School
Dear Parents, School is now in full flow, with most of our ECAs underway and our Parent Information Evenings have taken place, where you had the opportunity to meet with your son’s form tutor; hear further information about the day to day running of the school and ask any questions you may have had. I would like to thank those who were able to attend, as well as our teachers for staying later to ensure that you feel you have the information you need to support your son.
Since our last newsletter, Queen Elizabeth II passed away and Great Britain is now in a state of mourning. The Queen’s State Funeral next Monday (19th September) means that the school will be closed. On Friday morning (last week), we held a special assembly to celebrate the life of The Queen and discussed the different responses to her passing. One of the things I did wish to impress on the boys were the qualities Elizabeth II personified, as these are values and traits we can all learn from. The Queen was dignified, hard working, responsible, dutiful and humorous (lest we forget her helicopter ride with James Bond or her afternoon tea with Paddington Bear). Across the school, teachers had open discussions with the boys to ensure they could ask questions and feel comfortable with the topic of conversation. I was impressed by the boys’ maturity and the respectful manner they showed in the assembly.
As mentioned in the Parent Information Evening, I would like to start holding small meetings with parents to hear more about your experiences of the school. I would be very keen to hear why you chose our school, what is working well, staff or school initiatives you would like to celebrate and any areas for improvement. My aim with these meetings will be to get a clearer picture of the school, to continually build on our already fantastic offer. I will have similar discussions with the boys and, of course, the staff. Please follow this link to a Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSceLRBYvOsDIo39-agEmTX2uX1st0NNoOsjAnz_tZCuzar4g/viewform?usp=pp_url
to seek support for our Parents’ Association, feedback from our recent Parent Information Evenings and a way to register your interest in joining these small group talks. If there is a large uptake, we may not be able to fit everybody into meetings this year, but your feedback is always welcome through the regular channels. I aim to start these meetings after half term.
Year 3 Trip to Patterdale Hall Thursday 4th to Friday May: This year, for the first time, our Year 3 boys will take part in an overnight stay at Bolton School’s outdoor education centre, Patterdale Hall, during the Summer term. These trips are an excellent opportunity for the boys to take part in a range of outdoor adventurous activities, as well as a chance to develop stronger relationships, independence and a range of other life skills.
Boys taking coaches at the end of the day: In order to support our younger pupils travelling on the school coaches, we ask that all pupils in the Junior and Infant schools sit at the front of the coach, and in the case of double decker coaches, downstairs. Pupils in the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions should leave a sufficient number of seats on their coach to allow for this and have been made aware of what that equates to on their specific coach route. This seating arrangement allows the driver to support the younger pupils more readily as well as allowing our older pupils to converse with their peers in a more relaxed manner. SK
Contacting the School Office
If your son is going to be absent from School, whether he be off sick or attending dental, medical or any other appointment, please email parkroad@boltonschool.org so that the registers may be marked accordingly. Please use this email address for all day-to-day enquiries relating to school matters to ensure that your enquiry may be dealt with in a timely manner.
For all coach / transport enquiries: Logistics Co-ordinator: Mr B. Gould, t: (01204) 434711, e: bdmgould@boltonschool.org.uk
COMPULSORY SCHOOL EVENTS THIS TERM WHOLE DIVISION PHOTOGRAPH, TUESDAY 27th SEPTEMBER Y6 CONCERT, WEDNESDAY 23rd NOVEMBER CAROL SERVICE WEDNESDAY 7th DECEMBER Wednesday 14th September Cubs, 6.30 7.45pm Thursday 15th September LAMDA, 4-5pm Jujitsu, 4 .5.30pm Cubs, 6.30 7.45pm Friday 16th September After School Fencing Presentation, 9am (Mr Parkinson) Water polo trials (by invitation), 4-5pm
From Mr. King
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Autumn Term, 2022 WEEK B Wednesday 14th September
Park Road, BOLTON, BL1 4RD. t: (01204) 434735 e: parkroad@boltonschool.org.uk www.boltonschool.org
The School Office is open from 8.15 am 4.15 pm during term time. Please note that any texts sent by the Office cannot be replied to.
Please direct all enquiries to parkroad@boltonschool.org and always include your son’s first name and surname, as well as his form. Please note that ParkRoadOffice email is no longer monitored.
Monday 19th September
SCHOOL CLOSED FOR H.M. QUEEN’S STATE FUNERAL
Tuesday 20th September
Y3 Football Tournament, MUFC, all day After School Angling Club, Fall Birch, Lostock (collection at 5.30pm) Chess, 4-5pm
Wednesday 21st September Cubs, 6.30 7.45pm
Thursday 22nd September
Bolton XC Fixture, Moss Bank Park, parents collect from venue at 5pm LAMDA, 4-5pm Jujitsu, 4 .5.30pm Cubs, 6.30 7.45pm THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IS OPEN EVERY LUNCHTIME FROM 12.25 TO 1pm
Platinum Jubilee Clock
The observant amongst you will have noticed that, over the summer break, the Platinum Jubilee Park Road clock has been installed on the outside of the building so that it is clearly visible from the playground and from Chorley New Road.
Please check it out and, hopefully, you will agree that it makes a very smart addition to school’s façade.
For those of you new to Park Road, this was a project that was funded by the Parents’ Association in recognition of HM Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee and its installation at this time makes it even more poignant. KEW
Representing School
For those of you who are new to Park Road, we have many teams, such as football, cricket, hockey, cross country, athletics, water polo, swimming and chess, amongst others, for which your son may be selected.
If selected to represent the School in a sporting event or chess competition, we will endeavour to give your son and you as much notice as possible about the fixture.
To enhance the possibility of selection, boys are encouraged to attend clubs held during lunch hours and after school on a regular basis.
If your son misses lessons due to a school fixture, it is his responsibility to find out what work has been missed and to catch up accordingly.
Please do check Parent Portal, as well as the Calendar section of our weekly newsletter for the most upto-date list of events, trips, fixtures and activities taking place in school.
Extra Curricular Activities
The extensive Park Road ECA programme began this week with a host of activities, old and new, on offer to the boys.
From Angling Club, Beavers, Chess, DT, English Lit, Fencing, Gardening, Hockey …….. to Running, Swimming, Table Tennis, Water Polo, X Country and Z ?? Not quite the full alphabet but there is certainly something for everyone.
The updated schedule is attached to this newsletter, so please do take the time to go through it with your son(s) and decide what they would like to get involved in.
We would encourage all boys to join at least one lunchtime club as a great way to get to make new friends, try something new, have fun or improve existing skills. KEW
Catch of the Day !
The boys and staff have certainly fallen for our latest after school club hook, line and sinker!!
On a lovely evening, we took 12 boys along to Fall Birch Lodge to take part in our Angling Club run by Off The Scale Outdoor Education. The boys thoroughly enjoyed learning about the pond habitat and how to set about creating a good fishing environment.
The boys had lots of fun and there was a lot less squealing than we had anticipated as boys delved into a bucket of maggots, extracted hooks from mouths and handled the fish they’d caught! It was a very successful session with most boys catching several fish, including perch and tench.
NJG/KEW
Eco Committee News
Here are some members of the EcoCommittee in the Quiet Area proudly holding our recently awarded Green Flag which we were awarded with Distinction.
Some of the Gardening Group boys are pictured harvesting potatoes their first crop !
Well done to all involved.
SL
Friends of Bolton School
We are relaunching the Friends of Bolton School (FOBS) Choir with a “Come and Sing” event on Sunday 9th October. This will be held in the Girls’ Division Great Hall.
If you are not already on the FOBS Choir mailing list, please email Friends@boltonschool.org to register your interest and to be kept informed of this and subsequent events.
The choir is open to all parents, staff, ex-parents, governors, alumni and others with a connection to Bolton School.
Further details will follow in due course.
September Geography Mission A Walk in the Park
This month’s exciting Geography Mission is to find a park in your local area and plan a route to walk with your family. If you want to stretch yourself, you could find a route to hike anywhere in the UK with your family on a weekend!
-Create a map to show where you walked either on the computer or you can hand draw this
-Write a description of your walk including what you saw and the route you took -Take pictures along the way which could include geographical features, wildlife or selfies of you and your family!
How to submit your “Walk in the Park” entry: -Please email Miss Gillibrand in Seniors, at LJG@boltonschool.org.uk with your submission by Friday 30th September by 4pm!
THERE WILL LOTS OF PRIZES FOR THE WINNERS! WHO CAN CREATE THE MOST INTERESTING ROUTE AROUND A LOCAL PARK?
A link to the competition can be found here. Winners of the Summer Geography Mission will be announced very shortly in a special assembly. LG
Achievements
Well done to Tom Owen in 3B who recently completed the Wigan Family Mile, organised by the charity Joining Jack.
Congratulations to Noah Adams in 6C, who was presented with Astley & Tyldesley’s U11 Batter of the Season Award at his recent end of season cricket presentation.
He scored over 200 runs and retired twice, unbeaten on 50 runs.
Noah has had an excellent season very well done, Noah !
Congratulations to Billy Brindle in 5C who achieved his 1000 metres swimming badge over the Summer holidays and achieved a personal best at Junior Park Run of 8mins 55 for a 2km run. Well done, Billy !
Huge congratulations to Flynn Humphreys in 5B and to his brother, Patrick, who is at Senior School, Flynn and Patrick were part of a 100 strong troupe from their dance school, with people of all ages ranging from 6 to 36 years, who were given the opportunity to perform on the Euro Disney international performance stage.
The boys were also invited to be a part of the main character parade that is one of the main attractions of the Euro Disney park. Flynn took it all in his stride and performed impeccably in both performances. What a wonderful experience. Well done to you both !
Congratulations to Oliver Brocklehurst in 5C who recently passed his Trinity Initial Grade piano exam and received his certificate last week.
Well done !
Congratulations to all of the following boys who recently passed their music exams :
Rohan Chitre (5B)
Trinity Grade 1 Piano Merit
Danny Ding (6C) ABRSM Grade 1 Piano Merit
Kian Patel (4B)
Trinity Initial Piano Distinction
Bilal Sabir (4B) Trinity Initial Piano Distinction
Hamza Sabir (4A) Trinity Initial Piano Distinction
School Uniform Shop Opening Hours
The Monkhouse Schoolwear on-site shop will be open for normal Term Opening Hours (see above) apart from during the holidays.
OCTOBER HALF TERM:
Closed from Monday 24th October to Saturday 29th October, inclusive.
Open from Monday 31st October with normal Term Opening Hours (see above).
son of share
News from the Art Room
It was great to welcome all of the boys back into their art lessons last week and to start working on our new creative projects. We have been encouraging boys to share detailed feedback to each other and talk in depth about their art work. We are really excited about the arty year ahead.
Artist of the week.
From this week, all boys can get involved in the “Artist of the Week” contest. They can access the Showbie folder using the code T24HY , learn about a new artist and then respond in a creative way- painting, drawing, writing a poem, creating a video or anything else which is creative. This week they can explore the work of Wassily Kandinsky. JM
Swop Shop !
Pokémon, Panini and more!
Swap Shop gives boys a chance to trade their prized card collections.
The Park Road Hall will be full of cries of “Got! Got! NEED” starting on Friday 16th September and then every TWO weeks after that. JM
Data Checking Information
As part of our drive to reduce paper-handling, the annual Data Checking operation is now online. This is an important task which ensures that we have the correct contact and medical details to enable us to provide the best care for your son. This means we require you to complete the Electronic Forms on the Parent Portal at https://parents.boltonschool.org.uk, as detailed below.
(Note : You can check the history of which Electronic Forms you have previously submitted by looking in the History section within the Electronic Forms tab. Some may have already completed the form for this year)
On the Parent Portal is the two-page Data Checking document, and the functionality to inform us that you have checked it and of any amendments.
Full details on how to do so are in the document attached HERE, but the short version is:
• Check the Data Checking Sheet for your son, under the tab School Publications.
• Complete the Data Checking Electronic Form to inform us that either it is correct, or of any amendments.