8 February 2019

Bolton School was incredibly proud to win the Independent School of the Year and Senior School of the Year categories at the prestigious TES Independent School Awards 2019. The School's wide-reaching outreach activities and community relationships played a key role in securing both awards.

Sixth Form students in both Divisions gained an insight into the World of Work by spending a morning hearing from visitors representing a wide range of professions. The keynote address was given by Old Boy Alex Hilton, Head of Sustainability at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and a further eight alumni from both Divisions were among the twenty-two speakers throughout the morning.

A team of three pupils in the Girls' Division has progressed to the Senior Section of the District Final of the Rotary Club Youth Speaks competition. Their success follows that of a team of Bolton School girls competing in the Intermediate Section, who also won their heat.

Sixth Form students helped Bolton-based Chartered Surveyors Edwards Genesis to celebrate 10 years of being in business by creating artwork for a calendar.

Historacle - a history magazine produced by A Level history students in the Boys' Division - has won the Best School History Magazine prize from the Historical Association for the seventh time. Now in its 10th year and looking towards its 25th edition, Historacle covers a fascinating range of topics and areas.

A group of seven Girls' Division pupils ran for the Bolton Town Team at the recent Greater Manchester Cross Country Championships. These girls helped Bolton to podium positions in the Year 7, Year 9 and Year 10 categories, with impressive individual results as well.

Sixth Form students studying French at A Level enjoyed a day with native speaker Richard Peltier during which they discussed a range of topics. All of the sessions were conducted entirely in French and helped to advance students' fluency and confidence.

1 February 2019

This week the Boys' Division bid farewell to former Headmaster Mervyn Brooker (2003-2008) in a special memorial assembly. Old Boys, the Head of Games Mr Paul Fernside, Chair of Governors Michael Griffiths and current Headmaster Philip Britton offered their tributes to "a good man" and celebrated his contribution to Bolton School.

A video of the memorial assembly can be viewed here.

Over 90 students from six local colleges attended the inaugural Oxbridge Conference hosted by Bolton School. Visiting speakers from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge offered insights into the application process, tips on how to stand out and encouragement to apply. Bolton School alumni who are recent graduates from these prestigious universities also gave their perspectives and advice, and helped to facilitate activities throughout the day.

Girls in Year 9 were given a typical British soldier's perspective on the First World War through the one-man play 'Meet Tommy Atkins'. Tommy's story and the event of their history textbooks were brought to life by writer, director and actor Peter Gill.

The school has enjoyed a dusting of snow throughout the week and children in the Nursery Class took advantage of the wintry weather with creative outdoor activities.

A team of three Girls' Division pupils has made it to the District Final of the Rotary Club Youth Speaks competition. The girls went up against five other schools in the Intermediate category but, after confidently delivered introduction, arguments and vote of thanks, they were crowned winners and will compete in the next stage of the competition in March.

All of the girls in Year 11 walked down to Bolton Lads and Girls Club to find out what National Citizen Service (NCS) is all about. They found out how taking part in NCS can benefit them while at the same time helping their local community, and also discovered the range of fun activities available at Bolton Lads and Girls Club.

25 January 2019

The School was shocked and saddened this week to learn that Mervyn Brooker, who was Headmaster of the Boys' Division from 2003 to 2008, has died following a short and sudden illness. A tribute to his life and contribution to Bolton School can he read here. An online Book of Condolence is available to read here, and those wishing to contribute may do so here.

Mervyn was a huge advocate of sport and extra-curricular endeavour as part of the wider purpose of the School in developing well-rounded young people. He would no doubt be proud to see pupils today taking part in so many activities that stretch beyond their lessons.

Boys enjoyed meeting with Old Boy and Weightlifting champion Mackenzie Middleton as part of their SPACE Triad timetabled extra-curricular afternoon this week. He gave them an introduction to the skills and training needed to succeed in this competitive sport.

Musicians this week also met with Old Boy Rick Pilkington, who now enjoys success with his band The Blackheart Orchestra. He talked about the origins of his passion for music, the band he formed at Bolton School with his friends (the "infamous" Black Cat Bone) and discussed what it takes to make a living from making music.

Families who send their children to Bolton School Nursery raised over £200 for Derian House Children's Hospice with tombolas and raffles at their fundraising Christmas Party.

A group of boys in Year 8 put together a collection of creative writing themed around exile ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day 2019. This is available to read here. Pupils also took part in the town's service of remembrance on 23 January.

Writer and activist Natasha Devon MBE visited Bolton School to speak to parents, Sixth Form students and staff about the importance of promoting good mental health and self-esteem. She spoke candidly about her own mental health problems as well as discussing the challenges of getting young men to open up and discuss their feelings and sharing some insights. Her interesting and informative talk will no doubt have been useful to all who attended.

We recently announced that Bolton School (Boys' and Girls' Divisions) won the Independent School Parent magazine's School of the Year Award. The Boys' Division also won the Boys' School of the Year Award, while the Girls' Division was Highly Commended in the Girls' School of the Year category.

18 January 2018

Boys' Division students in Years 8 to 13 created powerful pieces of artwork to commemorate the lives of victims and survivors of the Holocaust, which will be displayed at the Bolton Holocaust Memorial Day service. They worked on the project with Holocaust art educator Caroline Slifkin to explore this year's theme: torn from home.

BSS Leisure has gained accreditation from Swim England to independently deliver  Swim England Level 1 and Level 2 Swim Teacher courses! There are six courses currently planned between April and October, which will be held in the Arts Centre swimming pool. Book online at www.bssleisure.com or phone 01204 434797 for a registration form.

Junior Boys went on an exciting musical journey with Travelling by Tuba. The interactive presentation went on a historical and geographical trip through the development of wind instruments. Boys enjoyed music played on a wide range of instruments and some volunteers even joined in with the performance.

Old Boy Terrence Li returned to the School to talk to current Boys' Division Sixth Form students about his career in Finance. He spoke candidly about the rewards and the challenges alike, giving students a fair picture of what it is like to work in this sector. He also encouraged students to undertake work experience and gave other helpful tips for the application process.

Looking back at last term, Boys' Division musicians helped to raise money for the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK by performing at a fundraising concert.

Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods is this year's Joint Senior Production! The performances will take place at the end of this half term (13 to 15 February). Tickets cost £5 and are now on sale: please contact Miss Caulfield (hcaulfield@boltonschool.org.uk) to book.

21 December 2018

During the last week of term, Bolton School's Infant pupils raised money for Save the Children with a Christmas Jumper Day! They brightened up the halls and classrooms of Beech House with their colourful jumpers and each donated £1 to this worthy cause.

The target for this year's Christmas Hamper Challenge has been met once again with pupils from across Bolton School gathering 2,782 selection boxes for Urban Outreach's Christmas Hampers! Teams of Sixth Form students led the donation drive, coming up with creative fundraising ideas and encouraging the rest of the School to support their cause.

Girls' Division pupils have also been raising funds through their Christmas traditions. The Year 10 Christmas Post and Prefects' Panto were both as popular and fun-filled as ever, and alongside other festive fundraisers have helped the girls' chosen charities this Christmas.

The Girls' Division Ceremony of Carols was the perfect way to usher in the festive season. Current pupils, parents and members of staff were joined by Old Girls for this special occasion, which featured traditions such as the 'The Holly and the Ivy' sung as a round and 'Jesus Christ the Apple Tree' performed by the Accidentals.

Click the following links to watch and listen to a selection of music from the Ceremony of Carols: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Do You Hear What I Hear (Chamber Choir), Mary Did You Know (Chamber Choir), Away in a Manger (Senior Choir), Little Drummer Boy (the Accidentals), The Holly and The Ivy (Combined Choirs).

The Boys' Division Christmas Festival was a feast of joyful carols, powerful readings and reflections, and a thoughtful meditation from Rev. Simpson which asked everyone to reflect on what the birth of Jesus means for us today. Beautiful musical performances from the choirs made the evening particularly special.

The whole of the Boys' Division Christmas Festival is available to watch again here on Facebook.

Meanwhile, children in the Nursery Class for Three and Four Year Olds were excited to discover a special visitor waiting for them beside the Christmas Tree on their Christmas Jumper Day: none other than Father Christmas himself!

Members of the Girls' Division Christmas Cake Club created real showstoppers this year, which were on display on the evening of the Ceremony of Carols. This year, the girls' cakes were so impressive that the judges decided to award joint first place to Annabelle Gibbs and Kiersten Keogh.

Also in the final week of term, Girls' Division Headmistress Sue Hincks was announced as the new President of the Girls' Schools Association (GSA). Her opening remarks focused on the importance of helping young people to have confidence, critical judgement and a love of learning in order to succeed the rapidly changing environment of the 21st century.

In the New Year, Boys' Division teacher Dr Turner will appear in the BBC's eight-part series Back In Time For School. In this series, she time-travelled to different points in history between 1895 to 1999 to experience what school was like for both teachers and pupils. The series begins on Thursday 3 January and will run for 8 weeks on BBC 2 at 8pm.

Pupils from both Divisions impressed audiences with their performance of 'Great Expectations', which was produced in collaboration with the Octagon Theatre. Pupils in years 8 and 9 worked with BAFTA-nominated writer and director Janys Chambers to bring Charles Dickens' story to life with a new adaptation.

Senior Boys in Blackburn House helped to support the Blackburn Food Bank with an enormous donation of food towards the end of term. Pupils' generous donations will help to provide more than 470 meals for those in crises in the Blackburn and Darwen area.

Year 13 student Abigail is studying Art for A Level with plans to continue her passion at university, and was recently delighted to sell one of her pieces to an Old Boy following the Bolton School Open Art Exhibition!

Junior Girls in Year 6 had fun towards the end of term in a drama workshop led by Coronation Street's Melissa Johns. They thoroughly enjoyed trying out different acting techniques and drama games and threw themselves into every activity with lots of enthusiasm.

Year 7 boys took part in the annual Gymnastics Final, which is one of the oldest competitions in the School. Following competitions within each form, the finalists performed their near-flawless gymnastics routines in front of a supportive audience of their peers.

Two Old Girls from the same year group recently returned to Bolton School to give talks. Hanna Miraftab, who now owns her own dental practice and recently found 'stardom' on The Real Housewives of Cheshire, spoke to pupils in Year 11 about who they want to be and how to make that a reality. Her old friend Hannah Bradley, who is now a Dispute Resolution Solicitor, led a workshop on how to resolve conflict for girls in the Sixth Form.

Old Boy Ashish Choudry also recently returned to the School to address students from both Divisions who are members of MedSoc. He gave an insightful lunchtime presentation about his work as a GP, advising the Sixth Form about the qualities and skills they will need to one day become good doctors.

Earlier in December, Old Boy John Kohorn returned to School to talk to pupils in Year 6 at the Junior Girls' School. He helped to bring their history lessons to life through the story of his family's escape from Nazi persecution in Europe in 1939.

Junior Girls in Year 5 also enjoyed a special presentation on the Rainforest from Bolton School librarian Mrs Caller, who travelled to Brazil with the venture scouts when she was 18 and was able to share her adventures through photos and memories.

14 December 2018

Bolton School was delighted to receive the inaugural Independent School of the Year Award from Independent School Parent magazine. The Award was given to both the Boys' and Girls' Divisions. The Boys' Division also received the Independent Boys' School of the Year. The Girls' Division was highly commended in the Independent Girls’ School of the Year category, and the School as a whole was highly commended in the Independent School of the Year for Community Outreach category.

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Christmas Lecture took place at Bolton School, wowing audiences with exciting scientific experiments and explanations. Dr Frank Mair of the University of Manchester gave two presentations in the Boys' Division Great Hall for almost 1,000 pupils from 20 schools across the North West.

The annual Tillotson Lecture was this year given by Old Boy John Derbyshire OBE. He gave a fascinating talk about his long career with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and his involvement with the British Sailing Team, and provided insider insight into the world of Olympic sailing.

The Junior Girls told 'The Shepherd's Story' as their Christmas performance, combining narration and acting with beautiful music and song. This version of the Nativity was based on Michael Morpugo's book 'On Angel Wings' and featured a number of compelling solo performances and lovely dances from Year 3 pupils.

Click here to watch the evening performance of The Shepherd's Story in full.

The Junior Boys also put on their annual Carol Service in the Boys' Division Great Hall this week. The evening began with the traditional performance of 'Once in Royal David's City' and continued with more rousing carols, including performances from the school choirs.

Old Boy Ashish Choudry returned to Bolton School to speak to members of MedSoc about life as a GP. He was able to give an overview of the job and talked about the attributes and skills that are particularly useful in this career.

Dr Nick Gent, another Old Boy, also came back to give an enthralling talk about his work at Public Health England and his involvement with the nerve agent incidents in Salisbury and Amesbury earlier this year. The talk was followed by several pertinent questions. He also spoke to Sixth Form physicists about Polonium-210 in the afternoon.

Four teams of Year 12 students went head to head in the final of the Business Challenge competition. They once again pitched their polished creative business ideas, which had already been chosen as the best in the year group following the Business Challenge Day earlier this term. The judges decided this year to give the trophy and prizes to Napee, an innovative idea to create a biodegradable nappy.

Two Girls' Division pupils have been invited to join the 'Dragon Academy' - the Junior Wales Lacrosse programme. This development pathway is designed to identify and support players who have the potential to play at elite level.

Year 9 pupil Jamie has won a bronze medal at the British Judo Championships in Sheffield. This follows a silver medal at the Welsh Open earlier this year, and he has also won a gold medal at the North West Championships.

Year 11 pupil Anna has been called up to the England Women's U16 football squad, and this month will travel with the national team to the Netherlands for two competitive matches.

Bolton School was delighted to welcome Australian and Romanian water polo players ahead of an English Schools' Swimming Association (ESSA) international triangular tournament featuring these players and their English U17 counterparts. The matches took place in Manchester and Bolton, and pupils from the Junior Girls' and Junior Boys' Schools were excited to watch the action.

7 December 2018

Year 9 pupil Hannah has been named one of twelve English Speaking Board (ESB) Young Speakers of the Year for 2018! She collected her award and performed a presentation at the Young Speaker of the Year Showcase in Liverpool.

Children in Science Club at Beech House, Bolton School's Infant department, were excited to visit a laboratory in the Senior Girls' School. With a little help from Sixth Form girls, they completed a series of experiments before enjoying a fun demonstration from Ms Teichman.

Parents and guardians of pupils at Beech House also helped to spread a little Christmas cheer to less fortunate children in the local area. They donated a large supply of toys and gifts to the Bolton Lions' Christmas appeal, which will be given to children aged 0-18 across the town.

In the Boys' Division, pupils enjoyed musical performances from young talented musicians during assembly. Brother and sister duo No Wahala performed 'Earned It' by The Weekend and 'Trip' by Ella Mai, while Youth Concept played two original songs, Crazy and Bianca. Click the links to watch their performances.

Girls' Division pupils in Year 7 earlier this year completed a sponsored silence in order to help Hits Radio's Mission Christmas Appeal. They have already raised £3,700, with more still to come in! The money collected so far was spent during an exciting 'trolley dash' at Smyths toy store at Middlebrook, and the toys and gifts the girls chose will be donated to the appeal.

Christmas festivities officially began with the first Bolton School nativity of the year, which was performed by the Nursery Class and Nursery children in the Butterfly room. 'Whoops-A-Daisy Angel' told the story from the point of view of an angel who is a little different from all the others, but still manages to be the heroine of Christmas.

Year 7 pupil Mabelle has been selected for the GB Home Nations squad for 2019 following her recent 6th place finish in Great Britain in a National Gymnastics competition! She is also the North West champion for her age group.

Four Girls' Division pupils helped the Lancashire U15s to win a tournament in York.

Parents in the Boys' Division received valuable advice about the university application process from guest speaker Bernard Strutt, Head of UK/EU student recruitment at the University of Manchester. This evening event was organised by the Boys' Division Parents' Association as part of their Teenage Journey series of talks.