Canford Impact Report 2023 - Centenary Edition

CELEBRATING

Welcome to the Centenary edition of our Canford Impact report. It has been a wonderful year of celebration marking the School’s Foundation in 1923 with a myriad of experiences involving past, present and future Canfordians. This has given them opportunities to explore their talents, to express their personalities and to excel in all they do within a warm and supportive school community. I hope you will enjoy reading how our school vision manifests itself in reality, not only through facts and figures but crucially also through personal stories and pupil experiences.

BEN VESSEY, HEADMASTER

A school community where all are inspired to explore, empowered to express and challenged to excel.

The Canford Values

“We celebrate those who, through their attitude and approach to life in the school community, have made a real and positive difference, not just to their own personal development, but to the experience of others.” Ben

Vessey

Canfordians are often commented on as being rounded, grounded individuals, confident without being arrogant, with a real sense of purpose and holding true to the school values of Purposeful Engagement, Humble Ambition, Gracious Leadership and Courageous Attitude when they leave us ready to make their mark on the world. Created at the start of our centenary academic year, the Canford Values Awards are given by the Headmaster every half term to pupils who are nominated by their HsM as having particularly lived out these values in a meaningful way, as the examples below show.

COURAGEOUS ATTITUDE

“His courageous attitude has been clear to all through his role as Head of House, where he has excelled in fostering house spirit and values.”

HUMBLE AMBITION

“She is very much a team leader, encouraging and supporting less confident members of the group with humble ambition.”

OUR CORE VALUES

GRACIOUS LEADERSHIP

“He showed exceptional teamwork and gracious leadership through House Music, being particularly supportive to one anxious pupil.”

PURPOSEFUL ENGAGEMENT

“Her assessments have been excellent and she has engaged purposefully on both the academic and the co-curricular front.”

A place to EXPLORE

Academic and intellectual aspiration is central to school life with a rich and extensive co-curricular programme providing further opportunity for creativity and self-discovery for all ages and ability levels. Every pupil is encouraged to explore, with the coherence of a Canford education across both academic and co-curricular elements promoting lifelong personal development and self-understanding.

much on offer

everyone here, whether a pupil or staff member, will always encourage us to try as many new things as possible.”

20+ academic groups and societies

100+ teams playing fixtures across 17 different sports

26 Shell scholar talks

129 trips and expeditions at home and abroad in 2022/23

67,000 academic lessons each year

“We are very lucky to have so

and

Opportunities to explore ...

ROWING TRIP TO FRANCE

REAL

BOYS’ BARCELONA HOCKEY TOUR

RUGBY TOUR TO EDINBURGH

GIRLS’ HOLLAND HOCKEY TOUR

SPANISH LANGUAGE TRIP TO SPAIN

BATTLEFIELDS TRIP

TENNIS TRIP TO FRANCE

“A fantastic experience and opportunity, to not only improve our fitness and hockey but also to get closer as a team.”

GHANA PARTNERSHIP TRIP

GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO ICELAND

SICILY

CLASSICS TRIP TO GREECE

OTHER TRIPS INCLUDE:

• Geography trip to Swanage and Studland

• Geography trip to Launceston Farm

• Climbing and coasteering at Dancing Ledge

• Mountain biking at Moors Valley

• CCF Pringle Trophy and Ten Tors

• Studland watersports trip

• Biology Badbury Rings and farm trip

• English, Languages and Drama theatre trips

• Classics trip to Bath

• Philosophy and Theology London trip

• Art trip to V&A, London

• Business Studies trip to Mini factory, Oxford

• Philosophy and Theology masterclass, Oxford

• History trip to Chalke Valley Festival

• Whole Day Enterprises: kayaking and survival

• Physics Thorpe Park trip

• Scholar trips

• Art exhibition and gallery trips

“One of the highlights was definitely climbing Mt Etna and a walk around the cone where we saw some incredible lava flows. Racing down the slopes of loose fragments was certainly an experience and great fun!”

A time to explore

FIFTH FORM ENTERPRISES

Each term, our Fifth Form focus on a different activity one afternoon a week to expand their horizons.

A place to EXPRESS

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Emerson’s quote epitomises what we aim for for our pupils. We want them to challenge existing wisdom, to create and to share their passions, views and opinions. We are educators, but we have much to learn from our pupils and a culture where all feel able to express thoughts, ideas and feelings makes for a dynamic and accepting school community.

4 pupil run EDI working groups

60 Music concerts in 2022/23

21 cultural whole school celebrations

25 members of the EDI Committee

100+ pupils involved in House Art 2022/23

“Canford has definitely boosted my confidence because working in a team with lots of different people makes you speak up and build connections with people I wouldn’t usually come across or socialise with in a classroom environment.”

EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Canford is welcoming to all regardless of socioeconomic background, race, religion, physical ability, gender or sexuality. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion here is very much a shared approach with pupils, staff, Governors and the wider Canford Community working closely together. Through our programmes we enhance and enrich experiences for all across our School who are able to express their individuality, excel in the global community and explore the rich diversity of our world. As Nelson Mandela said “Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.”

EDI WORKING PARTY Rainbow Alliance Sexism Survey

International Men’s Day PRIDE MONTH EDI Pupil Leaders

ANTI-RACISM STAFF TRAINING Challenge Sexism Group

BLACK HISTORY MONTH Themed Lunches and Celebration Days

Expert Visiting Speakers SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD

PUPIL-LED EDI WORKING GROUPS

CANFORD COMMUNITY CHARTER Anti-Racism Strategy

Mental Health Awareness Week NEURODIVERSITY WEEK

International Women’s Day RACE EQUALITIES WEEK

‘EDI is beautiful since it takes individuals, with an array of backgrounds, and knits them together to form a community, the Canford community. I am so honoured to be able to champion the voices of those represented in our community.’

SOPHIA EDI PUPIL LEADER

Express yourself

THROUGH THE ARTS

“Drama at Canford has helped me feel much less anxious in social environments and it’s given my confidence a big boost.”

“The Art department have definitely encouraged me to be a lot more ambitious with my work.”

“The idea of working hard for something larger than the present moment is the key skill for material success and I believe it is something that Music couldn’t teach you better.”

15

Drama productions in and out of the classroom in 2022/23

5 Art exhibitions each year involving 100+ pupil artists

12

Music diplomas taken in the past year, 9 with distinction

20 Music groups and ensembles

600+ pupils involved in House Film, House Music and House Art

A place to EXCEL

We are ambitious for Canfordians, and you can read about achievements at the very highest levels by our talented pupils on these pages. Yet we define excellence as taking many forms and want to inspire our pupils to excel to the very best of their own abilities. Fine academic results, sporting records and top university offers are fantastic, but we commend those who grasp the opportunity to make a positive difference, as a Pupil Leader, as part of a team or offering support to a friend. These are all ways in which our pupils excel across their school lives.

achieve academically and have excellent attitudes towards learning, to their subject lessons and their wide variety of cross-curricular activities.”

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE

10

44 offers to Oxbridge in the past 5 years awards for academic essays in national/ international competitions 2022/23

45

Lower Sixth TED Talks to Fourth Form

90

Sixth Form Peer Mentors

30+ girls and boys currently on county, emerging player and academy pathways

“Pupils

‘AN AWARD WINNING EDUCATION’

We are hugely proud when recognised nationally for the education we offer and the impact it has on pupil outcomes through awards and independent reviews, and it is particularly special to have received such breadth of success in our centenary year.

“Glorious Canford is coming up to its 100th birthday, and there’s much to celebrate. Canfordians like to ‘give things a go’ and are renowned for being chatty, bright and engaging. Academically it more than delivers … clubs include everything from bushcraft to code-breaking … drama is a unifying force … pastoral care is nothing short of excellent.”

TATLER SCHOOLS GUIDE

“A very special school. With its first-rate teaching, stunning setting and innovative ideas, Canford is definitely top of its game and set for a glittering centenary in 2023.” THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

“Celebrating its centenary this year, this is a brilliant all-rounder that looks outside of the bubble, aces exams and turns out wonderfully grounded young men and women with a real awareness of the world around them.” TALK EDUCATION

BEST SCHOOLS UK TOP 10 CO-ED IN THE UK FOR A LEVEL RESULTS 2022

THE SUNDAY TIMES PARENT POWER SCHOOLS GUIDE 2023

BEST CO-EDUCATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL IN SOUTH WEST FOR 2022 A LEVEL PERFORMANCE

Excelling in their field ...

Talent develops through education in the broadest sense. The Canford environment is structured and yet allows pupils to grow and excel as individuals through a very wide range of opportunities. We cannot tell whether balls or greasepaint, water or bees will fire the imagination but the opportunities and encouragement are there. As the American actor Danny Kaye said: “Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.”

ELIANA:

MUSICAL

LUKAS: WINNER OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY LONDON ESSAY COMPETITION

REZA: 2022 ENGLISH KARTING CHAMPION

ERIN: MUSIC DIRECTOR OF WHOLE SCHOOL

ROBBIE: 2022-23 BRITISH SWIMMING’S WORLD CLASS PROGRAMME

ARSM DIPLOMA WITH DISTINCTION FOR SINGING AND CELLO

AARON: GB KARATE SELECTION FOR WORLD MARTIAL ARTS GAMES 2023

ANOUSKA: 1ST PLACENSEA SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

IZZY: SOUTHERN VIPERS EMERGING PLAYERS

PROGRAMME 2023

JOHANNES: NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE

EDDIE: ENGLAND CRICKET YOUNG LIONS TOUR 2023

JASMINE: WINNER IN U18 CATEGORY - NATIONAL POETRY DAY

HUGO: BROMSGROVE YOUNG MUSICIANS SENIOR WINNER

LUCY: BEST JUNIOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER CADRE CADET

Academic success

CP SNOW ESSAY

WINNER: GRACE

TITLE: Will the ancient stereotype of hysteria and mischaracterisation of female anatomy continue to be a fatal problem in women’s medicine?

BAYNHAM ESSAY

WINNER: MILLIE

TITLE: ‘The limits of my language are the limits of my world.’ – Ludwig Wittgenstein. In what ways is this true?

NATIONAL SENIOR MATHS CHALLENGE

• 4 pupils - Bronze award

• 7 pupils - Silver award

• 22 pupils - Gold award (top 10% receive a Gold award)

• 7 pupils automatically qualified for the British Olympiad (only 1,000 are invited from across the country)

BEBRAS CHALLENGE

ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

This year’s BEBRAS Computing Challenge competition has seen participation from just under a quarter of a million pupils between the ages of 13 and 18 across the country.

26 Canford pupils received marks within the top 10% in the UK, achieving Gold awards, and were invited to take part in the Oxford University Computing Challenge as a result.

All scores were out of 200 maximum and for the first time ever a CanfordianFourth Former Louis - achieved a perfect score.

OUTSTANDING GCSE AND A LEVEL RESULTS

OSCAR: IEA COMPETITION ESSAY DORIAN FISHER MEMORIAL PRIZE

“All pupils are encouraged to develop a love of learning. This is supported by their peers - it is all about creating that positive culture.”

SIXTH FORM Setting our pupils up to excel in life

move on to Art Foundation courses at top colleges, prestigious the USA and Europe and a number enjoy a GAP year.

DEGREE APPRENTICESHIP SPOTLIGHT

MERLIN: DYSON INSTITUTE

The Dyson Institute offers a four-year programme combining an academic BEng (Hons) Engineering degree with work-based learning to reach Level 6 Design and Development Engineer apprenticeship standard. The three stage application process is rigorous, with the institute openly stating ‘It is not for the faint hearted’ with over 800 applications each year for around 30 places.

“Following the award of an Arkwright Scholarship in the Lower Sixth, I decided that despite the odds I was going to aim high and apply for the Dyson Institute. I was absolutely thrilled to learn I had been accepted and can’t wait to get started. I will always be grateful to the teachers at Canford for their support in helping me to fulfil my potential.”

LILI: IBM

Each year IBM selects Digital and Technology Solutions degree apprentices to study at University of Exeter, Manchester Metropolitan University or with the Open University. The company looks for talented school leavers and, in their words, ‘transforms them into experienced IT professionals’. At the point of graduation, degree apprentices have work based experience, setting them apart from those following more traditional university routes.

“I actively sought a place where I could freely express myself, and I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have discovered that opportunity at IBM. I am very excited to work for the world’s largest IT company to delve into emerging technologies, with luck including IBM’s Quantum Computer.”

PROPOSED SIXTH FORM AND FUTURE LIFE CENTRE

“Our aim is for a Sixth Form providing opportunities and structures for pupils to lead their own learning and development in ways which are transformational in the transition from school to life beyond.” STRATEGIC PLAN ‘TO 2023 AND BEYOND’

A place that embraces COMMUNITY

1,000+ junior pupils attending annual workshops and sports events

8,000+ hours of community action work by pupils and staff

70

parent and alumni volunteers at Careers Convention 2023

15 bags of sport kit donated by pupils for Gear 4 Ghana

“I am grateful to Canford for its support of The Bourne Academy. It is clear that this has had a positive impact on the school’s educational outcomes.”

LORD AGNEW, FORMER ACADEMIES MINISTER

Bourne Scholars PROGRAMME

Canford partnered with The Bourne Academy on this gifted and talented programme for their pupils as part of our exclusive sponsorship relationship. The Programme provides academic and co-curricular opportunities that puts them on a path to the world’s best universities.

Pupils chosen rank in the top 15% of their year group and are selected following a number of assessment points which demonstrate excellent Character and Commitment to the Academy. The aims of the programme are to provide a highly academic and rigorous curriculum to stretch and challenge the most academically able children whilst following the school’s progressive ASPIRE values to encourage the holistic development of all Scholars.

The Bourne Scholars engage in weekly enriching activities and academic tasks, for example, joining us at Canford for joint book and debating clubs, residential stays, photography workshops, Real tennis, Combined Cadet Force (CCF), horse-riding, rowing, shooting, archery, golf, joint sailing trips and elite sports coaching. The academic curriculum provides Scholars with additional opportunities e.g. studying two languages, in-house mentoring, bespoke tutoring, free musical instrument and further stretch and challenge activities.

PUPIL FUNDRAISING INITIATIVES

£400

raised

“It was an incredible opportunity to raise funds for two charities. Chat Club supports children at a Kenyan orphanage with weekly chats with Canford pupils, while the Louis Ross Foundation works hard to improve the lives of children around the world. We were grateful to be able to take advantage of Canford grounds to host a memorial evening for the Sixth Form who were keen to support these great causes, raising £1,600 in total for the charities.” Ntemi and Charlotte

“Chat Club has improved my spellings of different English words. I have also learnt the importance of smiling in society.”

William, Chat Club Kenya

“The programme offers scholars the opportunity to develop not only academically but also creatively, spiritually and morally.”

MARK AVOTH, PRINCIPAL

for Ghana partnership by Theo and Nat selling refreshments at events

Building healthy habits for life

MENTAL . PHYSICAL . SOCIAL

“We want our pupils to aim high and to achieve to the best of their ability, but never at the expense of their mental health. The happiness of our pupils is of fundamental importance to us. We believe the happier and more secure the pupil, the better their productivity, outcomes and success.”

MELISSA CLINTON, HEAD OF WELLBEING

MINDFULNESS

NUTRITION ADVICE

HEALTHY DINING OPTIONS

SPORT & FITNESS FOR ALL

IN-HOUSE COUNSELLING

SUPPORT NETWORK

PUPIL WELLNESS CLASSES

CANFORD SLEEP PROGRAMME

EXPERT SPEAKER PROGRAMME

& YOGA

“I really enjoy Yoga Nidra as it is a time in the week to relax and take a break.”

CANFORD SLEEP PROGRAMME

The unique Canford Sleep Programme covers core areas such as:

• Why sleep matters

• Science of sleep

• Why sleep issues occur

• Practical strategies to improve sleep and is delivered via Houses through a Designated Sleep Champion member of staff who leads the roll out, promotes the benefits of good sleep to pupils and encourages conversation around sleep.

PEER MENTORING SCHEME

We want to continually expand avenues of support for pupils around the school and ways to develop pupils’ leadership and willingness to give to those around them. Each year, a group of Sixth Formers receive training by This is Me in listening skills, empathy and trust plus safeguarding training on when to escalate a problem. Mentorship pairings are arranged through houses, but pupils in the lower school can contact any of these mentors direct by email and arrange to talk to them privately about any issues. A member of staff meets regularly with the group to discuss particular issues raised and advises on further steps where needed.

“It’s helped me learn to listen more and actually things teachers have told me in the past when I’ve had problems makes more sense now.”

“As someone who has had people in the past come to them as an ear to talk to I jumped at the chance to get involved in some official training and really learn how to best deal with those difficult situations. I am now confident I can give the appropriate level of support to anyone who needs it.”

“We learnt how good sleep supports all aspects of our school life, from managing our emotions, improving concentration levels in the classroom, and it can even make you faster at running in sports so good for my hockey!”

1,500

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS Always a Canfordian

2,300

“What a unique and memorable centenary year it has been for Canford. Everyone who has been involved in this momentous year has felt a collective sense of privilege and pride which will stay with us all I am sure throughout the rest of our lives.”

BEN VESSEY

13 entries

current and former pupils, parents and staff at the Foundation Service

attendees at the Proms in the Park

into the Centenary cake bake off

copies of Anthony Eyton’s limited edition painting

views of the centenary film ‘Always a Canfordian’ NEW CANFORD WEBSITE

BURSARIES CHANGE LIVES

39

pupils

SUPPORT

“We want to provide the opportunity to add structure, substance and reality to the dreams and ambitions of young people whose life chances are likely to preclude this. This is very much a partnership as not only will pupils accessing a bursary benefit greatly, but their presence within the Canford community will add breadth and richness to the educational and life experience of all within it.”

BEN VESSEY, HEADMASTER

“Since joining Canford I have higher aspirations. I doubt I would have applied to the universities I have offers for and I am confident that I have a bright future ahead of me.” BURSARY RECIPIENT

BURSARIES AT CANFORD

www.canford.com/support-us

CANFORD’S ECONOMIC IMPACT

Source: ISC Schools Economic Impact report 2023

£38.9m

Our total contribution to UK GDP, of which 50% is generated locally

867 UK jobs supported by us, directly and indirectly through our suppliers

£12.4m

Total amount of UK tax supported by our activities £4.3m

cost to taxpayer if eligible Canford pupils went into maintained schools sector

currently benefiting from 75% or more bursary support

10

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

THINGS

THAT MAKE A CANFORD EDUCATION OUTSTANDING

IMPRESSIVE PUPIL OUTCOMES

THE SUNDAY TIMES PARENT POWER SCHOOLS GUIDE 2023

BEST CO-EDUCATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL IN SOUTH WEST FOR 2022 A LEVEL PERFORMANCE

TEACHING EXCELLENCE

DEVELOPING HEARTS AND MINDS

UNIQUE ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

FULL BOARDING ENVIRONMENT

INSPIRATIONAL SETTING

AWARD WINNING PASTORAL CARE