6th September 2012

It was great to see former Bolton School pupils playing a key role in the Paralympics opening ceremony, an event described as "both spectacular and deeply human" by the London 2012 organisers. Old Boy Sir Ian McKellen joined Professor Stephen Hawking to narrate a scientific ‘journey of discovery’, and also played Prospero, a character from Shakespeare's The Tempest in the spectacular ceremony. Fellow former pupil, Sir Philip Craven, entered the ceremony with The Queen, in his role as International Paralympic Committee President.

More good news as the Girls’ Division has been ranked in the top 100 Schools in the UK, based on GCSE results. The Girls’ Division was ranked 83rd in the table, released by the Independent Schools Council. The listings are based on the proportion of exam entries awarded A* or A, which was 72.48 percent in the Girls’ Division. It was one of just three schools in Greater Manchester to make the top 100.

Bolton School's History magazine 'The HistOracle' has won 'Best School History Magazine' for the second year running! To receive the 2012 title in the ‘Young Historian Project’ awards, is a huge honour for the School and the magazine, which is a biannual publication of eclectic historical essays and articles produced by boys of all ages. Two boys also received individual awards for articles they wrote for the magazine. This year, a new Lower and Middle School history magazine will be launched, hopefully to challenge ‘The HistOracle’ for the top spot!

There was more History on the menu during the summer break as Year 9 boys took part in a History trip to the First World War battlefields, and laid wreaths to honour Old Boys of the School who were killed during the war. Wreaths were laid at Vimy Ridge and Thiepval memorials in Northern France, and at Tyne Cot memorial in Belgium, where Bolton School Old Boys are commemorated. The four day trip included visits to the ‘In Flanders’ Fields’ and ‘Passchendaele Memorial’ museums in Ypres, a tour of the trenches and tunnels at Vimy Ridge, key sites on the Somme and attendance at the Menin Gate memorial ceremony.

And Philip Britton, Headmaster of the Boys' Division, now has over 100 followers on Twitter! The Head began his tweets in the Summer Term and he regularly comments on the day-to-day activities of the School and on wider educational issues. You can keep up-to-date with his tweets here: https://twitter.com/Philip_Britton