Bolton School Blog: 28/6 - 5/7/2010

The last weeks before the end of the Summer Term are always packed full of events and activities and this is no exception!

Bolton School Boys’ Division once again linked up with local primary schools to bring an evening of music to the North-West's premier musical venue the Bridgewater Hall. Over 700 children aged 7-18 years, enthralled a sell out audience on the night with performances from Bolton School's Joint Concert Band, the Senior Guitar Group, the Percussion Ensemble and a stunning piano recital from Year 13 student, Ben Smith.

This week saw the official opening of our new Infant School, Beech House by Mr Warren Smith JP, Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester. The Lord Lieutenant addressed an audience of over 200 boys and girls aged 4 to 7 years old as well as distinguished guests including governors, former Headmistress, Miss Joyce Boston and former and current teachers as well as representatives from Cassidy and Ashton and Seddons - the designers and builders of the state-of-the-art building.

Year 13 pupil Robert Bolton returned from the regional final of the Young Engineer for Britain 2010 competition at the Big Bang Fair in Liverpool, with not one but two trophies! Robert entered his A-level Technology project the 'Progressive Brake Light' into the competition and won the overall regional event in his age category and the best product prize. He was awarded £400 prize money, and has the chance to become Young Engineer for Britain when he attends the national final in London next March.

Also this week Year 11 and 13 students from Bolton School Boys' and Girls' Division have been showing their art work at the University of Bolton, in a showcase exhibition called "Best of Bolton", organised by the university as part of its drive to interact more with local schools.

Old boy and legendary Lancashire captain of the seventies, Jack Bond, was back at Bolton School as the main guest at the annual MCC fixture, where Bolton School First Eleven cricketers took on an MCC club side and came away victorious! And there was more Cricket glory as Bolton School U14 Cricketers overcame Lancaster Grammar School with an impressive performance to win The Harold Bailey U14 Schools' Cup – an inter-school competition involving over 100 schools from Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The boys will now go on to represent Lancashire in the national competition next summer.

In other sport Bolton School's Year 7 water polo team has won the national Bradbury Cup for the first time in 15 years, and the Junior Boys' swim relay team have been involved in the ESSA 16th National Swimming Championship, narrowly missing out on a place in the National finals.

Our Junior Boys' Chess teams competed in the EPSCA (English Primary Schools Chess Association) regional semi-final of the National Primary Schools Chess Team Championship 2010 at Pontins in Prestatyn. The U11 A team played exceptionally well to achieve 3rd place and they are now eagerly waiting to find out if they have made it to the national finals. The U11 B team achieved equal 20th place, while the U9 A and B teams achieved equal 10th place and 23rd place respectively.