Stockport Grammar TAKING School Newsletter Issue 62 STOCK Winter 2015/16 Read about the school’s production of Down The Rabbit Hole on Page 5 THE BATTLEFIELDS HOCKEY FINAL CHILDREN IN NEED JOLLY JELLYBEAN JAPES Visiting the battlefields Girls’ 1st team Juniors raise an Reception pupils boost of the First World War celebrate impressive £835 their counting skills Page 3 Page 6 Page 11 Page 12 OUT AND ABOUT OUT AND ABOUT SIXTH FORMERS GET PSYCHED FOR PSYCHOLOGY A group of our Lower Sixth pupils SETTLING IN TO SCHOOL LIFE took part in an exciting psychology conference at the Royal Northern All First Year pupils enjoyed three In the evenings, the group had team College of Music in Manchester. fun-filled days on our free induction building activities in their House teams residential in Derbyshire to help them including quizzes and a fashion show. A host of entertaining speakers gave make new friends during their first few With a deadline of just 20 minutes, the pupils insights into how evidence weeks of school. the pupils rose to the challenge of is presented and the differences making costumes out of bin bags and between Psychology and Science. The boys and girls stayed at newspaper. Hartington Hall youth hostel and The highlight of the day was started their first day with a country On the final day, pupils visited the Dr Peter Lovatt who explained the walk through the dales and a treasure National Tramway Museum and role of dance in cognitive processes. This involved our pupils being hunt in Hartington village. Heights of Abraham. They all had asked to get up and join in with his great fun playing together on the They spent the second day exploring demonstrations of dance moves. slides, climbing wall and rope walks Chatsworth’s beautiful gardens and before returning home exhausted but Oliver Meech explained the examined the modern sculptures in with new friends and great memories. ‘Psychology of Magic’ and the day the Sotheby’s Beyond Limits exhibition finished with a talk from world before playing with the guinea pigs famous hypnotist Andrew Newton. and other animals at the estate’s farm. ARTISTIC INSPIRATION Creative A-Level pupils spent a day in exhibition, they got the chance to view “ The opportunity to see art in the capital exploring some of the world’s their permanent collection. such auspicious surroundings is most famous pieces of art at London’s hugely important when trying to They visited Tate Modern before heading top galleries. understand the work. Time can be to the National Gallery and the Victoria spent studying techniques. Despite The trip was designed to provide visual and Albert Museum where they sketched arriving back in Stockport feeling and contextual reference material and studied the vast variety of art weary, the day was a resounding to help the Sixth Formers with their on display. success and will no doubt have an portfolios. Mr Davies, Head of Art and Design, impact on the subsequent pieces Pupils explored Tate Britain and along explained why the annual trip is always that are produced.” with the excellent Frank Auerbach so worthwhile: 2 www.stockportgrammar.co.uk OUT AND ABOUT BIOLOGISTS ENJOY FIELD RESEARCH TRIP Biology pupils from the Upper Sixth spent four days in Shropshire on their annual research trip. Over the course of the trip, the group studied hydroseral succession, conservation in heather moorlands and freshwater pond ecology. They also learnt more about WELCOME TO STOCKPORT collecting reliable data and analysing statistics to support their future Fifth Year pupils welcomed students centre to do some shopping, a visit to work in the laboratory. and teachers from our partner Manchester climbing centre and a tour school in the North German town of Manchester City’s stadium. of Bad Segeberg as part of the Some of the Fifth Year ventured as annual exchange programme. far afield as London and the Lake Our visitors from Städtisches District with their visitors while others Gymnasium stayed with our pupils’ stayed more local for cinema and families and made lots of new shopping trips. friends while attending lessons at The new friends will be reunited on Stockport Grammar and exploring the return leg of the annual exchange the North-West. next month, when it will be our pupils’ Out of school activities included turn to stay with their partners’ organised visits to Manchester city families in Bad Segeberg. EXPLORING THE BATTLEFIELDS Third Year pupils stepped back in time to Pupils also visited the interactive In explore the battlefields of the First World Flanders Fields museum, walked through War on the History department’s annual the muddy preserved trenches in trip to Northern France and Belgium. Sanctuary Wood and the underground tunnel systems. The first full day was spent in and around the area of the infamous 1916 A second wreath was laid by Katie Hicks Battle of the Somme. and Matthew Rogan at the moving Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres. The group visited the underground museum in Albert where they saw Upper Sixth pupil Alfie Hall joined the artefacts from the Great War and learned trip to visit for a second time: about the weapons used by both sides. “ The trip was a moving and Pupils also learned about Old Stopfordian memorable experience bringing Stanley Liddell from New Mills who died home the sacrifice of millions yet on 4th March 1917 aged just 26. still showing the respect that is shown to their memory. In this Linton Armstrong and Phoebe centenary period, it was a unique Roberts laid a wreath in memory of opportunity for everyone on the Old Stopfordians lost in battle at the trip to experience the battlefields Memorial for the Missing at Thiepval and where men fought and died to a minute’s silence was held in memory create the world we live in today.” of all those who died in and around the Somme area. Follow us on twitter @stockportgs 3 ARTS STAGE SUCCESS FOR PUPILS ARTS OLD AND NEW Current and former Stockport Grammar School pupils joined forces to stage an outstanding production of new musical The Tree of War. The production was co-written and directed by Old Stop Oliver Mills to commemorate 100 years since the start of the First World War. The musical is a tale of love, loss and hope that explores the lives of a group of South Manchester lads and lasses caught up in the trauma of the First World War. Originally a one-act show performed to acclaim in 2014, writers Oliver Mills (OS 2012) and Rachel Mann reworked the show into a two-act West End style production. Oliver said: AUDIENCE DELIGHTED BY “The production is the culmination of a year and a SELL-OUT AUTUMN CONCERT half’s worth of writing and The school’s orchestras, bands and Lower Sixth Form pupil, Emily Howling, six months of production. The choirs performed to a sell-out audience then gave a charming vocal performance 22-strong cast of singers and at this year’s Autumn Concert. of Desmond’s Take Five with the actors contains a large number Jazz Band. This was followed by an of current and former pupils Guests were welcomed with opening extravagant performance of Unsquare from Stockport Grammar performances of Hallelujah, Yellow Bird Dance with improvised solos from School, notably our two leading and Ragtime Roundup by the Second George Dixon on drums, Alex Pollard men Sam Gilliatt (OS 2014) and Orchestra, conducted by Mrs Short. on piano and Alex Jones on double Alex Cosgriff (OS 2014) who This was followed by String Orchestra’s bass. Jazz Band finished with an also led the school production introduction to different styles of upbeat version of Winter Wonderland. of Godspell in 2014.” 20th Century music, conducted The first half ended with stunning The Tree of War is Oliver’s first by Mr Griffith. performances of Rimsky-Korsakov’s project as a professional composer Upper Sixth Form pupil, Becki Smith, Dance of the Tumblers from The Snow / musician having just graduated opened with a solo performance of Maiden and Dvořák’s Slavonic Dance from the University of York. Fauré’s Après un Rêve. The set ended Op. 46 No. 8. by the First Orchestra, with Stravinsky’s quirky Neoclassical conducted by Mr Dow. piece Vivo from Pulcinella Suite. 4 www.stockportgrammar.co.uk ARTS TALENTED TRIO SCORE NATIONAL SUCCESS THREE of our Sixth Formers have been tuition at Stockport Grammar and have Emily has appeared in many drama selected to join two of the country’s been part of many choirs, bands and productions and musicals during most prestigious musical organisations. orchestras during their time at the school. her time at the school including Down The Rabbit Hole. Alex Jones and Simon Fraser have been Mr Dow, Director of Music at Stockport chosen for the National Youth Orchestra Grammar, said: She said: of Great Britain. “This is a fantastic achievement “I screamed when I found out I had been picked because it’s Alex, who has been playing the double as NYO is regarded as one of the most prestigious music ensembles all I’ve ever wanted to do. I will bass for almost 10 years, was first available to young musicians in now be appearing in shows with selected for NYO four years ago and this country. It is exciting for Alex the National Youth Music Theatre. has been promoted to become the and Simon that several years of It’s an exciting time.” orchestra’s principal double bass player. hard work and commitment to Simon, who started learning the oboe Mr Dow said: music-making both inside and when he was 11, has been selected for outside school have now led to “Emily has done incredibly well to the first time.