We Are Harper Edition 1.Pub

Spring 2017 Harper Green Celebrates Success! The annual Harper Green Presentation Evening took place in November at The Victoria Hall in Bolton. Pupils past and present, attended the event to celebrate their successes. It was an exceptional celebration, showcasing some of our most talented individuals. Mr Wilson worked his magic with the choir and our talented musicians whilst Miss Gunn choreographed some amazing dance pieces. Former pupils beamed with confidence when they took to the stage to receive their GCSE certificates. With the help, guidance and support of Harper Green staff, these pupils have achieved the best that they are capable of and have flourished to become young confident adults. The dedication, commitment and hard work of our current Year 11 was also celebrated, with students receiving awards for endeavour, citizenship and contribution to school life. www.harper-green.bolton.sch.uk We Are Harper Spring 2017 The Origins of the Harper Green School Badge & the History of Harper Green School As Harper Green School prepares to become an academy, it’s worth looking back at the school’s journey from a small school, with two hundred and thirty children, into a large campus that is home to 1350 pupils with some 200 staff. The need to have a visual identity has always been a pivotal feature of belonging to a group, be it a football club, a regiment, a trade association, a school, college or profession. Belonging to Harper Green and sharing the ethos of such a group is why Harper Green School underpins a commitment to our motto “Inspire – Believe – Achieve” which is as much a part of who we are, as is our uniform and the badge that identifies our pupils as members of Harper Green School. For many years the Harper Green Central School badge was used to emblazon the letterhead of school stationary as few children possessed a uniform. The design was a simple heraldic device featuring the letters “FCS” (Farnworth Central School), a traditional shield which featured the bee and the hive, symbolic virtues and the motto “Industry and Faithfulness in Service”. The Head Master from 1928 was Mr Sam Astle. At that time, the school was effectively divided into a girls and boys school (a white line was literally painted across the quad corridor). Miss Green was the headmistress (with a strictly adhered to policy of zero contact with the boys). The appointment of Mr John Close in 1963 as the headmaster of Harper Green School introduced a charismatic liberal reformer who was charged with the responsibility of merging the boys’ and girls’ schools. Harper Green School was a small school and accommodation consisted of classrooms around the quad. By the late sixties, the school needed more teaching rooms and a major building programme began. The old badge remained and continued in use until the onset of reorganisation of secondary education in 1982 when a tide of sweeping changes swept through the country. Mr Alan Atherton undertook the development of the newly formed school and along with this a new design emerged to incorporate the use of the crown, a rose and a gauntlet clutching ferns, in recognition of the towns medieval name, Fernerth (quite literally meaning ‘place amongst the ferns’). An unusual feature is the rope binding around the shield which symbolises strength. The design was produced in school by Mark German, a year eight pupil whose design was chosen from many entries and created in the Art Department at a time when graphic skills were introduced to the syllabus. The badge was used during the period up to the 1990s, when a simplified version of the two fern symbol was introduced. After eighty eight years it seems appropriate that we celebrate our school’s historical heritage and look back over the many years that Harper Green School has provided quality education. The school has grown from its early school board days, becoming a secondary school and then a comprehensive school. In the next few weeks, Harper green will become part of the Leverhulme Academy Trust, alongside Rivington and Blackrod High School. Harper Green School will retain its identity and value its long history serving the many generations of pupils whom have passed through the school gates. Dr T Colluney FARNWORTH CENTRAL HARPER GREEN HARPER GREEN SCHOOL SECONDARY SCHOOL COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL Inspire • Believe • Achieve We Are Harper Spring 2017 Introducing our New Head Boy and Head Girl Pupils and staff have elected Amir Williams and Ellie Lord at Harper Green’s Head Boy and Head Girl. As Head Boy and Girl, they have many roles and responsibilities, as well as being the faces of the school. Over the course of the year, they will have to represent the school at many functions, including making a speech at the annual Presentation Evening. Their main responsibility is ensuring that the prefect team are doing their weekly duties and if a problem occurs they need to make sure they are able to sort it without any hesitations, in a mature manner. Being the face of the school means that Amir and Ellie have to attend many events and help out with Transition Days. Amir and Ellie have done this with a positive, mature and confident attitude. Both Amir and Ellie will tell any aspiring Head Boy and Head Girl that this is a real honour and something to be proud of. Representing Harper Green at public events such as Armistice Day in Bolton was an occasion that they felt proud to be a part of. They hope this is something that the future Head Boy and Girl can continue to attend. Teacher in the Making! Every year, Year 10 participates in a week-long work experience placement. During this time, pupils enter the world of work and get an idea of what it would be like in the industry or career of their choice. This year we were particularly delighted by the feedback from the placements, however we were impressed with the comments from Mount St. Josephs regarding Hollie Nuttall. Hollie is an outstanding pupil at Harper Green. She is a keen, enthusiastic, hard worker and this was shown in her work experience in the Art Department at Mount St. Joseph's. She gave 100% during her week long placement and she gained so much knowledge, experience and confidence because of her enthusiasm, ability and willingness to ‘get stuck in’. She used her time wisely and she got the most out of the opportunity that work experience had to offer. She was a true credit and ambassador for the school. Hollie taught a Year 7 class, which according to the class teacher was not easy class. Her mentor called her a ‘superstar and a credit to Harper Green’. She was professional and inspiring to work with. The Art Department were impressed with the level of commitment she showed and was impressed with her teaching, something they said they couldn’t have done at her age. Well done Holly! Inspire • Believe • Achieve We Are Harper Spring 2017 In Flanders Fields... Mrs Rothwell's trip to the Battlefields departed school at 11.30pm on Friday 21st October. We crossed the Channel via Eurostar and despite the lack of sleep we hit the ground running as we arrived in Belgium. We visited the Essex farm which is believed to be the place where the Canadian poet Major John McCrae wrote the famous poem, 'In Flanders Fields'. On from there, Passchendaele museum gave pupils the opportunity to walk through preserved trenches, giving them a feel of how conditions were on the front line before soldiers were given the instruction to, 'go over the top'. Quiet time spent in both Tyne Cot Cemetery and the German War Cemetery overawed the pupils and staff with their sheer size, the number of graves, and the many names on the monuments. The beauty of the location permanently commemorates the ultimate sacrifice of Commonwealth soldiers. After one very long, emotional night and day, we arrived at our accommodation, where pupils were able to unwind playing pool, bowling, and five-a- side football. Day two involved a visit to the Somme, which (100 years ago to the day) was the site of the bloodiest battle in British history. Vimy Ridge is the site of the Canadian Memorial and pupils were able to experience the tunnels the Canadians dug to get soldiers to the front lines safely. The site is another permanent reminder of the horrors of war, as the landscape is scarred with craters from exploding shells. Sunday was a very misty day in France and as we walked to the Newfoundland Memorial, it appeared, the most magnificent memorial out of the mist; it was breath taking. The remainder of the day took us to Thiepval and the Lochnagar Crater, before finishing up with a freezing cold tour of the Delville Wood, where trenches continue to be preserved. The day was completed as pupils and staff attended the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres. On our final day, pupils visited the In Flanders Fields Museum in the heart of Ypres. But, before setting off home, a trip to Leonidas Chocolate Shop was in order to make us all thouroughly sick on the way home. Well it wouldn't be Belgium without the chocolate would it? Inspire • Believe • Achieve We Are Harper Spring 2017 Remembering the Fallen 11th November is a day of remembrance for those who have fought for our country during various wars and conflicts. With many of pupils having relatives who have served (or are currently serving) in the Armed Forces, we felt that it was respectful if we honoured those brave men and women who have continuously fought to keep our country and the world safe.

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