BradfordianThe Issue 350 | Autumn 2016 The honest, open and mutually supportive relationships that I witness between students, teaching and non-teaching staff, parents, Governors and Old Bradfordians are part of our strength. Dr Simon Hinchliffe Headmaster Extract from Speech Day 2016 For the full speech please turn to page 05 The Bradfordian School Notes ...04–20 Community .....42–48 Events ............ 52–55 Trips and Visits . 58–66 Arts and .......... 70–73 Sport ............76–108 Societies and Activities Performance From the Headmaster … Debating Society A Level Trip to Athletics Rosehill Polymers Contents Speech Day 2016 – 100 Leading Ladies Battle of the Somme assembly Arts Trail Cricket Headmaster’s Speech Paris Art Trip Bardardos Mentoring Scheme Renaming the Christmas Concert Cross Country Changes to the Brownlee Pavilion Biology Trip to Chester Zoo Historical Society Chamber Concert Girls Tennis Governing Body Careers in the Natural German Day Teenage Cancer Trust Grease Hockey Leaving Staff and Built Environment Château de Baudonnière Extended Project Qualification Networking Lunch Nine Lessons and Carols Netball University Degree Course German Exchange 2016 Admissions 2016 Ilkley Literature Festival The NPA Christmas Market Grassington Festival Orienteering ‘Project-X’ RAF Challenge Examination Results 2016 GCSE Physics Challenge Faiths in the City Spring Concert Rugby History round up Schools Challenge Quiz Team Founders’ Day Summer Concert Table Tennis Junior Classics trip to Italy Junior School .. 24–33 My Srebrenica Experience World famous illustrator opens Leeds University Classics Science Club Physics Olympics the Clarkson Library Reading Competition From the Junior School DofE Award Diamond Race for Life Headmaster … Madrid Trip, Easter 2016 Anniversary year Speech Day 2016 Arts and Performance Sixth Form Modern Languages BGS hosts the Fidelio Trio Spring Fair Study Days Events Mary’s Meals The NPA Fashion Show Religious Studies Sports Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Trips and visits From the Headmaster … . 04 Speech Day 2016 – Headmaster’s Speech . 05 Changes to the Governing Body . 09 Leaving Staff ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10 University Degree Course Admissions 2016 ������������������������������������������16 Examination Results 2016 . 20 School Notes 1 The Bradfordian School Notes 04/05 From the Headmaster … From the Headmaster … It’s my pleasure to introduce this latest edition of ‘The Bradfordian’. The following pages are crammed with news of sporting success, fantastic trips, wonderful plays and performances, competitions, fundraising, volunteering, great teaching and thriving school societies – the list goes on. As ever, ‘The Bradfordian’ marks time and testifies to the vibrant and full When students and colleagues leave life that continues to characterise BGS. our halls we very much hope they Speech Day 2016 We began the academic year by celebrating excellent A Level results, will stay in touch and I’m grateful to Headmaster’s Speech good enough for the Yorkshire Post to herald BGS as the top performing our Old Bradfordians (OBs) who school in the county, and our best GCSEs for many years. The efforts of support current students at BGS in Vice Lord-Lieutenant, High Sheriff, our hardworking students paid off and these achievements were picked many important ways by contributing Deputy Lord Mayor, Junior School up by the Daily Telegraph who identified us as one of the ten best generously to bursaries and giving their Headmaster Neil Gabriel, Lady value independent schools in Britain, a satisfying badge to earn for a time so freely at various school events. Lynne Morrison, Honoured Guests, Yorkshire school. The positive contribution that OBs Governors, Ladies and Gentlemen But there is more to education BGS style than academic results alone. make to our school community and members of the school. Please We’ve looked at the detail and it’s clear that the value we add to every student cannot be understated and to close allow me to add my welcome to that extends far beyond performances in public examinations. This edition of ‘The I’d like to pay tribute to the manner in of Lady Lynne Morrison who I would Bradfordian’ attests to the wide variety of opportunities outside the classroom which ex-BGS and Team GB super- also like to thank for her generous 1to find a new interest or develop an existing one, to broaden horizons and stars Alistair and Jonny Brownlee and supportive words. also have a bit of fun and make the kind of friendships that last a lifetime. achieved Olympic glory in Rio – simply A couple of weeks ago the Deputy amazing and an example to us all. The breadth and quality of the offering at BGS reflects the passion and Headmaster and I hosted an informal dedication of my teaching and non-teaching colleagues and at this year’s Hoc Age. breakfast gathering for parents in the Speech Day I paid tribute to the service of those colleagues who left BGS Pavilion. After a little conversation it for new challenges or a well-earned retirement. felt right to stand up and say a few words. But I had not planned a speech. The new Headmaster is however a fast learner and I invited Mr Louis d’Arcy, our new Deputy Headmaster and Old Bradfordian, to speak first Dr Simon Hinchliffe giving me time to think and conjure BA, MEd, PhD, FRSA up a few thoughts to share. Headmaster … The Bradfordian School Notes 06/07 From the Headmaster … Speech Day 2016 Headmaster’s Speech continued … I respect our school’s past, its history, Back in November 2015 the Higher traditions and ethos, but we are forward Education Funding Council for England … thinking too, we always have been. I’m wrongly stated that, in 2013-14, 82% of Mr d’Arcy reminisced eloquently about extremely excited about the future of BGS. state-school leavers who graduated from his BGS school days and early learnings We are strong and secure and thankfully, English universities achieved a 1st or a 2:1, towards becoming a teacher, a vocation like other successful independent schools compared with only 73% of independent it seems he had contemplated since we are able to steer a safe course through school students. The media fallout was boyhood. Soon it was my turn to talk. the many changes taking place in the UK Our modest fee increase stands also predictable. as a testament to the secure financial Thankfully, Mr d’Arcy’s breakfast speech education scene, and the scope and pace As for the reality, precisely the reverse is brought up an old school memory of of these changes is often bewildering. platform upon which this debt free school is grounded which enables us to true. However, in a rush for a story few mine about a computer based careers The amount of flux is unprecedented looked closely at all the facts. Headlines questionnaire. Myself and my classmates and without parallel internationally. be competitive on price whilst at the same time continually improving the quality of were retracted quietly a week or two were asked to complete this and enter I do not doubt the laudable intentions of later when reality crept in. The true Henry Ford factory style education has personal details, qualifications and any the education we offer. Little wonder that no place at BGS and we do not teach policy makers but we must continue to the Daily Telegraph mentions us as one picture is irrefutable. Researchers at interests or hobbies that you wished chart our own course through educational Durham University have concluded that to the test. Learning in our classrooms, to share. At WGS I met Heidi and here we both are of the top ten best value independent laboratories and splendid new library, reform and not be deflected by the latest schools in the country, and we aspire to independently educated pupils receive Data was entered and the barely digital with our eldest, Katy, joining Clock House whims or proclamations of Government a boost equivalent to two years of extra enacted under the direction of enthusiastic in September and Ben, our youngest, born keeping it thus – no compromise on teachers, is not a cold, mechanical process. cogs of a 1980s box-like computer turned. Ministers. BGS will continue to provide a delivering educational excellence, and schooling even when socio-economic A spool of paper chattered out of a nearby 48 hours after our move north. Why do broad classical education that develops background is stripped away. Lessons need to be engaging, varied, I mention these things? For two reasons sensitivity to those who pay the fees. enjoyable and above all stimulating. There printer delivering a pronouncement about the whole child – something we all value At A Level independent schools achieve what you were going to do with the rest of really. First, Bradford Grammar School so highly. Nurturing informed, balanced There are other tests facing independent is no ‘one size fits all’ approach at BGS. (BGS) is a close community, it has a family schools currently. Never before have we A/A* grades at nearly double that of the your working life and who you were going and characterful young women and men, national average and almost two thirds The exam results achieved by our students, to become. At a time when computers feel, and I think it is important that we imbued with a sense of fair play and been the recipient of so much media and and which deserve to be celebrated, do get to know and understand each other, political angst; we could be forgiven for of all GCSE exam entries for independent were relatively few and had a magic about proportion, will always be at the core of schools achieve A/A* grades compared not reflect a dry Gradgrindian rote learning them, this was quite a moment for a young particularly with me being a relatively what we do regardless of any external thinking that our friends in Westminster of facts.