Nelson Batt, Royal Naval Div.

Lieutenant, 12th Batt. R.Warwick R.

Killed in the attack on the Hohenzollern

Killed in the attack on the Hohenzollern

Died of wounds received in action,

(Attached to 2nd Batt. Hampshire R.

Redoubt, Oct 13th, 1915

Redoubt, Oct 13th, 1915

May 3rd, 1915.

Killed in action, June 4th, 1915

Francis Henry Walter Hunt (1903-1911)

Adrian Winter (1898-1905)

John Walters (1907-1910)

Charles Edmonds Sims (1896-1900)

Captain, King’s Shropshire L. Inf.

Sergeant, N.Z. Exp. Force.

6th Batt. S. Staff. Regt.

Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R, H.M.S “Bayano”

Wounded in action, Sep 25th, died in hospital

Killed in action, May 27th, 1915

Killed in action, Sep 11th, 1915

Lost with his vessel, March11th, 1915

Ledeghem, Sep 27th, 1915.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

21

Local School - Global Impact The impact of our School reaches far

and the West Midlands attracts investment

touch with as many OWs working and living

beyond the city, region and even the

from a global marketplace which in turn

overseas as possible. This map illustrates

UK. We are in touch with a global OW

brings with it new members to our School

where our contactable alumni are – but do

community in more than 30 countries

community. Students native to Germany,

you know different? Are you in touch with

worldwide. From Peru to the United Arab

Italy and Poland are currently studying at

someone in the Falkland Islands, Portugal

Emirates, Sweden to Thailand – the impact

School, adding even more to a School rich

or Russia? If you are, please let us know so

of our former students is truly global.

in diversity and culture.

that we can make sure everyone has the

Current students also come from diverse

In an ever-increasing global workforce, we

backgrounds and cultures. Wolverhampton

need your help to make sure we keep in

Australia

France

Luxembourg

Northern Ireland

South Africa

Switzerland

Austria

Germany

Malaysia

Norway

Scotland

Thailand

Bahamas

Greece

Mexico

Peru

Singapore

United Arab Emirates

Belgium

Hong Kong

Netherlands

Philippines

South Africa

USA

Canada

Ireland

New Zealand

China

Spain

Channel Islands

Japan

Wales

Ireland

Sweden

opportunity to share School memories and reconnect with School.

Robert Zeps OW 1988 Former student Robert Zeps is now living

a rowing machine, weights machine,

training seriously. Robert added, “Without

in California . Thanks to his generosity, the

functional trainer, pull up/dip machine, wall

the enthusiasm and even competition

School has new facilities and an award that

mirrors, slam balls, rubber flooring mats

inspired by Mr. Johnson, we would not

exercises the mind as well as body.

and a plasma TV are all now installed.

have been as keen to stick with it. 30 years later I am still training hard. Though the

22

During 2014, Robert visited the School and

Robert wanted to give something back to

modalities have evolved and changed, the

made the decision to donate funds so that

School as a lasting legacy of how

spirit of being ‘better every day’ has stayed

the student gym could have a complete

Mr Johnson (JJ) had inspired both him and

with me.”

makeover. New equipment included

his brother, Nik to take strength and fitness

WULFRUNIAN 2015

OWs in the USA Established to provide a forum for US based OWs, former student Robin Cooper is President of the Old Wulfrunians in America. Our US former students also explore ways of supporting the School to ensure it can continue to meet the needs of students now, as it did when they were students.

Membership of OWs in the USA is open to all former students who are based in the USA. Working alongside Robin is Nigel Blower, another former student who is the Secretary of the charity.

They are eager to hear from any former students with connections to the US. To learn more about the OWs in the USA or how you can support the School in other ways, contact development@wgs-sch.net or telephone: +44 (0)1902 421326

Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and Friends Join the official Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and Friends LinkedIn group.

Network with fellow Old Wulfrunians and the wider School community both past and present, receive invites to networking events, School events and offer careers assistance and advice.

Alabama

Florida

Michigan

Texas

Alaska

Georgia

New Jersey

Utah

California

Illinois

New York

Virginia

Colorado

Indiana

Ohio

Washington

Connecticut

Maryland

Pennsylvania

A new treadmill has also now been

students wanting to undertake further study

installed in the gym thanks to the generous

of mathematics. Two awards of £1,000

fundraising efforts of the Friends of

for a boy and girl will be made available

Wolverhampton Grammar School.

for students in the Upper Sixth who can demonstrate how they would use the funds

Robert also wanted to celebrate the legacy

to support their study of mathematics (or a

of excellent academic tuition at School. In

related discipline) at university.

honour of his mathematics teacher, Robert has funded a new Graham Lewis award for

Robert Zeps pictured with his wife Diane.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

23

DID THE CLASS OF 2001 GO FORTH & CONQUER? The introduction to the Year Book of 2001 begins “This book is about paying homage to the great establishment that inspired you as a teenager to go forth and conquer”...

The next few paragraphs fall away into anecdotes and nicknames,

Nick Gray OW 2001

(accept for reunions!). We decided that since 15 years have passed

but the penultimate one makes reference to ten years’ time, the delights of laughing at the hilarious photos and of how lucky they will be not to have to look or see half the fools in there ever again we’d find out if they did just that. The following are extracts from the responses of our 2001 leavers and we are very grateful for their co-operation. To read the full articles please go to the alumni pages of the website or contact development@wgs-sch.net.

Richard White

Andrew Charles Smith

Richard currently makes bespoke industrial

Currently working as a Series Producer

style furniture and interior items for a

in television, Andrew studied French and

small company in Birmingham - Vintage

Italian at UCL before joining a graduate

Industrial Furniture. After a gap year and 12

scheme with a large production company.

years working for Waterstones Booksellers, where he progressed

He says that moving from show to show

to Store Manager, Richard took voluntary redundancy. After a

every four months places him constantly in

short time finishing renovations to his house, he took a diploma in

a variety of different places and situations,

carpentry and joinery, taught himself to weld and joined his current

with lots of weird and wonderful people and he’s lost any sense of

firm. Bespoke furniture orders it seems are not quite straight

what constitutes unusual! Career highlight to date was his first job

forward following a request for him and his colleagues to move an

as Series Producer on a live show for Sky. Favourite teacher Miss

old Mini Clubman shell and engine from one county to another!

Johnson (now Mrs Munson) for introducing him to Italy. Andrew

A requisition for the design and manufacture of a bespoke room

is about to make a new dating show for Channel 4, in which the

divider for a £1.6m loft apartment development in Birmingham has

contestants are totally naked… he says his parents are incredibly

been one of his proudest achievements to date.

proud!

Why not share some of your own images from your time at WGS with us?

Email Gail or Katie at development@wgs-sch.net or share with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: t @WGS1512 - F Wolverhampton Grammar School Official 24

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Wolverhampton Grammar School

Emma Fisher (nee Tolley)

Jonathan Wood

Emma is currently on maternity leave after

Jonathan returned to WGS in 2007 to

having her third child Arlo and is hoping

support OpAL, and teach English and

to take a two year break with her children

Theatre Studies, he is also a form tutor and

before returning to her career as a Liaison

exams officer. After a brief foray in retail

Psychiatrist, possibly completing a Masters in Medical Education.

and administration after leaving university, Jonathan changed

Emma became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists after

direction and started his teaching career in Walsall. He says

completing her core psychiatric training in Oxford. In 2009 she took

returning to WGS to work alongside people who had taught him

the opportunity to spend a year out teaching psychiatry in Malawi, an

was unusual, however he feels it says a lot about the positive

amazing experience. Her favourite teacher had to be Miss Reeves

effect the School had on him as a student. Directing theatrical

her 1Q form tutor – for being kind, fair and quietly a bit wacky!

productions gives him the opportunity to indulge in his practical and creative side.

Me’sha Bryan

Hannah Lloyd

Now a professional vocalist, actress and

Hannah is currently completing a PhD

vocal coach, Me’sha was first talent spotted

at Kings College London supervised by

by producers from the Stanley House

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich and working

recording studio whilst performing at her

in a start-up executive search boutique

music school, Vocaltech, West London.

(executive recruitment/headhunting). She

She has gone on to work with UK and

graduated with a degree in Psychology in

international stars in music and television

2004, spent some time travelling around

including Kylie Minogue, Bryan Ferry and Russell Watson and

Latin America and joined a global executive search firm. Hannah

appeared on Later with Jools Holland and The Jonathan Ross

earned the nickname ‘Gandalf’ from one of her clients due to the

Show. Me’sha has performed in a few weird and wonderful places

unusual sequence of globe-trotting events to place him in his

from a giant bubble in Latvia to 6am on the Tube wearing a bowler

current role! Career highlights have been working in a start-up

hat advertising porridge! Career highlights have included the

company and in the non-profit sector fulfilling an ambition to work

Concert for Diana Wembley Stadium, vocal coaching on The Voice

in public service. She fondly remembers Mr Benfield – inspirational

and releasing her album ‘Maybe Today’. She fondly remembers

and compassionate.

Mr Pawluk, the late Mr Proverbs and Mrs Munson.

Why not share some of your own images from your time at WGS with us?

Email Gail or Katie at development@wgs-sch.net or share with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram: t @WGS1512 - F Wolverhampton Grammar School Official WULFRUNIAN 2015

Wolverhampton Grammar School 25

2015 OWA Annual Dinner

26

Big School was host to almost 200 former students and staff on

Association) presided over the evening and guests enjoyed a

Saturday 7th March for the Old Wulfrunians Association Annual

three course meal and after dinner speeches from former Head

Dinner. Mr Robert Purshouse (the outgoing President of the

Bernard Trafford and current Head Kathy Crewe-Read.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Old Wulfrunians Association Welcome from Glyn Thomas President of the Old Wulfrunian Association The OWA Annual Dinner date is confirmed

Old Wulfrunians Sports and Social Club in

for Saturday 27th February 2016 and the

Castlecroft. Please feel free to join us to

booking information is included on the

share your memories and photographs.

School’s website and in this publication. This

To become a member please contact Nick

event serves as an opportunity for young

Phillips, contact details can be found in the

and old(er) members of our Old Wulfrunian

OWA section of the School website.

community to come together in Big School and we hope you can join us.

If you have not been in contact recently, I extend to you the warmest welcome.

There is a growing amount of activity around the Association with a number of smaller

Glyn Thomas OW 1959

events held throughout the year at the

Report from the Chairman The last twelve months have seen the

that football and cricket matches were

twelve months and I am pleased to

Association and School continue to

played by Old Boys long before that, and we

report that Dr Andrew Husselbee (1979)

work together to generate more alumni

continue to welcome new members all the

has agreed to become our next Vice

interest.

time. As well as the Annual Dinner, we hold

President. Some of you will have seen the

a number of smaller events throughout the

photograph in the Sports Hall reception

The Trustees have made further

year. Please visit our pages on the School’s

of Andy’s famous goal (one of two) at

investment in their Development Office

website for more information on how to

Wembley in the 1982-1983 Varsity Match.

with the aim of ensuring that more of us

contact the Association, it would be lovely to

What many of you won’t know is that he

than ever reconnect and keep in touch

see more of our younger alumni, particularly

also drove home from an Old Wulfrunians

and in turn continue to enhance the

our Old Girls as we have now been co-

game some years later, having failed to

institution we care so much about.

educational for over 30 years.

self-diagnose that he had in fact broken his leg!

The Association was officially established

I would like to thank my fellow OWA Officers

around 1922, although records indicate

for their time and dedication over the past

David Cooke OW 1978

2016 Old Wulfrunians Association Annual Dinner Saturday 27th February 2016 6.45pm - Big School Please RSVP to Stewart Ross (tel) 01902 846571 (email) stewart.sueross@gmail.com

WULFRUNIAN 2015

27

1990 Leavers 25th Anniversary

by Nic Anderson Deputy Head OW 1990 The 2015 OWA dinner was the

a tour of the School and a drinks

perfect event to mark 25 years

reception in the new Derry

since the class of 1990 left WGS

Pavilion. We were pleased to be

for the big wide world. Emails

joined by some ex-staff, Messrs

were sent far and wide, Facebook

Trafford and Riley and some

speeches from Bernard Trafford

accounts were reactivated and

current ones as well. We then

and current Head, Kathy Crewe-

texts were delivered. The group

joined the other guests for dinner

Read. It was a fitting way to

who were able to attend, enjoyed

and were hugely entertained by

celebrate our 25 year anniversary.

If you were unable to attend last years reunion or would like to organise your own please contact Gail Evans (tel) 01902 421326 or (email) development@wgs-sch.net

Were you in the Class of 1991?

25th Anniversary Celebrations

by Nick Berriman OW 1991 I am delighted to announce that 2016 is the turn of the 1991 leavers to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

How time flies and it is incredible to think that so much time has passed since I and my fellow year mates left the School. It would be wonderful to think that as many of the 1991 leavers as possible will attend the event. It is a fantastic opportunity to catch up with old School mates, renew friendships, see where our different paths have led us over the last two and half decades and to reminisce about our years at School. I hope to see you there!

If you would like to attend the 2016 25th Anniversary Dinner for the 1991 leavers please contact Gail Evans (tel) 01902 421326 or (email) development@wgs-sch.net

28

WULFRUNIAN 2015

London Reunion Former students and staff now living or working in

It was wonderful to see so many former students

London and the South East were invited to a London

spanning many generations come together in one

Reunion on Thursday 26th February in the grand

place to share memories, photographs and copies of

surroundings of the Merchant Taylors’ Company.

the Wulfrunian together.

“It was so lovely of the School to have us

“A word of thanks for all the effort and hard work

and great to see old faces and new ones. Thank you

from you and your team for making the London

to you all, I had a really enjoyable evening.”

Reunion such a success.”

Georgie Baker OW 2011

David Hinde OW 1949

2016 London Reunion Thursday 25th February 2016 from 5.30pm to 9pm

King’s Gallery & Drawing Room, Merchant Taylors’ Company, 30 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8JB OW’s and staff from all years are invited to join us at the

Why not bring along old photographs or documents of

2016 London Reunion. The evening offers opportunities to

your time at WGS to share with our guests and fellow

network and reunite with old friends and teachers.

alumni. Please RSVP to secure your place.

If you would like to attend the 2016 London Reunion please RSVP to Gail Evans (email) development@wgs-sch.net or (tel) 01902 421326

WULFRUNIAN 2015

29

Holidaying Down Memory Lane - 1967 Style

by Andrew Skidmore OW 1971 We made sure no-one was about, and then went down the long

trip. It is the same hotel, though now completely rebuilt.

platform to the machine. We found a few francs and soon we were proud possessors of two four inch cigars, of a kind perhaps only

Once Sue and I had discovered a Swiss holiday that seemed to

found at the station. It was 1967. We made our way back to the

replicate much of my school trip, the search was on for the notes of

hotel for dinner before we were missed, for – was it – scrag end of

the journey that each of the boys were given after returning home

lamb? The cigars came in later, along with our attempts to buy ‘une

in 1967. Twelve months or so later, that fantastic moment when they

biere, s’il vous plait’.

emerged from the loft, just before we were off!

A lot of people were about as it was the rush hour, but there were

Apparently on Tuesday 28th March 1967 we left Wolverhampton

no machines on the station. No-one would much care if we did

at 10.49am on the ‘new two hour electric express’ to Euston,

want a cigar, but we don’t smoke now. It was 2015. We made our

before lunching at the Chatham Room overlooking Victoria Station,

way back to the hotel for dinner in the rather good restaurant.

taking the boat train to Dover, and crossing on M.V. Reine Astrid to Ostend. Then we proceeded overnight in ‘couchettes’ via Bruges

The hotel was the Hotel Astra in Vevey, on the north east shore of

and Brussels arriving in Basel for breakfast, before going onward

Lake Geneva, the ‘Swiss Riviera’. However in 1967 the hotel had

via Berne, Gstaad, and Montreux to Vevey arriving at 14.28pm. No

been the Hotel Touring et Gare, where a party of eager 3rd and

Eurostar then!

4th years from the grammar school had stayed for an Easter school

Stanley Loweth OBE – 100 Not Out! Stanley Charles Loweth was born on 14th December 1914, just a few months after Archduke Franz Ferdinand was murdered in Sarajevo which presaged the start of the First World War. That is something we have all learned about in history lessons and seems lost in the mists of time but our friend Stan, in his own life, bridges the gap between that and the present day.

For someone to celebrate his 100th birthday is a momentous occasion but to remain so mentally sharp is remarkable. I have been privileged to get to know him quite well over the last few years and he was 60 when I joined the Rotarians. He has, of course, simultaneously celebrated his centenary and 60 years as a Rotarian.

The phrase ‘a lovely man’ is probably overused but in Stan’s case it is a perfect description. I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He has inspired loyalty and affection in those who have

Stan was married for many years to the late Dorothy and has two

worked for and with him and that still continues.

sons. One grandchild, Holly, is a talented musician and has been selected to continue her musical education in America. Family has

He joined the TSB on leaving Wolverhampton Grammar School and

always been important to Stan and has been central to his life.

rose from a junior counter clerk to General Manager. In recognition of his service to the savings movement he was appointed a Member

Suffice it to say our Rotary Club has been fortunate to have him as

of the Most Noble Order of the British Empire. He did his time in the

a member and I have been privileged to have him as a friend. As he

army and, in addition to everything else he has served the Masonic

starts his second century we wish him well.

movement with great distinction, holding important positions at local,

David Berriman OW 1952

district and national level.

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WULFRUNIAN 2015

There followed a number of visits to Lake Geneva, a boat cruise

showing enormous patience and organisational skill, and then

past the Chateau de Chillon (pictured courtesy of Werner Kratz),

taking the trouble to give each of us a detailed written resume of

to Mont Pelerin, Evian-Les-Bains, Chamonix, Les Pleiades, and

where we had been and what we had done. Without that I don’t

Rochers De Naye before the trip moved onto its second base in

think I would have remembered more than a small part of our visits

Pontresina.

and activities.

It was fascinating to try and remember some or any of these

He probably had little thanks from us at the time, but I think he

places, though I have to admit I didn’t remember much or very

must have left a lasting and lifelong impression on all those who

many of those who came on the trip. Unfortunately cameras were

went on his trips. If anyone is interested I have Mr Noel’s notes of

different in those days and I only have a few rather blurred black

the 1967 Vevey and Pontresina trip, and of the 1968 trip to Martigny

and white prints of nothing in particular! Perhaps there are others

and Lugano. The official reports can be found in the Wulfrunians

who went who have something better?

of January and July 1968 for those of you with a comprehensive library of those publications!

The trip was one of I assume many led by Mr Noel (‘creep’ to us) and his wife, accompanied on this occasion by Mr Williams (‘taffy’) and his wife. Looking back now I think what a good man Mr Noel

If you would like to get in touch with Andrew Skidmore regarding Mr

must have been, taking the unruly party of boys in the first place,

Noel’s notes, please email Gail Evans at development@wgs-sch.net

Tom Sage Celebrates 100th Birthday!

We were delighted to hear from Rob MacIntyre Smith (leavers date), of the OWA Tasmanian branch, that his old school friend Tom Sage would be celebrating his 100th birthday on 12th November 2015. The family celebrated in style with Tom pulling up at the birthday venue in a bright green 1930s Ford open roadster looking, we are told relaxed, composed and ‘dapper’!

Forty-six guests including family, friends and carers from his home, gathered together for the celebrations, which were only marred by the absence of Tom’s beloved wife Marion who had passed away earlier in the year.

To mark this special occasion the School had sent Tom a few gifts and Rob seemed

held very happy memories, that he was proud of his association with Wolverhampton Grammar

to think that these were more valued by

School and that he remained so very British even after so many years living in Australia.

him than the letter from Her Majesty. Tom’s daughter Marion contacted the School on

Tom is truly an inspiration to many as he is remarkable for his age. There cannot be many

her father’s behalf after the event and he

Old Wulfrunians who are members of this exclusive group and congratulate Tom on his

had told her that the first 30 years of his life

splendid achievement.

had been spent in Wolverhampton and they

Extracts from an article by Rob MacIntyre OW 1949

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OW Sports Festival 2015 Yet again, it was great to see so many of you come back to School in September to take part in the Old Wulfrunians’ Sports Festival.

The annual golf tournament followed by a

Don’t forget to make a note of next year’s

Saturday of competitive netball and football

festival: Friday 9th September at South

was rounded off with an evening dinner

Staffordshire Golf Club and Saturday 10th

in Big School. The festival brought back

September at School. Contact the School

scores of OWs to reminisce with teachers

for more details.

and current students.

If you would like to attend the 2016 Sports Festival on Saturday 10th of September please get in contact with Gail Evans (tel) 01902 421326 or (email) development@wgs-sch.net

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Junior School News One of WGJS’ latest recruits, Dan Peters

responsibility for the smooth running of the

joins Andrew Hymer and the Junior School

School (as well as extra-curricular activities), Dan

team as Deputy Head after 5 successful

is accustomed to ensuring that schools run like

years as Deputy Head and Director of

clockwork. Dan’s vision is to enable every child

Music at King’s Hawford, Worcester. His

to reach and exceed their potential in all they

teaching specialisms are music and maths,

do, spurred on by the confidence, and love of

and he has a particularly keen interest

collaboration, gained through performing both

in the Performing Arts. With specific

on and off the stage.

Roald Dahl Chocolate Challenge Day

Pancake Racing Pancake racing is a time honoured tradition at the Junior School, not just to celebrate Shrove Tuesday, but a great

Year 4 celebrated fifty years since the release of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in the Jenyns Library. The children dressed for the occasion with costumes ranging from Willy Wonka to Umpa

excuse to have some fun!

Lumpas and were challenged to design their own wild and wacky chocolate bar.

Donations Rush in for the Nepal Earthquake Appeal Students, staff, businesses and the local community responded tremendously to the Nepal Earthquake Appeal.

Celebrating Diwali

In just over 24 hours, the School collected over 3,000 items.

The Junior School children, parents and staff celebrated Diwali

Volunteer for charity Hope and Commission, Manni Kaur

and raised funds for the Hope and Compassion Charity during

from the School, together with Khalsal Aid arranged for all

November.

the collected items to be flown out of London. The items arrived in Nepal just 72 hours after the initial appeal.

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WULFRUNIAN 2015

Old Vicarage Residential

Let’s Get Creative

Rain didn’t dampen the spirits of anyone taking part in the annual

The Junior School’s ‘Festival of Ideas’ provided the perfect

residential camp at the Old Vicarage. The Junior School children

opportunity for the children to learn more about World War I in a

had a great time and enjoyed all that the residential had to offer,

creative and imaginative way. The sessions included exploration of

including the mud!

artists’ interpretations of the war with the children then recreating their own pieces of art.

Festival of Sport The Junior School was host to a number of local schools in May for their first ever Festival of Sport. Many thanks to Miss Trevor and Mrs Barnett who worked so hard to coordinate the event and we

A Perfect Evening for a Summer Concert

hope to see it become a regular fixture for all the schools involved.

The Hutton Theatre was the perfect setting for the Junior School’s Summer Concert in June. There was really something for everyone including Choir performances, Wind Band, String Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Junior School Dance Club, Flute Trio, Jazz and String Duos!

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Senior School News The School continues to offer a wide range of extra and

Club, Ukulele Ensemble, Circuits, Fencing to Running, Debating

co-curricular activities, clubs, societies, trips, international

and Climbing Clubs, Warhammer and Chess, as well as academic

expeditions and sport tours. Current students and staff have access

extension through STEM activities, Political Forum and War Room.

to over 70 clubs and societies ranging from a String Orchestra, Craft

The following pages detail just some of the year’s highlights.

Sixth Formers get a Taste for Coffee Godfrey’s Coffee is a non-profit business selling coffee to UK consumers and was formed in 2013 by a group of students following a trip to Bwikasa, a rural village in Eastern Uganda. All profits are returned to Uganda to aid the village’s development and in October last year a group of Sixth Formers had an opportunity to visit Masteroast, the UK coffee roasting company who prepare and package the beans for them. The trip to Masteroast gave our students a breadth of knowledge and understanding of the many different

For more information or to place an order go to their Facebook

components that make up a cup of coffee!

page Godfrey’s Coffee or email godfreyscoffee@wgs-sch.net

Midlands German Network at Aston University

Greenpower

Organised by Professor Stefan Manz at Aston University, students

This year saw the launch of Greenpower, a project specifically

from Years 10 and 11 were involved in a question and answer

aimed at our Sixth Form. The initiative involved the construction and

session with prominent German nationals from the business and

modification of an electric car to be raced against other schools

educational sectors. It was an informative and enjoyable event,

and colleges across the country. Whilst Greenpower is a Sixth Form

with our students being made aware of the value of studying not

activity, the staff have modified some of the challenges facing the

just German, but any modern foreign language.

team and incorporated them within the Lower school’s STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) club projects to inspire our younger students to keep the project live going forward. We look forward to

French Work Experience During Easter, French work experience students joined the younger WGS ‘exchangers’ to travel to Savenay in north western France. The group included students from Year 11 to the Upper Sixth, all keen to

seeing the results of their efforts at Goodwood in June 2016.

Fundraising Committee

improve their French and gain valuable experience working abroad.

A fantastic and successful year for the Fundraising Committee

Hosted by families from Collège St. Joseph, the students worked

under Mr Uppal’s guidance who raised just over £3,500 throughout

in a range of placements during the day and spent their evenings

the year for ‘McMillan Cancer Support’, ‘Delete Blood Cancer’,

‘en famille’. The trip was a great success, the students returned with

‘Children’s Society’, ‘Crisis’, ‘Lords Meade Uganda’, ‘Hope and

increased confidence and gained excellent exam results.

Compassion’, ‘Cancer Research UK’ and ‘DEC Nepal’.

Planet Earth but not as we know it!

Big School had an unexpected visitor during the Autumn term with the arrival of the Earth Balloon.

The larger than life teaching resource provided an “out of this world” experience for Lower School Geographers, allowing them to experience and learn all about physical geography from a rather unusual and alternative perspective! continents, time zones and plate tectonics. They even had the

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The Earth Balloon provided the perfect opportunity for our

chance to see the world from the inside out, as a whole class could

students to appreciate the scale and shapes of different

fit in the globe in one go!

WULFRUNIAN 2015

French Exchange

A New Window in Big School for Andy Proverbs

Normally the hour’s wait greeting students and parents

The School have commissioned Ark Stained Glass - specialists in

between 12.30 and 1.30am for the Savenay coach is

the design, manufacture, conservation and restoration of stained

pleasant, but this year was the exception. Mr Johnstone and

glass, to design and install a new stained glass window in Big

Mr Ramond-Barker, stood waiting with no shelter sharing

School to help us, and future generations remember our late

Thermos coffee mixed with rain water.

Director of Music, Andy Proverbs. A beautifully designed window that will sit next to the Big School stage feels like a fitting tribute

As always the School was welcomed warmly and treated to

to someone who had such an impact on our School. It will be

a rich programme of activities from the superb Escal ‘Atlantic

designed to both fit with the existing windows and include design

liner museum at Saint Nazaire, Guérande market, lessons at

elements that will make it a window truly personal to Andy.

the collège, international football and Tépacap, Pornic and the coast to Branféré animal park. The most valuable part of

The cost of the new window will be around £4,500-£5,000. If you

the trip, as every year, was the time our students spent with

would like to contribute towards this lasting tribute, please contact

their French families, building friendships and extending and

the School for more details email: development@wgs-sch.net

consolidating their French.

Your contribution (no matter how large or small) will help us provide this lasting tribute to Andy and all benefactors will receive a very personal thank you and a unique token of appreciation as your own special memory of your gift to the School.

Go Offline and Online with the New Look Jenyns Library

The Jenyns Library is busier than ever. Open to students and staff from 7.30am to 5.30pm (5pm on Fridays) It’s the place to be if you’re an early riser, or just looking for somewhere to go at lunchtime or after school. Homework Club is a firm favourite for lots of students and we know that it provides reassurance for anyone who needs just a little extra support with a piece of work. Many thanks to all our teachers who give up their time to help out with makeover has also brightened up the space making it feel more

Homework Club – it does really make a difference.

spacious – which is just as well given how popular it is!

Something else that has made a difference to visitors to the library this year has been the summer refurbishment work. Working with

It’s not just the ‘physical’ space that has changed. New online

Senior Librarian Zoe Rowley and Duncan McAllister, students were

resources have provided students with access to the latest

involved in designing the new look library which includes round

research guides and homework support from any location.

tables for group study, comfortable seating areas to promote

Students can also submit online book reviews, view recommended

reading for pleasure, durable shelving and new computers. A new

reads and get free access to a virtual library of eBooks and events.

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One Small Step for Peter,

One Giant Leap for WGS Sixth Form student, Peter Lloyd, became the first Wolverhampton Grammar School student to send an object into the stratosphere.

The project was inspired by a Geography module on Extreme Climates and a challenge to create an experiment that would combine interests from all his chosen A Level subjects (Geography, Physics and Maths) for his Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).

The weather balloon was equipped with a state-of-theart GPS tracker and Go Pro HD camera, with thanks to additional project funding from the School and captured some truly stunning pictures from the stratosphere.

A clipped video of the balloon’s flight is available to watch on the news pages of the School’s website www.wgs.org.uk

When Mervyn King and the BBC Came to Visit School Former student Mervyn King (OW 1966) returned to School with BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. Lord King was due to join House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, comedian Lenny Henry, Baroness Butler-Sloss and former Everything But The Girl singer Tracey Thorn as guest editor for the programme during December.

His visit reflected on his experiences at WGS, the culture, the people and how it encouraged him to pursue his sport and academic interests and included interviews with students and the Head, Kathy Crewe-Read.

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Special Guests Celebrate Prizegiving The annual Junior and Senior School

Students are nominated by staff for awards

a career as a Director of Research in a

Prizegiving events provide an annual

that explore a range of skills and abilities

large hospital in Australia. I have a PhD

opportunity to celebrate some of the

including individual academic achievement,

and get to travel the world doing a job I

brightest and best contributions made by

progress, overall contribution, coursework,

love.”

our students throughout the year.

public speaking, acting, music and sport.

This year’s celebrations were held in

Senior School prizes were awarded by

June. Big School was host to the Junior

alumnus guest of honour Dr Nik Zeps.

School’s event with St Peter’s Collegiate

Nik was a student between 1981-1988.

Church, followed by drinks and canapés at

Speaking recently, Nik commented

Wolverhampton Art Gallery providing the

“Wolverhampton Grammar School gave

perfect venue for Senior School students,

me choices. I went on to study Medicine

families and teachers to come together.

at King’s College, London and now have

National Engineering Scholarships

Triumph Design Award

Tom Grainger, Frances Hopson and William

and experience of engineering. The awards

Upper Sixth student Ellen Stimpson

Core were awarded sought-after Arkwright

are respected by leading universities

reached the final of the National Triumph

Engineering Scholarships identifying them

and employers and supported by top

Design Awards in July. Simon O’Malley,

as some of the country’s future leaders in

engineering organisations such as Rolls-

Head of Design and Technology, reported

engineering and technical design.

Royce, BAE Systems, National Grid, Balfour

on her fantastic achievement amongst so

Beatty, Microsoft Research, Thales, The

many strong entries and how hard she had

The scholarship provided the students

Royal Air Force, The Royal Navy and the

worked to create such a strong piece of

with a £600 financial award and a range of

Institution of Engineering and Technology.

design.

activities to enhance their understanding

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39

Wolverhampton Grammar School Welcomes Award Winning Authors Our inspiring Senior Librarian, Zoe Rowley, has continued her mission to expand the WGS Library Service programme of events.

Zoe’s aim was to encourage our students, whatever their age, to read for pleasure, support research development and provide them with opportunities to meet authors, poets and storytellers.

This year’s visitors included: Jamie Thompson - Author of the best-selling Dark Lord series discussed with both parents and pupils his journey to becoming a published writer.

Sally Gardner - Award winning British writer who achieved a Carnegie Award for her book ‘Maggot Moon’ which told the story of a young hero with dyslexia named Standish Treadwell.

Empire Faith and War: Sikhs in WWI - Working with Russell Charlesworth, Head of History, former student Ajit Juss put the School in touch with the UK Punjab Heritage Association and Giovanni Esposito - Former Birmingham Poet Laureate Giovanni,

with their assistance the library hosted a travelling exhibition

also known as Spoz, in May ran rhyme and poetry workshops for

celebrating the contribution of Sikh soldiers during World War I.

Years 6, 7 and 9.

Robert Rigby - As part of World Book Day staff and students John Edgar - Our Years 3 and 4 were joined by visiting families on

worked with Robert and learned all about his varied career as a

Junior School open morning for a series of performance workshops

writer from scripts for Thomas the Tank Engine to a commission for

by storyteller John.

sports books for the 2012 London Olympics.

Warwick Castle Our Year 7s were treated to a tour of Warwick Castle towers and walls, an archery demonstration (learning about the many different types of bow and arrow and their devastating consequences!), museum full of inventions, hawk display and the Kingmaker exhibition. This exhibition was a journey into the era of Richard Neville, Kingmaker or Earl of Warwick, and his preparations for battle in the midst of the Wars of the Roses and the air in the museum was filled with the sounds of men preparing for battle.

Students Relay from Coast 2 Coast Raising Money for Dementia UK

Stepping back into Victorian times

The first weekend of the Whitsun break saw a team of dedicated

40

Year 9 took a step back in time to the Industrial Revolution during

Year 10 students run across the country for the annual Coast 2

a visit to the Black Country museum. The trip was an opportunity

Coast relay to raise money for Dementia UK. The gruelling 187

for our students to experience everyday life in Victorian times

mile relay followed Wainwright’s famous walking trail through three

from school lessons using blackboards and chalk, a trip on a canal

spectacular National Parks starting at St Bee’s Head in Cumbria

barge, the harsh working conditions of coal miners and design and

and finishing twenty four and a half hours later (a new school

craftsmanship of chain makers.

record) in Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire.

WULFRUNIAN 2015

A Level Geography Residential Trip “We left no stone unturned” Our A Level geographers’ residential field trip took them to the

for the brave, who were decked out in dashing wetsuits, a spot of

wonderful little town of Bude, North Cornwall. They travelled along

surfing in the Cornish sea. The trip was rounded off by a visit to

the Atlantic Highway to the dramatic anticlines and synclines of

Rosie’s Kitchen with recitals of poems written by the students of

Hartland Quay (a fetching hard hat photo opportunity), MiIlook and

their trip exploits and a presentation to Mr Baker of a fishing rod for

Sandymouth Bays for stone measuring. They travelled to the quaint

taking the ‘bait’.

town of Boscastle to investigate the impact of the 2004 floods and to see how the town has mitigated against further potential flood

The trip had the right balance of ingredients, educationally

damage and to see the sea caves and arches at the well-known

valuable, but most importantly the students and staff had great fun.

Bossiney Cove.

It wasn’t all work though with opportunities for stomp rocket and sand sculpture competitions (Mr Hughes presided as judge) and

German Exchange Exchange experiences are not just about language and culture, but lifelong friendships and memories, this trip was no exception. The link with Ratsgymnasium Stadthagen and Mrs Petra Grigat-Bradley, who organised the entire exchange, provided ten of our students with opportunities and experiences never to be forgotten. From walking through the Bradenburg Gate in Berlin, visiting the Berlin Wall museum Mauermuseum, the Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg, to the afternoons sitting in Eiscafes and munching on Spaqhettieis.

Students Win National Engineering Award and Boost Local Business Two WGS teams collected awards at the national Engineering and

their prototype. Enormous thanks went to Marston’s Aerospace for

Education Scheme celebration day in Birmingham in April. The

giving our students this fantastic opportunity.

event was the culmination of weeks of practical support, including a residential at Birmingham University’s Engineering Department,

Both teams picked up Gold Crest Awards and with the Ansaldo

given to companies from a field of ninety schools.

group collecting ‘Best in Show’.

There were two teams from Wolverhampton Grammar School, one supporting Marston’s Aerospace and their challenge was to produce a universal jig that would aid the manufacture of heat exchangers on their production line. The second group supported Ansaldo NE, a local company decommissioning nuclear silos and their brief was to design a remote rope deployment system for the extraction of nuclear waste. Students had an opportunity to see first-hand how engineers design and develop.

The highlight of the project was a three-day residential at Birmingham University Engineering department where they built

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41

A Tale of Two Exchanges The Autumn term welcomed Italian exchange students from the High School – ITC Camillo d’Errico. The twenty eight students, aged between 14 and 16, were given a taste of what life would be like at WGS, before departing for a few days in London. Their visit included a bonfire night experience, visit to the Mayor’s office and authentic vintage English afternoon tea. Rachel Munson, Italian teacher at the School, organised the exchange along with a supportive cast of host families.

The Spring term saw part two of the Italian

il Monumento a Vittorio Emmanuele and of course designer shops lining Via Condotti,

exchange with our students setting off for

the group travelled down to Palazzo San Gervasio in Basilicata to meet their host families.

Rome and a two day sightseeing adventure

Time was spent in the Italian link school and visiting the stunning Matera. With a heavy

in the beautiful sunny capital. After

heart (and full tummies) the group bade a tearful farewell.

sampling the delights of Roman culture (and ice cream) including the magnificent

The two groups have created long-lasting links and some members have even met up again

Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Vatican, Forum,

already. Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro… making a true friend is like finding treasure.

STEM Club

Political Forum

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) club for

Sixth Form Government and Politics students are tackling current

Years 7 and 8 was set up by a group of students now in our Upper

political events, culminating with Josh Marchant (2015) and Jacob

Sixth. With support from teaching staff the group’s aim was to

Stokes (2015) chairing the WGS mock elections in May. Josh

get more students enthused about the different components

Marchant was praised by the Head as a young ‘David Dimbleby’

of an engineering project in four subject areas encouraging

due to his fair-handling of the election hustings. The Conservative

independent learning; teamwork; logical thinking as well as

candidate Isobel Jones won decisively as was the case for the

developing creativity. The ‘parachute’ challenge produced the

Conservatives in the actual election. We look forward to the

most success with students tasked with protecting a chocolate

endeavours of our new chairs Jack Price-Darbyshire and Leo

egg thrown out of the first floor window of the Design Technology

Jackson.

department from smashing on impact with the ground. All eggs survived the impact but not our students!

From Bunny Slopes Adventure Sport Weekend Year 8 and 9 students had a brilliant zip-wiring and gorge walking. A great to Wipe Outs weekend in May in the Snowdonia

time was had by all and hopefully a taste

February half term saw 39 very excited

National Park travelling to the Towers

for the outdoors and adventure sport

students from Year 7 to Lower Sixth travel

Outdoor Centre for a weekend of

was about to take hold.

to Flachau in Austria for a week of skiing.

abseiling, canoeing, kayaking,

Within two days the beginners’ group were at the top of the mountain and skiing with confidence. With fantastic conditions, quality instruction and cloudless skies, the added bonus of no injuries, all had an amazing time.

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Duke of Edinburgh

The Battlefields

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has grown

to navigate the long uphill walks, narrow

In July, a group of students set off for three

rapidly in recent years at WGS. Over 80%

steep paths and cold nights.

days in France and Belgium. They returned

of our Year 10 pupils now start the bronze

with an in-depth understanding of how WWI

award and about 25 students in the Sixth

The Duke of Edinburgh Award shows that

affected millions, not just those who died,

Form take on Gold. Groups of our Year

participants have the skills, determination

but also those the fallen left behind. The trip

11s and Lower Sixth headed for qualifying

and mentality to really succeed and despite

included visits to museums, memorials and

expeditions to the Peak District and Long

all the hardship arriving at their destinations

cemeteries, all bringing the war to life.

Mynd using their compass-bearing skills,

after a year’s work gave our students a real

expertise in tent pitching and team work

sense of pride.

The most touching moment for the group was laying a wreath for the WGS soldiers who fell in the attack on Hohenzollern Redoubt in 1915. The memorial to the missing at Thiepval illustrated the sheer scale of the losses – the names shown were only those of the missing, not even those known to have died.

The group visited both allied and German cemeteries, the German graves marked by grey stone crosses and stretching as far as the eye could see. The trip was an incredible opportunity to learn about and truly understand the impact of WWI.

Uganda Expedition This summer saw 16 students complete an ambitious and highly

national reputation. A follow-up donation has since been sent

successful 17-night expedition to Uganda combining hard work,

and work is now complete and has been transformational.

adventure and adrenaline! First stop was our partner school Lords Meade Vocational College (LMVC) where they spent several days

The second part of the trip included white-water rafting on the

immersing themselves in school life, but also to donate £1000 for

Nile, horse-back riding, big-game spotting on safari in Queen

their long-awaiting basketball court. This project would improve

Elizabeth National Park and viewing mountain gorillas in their

both the sporting life of the students and the School’s local and

natural habitat in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

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43

Art Art at Wolverhampton Grammar School

With an incredibly busy and exciting year

If you would like to attend any of our

has been in the top 2% nationally for exam

of events the following articles represent

future events please contact Gail Evans

results for over ten years. This is testament

just a snap shot of Art at Wolverhampton

(email) development@wgs-sch.net

to the value the School paces on creative

Grammar School for 2014-2015. Please feel

arts, the expertise of our specialist teachers

free to get in contact if you would like to

and the hard work of our students.

here more.

Forged In Metal The Viner Gallery won host to a public exhibition of Year 9 work in celebration of the industrial heritage of the Black Country Museum.

Visitors to the exhibition included the Mayor of Wolverhampton and Mel Weatherley, Head of Learning at the museum.

The exhibition included two original oil paintings on loan from Wolverhampton Art Gallery by Edwin Butler-Bayliss entitled ‘In the Black Country’ and ‘Black Country Skyline’.

Red By Night Ten of our Year 9 students represented

this special event saw the museum bring

the School at the Black Country Living

Elihu Burritt’s famous quote to life as it

Museum’s ‘Night at the Museum’

transformed into a glowing plethora of

celebrations.

smoke and fire.

Famously described as ‘black by day, red

The students exhibited drawings, prints and

by night’, the Black Country was once an

paintings, previously shown at the Viner

industrial powerhouse like no other and

Gallery’s ‘Forged in Metal’ public exhibition.

Grace Gelder OW 2001 Former student, photographer and filmmaker, Grace Gelder, returned to school to exhibit some of her acclaimed photographer.

The London based artist works with a large range of professionals, models and organisations to inspire individual and social transformation.

Students were inspired by her work and it was great to see how a former student has become a successful commercial artist.

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2016 Open Events ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’

44th Annual Art Exhibition

This eclectic exhibition is presented by a diverse group of contemporary artists,

The Viner Gallery was host to the 44th

exploring a wide-range of themes and ideas.

Annual Art Exhibition on Saturday 4th July.

Thursday 21st January 7.30pm - 9pm

Students’ work representing AS, A Level,

Tuesday 26th January 4pm - 6pm

Year 9 “Red by Night” pieces and the Junior

Saturday 30th January 10am - 1.30pm

School Art Competition winner from the “Festival of Ideas” week were all on display

‘Heavy Metal’ Art and the Black Country

to an appreciative audience.

We hope you can join us in July for our

Our Year 9 artists will be exhibiting work

45th Annual Art Exhibition.

based on their visit to the Black Country Museum with the History Department.

To attend an event contact Gail Evans (email) development@wgs-sch.net

Thursday 25th February 7.30pm - 9pm Wednesday 2nd March 4pm - 6pm

National Parliament Week November saw Wolverhampton Art Gallery

fascinating programme, where the

host a special series of events for National

students were challenged to produce

Parliament Week. Art students from years

work in different ways and to engage in

8 and 10 attended special workshops with

the dialogue between politics and the

artist illustrator Rob Conway, responding

visual arts.

to work on show at the gallery. It was a

45th Annual Art Exhibition Showcasing the best work from our Senior School students and prize winners from our Junior School students.

Saturday 2nd July 12pm - 3pm To attend any events contact Gail Evans (email) development@wgs-sch.net

Line and Surface Last summer the Viner Gallery was

David and Jenny Gunning and our own

transformed into a stunning exhibition

Upper Sixth, showcased how seamlessly

space for the touring exhibition “Line and

our students work could sit alongside that

Space”. The old space was cleared, walls

of professional artists. Selected pieces of

removed and existing artwork re-hung

artwork were available for purchase.

around the School to make way for the transformation.

If you would like to learn more about exhibiting work in the Viner Gallery please

This collaborative public exhibition of original

contact Mr James Millichamp, Head of Art

pieces by Shropshire commercial artists

(email) jjm@wgs-sch.Net

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Drama

Rapunzel Superb casting and direction by the English Department’s Mr Payne and Mr Benfield ensured a run of outstanding performances during the Lower School’s contemporary adaptation of Rapunzel.

Theatre Studies Performances The Summer term saw the brilliant Theatre Studies performances of our Upper Sixth in their original production of ‘Nothing the Matter Here’ and Lower Sixth in ‘Medea’.

Coming Soon...

Great Expectations 10th - 13th February 2016 An exciting dramatization of Dickens’ classic novel bringing alive the array of colourful and eccentric characters in this moving and occasionally hilarious tale.

Tickets will be on sale from School from January.

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Twelfth Night Set in Ireland and using a variety of traditional folk songs to punctuate the action, this production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night again demonstrated the wonderful depth of acting talent the School has developed over the years. Our senior actors didn’t just manage to play their characters, they brought them to life in such a way that within moments we had forgotten these were student actors and were completely captivated by the brilliance of the performances and production.

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Music Live Show in Support of Uganda Big School was alive with music and celebration in May as artists from the city’s Seventh-day Adventist Church community descended for ‘The Jinja Concert’.

The event was organised by Lower Sixth student Miranda Roberts with help from family and friends, and all the proceeds went to organisations that the School supports in Uganda: Lords Meade Vocational College, Yamba home for street boys and MUFO for education in rural communities.

Jazz Spectacular

Soloists Entertain the Masses

Parents, friends and Directors were treated to an evening of fantastic

Soloist students have left audiences speechless with spectacular

live music and good food at the annual Jazz Spectacular this year.

performances across the year in Soloist Concerts.

The audience were invited to relax, unwind and enjoy as over twenty

With performances ranging from Schoenberg to Blur, concerts are

four performances provided a taste of jazz, swing, motown, soul with

always a great hit with parents, staff and governors.

a mix of popular music too.

Congratulations to all who performed this year. We look forward to Well done to everyone taking part and we loved the band names -

next year’s concerts.

everything from ‘The Penguins’, ‘The Antiques to Bugle Girls’ and of course, ‘Big Band’.

Forthcoming Open Events Joint Merchant Taylor's concert Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 5th March - 7.30pm

Spring Concert 2015

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Spring Gala Concert Big School 22nd March - 7.30pm

Introducing Francis Murton Director of Music Francis Murton returned to the Midlands from St Edmund’s School in Canterbury to join Wolverhampton Grammar School as Director of Music in September 2015.

Francis read music at Sheffield University and followed with a postgraduate year at the Royal Academy of Music. His musical training started with David Flood at Canterbury Cathedral, during which time he gave his London debut recital at St Bride’s Fleet Street, 3 weeks after his ‘O’ level examinations. As an organist, he has been in demand as a soloist and accompanist performing in many of our cathedrals - York Minster, St Paul’s as well as St George’s, Windsor. After a number of years as a freelance musician, a change of career took him into teaching and a spell as Head of Music in an inner city school preceded his appointment to Wrekin College in Shropshire. During Francis’ 17 years as Director of Music at Wrekin, the department undertook radical expansion and development. His appointment to St Edmund’s School Canterbury saw the continuation and development of their community links and in particular a partnership with the English Chamber Orchestra.

Francis has been a GCSE music examiner for 15 years, of which Principal Moderator for the past ten. He is responsible for national performing standards for Edexcel and has presented a variety of training events for teachers and pupils. He released a solo CD on the Wrekin College organ in 2010, with one composition published on a Christmas Album by Merbeke Press in 2013. Francis is married to Shân and they have one son, Joshua, currently at university.

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Girls’ Sport These Girls Can The latest research suggests that nationally, by the age of

Whilst many schools and sports clubs are struggling to

14, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys. That’s

recruit girls, our girls’ participation in sport and physical

a trend that thankfully, Wolverhampton Grammar School

activity has risen to an all-time high. Under the leadership

doesn’t recognise.

of Ali Causebrook, Head of Girls’ Sport, sport is open to all, regardless of ability.

Netball Wolverhampton Grammar School prides itself on providing as many

At the other end of the School the U19 netballers were crowned

outlets for competitive sport for its pupils as possible. With A, B, C

County champions and secured fourth position at the Regional

and D teams for netball across Year 7 we were able to have nearly

championships. In the local league the Year 8 girls were unbeaten

every single girl representing the School in the Winter season. A

and took victories over local rivals Wolverhampton Girls’ High

particular season highlight saw the Year 7s win the Black Country

School, with the Year 9s and 10s taking the runners up positions.

School Games.

Hockey Complementing the netball was the girls’ hockey and with 16 to 20

The winter also saw girls representing the School in a whole host

girls in a year group forming each squad the teams flourished this

of individual and team competitions which included; gymnastics,

year. Year 7 were crowned County champions, a first for the School

badminton, cross-country, swimming, football and Fives. Medals

and one that has highlighted how strong our hockey is becoming.

were won in all of these events and each of the students were

Congratulations to Katie Naylor (Year 10) on being selected for the

brilliant.

Birmingham U16s squad, Birmingham Lynx.

Rounders

Winter representative honours

The Summer term brought sunshine (occasionally) and more

U13 County Netball squad: Jordan Russell, Alex Bryan & Elysia Darrall

sporting participation and success. A and B teams in all year

U13 County Hockey: Deenah Ahsan

groups for the Rounders league saw most teams through to

JRPC Goal-keeper: Katie Naylor & Elizabeth Mahon

the semi-finals and all of our A teams making the final. Years 7

U13 National Squash: Anya Stojanovic

and 8 were crowned City league champions and years 9 and

National Modern Pentathlete: Elanor Charlson

10 runners up. The Year 8s had an exceptional term of Summer sport getting through to the quarter finals of the National

Summer representative honours

Independent Schools tournament and winning the U13 National

U19 England Rounders squad: Megan Griffiths & Emma Hudson

Rounders Competition, beating Manchester High School for

U13 National Champions Captain: Anya Stojanovic

Girls in the final.

Junior County 100m and High Jump: Jordan Russell Senior County Discus: Liz Mahon

Athletics There was a haul of medals from the City Championships with several girls going on to represent the City in the County Championships. In the team event, Years 8 and 10 were victorious and Years 7 and 9 finished in the top three, meaning that overall WGS girls placed second as an athletics squad across the City.

Played Match Stats

Won

Lost

Drew

Netball

187

110

71

6

Hockey

67

26

12

29

Rounders

55

37

18

0

Cricket Emma Hudson (Lower Sixth), a seasoned player who already represented Worfield Cricket Club and the Shropshire Women’s Squad, made history by becoming the first female to be selected for Wolverhampton Grammar School’s Cricket 1st XI team since 1512!

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Boys’ Sport From Grassroots to Champions You only have to browse through old editions of the

Nigel Crust, Head of Boys’ Sport, has a mission to try and

Wulfrunian to realise the important role sport has played for

provide as many opportunities as possible, for all students to

boys at School.

represent WGS at all levels, in as many sports as possible.

Football The 1st XI had a busy season, producing some fine performances,

The U13 squad had a good run in their ESFA competition,

against tough opposition. Under the leadership of Alex Buckham,

performing well as a group, but mention should be made of Lewis

the team showed a great spirit all year. Having beaten Hill House

Smith’s continued involvement with West Bromwich Albion’s

School, we lost out to Haberdashers Aske in the ISFA (Independent

Academy, and Alex Smith making the ISFA West Midlands side. The

Schools Football Association) Cup second round and losing on

U12 team made encouraging progress throughout the season.

penalties to Heath Park in the City Cup semi final.

Villarreal en Persona! This year’s Easter European Football The U15 team reached the quarter finals of the ESFA (English

Development tour headed for Spain and in partnership with

Schools Football Association) Cup competition and continued to make

InspireSport and Villarreal Football Club 26 WGS students, from

pleasing progress throughout the season. Dominic Holmes broke

Years 8 to 10, took part in four fixtures and six superbly organized

into the West Midlands U15 team at the end of the season. The U14

training sessions. The level of football played and the attitude

side battled hard, William Gibbons leading the attack tremendously,

displayed was superb throughout and the students returned home

and his selection for the National ISFA side was well deserved.

with an improved awareness of a unique brand of football.

Cricket An excellent season for the 1st XI, under the captaincy of Sandeep

Our junior teams performed with credit. The U15s battled hard

Sandramouli, who produced some impressive performances with

and a number of the squad will be pushing for 1st XI places next

victories against King Edward’s School Birmingham, RGS Worcester

season. The U14s played positively throughout, with a number of

and King’s Worcester. Archie O’Hara (Year 9) was particularly

the team playing 1st XI cricket during the season. The U13s made

impressive with the bat. The team also won their qualifying group

good progress throughout the summer, with the U12s having a

in the National 20/20 competition.

tough season against some strong teams, but Mr King was pleased with their attitude throughout.

Rugby The senior rugby side competed well all season under the strong

The junior rugby sides continued to make excellent progress. The

leadership of Joeb Lappage. There were a number of notable

U15 sevens won the inaugural WGS Invitation Sevens Tournament,

performances, a highlight being the squad’s performance in the

and the U14, U13 and U12s played with spirit and plenty of courage

County Sevens Competition, where they just lost out in the semi final.

throughout the season.

Hockey

Cross Country

The hockey fixture list remained a tough one for our boys,

The boys entered both the City League and the SSAW Cross

nevertheless, they continued with a positive approach to each

Country Championships. All runners competed with distinction, with

fixture. Led by Edward Craddock and Thomas Ward, the 1st XI

Oliver Mason (Year 7) remaining unbeaten throughout the season.

competed well all season, and a number of players improved for the experience. Mention must go to Harry Thomas Bishop, who

Badminton

produced many fine displays in goal. Congratulations also went to

The School’s extra-curricular Badminton Club continues to flourish

Ammar Ahsan (Year 9) on being selected for the Birmingham U16s

and the teams produced some encouraging performances in

squad, Birmingham Lynx.

the Leagues. The senior team, under the leadership of Shaun Alexander, just lost out to St Peters at the end of the competition.

Tennis

In the City Championships, Hugh Churn and Alex Kemp, produced

Our senior boys team, led by Alexander Dmitrewski made it through

some excellent performances, only losing out in the semi- finals.

to the Regional Final. The U15s had another good season under the captaincy of Eddie Cooper reaching the last sixteen in the country in

Athletics

the 2014/5 competition, frustratingly this year the team were County

WGS took part in all the Indoor Athletics competitions, with a

runners up, losing out by one game to Newcastle Under Lyme

stand out performance coming from the Year 7 team winning their

school. The U15 team also won their City League.

competition. The Summer term saw the boys’ team finish second in the final standings of the SSAW Athletics Championships.

Byron Esson and Oliver Mason were selected to represent Wolverhampton in the West Midlands Championships.

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Real Students, Real Futures, Real Careers…

With unprecedented changes in traditional jobs, industries

Our bespoke careers service, CEIAG (Careers Education Information

disappearing and the creation of a more varied global work

and Guidance), prepares our students right from Year 7 with an insight

landscape, it is vital that our students receive careers advice and

into the diversity of the world of work. We then encourage them to

guidance directly from professionals with the best experience of

follow a challenging and rewarding career path in Years 9 and 10 and

their sector. Who better than our alumni community to help them

support through Years 11 and 12 with the appropriate qualifications and

better understand the pressures and demands of different careers.

work experience to secure the destination of their choice.

Current students tell us how work experience made a real difference for them.

Six Ways you can get Involved

Alastair Winning National Trust, Wolverhampton “Work experience is key when it comes to writing university applications and

1. Provide work experience

interviews, so showing evidence of work experience related to your interests is therefore essential.”

placements 2. Speak at one of our

Cristina Dmitrewski Colegio María Auxiliadora, Madrid

careers events

“I spent a week working as an English

3. Give a careers talk

follow the path of foreign languages and

4. Become a student

opportunity which I would love to repeat.”

assistant in a Spanish school. I want to teaching. Work experience is a fantastic

mentor

Charlotte Forrester

5. Provide contact details of

Offstone Publishing, Northumberland “Work experience gave me the opportunity

your organisation’s work

to develop my independence and

experience co-ordinator

classroom which was hugely rewarding.”

6. Join our new LinkedIn group

communication skills outside of the

Max Rumble Base Architecture & Design, Shrewsbury “Work experience helped me understand my aspirations for the future and has given me something to aim for whilst studying at

If you would like to offer your services please contact: Katie Guest (tel) 01902 421326 (email) development@wgs-sch.net

school.”

Shalini Ram HN Pharmcy, Wednesfield & ASH Scientific Limited, Solihull “Work experience introduced me to the world of work and my dream profession.

I gained confidence, practical knowledge and valuable contacts.”

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Writing his Way to Success Sathnam Sanghera OW 1995 Before becoming a writer Sathnam worked for a burger chain, hospital laundry, market research firm, sewing factory and on a literacy project in New York. Between 1998 and 2006 he worked for The Financial Times as a news reporter in the UK and US, specialising in media industries, a Chief Feature Writer and writing an award-winning weekly business column. He joined

An accomplished author and journalist he has been shortlisted for

The Times as a columnist and feature writer in 2007, as well as

and won a number of prestigious prizes as well as being awarded

writing reviews for Management Today and has presented a

an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters for services to journalism

number of radio documentaries for the BBC.

by The University of Wolverhampton in 2009.

Did you always want to be a writer?

What has been your career highlight to date?

No. Kids can only dream as far as the role models they

I don’t really think in those terms - everything has been a surprise,

encounter, we didn’t even have any books in our house, let alone

even being a news reporter at the Financial Times was an

getting introductions to writers. So I dreamt only of working in

unexpected thrill. I just consider myself very fortunate to be able

retail banking - the most successful person I knew worked at

to travel, meet fascinating people, and express myself at length in

Birmingham Midshires in town.

one of the best newspapers in the world. And writing books has been hugely rewarding.

What was your biggest influence whilst a student at WGS? Robin Roberts - my GCSE English teacher, my Sixth Form teacher,

What do you think is next for you?

and personal friend... she stepped in when things got difficult,

Well, most immediately I am off to Panama on an assignment

provided an escape and even drove me to university on my first

involving Bear Grylls... beyond that, I have ideas for scripts, books,

day at Cambridge.

I chair a media charity and I’d also love to start a business.

How did you get started in journalism?

What career advice would you give our current students?

It’s a long story, but I basically won a Radio 1 writing competition

Make a choice about what you want to do, even if you change

when I was 15, which led to writing at the Express & Star while I

your mind later. The people who can never really decide end up

was still at school.

being miserable corporate lawyers in my experience: the path of least resistance.

Sathnam is a member of the charity Speakers for Schools and, like a growing number of our alumni, has agreed to speak to Wolverhampton Grammar School students as part of our Careers Programme.

Careers Convention Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and Friends Join the official Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and Friends LinkedIn group.

2nd February 2016 4pm - 6pm An opportunity for our students to connect with employers, businesses, institutions and training providers to explore their chosen career area and further education plans.

Network with fellow Old Wulfrunians and the wider School community both past and present, receive invites to networking events, school events and offer careers assistance and advice.

If you or your organisation would like to assist or attend this event please contact Katie Guest (email) development@wgs-sch.net

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Welcome to the Development Office Lifelong friendships are formed at Wolverhampton

The School has always valued the role you play in helping to keep

Grammar School and it is warming to see how much

us as Wolverhampton’s top independent school. With this in mind

our former students and staff remember their days

we have taken the important step of expanding the Development

here with such great affection, visiting us regularly and attending the many events that go on in School each year.

Office to provide yet more opportunities for you to engage in school life. Katie Guest, with nine years’ experience of independent schools’ marketing and admissions, joins Carrie Bennett and Gail Evans to make the third and newest member of our Development Office.

Meet the Development and Alumni Team Carrie Bennett

Gail Evans

Katie Guest

Director of Marketing

Alumni Relations &

Head of

& Communications

Marketing Officer

Development

As Director of Marketing and

Gail is our events organiser, assists with

Katie has responsibility for fundraising

Communications, Carrie is responsible for

the management of the alumni database.

activities and engagement with our

all marketing, recruitment and admissions,

Gail has day to day contact with our

alumni, parents, staff and the local

communications and development activities.

alumni.

community.

Why don’t you reconnect and join our growing alumni community?

There are a whole range of ways for you to stay in

from Old Boys and Girls, ex-staff and parents and

touch or reconnect with, not only us, but each other.

receive ideas for events or assist in hosting your own

We are always happy to hear, or even receive a visit

reunions.

Email

Telephone

development@wgs-sch.net

+44 (0) 1902 421326

Post

Website

Development Office, Wolverhampton Grammar School, Compton

Visit the alumni pages on the School website www.wgs.org.uk for

Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 9RB

event photos, alumni profiles, events calendar and more.

F Facebook

l LinkedIn

‘Like’ our Facebook pages, search for:

Connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn, search for:

•

Wolverhampton Grammar School Official

Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and

•

Old Wulfrunians of WGS

Friends

t Twitter

y YouTube

Follow alumni and school news via Twitter, search for:

Subscribe to our YouTube channel, search for:

•

@WGS1512

•

•

@WGSHead

•

@WGSOW

Wolverhampton Grammar School Instagram

search for: •

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Wolverhampton Grammar School

WULFRUNIAN 2015

Merchandise

Support us

A range of gifts are available as a souvenir

Thank you if you are considering making a donation, gift or legacy

of your time at Wolverhampton Grammar

to Wolverhampton Grammar School. Your support will make a

School. Visit www.wgs.org.uk/about/shop-

difference and all donations are used to ensure the continued

and-merchandise to view our full range of

improvement and accessibility of our education.

There are a number of ways you can offer your support:

branded merchandise.

Please contact Gail Evans at development@wgs-sch.net or (tel) 01902 421326 to place an order.

UK Online donations or Cheque Payments You can use Personal Online Banking to make a transfer to the school or to set up

A History of Wolverhampton’s Grammar School

a Standing Order. Alternatively cheques may be made payable to Wolverhampton Grammar School Ltd.

Worldwide Giving

£25

Gifts from overseas can be made by electronic transfer and in some countries it is possible to make a donation to the School in a tax-effective way. To find out more about making electronic transfers from overseas or making a tax-effective donation in the USA or within Europe, please contact the Development Office.

Gift Aid Please remember to Gift Aid your gift to Wolverhampton Grammar School if you are a UK taxpayer and satisfy the required criteria. A Gift Aid* Declaration form may be downloaded from the School’s website or we would be happy to send a hard copy out

Monopoly Wolverhampton Edition

£20

to you, please contact Katie Guest in the Development Office. *Please note that if you pay tax at a higher rate and Gift Aid your gift to Wolverhampton Grammar School, you can claim tax relief in your Self Assessment tax return.

Payroll giving

Enamel Trinket Box

Under the Payroll Giving Scheme, employees can authorise their employer to deduct charitable donations from their pay before calculating Pay As You Earn tax. This

£85

means that the employee automatically gets tax relief on donations at his or her top rate of tax. There is no limit on the amount that can be given under the scheme. To find out more about Payroll Giving and if your company operates the scheme, please

1512 Parker Pen Set

contact your Human Resources or Personnel department.

£20

Leaving a Legacy Leaving a legacy to Wolverhampton Grammar School is one of the most personal and powerful ways in which you can help future generations. Money left to a charity like Wolverhampton Grammar School is also exempt from inheritance tax* and may help reduce the overall amount tax that must be paid on your estate. *Changes made to the UK Inheritance Tax law 2012 could benefit your primary beneficiaries: by leaving 10% or more of your estate to charity, the inheritance tax

Ties

payable on your net estate reduces from 40% to 36%.

£12

If you would like to discuss a gift, whatever the size, or plan to remember Wolverhampton Grammar School in your will, please call 01902 421326 to speak to Katie Guest, Head of Development, who will be very happy to talk to you in person.

Silver Cuff Links

Every gift makes a difference. Please consider giving whatever you can.

£15

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Wolverhampton Grammar School Compton Road Wolverhampton WV3 9RB 01902 421326 www.wgs.org.uk t @WGS1512 F Wolverhampton Grammar School Official Wolverhampton Grammar School l Wolverhampton Grammar School (WGS) Old Wulfrunians and Friends

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