Pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 of Bolton School Boys’ Division were joined by their teachers, parents and guests in the school’s Great Hall for Lower School Prizegiving; an event founded by Assistant Head Mrs Waller in 2018 that recognises and celebrates pupil achievement.
Opening the assembly, Mr Ford, Head of the Boys’ Division, reflected on his words from the 108th main school Prizegiving Awards Evening, held earlier in the week, as he took his audience back to 1952, when Headmaster Mr Poskitt broke the news to the school of the death of George VI. At that time, shortly after World War Two, Mr Ford told how parts of the School were still being built but that there was still a palpable sense of pupils, teachers and parents working together in partnership and as a community - attributes that still infuse the school today. He recalled how a German visitor at the time commented on how the school offered an education for life and a wide range of extra-curricular activities; again, very much like today. Mr Ford went on to say how offering such a broad range of opportunities, allows each boy to find their passion and to realise their potential.
Mr Ford commended boys for persevering through what have been some difficult years, pointing out that for the older boys it was their first year of not being disrupted in some way since they were in Year 5. He stressed that it had not held them back.
Assistant Head Mrs Waller told how she was very proud of the boys, who, she said, had performed outstandingly in a busy and productive year. In her review, she explained how behind each award there is effort, sacrifice, cooperation, determination, hard work, resilience and willingness.
Mrs Waller painted a picture of the Lower School years being busy and exciting and of the school being a hive of activity, all of which helps develop happy, successful and fulfilled young people. Recapping the year, she spoke of how boys had engaged with House activities – every pupil representing their House in order to try and win the Lyde Cup and in charitable endeavours. An amazing two-thirds of boys, she said, represented the School in sport, with the U13 rugby team winning all but one game in their season, all the football teams reaching their year group town cup finals and she also spoke of successes in athletics, cricket and water polo, with some U14s playing for the U15s’ team who became national champions. Mrs Waller also lauded the artistic, music and cultural life of the boys where, again, the key word was participation. She said there had been nine concerts across the academic year, the most memorable perhaps being at the Bridgewater Hall, and told how all Year 7 pupils had been involved in the Artsmark Award. She thanked boys for their important work in the Lower School Council, which plays an important role in shaping the school. She said that the pastoral team had been really impressed by how boys had supported each other’s well-being and had been heavily involved with Anti-bullying week and quizzes to raise awareness of LGBTQ+, neurodiversity and Islamophobia. She also commended them for their consistent academic achievement and engagement with a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and societies. Mrs Waller ended by saying that when she is asked what is the best thing about working at Bolton School, she always answers that it is the pupils.
Antoine Jodeau played The Last on trumpet by Andrew Wilson and awards were made across many areas of school life, including Form Tutor Awards and Commendations and prizes for academic and extra-curricular achievements.
