29 June 2018

Bolton School hosted the second of two Civil War Education Days presented by costumed re-enactors from the Earl of Manchester's Regiment of Foote. These exciting workshops allowed pupils from local primary and secondary schools to learn more about how the Civil War affected Bolton, discover what people's lives were like, and take part in musket and pike drills for themselves.

This event comes ahead of The Storming of Bolton, a weekend of living history which will take place on Bolton School grounds over the weekend of 7-8 July 2018. Both days will include an exciting battle re-enactment. For full details, visit the School website or watch the trailer on the Earl of Manchester's Regiment of Foote blog.

Two members of the Ice Maiden expedition - the first all-female team to cross Antarctica coast-to-coast using only muscle power - joined Bolton School pupils to talk about their expedition. They gave an inspirational presentation, talking about how they overcame the difficulties faced in training and when they reached Antarctica, and encouraging pupils to find their 'Antarctica'.

The Lower School production of Ernie's Incredible Illucinations was a huge hit. Alan Ayckbourn's comic play about Ernie, a boy whose active imagination causes his "illucinations" to become real, was brought to life by a vibrant and lively cast.

On 30 June, Bolton School will help to mark the 50th anniversary of the last day of steam power in Bolton on 30 June. The school will be represented at this community gala by a stall and art exhibition. Pupils will also perform music and put on the second production of 'My Room, My Bolton', a play based on pupils' work around the Mass Observation project.

Old Boys, current pupils and staff celebrated 60 years since the opening of a purpose-build Chemistry block in the Boys' Division and to mark the passing of Old Boy Sir Harry Kroto, who the building was named after in 2013. Several generations of chemists swapped stories and memories in the labs, and there were also lectures from Old Boy Professor Malcolm Stevens FRS and Dr Jamie Gallagher, a special lunch, and even a 'Buckyball' cake in honour of Sir Harry's discovery, Buckminsterfullerene.

The Boys' Division PA has once more funded a variety of initiatives to improve boys' experiences in school. These include a brand new Bola cricket bowling machine, a replacement cricket-style Pavilion clock for the refurbished Tillotson Pavilion, music stands, and a learning support environment.

The Bolton School Ball was a huge success, raising a stellar £19,000! Over 360 guests enjoyed a spectacular evening with a 1920s Gatsby theme, featuring live music, aerobatics, a silver service dinner, a Heads and Tails game, and dancing. The money raised will go towards bursaries for girls and boys who begin their studies in Year 7 of the Girls’ or Boys’ Divisions at Bolton School and towards projects run by the two Parents’ Associations, who organised the event.

22 June 2018

Bolton School recently unveiled a new video which shows our all round education, ensuring that pupils are 'life-ready'. Click here or press the play button below to watch it in full:

Over the weekend of 7 and 8 July, the grounds of Bolton School will be transformed into a battlefield from the English Civil War for a spectacular free event, recreating "The Storming of Bolton". Cannons will fire, drums will sound, and swords will clash as costumed re-enactors from The Earl of Manchester's Regiment of Foote stage two exciting days of battles and fascinating 'living history'. This event is free and open to the public.

Watch a trailer for The Storming of Bolton here, or find out more about about the Earl of Manchester's Regiment here.

In September, the Girls' Division will host the prestigious Girls Go Gold Conference, an annual event organised in conjunction with the GSA, which is attended by sportswomen in Years 10 to 13. The day's keynote speakers are Sam Quek MBE, GB hockey Gold medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and 3000m and 5000m Olympic athlete Eilish McColgan. Themed around "Where Sport Can Take You", the Girls Go Gold Conference promises to be an inspirational and motivational event.

A Creative Arts Day in the Boys' Division and at Manchester Art Gallery celebrated the recent submission of the School's Case Study for Platinum Artsmark status. In school, boys enjoyed interactive sessions with Old Boys Hadley Stewart and Alex Greenhalgh and a workshop with screenwriter Jon Brackley. In the evening, pupils gave the inaugural performance of 'My Room, My Bolton', a play inspired by the 1930s Mass Observation Project, as part of the School's 'gallery takeover'.

A team from the Girls' Division won first place in this year's Royal Society of Chemistry Manchester and District Chemquiz. The four pupils will now go on to represent the region at the national Top of the Bench competition next year.

Earlier this month, four Girls' Division pupils in Year 8 also achieved second place in the University Challenge at the recent Salters’ Festival at Manchester University, creating an almost perfect one minute stop-clock using the reaction between sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric acid.

Girls in Year 6 and Year 8 discovered more about life in the RAF when an interactive roadshow visited the Girls' Division. The demonstrators used gaming, video clips, Virutal Reality and a fun flight simulator to help pupils to understand the training and career paths available.

Pupils read their work aloud at the Girls' Division Poetry Festival, which also featured readings from Simon Armitage. Enjoy pupils' readings again with this series of videos:

• Wordsworth by Lauren Standen, Sixth Form
• Women in Fiction by Emily Manock, Sixth Form
• Writ on Another by Lauren Whitaker, Year 11
• Morning Walks by Paige Twidale, Year 10
• Riddle by Evie Owens, Year 8
• Bonfire by Ananya Ajit, Year 8
• Galloping by Jemima Stubbs, Year 7

The Concert Band recently visited Brownlow Fold Primary School, where they put on a performance for the pupils. This was the first of several community music primary school visits taking place before the summer holidays.

In sport, Olivia Maguire has placed ninth nationally in the Junior Girls' Javelin Competition at the English Schools' Athletics Association Finals in Birmingham, where she represented Greater Manchester. Hollie Asquith has been named Espoir (Ages 12-13) British Solo Dance Champion 2018 after a tournament held in May. The Federation of Artistic Roller Skating (FARS) announced that she has also been selected to represent GB at the European Cup later this year. Anna Phillips has been selected to play in a tournament in San Sebastian in early July with the Manchester City Development Squad.

The final of the Parents' Association Future Entrepreneurs (PAFE) competition took place with four teams pitching their ideas to a panel of judges. Each team had created a product to help Year 6 pupils to transition to secondary school, with a focus on mental health and improving resilience. They impressed the judges with their flair, creativity and presentation skills.

Former Bolton School pupils were invited to come along to an Alumni Networking Event focused on The Future of the Creative Arts in a Digital Age. The 'takeover' of Manchester Art Gallery featured as its highlight Old Boys Mark Radcliffe (Class of 1976) and Tony Wadsworth (Class of 1974) "in conversation" with fellow Old Boy Adam Woolley (Class of 2013). There were also creative performances and exhibitions from current pupils.

Watch their discussion here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

The Friends of Bolton School Choir hosted an evening concert in the Arts Centre to raise funds for Speakeasy, a Bury-based charity specialising in helping people with aphasia. They performed hits from the musicals and shared the stage with current pupils and alumni. They raised £600 in total for the charity.

Finally, Bolton School Services Ltd turned 25 years old this month! BSSL currently employs 166 personnel and through an eclectic range of businesses using school buildings and facilities has put £5m into our bursary pot.