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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT • SENIOR EDITION • AUTUMN 2022

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CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR

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Finding your voice A Putney High sixth former shares how the school’s clubs, societies and speaking events have given girls confidence

Through the lens ACS reveals all about its all-new digital arts International Bacculaureate course

An exam too far A look at the case for rethinking school assessment systems so that student potential is measured by more than grades

Laying strong foundations Three successful schools share an insight into their exceptional curriculum provision

it’s coming home

Philanthropy with the feel-good factor

St John’s College intends to become the UK’s premier school for girls’ football

Service activities and community outreach have been shown to improve wellbeing

Sevenoaks in Kent

elcome to this autumn’s senior school edition of Independent School Parent. Now in its fifth year, our Independent Schools of the Year 2022 Awards campaign – which celebrates the student experience – received a huge number of nominations, so we’re featuring some of the schools in these pages. The winners were announced in October at our first awards event held in London since 2019, and it was a real pleasure to see all of the welldeserving finalists in attendance. If you’d like to find out more about the awards, and the winners, head to: independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk Whitgift School took the prize for community outreach, read about their partnership work on page 51: from collaborations with state primaries to residential training camps, community is at the heart of all that it does. The judges were hugely impressed by the curriculum provision at Eastbourne College, Caterham School and Harrogate Ladies’ College, so we give you a taste of what’s on offer, starting on page 18. If you followed the England Women’s Euros glory in the summer – who didn’t? – find out how St Joseph’s College coaches plan to build the country’s most progressive female football programme on page 24. And finally, head to independentschoolparent.com/win now for your chance to win our competition for a luxury family getaway in Dorset. Good luck and happy reading!

In brief A round-up of the latest school news

Ask the experts

Five steps to thriving

A fresh approach

Caring and sharing

This is growing up

Where do we go now?

Movers and makers

Romney Marsh unplugged

Calendar

Competition

School memories

How can schools reinforce a sense of belonging in their pupils this year? How Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program has impacted Sevenoaks School’s approach to wellbeing An in-depth discussion of the changing face of bursaries, scholarships and fee assistance within independent schools

Whitgift School shares how collaborations have transformed the local community The rise of dedicated sixth form centres within schools, offering older students spaces to study, unwind and socialise An analysis of the various vocational options available to school leavers now Independent school alumni success stories A blissful staycation on the Kent coast Fun winter dates to add to the family diary Win a luxury family weekend in Dorset Dave Channel Director Cherie Cunningham recalls life at Bolton Girls’ Senior Division

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

BIOS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT EDITORIAL Editor Claudia Dudman Sub Editor Laura Sutherland DESIGN Designer Barbara Stanley ADVERTISING Group Sales Director Catherine Chapman Advertisement Manager Harriet Cottrell Account Manager Nicholas Gavigan DIGITAL Group Digital Manager Ben Iskander Email & Digital Creative Manager Jenny Choo Digital Editorial Assistant Amber-Rose Hurst PUBLISHING Executive Chairman Paul Dobson Managing Director James Dobson Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Publisher Caroline Scott EA to Chairman Sophie Easton PUBLISHED BY The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel 020 7349 3700 Fax 020 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT Tel: 020 7429 4000 | Fax: 020 7429 4001 Production All Points Media. Printed in England by William Gibbons. DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent is for parents of children in prep and senior independent schools. The Independent School Parent magazine in prep and senior issues is published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent. com/register © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2022. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in Independent School Parent has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded. Independent School Parent also publishes The Guide to Independent Schools biannually to help you choose the right school. EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Colin Bell, COBIS Alison Fleming, Newton Prep, Battersea Aileen Kane, Boarding Schools’ Association Rachel Kerr, AMCIS David Moncrieff, Chairman Sir Anthony Seldon, Commentator and author Mark Stretton, HMC Ben Vessey, Canford School, Dorset Sue Woodroofe, The Grammar School at Leeds Helen Wright, Educational consultant Peter Young, Marketing/Brand Consultant

COVER: RUGBY SCHOOL, WARWICKSHIRE

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Meet the experts sharing their years of educational experience

COLIN BELL is CEO of COBIS, which works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support staff and governors from high-quality British international schools in more than 80 countries around the world. ALISON FLEMING has been Headmistress at Newton Prep in Battersea since September 2013. Educated at grammar school herself, she started out her impressive teaching career honing her classroom craft in state schools. AILEEN KANE is the Boarding Schools’ Association’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing media, marketing, sponsorship, finance and HR facilities. Aileen is a member of BSA’s senior leadership team. RACHEL KERR is Communications Manager for AMCIS, the association for admissions, marketing and communications in independent schools. Previously, she led

communications for the Girls’ Schools Association and has been director of external relations for a large independent school. DAVID MONCRIEFF is a publisher specialising in education and heritage, having 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. SIR ANTHONY SELDON is a contemporary historian and political author. He’s the Emeritus Professor of the University of Buckingham and was the 13th Master of Wellington College in Berkshire from 2006 to 2015. MARK STRETTON joined the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) as Communications Manager in 2017, bringing with him more than 15 years’ experience in education sector communications. BEN VESSEY joined Canford in 2013 as Headmaster from Christ’s

Hospital, where he was Senior Deputy Head. He’s currently Vice-Chair of the HMC’s Professional Development sub-committee. SUE WOODROOFE has been a Head for 12 years, first at The British School of Brussels, and now at The Grammar School at Leeds. She has a particular interest in the three-to18-years educational journey, as well as the benefits of multicultural and international learning environments for children. DR HELEN WRIGHT 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 all over the world. PETER YOUNG is an independent school governor, as well as Chairman of the Business Marketing Awards.

The Grammar School at Leeds

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

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SCHOOL NEWS

IN BRIEF

WORDS: LAURA SUTHERLAND. PHOTOGRAPHY: MARTA GORCZYNSKA

STUDENT SUCCESSES • EXTRACURRICULAR EXCELLENCE • INSPIRING INITIATIVES • NEW HEADTEACHERS Phe Phe (second from right) celebrates winning bronze alongside her Team GB relay teammates at the World U20 Athletics Championships

Track star with a bronze medal as part of Team GB’s 4 x 400m female relay team, alongside Etty Sisson, Jessica Astill and Yemi Mary John. Phe Phe has one more year left at Dauntsey’s, and will spend the next two terms working with her athletics coach, 1968 Olympic gold-medallist David Hemery, in preparation for next season’s competitions. The school’s Director of Sport, Marcus Olsen, says: “Phe Phe is an exceptionally talented and determined young lady, and I have enjoyed watching her progress during her time at Dauntsey’s. Being able to work with an Olympic champion in David Hemery on a new track here has seen her continue to improve. She’s a modest, humble girl and a great role model for our younger athletes. We’re all extremely proud of her and were delighted to witness her success over this past summer.”

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

Dauntsey’s School, Wiltshire This past summer of athletics has been a fantastic one for sixth former Ophelia (Phe Phe) Pye. At the start of the school holidays, she was selected to be part of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland U18 athletics team competing in the European Championships in Jerusalem. Just taking part wasn’t enough for the 17-year-old athlete though, as she went on to better her personal best in every round, before being crowned European 400m hurdles champion – and setting a new national record time (58.06 seconds) in the process. Following this breakout performance, Phe Phe was selected for Team GB ahead of the World U20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia, where she narrowly missed out on a place in the 400m hurdles final. However, she did finish the summer

SCHOOL NEWS

BEST OF THE REST • Space cadet Bede’s School, Sussex

Upper sixth pupil Ellie Abel was invited to attend the International Astronautical Congress in Paris following her success at the International Space Settlement design competition, held at the Kennedy Space Center.

• To a tee Rydal Penrhos, Conwy

Sixth former Charley Simpson has had an eventful golf season, having placed 13th at the Men’s Welsh Amateur Championship, taking third place at the R&A Home Internationals, and winning the Keegan Bowl at the North Wales U21 Championship.

The seal of ap-prue-val Headington School, Oxfordshire

TV’s most famous bakery judge, Prue Leith, was guest of honour for the school’s new Food and Nutrition Centre’s special opening ceremony. After completing her ribbon-cutting duties, she met some of the girls cooking in the state-of-the-art facilities and enjoyed afternoon tea with sixth formers and staff in the Hive, the school’s Creativity & Innovation Centre. Prue has a longstanding relationship with Headington, as a parent (her daughter Li-Da Kruger is an alumna) and now as the newest member of its governing body.

• Fertile minds Nationwide

Taking GCSE, A-level and IB students beyond the curriculum, The Garden is a new streaming platform where they can watch live and on-demand talks by academic luminaries about natural and social sciences, humanities and arts.

• Trail blazing ACS Hillingdon, London

Latymer’s lionesses

It’s a match!

Brentwood School, Essex

Latymer Upper School, London

King’s Ely, Cambridgeshire

Two CCF Army cadets, Lewis Harknett and Scott Adeyinka, have been awarded the prestigious Army Officer Scholarship securing them a sought-after place at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Recognised as ‘possessing exceptional leadership potential’, both students have secured the opportunity to train as British Army officers, with financial and career support throughout school and university.

The school’s U13 girls’ football team has won the Independents Schools Football Association’s Girls’ Final. Speaking about the team, which is comprised of year seven and eight girls, Director of Sport, Natalie Maclean says: “This is a really strong team. The girls have showed such resilience and determination through the season and I’m absolutely delighted to see them lift this trophy. They deserve it!”

The school’s established Mentor Match programme – which enables sixth formers to join forces with a professional in a field they wish to pursue – has seen a surge in experts joining the scheme. One example is Monika Olanrewaju, an Architectural Designer at award-winning RIBA Chartered Practice, NP Architects, who has supported Gabe Boon in year 12, who plans to study Architecture at university.

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

• Living history High School of Glasgow

Second year pupils won the Western Front Association Malcolm Doolin Memorial Award for their entry, which was a series of videos uncovering the tragic experiences of the school’s former pupils during WWI.

Soldiering on

Sixth formers are starting a world-first further education course: the IB career-related programme in digital arts. Students will build a portfolio while completing modules in animation, 3D modelling, game design and visual effect.

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SCHOOL NEWS

HEADS ON THE MOVE It’s all change for these schools

The new London Park School has appointed Suzie Longstaff as Principal from April 2023.

Winchester College, Hants will welcome Elizabeth Stone as Head in September 2023.

Hoop troop

Bolton School Girls’ Division, Greater Manchester

Tom BeardmoreGray is the new Warden of Bradfield College, Berkshire.

The year nine netball team has won the Masterclass GSA U14 Netball Tournament, which involved 21 teams from across the country. Taking place at Condover Hall, Shrewsbury, the weekend-long event saw an undefeated group stage, before a day of four hard-fought fixtures against difficult opponents. The final, in which the Girls’ Division players were pitted against Godolphin and Latymer School’s top-placed team, saw the Bolton girls cruise to victory with an 18-8 score.

Head of Latymer Upper School, David Goodhew is to join the board of Dukes Education.

Roedean School in East Sussex has announced that Niamh Green will take over as Head.

Harrogate Ladies’ College has appointed John Hamilton as its new Academic Deputy Head.

Levelled up

Take note

Heathfield School, Berkshire

Benenden, Kent

The new purpose-built Cadogan Sixth Form Centre – designed to expand the academic and personal horizons of students – was opened by alumna Davina Motion, who recently married George Cadogan, son of Viscount Chelsea. The cutting-edge space will provide a rich and adaptable learning environment to support Heathfield’s new sixth form programme, which boasts more than 20 A-level subject options and a diverse array of scholarship awards.

At the opening of the new Centenary Hall – an 800-seat multi-use space – Headmistress Samantha Price took the opportunity to stress the importance of a music education, saying that the “government should sit up and address” its underfunding of music in state schools. Forming part of Benenden’s Centenary buildings, the new concert hall joins the Sir David K P Li Music School, more than 20 practice rooms, a tech suite and a 120seat recital hall for smaller performances.

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

COMMENT

FINDING YOUR VOICE It’s never been more important to harness your oratory skills, whether through an in-person debate or online to invoke real-world change, writes Georgie Middlemiss

n 2014, the American political activist, academic, philosopher and author Angela Davis said: “you have to act as if it were possible to radically change the world. And you have to do it all the time.” I think there’s nowhere more important for young people, especially young women, to develop this mindset than in school. For all young people across the world, school should be a safe and unbiased environment; enabling students to challenge their assumptions, formulate opinions, and discover the bounds of their own voice. Just a glance at Putney High School’s bursting co-curricular timetable, spilling over with more than 200 clubs a week, or a walk down the school’s main corridor, packed full of creative boards from different societies and subjects, is a testimony to the plethora of ideas and identities that form the building blocks of the school. From feminist society, Model United Nations and debating to STEM club and school council, to the host of new clubs set up by year 12 just this September, students seize opportunities for collaboration and the sharing of ideas.

one of the organisers of the LGBTQ+ society at Putney High, told me about the importance of “providing safe spaces, to talk about our shared experiences”. To better inform students and teachers about subconscious biases and how to confront them, former student Lakshya collaborated with more than 300 POC Putney students to voice their experiences. Learning when to hand over the microphone to others, and how to actively listen and respond, is just as critical as knowing when to use your own voice. From the Drag Race to the Diversity Catwalk, students play a central role in cultivating and celebrating a diverse culture. Understanding the fundamentals of public speaking is also essential for young people, and is taught from year seven at Putney. Attending debating society, where we discuss topical issues and practise forming and presenting a convincing argument with clarity and confidence, has hugely helped me in developing my oratory skills. This spring, Putney ran a mock courthouse event where Britain was taken to trial for its record on gender equality, human rights, the environment,

Georgie Middlemiss is a year 13 student at Putney High School GDST in West London, and is taking her A-levels next summer

WOMEN ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE USING THEIR VOICES TO INCITE CHANGE, SUCH AS tho e in Iran fighting for freedom of lothing and tho e in the am aigning for the right to an abortion IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, ONE VOICE CAN SPARK A REVOLUTION Opportunities aren’t limited to those who are confident at public speaking: Putney has four different journals that are all entirely student-run, from the A Study in Purple magazine, to STEM, politics, and history journals. When speakers are hosted at the school as part of the Putney Ideas Exchange series, students aren’t afraid to ask difficult questions, whether that means challenging MP Fleur Anderson on her lack of clarity surrounding her plans to deal with the effects of climate change in Putney, or questioning Baroness Dido Harding about the flaws in her test-and-trace programme, to name just two. For me, it’s particularly important to ensure those from marginalised groups are given chances to connect and work together to use their voices to create in-school and real-world change. Penny,

and healthcare. Experts in these areas, such as the ex-CEO of the EHRC, acted as witnesses who the debaters and I then cross-examined. Right now, women across the globe are using their voices to incite change, such as those in Iran fighting for freedom of clothing and those in the US campaigning for the right to an abortion. In the age of social media, one voice can spark a revolution. The environment Putney High cultivates, where students are genuinely expected to challenge and engage, has shaped who I am today and prepared me for the future. From recent campaigns such as Enough is Enough, to movements like Black Lives Matter, in today’s climate there is no more important tool to arm young people with than the ability to use their own voice to enact change. AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

COMMENT

THROUGH THE LENS

Andy Groark explains ACS’s new digital arts course, which combines technical skills and theory with experience in the film and video industry

n 2015, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills predicted that by this year, the digital and creative sector would need an additional 1.2m workers to keep up with the industry’s rapid growth. Now, nearly at the end of 2022, we’re a long way from reaching this target with more than half (55 per cent) of UK workers reporting digital skills shortages in their companies. At the core of this shortage are the issues that creative subjects are often undervalued in school curricula, and that existing creative and digital further education courses don’t adequately prepare students for the workplace. All too often, students leave education with brains crammed with facts and figures, but no practical skills to enable them to apply their knowledge. When we consider that the global film and video industry is expected to have grown by nearly 12 per cent this year, to a value of $273bn, this is an oversight that’s doing young people a massive disservice. At ACS International School Hillingdon, we’ve introduced a world-first digital arts course, in collaboration with key players in the film industry, to directly address this issue and ensure our students are equipped to kick-start exciting careers in the industry. The two-year course is delivered through the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP), and students complete modules in animation, 3D-modelling, game design, visual effects and computer programming; all highly valued workplace skills. Our partnership with the global film industry means that we’re able to access and benefit from collaboration with highly regarded industry specialists, including experts from the neighbouring Pinewood Studios in Slough – the creators of Hollywood films such as the James Bond, Star Wars and Jurassic Park franchises. The Pinewood Studios partnership enables students to participate in a wide range of courses and develop relevant skills, including screenwriting, film production, set design, VFX (visual effects) and animation and costumes and make-up. This also helps young people to understand the scope of potential careers in the industry, that

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

extends far beyond the frontline careers typically associated with film and theatre, to an array of backstage roles where there are skills shortages and, therefore, many opportunities. Digital arts is a hands-on industry, and it’s critical that students hoping to secure jobs in the field are able to gain practical experience of ‘doing the job’ and, in my view, there’s no one better placed to prepare young people for the workplace than the people working in it already. So, our digital arts course blends technical knowledge with theory and practical opportunities, working alongside experts, to build the qualities students need to prosper in a range of 21st-century careers. This, so far, has been the major successes of the digital arts course. Our students have reported first-hand a sense of freedom and independence when operating outside of the classroom and in

Andy Groark is Head of Creative Arts at ACS International School, Hillingdon in West London

IT ISN’T ALL LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION – a lot of hard thinking happens behind the scenes TO ENSURE THIS IS A VALUABLE STEPPING-STONE FOR STUDENTS an innovative, industry learning environment. They’re doing new and exciting things – things they don’t usually get to do in a classroom, as well as being surrounded and educated by inspiring experts who have real-life experience and insider advice to share. However, it isn’t all lights, camera, action – a lot of hard thinking happens behind the scenes to ensure this a valuable stepping-stone for students who have career goals in the industry. And, for those students who aren’t quite sure what career they wish to pursue, but know they enjoy coding, animation, game development and visual effects, and want a rigorous qualification that will open doors for them at some of the best universities in the UK and internationally, it’s a fantastic further education option that prepares students academically, as well as ensuring that they’re career-ready, no matter where they go next.

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all School Wimbledon (HSW), is the only co-educational, allthrough school in Wimbledon. It’s an inclusive, non-selective school for seven to 18 year olds, and its cherished pupils make up a lively community of budding scientists, artists, dancers, authors, musicians and athletes, all sharing a spirit of adventure and a thirst for knowledge. The school’s Headmaster, Mr Andrew Hammond, would be delighted to show you around the school campus, including the nine-acre outdoor site. At Hall School Wimbledon, health and selfworth are championed and teachers look at the ‘whole child’ rather than simply heads on legs. School is the arrivals lounge for life and Hall School Wimbledon believes pupils should be equipped with all the tools they need for life. One component of that is their academic education, but that’s just one component, which is why viewing the whole child is so important. At HSW, staff believe that the

The school’s tailored curriculum empowers pupils to learn independently

right pastoral care and support is critical to pupil success, as this ensures that children are confident in their abilities and have a positive outlook, so can achieve their full potential. As a non-selective school, HSW still maintains a strong emphasis on academia as well as sports and the arts. The school is proud that its exam results continue to improve year on year, and are significantly above the national average. Small class sizes allow teachers and pupils to develop excellent working relationships, and as a school that is always looking towards the future, teaching staff have the ability to adapt the curriculum to enable more opportunities for its young people, based on the demands of a developing world. The HSW curriculum delivers knowledge and skills, while the school’s positive, nurturing culture helps pupils to feel confident and empowered to become independent, lifelong learners. This culture is underpinned by the school’s vision: to deliver a contemporary and inclusive education in a caring environment,

THE HSW CURRICULUM DELIVERS KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, while the school’s positive, nurturing culture HELPS ITS PUPILS TO FEEL CONFIDENT AND EMPOWERED 16

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Outdoor space is in abundance at HSW

empowering all pupils to flourish and become independent learners for life. HSW pupils are encouraged to participate and to enjoy the fun of sport and pupils benefit from exceptional facilities at Oberon Fields, the school’s nine-acre site less than a mile away. Within the site are rugby and football pitches, a cricket square and teaching spaces for outdoor learning, performing arts and cookery. A multi-use court, a new nature trail, orchard, garden allotments and a Forest School area are also being created. HSW is a school that enables outstanding futures through academic success, exciting opportunities and ensuring children know they’re valued. Pupils leave HSW as confident, empowered and globally-minded young people, who are equipped to lead and contribute fully to society. To find out more about Hall School Wimbledon, see hsw.co.uk and organise visits via admissions@hsw.co.uk or by calling 020 8394 6144.

COMMENT

AN EXAM TOO FAR Alistair McConville states the case for re-evaluating the assessment system, and explains what might take its place

ne of the upsides of lockdown was that people became increasingly adept at meeting effectively online. The Rethinking Assessment Organisation (rethinkingassessment.com) was a child of those new possibilities. A group of leading policy makers, independent and state schools, university and union leaders, academics, politicians, parent groups and employers was able to come together virtually to deliberate about the parlous state of assessment and its harmful effects in schools, and begin to develop some solutions. So firstly what’s the problem? Too narrow, horribly inaccurate, dominated by a single mode of assessment: exams; and lots of them. A blunt, outdated and damaging accountability cudgel that’s more about league tables than it is about learning. A source of unnecessarily high stress for an already-anxious generation. This was our shared critique of the system. We think that the government’s mantra that exams are the ‘best and fairest’ means of showing what people know and can do is demonstrably nonsense. The GCSE

Other places around the world are ahead of the game in gathering together a range of such evidence to showcase the full range of young people’s strengths. In Australia, it’s national policy to build towards a holistic-learner profile that paints a fuller picture of a young person. In the US, the Mastery Transcript Consortium is increasingly used for university applications, in which a variety of skills can be showcased alongside raw grades. We’re behind. At Rethinking Assessment, we agree with the Times Education Commission’s finding that an electronic learner profile – a kind of validated LinkedIn for schools – should be part of every child’s entitlement; this would be populated with a richer evidence bank than the list of numbers or letters that is all most people leave school with. We are building a prototype based on this framework which we aim to use in schools as soon as possible to show that a wider range of evidence is not just possible but self-evidently desirable. The King Alfred School is just one of a number of schools that are running pilots to show that it’s possible to meaningfully assess creativity

Alistair McConville is Deputy Head at The King Alfred School in North London

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? TOO NARROW, HORRIBLY INACCURATE, DOMINATED BY A SINGLE MODE OF ASSESSMENT: exams, and lots of them. A blunt, outdated and damaging accountability cudgel THAT’S MORE ABOUT LEAGUE TABLES THAN IT IS ABOUT LEARNING system is set up so that a third of pupils have to fail, and even the body responsible for exam grades accepts that examiners aren’t very good at getting those grades right… One grade in four is wrong at A-level. That’s 25 per cent! This simply isn’t good enough. Surveys of parents show that you’re not satisfied with the exam obsession either, and want something more holistic. It’s easy to criticise. What does Rethinking Assessment think should happen instead? We’re campaigning for a broader range of assessment types. It’s widely acknowledged that we need ways of evidencing not just recall and timed exam technique, but a wider set of skills. Creativity, spoken communication, the ability to work in a team. These are the things that will really help our young people get on in life, but they’re barely acknowledged in the current assessment regime.

and oracy. We’re pulling together schools that are already running their own courses, which are more imaginatively and holistically assessed. There’s an emerging trend for this, particularly in other independent schools; Bedales, St Pauls’ Girls’, St Edward’s, Oxford, King’s High in Warwick, for example. All are breaking away from the GCSE-only monotony. Others are working towards that goal. All of the above assess their courses in ways that go beyond exams. We’re campaigning for significant policy change, and are one of the groups on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Assessment. There are plenty of politicians who share our dissatisfaction. Join us. You can sign up via our website to receive a newsletter about engagement events and there are numerous case studies, too. Another method of assessment is possible. kingalfred.org.uk AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

CURRICULUM

LAYING STRONG

foundations

With curricula that bring together academic rigour, community outreach and an embracing of technological advances, these three schools demonstrate how to prepare students for tomorrow’s world 18

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

CURRICULUM

By instilling an enthusiasm for STEM subjects, schools can ready students for a world full of jobs that don’t exist yet

tellar exam results, academic enrichment programmes designed to inspire pupils to embrace learning new and different subjects, and innovative ways to attract more girls to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) were just some of the examples schools put forward in their nominations for this magazine’s awards campaign, Independent Schools of the Year 2022. Their nominations demonstrated that the tailored curricula taught and received at independent schools are inspiring and firmly focused on opening up their charges’ futures, enabling pupils to start their post-school lives and career pathways armed with as much information, hands-on experience and vocational choice, as possible…

CURRICULUM

A culture of cool kindness Combining a passionate approach to tech education with environmental awareness and committed outreach programmes, Caterham School is encouraging students to build a better world

aterham’s progress across every aspect of school life has ensured that the school is a beacon of educational positivity for not just its pupils, but for young people across the local area. Teaching staff are driving pupils’ achievements and ambitions – while ensuring any perceived or actual barriers between independent and state-maintained schools are dismantled. Progress and positivity for all is the mission. Academic performance is surging ahead. 2021’s record public examination results at Caterham reflect a pandemic year, but success can be assessed in many other ways too, notably in life opportunities secured. All 11 pupils applying for medic, vet and dentistry places secured their place, while four pupils secured degree apprenticeship places with global professional firms. Another four pupils secured places at conservatoires, reflecting the growing strength of performing arts at Caterham. The Academic Enrichment programme has built a culture of cool around learning by embracing tech skills: pupils submitted record numbers of academic short videos, celebrating their favourite topics using social media video skills to huge positive effect, and Caterham also went on to host the UK’s first TEDEx Youth Festival online. The EDGE curriculum ensures pupils have the life skills and knowledge to thrive in a fast-changing world. It has been rolled down from sixth form to start at year seven, is built upon three central elements: learning to learn, entrepreneurial big ideas and practical problem-solving. Caterham hosted its Education Evolution annual global conference on digital learning with Microsoft and the Home Office to support best use of digital in schools. The culture of cool around learning has been boosted by a revamped innovation centre – a ‘common room for

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

tech’ accessible at any time. The centre is home to coding and core digital skills, as well as the flying club, podcasting club, Lego league and the Caterham kit car building club. Respect for the environment is core to everything at Caterham – the school is saving 180 acres of local woodland with pupils taking a hands-on role, led by on-staff woodsmen. The eco club has charge of three beehives and hosts local primary schools and community groups to share their learning. The Partnership Programme is central to pupil experience at the school. Caterham founded the East Surrey Learning Partnership of state-maintained and independent primary and secondary schools. ESLP was chosen by the ISC as the gold standard of partnership work in London and the south-east. It shares resources, learning and opportunity with all young people and local teachers. Three examples of ESLP work include Caterham staff teaching coding skills to local primary teachers; opening the weekly senior medics society and running medicinterview practice to all local secondary pupils in east Surrey; running weekly science and sports lessons for local primaries, and the sixth form running the annual sports programme for a school for children with complex needs.

CURRICULUM

Making the grade Through excellent teaching and strong management, Eastbourne College e ualled and improved on its 8 and CS pass-rate from and 1 and has seen a rise in its A grades at A-level

n its nomination for this magazine’s awards campaign, the Independent Schools of the Year 2022, Eastbourne College shared its outstanding 2021 exam grades. However, it’s the story of the journey to the 2022 results – achieved after the nomination submission, which saw the school clinch a finalist spot – that’s more fascinating. The summer prior had seen super results for the College, thanks to excellent teaching, an early and enthusiastic adoption of technology, which meant pupils and teachers already had the foundations to remote learn successfully during lockdown, and rigorous, determined management. But anyone ‘in the know’ would always question grades that the College awarded themselves. So, teaching staff set themselves the stretching target to maintain for 2022 the A-level A*-B and GCSE 7-9 percentage in the first proper external public exams that these cohorts faced in their lives. This target was not just a throwaway comment made at the start-of-year INSET by Headmaster Tom Lawson. Hardworking SMT colleagues backed it up by working as a coach on the side of each head of department, discussing their grade profiles and setting individual targets for every one of them, which were monitored and discussed at assessment points throughout the year. The College also doubled down on the praise, and the expectations on, the excellent teachers. Pupils worked according to a charter of expectations, with a different target for each half-term to bolster the skills which are the fundaments of good achievement: enthusiasm, resilience, self-discipline etc, (or meta-learning, if you want to use the fancier term.) Tom

Lawson says: “Despite the pressure we put on ourselves to achieve these targets, we continued to work on taking the pressure off the pupils where we could, reassuring them and insisting that they kept to the College’s distinctive all-round and balanced approach to co-curricular, social, and academic life.” The result? Grades under exam conditions which did indeed match the superb grades of the previous two, teacher-assessed years. Indeed, at A-level one in four grades were A*, which exceeded the 2020 figure, and at GCSE nearly half of all grades were 8 or 9, equalling 2021 and improving on 2020. So hard work and aspiration really do pay off. Eastbourne College bucked the sector’s trend by matching or improving on the grades awarded by itself in the previous years, simultaneously validating teachers’ rigour and integrity under pandemic exam arrangements. The College is proud of its teachers, heads of department and management for pulling together to be this superb under pressure.

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

‘Diverse in every way – academically, socially, and intellectually’ - The Good Schools Guide

Scholarships and Bursaries available at 11+ and 16+ Find out more at one of our upcoming open events To book your place, visit www.stdunstans.org.uk or email admissions@stdunstans.org.uk 020 8516 7200 - London, SE6 4TY

CURRICULUM

Dreams are made of this A bespoke programme designed to encourage pupils to seek out careers in STEM is shining a light on girls in science at Harrogate Ladies’ College etting more girls to consider careers in science is the stuff of dreams for head teachers up and down the country, but our school in Yorkshire has come up with an innovative solution to promote STEM within the classroom. Harrogate Ladies’ College has been a pioneer of girls’ education for almost 130 years and its ethos of promoting self-belief and confidence is as strong today as it was in 1893 when the school was founded. Generations of inspirational women with careers as diverse as law and news broadcasting form part of the school’s glittering alumnae all over the world. Now the Principal, Mrs Sylvia Brett is on a personal mission to encourage more girls to consider university courses and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). “There’s still a shocking lack of women in areas such as engineering and technology. If we’re going to really change this, we need to start in schools and empower the next generation of women to make GCSE, A-level and university-subject choices based on their own passions, regardless of gender. This doesn’t mean that all girls will choose STEM subjects of course, and nor should they. My passion is to make sure that they choose what’s right for them, and that they’re surrounded by positive female role models who show them that anything is possible. “In response, the school has come up with a plan: WISE@ HLC (Women in Science and Engineering @ Harrogate Ladies’ College) – which is a programme designed to inspire girls to actively seek out careers in everything from aeronautics to artificial intelligence. “The programme encourages girls to embrace science opportunities, develop critical thinking in science and technology and rewards self-motivation in science subjects. Pupils receive WISE points and awards for engaging in super-curricular activities to take their STEM studies further, and for taking part in STEM related extracurricular

clubs and activities. Sixth form pupils are encouraged to become WISE ambassadors and to inspire younger pupils to choose STEM subjects at GCSE and A-level. “The programme also actively engages with alumnae working in STEM careers, holding special events such as Crime Scene Investigation Day, which brings in forensic experts. It embeds the sheer scope of science within the curriculum by making learning both fun and factual. “As an example of a WISE@HLC programme initiative, the school’s hugely successful astronomy club is open to all year groups and has prompted students to write to NASA about the current energy crisis, take part in astronomy podcasts, and develop personal research projects. It’s wonderful to see this huge level of enthusiasm for one of our WISE@HLC extracurricular clubs, and it’s just one example of how the school’s teachers are breathing life into science subjects and making learning relevant and inspirational for the next generation of women.” It’s clearly paying off with recent leavers going on to study astro physics, chemical engineering, aeronautical engineering and one pupil now following her dream to become a Formula 1 technician. “Our focus is on ensuring girls have the freedom to choose what they want to be and are not being limited in any way by their gender. We all need to play our part collectively in espousing the joy and sheer opportunity of science and technology, and the many paths and opportunities these subjects can offer,” says Mrs Brett. AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

FOOTBALL

It’s coming

HOME

England Youth Coach and Football Pathway Manager at St Joseph’s College in Ipswich, Paige Shorten explains how this summer’s Euros success will spur the school on further in its quest to develop the UK’s best girls’ football programme

he Lionesses’ Euros glory at Wembley this summer has put women’s football firmly in the limelight, spurring a new generation of girls to lace up their boots and get out on the the training pitch. At St Joseph’s, the sport already takes centre stage, with the school’s star female players going on to compete in both league and international competitions. The school has partnered with Ipswich Town FC Women since 2018, establishing itself as a bastion for the girls’ game in the UK. As of this term, I’m St Joseph’s Football Pathway Manager, as it aims to cement its reputation as the premier school for the sport in this country. At St Joseph’s College, we want to lead the charge for women’s football – and have already had huge success, with many former students now playing at the top level of the sport. Along with myself, the girls are taught by former “Tractor Boy” (Ipswich Town’s nickname) and current Colchester United midfielder Cole Skuse, who took up the role of Head Coach this September. The college’s scholarship programme has so far supported and developed several international and first-team Ipswich Town FC Women players through its dual-career partnership.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY/JOSHUA CONNELLY

Women’s football in the UK enjoyed a huge boost this summer when England won the Women’s Euros

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

FOOTBALL

THE COLLEGE’S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME HAS SO FAR supported and developed several international and fir t team IPSWICH TOWN FC WOMEN PLAYERS THROUGH ITS DUAL-CAREER PARTNERSHIP

St Joseph’s ongoing relationship with Ipswich Town FC has made it a bastion of girls’ football

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

FOOTBALL

St Jo’s students Summer Hughes and Sarah Brasero featured live on the BBC during Ipswich’s FA Cup quarter-final match against West Ham in March, alongside former pupils including Maddie Biggs and Anna Grey.

A sporting revolution

I joined the school in 2021 initially as a coach and want to see St Jo’s become the top school in the country for women’s football. St Joseph’s College has had huge success in men’s rugby and I want to see the very same success in women’s and men’s football. We want to see shirts on the wall from all of the different clubs and international squads our girls play for, creating a footballing legacy the girls can look up to. Our ambition is to see our students playing to the very best standard, playing attractive football and for other teams to look forward to playing both our male and female squads. With regards to the female game, the ultimate aim is to have the most progressive female football programme in the country, and I would say we’re not far off achieving that. I’ve been amazed at the growth of the women’s game in recent years – and St Jo’s is at the forefront of developing the very best up-and-coming talent. I was lucky enough to attend the Women’s Euros Final at Wembley and watch the Lionesses make history, inspiring the country with a special group of players and staff. Women’s football is growing fast, and the recent Euros success has really put it firmly in the public eye. And watching the sport develop in the local region has been brilliant. This has permeated through the age groups at St Joseph’s, where our girls are getting into the game at a younger age and developing into rounded players with technical, tactical, social, physical and psychological attributes. We’re now seeing women’s football fixtures on mainstream TV, and vast stadiums packed with fans. The sport is taking off and it’s truly wonderful to see. For us as a college, we want to take the lead in building the women’s game from its grass roots, by building more local partnerships and outreach work to encourage and complement the growth of the sport.

Following the success of boys’ rugby at the school, St Joseph’s College wants to see a similar legacy in football for both sexes

Cole Skuse trains pupils every day, imparting his invaluable experience to both boys and girls

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

FOOTBALL

The scholarship programme has seen many girls go on to first-team and FA Cup success

SEEING FORMER ST JO’S STUDENTS PLAYING FOR

Ipswich Town, in televised games like the West Ham FA Cup arter final, IS SUCH AN INSPIRATION TO THE GIRLS AND

THE LIONESSES’ EUROS GLORY HAS CEMENTED THAT

St Joseph’s College students also receive an excellent education off the pitch

From P.E. to going pro

Students on the Ipswich Town scholarship programme continue to train and play for Town, while receiving a top-quality education both on and off the pitch. Professional football player Cole Skuse is at the school every day, training on and overseeing both the girls and boys’ programmes. He does this while he continues to play as a professional, so he has a wealth of experience and footballing knowledge to share. He has huge, invaluable experience on the pitch – I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the country with such care, desire and high standards to get the best out of our students. Seeing former St Jo’s students playing for Ipswich Town, in televised games like the West Ham FA Cup quarter-final, is such an inspiration to the girls and the Lionesses’ Euros glory has really cemented that. We want our students to build on that success and become role models to other girls coming into the game. We want to be at the forefront of women’s football in English school competitions and sports colleges. We also want to offer coaching and refereeing courses at the school, opening up all aspects of the sport to our students. It would be amazing to see our former students both playing professionally and coaching the next generation of female football players, continuing the sport’s momentum. AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

WHAT WILL YOU

DISCOVER? OPEN EVENT

Open Morning: Sat 11th March - Rishworth Open Morning: Sat 22nd April - Heathfield Prep Rishworth is a vibrant independent, co-educational, boarding and day school set in 140 acres of stunning rural countryside. With its own Preparatory School, Heathfield, it offers a continuous education for children from age 3 to 18. As well as specified Open Day events, we are welcoming families to visit us for pre-booked personal tours conducted at your convenience. To find out more or to book an appointment, please call

Scholarships & Bursaries available

Flexi & Weekly Boarding available

01422 822 217

or email admissions@rishworth-school.co.uk

Visit us at www.rishworth-school.co.uk or call 01422 822 217 Rishworth, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom HX6 4QA. E: admissions@rishworth-school.co.uk

AND

H E AT H F I E L D P R E PA R AT O R Y S C H O O L

View our virtual tour

ADVERTORIAL

CREATIVE CHILDREN THRIVE AT ArtsEd PHOTOGRAPHY: STEVE GREGSON; ROBIN SAVAGE

ArtsEd Day School and Sixth Form’s new Head, Matthew Bulmer, tells us all about life at one of the UK’s most successful schools for the performing arts ArtsEd aims to support each individual pupil’s goals and vocational dreams

Sixth form here offers a conservatoire-style level of drama training

Why ArtsEd? Everyone at ArtsEd spends every day doing what they love, pupils and staff alike, and it resonates throughout the building. For more than 100 years the school has been a leader in arts education and is now consistently the UK’s most academically successful performing artsfocused school. So, it’s not all ‘singing, dancing and drama’? We’re absolutely not a stage school, no. The vocational training here is second to none, and our students are immensely talented in their chosen art form, but our curriculum is broad, with students performing equally well in their academic studies. We have two students currently studying at Oxford University, while another is in Hollywood filming for Disney. We’re here to support every student’s vision for life and their journey towards it. Do you come from a performing background yourself? I studied at Cambridge University and worked with the Footlights and the ADC. I do have experience in acting, producing, and directing however I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a teacher. My most recent role was Director of Performing Arts at Brentwood Independent

Academic learning is just as important as the performing arts

Day School. Before that I taught English and Drama at independent schools in London and on the south coast. What is the value in an independent school education with a strong focus on performing arts? It’s of huge value. Our vocational programme is delivered by committed and creative professionals. Their expertise and enthusiasm instil in our pupils a passion for learning that feeds into every aspect of their education and personal development. Our arts focus helps to nurture those individual young people with enquiring and curious minds. The varied and active curriculum keeps them engaged, and the small class sizes and excellent pastoral care keeps them focused. ArtsEd Sixth Form offers conservatoire drama school-style training at further education level. Our sixth formers are a mixture of highly-driven, motivated young

people looking towards a career in the performing arts and those who simply want performing to be a meaningful part of their education. The extensive curriculum here allows them to explore academic options alongside performance pathways. How do ArtsEd pupils fare in their exam results? Our value-added results are in the top one per cent nationally, something we’re very proud of. It means that our students reach their full academic potential and are more likely to do so here than anywhere else. Our sixth formers achieve outstanding results; BTEC students scoring 100 per cent D* and D, equivalent to 100 per cent A* and A at A-level. Our A-level students achieved 100 per cent A*- C, which is highly impressive. Our students tend to go on to do what they want after their time at ArtsEd, and they do so as happy, fulfilled individuals. Plans for the future? At the moment I’m really enjoying meeting prospective students, parents and guardians and connecting with local schools – that’s a big priority. It’s a pleasure having face-to-face meetings and helping people understand just what ArtsEd can offer to creative children. To find out more, visit artsed.co.uk and follow the school on socials via @ArtsEdSchool AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

WELLBEING

Philanthropy with the

feel-good factor

Matt Godfrey, Deputy Head of Downe House in Berkshire highlights the ways in which service and community outreach activities can benefit students’ wellbeing and mental health 30

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

WELLBEING

Working with primary school pupils encourages older students to develop patience

THERE’S MUCH EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT ONE OF

the mo t effe ti e wa to boo t the elf e teem and onfiden e of young people IS BY GIVING THEM REGULAR AND

MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE A SERVICE

Acts of service in the community provides the opportunity to hone relationship-building skills

me how to build relationships with other older adults – and younger children, of course!” Schools provide all sorts of other ‘service’ programmes, normally for sixth formers. I remember being very moved by how effectively sixth formers at a school in Surrey organised a fabulous, annual sports day for local children with profound learning difficulties. The entire event was organised and hosted by these students with tremendous care, attention and dedication – and they loved every moment; they definitely enjoyed it as much as the guests.

n recent years, most schools have placed the wellbeing of their pupils at the heart of all they do. Different schools take different approaches, but school initiatives often include: training pupils as mental health first-aiders and pastoral mentors; yoga and therapy sessions to reduce stress levels; specialist training in mental health awareness for pastoral staff; remodelling traditional PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) classes as wellbeing lessons; and school buildings designed with break-out zones or innovative wellbeing spaces to help pupils relax. The Covid-19 pandemic had a hugely negative impact on pupils’ and adults’ wellbeing. The ever-increasing prevalence of social media is also exposing more and more young people to negative and harmful content online. As a result, schools are more aware than ever of the need for positive and effective ways to promote wellbeing. However, there’s much evidence to suggest that one of the most effective ways to boost the self-esteem and confidence of young people is by giving them regular and meaningful opportunities to provide a service for their local communities. I recently spoke with a group of sixth form students who visited a local primary school once a week, over a period of one academic year, while they were in year 12. “I loved it,” said one. “It felt healthy to be doing something different, away from my usual routines. The energy and enthusiasm of the primary children was infectious, and they made me laugh!” “Volunteering at a primary school gave me a new perspective,” said another. “I learned from the teachers; they were friendly and helpful to me; I became more confident, and I admired their patience with the children. I think it made me a more understanding person and it taught

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

WELLBEING

INSIDE TO OUTSIDE Why all the best wellbeing programmes start from ‘within’ • Many teenagers report that they are bored by the theoretical side of wellbeing; they prefer hands-on, ‘real’ and practical activities. • There’s evidence that students have a greater sense of wellbeing and self-worth when they’re compelled to consider the point of view and welfare of other people, rather than their own.

Organising sports days for local primary schools is a great exercise in team-building

ANOTHER FORM OF COMMUNITY SERVICE IS

when individual students – again, normally sixth formers – ARE PAIRED WITH A LOCAL, ELDERLY

RESIDENT WHO HAS REQUESTED HELP Another form of community service is when individual students – again, normally sixth formers – are paired with a local, elderly resident who has requested help of some kind. These requests are usually prompted by a letter from the local school asking if they would benefit from assistance – some help in the garden, maybe, or a trip to the local shop on their behalf, or perhaps simply some conversation. I participated in such a programme myself when I was a teenager. One of my sixth form friends and I were allocated to an elderly villager named Freda, and we visited her for one hour each week. Freda normally asked us to do jobs for her in the garden, and she always rewarded us with cake before we left. These days such activities require close regulation and bureaucracy, but they can, and do, still happen. It was a highly rewarding, enjoyable and transformational experience for me. It gave me a sense of independence and responsibility; furthermore, Freda enjoyed my visits and that enhanced my sense of self-worth, too. Sir Anthony Seldon pioneered wellbeing lessons at Wellington College in 2006 when he was Headmaster there. At first, he was heavily criticised for “infantilising” young people. However, as his programme expanded and incorporated practical activities, he showed that wellbeing can “develop the capacity in young people to cope and manage their lives proactively; to nurture good character traits and resilience skills”.

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Service activities in the community help foster confidence and resilience in students

• Many ‘philanthropic’ activities such as litter picking and organising a sports day for local primary schools provide excellent opportunities for team building. They also provide a distinctive ‘feel-good factor’ as they involve lots of people and there is a positive outcome. • Service-related activities often prove to be very effective at helping students in other areas of their lives; for example, they report how they concentrate better in class and feel increased levels of self-esteem because they’ve taken some time out of their usual routine and away from their usual day-today anxieties.

E N LI

N O E

E R F

Independent School Virtual Open Days www.independentschoolopendays.com

l The essential online guide for open days from leading independent schools all in one place. l Gain access to virtual tours, webinars, events and many more! l The open day calendar splits the open days by month. l View interactive school maps as well as take virtual tours. l Search by month, name, location. l Find online open days from leading independent schools all in one place.

www.independentschoolopendays.com

EXPERT ADVICE

Badminton School’s positive peer culture fosters confidence and a sense of belonging in pupils of all ages and year groups

ASK THE EXPERTS

Post-pandemic, how can schools reinforce a sense of fun and belonging in their students again? We ask seven educationalists for their advice... 34

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

EXPERT ADVICE

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, we focus on this sense of belonging and fun with induction events DESIGNED TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO LEARN WHAT WE VALUE IN OUR CULTURE – THEY GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

OUR EXPERTS Stuart Dalley

BADMINTON SCHOOL

Richard Backhouse

BERKHAMSTED SCHOOLS

John Green

SEAFORD COLLEGE

Antonia Geldeard

SYDENHAM HIGH SCHOOL GDST

John Waszek

RYDAL PENRHOS

Emma McKendrick DOWNE HOUSE

Gus Lock

HABS’ BOYS

Stuart Dalley, Badminton School, Bristol

Richard Backhouse, Berkhamsted Schools Group, Herts

How strongly a pupil feels that they belong at our school will shape their life in a broader sense. We find that students with a strong sense of school belonging really value learning and are highly motivated. We encourage positive relationships with teachers and non-academic staff. We’ve created a positive peer culture through, for example, the ‘buddy bench’ in the junior school playground and a mentor scheme where sixth formers form friendships with pupils in lower year groups. This has proven to have an enormous positive effect on younger pupils’ sense of belonging and confidence. The expectations of behaviour also encourage a sense of belonging, and they’re as important as social and emotional skills, all of which are taught in academic and extracurricular activities. We don’t forget the parents in this: when they value education and respect the school culture, they’re more likely to have a child with a sense of school belonging. Parents are invited to many school events, such as the annual House Supper, which is also attended by pupils and teachers.

We are (collectively and collaboratively) finding a new normal, which includes the best of the old and the best of the new. Last year we tiptoed back into large-scale gatherings, and held the largest Prize Day in the school’s history; we went back to face-to-face teaching and retained much of our digital innovation; we returned to the exam hall and renewed our commitments to a breadth of education which had been difficult for two years. At the heart of our identity is a commitment to the ‘both/and’ of education: both high levels of ambition and excellence and a breadth of adventure and endeavour. As a community, not just a school, we particularly enjoyed the interaction and interdependence of parents, pupils and staff. The events where parts of the community interact more fully than is possible in dayto-day life have assumed much greater importance, and many of them are being led by pupils.

Berkhamsted School has returned offering a breadth of education that had been difficult during the lockdowns

John Green, Seaford College, West Sussex

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

Seaford’s philosophy is ‘love to learn’ and the word ‘love’ reflects the pastoral support, warmth and friendliness of our community. Our culture focuses on the individual and life at Seaford is about achieving your personal best; this ethos gives our students a sense of belonging and allows them to have the confidence to achieve both inside and outside the classroom. At the beginning of the year, we focus on this sense of belonging and fun with induction events designed to allow students to learn what we value in our culture – they get to know each other and have fun. Feeling heard is essential to feeling you belong. We have student councils (including sport, eco-councils, boarding councils and charity councils). Students’ ideas and suggestions are actioned, recent examples include a request for a new Dungeons & Dragons club, while a request for enriched personal development experiences has led to wellbeing workshops on nutrition, breathing

EXPERT ADVICE

Seaford College makes listening to pupil suggestions a priority, leading to a packed social timetable of clubs, house competitions and whole-school events

AT SYDENHAM HIGH SCHOOL, we

recognise that our sense of purpose and pride is ENHANCED BY ACTIVELY

PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITY

and yoga, as well as make-up and how to dress for working in business. Our house competitions include music and sports events, as well as a Bake Off, giving students a sense of camaraderie as well as being fun. Students love trips to the theatre, trips that are relevant to their academic subjects and our boarders enjoy fun activities; pumpkin carving, Christmas-house decorating, making biscuits for the Christmas tree, as well as regular trips to the cinema.

John Waszek, Rydal Penrhos, Conwy Making the transition back into school activities after so much disruption over the last two years has been a huge challenge faced by teachers and pupils alike. I’m proud of the way our teaching staff at Rydal Penrhos approached this issue, focusing on the individual and ensuring that short and long-term goals were met academically, socially, and through various extracurricular activities. Having a sense of belonging has formed a key component of this at Rydal Penrhos. House spirit is back in full swing and allowing pupils to take the lead in organising events, as well as having a say in school matters daily, further enhanced this at the best possible time. For our pupils to thrive, it must be a collective approach. Easing parent concerns while focusing on the wellbeing of each child

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Rydal Penrhos students have rediscovered their sense of belonging through striving to achieve academic, social and extracurricular goals

under our care, coupled with an instant return to routine, has been the making of everyone. And it’s been truly wonderful to witness.

Antonia Geldeard, Sydenham High School GDST Playing a meaningful role in a community is a great source of personal happiness and wellbeing. At Sydenham High School, we recognise that our sense of purpose and pride is enhanced by actively participating in our

community, and caring about the welfare of other staff and pupils. Our girls and staff give back and get involved – volunteering at care homes, at our Phab Club (enabling disabled and non-disabled people to get together), through outreach programmes at primary schools, and within our lively house events, where sixth formers enjoy mentoring and connecting with our younger girls. Our biannual Body, Mind and Soul days provide great rejuvenation and learning

EXPERT ADVICE

through fun, with enriching activities for all, such as stage combat, creative photography, cookery, Python coding, dance, yoga and much more, there’s a tremendous energy and spirit of friendship. Our student voice remains strong, with fortnightly round-table discussions, sharing feedback and working together to bring about change.

Emma McKendrick, Downe House, Berkshire We know our pupils succeed when they’re happy and having fun. We give them the space, time, and confidence for this to happen. The house system is at the core of all we do at Downe. All pupils are welcomed into one of

At Downe House, girls are given space – such as their boarding house common rooms – to encourage fun

our cosy, modern, bright and friendly boarding houses. All of the house staff know that their number-one priority is to ensure that each girl feels fully integrated, accepted, and secure. Each house has dedicated mentors – older girls who mentor and support our younger girls. Teamwork and camaraderie are also built into all house activities. Much of the fun at Downe comes through our house competitions. They’re all unique and terrific fun, but house drama is the most highly anticipated. As far as possible, our girls lead and organise all house activities; this way, they learn to collaborate, organise and lead, and they build happy, precious memories together at the same time.

Gus Lock, Habs’ Boys, Hertfordshire Education, like life, is meant to be rich, varied and fun. We want our young people to grow up with interests and enthusiasm, deriving joy from the wonderful ideas and creations of others, past and present. From art scholarships and music schemes, to playing instruments and performing to audiences, our young people need and deserve the freedom to express themselves if they’re to enrich their lives for the better. Creativity is the future. Our society, economy, and planet need curious and creative minds to imagine and develop solutions to problems. We need to inspire young people to conjure up fresh ideas and to tell better stories about who we are, what we might become and, ultimately, how to build a better future for our world. Engaging in dramatic performance is a fantastic way for young people to have fun, find their voice and to explore the realms of creativity and expression to communicate and collaborate with their peers on different levels and outside of their comfort zone. Performance itself tends to encourage teamwork and interactions too. Whether it be interwoven with music, dance or even improvisation, these techniques and disciplines are so often made better with others, building skills of communication and mutual respect, knowing that you’re playing your part in a larger, more glorious whole.

Pupils at Habs’ Boys find their voice and a creative confidence through dramatic performances

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

PASTORAL CARE

Five steps to

thriving

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

PASTORAL CARE

hat does it mean to flourish? The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University defines flourishing as ‘complete human wellbeing: a state in which all aspects of a person’s life are good’ (VanderWeele 2017, 8149), including the following five domains: • • • • •

happiness and life satisfaction mental and physical health meaning and purpose character and virtue close social relationships

In 2021, we began a project with researchers from Research Schools International (RSI) and Harvard to discover to what degree our students are flourishing, which research-

Sevenoaks School embarked on a research project with arvard University to discover how young people can ourish in different aspects of their lives. Mark Beverley, Director of nstitute of eaching earning, shares its findings AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

PASTORAL CARE

based practices we already used to support flourishing, and which practices we might implement more often. We collected survey data from students across school years and analysed this data using a mixed-methods approach. Student and teacher research fellows worked alongside RSI to learn about educational research and human flourishing, and to develop their research skills, including learning about survey design and analysis. Many evidence-based activities compiled by Harvard to enhance student flourishing were reported in school. Exercise, use of humour, and volunteering ranked on the higher end, and are regularly encouraged and practised at Sevenoaks. There were also many examples of acts of kindness, inspiring wonder, and healthy sleep and eating being encouraged by teachers. Opportunities to engage with nature, express gratitude, receive social support and practise

THE BENEFITS OF FLOURISHING Evidence-based activities to enhance all-round wellbeing The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard and Research Schools International has curated a collection of activities that research has shown can support students’ flourishing in schools, including: • Exercise • Volunteering • Use of humour • Healthy sleeping and eating • Wonder • Acts of kindness • Connecting with nature • Gratitude • Social activities • Mindfulness At Sevenoaks, exercise, use of humour, and volunteering ranked on the higher end, and are regularly encouraged and practised. There were also many examples of acts of kindness, inspiring wonder, and encouragement of healthy sleep and eating. Opportunities to engage with nature, express gratitude, receive social support and practise mindfulness were ranked lowest in terms of how often students are encouraged to engage in these activities at school, and are areas the school is exploring.

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

mindfulness were, however, ranked lowest in terms of how often students are encouraged to engage in these activities at school. The research findings were shared with our staff, who were invited to reflect on ways that individual teaching practice could attend more explicitly to the above areas for growth. All teachers were asked to propose an activity that would address one of these areas and apply them through their own practice. Some teachers have taken a further step and developed their ideas into action research projects. For example, teachers are undertaking projects focusing on: use of mindfulness activities in lessons; using reflective practices to promote student thinking about the meaning and purpose of education; strategies for supporting students with perfectionist tendencies; and facilitating flow through teaching.

EXERCISE, USE OF HUMOUR, AND VOLUNTEERING ranked on the higher

end, and are regularly encouraged

AND PRACTISED AT SEVENOAKS

Practising music can bring about feelings of fulfilment at school

PASTORAL CARE

Students were given important roles as research fellows during the RSI and Harvard project

CASE STUDY WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FLOURISH? Jen Thomas, a student at Sevenoaks, and one of the research fellows of the flourishing project explains…

Volunteering was one of the higher-ranking activities that supports flourishing at Sevenoaks School

This research has inspired consideration at the most fundamental level of what education is for. As an IB school, we want to understand better how to help students develop meaningfully as happy and healthy people, with a greater awareness of themselves and of others, just as much as they achieve success in academic terms. Detailed consideration of human flourishing has already made a significant difference to the way we understand the practical and ideological implications of this aim. We’re looking forward to implementing further changes in the future.

Finding fulfilment

A particular feature of the project has been to involve students as active participants and research fellows. When asked to reflect on the process, their insight into flourishing in schools, and experience of helping to identify areas for growth, was overwhelmingly positive. One student wrote, ‘The project enabled students across the year groups to undertake research. For many of us, this was the first real research we’d participated in and it taught us valuable skills for designing surveys, filtering data, analysing it and drawing conclusions.’

What does it mean to flourish? How can I truly make myself happy? These are questions I’ve asked myself before, as many have, when I feel that times are tough. I’ve found myself asking these questions more over the last year, wondering what exactly it is that I feel that I’m missing. However, I’m very fortunate to have been able to take part in the Flourishing project. This incredible opportunity truly came at a time in my life when I felt that I was at a loss as to how I could improve my wellbeing. It was then that I was first introduced to the concept of flourishing. I learned that flourishing is less of a tangible, physically attainable state of mind and more of an approach to living life. To flourish is to feel contentment throughout the five different aspects of your life, – happiness and life satisfaction, meaning and purpose, mental and physical health, character and virtue, and positive social relationships (VanderWeele, 2020). To truly flourish isn’t about the temporary pleasure that we tend to label as happiness, but to feel fulfilled in all the different aspects of your life. Working with Harvard researchers on this project has invited me to reflect on what this means in practice, as well as how I can begin to feel more fulfilled in my own life. I would suggest to anyone who wishes to be happier (which I think is everyone!) to take some time to reflect on what it might mean to do so. When you approach your own life with an outlook of flourishing, thinking beyond the momentary pleasure to the longer-term happiness and contentment, it might make a real difference.

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

SCHOOLS WILL OFTEN MEANS-TEST HOUSEHOLDS

to see how much money students could receive towards school fees. THIS COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM FIVE PER CENT TO 100 PER CENT

The scope of scholarships has expanded to include, in the case of some schools, subjects such as photography

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

A fresh approach Lauren Moors, Assistant Principal (Academic) at DLD College London, discusses the increasing amount of fee assistance available, as well as how the scholarship landscape has widened to reflect the range of subjects students excel in

xperience is powerful and many independent schools now have a comprehensive bursary and scholarship programme to support the varying needs of individuals. But don’t stop your exploration as soon as you see the school fees advertised. This isn’t always a deciding factor. The truth is many independent schools are built on charitable status or foundation roots; the very purpose of education is to encourage the prosperity of knowledge. With the residual impact of Covid-19 lingering, and the cost of living crisis at the forefront of minds, the price of an independent school education can seem out of reach. However, it’s worth looking beyond the fees to the opportunities available.

Do your research

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

There’s scope for discovery for all within independent schools, but you must prepare your budget, as well as find the time to do your research. Discovering the right environment that suits your needs as a family requires some thought. The options are out there, but with

more than 2,500 independent schools in the UK, it’s important that you’re willing to look and ask those questions. Be prepared that not all schools are sitting on endless pots of gold. Schools have developed their own challenges after Covid-19, Brexit and the current rise in energy costs. However, more than £1.1bn pounds was invested in bursary and scholarship offers in 2021, (source: Independent Schools Council) emphasising that independent schools want to provide. Many schools separate their bursary and scholarship programmes. Bursaries are designed to offer opportunities and education to those individuals who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford the fees. Schools will often means-test households to see how much money students could receive towards the school’s fees. This can be anywhere from five per cent to 100 per cent, depending on the needs of the family and how much the school can afford to support. This process for some can feel intrusive, as it may require a home visit. Don’t let it, it’s part of the bigger picture. Schools want to help; but they want to make sure it’s fair. It’s also worth speaking to the schools

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Tailored nature

Carl Carl Morris, Morris, Head Head of of Carfax Carfax Tutors Tutors & & Principal Principal of of Carfax Carfax College, College, explains the role of private tuition in admission to higher education explains the role of private tuition in admission to higher education

or many parents, the desire or many parents, the desire to secure the best secondary to secure the best secondary education for their child is to education for their child is to successfully prepare them for the successfully prepare them for the next chapter of their education next chapter of their education journey; higher education. journey; higher education. The tailored nature of private tuition is not The tailored nature of private tuition is not only more personal, it’s also recognised as a only more personal, it’s also recognised as a key support tool for pupils to secure top grades, key support tool for pupils to secure top grades, develop lifelong skills, and gain an advantage develop lifelong skills, and gain an advantage in the ever-competitive application process at in the ever-competitive application process at leading universities. leading universities. According to research published by the According to research published by the Sutton Trust, more than a quarter of secondary Sutton Trust, more than a quarter of secondary school pupils in England and Wales have school pupils in England and Wales have received private tuition, and in London, the received private tuition, and in London, the proportion exceeds 40 per cent. The report proportion exceeds 40 per cent. The report also reveals an upward trend in the proportion also reveals an upward trend in the proportion of students receiving tuition over time, which of students receiving tuition over time, which suggests that this personalised method of suggests that this personalised method of

Personalised Personalised tuition offers tuition offers a multitude a multitude of benefits of benefits

learning is recognised for its learning is recognised for its plethora of benefits. plethora of benefits. Although studies are limited, Although studies are limited, it’s a logical conclusion that the it’s a logical conclusion that the more time and focus spent on more time and focus spent on a subject with an experienced a subject with an experienced tutor, the better equipped they’ll tutor, the better equipped they’ll be for their studies and exams. be for their studies and exams.

But it’s worth remembering that tutoring But it’s worth remembering that tutoring can do more than just boost grades. At Carfax can do more than just boost grades. At Carfax Education, we provide bespoke tuition that Education, we provide bespoke tuition that inspires learning, encourages creativity and inspires learning, encourages creativity and builds confidence, which are all invaluable skills builds confidence, which are all invaluable skills for independent learning in higher education. for independent learning in higher education. Our carefully selected tutors are drawn from Our carefully selected tutors are drawn from Oxbridge and other top-ranking universities, Oxbridge and other top-ranking universities, and act as mentors to help pupils apply their and act as mentors to help pupils apply their interests and strengths to academic subjects interests and strengths to academic subjects beyond the syllabus. beyond the syllabus. Our methodology creates a Our methodology creates a competitive advantage for the competitive advantage for the university application process, university application process, and our destination data shows and our destination data shows that our pupils are twice as likely that our pupils are twice as likely to get an offer, compared to the UK to get an offer, compared to the UK national average. national average. carfax-education.com; carfax-education.com; enquiries@carfax-education.com enquiries@carfax-education.com

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BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Assistance from dedicated teachers and initiatives add value to the scholarship recipient

in your local area. Some, such as Rugby in Warwickshire, offer a discount for residents within a specific catchment area.

Scholarship innovation

skateboarding, Oakham School offers awards in engineering, while DLD considers Esports Honours. Some schools will also combine subjects for specific awards, such as business, politics and maths, or psychology, sports science and biology. This is an approach that is designed to prepare the individual for a university pathway.

The application process

To support their bursary channels, many schools have done one of two things: they either set up hardship funds to specifically help those affected by the impact of Covid-19, or divert traditional scholarships away from financial reward, meaning the fee reduction often sits as a bursary.

As the competition for scholarships has increased, schools have developed programmes that seek to actively unleash potential. Examples include DLD’s Alpha Scholars Programme, or Epsom College’s Scholarship Extension Activities. Rather than just a financial reward, the ideology of the assistance is to add value to the individual throughout their time at school. When speaking with schools, don’t be afraid to ask what an individual can be awarded a scholarship for. Away from the traditional areas of academics, sport, music, drama and art, some schools are also approaching a fresh desire to release distinctive potential. Brighton Girls School has offered a scholarship for

AS THE COMPETITION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS HAS

increased, schools have developed programmes that seek

TO ACTIVELY UNLEASH POTENTIAL. EXAMPLES INCLUDE DLD’S ALPHA SCHOLARS PROGRAMME

DLD offers scholarships where awards can range from five to 50 per cent of tuition fees

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

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I am known: I am more

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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk

INTERVIEWED BY VICTORIA DAVIES JONES, HEAD OF ADMISSIONS AT DLD COLLEGE LONDON

BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

CASE STUDY

HOW I DID IT

Bursary recipient and DLD College London pupil Jasmine Davey, 1 , e plains how she applied for and won an assisted place to study the BTEC she needs to pursue her chosen career path When did you apply for the DLD bursary? The bursary programme at DLD opens at the end of October for entry to the school the following September. I found out about it after attending an open evening, and although I was told you can make an application up to January, I thought it was better to do it early, so I started the process in November.

Jasmine advises researching bursary programmes well ahead of time, as schools like DLD accept applications a year in advance of entry

Can you give a rough timeline of your bursary application process? I had to apply for a regular place at the school as you need to be accepted before you can get a bursary. This

DLD BELONGS TO A GROUP OF SCHOOLS called Alpha Plus, and the application HAD TO GO BEFORE A CHARITABLE BOARD involved an interview and providing reports and exam predictions from my old school. I was so happy when I passed that first hurdle! After that, my mum filled in forms to show evidence of our family finances, like bank statements, salary and savings and there was a section on outgoings to see what her monthly commitments were. The Principal of DLD also had to write supporting my application. Everything was sent off at the start of November. DLD belongs

to a group of schools called Alpha Plus, and the application had to go before a charitable board. I tried not to get my hopes up. I know the fund isn’t unlimited, so I was over the moon when in March, I found out that 100 per cent of my fees were going to be covered. How much did you know about bursaries? I didn’t know the difference between a scholarship and a bursary. I found out that a bursary is for people whose families wouldn’t be able

to afford the school fees without financial assistance. At DLD, It isn’t dependent on academic ability. This gave me the confidence to have a go! Did you apply for bursaries at other schools, or just for the DLD programme? I just applied to DLD because I was specifically looking for a business BTEC course which wasn’t available elsewhere locally. How easy or difficult was it to secure the bursary? It wasn’t difficult, although you do need to do quite a bit of paperwork.

Do you have bursary provision for your entire school life? I do for the two-year programme, as long as I’m committed to my work. I’m expected to make a full contribution to school life: taking part in the school council and co-curricular activities, and so on. I also need to be a role model for other students. For example, I agreed to abide by school rules on key aspects, such as attendance. Which members of staff know that you have a bursary and do the other pupils know? I am not sure who knows. I haven’t talked about it much with my friends and it was never a huge deal for me to make those at school aware of it. All the things on offer were what attracted me to it in the first place. What impact has receiving a bursary had on you? It’s been amazing. I’ve studied a course exactly suited to my learning style, which will get me where I need to go next. I can hardly believe that I’ll be off to university next year. Sometimes, when I walk over Westminster Bridge and see the iconic DLD building before me, I do feel incredibly lucky! Any tips for those hoping to apply for a bursary at their chosen school? Just start asking questions! s

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK THOSE FINANCIAL QUESTIONS: how much am I likely to get discounted off the fees? WHAT ABOUT BOARDING? WHAT’S INCLUDED?

DLD scholarship students will benefit from learning in the very heart of the capital city

When it comes to applying for a scholarship or bursary, the process can take longer than you think: I’d suggest starting the scholarship process at least 12 months in advance. And if it’s a bursary you’re interested in, contact the school’s admissions team 24 months in advance. It’s competitive and you’ll need to find out about it and whether you qualify. Don’t be afraid to ask those financial questions: how much am I likely to get

discounted off the fees? What about boarding? What’s included? – remember that each school’s discount policy differs: some schools offer scholarships whose reward is not just 10 per cent off the base fee, but all those extra costs. These can include transport to school, uniform and school trips. The school will want to make sure you have the full experience of an independent school, not just what you can afford in the classroom.

FIND YOUR NICHE

*SOURCE: WHICHSCHOOLADVISOR.COM

From the academic and creative arts to cricket and skateboarding there are scholarships available for an ever-increasing range of subjects*:

• Malvern College Girls’ cricket • Malvern St James’ Horse-riding • Wellington College & Bedford School Golf • Bradfield College Football • Millfield, Brighton College & Oakham Chess • Brighton College, Winchester College Choral singing

• Brighton Girls Skateboarding, athletics, gymnastics, hockey and netball • Truro School Drama • St Mary’s Cambridge Creative writing • Loretto Piping • Tonbridge, Oakham and Malvern College Design, technology and engineering

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Future proof

When it comes to scholarships and bursaries, the independent school playing field has gradually adapted, taking the best of schools’ traditional values and moving them into a refreshing, democratic future. Schools are now using their bursary and scholarship programmes to find and develop the future’s potential. The key for parents is to not be afraid to ask. This summer, DLD held its graduation ceremony at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster

ADVERTORIAL

Navigating the untravelled worlds of change Antonia Geldeard, Head of Sydenham High School GDST, writes on the importance of supporting students through key moments of transition Students develop confidence through connections

s a parent and a teacher who has been part of a number of key rites of passage in a child’s life, I recognise the significance of “liminal states”; moments where a parent and child stand on a threshold of a new start or transition: beginning school (that wonderful snapshot of the first day), moving to secondary school (and the onset of puberty), choosing GCSEs, selecting A-levels (growing into adulthood), and finding a future pathway. Transitional moments can feel like a boundary between the state of knowing and not knowing but change is transformative and key to ongoing development. We want each of our girls to successfully navigate a period of flux and emerge secure and happy in their new phase: to enjoy coming to school, to feel known and valued within their community and to feel energised and enriched by the change and the new possibilities. The prospect of taking the first steps over a threshold can be more anxiety-inducing than the reality. Encouragement and preparation are key, alongside continued support during the early stages when each child is adapting and connecting. For our 4+ and 11+ entrants at Sydenham High, we are firm believers in plenty of visits, taster and familiarisation sessions, allowing early connections with peers and teachers who build a close rapport to manage transition. From something as simple as giving a child the opportunity to inhabit a new space and create the memory of a

Sydenham High nurtures curiosity from Reception to Year 13

positive experience, embedding a strong sense of a promising future, to our more structured induction programmes which work to develop ‘tool kits’ to help each individual manage their experience, we are committed to devoting the time and attention needed. Communication with home is equally important – even little things can feel big during moments of change. Behind the cries for independence, older teenagers equally need support, sometimes more in fact, as they prepare to make decisions which can be seen as more definitive. Solid foundations are built on dedicated career advice and one-to-one discussions of the academic choices and options for each individual. Taster lessons and research are key for GCSE and A-level, to guard against decisions based around short-lived criteria. An informed choice provides our young women with an increased sense of control over their pathways and furthers self-belief. I believe in the importance of developing flexible and varied skillsets to prepare for the changing world of employment ahead. Our bespoke sixth form enrichment programme includes building professional skills, undertaking voluntary work, as well as academic electives

and EPQs to broaden critical perspectives and prepare students for the transition to higher education or the world beyond, complemented by many developmental opportunities offered through the GDST network to connect pupils with a network of alumnae. In addition to the benefits of educating our girls all the way from aged four to 18, I value ongoing relationships which recognise the character and aspirations of each girl and their development through childhood and adolescence to adulthood at their own pace, able to learn from mistakes and make changes. Committed, regular connections between all the sections of our school see pupils supported through academic and personal journeys by their ‘big sisters’ as well as staff, fostering the inner strength to be bold in their voyage of discovery. Crossing these liminal spaces can be extremely exciting and fill us with a sense of mastery but we recognise that this can also feel unknown and daunting. Like Tennyson’s poetic vision of Ulysses standing on the shore of the untravelled world, and yearning for the “gleaming” opportunity, I see these as moments to be seized but always fully supported.

sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

TRANSITIONAL MOMENTS can feel like a

boundary between the state of knowing and not knowing BUT CHANGE IS TRANSFORMATIVE AND KEY TO ONGOING DEVELOPMENT AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

PARTNERSHIPS

The Whitgift Community Summer School runs enrichment activities, such as art, alongside academic lessons

CARING AND

SHARING

Andy Marlow, Director of Partnerships and Community at Whitgift in South London, writes about the transformational nature of the school’s collaborations with the local community

helping to further strengthen community links and embed new partnerships. None of these would be possible without the strong working relationships and mutual trust which has been built with local headteachers and other community leaders. A local primary school headteacher made the following statement about this relationship: “We’ve developed an excellent partnership with Whitgift, thanks to the commitment they have for supporting others within the local community. As a local primary school, we’ve seen huge benefits for our children through a wide range of initiatives run by the school.”

When school’s out...

In July, the third annual Community Summer School (WCSS) launched. There were stimulating lessons in English, maths, science, philosophy, languages and history, as well as enrichment activities (art, dance, drama, fencing, team building) that helped local girls and boys in year five to become excited by the opportunity education provides. Headteachers of local primary schools selected the most in need of this experience to build academic and social confidence. A total of 25 staff and more than 30 volunteer students ran the programme – working with AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

e were thrilled to have been awarded Independent School of the Year for Community Outreach in this magazine’s awards campaign last month. Ingrained in Whitgift’s DNA is that the school was founded as a ‘gift’ to the people of Croydon 425 years ago. Giving back is a natural and very important concept for the whole school community, especially those who have benefited from a Whitgift education. A programme of initiatives took place last year, built around the concept of giving back, all

PARTNERSHIPS

Whitgift sixth formers act as teaching assistants to pupils from local primary schools as part of the Whitgift Primary Project

Weekend masterclasses are organised to help local year five primary pupils

INGRAINED IN WHITGIFT’S DNA IS THAT

the school was founded as a ‘gift’ to the people of Croydon 425 years ago. GIVING BACK IS A

NATURAL AND VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT

Fun activities from fencing to crazy golf are part of the timetable at WCSS

more than 200 students from 31 local primary schools, offering a fully packed week. It was an exceptionally rewarding experience for all involved. There was a feeling of being part of a wider educational movement in Croydon and of being able to play a small part in inspiring local young people. Funding was raised via school community donations. Using the ImpactEd educational research tool has shown significant impact on pupils who attended over three years. On average, increases were measured in the following characteristics: > metacognition +3.1 per cent and > motivation +3.4 per cent (2022 data). Parents’ feedback on summer school included:

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

• “She had an amazing week and really enjoyed drama and fencing in particular. She came out every day with a smile on her face.” • “Our son was impressed from day one by the level of education and service you provide and now feels very motivated to study well. Thank you so much.” • “Our daughter had a great week. We believe it’s helped build her confidence, which she’ll apply going into future situations in life. She has tried new things and although a little nervous about certain aspects, she’s been proud of her efforts and achievements.”

During term time...

• The 22-year-old Whitgift Primary Project runs throughout the year during term time, welcoming more than 1,000 children annually from primary schools in the local area for a full week of exciting lessons. • Weekend Masterclasses form part of the offering to local year five students, again supported by Whitgift students and staff. • Whitgift sixth formers are involved in weekly

community service activities, supporting local primary schools by acting as teaching assistants and mentors to pupils in their school environment. • In July 2021, Whitgift held a residential training camp for ACE who work with young people of African and Caribbean heritage, they now train weekly on our site. • Our sports facilities and grounds are regularly used by local groups and schools. We’re an area partner for a national charity MCC HUB, bringing cricket to empower young people to reach their full potential and unite communities. • From musical performances for young and old at local care homes or concert halls to sharing our facilities and sports coaching with local groups, we’ve seen first hand the reciprocal benefit of these encounters. Students regularly share stories of lifechanging moments and show a deepened appreciation for the transformational nature of education, expressing how grateful they are to have played a role in making a difference.

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AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

SIXTH FORM

This is

growing up Thalia Thompson looks at the sixth form centre, usually a bespoke building for students who have reached the last two years of their school career and where they learn to prepare for life

he sixth form is made up of two of the most important years in your child’s school career. Students work and play hard, consolidating the skills they’ll need as independent young adults, ready to succeed at university and in the wider world. Independent schools are increasingly offering sophisticated new facilities for these students, with Heathfield School in Berkshire, Queenswood School in Hertfordshire and Taunton School in Somerset being just three of the schools who have recently opened state-of-theart sixth form centres. Being part of a larger whole, these sixth form centres still benefit from all the opportunities for sixth formers to take on leadership responsibilities and act as role models to the lower years. But they also give them a separate identity,

acknowledging their transition from school child to student. They contain sofas and coffee shops for socialising, as well as separate spaces for individual or group study, all with an eye to preparing students for the future. “When we designed these facilities, what students are likely to come across at university and in the workplace was very much in the forefront of our mind,” says Lyndsay White, Assistant Head, Pastoral and Community, at co-educational Taunton School. “So, there are break-out rooms and discussion spaces, rather than just a classroom set-up with 20 desks facing forwards…this is a grown-up work space.” While many parents and pupils prefer single-sex schools, as Philip Britton, the Head of Foundation of the Boy’s and Girl’s Division of Bolton School in Greater Manchester notes, “There are very many great strengths to single-sex

THEY ALSO GIVE THEM A SEPARATE IDENTITY,

THEY CONTAIN SOFAS AND COFFEE SHOPS FOR SOCIALISING, AS WELL AS SEPARATE SPACES FOR STUDY

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

PHOTOGRAPHY: XXX

acknowledging their transition from school child to student.

SIXTH FORM

Queenswood sixth formers now get to enjoy the fully refurbished Bellman Sixth Form Centre, complete with bleachers, study booths and a coffee shop

SIXTH FORM

education. I strongly support how that works in the classroom, but obviously universities are not single sex.” So in a solution he describes as “the best of both worlds”, sixth formers continue to be taught in single-sex lessons, but come together to eat, socialise and study in the two-storey Riley Sixth Form Centre, which connects the two schools.

A taste of freedom

Queenswood School’s sixth form centre has taken this preparation one step further with a flat where all sixth formers, day or boarding can spend a week. “It’s on campus but it’s self contained,” says Deputy Head, Ian Sheldon. “They budget for themselves, they cook, they clean.” There’s culinary advice available from the teacher who runs the Leiths Certificate and budgeting from the Head of Economics, “They get a real sense of responsibilities of what student and adult life is going to be like.” Of course it’s not just about bricks-andmortar facilities. There’s a whole different atmosphere to a sixth form centre. For many schools, this includes uniform rules. Taunton has opted for a smart business dress code and while this may sound like a minor change, it’s actually part of the learning experience. “It’s a huge point for students – they want to make those decisions over what they wear.” says Lyndsay White. “And some of them do get it wrong occasionally. So we’re still having conversations about ‘would you wear that into the workplace?’ But while it might be easier to

Taunton’s brand-new sixth form centre, known as The Guvvy, provides students with a dedicated study and recreational hub

Queenswood’s Bellman Sixth Form Centre offers a number of spaces for individual and group study, as well as spots for socialising with friends

THERE’S A WHOLE DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE TO A SIXTH FORM CENTRE. For many schools, this includes uniform rules. TAUNTON HAS OPTED FOR A SMART BUSINESS DRESS CODE, AND IT’S ACTUALLY PART OF THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE Heathfield School opened its new Cadogan Sixth Form Centre at the start of this school year

The individual study spaces in the Bellman Sixth Form Centre mimic what students will find in university libraries

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

SIXTH FORM

SIXTH FORM CENTRES OFFER A similarly

supportive approach to helping learners develop independent study skills, ENCOURAGING THEM TO

MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES A FRESH START If you’re thinking about changing schools for sixth form, here’s some things to consider

The Old Library has become Taunton’s sixth form centre’s dedicated study space

The sixth form centre’s flat at Queenswood allows students to spend a week learning about budgeting and self-sufficiency

have a specific uniform in sixth form, allowing them to make those choices is preparing them for life after school.”

Fostering independence

Sixth form centres offer a similarly supportive approach to helping learners develop independent study skills, encouraging them to make the right decisions for themselves. “Building independence is an organic process,” says Philip Britton. In the sixth form he uses the analogy of “Still having a safety net but lowering it ever so slightly, so that there’s a little bit of a feeling of a fall if you’re not quite organised, but of course with lots of nurturing and support around that.” Those times which schools call “study

periods” but teenagers refer to as “free periods” are a good example of this. In state sixth form colleges, students usually only have to attend timetabled lessons, but in sixth form centres attached to independent schools, students are invariably required to be on the premises throughout the school day and staff are on hand to supervise where necessary. “We have staff in the Sixth Form Centre all the time, says Ian Sheldon. “We keep a close eye on the students early in the lower sixth, because they’re making that massive transition from having all their time directed to managing their time themselves. And some of them do need a bit more help and support with that. But by the time they’ve spent 18 months in the sixth form, they’re flying.”

• Many students consider moving school for sixth form, looking for different academic or extracurricular opportunities or simply a chance to reinvent themselves. There’s no right or wrong answer, and at this age the decision needs to be a joint one. • It’s worth finding out how many new students typically join a school’s sixth form, to gauge how easy it will be to join established friendship groups. And ask about opportunities for new pupils to take on positions of responsibility, from prefect duties to roles in the school play. If you’re on an open day, ask to speak to pupils who joined at sixth form. • University applications dominate much of the sixth form. Staying with your existing school means you or your child benefits from the advice of tutors who know them well, but you’ll also want a sound track record in the direction your child is taking, whether that’s medical school applications, teaching the International Baccalaureate, A-level courses, or more practically-based BTEC qualifications. • Boarding is a good way to get a taste of living away from home and it’s common for day pupils or flexi-boarders to move to weekly or full boarding by sixth form. Boarding helps get the work-play balance right, with friends on hand to study and relax with (and with the reassurance of clear, nonnegotiable rules about smoking, drugs and alcohol.)

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

ADVERTORIAL

The gold standard Norland’s early years degree is a must for those passionate about pursuing a career with children

Norland nannies come with the royal seal of approval, often employed by royalty and high-profile families

The early years degree is an intense theoretical and practical course

Norlanders have their pick of nanny and maternity positions

ast summer, one of the smallest higher education providers took the top prize at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards when it was named the best UK university for Enhanced Graduate Outcomes, testament to its outstanding and unrivalled focus on employability and lifelong careers support. Based in historic Bath, Norland specialises in early years higher education. It awards its own degrees, and is on its way to becoming the first early years university in the world, another pioneering first for the 130-year-old institution. Founded in 1892, Norland was the first establishment to offer childcare training and education. Its graduates are world-famous for their exceptional training and professionalism. You’ll know them as Norland Nannies – the

royally-approved childcare experts – whose impeccable uniform is as regularly seen on the pages of society magazines as it is on the streets of the elegant city, they call home. If your child has a passion to care for children and is considering a big career with little people, then look no further than Norland. Trained over four years, full-time, Norlanders – as its fully-qualified graduates are titled – earn an academic degree in early childhood studies alongside the prestigious Norland diploma, which teaches all the practical skills required to care for children in the early years. Third-year student Chloe recommends Norland to anyone considering a career working with children. “While Norland prides itself on its 130-year history of training

NORLAND SPECIALISES IN EARLY YEARS HIGHER EDUCATION. It awards its own degrees, and is on its way TO BECOMING THE FIRST EARLY YEARS UNIVERSITY IN THE WORLD 58

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

The iconic Norland uniform has become synonymous with the highest standards of childcare

For students with a passion for the early years, Norland is the best

ADVERTORIAL

Based in historic Bath, the college has a 130-year history

Food and nutrition classes are included in the early years training

Future nannies are fully-equipped with all of the skills needed to support the health, wellbeing and development of young children

nannies, its feet are firmly planted in the 21st century, with empirical-based research to educate its students to the highest levels and standards within the early years. “Not only does Norland provide an amazing foundation, but it also provides its students with all the knowledge and skills needed to be an outstanding early years practitioner. I’d recommend Norland to anyone who is looking for the best early years training, opportunities, and career.” Fully versed in the latest early years theory and knowledge, Norlanders are trained and fully equipped with all the skills necessary to create the optimal environment to support the health, wellbeing, and development of young children. With only 100 students in each cohort, Norland has high staff-to-student ratios, and small class sizes ensure gold standard training and exceptional student support. Fourth-year probationary nanny Matthew has “absolutely no regrets” about choosing Norland. “I recommend Norland to individuals who are serious about working in the early years. Theory and practical experience are

wrapped together in a very intense course. That may sound daunting, but I’ve found every step of the education fulfi lling. Norland is an investment in yourself.” In addition to securing two world-renowned qualifications, Norlanders have their pick of nanny and maternity positions through a dedicated employment agency. Highly sought after, there are currently 14 permanent jobs for every Norlander seeking one through the Norland Agency. With an average starting salary of £40,000 within a year of qualifying, Norlanders are among the highest graduate earners, on a par with medical graduates. Salaries rise with experience, and six-figure salaries are not unheard-of. Demand is global. Last year, the agency advertised positions in 39 countries outside of the UK with the US, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy coming top. The role of a Norland Nanny is very special. They usually spend several years forming a close bond with the children in their care, looking after their daily needs and every aspect of their wellbeing and early education in the family home. There are a wide range of nanny

roles, and every family is unique, meaning every position brings new requirements and challenges. With a recognised degree behind them, many Norlanders also go on to pursue other early years careers including teaching, nursing, consultancy, leadership, and entrepreneurial roles. Norland Nanny of the Year, Georgina, knew she wanted to be a nanny from a young age. “Norland supports you in ways that mean you can really focus on the development of skills. I’ve been able to achieve things I never thought possible thanks to Norland. “Thinking back to being eight years old and telling my family I wanted to be a nanny, I never thought I’d be able to travel the world and really make an impact on children’s lives. The sky really is the limit when you push yourself to achieve.” Book now to attend the next open event and find out if Norland could be your child’s future: norland.ac.uk

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

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HIGHER EDUCATION

WHERE DO WE GO NOW? Sarra Jenkins, Director of Post-16 Pathways at Loughborough Grammar School, explains how schools can help students to discover the varied higher education training opportunities available to them…

Loughborough Grammar School offers its students career advice and a full understanding of the vocational options available to them from year nine onwards

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

HIGHER EDUCATION

More choice, broader horizons

The problem with careers advice in many schools is that it starts too late, and pupils might choose their GCSEs in isolation. To smooth the transition from year nine to 13, Work experience is a useful way of finding out whether a career path you’re interested in is something that you’d enjoy pursuing

University has become the expected next step for independent school leavers, but it’s not the best option for every student

we need to communicate the many and varied options available to them. A four-year university course, which includes a year in industry, is a well-known way to improve employability – but degree apprenticeships are also achieving parity with traditional degrees as a viable route into white-

Loughborough Grammar School has hosted an array of exceptional guest speakers

collar professions. Many top universities now offer this type of course, often in areas where skills are in high-demand such as data science. We’ve hosted some amazing guest speakers at our school, who’ve talked about apprenticeships in law and engineering, and more boys have been proactive in seeking out opportunities to join schemes. We also see a lot of year 13 boys wanting to join the armed forces, while those who have the financial means could opt to study abroad, in the US, Canada or Hong Kong.

Challenging perceptions

Even if pupils decide that university ‘isn’t for them’, there are still barriers to overcome. They might feel they won’t gain the same cultural capital as their friends, and that they’ll miss out on socialising. Being privately-educated, there’s normally a high expectation that they’ll go to university and think there’s a stigma attached to other learning routes. This is why, as a school, we need to challenge long-held beliefs and educate pupils, parents and teaching staff about the modern higher education landscape. Both apprenticeships and degrees have changed a lot in the past three decades – university applications are rising at a record pace and the number of graduates far exceeds the number of roles available at that level. Widening participation programmes, designed to increase socio-economic diversity in universities, are much-needed – but they’ve

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID BAIRD; FREEPIK

ighly-academic schools are rightly proud of the number of students they send to competitive universities, including Oxbridge. Entry to a prestigious university is the culmination of years of hard work and achievement – and the start of a new chapter in their academic and personal development. It’s not for everyone though. Some young people are ready to embark on their chosen career path as soon as they’ve finished sixth form, combining on-the-job experience with vocational training. They may also ask whether they can achieve their goals without acquiring student debts. With more learning pathways open to young people today, our job is to support them as they decide which one is best-suited to their needs and ambitions. Just as important is challenging the notion that alternative routes to degrees aren’t as valuable.

HIGHER EDUCATION

EIGHT THINGS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BEFORE APPLYING TO UNIVERSITY • Does the degree course reflect your vocational interests? • Are there any financial barriers? • Are you academic or do you prefer practical work? • Have you received comprehensive career advice? • Do you have a clear idea about what university entails? • Do you know what you want to do after university? • Are you being pressured by parents or peers? • What qualifications do you need for your chosen profession?

BOTH APPRENTICESHIPS AND DEGREES HAVE CHANGED

a lot in the last three decades – university applications are rising at a record pace AND THE NUMBER OF GRADUATES EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF ROLES AVAILABLE AT THAT LEVEL

Apprenticeships offer school leavers the chance to gain on-the-job experience alongside vocational training

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

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You want your daughter to achieve academically but you want her to be intelligent in other ways too – to be confident socially, to have a strong moral compass, to shape the world around her, to believe in herself. At St Catherine’s we support your daughter in building the intellect and character that will help her develop as a bright, confident, compassionate and vibrant individual. At the heart of this is developing her sense of self-belief, that she can achieve whatever she is driven to do in life.

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HIGHER EDUCATION

THE MORE INSIGHTS YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE into different career routes, the more onfident the ’ll feel IN THEIR DECISION AND ABILITY TO OVERTURN MISCONCEPTIONS

Some students want to take a gap year before moving to the next stage in their vocational path

ALTERNATIVES TO AN HONOURS DEGREE

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Practical tips

The more insights young people have into different career routes, the more confident they’ll feel in their decision and ability to overturn misconceptions. We run online sessions for parents and send out a weekly newsletter to explain what options pupils have. Beyond the usual open day visits, we also organise taster days for our year 12s at one of our local universities, De Montfort, where each pupil picks a lecture stream and spends a day as a student. We also arrange similar taster trips to universities in Loughborough and Nottingham for sixth formers. Our newly-launched student ambassador programme invites former pupils, currently in higher education, to show prospective students around their university and give them a deeper insight into student life. We also engage our ‘old boys’ as part of the year 13 transition day, asking them to share their experiences and tips, as well as host evenings for boys and their families about life after Loughborough Grammar School. This includes everything from gap years to UCAS, with an opportunity for parents to see our online resource platform. You might have heard the phrase ‘staircasing’ in relation to purchasing a property – where people gradually buy shares from the landlord until they own it. In a similar vein, we staircase pupils to their desired

goal with a schedule of talks, taster events, one-to-one appointments and applications. Once complete, they can then concentrate on achieving their grades. This lays the foundation for life-long relationships between the boys and their school. We continue to support former pupils who apply after a gap year, and those who don’t like their course or university and want to apply elsewhere. It’s a sign of how strong these relationships are when we receive handwritten Christmas cards from boys during their first year away. Finally, for pupils and parents unsure about alternatives to traditional degrees, we have numerous case studies we can share. From building a career in the RAF straight from school, to beating thousands of applicants to secure apprenticeships at Dyson or Jaguar Land Rover, our boys are demonstrating that the route to success takes many forms. Entrepreneurial teens may feel ready to gain commercial experience and start their own business

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• Higher apprenticeship: After A-levels (or equivalent), students can combine studying at a university, further education college or training centre with on-the-job experience in areas such as engineering, marketing and accounting. This is the equivalent to a foundation degree. • Degree apprenticeship: Students can work towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree while also being paid to work in their chosen field. • Further education: Those with a clear idea of what they want to do next can undertake vocational training in subjects like computer science, or perhaps bridge the gap between school and university with an art foundation course. • Entry level job: Some companies offer entry-level jobs with training for school leavers. The armed forces also have options for school leavers including joining as a regular officer. • Gap year: A gap year can provide much-needed breathing space to explore future employment and education options. • Start a business: For entrepreneurial young people, this could be the perfect time to test out an idea, gain commercial business experience along the way – and it could be very lucrative if it’s a success.

created even more competition for independent school-educated pupils. Apprenticeships, far from being the ‘lesser option’, are also highly-competitive today, so pupils will need to demonstrate their passion and aptitude for a particular course.

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HIGHER EDUCATION

CASE STUDY

HOW I DID IT

James Ward, 18, is taking the four-year PwC Accounting Flying Start degree, which will see him study Business Accounting and Finance at Newcastle University while completing placements with the prestigious accountancy firm Why did you apply for a degree apprenticeship? It’s a great course that puts you straight on the career ladder – and if I’m able to achieve a 2:1, it’ll secure me a guaranteed job at PwC as an auditor. That would mean I’d quickly be earning decent money and training for a career. I’ll have done placements at PwC, and have had the opportunity to take 12 out of the 15 exams needed for the ICAEW Associated Chartered Accountancy qualification. Tell us a bit about the application process? It was tough. There were five separate interview stages, which included various challenges and games designed to test your determination and perseverance. There was also an online interview. One of the stages involved us

for practical Loughburians work had chosen a experience similar path. It on a degree so happened apprenticeship. that a close There’s the friend who had placement left two years partnership with before, and the PwC, which old vice captain runs over three of my school years. You If James earns a 2:1 in his football team, degree, he is guaranteed an now works for don’t just leave auditor position at PwC university with PwC following a degree, you the completion leave with experience, and of a similar apprenticeship that practical experience course, so I was able to chat makes you much more to him to find out more. attractive to employers. There are also brilliant What A-levels did you take? networking opportunities Economics, geography and arranged by PwC, so you can history. I also did Level 3 start building connections. LIBF in financial studies, and economics was the one I was How did you hear about it? most passionate about. I initially found out about PwC’s degree programme Where do you live and by searching through what’s it like? UCAS and looking further I live in a self-catering hall into the accounting and of residence, about a 20-25 minute walk to the main campus. It’s brand new and in the centre of Newcastle, making it great for a night out and it has really nice common rooms and gyms. I’ve got brilliant flatmates – there are 10 of us in a flat with a shared kitchen. finance degree at Liverpool University. For additional How would you describe guidance, I sat down with our your first few weeks? schools’ Director of Post-16 Freshers’ week was great. Pathways, Sarra Jenkins, who We had introduction helped me look further into sessions, met the tutors, and the course specification and did a bit of group work to get application process. to know each other. There Following this, I spoke was a lot going on with the with my economics teacher, freshers’ fair, all the societies, Miss James, to see if recent and trials for the football

YOU’VE GOT TO work really hard and have drive and passion. FINDING THE RIGHT COURSE FOR YOU IS IMPORTANT, IT SPURS YOU ON being put into groups of six and given task-based tests, including a case study of a hypothetical struggling business; we had to come up with ideas to turn it around. How does a degree apprenticeship differ from an honours degree? There are more opportunities

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

teams. I’ve always loved football – I was vice captain of the first XI football team at Loughborough Grammar School, and I’m a qualified FA mini soccer-referee and a Level 3 sports leader. One of the things that really attracted me to Newcastle is that you can see St James’s Park from the campus. The Business School, in the Frederick Douglass Centre, overlooks the stadium. I grew up in a village, so it’s been really exciting being in the middle of a city. And the other freshers? It’s been really nice to meet people on my course and get to know my flatmates. Any tips? You’ve got to work really hard and have drive and passion. Finding the right course for you is important, it spurs you on. Ask lots of questions, too. When it comes to adjusting to life away from home, take the essentials but don’t overpack. Bring a kettle with you for a quick coffee in the morning. And pack lots of clothes so you can avoid having to do your laundry for as long as possible! Anything else? Keep up with your workload during year 13. It made life much easier for me. Give yourself the time and put in the effort to take the pressure off – you’ve got to be self-motivated.

ALUMNI

Movers and MAKERS

From an international rugby-playing podcaster to a sign-language platform creator, these independent-school alumni have built impressive, meaningful careers WILL HOOLEY, 28

WILL HOOLEY

Professional international rugby player The Leys, Cambridge I had the most incredible foundations and support from The Leys before going on to play professional rugby across the world. Never would I have thought that I’d now be living in Southern California with my wife, playing for San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby and still representing the USA, aiming to go to my second Rugby World Cup in 2023. I look fondly back on my career to date, having played for some of the best teams in England, being part of Premiership winning squads with Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs. More recently, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bedford Blues and Saracens both on and off the field, achieving a first-class degree in sports writing and journalism. I have gone on to write for many publications including The Guardian, and have released my own podcast, The Next Game, focusing on players’ lives outside of rugby.

LAUREN PEREIRA-GREENE, 21

LAUREN PEREIRA-GREENE

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Medical student and Co-Founder of DIMA (Diversity in Medical Academia) King’s College School Wimbledon I’m a medical student at University College London (UCL), currently undertaking an intercalated BSc in medical anthropology. King’s pushed me to be fearless of the unknown and encouraged a constant critique of the world around me. During my first year of university, I noticed the lack of diversity at medical conferences and decided to create a widening participation group, aiming to encourage those from underrepresented backgrounds to engage with medical research and academia. Additionally, I’m working on a Decolonising the Medical Curriculum campaign, aiming to promote cultural safety, epistemic pluralism and open critique in relation to the current teaching materials used by medical schools. My goal is to ensure optimal patient outcomes and improved accessibility for everyone, regardless of their identity or background.

ALUMNI

FREYA ANDERSON MBE, 21 Commonwealth Games 2022 swimming medallist Ellesmere College, Shropshire I won four medals at the games in August in Birmingham, winning two bronze medals and two silver medals. It was my school days at Ellesmere that certainly helped me get to championship standard. I was awarded a scholarship to Ellesmere College at 14 years old to nurture my talents and I was fortunate in that I could make use of their state-of-the-art facilities and coaching. I boarded weekdays and looking back, I’m impressed with how I trained at that young age. I did as well as I could in my exams because the teachers made sure I caught up with anything I missed while away swimming. The teachers understood that we had a big commitment in the pool and the coaches understood that I had a big commitment with my schoolwork. It was perfectly balanced, we had all the help we needed, I couldn’t have asked for more. I feel very lucky to have been able to combine my swimming and studies in the same place, and get the support that I did.

FREYA ANDERSON

FRASER RAMSEYER, 28

FRASER RAMSEYER

CEO and Founder of Storr Capital Lathallan School, Angus After graduating from Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University with first-class honours in International Business, I moved to the USA to chase my ambitions, joining a start-up in Texas within the veterinary industry. There, I led M&A, corporate development and strategy and, in four years, we went from four people working above an animal hospital to 450 hospitals in 41 states and more than $1bn of revenue. Following the sale of the business, I launched my own investment firm and applied a similar business model to the home services sector. I now have more than 600 employees across four states. My school community made an important contribution, creating a safe and happy place for me to grow as a person, and building the foundations that have helped me excel in my business career: competitiveness, a desire to succeed, discipline, the ability to grind through tough environments, work ethic, focus, and a winning mindset that says anything is possible.

MARIELLA SATOW, 18

MARIELLA SATOW

Chief Executive of SignUp Rugby School, Warwickshire I launched SignUp which provides sign language videos alongside Disney+ films for children who are deaf, during the pandemic at home in New York, where I was learning remotely. The videos of interpreters signing along to the films gives children, who are too young for subtitles or who struggle to read them fast enough, access to them. I finished my A-levels in maths, English literature, economics and Spanish back at Rugby in the summer and have been offered a place at Stanford to take a double major in English literature and computer science. However, I’ve deferred it for a year to appoint a strong management team to help run SignUp while I am studying. I employ 100 interpreters and am in the process of seeking $1m from investors to expand and grow the business. I offer four Disney+ movies, including my own favourites, and release one film a week thereafter, with 12,000 weekly users currently. AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate

Sport scholarship days 8th & 9th March 2023

Academic scholarship days 24th & 25th January 2023 Set in more than 220 acres of beautiful North Yorkshire countryside

Welcoming day students from 3 months to 19 years and boarders from Year 3

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A leading independent day school for girls and boys aged 3 - 18 Join us to explore the opportunities on offer at our next open event

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

ChurchersCollege.com

TIME TOGETHER

ENJOY THE SEASON

FAMILY LIFE A weekend escape, winter diary dates and a competition to enter

The festive party season is just around the corner, meaning that it’s time to deck youngsters’ wardrobe with seasonal looks that can be dressed up or down for every kind of shindig. Step forward Boden, with its collection of sparkly shoes, cosy cords and that yuletide essential: the Christmas jumper. Prices start from £11. boden.co.uk

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

Romney Marsh unplugged Tracey Davies and her daughter chose to go offline with a peaceful weekend in this beautiful, remote part of the Kent riviera

The Romney’s shepherds huts provide invigorating outdoor bathing opportunities

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

attempt to detox the teenager from tech, we’re staying in a field. Well, The Romney to be precise, a charming self-contained shepherds hut named after the Romney Marsh sheep which roam outside. Driving along the coast on Friday afternoon, we daisy-chain through the seaside towns of Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne, Bexhill and St Leonards, skirting the pretty Cinque Port town of Rye, before the landscape flattens out to the farms and marshlands of east Kent. We stop briefly in Dungeness, which, with its abandoned fishing boats, blackened timber houses and ominous Victorian lighthouse, is an Instagrammer’s dream according to the teenager. In fact, Brave New World, a TV adaptation of Aldous Huxley’s famous novel – which Lola is reading – was recently filmed here. It’s easy to see why filmmakers like the late Derek Jarman, who’s buried here, flocked to capture its stark wild landscape. We make it to the shepherds hut late afternoon, just in time for a sunset soak. One of the reasons I chose The Romney is for its outdoor bath. Lola was aghast. “But you’ll be naked! What if someone

Settle down with some toasted marshmallows and cocoa to enjoy the night’s skies

sees you?”. Of course, it’s completely secluded and apart from our woolly friends, who were probably wondering what the naked lady was doing in their pond, is the perfect spot for an alfresco dip with views across the marsh. While I soaked, Lola pottered around the hut, making tea and enjoying the oat cookies left for us. The Romney is the third shepherds hut on the farm. It sleeps two adults and a child, and Lola, despite being a teenager, adored the curtained bunk over the double bed. The hut is brilliantly equipped with

PHOTOGRAPHY: BETHANY PARK; BEN VINCER

fter a hectic start to the autumn term, my 16-yearold daughter, Lola and I needed an escape for the weekend. And after a mere two-hour drive east to Kent, we’d switched our seaside home in Brighton for the wild plains of Romney Marsh, one of Britain’s most interesting wetlands. Covering 100 square miles across East Sussex and Kent, the marshes were once a smugglers’ paradise, thanks to their dark skies and eerie remoteness, which is now largely the domain of sheep. In an

FAMILY TRAVEL

FAMILY ATTRACTIONS • Spot rare birds, such as bitterns and flycatchers, at Dungeness National Nature Reserve. • Ride on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch miniature steam railway. • Meet the lions, rhinos and giraffes at Port Lympne Safari Park. • Go shelling on Greatstone Beach. • Take a spin around the track at Lydd Karting, Kent’s premier kart track. • Climb the circular staircase of The Old Lighthouse in Dungeness, for sweeping views over the English Channel. • Go sandboarding down the dunes at Camber Sands. • See the Falconry Flying team, a daily bird-of-prey display at the Rare Breeds Centre in Woodchurch. • Go vintage shopping in Rye, one of the Cinque Ports. • See Britain’s largest collection of ancient human skulls in The Ossuary, the 10th-century crypt of St Leonard’s Church in Hythe.

Tracey and Lola had a relaxed mother-daughter getaway

A weekend spent in a shepherd hut in Kent proved the perfect tech detox

everything you’d need for a weekend stay, including the welcome addition of a Nespresso machine. It has an en suite bathroom with a surprisingly spacious shower, a wood-burning stove and plenty of firewood to keep you cosy. We treat ourselves to dinner at the Walnut Tree Inn, a little country pub a couple of miles away in Aldington. Built in the 14th century and a former haunt of local smugglers, it’s packed with history and charm. And it does a smashing fish and chips too. After dinner, tonight’s perfectly crisp, clear autumnal skies are ideal for a spot of stargazing. The remote flat marshlands and dark, dark skies makes Romney Marsh one of the country’s best spots for stargazing. Reclining on the Adirondack chairs on the porch, we toast

The shepherds hut sleeps families of three, with a cosy bunk nook for youngsters

marshmallows over the fire pit as I point out Jupiter and the North Star. Phone finally abandoned, my gorgeous greeneyed girl is in awe at the night sky as the Milky Way becomes more exposed the longer we look. What I particularly enjoy about this kind of ‘camping’ is tucking up in a cosy bed with a good book. Covered in a sheepskin rug and hugging our Romney wool hot water bottles, we snuggle down in our little hut, cosier than a pixie’s pocket, and sleep like the proverbial dead for nigh on 10 hours. The next morning, after a coffee on the porch and a chat with the sheep –

WE TOAST MARSHMALLOWS o er the fire it a I oint o t iter and the orth tar PHONE FINALLY ABANDONED, MY GORGEOUS GIRL IS IN AWE AT THE NIGHT SKY

Enjoy the views on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch miniature steam railway

they all slept well – I look over the misty marshland and feel completely content. I’m pleased I pre-ordered the breakfast hamper, jam-packed with excellent local sausages, bacon and freshly-laid eggs from the farm’s chickens, and cook up a feast. It must be something about this country air, as we demolish the lot. While I’m reluctant to leave our heavenly hut after this blissful weekend, I’ve promised Lola we can stop by the vintage shops of Rye, a half-hour’s drive from here. This has been an easy screenfree weekend, and the perfect antidote to a busy first half of term.

Rates for two nights in The Romney start from £340 for a family of four. bloomstays.com 01227 903 404. AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

Make memories on a canal boat adventure with the whole family

ABC BOAT HIRE

Book before 31st December 2022 for

2023 to get 15% off and quote FrEe 'parent' to get a free Nicholson Guide*

0330 333 0590 | abcboathire.com *Cannot be used with any other offer, voucher or discount. Cannot be applied retrospectively. Must book before 31/12/22.

FINE ART FOUNDATION The Academy’s Fine Art Foundation is an internally awarded, proven route to the University or art school of your choice. We believe the basics of a contemporary art practice come from learning technical, analytical and creative skills from a diverse range of professional artists. Just 5 minutes walk from London Bridge. www.artacademy.org.uk

Set in 50 acres of beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, Sibford School focuses uponOxfordshire a values-driven education Set in 50 acres of beautiful countryside, Set in 50 acres of beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, Set in 50School acres focuses of beautiful countryside, Sibford upon Oxfordshire a values-driven education Sibford School focuses upon a values-driven Sibford School focuses upon a values-driven education education

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

Independent School Parent magazine.indd 1

27/10/2022 13:26

DIARY DATES

CALENDAR

Harry Christmas! 12 NOVEMBER – 15 JANUARY 2023 Hertfordshire

Escape the Muggle realm this winter with a visit to Hogwarts in the Snow. At this magical time of year, the studio sets are dressed with a blanket of film-making frost, the Great Hall is dressed for the Yule Ball, and the Gryffindor common room is decked out for Christmas Day. Prepare to be mesmerised by arresting displays of shimmering silver decorations, towering firs adorned with red and gold ornaments, sparkling snow and dripping icicles, all set to swelling orchestral arrangements. Don’t forget to pound the cobbles of Diagon Alley and take in the Forbidden Forest in all of its wintry wonder. And of course, swing by the railway store for some butterbeer and peppermint toads for the train home. wbstudiotour.co.uk

Nadolig Llawen! 10 NOVEMBER – 23 DECEMBER Cardiff

Set in the pedestrian heart of the Welsh capital, the Cardiff Christmas Market has been an annual winter highlight for almost 30 years. Peruse the parade of beautifully decorated wooden stalls that line St John Street, Working Street, Trinity Street and The Hayes, taking in the original artwork and craft heritage of the diverse artisans, while sampling the traditional winter food and drinks (gluhwein for the grownups) along the way. With bespoke silver jewellery, wooden-turned gifts, fused glassworks, hand-thrown ceramics, paintings, handmade quilts and traditional pewter pieces among the wares on offer, you’ll be able to tackle some Christmas present shopping at the same time. Wrap up warm and we’ll see you there! cardiffchristmasmarket.com

Silver screen 2 – 4, 6 – 11 & 13-22 DECEMBER Kent

Bluewater Christmas shoppers can indulge in a visit to The Luna Drive In Winter Cinema, which will be showing festive classics throughout the month. With high-definition screens, state-ofthe-art in-car speakers and a menu of delicious snacks, it’s the perfect setting to soak up the advent atmosphere. Choose from an array of family-favourites, such as Elf, Home Alone and The Muppet Christmas Carol for your drive-in day out. thelunacinema.com s

WORDS: LAURA SUTHERLAND. PHOTOGRAPHY: SOLID CREATIVE LTD; VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM; ANDY ROSS; MONTANA LOWERY; NATIONAL TRUST/JAMES DOBSON; VITRA DESIGN MUSEUM/JÜRGEN HANS

Our roundup of fun events, exhibitions and activities to check out this winter

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

DIARY DATES

On ice 11 NOVEMBER – 8 JANUARY 2023 London

The highly anticipated Grade II listed landmark has officially opened in time for the Christmas countdown, bringing with it a new neighbourhood buzz. And alongside Battersea Power Station’s unique blend of shops, bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, parks and historical spaces, winter visitors can enjoy Glide, London’s only riverside ice rink. Set against the backdrop of the iconic building, it’s set to be the city’s most magnificent open-air ice-skating space. Ideal for a family day out, adults and youngsters alike will be awed by the twinkling lights, majestic 30ft Christmas tree and unrivalled views of the Thames as they spin around the three interconnecting rinks. If you prefer the safety of the sidelines, fear not – there will also be live entertainment, cosy cabin dining and a vintage funfair to enjoy. Book tickets online ahead of your visit to avoid disappointment. batterseapowerstation.co.uk

The main advent 18 NOVEMBER – 2 JANUARY 2023 Central London

It’s back once again! The capital’s event of the season, the now legendary Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is set to bring Londoners – as well as the city’s many festive visitors – of all ages plenty of yuletide cheer. Book advance tickets to ensure your family can safely take advantage of the ice slides, Santa Land, giant wheel, fire pit music line-up, carousel, markets, skating rink and much, much more. hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

Gangnam style NOW – 25 JUNE 2023 London

A celebration of the impact that the dynamic and colourful popular culture of South Korea has had on global creative industries, the V&A’s exhibition Hallyu! The Korean Wave explores how the country’s very particular aesthetic and vision has impacted the worlds of cinema, music, fandom, beauty and fashion. From K-Pop and BTS to Squid Game and Parasite, all the way through to 12-step beauty routines and streetwear hanbok dresses, teens will be amazed at how the nation’s combination of innovation, experimental approach and tradition has helped to shape the contemporary cultural climate and challenged Western archetypes as they take in this colourful gallery experience. vam.ac.uk

Yule love it 26 NOVEMBER – 3 JANUARY 2023 Surrey

’Tis the season for festive frolics, and Chessington World of Adventures Resort has plenty of magic up its sleeve this Christmas with the return of its seasonal showcase, Winter’s Tail. Alongside the usual theme-park fun and animal antics, families can meet Father Christmas, tour his toy workshop, laugh along with The Wild Christmas Panto, help the elves bake cookies and enjoy live performances from carol singers. chessington.com

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

DIARY DATES

Beyond the canvas NOW – 31 JANUARY 2023 Central London

Just a few steps from London’s Marble Arch, Frameless is a new immersive, multidimensional art experience. Set in an expansive 30,000sq ft space, this culturally rich exhibition allows art to seep into every inch of the venue, with visitors finding iconic artwork in front, behind, above and below them – effectively entering the painting. Brush strokes, colour and inspiration will never have been clearer or more affecting. Across four galleries – titled Beyond Reality, Colour in Motion, The World Around Us and The Art of Abstraction – the multi-sensory display of projected masterpieces will include Edvard Munch’s The Scream, The Waterlily Pond: Green Harmony by Claude Monet and Red, Yellow, Blue and Black by Piet Mondrian. Currently, tickets for the permanent multisensory showcase are available for dates up to the end of January 2023. frameless.com

First frost 19 NOVEMBER – 10 DECEMBER Edinburgh

Set to the music of Rimsky-Korsakov – which will be performed live by the full Scottish Ballet Orchestra the Scottish Ballet’s glittering production of The Snow Queen arrives at Festival Theatre Edinburgh this winter. Youngsters and parents alike will be spellbound by the journey through a bustling Christmas market and frostfringed fairytale forest to the queen’s palace, meeting a colourful cast of characters along the way, from lovers parted by a spell to a circus ringmaster with a few tricks up his sleeve. This family-friendly story of love and friendship is sure to enchant. capitaltheatres.com

Love is love

Plate up

30 NOVEMBER Central London

27 NOVEMBER & 15 JANUARY 2023 Manchester

If your sixth former has a talent for the written word, the Southbank Centre and National Poetry Library’s four Poetry Showcases this month (taking part via Zoom) will be illuminating opportunities to connect with experienced writers, discover new influences and get tips on how to get work published. Today’s edition is a LGBTQI+ Special. Attendees will hear about the poets featured in the Fourteen Poems anthology, take in marketing advice from performance poet Sophia Blackwell and be able to listen in on Keith Jarrett and Golnoosh Nour’s conversation about their favourite queer verses, and more. southbankcentre.co.uk

Cookery school and event space Food Sorcery is helping parents instil culinary enthusiasm with its Parent and Teen afternoons. Working with chef, you and your adolescent sous chef will rustle up a main, a side dish and a dessert which you can enjoy with your classmates in the dining area after. Alongside learning new family dinnertime favourites, you’ll pick up an array of tips which will enhance both you and your child’s kitchen skills. The themes change regularly: November’s session will cover Korean cuisine, while the first New Year class will focus on Asian flavours more generally. Ideal for sixth formers preparing to fly the nest. foodsorcery.com

Full circle 1 – 15 DECEMBER Surrey

Across the country, National Trust properties will be throwing open their doors to visitors seeking to partake in seasonal crafting opportunities, from winter watercolour sessions to Christmas cardmaking workshops. One such example is stately pile Polesden Lacey, which will hold morning and afternoon wreath-making classes (tickets are £45) twice weekly for a fortnight during the advent period. Guiding guests through the process – using foliage gathered by the estate’s rangers – the workshops will be fuelled by mulled wine and mince pies. Pass us some pine cones… eventbrite.co.uk

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

Ballard School Fernhill Lane, New Milton, Hampshire, BH25 5SU

The Royal School Wolverhampton

Gold Medal Standards

Head Teacher: Mr Andrew McCleave Admissions: The Registrar registrar@ballardschool.co.uk 01425 626900 GENDER/AGES: TOTAL PUPILS:

Boys and girls, 2-16 years 472 (excluding Nursery & Kindergarten), boys 252, girls 220

Day Nursery from £54.20 including lunch per day, Pre-Prep from £3,105 per term, Prep (Year 3 – Year 8) from £4,670 – £5,430 per term, Senior £5,715 per term ENTRANCE PROCEDURE: Please see our website for details and also for more details on our academic, pastoral and co-curricular strengths. TYPE: FEES:

School Philosophy: To provide a supportive and caring environment for learning

*State boarding provision *Award winning pastoral care *Elite athlete education programme *Extensive enrichment opportunities *Easy access to major UK travel hubs *Centrally located within the UK *Excellent GCSE & A Level results

“The Royal has been integral in providing the environment and opportunities for me to win Olympic Gold” Matt Richards.

Tel (UK): 0044 1902 341230 admissions@theroyal.school www.theroyalschool.co.uk

and excellent teaching, designed to ensure all pupils achieve their academic best. At Ballard, we have a passion for developing the ‘whole child’. We believe that in addition to providing a vigorous and challenging academic programme, education must also extend well beyond this, opening up experiences and opportunities that allow all our pupils to develop skills including creativity, independence, teamwork and critical thinking; we prepare them for work and life in a rapidly changing world.

Academic Record: In 2021, 100% of pupils achieved at least five GCSE passes graded 9 - 4 (A - C), including Maths and English. 40% achieved the top 9 - 7 (A or A*) grades with an average added value of 0.9. This means that on average, each pupil gained nearly a grade more than expected for each of their subjects. Extra-curricular: 120+ activities and GCSE “Raising Attainment” sessions a week, Ballard’s co-curricular programme is designed to give pupils of all ages a breadth of opportunities, from Archaeology to Zumba! Whatever their individual strengths or curiosities, there is something for everyone. Notable Achievements and Alumni: ‘Excellent and Outstanding’ (ISI); shortlisted for Independent School of the Year – Co-Educational (2020 and 2022) and Student Wellbeing (2021); shortlisted for a Wilder School award (2021); finalist for Independent School of the Year – Performing Arts (2022) and ISA Award for Excellence and Innovation in Art and Design (2022); Highly commended in the ISA Award for Outstanding Sport – Large School, (2022). Current awards include: Artsmark Gold Award, Schools Sport Gold and Eco Schools Green Flag (the highest accolade), alongside National championships in several sports and an ISA Musician of the Year Award. Our alumni include World Champions and Olympic medallists as well as an international opera star, pop bands and harpists. Open Days: Termly and visitors welcome at any time by appointment. www.ballardschool.co.uk

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

DIARY DATES

Get the glow 16 NOVEMBER – 8 JANUARY 2023 Richmond

Few festive rituals hold as much seasonal wonder as Christmas at Kew, and this year’s after-dark event promises to live up to the annual hype, with awe-inspiring tunnels of light, dancing waterside reflections and trees lined with jewel-toned shimmer. Unmissable highlights include an audience with Santa, the Fire Garden’s mesmerising flames and of course, piping hot cocoa under the stars. kew.org

It’s behind you… 3 – 31 DECEMBER South-West London

Panto season is just around the corner. Oh no it isn’t. Oh yes, it is! While there’s hundreds of stellar productions up and down the country, our hot ticket-pick is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at New Wimbledon Theatre, the venue renowned for star-studded casts and five-star performances. Led by West End legend Ruthie Henshall in the Evil Queen role, the cast includes Holby City’s Lee Mead, CBBC presenters Dick and Dom, and TV presenter Matthew Kelly as the all-important pantomime dame. atgtickets.com

Give it a whirl 19 NOVEMBER – 10 DECEMBER Birmingham

Seeking culture with wintry charm? Prepare to be thoroughly enchanted by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of Sir Peter Wright’s take on classic Christmas tale, The Nutcracker. Allow yourself to be transported to your happy festive place by the soaring Tchaikovsky score, dazzling staging and company of world-class ballerinas, as they tell the story of Clara and the Nutcracker’s battle with the Mouse King. birminghamhippodrome.com

It’s fantastic! NOW – 5 FEBRUARY 2023 Dundee

Curated in collaboration with the Vitra Design Museum, V&A Dundee’s Plastic: Remaking Our World explores the 150-year history of this wonder material, from its beginnings as a symbol of carefree consumerism through to its loss of utopian appeal. Seductive yet dangerous, plastic has changed the world forever and it has never been more important to understand it. Through a selection of prototypes, new technologies and cuttingedge alternative materials, this showcase gets to grip with an uncomfortable history to see where the planet can go from here. Ideal for budding environmental activists and science boffins alike. vam.ac.uk/dundee

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

OPEN DAYS: 25th February & 13th May 2023

A Leading Independent Boarding & Day School For Girls Aged 11-18

Contact

admissions@stmaryscalne.org

01249 857200

stmaryscalne.org

PGSAd-99mmWidthx129mmHeight-adventurous-outlined.indd 1

A co-educational boarding school for students aged 11-18

Looking forward with confidence Looking back with pride Outstanding facilities, an all-round education and endless opportunities await you at The Duke of York’s Royal Military School. Our affordable full boarding school, open to 11–18-year-olds, significantly out performed GCSE national attainment (2022). Students benefit from excellent teaching, a comprehensive curriculum and breadth of activities beyond the classroom; developing strong character and diverse life skills. Begin your journey as a Dukie today.

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

05/10/2022 09:21:39

COMPETITION

WIN a weekend stay in Dorset Enjoy a weekend stay for a family of four at The Eastbury Hotel & Spa

he Eastbury Hotel & Spa is a beautiful Georgian house hotel set within awardwinning gardens in the heart of the historic town of Sherborne in Dorset. Since being acquired by hoteliers Peter and Lana de Savary in 2018, The Eastbury Hotel has been completely refurbished and is a warm, happy and welcoming hotel infused with a homely, personal touch and exceptional service. With a 2AA Rosette restaurant called Seasons, 26 bedrooms and suites, a three-bedroom cottage, and a bijou spa, it’s the perfect bolthole for a relaxing break away. We’re offering readers the chance to win a two-night getaway to The Eastbury Hotel & Spa, staying in a Family Room for up to two adults and two children, with breakfast both days, and one dinner for the family in Seasons restaurant. The prize also includes tickets to nearby Sherborne Castle and Gardens, which was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594. Guests can experience this historic house and its important collections of furniture, paintings and porcelain, as well as walk in Capability Brown’s English landscape garden. Seasons, the award-winning restaurant, has panoramic views of the garden and serves delicious food paired with an impressive wine list – curated from the de Savary private collection – and there’s regular live music in the evenings. Tel: 01935 813131; relax@theeastburyhotel.co.uk; theeastburyhotel.co.uk

PRIZE • Two nights’ accommodation in a Family Room for two adults and two children • Full English breakfast on both mornings • One dinner for two adults and two children • Tickets to Sherborne Castle TERMS & CONDITIONS: • Bookings are subject to availability, valid for 12 months, excluding school holidays, bank holidays and special events • Only open to UK residents who are over 18 years old • There is no cash alternative and the prize is non transferable • Sherborne Castle open April–October (opening times may vary)

HOW TO ENTER

Please answer the following question and enter at the website address below:

Who built Sherborne Castle?

independentschoolparent.com/win COMPETITION CLOSES 10 DECEMBER 2022

AUTUMN 2022 | independentschoolparent.com

INTERVIEW

SCHOOL MEMORIES

CHERIE CUNNINGHAM

From sixth form pantos to school trips, the Bafta award-winning Dave Channel Director reminisces about her time at Bolton School Girls’ Division Your school in three words? Big, characterful, wondrous.

Harry enjoyed his fair share of detentions for trips to the bookmakers

Who was your best mate? I had a few, some of whom I’m lucky enough to call my best mates today too! There was always a good gang of us having fun, hanging out at lunch, and talking a tad too much in lessons.

How would your teachers describe you? Consistent, cheerful and sometimes a bit cheeky. One memory that will stay with you forever…? Dressing up as Simon Cowell for the sixth form Christmas panto. We had such a laugh, that’s what school was all about for me (on top of the learning bit obviously!).

What did you want to be when you grew up? I remember wanting to be either a pilot or a police woman for a while. A pilot, as my dad told me, was a good job (likely a push to make me try harder with my maths and physics), and a police woman as I watched far too Cherie celebrates many episodes of one of Dave’s The Bill back then. Bafta wins Any embarrassing moments? Leaving my overnight bag at the school instead of packing it onto the coach for an overnight school trip – I had to borrow my geography teacher’s clothes for the next 24 hours – at 13 years old, it was the height of embarrassment. Play any pranks? I have a vague memory of agreeing as a class, to push our desks an inch forward every time our French teacher turned her back to write on the white board. So by the end of the lesson, she was baffled as to why all the desks

What advice would you offer your school-age self? Worry less, smile more, and be yourself. Things have a way of working themselves out.

What were your favourite subjects and did they hint at your future passions? I’d have to say religion and philosophy, thanks to my

THE THOUGHT OF A DETENTION

filled me with horror – I’m not a big fan of being told off, SO I WAS

ALWAYS PRETTY WELL BEHAVED

were practically on top of one another, and her! Favourite place to hang out? The school field on a summer’s day. The lawnmowers had been out, the smell of freshly cut grass was in the air, the sun was out – life was good! Teacher’s pet or always in the detention room? Teacher’s pet – the thought of a detention filled me with

independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2022

horror – I’m not a big fan of being told off in general, so as a result I was always pretty well behaved at school. Favourite teacher? Mrs Greenhalgh – she was my religion and philosophy teacher for GCSE and A-level. She was tough on the outside, soft on the inside. The type of teacher you’re a little scared of at first, but you realise how superb they are over time.

brilliant teacher making the lessons interesting, and sparking curiosity in me. I also have fond memories of GCSE textiles – I made a giant bean bag seat in the shape of a burger, with a matching gherkin cushion – it was my pride and joy! Those lessons in particular really brought my creative side out, and I now work in the TV industry. No burger bean bags in sight, but creative all the same!

YES, IT’S A CRYING SHAME…

…that she left it too late to apply for Hurtwood House, because it’s simply the best for acting, dancing, singing, film-making – “A Utopia for creative minds” – as the Good Schools Guide says. And crucially, this exciting school is equally successful academically. In fact, it’s statistically one of the top co-ed boarding schools in the UK. So, if you’re looking for a really exciting and rewarding change of school at 16 – don’t leave it too late. Call or visit our website for more information.

Please contact Cosmo Jackson

T: 01483 279000

E: info@hurtwood.net

hurtwoodhouse.com

A BRIDGEMARK COMPANY