boltonschool.org Summer 2018 A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD As you read through the following pages of this magazine, I am sure that you will echo the words of a recent visitor to School. ‘I wish I were young enough to come here myself’. That lady was looking round on behalf of her daughter but her sentiments are often repeated by current parents or Old Girls when they visit us. As Headmistress I am privileged to experience much of what goes on here. I can take delight in the school concerts and drama productions and my intellectual horizons are regularly expanded by the enrichment lectures. It is true that my pleasure in the girls’ more active pursuits, such as their sporting triumphs or their success in the Duke of Edinburgh awards, is more vicarious, but it is no less profound as a result. This year I was also able to share in the joys of the French Exchange, thanks to an offer by Mrs Naughton for me to join the group, which I appreciated immensely. I do hope you will find reflected here something in which your daughter has played a part and also a range of things which she can look forward to in the future. Miss S Hincks, Headmistress Year 13 Leavers Bolton School Girls’ Division A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR 1-2 Community Action 19 Geography Department It has been my pleasure to look back on & Volunteering 20 History Department another full year in the Girls’ Division while 2 Inspire Women Awards 21-22 Art Department collating this edition of Spirit. Bolton School 3 The Parents’ Association 23-24 The Tempest received the Whole-School Community 4 Enrichment Evenings 25-28 Music Department Initiative of the Year award at the 2018 5 Outdoor Pursuits TES Independent School Awards, and so 29-31 Technology Department 6 Year 7 the magazine focuses particularly on our 32 FTT Department 7 Year 8 connections with the local area through 33 German Department partnerships, events and voluntary work. 8 Year 9 34 Spanish Department The cover depicts one such enterprise: 9 Year 10 35 French Department Tea at the Riley, a monthly tea party 10 Year 11 hosted by the Sixth Form which spans the 36 Duke of Edinburgh 11 Year 12 generations. Pupils’ wide-ranging activities 37-44 Sports Department and achievements, in school and beyond, 12 Year 13 are also documented in the following pages 13-14 English Department 45-49 Hesketh House and I hope you enjoy browsing the girls’ 15 Religious Studies 49-52 Staff Leavers memories and highlights. 16 Charity Fundraising 53-54 Alumni Miss A Bradshaw 17-18 Science & Maths Departments 55-56 Destination of Leavers Year 6 Leavers SPIRIT 2018 COMMUNITY ACTION & VOLUNTEERING Community Involvement Bolton School won the ‘Whole school community initiative of the year’ award at the TES Independent School Awards 2018. The School was praised for its involvement with the Bolton Sports Alliance, which supports high-quality PE provision to local primary schools. The judges said: “ There is an extraordinary amount of work being done for an awful lot of people, with a very wide range of opportunities being provided by Bolton However, the School’s involvement with the friendly conversation and good company from School. local community stretches even further. The their Sixth Form hosts. Careers Department organises a bi-annual Year 11 pupils get involved with National Careers and Higher Education Fair for everyone “ They have been Citizen Service, which has a volunteering in the local area, offering students in Year aspect. The scheme is annually introduced to absolute leaders in the 9 and above insight into a broad range of the whole of Year 11 with a visit to Bolton Lads careers, modern apprenticeships and university and Girls Club, another member of the Bolton sector in community and college options. Sports Alliance. Last year 33 girls took part. work. It is a really The Sixth Form Community Action programme Staff also offer their time, and have been actively encourages students in Years 12 and instrumental in delivering the SHINE: Serious strong project that 13 to give back to Bolton and the wider region. Fun on Saturdays programme over the past This year, 27 students across both Divisions nine years. The project, which runs on Spring has had a very achieved a Gold Volunteering Award for Term Saturday mornings, this year saw 43 Year giving 100 hours or more of their time. The 5 pupils from a dozen local primary schools significant impact on Sixth Form girls’ initiative Tea at the Riley is have fun widening their learning. As well as just one volunteering example among many. traditional classroom subjects, the children its area. A shining city Older people from the local area visit the Riley enjoy unusual activities that they would not Centre to enjoy a hand-made afternoon tea, encounter through the normal curriculum. on the hill.” complete with sandwiches, cakes and sweet Bolton School students assist the programme treats, drinks, entertainment, and of course as volunteers. 01 Bolton School Girls’ Division COMMUNITY ACTION & VOLUNTEERING Inspire Women Community Involvement Awards Headmistress Sue Hincks was nominated for the Teacher of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2018 Inspire Women Awards. She was also one of finalists for the title of Woman of the Year. Three Girls’ Division athletes were also nominated for the Sporting Achievement Award: Thea Simpson (water polo), Hollie Asquith (roller skating), and Lizzie Harkness (football). Read more about their endeavours this year on page 37. The Inspire Women Awards celebrate women who have gone above and beyond to make outstanding contributions in Bolton and the local area. As well as SHINE, Mr Wrigley and Miss Doran science up to the Large Hadron Collider. The provided extra lessons to Lostock Primary day culminated in a talk from Dr Suzie Imber. School pupils. The tuition aimed to help Primary pupils from five local schools were talented mathematicians to further improve also invited to join Bolton School’s musicians Sue Hincks Lizzie Harkness their grades in the summer’s National for this year’s Spring Concert at Bolton’s Curriculum Assessments. Victoria Hall, forming a Massed Choir and In science, Mr Ickringill has given several Massed Orchestra to perform. Institute of Physics science presentations at The Librarians annually organise the popular nearby schools. He also arranged a Festival Bolton Children’s Fiction Award, which puts of Science in the Girls’ Division, attended by voting completely in the hands of young over 800 local primary and secondary school people. The Award encourages pupils to children, including Bolton School’s Junior and engage with reading, discuss the shortlisted Senior Girls and Infants. The day featured an books and take part in enrichment activities. inflatable Planetarium, in which presenter Bolton School holds a ceremony to announce Richard Lake gave spectacular, age-relevant the six shortlisted books in October, and in demonstrations about the universe for Years the summer term hosts a day dedicated to Thea Simpson Hollie Asquith 1-10, which even the Sixth Form could enjoy. the Award. Excited pupils from schools around Simultaneously, Years 7-9 pupils took in Bolton attend workshops with shortlisted fascinating, fun and interactive science shows authors, followed by the award presentation 100 Years from Sam Gregson, who covered the story of where the winner is revealed. of the Vote The Library celebrated the centenary of the first women receiving the vote on 6 February 2018 with a display focusing on the Suffragettes. This included Emmeline Pankhurt’s autobiography, history books, novels based on the Women’s Suffrage movement, posters and propaganda from the period, and a pop-up image of a ‘Votes for Women’ march. SPIRIT 2018 02 THE PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION The Parents’ Association The PA is undoubtedly a key part of which he pioneered the first commercial Bolton School life, organising memorable gyms, laid the foundations for UK Active, events such as the Fireworks Display and helped set body-building standards and, as Burns’ Night. an octogenarian, still performs endurance fitness feats! However, Nissa Smyth, Chair of the PA, believes in finding new ways of engaging “An Audience With” will join annual events parents with School and pupils with the PA: like the Firework Display in helping to raise “Just last year we introduced a new Parents’ funds. Throughout the year the sale of Association Future Entrepreneurs’ (PAFE) Bolton School branded Christmas puddings event – a kind of Dragons’ Den competition and wine, plant and bulb sales, and light for all of the Year 9 girls. The teams were refreshments at School shows also put challenged to create a new business idea money in the PA’s coffers. based on a set brief and were judged by The Girls’ Division has recently benefitted an external panel of entrepreneurs made from PA funding with the purchase of a new up of parents, relatives and supportive Year 11 Common Room, classroom signage, local companies operating in a variety of sports kit, wooden benches and Great Hall business disciplines. The winners received blinds. Money is currently being saved to a gift voucher, a Young Enterprise Golden help fund the refurbishment of the Theatre. Ticket and a new PAFE trophy. The event demonstrated to girls different careers Miss Hincks said: paths and encouraged interaction, focusing “ Parental engagement is vital in ensuring on the world of work between parents and pupil development and success and we are daughters. We also involved Year 6 girls in delighted that our Parents’ Association our focus groups and this gave them an early is so actively engaged with School.