The Bolton School Weekly Report: 23-29/1/10

23-29 January 2010

U13s Football Team Reach National Final

The Bolton School Boys' Division U13 football team enjoyed a comfortable 6-0 win over Millfield to take them to the final of the national ISFA (Independent Schools' Football Association) Cup, which will be held at Burton Albion’s football ground on 4 March. They will place Forest School from London.

How the Boat Was Built Film

This week saw the launch of a new 28 minute film documentary charting how the 60 foot sailing boat, named Tenacity of Bolton, was built by our own pupils, staff, parents, helpers and local businesses over a nine year period (1998-2007). The film, produced by Mr Duncan Kyle, includes extensive interviews with Mr Michael Whitmarsh, Director of the Millennium Ketch Project and ex-Head of Technology at Bolton School, and with Mr Alan Wright, former Headmaster of Bolton School Boys' Division. You can view the film in three parts on You Tube:
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Commendation from English Heritage

Also this week, the school was commended by English Heritage as an example of how historic school buildings should be modernised. Our building was constructed in 1924 although the school's history goes back almost 500 years, and English Heritage has listed it as an example to local authorities to encourage them to refurbish old school buildings rather than demolishing them and rebuilding new ones, as school buildings can symbolise an area's history.

Headmistress of Bolton School Girls' Division, Mrs Gill Richards, said:

"We are immensely proud of our historic building and know that it is of real appeal when pupils are applying to us. Many people - pupils and adults alike - feel inspired on a daily basis when they walk through the centre arch and enter the main quadrangle. The School's neo-Gothic facade and turrets are undoubtedly one of Bolton's best known landmarks. We are currently undertaking an £18 million building project but have been very careful to ensure that the new Infant and Junior Girls' School have been designed in a manner that is sympathetic to the original buildings that were built with an endowment by Lord Leverhulme."

Pupils Numbers Set to Increase as Classes Become Smaller!

The extensive building programme that has been taking place over recent months means that both the Girls' Division and the Boys' Division have been able to increase the number of forms in each year group, reducing class sizes and providing an even better educational opportunity. Parents that are interested in Bolton School can visit all year round to get a feel for the place as well as on Open Mornings and other special events. Anyone wishing to undertake a private tour should call the School on 01204 840201.

The Bolton School Weekly Report: 16-22/1/10

18-22 January 2010

This week offered another significant milestone in the history of Bolton School. The Hon Mrs Jane Heber-Percy, the great granddaughter of Lord Leverhulme and a governor at the School, laid the foundation stone for the new building, Hesketh House, which will, by September 2010, become the new state-of-the-art Junior School for the Girls’ Division. The name of the school pays tribute to William Hesketh Lever who, as Viscount Leverhulme in 1915, endowed the School, bringing together Bolton High School for Girls and Bolton Grammar School for Boys to become Bolton School (Girls' Division and Boys' Division).

Headmistress, Mrs Gill Richards, said: "The new school will give the pupils even better facilities and represents a major investment in the lives of young girls across the region. We will educate about 200 girls from 7 to 11 years of age. The current Junior School is situated within the Senior School so the move will help give the school its own separate identity, whilst freeing up more classroom space and allowing us to expand our curriculum provision. We look forward to an exciting future!"

We wish all the girls and boys who sat our Entrance Examination on Tuesday of this week the very best of luck. It was a busy day and, given the current economic climate, we were very pleased that application numbers were commensurate with years gone by. Indeed, the Girls’ Division Senior School saw the highest number of girls sitting the exam in the past 5 years. Anyone who missed the exam has a final chance to apply for September 2010 by entering the supplementary exams next week (Tuesday 26 January for the Girls’ Division Senior School and Thursday 28 January for the Boys’ Division Senior School). Anyone wishing to sign up for these exams should call 01204 840201.