Mr Mervyn Brooker presided over an emotional Summer Prizegiving for the Boys' Division in his final year as Headmaster.  Although it had a been a sad year with the death of two A Level students and a teacher, it had also been a year in which the boys had much to be proud of. 

Academically, the year had started well with the 2007 cohort achieving the second best A Level results ever seen at the School.  For the first time, every candidate passed in every subject at an average of 4.1 passes each.  Over half of passes were at grade A and 93% were at C or better.  No less than 43 candidates achieved 3 grade As or better.  At GCSE, every student achieved 5A*-C passes and there were some outstanding individual results - more than a third of the pupils gaining 9A and A* grades or better and nine candidates achieved a full set of 10A*.

As well as academic excellence, Mr Brooker reflected upon the truly holistic education that Bolton School offers.  The boat built by boys, "Tenacity of Bolton", was officially launched in the Autumn Term by the Honourable Richard Caborn MP and, since then, its commissioning has been completed and it is ready for use.  From September, all Year 8 students will have the chance to try a week's sail training on the sea as part of the taught curriculum.  The boat will provide a splendid extension to what Patterdale offers.

Mr Brooker noted that School drama was thriving and this year’s joint production of “The Little Shop of Horrors” was superb.  There had also been several wonderful musical concerts involving hundreds of boys.  The range of school trips and foreign visits continued to expand, not least in terms of distance travelled.  This year a golf tour to Florida and a Rugby Tour to South Africa had been added to the programme.  The year had provided many sporting highlights – in football, the first team won the national ISFA 6-a-side competition and the U12s won the Town Cup; the Year 7 Athletics team won the Town Cup; the U18 chess team won their Greater Manchester League; the Junior Biathlon team became national champions, Andrew Keat was the National Junior Champion and Oliver Walker won the Year 8 Sefton Triathlon.  Sportsman of the Year, once again, went to Daniel Sliwinski, who currently tops the world rankings for U18 breaststroke and is being courted by top universities from America.

Pupils were also commended for putting something back into the community.  A Level Science students had gone into local primary schools to help with lessons and clubs.  In December, the School’s award-winning editorial team organised a Newspaper Day for six local primary schools.  Twenty seven primary schools attended the Science Festival and the 5-a-side Football Tournament was so popular that three parallel competitions had to be run.  The annual Sports Festival attracted 20 primary schools and local primaries joined our musicians for a joint concert on two occasions.  Dr Yates established a partnership with local schools funded by the Ogden Trust.  Its activities, all developed by Bolton School, included a lecture attended by 850 students, a Year 10 Gifted and Talented Science Day, a field trip and a staff in-service training. 

Mr Brooker thanked the Parents’ Association for their unstinting support during his time at the School and the Old Boltonians for their continued support, particularly in relation to bursary provision; he also commended the boys on their charity fundraising, which had totalled over £14,500 during the year.    

Mr Brooker made special mention of Mr Michael Percik, who, after 18 years as an inspirational Head of the Junior Boys’ School, retires this summer (click here to read his reflections).   He commented: “Park Road has a reputation as strong as any school I have ever come across.  Academically the boys perform well when they join the Senior School; the standard of music is fantastic; the drama is of high quality and sports teams regularly win Town and Independent Schools championships.  He has given unstintingly of his own time to many of these activities, including teaching English, refereeing and running exceptional chess teams.  His has been an outstanding contribution and he will be greatly missed.”

There were other retirements over the course of the year.  Dr David Watson started teaching at Bolton School in September 1973 and this has been his only school.  He was praised for his “outstanding commitment to our students over 35 years, illustrated by the fact that he has not missed a day through illness in the whole of that time.”

The most upsetting departure from the teaching staff was the sudden loss of Roger Whitten, Head of History, who passed away after 32 years of service.  His contribution can be measured by the numbers who came to the memorial service held at the School and by the tributes paid to him.

The other tragedy that befell the School was the deaths of Danny Harrison and Jonny Sharples, two typical Bolton School boys who “showed initiative and a lust for life, but also genuine care for their peers and their community.  Their loss was especially hard to take.”  The Head reflected that this was a difficult period but believed it showed the School in its finest light.  He commented that “despite their obvious upset, our boys behaved with dignity, compassion and real care for others in their grief.  They showed a strong determination to look back positively with love and respect, but also that, looking forward, life must go on.  This provided me with some of the fondest memories in 32 years of teaching.”

However, Mr Brooker also emphasised that an exciting future lies ahead.  Applications for Year 7 were up by 15% this year and the erection of new buildings on the campus was now well underway.

In conclusion to his speech, Mr Brooker said: “Boys, I feel privileged to have been your Headmaster.  I have enjoyed your company.  I am proud of your achievements and of the way you have carried yourselves.  I hope that you all have fulfilling lives and I wish you the best of luck for the future.  I suspect you will not need it.”

Special guest at the event was the School’s new Chair of Governors, Mr Mike Griffiths, who this year celebrates fifty years of association with Bolton School and as Mr Brooker said “has the School in his veins”.  He entered the Boys’ Division in 1958 and he was School Captain in his final year.  Now a successful businessman, he has sent four of his own children through the school.  An active supporter of the Old Boltonians' Association, he is steeped in the School’s traditions.  He is a passionate advocate of academic excellence and of the holistic approach to education.  Mr Griffiths awarded prizes to the pupils.

Mr Brooker was taken by surprise when special tributes and awards to him were made by the Parents’ Association and the Headmistress, Mrs Gill Richards.