C E L E B R AT I N G T H E V E R Y B E S T I N E D U C AT I O N
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT F R E E | S E N I O R E D I T I O N | AU T U M N 2 0 2 3 | i n d e p e n d e n t s c h o o l p a re n t .co m
Independent School of theYear 2023
THE ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL, NEWCASTLE
+
EXPERT ADVICE
Settling in at senior school
ADDING IT ALL UP
What do the planned maths reforms mean for students?
Spread the love
IPHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK/CHAINARONG06
As World Kindness Day approaches, Becky Dickinson explores some of the ways in which independent schools foster compassionate, thoughtful behaviour in their communities
WELLBEING
GROWING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT AS WELL AS HAVING a
positive effect on mood, serotonin is involved in enhancing learning and memory. SO WHERE KINDNESS LEADS, INCREASED CONCENTRATION AND IMPROVED RESULTS MAY FOLLOW
s
29
BURSARIES
Everyone benefits Offering fee-assistance in the form of bursaries enhances the community culture, as well as upholding and honouring an independent school’s legacy of social mobility. Read on for some bursary success stories...
36
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2023
BURSARIES
The Royal Hospital School in Suffolk is committed to maintaining broad access for talented students of all backgrounds
s
AUTUMN 2023 | independentschoolparent.com
37
LEAVING SCHOOL
58
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2023
Taking an action-packed Raleigh International gap year, or expedition during the summer, can give you the competitive edge in future job applications
GET ME OUT
THERE
59
FAMILY TRAVEL
Roman holiday
W
hen Michelangelo first saw the Pantheon in Rome he said it was ‘the work of angels, not humans’. I whispered this fun fact to my kids in the darkened chapel, sunbeams streaming divinely through the oculus of its huge dome. Standing on the original 2,000-year old marble floor, my eldest, Angus looks up and nods “yeah, it’s alright, isn’t it?” If anywhere is going to impress a teenager, it’s Rome. City breaks often get a bad rap with the youth. Mindlessly traipsing around dusty museums, glazing over in art galleries or brass rubbing in churches can be all too reminiscent of an educational school trip. But when I
70
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2023
suggested a trip to Rome to my three teenagers – Angus, 19, and 15-year old twins Nancy and Lola – I was pleasantly surprised by their positive response. Leaving the cool darkness of the Pantheon, we step out into Piazza della Rotonda, the buzzy cobblestone square between Via del Corso and Piazza Navona. There’s a different vibe to the Eternal City. It looks ancient yet feels young, vibrant and happening, which appeals to my Gen Z kids. As well as bumbling around Centro Storico, where the lion’s share of Rome’s key sights are, it feels just as authentic to hang out in neighbourhoods like Monti and Trastevere, eating pizza and soaking up the cool Roman energy.
Tracey’s teens enjoyed exploring Rome’s sights with their mother
PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK/AERIAL-MOTION; TRACEY DAVIES
For timeless fun with teens, all roads lead to this spectacular ancient city, finds Tracey Davies
FAMILY TRAVEL
The Holiday Inn Rome Eur Parco Dei Medici benefits from an outdoor pool
Fuelling up on espressos is essential for tourists on the go in this fast-paced city
IT’S THE HEIGHT OF SUMMER AND TEMPERATURES on the busy streets reach inferno levels at times. IF I WENT AGAIN WITH KIDS IN TOW, I’D SUGGEST SPRING OR AUTUMN The iconic Colosseum, dating back to 72 AD, is a must-visit attraction
s
It’s the height of summer and temperatures on the busy streets can reach inferno levels at times. If I went again with kids in tow, I’d suggest spring or autumn when the heat is turned down a notch. Pre-empting frayed tempers due to overheating, we’re staying at the Holiday Inn Rome Eur Parco Dei Medici in the business district, largely because it had a big outdoor pool and was only a 15-minute train ride into the city. On our first night, we went out in search of Rome’s best pizza and came across Pizzeria Ai Marmi, a traditional family pizzeria in Trastevere. We were hustled in and sat at long marble tables – ‘marmi’ is marble in Italian – and the kids are soon enamoured by the noisy young
AUTUMN 2023 | independentschoolparent.com
71
INTERVIEW
MY SCHOOL DAYS
OLLIE COOK
The former Olympic rower, who now works for the University of Oxford’s SDG Impact Lab, recalls pranks and prizes at Abingdon School, Oxfordshire Your school in three words? Cerise not pink.
Harry enjoyed his fair share of detentions for trips to the bookmakers
Who was your best mate? I ‘ve always struggled to pick one as I had a fair few really close friends. However, I was best man for a friend from school at his wedding, so he’d be the one if I had to choose!
Win any prizes? I wasn’t ever in the serious running for academic prizes, although I did at one point win the history prize, but I won the school renaissance prize, reading prize and, much to the astonishment of everyone, one of the school art prizes.
What did you want to be when you grew up? Torn between becoming an Egyptologist or running a surf shop in California. Most embarrassing moment? I had a French oral exam and I was also learning Spanish, and being terrible at both, I found myself only able to speak Spanish in the French oral exam, and for some reason far better than usual. I could understand He has fond memories every question that of his time spent at was asked in French Abingdon School (something also new) but then could only reply in Spanish.
82
All-star sports captain or outside field lingerer? I did like to be in the thick of the action, so probably not on the outside field.
Ollie rowed as part of Team GB at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
I LEARNT THAT SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE you come across in life work in catering, BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE EXTRA PORTIONS COME FROM
Let’s talk about the canteen food… I learnt a very valuable lesson – perhaps my most valuable – that some of the most important people you come across in life work in catering, because that’s where extra portions come from.
memories were after coming back from either rowing or rugby, showering and slouching out on the sofas while eating a pizza and watching Shipwrecked.
Favourite place at school to hang out with friends? For me it was often the boarding house common room – some of my favourite
Teacher’s pet or always in the detention room? I was put in detention on the very same day – and time – that I was meant to be the
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2023
Who was your favourite teacher at school? The head of my prep school, St John’s Beaumont was called Dermot Gogarty and his legacy is one I still try to emulate today. He carried himself with gravitas, knew when to be tough and when to be soft, had a wicked and incredible sense of humour, would dress up for Shrove
prefect on duty. Something that certainly wasn’t lost on the deputy headmaster at the time. Lone wolf or a team player? I was always a team player! I loved playing rugby, rowing and taking part in all of the school drama productions, often just for the fun of messing around backstage.
Tuesday in the most hilarious outfits, knew everyone’s names, and his reputation for having led a student protest in Apartheid South Africa and being exiled was legendary. What advice would you offer your school-age self? Work harder, aim higher and always take what you do seriously.