The Cockerel - December 2021

The Cockerel

Boys entertain at Musical Evening

Boys entertain at Musical Evening

Eighteen pupils representing every year group from Years 8-13 entertained an appreciative audience at this year’s Bolton School Boys’ Division Musical Evening in October.

Head of Instrumental Studies Mr. Forgrieve said: ‘It was fantastic to once again be able to enjoy live music performed to an audience actually present in the venue, rather than via pre-recorded videos shared online, as was necessary in recent times due to Covid restrictions. I was delighted to introduce solo items on cello (Adam Faulkner), violin (Mark Liu, Nathan Pierson), flute (Neeraj Singh), piano (Jayden Luhar, Amrit Mishra, Arsh Patankar), organ (Laurence Britton, William Martin, William Miles), guitar (Jacob Hughes), electric guitar (Yash Anand, James Wilson), tenor horn (William Earnshaw), trumpet (Arun Patel), xylophone (Nishan Sharma) and singing (Ethan Caswell, Anuj Mishra).

‘The concert began with three organ solos performed on the Girls’ Division Great Hall organ due to a malfunction in the Boys' Division organ, and then the performers and audience moved to Boys' Division Great Hall for the remaining items. Thank you to all of our soloists, audience members and staff – Miss Archer, Mr. Lovatt, Miss Sherry and Mrs. Whitmore – who made this pleasant event such a success, with particular thanks to Ms. Lien for accompanying on piano.’

Chapter 2

Eco-committee Half Term Update

Eco-committee Half Term Update

This term the Eco-committee has been focusing on plastic waste. We performed some blind taste tests to look at packaging options for the Dining Room, have relaunched our terracycle collection of stationery and have shared our 12 tips for a sustainable Christmas with the school. The Eco-committee is expanding in numbers each week, but we are still on the lookout for pupils especially in Years 9, 11 and 12.

School engages with Black History Month

School engages with Black History Month

Bolton School Boys’ Division has, throughout October, been engaged with Black History Month.

Year 12 boys, in a session with Dr. Liam Maloney from the University of York, learnt about segregation and racial disparities in Chicago, including the practice of ‘redlining’, where neighbourhoods, typically black and poor, received inferior levels of banking, insurance and government support, such as in schooling. They went on to explore the development of House music, tracing its socio-cultural and economic origins via slavery, the Great Migration, redlining and the Civil Rights Movement.

As the month unfolded, the School celebrated black cultures, drawing marginalised narratives into the frame and reflecting on important social questions.

A ‘banned book trail’ which pupils engaged in was a supra-curricular opportunity aimed at engaging boys in a range of challenging literacy activities including review writing, poetry composition and writing Galileo's trial defence. It encouraged the forms of critical thinking required to form balanced, fair and considered viewpoints. Departments across the school set tasks related to intellectual freedoms and diverse cultures. Matters of race were included alongside exploration of the forms of persecution and censorship in Nazi

Germany; General Franco's impact in Hispanic countries and specifically the persecution of Federico Garcia Lorca to protect a hetero-normalised literary canon; the censorship of Ovid and Sappho in the classical world and many other focuses. Students enjoyed working in response to extracts from Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, reflecting on why To Kill a Mockingbird was so widely banned and learning about Partition in Broad Strokes, alongside Hind Swaraj, or Indian Home Rule, by Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi.

Pupils in Years 10-13 recently took part in the School's reworked version of A Clockwork Orange. ‘Clockwork’, in part, explored contemporary social issues that have been prevalent in the news – the Black Lives Matter campaign, climate change concerns and women's safety – and what it is like to be a teenager in the world today.

Autograph ABP's The Missing Chapter exhibition has been on display in the Boys’ Division for over a year now and recently enquiry questions were added to the exhibit to encourage engagement. A temporary exhibition of Mauritian photographer Audrey Albert has also been displayed. Questions of

identity and representation were raised within this exhibition too. Audrey is a Manchester International Festival creative fellow and is due to shortly lead photography workshops in School. Later in the year, Year 13 will consider The Missing Chapter photographs and matters of race and representation in popular culture via

SPACE enrichment sessions. There will also be a screening of Freedom Fields.

In a Celebration Assembly, Finley Littlefair and Anuj Mishra were shortlisted as finalists for the Royal Society of Arts' Pupil Design Awards in the summer. Their project, 'Engaging with Leverhulme's Legacy' was a response to the RSA's 'Roots to Empowerment' brief, 'How might we challenge systemic racism by redefining heritage to ensure that future generations engage with a more inclusive story of our past?' The boys, supported by a team of other Year 12 pupils, launched a live project that will progress, supported by National Heritage trustee Stephen Welsh and one of the RSA’s judges and NSEAD’s Vice President, Marlene Wylie. NSEAD is the National Society for Education in Art and Design and Marlene is a specialist in anti-racist education. The students’ plans connect School, the Bolton community and other cultural organisations endowed by Lord Leverhulme, to the White Cube gallery in Lusanga, formerly Leverville. The judges

praised the boys' understanding and communication around cultural wealth and their approach in addressing this. They were impressed with their response to the RSA question, highlighting themes around co-creation and collective action, which they felt linked strongly to deliberative democracy.

English Teacher Ms. Naomi Lord said: ‘Overall the judges were blown away by the potential of the project; out of all submissions, they felt the work could have the biggest impact and this really made it stand out. We congratulate Finley and Anuj on this excellent achievement, along with the boys that supported the development of the project: James Roberts, Ibrahim Ali, Jack Swires, Rafael Goloba and Ali Ahmed.’

The Girls’ Division has also been engaging with Black History Month. Year 13 students spent PSHEE time considering a speech by BBC presenter, Clara Amfo. During assemblies, younger pupils enjoyed watching a compilation of clips from Horrible Histories, whilst older students watched a film about the life and works of James Baldwin.

Photographs include some from the ‘Black Chronicles: Missing Chapter’ exhibition, which brings together some of the earliest photographs of Black and Asian sitters discovered by Autograph in the Hulton Archive, a division of Getty Images, with a selection of similar subject matter from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection. Also, photos from Mauritian photographer Audrey Albert.

Senior Joint Production ‘Clockwork’

Senior Joint Production ‘Clockwork’

The recent Senior Schools' joint production of ‘Clockwork’ was an unmitigated success. Here it is reviewed by Josef Minta, the Art Specialist at Park Road, Bolton School's Junior Boys' School.

'You know you are in for a great night when you step into a space with quotations from Plato, Kubrick and Beckett plastered onto the walls, colourful banners with the faces of philosophers, activists and thinkers hung on every surface and the wail of Mark E. Smith singing “t-t-t-t-t-t-totally wired!” filling the air. It’s going to be a real horror show, brother. Double-plus good.

‘ Clockwork ’ is a bold, provocative and thoughtprovoking piece of theatre that wouldn’t find itself out of place at the Contact Theatre or the Royal Exchange; it dares to treat the audience as if they are ready to actively engage with philosophical ideas,

dystopian fictions and the obsessions of their here and now. After all, as the screens proclaimed, “forever is composed of nows”.

The play combines ideas, themes and fragments from a wide range of sources including ‘A Clockwork Orange’, ‘1984’, the work of Kae Tempest and more, into a series of Brechtian ‘units’. There is potential for this to feel messy and disjointed, but in the masterful hands of the writer, cast and production team, this collection of ideas is pulled into a cohesive whole that references and responds to remix culture, the transitory nature of social media and post-lockdown attention spans.

Themes of violence, control and individual choice are deftly woven into a narrative that, although pegged in historical fiction, also relates to contemporary concerns and the big questions: What sort of society do we live in? What is my part in it? An ensemble brimming with confidence, skill and talent carried this wonderful script forward.

Finley Littlefair as Alex runs the whole gamut of emotions as his swaggering confidence is pierced by self-doubt and eventually abject horror as he is forcibly conditioned to reject violence. He is ably supported by a cast of ‘droogs’ played by Tom Gri ffi ths, Billy Burrows, Eve Blackmore and Jack Howarth, who manage to bring depth and individual quality to this gang of complex and fundamentally unlikeable characters.

Particularly poignant was the representation of a teacher facing a crisis of confidence in front of a class. Stood under a spotlight, baring his soul, Jayden Luhar embodied the world-weary teacher questioning what it means to be an educator and how we educate.

Another stand out performance came from Alex McKie, who brought us the role of a nameless government minister, delivered with the right balance of

outward paternalism and an ill-concealed ideological fervour.

Brodsky, played by Chris Stapleton, was the quintessential arch villain, a disturbing presence, who strolled the gantries behind the audience as the first act came to a close, and lent a maniacal energy to proceedings as we leapt straight into the Ludovico treatment at the top of Act 2. Individual performances aside, the strength lay in the honest and often understated performances of the whole cast; every element fitted together like a well-oiled machine and ran like, well, clockwork. Powerful stuff. This was an exceptional play that really deserves a wider audience. The perfect foil to panto season.'

Three Peak Challenge becomes Stair Challenge

Three Peak Challenge becomes Stair Challenge

Pupils from Chorley House proved themselves resourceful in the face of Covid-19 turning their Chorley Three Peaks fundraiser into a Stair Climb Challenge. The three peaks are White Coppice, Great Hill and Winter Hill and, ordinarily, the total distance is 12 miles and the total ascent is 2080 feet, with the highest point being 1496 feet at the top of Winter Hill.

Working on the principle that a flight of stairs is usually 12 or 13 steps, the boys worked out that they would need to climb 268 flights of stairs to complete the challenge. The challenge was differentiated, making it accessible to all ages and abilities, and it was down to the individual to choose how they would complete the challenge. The five levels were:

Level 1 - 14 day challenge (20 flights of stairs, every day, for 14 days)

Level 2 - 7 day challenge (38 flights of stairs, every day, for 7 days)

Level 3 - 3 day challenge (90 flights of stairs, every day, for 3 days)

Level 4 - 1 day challenge (268 flights of stairs in one day)

Level 5 - Physically complete the Chorley 3 Peak Challenge

The House used the winter months to fundraise for the activity, which they completed later in the year. A fantastic effort saw them complete the many versions of the event and an even better effort in raising a whopping £2607.50 for two charities, Cardiac Risk in the Young and Stroke Association.

Death of the 3rd Viscount Leverhulme’s daughter

Death of the 3rd Viscount Leverhulme’s daughter

The Hon. Mrs. Victoria Marion Anne Tower (née Lever), the daughter of the 3rd and last Viscount Leverhulme, has died peacefully aged 76.

William Hesketh Lever, who was to become the first Viscount Leverhulme, reendowed the School in 1915, bringing together Bolton Grammar School for Boys with Bolton High School for Girls to create the Bolton School Foundation (Girls’ Division and Boys’ Division) and, as a governor, continued to support the School throughout his life. His son went on to become Chairman of Governors as did his son, Philip Leverhulme, who was Chairman of Governors at the School from 1949-1990. His many benefactions included the Leverhulme Pavilion (the opening of which is pictured).

The third Viscount had three daughters, of which Victoria was the second. Her younger sister The Hon. Lady Jane Heber-Percy was a Governor of the School for many years, and is still an emeritus Governor. She laid the Foundation stone of Hesketh House, Bolton School's Junior Girls' School.

The Hon. Mrs Victoria Marion Anne Tower had a daughter and two sons, one of which is a current Bolton School governor, continuing the link with the first Lord Leverhulme.

Act of Remembrance as poignant as ever

Act of Remembrance as poignant as ever

Despite Bolton School Boys’ Division’s Remembrance Assembly having to be conducted virtually for a second year, Dr. Holland delivered another thoughtprovoking and fitting tribute to all those that sacrificed so much in the two World Wars.

All boys in the Senior School and Sixth Form joined parents and former pupils in watching the live broadcast, which saw Dr. Holland reference the modern day plights of Coronavirus, conflicts in other parts of the world and climate change. He considered how memorial services had occasionally been called into question, but concluded that they still attract thousands of people to the Cenotaph and to many other memorial ceremonies held around the world. He told how there had actually been renewed interest in recent years, citing the case of former soldier Brian Wood MC, who is currently undertaking a 635 mile marathon challenge – one mile for each British soldier that lost their life in either the Iraqi or Afghanistan conflicts.

Dr. Holland took his audience back 80 years to 1941, focusing on the formidable threat in the North Atlantic of the German battleship, HMS Bismarck. Having destroyed Britain’s HMS Hood, the Bismarck was tracked down 300 nautical miles off the west coast of France, and turned into a ‘fire-spinning monster’ and destroyed with the loss of over 2000 lives. The sinking put an end to the attacks on the British merchant fleet and encouraged Roosevelt to pledge unfailing

American support for Britain’s vital supplies. The details of the battle, Dr. Holland said, are well documented in Ian Ballantyne’s book ‘Bismarck: 24 Hours to Doom’.

Dr. Holland then recalled seven former pupils who had lost their lives in conflict during 1941, drawing from Dr. Eric Macpherson’s book ‘Remembered With Honour’. Gunner Raymond Preston, Archer One Regiment the Royal Halls Artillery, killed in action aged 24; Fireman Edward Aspinall Hitchon, died on duty in Liverpool aged 33; Warrant Officer Class II (CSM) Geoffrey Sidney Houghton, Intelligence Corps, died in London aged 28; Sergeant (Pilot) Tyler James Bruckshaw, 102 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, killed in action aged 20; Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Robert Lea Wharton of the 75 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, killed in action aged 21; Sergeant (Pilot) Frank Armitage, 10 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, died aged 21, and Second Lieutenant Adam Greenhalgh Taylor of the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), who died of wounds aged 27. Dr. Holland paid tribute to those lost by reciting lines from the hymn O Valiant Hearts.

between 1941 and 1945. The fleet braved the German navy and some of the worst weather conditions imaginable, with over 3,000 servicemen losing their lives.

Tribute was also paid to the Royal British Legion in their centenary year, who give enormous support to the whole of the armed forces community. In November 1921, the first poppy appeal raised £106,000, nearly £30 million in today’s money. The symbolism of the poppy was memorably expressed during the First World War by the verses of John McCrae, who was struck by these blood red flowers springing up in a cemetery a few hundreds yards from Ypres. Dr. Holland then eloquently read ‘In Flanders Fields’.

The School’s fallen were remembered with wreaths laid in front of the Memorial window by the School Captain Ali Ahmed, Vicecaptain Matthew Mair and Senior Monitor James Hopkinson. A two minute silence was impeccably observed by the whole School at 11.00am.

Click here to watch the assembly.

Thoughts then turned to the Soviet Union in 1941 and Stalin’s plea for help from Britain and her allies. Dr. Holland told how the assistance provided by the Royal Navy and the merchant fleet was one of their finest achievements; beginning with the first Arctic Convoy that sailed from Liverpool, there were over 4 million tonnes of supplies delivered by 78 convoys to the Russians

Young volunteers help out Bolton Lions

Young volunteers help out Bolton Lions

Sixth Form volunteers have recently been helping the Bolton Lions, one of the town’s oldest service organisations.

Last month, Year 12 students from Bolton School helped to set up a seasonal shop in the town’s Market Place. The shop provides a drop-off point for the Lions’ annual Christmas toy appeal and offers information about the many projects the club runs. The volunteers dressed the windows and tree and put together displays and stalls. They have continued to help out on Saturdays by assisting in the shop, dressing in lion costumes, collecting change, and making up hampers.

The Bolton Lions have been hugely impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and hard work, which has helped raise the profile of the club. The volunteers themselves have had great fun, too!

Bolton School’s Infants have for many years supported the Bolton Lions’ Christmas Toy appeal, and this year the Girls’ Division is joining in with donations of presents.

School wins at The Bolton News Education Awards

School wins at The Bolton News Education Awards

The Bolton News Education Awards concluded with a sparking online ceremony compered by Granada News journalist Elaine Willcox, who revealed the winners live on the night. One of those winners was Bolton School Boys’ Division, which received the ‘Digital Innovation Award’.

The school’s winning entry for this award focused on the use of technology to support and develop literacy, and using artificial intelligence to help students by identifying gaps in learning and suggesting the next steps.

At the end of the last academic year, Boys’ Division Head of Literacy Ms. Sigrist offered all incoming Year 7s the opportunity to consolidate their foundations in reading skills and technical accuracy by offering access to the Century Tech platform. The response and engagement was tremendous and many boys used the platform to prepare for the literacy demands at Bolton School Boys’ Division.

The boys accessed 5326 ‘nuggets’ (short video lessons and tests) representing over 13 school days or 69 continuous hours of learning. The result is a cohort much better prepared for secondary school, who have fewer gaps in learning despite the disruption caused by the pandemic.

The school is extremely proud that the digital innovation in the Boys’ Division has been recognised by The Bolton News Education Awards.

Two more of this year’s nominees were linked with Bolton School: Boys’ Division teacher Miss Roddy for ‘New Teacher of the Year’ and former Girls’ Division teacher Mrs. Val Hanrahan for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miss Roddy, who teaches Languages in the Boys’ Division, was Highly Commended as a ‘New Teacher of the Year’. She has hit the ground running since joining the school as an NQT: she designed and delivered a whole-school pastoral programme on gender equality and wrote a related article, published in TES, which was about how to engage boys in gender equality lessons and covered a report on young men’s attitudes towards learning about women in history. She recently chaired a Fabian Women’s Conference focusing on Gender Equality in the Curriculum. In addition, she has undertaken a Mountain Training Rock Climbing Instructor Course, runs a lunchtime club and helps out with Senior Boys’ sport.

Former Girls’ Division teacher Mrs. Hanrahan was Commended in the Lifetime Achievement Award category for her extraordinary career as a Mathematics educator. Her teaching career at Bolton School spanned 48 years, from 1968 to her retirement in 2016 at the age of 73. Her personality and attitude to work is summed up by the fact that she carried out the key roles of

Head of Mathematics and Head of Sixth Form concurrently.

Outside of school, Mrs. Hanrahan played a key role in the Liverpool Mathematics Society. She is a prolific writer of mathematics textbooks and has written or co-written many school and college mathematics textbooks for courses up to and including A Level. These have been invaluable to the education of hundreds, if not thousands, of students.

Marvellous Music at Autumn Concert

Marvellous Music at Autumn Concert

The Autumn Concert was a wonderful opportunity for the school community to come together and enjoy live music in the Great Halls. Pupils from the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions put on a varied selection of performances on the evening, ranging from classical pieces to film scores to pop music.

The Joint Senior Orchestra opened the programme in the Girls’ Division Great Hall with a rousing rendition of ‘The Magnificent Seven’, followed by ‘The Marriage of Figaro’. Pianists Victoria Wong and Marie Poon then took to the stage to play a duet: Handel’s ‘The Queen of Sheba’.

Girls’ Division singers were then given their time in the spotlight. The Middle School Choir sang How Far I’ll Go from ‘Moana’ and Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years. Vocal group ‘The Accidentals’ performed For Good and the Senior Choir sang What Is This Feeling?, both from the musical ‘Wicked’.

Returning to instrumental pieces, next the audience was treated to a Paganini violin solo as Alice Edwards played Cantabile. The Joint Saxophone Ensemble performed Coldplay’s Viva La Vida.

The Joint Chamber Choir brought the first half of the Autumn Concert to a close with a performance of The Wayfaring Stranger, with accompaniment by Marie Poon and featuring a violin solo from Alice Edwards.

After the interval, the Concert moved into the Boys’ Division Great Hall for the second half, which began with the Drum Corps playing Marcia Ritmica, composed by Mr. Forgrieve. Soloist Xuan Wang then played Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3. Again moving into vocal performances, the Boys’ Division Year 7 choir sang Elton John’s hit I’m Still Standing, followed by a vocal solo by Rishi Narla of his own piece, Anchor. The Joint Chamber Choir then returned to sing And So It Goes by Billy Joel.

The Boys’ Division Lower School Strings played The Medallion Calls from ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and the Tuned Percussion Ensemble performed two pieces: Sway and ABBA’s Money, Money, Money. The Joint Senior Concert Band ended a wonderful evening of music on a high note with their performances of Accolade and Music from ‘The Incredibles’.

The Joint Autumn Concert was filmed in two parts and is available to watch in full online here and here.

Adventurous author shares experiences

Adventurous author shares experiences

Author, adventurer and film-maker Matt Dickinson visited the Boys’ Division at Bolton School to speak to pupils about his books, the writing process and his experiences climbing Mount Everest.

Matt spent the morning speaking to Year 7 boys both in the Great Hall and simultaneously over Zoom. He talked to them about the books he has written, including ‘The Everest Files’ and ‘Lie Kill Walk Away’, the ways in which he develops characters, and how the editing and drafting process works.

In addition, he described some of the mountaineering adventures he has taken: he said that climbing a mountain is ‘the ultimate test of resilience, because things will turn against you.’ He showed pictures and slides from his Everest expeditions, which

really captured the boys’ attention. He asked the audience in the Hall for suggestions about the kinds of challenges they might face in climbing Everest or similar peaks, and talked about their responses: exhaustion, cold-related injuries, avalanches, and giving up. Relating it back to the boys’ experiences in sport and clubs, he talked about the importance of being able to depend on the rest of the team. In addition, he discussed the impacts of large-scale expeditions on the mountains and for indigenous populations, for example visitors leaving litter behind, and about climate change.

At lunchtime, pupils in Book Club were excited to spend some time chatting with Matt while he signed books in the Lower School Library. The boys asked him some really interesting questions about being an author, what inspires him to write, and about his books and characters. Matt also presented a book to the day’s Christmas Advent Reading Calendar winner! Each school day in December, the School Library and English Department have been sharing a reading recommendation with boys to inspire holiday reading, and gifting a copy of the recommended book to a pupil. Matt presented a copy of ‘EverDark’ by Abi Elphinstone to Yasir in Year 7, who is the top borrower in Year 7 and uses the library almost every day!

Matt also talked about some of the documentaries he has worked on and the experience of making them.

In the afternoon, Matt continued the hybrid in-person and Zoom talks presented from the Great Hall, with pupils in Year 8 and Year 10.

2022 Book Award shortlist announced

2022 Book Award shortlist announced

The Bolton Children’s Fiction Award has begun once again with a brand new shortlist of books for young people to read and enjoy. The Award, which is organised annually by Bolton School’s Library staff, is aimed at students in Years 5 to 8 in Bolton and the local area. The winner is chosen solely by young readers’ votes.

The 2022 Award will involve lots more online content. In the next nine months, Book Club readers at Bolton School will have the opportunity to speak with the shortlisted authors via Zoom and these videos will be shared with all of the other schools involved. The votes will be cast and counted in the Summer Term and the winner will be announced on 1 July 2022.

This year’s shortlisted books and authors were announced by Bolton School’s Librarians last week in a video released to participating schools.

The 2020 shortlist is as follows, with notes from the Librarians about why they chose each book:

‘The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh’ by Helen Rutter

We selected this book as it has great appeal as both a funny book and a story about being kind to other people. ‘The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh’ will make you cry, both because it’s funny and it’s sad. It is a fantastic book about empathy, finding your voice and having the courage to do what makes you happy.

‘A Kind of Spark’ by Elle McNicoll

This is a wonderful story about friendship, courage and self-belief and when the Library team read it we all agreed should be shared with as many people as possible. [The author] explores the challenges that neurodiverse people face, and describes what it is like to experience sensory overload and prejudice from people who don’t understand what it feels like to have autism.

‘Lost’ by Ele Fountain

We loved this book, particularly how Lola develops as a character. There are strong themes of empathy for those who are less fortunate, the superficiality of possession versus love for your family and how in the most desperate of circumstances you can find inner strength.

‘The Valley of Lost Secrets’ by Lesley Parr

Set during the Second World War, this is a book about discoveries and secrets set in the Welsh valleys. What we liked about ‘The Valley of Lost Secrets’ was the mystery at the heart of it and the illustrations at the start of each chapter, which tell a

story. And if you really enjoy mysteries, codes and secrets, see if you can find the hidden message in the book.

‘The Island That Didn’t Exist’ by Joe Wilson

Imagine being woken in the middle of the night to hear that a distant relative had died and that you had inherited an entire island. That’s what happens to 12-year-old Rixon. We chose this book as it is a little bit different to many adventure stories, packed with mystery and action and has lots of twists to the story.

‘The Perfect Parent Project’ by Stewart Foster

This book can be sad at times, but it is told with humour which makes the story very readable. As a reader, you can see things both through Sam’s eyes, but also a much bigger picture begins to emerge and you see that the very thing that Sam is searching for may be closer than he knows.

Longer reviews of all of the shortlisted books can be found here.

Follow the Bolton School Library on Twitter @BoltonSchoolLib and use the hashtag #BCFA2022 to keep track of this year’s Bolton Children’s Fiction Award.

School meets Christmas Hamper Challenge

School meets Christmas Hamper Challenge

Once again, Bolton School has exceeded its own targets in collecting food items which will help make up Christmas hampers for those in need across the town. The annual effort is coordinated by Urban Outreach and, this year, they have been collecting foodstuff in order to prepare 1300 family hampers and 400 single hampers, which will be distributed across the town before the big day.

This year, children aged 4-18 years and their parents have been involved in the campaign. The Primary Division of Bolton School collected 1500 tubes of Pringles, the Boys’ Division donated 200 large Christmas puddings and the Girls’ Division collected 500 mince pies and 400 mini Christmas puddings.

Collecting the Christmas savouries, Samuel Bagley said: ‘You guys are amazing. Every year you pull out all the stops in an epic way and we are incredibly grateful for everything that you do. This year, we will be delivering hampers to families and individuals who we would not ordinarily see on our list. Many people have found themselves struggling and some family businesses have collapsed during the pandemic. The single hampers are a new addition this year and they will help provide nice extras to those that struggle to cook. Once again, many thanks to Bolton School.’

Chapter 14

Gold Award for the School’s Concert Band

Gold Award for the School’s Concert Band

Bolton School’s Joint Senior Concert Band received a grading of Gold Award after taking part in the National Concert Band Regional Festival at Oldham on Sunday. It was the first time such an event has been held in two years and the band performed a programme of challenging music to a panel of adjudicators who commented: ‘This is a really promising band with brilliant potential. To get to this level so soon in the year is a real achievement.’

Music Teacher Miss Sherry said: ‘This was a wonderful opportunity for students from both Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions to perform for experienced adjudicators, alongside semi-professional and university bands, and we were the only school to take part, in the North West regional heats. Thank you to those pupils for representing the School and their parents for supporting them.’

The band have been invited to perform at the National Finals at the Royal Northern College of Music in the spring.

Students are Cowgills Future Stars

Students are Cowgills Future Stars

Two Bolton School Sixth Form students are set to become ‘Cowgills Future Stars’! Olivia Maguire and Rishi Narla, both in Year 12, have been selected to join this work experience programme for Bolton School students.

The ‘Cowgills Future Stars’ programme offers an in-depth insight into the world of business and finance. The placement runs for between three and four weeks during the school holidays, and the pair of successful applicants has the opportunity to attend meetings, complete project work and shadow senior managers. They spend time in each department, gaining valuable experience of audit, tax, business recovery, wealth management, corporate finance and support services and marketing.

This year’s ‘Cowgills Future Stars’ Olivia and Rishi are both currently studying Maths, Further Maths, Economics and Physics and hope to study Economics after completing their A Levels. They are very grateful for the opportunity that Cowgills offers to Bolton School Sixth Form students in the form of the programme.

Rishi said that there are currently few opportunities for work experience because of the impact of Covid, and so many people are applying to a small number of places. The opportunity to join the ‘Cowgills Future Stars’ programme is therefore a real benefit. No doubt the experience will give both Olivia and Rishi a great overview of business and finance to take forward with their studies.

The ‘Cowgills Future Stars’ programme was established for Bolton School Sixth Form students in 2015.

Young encouraged to shape Bolton’s Cultural Future

Young encouraged to shape Bolton’s Cultural Future

Bolton School has teamed up with Bolton at Home to offer places in both digital and in-person creative collectives for local residents aged 12-18 dubbed ‘Creatives Now’.

Over the course of several months, in sessions which will run at times to suit the participants’ availability, the town’s creative youth will get the opportunity to learn more about jobs in the arts sector, develop their own skills and expand their creative networks.

The sessions will also include artist-led workshops, conversations with creative leaders and discussions about career pathways. Participants will commission artists and co-produce creative artefacts and events. There will also be trips to inspirational cultural venues and events in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire.

The project is being delivered by Bolton School and Bolton at Home supported by Bolton’s leading cultural organisations and Bolton’s Local Cultural Education Partnership. The project is generously sponsored by Bolton Council and is part of the town’s Community Champions regeneration drive as we slowly emerge from the pandemic.

Young people participating in the programme will have the opportunity to shape Bolton’s cultural landscape for their peer group, lending their opinions to the town’s 2030 Vision and Culture Strategy.

It came about thanks to Bolton School’s Director of Creative Learning and Partnerships Naomi Lord's work with Curious Minds as a SLiCE (Specialist Leader in Cultural Education) fellow. Bolton School, supported by Manchester International Festival (MIF), ran a pilot project, ‘Your Manifesto’ in late spring and summer earlier this year.

In its second phase, the project has been developed further, with Bolton at Home’s Housing Art O fficer Gaynor Cox. She commented, "The pilot project told us that young people in Bolton wanted to make and produce art and art events about things that are important to them, for the environments and people that are closest to them – their homes, neighbourhoods, families and friends."

She added: "As we return to public life, we hope that this next phase sets a strong precedent for greater youth agency and representation in Bolton in both local community centres and as part of the town centre’s regeneration."

These photos were taken in Manchester Cathedral gardens, which were turned into MIF’s Festival Square during this year's summer festival.

Dr. Margaret Spurr, OBE DL 1933-2021

Dr. Margaret Spurr, OBE DL 1933-2021

Bolton School is sad to announce the death, on 24 November 2021, of Dr. Margaret Spurr, OBE DL, Headmistress of the Girls’ Division from 1979 to 1994.

A graduate in English Literature and American Studies from Keele University, Margaret Spurr came to Bolton School from Fair Oak School in Staffordshire, where she had been Deputy Head. Dr. Spurr’s time as Headmistress saw the completion of an ambitious building programme involving the enhancement and refurbishment of Beech House and Girls’ Division accommodation (notably the dining room), the opening of the Sports Hall and swimming pool in 1986, and, memorably, the Princess of Wales’ visit to open the Arts Centre in 1993. Her fifteen year tenure as Headmistress was during a period of great change to the education system: information technology arrived and proliferated, and computer studies joined the curriculum; A Levels were reformed, O Levels disappeared, and GCSEs, the National Curriculum and league tables made their first appearance.

In addition to her service to the School, Dr. Spurr enjoyed an enviable reputation on the wider educational scene. In 1982, she was appointed to the Committee of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA), and served on the initial planning committee for the Assisted Places scheme in London. This national profile led to the chairing of a number of significant educational organisations, which brought valuable links and benefits to the girls, including the Presidency of the GSA from 1985 to 1986.

“Margaret has brought a commendable creative and progressive attitude to the School and indeed to all educational developments. She possesses a unique sense of flair and a lively sense of humour … Working with her has been an enjoyable and uplifting experience”.

In June 1994, Dr. Spurr was awarded the OBE in recognition of her services to education. She was also a Deputy Lieutenant for Staffordshire, and a BBC Governor from 1993 to 1998.

On her retirement, Dr. Spurr noted that her inspiration as Headmistress had come from three sources: from the girls’ aspirations, enthusiasm and determination, sharp individuality and strength as a group; from the Girls’ Division’s traditions, established by Lord Leverhulme, of high scholarship, of recognising that girls have distinctive educational requirements and of preparing people to make a contribution to the community; and from the comfort of knowing that she had the continual strong support of a team – the Staff, Sixth Form, Governors, Parents, Old Girls – “all eager to make efforts, and indeed sometimes sacrifices, for the good of us all.”

One of her Head Girls repaid the compliment: “My memories of Mrs. Spurr are encapsulated in images of a big, happy, successful school, its well-oiled wheels gliding smoothly along, the girls going to lessons, to sport, to drama rehearsals …”. The School’s then Chair of Governors, Lord Haslam, wrote:

Dr. Spurr will be sincerely missed by all those who knew and remembered her here at School. The flags were flying at half-mast in tribute to her for the week following her death.

The School invites the submission of tributes to Dr. Spurr from all those who remember her fondly, for publication on its website and in the Old Girls’ Newsletter. To submit your tribute, please click here. All messages of condolence submitted through the website can be read here. The School will be pleased to pass on to Dr. Spurr’s family any personal letters or cards of condolence, to be sent c/o The Development Office.

Old Boy encourages future Electrical Engineers

Old Boy encourages future Electrical Engineers

Richard Houghton, who left Bolton School Boys’ Division in 2014, returned to address a lunchtime audience of boys and girls in Years 10-13. He recapped what life was like studying for an Electrical Engineering degree at Manchester and the importance of two placements that he undertook, which gave him valuable work experience. He recalled how one summer he worked on a rural electrical network in the Lake District close to Patterdale Hall, the School’s outdoor pursuits centre, and explained how this provided an early example of how the economics of a project are important – he said his line of work is all about delivering the best value solution. He also spoke about careers in the sector and his current role as an electrical engineer working for Vital Energi at Blackburn. He said he spends a lot of his time working with 3-D models, diagnosing problems and finding ways to solve them. He explained how there is a need to be flexible, often working with other departments, such as process engineering and mechanical engineering, to deliver a solution.

In an illuminating Q&A session, he was asked whether, on a daily basis, he relies on the theory that he has learnt or his experience gained on the job. He told how it differs from day to day, but that he certainly does have to go back to the underpinning theories on some occasions and this tends to set apart those with degrees and those without.

He was also asked about the step up from A Level to degree level, which Richard said he found manageable and that he had no doubt benefitted from his time at Bolton School in preparing for higher education. He said at university it was 12 hours a week whilst obviously at Bolton School it is more like 9-4 every day. He told how most electronics degrees share a certain percentage of commonality and he emphasised that such a degree is very mathematically oriented. His advice to the GCSE and A Level students was to try out as much as possible whilst at university, both in terms of the course they follow, and uni life in general.

German ‘E-Mail Austausch’ with the Andreas Gymnasium in Berlin

German ‘E-Mail Austausch’ with the Andreas Gymnasium in Berlin

This term, Year 10 students studying GCSE German have embraced the exciting opportunity to take part in an ‘email exchange’ with students from the Andreas Gymnasium in Berlin.

Burgeoning friendships have been struck up between many Bolton School students and their partners, and it has been a pleasure to hear their excitement when receiving replies. Students have already learnt lots of new vocabulary and practised their writing and speaking skills when shooting a short introductory video. This week, they wrote to their partners to describe what the North West of England is like in December and explain their holiday plans, be that celebrating Christmas or simply enjoying a good break.

This is a wonderful chance for students to further their progression in the subject, practise their language skills, and learn about what life is like for young people in Germany.

A first Zoom meeting between two of the classes involved is already scheduled for January. We look forward to continuing with this project, in the hope that students will stay in contact their partners throughout their GCSE years and beyond. A visit to Berlin may be on the cards when travel becomes a little simpler again!

National Water polo call-ups

National Water polo call-ups

It has been an exciting few months for Water polo at Bolton School. Over the course of the Autumn Term, a number of the School’s water polo players have been called up to national teams.

Over the half term break, Sixth Form student Harry Bentham and his brother, Old Boy Daniel Bentham (Class of 2021), were part of the Great Britain Team, who attended a training camp in Hanover, Germany. They were accompanied by coach Mr. McGinty, who said of the camp: ‘It was a really productive week for the team and an important experience as we continue our preparation for the European Under 19 Qualifiers in May 2022.’

Year 13 students Harry Bentham and James Blenkinship were selected to represent the England Junior Water Polo team, which entered the EU Nations ‘National Senior Team’ competition in Brno, Czech Republic at the end of November. The team made a top eight finish! Two Old Boys also competed in the England Senior Team at this competition: Lewis Daly (Class of 2015) and Junior Boys’ teacher Mr. Winstanley (Class of 2015).

Younger players Robert Bentham in Year 10 and Joe Carolan in Year 11 have been selected for the Under 17 England Water Polo squad. In addition, at the end of November, this pair helped the North West Under 16 team to victory at an inter-regional competition held in Walsall. The team was coached by Boys’ Division teacher and water polo coach Dr. Yates.

The Girls’ Division has also been represented at the British National League: Kate Teasdale (Class of 2010) and Year 9 pupils Lucy Blenkinship and Amelia Crompton played for Tyldesley and Harriet Dickens for Manchester at a recent Division 1 game. Ella Carter, also in in Year 11, plays for the Manchester Comets and has been a regular national league player this season.

Water polo has also been taking off more and more in the Girls’ Division in recent years and this is reflected in girls’ involvement in the sport this term.

Last month Harriet Dickens, a Year 11 pupil, captained the England Under 17 Water Polo team at the EU Nations Junior Women’s Water polo Tournament, held in Brno. The team secured fourth place in the competition.

Rowing Fundraiser aims to break GB record

Rowing Fundraiser aims to break GB record

ld Boy Lewis Daly is aiming to break a British rowing record while raising funds for Bolton Hospice this Christmas. The challenge is a follow-up to his fundraising efforts last December, which saw him raise £4,200 by rowing around 230,000m in 24 hours in his garage.

This year, Lewis has the added challenge of trying to beat not only his previous fundraising total, but also the current British record for ‘furthest distance covered on a concept 2 rowing machine in 24 hours’. The distance to beat stands at a daunting 277,423m. He will complete the row at Agecroft Rowing Club at Salford Quays, where Boys’ Division pupils in the school’s rowing club

Odo their training. The row will take place over the weekend of 18-19 December, rowing roughly midday to midday. Pupils in the rowing club, staff, alumni and Lewis’ friends and family have been invited to row alongside him for different legs of the 24hour challenge to keep his spirits up and boost him towards his target.

Lewis has been rowing for just three years. After finding success in the Boys’ Division Water Polo squads during his time at Bolton School, he took up the sport while studying at Liverpool University. He has continued to row at the University of London, where he is now training to be a dentist. The idea of breaking the British record came from his rowing coach, who challenged the whole squad to try and break a record over the Christmas holidays!

Watch the promo video for Lewis’s row on Instagram or Twitter, and donate via his JustGiving page. Follow the School’s Water Polo Twitter account @WaterpoloBS for updates during the row.

Old Boy Illustration student returns to School to inspire boys

Old Boy Illustration student returns to School to inspire boys

Luke James (Class of 2019) returned to Bolton School Boys’ Division to inspire GCSE and A Level boys and girls interested in studying Art. Luke is currently in his third year of a BA in Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. Having attended Bolton School from 2012-2019, Luke told how he was an A* and A student, and could have chosen any career path, but he knew that Art was where his passion lay.

He recalled how he announced himself upon arrival at Bolton School by winning a competition to design the Rugby League World Cup mascot Grubber and appearing in several local newspapers! During his schooldays, he gradually moved away from Fine Art and towards Illustration, where, he said, you can do all kinds of things.

Post A Levels, he knew he wanted a fresh start and to set himself up as an individual, and Cambridge ticked many boxes for him. He told how he was a course rep throughout his first year at Art School, explained how he did some talks about studying during Covid and how, this year, he is an ambassador on his course. His big dream, he said, was to become a comic book illustrator and, one day, perhaps even produce his own graphic novels.

In terms of where to study, Luke’s advice was to try and visit as many different environments as possible to see where you fit in. He said that there will be one place that will feel different and that it should be your decision and that you should trust yourself to make that decision.

company, where he anticipates being faced with new and varied challenges and having a chance to work creatively. Ultimately, he hopes to go freelance.

In a short q&a session, he spoke about the increasing importance of having your own Instagram account as the world becomes more and more digital. He said you should show yourself off as a personality, saying people do like to connect, and you should talk about what inspires you. He also said people don’t just want to see your finished work; they enjoy looking at sketches which chart the evolution of your process.

Asked about how to choose a university, he said it may well be a little detail that decides it for you – it is really down to what suits you. Considering the question of how his college helps with getting a job, he told how instead of doing a dissertation in his final year, he had the alternative to do three weeks’ work experience over the summer, two in animation and one in a digital marketing agency. He kept a diary of his work experiences, which he has then turned into a report. Luke told how a lot of universities are increasingly promoting job opportunities and competitions.

Reflecting on how Bolton School had set him up for life, he said it had definitely built his confidence and social skills. In terms of his career, he said he hopes to initially gain some experience within a

Spending the day in school, Luke also curated a display of his graphic art in the Boys’ Division Art corridor, which has already wowed teachers and current pupils.

Former Wanderers player signs for Bolton School

Former Wanderers player signs for Bolton School

Nicky Hunt, a former Bolton Wanderers’ defender, has committed to join the team of sports coaches at BSS Leisure, part of Bolton School Services, from February next year. He will join several other former professional athletes and experienced PE teachers in delivering football and other sports as well as outdoor adventure holiday camps at Bolton School for youngsters aged between 5-14 years. Nicky currently manages and still plays for Ashton United in the Northern Premier League and made 127 Premier League appearances for Wanderers from 2003-2008. He already works part time in the PE Department at Bolton School Boys’ Division, alongside another former

Wanderers’ favourite, Keith Branagan, as well as in the Girls’ Division, where he teaches football to pupils.

A delighted Charlene Griffiths-Jackson, manager of BSS Leisure said: ‘I am thrilled that Nicky will join us in the new year. Our holiday camps are highly regarded, Ofsted registered and delivered within Bolton School’s 32 acre campus. All our profits are ploughed into the Bolton School Bursary Fund. Nicky will bring a considerable portfolio of experience and skills, and we know children will really benefit from working with him.

‘We offer parents excellent childcare provision at a great value for money – just £26 per day including lunch with discounted rates available for full week bookings. Our annual holiday programme consists of Outdoor Adventure, Multi-Sports, Stage and Football camps and includes activities such as swimming, rock climbing, orienteering, archery, dodgeball, tournaments, ball tactics, basketball and much more. Besides this, we also deliver an extensive range of quality services including a substantial aquatics programme, lifeguard and swim teacher courses, holiday camps, children’s birthday parties and facility hire opportunities.’

Credits

Credits

Editor: Miss K.S. Wrathmell

Contributors: Mr. M. Power, Mr. J. Newbould, Miss A. Bradshaw, Mr. I.K. Forgrieve, Miss E.A. Bramhall, Ms. N.R. Lord, Mr. L. Watkinson, Mrs. M. Howarth, Mr. S. Baggley, Miss H. Sherry, Ms. G. Cox, Miss K. J. Roddy, Mr. A. McGinty, Dr. M. Yates, Ms. K. Griffiths-Jackson