27 January 2017

This week, Bolton School welcomed Scottish virtuoso percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie for the latest in the Girls' Division's series of Arts and Sciences presentations which are open to the public. Dame Evelyn's fascinating talk was centered around questions from pupils and members of staff, and also included arresting percussion performances.

Girls' Division pupils in Years 8 and 9 had fun in two inspirational workshops with poet Mandy Coe. She helped the girls to start writing with varied prompts and also gave a number of readings throughout each session.

Boys' Division pupils helped to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day in Bolton. The Violin Quartet opened Bolton's Civic Commemoration and played a second piece following the lighting of candles as part of the service.

Children in the Butterfly Room at Bolton School's Nursery recently went or a Nature Day at Haigh Hall. They explored different outdoor areas, including the woods and the walled gardens, and had a picnic lunch outside. Despite the chilly weather, a good time was had by all!

A large number of Junior Boys in Year 4 will have their work published in the poetry book Once Upon A Dream - Lancashire Verses following the Young Writers Poetry Competition.

Pupils enjoyed a lunchtime learning about life as a vet from Claire Sawyer, a Recognised Advanced Practitioner in Equine Surgery (Orthopaedics). She gave a great overview of the profession, from the qualifications required to the kind of work involved. This was the the latest in a series of Cafe Scientifique lunchtime lectures arranged for pupils.

Sixth Form pupils Hanna and Aaisha raised money for Penny Appeal's Refugee Emergency project by selling doughnuts at the Bonfire Night fireworks display at School, and the following Monday in the Riley Centre. They managed to raise over £250 in support of the charity!

Four Girls' Division pupils have been selected for the Junior North of England Lacrosse Squad following trials last weekend. Two will play in the A Squad, and two in the B Squad, and one girl had been named the A Squad captain! This is a great achieved for all four pupils.

At the Bolton Town Championships, Intermediate Boys' Swimming Team and Girls' Division Junior Swimming Team won their respective age group trophies.

Children across the Foundation have been celebrating Chinese New Year this week. Pupils in Year 4 at the Junior Boys' School delivered an assembly about Chinese New Year to the rest of the school.

Children at the Nursery celebrated Chinese New Year with a variety of activities. They also tried out various Chinese dishes, such as noodles and spring rolls, for their snacks and meals throughout the day. They made paper lanterns and had fun dressing up and playing as a Chinese dragon!

The Nursery Class for 3 and 4 year olds also got into the spirit of Chinese New Year with lots of crafts, making masks and dragon puppets. They even had a Chinese dragon to help them with their number learning on the whiteboard!

This week's Inspiring Mind is Old Boy Ian Jones, who after attending the Boys' Division from 1976 to 1982 went on to become a photographer. He is famous as a royal photographer and has taken pictures at "all the great state occasions". This pen portrait of his varied career and his many fond memories of Bolton School make for interesting reading, and he also offers good advice to the pupils of today.