10 March 2017

Professor Jeff Forshaw helped pupils, staff and members of the public to contemplate the origins of the universe when he visited the Girls' Division as part of the series of enrichment lectures hosted by the School this year. Based on his popular science book Universal, co-authored with Brian Cox, his talk touched upon the some of the most fundamental questions about the Earth, Sun, Solar System and the star-filled galaxies beyond.

The U18 Water Polo team shone in the final round of the national ESSA U18 Water Polo Championships. Following three years of success, the pressure was on to continue the School's winning streak, and the Boys' Division team did not disappoint. They held the title for a fourth year, winning the final with a score of 8 goals to 1.

Click here to watch the U18 team in action against H.A.B.S. in the Final.

The School welcomed delegates from both Divisions and Westhoughton High School along with guests for a conference focused on community action. Pupils heard from speakers about adult volunteering: why people do it and what they find rewarding. There were also discussion groups in which pupils could share their volunteering experiences and give their opinions on the Bolton Vision in conversation with a representative of Bolton Council.

Later on the same afternoon, the School hosted the second national Schools Together meeting, and the first to be held in the north. The subject was partnerships and how the worth and impact of independent and state schools working together can be measured. Guests and speakers from a variety of state and independent schools attended along with Christina Astin, Chair of the Schools Together Group, for this useful and informative event.

Over half term, a group of Sixth Form girls visited Berlin as part of their A Level German studies. They discovered more about German culture and history during the trip as well as putting all of their language skills to use, and experienced everything from a chocolate workshop to a trip to the Reichstag!

Also during the holidays, girls got into the creative mindset with a week of creative writing at Patterdale Hall. They sailed on Lake Ullswater, visited tranquil waterfalls and Wordsworth's home, and received expert tuition from Tobias Jones, novelist and Peter Sansom, poet. The pupils produced an anthology of work following their week at Patterdale and all felt they had improved their creative writing craft by the time they returned home.

The U12s football team has made it to the semi-final stage of the Greater Manchester Cup! The team made it to the semi-final following a dramatic quarter-final against Altrincham Grammar School that went into extra time.

Girls' Division pupils in Year 10 presented a representative from Christie's with a cheque for over £1000 following their Christmas Post fundraising! The girls sold cakes and sweets in the run-up to Christmas and managed to raise this significant sum for the charity.

The Young Musician of the Year Final has been held in the Boys' Division, with a wonderful quality of music on show yet again. Adjudicator Jennifer Downing had the challenging task of picking the Junior and Senior winners, Junior and Senior Composers of the Year, and choosing the recipient of the Most Promising Performer award.

Year 12 students enjoyed a day learning about the World of Work, with talks from a wide range of professions. Seven alumni spoke to the Sixth Form on the day, including Charlie Ball, who gave the keynote speech: "Is it worth going to university?" The whole of Year 12 made the most of the opportunity to ask questions and discover more about potential career paths.

Children in the Nursery Class read the story of 'The Three Little Pigs' and took part in related activities this week. The children had fun and learned lots of new things!

On 27 March 2017 at 7pm, the School will host a free, public lecture from Senior Medical Physicist Dr Heather Williams on "Seeing Inside - Imaging the Structure and Function of the Human Body". She will talk about how PET, CT and MRI scanners work, what they show us, and the latest generation of hybrid imaging technology. This promises to be a fascinating evening. Everyone is welcome to come along.

This week's Inspiring Mind is Karen Diggle, who left the Girls' Division in 1976 and is now a Governor of the School. While studying History at Nottingham University, she discovered a passion for coxing and eventually joined the British National Ladies Rowing Team! She is now the Managing Director of Chamberlain Doors. Her profile talks of her lifelong involvement with the School, her happy memories of teachers and the supportive environment the Girls' Division provided.