OLD

BLUESThe annual review for Old Blues of The Blue Coat School 2016

• CATCH UP WITH THE • STRAIGHT FROM THE ARCHIVE CLASS OF 2015 • FROM BUTTONS TO • CLASS NOTES HOLLYWOOD HOBBIT • THE FAMOUS FIVE • WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Inside

Issue 2 A MESSAGE FROM CONTENTS The Headteacher

12 SCHOOL NEWS STEPPING INTO THE TWENTY 04 FIRST CENTURY: MATT CATCH UP WITH THE WADDELOW, CLASS OF 2007 08 CLASS OF 2015 07 10 CLASS NOTES SPORTS REPORT LAUNCHING OUR LIBRARY APPEAL Blue Coat sporting 13 success at local, regional and national competitions. INTRODUCING THE 15 CLASS OF 2016 It is my pleasure to write this welcome message at the end of my first year as Headteacher of The Blue Coat FROM MIAMI TO NEW YORK: School. I was delighted to re-join the school in September 15 SAM BATTERTON, CLASS OF 2015 and have really enjoyed a very busy school year. 2011

Looking after a school is not easy in the current THE FAMOUS FIVE educational and economic climates, but I can unreservedly 16 say that it is made much easier by the support that exists in our Blue Coat Community. From staff to parents, governors FROM BUTTONS TO A to foundation trustees and of course our growing network of 14 HOLLYWOOD HOBBIT: Old Blues we can be sure this great school benefits from the 18 CHRIS WINCHESTER, attention of so many talented supporters. As our database THE 2016 EUROPEAN CLASS OF 1990 of Old Blues has grown this year, we have introduced even CHAMPIONSHIPS: more opportunities for you to give back to the school long after you have left. Our students and staff are extremely SIMON HART, STRAIGHT FROM grateful for the time some of you have been able to give to CLASS OF 1991 20 THE ARCHIVE careers talks, guest speaking and our library appeal. I am not an Old Blue myself, but when I left the school as WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Deputy Headteacher in 2013, I could not have imagined SHAUN RIGBY, just how much I wanted to return to support, protect and 22 CLASS OF 2011 develop the future of this great school. While I know just how strongly this is felt among Old Blues of all generations, 26 I also know we are extremely fortunate to have access to GOING GLOBAL: FRANCESCA your generous, varied and skilful contributions. INTRODUCING OUR BIRD, CLASS OF 2012 OLDEST KNOWN 27 To all of our supporters this year, and to the many who will OLD BLUE, make future contributions by encouraging friends to get in WHERE ARE THEY NOW? touch, volunteering your time or supporting our fundraising KENDRICK RANNARD CALLUM SPIERS, activities, thank you very much for the care you continue to 28 CLASS OF 2011 show to The Blue Coat School. INSPIRING FUTURES Mr Mike Pennington 29 Headteacher, The Blue Coat School 31 BLUE COAT LAUNCHING THE OLD BLUES ASSOCIATION 1708 SOCIETY 30

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State Secondary School of the Year Maths Fun Roadshow

It is a great achievement that The Blue Coat School’s For the last few years the Maths Department has 2015 GCSE results earned the School a coveted offered Maths Fun Roadshows to local primary top five place in the Department for Education’s “I am absolutely delighted that the “ schools with great success. performance tables. Ranked fourth nationally by significant efforts of our staff to help all the Government, the School was also recognised in a of our students achieve the very best that This year there were nine Roadshows involving number of national newspapers. The Telegraph listed they can has been recognised in the recent students from six local primary schools including The Blue Coat School top in its league table of the ‘Top Department for Education performance Dovedale and Northway. It is a very successful and One Hundred Schools in ’, with The Sunday popular event that students and staff thoroughly “tables.” Science teachers Mrs Clare MacKenzie, Times awarding the School its prestigious ‘Top State enjoy getting involved with. Each Maths Fun Mr Mike Pennington, Headteacher Ms Michelle Maskell and Mrs Julie Beggs deliver an Secondary School of the Year 2015’. Roadshow is a 90 minute event for up to 30 Year 4 students and is led by five Year 10 Blue Coat students, outstanding performance as The Chemical Sisters studying for their Maths Leaders Award.

At the heart of the event is a carousel of fifteen A bright future as plans interactive maths puzzles that students complete in for 2017 redevelopment pairs. Year 7 students are stationed at each puzzle to explain to the students what they need to do. receive a boost Feedback following the event has been extremely positive and the programme has undoubtedly achieved its aim of making maths fun and approachable.

From January 1st 2017 The Blue Coat School will take responsibility for the Foundation Buildings, an area which is currently under the stewardship of the Foundation Trustees. With this change the School will have full responsibility for all parts of the School Louis Walsh aka Mr Keith Caulkin greets his fans estate. The acquisition of this additional space, which is currently administered by The Liverpool Blue Coat School Foundation, marks an important and exciting first step in our accommodation strategy Shirley Hall will be refurbished during 2017 Xmas Factor which includes ambitious plans to redevelop and remodel this section of the School in addition to other areas currently in need of redevelopment. The 2015 Xmas Factor saw Blue Coat staff take Lower School Music Concert to the Shirley Hall stage once again as they Increasing the amount of space we have available embraced their inner disco diva, much to the is key to ensuring we provide our growing number Maths Fun Roadshow delight of their adoring fans in the audience. of students with the very best accommodation and resources. The Blue Coat School Foundation, our Our youngest musicians delighted family and friends Stand out performances included The Chemical longstanding and extremely supportive charitable with their fantastic array of musical talent during our Sisters, whose rendition of Little Mix’s Black Magic arm of the School, have affirmed their support for the first Lower School music concert in June 2016. involved several chemical experiments conducted programme by additionally donating a significant sum during the performance, taking multitasking to a of money to the School to undertake the necessary Confident and lively performances from our whole new level. remedial, redevelopment and refurbishment work to string, flute, brass and percussion ensembles were key parts of the School including the Shirley Hall. interspersed with excellent solo performances, with Old Blue and History teacher Mike Pearson’s group no hints of any nerves creeping in. Year 8 student The Testostertones took the audience back to the Hannah Chiu amazed the audience with her beautiful 1990s (a time when a significant proportion of the performance of Rameau’s L’Egyptienne, a Grade 8 audience hadn’t even been born) with Take That’s hit piece which she recently performed at the regional The School community values the Never Forget. Casting his best Simon Cowell eye over final of the European Teacher’s Association each act, Mr Simon Shipgood, who with help from Mr foresight, generosity and care regional final. Packed full of new musical talent the Keith Caulkin (Louis Walsh) and Mrs Elaine Wilkinson demonstrated by our Trustees’ recent Blue Coat School music department has a very (Sharon Osbourne), presided over a very successful decisions. promising and exciting future. Lower School Music Concert event.

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Work Bard, Play Bard Development Fund Sports Report supporters make a real To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s difference 2015/16 has proved to be yet another successful death, students from eight Merseyside Schools year for our PE Department, with plenty of Blue were chosen to take part in ‘Work Bard, Play Bard’, Coat sporting talent on display at local, regional and a collaborative project designed by the Liverpool national competitions. Highlights from the year Everyman Theatre and Globe Theatre. Thanks to the generosity of parents, Old Blues include: Year 7 Cricket Team and friends of the School we have been able to fund Several talented Blue Coat actors were selected to almost £30,000 of projects that we would not have • Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 cricket teams made it through take part in this unique project which saw them take been able to deliver without our supporters’ donations to the final of the Liverpool County Cricket Cup to the Everyman stage twice to perform their own to the School’s Development Fund. • Year 9 cricket team progressed through to the twenty minute sketch, based on Shakespeare’s Lancashire Cricket Plate final Merchant of Venice in front of a live audience in July Projects that we have been able to fund include: • Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 netball teams crowned overall 2016. Liverpool League winners • New kitchen and dining equipment which has • Year 7 girls netball team crowned winners at the Working alongside the Everyman’s Education Manager resulted in an improved break and lunchtime PGL netball tour and Year 8 came in third against Under 15 Basketball Team Alan Williams over the course of several months, our experience, improved menus with a focus on Year 9 teams students worked hard to master the art of script nutrition, and a more efficient service for our • Years 8 and 9 girls netball teams win prestigious writing and remembering those all-important lines. students City Champions netball title • A partnership with the Everyman Theatre on the • Years 7 and 10 basketball teams crowned ‘Work Bard, Play Bard’ project. Year 12 students Liverpool basketball champions Open Evening took part in workshops and performed an • Year 11 basketball team through to the last 8 in original script based on the Merchant of Venice the English Schools National Basketball finals at the Everyman Theatre • Year 10 basketball team ranked fourth in the English Schools National Basketball finals PGL Netball Tour Over the course of one evening in July 2016 1,800 • Transportation costs of the Duke of Edinburgh • Years 7 and 8 represented the School for the first visitors sampled Blue Coat School life. Throughout expeditions. Through taking part in Duke of time in full contact rugby union the evening potential students were invited to take Edinburgh students gain experience in team work, • Year 11 student Georgia Stevens was selected to part in a number of interactive activities including increase their health and well-being through play for the England under 16 national team in an dissecting sheep hearts and extracting DNA from physical activity and also become community international tournament in Italy kiwi fruits. It should come as no surprise that the volunteers • Olympic boxers Sam Maxwell and Natasha Jones Chemistry department proved to be one of the most • New football goal posts for our 9-a-side teams met with students to highlight the benefits of popular attractions with fire, dry ice, and regular which will also be used by PE students throughout getting involved with sport. explosions reverberating around the corridors. the School. From September 2017 the School will admit an Year 10 Cricket Team additional thirty students, taking our Year 7 population Sports Day up to 180. In keeping with the values of the School we are proud that this will give more students from across the city a chance to thrive. The only question to answer is who will the new house be named after?

“I try to eat as healthily as possible so I’m really happy “ “about all the new healthy options at break and lunchtime” Ambrose, Year 7 The rain clouds stayed away for Sports Day 2016 as hundreds of students from Years 7 to 10 proudly sported their House colours as they competed in a number of track and field events. From the hotly contested javelin Open Evening competition to the nail biting relay, the afternoon was a runway success with students rewarded for their efforts with much sought after House points.

6 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 7 CATCH UP WITH THE CLASS OF 2015

Last May we bid the Class of 2015 a fond farewell as they Class of 2015: prepared to embark on the next exciting phases of their • 180 students lives away from The Blue Coat School. • Popular destinations: , , , Liverpool We’ve checked in with four members of the Class of 2015 for a brief insight into their first year at some of the country’s • Popular courses: Medicine, top institutions. Economics, Aero Nautical Engineering Sam Elcock - Leeds University: Medicine

“It’s scary to think that a whole year has passed since I was sat in the school chapel for our leavers’ service. I’ve now completed (and more importantly passed!) my first year of medical school at the University of Leeds, and looking back it’s been a whirlwind twelve months.

I went off to study medicine not really knowing what to expect, but I was excited to leave home and be able to live independently, standing on my own two feet for the Tomas Bath - Liverpool University: Law first time. The course itself has been amazing. A perfect balance between learning clinical biochemistry, and then being able to put that into use on placements in both primary “The year has flown by since leaving Blue Coat in May 2015. I decided that and secondary care. Some of my friends at other medical schools have been stuck in staying in Liverpool was the best idea for me and have since completed the first lectures all day every day, but Leeds is great at how it splits up the teaching. year of my Law degree at the University of Liverpool. Despite my enjoyment of the course and the challenge of meeting new people from different places across Living away is also a great experience – I’ve learnt how to hoover and clean the hob! the UK and the wider world, in my opinion one cannot help but notice the gaping hole that leaving Blue Coat creates. On many occasions during my time at the Outside of University, I like to think I’ve thrown myself into the deep end. I’ve become school, particularly towards the end of my seven years there, people referred to the Unit Manager of the University’s St John Ambulance unit, as well as joined the the school community as a ‘bubble’ and I believe you can only truly appreciate University Officers’ Training Corps as part of my application to join the Army as a this once you leave. doctor.

The Blue Coat experience is like no other and one that provides the greatest Overall, I’ve had a thoroughly enjoyable first year at university, meeting some foundation for progressing to higher education or whatever it is that follows. amazing people and learning the odd thing about medicine along the way. During my first year at University, both in terms of subject matter and socially, I have been able to draw upon experiences I had in my time at Blue Coat, meaning 1 year down, 4 to go…” that the learning effect the school generates demonstrably goes well beyond Sam Elcock your physical time there. For this reason, I am delighted to be regarded as an ‘Old Blue’ and look forward to maintaining contact with the Blue Coat community in the forthcoming years.” Tomas, pictured with Liverpool FC and England footballer Adam Lallana when he visited the School in 2015

Kelsey Walsh - London: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Drew S. Hawley - Higgins - Leeds University: Chinese “When I began applying for UCAS I initially planned on studying Architecture, but “Leeds has proved to be an exceptional town to study languages, with a student on October 5th 2015 I started my training at the Royal Central School of Speech base of characters from all over the world, working alongside so many outlooks and Drama in London. Nothing could have prepared me for the challenges ahead has been truly enriching. of me on a course that is strictly vocational. A general day at central begins with a voice warm up at 8am and then varying different acting and musical theatre When beginning classes, what first interested me was the type of person classes throughout the day until 6pm; in total we have roughly 50 contact who chooses to study Chinese. From observation of a class of sixty it seemed hours a week plus weekend rehearsals for upcoming projects. In Central I am indefinable, with students from all walks of life and countries: from the worldly challenged both physically and mentally in ways that I could have never ‘language collectors’ to the spontaneity student, pursuing a whim of adventure. imagined which further encourages me to go beyond my comfort zone to do What’s clear is that the majority did not arrive previously enamoured with the things I thought I could never achieve. country’s history, an interest so difficult to cultivate naturally with China’s removed view from the occidental eye. One highlight of being in Central so far has been creating a production of the Shakespeare Comedy ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in which I played Helena. Through the modules however, many found passion for the rich modern history It was the first occasion as a class to use the skills we have learnt over the past and it has been a wonderful to experience a fantastical introduction to a larger three terms and to be in a rehearsal room with a Director from the Royal canvas of historical importance. Shakespeare Company. I was also given the opportunity to perform at the opening of the new Tate Modern as part of a choir containing 500 people with The highlight of my stay at Leeds would have to have been around Christmas music composed by the artist Peter Liversidge. time- the campus glowed in the thick snow and Leeds’s German Christmas market brought everyone to town for Snow Halation. The town hall hosted I am very fortunate to be training in such a prestigious institution, which is Beijing’s award winning performing troupe for a theatrical evening of Kung Fu thanks to my participation in the school shows over my seven years at Blue and dance in a celebration of China’s rich cultural heritage. With prime seats Coat!” Kelsey, performing in the Blue Coat School courtesy of our course’s ties to the Chinese community, it was a heartening Drew, pictured in the front row, second from right, 2015 production of The Wedding Singer display of Chinese beauty.” with members of the Beijing martial arts group

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Class of 2007 Class of 2009

On Sunday 29th May 2016 former Head Girl Claire Thomas Congratulations go to Old Blue Dr Laura Potts BVSc MRCVS married Blue Coat’s former Head of Politics Mr Nick Croxton. The from the Class of 2009. Laura graduated from the University of pair were married surrounded by friends and family at Crewe Hall Liverpool this summer, having completed her five year Veterinary in Cheshire. Science degree programme, a programme which she recently described as “long and hard but totally worth it!”

Studies complete, Laura is now looking forward to spending time with friends and family before she sets off for the Southern Class of 2008 Indian state of Kerala for a well earned break.

In July 2016 London based organist Nick Miller soaked up the cultural sights and sounds of Norway, as he performed in the grand surroundings of the Arctic Cathedral in Tromso. Nick’s current role as ‘musician in residence’ at the prestigious Eltham Class of 2009 College in London involves Nick working closely with the College’s numerous choirs and musical ensembles. Outside of the This year Old Blue Jennifer Long from the Class of 2009 joined classroom Nick is never far from a church organ and can be found the staff team at the School. Jennifer, who has pursued a career accompanying many a professional church choir across London in finance, has settled in well to her new role as part of The Blue and up and down the country. Coat School’s finance team.

Stuart Pennington Mat Sloane Mike Carmel If you have any news you would like to share with our worldwide community of Old Blues please get in touch with the Development Office at [email protected] Class Notes

Class of 1974 Class of 1991

Old Blue Michael Carmel (formerly Cathcart) would like to hear In 2010 restaurant owner and wine writer Mathew Sloane from his fellow 1974 classmates. Michael attended the School swapped the lead grey skies of the UK for the white sandy initially from 1967 to 1968 and returned to the Blue Coat as a beaches of the Cayman Islands. Working alongside a fellow boarder in 1972 to complete his A Levels. A former student of Liverpudlian (isn’t it a small world?), Mathew presents a radio Liverpool and Brunel Universities, Michael moved to Israel in 1981 breakfast show on the island’s popular Boom FM and co-presents and has lived there ever since. the television show Let’s Talk Sports.

If you would like to get in touch with Michael please get in touch In 2017 Caymanians will be flocking to the polls to cast their vote with the Development Office at in the country’s general election. In the run up to the election [email protected] Mathew will be working with the country’s main opposition party as their media representative. Law and order and immigration look set to be the hot button issues of the forthcoming election.

Class of 1993 Class of 1991 Congratulations to Stuart Pennington (no relation to the current Head) on his recent promotion. Stuart, an English Language teacher at the Escolapios School in central Granada Spain, recently Calling all Everton fans! Simon Hart has published his first book returned to the School to meet with members of the Modern Here We Go: Everton in the 1980s: The Players’ Stories. In the Foreign Languages department to discuss possible School book Simon interviews some of the club’s top players from the exchange links in the future. We wish Stuart all the best as he era. Simon’s book is now available to purchase on the high street prepares to embark on his new role in September. or online. Nick Miller

Since moving to Spain Stuart has joined a band, State Line Road. Claire Thomas & Nick Croxton To take a look at their work head to their YouTube channel State Dr Laura Potts BVSc MRCVS Line Road HQ.

10 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 11 OLD BLUES: MATT WADDELOW LIBRARY APPEAL

Launching our new Library Appeal

Stepping into the twenty-firstcentury

We believe that our world class students deserve a world class library facility offering twenty-first century technology and design ideas that will “ help inspire future generations of Blue Coat doctors, engineers, lawyers and even politicians. “The library looks like one building but really The library as it currently stands is not used to its full potential, with areas it’s thousands of magical of poorly utilised space and outdated facilities and resources. Over the places.” past few months we have worked with our staff and students to find out“ Thea, Year 7 what they would ideally want from the School library. We worked with a number of departments and societies to explore concepts such as, ‘reading for pleasure and its role in learning’ and ‘what is the role of a modern library?’. Additionally a small group of students and staff visited a number of local school libraries to see first-hand how modern library Since leaving the School Matthew facilities are being delivered across Liverpool. “It was a great privilege to be asked back to the Blue Coat and to studied Architecture at the assist in developing a new vision for the School’s library. Prior to University of Liverpool graduating Based on the findings of our consultation architect Matthew my leaving the school, nearly a decade ago, I often felt then that from his Masters degree in 2014. Waddelow, Old Blue from the Class of 2007, created some initial CGI the library had the potential to work a lot harder for its students. Matthew has gained a range of images to help us visualise what the new space could look like. As such, the new design aims to respect its Grade II* surroundings industry experience having worked whilst also modernising the facilities and redefining the library not for B.A.S Kopperschmidt + Moczala, We are solely reliant on voluntary donations to fund this refurbishment so

“ we have launched an ambitious £1 million fundraising campaign to make only as a place for learning but as the social heart of the school. Germany and Broadway Malyan, Liverpool before moving to shedkm our vision a reality. A new central staircase acts as the focal point and axis of the room architects in London. He has worked off which different functions are clearly defined across the library on a range of projects from high end If you would like to help us by supporting our appeal please contact the

whilst simultaneously placing the librarian at the centre of the residential to master-planning and a Development Office on 0151 733 1407 ext. 207 or via email at room and improving access to the adjoining ICT labs. Students are variety of international competition [email protected] also provided with raised study areas, making use of the nearly work. Matthew is also one of the

double height windows to the adjacent courtyard, providing extra founding members of MARGIN, an computer spaces and providing a connection with the outside. An architectural collective and winners Our new library will include: “ expanded mezzanine fulfils the need for extra breakout and study of the RIBA’s ‘Constructing • A full refurbishment including improved lighting and access “We want our library to be space whilst quiet study areas are provided behind a new glazed Communities’ open call competition • Increased capacity for students somewhere where we are 2016.“ wall at the mezzanine’s outer edge. Flexible book stacks allow the • Brand new quiet study pods inspired to do more and library to respond to the changing demands of the school meaning • Brand new group work areas learn more.” that it can easily transition from library, to classroom, to film We would like to thank Matthew for • Flexible book cases taking time out of his busy schedule “Bobby, Year 13 screening area. • Investment in books, periodicals, journals and online resources to help us lay the foundations for our • A new IT zone and additional facilities I wish the school all the best in pursuing the project and I hope new School library. We are delighted • Specially designed zonal areas for reading, collaborating and that they are able to deliver a library that they and the students with the fantastic images Matthew extra-curricular activities. deserve.” has created and we look forward to turning our vision into a reality.

12 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 13 THE 2016 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS CLASS OF 2016

Thursday 19th May 2016 marked Year 13’s final day at The Blue Coat School. As is custom at the School, students attended a “There is something about England’s footballers and the sticky heat special service in the Chapel which centred on the theme of of some foreign setting that seems to guarantee an unhappy ending. friendship. During the service Headteacher Mr Mike Pennington and Assistant Headteacher Ms Lynette Holland celebrated the From Shizuoka in 2002 to Lisbon in 2004 to Gelsenkirchen in 2006, achievements of the year group and predicted many more I’ve been there before when England have exited major tournaments successes for members of the 188 strong cohort, as they embark “and a common memory of each occasion was the energy-sapping on the next phase of their education. humidity. Nice on the night of 28th June 2016 had a similar feel, yet this time England did not lose to Brazil or Portugal. They froze Rounding off the celebrations in the grand surroundings of the against Iceland. Roy Hodgson was out of a job and I was heading Boardroom students, both ‘true coats’ and ‘new coats’, reflected home too. on their time at the School through photographs, videos and speeches highlighting memorable school trips and traditional Prior to EURO 2016, I’d worked at four European Championships Blue Coat House rivalry. Messages of thanks were also directed Simon Hart and four World Cups – for the first time, though, in France I was to teaching and support staff for their huge academic and there as England team reporter for the UEFA website. My brief was personal support over the past seven years. to follow Hodgson’s team around – from being on the tarmac when Freelance football journalist and Old they landed at Le Bourget airport (moments after Roland Garros We would like to wish the Class of 2016 the very best of luck in Class of 2016 Blue Simon Hart from the Class of champion Novak Djoković’s private jet had taken off) to attending all their future endeavours. every press conference and open training session at their base in 1991 has travelled around the world Chantilly, to covering the matches. to report on football tournaments, a role which to countless football It was quite unlike my role at the 2014 World Cup, for instance, fanatics unleashes the green eyed Going Global: From Miami to New York where working for the Independent and Independent on Sunday monster from within. From the newspapers, I was based in Salvador, writing features on different European Under-21 Championship to aspects of the tournament – including a trip to Germany’s training the World Cup, Simon has analysed base, built in a mangrove forest by a Munich-based developer, and dissected countless games on where even the McCafé girls in the press centre had been flown over the pages of British newspapers. “Nearly five years ago, I made an unlikely choice regarding my from Berlin. This summer, armed with a newly future. I decided to apply to Colleges in the United States alongside acquired selfie stick, Simon my UCAS University applications in the UK. It became immediately Instead as an England reporter (with limited player access), the criss-crossed France to deliver daily clear that nobody from The Blue Coat School had ever done this, priority was to provide short, snappy updates for the website’s daily updates for UEFA’s website to report and therefore the process was alien and difficult for me with no blogs. Hence a search for opinion, insight and colour: vox pops with on England’s progress in the Euro “expert to turn to for advice. Nevertheless, overcoming that ex-England players and journalists (filmed on my iPhone with Championship, a championship challenge may be the most worthwhile thing I have done in my life. newly acquired selfie stick); a chat with the England fans’ band on many fans may wish to forget. I obtained an academic scholarship to the University of Miami, the popularity of the “Don’t Take Me Home” chant; a talk with Florida, and moved to the US shortly after finishing school. David Moyes on tactical trends at the tournament. Even a coffee with the Iceland coach’s wife. This current summer falls between my third and fourth year of college, and is a crucial time with graduation less than a year

What will stay in the mind are the incidentals rather than the away. Therefore I have been incredibly fortunate to work as a football itself: the magnificent Stade Vélodrome where England Summer Intern for FTSE Russell’s Product Management team in played Russia, the atmosphere created by English and Welsh fans at New York City. Working for such a dynamic industry leader has the British derby in Lens … and, dare I say it, the sight of England given me a valuable insight into the world of global business, and

players laid flat out on the pitch in Nice as Icelanders raced away Sam, pictured with some of his will undoubtedly improve my credentials when entering the job market. Perhaps more importantly, living and working in NYC to join their fans in one big, celebratory “HUH!”. friends at the University of Miami Simon, pictured on the far left of has been an irreplaceable experience that has given my life more All this took place, incidentally, a quarter-century since I chose Pete the bottom row, with his teammates purpose and direction than ever. New York is a global centre in “ “ every aspect, bursting with more culture and opportunity than Davies’s ‘All Played Out’ as my 1991 Modern Languages prize at from the Y7 football team in 1985 Opting to study at the University of anyone could hope to capture in a single summer. the Blue Coat. A brilliant account of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, Miami has presented Old Blue Sam it is the book which led me down the path into freelance football Batterton from the Class of 2011 with Since leaving for the US, I have had the pleasure of helping friends journalism with the mixed bag of opportunities it brings – such as a variety of new opportunities both and fellow Blue Coat students to achieve their goal of attending being asked to act as UEFA’s stadium announcer (in Spanish and inside and outside of the classroom. American universities. My hope is that the talented and ambitious Italian) at the European Under-21 Championship final in Now, as Sam prepares to embark on pupils of the Blue Coat will continue to take advantage of the Jerusalem a few years ago. Another of those sticky summer his final year, he is already looking to enormous opportunities that exist around the world.” nights when an Englishman ends up rather red-faced…” life after university.

14 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 15 THE FAMOUS FIVE

Mr Phil Keating Information Technology and Computing Start date: 1st September 1989

Mrs Julie Beggs How would you sum up your time at Blue Coat in three words? The end of the 2015/16 academic year marked the Chemistry Difficult to sum up my time in three words, so I don’t think I’ll try. There have been a end of a Blue Coat era as we said goodbye to five Start date: 1st September 1985 number of distinct phases during my time. So perhaps with this in mind I’ll go for long serving members of teaching staff. With 144 “Beginning, Middle and End”! years of teaching experience between them, their How would you sum up your time at Blue Coat in three What are your most memorable Blue Coat moments? contribution to School life is immense and they will words? Most memorable moments, again difficult to say, I have so many memories. With regard be greatly missed by staff and students alike. Quality, Challenge, Fun to staff, early in my career I attempted to organise a staff football team. On our first game What are your most memorable Blue Coat moments? against Cardinal Heenan at half-time the Headteacher Mr Speller was eagerly awaiting to After devoting a significant proportion of their Probably extra-curricular stuff like hockey trips – come on as a substitute. I asked for volunteers to come off and make way for Mr Speller, working lives to teaching and inspiring countless the boys St. Albans tour in 1987, Amsterdam tours, unfortunately as none were forthcoming I reluctantly put myself forward. Mr Speller duly numbers of students from across Liverpool, Mrs cricket and hockey tours to Barbados. The father of took up his position as centre forward with his two young sons Tom and James watching Julie Beggs, Mr Rod McGreevy, Mr Graham Hicks one current team player actually came on the 1987 dad from the side-lines. Soon a long ball was played forward and Mr Speller advanced with and Mr Phil Keating are preparing for the next tour as a player himself! surprising speed for a big man toward the opposition goal. Cardinal Heenan had a sixth phase of their lives outside of the classroom. Whenever I bump into a past pupil in Liverpool (which former in goal who also advanced to meet the ball, the two met and the sixth former did happens with increasing regularity as their numbers come off slightly worse, although he did recover to stay in goal for the rest of the game. Last but not least, Mr Keith Caulkin will be retiring swell!) the first topic of conversation will be ski trips. from teaching to take up a new part-time role There will be 2,500 Old Blues somewhere in the world in the Development Office. The Development who will have been skiing with us! Office will be tapping into Mr Caulkin’s wealth of What will you miss about Blue Coat? Blue Coat knowledge and personal connections, I will miss the students. They are creative, energetic, stretching back to his time as a student at the polite and caring. Of course, I will miss my colleagues Mr Rod McGreevy School as part of the Class of 1965. and friends but I hope not to be a stranger to the Geography School. Start date: 1st September 2001 What plans do you have for the future? Although I am retiring I am not stopping work How would you sum up your time at Blue Coat in three entirely and I am going to do some work for School words? Improvements Liverpool, but more often than not I am Lots of work! hoping to be found on the golf course when it’s sunny Mr Keith Caulkin What are your most memorable Blue Coat moments? Mr Graham Hicks or doing a bit of painting when it’s raining. I will Physics Meeting Miss Swift in the Design & Technology Design Technology probably produce more paintings than holes in one! Start date: 1st September 1975 Department. I struck gold. Start date: 1st September 1986 What will you miss about Blue Coat? How would you sum up your time at “Banter” with the students. How would you sum up your time Blue Coat in three words? What plans do you have for your retirement? at Blue Coat in three words? Gratifying, edifying and inspiring. A road trip around Australia with Mr Wellings. An unforgettable journey. What are your most memorable Blue Your most exotic Geography trip destination? What are your most memorable Blue Coat moments? This year we also said goodbye to: Coat moments? You can’t beat an overseas trip.....Hilbre Island. First day induction into the Boarding House Many incidences of the answer to the How have you managed to retain your Australian twang as a young, inexperienced Boarding Master. next question! But also the many whilst surrounded by so many Scousers? Accompanying a 6th form trip to St Petersburg and European cycle tours, hikes to the Have I? Not according to my Australian friends I haven’t. Moscow. Winning Merseyside Year 8 football cup as Lake District, badminton coaching manager in 1996. and of course the Oxford Dinner. What will you miss about Blue Coat? What will you miss about teaching? The interaction with students, both past and The interaction with our students present, which has left me with many special and staff room humour! memories. Leaving behind many close friends and Have any physics experiments ever We wish each and every one of them all colleagues after 30 years service. gone radically wrong? What plans do you have for your retirement? Mr Mark Sands, Mr Nick Ms Lynsey Mrs Christine Yes, as some did not work! the very best and we hope to see them Many people have said that I retired years ago!!! ICT and Croxton, Warner, Usher, Food Put my feet up for a few months, do some Computing History and Psychology Technology again in the not too distant future. travelling then consider getting a part-time job Politics ‘mixing paint’ in B&Q.

16 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 17 INTERVIEW: CHRIS WINCHESTER

Interview Chris Winchester talks ‘The Hobbit’

From Buttons in the 1989 Blue Coat production of So what happened next? How long were you in makeup for? Gollum. Andy’s a very physical director and would Just going in to the wardrobe department was On the big shoot days when there were hundreds get very excited in the action scenes, screaming Cinderella (above right) to a Hollywood hobbit in amazing. They had hundreds of different pieces of of us to process, it could take two or three hours to “DRAGON!” every time we had to dive out of the way. Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy. clothing and footwear, all custom made. Every get everyone through costume and makeup. We’d be He made it very easy to get scared. It felt like background character was individually put together shuttled to costume, sign in, get changed, and sit in pandemonium on set sometimes, but it was all very When Old Blue Chris Winchester from the Class of 1990 with a unique look. the queue for an available makeup artist - a bit like carefully coordinated by the assistant directors, which relocated to New Zealand he probably didn’t imagine being in a doctor’s waiting room at a fancy dress party. helped as we had to the same action sequences over that he would be fleeing the wrath of a fire breathing How were you transformed into a hobbit? They’d dirty up my hair, face and hands, and then dirty and over and over again. Exhausting at times, but dragon, but that is exactly the scenario he was faced As the shoot went on, our costumes would be them up a bit more. Initially we were just rather great fun. with when he stepped on to the set of The Hobbit. We progressively “broken down”. The scenes we did were grubby looking, but once we got to the dragon scenes dropped in with Chris to find out more about his close shot in the correct sequence, so our characters were they started to add extra soot and the odd bloody Different extras were used on different days so that nose. there was a good mix of faces in the crowd. Some encounter with J R Tolkien’s Middle Earth. gradually getting filthier as we survived the dragon attack and fled towards the ruined town of Dale and weeks I’d be working three or four days; other weeks maybe just one day or not at all. In total I think I did the Lonely Mountain. To get us properly messed up How long did filming take altogether? we’d periodically have to take turns twirling round A standard shoot day is twelve hours from when you around thirty days on set. Most of that was during the while members of the art department threw fake mud arrive to when you sign out. The longest day I did was principal photography period, but we came back a How did you end up being cast as an extra in the film? at us. seventeen hours, which was the day we sank the boats year later to do some additional shooting and The production team had been overwhelmed when trying to escape from the dragon. Most days, most complete the Lake-Town army scenes for the final film. thousands of people turned up for an open casting How many extras were involved in the production? of your time as an extra isn’t actually spent on set at The main shoot took 266 days. event in Wellington. Due to the crowds they had to I think we had at least two hundred extras there all. The main part of the job is being paid to wait on close the doors for safety reasons. So no one missed sometimes: it was a strange mix of elves and orcs, all standby until you might be needed for a scene. One It was great that I got to share some of it with my wife out, the casting team invited people to send in photos. eating lunch in full costume. All the elves had to wear of the Second Assistant Directors would look after us Nikky - there’s even a couple of shots where you can My hair was very long at the time and I’d just decided hair nets whenever they were off set, which diluted and make sure we had plenty of tea, coffee, water and just about see us together in the film, if you to get it all chopped off when my wife saw the casting the mystique a bit! It was a bit weird standing in the snacks. Some people would read books, play cards, or freeze-frame and squint. ad. They were specifically looking for “large hairy men” coffee queue with Martin Freeman, or watching chess, or guitars. Or just chat, or sleep! and “women with character faces”, so we thought what Orlando Bloom hunting for baked beans. The first We made many great new friendships in Middle Earth. the heck. A couple of days after we had sent in our time I saw Ian McKellen in full costume as Gandalf Although we spent some days working for Peter Lake-Town became a real community, and we still photographs we received an email from the casting though, that was really special. He was just there. Jackson, a lot of the time the scenes we shot were with get together for an annual barbecue and occasional team inviting us in for a costume fitting. Gandalf. In the tent. Like... Gandalf! the Second Unit, directed by Andy Serkis who plays parties.

18 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 19 STRAIGHT FROM THE ARCHIVE

We continue to uncover some fantastic items in our archive, from our first ever Blue Coat magazine published in 1949 to the dietary timetable of 1912, materials which add to the breadth and depth of the School’s rich and diverse history. Here are some of the items we have recently come across.

If you have any items you would like to share with us, from School reports (if you dare) to photographs or magazines, please contact the Development Office on 0151 733 1407 ext. 207 or at [email protected]

Want to find out more about the School’s history? Items dating back to the School’s founding in 1708 are held at Liverpool Central Library. Items such as Bryan Blundell’s accounts, minutes of meetings, and much, much more are available to the public.

To make an appointment please contact Liverpool Record Office on 0151 233 3069.

20 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 21 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

As I was approaching the end of my degree I had to start thinking about what I would do after music college. I had said throughout my time at college that I wanted to be a professional performer, but this is very difficult. I had also said that I didn’t want to go into teaching music.

I had applied to study a Masters of Music at RWCMD when I was sent a job advert highlighting the position of a Graduate Music Assistant at Wells Cathedral School, one of five specialist music schools in the UK. This job Shaun, pictured in Year 7 in 2004 dressed in the interested me as it was a way of continuing my School’s traditional uniform as part of Founders training. I applied and was offered a contract. Day celebrations Where are they now? Shaun Rigby, Class of 2011

I have been working at Wells Cathedral School since The reason I wanted to share this story is because a September 2015. It can get quite full on sometimes lot of the news we hear about the arts and music is to Since leaving The Blue Coat School in 2011 Old Blue but overall I am thoroughly enjoying my job. My main do with their being a lack of interest so funding is cut, Shaun Rigby has followed his passion for music, a duties include supervising the students while they are making it more difficult for those who do enjoy music passion which has taken him to the doors of some of the practicing, offering them ‘mini lessons’ and helping to take part. My path has taken a slightly different country’s most prestigious music institutions, including them with difficult passages of music. I am also route to what I had planned at school, but my passion the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Wells heavily involved with the percussion department, for music and my dream to one day perform at the which is the largest of its kind in the country. Royal Albert Hall with the Berlin Philharmonic at the Cathedral School. Proms is still there. The Blue Coat School allowed me I began looking for further employment at the start of to dream that big and for that I sincerely thank Mr “I left the School in 2011 with a very comfortable set of 2016 as a performer and I had auditions for Giffords Martin Cook, Mr Simon Emery, Miss Christine Horton GCSE’s and A Levels. However, I decided not to pursue Circus as a touring musician but was unsuccessful. and my percussion teachers Tessa Tayler and Joseph an academic degree, opting instead for a more practical I was still performing with various local amateur Livingstone. qualification by studying for a Bachelor of Music degree orchestra’s and brass bands, but not enough that specialising in Percussion, Timpani and at the could warrant a freelance performance career. Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. So if there was a message to pass onto the current Blue Coat School students it would be to dream big and to So, I decided on a whim to go for a percussion I had the most amazing time at RWCMD. I had the take every opportunity that comes your way; you never teaching job at Clayesmore Prep School in Dorset. privilege of studying under some fantastic tutors know where you might end up. Clayesmore School is set amongst a beautiful Victorian including Chris Stock (Principal Percussion, BBC estate that used to be owned by James Ismay, director National Orchestra of Wales) and Owen Gunnell of The White Star Line and owner of the Titanic (the (BBC Symphony Orchestra). My timetable didn’t consist manor house at the centre was also used to the film of the traditional lectures and seminars, but instead the chandelier scene from Only Fools and Horses). focussed upon instrumental lessons, ensemble The two previous percussion teachers at the school rehearsals and public performances. were also Scousers; Brian Heeley and the late Jan Faulkner, and I was delighted to be offered a job. I was lucky enough to perform in the flagship ensembles of the college including the Symphony I am now working at both schools; as a part-time Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble. I was also Graduate Music Assistant and Visiting Music Specialist selected to play snare drum for the Symphony at Wells Cathedral School and as a percussion teacher Orchestra’s performance of Ravel’s Bolero; words at Clayesmore School. Not bad really for a boy that Mr can’t explain how nervous I was before that gig! Tittershill used to call ‘Drummer Boy’.

22 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 23 OLD BLUES NEWS

An invitation from Lee Tsang’s Sinfonia UK the Bluecoat Arts Centre Collective orchestra head north Our friends at the Bluecoat Arts Centre will be celebrating their 300th anniversary in 2017 and preparations are underway to celebrate this momentous occasion. Last summer you may remember we caught up with Newcastle University Music Lecturer Dr Lee Tsang Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, from the Class of 1992 as he prepared to take his Liverpool city centre’s oldest building will be brought thirteen piece orchestra Sinfonia UK Collective on a UK to life through My Bluecoat, a fantastic project which and Canadian tour. As a marker of the tour’s success will collect archival material about the building’s the Orchestra were recorded by multi-Grammy Award transition from The Blue Coat School Hospital to the winner Dixon van Winkle, considered by many as the UK’s first arts centre. This material will be available to world’s most sought after recording engineer, who has the public through exhibitions, projects and a specially worked with the likes of Paul McCartney and Frank designed website, enabling visitors to discover more If you would like to find out more please visit Sinatra. Building on last summer’s success, Sinfonia about Bluecoat’s history and its connection with www.thebluecoat.org.uk/content/heritage or if you UK Collective will make its Edinburgh Festival debut Liverpool. The centre would like to extend a special would like to get involved please contact the centre Peaky Blinders this year, introducing audiences to their invitation to our Old Blues community to take part directly by emailing Samantha Wilson, their “genre-busting approach” that connects ancient, folk in the project’s planning phase and to hear your Engagement Coordinator at and classical music. Plans are already in the pipeline thoughts and ideas on various aspects of the project, [email protected] for Lee’s orchestra to tour the Canadian subarctic and particularly the website. or on 0151 702 7768 ext. 199. The Blue Coat School Arctic Circle in 2017, thanks to a collaboration with David Braid, the behind the new film ‘ takes centre stage Born to be Blue’. Royal Society’s Summer Show Liverpool audiences will next get a chance to hear the orchestra’s latest exciting work during a free special Fans of the award winning BBC show Peaky Blinders daytime workshop and free evening performance at may have recognised a number of Liverpool locations the Open Eye Gallery, Mann Island on 19 May 2017, We were delighted to discover that three Old as part of the Liverpool Light Festival. Blues were involved in this year’s prestigious Royal during the course of season three. Society Summer Science Exhibition, described by organisers as “a free festival of visionary science For one week in November The Blue Coat School and technology”. The exhibition, opened by Professor Boardroom and Chapel were magically transformed Brian Cox, saw twenty-two exhibitors present their back in time to the 1920s, for the arrival of the show’s cutting edge research and discoveries on a wide notorious gangsters, the Shelby family. In the days variety of topics from the future of Helen Johnson from the Class of 2008 leading up to filming elaborate and painstaking work weather-forecasting to cleaning up space junk. was undertaken to erase all the tell-tale traces of the twenty first century from the Grade II* listed building. Visitors seeking to learn about the formation and evolution of galaxies could take a fascinating virtual Staff and students were delighted to catch a glimpse reality tour of the cosmos or build their own Galaxy of the show’s stars including Hollywood actor Cillian with help from Old Blue from the Class of 2008 and Murphy and Helen McCrory. PhD student Helen Johnson and her colleagues from the Durham Institute for Computational Cosmology. Lavish period detail also extended outside the Clock Tower entrance with a final scene depicting the PhD student Mark Johnson from the Class of 2011 departure of the Shelby family in a number of pristine introduced visitors to the complex world of 1920s vintage cars. The decision by the BBC to use antimatter and provided a great insight into a number the Blue Coat for the location shots of its prestigious of experiments that are being conducted at CERN. drama series is a fitting tribute our School’s iconic buildings. Science Ceilidh’s Lewis Hou from the Class of 2008 was also in action demonstrating the band’s unique and extremely creative talent of teaching science through music. Mark Johnson from the Class of 2011

24 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 25 OLD BLUES WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Introducing Going Global: “Every day thousands of people die our oldest Francesca Bird, Class unnecessarily from preventable diseases, diseases that in the UK we know how to cure of 2012 shares the or even prevent. In Uganda 1 woman for every known Old Blue 100 will die during child birth yet there are less highs and lows of her “than 3 doctors per 100,000 people on average. This is why I chose to go to Uganda as part of nursing placement in my nursing degree. It opened my eyes to so much more than I could have ever imagined. I have Kendrick Rannard Uganda experienced things I would never have experienced here and seen and been involved in some heart breaking challenges as well as some amazing ones. At the start of the spring term the Development Office and members of the Liverpool Blue Coat I went out with a goal to try to help as many people as possible and make a difference to the Old Blues Association, had the privilege of meeting Old Blue Kendrick Rannard from the Class of 1931 local peoples’ lives however I think they made our oldest known Old Blue, Kendrick Rannard. visits the School as much, if not more, of an impact on mine. Kendrick, who celebrated his 100th birthday in I learnt so much not only to help me with my December 2015, attended the School as a boarder nursing career, but also about different cultures, from 1924 to 1931 along with his brother Ronald, and developed my communication skills and and sisters Mona and Dorothy. my ability to cope under stressful and difficult situations. Returning to the School with his two daughters and granddaughter, Kendrick shared many fond As well as working in a hospital setting I also memories as he retraced his steps around the worked with a community outreach programme School. On seeing the Chapel’s organ Kendrick on a weekly basis. We took a bus which had been was reminded of the many hours he enjoyed converted to some of the most remote areas in listening to staff and students demonstrate their the mountains where access to healthcare was musical talents. Sadly for the school boy, the almost none existent. There we provided HIV length of Kendrick’s legs prevented him from testing and counselling, cancer screenings, taking up the instrument as he was unable to offered contraception and family planning successfully reach the instrument’s many pedals! Living and working abroad provides a wide advice and conducted general health checks such variety of new and exciting opportunities as well as blood sugar testing and blood pressures. If Not to be put off by his short comings, as a as a fresh insight into a country and its culture any tests were positive a plan was put in place The School Admissions Book from 1924 showing you could never gain as a tourist. For second year member of The Blue Coat School band, Kendrick Kendrick starting at the School to ensure the patient could access to the correct and his fellow bandmates would regularly Liverpool John Moores University nursing student treatment and help. entertain passengers on the Welsh coast cruise Francesca Bird from the Class of 2012, a four liners. Money raised from the concerts would week placement located six hours from the busy We are so lucky with the NHS in the UK and then be put aside by the School’s music teacher, streets of the Ugandan capital Kampala, proved take for granted the amount of resources, with band members receiving their share once to be an extremely eye opening yet rewarding treatments and expertise that are so easily at our they had completed their Blue Coat experience, which involved delivering four babies disposal. Being at a hospital in Uganda where education. and providing healthcare to some of the country’s they didn’t even have dressings for women after most remote communities. c sections was tough. So many people suffer for Back to the present and after a thoroughly things that simply wouldn’t be an issue if they good catch-up over a hearty lunch Kendrick were in the UK. Not being able to do everything was presented with an array of Blue Coat for patients out there simply because they didn’t “ memorabilia. When asked what the secret to a have it or they ran out of the medications long life is, Kendrick instinctively remarked “red essential for survival was one of the toughest wine”. things. I went in to nursing as a career to help people yet I felt helpless in Uganda. However, The School would certainly like to raise a patients were so grateful for even the smallest glass in toast to a charming Old Blue. gestures to provide comfort in their pain.”

Kendrick was an enthusiastic member of The Blue Coat School band

26 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL 2016 www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 27 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

When Callum Speirs is not tutoring primary school pupils in Warrington he can be found on the Inspiring Futures sports fields of Lancaster University as an “Ultimate” coach – one of the latest and most 2016/17 – can you help popular sporting activities to have emerged in recent years. inspire our students? “

A number of Old Blues returned to the School in “We are incredibly grateful to our Old Blues who are willing to share their time and expertise “I left the Blue Coat School in 2011 and went 2015/16 to help inspire our current students with by inspiring our current students on potential to the University of York to study Music. At regard to future career paths and we are grateful to

career paths. Whether you are at University, University, I started playing Ultimate, a seven everyone who took the time to come in and speak to are starting out in your career, have worked a side team sport played with a flying disc. our students. towards a senior position or perhaps own your I competed for York University at British own business, your advice and guidance is Universities and Colleges Sport regionals and As of September 2016 Ms Lynette Holland’s role as “ invaluable. We hope many of you will get “ nationals, and then after graduating was Assistant Headteacher will be to spearhead Personal involved in 2016/17 by taking part in our selected for the Great Britain under 23 mixed Development and Information, Advice and Inspiring Futures careers talks, helping with team. We competed at the 2015 World under Guidance. Ms Holland is keen to build on our Callum, pictured on the right, playing Ultimate university practice interviews or volunteering 23 Ultimate Championships and finished 5th, careers offering to date, particularly by expanding at our annual Careers Fair.” defeating some of the larger teams, such as our careers activities to target all Key Stages, so

Ms Lynette Holland, Assistant Headteacher, Australia and Japan. that our younger students have as much access to careers advice as our older students. Personal Development and Information, Advice and Guidance This year I was on the live streaming film crew

for the World Ultimate Championships 2016 in Where are London and next year I am aiming to get onto the Great Britain Beach Ultimate team. Here are ways in which you can help: Delivering a careers talk as part of our Away from Ultimate I teach as a peripatetic “ 2016/17 Inspiring Futures Careers Talks. they now? Gospel Choir tutor in primary schools in Warrington, working for the Accent Music Hub Areas we would particularly appreciate and I run two adult community choirs. I also support in are: Callum Speirs, run Ultimate clubs in three primary schools • Art and I am employed to coach Ultimate at the • Dentistry Class of 2011 University of Central Lancashire.” • Engineering • Financial management • Journalism • Languages • Law Old Blue Helen Brown from the Class of 1999, • Medicine pictured with Mr Keith Caulkin after speaking to • Music students about a career in journalism • Politics and history • PR/ advertising/ marketing • Psychology Our annual Careers Fair will be taking place on • Teaching • Theatre production Thursday 2nd March 2017. As part of this evening • Veterinary science we hold mini careers talks as well as having a market place which gives students the opportunity Volunteering to help give our students to speak to a number of Universities as well as local University practice interviews. Areas that and national companies. would be particularly helpful are: Ultimate is a non-contact, self-refereed • Dentistry • Humanities If you are interested in getting involved please team sport played with a flying disc. get in touch with the Development Office Two teams of seven players compete on a • Medicine • Oxbridge on 0151 733 1407 ext 207 or at Callum pictured with his Great Britain Under 23 Mixed playing field about the same length as a • Veterinary Science [email protected] Team teammates, pictured on the far left of the bottom row football field, but narrower. At each end of the playing field there is an end zone. Each team defends one endzone. 28 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 29 LIVERPOOL BLUE COAT OLD BLUES ASSOCIATION 1708 SOCIETY The 1708 Society: The Liverpool Blue Coat Old Blues Association (formerly The Brotherly Society) was founded in 1838 with the principle objective of assisting, advising and remembering our promoting the wellbeing of the boys who attended the Liverpool Blue Coat School. Throughout its history the Association has supported the School and its current past, supporting and former students, and this support continues today. our future

At the Annual General Meeting on 10th March 2016, the following officials were elected to the Association: Members of the Association at a quarterly meeting President: Keith Caulkin Vice-President: Keith Ashley Treasurer: Stan Livingston Secretary: Tony Salmon Trustees: Keith Ashley, Keith Caulkin, Steve Elliott, Charles Hodgson, Stan Livingston, “It is pleasing that our new gender-neutral Richard Morris, Les Page, Ron Richardson name, the Liverpool Blue Coat Old Blues’ & Frank Towler. Association (LBCOBA), is now being used and Advisory Committee Members: John Barker, we are sponsoring for another year Jennifer Colin Hanson, Frank Irwin, Steve Jamieson, Graham, an Old Blue, in the school’s Ray Livingston, Mike Pennington, “Development Office. Tony Salmon, Debbie Silcock, & This year we will be launching the 1708 Society – our the Headteacher and other key representatives from Sandy Tittershill. Many Old Blues have returned to school way to recognise and thank during their lifetime those the School community. This will be an opportunity throughout the previous year to give careers who have made a legacy in their Will in favour of The for us to thank you for your support and to keep you talks. It has been a pleasure for me to introduce Blue Coat School. updated with our current plans. Members may also be these past students as I had taught many of listed in our annual Giving Report and will also have them. The talks have been informative, most A gift in your Will can achieve great things at the their names added to a special 1708 Society register interesting and they have inspired many of our Upcoming Meetings School. All bequests, of whatever size, will benefit the which will be displayed in the School. students to cement their hopes in a particular • Quarterly members’ meeting: Thursday School and our current and future students. profession. 8th September 2016 at 7.30pm in the If you have already included The Blue Coat School in Blundell Suite at the School (enter via The 1708 Society has been named after the year the your Will we would be pleased to recognise your On a personal note, I will be retiring from clock tower entrance). Tea, coffee & School was founded thanks to the philanthropy of our support by making you a Founding Member of the teaching Physics at the Blue Coat School in biscuits will be available from 7pm. Founders Bryan Blundell and Reverend Robert Styth. Society. To tell us your intentions, or to find out more

July 2016, after 41 years of being a member of • Quarterly members’ meeting: Date to be We are grateful to this day for our founders’ inspiring about leaving a gift in your Will, please contact Cat vision and we think it fitting that we remember them Gransden, our Director of Development at

staff, having enjoyed every year and seen many confirmed in December 2016 at 8pm in changes whilst ‘being in harness’! However I will through this society, which will enable us to thank [email protected] or the school dining hall (enter via staff car those who support the School today. on 0151 733 1407 ext 207 not be leaving the Blue Coat, but will be working park). Christmas dinner will be served

part-time in the forthcoming academic year in at 7pm.

the Development Office, writing UCAS We understand that many prefer making a Will to references, preparing Year 11 and sixth form • Annual General Meeting: Thursday 9th remain a private matter. Of course, we respect this and physics students for the national Physics March 2017 at 7.30pm in the School can guarantee your anonymity. On the other hand, the Olympiad competitions and filling in for any (room to be confirmed). Hot pot supper receipt of a legacy gift is always tinged with sadness “ but slightly less so if we have had a chance to say thank absences of teachers of physics! Quite a varied “ will be available from 6.45pm. “I was admitted to the School as a boarder in and flexible commitment which should prove you during your lifetime. We therefore encourage the 1970s. The School provided me with the interesting and stimulating. I value the support anyone who intends to leave a gift to the School in environment to develop and fulfil my potential of a strong LBCOBA committee, which provides their Will to please let us know of your intentions. and I would like my experience to be enjoyed by thorough secretarial assistance, meticulous future students.” financial accounting and a willing help in all The Blue Coat School is very grateful If you tell us that you plan to make a bequest to the “Old Blue & Legacy Pledger aspects of the Association.” to the Liverpool Blue Coat Old Blues’ School you will automatically become a member of the Mr Keith Caulkin, President Association for their continued support by Society and will be invited every other year with your continuing to contribute financially to our spouse or partner for a special lunch in the company of Development Office as well as their £3,000 contribution to our new Library Appeal.

30 | THE ANNUAL REVIEW FOR OLD BLUES www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk | 31 THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL Development Office, The Blue Coat School, Church Road, Wavertree, Liverpool, L15 9EE Tel: 0151 733 1407 ext 207 Email: [email protected] www.bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk

‘non sibi sed omnibus’ ‘not for oneself but for all’

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