OBA also threw themselves into the Handball competitions in both the Halton Borough League and the County competitions, with the girls finishing in second place and the boys in fourth.
In Indoor Athletics, the Year 7 boys’ squad represented Halton in the Merseyside County championships whilst the Year 8 and 11 Boys’ Football teams currently sit top of the league with Year 11 making it to the quarter finals of the Cheshire Cup.

The New Year has seen the return of Zumba and the introduction of the wonderful, conditioning fitness programme, Kettlercise. Kettlercise, which uses kettlebells to tone the body, has proven to be a popular enrichment activity for students from Years 7 to 13. Jade Roberts, Year 8, commented, “I attend Kettlercise because it is a fun way to get fit with my friends. Enrichment opportunities like this at OBA are amazing.”

Hockey has made a comeback with particular interest from girls. Friendly games are to be arranged.

Links with Everton Football Club continue for the fifth year running. OBA continues to host the Runcorn Mini Kickers’ Festivals for local primaries in partnership with Everton F.C. OBA students (both past & present) have great fun developing their leadership skills when they assist Everton to coach local primary school pupils every week.

All Year 7 students have experienced a day out based around Outdoor Adventures. The students had the opportunity to participate in the High Ropes Course at Otterspool Promenade and also Dragon Boat Racing at the Albert Dock Water Centre.

Groups of Year 8 students have recently had the opportunity to take part in a day of mountain biking in Delemere Forest. Building confidence and experiencing a new outdoor activity for most, the groups battled through the snow, cold and mud with a smile on their faces!

Year 9 students have also been privileged to attend Runcorn Rowing Club to try out and experience a new sport and form OBA’s Rowing Team. The popularity and interest in rowing has been great and students now have four rowing machines on which to practise.

Steve James’ Martial Arts workshop has returned this year to support with BTEC Sports students in the Sixth Form and Year 11s. Sixth Formers are also attending regular Kinetica Gym sessions.

Year 13 BTEC Sport students have also visited the University of Central Lancashire and Burnley Football Club to look at Higher Education courses in Sport and consider jobs and careers in Sport.

Vice Principal, Andy Moorcroft, along with Mr Barry, Mr Hall and Mr Clark steeled themselves for the  rip-roaring event, knowing that the school would raise hundreds of pounds for such a good cause.

Students and staff, experiencing a mixture of sympathy and fun, paid to watch the Sixth Form Hair and Beauty students and some staff, turn hairy legs into smooth pins that any supermodel would be proud of. Male laughter tried its best to shine through but often gave way to the whines of the courageous members of staff.

Andy Moorcroft, between winces, said “I’m glad I’m a man and don’t have to do this too often but it’s all in a good cause, so it’s well worth it.” Whilst Mr Barry, Head of Maths added “I came back for more this year after raising so much in such a short amount of time last year.  However, it wasn’t any easier.  Thinking of all the children and families I could help spurred me on, so I didn’t give in.” He added “I think they should call it Red Leg Day after what I’ve just experienced!”

Many other fundraising events took place including students selling boxes of red noses, many cake sales, a Cake Bake Off, five a side staff versus students tournament, sweet lucky bags and many other events.

Two workers involved in the multi–million pound building project that OBA is undergoing, which will be finished this summer, took time out to work even more closely with the school on a Red Nose Adventure.  Again the Hair and Beauty Salon provided the fun by dying the hair of on-site staff, Rachel Greenwood and John O Brien, bright red. Rachel said “We managed to gets lots of sponsor money out of the lads on site.  They weren’t brave enough to take part but they supported us all the way, as did our families and friends.  John will no doubt be the star of the show in the pub tonight!”

All together these events raised about £1,000 for Red Nose Day.

From left: Rebecca Fearn, Danielle Bradley, Chloe Goff, Lauren Skiffington, Danielle McGough, Ellie Ashton, Kaitlin Falconer, Darren Holland, Brad Wright, Jacob McCaffrey, Keerah Watts and Anthony Lea.

In the build-up to the competition, students prepared a prosecution and defence case against a fictitious defendant , Morgan Cruickshank, a young man supposedly charged with criminal assault, and he was brilliantly played by Jake McCaffrey from Year9. He was represented by defence lawyers Danielle McGough and Chloe Goff , supported by their witness Brad Wright . The prosecution lawyers Keerah Watts and Jade Smith, with the support of the prosecution witnesses included Lauren Skiffington and Kaitlin Falconer, worked hard to bring a strong case against him.

The Magistrates hearing the case included Year 9 students, Chair Anthony Lea, Rebecca Fearn and Ellie Ashton . Danielle Bradley, whose role was to act as Legal Adviser, made sure they were guided on the correct points of law, whilst court procedure was rigorously followed and monitored by Court Usher Darren Holland.

Miss Rachel Dutton, Teacher of Law, said “I am extremely proud of our students and how much they have achieved in such a short amount of time. It is not always easy to perform so well in such a formal setting but each one of them presented in a truly confident and professional manner. Many are already considering studying this subject at A Level and beyond. They have promising times ahead!”

On Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th of March, Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy saw over seventy students taking part in a spectacular Dance Show Extravaganza; an event which showcased and celebrated the hard work and amazing talent of both male and female dance students from Years 7 to 13.

A range of different dance styles were performed by students who excelled throughout the evening, displaying performances they had prepared for A level BTEC and GCSE courses. In addition, many of the younger students who took part in the very varied repertoire demonstrated the skills that they had learnt and perfected in Enrichment sessions after school and at weekends.

The enthusiasm that spread through Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy, in preparation for this event, was infectious and even resulted in staff dazzling the very receptive audience with their ‘Gangnam Style’ moves!

Head of Dance, Miss Roper, said “All the dancers worked exceptionally hard and put many hours of determined effort into rehearsals. This showed in the professional manner in which students performed in both the individual and the group pieces. The end product was a very successful show, which was a sell-out on both nights. I am incredibly proud of everyone who took part and also those who worked so tirelessly behind the scenes to make this show possible. A DVD of the show will be available for students, and staff, very soon.”

Mr “Bingo” Barrett and Mr “Caller” Kilgallon are the bingo callers – definitely not to be missed!

Along with the bingo there will be:
An Easter raffle, a cake stall and a refreshment stall.

Lots of fantastic prizes to be won and fun for all the family!

Please note all children must be accompanied by an adult.

The show will include dances from BTEC, GCSE and sixth form classes and well as enrichment dance companies and a staff dance!

Here is a trailer for the upcoming show:

Throughout the autumn term students and staff at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy helped raise a grand total of £2509.66 for a number of charities.

In October OBA decided to support Breast Cancer Awareness as the first half terms. As part of the ‘Make a positive contribution’ ECM day £93.20 was raised by year 7 students made products they could sell in a ‘market place’ such products included phone stands, key rings, plant pots and cakes.

OBA staff and sixth form students’ teamed up with the staff from Balfour Beatty to help raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness. A football tournament went ahead and a grand total of £200.08 was raised. In addition OBA students gave contributions and added a further £594.56 donation to the Breast Cancer Awareness charity.

Hairy staff at OBA endured a month of not shaving in aid of Movember. The group of 6 male teaching staff helps raise a fantastic £200.00 for men’s general health issues specifically prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Well done Mo Bro’s!

November saw OBA staff and students fundraise for Children in Need. The combined effort of a sixth form cake-a-thon, a charity netball match and a Year 7 sponsored silence raised a huge £445.45.

Throughout December the OBA Dragons Den enterprise Group raised a whopping £976.37 for Hope Hospice. This was achieved from the sales from their hugely successful chocolate and glass gift Christmas product.

Well done to everyone who has contributed!

DJ Production
Working with a professional DJ with industry experience, students learn how to produce and mix their own music.

Beat Beat Workshop
Learn to write songs for any genre of music, with studio quality production, from the HITSVILLE OBA studio.

Pop Choir
With trips to Kenya and performances planned throughout the year, this new and improved vocal ensemble perform pop songs, show tunes and even gospels songs for years 7-13.

Guitar Club
Still one of the most popular of our enrichments, led by the team of talented sixth formers, the guitar club is idea for both the beginner and the more experienced.

Music Club
The Club for everyone – drummers, guitarists, keyboardist and vocalist. Open to all year.

OBA Radio
The new and exciting enrichment is for the budding journalists, radio presenters, sport junkies and for anyone interested in producing a radio show. Open to all ages and specialist… come and be a part OBA history.

Rock Band
For anyone interesting in performing with their mates, this enrichment is for those musician who are interested in playing in a band.

The ceremony held at Bolingbroke was attended by representatives from the builders Balfour Beatty, the academy sponsors The Ormiston Trust, school governors, members of the Student Parliament and the Principal and Vice Principal of the school. The last piece of concrete was poured to mark the occasion and students signed their names on a steel joist which will form part of the building’s structure and remain in situ for the duration of the building’s life.

Head Girl, Kenniann Grainger, said “It was great to be part of the ceremony and to sign our names on the steel knowing it will be there forever. We can’t wait for the building to open in June to use the new fitness suite, library and theatre.”

Mr Moorcroft, Vice Principal of the academy, commented “There has been rapid progress with our new building which will be open for students in June this year and this ceremony was a really enjoyable way to celebrate it. With our growing numbers and Sixth Form College, we are really looking forward to having so much extra room and such fantastic facilities.”

Graham Ford, Project Manager for Balfour Beatty, added “It is a pleasure working alongside the staff and students at Bolingbroke Academy and there is a real ethos of working together. We are all looking forward to handing over a first class new building in June.
The new building will incorporate a brand new dance and drama theatre, fitness suite, hair and beauty salon, learning resource centre, cyber café, digital arts suite, learning street, Sixth Form Centre, debating chamber and crèche. There will also be many new classrooms and the existing building will be completely refurbished to an extremely high standard to ensure a fantastic learning environment for this and future generations.”

You can now also follow @BalfourOBA on twitter! This will keep you up-to-date with photos of the construction over the coming months.