Primary Division Review 2022-23 by Bolton School

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION 2022/2023

Contents Primary Division From the Head of Primary Division

Primary Division

Infants

Junior Girls

Junior Boys

From the Head of Junior Girls

From the Head of Junior Boys

Curiosity

Art

Creativity

Compassion

Drama

Commitment

Music

Challenge

Around School

Collaboration

Sport

From the Head of Infants

Sharing Stories

School Life The Natural World Sport

Special Occasions

Communication

Charity

Thinking of Others

Celebration

Trips and Visits

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION

From the Head of Primary Division I am always excited to see the annual review and this year is no exception. The quantity and quality of the very many exciting opportunities that all of our children enjoy from our Pre-School class all the way up to Year 6 is truly amazing, but perhaps more impressive still is the energy, enthusiasm and commitment they have for everything that they do in school. For me this year, the main highlight was watching the children perform in the amazing setting of Bridgewater Hall. Seeing our Beech House children on stage alongside sixth formers was a true delight and something which I am sure they and their parents will remember for many years to come. I definitely had a tear in my eyes as the Primary Division Choir performed for us. Alongside the many pictures and text in this review, there are some QR codes which may help you to relive some of those favourite memories too. As I go about my day, visiting each part of Primary Division I am always struck by the children’s engagement, kindness and understanding of one another which is perhaps reflected in the real sense of community which exists in each of our schools and also in the great success of our charitable work. So, whether children are working with their class, their year group, their school or across the wider Primary Division, they do so with an attitude of fun and engagement which makes me very proud indeed. Our aim at Bolton School is to prepare our pupils to lead a happy and fulfilled life and to make a difference for good in the wider community – the images and words in this annual review are a perfect summary of how in the Primary Division we set our children on that path. Mrs Sue Faulkner

Watch the Bridgewater Hall Gala Concert END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Primary Division Alumni of the Year Primary Division pupils this year voted in the first ever Alumni of the Year Awards! After hearing about the ways in which all of the inspirational nominees have made valuable contributions to society, pupils across the Junior and Senior Schools voted and two clear winners emerged. Old Boy of the Year: Sir Philip Craven Old Girl of the Year: Dr Sheila Fisher Outstanding Achievement Awards: Rebecca Turner Max Griffiths & Sam Yates Watch the joint Junior and Senior Schools Assembly about the Alumni of the Year.

Bags to Malawi Pupils from across the Bolton School Foundation gave stationery, toiletries, Primary Division uniforms and cuddly toys to fill bags for over one hundred orphans in Malawi. For some time, the Junior Girls have been fundraising to build a school for street children in Malawi, led by teacher Mrs Marsden. However, a chat with parent Mr David Armstrong revealed that he too was opening a school in Malawi: Chunzu Primary School! Mrs Marsden decided to get the whole of Bolton School to lend a hand with donations for the children. After bags were filled and named, each class wrote a short letter to ‘their’ orphan to wish them all the best at their new school and in life. Hamper Challenge The Primary Division played a vital part in helping the Bolton School Foundation to smash this year’s donation target for the annual Urban Outreach Christmas Dinner on Jesus campaign! Bolton School donated over 2,848 selection boxes for Christmas Hampers.

Bridgewater Hall Gala Concert 600 musicians and performers from across the Bolton School Foundation, including children in the Primary Division from Years 2 to 6, came together for the Bridgewater Hall Gala Concert. The evening began with a performance of Bach’s dramatic ‘Toccata and Fugue’ from the Foundation’s Massed Ensemble, made up of pupils from the Infant School, Junior Schools, Senior Schools and Sixth Forms. The Primary Division Choir brought a tear to many an eye when they performed Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Sing’, and Primary Division pupils were also involved in the Massed Finale: an emotive and uplifting version of Elbow’s ‘One Day Like This’. The concert was a triumphant return to this prestigious venue, which was last used for a Bolton School performance in 2019, before the Covid pandemic. 4

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Anti-Bullying Ambassadors Junior Boys and Junior Girls in Year 5 took part in The Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying Ambassador Training Programme, which was hosted by Bolton School in October. Through presentations, short films and interactive assignments, they developed a greater understanding of bullying behaviour and learned how to support those who experience it. Pupils made an action plan and committed to their roles as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. They left determined to promote zero tolerance policies and help others in need.

Helping Bolton Hospice Pupils from throughout the Primary Division brought joy to the patients, families and staff at Bolton Hospice by creating and donating beautiful garden planters. Representatives from the Infant and Junior Schools volunteered at the Hospice and helped plant flowers and shrubs in the Hospice’s Wellbeing Hub for visitors. The donation was part of the ‘Big Help Out’ volunteering initiative organised as part of King Charles III’s Coronation celebrations.

Careers Carousel Alumni returned to share the world of work with Junior School pupils in Year 6 at the annual Careers Carousel. The Junior Boys walked over to Hesketh House to join their Junior Girls’ School peers for four sessions across the afternoon. Mobeen Qureshi (Class of 2009) talked to pupils about his work as a Trauma and Orthopaedic surgeon and more generally about careers in medicine. He also briefly mentioned his recent appearance on the third series of the BBC’s ‘Race Across the World’. Alisha Patel (Class of 2011) shared her work as the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre Manager, discussing what research is and why it’s needed as well as conducting a ‘double blind clinical trial’. Dave Woods (Class of 1985) spoke about how he became the BBC’s Rugby League Correspondent and what it is like to cover the sport for BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Online. Pupils also learned about skills and qualities with Miss Jones, the Head of Careers and Head of Business in the Girls’ Division. The afternoon was a huge success and the Junior Boys and Junior Girls were excited to hear from this diverse group of alumni about the paths they had taken after leaving Bolton School.

Children in Need The Primary Division wore yellow, colourful spots and Pudsey accessories to raise money for Children in Need! The Infants and Junior Girls held special assemblies all about the work that their donations will fund, while the Junior Boys learned more about the charity’s vital work as part of activities taking place throughout the day. The Junior Girls were invited to bring their teddies for the day to join in the fun!

Creative Thinking Gallery Year 6 boys and girls shared their creative learning through a Creative Thinking Gallery Review. Pupils carried out inquiry projects in Science, English Literature and Language, History and Art, which were presented to a broad audience as part of the assessment process. They shared their learning with Infants and Year 3 pupils, and enjoyed being quizzed by subject experts, headteachers, deputy heads and visiting teachers. This was real-world learning at its best: mastery of learning through teaching others, stretch and challenge from experts, and applying learning to teachers’ professional development forums!

Coronation Song Children across the Primary Division at Bolton School learned a new song for the coronation of King Charles III. The Infants, Junior Girls and Junior Boys really enjoyed singing ‘To the Sound of Trumpets’, which was written in honour of the occasion. With a little ‘movie magic’, their separate performances were brought together for everyone to watch online! ‘Dandy’ Author Old Girl Stephanie Sorrell returned to Bolton School to speak to pupils about her debut book, ‘Dandy the Highway Lion’. She talked to children from across the Primary Division about her writing, and about living on board a boat and sailing around the world! She described how the story of ‘Dandy’ came about, the inspiration behind it, and the 4 ½ year writing process. She also led a short workshop on character creation and answered lots of audience questions before holding a book signing session.

END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

ESSA Cadet Water Polo Championships At the end of June, the Junior Boys and Girls joined forces to compete together in this prestigious competition. They had a very successful day, with the red team winning the event and the green team finishing in third place! As well as being delighted to bring home the trophy, both teams also gained a lot of experience and significantly developed all aspects of their play. Eco School Status Eco Committee representatives from across the Bolton School Foundation presented an overview of their work from the previous year to the Governors in October. This was part of a celebration to mark the award of a prestigious Eco Schools’ Green Flag to the Junior Boys’ School, Boys’ Division and Girls’ Division. Pupils displayed their work and confidently discussed the different projects and events, including beekeeping, garden centre trips, planting trees and potatoes, picking up litter, recycling and meat-free Thursdays. Students also participated in the Earthshot Prize, which is designed to incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next 10 years. The Junior Girls were also awarded the Green Flag later in the year. Remembrance Children throughout the Primary Division remembered the service and sacrifice of the armed forces at thoughtful Remembrance Assemblies in November. The Junior Boys shared their own personal stories about relatives who had fought in wars and lay wreaths by the school’s memorial planter. The Junior Girls’ assembly was led by Year 6 pupils, who explained to both pupils and family members why the poppy has become a symbol of Remembrance. At Beech House, the Infants watched the CBeebies ‘Poppies’ film and learned to recite the poem ‘Poppy, Poppy’ as well as thinking about how we can all treat each other with kindness.

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION

Harvest Giving The Bolton School community donated food and produce to Harvest Collections in support of local charity Urban Outreach. Representatives from Urban Outreach attended the three separate Harvest Assemblies held by the Infants, Junior Girls and Junior Boys to share with pupils and their families how the food will help those in need in the local community. The assemblies all focused on the importance of giving back. Dave Bagley from Urban Outreach said: ‘In a world where you can be anything – be kind!’ Inaugural Hulton Lecture The Hulton Lecture is a new Primary Division lecture series aimed at pupils in Year 6 and their families. Old Boy Rob Dobson was the inaugural guest speaker: he spoke about engineers and how they solve the world’s problems. Rob’s address also covered the challenges the planet faces and how engineers can help, the history of engineering and computers, how he became an engineer and what skills are useful in this career. He inspired the audience of young people to be curious, keep learning and use their imagination to solve problems. The Hulton Lecture is named in recognition of the Hulton Charity Trust, which has numerous links with Bolton School. The lecture series complements the Boys’ Division Tillotson Lecture and Girls’ Division Platt Fisher Lecture. Reach for the Stars To celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week, the Nursery, Infants, Junior Boys and Junior Girls came together to sing ‘Reach For The Stars’!

Patterdale Junior Boys and Junior Girls in all year groups had a fantastic time in the Lake District in the Summer Term. Each school travelled up separately, one year group at a time, to visit Patterdale Hall, the School’s outdoor learning centre on the shores of Lake Ullswater. Once there, they had a fantastic time with so many outdoor learning and skill building activities! These included geography hikes, sailing, canoeing, archery, team building exercises on the ropes course, paddleboarding, rock climbing, gorge walking and much more! As well as having lots of fun, the boys and girls developed vital life skills like teamwork, organisation and self-motivation.

END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

From the Head of Infants Welcome to the section of our Primary Division which provides you with a little peek into our Infant School setting, Beech House. At Beech House we provide a learning environment which ensures a wide range of opportunities for the academic and personal development of every child, and which stimulates and motivates our children to achieve with success and enjoyment. Our school is a happy, friendly and exciting place to learn and develop the foundations of important life skills. Our dynamic teaching methods and aspirational ethos foster in our children a lifelong love and zest for learning, self-esteem and a ‘can do’ attitude. Our curriculum is inspiring, child led and often extends outside of the classroom with visits to museums, castles, beaches and beyond! We have extensive and well-equipped grounds at Bolton School to enhance our curriculum, which enables our children to explore the natural world surrounding them in our outdoor learning, wildlife and forest areas. As they enter our magical woodland, imaginations are ignited, new skills are learnt and wellbeing is prioritised. Our children can improve their sporting ability and team work skills in our Multi Use Games Area and love the special opportunities to explore and develop new skills that belonging to the Bolton School family creates. Sports Club in the Senior School Sports Hall is very exciting and lots of fun for our infant children! Beech House is a school that values close partnerships and engagement with parents. Our children and parents are at the heart of all we do. In our nurturing, caring and loving school, our children thrive! Enjoy this celebration of friendship, fun and learning from our Beech House family. Mrs Jo Field 8

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION

Nativities Performances of the Nativity delighted parents in December. The children put on a show for audiences of parents and family members in the last two weeks of term. Everyone did a wonderful job learning lines, lyrics and dance moves to tell their version of the Christmas story. Reception and Pre-School

Sharing Stories

Class Nativity:

Year 1 Nativity:

International Women’s Day Beech House embraced equity for International Women’s Day 2023. Equity can be defined as ‘giving everyone what they need to be successful’: the children learned about this throughout the day and shared their big dreams for the future with one another.

Sharing Stories Year 1 children enjoyed sharing their favourite stories with the PreSchool class. As well as reading together, they introduced one another to their favourite teddy bears!

Year 2 Nativity:

Reading with Daisy Daisy the Pets As Therapy dog visited Beech House throughout the year. As the school’s reading pet pal, the children enjoyed sharing stories (as well as lots of cuddles!) with her.

Greta and the Giants Inspired by their reading of ‘Greta and the Giants’, the children made their own placards and staged a peaceful protest in school to share the message to protect our planet!

Nursery Rhymes Week Reception and the Pre-School Class took part in World Nursery Rhyme Week. They learned to sing the rhymes and shared them with families at home. They also performed their favourites in assembly, with instruments, actions and dance moves.

World Book Day Children and teachers at Beech House came into school dressed as their favourite characters on World Book Day! A whole school ‘book swap’ allowed everyone to share the stories they love with one another. Special visitors, including Head of Foundation Mr Britton, also came into school to share books with the children! END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

School Life

Fiery Artwork An art workshop with Mr Minta from the Junior Boys’ School helped Year 1 to expand their learning on the Great Fire of London. They explored warm and analogous colours to represent the flames using collaging skills, then made house silhouettes using black card. They also created their own 1666 street!

French Singing On a memorable day in October, children from Beech House sang a song in French to the French National Rugby Team, who were visiting the School to use the rugby pitches for training. They also introduced themselves to the team in French. Bravo les enfants! Watch the children’s song:

European Day of Languages The children at Beech House learned to sing and sign a song in French for European Day of Languages. Children’s Mental Health Week The whole school took part in activities for Children’s Mental Health Week. They created glittery calm jars to help them to focus and relax their minds, took a moment to breathe while making bead charms, and enjoyed mindful colouring, yoga and Cosmic Kids visualisations.

Easter Egg Hunt All of the children went on an Easter Egg Hunt in the woodland area. Reception children were also lucky to be visited by two adorable Easter bunnies. 10

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Maths Masterclass The children enjoyed using and applying their mathematical knowledge at the Maths Masterclass. They used mental maths, reasoning about number, pattern spotting and extending sequences.

Great Fire of London Year 1 children were transported back to 1666 to experience what life was like during the time of the Great Fire of London.

Imagine That Children in Reception visited Imagine That Science and Discovery Centre for a day of science investigations.

Safer Internet Day Everyone learned how to stay safe on the internet as part of Safer Internet Day by reading the story ‘Chicken Clicking’ by Jeanne Willis. The children created artwork based on the story and posters to help others understand both the positive aspects of the internet and its dangers.

Instrument Introductions Workshops gave children the opportunity to learn about many different musical instruments, including ‘Bella’ the Double Bass!

Turton Tower Year 1 visited Turton Tower in the run-up to Christmas. It was a festive morning of making cornucopias and potpourri decorations and playing Victorian games before storytime with Father Christmas himself. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

The Natural World

Lancashire Hawks and Owls Year 1 were excited to receive a visit from some owls. They learned lots of facts and the children even had the opportunity to hold an owl. This first-hand learning experience engaged and enthused the children all week.

Brockholes Nature Reserve Year 1 had a fantastic trip to Brockholes Nature Reserve in June. They took part in workshops developing their map reading skills and knowledge of plants, and even spotted some characters from their favourite story in the Deep Dark Woods!

Reindeer Visit At the end of the Autumn Term, children in the PreSchool Class had the opportunity to meet two real reindeer who dropped in to Beech House. They were able to learn facts about reindeer while stroking Dancer and Prancer, and even got to hold real shed antlers.

Dinosaur Visitor Year 2 had fun learning about dinosaurs. They became palaeontologists and excavated bones, created foil dinosaurs and skeletons and even used their maths skills to calculate how many human footprints would fit into a dinosaur footprint.

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION

Wellbeing Welly Walk As part of the Children’s Mental Health Week activities, the children went outdoors and explored the wooded area on a Wellbeing Welly Walk. They combined the skills of curiosity, collaboration and communication whilst learning outdoors. Year 2 children looked back on an adventurous walk and captured how they were feeling: positive, excited, joyful, tired, happy, calm, relaxed and grateful were words that cropped up again and again!

Sport

Tennis Academy Year 1 enjoyed working on their tennis skills with Wayne from Bolton Arena Tennis Academy.

Gymnastics The children took part in a gymnastics competition which showed their determination and resilience in training sessions at school and lots of practice at home. Medals were awarded for high scores in the vault and floor routines.

Sports Clubs The after-school Sports Club were wonderful opportunities for the children to develop their skills in a range of sports.

Year 1 Football Festival In February, the Year 1 football team played a number of matches against Year 1 pupils from other primary schools, showing teamwork and perseverance. They had four wonderful wins!

Fabulous Football A team of Year 2 children had fun at a football event organised in partnership with Bolton Wanderers, Key PE Sports and Ladybridge Football Club. They took park in a ‘target practice’ activity before playing in 3v3 matches.

Sports Days Friendship and fun in the sun at the year group sports days. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Special Occasions Coronation Week Beech House took part in the celebrations around the Coronation of King Charles with a whole week of activities! The children dressed up as monarchs or in red, white and blue, crafted their own crowns, and painted pictures of the new King. They also enjoyed making delicious coronation biscuits, sandwiches, pizzas and scones! A card designed by the children was also delivered to the King, congratulating him on his coronation.

El Bubblio The Parents’ Association organised a superb visit from El Bubblio. This fun afternoon in the Summer Term also included traditional games, ice creams and lots of laughter.

Chinese New year The Chinese New Year celebrations involved lots of dancing, crafting, writing and imagining. The children learned about the story of the Chinese Zodiac, watched a Chinese ballet performance, and enjoyed listening to the Junior Boys singing a song in Mandarin. 14

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Mother’s Day Children in all year groups entertained their mums, grandmas and special people at a celebration assembly for Mother’s Day. They shared a song they had learned for the occasion.

Grandparents’ Day The children invited a special person from their family into school to celebrate Grandparents’ Day.

Father’s Day Excited dads, granddads and special people gathered in the Beech House Hall to watch the Father’s Day assemblies presented by the children. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Thinking of Others A Sprinkle of Kindness Children and parents at Beech House gifted an impressive collection of products and funds for local children and families who are less fortunate. Teacher and Old Girl Miss Amani Niaz, who organised the campaign, said: ‘I bought lots of warm clothes from Primark and we went to Smyths Toys at Middlebrook to purchase toys for lots of children. Smyths kindly donated some gifts to us. There have been many trips to Asda for food and Home Bargains for toiletries. We will be donating to Chorley New Road Primary School, St James Primary School in Gorton and Haslam Park Primary School in Bolton. The Sprinkle of Kindness appeal has been growing and growing each year with the generous donations from parents, children and my colleagues at Beech House and my family and

Handmade Christmas Cards Beech House children donated 200 handmade Christmas Cards to be delivered along with parcels to elderly residents in Bolton who would be spending Christmas alone.

Poppy Appeal Bolton School raised £1,410.91 for the Poppy Appeal in 2022. friends. I want to say a huge thank you to them for their support. It’s heart-warming to know that many families will have food and clothes this winter and children will have something to open this Christmas.’

Jump Xtreme The children raised money for charity with a sponsored bounce at Jump Xtreme! The funds went to support the School’s Malawi charity efforts.

Tea at the Riley Year 2 children entertained elderly guests at the Tea at the Riley tea party hosted by the Girls’ Division Sixth Form. They sang a special song for the audience as they enjoyed their afternoon tea. There was even a great-grandma in the audience for the occasion! 16

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION

Earthquake Aid The Parents’ Association organised a sweet sale after school to raise funds for Save the Children and the DEC Appeal to help provide aid in Turkey and Syria following the earthquake in February. A total of £348.40 was raised.

Spreading Kindness The children spread kindness across the Bolton School Foundation to share the ‘Let’s Connect’ theme of Children’s Mental Health Week with everyone.

From the Head of Junior Girls As ever, this review is only a snapshot of life in our School, but as such I think it really encapsulates so much of what we are about at Hesketh House. Our section of this publication is organised with reference to our Hesketh Habits, which run through everything we do and are always highlighted in our school activities. This focus on the development of key characteristics, skills and attributes, which are crucial for life in the modern world, is something we work hard on and are incredibly proud of. In April we had our official school inspection from ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate), alongside the Girls’ Division. We were delighted to be judged as ‘Excellent’, the top grade that can be awarded, with pupils being described as ‘highly articulate with excellent communication skills’. The girls were noted to be ‘highly motivated, with outstanding attitudes to learning’ and comment was made about the ‘high levels of knowledge, skills and understanding at all ages’ and the ‘high levels of success in diverse extra-curricular activities’. We were praised for the pupils’ personal and social development, with the girls being recognised as self-confident, respectful and tolerant, with a strong sense of community. The collaboration between pupils was also highlighted as a significant strength. We were absolutely delighted with the report findings, which so accurately reflect what we see every day in Hesketh House.

As a parent looking through this booklet, you will no doubt flick through and look first for reports of all of the events that your child was involved in; girls too will no doubt be in search of their photograph! However, once you have done this quick first look, please do also take time to read about everything else that has been going on, as it provides a wonderful summary of our busy, productive and fun-filled school year. There are, of course, many other things that have taken place too, but there was only a limited amount of space we could fill – apologies if we have missed out one of your favourite activities! Finally, I would take this opportunity to thank the staff at Hesketh House, who work so hard to provide a huge range of experiences for our girls, both in and out of the classroom. The success of our school is down to their dedication and commitment, and I am very grateful for their considerable efforts. Mrs Carol Laverick

Hesketh House Habits Curiosity

Creativity

Compassion

Commitment

Challenge

Collaboration

Communication

Celebration END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Curiosity

Chester Zoo Year 5 visited Chester Zoo to further develop their understanding of their work on the Amazon Rainforest. They enjoyed an informative workshop as well as having time to explore the zoo.

NWGT Maths Masterclass A small number of girls from Years 5 and 6 were involved in Maths Masterclasses in the Autumn and Spring Terms. One of the activities involved exploring the binary number system, which the girls found very interesting. Tatton Park Year 3 travelled back in time to the Neolithic period with a visit to Tatton Park. They learned how to create a fire and build a Stone Age shelter, made daub and tried to stick it to wattle, and looked at artefacts such as flint and arrow heads. Using tools similar to those available in Neolithic times, they tried to plant wheat seeds. They enjoyed their day and also gained a greater understanding of life in Neolithic Britain.

Stockport Air Raid Shelters Year 6 experienced life during the Second World War on a trip to Stockport Air Raid Shelters. They learned about communities pulling together in times of national difficulty, and were able to get hands-on experience in the shelters and museum.

Viking Visit A visit from a Viking helped girls in Year 4 learn all about life in Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Polly Ho-Yen Author Talk Year 6 heard from author Polly Ho-Yen about her book ‘How I Saved The World in a Week’, which was one of the books shortlisted for the 2023 Bolton Children’s Fiction Award. Year 6 voted for their favourite of the nominated books alongside pupils from primary and secondary schools across Bolton. 18

BOLTON SCHOOL PRIMARY DIVISION

Quarry Bank Mill Year 6 enriched their understanding of the Victorian Era with a visit to Quarry Bank Mill. They experienced life in the Apprentice House and learned about the living conditions and duties expected of young children. This really brought to life the learning they had already done in the classroom.

Egyptology at Bolton Museum Year 4 spent a fascinating day exploring many aspects of Ancient Egyptian culture and rituals as part of their history study in October. Bolton Museum and Art Gallery offered a splendid setting and the mummification workshop was both engaging and full of participation for these eager young minds! They were fascinated to learn more about the chronology, artefacts, religion and the importance of the River Nile to these ancient peoples. Roman Workshop Year 4 were recruited for the Roman Legion for a day of exciting interactive workshops! Joining the ranks of the Roman army, they were drilled to respond to commands and learned about the structure of the Roman military. In a hands-on session, they made clay oil lamps and played a Roman board game: Tabla Lusarius. They also worked as archaeologists by examining and sketching artefacts.

Eurovision Day This year the annual Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Day became Eurovision Languages Day in honour of the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine. The girls learned more about Ukrainian culture from Miss Eccleshare, their specialist languages teacher, and heard about the folk music influences in the 2022 winning entry ‘Stefania’ by Kalush Orchestra. Each class was then given a country to represent and spent the rest of the day learning more about their selected country through research and activities. They prepared presentations about the country itself, learned about the history and culture, and started learning a song in the country’s language to share with the rest of the school.

Creativity

Following the Creativity Trail Girls in all years groups explored their creativity as part of termly House Days. An outdoor Creativity Trail at the Anderton Centre saw them develop their writing in a natural setting, while in the Art Room they tried their hands at silk painting.

Architecture Day Year 5 took part in a fantastic architecture workshop, where they made a Saxon Roundhouse and a Viking Longship. Using only bamboo and elastic bands to make basic shapes, they then built them up into complex structures. As well as enhancing their History work, the girls also learned more about structures and building with strong shapes.

Travelling by Tuba The whole school was whisked away on a musical journey by Travelling by Tuba! They travelled around the world, learning about all sorts of different and unusual instruments. There was an extra treat for Year 3: a second workshop on Samba music which led to them performing for the rest of the school later in the day. Music Recitals Two Music Recitals at the end of the summer term allowed musicians in all year groups to show off their talents. The girls performed a wide range of pieces on the two evenings, much to the enjoyment of the captivated audiences!

Dance Festival A group of dancers enjoyed performing on stage at the Albert Halls as part of the Bolton Schools’ Dance Festival. They practised hard leading up to the show and were delighted with their final performance.

Informal Concert This musical evening showcased excellent performances on a range of instruments from girls in Years 4, 5 and 6. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Compassion

Charity Day The Year 6 girls raised a whopping £967.32 at their annual Charity Day! The girls organised stalls selling tasty treats, games and pampering sessions for the younger students to enjoy, and the morning was spent having fun on the playground. In the afternoon, the whole school took part in a sponsored run, silence and danceathon!

Recycle 4 Greater Manchester The Eco Club visited Recycle 4 Greater Manchester for a session learning about the importance of placing items into the correct coloured bin. However, the highlight of the trip was a tour of the working site to see first-hand how rubbish from burgundy bins is sorted so that it can be recycled.

Red Nose Day Girls raised money for Comic Relief by coming to school dressed in red in exchange for making a donation.

Crafting for Charity On House Days this year the girls took part in crafty charity projects. They made cards and decorated biscuits, which were then sold to raise money for the school’s project to build a school in Malawi.

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Eco Activities The girls took some time on House Days to think about the environment though eco activities, such as upcycling rubbish into decorations through crafting. They also enjoyed a fun workshop all about bees and a special visit from part of the Boys’ Division hive!

Quiz Club Competition The Quiz Club took part in the area heats of the Quiz Club Competition. They faced three rounds of challenging questions across a range of subjects, including naming elements of the periodic table, identifying composers, sculptors and vocalists, calculating complicated equations and describing the locations of countries or monuments. The girls worked brilliantly in their teams and thoroughly enjoyed the event, while also engaging a number of their Hesketh Habits.

Commitment Arctic Explorer Alex Hibbert visited school to speak to girls about his expeditions to the North Pole and Arctic Circle, including several encounters with polar bears! He shared the different ways he and his team have travelled in the Arctic Circle and also talked about overcoming setbacks and persevering.

Town Hall Visit Form and Vice Captains and members of the School Council had a fascinating afternoon at the Town Hall, where they even met the Mayor. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were pleased to have been invited.

Music Festival The Junior Girls’ Music Festival allowed musicians from Years 3 to 6 to showcase their talents in front of an audience. Both performers and audience very much enjoyed the festival, and the winners from each musical class went on to play in a Celebration Concert. EPSCA National Chess Semi-Finals A team of chess players from the Junior Girls’ School made it to the semi-finals of the national EPSCA competition this year! They faced fierce competition and challenging matches at this weekend event, but enjoyed the experience and developed their chess skills significantly.

Primary Maths Challenge Some girls in Years 5 and 6 took part in the Primary Maths Challenge. Certificates were given out to the highest scorers: 10 girls received Gold, 12 achieved Silver and 9 were awarded Bronze.

Bikeability Girls in year 6 really enjoyed their Bikeability sessions in May, with everyone passing the Level 1 course and many going on to achieve their Level 2 award. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Challenge UKMT Junior Maths Challenge A group of 20 girls took part in this mathematical competition, and were delighted with their results. Eight girls received Bronze Awards, and the school’s top scorer earned herself a Gold Award!

AJIS Indoor Sportshall Athletics A strong team of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils took part in this annual, national competition. The girls brought home a number of medals: Gold in the Year 5 Javelin (which also set a new AJIS Record!), Year 5 Balance, Year 5 Long Jump and Year 5 Chest Push; Silver in the Year 5 Speedbounce; and Bronze in the Year 5 Three Lap Sprint.

Introduction to Sailing Year 6 girls spent time at the Anderton Centre learning how to sail. Despite challenging weather at times, the girls returned from their adventures on the water with smiles on their faces.

Pop Lacrosse A small number of Year 4 pupils were delighted to be invited to take part in a lacrosse festival, which helped them to develop their skills in the sport.

Ski Club A group of Year 5 girls enjoyed skiing lessons at the Chill Factore on Thursday evenings throughout the year. 22

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Bebras Challenge All of the girls took part in this year’s UK Bebras Computing Challenge. This is organised across the world and designed to get pupils excited about computing. Each participant had to answer questions focused on computational and logical thinking.

Collaboration

AJIS Quiz A team of six girls answered a huge variety of questions at the AJIS Quiz, tackling topics such as coding, flags, Disney characters, calculating angles, naming films from emojis, and even animal noises! The final round tested their engineering skills when they were asked to create a marble run using just paper and tape. ESSA Swimming Swimmers in Year 5 and 6 competed in the ESSA Primary Championship (North West) in April. The team came first in the Freestyle Relay and second in the Medley Relay, which meant that they earned a place in the next stage of the competition.

AJIS Netball Teams from Hesketh House took part in the AJIS Netball competition. The A Team won all but one of their group games, earning them a spot in the Cup Competition! They came 4th overall in a competition of 20 teams: an excellent achievement. The B Team also played well in the first round and made their way to the Plate Competition, where they were knocked out in the quarter finals. Another team played in the Year 4 tournament in April, where they were runners-up in the Plate competition.

AJIS Cross Country Girls in the Year 5 and Year 6 Cross Country teams ran very well at the AJIS Championships held at Rossall School in September. The course was challenging, but the conditions were good and there were some pleasing results.

Outdoor Learning On each of this year’s three House Days, girls took part in a range of outdoor learning activities on school grounds, developing teamwork and communication. Everyone enjoyed working with pupils from other classes and year groups in these sessions!

AJIS Cricket Two teams took part in the AJIS Cricket competition. The U11 team made it to the semi-final of the Cup Competition! The U10 team were runners up in the Plate Competition: a particularly impressive feat for a team made up of Year 3 and 4 pupils!

Cross Country Successes The Bolton Schools’ Cross Country Championship rounded off a term of excellent running from the Hesketh House team! The girls achieved their best set of places of the term in the one-off Championship: an excellent way to round out their cross country efforts. The results from the League competition were also announced: the girls achieved silver medals for second place!

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Communication Eurovision Song Contest The whole school competed in a miniature Eurovision Song Contest following work that began on the girls’ annual Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Day. After several weeks of learning songs and difficult pronunciations, practising dances and speeches, and tweaking visuals and greenscreen videos, the girls were ready and the hall was buzzing as the whole school gathered for the Grand Final! The girls took a moment to remember that the UK hosted Eurovision 2023 on Ukraine’s behalf due to war before the performances began. Each class gave a presentation on a different European country: Germany, Spain, Estonia, Czechia (Czech Republic), France, Poland, Netherlands and Italy. They then sang a song in that country’s language and the judges (Head of Primary Division Mrs Faulkner, Primary Division Governor Mrs Bailey and former Girls’ Division Head of MFL Mrs Shafiq) had the difficult task of choosing first, second and third place: 1st: 6F Czechia - ‘Holka Modrooká’ 2nd: 3C Spain - ‘La Gaita Pajarona’ 3rd: 6G Poland - ‘Mopsik klopsik’ Diwali Dance Workshops Girls in all classes had fun in dance workshops that introduced them to The Ramayana: an important story retold by Hindus as part of their Diwali celebrations. The girls then learned and performed a traditional dance that follows the tale from beginning to end.

Drama Workshops Year 5 girls explored elements of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in drama workshops in June. 24

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National Poetry Day The theme this year was Environment: taking inspiration from Sally Crabtree’s poem ‘Word Bird’, Year 4 girls composed a rhyming poem to show how the Word Bird created a wonderful Earth which everyone must look after and shared it in morning assembly. The poem also linked with verb work in English Grammar.

Street Dancers Perform The Street Dance club gave performances at the end of each term for parents. The dancers showed off all the things they had learned throughout the term and these were entertaining occasions for all.

World Book Day The playground was populated by a cast of colourful characters who had stepped out of the pages of the girls’ favourite books! As well as dressing up, the girls shared the story of their chosen character with one another, and enjoyed watching the film version of ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’, Charlie Mackesy’s wonderful tale of friendship, courage, kindness and compassion. A Book Fair also provided the opportunity to pick up some new reading material.

Celebration

Leavers’ Celebration The Parents’ Association organised a lovely evening for Year 6 pupils ahead of them moving on to secondary school. The girls were also presented with special hoodies to mark the occasion.

Once Upon A Time The girls put on a spectacular show in their Summer Concert. A combination of music, poetry, narration and dance entertained the audience.

ISI Inspection Report The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) graded the Junior Girls’ School (alongside Bolton School’s Girls’ Division) as ‘Excellent’ in each category following an inspection held in April. ISI inspectors assessed the quality of the education provided and the schools’ compliance with various regulatory standards. All of the latter standards were unequivocally met, whilst the inspectors determined the quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements and of their personal development to be ‘Excellent’. Sue Faulkner, Head of Primary Division, said: ‘I am delighted that the efforts of Carol Laverick and her colleagues have been recognised so fulsomely in the inspectors’ report. The inspectors’ observation that our Junior Girls’ pupils ‘develop a depth of understanding which is often well beyond that expected of their age’ is testament to their collective dedication and commitment, whilst the inspectors’ recognition of the positive impact of the ‘Hesketh House Habits’ upon the girls’ academic and social development is also particularly heartening.’

Sports Day The sun shone for a glorious afternoon of fun and competition for Sports Day! This was a great opportunity for parents to enjoy the event and support their children in their sporting endeavours. Congratulations to this year’s winning House: Buttermere.

Hosanna Rock! The Junior Girls presented ‘Hosanna Rock!’ as their Christmas Concert. This uplifting combination of readings, recitations and songs told the Christmas story, beginning with the whole school singing ‘Little Drummer Boy’. The programme also featured the Year 3 girls dancing as sheep and stars, the Italian carol ‘Dormi Dormi’, the whole school singing and dancing to ‘Unto Us A Child Is Born’, and of course ‘Hosanna Rock!’ as the finale. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

From the Head of Junior Boys Park Road has been a hive of activity since day one! The opportunities to learn, develop, compete, perform and have fun came thick and fast. When I look back over this academic year, I cannot quite believe what we have managed to fit in. This of course equates to a very busy school, but it is so much more than just a busy school. The enthusiasm, energy and positivity of the boys has come through in every lesson, extra-curricular activity, fixture or performance they have taken part in. Of course, there are always stand out moments and events in an academic year: Patterdale Hall, the Christmas Carol Service and the Spring Concert certainly stand out. However, it is the myriad of other opportunities that have really taken me aback. The Verse Speaking Competition, the Music Festival, the House sports: all of these events and performances give our boys a chance to develop their character, find a passion and build self-esteem. I have been incredibly proud of our boys. There is a ‘can do attitude’ that runs through the culture of the school. Of course, these opportunities would not be in place were it not for our staff who constantly give their all for the good of the boys. The end of the academic year always means saying some goodbyes. We wish our fantastic Year 6 boys all the best as they move on to Senior School or further afield. They ended our year with a wonderful performance of Oliver, typifying the effort and enthusiasm shown throughout their time at Park Road. I am sure they will pop into Park Road from time to time and say hello to their teachers as we inevitably cross paths. I wish all of the boys the best as they move into the new academic year. We hope that you will enjoy this snapshot of life at Park Road! Mr Steve King 26

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Extracurricular Art Psychogeography Club this year looked at alternative ways of mapping our local environment through mindful walking and creating visual maps and soundscapes. Art drop-in sessions were a chance to simply create in the art room, encouraging pupils to explore and develop their own interests and projects. Boys also designed a throne for King Charles’ Coronation!

Creativity, Colour and Culture Year 3 delved into various techniques and the vibrant world of colour theory, developing their pencil work, portraiture and clay work. They focused on visual communication in ancient civilisations through constructing Greek masks, creating clay sculptures and exploring hieroglyphics.

Art AJIS Art Competition Some future architects may have found their calling with several pupils submitting their work and winning prizes in the AJIS Art Competition!

Movement, Nature and Self-Expression Drawing inspiration from Eadweard Muybridge, Year 5s captured the human body in motion through digital drawing, painting, and wire frame sculpture. They also explored trees through drawing, ink blowing and printing with rollers. Students expressed their unique identities through photographic self-portraits, with inspiration Sophie Calle and Cindy Sherman, and created a ‘Gallery of Me’.

Journey of Artistic Exploration Artists in Year 6 dived into a wide range of projects. They created cities of the future after exploring the built environment through technical 3D drawing. A longer-form project looked at the Land Art of Andy Goldsworthy: pupils created their own sculptures outdoors as well as shoebox dioramas. Street-art, graffiti and fashion then became the focus: pupils designed and created a piece of clothing reflecting their identity. They leave Park Road with the skills and spirit of artists!

Holocaust Day The boys had a really interesting and thoughtprovoking day creating art in response to the Holocaust. Working with Caroline Slifkin, the boys explored poems, photographs and artwork created during the Holocaust before creating their own artistic responses. The workshop was generously funded by the Holocaust Educational Trust with support from Bolton ACIS. The artwork went on display at Bolton Library alongside work from other schools. Portraiture and Nature Channelling the spirit of Vincent van Gogh, Year 4 experimented with blending shades and discovered the harmony of complementary colours through self-portraits. They sketched still-life drawings and tried Hapa Zome printing: creating vibrant patterns with natural materials. They also crafted nature-themed tiles from clay. They documented their experiences through photography, fostering self-reflection.

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Drama Year 6 delivered a captivating rendition of Lionel Bart’s renowned musical ‘Oliver!’ The performance exhibited exceptional talent, skilful direction and a unique vision, providing a fresh perspective on the well-known musical. By challenging traditional gender roles, the young male actors showcased their versatility and talent, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. The opening scene unfolded in the iconic workhouse, where the music built up into a pitch-perfect rendition of ‘Food Glorious Food’. Impeccable choreography added to the charismatic and believable portrayal of the scene, particularly during the iconic, ‘Please sir, can I have some more?’ The portrayal of Oliver exuded innocence, effectively capturing his longing for love and belonging throughout the production: his poignant solo ‘Where Is Love?’ moved the audience to tears. The Year 6 boys delivered a performance brimming with energy, emotion, and professionalism. Despite limitations, the set design proved visually pleasing and versatile, seamlessly transitioning between the gritty Victorian streets and the opulent interiors of the upper class. The production also featured outstanding live musical accompaniment on piano and violin. Special thanks are extended to Mrs Brisk, Miss Fletcher, and Mr Porter for their invaluable contributions, and to Miss Ormerod and Mrs Toner for their musical expertise.

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Music

Pop Project The Pop Project band took boys on a musical journey through British culture and history through their performances of classic pop hits. Carol Service The whole school came together for the Carol Service in the Girls’ Division Great Hall. The solo first verse of ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ was a lovely opening to the evening. The boys lifted their voices in whole school carols and the Upper School Choir really enhanced the others with their wonderful descants. The choirs sang ‘Walking in the Air’, ‘The First Noel’ and ‘Bethlehem’ and Year 6 readers shared their passages with confidence and clarity.

African Drums An African drumming workshop with Ian Bamford concluded the Year 5s’ topic about beats from around the world. The boys all had chance to play djembes and learned a variety of rhythms, along with how to produce different sounds on the drums. They put several rhythm patterns together with call and response.

Young Voices Year 6 travelled to the AO Arena to be part of the Young Voices 2023 choir. There were many songs and dance moves to learn but they enjoyed the experience of singing with so many other schools and joining pop artists like Heather Small. Beatboxing and disco lights went down very well!

Ensembles Concert Many boys, adorned with tinsel and festive jumpers, enjoyed hearing the Junior Boys’ various ensembles playing Christmas tunes in the Park Road Hall towards the end of the Autumn Term.

Year Group Concerts Each year group hosted a special concert showcasing the boys’ musical talents, as well as sharing poems and recounting exciting events in the school year. Instruments included piano, drums, guitar, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, violin and even in Year 5 the vibraslap! Year 3 sang a Water Medley, Year 5 performed ‘World Without the Wheel’ and ‘The Truth About the Tudors’ and Year 6 ended their concert with a Weather Medley.

Music Festival The annual Music Festival saw a staggering 111 individual entries! The adjudicator, Mr Andrew Pettitt, gave some great feedback to each performer and was impressed by the level of music happening in school. The Festival culminated in the Ensembles class, followed by the presentation of Best Individual Performance, which went to a ‘magical and moving’ piano rendition of Moonbeams.

Liverpool Philharmonic Year 4 attended the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual concert ‘The Symphonic Time Machine’. They heard lots of wonderful pieces of music that they had studied in lessons and enjoyed singing along with ‘Back in Time for the End of the Song’, which was specially written for the concert. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Around School Lancashire Science Festival A selection of Park Road’s keenest scientists went to the Lancashire Science Festival, where they learned about the science and maths behind Disney Pixar movies and rollercoasters! The boys also spent some time exploring different science displays and talking to real university research scientists. They investigated archaeology, astronomy, coding, virtual reality, microbiology and forensics, giving the boys a taste of the future of science.

Drama Workshops Year 5 enjoyed a two-day drama workshop that culminated in a performance for Year 3 and Year 4 pupils! The boys worked on one of Shakespeare’s plays: ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ or ‘The Tempest’. Their performances depicted key scenes and themes from the plays. Polar Explorer Year 6 boys enjoyed a thoughtprovoking talk from Polar Explorer Alex Hibbert, who shared his previous expeditions in the Arctic and his plans for future travel. He holds a world record for skiing further on an unsupported Arctic journey than anyone in history: a 1374-mile, 113 day ‘Long Haul’ return crossing of a new ice sheet route with a team-mate. He also spoke in detail about his failed attempt to get to the North Pole, his time with Polar Eskimos, visiting the most northerly village on the planet, and ‘amazing’ sled dogs. He told the boys that things do not always go to plan but, when they do go wrong, they should try to make the very best of the situation. Hajj Workshop Year 6 boys attended a very informative Hajj workshop delivered by Imran Kotwal from Muslim Learning. The boys moved around the hall to visit the different pilgrimage sites at Mecca, to replicate the five days of Hajj. Imran spoke from personal experience about these places and gave background information about the reasons for the stages of Hajj in an anecdotal manner, whilst always retaining factual accuracy and suitable respect for the subject matter. The boys completed a worksheet on their ‘travels’ and some boys were able to wear Ihram to add to the experience.

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Eco Committee This year the Eco Committee achieved their second Green Flag Award with Distinction and reached the finals of the South Pennines Park Awards for Young Nature Champions! They shared tips for saving energy and being eco-friendly with the whole school, and conducted a survey on how Park Road pupils travel to school in the hopes of encouraging more cycling and walking. The Committee also encouraged healthier eating and grew an impressive crop of vegetables. Lunchtime ‘Feel Good Friday’ sessions were an opportunity for relaxation, mindful colouring, yoga and guided meditation.

Bikeability Year 6 boys developed their cycling and road safety skills with a Bikeability course in the summer term. They all enjoyed learning more about safely riding their bikes in these valuable sessions.

Maths Challenges Ten keen mathematicians took part in the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Junior Maths Challenge, which tested their maths skills with interesting problems. Excellent performances from three pupils saw them progress to the next stage: the Kangaroo Challenge. All boys received a certificate for their excellent efforts, with two boys achieving merit scores.

Hearing from Lenny Henry The whole of the Junior Boys’ School joined a live, online talk from Sir Lenny Henry about his books: ‘The Boy With Wings’ and ‘The Book of Legends’. Sir Lenny described being an author as entertaining himself and ‘like a computer game you can create yourself with a pencil’. He shared some of the issues he tackles in his books and how they relate to his own life, including the bullying he faced in school. He said that words are important, as evidenced by the Viking characters in ‘The Book of Legends’ who use jokes to fight rather than weapons. He spoke about the importance of writing stories that feature characters who look like him, as the books he read growing up didn’t have any black or brown characters.

Science Masterclass Three Year 4 pupils visited Branwood Preparatory School for a Science Masterclass, where they competed against pupils from other schools in a range of exciting experiments and challenges. This included making the tallest free-standing structure, making observations about candles, investigating custard and its properties, and making a balloon inflate by itself!

Warhammer Club Year 6 teacher Mr Porter set up a Warhammer Club in school, where boys can learn how to build and paint models as well as gain an understanding of the game. Warhammer matches see two players battle it out in a game of strategy and tactics. The hobby is creative, encourages social skills and logical thinking, and develops mathematics skills. Mr Porter is third in the World Rankings (of nearly 35,000 Warhammer players) following last year’s Warhammer International Tournament Circuit (ITC).

R4GM Visit Eco Committee members were invited to Recycle 4 Greater Manchester (R4GM), a site dedicated to sorting the materials that go into our household bins. They learned what should and should not be put into these bins before touring the site and seeing how materials are organised ready for shipping off to various recycling centres.

Ski Lessons Skiers from Park Road worked hard in their lessons at Chill Factore ahead of their ski trip at Easter! All pupils comfortably learned to snowplough and make their way to the top of the slope. Young Writers Published The Young Writers’ A Twist in the Tale – Amazing Creations writing competition got the boys’ creative juices flowing. Despite thousands of entries from across the country, all of the work submitted by the Park Road pupils was accepted for publication. Each boy received a certificate and bookmark and the collection was published in March. A representative from Young Writers said: ‘Having all your pupils’ work chosen is something to be proud of, it doesn’t happen every day! I was impressed by their writing and it’s clear that you have really inspired them with A Twist in the Tale.’

World Book Day A wide range of learning inspired children’s reading on World Book Day. The day began with a book character parade during assembly, and the boys decorated their classroom doors based on favourite books. They joined Zoom calls with authors to learn more about how they get their ideas and write their stories. The afternoon saw boys researching four topics in teams and then completing a Book Day Kahoot! Finally, different teachers visited the boys in their classes to read a favourite story. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Sport AJIS Athletics Four boys from Year 6 travelled to Stretford to take part in the AJIS Athletics competition. They competed in a variety of track and field events throughout the afternoon and, after some fierce competition in all disciplines, the boys made it to a number of finals. They recorded some excellent times and distances.

Bolton Schools’ Cross Country League Throughout the Autumn term, boys from Running Club and the Cross Country Team, competed in the Bolton Schools’ Cross Country League at Moss Bank Park. Over four weeks, boys ran for individual scores as well as a Park Road team score, competing against other primary schools in Bolton. We were delighted to finish the league in second place overall! Well done to all boys who have competed this year, representing Park Road in Cross Country events. 32

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AJIS Tennis Two tennis players from Park Road travelled to King’s Chester in May to take part in the AJIS Tennis Tournament. Both boys exhibited exceptional play, with one finishing third in the Plate competition!

AJIS Cross Country The Cross Country season began with the U10 and U11 teams competing in the annual AJIS Cross Country Championships hosted by Rossall School. The course is always a challenging one, offering a variety of terrain and a windy run along the coast. They were very lucky to have a sunny afternoon and the boys enjoyed both the course and the afternoon itself. All boys competed really well and showed great support for one another as well as the Hesketh House team. Due to a fantastic team score, the U10 team came in 2nd place overall!

ESSA Swimming The U11 Swimming Team travelled to Sheffield to compete in the final of the ESSA Primary Schools’ Team Championships. After a water familiarisation session, the boys competed excellently, swimming a PB in both the medley and the freestyle relay! This was an excellent effort considering the standard and level of swimmers competing from other schools.

Chess Success Chess continues to flourish at Park Road. Eighteen boys competed in the annual AJIS Chess Tournament, which the School hosted in November. The U11 and U9 teams emerged victorious and the U10 team finished second. In June, two chess teams travelled to Nottingham to compete in the EPSCA National Chess Championship Semi-Finals. Both teams played against five other schools, from across the country, in some highly competitive and tactical chess matches. Excellent chess was played by all and, as the dust settled and the results were counted, the A Team finished in fourth place and the B team finished thirteenth, out of twenty-five. A large number of boys regularly representing school in such a positive way is testament to the ongoing popularity of the game. Over 60 boys also competed in the annual in-school chess tournament, playing over two hundred games across the course of the year.

Gymnastics Final Eleven boys qualified for the School’s Gymnastics Final in December. It was a very close-run competition, with some very impressive gymnastics on display: well done to all who took part.

Football Festival Teams from all year groups took part in the Bolton Schools’ Primary Football Festival hosted by the Senior School in May. In the U11 tournament, both the Year 5 and Year 6 teams did extremely well, narrowly missing out on a final between the two! Ultimately, the Year 6 team won the competition.

Lacrosse Taster A selection of Junior Boys joined the Junior Girls for a lacrosse taster session at the Leverhulme Pavilion. This was a great introduction to a new sport!

Lancashire Hockey Champions An U11 hockey team from the Junior Boys’ School won the Lancashire round of England Hockey’s In2Hockey tournament! The ten-man team found themselves up against Kirkham Grammar, Ashbridge, Sedbergh and AKS Lytham, where the games were held. Winning all their matches bar one and conceding only one goal along the way, the boys represented Lancashire in the Regional Final after Easter.

Kids’ Cup The Year 6 football team were runners up in the Bolton Wanderers Kids’ Cup competition. They played exceptionally well throughout the afternoon, winning every game in their group and conceding only three goals! They put in a further two excellent performances on their way to the final, which was very competitive and saw some excellent play from both teams. The boys narrowly missed out on being crowned champions. END OF YEAR REVIEW 2022/2023

Charity Concert Collection The Christmas and Spring Concert collections were for one cause: the Hesketh House Building Together project, which supports the development of a school in Malawi. Fun Run The annual fun run took place in the Summer Term with a collection of cowboys, surfers, footballers, royalty and ‘celebrities’ running around the 400m track. This year Dobson House supported Team Seas, Lever House Diabetes UK, Chadwick House Cancer Research and Crompton House Derian House. The event raised a grand total of £3,500, with half going to the four charities and half going to the Hesketh House Building Together project.

Hello Yellow Hello Yellow is the young person’s support campaign for the Young Minds charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health. Everyone wore yellow for World Mental Health Day and a variety of activities took place throughout the week to raise a total of £362. 34

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The Leverhulme Trust A group of Year 5 boys had the pleasure of meeting the Chief Executive of the Leverhulme Trust and one of the Trustees when they visited Bolton School. The boys shared their learning about Lord Leverhulme, his contributions to Bolton School and his legacy. As part of their study, the boys had made contact with Leverhulme Memorial School on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. The members of the Trust were delighted to hear about this connection and very much enjoyed listening to the boys.

Trips and Visits

VIP CBBC Tour For World Book Day, boys entered the ‘Share a Story’ competition. Boys in Years 3-6 made short video reviews recommending a favourite book. Twelve winners from Park Road were treated to a VIP trip to the BBC studios at Media City! They discovered radio studios, heard about roles in the production control room, and visited studios used for their favourite CBBC shows including Newsround and the CBeebies house!

Quarry Bank Mill A visit to Quarry Bank Mill called for Year 6 to dress in Victorian attire. They learned about jobs at the mill and the harsh working conditions, as well as discovering the repetitive, tiring and unpleasant jobs for children. Boys enjoyed learning about how water powered the mill. They travelled back in time to experience life in the Apprentice House, including Victorian school and medicines. It was a brilliant day that brought their learning about the Victorians to life.

Ordsall Hall Year 5 visited the Tudor manor house Ordsall Hall in Salford. Guides ‘Lady Catherine’ and ‘Betsy’ gave them a glimpse into the lives of rich and poor Tudors. They discovered the roles and conditions of servants, and how nobles managed to keep themselves clean by bathing once a month! The trip stoked the boys’ historical curiosity.

CreateEducation The Year 6 DT Club visited CreateEducation and 3D GBIRE, industry and educational 3D printing specialists. They explored automotive/aerospace engineering, medical uses for 3D printing and the gaming industry. Boys had the chance to use state-of-the-art 3D scanning technology, scanning and creating digital versions of themselves that could have either been printed or placed into virtual environments to be animated or developed!

Martin Mere As part of their studies about the water cycle and climate change, Year 4 visited the Martin Mere Wetlands Trust. The boys got their first experience of geography field work by conducting investigations into which type of land drained most efficiently. They attended a climate workshop and then had time to wander around the extensive site viewing the many species of wildlife that inhabit the wetlands.

Visiting York Twenty-four boys from Years 5 and 6 visited York during the October half term. The first stop was Eden Camp: a former WW2 prisoner of war camp, now an interactive museum about the First and Second World Wars. The next stop was the famous York Minster, where they learned about the Roman barracks discovered under the foundations 50 years ago and the Roman, Viking and more recent history of York. The next day, the group visited the National Railway Museum to see trains from around the world before discovering some delicious history at the Chocolate Story. At Jorvik Dig, they became archaeologists before visiting Jorvik Museum. The final day was spent at The Forbidden Corner. The group had a wonderful time and shared their experiences with the whole school in a special assembly. Cuerden Valley Year 6 coped with every type of weather for their river processes fieldwork at Cuerden Valley Park! They sampled the water, discovered where the river flows fastest, identified river life and concluded that the water is very clean and sustains a great variety of life. The boys were also lucky to spot both a heron and a kingfisher!

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Chorley New Road Bolton BL1 4PB t 01204 840 201 www.boltonschool.org