BradfordianThe Issue 352 | Autumn 2018 Dr Simon Hinchliffe ‘From the Headmaster …’ extract BGS has been awarded the accolade of ‘The Sunday Times Northern Independent School of the Year 2018’ To read the full article please turn to page 08 The Bradfordian School Notes Arts and Performance Communities, Trips Events and Sporting Achievements JUNIOR, SENIOR AND SENIOR AND SIXTH FORM Societies and Activities SENIOR AND SIXTH FORM Visiting Speakers SENIOR AND SIXTH FORM SIXTH FORM 58–65 SENIOR AND SIXTH FORM 82–87 SENIOR AND SIXTH FORM 100–105 Contents 06–33 68–79 90–97 A quartet of distinction Spanish culture in Barcelona A new vision for BGS sport ... From the Headmaster Theatre visits Outstanding A Level success Washington DC The Birth and Death of a School swim stars head to Solar System national championships Speech Day 2018 – The Bingley Christmas Our first Overseas WW1 Battlefields trip Headmaster’s Speech Exhibition University Fair BGS celebrates Hockney Pupil earns place with Making history birthday in style Yorkshire Carnegie From the Junior School Talent snapshot Best ever A* GCSE pass rate French study day Headmistress Students learn from literary BGS sibling success! ‘Les Mis’ sells out! Reach for the sky Creative translation workshop expert Staff Leavers Boys’ hockey Community exhibit for our Enriching lives University Degree Course Our Year 10 trip to Amsterdam Life in the freezer Head of Art BGS debating success Shipley star has national Admissions 2018 German trip to Cologne Tackling social media concerns taekwondo glory in his sights Beautiful ceramic tile Volunteering Fair Examination Results 2018 installation becomes public art History study morning in British cyclist returns to BGS Batting for success Barnardos Saltaire Arts class for Ilkley Carnival World Book Day Table tennis team hit UK Be V.inspired What a Whitby treat! Junior School competition winners Open Science Lectures Top 10 European Week of Languages Sixth Form German Study Day JUNIOR BGS to host art exhibition Volunteering with Age UK Team GB cyclist inspires pupils From our Counsellor ... Chateau trip to Normandy 36–55 Music masterclass – a unique Annual hockey fun day New drone video of our enrichment session Pupils take part in Olympic From the Junior School School Triathlon taster Headmistress BGS Spring Fair BGS on ‘Great British Arts and Performance Railway Journeys’ Rocket car race day! Communities, Societies Our cybercrime fighters Sport and Activities win through! SENIOR AND SIXTH FORM Trips and Visits Our pupils get V.inspired 106–129 for social action Events Cricket Enrichment Sport Tennis BGS and Oasis tackle rough terrain and deep questions Hockey at Nell Bank Netball Fashion show raises £7,000 Rugby for children’s hospice Swimming Kitchen Confidence Waterpolo Pupils work together to raise awareness of epilepsy Bradford Cathedral service Top programmer wins national final From the Headmaster ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 06 Speech Day 2018 – Headmaster’s Speech . 08 From the Junior School Headmistress . 12 Staff Leavers ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������16 University Degree Course Admissions 2018 ������������������������������������������28 Examination Results 2018 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������32 School Notes 1 The Bradfordian School Notes 08/09 From the Headmaster … From the To be clear, this is not one of those Headmaster … awards that your mate nominates you for. Nor does it reflect cosy relationships with editors. There was no paying for a table at a gala dinner, which in turn guarantees a chance of success in an award category. Recognition was unsolicited, objective and based upon superb, steadily improving academic results and our wider, enriching Welcome readers of co-curricular programme, which continues to grow. Bradford Grammar School – the Bradfordian. Sunday Times Northern Independent School of the Year 2018. It is an accolade to We were delighted with the assessments be proud of, most particularly for students The countless goings-on that characterise life of both ISI and The Good Schools Guide, at the school, because it is a measure of at Bradford Grammar School (BGS) are celebrated and then, to hear unbidden, that BGS had them, their qualities and character. been awarded the accolade of ‘The Sunday We are however in no way self-satisfied. in the pages that follow. Not an exhaustive Times Northern Independent School of the We do not get cocky. We get on with the Year 2018’ layered much icing on the cake. job. It is this quality about BGS, the manner digest by any means, but a lively snapshot of Alastair McCall, Editor of the Sunday Times in which high aspiration is achieved and Parent Power, said: “Bradford Grammar is in understood - no nonsense, grounded, our wonderful school. a good place, combining strong academic down to earth - that makes us special. performance with a caring culture that Success is embraced with characteristic encourages all students to excel in their I hope you enjoy all that follows and share in the great pride I feel when reflecting Bradfordian modesty. I perceive this to chosen field, both within and outside the on the commitment of our young people to take full advantage of the opportunities be a virtue. classroom. The school explicitly puts pupils’ available at BGS. The ‘Hoc Age’ spirit is alive and well at the modern BGS. happiness at the centre of what it does. I wrote in the programme for Speech Day School activities and successes, guided by our age-old motto, have been noticed. In an age of growing fears about the recently, “our world has its troubles, but The Good Schools Guide and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) visited us pressures put on children to succeed, this schools like BGS, and the young people before Christmas and turned their attention to the fine grain of BGS life. The former enlightened approach helps BGS stand out they help to nurture, play a positive role in were a little more effusive than ISI in comment, but we were delighted to receive from the crowd. It’s a deserving winner of wider society and that gives me justified glowing reports from both. our award.” cause for optimism and hope”. The pages that follow serve only to strengthen my Draft statements for the next Good Schools Guide suggest that BGS “blends traditions faith in our young people. with forward thinking and pro-active change” that “academic standards are still excellent but … it offers far more than its results” and “pupils and parents alike told us that there is I hope you enjoy reading this latest edition something here for everyone, always something to excel at and someone to help you of ‘The Bradfordian’. achieve it”. Quoting ISI is more of an exercise in economy, put simply they said, “pass”. The key thing to note here is that not every school, however pukka, passes sadly. What look like rather bland judgments regarding compliance sit as a veneer on a mountain of ongoing work to ensure that the children at this school are safe, carefully looked 1after and well educated. A volume of ongoing work underpinned our ISI inspection success and we thank those of you who completed questionnaires to aid the inspectors in their endeavours. Dr Simon Hinchliffe BA, MEd, PhD, FRSA Headmaster The Bradfordian School Notes 10/11 From the Headmaster … Speech Day 2018 Headmaster’s Speech Hockey fixtures have been lively and teams improved noticeably over the season. The Christmas Hockey Morning was a success, the attire and mood was festive. The introduction of boy’s hockey in Years 7 and 8 has been a highlight of Speech Day 2018 To that end, back in September while the year. The foundations were laid in the Embracing a full academic and co- we recognised academic successes, we first term for success at U13 level with the curricular life is eminently possible at BGS. Headmaster’s Speech also celebrated the achievements of a boys coming third in the regional finals The balance of opportunities for personal summer expedition to Myanmar, Rugby and reaching the quarterfinals of the growth at our school provides a far more meaningful indication of ‘school health’ Lord-Lieutenant, Vice Lord-Lieutenant, Tour to Portugal, Duke of Edinburgh National Cup. The growth of volunteering programmes than any narrow, exam-based quantum. High Sheriff, Lord Mayor, Kate Newton, Gold qualifying expedition and the annual continue to enrich life at BGS. A Sixth Rugby teams in all age categories Education in the round, and enabling wider Honoured Guests, Governors, Ladies Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Camp, Form volunteering Fair in early September enjoyed some wonderful pre-Christmas access to life changing opportunities, has and Gentlemen and members of the according them equal value in the round enabled students to access community- competition. The First XV were unbeaten ever been at the heart of the vision for school. Please allow me to add my with exam achievements. The total based opportunities in greater numbers at half term, a feat not achieved since 2005 BGS, and at the very core of our historic words of welcome to those of Professor commitment of BGS students to their than before. Our involvement, for example, to 2006, and they ended the fifteen-a-side foundation. Mellors, who I would also like to thank work and the wider opportunities at school in reading schemes in local primary never ceases to amaze. Life at BGS is rich season with a win on tour against Colfes for his opening address. Thank you, at Blackheath, London. A very special schools, befriending work with Age UK, One of the school’s key ambitions going Colin. I remain deeply grateful to our and sustaining in every respect. We work Neesie (supporting single mums and forwards is to increase the amount of fee hard and we play nicely with each other. evening for those of us, students, parents, Chairman, Lady Morrison, and The Board colleagues and Old Bradfordians alike, their children locally) and through our assistance it offers to children from a of Governors for their unfailing service The message is clear, honest effort and who were there.