Spring 2013 - Wirral Grammar School for Boys

Nuntius
W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
C r o s s L a n e , B e b i n g t o n , W i r r a l , C H 6 3 3 A Q | Te l : 0 1 5 1 6 4 4 0 9 0 8
S p r i n g 2 0 1 3
The Island of Fire and Ice
Our venture into the Icelandic depths
was intriguing, incredible and
resplendent for all 43 of 2013’s
Icelandic ‘warriors’.
The trip gave us a huge insight into witnessing, feeling
and experiencing, first hand, many things that we have
been taught in lessons. Whether it be the magnificent
glaciers, the awe inspiring volcanoes or the sight of 43
teenagers at 8 o’clock every morning; we will never
forget our time on the ‘Island of Fire & Ice’…
From the moment we stepped off the plane we could
feel the bitter, cold wind against our faces so it didn’t
take much to get us onto a warm, comfortable and neat
and tidy bus. Here we met our driver, ‘Otto’, who we
all saw as a powerful force of nature and someone we
all immediately warmed to. There was no rest for the
wicked as we set off for the first of our experiences at
the Blue Lagoon.
We slid into our swim wear and headed out to the
geo-thermal, heated pools. It didn’t take long for us to
warm up in 37°C waters or to find the Silica mud mask
which Sean White managed to wear for the whole
time. After 2 hours we had to make the tricky
task of leaving the lovely
warmth of the pool to the
freezing cold changing
rooms. After leaving
the Blue Lagoon we
departed for our Hotel
for the next 3 days;
we were pleasantly
surprised to be greeted
with a 4 star Hotel,
each room with a
small kitchen, sitting
area and healthy-sized
bathroom. It was all
going so well until Mr
Taws told us breakfast
was at 8 o’clock-
Although the food at Hotel Hafnarfjordur was not great
we didn’t seem to mind because the rooms more than
made up for it. We got on the coach for day 2 and
headed for an `enthralling` visit to the Geo-Thermal
power plant. After scampering around looking for our
cameras (because we realised we were stopping at
the plant) we headed to Kerid where we took a walk
around the enormous volcanic crater lake. The lake
was frozen, but that didn’t seem to act as a deterrent to
some as they helplessly failed at cracking the ice with
rocks. It was back to the coach to Gullfoss (we had
now learnt that ‘foss’ in Icelandic meant ‘waterfall’),
where two water falls 33m in height plunged into the
mile-long gorge. Also, we took a visit to Geyser to
witness the geysers and hot springs that erupt every 5
minutes to 100ft in the air! The evening presented a
thoroughly enjoyed meal in the Grill house and a game
of bowling.
Up until the Sunday it was rare to see a cloud in the
sky. However on day three we were greeted with
lots of snow. It was today that we would experience
the true meaning of Iceland…through what they called
‘Volcano Horse’. Yes- we were going horse trekking…in
the hail. For the rest of the day we got a chance to take
in the beauty of Iceland: the snow peaked mountains
and grand waterfalls and taking many photographs as
we did. There wasn’t one minute during the trip where
there wasn’t something to see, something to do or more
unpleasantly something to smell (sulphur in the air).
For the next two days, we spent our evenings at a
hotel in the countryside enabling us to see even more
of Iceland. On Monday we went to the glacier outlet
lagoon where there was a range of sky blue icebergs
deposited by a glacier.
There wasn’t a minute to spare on the last day as one
of the big highlights of the trip was the Glacial walk;
we put on our crampons and explored the crevasses
and sinkholes amongst the ice. It was here where
yet again ‘peer acclaimed’ Mr Organised, Druvi
Edirisinghe, gave us yet another demonstration of how
not to do something. He struggles to walk on dry land
so on ice it was even worse… Furthermore, we
got to walk across the black volcanic sand beaches
and get a group picture on the basalt rock stacks.
Ultimately, early (very early) on the Wednesday
morning, we were disappointed to be leaving Iceland
but we’d had such a wonderful and most incredible
experience that will take quite a lot to beat.
Ben Mark Turner 10MH
‘Nuntius on-line’ Larger articles can be found by accessing the ‘Nuntius On-Line’ link via the
school website www.wirralgrammarboys.com Articles include the South Pacific Review
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W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A F o u n d a t i o n B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
S p r i n g 2 0 1 3
Welcome
Dear All
The spring term has been just about the shortest on
record on account of Easter being so very early
this year. Despite the shorter term, we still seem to
have packed in the usual wide range of activities,
visits and events. Overseas visits to Iceland and
Austria have been among the highlights and I
received excellent reports from both boys and staff
about how enjoyable these visits were.
After a very wet winter that took its toll on sports
fixtures, the Rugby 7s Season has got off to a very
impressive start with some notable achievements.
Once again we are enjoying successes at national
level, as well as local and regional.
As I write this letter, a rehearsal for ‘South Pacific’ is
underway and I have no doubt that performances
will be to the usual very high standard.
The exams season will be starting very soon so we
are now entering the important preparation and
revision phase. I wish pupils all the very best for
their GCSE, AS and A Level exams this summer.
My best wishes to everyone for a relaxing Easter
break.
Yours sincerely,
D R Hazeldine
Headteacher
GCSE Revision Support
Exam time is nearly here! For anyone requiring
any extra support with revision plans/technique,
coursework, or just wanting quiet time to study, GCSE
Revision Support has already started and takes place
in the LRC after school Monday- Thursday. For further
information please see Mr Davies (Head of Year 11)
or Mrs Bradshaw (Learning Mentor).
Coming soon...‘GCSE Pod’
GCSE Pod is a revision tool for pupils in Years 10
and 11 and is especially useful for preparing for
exams and tests. GCSE Pod contains a wide range
of revision materials: short questions, long questions,
media clips, test activities etc. These resources are
available across a wide variety of platforms: android
phones, iphones, tablets, pcs. To find out more about
this helpful resource, please check the website: www.
gcsepod.co.uk Further details about this will be
circulated to both pupils and parents.
Charity Update
Last term has seen some
great developments in
our fundraising and
charity work.
Firstly, congratulations must go to Ms Razbully,
narrowly clinching our Staff Mastermind
Competition, raising money for our local
charity, the Wirral Autistic Society. Thanks
must also go to Mrs Davies, Mr Cooper
and Mr White for taking part (remember to
revise those specialist subjects a little bit more
thoroughly for next time though!)
On Sunday 17th March, myself, Max Hunt,
Luke Wilding-Steele, Marcus Miller, James
Sexty, Tom Deakin, James Dennis and Tommy
Ridges ran the Liverpool Half Marathon. Well
done for the great effort put in by all boys to
complete the run. Thank you to all those who
sponsored us to take part in the event; it made
each painful stride that little bit more bearable!
Next term we hope to see the Beethovens
perform in school. The Beethovens are a band
from the Wirral Autistic Society, born out of
their aim to provide individuals on the autistic
spectrum with the opportunity to communicate
through music. The money we have been
working hard to fundraise throughout the year
will be going towards new equipment for this
band. The performances are aimed to provide
boys with the chance to see exactly what that
hard work has fundraised towards, and to feel
pride in this achievement.
Our international charity, Iwele, creating links
to schools in South Africa, has taken more of
an educational route. The last month has seen
the plasma television screens, dotted around
the school, showing educational fact files
regarding inspirational individuals from South
Africa, including Nelson Mandela, Desmond
Tutu, Charlize Theron and Jacob Zuma.
Coming into the final term I’m sure that our
great charity work as a school will continue
and we can complete the school year feeling
really proud of what we’ve achieved as a
cohort.
George Wilkinson - Head Boy
House News and Fundraising Update
Throughout the year as a Barber House Captain, I have been lucky enough to have
taken part in the organisation and undertaking of numerous events within the school.
Such events have helped both the school and our chosen charities, whilst also providing each of us
with a plethora of exciting activities to partake in each term. The emphasis however has to be on
the raising of money for worthy causes, rather than prioritising ourselves, hence this year, much of
our efforts have been focused on maximising the financial help we give to the charities elected at
the start of the year. We must not forget however, the way in which House and charity events benefit
the school and its pupils directly. In my opinion the most important factor of these events has been
providing students with the ability to gain house points.
As Barber House Captain, I am delighted to announce that Barber are currently ‘head and
shoulders’ above the other houses in terms of house commendations, and this has been partly due
to the participation of many Barber House members in this year’s events and activities. Worryingly
however, it is of note that many pupils belonging to other houses have begun to increase their
attainment of house commendations with Leverhulme House gaining on Barber rapidly, with a close
battle for third place between Dodds and Hodgson. Furthermore, in consideration of the rivalries
formed between houses, it has been apparent that the school events have also helped pupils to
develop a healthy competitive nature and a desire to achieve and succeed.
In terms of the events themselves, we have had great success this year and we are set to raise
enough money to rival, if not supersede, the totals achieved in previous years. Initially, the Head
Boy Team as a whole was brimming with ideas, however we decided to start the year off with a
relatively light hearted penalty shootout in which each of the four House Captains were put in goal.
The event was very popular amongst students who relished the chance to take on each of the House
Captains, as we faced an onslaught of penalty kicks. Acknowledging a strong desire to include
sport in our house events, we then decided to focus our efforts on our next charity venture, which
was to be a dodge ball competition for lower years students. Once again, the event was relatively
popular and many people turned up to watch the chaos which ensued in the Sports Hall on a
humble Thursday afternoon. The event
was overall, enjoyed by everybody
involved and was very helpful in terms
of generating revenue to put towards
our charity total. The House Captain
Team are now looking forward to
next term’s endeavours and we hope
to boast a record total of charity
earnings by the end of the year.
Stephen Caraher
U62 Barber House Captain
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N u n t i u s
RSC Chemistry Olympiad 2013
Each year the Royal Society of Chemistry organises the
selection of the UK team for this exciting competition. The
successful students go on to take part in an international
final. The International Chemistry Olympiad offers a fantastic
opportunity to travel and meet fellow chemistry enthusiasts
from all over the world.
The chemistry Olympiad starts with Round 1 - a challenging
written test of chemical knowledge, and quite an event in itself!
Six intrepid A-level chemists decided to take part this year and
this is what they thought…
“Impossible - but in a good way!”
“A real challenge.”
“A cracking experience. I can’t wait for next
year.”
“A stimulating and challenging experience which
widened my knowledge of chemistry and its
applications in the ever-advancing world around
us.”
“It was a valuable experience, but it showed me
that chemistry is much more expansive than I first
realised.”
Their marks have been submitted and we wait to hear whether
anyone has been successful enough to be awarded one of the
Olympiad’s prestigious certificates. Can I persuade anyone to
have a go next year
Dr Bromley, Head of Chemistry
Junior Chef
Cooking has been a great hobby of mine
since quite an early age, so when I found
out about the Junior Chef Cooking Club on
Thursday lunch times, I joined as soon as
I could. Each week we made some food
within the hour of lunch (including washing
up), including things like BLTs, marshmallow
rice crispy squares, pizza batches, and
around Christmas we made mince pies.
Wirral Grammar School for Boys
is “Top of the Bench”!
The team was made up of Rhys Greening, Jake Clement-Jones,
Matthew Corcoran and Jack Font and they had the following to say
about their experiences:
Rhys - On Friday 7th December I was a part of a team of chemistry students who
participated in a chemistry competition at Wirral Metropolitan College called Top of
the Bench. The competition is run by the Royal Society of Chemistry and our school took
part in the Liverpool heat alongside multiple schools in our area. My fellow students
and I created a poster about a chosen topic. Our chosen topic was ‘Fireworks’. A
great team effort was put in to create the poster and I feel everyone in the team put their
full effort in and it resulted in a fantastic result. Secondly, we took a test in a general
chemistry knowledge test and our school won that section of the competition! Overall,
the day was a success for our school and I believe our team were a credit to the
department and the subject.
Matthew and Jack - On the 7th of December 2012 two year 9 boys, a year 10
and year 11 took part in what can only be described as one of the most extraordinary
chemistry competitions that this school has to offer. When we arrived at Wirral MET
College, the lab coats and glasses came on and we got down to business. The first
part of this exciting adventure was the practical test, in which we were expecting
some incredible explosions; however this was limited due to health and safety. The
test though, was still fun and we enjoyed every minute of the two hours it lasted. We
even had time for some lunch before the next part of our adventure started. This was a
multiple-choice test in which our year 11, Rhys Greening, grabbed first place with top
marks. Then we had an awards ceremony. Overall, it was an amazing experience and
I would recommend it to anyone.
Salters’ Chemistry Update
There are still two places left on this year’s Salters’ Chemistry
Camps. The trip is open to any enthusiastic year 10 chemist.
See Dr Bromley as soon as possible for an application form.
We are seeking a team of four intrepid year 8 chemists willing
to take part in a competition at John Moore’s University in May.
Anyone who is interested should see Mr Mountford as soon as
we are back in school after the Easter break.
Olympic Ambition
Every day starts early for me. Whilst most of my peers are tucked up in
bed, I am up at 4.45am, fall into my tracksuit, climb into the car with
my dad, as we make our early morning journey to Mold. Following
two hours of training (5km), I have a shower and protein shake and
travel home for my breakfast, quick change, and then off to school.
Every day after school, the same process is followed, but in reverse!
Get changed, tea, homework then off to training for another 5km. This
repeated every day, apart from my day off which is Saturday.
Each week there was a competition deciding who made the best of what we were
making, so those winners would have a place in the big ‘cook off’, where we would
make our own dish from our own ingredients! Being entered into the cook off, my entry to
the competition was stuffed mushrooms. Our entries were tasted by the judges (Mrs Turner,
Mr Taws, Mrs Bradshaw and Miss Steen), who would decide what the results of the cook
off would be. The results were read out in the next assembly, where I was delighted to
hear that I had won. Junior chef is a fantastic and fun cooking club I and many of my
friends and I love to go to every week!
By Harry McKenzie 7JM.
All this hard work will be worth it in the end I hope, as I want to go to
the 2020 Olympics, that is my goal. Since the start of the school year,
I have been to 3 competitions. The
first in Sheffield where I competed
in 5 events, won 5 Golds and
was awarded ‘Top Swimmer’.
The next was the Welsh County
Championships where I won 6
Golds, 5 Silvers and a Bronze. My
final competition was the British Gas
Welsh Regionals where from 11
events, I won 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1
Bronze and again was awarded
‘Top Swimmer’. Last August I was
awarded as the North West Open
Water Regional Champion.
Jack Boniface 8JB
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W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
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Hillsborough Remembered
On the 1st of February 2013, local MP Alison McGovern
visited boys of the Year 9 English Group, after they had
submitted a copy of their ‘Hillsborough Report’ which was
a topic the boys had worked on. Two of the Year 9 English
Groups sat down to talk to Miss McGovern. During the
talk we were able to ask questions on her involvement in
the enquiry. Mr McKinney and Mrs Schofield who were at
Hillsborough that day told us of their experiences. I thank
Mrs. Kahn and Mrs. Davies on behalf of our class for
organizing the visit and Alison McGovern for coming in
to talk to us. Special thanks goes to Mrs Schofield and Mr
McKinney for sharing with us their memories of that tragic
day in 1989.
Tom McCormick, 9SMC
Year 11 Language Leaders
Having completed their GCSE a year
early, Year 11 French Set 1 was set
the task of another qualification
– the Language Leaders Award.
Consisting of multiple sections, the
aim was to take on the role of an
ambassador for Modern Foreign
Languages within the school.
With the set split into groups of 4-5, we each had to
come up with an idea to achieve this aim, whether it be in the form of a club at
lunchtimes, or a competition based around languages.
The group I was in decided to run a French club at on Friday lunchtimes,
exclusively for Year 7, helping them get a head-start for Year 8 and also giving
them a chance to experience an exciting new language. Consisting of five
sessions, we each had to make our own lesson plans, produce resources, and
give the students support whenever they needed it. We got an amazing response,
with 30 pupils initially signing up to the club, and are already being asked if there
will be another club running in the coming school terms.
However this was not the end of it. The whole class was also involved in the
annual Year 7 Spelling Bee, in which students in Year 7 compete to see who
can spell the most French words correctly. Year 11 students were involved in
everything, from entertaining the audience and cheerleading to giving the Year 7s
words to translate and spell.
The whole qualification is an amazing chance to develop leadership, organisation
and communication skills, as well as growing our own senses of confidence and
responsibility. It was also a great chance to see how you can help other students,
and give them a chance to enhance their learning further.
Andrew McLannahan, 11AJ
Religious Studies GCSE Students
Visit - Holocaust Memorial Event
Wirral Grammar School for Boys has always taken National
Holocaust Memorial Week very seriously. As part of this year’s
events, a group of Year 10 and 11 Religious Studies students
went to the Floral Pavilion to listen to a speech by holocaust
survivor Joanna Millan.
At the time of the holocaust Joanna Millan was only a young child. In the Pogroms of
Berlin her father was taken from the streets and like so many other innocent people
killed in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Shortly afterwards Joanna and her mother were forced
to go to Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia. This is where, because of the horrendous
conditions in the camp, her mother died of tuberculosis, leaving Joanna an orphan
aged just 2.
At the recent memorial event Joanna spoke movingly about the harsh and barbaric
conditions of the concentration camp. She told us of how she and 5 other orphans
formed what was in effect a family. It showed strikingly how important it is to have
people to rely on in times of hardship. Joanna described the appalling conditions
of the camp. This was very evocative but I think we all realized that no description
could make us truly understand the real horrors of every- day life, as we sat in the
safety of the Pavilion. She also spoke about the attempts of the Nazis to
de-humanise the camp residents but countered that throughout her talk with the
message of the importance of the ‘family’ she formed with other orphans. We were
told the horrific facts and figures of death and the stories of how some survived and
how many died. We learnt that the tragedy of being an orphan in the end may have
saved her life – she and the other orphans had no-one to look after them in the queue
to the infamous ‘showers’ and so they were somehow overlooked.
Joanna told of her liberation and life after the war. The orphans were flown to Britain
and were moved between care homes until she was finally adopted aged 8 by a
Jewish couple from London. There her name was changed to Joanna Millan from Bela
Rosenthal. Her new family told her to forget the past and live her new life, but to quote
George Santayana “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat
it” so Joanna now goes to schools and events telling her tragic and moving story.
We students all left the event truly moved. Her story encourages the ideals of peace
and freedom and made us reflect on just how lucky we are. The coach journey
back to school had a distinctly different tone than that on the way there. We were
all truly moved and affected by Joanna’s story. It forced us to look at one of the most
unpleasant parts of human history and reinforced to us the importance of each one of
us doing our part to stop it happening ever again.
George Cotcher-Riley, 11HS
‘Nuntius on-line’ Larger articles can be found by accessing the ‘Nuntius On-Line’ link via the
school website www.wirralgrammarboys.com Articles include the South Pacific Review
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N u n t i u s
Music Department Update
The Annual School Music Competition attracted almost 75 boys, each attempting to reach
the final on Wednesday 13 March whilst gaining house points as well. Now in its sixteenth
year, the audience was treated to some command performances in the final adjudicated
by Mr Graham Ellis, retired Director of Music at Birkenhead School and internationally
acclaimed choral conductor. The names of the three winners as well as the rest of the
finalists missed the deadline for Nuntius, but can be found on the school website. Well done
to all performers for entering this year - I’m sure that all enjoyed their chocolate bar, courtesy
of sponsorship from Sainsbury’s! I hope everyone will try again next time - remember you will
be competing against different people as you will be a year older.
Congratulations as well to the following successful Music Exam candidates who took the
exam in February. There are a particularly high number of merits and distinctions this time so
well done to all the following:
Name Form Instrument Grade Result
Bradley Millar-Warke 7LEM Violin 1 Merit
Malik Saad 7LEM Piano 2 Distinction
Salehuddin Allen 7JM Trumpet 1 Merit
Samuel Tempest 7AD Clarinet 4 Pass
Balaram Sridhar 8MY Piano 1 Merit
Matthew Hooker 8MY Drums 1 Distinction
Samuel Gregory 8GWG Trombone 3 Pass
Connor Johnston 8GWG Saxophone 3 Pass
David Noble 8GE Piano 5 Pass
James Tarver 8NM Saxophone 6 Distinction
Zach Jones 9IPT Piano 2 Distinction
Freddie Tedstone 9AJM Saxophone 4 Pass
Tom Broad 9OA Cornet 4 Pass
Ben Turner 10MH Trumpet 3 Merit
Ben Noble 10HD French Horn 5 Merit
Jonathon Fitch L62 Clarinet 5 Pass
Ben Savage L63 Piano 8 Merit
Ben Savage L63 Drums 8 Merit
Keiron Evans L66 Clarinet 5 Pass
Thomas Deakin U66 Trombone 7 Pass
The College band of the RAF came to Wirral on Thursday 7 February to entertain the
whole of year 8, as well as the school’s senior brass, woodwind and percussion players, in
renditions of varied music such as John Williams Dartmoor (from the film War Horse), Jurassic
Park, Captain America, the Simpsons and the Flight of the Bumble Bee. Conducted by
Warrant Officer Garry Stevens, the band do many publicity events on behalf of the armed
forces, having performed at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and at the Olympics. They
even managed to do a repeat performance in the afternoon to a different audience from the
Girl’s School.
The usual Spring Concert is on Wednesday 20 March with a matinee performance in the
afternoon. This matinee concert is given to an audience made up of children from local
primary schools, this year attended by Stanton Road, Brackenwood and Higher Bebington
Primary School.
Plans for the music tour to Malta are gathering pace, with 58 boys and 7 staff flying from
London on Thursday 18 July which will mean leaving school somewhere in the small hours.
Fundraising and sponsorship, including a bag pack at Morrisons in West Kirkby on Sunday
14 April and a performance by the Concert Band at Sainsburys, Upton are already in the
pipeline, and I’m sure that this tour, will be just as successful as the previous eight have been.
Mr P Thomas, Music Department
Sixth Form Parliament Visit
On the 14th of January, the L6 Politics
Class visited London to see the Houses
of Parliament and have a question and
answer session with Labour MP for Wirral
South, Alison McGovern. The weather was
disgustingly damp.
We arrived in Euston at around 10:30am and had to
board the London Underground to get to Charing Cross,
but that didn’t go smoothly, as half the class didn’t get
off at the right stop and went on to the next station.
Fortunately, we managed to meet up later in Trafalgar
Square, and from there, walk to Downing Street, which
unfortunately was just a black iron gate guarded by
police, so not many photos to take there. It was so cold
that it began to snow.
At Westminster we met Joe Kibble, Alison McGovern’s
assistant, in the Portcullis House: the giant foyer area of
the Houses of Parliament, with a glass roof and a café
where politicians and visitors can drink tea together. He
took us on a tour of the Houses, from the church-like
Central Lobby to the House of Commons Chamber, with
its luxurious leather seats. However, we were not permitted
into the House of Lords Chamber, as we were not dressed
in formal attire (suits) so we probably looked like peasants!
Once the tour was complete, we joined Alison in her
meeting room, and discussed both national and local
political issues, such as the state of New Ferry, and
where she would consider the current Labour party to be
positioned on the political spectrum. She also gave us
an insight into her background, and how she eventually
became an MP. (Coincidentally, the day after our visit,
Alison McGovern was promoted to the Party Whip.)
Alison had to leave after the meeting, so we watched a
debate in the House of Commons from the public gallery
about the Burmese crisis, though unfortunately, neither
David Cameron, Nick Clegg nor Alison McGovern took
part. It was still interesting to see how MPs spoke in
meetings, and argued different cases, both seriously and
humorously.
After leaving the Houses of Parliament, we decided to
go to Covent Garden and browse some of the more
upmarket shops.
Overall, the trip was a worthwhile experience, especially
for those considering taking a career in politics. Alison
McGovern is also a regular visitor to the school, and
always welcomes questions.
Niall Johnson, L67LW
Year 9 Options
A reminder to parents of boys in Year 9
that Option Forms need to be completed
and returned by Thursday 21st March.
Copies of both the options form and the
options booklet can be found on our
school website under both the ‘Parent’ and
‘Student’ tabs.
Annual Review
2011/2012
Our Annual Review has been circulated
to all parents via Parent Mail. Any
parent who would like a paper copy of
this should contact the school office.
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W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
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Annual Ski Trip
The annual ski trip has just arrived back from a sunny and snowy
Austria where all the pupils involved thoroughly enjoyed themselves yet
again. The Boys and the Girls Schools join together to make a combined
party. This year 39 boys and 22 girls took part in a very successful trip.
I am already being asked if we can go next year again.
As usual the group travelled by coach and I am glad to say that the behaviour on the long
journey was superb by all.
The weather was mixed, with sun and snow, but nothing to stop the skiing. Snow conditions were very good which made life a little
easier for the pupils. The party was a mix of some very good skiers and complete novices to the sport and they all got on very well indeed. Inevitably there were
one or two (hundred) crashes during the week but nearly all escaped unscathed and all made excellent progress coming back better skiers than when they went.
I was very pleased to see the beginners making excellent progress and skiing most of the mountain by
the end of the week while the advanced group were very good indeed with some superb young skiers.
I hope they keep it up as they are really very good. The times in the slalom race were better than ever
with a couple of the pupils beating all the staff!
I would like to thank the pupils for their behaviour during the trip which was exemplary, especially
the long trip on the coach and also the way that they conducted themselves on the slopes with their
instructors who were very complimentary towards them all. Not a single complaint about any of them
and in fact lots of positive things to say which is lovely to hear.
Finally a big thank you to the other staff who worked really hard this year as I was not really very well
and had to take some time out of activities and skiing but they covered for me superbly. Thank you
I F Davies
May Open
Evenings 2013
Each year we hold Open Evenings
in the Summer Term for parents of
boys who are currently in Year 5
of their primary school and who
are considering Wirral Grammar
School as their preferred choice
for the following year (September
2014). The Open Evenings are
primarily intended for parents who
are less familiar with the school.
Please note that this does not
replace the Open Evenings which
take place in September/October
and on these occasions, many
staff and pupils will be in school
and there will be lots of ‘hands-on’
activities.
At the May Open Evenings,
parents will be able to have a
look around parts of the school
and hear a talk given by our
Headteacher, Mr Hazeldine about
the life at Wirral Grammar School
and our admission procedure.
This year, our May Open Evenings
are being held on Wednesday 8
May and Thursday 9 May 2013
at 6.30pm.
U6 ‘Comparative
Psychology’ Zoo Trip
On Friday the 15th of February, Wirral Grammar’s upper sixth
psychology students were privileged enough to go on a trip to
Chester zoo to study primate behaviour and use the knowledge
for our exams in the summer. We arrived at half-past ten for
our first lecture which focused on the separation and evolution
of the different types of primates, from chimps and orangutans
to capuchin monkeys. It was interesting to witness how
these animals behave and apply the information learned in
lessons about the origins of social behaviour to further our
understanding.
After the lecture, we had time
to walk around and observe
many other animals. It was
an enjoyable experience,
in which we saw some of
the new baby animals in
the zoo, such as the baby
rhino, and elephants (less
than 2 weeks old)! We
had another lecture in
the afternoon looking into
the applications of classical and operant
conditioning in captive animals. We also learnt about Darwinian
theories of how intellect and language have evolved.
Overall the lectures were very interesting, and were useful to our
understanding. It was a fantastic trip which was very useful. We,
the students, would also like to thank Miss Heymans and Mr Brick
for taking us.
Jay Panchal, U63BC
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N u n t i u s
And the Winner is…
‘Mastermind’ came to Wirral
Grammar Boys on a cold January
lunchtime.
Along with the famous black chair, came 4
contestants, Mrs Davies, Miss Razbully, Mr
Cooper and Mr White ready to do battle, as the
lights were dimmed and the ominous chords of the famous Mastermind theme tune rang
out across the school hall.
This was a very impressive set up, all designed to put each contestant in the spotlight
before a critical audience of students. As John Humphreys was unavailable, James Sexty
took on the role of Question Master with authority and aplomb. And what a contest! We
sat on the edge of our seats as the close result was announced…And the Winner was
Miss Razbully!
Comenius Student Exchange
Netherlands
On Thursday 14th March, Miss Burns, Mr
McKinney and 10 students are flying out
from John Lennon airport to take part in a
Comenius Exchange trip to Emmeloord in the
Netherlands for five days.
Last year students from Turkey, Norway, Spain and The
Netherlands came over to our school and spent 5 nights
finding about our culture and how we live with a focus on
the environment. Everyone enjoyed the experience and got
loads out of it! I have been to the Netherlands once before
when I was in year 8 as part of the previous Comenius so
I’m really lucky to have the chance to go again. I will tell
you all about our trip in the next edition of Nuntius.
Michael Armand 10MH
Anti-Bullying Update
Both staff and pupils at our school
work hard to ensure that safety in
terms of bullying is at a maximum
level at all times. The Anti-Bullying
Committee meet on a half-termly basis
to discuss this, and contribute to form
action plans to combat bullying further.
You may remember in November last year we held an
‘Anti-Bullying Fair’ in the hall for the second year running,
to raise awareness of National Anti-Bullying Week, with
the theme ‘We’re better without bullying’. This focused
on the impact bullying has on academic achievement,
and what we can do to stop it. The fair was extremely
successful, and we raised a total of £176.08, which will
go towards funding Anti-Bullying boxes as well as training
for AB reps so they can deal with any situation they are
made aware of more effectively. We would like to thank
not only the students but also the parents that helped in
any way with the fair, from buying cakes to donating raffle
prizes.
The committee already has more plans on what to do
next. After Easter we will be working on reinstating the
Anti-Bullying Boxes, where students can post a letter to
teachers or the committee reporting any issues they don’t
feel comfortable reporting directly to a teacher. Whilst
they were highly successful when first introduced a few
years ago, but less people became aware of them and
they fell into a state of disrepair – this year, we want to
change that, and have been coming up with ideas about
where to locate them once they are built as well as design
ideas to improve their appearance.
We are also purchasing badges for Reps to make them
more recognisable, thinking of ways to give the committee
a year-round presence, and improving our online
presence.
We will be keeping you updated on the issues via
newsletters and Nuntius articles.
Andrew McLannahan & Ben Morris
Anti-Bullying Committee Student Leaders
Climate
Week
On Monday
4th March Liam
Wilkinson, Louis
Edge and Elliot Verry
in 7RB performed in
the assembly about
Climate Change with
the help of Andy Oake and Sam Bilton (Year 11) who spoke about the Comenius
Project called European Eco Volunteers.
This year Climate Week takes place 4th-10th March and it is an opportunity to
raise awareness about the issue and to encourage everyone to change their ways
to improve the planet for future generations. Please take a moment to consider
your actions and decide how you can be a ‘greener’ person!
7RB
‘South Pacific’
At the time of the publication of this issue of Nuntius, final preparations are underway for
‘South Pacific’. The set is stunning with several life-size palm trees dominating the stage –
all the product of cast and back-stage crew members. The quality of singing and acting
is already at a very advanced stage and the show has all the makings of yet another
outstanding performance. The musical is set in 1943 and when the war in the Pacific
was at a pivotal point. The show takes place on one of the islands at a time when the
US Armed Forces were preparing for the next stage of the war. The military personnel
had been patiently waiting for the call to arms. Tensions and frustrations were high and
entrepreneurial chancers like Luther Bills (on the American side) and Bloody Mary (one
of the locals), seize the opportunity to make money. In the midst of this the officers work
hard to maintain discipline. Relationships are formed, which may, or may not survive the
onslaught of war.
By the time you read this issue,
‘South Pacific’ performances will
have taken place. Well done
to all cast members and back
stage crew – and a special
thanks again of course to the
lead staff: Gill Townsend
(Musical Director) and Geoff
Hinde MBE (Director). It has
all the makings of yet another
‘Hinde Special’.
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W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
S p r i n g 2 0 1 3
Community Development
Mr P Ronayne Community Partnership Manager
pronayne@wirralgrammarboys.com
Lord Ashdown and ‘The Cockleshell Heroes’
At 7.17pm on December 7th 1942 His Majesty’s Submarine ‘Tuna’ surfaced off the coast of occupied France near the mouth of the River
Gironde. Several men dragged 6 canvas canoes from the escape hatch and set out on one of the greatest commando raids of World War 2.
One of the canoes ripped as it came out leaving just 5 to
sail over 100 miles to attack German shipping in the harbour
at Bordeaux. Immortalised in the 1955 film ‘The Cockleshell
Heroes’ one of the commandos was a 22 year old from
Birkenhead by the name of Albert ‘Bert’ Laver. Bert was under
no illusions about the danger of the mission; by daybreak 3 of
the boats and their crews had been lost at sea leaving just two
to push on up the River Gironde and attack the ships in harbour.
Two days later both boats and their two man crews attacked and
sank 3 ships. Bert and his crewman Bill Mills were captured and
executed under Hitler’s notorious ‘Commando’ order.
The mission leader ‘Blondie’ Hasler and his crewman Bill Sparks
managed to make their escape on foot to Spain and Gibraltar.
Lord Ashdown was on the Wirral to unveil a memorial to Bert
Laver at Woodside and the Upper 6th History group, Mrs Jones
and I caught up with him at Birkenhead Town Hall where he
gave a talk about the mission for an audience that included some
of Bert’s family. He later signed a copy of his book about the raid
for the History Department.
British Airways Flag Award
The British Airways Language Flag Award is a vocational
oral language test, which is available to any school in the
UK. The test complements GSCE coursework, promotes
confidence in speaking and links languages at school with
the world of work.
Approximately 2,500 students take the Award each year. It is a great
opportunity to look at something outside of the general curriculum whilst
progressing using different and more versatile language. The minimum pass
mark for the test is 40 per cent and the marking is based on confidence
in speech, fluency, accuracy and pronunciation. The minimum pass mark
for each module will also have to be gained in order to pass the test in its
entirety. Upon successfully passing the award, students will receive a BA
Flag Award Certificate and a language badge. In school, the award has
been a great success with many students gaining the award and moreover,
having enjoyed the course itself. Furthermore, it gives students who perhaps
are not going to progress into GCSE French, the opportunity to at least have
some form of qualification to take forward in the future.
“I think it’s a great idea, it gets young people into languages and if they
don’t choose to take it further then they’ve still got the qualification.”
– Alex Kaye (Year 10 Student)
“The BA Award has really opened my eyes and has progressed my learning
of foreign languages far beyond the point that I had anticipated”
– Sam Fisher (Year 10 Student)
This year we received Most outstanding British Airways Language Flag
Award School 2012 Highly Commended Award as we have produced the
second highest number of passes in the UK.
Ben Mark Turner 10MH
“The BA award was a great opportunity to gain an extra qualification,
and was also a great insight into how French can be applied in real world
situations.” – Andy McLannahan (Year 11 Student)
‘Nuntius on-line’ Larger articles can be found by accessing the ‘Nuntius On-Line’ link via the
school website www.wirralgrammarboys.com Articles include the South Pacific Review
w w w . w i r r a l g r a m m a r b o y s . c o m

N u n t i u s
Hockey Finals Success
The senior Hockey players have had huge success this season qualifying for
the National Indoor Finals and the qualification for the North West Finals.
The 1st and 2nd teams have
maintained a hard working ethos on a
Wednesday afternoon since September and
at times have played some excellent hockey.
However, since Xmas there have only been
two matches. At the North West Finals, we
were placed in a tough group, but starting
with a win against Rossall (2-1) gave us
hope. But sucker punches and fine margins
against Altringham and Sedburgh saw the
latter go through to the North Final.
The success this season came through hard
work in the indoor game. We travelled
to Stockton to play in the North finals.
After coming runners up in the group we
beat QEGS Wakefield in the semi final to
play Ermstead School in the final. A close
run affair saw us come out 4-3 winners!
Therefore North champions and onto the
National Finals at Whitgift School. The
achievement in getting to the finals in
London was superb.
We were honoured to be playing against
schools with vast indoor experience and
mainly from the independent sector just
showing what we were up against. We
struggled but a goal from Josh Helsby lifted
spirits! An amazing experience for the lads
who were not disgraced as the two finalists
came from our group!
There has been a massive amount of
progress by many of the lads in the U6
throughout their time at school playing
Hockey. They have
played against some
excellent teams. As we
approach the end of the
season, we look forward
to the summer league
and then the Hockey and
Rugby tour to Australia in
which both the 1st and
2nd team will be able to
apply their talent down
under!!
The 2nd team has
had a lot more fixtures this year and this has
seen the extended squad of 32 sixth form
players improve in a game context. Many
boys have featured in the 1st team and will
make that step up next season; their focus
must be on doing the simple techniques well
and working hard to ensure they enjoy the
game.
The U16 team have had an excellent
season with wins against Birkenhead, St
Anselms and a draw with Calday which
meant that we missed out on the Wirral
Cup final on goal difference. The Hockey
played and the improvements made by this
squad have been superb. The lads have
been unfortunate with the weather that has
affected matches for themselves and all of
the junior sides.
The Year 11 house matches saw
Barber, Dodds, Hodgson and Lever battle
it out at the Oval with Hodgson and Dodds
coming out on top. They will play out the
last round of matches before Easter for the
title. Excellent performances from Doyle and
Thomas and all 4 dependable goalkeepers
ensured we had a good competition.
Well-done fellas!
The U15 side have worked hard on
their basic skills on a Monday. They have
missed the opportunity of matches by the
weather in January. Many have played for
the U16 and in the house matches.
The Year 9 team have made good
progress. Early results were poor but as the
team improved we picked up an excellent
result as they went on to beat Neston 3-1.
A very close defeat to Birkenhead 3-2 put
pay to the chances of making the Cup
final. The House matches saw two teams
dominate, Barber and Hodgson. The final
game saw the two sides draw 0-0 but
Barber won the game to win the competition
on penalty flicks!
This season has seen, across all teams,
in excess of 80 matches played; this
has aided the hockey playing skills of all
individuals involved and enabled them to
play as part of a team. This would not
happen without the help and time given by
Mr. Cooper, Mr Money and Mr. Thomason,
whose efforts are much appreciated by the
boys and myself. I hope that our success
continues into next season and that we can
build on what we have already achieved
so far.
Mr A. Metcalf
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W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
S p r i n g 2 0 1 3
Junior
Bantams
A team Played 11 Won 9 Lost 2
B team Played 10 Won 8 Lost 2
Season
From December the rugby calendar was disrupted heavily by the weather, and both
teams only played 2 games against Sandbach and St Anselm’s College. Prestigious
games against Bradford, Adams and Altrincham all lost to poor conditions. The
season has been a great success and my thanks go to all the players and captains.
I would like to thank Mr Hughes for all his efforts with the B team and with his
excellent training of both the sides. I would also like to thank the parents for their
magnificent support both home and away and to those parents who help with
refreshments on Saturday mornings.
Cheshire Cup
The semi-final against Calday Grammar School was played on a cold Saturday
morning and we had not played for over 4 weeks. With a fantastic display of
running rugby the boys won 30-12 and progressed to the county final. We are
playing St Ambrose in the final of the cup, but as yet do not know where or when it
is being played. Congratulations to the team for getting to the final.
Sevens
We are playing in 4 tournaments and hope to be successful in them all.
On Monday 4th March we travelled to the prestigious Arnold/KEQMS sevens
festival, and after some great play in the group stages advanced to the main
competition semi -final. In a tough encounter the boys beat the hosts 34-17, with
some excellent sevens. The final would bring us against the mighty Kirkham GS
who had easily won their group and semi. The boys were involved in an enthralling
battle, 2 Wenhao Li tries, a Ben Thomas try and conversion by Steven Higgins
earned the trophy and a 17-15 win.
Well done to all the 10 players involved for bringing the trophy back to Wirral for
the first time since 1992.
Cowbridge Tour February 2013
Nineteen boys, Mr McKibbin and I set off at 7.30am on Friday morning to venture
into the dark and distant regions of our colonial friends in the South of Wales. This
has become an annual tour and a great experience for the Junior Bantams rugby
team, bringing them fantastic memories of their early days on WGS tours.
The day started with a bang, literally, when on a roundabout the minibus was hit by
a car, fortunately we were able to continue after pulling over to check the damage.
Callum and George in the front could not believe their eyes, the first of many big
hits to come. We got to Barry Island without any trouble; only a chorus of booing
woke the lads when we crossed the border into Wales and a friendly wave to Mr
Mckibbin, broke the boredom of the journey. At Barry the lads won a million tickets
in the arcades and to their joy won a cuddly toy and a welsh rugby ball, well worth
the money!
Onto Stanwell school and our first match, a great Welsh team from Penarth beaten
36-0 by a strong, well drilled and ferocious English side. The lads played some
great rugby, and the viewing Welsh crowd commended the boys on their slick
handling. Even Mr McKibbin was impressed. England 1 Wales 0. It was then off to
Cowbridge to meet the hosts and opposition for the lads over the weekend. As on
every tour so far we were greeted by friendly faces and lovely people. All the boys
then went off to their new homes and families.
The next meeting was at The Cardiff Arms Park, home of the world famous Cardiff
Blues, to watch them play current European champions Leinster. We managed,
thanks entirely to Mr McKibbin’s native tongue, to get reduced tickets for the stand
and all the boys enjoyed a great game of rugby; Leinster won the game. After plenty
of spending in the Blues shop everybody made their way back home.
Wirral versus Cowbridge, the Battle of Britain, always a tough encounter and the
game was played in a great spirit with some free flowing rugby played by both
sides. Cowbridge, currently the best side in the region, managed to sneak the game
26-19, and the crowd from both sides enjoyed a great game of rugby. Well done to
the lads who nearly managed to get a draw at the end. England 1 Wales 1.
2nd XV Rugby
We’ve only had one game since the last report!
Such has been the impact of the poor weather
this year, the 2nd XV have been restricted to eight
games. This is a real shame as the commitment
has, as always, been fantastic.
The latest game in the mud was a 30-0 defeat of St Anselm’s.
This leaves us with a won 4, lost 4 record for the season. It is a
shame as I am sure more that with more games the team would
have settled and been even more coherent and successful.
Can I take this opportunity to thank all the students who have
trained so diligently through the year despite the cancelled
fixtures I would also like to thank all parents of squad members
who make such an effort to support the team on a Saturday, drop
them off and pick them up and make sure they have clean kit
available.
Finally, I would like to pass on my congratulations to Jonathan
Greenall (U64) who has been an exemplary captain on and
off the field despite the more limited opportunities to show his
leadership.
Top try scorers: Andy Woodworth (4)
Sam Wicks (4)
Top point scorer: Jonny Greenall (43)
Mr A White, 2nd XV Coach
Off to Cardiff for a tour around the city and The Millennium Stadium. The
boys had a great time, especially at the Baa, and asking some great
questions to the tour guide! Back to Cowbridge where the lads went off
with their parents, most went back to the rugby club for a game of football
against their hosts and to watch the Wales/France game. We won the
football match. England 2 Wales 1.
10.00am at the school to meet Mr McKibbin and me. With all the
goodbyes and hugs completed we were back on our way to the land of
our forefathers, the sweet chariots, and the greatest rugby nation on earth.
No problems on the journey home, and we arrived at WGS at 3pm,
after what was the wettest journey ever.
I would like to thank the boys, who were a credit to the school and their
families, the staff from Cowbridge School, the parents and boys who
hosted our team and finally Mr McKibbin, without whose efforts the tour
would not go ahead.
Andy McKinney, Junior Bantams Coach
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N u n t i u s
First XV Report
The First XV finished the season:
Played: 20 Won: 16 Drew: 1 Lost: 3
F: 623 A: 206
Clearly this winter has been exceptionally wet and
caused major disruption to our Rugby programme, but
nevertheless the First XV have had another very successful
season.
Since the last edition of Nuntius we progressed to the last
sixteen of the Daily Mail Cup, beating QEGS Wakefield
17-5 with an excellent performance in which we played
the difficult conditions extremely well. Sadly, we were
prevented from reaching the Quarter Finals by a strong
King’s Macclesfield side who proved just too good for us
on the day!
Victories over Sandbach School (60-5), Merewether HS
from Newcastle, NSW, Australia (36-15) and the local
rivals Calday Grange GS (41-3) and St Anselms (8-3)
followed, with the Cheshire Cup Semi Final against
Wilmslow scheduled for late February. Here, we went
down 20-12 in a hard fought encounter that could have
gone either way. Both teams scored two tries each – but
they were a big, strong impressive outfit and probably
just about deserved it. No discredit to our boys however,
against another side who reached the Quarter Finals
of the Daily Mail Cup. We mix with very distinguished
company, playing a high level of rugby – there are no
easy games and again this season, we have acquitted
ourselves very well!
Congratulations then to a First XV Squad that have been
keen, enthusiastic and committed throughout the long,
tough season – and come out of it with considerable
success! It has been a great pleasure working with them
and I look forward to preparing for what will, I’m sure,
be a successful and memorable tour to Australia in the
Summer! Great Job Boys! Well Done!
Mr P Crowley
Head of PE
Wirral GS Rugby
Club Dinner
This year’s School Rugby Club Dinner will take
place on Friday 10 May in the School Hall (6.45
for 7.00pm). All School Rugby players are
encouraged to attend what is always a successful
and enjoyable evening.
A report on the Dinner, including news of Award
winners will appear in the next edition of ‘Nuntius’.
Mr P Crowley
Head of Physical Education
Sevens Success
As we enter the ‘Sevens’ season, we have already gained
some early success!
The U16s won the Merchant Taylor’s Sevens. Group wins over Stonyhurst College,
Giggleswick and Birkenhead School took us into the Semi Finals against Manchester
GS who we dispatched 29-12. The final brought us up against Arnold/KEQMS
who had beaten us in our group game. However, a superb performance saw
us reverse the result to win 24-12 and retain the trophy our U16s won last year.
Congratulations to all the squad for a fantastic effort – but a special mention for Jack
Kelly who scored 13 tries in 6 games!
The 1st team Sevens squad also had an encouraging start to this year’s campaign
with an excellent performance in the North of England Sevens at Birkenhead Park.
After coming runners up to eventual Cup winners Sedbergh in our Group, we
beat Merchant Taylor’s School 26-24 in the Quarter Final and Adams GS 28-24
in the Semi Final before losing 24-7 to Trent College in the Plate Final. Again,
congratulations to all the Senior Sevens squad for a fabulous effort on a long and
bruising day! This is a top class competition which attracts some of the best teams in
the Country and for our first outing, with limited preparation, we did a great job!
We are entered in 22 Competitions across the age groups over the next four weeks,
so watch this space for news of further successes!
Mr P Crowley
Master i/c Rugby
U16 Rugby Update
Played 4 Won 2 Lost 2 Points for 95 Points against 60
This has been a very poor season with regards the number of matches played due to
poor weather and poor pitches. I have never known a season like this for matches
being cancelled. The first match of the season was against a huge Merchant Taylors
side in really windy conditions. It was a very close match throughout but unfortunately
Wirral lost 15-19.
Next up was Stockport in the Floodlit Cup. This is Stockport’s “dream team” and we
have always been battered by them. However, the boys started really well and gave
everything and we did take the lead through a penalty and then a well worked try.
This seemed to galvanise the opposition and we were on the defensive for most of the
match. The boys did not give in and kept at it until the final whistle. Even though we
lost 45-8, I was very proud of the team and the way they kept trying against what is
a very good side.
We then played Wilmslow at home and we were excellent. Playing boys older
than ourselves and considerably bigger, we never took a backward step and we
destroyed them with great skill and determined defence. All the players were superb.
Last up was St Ambrose and
again, we played very well
and won away from home
convincingly 43-12.
I would like to thank the
players for a very enjoyable
year so far. They are a really
good group of young men
who I hope will further develop
into a very good first team.
Thank you all for your efforts
so far.
I F Davies
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W I R R A L G R A M M A R S C H O O L
A B u s i n e s s & E n t e r p r i s e S c h o o l f o r B o y s
S p r i n g 2 0 1 3
Basketball Success
It has been a productive year for the lower
school basketball teams with all 3 teams
making progress in their respective cup
competitions.
The Year 7 boys have been focussing on learning the
game this year and have enjoyed victories over St Anselm’s
and Oldershaw, whilst narrowly losing to Woodchurch which
prevented them from a place in the Wirral Cup Final. With a
talented squad, next year we hope to go one better and contest
the final.
The Year 8 Team has had a pleasing year this year, having
been unbeaten in the group stage in the Wirral cup with victories
over Oldershaw, St Anselm’s and St Mary’s before beating a
competitive St John Plessington 37- 29 in final of the Wirral Cup.
The Year 8 Team then went on to contest the Merseyside finals
where they were the eventual runners up after winning four of their
six games. The Year 9 Team has had a mixed year this year. They
found themselves in a very competitive group and despite some
performances, failed to qualify for the final of the Wirral Cup.
Mr O Atkinson
PE Department
Our Year 10 team won four of their five group games,
beating Woodchurch High School, St Anselm’s College, St Marys
and Oldershaw to take them through to the Final.
Here we encountered Calday Grange Grammar School who
proved a little too strong for us and we went down 34-25 in a
hard fought game in which we played very well and deserve
great credit.
The Year 11 team have been strong throughout their time in
school. We won our group easily and then beat South Wirral
High School in the Final.
Congratulations to all our Basketballers for another successful
season!
Mr P Crowley
Head of Physical Education
Ways to Keep In Touch
Wirral Grammar School for Boys has a Twitter feed and we can
be followed @WGSB
Those with Facebook can be kept up-to-date with achievements,
developments and events through our secure, school managed
Facebook page: Wirral Grammar School
for Boys (Education)
To have our up-dates in your Newsfeed, simply ‘like’ this page.
Admissions Enquiries: enquiries relating to
admissions should be directed to Mrs Tanya Fry in
school on 0151 644 0908 or by visiting the school
website: www.wirralgrammarboys.com
SAM Learning
The Summer Term is when the majority of pupils who are studying
for GCSE examinations make full and effective use of the SAM
(Self Assessment Method) website. Statistical evidence shows that
a minimum of ten task hours completed on-line increases pupils’
examination performances.
SAM learning is available at www.samlearning.com
The Centre ID is set at CH63WG2 and the User ID and password are
both set as date of birth and initials (for example 12th January 1993
for Joe Smith would be 120193JS). As the school pays a subscription
for this website, it is free to pupils.
Parent Mail: Is your email address up to date
The majority of parents with computer access have registered an e-mail
address with us and ‘Parent Mail’ is proving to be a fast and effective means
of getting letters and messages to parents. To remain effective, parents need
to keep their e-mail address information up-to-date. If you have not registered,
or if your e-mail address has changed, this can be amended by logging into
the Parent Mail website: www.parentmail.co.uk and following the
‘parent login’ link or by contacting the school office.
All The Very Best!
With ever increasing competition for university courses,
apprenticeships and employment, there has never
been more at stake. I personally want to wish all our
students taking AS, A2 and GCSE examinations every
success. There is no doubting your ability to do well
and with effective preparation, you should each do so.
We look forward to another excellent set of results in
August.
Mr D Hazeldine - Headteacher
Visited our
website recently
Over the last two terms, our website
has grown into a very important
source of information about the
school: news, forthcoming events,
guidance materials, sporting
achievements etc are all to be found
on the website
www.wirralgrammarboys.com
Cashless Purchasing
Accounts are available for ‘top
up’ at the relevant paying stations
but parents are also able to ‘top
up’ their son’s canteen allowance
through our on-line +Pay System.
Using our on-line facility means
that boys do not need to queue up
at the payment point in school.
www.wirralgrammarboys.com
• news • achievements • events • admissions
Created by www.concept4.com (ref 5903-03/13), an ISO9001 Quality and ISO14001 Environmental accredited company.
w w w . w i r r a l g r a m m a r b o y s . c o m