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Beyond the classroom IN REAL LIFE Resocialising, reintegrating and reconnecting

MY SCHOOLDAYS The Eden Project’s Sir Tim Smit

PROFILE Gordonstoun and the great outdoors

CLOSE QUARTERS The impact of boarding school bubbles

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INSIDE

WELCOME

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT • JUNIOR AND SENIOR EDITION • SUMMER 2021

7 13

In brief A round-up of the latest school news

Welcome back Croydon High School on resocialising and reintegrating pupils

Vital friendships

Family life

The headmaster of Windlesham House on the importance of boarding bubbles

Broadcaster Kate Silverton shares her tales of separation anxiety and parenting advice

Time to reflect The pandemic has changed the schooling system for the better, writes Heidi Berry

The best approach Phillip Evitt weighs up the benefits of a traditional prep over an all-through school

Level playing field Skills acquired through sports last a lifetime, but how do schools cater for all?

Gresham’s School, Norfolk

elcome to this special bumper junior and senior summer edition. The easing of full lockdown restrictions may have been delayed, but the summer term is in full swing, with pupils having spent most of it back in school and able to enjoy sporting fixtures, residential trips and time outside with some glorious weather to boot. As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, the hardship, mental health fallout and stilted social development have all been well documented, but what lessons have been learnt and are there any positives that we can take away from it? On page 20, Sherborne Pre-Prep in Dorset writes on how pupils have gained resilience; developed a new sense of independence and a deepened engagement with outreach work. There’s a real sense of them all wanting to come together to support and give back to the local community. The past 15 months also highlighted how time spent outside reaps rewards for our mental wellbeing, and if there is one school that actively endorses the great outdoors, it’s Gordonstoun in Scotland. You can read all about it in our profile piece on page 34. Finally, you can’t have failed to see the G7 leaders meet at the Eden Project in Cornwall recently – on page 68, its co-founder Sir Tim Smit reflects on his formative years at Vinehall School in East Sussex. Happy reading, happy holidays and see you in September!

Pushing boundaries The role of PSHE in challenging those everyday stereotypes in the classroom

Mutual relationships The head of Sheffield High School for Girls on partnerships with the local community

Badge of honour The Scottish school known for its endorsement of the great outdoors

Foundation for success The potential of fee support to provide students with future career success

Sixth form study An in-depth look at the renowned International Baccalaureate programme

School in five pictures Gresham’s School in Norfolk and take a look at their facilities, campis

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Ask the experts How to prepare for the school year ahead

Ones to watch Independent school alumni success stories

Staycation summer Emma Robertson takes a trip to the recently refurbished Grove Hotel, Herts

63 CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR

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Competition Win lunch for four in Cambridge

Family life Socially-distanced dates for your diary

School memories The Eden Project co-founder on his years at Vinehall School, East Sussex

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

WHO’S WHO

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT EDITORIAL Editor Claudia Dudman Sub Editors Laura Sutherland, Oonagh Turner DESIGN Designer Natalie Dourado ADVERTISING Group Account Director Catherine Chapman Advertisment Manager Harriet Cottrell Sales Executive Danielle Thirsk

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

DIGITAL Digital Product Manager Ben Iskander

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.

PUBLISHING Executive Chairman Paul Dobson Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Managing Director James Dobson Publisher Caroline Scott Circulation Manager Daniel Webb Acting EA to Chairman Sophie Easton

SIR ANTHONY SELDON is a contemporary historian and political author. He has been Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham since 2015 and was the 13th Master of Wellington College in Berkshire from 2006 to 2015.

PUBLISHED BY The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel 020 7349 3700 Fax 020 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, Ec1a 9Pt | Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 | Production All Points Media. Printed in England by William Gibbons DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent is for parents of children in prep and senior independent schools. The Independent School Parent magazine in prep and senior issues is published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent. com/register

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.

© The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2021. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in Independent School Parent has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded.

RACHEL KERR has worked with independent schools since 2000. She is currently communications manager at the Girls’ Schools Association. COLIN BELL is CEO of COBIS, which works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support staff and governors from high quality British international schools in more than 80 countries across the world. 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.

Independent School Parent also publishes The Guide to Independent Schools biannually to help you choose the right school. EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Moncrieff, Chairman Colin Bell, COBIS Andrew Fleck, Sedbergh School, Cumbria Alison Fleming, Newton Prep, Battersea Tory Gillingham, AMCIS Aileen Kane, Boarding Schools’ Association Rachel Kerr, Girls’ Schools Association Ian Mason, Independent Schools Council Mark Stretton, HMC Helen Wright, Educational consultant Sir Anthony Seldon, Commentator and author Ben Vessey, Canford School, Dorset Sue Woodroofe, The Grammar School at Leeds Peter Young, Marketing/Brand Consultant

HELEN WRIGHT is a former president of GSA and vice-chair of ISC and since 2014, she has worked in international education, and advises, recruits and coaches senior leaders in schools across the world.

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.

PETER YOUNG is an independent school governor and chairman of the Business Marketing Awards. 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. 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. MARK STRETTON joined HMC as communications manager in 2017, bringing with him more than 15 years’ experience and expertise in education sector communications.

SUE WOODROOFE

COVER: MONMOUTH PREP SCHOOL

has been a headteacher for 12 years at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds.

TORY GILLINGHAM is the managing director for AMCIS, Admissions, Marketing and Communications in Independent Schools, which now has over 500 schools in membership. She has more than 25 years’ experience of the independent schools sector. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

Help your child get into the right school PRETESTS

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SCHOOL NEWS

IN BRIEF

STUDENT SUCCESSES • EXTRACURRICULAR EXCELLENCE • INSPIRING INITIATIVES • NEW HEADTEACHERS

Promising young women

Brighton College, East Sussex and Marlborough College, Wiltshire April’s belated 2021 Academy Awards ceremony may have been a low-key affair, but for two independent-school alumnae, it was a night to remember. Marlborough College graduate Emerald Fennell scooped the Best Original Screenplay award for Promising Young Woman, while Brighton College alumna Chloé Zhao made history as the first woman of colour to be awarded the Oscar for Best Director. Chloé Zhao won for stand-out film Nomadland. Chloé was a boarder at Brighton College (Fenwick House, 1998-2000), which she recognised during her recent BAFTA Award acceptance speech, thanking her teachers. Her housemistress, Alison Withers – who still teaches at the school – says: “She was always a determined and driven pupil with a wonderful sense of humour, and contributed to the life and soul of the boarding house. We’re delighted for her success.” Marlborough College, where Emerald studied, released a simple but ecstatic statement: “We could not be prouder! Well done Emerald!”

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS PIZZELLO-POOL/GETTY IMAGES. WORDS: LAURA SUTHERLAND

Emerald Fennell, who won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards, and attended the prestigious Marlborough College

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

SCHOOL NEWS

BEST OF THE REST • Down to earth Marlborough House School, Kent

This term has seen the prep embrace its Great Outdoors initiative, with pupils planting trees to create a woodland walk and establish its Forest School. Next is the installation of a timber classroom overlooking the school’s lake.

• Scout’s honour Bolton School, Greater Manchester

Year five pupil, Egan Moore has been awarded the LHP James Cup for outstanding individual Cub Scout achievement. He was nominated after working tirelessly during lockdown to gain his activity badges.

• Coming soon Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire

Taking stock Sedbergh School, Cumbria

This term, 104 sixth formers began participating in a personal and professional development initiative delivered by Ivy House London, which specialises in cultivating the UK’s top FTSE 100 company leaders. “The programme equips young people with the skills to understand themselves, make future-led decisions and become leaders,” says the agency’s CEO Kate Lander.

A new sixth form centre on Castle Campus, designed by Design Engine, is set to provide state-of-the-art, enhanced education facilities for future generations of Berkhamstedians. Construction is set to begin this autumn.

• All ages Wolverhampton Grammar School, West Midlands

Stand together

Floral tribute

The Chelsea Nursery & Cameron

RGS Worcester, Worcestershire

Brackenfield School,

Vale School, London

RGS Worcester marked Stephen Lawrence Day on 22 April with a large-scale collaborative art installation. Pupils contributed their fingerprints to create a display of flower blossoms surrounding quotes espousing the school’s values of respect, tolerance and equality.

North Yorkshire

• Sit up straight!

The reception class commemorated Captain Sir Tom Moore by planting a bed of roses. Having adopted his quote “tomorrow will be a good day” as their mantra, the children will be inspired by his heroism whenever they see the flourishing blooms.

Kilgraston, Perthshire

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

After a year of hunching over laptops at home and to address the community’s poor posture, stiff necks and sore backs, students are being asked to perform shoulder rolls and stretches at the beginning and end of each lesson.

Comfort food Young chefs were presented with tasty treats such as flapjacks, pizza pinwheels and chocolate mousse to recreate during lockdown, with Head of Lower School, Chloe Dorrington, taking families through each recipe in a series of weekly virtual lessons.

The junior school is expanding to incorporate reception, year one and year two from September, welcoming children aged four to 18. Pupils will benefit from remodelled classrooms, inside-outside learning spaces and a purposebuilt playground for infants.

“Exciting times lie ahead for the brilliant Wellington College” — Tatler

Coeducational | Ages 13 -18 | Boarding & Day Wellington College nurtures a unifying culture of ambition and aspiration, creating an atmosphere which encourages each pupil to believe that anything is possible Find out more at wellingtoncollege.org.uk

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SCHOOL NEWS

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

Anna Packman is the new Head of Pre-Prep at Beaudesert Park School, Gloucestershire.

Julian Noad is the new Head of Queen’s College Taunton from January.

Two become one

Lord Wandsworth College, Hampshire

The leading co-ed independent school, which welcomes pupils aged 11 to 18 years old, has entered into a formal collaboration with acclaimed independent co-educational nursery, pre-prep and prep school, St Neot’s. With a demonstrable shared record of academic and sporting success and highly compatible teaching philosophies, this alignment will offer pupils a unique new educational pathway from ages two through to 18.

Kate Bevan is to become Head of Notting Hill & Ealing High Junior School in September.

Dan Thornburn starts at Millfield Prep in Somerset in January.

Natalie Bone is the new Head at Sherborne Prep in Dorset.

Virtual revolution

Scientific breakthrough

Highfields, Nottinghamshire

Blackheath High School, London

Following a year of cancelled open days, the school has come up with a digital solution that means that prospective parents and pupils can find out more about life at Highfields. As well as the introduction of a dedicated virtual tour page on its website, open day tours will feature QR code technology, with scannable spots offering extra content.

Nine-year-old Seojin Park (known as Ipin) has achieved Grade 8 iGCSE Physics after taking the exam six years before her classmates. She decided to study during the summer holidays before taking the exam externally, with the support of her teachers and parents. This isn’t Ipin’s first academic triumph – she passed her maths GCSE at the age of seven.

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

A leading independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 4-18, set amid stunning countryside in Northern England

Throughout these unprecedented, challenging times, ‘Barney’ has led the way with an innovative, proactive approach, combining academic study with high quality pastoral care and a diverse co-curricular offering To learn more about our School and what makes a Barney education so special, contact our Admissions Team on 01833 696030 or admissions@barneyschool.org.uk @BarnardCastleSchool

@barnardcastleschool

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Barnard Castle School | Co Durham DL12 8UN | www.barnardcastleschool.org.uk

COMMENT

IN REAL LIFE

During the pandemic, friendship took on a new significance, leading to the implementation of a range of resocialising initiatives, writes DAVID KING

ow do you lead a community that never gathers in person? How do you reintegrate and resocialise pupils after months of distance? How do you reconnect pupils who are forcibly physically separated in class and have to follow a one-way system designed to stop them ‘bumping into’ one another? At a recent Iftar celebration – our first in-reallife, out-of-school-hours event since February 2020 – colleagues reminisced about the moment the Headmistress addressed the school that March to announce the life-altering measures we would be forced to take in the face of the pandemic. While we predicted the academic challenges ahead, we were much less certain of the social upheaval and challenges to pupils’ mental wellbeing that would threaten our community spirit. Two trends emerged. Numbers of pupils in need of emotional support rose over three-fold compared to the previous year. Family finances and family relationships were stretched and

within the staff body, whose remit included creating and celebrating moments that remind pupils of their real-world connection to one another. This went hand in hand with reshuffling responsibilities within our tutoring structure in anticipation of those pupils in need of support. Not for the first time in history, an ARK provided hope. The Acts of Random Kindness in our ARK programme encouraged altruism throughout the school, with tremendous success. Enter #JollyJanuary, with each year group responsible for collecting and circulating something to cheer up the school. This was followed by #FitFebruary when parents, alumnae, and four-legged friends were invited to clock up as many kilometres as possible in the name of the school. And in the sixth form, we introduced Rainbow Peers, bringing joy through anonymous, unsolicited, and simple gestures. A note, a chocolate – the kindness moves like electricity from the Van der Graaf generator, through a line of pupils.

David King is Deputy Head (Pastoral) at Croydon High School GDST

DESPITE “SEEING” EACH OTHER ONLINE every school day, pupils now had less in common than before. THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT HAD HAPPILY FORMED OUT OF CONVENIENCE OVER TIME, HAD INCONVENIENTLY BEEN ENDED OVERNIGHT together with the pain of bereavement for some, this was keenly felt by our adolescents. And friendships suffered. Not so much the “best friends” – HouseParty and FaceTime saved these – but the incidental connections that a busy school day offers. The pupil you sing with in choir, the chemistry lab partner, the fifth member of the lunch gang who you don’t share classes with… these connections were broken. Despite “seeing” each other online every school day, pupils now had less in common than before. The friendships that had happily formed out of convenience over time, had been inconveniently ended overnight. At Croydon High, the solutions to these unprecedented challenges were many and varied, but all founded in our core principle of Every Girl, Every Day and only made possible by the relentless adaptability of staff and pupils alike. We appointed a Head of Community from

As we return to normality, resuming those activities that are integral to socialising new pupils is paramount. In May, we were thrilled, finally, to be able to send our year seven cohort on the residential bonding trip they should have had in September last year. Our newest pupils finally had the chance to strip away all masks, physical and metaphorical, and forge those meaningful connections that can only happen at close quarters. And they loved it. Screen time has its advantages, of course, and the impact on education without the ability to harness technology and move to a rich Guided Home Learning programme like ours is unimaginable. But the opportunity just to be together, creating shared memories and in-jokes, learning about and with one another, and navigating all that teenage life brings, is something that only school can deliver and no virtual world will ever replace. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

Sixth Form: Wednesday 22 September, 6pm Day School: Thursday 23 September, 6pm Find out more: artsed.co.uk Chiswick, W4 1LY artsed.co.uk @ArtsEdLondon

COMMENT

CLOSE QUARTERS

From deepening friendships to learning to tolerate a difference of opinion among peers, BEN EVANS assesses the impact of boarding school bubbles

ver the last year or so, Covid-19 has dictated many changes in how schools have been able to operate, namely, to ensure the safety of pupils and to mitigate the risks of the virus. Before the pandemic, bubbles only really came in plastic bottles of pop, but today, these small groups are very much a way of life. They’ve helped schools like mine to operate with some semblance of normality and have enabled children to access a full range of curricular and co-curricular opportunities. For boarders, bubbles have delivered greater stability while cultivating an enjoyable school experience; and they’ve helped to develop a multitude of associated benefits towards pupil wellbeing and mental health. We know that for many children, boarding has numerous benefits, such as increased opportunities, the camaraderie of being with your friends and peers and a sense of community and belonging. Boarding bubbles have, in many ways, increased and transformed children’s self-esteem

children have developed vital social skills, while enjoying time with their friends. For some children, bubbles have created a very different boarding experience to the one they were previously used to, while for those embarking on their first-time boarding experience, this is all they know. Children are adaptable and above all, they enjoy being part of a community and making most of the opportunities that schools provide. All-important co-curricular activities have continued, as has the outstanding pastoral care which ensures pupils feel safe, cared for and known as individuals. Treat nights, games evenings, movies and snacks, all of these elements ensure that boarders feel part of a close-knit, cohesive and special community. Children will also have had to accept that some of their favourite activities have just not been possible under current restrictions and they will have learned to cope with inevitable disappointment. They also understand that during a global pandemic such as this, sacrifices have to be made.

Ben Evans is Headmaster of Windlesham House School in West Sussex

FOR BOARDERS, BUBBLES HAVE delivered greater stability while cultivating an enjoyable school experience; AND THEY’VE HELPED TO DEVELOP A MULTITUDE OF ASSOCIATED BENEFITS TOWARDS PUPIL WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH and emotional security, by allowing them to experience a more ‘normal’ environment while at school. The concept of bubbling has also allowed for smaller, more intimate groups to spend time together within the boarding house, which has facilitated greater contact between children and improved access to pastoral boarding staff. Friendships are vital in nurturing happy children who flourish at school. Boarding bubbles have definitely brought pupils closer to their peers, lifted moods and boosted wellbeing. Removing the option of being with other year groups or being disbursed around the boarding house or school, means pupils of the same age have naturally been together a lot more. They’ve learned to play and coexist harmoniously, to accept differences of opinion and to accommodate each other’s suggestions and ideas. In this sense, it has been a valuable learning experience in which

Above all, it’s hoped that children in schools such as ours with space, freedom and opportunities, will be reminded of how very fortunate they are. With the summer months upon us, the gradual relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions in schools means boarding pupils have much to look forward to. Longer balmy evenings, time outside playing cricket, tennis or chatting with friends, sporting fixtures and many other loved summer activities. With the end of the academic year approaching, children are finally settled in school again and have re-established friendships, all with greater independence and maturity. The opportunities that boarding offers are even greater. Skills will continue to be developed and important lessons will be learned, ensuring all pupils experience success, achievement and enjoyment. They’re making happy memories that will help to guide them on their way through life. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

PARENTING

KEEPING THE STRINGS ATTACHED In her new book There’s No Such Thing as Naughty, BBC presenter and mum to two young children, KATE SILVERTON shares her ground-breaking approach to parenting under-fives that aims to help make family life so much easier, fun and free from separation fears

I 16

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

and reading books. Another 10 minutes and she was back, the blonde bobbed hair swinging through just before she did. ‘Hello again, Mummy!’ she sang. She smiled at me, ran over to pat Wilbur on the head and ran off again. It was day five of my daughter’s September start at pre-school. I had already spent three long, cold mornings in that boot room. I felt ridiculous at times; I should have been at home with my young son in the warm. But after the first terrible morning with Clemency screaming for me not to leave her, I had been torn. My husband and I had reassured ourselves it was the right time to send our daughter to pre-school given she was nearly three, but with hindsight I realised the arrival of a new baby brother had made it far from ideal. Traditionally, in our society, three years old is considered an appropriate time for our toddlers to attend nursery. With a new baby in the house, however, Clemency was torn between having fun with some newfound freedom and having serious FOMO (fear of missing out), given the

n this exclusive extract, Kate tackles the separation angst that can occur when your child starts nursery and shares her simple and effective strategies… One cold September morning I was sitting on a wooden bench, nursing my three-month-old son. I was surrounded by wet raincoats and brightly-coloured miniature wellington boots that were covered in the mud from the field through which the children had splashed on their walk to school. I huddled under my own warm coat and held my son close to me while he fed, his snuffling mews coming up from beneath the material. ‘Mummy are you still here?’ cried a little girl in pigtails as she ran in from the room next door. She wore a blue-andwhite gingham overshirt that fell below her knees. She was not yet three years old. My heart swelled. ‘Hello, darling, Mummy is right here’. Clemency turned and ran back into the melée of a classroom of toddlers sitting among blocks, building towers

PARENTING

Kate’s book has great tips for easing the stress of the transition to nursery

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

PARENTING

The first few days at nursery can be very unsettling for youngsters

imposter of a baby brother had arrived and threatened to take Mum’s attention away! The nursery staff tried to reassure me that ‘She’ll be fine, she’ll stop crying after you leave’, but having my child taken from my arms when she was crying for me broke my heart and, after day one, I couldn’t do it again. I asked if I could stay with my daughter until she was more settled. I worried I would be seen as somehow difficult or an over-sensitive mum and found it hard to know what was best, so I sought advice from psychotherapist Liza Elle: ‘Why would anyone want to take your child from you when they are in distress?’ Liza asked me gently. ‘And why wouldn’t she be in distress? [In this instance] she has just lost you to a baby brother and now you want to leave her in a place that’s unfamiliar to her. Consider, too, that she has no real

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

concept of time yet, which means she’s unsure when or even if you’ll come back.’ Liza fixed me with a look that was both kind yet firm. I sat in silence. I finally understood. If we, as adults, would find that situation tough to deal with, what must it be like for our children?

Children aged one to three years

Once your child is beyond the newborn stage, our adult lives will inevitably start to impact on when and how we need to be away from our young children, whether that’s with babysitters, relatives or, naturally, childcare and education. There are techniques we can use to help to ease the stress of the transition and/or the separations our children might have to endure. There’s No Such Thing as Naughty by Kate Silverton. Published by Piatkus, £14.99

KATE’S SEPARATION ANXIETY TIPS Reassure your little ones with this simple ritual that will make them feel secure and learn how to cope When my children were very young, Liza advised me, ‘Even before you return to work, start building up a ritual to allow the children to know you will be “coming back”.’ When you leave the room temporarily, even just to go to the loo, tell them that, “Mummy’s coming back’. Even when you think they’re too young to understand you. Simply say, “Mummy’s coming back” each time you go. And when you walk back in the room, starting after a separation of just a minute or so, you say brightly, “Mummy’s back!” ’ Liza states this is setting up a pattern of security, a little ritual, something they can depend upon, because children cannot tell the time or have a clear concept of ‘how long’ you might be gone for. Over time, when they hear, ‘Mummy’s coming back,’ they’ll start to settle, understanding from those early days post-birth that that means she WILL come back. This idea extends to when you start to leave the house without your young child, perhaps in the care of a childminder, relative or friend: those very early, tentative steps outside without your precious little one, even for just a short period. Old-school parenting often advised leaving our children without saying goodbye, because it was thought that if we did tell our child we were leaving, it would ‘upset them’. This is – again – where I say old-school parenting was misguided. If we leave our children without telling them we are going, it not only upsets them but puts them on edge because the person they thought they could trust simply ups and leaves. In building up little rituals, in being consistent with our ‘goodbyes’, our children will build the flexibility and the capacity to cope. But if we sneak out of the house (and, later, the nursery) without saying goodbye, it can do quite the reverse.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK/WEEKEND IMAGES INC, KATE_SEPT2004

I WORRIED I WOULD BE SEEN as somehow i fic lt r a er se siti e AND FOUND IT HARD TO KNOW WHAT WAS BEST

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ST. GEORGE’S UNIVERSITY graduates have gone on to practise medicine IN MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD 4. SGU’S CLINICAL PROGRAMME COVERS A RANGE OF PATIENT POPULATIONS AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE US AND THE UK

Every healthcare system and patient population is slightly different. SGU recognises these differences matter to students, so you can choose to complete clinical rotations in one of over 70 affiliated hospitals and health centres in the US and the UK.

5. MORE NEW DOCTORS STARTING US RESIDENCIES COME FROM SGU THAN ANY OTHER MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE WORLD

After getting into medical school, many students turn their attention towards obtaining a medical residency, which provides practical

experience needed to become a physician in the US. The SGU School of Medicine is the leading provider of doctors into first-year residencies in the US for the last 12 years combined**.

6. STATE-OF-THE-ART LABS, NEWLY REDESIGNED RESIDENCE HALLS, STUDENT CENTRES AS WELL AS AN ISLAND PARADISE Every student needs a break now and again, and SGU is a great place to be when you need to unwind. The list of things to do in Grenada is nearly endless, there are chocolate tours, hiking trails and a slew of water activities.

START YOUR MEDICAL JOURNEY As you can see, the SGU School of Medicine has a lot to offer. To find out more contact: bhamed@sgu.edu or visit www.sgu.edu.

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

COMMENT

Starting afresh Schools have changed for the better since the pandemic hit, writes Heidi Berry, Head of Pre-Prep at Sherborne Prep, Dorset

he last 14 months have sent shockwaves through the world and, in education, changes have been instigated which will last a lifetime. Scheduled technological developments were advanced at breakneck speed, new technology was introduced as quickly as possible, and BYOD (bring your Pupils have developed an advanced level of resilience

own device) became a word in the Oxford Dictionary. Resilience, a word often used in schools and a quality pupils are encouraged to develop became a necessity as independent learning emerged as a reality rather than perhaps an aspiration. Pupils, parents and staff upskilled together as learning progressed from remote provision to live lessons, and at Sherborne Prep our combination of key-worker children in school and others learning from home created a new ‘hybrid’ lesson. Teachers have been challenged and many moved outside of their comfort zone to learn and master new skills. Parents have coped brilliantly under extreme pressure, society has changed and working practices have shifted.

Parent-school communication is always important but has become a vital link between home and school; form teachers give detailed weekly feedback, social media channel engagement has increased, and a wealth of pastoral and parent evenings have allowed us to prioritise our communication with parents and provide the vital pastoral support we pride ourselves upon. Physical chats with parents at our drive-through pick-up zones ensured that parents still felt part of our community and we’ve had requests for it to continue! Our parent body has offered reassuring affirmation of our offer and positive feedback, emails and phone calls have been received gratefully by weary staff. We see our community as one which involves and includes every pupil, parent Teachers have had to move beyond their comfort zone to accommodate ‘hybrid’ lessons

Schools have a renewed sense of appreciation for their close-knit communities

PANDEMIC POSITIVES • Pupils have gained resilience, acquired independent learning skills and show a renewed determination. • Technological provision in schools has advanced at a rapid rate, BYOD schemes are becoming commonplace and teaching has advanced truly preparing pupils for their future pathways. • School strategies have changed. Admissions are likely to become a hybrid of online and on site and recruitment the same. Prospective parents, teachers and pupils will be able to gain insights prior to visiting. • Communication between school and parents has improved and there’s an almost tangible sense of ‘family’ as important social events reach capacity quickly. • There’s a deepened engagement with the local community and with charities. There is a sense of needing to come together as a town, to support each other as local businesses and a feeling among all, of wanting to give back.

PUPILS, PARENTS AND STAFF UPSKILLED TOGETHER as learning progressed from remote provision to live lessons, AND OUR COMBINATION OF KEY-WORKER CHILDREN IN SCHOOL AND OTHERS LEARNING FROM HOME CREATED A NEW ‘HYBRID’ LESSON and member of staff – we’re a true family. It’s often said that absence makes the heart grow fonder and this has been a time for us to step back and appreciate what we perhaps took for granted – a school where children feel safe to make mistakes in order to learn and grow. As a teacher returning to school, it could get rather chilly in our super-ventilated classrooms and singing outside in the snow was memorable if not comfortable, but one positive is how physically well children have been and how, with constant handwashing and good ventilation, we’ve experienced very few of the normal seasonal coughs and colds. I will certainly be mindful of this in future and ensure rooms remain well-ventilated. The pre-prep has strong links with local care homes, and during the pandemic managed to sustain these with virtual coffee mornings (supporting The Samaritans’ #BrewMonday event), taking concerts online and hosting virtual tea and chat afternoons between residents and our pupils. The value of this to residents was clear and for our pupils, continuing this relationship has been a real positive; the pandemic was not enough to

stop their excited chatter, which only served to strengthen our link! Children were unable to visit their own grandparents and have been aware, possibly for the first time, how much a quick phone call or simple letter can make others feel loved. This has strengthened their understanding of our school motto, non nobis solum (not for ourselves alone) and has helped us all to keep community focused. Our children designed cards for the Hug a Hospital campaign, created Valentine’s gifts for the Sherborne Community Kitchen, took part in a whole School Round the World 32, 400-mile activity challenge and pupils even took it upon themselves to complete personal challenges such as busking, within the local community. Our community engagement has increased over the last 14 months with pupils, families and staff noting a sense of purpose and desire to give. At times, it might have felt like nothing good could come out of a global pandemic but, on reflection, people are caring more for each other, children are valuing their education in a new way, and there is a new determination to make the most of every moment. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

PREP

Parents overwhelmingly responded that the school should remain a prep

PROUD TO BE A PREP Phillip Evitt, ead of i hfield and roo ham chools in ampshire, espouses the enefits of ein a traditional prep over an all throu h school

t’s an educational debate that has raged for generations – and it’s one that shows no signs of dying down anytime soon. The big question is, and seemingly always will be, whether there’s more value in a preparatory education or learning at an all-through school. For anyone unfamiliar with the workings of independent schools, a typical preparatory school quite literally prepares its children for entry into private secondary schools aged around 13, while all-through schools teach children in one place up to the age of 16 or 18 before they move onto higher education. So which approach is preferred? And which is more effective? Well, the answer to those burning questions is that it’s purely subjective, that parents and prospective parents will

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

ponder myriad factors before deciding on the immediate future of their children where their schooling is concerned. Opportunities to grow both academically and personally, curricular and extracurricular facilities, class sizes, reputation of the school, pastoral care and quality of teaching are naturally among the many and varied considerations when choosing a school. At Highfield and Brookham Schools in Liphook, which offers nursery, pre-prep and prep schooling in glorious grounds of 175 acres close to the rural borders of Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex, the answer is clear-cut – but don’t just take the schools’ word for it. Currently teaching, encouraging, supporting and moulding the next generation of society from the ages of two to 13, Highfield and

Brookham Schools recently undertook a parent research project to gauge opinion on various aspects of school life, one of which was whether the schools should extend education provision to older school years beyond its year 8 cohort. The answer was a resounding ‘no’: that Highfield and Brookham, the only truly independent, co-educational day and boarding school for miles around, and one which also has a healthy but workable number of international pupils, should retain its current status, something which has made it such an attractive proposition for parents and scholars all over the world. And the reasons given by parents were hugely compelling and offered a big vote of confidence for me and Brookham’s Headteacher, Sophie Baber.

PREP

Highfield and Brookham offer children a progressive and balanced education

FLEXIBILITY WAS ANOTHER BIG FACTOR FOR PARENTS, many of whom pointed

out that a school chosen for a four-year-old may not be suitable for them by the time they reach 13, WHILE A DILUTION OF

Children are allowed to be children for longer when surrounded by peers rather than much older pupils

DIVERSITY ALSO FEATURED STRONGLY

Many parents cited a need for a change of school in the early teenage years to help prepare the children for life, adding that children can become much less motivated and lose their desire to learn and develop if they stay in one place for too long, whereas a move to a senior school at the age of 13 or 14 brings with it a new set of challenges and engages pupils further. Another popular line firmly backing Highfield and Brookham Schools’ approach in terms of its age provision was that “children can continue to be children for longer” without the pressures and influences associated with rubbing shoulders with much older children on a daily basis. And flexibility was another big factor for parents, many of whom pointed out that a

school chosen for a four-year-old may not be suitable for them by the time they reach 13, while a potential loss of “uniqueness” and a dilution of diversity and skilled teaching also featured strongly. I regularly see my charges move on to prestigious senior schools such as Eton College, Harrow, Marlborough College and Wellington College. The topic of preparatory schools versus all-through schools will always be well debated and people will always have differing opinions based on their wants and needs, but here at Highfield and Brookham we like to think that we offer a progressive and balanced education to our children, be it academically, on the sports field, or simply as the citizens of tomorrow. We help them to grow and they help us to grow, giving so much back throughout

their time here. A word that’s often used to describe us is “unique”, and we feel that offering a first-class education to a slightly smaller set of year groups is part of what makes our approach an original and winning formula. So, I’m delighted that our educational and pastoral provision is recognised and supported by so many of our parents. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

DEVELOPMENT

Team sports played at school nurture vital social skills

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

DEVELOPMENT

TEAM SPIRIT

Taking part in team sports reaps rewards aplenty for a child’s mental health but how do schools cater for those who aren’t natural team players? Becky Dickinson reports

ALONGSIDE THE PHYSICAL BENEFITS,

exercise triggers the release of chemicals like endorphins and seratonin, HELPING

CHILDREN – AND ADULTS – STAY POSITIVE

HOW TO ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO TAKE UP TEAM SPORTS

Get inspired - use this year’s Olympics as a springboard to expose your children to events they might not have considered before and to encourage them to participate in a new sport, or to persevere with an existing one. Widen your options – keep trying different sports and clubs, including non-traditional activities, until your child finds one that’s right for them. Be a role model - if children see parents enjoying physical activity, they’re more likely to follow suit.

he relationship between exercise and wellbeing can’t be overstated. As adults, we know that being in good physical health increases our energy levels and ability to deal with stress. The same is true for children. Yet sadly, the suspension of school clubs and activities during lockdown means that many children have been far less active than usual this year. However, with restrictions finally easing, summer in the air, and the Olympics on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to encourage young people to get back into sport, or to try a new activity. Alongside the physical benefits, exercise triggers the release of chemicals like endorphins and serotonin, helping children – and adults – to stay positive and resilient. And while all forms of exercise are beneficial, team sports can have particular advantages. As well as providing a sense of identity and belonging, being part of a team can promote vital social skills, helping players to become well-rounded individuals, both on and off the pitch. Director of Sport at the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, Ryan McIntosh, believes it’s hard to beat the buzz of a team environment. “The camaraderie, motivation to

Make it a family thing - many activities like, karate, hiking, climbing and swimming are suitable for all ages, giving you the chance to spend quality time together too. Incorporate activity into your lifestyle – swap screen time for outdoor time and try to walk rather than drive, whenever possible. Children who have a base level of fitness will find taking part in team sports easier and more enjoyable.

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

DEVELOPMENT

Evidence shows that the skills learned on the sports field can lead to lifelong happiness

perform your best for the team, the leadership and teamwork skills the games expose to players, plus the selflessness needed for success, are all beneficial elements,” he says. What’s more, these are skills that can last a lifetime. Research from the London School of Economics (LSE) found that young people who were involved in team sports reported feeling more satisfied with their lives overall, boosting long-term happiness. “For many students, the friendships they make at school sport will become lifelong relationships,” Ryan adds. “It’s always so pleasing to welcome back alumni and to hear how those relationships that were forged through sport at Habs have continued long after they’ve left us. It’s also no coincidence that sports team members regularly become ambassadors for the school, not only via their sportsmanship, but also in taking on lead roles as heads of school, house captains or prefects.” Traditionally, the established independent schools have favoured team sports, with a particular focus on rugby, football, hockey and cricket – a model that still holds prominence today. However, competitive sports aren’t for everyone, and with the increasing emphasis on the role that sport can play in mental health, there’s a growing awareness of the need to

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

cater for all pupils, regardless of ability. This means widening the range of activities on offer, something Habs fully supports. “It’s important that we maintain a balance within our provision of physical activity,” Ryan says. “By offering 36 high-quality sporting activities through our PE, Games and CoCurricular curriculum, we’ve managed to achieve this successfully. Students have a wide range of sporting activities to choose from, and can play on a competitive level or simply for the love of the game. Every session must be run by enthusiastic, committed and knowledgeable staff who aim to include all students and make every session as enjoyable as possible.”

That of course, is the ultimate aim: to enable all students to experience the wide-ranging benefits of sport, regardless of interest or ability – and ideally, with friends. As parents, it’s imperative that we encourage our children to find a physical activity that keeps them engaged. After the challenges of the past year, safeguarding the wellbeing of the next generation is more crucial than ever – and this includes keeping kids active. Whether it’s rugby or rounders, dancing or dodge ball, the psychological and social benefits of exercising with others can help children navigate physical and mental challenges, both now and in the future.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK/MATIMIX

Safeguarding children’s wellbeing through exercise is essential

ST BENEDICT’S SCHOOL a

m i n i m i s

i n c i p e

Outstanding Catholic Independent school for boys & girls aged 3 - 18

SENIOR SCHOOL OPEN MORNING THURSDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER

NURSERY & JUNIOR SCHOOL OPEN MORNING TUESDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER

SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES ARE AVAILABLE

Scholarships on offer at St Benedict’s: Academic, Art & Design, Drama, Music and Sports

View our website for a full list of our Open Events or arrange a personal visit with our Registrar, Louise Pepper, on 020 8862 2254 www.stbenedicts.org.uk stbenedictsschool

stbenedicts

stbenedictsschool

PSHE

With all due respect ELIZABETH IVENS looks at how schools are using the new PSHE guidelines to challenge stereotypes and teach children how to develop healthy, respectful relationships

FTER YEARS of planning, the official guidance for teaching children about sex, relationships and gender came into force last September. As well as making relationships and sex education compulsory in all secondary schools in England, it brought in compulsory relationships education for the primary age group for the first time. Billed as “putting in place the key building blocks of healthy, respectful relationships”, no one could have guessed that the year the guidelines came into force would see such a spotlight on an alleged culture of sexual abuse at schools and a debate on how to change it.

From small acorns…

Sue Hincks, Headmistress at Bolton Girls’ Division, said she believed “the work children do on healthy relationships lower down has

an impact on the way in which young people go on to consider others as they grow up. The more we can emphasise this, the better for society as children blossom into young adults.” Along with other schools, children are encouraged to learn about relationships through their own behaviour at Bolton Girls’ co-ed pre-prep Beech House and all-girls prep Hesketh House. “From the day that children start, they learn about relationships,” said Sue Hincks, “From reception, pupils are taught how to take turns, to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect, the importance of honesty and truthfulness, permission seeking and giving, and the concept of privacy.”

Relationship building

At co-ed Ravenscourt Park Prep School in west London, a Relationships and Sex Education programme (RSE) starts from day one, said

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

THE WORK CHILDREN DO ON HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS lower down has an impact on the way in which young people GO ON TO CONSIDER OTHERS AS THEY GROW UP

Headmaster Carl Howes with “great emphasis” placed on Personal, Social and Emotional Development from age four. “It continues throughout the primary years, building on relationships in terms of family, friendships, anti-bullying messages, and working towards the coverage of adult relationships,” he explained. Ravenscourt Park is among many independent prep schools who were already working hard to challenge gender stereotypes and focus on equality by bringing in some of the most radical changes for decades. Along with its sister school, Kew Green Prep in south-west London, which is also co-ed, gender equality is a key focus. Kew Green aims for a 50/50 male-female staff ratio to present an “equal balance of role models in all areas of school life” with, as far as possible “male and female teachers in each (two form entry) year group”, said Headmaster Jem Peck. Both schools also have a gender-neutral uniform policy, advocate mixed sport and work hard to confront gender messages across the school. “We regularly survey the school’s displays and messages to ensure that the way work is presented, who is represented and the gender

PSHE

Removing books with gender biases from the classroom shelves is one of Kilgraston School’s new initiatives

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

PSHE

WE’RE AWARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ensure equal opportunities for boys and girls, AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MESSAGES THAT CHILDREN RECEIVE ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY

Relationship education is now compulsory in primary schools

messages these may or may not define are carefully looked at to ensure equality and inclusion,” added Mr Peck.

Levelling learning

At Kilgraston School in Perthshire, where boys joined the school’s Junior years for the first time in 2020, they’ve gone one step further. Despite not being covered by the English guidelines, they were determined to ensure total equality in these year groups, looking for and removing perceived gender bias.

Positive messaging

Dana Cooper, Deputy Head of Junior Years, Kilgraston School, explained: “Being strong individuals, regardless of sex, is our mantra. In line with this, we’ve taken the decision to remove books from the Junior Year’s library where girls are rescued at the end of the story – e.g., Sleeping Beauty - or portrayed as physically weaker: out with the fairytales! It’s all about completely levelling learning.” Similarly, back in west London, books and other resources “are carefully chosen to give positive messages to boys and girls about the jobs that both men and women can do,

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

and our librarian has been through the full library catalogue to ensure that these positive messages continue”, said Carl Howes at Ravenscourt Park, adding: “As a co-ed school, we’re acutely aware of our responsibility to ensure equality of opportunity for boys and girls, and the significance of the messages that children receive about gender identity as they progress through the school.” At the school, initiatives to help children learn how to take responsibility for their own safety and wellbeing and learn how their behaviour affects others include a “stop sign” procedure, where very young children are encouraged to handle hurtful behaviour by putting their hand in front of someone and saying they don’t like it. In York, at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, Karen Kilkenny, Head of its Chapter House Prep School said age-appropriate discussions on positive relationships and gender equality already happened across the school: “We have always been strong on ensuring our assemblies, personal development and science lessons tackle a range of social issues, so the guidance didn’t really impact on what we were already teaching the children.”

Back in Bolton, discussion on relationships and issues surrounding them is woven into the fabric of the school day, as well as through the PSHEE (Personal Social Health and Economic Education) curriculum, with debates about key issues which develop into wider discussions as they grow older, explained Sue Hincks. The focus is on “supporting children to develop healthy, inclusive relationships is vital if they’re to lead fulfilled, successful lives.” Dana Cooper at Kilgraston agreed: “Respect and understanding individuality are early lessons to learn and should be carried throughout life.“

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK/SOLSTOCK

Discussions on relationships and issues surrounding the children are now woven into the fabric of the school day at Beech House

Welcoming you to our open day * Saturday 26 June 2021 Currently accepting applications for all year groups for Autumn 2021. Register at: www.lvs.ascot.sch.uk/admissions/open-days *Adhering to government guidelines and the lockdown road map.

COMMENT

REAPING REWARDS Partnerships with the local community are mutually beneficial: to pupils as well as those whose lives they strive to improve, writes NINA GUNSON

I Nina Gunson is Head of Sheffield High School for Girls GDST, South Yorkshire

believe that most teachers go into education to make a difference to the lives of young people and show to them they can make a difference in the world. However, raising young people’s aspirations and showing them they can be anything they want to be can be quite a challenge for any school. It can be an even bigger obstacle for educators who are trying to change things for children in more deprived areas – and I don’t think any school can do it in isolation. That famous African proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ easily translates to Sheffield or any other town – one school alone can’t improve social mobility. I firmly believe that we must work together to improve the lives of all children. Outreach is a long-standing way in which schools can provide services to any parts of their community that might not otherwise have access to them. It’s often an act of charity or goodwill, such as free use of facilities for other schools and community groups, or inviting students from

have by working with others. Take our Cool to be Clever programme, which works with around 70 of the brightest yet most disadvantaged year five and year six pupils from 13 local primary schools. It’s run in partnership with the Sheffield South East Learning Partnership (SSELP). This programme was singled out by the Department for Education in its Schools that Work for Everyone consultation as an example of best practice in cross-sector working in raising attainment for those from disadvantaged and under-represented groups. But, as mentors, our own students benefit from their involvement too. The girls build confidence, and their communication skills develop; they take responsibility and gain authentic leadership experience; and they also achieve a sense of satisfaction and develop greater social awareness. Looking ahead, although the pandemic has challenged our school’s partnership landscape, we continue to provide mutually beneficial opportunities for teachers and students. We

SEVERAL YEARS OF FACILITATING COLLABORATIONS HAVE TAUGHT ME that there are four key principles for successful school partnerships. THEY HAVE TO BE OF MUTUAL BENEFIT, TARGET A SPECIFIC NEED, BE RESEARCH-BASED AND SUSTAINABLE other schools to attend subject masterclasses. However, the government’s 2017 plan to improve social mobility through education – ‘unlocking talent fulfilling potential’ – identified the need to build lasting partnerships to achieve successful outcomes for all young people. We wholeheartedly agree with this approach at Sheffield High School for Girls GDST and have focused our efforts on building partnerships that ensure that there are clear mutual benefits for the students and teachers in both schools. Several years of facilitating collaborations have taught me that there are four key principles for successful school partnerships. They have to be of mutual benefit, target a specific need, be researchbased and sustainable. I think being of mutual benefit is the most crucial principle, because if we want our girls to make their own mark on the world, we must show them the impact they can

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

recently launched an online tech hub to share expertise across local schools, focusing on Google Workspace/G-Suite. Sheffield Schools’ Tech Hub provides opportunities for school communities to enhance their teaching and learning through collaborative support, online training and resources. There are now 15 member schools. When speaking to other schools about partnership work, I always hope they take away the principles of what we do, rather than expecting to recreate our partnership projects, as the success of many of our projects relies on the fact that they’re contextual, and needs focused. It’s only when we as educators understand what the barriers to pupils’ learning and achievements actually are that we can help to overcome them, and those in a specific school know better than anyone what challenges their pupils face – for both outreach and partnerships.

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PROFILE

Take a walk on the

WILD SIDE

Renowned as HRH Prince Philip’s alma mater and the inspiration behind his Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Gordonstoun’s ethos of nurturing adventurous spirits remains strong, writes KATIE HUGHES

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

PROFILE

The school’s 150-acre estate is set amid the wild Moray countryside

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

PROFILE

s soon as news broke of HRH Prince Philip’s death in April, Gordonstoun school became a magnet for the media. “The phone began to ring and my email alerts began to ping,” says the school’s head of PR and marketing Eleanor Bradford, “and they didn’t stop ringing and pinging for eight solid days.” The result was more than 2,000 media mentions. When Gordonstoun – Prince Philip’s old school – later arranged a wreath-laying ceremony at sea to mark the duke’s death, staff expected a small turnout from the local community. But the full force of the nation’s media soon descended: ITV, the BBC and Sky News among them. “I found out later that there were more cameras at our event than anywhere outside Windsor Castle,” says Eleanor.

IT’S BY FACING CHALLENGES AND

going beyond their comfort zones that our students FIND OUT THAT

THEY’RE CAPABLE OF MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT POSSIBLE

An education for life

Prince Philip was not Gordonstoun’s only famous former pupil – but he was the oldest – and just the 10th to arrive when it opened its doors to students back in 1934. Since then, the school has educated two more generations of the royal family. But, perhaps more importantly, it has also become synonymous with a unique form of education. From the beginning, Gordonstoun has insisted that learning goes (a long way) beyond the classroom walls, and that both life skills and academic achievement are needed to succeed. So, when its founder Dr Kurt Hahn described the neighbouring Moray Firth (an inlet of the North Sea) as the “best school master” there weren’t too many raised eyebrows. These days, every pupil learns the basics of sailing in the Moray Firth, with many also spending a week on the school’s 80ft sail training vessel around Scotland’s west coast. “Sailing and expeditions are not optional extras but core parts of the curriculum,” says headmistress Lisa Kerr. “We believe that the best classrooms don’t have walls, and it’s by facing challenges and going beyond their comfort zone that our students find out that they’re capable of more than they thought possible.” It follows that, beyond sailing, there’s no escaping the great outdoors at Gordonstoun. Activities range from open canoeing to Nordic skiing, bushcraft to ice climbing, and

BADGE OF HONOUR The Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) is said to have been inspired by Gordonstoun’s founder Dr Kurt Hahn when he asked Prince Philip to set up a scheme like the school’s “Moray Badge.” The DofE programme was created in 1956 and has spread across the world to more than 140 countries, encouraging millions of young people to complete physical activities, volunteering and expeditions. Today, Gordonstoun encourages every student to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Silver and Gold Awards.

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Prince Philip was the school’s 10th pupil

PROFILE

MAKING HEADLINES

The young prince’s passion for sailing began at Gordonstoun

• Gordonstoun was one of the UK’s first public schools to become completely co-educational. • Its student firefighters form the only schoolbased fire service in the UK. • Its 80ft sailing boat, Ocean Spirit, is crewed by adventurous students and they have been known to set sail for the Arctic. • Life at the school is based on an estate that dates back to the 13th century.

orienteering to mountain biking. Luckily, 94 per cent of alumni now say that the school’s out-of-classroom learning experiences have had a positive influence on their personal growth and development.

Trailblazing spirit

Those living in and around Gordonstoun’s hometown of Moray are used to seeing pupils fighting fires with the local fire crew, setting out to sea with the coastguard rescue team or riding with the disabled. “All students volunteer in one of our nine community and rescue services,” says Lisa Kerr. They may call for a high degree of commitment (Gordonstoun’s firefighters are on call 24 hours-a-day, one week in three), but altruistic services are important. “Considering the wellbeing of others isn’t necessarily the top priority of a teenager,” says one parent, “but it’s definitely good for them for that reason.” Another social advantage for the school’s students is the fact that they’re a diverse bunch from more than 40 countries, and that 30 per cent of them are on bursaries. “We have ambitions to grow this further,” says Kerr “and already have a significant number of students from very modest backgrounds, including a number from Rwanda.” As the first non-teacher head of a Scottish independent school and the first female principal of Gordonstoun, Kerr is as much of a trailblazer as the community that she leads. And she has big plans for the school’s future – not least to confirm Gordonstoun’s rightful place as “a world leader in character education”. Dr Kurt Hahn believed that students could learn life lessons from facing the challenges of the sea

The great outdoors acts as one of Gordonstoun’s classrooms

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS

Be the change you want to see Director of Development at The Mill Hill School Foundation in north London, Natalie Joseph explains how fee support not only provides gifted students with the foundation for future career success, they also enrich the culture of independent school life

ith their status as charitable institutions, independent schools have an obligation to demonstrate their ‘public benefit’. Fee support through bursaries and scholarships is a key example of this. Given their belief in the transformational power of education in nurturing talent and helping to foster social mobility, the motivation for this public benefit is sincere and heartfelt.

A life-changing opportunity

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Many independent schools were founded with philanthropy as their core purpose, often drawing exclusively from the least wealthy of their parishes in selecting their intake. Indeed, bursaries and scholarships are at the heart of The Mill Hill School Foundation fabric and an integral part of our school’s history. The primary target audience identified by our founders in 1807 was “meritorious individuals who possess the promising talents, which would otherwise be lost”. We’ve seen firsthand the power that a quality education has

to unlock potential and firmly believe that the brightest minds deserve access to it, no matter what their background and means are. Bursaries are awarded by schools to families whose children are judged to be deserving of a place, but are unable to afford some or all of the fees. The assessment for suitability usually comprises two elements – means testing and assessment of merit. This is most often centred on an applicant’s academic ability, but may also include co-curricular skills such as art, drama, music or sport. Awards can be up to 100 per cent of the school fees and sometimes have specific eligibility criteria laid down by a benefactor (often a school alumnus), such as applying to a pupil intending to study medicine, art, engineering etc. The donors who fund these bursaries believe that their education gave them a foundation on which they were able to build success in their careers, and they wish to provide a similar opportunity for another young person. Mill Hill in particular has a medical bursary awarded to pupils who are keen to go in to medicine, dentistry,

BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS

Bursaries and scholarships have been at the heart of Mill Hill’s heritage since 1807

AWARDS CAN BE UP TO 100 PER CENT OF THE SCHOOL FEES and sometimes have specific eligibility criteria LAID DOWN BY A BENEFACTOR (OFTEN A SCHOOL ALUMNUS) SUCH AS APPLYING TO A STUDENT INTENDING TO STUDY MEDICINE SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT

BURSARIES AT BELMONT MILL HILL PREP AND MILL HILL SENIOR SCHOOL Thinking of applying to this north London school’s bursary scheme? Libby Russo gives some insight on its life-changing fee support Bursaries begin at year seven and eight at Belmont Mill Hill Prep

St Margaret’s School, Hertfordshire

biomedical sciences and veterinary sciences – this is funded by a small group of Mill Hill alumni who also went in to these fields.

And what about scholarships?

Unlike bursaries, which are means tested, scholarships simply reward talent. Scholarships are awarded to potential pupils who show exceptional talent in a variety of areas, whether academia, sport, music or other co-curricular activities. They can be across a range of subjects for a full scholarship, or for just one or two (sometimes known as ‘exhibitions’). Fee remission for scholarships is typically just five or 10 per cent of fees, and for many schools, part of the reward for pupils is the special scholars’ programmes laid on to nurture the talent of these pupils. This is a key way that schools attract and retain talented pupils, with awards available for both internal and external candidates, e.g. as they progress from prep school to senior school or into the sixth form. Many schools even mark out their scholars by uniform additions, whether it be special ties, badges or brightly-coloured blazers. In addition to scholarships, many schools may have a number of minor financial awards that potential families can apply for to assist with all of the costs associated with gaining a private-school education.

The application process

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Application processes and deadlines for bursaries and scholarships will vary from school to school, and therefore the best way

• Bursaries have been at the centre of Mill Hill history and heritage since the senior school was established in 1807. • Former Mill Hill pupils Robin Mills (1957-62) and Graham Drake (1957-62), launched the A Better Chance Scheme in 2009. Initially hoping to fund 20 places, they helped to spark a new attitude towards bursaries at Belmont Mill Hill Prep and Mill Hill School and 45 pupils have since been awarded places. • The Mill Hill School Foundation, generous donations from Old Millhillians, parents and friends of the school have enabled many talented pupils to take up ABC bursary places at both Belmont and Mill Hill School. • £5m has been raised since the scheme launched in 2009. • Bursary pupils bring great value to The Foundation. The variation of backgrounds, viewpoints and life experiences help to provide a special richness to school life, and enhance the overall balance and performance of the school community. • Two of the key Belmont values are developing moral integrity and the confidence in pupils to be themselves. • Bursaries begin at years seven and eight at Belmont, and continue right up until the upper sixth in Mill Hill School. The criteria for an award of a bursary is the same across both schools; it’s subject to the financial resources available at the time. • Awards can be up to 100 per cent of the fee.

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A warm welcome awaits you at our Open Events PREP SCHOOL OPEN MORNING: 21 September, 10.00am - 12.00pm SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING: 23 September, 6.30pm - 9.00pm SENIOR SCHOOL OPEN MORNING: 25 September, 9.00am - 12.00pm Book your place at www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk An Independent Co-educational Boarding & Day School for pupils aged 9 months - 18 years

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BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS

FOR BURSARIES, PARENTS CAN EXPECT THERE TO BE

an academic examination for their child and A FINANCIAL

MEANS-TESTING ASPECT, WHICH MAY INCLUDE FULL DISCLOSURE OF FINANCES FOR BOTH PARENTS

Some independent schools offer music scholarships

Cottesmore School, West Sussex

also awarded when there’s no option for a pupil to continue in school, for example, if their school doesn’t offer a sixth-form option. All awards are subject to an annual review to ensure that both factors justify continued assistance, parental means and pupil merit; the awarded pupil in particular is required to work hard, to contribute positively to the life of the school, to be a credit to the school and to set a good example for other pupils.

Paying it forward

In 2011 at the age of 16, Leanne Armitage joined The Foundation as a bursary recipient with the dream of studying medicine. She has since co-founded a charity foundation and launched a diversity outreach programme, The Armitage Foundation, which led to a Queen’s Young Leaders award in June 2018. As Leanne says, “Mill Hill changed my future because it provided me with a stepping stone. What’s touched my heart the most is that I haven’t left it behind.”

to find out about bursaries is to visit the school’s website or contact the admissions office. For bursaries, parents can expect there to be an academic examination for their child and a financial meanstesting aspect, which may include full disclosure of joint finances for both parents, including salaries, investments and savings. Bursaries are usually awarded by the court of governors and in some cases by the school bursary committee where relevant. Lengths of bursaries and scholarships can vary, and these are usually decided at the outset of the application so that both pupil and parent expectations are managed. It’s also worth noting that funding can help with a number of different aspects of privateschool life, including transport to and from school, uniforms and other associated costs. Additionally, bursaries and scholarships are

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

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BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS

CASE STUDY

HOW I DID IT ADAM GRAHAM is a year 10 scholar at Millfield School. He took up a place initially after being offered a scholarship to Millfield Prep. Here he recounts his story…

eing awarded a sports scholarship at Millfield Prep School meant a great deal to me. Before Millfield I was struggling to balance life in Hong Kong; I was part of a swimming club which I loved but I was feeling pressured to give up my other hobbies. My parents offered me the chance to attend Millfield Prep’s scholarship day, and it was one of the best days of my life. I met great people from across the world and enjoyed the whole process. Arriving at Millfield Prep I found there was no pressure to specialise, I was encouraged to explore all avenues while being totally supported in the classroom by my tutor and brilliant house parents. It was difficult to move so far from home, but it was an incredible opportunity. I renewed my love of swimming with Helen Gouldby (Director of Swimming at Millfield Prep and former Olympian) and her team, while playing rugby, basketball, athletics and running cross country. I participated in competitions across the region and further afield – my highlight was competing at the British Swimming Age Championships in Glasgow. Throughout, my tutor helped me manage my workload so that I didn’t get overwhelmed, and my house parents and friends supported me when I felt homesick. What makes Millfield great is the balance between sport and academia. I’ve seen a lot of progress with my academic abilities since starting here. I would love to represent my country internationally. With the rich history of swimmers at Millfield, including James Guy and Duncan Goodhew, I know that with hard work and discipline I can achieve my goals. I also enjoy biology, maths and geography which complement my sport, and also give me something to fall back on.

Millfield Prep and Millfield School boast unparalleled facilities

OUR WAY FIONA GORDON is Tutor for Admissions at Millfield Prep School in Somerset

cholarships allow independent schools to recognise talent early on in a child’s development, whether it’s a talent in the classroom, art room, music studio, on stage or on the sports field. Millfield Prep offers scholarships into years six, seven and eight for children who excel in academics, art, music or sport or a combination of all areas. An offer of a scholarship allows pupils to benefit from our expert teachers and passionate sports coaches, many of whom have achieved success at a very high level, including the Olympic Games. Our industry-leading facilities attract scholars from the South West area as well as the rest of the UK, Europe and globally. Our state-of-the-art facilities include a 25m swimming pool, 120 acres of equestrian hacking trails, a canter track and two all-weather arenas, as well as a nine-hole golf course, seven outdoor tennis courts and an indoor bubble, rugby, cricket, hockey and football pitches, a climbing wall and netball courts. Our recently refurbished science labs are situated opposite an exceptional music department, which inspires pupils with endless opportunities for performance and accommodates individual music lessons for more than half of our pupils. We also have an art department with a purpose-built stone carving and pottery area. Awarding scholarships from the age of 10 upwards allows pupils to develop in their chosen field, while grasping other opportunities. At Millfield Prep there’s no pressure to specialise, and we encourage every pupil to try new experiences so we can nurture each and every pupil’s talent to help them reach their full potential. The experiences pupils gain shape them for their future and help direct them on the path they follow when they move up to Millfield and beyond. Rewarding pupils with a scholarship gives children the confidence and grounding to continue their education in whatever area they pursue. Becoming a scholar at a young age develops pupil’s leadership skills, responsibility, multitasking and understanding of the importance of a balanced education which provides children with offers into senior schools. Scholarships typically come with a 10 per cent reduction in school fees and families who are genuinely in need of further financial assistance can apply for a means-tested bursary. Scholarship assessments are held in the academic year preceding entry and are open to all pupils. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

IB DIPLOMA

Around a quarter of Oakham’s sixth formers opt to take the IB pathway

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

IB DIPLOMA

open your

MIND

From its broad academic scope to its focus on independence of thought, THALIA THOMPSON finds that there’s much to recommend choosing the IB programme for sixth form study

ounded in Geneva in 1968, the International Baccalaureate programme is an educational charity rather than an exam board, with a mission to create a better world through education. There are currently almost 4,000 schools across 150 countries following the IB diploma programme. In the UK, its popularity has slowly grown as an alternative to traditional A-levels and it’s now on offer at 70 independent schools in the UK.

THE IB IN A SNAPSHOT

• Over 70 independent schools offer the IB. • It’s taken by sixth form pupils over two years. • Pupils take six subjects including maths, a science and a language. • Curriculum consists of six subject groups and the DP core, theory of knowledge (TOK), creativity, activity, service (CAS) and the extended essay.

What’s on offer?

Breadth and depth

“A-levels create a high level of specialisation quite early on,” says Oakham Headmaster, Henry Price. “For some pupils that’s great, but there’s real depth and breadth in the IB.” The IB is ideal for pupils who want to keep their options open, or who know which areas they want to specialise in, but don’t want to give up other subjects that they still enjoy. There’s also an argument that all pupils could benefit from studying subjects like maths and languages for longer. The UK is unusual in allowing pupils to drop maths at 16; in virtually every other country in the world, students continue with some form of maths until the end of secondary school. Following the IB programme is also a distinct advantage if a pupil is considering applying to universities in Europe or the United States.

Bright all-rounders?

It’s often said that the IB is good for bright all-rounders, implying that a student has to be equally talented in arts and sciences. But this is a bit of a myth. It’s true that in the UK, many schools offering IB are selective ones

IB Diploma students take six subjects (which must include maths, a science, a humanity and a language), typically studying three at a higher level, and three at standard level. In addition, there’s a core programme made up of theory of knowledge (TOK) covering critical thinking, an extended essay and creativity, action and service (CAS). There’s also a IB Careers programme which is offered by a handful of independent schools, where pupils study for a professional or vocational qualification alongside up to four subjects from the diploma syllabus and a similar core programme. At some UK schools, like King Edward’s

Birmingham, the whole sixth form takes the IB programme. In other cases both A-levels and the IB are on offer. At Oakham School for example, about a quarter of the sixth form opt to study the IB.

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Parents feedback has been overwhelmingly positive about all areas of the service from the many developments they are seeing in their children, to the calm and child friendly environment, to the skill of the nursery and therapy staff and the opportunity to mix with and learn from other parents.

IB DIPLOMA

The IB programme instils a lifelong love of learning

WHY DO IT Students share their reasons for opting to study the IB programme “For me, the beauty of IB is in its breadth. It’s allowed me to explore multiple avenues of interest in the sciences and the arts, which wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. Throughout my studies, I’ve been able to draw links between different subjects and apply knowledge and methods learnt from one subject to another, which has been a very valuable learning experience. As with any curriculum, IB can be challenging at times, with time management being very important. I’d recommend that every IB student make a detailed study plan and stick to it, otherwise things can accumulate. Nonetheless, such planning is achievable, and I’ve come out the other side finding the IB study beneficial and enjoyable.” Jimmy Yuan, 18, School Captain, King Edward’s School

where pupils are bright all-rounders. At King Edward’s for example, around half the pupils score 40 points or more each year, the equivalent of 4 A*s at A level. But a standard IB offer for a Activity is one of the key elements of Russell Group university the IB programme tends to be between 34 - 38 points and with a total of 45 points available, students don’t need top marks in all six subjects to win a place at a top university. “Learning to do something that you’re not brilliant at is a valuable skill,” says Dr Katy Ricks, Chief Master at King Edward’s. “We have pupils who say ‘I did the IB because I love this school, but I didn’t really want to do Spanish...but in fact I got a six and I realised I can do something that I thought I couldn’t’ – which is another important life skill.”

The core

It’s not just the breadth of the subjects that sets the IB apart. “The core of the IB is the theory of knowledge, the creativity, action and service and the extended essay,” says Katy Ricks. “The CAS isn’t graded and the TOK and

extended essay are only worth three points. And yet they’re the essence, the magic dust of the IB. The IB cultivates enthusiasm and a genuine excitement about learning. We’re not trying to elicit a set answer in any lesson. We’re encouraging them to formulate their own response, and that’s always interesting.” Henry Price agrees “The theory of knowledge is so important in an age when we need to understand the truth of what we hear and read. In the sixth form years, we’re looking to develop a way of learning, an independence and an intellectual appetite that sets pupils up for life beyond school and the IB is really strong in that regard.”

Managing workloads

Keeping on top of coursework and the

“Studying the IB Diploma has been a formative experience, inspiring a love of learning in me. The IB’s rigorous curriculum and coursework have forced me out of my intellectual comfort zone and helped me develop resilience and flexibility; qualities I believe are more important than academic achievement in the long run. I think this is what gives the IB such a strong reputation among universities and employers. IB students don’t only learn for good grades; they learn for life. While it hasn’t all been plain sailing, I’ve overcome the bumpier stretches of my IB journey to develop a passionate interest in the subjects I’ve studied and a more profound understanding of the world around us. Benedict Holland, 17, Oakham

extra CAS activities helps pupils learn how to manage workloads, which is invaluable preparation for university life. As Henry Price says, “It’s a busy programme. I don’t think it’s difficult in terms of being harder than A-levels, but it’s certainly busy. But what’s wrong with that? We have boys and girls being happily busy, being taught a rich, outward-looking, thought-provoking programme.” SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR

In 5 pictures…

GRESHAM’S SCHOOL

This Norfolk school is renowned for its breathtakingly beautiful coastal surrounds, cutting-edge new facilities and ethos of independent learning

Offering an excellent and fully-rounded education, Gresham’s encourages independent thought, tenacity and creativity to enable pupils to explore their individual interests and passions, giving them the independence to pursue their own futures.

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

SENIOR

At every level, Gresham’s offers students a curriculum which is versatile and enriching. In the sixth form, pupils can choose to study the International Bacculaureate diploma programme, a portfolio of three A-level subjects, or replace one or two A-levels with BTEC diplomas.

Utilising the local coast, countryside and its own brand-new Outdoor Education Centre, the school’s Head of Adventure teaches pupils a multitude of new physical and interpersonal skills, as well as important lessons about the natural world, sustainability and environmentalism.

An All Steinway School that boasts a state-of-the-art music school with a recording studio, 140-seat auditorium and practice rooms, Gresham’s provides its budding musicians with world-class facilities and exceptional focused teaching to help them hone their craft across many genres.

North Norfolk is a beautiful place to live, learn and grow. Based in the Georgian market town of Holt, the school is set on a 200-acre site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just four miles from the breathtaking North Norfolk coastline and its award-winning beaches.

DID YOU KNOW? Gresham’s alumnus, Sir James Dyson, is enabling the school’s innovative new Dyson Building – set to open in September – for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education. Sir James said: “By creating state-of-the-art spaces I hope we can inspire and educate more brilliant young minds.”

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

EXPERIENCE MORE Get in touch to find out more about our open events and joining our vibrant school.

Pre-School - Infant - Junior - Senior - Sixth Form 52

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023 9236 0036 www.pgs.org.uk

ADVICE

ASK THE EXPERTS

How do we prepare for the school year ahead while giving pupils downtime? Five headteachers give their advice…

Pupils started returning to school at the beginning of March On image caption white

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

ADVICE

can be music to a parent’s ears: “Bored?.... no way….. I’ve got too much to do before September…..”

Marina Gardiner Legge, Oxford High

George Budd, Moreton Hall Much has been written about pupil mental health during the pandemic and the importance of providing time for recharge, developing other interests and building friendships. With this in mind, preparation for the year ahead should be focused on term time – especially when considering that disadvantaged pupils may find it harder to access preparatory work when not in school. Our new Bridging the Gap and Careers Roadshow programmes taking place in June for years 11 and 13 are fine examples. Holidays spent cramming for the term ahead can lead to burnout. That said, there’s certainly space for exploratory study, such as drafting an EPQ, wider reading (either fiction or non-fiction) as well as the inevitability of revision, particularly in years 11 and 13. It would be wrong to conclude that all pupils should follow the same path during their holidays, so we encourage rest, support, freedom of choice and ambition as appropriate to each individual and their family – exactly as we do in term time.

Sally Harding, Rydal Penrhos It’s all about finding the right balance. We keep in constant touch with our pupils throughout the holidays to ensure they still receive the same support and guidance away from school as they would during term time. This is especially evident with our examination candidates at A-level and GCSE, who are under a little more pressure than most year groups. Of course, allowing them time to themselves to relax, as well as socialise with their friends and family is essential. This has been a difficult year for everyone due to educational lockdowns and learning at home, so taking a step back to refresh and regroup is something we actively encourage at Rydal Penrhos.

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Coming out as we are from a period of enforced hibernation, this summer should be all about reconnection and resetting. Our pupils need to reconnect with their families, members of which they haven’t seen for far too long, as well as their friends. This should also be a time of resetting – of moving away from screens and learning through a virtual medium to the joy of the physical one. Reading, reflecting and connecting are the After a hectic year full of stressful order of the summer. This emotional and stops, starts and home-based spiritual rest, together with the freedom of learning, it’s important students have time to recharge, regroup reading, will prepare our children for the and reconnect this summer term ahead better than any enforced learning will. Above all, they’ll return refreshed and reinvigorated with Just letting our pupils know OUR EXPERTS summer memories to sustain them that we’re there for anything they in the long winter days ahead. might need is enough, and they can relax safe in the knowledge that our incredible staff are doing Dan Harrison, Sedbergh everything in their power to ensure Throughout the last year, we’ve goals remain unaltered. put a huge emphasis on time away from screens for our pupils and George Budd, staff. As a school, we’ve introduced John Pitt, RGS Worcester MORETON HALL new measures to ensure that our Providing pupils with a list of pupil’s physical and mental health summer activities designed to and wellbeing is at the forefront of extend their interests worked very our pastoral support. This includes well last summer after lockdown. shortening lesson times, to provide Some of these were of an academic a longer period of the day when nature preparing ahead, including pupils can get away from their lots of reading. But many were Sally Harding, RYDAL PENRHOS screens and be outside. to do something new for the I strongly believe that our first time. We wanted them to pupils need time to relax and to get outside and explore, but be with their families and friends. with a purpose. As an incentive, The summer holidays provide pupils can compile an electronic the excellent window for that to learning journal with photos and happen, and that should be at film, so that they have a sense of the forefront of our minds when accomplishment to show us back at John Pitt,, RGS WORCESTER planning ahead. Work which is set school in September. could focus on anything missed For those going into sixth form, out on during the year, or perhaps we ran bridging courses which project-based studies which the gave research tasks for the summer pupils find interesting. However, holiday. This is a time when I would only recommend that for students can enjoy exploring their pupils going into years 11 and 13. new subjects at their own pace. Marina Gardiner Legge, Small, manageable tasks and Digital learning tasks with a OXFORD HIGH reading lists are fine, especially competitive edge can appeal. Last for those in older year groups who summer holiday, I was amazed to may be researching options beyond find my 13-year-old daughter doing school, but I would keep work chemistry revision – but to her it for younger years to an absolute was a computer quiz that gave her minimum. We want them to be points for a competition. The key playing outside with friends and seems to be to engage young people Dan Harrison, having fun! The longer we can keep in ways that give them choice SEDBERGH our pupils young, the better. so they feel in control. The result

“...infinite opportunities for thought, exploration and discovery.” A distinctive education focused on the individual. Up to 100% fee reduction for bursary pupils.

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ALUMNI

AMBER ATHERTON, 30 Benenden School, Kent

Entrepreneur & Head of Strategic Communities at Discord A serial entrepreneur, I joined Discord through the acquisition of my community software startup Zyper in January. I was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2016, and the ‘Fifth-Most Powerful Person in Digital Fashion’ by British Vogue. My expertise lies in forging grass-roots communities and forecasting social trends. I was always interested in technology and learnt how to code as a child, building various online ventures from e-cards and a visual recognition app to popular jewellery e-commerce marketplace My Flash Trash – which I founded in the computer room of my sixth form house aged 17. That spirit of enterprise being so engrained in the Benenden ethos led me to launch the Amber Atherton Award. With it I hope to ensure the next generation of UK female entrepreneurs starting with Benenden. It offers a cash prize of £500 and 1:1 mentoring for a pupil aged 13 or above who demonstrates entrepreneurial initiative. The first winner is due to be announced and if all goes well, I hope the award scheme can be rolled out at girls’ schools across the UK.

AMBER ATHERTON

RISING STARS We find out how five independent school alumni and students have achieved success in their chosen careers, from tech entrepreneur to Olympian diver

MAX DUTTON, 28

Ashville College, North Yorkshire

Historian I never studied history at university, which might surprise you as today I’m the Heritage Interpretation Officer & Historian for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). I always loved history but never considered it to be a realistic career: how wrong I was. I left Ashville in 2010 and graduated with a BA in 2013, and a MA in 2014. I was still completing my MA dissertation when I joined the CWGC. Since then I’ve had the huge privilege of being involved in many major World War commemorations. A highlight of my role is being involved with the CWGC internship scheme where 18 to 25 year olds join us as battlefield guides, it’s the kind of opportunity I wish had been available for me. It was my experience of inspirational history lessons at Ashville that led to my lifelong captivation with the past. I always wanted to discover more, and this eventually led to me applying for my first role with the CWGC. The rest, as they say, is history…

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

MAX DUTTON

ALUMNI

ELYSIA GILMAN, 21 Rydal Penrhos, North Wales

ELYSIA GILMAN

Artist & business owner Having completed an Art Foundation course at Loughborough University, I could see that the Covid pandemic was going to disrupt the rest of my degree, so I decided to start up my own art business instead, which is what I’d always dreamed of doing and been really passionate about. I’ve been really lucky during lockdown to be taking on a lot of commissions, as well as getting my portraits of Robert Rinder and Samira Ahmed featured on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Week. I’ve also been working closely with Cannon Hall Farm in Yorkshire. It’s a family farm attraction that has its own Channel 4 TV show and have appointed me as their designer to work on a new range of merchandise for them.

VALENTIN PECHNIKOV, 22 Taunton School, Somerset

VALENTIN PECHNIKOV

Student, LSE & Imperial College London Since leaving school, I’ve graduated top of the class from London School of Economics (LSE) with a BSc in mathematics and economics and have gone on to do a Masters in mathematics and finance at Imperial College London. In a few months, I’ll be starting my career as a Quantitative Researcher at a hedge fund. I truly believe that my experience at Taunton School International and the senior school has played a massive role in helping me become the person that I am today. Coming from Russia, I was looking for a school that would offer an unparalleled learning experience while ensuring well-rounded development outside of the classroom. The Taunton School International one-year IGCSE programme offered just that – the outstanding teaching quality fired up my desire to pursue further mathematical education, whereas the extracurricular activities helped me develop the soft skills to excel in a professional environment.

EDEN CHENG, 18

PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES/KARWAI TANG/WIREIMAGE

Alleyn’s School, London

EDEN CHENG

Champion diver selected for Team GB Tokyo 2021 My diving partner Lois and I won a silver medal in the Women’s 10m Synchro at the FINA Diving World Cup earlier this year. Our win meant that we qualified for the Olympic team and will be in Tokyo this summer. I’ve worked hard and made sacrifices to balance my training schedule with my academic studies, from missing family events to catching up with school work poolside and on the plane to and from competitions. Representing my country has also coincided with studying for A-levels. It has been a long and challenging journey, but it seems the sacrifices made along the way have all been worthwhile. Thank you Alleyn’s for the support you have given me through all these years. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

Hawkesdown House School

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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.

29/04/2020 15:35

TIME TOGETHER

ENJOY THE SEASON

FAMILY LIFE

Child-friendly staycations, socially distanced diary dates and a competition

If you’re looking to update your little one’s wardrobe for the summer, look no further than unisex label Wynken’s playful seasonal prints, polka-dot patterns and safari-inspired tonal palette. Prices from £6.25, wynken.co.uk

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

A lucky escape

With overseas travel being heavily restricted this half term, EMMA ROBERTSON opted for a fuss-free family staycation at the recently refurbished Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire The Grove boasts 215 sumptuously decorated bedrooms and suites

fter a year of very limited travel, we were lucky enough to squeeze in a May half-term family staycation. With the lighter nights and warmer temperatures settling in, we headed a mere 18 miles out of London and into the rolling hills of the Hertfordshire countryside for some local escapism. After just a 45-minute drive, we pulled up at The Grove, a five-star family-friendly retreat – and within minutes The Martin Hulbert Design lounges are luxuriously laidback spots for enjoying afternoon refreshments

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

of arriving, we started to understand why it has been dubbed ‘London’s Country Estate’. Formerly the private home of the Earls of Clarendon, the elegant mansion boasts historical charm and character in abundance, and has been lovingly restored into 215 luxurious bedrooms and suites, with an awardwinning spa, championship golf course and array of exclusive dining restaurants. Having recently undergone an extensive refurbishment, carefully designed by award-winning interior studios, Martin Hulbert Design, the hotel promised a warm combination of traditional features with luxurious modern furnishings. We stayed in one of the hotel’s newly renovated Family Rooms, offering interconnecting spaces – ideal for a larger family – with the option to request additional cots, bunk beds and even toy boxes if needed. Located in the west wing, the suite transported us into the English countryside outdoors. The calming neutral tones with seasonal green and rich sepia created a bright and airy feel, and the views over the formal gardens offered us peace and tranquility, miles away from the bustling scenes of London we are used to. The four-poster bed, draped with

bespoke, handwoven wall hangings, was fit for a queen. As quickly as we were checked in by the wonderful hotel team, we were out of the hotel even quicker as we headed straight into the Great British outdoors! The Grove estate is set within 300 acres of verdant countryside, and offers an endless list of leisure pursuits suitable for adults and children of all ages. The expansive grounds boast a world-class, 18-hole championship golf course, formal gardens, scenic woodlands and a walled garden – all ready to be explored by foot, bike or segway tour (with a trusty guide of course!). The dedicated activities team have succeeded in creating a fabulous range of pastimes, such as archery sessions, tennis lessons and laser

HOLIDAYS Families can get the beach experience by the hotel’s outdoor pool

THE CHILDREN WERE ENTERTAINED FOR HOURS,

building sandcastles, while we pulled up a deck chair

The Grove is a mere 45-minute drive from the capital city

AND ENJOYED A REFRESHING DRINK IN THE SUNSHINE – WHO NEEDS THE ALGARVE ANYWAY?!

clay pigeon shooting, ideal for the younger ones as well as adults and perfect for a day full of family activities. We made a bee-line for the estate’s famous Alice-in-Wonderlandstyle Walled Gardens. Hidden behind grand gates and lined with fruit trees, there lies an enchanted paradise for children, complete with an outdoor pool, a (real!) beach and a host of garden games. The children were entertained for hours, building sandcastles with the bucket and spades, while we pulled up a deck chair and enjoyed a refreshing drink in the sunshine – who needs The Algarve anyway?! Although we opted for more of a relaxing staycation, there’s also a series of organised courses that take place throughout the year, including family golf camps, football escapes camps, and forest camps. The hotel is a dream for parents as it even has its own nursery – Anouska’s Kids Club, complete with a tiny tots swimming pool which allows guests, like us, to sneak off to enjoy a rare afternoon of luxury. We headed to the hotel’s award-winning Sequoia Spa, ready to relax and revitalise our bodies, which I certainly was more than ready for after the stresses of working from home and home

The Stables has a child-friendly menu

schooling. We both opted for the Inner Calm massage before relishing in the 22-metre indoor pool, jacuzzi and heat experience rooms, a luxuriant afternoon we won’t forget. After our indulgent afternoon, we opted for dinner at The Stables. There’s certainly no shortage of restaurant options in the hotel, but The Stables suits the more casual diner and provides a great children’s menu. We devoured the British classics, pork belly and shepherd’s pie, while the children enjoyed fish and chips. We managed to squeeze in an after-dinner

tipple at The Glasshouse Bar too, which has an ambience of laidback glamour. The bar’s striking glasshouse exterior fi lls the room with warm natural light, which is even prettier when you catch the sun setting. The next morning we woke bright and early, raring to go for another day full of exploration. Located a short drive away from various activities around Hertfordshire, the hotel is a five minute drive away from the Warner Bros Studio Tour, where we took in the wonder of Harry Potter’s Wizarding World for the day. Guests at The Grove can also take full advantage of the hotel’s close proximity to other local attractions, such as the Snow Centre, Watford Football Club, Thorpe Park and Knebworth Gardens which are all less than an hour’s drive away. Whether you’re visiting The Grove for a short family break like us, a romantic getaway, a nature retreat or with a group of golfing pals, this hotel’s perfectly designed for everyone’s interests and there’s no doubt we will be visiting again soon. Nightly rates at The Grove start from £370 for a West Wing Classic Room, on a room-only basis. For more information or to book please visit thegrove.co.uk or call 01923 807807. SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

FLAIR DISCIPLINE ACADEMIC RIGOUR REGI

Call our Admissions team to find out about joining Bromsgrove School Small classes and inspirational teaching Over 560 boarders from the age of 7 01527 579679 admissions@bromsgrove-school.co.uk bromsgrove-school.co.uk

Exceptional results at A level, IB Diploma and GCSE A strong House and tutor system to look after your child’s pastoral and academic wellbeing An outstanding range of extra-curricular activities Day and Boarding, 950 pupils aged 13-18 720 pupils aged 2 - 13

#BeYouBeSibford

OPEN EVENTS

sibfordschool.co.uk +44 (0)1295 781200

Wed 22 September Sat 2 October Fri 15 October register at www.altonschool.co.uk

admissions@sibfordschool.co.uk Sibford Ferris, Banbury, OX15 5QL

BE YOU. BE ADVENTUROUS.

admissions@sibfordschool.co.uk Sibford Ferris, Banbury, OX15 5QL

Sibford School in Oxfordshire offers inspiring education to pupils aged 3-18.

VIRTUAL OPEN EVENTS

Visit us in beautiful Hampshire Book your tour today

Educating boys and girls from Nursery to Sixth Form

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Discover how we encourage aspiration by watching one of our virtual open events. Visit sibfordschool.co.uk/events to access online today. Connect with

@SibfordOxon

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Parker’s Tavern is the restaurant at the University Arms

WIN lunch for four in the heart of Cambridge Dine among exquisite architecture, tradition and history at the quintessentially English Parker’s Tavern in the university town of Cambridge

arker’s Tavern, headed up by Chef Tristan Welch, is the destination restaurant at University Arms in Cambridge. The landmark hotel is located in the historic heart of Cambridge, overlooking Parker’s Piece. First opened in 1834, the quintessentially English hotel reopened in 2018 after a two year, £80m transformation. It is now home to 192 beautiful rooms and suites. Each suite is complete with a private library curated by Heywood Hill, helping to retain a classically Cambridge feel. Many on the top floor have access to private balconies overlooking Parker’s Piece, with bathrooms located inside the original domed turrets. The refurbishment was headed up by classical architect John Simpson and interior designer Martin Brudnizki. The hotel is situated in the centre of town and walking distance from most hotspots. Visitors can stroll around the city’s historic sites, meander along The Backs and hire a private punt on the majestic River Cam. They can spend an afternoon at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens discovering its vast woodlands, sparkling lakes and beautiful seasonal gardens. After a day exploring, guests can head to Parker’s Tavern, inspired by the communal dining halls synonymous with Cambridge colleges, it has Cambridge Blue wall panelling, traditional solid-wood parquet flooring and original stained-glass windows. It is an English tavern serving locally sourced, seasonal food, with every dish designed to be a whimsical re-imagining of a British classic, sourced from field, fen and England’s seas. Parker’s Tavern also has a bar that leads into the hotel’s library, which serves a Historical Cambridge Afternoon Tea. The Library features a curation by Heywood Hill, one of London’s leading bookshops. parkerstavern.com, universityarms.com

TERMS & CONDITIONS: • The prize is for a winner plus up to three guests – the prize includes a two-course lunch for up to four people. • The prize is subject to availability, blackout dates (including key holidays) apply. • The prize must be booked by the end of 2021 and must be booked at least one week in advance. • The prize cannot be transferred and there is no cash alternative. • The prize excludes anything in addition to that stipulated and any extras must be paid for on departure by the prize winner and guests • Booking to be made by winner directly with the hotel only. • Prize winner must be 18+.

HOW TO ENTER

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

How many rooms and suites does the University Arms have in total? a) 92 b) 192 c) 202

independentschoolparent.com/win COMPETITION CLOSES: 18 JULY 2021 SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

The GOLDEN CIRCLE

“The elite end of tutoring without being stuffy” The Good Schools Guide

www.goldencircletutors.co.uk

Co-educational boarding and day 3–13 Years 64

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Cheam School, Headley, Newbury, Berkshire, RG19 8LD registrar@cheamschool.com | +44 (0)1635 268242 www.cheamschool.com | @cheamschool.com

DIARY DATES

CALENDAR

Socially-distanced events, exhibitions and activities to check out this summer

Full Bloom One of the few joys of lockdown life has been embracing nature, and Kew’s new immersive flora festival The Secret World of Plants is a wonderful way to celebrate the start of British summertime. Get up close to native plantscapes, indulge in some tree-listening and experience Temperate House’s magical biodata-driven musical score. kew.org

Field research

Whale of a time

Worcestershire 26 JUNE

York 2-3 JULY

Junior chemists, biologists and physicists, assemble! Science in the Park event returns to Malvern’s Priory Park for the fifth time with highlights set to include a palaeontologist sharing local fossil discoveries, the opportunity to launch compressed rockets with Imagineering and the STEM Response Team’s body puzzles. It’s a must for teens considering a science degree. innovatemalvern.com

Inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Schaffer’s much-loved picture book, this Tall Stories production of The Snail and The Whale is a heartwarming quest for audiences aged four and up. Join an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father as they reimagine the tiny gastropod’s incredible trip through live music, rich storytelling and lots of laughs. yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY: KEW GARDENS. WORDS: LAURA SUTHERLAND

London NOW - 19 SEPTEMBER

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

DIARY DATES

Invincible Vincent London NOW - 26 SEPTEMBER

Immersive, multisensory and ground-breaking, the internationally renowned Van Gogh Alive: The Experience has arrived in London for its residency at Kensington Gardens. Prepare to be dazzled by Starry Starry Night, soak up Sunflowers and refreshed by Almond Blossom’s beauty. A truly new way for young art buffs to experience iconic masterpieces. vangoghaliveuk.com

Let’s dance London NOW - 1 MAY 2022

If you have a budding Carlos Acosta or Darcey Bussell in your midst, you may want to take a trip to see On Point: Royal Academy at 100, an exhibition at the V&A celebrating the institute’s centenary. Taking a look at the talents of the likes of Dame Margot Fonteyn, it showcases costumes, designs and films from productions past. vam.ac.uk

Sunderland Active BIG Walk

Nocturnal species

Sunderland 11 JULY

Edinburgh 25-26 JUNE, 16 JULY, 6 - 7 AUGUST

This charity event encourages locals to embrace fitness while exploring the beauty of the region. Kicking off at Hetherington Park, there are three routes to choose from: a three-mile scavenger hunt of the city – which is ideal for younger family members, a seven-mile ramble, and an 11-mile route of ancient woodland and unspoilt countryside, which is more suited to sporty teens. sunderland.gov.uk

This summer, animal lovers will have even more opportunities to meet tigers, penguins, koala bears and giant pandas with Edinburgh Zoo After Hours family events. Enjoy the long, light nights with acoustic music, new digital trails and the opportunity to explore at your own pace. edinburghzoo.org.uk

Shakespeare squared Surrey 23-24 JULY

Part of Surrey estate Painshill Park’s Summer Series in the Walled Garden, this open-air double-bill of Macbeth and A Midsummer’s Night Dream by Four Forty Theatre condenses each play into 40-minute shows. A fun, high-energy take on two of Shakespeare’s classics, it’s a great way to bring the bard’s plays to life for GCSE and A-level students. painshill.co.uk

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Marty’s party London 20 AUGUST

“Whatever happens Marty, don’t go to 2020!” If only we’d known. Luckily, there are no such rules about 2021, as Doc Brown and Marty McFly have driven the Delorean straight into a musical adventure to the Adelphi Theatre. Adapted by the film’s writers Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, this will be a hit with audiences of all ages. backtothefuturemusical.com

DIARY DATES

True Colours London 27 JULY

PHOTOGRAPHY: SIMON HADLEY; SEAN EBSWORTH BARNES; CHRIS BETHELL; NICK BUTTERWORTH

Set atop a hill that provides dramatic city panoramas, Alexandra Palace’s Kaleidoscope Festival 2021 will boast an incredible livemusic line-up headlined by Groove Armada as well as mesmerising DJ sets, stand-up comedy, immersive theatre, family entertainment and delicious street food. Phew! alexandrapalace.com

Seal of approval

All the fun of the farm

Dundee NOW - 2 JANUARY 2022

Cheshire 19 JUNE - 5 SEPTEMBER

Get acquainted with V&A Dundee and its awe-inspiring architecture by following the new Selkie Trail – inspired by its mascot, created by textile designer, Donna Wilson – which leads families on a free fact-finding mission while exploring all the museum has to offer. vam.ac.uk/dundee

Youngsters can help Percy the Park Keeper (from Nick Butterworth’s excellent reads) find his lost breakfast ingredients by taking part in Tatton Park’s Treasure Hunt on the Farm in Cheshire. Gather gold coins and learn about food as they travel through the stable yard on their way to Percy’s cottage. tattonpark.org.uk

Screen-on-sea Cornwall 16 JULY - 5 SEPTEMBER

Yes, cinemas are great, but have you ever tried watching cult classics at an outdoor screening on the Cornish cliffs? Wavelength Media’s Drive-In Summer Series overlooks Watergate Bay Beach, but the view will be competing with Surf’s Up, Moana, Jurassic Park, The Goonies and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for you and your family. wavelengthmag.com

Hexham Book Festival Northumberland 2 - 11 JULY

Northumberland’s festival boasts a packed kids’ schedule of events, from Comedy Club 4 Kids and Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit screenings to Aardman model-making workshops and a reading from Danny Wallace, author of The Day the Screens Went Blank. While restrictions are adjusting places are limited, so book now. hexhambookfestival.co.uk

SUMMER 2021 | independentschoolparent.com

INTERVIEW

SCHOOL MEMORIES

SIR TIM SMIT

Highly regarded for his work on The Lost Gardens of Heligan, the Eden Project co-founder reflects on his early years at Vinehall School, East Sussex Your school in three words Magical, frightening, inspiring.

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

What did you want to be when you grew up? An explorer, but became an archaeologist instead. Your favourite teacher? Tom Gilbart, a Cornishman with skin like bronzed hide, a handlebar moustache, eyes that flashed and a voice that transported all of us children when he read Brigadier Gerard, King’s Solomon’s Mines and various Sherlock Holmes stories. He loved wildlife and history and turned all of us into natural historians. He taught us that leadership was as much about authority as creating a personality no one wanted to disappoint. He was tough and his influence lingers to this day, with my interests being polymathic and my refusal to see even a fracture line Young Tim spent plenty between culture of time in detention! and science. He was a Renaissance man. Also, when he was overseeing fishhook, a line and a slice us at dinner several nights a of white bread to mould into week, he would slowly peel an bait for the carp and tench. onion, and while surveying the The smell of the mud, crushed hall for reactions, eat it layer duckweed and the stench of by layer. Isn’t it funny what carp scales as they turned to memories stick with you? glue on my hands will live with me forever. Favourite place to hang out? Crawling under the Dyerballs Were you a teacher’s pet, or vegetable patch netting, and were you more likely to be then through the shrubs on found in the detention hall? my way to the pond with a Regrettably, the latter!

sciences and music. Strangely my career in archaeology, music and now natural history and environmentalism seems to have been foretold even though I never planned for any particular vocational path at all. One memory that will stay with you forever… Working to create the golf club and catching moles and selling the moleskins to Mr Taylor for tuck shop money. I can still remember the smell of the pinned-out skins… and now the residual guilt for killing moles that today I would protect. What advice what would you give your school-age self? Don’t spend any time listening to people who tell you dreams only come true for

HE WAS TOUGH AND HIS INFLUENCE LINGERS TO THIS DAY, with my interests

being polymathic and my refusal to see even A

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2021

Any awards? Yup, I twice won the 100 yards dash and I was in an unbeaten rugby team; as I recall for the first time in the school’s history. What were your favourite subjects, and did they hint at your future passions? History, geography,

other people. They can come true and some of the most wonderful people lose their confidence because people say hurtful things. My message is hang in there and make space to let magic happen. And embrace your imagination: it’s the greatest gift after the ability to give affection.

His favourite subjects reflect his diverse career

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK/JAX10289; BEN FOSTER

FRACTURE LINE BETWEEN CULTURE AND SCIENCE. HE WAS A RENAISSANCE MAN

EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS EXTRAORDINARY OUTCOMES EXTRAORDINARY OUTCOMES

Mia - Psychology

Michael - Economics

Mia - Psychology

Michael - Economics

Vincent - PPE

(Philosophy, Politics & Economics)

Vincent - PPE

(Philosophy, Politics & Economics)

Charmaine - Medicine Charmaine - Medicine

Achieving Academic Excellence A c h i e v i n g A c+44 a d(0)1694 e m i c731631 Excellence England’s Premier International School England’s Premier International School

enquiries@concordcollege.org.uk +44 (0)1694 731631 www.concordcollegeuk.com enquiries@concordcollege.org.uk www.concordcollegeuk.com

HANDCROSS PARK

BE TR EWE

HANDCROSS PARK A

B R I G H T O N

C O L L E G E

S C H O O L

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

Today at school...

I made a firework #TALESOFHXP

Day & Boarding • Girls and Boys aged 2 to 13 Bus Services from Sussex, Surrey and London Handcross, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6HF Day & Boarding • Girls and Boys aged 2 to 13 Bus Services from Sussex, Surrey and London