8th June 2012

Over 1,000 flag-waving pupils, parents, staff and friends of Bolton School were on hand to cheer on the Olympic torch as it passed the School at 6.21am on the 1st of June! The joint jazz band ensured everyone was wide awake by the time the procession made its way down Chorley New Road. Nathan Zimmerling completed the leg that passed Bolton School, passing the flame to Anjali Shah who, in turn, passed it to Old Girl of the School, Rachel Flanders. During her time at the School, Rachel, aged just 17 at the time, became the youngest person ever to row across the Atlantic Ocean. After completing her run, Rachel brought the torch into School and showed it to excited pupils and staff at a celebration breakfast. This was Rachel’s second visit to the School in one week as along with other successful Old Girls, she returned to school to share experiences with current Year 8 pupils on Careers Day. The Old Girls ran sessions on the career paths they have chosen, offering tips and advice.

A team of Year 9 boys are the winners of the National IOP Exoplanet Project. The boys impressed judges with their video proposal based on the topic of Astronomy - each received £15 of iTunes vouchers and the Physics department received a Sony Bloggie camcorder. Another team of Bolton School boys also found success this time as runners up in the National Final of the Toyota Technology Challenge with their robot called 'Edge-Hog.

Year 13 student James Roberts captained the England Cerebral Palsy Development Football Squad at the 2012 Cerebral Palsy Home Nations Championships, and led them to Victory! James' England squad won the tournament, finishing undefeated against Northern Ireland and Scotland with two convincing victories. In Girls’ Sport, Year 9 pupil Nalisha Patel has been selected for the Lancashire County Cricket Women's first team, an amazing achievement for her age! Nalisha is the youngest player in the squad which usually ranges from age 17 upwards. She can now be selected for group matches against other county teams which will lead to a semi final and then a final. While Year 10 pupil, Larissa King, has been selected to dance in the National Youth Ballet's Jubilee performance at Sadler's Well in the summer.

The new Bolton School flagpole has officially been launched, celebrating 100 years of flying flags from our Chorley New Road campus. The new flagpole sits proudly atop the iconic turret towers of the Centre Arch 100 after the first flag flew in celebration of the baronetcy of William Hesketh Lever, the benefactor of Bolton School. When the Olympic torch passed the school, the Paralympic flag was flown in celebration of Old Boy and President of the International Paralympic Committee, Sir Phillip Craven. Over the Bank Holiday weekend, the Union Flag flew for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee – which was celebrated in style by Bolton School pupils holding a Park Road picnic on the school field and a Royal Tea Party over at Beech House Infants.