View The Bristol Grammar School Newsletter Spring 2011 Issue 17
COMIC ADVENTURE
with the Etherington Brothers
MAD FOR MADD
and our talented performers
PASSPORT TO CHINA Infants look East
ON THE BEACH with our Geographers
EPQS • HISTORY GOES WEST • HOUSE DANCE • LIVING LATIN Picture courtesy of Bristol Evening Post
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From the Headmaster
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his term has rushed past at such a pace, it’s almost a relief to stop for a moment to reflect on the achievements that have filled our days and now pack these pages of View.
In January we marked the first signs of spring, celebrating new growth by planting bulbs on the first anniversary of BGS Infants. Developing new opportunities continues to be an important focus at BGS Infants and Juniors and I am particularly pleased that this term we have confirmed the appointment of Peter Huckle as our new Head at the School. He is, I know, greatly looking forward to his new role. Meanwhile, students in our Senior School continue to amaze and inspire us. A particular highlight has been the remarkable achievements of Sixthformers who have this year completed
our first-ever Extended Project Qualifications or EPQs. There have also been many inspiring individual and team achievements in sport. Both our Junior and Senior School swimmers for example have performed well in county and interschool competition. With House Dance, House Plays, talent shows and concerts, this term has been an exceptionally busy one for everyone who contributes to Performing Arts, not least our innovative and energetic Stage Crew.
preparing for exams, others taking the opportunity to explore and travel. BGS students are heading for the Bay of Naples, Spain and Morocco. Sixthformers will be putting their skills to the test, completing Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards on the Isle of Arran. Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, I hope you find some time to relax and catch your breath. Happy Easter.
For many the holidays ahead will be an equally busy time. Some will be Roderick MacKinnon
Picture courtesy of Bristol Evening Post
News New head at BGS Infants and Juniors
Peter Huckle has been appointed to take the helm as Headmaster at BGS Infants and Juniors. A mainstay of Bristol Grammar School’s teaching and pastoral care team for more than thirty years, Peter will take over from Headmistress Dr Alison Primrose when she leaves the post in July. Peter has been a central figure for generations of students attending BGS Senior School. He has been Deputy Head, Head of House and has made a
huge contribution as Head of Years 7 and 8, a role that has given him a keen insight into primary school practices and demonstrated his unique abilities in supporting the development of younger students. Says Headmaster Rod MacKinnon, “We are absolutely delighted that Peter is taking on this new role, although we know his contribution will be much missed by students and colleagues further up the School. “There are few people who have Peter's profound understanding of what makes for a happy and successful education environment. Through his passion and commitment, our students
have thrived in an exceptional way. He will, I know, achieve great things with our Infants and Juniors.” Peter is spending time getting to know each and every child before officially taking over the running of the School in July. Peter explains, “Alison Primrose has been an exceptional Headmistress, laying the foundations for the excellent ethos and the expansion we are seeing today. I am looking forward to building on her great legacy. “I couldn’t be more thrilled about taking on this role, especially at this time of growth and development. With the support of such a dedicated staff team who have great strengths, enthusiasm and creativity, I predict an exciting time ahead.”
View Spring ‘11 Issue 17
News Stage set for
Theatre Design
course
A talent for fundraising A fantastic total of more than £3,000 was raised by the students and staff across the School for this term’s Charity Week. Prefects were auctioned off to the highest bidders, sales of red roses blossomed and everyone enjoyed eating too much cake. Students and staff went head-to-head in a charity basketball match and we were all thoroughly entertained by the excellent performances by students and staff as part of BGS Has Got Talent. The money raised this term has been donated to A Life for a Cure, to support research into a vaccine for meningitis. The charity was set up in memory of Clifton College student Ryan Bresnahan who died, aged sixteen, last year. www.ryanbresnahan.org
World players
Against a backdrop of increasing international unrest BGS students were again centre stage, tackling the problems of international politics at the third session of Model United Nations to be hosted by BGS.
In the General Assembly 170 delegates from ten local schools focused their attention on how to manage a mass influx of Mexican immigrants through the US border, the subject for this emergency session. There were great debates and some impressive speakers, all assisted by fabulously enthusiastic runners.
Students at Bristol Grammar School are the first in the country with the opportunity to study Theatre Design as an integral part of their Art ‘A’ level. A new course with accreditation under the AQA Art and Design Fine Art qualification, is planned for September 2011. It has been developed and designed by Head of Art, John Lever who himself studied stage design at London’s Slade School of Fine Art. Mr Lever explains, “This is an opportunity for students to explore their ideas in really different ways, combining the medium of music, either ballet or opera, with 3D modelling and experimental fine art.” The new course will also provide experience for students considering a career in the entertainment industry. Theatre designers can have farreaching roles, contributing to stage productions, the visualisation of TV and film scripts and multi-media design.
Making money for
Morocco Two hundred parents and students shared the delights of Year 9’s excellent cooking in an event organised by parents and our Lower-sixth team to support our Moroccan charity. Guests enjoyed Moroccan cuisine, a quiz, raffle and belly-dancing. A small percentage of the proceeds from the evening went towards fund raising for travel expenses for the Year 9’s forthcoming Moroccan visit: the rest, more than £2,000, went straight to the charity.
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News Oxbridge success
Twelve BGS students are celebrating offers from Oxford and Cambridge this year, ten from our current Upper Sixth and two who left the School in 2010.
¡hola
BGS welcomed fifteen Spanish students this term. In among a busy sightseeing schedule, our guests spent two mornings visiting the School.
Learning from
experience As part of the School’s continuing Drugs Education Programme, rehabilitating drug addict Jonnie Leach came to BGS to talk to students about the effect drugs have had on his life. Jonnie’s story is relevant because despite having had every opportunity to thrive – a caring family, a privileged education and a successful career – he became a drug addict. Telling his story from the heart, he described his life and experiences. Jonnie’s talk was really well-received by our students. It was particularly powerful because he talked from experience in a language everyone could relate to.
Says teacher, Laura Woodhead, “Everyone got on so well, it was a lovely atmosphere. Having already made friends on Facebook, visitors and hosts were really excited to say ‘hola, hello’. We’re all really looking forward to meeting up and putting our Spanish into action on our return visit at Easter.”
2011 Charter Day Students, parents, teachers, Governors, OBs and friends all adorned with daffodils turned out in force on Saturday 19 March to celebrate Charter Day. The service, held in the Cathedral, commemorated the day the School Charter was presented to Bristol Grammar School by Henry VIII in 1532. Head of School James read The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) and Naomi read The Prayer of St Benedict of Nursia. We were pleased to welcome the Lord and Lady Mayoress. Laura (Year 6) presented the Lady Mayoress with flowers. Many thanks to Dr John Savage CBE, who led the sermon.
Eight have places at Oxford, reading subjects as diverse as Law, Russian and Archaeology & Anthropology. The other four, heading to Cambridge, will read Law, English, Maths and Engineering. Deputy Head of Sixth Form & Careers Adviser Melanie Guy says, “Once again our Sixth-form leavers continue to aim high and have secured places at their first choice universities. It is particularly pleasing to see so many achieving their Oxbridge aspirations. They are all welldeserved places.”
Excellence
Celebrating Honours Students showcased their exceptional talents this term in an evening celebrating just some of what they have achieved beyond the curriculum. Among the many performances, Jack (Year 7) read his review of the recent Bristol Old Vic production of Swallows and Amazons, Cara (Year 8) sang I Dreamed a Dream and Nicholas (Upper Sixth) read in Russian. A group of Sixth-form Science Honours Students introduced ‘Eureka’, a club they have set up to promote scientific enquiry among younger students. It was an inspirational evening for all who attended, parents, teachers and both current and future BGS students.
View Spring ‘11 Issue 17 ‘My favourite lesson is Science because I like to find out things.’ Santi
Picture courtesy of Bristol Evening Post
Infants
Now we are BGS Infants got stuck into their first birthday celebrations in January, planting an array of spring and summer bulbs to celebrate the first anniversary of their School. Our Infant School opened just one year ago with twenty very excited five-toseven-year-olds joining the School for the first time in its almost 500year history. Since then it has welcomed its first Reception class in September and expanded to provide early years education to more than forty children.
‘Mr Close and Miss Barrow make breakfast club lots of fun.’ Isaac
‘I love it in Maths when we add and take away 10 or 100.’ Samuel
To celebrate the day the children made thought clouds, showing their favourite memories of their time in the Infant School so far.
Passport to
With their usual sense of adventure our early learners set their eyes to the East this term, in a journey to find what it might be like if they were growing up in China. They’ve been on a path of discovery, tiptoeing through the communication techniques of the Giant Panda, the ups and downs of martial arts and the seemingly neverending lengths of the Great Wall. The journey has been physical, cultural and spiritual, jumping from a study of the pentatonic scale to the lives of monks. The children learnt about Shaolin Monks by copying their actions, then writing poems that describe their movements.
They even created Shaolin Monk art inspired by Andy Warhol. They put lots of what they learned into PowerPoint presentations and stitched a fabulous array of panda puppets. Thanks to Alessio’s dad Emilio, who lead an excellent activity on the art of origami. We learnt how to count to ten…
Yi, Er, San, Si, Wu, Liu, Qi, Ba, Jiu, Shi.
Flipping marvellous On Shrove Tuesday our Infants ate their pancakes al fresco. Mr Whitehead donned his pinnie to cook up some tasty treats in the forest. Fortunately for all, there was not too much jumping out of the pan and into the fire, so everyone got something to eat. Mr Whitehead said, “The sun was shining on Failand, and we were seated around a warm fire with pancakes! Hard to beat I think!”
Barking up the right tree
Out and about in Failand, our children have been getting to grips with a knotty problem. How to find our biggest – well, fattest – tree? It’s all been part of learning about diameters. They searched the whole forest and the consensus was that the biggest tree has a circumference of 390 cm. All of the children stood around it and Noah named the tree ‘Big George’.
2D or not 2D
Among the many explorations in Maths this term the Infants have been looking at right angles, as well as clockwise and anticlockwise turns. Just a few days into the project they were designing mazes using set squares, which really seemed to captivate everyone’s imagination. The children were also challenged to draw a shape with more than fifty right angles. They learned to apply their new Maths skills, constructing regular 2D shapes from sticks they found in the woods.
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Infants Perfect harmony
Many small voices came into one (well, almost one) large voice as our Years 1, 2 and 3 joined forces with children from other schools in a choir of three hundred children to sing together in the Redgrave Theatre. The children sang with confidence and energy. Their magical musicality coincided with ‘Sing up Day' where we found out that the children’s taste in songs includes AC/DC and The Black Eyed Peas.
Juniors
World Book Day
What would you ask the Queen if she popped in for tea? The lost art of letter-writing has been revived in style, as our Infants each wrote a letter to Buckingham Palace. After a first draft, the children wrote them out neatly on lined paper, before popping them in envelopes, sticking on stamps and taking a stroll to the post box to send them off. Fingers crossed that Queen Elizabeth has time to write nineteen letters in reply before the Royal Wedding.
Early bookworms
World Book Day was a real celebration this term thanks to the efforts and creativity the children showed with their outfits. Our Year 2s have also been book buddies to the Reception children, aiming to inspire a love of reading in the younger children; the Reception children love coming to work with the older children.
BGS Juniors approached World Book Day with their usual eagerness and lots of hard work to create a riot of colourful characters from a huge array of children’s books. The day saw an influx of literary personalities into the classrooms. Children chose their favourite faces, ranging from The Mad Hatter to Winnie the Witch, not forgetting our ever-popular friends from Hogwarts.
Full steam ahead Year 6 made their annual pilgrimage to the Swindon Steam Museum this term. Dressing up as evacuees, they got a taste of a wartime air-raid shelter. Conversations with Second World War survivors gave them a chance to discover first-hand the harsh realities of rationing and the traumatic experience of being evacuated.
View Spring ‘11 Issue 17
Juniors
Mad for MADD
Drawing on What an evening of entertainment!
From music to art to dance to drama, we had it all as children from all years stepped up to share their incredibly diverse range of performances.
It was a fabulous night with an amazing array of talent, and it was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who was there. (Emma
and Emma
)
The quality and standard of this exceptionally enjoyable event has improved year-on-year, and showcases the incredible talent we have in the Junior School. The enthusiasm of the children had to be seen to be believed. There were thirty-four spectacular acts, including a Year 5 Michael Jackson dance and Eli’s Scarf performed by Charlotte . There was a great mix of both humorous and moving drama pieces and both classic and contemporary music. The dancing was equally varied, from Sharruka’s Traditional Indian Dance to Whip my Hair performed by Dance Club. Under the Sea was a great finale song sung by all the performers.
talent
Somerset artist Helen Allcock ran an inspirational workshop for Year 5 children which included inter-weaving music with drawing, and allowing the children to discover the potential in their creative hand, not the one they would normally use for writing or drawing. They carved their own stencils from funky foam and spent the day exploring different printing techniques. “It was
a brilliant day and I’d love to do it again.” Ellie 5D
Maths finalists
Three Year 6 Junior School pupils – Nick , Rio and Oscar – did brilliantly to qualify for the National Finals of the Primary Maths Challenge. Congratulations to Oscar, who was awarded a bronze medal which puts him in the top three hundred and fifty contestants in the country.
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Exploration
Romin’ with the Romans
History goes West ‘Surely that’s a helicopter on the White House lawn?’ Indeed it was, as the BGS American History tour came as close as possible to the realities of power.
T
he view from the top of the Washington Monument enabled our students to see Marine One take off, accompanied by two decoy helicopters, as President Obama ignored the snow and the Washington traffic to make his way to his next meeting. Although they did not visit inside the White House, our twenty-six Upper and Lower Sixth students did tour the Capitol Building. They saw many of the monuments and memorials that make Washington DC a must-see for any serious student of American History and Politics. The Lincoln Memorial was a particular
highlight, since this was the spot where Martin Luther King made his famous ‘I have a dream’ speech to the crowds who had marched in Washington in 1963 to campaign for jobs and black civil rights. There is nothing quite like being at the spot where history was made. The group made a brief tour of Philadelphia’s historic centre and its famous Liberty Bell, which was reputedly rung to proclaim the Declaration of Independence in 1776. There was tight security at every stage as belts were removed, bags were checked and liquids confiscated. The biggest problems were caused
Year 3 have been exploring in Bath Spa, discovering the heights of Roman society in the depths of the Roman baths. The children enjoyed a range of activities both in and out of the classroom, including creating their own magnetic mosaics, carving Latin words on a wax tablet and examining the building materials used to make the baths. Edward found fun in unexpected places. “I liked measuring the great bath in paces and looking through the windows at the hot springs,” he said. “We had to write and draw things about the baths. I enjoyed going round the museum and typing the numbers in the audio guides.”
by our first-aid kits containing gels and scissors. In New York there was time to look at some art and to do a little shopping as a reward for all the hard work already put in. The group went to the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, braving pouring rain and choppy water. An evening visit to Madison Square Garden to see the New York Knicks’ latest basketball star, Carmelo Anthony, showed just how well America combines sport and showbiz. Head of History Robert Massey comments, "The trip was a great success with a group who responded enthusiastically to the monuments and museums they saw. There was a lot of walking, but it’s when you’re on foot that you really get to see the best sites of our great cities.”
View Spring ‘11 Issue 17
Exploration
Living Latin
The Roman Baths were also the destination of our Year 9 Latin students who shifted their learning away from pen and paper to discover centuries-old inscriptions written in stone.
C
hoosing their own ways to investigate the Roman Baths, the students looked at artefacts and remains. They gathered information by reading museum displays, using computer reconstructions, listening to audioguides and asking lots of questions. A chance to see the Roman curse tablets was a highlight, including one which cursed the ‘man who stole my Vilbia’, the basis of some of the stories in the Latin course book. They also saw a dedication set up by Lucius Marcus Memor, another character in the stories they have been reading.
It was a good opportunity for our students to put their learning into practice, trying to decipher the Latin inscriptions on tombstones and altars.
Hitler goes on trial
Arriving at the Redgrave Theatre, they quickly found themselves at the heart of a drama about the causes of the Second World War. The students faced an ‘exam-busting workshop’ in which they were asked to play the part of examiners marking students’ answers before settling down for the courtroom drama. Was Hitler solely responsible for causing the
Year 11 History students took part in an enactment of the trial of Adolf Hitler this term, a lively and original way to revise and reinforce their learning before exams.
On the beach Our Lower Sixth Geographers were spurred on by three days of sunshine when visiting the Gower Peninsula as part of their fieldwork this term. The group spent the first day of their trip based in the Oxwich Bay Hotel planning how information would be collected, based on a series of hypotheses. Day two took them to various sites along the river where they gathered data on river profiles, water velocity and sediment size. Says Geographer Rachel , “The river route was beautiful, taking us from a small rural settlement on into the surrounding woodland forest and finishing among ancient sand dunes at Swansea Bay and the site of a castle ruin. A few group photos were in order!” There was even time to enjoy the beach before dinner. Day three found our explorers back on the beach to research different species and costal environments. Finally the team packed their kit into mini buses and drove to The Mumbles for an afternoon sketching the landscape and examining coastal management in an urban environment. With research done and data collected, all that was left to do was to complete the short drive back across the bridge to Bristol when, not surprisingly, few of the group managed to stay awake. outbreak of war? The trial recalled key events of the twentieth century and at its close BGS students voted against the charge by twenty-eight to twenty-six, but the court was in favour. The drama was brought to an end in dramatic fashion. A protester took the law into his own hands and shot Hitler dead.
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Gunawardana's Se e How They Run!
Music / Performing Arts
House Plays Headlong humour
Philip King’s farce, See How They Run! was chosen by Gunawardana’s for this term’s House Play. Directors Jo and Nick used their experience and expertise to bring the play to life in a very short time. The enthusiasm of the cast proved to be catching. Although for many this was a début performance, they quickly engaged their audience and bouts of laughter punctuated the whole performance. Says Head of House Aruna Gunawardana, “Congratulations to everyone who trod the boards, and to the many students who took responsibility behind the scenes. These were two very successful shows.”
A Play on Words
“We thought we’d cracked it – the longest word in the dictionary – ‘disestablishmentarianism’, but then Collins had to go and up the ante.” Set in the offices of a dictionary, there were plenty of puns and laughs in abundance in the Keen’s House Play 2011, directed and written by Alistair of the Upper Sixth. There was some surprising characterisation, including Duncan , a robust Rugby Forward in a dress. Talented actors from Year 7 to the Upper Sixth were spurred on by the enthusiasm that Alistair engendered. It was clearly as much fun to perform
as it was to watch. Ms Diamond, who takes over the Yellow House reins from September, must have been delighted at the prospects for future House Drama.
Winning scripts
Scott’s House Plays were both high on humour. Check Please (Junior Play), a one-act play of nightmare speed dates, by Jonathan Rand, and Ray Cooney’s Out of Order (Senior Play), a political farce, were according to many of the audience, the best House Plays they had seen. Kamini (Lower Sixth) played ‘The Manager’ in Out Of Order, and said, “These were great scripts with storylines that kept the audience laughing throughout.” Head of House, Ben Scott was one of those laughing in the aisles. He said, “There were great acting skills on display. Credit goes to all the students involved, both on stage and behind the scenes.” Stand out performances came from Ali as Richard ‘Dickie’ Willey, and from Jessie as director of the Senior Play. A special mention also goes to Olivia and Will for their lead roles in the Junior Play.
Catchpole’s Confusions
Catchpole’s director Helly (Upper Sixth) chose to tackle not one, but four interlinking plays based on the complex nature of relationships. Tor Elcock watched the plot unfold over just a matter of weeks. She says,
“As a Music teacher, I have respect for anyone who puts themselves in front of an audience without a musical instrument to blame when it all goes wrong. “Many of the cast had little experience but after just three long Sunday rehearsals they were ready or very nearly ready, for their technical run-through. It was a marvel to see how developed the characters had become.” Mother Figure depicts the half-crazed mum, Lucy, who spends so much time at home with the kids that she starts to treat everyone like children. In Drinking Companions, Lucy’s errant salesman husband is miles away, distracted by the charms of Paula and Bernice. Between Mouthfuls tells the story of the rapidlydeteriorating relationships of diners Polly and Martin, and Mr and Mrs Pearce.
Finally in Gosforth’s Fête the story of another affair emerges. The play reaches its climax when Mrs Pearce gets electrocuted by the faulty PA system (excellent strobe lighting and sound effects by Stage Crew). The audience were captivated, enjoying the exaggerated characters and outrageous situations. Adds Tor Elcock, “The cast were excellent. Lorena ’s portrayal of Lucy went down very well. Yongqi ’s wacky interpretation of Harry was brilliantly cringeworthy.”
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BGS definitely has talent BGS Has Got Talent was once again a delight both for those on and off the stage. Congratulations to Ella (Upper Sixth) for her rendition of Chocolate by snow patrol – accompanied by Sam on guitar. They won the staff
judge's vote as the best act of the night. It was U6RPC who claimed the audience vote for an entertaining rendition of Afternoon Delight combined with the Trololo Song. Congratulations also go to Mr Munton whose performance was voted best act by the student judges. Thanks to everyone who watched and took part, raising approximately £450 toward this term's charity a Life for a Cure.
Musical success makes EPQ
Lonely, a musical about a teen in turmoil was a triumph for Mike (Upper Sixth), who wrote it, produced it AND directed it for his Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
Ed Fest
More than fifty members of Edwards’s House took to the stage in the sell-out House Concert this March, from the novices of Year 7 right through to the old pros of the Sixth Form and members of the House Staff.
Music from soloists, groups, rappers and choirs was interspersed by some excellent comedy sketches. Top of the bill was Head of House Lauren who gave a stunning farewell solo performance. The massed ranks of the House Choir closed with a rendition of Britney’s ‘...Baby, One More Time.’ Upper Sixth compères glued the evening together with a great deal of good humour. Said Head of House Oliver Edwards, “The warmth of the reception on stage was only rivalled by the camaraderie backstage. Well done to all.”
The EPQ is a unique opportunity for our Sixth-formers to complete a research activity or project in their own particular sphere of interest. For Mike, who has entertained us for years with his wonderful talent for musical performance, this was the chance to break new ground with the first musical production at BGS to be both written and directed by a student. If you missed it, you can buy a DVD of the performance from Mike for just £5. A percentage of the profits are going to a good cause, a Life for a Cure, this term’s chosen charity.
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Dancing feet Dance went under the spotlight this term as the annual House Dance evening became a showcase for some spectacular performances, from both individuals and ensembles.
Spring concert The Spring Concert was an accumulation of just half a term’s musical activity within the School. Jazz Band gave a fine opening. There were débuts by promising young saxophonists. Singers Lauren and Rachel took on Here Come
at The Roundhouse
Matt was among Year 10 English students who travelled to London’s Roundhouse to see a Royal Shakespeare Company performance of Julius Caesar, directed by Lucy Bailey. From the outset of the play, Bailey portrayed her blood-bathed vision of Rome, inserting her own scene in which Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, are seen fighting to the death in a barbaric fashion. The dark, spotlit stage and emphatic noises make for a startling beginning. The performances were led excellently by Sam Troughton, who succeeded in showing the uncertainty of Brutus. Greg Higgs was an audacious Caesar, portraying the differences between his public and personal self with flair. Only the casting of Mark Anthony was disappointing; Darrell D’Silva resembled a drunken pirate more than the athletic young man conjured by Shakespeare. My favourite moment was when Mark Anthony casually threw a severed head to a bewildered Octavius Caesar. Bailey’s RSC début showed good promise. Her unique interpretation of the play is evolving Shakespeare for future generations.
Head of Games, Fran Ripley, Dance teacher Katy Aldred and Art teacher Brie Barnacle took on the difficult task of judging some very high quality work. Success in the senior categories went to Jakobek’s, with Libby (Upper Sixth) winning the individual category and Libby with Imogen (Lower Sixth), Poppy (Lower Sixth), Ellie (Lower Sixth) and Claire (Lower Sixth) also topping the senior group. In the Juniors it was Gunawardana’s who led the field with Patricia (Year 10) winning the individual section and again Patricia with Kate (Year 10), Abi (Year 10), Dillan (Year 10) and Millie (Year 10) prevailing in the group category.
Through the ears of Naomi
Julius Caesar
.
the Girls. The cohesion in the singing of the Year 9 choir bodes very well for the Cantata of 2015. String Ensemble played a perky arrangement of Scott Joplin, which was followed by a groovy 59th Street Bridge Song performed by the Junior Boys’ Choir. Wind Orchestra’s The Lion King stirred up memories for Disney fans of the
’90s. The recently formed Percussion Ensemble proved to be a fresh and unusual addition to the customary School Concert line-up. The rhythmic and powerful beats set new standards for diversity and volume. The Girls’ Choir gave the penultimate performance of the night, ending with the strong harmonies and enthusiasm of Rule the World. The Ceilidh Band brought this fantastic concert to an end, with a trio of lively polkas. Stunning solos from James and Kei on the violin warranted an encore.
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Literary Events Brothers and graphic novelists Robin and Lorenzo Etherington took our Year 7 on a fast moving comic trail in February.
Back to our roots Rob Young, Editor at Large of The Wire magazine, entertained an eclectic audience in the JCR in February, in conversation with the folk music aficionado Chris Hamlett.
Comic adventure As authors and creators of Monkey Nuts, Magic Malcolm and, for Dandy readers, Yore, they kept the audience enthralled as they talked about how they create their characters and develop a storyline. Amid lots of questions and participation, students queued to have books signed. They worked
on their own wonderful booklet that the brothers had prepared and sent in advance. Full of energy, very motivational, totally professional and extremely talented, the dynamic duo of Lorenzo and Robin delivered a truly inspirational afternoon.
Come by, come buy … ... at the BGS biggest-ever one-day second-hand book sale.
The one-day event, which promises mountains of books and minimal prices, is open to pupils all day on 11 May. Anyone with English on their timetable will be able to visit as part of their lesson. Doors open to the public from 4.00 – 8.00 pm. A selection of special editions, original artwork and signed books will go under the hammer from 6.00 pm.
Donations of good-quality secondhand books prior to the event are very welcome. Proceeds from the sale will go to finance our super-successful BGS Kids' Lit Quiz team. Our England champions are hoping to travel to New Zealand in July to take up their place in the World Championships.
Bali at BGS
Writer Bali Rai, whose books are a ‘must-read’ for a growing teenage audience, visited BGS this term.
His book Electric Eden is a 664-page exploration that traces the origins of folk music back to the nineteenth century, delving deep into the late 1960s and 70s. All who had read it were burning with questions. Those who had not were eager to know more. It quickly became clear that Rob is more than an enthusiast: he’s a real “big picture” thinker. He conjured evocative stories of Vashti Bunyan’s journey to find a commune on a Scottish island. He shared accounts of early twentieth-century song collections, the many wonders of the Incredible String Band and referred to the folk influences of modern years, from The Orb to Alasdair Roberts. Andy Keen was one of many whose eyes and ears were opened by the event. Andy says, “For those of us who have merely skimmed folk music’s surface, it was a rare window into a world filled with mystic rural landscapes, seemingly-lost tales of ordinary people, and the strong possibility that such music is undergoing a resurgence.” The audience was serenaded by the talented Freddie (Upper Sixth), who played a variety of musical numbers, which included a lot of American rock singer-songwriter, Warren Zevon.
A novel approach to medicine He spent time talking with the Upper Sixth, partly about being an author and creative writing, but more significantly about multi-cultural Britain and the nature of racism. His easy and informal style engaged the students in a lively discussion that was both thought-provoking and memorable.
This term the Sixth-form Literary Society enjoyed a talk from former High Sheriff of Bristol, paediatrician and well-informed reader of books, Dr Timothy Chambers. Combining his strengths in both fields, he melded Literature and Medicine. The audience was entertained by his collection of characters and medical conditions through the ages. The extracts from Richard Gordon’s Doctor in the House were hilarious although, in its day, the book was considered outrageous by the medical profession it so cleverly satirised.
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Super swimmer Sam Lawton has also won a gold medal for 200 metre butterfly in the Somerset Swimming Championships.
Sport
On the ball
Winning in the water
with netball
In the Senior School there have been an impressive 160 netball games played this term, and, with a large number of enthusiastic girls, each year group has fielded ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ teams on a regular basis. With both highs and lows there have been some great individual and team performances during the course of the season. Starting the term with a clinical 49-3 victory over Clifton High, the Under 19 girls went on to play well at the Schools’ Netball tournament, held at the University of Bath but were knocked out in a strong pool. The Under 16 girls went two steps further, reaching the semifinals and taking third place. Annabel demonstrated great composure under pressure in the shooting circle. The U14 and U15 squads have had a strong season recording 23 wins in total. The U13 squads have had a tougher term but maintained a strong team spirit throughout. The success of the U12 squads point to great opportunities for netball at BGS in the future. Coach to the First VII, Leanne Lewis says, “Louisa has been a fantastic captain for netball, leading by
example both on and off court. Overall it has been a great netball season, all teams playing exceptionally well.” The Junior School netball teams have had fantastic success this term. Both the Under 9 ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams topped the field at the recent Royal High Bath Hi Five netball tournament. The Under 11 team also did well to reach the semi-finals of the Badminton tournament, unluckily losing to the eventual winners. Alongside a busy schedule of weekly matches, all ages have been involved in external competitions. Our Under 8s competed at the Clifton College Hi Five tournament, the Under 9s and Under 10s took part in Clifton High’s netball festival. The Under 11s braved the cold at Badminton to compete in the IAPS regional tournament at Stonar School.
Sportsmen’s Dinner
Magic moments
at Epsom The Under 9 Rugby team enjoyed an exciting weekend competing in the National School Rugby Finals at Epsom College this term. The team had fun, both on and off the pitch, also enjoying a trip to the zoo. Says Tom “At dinner we had an Under 9 table reserved for us, which was so cool. Then we had a party in our rooms, went to bed and had a long sleep.”
Our swimmers have displayed their winning ways this term, with some fast moving successes for the Juniors in the IAPS competition (Independent Association for Prep Schools). Individually, Nick won the Under 11 twenty-five metre butterfly heat in 24.19 seconds; Rory won the Under 10 twenty-five metre freestyle heat in 18.25 seconds and Sam won the Under 10 twenty-five metre butterfly heat in 19.13 seconds. Congratulations to the boys’ Under 10 relay teams who won both the freestyle and medley relays, and to the girls’ Under 11 relay teams who did the same. Our seniors stormed to success in the Bristol Schools’ Swimming Finals at the end of term. Conor (Upper Sixth) took first place in the 50 metre freestyle, Nade (Lower Sixth) taking a second in the intermediates. Matthew took first place in the intermediate boys 50 metre backstroke. Winners in the Freestyle team race, the intermediate boys won the cup for the most points for the evening. Not to be outdone, the senior girls whose freestyle team were third and medley team were second, shared with Cotham School the trophy for the most points in the senior girls’ events.
Despite a disappointing start to the tournament, the boys regained their flow to reach the final of the Plate competition. “I hope we can come back next year and win,” says Tom.
Parents, staff and students enjoyed an evening with the BBC’s ‘voice of athletics’, Paul Dickenson at this year’s Sportsmen’s Dinner which was attended by Head of Coaching for England Hockey Board, Jane Powell, former Rugby players Jonathan Webb and Matt Salter and England netball player Stacey Francis. ITV Sports Editor Steve Scott compèred a Question and Answer session between the audience and guests. The event raised over £3,000 for the 2011 Sports Tour with a proportion of all money raised going to South African charity, The Goedgedacht Trust.
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Sport High points in hockey Under 13 hockey led the field this term, with success in several key tournaments. The boys were winners of the Booker Shield hosted by BGS, the first time our home team has taken the trophy, beating Beechen Cliff, Wellington School, Colston’s Collegiate, Prior Park and KES Bath to the honours. The team also achieved a very creditable semi-final place in the Under 13 Avon County Mini hockey tournament with wins against Kingswood, KES Bath and Wellsway. Says Head of Boys Hockey, Kevin Blackburn, “Results for all our teams have been strong. The U19 team has improved tremendously over the course of the term which is very encouraging".
7s Rugby
This term has been a busy one for our sevens, with tournaments for the Under 13, Under 16 and Under 18 teams. At the Wycliffe Sevens, the Under 16s lost their opener to QEH, but made up for it by beating Wycliffe, Marling and KES Bath in their remaining group games. In the recent Gloucestershire Schools Sevens, BGS won their group but lost narrowly in the semi-final to Beaufort School. Our seniors made it through to the semi-finals at Wycliffe, losing
Sporting snippets Congratulations to: Sam George
(Year 5), Ben , and Oliver (Year 7) and Matthew (Year 10) who have reached the national finals of the Schools’ Biathlon competition which takes place on Sunday 27 March at Crystal Palace.
The eleven boys’ hockey players selected for the County Schools’ hockey teams: Jack (Lower Sixth) who has also been selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centre; Chris , Steve , Michael , Gus and Tom (Year 11); Ben Redd and Dan (Year 10), also selected for the Junior Regional Performance Centre; Patrick and Joe (Year 8) and Hugo (Year 7).
Up, up and away Despite competing against contenders who were two years older and considerably bigger, Year 9 climbers Hamish and James achieved a cracking fourth and ninth ranking respectively in the Under 17 category of the British Bouldering Championships in London.
to Millfield. In the Downs School tournament, always a tough competition attended by all the best prep schools in the south of England, our Under 13 team had a rusty start, losing their first three games. They soon put that behind them, going from strength to strength. They beat Caldicott School in the quarter-finals, Sandroyd School in the semis; and in the final they overcame arch-rivals Colston’s to triumph in the plate.
Closer to home, BGS climbers competed against nineteen other schools in the Bristol Schools’ Climbing Competition in January, in four disciplines: bouldering, circuits, route climbing and speed climbing. Our senior team came a creditable second overall. Particular congratulations go to Clare who braved the male-dominated lead climbing competition to get an individual second place. The junior team – Hamish (Year 9), Alex (Year 10), Dan (Year 10), James (Year 10), Rob (Year 10) and Alison (Year 7) – took first place with a massive 155 point lead over nearest rival, Millfield. The win reflected a solid performance by the whole team, Dan and Rob winning their respective categories of top rope and speed climbing. Meanwhile, Hamish’s achievements in climbing on ‘real rock’ are getting attention in the press, particularly his ascent of classic hard gritstone problem Brad Pit, which he scaled in just twenty minutes. Find out more at www.ukclimbing.com
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Sixth form Thirty A2 level students are the first in the school to have extended their studies by taking on the challenge of an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
A Journey of Discovery
The unique opportunity for development afforded by the EPQ.
T
he EPQ is designed to promote independent study, critical thinking and presentation skills. Each student completes a research activity or project in their own particular sphere of interest. It’s a stand-alone qualification, equivalent to half an ‘A’ level. The experience it provides is hugely valued by both universities and employers. What has inspired so many students is the chance to dig deep into a subject that excites them, sharpening their appetite for genuine and diverse independent learning.
James
Composing and performing a string quartet. The experience of being a composer, sitting in the middle of the sound I had created, was wonderful. Despite a few performance mistakes, I finished with a huge wave of happiness. I’ve learnt about composition but also the fact that I’m pretty persistent. Best tip is to pick something you really want to do, then start in the summer and get on top of it!
Head of School James , who is studying Latin, English and Further Maths at ‘A’ level, chose to compose and perform a string quartet. James says, “Music didn’t fit with my ‘A’ level choices so the EPQ was a great opportunity to carry on composing, something I really enjoyed at GCSE.” Amy ’s love of film led her to investigate how the anxieties of the Weimar Republic were manifest in contemporary German cinema. Explains Amy, “I’m doing History for ‘A’ level so I wanted to do something with a historical context, but films are my passion and the EPQ has given me the opportunity to bring them centre stage.” Amy spent countless hours watching Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari, Metropolis, Der Letzte Mann and Nosferatu but admits that it wasn’t a chore. She adds, “I’ve come to know every piece of every film and feel I command a real depth of knowledge. It’s been very satisfying.” In preparation for writing his string quartet, James spent his summer listening to quartets by different composers, getting a head start with the composition of his piece. He says, “I wanted to identify the successful elements of quartets by various composers and then interweave the listening with the composition.” All EPQ students receive thirty hours of guided learning in subjects such as presentation and research skills and data analysis, including how to
Amy
To what extent did the anxieties of the Weimar republic manifest themselves in German film with particular reference to Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari, Metropolis, Der Letzte Mann and Nosferatu? It’s been great because, with no room in the syllabus for film studies, I’ve been able to do something I’m really passionate about. There was a lot of research that I wished I had done over the summer, because the Christmas term is busy with a lot of other work to do. Looking back, it’s great to see how much I’ve achieved all by myself. I had to find my own sources and do my own research, which has helped in my approach to my ‘A’ levels and will hold me in good stead at University.
construct questionnaires. This was vital preparation for Saskia who designed a questionnaire to support her research into the impact of energy gels on long distance performance running. Saskia says, “As very little information on energy gels is publicly available, I spoke directly to sports nutrition companies and circulated a questionnaire to athletes through gyms and running shops. One thing I learnt is that questionnaires have a very low return rate!” Alongside ninety hours of independent study, the students keep a log of their activity and produce a final piece of work, which could be a performance, an artefact or an essay, which they present to an audience of their peers. Director of Sixth Form Justin Harford explains, “The EPQ is a great way for students to showcase independent
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Sixth form learning skills and complement the depth of study they achieve at A2 level. The whole process also contributes towards personal development, enhancing students’ communication skills and their self-esteem.” Amy agrees, “The opportunity to know something in such depth is not just about academic study. It’s given me a feeling of personal confidence, something I know I can talk about and doubtless use in essays in the future.” Good luck to the forty-five Year 12 students enrolled for the EPQ this year.
Saskia
The impact of energy gels on long- distance performance. I’ve learnt loads about the subject and it’s been great being able to be in control of my studies, not restricted by the syllabus. I’ve liked being in charge of what I do. It was quite intense. You need to be motivated. I’ve learnt that I’m good at procrastinating. Best advice is to find something you’re interested in, and possibly something that isn’t too difficult to research!
Gender in German
Gender roles, drug problems, the environment and healthy eating were all on the agenda at a one-day German Conference at the Birmingham and Midlands Institute. Molly , Evie Ollie and Rory More attended the event, which was conducted in German and included quizzes, presentations and games.
Our views
in print Just say
‘no’
Professional golfer John Hoskinson put his heart on his sleeve to share with our Sixth Form the details of his rise, and subsequent fall, when the mistake of his life led to a prison sentence. One of the many successful talks organised for students in the Sixth Form, this was both pertinent and popular. Starting with John’s early days as a successful young player on the European Tour, it moved to how his life changed as a result of the tragic and devastating consequences of a drink-drive offence, when John killed a cyclist. For John it was an opportunity to help bring home a simple message: don’t take a risk, just learn to say ‘no’. John says,”I’ve spoken to many top schools and the atmosphere at Bristol Grammar School is very special. There are very many bright and lively students but even the brightest can benefit from a little bit of guidance.” For many Sixth-formers, just recently qualified or learning to drive, John’s story had particular relevance, and his talk encouraged many thoughtprovoking questions.
This term saw the first edition of a new student-run, student-read Sixth Form newspaper. Focusing on opinion, reviews, satire and current affairs, The Grapevine is edited by Jess and Jamie , who has been the driving force behind the new publication. Says Jamie, “Originally it was an idea that evolved during our Arts Award programme and it stuck in my head until I decided I’d better get on with it.” Jamie hopes The Grapevine will be a mouthpiece for students from all walks of study, not just the English department. In the first issue, Tess and Olivia tackled the impact of the increase in university fees on middle-income students. Jack argued the case for athletics to the Olympic Park Legacy Company and Jess questioned the sanity of modern lyricists. Well written, The Grapevine has also been well-read, sufficiently popular to warrant a reprint of its inaugural issue.
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Sixth form Well-versed in London
On the hunt for fine food
Sixth Form English students were on the frontline of the 2011 TS Eliot Prize joining 2,000 people to fill the Royal Festival Hall for a poetry reading on a Sunday evening in late January.
O
n the eve of the announcement of the prize for the best collection of poetry published in 2010 they attended the readings of finalists’ work by the authors at the Royal Festival Hall listening to ten shortlisted authors. Although Derek Walcott’s White Egrets was the judges’ choice, in their
own poll of the short list our students voted Robert Robinson as their favourite for the prize. His poems from the collection The Wrecking Light were both magical and sinister and the readings in his own soft Scottish voice, held the audience entranced.
Fine form in Physics
…and in
CLEVEDON Former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion and novelist Alan Hollinghurst were among those taking part in a public reading of Alfred Tennyson’s In Memoriam AHH, one of the great English poems of the 19th century. Sixth-form students attended the event organised to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Tennyson’s close friend Arthur Henry Hallam, at the place where he is buried in St Andrew’s Church, Clevedon.
Miranda excelled at the 2011 British Physics Olympiad this term, a challenging event designed to test students with a range of stimulating questions to show the problem-solving potential of Physics. Miranda achieved a Silver Medal, and was only half a mark away from a Gold, putting her among the brightest Physics brains in the country. Confirms Head of Physics Jason Morris, “This is a stunning result for Miranda, when only 98 students were awarded a Gold.”
Joe Benn, who left BGS in 2006, is catching up with all things culinary, travelling Europe to discover the best in fine, artisan food. Working on an internship with a small start-up company, Joe has been given a month to hunt for potential products and suppliers to stock a budding virtual supermarket. Says Joe, “Basically, I’m being paid (not a lot) to travel to interesting places and eat delicious food.” Nice work if you can get it. You can follow Joe’s food odyssey at through his blog at www. europeanfoodadventure.tumblr.com
Booker and Bursaries
Bursary support for students has grown significantly this year, as 110 students benefit from the School’s Assisted Places scheme, receiving a total of £688,000. The relaunch of the Michael Booker Memorial Bursary Scheme last summer has contributed greatly to this expansion. As a respected and inspirational teacher at BGS, Michael Booker dedicated his working life to the School’s students, particularly directing his talents towards ability rather than privilege. Says Bursar Jeff Berry, “We have had a fantastic response from Old Bristolians. Thank you to everyone who has pledged financial support for the Scheme, helping us ensure that students, who otherwise might not have been able, have access to the outstanding education on offer at BGS. We hope, with continued support, to be able to expand our bursary support in the future.”
Stage Crew demanded ingenuity, to plan and design and then make something happen. That’s similar to the military modus operandi.
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Old Bristolians Setting the stage for
leadership
Dinner at
st anne’s college Students past and present were invited to the annual Oxford dinner hosted by the Old Bristolians’ Society, this year held at St Anne’s College.
David Godfrey (OB 1999) is relishing being among the first of his cohort to be selected for promotion. In July, he will become a Major and attend the Intermediate Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, eight years after starting his Army career at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
I
t’s a success that reflects his passion for his job. At sixteen, David put his plans into motion. He was awarded an Army Scholarship that would first help him through Sixth Form and then Nottingham University, where he achieved a degree in Mechanical Engineering, which he now plans to convert to a Masters in Technology later next year. “I think I always knew I wanted a career in the military.” David explains, “Growing up, I was lucky to have had experiences that reinforced that ambition. I love the outdoors and the opportunities presented by the Duke of Edinburgh awards at School were an important part of the process.” Since then, David has completed two major operational tours of duty with his regiment The Rifles - in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has also conducted
military and adventurous training exercises in the Falklands, Kenya, India and Argentina. A less obvious, but equally important influence has been David’s involvement with Stage Crew. He was an enthusiastic member of a team who designed and created sets, lighting and sound solutions for School productions, something he believes sowed the first seeds of leadership potential. “At first, Stage Crew was simply an outlet for my technical interests but I’ve come to realise it was a great way of fostering initiative,” he says. “It demanded ingenuity, to plan and design and then make something happen. That’s similar to the military modus operandi. You have a goal to achieve and it’s your decision how you do it.” As a Captain in the infantry, David has been responsible for the wellbeing of
The gathering included Upper Sixth students, some of whom already have offers of a place at Oxford University. As well as an opportunity to exchange stories with OBs who had studied at the School decades a go, the evening was an invaluable opportunity for those students to meet with current Oxford OB undergraduates, and find out a little bit more about what lies ahead.
220 soldiers, dealing with the various challenges of leadership. “One day you are a marriage counsellor, the next, a financial advisor, then a long distance runner, partnering a soldier on a journey back to fitness. “Stage Crew involved a lot of team work, as much about motivating and supporting other people to achieve goals as delivering the goals yourself. These are all key skills that have really stayed with me. They’ve helped me get the most from the people I’m responsible for wherever they are, whatever they need to do.”
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Diary dates April Wednesday 27 April: Start of term Friday 29 April: Bank holiday for the Royal Wedding
May Monday 9 May: Literary Society, Sara Davies (BBC): Books on Air JCR 4.15pm – 5.30pm Wednesday 11 May: ‘Biggest One-Day Second-Hand Booksale Ever’ Great Hall 8.00am – 8.00pm (Auction 6.00pm) Thursday 12 May: Pop Medley Concert, Great Hall, 7.00pm Tuesday 17 May: Sports Tour Fundraising evening with professional cricketer Henry Olonga JCR 7.00pm for 7.30pm Friday 20 May: Whole School Open Morning, JJR Monday 23 – Friday 27 May: Charity Week Monday 30 May – Friday 3 June: Half Term
June Monday 6 – Friday 10 June: School Examination Week Sunday 12 June: All Houses trip to Alton Towers Thursday 16 June: Year 6 Induction Day JCR 9.00am − 3.00pm Thursday 23 June: Whole School Open Morning Tuesday 28 June: Puffin Prize-giving assembly with children’s author Steven Butler JCR Wednesday 29 June: Sports Day Tuesday 28 – 30 June: Middle School Play, Mackay Theatre/ Amphitheatre 7.30pm Thursday 30 June: Leavers’ Concert, Great Hall, 7.30pm
July Friday 1 July: Leavers’ Dinner, Great Hall, 7.00pm for 7.30pm
Bristol Grammar School University Road Bristol BS8 1SR Senior School 0117 973 6006 Junior School 0117 973 6109 www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk
Forthcoming literary events Former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga risked his life and career when, together with current England cricket Head Coach Andrew Flower, he wore a black arm-band at the 2003 Cricket World Cup, “mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe”. He visits BGS to talk about his early life and cricket career and the dramatic events that subsequently changed his life, causing him to flee his home country and pursue a new life in England. He is now a successful cricket commentator and singer, having won Channel Five’s The All Star Talent Show in 2006. His compelling story is captured in his autobiography, Blood, Sweat and Treason Henry Olonga – My Story. Proceeds from the event will go towards fundraising for the BGS 2011 Sports Tour. 17 May 7.00 for 7.30pm. Tickets £7.00 from: rjones@bgs.bristol.ch.uk
Biggest
one-day second-hand good-quality
book sale ever Great Hall, Bristol Grammar School Wednesday 11 May, 4.00-8.00pm A gigantic number of good-quality second-hand books for every age will be on sale at low cost. A café will be open with mounds of home-made cakes to sustain you while you browse and buy.
Saturday 2 July: Sports Tour Summer Ball, Great Hall, 7.30pm Tuesday 5 July: Prize Giving, Great Hall, 6.30pm Wednesday 6 July: School Concert, Great Hall, 7.30pm Friday 8 July: Term ends 12.00 noon
Editorial: Jo Foster, Wide Blue Yonder Design: adartdesign.co.uk Printed on 100% recycled stock using vegetable inks
6.00pm Auction of special editions, original artwork and signed books by well-known authors. Proceeds to enable the BGS Kids' Lit Quiz team (England Champions) to travel to the World Championships in New Zealand in July.
Bristol Grammar School is a Registered Charity No. 1104425