In Focus - Edition 15

In Focus Issue 15

Everyone starts life as a scientist Physics as curiosity, investigation and analysis Modern languages are thriving at Dauntsey’s A world of opportunity awaits Finding a spark Ensuring every pupil has the opportunity to shine

Taking care of yourself – and others A holistic approach to physical and mental health The importance of creative thinking Unlocking our ever-present creativity A closer look at… Beekeeping

Dauntsey’s

CO N T E N T S

4 EVERYONE STARTS LIFE AS A SCIENTIST

8 MODERN L ANGUAGES ARE THRIVING AT DAUNTSEY’S

12 FINDING A SPARK

16 TAKING C ARE OF YOURSELF – AND OTHERS

20 THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATIVE THINKING

26 A CLOSER LOOK AT...

BEE KEEPING

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From the Head Master Mention adventure at Dauntsey’s and most people think of taking to the high seas in the Jolie Brise, paddling the Devizes to Westminster canoe race or learning to survive in the wilderness.

How many schools, after all, have a role for a Head of Adventure?

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ut what we offer is an adventurous education – and that is very much more than simply adventurous activities. The resilience, determination, and willingness to push personal boundaries that many pupils discover through physical challenges are key to life in the classroom too.

This means encouraging every member of the school – teachers as well as pupils – to question and explore intellectually, to approach topics from unexpected angles, to unpick and rebuild ideas and attitudes.

Creativity is a major part of this process and experiences in art, music and theatre can help to unlock hidden potential – as can the discovery of a passion for any activity, from sport to technology to wildlife.

We look for the spark in each member of our community and aim to fan it until it burns brightly, even if the process isn’t always easy. Moving outside your comfort zone and testing your boundaries can lead to break-through moments when you discover quite how much you can achieve in different spheres, if you dare to try.

It’s an exciting, interactive process in which strongminded young people are ready to ask “What if…?“ or “How about…?” when they are presented with a new concept or problem. They will inevitably meet failure as well as thrilling success, but they learn from both and move on.

It’s estimated that 65 per cent of children now entering primary school will work in jobs that don’t currently exist, so this ability to think around an issue and come up with novel solutions will be an essential skill in their future, helping them to decide how they want to live and how they’re going to get there.

There are no maps, but I believe an adventurous education will give our pupils the skills and the confidence they need to reach their goals.

We certainly don’t want our pupils to be sponges who simply absorb facts and figures in order to pass exams.

We want them to challenge ideas and approaches, to do their own research and to form their own opinions.

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EVERYONE LIFE

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STARTS AS A SCIENTIST Physics is a real-world subject; we are surrounded by it, and indeed using it all the time. James Johns, Head of Physics, believes the key to inspiring future physicists is combining childhood curiosity and sense of adventure with the skills to investigate and analyse in an organised manner.

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veryone starts life as a scientist. From our earliest days, we all have an intuitive understanding of physics; toddlers know that if they lean too much on a stool it will topple; young children learn how to balance a seesaw with friends and recognise the feeling of reaching the highest point on a swing.

Our understanding of the world develops by being naturally curious and adventurous. As we move through life we develop toolkits of ideas and equations to describe our experiences and then use them to predict what will happen in more complicated situations which are beyond our day-to-day experiences.

Physics, as a subject, is about helping to explain this intuitive understanding of the world. It is about taking that curiosity and interest to the next level and supporting it with an organised and efficient approach to experimentation.

This is where a school steps in. Here, we promise an adventurous education, both in and out of the classroom; play and experimentation are part of school life. We recognise that to really develop a pupil’s mental toolkit we need to be fuelling their curiosity and giving them interesting topics to investigate.

Wherever possible we teach using real-world situations, in the most appropriate (and often exciting) locations. What better way to work out the volume of a student, than by submerging them in a tank of water; much in the same way as when Archimedes first discovered the physical law 5

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of buoyancy. The steps to then work out whether the calculated density means they should float or sink if thrown in the pool are much more intuitively understood!

Further up the school the department’s one-person, lawn-blower-powered hovercraft, and carefully used bed of nails, helps students grasp the concept of pressure. In both these cases, the outcome is against our intuition, and the visceral feeling of surprise is a powerful way of getting students to question their understanding of the topic.

At A level, as well as returning to swings in the play park and measuring the height of bubbles in a head of beer, we also study topics that require the observation of the microscopically small or the astronomically large. Unlike a university laboratory, the real world isn’t full of specialist equipment for making these observations, but, by developing students understanding of experimental design, they can discover amazing truths using the most straightforward equipment. For example, pupils use a ruler and standard lab equipment to find the mass of an electron, one of the smallest particles known to science.

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Perhaps the most exciting experiment available to our pupils is our own 22m Tall Ship, Jolie Brise. The range of physics available here in a single, immersive environment is huge. As a traditional vessel built before the era of engines or electricity, Jolie Brise was engineered using simple physics to allow her to be sailed using only human power.

There are no complex winches or hydraulics to help her crew, and this makes her an exceptional physics lab.

The loads in Jolie Brise’s rigging when she is sailing are much bigger than most school laboratory equipment can measure. We were therefore delighted when our parents’ association funded a special, multi-tonne load measuring device that allows the forces to be displayed on a phone, helping us to make the most of the opportunities Jolie Brise offers.

Each year we take A level students to measure the forces involved in making the Jolie Brise sail, consider how her sails allow her to make progress upwind, work out how her mast withstands the massive forces on it, and finally to calculate the power she develops overall.

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Watching pupils work together to set up a load cell on the moving deck of a Tall Ship at sea, take real-world measurements, process them and then use physics to explain what they are experiencing, showcases learning at its best. I have no doubt it is an experience they will never forget.

Being able to teach through concrete, real-world

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experiences, where pupils are able to feel, hear and see the physics themselves allows for better understanding and in turn more confident and able pupils.

As a physics teacher, seeing pupils develop into budding scientists in their own right is the ultimate aim, and seeing them do so while having new adventures and gaining real-life experience is incredibly rewarding.

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MODERN LANGUAGES ARE THRIVING AT DAUNTSEY’S Today’s workplace is full of opportunities for linguists, say the Heads of French, Spanish and German (Penny Harrison, Demelza Hills and Tory Wilks) who run a flourishing MFL department, where many A level linguists go on to varied and exciting careers.

A recent study by the Higher Education Policy Institute highlighted an EU-wide survey showing that just 32 per cent of young people in the UK are able to read or write in more than one language, compared with 79 per cent of their peers in France and more than 90 per cent in Germany.

The sharp decline in the number of young people taking foreign languages at school or university in the UK is a consequence, in large part, of modern languages being dropped as a compulsory GCSE subject back in 2004.

The result has been a significant shortfall of language skills in the workforce, which, for the UK, has become an even more critical issue with the UK’s departure from the EU. Languages are essential if we want to build trade relations with new markets, engage in diplomacy, and aid cultural understanding.

Contrary to the national picture, modern languages continue to thrive at Dauntsey’s and we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of languages at all levels. Many pupils progress with one, or even two modern languages to A level, while dipping into a further language through a club or society. A growing number choose to combine a language with another subject at university.

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Our approach starts in the First Form, where half of our pupils learn French and Latin for six months, while the other half learn German and Spanish. At February half-term they swap, so they get a taste of all four.

Pupils continue with two languages in the Second and Third Forms. In the Upper School they can choose to continue with one or two languages for GCSE and at A level they can also learn Mandarin, Japanese or Italian off-timetable.

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“ To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.”

Chinese proverb

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During their studies, pupils have opportunities to travel to Germany, France or Spain on school trips to immerse themselves in the language and culture of those countries.

A level linguists will leave school not only able to communicate in a foreign language but also with an appreciation of the literature, current affairs, cultural heritage and geography of the places where it is spoken.

Each year, the department organises a series of events outside the classroom. Three language assistants play an integral role, providing weekly conversation lessons and promoting their own language and contemporary culture.

In recent years, the department has worked in collaboration with the Music, Art and Dance departments to host a Mardi Gras celebration for the Lower School.

Languages are a skill for life, not just a qualification to give evidence of academic attainment. They allow you to understand and share your ideas with people from very different places; they are the doorway to other cultures and societies and an insight into different thought patterns and approaches. In today’s globalised and multicultural world, that has never been more important.

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THREE FORMER DAUNTSEY'S PUPILS DISCUSS HOW STUDYING MODERN LANGUAGES HAS SHAPED THEIR LIVES SO FAR.

BECKY ALLEN AGE 25 AT DAUNTSEY’S FOR SEVEN YEARS, 2009-2016

My passion for languages started at Dauntsey’s – thanks to the extra-curricular trips abroad I was really able to connect with different cultures. Lindau in Germany stood out. I ended up spending my gap year there, working in a school.

After that, I went to the University of Kent to read Hispanic Studies. I was also able to take modules in other languages, so I chose Italian and Catalan in my first and second years and German and Catalan in my final year. I also studied modules in Hispanic and German culture, which covered literature, films, and history on topics such as state-building in Latin America. I wrote about the Cuban revolution and post-1989 German cinema.

ADAM LEESE AGE 23 AT DAUNTSEY’S FOR SEVEN YEARS, 2010-2017

I’m a future trainee solicitor with Clyde & Co, a major international law firm. It specialises in the sectors that move the world, such as energy, infrastructure, shipping, commodities and insurance. They help international businesses to solve problems and grow across borders and legal jurisdictions – and my languages certainly helped me get the job.

I left Dauntsey’s in 2017, having studied German, history and economics at A level. I went on to study German and Arabic at the University of Durham, graduating in 2021.

Currently I am working towards a law conversion at the University of Law in London before starting at Clyde & Co in Dubai in 2023.

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As part of my degree, I spent a year living and working in Tarragona, Spain, as a British Council language assistant. I realised I’d combined two things I loved – languages and teaching – and that is what I am doing now. I started my teacher training in Spanish and German and I am loving it.

The things I adore most about languages is that they open you to new cultures and you can meet like-minded people. I met some of my closest friends while living in Spain and Germany. Being able to exchange customs and habits (not to mention food) with each other is fascinating and allows you to become more aware of the world around you. I’ve also been able to learn a lot about current affairs in other countries. Perhaps most importantly, speaking another language has enabled me to increase my confidence and my inter-personal skills because the only way of settling in abroad is to immerse yourself in day-to-day life.

My advice to pupils at Dauntsey’s would be to throw yourselves into learning languages – there aren’t many subjects that allow you to do so much speaking in class. It might also enable you to live and work abroad.

I enjoy studying languages immensely. While that is in itself rewarding, I particularly enjoyed gaining an insight into German and Arabic cultures, studying literature to better appreciate perspectives and world views of native German and Arabic speakers, unpicking the social, historical, and political foundations of their cultures. For example, my undergraduate dissertation on Turkish-Germans examined their marginalisation and the how they combat it. It included a study of AfricanAmerican and Turkish-German hip-hop.

As well as improving my communication and presentation skills, learning languages enabled me to improve my interpersonal skills and develop greater empathy. Languages enable you to put yourself in another’s shoes and view issues from their perspective. That is incredibly valuable, not only in a context of continual globalisation, where intercultural contact is ever-growing, but also because it encourages creative problem-solving. You approach problems from many angles.

I’d encourage pupils to take as many opportunities as possible to put your languages into practice – from watching a film or TV show to reading a book or just having a conversation. Seeing how a language works in reality, beyond studying its grammar, is exciting and rewarding – and it’s something that motivates me to learn more.

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MILES DAVIES AGE 24, AT DAUNTSEYS FOR FIVE YEARS, 2011-2016

I studied French, German and history at A level, and went on to read French and history at Cardiff University. At Cardiff, I was definitely in the minority as a boy who was studying languages – in four years, I only had three other boys in my classes. The best part of my degree was the year I spent abroad.

Rather than studying at a French university, I decided to find a job in France and was very fortunate to work in HR and communications at a pharmaceutical company in Paris. I gained so much life and learning experience until my time was cut short by Covid. The final few months of my work year and then my final year at Cardiff were completed remotely.

I graduated in June 2021 and began my job search. Having put my CV on websites such as Indeed and LinkedIn, I was contacted by a recruiter who was specifically interested in my language skills. I was eventually offered a graduate role as an operations and reporting assistant at Vallis, a company based in Frome, Somerset which deals across Africa.

I was approached for the role because of my French and now work in the supply chain assurance services team, dealing a lot with Africa’s French-speaking countries. It’s very varied – for example, I am currently helping to conduct inspections of rice in Madagascar for the World Food Programme to ensure that it is fit for human consumption, before sending it to help combat the current famine there.

My role has great travel opportunities, as Vallis wants to have a very visible presence in Africa. After only working there for a month, I was sent out to Guinea-Bissau for two weeks to help supervise our operations and to work as a translator for one of our English staff members. I had never been to Africa before and it was an eye-opener. I will have plenty more opportunities to travel extensively across Africa.

What I have most loved about learning languages has to be gaining the ability to get by in places as diverse as Paris and Bissau. The experience is so much better when you can understand everyone. When you tell anyone that you speak a foreign language they are always amazed and will always tell you that they wish they could do the same. Learning languages has also given me confidence. Everyone is very nervous

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about speaking a foreign language for the first time but when you find yourself in a situation where you have no choice, you surprise yourself.

There is no doubt that learning a language will set you apart when you are looking for a job, as unfortunately fewer and fewer people in the UK are learning languages. My ability to speak French was the main reason I got my job. Yes, I had to go through interviews too, but without my language skills I would never have been considered.

I would advise anyone to practise your languages as much as you can. Everyone gets nervous about speaking lessons, as they are worried about looking silly…I know I always dreaded them! But they are the best way to develop confidence in your ability.

When you finally go somewhere where no one speaks English, you will find a way to get your point across, even if it is a bit broken to begin with.

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FINDING A SPARK Mark Lascelles, Head Master, believes the key to great education is to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to develop and shine.

The Irish poet and author, WB Yeats, wrote, ‘Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire’. It’s sad to say that the chaos heaped upon children’s education from Covid 19 has laid bare the limitations of an approach to education which focuses in large part on exams, and measures success in results on a piece of paper. Of course, exams and testing matter, and it is the role of any good school to support each pupil to achieve the best results they can, in order to take them to the next step of their educational journey and, ultimately, into the world of work. However, the limitations of exams, and the curriculae that drive them, is that it can focus too much attention on ‘the filling of the pot’ and not enough on ‘lighting the fire’.

An estimated 65% of children entering primary schools today will work in jobs and functions that don’t currently exist, according to a recent Universities UK report.* It’s true to say that today we are teaching children who will go on to jobs which don’t yet exist.

Technological changes such as automation and artificial intelligence will transform the employment landscape. It follows, therefore, that schools should not just be equipping children with the knowledge and ability to pass exams, but also life skills which enable them to be flexible when new opportunities emerge and resilient when their chosen path doesn’t unfold quite as they had planned. A significant part of developing those skills is encouraging each pupil to be brave at trying new things, to find an activity, an interest or a talent where they can excel, and a good school will see this as their mission.

At the start of each academic year, we welcome a new cohort of pupils to Dauntsey’s. At the first assembly I always think back to the 12

*McLeod, Scott and Karl Fisch, Shift Happens

Upper Sixth who have left us the previous summer and reflect on how each of them has developed and grown through their time with us. It does not feel so long ago that they too were sitting listening to me welcome them to the school.

When they first join us, it can be easy to identify the more confident pupils, the sporty ones, the maths geniuses, the musical ones who sing as they pass along the corridors, and the ones who are always the first to put their hand up to volunteer or ask a question. But it’s equally important to identify the quieter ones, the ones with less confidence who are perhaps more cautious and have not yet discovered their spark, the ones who don’t fit straight away into an obvious social group. These pupils may well have the most to contribute. Ideas and insights will certainly be running through their minds but, without the confidence to articulate these thoughts, the pupil, and the rest of the class, loses out.

On the sports field, these pupils may not be readily selected for the top teams. On the school stage they may not be picked for a leading

“ We encourage an adventurous mindset, both inside the classroom and out.”

Mark Lascelles, Head Master

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role, even though there may be real talent beneath the surface. In social situations, some may find themselves on the edge, needing only a little encouragement or advice to get involved.

Any good school should seek to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to develop and shine, nobody should slip through the net.

Every member of staff has an important role to play in helping each child discover what ignites their imagination and enthusiasm. Find that spark and confidence, happiness and, ultimately, resilience will follow.

Certainly, it’s not all about achievements in the classroom, although for some a particular subject – or teacher – will provide that lightbulb moment. But extra-curricular activities play a vital role. Our pioneering approach to adventure education has been transformative for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pupils who have walked through our gates.

For example, the ‘Moonrakers’ programme has a far-reaching impact on all our Third Formers (Year 9). They spend an afternoon a week on outdoor activities throughout the year. They might be kayaking, learning self-defence or orienteering, mountain biking, cooking outdoors, crossing a river, rock climbing or dinghy sailing. Whatever activity is involved, they develop teamwork and leadership skills, whilst stretching themselves mentally as well as physically.

The activities themselves are only part of the picture. The pupils are deliberately put into new groups. Everyone has to work with people who are not in their normal social circle, and thus develop new relationships, gain an understanding of how others operate and work together to form a functioning team. Group dynamics are changed and the results can be surprising to both pupils and teachers. After a few sessions, vital life skills such as communication,

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co-operation, listening to others, sensitivity and tolerance of different ideas are learnt, and friends with different interests have been made.

One pupil springs to mind. Bright, but lacking in confidence within her peer group, she would rarely push herself forward but, if prompted, would perform well. Given the opportunity to have a go at rock climbing through Moonrakers, she was initially very nervous. Half-way up, something clicked, she knew what to do, and where to move for the next part of the ascent. By the end of the day, she was helping others climb. This new-found confidence translated immediately back into the classroom where her peers viewed her in a new light. Her more confident attitude and readiness to contribute has been a delight to see.

Another pupil had made up his mind that sport in particular, and outdoor activities in general, were just not his thing. During the Moonrakers programme it became clear that he was an excellent map reader. By the time of the overnight expedition, he had fellow classmates queuing to be in this team. They knew he would navigate the best and fastest route to camp. Success for him was not on a rugby pitch but he and his peers realised that, out in the open, with nothing but a map and compass to guide him, he was the best. I believe that he grew an inch or two that week.

Further up the school, a Sixth Form pupil was offered a chance to join the crew of our Tall Ship, Jolie Brise. Despite her anxieties and misgivings, she chose to challenge herself by taking part in the Fastnet Race. She told me that the experience showed her that she could do more than she had ever imagined and that her communication skills improved significantly during that voyage.

She now feels comfortable working with a random group of people, vital for her future career in medicine.

The performing arts provide another important opportunity for pupils to find their spark. It’s not just about the performers who excel on stage, there is always a lot going on behind the scenes, in every sense. One pupil I recall was not keen on being the centre of attention, but his imagination was captured by the back-stage equipment used for our major musical productions each December.

This pupil started learning the ropes as a Fourth Former. Each year he worked his way up to a more significant role until he was masterminding the whole production back-stage. It is hard to put into words how much he gained from this experience. He had certainly found his spark.

We encourage an adventurous mindset across all aspects of life both inside the classroom and out. By being encouraged to move outside their comfort zone and test personal boundaries, pupils can be amazed by what they achieve. Working with others towards a common goal teaches them how a team operates, how to lead and how to follow. A good school will educate their pupils, an excellent school will develop the whole person, help each individual find somewhere or something in which they can excel. Encouraging pupils to be adventurous in every sense of the word helps them develop a deeper understanding of how they function, greater self-esteem and a renewed energy and confidence in their abilities.

Much has been written about the impact of the recent pandemic on the younger generation. Countless studies point to mental health issues and worries about the future. We should not underestimate how challenging it has been for all school age children. However, developing life skills such as resilience, flexibility and team work can make a significant difference to how well pupils cope. These qualities stem, in part, from the schools’ commitment to ‘the lighting of a fire’ as well as ‘the filling of a pot’. I am confident that this will set our pupils in good stead for the future – no matter what it throws at them.

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TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF – AND OTH Health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being”, according to the World Health Organisation. It is a broad definition that lies at the heart of Dauntsey’s holistic approach to bringing out the best in our pupils – and our staff. Greg James, Mental Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator, who is also a special educational needs and languages teacher, explains how we are working to create a happy, supportive and inclusive community.

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raditionally, schools focus most on the academic and sporting sides of education. Pastoral support has always been there but mental wellbeing has been more of a background issue.

That has changed in recent years and the pandemic has undoubtedly made the situation more public and acute. According to 2021 research from the Mental Health Foundation, more than a quarter of teenagers feel nervous, anxious or on edge much of the time, while almost a third have problems sleeping.

Yet there’s still a stigma around mental health issues. Since I took on this role, one of my main aims has been to make sure that mental health is on a par with physical health when it comes to wellbeing. I want to do away with the stigma and get people talking more openly.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK We already have fantastic staff, counsellors and programmes in place. What we need to do now is change attitudes, make it easy for anyone who is struggling to ask for and receive help, and normalise what are common reactions not only to the process of growing up but also to other, unexpected pressures we may face, such as the pandemic.

It was not uncommon for pupils, and indeed adults who felt quite isolated during the lockdowns, to become anxious. Some younger ones forgot how to be with each other. For older pupils, there was stress about exams or the lack of them and fear about their future. Some of the pupils who live for sport or performing arts felt the ground had been cut out from under their feet.

Online learning at home meant our pupils did not miss out on the academic side, but the range of opportunities that are key to life here – drama, music, clubs, sport, adventures

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– were largely missing. So was the social contact with friends, their social networks, much of the fun in life.

That has all come back but it has taken considerable adjustment. Our counsellors have been working very hard; there have been lots of logins to our online system, My Concern; while the Listening Service – which is run by pupils for pupils – has been busy too.

It takes courage to admit you have a problem and we’re working to make it easier, especially for boys, who don’t tend to reach out as much as girls do. We have set up a pilot project with one of the boys’ houses to encourage openness and to realise that it’s OK not to be OK.

SUPPORT FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY We take a holistic view of the school and its wider environment and we need to provide support to all to encourage all-round wellbeing.

We mustn’t forget the pressure and stress felt by staff – not only teaching staff, but all staff. We are one community and staff wellbeing goes hand in hand with student wellbeing.

If the people around them are happy and smiling, that creates the right environment for the pupils to do their best.

The Department for Education Wellbeing Charter for teachers features in our plans, such as improving access to mental health and wellbeing resources. With this in mind, all staff have access to the Teen Tips staff wellbeing hub which is a trusted source of support, offering CPD (Continuous Professsional Development), podcasts, articles and top tips.

We are also offering support to parents with access to the parent wellbeing hub and we’re looking to run evening 18

sessions on how to support pupils with prep, how to identify mental health issues, how to avoid confrontation and other common family issues.

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER Having completed the Mental Health First Aid England Instructor Course and started to deliver the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Programme for staff, any member of staff who works closely with our young people can now gain knowledge and insight into the issues around mental wellbeing. In the near future we intend to add to our outreach programme by offering training to other schools in the area. In addition we are looking at developing resources for tutors to talk about wellbeing.

Our Medical Centre now houses a new counsellor’s room, along with a designated time-out space. The idea is to have a place where pupils can go if they’re feeling anxious or upset – a quiet, comfortable place to have time out, feel supported and talk through their concerns.

We also focus on self-esteem. It is important for learning difficulties and social skills, so why not run a tailored six-week programme to boost self-esteem? Pupils can pigeon-hole themselves, so we are here to help them reframe their thoughts and recognise their strengths and positives and then celebrate their steps forward in this area.

We want to create an atmosphere in which every person has a chance to shine and where there’s real positivity about everyone’s talents and abilities, whether those are creative, interpersonal, technological or something else, alongside celebrating those who succeed academically and in sport.

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Issue no. 15

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

WELLBEING WEEK

The words we choose can have a real impact on the mental health of those around us, whether the topic is food, looks, sexual orientation or academic and sporting ability. People can unthinkingly use language that might trigger a problem, so we’re encouraging everyone to think about the potential consequences of using common expressions. We’re spreading the word through posters, assemblies, tutor time and presentations by our pupil wellbeing champions to make everyone in our community aware that what they say matters.

World Wellbeing Week is an annual campaign that aims to raise awareness of wellbeing and explain why it matters. In June 2021, we used the mnemonic MAGIC, developed by the NHS, to encourage pupils and staff to focus on five factors that play a key role in achieving a sense of wellbeing, with opportunities to put each into practise.

A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP To feel good, you have to sleep well, so we’re using a range of initiatives to help pupils get the rest they need. In the girls’ boarding houses, we’re offering mindfulness and meditation techniques designed to calm over-active minds. At our junior boarding house, The Manor, we trialled a range of options during a Sleep Week, including movie nights, reducing phone use in the evenings, yoga – and a nightcap of hot chocolate.

Mindful Take time to reflect and be aware of your surroundings.

Notice what you are thinking and be aware of what is going on around you. For example, try really savouring your favourite food.

Active Get moving – go for a walk or a run, try a new sport or activity. We have dozens to choose from and the exercise releases feel-good hormones.

Generous Find ways to give. Do something for a friend, help at home, raise money for charity, spread a little happiness by simply smiling.

Interested Set yourself a goal, learn a new word or random fact, read a new book, research a topic that interests you, or ask questions about someone else’s passion. Just keep learning.

Connected Reach out to others, connect with people around you, spend time with your friends and try to make new friends.

Try using different ways to communicate.

The Head Master regularly talks in school assemblies about the importance of kindness. If we’re all kind to each other, we create a common spirit and community. You are buoyed up by that, whatever you’re going through.

ASSESSING THE WELLBEING OF THE SCHOOL To set a baseline for the wellbeing of the school, we ran a wellbeing survey with the pupils, working with the Anna Freud Centre and Manchester University.

This is intended to become an annual event and we found that our pupils feel well-supported by both adults and their peers, are well-connected to the community at school and

at home, and are both empathetic and willing to help and support others. Common teenage challenges, such as managing stress, setting goals and emotional issues also figured in an analysis of the results.

Using data from the survey, we’re now working with volunteer pupil wellbeing champions to inform our strategy. Our Upper School Wellbeing Champions are already in place and are helping to recruit pupils from the Lower School. In the long term, we intend to give them mental health first aid training too. But it’s important that they have a clear voice in the process from the start, so what we put in place is accessible and they can see that their input has an impact.

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THE IMPORTANCE CREATIVE THIN

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Issue no. 15

Being creative isn’t a series of one-off events.

It’s a way of thinking and behaving, says Victoria Rose, Head of Art and Design.

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reativity lives in us all – the question is how far it can grow and flourish to become something that influences others. As teachers, being conscious of that allows us to unravel the complexities and breadth of pupils’ individual creative nuances. Once they are aware of their creativity, with nurturing and encouragement, the possibilities are boundless.

Creative thinking is an essential skill in all subjects and helps pupils to approach tasks innovatively. Whether you’re on the sports field or analysing a historic artefact, finding an unexpected or different way through can win the match or argument. It takes bravery and boldness, both skills for life in general.

Connecting to our inner creativity allows us to approach tasks with fresh eyes, as advertising guru Paul Arden notes. “Whatever you think, think the opposite,” he says. Many of us fear getting it wrong but, he adds, “The person who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.”

Our job is to inspire pupils to embrace challenge by constant questioning, demonstrating different techniques and processes, which pupils can then use themselves. When this cycle becomes continuous, creativity is unleashed. That results in self-directed learning through experimentation.

Questioning, analysis and evaluation take you to a deeper level of learning and understanding. Being encouraged not

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to accept the norm promotes change. When these skills are fully embraced by both pupil and teacher, success leads to success.

for painting, ceramics, design, or something else that is physical. Or they might discover a love for art history or theory. The breadth is enormous.

And when the experience is repeated over time, fear turns to fearlessness and new qualities begin to appear, such as endurance, perseverance, open-mindedness, playfulness and originality. These characteristics allow our pupils to shine.

Through continuous dialogue, and the exchange of verbal and visual ideas, a path of discovery opens up and pupils discover which aspects of A&D fit their skill set. This then helps them to select an appropriate degree course and ultimately leads to a successful career.

You might think that you don’t have a creative bone in your body but, in fact, there is a latent artist in all of us.

Even those with a talent often believe it is just something they do. Whether you are a painter, filmmaker, designer, musician, or something else, it’s important to understand the worth and value of your ability.

Our job is to find your unique creativity and strengthen it.

All of our art and design (A&D) teachers have specialist areas but also have a deep understanding and awareness of all the creative pathways. By working together, we bring out the best in our students. They could have an aptitude 22

While many of our pupils learn by doing, in more academic subjects creativity comes from the approach you take, comparing complex issues and theories, then expressing your thoughts either in writing, visually or verbally, all of which are means of self-expression. In every case, we’re encouraging pupils to look at things differently, not simply learning by rote.

Success in A&D is largely down to using the Bauhaus ethos, which accords equal status to all artistic disciplines.

We deliver a multi-disciplinary curriculum, synthesising

In Focus |

Issue no. 15

“ Whatever you think, think the opposite. ...

The person who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything.” Advertising guru Paul Arden

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Dauntsey’s

CREATIVITY IN THE TIME OF COVID You can’t prepare for the unexpected and delivering a practical subject remotely posed its own challenge. At least we knew the first lockdown was coming and we thought outside the box to keep lessons going at home and the curriculum on track. Ironically, this involved lots of boxes.

We prepared art packs containing everything our pupils needed at Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Form. They were like ration packs, filled with coloured pencils, charcoal, tracing paper and lino cutters.

We packed up clay for modelling, delivered cameras and lenses, made laser cuts on demand, and created personalised packs for A level students. It was like being a delivery service with very long hours. We were determined that our pupils would not be disadvantaged by consequences of the pandemic.

Technology gave a fresh voice to communication, creativity and education. Lessons were delivered online, with extra tutorials in the evenings. Any pupil could join in, ask questions and stay to listen to the discussion.

We created an online community and kept collaboration and team thinking going, just as we would have done in the classroom. We had to be spontaneous, inventive and think laterally, stretching and using our brains in new ways.

The photography students used their homes as backdrops and their parents and siblings as models.

Artists set up studios in their garden sheds. Photographic shoots took place at swimming pools, sinks and on pavements. Milk was turned black, flour became face paint and ornaments were props. Parents were endlessly supportive and patient. When pupils needed specialist equipment, they improvised.

We also launched an initiative called Creativity in Captivity. The whole school was invited to take part by submitting photos of things they had created, from baking a cake to potting plants, painting murals, making sculptures and writing rhyming couplets. The Chair of Governors, Lucy Walsh Waring, was the first entry – she’d renovated an old dressing table. Every week our online gallery was updated.

Our passion for education, and our love for our subject fuelled perseverance. And we did it all again for the next lockdown. It was challenging – but it worked. Creativity didn’t pause, let alone stop.

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“The words that I have often used to both pupils and parents – ‘You are not the first, and you will certainly not be the last’ – have definitely resonated on numerous occasions.”

painting and drawing, sculpture, design, textiles, printmaking, typography, photography and film. We are always looking for new materials, techniques, processes and resources to expand the breadth of creative applications on offer.

Lessons are multi-sensory by nature – using as many senses as possible enriches understanding. As Maria Montessori, founder of the eponymous schools, puts it, “The senses, being explorers of our world, open the way to knowledge.”

Cross-curricular connections are also key. Students are encouraged to base their personal investigation on theory learnt in their other subjects or to choose something that is unique to them. One pupil taking biology studied Alzheimer’s disease and incorporated mathematics through her use of typography. Pupils taking drama often integrate dance or performance art.

For the last five years, we’ve run an Art Applications course for post-GCSE pupils taking A&D at A level. It has included a day in a potter’s studio, textile design, photography, cake design, ceramics, floristry, architectural design and more.

It’s a glimpse into the creative industries and profitable careers beyond university. Pupils are inspired by the experience and it confirms they’ve made the right subject choice at A Level.

The summer exhibition is a celebration of creative talent, and the showcase is always an eclectic display of skill, innovation and diversity and evidence that differentiation is at the heart of our teaching practice. The sense of achievement is enormous. It’s also competitive – something we encourage because it raises standards and is a reality in the outside world.

Being creative builds confidence and life skills. The process means taking risks, solving problems and being collaborative. These are part of any business, so we’re educating for well beyond the classroom.

The great motivator William Arthur Ward wrote, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” We aim for the last.

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Dauntsey’s

A closer look at…

Beekeeping There’s a buzz in the classrooms and the grounds are humming – the Bee Club is back from hibernation.

Barry Roberts, Head of IT Support Services, and part-time receptionist Diane Sleigh are the enthusiasts behind the relaunch.

“B

ees pollinate almost 75 per cent of the plants that produce 90 per cent of the world’s food,” says Barry. “A third of the world’s food production depends on bees – every third spoonful of food depends on pollination.

“Yet they are under threat from loss of habitat, pesticides and disease. So what could be more important than learning about and nurturing our bees?”

Barry’s beekeeping career started after a conversation he had with Diane, an experienced beekeeper who has 26 hives of

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her own and works at Dauntsey’s in the school holidays. “I attended a Beekeeping Experience Day and I was captivated from then on. I now have my own hives at home.”

The pair were keen to share their passion with the pupils, who are fascinated by bee society and committed to the conservation aspects of beekeeping. The club launched in September 2021, after a series of introductory lectures and videos over the summer term, and has members from the First through to the Sixth Forms.

At its heart is a new, eco-designed apiary building on the Mercers’ Field. Made of

THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES • They range for around three miles • There are three types of bee: the queen, workers and drones • The queen is fed on nutrient-dense royal jelly and lays around 2,000 eggs a day through spring and summer • Workers are female and do everything from gathering pollen and making wax to cleaning the hive • Drones are male, don’t have a sting and only exist to fertilise queens • There are up to 60,000 bees in a colony, falling to 10,000 in winter • Honey bees do not hibernate: they huddle together in winter, using honey for energy and keeping warm by shivering

timber and powered by solar panels, it means the hives are under cover, so pupils can get involved whatever the weather. There is also a viewing gallery, classroom and workshop facilities. Pupils who are concerned about getting stung can still observe the hives, see the bees at work and understand how they function within the colony.

“We have a colony of honey bees, which is doing beautifully and spent the summer collecting pollen and nectar stores for the winter, when they cluster together to keep warm, only flying when temperatures are above eight degrees,” says Diane.

“We’ve been taking the pupils on bee-spotting walks around the grounds and hedgerows, opening their eyes to the insect population all around them, teaching them about food sources and the importance of diversity in the flora if bees are to thrive.”

Locally, the main food sources for the bees are wild flowers (Dauntsey’s is planning to create a wild flower meadow), oil seed rape, blackthorn and, later in the year, ivy.

“On one walk, we watched the bees clustering on a mass of ivy in the hedgerows, then walked back to the playing fields, where the pupils realised there were very few insects,” says Diane. “One boy said that the school must not mow as often, but I pointed out that humans also need spaces for their own purposes and that there was plenty of room to co-exist.”

Winter activities focus on theory and the history of beekeeping, with talks and films, as well as work on equipment, advice on pest control and health and safety.

Occasional stings are an occupational hazard for beekeepers, so pupils who react badly to insect bites are advised that the Bee Club is

not for them and Barry and Diane have had specialist training from the medical staff.

“Generally, a stinging nettle is far worse than a bee sting,” says Barry, with the voice of experience. “Nettle rash can last for days, while a bee sting is just a bit itchy immediately afterwards.”

As the seasons turn, pupils will add honey extraction to their experiences and observe foraging and social structures more closely. They are also learning the terminology of beekeeping.

“It stretches their minds,” says Barry.

“But more than that, the club is a door into a whole new world, with its own rules, needs and behaviour patterns. It is a great way to understand how every creature in nature has an effect on all the others and how we are all interrelated.”

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Dauntsey’s

West Lavington, Devizes, Wiltshire. SN10 4HE 01380 814500 marketing@dauntseys.org www.dauntseys.org 28