Insight No.11

The Regret Minimisation Framework by Shameer Thobhani, Co-Founder, InvestIN Education.

Welcome to Insight No. 11 in which we look at the theme of risk — from playing rugby to becoming a (very) young entrepreneur, and how to channel children’s and teenagers’ desires to seek thrills — especially when among peers — into relatively safe and constructive activities.

Risk assessment has become a norm in school life: classrooms, science labs, sports halls, boiler rooms, sports fields, educational visits, overseas trips, and safeguarding. Of course, throughout the ‘unpleasantness’ (as someone described the pandemic to me), risk assessment was continuous. If I reflect on some of the events and trips I led over thirty years ago without risk assessment, as

Bringing Insight to a coffee table near you…

was the norm, I can (safely…) say that I wouldn’t repeat the exercise nowadays: with a jeep stuck on rocks at a crossing on the Mara river in Kenya, and a mix of Latin American and Japanese foundation students attempting to push it clear, I noticed others tracking three or four hippos upstream with their cameras (no mobiles) held high, rapidly shouting ‘Hippo, photo, photo, hippo, photo, PHOTO!’. I urgently questioned our local guide on whether the hippos presented an immediate threat and he answered very calmly, ‘No. But the spitting cobras do…’

I doubt that teachers in Ukraine have been filling in forms over the last year. The risks they face are very different from ours. Svitlana Popova is a mathematics teacher in Borodyanka, near Kyiv, and her school was seized by attacking military

forces and heavily damaged last March. After Svitlana was forced to switch to online teaching, tanks fired on her house and burned it down. Svitlana continued to lead virtual delivery from a parasol-covered table in a courtyard. In a motivational New Year’s address to the nation, President Zelensky outlined what he considered to be the essential tools for victory in the coming months, and after listing military hardware and surgical equipment he finished with ‘the teacher’s pointer.’ For teachers in Ukraine attempting to supply uninterrupted education to over eight million learners, the risk to the country of not doing so weighs heavy on the soul.

Tim Fish Editor-in-chief

Tim Fish, editor-in-chief of Insight, is Managing Director for Dukes Education’s colleges, and founded Earlscliffe, a co-ed, international boarding school for students aged 15-19, in Folkestone, Kent.

The Regret Minimisation Framework

by Shameer Thobhani

In the late 1980s, after graduating from Princeton University with degrees in electrical engineering and computer science, a young man undertook a series of jobs in the finance industry before being hired into the quantitative division of the secretive hedge fund, DESCO. DESCO pioneered the use of computers to predict and exploit anomalies in financial markets, and with this young man’s skill-set and background, he found a natural fit. Within seven years, he was one of only four Senior Vice-Presidents in the group, earning a lucrative salary with the real potential of exponential success.

One day, whilst working for this hedge fund, this now 30-year old noticed increasing interest in the internet and worked out that in the year alone, web activity had gone up by roughly 230,000 percent. This was startling; very few things grow that fast. Armed with this revelation, the seeds of an idea started to form and within weeks, he informed his boss, David, that he wanted to resign to pursue it. What happened next has become internet lore. His boss invited him for a walk in the park to discuss his decision, and the young SVP agreed to think it over for a few days. During this time, he had been reading the book ‘Remains of the Day’ by Kazuo Ishiguro, which tells the story of a butler recalling his life choices during wartime. Inspired,

‘Armed with this revelation, the seeds of an idea started to form and within weeks, he informed his boss, David, that he wanted to resign to pursue it.’

the young man came up with the idea of the “regret minimisation framework”. The idea was to project yourself into the future and reflect on your decision from that perspective. He realised that as an 80-year-old, he wouldn’t regret foregoing yet another large financial bonus but would would regret even more not participating in this revolutionary thing called the Internet. His parents advised him to work on the idea on evenings and weekends without giving up a fantastic Wall Street job, but he decided to go all in. The decision to take on enormous professional, financial and personal risk was made. Now, we can all imagine how difficult it would be to make such a choice amid what must have been many raised eyebrows. But had this young man not taken on such a risk, Amazon would have never been created, and the world would never know the name Jeff Bezos.

Every decision we make from childhood onward, no matter how large or small, has its own risks. When I left my investment banking job to pursue my entrepreneurial ambitions, I don’t think I fully understood the risks I was taking, but I was unconsciously following the “regret minimisation framework”. I often felt that I wanted to look back on my life with a sense of pride as to what I had achieved, and a lifetime in finance working toward a yearend bonus didn’t seem like too noble a pursuit. Having grown up in a household with both parents owning their businesses, I had witnessed first-hand the difficulties and deep emotional stress that come with that, alongside the beautiful highs when everything goes right.

This DNA has flowed through to our mission at InvestIN. Everything we do at InvestIN is geared towards empowering young people to make huge life-changing decisions in the face of uncertainty and risk. In essence, by allowing students aged between 12-18 to have an immersive experience of their dream career, we provide a way for them to truly feel what a job is like, alongside professionals who work in those industries, thereby allowing them to decide on their future, maximise their potential, and yes, minimise regret. Alongside more traditional careers like engineering, law and medicine, we help students to explore their future in art, fashion design and

filmmaking and, of course, entrepreneurship so we can equip students to forge their own business endeavours. Through providing a set of actionable and impartial risk-reward parameters for the decisions they make from 12 years old onward (GCSE/ A-level choices, university decisions, and extracurricular options), we seek to create a more precise lens through which students can view the impact of their judgments.

The world is changing so fast, exponentially so, but in InvestIN, with the help of Dukes, we are proud to be creating a new generation of thinkers and doers who have the drive and ambition to help themselves, help each other and become genuinely successful global citizens in a variety of fields. A mere ten years later, over 50,000 students from over 100 countries have attended an InvestIN programme, and we are not yet nearly done with our mission.

And, as for me, despite the challenges, risks, and adversity, do I regret my choice to pursue this instead of a career in finance?

As Pythagoras wisely remarked, “the oldest, shortest words — ‘yes’ and ‘no’ — are those that require the most thought.” With deep conviction, I can answer this question, with a crisp, resounding — no n

‘As Pythagoras wisely remarked, “the oldest, shortest words — ‘yes’ and ‘no’ are those that require the most thought.”

Executive skills

Debbie Dixon, Head of Learning Support, Devonshire House School, discusses the issue of underachieving bright students who struggle with executive skills.

Amy is an intelligent 14-year-old who can complete work, process abstract information in a matter of minutes, excel in exams and contribute thoughtful and often witty anecdotes in classroom discussions. Amy also spends a lot of time in detention for not having completed homework tasks, arriving late for lessons (she has no idea where she is meant to be or when) and, despite her mother buying

her numerous pencil cases, she never has the right equipment with her. Her school bag is full of pieces of paper and weighs a tonne.

Thomas, on the other hand, is a 16-year-old with an active social life inside and outside of school and, despite being very bright, like Amy, spends most of his time in the classroom locked in a dream world while the clock ticks away and none of his brilliant ideas, which his teachers know he is

capable of producing, have been committed to paper but are still swimming around his active mind, or instead are presented as a mass of doodles and crossings out.

How many of us as teachers, head teachers, parents even, recognise children who are bright and capable but are underachieving due to a mismatch between their academic ability and ability to organise themselves? Is it just a case of a child being lazy, or is there more to it than just a child/teenager who cannot be bothered or prepared to take a risk occasionally, such as bunking off school for a day with a friend?

SENDCOs, teachers and teaching assistants are becoming increasingly aware of children who are neuro diverse and present with different learning, social and communication needs as opposed to a neuro typical child, while other students have identifiable disabilities, mental health problems or challenging personal circumstances which can explain poor performance within the classroom.

But what about pupils such as Thomas and Amy (who are my own children) who do not fit into any of the categories aforementioned? Is it just a case of simply not caring? Indeed, I have attended countless parent evenings to be told how bright my two are but “if only” they could hand in homework on time, turn up for lessons punctually, bring the right equipment, write something — the list is endless, and I know I am

‘Children will continue to make the same mistakes regardless of how many detentions or red cards you issue them with — they are simply not effective.’

not the only parent to have similar conversations with teachers.

Recently, there has been much media coverage about neuro diverse conditions such as ADHD and autism. Less so about research into brain-based skills otherwise known as executive skills, and the UK is still somewhat lacking behind its US counterparts in incorporating these vital skills into the school curriculum. And yet, without these essential life skills, many children such as Thomas and Amy stand the risk of underachieving simply because they cannot organise themselves.

So, what are executive skills? Executive skills are skills that are required to execute tasks independently — to complete a task from start to finish whether it involves packing your own school bag, remembering to bring home your PE kit or applying to Oxbridge. Neuropsychologists have identified up to 11 different executive skills (see separate box, overleaf) which develop slowly over the course of childhood and adolescence and are not fully mature until young people are well into their twenties — even older if they have an attention disorder.

Teachers have enough to teach so why should they have to teach executive skills as well? Unless a child is given strategies as to how to manage their time effectively, how to organise themselves, how to overcome setbacks or how to develop coping mechanisms when they are upset or overwhelmed, they

will continue to make the same mistakes regardless of how many detentions or red cards you issue them with — they are simply not effective. Instead, you are just making that child/adolescent feel worse about themselves or, in a worst-case scenario, want to give up entirely. Indeed, research has shown that weak executive skills in childhood can lead to psychiatric and developmental disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and mental health problems in adults.

So, what can schools do to support children in developing executive skills? As a SENDCO, I have forgotten the number of times I have recommended the book ‘Smart but Scattered’ by Peg Dawson, an American-based clinical psychologist and author and unquestionably an expert in this field. Her book doesn’t just give teachers strategies, but parents as well. How many of us as parents despair that our children’s bedrooms are messy when we are in fact tidy, or they leave the house at the last minute when you arrive at least ten minutes early for every function (yes, I drive my daughter insane)? They may be your child, but they are not going to have the same executive skills as you. After all, you are a grown up and have hopefully matured — they are still developing.

Help is also at hand in the form of Connections in Mind, a company created in 2016 by three leading UK-based psychologists who work with many families

Response Inhibition — The capacity to think before acting and the ability to resist the urge to say something or do something that you may later come to regret.

Working Memory — The ability to hold information in your memory while completing complex tasks. It also draws on your ability to recall previous learning and apply that knowledge to your current learning and to make forward projections.

Sustained Attention — The capacity to remain focussed and complete a task despite fatigue, boredom and distractibility.

Emotional Regulation — The ability to control your emotions to achieve certain outcomes, complete tasks and manage behavioural expectations.

Task Initiation — The ability to start a task on time without procrastinating.

Planning/Prioritisation — The ability to plan and prioritise what needs to be done to complete a task. It also involves making decisions about what is or is not important.

Organisation — The ability to organise information and store materials appropriately if not tidily.

Time Management — The capacity to estimate how much time one needs to complete a task, the ability to turn up to time for lessons and be aware that time is important.

Goal-directed Persistence — The capacity to have a goal and follow through and not be distracted by other interests.

Flexibility — to be aware that you will suffer setbacks and be flexible in your approach in completing work or working with others.

Metacognition — the ability to take a step back and take a bird’s eye view of oneself in a situation. It is the ability to how one problem-solves. It also includes self-checking in skills such as how am I? How am I coping?

at my school (Devonshire House School) and across the UK. The company, which also specialises in providing strategies for those with neuro diverse conditions, is available to give parent talks and teachers in the form of CPD sessions.

So, the next time you come across a Thomas or Amy in your class and rush to give them a detention or a red card, instead, take a step back, give them a pen or a book if they have forgotten their stuff (it only takes a second) guide them quietly to their chair if they are late and smile quietly to yourself when they solve that complex algebraic equation in seconds, or make the class laugh out loud with a humorous remark. Who knows, you could have the next Einstein sitting there. After all, it was Einstein that said: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” Never a truer word spoken. n

‘It was Einstein that said: “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”

Never a truer word spoken.’

MEET THE LONDON SCHOOLS

Dukes brings together a carefully curated group of schools that represent excellence in British education.

S C H O O L S A N D C O L L E G E S

LONDON

Bassett House School

Co-ed, 3-11

Notting Hill, West London

Broomfield House School

Co-ed, 3-11

Kew, West London

Broomwood Hall

Lower and Upper School

Co-ed, 4-8

Girls, 8-13

Clapham, SW London

Chiswick and Bedford

Park Preparatory School

Co-ed, 3-7

Girls, 3-11

Chiswick, West London

Devonshire House Preparatory School

Co-ed, 2-11

Boys, 2-13

Hampstead

Eaton House Schools

Co-ed, nursery

Boys, 4-13

Girls, 4-11

Clapham and Belgravia

Eaton Square Schools

Co-ed, 2-18

Belgravia and Mayfair

Hampstead Fine Arts College

Co-ed, 13-18

Belsize Park, North London

Hampton Court House

Co-ed, 2-18

Molesey, West London

Heathside School Hampstead

Co-ed, 2-13

Hampstead

Knightsbridge School

Co-ed, 3-16

Knightsbridge

Northcote Lodge Boys, 8-13

Clapham, SW London

Northwood Senior

Co-ed, 11-16

Streatham, SW London

Orchard House School

Co-ed, 3-11

Chiswick, West London

Prospect House School

Co-ed, 3-11

Putney, South West London

Radnor House Co-ed, 9-18

Twickenham, SW London

The Lyceum School

Co-ed, 4-11

City of London

The Pointer School

Co-ed, 3-11

Blackheath, South East London

CAMBRIDGE

Sancton Wood School

Co-ed, 1-16

St Andrew's College

Co-ed, 15-18

Cardiff Sixth Form College, Cambridge

Co-ed, 16-19

KENT

Earlscliffe Co-ed, 15-18

Folkestone

Rochester Independent College

Co-ed, 11-18

Rochester

CARDIFF

Cardiff Sixth Form College

Co-ed, 14-19

Risk and the school trip

School trips have always provided students with valuable opportunities for “hands-on learning”, ranging from local trips to learn about the history, geology or geography of a local area, to long-haul journeys in order to experience the cultures and ways of life of those with whom we share our planet.

By Tom Trueman.

When I was at school in the 1960s, trips were largely confined to the UK, with the occasional foray to European destinations that could easily be reached via a cross-channel ferry. The purpose of these trips primarily focussed on language learning, and they were strictly controlled, with risks largely limited to those which we faced in the UK during our daily lives. However, since those balmy days of my youth, the opportunities to travel have increased dramatically, and there are now very few destinations around the world which are not accessible to school groups.

The responsibilities of organisers and leaders of trips has also developed over the last six decades. To a large extent this has simply been a codifying of responsibilities which have always been there for those in charge of young adults, but we have also seen a focus on the formal identification of risks, which is now a legal requirement of such trips.

As the legislation developed some teachers’ unions felt that the legal requirements for those organising school trips had become too onerous. However, in the last ten years, great strides have been made to ensure that by properly assessing providers, teachers can once again allow students to take balanced risks and open their eyes to the world beyond the classroom. A trip to Everest Base camp is a prime example of how using a provider, like True Adventure, can allow students to challenge themselves and build resilience in an environment where everything from crossing the road to altitude has been fully assessed and plans put in place to mitigate against major risks.

When I moved some twenty years ago from primarily running adult expeditions to being responsible for organising over 500 school overseas trips a year, the concept of “risk assessments” was somewhat daunting. quickly realised, however, that the process was no different from the way I had previously organised ventures. It was simply a case of ensuring that written procedures were backed up by the appointment of competent, and adequately qualified and experienced staff.

A well-organised school trip offers benefits in many forms. Some of these benefits will be extensions of skills learned at school, whilst others will be new to the participants, varying from the opportunity to participate in community projects to discovering the way of life of other cultures, to more challenging

physical activities, such as trekking, or a combination of projects and challenging activities. Such ventures can introduce students to the environmental challenges faced by other nations and provide a greater understanding of how different cultures are so important in the world we live in.

In recent years, technology has also impacted on the way we manage school trips and the risks involved. At one end of the spectrum, teachers leading groups on a venture close to their school can use mobile phones, whilst at the other end expedition leaders can now use satellite communications and the internet. We live in a 24/7 global environment and the management of developing technology requires sophisticated operations facilities, such as the one at True Adventure, from where groups can be tracked, and whatever support is needed can be provided whatever the time of the day. For example, trip leaders as far afield as destinations such as Nepal, can now readily access support which can provide timely assistance, such as medical support. To some extent, a driver in an unfamiliar area in the UK will probably not know where the nearest medical facility is; however on expeditions, they will know at all times where the facility is, and what is available, and if needed the operations room will tell them you are on your way.

When students are given the opportunity to lead and take calculated, assessed risks, teachers can sit back and watch them step outside of their comfort zones, become global citizens and develop life changing skills.

n

‘Such ventures can introduce students to the environmental challenges faced by other nations and provide a greater understanding of how different cultures are so important in the world we live in.’

Risk in rugby: a review

Professor Mark Bailey, Managing Director of Dukes Education, and Professor of Late Medieval History at the University of East Anglia, discusses the potential link between contact sports, such as rugby, and neurodegenerative diseases

Aspate of recent media stories — such as that detailing the distressing descent into dementia of 2003 England Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson — has drawn attention to the likely link between contact sports and neurodegenerative diseases. For parents of pupils at schools where contact sports are compulsory, and who are already concerned about heightened levels of injuries,

these stories serve to pour fuel on the fires of their anxiety about contact sport. But can we peer through the (understandable) media interest and the clouds of anxiety to assess the actual hazards and the risks clearly and coolly?

There is no doubt that governing authorities in sport are taking the matter seriously. Four years ago I participated voluntarily in a UCL-led study to establish the incidence of

‘In reality, the research did not produce definitive proof that contact with the head is the single major risk in the rugby hazard of neurodegenerative disease.’

neurodegenerative diseases among a sample of 250 former England and Oxbridge rugby players. Very recently, the findings of a very similar research project, promoted by the Scottish Rugby Union and undertaken by the University of Glasgow, was published and attracted glaring media attention.

The 2022 Scottish study provides an opportunity to explore some of the wider issues. It drew upon 32 years' worth of public health data to track the health of 412 Scottish men's international rugby union players with 1,236 members of the public. It found no differences between the two samples in respect of deaths from the most common causes of male deaths, such as heart and respiratory diseases and cancer. The elite rugby players even lived longer.

However, the study found that the chance of being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease was 11.5 per cent for the rugby sample yet 5.5 per cent for the general sample. Specifically, the incidence of dementia for rugby players was twice as high, of Parkinson's disease three times, and of motor neurone disease (MND) 15 times as high as the general male population. The position played on the rugby field — forwards or backs — made no difference to the level of neurodegenerative incidence.

It is worth pausing for a moment to unpick these findings, suitably detached from anxieties and the desire of journalists to generate a headline and also to remind

ourselves of the distinction between incidence, hazard and risk; and between correlation and causation. The first point to make is that the research has established unequivocally a higher incidence of neurodegenerative disease among elite rugby players. From this research, we can reliably and reasonably conclude that neurodegenerative disease is a hazard — a source of harm — for elite rugby players.

The second point is that, until recently, this hazard was partially hidden or unknown. Previous generations of elite rugby players and coaches were not aware of it. In contrast, everyone understands the risks that scaffolders face because they are axiomatic and manifest. Now the hazard is known, rugby authorities have to promulgate this finding widely, so that players can understand the increased incidence of harm they face. Players can then make their choices, no less than scaffolders.

But what else can we deduce from this research? In the press stories that followed, one of the leadresearchers called on the rugby authorities to drastically reduce the number of games and especially the frequency of physical contact in training. He was quoted as saying “the modern game from 1995 onwards has seen head injury exposure go up and up and up, as far as I’m concerned.” Here the researcher jumps from the bounds of the carefully

conducted methodology and findings into personal speculation, without obviously flagging the leap.

In reality, the research did not produce definitive proof that contact with the head is the single major risk in the rugby hazard of neurodegenerative disease. And it did not prove that head injury exposure has increased exponentially since the introduction of professionalism in 1995. Both of these statements might be true, but there is no proof in the Scottish study. The researcher was offering subjective deductions about causation, which are unquestionably comprehensible and logical, but nothing more. Perhaps the researcher did make these distinctions before opining, but the caveats and context were not reported.

The response to the report from the Director of Research into Motor Neurone Disease at a leading Scottish charity was much more measured. Dr Jane Haley welcomed the research, but pointed out that the sample sizes were very small. She also observed that “the reasons for these apparent increases are not yet known, and need to be explored further”. Her caution is fittingly cautious and proportionate to the findings of the study, although presumably she would be willing to receive funding to conduct that further research.

What Haley was saying is that the risks surrounding neurodegenerative disease within elite rugby remain

uncertain. In this context, we are defining risk as behaviour, actions, inactions, or events that increase the chances of triggering the hazard, and/ or increasing its severity. Contact to the head seems the most likely risk, which is why rugby authorities around the world are treating any head injury with much greater seriousness and caution, but it remains unproven. One alternative theory suggests that certain genetic profiles, when conditioned by the highest levels of physical activity and stress associated with elite sport, are the main risk factor.

Even if head injuries are eventually proven to be the main risk, we need to understand what type of head injury, and whether single trauma or repetitive strain; and we need to understand when they most occur, i.e. what facets of a rugby match, and whether player fatigue is a factor. Once these are known, the nature of the game can be changed accordingly to reduce risk and other targeted preventative measures taken.

Hence three simple pleas. The first is for an explicit separation at all times between a hazard, its incidence, and the risks that trigger it. Second, for researchers and journalists to be clear when they jump from the narrow findings of their research to personal speculation about causes. Third, widespread awareness of the hazards of contact sport, so the individual can make informed choices about participation. n

‘Rugby authorities around the world are treating any head injury with much greater seriousness and caution, but it remains unproven.’

MEET THE UK FAMILY

Dukes Plus is a family of specialised consultancy services and educational experience providers. We support students beyond the school classroom, with exceptional and impactful programmes and learning tools.

Summer Schools and Day Camps

Dukes brings together the UK's leading providers of day camps and residential summer courses.

University Application Expertise

Our collection of university application consultancies represent the best worldwide.

Career Preparation

Offering internships, personalised careers guidance and 1:1 networking opportunities from industry-leading professionals.

Tutoring and Exam Preparation

Offering high quality, bespoke support for children aged 7-18.

Target setting: working with clay

When you have firearms at your school you have to be acutely aware of the risks. Nick Oldham, the Head of Bredon School, shows why managing the risks is worth the reward

Not a lot of schools have a fully stocked gun room, nor do they have a peripatetic shooting offer that allows pupils from throughout the school to take part in competitive Clay Pigeon Shooting within the school day. Here at Bredon we manage the risk such as of having firearms at school with the enormous positivity found in many examples throughout our pupil body as they master the discipline of clay shooting and in turn grow in self-confidence and self-esteem.

The main clay shooting discipline shot by UK schools is English Sporting, simulating the flight of game birds, wildfowl and pest species. Bredon is also able to offer other disciplines, particularly Skeet, and this has benefited former head boy Mitchell Brooker-Smith who left Bredon in the summer of 2022. Mitchell is the current Junior British Champion in the demanding Olympic Skeet discipline. He began his shooting career here at Bredon and he has achieved excellence at National and International

level both at school and since he left. He is currently tipped as one to watch in the next Olympics.

Such is the success of Clay Pigeon Shooting at Bredon that in 2019 the school embarked on an ambitious project to redevelop and re-design its offer to become more inclusive and, as such, appointed John Timmis (3 Lakes Shooting) as lead shoot instructor. John is a former Police World Champion and West London Shooting School instructor and was ably supported by Carl Bloxham, a former world champion and internationally renowned

shooting instructor. In addition, World Champion Phil Smith, who has represented England for at least 20 years and been England Captain twice, joined the coaching team.

Junior British, European and World Sporting Champion Will Fenner also came from Sussex to travel up and to help coach the students last year, which was greatly appreciated by all and gave a real insight into the sport, both at school and beyond, for those who wish to progress.

Through John, Bredon was also very fortunate to secure

sponsorship from an Austrianbased shotgun company and we are proud to say we are the only school in the world with their ‘Recoil Buster’ shockabsorbing gun stock which is greatly appreciated by those students particularly sensitive to recoil.

New team shooting vests were sourced from Marsh Farm Country Supplies at Tanworth in Arden, Warwickshire who continue to support us with generous discounts to our staff and students alike.

Today, since the retirement of John Timmis, our CPS offer has been taken over by Tim Shayle of Countryman Sports Gloucester and Tim is busy building on the legacy set by John and his team, with his equally well-recognised and experienced international team of instructors.

Pupils learn to shoot with a number of different calibres of gun from 410 — 20g and our sporting layout is changed every week to keep the students interested, with new target angles and different speeds to test and improve and challenge their skills. For the instructors this is the hardest part of the day, dragging heavy traps and leisure batteries into position, adjusting spring tension and target angles, attaching radio release equipment and then filling the carousels with sufficient clays. As the field is part of the school farm, often used for grazing, the layout is dismantled at the end of the day and traps returned to storage for the next week.

Prior to the pandemic, throughout 2019 and 2020,

‘Pupils learn to shoot with a number of different calibres of gun from 410 — 20g and our sporting layout is changed every week to keep the students interested, with new target angles and different speeds to test and improve and challenge their skills’.

the Bredon School team had been unbeaten in any inter school friendly events. Unfortunately, the pandemic then curtailed any large events and it was not until the summer of 2021 that a school’s event could be staged. Here at the prestigious Holland and Holland Shooting School near London, our four-strong Bredon School junior team beat the nearest-performing school by a massive 35 targets, effectively 9 targets per competitor over a testing 80 target course to take the title of Prep School Champions.

The school’s proudest achievement however is not just the students’ success at competition shooting such as this, but rather watching how building their skills and confidence at shooting then leads on to improve other aspects of their school and personal life such as discipline, communication skills and building friendships.

Since running a successful ‘Have a Go’ experience for over 100 members of the (CCF) combined cadet force in December, we now have around 40 regular shooters.

Bredon’s speciality is in supporting students with dyslexia. Many dyslexic children seem to have a natural shooting ability and take to the sport quickly and successfully.

The one thing that all of the instructors agree on, is that the Bredon School students are some of the politest, kind and caring children they have ever

taught. They support each other and have a real team spirit.

It would be far too easy to say that setting up and maintaining this riskassociated sport is too much in today’s health & safety conscious world but as Headmaster, I firmly believe that the reward far outweighs the risk and educationally, there is so much to be gained from a sport that sits outside of the normal traditional independent school offer. To complement the CPS, Bredon also offers a wide range of adventurous outdoor activity options such as winter mountaineering in the Cairngorms, kayaking, climbing, mountain biking, bushcraft, adventure camps in the Forest of Dean and much more. A nationallyrecognised CCF underpins the element of adventure and, by taking pupils out of their comfort zone, builds resilience, confidence, teamwork and discipline. n

Nick Oldham is the Head of Bredon School, a co-educational boarding and day school situated in glorious Gloucestershire countryside and with a particular specialism for supporting dyslexic students.

‘If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try’

Seth Godin

The importance of learning to take safe risks in early childhood development

As humans, we are hardwired to take risks from birth. Babies from the time they are born to achieving their milestones along the way to their childhood and adulthood take conscious or unconscious risks, or are exposed to some, by being in a safe environment naturally or ones created for them. By Nazish Usman

Taking safe risks or positive risktaking refers to those assessed prior to children being exposed to them and ones calculated, taking into account staff supervising and testing limits/ hypothesis independently through trial and error, resilience and self-confidence within a safe environment. Sadly, an increasingly risk-averse society is making physically active, playful risk-taking ever more difficult for children to practise. Since play is crucial for young children to learn the skills and abilities they need for life, we do them no favours by preventing them from pushing the boundaries of their physicality. Even the Health and Safety Executive says, “The goal is not to eliminate risk, but to weigh up the risks and benefits. No child will learn about risk if they are wrapped in cotton wool”. Serious injuries are of course to be avoided, but bumps, bruises, cuts, and grazes are an unavoidable, and beneficial, part of childhood, teaching children (through repetition) how to manage their bodies in many different physical situations — in other words, how to react when they do encounter genuine danger. I always refer to and recommend the movie “Luca” to parents, counterparts, and children as, it is a comingof-age story in which the protagonist learns the value of taking risks and getting out of his comfort zone — hence getting him out of the water and learning not to let his fears prevent him from exploring the world.

When creating and maintaining a safe environment, we as practitioners, teachers, professionals, and heads must pay heed to our legal duties; however, do let children be exposed to risks that are positive and acceptable too. The risk of falling off larger pieces of play equipment is quite high; however, the risk of harm is minimised by ensuring that there is adequate supervision, correct positioning of the equipment (away from windows, or walls), crash mats and some ‘rules’ set by adults that are appropriate for the individual child’s level of understanding. Benefits of the learning experiences children are exposed to — which might include them climbing, crawling on the grass surface, jumping and landing on feet from height, etc — are learning how to fall, how to pick themselves up and start over again. Equally

‘ The goal is not to eliminate risk, but to weigh up the risks and benefits. No child will learn about risk if they are wrapped in cotton wool.’

importantly, they will begin to understand the consequence of taking risks beyond their current ability.

I always recommend to parents that, when out and about with children, aim to enable them to take risks, not prevent them. My own personal perception changed regarding safe positive risks when I undertook the Forest School training from Canada. One of the great training outcomes was: risk taking is good for children: taking risks is exhilarating, and children want and need to take risks and our role as adults is to make sure we enable this, without placing them in “actual’’ danger. It’s essential to evaluate the hazards honestly, not just focusing on the worst-case scenario, but also considering the ‘‘likelihood’’ of serious injury and what children will gain by participating in the activity. This is called the “risk-benefit” approach to play, and in the UK it has been developed and recommended by the Play Safety Forum (2020), the Health and Safety Executive (2021), and even the Department for Education (2021). Children have the right to make decisions and take risks through their play. In having these opportunities, children and young people will be able to maximise their enjoyment of the environment whilst eliminating obvious risks.

The ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’ states in article 31: ‘All children have a right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of activities.’ The government’s Seven Core Aims, based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, also note that children should: have access to a comprehensive range of education, training and learning opportunities, including opportunities to build personal and social skills; have access to a range of play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities.

Giving these rights to children and young people will mean that they have opportunities to manage risks effectively, allowing them to safely learn through play.

— building resilience

— the ability to assess their abilities

— being inventive

— using hand tools confidently and safely

— understanding the consequences of their actions

— developing confidence

— developing independence

— being creative

— showing curiosity

— being enthusiastic

They can learn a range of skills that will help them in the future such as:

Allowing risky play

As an early years teacher growing up in the Middle East and playing outdoors without much supervision from adults, I learned to make safe choices whether it was heights, trees, sharp objects, etc. This experience has stayed with me, as it was the environment that was made safe for me to take part in and not placed in actual danger. Within the structure of health and safety, we must always remember that risktaking is a very important part of a child’s development. But when linked to the care and protection of young children, the word ‘risk’ raises all sorts of concerns, especially when we consider that the process of risk management through risk assessment means that all perceived dangers should be removed or, at the very least, minimised. Unfortunately, this often means that practitioners take it too far on the side of caution. There is a huge difference between putting a child at risk and allowing a child to take risks.

I always ask my practitioners: how will three-year-old Lily know that the bridge she has created between two milk crates is safe if she does not take a tentative step on to it? Only by having the time and opportunity to test it out will she realise that it is too wobbly, that the materials she has chosen are not strong enough, or that

the supporting structure is not stable. Lily must have the opportunity to test out her ideas and find solutions for herself wherever possible. The conscientious practitioner may be tempted to step forward to stop the activity, telling Lily, “You’ll fall and hurt yourself; this isn’t what these milk crates are for.” But while this may well be described as ‘good accident prevention’, it is not good risk management.

A much better approach would be for the practitioner to hold back for a moment and observe the learning that is taking place. What will Lily do when the bridge wobbles? Will she continue anyway? If she is determined to stand on the unsafe structure then some adult intervention is going to be justified.

But will Lily realise that the task that has thoroughly engaged her for the past 10 minutes is not yet complete and, with the determination central to confident learners, try again and again until she has got it right? Of course, the practitioner can intervene at any stage with suggestions such as “Why don’t you place the crates closer together Lily, and see what happens then?”

The rewards for Lily are obvious as she succeeds in her task. Meanwhile, the practitioner gains valuable insight into Lily’s emerging skills and will be able to plan for appropriate activities to help her develop them further.

Valuing risk

If we are not careful, concerns about safety can get in the way of every child’s fundamental right and need to ‘play’. In 2008, Managing Risk in Play Provision: A Position Statement, produced by the Play Safety Forum said: “(…) All children both need and want to take risks in order to explore limits, venture into new experiences and develop their capacities, from a very young age and from their earliest play experiences. Children would never learn to walk, climb stairs or ride a bicycle unless they were strongly motivated to respond to challenges involving a risk of injury. (…)”

Children do not set out to deliberately hurt themselves, but they do not always realise their own limitations or the limitations of the environment that surrounds them. As they grow and develop, there are going to be times when they will have to make choices about what is safe to attempt and what is not. How can they ever do this confidently if they have never experienced acceptable levels of risk upon which to test their judgments?

Whilst there is quite rightly much emphasis on safeguarding children in early years settings, we must be confident in our own competence and ‘take a risk ourselves’. Children need and instinctively want to be able to take risks in order that they can test their abilities and strengths. What better environment for them to do so than that of an early years setting where practitioners will already have removed hazards not readily identifiable to young children and will provide well-managed opportunities for appropriate risk-taking to take place?

Risk and additional needs

Some children with disabilities will have to have many things done for them in life because it is quicker, safer, and easier for those people taking care of their needs. For them, having the opportunity to take risks is even more vital, as they may not always have the same freedom of choice given to their non-disabled peers. The child with mobility problems will probably have to wait to be asked and then taken to the climbing frame, but once there will enjoy the challenge of getting to the first or second level. The sense of pride and achievement will be as great, if not greater because the risk was higher and the challenge harder.

Benefits of taking safe risks

Emotional regulation, adaptability, selfconfidence, and physical literacy are a few of the life skills a child can acquire when exposed to risks and as proved by various studies conducted in the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Children who take safe risks learn that they can manage their fear, overcome it, and come out the other side. Risky play provides the foundation needed to regulate emotional responses like fear, nervousness, or anger in adulthood. Children engage in play that involves taking risks to experience positive emotions including fun, enjoyment, thrill, pride, and self-confidence. In the risky play, children “dose themselves with manageable quantities of fear and practice keeping their heads and behaving adaptively while experiencing that fear.” When a child takes a risk and attempts something outside his/her comfort zone, they use the higher-order thinking skills of application and synthesis — applying what they know to new situations.

The ability to calculate and take risks supports children’s learning in many ways. Taking risks develops and enhances a child’s self-confidence and ability to manage and overcome fear. Risk-taking promotes the kind of play that involves children’s use of problem-solving skills and self-regulation and helps children to reflect, “What helped me to succeed at that activity,” or, if the experience did not end the way the child thought it would, “What caused this failure?” By taking risks children will develop the confidence to be able to cope with challenging situations, which contributes to their well-being. This will contribute to the development of selfimage and perceptions of self-esteem. This knowledge gives them the skills they need to adapt to new situations and explore new environments — skills that become even more important when they go to school.

There are six types of risky play, which include:

1 3 5

At great heights (such as on a step stool)

At a high speed (such as running)

With dangerous tools (such as a hammer)

Near dangerous elements (such as water)

With rough-and-tumble interaction (such as play wrestling)

Where children can “disappear” or get lost (such as hide-and-seek in the backyard)

2 4 6

Is risky play worth the “risk”?

Risky play is not about doing something dangerous, but about moving past uncertainty to try something exciting. Risky play is different for every child, depending on their age and comfort level. For example, risky play for a toddler might mean balancing on one foot on the ground, while risky play for a preschool-age child might be climbing up on a step stool to reach for a toy.

Children know their limits; they will not intentionally put themselves in harm’s way. Try adding safe risks to your child’s playtime and watch as they play and learn!

A question I ask myself as a teacher, and professional working with children, and use it as a reflection point for others working with me: What’s my risk tolerance when working with children?

n

‘

The ability to calculate and take risks supports children’s learning in many ways. Taking risks develops and enhances a child’s self-confidence and ability to manage and overcome fear.’

Top tips to assess risk and promote the importance of taking safe risks in early childhood:

Focus on the positive aspects of risky play — the physical skills children can practice, the excitement, the connection with natural materials and the ‘real world’ around them, and developing strength, coordination, agility, and body confidence.

Evaluate the hazards honestly: is this activity genuinely risky? How likely is it that a child will get hurt? How serious could the injury be? If potential injuries are minor (cuts and grazes), or unlikely, then the benefits will probably outweigh the risks.

Build confidence by using positive language. If your language is fearful (“don’t go there/do that”; “come down, it’s too high”; “that’s dangerous”) children will develop anxiety, not confidence. Say instead, “show me how careful you can be” or “where do you think your foot can go next?” and ask them to talk you through their decision-making.

Make time for physical play. Accidents often happen simply because we are in a rush and lose concentration. Give children plenty of time to play, whether it’s in the playground, garden, or on the way to school or the shops. Being generous with your time is one of the most important things you can do to help children become more active and more body confident.

Encourage them with specific feedback: “Wow, you are certainly climbing higher today than I’ve seen you climb before!”

Ask open-ended questions: “If you want to cross the creek, what will you need to step on so you stay dry?”

Pose problems and ask questions, providing just enough assistance so the child can attempt a task at a skill level just beyond what she can do on her own (scaffolding): “You’ve been somersaulting down this hill. How else can you get from the top to the bottom of the hill?”

C O L L E G E S

Cardiff Sixth Form Colleges

Ages 14-19

Cardiff and Cambridge

Listed as the top private coeducational Boarding School, and Top Independent Sixth Form College in the Education Advisers’ league tables.

Topped the 'The Sunday Telegraph' and 'The Times' independent schools league tables more often than any other school in the UK.

100% of students achieve A*-B and 94% A*-A and win places at the most prestigious universities in the world.

Earlscliffe

Ages 15-18

Folkestone

Located just a short walk from the British heritage coast, the average number of students in any class is eight; each A-level subject is allocated 30% more teaching time than most schools and staff draw on teaching methods inspired by Oxbridge colleges.

Earlscliffe has an international reputation for its ‘goldstandard’ A-level programme and the quality of its university pathways provision.

Hampstead Fine Arts College

Ages 13-18 years

North London

Students are fortunate to be taught by many who, as well as being highly experienced educators, are often distinguished musicians, artists, filmmakers, writers and actors.

Rochester Independent College

Ages 11-18

Rochester

The college occupies a one-of-akind urban campus. Listed buildings are linked by awardwinning wildlife gardens. It is a place for individuals, a real alternative to traditional schools.

Rochester’s Mathematics, Science, English Literature, and Film Studies teaching have all won awards from 'The Good Schools Guide'.

St Andrew's College

Ages 15-18

Cambridge

The College offers small class sizes and dedicated teachers in a family-like atmosphere with a broad range of courses. It also offers a range of university foundation courses.

Marketing in schools: a risky business

Laura Skinner, Head of Marketing at Sancton Wood School

Marketing is ultimately putting your work out into the world and waiting to see how it is received. Success is highly visible, but so too, are the failures. There isn’t a magical equation that paves a way to success in such a creative field with only parts that can be quantified. We use our knowledge, expertise and instinct to allocate budgets to the right channels and create campaigns we hope will land with our target audiences. We take risks.

Big Thinking

I’ll take a leap and suggest that most people, to varying degrees of frequency, have dealt with an inner dialogue; “Did I say too much? Should I have spoken up more? What if nobody supports

the idea? What if it fails?” Strong support systems help to navigate this. The best working relationships I have had are those based on trust and mutual respect. It sounds obvious, but when you feel valued, you have the confidence to think big and have a safe space in which to play with bold ideas. They’ll get challenged, reined in and even rejected, but they will exist, and they can go on to develop into exciting initiatives, pieces of work and campaigns. This allows us to push forward to try new things. It could mean finding the channel that engages with a previously unreached audience, the new use of language that makes an impact with a message or even a different brand strategy that opens new opportunities.

Find your people. With the support of your trusted sounding board you can evaluate, what is the risk:reward ratio? How great is the impact of the risk? How likely is it to happen? Is the risk monetary or reputational? We can’t be afraid to test, to learn and improve. Apple and countless other examples were born from big thinking, taking risks and pushing boundaries — and they went on to make a buck or two.

Change

We know that businesses that aren’t conscious of change, and ready to adapt and evolve to stay relevant when needed, find themselves in troubled waters. Every business, every school, needs to consider the balance of continuing to do what they are doing versus the need for change. Jim Collins’s Hedgehog Concept draws from the idea that the hedgehog knows ‘one big thing’: they can curl up in a ball to protect themselves. It shows that if you have an understanding of what you can be the best at and execute it supremely well, consistently over a long period of time, then you can succeed. Many of our

schools find themselves in this place: market leaders, working with the best in the business, delivering the very best results. It would be right for them to stay as they are, but it would be risky to not continuously evaluate this stance. Just ask HMV or Blockbuster. Marketing offers tools to examine risks and plot a path around them. A SWOT analysis allows us to contemplate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and consideration of the PEST analysis’ political, economic, social and technological factors ensures we are prepared for the impact they could have.

Daring to be Different

As marketeers it is our job to set our schools apart from the crowd. We promote points of difference, to allow us to stand out from our competitors. Many of our schools operate in highly academically focused markets, but they are so much more than that. It’s the ‘how they get there’ that makes them different. Independent schooling has come a long way from a monopoly on stiff collars and straight lines and the breadth of approaches to

‘Every school, needs to consider the balance of continuing to do what they are doing versus the need for change.’

academic excellence in our own organisation shows that. With Generation Z now having families, how will changing social values affect impetus put solely on academics? The pace and extent to which we can talk about other factors that contribute to the success of a student will differ greatly from market to market.

One way of differentiating is to adopt a disruptive positioning strategy, firmly setting yourself apart from your competitors. My own school, Sancton Wood, is in Cambridge, a city synonymous with the highest academic achievement. It is flanked by traditional, heritage schools with longstanding reputations for achieving top grades. There is undoubtedly a market for this, their waiting lists show that, and yet Sancton Wood is ‘unashamedly pastoral’. A risky strategy?

Of course, this means we have to double down on proving this doesn’t mean that we aren’t academic, we are, but with the ethos that a happy child is a learning child. Part of our marketing strategy is to bring parents on our journey to show that a well-rounded child (one that is happy, fulfilled, socially conscious and has a love of learning that stretches beyond the silent recall of the examination process) is a picture of success as much as one with good grades.

There is a market for this, we’ve found it, we’ve grown it and what once was a very small school that a mother set up in 1976 as a safe and

nurturing space for her multicultural family, now operates across three sites with nearly 400 students, taking 7th place in ‘The Sunday Times Parent Power’ list as proof that you can be both pastoral and academic.

Reputation

Schools cater to many people, all with different desires, expectations and pressure points. We make a very good attempt at it, but it would be unrealistic to expect that every single person could be 100% satisfied all the time. For all of our marketing efforts, word of mouth is still a significant source for many schools, and we have to do what we can to nurture it.

New technology has allowed negative opinion to spread at a faster rate than ever before, whether it be in the form of a disgruntled class WhatsApp group message that pushes a wider group off course, an unfavourable social media post or negative review. The more places you put yourself to be seen, the more vulnerable you are to this type of exposure. There is much to be gained, but strategies need to be in place to mitigate risks.

Our websites, social platforms, school newspapers and newsletters help to give us space and opportunity to tell the stories of all the wonderful things our schools do and support a strong and positive reputation.

There’s a lot of pressure on schools to have an exacting moral compass, and rightly so, we are playing

a responsible role in the development of the next generation. This has to ring true in all of our messages, shared far and wide. We steer clear of political, even sporting favour, but there are issues that we will never shy away from.

I recently wrote an editorial piece, ‘Why schools should tackle Andrew Tate head on’. There are much more comfortable things to write about, but it was an important opportunity to show how it could be used as a relevant example to openly discuss (with boundaries) misogyny, gender-based violence, racism and homophobia. It encourages students to develop a critical lens and for us to understand why so many had been influenced by him.

Process and Data

A serious new risk to schools is cybercrime which is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and as marketeers we have access to many different forms of digital communication. Imagine the havoc that could be caused if somebody, pretending to

be us, were able to mail our mailing lists, update our websites or post on our social media?

Data is precious to a marketeer, and we have to be careful with it. The story of an unfortunate intern bounces around my head every time I press send on a mass email. The simple mis-click of a button from what might have said ‘sales lead’ to ‘sales force’ meant that he sent sales tactics and pricing strategies to the customers instead of the sales team. It didn’t go down well. I hear he did eventually come out from under his desk.

We must have checking and approval strategies and access to the latest data and security training to ensure we minimise risks and keep all of our stakeholders safe.

There are risks in everything we do. Without taking them, we stay still and in an ever increasingly fast-paced and changing world, it’s not a safe place for organisations to be. With the right people, boundaries and considered strategies, creativity and flair can reign and schools can thrive with the support of marketing. n

‘For all of our marketing efforts, word of mouth is still a significant source for many schools, and we have to do what we can to nurture it.’

Why do we go school?to

Knightsbridge School’s Entrepreneurship Initiative.

By Magoo Giles, Principal and Founder of Knightsbridge School

Why do we go to school?’ is a question that I remember asking many moons ago. Well the answer is obvious isn’t it ?

We attend school because we have to. We have to try to prepare ourselves for the world that we find ourselves in when we are deemed to be old enough, wise enough and organised enough to find something that we can do to help us to get through.

Having attended the Dukes conference in January, I listened to Tim Munden from Unilever talk about the ‘100-year life’ and what we need to be able and ready to do in the future; work until eighty by adapting, being healthy (making good choices), and of course a bit of luck. To achieve this it is imperative that we arm our children with weapons that they can use to help them navigate the minefield of life!

On my own particular journey I was never introduced to the idea of entrepreneur and, having very much bulldozered my own career since leaving the forces, it is a critical part of a youngster’s journey to learn how the various parts of the puzzle fit together. Languages, maths, literacy, science, arts, performing arts, music come together in Entrepeneurialism in such a simple way: maths is money, arts is the creativity, science is the working bit, languages are the smallprint/words spread and performance is the salesman and ‘doing’ angle. All came together in 2008, two years after I had set up Knightsbridge School when a 10-year old girl called Naomi, knowing about my entrepreneurial streak, rapped on my door asking if she could show me the dresses she drew. It was like the ‘Cruella de Ville’ moment in ‘101 Dalmatians’ when I saw them and I said that we should also make those dresses. She said that she didn’t know how to but I said that we should ask the teachers and

‘Languages, maths, literacy, science, arts, performing arts, music come together in entrepreneurism in such a simple way: maths is money, arts is the creativity, science is the working bit, languages are the smallprint/ words spread and performance is the salesman and ‘doing’ angle.’

Miss Kate stepped forward and made the dresses for her friends to wear. There was another boy Alexander who doodled like me and I asked him to think about what he could doodle on for a fashion show and he chose waistcoats for his friends to wear. Another boy Sebastiano drew big pictures using Italian words ‘Amore’ and another Alexandre sang Bond songs. All together we held our ‘First Collection’ in the Assembly Hall with a runway, family and friends and KS Entrepreneur was born.

Every two years we put on a show and it visually improves through each iteration. Initially, the children present their ideas to a panel of teachers. Having reached the next round we then ask KS parent entrepreneurs to introduce the concept of the ‘Four P’s’.. (Product, Placement, Price and Promotion) augmented with the all important S for Sustainability.

After increasingly independent work in after school clubs, the KS Entrepreneurs are set to produce their product to reveal to the community after the holiday period. The staff, parents and all the community support our young business people throughout the process. We also invite independent judges to attend the event and award prizes, including an overall winner.

It really is an incredible process as it brings out the best of the individual whilst promoting teamwork. So many lessons are learned by the KS Entrepreneurs, especially the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. Another significant lesson learned is how to manage time, people, resources and mistakes which can always be rectified in two years time. n

‘It is a critical part of a youngster’s journey to learn how the various parts of the puzzle fit together’

The last word…

Every week at Dukes, we share a ‘Quote of the Week’ offered up by one of the team. We’ve collected some of our favourites from this term.

“It’s the friends that you can call up at 4am that matter….”

Marlene Dietrich

“Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.

Bill Nye, American mechanical engineer, science communicator, and television presenter Thanks to Emilie Rochford, Marketing Manager at Dukes

“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel”

Eleanor Brownn, writer based in South Carolina

“First they came for the Communists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak out for me’

On observing National Holocaust Memorial Day, ‘First They Came’, by Martin Niemoller

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

Albert Einstein

Kindly contributed by Zara Luisa

“When we are happy, those around us will be happy, and in turn, those around them will also start to feel the same way. We always have to start with ourself, and the best place to start is to do what makes you feel joyful.”

Anita Moorjani, Hong Kong based author Thanks to Tony Blignaut, Regional Director, Asia, CSFC Sales and Marketing

“I wanted to show an example not only to them but to other girls around the world who are not in school, without education, there will be no difference between you and a chicken.”

Priscilla Sitienei, who died in November, as the world’s oldest primary school pupil aged 99 years, told Unesco last year that she wanted to motivate young mothers to return to school

“

The one thing that you have that nobody else has — is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can.’

Neil Gaiman (b.1960), author Quote kindly provided by Helen Lorigan, Teacher of Art & Design at Earlscliffe

“I never look back, darling — it distracts from the now.’

Edna Mode, The Incredibles

Thank you to Eliza Cummings-Cove Director of Admissions and Marketing, Outer London

We've gone international

INTRODUCING...

Copperfield Verbier, the world's only ski-in, ski-out international school in the stunning Swiss village of Verbier. Our vision at Copperfield is to provide a values-driven, international education in an inspiring setting. From 3 years through to IB Diploma.

United Lisbon International School is a modern and innovative school. We are a Microsoft Showcase School who live the United philosophy: that global problems can only be solved through being UNITED. From 3 years through to IB Diploma.

Dukes Education is a family of nurseries, schools, and colleges in London, Cambridge, Kent, Cardiff, Lisbon and Verbier. Our schools cater to children from 0-19, serving them from their earliest years at nursery until they leave school to go on to university.

Surrounding our schools, we also have a collection of complementary education offerings — day camps, international summer schools, and university application support services. This way, we create a wraparound experience for every family that joins us.

Dukes Education

14-16 Waterloo Place

London SW1Y 4AR

+44 (0)20 3696 5300

info@dukeseducation.com dukeseducation.com

Founder and Chairman

Aatif Hassan

Dukes Board of Directors

Aatif Hassan, Jon Pickles, Mark Bailey, Tim Fish, Glenn Hawkins, Libby Nicholas

Dukes Education Advisory Board

David Goodhew, Christine Leslie, Pam Mundy, Neil Roskilly

Insight Editor-in Chief

Tim Fish

Insight Managing Editor

Laura Skinner