Bolton School is involved in the local community in many ways
and further examination of our public benefit portfolio can be
viewed here.
Some of the key areas of community involvement undertaken by the
Boys' Division are outlined below.
Community Music
My role as Head of Community Music is to take Bolton School
Boys' Division Music into the community and to invite local schools
and musicians into our school to share in our music making. This
job began in 2007 and since then many schools and organisations
have been keen to get involved in what we have to offer.
Bolton School Boys' Division Music Department is currently very
active within the local community and beyond. We are very keen to
share our facilities with local primary schools and regularly have
them joining us for our autumn and summer concerts. Last November
we invited Eagley Primary School and St Brendan's RC Primary School
to perform in our Autumn Concert and they joined our year 8 pupils
to sing a medley of Beatles classics.
We take many of our ensembles out to perform at local schools:
our Year 9 Percussion Ensemble has performed at Tonge Moor,
Brownlow Fold, Clarendon and Chorley New Road primary schools; our
Joint Junior Concert Band has given a concert at St Paul's Primary
School, Hoddlesden; and our Intermediate Guitar Group has
entertained the children at Markland Hill Primary School. Our Joint
Jazz Band also regularly performs at corporate events and recently
provided music for a ceremony at Bolton University.
We regularly invite musical talent from other local secondary
schools to share in our specially organised workshops. In February
2010, local secondary school students joined us for a song writing
workshop presented by Chris Difford from the band Squeeze. In March
2011, members of the Northern Chamber Orchestra came to Bolton
School to direct a workshop for wind instruments. We were delighted
to welcome musicians from Canon Slade School and Rivington and
Blackrod High School to join us for the day and the students later
performed two pieces written for the occasion by Michael Pain and
Ben Smith, in a concert later that evening.
In February of this year, internationally renowned classical
guitarist Craig Ogden visited Bolton School to direct a Classical
Guitar Ensemble Workshop. Around 90 music students from six schools
including Canon Slade, Manchester Grammar School, Bacup Grammar,
Altrincham Girls' Grammar, St Michael's Chorley and Junior RNCM
joined students from Bolton School Boys' Division, Girls' Division,
and both Junior Schools for this community music event.
The Music Department supports many local and national charities
through performances both in and outside school. The Advanced
Guitar Group has performed at the MacMillan Cancer Support
Christmas Concert at Manchester Cathedral; our Joint Jazz Band
recently performed at a fund raising event in aid of Manchester
Children's Hospital; and our annual Battle of the Bands which has
been judged by DJs Andy Peebles (2008) and Mark Radcliffe (2010)
has raised money for a local charity 1C2C and also Buskaid,
supported by the Halle Orchestra.
The Manchester Guitar Circle has now established the Arts Centre
as its primary venue for their International Guitar in Bolton
series which draws audiences from the local community and also from
all over the North West. Our own Guitar students and guitar
students learning at Bolton Music Service are offered free tickets
to these concerts.
We have recently established links with the Bolton Parish Church
and many of our students have performed at their Lunchtime Recital
series, which is always well attended. Our own new lunchtime
concert series was launched in March 2012 in the Arts Centre which
featured local musicians, Paul Fowles and Ben Smith and was free of
charge to the public. These were well attended and more dates will
be announced later in the year.
Beyond the local community, Our Joint Jazz Band has reached the
National Concert Band Festival Finals which will take place in
London during March 2012 and our Advanced Guitar Group reached the
finals of the National Music for Youth Festival held in Birmingham
in July 2011. Our Joint Senior Guitar group, Joint Senior Concert
Band, Joint Jazz Band and Joint Chamber Choir regularly go on tour
to European destinations.
Anybody wishing to get involved in our community music
activities should contact me by telephone on 01204 840201 ex 391,
or by email jcb@boltonschool.org
Mr Jeremy Bleasdale, Head of Community
Music
Sixth Form Community Action
All Sixth Formers are actively encouraged to give at least
twenty hours of their time to supporting their local communities. A
Volunteering Fair is held in September, where students are given
the opportunity to meet with local organisations and make decisions
about the kinds of voluntary activities they might pursue. There
are strong links with external bodies including Greater Manchester
Youth Network and Bolton Lads and Girls Club. Students are involved
in mentoring and taking leadership responsibilities in a number of
areas, including the Saturday morning SHINE project, working with
local primary school children. Opportunities to contribute to
volunteering in a wider context are also pursued, with our students
representing young people on the Bolton Youth Action Team for
vinvlolvedbolton.
These achievements are recognised and celebrated through a
Bolton School Award Scheme, with our partners in the Girls
Division. In addition, the range of activities undertaken support
the acquisition of other awards, including the nationally
recognised V50, the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards and the John Muir
Environmental Award Scheme.
We believe in the ethos of service, and value the qualities it
engenders in our Sixth Formers. They genuinely enjoy the wider
aspects of contributing to their community, and 75% of those
surveyed expressed a desire to continue their commitment in the
future. Their efforts really do make a significant difference.