NURSERY & PREP EDITION Þ SUMMER 2014 Þ www.independentschoolparent.com
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for parents of children at independent schools
P 42
Inspiring minds Science in prep schools
P 82
Chemmy Alcott My school days
reat GTHINGS
TO DO THIS SUMMER
Free Range Children
The value of outdoor activities
COMPETITION
Win a luxury family holiday to Croatia
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Looking for your next family getaway? A sailing holiday with Sunsail means never having to wake up in the same place twice – jump into the turquoise Ionian, dive amongst the coral reefs and tropical fish of the Caribbean, or come ashore and run along the ancient walls of Dubrovnik. Exploring, relaxing and just spending time together is easy on an independent charter, or you can meet new sailing-minded friends by joining one of 19 flotillas. Sail, surf, and snorkel your way to the ultimate family holiday today.
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Family holidays with a difference
Contents Why is it important to do practical science from a young age? Find out on page 42
CONTENTS Issue 11 Summer 2014 independentschoolparent.com
WIN! family A luxury on holiday ! page 74
Summer is finally here – and we’re celebrating the great outdoors. In Free Range Children, (page 22) Katie Hughes explores what prep schools have up their sleeves to entice pupils off their gadgets, away from the TV and into the fresh air. Yes, a Swallows and Amazons type of childhood does exist and is thriving! Come September, some of you will be looking at senior schools; Thalia Thompson has some handy hints and tips for how to prepare your child for the big move. Take a look at our pick of six of the best action-packed family holidays, in idyllic destinations across the globe, on page 58. And don’t forget to enter our competition on page 74, where you could win a luxury stay at Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik. Good luck – and see you in September!
Claudia Dudman, Editor Cover: Walhampton, Hampshire NURSERY & PREP EDITION Þ SUMMER 2014 Þ www.independentschoolparent.com
INSIDE...
P 42
FREE
Inspiring minds Science in prep schools
P 82
Chemmy Alcott My school days
Great THINGS
TO DO THIS SUMMER
Free Range Children
The value of outdoor activities
Education 5 News
Our round-up of hot topics
22 Free range children
Katie Hughes looks at how prep schools make use of the great outdoors
25 Relative values COMPETITION
Win a luxury family holiday to Croatia
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Robin McCarthy explains how Moffats prep still runs in the family – with values to match
27 Great expectations
How are today’s pupils dealing with the pressure? Natalie Milner finds out
42 Inspiring minds
The importance of nuturing scientific curiosity in prep schools, by Dr Philip Hoskin
45 Sports scholarships Follow us... Like @ISParent us on...
Thea Jourdan describes how your budding athlete could help you save on the fees
48 We are sailing...
Sailing is hot in our prep schools – Tracy Cook discovers what all the fuss is about Follow us on...
Follow us on...
17 Helping hand
52 “Just champion!”
33 Just a different way of learning
Life
Kilgraston’s head of pastoral describes the school’s unique mentoring system Special educational needs advice from Charlotte Phillips; and how to spot if your child is dyslexic
39 Behind the scenes
Head of SEN at Portland Place describes Thinking Differently Week
40 Learning to live with dyslexia
Mum Sarah Brinton explains how a specialist prep school helped her son
Comment
Giulia Rhodes’ survival guide to the fixture that parents dread – sports day
28 Boycrafting
Things to make and do with boys
58 Get active!
We select six of the best adventurous family holidays in fabulous destinations
66 Book club
A round up of the top beach reads for you and holiday books to keep the kids reading
70 Chain reaction
19 Mind your manners, please
Allergies are on the rise – but schools are prepared, says Thea Jourdan
21 Do you do your child’s homework?
Win a luxury family holiday to Croatia with Sun Gardens and Scott Dunn’s new kids’ club
Ben Evans extols the importance of manners Glynis Kozma asks how far you should help
57 The Great War: my story
74 Competition 77 What’s on
In Focus
Master of Wellington College, Dr Anthony Seldon, writes about his family’s experience School’s Out
Things to do this summer holiday; plus we have some great offers! Two-for-one tickets to the Foodies Festival and 10% off a luxury cabin with Forest Holidays
10 How to choose a senior school
54 Bright young things
82 School memories
Thalia Thompson gives top tips on how to prepare your child for the big move
Ebba Jacobsson checks out the stars from the independent school sector
EDITORIAL Editor Claudia Dudman Art Editor Marc Walker Sub Editor Natalie Milner
CNP Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel (020) 7349 3700 Fax (020) 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com For website and subscriptions, please visit: independentschoolparent.com/register
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PUBLISHING Publisher & Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Commercial Director Vicki Gavin Media Manager James Dobson Subscriptions Manager Will Delmont 020 7349 3710, will.delmont@ chelseamagazines.com Marketing Manager Chatty Dobson Production www.allpointsmedia.co.uk Printed in England by Wyndeham Heron, Essex ADVERTISING Senior Sales Executive Andy Mabbitt Client Development James Darnborough Sales Executives Thomas McMahon, Maryann McIver
Olympic alpine skier Chemmy Alcott looks back on her time at Surbiton High
DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent magazine is for parents of children educated in prep and senior independent schools across the UK. The prep and senior issues are published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent.com/register Independent School Parent also publishes A First Eleven Guide to Independent Schools biannually. © CNP Ltd 2014. 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 magazine 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. All pictures by Thinkstock unless otherwise credited.
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Moncrieff, Chairman Tor Down, Parent James Durant, UCAS Andrew Fleck, Sedbergh School Tory Gillingham, AMDIS Rachel Kerr, Girls’ Schools Association Glynis Kozma, Educational Journalist Zoe MacDougall, Teacher Heidi Salmons, The Headmasters’ & Headmistresses’ Conference Dr Anthony Seldon, Wellington College Elaine Stallard, Elaine Stallard Consulting The Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP, Chairman of the Education Select Committee Sheila Thompson, Boarding Schools’ Association Ben Vessey, Canford School David Wellesley-Wesley, Independent Schools Show Peter Young, Marketing/Brand Consultant
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 3
News
NEWS
Our pick of the top parenting and education news
Private Schools Boost UK Economy by £12bn
For the first time, an independent consultancy has analysed the economic benefits that independent schools bring to Britain. Schools under the Independent Schools Council provide the following: • An annual contribution to GDP of £9.5 billion – larger than the City of Liverpool or the BBC. • More than 227,000 full time equivalent jobs in Britain supported by ISC schools. • Annual savings for the taxpayer of £3 billion – equivalent to building more than 460 new free schools every year.
A HISTORIC DAY FOR FELSTED
Felsted School’s 450th celebrations got off to a majestic start in March, as the entire community descended upon St Paul’s Cathedral in London. Felsted was founded in 1564 by Richard Lord Riche, courtier to Henry VIII and boasts alumni such as Richard Cromwell, Lord Protector.
IT’S CHINEASY!
The hardest part of learning Chinese is recognising the characters. ShaoLan Hsueh’s book, Chineasy: The New Way To Read Chinese (Thames & Hudson, £12.95), uses striking illustrations to break down the complexity of the language into easily digestible building blocks.
ETON HEAD TO RETIRE
The head master of Eton College, Tony Little, has announced that he is to retire at the end of the summer half in 2015. Since 2002, when Mr Little became head master, the college has developed strong links with the state sector. It is the sole educational sponsor of a new state-funded day and boarding school opening in September in Holyport, Berkshire. Eton is also one of eight independent schools involved with the London Academy of Excellence, a selective state sixth-form college in Newham, East London.
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES
FamilyTravel at Mr & Mrs Smith… Smith & Family, the hotel booking service from the team behind Mr & Mrs Smith has launched a new guide to family travel. The handbook: Smith & Family Annual 2014, is packed with inspiring ideas, giving you the low-down on everything from summer getaways to half-term escapes. smithandfamily.co.uk www.independentschoolparent.com
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 5
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E N T E R T A I N M E N T
NEWS YEAR THREE COMES TO LONDON PREP
In a Class of Their Own
The Magdalen College School Junior School general knowledge team has won the National SATIPS championships for the second year running. School teams complete the 100question quiz and the top five scores are tallied. Four of the boys also won performance prizes for top scores. The Gregg twins, Hugo and Elliott, pictured above, came 3rd and 4th respectively out of the 1,700 competitors from over 90 schools!
Wandsworth Prep School, in London, which opened its doors in 2012, has announced that it will be launching a Year Three class this September, a full year ahead of schedule. The school, which currently has Reception and Year One classes, is introducing the additional year group to coincide with the existing Year One children moving up into Year Two. The decision follows significant interest from local parents.
In Conversation with the Creator of Purple Ronnie
Best-selling author Giles Andreae, creator of Purple Ronnie and Edward Monkton, visited St Helen & St Katharine’s school, Abingdon, to be interviewed as part of the school’s fundraising programme for Maggie’s cancer charity. Topics included who would play him in a movie of his life (Damien Lewis, “he’s ginger too, and better looking than me”) and his inspiration (“my English teacher”). The school aims to raise a total of £18,000 this year.
OH, WHAT A NIGHT!
FRESH FRUIT AND VEG ON THE GO! Check out the UK’s first raw fruit and vegetable drink brand Vegesentials – providing juices and smoothies with high nutritional value. There are seven flavours to choose from including carrot, mango and parsnip. Available from Waitrose, Booths, Whole Foods and Ocado, £1.99. vegesentials.co.uk www.independentschoolparent.com
The Right Click
BT and UNICEF UK have launched The Right Click: Internet Safety Matters. The partnership will see both organisations working with teachers, parents and children across the UK, providing workshops and offering advice to keep children safe online. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 7
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Amesbury Arts Festival took place last month at the Hampshire-based school, where each year group participated in tailor-made workshops led by a host of visiting experts. As well as live performances, pupils learnt about different cultures, art forms, genres of music and dance.
NEWS
Heads on the Move
ÞDr James Whitehead has taken up the headship at Downside School in Somerset.
ST SWITHUN’S JUNIOR SCHOOL SAILORS MEET SIR BEN AINSLIE St Swithun’s young sailors met sailing superstar Sir Ben Ainslie when the four-time Olympic gold medallist and America’s Cup winner signalled the start of operations at Southampton dock’s new 500m quay (SCT5), with the loading of a golden container onto one of the world’s biggest ships: CMA CGM Marco Polo, in the port’s 175th year.
Head teachers from almost 200 leading independent schools across the UK attended the True Grit: Developing Emotional Resilience in Schools conference, on 21 March at King’s College School in Wimbledon, to learn how to equip their pupils with the resilience to deal with the pressures of perceived failure. Schoolchildren across the UK are coming under greater pressure to perform and achieve at school. We look into this in our feature on page 25.
Þ Heather Beeby is to be the new head of Lancing College Prep School in Worthing.
RAINBOW TRUST AT THE SAVOY
Stars gathered at The Savoy this spring for Trust in Fashion, hosted by ITV newsreader and Rainbow Trust patron, Mary Nightingale, to raise money for the charity that helps families of children with a life threatening or terminal illness.
Þ Lisa Brown will be the new head at Red Maids’ Junior, Bristol, from 2015.
Things to Do in the Town or City
ÞLouise Wilson, becomes deputy head at Bedales, Hampshire, in September.
Do you live in a city? Then The Wild City Book by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield is for you! For fun outdoors: track wildlife clues, find animals, make art and create games! (Frances Lincoln, £9.99).
What Are Kids Reading? Children across the UK dressed up as their favourite fictional characters for World Book Day 2014. To celebrate, Fancy Dress Ball surveyed 800 parents and discovered that Harry Potter is the most-loved character, while classics like Cinderella and Peter Rabbit continue to captivate young minds.
ÞNicola Edgar is to be the new head of Saint Martin’s School for Girls, Solihull, this September.
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DIANA ZALUCKY
TRUE GRIT
NCT Did Just the Job for Mums on Mother’s Day The NCT has put a template letter on its website written by employment lawyers to give parents’ requests for flexible hours the best possible chance of being accepted. nct.org.uk
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SENIOR SCHOOL
HOW TO CHOOSE
Thalia Thompson gives her top tips on preparing your child for senior school
W
hether your child moves school at 11 or 13, going from the top year of a preparatory school to the bottom of a senior school may be the biggest change your child has ever experienced. It can be a big event for parents too – but there are lots of things you can do to prepare.
Get to know the school
Godolphin School, Wiltshire
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Take as many opportunities as you can to visit the school. There will almost certainly be a taster day where your child can meet the other children who’ll be in their form. There may be other opportunities too, so keep an eye on the school website for details of plays, fetes or exhibitions. At Badminton School, Bristol, future pupils are sent the weekly school newsletter and are invited to many of the school’s summer events. “It’s important that the girls can picture
themselves here,” says headmistress Rebecca Tear. “It helps them to feel part of the community.” On a practical level, if your child will be travelling independently to school each day, make sure they’re familiar with the route. If they’ll be using public transport, make sure you’ve discussed what they’ll do if something goes wrong and a tube line is suspended or they lose their bus pass.
Making new friends Friendships can be very uid at this age. Even if your child is currently at the school’s feeder prep school, the in ux of new children will alter the dynamics of many friendship groups. Be calm and reassuring and encourage your child to join in lots of activities. At Caterham School in Surrey, there’s a “freshers’ fair” for new starters and children are actively encouraged to sign up to the various clubs and societies to broaden friendship groups. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 11
Dauntsey’s
‘Dauntsey’s is ... Fab’ The Good Schools Guide
Boarding and Day School Co-educational · 11–18
Open Morning Saturday 11th October Please book online www.dauntseys.org
West Lavington Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 4HE
INSPIRE
T 020 8439 1309
ENCOURAGE
E admissions@surbitonhigh.com
13-15 SURBITON CRESCENT /surbitonhigh
EMPOWER
www.surbitonhigh.com
KINGSTON UPON THAMES
KT1 2JT
An Independent School for Girls aged 4 - 18 years and Boys aged 4 - 11 years
12 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
@SurbitonHigh
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SENIOR SCHOOL
Holiday homework? nless the school has identified particular areas to work on, there shouldn’t be any need for holiday prep. “The only thing we say to all parents is that it’s essential that children keep reading (every day) and writing – perhaps a diary – during the long holiday,” says Tracy Kirnig, deputy head at Caterham. “And encourage them to retain an interest in everything around them. For example, if you’re going on holiday, get them to research the area.”
New boarders
Don’t worry if your child is going to be the only new starter from their current school. As Deborah McMillan, head of Year Seven at King Edward’s School in Birmingham explains, there will many other “singletons” and private schools are very used to integrating pupils in carefully thought out form groups.
Above, Blundell’s School, Devon
Learning to let go As parents, we need to start to let go when our children move up to senior school. Rebecca Tear knows this can be
TIPS FOR SENIOR SCHOOL Encourage them to use their homework diary or planner properly. They should note down full details of homework, including when it’s due. It’s helpful to use it for reminders of when permission slips etc need to be returned too. Make sure your child can tie shoelaces, many children still struggle with lace up rugby or hockey boots.
Get them used to packing their own bag the night before, and show them how to use their timetable to make sure they’ve got the right sports kit and books. If they always forget their sports kit or musical instrument, see if they can devise their own ideas to help. Maybe a reminder sign to go on the back door, for instance.
Follow us on Twitter @ISParent and share your tried and tested top tips on STARTING SENIOR SCHOOL
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di cult at first. As parents we can often be guilty of wanting to organise things for our children and make their lives run smoothly. It can be hard to hand over ownership of this to them, but that’s what I would encourage parents to do.” Your child needs to begin learning to organise themselves and make their own choices. Help them do this by letting them make some decisions about how they use their holiday time or ask them to do their own packing for a trip. You will have a different relationship with your child’s senior school. Rather than popping into the classroom for a quick chat, communication is usually by email to the form tutor in the first instance. And while you should never hesitate to contact the school if your child is unhappy or struggling with work, your child will also learn to sort out straightforward issues like asking for an extension on a piece of homework or explaining a clash between a sports fixture and a choir practice, by themselves. McMillan acknowledges that this isn’t always easy for new pupils, I’d say to a parent whose child finds it di cult to approach a teacher, to email me and I’ll warn the teacher – then the pupils feels he’s achieved something but the parent and I have done a little behind the scenes work to help out.”
If your child will be boarding, take advantage of any taster nights – children invariably have a fantastic time and it really helps to picture themselves in their future environment. It’s sensible to acknowledge that there may be times when they do feel homesick and that it’s perfectly normal to feel like that. Choose duvet covers and photos from home and encourage them to join in as many activities and clubs as possible. Towards the end of the summer, you could consider bringing mealtimes and bedtimes more into line with school, particularly if you’ve got into the habit of late nights over the holidays.
The beginning of a new adventure It might seem incredible that your little boy or girl is about to start senior school but as Tracy Kirnig says: “you might be anxious, but please don’t let it show.” Your child will probably be excited about the prospect, but if they do have a wobble it’s best to acknowledge their feelings and then help them look forward to all the new opportunities, perhaps by looking through news stories on the school’s website together. And of course, one of the benefits of independent education is that smaller class sizes mean that no one gets overlooked and any problems settling in can be dealt with promptly. Moving up to senior school will open a whole new world to your child, and that’s something to be celebrated.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 13
SENIOR SCHOOLS
WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Our small groups, attentive teaching methods and respect for your daughter as an individual will allow her to focus on her unique strengths and chosen path.
For details on forthcoming Open Mornings or to arrange an individual visit, please contact Nicola Jones on 01865 517103 or admissions@wychwoodschool.org GSA independent day and boarding school for girls aged 11-18 74 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 6JR www.wychwoodschool.org
St Benedict’s, Ealing Independent Catholic Day School
“A place to fulfil my potential and embrace my future with confidence”
“You never feel alone at Godolphin”
Teaching a way of living Co-education from 3 years through to 18
“Rare to find such an outstanding boarding school... Buzzes with confident, gregarious girls” Good Schools Guide
NURSERY and RECEPTION ‘The Nursery and Reception classes offer children an exceptionally rich, exciting and stimulating curriculum.’ ISI Inspection Report November 2012
OPEN MORNINGS 20 May, 10 June (Nursery) 26 June (Juniors) 020 8862 2254 enquiries@stbenedicts.org.uk www.stbenedicts.org.uk We respect the dignity of all and welcome children of other faiths.
14 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Escorted train service from Salisbury to London Waterloo www.godolphin.org
Inspiring girls from 3-18
FRANC
HA LEAL
ETO GE
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SENIOR SCHOOLS
The only Round Square independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in the UK
There is more in you than you think • Near London, A2, A20 & M25 • 17 minutes from London by highspeed rail • Offering transport from September 2014
T: 01474 823371 | www.cobhamhall.com
What makes us different is the difference we make... From scientific exploration to personal discovery, our outstanding education goes way beyond the curriculum Find out more at our open events: Junior
Sat 27 September 10am-1pm Weds 8 October 9.30-11am
Senior
Weds 25 June 6.30-8pm Sat 20 September 10am-1pm Weds 1 October 9.30-11am
See our website for further Autumn Open Events & bookable Taster Days 020 8557 7004 admissions@syd.gdst.net www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net 15 & 19 Westwood Hill, London, SE26 6BL
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The School will be showcasing it’s play ‘The Domino Effect’ at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at The School will be showcasing it’sTheatre play ‘The Domino Effect’ at the Edinburgh Festival2.10pm). Fringe at theSpace (from theSpace @ @ Surgeons’ Surgeons’ Hall, Hall, Grand Grand Y Theatre (from Monday Monday 4th 4th to to Thursday Thursday 14th 14th August August at at 2.10pm). YE EA AR R SS (from Monday 4th to Thursday 14th August at 2.10pm). theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall, Grand Theatre For more information, please contact the Headteacher’s Executive Assistant Shanaz Begum on For more information, pleaseYEARS contact the Headteacher’s Executive Assistant Shanaz Begum on OF shabegum@mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk/ 0207 6327 For more information, please contact the Headteacher’s Executive Assistant OF PIONEERING PIONEERING shabegum@mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk/ 0207 790 790 6327 Shanaz Begum on WOMEN’S WOMEN’S EDUCATION EDUCATION OF PIONEERING shabegum@mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk/ 0207 790 6327 WOMEN’S EDUCATION Confidence, Leadership Confidence, Creativity, Creativity, Leadership and and Love Love of of Learning Learning
Confidence, Creativity, Leadership and Love of Learning www.mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk www.mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk www.mulberry.towerhamlets.sch.uk
16 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
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SENIOR SCHOOL approach to welcoming a new pupil is key. Check how your child will be introduced to the school, and what systems are in place to ensure they settle in happily. Buddy programmes such as our BF s (Big Friendly irls), are a reassuring indicator that the school places appropriate emphasis on enabling children to develop a range of supportive relationships, and helping them feel a part of the school community.
How it works...
[ BEHIND THE SCENES ]
Helping hand Gail McFadden explains how Kilgraston’s unique mentoring system helps the girls to thrive
W
hen I meet a family for the first time, I shake the daughter’s hand, before introducing myself to parents. It’s a small gesture, but one that sums up our attitude to education and pastoral care – our students come first. It’s these sorts of clues, the little things really, that can help to give you a real insight into whether a particular school is the sort of place that your child will be happy. Do the pupils say good morning as you tour the school Are the bedrooms cosy and inviting Does the principal talk about your daughter, or to her As much as anything, it’s the feeling you get as you take time to absorb the
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atmosphere of the school – is this somewhere your child will thrive, or do you simply feel as though you’ve survived an interview process
Support network Investing in a school for your child is a huge decision, and one that you’re likely to feel some apprehension about. hatever your child’s interests and priorities, it’s vital that you find a place where their passions will be supported, and where the school feels like a natural extension of your family’s priorities. nce you do find the right school, the first few days of settling in are always the most nervewracking, and a school’s
Above, Gail McFadden Left and below, prep girls at Kilgraston Below left, a BFG and her LFG
ilgraston’s BF s was established by our head girls, and is designed to give pupils the benefit of a big sister figure in the upper sixth. Any girl can request support from a BF by popping a pink slip into a postbox in the dining hall. ur younger girls ( F s), can turn to their BF on issues of any scale – from a quick chat or a question about a tricky assignment, right up to formal academic mentoring, shared activities and group outings. The F s in the younger boarding houses have benefited enormously from the buddy scheme, and shy girls have come out of their shells and immersed themselves in all aspects of school life. It’s been particularly valuable to pupils who are new to the school, or those who need extra support to settle in to the routine and rhythms of life at ilgraston. The scheme has also been a fantastic means of integrating year groups, and sixth formers are now a regular feature in the prep school and lower boarding houses, where they’re surrounded and greeted with hugs. For our B Fs, too, the benefits are clear. The older girls mature within their role and take great pleasure from watching the younger girls take on board their guidance. hile our BF s undergo specific training in safeguarding and welfare, and have access to ongoing support from the senior team, they’re not a substitute for the more formal pastoral system, but they play a complementary role that aligns perfectly with the family like ethos of the school. If a parent wonders how their daughter will fit within our bustling school community, or is anxious about the prospects of a shy or quiet child, our BF s offer a welcoming hand, a trusted arm around the shoulder and a quiet word of support. Gail McFadden is head of pastoral and boarding at Kilgraston, Perthshire.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 17
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FAMILY HOLIDAYS WITH THE EXPERTS
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HEAD VIEWPOINT
Mind your manners ! e s a e pl
Ben Evans, head of Edge Grove School, Hertfordshire, asks: should parents demand a greater emphasis on manners and traditional skills from schools?
S
ay please, say thank you, say excuse me, say pardon,” we spend our lives as parents trying to instil good manners in our children. Why? Because good manners are what sets one child apart from the next; and such skills are important both socially, and in forming a robust foundation for the start of young adult life as our children interact with others, develop and grow. But the sad fact is traditional manners and customs are no longer a high priority for many schools. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe a strong focus on preserving traditional manners and courtesies should play an integral role in all schools today. Skills associated with formal manners go hand in hand with academic standards just as they form a solid basis for the principles of good teaching via staff and receptive learning from our children. Independent schools across the UK often preach about their special heritage, history and leafy surroundings yet when it comes to upholding these dwindling formalities, the truth is, many are not ying the ag of tradition high enough. Parents often tell me that in their past experience, schools don’t want the extra burden of teaching children the principles of good manners with many believing that this is the job of the parents alone. And to an extent, of course parents are a major in uence in instilling good manners in their children (and quite right too). But when you consider that some children (particularly those who board), will spend more time at school than at home in any given week, the school does have a responsibility to ensure each child is exposed to high standards in a culture where manners really do matter. Since
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Above, Ben Evans insists that it’s the simple things, like delivering a firm handshake, that matter when it comes to manners
when did the idea of schools providing the “whole package” become so rare? And at what point will we realise we don’t recognise what manners are anymore? At Edge Grove, we reward our pupils for good manners and acts of kindness because it is a great way of encouraging strong social skills while ensuring that pupils feel supported and part of a wider school community that cares about them. I’ve introduced a “Golden Moments” chart which is updated weekly and circulated to pupils and parents to recognise such acts – it’s exciting for the children to see if they’ve made it on to the chart each week and gives them something to strive for. But regardless of historic tradition, there is still no getting away from the fact that we need to prepare our children for the world today and just as every school has its own customs (and often language) we should be looking to preserve the best of traditions while promoting more progressive and modern ideas via forward-thinking
teaching methods, relevant and topical school activities, regular feedback from parents and self-evaluation. A modern approach that embraces good oldfashioned principles is still relevant and essential in ensuring our children are fit for the modern world. Maybe some schools fail at this because they over-complicate it? When it comes to manners, it’s the simple things that stand out; for example, as a parent you want your child to have the confidence and conviction to look someone straight in the eyes, to deliver a firm handshake and to hold a conversation with another person. Encouraging children to have the confidence to try something new and to be able to celebrate success or cope with disappointment with resilience when the situation arises is part of growing up. ualities of life such as self confidence, self-discipline, independence, honesty and integrity are traits we as schools, should be striving to uphold. But if we are to save these precious customs which make one school stand out from the next, it is down to the schools (and us as head teachers) to lead the way and make the time. As parents, try and invest some time in attending a variety of open days, you can always tell those schools who have invested time in preserving manners and traditions when you visit for the first time and trust me, you will notice straight away. Of course, academic ability is important, but there are other elements that form a well-rounded person. Most parents hope their children will get good A levels and possibly a good degree, but ironically it will come down to good old-fashioned “table manners”, which will set them apart from the crowd and help them to secure a job. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 19
MUM’S VIEWPOINT
Do you do your child’s homework? H
omework: all children do it. But how involved you are depends upon whether your child is a day pupil or a boarder. If your child doesn’t board you might wonder how much help you should give them. If your child is a boarder, are they at an advantage because they have teachers on hand to help them? Or perhaps their school prefers them to tackle homework independently? Busy parents are juggling after-school activities and not just one child’s homework, so it can be tempting to jump in and give a lot of help. So, how do schools manage the different approaches to homework with their day and boarding pupils, and can this help you? One of the main purposes of homework is to develop independent learning. Robert McVean, head of the junior school at Gordonstoun, Scotland, says: we find that sometimes parents help too much, which doesn’t help children’s independent learning or thinking. Parents are not always aware of which methods are used now in schools (especially in numeracy) which can confuse children.” Finding a balance between being completely hands off and doing the homework yourself (let’s admit it – most of us have!) is the aim. Dr Philip Hoskin, housemaster and chemistry teacher at Casterton, Sedburgh Prep School, Cumbria, explains what happens at his school and how parents of day pupils can follow his example: “Any guidance should be subtle and answers should be teased out of pupils; put simply, I avoid spoonfeeding and steering boarders towards answers – something parents may be tempted to do. Houseparents become involved in pupils’ prep because we believe this will make a difference to
20 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
❝ Any guidance should be
subtle and answers should be teased out of pupils ❞ a child’s learning. But we need to promote independent thought and ensure that prep re ects their ability. Boarding staff are therefore able to immediately spot any child who is struggling with prep. “Homework is often supervised by the subject teacher who set the prep, so any queries can be answered and support given,” says
McVean. At Casterton, Hoskin says: “I believe that there is a positive link between showing an interest in a boarder’s work and the rapport between a housemaster and his charges.” So by inference the advice for day pupils’ parents is: “be supportive but don’t do the homework for them”. At Gordonstoun, parents are asked to let the school know if their child has struggled with the homework by annotating their work. McVean adds: “we ask parents to time their child’s homework; we can’t monitor it as we can with boarders. We don’t want day pupils spending too long on homework when they should be getting some sleep.” Abbotsholme School, Staffordshire, offers the same advice. Boarders’ homework is supervised but we ask that parents, while being supportive, do not do their child’s homework because this does not provide feedback for the teachers. Most parents will let us know if they are too involved in homework. All children are able to access teachers at break and lunchtimes if they need help.” So it’s good to know that there is a general consensus amongst schools with regard to how they deal with homework. It’s also helpful to try to establish a routine. This could involve setting aside a time for prep when there are no distractions. Setting clear boundaries, such as half an hour’s relaxation then an hour’s homework, works better than rushing homework at the last minute. ffer to help, but it’s better to ask your child what they think the answers are. Homework is a key aspect of reinforcing what’s been covered in lessons and develops learning. Getting the balance right by being supportive, but not spoonfeeding, is vital for children at home and at school. www.independentschoolparent.com
ANDY WARD
How much help should you give your child when they do their prep? Enough to be supportive but no spoonfeeding, says Glynis Kozma
Cranmore School
Where boys can be boys West Horsley, Surrey KT24 6AT
The only all-boys boarding prep school in the North of England
T: 01483 280340 E: admissions@cranmoreprep.co.uk W: cranmoreprep.co.uk Headmaster: Michael Connolly Admissions: Helen Perry
Unmatched in the North for sending boys to top UK schools
Key facts
Gender / Ages: boys and girls, 21/2 - 7 years, boys 7 - 13 Total pupils: 460, boys 443, girls 17 Type: Day Fees: Nursery – Daily from £3,400 Pre-Prep – Daily from £3,500. Prep – Daily from £4,200 per term Entrance procedure: Non-selective up to 7, assessment for 7+
Day boys most welcome, bursaries available
School Philosophy: Cranmore, one of Surrey’s leading independent prep schools, will be co-ed (2½ - 7 years) from September 2014, with boys continuing into the Senior Department. The school offers an unrivalled academic focus plus outstanding sports, music and facilities. Open Days: 19 September & 4 October 2014 9.30 – 12.00 noon ISP 'I AM' half page Walhampton.pdf
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1
30/04/2014
15:45
Newton-le-Willows, Bedale, North Yorkshire 01677 450 240 enquiries@aysgarthschool.co.uk www.aysgarthschool.com
‘Best Prep School’ Tatler 2010
Aysgarth School is a registered charitable trust (charity number: 529538). Company Number: 898078
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 21
T
children Who says that a Swallows and Amazons type of childhood is a thing of the past? It’s thriving in our prep schools, discovers Katie Hughes
22 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
he heavy branches of an old cedar tree brush the lawns of Hanford School in Dorset inviting girls to clamber on and climb. And, every afternoon, time is set aside for them to do exactly this. Headmaster Nigel Mackay tells pupils: “When you get really good at all the branches, you are allowed to teach other new girls their way around the tree.” Although a recent study from the Economic and Social Research Council shows a dramatic drop in children’s outdoor play once they go to school, Hanford is bucking the national trend – and it’s not alone in doing so. oing out to play in woods and fields was what children used to do all the time,” says Dr Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington College. “We need that experience of wild places for all sorts of reasons, not least to see ourselves as part of something much bigger.” Wild places are very much on the agenda for pupils at Aysgarth in North www.independentschoolparent.com
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Yorkshire. Camps by the river give boys the time and freedom to build dens and rafts – not forgetting wild swimming, says housemaster Paul Barlow. The boys are always to be seen outside. It’s a similar story at Aldro in Surrey. ust minutes from central ondon, it gives pupils free range fun with its very own lake, complete with rowing boat and island tree house – connected to the mainland by a rope bridge. The boys love the bridge because there’s always the chance they might fall off, says headmaster David Aston, who also runs Escape from Coldit nights – a favourite with boarders, who must elude staff searchlights in the grounds to win. Children need challenge and excitement, says psychologist ennie indon. If their play environment is made safe and sanitised, they will either slump into uninspired and repetitive play or find some way to spice it up. All too aware of this, indermere Prep in Cumbria has Adventure! www.independentschoolparent.com
sessions on its weekly timetable. Children regularly set off from the school’s own lakeside watersports centre to sail or canoe – and they can also take up climbing, orienteering and a host of other challenging activities nearby. It’s no surprise that, by the end of Year Six, most of them have reached impressive levels of capability. But outdoor adventure for prep school pupils is about a lot more than just having fun. It can boost their self confidence and this can have a positive impact on their academic life, says Aston. iving children the freedom and time to play together, in wild and open spaces, is critical to all aspects of development and learning, adds Barlow. The outdoor classroom is unique: no walls, no boundaries, no bells – an endless hori on of opportunity. Prior Park in Wiltshire has taken this a step further. arge amounts of the curriculum are learnt outdoors, says headmaster Mark Pearce. This creates opportunities for children to develop a wider understanding of their capabilities and to extend the skills they have learnt in the classroom. Enabling them to do this is the school’s £14,000 outdoor classroom, including a wild meadow, pond, footpath and forest. It’s also used for good old fashioned fun, such as making mud men, building fires and roasting apples. Peter Dix, former education correspondent at T he D aily T eleg rap h, endorses this outdoor approach to education. Children who do not
❝ If a child’s play
environment is made safe and sanitised they will slump into repetitive play ❞
Clockwise from top left, children climb the cedar tree at Hanford School, Aldro boys explore the lake, Beeston pupils regularly visit the beach, the rope bridge to the island tree house at Aldro
respond well to conventional teaching and learning in the classroom often do so with striking success when outdoors. Pupils at Beeston Hall in Norfolk are used to putting this theory to the test. They make the most of the nearby coast, not just for running free with friends or the headmaster’s dog, but also for geography lessons that come to life when transported from whiteboard to beach. The children spend more time outside a classroom than inside one in any given day, says headmaster obin ainher. It can also be animals that draw children to the freedom of the fresh air – not least at Hanford, where girls can hop on the saddle to ride us, osie, Acorn or another of the school’s many ponies. Or they can take Nonsense, Stanley and Doodah the dogs for a muddy walk round the grounds. But often they will just be found inventing their own outside fun, sometimes in the company of the school’s chickens – all as free range as the girls themselves. Children quickly learn to play their own games without the need for constant adult encouragement or direction, says Nigel Mackay. And that’s just what prep schools need to preserve. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 23
PREP SCHOOL
Relative values
Seven members of the original founding family work at Moffats prep school in Shropshire. It’s the essence of our success, writes its head, Robin McCarthy
F
irst, to set the scene Moffats was founded by my grandmother, Natalie Engleheart, in , and is still owned and run by her family years on. It began as a small school and has deliberately remained so. Despite repeated requests from parents to increase the age range to or more, it has equally deliberately remained a prep school – a school for children. So, a small, family run prep school it is. Natalie was not a teacher but she had been a prep school music master’s wife for many years and reckoned she knew how a school should be run – which was not the way schools were generally run in those days. Although all of this was important to her and to her two sons (aged and when she called them home to run the school with her), she was sure that there was more to education than this, and insisted that her school should embrace the interests and talents of all children (or boys, as they all were until the mid s). She was therefore well ahead of her time in founding a school for individuals, for whom an outdoor education might be just as important as the more traditional indoor one. Her sons were both academics too (a classicist and a modern linguist), as well as sportsmen, so the idea of the all rounder was personified by the young men who went on to run Moffats for the rest of the th century.
Above and right, prep school pupils at Moffats, Shropshire
❝ This is not a family school
simply because it is small and intimate, but because it really is a family ❞ www.independentschoolparent.com
And because, in the th year of the school, Moffats remains in the hands of the Engleheart family, all those passions still lie at its heart music, academic excellence, languages, speech and drama, sport and all manner of outdoor pursuits, including riding – and in areas where the Englehearts lack expertise (science, for one), we have an extended family of staff who provide it. A generation on, no fewer than seven of Natalie’s grandchildren and great grandchildren work at Moffats, with our family central to the life of the school – and it remains home, since childhood, to four branches of the family. It is not surprising, therefore, that visitors remark on the family feel , the sense of home rather than school – even, sometimes, when they visit an empty school in the holidays. This is not a family school simply because it is small and intimate, but because it really is a family.
ne way in which we differ from a family is that Moffats has become as diverse a community as any, and more than just a microcosm of British society. As a boarding school with full boarding – exeat weekends included, for those without family in the country or able to take them out – we have a few children from overseas, currently from France, Thailand, Spain and Norway (Mongolia last year Angola next year) and this in turn brings to us a diversity of cultures and religions that would otherwise be hard to come by in the Shropshire countryside. There is no doubt that we do not boast some of the facilities and activities that larger schools can offer. e do have acres of lovely land, and we do have a Norman church in our garden, and we do have a rade I listed eorgian mansion, complete with original stables for our ponies, but we have not built a fancy sports hall or astro turf or separate art block. And we only have one science lab. This is a school that focuses on people, not facilities, and this was a decision boldly taken in the s and s when other schools were expanding fast. Moffats was founded as a small school, with its emphasis firmly set on being an extension of the founding family, and none of the next generation wanted to change that. I taught in a few other prep schools in my years away from Moffats, one of which, with pupils, used the tag family school as it was popular at the time. I argued that members of a family would all know one another’s names, which was certainly not the case there and cannot be in any school of that si e. It was a big, caring community – but not a family.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 25
Great Walstead School An independent, co-educational boarding and day school in Reading for students aged 11-18
East Mascalls Lane, Lindfield, West Sussex, RH16 2QL T: 01444 483528 E: registrar@greatwalstead.co.uk W: greatwalstead.co.uk Head Teacher: Mr Colin Baty Admissions: Mrs Fiona Clutton
Key facts
Gender / Ages: boys and girls, 2 1/2 to 13 years Total pupils: 447, boys 264, girls 183 Type: Day, Flexi, Weekly Boarding Fees: Nursery: based on 1 day each week from £295. Pre-prep: from £2,325, Prep: from £4,160 Flexi from £29 per night, Full Boarding from £885 per term Entrance procedure: Please see the school website for details.
School Philosophy: Our vision at Great Walstead School is to inspire all our pupils to achieve their potential in all areas, through the support and dedication of our staff in a caring Christian environment. Open Days: 3rd & 4th October To register call 01444 483528 or email registrar@greatwalstead.co.uk
Luckle
An inspiring education
Set in 60 acres of beautiful parkland and within easy reach of London and Heathrow, Leighton Park School is a vibrant community with a distinctive Quaker ethos, where individuality is celebrated and students benefit from a broad range of academic subjects and extra-curricular activities. To book a place at one of our open mornings or discuss our Taster Days, contact our Registrar on 0118 987 9608 or go to www.leightonpark.com/visitus.
DEVONSHIRE HOUSE SCHOOL 2 Arkwright Road, Hampstead, NW3 6AE
HOUSE SCHOOL
Independent Day & Boarding School for Girls
• • •
Caring Christian ethos Flexible boarding options Small class sizes
• • •
Excellent academic results Bursaries and Scholarships Accessible from London
OPEN MORNING - Saturday 11 October 2014 Luckley House School, Wokingham, Berkshire T: 0118 978 4175
E: Registrar@luckleyhouseschool.org
www.luckleyhouseschool.org 26 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
A co-educational IAPS Prep and Pre-Prep School for children from 3 – 13 with its own Oak Tree Nursery for children from 2½ to 3½ OPEN MORNINGS Wednesday, 15th October 2014 Thursday, 16th October 2014 For more information contact the Admissions’ Secretary: 020 7435 1916 enquiries@devonshirehouseprepschool.co.uk www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk www.independentschoolparent.com
EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE
Great expectations
psychologist, presenter, columnist and writer of the 2008 government paper S af er Children in a D ig ital W o rld, said it was important for the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) to insist upon “outstanding” pastoral care across all of its independent schools. Her talk focused on the current challenges that schools, parents and children face in developing and promoting “resilient” students; ones who are able to cope independently with their aspirations and manage adversity in their school and personal lives. Further speeches included social media and gaming, the mysterious workings of the teenage brain, the value of “failing well” and methods of nurturing emotional development that are currently working in schools. But perhaps most moving was Old King’s pupil Jean-Andre Prager’s speech on his battle with cerebral palsy, sharing the struggle he faced with schools unable to
This spring King’s College School, Wimbledon, hosted a conference to discuss the pressures faced by today’s pupils. Natalie Milner finds out more
H
ead teachers from almost 200 leading UK independent schools attended the True Grit: Developing Emotional Resilience in Schools conference this spring, to learn how to equip their pupils with the resilience to deal with the pressures of perceived failure. It’s no secret that schoolchildren across the UK are coming under greater pressure to perform and achieve at school, and at times to the detriment of their general wellbeing. The True Grit conference came at a time of heightened awareness of external societal pressures and, more importantly, the impact they have on the self confidence, identity and physical appearance of young people. Dealing with the normal demands of schooling is di cult enough, but with these added pressures in mind, children are increasingly worrying about being perceived as a “failure” rather than focusing on their “success”. “It is a balancing act – motivating young people but not allowing them to feel oppressed by the sheer weight of all our expectations, and indeed their own,” says Andrew Halls, head master of King’s College School. “We know they will succeed, but they are not always so sure, and this can lead to high levels of self-doubt that are, for some, crucifying.”
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❝ It is a balancing
act – motivating young people, but not allowing them to feel oppressed by all of our expectations ❞ Above, girls at King’s College School, Wimbledon
“And of course the pressure to be perfect is not just an academic one: personal appearance, social groups, family background and concern about their own future in a troubled world are issues that are all too vivid for many bright and ambitious young people.” The conference brought together some of the UK’s top researchers and practitioners in the fields of pedagogy, neuroscience and adolescent psychology. Professor Tanya Byron, clinical
deal with his condition, before he was accepted at King’s. Through sheer grit and resilience Prager gained a place at Oxford University. Speaking at the conference, he shared some sage words of advice: “aim high, fall hard, get up fast”. The True Grit conference has highlighted the growing need for the independent school sector to fully recognise the pressures affecting young people today. It’s vital that schools develop sensititive and modern approaches that can be in uential on both a pupil’s education and wellbeing.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 27
Boycrafting If the summer weather is leaving much to be desired, and your boys are stuck indoors, a new book, Boycraft, is packed with things to make and do
CREATIVE KIDS
Right, there are always ways to recycle old things – and have fun at the same time!
Jam jar medals Whether your little one has won a race at sports day, is celebrating their birthday – or maybe they want to recreate their very own FIFA World Cup – there are so many occasions to make a medal! And they can be a fantastic gift for someone special, too. Draw around a jam jar lid on some paper a few times so you can sketch out some ideas for your medal design. You can make it up or copy something you’ve seen. If the lid has printing on it, give it a coat of paint so you have a blank canvas and let it dry. Spray paint is always a good option! Draw or paint your design. If it’s very complicated, a thin permanent marker pen can help you get a more accurate outline. When it’s dry, firmly tape a piece of ribbon to the other side to form a loop that can go around your neck – and now podium time!
Jumper monkey You can turn old jumpers into cuddly monkeys and apes. This basic pattern can be easily adapted to make orangutans, chimps and all kinds of unique monkey creations!
2
YOU WILL NEED: Old jumper Buttons and fabric scraps Stuffing Basic sewing kit Sewing machine (optional) Velcro to add to the hands so your monkey can hug you (optional!)
1
Turn the jumper inside out and lay it at on a table. Cut off the sleeves and cut both in half down the length. These will become the legs and arms. To make your monkey’s body, with a pencil draw a big arched shape (with a at bottom) on the main part of the jumper. Pin through the sides of the jumper and cut out about 2cm outside the line you have drawn. Cut as long a strip as possible from the bottom of the jumper for the tail, and two ear shapes from scraps.
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Fold the arms and legs lengthways (right sides together) and sew the long edge and one short edge of each piece, leaving a 2cm seam. Turn all the pieces so the right side is on the outside. A wooden spoon will help you poke the ends of the long pieces through. Do the same for the tail if you are making one. Sew around the body on the line you have drawn, leaving a gap of about 10cm on the bottom edge. Turn the right way, fill the body with stu ng and close with stitching. Don’t stuff the arms, legs and tail but sew the open ends closed. Hand or machine sew two legs to the bottom of the body, and an arm to either side. Attach the tail to the back. Draw a template for your monkey’s face. Cut out the face shape from felt and hand sew on. Add buttons for eyes, sew a line for a mouth and sew on the ears. You can now sew Velcro to the hands if you want your monkey to give you a hug!
3
4
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 29
CREATIVE KIDS
Papier mâché You can make all kinds of things with papier mâché. Both PVA glue or wallpaper paste work well. Wallpaper paste is loads of fun to make – it’s like magic cold porridge but can take up to a week to dry so we prefer using PVA glue. Beware, this is messy! Cover the table with a plastic cloth, or better still, do it outside... Mix glue and water in a big bowl or a saucepan. A good mix for P A papier m ch is about one part glue to about three parts water. If using wallpaper paste, make it so that the consistency is thicker than the instructions on the pack. Before you begin, tear up lots of newspaper into strips ready to use. You’ll find that paper rips much more easily in one direction than the other. Don’t make the strips too wide or too long. se the strips of paper dipped in your P A glue mix or wallpaper paste to cover an object or create your own shape with cardboard. et it dry and then paint and decorate! These papier m ch bases are great for creating fantasy landscapes for toy 30 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
soldiers, arhammer figures and other small toys. Invite some friends round and make a giant one by butting up with additional bases. Cut a base from some sturdy cardboard. Tape a variety of small boxes and cardboard tubes to it. Cover the entire surface with papier m ch and leave to dry. Paint with poster paint or household emulsion and add any details. Boycraft: Loads of Things to Make for and with Boys by Sarah Marks and Sara Duchars (£14.99), Frances Lincoln
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A world-class education in the heart of Bristol.
Open Mornings held in October, March and May Badminton nurtures intellectual curiosity and challenges enquiring minds in a supportive community. Our girls’ enthusiasm for the arts, sport and their many activities keeps the School vibrant – come and see for yourself! T: 0117 905 5271 • E: admissions@badmintonschool.co.uk • www.badmintonschool.co.uk
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@AcorntoOakBris
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 31
Organised? Name Labels for School, Preschool & Childcare
‘A real gem among the girls’ only full-boarding schools’ Good Schools Guide 2013
Name labels help school kids take better care of their belongings and make mums feel very organised.
Dispatched within 4 working days Free Postage Made in the UK www.mynamelabel.co.uk 0870 850 7897
Open Morning
Saturday 11 october 10am - 1pm
Visits and tours throughout the year visit www.sherborne.com
...and all of a sudden, nothing is impossible. ‘The Gold Standard’ Sunday Times
‘A haven of expertise in the centre of London’ CReSTeD
London’s leading day school for specific learning difficulties 020 7976 5456 fairleyhouse.org.uk
0770 FH_ISP Guide Half Page 129mmx 202mm.indd 1
32 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
04/05/2014 10:32
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FOCUS
Special Educational Needs
Just a different way of learning It may not be obvious, at first, that your child has a learning difficulty especially if they are bright, writes Charlotte Phillips
P
arenting shouldn’t be a competitive process, least of all when our children start school. But while publicly, all we want is for them to be happy, most of us also nurture the secret hope that they will canter past educational milestones just that little bit faster than average. And if they’re mastering those all-important social mores at the same time, learning to play nicely and popular enough to get their fair share of party invitations, we’re not exactly going to run to the teacher to complain. So discovering that your five, six or seven-year-old child is failing to make the effortless progress you’d fondly imagined would be the case, can come as a monumental shock.
* NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED
The warning signs Because of the be-all and end-all emphasis given to literacy and numeracy in those first years at school, di culties in these areas are often the earliest to start to emerge. Pinpointing the cause, however, can take rather longer – even when the signs point overwhelmingly to dyslexia, far and away the most common educational need in the , and affecting, it is thought, one child in ten. Fran Lambert’s* son was clearly intelligent, with an intuitive feel for science, yet had trouble with learning the alphabet and numbers. “You think, well, I know he’s quite bright but maybe it’s just a boy thing and the school were telling me that too,” she says. www.independentschoolparent.com
Problems with literacy and numeracy may be the first signs of a learning difficulty
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 33
Even now, it’s not uncommon for teachers to be ba ed by typical signs that a child is dyslexic. “A child can be obviously bright and highly articulate yet struggle with reading speed, accuracy, comprehension and recall, while their writing is often reluctant, short and with mistakes in basic, easy to spell words, says Bernadette Mc ean, principal of the renowned Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre in Farnham, Surrey. Dyspraxia, an allied condition, means children may struggle with coordination and body awareness – to the point of not knowing how many fingers they have – while those with dyscalculia may seem unable to grasp basic number facts.
Developmental milestones
Trust your instinct For many parents, however, there will come a moment when it becomes clear – with or without input from professionals – that this is something that isn’t going away. And as learning needs don’t come neatly packaged and with a clear label attached, it’s vital they trust their instinct. “You can end up feeling that perhaps you were wrong about your child, says
❝ It’s all too easy to see a child’s
learning need in a negative light. It’s not going to be cured – and why should it be? It’s not a disease ❞ Fran ambert. But I knew he wasn’t stupid and as a mother you always, always absolutely know. “You know there’s something not quite right but you don’t know if it’s something that’s going to be worked through, agrees Alison ove, who also has a dyslexic son. It’s only when they get to seven or eight that it becomes glaringly clear that you have to embrace the fact that your child is dyslexic and work with it rather than against it. It’s that feeling of knowing that in order to give your child the best chance, you have to do something about it. That belief in your child is essential, particularly if they become aware that they aren’t doing as well as their friends and either behave badly out of sheer frustration – or simply withdraw.
34 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Above, dyspraxia is a condition where children have difficulty with coordination and fine motor skills
Behavioural signs Fran Lambert’s son became so miserable that he stopped even seeing his friends. “His self-esteem was absolutely rock bottom. Suddenly he didn’t want to go to birthday parties or socialise. He was becoming almost reclusive. He dropped out of his football classes. All those things you do to help your child to integrate into normal life he didn’t want to do because clearly at that age he was feeling that he was so very different, she says. For any parent busily blaming themselves, and occasionally being blamed by other people for their children’s di culties (even in these enlightened times queues will form for www.independentschoolparent.com
ISTOCK. CORBIS
ther learning needs include ADHD, where children can find it hard to sit still or concentrate, while a further , in the , some academically very able, have ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) and may have trouble with social communication and the nuances of playground etiquette, which, though seemingly straightforward, are dominated by elaborate rules of engagement. Failure to play nicely, take turns or share can make break time a ba ing and miserable experience. Not every problem signals a long-term learning di culty, so it’s important for all staff, particularly those in nurseries and other early years settings to be thoroughly clued up on developmental milestones, points out Dr Michael Hymans, a chartered HCPC registered, practitioner psychologist. “As soon as they recognise the fact that progress is not in line with what would normally be expected of children of that age, that’s the point at which concerns should start to be raised.
FOCUS
DOES MY CHILD HAVE DYSLEXIA? There are three core things to look for, says Bernadette McLean, principal of the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre in Farnham, Surrey.
1
The first is a lack of phonological awareness, or the ability to break words down into tiny sounds – knowing that “cat” isn’t just a cuddly animal but something that begins with a “c” sound and rhymes with “rat”. The second is working memory – basically how much you can hold and process in your mind while you are sorting out a problem. “The best example is doing mental arithmetic,” says Bernadette McLean. “You’re going to the shop to buy six oranges which are 37p and a Mars Bar at 35p. You’ve got
2
an infallible guide, a stress on the word “inclusivity” in the prospectus augurs well, signalling a willingness to work with parents and a commitment to supporting pupils through to 11 or 13. As in state schools, all will allocate a member of staff who is charge of special needs and will coordinate individual education plans (or IEPs) which specify how each child should be supported. This might range from dividing tasks into small steps to giving extra thinking time for children with dyslexia, or giving an autistic child a visual timetable that clarifies the structure of their day. Some help – extra sessions in numeracy and literacy, for example, will often comes as standard – though parents may end up funding substantial extra help such as speech and language or occupational therapy themselves.
five pounds so how much change will you have? This is universally a problem with people who are dyslexic.” Processing speed is the third issue. With dyslexia, people will process verbal information – but more slowly than others. It’s akin to the feeling you experience on holiday when someone is speaking a foreign language you know only slightly. I think, “Please will French people slow down a bit so I could get more than 10% of what they’re saying.” Once I’ve worked out what it is they’ve said, I’ve missed the next bit.
3
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the chance to level accusations of poor parenting), a formal diagnosis can actually come as a huge relief. But while in a perfect world, problems would be quickly recognised, home and school working harmoniously with therapists to design the perfect wrap around support package for each child doesn’t always happen immediately. And sometimes it doesn’t happen at all. It can be a long, slow process finding the right help and support for your child. www.independentschoolparent.com
How can schools help? With their smaller class sizes and higher teacher-to-pupil ratios, independent prep schools are, not surprisingly, seen as an oasis for children needing more than average amounts of TLC. Many are, indeed, incredibly nurturing places, particularly those that are non-selective at four plus. While not
Shop around
Above, independent schools with their smaller class sizes and higher teacher-to-pupil ratio ensure that help is at hand for those children that struggle
It isn’t, however, an infallible system. Even nurseries, thinks Dr Hymans, may compound the problem, shying away from any suggestion that your child needs help simply because they feel it implies failure on their part. Staff tend to either say they’ll grow out of it or assume that if they report anything, it re ects badly on them. And support can vary not just from school to school, but child to child, depending on the accuracy with which their needs are pinpointed, the breadth of support available and, all too often, the willingness of a school to commit precious resources to one individual. Head teachers can be firm believers in prioritising the needs of the many. Anything that might have a detrimental effect on the learning of the majority of pupils, such as persistently disruptive behaviour or the need for full-time, one-to-one support from a teaching assistant in class can be a step too far. Worse still can be schools which, in the firm belief that they are acting for the best, lump all their struggling pupils together and offer one si e fits all group support, regardless of their own personal di culties. This is something that can be not just demoralising for children and their parents alike, but traumatising given that a child with behavioural di culties may have altogether different challenges to another who is struggling to decode the words on the page.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 35
Newland House School
Welcome Events 14 May 20 June
A co-educational day Preparatory School from age 3 to 13
“Being The Best Me I Can Be”
Call now to reserve your place or to arrange an individual tour of the NEWLY RENOVATED PRE-PREP or Prep School
Independent Preparatory Day School for Girls and Boys from 4 to 13 years Non-selective entry at Reception Year 3 entry via 7+ Assessment ‘Throughout the school, the quality of the pupils’
achievements and learning is excellent.’
‘The personal development of pupils is excellent and is supported by excellent pastoral care.’ ISI Inspection October 2013
www.kingshottschool.com St Ippolyts, Hitchin Hertfordshire SG4 7JX Telephone: 01462 432009 Email: registrar@kingshottschool.com
t: 020 8865 1305 e: admissions@newlandhouse.net www.newlandhouse.net
ABBERLEY HALL ABBERLEY BBERLEY HKnighton ALL House School Knighton House School A HALL Newland House School, Waldegrave Park, Twickenham TW1 4TQ
Day and boarding for girls aged 7-13
Pre-prep for girls and boys aged 3-7
Day and boarding for girls aged 7-13
Pre-prep for girls and boys aged 3-7
Inviting applications for
The Greenwood Awards
Co-educational Boarding and Day School for 8-13 years. Pre-preparatory and Co-educational Boarding and Co-educational Boarding and Nursery department for children from two years old. Day School for 8-13 years. Pre-preparatory and Outstanding academic record in preparing pupils for all Nursery department for children from two years old. public and senior schools.
Celebrating our 65th year, Knighton House is pleased to announce four new awards, offering substantial funding for children starting at the school in September 2014 in Years 3 and 4. Part of Knighton House’s charitable mission, The Greenwood Awards will offer generous financial support all the way through to Year 8.
Outstanding Outstanding academic academic record record in in preparing preparing pupils pupils for for all all schools. l 90 acre grounds public public and and senior senior schools. l Art & DT centre Day and boarding for girls aged 7-13 Pre-prep for girls and boys aged 3-7 To register your interest in these means-tested bursary awards please contact l 90 Exceptional facilities l Art Large music suite l acre grounds l & DT centre admissions@knighton-house.co.uk 01258 452065 l Exceptional 90 acre grounds l Large Art & DT centre l facilities New science complex l music suite Astroturf www.knightonhouse.dorset.sch.uk l New Exceptional facilities l Large suite l science complex l Indoor swimming pool l Astroturf Ridingmusic stables l New science l Astroturf Inviting applications for l swimming pool l l Indoor Sports Hall complex l Riding Modernstables language laboratory l Hall Indoor swimming pool l language laboratory Riding The Greenwood l Sports Rifle range l Modern French stables alpine chalet l Rifle range l French chalet Invitingbursary applications for contact Sports Hall Modernalpine language laboratory To register your interest in these means-tested awards please Awards l WeRifle alsorange offer a a wide wide range range of of evening evening and weekend weekend activities from l French alpine activities chalet from We also offer and Celebrating our 65th year, admissions@knighton-house.co.uk 01258 452065 calligraphy to to abseiling. abseiling. calligraphy Knighton House is pleased to www.knightonhouse.dorset.sch.uk We also offer a wide range of evening and weekend activities from Celebrating our 65th year, Knighton House is pleased to announce four new awards, offering calligraphy to abseiling. substantial funding for children
Knighton House School
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Contact Mrs G Portsmouth, Registrar, Contact Mrs G Portsmouth, Registrar, Abberley Hall. Worcestershire WR6 6DD Abberley Hall. Worcestershire WR6 6DD admissions@abberleyhall.co.uk
Contact Mrs G Portsmouth, Registrar, admissions@abberleyhall.co.uk Abberley Hall. Worcestershire WR6 6DD admissions@abberleyhall.co.uk
www.abberleyhall.co.uk
www.abberleyhall.co.uk www.abberleyhall.co.uk
36 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
The Greenwood Awards
announce four new awards, offering substantial funding for children September 2014 in Years 3 and 4.
starting at the school in September at 4.the school in 2014 instarting Years 3 and
Part of Knighton House’s charitable Part of The Knighton House’s mission, Greenwood Awardscharitable mission, The Greenwood Awards willwill offer generous financialfisupport offer generous nancial support all the way through to Year 8. all the way through to Year 8.
To register your interest in these means-tested bursary awards please contact admissions@knighton-house.co.uk 01258 452065 www.knightonhouse.dorset.sch.uk
www.independentschoolparent.com
❝ Don’t be in denial. The sooner you
put strategies in place, the better ❞
Time to specialise? For these children, as well as others who, while not quite sinking in their lessons aren’t actively ourishing either, a school with particular expertise in special educational needs can sometimes be the best option. Some, such as Bede’s in Sussex, are highly successful mainstreams with a large percentage of pupils with learning needs, supported by well trained staff. And you can always boost learning at a mainstream school with a tutor. “One-to-one support from a specialist SEN tutor is often fundamental in unlocking a child’s potential,” says Erin Jarvis, academic consultant at Simply Learning Tuition. “Carefully tailored activities and individual attention builds confidence and instils a can do attitude in dyslexic children, who usually find themselves falling behind their peers.” For other children, however, a school specialising in one particular learning need may be the best option. While some are maintained (you’ll find a list on your local educational authority’s website), others, including Bruern Abbey School and the Unicorn School in Abingdon, which cater exclusively for children with SpLD, are independent. www.independentschoolparent.com
The bottom line is that while a school may be a league-topping superstar, staffed by outstanding teachers, it will not always have the experience, expertise, knowledge or – sadly – the desire to help your child.
Don’t be in denial Find one that does, however, and the effect can be transformational. “Don’t be in denial, it’s not going to go away and the sooner you put strategies in place to help your child, the better, because you need all the time you can get,” says Alison Love. She points out that for a child with an extremely high IQ who is also “extraordinarily” dyslexic, a hothouse just won’t work. “Recognise that there are lots of different types of schools out there. If your child is showing signs of being verbally bright, when it comes to the time of putting letters down on paper – as early on as nursery – look at a school that’s got a much broader church and that will cater for them.” hen her son was first assessed at seven, she was told he would never be able to follow a mainstream curriculum. He is currently predicted nine good grades at GCSE.
For some children, who are neither underperforming at school, nor flourishing, a school with expertise may be a good option
Living with it It’s all too easy to see a child’s learning need in a negative light. It’s not going to be cured. “Why should it be?” points out Bernadette McLean. “It’s not a disease.” Instead, she urges, choose a school that will embrace your child for what they are and which appreciates that they just learn in a different way.
WHERE DO I FIND HELP? Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre One of the oldest established, and most highly regarded, sources of help in the UK which offers support, advice and training for individual dyslexics, children and adults and their families and teachers. helenarkelldyslexiacentre.org Ambitious about Autism Charity for children and young people with autism, which offers specialist education. ambitiousaboutautism.org.uk CReSTeD Comprehensive information on schools specialising in supporting children with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). Includes list of helpful
questions for prospective parents to ask, from how self-esteem is re-built to pupils’ access to specialist teaching, staff training as well as specific details of literacy and numeracy interventions. crested.org.uk The Driver Youth Trust Set up by a mother of a dyslexic child, this campaigns to improve teaching and resources for all children who struggle with literacy, particularly those with dyslexia. driveryouthtrust.com SOS!SEN A free helpline offering advice on all aspects of SEN. sossen.org.uk
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SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 37
Moon Hall College For dyslexic boys and girls aged 5 -16 years
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Tel: 01306 611372 www.moonhallcollege.co.uk
Moon Hall School For dyslexic boys and girls aged 7-11 years
Educational consultancy and bespoke private tuition in the UK and overseas Educational consultancy consultancy and and bespoke bespoke private private tuition tuition in in the the UK UK and and overseas overseas Educational
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A specialist CReSTeD DSP dyslexia school in the grounds of Belmont Preparatory School
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• Weekly boarding available • Focus on literacy and numeracy; the key to success in secondary school • SALT and OT available
Tel: 01306 731464 www.moonhallschool.co.uk
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COMMENT
The knowledge that suits every pupil Charlotte Knox-Williams, senior SEN teacher at Portland Place, London, talks about Thinking Differently Week, which fosters an individual approach to learning
E
ach year we invite pupils, parents, and staff to participate in Thinking Differently eek, which aims to explore individual approaches to learning and raise awareness about Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). This year. we focused on how the changing structures of brains could help us understand individual approaches to thinking and learning. ur whole school learning objectives were simple to understand some of the areas and functions of the brain, to understand that everyone starts life with a unique brain and that our brains are always changing. Thinking Differently eek is guided each year by the ideas of pupils activities range from film screenings to cake sales, picture quizzes and J u st a M inu te style competitions to poster designing and song writing. The week aims to connect, even brie y, with every pupil at school through these activities, which are woven into every lesson. For example, in Year Seven science, pupils learnt about electrical circuits by being amps and components, devising rules for moving around and carrying volts to one another. This approach engaged the pupils kinaesthetically, as well as revealing a practical means of investigating why certain circuits behave as they do. In English, children were armed with an array of objects, blindfolds and rubber gloves, to reduce the amount of sensory information that their brains were processing in order to make fresh discoveries about the items. The pupils approached each object by isolating their
Above, Charlotte Knox-Williams Right, with pupils at Portland Place School, London
auditory, haptic and visual experiences in turn, recording their ideas in words on tags. Each pupil then chose one object and used the different sensory ideas connected to it to shape a short piece of descriptive writing. Exactly how the reat ar started is a topic made up of complex, patterns of alliance and enmity. The week saw pupils tackle it by adopting a symbolic costume aligned to a country. earing hats, cloaks or wielding props, pupils explored the concepts of alliance and opposition through postures and gestures. roups then received telegrams informing them of unfolding events and pupils deduced how they should respond to it, with the news of Fran Ferdinand’s assassination sparking a reaction of movements and counter movements.
❝ We focused on how the changing structures of
brains could help us understand individual approaches to thinking and learning ❞
www.independentschoolparent.com
Pupils were invited to make posters and a short film about their views on thinking differently . According to them it has the following definitions finding different ways to learn , learning that suits every pupil and when you have fun! . It is vital that learners with Sp Ds understand that they are capable of achieving their aspirations. ith this in mind, we invite professionals who have excelled in their field, and who themselves have Sp D, to speak to pupils about their career progression. e were pleased to work with Dr ate Hammer of I N, which helps companies apply creative problem solving to commercial challenges. ed by Dr Hammer, Year pupils used concrete, sensory approaches and processes to probe how inclusion works at the school. They worked in groups to design questions, challenge conceptions and envision future developments. The eek has evolved and always strives to enable more creative approaches to teaching and learning.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 39
A MOTHER’S STORY
Learning to live with dyslexia Sarah Brinton is convinced that sending her dyslexic son to a specialist prep propelled him back into mainstream education, where he’s now taking his GCSEs
W
hen I was at school, we used to just call them thick said my mother, when I told her Charlie had been diagnosed as dyslexic, with some dyspraxia and mild ADHD thrown in for good measure. Thus my first experience of sharing, just after his seventh birthday, that my
elder son had a specific learning di culty, was met with less sympathy and understanding than I had hoped. My father was more helpful with well, now we know what it is we can do something about it . My mother could not have been more wrong – even though she simply put voice to the thoughts I could see passing
across the faces of family and friends when I told them that Charlie was dyslexic. I discovered that those who don’t have a child with dyslexia joined the dots to create a picture so distorted they had no idea what they might be looking at. I was made to feel like it was something shameful, to be feared, and avoided in conversation.
Left and top right, Charlie’s mainstream school lets him show off his talent for practical problem solving, Right, Moon Hall
40 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
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ike many parents encountering dyslexia for the first time I had no idea what I was dealing with. nowledge of some famously successful dyslexics – including alt Disney, ichard Branson, Steve obs and even Einstein – was cold comfort. If Charlie couldn’t read, school would be an Everest to climb – how could he possibly cope with plus years of learning hat sort of job would be his fate
Time for change I had originally suspected all was not quite as it should be when Charlie was five years old and bringing his school reading book home. I would spell out red , turn the page – and Charlie could not read it. At first I thought he’s a boy, they don’t like reading, he’s not paying attention but over time my concern increased and when I raised it with his teacher I was told we don’t like to put labels on children . Not wanting to be an awkward parent I accepted her greater experience and suggestion that it may be developmental – even though my instincts were hammering alerts incessantly. e struggled on through Year ne but by Year Two, when my maternal anxieties were at fever pitch, Dad suggested that Charlie should change schools – if his current school wouldn’t help him, he reasoned, I should find one that would. I tried two preps, the first mentioned dyslexia and gave me the name of a superb dyslexic school (Moon Hall in Holmbury St Mary) which miraculously happens to be less than two miles from our house in rural Surrey – and a fantastic Educational Psychologist. I dismissed their advice thinking it was a polite way of saying Charlie was simply not academic enough for their selective criteria. hen the second school also broached dyslexia, I knew I had a problem, or rather a solution. I was determined to secure the best support I could for Charlie. If he had trouble learning, I was going to do everything in my power to ease that situation by putting him in the best school possible. My dyslexic peg, I came to realise, www.independentschoolparent.com
would never fit in the educational round hole – so I would find schools willing to take more individually shaped pegs and support their way of learning.
Support network It is testament to the support Charlie received from Moon Hall that he has been in mainstream education since Year Six, and is now taking his CSEs at at a senior school in Scotland. I had never intended for Charlie to board, and definitely not so far away, but thanks to the early support he received in Years Three to Six and the progress he made, I was able to choose a senior school that draws out and enhances his strengths and talents. This early support gave us the most comforting gift – confidence. I am convinced that I have been assisted by the schools I have chosen along the way, especially Moon Hall. Being with a group of or so other parents – it is a very small school – made an enormous difference to
❝ Being the mother of
a dyslexic child has been the most rewarding, frustrating and frightening experience of my life ❞ me. And knowing that Charlie was not alone with his di culties, plus learning that other families’ experiences correlated with my own, helped me keep all of the challenges that we faced in perspective. Because raising a dyslexic child is a challenge. Being the mother of a dyslexic child has been both the most rewarding, frustrating and frightening experience of my life. Frustrating in that trying to encourage a son who would, in the normal course of events, prefer to walk the miles from our home to his senior school rather than open a book, irrespective of it being for learning or pleasure frightening because we parents know how hard it is to secure employment, even with the ability to read and write uently. ewarding Absolutely. Charlie’s character tolerant, kind, patient, generous his talent for practical problem solving (construction of varied household items, fitting a tent back in it’s bag, map reading – we don’t have a Sat Nav), and just being Charlie is all formed from his dyslexia. I would not change one hair on his head. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 41
Inspiring minds Dr Philip Hoskin, housemaster and chemistry teacher at Casterton, Sedbergh Prep school, explains why it’s vital to nurture scientific curiosity from an early age
C
hildren are natural-born scientists. They’re curious about the world around them, ask lots of questions, and love the process of discovery. This inquisitiveness and eagerness to explore is a fantastic basis for turning children on to the world of science and discovery. Having the confidence to put on a white coat, goggles and experiment at school has recently been discussed in the news, with the importance of experiments in school science lessons under scrutiny. But Brunel University’s
vice chancellor Professor Julia Buckingham says that practical work should not be an add-on: It is an integral part of science and encourages children to question, to explore – it excites them.” At Casterton, we are in a position of strength because children from Year Three are taught by specialists with both industry and postgraduate experience. Most pupils in most schools enter a laboratory for the first time in Year Seven. Ours start in Year Three. Whether it’s dissections, explosions or building cities of Lego and lighting it up
42 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Pupils at Pinewood School, Wiltshire, taking science outdoors
with series and parallel circuits, the experience we bring makes the subject relevant. We draw parallels with commercial science and the real world; and we look to nurture natural inquisitiveness. When I was studying chemistry I had no idea why it mattered; I just enjoyed it. Whereas, our pupils recognise that the skills they acquire will, ultimately, be applicable in a commercial setting. Research projects have also included: the synthesis of aspirin and the production of esters, which are chemical www.independentschoolparent.com
SCIENCE compounds. The preparation of aspirin was prompted by my years at Bayer as a process development chemist. During this period, I worked in the Hoffmann laboratories where aspirin was first produced. Our Year Eight pupils not only made this analgesic drug but also presented their research to an audience, which included Sixth Form chemists. The production of esters gave our pupils an insight into the Speciality Chemicals Sector (fragrances and avourings).
Industry links I have had published articles in leading scientific journals and my links with the Cavendish laboratories at Cambridge University and Durham University, GlaxoSmithKline, Bayer and AstraZeneca have provided opportunities for the prep school pupils once they have progressed to Sedbergh School. My colleague, Faye Barker, a biologist, brings experience of working as an intern at the World Health Organisation in Geneva and work with UN agencies, Ministers for Health, Education and NGOs to her teaching. Chemists need to have both a sound theoretical and practical grasp of the subject ideally, this should also be underpinned by a good understanding of mathematics, physics and biology. Chemistry teaching must re ect this, along with considerable emphasis on developing core practical skills from an early age. Here, we cover the Common Entrance syllabus, but we are not shackled by its narrow confines and thus we cover an awful lot more. This approach, ultimately, equips our pupils with all of the requisite practical skills used up to, and including, Year 12. I regularly draw parallels with school and commercial science in lessons. For example, my pupils appreciate that the
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Pupils at Kilgraston School, Perthshire, Casterton, Sedbergh, Cumbria, and Hill House International School, London
❝ We now know that the
way young children think is very similar to the way a scientist thinks ❞ methods used to grow crystals of copper sulphate are equally applicable to controlling the dimensions of biologically active compounds. The chromatography of leaves or sweets can also be used as a method in forensics and drug-testing in sport – giving them an insight into the variety of jobs within the science industries. It is this question of age that is so important. The Cardiff niversity award-winning spinout company, Science Made Simple, is a recipient of the National Science Academy, designed
to support STEM education in Wales. Dr Hayley Gomez, an astrophysicist, and a director of Science Made Simple, says: “We now know that the way young children think is very similar to the way a scientist thinks. Primary children like to test why things happen in an informal way and learn from watching and listening, linking different things together. We introduce children to the idea that being a scientist isn’t just about sitting in a lab all day. To be a great scientist, you need creativity and imagination to be able to ask interesting questions and find new ways of solving problems. Scientists also need to communicate their findings to other people, whether by writing, drawing pictures or diagrams or even by going on TV!
Access all areas Our pupils also have the advantage of instant access to superb fieldwork sites in the beautiful woods, streams and fields surrounding the school, and indoor learning from Year Three could be in any one of six state-of-the-art laboratories. We have an abundance of glassware including quick fit apparatus, and a chemical inventory that rivals any leading senior school’s facilities. Children of all ages love to walk down the fabulous glass corridor where work and models are displayed. Science at a young age is not only vital for schools it is crucial for the future generation of scientists and must begin early. Echoing advice from the Royal Society’s Invigorate website, which aims to bring science to life, when children are allowed to experience the practical side of the subject it is great fun, and we know that having the confidence to experiment from a young age impacts significantly on success and motivation up to A level and beyond. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 43
‘Regarded as the top sailing school in the country’ Good Schools Guide Sevenoaks School provides academic excellence with a strong pastoral and co-curricular emphasis and a global dimension inspired by the International Baccalaureate. Team and individual sporting success at national and international level in at least 12 sports, notably sailing. Sevenoaks has produced a number of very successful sailors including Olympic medallists and many top team racers. Sport scholarships available at 11+, 13+ and 16+.
www.sevenoaksschool.org
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44 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
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Sporting
XXXXXXXXXX
chance Sports scholarships can help make private school affordable, writes Thea Jourdan
I
t’s no accident that most private schools, with a few notable exceptions, offer generous sports scholarships to pupils who have significant talent. Excellence at sports is closely allied to the prestige of the school. It shows that a school is offering an all round education and teaching important life lessons like how to play as part of a team, explains anette allis, senior editor at T he G o o d S cho o ls G u ide. “Parents like the fact that their school is the best at cricket, rugby or athletics. That’s why schools are willing to offer discounts for budding sports stars.
A bidding war for budding talent hen fees are so expensive, sports scholarships can make the difference between sending your child to private school or not. Although many schools offer nominal sports scholarships or a token discount, say off the day fee, some schools will go up to . In some cases, the figure can be pushed as high as , if a child shows exceptional potential and a bidding war develops. It is not uncommon for schools to compete www.independentschoolparent.com
for the top talent. “Parents are getting cannier and may go backwards and forward to two schools with competing offers. You can easily be outbid. It just happened to us and we’re not very happy about it, says one sports coach at a well known independent school. Caterham School, in Surrey, awards sports scholarships to children entering at , and and the discount can represent up to of the fees. Candidates are expected to show exceptional promise in at least one sport and play already at the equivalent of club or county level. Millfield School, Somerset, with , pupils on its role offers around sports scholarships each year in around different sports. These awards can be nominal or off fees for pupils entering at . If a child shows exceptional talent allied with strong academic potential, the Headmaster’s
Sports scholarships of up to 10% of the fees at Sherborne Girls, Dorset, can sit alongside meanstested bursaries
Scholarship can boost that figure up to a possible . hen we have finished the assessments and looked at the child’s whole profile, we get together with the admissions department and recommend the level of the award we think is appropriate, says David Faulkner, director of sport at Millfield. Sport is one of the unique offerings of the school and it is a major focus for us.
Excellent all rounders In the main, schools are looking for excellent all rounders. Faulkner says he is looking for girls and boys who show potential across a range of sports as well as academic ability. e want to see a level of commitment and technical aptitude which is likely to result in sporting success. Millfield is also one SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 45
SPORT
of a few schools, which offers an annual chess scholarship. Sevenoaks, which awards sports scholarships to girls and boys who currently represent county level or above, requires scholars to represent the school in at least two representative sports on a regular basis (three at 13+). A boy for example, who will play in the Rugby First Fifteen, the First Eleven cricket team and also star in athletics. A girl might be expected to captain the hockey team, play tennis for the county and excel in cross country running. However, distinct scholarships may be awarded to children who show significant potential in other areas, some of them rather niche.
Golf, horse riding and shooting Gresham’s school in Norfolk, a coeducational boarding school which takes children from three to , offers shooting scholarships at 13 and sixth-form entry. The school even has its own eight lane ri e range. e have small bore and full bore target shooting and are keen to find young people with outstanding potential to join our successful team,” explains Steve Adams, sport development director at Gresham’s, which has 500 boys and girls in its senior school. Gresham’s currently boasts three members of the Under-19s Great Britain team and has four Olympic hopefuls. Two of the current scholarship holders are female. Loretto Senior School in East Lothian offers golf scholarships to candidates who pass a rigorous assessment programme, which can be supplemented by a means tested bursary. Excellent riders can apply for a riding scholarship
❝ A lot is expected of a scholar, for instance
captaining the hockey team, playing tennis for the county and excelling in cross country ❞ to Stonar school, a girl’s independent school in Wiltshire that has its own equestrian centre. Girls may bring their own horse and can study for the BHSAI (British Horse Society Assistant Instructor) alongside A levels. The director of riding is a former international eventer. Many prep schools are geared up to pointing talented pupils towards sports scholarships. In 2013, Cheam School announced that three pupils would be moving on to Bradfield College in Berkshire, Marlborough College in Wiltshire and St Edward’s, Oxford, with sports scholarships. Pupils at Highfield School, West Sussex, regularly win sports scholarships alongside academic ones and prizes for “all rounders”.
Sporting potential And for those parents who feel their child needs an extra boost, an industry is beginning to grow up to help parents steer their children towards the sporting prizes. Tom Oliver, 32, an old Stoic who was the first sports scholar at Stowe School in 1995 for his prowess on the rugby field, has set up a business, Physical Literacy, designed to maximise the sporting potential of young people. “Sports scholarships can be complicated to navigate,” he explains. “Every school offers a different thing, a different percentage reduction and wants a different level of commitment. e can help identify where a child could excel and also where the opportunity lies.”
46 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Top left, Elstree, Berkshire Above, Sedbergh School, Cumbria, offers sailing
His trainers assist children from age seven upwards – he thinks pre-prep is too young for more formal physical education beyond what children already get at school and in sports clubs. Many parents want to benefit from the financial savings, and a sports scholarship is also a quick way to enter a school elite, but a large proportion are more interested in developing their child’s potential.”
FIND OUT MORE... Millfield School also offers chess scholarships; millfieldschool.com Sevenoaks School offers scholarships for county level plus; sevenoaksschool.org Marlborough College has two major and two minor sports scholarships; marlboroughcollege.org Bradfield College look for overall and specific sporting prowess; bradfieldcollege.org.uk Sports scholarships at St Edward’s School, Oxford, can be increased to 100% by means testing; stedwardsoxford.org Loretto, Edinburgh, offers golf scholarships; lorettoschool.co.uk Gresham’s, Norfolk offers shooting scholarships; greshams.com Physical Literacy helps with the process physical-literacy.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @ISParent for more on SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS
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We are sailing... With five Olympic medal wins in 2012, sailing is seen as a serious sport – and nowhere more so than in our prep schools, writes Tracy Cook
Above, young mariners take to the lake at Walhampton Prep, Hampshire
48 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
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SAILING SCHOOLS
L
ast May, around prep schools took part in the IAPS National Sailing egatta, held on the lympic course at eymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy ( PSNA). ver children competed in two categories – under s and under s, in dinghies supplied by Sail aser especially for the event. And as in previous years, five times lympic medal sailor Sir Ben Ainslie awarded the winners’ trophies.
Learning to sail offers excellent opportunities for personal development
It’s a brilliant, big sporting event in a super location. And it’s got bigger since we started it five years ago, says Mark McCloskey, an IAPS Coordinator for Sailing, at the time, and a Year Five teacher at eweston Prep School in Dorset. The first year we had schools entering. ast year there were over children from schools. Each school can only send a team of two in each age group so as many schools as possible can enter. ike the
Coming soon...
The IAPS Sailing Team Racing competition will take place at Spinnaker Club in the New Forest on Friday 23rd May 2014 hosted by Chafyn Grove School
lympics, we find the egatta generates more enthusiasm for the sport. nce a school has come along and done quite well, the head teacher will often buy more boats or enable more sailing courses to happen. And parents come on board with the idea too.
Friendly competition November also saw the launch of the first IAPS Inland Sailing egatta, it ran last year and will run later this year too. rganised by the Dragon School’s master in charge of sailing, Angus Nicholson, it was held at xford Sailing Club on the Farmoor eservoir, with over schools taking part. It’s another opportunity for children to compete. Sailing inland is safer, but it’s different to sailing at sea, says Nicholson. At sea there are bigger waves, different things to contend with and you need different skills and techniques. To learn these, children as young as seven are being encouraged to don wetsuits, raise their mainsail and launch into a fair wind. At eweston Prep School, children sail at the PSNA from Year Five and are able to rapidly pass oyal Yachting Association ( YA) Youth qualifications. If children are really keen in Year Six, we also run holiday courses and by the end of the year they can be starting Intermediate acing, says McCloskey. But our aim is to encourage all children to have a go.
A sport for all seasons p in the ake District at indermere School, pupils are lucky enough to have their own boathouse, Hodge Howe, on the waterfront below the school. From Year Three onwards, as part of the curriculum and the school’s own Adventure Award scheme, children sail for three hours each week in the summer and autumn terms. It’s a great experience for them – being out of their comfort one, squee ing into wetsuits, getting cold, learning outside the classroom, says Sarah Brierley, head of adventure. e put the seven year olds in aser Bugs. They are small little boats, like bathtubs, that they can easily manage. They love it. At that age, they have no fear, just a sense of excitement. They like falling in at that age, agrees Nicholson, in fact, if they like falling in, they tend to do quite well. From Year Four, the Dragon School offers sailing as an after school www.independentschoolparent.com
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 49
fees SAILING SCHOOLS
SENIOR SCHOOL
❝ It’s a great experience for them – being out of
club twice a week in the summer term, progressing from beginners up to team racing. “Initially, we take children out in two person Picos – that’s basically a bullet proof boat, functional and sturdy for training. After a term’s sailing, they have learnt boat handling, setting up rigging and sailing round courses. It gives them a real sense of achievement.” Nicholson believes sailing offers excellent opportunities for personal development. “It gives children excellent experience of working as a team and puts them in control at an age when perhaps they don’t have much control over things in their life. When they are in the boat, they are on their own, steering, taking decisions. It gives them ownership early on and they relish it.”
their comfort zone, squeezing into wetsuits, getting cold, learning outside the classroom ❞
A passion for life ther schools are keen to offer sailing as an alternative to conventional sports. At University College School’s Junior Branch, Year Six boys spend three days sailing as part of their Enrichment Curriculum after summer exams. Despite being London based, the school has a good track record at sailing, training at the Welsh Harp reservoir in Brent, winning the IAPS National Sailing Regatta in 2010 and 2011. “But it’s not about winning,” says headmaster Kevin Douglas. “If you win, it’s fantastic, of course, but it’s about giving opportunity. We do all the
Above left, pupils at Windermere School, Cumbria, take the sport in their stride, above right, a pupil at Walhampton Prep, Hampshire
50 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
traditional sports like cricket and hockey, but we also want to offer something different for boys who are not interested in those. And with sailing, it can become a passion for life, especially when you start at this age.” But learning to sail isn’t all about competing. For a really extraordinary experience, Year Six pupils at Parkside School in Surrey are offered the chance to sail a two-mast 72ft yacht, the John Laing, with the Ocean Youth Trust. The boys, usually novice sailors, crew the boat alongside six qualified volunteers, including the school’s head of geography, Hamish Lochhead. “It’s a fantastic experience. The boys are absolutely part of the ship’s crew and have to work as a team to hoist sails, keep watch and help with the navigation,” he says. “Whether we’re sailing round the Isle of Wight or heading down the Channel, they have to learn to cope in unfamiliar and challenging situations, whether the wind whips up, or it gets very cold, or dark. They learn a lot about planning and thinking things through, compromise and negotiation, learning from mistakes
and learning how to communicate with others in sometimes tricky situations.” “Henrik absolutely loved it,” says his mother. “The boys did everything from steering the tiller as they sailed at night, to practising ‘man overboard’ drills. He had to help cook a meal for 18 people – and clean the loos! He came back more confident and longing to sail again. So whether it’s crewing a yacht, or dashing for the finish line, more prep schools than ever are on course to produce a whole new generation of sailors.
FIND OUT MORE... Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy wpnsa.org.uk Royal Yachting Association rya.org.uk Ocean Youth Trust oyc.org.uk UK Sailing Academy uksa.org.uk British Schools Dinghy Racing Association bsdra.org.uk Follow us on Twitter @ISParent and share your SAILING TALES with us
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SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 51
SPORTS DAY
Just champion! It’s the summer term fixture that parents dread. Giulia Rhodes offers some worthwhile, and ever so slightly humorous, tips for surviving sports day
S
ports day: a chance for our children to showcase their sporting prowess, learn important lessons about competition and enjoy a happy, healthy dose of fresh air in the company of friends and parents. Ask many parents and you will in fact uncover tales of weeping children trailing behind the pack in race after race; triumphant parents parading medal–laden offspring around the sports field sprained limbs and inclement weather. Not to mention, of course, the humiliation of the parents’ races. So, whether your child’s strengths lie on or off the running track, and regardless of how much use your own trainers see, here is our parents’ guide to surviving sports day.
Be prepared for the parents’ race
Above, you can’t just stand by the sidelines on sports day. Most involve parents working up a sweat as well
It is supposed to be fun – for everyone. One mother, Anna, whose two children attend a London day school*, recalls her utter bewilderment upon discovering that some of her daughter’s classmates had put in hours of work with personal trainers in preparation for the annual cross country race. “I had no idea it was such a big thing. There was quite a drama when the trained child only came second. I heard talk of wasted money and so on. It might have been funny if it wasn’t so ridiculous.”
The situation was, Anna realised, unsurprising given the competitive nature of some of the parents. “I know that some of the parents have set their sights on senior school sports scholarships, but I was still surprised. I was just expecting a bit of fun with some eggs and spoons.”
It’s the taking part… Of course you should celebrate with your child if they win races, but bear in mind that not everyone in trainers is talented, and do try not to lord it over everyone else. And remember it isn’t the Olympics – keep the cheering to a level which won’t leave your child cringing in embarrassment.
❝ This isn’t the Olympics – try to keep the
cheering to a level which won’t leave your child cringing with embarrassment ❞
52 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
While some schools have abandoned the traditional parents’ races (in the case of Anna, the mums were deemed too competitive), most sports days involve parents working up a sweat as well. “Fortunately my children are now old enough to forbid me from joining in, but when they were enthusiastic it was excrutiating,” says Elaine, a London day school parent. “I never had the right footwear and once I fell over. Mind you another mum in a low-cut top popped right out of her bra, so it could have been worse, I suppose!” Yet while many parents turn up with inadequate clothing or fitness, there are plenty whose fancy sports kit and elaborate stretching routines suggest far greater levels of preparation. They will whip off their clothes to reveal running shorts and sharp elbows,” laments Elaine. “It just shows the rest of us up even more.” A discreet query around the playground elicits plenty of tips for avoiding the humiliation – limps, clingy toddlers or even better a pregnancy bump. If all else fails, pack a killer picnic. Plentiful cake and juice will solve most ills. Good luck. www.independentschoolparent.com
LOUISE QUIRKE
Don’t take it too seriously
If your child struggles with sport, or with competition, make sure you praise them for their effort and for taking part. I want my son to be fit and active for his health and because it is a way of socialising, but I don’t care how he does in comparison to everyone else,” says Charlotte, a parent at a Yorkshire day school. “He isn’t naturally sporty and so I make sure he knows I am proud of him.“
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YOUNGTHINGS Up-and-coming stars from the independent school sector, by Ebba Jacobsson
Jamie Sparks, 22
Atlantic Rower HARROW SCHOOL, MIDDLESEX Jamie Sparks and rowing partner, Luke Birch, rowed for 54 days, five hours and 56 minutes and over 3,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic in 2013 for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. They came fifth overall, second in the pairs’ race and set a new world record as the youngest pair to row the Atlantic. They battled 30 knot winds, had only 80 minutes sleep at any one time, lost over 12kg each – despite eating over 6,000 calories every day – and have raised over £310,000 for
Davina Combre, 27
Breast Cancer Care, the greatest amount from a single challenge in its history.
Jewellery Designer TUDOR HALL, OXFORDSHIRE What started as a hobby for Davina soon developed into a small jewellery business. After graduating, she worked
Morven Stewart , 23
with a number of renowned designers
Artist
before setting up Davina Combe
KILGRASTON, PERTHSHIRE
contemporary jewellery using gold
Morven runs an Open Studio in
vermeil, silver and semi-precious stones
Perthshire and is a self-employed
and her pendant earrings were recently
artist. “The help I received from Aileen
adopted by Pippa Middleton, sending
Neilson at school was invaluable, she
her straight to fame. In March 2013,
allowed me to work in my own style
Davina teamed up with Ovarian Cancer
and gave me own studio space,” says
Action and created a limited edition
Morven. “Much to my housemistress’
pair of earrings with 15% of the sale of
horror, my kilt and shirt were always
each pair being donated to the charity.
Jewellery. She creates elegant,
covered in paint!” She then studied at Gray’s School of Art and Bridge House Art, Ullapool and had a solo exhibition in Newton Dee Gallery, Aberdeen. 54 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
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SCHOOL’S OUT
Sophie Glover, 21
Illustrator
ST JAMES SENIOR GIRLS’ SCHOOL, LONDON Sophie is an artist in her final year at University College of Falmouth, and has already established herself as a fine artist drawer. Sophie primarily focuses on drawing leading to her work being commissioned as illustrations. In 2012 she Sophie illustrated The Queen’s Beasts, a children’s book written by Sophie Bristow. She has also made illustrations for many companies including Berry Bros. & Rudd, Caroline
Ben Hanlin, 28
Gardner, The Berkeley Hotel and
Magician
Claridge’s Hotel. Sophie maintains that
WARWICK SCHOOL, WARWICKSHIRE
individualistic teaching of art at school
Ben is the star of ITV2’s Tricked, a six-part series that aired in
set her in incredibly good stead.
the encouraging atmosphere and the
autumn 2013. Ben hosts the show, tricking unsuspecting members of the public and shocking celebrities with his own special brand of hidden camera magic! In the summer of 2012 Ben started presenting alongside Hacker, Dodge and the gang on CBBC, where he displayed his magic skills. Over the last 10 years he has been performing hand magic and stage magic at events all over the UK for audiences from two to 2,000.
Jonathan Bailey, 25
Actor
MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL, OXFORD Jonathan is best known for the ITV drama
Broadchurch, the Channel 4 comedy Campus and the BBC’s Leonardo, but is also renowned for his work in theatre, most notably for his part of Cassio in the National Theatre’s Othello. Jonathan first knew he wanted to become an actor after he saw Oliver! REX
on stage aged five. He’s just finished filming an episode of Doctor Who.
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For more information visit... www.independentschoolparent.com
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 55
Founded in 1989, The Tutors Group is Britain’s premier education consultancy, private tuition agency and bespoke schooling provider. Our consultancy service delivers sound independent advice to parents on all aspects of education. Philip Fawkes
Keith Pusey
Victoria Udall
Senior Advisor & Education Consultant
Senior Education Consultant
Director of Higher Education
Philip Fawkes has been a Headmaster of five schools over 25 years, the most recent of which was Bruern Abbey, a unique preparatory school preparing bright children with learning difficulties for mainstream education. In this capacity, he has prepared many pupils for schools such as Winchester College, Rugby, Charterhouse and Tonbridge. Philip is one of the UK’s leading experts in working with children with special educational needs.
Keith Pusey was a Head of Department at Wellington College, and at Winchester College where he subsequently became Academic Deputy Head and Registrar (Director of Admissions). An an experienced examiner and ISI inspector, he has had the opportunity to look at the work of many of the leading schools in the UK, providing valuable insight when helping parents select appropriate schools for their children.
Victoria Udall is our Director of Higher Education. Whilst studying Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University, Victoria discovered a passion for educational psychology. During her subsequent time at law school, and while working as a family barrister, she mentored students through their university applications before joining The Tutors Group. Victoria is an expert in the UCAS and Oxbridge applications process.
Rupert Syme
Kate Cullinan
Education Consultant & MD
Education Consultant & School Director
Rupert Syme has been providing academic assessments and educational advice for the past 11 years. Rupert’s areas of expertise include comprehensive assessments and school selection as well as the provision of strategic advice to parents and contingency planning for children who, for one reason or another, are not succeeding in their current school. During this time, Rupert has visited and continues to work with the top UK day and boarding schools, resulting in the successful placement of hundreds of our clients’ children.
Kate Cullinan manages Blythe Hall School, our bespoke one-to-one educational environment. Kate focuses on educational transitions and onward placements into schools, sixth form colleges, and universities, particularly focusing on more complex situations where education has been disrupted due to illness, relocation, or the breakdown of current schooling arrangements. Her highly detailed and rapid-response approach ensures that the next educational step is absolutely right for the individual student.
Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions you will make for your child. Get it right and you will have a happy, confident and fulfilled young person. Get it wrong and in some cases the reverse can be true. Rupert Syme
Education Consultant & Managing Director
www.thetutorsgroup.com The Tutors Group / Blythe Hall School
|
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7602 2012
E-mail: consultants@thetutorsgroup.com
Blythe Hall, 100 Blythe Road, London W14 0HB
COMMENT
The GreatMy War story Dr Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington College, writes a moving account on how his family was affected by the conflict
N
o anniversary in my lifetime compares with the centenary of the Great War from 2014-2018. As the head of Wellington College, Berkshire, I am acutely aware of what it means. The school lost 707 of its old boys in the fighting, the third highest number of any school in Britain. The anniversary also provides the opportunity for all of us to reconnect with the history of our own families. I was moved to write P u b lic S cho o ls and the G reat W ar, in 2013, because of the experience of my own grandparents, Wilfred and Eileen Willett. They met at a May Ball in Cambridge in 1913 and they fell deeply in love. The outbreak of war on 4th August 1914, Eileen’s 21st birthday, disturbed their idyll. Wilfred had been an enthusiastic member of the cer Training Corps at St Paul’s; despite Eileen’s protestations, he decided at once to join up. ilfred enlisted in the ondon i e Brigade, and was sent out with the British Expeditionary Force to Belgium, finding himself in action at Ploegsteert Wood, to the south of the Ypres Salient. He formed a close bond with fellow junior o cer, Henry illiamson, with whom he shared a love of writing and nature. Williamson went on to write T ark a the O tter. On 13th December 1914, Wilfred’s servant was shot in no man’s land. Without pausing to consider his own safety, Wilfred clambered out of the trench, and tended to his wounds. A erman sniper, seeing a British o cer
❝ The
Right, Dr Anthony Seldon laying a wreath on Remembrance Sunday 2013
crouched over a wounded body, took careful aim, and shot him in the head. Eileen was distressed that she had no message from Wilfred before Christmas. Exploiting her family connections, she demanded that the ar ce tell her what had happened. She badgered the government to let her sail across the Channel to bring him back. She secured an o cial permit to do so, a remarkable coup, and almost without precedent. ilfred’s speech was badly affected and much of his bodily movement severely restricted; he realised he would never be able to become a doctor. However, the arrival of a son and two daughters brought some joy. Wilfred’s friendship with Henry Williamson, who moved towards the fascists, fell apart, while he himself
long shadow of the Great War affected not only world history, but that of countless individuals❞ www.independentschoolparent.com
became a communist. Wilfred nevertheless sent my mother to a private school in Tunbridge Wells. At the end of the school day, he would be on the railway bridge selling copies of T he D aily W o rk er, while she would cross to the other side of the pavement, crimson with embarrassment. The long shadow of the Great War affected not only world history, but that of countless individuals. My mother sits day after day gazing at the mantelpiece with photographs of Wilfred and Eileen. The war might have finished years ago, but for many people living in Britain today, it is still far from over.
Public Schools and the Great War by Anthony Seldon and David Walsh, (Pen and Sword), RRP £25.
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 57
t e G ! e v i t c a
Forget the fly-and-flop – it’s time to get adventurous. Combine an idyllic location with a fun-filled family holiday that you’ll treasure forever. Independent School Parent selects six of the best
58 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
www.independentschoolparent.com
TRAVEL
ESCAPE TO THE MALDIVES
Above, children take part in a Soneva Fushi sailing regatta
www.independentschoolparent.com
The Maldives and “actionpacked family break” don’t often appear in the same sentence; but Turquoise Holidays is bucking the trend with its idyllic islands, brimming with things do. Soneva Fushi is a real-life castaway island – the resort is on the deserted Kunfunadhoo Island in the north Baa Atoll, and at 100 acres it’s one of the largest islands in the Maldivian archipelago. This year, it launched a brand new Summer Camp. One of the largest and most creative kids’ space in the Maldives, The Den (running from 15th May until 31st August) features a zip line through the jungle, eco-pod, a 14m tunnel linking The Den from the gardens and a Treasure Trove, 130m pool and slide, plus mocktail bar. What’s more, there are sailing regattas, Bear Grylls-style survival classes and sleepovers under the stars. S ev en nig hts at S o nev a Fu shi co sts f ro m £ 6 , 5 9 0 f o r a f amily o f f o u r ( tw o adu lts and tw o children u nder 12; f ro m 1st M ay to 3 0th S ep temb er 2014) , inclu ding acco mmo datio n in a Cru so e Villa, flights and seaplane transfers and b reak f ast. T o b o o k call 0149 4 6 7 8 400, v isit tu rq u o iseho liday s. co . u k . SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 59
TRAVEL
FOREST HOLIDAYS Escape to the heart of beautiful woodlands in a luxury cabin with Forest Holidays. There’s a choice of nine idyllic destinations across the UK: Forest of Dean, Sherwood Forest, Blackwood in Hampshire, Deerpark in Cornwall , Keldy and Cropton in North Yorkshire plus Argyll and Strathyre in Scotland, and the latest addition – which opened this May – in Thorpe Forest, Norfolk, on the banks of the River Thet. There are Forest Ranger-led activities, such as cycle hire, archery and various sporting pursuits, as well as outdoor adventures ranging from pony trekking to canoeing – and even big tree climbing! But if you want to simply relax and take in the wonderful surroundings you can unwind in the outdoor hot tub, enjoy spa treatments or hire a private chef for a special dining experience in your cabin at Blackwood, Sherwood and Thorpe locations.
Right, after a day’s canoeing or big tree climbing, you and your family can relax in a stylish cabin
The stylish cabins sleep from two to 10 people and come in a range of designs, from great value to top luxury – like the Golden Oak Treehouses. A mid- w eek stay in a S ilv er cab in at T ho rp e Fo rest co sts f ro m £ 6 25 , b ased o n J u ly 2014. V isit f o restho liday s. co . u k .
DISNEY WORLD ORLANDO
Right, meet the Seven Dwarfs at Disney World, Orlando in Florida
www.independentschoolparent.com
Just minutes from the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s World Resort is the Four Seasons Resort Orlando, opening its doors in August. Set amid lush Florida woodlands and pools, it balances a lakeside idyll with kids’ paradise. The Four Seasons has a family pool, lazy river, splash pool including a waterfall and spray cannon and the infamous drop – a ft fiberglass water slide which loops round the area. Plus, there’s A Kid’s for All Seasons Programme on the Explorer Island in The Mansion – also home to pool tables and an observation deck – for children aged five to . Families can play
volleyball and basketball, or have a round of golf with professionals and there are three tennis har-tru courts. Trips to the magical Cirque Du Soleil can be organised by the on-site concierge, held at downtown Disney, while the pièce de résistance is the queue jump tickets to Disney World! A mid- w eek stay in a standard K ing g u estro o m f o r f o u r co sts f ro m £ 3 24 p er nig ht. V isit f o u rseaso ns. co m/ o rlando . SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 61
The Lookout... Seaside chic with oodles of child-friendly niceties... Away with the Kids
01872 580206 rosevine.co.uk/ your-stay/self-catering
Catch us if you can Even after 15 years our collection of award-winning family holidays is still way ahead; delivering far more than the usual summer break. Try surfing in Portugal, explore the rainforests of Costa Rica or go mountain biking in Morzine. We have a range of holidays to suit all ages and abilities.
Visit www.activitiesabroad.com or call 01670 789 101 to find out more.
62 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
www.independentschoolparent.com
TRAVEL
We love…
Above, the wild beauty of the Masai Mara in Kenya Below, the Giraffe Manor on the outskirts of Nairobi
Kodomo is a great website devoted to luxury travel with kids, giving you the low-down on family-friendly destinations across the globe with personal tips and essential info. Visit kodomo.com
GET INTO THE WILD ON SAFARI Abercrombie & Kent has been creating incredible travel experiences for over 53 years – its fabulous safaris suit families with children of all ages, with familyfriendly lodges and tours. Experience the Masai Mara and spot the “Big Five” in Kenya, watch the great wildebeest migration in the Serengeti on a trip to Tanzania, embark on a canoe trip on the Zambezi, take a walking safari in Zambia, or put your bush skills to the test in Botswana. The Eastern Cape, South Africa, offers an alternative (and malaria free) game viewing trip. The Family Kenya tour starts with a stay at iraffe Manor on the outskirts of Nairobi where guests get to breakfast (quite literally!) with giraffes, before visiting the rescued elephants at the Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. Spend a couple of days in the wilderness at Ol Pejeta Conservancy before heading to the Masai Mara. A stay at Sanctuary www.independentschoolparent.com
Olonana lets guests spot the Big Five as well as gaining a glimpse of the day-today lives of the Massai people. The dedicated family programme includes identifying animal tracks and bush skills. A nine day Family K eny a T o u r co sts f ro m £ 4, 440 p er adu lt and £ 2, 5 49 p er child b ased o n a family of four including all flights. Visit abercrombie ent.co.u . SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 63
TRAVEL
HEAD TO THE MED FOR PEACE OF MIND hat estern riental offers is simple: peace of mind. From watching orangutans in Borneo to children’s cooking classes in Mauritius, horse riding in the Wild West and water sports in the Caribbean – the experts have planned every detail. Greece is a top choice from the “Kids in the Med” collection, with the perfect mix of family-friendly hotels (Marbella Beach Hotel’s kids’ club is run by renowned UK-based Worldwide Kids Company) exquisite scenery, laid-back atmosphere and dashes of culture. Families with older children love island-hopping holidays, whilst those with a younger brood look for a seamless experience. Families can enjoy a holiday at five star, all-inclusive Oceania Club & Spa in Haldiki. As Greece is the birthplace of the lympic ames, ceania offers its
Right, explore the blissful idyll of Crete on an island-hopping family holiday
own games competition for children and “Babewatch” service where you can enjoy some “me time” while your kids are supervised in the beach tent. S ev en nig hts, all inclu siv e, at the O ceania Clu b & S p a, co sts f ro m £ 1, 7 9 5 p er adu lt, £470 (for first child), £1,125 (for second) for the summer from 27th July-25th August 2014, based on a Sea View Suite and including Easyjet flights and private transfers. V isit w esterno riental. co m.
FIVE TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH KIDS
1
Before you pack, check what’s already on hand at your destination. At Scott Dunn, the family team can advise you on the facilities available.
2
It can be nice to have a number of new toys. Wrap them up and “present” at intervals throughout the journey.
3
It’s also worth taking a few sweets to suck on to assist with any ear popping. Remember warm clothes for the plane as it can get quite chilly.
4
SURF TO TURF FAMILY ADVENTURE
Above, Vancouver is a big-city buzz
64 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
For a true adventure, take a two-week family road trip across Alberta and British Columbia with Scott Dunn. You’ll travel through some of Canada’s most beautiful landscapes. Begin in the plains of Calgary and climb into the dramatic scenery of the Rocky Mountains, staying on the edge of Moraine Lake. Head on into cowboy country to spend a few days at a traditional working ranch. Next you’ll embark on the scenic drive across British Columbia into the Coastal Mountains, to explore Whistler for mountain biking and rafting. From here, head across to Vancouver Island and the spectacular Pacific Coast for surfing fun. For the less adventurous, go whale and
Involve your child in the planning process. Learning how to make pasta in Italy or painting an elephant before its polo match in India may well be the type of activity that they love!
5
Get them learning the language. A polite “yes please” or “no thank you” goes a long way where you holiday. Follow us on Twitter @ISParent and share your HOLIDAY TIPS with us.
black bear watching or discover secret hot springs and take a dip. Finally, enjoy the buzz and big-city vibe of Vancouver with cycle paths around Stanley Park and beyond. A tailo r- made, tw o - w eek trip , b ased o n tw o adu lts and tw o children sharing ro o ms in V anco u v er and V anco u v er I sland, a su ite in W histler and tw o ro o ms o n the ranch and at M o raine L ak e costs from £17,500. B&B, all flights and transf ers inclu ded. V isit sco ttdu nn. co m. www.independentschoolparent.com
BOOK CLUB
Holiday reads [
AGE 3+
]
We round up the top books to keep kids reading this summer… [
AGE 9+
]
Charlie and Lola: I am too absolutely small for school By Lauren Child
Mr Stink By David Walliams
(Paperback, Orchard Books, £6.99)
twisted and most of all hilarious novel
Lola is nearly big enough to go to
for children from David Walliams –
school – but she is not so sure. She
the fastest growing children’s author
doesn’t really have time for school,
in the country – and beautifully
she’s much too busy doing
illustrated by Quentin Blake. It all
extremely important things at
starts when Chloe makes friends with
home. This 10th anniversary edition
Mr Stink, the local tramp and hides
comes with a four-panel wall frieze.
him in the garden shed.
[
[
AGE 8+
]
(Paperback, Harper Collins, £6.99) The second original, touching,
AGE 10+]
Fouls, Friends & Football By Dave Cousins
The Apple Tart of Hope By Sarah Moore Fitzgerald
(Paperback, OUP, £6.99)
The best baker in the world, Oscar
Charlie is the captain of North Star
Dunleavy, is missing. Everyone
Galaxy under-12s. His goal is to save
presumes he is dead but no one seems
the team from relegation. Then Jack
too surprised. Only Meg, his best friend
arrives, and Charlie sees a chance
and his little brother Stevie are shocked.
for glory, but at what cost? Can they
A story that captivates you from start to
stay in the league? The misfits will
finish, this is the second novel from
have to work together, to stand a
Fitzgerald following her sensational
chance of finding World Cup fame!
debut, Back to Blackbrick.
(Hardback, Orion, £10.99)
EDITOR’S PICK [
AGE 5+
]
ZERAFFA GIRAFFA
By Dianne Hofmeyr and Jane Rayages (Hardback, Frances Lincoln, £11.99) The astonishing true story of Zeraffa, a giraffe who was sent as a gift from Egypt to France in 1826. A young boy, Atir, takes care of Zeraffa on her epic journey and the sailors sing songs as she gazes down at them. In France, Atir leads her through the countryside as thousands of people marvel. Paris falls in love with her, the king builds her a special house in the Jardin des Plantes. On warm nights, the young princess visits, while Atir whispers stories of a hot land far away. An amazing story by an award-winning author.
66 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
www.independentschoolparent.com
GREAT CANAL JOURNEYS in France
A cruise on a traditional Hotel Barge is arguably the best way to relax and enjoy life. Perfect for couples, families or groups of friends, you can cruise through the very soul of France, as you enjoy the peace and quiet. Experience life from a truly unique perspective, on a new range of products: a fleet of Hotel Barges that will cruise the regions of Alsace-Lorraine, Burgundy, Provence, Champagne and the canal Saint-Martin in Paris. 2014 Departures: May 26th - June 6th,19th and 27th - July 4th, 7th, 24th and 25th August 29th - September 29th Last Minute availability from £ 1, 267 Other departure dates available on request for full charter
· A NEW fleet of canal barges to cruise the regions of Provence, Champagne, Burgundy and Alsace · 12 cabins per barge, all with ensuite bathrooms; 6 crew at your service · A pleasant setting with a Jacuzzi and bicycles on board · Gourmet French food and wines, drinks and excursions included
Reservations and Information: Tel +44 (0) 208 3 281 281 - Email: resuk@croisieurope.com www.croisieurope.co.uk
BOOK CLUB
Summer reads
Take some time out and delve into our pick of the best books...
ONE FOR YOU…
SANE NEW WORLD: TAMING THE MIND By Ruby Wax
(Paperback, £8.99, Hodder & Stoughton)
LITTLE READS
Ruby Wax – comedienne, writer and mental health campaigner – shows us how our minds can jeopardise our sanity. She explains how our busy, chattering, self-critical thoughts drive us to anxiety and stress. If we are to break the cycle, we need to understand how our brains work, rewire our thinking and find calm in a frenetic world. Here’s the manual to help you become the master, not the slave, of your mind.
Jane Austen’s Country Life By Deirdre Le Faye
www.independentschoolparent.com
Summer means ones thing: time to stock up on some beach reads...
Hardback, £20, Frances
Inspire: The Art of Living with Nature By Willow Crossley
Lincoln, out 5 June
Hardback, £16.99, CICO Books
Jane Austen lived about
“I am flower mad with a
three quarters of her life in
passion for decorating,” says
rural Hampshire, directly
the author Willow Crossley.
influencing her works and
Featuring over 50 creative
plots. The book’s rich
ideas to bring the garden,
illustrations conjure images
seaside and countryside
of her vanishing world.
into your home.
102 English Things To Do By Alex Quick
Verdure By Christopher Boswell
Paperback, £7.99, Old
Hardback, Frances Lincoln,
Street Publishing
£12.99, out 26 June
This beautifully designed
In 2007, the kitchen at the
tome takes an affectionate
American Academy in Rome
look at English eccentricity,
was revolutionised. This book
from tea to cheese-rolling.
came from the chefs’
Caveat: you might start
inspiring vegetable recipes,
collecting garden gnomes
with local, seasonal, organic
after you’ve read this.
and sustainable ideals.
Little Beach Street Bakery By Jenny Colgan Sphere, £7.99
The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul By Deborah Rodriguez Sphere, £7.99
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules By Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg Pan Books, £7.99
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 69
Chain reaction Allergies are on the rise, but schools are prepared with a host of preventative action plans, writes Thea Jourdan
THINKSTOCK, GETTY
W
hen my youngest son started pre-prep I couldn’t help smiling as he marched into school wearing his new red and blue uniform, carrying his bookbag containing his crayons, a new colouring book and his life-saving EpiPen. Oscar, who has just turned three, has had food allergies since he was weaned – as well as a severe reaction to horses. He only had to nibble a Tunnock’s tea cake, with its gooey white topping, and he started gasping. That’s when we realised he was allergic to albumen protein in egg white. Another time, a Marmite sandwich made his lips swell up and his throat
constrict. So my favourite spread had to be banished from the house forever.
What are the facts? Like thousands of parents we live with his allergies, as well as his sister’s eczema and his brother’s asthma. Allergy rates are increasing worldwide and in the UK, it’s estimated that up to 50% of children are diagnosed with an allergic condition. In particular, there has been a significant increase in food allergies. Cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy and fish are the most common foods that cause allergic reactions. Up to two thirds of schools
70 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Above, up to 50% of children are diagnosed with an allergic condition
have at least one child at risk of anaphylaxis – a life-threatening reaction that causes the face and airways to swell, but many are poorly prepared. But as I walked away on scar’s first day, I knew that he was in good hands. Brookham School in Hampshire, which is where all three of my children are enrolled, has an excellent record of looking after pupils with health issues, including allergies and asthma. As well as being a nut-free zone, all teachers at the school are trained in how to administer auto-injectors on adrenaline “EpiPens”, which can be life savers if a child has had an anaphylactic reaction. Diane Gardiner, head at Brookham www.independentschoolparent.com
FREE ENTRY WITH THIS VOUCHER
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Commission a portrait from the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Our expert consultants will help you through the process throughout the year. But don't miss the opportunity to see our showcase exhibition.
8-23 May
Admission ÂŁ3, children go free or FREE for everybody with this voucher
7pm late night on Thursdays
www.therp.co.uk 020 7930 6844 annabelelton@mallgalleries.com
Open daily 10am-5pm Mall Galleries The Mall (near Trafalgar Square) London SW1
Gift vouchers available
The easy carry Medfriend Medical Bag Available at www.allergykids.co.uk Medfriend easy carry Medical Bag Suitable size for carrying a wide variety of medicines etc.
RRP £19.99 For a
t 10% Discoun de use coupon co ISP10 at the checkout
(Size: 19cm x 10cm x 7.5cm)
72 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Design • Manufactured in the UK for premium quality and design. • Bright yellow hard wearing easy care 420d Nylon fabric with contrasting black edging (designed to be noticed). • Convenient black webbing handle. • Clear ID window on the side with PU surround. • Two strong high quality zips for ease of access.
• Two internal black elastic loops to secure epipens, insulin injectors etc. • Large internal clear PVC pocket for medical treatment/information card. • Lightweight material (thermal lined/insulated). • Stylish embroidered medfriend logo. • Striking design.
www.independentschoolparent.com
HEALTH
WHAT TO CONSIDER? Does the school have a policy for the management of allergies and anaphylaxis? If not, how do they deal with the issue? If allergens are present in the school, how is the allergic pupil kept safe? Are allergic students expected to bring in a packed lunch or can the school caterers provide “safe” meals? How many staff members (indeed if any) are trained in administering adrenaline? Are the students expected to carry their own medication?
cannot eat with pictures of the forbidden foods as well as a written list. Some of the lists are very long indeed. Pupils with asthma are encouraged to take part in all the normal activities of the school, including games, but care is taken that they take inhalers when needed.
GETTY IMAGES/ANNIE MORRIS
An action plan Brookham is by no means alone in taking a proactive stance on protecting children with allergies in school. Vicky Smit, principal at Hurst Lodge School in Ascot, says that food allergies are a particular issue. “We provide cow’s milk, soya milk, goat’s milk and rice milk at break time depending on the child’s particular needs.” Younger children with allergies wear red aprons at mealtimes so no one can be in any doubt about who needs a special menu. Hurst Lodge also keeps bees, chickens, ducks and pigs. All the staff have regular EpiPen and first aid training as we have a number of children who are allergic to these animals,” says Smit. “Our health questionnaire also asks whether children have specific reactions to stings or to plants and if so how severe the reaction is.” Although many schools follow good practice, there is no universal standard. Guidelines for schools drawn up by charities such as Anaphylaxis UK and Allergy UK are not compulsory. www.independentschoolparent.com
❝ Cow’s milk,
eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy and fish are the most common foods that cause allergic reactions ❞ Inform the school Lindsey McManus, executive director at Allergy UK says that parents have to take responsibility right from the start to ensure that their child’s health needs are being properly managed. “It is important for parents with allergic children to liaise with the school prior to the child starting, to put together a protocol/management plan outlining the child’s allergy. The plan should cover what medications may be needed, for example asthma inhalers, adrenaline auto-injectors and what to do if the child is having an allergic reaction or in an emergency situation.” If a child is boarding, parents should make sure that their sleeping
Above, it is important for parents of children with allergic conditions to liaise with the school
How do they deal with school trips and sports events at other schools or locations ? Follow us on Twitter @ISParent or visit our website for a checklist on ALLERGIES
environment and living conditions are not going to exacerbate any allergies they may have. Kathy Compton, nurse adviser to the Boarding Schools’ Association points out that many boarding schools already use hypoallergenic bedding and regularly deep clean to keep down dust. “If your child has asthma, it is worth asking if the school nurse is an expert in asthma or if the condition is overseen by a school doctor. “Some prep schools may not have 24-hour cover whereas others will have a nurse available day and night. Check if you feel that this level of cover is important to you and your child,” says Compton. Allergy UK would like to see standardised guidelines that all schools can adopt, as it would help teaching staff to find consistency when moving from one school to another. “We are also expecting the Children’s and Families Act 2014 to be passed this year, which will require all schools to have a policy supporting children with medical needs; for them to have an individual health care plan becomes ever more important,” says Lindsey McManus. SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 73
COMPETITION
WIN a Luxury Family Holiday at Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik
Independent School Parent has teamed up with the beautiful Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik and luxury tour operator Scott Dunn, to offer a four-night family break
S
un Gardens, Dubrovnik, Scott Dunn and Independent School Parent are delighted to offer readers the chance to win a four-night stay in the worldclass Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik resort complete with own-brand OCCO spa, countless restaurants and bars, a small collection of shops and three pools, each perfectly situated to make the most of the Croatian weather. Sitting on the cobalt blue Adriatic, Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik boasts views of the Elafiti Islands and – this May – the resort launched a Scott Dunn Explorers children’s club, exclusively for Scott Dunn’s junior guests, from four months to 13 years. ith a high child to staff ratio, including one nanny to every two children under two years old, and activity plans tailored for each age bracket, parents are able to relax and unwind knowing their children are in safe hands. Activities at the Explorers Club are both on and off site, ranging from cookery classes to visiting the local island of Lopud.
Your prize includes: A four-night stay in a luxurious two bedroom residence, passes to the Scott Dunn Explorers children’s club* and access to all facilities.
HOW TO ENTER For your chance to win, simply answer the following question on our website at: independentschoolparent.com/win Q. In which month did the Scott Dunn Explorers Club at Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik, open?
Terms & Conditions: All entries must be received before 11.59pm on 18 June 2014. The four-night stay may be redeemed at any point during the year except July and August and the prize must be used by 30/06/15. *The two places in the Scott Dunn Explorers club are subject to availability and depend on the dates of travel, there will be no cash alternative should places at the Explorers Club be unavailable.
74 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
www.independentschoolparent.com
Summer Rowing Camps Monday 28th July - Friday 1st August Monday 4th August - Friday 8th August For boys and girls from Year 8 to Year 13 Expert coaching and tuition for beginners, intermediate and advanced rowers Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 4.00pm at ÂŁ225 per week Further details and an application form are available from www.shiplake.org.uk/rowingcamps
SS Ind_Sch_Par_Mag advert_Layout 1 01/05/2014 19:29 Page 1
Summer Fun for 2014 at Uppingham Drama, music, art, technology, creative writing, nature, sport – whatever your age or interest there is a course for you at Uppingham Summer School! Music • Chamber Music Weekend • Young Musicians’ Week • Jazz Big Band Week • Musical Theatre Week • Total Music Powerhouse Science and Technology • Creative Technologies Powerhouse • Total Radio Powerhouse • Nature Explorers Drama & Creative Arts • From Page to Stage • Get Write In! • Art & Drawing Workshops • Baking for Kids • Time Tunnel Tardis
Let your kids drive in London.
Sport • Rugby • Hockey • Tennis • Netball
Now they can drive a Tube train, climb in a bus cab and lose themselves in our exploration zone.
For Adults • Bridge for Beginners • Landscape Painting • Machine Knitting • Long Draw Spinning • Upholstery
Better still, kids go free at London Transport Museum, Covent Garden.
ltmuseum.co.uk Registered charity number 1123122
www.uppinghamsummerschool.co.uk summerschool@uppingham.co.uk 01572 820800 Like us on Facebook
76 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Follow us on Twitter
www.independentschoolparent.com
What’s on?
LIFE
Get out and about this summer holiday with our round-up of events nationwide
[ OXFORDSHIRE, 17 AUG ]
On Your Bike
[
NATIONWIDE, 3 MAY-25 AUG
]
FOODIES FESTIVAL In beautiful outdoor settings across the UK, Foodies Festival captures the best in food and drink, with top chefs, a Real Ale and Cider Farm and Children’s Cookery Theatre. READER OFFER: quote ISP241 for two-for-one on adult and concession tickets. foodiesfestival.com
IMAGE : VELIZAR SIMEONOVSKI/THE FIELD MUSEUM/SNOWMAN ENTERPRISES
[ NORFOLK, 17 AUG ]
SUMMER FESTIVAL
[ LONDON, 23 MAY- 7 SEPT ]
Ice Age Giants
See original skeletons and life-size models of one of the largest mammals to have ever walked the earth: the mammoth. Discover prehistoric giants like the sabre-tooth cat and giant short-faced bear and try tusk jousting. nhm.ac.uk www.independentschoolparent.com
The Lord Mayor’s Celebration is Norwich’s biggest community event set in the heart of the city’s streets. The four-day celebration includes street processions; fireworks; entertainers; outdoor stages with music, dance and theatre; funfair; craft and food market; art trails; bike, road and duck races – and lots more! visitnorfolk.co.uk
The annual cycle around the picturesque parkland of the World Heritage site Blenheim Palace is back this summer. Bring your bikes and cycle around the lake, over the Grand Bridge, and stop off for a picnic. For more competitive parents, there’s the Sportive 60 or 100 mile route, too. blenheimpalace.com
[ YORKSHIRE, 25-27 AUG ]
LITTLE CHEFS
Luxury hotel, Swinton Park has a Cookery School offering kids’ classes; plus days for adults from Michelin-starred chef director Stephen Bulmer. swintonpark.com
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 77
[ NATIONWIDE ]
Get Back to Nature
LITTLE EXPLORERS
Your kids can go off the grid this summer in 200 acres of woodland, streams and lakes at the new Camp Kernow, Cornwall. The six-day summer camps take no more than 12 children at a time and include bushcraft, kayaking, climbing, campfires and animal tracking. Using renewable energy, it’s thought to be the UK’s only completely carbon neutral activity centre. £550 per child, per week. campkernow.org.uk
Build It Bridging the gap between LEGO and DUPLO, the new LEGO Juniors is a toy set designed for four to seven years. The 13 ranges use the traditional LEGO bricks and some larger elements, with pre-packaged bags creating stages of play. Lego.com/en-gb/
[ SOUTH WEST, 23 MAY-14 SEPT ]
Roll up, roll up! Giffords Circus tours the rural South West with circus artistes from all over the world. Weaving theatre, opera, dance and puppetry into their family-friendly shows, there’s always a live orchestra, a clown, handmade costumes and a much loved goose. giffordscircus.com 78 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
[ BRIGHTON AND HOVE, 5-6 JUL ]
SURF’S UP The world’s largest free charity beach festival, Paddle Round The Pier returns to Brighton with watersports, sponsored boat races, kids’ entertainment, rides, a huge sandpit, skate and BMX ramps, music, and Paddle Village exhibition. Free entry. paddleroundthepier.com www.independentschoolparent.com
* OFFER CAN BE USED ACROSS SCHOOLS AND BANK HOLIDAYS
[ CORNWALL, 2-30 AUGUST ]
Fancy an action-packed family getaway with canoeing, gorge walking and mountain biking? Or perhaps you’d rather sip Champagne in your very own hot tub under the stars? Forest Holidays is offering readers 10% off a break in one of their luxury cabins in idyllic locations across the UK. Call 03330 110495 and quote: SCHOOL14; or go to forestholidays. co.uk
MAY HALF-TERM COURSES AT THE MCC CRICKET ACADEMY
For ages 3-13 years
COURSES RUN Monday 26th May to Thursday 29th May
BOOK ONLINE NOW
Book your budding cricketer onto one of these popular coaching courses. Vastly experienced MCC coaches teach all disciplines of cricket, in the specialist facilities at Lord’s.
lords.org/kidscoaching For more information call 020 7616 8612 Quote ‘ISP’ when enquiring
Summer holiday courses are also now available to book online.
MCC, Lord’s Ground London NW8 8QN
www.independentschoolparent.com
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @MCC _ Academy
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 79
Whitgift. One of Britain’s finest independent day and boarding schools for boys excellent academic results more than 200 Oxbridge entrants in the past ten years
unrivalled sporting success over 100 national titles in the past five years
professional creative connections partnership with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
unsurpassed curriculum IB, Bilingual IB, A Level or BTEC
exciting range of co-curricular activities 80+ diverse clubs and societies, from astronomy to wakeboarding
superb location close to central London yet situated in beautiful parkland
OPEN MORNING | SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2014 admissions@whitgift.co.uk +44 (0)20 8633 9935 www.whitgift.co.uk/opendays Whitgift. An outstanding education.
Whitgift School, Haling Park, South Croydon, CR2 6YT, United Kingdom
EEE ! ! RE KK FROOOO BB
Free Book & Set of 6 CD’s Reveal How To Buy YOUR IDEAL HOME IN LONDON ON THE BEST TERMS POSSIBLE
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iscover the proven strategies and techniques that London’s leading residential property expert uses to help his clients buy their ideal homes and negotiate prices you wouldn’t think possible.
Follow the simple techniques highlighted in The Prime London Property Puzzle and avoid the wasted time, money and stress suffered by the typical buyer and become the person that other people ask: “How did you buy that property before we even heard about it and how did you secure it at that price?” In the book and set of 6 CD’s you will discover: • Why the London property market is rigged against buyers • The most effective ways to find “off market” properties – See the properties that most buyers will never even know exist. • How to have your offer accepted even if it is not the highest offer • Why relying on the internet seriously affects your chances of ever finding your ideal home
• The ten questions you absolutely must ask the estate agent or seller – information is power in negotiations. These questions are your foundation for negotiating the best price possible • 20+ negotiation techniques to help you acquire your home on the best terms possible – These are strategies we use in every negotiation to achieve prices our clients would not have thought possible – these techniques could save you hundreds of thousands of pounds ... and many more tips and proven strategies to ensure you successfully purchase your ideal home or investment. The choice is simple: you can follow the crowd and achieve the same mediocre results. Alternatively you can use the simple steps outlined in the book to become the “Dominant Buyer” who has first refusal on the finest properties and who can negotiate prices others think impossible.
To request your free copy of The Prime London Property Puzzle and the accompanying set of 6 Cd’s, simply visit www.londonpropertypuzzle.com, email rachael@mercuryhomesearch.com quoting “Puzzle” or call +44 (0) 800 389 4280 now.
80 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
www.independentschoolparent.com
LIFE
[ DUBROVNIK ]
[LONDON, UNTIL 2 NOV ]
FREE KIDS’ CLUB
Daydreams and Diaries
To celebrate the launch of the Scott Dunn Explorers Club at Sun Gardens resort, Dubrovnik, Scott Dunn is offering free places for all bookings during weeks outside of school holidays. The kids’ club offers fun-filled days with football, volleyball, climbing, cooking workshops and more. You can WIN a holiday with Sun Gardens (go to page 74). scottdunn.com
For everything Jacqueline Wilson, this exhibition at the V&A Museum of Childhood features the author’s original notebooks, a re-creation of her childhood bedroom and the inspiration behind her children’s novels. museumof childhood.org.uk
[ NORTH YORKSHIRE, 23RD/30THJUL, 6TH/13TH/20TH/27TH AUG ]
MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY
Visit Castle Howard and see the High South table set for tea and join storytellers for children’s activities and entertainment, including magic and cupcake decorating. Pre-book. castlehoward.co.uk
[ SOUTH WEST ]
FRANCKLY DELICIOUS
Treat yourself and hire your own private chef this summer. Franck creates authentic French cuisine in your own home, offering mains, canapĂŠs and finger foods using the freshest high quality local ingredients. francklydelicious.co.uk
[ WARWICKSHIRE ]
[ LONDON, UNTIL 7 SEPT ]
Cut it out Henri Matisse: The Cuts-Outs exhibition features 120 bold works from the final chapter in the artist’s career. Under 12s free; adult £18; tate.org.uk www.independentschoolparent.com
Celebrate with Shakespeare This year marks 450th anniversary of the Bard’s birth, visit the Royal Shakespeare Company for open-air stage performances at The Dell (free) from June until August; go to story-telling; follow the Family Trail at the theatre; and visit the Play Cart to make masks, create a crown or sketch a scene. rsc.org.uk
SUMMER 2014 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 81
MEMORY LANE
School memories Fresh from Sochi 2014, we talk to alpine skier Chemmy Alcott about her aspirations and schooldays at Surbiton High School, Surrey Can you describe your school in three words? Supportive, happy, significant (SHS, Surbiton High School). They always supported me to achieve my dreams. The environment for study and play was happy and they had, and still have, a significant impact on my life.
How would you say your teachers will remember you? Social, happy and someone who always tried hard. Were you an all-star sports captain or outside field lingerer? Despite skiing all the time, and that being an individual sport, I also loved team games and just enjoyed being one of a group of players.
Did you customise your uniform? No, I spent most of my time in my PE kit! Who were your best friends? Tess Chapman and Nathalie Sinclair who I’m still really close to.
Homework: did you have it all done by Friday night or left until the Monday morning? It depended if Friday was a big travel day to a race. Homework was something I filled my car journeys with – luckily I never get car sick as this is always a productive time for me!
Were you a stalwart of the detention room or teacher’s pet? I wasn’t perfect, but I always tried my best, I think teachers appreciate that. Did you win any prizes at school? Every trophy I achieved was a result of the backing and support of the school – things were different back then and the efforts of my teachers and fellow students to help me study while I was on the road and in the mountains was huge (they couldn’t email me papers – they had to fax them!).
Were you a team player or just out for yourself? I like to be a team player but my life has revolved around getting out there and doing it alone.
❝ I wasn’t perfect, but I
always tried my best. I think teachers appreciate that ❞
What would you say was your favourite lunchtime hangout? Sitting in the sunshine by the trees next to the netball court, I always relished being outside! Which of your teachers stays with you to this day? I can’t pick out just one, since for me the enjoyment of school was in the diversity of learning completely different subjects under different teachers.
Share your school memories on Twitter... @ISParent
When I was growing up, I always wanted to be a… Ski racer! 82 INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2014
Best prank? It wasn’t really a prank, but when I broke my neck I had to stay in school every lunchtime for a whole winter and weirdly that made me quite popular as girls always wanted to join me! Double maths or an afternoon of art? Maths – although having left school I have become quite creative.
Any nicknames that you’re particularly proud or ashamed of? Beetroot face – this is what girls from other schools called me because when I do outside sport I can’t help but go really red in the face! Most embarrassing moment? I always really struggled with public speaking so that was my nemesis! Finally, what piece of advice would you give your school-age self? Enjoy every minute of your learning life. Your teachers critique you because they believe in you. And you only let yourself down when you cut corners. For more information visit... www.independentschoolparent.com
www.independentschoolparent.com
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