26 May 2017

Friday 26 May was the final day of a very busy last week of a very busy term!  Acclaimed author Sophia Bennett spent the day in the Girls’ Division, telling Year 6 girls how to become a writer, lunching with the Dymond Society before informing Year 8 pupils “How to Win Like A Girl” in her inspiring presentation.

After a week of tests, Junior Boys burnt off some energy in their annual charity fancy dress fun run. Working in pairs, they lapped the Senior School sports field raising thousands of pounds for four charities chosen by the pupils - Derian House, Cash4Kids Manchester, Dementia UK and Parkinson’s UK. An on-the-day bucket collection raised a further £500 for the families affected by the Manchester atrocity.

Year 9 girls spent the week “off-timetable” with half the cohort completing the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition walk in and around Rivington whilst the other half engaged in activities in school including a mental health day and a future entrepreneurs’ event organised by the Parents’ Association. Half way through the week, the two groups flipped activities.

Year 6 girls and boys were given a privileged insight into a number of high-flying careers by former pupils. The Junior Careers Carousel saw alumni talk about their journey from Bolton School pupils to careers in medicine, film production, politics and town planning.  Year 8 girls also enjoyed an informative day absorbed in learning about future career options through six engaging and interactive presentations as well as through workshops with Careers staff in the School.

Boys’ Division Organ Scholars - Ben Chowdhury, Oliver Shaw and William Miles - gave an excellent public lunchtime performance in Bolton Parish Church of music by Cesar Franck, Samuel Wesley and Philip Moore.

The Girls’ Division also showed itself in an innovative private-state school partnership, working with Prestolee Primary School and Prestolee School Centre for Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) to improve the quality of teaching and learning in science through an integrated approach incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths (STEAM). The focus was to develop trainee teachers’ confidence and subject knowledge when delivering scientific enquiry alongside the arts in order to develop children’s enthusiasm and interest in the subject. 

The Boys’ Division was delighted to welcome ten pupils from Thomasson Memorial School, a local primary school for hearing impaired children, to its Science department for a morning of hands-on lessons. 

Old Boy Sam Hilton was in the news, having been handed his first international rugby union cap for Saudi Arabia, who will shortly play Jordan. He joins the ranks of Old Boy rugby internationals such as Phil Hassan, Jack Forster and Anthony Mellalieu.

And at the end of the preceding week, Year 13 girls had fun on their very last day, dressing up as characters from the 1990s. Sixth Form boys, in their valedictory assembly, learnt about the new Alumni Network and from Old Boy David Seddon about a network set up by former pupils to mentor young leavers in presenting themselves for interview and pursuing their career.

The week’s Inspiring Mind was Chris Eatough, six times world champion in 24 hour solo mountain bike racing.

19 May 2017

Bolton School's U13 water polo players have successfully defended their title, and in doing so have claimed the 'triple triple': the School has won the ESSA National Championships in all three age groups for an unprecedented third year running! The U15 and 18 teams won their age group competitions in March, and the U13s overcame the favourites in the final to maintain the School's winning streak.

The Year 13 students enjoyed their final days as Bolton School pupils this week before departing on Study Leave before their A Level exams.

In the Boys' Division, the whole of Year 13 enjoyed a valedictory assembly which offered them advice and guidance for the future. They also learned more about becoming Old Boys and heard from former School Captain David Seddon about the mentoring opportunities available through the generosity of alumni.

Year 11 pupil Emily Graham has been awarded first place in the Portico Library's Sadie Massey Award for Young Writers! Her piece 'Bolton' will now be published, alongside work from children's authors and the other winning entries, in a collection titled Time Travellers and the Crystal Dome.

The Friends of Bolton School Choir performed The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace at Bolton Parish Church. They were supported by the two Junior School choirs, which performed musical pieces on a similar theme of peace. The concert was a moving and thought-provoking evening for all who attended.

Children in Year 1 at Beech House, Bolton School's Infant School, had a fun day at the HIVE at Moss Bank Park. They enjoyed investigating plants and learning lots of interesting information in a hands-on environment.

Old Boy John Craven gave his time to speak to Sixth Form boys from his London office via a live internet link. He talked to them about his career in investment banking and was able to give a great insight into educational options and the world of banking and finance.

This year's series of Lunchtime Concerts was brought to a close with a fantastic performance from Junior RNCM musicians. Members of the public and Bolton School pupils alike enjoyed listening to the music at this final concert of the year. The series has once again been a great success.

Tenacity of Bolton, the ketch built by Boys' Division staff and pupils, is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its completion! The 15m ketch was finished in May 2007, having been built over nine years as a Millennium Project at the suggestion of former Head of Technology Mr Mike Whitmarsh. The boat is now operated by the Tall Ships Youth Trust, with Bolton School pupils regularly making use of it for expeditions.

A fun series of tennis workshops for pupils in Years 1 and 2 at Beech House allowed the children to increase their skills and have a go at the sport. The sessions were run by a Bolton Arena Tennis Centre coach.

Children and parents at the Nursery recently enjoyed a Saturday-morning drop-in session which included an exciting 'dough disco'!

Finally, the Old Boltonians AFC 1st XI have claimed the Lancashire FA Bluefin Sports Insurance Amateur Cup for the second time in four seasons! Four Old Boys were instrumental in achieving the win for the team, and it is a great achievement for the Old Bolts club.

This week's Inspiring Mind is The Lady Smith of Leigh DL TCert. B.Sc (Hons) (Lond), High Sheriff of Greater Manchester 2016-17. She attended Bolton School from the age of 8, leaving in 1963. She recalls fond memories and inspirational members of staff in her profile.

12 May 2017

Boys' Division chemistry teacher Dr Kristy Turner, who also teaches at the University of Manchester, is the Royal Society of Chemistry Schools Education Award winner for 2017. This is awarded to someone who has demonstrated an exceptional ability to teach chemistry and inspire students at any pre-university level.

Nineteen Junior Boys have had their work selected for the second round of judging in the 500 Words writing competition organised by BBC Radio 2 and Chris Evans. They are among just 5,000 children who have been chosen for the next round from over 131,000 initial entries - an excellent achievement!

Year 7 pupil Anupam has recently competed in a national table tennis competition. He represented Greater Manchester Schools in the U13s competition, winning two out of three group matches.

The Bolton School Bake Off Final took place this week, with the four finalists creating 'showstopper' bakes to impress the judges. Baking to a strict time limit and coming up with creative and delicious products, all four girls excelled, but the eventual winner for the second year running was Yasmin with yet another spectacular cake.

The Junior Boys were treated to a wonderful lunchtime concert from their teachers, Mrs Ives and Miss Ormerod. They listened to music on the viola, recorder and bassoon as well as some singing.

The Sixth Form Boys have raised over £1000 for three charities with a fun walk event. The money will be split between the Alzheimer's Society, Barnardo’s and Anthony Nolan, the UK's blood cancer charity.

Children at Bolton School Nursery have also been fundraising with their Peppa Pig's Muddy Puddle Walk! All of the Nursery children enjoyed a messy obstacle course on the Boys' Division sports field, splashing through puddles and squelching through mud to raise money for Save the Children. Over £1000 was donated to the cause through this event.

Old Boy John Craven gave a talk on investment banking to the Sixth Form boys. The event was facilitated by a WebEx link, allowing him to address the group from his London office. The talk was interesting and varied, and gave insight into career prospects in the world of banking and finance.

The Junior Girls sent a team of Year 5 pupils to the AJIS Biathlon competition at Rossall School. The six girls performed well in both events and won first place overall!

Six students in the Sixth Form and four Old Boys were key players for Bolton RUFC U18s in their Colts League Shield Final against Tarleton at the weekend. The Bolton School lads helped the town team to victory with a final score of 18-15.

The Year 6 pupils from the Junior Girls' School are at Patterdale Hall this week. They captured one of their eggs-citing challenges on film - watch it here or click the play button below!

On 19 May at 7pm, Bolton School will host a free talk about Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, the man behind "The Great Escape". Simon Pearson has written a book about the remarkable life and death of The Great Escaper, and will share his insights during this event. The talk has been organised to support the Great Britain Junior (U19) Water Polo squad, which includes many Boys' Division pupils, and a collection will be held at the end.

05 May 2017

Last week, the Girls' Division welcomed members of the public for a fascinating talk on 'The Poetry of Art and the Art of Poetry' from art historian Michael Howard. In taking the audience on a tour through the art of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, he reflected on specific paintings and poems and the reciprocal nature of both art forms.

The School held an awards evening to celebrate the achievements of pupils in both Divisions who have been awarded gold, silver and bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Old Girl Janette McCormick, now Deputy Chief Constable of Cheshire Constabulary, was the guest speaker for the evening and congratulated the award recipients on their efforts, particularly in the field of volunteering. Pupils also shared their D of E experiences in the course of the ceremony.

A team of four Boys' Division pupils have been crowned the winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry's national Top of the Bench competition! They completed an individual written test and a two-hour group practical task, and despite the challenges of the day they emerged victorious.

The May Serenade was a wonderful celebration of pupils' musical talents. The varied ensembles, soloists and choirs created an enchanting programme of music throughout the evening. The two award winners from February's Music Festival also received their awards.

Pupils in the Girls' Division have once again taken part in the British Science Association's Crest Awards. The girls undertook a science-based project of their choosing, and presented their varied findings to Mr David Ward, the regional Crest Coordinator.

The annual Battle of the Bands took place, judged this year by Governor and record producer George Apsion who handed the prize over to Year 12 band The Parallel Oreos. He was impressed by the overall quality of all four bands who performed on the day

Young gymnast Dinburgh has once again been crowned Champion at the North West Rhythmic Gymnastics Open after competing in the U10 category. She achieved first place in the 'free' and 'ball' sections as well as overall first place in her age group.

Recent leavers Zack Weir and Jackson Shaw are planning to undertake a 1,000 kilometer bicycle ride through five European countries to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK. Both have recently witnessed the devastating effect of the disease on their grandmas and are raising the money in their honour. Track their progress and donate to their cause here.