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Spring 2013<br />
a note from the head<br />
This latest edition of <strong>Hoc</strong> <strong>Age</strong> reveals again the breadth of all that goes on at BGS and the amazing<br />
achievements of our students. I am delighted to see us reaching out into our local communities, by hosting the<br />
Model United Nations competition for local schools for example or inviting children from seven local primary<br />
schools for a maths masterclass. It is also humbling to read of the work our Sixth Form pupils are doing with<br />
Barnardo’s <strong>Bradford</strong> Young Carers. It is easy to take the wonderful opportunities at the school for granted but I<br />
am delighted by the willingness of our students to help others reach their potential.<br />
There is much to celebrate in this edition, from the Fashion Show through to our students’ success in the<br />
languages Spelling Bee. What shines through for me is the willingness of students and teachers to participate<br />
in a huge range of activities and the standards achieved in them. It reinforces our commitment to an all-round<br />
education where academic excellence is complemented<br />
by the co-curricular programme. There is no doubt that<br />
this prepares students well for adult life.<br />
brownlee visit<br />
The Senior and Junior <strong>School</strong> staff and pupils were delighted to welcome back Olympic bronze medallist and current<br />
World Triathlon Champion Jonny Brownlee. Jonny, now twenty-one, received a rapturous welcome as he entered<br />
the Price Hall packed with the whole school. He took part in two question and answer sessions with pupils from both<br />
schools. Junior <strong>School</strong> pupils asked a variety of questions including what superpower would he like? The answer was to<br />
be able to fly. He spoke at length on his experiences at the London Olympics, his childhood and his training regime. The<br />
pupils gained a huge insight into the dedication required to become a World Champion and Olympian.<br />
The Bingley Harriers member, whose elder brother Alistair was training in Spain, said he had fond memories of the school.<br />
He said: ‘I really enjoyed myself here. I learned to enjoy sport here. It is genuinely good to come back.’<br />
cycling<br />
Abby Parkinson won the U16 National Cyclo-Cross Championships<br />
(successfully defending her title from 2012) in Peel Park, <strong>Bradford</strong>, in front<br />
of an amazing home crowd.<br />
This followed her victory in the Cyclo-Cross National Trophy which is a<br />
series of six races around the country. At Christmas, Abby travelled to<br />
Belgium to race with the top girls over there in three races and extremely<br />
tough conditions. Abby won all three of her events, including a Super<br />
Prestige Event.<br />
Abby is training in Mallorca over Easter preparing for the start of the road<br />
events, the first of which will be the three-day Isle of Man Youth Tour.<br />
house<br />
cross<br />
country<br />
The whole of the Junior <strong>School</strong> took part in the<br />
annual House Cross Country run, in which every<br />
pupil counted towards the final score for their<br />
House. The races were close<br />
and exciting. The individual<br />
winners from each year group<br />
were Olly Sunderland, Neesha<br />
Khan, Amrit Sharma, Lizzie<br />
Lucas, Alex Flaherty, Redford<br />
Holdsworth and Daniel Grimmitt.<br />
The winning House was<br />
Founders with 406 points.<br />
the lord<br />
mayor<br />
Lord Mayor, Councillor Dale Smith attended <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong><br />
<strong>School</strong> before going on to study at St Andrew’s University and<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> College. Councillor Smith holds a BSc Hons degree in<br />
Chemistry. He is Chairman and Director of Manor Coating Systems<br />
Ltd (Shipley Paint), a family business started by his father in 1938.<br />
His elder son is now Managing Director of the firm. Councillor Smith is a member of several local boards including the<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> College Corporation, the Strategic Disability Partnership, several <strong>School</strong> Governing bodies and the Shipley<br />
Glen Tramway.<br />
Having served as a <strong>Bradford</strong> District Councillor for the Conservative group for over thirty years, he had the privilege of<br />
being Deputy Leader of the Council and also Executive Member for both Children’s Services and Adult Services. He is<br />
also a member of several local boards.<br />
The school was delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor back to school on an official visit. During the visit he met with<br />
staff, pupils and governors, toured the school and stayed for lunch.<br />
japanese<br />
club<br />
A new Japanese Club started this term<br />
which gives pupils the chance to discover<br />
more about this fascinating Far Eastern<br />
country. The Japanese Club has learnt<br />
about the art of Japanese calligraphy,<br />
origami, and how to write their names,<br />
numbers and speak Japanese greetings.<br />
Origami was very popular and pupils enjoyed<br />
making boxes and crane birds. Future meetings will<br />
involve a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, a girl/doll<br />
festival (Hina Matsuri), celebrating Children’s Day (Tango<br />
no Sekku), looking at Japanese Anime and playing<br />
traditional Japanese games.<br />
The club is held in room 13 on Monday lunchtimes<br />
during week two from 12.45pm – 1.30pm.<br />
ccf<br />
Another busy three months albeit cold, wet and snowy! Recruits,<br />
both Army and Air Force, have been involved with basic training<br />
whilst the senior cadets have completed a Methods of Instruction<br />
Course. Cpl Qureshi, L/Cpl Hill and Cadet Hill attended a gliding course<br />
at RAF Linton-on-Ouse and Cpl Hill has been awarded a gliding scholarship<br />
with the RAF. The outdoor range is now operational and small bore competition/<br />
marksmanship shooting commenced at the beginning of March.<br />
Recent promotions within the Army Section saw Sergeants Scowan and Mann promoted to Battery Sergeant<br />
Major, which is the highest rank a cadet can reach within the Combined Cadet Force. Recent promotions within<br />
the Royal Air Force section saw Cpls Wilcock and Qureshi promoted to Sergeant. Congratulations to them all, very<br />
well deserved.<br />
Dr Proctor, Head of Chemistry, has joined the CCF and brings a wealth of both army and navy experience, which<br />
bodes well for the contingent.<br />
The next tranche of recruiting will for the first time include Second Form as well as<br />
Third Form pupils.<br />
table<br />
tennis<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> is celebrating the success<br />
of its table tennis teams. Three of the five teams<br />
entered into the zone finals successfully went<br />
through to the regional finals of the English <strong>School</strong>s’<br />
Team Table Tennis Championships matched only<br />
by one other school in the country. This meant that<br />
the teams were down to the final sixteen teams<br />
nationally. The U11 girls were zone winners and<br />
played some fantastic table tennis to secure their<br />
place. Three of the girls will also qualify to play for<br />
the U11s again next year. Well done to Melody<br />
Seifzadeh, Aliza Khaliq, Anna Cooper and Mahum<br />
Sheraz. The U13 girls were also zone winners<br />
defeating Brookfield <strong>School</strong>, Derbyshire 6-2. A<br />
notable achievement especially as Brookfield had<br />
the England number 16 who was beaten by Hibah<br />
Mahmood! Well done to Hibah, Maddy Silberberg,<br />
Hannah Chaudry and Ava Hepworth-Wood. The<br />
U19 boys finished an impressive second and also<br />
qualified. Congratulations to Fraser Riley, Vishal<br />
Dattani, Matthew Hull and Greg Cleland.<br />
The next round was played at the end of February,<br />
all teams played well. The U13 girls<br />
just missing out on the finals<br />
finishing in second place. The<br />
U11 girls finished third and U19<br />
boys fourth.
lower<br />
school<br />
drama<br />
Lower <strong>School</strong> Drama performed two half-hour<br />
Shakespeare plays: Much Ado about Nothing and<br />
Romeo and Juliet on 7 and 20 February. Mr S<br />
Stephens and his Early Music Group entertained<br />
the audience during the interval playing The Honie<br />
Suckle by Anthony Holborne.<br />
The audience enjoyed the comic banter of Much<br />
Ado, directed by Miss C Bruce, and they enjoyed<br />
the fight scenes and the atmospheric ending in<br />
Romeo and Juliet, directed by Dr D Mouat. The<br />
audiences commented on how confident the<br />
cast were and how they had made Shakespeare<br />
understandable.<br />
There were some super performances from the<br />
cast of both plays; notable performances were by<br />
William Robson as Benedick and Sarah Whitelaw<br />
as Beatrice in Much Ado and Ewan Bagshaw as<br />
Romeo and Bea Goddard as Juliet in Romeo and<br />
Juliet. Well done to all, on stage and off.<br />
music and<br />
the deaf<br />
Paul Whittaker OBE<br />
from the charity Music<br />
and the Deaf visited Clock<br />
House in March. Paul has<br />
been deaf all his life. He spoke to the children about his<br />
deafness and how it affects his life. He explained how<br />
he senses vibrations from certain musical instruments<br />
and he spoke about his charity. He also performed a<br />
piece of music on the piano and a signed song, during<br />
which pupils sat spellbound. The children learnt a great<br />
deal about Paul’s life experiences and career, asking a<br />
variety of challenging questions! Throughout the day,<br />
they developed an understanding of how deaf people can<br />
access music. In the afternoon, Paul taught the children<br />
several signed songs, one of which A Whole New World<br />
was performed by all Clock House children in the Spring<br />
Concert.<br />
At the Spring Concert the winners of the House Music<br />
Competition played their pieces with pride and enthusiasm.<br />
quarry bank<br />
The History department took the whole Second Form to Quarry Bank Mill on 7 March, as part of their study of the<br />
industrial revolution. Quarry Bank Mill, in Styal, south of Manchester is a fantastically preserved example of one of the<br />
first cotton mills, founded in 1784 by Samuel Greg. Our pupils were able to see demonstrations of machinery which<br />
showed the transition from domestic to factory production, and see large mill machinery in operation. Quarry Bank has<br />
a fully preserved Apprentice House, built by the Gregs to house the children, aged from nine to twenty-one, who were<br />
apprenticed to the Mill. Our pupils had guided tours of the house, trying to imagine the lives of those children with their<br />
twelve hour days in the mill, followed by two hours in the schoolroom, the dormitory of up to sixty girls, locked in at<br />
night, medical treatment from leeches to fire and brimstone and the endless supplies of porridge to eat.<br />
french<br />
exchange<br />
This February half-term eighteen pupils from the Third and Fourth<br />
Forms were privileged to take part in the eleventh French exchange<br />
with the Collège Sancy-Artense in the small Auvergne village of<br />
La Tour d’Auvergne in the Massif Central. The French hosts were<br />
as generous in their hospitality as ever and this year the snow<br />
was perfect; the group managed lots of tobogganing as well as<br />
snowball fights and a glorious country walk through snow-laden<br />
forests. Pupils enjoyed the sights and shops of the regional<br />
capital, Clermont-Ferrand, and visited the museum of its<br />
most famous employer, the Michelin Tyre Company, as<br />
well as the Cathedral and other buildings of interest. The<br />
exchange finished with a party at the school, complete with<br />
delicious regional specialities and disco. Thanks to the school’s English<br />
teacher Mme Valéry Bouyoux and the Headmistress Mme Emanuelle<br />
Theil for all the hard work that they put in, to make this exchange the<br />
resounding success that it was. This valuable link allows BGS pupils<br />
to experience a little of French family life, see a French school in action<br />
and speak as much French as possible. The next French exchange is<br />
already planned for 2014.<br />
theatre<br />
visiting club<br />
Theatre Visiting Club has had another fantastic year with<br />
an abundance of Sixth Form pupils, an array of theatres<br />
up and down the country, and an eclectic variety of plays!<br />
Upper Sixth Literature students were treated to a very<br />
rare performance of the highly controversial play Tis Pity<br />
She’s a Whore by the internationally acclaimed Cheek<br />
by Jowl Theatre Company while some lucky students<br />
got to see stand-up<br />
comic and presenter<br />
Rufus Hound play<br />
the lead role in One<br />
Man, Two Guvnors<br />
at the Leeds Grand.<br />
Nearly eighty<br />
students went to see<br />
the world premiere<br />
of Rats’ Tales – the<br />
brand new play by<br />
the poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy. The highlight for most,<br />
however, was probably the January trip down to London,<br />
when around twenty-five pupils from the Fourth Form<br />
and up were treated to a backstage tour of the Dominion<br />
Theatre and then a thunderous and thoroughly rocking<br />
night watching one of the West End’s longest running<br />
musicals, We Will Rock You! This got the cast and crew<br />
all fired up and raring to tackle the show themselves for<br />
this year’s whole school production.<br />
junior<br />
sports tour<br />
Clock House U11 rugby, hockey and netball squads left<br />
BGS for a three-day tour of the Midlands. The U11A<br />
netball squad played in Leicester <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong>s’<br />
Netball Tournament and after some superb matches<br />
did amazingly well to reach the final and finish runners<br />
up. The other squads travelled to Pitsford <strong>School</strong> who<br />
provided challenging opposition at both rugby and<br />
netball. The pupils were reunited at The Rock Centre for<br />
tea and evening<br />
activities. After a<br />
mornings training<br />
and afternoon<br />
activities the<br />
young sportsmen<br />
and women<br />
set off to<br />
Wellingborough<br />
<strong>School</strong> for rugby<br />
and hockey<br />
under floodlights,<br />
despite appalling conditions both rugby teams played<br />
extremely well. Over on the astroturf the U11 girls played<br />
some of their best hockey of the season and the A team<br />
were rewarded with a 2–1 win. The day ended with a trip<br />
to Laser Quest. Ranby House were the hosts for the final<br />
fixtures. The girls had a superb afternoon winning both<br />
netball matches 5-3 and 7-1. Over on the rugby field<br />
the A team faced stiff opposition eventually losing 35-7.<br />
The B team rounded off the tour with their victory of the<br />
season winning 29-0.<br />
lower school<br />
council<br />
The Lower <strong>School</strong> Council meets every half-term during<br />
lunchtime to discuss an agenda put together by the<br />
pupils of the Second and Third Forms. Each form<br />
sends along two representatives, who bring their fellow<br />
pupils’ ideas, questions and issues to the meeting, then<br />
report back to their forms. Topics which have been<br />
raised this term include suggestions for lunch menus,<br />
discussion about Wednesday afternoon activities and<br />
GCSE options, ideas to enhance the commendations<br />
system, suggestions for an improved locker room and<br />
for an extended range of items in the tuck shop. They<br />
have also pushed for a new Drama Club at lunchtimes,<br />
discussed the new school uniform and are currently<br />
deciding which charity the Lower <strong>School</strong> will support in<br />
the summer with their annual Sports Day event.<br />
rs trips<br />
The RS department arranged two trips this term. The first<br />
began with an orienteering exercise around the beautiful<br />
grounds of Ingleborough Hall. The orienteering teams<br />
did well to complete the course and answer clues and<br />
questions. The physical (and spiritual) exercise was followed<br />
by a rigorous day of GCSE revision activities and finished off<br />
with a fantastic meal and karaoke on the coach ride home.<br />
art<br />
Saint Paul’s Church in<br />
Manningham contacted<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> for<br />
some help in making a banner<br />
to hang in the entrance to<br />
the church and was delighted<br />
with the incredible response<br />
they received. The request to<br />
the school was for something<br />
colourful to brighten up the<br />
entrance to the church where<br />
the font is situated.<br />
rowing<br />
The Rowing Club has had a busy term attending many<br />
events on rivers around the country. However, the<br />
outstanding achievement of the term was at an indoor<br />
event on an ergometer. The English Indoor Rowing<br />
Championships were held in the Manchester Velodrome<br />
at the end of January. All pupil competitors from BGS<br />
achieved personal bests in their rows on the day. Fifth<br />
Form pupil Matthew Chivers excelled himself winning the<br />
Gold medal in the U16 event with a time of 6 minutes 38<br />
seconds for a 2000 meter row.<br />
Splits<br />
Meters 500m 1,000m 1,500m 2,000m<br />
Time 1:38.8 3:18.7 5:00.4 6:38.1<br />
Average Pace 1:38.8 1:39.9 1:41.7 1:37.7<br />
Stroke Rate 35 35 36 36<br />
The second was to the Religious Conference in Manchester which was led by the charismatic philosopher, Peter Vardy.<br />
With topics regarding the Goodness of God, Kantian Ethics, Abortion and Business Ethics; the conference proved to be<br />
a stimulating day. The Business Ethics debate was the highlight of the day. Peter Vardy (also a chartered accountant),<br />
led the lecture on the worldwide economy and the role of ethics within the global recession. He emphasised that<br />
without adopting an ethical basis, the economic practices of banks and businesses would act selfishly and from a point<br />
of greed. But can greed also be a ‘good’? The ensuing student debate was fascinating.<br />
The Vicar, Alistair Helm, said: ‘I made contact<br />
with <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> who really<br />
couldn’t have been more helpful. Mrs<br />
Hepworth-Wood from the Art department<br />
came along to church and drew up the<br />
design. Students from the First Form, 1ET,<br />
then got to work at school and produced this<br />
wonderful colourful banner that will adorn<br />
our entrance. We are really appreciative<br />
of their help.’ The banner is made up of<br />
squares, individually painted by the students<br />
and then assembled to form an impressive<br />
display.<br />
charity<br />
fundraiser<br />
Last year Sixth Form pupil Toby<br />
Mountain took part in the Great<br />
North Run and raised over £700 for<br />
Pancreatic Cancer UK. Toby finished<br />
the race in 1 hour 38 minutes and<br />
came 2688 out of over 40,000<br />
entrants. He had previously taken part<br />
in the Chevin Chase and a half ironman<br />
before he decided to use his running to<br />
raise money for charity.<br />
This year Toby has set his challenge much<br />
higher and will be running in the London<br />
Marathon in April. He is hoping to raise<br />
£2500 for the Starlight Childrens’ Charity. A<br />
non-uniform day was held at school to give<br />
Toby a good start to achieving his fundraising<br />
target.<br />
Over the winter months Toby has been training<br />
hard, running seven miles most days and a<br />
longer run at the weekends. Toby can be<br />
sponsored online at www.virginmoneygiving/<br />
tobymountain.
top gcse<br />
results<br />
League tables produced this term confirmed BGS as the top school in the <strong>Bradford</strong> and district area according to last<br />
year’s GCSE results, with ninety-eight per cent of pupils getting at least five A* to C grades at GCSE, including English<br />
and Maths, placing it in the top 200 of schools nationally. Headmaster Kevin Riley said: ‘We have bright, aspirational<br />
children, hard-working, dedicated staff, and fantastic facilities at <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong>. We have got these great<br />
ingredients, and if you can’t bake a cake with that, you shouldn’t be in the kitchen!’<br />
gala performance<br />
The school celebrated its 350th Royal Charter Anniversary with a Gala Performance evening in the Price Hall. Over<br />
250 guests enjoyed an evening of song and recital in a cabaret style setting. Stunning singing performances and<br />
mesmerising music talent was punctuated with entertaining, enlightening and at times humorous readings on the history<br />
of the school. The audience were highly entertained and amused in equal measures.<br />
fashion<br />
show<br />
The annual BGS Netball Parents’ Association Fashion<br />
Show was an outstanding and very professional show<br />
supported by a number of local boutiques who had their<br />
clothes expertly and enthusiastically modelled by pupils<br />
from the Sixth Form, Fifth Form and the Junior <strong>School</strong>.<br />
The models strutted on the catwalk to lively music<br />
and performed carefully choreographed pieces, which<br />
were mainly created by the pupils. The evening was<br />
compered by ex-BBC presenter John Thirwell and his<br />
daughter, former Head Prefect Emily Evans-Thirwell, who<br />
works as an Assistant TV Producer. Both evenings had<br />
a fantastic atmosphere and were superb for those taking<br />
part and watching. The money raised exceeded £8,000<br />
(a Fashion Show record) and will be split between<br />
Candlelighters and supporting the Junior and<br />
Senior <strong>School</strong> netball tours.<br />
Candlelighters is a charity fighting children’s<br />
cancer in Yorkshire. Established in 1976,<br />
Candlelighters is a charity formed and<br />
run by parents of children who have<br />
or have had cancer, ex-patients<br />
and the medical staff who treat<br />
them. Based in Yorkshire,<br />
Candlelighters provides<br />
essential services and<br />
support to children<br />
with cancer and their<br />
families.<br />
we will<br />
rock you<br />
This year’s whole school production of We will rock<br />
you was one of the most energetic and colourful yet.<br />
Fabulous costumes, innovative set changes and vibrant<br />
lighting gave the talented and enthusiastic performers<br />
the back-drop they deserved. Back stage pupils<br />
included directors Roisin Reynolds and Katie Shepherd,<br />
choreographers, costume and make-up assistants as<br />
well as many technical assistants. Pupils were supported<br />
by staff from the Music and English/Drama departments.<br />
Every single performer excelled themselves to create<br />
an accomplished production. Ruby Hendry relished<br />
the role of Killer Queen, Matt Boyle and Georgie Henley<br />
were superb together as Galileo and Scaramouche and<br />
other memorable scenes included Will Truby and Hannah<br />
Mears-Young as Brit<br />
and Meat.<br />
dan<br />
scarbrough<br />
England rugby star Dan Scarbrough is returning to his<br />
former school to coach the school rugby team which first<br />
started his career. The former <strong>Bradford</strong> Salem and Leeds<br />
Tykes winger has accepted a coaching and teaching<br />
post at <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> from 1 August. Mr<br />
Scarbrough, originally from Bingley, was a pupil at the<br />
school until 1994 and began his rugby union career here<br />
as a schoolboy. He will be moving back to Yorkshire<br />
following a player/coach role at Lille Metropole Rugby<br />
Club in Northern France.<br />
He said: ‘I have experienced rugby at the highest level<br />
and am very keen to help enrich the future of the game<br />
through my experiences.’<br />
Director of Sport, Mr Lines, said: ‘It is a very exciting<br />
prospect to have Dan return and I am sure his expertise<br />
will be of great benefit to the school’s rugby. We are<br />
much looking forward to working with him and learning<br />
from a professional who is just leaving the game.’<br />
skiing<br />
The Senior Ski Trip is very popular and Tignes is one of the pupils’ favourite destinations. Tignes offers superlative<br />
skiing conditions and this year didn’t disappoint. There was a great base layer of snow, regularly topped off with fresh<br />
powder allowing students and staff to play in a variety of conditions, making for great skiing and boarding.<br />
The après-ski pinnacle was the world famous Party on the Piste for New Year’s Eve. What better way to see in 2013<br />
than at a piste party of 15,000 ski-monkeys and in the company of your friends and guest DJ Martin Solveig? Whilst the<br />
staff pretended to have heard of the superstar DJ, their blank faces and embarrassing attempts at dancing betrayed<br />
their ignorance. For those young and cool enough to appreciate something a little more raucous, his set will be long<br />
remembered. The Ski Trip 2012/13 was memorable for all involved and for many their last BGS trip with friends who<br />
have been together for over ten years.<br />
Last year, <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> piloted a mentoring<br />
project with children’s charity Barnardo’s. Barnardo’s<br />
young carers are buddied up with Sixth Form pupils at<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> who assist the young carers<br />
with their studies. Following the huge success of the<br />
pilot, Barnardo’s are hoping to roll out the model across<br />
the country. This year the project has more than doubled<br />
in size at BGS with twenty-one mentors from the Sixth<br />
Form giving one to two hours a week to work one-to-one<br />
with young carers. The carers are paired with students<br />
who can specifically help in areas of need: writing<br />
essays, assisting with general studies and preparing for<br />
examinations. Many of the young carers have missed<br />
time at school because they need to look after parents<br />
or siblings. The pilot project highlighted that these<br />
weekly sessions not only helped with school work, but<br />
also helped increase confidence and aspirations. The<br />
BGS pupils receive training from Barnardo’s in mentoring<br />
and safeguarding, and take away a huge sense of<br />
achievement as well as valuable life skills.<br />
berlin<br />
In the February half-term, nineteen members of the Sixth<br />
Form took part in the annual trip to Berlin. After a very<br />
early start from Liverpool airport on a cold Saturday<br />
morning, they had a full day of visits which included<br />
the History of Berlin Museum where students had the<br />
opportunity to experience what life might have been like<br />
in an underground bunker during a nuclear strike. Other<br />
visits included the Reichstag, the Stasi Museum, and<br />
Sachsenhausen, the notorious labour and death camp<br />
set up by the Nazis. Fortunately, there were moments<br />
of light relief at the Chameleon Theatre. Students<br />
returned exhausted but satisfied that the trip had been an<br />
excellent learning experience.<br />
physics olympiad<br />
The Physics Olympiad is a national competition designed to stretch and challenge<br />
the top young physicists in the country. Over 1800 students from across the UK<br />
participated. Ben Gaunt and Alfie Chapman did amazingly well and were awarded<br />
Gold and Silver respectively. Ben Gaunt has also received an award for a top result<br />
in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge. This award acknowledges his outstanding<br />
performance, achieving one of the highest marks in this new competition, which was<br />
taken by 4300 students in 300 schools.<br />
princes<br />
trust<br />
The regional final of the Prince’s Trust Enterprise Challenge<br />
was hosted by <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong>. Five schools<br />
were represented: BGS, Ripon <strong>Grammar</strong>, Rastrick High,<br />
Wakefield Girls and The Mount <strong>School</strong>, York. Each school<br />
made presentations about their activities to raise money for<br />
the trust and were judged by three Dragons on the amount of<br />
money raised, presentation skills, risk taking and innovation.<br />
The BGS group were represented by Jack Appleyard, Blair<br />
and Libby Illingworth, Roma McNeil and Liza Nelson Laidler.<br />
They presented on their activities such as the<br />
Christmas Fair stalls, Christmas Pudding sales,<br />
Take Me Out, Teacher Quiz and Staff v Sixth<br />
Form Football. The BGS team raised the<br />
most money, £1460, and earned praise<br />
for Take Me Out but the overall<br />
winners were Rastrick High.<br />
new<br />
governor<br />
Lady Lynne Morrison, Chairman of Governors<br />
at <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> and Kevin Riley,<br />
Headmaster, are delighted to announce the<br />
exciting appointment of Sir David Wootton to the<br />
Governing Body.<br />
Sir David received his Knighthood in the New Year<br />
Honours list following his very successful year<br />
as 684th Lord Mayor of the City of London. His<br />
Mayoral year, an exceptional one, was undertaken<br />
during the Queen’s Jubilee Year and one in<br />
which London hosted the London Olympics and<br />
Paralympics.<br />
Educated at <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> and<br />
Cambridge University, where he read Classics<br />
and Law, Sir David became a Partner at Allen &<br />
Overy, the international law firm based in London.<br />
Throughout his illustrious career he has been<br />
generous with the time he has given to promote<br />
business, education and sport in all communities.<br />
He has pursued his interest in the sport of rowing<br />
following his success as a pupil at <strong>Bradford</strong><br />
<strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> and at Cambridge. He is also<br />
a member of the world famous Leander Club.<br />
During his year in office as Lord Mayor two of<br />
the charities he supported were The Rowing<br />
Foundation and London Youth Rowing. His<br />
prestigious appointment as a Steward of Henley<br />
Royal Regatta has just been announced.<br />
Lady Morrison said: ‘We are thrilled that Sir David<br />
has accepted the appointment, his experience<br />
across the private and public sector offices he<br />
has held together with his involvement with the<br />
charitable sector across education and sport will<br />
be invaluable. He is a man much in demand, but<br />
his loyalty and affection for the school, coupled<br />
with the opportunities we are able to give to our<br />
bursary students, made our offer one he could not<br />
refuse. We will enjoy working together.’<br />
model united nations<br />
An Inter-<strong>School</strong> Model United Nations Competition was held at <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> with over ninety pupils<br />
taking part from nine schools throughout West Yorkshire which included Beckfoot <strong>Grammar</strong>, Batley <strong>Grammar</strong>,<br />
Broughton Business College, Carlton Bolling, GSAL, Laisterdyke College, Queensbury and BGS.<br />
This year’s competition was entitled The Post 2015 Global <strong>Age</strong>nda and had forty-eight countries<br />
represented.<br />
The debating competition mirrored a lot of what happens at a UN debating chamber General<br />
Assembly. Each delegation carefully examined the draft resolution and produced an<br />
amended resolution, reflecting the views of their countries. Each delegation presented a one<br />
minute introduction outlining the main agreements as well as vital amendments that would<br />
need to be made. On the day, the aim was to begin working towards a final resolution paper<br />
for the post 2015 Millennium Development Goals. Every single pupil from all the schools played<br />
an exceptional part in a very inspiring event. Judges from all the schools awarded the winners<br />
as follows: Best Speaker representing Botswana was George Lofthus from Beckfoot <strong>School</strong>,<br />
Best Amended Resolution Paper representing Greece was Emeka Okorie and Ibrahim Amin from<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong>, Best Delegation representing Niger was Ben Scantlebury and Oscar<br />
Barber from <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> and Best Contribution representing Spain was Matt Procter<br />
from <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong>.
jitsu<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> Jitsu Club celebrated its tenth anniversary in the<br />
Price Hall on 23 February. Instructors Raj Soren, Graham<br />
Williams and Jyoti Soren hosted over one hundred guests<br />
including Clock House Headmaster, Mr Gabriel.<br />
The day started with a Ju Jitsu course and a bouncy slide<br />
and castle plus sumo wrestling in foam suits. The party<br />
included awards and recognitions for members of the<br />
club, a meal sponsored by Bombay Stores and a disco.<br />
Guests enjoyed reminiscing over photos and videos of<br />
the last ten years.<br />
The club is extremely proud of all its students and the<br />
success they have achieved over the last ten years which<br />
includes becoming UK and international champions on<br />
numerous occasions. The club has visited Amsterdam,<br />
USA, Canada and South Africa. <strong>Bradford</strong> Jitsu Club has<br />
also raised thousands of pounds for the NSPCC and<br />
local charities. A big thank you to Mr Boardman and<br />
BGS for their support over the years.<br />
Anyone interested in a class is invited to a free session<br />
in the BGS Sports Hall on Saturday mornings between<br />
9.30am and 10.30am.<br />
parents’ association<br />
The Parent’s Association has held the first two<br />
Parents’ Coffee Mornings. At the first, parents heard<br />
from the Headmaster on the subject of<br />
Forthcoming changes in education and<br />
were able to ask questions and seek<br />
further information. At the second,<br />
school nurse, Suzanne Lamb, spoke<br />
on Stress – how to help your children<br />
avoid it. All parents are welcome to<br />
attend these events. The next will be<br />
on 21 May at which James Hall of CSIT<br />
will be speaking on Kids, Computers & The Internet –<br />
New Technologies to help you Survive.<br />
If any parents are unable to attend any coffee<br />
mornings but would like further information on<br />
the subject, please email parentsassociation@<br />
bradfordgrammar.com and your enquiry will be<br />
passed on to the speaker.<br />
Most of the term has been spent preparing for the<br />
Spring Fair on 11 May, which will celebrate the<br />
350th Anniversary of the Charter, including our very<br />
own Charles II (who could that be?), announced<br />
by cannon fire and being borne by a flotilla of Clock<br />
House children to present the Charter. To find out<br />
more on this event and the Ceilidh in October follow<br />
the Parents’ Association on Twitter @BGS_PA.<br />
new uniform<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> unveiled its new uniform to pupils, staff and parents live at the school’s charity Fashion Show<br />
on 1 and 2 March. The new uniform had been awaited with bated breath by the pupils who will be wearing it from<br />
September 2013.<br />
A working party involving pupils, staff and parents was set up to plan the new uniform. The suppliers, style and colours<br />
have been selected. The whole school uniform including all sports kits have had a complete redesign.<br />
The school has chosen a Yorkshire supplier and part of the uniform will be made using a <strong>Bradford</strong> cloth. The supplier,<br />
Perry Uniform, was established in 1946 as a manufacturer of school uniforms. Today they combine the traditional<br />
manufacturing excellence on which the business was founded with a 21 st century internet based retail service. They are<br />
based at Armley in Leeds, where their factory is co-located with a distribution and customer contact centre.<br />
Perry’s said: ‘Our aim is to make every aspect of school uniform as easy as possible for our partner schools and their<br />
parents to whom we deliver. We pride ourselves on the very personal service we offer which puts convenience at its core.’<br />
hockey<br />
All the hockey teams have<br />
improved greatly throughout<br />
the season. The teams won a<br />
lot more games than they lost<br />
and battled through some hard<br />
fought matches. A highlight<br />
was a very exciting and close<br />
game against Ashville College<br />
for the U13s. A final BGS goal<br />
in the last thirty seconds saw<br />
them win 3-2! Congratulations<br />
to Imogen Allan, Bessie Allan<br />
and Libby Linfield who have<br />
been playing for Leeds <strong>Hoc</strong>key<br />
Club Senior Team in the<br />
Yorkshire Ladies Premier League and will be playing in<br />
the Yorkshire Cup Final at Easter.<br />
forthcoming<br />
events<br />
calendar<br />
Apr 10<br />
Apr 12<br />
Recent Leavers’ Reunion - Pavilion<br />
Tennis Parents’ Association<br />
Race Night<br />
13 Boat Club Quiz Night<br />
maths<br />
masterclass<br />
Following a visit to Copthorne Primary <strong>School</strong> by<br />
Headmaster Kevin Riley, pupils from a number<br />
of <strong>Bradford</strong> schools were invited to <strong>Bradford</strong><br />
<strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> for a Maths Masterclass.<br />
Four pupils from each of the following schools:<br />
Copthorne Primary, Horton Grange, St Oswalds,<br />
Lidget Green, Farnham, Princeville and Crossley<br />
Hall visited <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong> for a Maths<br />
Masterclass led by Maths teacher Mr Crabtree,<br />
assisted by Sixth Form A level Further Maths<br />
pupils: Chloe Ramsden, Alfie Chapman, Harry<br />
Petyt, Piers Fisher, Zoe Andrews, Liza Nelson<br />
Laidler, Jacqueline Li and Jason Collins. The<br />
afternoon was fun-packed with games, lessons<br />
and quizzes with the aim of making maths easier<br />
to learn. It is hoped that this will be the first in a<br />
number of joint ventures.<br />
Christabel Shepherd, Headmistress at Copthorne<br />
Primary <strong>School</strong>, said: ‘The Maths Masterclass is a<br />
fabulous opportunity for the twenty-eight children<br />
involved from the Excede Alliance of <strong>School</strong>s and<br />
will help to further raise their aspirations.’<br />
This was a marvellous example of young and old,<br />
state and independent sector working together for<br />
the benefit of <strong>Bradford</strong>’s younger generation.<br />
rugby<br />
The highlights of the rugby season have included the<br />
U15s achievements. Following their successful Daily Mail<br />
Cup run last term; this term they have won two sevens<br />
tournaments.<br />
The first was at Durham <strong>School</strong>, where they beat the<br />
hosts in the final, and the second was at BGS in glorious<br />
sunshine, <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> defeated Sedbergh <strong>School</strong><br />
in the final. Sedbergh went into a 14-0 lead in the final;<br />
BGS scored an unconverted try just before half-time.<br />
In the second half, a tenacious BGS defence kept out<br />
Sedbergh at one end while they scored three tries at the<br />
other to build a 24-14 lead, Sedbergh finished the game<br />
with a converted try.<br />
The winning squad was James Pinder, Harry Sagar,<br />
Isaac Greene and Adam Waring, Alfie Blackhall, David<br />
Cobb, Sachin Ahir and James Lord, Will Heard, Matt<br />
Bulmer, George Cockcroft and Callum Manchester. Well<br />
done to James Pinder, Isaac Green, Callum Manchester<br />
and Harry Sagar who have also been selected for the<br />
Yorkshire U15 rugby squad.<br />
Congratulations to Rory Macnab, Zander MacFarlane<br />
and Barney Vaughan who represented the Northern<br />
Independent <strong>School</strong>s. The Northern U13 Lambs won<br />
the National Tournament at Rugby <strong>School</strong>, defeating the<br />
Midlands, South-West and drawing with the South-East.<br />
Rory Macnab was Captain for the South-East match.<br />
spelling bee<br />
Since December some of the First Form have been<br />
participating in the national Routes into Languages<br />
Spelling Bee. This is designed to encourage an interest<br />
in languages and increase pupils’ spelling skills. Pupils<br />
have to spell as many words in the foreign language<br />
as they can in one minute using the French<br />
or German alphabet. They also have to<br />
pronounce the words so it really does test<br />
their language ability!<br />
There are four rounds – class, school,<br />
regional and national. Having found<br />
eight winners at the class stage, the<br />
school stage took place before halfterm<br />
and four pupils won through to<br />
the regional stage which takes place<br />
at the University of Hull on the 18<br />
April where they will compete against<br />
schools from across Yorkshire.<br />
All the pupils involved have shown<br />
impressive dedication, enthusiasm and<br />
commitment to learning and practising<br />
the spelling of the words. They now<br />
have a list of 150 words on which they<br />
could be tested in Hull. The speed at<br />
which some can spell is truly mindblowing!<br />
The four pupils through are: Aditya Anand and Zain<br />
Hussain for French, and Maryam Nisa and Katie Elmore<br />
for German.<br />
cross<br />
country<br />
This has been another highly successful term for the<br />
Cross Country Club. Individual highlights from the<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>School</strong>s’ Championships include first<br />
place in the inter boys for Emile Cairess,<br />
who continues to go from strength to<br />
strength, as well as top five finishes for<br />
Izzy Austin and Emma Peacock in the<br />
junior girls, Sarah Dewhirst in the inter<br />
girls, Ben Moon in the Year Seven<br />
boys and Oliver Daffern in the junior<br />
boys. In the team competitions<br />
the performance of the day was<br />
undoubtedly from the junior girls who<br />
won their event, beating a very strong<br />
Ilkley <strong>Grammar</strong> team. The inter boys<br />
were also the first team, and there<br />
were runner-up places in the team<br />
events for the inter girls, junior boys and<br />
First Form boys. Following<br />
this competition seventeen<br />
athletes were selected<br />
to represent the City of<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> at the West<br />
Yorkshire <strong>School</strong>s’<br />
Championships. Emile, despite<br />
suffering from a heavy cold,<br />
came in second, Jessica Manning<br />
(who is also a quintuple Yorkshire gold<br />
medallist in swimming this season)<br />
finished seventh in the junior race and<br />
Oliver came twelfth in his age category.<br />
As a result, Emile and Jess will travel to<br />
the English <strong>School</strong>s’ Championships<br />
later this year, with Oliver acting as travelling<br />
reserve.<br />
chinese<br />
new year<br />
A weekend school which teaches Mandarin to children has big plans for the Year of the Snake. <strong>Bradford</strong> Chinese <strong>School</strong><br />
held a party to celebrate the Chinese New Year and its new home at <strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>Grammar</strong> <strong>School</strong>. The celebration saw<br />
pupils perform traditional Chinese songs and poems as well as musical recitals. Guests included the Lord Mayor of<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong>, Councillor Dale Smith and BGS Deputy Head, Dr Sharpe.<br />
Chinese <strong>School</strong> Headmaster, Jeff Zhao, said: ‘It is apt that we are entering the Year of the Snake. A snake is seen as<br />
a little dragon, it is not as terrible as a big dragon but it is still very, very clever and very agile. It can move quickly and<br />
change quickly. That’s what we want in our small school. We want to change, adapt and keep improving. We welcome<br />
all children who are interested in learning Chinese.’<br />
The Chinese <strong>School</strong> was formed in 2011 and has moved to new premises with the hope that it will be able to expand from<br />
September 2013. It teaches Chinese language, art and culture lessons to children each weekend, and many of the staff<br />
are volunteers. Headmaster Kevin Riley said he had been only too pleased to offer a new home to the Chinese school.<br />
Mr Riley, whose previous post was at an international school in Bangkok, said: ‘It is a very inspiring group. I have worked<br />
in the Far East and Chinese families place an enormous value in education.’<br />
May 1<br />
16 7.00pm Fifth Form Music & Poetry Evening<br />
Auditorium<br />
20 OBA 1940s Reunion<br />
20 Swimming & Water Polo, OBA v BGS<br />
23 7.00pm Sixth Form Music & Poetry Evening<br />
Auditorium<br />
Golf OBA v BGS<br />
9 7.00pm Leavers’ Concert - Price Hall<br />
11 Spring Fair<br />
14 7.00pm First Form Music and Poetry Evening<br />
Auditorium<br />
17 Leavers’ Lunch, U6 & OBA<br />
18 May Ball – Price Hall<br />
21 7.00pm Second Form Music and Poetry<br />
Evening - Auditorium<br />
Jun 4 7.00pm Third Form Music & Poetry Evening<br />
Auditorium<br />
Jul<br />
9 Race for Life - Lister Park<br />
11 7.00pm Fourth Form Music & Poetry Evening<br />
Auditorium<br />
26 Junior <strong>School</strong> Speech Day<br />
Price Hall<br />
28 Cricket OBA v BGS<br />
4 2.30pm Senior <strong>School</strong> Speech Day<br />
Price Hall<br />
4 7.15pm Folk Group Concert<br />
<strong>Hoc</strong>kney Theatre<br />
netball<br />
Netball has been badly affected by the neverending<br />
frosty weather this season.<br />
However, three teams won their<br />
<strong>Bradford</strong> <strong>School</strong>s Tournament;<br />
congratulations to the U13s, U15s<br />
and U16s. Good luck to the<br />
U12s and U14s who will play at a<br />
later date. It has been particularly<br />
pleasing to see so many of our<br />
players selected to train at county<br />
and district level. Well done to<br />
Pascale Fisher and Corrie Jackson-<br />
Levrier who were both selected for<br />
and represented at regional level.<br />
The netball staff are also delighted to<br />
announce that Superleague player and<br />
trainee teacher, Danni Bloomfield, will be assisting with<br />
netball coaching next season.<br />
world<br />
book<br />
day<br />
To celebrate World Book Day, Junior <strong>School</strong> pupils<br />
wore non-uniform or dressed up as a book character<br />
in exchange for a £1 donation. Over £166 was raised<br />
and donated to Book Aid International, a charity which<br />
provides books to schools in Africa. During the day the<br />
pupils had the opportunity to share their favourite books<br />
and take part in fun, book-related activities.<br />
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