Sport

Continued Support for School Sport

The teams at Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot have shown their continued support to the sports department at Birkenhead School.

Bridging Finance Solutions have donated cricket covers to help protect two of the School's three cricket squares, preparing and maintaining the pitches to the highest standards. Quilter Cheviot have donated county standard cricket screens and a new electronic netball scoreboard and continue their long support of the School.

The sponsorship from Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot has allowed the School to build on an already excellent sports provision by allowing further enhancements to the facilities and kit offered to students, supporting the School's vision for sport moving forward.

Keith Fowles, Director of Sport, commented: "Sport is a fundamental aspect of School life at Birkenhead School and an area in which we look to continue to invest and grow with future plans including the development of a new Sports Hall. This year's sponsorship from Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot has been invested in cricket equipment, enhancing the playing time and game conditions for our students in both Prep and Seniors. In addition we have also purchased a new electronic netball scoreboard that has been placed in the Sports Hall over the summer.”

“As a leading independent school, we want to offer the best sports facilities in the area to our students to help them develop as athletes. We are extremely grateful to both companies for their continued support and shared vision for excellence."

Steve Barber, Managing Director at Bridging Finance Solutions added: “We’re pleased to be able to support the school and the sports department – cricket is an important part of the school’s sporting tradition and we’re keen to help preserve this. We look forward to some exciting games across all school years in the months ahead!”

Nigel Hibbert, Executive Director and Head of Liverpool Office, at Quilter Cheviot comments, “On behalf of the Quilter Cheviot Liverpool office, I am thrilled to be continuing our support of Birkenhead School again this year. We have had a relationship for a number of years, working together on career initiatives, supporting the school’s sports programme, and this year we launched financial education workshops for sixth form students to help them prepare for life after school. I, and my team, wish all students at Birkenhead a very successful academic year ahead.”

A Year of Sport

By Mr Fowles, Director of Sport

As I reflect on the last 18 months of the pandemic and the 2020-21 academic year and a successful Birkonian week involving Sports Awards Evening, Sports Day, Senior Fun Sport Day and Sixth Form Sports BBQ, I feel proud of our community and the way we have worked together to overcome so many challenges.

As a School we have seen students, parents and colleagues pulling together to offer our students as many opportunities as we could, while still keeping ourselves safe and following guidance.

We ran remote Focus Sport clubs online during lockdown, we had Mr Hendry’s Fitness-at-Home workouts and challenges and as soon as we were allowed, we offered Saturday training and Birkonian bubble fixtures. During the summer term we were then allowed to play competitive Rounders, Tennis, and Cricket and also offered some Netball and Rugby legacy fixtures for Senior students against other schools. Throughout the year, we have been able to further improve our facilities. We have partnered with Bridging Finance Solutions and Quilter Cheviot who have supported the purchase of new cricket covers, sight screens and an electronic netball scoreboard. The cricket nets at McAllester Field have also been refurbished and improved as part of our continued investment. We now have Netball and Cricket facilities the envy of our neighbours.

We have had great team and individual success for our students in a range of sports. Students have played at District, County, Academy and National levels in our Focus Sports, and also achieved success in our Representative Sports. I would like to wish Matthew Corran every success in his new adventure as a professional football player for Wigan. He is a big loss to both our Rugby and Cricket programmes but what an opportunity — good luck Matthew!

The sports department and I are already excited and planning and confirming arrangements for the next academic year. I hope you enjoy reading our other sporting stories, I look forward to even more success next academic year!

2020-21 Sports Captains.

Northern Region Winners and great success in the Nationals

By Mr Pillow

It was a very successful year for our young and talented golf team, who reached the National Finals of the Independent Schools Golf Association Trophy. Their journey to this prestigious event saw them beating Merchant Taylor’s at Formby Hall, before a trip to the beautiful Cumbrian countryside, where they defeated Sedbergh and Scarborough to become regional champions! All matches were scratch games (no handicaps) and they were often up against older and more experienced players, which made this feat even more impressive. The National Finals beckoned at Worsley Park in Manchester, where we faced some of the top Independent Schools in the UK. With an incredible standard of golf on show across the course, a gallant effort from Cameron Walker, Spencer Davies and William Ward ensured that we more than held our own, eventually finishing 9th out of 18 schools. The boys can be extremely proud of themselves, and with youth on our side, I am looking forward to further successes in the coming years.

Cricket

By Mr Lindberg

After the loss of the 2020 season, it was a relief when the ‘safety police’ finally relented and allowed the students to participate in competitive school sport once again. Despite a very wet May, and the loss of the annual cricket festival (sadly some restrictions still in place), we managed to play 13 fixtures, with just two rain affected. The team was primarily made up of Sixth Formers (though talented youngsters, Oscar Jennings (U15), James Coghlan and Louis Hursthouse (both U14) came in for the 20:20 cup fixtures and/or the Marylebone Cricket Club game) and an excellent collective spirit was displayed throughout the season; enabling us to win three tight games from seemingly losing positions. The overall profile of seven wins, three defeats and three draws, earned against strong opposition, is a reward for the determination and commitment shown by the players. In addition, it was pleasing to have a competitive 2nd xi, in which Bradley Thrikawala, Jamie Price, Jack Anderson, Matthew Corran, Ethan Bryers and Thomas Gogerty all made notable contributions, particularly in securing victories over King’s Macclesfield and Cheadle Hulme.

After defeating King’s School, Chester (David Turner 79 n.o.) and Wirral Grammar School (Mason 5 for 7), our run in the National 20:20 competition was ended (for the 5th season in succession) by the ‘immoveable object’ that is Sedbergh School (National finalists once again). The momentum of comfortable wins over Newcastle UL (Horrocks 99 and Wild 71; 3 wickets for Mason and Othick) and Kirkham ((Rutherford 65; Mason 4 for 2; Turner 3 for 7) was halted by poor weather (Manchester Grammar School game cancelled and the Lancaster Grammar School rained off) and a mid-season break for assessments.

On resumption, two narrow victories were secured against St. Anselm’s (Rutherford 60, Bradley 56 n.o. and Wild 50 n.o.) and King’s Macclesfield (Parker-Goff 49 and Webster 3 for 18) respectively, prior to a draw against the usual, very strong Marylebone Cricket Club. side (Rutherford 105 n.o. and Mason 2 for 19), led by ‘Old Boy’ Simon Stokes. A below par performance against Cheadle (Hursthouse 46 and 3 for 28; Coghlan 2 for 33) resulted in a heavy defeat and rain intervened in the match against Calday (Rutherford 65; Wild 56; Kumar 3 wickets). A disciplined, tenacious effort in the field enabled us to bowl a strong Bolton School out for 97 (Mason 4 for 22; Wild 2 for 15), when only defending 115, before former student, and North of England U18 performer, Seb Botes (102 n.o. and 3 wickets) proved too good for us in the last match versus Wirral Grammar School (Parker-Goff 73 n.o.; Webster 2 for 15).

Andrew Rutherford finished as the leading batsman (450 runs), with his exceptional 105 n.o. versus the M.C.C. the undoubted highlight. This achievement has earned him a trip to Lords and kit supplier ‘Gray Nicholls’ presented him with a ‘top of the range’ bat. Meanwhile, bowler Louis Mason had an outstanding season, taking 27 wickets (the most for many years) at an average of 11.9. In addition, left-arm U17 bowler, Rebecca Othick, represented Cheshire. Captain Henry Wild made a strong, all-round contribution and managed the squad very capably, both on and off the field. Thanks go to Mr Walker for his coaching and enthusiastic support throughout the season, Mr Fowles for organising fixtures, umpires, minibuses, teas, etc. and the team of grounds staff, who keep the pitch and surroundings in such great condition (so many of the umpires tell me it is their favourite school ground).

All cricket A-teams reached at least the Quarter-Final stage of the Cheshire County Cup knock-out competition and our U14 team reached the Final.

Cricketer Magazine

We were delighted to be featured in the The Cricketer Magazine Schools Guide 2021. The guide celebrates the top 100 senior, the top 50 prep/junior, and for the first time, the top 20 all-girls’ schools.

The guide involves an exhaustive process which saw a record number of schools submit entries to be included in the guide, despite the ongoing pandemic. All entries were judged against an extensive set of criteria, which included a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixture programmes and coaching. The Cricketer Magazine editor Simon Hughes said: “This year’s Schools Guide is particularly important in showcasing our schools who have kept the game alive through a very challenging summer. Whether it has been remote video sessions, drills in the garden or even Zoom quizzes, schools cricket has emerged resolutely from this pandemic and the appetite to get back out on the playing fields is palpable.

“There should be deserved praise for all the teachers, coaches and volunteers who have put in so much hard work, in the most difficult of circumstances, to preserve a love of the game among the next generation.”

Netball

By Miss Gilbride

During this academic year, we have witnessed some netball highs and lows. It has been a frustrating netball season with only our junior ‘A’ teams getting to play one competitive match due to Covid regulations. That being said, it did not stop the netball spirit at Birkenhead School, for all years and genders.

The students experienced netball practice on a weekly basis in their year group bubbles. This consisted of competitive relays, netball skills and team games. We then held a Super Saturday once a half term for all the players to come in and play bubble netball at a competitive level. There was a Netball Christmas Special where all teams had to get in the Christmas Spirit, played some fun netball and de-iced with some cookies and hot chocolate.

Sixth Form netball was a show stopper this year, with both boys and girls getting involved in some Netball and Rugby. We set up a number of Netball/Rugby sessions on Saturday mornings that both students and staff thoroughly enjoyed. We had a Christmas special where the first XV Rugby challenged the first VII Netball on the court, with the girls taking an impressive 16-8 win on the day. Looking for revenge, the Upper Sixth boys braved the Upper Sixth girls to a rematch. The girls remained on top (just about) with a 13-12 win. The final Sixth Form Netball game of the season saw the Lower Sixth boys and girls battle it out on the court. Let’s just say the boys have a little more work to do for next year… well done to all involved!

Orienteering

By Mrs Barnes

Senior School Orienteering Club

This academic year, the Orienteering Club met weekly for after school training sessions on the School site and in Birkenhead Park. The students all enjoyed using the new updated maps of the main school site and of Mac fields. With all interschool events cancelled due to Covid, we instead staged three of our own intra-school competitions. Approximately 20 students took part in the first event at Eastham Park on Saturday 3rd October. Students used the ‘MapRunF’ app on their phones to record their results. MapRunF provides GPS based punching and timing for orienteering courses. One year 7 student commented, "It's like Pokémon Go without the monsters!". The app provides instant feedback with a personal result and a leader board screen. Emily Pownall, Year 10, was the winning student on the yellow course and Aden Husseyn, Upper Sixth, won the more technical light green course.

The second event, which was held in Arrowe Park on the 24th April, was attended by 28 students. Everyone manged to complete the long and technical course and they all came back smiling! The course was won by Isla Barnes, with George Ayre and Henry Christian in very close joint second place.

The final event of the school year was the Birkenhead School Orienteering Championships, which was held in Birkenhead Park on Monday 14th June. Twenty-two students competed enthusiastically and tried their best to find all the checkpoints in the fastest possible time. The winning students were, Year 10 – Isla Barnes and Jacob Williams, Year 9 – Seb Richmond, Year 8 – Michelle Liang, Conrad Baker and Murray Cowan, Year 7 – Harry Holden and Erin McCausland. Medals were awarded for the School Championships and some of the students also achieved their North West orienteering yellow award medals. This award scheme recognises the progression of orienteers through courses of increasing technical difficulty.

British Orienteering Young Leader Award

Year 10 students Isla Barnes, Emily Pownall, Bonnie Lau, Anna Leuf Nichols, George Ayre, Henry Christian, Hrithik Muhuputra and Jacob Williams all achieved the ‘British Orienteering Young Leaders Award’. This award aims to encourage students to undertake an involvement in sports leadership and volunteering that will hopefully continue later in life. Through the course the students improved their own orienteering skills and then learnt how to work with younger students to teach them the basics of orienteering.

After achieving the award, the students helped to set up a Prep Orienteering Club. Some of the students used the award to complete the volunteering section of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.

Prep (Year 6) Orienteering Club

The after-school course was regularly attended by thirteen pupils from Prep. They all enjoyed competing on short courses around the School site and learning how to read a map and use a compass. All thirteen students achieved their Northwest Orienteering White Award medals. We finished the term with a highly competitive whole year group orienteering competition held on the school grounds.