Junior Girls' Review 2015-16

From the Head...

As I look through the pages of the Review, I am impressed by the huge range of activities the girls have been involved in over the course of the year. This publication is just a snapshot of life at Hesketh House, but hopefully it gives a real flavour of the busy and productive atmosphere and the wide variety of opportunities available to our pupils. I must thank the staff, whose energy and enthusiasm allow us to create such a varied programme, and of course I commend the girls on their dedication, hard work, determination and most of all their sense of fun. So many of our ‘Habits of Mind’ jump out from these pages, but perhaps the one at the forefront of my mind is “Wow!” Well done to everyone at Hesketh House for a super year!

Ambassadors

The Ambassadors are part of what makes Hesketh House special. The Ambassador role allows all of the Year 6 pupils to take additional responsibility in their final year as Junior Girls.

Ambassadors are involved in many different aspects of Junior School life. They are the friendly faces that welcome visitors on Open Morning and throughout the year and lead guided tours that describe Hesketh House in their own words. They act as playground mentors and carry out many duties around school. These young leaders are always willing to lend a hand to pupils and teachers alike and take on a variety of other roles throughout the year.

The Year 6 girls take on the extra duties that being an Ambassador brings with huge amounts of enthusiasm and dedication. They set a wonderful example for the younger pupils and are a great reflection of the school’s values of respect, honesty, kindness, resilience and responsibility.

Spring Term Ambassadors

Autumn Term Ambassadors

Summer Term Ambassadors

Music Recitals

Music and Drama

100 & 500 Anniversary Choral Evensong

The Junior Girls’ choir attended this special event, which gave thanks to Bolton School’s Founders and Benefactors at the site of its earliest incarnation 500 years ago in the grounds of Bolton Parish Church.

The Pop Project and Travelling by Tuba swept the girls along on whistle-stop journeys through the history of the UK, using music and musical instruments as stepping stones along the way.

‘Witnesses’ told the Christmas story

‘Once Upon A Time’ Summer Concert evoked childhood memories

The String Quartet won Gold at Ramsbottom Music Festival Musical History Tours

Pupils enjoyed watching this interactive and entertaining version of Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare Week

Pupils had fun studying the Bard’s work to commemorate the 400th anniversary of his death in Shakespeare Week.

Over 100 girls participated in this year’s Music Festival A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Young Shakespeare Company

Year 6 Production

School Events

Spring Fair

Remembering the fallen on Armistice Day

Celebrating the Queen’s 90th Birthday Pupils dressed up in the colours of the British flag and had a picnic lunch for this special occasion.

Magic and Fantasy on World Book Day

efforts in the Primary Maths Challenge

Admirable

Operation Treacle Pupils learned how to stay safe around bonfires and fireworks from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

The Junior Girls were excited to welcome HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, to Bolton School in November alongside pupils from across the Foundation.

Farewell Mrs Brierley

Sharing poems on National Poetry Day

Library Writing Competitions

The Library ran a creative writing competition based on Mog’s Christmas Calamity by Judith Kerr and the Sainsbury’s Christmas advert!

MFL French Day

The festivals of La Chandeleur (Pancake Day) and Mardi Gras were celebrated at this year’s French-themed Modern Foreign Languages Day.

Young writers’ 100-word stories published in Once Upon a Time – Tales from Lancashire book

In December, the school bid a fond farewell to retiring Headmistress Ruth Brierley. The girls surprised and delighted her with a spectacular flashmob dance at morning break when she went out to ring the school bell! The Parents’ Association, staff and pupils also gifted her with a Cockapoo puppy, which she named Hesketh after the Junior Girls’ School, and various accoutrements to help him settle into his new home.

The girls were delighted to see Mrs Brierley and Hesketh again on Sports Day when she returned to show everyone how much he had grown and how well they were getting along.

Learning Challenges

The H Factor

Pupils in Year 3 discovered more about healthy eating in this exciting session with the Catering staff.

Tea at the Riley Year 5 decided to lend a hand at the Sixth Form Girls’ intergenerational tea party for elderly people in the local area.

Second World War

Veteran George Drinkwater talked to Year 6 about his WWII experiences in the RAF.

Semaphore

Year 6 sending a message around campus by semaphore as part of the new computing curriculum.

Alumni Careers Carousel

This exciting joint event with the Junior Boys allowed Year 6 pupils to learn more about a host of careers from six Old Boys and Old Girls: a TV and film producer, the Deputy Chief Constable for Cheshire Constabulary, an entrepreneur, video producers, an architect and a fashion designer!

Geology Field Trip

The girls in Year 3 went on an adventure to learn all about rocks and fossils. They talked to geologists, studied fossils and rocks in detail, and took part in lots of activities. At the end of the trip, the geologists created a miniature ‘volcano’ and the girls watched it erupt!

Roman Invasion

Year 4 pupils learned all about the Romans from a very special visitor: a Roman Centurion!

Chess

The Junior Girls’ U9 and U11 Chess Teams have gone from strength to strength with lots of matches and medals won over the course of the year. It all began with an early win in the Bolton Primary School Chess League and success continued at the annual AJIS Chess Congress where the Junior Girls came in third place. Yet it was at the EPSCA Tournament that the girls really shone. The U9 team’s performance at this event won them a place at the EPSCA National Chess Championship Semi-Finals at Prestatyn in June! The girls played well against some tough opposition and finished the competition in the Bronze group.

Ancient Egyptians

Girls in Year 4 enjoyed putting together artwork and learning more about the Ancient Egyptians.

The U9s at the EPSCA SemiFinals in Prestatyn Medallists at the AJIS Chess Congress

Two of our pupils won the regional ‘Megafinals’ in their age groups of the Delancey UK Schools’ Chess Challenge and competed in the ‘Gigafinal’ national semi-final rounds.

Sports

AJIS Biathlon

The Junior Girls achieved exceptional individual performances at this competition, including gold, silver and bronze medals. The Year 6 and Year 4 teams won their competition and Year 5 took second place.

AJIS Indoor Sportshall Athletics

The Year 5 and Year 6 team competed at this event, winning two bronze, four silver and four gold medals.

AJIS Athletics

Athletes in Years 5 and 6 took part in this outdoor athletics meet and returned with one silver and two bronze medals.

Swimming

The swimming teams won the vast majority of their competitions this year! Pupils took part in the AJIS Swimming Gala in April and returned with a haul of bronze and silver medals. The team also qualified for the ESSA National Finals, where they produced outstanding performances against very tough competition!

Sports Day

Family members gathered on the school field to cheer on pupils as they took part in a variety of sporting activities on this fun-filled afternoon.

AJIS Netball Tournament

Following lots of friendly matches, the Year 5 and Year 6 teams competed in the AJIS Tournament. There were mixed fortunes for the Year 6s, who won, drew and lost in equal measure, but the Year 5 team won four matches in the group stage and came fourth overall!

Winning the Cross Country Double

The Year 5-6 team have won the Bolton Schools’ Primary Cross Country League and Championship for the third time in four years! The Year 3-4 team also won their event.

AJIS Cross Country at Rossall School

Harvest

CharityReverend George Mwaura and Dave Bagley of Urban Outreach shared the Junior Girls’ Harvest celebrations once again and helped to remind pupils of those less fortunate both in the UK and abroad. All of this year’s generous donations were given to Urban Outreach’s Winter Watch initiative.

Charity Afternoon

The annual Charity Afternoon was a wonderful occasion. The Year 6 girls arranged a host of stalls selling sweet treats, ice cream and summery drinks as well as fun games and activities to try. The girls raised £682.94 which was split between thirteen charities in total!

Children in Need

Pupils wore funky socks to raise money for charity and also raided their change jars and piggy banks for 5p pieces, making a total donation of £283.80.

Sport Relief

The girls raised £333.30 by coming into school wearing their pyjamas and onesies inside-out and running the Sport Relief Mile as a Fun Run!

Winter Watch

Charity representatives visited Winter Watch, a Bolton-based initiative run by Urban Outreach which provides homeless people with food, clothing, showers and advice. Pupils found out more about the work done by Winter Watch and the difference their Harvest donation made.

Christmas Hampers

The Junior Girls joined forces with Year 12 pupils in the Senior Schools to help provide Urban Outreach with vital donations for their Christmas Hamper Appeal.

Hesketh House donated over 250 bags of gold chocolate coins to be included in Urban Outreach’s Christmas Hampers, which are given to the town’s neediest households.

Patterdale Hall

Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 thoroughly enjoyed their outdoor learning experiences at Patterdale Hall, the School’s outdoor pursuits centre on the shores of Lake Ullswater in the Lake District. Girls participated in canoeing, archery, gorge walking, bush craft, climbing, team building activities and much more during their stay at the Hall. In school, Year 3 pupils took part in an Outdoor Learning Day to help prepare them for their adventures at Patterdale Hall next year.

John Muir Award

During their stay at Patterdale, the Year 6 girls completed the steps needed to achieve the Discovery Level of the conservational John Muir Award. They discovered, explored and conserved a wild place and shared their experiences. Their activities included making new raised planting beds at the Hall, walking through the forest to see Aira Force, and creating canvases based on their experiences.

Poetry and artwork inspired by Aira Force

Visiting Aira Force

Conservation work at Patterdale

Parents’ Association

The Hesketh House PA’s funding this year has gone towards the purchase of brass instruments for the girls to play during lessons, small Christmas gifts for all pupils, enhancing the Sensory Garden and much more!

Spring Fair

£283 raised at Macmillan Cancer Coffee Morning

Delicious treats and healthy food at Breakfast club

Sports Day Bibs

The PA funded the purchase of coloured bibs in House colours to be worn at Sports Day.

Celebrating Bolton School’s Anniversaries

PA funds helped to purchase commemorative coins to mark Bolton School’s 100 and 500 Anniversaries for each pupil. The PA also bought mounts to display the girls’ Centenary textile artwork.

Easter Bingo

Photography Competition

The annual PA photography competition was again judged by professional photographer Mark Power, who was impressed by the pupils’ varied entries on the theme of “Nature”.

Year 6 Leavers

The PA organised the Year 6 Oscars’ Night Leavers’ Party, where girls were presented with special awards.

Overall Winner – Emma Arnison

Year 3 Winner – Rosie Heywood

Year 4 Winner – Grace Houghton

Year 5 Winner – Anisha Pahade

Year 6 Winner – Anna Wiggetts

Hoodies were given to all girls as a memento of their time at Hesketh House.