On Friday 22 April, Merchant Taylors’ hosted its CCF Inspection Day for 2022, the first time the event has been held since 2019. The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is one of the largest contingents in the country and celebrated its centenary in 2015, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic has been unable to host its traditional Inspection Day in recent years.

Contingent Commander Paul Ennis greets Inspection Day guests

Contingent Commander Paul Ennis kicked off proceedings by welcoming more than 100 guests to school and giving them a flavour of what the CCF cadets have been up to over the past six months, including training weekends at Altcar, ship visits and how well they had fared in a number of competitions both regionally and nationally. Contingent Commander Ennis also spoke of the difficulties that Covid-19 has created for the CCF, including cadets not being able to train together owing to the need to remain in separate year group bubbles.

Just after lunch the Contingent undertook the first parade and the Inspection of the Guard was conducted by the Inspecting Officer, Colonel Darren Doherty. Colonel Doherty has filled a range of infantry appointments including platoon and rifle company commander and his staff appointments have included secondment to a UK Government department leading counter-terrorism investigation team. He assumed command of the British Army’s North West Region, with Firm Base responsibilities across Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester, in December 2021.

Colonel Darren Doherty inspects the cadets

There was an opportunity to visit stands and view activities as our cadets showcased some of the many skills they have acquired over the recent months. Students and visitors experienced a flight simulator and many put their skills to the test.

The Gun Run was a first for CCF Inspection Day and was a real highlight of the proceedings. The origins of the field gun competition lie in the Second Boer War in South Africa. The legendary story tells of the siege of the British garrison in Ladysmith in 1899. In support of the British Army, the Royal Navy landed guns from HMS Terrible and Powerful to help in the relief of the siege. The Naval Brigade transported guns over difficult terrain and brought them into action against the Boers.

In what was a close competition the Army Section took the victory in the Gun Run after some terrific teamwork saw them reach the finish line first. It was wonderful to see so many friends and family as well as guests cheering on each of the teams through to the finish.

The Army Section won the inaugural Gun Run

The final part of the day saw all the Cadets march on to the square with Inspecting Officer Colonel Doherty addressing them. Colonel Doherty spoke of how impressed he was with the cadets and how they could quite rightly be proud of their efforts and achievements.

There was one final surprise to end what was a brilliant day, as Contingent Commander Paul Ennis was promoted to Lt Col.

With over 100 performers and artwork provided by the Year 10 GCSE pupils, our spring concert treated a full house to an evening of fantastic music just before the beginning of the Easter break.

Guests enjoyed a drinks reception afterwards, with jazz music from the A level group setting a lively mood. Well done to all our performers.

As the Summer term approaches, we have an abundance of cricket action to look forward to across the entire school.

Merchant Taylors’ has a proven record of producing county cricketers at youth and professional level, with the likes of Ben Aitchison at Derbyshire and George Lavelle and Tom Hartley at Lancashire now playing regularly for their respective first teams.

George Lavelle is one of a number of recent Alumni who have gone on to play professionally. (Image: Lancashire CC)

As the next generation of young cricketers follows in their footsteps, they will enjoy access to our excellent indoor and outdoor cricket facilities and top-class coaching at lunchtimes and after school, led by our head of cricket coaching and former Lancashire Academy director, Gary Yates.

Former Lancashire Academy director, Gary Yates is head of cricket coaching at Merchant Taylors’.

Indeed, our credentials mean we were chosen by Lancashire CCC as their only development centre on Merseyside and our pupils have taken part in nets and other coaching throughout the winter months, including specialist holiday cricket camps which are also open to external pupils.

We have an established boys’ cricket team at every year group from Year 6 to Year 13, with two teams in Years 7 and 8, and each season we enter a variety of regional and national T20 and cup competitions.

Girls’ cricket is also flourishing at Merchant Taylors’, with coaching available across the year groups. This season, our girls will play their first competitive matches on behalf of the school, against Nottingham High School, following an extensive period of summer and winter training.

For those pupils with the talent and ambition to pursue professional careers, we support them with detailed knowledge of player pathways, strong links at Club and County level and bespoke invitational training within school.

We have an established boys’ cricket team at every year group from Year 6 to Year 13

A highlight of every year is the MCC Invitational match against our current first team, which takes place this year on Thursday 12 May, while we can also look forward to a season finale tournament, hosted jointly with Ormskirk CC, when we will welcome teams from The Perse School in Cambridge, Newcastle School for Boys and Durham School.

If you love cricket as much as we do, this is the school for you.

Over the past week we have been planting trees across our three school sites for The Queen’s Green Canopy, a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”. 

With a focus on planting sustainably, the QGC encourages the planting of trees to create a legacy in honour of The Queen’s leadership of the Nation, which will benefit future generations.

On Monday 28 March we held our traditional Easter Hat Parade at Stanfield. Pupils, with help form their parents and guardians, had each decorated a hat with an Easter theme, and we had so many brilliant creations on show. During assembly pupils modelled their hats down the Stanfield catwalk and it was wonderful to see everyone getting into the spirit of the event and clapping and cheering each other.

Congratulations to our Easter Hat Parade Winners:

Reception – Emily 
Year 1 – Jake  
Year 2 – Vivi
Year 3 – Nico 
Year 4 – Lottie 
Year 5 – Freya & Will 
Year 6 – Sofia & Jacob 

In the afternoon the pupils completed a charity walk (and conga!) around Stanfield in aid of two chosen charities, Marie Curie UK and Therapy Dogs Nationwide. Thanks to all of your kind donations we managed to raise £305.71.

On Friday 18th March, Year 12 Biology students visited the University of Liverpool to spend the day working in a laboratory in the Life Sciences Building.

The students undertook a series of practical techniques using specialist equipment to isolate and separate muscle proteins from a fish sample. Such techniques included electrophoresis, pipetting and SDS-PAGE. The work stretched the sixth form students beyond their A level specification whilst enabling them to test new practical skills.

Throughout the day, our students worked closely with current university students, allowing them to also learn more about degree courses such as Biological Sciences and Zoology, as well as what life as a university student may be like.

Last Monday and Friday over 200 students ‘virtually’ travelled 5,000 miles to the heart of Chengdu, China for an immersive online experience alongside Hampton Gurney CofE Primary School, University College School Hampstead London, The Perse School Cambridge, Hitchin Boys’ School and Tiffin School.

Pupils were greeted each day by their host ‘live’ in China before they embarked on a day of exploration and learning. During the virtual trip, the students visited famous landmarks and museums, learned about ancient Sanxingdui culture, took a tour around the local street food markets and experienced life as a student in China. Pupils enjoyed the practical element of the trip and created their very own Chinese rubbing painting.