Friday 4 March 2016

4 March 2016

This week saw World Book Day celebrated across Bolton School!

There was an air of magic around the Junior Girls' School for their fantasy-themed celebrations, which ran throughout the day and included singing 'Pick Up A Book' in assembly, reading 'Room on the Broom' in Spanish and French in MFL lessons, and creating a character passport for the character they had dressed up as in honour of the day.


Click here to watch the Junior Girls perform their World Book Day song.

Illustrations seemed to come to life as the Infant pupils at Beech House came to School as their favourite children's book characters. They talked about their teachers' favourite books during morning assembly before enjoying a day of book-themed activities. Year 1 also had the added treat of a visit from children's book illustrator Lesley Danson, who brought with her lots of examples of her work and ran a special workshop about illustrating a story.


In the Boys' Division Senior School, pupils were thrilled to discover that the book elves had deposited a variety of novels around the campus for the boys to take home, read and keep. They were also able to enjoy talking about literature with members of staff, who wore 'Ask Me What I'm Reading' badges for the day to encourage discussion. There was also an exciting Literary Treasure Hunt in the library for Year 7-9 boys over lunchtime.


Meanwhile, children at the Nursery enjoyed a Gruffalo-themed World Book Day. The children also dressed as their favourite storybook characters - with many of them choosing the Gruffalo - and shared their favourite books with one another, as well as taking part in a host of themed activities.


Over half term, eighteen Girls' Division pupils enjoyed a Creative Writing Retreat at Patterdale Hall in the Lake District. The girls worked on short stories, flash fiction, modern sonnets and landscape poetry in fabulous surroundings and were tutored by Dr Peter Sansom, a highly respected and well-known poet, and Chris Walking, a qualified lawyer and published author. They also found time for a trip on an Ullswater Steamer, which no doubt helped to inspire more creative thoughts.


Top British space scientist Professor Monica Grady came into School to talk to Girls' Division pupils studying maths and the sciences about "when space comes down to Earth". Her talk, which focused on meteorites, gave a fascinating insight into her field of study and also revealed that it is not just sitting in a lab: Professor Grady discussed her fieldwork hunting meteorites in Australia and Antarctica! This was a really exciting and inspirational talk for the girls.


The Young Musician of the Year Final showcased some of the best musical talent in the Boys' Division on Thursday. The fourteen finalists had already won their individual categories, and once again performed a piece in their category in front of the audience as part of the Final. The overall winners were selected by Mr Stuart Hazelton, who had the difficult task of whittling it down to just one winner from seven in the Junior and Senior categories. There were also Junior and Senior composition prizes and a Most Promising Performer award.


Click here to watch Senior Young Musician of the Year winner Niall Woodward's perfomance of 'Ray's Blues' by Grusin, and here to view Junior Young Musician of the Year winner Adam Whitmore singing Adele's 'Turning Tables'.

Pupils in the Boys' Division met with success at the annual Classics Reading Competition, which this year was held at Bolton School. Five boys in total achieved first or second place in the competition. Bolton School Classics students also enjoyed engaging and thought-provoking presentations from renowned Classics author and tutor Dr John Taylor and Dr Danielle Frisby, Lecturer in Greek and Latin at the University of Manchester.


The winners of the 1947 and 2015 Salford 100s Lifesaving Competition met up at Bolton School to compare their experiences! Mrs Joan Sheridan read about Year 7 pupil Elly Fraser's achievement in the Bolton News, and was amazed to discover that the medal she had won 68 years ago was from the same competition. They were both delighted to talk about their enthusiasm for swimming.


No less than three Bolton School rugby teams have made it through to the Lancashire Schools' Finals. The Under 18s, Under 14s and Under 13s teams have all played extremely well to successfully make it to this stage of the competition. 

Mrs Carol Laverick, the new Head of the Junior Girls' School talks about her first half-term in the post and the feeling of "coming home and completing the loop" and what it has been like returning to the school where she taught towards the start of her teaching career. She also looks towards the future in this reflective piece.


At the end of last week, fifteen inspirational alumni returned to Bolton School to talk to pupils in Years 11 to 13 about their careers. From an entrepreneur to a fashion designer to a consultant surgeon to an RAF trainee helicopter pilot to a solicitor to a speech and language therapist and more, there was a really wide variety of speakers for the pupils to meet and hear from, and all of them could give a great insight into their careers and how to succeed in this area.


Old Boy Teddy Pender recently excelled at the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Swimming and Diving Championships held in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Teddy is now studying at Bates College, Maine, and took top honours at this prestigious swimming competition.

This week's Inspiring Mind is Clifford 'Butch' Ingham, a member of Boys' Division Staff from 1942 to 1970 and a legend in the eyes of many Old Boys. The wonderful memories of his 'Trek Camps' endure to this day, and he is remembered fondly in two extracts from Boltonian, his obituary and a tribute to his time at School which was printed following his retirement.

No comments:

Post a Comment