C E L E B R AT I N G T H E V E R Y B E S T I N E D U C AT I O N
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OUTBREAK OUTREACH
How schools have gone above and beyond
RISING TO THE OCCASION
Remote learning and virtual open days
BACK TO SCHOOL
What happens next?
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INSIDE
WELCOME
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT • PREP AND SENIOR EDITION • SUMMER 2020
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In brief A roundup of the latest school news
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A letter to readers From the Independent Schools Council
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The new normal Caroline Jordan writes on preparing her school for the return of her students
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Under the spotlight Focussing on the educational offering schools provide, writes Nick Gallop
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Playing it safe The BSA’s Covid-Safe Charter
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ISOTY Awards 2020 The nominations are in and the judging process is underway
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Back to school The Mulberry House School
Social distancing measures put in place in Bedford School’s dining room
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Tips and advice for parents who are teaching their children at home
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elcome to this combined prep and senior summer edition which has been produced to coincide with the return of some year groups at schools this term. Back in March, when the Secretary of State for Education announced that schools were to close, teachers had 48 hours to reinterpret and reimagine the curriculum, in order to provide as near a normal timetable for pupils who would be remote learning from home for the foreseeable future. In Rising to the Challenge, on page 36, read how schools have gone above and beyond to do this: from putting on a play, virtual sports days and school trips to science experiments, choirs and music lessons… the list is extensive and it’s highly impressive. How do you get nursery, reception and year one pupils to understand social distancing? In Back to School on page 24, Victoria Playford, Headmistress of The Mulberry House School explains how they did it when they welcomed back pre-prep students earlier this month. We received a record number of entries to our ISOTY Awards 2020. With judging under way, the winners will be announced in October when the autumn term is in full swing, with hopefully all year groups back on campus, adjusting to this “new normal” we find ourselves in.
welcomes back its pre-prep students
Homeschool heroes
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Happy place How do you maintain emotional wellbeing during lockdown?
34
Safety first Charlotte Avery on the procedures put in place for boarders next term
36
Rising to the challenge Schools have gone above and beyond to keep pupils on track with their studies
41
Ask the experts Tackling the challenge of pupils
Tweet us @ISParent
who’ve been out of school for so long
44
In 10 Pictures... Haileybury College, Hertfordshire
Like us at @Independent SchoolParent
46
Ones to watch All-star alumni under the spotlight
48
School memories Nick Fiorita recalls his school
CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR
Follow us @ISParent.Mag
days at Rydal Penrhos, Conwy
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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WHO’S WHO
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Meet the experts sharing their years of invaluable educational experience
EDITORIAL Editor Claudia Dudman
DAVID MONCRIEFF a publisher specialising in education and heritage, he previously worked for more than 12 years as Director of Marketing Services at the British Tourist Authority.
DESIGN Art Editor Lauren Debono-Elliot ADVERTISING Group Account Director Catherine Chapman Group Advertisment Sales Manager Harriet Cottrell Sales Executive Eleanor English
SIR ANTHONY SELDON is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham. He was 13th Master of Wellington College in Berkshire from 2006 to 2015.
DIGITAL Digital Product Manager Ben Iskander PUBLISHING Executive Chairman Paul Dobson Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Director of Media James Dobson Managing Director of Sales & Chelsea Create Steve Ross Publisher Caroline Scott Circulation Manager Daniel Webb EA to Chairman Sarah Porter PUBLISHED BY The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel 020 7349 3700 Fax 020 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent. com
PETER YOUNG is an independent school governor and Chairman of the Business Marketing Awards.
COLIN BELL
is CEO of COBIS (Council of British International Schools) which works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support staff and governors from high quality British international schools in more than 80 countries worldwide.
Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, Ec1a 9Pt | Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 | Production All Points Media. Printed in England by William Gibbons
Independent School Parent also publishes The Guide to Independent Schools biannually to help you choose the right school.
ALISON FLEMING has been Headmistress at Newton Prep, Battersea since September 2013. Educated at grammar school, she began her teaching career learning her ‘craft’ in state schools. MARK STRETTON joined HMC as Communications Manager in 2017, bringing with him more than 15 years’ experience and expertise in education sector communications.
DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent is for parents of children in prep and senior independent schools. The Independent School Parent magazine in prep and senior issues is published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent.com/register © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2020. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in The Guide to Independent Schools 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.
AILEEN KANE is the Boarding Schools’ Association’s Chief Operating Officer and oversees media, marketing, sponsorship, finance and HR facilities. Aileen is a member of BSA’s senior leadership team.
IAN MASON worked in local authority communications teams across London, before becoming the Head of Media and Communications for the Independent Schools Council in 2017.
DR HELEN WRIGHT
is a former President of the GSA and Vice-Chair of the Independent Schools Council and since 2014 she has worked in international education and advises, recruits and coaches senior leaders in schools across the world. She is also Chair of the judging panel for the Independent Schools of the Year Awards.
BEN VESSEY joined Canford in 2013 as Headmaster from Christ’s Hospital, where he was Senior Deputy Head. He’s currently vice-chair of the HMC Professional Development sub-committee. ANDREW FLECK is Principal of Sedbergh School, Cumbria, having been Headmaster since 2002 he has relinquished this position to take up his new role which encompasses strategic oversight and operational direction. TORY GILLINGHAM is the Managing Director for AMCIS, Admissions, Marketing & Communications in Independent Schools, which now has over 500 schools in membership. She has over 25 years’ experience of the independent schools sector.
RACHEL KERR COVER: BEDFORD SCHOOL
SUE WOODROOFE has been a Headteacher for 12 years, at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds.
has worked with independent schools since 2000. She is currently Communications Manager at the Girls Schools’ Association.
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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SCHOOL NEWS
IN BRIEF
STUDENT SUCCESSES • LANDMARK CELEBRATIONS • FUNDRAISING FEATS • NEW HEADTEACHERS Birthday cards sent to Colonel Tom for his 100th birthday were opened and placed in the school’s Great Hall
Cards galore for Colonel Tom!
Bedford School, Bedfordshire It became the story of the nation and one that captured hearts across the country and around the world. And it is thanks to Bedford School pupil Benjamin Ingram-Moore that his grandfather, Colonel Tom Moore’s fundraising challenge for the NHS went viral. Colonel Tom was due to celebrate his 100th birthday with a party at the end of April but the plans were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. His 16-year-old grandson, who is in the fifth form at the school, came up with the idea for his grandfather to walk 100 lengths of his 25m-long garden with the aim of raising £1,000 for the thousands of healthcare staff working to save lives across the UK during the pandemic. Benjie managed the social media operation and set up a Twitter account which accrued a following of more than 75,000 in just a week. Benjie and his military veteran grandfather exceeded their initial target of £1,000 and collected a staggering £32million for NHS Charities Together. Benjie says: “We just wanted to do our bit and try to raise £1,000.”
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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SCHOOL NEWS
BEST OF THE REST
• Winning
take
King’s Ely, Cambridge
Students Emily Parsons, Lydia Goff and Paige Newell have snapped their way to victory in a national photography competition. Over 1,500 images were submitted on the theme “Through my Eyes”.
• Sing
a song
Moreton Hall, Shropshire
V is for victory King’s Hall School, Somerset
Year Four pupil Isabella’s love of baking began in April when she decided to expand her customer base. Inspired by her own pets, she came up with the idea of making treats for dog owners in her local village and set about making delicious batches of biscuits. These were so well received that she then put all of her efforts into her newfound hobby, going on to bake cakes for frontline workers at Musgrove Park Hospital, as well as for the recent VE Day celebrations.
Pupil Sophie gained 100% in her Grade 8 Musical Theatre
8
Bake!
Channel crossing
Drama queens
King’s Rochester, Kent
Belmont School, Surrey
St Mary’s Colchester
Pupils spent the May Bank Holiday weekend waiting to hear who David Atherton, winner of The Great British Bake Off 2019, had chosen as winner of their competition. Pupils were set a challenge to produce 12 identical cupcakes over a week. Jack Seagar was crowned the winner!
Ten-year-old Connie has completed her lockdown challenge to swim the equivalent length of the English Channel in her paddling pool at home. Connie says: “Knowing that I was doing this to raise money for the Royal Surrey NHS staff kept me going.”
Over the Easter holidays, girls from the Lower School received the fantastic news that they had all passed their London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) exams with a merit or distinction! The exams were taken by pupils at the start of March before schools were closed.
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
Staff formed a virtual mass choir performing You Will Be Found from the musical Dear Evan Hansen to send a message to pupils that they were not alone, highlighting the strong level of pastoral support for their students.
• The
next level
Wellington School, Somerset
GCSE and A-level pupils are undergoing a programme of study including online courses and an independent piece of research. They will emerge with an assessed outcome at the end of term.
• Kind
hearts
Felsted School, Essex
The school is providing packages for local care homes, in response to the concern of loneliness among elderly residents who are missing friends and family visits due to the pandemic.
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SCHOOL NEWS
HEADS ON THE MOVE It’s all change for these schools
Debbie Isaachsen joins The Downs, Wraxhall in Somerset as Head this September.
Aislinn Clarke is the new Head of Ripley Court School, Surrey. She started in the summer term.
James Kidd is the new Vice Principal (Boarding) at DLD College, London. He starts in August.
Olly Langton becomes Head of Belhaven Hill in Dunbar in September.
Rydal Penrhos, Conwy has appointed Lucy Davies as Head of the Firs Prep School.
On the frontline
Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire
Headmaster Peter Clague along with a small number of remaining boarders and residential staff who are living in one household within the campus, produced face shields to an approved design in the DT department for frontline NHS staff tackling the coronavirus. Former pupil Cllr Aled Luckman collected the first batch of shields for distribution and they are now in use on Ward Six of the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch where Aled’s sister and former Head Girl is a junior doctor in Cardiology.
Running for the NHS
Bank on us
Godolphin & Latymer, London
Millfield School, Somerset
In early April, the 1st XI hockey squad swapped their hockey boots for running shoes using their daily exercise sessions to run a total of 3000km in just 30 days to raise money for NHS charities. The team of 20 runners ran 5km each, per day, for 30 consecutive days. During the challenge they were supported by East Grinstead Ladies Hockey Team.
A thousand school children and their families received free weekly food parcels from the school who worked with Street Parish, Mendip District and County Councils in Somerset, as well as independent food supplier Chartwells, to help ensure children eligible for free school meals continued to have access to fresh food during school closures.
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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LETTER
Independent Schools Council First Floor 27 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9BU
Dear Reader, These are anxious times for all of us, especially for parents balancing worries about health and safety with the possibility of children going back to school in the coming days and weeks. Even though certainty is in short supply at the moment, we would like to reassure you of the significant efforts that have been made, and continue to be made, in support of school communities around the country. During the coronavirus crisis, the Independent Schools Council and our member associations – representing the headteachers, governors and bursars of close to 1,400 independent schools – have been hard at work ensuring politicians and policy-makers are aware of the many concerns and issues at play in order to do the very best we can for the children whose school lives were suddenly turned upside down. We have met with the Secretary of State for Education and have regular meetings with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System. This is in addition to almost daily communication with officials in various government departments including the Department for Education. These meetings and the details we have shared with schools as a result are focussed on ensuring that independent schools can apply for assistance under UK government support schemes in line with other UK businesses, that schools are fully informed of developing policy and that the Government understands the particular pressures on our sector. The safety and wellbeing of school communities is at the heart of everything we are doing. We have good relationships with the Association of School and College Leaders and the National Association of Head Teachers and have been communicating with a range of other stakeholders to ensure there is effective informationsharing across the education sector. We have maintained a constant stream of communication on behalf of schools, teachers and parents as events unfolded. Recent months have been hugely unsettling and have destabilised the education system. However, we have been impressed by the positive community response of schools and their teachers who have done so much to achieve continuity of education, particularly through the establishment of effective online learning resources in such a short space of time. Teachers and support staff have been working on detailed preparations for wider opening according to government advice. They are taking into account their school’s individual circumstances and the need to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of their school community. Individualised risk assessments will be required and each school will consider the best course of action for its pupils and staff. The independent school sector has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience over the years and no doubt will do again through this current crisis. By supporting one another, with time and patience, we will get through this together. With best wishes, Julie Robinson, ISC Chief Executive
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
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COMMENT
HEADS UP
THE NEW NORMAL Temperature taking, social distancing and staggered break times – it’s a very different school environment pupils are returning to this term, writes CAROLINE JORDAN
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Caroline Jordan is Headmistress of Headington School, Oxford and a former President of the Girls’ Schools Association
Head of Prep, Jane Crouch at Headington’s key worker school
e were given just two days to close our school to most learners, plan for a comprehensive remote learning schedule and prepare to open the facilities and campus to key worker children. To achieve this in 48 hours was no mean feat and our transition to remote learning at Headington has been remarkably smooth. Preparing to reopen our school is much harder and more complex. Like most schools across the country, we have remained open throughout, looking after 31 of our pupils, some coming once or twice, some every day. We are very close to Oxford’s major hospitals and significant numbers of our parent body are employed in this field. Then as now they rely on us to enable them to work. To do this required a minimum of 15 members of teaching and support staff including catering, housekeeping and, of course, the school nurse on-site. Inviting back three whole year groups plus our nursery children poses many extra challenges. However, we are lucky enough to have been able to spend the past few weeks refining our processes to make sure we can keep everybody safe in order to achieve this. We know our girls will benefit hugely from the opportunity to spend some time in person with their teachers. Not everyone will be comfortable sending their children back to school yet, so we will
continue offering a programme of remote learning to all and there will be no penalties for those who choose to stay at home. We’re lucky that our class sizes are already small so most of our girls will be able to be in their form groups. We’re staggering break time, lunch time, drop-offs and collections. Girls will sit at their own desk in the same classroom each day and will stay within their 15-pupil “bubble” throughout. We’re asking them to do their best to stay two metres apart at all times and have put in place clear signage to help them do this – but we understand that sometimes, this won’t happen. We won’t be punishing anyone who accidentally gets too close – some of these girls are only three years old! We will comfort children if they need us to and tend to them if they have an accident. We’re increasing cleaning in areas of high contact. We’ve put in additional sinks to facilitate lots of thorough hand washing and a thermal camera to take girls’ temperatures when they arrive at the school gates. A lot of work has gone in to ensure that we can provide a sense of normality in a time that is anything but normal! While things will look and feel different, we want girls to feel excited about being back at our wonderful school. Our teachers have been busy putting together timetables and we’re really excited that our year six children will be able to meet some of their senior school teachers for the first time, a fantastic opportunity for them. While we are confident that our girls have not been missing out in terms of their education, as we have been able to provide them with an excellent experience from home, school is about more than that. Our sense of community throughout this period has been incredible and I know it will continue. I have faith our entire school community will adapt as well to this new change – as they have to remote learning and I cannot not wait to see the girls return to school.
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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COMMENT
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT he ovid- crisis has rought into sharp ocus the educational o ering schools provide says Nick Gallop eadmaster o tam ord chool incolnshire Schools will be doubling down efforts to ensure value for money
challenge, and humour of the average lesson has been laid bare at last – to intrigue, captivation and even delight. For others, the extended insight into the educational needs and demands of younger children has been revelatory. In spite of the difficult and highly challenging circumstances – ones that no sane person would ever wish for – many schools are now wondering why it has taken a crisis to reveal so much of something of such high value, largely hidden from view for so long. Peculiarly and indeed paradoxically, while many schools have been compelled to communicate both values and value very differently throughout this period of closure, they have done so in ways that have proved to be far more effective and far more authentic than at previous times.
C
harlie Brown’s cartoonist creator Charles M. Schulz coined the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. The refrain continues, resonating aptly with our isolated learners, “but it sure makes the rest of you lonely.” Amid the phased re-opening of schools and, by degree, a much longed-for return to a new sort of normal in the months ahead, thoughts are ones of optimism but also of concern over the full extent of a health-crisis-enforced term away from formal schooling for a nation of remote, though hopefully not lonely, children. Indeed against a backdrop of a lockdown that is loosening towards the economic, financial, and social uncertainties that lie ahead, families may find themselves in the process of reconsidering and re-evaluating significant areas of their lives. For many, this might well include their commitment to an independent education for their children.
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
A window into our world
There is little doubt that what many families value most of all in education, and what drove them first to an independent educational pathway and then to the unique schools that they chose, has been severely restricted in recent months. In particular, the current summer term – a marvellous whirlwind of academic endeavour, cultural opportunity, sporting challenge and social interaction – lost to children, as well as to parents, forever. But amid all this, both unexpectedly and unintentionally, the shift to remote learning has seen our children’s daily learning routines and experiences, those that take place almost exclusively within the confines of the classroom and well away from the inquisitive eyes of parents, beamed right into the heart of the nation’s homes.
Authentic communication
For many parents, the energy, professionalism, purposefulness, variety, support, care,
With that in mind, and alongside those powerfully different insights and understandings, it would be strangely remiss if such a seismic event did not also prompt a thorough re-evaluation of the relationship – the “contract” – that exists between schools and families. The coming months are likely to see a sharper emphasis on the moral dimension of this contract, characterised by far more openly careful management and deployment of income than ever before; by greater clarity and agreement on where true educational value lies; and by effective communication of how future plans are demonstrably in line with parental expectations, geared fully to maximising the learning experience, in all senses, of the young people at its heart. Substantial pressures of some magnitude certainly lie ahead – for all families and commercial concerns. And for independent schools, as the prospect of the return of our diverse and multi-dimensional provision turns to reality, the hope is that these pressures will be navigated in much closer partnership with parents than previously, accompanied by a renewed sense of mutual understanding, empathy and respect, and by relationships that are more open, more undefended and hopefully fonder, through shared absence, than ever before.
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
A moral contract
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COMMENT
PLAYING IT SAFE The welfare of boarding school pupils is at the heart of the BSA’s Covid-Safe Charter, says Dale Wilkins, Director of Safeguarding, Standards and Training
PHOTOGRAPHY: PORT REGIS SCHOOL, DORSET
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he reported numbers of Covid infections and Covid-related deaths are higher in the UK than some other countries. So it is natural that international boarders and their parents will have concerns about starting at or returning to UK boarding schools in September. This issue is not unique to the UK, however, with boarding practitioners in many parts of the world working hard to take appropriate measures and offer reassurance to young people and their families. The Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) has created a Covid-Safe Charter of measures schools should undertake if they are to provide the safe, secure environment boarders and their families are expecting. Much reassurance is also required for the dedicated teams of boarding staff in schools who are determined to provide the best care they can for the pupils. The Charter is a voluntary code, but it was immediately adopted by a large number of the BSA member schools in the UK and internationally, and also adopted and refined by the Australian Boarding Schools’ Association. The principal purpose is to allow schools to reassure parents and pupils that they are taking all reasonable steps to guarantee their safety, which is why in some instances it goes beyond some Government requirements. The key provisions require schools to re-evaluate and risk-assess their boarding provision to ensure it’s safe for boarders to return. This includes adopting appropriate cleaning, testing and other operational procedures, and ensuring there are clear and sustainable plans to deal with any potential outbreak once schools reopen. There is a requirement to inform parents and boarders, of planning, and to verify that the arrangements for collecting any international pupils from the airport are fully understood and agreed. Once term is under way, the Charter requires schools, in addition to steps taken within the classroom, to ensure day-to-day procedures, such as mealtimes and recreation, are fit for purpose, along with key elements of health and hygiene such as washing and showering, laundry and medical arrangements. Nothing in the Charter is designed to
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
override local protocols. However it also takes account of the fact that expectations in some countries differ enormously, and schools must be prepared to consider this in their planning, particularly around issues such as face-coverings. In particular member schools must ensure that boarders feel comfortable with what is expected of them, that both their physical and mental wellbeing are promoted, and that schools take a very strong line on any negative behaviours related to Covid-19, including bullying. BSA is aware that the return of boarders is still a long way off for some schools, by which time the national and international situation will have changed considerably. With this in mind, and also the fact that some schools have had children boarding all through the pandemic, the Charter is designed to remain dynamic. As the worldwide situation changes and, as we all fervently hope, the world begins The BSA’s CovidSafe Charter aims to provide a secure environment for boarders
to return to something more akin to “normal”, schools will be able to adjust measures accordingly to suit the new reality. The BSA Covid-Safe Charter is built on the success of our existing safeguarding Commitment to Care Charter, and is the cornerstone of BSA’s response to the pandemic, which includes guidance and training relating to Covid-19, a regular advice bulletin, which has been issued weekly since January, and liaising with other associations locally and internationally and with Government departments in all four regions of the UK. BSA has also commissioned translations into Chinese and Russian, with German soon to follow. These are challenging times for us all, but BSA is convinced that by working together and keeping the needs of boarders at the forefront of everything we do, boarding schools will be best placed to embrace the “new normal” which will eventually face us.
ADVERTORIAL
Learning in Lockdown Jo Cameron, Principal of Queenswood School in Hertfordshire, explains how teachers and pupils have adapted to the coronavirus situation
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s the nation entered lockdown, school communities made rapid transformations in order to deliver education remotely. Staff and pupils have had to master new technologies, syllabuses have had to be totally reconsidered, teachers are finding new ways to motivate students, and parents are also getting involved on a daily basis. We are fortunate to have the technology to deliver a full timetable of lessons, direct from teachers’ homes. Video conferencing software, collaborative documents and virtual learning environments have proved invaluable, and the positive feedback we’ve received from parents has been overwhelming. We’ve adapted the timetable to allow pupils regular screen breaks and ensured that girls are set work that takes them away from their desks
Queenswood has provided a varied cocurricular programme
and out into the fresh air where possible. A fabulous example of this is an English project, where pupils have been creating their own versions of the infamous Cottingley Fairies photographs in their gardens. The cancellation of GCSE and A-level exams brought a dramatic end to two years of preparation for our year 11 and 13 students,
they are now experiencing a strange – and for many, an unsettling – serenity. Teachers sympathise greatly with students’ frustration that they will not have the chance to prove their academic prowess; however, we have always believed that education is about so much more than narrow exam syllabuses, and teachers have relished the opportunity to devise a curriculum for girls in these years. We’re also able to offer a varied virtual co-curricular programme. From knitting to netball; from meditation to movie-making; – girls are able to expand their horizons. This is schooling unlike anything we have experienced, and all of us are of course eager to return to familiar practices. But lockdown has taught us new ways of working, shown us new ways of thinking and reaffirmed our values. queenswood.org SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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Learning in Lockdown
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Jo Cameron, Principal of Queenswood School in Hertfordshire, explains how teachers and pupils have adapted to the coronavirus situation
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they are now experiencing a strange – s the nation entered and for many, an unsettling – serenity. lockdown, school Teachers sympathise greatly with students’ communities made rapid frustration that they will not have the transformations in order to chance to prove their academic prowess; deliver education remotely. however, we have always believed that Staff and pupils have had to master new education is about so much more than technologies, syllabuses have had to be narrow exam syllabuses, and teachers totally reconsidered, teachers are finding have relished the opportunity to devise a Queenswood has new ways to motivate students, and parents provided a varied cocurriculum for girls in these years. are also getting involved on a daily basis. curricular programme We’re also able to offer a varied virtual We are fortunate to have the technology The Good Schools From Guideknitting to co-curricular programme. to deliver a full timetable of lessons, direct netball; from meditation to movie-making; – and out into the fresh air where possible. A from teachers’ homes. Video conferencing girls are able to expand their horizons. fabulous example of this is an English project, software, collaborative documents and virtual Open Evenings: A distinctive education focused on the individual. This is&schooling anything5.00pm we have where pupils have been creating their own learning environments have proved invaluable, 11+ Monday 14th September, Thursday 1st October Tuesday unlike 3rd November Up to 100% fee reduction for bursary pupils. experienced, and all of us are of course eager to versions of the infamous Cottingley Fairies and the positive feedback we’ve received from 16+ Tuesday 15th September & Tuesday 22nd September 5.00pm Find out more at www.ucs.org.uk return to familiar practices. But lockdown has photographs in their gardens. parents has been overwhelming. taught us new ways of working, shown us new The cancellation of GCSE and A-level We’ve adapted the timetable to allow pupils UCSbreaks Seniorand School, aged 11-18 & Girls aged 16-18) of @UCSHampstead ways thinking and reaffirmed our values. exams(Boys brought a dramatic end to two years of regular screen ensuredFrognal, that girlsNW3 are 6XH set work that takes them away from their desks preparation for our year 11 and 13 students, queenswood.org
“...infinite opportunities for thought, exploration and discovery.”
SUMMER SUMMER2020 2020| |independentschoolparent.com independentschoolparent.com
19 19
AWARDS
Making the cut A record number of nominations have been received for 2020’s ISOTY awards campaign. Now it’s time for members of the judging panel to read, peruse and ultimately decide which schools are taken forward as finalists
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his year’s awards were launched in March three days before the Secretary of State for Education announced that schools were to close and the week before the entire country went into lockdown. As this magazine goes to press, it’s an entirely different landscape into which we emerge, and one that none of us would ever have imagined finding ourselves in. Yet the images of children in nursery, reception, year one and year six going back to school demonstrate that life goes on, even if their student experience – where pupils have to navigate social distancing, temperature checking, regular handwashing and all amid the suspension of ordinary activities – is a very different one. The Independent Schools of the Year Awards were founded to celebrate the student experience and the very best of what an independent school education has to offer. From small rural pre-preps to high profile public schools, the 2020 awards look beyond the immediate crisis and showcase the magnificent work that schools do in delivering student excellence in all forms. We hope that the announcement of the winners in October will help to support the recovery of the sector and demonstrate that our schools are back on the front foot once and for all.
Ipswich School demonstrates sporting agility
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
THE CATEGORIES There are 21 in this year’s awards Pre-Prep School of the Year
Performing Arts
Small School of the Year
Contribution to Social Mobility
Prep School of the Year
Student Wellbeing
Boys’ School of the Year
Healthy Eating
Girls’ School of the Year
International Student Experience
Co-Educational School British International School of the Year Boarding School of the Year Sporting Achievement Student Careers Programme Community Outreach A yoga class at Belmont Hill Prep School, north London
Brand Communication The Green Award for Environmental Achievement The Rising Star Award Overseas Campus Independent School of the Year 2020
AWARDS
I
n reading through the entries for 2020, written in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, I have been struck by the resilience of the independent schools sector and the energy with which our schools have responded to the crisis, introducing robust and engaging remote learning programmes with remarkable ease. Most striking is the depth of commitment shown to securing the wellbeing of the diverse school communities. Our Wellbeing and Community Outreach categories have been some of the most popular this year and with every story I read I become more impressed with the work undertaken to support students and staff – and the wider local population – confronting particular challenges. Student excellence lies at the heart of our awards and the 2020 entries showcase once again – across all the 21 categories – the extraordinary diversity of the educational experience independent schools large and small offer. Well done to you all!
David Moncrieff, vice-chair of the judging panel, Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2020 Happy children at Handcross Park School, West Sussex
MEET THE JUDGES FOR 2020 DR HELEN WRIGHT, Chair of the Judging Panel
Helen is a former President of the Girls’ Schools Association and Vice-Chair of ISC, with three major Headships under her belt. Since 2014, she has worked in international education, and advises, recruits and coaches senior leaders in schools across the world.
DAVID MONCRIEFF, Vice-Chair
David is a publisher specialising in education and heritage, he previously worked as Director of Marketing at Mayfield School and for more than 12 years as Director of Marketing Services at the British Tourist Authority.
CHARLOTTE AVERY Charlotte is Headmistress of St Mary’s School Cambridge, GSA Vice-President, and a Governor of Haileybury College, Mill Hill School and a local 11-16 MAT. She is an ISI team inspector and former lay member of the MoD’s Research Ethics Committee.
ANDREW FLECK Andrew is currently the Principal of Sedbergh School, Cumbria, having been Head of the school since 2002. He relinquished the headship position in order to take up this new role, which encompasses strategic oversight and operational direction. He was also previously Head of Ashville College.
ROBIN FLETCHER Robin is the Chief Executive of the Boarding Schools’ Association. Robin worked for 30 years as an award-winning journalist, newspaper editor and comms director. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Honorary Fellow of Cardiff Metropolitan University.
TORY GILLINGHAM Tory is the Managing Director for AMCIS, Admissions, Marketing & Communications in Independent Schools, which has more than 500 schools in membership. She has more than 25 years’ marketing experience within the independentschools sector.
JULIE ROBINSON Julie was Head of Ardingly College Junior School and Vinehall Prep School, then took up the role of Education and Training Director for the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools before becoming General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council.
SUE WOODROOFE Sue has been a headteacher for 12 years, at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds. She has a particular interest in the three-to-18 learning journey and the benefits of multicultural and international learning.
PETER YOUNG Peter is a school governor and Chairman of the Business Marketing Awards; a non-executive with start-up and established businesses. He also advises a corporate security risk consultancy and is a former management member with marketing companies.
JIM MASSEY Jim has been Headmaster of Daneshill Prep School since 2018. Daneshill, founded in 1950, is a co-educational school, set in rural Hampshire, situated on part of the Wellington Estate, with a roll of approximately 270 children aged between three and 13.
PHILIPPA SCUDDS A chartered marketer, Philippa has more than 25 years’ experience across the marketing, communications and public relations fields. She spent 12 years in the City, and since 2004 has focused on the education sector, working with prep, senior and all-through schools.
JAMES PRIORY James joined Tonbridge School as Headmaster in 2018 from Portsmouth Grammar School. He’s known for his passion for the creative arts and for his commitment to widening access.
Pennthorpe Prep in West Sussex
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AWARDS
DLD College London’s nomination in the Community Outreach category placed it at the epicentre of the coronavirus crisis when its boarding students organised a poster campaign thanking the NHS
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LD College London is an international boarding school in the heart of London. Many of our students come from affluent backgrounds and we are keen to instil in them the school’s core values – Tolerance, Respect and Kindness. We want them to have an awareness of their privileged position and to know that with this comes a responsibility to give something back to the communities we are part of. A week into lockdown the remaining boarding students painted huge posters thanking the NHS for their hard work, displaying them in the college windows opposite St Thomas’ Hospital. This was called the The NHS Rainbow Poster Project. We contacted Rainbows for NHS Nightingale and offered to display some of the pictures that had been sent to them from children across the UK and which were unable to be displayed in the hospitals. The boarding community co-ordinated a massive response, including liaising with other state primary schools and corporate supporters Epson UK, Hermes Parcels and Amazon UK and to date, over 4,000 pictures have been displayed. The response from the healthcare workers at St Thomas’ has been overwhelming; we have had many messages of thanks saying how much joy and appreciation the display has brought to the staff. The project has also gained international attention, featuring in worldwide press and also in a special television report on BBC London News. We are extremely proud of our community projects initiatives and believe they play a significant role in shaping our students and preparing them
Up to 4,000 posters are displayed in the College’s windows
DLD College is very proud of its outreach projects
for life beyond school. They are enlightening experiences as it introduces a world that is unknown to them. It helps them to understand why giving back to society is so important and drives home their own fortunate positions, encouraging them to work harder, to strive to be the best they can be.
To find out more about the awards, log on at:
independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk 22
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
ST GEORGE’S ASCOT TERMLY
OPEN MORNINGS VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR CURRENT INFORMATION
admissions@stgeorges-ascot.org.uk www.stgeorges-ascot.org.uk
01344 629900
Independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11-18. Private transport available for day girls and weekly transport service to and from Central London for London boarders.
Independent School Parent Junior Summer 2020.indd 1
KIND HEARTS
29/04/2020 15:35
FIERCE MINDS
STRONG SPIRITS
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SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
23
PRE-PREP
WE REGULARLY TALK ABOUT WHY SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE
also introduced visual aids like tape on the classroom floors TO SHOW CHILDREN WHAT
A TWO-METRE DISTANCE LOOKS LIKE
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
PRE-PREP
Back to School When Victoria Playford, Headmistress of The Mulberry House School in north west London asked parents if they wanted their children to return to school after half term, the answer was a resounding yes. Here’s how they did it…
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carry out a detailed risk assessment on how we would keep our children as safe as possible. As a pre-prep for two to seven-year olds, it is not as straightforward for us as simply expecting the children to adhere to rules. I also wanted to ensure that we did not frighten the children with our Covid-19 messaging. This is a fine line to tread. I firmly believe learning at this stage should be challenging but also be fun and exciting. Fun and play must remain at the heart of everything we do here. It would therefore be inappropriate for those teaching such young children to wear PPE and masks as this could frighten the children. On a practical level, we have therefore done as much as possible to keep the children at a safe distance from the staff and from each other in the classroom. Class sizes have been halved and we decided to keep the children within each new class or “bubble” apart to decrease mixing. Pupils and staff do not mix outside their bubble. The children take their breaktimes and lunchtimes in their “bubbles” and these breaks are staggered throughout the day. Equipment that cannot be cleaned safely each day has been taken out of use for now. As you can imagine, the social distancing message can be tricky for such young children. To reinforce the message, we regularly talk about why it is important and we have also introduced visual aids like tape on the classroom floors to show children what a two-metre distance looks like. When children come to school in the morning, they
s
Pupils have a smaller class size or “bubble”
t The Mulberry House School in north west London, we have been open throughout the crisis to provide an education for our key worker children and also to provide resources for our pupils at home. We have even taken in the children of key workers who attend other local schools which did not stay open. Nevertheless, we were counting the days until we could welcome back many more pupils and we have worked hard towards that goal for the last few weeks. As soon we knew the first date we could open as a school, we surveyed our parents to ask them if they were happy to send their children back. Without their approval – and without that of our staff – we would not have gone ahead. The result was an overwhelming “yes” and so, on 1st June, we ended up welcoming back over two-thirds of our pupils. Our only sadness has been that we have been unable to welcome back our year twos because government guidelines do not allow them to return. We have been very disappointed by this because they are our leaving year group and we believe that they should have time to prepare for the next stage of their education and have a proper farewell. We are busy planning how we can still do this for them even if it has to be remotely. Meanwhile, before the big return to school, obvious steps like deep cleaning and the planning of new hygiene measures took place before the children returned. We also worked hard as a Senior Leadership Team to
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
25
PRE-PREP
Children have their temperatures taken each morning
Enjoying a PE class
are asked to sanitise their hands and their temperature is taken. To ensure that this did not seem intimidating, we decided to welcome our children back on the first day in a celebratory fashion. We created huge balloon arches in the school colours at the gates of our nursery and main school with “Welcome Back� banners. As children entered, we carried out the new hygiene measures and let them know they would need to do this every day. They were so excited to be back and to see their friends and teachers that they took this in their stride and continue to do so. I believe that it has been the correct decision to bring back this age group to school because their early years development is so crucial. A key part of this development is linked to social interaction. This may need to be socially distanced interaction for now but the benefits of being back in the school setting and being back with their peers are manifold. It has long been recognised by educationalists that the education laid down in the early years provides the platform for the rest of a child’s education. If we get it wrong in the early years and a child is disengaged by education, they may never engage again. This is why it is so important for them to be at school. I believe that any longer away from school could be very damaging for their development. School should be safe, yes, but it should also be exciting, fun and full of challenges and opportunities. Let us not forget that!
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
PRE-PREP
I BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN THE correct decision to bring back this age group TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEIR EARLY YEARS DEVELOPMENT IS SO CRUCIAL
Being back at school has huge benefits for pupils
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
27
DISCOVER MORE #NoOrdinarySchool
Pupils show an exceptional work ethic, underpinned by a strong willingness to achieve.
We encourage our pupils to enjoy learning and pursue success to the best of their ability; to be prepared for the changing world beyond school.
ISI Inspection Report, October 2019
VISIT OUR WEBSITE to find out more www.lyndhursthouse.co.uk 24 Lyndhurst Gardens Hampstead London NW3 5NW Telephone: 0207 435 4936 Email: office@lyndhursthouse.co.uk
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
Pre-School | Junior | Senior | Sixth Form 023 9236 0036 | www.pgs.org.uk
LEARNING
A pupil at Belhaven Hill in East Lothian has some help from man’s best friend
Homeschool Heroes
It’s been a steep learning curve for parents, children and teachers to adjust to remote learning from home, writes Ben Evans, Headmaster at Edge Grove Prep School in Hertfordshire SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
29
LEARNING
A
s remote learning continues to become the new “normal” for families across the country, many lessons have already been learned. Probably the most telling has been the need to ensure that both parents and pupils receive frequent and detailed communication from schools to guide them through the technical side and also the daily tasks and expectations. As lockdown began and schools closed, parents were understandably anxious about how the process would work and whether they would be able to adequately support their children. The technology side of things has been a steep learning curve for everyone from connectivity issues, log-ins and passwords to codes for Google Classroom and how to upload work – the list goes on. Yet as we reflect back on the last few weeks, clear direction and explanations around the technology have been essential in getting learning off the ground. It is a common theme with committed and professional teachers that they will try to do too much, too quickly as they make every effort to deliver the highest quality provision. It is clear that to sustain this level of effort and work over a long period of time is untenable. It has become apparent that “less is more” and
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
Edge Grove is a co-educational prep school
an understanding that the process of remote learning must be viewed as a marathon and not a sprint.
DON’T RUN TOO FAST It also comes as no surprise that there is not a “one size fits all” solution to any school’s provision. Every family has different home circumstances, which dictate what will work and what is feasible for them. A family with An Edge Grove pupil tackles his numbers
one child aged 12 and a non-working parent will fare better with one type of provision than a family of three children under eight with both parents trying to work from home too. Even though it is physically impossible for any school to provide bespoke and individualised learning programmes for every type of situation, it is important that schools listen and are ready to tweak, adapt and reassure parents that whatever time and support they are able to give their child is sufficient, no matter how small. Nobody could have planned for this and we are all simply trying to do the best we can. When it comes to age groups, there are certainly stark differences between providing remote learning for senior and prep school pupils. Much of the advice coming from overseas schools who started the process earlier than UK schools reinforces that provision, including for EYFS, is very tricky and there are no simple solutions. Creating a structured day
Ensuring children take a break, just as they would do at school is essential
signposting by the school in the form of a daily sheet with links to everything needed and a clear overview of the learning to be covered. Without this, parents would be working blind and would soon become frustrated. Remote learning has been about setting clear pupil expectations for live sessions including how to ask questions etc. and also how to use the comment function for the classrooms. Time
THE TRUTH IS nobody should expect parents to become effective teachers overnight. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PARENTS UNDERSTAND THE ATTAINMENT LEVEL OF THEIR CHILDREN certainly helps with elements of live interaction with teachers (which is one of the biggest issues affecting young children). School closures mean they are missing contact with staff and pupils and this is extremely difficult for them. Evidence over the past weeks, for us, has suggested that from year three, it has worked well to start every day with a live tutor period, check the children are okay and ensure a sense of normality for everyone. All lessons should then have an element of live teaching plus tasks set via Google Classrooms with teachers present at all times. For younger children, the onus is very much on parents to organise the daily structure and access the activities, learning objectives and resources as well as oversee the teaching and learning – which is tough for many. However, this approach needs careful
spent ensuring the correct protocols are in place (for staff and pupils) and explaining the expectations is time well spent.
DON’T COMPARE PROGRESS While many parents will assume every lesson should be live, for younger pupils this is not necessarily the best option. Just as in the normal classroom, there should be a good balance of live, pre-recorded and practical lessons, which ensure pupils have a varied day of learning opportunities and experiences. Experts also say parents shouldn’t put undue pressure on themselves to teach. The truth is nobody should expect parents to become effective teachers overnight. It is important that parents understand the attainment level of their children and their learning expectations. Work set is carefully
differentiated and therefore important, parents should not compare progress or targets with each other, as their children are likely to be doing different things at different times. Any work set should be clear and achievable for parents to deliver with the understanding that they must adapt it for their children’s needs. It is not there to be slavishly followed, but as a guide to cover the essential learning outcomes. Above all, if a child is hungry for more work, schools will ensure that there is more for them to do. However, if ploughing on with the set tasks is proving difficult and counter-productive, it is important parents know they can have a break.
HAPPINESS IS EVERYTHING While all schools seek to establish a structure for parents and children to follow, it is clear that the normal school timetable is not workable or appropriate for home learning. Instead, a variety of shorter age–appropriate lessons with mini breaks in between, works far better. Parents will notice when their children need a break (just as teachers do in class), they should not fight it because it is far more productive to stop, allow some play time for ten minutes and then come back to learning. Ultimately, children are far more resilient than we often give them credit for. They will, undoubtedly, catch up and these few months of remote learning will not affect their long-term academic progress. Remote learning is there to ensure children are continually learning new skills, striving to give their best and above all, are happy and thriving under the challenging circumstances we face. SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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WELLBEING
King Edward’s Witley is a vibrant co-ed senior school in Wormley, Surrey
THE TUTOR YEAR GROUPS HAVE BEEN RECONFIGURED AND a primary focus for them is
to ensure that positive, motivational contact is being made throughout the remote learning PERIOD
TO ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOL CONTINUES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL 32
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
WELLBEING
HAPPY PLACE Although most students are not on campus, schools still have an important role to play in maintaining pupil wellbeing, writes David Corran, Deputy Head, King Edward’s Witley
P
astoral care teams within schools will be working hard to help navigate their pupils through this crisis, especially schools which not only provide an academic education but also a temporary home for its pupils, ie those offering boarding facilities.
Maintaining a routine
For some children, the change in routine can feel threatening, so steps should be taken to ensure a routine is put in place. At King Edward’s, the virtual school day still begins with either a house meeting or a tutor group meeting; lessons take place at the normal times and pupils can still access a well thought-out co-curricular programme. Tutors have an academic supporting role but they are also a key part of the pastoral team, regularly communicating with housemasters/ housemistresses about their tutees’ wellbeing. They are an essential first point of contact during tutor group days, when housemasters/ housemistresses will not see the pupils in house meetings, so are able to assist with a wide range of matters. The tutor groups have been reconfigured Students have hands-on pastoral care provided by tutees
during this period to better meet the needs of different year groups. A primary focus for the tutors is to ensure that positive, motivational contact is being made throughout the remote learning period to ensure that the school continues to meet the needs of each individual.
Axing of exams
The announcement that all exams were to be cancelled is likely to have triggered a maelstrom of emotions as pupils come to terms with the news, and what it represents to them. There is understandable discontent and then a certain sense of anti-climax as pupils realise they will not be able to test themselves by the same yardstick as previous generations. Not surprisingly, some children have wanted to disengage when they realise their “course is run”. In recognition of this, and to maintain the momentum and stimulate motivation, we have developed a bespoke “Skills for Sixth Form” programme for our GCSE students, offering bridging courses to prepare them for future A-level and IB studies. This programme encompasses a research project, guidance and information on accessing the world of work – including CV development, applications for internships or work experience and interview techniques. For our upper sixth leavers we have created a “Skills for Future Success” course to help them prepare for the worlds of work and university. The course comprises academic, careers and life-skills guidance, and even includes advice on budgeting and household maintenance!
Reducing feelings of isolation
While there may be some pupils who naturally thrive in a classroom setting – whether it is a physical or virtual place of learning – others who may already struggle with interacting within a group may find adjustment to the new distance learning world hard. We have issued clear guidelines to both staff and pupils to make the virtual classroom a place of calm – using the technology as best
we can to encourage engagement from all. The principles of consideration and inclusion apply now, just as they did before: ie teachers acknowledging the virtual “raised hand” to recognise contributions from all pupils, not just the most vocal; exploiting the “chat” function to enable otherwise timid children to contribute their thoughts to their teacher.
Encouraging good habits
There is, of course, a danger during this period of remote learning that children will disguise inappropriate online activities as “doing their schoolwork”. Boredom may make some children over-reliant on the internet and they may spend too long gazing at a computer screen, become involved with excessive gaming or even joining unsuitable forums. The vast majority of the younger generation make far more use of social media than we do. It is important to moderate this; the pressure of an ever-present digital connection is a source of stress which can interfere with sleep. It is important for children’s wellbeing to spend as much time in the here-and-now as possible. This is our advice, but we acknowledge that much of this is for the parents to deliver. Teenagers are notorious for not acknowledging the need for good quality sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, teens need eight-10 hours’ sleep each night to function best, yet a study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8.5 hours on school nights. Just as parents need to ensure that their child is getting sufficient sleep on a regular school day, the same applies to the new virtual school day.
The future
No-one can predict the future learning landscape, but I believe there will be a lasting impact. We intend to expand our counselling provision, and, through an audit of the school’s wellbeing provision, we will be prepared to meet what will no doubt be an unprecedented set of demands on pastoral staff when school does return. SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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COMMENT
HEADS UP
SAFETY COMES FIRST Boarding houses with their own medical centres and PPE on site – every effort is being made to protect pupils next term, says CHARLOTTE AVERY
BOARDING accommodation
is open from mid-August as a quarantine facility for any boarder WHO REQUIRES IT
Parents have been very impressed with the online learning provision at St Mary’s
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PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
Charlotte Avery is the Headmistress of St Mary’s Cambridge
e have adopted the Boarding Schools’ Association’s Covid-Safe Charter (see page 18) as a way of reassuring our pupils and their families, we are complying with government guidelines and will meet the extensive list of requirements. For our boarding community, we are in the very fortunate position to be able to re-open the school’s original boarding accommodation for years 12 and 13 in The Elms, one of our iconic and historic school buildings. A full refurbishment is taking place over the summer months and every sixth form boarder will be guaranteed her own bedroom. This move will mean our existing boarding house, Mary Ward House, will become the boarding accommodation for years seven-11 and allow every boarder in year 9 and above to have her own single bedroom. We will therefore ensure that we are able to practise social distancing within our boarding community very effectively. St Mary’s is opening this accommodation from mid-August as a quarantine facility, for any boarder who requires it. Moreover, our school is adequately equipped to look after any boarder on site, should they develop Covid-19 symptoms. PPE has been purchased and each boarding house will have its own designated medical centre with nurses and boarding staff caring for ill boarders 24 hours a day. More generally, all girls in school will be assigned a “social bubble”. Each “bubble” will consist of small groups of pupils from the same
year group who will spend much of their day together, including lessons and recreation times, in order to limit the number of others with whom they come into contact. Enhanced hygiene measures, including increased handwashing by pupils and staff, as well as extra daily cleaning, have all been put in place. All pupils will be permitted to wear face masks or face coverings. St Mary’s Junior School has risen to the challenge in several ways: after preparing for the school to open over May half term we opened our doors to reception, year one and year six on 1st June. In order to prepare the children, and parents, for the return after such a long period we made a video all about the measures we had put in place, this was very well received and reassured many parents who were unsure about sending their daughters back. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=AKnbk2FVKZQ. We were also determined to make the school the welcoming place that it has always been so instead of caution tape and signs around school we created our own, in-house designed posters with our school character Beatrice Bee! Alongside those year groups in school, we have continued online learning using Teams with live lessons for all year groups. This has been a great success, indeed in our parent survey about this, parents were very impressed. In our parent survey in the autumn term one of the most commonly used adjectives to describe the Junior School was “ambitious”. We have truly lived up to this adjective these spring and summer terms!
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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Excellent in all categories Independent Schools Inspectorate November 2019
Fuelling passion for performance and a zest for learning A co-educational Day School & Sixth Form where the arts are at the heart of an outstanding education.
London, W4 1LY | 020 8987 6600 artsed.co.uk @ArtsEdLondon
‘What makes ArtsEd so special is that we get amazing drama and dance training on top of our regular academic lessons!’ Year 8 Pupil
‘Employers are looking for people skills and confidence, which is why arts subjects are so important in later life – they give children the skills they need to succeed.’ Parent
DEVONSHIRE HOUSE PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2 Arkwright Road, Hampstead, NW3 6AE
A co-educational IAPS Prep and Pre-Prep School for children from 3 to 13 with its own Oak Tree Nursery for children from 2½ to 3½
OPEN MORNINGS Wednesday 14th & Thursday 15th October 2020 To register for an open morning please visit our website or contact Admissions
Telephone: 020 7435 1916. Email: enquiries@dhprep.co.uk www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
35
LEARNING
Rising to the Challenge Schools are going above and beyond to ensure pupils keep on track with their studies, extra and co-curricular activities, writes CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS
O
ne thing we’ve all learned about schools since they closed back in March is how fast they can react. If you’d ever thought of schools as oil-tanker like in their speed of decision making, think again. This lot can turn on a sixpence.
AHEAD OF THE REST In just a few short days, many schools already had remote learning sussed. Some, admittedly, were a step ahead. At St David’s College in Wales, a group of pupils, self-isolating after travelling home via Milan airport just as coronavirus was taking off there, were already having lessons online. That, plus a recent serendipitous overhaul of the school’s IT systems, made the move to virtual teaching for the school far easier than it would otherwise have been, says Headmaster Andrew Russell Keeping pupils motivated has remained a priority. At Oakhyrst Grange, while lessons are in place across every year group, there’s been a big focus on helping year five pupils prepare for the 11+, says Headmaster Alex Gear. “It’s about delivering a meaningful, balanced curriculum for the children and making sure we’re not putting too much pressure on parents.” You could, like James Piper, Head at The Perse Prep School, resort to fancy dress as a way of ensuring that nobody missed a second of a vital 15-minute video in a classics lesson. “I wore five different hats, including a sombrero and Harry Potter goggles and one of their tasks was to write them down in order which ensured that they watched the whole thing.”
SIXTH FORM AND BEYOND 36
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
REINTERPRETATION AND REIMAGINATION So how do you go about reimagining school life in a way that keeps children motivated and learning when so many of the resources, and on-the-ground contact just isn’t there? With ease. As long, that is, as you have teachers with limitless ideas for making things work. One of the notable features of lockdown learning is the amount of pent-up creativity that has been given free rein. With all lessons and activities needing copious amounts of A Berkhamsted school pupil dresses up for Mufti day
reinterpretation to work when pupils are based at home, teachers haven’t just risen to the challenge but aimed straight for the stratosphere. Take science. With the use of minimal props, the ooh and ah factor is alive and kicking. Experiments may need a bit of rethinking when they’re no longer lab-based but it’s nothing that can’t be overcome. If pupils at St Dominic’s Priory School aren’t on the edge of their seats as the head of science, raises an upturned glass of water above his head, only a thin piece of card (and the magic of air pressure) saving him from a drenching, we’d be very surprised. Maths, too. Few would argue with the notion that learning fractions is far more fun when, as at The Perse Prep School, you’re working out what thirds, quarters and fifths look like courtesy of slightly eaten pizza and partially drunk glasses of water. Literacy is similarly inventive. There’s nothing like identifying “synaesthesia, personification, oxymorons, similes and metaphors,” in a text when, like senior school pupils at Claires Court School, you’re conveying your findings through the medium of homemade puppets. Underpinning everything has been a strong sense of community. In such worrying times, schools have offered reassurance and continuity. They have continued to run assemblies, awarded house points, even organised competitions, from photography at Thames Christian College – whose winning entry a powerful image of London BLM protests – to a headstand challenge at Monkton Combe, dreamed up by pupils to “keep up [their] spirits and give them something fun to do in their down time,” says the school.
s
At the other end of the age range, schools
are making sure that even though they’re no longer taking exams, pupils aren’t missing out. Berkhamsted School, for example, is easing its year 11 pupils into sixth-form life with A-level preparation courses and running a further education programme for final year sixth formers. Regardless of area or age group, schools have been incredibly inventive in the way they’ve made things work. There isn’t an aspect of school life that hasn’t been rethought, made over and generally transformed.
LEARNING
Pupils have enjoyed a full curriculum thanks to dedicated teachers
SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT REIMAGINING SCHOOL LIFE IN A WAY THAT keeps children motivated and learning WHEN SO MANY OF THE RESOURCES AND ON-THE-GROUND CONTACT JUST ISN’T THERE? WITH EASE. AS LONG AS THAT IS YOU HAVE TEACHERS WITH APPARENTLY LIMITLESS IDEAS FOR MAKING THINGS WORK SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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Est. 1987
“An outstanding school - bright children and dedicated staff” Good Schools Guide
Join us for a Virtual Visit of the School For more than 30 years Abercorn School has proudly offered children from the age of 2 ½ to 13 the perfect balance of a rigorous academic curriculum, delivered in a warm and nurturing environment in central London. To find out more about our current virtual schooling provision and our availability for September 2020 entry we welcome you to book a virtual visit at abercornschool.com/virtualschool.
High Road Woodford Green Essex IG8 0RF 0208 505 4821
Alternatively email our Admissions Team on admissions@abercornschool.com.
www.bancrofts.org
Discover Abercorn, discover their future.
@abercornschool
Discover your talents
Bancroft's ISP spring 2020.indd 1
27/02/2020 14:07:33
Pursue your passions
Reach your potential
Enjoy every opportunity
A GENUINELY HOLISTIC, ROUNDED EDUCATION SEE FOR YOURSELF AT OUR VIRTUAL OPEN DAY
ROEDEAN WWW.ROEDEAN.CO.UK
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ISP 202x129mm 3mm bleed - summer.indd 1
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
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LEARNING
PUPILS ARE STILL ENJOYING THEIR SPORTS DAYS – THEY JUST HAPPEN TO BE VIRTUAL AND, IN THE CASE OF DEAN CLOSE, involving pupils from all round the world, ONE FROM HER LOCAL TRACK IN HONG KONG
Schools have set pupils sporting challenges during lockdown
A Wetherby Senior pupil gets down to his school day
SPORTS DAYS Sports haven’t been neglected, either. Pupils are still enjoying their sports days – they just happen to be virtual and, in the case of Dean Close, involving pupils from all round the
parents and pupils at Ballard School and Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, from Ditcham Park School’s Isolation Choir come straight from the heart. Meanwhile, the rap version of Psalm 23 performed – startlingly – by the Revd Tim Lewis, Chaplain at Cranleigh School – bridges the way to a sensitive exploration of the themes of life and death.
THE WAY FORWARD? A few months ago, nobody could have predicted just how successful lockdown learning would have been or how impressively schools would rise to the challenge. Looking to the future, Hannah Butland, Deputy Head at Berkhamsted, believes there will be fewer paper exercise books, textbooks and more electronic note-taking, shared documents, chat functions to hold debates and a greater use of electronic marking and recorded feedback, which has proved popular with pupils. Recorded lessons will ensure a “back catalogue” for any pupil who needs to catch up after missing school. “And of course we do now know that if school has to be closed we can continue teaching,” she says. SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
Of course, some schools have the distinct advantage of being on the quirky side to start with. Barnardiston Hall has kept its massively popular forfeits system going for teachers who fail to disclose a birthday. During an online assembly, it was the turn of Headmaster Colonel Keith Boulter. “We made some pancake mixture, added flour, got him to stir in some milk and poured it over his head,” says Registrar Lesley Gundersen.
world, one from her local track in Hong Kong. Eltham College’s sports department even managed to arrange a virtual athletics meet involving 14 other schools and 1,550 pupils. And that highlight of the summer term – the school trip – is still happening, but virtually, of course. Luckley House pupils met London Zoo’s giraffes, tinies at Babington House spent the day on a farm with ducklings, lambs, and an “adorable” puppy. When it comes to expressing some of the deep emotions that have characterised this period, music has played a unique role. Few have the same talents as the head of music at Burton Hathow School, who sawed, sanded, hollowed out, tuned and fitted together sets of Pentatonic Xylo Bars (like miniature xylophones) for year three pupils, narrating a video which talked about the instruments being “hatched” and “returned to the wild”. Singing, however, has featured in many schools, with many choirs drawn from the wider school community. Some, like Ipswich School’s online version of Help, about technological glitches, “are light-hearted. Others, including Fly to Paradise performed by
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Claremont Fan Court School An independent co-educational school for pupils aged 2½ to 18 years
Where the potential of every individual is recognised and valued. Register your interest for a future open event: admissions@claremont.surrey.sch.uk Esher, Surrey KT10 9LY | claremontfancourt.co.uk | 01372 473780
Hawkesdown House School
For Boys & Girls aged 2 to 11 years
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Visit our virtual open days Please register at www.channing.co.uk
27 Edge Street, Kensington, London W8 7PN Telephone: 0207 727 9090 Email: admin@hawkesdown.co.uk www.hawkesdown.co.uk
4+ ENTRY INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AGED 4-18
1 Highgate High St, N6 5JR 40
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020 ISP CHANNING JS Open Days Ad-1.indd 1
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EXPERT ADVICE
Young children may find it difficult at first to not hug or to be close to their friends
ASK THE EXPERTS
What are the challenges for pupils who have been out of school for so long? We ask our headteachers for their advice
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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Our school motto is ‘Serviam’; I will serve
Look what our school can do for your child No.38 in the Sunday Times list of top 100 Prep Schools
lndependant Roman Catholic School for boys and girls aged 3-11. We welcome children of all faiths whilst retaining our strong Catholic ethos Excellent ISi inspection report 2013. Small classes and high academic standards. Traditional teaching methods combined with wide and varied curriculum Specialist teaching in MFL, PE, music, dance and drama. Fully inclusive pre and after school care included. Holiday Club available at additional cost. 11+ and secondary school entrance exam preparation.
Due to the Current Civid-19 situation our first Open Morning will hopefully be held in September. Please check our website for dates nearer the time. The Nursery - for Boys & Girls
Entry to the Nursery is from the term AFTER the child’s third birthday The nursery is fully equipped to accommodate both BOYS and GIRLS
Registering now for September 2020
The Ursuline Preparatory School Ilford A ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 3-11 T: 020 8518 4050 E:urspsi@urspsi.org.ukwww.urspsi.org.uk 2-4 Coventry Road, Ilford, Essex IG 1 4QR
WELCOME TO WELLINGTON
“Outward-facing and modern. A leader in the world of education.” - TATLER SCHOOLS GUIDE
www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
EXPERT ADVICE
challenge of the uncertainty of it all; some pupils took the sudden cancellation of exams in their stride, some rather enjoyed it, while others were gutted. With the advent of test and trace, pupils could find themselves out of school for a fortnight at short notice, and there will need to be a more blended virtual and IRL learning approach to support this.
Chris Searson, Headmaster, Beaudesert School, Gloucs
Pupils are having to adhere to a new set of rules on their return to school
Simon Lockyer, Headmaster, Royal Hospital School, Suffolk Having three children of my own, I know my children have learned how much school means to them in the recent months. It is important for pupils everywhere that we help them to understand that the schools they are returning to will be very different from the one they left behind in March. They will have to adhere to new guidelines that are there to protect both one another and their teachers. They will be greeted by a teacher who will take their temperature before heading to their classroom where there will be social distancing with far fewer of their peers in school at one time. In the lessons, the shift from online teaching to face-to-face contact may take some time for them to re-familiarise themselves with. Having been away from their friends for so long, the natural inclination will be to want be close to them. However, for the foreseeable future, social distancing will be a necessity and it will prove challenging for them as they learn to adhere to the rules.
Phillip Evitt, Headmaster Highfield School, Hampshire Supporting our children’s emotional wellbeing while they have been learning from home is extremely important to us. It has been a challenge for all, including pupils, that we have been unable to socialise, play and collaborate in the ways that we are used to. Their emotional wellbeing must continue to be our focus during their re-integration into the school routine. We recognise that some children struggle with change and may find it harder than their peers to reacquaint themselves with their school. It currently remains unlikely that we will see
years seven and eight back this term. I am acutely conscious of how disappointing this is, especially for those leaving us at the end of this term, particularly those in year eight who are transitioning to senior school. Missing out on all that makes a final term at a prep school so memorable through no fault of their own is particularly cruel. Therefore, our focus for our year eight pupils after their exams will all be about celebrating their time with us and preparing them for senior school.
OUR EXPERTS
Simon Lockyer, ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL
Naomi Bartholomew, Headmistress, St Catherine’s Bramley Phillip Evitt,
HIGHFIELD SCHOOL
Helen Pike, Master, Magdalen College School, Oxford We have just conducted a pupil survey exploring the triumphs and challenges of lockdown, and what pupils are most looking forward to about the return to school. One phrase kept appearing: “seeing friends.” One of the challenges at the moment is that some year groups are allowed to be onsite and most are not. Organising “bubbles” in school creates a new landscape of social exclusivity. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is back in town! Just as lockdown has affected adults in various ways, so it is for our students. The biggest challenge won’t be catching up: at MCS, there is the ongoing
Good schools are places where our children form the strongest of friendships and connections while developing confidence, independence and resilience. The greatest challenges during this period of home schooling have been to genuinely retain these connections. If our children remain connected with one another, with their teachers, and with the sense of belonging that being part of a happy school offers, they retain a foundation from which they can confidently take on all the challenges of being out of school. And they can return with confidence to hit the ground running when their time comes.
Helen Pike, MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL
Chris Searson,
BEAUDESERT SCHOOL
Naomi Bartholomew, ST CATHERINE’S
Having seen some children in school throughout lockdown due to their parents working in key worker roles, some children from reception, year one and year six were back last week and some children only virtually since the end of March. Our biggest challenges will be the very varied experiences of our pupils. Those who are only children will have had a different experience from those with several siblings. Children will need to adjust to listening, sharing, taking turns and learning with others. For those children either shielded or in homes with family members shielded, who have not left home at all, there will be an anxiety about leaving home. Our focus will be on their wellbeing and then to find out to what extent there may be gaps in their learning.
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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SENIOR
IN 10 PICTURES‌
Haileybury College From performing arts and studying the IB to playing topclass sports, this Hertfordshire school offers a rich education
Through their artistic endeavours, pupils of all ages have developed a reputation for courageous and passionate performances which inspire audiences throughout a busy calendar of events
The Haileybury High Performance Programme provides top athletes with personalised support from professional mentors and specialist coaches
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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
Spectacular grounds are home to outstanding facilities, excellent teaching and superb pastoral care for its community of boarding and day pupils
Memorable concerts and productions are held at the school’s performance venues and away from campus at world-renowned venues
SENIOR
Terrace Pitch is one of the most stunning settings for school sport found anywhere in the UK
At Haileybury, a caring environment is crucial to pupils’ happiness and fulfilment. There is an emphasis on pastoral care with round-the-clock support
Music scholars benefit from expert coaching, masterclasses and progress meetings alongside performance opportunities in some of the world’s finest venues
A key part of the school’s philosophy is empowering each child to follow their passions
Pupils enjoy an incredible array of healthy world cuisine, which caters for all, across breakfast, lunch and dinner in the stunning Dining Hall
The school has a dedicated Lower School for years seven and eight and is ranked Top 10 in The Sunday Times league table for co-ed independent schools which offer the IB
DID YOU KNOW?
or the last years ailey ury ollege has hosted the largest and most prestigious odel nited ations con erence or schools in the he pupilrun event involves more than pupils rom schools around the world hey assume the roles o delegates tas ed with solving glo al issues across three days o de ates and wor shops SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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STAR ALUMNI
ONES TO WATCH We caught up with five high-flying alumni to find out how their school days shaped their stellar career paths
Alice Aedy, 26 Environmental activist, Godolphin & Latymer, London
Harry Stirling, 26 and Tom Woollard, 25 Entrepreneurs, Bryanston School, Dorset Growing up in the same Dorset village, Harry and Tom both attended Bryanston until they were 18. Although they attended different universities it wasn’t long before they were back together. Their combined technical knowledge and passion for building from scratch (Harry) and their ability to visualise and lead a new norm (Tom) made an ideal combinatoin with which to start Bunk, rentbunk.com. Based on their frustrations in the lettings sector, Bunk is rebuilding the landlord–tenant relationship with a focus on large portfolio managers and/ or businesses. A year since launch, Bunk is continuing to scale up across the UK. Although they have raised over £1m to date and rallied a team of 12, they are only at the beginning of their journey.
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I didn’t set out to be an environmental activist! At school I wasn’t particularly passionate about the environment but, looking back, I can see how my time at school shaped and inspired me. In the art rooms I discovered my passion for photography and the principles of inequality and injustice I learned about in my history and politics classes. In 2015, as I was finishing my history and politics degree at LSE, an iconic image changed the course of my life: a photo of a three year-old Syrian refugee who drowned on Greek shores. I found myself volunteering in the Calais refugee camp where I always had a camera around my neck and this was the start of five years documenting the refugee and migration crisis throughout Europe and the Middle East. My work as a photojournalist – published by The Guardian, The Times, the BBC and others – eventually brought me to the frontlines of climate change and protest for climate action.
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
Elizabeth Godwin, 23 First female Officer in the Household Cavalry, Life Guards since 1660, Exeter School, Devon My interest in a military career started at Exeter School; there is a strong military link and the school gave me an awareness of the Army scholarship scheme. During my sixth form education at Trent College my aspiration to join the Army was solidified as I was given the opportunity to command a platoon within the Combined Cadet Force. This lead me to join the University of London Officers‘ Training Corps while studying at Kings College London. UOTC provided me with an insight into army life. These experiences prior to Sandhurst gave me a good understanding of how much I could benefit as an individual through a military career. This is a unique time of change in the British Army and I feel incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to serve in the ground close combat role. The decision to open all roles to women within the Army has been an extremely positive one.
Jonathan Henrich, 20 Musician, DLD College London Jonathan will be joining the eminent Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, in September, the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world where famous alumni include Quincy Jones, film and TV composers (The Simpsons, Miami Vice), rock superstars Aerosmith and Imagine Dragons, plus generations of important jazz stars. A year after leaving DLD, Jonathan will transfer to Berklee from the LA College of Music where he is reading composition and congwriting. While living in Los Angeles, Jonathan has progressed his career significantly, collaborating with some highly influential people in the sector including songwriter Zac Poor, who works with the likes of Jason Derulo, The Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson and The Jonas Brothers to name but a few! In addition, Jonathan is currently working on two songs with a producer who did the sound engineering for the Oscars.
Co-educational boarding and day 3–13 Years
Cheam School, Headley, Newbury, Berkshire, RG19 8LD registrar@cheamschool.com | +44 (0)1635 268242 www.cheamschool.com | @cheamschool.com
The GOLDEN CIRCLE
“The elite end of tutoring without being stuffy” The Good Schools Guide
www.goldencircletutors.co.uk
SUMMER 2020 | independentschoolparent.com
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MEMORY LANE
SCH OO
L M E MOR I E
S
NICK FIORITA Rydal Penrhos’s former head boy has achieved his childhood dream of joining the police force while studying at the University of Warwick Your school in three words? Supportive, vibrant, community.
Did you win any prizes at school? I was presented with various prizes throughout school, from the religious studies prize in year 6 to the economics and psychology prize in year 13. However, the most important prize I was awarded with was the inaugural Scarlett Salisbury Charity Award in memory of a much loved former member of the school who had passed away that year after only being a few years ahead of me. It was in recognition of my work as Co-Chair of the Charity Committee, with which Scarlett was hugely involved with during her time at school.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I have always wanted to be a police officer. I joined West Midlands Police as a Special Constable while attending The University of Warwick. I have almost finished the training, and am likely able to be on duty at some time in the next few months! Did you play any pranks? Sadly, I cannot claim to have played any pranks, but we did seriously consider parking all the cars of the sixth formers on the astro turf on our last day of year 13. This idea was thought of and then stopped by me based on realising it may not be seen as so funny and we didn’t want to jeopardise our leavers’ balls. Where was your favourite place at school to hang out with friends? We were very fortunate to have a brand new sixth form centre built that we got to experience for year 13, it was miles better than the old one, with a café installed in the corner, brand new desks and sofas to work and relax on. It offered a great space to chill every break, study period and even a bit after school. Sitting
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I CREDIT DR LEWIS WHO HELPED
me achieve my Bronze, Silver and Gold DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARDS there with the homemade and warm cookies/croissants and coffees made all the worries of A-levels and UCAS fade away. Were you a teacher’s pet or in the detention room? Teacher’s pet. But also the one that tried to distract the teachers with a different conversation to avoid having to work! Out for yourself or a team player? Always a team player, with
independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2020
my proudest sporting achievement in life being awarded half and subsequently a year later, full colours in Hockey while playing for the 1st XI team. All-star sports captain or outside field-lingerer? I did captain the 1st XI hockey team twice during my time at school, these were both due to the captain not being present. We also lost both games. But I would like to think that wasn’t (entirely) my fault!
Who was your favourite teacher? A number of teachers inspired me to be better versions of myself, including Dr Lewis whom I credit for helping me achieve my Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards. What advice would you offer your school-age self? To enjoy my time at school more and every once in a while to relax; to appreciate the beautiful grounds more.
Eaton
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