Independent Schools of the year 2019 supplement by The Chelsea Magazine Company

WINNERSâ€™ EDITION

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR

Celebrating student experience

Global

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WELCOME M

idway through the Easter term last year, we launched our second awards campaign. These awards were established to celebrate the quality of the student experience in independent schools, and to say we were thrilled with the level of response is an understatement: transformative, inspirational and innovative projects and programmes are underway in schools from Scotland to the southwestern counties, and the panel of judges hugely enjoyed reading and considering all the entries. Judging Chair, Dr Helen Wright, recounts the selection process on page 5, as well as the sparkling awards ceremony, which was held in Knightsbridge back in October. Congratulations to all the schools who won an award and a huge thank-you to all of those who entered. This special awards supplement is dedicated to the winning schools of each of the 19 categories. Schools are communities made up of hundreds of teachers, support staff, parents and pupils all with a story to tell. Our awards were their chance to do just that, whether it’s a far-reaching local partnership programme to increase social mobility (read Highgate School’s story on page 32) or the winner of our rising star award, Henry Ackroyd, alumnus of Sedbergh in Cumbria and who suffered a near-fatal heart attack while out running at school. His recovery is a testament to his character and boarding-school education. Read all about him on page 50. I’m also delighted to announce that nominations are now open for Independent Schools of the Year 2020. All you have to do is visit our awards website at independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk and enter the online entry form so you can tell us your unique and inspiring story. Good luck!

THESE AWARDS WERE ESTABLISHED TO celebrate the quality of the student experience in independent schools, AND TO SAY WE WERE THRILLED WITH THE RESPONSE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT

CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR

The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ. Tel (020) 7349 3700. Email editor@independentschoolparent.com. Web independentschoolparent.com. EDITORIAL: Editor Claudia Dudman; Sub Editors Laura Sutherland, Natalie Keeler; Editorial Assistant Henrietta Easton. DESIGN: Creative Director Chloë Collyer; Senior Designer Natalie Dourado; Freelance Designer Matt Bookman. ADVERTISING: Sales Director Cameron Hay; Head of Market Julie Price; Group Advertisment Sales Manager Harriet Cottrell; Sales Executives Eleanor English; Account Managers Balvin McKenzie, George Roberts; Account Director Catherine Chapman. DIGITAL: Digital Product Manager Ben Iskander. PUBLISHING: Executive Chairman Paul Dobson; Chief Operating Officer Kevin Petley; Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin; Director of Media James Dobson; Managing Director of Sales & Chelsea Create Steve Ross; Publisher Caroline Scott; Circulation Manager Daniel Webb; EA to Chairman Sarah Porter. Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT. Tel: 020 7429 4000. Fax: 020 7429 4001. Production www.allpointsmedia.co.uk. Printed in England by William Gibbons. ©The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2020. All rights reserved.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

AND THE WINNER IS...

The ISOTY awards celebrate the very best that an independentschool education can offer. Judging Chair Dr Helen Wright, reflects on the panel’s process and a fun prizegiving night

Helen is a former President of the Girls, Schools Association and Vice-Chair of ISC, with three major headships under her belt. Since 2014, she has worked in international education, and advises, recruits and coaches senior leaders in schools across the world.

who entered – deserved praise and commendation, because of the high quality of the entries. The judges merely chose the schools which in their opinion edged above the rest, but it was a very high bar, in every case. The process for determining these awards is a lengthy one, and begins almost immediately after the previous year’s awards, when the criteria for each category are reviewed. New categories may have been suggested by the judges – and others – during the previous few months, especially as the entries are read and examined, because sometimes really worthy initiatives might not exactly fit the criteria for the current awards, but could shine in a different, new category. One of our firm principles as a judging panel is that we’re here to celebrate the student experience in the

hat a night it was! The culmination of the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2019 took place on the evening of Monday 7 October at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge, and the venue was packed with around 200 guests, including headteachers and staff from schools across the country, all of whom had come to hear and see the great reveal – who had won the top spot in each of the many categories. The excitement was high, the energy was fizzing; the ingredients were all there for a super evening, and so indeed it turned out to be. As I said on the evening itself, every single one of the shortlisted and finalist schools – and the 200+ schools

MEET 2019’S PANEL OF JUDGES...

DAVID MONCRIEFF, Vice-Chair is a publisher specialising in education and heritage, David previously worked as Director of Marketing at Mayfield School and for more than 12 years as Director of Marketing Services at the British Tourist Authority.

CHARLOTTE AVERY is Headmistress of St Mary’s School Cambridge, GSA Vice-President, and a Governor of Haileybury College, Mill Hill School and a local 11-16 MAT. She’s an ISI team inspector and former lay member of the MoD’s Research Ethics Committee.

ANDREW FLECK is Principal of Sedbergh School, Cumbria, having been Head since 2002. He relinquished that position in order to take up this new role, which encompasses strategic oversight and operational direction. He was previously Head of Ashville College.

ROBIN FLETCHER is Chief Executive of the Boarding Schools’ Association. Robin worked for 30 years as an award-winning journalist, newspaper editor and comms director. He’s a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Honorary Fellow of Cardiff Metropolitan University.

TORY GILLINGHAM is the Managing Director for AMCIS, Admissions, Marketing & Communications in Independent Schools, which has over 500 schools in membership. She has over 25 years marketing experience in the independent schools sector.

JULIE ROBINSON was Head of Ardingly College Junior School and Vinehall Prep School then Education and Training Director for the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools before becoming General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

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students as active citizens, able to make meaningful contributions to society and the world. Community collaboration, advocacy and student-led action are all activities that are likely to take on a greater importance in the future. Remember, however, that the judges want to hear schools’ stories. These awards showcase the positive impact that independent schools have on the lives of young people across our country, both in our schools and

in evidence of the impact that it has on the student experience. The judges will be looking for this evidence in making their judgements, and they also want to be able to hear the story of the initiative or series of initiatives which mark out the school – experience is often best communicated through stories, after all. The judges were struck last year by the increasingly passionate articulation of relevance in the student experience; initiatives which attracted the judges’

sector; if there’s another way for us to facilitate this, through a different kind of award, we’ll consider this. Once the criteria are firmed up for the year, the judges are confirmed – and we’re lucky to have incredibly experienced and able judges who give freely of their time and energy in order to support these awards and celebrate the quality of education in independent schools across the country – and internationally. The first that schools will hear about the awards is when they’re launched, with emails to schools and details on social media and in Independent School Parent, the magazine sponsor of the awards. The race is then on to submit applications – although there’s in fact plenty of time, as the deadline is in May. It’s during this period that schools need to be really robust in their thinking and reflection, however, because schools are often their own worst critics, and some of the most amazing practices, which impacts directly on students, and both deepens and stretches their experience, can be buried among all the other great things that schools do. If I were to give just one piece of advice to schools, it would be to unearth this amazing foundation, and ground it

ONE OF OUR FIRM PRINCIPLES AS a judging panel is that we’re here to celebrate THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE IN THE SECTOR particular interest included those aimed at engaging students in tackling the climate crisis, and those which engaged students directly in understanding and facilitating social mobility. The overall ISOTY winner in 2019 was Highgate, for the scale and impact of its drive for greater social mobility on its student body. It was clear from many of the entries that our schools are working tirelessly with their local community and other schools, to develop their

beyond, in all types of schools, not to mention on the lives of the thousands more who are educated in British independent schools internationally. They fly the flag for great educational practice, embedded in strong values and a belief in the power of all young people. As judges, we look forward to reading many more uplifting entries this year! Nominations are now open for Independent Schools of the Year 2020, independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk

PETER TAIT is a former prep school Headmaster who also taught extensively in senior schools. He chaired the Education Committee for IAPS and was a member of ISEB. Currently both a school governor and trustee, he writes widely on education issues.

PETER YOUNG is a school governor, Chairman of the Business Marketing Awards and a nonexecutive with startup and established businesses. He also advises a corporate security-risk consultancy and is a former management member with marketing companies.

PHILIPPA SCUDDS is a chartered marketer, with over 25 years’ experience in marketing, communications and public relations. She spent 12 years in the City, and since 2004 has focused on the education sector, working with prep, senior and allthrough schools.

SUE WOODROOFE has been a Head for 12 years, at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds. She has a particular interest in the three-18 learning journey and the benefits of multicultural and international learning. environments.

JIM MASSEY has been Headmaster of Daneshill Prep School since 2018. Daneshill, founded in 1950, is a co-educational school, set in rural Hampshire, situated on part of the Wellington Estate, with a roll of approx 270 children aged between three and 13.

ZOE MACDOUGALL is a parent of a junior-schoolage daughter at Redmaids’ High School for Girls, Bristol. Previously, she taught at a number of schools, including her most recent role, teaching senior school drama at North London Collegiate School.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR HIGHGATE SCHOOL

Its academia and educational offering speak for itself, yet it’s Highgate’s partnerships with local schools, which have proven to transform children’s lives, that so impressed our judging panel

s a school community, we’re delighted to have been awarded two prestigious Independent Schools of the Year 2019 accolades that celebrate Highgate’s extensive contribution to the educational growth and wellbeing of children across London and beyond.

with projects such as intensive summer schools, Saturday clubs for lookedafter children, mentoring and revision, university admissions test preparation (including maths and physics aptitude tests), expert interview preparation for Oxbridge or medical schools, access to HE and careers programmes, and further mathematics teaching.

Community and kindness

A transformative solution to social inequality

Highgate School enjoys being connected to, and part of, a community. We work with over 60 partner state schools across London and the surrounding areas via our Chrysalis programme. Through this, we make a difference to the lives of over 3.000 children across London

Headteacher Adam Pettitt says: “We are a school whose charitable ethos is an inextricable part of both staff and pupil DNA. Highgate is changing the lives of young people. We’re part of a transformative solution to social

Highgate’s campus is in north London

inequality which provides a model for future relations. Even among Labour politicians, Highgate’s charitable nature is recognised. It’s my fervent hope that other independent schools will be able to use this and other models of partnership to build on what we and others have been able to do. I’m absolutely delighted by these awards, and hugely proud – thank you very much.”

Model of partnership

In 2017, Highgate jointly founded London Academy of Excellence in Tottenham (LAET) as the lead sponsor with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as business sponsor. Highgate provide LAET with the FTE of 6.6 members of teaching staff in English, geography, chemistry, physics, mathematics, art, design technology and engineering, French, Spanish and learning support. Seconding teachers is the principal way Highgate supports LAET (in addition to governance, since four LAET governors are Highgate governors or Senior Team). Not only does this make LAET’s budget work, but it also embeds the Highgate experience and academic rigour in the classroom. In August 2019, LAET’s first cohort completed their studies and pupils achieved 70 per cent A*-B in their The school is co-educational

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

A-levels. More than half of LAET students won places at Russell Group universities, compared to the one per cent of Tottenham school leavers in 2017. Luqman Liaquat achieved an outstanding four A* and is at Imperial University studying computer science, and Nurgul Sahin achieved A*A*A B and is at Oxford University reading history. In February, 10 LAET pupils received offers from Oxbridge for this autumn.

Academic success

We’re incredibly proud of how pupils are able to claim some of the top academic results across the UK, as well as figures that demonstrate 89 per cent of our leavers go on to their first choice of university. In 2019, 76 per cent of year 13 pupils achieved A* or A, and 25 places were gained at Oxbridge. However, the culture of the school is one of community and kindness, with homework remission weeks and a comprehensive and diverse cocurricular offering. Adam Pettitt explains how impressive results are harnessed via “articulating and sharing a humane vision for teaching and by liberating teachers to teach the subject, not the exam spec.”

WE’RE A SCHOOL WHOSE CHARITABLE ETHOS is an inextricable part of both our staff and pupil’s DNA. HIGHGATE SCHOOL IS CHANGING THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE. Co-curricular clubs and societies

There are over 77 clubs and societies for our pupils, from badminton and climbing through to reptile society, cookery, bee keeping, robotics, medics, gardening and badminton. One of Highgate’s oldest societies, Masaryk Society, hosted a debate with Tim Shipman (The Sunday Times’ Political Editor) and Jon Lansman (founder of Momentum). Pupils have also founded the incredibly popular Random Acts of Kindness, which has become more like a movement and pupil-led charity, where members plan and deliver gestures of kindness in and around Highgate.

Sustainability ethos

Sustainability is at the heart of the school’s decisions, generating a better quality of life, while improving local

environmental conditions for the school community and local people. Last September, the school’s pupilled Environment Committee hosted a sustainability conference inviting pupils from 18 different schools, as well as 11 keynote industry figure heads to address the school community. The sustainability ethos is pervasive in our Junior School too, with pupils planting more than 1,000 new trees in the grounds to support biodiversity and help shield pupils from emissions. In December, more than 100 junior-school pupils across five primary schools took part in an Eco Conference, similar to that in the senior school, with staff and pupils focusing on Highgate’s Sustainability Manifesto, which adheres to putting the environment at the heart of the schools’ development. highgateschool.org.uk

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

PRE-PREP SCHOOL OF THE YEAR PERROTT HILL

The thriving south Somerset school ensures pupils receive specialist tuition within an innovative and varied programme

errott Hill has had something of a transformation over the past few years, with a 360 per cent increase in nursery admissions since 2017 and a waiting list now in operation at the bottom end of the school. Over the past 12 months, the school has built an incredibly strong body of staff, strengthened its links with the local community and forged friendships with surrounding schools via Forest School workshops, athletics meets and its very own Children’s Literary Festival. If that’s not enough, the school has also given the timetable a complete overhaul, enabling the children at the lower end of the school to benefit from the same specialist

tuition as senior pupils, whether that’s the Director of Sport, the Director of Music, the Head of French or the Head of Art. “It’s about tapping into the child’s potential at an early age and then guiding them and nurturing them on their particular journey through the school,” says Headmaster, Alex McCullough. All pre-prep children benefit from an innovative and varied programme, taking part in activities as diverse as pond conservation, Strictly Come Beebotting, yoga and floristry. The school holds regular mindfulness sessions as part of its weekly Forest School afternoons and the children are encouraged to share their feelings in PSHE as part of a school-wide focus on

Forest School is a big draw for pupils at Perrott Hill

WE’RE THRILLED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD IN RECOGNITION OF THE hard work and dedication of our staff, THE CHILDREN AND THE ENTIRE PERROTT HILL COMMUNITY. 10

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

mental health awareness. There is a year two strings programme, with all year two children learning the violin, and all pre-prep children have the opportunity to spend time in the school’s innovative Tinker Lab, which serves as a space to explore and ‘tinker’ with technology. Socially, the pre-prep children benefit from the family-oriented ethos of the school. Each week, the year six and seven children spend time in pre-prep, listening to the children read and helping them with their work. Senior pupils buddy up with pre-prep children for the house poetry recitations in front of the whole school and every child in the pre-prep is given lines in the Christmas play – even the three year-olds! As one pre-prep parent says: “Every child is given a chance to shine and it’s really inspiring to see two and three year-olds standing on stage singing a song. I’ve also been impressed that the pre-prep children get the chance to play sport against other schools; my six year old recently took part in his first swimming gala.” Another nursery parent adds: “The level of care and support my child receives has exceeded my expectations; he does everything from swimming and music to using saws and learning about fire safety in Forest School. Most importantly, he’s happy and absolutely loves coming to school every day.” “We’re thrilled to have received this award and are delighted with the glowing feedback from the judges,” says Alex. “From our youngest children in nursery right up to the top of the school, the staff here work tirelessly to provide pupils with the very best educational experience there is to offer. This accolade reflects that hard work and the dedication of our staff, the children and the entire Perrott Hill community.” perrotthill.com

Day and boarding places available for September 2020

A leading independent prep school in South Somerset for ages 3-13

PROUD WINNERS OF

PRE-PREP OF THE YEAR

Come and see our award-winning school in action! Situated in an idyllic location on the Somerset/Dorset border, we provide an outstanding all-round education for boys and girls aged from 3-13. We hold Open Mornings in January, May and October and are open for individual visits throughout the year. For fur ther information and to request a prospectus, please contact our admissions depar tment on admissions@ perrotthill.com or call 01460 72051. We look forward to hearing from you. North Perrott Crewkerne Somerset

www.perrotthill.com @perrotthill

AMCIS IMPACT AWARDS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR

2019

BOARDING INNOVATION AWARD

BSA AWARDS

BRAND COMMUNICATIONS

PRE-PREP OF THE YEAR

2020

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2018

BRANDING AWARD

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PREP SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR

SMALL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR ST IVES

The adage that big things come in small packages could not be more true of this vibrant Surrey-based prep school

t Ives is a small coeducational prep school for children aged from two to 11 in Haslemere, Surrey with a big heart and a lot of soul! Being small is our biggest asset – we know all of our pupils exceptionally well, so our pastoral care is outstanding. With small class sizes, an excellent pupil-to-teacher ratio and specialist teachers in all core subjects from year three upwards, we achieve exceptional academic results, in spite of being non-selective and non-pushy. Last year, our year-six leavers gained 75 per cent scholarships to some of the best senior schools in the country, in a variety of disciplines, without any undue academic pressure being put on them. We understand and live by the belief that ‘happy learners are the best learners’ and this is apparent in all areas of our wide and varied curriculum. Our grounds, set within eight acres of beautiful Surrey parkland and forest, lend themselves to life at St Ives being naturally ‘outdoorsy’. Our pupils enjoy an afternoon of Forest School a week, have plenty of break time in which to enjoy our grounds and play hours of sport. Indeed, our pupils have taken part in more than 90 matches against other schools in the last year, as well as inter-house competitions in netball, hockey, athletics, swimming and cross-country. Performing and visual arts also feature heavily, with pupils taking part in nativities, concerts, school productions, class assemblies, speech and drama showcases, a talent show and an art exhibition. Pupils received 31 distinctions in verse & prose and acting exams last year. We’re also working to become an international Green Flag Award Eco-School and have committed to raise our understanding of environmental issues and how

Being a small school is St Ives' biggest asset

BEING SMALL MEANS OUR PASTORAL CARE IS EXCEPTIONAL, our class sizes allow

children to reach their academic potential

AND OUR SETTING ALLOWS US TO CAPTURE THE MAGIC OF BEING A CHILD. the school can contribute to a more sustainable future, something we believe will be one of the most valuable lessons a child will learn. The judges were impressed at the breadth of opportunities on offer and took note that, while small, St Ives’ size doesn’t impact on the pupil experience in any way. Our pupils actually enjoy all the experiences of a much larger prep school, but with the familial warmth that only a small environment can offer. The impact of receiving this award has been impressive. Interest in the school is high: our open mornings this term have been our busiest yet and we’re receiving a large number of enquiries. It’s inevitable that pupil numbers are going to increase, such is the nature

of receiving such a prestigious award. However, we’ll always ensure that our ethos never changes. Our pastoral care will continue to be outstanding, our class sizes small and we will continue to treat every child as an individual and tailor their education accordingly. Kay Goldsworthy, Head of St Ives, says: “I’ve always believed that our offering is unique. Being small means our pastoral care is exceptional, our class sizes allow the children to reach their academic potential without the pressure that other schools may apply, and our Surrey-countryside setting captures the magic of being a child and the carefree, happy days that all children should enjoy.” stiveshaslemere.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

ADVERTORIAL

A winning combination

By promoting emotional wellbeing, moral fortitude and a joy of learning, St Augustine’s Priory has a formula for student success

ur examination results are excellent, our girls are brilliant and the preparation we deliver for life-long learning is second to none. Based in Ealing, St Augustine’s Priory is an all-through Catholic independent day school for girls (with a co-educational nursery) which delights in 13 acres of grounds with views over the Surrey Hills. In both sciences and arts, our pupils achieve and take joy in doing so. All of this is the result of St Augustine’s Priory’s ethos to instil a deep, emotional well-being, a courageous spirit, and an attitude that promotes the sheer joy of learning from nursery level right through to sixth form and beyond. Being an all-through school, St Augustine’s Priory takes a forwardthinking approach to education. An example of the result of this is that one of our recent sixth-form leavers, who had attended the school since reception will be enrolling at Cambridge University in September to

study modern and medieval languages, while another, a recent Head Girl, who also benefited from attending the school since reception, is now studying veterinary science. This year alone, two of our sixth formers were awarded the TES Student Initiative of the Year, for their pressure group, Preventing Period Poverty and a video produced by the sixth form has been nominated in the Promotional Film category at the Learning On Screen awards. In addition, three of our sixth formers have reached the national final of the UK Space Design Competition – an annual science and engineering contest designed as a simulation of life in industry. One pupil produced a triptych for A-level art, a moving portrayal of the decline of her grandmother owing to Alzheimer’s. This is used as a teaching aid, challenging girls to observe, to understand and to be aware of dementia, mental health and mental illness. In an example

of the wide-ranging effect our girls have, the Alzheimer’s Society featured the artwork, our pupil, and her grandmother’s story on its website. Our students develop the moral fortitude to do what’s right because they know it to be so. This year marks the launch of a new Ethical Leadership Programme (ELP) for our sixth-form students. In a world that increasingly exposes unethical leadership and, as a Catholic school, we know that our girls must leave this school equipped with the skills and experience necessary to be ethical leaders in the future. As well as providing formal recognition, it enables students to reflect on and improve their skills both in the classroom and beyond. We promote positive thinking and throughout the year, we find endless ways to be alert to the beauty around us and enjoy the benefits of our crosscurricular approach. We have a farm, an outdoor stage, a prayer garden, a meadow, a stimulating playground and a stewardship programme involving

WE KNOW THAT OUR GIRLS MUST LEAVE THIS SCHOOL equipped with

the skills and experience necessary to

BE ETHICAL LEADERS IN THE FUTURE care for the grounds, growing plants from seeds, care for our allotment and an art portfolio which records it all. We delight in forming partnerships with local state schools who come to visit our farm, which boasts pigs, chickens, sheep and ducks, not only to enrich their curriculum experience but also to benefit from the enormous sense of wellbeing which being on the farm promotes. The next open day is on Saturday 25 April, sapriory.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

STUDENT WELLBEING FETTES COLLEGE

The Student Wellbeing award went to the Edinburgh school where mental and physical health are an absolute priority

he care and welfare of our students is fundamentally important to us, as we know that only a happy, well-supported child will truly flourish. The family community at Fettes means that your child will forge strong bonds – not only with their friends in house, but also their housemaster or housemistress, matron, tutor and teaching staff. Fettes is the only school in Scotland to receive the top score of 6 – (‘excellent, sectorleading’) in all Care Inspectorate inspections since 2012. We believe that only happy students learn and at Fettes College, we focus on the mental and physical wellbeing of all our students through our rigorous, responsive and varied Personal and Social Education (PSE) programme, while nurturing a welcoming and inclusive community. When things go wrong, there’s a supportive network to discuss, identify, intervene and assist without stigma. A PSE curriculum: Built through ongoing pupil consultation, the PSE programme is forward thinking and embedded within school life. Utilising external contacts (guest speakers, charities and alumni) and harnessing the enthusiasm of students, our core components include healthy relationships, modern world pressures, decision-making, nutrition and emotional resilience. Pressures of the modern world: We have a non-complacent approach to technology, managing the pressures it can bring, while promoting the positive impact it can have. Safety is key, as is understanding the real impact of online content. Those pressures have always been there, so addressing the root of issues is our focal point. An oasis of calm: The Hub is a pupilfocused drop-in room open daily and staffed by members of the listening team (PSE prefects, non-teaching and

Built through ongoing pupil consultation, the PSE programme is forward thinking and embedded within school life

WE HAVE A NON-COMPLACENT

approach to technology, managing the pressures IT CAN BRING, WHILE AT

THE SAME TIME PROMOTING THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT CAN HAVE. teaching staff). This reflective space provides a listening ear and some peace during the busy school week. Constructive intervention: We pride ourselves on quick identification of those who may be struggling. Our on-site, 24-hour medical centre offers immediate access to a trained mentalhealth nurse, with follow-up counselling and psychological support as required. All staff undergo mental health and first-aid training. Societies and initiatives: Our studentled Fettes Equalities Society encourages open dialogue amongst pupils, while cultivating skills to empower students now and in the future. Recent introductions to the curriculum include Girls on Board (empowering young women) and the Great Men Initiative (masculinity in the modern world).

PSE weeks: These whole-school, pupil-led termly events address current issues and recognise what students need. Recent themes have included Curiosity & Kindness; Love Your Mind and Failure & Resilience. They also feature a nutritional and physical health element, alongside messages integrated into daily life. Future-proofing: In our purposebuilt upper-sixth form co-educational boarding house, all of our pupils get involved in specialist sessions, which include motivation, healthy eating on a budget, anxiety and stress-busting. This allows them to experience a greater degree of independence. In a hive of purposeful activity, the whole year group come together with a shared sense of focus, ambition and determination to succeed. fettes.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

PREP SCHOOL OF THE YEAR HANDCROSS PARK

A dynamic leadership programme and innovation in technology and languages ensured this West Sussex school clinched the title

andcross Park is one of the top coeducational day and boarding prep schools in the UK. Set within 52 acres of parkland in West Sussex, Handcross Park is part of the Brighton College family of schools and offers an outstanding education to boys and girls aged from two to 13. It has taken bold steps to future proof the education of its pupils. Its focus on honing the key skills that children will need to thrive in a world that can’t even be imagined today. The judges were particularly impressed by Handcross Park’s newly introduced Leadership Programme. This integral programme forms part

of the pupils weekly curriculum and covers the key areas of: leadership, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation. All pupils in the prep school take part in the programme and each term, pupils take part in leadership tasks and develop a portfolio of evidence. In the Summer term, a residential weekend to the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia is organised for pupils to put all the skills they’ve learned to good use. The focus on technology at Handcross Park is something that really stood out and wowed the judges. Handcross Park has invested heavily in the use of technology to ensure that pupils are digitally literate and ready to embrace

Tech-savvy Handcross Park is a Google Reference School

THE JUDGES CONCLUDED THAT WE WERE deserving winners for our focus on the child, INCLUDING OUR EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR ALL PUPILS. 16

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

technological change. As one of the few Google Reference Schools in the UK, Handcross Park is given access to all the latest innovations in technology. Pupils can often be found wearing their virtual reality headsets and travelling the world in their geography lessons or exploring the inside of the human body in science. Pupils also work collaboratively with other schools around the world via video-linked lessons. This gives pupils a deep understanding of how the world functions in the era of globalisation. To ensure pupils are well prepared for a future as a global citizen, Handcross Park pupils learn Mandarin and Spanish from as young as three years old. As the two most commonly spoken languages in the world, Handcross Park pupils will be well placed to communicate with people around the globe. French and Latin are also available for pupils to learn in the upper years of the school. Handcross Park has recognised that in the future, robots will be able to perform many of the jobs that humans do today. Creativity is something that can’t be outsourced to a machine, so Handcross Park has invested in a new art and design centre. It’s an incredible space for pupils to study everything from art, photography, design, pottery and textiles. With an in-house kiln, a gallery to showcase pupils’ creations and a state-of-the-art DT studio, the creative flair at Handcross Park is on fire. This has resulted in a large number of art scholarships since its opening last year. Academic excellence and innovation are at the very heart of a Handcross Park education. Pupils excel in the core academic subjects, which is evidenced by the high proportion of pupils gaining academic scholarships to senior schools both locally and nationally. handcrossparkschool.co.uk

HANDCROSS PARK

BE TR EWE

HANDCROSS PARK A

B R I G H T O N

C O L L E G E

S C H O O L

PREP SCHOOL OF THE YEAR Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2019

Today at school...

I made a firework #TALESOFHXP

Day and Boys Boys aged aged 22 to to 13 13 Day && Boarding Boarding •• Girls Girls and Bus Surrey and and London London Bus Services Services from from Sussex, Sussex, Surrey Handcross, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6HF

CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR BRADFIELD COLLEGE

From their very first day at the school, pupils are immersed in co-educational life in the classroom, sport and even socially

radfield College is committed to the principle of offering a broad ‘education for life’ of lasting value. Over their school careers children grow into young adults, ready to embark upon the journey of the rest of their lives. For all of our first-year pupils their journey begins in Faulkner’s, our dedicated co-educational boarding house. Faulkner’s provides an opportunity to develop meaningful relationships as pupils do everything as a year group, from the classroom to sports and social events. The transition to senior school can be challenging and it’s this shared experience with 160 peers that helps them.

Through wholehearted curricular and co-curricular engagement, Bradfieldians learn the importance of enjoying learning, of physical and mental wellbeing and of creativity, while developing their powers of inquiry and innovation. Featuring more than 100 clubs, societies and activities, the cocurricular programme provides scope for pupils to lead, take responsibility and build a passion for life. Girls and boys relish the opportunity to compete alongside each other; whether that is part of the mixed doubles tennis team that reached the National Finals or our shooters that saw three girls and three boys represent Great Britain. One of our sixth-form girls has represented the boys’ cricket 1st XI while on the

Students have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with their peers at Bradfield College

THIS AWARD IS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO A WONDERFUL community of teachers and learners in a school WITH A GREAT FAMILY ATMOSPHERE. 18

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

England Women’s Academy Pathway. Through living in a diverse and vibrant community and through outreach activity beyond it they become more open-minded and develop their communication skills. Our pupils are compassionate and in touch with current affairs and global issues. They want to promote gender quality through NESKA, Bradfield’s feminist society; save the environment with Meat-Free Mondays; raise wellbeing issues via Mental Health Awareness Day as part of their IB CAS Project; and help those less fortunate than themselves through football with OSCAR Foundation. The different elements of this education for life are the focus of reflection and feedback through our tutorial system alongside consideration of pupils’ academic progress. The Bradfield Diploma tasks our GCSE pupils with reflecting on their own achievements while pushing them out of their comfort zone with core components including public speaking and community service. In this way, the development of these attributes becomes an explicit goal for our pupils and an intentional part of a Bradfield education, not just a by-product of pupils’ time at the College. Crucially, Bradfield is a happy and unpretentious community, a ‘talking school’ where kindness and generosity of spirit are learned. Many of our sixth formers become peer mentors or digital leaders to help their younger peers negotiate those early boarding years. Bradfield is a community where the values of enthusiasm, empathy and integrity underpin everything we do. When they leave, we hope our pupils do so knowing they’ve enjoyed a remarkable privilege and that they should be a force for good in the wider world. bradfieldcollege.org.uk

NORWICH HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AGED 3 TO 18 BEST IN PERFORMING ARTS

Proud to be Independent

Girls’ School of the Year

ST MARY’S CALNE A Leading Independent Boarding & Day School for Girls Aged 11-18

admissions@stmaryscalne.org

01249 857200

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POPPY, YEAR 4. GYMNASTIC, TAP DANCING BALLERINA, GLUTEN-FREE BAKER, CURIOUS SCIENTIST, ASPIRING ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER, HORRIBLE HISTORIES FANATIC, KINGSLEY GIRL.

Visit our website: www.norwichhigh.gdst.net Call us: 01603 453 265 Email us: admissions@nor.gdst.net

INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 3 - 18 AND BOYS 3 - 11 IN ROYAL LEAMINGTON SPA WWW.THEKINGSLEYSCHOOL.CO.UK

Limited places for September 2020 entry

GIRLS’ SCHOOL OF THE YEAR

NORWICH HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS An Inspiring Females Summit, bringing together more than 700 girls from independent and state sectors, sealed this school’s win

orwich High School for Girls believes passionately in putting girls first, driving forward with bold ambitions and creating rich opportunities for young women to find their true strengths. Winning this award is a testament to the hard work of the girls and staff of Norwich High, who are proud to have been at the top of a record number of high-profile entries across the country. We were lauded for our significant developments and initiatives across the whole school, one of which is our pioneering Inspiring Females programme, which has supported well over 3,000 young women from Norfolk

and beyond over the last three years. At the heart of this is the success of our 2019 Inspiring Females Summit, which was our most ambitious event so far, shaped by a dedicated team of young women and staff. More than 700 girls aged 10 to 15 from both the independent and state schools across the country, gathered at Chelsea Football Club for this landmark event, aptly entitled Game Changers. The girls had a dynamic day of keynotes, panel sessions and bespoke and interactive workshops delivered by over 40 high-profile guests from all walks of life. This event was a true reflection of our bold ambition, including parallel events for both prep and senior ages, plus a unique event for Dads and Daughters to close the day.

Norwich High’s Head Girl team holding the award

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY WHO

continue to work with such enthusiasm and passion TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL

EXCEL – THIS AWARD IS FOR YOU!

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

In October, the school became one of only 32 other schools in the UK to receive the Apple Distinguished Schools status for 2019 to 2022. From prep school age to the sixth form, staff have enhanced their digital knowledge to become Apple Teachers, enabling them to work more collaboratively with the girls, and allowing them more freedom to choose activities, to personalise work and to be more creative. Moving from a figurative apple to a real apple, Norwich High has also put outdoor learning at the centre of our rounded education, ranging from launching a wonderful new Heritage Orchard on the site, which is managed by the girls and was home to four Wensleydale rams in the Summer, to conservation work on Mousehold Heath and clearing plastic from local beaches. The prep school has seen significant developments both academically and pastorally. These range from significantly embedding 10 qualities for learning which are clearly displayed in the girls’ books, underpin all lesson planning and are the focus of regular assemblies, to the highly-respected Believing in Butterflies programme where girls are actively encouraged to take care of each other, grow in confidence, and be brave and bold in their decisions and leadership of others. Most recently, the school has also been awarded the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Award, an award only issued to schools or organisations that can demonstrate that they provide high quality education and practice for dyslexic individuals. In addition to all of these initiatives and achievements, the school continues to achieve excellent outcomes for all girls, with its best GCSE results in the last five years and another year of strong Oxbridge offers. norwichhigh.gdst.net

HEALTHY EATING FETTES COLLEGE

A catering team who go the extra mile – and then some – to provide a balanced diet sealed success for the Edinburgh school

chool food needs to be wholesome, flavoursome and fun so, at Fettes our 2,000 daily meals are created with care, crafted to reflect best nutritional practice and embrace pupil opinion. When asked what his Fettes food philosophy was, much-loved Catering Manager Mr Wood explained, that as a home-away-from-home, his team creates meals that reflect what they would cook for their families – healthy, varied and exciting. They adopt a ‘taste it, don’t waste it’ approach where pupils can ask for a sample of a new dish, see if they like it and maybe order it next time. Prep pupils also have their trays checked to confirm good choices; protein, carbohydrates, fibre and five-a-day at each meal. Sitting in class groups alongside their teachers fosters great table manners too, contributing to a healthy, social attitude. Little changes make a huge difference; their daily salad bar is 50 per cent ‘naked’ (no oils, mayo or dressings); one sodium source to reduce salt intake; no cream (only semi-skimmed milk) and fruit juice only at breakfast. Flavour is never compromised as they use lemon, garlic, chilli and fresh herbs to flavour food while cucumber, mint and lemon are added to fresh drinking water. Knowing where food comes from is vital to understanding the global impact of food production so the catering team utilise local Scottish suppliers for dairy, bakery, fruit, veg, fish and meat. All meat can be traced back to a British farm and they work closely with Direct Seafood following their sustainability guide as well as prioritising seasonal fruit and vegetables. Students and staff are highly appreciative of how privileged they are to have incredible food each day but the catering team are never complacent. They highlight their responsibility to

Pupils enjoy a healthy, varied and exciting diet

WINNING THIS AWARD IS A HUGE BOOST FOR THE catering team, who

work tirelessly to ensure our students and staff RECEIVE DELICIOUS AND

NUTRITIOUS FOOD ALL YEAR ROUND.

minimise waste with their ‘waste aware’ weeks collating lunchtime food waste into house-specific food waste bins; the house with the least waste is the winner. The key message to the school is reiterated throughout the year: ‘only take what you can manage’. Health benefits of each dish are clearly labelled High in Omega 3, One of Your Five-a-Day and Lean Protein, so students learn to make balanced choices for the future. Large chalkboard menus show all allergens, and serving staff are briefed on individual needs to subtly assist. Fettes can cater for all major allergens, religious food requirements, vegetarians and vegans. The Head Chef is a member of the Scottish Chef’s Association and has

close links with contract caterers and other independent schools, keeping Fettes on their culinary toes and ahead of the trends. Menus change termly and while favourites remain, the team introduce seasonal dishes. Theme days to coincide with national events such as Roald Dahl Day or Halloween bring added excitement (and the opportunity for the catering staff to dress up!). Student satisfaction is fundamental, and only with their feedback and suggestions can the catering team truly deliver the best meals possible. Food committee meetings with both prep and senior pupils mean we can check that our meals are exceeding pupils’ expectations day after day. fettes.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

BOARDING SCHOOL OF THE YEAR COTHILL HOUSE

The school’s pastoral care and full-boarding community create a unique environment and foster an irrepressible lust for life

othill House’s 26 acres of grounds buzz with over 200 happy boys, all of whom board. The award recognises and celebrates the school’s unique atmosphere and the extensive opportunities on offer at a full-boarding prep school. The boarding and educational opportunities on offer particularly impressed the judges. Living on site, boys can get ‘stuck in’ and study to their full potential. From STEM theme weeks to re-enacting the Battle of Cambrai on the school field, an inspirational curriculum has been designed to foster a true love of learning. The Head meets with every pupil, every week, to discuss their learning and progress. Boys are encouraged to think for themselves, becoming problem solvers and developing skills for life. Weekends at Cothill provide time for everything from playing sports with local clubs to building dens in the woods. Boys are encouraged to have downtime, and free time is spent on their rollerblades, ripsticks, leaping off BMX ramps or improving golf handicaps on the school’s nine-hole course. All boys spend one term at the school’s Château de Sauveterre in France, where they’re immersed in the culture and language of the region and gain an unforgettable life experience. Parents are delighted that most boys come back as fluent French speakers and are surprised to see how much they’ve grown personally from the experience. Cothill is a home from home, functioning as normal seven days a week. This means boys see it as their own environment and – like home – they’re encouraged to make use of facilities, from woodwork to the library every day, discovering and pursuing their individual passions.

The curriculum at Cothill has been designed to inspire a love of learning

THIS AWARD ACKNOWLEDGES OUR EXCEPTIONAL FULL-BOARDING COMMUNITY. WE aim to provide the very best educational experience AND ARE VERY PROUD THIS HAS BEEN RECOGNISED. The boys reside in one of the school’s two boarding houses, with house parents always on hand. Matrons live in the boarding houses and are always ready to support the boys’ needs; from hair-wash nights to finding lost teddies. Duncan, the Headmaster and Maria Bailey, Head of Boarding, live in the Main House and boys seeking weekend downtime are often found watching television in their sitting room. As a close community, every member of staff truly knows every boy so can offer support – be it with study, music practice or just a moment to chat. Staff and boys eat together in the

school’s dining room, and the positive relationships are evident from their chatter and laughter. Boys develop enhanced personal skills, such as teamwork, participation and patience, skills essential to help them thrive in the modern world. Boarding encourages the boys to become more independent, forging stronger friendships and, as a result, they thrive. As one current parent recently stated: “Boarding at Cothill House offers something unique, with a true feeling of free-spiritedness among both teachers and boys: a certain joie de vivre.” cothill.net

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

THE GREEN AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT BURY GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The Manchester school’s wide-ranging campaign involving the whole community ensured its award success in this category

his year, we celebrate 450 years of Bury Grammar School. During this period of celebration and reflection, we look back at what the school has achieved over time and at those who played instrumental roles during this period. There are remarkable stories to tell and people to recognise as we reflect on how our school has grown and evolved throughout its history. Four and a half centuries of education demonstrates that we know a thing or two about sustainability. As we look towards our future, we’re faced with an ever-more uncertain and changing

world. A world that we absolutely want to be part of in another 450 years. Therefore, we made a promise. A promise to commit to a more environmentally sound way of life. A promise that would see us overhaul our school’s infrastructure. A promise, as guardians of such an important institution, to protect our school for generations to come. We sought to understand how addressing our environmental impacts could actively help with the challenges of running a modern school and a large estate. In 2018 an Eco Schools Coordinator was appointed, supported by pupils and staff in volunteering roles. Bury Grammar pupils proudly show off their Green award

THE AWARD HAS GIVEN OUR ECO PROJECTS A REAL BOOST. We’ve

also been approached by other schools

WHO WANT TO LEARN HOW TO PROGRESS THEIR GREEN INITIATIVES. 24

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

Our drive to improve our credentials was not going to be something we imposed on pupils and staff; we were determined to meet our goals through engagement and creativity. In doing that we also knew that we would create a legacy of environmentally conscious pupils, determined to address issues beyond just what we could do in school. Across the estate, we changed how we handled our waste and changed refuse collectors to a local supplier who recycles all of our waste. We sought structural and hardware changes in our physical environment to reduce waste and energy usage. Significant, long-term investments were made in new fuelefficient boilers with integrated building management systems and zoning to improve efficiency. These changes have been expensive but worth it. In addition to this structural and capital investment, embedding ecoawareness within the school through the curriculum and school activities was key. Weekly eco clubs put the children at the heart of the school’s initiatives. It is they who lead the drive to investigate issues within the school, and they play a real part in the decision making and prioritisation around our estate. We made the pupils aware of the impact their choices were having and worked with pupils to eliminate single use plastics in the canteen. As the school took up the challenge to Go Green in the Canteen, we reduced single use plastics by over 250,000 units annually. The canteen is now 100 per cent plastic-bottle free. The school may be steeped in history and tradition; but we’re very much a progressive, innovative and gumptious establishment who wears this green award with pride. burygrammar.com

PERFORMING ARTS DULWICH COLLEGE

Drama and musical performance are the heart and soul of school life here, making the college this category’s deserving winner

PHOTOGRAPHY: NOBBY CLARK

xcellence in drama does not begin with productions, it starts with embedding technique in the classroom, cultivating a lasting appreciation in an audience, nurturing talent and providing opportunities for distinction. An appreciation of all things theatrical is part of the Dulwich College DNA; collaboration and our ensemble ethos was most clearly demonstrated when pupils from our 11 international schools staged Faustus in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London’s Southbank Centre. Inspiration from Dulwich College’s world-renowned Elizabethan theatre archive and Marlowe’s dark tale of damnation gave rise to this spectacular exploration of the deadly sins and historical events in a unique theatrical enterprise. In years seven and eight we’ve created a site-specific work, taking pupils off site to a local community arts space, allowing students to play with performance space, puppetry and audience. Our Dancer-in-Residence has introduced skills way beyond the familiar, resulting in a wonderful physical vocabulary. There’s a rich programme of major productions, small-scale house plays and boys’ original work, allowing actors, directors and audiences of all ages to debate and confront challenging themes on the safest of spaces – the stage. Talented students also continue to reap the benefits of the association with Young Pleasance by performing and working technically at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Our alumni include Oscarnominated, Chewitel Ejiofor, multiaward-winning director Ned Bennett and newcomer Laurie Davidson. We are also proud of our art directors, administrators and designers who contribute so much on wider stage. We want our students to understand the

Performing arts is in the very DNA of Dulwich College

EVERYONE AT DULWICH IS DELIGHTED WITH OUR Performing Arts award;

it has given our community an extra boost,

AND OUR VISITING FAMILIES HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED. opportunities of the arts industries – we celebrate all those who make performance possible. Music is at the very heart of the college life for all the boys. We run a performance and academic programme which will enable any child from DUCKS (Dulwich College Kindergarten and Infants’ School) to year 13 to take their musical interest as far as they wish. All the boys engage with music during each academic year in assemblies and competitions, whether listening to performances given by their peers or visiting artists, or singing music from a range of musical styles. For the particularly musical boys and for those who specialise in music, there’s a rich variety of performance

opportunity (music is present at some 200 occasions in an academic year). Electric and technology based performances to chamber music concerts and singing at St Paul’s Cathedral; from music theatre to a performance of Haydn’s Creation at Southwark Cathedral; from Jazz at the Hideaway (London) and Pizza Express (in London’s Soho), to Founder’s Concert for 3,500 people; regular tours including to Bremen and US; from individual music exams to Oxbridge Awards; engagement with organisations beyond the College, Multi Storey Orchestra, English Touring Opera, the Mark Evison Foundation; music is deeply rooted at Dulwich College. dulwich.org.uk

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

â€˜They [pupils] display a profound sense of awe in the joy of learning and the opportunities that are afforded them across school life. A joy of life permeates the schoolâ€™ ISI Report 2017

CALDICOTT

Excellence in Education Treasuring Tradition | Cherishing Childhood

Independent day and boarding school for boys aged 7 - 13. Daily return bus services to west London and the local area.

OPEN MORNING Saturday 16 May | 1000 - 1200 Book online: www.caldicott.com

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SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT CALDICOTT SCHOOL

This Buckinghamshire school has what it takes to make it to the top of many a sporting league, which is why it won this accolade

e’re still celebrating after being praised by judges for the outstanding sporting provision we provide to boys across all year groups. We beat stiff competition from a variety of independent schools to be named winners in the ISOTY’s Sporting Achievement category last year. This award was keenly contested, and the judges thought we not only showed a commitment to sporting excellence, but also showed many examples of activities that promoted multiple levels of participation in a wide range of sports. Dr Helen Wright, chair of the judging panel, said that we were awarded for ‘their involvement of all pupils at all levels in sport throughout the year’: an accolade that we’re incredibly proud of and a testament to staff who work hard to provide opportunities for all pupils. We’re pleased with our sporting provision, accessibility and success we continue to enjoy. Our aim is to give every boy access to quality coaching, facilities and opportunities to find enjoyment through sport. We continue to achieve stellar results, winning galas, athletics and tennis meets, golf, cricket, football, basketball and rugby competitions. Significantly, we have a long history of boys achieving sports scholarships to some of the country’s most prestigious sporting schools including Wellington, Harrow and Bradfield, to name but a few. However, the sporting programme we’re most proud of is the exciting and meaningful internal competitions for the senior boys who may find themselves in the ‘lower-end teams’. These boys still play in standard school fixtures, but also take part in specially-

Caldicott pupils go on to win sports scholarships to leading senior schools

IN MANY WAYS, THESE PROGRAMMES HAVE ALIGNED THEMSELVES WITH THE spirit of the school, allowing the community TO CELEBRATE SUCCESS AT EVERY LEVEL. tailored contests, which allow the pupils to participate in front of a whole school audience. In rugby, there’s the Caldicott Super Sevens, and in cricket, the Caldicott Premier League. Boys get to perform in their respective teams across a term, with the relevant finals taking place in front of the whole school, complete with coloured kits, loud music, commentary and even fireworks and smoke bombs. This initiative has been a tremendous way to engage the sporting programme with pupils, staff and parents, and a great format to engender a community spirit that supports and promotes sport at all levels. In many ways, these programmes have aligned themselves with the spirit of the school, allowing

the community to celebrate success at every level. Headmaster, Jeremy Banks said, “We’re delighted to have our sporting achievement recognised by this magazine. To be judged Independent School of the Year for Sporting Achievement we’ve had the chance to show how successfully Caldicott staff develop top talent while staying committed to a ‘sport for all’ philosophy, academics and a vibrant arts programme. Winning performances in national competitions, alongside our in-house sports events such as the Caldicott Premier League for cricket, we feel that every boy can enjoy sport as part of a healthy lifestyle, whatever the level.” caldicott.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXPERIENCE MILLFIELD

The ‘Millfield Mix’ reflects the diverse community at this Somerset school, and is integral to its international ethos

ew schools can match the ‘Millfield Mix’. Our diverse community is reflective not only of our global outlook, but of Boss Meyer’s founding vision in 1935 with six Indian princes, which continues to be relevant today. Fundamentally, international pupils shape the landscape of Millfield. While we recognise that they need to make some adjustments to fit into a new school and we help to facilitate that, our international pupils are important as ‘international educators who positively impact on the UK boarding school experience’. We created Emerging Adults sessions in the sixth form to encourage students to consider the

importance of diversity and tolerance in modern society. In these sessions our international pupils have the space to speak about their perceptions on various issues and what is done differently ‘at home’. This kind of dialogue has a profound effect on the experience of our British pupils, who learn about the challenges international pupils face in a new country. Millfield is underpinned by its drive to discover brilliance in everyone and its international character, and winning this award is an endorsement that those founding principles still exist today. Pupils live in 19 boarding houses set in 200 acres of Somerset countryside. As a full boarding school of 950 pupils (75 per cent of the cohort), Millfield is a

Millfield holds two international evenings a year, where pupils mingle while wearing their national dress

MILLFIELD’S INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATES HOW

families all over the world still value a British education. WE’RE THRILLED TO WIN THIS AWARD CATEGORY.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

constant hub of activity 24/7 and offers outstanding education, co-curricular and weekend programmes. International pupils are fully involved in the Millfield way of life. Our cocurricular activities (over 100!) include British Military Fitness, board games, brewing and cooking, but the Outdoor Programme is integral, especially to Nine at Millfield. This takes advantage of our rural Somerset location with caving, climbing, hiking, sailing and campcraft on offer, while developing self-confidence, leadership and teamwork skills. Ten Tors, weekly trips within the south west and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award offer a fantastic way to get immersed in the British terrain. In addition to the support system within year groups and houses, we’ve worked tirelessly to offer excellent pastoral care which ensures pupils quickly settle into boarding life. To maximise integration, international pupils are provided with a ‘buddy’ in their first weeks and can join the International Pupils’ Association. An environment for celebration, support and discussion, the association gives international pupils collective representation and is a terrific way to make friends! Biannual international evenings, as well as frequent meetings, discussions and entertainment celebrate cultural diversity. International Week includes a dinner with music and dance performances, finishing with the ‘catwalk’ of national costumes. Millfield is a truly international community with a rich cultural diversity; over 240 overseas pupils from over 70 nationalities results in a greater understanding of cultural difference. The ‘Millfield Mix’ refers to the diversity that continues to be an integral part of our school’s culture. millfieldschool.com

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR DUBAI COLLEGE

Giving back to those who live in remote poverty in developing countries was a fitting way to mark this school’s 40th anniversary

s Dubai College approached its 40th anniversary on 4 May 2018 we wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. At a time when other leading independent schools of comparable pedigree have been setting up franchise schools overseas to support bursaries back home, we decided to mark our 40th year by establishing our own school overseas but this time sustainably, free of charge and for a local community not just our community. While this endeavour in itself may have been challenging enough ,recent changes in the UAE legislation which have been designed to ensure that all fundraising in the region is genuine, meant that our plans were scuppered. For Dubai-based schools to raise any money they must now partner up with one of the local charities, who then choose how to distribute funds to a variety of causes of their choosing. Reaching the mid-life milestone of 40 felt like the right time to give something back, not just for our own students but that would advance the education of pupils in developing countries. As a school we champion philanthropy as one of our four pillars, along with creativity, sport and academics and wanted to find a way to reinstate our fundraising ability, legally, to allow our community to contribute to causes that were close to their hearts. Taking inspiration from UK independent schools who establish satellite schools overseas, but deviating significantly with a model of our schools being ‘not for profit’, the Headmaster and bursar assembled a board of trustees to set up and govern a charity registered in England and Wales. The Dubai College Foundation #1173243 was formally established on 1 January

The school in Jaisithok, Nepal has over 200 pupils

WE BELIEVE THE JUDGES LIKED THE distinctive model of building schools

for children in some of the world’s most remote regions, WHEN THEY CHOSE TO

MAKE DUBAI COLLEGE THE WINNER OF THIS AWARD. 2017, however, it took over two more years to register the charity with the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, who only granted us permission to raise funds outside the UAE. While many schools raise funds for local and overseas charities, very few schools go the extra mile to establish their own charity whose purpose includes building a series of not-forprofit schools for children living below the line of poverty in some of the world’s most remote regions. We believe that the judges liked this distinguishing model when choosing Dubai College as winner of this category. Teaming up with United World Schools, we built and maintain links with a school in Jaisithok, Nepal.

Typically, fundraisers raise $40,000 to build a school and then after two years they relinquish connection as the school learns to sustain itself. With this in mind, our student-led charity committee – supervised by our Head of Charity, Miss Shah – timetabled an ambitious programme of events to raise in excess of $55,000 to cover the cost of building the school, as well as the annual cost of maintainence, teaching salaries and students’ equipment. The school in Jaisithok has opened with more than 200 pupils and the village’s elders have spoken about the significant impact that it has brought to the region. Previously, some students were walking several hours to school each day. dubaicollege.org

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

CAREERS PROGRAMME

PUTNEY HIGH SCHOOL GDST

Its progressive, forward-thinking programme of initiatives and events prepares students for life beyond school and university

utney High School believes fundamentally in offering an education that is not only academically excellent, but relevant. We furnish girls with the knowledge that all doors are open to them, now and in the future, and equip them with the skills and crucially the mindset, to achieve in whatever they do. Being awarded Careers Programme of the Year is wonderful recognition of this approach. Whether they’re learning to code, exploring robotics or studying a range of modern languages or PPE, Putney High School offers students a grounding for life and preparation for the hybrid career. Involving far more than just a well-resourced careers department,

the school adopts a comprehensive approach to careers. Running from years seven to 13, the programme is structured around specific learning outcomes and the creation of mindsets and behaviours which can adapt to fastchanging 21st century roles. Early inspiration begins in year seven and eight exploring personal strengths and preferences, and links between lifestyle aspirations and career choices. As a girls’ school, developing an understanding of hitherto male dominated fields of work has been important, so placements begin as early as year 10 (Next Tech Girls, Expedia and Vodafone) along with the chance to work with the British Army to explore leadership and creative teamwork. Putney High School’s careers programme starts in year seven

CAREERS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ARE NOT ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES; they are a part of our curriculum, WITH SKILLS BEING EMBEDDED ACROSS EVERY YEAR GROUP AND SUBJECT AREA. 30

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

Offering specialist university and UCAS support has been invaluable, especially for students considering Oxbridge or US university routes. Equally, providing realistic opportunities to explore the workplace in organisations like PWC Siemens and Goldman Sachs, means Insight Days and work experience with everyone from Fin Tech start-ups to GlaxoSmithKline have been extremely popular. Careers advice from recent leavers at regular alumni lunches to our weekly PIE at Lunchtime talks (Putney Ideas Exchange) are more great ways that the school supports students in making well-informed choices from an early stage. But we like to think this award acknowledges a forward-thinking approach which goes a step further. We really champion what we call ‘an entrepreneurial mindset’. It’s about more than setting up a business – although we do that too, of course, through Young Enterprise and with our Entrepreneur in Residence on hand to support Putney’s many business brains. We believe it’s about the ability to problem solve, to work with or lead a team, to show grit and the all-important ‘bounceback-ability’– key skills whether you’re starting or building a company, working for a FTSE 100 firm or simply doing well at university. These are attitudes of mind that are firmly embedded in every aspect of learning at school, both through the curriculum and in our co-curricular activities. It has been exciting to build on these foundations this year through the formation of the West London Schools Entrepreneurship Programme. With other schools, we’ve watched as year 11 worked with industry experts to develop their business skills and put them to good use. putneyhigh.gdst.net

MADE IN PUTNE Y Introducing Misha, a future doctor. Now off to the Dominican Republic on a unique Putney science and travel scholarship. Is there a doctor on the plane? Almost.

CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIAL MOBILITY HIGHGATE SCHOOL

The Chrysalis Partnership Programme has changed lives locally, earning Highgate the top accolade for this category

ighgate works hard to make a difference to the lives of thousands of children across the city and, for the last decade, has channelled this work through their Chrysalis Partnership Programme. Chrysalis is an innovative educational model, enabling pupils in state schools across London to access Highgate’s exceptional teaching and learning. In 2017, as an extension of Chrysalis, Highgate became lead educational sponsor of London Academy of Excellence (LAET) which provides rigorous academic sixth form education in a borough where 52 per cent of young people leave school after the age of 16. Highgate’s academic sponsorship of

LAET is vitally important, since the free sixth form college is situated in Northumberland Park, a ward in the top two per cent of highest deprivation in the country. In the east side of the borough of Haringey, just one per cent of Tottenham’s young people go to Russell Group universities, compared with 18 per cent in west Haringey. The borough is divided along socioeconomic lines with fewer qualifications and lower life expectancies in the east. LAET offers world-class facilities and A-levels prized by universities and employers, while retaining close community links, as pupils have a strong sense of contributing to their local environment. Seconding teachers is the principal

Highgate School seconds members of its exceptional teaching staff to LAET

CHRYSALIS IS AN INNOVATIVE EDUCATION MODEL enabling pupils

in state schools across London to access

HIGHGATE’S EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING. 32

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

way Highgate supports LAET, in addition to governance, since four LAET governors are Highgate governors. Not only does this make LAET’s budget work, it embeds the Highgate experience and academic DNA in the classroom itself. Highgate School provides LAET with the full time equivalent of 6.6 teaching staff in English, geography, chemistry, physics, mathematics, art, design technology and engineering, French, Spanish and learning support. Highgate’s former Head of Art, Marina Nimmo was seconded to set up LAET’s art department. She says: ‘I’ve been teaching for 14 years but creating the department has been the most exciting time of my career. The pupils are flourishing here, and it’s a pleasure to be part of their education.’ Without Highgate’s management, resources and teaching staff’s commitment, LAET would not have become the school it is. Highgate’s vision is for education to be transformative for all children, regardless of their background, and this is being realised through their Chrysalis programme and LAET. Last August, LAET’s first cohort of pupils completed their studies with 70 per cent achieving A*-B in their A-levels. This occasion is another reason why Highgate, and their academic sponsorship of LAET, has been recognised for this award. Headteacher Adam Pettitt explains how fervently the school is dedicated to community and partnership: “Our Chrysalis work is an expression of our desire and drive to make a Highgatestyle education available to any and every child suited to it, and is an expression of our commitment to social justice and social mobility.” highgateschool.org.uk

beyond a school

â€œA down-to-earth, friendly and supportive environment that manages year-on-year to produce among the top results in the countryâ€? Sixth Form pupil, 2020 www.highgateschool.org.uk

BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE YEAR TONBRIDGE

The Kent school clinched the win in this category for its work with the community, as well as its academic and pastoral excellence

his award was a tremendous tribute to the hard work, dedication and commitment of Tonbridge staff and boys. There was recognition for the keen sense of social responsibility we develop in our boys, for our charitable activities and community outreach, and for our record of academic and pastoral excellence. The past year has been truly memorable. We saw the opening of the Barton Science Centre, a world-class facility which has hugely enhanced the academic and intellectual life of the school. This was the largest capital project we’ve ever undertaken, and it was inspirational to witness the transformation of the original science

centre into a 21st century building. The centre places the school at the forefront of teaching and learning in modern science. We became the first UK school to host the Mission Discovery programme, in which NASA astronauts Dr Michael Foale CBE and Dr Steve Swanson helped lead super-curricular experiences. It was wonderful to see many young people from across the Skinners family of schools working together as Tonbridge became an ‘intellectual laboratory’. For the winners, there was a once-in-a-lifetime reward when their experiment was chosen to be placed aboard a NASA spacecraft and flown to the International Space Station: an event taking place in March 2020. The school’s Symphony Orchestra performed all seven separate movements of The Planets suite to a full house

WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON THE RICHNESS OF OPPORTUNITY WE OFFER AND the breadth and depth of the boys’ educational experience. THIS WAS RECOGNISED IN OUR AWARD WIN. 34

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

The Barton Science Centre has a wider role, too, as a hub for teaching and learning in STEM subjects, for research for the wider region, and for use by the community. Our Family Day saw hundreds of young people exploring the centre; our Science for Schools programme sees Tonbridge boys leading fun, inspiring sessions for primary age children. More than 120 students from the UK, Germany and Japan joined us for an international conference, presenting work and discussing topics from robotics to medicine. We saw great success in exam results in 2019 – the GCSE performance was our second best on record – and our academic strength is also illustrated in the quality and range of university offers. But many other areas of school life tell a story too. There was success in competitions including the Aerospace Challenge and Youth Rocketry. Boys won gold medals in Maths and Science Olympiads. Nearly 300 boys took part in the house music competition, while 70 boys in the Symphony Orchestra performed Holst’s The Planets. Over 24,000 hours of volunteering time was given by pupils and staff in the year, while student-led fundraising raised a record £113,000. Our partnership with Child Action Lanka has seen a new Child Development Centre built in Batticaloa. We became the first UK school to install Join The Pipe’s water fountains, which saw the scrapping of single-use plastic bottles. Most importantly, we prefer to look forward and to continue to write new chapters in the Tonbridge story. We have committed over £2.5m to increased bursaries and scholarships, and our mission to make Tonbridge even more widely accessible is a key part of the school’s ethos and future strategy. tonbridge-school.co.uk

Open Days Saturday 2nd May Saturday 6th June

Come and see what makes us Independent Boys’ School of the Year

Open Morning: Saturday 16th May 2020

Boys 13 - 18 · Boarding and Day · 40 minutes by train from London Telephone: 01732 304297 · admissions@tonbridge-school.org @TonbridgeUK

www.tonbridge-school.co.uk

/TonbridgeUK

BRAND COMMUNICATION RUGBY

The school’s Whole Person Whole Point marketing campaign resulted in a prospective-pupil-visit increase of nearly 25 per cent

ugby School’s ethos is the whole person is the whole point (WPWP), a message which came through loud and clear from a lengthy consultation process involving all staff, students and parents With the mantra firmly established and the branding around those key words created and communicated, the marketing team set itself the challenge of proving why and how the WPWP ethos works at Rugby. We were aware our claim was not necessarily unique – many schools say their pupils are treated as individuals, and that each child is important: ‘well rounded’ is an overused phrase for many, but does it really deliver?

When your ethos is honest, and most importantly true, real-time examples of the words in action should be easy to find within the school community. Our WPWP ‘truth’ campaign alongside the development of the Rugby School brand had five key areas: film, website, social media, advertising and internal promotion. Storytelling was an important element of our delivery and the film became the starting point to drive the other four areas from a real blockbuster of an idea. Our aim was to push the boundaries, to strive for something new, brave and ambitious. The result was An Indivisible Whole. A simple idea of using four of our students from different year groups, The marketing campaign involved pupils wearing branded sports kit

WINNING THIS AWARD WAS HUGELY ENCOURAGING FOR US. We believe

promotion of independent-school education should always be inspiring: IT’S ONE OF THE

BIGGEST INVESTMENTS PARENTS MAKE.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

showing all the activities they actually enjoy, but delivered in a dynamic way to really engage the viewer. Complex CGI was used to create the effect of pupils dramatically shattering into shards showing a wide selection of activities voiced over by our head girl. Shards became the focus for our website design with movement being key along with attention to detail, such as click-throughs using the ‘tinkle’ of the crystal shards, while its soundtrack featured on our open-day radio commercials, voiced over by one of our talented drama scholars. An Indivisible Whole has currently achieved more than 80,000 views and since won five national and international industry awards. #wholepersonwholepoint was launched across our social-media sites with posts focusing on the broad range of activities and achievements. Facebook followers increased by 1,000 and Twitter by 900. Our advertising campaign, linked to the movement and drama of pupils ‘shattering’ through the activities which made them their ‘whole person’, was influenced by our design story board. That led to the idea of featuring a shattering design on our first team sports kits. We involved our sports scholars in the creative process and a dynamic new kit advertises the WPWP brand at every first team match we play. The final element of the campaign involved the promotion of the WPWP within the school community. The film inspired us to feature students in huge posters across the campus. Prospective pupil visits to the school during the campaign period increased by 23 per cent, sixth-form enquiries were up by 15 per cent, and our open days were oversubscribed. rugbyschool.co.uk

Nursery | Pre-Prep | Prep eaglehouseschool.com

Open Morning

Saturday 2nd May 2020 10.00am Day & Boarding School in Sandhurst, Berkshire for 3 - 13s

Notting Hill Preparatory School The Thinking School

Co-ed from Reception to Y8 Means tested bursaries offered in Y7 A means tested creative arts bursary offered in Y4

Co-educational boarding & day school: Ages 2–13

BE PART OF THE ADVENTURE!

Start your adventure with us. For admission enquiries please contact the Registrar on 020 7221 0727 or email: admissions@nottinghillprep.com Notting Hill Preparatory School 95 Lancaster Road, W11 1QQ 020 7221 0727

Academic Rigour & the Joy of Childhood

All-round education Outstanding pastoral care Stunning rural location, two hours from London 11+ scholarships available We arrange personal visits and taster days throughout the year. Please do get in touch: Admissions@kings-taunton.co.uk/01823 328204

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FINALIST SCHOOLS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

INDEPENDENT PREP SCHOOL OF THE YEAR HANDCROSS PARK SCHOOL Pupils master skills that ensure they’re prepared for the real world, from languages (Mandarin and Spanish), to leadership, critical thinking and problem solving. Handcross Park is also a Google Reference School, and has invested heavily in ensuring students are digitally literate.

handcrossparkschool.co.uk

NOTTING HILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Marlborough House School

INDEPENDENT PRE-PREP SCHOOL OF THE YEAR CHAPTER HOUSE PREPARATORY SCHOOL This vibrant school tunes into every child, providing a warm, family atmosphere. A radical refurbishment has also allowed for better cohesion with the pre-prep department, with the addition of an outdoor learning area, library and new tech resources.

qe.org EAGLE HOUSE Child-led learning is the focus here, where core subjects are balanced with resilience and teamwork. The Skills for Life initiative saw pupils become passionate photographers, sustainable cooks and environmental wardens, while others enjoyed lessons led by sixth formers at Wellington College.

eaglehouseschool.com PERROTT HILL

perrotthill.com

PORT REGIS PRE-PREP Sharing the same ethos and facilities as the rest of the school, children explore their artistic, musical and physical talents. Pupils benefit from a wonderful outdoor-learning area, plus small class sizes that guarantee individual attention for every child.

portregis.com

MARLBOROUGH HOUSE SCHOOL The pre-prep feeds pupils’ curiosity, instilling an ‘I can’ attitude that stays with them throughout their school career. Youngsters are also encouraged to take risks as part the Children in Charge initiative, in which they develop creative thinking.

marlboroughhouseschool.co.uk

nottinghillprep.com

MYDDELTON COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL This prep school opened two years ago, and aims to equip students to thrive in the 21st century with scholarship, fellowship and resilience. Tablet technology has completely changed the way learning is taught at the college, as children partake in virtual field trips and digital lessons with experts from around the world via Skype.

myddeltoncollege.com

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL Boys achieve academic excellence through an engaging and intellectually vigorous curriculum, excelling in national competitions, concerts, drama productions and art exhibitions. The school also redesigned its enrichment curriculum to incorporate self-care, resilience, altruism and environmental awareness, ensuring that pupils have the mental attitude

Having increased admissions by 360

per cent since 2017, the pre-prep has established relationships with several local groups and charities. Children experience an innovative learning programme, partaking in yoga, floristry and pond conservation, plus Forest School and 3D printing.

Pupils say that NHP actually stands for ‘no happier place’. Offering an inclusive learning environment, plus access to bursaries, the school nurtures hardy attitudes that serve children well, instilling resilience and risk-taking. NHP was also one of the first schools to secure a formal Thinking School status in 2014.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

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and soft skills they need for the future.

ucs.org.uk HIGHFIELD PREP SCHOOL Benefiting from an exceptional community of pupils and staff, the school has an ethos of developing ‘the whole person’. Every dream and idea is valued, and Highfield also donated £34,500 in pupil sponsorship to a primary school in Uganda in 2019.

hlc.org.uk ESMS JUNIOR SCHOOL Pupils benefit from a world-class education at ESMS, where the modern and the traditional are celebrated equally. Split across two sites, children develop in an environment that’s specific to their learning, growing into articulate, self-reliant young people with integrity, grace and respect.

esms.org.uk

CO-EDUCATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR LEWES OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL Pupils here are positive, supportive and motivated by their passions – be it music, sport, drama or academic subjects. In 2018, an impressive 43 per cent of A-level grades attained were A*/A, with 37 per cent of GCSE grades marked 9 to 7.

logs.uk.com

PLYMOUTH COLLEGE With more than 70 activities on offer, the college focuses on developing resilience, integrity and aspiration. Reflectiveness and resourcefulness are equally key, and encouraged through English Speaking Union debates and language competitions.

plymouthcollege.com

BRADFIELD COLLEGE

bradfieldcollege.org.uk

SHREWSBURY SCHOOL True to alumnus Charles Darwin’s legacy, this school is continually evolving. New sports offerings have been established, and the school now has a Head of Futures, who guides children in deciding what’s next.

shrewsbury.org.uk

brightoncollege.org.uk

SOUTH HAMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL Girls here become ‘morally responsible citizens, ready to lead happy, successful lives’ through the Mehr Licht programme, which nurtures skills such as electronic music production, Japanese and sign language. Pupils excel academically, too, with 21 per cent offered Oxbridge places in 2019.

shhs.gdst.net

INDEPENDENT GIRLS’ SCHOOL OF THE YEAR ADCOTE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Pupils learn about the challenges of both the virtual world and the real world. Its CLEAR learning programme, which nurtures leadership and resilience, also sees the girls try their hand at reassembling car engines, operating flight simulators, among other problem-solving activities.

adcoteschool.org.uk

BENENDEN SCHOOL 2019 saw pupils raise £22,000 for charity in the autumn term. The school also gained record-breaking results in the Intermediate Maths Challenge, hosted the Enterprise Challenge, and opened a £19m hall and music school.

benenden.school

ROEDEAN SCHOOL Built on strong female leadership, girls are exposed to high-achieving scientists, artists, explorers and writers as part of International Women’s Day celebrations. 36.4 per cent of pupils leave here to pursue STEM subjects at university, with many others partaking in sport, engineering and the arts.

roedean.co.uk

NORWICH HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS After launching its Inspiring Female programme in 2016, over 2,000 girls have benefitted from connections with VIFs (Very Inspiring Females), who volunteer their time and cover topics like ‘making failure your friend’. The school also hosts STEM conferences and social enterprise days.

norwichhigh.gdst.net

GODOLPHIN AND LATYMER SCHOOL Girls are encouraged to be ‘real-world grounded’, and while their academic credentials are impressive, there’s also a focus on extracurricular pursuits. Pupils shine as Arkwright Engineering Scholars, Ogden Trust Physics Ambassadors, MUN debaters and Amazon HQ app designers.

godolphinandlatymer.com

THE ROYAL MASONIC SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Every pupil is encouraged to follow her passion, be it computer science, textiles, the arts, or sport. From astronomy to mural painting, girls are exposed to an array of extracurricular activities and school trips, too, with excursions to Mexico and Cambodia.

rmsforgirls.org.uk

INDEPENDENT BOYS’ SCHOOL OF THE YEAR NEWCASTLE SCHOOL FOR BOYS The school has seen rapid development in recent years, increasing in pupil numbers and achieving its best ever exam results; one in five A-level grades in 2018 were awarded A*. Individual progress is equally significant here, too, as boys are taught to respect and embrace the school’s core values: community, integrity, resilience, courage, leadership, and empathy.

newcastleschool.co.uk TONBRIDGE SCHOOL Boys have partaken in some outstanding initiatives, racking up over 24,000 hours of volunteering work and raising a record £98,000 for charity. The school also launched its Barton Science Centre in January 2019, where pupils now lead fun, inspiring sessions for local primary schools, and achieved national success in the Weizmann Safe Cracking Tournament, the Aerospace Challenge and Youth Rocketry.

tonbridge-school.co.uk Bradfield College

Kindness and generosity of spirit are embedded in the curriculum at Bradfield. Children are taught to observe and exercise inquiry and innovation, and engage with a wide range of issues – from mental health awareness to gender equality.

BRIGHTON COLLEGE Placing fifth in the DfE’s national rankings in 2019, 99 per cent of A-level students achieved A*/B, while the most common grade at GCSE was 9. The college also runs a community service programme and participates in Brighton Pride each year.

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• Superb 2019 exam results. • 60% achieved an A Grade in both Higher and Advanced Higher. • 63% of leavers go on to study STEM related subjects at University.

Discover Kilgraston School Uncover your true potential. Contact us to arrange a visit admissions@kilgraston.com or call 01738 812 257 Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn, Perth, PH2 9BQ www.kilgraston.com

ST GEORGE’S ASCOT

A life-defining educational experience Scholarships Available www.mountkelly.com/prospectus Mount Kelly | Parkwood Road | Tavistock | PL19 0HZ 01822 813193 admissions@mountkelly.com

Independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11-18

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INDEPENDENT BOARDING SCHOOL OF THE YEAR CRANLEIGH Parents consider pastoral care here to be ‘second to none’. Cranleigh also hosts training programmes around technology and mental health – inspiring a ban on mobile phones – and pupils benefit from a wealth of facilities, from art studios to resurfaced sports pitches.

cranleigh.org

can unwind during breaks or at the end of the day.

bradfieldcollege.org.uk MOUNT KELLY Since returning to full boarding in 2015, Mount Kelly has seen a 45 per cent increase in boarders. The school day was also lengthened to allow for extra sessions for brighter pupils and those who need extra support, while its extracurricular programme introduces students to the likes of martial arts and badminton.

mountkelly.com

COTHILL HOUSE A home from home for over 200 pupils, Cothill House’s three boarding houses offer a welcoming community, where children are supported by dedicated house parents. Teamwork, participation and patience are focal here, and boys get stuck into a variety of pursuits, from STEM-themed weeks and re-enacting historical battles.

cothill.net

ST MARY’S SCHOOL, CAMBRIDGE Full-time, weekly and flexi-boarding is available, with bespoke single rooms for upper-sixth pupils, shared rooms for younger ones, a wellbeing room and vibrant dining area. The gardens offer space for barbecues and sports clubs, with children also able to benefit from leadership programmes.

stmaryscambridge.co.uk

BRADFIELD COLLEGE Boarding pupils are taught to develop meaningful relationships with peers. Living and working spaces here are considered excellent, with cosy common rooms, collaborative study areas, and a dining hall where students Ghyll Royd School

SHIPLAKE COLLEGE The college’s boarding provision delivers ‘the best of both worlds’, allowing children to be independent, while including parents in school activities – from pastoral teen talks to sports competitions. As a result, flexible boarding increased by 111 per cent from 2015 to 2018.

shiplake.org.uk

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR DUBAI COLLEGE To mark its 40th anniversary, the college partnered with United World Schools to establish Jaisithok, a free school in Nepal that educates 150 children across four communities. With many children previously unable to reach the nearest school, it’s hoped that Jaisithok will have a significant impact on this area in the future.

dubaicollege.org BRITISH SCHOOL MUSCAT The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award plays an important role here, broadening students’ lives through service and outdoor education. Children learn skills in first aid and risk assessment, and the results are paramount; GCSE pupils who participated attained, on average, one grade higher than those who didn’t.

britishschoolmuscat.com

SMALL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR WESTBOURNE PREP SCHOOL With a cohort of 71 pupils, this school delivers a personalised education with caring at its heart. Children also partake in wonderful eco initiatives, such as litter collecting on the beach.

ghyllroydschool.co.uk ST IVES SCHOOL HASLEMERE With a close-knit community of 100 pupils, St Ives views itself as ‘a small school with a big heart’. Academic standards are high, yet pupils also explore a wide breadth of experiences, from Forest School to maths festivals.

stiveshaslemere.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH ST PIUS X CATHOLIC PREPARATORY SCHOOL Alongside its Share It! initiative, which supports vulnerable individuals, the school fundraises for the National Autistic Society and a Nepalese school. In 2018, it also donated a defibrillator unit to the local area.

stpiusx.co.uk

HIGHGATE SCHOOL Highgate’s Chrysalis Partnership Programme involves over 50 London schools, comprising enrichment days in science, English and maths. 94 per cent of pupils reported that it ‘fosters a sense of academic community’.

highgateschool.org.uk

GRESHAM’S SCHOOL Gresham’s London Children’s Camp was reborn in 2017 with new facilities. Launched with the Ormiston Academy Trust, the camp sees 54 pupils enjoy a week-long camp, where they partake in sailing, hiking and obstacle courses.

greshams.com

SEDBERGH SCHOOL Initiatives here include fundraising, volunteering, and planting 3,000 trees for the Yorkshire Dales National Trust Millennium Project. Pupils also worked with a charity that helps rehabilitating criminals within a community project.

sedberghschool.org BEDE’S

Bede’s boarding programme supports children in care to raise their educational aspirations. 11 children have since take up places at Bede’s, with leavers going onto first-choice universities or apprenticeships.

bedes.org

westbourneschool.com

GHYLL ROYD SCHOOL The school’s 90 pupils enjoy a mix of the arts, languages and computing, learning cooperation, courtesy and creativity. An advocate of outdoor learning, it also won a Gold Award from the Woodland Trust.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

Where horizons expand and uncover a global outlook... Perthshire’s leading independent day & boarding school for 9-18 year olds

Find out where Strathallan could take you at

www.strathallan.co.uk

Strathallan School, Forgandenny, Perthshire, PH2 9EG | +44 (0) 1738 812 546 | admissions@strathallan.co.uk

Do the thing you think you cannot do.

Our creative STEAM based teaching encourages children to think differently. Downsend is an innovative independent school educating the problem-solvers of the from children Our creative STEAM basedfuture teaching encourages to think differently. Downsend is an innovative independent Our age creative STEAM children to think differently. 2 to 16. based teaching encourages school educating the problem-solvers of the future from Downsend is an innovative independent ageschool 2 to 16. educating the problemSTEAM based teaching encourages children solvers ofOur thecreative future from age 2 to 16. To find outdifferently. more about STEAM and what itSTEAM means forit means for find out more about and what tomore think Downsend isToan independent To find out about STEAM and what itinnovative means for the way your child the way your child learns, join us at one the way childthelearns, join us of atthe one of our schoolyour problem-solvers future from Open of our Open learns, join us ateducating one of our Open Mornings. Mornings throughout October and November at age 2 tothroughout 16. Mornings and November at Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom. To check dates and book your October place, visit www.downsend.co.uk

Leatherhead, Ashtead and Epsom. To check dates and book your place, visit downsend.co.uk To ﬁnd out more about STEAM and what it means for the way your child learns, join us at oneencourages of our Open Our creative STEAM based teaching children think differently. Downsend an innovativeatindependent Mornings to throughout October andisNovember

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Part of the Cognita Schools

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR STUDENT CAREERS PROGRAMME

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT

HIGHGATE SCHOOL

LADY ELEANOR HOLLES

Pupils benefit from expertise via the school’s employability specialist. Working with the LAE Tottenham, initiatives include Q&As, practical workshops and a mentoring programme, where students develop presentation and interview skills.

highgateschool.org.uk

CANFORD SCHOOL Canford’s annual careers symposium unites lower-sixth pupils with 80 parents and alumni from various industries. Students also network via the Canford Global Connect, and practise interview skills with the careers department.

canford.com

PUTNEY HIGH SCHOOL Girls partake in Insight Days with the likes of Barclays and Nomura, and work experience is offered at Vodafone and GlaxoSmithKline. The Entrepreneur and Orator-in-Residence programmes also help pupils to practise real-world skills.

putneyhigh.gdst.net

POCKLINGTON SCHOOL The school’s new Careers and Business Network, alumni and careers curriculum work together to give pupils the knowledge to make informed decisions. Students can also access networking events and a dedicated careers centre.

pocklingtonschool.com HURST COLLEGE

Career sessions here begin during PSHE lessons in the prep school, where children grasp skills in teamwork and leadership. Older pupils later learn through CV-writing workshops and citizenship sessions, with access medicine and dentistry programmes at sixth form.

hppc.co.uk

THE KINGSLEY SCHOOL Pupils access hands-on learning via initiatives like The Tenner Challenge and Young Enterprise. The Futures Fair is where students meet knowledgable professionals from a range of respectable industries, while the Explore with the Experts programme sees them network with visitors from such fields as game design and law.

lehs.org.uk

DOWNSEND SCHOOL Downsend pupils participated in over 1,050 fixtures in 2018. Every child represents the school, as it plays an important role in supporting sporting inclusivity with its local community.

Strathallan School

arts at every age, and pupils get involved with drama, music and dance as soon as they start school. Highlights include a choir tour of the Netherlands, LAMDA classes, and trips to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

downsend.co.uk

STRATHALLAN SCHOOL All younger pupils compete in sport, and 92 per cent of senior students represent Strathallan. The school has excellent facilities, including 153-acre grounds and swimming pool.

eaglehouseschool.com ROEDEAN SCHOOL Roedean is ‘bursting with talent’ in the performing arts, and pupils learn skills in performing, composing and listening. The school boasts topclass facilities, including a theatre and dance studios, with three major productions each year.

strathallan.co.uk

CALDICOTT SCHOOL Caldicott hosts internal competitions that promote all levels of physical activity, engaging pupils, staff and parents with its sporting programme.

roedean.co.uk

caldicott.com

DULWICH COLLEGE

CHELTENHAM COLLEGE

An ‘appreciation for all things theatrical’ is part of the college’s DNA, proven by its 2019 Southbank Centre production of Faustus. There’s a rich programme of plays and pupils’ original work, with the most talented students benefitting from associations with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Over 1,100 pupils partake in sport within 150 teams. The college also has a Talented Athletes Programme for pupils who demonstrate potential.

cheltenhamcollege.org HURST COLLEGE

‘Sporting achievement for all’ is the motto here, and the unique Player Welfare medical provision also allows for recovery time between matches.

dulwich.org.uk ST MARY’S CALNE Girls contribute to school life by supporting Calne Spring Sing at the Calne Music and Arts Festival, plus Musical Theatre Days and the Theatre in Education project. Two girls passed their DipLCM in musical theatre, and in 2018, pupils travelled to Poland for a music tour.

hppc.co.uk

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS CLAYESMORE SCHOOL Performing arts are key at Clayesmore, beginning with music lessons and showcases at pre-prep. Two drama productions are staged annually by the prep school, while senior students partake in 17 productions staged by the Clayesmore Theatre Company.

clayesmore.com EAGLE HOUSE SCHOOL Eagle House encourages performing

stmaryscalne.org CATERHAM PREP SCHOOL The school has combined drama and DT into a theatre arts curriculum, encompassing musical theatre, set and costume design, puppetry, and mask making. Pupils and staff also host a drama festival, which brings together four local schools.

caterhamprepschool.co.uk

thekingsleyschool.co.uk

Every LEH pupil learns the benefits of participating in sport. There are over 23 sports on offer, from yoga to fencing, which give the girls the confidence to achieve their goals.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

currently 24 members of staff who are trained as Mental Health First Aiders. In 2017, pupils were also offered access to a youth counsellor and wellbeing coach, among other experts, and in 2019, a primary mental health worker also joined the school.

sjcr.org.uk

THE KINGSLEY SCHOOL

Highgate School

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIAL MOBILITY

834 children. Millfield is also working with its local authority to provide places for vulnerable young people, and is now striving to raise £30m over the next decade to provide further support.

HIGHGATE SCHOOL

millfieldschool.com

The Chrysalis Partnership Programme has impacted thousands of children across London, enabling pupils in state schools to access Highgate’s excellent facilities. It’s also the lead sponsor of the London Academy of Excellence in Tottenham, which provides a post-16 education for young people, with the first cohort successfully completing their studies in August 2019.

highgateschool.org.uk

IPSWICH HIGH SCHOOL As well as offering bursaries for Year 7 entry, IHS also introduced the Elliston Award, which is a guaranteed 50 per cent Sixth Form scholarship for the brightest state school applicants; 22 children have since received the award. Students also have access to more than 80 enrichment activities, mentoring younger pupils in order to gain vital leadership skills.

ipswichhighschool.co.uk

REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL Alongside its student-run charity committee, which has raised over £4m in bursary support, RGS also invited state-school students to partake in its Oxbridge university entry and careers advice sessions in 2017/18. Its early-admissions programme – run with local primary schools in disadvantaged areas – also enables pupils to progress to RGS without taking an entrance exam.

reigategrammar.org

MILLFIELD SCHOOL The school has been offering transformational bursaries for pupils since 1935, and as of 2018, provided £5.7m in scholarships and bursaries to

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR STUDENT WELLBEING SAINT RONAN’S SCHOOL SRS introduced a new layer of pastoral management, which means each child has three direct members of staff they can go to with any issues. All pupils have access to a confidential ‘I am concerned’ button when they need help, and the school also runs an online mental health programme, which has gained excellent results.

saintronans.co.uk

FETTES COLLEGE The college delivers a rigorous and responsive PSE programme. Making use of guest speakers, charities and alumni, pupils learn about a range of topics, from risk assessment to emotional resilience, and make use of The Hub, a drop-in room where children have someone to talk to and a space to breathe.

fettes.com

ST AUGUSTINE’S PRIORY Pupils benefit from 13 acres and a farm, where they engage in curricular and extracurricular activities. More interesting is the impact that this has had, as a 2019 PASS survey found that those involved in farm life were actually happier and attained higher grades than those who weren’t.

sapriory.com

ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE Pastoral care has always been a core aspect of the college, and there are

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

In 2019, students received ‘wellbeing passports’ with a timetable of activities in which they could ‘switch off’. Each time they completed an activity, they received a stamp in their passports. Alongside this, pupils participated in Safer Internet Week and had a ‘screen-free day’.

thekingsleyschool.co.uk

ST GEORGE’S, ASCOT Following the ethos that pupils here are ‘confident, capable and connected’, the school was recently awarded the Mental Health Kitemark for Boarding Schools from the Carnegie Centre at Leeds Beckett University. Girls are educated about balance and developing healthy relationships with the online world.

stgeorges-ascot.org.uk

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXPERIENCE PLYMOUTH COLLEGE There’s a mutual respect among the 30 nationalities here. Through its global cuisine days, students also learn about a range of delicacies, while the college’s International Evening sees families celebrate different cultures through food and music.

plymouthcollege.com MILLFIELD SCHOOL With more than 240 overseas pupils from 65 nationalities, diversity is an integral part of the culture here. Children within the ‘Millfield Mix’ speak up about their perceptions on various issues, enabling British students to learn about the challenges their peers face when moving to a new country.

millfieldschool.com SEDBERGH SCHOOL International pupils are welcomed with gusto, receiving vocabulary lists and practice papers before they arrive. With over 25 nationalities, pupils share their culture with their peers every Christmas, as the Head Chef prepares dishes from their home countries.

sedberghschool.org

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OF THE YEAR FOR HEALTHY EATING KING’S HALL SCHOOL Pupils enjoy fresh, healthy dishes, with seasonal ingredients sourced from local suppliers. There’s also a zerowaste policy that sees uneaten food converted into renewable energy.

kingshalltaunton.co.uk KILGRASTON SCHOOL The school sources all its food locally and teaches pupils to respect food, cutting its waste by 50 per cent in 2019 and influencing the girls’ eating habits through PSHE.

kilgraston.com FETTES COLLEGE Children here adopt a ‘taste it, don’t waste it’ approach. The college also uses local suppliers, and its Waste Aware weeks ensure that pupils ‘only take what they can manage’.

fettes.com THE KINGSLEY SCHOOL Pupils enjoy a range of healthy options and have adopted Meat-Free Tuesdays. The Hydration Station has made for a brilliant addition, too, especially during the summer months.

thekingsleyschool.co.uk BRADFIELD COLLEGE Pupils play a role in shaping the menus, conscious of how their eating habits impact the environment. They’ve developed a new vegan menu and introduced Meat-Free Mondays.

bradfieldcollege.org.uk

RUGBY SCHOOL

BURGESS HILL GIRLS The school created a Transvision digital advert, which was displayed at Brighton Train Station. It’s also built an inspiring portrait collection of Bold Girls (former pupils), and seen a 71 per cent increase in admissions enquiries.

burgesshillgirls.com THE KINGSLEY SCHOOL

HIGHGATE SCHOOL Kira Rothwell has played netball at school, county and regional levels, and performance netball at national and international levels. In 2019, she was selected for England’s U19s team.

rugbyschool.co.uk PERROTT HILL Thanks to social media, video content and a new website, autumn-term enquiries were the highest in the school’s history. In spring, enquiries were up by 23 per cent from 2018.

highgateschool.org.uk

IPSWICH HIGH SCHOOL Alongside her A-levels, Isabelle Tucker undertook an EPQ, in which she researched the history of shepherds’ huts and built her own full-sized hut, putting in nearly 500 hours of work.

perrotthill.com THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL AT LEEDS To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the school widened its access by creating 10 ‘birthday bursaries’. Other initiatives included a bespoke communications toolkit, plus a film and special events.

gsal.org.uk

THE GREEN AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT PUTNEY HIGH SCHOOL Putney’s Breathe programme tackles local environmental issues, with such initiatives as tree planting, litter picking, and science experiments to develop sustainable products.

putneyhigh.gdst.net

KILGRASTON SCHOOL Pupils recycled plastic bottles to make a greenhouse, and produced a 100-Point Challenge, pin-pointing ways they can make a difference.

kilgraston.com

BURY GRAMMAR SCHOOL

THE MARKETING AWARD FOR EFFECTIVE BRAND COMMUNICATION

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

‘The whole person is the whole point’, is the mantra at Rugby. CGI was used to create a film that focuses on four pupils and their favourite activities, which has so far had 80,000 views.

The school appointed an Eco Schools Coordinator and installed software to monitor energy usage. Eco clubs also see pupils play a part in the decisionmaking around the school.

ipswichhighschool.co.uk

MILLFIELD SCHOOL Yuhka Machino has competed in regional swimming championships, and achieved the highest scores in the country at the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad.

millfieldschool.com

ROEDEAN SCHOOL Speed ice-skater Alex Snowdon is a four-time British Championship gold medallist, and has represented GB at two international competitions.

roedean.co.uk

COTHILL HOUSE Having learnt the violin aged two, Leo Zhu is the youngest associate member of his generation at Royal Schools of Music, achieving an ARSM distinction.

cothill.net

SEDBERGH SCHOOL After a tragic heart attack left him with brain damage, Henry Ackroyd learned how to walk and talk again, achieving seven GCSEs. He hopes to compete in the 2024 Paralympics.

sedberghschool.org

burygrammar.com

TAUNTON SCHOOL The Zero to Landfill campaign sees that all waste produced by the school is recycled. The prep school has an Eco Club, too, which educates pupils about their environmental impact.

tauntonschool.co.uk

In 2018, the school adopted the motto: ‘Be the best version of yourself. Be yourself’. This garnered a hugely positive response, featuring in local press, large-scale media and online, generating a 17k social-media reach.

EATON HOUSE SCHOOLS

thekingsleyschool.co.uk

eatonhouseschools.com

The girls here challenged themselves to go a whole day without electricity. 95 per cent of the school group’s food is now made in-house, and lighting was switched to low-energy bulbs.

Perrott Hill

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

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Book an appointment on 01580 752271 or e-mail emmatv@saintronans.co.uk

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR SEDBERGH

enry Ackroyd joined Sedbergh School in September 2014 as a fantastically dynamic young man with dreams of playing rugby for England. He contributed enormously to life at school, made friends easily, worked hard and settled to boarding life. Just five months later, while out on a school run, Henry suffered a major heart attack. He received CPR for over 45 minutes before being flown to Middlesbrough Hospital; his chances of survival were minimal. And yet, following time in a coma, Henry was starting to show signs of life. Having been in cardiac arrest for so long, Henry suffered serious brain damage as a result of lack of oxygen and

the prognosis for his recovery was poor. As he started his recovery process following major corrective heart surgery, the department for Paediatric Neurology in Leeds thought he would never walk or talk again, let alone read or progress in full-time education, and certainly never play sport again. Henry’s determination to succeed however, has simply blown away all medical predictions. After just one term away from school, Henry reintegrated back in to Sedbergh as a full-time boarder. He worked hard on his recovery and was determined to succeed. Not only did he learn to walk and talk again, he worked his way back in to full time education and secured seven GCSE grades, including

WE’RE DELIGHTED THAT HENRY HAS WON THIS AWARD. His journey to this

point is a testament to his determination;

WE HOPE IT INSPIRES OTHERS FACING ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES. 50

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

an A grade in PE. He has then gone on to complete a full BTEC in Sport and Exercise Science and an EPQ qualification into the effects of brain injury on sportsmen and women. Having been told that he would never walk again, Henry was determined to prove the doctors wrong. Despite serious coordination issues initially, Henry has persevered in his recovery to play competitive sport again for Sedbergh. Just 18 months after his heart attack, Henry stepped out onto the rugby field ready to represent the school and follow his passion. However, his commitment to his physical progression led him to discover athletics and his passion for sprinting. Not only is Henry now a committed athlete at school, he is an aspiring Para-athlete with ambitions for the Paralympics in 2024. He is part of the Para Development Academy based in Sheffield and has represented North England at the UK School Games. On that dreaded day in 2015, Henry’s life had nearly ended. And yet after five years in a boarding education and through his unbelievable commitment to personal development, Henry will leave school as the recipient of the John Angus Leybourne Cup – a Sedbergh award for the most special pupil in the school. The honour and privilege to receive this award will not just be testament to his personal achievements and his promising future as a Para-athlete but as a reminder of his extraordinary journey to prove medical professionals wrong. Henry has achieved this with a humility and grace not found in one so young. We’re incredibly proud of Henry and delighted to see him win the Rising Star award. It has been a pleasure to support him throughout his rehabilitation and we’re thrilled to watch him flourish. sedberghschool.org

PHOTOGRAPHY: LISSGPHOTOGRAPHY

Henry Ackroyd, 19, suffered a near-fatal heart attack while running at school. His recovery is a credit to his character and education