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F R E E | S E N I O R E D I T I O N | S P R I N G 2 0 1 9 | i n d e p e n d e n t s c h o o l p a re n t .co m

Bursaries & Scholarships FUNDING OPTIONS EXPLAINED

Sporting

Life

Honing your leadership skills

plus

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR How to clean up your online profiles

Performing Arts Music, drama & opera take centre stage

EXPERT ADVICE Top tips on GCSE revision PUPIL WELLBEING Wycombe Abbey on parenting teenagers

Independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 4-18. Set amid stunning countryside in Northern England

Barney. Be part of it.

For more information or to arrange a visit. Contact Jo Barkes on 01833 696030 or visit our website.

www.barnardcastleschool.org.uk Thinking about Sixth Form?

UNPRETENTIOUS

www.barneysf.org.uk

INSIDE

WELCOME

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT • SENIOR EDITION • SPRING 2019 The King’s School, Canterbury

7 12 14 16

In brief A roundup of the latest school news

School stats All the essential facts and figures

ISOTY 2018 How the judges came to their decision

Playing to the gallery A spotlight on the performing arts

Fit for purpose

Fact or fiction

Sport is about more than fitness How true to history is The Favourite?

Mindful matters We speak to a Wellness Prefect

The future’s bright

The write stuff

The social network

Expert advice on University applications Personal statement tips

Fettes College’s sophisticated student careers programme

wards season has just passed, with Gresham’s alumnae Olivia Colman celebrating Oscar success for her role in The Favourite. In fact, she credits the school for inspiring her career: go to page 7 for details. We launched our own inaugural awards campaign last summer, with the aim of celebrating the student experience in independent schools. This issue’s editorial is dedicated mainly to schools whose nominations were highly commended by our judging panel. Included with this issue, you’ll find an awards supplement, featuring the winners of each category. What’s clear from the nominations we received, is that the independent school sector is thriving: from King Edward’s School’s growing drama programme (page 18), to Benenden School rescuing the village shop (page 52). I’m also delighted to announce that nominations are open for Independent Schools of the Year 2019. Nominations close on 24 May and the winners will be announced in October. All schools have to do is visit independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk and enter online, using our form. Good luck to all entrants!

Social conduct

A family affair

The law of averages

Bursaries & scholarships

A helping hand

54 56 59 63 64 Tweet us @ISParent

Like us at @Independent SchoolParent

How schools can work with parents Encouraging kids to be their best self A case study special How Benenden saved the village shop

Going local The importance of outreach

A home from home Behind the scenes at Canford

Ask the experts Establishing a revision routine

School hero An inspiring Director of Performing Arts

In 10 pictures... The King’s School, Worcester

Ones to watch

Actively Algarve

Win a luxury mini-break

76 CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR

Make online profiles work for you

The all-star alumni Opt for a sporty break in Portugal Win a three-night stay at Eastbury Hotel

Calendar Diary dates for the weeks ahead

School memories The City of London’s Lord Mayor

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

Why Computing Matters Computers are all around us - phones, smart home appliances, oyster card readers, cars, the list goes on. Our children need to be creators and influencers of these systems, not just passive consumers. Like Math and Literacy, computational thinking is a critical skill for all future careers - from a musician to a CEO. Unfortunately, our core education system is still playing catch-up, creating a huge skill gap in the future career landscape. “Understanding technology, not simply using it” – is the greatest gift you can give your child today. ~Gobind Bansal, CEO Riva Learning “We are constantly learning, but it’s like being in a theme park!” - Ani, Riva camper “My biggest learning this week at camp – NEVER GIVE UP! – Reya, Riva camper “The passion with which you run this business is evident and I am thankful for people like you influencing the children of our community” – Shaila, Parent

At Riva Learning, we focus on developing computational thinking. Our courses are designed to encourage creativity, design thinking, critical reasoning and collaboration – while having fun. Come join us for some exciting camps this Easter.

CREATIVE CODING HOLIDAY CAMPS • Introduction to Coding using Python • Learn Computing by Building Video Games • Invent with Robotics

Apr 8 – Apr 12 Apr 15 – Apr 18 Ark Atwood Primary Academy London W9 2JY

Use code BOOKNOW for £50 off at www.rivalearning.com +44-75398-90926 learn@rivalearning.com

WHO’S WHO

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT 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

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

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.

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Maxine Briggs Editor Claudia Dudman Online Editor Jennifer Read-Dominguez Sub Editors Laura Sutherland, Natalie Keeler Editorial Assistant Annie Quinton

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 worldwide.

Creative Director Chloë Collyer Senior Designer Natalie Dourado PUBLISHING Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Publishing Director Paul Rayner Director of Media James Dobson Production www.allpointsmedia.co.uk Printed in England by William Gibbons Head of Circulation Daniel Webb 020 7349 3710 ADVERTISING Head of Market Julie Price Advertising Manager Harriet Cottrell Senior Sales Executives Andrew Mackenzie, Henry Barton

DR HELEN WRIGHT

is a former President of the GSA and Vice-Chair of ISC. Since 2014 she has worked in international education advising, recruiting and coaching senior leaders in schools across the world. She’s also the chair judge of our inaugural awards campaign.

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 ©The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2019. All rights reserved

SUE WOODROOFE has been a Headteacher for 12 years at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds. SIR ANTHONY SELDON is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham. He was 13th Master of Wellington College in Berkshire from 2006 to 2015. PETER YOUNG is an independent school governor and Chairman of the Business Marketing Awards.

DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent is for parents of children in Prep and Senior independent schools. The Independent School Parent magazine in Prep and Senior issues is published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent. com/register © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2019. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in The Guide to Independent Schools has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded.

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

ANDREW FLECK

is Principal of Sedbergh School, Cumbria, having been Headmaster since 2002. He relinquished that position in order to take up this 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. COVER: WYCOMBE ABBEY, BUCKS

AILEEN KANE is the Boarding Schools Association’s Director of Operations, which oversees all media, marketing, sponsorship, finance and HR facilities. Aileen is also a member of BSA’s senior leadership team. RACHEL KERR has worked with independent schools since 2000. She is currently Communications Manager at the Girls’ Schools Association. MARK STRETTON joined HMC as Communications Manager last year bringing with him more than 15 years’ experience and expertise in education sector communications. IAN MASON After working in local authority communications teams across London, Ian became the Head of Media and Communications for the Independent Schools Council in 2017. JULIAN THOMAS is Master of Wellington College and Chief Executive of the Wellington College Group of Academies and Schools.

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.

BEN VESSEY joined Canford in 2013 as Headmaster from Christ’s Hospital, where he was Senior Deputy Head. He is currently vice chair of the HMC Professional Development sub-committee.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

The Art of

Mauritius

Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa

The best choice of luxury hotels on the island

As the first hotel company in Mauritius, Beachcomber Hotels had the first pick of the most stunning locations and the best of the beaches when choosing to place its hotels. We are now fortunate to have a choice of eight individual and exceptional hotels dotted around the island.

Weâ€™ve got everything from indulgent luxury to superb all inclusive options. For families all of our resorts are family friendly offering a great range of free land and water sports, free childrenâ€™s clubs for 3 to 12 year olds, a choice of spacious family accommodation and family friendly dining options.

For the ultimate luxury stay at the best address in Mauritius, the Royal Palm Hotel. For golfers challenge yourself on the Paradis Golf Course. And for the perfect family holiday choose one of our luxury villas at Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa, Paradis Hotel & Golf Club or Trou Aux Biches Resort & Spa.

For the best Mauritius holidays call Beachcomber on 01483 445 632

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SCHOOL NEWS

IN BRIEF

STUDENT SUCCESSES • LANDMARK CELEBRATIONS • FUNDRAISING FEATS • NEW HEADTEACHERS

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANTHONY BEHAR/SIPA USA/PA IMAGES; ISTOCK

From Holkham to Hollywood, Olivia Colman has come a long way from her Gresham’s roots

Queen Colman Gresham’s, Norfolk

From revising on Holkham beach to an Oscar acceptance speech for her role in The Favourite, Norfolk’s leading lady Olivia Colman discovered her passion for acting at the co-educational school. She says of her time there: “Gresham’s, in many ways made me the person I am today. It was the

first place I ever acted. Crucially, it was the first place I wanted to act.” Olivia first trod the boards at Gresham’s having done little acting prior to her arrival there for Sixth Form. She said: “I was on stage, and I suddenly felt really at ease, and at home. Of course, at that age you keep it to yourself, you say, ‘I want to be a nurse or a teacher’.” Read Queen Anne’s Caversham on Queen Anne page 26.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SCHOOL NEWS

Connie and Madonna took first place

IN BRIEF

• CRACKING THE CODE Abingdon School, Oxford

Sixth former James Hogge, won The National Cypher Challenge’s £1,000 first prize. Sponsored by GCHQ, the national code-breaking competition is run by Southampton University.

• KEEPING MINDFUL The Wellbeing in Education Conference will be held at Westminster Academy on 21st March. Hosted by Sir Anthony Seldon, it’ll explore how both student and staff wellbeing can be improved. eventbrite.co.uk

Blazing saddles Fairfield Prep, Loughborough

Pupil Connie Mensley celebrated success at one of the UK’s biggest equestrian events, after beating off competition from leading young showjumpers from around the country. Connie and her pony Madonna, won the 128cm Mistletoe Mini Stakes at Olympia, the London International Horse Show. The youngest of 12 competitors in her category, she qualified after a fifth-place finish at the Horse of the Year Show last term.

Head Richard Marshall

• MAKING HISTORY The Royal School, Surrey

Moreton Hall

Pupils have elected a Head Girl Isabel Benson and a Head Boy Yuriy Kislyakov for the first time in the school’s history.

The new centre promotes mental wellbeing

Hot topics

Community card

It’s business time

Harrogate Ladies’ College

Ashville College, Harrogate

Moreton Hall, Shropshire

• JOIE DE VIVRE

The all-girls’ school has opened a new wellness centre to promote mental wellbeing for its students. The launch day included visitor speakers talking about sleep, exam anxiety and LGBTQIA+ issues, as well as the chance to join in with activities such as mindfulness yoga and sewing.

A total of 24 independent local businesses have signed up to Ashville’s loyalty-card initiative, offering discounts to parents, pupils, staff and alumni. This follows the school’s announcement that it’s now buying its books from local shop Imagined Things, instead of national chains.

Founder of Iceland Foods, Sir Malcolm Walker CBE will be guest speaker at the school’s Business Lunch for local and regional business leaders on 22nd March, organised in association with Investec Wealth and Investment. To book a ticket, email events@ moretonhall.com

According to The Times, French schools have been inspired by the British public-school curriculum to introduce more sport, music and art to make kids happier. This follows a 2017 poll which found France to be the world’s most pessimistic country.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

An Independent Co-Educational Day and Boarding College An Independent Co-Educational Day and Boarding College

To book a visit To book Please contact a visitor dld@dld.org 020 7935 8411 Please contact dld@dld.org or 020 7935 8411

Providing Outstanding Education for GCSE, A Level & BTEC Students 199 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7FX

Providing Outstanding Education for GCSE, A Level & BTEC Students

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7935 8411 Email: dld@dld.org

@DLDcollege DLDcollege dldcollege DLDcollege 199 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7FX

www.dldcollege.co.uk

SCHOOL NEWS

HEADS ON THE MOVE

The pupils have been rehearsing the production since September last year

It’s all change for these schools

Jo Duncan is the new Head of Wycombe, Abbey, Bucks.

Alastair Land is the new Headmaster of Harrow School from April.

Tyrone Howe takes up the reins at Shiplake College in Henley on Thames in the autumn.

Sue Bailie is the new Head of Queen Margaret’s York.

Mark Semmence is the Head of Repton School, Derbyshire from April.

A cut above the rest Millfield School, Somerset

Almost 60 pupils from across drama, dance and music departments joined together to present the school’s spring musical, Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, to an audience of family, friends and members of the local community at Millfield’s Meyer Theatre. The production, follows the titular Sweeney Todd as he reinvents himself as a murderous barber in modern-day London.

Students can enjoy a spot of snooker at the Sixth Form Centre

The Science Centre will put technology at the heart of learning

Sixth sense

And here’s the science bit...

Wetherby Senior School, London

Tonbridge School, Kent

The Marylebone-based school marked the official opening of its Sixth Form centre with a drinks reception. The celebratory event showcased Wetherby’s impressive A-Level offering and the significant investment that has been made in the new purpose-built facilities. Teachers spoke to guests about the opportunities available at the school.

The iconic Barton Science Centre opened in January. This spectacular, three-storey building was designed to put science and technology at the heart of the school and to foster curiosity and innovation around the subject. The centre will also have the wider benefit of enhancing the school’s community outreach programmes, like ‘Science for Schools’ days for local pupils.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SCHOOLS

SCHOOL STATS

Repton School, Derbyshire

The Independent Schools Council brings together seven associations of independent schools, their heads, governors and bursars. They represent: 1,326 schools in the UK

1,020 schools have sports partnerships with state schools There are 529,164 pupils educated in the independent sector

6.5% of UK school children are educated in the independent sector Within the ISC, 636 are Junior Schools and 244 are Senior Schools* Within the ISC 1,054 schools are co-educational

171,488 pupils receive financial assistance with paying school fees 130,683 pupils are from a minority ethnic background 33% of candidates at ISC schools gained 40 or more points in the International Baccalaureate diploma 91% of all pupils at ISC schools go on to Higher Education There are 58,573 full-time equivalent teachers employed at ISC schools. And what are the costs, on average?*

£103,062: Total senior day school fees from 11-18 £169,935: Total senior boarding school fees from 13-18

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

*JUNIOR SCHOOLS WHERE ALL PUPILS ARE IN YEAR EIGHT AND BELOW, AND SENIOR SCHOOLS WHERE PUPILS ARE IN YEAR SEVEN AND ABOVE. **ALL FACTS, FIGURES AND FEES ARE TAKEN FROM THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL CENSUS 2018. SCHOOL FEES ARE BASED ON AN AVERAGE TERM’S FEE OF £4,291 AT JUNIOR DAY SCHOOL, £8,243 PER TERM AT JUNIOR BOARDING SCHOOL + TWO YEARS SENIOR BOARDING FEES FOR YEARS SEVEN-EIGHT. SENIOR DAY SCHOOL AVERAGE TERM’S FEE £4,862, SENIOR BOARDING SCHOOL AVERAGE TERM’S FEE £11,001. SIXTH FORM BOARDING AVERAGE TERM’S FEE £11,821. SIXTH FORM DAY AVERAGE TERM’S FEE £5,022.

All the facts and figures at your fingertips

The Maserati of SUVs The Maserati of SUVs LEVANTE V6 2019 † † STARTING FROM LEVANTE V6 2019£500 A MONTH, 0% APR WITH 3 YEARS FREE SERVICING** STARTING FROM £500 A MONTH, 0% APR† WITH 3 YEARS FREE SERVICING** H.R. OWEN MASERATI LONDON MELTON COURT, 25-27 OLD BROMPTON ROAD H.R. OWEN MASERATI LONDON LONDON SW7 3TD 0333 240 1580 MELTON COURT, 25-27 OLD BROMPTON ROAD HROWEN.CO.UK/MASERATI LONDON SW7 3TD 0333 240 1580 HROWEN.CO.UK/MASERATI Fuel economy and CO22 results for the Maserati Levante MY19 range in mpg (l/100km) combined: 20.7 (13.6) to 30.0 Figures shown shown are are for for comparability comparability purposes; purposes; only only compare compare fuel fuel consumption consumption and and CO CO22 figures figures with with other other cars cars (9.4). *CO22 emissions: 282 - 207 g/km. Figures tested to to the same same technical technical procedures. These figures may not reflect reflect real life life driving driving results, which in willmpg depend(l/100km) upon aa number number of factors factors including including the accessories fitted Fuel economy and CO forfigures the may Maserati Levante MY19 range combined: 20.7 the (13.6) to 30.0 2 results tested the procedures. These not real results, which will depend upon of accessories fitted CO figures shown however, are (post-registration), variations and vehicle *There is new for and CO 2 (post-registration), variations in in weather, weather, driving styles and Figures vehicle load. load. *There is aacomparability new test test used usedpurposes; for fuel fuel consumption consumption and COconsumption figures. The Theand CO22CO figures shown however, are 2 figures. (9.4). *CO2 emissions: 282 -driving 207 styles g/km. shown are for only compare fuel with other cars 2 figures † †

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AWARDS

Dr Helen Wright, the chair of our inaugural Independent Schools of the ear a ards e plains ho she and the panel of udges reached their decision hen selecting the inners of each of the categories

t was an enormous pleasure and privilege to be the chair of the judging panel for this year’s Independent Schools of the Year awards! The panel brought together highly experienced leaders in the world of independent education, representing a number of the prominent organisations in the sector, and included judges who were also parents and governors. Between them, the judges possessed an arguably unrivalled combined wealth of wisdom and insight into how great schools operate, and they had a particularly hard task, as there were more than 200 entries from every corner of the UK; the winners were real stars in their field. The focus of these awards was resolutely on student experience, and this shines through in the stories you’ll read in this edition of Independent School Parent. As parents, you know that above all, you want your child to be happy at school, and the quality of the experience they have during their time at the school is crucial to this. For

Wellington College, Berkshire Below, pupils from KAA Academy

ABOVE ALL, you want your child to be happy at school, AND THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE DURING THEIR TIME AT THE SCHOOL IS CRUCIAL TO THIS children to become confident and self-assured, they need to feel fulfi lled and valued, and they need to have access to opportunities that match their interests and strengths, as well as to be supported in areas which aren’t perhaps their natural forte. This is what parents are – quite rightly – looking for in schools. Great schools – and you’ll read about many of them in the next few pages – really believe in children and in their ability to grow and develop, becoming the best of themselves, and as judges it was uplift ing to see and feel the energy and excitement in the sector. These schools are vibrant, exciting places, which are constantly developing, as they respond to the individual needs of their students.

There’s indeed a school for every child, and the pupils of today really are extremely fortunate to have such a wonderful breadth of choice. The process of sift ing and judging the awards was extremely thorough … and extremely difficult! So many of the entries were outstanding that it was in some cases very hard to choose a winner. The stories were captivating, and a real testament to the efforts of the teachers and school leaders who work so hard to provide for the children in their care. So – enjoy reading these stories of some of the Independent Schools of the Year and join us in celebrating these positive experiences in schools across the country.

To find out more about Independent Schools of the Year 2019, and how to nominate your school,

independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk 14

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Open Mornings in May and September Scholarships and bursaries available Tel. +44 (0)1923 845514 Merchant Taylorsâ€™ School, Sandy Lodge, Email. admissions@mtsn.org.uk Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT

Excellence, integrity and distinction since 1561

www.mtsn.org.uk Coaches: Hampstead, Highgate, St Johnâ€™s Wood & Ealing

Moor Park (Baker Street 35 minutes)

For boys 3 - 18

SENIOR SCHOOL

Playing to the

gallery

The performing arts aren’t just for budding thespians – they give students of all persuasions a well-rounded education

King Edward’s School, Bath

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

SENIOR SCHOOL

usic, opera, dance, theatre and musical theatre are all different types of performing arts in which the players, including comedians, actors, musicians, singers and dancers, use their bodies to convey artistic impression. They cover a range of disciplines, usually in front of a live audience and mainly in purpose-built buildings, which are known as performing arts centres in independent schools. All pupils are encouraged to take part and to take their place in the spotlight. There are roles too for those pupils who err on the shy side, yet can still shine behind the scenes in a variety of just as vital roles, such as lighting, costume, set design, props, stage management, directing, production and sound. SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR SCHOOL

KING EDWARD’S SCHOOL, BATH

The School that was awarded Independent School of the Year for Performing Arts has a vibrant and inclusive programme, which is at the heart of life at King Edward’s. The School’s music department provides around 50 performance opportunities every year, and each week over 450 instrumental and vocal lessons take place, alongside 28 different ensembles gathering to rehearse. Programme highlights include a partnership with Bath Philharmonia, where pupils perform alongside and learn from the orchestra’s professional musicians in a series of masterclasses, workshops and spectacular concert at the city’s Guildhall; the choral partnership with Bath Abbey, not to mention the popular Battle of the Bands competition. KES musicians recently recorded their own R&B album and perform live at many of the city’s year-round festivals. The drama programme is equally dynamic and ambitious. A LAMDA programme has quadrupled in size since launching a few years ago, students have written and produced their own musical, performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a new state-of-the art drama centre has just been opened.

The school has just opened a new drama centre, which will benefit A-Level students like these

EACH WEEK over 450 instrumental and vocal lessons take place, ALONGSIDE 28 DIFFERENT ENSEMBLES GATHERING TO REHEARSE

SCHOOL STATS HEADTEACHER:

Martin Boden FOUNDED:

1552

FACILITIES:

Wroughton Theatre and The Rose Drama Centre (with plans currently in development for a new multi-space music school). INSPIRING TEACHERS:

Amid a talented team of music and drama specialists, which includes a set designer, theatre technician, choral scholar and hugely experienced accompanists, acclaimed British composer, Mark David Boden is the School’s Resident Composer.

KES students have 50 performance opportunities a year across the arts

PERFORMING ARTS ALUMNI:

The school’s Christmas carol service takes place at Bath Abbey

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Bill Bailey (comedian and musician), Andrew Steggall (writer/director), Tom Payne (actor).

HIS FUTURE’S BRIGHTER AT BEDFORD

OPEN MORNING SATURDAY 27TH APRIL 2019

TO FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK YOUR FAMILY’S PLACE, PLEASE CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS TEAM ON 01234 362216 OR VISIT bedfordschool.org.uk

BOARDING & DAY FOR BOYS AGED 7-18 A-LEVEL & IB AT SIXTH FORM STUNNING 50-ACRE ESTATE AWARD-WINNING FACILITIES BEDFORD SCHOOL IS PART OF THE HARPUR TRUST

Student Julian Baring has starred in The Crown

RUGBY SCHOOL, WARWICKSHIRE

While the arts are being systematically removed from schools as a direct impact of the EBacc, Rugby is investing even more in its creative work, which culminates in a worldclass festival in June: The Festival on The Close – which is now in its third year. Off timetable for a week, the festival celebrates a year of creative work in all disciplines, and hundreds of local schools participate. Workshops are at the heart of the Festival on The Close and Rugby ran more than 100 workshops last year – from stand-up comedy to trebuchet design and build (and firing!). We bring in world-class visiting artists, academics and speakers who workshop, perform and speak to our students. The week is free of charge to local state school partners. And last year, the school’s historic Macready Theatre re-launched as Rugby town’s only professional touring venue, with Motionhouse, the renowned dance company, its resident dance group. With the festivals and the theatre the school can reach out to the whole community and beyond with world-class culture and creativity. A third of all of the theatre’s seats to every show are offered free to local state school groups.

WORKSHOPS ARE AT THE HEART OF The Festival on The Close and Rugby ran MORE THAN 100 WORKSHOPS LAST YEAR

SCHOOL STATS HEADTEACHER:

Peter Green

INSPIRING TEACHERS:

Kim Thompson, LAMDA teacher, was selected for a prestigious and competitive national monologue competition in December 2018, which celebrated some of the UK’s best actors in this field. MOTTO AND TRANSLATION:

Orando Laborando By work and prayer ALUMNI:

Motionhouse is Macready Theatre’s resident dance group

William Webb Ellis (1806–1872) inventor of rugby football, Rupert Brooke (1887 – 1915) poet, Neville Chamberlain (1869 – 1940) prime minister, Robert Hardy (1925 - 2017) actor, whose roles include Cornelius Fudge in Harry Potter, Anthony Horowitz OBE (1955) novelist and screenwriter including Sherlock Holmes, House of Silk, Foyle’s War and James Bond, Polly Stenham (1986) playwright and screenwriter.

ST MARY’S CALNE, WILTSHIRE

Girls at St Mary’s Calne excel in the performing arts and they have numerous opportunities to shine – whether that be acting in a school production or in a professional theatre, participating in the Fourth Form dance company or in a music concert. Or even behind the scenes. Spectacular productions have included Cabaret and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the last year, musicians have performed at David Bednall’s Requiem Concert at Merton College, Oxford, and in a special concert at the Royal Academy of Music, as well enjoying a music tour to Poland.

Recent St Mary’s Calne productions have included Cabaret

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

SHREWSBURY SCHOOL, SHROPSHIRE

The performing arts have long been a glistening gem within Shrewsbury School’s treasure chest with a long and proud tradition. Theatre and music are an exciting area of school life with a flourishing reputation. Highlights this year have included a spellbinding production of Under Milk Wood, a sell-out run of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, while the annual St Cecilia concerts included Rachmaninov’s second piano concerto performed by a junior pupil. Last summer the cast and crew of The Drowned Bride took their musical version of Rebecca to the Edinburgh stage, continuing an association with the Fringe that stretches back 25 years and includes a coveted Fringe First award. In October, the school’s musicians undertook an historic first concert tour to south-east Asia performing in a series of concerts to coincide with the opening of Shrewsbury School Hong Kong.

SCHOOL STATS HEADMASTER:

Leo Winkley

MOTTO AND TRANSLATION:

Intus Si Recte Ne Labora – if all is right within, trouble not INSPIRING TEACHERS:

Shrewsbury School’s relationship with the Edinburgh Fringe goes back 25 years so far

The school’s musicians took a concert tour to Asia for the first time

Thomas Bentley taught at the school for over 50 years. Noted for his enthusiasm for reading and fine voice, he introduced Penny Readings in 1867, which evolved into the Bentley Elocution competition. Past winners include Sir Michael Palin. Recently, a LetterWriting Competition for Third Form pupils has been established in memory of Michael Schützer-Weissmann, an inspirational former Head of English, who died in 2015. ALUMNI:

Charles Darwin; Sir Michael Palin; Lord Rees (Astronomer Royal). s

SCHOOL STATS HEADTEACHER:

Dr Felicia Kirk MOTTO:

Calne girls Can FACILITIES:

Delscey Burns Theatre; dance studio; music school with 16 practice rooms, Mac suite, recording studio, classrooms, listening library and recital room with grand piano. Chapel with organ. INSPIRING TEACHERS:

Rebecca Cavill (Director of Music), Bethan Dudley Fryar (Director of Vocal Studies), Holly Darling and Duncan Ellis (Directors of Drama). ALUMNAE:

Belinda StewartWilson (actress) Eva Rice (author and musician), Rosamund Strode (Benjamin Britten’s assistant for the last 12 years of his life), Laura Tomlinson MBE (team Gold & individual Bronze in Dressage at London’s 2012 Olympics).

The drama department is renowned for its high-level acting performances. It enjoys a unique relationship with RADA – the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art – including the St Mary’s RADA Advanced Communications Skills course, designed exclusively for St Mary’s (Year 12) and the first of its kind in the UK. The department’s annual repertoire is based in the school’s purpose-built Delscey Burns Theatre. Sixth Form scholar-led dramas and A-Level plays transfer regularly to the Edinburgh Fringe. The junior production involves the girls in Years Seven and Eight and the girls in Year Nine have taken productions to the Egg Theatre in Bath. St Mary’s enjoys a national reputation for the quality of its music department and has links with universities and professional bodies, as well as with leading boys’ and co-ed schools. Music is central to life at St Mary’s and the musical diary gives every possible opportunity for girls to hone their performance skills.

THE DRAMA DEPARTMENT is

renowned for its high-level acting performances. IT ENJOYS A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH RADA

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR SCHOOL Wellington College’s new performing arts centre can seat an audience of 900

WELLINGTON COLLEGE, BERKSHIRE

This year, the college confirmed its commitment to the arts with the opening of the G.W. Annenberg Performing Arts Centre, Wellington’s new 900-seater venue. Expectations were high when the design won the Best Building in Education award at the World Architectural Festival in 2015 – and the building did not disappoint. We have a diverse range of musical ensembles and groups: The songwriters, who are working their way towards a Nashville tour; the Wellingtones, the college’s acapella group; jazz ensembles; and a symphony orchestra are just a few. Last summer, two students released their own single, while another won the Portuguese International Violin competition. Drama and dance are equally strong. Numerous productions will go on over the course of a year in multiple venues, giving the cast and audiences a taster of lots of theatrical genres and styles. Budding directors gain experience through the Directors’ Shorts series. The school has a thriving dance department offering not only academic study, but also a wide array of co-curricular dance opportunities for all. Wellington students have gone on to study dance at The University of Surrey and Rambert Dance in recent years.

WTV gives students opportunities behind the camera

EXPECTATIONS WERE HIGH WHEN THE DESIGN won the Best Building in Education award at the World Architectural Festival IN 2015 – AND THE BUILDING DID NOT DISAPPOINT

Some of the school’s students have gone on to study dance degrees

SCHOOL STATS HEADTEACHER:

Julian Thomas MOTTO AND TRANSLATION:

Virtutis fortuna comes. Fortune favours the brave NUMBER OF PUPILS:

1,050

ALL ABOUT THE SCHOOL:

Wellington College was granted its Royal Charter in 1853 as the ‘Royal and Religious Foundation of The Wellington College’. The College was designed by John Shaw Jr (1803-1870) with Queen Victoria laying the foundation stone in 1856. FACILITIES:

The Christopher Lee Theatre, The Cultural Living Room, The Old Gym, Shabby Road recording studio, DukeBox (student radio) studio, Dance Studio. INSPIRING TEACHERS:

Simon Williamson MA, (FRCO Director of Arts); Natalia Luis-Bassa (Musical Director of the Wellington College Symphony Orchestra). ALUMNI:

Rory Bremner, Christopher Lee, Will Young.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

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COMMENT

HEADS UP

FIT FOR PURPOSE Leadership skills, commitment, healthy-eating habits and teamwork: school sports are about much more than fitness, writes ANTONIA BEARY to fame and fortune, sport offers an excellent lesson: while natural ability may be an advantage, it’s nothing without consistent effort – rain or shine. Understanding the concept of commitment to a match or practice is important. It doesn’t matter if you have a better offer – you have a responsibility to your team. In making sacrifices, so character is built. Captaining a team can lead on to more significant leadership roles. At a time when, increasingly, pressure is put on our children with an expectation they’ll always get things right, sport provides an arena where it’s almost impossible not to make mistakes. At the same time, having to conform to rules is no bad thing for a child, while fair play and respect for the umpire’s decision needs to be learned. There’s also no escaping the fact that the increasing availability of overly-processed foods, and less curriculum time devoted to sport is contributing to obesity in today’s youngsters. Not only does eating healthily help your performance, regular physical activity also means you can get away with spoiling yourself every now and then. There’s a reason why we ‘play’ sport – sport has to be about having fun. For some, that pleasure will come from being intensely competitive, for others simply in being part of something bigger than themselves and spending time with their friends, not so much in the pursuit of excellence, but to cement relationships and support networks, to let off steam and relax after a stressful day. The joy of sport is that there’s something for everyone. The 13-year-old girl who tried to arrange her music lessons in PE, found herself representing Cambridge in the Boat Race a few years later. Who says miracles don’t happen?

Whether it’s a team game like rugby, or a solo pursuit such as swimming, there’s lots of sports to choose from

T Antonia Beary is the Headmistress of Mayfield School, Sussex

eachers from my own schooldays might be rather sceptical at my writing about the benefits of sport, and rightly so, as any recollections of my youthful attempts to avoid crosscountry or the 1,500m would elicit, at best, amusement. However, even the most recalcitrant child can surprise themselves and everyone else. Sport teaches us all, not just our children, skills and helps discover abilities which can prove invaluable as life skills. Playing as a team requires not only working together, but thinking about other people and understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Good team players will be able to see themselves contributing to something bigger, as they have to look beyond their own individual goals to the shared, common good. Representing our school, county or country, requires stepping up to the mark and working towards an altruistic goal, espousing what may seem old-fashioned values, which are increasingly at odds with those of the self-centred society in which we seem to live. For teenagers to appreciate both that it’s not just ‘all about them’ but also that they have something valuable to contribute, promotes a balanced sense of self-esteem. Practice, as we know, makes perfect. In a world where there’s a disproportionate focus on individuals plucked out of obscurity allegedly

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

COMMENT

FACT OR FICTION?

Julia Harrington, Head of Queen Anne’s School, Caversham – which was built in memory of the monarch – looks at how true The Favourite stays to history Today it’s a thriving independent school for girls aged 11 to 18. We remember Queen Anne every two years at a service in Westminster Abbey; and have a portrait of her in the hall. Poor Queen Anne. She was devoted to her husband and shared a bedroom with him throughout their marriage. She miscarried or gave birth to stillborn children at least 12 times, and of her five live children, four died before reaching the age of two, and Prince William died at the age of 11. She suffered from gout which meant she had to be carried in a sedan. It’s possible that she also had Hughes syndrome, which causes blood platelets to stick together. Given the state of 17th century medicine, it’s a wonder that Anne managed to survive until she was 49. How cruel of Sarah Churchill to describe her as fat, lazy and stupid. Many of the

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

closest advisors, Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, and Abigail Hill, later Lady Masham. It’s true that Anne allowed herself to be heavily influenced by her ministers and her favourites; she was shy and felt herself to be uneducated. Insecure she may have been, but stupid she was not. My interest in her is based on the fact that she granted the Grey Coat Hospital Foundation a Royal Charter. The Grey Coat Hospital was a school, established in 1698 and funded by eight parishioners in the parish of St Margaret’s in Westminster. Their aim was to give an education to the poor of the parish so that they could be ‘loyal citizens, useful workers and solid Christians’. Queen Anne was particularly interested in helping widows and disadvantaged children. Nearly 200 years later the Foundation bought a site in Caversham, near Reading, to build a girls’ school. In memory of the monarch who gave the Foundation its Royal Charter, it was named Queen Anne’s School.

assumptions about Queen Anne come directly from Sarah Churchill’s autobiography which was published in 1742, nearly 30 years after the Queen’s death. Anne was therefore undefended, and we seem to have inherited Sarah’s bitter prejudices. Sarah Churchill, happily married and the mother of seven, was a spirited creature – a bully, even, who was frustrated by the limited opportunities available to her as a female politician, which is how she regarded herself. Their friendship broke down as a result of political differences, not because of sexual jealousy. It’s worth pointing out that Sarah not only fell from grace in Queen Anne’s reign but again in that of King George II whom she insulted at court. As for the 17 rabbits signifying Anne’s lost children, one of the film’s historical consultants admitted that they were a fictional extra. Often, the facts are more intriguing than any fiction can capture, so by all means, enjoy the film – but read the history books too.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX/ZUMA PRESS/PA IMAGES

ueen Anne’s reign was short but significant. Played by Olivia Colman in the Oscar and BAFTA-winning film The Favourite, she was the first sovereign of Great Britain, following the Act of Union in 1707. At a time when the country was divided over whether or not England should continue fighting in what became known as the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), the Act offered security by establishing Europe’s largest area of free trade. Keen to engage with the nation, both inside and outside court, Anne attended more cabinet meetings than any of her predecessors. Her time on the throne was also marked by the development of the two-party parliamentary system, a milestone in the development of British democracy. In 2019, one can ruefully observe that some issues just won’t go away. Yorgos Lanthimos, the director of The Favourite, admits that he paid little regard to historical accuracy. But for all the creative licence afforded by these retellings, Lanthimos overlooks the major political events of Anne’s career, instead preferring to concentrate on her allegedly sexual relationships with her

AS FOR THE 17 rabbits signifying Queen Anne’s lost children, ONE OF THE FILM’S HISTORICAL CONSULTANTS ADMITTED THAT THEY WERE A FICTIONAL EXTRA

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PUPIL VOICE

MINDFUL MATTERS MOLLIE WILSON, 17, is Harrogate Ladies’ College’s first Wellness Prefect. Her appointment follows the opening of the school’s new Wellness Centre What A-Levels are you studying? Art, maths and photography. I want to be a landscape architect after completing a degree at Leeds Beckett University. What made you the right candidate for the role? I’ve had struggles with anxiety for several years in the past, so I feel that by speaking about it I can hopefully empower and encourage others to come forward and seek the support they need. I’ve suffered terrible panic attacks: my worst one was in Year 10. I was so upset I couldn’t leave the house. I somehow pushed it to the side but the doctors still said: “There’s nothing wrong with you, you’re fine”. How has school helped you? It was a turning point for me when I joined the college. I was given proper help with my anxiety for the first time. It was a big move from GCSE to A-Level. I wasn’t doing very well in maths and I was finding it so hard to keep up and then I just broke down. I was in my study, my friends all around me. I was just in tears, you can’t describe what it is, it’s like you’re being squeezed. So I went to the health centre and they were able to calm me down. And then I started

The Wellness Centre benefits the local community as well as the college’s pupils

counselling and that was just amazing. What do you think of the new Wellness Centre? I’m proud of it and proud to say we have it, because people can go there or they can come and talk to me or go to the counsellor. So before, especially for me, I used to think: ‘I don’t know what to do, how am I supposed to do this?’. But now it’s there and even if you’re just a little bit worried there’s somebody there that you can go and talk to.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

How do you feel about being the college’s first ever

Wellness Prefect? I’m very proud of becoming the first Wellness Prefect. It’s making what I’ve been through something I’m proud of that I can say: ‘I’ve overcome this awful time in my life and I can cope with it and I can help other people’ and it makes others speak out more and they can go and seek help because they’re not afraid to. I feel I have turned a dark period in my life around and into something more positive and an experience I can use to help others. How has seeking help changed your life? I used to hate talking in front of lots of other people and I wasn’t very sociable before

joining the college. Since my counselling started, it just switched and I’ve loved it, I can talk in front of big groups now, I do a wellness task with people every Friday so they can try and understand some techniques they can use if they are struggling with anxiety. It’s things like reading a book, because that takes your mind off everything, or trying to stay off social media as much as possible which is a definite big one. It causes a lot of issues, not personally for me, but for a lot of people. Or meditate for at least five minutes a day: just relax, listen to the meditation app Headspace or some calming music and empty your mind. Tell us a bit more about the Wellness Centre It’s a dedicated space to focus on the mental and physical wellbeing of the pupils. Activities include mindfulness training, meditation, yoga, massage and reflexology, stress prevention and management and nutritional advice for all the girls. Anything else? The centre is also benefitting the wider Harrogate community, with baby yoga and NCT (National Childbirth Trust) groups and hosts meetings for The Lighthouse – a local support group for carers of people with mental health problems.

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FUTURE FOCUS

The future’s bright

Successful university applications require research, craftsmanship and a clear goal, explains RICHARD DAVIES, Head of Sixth Form at King Edward’s Witley King Edward’s Witley

hat’s your purpose or core belief? Those individuals and organisations that have had a transformative effect on society, such as Apple, Martin Luther King and the Wright brothers, haveXXX succeeded precisely because they’re able to answer these questions and this vision informs their decision-making. Consequently, when confronted with the daunting University Admissions process it seems appropriate to start by asking: ‘Why?’

Start with the ‘Why?’

With tuition fees and living expenses taking the cost of a degree well beyond £50,000, embarking on a three-year degree course represents a considerable investment, so it is important to explore the rationale. There’s currently a demographic dividend for applicants as the population of 18 year olds in the UK has decreased which, allied to the rise of unconditional offers, means they’re more likely to receive an offer than ever, but does that mean you should?

WITH MORE THAN 50,000 UCAS COURSES,

pupils are in danger of being paralysed by THE ‘PARADOX OF CHOICE’ WHICH IS SOMETHING WE CAN ALL RELATE TO As graduate employers are opening up their recruitment schemes to school leavers and using skills and qualities, rather than degree classification, to distinguish between candidates, alternative pathways, such as KPMG’s 360° Professional Apprenticeships, are becoming increasingly attractive. The starting point then is to reflect on the ‘Why?’ and explore whether university is actually the best place to develop the skills and qualities necessary to achieve this; if you work hard at what you enjoy, take care to present yourself enthusiastically and articulately, and take the time to think about what you want from life, you can still succeed outside Higher Education.

Intelligent re(search)

Just as with any good piece of academic

Pupils at King Edward’s subscribe to the Unifrog platform

writing, there are three key principles that will predicate successful university applications: extensive research, structure, and craftsmanship. With more than 50,000 UCAS courses, pupils are in danger of being paralysed  SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

XXXXX

leadership and communication, from your extracurricular activities and how these skills can be transferred to your degree course. There are a number of programmes with strong currency, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and National Citizenship Service, but whatever experience you use, remember the reflection is paramount. Invariably, the summer break is the only opportunity pupils have to complete an ambitious project like this, which again reiterates the importance of starting early and completing extensive research.

Bursaries and scholarships

Starting research early is key

by the ‘paradox of choice’, which is something we can all relate to, especially when walking down the cereal aisle of the supermarket. Fortunately, there are a number of technology platforms that are able to refine search parameters to reduce this to a more manageable number. Last year, King Edward’s subscribed to the Unifrog platform which has had a transformational effect on our pupils’ experience of the research phase of the application process. Pupils start, in January, by thinking about the course they want to study and use filters and rankings on the platform to create shortlists. Perhaps they prioritise teaching quality, student satisfaction, research, or the percentage of students in graduate-level jobs within six months. If they’re captivated by the dark clouds hanging over the economy and want easy access to policy makers and captains of industry, they

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

can filter universities in London, or maybe they’re interested in conducting scientific research far from the madding crowd and filter by campus universities. The platform also reconciles pupils’ predicted grades against the entry requirements for the universities on their shortlist and classifies them as ‘aspirational’, ‘solid’ or ‘safe’. This feature helps manage expectations. Inevitably, pupils may amend their courses and/or universities throughout the process as their insight develops, but by the end of the summer term they should have attended three university open days and be in a position to submit the first draft of their personal statement. We place considerable emphasis on academic craftsmanship at this stage, as pupils continually work and refine their statements with tutors, the Head of Careers and myself, in order to have a finished piece of writing ready to be reviewed and submitted by the autumn half term.

“We have a general misconception about scholarships; that they’re available only for the severely disadvantaged students or the most extreme high-flyers.” – Myles Jarine, founder of Grantfairy. Returning to the ‘Why?’, Myles Jardine reflects that it was only when he was in China, pondering what to do with his life, he realised the scale of financial support available to students. He since eschewed the £50,000 university debt in favour of founding the Grantfairy app, which now lists 120,000 individual bursaries and scholarships totalling just shy of £1bn, ranging from small (£300 choral scholarship at Exeter University) to lifechanging (the Bank of England offers a £30,000 scholarship together with two internships, for pupils from ‘black, mixed African or Caribbean backgrounds’, The Times, 2018).

UCAN!

The application process can be intimidating. However, by starting early and investing sufficient time in research, visiting potential universities and crafting a personal statement that reflects on anecdotal experiences to demonstrate their academic, professional and personal suitability to the course, pupils will reap the rewards.

Explore | Discover | Take Action

Beyond evidence of how academic studies have prepared you for your chosen course, you’ll need to demonstrate key skills and qualities from additional contexts. The first should be related to your chosen degree course and could consist of work experience, a Massive Open Online Course, Extended Project Qualification or additional reading, but the key here is to reflect on the learning, rather than just listing your relevant experiences. The other context which you’ll be able to draw on is the skills and qualities, such as

Richard Davies, Head of Sixth Form

FUTURE FOCUS

THE WRITE STUFF

How do you make a personal statement stand out from the crowd? Here are some top tips to help you write yours...

or most courses, the personal statement forms the core of the application process and enables you to differentiate yourself from other applicants. Effectively, you should be reflecting on how your academic and extracurricular experiences to date have helped you develop the skills and qualities to set off on the right trajectory as an undergraduate student in your chosen field. It is, therefore, critical to start the process early, and craft a well-structured piece of writing that uses specific anecdotal evidence to support these reflections. In the first instance, we suggest pupils identify key skills required for their course and try to map these to their own experiences which they reflect on using the ABC approach from UCAS: A - Activity: What did you do? B - Benefit: How did you benefit from it? C - Course: How does it relate to the course you are applying to?

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Introduction

The opening paragraph should be a high-level, punchy overview that provides compelling evidence of why you want to study your chosen course, as well as an insight into who you are. For the first part, what (specifically) is it about the course that interests you? Avoid cliches like ‘passion’ or ‘ever since I was seven…’ and instead chose a recent anecdote. You could draw on current affairs, work experience,

THE OPENING PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE

a high-level, punchy overview that provides compelling evidence OF WHY YOU WANT TO STUDY YOUR CHOSEN COURSE

commerce, or, alternatively, explain how the degree will help you achieve your longer-term goals, such as setting up your own company. As far as injecting personality is concerned, you could demonstrate creativity, by eschewing mainstream firms such as Apple, Tesla or Amazon, and instead reference an innovative start-up such as Gymshark.

distinguish you from other applicants and, for vocational subjects such as medicine, is paramount: what have you done outside lessons to gain additional insight? Reflections on work experience are fantastic, but not necessary (apart from medicine), as you could also reflect on independent reading, MOOCs or analyse a topic from current affairs.

Academic

Extracurricular and summary

Reflect here on your academic experience to date and make connections between your current studies and the course. For some subjects, such as business, you can demonstrate your existing understanding and analysis by summarising a piece of coursework, or a casestudy you’ve examined, which should contain subject-specific terminology. For others, such as law, you may not have formal experience, per se. However, you should be able to refer to relevant skills from other subjects, for instance summarising a history essay to demonstrate research and analysis.

Enrichment

The second academic section is what will

Less is more for this final section, which should comprise approximately 20 per cent of the overall statement. Rather than listing every sport and activity you’ve ever participated in, be concise and choose two or three in which you’re most able to demonstrate the skills required for your chosen course. Widely understood programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the National Citizenship Service require no introduction so, instead, you can reflect on the key skills and qualities you learned from the experience. We encourage pupils to finish with a sentence that summarises how these skills, together with their subject knowledge, will stand them in good stead to succeed as an undergraduate. SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

FUTURE FOCUS

THE SOCIAL NETWORK CAROLINE DAVIES, Head of HE & Careers at Fettes College – the winner of our Independent School of the Year for Student Careers Programme – explains the school’s real-world approach to career development

he Fettes Career Partnership programme began six years ago with the vision to support students in pursuit of their careers. We began by consulting and listening to advice from Old Fettesians and parents across the globe. Their resounding feedback was that the Fettes community should connect and support each other at every age and stage of their career journey, which is what we now aim to do. Learning how to network, strike up conversation and quickly build rapport are important life skills. Being interested and interesting will help you make an impact and glean advice and support on your path ahead. Connections are powerful, and young people should make the most of their interactions, be that with alumni, friends, friends of their parents, academics, topic speakers, sports coaches, visiting artists, actors or musicians. These contacts offer honest, real-world advice and can become a supportive, lifelong network. It’s never too early to develop self-awareness and build your profi le. Seek help from friends, teachers, tutors and family on the art of selfreflection. Learn who you are and where your skills and interests have come from, be that on the sports pitch, backstage, through pupil leadership, by creative writing or with critical thinking. Your combination is unique. Be aware of interactions – the spoken word and the digital footprint. Make good your mark and you’ll be able to promote yourself and articulate who you are. Fettes College brings careers to life with a forward-thinking approach to prepare our young people for their #fettesnextsteps. The Fettes Career Partnership Programme brings together our current students and the global network of Old Fettesians, current and past parents. Utilising the expertise of this engaged, diverse group, we provide real world experience in an ever-changing career market. The simple aim is to provide genuine career insight and support to form a powerful, accessible career and life-skills knowledgebase. External Expertise is integrated into our robust careers curriculum by hosting informal networking events to ‘lift the lid’ on blended career skill areas such as creativity,

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

LEARNING HOW TO NETWORK, STRIKE UP CONVERSATION AND

quickly build rapport are important life skills. Being interested and interesting WILL HELP YOU MAKE AN IMPACT problem-solving, people & leadership. Our career insight and skill workshops and career journey speakers, along with lunches with five and 10-year leavers highlight next steps and build connections. There are also business networking sessions in local offices; topicfocused, career-themed lessons and working lunches; a Higher Education-focused Careers Day; a mock assessment centre and access to supportive young OFs willing to share their experiences of university. Our Careers Prefects support the running of the pupil programme. We believe that involving parents is vitally important to encourage shared and supportive career exploration, work shadowing and experience. All Lower Sixth (Year 12) parents attend Careers Day with their child to collaboratively consider the dynamic career journey ahead. Many parents are also involved in our Meet the Experts room, giving them the opportunity to share their own advice. Continuing support extends for life beyond Fettes, with valuable links throughout their time in HE

and beyond. We offer our alumni professional networking events in a variety of worldwide locations and bespoke support. Our Drinks & Careers events are very popular and LinkedIn now presents Fettes connections through the corporate search functionality. Our life-long partnership with pupils, alumni and parents combined with a robust career curriculum sets up our real-world career approach for the 21st century. We asked some of our parents and Old Fettesians to provide their thoughts: “There’s a good chance that many of the job opportunities open to university graduates in five to 10 years’ time don’t even exist yet. With that in mind, don’t prepare with the end goal in mind; start to accumulate skills and experiences that can be applied to whatever career path you end up taking.” “These days employers are trying to understand your underlying personality and drive, think through what sort of person you want to be in your future career and proactively work to develop in those areas.”

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COMMENT

SOCIAL CONDUCT How do you make your online profile stand out to prospective employers? PAUL REDMOND gives his advice on making social media work for you Develop an online account that promotes your talents

Dr Paul Redmond is Director of Student Experience and Enhancement at the University of Liverpool

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want to see on a newspaper A simple rule, but true all the same.

Choose your platform

LinkedIn is still an employers’ platform of choice. Develop a high-quality LinkedIn profile that’s professional and up to date. And choose your profile photo carefully.

Curate your online ‘brand’

Put time aside to assemble your own online profile: what does your online ‘brand’ say about you? What changes do you need to make, what content do you need to lose or add?

Grammar matters Come on!

Promote yourself!

Make sure you’re using it to showcase everything about you that’s brilliant – skills, experiences, qualities and previous work.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

n the early 1990s there was a popular TV show called Cheers. Set in a downtown Boston bar the plot centred on a group of locals who came together to socialise. As the show progressed we got to know the characters and their personalities. Its theme tune encapsulated the idea of the programme: Where everybody knows your name – a song about how we’re all seeking that one place where we feel at home; a place where we’re known for who we are. Which is why Cheers wouldn’t work today. In 2019 you don’t need to hang out in a bar for everybody to know your name. All you need is a digital device and a social media account. Fame and infamy can be yours for just 140 characters. The average Briton now has 500 social media ‘friends.’ As our social media networks expand and we’re known by more people in more places than ever before, meaning that for the first time in human history each of us has the potential to become what our ancestors would have considered to be famous. But as every ex-soap star knows, fame comes with a price. That price is anonymity. Like paradise, once lost, anonymity can never be reinstated. Having everyone know everything about you – likes, dislikes, holiday choices, indiscretions – may be fine in a social context; but when it comes to other parts of life – for example, getting a job etc. – social media needs to be approached with levels of caution usually reserved for when encountering dangerous animals.

When hiring new staff, 70 per cent of employers check candidates out on social media first. A third even employ specialist staff to trawl applicants’ profiles. They use it to verify everything, from academic qualifications to employment history. More than half of employers admit to having rejected applicants due to inappropriate social media. It’s not difficult to appreciate why employers have taken to social media like a Kardashian to a photo opportunity. Online, people have a habit of being relentlessly candid, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Developing an effective social media profile which showcases your talents, skills, values and experiences can boost your chances of getting hired. Below are five tips to help you turn social media into your own PR agency.

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WELLBEING

A FAMILY AFFAIR Wycombe Abbey’s Parenting the Teenager workshops with advice on resilience and stress reduction have proved a resounding hit, says Headmistress RHIANNON WILKINSON

rowing up in the 21st century is complicated. Raising teenagers in a world of social media, smart phones and increasing concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of young people is equally difficult. As teachers and pastoral professionals we acknowledge how difficult it can be; we invest in inset days and training and share literature to help develop our expertise. Our schools work hard to ensure that our wellbeing and PSHE provision as well as assemblies, awareness weeks and pastoral provision help to teach our pupils the important lessons that they’ll need to flourish. But what about the parents of our pupils? They too face these challenges and the barrage of information from the media about the difficulties facing teenagers. On the one hand we live in a world where there’s more information than ever for parents about the development of their teenage children; bookshops now stock large numbers of parenting books and people turn to the internet for the answers to any questions that they have, but the reality is that this wealth of information often serves to complicate the picture, and in the busy life of the modern parent it can be difficult to discern between the competing voices that call for their attention. At Wycombe Abbey, we’re eager to help provide parents with information which will assist them in their approach to some of these difficult aspects of raising the modern teenager and to also provide advice and guidance which they can trust. Our Parenting the Teenager workshop programme has proven to be a popular and successful way to achieve this. Regular lectures and talks by expert speakers and members of our teaching staff have given opportunities for our parents to consider the latest research on topics such as screen time, teenage risk taking, developing resilience and how to study successfully while reducing stress. These issues are at the heart of much that we do in modern pastoral care, and are big issues for our parents also. These issues pose challenges which can be new to parents who grew up in a different time and as part of a different generation, and although they’ll have developed their own

Wycombe Abbey invests in the wellbeing of its teenage students

SCHOOLS CAN PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN providing information and engaging parents with different approaches, AS WELL AS SUPPORTING THEM THROUGH THEIR YEARS OF RAISING TEENAGERS understanding and strategies to help their children, schools can play a very important role in providing information and engaging parents with different approaches, as well as supporting them through their years of raising teenagers. Scheduling these talks for days when parents will be arriving at school to collect their daughters enables parents to attend easily and to engage with the programme. Publishing videos of the talks on our parent portal has been a successful way in allowing parents who cannot attend to engage with the talks and also to share the information with their daughters in their own time. Thus far the balance of external speakers and members of staff from within the School has been a hallmark of the programme’s success. Speakers such as Aric Sigman and Jackie Cox provide a different kind of expertise to those

of our teaching staff, but engaging teaching staff in the lecture series has been an excellent way to share our vision of pastoral care with parents and to give teachers the opportunity to conduct further research into modern pastoral issues and develop their own understanding which, of course, benefits our school. The work that they do in preparing these workshops has allowed them to deliver additional inset to staff and to further our internal wellbeing and PSHE provision for pupils. Teachers, pupils and parents are all connected by the prevailing social and pastoral issues that exist in our society. Schools have always worked hard to deliver great pastoral information to young people and have invested heavily in training their staff to do so, by helping parents to “parent the teenager” we hope that we can take the next step on our journey to allow all of our pupils to flourish in the modern world. SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

Helping individuals flourish, develop great relationships & achieve personal success. Educating 2½ - 18 years.

Please contact us for more information 01884 252543 | t.frankpitt@blundells.org 01884 252393 | prep@blundells.org

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PSHE

THE LAW OF AVERAGES Even if your child doesn’t show a distinct talent, there’s no excuse for not encouraging them to be the best they can be, learns CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS Foot off the pedal

Instead, we could start to take things easy, give the family – and pets – a break and just smell the roses. Have a duvet day. Have a few. That was my approach. Unfortunately, says Matthew Adshead, Headmaster of Old Vicarage School in Derby, it was wrong. There’s no excuse to allow children to sink into marshmallowy mediocrity, he says.

Let them thrive

Failure is inevitable and children need plenty of opportunities to equip themselves with some of the sterling qualities that they’ll need if they’re to make something of themselves. “Kids who sit around all day long, not doing stuff because mum and dad want to spoil them, that’s useless parenting,” he says. “Get up at 8am on a weekend and get them out to clubs.”

he school and parenting websites make it sound so easy. “We aim to find the spark that enthuses every student to become the best they can be,” says one. “Every child has a hidden talent just waiting to be realised…” enthuses another. The message is unmissable. Not only is every child gifted in one way or another, but it’s the job of a good school to excavate that gift, no matter how deeply buried. Not everyone is convinced. “It sounds like a marketing tool,” says one parent. “Other schools may have thought your child was a bit of a div, but we will find that special talent.” Teachers, too, are cautious. “It’s not for us to ‘discover’ a spark in all pupils; it’s our job to ignite in them a spark so that they’re curious and interested,” says Caroline Spencer, Head of Francis Holland Junior School.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Talented vs. mediocrity

The problem, says Dave Watkin, Assistant Head at Culford School, is that it’s all too easy to end up with a very blinkered view of what talent actually is. “I think schools, in trying to provide points of distinction, are providing a yardstick against which we measure a child,”

“HOW OFTEN DO WE CELEBRATE THEIR MOMENTS OF kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness? THOSE QUALITIES COULD MAKE THEM MULTIMILLIONAIRES” he says. “Too often we pigeonhole a child, while also limiting what we define as talent.” As somebody whose own school reports were so reliably average that you could have set your IQ by them (and my teachers probably did), this talent-scouting message has come as a surprise, particularly as my children followed in the family tradition, such average-sized chips off the old block that, until my partner objected, I planned to name the first two Mean and Mode. The joy of having demonstrably average children surely meant that you could pretty much take your foot off the aspirations accelerator. You could wave an ecstatic farewell to all those activities, like the so-called “fun” extra maths and English homework; the riding (when you’ve seen one pony attempting to roll with your child still in the saddle you’ve seen them all) and the music lessons (we’re still wondering if it was the cat who left the damp patch in the violin case after a particularly distressing D major scale).

The school labours diligently on behalf of its pupils. One child who didn’t quite gel with sports is on the way to becoming a medalwinning rower. Shy children find themselves speaking in assembly. But teachers are not looking for buried talent. Instead, they’re encouraging pupils to be the best they can.

Getting them ahead in life

For starters, says Dave Watkin, children may excel in ways that don’t appear in league tables but may get them just as far in life. “How often do we celebrate their moments of kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness? Those qualities could make them multimilllionaires – as well as someone I’d want at a dinner party. If we’re going to prepare kids properly, we need to give them the tools to deal with whatever life throws at them.” It’s too late for Mean and Mode, who are now out in the big wide world. I’d do it differently if I had my time again. Well, I’d have hidden that violin case, at the very least. SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

Opportunities abound at Uppingham As a full boarding school we believe the complete immersion in education gives our pupils the richest and most profound experience of school.

To learn more about Uppingham School please visit www.uppingham.co.uk or contact Admissions on 01572 820611

Reg Charity No. 1147280

The value of an all-round education, in which each individual and their talents come first, is fundamental to the Uppingham experience.

Stoneygate School Caring | Creative | Curious | Committed

STONEYGATE SCHOOL

An independent co-educational day school that offers high quality education from age 4-16 years. ‘The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils display excellent attitudes to their learning; they develop confidence and self-assurance.’ Ofsted 2017 To book a personal tour of our school or to request a copy of our prospectus please contact Julia Whittle on 0116 259 2282. 6 London Road | Great Glen Leicestershire LE8 9DJ

@stoneygateschl

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

@stoneygateschool

www.stoneygateschool.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

ADVANCING SCIENCE Tonbridge School unveils a world-class environment for innovative learning

onbridge School’s Barton Science Centre opened in January 2019, with the boys being able to make use of its state-of-the-art facilities from the start of the Lent Term. Named after distinguished British organic chemist Sir Derek Barton, a former pupil of the school, and a Nobel Prize winner 50 years ago, the spectacular, three-storey building places science and technology at the very heart of school life. One of the most ambitious developments to happen at the school since its first science building was constructed in 1887, the Barton Science Centre blends new classrooms, laboratories and the latest technology. Designed to stimulate interest and curiosity about all the sciences – physics, chemistry and biology – the centre includes an interactive periodic table, a TV wall, its own beehive, a roof garden, a greenhouse and a library.

An environment for innovative learning The school is also running an exciting programme of science activities, showcasing the new building’s potential. Events include an international conference, an art show and an annual schools’ competition for Years Nine and 10. Designed to foster even greater curiosity about science, the centre will also have a wider public benefit. It will enable the school to enhance its outreach programmes, such as the Science for Schools days

ONE OF THE MOST AMBITIOUS DEVELOPMENTS TO HAPPEN at the school

since 1887, the Barton Science Centre blends new CLASSROOMS, LABORATORIES AND

THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY for local pupils, host public lectures, and become a hub for the community. The Science for Schools programme runs on Wednesday afternoons: many primary school children come to the Tonbridge labs, where they grow crystals, carry out mini-experiments, learn about maggots and generally have fun with science. Tonbridge boys also put on demonstrations for pupils and talk about their studies. The school’s head of science, Bill Burnett, described the Barton Science Centre as “striking, innovative and simply fun to be a part of”.

He added: “It’s a world-class environment for innovative teaching and learning. “Some classrooms, for instance, have a very flexible layout with chairs and desks, and so the teacher might sometimes be in the centre of the room, to encourage discussions. Other rooms are set up for independent study and experiments. Even the stairs and walls are adorned with scientific symbols and names, and they too are part of the learning experience.” The official opening took place on 23rd March, when visiting families were able to hear a talk by astronauts.

Mission Discovery lands at Tonbridge Between 18-22 March, Tonbridge hosted Mission Discovery, an exhilarating week-long course led by two NASA astronauts, Dr Michael Foale CBE and Dr Steve Swanson, alongside rocket scientists and postgraduate students. Dr Foale was the first British-born NASA astronaut, while Dr Swanson is a former ISS commander. Teams of pupils from a range of different schools designed experiments, with the winning entry being tested at, the International Space Station.

tonbridge-school.co.uk

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

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The Kingâ€™s School, Canterbury

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

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BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS SPECIAL Putting your child through independent school can be eyewateringly expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Mark Taylor, Bursar and Clerk to the Governors at The King’s School, Canterbury, looks at the options available to parents to make fees more affordable

arents considering an independent school education for their son or daughter will understandably need to think carefully about affordability. There has been much in the press about exorbitant fees and other expense-related stories. All independent schools charge fees, but they vary widely depending on the type of school and boarding requirements. Extras can add considerably to the bill (perhaps another 10 per cent), depending largely on which activities your child chooses to take part in – for example, music tuition or school trips. Allowance should be made for expenses relating to books, entries for public examinations, stationery and uniforms. As a rough guide to current fee levels, the average overall termly fee is £5,744 (excluding nursery fees). The average boarding fee is £11,228 and the average day fee is £4,854 (ISC Census 2018). The average overall fee is up by 3.4 per cent, which equals the lowest annual fee rise since 1994.

Making the fees more affordable

Scholarships

Many Senior Schools and a few Preparatory Schools offer

Having embarked upon a private education, many parents experience difficulties in funding school fees continuously

from taxed income. There are a number of schemes available that are designed to help parents in this situation with payment of school fees. The purpose of these plans is to improve cash flow and hence make school fees more affordable. In essence, this involves spreading an element of the school fees over a longer period of time. For example, a parent may be able to comfortably afford 70 per cent of the school fees from income; however, the additional amount may prove to be a strain on finances. In this instance, it may be possible to take out an equity draw-down plan to spread the school fees for the balance of 30 per cent over say a 10-, 15- or 20-year period. Early investment of capital can avoid the need to use income for providing for school fees in later years, or at worst go a significant way towards reducing reliance on income. The need for tax efficiency and flexibility of approach can be tailored to individual requirements. Regular saving for school fees should ideally be started as soon as possible. The longer that you save, the less the impact there’ll be on income when school fees fall due – or, better still, consider some sort of life assurance policy. Income or capital sums derived from such policies are normally tax-free.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

FOCUS

CASE STUDY: 1

HOW TO PREPARE

SABINE RICHARDS Head of Admissions at Gordonstoun, Moray, talks you through the scholarship application process at Sixth Form

ndependent schools offer scholarships to recognise those with talents they want to nurture within their student community. Scholarships are often linked closely to bursaries and enable schools like Gordonstoun to widen access to those who may otherwise not be able to attend the school and whose presence will greatly enhance the diversity and vibrancy of the school community. If you’re thinking of applying for a scholarship, it’s important to know at which age they are offered. Most schools have scholarship assessments at their entry year and for Sixth Form, and some may hold them in other years too. Schools will generally have a number of scholarship categories, ranging from academics, to specialisations, such as music, computing or art. It’s worth finding out as much as you can about how the selection is

managed, as all schools will do this slightly differently and the more your child knows about the process the more at ease they’ll feel going through the scholarship selection. Finally, as well as preparation for examinations, don’t forget that all schools will interview. As well as being able to show an understanding of current affairs, applicants should think about their personal goals and interests. It’s also a very good idea to encourage your child to do their own research so they can show an understanding of that school – especially if it’s ethos driven like Gordonstoun – as this will help them speak more confidently at interview. At Gordonstoun we award scholarships for Year Nine entry (13 years) and for Year 12 (16 years). We like to have the candidates with us for two days, and alongside interviews and academic testing, we challenge them in a range of team and

Jordi wanted to try studying in a different environment

Gordonstoun is an ethos-driven school

WE THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASSESS every candidate from different perspectives so THAT WE CAN SPOT THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL leadership activities to observe how they interact with students, staff and each other. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know them and vice versa. We think it’s important to assess every candidate from different perspectives so we can spot

their true potential. We get a lot of feedback that, regardless of the outcome, the candidates feel they’ve grown from the experience and even enjoyed it. It’s amazing what you can learn from an evening of traditional Scottish dancing!

Jordi Brown, 17, is a Year 13 Academic Scholar at Gordonstoun. Below he explains what inspired him to apply and study away from his home in the Channel Islands I hadn’t considered boarding at Sixth Form but applied for a scholarship out of curiosity, as well as a desire to study in an environment that I wouldn’t be able to replicate at home. I decided to apply for an Open Academic scholarship, as well as a Billy Butlin scholarship established to allow Channel Islands students, such as myself, to attend Gordonstoun. I filled out a form on the website outlining a bit about myself, including my commitment to my studies, interests and passions. I also asked my thenHeadmaster to complete a reference for me. Finally, I attached a covering letter and sent off my application to Gordonstoun. I was then invited to a Sixth Form Scholarship Weekend in November. All the candidates stayed in one of the boarding houses and we were also each assigned a Year 12 student host, who looked after us for the weekend. A weekend-long application process certainly helps you to calm your nerves and focus. In addition to verbal reasoning, maths, and English tests, there were more informal assessments, including team-building exercises. I had two interviews – one with the Headmaster and one with the Principal. I thought it’d be the most daunting part of the process, but they both really put me at ease. s

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

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COMPETITION IS STRONG BUT, AS LONG AS THE PUPIL MAKES SATISFACTORY PROGRESS, a

scholarship is normally held for the duration OF HIS OR HER

TIME AT THE SCHOOL Bursaries

Increasingly, a growing number of both boarding and day schools have bursaries, which are grants from the school to help parents struggling to pay or afford the fees. These are generally awarded after a means test of family income and aren’t dependent on examination performance, although some account will be taken of academic ability. Bursaries may be awarded in addition to a scholarship where financial need is demonstrated and the child would otherwise be unable to enter the school. To obtain a bursary, parents will usually be asked by the school’s bursar to fill in an application form, giving details of their financial circumstances, supported by documentary evidence and including capital assets. The application is likely to be considered by a combination of governors, the headteacher and the bursar. The award will usually remain in force only until the pupil has sat the next relevant public examination – an award made before GCSE won’t necessarily continue into A-Level. Most schools review bursaries annually to ensure that the justification for an award remains. Bursaries are rarer at Prep Schools, though a surprisingly large number of Prep Schools do offer awards. It’s interesting to note that fee assistance increased by just over 7.2 per cent, this year and now eight per cent of pupils at Independent School Council schools (ISC) are in receipt of means-tested bursaries. Of those, nearly 50 per cent had more than half their fees remitted by the school. SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

scholarships to attract bright or talented pupils. A scholarship is awarded for academic promise or on the basis of special ability in music, art or some other specialism or all-round merit; some schools give awards for drama, sport, and design and technology. They’re usually awarded, after a competitive examination and interview, and normally take no account of financial need. Academic scholarships are the most common, followed by scholarships for music, art, design and technology, and sport. Talented children are invited to compete in open scholarship examinations. The schools hold these exams in the September to December and January to April terms of the year before admission. Scholarships will usually be awarded at ages 11, 13 and 16, with pupils already at the school having the opportunity to sit for awards at ages 13 and 16. Scholarships at the age of 16 for candidates already at the school are frequently awarded on the basis of GCSE results, with awards for new students being made as a result of an interview and report from the previous school, usually with the requirement to achieve certain grades at GCSE. Competition is strong but, as long as the pupil makes satisfactory progress, a scholarship is normally held for the duration of his or her time at the school. Past papers are available from many schools, which will give an idea of the standards demanded. Take advice from the Head of your child’s present school about the chances of success. Scholarships vary in value – they might be worth as little as 10 per cent. You should find out from the school what scholarships are offered, and what each is worth so you’re not disappointed if you can’t afford the remainder of the fees when your child wins one of the smaller awards.

FOCUS

CASE STUDY: 2

HOW I DID IT

Upper Eighth student JULIUS ZHANG, 17, is a St Paul’s School, London bursary recipient. Here, he talks about the application process he undertook when his family’s circumstances changed Julius enjoys programming , modelling and developing quantative models

Where did you study before securing a St Paul’s bursary? Unusually, I applied for my bursary after I’d already spent one term at St Paul’s, just before the Christmas break in late 2017. How long did the application take? It normally takes place during the admissions application process, but pupils are allowed to apply for bursaries should their financial situations change. I applied for my bursary just weeks before I was about to finish my first term at St Paul’s. The response came back quickly in December, about one week before the Christmas break. How much did you know about the bursaries on offer and what did you have to do to apply? I learned about the bursaries on offer at St Paul’s from the school website so I contacted the bursar’s office, who advised me of the bursary application

process. The process was straightforward, and involved me submitting supporting documents to prove the changed state of my family’s financial situation.

Did you have the bursary provision for the entirety of your school life? The bursary provision is re-assessed each St Paul’s keeps all bursary year, in case correspondence private your financial circumstances change. Did you apply for a bursary at another school or just to St Paul’s? I was on a scholarship covering half of the tuition fees at my previous

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

school, but only sought the bursary to St Paul’s later when my family’s financial circumstances changed. Which members of staff know that you had a bursary? Did your peers and friends know that you have one? I’m a boarder at St Paul’s. There’s one boarding house, School House, which can house up to 35 pupils. The rest of the pupils are day pupils and the majority of us are 16+. The boarding master and a few teachers know that I have a bursary. The boarding master helped me with my application. It’s up to me to tell my friends if I want them to know, but not many of my peers are aware I have one as I don’t feel it’s relevant.

Is that your decision? The school keeps email correspondence regarding bursaries private. The boarding master kindly helped me during the application process. I also talked about it with my tutor, as I additionally applied for funding from university. My best subject is mathematics, and I enjoy programming and modelling which complements maths. In my spare time, I work on developing quantitative models that attempt to explain economic phenomena. Where to next? I’ve been made a conditional offer to study mathematics at Trinity College, University of Cambridge and after my degree, I’d like to be a research mathematician or found a start-up specialising in data analysis with machine learning. I’m also very interested in art and I enjoy painting and drawing portraits, particularly using charcoal and oils. What qualities do you have to have to consider applying for a bursary? All bursaries are based on financial need, so only financial documents were submitted during my bursary application. However, all recipients must have first successfully completed the school’s academic entrance criteria before they can apply for a bursary.

FOCUS

FULFILLING POTENTIAL The Bursary Foundation is working with primary school pupils in Manchester to help secure independent school bursaries, says founder Jenny Hopkinson

*NAMES ANONYMISED

’ll never forget teaching Caitlin. Her innate capacity for learning and genuinely insightful questions would at times amaze me. She had a command of language and an attitude that were well beyond her years. Musically, she was truly gifted. I was frankly slightly surprised at just how talented she was. I was surprised because my classroom was in a portacabin on a disused carpark on the wrong side of East Manchester, an area of high unemployment, poor housing and low aspiration. But there was Caitlin, full to the brim with energy, intelligence and potential. At parents’ evening, I chatted through the idea of Caitlin applying for a place at Withington Girls’ School, assuming that her family would be aware of the fantastic value that could be added by attending a school like that, which, as a former pupil myself, I understood first hand. With that much raw talent, given the right opportunity and exposure, she could do brilliantly well. It soon became apparent that Caitlin’s family weren’t familiar with the school, or indeed Manchester’s other independent schools. Nor were they aware of bursaries that could cover 100 per cent of the fees. Again, I was surprised, and I asked myself why. The answer was straightforward: nobody had told Caitlin’s family about independent school bursaries, so why should they know about them? I took Caitlin and her family along to the school’s open day and from that one hour alone they were able to understand what a great opportunity it was. With some coaching and a little guidance, she sat her exams and was offered a full bursary at the school. I set out on a mission to help more children like Caitlin, and in doing so it struck me that every primary school Headteacher I spoke with knew, without prompting, who were the brightest pupils in each class. They were eager to find ways to stretch and nurture their brightest few. In the north west we’re particularly poor at meeting the needs of our disadvantaged high-achieving pupils and 30 per cent of Manchester schools are performing below the Government’s floor standard. That’s compared to say 0 per cent in Kensington and Chelsea or five per cent in Trafford.

The Bursary Foundation aims to connect the most able pupils with the best opportunities

The Headteachers I work with are frustrated by the postcode lottery that still dictates how well their pupils will achieve and it’s the same families, year after year who not only miss out on bursaries, but also have no choice but to send their children to failing schools. These families despair at the soaring cost of private tutoring that’s now out of the reach of most, never mind the most disadvantaged. The Bursary Foundation is now a registered charity and our pilot project launched in autumn 2018 with 20 pupils across five inner-city Manchester primary schools. Together with Oxford University Press, which has kindly provided our participants with a free subscription to Bond Online, we help prepare pupils for entrance exams at our partner schools, The Manchester Grammar School and Withington Girls’ School. We demystify the world of private education and help families apply for bursaries. Our mission is to connect the most able pupils with the best opportunities and we can only achieve this through increased bursary provision and committed outreach work. If the modus operandi of private schools is to seek out and nurture the very best of our nation’s talent with their wealth of expertise and resources, then we’ll have genuinely diverse institutions that drive social mobility. But this isn’t about schools, this is about children like Caitlin. Children who really could change the world. thebursaryfoundation.com

THE BURSARY FOUNDATION IS NOW A REGISTERED CHARITY AND OUR

pilot project launched in autumn 2018

WITH 20 PUPILS ACROSS INNER-CITY MANCHESTER SCHOOLS

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

COMMUNITY LIVING

A HELPING HAND Benenden School is delighted to have helped re-open the village shop, a vital community asset, writes Headmistress SAMANTHA PRICE The village shop serves the community and provides teachers with accommodation

B Samantha Price is Headmistress of Benenden School, Kent

enenden’s – the village shop and café located on The Street in the village of Benenden – opened in January 2016, after the school bought the building, which had been on the market for many years. The entire enterprise was conceived more than two years earlier, when residents feared that this vital neighbourhood institution might be lost. A small group of locals realised that Benenden School’s need for extra staff accommodation complemented their desire for the shop to continue. They joined forces in an arrangement, which saw the school acquire and renovate the premises. Benenden Community Shop Limited was formed, raising funds through share issues, grants and donations, enabling the shop to be fitted out and stocked. The ground level has been refurbished and leased back to the community and now houses the village shop, as well as a post office and café. The space above the shop provides accommodation for school staff. The shop and café is run by volunteers and professional paid managers. Girls from the school also help by volunteering. We’re proud to have been able to support the village in this way, which has proved to be a great way of bringing together the community. We’re delighted that Benenden girls are working with us, which helps their professional development, as well as helping the shop! Paul Tolhurst, chair of the Benenden Community Shop Committee, said: “Everyone in the village is grateful to the school.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

“The shop is delighted to continue to work with them to support the development of their girls by involving them in some of the many aspects of running this small business.” He also said: “As we enter our third year of trading, revenues have increased and the enterprise has taken root in the village. We have more than 40 people giving their time free as volunteers to work in the shop and café; without their continued support and that of the girls from the school, maintaining a thriving rural general store would be an almostimpossible task.” The shop stocks a full range of locally sourced groceries and household goods, fruit and vegetables, freshly made sandwiches and cakes and a range of beers and wines. The café offers tea, coffee, cakes and light snacks. In November 2016, the shop was officially opened by HRH The Countess of Wessex. Over tea and cake, she heard about the enthusiasm and hard work which has made the project happen from a group of longstanding residents. Martin Pexton, who’s the Finance Director of the Benenden Community Shop Committee, escorted the Countess into the shop and introduced her to the managers – Melanie Harris, Susan Butchers, Viv Sheppard, Lorraine Charsley and Penny Roberts. The five managers are supported by more than 40 regular volunteers, some of whom were on hand to join in the celebration, including Adeira Ariez and Natasha Wyke, who represented the girls from Benenden School. Members of the Sixth Form are thoroughly enjoying volunteering in Benenden’s shop in the village; in fact, interest is so high that there is now a waiting list to be a volunteer. Girls are working in pairs at the shop in three-hour shifts every Sunday, learning skills, including manning the tills, serving coffee and dealing with customers.

OPEN MORNING SATURDAY 11 MAY • Set amongst 35 acres • Excellent record of academic success • Award-winning Sixth Form building • Brand new, state-of-the-art music centre • Extensive co-curricular programme • Outstanding pastoral care • Valued community spirit

An extensive transport network, including a London service

Full and weekly boarding options available

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

OUTREACH

GOING LOCAL

KIERON HEATH, Assistant Head of Co-curricular at Nottingham High explains the breadth of the partnership and outreach programmes the school is involved in

ver the last academic year, partnership work with local schools and outreach with community centres has been stronger than ever, remaining one of the defining aspects of our school. Through our significant Partnership and Outreach programme we look to provide fantastic educational opportunities, both for students from our school and those around us. Last year, more than 1,500 pupils from more than 70 different local schools have benefitted from our programme of events. In the last year alone we welcomed local schoolchildren into our science labs to solve a murder mystery for our Chemistry Forensics Day, encouraged pupils to explore the science behind the magical world of Hogwarts in our Harry Potter Biology Day, and stretched their

Nottingham High’s Community Action Group has taken the lead on a number of local and national issues

minds in our Junior Physics Challenge. On the sports fields, we’ve hosted a wide and varied range of festivals from netball to cross-country, and in the classrooms we provided a maths competition, a tremendous First World War Centenary Day event, and so much more. Our big-band musicians have toured primary schools, our art department has welcomed pupils for ceramics workshops and, in hosting events such as author visits and university application evenings, we’ve looked to welcome as many students from the wider community into our school as possible. Our own staff and students have very much engaged with all of these opportunities, with the feedback being overwhelmingly positive in terms of the benefits gained by all.

Another excellent example of local school partnership work is our support for a nearby academy in setting up their own Combined Cadet Force, with students and staff from both schools working together and continuing to benefit from a fully collaborative approach. In terms of wider community outreach, our Community Action Group – all of whom undertake their own independent community volunteering work – has taken the lead within school on a number of local and national issues. Students and staff have forged strong links with Nottingham NSPCC, mobilising the wider School in collections of Christmas presents and Easter eggs, and producing artwork to decorate the charity’s centre. We’ve also worked to coordinate collections for local

LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 1,500 PUPILS FROM more than 70 different local schools have BENEFITTED FROM OUR PROGRAMME OF EVENTS foodbanks, and host an annual Christmas party for the elderly community living near the school. Through our strong links with local primary schools, Community Action also hosts a variety of events, helping Senior School students gain valuable planning, leadership, communication and teamwork skills while delivering tremendous opportunities for younger pupils from disadvantaged areas of our city. The group even organises, supervises and funds a residential visit to rural Derbyshire for Year Five pupils from two inner-city primary schools. Nottingham High School is one of the most recognised and highly regarded institutions within the city, and has been awarded the Nottinghamshire Lord Lieutenant’s Award for Promoting Voluntary Service. Volunteer time recorded by Senior students through the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme alone exceeded 2,500 hours, while many more volunteer hours are put in through other opportunities students take up in and outside of school.

“Campbell College has been inspiring individuals for generations; each generation guiding the next.”

Inspiring Generations

Jake, Prep 6, with his Great Uncle Mervyn – both Campbellians Inspiring individuals for 125 years, Campbell welcomes boys from ages 3–18. Situated in a stunning 100 acre woodland campus on the edge of Belfast, the College is only five minutes from the airport and a short one hour flight from London. Offering a quality UK education in a traditional and safe environment, Campbell is home to boarders from all over the world. With fees from only £4,915 per term, it is often referred to by parents as a ‘hidden gem’.

www.campbellcollege.co.uk #InspiringGenerations

COEDUCATIONAL FROM 2020 Top 3% of schools for value added at A Level Strong academic results • Nurturing family ethos HMC DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL FOR BOYS AGED 11 TO 18 Near Reading • 01491 683522 • registrar@oratory.co.uk • oratory.co.uk

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR

Pupils make use of the onsite nine-hole golf course

BEHIND THE SCENES

A HOME FROM HOME NICOLA HUNTER, Deputy Head of Pastoral at Canford School, Dorset – our Boarding School of the Year – talks about its weekend programme and student support

anford is run as a full-boarding school. There’s no weekly boarding and local day pupils can take advantage of all the activities on offer during the evenings and at weekends. Mindful that families will want some flexibility, the school offers boarders the chance to go home for a number of Saturday nights each year if they wish. However, with a full and varied programme organised by dedicated staff, all of whom live onsite, it’s perhaps not a surprise that at least 70 per cent of boarders stay in school on any given Sunday!

Beach excursions

Some of the activities offered are open to pupils across all year groups which helps promote a great sense of community within and across the 10 houses. These might be a Sunday afternoon trip to the stunning beaches at Studland and Poole just five miles away, bowling at Tower Park leisure complex, dry slope skiing in Ringwood, or a trip to a water park. The school’s own facilities are also put to good use at weekends, with the swimming pool and

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

gym, the nine-hole golf course, squash and Real Tennis courts and fishing on the Stour all free to use. A pizza chef is a popular regular visitor, and there are bake offs, art workshops and escape games on offer run by Canford staff. Staff are well aware that different activities suit different ages, and some of what’s on offer is tailored with this in mind. Shells might have a games night, their own dinner and disco or make use of the Nineveh café, which offers snacks and drinks – recently it was loaded nachos while playing board games! Fourths and Fift hs might enjoy laser quest or cinema screening in the Layard Theatre, and Sixth Formers a separate dinner dance. On most Saturdays, Sixth Formers enjoy a dinner in the Sixth Form centre.

Keeping busy is key

The Shell weekend programme ensures that those joining the school in their first year are kept busy every weekend

SENIOR

Canford staff even run climbing sessions

On the weekends, students often visit a local water park

There are regular pizza-making workshops

to help avoid any feelings of homesickness. As pupils move into the senior years, some prefer to choose how they spend their free time, perhaps catching up on revision on a Sunday as external exams loom, or going to the gym or for a run in the grounds. A sign-up system operates for the older years to choose which activities they’re interested in to allow them to be more flexible with their free time.

In summer, Canford makes full use of the gardens

SCHOOL STATS NAME

Canford School LOCATION

Wimborne, Dorset AGE RANGE

Co-ed, 13-18 NO. OF PUPILS

655

Competitions and quizzes

Weekends are also a time for houses to come together as their own communities. The pizza and film evenings are popular, and on Sundays, the house leaders run competitions and quizzes, including house table tennis and pool leagues as well as five-a-side football. In the summer, boarders make great use of house gardens for barbecues.

HEADMASTER

Ben Vessey MOTTO

Nisi Dominus Frustra

A supportive community

Canford prides itself upon its warm, supportive boarding community, large enough to offer a wealth of

opportunity, but small enough for everyone to be known and valued. Each house team is led by the housemaster or housemistress and includes tutors, matrons and domestic staff. Formal and informal support is readily available when a child needs it, seven days a week. We like to think that it’d be hard for a pupil not to have someone he or she finds it easy to talk to.

Feeling at home

The school’s pastoral communications triangle of parent, Canford, child, is at the heart of our approach to boarding, encouraging everyone to work together to provide the best possible boarding school experience. Families are encouraged to get involved as much as they wish, and many come to support their child in events each week such as sports matches, music concerts and drama productions. Houses also hold individual At Homes, where parents can socialise with other families. If the weather’s kind, houses make use of the gardens and grounds for barbecues and picnics, helping to ensure that, as one boarder put it, “I love boarding – it’s like one big family.” SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

Bromsgrove School Worcester Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 7DU

Leaders in Education Advice Head Teacher: Mr Peter Clague BA, MBA Admissions: Ms Rachel Scannell admissions@bromsgrove-school.co.uk 01527 579679 boys and girls, 7-18 years 1,467, boys 812, girls 655 TYPE: Day, Weekly, Full Boarding FEES: Prep: Day from £3,880 - £5,035, Weekly Boarding from £5,895 - £7,130, Full Boarding from £8,080 - £9,965 per term Senior: Day £5,550, Weekly Boarding £8,240, Full Boarding £12,430 per term TYPICAL CLASS SIZE: Prep – 20, Senior – 16, Sixth Form – 2-12 FAITH: Anglican MOTTO: Deo Regi Vicino (God, King and Neighbour) ENTRANCE PROCEDURE: Entrance Test and Interview GENDER/AGES: TOTAL PUPILS:

School Philosophy: Bromsgrove’s scope is staggering: from A level to the

International Baccalaureate, day to boarding, the arts to sport, pupils can soar. Utterly dedicated to the individual pupil, despite its size, Bromsgrove shuns public school drones and instead looks to produce creative citizens with a strong moral compass and a dash of pizzazz to boot. The Good Schools Guide says; “The pupils we met were delightful and genuine. They were articulate and thoughtful and all quite different from each other, which was refreshing. The situation of the school is an asset – it is in a good central England location, easy to reach from all corners of the country”, while the Tatler’s Good School Guide called us a “Great school with a fantastically global perspective”. Friendly, engaging and – despite its ranking - not driven by league tables, Bromsgrove is a local, national and international centre of learning.

Academic Record: Bromsgrove achieves outstanding results at both A level and IB Diploma. Over 98% of Sixth Form leavers continue to world class universities with the majority going to the Russell Group of Research universities. Extra-curricular: The Extra-curricular life of the School is hugely important with activities sessions every afternoon and on Saturday mornings. Pupils are encouraged to reach their highest possible level at sport, music, drama, debating, CCF and in numerous other areas. Notable Achievements and Alumni: Lord Digby Jones of Birmingham, A E Housman, Poet. Lucilla Wright England Hockey team Olympics and Commonwealth games. Olivia Safe Opera singer. Andy Goode England Rugby. Ben Foden England Rugby.

Open Mornings: Individual visits welcome, please contact Admissions www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

School and University Search Guardianship Tutoring Assessment www.gabbitas.com info@gabbitas.com +44 (0) 207 734 0161

ADVICE

ASK THE EXPERTS

How do you establish a good revision routine for your GCSEs? We ask our headteachers for their advice

University College School, Hampstead

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

HURSTPIERPOINT COLLEGE

Independent day school for boys aged 11 - 18 in North West London. For information about open days as well as concerts, exhibitions and events, and full School Admissions details visit

www.johnlyon.org

HARROW

ON THE

HILL

Rickmansworth 10mins, Moor Park 10mins, London Marylebone 12mins,Chorleywood 16mins, Baker Street 18mins, Uxbridge 19mins, Watford 20mins, Chalfont & Latimer 21mins, Amersham 24mins. PICCADILLY

SOUTH HARROW

Park Royal 10mins, North Ealing 12mins, Ealing Common 14mins, Acton Town 17mins, Hammersmith 24mins.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

He has excelled because of the attention the teachers gave him. He did outstandingly well at GCSE because he was so happy – it’s like a family there. A John Lyon parent

ADVICE

UCS, Hampstead

Mark Beard, University College School, Hampstead HIIT (high intensity interval training) is hugely popular among gym-goers and revision should be approached in a similar manner. Learning must be active and focused! Pupils must challenge themselves with demanding revision tasks which help them to understand concepts thoroughly. I recommend pupils keep a 9 ’til 5 schedule, leaving the evenings free. Dividing the day up into short sessions interspersed with regular breaks is important. The final session should be unplanned – this allows pupils to return to things that they’ve found difficult or haven’t covered during the timetabled sessions. Working for two intense, half-hour bursts divided by a five-minute break has a greater impact than slogging away for an hour. Pupils must rest their brains in these breaks. And, like gym-goers, it’s vital pupils don’t overdo it: regular exercise, a balanced diet, eight or nine hours sleep nightly and keeping hydrated all helps.

James Robinson, Head of Middle School, Oakham, Rutland Take time to really plan out each week between now and the exams. List all of the topics you need to learn and pace yourself. Aim for a positive momentum that builds through the term, leaving you in a manageable position for the Easter holidays. You can achieve an awful lot in a 15-minute revision session – by adding this time into your day now, it reduces your workload as you get closer to the exams. Nearly two hours of additional revision time each week will certainly make a difference to your results. You can create a revision resource in this time (a flashcard or a mind map), learn some vocab, or use a quizlet like Kahoot to test yourself on some key terms. Vitally, you need to put your wellbeing first and look after yourself during what can be a stressful time.

you can add these extra sessions in. Understanding your learning style and whether you’re a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learner will make revision much easier. Once you know the method of learning that suits you best, simply tailor each study session by choosing more effective revision techniques that’ll make remembering information much easier. Taking regular study breaks is so important. Studying for long periods of time can be counterproductive as the brain becomes tired and you easily lose focus, meaning you’re not actually revising effectively. In addition to this, do as many practice Remove digital distractions (leave your phone papers as you can. They’ll help you become in the kitchen for break times), eat and sleep familiar with the exam format, question style well, and plan fun and fitness breaks. and time restraints, so you’ll know what to expect. Sarah Kerr-Dineen, OUR EXPERTS

Oundle School, Peterborough

Many pupils feel that they have to make a full set of beautiful revision notes covering the whole of each syllabus before they start to revise, but their lesson notes are good enough. Effective revision is focused on the areas that you don’t yet know. The best way to establish this is to mark up a topic list for each subject, prioritising the topics you need to revise most. Effective revision will involve revisting topics more than once, so the sooner you start the better. Little and often can work well, even establishing the mini habit of using five spare minutes to test yourself with flash cards can be powerful. Effective revision must always include some kind of testing. You’ll learn most effectively if you time yourself and take breaks, keeping yourself fresh. Oh, and remember to hang on your teachers’ every word!

Sally Harding, Acting Head, Rydal Penrhos Building a revision timetable will add structure to your studying and allows you to organise your time in the way that best suits you and your schedule. As you’ll be mapping out study slots for each topic, if you identify a subject that you want to spend more time on,

Rosalynd Kamaryc, Queen’s Gate School, London

Mark Beard

UCS, HAMPSTEAD

James Robinson

OAKHAM SCHOOL

Sarah Kerr-Dineen OUNDLE SCHOOL

Sally Harding

RYDAL PENRHOS

Rosalynd Kamaryc

QUEEN’S GATE SCHOOL

The earlier revision starts the better; it should be a long-distance run, rather than a mad dash in the weeks leading up to examinations. GCSE written papers start in mid-May, so revision should be well underway, but if not, there’s no time like the present to get going! Little-and-often is more effective than long periods of study. Pupils should spend time every day on revision; 10 minutes of French vocabulary, 10 minutes of equations and so on, soon add up and build sound foundations and confidence, enabling effective recall in exam conditions. During the school week, pupils should aim to spend at least some time each day reviewing notes, making flashcards, attempting past papers, with longer periods at the weekends. In the half-term and Easter holidays, it’s important to see the day as three parts – morning, afternoon and evening – and use two of these for revision, while ensuring that the third brings time for relaxation and some fun. Revising is like training for a race – you need to do the training, but you also need to have enough energy to give of your best on the day. Work hard, aim high and success will follow.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

CO U RT ESY • CO M PAS S IO N • C R EATIVITY • CO URAGE

CRAN S

RÉ GE NT

MO N TANA

COLLEGE

Switzerland

I N D E P E N D E N T CO - E D U C AT I O N A L

B O A R D I N G & D AY S C H O O L for students A G E D 4 - 1 8

Le Régent College is a British international boarding and day school in the Swiss Alps town of Crans-Montana. It is governed by four school principles: COURTESY, COMPASSION, CREATIVITY and COURAGE. It promotes critical thinking and creativity while providing the competencies necessary for lifelong learning and holistic development.

✓ IB World school ✓ UK syllabus leading to (I)GCSE and IBDP ✓ Bilingual Infant School (French & English) for pupils aged 4 - 7 ✓ EAL and FLE programmes ✓ Focus on Art, Sports and Outdoor Activities ✓ A brand new purpose-built campus ✓ Experienced staff ✓ Small class sizes ✓ An awe-inspiring setting at 1500 meters ✓ Scholarship programmes

Rue du Zier 4, CH-3963 Crans-Montana, Switzerland - Tel: +41 (0)27 4803201 www.leregentcollege.com - info@leregentcollege.com www.facebook.com/leregentcollege

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

SENIOR

SCHO OL HERO

MELANIE DONALDSON The Director of Performing Arts puts Felsted School, Essex in the spotlight

Igniting a passion

’d never experienced live theatre – my family were more involved in music – until an inspirational teacher began taking my class on theatre trips to see works by avant-garde drama companies. They were inspiring productions and I was completely transfixed. So when I reached the Sixth Form and the head of year was pressing me to complete my UCAS form, I applied to read theatre and literature. While studying for my degree, I also volunteered for charity and outreach projects, many of which involved engaging teenagers in the performing arts.

An inspired afternoon

One summer I ran a project in a park near London for teenagers who signed up in the morning and in the afternoon we presented an improvised play while people watched and ate their picnics. That’s when I realised that most young people have the capacity to be ambitious, creative and energetic – it’s about discovering what really inspires them. Through the performing arts we can really do this. In fact, I believe the performing arts can be totally transformative. After my degree, I quickly enrolled for a PGCE and have worked in schools of all kinds,

Melanie found her own passion for the stage while at school

with all sorts of pupils. Watching their characters develop through their engagement with the performing arts is incredibly rewarding and this potential for personal growth is something that’s well recognised at Felsted. It’s a very forward-thinking school, with a commitment to educating the whole person.

A progressive education

Felsted School is committed to offering a strong performing arts education

The performing arts are highly regarded by everyone in the school community – pupils, parents, teachers – and has a reputation that was established well before I joined three years ago. A recent trip to the

school archive unearthed some fantastic production photos of pupils a hundred or more years ago, earnestly performing Hamlet. This tradition of drama continues as strongly as ever, while in some other schools the arts are being squeezed in the pursuit of exam results, sadly without a thought for the wider benefits of confidence, self-expression, teamwork and sheer enjoyment. Our students are athletes, musicians, writers, chemists… Performing arts key into their aspirations, whatever they may be. Some of my past students now work in the creative industries, but just as many work in medicine, for example. Empathy and communication, two essential life traits, are developed through the performing arts are essential.

At the same time, many young people discover a fulfilling interest that adds richness to life. We have a historic theatre, rehearsal spaces and, most importantly, plenty of opportunities for pupils to be involved in the performing arts. It’s about finding a role for each pupil, whether that’s on stage, or behind it as a technician, or as a writer or a director. To this end, our productions often put the pupils’ own passions in the spotlight. There’s always a diverse range of creative work going on in school – at the moment, Year 12 students are working on an examination piece inspired by Vietnam, Year 11 are devising pieces of theatre from scratch, and Year 12 students are directing Years Nine and 10, who have chosen to put on a cabaretstyle production with pop-up productions within it, which is a great challenge for the crew as well as the actors. Beauty and the Beast is our next big school production – we could sell out musicals night after night, but we alternate every year between a musical and a play, so that the pupils who don’t enjoy singing have a chance at acting.

The results are there for the audience to see

Get this right and you can really see the impact on the pupil – and everyone around him or her. When I’ve seen a show so many times myself, I enjoy watching the audience watching it. Everybody thinks their child’s special, but parents are astounded when they objectively see the dedication and skills of their own children and recognise how far they’ve come.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR

IN 10 PICTURES…

The King’s School he school pro ides a st century education in the heart of historic orcester

The Michael Baker Boathouse is the school’s award-winning imagining of a contemporary boathouse. Its striking, modern design, echoing the shape of a boat, has transformed the Riverside Walk and maximises the views across the gardens towards the cathedral

The Michael Baker Boathouse fulfils two main functions: a modern, large base for the School’s Boat Club and a space for school functions

Surrounded by the tangible heritage of Worcester’s medieval historic core, its cantilevered prow points out towards the River Severn and adjacent school sports pitches

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

The Keyes building, opened in 2015, is the result of the school’s 20-year vision and has opened up views of Worcester Cathedral, which had previously been obscured by buildings and trees. The low energy building uses solar panels and super insulation to make it more efficient

SENIOR

The Keyes Building incorporates a sports hall and fitness suite, a three-storey indoor climbing wall, two dance and drama studios, an outdoor sculpture gallery and a Sixth Form centre with meeting and seminar rooms

There can be few, finer views from any school sports fields anywhere in the country than at The King’s School. The school’s extensive playing fields lie in the imposing shadow of Worcester Cathedral and are home to rugby, football, cricket, netball and tennis

Assemblies, exams and school events are hosted in the Worcester Cathedral College Hall, formerly the monastic refectory

A former Royal Worcester Porcelain Works canteen, the light and spacious art building is built over three floors and offers five studios, workshops, offices, a gallery (the Sir Terry Frost Gallery), an art library and an ICT space

The Art Gallery regularly hosts both internal and external art exhibitions, attracting wellknown artists from far and wide

The award-winning library is at the heart of the campus. The existing Victorian structure with a tranquil outlook over the River Severn and the cathedral forms the basis for this new two-level library, linked by a book-lined lightwell

A SENSE OF HISTORY

Worcester Cathedral provides an awe-inspiring backdrop to The King’s School campus. History is in every brick of this extraordinary school, from the medieval Edgar Tower to College Hall. Around every corner, however, contemporary architecture blends in seamlessly, reflecting its ethos of upholding traditional values, while embracing innovative teaching. SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

STAR PUPILS

ONES TO WATCH Independent schools have instilled excellence, drive and determination in these talented alumni

Charles Wyn-Davies, 28 Entrepreneur, Cheltenham College, Gloucestershire I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to study when I left school. At first I went to Imperial College London, where I studied mechanical engineering, but I felt it wasn’t right for me. I took a year out and went on to study law at Durham. It was a great lesson in not being afraid to try new things, trusting your intuition and studying something that you enjoy. After university, I ran marketing for an electronics company in Oxford. From there, I moved to London to work for Hearst UK, before managing global marketing programmes at The Financial Times. I then founded my own agency. It’s been an amazing experience so far and if you have the drive to run your own business, I recommend you go for it!

Jonno was a regular on the stage at Bedford School and right from his earliest appearances in the Prep school he wowed with his assured performances. Jonno credits his drama teacher, Mrs Swidenbank, for opening his eyes to the idea of a career in drama and helping him to realise his potential. She also famously rejected his first UCAS statement to encourage him to follow his dreams, declaring: “You know you want to be an actor.” Since then Jonno hasn’t looked back, with numerous stage, screen and theatre credits to his name including the role of Alex DeLarge in the critically acclaimed New York production of A Clockwork Orange, multiple appearances in Casualty as well as the movie Kingsman. Exciting times lie ahead for the actor who’s now filming his first US feature film. He also has a film, King of Crime, which includes fellow Old Bedfordian Richard Calvert coming out, and an appearance in Silent Witness set to air this year.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Tianyi Li, 28 Fashion designer, Roedean, East Sussex I arrived at Roedean at the age of 12, having been awarded the Major Arts Scholarship which really encouraged me to pursue my interest in design. I was able to build a great foundation of skills which later helped me in my career. My art and design teachers were really supportive of my interest in all things arty. I had a great relationship with them – so much so that one even attended my show at Milan Fashion Week in September! After Roedean, I went to Imperial College London to study aeronautical engineering but after a year, I decided to study fashion design BA Womenswear at the University of East London. University was really important in developing my skills as it included patterncutting which is very technical. Then, at my BA show at Graduate Fashion Week I was scouted by Istituto Marangoni for a full scholarship to study MA Womenswear at their London campus!

Emily Mitchell, 29 Barrister, Oundle School, Peterborough After leaving Oundle School, I spent three years at Oxford studying English. I had a brief flirtation with the world of advertising, before rather unimaginatively opting for a career in law. I’m now a qualified barrister at 7 Bedford Row in London, where I completed my Pupillage in 2016, and spend my time ensuring the Midlands’ criminal underworld remains healthy! My other two areas of practice are Family Law and Clinical Negligence. This work’s usually claimantorientated and involves representing people who allege that they’ve received substandard medical care. My work is varied and takes me all over the country. No two days are the same, and each new day brings another person’s fascinating life story.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISSY CROKER

Jonno Davies, 26 Actor, Bedford School, Bedfordshire

STAR PUPILS

Eccie Newton, 27 Entrepreneur, Queen’s Gate School, London

Eccie Edmund Newton, and his right, co-founder with her sister and co-founder Flore de Taisne Gini

I run two companies, both with my sister Gini. Karma Cans is a lunch-delivery company, while Karma Kitchens builds ‘dark’ kitchens for catering companies. Karma Cans delivers around 1,000 units a day to offices such as Nike, Microsoft and Uber. We’ve been operating for four and a half years. With no outside investment, we started with £5 and grew from there. We’ve built two kitchens ourselves, literally plumbing, wiring and screwing the business together. From there we thought, ‘if we’ve built our kitchens, let’s do it for other businesses.’ Karma Kitchens is a network of perfectlydesigned satellite kitchens. We started Karma Cans while I was at LSE and Gini was at Bristol, studying sociology. I’ve never worked in an office; I don’t like sitting down and I’m constantly talking. When we started Karma Cans, we had a group of friends we met through the food industry, who we use to meet up with regularly. They were going through a similar journey and were very inspiring. For me, my education taught me how to carry an idea through from conception to execution. One thing we both understand is that an idea is meaningless, the part that counts is execution. The power to follow through on the commitments you make, to your team, investors and yourself, is something that’s been instilled in me. Higher education develops your ability to push yourself through the hurdles that a project presents: research, presentations and working in a linear, evidentially-supported way. My education taught me to communicate effectively and push through difficulty.

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

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independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

CROATIA

SLOVENIA

TIME TOGETHER

ENJOY THE SEASON

FAMILY LIFE

Our roundup of flower shows, Easter tennis camps and afternoon teas

Easter’s here, bringing with it pretty spring blooms, frolicking lambs, chocolate eggs, and of course, that lovely long end of term break! While some of you will be jetting off to make the most of the time off, those of you staying closer to home may want to throw a party to celebrate. Whether you’re hosting a full-on egg hunt or a traditional family roast, it’s worth jollying up proceedings with a few cute Easter bunny details, like these rabbity touches from Meri Meri, to charm and enchant any little ones in attendance. Honeycomb bunny cake toppers, £8.25. Hoppy Easter garland, £11. Acrylic bunny cake toppers (pack of 12), £9. Pastel bunny cups (pack of eight), £7.50. merimeri.co.uk

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Actively Algarve CLAUDIA DUDMAN discovers an action-packed, family-friendly alternative to the quintessential Portuguese sunshine break

Lie by the Instagram-worthy pool

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

f you’re looking for a weekend break that combines sporting fun with a stylish hotel stay in the heart of the Algarve, then the Magnolia Hotel and the recently opened state-of-the art sports facility, The Campus, just a five-minute drive away, could be just the ticket. Only 15 minutes from Faro airport, it’s an easy transfer to both on the Quinta do Lago estate – even with a very early 8am flight from Gatwick, visiting for a few days is perfectly manageable. Quinta do Lago is a 645-hectare resort founded 40 years ago around its three award-winning golf courses and traditional Portugese villas, and has since become an established holiday destination for British families who love an action-packed break. There are a plethora of activities for all family members to get involved in, whether it’s a gentle bike ride along the Ria Formosa National Park along the east side of the estate, spotting flamingos and turtles on your way, or fine tuning your forehand with one of the

tennis coaches at The Campus. You can do a few laps in its pristine 25-metre (heated in the winter months) outdoor pool which forms part of the Aquatic Centre, or head upstairs to the studio above the gymnasium for a yoga class. The Campus is a 45,000sq ft €10m training fitness and wellness facility that caters to both elite professional athletes – prior to my visit the Irish Six Nations Rugby Team had been out to training here – and enthusiastic amateurs. There’s a stadium-quality DESSO GrassMaster hybrid pitch aimed at professional sporting teams which adheres to international standards; there are beginners’ clinics, private professional coaching and it’s an ideal venue to master a chosen sport. Opened last October, when its second phase of construction was completed, it’s exactly what the estate needs: here everything is centralised so all family members can enjoy doing a different activity at the same location: you can enjoy a yoga class or lie by the pool while your son or daughter has a racquet sports lesson on one of its six tennis

The kids can take tennis lessons on The Campus’ tennis courts

The Magnolia Hotel’s décor has a Palm Springs vibe

THERE’S A CINEMA ROOM WITH NETFLIX,

a fully-equipped gym and wellness centre and a salt-water pool, where your teen can take

INSTAGRAM SELFIES UNDER ONE OF THE YELLOW-AND-WHITE STRIPED PARASOLS HIT THE PAUSE BUTTON There are lots of places to eat in Quinta. Here are my favourite five… THE MAGNOLIA HOTEL There’s a live-kitchen concept, serving healthy meals using organic Algarve produce. CASA DO LAGO Delicious fresh seafood right on the lake. Great for lunch or in the evening. BOVINO STEAKHOUSE For an authentic Portuguese night out, choose between Chateaubriand, rump and sirloin steaks. DANO’S Family-friendly sports bar at The Campus, serving wholesome food and craft beers in a relaxed setting. KOKO Pizza, salads and great desserts. Try the cheesecake or ice cream.

courts, cycle ride or gym session. It takes the stress out of having to do a multitude of dropoffs and pick-ups at different locations around the resort, and where one of you are never out of the car. With that outdoorsy itinerary keeping you busy you’re hardly going to be spending hours in your room channel surfing. But if you happened to have an off day or just wanted to take a rest at the hotel, quite frankly you’d be more than happy to. Where the Magnolia is clever is that it doesn’t pretend to be something that it isn’t: a flashy corporate it is not – if that’s what you’re after, the Conrad Algarve with all that a five-star hotel has to offer and a price tag to match is down the road. The four-star,

74-room Magnolia has more of a relaxed, rustic feel about it, with an aesthetic that is straight out of Palm Springs. With its neon signs, quirky design touches, and vibrant interiors palette of sunshine yellow, red, white stripes, pale pink and green, it’s a clear stab at attracting the next generation of guests to Quinto do Lago: millennials, young families and those wanting a quick break with not a lot of advance planning. Highbacked 1970s wicker chairs dot the reception room, with a bar where the attention to detail that goes into mixing a colourful cocktail wouldn’t be out of place down the road. And that attention to detail is a theme that runs throughout the hotel: from its midnight toastie service to crisp 300 thread-count cotton sheets. And there’s plenty for older kids too: a cinema room with Netflix, a fully equipped gym and wellness centre and a salt-water pool where your teen can take Instagram selfies under one of the yellow-and-white striped parasols. In the summer months, they’ll love the weekly film nights where the latest movie is shown under a star-filled sky. The Magnolia Hotel, themagnoliahotelqdl.com offers a standard double room from €92/£80 on a B&B basis or €108/£94 on a half-board basis. The Campus, quintadolago.com SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

COMPETITION

WIN a mini-break at The Eastbury Hotel, Dorset Peter and Lana de Savary are offering one lucky reader and their family a three-night stay at The Eastbury Hotel in the heart of historic Sherborne

he Eastbury is a beautiful country-house hotel set within a spectacular walled garden, just a stone’s throw from the centre of the market town of Sherborne. Recently acquired by hoteliers Peter & Lana de Savary, this stylish boutique hotel has now completed phase one of an extensive refurbishment. Alongside 21 individually designed luxury guest bedrooms, the hotel now offers upgraded guest facilities including two residents’ lounges, a library-cum-snooker room and a garden suite for private dining and events, as well as a new-look Seasons Restaurant and bar, offering a blend of traditional and innovative cuisine. Seasons, the multiple award-winning restaurant with panoramic views of the hotel’s beautiful gardens, has introduced a brasserie-style house menu, showcasing delicious classics that can be enjoyed alongside the creative à la carte dishes for maximum

flexibility. And for a gastronomic experience, Seasons offers an exquisite tasting menu. Executive Chef Matthew Street leads the talented kitchen team, and credits much of his success to his relationships with local producers who share a passion for perfect ingredients. Rich in history and culture, the ancient capital of Dorset, Sherborne, is a gem of a weekend destination, as well of course, as being known for its excellent independent schools in the vicinity. Surrounded by glorious, quintessentially beautiful English countryside, characterful villages and many scenic places of interest, it remains one of England’s greatest littlediscovered gems. Further exciting plans are in the pipeline, and five new Potting Shed Garden Suites will be opening later this year. The spa building will house two treatment rooms, including a couple’s room, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna and steam room, exercise area and private relaxation space. Included in the prize is a three-night stay for a family of four, on a B&B basis, with a complimentary three-course dinner with a bottle of house wine.

HOW TO ENTER Answer the following question

What’s the Head Chef at Seasons Restaurant’s first name? Is it a) Peter b) Matthew c) Walter

independentschoolparent.com/win COMPETITION CLOSES 23.00PM ON 15TH APRIL 2019.

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Terms & Conditions The winner will be the first correct entry drawn after the closing date of the 15th April 2019. The winner must be aged 18 years or over. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. Rooms are subject to availability. The prize is valid until November 2019, excluding Easter, July & August and May Bank Holidays. The prize is a three-night stay for a family of four on a B&B basis with one dinner, including a bottle of house wine. For The Chelsea Magazine Company’s terms and conditions, please visit www.chelseamagazines.com/the-chelsea-magazine-company-terms-and-conditions/

H WORTE MORN THA 0 £1,00

Together

ur y t o da es to qu re Re chu o br

Enjoy Exploring

We create outstanding small group and tailor-made family adventure and activity holidays worldwide Activities for the whole family Varied and exciting itineraries Family-friendly guides Specific teen-orientated itineraries

01962 302 062 familiesworldwide.co.uk

hello@familiesworldwide.co.uk

An independent, coeducational school for 3 to 18 year olds

Junior, Senior and Sixth Form To book a tour, please visit www.stdunstans.org.uk 020 8516 7200 Stanstead Road, London, SE6 4TY

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2019

Celebrating student experience

Independent Schools of the Year awards are back and bigger than ever before! Following the huge success of our inaugural awards in 2018, Independent School Parent is thrilled to announce the launch of Independent Schools of the Year 2019. Last year we were delighted to receive more than 200 school entries in 18 categories, and this year we are hoping for even more participation from schools with 20 categories now open for entry.

Nominate your school online:

independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk/entry-form

Alleyn’s School

Co-educational excellence

Co-educational excellence in a caring community for boys and girls aged 11 to 18. Financial support is available in the form of scholarships and means-tested bursaries of up to 100% of school fees.

SCHOOLS GUIDE 2019 TOP 30 INDEPENDENT SECONDARY SCHOOL

www.alleyns.org.uk 020 8557 1500

Townley Road, Dulwich SE22 8SU

An independent HMC day school for children aged 7-18 years

Bancroft’s School A Tradition of Excellence

High Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF 0208 505 4821 www.bancrofts.org “A splendid school, catering for bright children and those who will seize opportunities.” Good Schools Guide Means tested awards, academic and music scholarships available

Sibford School is a 3-18 co-educational day and boarding school set on the edge of the Cotswolds between Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon. To attend our next Open Event visit:

www.sibfordschool.co.uk or call 01295 781203

ISP spring 2019.indd 1

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com 28/02/2019 13:26:55

DIARY DATES

CALENDAR Our roundup of fun and inspiring things to do this spring

Natural selection

And then there was light

Natural History Museum 30TH JUNE 2019

Liverpool 17TH MAY

Now in its 54th year, Wildlife Photographer of the Year showcases the breath-taking diversity of life on Earth. Explore the world’s best nature photography, exhibited on 100 light panels. Chosen from more than 45,000 entries by expert judges, the images were awarded for their creativity, originality and technical excellence. nhm.ac.uk

Liverpool’s breathtaking arts festival, LightNight, returns for its 10th year. From large-scale light projections and live music to workshops and spoken word, art, crafts and theatre, street performance, walking tours, dancing and late-opening exhibitions taking place right across the city centre. lightnightliverpool.co.uk

Follow the flock at Llwyn yr Eos Farm

AFTER A FASHION

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams Victoria and Albert Museum, London UNTIL 14TH JULY

This exhibition traces the impact of one of the 20th century’s most influential couturiers, his relationship with Britain and the longlasting influence of the fashion house. For tickets go to, vam.ac.uk

Counting sheep St Fagans Museum of History, Cardiff 1ST – 25TH MARCH

Where better to ring in spring than Wales, home to the UK’s largest sheep population? Head to a lambing session at Llwyn yr Eos Farm at St Fagans Museum, where you can meet some of the fluffy new arrivals. And if you’re keen to follow up on the flock’s progress, tune into the online lambcam. museum.wales

More than words Venues across Birmingham 14TH – 24TH MARCH

Birmingham’s only dedicated children’s book festival, Bournville Book Fest allows you to meet favourite authors, discover new books and enjoy interactive storytelling at venues throughout the city. Imaginative workshops include modelmaking and storytelling aboard a canal boat. bournvillebookfest.com

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

ST BENEDICT’S SCHOOL EALING 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 9 MAY TH

OPEN DAYS: 11th May, 19th October 2019

ST MARY’S CALNE

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

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

Contact

admissions@stmaryscalne.org

01249 857200

stmaryscalne.org

EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE MORE MORE EXPERIENCE MORE Open Morning Open Morning Saturday 28 September 2019 28 September 2019 Saturday

Open Morning Saturday 28 September 2019 SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

DIARY DATES Run away and join the circus with Giffords

Puss on pointes

Game on

Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, Leeds 2ND – 5TH APRIL

The NEC Birmingham 19TH-22ND APRIL

Puss In Boots has been refreshed with a new ballet adaptation that’s perfect for children. No ordinary cat, Puss befriends everyone he meets but seems to bring his master Jack bad luck. Performed by the Northern Ballet, join Puss and Jack as they meet a furry flurry of characters. theatreleeds.com

If a weekend of non-stop gaming sounds like your cup of tea, look no further than Insomnia64. Watch the best players battle to be the UK Masters. See special guests perform their shows in front of your own eyes. Take part in tabletop gaming and show us what you’re made of in our Cosplay Masquerade. Insomniagamingfestival.com

Cat lovers will adore a day at the ballet with Puss in Boots

Book worms

Roll up, roll up!

British Library, London 24TH MARCH

Nationwide 3RD MAY – 29TH SEPTEMBER

Head to the British Library for a family takeover inspired by its collections and exhibitions. You can learn about the adventures of the Anglo-Saxons with a creative workshop, and later this month prepare yourself for an afternoon of multisensory games, trails and learning resources for all ages. bl.uk

Venture to Giffords’ latest spectacular performance. Touring the country until autumn, Xanadu promises a plethora of new acts, from a swinging trapeze artist to a talented juggler, as well as muchloved regular Tweedy the Clown. Plus, the 70s-inspired music will please older family members. giffordscircus.com

Blooming lovely Cardiff 12-14TH APRIL

PHOTOGRAPHY: ADRIEN DIRAND; GEM HALL ; BRIAN SLATER; JASON INGRAM

Get green fingered at the RHS Flower Show Cardiff. You’ll find super spring shopping ideas and vibrant designs, plus talks and demos from expert gardeners. New for 2019, see community groups go head to head in a competition to create beautiful flower beds. rhs.org.uk

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Our inspiration is you

Open Day

Saturday 11th May, 10am

Every girl is unique, with their own character, passions and idiosyncrasies. That’s what makes life at Malvern St James so enjoyable and rewarding. We are constantly inspired by our pupils and we support them to have the confidence to excel, to love life, stand up for all that they believe in and shape a wonderful future.

Independent Boarding and Day School - Girls 3-18, Boys 3-11

“It’s everything a school should be” Tatler Schools Guide

www.moretonhall.org/Open-Day registrar@moretonhall.com | 01691 773671 Moreton Hall, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 3EW

Be anything, achieve everything

GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES AVAILABLE

I N D EPEN D EN T DAY S C H O O L FO R G I R L S AG ED 4 TO 1 8

Queen’s Gate offers girls a warm, supportive environment where individuality is nurtured, academic standards are high and a broad-based curriculum ensures a well-rounded education.

Senior School Open Mornings Wednesday 8 May 2019 · Friday 21 June 2019 Book online: queensgate.org.uk/admissions/ssopenevents For a prospectus or to arrange a visit, please contact the Registrar, Mrs Ceili Roberts-Beresford: registrar@queensgate.org.uk · 020 7594 4982

“To be the best that I can with the gifts that I have Welcoming day students from 3 months to 19 years and boarders from 6 years to 19 years

Open day: 16th March 10.30 - 3.00

Queen’s Gate School, 131–133 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5LE

Queen Ethelburga’s, Thorpe Underwood Hall, Ouseburn, YO26 9SS www.qe.org | admissions@qe.org | 01423 333330

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

Inspiring intellectually brave, morally sound and confident young people who are prepared for life INDEPENDENT DAY & BOARDING EDUCATION FOR BOYS & GIRLS AGED 7-18 YEARS

WHERE PUPILS HAVE FLOURISHED SINCE 1541 ○

Set in the beautiful Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales

○

Ranked ‘Excellent’ in all five inspection areas (Estyn: Dec 2017)

○

Consistent outstanding academic results at GCSE

and A Level

○

Commended for Pastoral Care, Wellbeing and Discipline (Good Schools Guide)

○

Varied programme of sports and outdoor pursuits activities

OPEN DAY

30th March 2019

www.christcollegebrecon.com 01874 615440 admissions@christcollegebrecon.com

The Katie Jayne Advantage Flexible, tailored, hourly home tutoring for 4 –18 year olds.

Open Day Festival - 11 May 2019 10am - 1pm Co-educational Catholic School with Nursery, Prep, Senior and Sixth Form. Alton School, Anstey Lane, Alton, Hants, GU34 2NG.

Tel. 01420 82070

Open Evening Monday, 24 June 2019 4.30pm - 7.00pm

1:1 personal tutoring by qualified teachers

Give your child the Katie Jayne advantage TODAY www.katiejayne.co.uk 07725 901 933 info@katiejayne.co.uk 80

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

Forest School encourages outstanding academic progress and personal development, offering single-sex teaching in a coeducational environment for girls and boys aged 4-18yrs. Forest is a city school on the edge of North London with 30 acres of grounds. Forest - Where People Grow 0208 520 1744 | admissions@forest.org.uk | www.forest.org.uk | E17 3PY

DIARY DATES

All that Jazz Just a spoonful of sugar

PHOTOGRAPHY: ADRIEN DIRAND

Aqua Shard, London UNTIL 18TH APRIL

If your children loved Mary Poppins Returns, treat them to a supercalifragilistic afternoon tea at Aqua in The Shard. Enjoy deliciously nostalgic nibbles high above the city. Adults can even sample some ‘medicine’ (fizz and liqueur). aquashard.co.uk

Bristol 22-24TH MARCH

Each year the Bristol International Jazz & Blues Festival caters to all tastes and appeals to all ages with a weekend which celebrates all things jazz and blues – from swing to funk, bebop to blues and soul to rock ‘n roll. There’s the usual masterclass programme, free stage and late-night jam sessions. bristoljazzandbluesfest.com

Sensational science Edinburgh 6TH-21ST APRIL Get a rally going with Judy at The Campus at Quinta do Lago in Portugal

This year’s festival theme is Frontiers and explores the boundaries of knowledge and the spirt of adventure and enquiry that drives science, technology, engineering and maths. Within this theme, focus areas include Healthcare Frontiers, Engineering Frontiers, Digital Frontiers, Environmental Frontiers and Planetary Frontiers. sciencefestival.co.uk

Tennis camp with Judy Murray The Campus, Quinta do Lago, Portugal 15TH-20TH APRIL

An incredible opportunity to receive expert training from the first lady of British tennis Judy Murray. Mum to grand-slam champions Andy and Jamie, her inaugural tennis camp for children at the resort’s brand new sports performance facility, The Campus, last October was so popular that it’s being run again in the Easter holidays. There’s also an adult’s two-day tennis camp from 17th-19th April. Email thecampus@quintadolago.com

SPRING 2019 | independentschoolparent.com

MEMORY LANE

SCH OO

L M E MOR I E

PETER ESTLIN The Lord Mayor of the City of London recounts his time at King Edward’s Witley, where he learned the importance of understanding and tolerance How did you end up attending King Edward’s? My father was in the Royal Navy and my mother in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Sadly, due to illness my mother spent a few years in hospital. Because my father was at sea, this meant that my sister and I were both sent to boarding school. At the age of 11, I joined King Edward’s.

Everyone has their own set of circumstances. There were children who had no parents or whose parents worked abroad, children whose home life had been marred by alcohol abuse, etc. I began to gain an awareness of what real life is all about; opening yourself up to others; understanding one another and developing tolerance.

What are your early recollections? It was very much a home from home, providing me with the stability that I needed to deal with my mother’s illness, and later, her death. It was while there that I developed a really important life skill – resilience. I became aware of the fact that there were plenty of other pupils who were suffering similar losses and we all learned the importance of it in the face of adversity.

How does boarding school help prepare a child for life? Access to a wonderful education and learning opportunities outside of the core curriculum; shaping your identity and developing resilience and of course, becoming truly independent, these are all the obvious attributes of a

What was your favourite time at school? I loved my years in the Sixth Form, and it was during this period that I enjoyed a trip to the Lord Mayor’s Show and had the opportunity to meet the late Sir Kenneth Russell Cork GBE, who was to become a real source of inspiration. He fuelled my interest in pursuing a career in accountancy.

THERE WERE PLENTY OF OTHER pupils who were suffering similar losses AND WE ALL LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY Did you always aspire to become Head Boy? No; I was a bit of a maverick in my early years at King Edward’s! But my mother’s death was a definite wakeup call. I was motivated to persevere in my studies and to achieve success in her memory. And what did you learn from being Head Boy? I was exposed to public

independentschoolparent.com | SPRING 2019

speaking for the first time and I also learned how to reconcile being a leader with maintaining peer friendships, while forging strong links with staff and those in authority. What life skills do you think you learned at school? It taught me that life is about human interaction.

boarding school education. Less known are the benefits associated with situations where the family unit is not conducive to offering a stable environment, when a boarding school can offer opportunities for academic growth, personal development and access to a protective community.

YES, IT’S A CRYING SHAME…

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

Please contact Cosmo Jackson

T: 01483 279000

E: info@hurtwood.net

hurtwoodhouse.com

+44 208 422 4885 Conde Nast Ad Syros IK.indd 1

www.fivestargreece.com

enquiries@fivestargreece.com 22/02/2019 13:35