Summer 2015 - Bradford Grammar School

Summer 2015
a note from the head
As ever, it is a pleasure to write an introduction to the latest edition of Hoc Age. The nomination of our Barnardo’s
Young Carers scheme for a Princess Diana Award is a tremendous achievement. The scheme is an uplifting one
and really does enable our pupils to help the young carers in a significant way. A different highlight was the Civic
Reception afforded to the CCF on its centenary; it was a wonderful experience for our pupils to be welcomed to
the City Hall by the Lord Mayor. The City Hall is a fine building and our pupils could understand how important
BGS is to Bradford, not least the seven Old Bradfordians who are Freemen of the City. Story telling is such an
important aspect of life and our pupils need to know the long and successful story of the school to enable them to
understand their own place in it. Enjoy reading the story of this term and year and the wonderful achievements of
our pupils.
diana
award
leavers’ concert
On 30 April, BGS held the annual Leavers’ Concert in the magnificent surroundings of the Price Hall. The concert began with the Junior Orchestra’s
rousing version of Born This Way by Lady Gaga, which included clapping, cheering and dancing from the performers. Junior Choir performed three
pieces and their breathtaking performance of Bob Chilcott’s Can You Hear Me, complete with sign language, was a
favourite of many of the audience members. Lively performances from the Wickermen, Dixieland Crackerjacks,
Big Band and Soul Band entertained and got everyone’s feet tapping.
Large school ensembles were represented by the Concert Band and Senior Orchestra who performed
Vehicle and Uptown Funk complete with vocals from the singers and the band themselves. The Senior
Orchestra departed from their usual classical repertoire and performed the music from Gladiator by Hans
Zimmer.
Soloists at the concert were Tyne Anderson, Greg Bertrand, Lily MacTaggart and Martha
O’Sullivan, performing music from the Swedish 21st century composer, Jan Sandström to
Argentinian Astor Piazzolla. Thanks go to those Year 13 musicians who didn’t perform
solos, but often provided the backbone to our school ensembles and lead by musical
excellence and commitment to rehearsals.
The Diana Award is a charity that was founded as a
legacy to Diana, Princess of Wales, and her belief that
young people have the power to change the world for
the better. Since 1999, the Diana Award has recognised
over 42,000 young people who have made a positive
difference to their community.
The Diana Award encourages young people to contribute
to their communities, empowers young people to achieve
their full potential and engages them in social action to
make a difference in the lives of others.
The Barnardo’s
Mentoring
Scheme has been
nominated for the
Diana Champion
Volunteers Award
and the awards
ceremony will be
held in London
on Monday 13
July. Three of
the school’s young
mentors will attend
the ceremony. It is
an honour to be
nominated and it
would be wonderful
to return as winners!
lower school ski trip
The ski trip this year to Serre Chevalier in France was a huge success: the pupils had a fantastic
experience skiing twice a day in great conditions. Despite it being so warm, the snow was fantastic for
those who were just starting to learn how to ski, as well as for those in the advanced group. All the ski
groups were led by outstanding qualified instructors from the Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) who ensured
every pupil improved their skiing by the end of the week and had a great time in the process. The pupils
also got to enjoy après ski activities such as bowling, games and quiz night, and a town trail of the local
village. However, these could not begin before the in-house presentation each evening for the Master of
Disaster, which was awarded to the pupil who had been nominated for the greatest fall whilst skiing on
the mountains that day. After all, falling over is embarrassing enough without having to wear a Popeye
outfit for the entire day afterwards for doing it!
new
speech day
headmaster
Dr Simon Hinchcliffe has been appointed Headmaster
of BGS from 1 January 2015, following the retirement of
Kevin Riley. Simon is a proud Yorkshireman and has been
awarded degrees by Durham, St Andrews and the Open
University. He writes:
It is a great privilege to have the opportunity to serve
Bradford Grammar School; I am hugely excited by
the prospect of working with pupils and their families,
colleagues and Governors in my new role and playing a
full and active part in the life of the school. The breadth
and depth of pupils’ interests and achievements at
Bradford Grammar School are simply astonishing.
Respectful of its traditions yet forward looking, ours is
a very happy school - at ease with excellence, deeply
committed to developing the whole child - and provides a
wonderful start in life for pupils.
Simon lives in Skipton with Heidi and their two children,
Katy and Ben.
As we go to press, we are looking forward to the end of year celebration, our annual Speech Day. This year we are
delighted to welcome back former pupil, Peter Higgins. Peter attended Bradford Grammar School from 1970 to 1980,
where he was Deputy Head Boy and vice-captain of rugby and cricket. He left to read Classics at Jesus College,
Cambridge and whilst at Cambridge he played rugby for the Blues and sat on the bench in 1983 and 1984, in the days
when substitutes never got on!
Thereafter Peter taught Classics at Harrow School (1985-87) before joining Bain and Company, the US Strategic
Management Consultancy firm for three years. In 1990 he helped found Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts, the Jermyn Street
shirt retailer, and managed to persuade his business partner to buy some of his shares in 2005. He remains as a
Non-Executive Director. In 2006 he became Chairman of Cath Kidston and was fortunate enough to sell the business
in 2010 for £106m. Peter is also Chairman of Joe Browns, another web retailer; a Governor of St Paul’s Boys School,
London; and a Director of Mary’s Meals, a charity that specialises in feeding children afflicted by poverty in their place of
education. Mary’s Meals feeds one million children every day. Peter is married to Harriet and lives in Oxfordshire with
their four children. He still manages to play touch rugby with Chipping Norton RFC and is captain of his village cricket
club, for which he plays with his three sons. He is now the fourth best cricketer in his family!
It is always a wonderful occasion to see the prize
winners of today awarded their books by someone who
also attended Speech Day as a pupil and then went on
to achieve great success.
usa trip
To visit the south-west of the USA must be every
geographer’s dream. The spectacular landscape,
the wonderfully warm, dry climate and, of course, the
tourist capital of the world, Las Vegas, are all on a
scale to which no picture can do justice. At Easter,
38 BGS students had the opportunity to experience
this remarkable area for themselves and they were
certainly not disappointed. From the towering red cliffs
of Zion and Glen Canyons to the fantastically shaped salmon pink hoodoos of Bryce, and the brilliant lighting effects
in Antelope Canyon, not to mention the unbelievable splendour of the Grand Canyon, every day seemed to be better
than the last. The scenery was quite breathtaking everywhere they went and nowhere was it better appreciated than at
Horseshoe Overlook where they were able to admire the Colorado River from a vertical height of 1,000 feet. After four
hectic days in the National Parks enjoying the scenery on foot, on the back of jeeps, in inflatable boats and even from
the relative comfort of a coach, they were able to spend the final two days enjoying the sights, rides and shops of Las
Vegas to end what for many was the trip of a lifetime.
england
selection
Year 12 student Ross Kirtland was selected for the
England Rugby U17 Camp on 24-26 April. This puts
him in the running for England U18 honours next season,
hoping to emulate former pupil Jacob
Rowan, who captained England
U18s in 2008 and is now playing
with Gloucester RFC.
Ross has previously
represented Yorkshire U16s,
but has gone from strength
to strength since joining
the school and receiving
coaching from Dan
Scarbrough and John
Oakes this season. He has
had the benefit of a number
of good quality 1st XV
fixtures plus his own hard work
which have helped him make huge
gains in his game, and which have
now brought him to the attention of
the England coaching staff.
Ross will be looking to make an
impact next season after the
Senior Squad’s pre-season camp
in Newcastle, culminating in a
match at Kingston Park
on the Newcastle
Falcons 4G pitch.
cricket
anne
frank
During the first two weeks of the summer term,
BGS was lucky enough to host the Anne Frank
Exhibition, which aims to use Anne Frank’s story to
promote understanding of the issues raised by the
Holocaust. Nineteen Year 9 pupils were selected
to act as Ambassadors, to be trained by the Anne
Frank Trust. The entire school community and
visitors were given the opportunity to be guided
round the Exhibition. It not only allowed visitors
to develop their knowledge of Anne Frank and
her legacy, but also allowed the Ambassadors
to develop their confidence, and by the end of
the fortnight they had become very professional.
The Exhibition was followed up with a two-day
workshop with other Bradford schools and the
Ambassadors are currently preparing a lesson for
Clock House which will culminate in a visit to Anne’s
tree in Lister Park, planted by Holocaust survivor
and Anne Frank’s stepsister, Eva Schloss.
classics in
greece
Some serious time travel took 33 pupils and four members
of staff on a tour of Greece, ranging from Mycenae, with its
3,500-year-old Lion Gate still virtually intact, to the Olympic
Stadium in Athens, where the modern Olympic Games
were re-launched in 1896. In between, a packed itinerary
took in Poseidon’s Temple at Sounion, the Acropolis,
Parthenon and Agora of ancient Athens, the Sanctuary of
Apollo at Delphi (home of prophecy) and the Sanctuary of
Zeus at Olympia (original home of the Olympic Games).
Pupils participated in men’s, women’s and Paralympic
races in the 2,300-year-old stadium at Olympia and
returned home exhausted, but much more knowledgeable
about Greece, both ancient and modern.
A fantastic term with only three matches lost to the
weather, although playing conditions in the first two
weeks of the season were rather challenging. The
U12 XI went through the first half of the term unbeaten
which included a victory over GSAL. The depth of
the U13 squad continues to grow; the highlight of the
term, to date being the double scalp of GSAL & QEGS
Wakefield. The U14 XI march on in the regional Lord’s
Taverners Competition and the U15 batsmen continue
to score heavily, pushing hard for 1st XI places. The
2nd XI recorded an early victory over Ashville College
but should be congratulated on their exemplary
commitment and enthusiasm, particularly through the
exam period; a quality other schools would cherish
dearly. The 1st XI continue to improve in preparation for
the Caribbean tour; two consecutive victories against
QEGS Wakefield and Durham School in recent weeks
are testament to the hard work of pupils and staff. Up
to date information, scores and news can be found on
the club’s Twitter page @BGSCC.
davismoxon
cup
The Davis-Moxon Cup was set up in honour of Messrs
Davis (Modern Language teacher) and Moxon (History
teacher) who retired in 1991 from BGS after many years
running the Debating Society.
Mrs Wild and Mr Bateson took over leading the Debating
Society, one of the longest running societies in Bradford
Grammar School’s history, in 1989 and 1990 respectively.
They set up the competition in honour of Davis and
Moxon and bought the cup for which our pupils now
compete.
The competition this year had 18 teams taking part
from Years 9 to 13, and a total of 36 pupils entering the
competition, for nothing more than the honour of having
their names on the cup. Congratulations to the eventual
winners Rowan Beckett and Beth Horsman.
junior school
sports day
This year’s Junior School Sports Day took place on
Tuesday 2 June with a swimming gala in the morning and
outdoor sports activities in the afternoon. Throughout
the day the pupils were split into their four houses of
Bradford, Royal, Freeman and Founders to compete
against each other in lots of fun events. Following a
morning of very close swimming races, including a new
Year 2 event, the gala was won by Bradford. Many
congratulations to Naina Krishna who broke the ten year
old one length
freestyle record.
It was the U11
25m Freestyle
Record of 14.56
seconds by
David Brown that
had stood since
January 2005.
Naina swam it in
14.38 seconds.
In the afternoon the weather just about held for
the athletics, although the wind made some of the
events tricky, especially the egg and spoon race. The
day finished with a sensational tug of war. Many
congratulations to all the pupils in Royal who took the
overall honours.
thirty year
anniversary
assembly
On Thursday 30 April, at the last whole school special
assembly for this year, Bradford Grammar School held
a memorial for the 56 football fans who died at the
Bradford City stadium fire 30 years ago, on 11 May 1985.
rhine and
moselle valleys
Fifty pupils from Years 7 and 8 spent a week during the May half term holiday exploring the beautiful
Rhine and Moselle valleys of western Germany. After an overnight ferry crossing to Rotterdam, the group
made its way to Cologne to visit the stunning cathedral that dominates the city’s skyline and the delicious
chocolate museum before travelling on to the Hotel L’Europe, set in a stunning position on the banks of
the River Rhine in the picturesque town of Boppard. The wooded valleys of this area are studded with
impressive medieval castles, and they visited perhaps the most typical of them all, Burg Eltz. They also
spent time in the pretty towns of Rüdesheim and Cochem and visited a vineyard and the Ehrenbreitstein
fortress in Koblenz. One of the highlights of the visit was a boat trip along the Rhine, taking in the
famous Loreley statue where a mermaid is supposed to have lured careless sailors to their deaths on the
rocks below. The last day was spent at the Phantasialand theme park where, in glorious sunshine, the
group braved the Black Mamba and Talocan rides and the Colorado Adventure runaway train. Everyone
enjoyed great German hospitality, got to practise German language skills and learned more about this
fascinating country.
race for life
Bradford Grammar School’s pink army joined forces with
two thousand other entrants at Lister Park’s Race for
Life in June. BGS had a large team of runners, joggers,
walkers and supporters, consisting of pupils, former
pupils, staff, parents and grandparents.
Year 7 pupil Eva Lockett was the first finisher for the
school and second overall followed closely by Mrs
Richards and Katy Boden. This is the sixth time the
school has entered the event and at which it continues to
raise money towards cancer research charities.
Staff and student fans were joined by Mike Harrison,
life-long City fan and editor of the City Gent fanzine,
and Simon Parker, Telegraph and Argus BCFC
correspondent, in recalling the events
of that tragic day. Three members of
school staff, who had been there and had
witnessed the horrors at first hand, shared
their experiences. The assembly aimed
to inform as a lot of students, and even
some staff, were unaware of the disaster
and its proximity to school. We took
various lessons from the personal accounts
including the importance of treating every
fire drill as a reality, so we don’t treat a real fire as a drill.
In the audience we were joined by Roger Owen, a
Director at the Club, and Jing Tay, the David Sharpe
research fellow at the Bradford Burns Unit, who both
thought the assembly was a fitting memorial and were
grateful to the school for recognising those lost. There
was a collection after the assembly which raised almost
£200 for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit.
borrowdale
Year 2 had an exciting and eventful residential, staying at Hawse End Cottage, overlooking Derwent Water.
The red 2S crew, led by Miss Smith and Mr Thorn, worked together as a team to study the clues and solve all the puzzles, to finally find the buried treasure on St
Herbert’s Island. Dr Hinchliffe rowed his hardy band of 2Y pirates back across the rough and turbulent waters to a feast of pizza, chips and sticky toffee pudding.
The next day, Mrs Buckley hit bullseye along with some promising Year 2 archers, while another group was studying maps and learning a few orienteering skills.
On the home journey, they lunched at Ingleborough Hall, the venue for next year’s residential, before being collected by their parents.
ccf centenary
On 28 March, a reception was held at Bradford City Hall to commemorate the centenary of the Bradford Grammar
School Officer Training Corps (OTC), now known as the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). The ceremony was attended
by the Headmaster, current CCF members, Sir Ken and Lady Morrison and other guests.
The reception, hosted by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, also recognised the contribution by the CCF to the
ongoing WW1 remembrance activities.
year 7 walk
On a sunny Friday in June, the day after school exams finished, Year 7 took a well-deserved day off from their studies
to do a sponsored walk from BGS to Ilkley. The route took them along the canal to Shipley Glen where they paused for
ice pops. Then they tackled the long drag up Ilkley Moor, enjoying a picnic at the top in the sun with a gentle breeze
and glorious views over both the Wharfe and Aire valleys. Then it was down to Ilkley to catch the train back to school.
Some saw the walk as a challenge – how fast can I get there? Others just enjoyed a day out in the countryside among
their friends.
They also raised money for Chellow Heights School. Year 7 have been doing voluntary work there this year and hope to
make a significant contribution to the purchase of a trampoline which can be enjoyed by children in wheelchairs.
junior school
rugby &
netball
tour
The U11 Rugby and Netball squads set off on 27 March
heading for Aberdare in South Wales. Their first stop was
King’s Hawford School in Worcester where they played
rugby and netball matches which resulted in several
very close games including a narrow victory for the
U11B netballers. The A team had a fast-paced netball
game, winning one of the quarters, but unfortunately
losing against a very strong team. The B team played
a tight, competitive game and scored the deciding goal
in the last minute. They then journeyed on to Aberdare
arriving at 5pm. The pupils enjoyed the large adventure
playground and a superb evening meal, followed by a
walk up the valley.
Driving rain greeted Saturday morning which posed
no threat to the girls’ indoor netball fixtures against
Llantwit Fardre. However, the boys were up against the
weather, a waterlogged pitch and some different rules
at Pontyclun. Despite this, they had a hugely enjoyable
morning and were not deterred by a delay due to coach
malfunction. The afternoon included paintballing in some
very muddy conditions before returning to the Centre.
On Sunday, the girls took part in a football coaching
session at Cardiff City’s facilities whilst the boys,
in soggy kit, took on Llandaff RFC in the lee of the
Cathedral. Despite being wet and tired, the boys
gave everything in defeat.
grassington festival
On Saturday the 13 June, the school’s Concert Band performed as part of the Grassington Festival.
Playing to a packed town square, the 40-piece band entertained the crowd with hits ranging from
Uptown Funk to Blame it on the Boogie. The Festival celebrates its 35th birthday this year and for
two weeks in June the town comes alive with a variety of cultural activities. The band has been
playing at this event for 12 years and it is always a privilege to be asked
back.
Congratulations to all involved and a special thank you to the
conductor of the band, Mr David Roberts.
french exchange
The school runs a French exchange with Collège Sancy-Artense every other year and this time pupils in Years 9
and 10 hosted our French guests in March. In Yorkshire, BGS families looked after their French partners for four
days, although the programme was busy and there seemed little time to relax. As always our French partners
were very impressed with the facilities at BGS and they enjoyed visiting Leeds, York and Bradford, as well as
spending a morning in school. The return leg took place in the Easter holidays. Our pupils had a long coach
journey to the beautiful Auvergne region. The weather warmed up and they enjoyed visiting many local museums
and beauty spots, memorably for a picnic and boat trip by the beautiful Château de Val. The group also spent
time in school where they observed lessons, had school lunch, took part in workshops involving mask-making, IT,
country dance, sport and young firefighters. Of course, the most beneficial part of an exchange is the time spent
with families, and as they were there for Easter, most pupils enjoyed the traditional Easter egg hunt and many
found snow on the summit of the nearby Puy du Sancy. The final evening was spent at a party in the school,
where the dance group showed us their moves! All the pupils really made the most of the chance to live with a
foreign family for a few days and have improved their language skills hugely, not to mention their cheese-eating
abilities!
rowing
This term the English Indoor Rowing Championships
took place at the Manchester Velodrome. The Bradford
Grammar School rowers were delighted to come away
with two Gold and two Bronze medals.
Matt Chivers won Gold in the J18 event despite having a
scare near the end when his feet came out of his shoes!
However, he had done enough in the early part of the
race to have a comfortable lead.
Euan Adam won Gold in the J15 event with a very
confident row. Tom Robinson won Bronze in the J16
event. Tom Robinson, Nick Keating, Euan Adam and
Ben Wood won Bronze in the J16 3,000m relay. Several
of the other boys and girls came away from the event
with personal bests.
The boys were especially delighted to have their medals
presented by a VIP in the rowing world, none other than
the school’s Head of Rowing, Simon Darnbrough.
xx
Xxx
Overall, a fantastic first (and probably not last) tour to
Wales; the hospitality was fantastic as were all the pupils
involved.
shropshire quarry
field trip bank
To experience geological situations away from the local area is a key ingredient in understanding the subject and
this was the aim of the Year 13 geologists when they set out on their field trip to Shropshire. Over the three days
they were to investigate a time when Britain was in tropical climates with their studies of two different reefs in
Derbyshire and Shropshire (Wenlock Edge). A number of well-preserved fossils were found and, despite the rather
cold temperatures, they were able to reconstruct the conditions experienced in a tropical sea. The visits to the
Wrekin and the Long Mynd Hills enabled them to travel further back in time and investigate the existence of an
active plate boundary with evidence of subduction and a volcanic island arc clearly seen in the Shropshire rocks
and landscape.
greece photographic
competition
During the Easter holidays, the Classics Department took 33 pupils to Greece for an incredible four-day trip of sightseeing
and sun. The Classics Department has missed Greece so much that it has since decided to host a Greece Trip Photo
Competition. Fourteen photographs were entered, ranging from beautiful sun-soaked landscapes and majestic temples
to Mr Barr with a cat. In the end, the department awarded first prize to an atmospheric picture of the Delphic temple,
captured by Ed Truby (11DGA). Second prize went to Michael Beadle (11SDR) for capturing the excitement of the group
and the splendour of Greece. Third prize was awarded to Gaurav Bhardwaj (10ZJS) for a magical photograph of ancient
Olympia. All the entries were superb and it was a difficult task deciding between them. The photographs will form part of
a display in school to remind everyone of sunnier times!
The sun shone for Year 8 as they spent Thursday 19
March visiting Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Cheshire as part of
their study of the Industrial Revolution. The mill, founded
in 1784, is a uniquely preserved insight into the world of
the early cotton mills which were such a key to Britain’s
industrial growth. Year 8 were able to get a feel for the
noise and conditions inside the textile mills, and took a
tour of the refurbished Apprentice House, built in 1790 to
house up to 90 children aged 9-18 who were contracted
to learn their trade in the mill without pay.
textiles
club
The launch of Textiles at BGS started with the Minion
Denim Project: these crazy characters feature heavily
in the opening Textiles project. The idea is to give the
students the chance to design and make the Minion
Concept into a bag, using a variety of textile techniques
with wool, mesh and neoprene. The club is open to all
age ranges, and gives the very young pupils in senior
school the chance to learn skills from their older and
more experienced peers.
The second project they are hoping to run, after the
Minion organza, is a more serious charity project called
Hope for Women International where students will take a
spare pillowcase and up-cycle it into a pretty little dress
for children who live in poverty and who have nothing.
The finished dresses will be posted overseas to places
such as Cambodia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and
Uganda.
airport visit
abbey
house
museum
Who gets to sit at the end of a runway at an international
airport and watch planes take off directly overhead? Year
2 at Bradford Grammar School!. Tony Hallwood kindly
took time off from his busy schedule to take the pupils on
a behind-the-scenes tour of the airport, showing them all
the workings of the airport.
Throughout the year, pupils in the Junior School have
been tweeting with
school governor Mr Ian
McAleese about his
travels from the airport
to the various corners
of the globe.
In April, Year 2 stepped back in time and
wandered through the enchanting streets, shops
and houses and experienced life as a Victorian at
Abbey House Museum, Kirkstall.
Later, they took a trip to the seaside and learnt
about how Queen Victoria invented holidays, with
a hands-on experience of the fashions and frolics
that Victorian children would have experienced
on a day out at the coast. Activities comparing
seaside holidays in the recent past with those
taken a long time ago were followed by the
opportunity to make their own souvenir as a
memento of their time travels.
Everyone enjoyed ‘being by the seaside’ even if a
Victorian swimming costume meant having a saggy
bottom.
rugby
rosslyn 7s
On day one, BGS won four out of five games, winning the
group by beating Uppingham 26-19 in a close first game.
Convincing wins against Latimer, Portsmouth and QE
Bristol put the first team through to compete for a place
in the cup against Blundells. They lost the game, but for
the first time in ten years successfully qualified to play in
the plate competition the following day.
On day two the group included Cranleigh and Ellesmere.
BGS lost to the eventual plate winners Cranleigh in the
first game, but beat Ellesmere in the second.
Throughout the Sevens’ season, the 1st VII finished 20
out of 160 in the schools’ rugby performance league
and fourth out of 30 in the North, behind only Kirkham,
Sedbergh and Barnard Castle!
There were outstanding performances throughout the
squad, in particular from Sam Ogden, Adam Waring
and Harry Sagar. Alex Robinson also finished his school
rugby career by scoring 100 tries for the school after
adding two at Rosslyn Park.
art prizes
For the second year running Packetts Insurance Brokers
have awarded their art prizes. The Packett family have an
85 year connection with the school since Neville Packett
joined the Junior School in 1930. Neville’s nephew,
Andrew, visited the school to select this year’s winning art
work. The winning pieces were selected following a tour
looking at all the art on display throughout the school.
Congratulations to the winning artists Annabel Browne,
Matthew Carey, Lizzie Winn and Laura Jones, who each
receive £50 and will have their art work on display in
the Packetts’
boardroom
for 12 months
before it is
returned to
them.
Congratulations
to the eight
Year 9 pupils
who were
successful in gaining awards through their entries into
the Bradford Young Creative Design Awards 2015. The
winners attended the Annual Fashion Show, showcasing
all final year work and were presented with their awards
by Nathan Kelly, Head of School of Arts and Media at
Bradford College. The students thoroughly enjoyed the
show, received an in depth tour around the degree shows
and had an inspirational afternoon. Well done to Edmund
Milwain, Harry Bolland, Isabel Clarke, Umaira Waheed,
Jenny Lord, Hanna Suleman, Eleanor Beaty and Eve
Woodward.
tennis
The tennis teams have had a busy and successful
season. Notable results include winners of the U14
North of England championships, runners up in the North
of England U16 plate at Ampleforth College, placed 3rd
in the BGS Boys Invitational 1st VI tournaments and a
convincing junior mixed doubles win against Ampleforth
College in a match involving 15 pairs.
The junior squad of 28 pupils enjoyed a mixed
tour to the Midlands, the highlight being a 205204 games victory having played 78 matches
which were a combination of boys, girls
and mixed doubles.
While at the airport the
pupils got to see the
workings of the apron,
the baggage area,
check-in, departures
and arrivals and, most
excitingly, the fire
station, finishing with a
demonstration of the brand new fire engine. The children
even got to experience the power of the jets used to put
out fires (and received a soaking in the process). A great
time was had by all.
junior school
ski trip
This year 24 pupils and three staff members took to the
slopes of Serre Chevalier in the Hautes-Alpes during the
Easter break. The weather was perfect with warm days
and great visibility and everyone had a fantastic time.
The Hautes-Alpes is France’s only department in the
alpine chain situated entirely in the mountains, making
it the highest in the Alps. The resort was perfect for
all abilities, with stunning views from the top of the
mountains. The variety of runs, from gentle greens to the
famous Luc Alphand black run, named after the World
Cup alpine ski racer from the local area and who stills
skis the mountain regularly, provided a challenge to all
our pupils.
The fun didn’t stop when the lifts closed for the day: each
evening a different activity, including games and quizzes,
art sessions and a chance to explore the local area was
enjoyed by all. The pupils made the most of this time to
socialise and further enjoy the holiday.
As usual we ran our annual ‘tidiest room’ competition,
which for the first time saw a room of boys crowned as
victors.
athletics
amsterdam
art trip
Meeting early on a chilly morning at Leeds Bradford
Airport, 11 budding artists gathered excitedly in the
departure lounge with sketch books and pens at the
ready. The aim of the trip was to feast on the rich
eclectic art work on offer in the cultural city, Amsterdam.
A four day excursion taking in the architectural design
and waterways by boat, followed by an indulgence of
art from all over the world in its multitude of galleries
and museums. As a national institute, the Rijksmuseum
offers a representative overview of Dutch art history
from the Middle Ages onwards, coupled with exciting
aspects of European and Asian art. The group visited the
world of one of the most famous Dutch artists to date,
Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh produced a collection of
rich colours and energetic mark-making that carved a
path for a myriad of other artists. In between absorbing
the reality of each painting and sculpture, our budding
BGS artists sketched and painted their own experiences
with such joy and enthusiasm. The group then stepped
into the more advanced and modern world, visiting the
Stedelijk Museum, soaking up the expertise of Matisse
through to the more up-to-date animated works of Ed
Atkins. The final day arrived too quickly, taking in the
Foam Photographic Gallery and the controversial Body
Worlds Exhibition where time and motion stand still.
Everyone on the trip was inspired and connected with
many different aspects of the magnificent world of art.
A great big thank you to the pupils who participated for
being so dedicated, enthusiastic and open minded about
this wonderful and inspiring subject.
hockey
Huge congratulations go to four girls from BGS: Milly
Fewlass-Jones, Julia Cumberland, Alicia Cumberland and
Freya Bellamy. They were awarded a bronze medal in the
U14 National Hockey Clubs Championships at the Lee
Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London playing for
their club team, Ben Rhydding. They were drawn into a
tough pool, including Surbiton, the winners from the last
few years, but the girls rose to the challenge. They won,
drew and lost which meant that they were second in their
pool and went on to play Yeovil and Sherborne in the
third/fourth play-off, which ended all square at 1-1. This
took the game to a nerve-wracking barrage of penalty
flicks which the Ben Rhydding girls won 2-1. What a
fantastic achievement for all.
The athletics teams have this year continued to build. Junior Girls, Junior Boys, Inter Girls and Inter Boys have
competed in a number of events throughout the term with some success.
At local level BGS has set up and hosted a Bradford schools’ athletics league, with 14 schools from across Bradford
taking part. After three events BGS are first in the table in both Junior Girls’ and Junior Boys’ competitions and second
in both Inter Girls’ and Inter Boys’. The top three schools at each age group will contest a final at the end of June.
BGS competed in the HMC Athletics at Gateshead stadium in April where the Intermediate Girls performed
really well to come third out of 19 schools.
In the English Schools’ Cup three out of four teams have qualified through the first round to a regional final.
Junior Girls came second in their county competition leading them to a Regional B final in June at Thornes Park
Stadium. The Junior Boys have also qualified for that event after finishing third in their county competition. Again
the Inter Girls have been the highest achievers, after finishing first in their county competition with Roisin Ramage
accumulating a Platinum standard personal points score and Phoebe Ogden and Louisa Duncan achieving Gold
standard in their respective events. As a result, BGS Inter Girls have claimed a place in the Regional A final to take
place in Derby. The top placed teams in this event will go on to compete in the National Finals.
BGS also has a number of athletes who have been selected to represent the Bradford
District Team at the West Yorkshire Schools’ Championships: Ella Moran – Hurdles,
Anna Masterton – 100m, Millie Ellison – Long Jump, Louisa Duncan – High Jump,
Roisin Ramage – Shot, Harrison Gill – Triple Jump, Naj Basit – Shot, Rowan Hirst –
Javelin, Emerson James – 800m
and Emile Cairess – 1500m.
forthcoming
events
calendar
Aug 28-31
OBA Cross-Country Reunion Westwell, Kent
Sep1
Staff INSET Day
2
8.45amInduction Day Year 7 & Year 12
Pupils
3
8.45amStart of Autumn Term - All Senior &
Junior School Pupils
12
6.00pm OBA Annual Dinner - Price Hall
24
2.30pm Founders’ Day
297pm OBA London Club Dinner
Oct3 10am Junior & Senior School
- 2pm and Sixth Form Open Day
22-30
Half Term
277pm OBA London Club Dinner
Nov46.15pm Sixth Form Information Evening
12
9.15am Open Morning - 12 noon Junior & Senior School
27
6.45pm OBA London Club Annual Dinner Carlton Club
ec 18
D
End of Autumn Term
3.20pm Junior School
4pm Senior School
history
society
The History Society was delighted to welcome
Diana Darke, author, Arabist and broadcaster, to
give a talk about Syria to pupils from Years 9 and
10. Ten years ago Diana bought a 17th century
courtyard house in the Old City of Damascus
and spent the next three years renovating it. She
enjoyed it as her second home until revolution
broke out in Syria and she handed over the house
to be a home for Syrian refugee friends displaced
from their own homes by shelling in the suburbs.
Showing slides of the house, with its exquisite
painted ceilings, patterned stonework, decorated
tiles and courtyard fountain, Diana explained how
she reclaimed it from dereliction and an ugly shell
of white cement to restore it to its original beauty,
using this story as a platform from which to view
the current conflict in Syria. Photographs of bomb
damage to Homs, Aleppo and historical monuments
such as the crusader fortress Krak des Chevaliers
and Umayyad Mosque reminded her audience of
the devastation Syria is suffering, as she outlined
the tragic situation faced by ordinary Syrian people
as the Assad regime, rebel groups and the forces of
ISIS battle for control of the country.
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While there, they met the local landlord of the
Hark to Rover Inn, who told tales of his regulars,
while recruiting pupils to provide entertainment (in
the form of a pianist) and provide security to keep
out the vagabonds. They also spent time in the
local ironmongers discovering the different uses
of metal and how the Victorians kept their houses
clean and tidy.