Pupils at Bolton School have been busily videoing their questions for the Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry, Sir Harry Kroto.  Sir Harry is an Old Boy of the School and classmate of another famous Old Boltonian, Sir Ian McKellen.  He currently works at The Florida State University and has promised to provide answers to the pupils' questions and edit them into a film.  The film will then be used to help publicise and launch an Ogden Trust Science Partnership between local schools and universities.  It will be shown on Friday 22 February when Bolton School hosts the Institute of Physics' Lecture, which will also serve as the inaugural event for the new partnership.

Dr Michael Yates, Head of Chemistry in the Boys’ Division at Bolton School has set up the Science Partnership and hopes that it will provide a forum to promote interest in the teaching and learning of Science.  It will involve approximately fifteen schools from Bolton as well as schools from neighbouring boroughs such as Rochdale and Wigan, the University of Bolton and the University of Manchester. 

The partnership is supported by The Ogden Trust which has funded 32 pupils at Bolton School since September 2000.  Sixteen of these have been full seven year bursaries and the other 16 bursaries have allowed pupils to enter our Sixth Form from state schools at the age of 16 to study Science A Levels.  Tim Simmons, CEO of The Ogden Trust said "I am delighted that Bolton has become involved in this initiative which will create exciting opportunities for the further study of Science.”

Bolton School continues to turn out budding chemists and, this year, the Boys’ Division will be sending two boys to Oxford University to read Chemistry.  Last year, the Girls’ Division came first in the Greater Manchester Chemquiz and the Boys’ Division second.  The Girls’ Division will take part in the national final to be held in London on 26 April.