Junior Girls (7-11)

Hesketh House is a heart-warming and happy environment, which supports learning and development to the highest levels. The children are welcoming to all, and the teachers are caring and supportive. Since being at Bolton School, my Mum thinks, "Wow, my daughter is a different child!" Bolton School has changed my view of school in every possible way! The sports curriculum is amazing and the classroom facilities are great. I love it!

When I first went to Bolton School, I was quite nervous but it wasn't that nerve-wracking at all. I met so many friends, I felt that they had been my friends forever! I settled in well and now I know where everything is. I have done so many exciting and interesting things. I love Bolton School!

Bolton School is made up of many different buildings. At the heart of the campus lies the Girls’ Junior School, Hesketh House: a warm and welcoming place to be, with an atmosphere bristling with activity and creativity. It is a great place to learn and experience new things. Hesketh House is set over three floors consisting of classrooms, a hall (used for dining and assemblies), a wonderful library and a fully kitted out Art and Science rooms. The ICT room has keyboards installed with the latest equipment to help with our music making. Outside we have a musical sensory garden overlooking the playing fields with a gazebo, drums, chime bars and benches. We have our own playground with netball posts, hula hoops, skipping ropes, balls and a beautiful amphitheatre.

At Hesketh house all the teachers are helpful and supportive as well as always making lessons fun and engaging. With many different lessons there is always something to look forward to. We have an amazing variety of lessons that include Mathematics, English, ICT and languages. We also have lessons called Learning Challenges, which is topic based learning and includes History, Geography, RS and Art/DT.

We participate in many different sports during our time at Hesketh House: these include swimming, athletics, rounders, tennis, netball, gymnastics, dance and lacrosse, (for year 6 girls only). We also have many sports teams and compete against different school teams in various leagues. We have trials to represent the Swimming, Cross-Country and Netball teams. We also have a Chess team and we are really proud to have the British Chess Champion as a member of Year6 in Hesketh House.

During lunch times we have the opportunity to join extra-curricular clubs. The clubs cover all interests: sport, music creative and academic skills. Each pupil in the Junior School is expected to do at least one lunch time club each half term. We have several music clubs which include Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Band, Choir and Flute Choir. As well as a range of sports clubs there is a, ‘drop in Maths clinic’, Scrabble and Word Play club, Cookery, Chess and a Year 6 Maths club.

Music plays a key part in life at Hesketh House. We have three music lessons a week that include recorder, keyboard and singing. Individual music lessons are also available on almost any instrument in Hesketh House’s very own Music Practice Rooms. Each year in February we host a Music Festival where pupils play a piece of music on an instrument of their choice to an adjudicator who offers feedback on the performance and tips to improve. It is wonderful to listen to friends perform.

Throughout the school year we go on out of school visits to extend our learning and experience new things. In years 4, 5 and 6 there is an opportunity to go to Patterdale Hall, an outdoor pursuit centre in the Lake District. In years 5 and 6 there is the opportunity to go to Italy on the Ski Trip and in the run up to Christmas we look forward to a theatre trip. Visitors also come into school and run workshops on topics that we are studying for example: the Vikings, Romans and the aspects of Science is explored through performances by the Kinetic Theatre Group and the Young Shakespeare Company’s visit is always a treat.

As well as curriculum subjects, we perform a whole school production at Christmas in the Girls’ Division Great Hall. At the end of the summer term the Year 3, 4 and 5 girls perform a summer concert whilst year 6 write and perform their interpretations of Shakespeare play. Hesketh House also hosts a Spring Fair run by the Parents’ Association and the many stalls are full of great things to do and buy. In fact, there is so much to do here at Hesketh House: there is a baking competition, an egg decorating competition, a photography competition … Hesketh House offers a happy learning environment with endless opportunities to explore. There is always a new challenge waiting to be seized.

Hesketh House is simply the best place to be!

Hesketh House Junior Girls’ School is a wonderful School with lots of great opportunities. I have enjoyed every minute of my time here learning and having fun. Our School has many facilities: a dedicated library, an ICT suite, Science room, Music room and an Art room. It also has a huge indoor multipurpose hall and outdoor playgrounds. There are so many exciting lunchtime and after school clubs to choose from.

Lessons in Hesketh House are very interesting. For example, I enjoyed learning tables in Year 3 with the planet challenge where we all try to travel across the planets to Pluto. The challenges become progressively harder as we try to reach the goal. In English, I especially love writing stories from my imagination. We learn French and Spanish in language lessons and explore other languages and cultures on Languages Day. I enjoy trying to speak the languages I learn when I am on holidays! Science is always fun doing experiments based on the topics we study. In Learning Challenge, we learn about History and Geography and do Art and DT with lots of lovely individual and group activities.

In Hesketh House we have lots of opportunities to perform and showcase our talents either in a group or as solo. We have assemblies three times every week. Each class or year group does an assembly where we explain to the rest of the School what we have been learning about in class. In assemblies, Mrs Laverick, our Headteacher, reads us beautiful stories. We discuss the morals and experiences from them so that we learn new things that are important in life.

At School, we have music concerts where we participate in the Choir, Orchestra and even do solo performances. We enjoy our varied instrumental classes, being treated to learning to play the ukulele, recorder, trumpet, trombone, piano and also singing. Every year in Hesketh House we do two School plays, one in the winter and one in the summer. These plays are great opportunity to improve our stage and drama skills.

There are lots of different sports and clubs to try at Hesketh House including chess, netball, rounders, swimming, water polo and cross-country. We get a chance to represent our School in team sports if we are selected to a team. We also have the opportunity to participate in clubs just simply for fun. In sports lessons we do swimming, gymnastics, PE and dance.

In Hesketh House we have an opportunity to go on an outdoor-pursuits trips to Patterdale Hall in the Lake District, where we stay overnight. It is excellent for team building activities and games. We have the opportunity to also go on a Ski Trip, Writing Retreat and day trips as part of educational activities.

There are many opportunities to develop leadership skills in Hesketh House for example, a pupil may get voted to become a Form Captain, Vice-Captain, a School Council member, a Charity Representative and in Year 6 each pupil has the opportunity to act as an Ambassador. The wonderful experiences build and support friendships and helps us to care for ourselves and those around us.

Hesketh House is a marvellous place to learn. All the staff are lovely and there are so many opportunities to seize in the four years at the Junior School.

Bolton School is made up of many different buildings. At the heart of the campus lies the Girls’ Junior School, Hesketh House: a warm and welcoming place to be, with an atmosphere bristling with activity and creativity. It is a great place to learn and experience new things. Hesketh House is set over three floors consisting of classrooms, a hall (used for dining and assemblies), a wonderful library and a fully kitted out Art and Science rooms. The ICT room has keyboards installed with the latest equipment to help with our music making. Outside we have a musical sensory garden overlooking the playing fields with a gazebo, drums, chime bars and benches. We have our own playground with netball posts, hula hoops, skipping ropes, balls and a beautiful amphitheatre.

At Hesketh house all the teachers are helpful and supportive as well as always making lessons fun and engaging. With many different lessons there is always something to look forward to. We have an amazing variety of lessons that include Mathematics, English, ICT and languages. We also have lessons called Learning Challenges, which is topic based learning and includes History, Geography, RS and Art/DT.

We participate in many different sports during our time at Hesketh House: these include swimming, athletics, rounders, tennis, netball, gymnastics, dance and lacrosse, (for year 6 girls only). We also have many sports teams and compete against different school teams in various leagues. We have trials to represent the Swimming, Cross-Country and Netball teams. We also have a Chess team and we are really proud to have the British Chess Champion as a member of Year6 in Hesketh House.

During lunch times we have the opportunity to join extra-curricular clubs. The clubs cover all interests: sport, music creative and academic skills. Each pupil in the Junior School is expected to do at least one lunch time club each half term. We have several music clubs which include Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Band, Choir and Flute Choir. As well as a range of sports clubs there is a, ‘drop in Maths clinic’, Scrabble and Word Play club, Cookery, Chess and a Year 6 Maths club.

Music plays a key part in life at Hesketh House. We have three music lessons a week that include recorder, keyboard and singing. Individual music lessons are also available on almost any instrument in Hesketh House’s very own Music Practice Rooms. Each year in February we host a Music Festival where pupils play a piece of music on an instrument of their choice to an adjudicator who offers feedback on the performance and tips to improve. It is wonderful to listen to friends perform.

Throughout the school year we go on out of school visits to extend our learning and experience new things. In years 4, 5 and 6 there is an opportunity to go to Patterdale Hall, an outdoor pursuit centre in the Lake District. In years 5 and 6 there is the opportunity to go to Italy on the Ski Trip and in the run up to Christmas we look forward to a theatre trip. Visitors also come into school and run workshops on topics that we are studying for example: the Vikings, Romans and the aspects of Science is explored through performances by the Kinetic Theatre Group and the Young Shakespeare Company’s visit is always a treat.

As well as curriculum subjects, we perform a whole school production at Christmas in the Girls’ Division Great Hall. At the end of the summer term the Year 3, 4 and 5 girls perform a summer concert whilst year 6 write and perform their interpretations of Shakespeare play. Hesketh House also hosts a Spring Fair run by the Parents’ Association and the many stalls are full of great things to do and buy. In fact, there is so much to do here at Hesketh House: there is a baking competition, an egg decorating competition, a photography competition … Hesketh House offers a happy learning environment with endless opportunities to explore. There is always a new challenge waiting to be seized.

Hesketh House is simply the best place to be!

Our daughter thoroughly enjoys Hesketh House and all the opportunities which it affords to the students. We have found the school to be caring, approachable and to provide an excellent environment.

Hesketh House is truly a one-of-a-kind place. Highly skilled, helpful and reflective staff across the school provide a very high quality of learning.

Hesketh House balanced academic rigour with a sense of fun. This is achieved both by a supportive and encouraging environment fostered by every member of staff, and also an extensive range of opportunities which allow every girl to find her passions and talents. At Hesketh House, it seems every girl feels comfortable in her skin yet never rests on her laurels.

We would like to say that, as parents, we really value the school's adherence to traditional values and its empowerment of the individual.

My family has always found that the teachers at Hesketh House care deeply about the welfare and academic achievements of their pupils, and are quick to respond to any concerns. Additionally, the breadth of extra-curricular opportunities has been invaluable to my daughter's development.

Hesketh House is a magical place of adventure, discovery, learning, friendship and joy. The girls, albeit within a modern, disciplined, hard-working atmosphere, appear each evening as though sprinkled with fairy dust. Eventually, as they leave for Seniors, they emerge as butterflies from their chrysalises.

We have had absolute trust that the care and support our daughter needed would be there for her - which is a wonderful feeling! She has grown in confidence and independence and loves to learn. We have all enjoyed her time at Hesketh House - there is a very real partnership between home and school in fostering learning.

I can't begin to tell you how much our daughter has gained from Hesketh House and how much we appreciate everyone's involvement. Her individual learning needs have been recognised and she received the support she needed to grow as a person, too.

The most enjoyable aspect of Hesketh House's environment is that no day is ever the same and never a dull moment.

My daughter has learned a tremendous amount that will definitely make her an enthusiastic, responsible and reliable person in her future career.

Hesketh House - a place of no regrets.

I have very fond memories of my time in Junior School, from art classes and creative writing, singing along to the wonderful pipe organ in the Great Hall, to long summer lunch times playing outside with my friends on the levels. Several of my companions I shared those school days with have gone on to be lifelong friends. But I think what stands out for me the most in retrospect was that Bolton School and its emphasis on aiming high instilled in us a sense that 'anything was possible'. I remember being left in awe by talks in morning assemblies and presentation day from older girls in the Senior School or alumni who had gone on to achieve great things. I myself went on to study Computer Science, not being in the slightest bit put off that I was one of only three girls in the entire undergraduate intake! Now, I am enjoying a rewarding career as a Senior Controls Engineer at a synchrotron (a kind of particle accelerator) in Australia, and am privileged to work alongside very talented scientists and engineers making a contribution to crucial scientific research.

Emma Shepherd, Senior Controls Engineer, Diamond Light Source Ltd, Australia

In my time, the Junior School was housed in wooden huts. There we learned to distinguish the Song Thrush from the Mistle Thrush with Miss Groser and Perkin Warbeck from Lambert Simnel with Mrs Hesketh. We joined the Senior School for assembly in the Great Hall, where we were reminded at that formative age by Miss Higginson that from those to whom much is given, much would be required. I moved up to the Senior School and won a scholarship in Classics at Magdalen College, Oxford, in their second year of admitting women. I then worked in the City for 18 years and towards the end of that time the seed that Miss Higginson had planted germinated when I became a trustee of Magdalen's Development Trust and chair of the college's alumni society. Virtue is its own reward of course, but I was honoured last summer to be made a Distinguished Friend of Oxford for my voluntary services. I also serve as vice chair of ICP Support, a charity which helps people affected by a metabolic condition of pregnancy. I do feel that this sense of responsibility for giving something back was inculcated during my time at the Junior School.

Juddith Hibbert, Freelance Researcher and Distinguished Friend of Oxford

I have incredibly fond memories of my time at the Junior Girls’ School. There was a great mix between study, extra-curricular activity and pastoral care. I even recall one teacher who kept a rabbit in the store cupboard! I also remember Mrs Barwise bringing her dog during our dinner break when we took the senior school exam, it helped us switch off for a few minutes and relax from the pressure of taking the entrance exam. When I was being interviewed by Miss Higginson age 7, she had a jar of sweets with all the best ones at the bottom, so if you wanted one of those you had to rummage to the bottom for one. The idea being that if you were polite you took one from the top! Our classrooms were wooden huts, but that didn’t matter in the least, we were nicely cocooned from the rest of the school, but able to get a taste of what the senior school had to offer and were well prepared for when we made the move up at 11. I loved every minute of the Junior School and it prepared me well for life in the Senior School and beyond.

Sarah Thompson, Principal Lawyer (Partner), Family Law at Slater & Gordon (UK) LLP

I have very fond memories of Hesketh House, there was such a friendly atmosphere. I particularly remember going to Patterdale Hall with all my friends which was the first trip away without my parents. This made me feel brave enough to go on the Ski trip to Italy for a week when I was in Year 5.

I also really enjoyed the Shakespeare production we put together where we wrote our own script and performed it to the school and parents. I have carried on this interest into the senior school as I had great fun and it really boosted my confidence.

Georgina Crowther, Junior Masterchef Finalist 2012

My time at Hesketh House was wonderful and fantastic. I instantly experienced the caring atmosphere which enabled me to thrive and maximise my full potential.

The head teacher, teachers and pupils are all part of one big family all willing each other to do well. There was never a dull day at Hesketh House.

In our structured classroom environment we always enjoyed the distinctive and special educational experience as we always learnt new skills and performed new tasks. There were lots of opportunities to enhance outdoor learning and extra-curricular activities. One such occasion was in Year 3 when I joined the Chess Club. Before then I had never played chess but after playing in the school club I developed a passion for the game. I quickly moved forward from chess novice to England International.

Hesketh House is a place where we were taught a sense of responsibility which would help us all the way through our lives. I took on the responsibility of being a Prefect in Year 6 and it improved my confidence and self-esteem. The excellent standard of teaching at Hesketh House gave me a chance to enhance my academic skills. An academic competition in year 5 which we entered was the Bolton Primary Maths Team Challenge and our team was crowned the overall champions .

We were always encouraged to think creatively and to have different perspectives on the world around us. Recently I won the Mensa Child Genius Competition 2014 and I believe that it was possible because of the academic skills and the skills to perform in front of an audience and to keep calm under pressure that I acquired at Hesketh House. An example of this was in Year 6 when we were taught for the English Speaking Board how to remember information while presenting to an audience.

I am grateful to all my teachers for all the opportunities they offered me. I love Hesketh House as it is a happy and purposeful place to learn and I felt valued and it has made me the person I am today. It definitely was a great place to be.

Sharon Daniel, Mensa Child Genius Competition Winner 2014

To appreciate a learning environment where asking questions and a thirst for knowledge are valued.

To embrace creativity across all subjects in the Curriculum.

To connect with the world around us, showing empathy and understanding.

To value teamwork and understand the importance of working effectively with others.

To display a determined approach, demonstrating tenacity, perseverance and persistence.

To welcome challenge in lessons and extra-curricular activities.

To develop oracy skills, communicating confidently in discussion, debating and presenting.

To delight in the beauty of the world around us and recognise everyone’s talents.

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