25 September 2015

The Junior Boys' School has received Confucius Classroom status. Every pupil from Year 3 to Year 6 was present for the spectacular Lion Dance which opened the official ceremony, and was followed by speeches, a musical performance, and the unveiling of the plaque. Bolton School is one of few primary schools in the North to achieve Confucius Classroom status, and this will allow the School to become a teaching hub for the community. Boys start learning about Chinese language and culture from Year 3 onwards.

There was excitement on Thursday as the Junior Girls were visited by local firefighters to learn more about safety during the autumn months through Operation Treacle. As well as learning about fire safety, with particular reference to fireworks and bonfires ahead of Guy Fawkes Night, and also staying safe on Halloween, some of the girls were able to climb aboard the fire engine itself!

Last weekend, the Girls' Division's Senior sportswomen travelled up to Edinburgh to play against local Scottish sides in both Netball and Lacrosse. The tour was a lot of fun for all of the girls, with challenging matches against St George’s School, Edinburgh Thistles Lacrosse Club and Fettes College.

Local accountants and business advisors, Cowgill Holloway, launched their 'Future Stars Programme' to an audience of Sixth Form students at Bolton School this week. This new venture is an opportunity for Year 12 pupils to gain an insight into the world of business and finance through a 3-4 week placement with the firm.

The Inspiring Mind for this week is Old Girl, former parent and former Governor Sheila Tonge, who shares her Bolton School memories - from school trips to life lessons to inspiring teachers and more - as part of the 100 Inspiring Minds project.

The School has said farewell to Alan Mitchell, long time Deputy Headmaster and Acting Headmaster (1982-3) of Bolton School Boys’ Division, who sadly died after becoming increasingly frail over recent months. He taught at the School for 35 years and many Old Boys have fond memories of him from their schooldays.

18 September 2015

One of the highlights of the week was the Girls' Division Prizegiving Evening. This wonderful event was an opportunity to celebrate the girls' achievements. The guest speaker for the evening was TV's wildlife presented Michaela Strachan, who gave a fascinating and entertaining address about changing passions.

During the summer holidays, a group of twelve Year 10 girls travelled to Tanzania to help out at a school and two outreach centres run by the charity LivLife. This amazing adventure saw the girls teaching English and French to the children, painting murals, learning Swahili, and hiking 20 Km to reach Ikerim Outreach Centre. They also handed over the new laptop and PC projector to Natanywaki Lukumai, the Headteacher at the Meserani Education Centre, which the girls purchased following intensive fundraising last year.

The week began with the Year 12 pupils taking in the annual Volunteering Fair. More than ten external organisations filled the Arts Centre alongside representatives from the various volunteering opportunities in School to give pupils an idea of the variety of activities they can take part in. Pupils are encouraged to complete at least twenty hours of community service, though the vast majority do much more than this over the year, and the Fair gives them the chance to kick-start their volunteering journey.

Boys' Division pupils took part in their first SPACE Programme session of the year. SPACE sessions take place on one Monday afternoon every fortnight, and provide dedicated time for a wide variety of curriculum enrichment activities. The Year 7 boys learned more about the legacy of Lord Leverhulme and the history of the School, while Year 11 were given a talk on Men's Health by Old Boy Dr Alexander Brodie.

Meanwhile, the Year 9 boys met with representatives from the RNLI to hear more about their vital work saving lives at sea. They were able to see a D Class lifeboat and found out about a variety of dramatic rescues from video archive footage.

The Year 13 pupils were also able to talk to Old Boy Michael Yates via a live link with Hong Kong! Speaking directly from the other side of the world, he was able to talk to pupils about his career and his current position as Vice President: Market Strategy and Planning Greater China. Thanks to the live link, the boys were able to ask a number of questions.

Junior Girls' School pupils were also inspired by a visit from an Old Girl. Siân Pledger talked to the girls about making decisions in their morning assembly. She discussed the balance she has to strike between training as an athlete and her academic study, and the choices she has made in order to further both of her passions.

At the end of last week, the Year 12 girls enjoyed the Business Enterprise and Skills Training (BEST) Day. This was a wonderful experience for them to stretch their skills while completing a variety of tasks inspired by real business concepts. As well as picking up a lot of helpful hints and tips for the future, the girls had fun working together in teams to see who could come up with the most successful business propositions in the varied workshops.

Younger Girls' Division pupils took advantage of the Societies Fair during the first week of term to find out about the exciting array of lunchtime activities on offer. The School's clubs are a great opportunity for them to get involved and follow their passions.

A group Year 12 and Year 13 pupils interested in running the Girls' Division student newspaper 'The View' were inspired by a visit from local journalist Saiqa Chaudhari, the Education Correspondent at the Bolton News. She was able to give a great insight into the world of journalism, particularly focusing on various good ways to access this career. She also gave some great hints on how to ensure 'The View' succeeds this year.

Recent leaver Ben Welch successfully completed his climbing wall award training during the summer. He was then able to work at a local climbing club during the holidays before heading to university. He first took up climbing as part of the School's outdoor learning programme.

The School has launched an e-book to mark the 100th anniversary of the current Foundation and the 500th anniversary of the school. The Leverhulme Legacy at Bolton School was written by School archivist and Governor Eric Fairweather and traces the impact that three generations of the Leverhulme family have had on Bolton School. The launch date was chosen to coincide with Lord Leverhulme's birthday. The book is now available to purchase on Kindle through Amazon.

The Inspiring Mind for this week is Len Vickers, who attended the School under Headmaster F R Poskitt from 1953 to 1960. His fascinating interview gives a further insight into the life of the School at this time. Read more about the 100 Inspiring Minds project here on the 100/500 Celebration microsite.

11 September 2015

Sunny skies greeted pupils this week as they returned for the start of a new school year this week!

Towards the end of last term, the Junior Boys held their annual Entrepreneur Week with the Year 6 boys competing to raise the most money for charity with stalls selling treats at lunchtime. The event also helps to introduce the children to valuable entrepreneurial skills. This year, the winning team with the most profit chose to donate all of the money raised to HExN's Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund.

Over the summer holidays, children at Kidzone - Bolton School's wraparound childcare - had lots of fun as part of the Holiday Club. The children played with the parachute and had fun on a bouncy castle.

Towards the end of August, Kidzone was visited by Chockle'Arty - specialists in chocolate workshops! The children were able to create their own customised Chocolate Pizza, using whatever sweet toppings they chose. The finished products both looked and tasted delicious.

One of the highlights of Kidzone's Summer Holiday Club was the trip to Knowsley Safari Park. The children loved seeing all of the exotic animals, were amazed by the tricks in the Sea Lion Show, and also enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon on the rides!

This week's addition to the Inspiring Minds roster looks back to the years 1917-1946 and reflects on the enormous contribution that Mrs Emma Saxelby made to the School. Both as a French teacher and eventually as the Head of Modern Languages in the Boys' Division, she is remembered for her passion for her subject and her personal interest in each individual who passed through her classroom or House. After her death in 1946, the memorial Saxelby Gate was erected in her honour. Mrs Sazelby's Inspiring Minds profile includes several moving tributes from those who knew her.

4 September 2015

There was a buzz in the air today as the Year 7 boys came into school for their induction morning. When parents came to collect the new pupils after lunch, there was a real sense of excitement for Monday and the proper start of term!

Over the holidays, a group of girls visited Tanzania. A great video showing their experiences has now been uploaded and is available here, or by clicking the play button below:

Kidzone, Bolton School's wraparound childcare facility, has been keeping the children busy during break with their Summer Holiday Club. One of the latest activities they enjoyed was 'Bring Your Bike Day'! The children loved being able to safely cycle around the School grounds.

Beech House, the co-educational Infant Department (4-7 years) of Bolton School, will welcome a new Head with the start of term. Mrs Tracey Taylor will take over from Mrs Deborah Northin, and is really looking forward to meeting parents and pupils, and hopes to take the school on to the next stage of its development in the future.

You can now watch our updated video about Beech House and meet Mrs Taylor. Click here or press the play button below:

This week's Inspiring Mind is Timothy Corner QC, who left the School in 1976. In his interview, he talks about the teachers who inspired him, his favourite memories of his time as a Boys' Division pupil, and offers some great advice to current pupils.