£ O The Stopfordian 1998-99 EDITORIAL Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Juvenal) of anything. Every evening they spent two hours or (Who is to guard the guards themselves? or Who more in a team meeting to discuss progress, and inspects the inspectors?) remained in school until 7.00 p.m. or later. After dinner at their hotel they went off to their individual There is little doubt that the most keenly awaited rooms to write up the day's findings and draft their event of the year was the School Inspection. But reports, often until the early hours of the next who were the Inspectors, and what was the week morning. They were lucky if they got five hours like for them? sleep in any night. On the Friday, although exhausted, they had to marshall their thoughts The team of eighteen (twelve for the Senior School sufficiently to report back orally to Heads of and six for the Junior School) were all serving or Departments in the morning and to the Senior recently retired heads or senior teachers from similar Management Team and Governors in the afternoon. HMC schools. They had been specially trained to Their written reports had to be completed and meet the standards required by OFSTED and the submitted to the Lead Inspector soon after the end of HMC inspection scheme. From the time they arrived the week. So busy were they that they had little time on the Monday lunch-time until the time they left on to do justice to the huge stock of tea bags which we the Friday afternoon their life was a frenzy of activity, had supplied to alleviate their stress! discussion and writing. Our need to produce a formal list of activities for They were in school before 8.00 a.m. each day, them revealed an amazing average of twenty per day exchanging notes and opinions before attending - a hundred over the whole week, not including form periods and assemblies. They observed every weekend games fixtures and visits. No wonder, then, member of staff teaching at least two lessons, that we received an excellent report, commending covering the whole age and curriculum range. They not only our academic success but also our lively went to lunch-time and after-school activities, extra-curricular achievements, many of which are looked at pupils' written work, accommodation and chronicled in these pages. libraries, interviewed governors, staff, pupils, ancillary staff and almost everyone who is in charge M.Harris Robert Higgins Claire Metivier Helen Saxon CONTENTS The Year's News Page 3 Activities Page 14 Music and Drama Page 47 Sport Page 57 People and Places Page 76 Junior School Page 82 Stopfordian Parents'Association Page 92 Old Stopfordians1 Association Page 93 Cover photograph of the Sixth Form Quadrangle by S.E. Helm The Stopfordian 1998-99 STOCKPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL Patron THE PRIME WARDEN OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GOLDSMITHS Governors Mr. C.E. SPEIGHT, F.C.A., A.T.I.I. Chairman Mr. M.J. GARNER, B.Sc., F.R.I.C.S., A.C.I. Arb. Vice Chairman THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR OF STOCKPORT Mr. R.J. GRIFFITHS, B.A., J.P. Mr. R.L.E. RIMMINGTON, B.A. Mr. R.H. ASTLES Mr. N.G.HENSHALL, M.A (Econ.), F.C.A. Mrs. C.H. BEATSON, M.A. Mr. P.M. KERSHAW, J.P., A.S.L.T.C. Mrs. A.S.R. STEWART, M.S.R. Mr. J.C.P. BLUNDEN-ELLIS, B.Sc., M.Sc., Dp.B.A. Dr. E.M. MORRIS, M.B., Ch.B., D.Ch. Mr. B. TOMLINSON, F.C.A. Mr. P.A. CUDDY, B.A., F.I.M.G.T., F.I.P.O. Dr. N.L. REEVE, B.Sc., M.B., Ch.B., M.R.C.Path. Mr. R.P. YATES Mr. E.D. FOULKES, LI.B. F.R.C.Path. Bursar and Clerk to the Governors Assistant Bursar Mr. J.H. LEAY, B.A Mr. R.K. TAYLOR Headmaster I. MELLOR, M.A. Proctor Director of Studies J.P. ASHCROFT, B.Sc., M.A., Dip.Ed.Man. Mrs. M. HARRIS, M.A. Assistant Masters and Mistresses A.C. HEATH, B.Sc. Mrs. A.M. FITTON, B.Sc. Miss G.I.A. SHAW, B.A. D. SHORT, B.Sc., M.Ed. M.J. COWLING, B.Sc., Ph.D. Revd. S.I.D. WHITE, M.A. K.A. HOLLIN, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. Mrs. L. LAMMAS, B.A. Mrs. N.M. BURNS, B.A. Mrs. C.E. CONDLIFFE, G.R.S.M., A.R.M.C.M. C.J. WRIGHT, B.A. G.J.AFFLECK, B.A. J.J. TOWERS, B.A. P.L. GIBLIN, M.A., M.Ed. A.S. HANSON, B.Ed. D.S. MARTIN, M.A., F.R.G.S. Dr. J. GILBERT, B.A., Ph.D. MissG. HOLDEN, B.A. AT. GREGG, B.Sc. Mrs. C.A. BECKETT, Dip. A.D. Mrs. H.JONES, B.A. S.E. HELM, Dip. A.D. Miss R.E. HASKINS, B.A. Frau A. KUSTER, B.A. D.M. MORT, M.A. D.W. HOWSON, M.A. Miss L.S. WORTH, B.A. ). BOULDING, B.Sc. MissJ.L. HANSON, B.A. Miss J. CLARKE, B.A. J.R. METIVIER, B.Sc., Ph.D. R.W. WALLINGTON, B.Sc. A.J. BRETT, B.A. W. KRYWONOS, M.Sc., Ph.D. S.E. PETTIGREW, B.Sc. R. HOWARTH, B.A. S.R. CROSS, B.A. P.). GRANT, B.Sc. S.J.D. SMITH, B.A., Ph.D. I.H. BRUCE, B.Sc. Mrs. F.S. FORBES, B.A. S. POWER, B.A., M.Sc. Mrs. H.K. BRIDGES, B.Sc., M.I.Biol. Mrs. G.J. KELLY, B.A. Miss A. LLOYD, M.A. Mrs. C.S. MUSCUTT, B.A. Mrs. M.A. BLACKBURN, B.Sc., F.R.G.S. Mrs. S.J. BRAUDE, B.A. J.P. BIRD, B.A. Mrs. D.A. SULLIVAN, B.Sc. N.P. MELLOR, B.A., M.A. Mrs. M.S. HIRST, M.A. P.A. URWIN, B.A. Ms. H.R. LAWSON, M.A. Mrs. D. HILL, B.A. Mrs. A.C. HICKS, B.A., F.R.G.S. Miss A.M. MAINWARING, B.A. Mrs. V.E. GARRETT, B.A. Mrs. M. SWIFT, B.Sc. Miss B. O'NEAL, B.A. A.B. CHESLETT, B.Sc., M.Sc. Mrs. D.L. HARRIS, B.Sc. Miss K.A. OWEN, B.A. Mrs. A.H. ARMITAGE, B.A. Miss R.M. CORDEROY, B.A Miss F. RANK1N, B.Sc. Mrs. E.J. NOTT, B.A. Mrs. S. BELSHAW, B.A. P. WALKER, B.A. Mrs. S. FARRAR, B.A. S.M. MASSEY, B.Ed.. S.J. CRELLIN, B.A. Miss L. WILLIAMS, B.A. Miss S.D. BRAIDFORD, B.Sc Miss H. EDWARDS, B.A. Mrs. G.M. LOCKWOOD, M.A Mrs. A.J. HALL, B.Sc. MissM.E. HIGGINS, B.Sc. Mrs. R.G. JOHNSON, B.A., M.A. T.E. PALFREYMAN, B.A., M.A. Miss H.M. JOHNSON, B.Sc. Mrs. H.F. KENNEDY, G.N.S.M., A.R.C.M., L.R.A.M. MissC.R. HUGHES, B.Sc. Development and Marketing Librarian Headmaster's Secretary Mrs. C.M. HENSTOCK Mr. R. TURNER, B.A., DipLib., A.L.A. Mrs. J.E. BAKER Head Boy STUART NUTTALL Head Girl HARRIET MATHER Deputies MARK FROST Deputies CLAIRE ALTREE CHRISTOPHER HODGSON ANNE DOWLAND MATTHEW MALTBY FLEUR KENNEDY JANE SHUFFLEBOTTOM Prefects SIMON AINSWORTH LOIS FARROW REBECCA LEE KATHERINE ROWELL REBECCA ALSOP ABIGAIL FULLER STEPHEN LOCKWOOD JENNIFER SHAW ELIZABETH ARTINGSTALL RAKHEE GANATRA KATHERINE LONGDEN GEMMA SHORE ANTHONY ASH ANTHONY GENT KATY MACDONALD HELEN SKILTON VICTORIA BATESON SARAH HAMMOND KATHRYN McCOLL GEMMA SMITH MELISSA BIGGS TIMOTHY HEATH EMILY McCURRIE KATHERINE H.O.SMITH HOWARD BIRKS EMMA HEPPLESTONE CLARE McDIARMID CHARLOTTE SPENCE THOMAS BROOMAN JOHN HIBBERT KIRSTY McNAIR LUKE STATON GRAEME BRUCE ELISABETH HIRST STEVEN MELLOR ANDREW STONE VICTORIA BUCKLEY WILLIAM HITCH REBECCA MOORE BENJAMIN TILLEY COLIN BUSHELL TESSA HOOD NICOLA MOSS DAVID TURNER CHRISTOPHER CARROLL WILLIAM HUNTER RUTH PATEMAN RICHARD WAIND GERARD DARING RACHEL HUTCHINSON REBECCA PICKFORD FIONA WATSON MATTHEW DAVIS CHRISTOPHER JONES ROWAN POLLOCK RACHEL WEBSTER ELIZABETH DEAKIN SOFIA KATSOURIS BEN PRESTON JAMES WIMBURY JAMIE DOCHERTY THOMAS KNOWLES VICTORIA REDFERN SARAH WOOD JUSTIN DUPREY AMY LEE LUCY RIMMINGTON CHRISTOPHER WOOLARD SAMUEL WRIGHT The Stopfordian 1998-99 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT came as no surprise as, for a number of years, we have been working towards upgrading the older accommodation. We have, however, to work within our financial ability, and expensive improvements take time. We are working steadily through our agenda, and following the acquisition of the adjacent theatre site a year or so ago we have already improved the traffic flow and parking areas. The gradual loss of the Government Assisted Places scheme payments does not help the school, and it was in anticipation of this loss a few years ago that we undertook the work to extend the Junior School to increase the numbers of pupils coming through into the Senior School. Another major step forward has been completed this year. The long-hoped-for possibility of acquiring the garage premises on the A6 now occupied by Kwik Fit became a reality. After renewed negotiation the site has been acquired, and our planned frontage to the Mr. C.E. Speight, Chairman of Governors main road is now a practical reality. When the Junior School extension was completed two years ago we intended to bring Plans are now well advanced for the next stage of the the full complement of pupils up to four hundred and improvements to our teaching accommodation, and fifty. I am pleased to say that this has already been I am hopeful that we shall have planning consent in achieved, and we now start a new school year at full the near future. strength a year earlier than originally expected. From an educational point of view it has been a year During the year we have purchased the property on of excellent results which reflect great credit on both Clifton Park Road next to the Junior School to enable pupils and staff. us to upgrade our facilities in the future. During the year the Governors have lost the services The security work I mentioned last year is almost of Prof, lain Gillespie following his retirement. From complete. The local planning authority refused our his early time in the school, as the first Chairman of application for the last short section for no good the Parents' Association and subsequently as a reason, but when the appeal procedure is complete I Governor, he has been of great assistance to us all am sure we shall obtain the permission we require. over many years, and I am pleased to thank him on The high level of security at school is proving to be behalf of the School. very satisfactory. As you read through the reports here in The During the year we had a School Inspection, which Stopfordian you will realise what a tremendous effort is reported elsewhere. Every section of the school everyone puts into all aspects of school life, and I was involved including Governors and parents, and wish to express the gratitude of the Board to all I am pleased to say the results were extremely involved. encouraging. One of the areas of criticism was the present inadequacy of some teaching areas. This C.E. Speight (Chairman of Governors) The Stopfordian 1998-99 HEADMASTER'S REPORT There has been much to celebrate at Stockport wholly inadequate. Moreover, whilst there is little Grammar School in the twelve months ended curricula! pressure for modernising our sports 31st. August 1999. My notes are a preface to an facilities, the value of both a Sports Hall and new anthology of all the successes (and otherwise - changing rooms is undeniable. Our architects have nothing to hide), and I hope that The Stopfordian's studied our long-term plans and devised a building readers will feel that it provides a telling and truthful schedule which will bring, as Phase A of Phase 1, a insight into a school full of commitment, frenetic Technology Centre and a Sports Hall, together with activity, pride and an ability to mix the right changing rooms, and, as an immediate follow-up, ingredients of past, present and forward planning to (Phase B of Phase 1), a rebuild of the facade of the keep a long-running show on the right road for at school, to re-site the administration areas, create a least another 512 years. new Science area and move Music into the Hallam building. This is necessarily only an outline of a It is not mere tradition to emphasise the extent of the detailed project, but I hope that just as The commitment. The number of pupils involved only in Stopfordian offers a flavour of the immediate past, study is falling gratifyingly, and many, especially this gives a flavour of the fairly immediate future. when they join the more senior ranks, seem never to be away from the place. I have long been We are also on a major curriculum threshold. Years convinced, not by scientific research but by ago the school introduced, for perfectly cogent observation, that the fuller the commitment in the reasons, a regime of eight GCSEs, one fewer than the widest sense, the greater the pupil's chance of norm - why some schools pursue eleven or even fulfilling academic potential, too. The link is not all twelve I do not know, but each to his own. The shift that obvious but beyond doubt it exists. To mention from eight to nine is a major change, likely to alter in advance of its own designated paragraph the the shape of the school day, but it has been in mind School Inspection : the inspectors wrote that my for a while. In the background, nationally, however, colleagues give 'unstintingly' of their time and lurked the unknown : the Government's view of the energy, and this is the essential ingredient which Dearing Report on post-16 education. Only in the makes the rest possible. All of which creates the last few months has a clearer national picture need for other support - the grounds are quite emerged, and some discussions are still murky magnificent, often picturesque, often playable when (notably on Key Skills). But by the end of March it one could expect them not to be. The premises are was felt that enough was known to hold a major beautifully maintained, often creatively so - I conference to spell out at least some of the wonder how many marvelled at the craftsmanship of implications of what was coming. the Exhibitions Room doors, all in-house work. The food is excellent, the car parking - even if it does not Briefly, it looks as though almost all students in the house everyone at all times and on demand land who enter the Sixth Form in September 2000 superb, and it is not coincidence that the incidence will start at least four A levels. (The Government still of poor behaviour, of disrespect, of complacency, of hopes that they will start five A levels, on the basis - any of the other enemies of success, is minimal. said by Baroness Blackstone at the conference - that 'we all know that Lower Sixth Formers are pretty Behind all this is a Governing Body whose idle'). The consequences of such changes would commitment is equally great. It deals with the also alter a school's curriculum and timetable, and financial, the educational and everything in we decided to make the GCSE and A level changes between; it is the body to which all of us who work at the same time. My own view, for what it is worth, here are accountable, and accountability levels are is that the four A level idea is misguided, for several higher than they have ever been. But in the end it is reasons. First, the transition from GCSE to A level is the Governing Body which has to answer to posterity not easy, either academically or in terms of maturity, for the development of Stockport Grammar School, and if Lower Sixth Formers have a little time on their and every year it makes many critical decisions : on hands that is no bad thing. Secondly, good Lower finance, on property purchases, on educational Sixth Formers very frequently use that time to take on provision, on the use of land it already owns, on responsibilities, to develop interests, to take still what is likely to maintain and enhance the profile of greater advantage of the wider opportunities on offer a school which is firmly embedded in the list of the - I hope no-one would argue that the be-all and end- country's very best schools. all of a school is relentless classroom learning and homework. Thirdly, the implications of the new Indeed, we are on the threshold of another major proposed examination system are a) constant development, allied to the purchase of the Kwik Fit examination pressure and less time for teaching, site, for which one day - we hope and expect - our b) yet another razor-edged university filtration system, successors will thank us. The increased emphasis in c) simpler examinations at the end of the Lower Sixth schools on Technology has changed both the status year. It is hard, except in the case of genuinely idle and, even more importantly, the nature of the students, to find a solid justification for all this. The subjects under this title. The present space was still-growing proposals for Key Skills are even less already limited, but the new understanding of what inspiring. Technology can and must cover makes that space The Stopfordian 1998-99 I should perhaps say that I have no objection to the week, even though we had been back at school educational change as such. Out of rather only a few days, the weekend felt more like a half- unpleasant experiences between teachers and term break - there was a sense of the surreal about Governments these last fifteen years several very the aftermath. As is well known by now, the valuable bits of progress have emerged; but the need Inspectors landed on two things only for major for the above escapes me entirely. It is not even comment : the need to implement staff going to have the rigour of the International appraisal/staff development, and the need to move Baccalaureat, except, possibly, for those who may be ahead with a nine-GCSE programme for the Fourth entered for the fascinatingly titled (I haven't seen any and Fifth Forms. The report contained a lot of other yet) World Class Tests - is this what we knew as S points for the school's consideration, and no doubt level? we shall accept some of those and agree to disagree on others. It is worth recording that the feedback And then, contemplating a year in which we will be session, we were told, was by about three quarters of preparing for what are for us big changes, I hear that an hour the shortest which the Lead Inspector had Mr. Blunkett thinks that far more children should take done - a comment intended as a compliment, in GCSE early. I hope he will visit all his schools to sort that the major issues were very few. My only out the practicalities : more teachers; more rooms; disappointment is that if I survive until my allotted 'sink' setting; not-so-able sixteen-year-olds alongside retirement year there will be one more Inspection to very able twelve and thirteen-year-olds; a complete go through. Valuable though they can be, re-writing of schedules, with Year 7 (our First Year) as Inspections do intensify the burden temporarily. a further selection year; how to occupy pupils who have completed Mathematics, French, English, for So now to look forward, to wonder, in effect, what example, at thirteen; the knock-on effect on A level next year's Stopfordian magazine will say. It is choices; university at fourteen or fifteen; grants - or certainly a year of change, a year, indeed, of will these fourteen and fifteen-year-olds have to work informed speculation, a year when secondary their way through college, too? Most schools do education in any institution where there are post-16 allow one-off early entries, and some schools already students teeters on the brink, guessing here, calling enter batches of pupils for certain subjects a year bluffs there. It is easy to feel more than momentarily early, but other schools have abandoned the idea, ruffled by it all (and to wish it could all have been recognising that there is no pressing need to teach delayed by a minimum of seven years), but at doggedly to a syllabus over the five secondary years Stockport Grammar School there is one enormous if certainly not with the brightest pupils. For immodest certainty: whatever lands upon us, we university entrance the quality of grades is far more will do it well, and our pupils will remain at the very important than the number of passes. The good top of the heap. That explains the sincerity of my news is that since the first fanfare about early entries thanks to all concerned : pupils, all who work here, I have heard nothing else. Did someone whisper in Governors, parents; for it is ultimately a team effort an official ear? and I feel privileged to be somewhere mixed up in it. Central to our purposes, of course, is the pursuit of /. Mellor examination grades. This summer the A levels came through with about 63% of A and B grades, down from 1998 but still the third best year ever (after the best and second best in 1997 and 1998 respectively). In general terms the results proved that results can be gained by sheer hard work, a modicum of intelligent thought and co-operation with advice. On the whole we had few complaints about the grades; we did not go scampering to the Examination Boards with sheaves of re-mark requests. It was the GCSEs which proved the icing on the cake, turning out to be the best ever, and by quite a margin. No-one failed to get the Government's (arbitrary) Gold Standard of five Cs or better; 94% of our grades were at least B; over a third of the year group scored nothing below an A (which was, in fact, the average grade); and it was another gratifying piece of evidence that co- operation and determination are formidable weapons at GCSE. As for Inspection, it is an opportunity to sort out and to have tested all the things that constitute normal The Headmaster with the Head Boy and Head Girl practice. There is inevitably some psychological impact in the process of inspection, and at the end of The Stopfordian 1998-99 STAFF NEWS In September 1998 we welcomed four new school was enormous. She was a talented teacher, members of staff : Mr. S.J.Crellin replaced Mr. incredibly hard-working, and set the highest N.G.Waters in the French Department; Miss standards for herself and those she taught. But the H.M.Johnson joined the Physics Department in place demands she made were always tempered by of Miss L.Farrow; Miss M.E.Higgins became the genuine care and concern for the individual, skills ninth full-time member of the Mathematics she employed to the full in many years of Form and Department; and Miss H.Edwards returned to her Warren House tutoring. Outside the classroom she old school for two terms to teach Geography during energetically supported overseas Classics trips and the absence on maternity leave of Mrs. A.Hicks. In organised numerous London and local theatre trips. January 1999 Miss C.R.Hughes replaced Mrs. Who can forget Mrs. Nott striding out in front, D.A.Sullivan in the Chemistry Department. leading the group with her legendary red umbrella raised aloft? In extra-curricular terms perhaps the We were sorry to bid goodbye in December 1998 to most important contribution she made was Mrs. D.A.Sullivan, who had taught Chemistry here 'Timewatch', and, more recently, 'Infowatch'. since 1991. Dawn Sullivan first came to the school Setting up and running these clubs for more than ten as a student teacher, and on her return was Form years was an immense achievement. It enabled Teacher of 1T and Head of Warren House for a countless pupils who might not have been involved number of years. She also helped with girls' netball in sport or music to enjoy a very diverse range of and aerobics, and was well-known for her successes outings and activities. In recent years she took the with 'potty putty' at Open Day displays. We wish her school archives under her wing, and worked and her husband, John, and young son, George, tirelessly to preserve the valued past as well as much happiness as they begin a new adventure in improve the school's links with the wider New Zealand. community. Few areas of school life were untouched by her. She accompanied MUN trips At Christmas Mrs. Margaret Birchwood retired. She both at home and abroad; walked in the Peaks with had been the school's Librarian since 1988, and had First to Fifth Formers; tramped the Lake District at been instrumental in setting up the bookshop and the Wasdale; was a conscientious supporter of all electronic security system in the Hallam Library. We theatrical and musical events in school. Her hope that she will enjoy happiness and improved boundless enthusiasm put us all to shame! Two health in her retirement. Mrs. Mellor, the things stick out about her : she was an unfailingly Headmaster's wife, nobly stepped into the breach to loyal colleague and friend, and a spiteful or petty look after the library until the arrival of our new remark was never heard to pass her lips; but she also Librarian, Mr. Richard Turner. refused to tolerate sham or pretence - there are many amongst us who can bear witness to that! The A number of teachers left us at the end of the school will be poorer without her and we all wish Summer term: her a happy retirement, impossible though it is to imagine her taking things easy. Miss Joe Clarke left us after teaching for four years in the English Department to take up a teaching post at Fallibroome High School, Macclesfield. Whilst at Stockport Grammar School, she contributed hugely to the expansion of activities for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Her energies and organisational skills in this area were matched by her contribution to the development of IT. in English, her work as a stage manager and her involvement in Wasdale and Salcombe trips. Her love of modern poetry by, in some cases, unpronounceable poets, will be much missed! Mrs. Anne Hall moved on to Stretford Grammar School as Head of Mathematics. She was always a Mrs. E.J.Nott cheerful and encouraging teacher, patient, Mrs. E.J.Nott retired from the Classics Department in understanding and particularly sensitive to the needs July 1999. Liz Nott joined the department in 1985, of individuals and offering sound advice when initially part-time. Not only did she teach Latin, needed. She was in turn a Third and First Form Greek, Ancient History and Classical Civilisation but Teacher, and worked tirelessly as Head of Arden also English and History in her early years at S.G.S. House and with the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. We Her contribution to and mark on the department and wish her every success in her new post. The Stopfordian 1998-99 Miss Jayne Hanson decided to swap the rural skills she acquires as a sports therapist. A zest for life delights of her Buxworth home for the equally was the hallmark of Miss O'Neal's personality, and bucolic surrounds of Ulverston, in moving on to a this was reflected in the diversity of her interests - Head of Department post at Chetwynde School after football, squash, badminton, Irish dancing, almost a decade teaching French at S.C.S. Her new hypnotherapy, folk guitar and voluntary work for the school is fairly close to the nuclear power plant at Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage and Francis Sellafield, so we are sure that we shall hear glowing House Children's Hospice. In her short stay here she reports of her progress! She shared with us the endeared herself to pupils with her endless patience, smells, sights and sounds of France in the course of entertaining anecdotes and approachable style. visits to goats' cheese factories, the Mirapolis Theme Park (which closed down shortly after our visit!) and Shortly after Mr. Stephen Power arrived at S.C.S. karaoke extravaganzas which revealed us in a new strange baskets began to appear attached to the tops but rather dim light. of long posts. Some suspected this was an attempt to attract ospreys to nest in the area, but it turned out to Miss Gail Holden left us after five very busy years at be the school's first introduction to the sport of the school. She was an inspired hockey coach, and korfball. He left us after three years, having recent teams were the most successful ever. We shall developed the reputation of being an outstanding miss her cheery "Hi, girls!", her curly hair done up in teacher of Mathematics. His teaching room had a variety of slides and scrunchies, silly hats and fascinating wall displays which were continually teddy-bear fleeces and the laughs shared with updated, and he was a real enthusiast about his colleagues in the hockey office. She was proud of subject. We wish him well at his new school near the enthusiastic way hockey was played at S.C.S. Winchester. and the success which came with the pleasure of competing. Revd. Simon White joined the school as Chaplain in 1994, and contributed a great deal, so much so that Into her three years at S.G.S. Miss Amanda Lloyd it was hard to tell that his post was officially part- packed more than some would in thirty. First and time. In addition to facing the intimidating foremost she was a gifted and natural teacher of audiences of Senior and Junior Assemblies, he also Classics. More than that she was a caring and taught Life Studies, General Studies and English and positive Form Tutor and an active member of Warren introduced us to a wide range of visitors, stimulating House. Sixth Formers involved in debating, MUN both interest and debate. Moreover, all members of and latterly the European Youth Parliament owe the school, be they staff or pupils, were sure of a much to her tremendous interest and skills. She listening ear and an empathetic response to the daily directed school drama productions and was much gripes of school life or to something more serious. involved in concerts and music generally. School He goes to his new post with our thanks and best sport also felt her impact, for she helped to introduce wishes. the Dutch game of korfball, and both Mull and Wasdale trips benefited from her enthusiastic Mrs. Maureen Tindall retired from the catering staff participation. We all wish her well in Australia, but in July 1999. Mrs. Tindall had been a 'dinner lady' secretly hope her departure from teaching is short- at Stockport Grammar School for twenty four years, lived! and we shall miss her dry sense of humour and her ability to write the menu board so neatly every day! After two years in the Psychology department Miss We wish her a long and happy retirement with her Bernadette O'Neal left to pursue her long-standing husband Denis and family. interest in sports psychology. This ambition was not unrelated to her passion for Manchester United, We congratulate Mrs.A.Hicks on the birth in October whose fortunes she hopes to influence through the 1998 of a son, Benjamin. 7 The Stopfordian 1998-99 SCHOOL REMEMBRANCE SERVICES November nth. 1993 O n the 80th. anniversary of Armistice Day the Gemma Smith and James Boulding. The service in School held two special services of the Main Hall was also attended by a number of Remembrance for pupils in the Main and Governors, former members of staff and Old Woodsmoor Halls, led by the Headmaster and the Stopfordians who appreciated this opportunity of Proctor and incorporating two minutes of silence at joining with the pupils in this act of Remembrance. 11.00 a.m. and the playing of 'The Last Post' by FOUNDER'S DAY 1999 The time of year to pay our respects to Sir Edmond The readings and prayers were led by the President Shaa had come round again, and the service was of the Old Stopfordians' Association, Mr. S.E. Helm, held on the morning of Friday, 19th. March - our the Chairman of the Governing Body, Mr. C.E. 512th. birthday. As ever, St. George's Church was Speight and the Headmaster himself. We were also filled with the whole school and the Governors and graced with the presence of the Dean of Manchester Old Stopfordians who also came to pay their who gave the address. In his positive, spirit-lifting respects. speech he clearly highlighted that the biblical terms of faith, hope and love will never be 'old-hat'. They Starting on time, the whole service went very well can be translated into the confidence, commitment and I did hear several remarks that it was the most to the future and the partnership which we each enjoyable service that some had ever attended. This have within us today. It was a meaningful service, year we were joined by the Junior Choir, who sang and to top it all we were blessed with a lovely sunny beautifully, and the Chamber Choir, who sang with day! their usual vivacity, one of the pieces having been written by a member of the Lower Sixth Form, Fiona Kim Street (L1) Asbury. LENTEN VISIT <!„ Yer Facer In a new departure for the Lenten visit, this year we During the half week of the visit the school met the invited into school not an individual but three company in a variety of ways. Assemblies were a people, known to us as Rick, Jude and Colin of 'In fast-moving magazine of participation, sketches and Yer Face!' Theatre Company. The group works personal testimony. Lower School Life Studies chiefly in the Manchester area sharing their Christian classes were treated to a frenetic programme about faith through drama in schools and colleges, youth right, wrong and forgiveness. But some low-key groups and churches. Their style lives up to their encounters were also appreciated, such as the name. Would they be too blatant, too simplistic for discussion of sex, faith and politics with one of Mr. Stockport Grammar School? A fair question. Howson's English Literature groups, and conversations over work in progress in the Art A series of personal recommendations encouraged Department. Talks over coffee in the Sixth Form us to invite them in, initially to take a couple of Common Room were sometimes controversial but assemblies. Comments were positive : 'Thought- never boring. The company's parting shot was a provoking'; 'Their loudness and forthrightness made thirty minute presentation of drama sketches in the a change'; 'You didn't have to agree with them, but Hall to an audience of about one hundred and fifty. you could enjoy them'. We suggested the two-and- a-half day Lenten residency and they were delighted Our thanks go to Rick, Jude and Colin for a lively to accept. visit. I know they would love to come back to see us again. Revd. S.I.D. White The Stopfordian 1998-99 S.G.S. INSPECTION April 1999 Monday, April 26th. was the start of Inspection Week at Stockport Grammar School. The Inspectors came from HMC (the Headmasters' and Mistresses' Conference) and arrived at school just before lunch. Everyone tried their best to welcome them to the school and to behave in their normal manner. The Inspectors came into lessons and school activities and talked to pupils about school life - favourite subjects, teachers, hobbies and interests both in and out of school. They held an interview evening on Wednesday in the Hallam Library to ask individual pupils a range of questions about the school. Most pupils said that the inspection didn't affect them at all. The Inspectors were in school for a week in all; despite their presence the week went on as normal, although by The Inspection Team the end of it the staff were quite relieved to see them go! Oliver /ones, Scott Trinder (2P) SPEECH DAY 1999 The annual prize-giving ceremony was held on Thursday, July 1st. in the Dining Hall. The Chairman of Governors, Mr. C.E.Speight, reviewed the year's events and spoke of his hopes for future developments, and the Headmaster gave his report, voicing his concerns about the Government's plans for post-16 education. The prizes were presented by the guest of honour, Professor P.E.Easterling, Professor of Greek at the University of Cambridge, who reminisced about times spent in Stockport as a student and reminded us of the empowerment afforded by the kind of educational opportunities which pupils have at Stockport Grammar School. The Headmaster with Prof. P.E. Easter I ing
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