Independent Executive September 2012

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE SEPTEMBER 2012

UTIVE

Why private schools can’t afford to rest on their laurels Dig for victory

A guide to growing school gardens

Classrooms without borders

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05 News The latest news, views and developments in the world of independent schools 10 Advice Compete policy Can private schools compete with free schools and academies?

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT 12 Big ask Co-ed v. single sex We pick up the debate again 14 Prospectives An open mind How to run a successful open day 18 Admissions A numbers game Why schools can’t afford to rest on their laurels when it comes to attracting pupils

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Independent Executive, brought to you by the publishers of Education Executive, is a bi-monthly magazine that supports business and financial excellence in the modern UK independent school – whether it be fee-paying, an academy or a free school. Every issue features a host of original editorial content aimed at bursars, headteachers, finance directors and development officers and focused on issues to do with the financial and administrative management of a school.

EDITOR julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR carrie.service@intelligentmedia.co.uk REPORTER george.carey@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE neil.pauksztello@intelligentmedia.co.uk SALES EXECUTIVE jonathan.love@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNER sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk PRODUCTION/CIRCULATIONS natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk

PROCURE AND PLAN 22 Case study Vie for Victory Ormiston Victory Academy: How academies are meant to be 26 Security Secure the premises A guide to keeping on top of campus access 30 Premises A plan for growth Your guide to growing the best school veg gardens MANAGEMENT 34 Finance Staying debt free How to keep your school in the black and debt-free 36 Careers Good advice How to better manage the careers advice offering at your school ICT MATTERS 38 Video conferencing Classrooms without borders Reaching out to the world from the comfort of your own classroom 42 Apps Appy to help?

How useful are apps to teaching and learning?

44 Techno Geek Saving Face’ Get a good grasp on Facebook for your school INSPIRED MINDS

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46 Interview The Learning Schools Trust We speak to CEO John Baumber about his vision for academies

Welcome

W

ell, it seems private schools have come up trumps in the sporting arena. More than a third (37%) of British medallists in the 2012 London Olympics were educated in a private school, according the Sutton Trust. This is despite only seven per cent of the school population attending a fee-paying independent school.

What this means is private schools are leagues ahead of state schools when it comes to sport. Of course, there is cause to celebrate the forward-thinking and innovative approach private schools have around competitive sports, however, it’s important to recognise that state schools, in these times of playing fields getting sold to cover budget gaps, need help. With this in mind, the British Olympic Association (BOA) is encouraging private schools to share their facilities with nearby state counterparts. This, of course, wouldn’t simply be an altruistic gesture, as important as that is, but sharing things like sport fields and gym halls could also lead to tax breaks. Indeed, head of the BOA, and former sports minister, Lord Moynihan, told the BBC how private schools could fulfil their charitable status requirement to give back to the community by doing this very thing.

However important a gesture sharing with state schools is, it may not come easily to struggling fee-paying schools. These are competitive times for private schools. In this issue we look at what kind of competition they can expect from the independent state sector – i.e. academies, free and studio schools (p10).

We also look at why private schools can’t afford not to up their marketing game (p18) and, with this in mind, how to run the best open day (p14). If you’re looking for inspiration from the independent state sector, we interview an outstanding academy that’s undergone a rapid transformation thanks to a bright spark of a headteacher (p22) and we also speak to the head of the Learning Schools Trust (p46), who explains why he thinks Sweden’s got it so right.

These aren’t easy times, but with the help of resources like our magazine, we hope you will be in good stead to push forward and succeed against what might feel like all odds. If you have a story to tell, please get in touch on editor@edexec.co.uk. Bye for now.

50 Diary Leading the future A day in the diary of a Future Leader EDITOR

INDEPENDENT NEWS

TOP STORY

PRIVATE SCHOOLS URGED TO SHARE SPORT FACILITIES

‘Girls need space to take risks’ SHERBORNE GIRLS, Dorset

Private schools should be made to share facilities with state schools in order to benefit from tax breaks, says British Olympic Association Headmistress Jenny Dwyer

The outgoing head of the British Olympic Association, and former sports minister, Lord Moynihan, has expressed his concern at the lack of provision for sport in state schools and has urged a change in the training PE teachers receive. He has also called for compulsory inspection of state schools’ sporting activities by Ofsted.

Moynihan told the BBC he believed sharing of facilities was an “essential part” of the public requirement under which private schools have charitable status and said it was important all schools were involved. Figures suggest 80% of independent schools already engage in such partnerships.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) welcomed the call for independent schools to share their sporting facilities with local primary schools. Director of policy Kathryn James said: “Children will return to school for the autumn term inspired by the London Olympics and we welcome any initiative to keep them active and using a range of facilities, as part of a broad and balanced programme of study.

“We welcome Lord Moynihan’s comments and would be pleased for such partnerships to be extended across the country and include all schools, both independent and state. By sharing not only facilities and equipment but also expertise, children can become more engaged with sport at a young age.

“Such partnerships can inspire children

to participate in a range of sports and help keep them active. Whether these partnerships lead children to compete at the highest levels or simply enjoy themselves while taking part in a range of activities, we hope they will deliver best practice and enable the youngest generation to grow up healthy and with a lifelong love of sport. We already see benefits from independent and state schools collaborating together and it will be good to see this developed as part of the Olympic legacy.”

This comes after a Sutton Trust report revealed that more than a third of British medallists in the 2012 Olympics were educated privately.

Kids discover their potential at Queen’s THE QUEEN’S SCHOOL, Chester

Fast facts • 80% of independent schools share facilities with state schools • 37% of British medallists in the 2012 London Olympics were educated privately

Debating the big issues of the day, developing arguments and taking risks are all crucial to ensure girls leave school with the qualities needed for the modern world, the headmistress of Sherborne Girls in Dorset told parents at the end of last term.

In her end-of-term commemorative speech, Jenny Dwyer talked about the need for girls to be “good communicators, good leaders and team players” and to develop “great critical thinking and problem solving abilities” if they are to meet the requirements of today’s employers – skills that a recent education conference highlighted as lacking in many graduates currently searching for work.

“Girls need strong oral and written communication, as well the ability to work both in diverse teams and independently,” added Dwyer.

Nine-year-old Ella Stacey shows off her coaster design to The Queen’s School’s head of art, Alistair Tucker

Ninety girls from across Cheshire, Wirral and North Wales visited The Queen’s School in Chester recently for a free day of fun to find out what life at the school could be like.

Activities for the 10- and 11-year-olds included recording a song as a member of a rock band, extracting DNA from fruit, learning how to use a green screen and making cupcakes.

Girls learned how to speak a little Mandarin or wield a lacrosse stick, while others enjoyed a moment on the stage.

Headmistress Sarah Clark commented: “It is always so enjoyable to see the girls arriving and making new friends through these really fun activities. They have such an enormously good time and go away enthused and excited about learning, which is exactly what we want.”

The school will be running a follow-up Year Six ‘Sweet Science’ event on 17 November. Two new school bursaries have also been launched.

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 05

INDEPENDENT NEWS

HMC MAY DITCH STRUGGLING SCHOOLS

New brand for Birmingham academy VICTORIA PARK PRIMARY ACADEMY

Elite private school group, The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) is considering ridding itself of its less successful members with financial problems and dwindling pupil numbers in a bid to support its more successful members like Eton and Harrow, the TES reports.

A source told the education magazine that the HMC is concerned about at least a dozen schools where pupil numbers risk falling below 325, the minimum required for membership to the organisation of 250 schools.

However, some members of the organisation believe the HMC should abandon its focus on size and focus on quality.

There is also concern around the financial health of institutions affected by the recession.

The issue was unveiled after top Welsh independent school, Llandovery College

was told its HMC membership was at risk because of low pupil numbers and a £4m debt.

Teachers at the college received no pay last month, despite a rescue package that will see all staff made redundant and then reemployed again in September.

Headteacher Guy Ayling told the TES the HMC was “whittling away at the schools on the periphery” and that it was not a popular policy among members.

The North East, North West and South West are reported to be the most effected by the challenging financial climate.

Another HMC source told the TES the organisation was also in the market to recruit successful girls’ schools.

One path for struggling private schools has been down the academy or free school route, which has also led to debate in the organisation over the possibility of new categories for state-funded independents.

Birmingham-based Victoria Park Primary Academy has undergone a complete rebrand after achieving academy status following an ‘Outstanding’ award from Ofsted.

The school’s relaunch, carried out by agency Substrakt, includes the creation of a new emblem, signage, uniform, prospectus and website (VictoriaParkAcademy.org.uk).

The team design worked closely with pupils and staff to create the new identity and the rebrand comes after the school was in special measures only four years ago.

Headteacher Andrew Morrish commented: “We’re so happy with the academy status the school has achieved, it is the culmination of three years of hard work, and credit must go to all the teachers, parents and pupils who have made it possible. The rebrand was a huge task in itself, and Substrakt has done an amazing job in understanding the academy’s ethos, working with the students, and creating a new, comprehensive brand identity which was delivered to the highest quality.”

THEY SAID “While we congratulate all our Olympic winners, this research shows that independent schools’ students are more than five times over-represented amongst our medal winners relative to their proportion in the population – which is also the case at leading universities and in the professions more generally” Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, on the findings that more than a third (37%) of British medallists in the 2012 London Olympics were educated in a private school

06 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

INDEPENDENT NEWS

Catholic school first to sponsor primary academy

IN PICTURES

NEW HALL SCHOOL, Chelmsford

Caitlin Mole, Francesca Fender, Sam Gaines, Olivia McNeilis, Ben Judge, Tess Gilham, Tom Howe, Poppy Turner, Michael McLeod, Helen Weaver, Isabel Evans of Queen’s College in Taunton jump for joy after receiving their A-level results

NEW TRANSGENDER RULES FOR OXFORD Oxford University has rewritten its academic dress code following concerns it was unfair to transgender students, the Guardian reports.

Under the ground-breaking new rules, male Oxford students can sit exams in skirts and female students can wear suits and ties, as they are no longer required to wear clothing specific to their gender.

The regulations, which were passed by the student union and came into force last month, follow a motion by Oxford’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer society (LGBTQ Soc).

Previously, transgender students had to seek special dispensation from exam proctors to wear clothes associated with the opposite gender.

LGBTQ Soc’s executive officer, Jess Pumphrey told The Oxford Student newspaper that in future there would be no

“need for transgender students to cross-dress to avoid being confronted by invigilators or disciplined during their exam”.

Pumphrey said the changes would make the exam experience a lot less stressful for a number of students.

Simone Webb, LGBTQ Soc’s president, said it was “an extremely positive step” that was overdue.

“I am of the opinion that it is possible to keep elements of tradition in this way while making them unrestrictive to trans students, genderqueer students, or students who wish to wear a different sub fusc to that which they’d be expected to wear.”

The move is sure to set a precedent in the education world, with uniformed schools across the country becoming more mindful of transgender pupils when setting dress codes.

New Hall School, a catholic boarding school in Chelmsford, Essex, is the first private school to be approved by the Government to sponsor a primary academy.

Following a request from the sponsored school, and after months of reported encouragement from Education Secretary Michael Gove and Prime Minister David Cameron, the independent school has agreed to look after nearby Messing-cum-Inworth Community Primary.

The 40-pupil primary school asked New Hall for help after a poor Ofsted inspection put them into special measures.

It becomes one of few private schools sponsoring state academies, despite Cameron’s encouragement last year, and will be the first to sponsor a primary academy.

Other examples of fee-paying schools sponsoring state academies include Wellington College’s Wellington Academy; Dulwich College’s Isle of Sheppey Academy in Kent; and Marlborough College’s cosponsorship of Swindon Academy with Honda and football association, @Futsal.

New Hall’s principal, Katherine Jeffrey said one of the biggest issues stopping private schools from sponsoring academies is their reputation if the sponsorship fails.

She believes, however, New Hall has the necessary expertise to turn Messing-cumInworth around.

“If it doesn’t work then I would rather be one of those schools that went out there and tried to make a difference,” she told the TES. “We don’t want to sit on the fence.”

The intention had been for New Hall to sponsor a secondary academy, but when the opportunity to sponsor Messing-cum-Inworth came around, the private school’s decision to sponsor it was unanimous.

DIARY 18 October CAPITA’S FIFTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ACADEMIES: EMBRACING NEW FREEDOMS FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Central London CapitaConferences.co.uk

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WE ARE LOOKING FOR LOCAL SCHOOL NEWS If you have a story to share, please get in touch on editor@edexec.co.uk

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With the line between the state and independent sector becoming ever more blurred, can academies and free schools really compete with the independent sector? Carrie Service investigates

D

istinguishing between state and independent schools has become a bit like a game of spot the difference these days. I have visited many schools from both sectors over the past few months, each one boasting the latest in ICT equipment, impressive facilities and excellent pupil performance. And I can’t help wondering whether this could eventually become a catalyst for the demise of the private school altogether. Academies now have control of their own budgets and curriculum, and free schools can be opened by pretty much anyone, meaning that the state sector can offer many of the idiosyncrasies that were once unique to private schools.

A CHANGING LANDSCAPE Sheila Hallsworth, director of communication and admissions at Sir William Perkins’s School, an all-girls independent in Surrey, believes that changes in the education system have certainly been a cause for concern in the independent sector in recent years. “With the education landscape constantly changing and economic uncertainty continuing, I believe that even the best schools can no longer be complacent about their ability to secure pupil numbers,” she says in an article on p16. Although Sir William Perkin’s school consistently reaches its admissions targets, it still remains mindful that its luck could change at any minute, particularly in hard economic times: “High performing academies are growing in number and these schools can offer an attractive alternative to a fee-paying school for some families. In parts of the country, key local employers are re-locating or contracting their workforce and this could potentially have a significant impact on a school’s intake quite quickly.” Julie Booth, head of independent schools at Capita SIMS, however, has seen evidence that the private sector is still confident it can offer something unrivalled by the state sector: “Many of the fee-paying schools we work with do not regard free schools as competitors and most are not concerned about the impact they might have on pupil numbers.” In fact a survey carried out by Capita at a recent conference for independent schools revealed that 60% of respondents were not concerned by having to compete with free schools. And 83% said they were not overly concerned by the possibility of declining pupil numbers. Despite the recession, figures released in May by the Independent Schools Council show that the number of children being privately educated in the UK has actually risen (albeit by 0.1%) for the first time since 2008. This suggests that a high quality education is still a major priority for parents.

FREE THINKING Founder of the West London Free School, journalist and writer Toby Young believes that free schools could bring huge benefits to the state sector, not just because they

compete with private schools, but because they have the potential to raise standards across the board. “The advantages for the state sector are clear,” he wrote in a column for the Telegraph last year. “Our state education system...is no match for that of China’s, Hong Kong’s and South Korea’s. If Britain is to have a hope of competing on the world stage something urgently needs to be done about falling standards. We need to arrest the decline and, somehow, revitalise the whole sector.” Young opened a free school because he was frustrated by the lack of good local schools available in London. He wanted his children to be educated in a school where they would read classic literature and learn traditional values, something that he felt the state sector was lacking. Alongside his free school mission, Young is an avid campaigner for independent schools sharing their knowledge, expertise and facilities with the state sector, stating that a “portal” needs to be created in education through which independent schools can “inject their DNA” into taxpayer-funded schools.

And it appears that we are getting closer by the day to that aspiration as state schools take on much of the characteristics usually associated with independents. One example is offering an alternative curriculum such as the international baccalaureate, which many new academies now do. This could see children getting a broader education with an emphasis on extracurricular activities – an approach very much favoured by private schools – making that gap between sectors even smaller.

Academies are growing in number and these schools can offer an attractive alternative to a fee-paying school THE SELECTIVE ELECTIVE However, there is one characteristic that academies and free schools cannot emulate: selective schooling. Unless there is a complete turnaround on policy for opening new grammar schools, this is one bite of the cherry that will remain unreachable to the state sector. Gove caused much controversy this year when it was announced he would be allowing grammar schools to extend on existing land, or open up ‘satellite schools’, getting around current legislation to increase their pupil numbers. Not everyone is in favour of state-funded selective schools, so being able to offer an independent standard of education to the masses, regardless of ability, could be seen as a positive for the state sector and another reason for more people to move over from fee paying institutions.

I think it’s important to point out that new academies and free schools are unlikely to need to pilfer pupils from the independent sector – many are way oversubscribed as it is with applications from the state sector alone.

But there is a significant shift happening in education, opening up the opportunity for children from less affluent backgrounds to attend schools that can compete with well established private schools such as Eton, improving their chances of attending top universities. The recent announcement that academies and free schools will be given permission to employ non-qualified teaching staff – just as private schools have done for many years – goes further to support the change in attitudes in state education. What the future will hold for the independent sector is still unclear, but one thing’s for sure, state schools will give private schools a run for their money.  INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 11

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > READER COMMENT

BATTLE OF THE SEXES The single-sex versus co-ed debate is something we’ve found our readers feel very strongly about. Carrie Service speaks to three schools with differing approaches

I

n a previous edition of Independent Executive we discussed the thinking behind single-sex and co-educational schools and cited research published by the Good Schools Guide and the Girls’ Day School Trust. Both sets of research suggest that girls tend to perform better in a single-sex environment and further evidence has supported boys performing better in a mixed environment. There are many arguments for and against both methods. Girls in singlesex schools are said to be more likely to opt for scientific subjects, which in co-educational environments are more often taken by boys. Some believe that the more socially relevant environment of a mixed school provides better preparation for university and work life. So I decided to find out what the schools themselves had to say on the matter.

GIRL POWER As expected, a headmistress of an all-girls’ school in the south east felt that separating the sexes was conducive to learning, claiming it reduced distraction in the classroom: “They – particularly girls – don’t waste time and intellectual energy jockeying for position in front of boys.”

But her main argument towards an all-girls education was to give girls a chance to shine in a world dominated by men: “They have access to a wider range of roles in the classroom and don’t feel that they have to conform to tedious stereotypes about girls not being good at maths or girls not putting their hands up or girls not wanting to look clever in case they don’t get a boyfriend etc.” However, she was less keen to champion or dismiss single-sex learning for boys: “I suspect there are also some unhelpful stereotypes [for boys] such as that it’s not cool to work. I am not sure whether these are best overcome in a mixed or single sex environment.” In response to the research suggesting that boys actually do perform better when they are learning alongside girls, she said: “I am not convinced by this,” and pointed out that Eton, Winchester and Harrow are boys’ schools. But is this evidence that boys 12 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > READER COMMENT

do well when separated from girls; or are these merely examples of outstanding schools, co-ed or not?

THE BIGGER PICTURE It was interesting to hear from a school that had been an allgirls school up until about thirty years ago when it decided to go co-ed. I spoke to the headmaster who believes that a lot of all-girls schools struggled at that time, claiming that all-boys schools tended to be better funded at that time.

He gave this as one reason why his school, and others, decided to bring boys in. But he was keen to stress that a coeducational school is simply more representative of today’s environment and therefore the school felt it right to move with the times. He was also unconvinced by the resultsbased research that suggests putting girls into a single-sex environment makes them perform better: “People keep confusing education with examination results. I think that education is a much bigger thing,” he said.

‘NOISY’ BOYS AND ‘BOSSY’ GIRLS I also spoke to a school in Kent that attempts a ‘best-of-both’ approach, by using what the principal calls a “diamondshaped” structure. This involves having a mixed nursery and sixth form, but the rest of the school being single-sex.

The principal made some very sweeping statements about the difference between boys and girls in the classroom, which made me wonder why they bothered mixing sexes at all. He claimed: “boys are very loud” and “girls are very bossy”. He also stated that girls are “often quick to give

They have access to a wider range of roles in the classroom and don’t feel that they have to conform to tedious stereotypes up things they feel are making them look foolish”, and boys are “very quick to point out when someone is doing something wrong”. He added that boys are “genuinely very sensitive, but can’t vocalise their worries, and often don’t want to either” and “don’t do friendship anything like as well as girls”. Last but not least, he said that due to girls and boys going through puberty at different ages, girls are “better in Years 7 and 8, writing more clinically and precisely” whereas “boys are often rubbish in Years 9 and 10”. He believes that keeping genders apart during the years between nursery and sixth form “prevents pack mentality from causing gender based decisions”.

I think it’s safe to say that these kinds of generalisations do little to promote gender-based teaching methods. Teaching children in an environment where it is assumed girls and boys are predisposed to behave in a certain way is, I think, counterintuitive to what a singlesex education is all about. But nevertheless it is interesting to hear three very different views on what gender means to education. Whether or not you agree with the opinions expressed in this article, I think you will agree that what is important to prospective parents is choice, and that can only be achieved by having a good range of both singledsex and co-educational schools available.  We will be continuing the debate in future issues of Independent Exec – if you’d like to share your views, send them through to editor@edexec.co.uk

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 13

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > INTERVIEW

Open days can be a deal-breaker when it comes to recruiting new students. Carrie Service speaks to Diana Banham, registrar at Roedean school, about what goes into organising a memorable open day

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

14 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > INTERVIEW

A

s I approach Roedean School, which sits majestically on the cliff tops of the Sussex Downs, looking out to sea, I understand immediately where the inspiration behind it’s strapline ‘looking outward, aiming high’ comes from. The school, originally named Wimbledon House, was founded in 1885 by three entrepreneurial sisters known locally as ‘the firm’. The sisters controversially hoped to prepare girls for entrance to the recently opened Girton and Newnham colleges at Cambridge University so that they could go on and earn their own living. This was not your typical 19th century girls’ school, but it prospered none the less.

I’m here to speak to Diana Banham, registrar at the school, about how Roedean communicates its message to prospective pupils, specifically through its open days scheme. “The admissions process to Roedean is long and it can sometimes be quite intense,” Banham explains as we sit down in the visitors’ room. As a selective school, the girls who wish to attend have their fair share of hurdles to overcome before they gain entry. And as I look out of the window to sea on a clear and sunny day I can see why so many feel the effort (not to mention the fees) is worth it.

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 15

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > INTERVIEW

COME ON IN The school has a continuous stream of open days, holding three a year alongside various other events for prospective students, including, ‘rockpools’ days; ‘discovery’ days and ‘taster days’. I get the feeling Banham is confident that as long as she can get people through the doors to experience a little of the Roedean way of life, winning them over will be easy.

The whole admissions process begins with an invitation to attend a rockpools day. “It’s just a day where we start to engage with the families, give the children a lovely day and introduce them to Roedean,” says Banham. This introductory event for those who have shown an interest in the school consists of a good old-fashioned day at the seaside, catching creepy crawlies in the rockpools with nets and jam jars, eating doughnuts, playing rounders – there is even a trip down the ‘secret tunnel,’ which takes you through the cliffs right down to the beach. “It’s very Enid Blyton,” Balham tells me.

After this initial day of fun and games is over, the families are then immediately contacted to see if they have formally registered their interest and are invited to the next admissions event: the school open day in early October. These currently consist of a short but informative tour of the school and a chance for children to get involved in a choice of activities, while parents listen to brief and to-the-point presentations

We’ve got a lot of competition in this area, there are a lot of very good schools around us about the school’s offering. Appearance is everything, so Banham sees that the sixth formers who welcome the guests are smartly dressed in their Roedean uniforms, and music is playing on the landing as guests arrive. She also ensures that just the highlights of the school are shown during the tour, keeping it to 35-40 minutes, and makes good use of the best rooms, including the library, which features dramatic wood panelling and portraits of the school’s founders. Everybody breaks for refreshments around 11am so that they can enjoy tea, coffee and patisseries (none of your bourbons and custard creams here) giving children and parents the chance to meet current students and staff. All members of the family are welcome on open day, including gran and granddad, and siblings are encouraged to join in the activities. Every visitor is also given a name badge when they arrive so that they all feel “part of the process”.

A TASTE OF SUCCESS Taster days are another of Roedean’s admissions events, and these allow students to attend the school for a full day to get a real feel of what life would really be like at Roedean – they can even stay overnight if they wish. These can take place at almost any time of the year (providing it isn’t exam time) and are tailored for the individual girl. If she is particularly interested in sport Banham will see that the taster day falls when there is a sporting activity taking place, or if they are a budding musician, they can visit when the school is putting on a concert, and so on. Many schools only offer these kinds of visits on a fixed date, and Banham is confident that their flexible, personalised approach is a winner.

Roedean is very proactive about its marketing which I can see from the stylishly designed invites and prospectuses Banham hands to me. “Our marketing has really stepped up this year and we’re already 16 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

DIANA BANHAM seeing wonderful benefits,” she says. “We’ve got a lot of competition in this area, there are a lot of very good schools around us.” The open day figures at Roedean have doubled since last year, which Banham believes is as a result of the recent overhaul. In the previous format, open days at Roedean weren’t such a tight operation as they are today, and parents could be touring the building for an hour and a half or more. Banham streamlined the process to create a day that she describes as: “informative but enjoyable, so that by the time they have left, they want more”.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER The school is lucky to have a well-managed database of contacts dedicated specifically to admissions, and Banham believes this is vital to the overall success of an open day. She stresses the importance of having as much information about the attendees as possible, otherwise she feels there is very little point in holding the event at all. “It’s like having a party and not knowing who is coming,” she explains. She is very meticulous when it comes to recording data about new families, encouraging staff to remember as much detail as possible, even small things like family holidays or if someone has been ill – any little snippets of information that the parents have shared: “We’re so on-it with stuff like that because that’s what engages and endears you – the detail.” Banham ensures that no piece of information is forgotten by holding a debrief meeting immediately after the visitors have left so staff can compare notes and get them entered onto the database asap. Girls can also be tagged on the database in reference to their interests which enables Banham to invite them to relevant events such as musical performances, art exhibitions etc. “That’s how a proper dedicated marketing and admissions database can really benefit you. Because if you’ve got different fields for tagging people for different events you can just pull reports off and it’s at your fingertips,” she adds.

ALL HANDS ON DECK Collaboration and a good strong team are what Banham sites as the secret behind Roedean’s success. “The whole school has to ‘get it’, because we have to sell this school. And it’s not just me or the head, all the staff members have to be able to do it,” she explains. Each week, a memo is distributed to staff letting them know who will be coming into the school, which student tour guides are being used, which day and time they can be expected and what their interests are so that everyone is prepared. However, there are rare occasions that cannot be planned for. The day before my meeting with Banham a family from Nigeria, who had expressed an interest in Roedean, turned up out of the blue wanting to have a look around. As the school had just closed for the summer holidays, the few remaining staff onsite were dressed in casual attire and there was maintenance work being carried out at the front entrance. This might sound like a recipe for disaster, but the collaborative spirit of the Roedean staff saved the day: “We came across a technician in the DT department cleaning up, and he was amazing,” says Banham emphatically. His passion for the subject and the school really impressed the family, and he wasn’t even a member of the teaching staff or admissions team. This demonstrates just how powerful your message can be if it is instilled in the ethos of the school. If you’d like your open day to be one to remember, following Roedean’s lead might not be a bad idea. 

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > MARKETING

Sheila Hallsworth, director of communication and admissions at Sir William Perkins’s School, explains why there is no room for complacency when it comes to securing pupil numbers and how technology can help

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any of the UK’s fee-paying schools have built up enviable reputations both at home and abroad for delivering the highest standards of education. These schools are often over-subscribed year after year.

But with the education landscape constantly changing and economic uncertainty continuing, I believe that even the best schools can no longer be complacent about their ability to secure pupil numbers.

Sir William Perkins’s School in Surrey is a highly regarded school for girls aged 11 to 18. There are a number of good schools in the area so competition to attract pupils is intense.

Although we consistently meet our pupil intake targets, we take the view that this could change at any time. Every pupil counts and schools need to ensure they have successful marketing strategies in place that will increase their chances of being the first choice school for parents.

18 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > MARKETING

KNOWING WHAT’S AROUND THE CORNER Household budgets are being squeezed and many parents are having to think much more carefully than they might have done in the past before making the decision to educate their children privately.

High performing academies are growing in number and these schools can offer an attractive alternative to a fee-paying school for some families. In parts of the country, key local employers are re-locating or contracting their workforce and this could potentially have a significant impact on a school’s intake quite quickly.

And for those schools that rely on the revenue generated by the recruitment of overseas students, the unsettled global economy and ever increasing competition from local schools abroad can also make a difference.

Knowing what’s around the corner is one thing, but schools need to understand where their pupils are coming from and actively monitor the effectiveness of their marketing to minimise the likelihood of any surprises.

Technology has an important role to play here.

KEEPING ONE STEP AHEAD At Sir William Perkins’s, one of the most effective things we do to stay one step ahead is to use our SIMS to monitor our conversion ratios – the objective being to convert as many enquiries from parents into pupil joiners. The management information system (MIS) helps us to track the progress of every enquiry we receive right through to the child sitting their entrance exam.

To keep administration time and paperwork to a minimum, when a parent initially enquires about the school all the details of the enquiry are immediately entered into our MIS. This means we can monitor each stage of the application easily and ensure prospective parents get all the information they need to make the decision to send their daughter to our school.

We run open days and events throughout the year to encourage parents to visit the school. Using the data stored in our MIS, we can see whether parents who previously contacted us have attended one of these events. If not, we can generate invitation letters automatically through our system to encourage them to do so. This has been incredibly effective and we have seen a marked increase in the number of prospective parents visiting the school.

Having all the information available from the initial contact has enabled us to see where enquiries are not progressing to the next stage and ultimately, to the acceptance of a school place. We can even search our system and follow up those parents who have not accepted their child’s school place offer before the deadline expires. Often parents have simply been busy or were not aware the deadline was approaching so this helps give them a gentle reminder.

Another advantage of having data stored electronically is that we have access

20 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

High performing academies are growing in number and these schools can offer an attractive alternative to a feepaying school for some families

to geographic and other information that can help us monitor where our pupils are coming from. This can enable schools to spot any local patterns or wider trends that could affect their pupil numbers so that appropriate action can be taken in good time.

TARGET YOUR MARKETING In these more austere times, it is important for schools to be able to demonstrate to bursars, governors and increasingly parents that money is being spent wisely. Using an MIS gives us a wealth of data that we can use to measure the impact of our marketing and target our activity where it will have the greatest impact on increasing pupil numbers.

Our system allows us to see which marketing activity we undertake is most successful at generating those all important enquiries. We have found that some of our most productive activities are often relatively inexpensive – displaying banners locally, keeping our website up to date and providing feeder schools with information about our open days.

We also use the system to identify which of our advertisements have successfully generated enquiries from parents in the areas we want to target. This enables us to concentrate on doing more of what works and reduces unnecessary investment.

At Sir William Perkins’s, we consistently exceed the published benchmarks for converting parental enquiries into pupils joining the school. The data we gather on parents from the first point of contact is central to us achieving this.

After all, if you don’t measure what you do, how do you truly know that you are doing it well? 

PROCURE AND PLAN > CASE STUDY

After replacing an underperforming secondary school in 2010, Norwich’s Ormiston Victory Academy delivered one of the biggest GCSE improvements in the country. Julia Dennison speaks to principal Rachel de Souza to find out how they did it 22 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

Vie for victory

PROCURE AND PLAN > CASE STUDY

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hen I visit Ormiston Victory Academy outside Norwich, I’m hot on the heels of Education Secretary Michael Gove and the school is hard at work on its quarterly newsletter featuring a photo from his visit. Furthermore, in the corner of principal Rachel de Souza’s office is a signed letter from the secretary of state, alongside an edition of the infamous ‘Gove bible’. In fact, the reason for my very visit came from the school’s mention in Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s report on Social Mobility last April.

It’s clear this is a school that has caught Westminster’s collective eye, and it’s no surprise – it is everything the academy programme should be.

Part of the Ormiston Academy Trust, Victory Academy opened in September 2010, replacing Costessey High School, which had been underperforming for years. A year after the transition, it recorded one of the biggest improvements in GCSE results in the country: 64% of its pupils achieved five or more grades A*–C GCSEs (or

equivalent) including English and maths in 2011, up 26 percentage points from the results achieved in 2010. The admiration can be heard in Clegg’s white paper: ‘The academy helped to raise aspirations for pupils, staff and the community, by making the most of its new freedoms.’

This included introducing a smarter uniform (designed by Prince Charles’s tailor); a new curriculum; a transformed school day; running extra English and maths sessions during the holidays; and bringing parents, existing staff and pupils on-board with a new ethos. The transformed approach is reflected in the pupils’ demeanour: The minute I walk in, I’m greeted with a smile and handshake from two smartly dressed pupils.

The student body hasn’t always been this idyllic, however; de Souza tells me horror stories about her first days. “It was a school that had been in special measures twice,” she recounts. “It was considered to have very poor behaviour and achievement was very low.” This may be an understatement. “What I saw when I turned up here INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 23

PROCURE AND PLAN > CASE STUDY

was a school that was out of control,” she continues. “You had kids with big earrings and tight jeans running around. I got sworn at four times when I came for interview.” But even through this, she could see the potential, putting the failures down to “dreadful management”.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT De Souza got the job and started as principal in 2010, right as the school began its transformation to academy status. With some sponsored academies, when the senior leadership team is replaced, stakeholders and principals often seek out their replacements from SCHOOL the outside world. Ormiston Victory was ORMISTON VICTORY different – de Souza promoted existing ACADEMY members to the new senior leadership PUPILS team instead. “The message has been evolution rather than revolution,” she 870 (CAPACITY FOR 1,250 WITH explains. “It wasn’t that there was NEW BUILD) nothing good here, it was that the talent TYPE hadn’t been released, developed and MIXED 11-18 ACADEMY shaped.” She has enjoyed much success with this. “I went out to look for new vice principals and senior team in the area and really didn’t find the calibre that I wanted, so I grew my own senior team from the teachers who are already here,” she says. “It really is a school that has improved itself.” Alongside this, she appointed 16 newly qualified teachers. “I believe in promoting people young,” she says. “I don’t believe that 20 years’ experience necessarily equips you for something like a turnaround post. It’s not age, it’s attitude, whatever age someone is.”

Upgrading middle management staff to senior leadership positions was a no-brainer for de Souza, but she resisted the urge to send them on mindless training courses. “I think we need to be more intelligent about CPD and sending people on courses is not the way to do it,” she says. “Giving opportunities and coaching people to develop is the way.” The result has been a positive one, as the team was highly praised in the school’s recent Ofsted inspection. Her vice principal, who was previously the head of English, shone when she took the English results to 98% in her first year. “So, naturally I promoted her,” quips de Souza. Under the new management, things immediately started to look up. “Really from day one it was no problems,” the principal remembers.

She says becoming an academy “released the energy and the talent” that was already at the school, forcing the staff to think freshly about everything.

What’s de Souza’s secret to transforming a school? “You have to listen to people,” she says. “It’s being creative and thinking: ‘What could this school be great at?’” So the school underwent a radical rebranding, taking on the new name of ‘Ormiston Victory Academy’ from the history books (many of the locals’ ancestors had been dragooned onto Admiral Nelson’s HMS Victory. The school’s new board room even features a piece of the ship mounted on the wall).

You had kids with big earrings and tight jeans running around. I got sworn at four times when I came for interview

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES Isolation was a problem for the school, tucked away in a corner of the Norwich suburbs, so de Souza has made it her 24 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

mission to open it up to the surrounding community through networking (both online and in person), which has resulted in a slew of beneficial connections.

One major source of support is a strategic partnership with sponsor Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

“They do amazing things for us,” de Souza says. “The cosmetic surgeons come and lecture the beauty therapy students; the students use their labs and do work experience with the dental surgeons.” She credits this with a general improvement in science results. Furthermore, the chairman of the hospital trust, David Prior, is also a chairman of the school. His status in the surrounding area has also been of benefit to the school. “He’s just opened up Norfolk for us,” says de Souza. As a result of his connections, employees from PriceWaterhouseCoopers’s Norwich office have come to the school to teach maths and an ex-England cricketer has joined the school’s board to work on Ormiston’s sports strategy. “We’ve just really mined all the Norfolk connections and engaged them with this state school – this sponsored academy – and it’s been superb,” adds de Souza. “So much of industry want to engage with schools and they want to do their bit, but they don’t know how. The story here has been about really showing people how.” For schools interested in extending their hand, de Souza’s advice is to do your research and don’t make the relationship too one-sided. “Find ways those businesses or individuals can contribute something unique and get what they want,” she suggests. “It’s not asking for hand-outs.”

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE Part of the reason for Gove’s visit this summer was to turn the first turf for a new building Ormiston Victory is planning. The school has around 870 pupils, but is making way for as many as 350 more when the new premises opens, which, if all goes to plan, will be this autumn. The school was only granted £13.1m for the new-build, despite expecting £27m before Building Schools for the Future fell through, but de Souza and her team feel lucky to be getting anything at all and are managing to produce a 75% new build out of the lower sum. She thinks it’s important that schools don’t get caught up in their buildings anyway. “A building doesn’t make a school,” she says. “You can have a fabulous building but a dreadful school.”

De Souza is experienced in turning around academies.

Victory is her second academy transformation. Her previous post was principal of Barnfield West Academy where she had also built a £13m new building, so she was used to keeping to a strict budget and turning around an underperforming school (Barnfield also held the title for most improved school in the country after its transformation). Further along her road to improving education for all, she is working with a group of trustees to launch a post-16 free school in Norwich city centre, focusing on maths and science.

In summary, de Souza is nothing short of a poster child for the academy movement, though she says she would never use that term to describe herself. “For me, it’s about ensuring every child in this country, whatever barriers they have to overcome in terms of their home life and background, get the best possible education,” she comments. “I think sponsored academies have helped with that.” 

PROCURE AND PLAN > SECURITY

In the first of a three-part series on security, George Carey takes a look at access control and asks how schools can keep their pupils and premises safe

IF YOUR NAME’S NOT DOWN, YOU’RE NOT COMING IN 26 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

A

s technology becomes more affordable and user-friendly, it’s becoming easier for schools to provide a safe and secure learning environment for pupils and staff alike. It’s important to know what’s available and establish the relative value of what can be fairly expensive equipment.

With the right selection and implementation, security measures can pay for themselves very quickly in terms of theft or damage prevented, while providing much needed peace of mind for the school community.

CCTV Closed-circuit television is nothing new and certainly has its critics who object to its intrusive nature, but it can play an essential role in the deterrence and detection of illegal or unsafe activity. James Kelly, chief exec of The British Security Industry Association, thinks cameras are integral to school security. A particularly effective set-up involves the combination of motion-sensitive cameras and a remote video response centre (RVRC). He says: “At the RVRC they can issue a verbal warning – ‘talking CCTV’ – to any intruders, which in more than 90% of cases is sufficient to make them leave the scene. For more persistent individuals, there is the potential for operators to alert school staff and the police. Having visually verified what is going on and using site plans, held by the RVRC, police officers can be directed to a specific area to help them make arrests.”

Despite the obvious benefits of such an arrangement, it can be beyond the budget of many schools. But those looking to scrimp on costs could pay a higher price, as Ahmed Abbas, director of Sensor Access Technology, explains: “Unfortunately 80% of systems out there don’t actually provide you with sufficient evidence for a conviction.”

With cameras at the bottom-end costing as little as £15, it’s not surprising that some people end up with disappointing results. He continues: “At the other end, a mega pixel camera would deliver recordings with no loss of quality, which can provide vital details such as car registrations and clear pictures of people’s faces. You can easily spend £500 to £600 on a good camera but that could do the job of five or six low-end cameras.”

PROCURE AND PLAN > SECURITY

Unfortunately 80% of cameras out there don’t actually provide you with sufficient evidence for a conviction

ENTRY SYSTEMS Access control systems are available with card or biometric, also known as finger print, entry systems. The former can be used with smart card technology rather than a standard proximity system and allows further applications, such as dispensing cash; use of libraries; and logging into PCs, all with the same card. While encrypted smart cards are more difficult to copy, they don’t offer the same level of security as biometrics because cards can be loaned to friends or misplaced, which can easily lead to the wrong person gaining access to the school. The technologies can be combined so that enhanced security areas of the school, such as an IT room, would use fingerprint technology.

However, according to Abbas, there is a time and a place for fingerprint recognition technology: “In our experience, you don’t want to give kids access to fingerprint technology because it doesn’t matter what manufacturer you use, it requires quite a high level of cooperation from the user. You can present card technology to the reader in any way that you like, but with biometric technology you have to present your finger with the correct orientation and for a specific amount of time. To expect children to do that every time is just not realistic.” There has also been an increase in the use of wireless access control systems in schools in recent years. While the technology itself is a little more expensive, the installation costs are greatly reduced because the extensive wiring involved in old sys28 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

tems is avoided and the reader and lock are one piece, and therefore easier to install.

SECURITY GUARDS Kelly is a big advocate of security guards in schools and points out to those worrying about the costs that it can be a multi-faceted role: “Security guards are a natural focal point for enquiries from visitors and can take on the role of a traditional porter as well.” The mere presence of someone in a uniform can make a difference and they can deal with a range of issues that other staff wouldn’t be able to deal with as effectively, such as escorting trespassers off the premises and dealing with substance abuse among pupils. In their capacity as porter they can also be responsible for traffic and parking management during school events or other busy times.

While there is definitely still a place for the human element of security in schools, the technological advancements continue to roll on and, according to Abbas, a decrease in hardware could be on the horizon. “I think that accesscontrol systems may no longer be on a server and a lot more applications in the security industry will migrate to the cloud. This will reduce overheads for schools by not having an IT manager having to look after servers. It will all be installed on a cloud solution so that the facilities manager or the head master can monitor the system from any PC inside or outside the premises, or even on an iPad or iPhone.” 

PROCURE AND PLAN > GROUNDS

e h t n w o D h t a p n e d r ga lar way for u p o p a re a s curriculum. e table garden e th g h e v it w g in g n rk ati Wo ine healthy e b m o own trend, c ru to o ls -y w ro g schoo e n looks at th o is n n e t the experts a D h a w d Juli n a g veg a try ls are plantin e iv g to g in what schoo k r schools loo fo d n e m m o rec

30 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

PROCURE AND PLAN > GROUNDS

eeping kids motivated can prove a challenge in any school. One way of making it easier is using a vegetable garden, which is a fun way of keeping pupils active and eating better that encourages them to work together to learn about the environment and where food comes from. A garden can have cross-curricular benefits, from history to maths, ecology to nutrition and improve the physical wellbeing of the children who tend to it. The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom believes that every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. A vegetable garden is a good step in this direction.

K

THE BENEFITS OF GARDENING Experts in school gardening often wax lyrically about their positive effect on learning. Samantha Ford, founder of seed importers Original Touch, believes it offers children a different way of learning: “The children seem to absorb the information so much more easily because they’re doing physical activity.” This is particularly true, she adds, for those who may not be as academically-minded as others. Vegetable gardens also encourage children to eat things they never normally would eat, and make healthier choices in the school canteen – this can have a knock-on effect on the parents too.

Russell House Prep School in Sevenoaks, Kent is often referred to as ‘the school in the garden’ because it’s surrounded by greenery. They took this reputation further recently by starting to grow vegetables like potatoes and runner beans (which have been particularly popular with the local rabbit population).

Head of early years Caroline Chaffé is quick to highlight that it’s a very small project, but it’s doing a world of good for the children. “It brought out in some children the unexpected – like organisational skills,” she tells me. “You see other sides of children doing something like this.”

Gardening has also been found to help children with certain learning disabilities. Shalom Place, a small independent school for children with autism, grew a vegetable garden before it had to close last autumn due to lack of funding. Proprietor and executive head Michelle Major found pupils liked the garden for its sensory appeal. “The ‘feel’ and ‘smell’ [aspects] were really good,” she says. “You can have an herb garden with different smells and flowers in-between the vegetables.” Shalom Place sold flower baskets to raise money for iPads and Major says that without having the vegetable garden first, working with the soil would have been too intense for the more severely autistic children.

For children with physical disabilities, raised beds are also a good option.

GETTING STARTED A vegetable garden can be as large or small as you have the time or money to make it. Before you begin, you will want to garner support from pupils and teachers, but also parents and the wider community.

TheKidsGarden.co.uk recommends asking for help from any experienced gardeners you know. Once everyone is on board, choose a site. Basic things like making sure it’s close enough to a water source or

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 31

PROCURE AND PLAN > GROUNDS

QUICK TIPS

Gardening advice from catering firm, Eagle Solutions • Ensure some produce is quick growing and will bloom or be ripe within about a term (lettuces, some edible flowers). This will pique and keep their interest and will encourage them to grow further crops • Also have longer growing products in order to reverse the expectation of instant growing (microwave culture) • Make use of the things that are easy to cook for school produce • Have a definitive plan for the school holidays (some schools plant low maintenance crops, others have nothing at all), as weather changes and overgrowth can kill produce • Invite the community • Get an expert to help.

WHAT TO GROW NOW

Garden Organic recommends the following in early autumn: • Sow green manures as you harvest crops and clear the ground • Collect fallen leaves to make leafmould • And remember to plant autumn crops like onions and garlic.

COMPETITION

Original Touch holds a competition every year, challenging schools to grow things like the tallest sunflower or ugliest pumpkin for gardening prizes. To find out the theme and requests seeds to take part, schools should get in touch with Samantha Ford before March next year on info@originaltouch.co.uk

receives at least six hours of sun each day are important.

When starting from scratch, you may need to clear an area first. Planting charity Garden Organic says not to rush this step, as the spot needs to be sufficiently cleared of weeds to succeed. Before you even take this step, you will want to plan carefully for the size and complexity of your growing initiative.

Raised beds or growing containers are a good option if you don’t have much land or suitable soil conditions.

You may wish to start plants off in pots or boxes and then transfer them to beds once they’ve grown a bit. Materials needed include soil, seeds, seedlings and tools like spades, shovels and wheelbarrows. You will also want to consider protecting the new or more vulnerable plants with plastic drinks bottles or starting a compost heap. Having the right wildlife can help keep pests away too, so it’s worth researching different habitats you can create (The Garden Organic link in the resources box below is best for this).

There are some varieties that are easier to grow and/or maintain than others – like courgettes. Ford recommends tomatoes, but warns that while they are easier to grow, they can also be quite high maintenance. She also reminds that because schools break up in the summer, some crops can be more difficult to maintain over that period. To avoid this problem, consider putting vegetables in pots for children to take home. Growing historical varieties of produce – like purple carrots or heirloom tomatoes – can also add a ‘wow’ factor that fits nicely into a lesson plan.

THE WIDER WORLD As part of a larger gardening project, children can learn to run a small business by selling the vegetables they grow through a local farmers market or garden centre. This also helps to encourage the school community to lower their carbon footprint by buying locally. Catering consultants, Eagle Solutions, finds that pickles, jams, and juices are extremely popular school-branded products for the shop.

All of this helps raise money for the school too.

Growing their own also teaches pupils about sustainable living. They can recycle waste from the garden in the shape of compost by using a wormery and collect rainwater from the roof or elsewhere in the school grounds to use in the garden. Just by following the seasons and weather conditions, learners can begin to understand the impact of climate change in a tangible way.

Schools can reach out and help each other too.

For example, through a link with its partner school in Kabbubu, Uganda, Mayfield CE Primary School in East Sussex was able to learn more about the country’s scheme to teach villagers how to grow crops and run allotments.

In Kabbubu, families do not have the option to ‘pop to the shops’, so the pupils at the UK primary school had a real awakening about the importance of self-sufficiency in certain parts of the world. It’s initiatives like this that help schools widen their opportunities not just beyond the classroom, but beyond the garden gate too. 

RESOURCES

Here are some websites with practical gardening tips for your school: • GardenOrganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/ leaflets/VegetableGardening.pdf • TheSchoolVegetablePatch.co.uk • TheKidsGarden.co.uk • blog.worldgardenseeds.co.uk/1080/20-bright-ideasfor-the-school-vegetable-garden

32 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

MANAGEMENT > DEBT ADVICE

Schools in debt Debts have unfortunately become an increasing problem for independent schools in recent years but what can be done to address this? George Carey finds out 34 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

MANAGEMENT > DEBT ADVICE

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he state of the nation’s finances and a culture of spiralling debt has lead to widespread calls for compulsory financial advice for pupils.

It seems to be a very sensible idea that one would imagine all school leavers would, at least partially benefit from. However, it seems that it is not merely pupils in need of a little extra advice with their finances. A mercifully small, but none-the-less shocking, number of schools has made the headlines in recent years as they succumbed to bankruptcy. In the last month it has been revealed that Llandovery College, one of Wales’ best known independent schools, owes creditors more than £4m.

During these tough economic times, independent schools are facing many of the same problems as other businesses, increasing costs and decreasing demand.

However there is one problem, that has stood out ahead of the rest as the real nemesis of independent schools in recent years: unpaid fees. The harsh economic climate has led to more parents defaulting – or falling into arrears – on their children’s school fees. Last year saw a growing number of independent schools having no choice but to employ debt collectors to force parents to hand over millions of pounds owed in unpaid fees. In most cases, parents either withdraw their child from a school, without the standard term’s notice, or fail to keep up payments of fees, but keep their child at the school.

One agency, Daniels Silverman, expects to collect £9m from parents in arrears on school fees by the end of this year. Last year, it collected £5.8m. The number of private schools that have requested its help rose last year to 74 from 48 the year before that. It has established a team of debt collectors to respond to the growing demand from schools. On average, the schools it works for are owed £120,000, it claims. Another agency, Sinclair Goldberg Price, would not state how many schools it worked for, but said the number had risen by 70% in the last year.

The Independent Schools Council, which represents more than 1,200 schools, has described the economic climate as “the most challenging for decades”. Mike

Lower, general secretary of the Independent Schools’ Bursar Association, said more parents were defaulting or falling into arrears, but “schools still had salaries to pay and overheads to cover”, and said it could be quicker for a school to use a debt collection agency than to pursue a debt through a county court.

Sean Feast, spokesman for the Credit Services Association, which represents more than 300 debtcollection agencies, said a larger number of middle-class parents were “being caught up in a web of debt”. “This in turn means that the approach by the collectors has to be different [as] it is unlikely that these people will ever have been in debt,” he explains. “It is in the interest of the debtor, the agency and the school to keep the child in the school.”

So what can schools do to insulate themselves from these problems, without having to resort to drastic measures, like debt-collection agencies? There are a number of insurance schemes available to schools that seek to protect both sides from the problems involved with a loss of earning encountered by parents. Such a group life insurance schemeenables parents to insure one of their major liabilities, their school fees, against their death or a serious illness. Parents up to age 60 may join it regardless of their state of health and, as the benefits are paid direct to the school in the event of a claim, all problems associated with probate and inheritance tax are avoided. The ability to pay these claims and bursaries requires significant numbers of insured parents who don’t die, so it is in the school’s own interest to encourage parents to make a thoughtful decision about their need for such insurance. This is a ‘group’ life insurance scheme and therefore is absolved from rules surrounding ‘opt-out’ in the Distance Marketing Directive 2004. The most effective way of marketing this insurance is to add it to the school bill, allowing parents to decide whether to pay it or delete it.

With schemes like this, schools can insure that they and their pupils are spared from the stress and uncertainty of unpaid school feas and concentrate on providing the best possible education for students.  INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 35

MANAGEMENT > CAREERS

Invaluable advice With graduate unemployment at an all-time high, questions are starting to be asked about career advice, all the way down the chain. George Carey looks at the salient points

I

mpartial and accessible careers education is more important than ever, given the additional qualifications now available, such as diplomas and apprenticeships, and the current economic climate. The job market is evolving; jobs for life are becoming less of the norm and one person can have a number of professions over the course of their career.

New industries exist that were not available a generation ago. Schools need to be able to guide their students to the qualifications and skills needed to enter the world of work.

But should schools look outside their own four walls in search of careers advice or a little closer to home?

In schools, where careers education and guidance is perceived to be important and holds a high status, the careers coordinator is seen as approachable and accessible to students. Young people particularly value careers coordinators who are knowledgeable about the options available and who are enthusiastic and communicate well with them. Students also recognise the importance of impartial advice – many find the pressure to make the right choice one of the hardest elements of making decisions about their future, and the support provided by careers coordinators can be a significant element in the process. In contrast, students in case study schools, where careers education is not perceived to be a high priority, talk about being allocated to pathways, rather than having a fully informed and free choice.

Clearly, providing support and guidance for young people making decisions about life after compulsory education continues to be an important issue. The position of impartial careers information is key to helping students to make the right choices for them.

The Institute of Careers Guidance issued advice to schools on the issue earlier this year, following the publishing of the Government’s statutory guidance for schools, which the institute was extremely disappointed with. One of the issues flagged up by the exiting president, Steve Higginbotham, was the chance that schools may simply handle careers advice in-house, which he clearly did not support: “Within the Statutory Guidance there is no recognition of the recent statements issued by The Rt Hon John Hayes MP (Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning ) and reiterated by the The Rt Hon David Willetts MP (Minister of State for Universities 36 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

and Science) in Parliament that it will not be sufficient for schools to seek to discharge their new duties simply by providing career guidance in-house or by signposting to websites.” He continued: “Neither is there any explicit reference to the work of the Careers Professional Alliance which, utilising funding from government, is shortly to launch a new National Register for Career Professionals who are appropriately qualified and commit to a code of ethics and continued professional development.”

The institute made some key recommendations to schools. It said that all young people can benefit from access to face-to-face impartial independent career guidance provided by qualified professionals. It asserted that this should not be restricted to pupils primarily from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who have learning difficulties and disabilities. Face-to-face independent impartial careers guidance should be provided by appropriately qualified career guidance professionals who meet the requirements of the new National Register. The institute concluded that when careers guidance is allied to a quality programme of careers education that is externally accredited (e.g. the Quality in Careers Standard mark) it can make a powerful difference to pupil’s aspirations, progress, attainment and life chances.

There are however, benefits to be gained from careers advice given by a friendly face. For a start, if the person involved has an on-going and familiar relationship with the pupils that they are advising, it may be the case that they can engage on a deeper level than someone who comes in purely to talk to the pupils about careers. In the same way, a careers adviser who has been at the school for the entire duration of a pupil’s time there will have a better idea of his or her personality and be better equipped to tell the difference between a genuine career aspiration and a mere flash in the pan.

The other side of that coin is that a pupil may be more willing to open up to someone that they don’t have to see every day in a normal teaching capacity and that they view purely as a careers advice expert. While there are merits to existing staff members working with pupils, it seems to be the case that it’s best to use an external advisor to assist with careers advise. As the profession becomes more specialised and highly regulated, it’s best to get into good habits now, with the future in mind. 

MANAGEMENT > CAREERS

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 37

ICT MATTERS > INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY

ASSEMBLY BROADCAST

38 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

ICT MATTERS > INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Video conferencing can revolutionise lessons by allowing children to create connections with other schools, both locally and globally.

Carrie Service finds out how

S

chools are becoming more and more interactive these days with the use of social media and virtual learning platforms.

But there is one method of communication that goes above and beyond what any social networking site can do for learning. Video conferencing isn’t just for big corporate companies, it can be a hugely valuable teaching tool – and it shouldn’t break the bank either.

OLYMPIC PROPORTIONS There are lots of schools jumping on the video conferencing band wagon. Carpenters Primary School in the London Borough of Newham used the technology to link with schools around the world for an Olympicthemed video conference recently. Schools from the UK, Taiwan, France and Croatia got involved with live and interactive Olympicrelated presentations via video link. The children met UEL Volleyball chair Dwain Bowers and paralympic silver medallist and former World and European Judo Champion, Ian Rose while 280 schools, parents and governors watched. Scargill Infants in Rainham, Essex, has also hit the running with video conferencing, using it to organise virtual museum visits for the children: “A lot of the museums in and around London and further around the country are offering video conferencing for different age groups,” explains Kath Keeper, headteacher at the school. “It’s free of charge and it’s terrific, it’s an untapped resource.” Scargill was even given the opportunity to hold a video conference with NASA. The space agency offers talks to schools around the world, live from the Kennedy Space Centre, which Keeper describes as “absolutely spine tingling”. She also tries to find at least one school locally to video conference with, then at the end of the year as a special treat, organises a coach trip so that the children can meet their new friends in person.

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 39

ICT MATTERS > INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGY

COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY You are probably thinking: "This all sounds great, but how much is it going to cost?"

The answer could be next to nothing, so long as you have a web cam, says Mina Patel consultant at Video Conferencing for Learning: “If schools plan to use video conferencing only once a term, then they can use webcams with free software solutions.

This is cost effective and will suffice since there are no plans for whole–school use.”

However if you would like to implement the technology across the school so that it can be embedded into the curriculum and used on a regular basis, Patel advises investing in video conferencing hardware: “This can cost anything from £3,000 to £4,000 for a good quality video conferencing camera connected to the school network. Various companies such as Aver, Polycom, and Tandberg offer good solutions for schools.”

There is also the alternative option of using free video calls via something like Skype, however there are certain problems with implementing this type of software in schools. “Skype is propriety-based so does not meet H323 standards,” explains Patel.

You also can’t do ‘multipoint’ conferences (conferences to more than one school) and can only use Skype with other Skype users as it is not interoperable with other video conferencing systems. There may also be issues around e-safety as the video call does not occur in a secure environment. “Skype has one huge benefit though,” adds Patel: “It is free – but I would not recommend it be installed on a school network without caution. Instead there is a free secure webcam service available for all PC-using schools from JVCS.” Patel strongly advises consulting your broadband supplier before investing in hardware, to be certain that they are able to run a dedicated video conferencing service for a good quality video link. Your service supplier should provide you with free technical support too, however you will need local and regional technical support from your broadband supplier in addition to this.

MAKING CONNECTIONS This kind of technology has great potential for schools that have a lot of international pupils, or are hoping to attract more students from overseas. By creating links with schools further afield you can showcase what your school has to offer, allowing prospective students a more interactive first look – far more powerful than a prospectus or website.

Creating partnerships with schools abroad can also help children to develop their language skills in a practical way, without the cost of a plane ticket.

Dunraven School in the London Borough of Lambeth has been utilising distance learning courses via video link to widen their curriculum and offer new opportunities for their post 16 students. The school offers A2 level economics, psychology and law, taught by specialist tutors in Cheltenham over a video conferencing system, and 40 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

It’s terrific, it’s an untapped resource

has done for over five years. Patel believes this is something we will see more of in the future as people become more familiar with technology: “With a more advanced broadband infrastructure in place for UK schools, allowing for higher and faster bandwidth, dedicated video networks and good technical video conferencing support from trained experts, schools will be able to use the technology easily. It will be reliable and offer high definition quality links to content providers and experts all over the world bringing them live into classrooms.”

You’ve more than likely already heard of the virtual learning environment, but Patel believes the next big thing in education platforms is the VELE, or video enhanced learning environment. This utilises a learning platform, which allows teachers to interact with parents and pupils from home and set and collect homework assignments, but then enhances it by integrating the option of communicating via video link, something that Patel believes is likely to prove most popular in higher education, further education and secondary schools.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Having had this technology in the classroom could prove useful when children grow up: “Our work force of the future will all be using VELEs on a regular basis to communicate with colleagues internationally, working remotely, from offices at home or abroad,” predicts Patel. Due to the potential time and money savings companies can make through video conferencing – British Telecom saved a reported £60m by employing 11,000 remote workers this year – it looks as though it could become common practice.

Keeper initially thought of video conferencing as a fun social interaction tool, but later realised its true potential for teaching and learning: “The idea of [using it for the] curriculum was actually quite far away down the pile…but now it’s become social communications first, with curriculum a very close second.” Teachers can easily adapt it for any topic, and by simply using a timetable outlining who will be using the equipment during each lesson, it can be easily shared with the whole school, giving everyone a chance to benefit. 

ICT MATTERS > EDUCATIONAL APPS

LEARNING TO A P P LY Y O U R S E L F 42 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

ICT MATTERS > EDUCATIONAL APPS

Educational apps are everywhere at the moment, but what age groups are they aimed at and do they really work? George Carey finds out

T

here’s no mistaking it, we’re living in the age of the app.

They've invaded every aspect of life and education is no different, but are they actually helping with children’s education or is it just a load of hype? Are these apps actually making children more intelligent or simply creating a new breed of square eyes? A young child will look away from a TV screen about 150 times an hour, but a well-designed iPad app is more engaging because the child is touching the screen to generate actions. So is this being harnessed correctly?

Half of all US 10-year-olds read poorly, according to Dr Michael Levine, executive director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, which was set up to research how digital media impact on learning. One of the centre's studies, using an iPod Touch, found that the vocabulary of 13 five-year-olds improved by an average of 27% after using an educational app called Martha Speaks.

Another study, using a different educational app, had a similar result, with three-yearolds showing a 17% gain. Its latest research compared how children learned using traditional books versus e-readers. The conclusion was that for young children, traditional books were more effective in focusing attention on literacy skills while e-readers helped older children maintain attention and excitement with books.

But even then the picture is complicated.

"Children may be distracted by the bells and whistles of enhanced e-books. They may be engaged but many are not comprehending as much," said Dr Levine. "It depends on the context and content, but e-readers aren't going to solve the reading crisis."

The idea that apps and touch screens are now constant companions for young readers was the inspiration for Magic Town, a fantasy world built around classic children's books such as Elmer, Winnie the Witch and A Little Princess. The site is trying to bridge the gap between the screen-based digital world and a time when families gathered around to listen to stories. Every time a child listens to a story, they create a new house in the town. They can choose a variety of modes for stories, from basic listening to modules that require them to participate in the story. Even in the web age, stories maintain their power said David Begg, CEO and co-founder. "Story is the best medium to teach children. From the village elder importing stories from generation to generation, it is how people learn about emotions, morals and the structure of society," he said. In Magic Town

the village elder is a lion called Louis who will tell different stories to children daily.

The tree at the centre of the town grows more leaves the more stories listened to and withers if none are read. "It is not about ramming books down kids throats but about engaging them," said Begg. "We wanted it to be something that parents think is valuable for their children."

Back on this side of the pond, a study commissioned by Encyclopaedia Britannica this year, found that educational apps on smartphones and tablets can help primary

It's great that families are fully embracing new technologies when it comes to their children's education and are seeing tangible benefits school children to perform better in the classroom. The research of over 500 parents of primary school-age children, revealed that 40% of parents who download educational apps for -heir children have noticed an improvement in their academic attainment, whilst 58% of parents support the use of apps to help with exam revision and homework. Other findings highlighted that the average family has downloaded more than four educational apps since buying their mobile device, to help their child to learn. “It’s great that families are fully embracing new technologies when it comes to their children’s education and that they’re starting to see tangible benefits to academic attainment, both in and out of the classroom,” said Ian Grant, MD of Encyclopædia Britannica.

There are of course apps aimed at older pupils, sitting their GCSEs and A-Levels, but these tend to be more around organisational aids, rather than actually teaching tools.

It seems that the age group that will really benefit from this technology is younger children whose attention is much harder to gain and maintain. The combination of alluring pictures and the tactile control methods involved lend themselves to this age group effortlessly. Educational apps have their place with older children but this is a change that is happening from the bottom up. As the first ‘app generation’ of children, who have learned to read using this technology, come up through schools, we will really start to see what apps can do for older school children.  INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 43

TECHNO GEEK

ICT MATTERS > TECHNO GEEK

Follow us @ i_exec for the latest news updates and insight into the issues that affect the role of the business manager.

44 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

A Facebook group can be a great way for alumni to stay in touch with each other and their school, but if one has already been created is it best to get involved with that, or start your own afresh?

Amassing alums K

eeping in touch with alumni is very important for a number of reasons. A successful alumnus can provide a much-needed boost for the school and add to the collective sense of achievement that institutions strive for. In addition to that, expupils make great motivational speakers and reunions can also be excellent fundraisers. With more than 845 million users worldwide, it’s fair to say that Facebook is pretty popular, and the bulk of your alumni will have an account. Also, according to research published by Infographic Labs, the average time spent per visit is 20 minutes – more than enough time to catch up on the latest events of their old school.

Many graduated year groups will have created their own Facebook groups already to keep in touch with each other, which could appear to take all the work out of the process for your school. But should you try to harness the existing group or start a revolution and hope that your group proves to be as popular?

The existing group will have already gone to the effort of recruiting members, which can be a time-consuming process and is a huge boost when starting out. Also the visibility that the school will gain from appearing on ex-pupils’ profiles could garner more support from those people’s friends who may not have otherwise been aware of the group.

However, there’s a fair chance that the group could be full of activity that you wouldn’t want to be associated with your school’s well-preened public image. The group may well have started up as a way for old friends to reminisce about their school days and, let’s face it, that probably involved some

shenanigans that you wouldn’t race to put on your school’s prospectus.

The fact that it will likely have been started up by a particular friend-group could also lead to it becoming a cliquey affair that excludes others who may have otherwise wanted to get involved. You would hope that, shed of teenage angst and bravado, no one would actively exclude a fellow alumnus but it’s likely that many people simply won’t be in contact or have the same friends on the site. This would also be the case for other year groups, who may not have friends in common. If you decide to invite people yourself to a new group, a simple school photograph makes for a thorough, if slightly time consuming, way of ensuring that you invite every pupil on an equal basis. Once the group is well established, an invite to the group can be put out at the end of the final school year, and doesn’t have to be time consuming at all.

So, if you want to encompass liberté, égalité and fraternité in one shiny package that tows the party line, it’s time to make a break for it and start your very own group. Vive la revolution. n

INSPIRED MINDS > INTERVIEW

MADE IN SWEDEN

46 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

INSPIRED MINDS > INTERVIEW

John Baumber is CEO of the Learning Schools Trust, a nonprofit, charitable organisation that operates Kunskapsskolan-sponsored academies in England. Julia Dennison finds out why he is an advocate of this Swedish approach to personalised learning

What were your first impressions of Kunskapsskolan?

It is so different a model to everything we have in the UK that there was a bit of a shock factor at the beginning. With everything you hold true within an English setting, which is a very controlled environment, you think: How could this possibly work? I experience this with all the people [from the UK] we take out [to Sweden]. After that [initial] shock, by about lunchtime, you begin to get that ‘a-ha’ moment that actually all the young people are very clear about their goals and about the way forward, so their ownership of the learning replaces the control that we are forced to exert on it.

T

hose of you who don’t think you know much about the Kunskapsskolan method of personalised education, you may know more about it than you realise. The debate over Swedish methods of teaching and profit-making in state education that has been gracing the pages of the national newspapers has much of its origins in the organisation, which is Sweden’s second-largest secondary education provider and is now making waves in in the UK. ‘Kunskapsskolan’, which translates to ‘knowledge school’, is an organisation that started in 1999 and operates 30 secondary schools in Sweden. These are non-selective, non-fee-paying, privately managed state-funded schools that turn a profit. To date, this profit has been fed back into the school, which allows schools the freedom to do things like pay teachers based on performance.

The pedagogical model is based on personalised learning, whereby every pupil follows a learning plan set by themselves, but overseen and monitored by their personal tutor – this ensures the teaching is tailored to their specific needs. They then work towards clear goals to ensure they keep on track. This works very well under the Swedish education system, where pupils are given state funding to put towards the school of their choice – but could it work elsewhere?

Understandably, the rollout of the academy programme in England provided the perfect opportunity for Kunskapsskolan to expand their model overseas and now also to New York and India.

In this country, the organisation would come to sponsor three academies: Twickenham Academy, Hampton Academy and Ipswich Academy. These make up the Learning School Trust, of which John Baumber is CEO. Baumber has much experience with the Kunskapsskolan method, having worked as a headteacher of one of these schools in Sweden. He tells me about his experience bringing the revolutionary education model to the UK. Can you tell me about your background and how you got involved with Kunskapsskolan?

I was a headteacher in the UK for 20 years and the last part of that I was executive head of three schools in Bolton. My last school – Rivington and Blackrod High School – was twinned with Kunskapsskolan since 2001. Of course, that was only the second year, really, of Kunskapsskolan. We were part of a network, a learning community, and we shared all sorts of ideas. I got very close to them and their model and our staff worked together on a number of projects. Then in 2007 I decided after 20 years I’d have a rest. That lasted about two weeks when I had a call from Kunskapsskolan to ask if I’d open up their science centre in Saltsjobaden on the edge of Stockholm. Then in that first year, while I was setting that up, the two schools on the site, which were opening up, lost their headteacher, so they asked me if I would just look after the schools for a while, which ended up being two and a half years.

Lord Hill and the mayor of Richmond at Hampton Academy opening How does the personal learning model work?

It’s sort of like checks and balances – if youngsters are taking on more responsibility you need to check that they’re on task. So basically the whole concept works around them being able to set goals – clear goals, not just long-term goals but every day. That governs how we organise our curriculum. In an English setting this is impossible because students are set targets based on past performance and national benchmarks. These are much longer term goals such as end of year levels or grades. So the teachers then have to take charge of how the students get from A to B. The curriculum plan for the five years is split into 40 steps. So the student knows that to get the top grade they need to complete all steps to a high standard. They know therefore they have to get through between six and eight steps a year. Each step is clearly divided into sets of goals so students can plan each weekly programme of work. The Learning Portal helps them see the journey and track their progress. Breaking it down into lots of different steps enables the students to see what their goals are. So they then, every morning with their tutor, set their goals and at the end of the day they review them and then every week they have a one-to-one tutorial to see that they’re on track to hit medium-term goals.

So the student has ownership of their own education?

Absolutely, if a student isn’t taking ownership, then the teacher has to intervene. It’s earned autonomy. You never give them more responsibility than they are mature enough to handle. So if they’re not hitting their goals on a regular basis, then you as a teacher would move in to direct them until they take that ownership. For some it happens immediately, for others it takes five years to get there.

The object, though, is to build that resilience and ability to take responsibility for their futures; life is what you make it.

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012 47

INSPIRED MINDS > INTERVIEW

Clockwise from left: Hampton Academy students, John Baumber, and a Twickenham student

Does the Kunskappskolan model work the same way in the UK as it does in Sweden?

Not exactly, because we have much more external assessment than they have in Sweden, where there are very few national exams, and even these are not the arbiters of the grade. So that allows much greater freedom as to how youngsters can pull together components of their learning. Here in the UK we have very strict, rigorous examinations, particularly at 16 but sometimes earlier than that.

Therefore we have much more checks and balances to be able to hit those external targets. But basically we have personal tutorials like they have in Sweden; we follow the same principles for learning, with formative and summative learning. In many ways the Swedish model is just really good educational assessment.

How does the educational environment change to support the Kunskappskolan model?

At the moment in the UK we’re still building our new schools, so we’re still operating within the old environment and it’s quite limiting having corridors with individual classrooms. Some of the differences that are really important is to do with scale. If you have that process whereby you are giving ownership to young people, you have to have ways in which you build a family of learners and everyone knows what everyone is doing and it’s really hard to do that in a school of 2,000 pupils. It has to be smaller. So we believe in small-scale schools. Within the UK we’ve built our new academies as three colleges of 400 within the school. The group tutors are based in those areas with their students; they take responsibility for the learning of 20 students through their lifetime in the academy. That’s an important aspect of the building. The other bit is to make sure that we have spaces that are open next to teaching spaces so that where youngsters are working more independently, they are visible at all times to other people around them. That visibility, openness and having different sort of spaces to match the concept and the way of working really helps. It doesn’t mean to say that you can’t do what we do without it, but it’s a critical part of helping you achieve it.

The Kunskappskolan schools are profit-making. As the leader of a charitable trust, what do you think about the idea of allowing schools to turn a profit in the UK? Having grown up with a national system of education and going to Sweden, I was quite anxious about the for-profit perspective of it. There are some examples in Sweden where [being] for-profit, I

48 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

think, works against the best interest of the community, however, within Kunskappskolan, any sort of profit that they’re making, seems to be invested back into creating and giving the capital to create new schools. The focus is about building high quality schools complementing other local provision. So I became increasingly comfortable with that approach because I never felt as if I didn’t have the resources to do the job and achieve – my school achieved the highest scores of any school in Sweden the year I was there. The efficiency of working as a group and having central, shared costs is what actually gives us the advantage, really. It means that we are confident about being part of a sustainable group of schools and means you can concentrate on providing the best type of education for your students. In Sweden you don’t have any capital money in schools, so it all has to happen on a revenue basis, so if you don’t create that flow of resource, you have a problem. In the UK I don’t have the same sort of problem, we are a charity – but I like the business way of working within education. Within the trust itself, we try and adopt the same principles. We try to run at a sustainable surplus so that we can invest that in any new development that takes place and are confident that whatever changes there are to funding regimes we are able to be confident about our futures.

What would you say to other schools interested in pursuing a more personalised approach to teaching and learning?

Of the different elements that make up our model…many schools in the UK will have virtual learning environments, others will have one-to-one tutoring and so on. What I say to them is that if you really are going to personalise the model and allow the youngsters to take responsibility, you have to do all of those things. You can get a benefit from each part of it, but it’s the integrated nature of all of those things, focused around the child – so that they can vary the pace at which they’re learning – that makes the difference. When we talk in England about personalised learning, we still try and put youngsters together in groups of 20 or 30 according to their age and then try to differentiate within that group. By giving them [more] flexibility, it enables them to move [forward]. n

INSPIRED MINDS > FUTURE LEADERS

FREE SPIRIT Future Leader Jodie King is currently UK manager of IES and has been setting up the first free school in the UK for the Swedish organisation IES Breckland in Suffolk. She reflects on the challenges she overcame and her aspirations for the future

M

y experience on the Future Leaders programme, which develops senior leaders for challenging schools, has changed me immeasurably, as a person and as an education professional.

One of the most memorable training sessions offered on the programme was ‘Women into Headship’, where I learned others were also plagued with the same feelings of self-doubt regarding their ability to become a leader of a challenging school.

It was comforting to know, as I too suffered from ‘imposter syndrome’ – a fear that I would get found out for being out of my depth and not up to the job. Hearing about these experiences from other women, who I considered to be impressive, talented and brave, contributed to my confidence and enabled me to take a brave step.

I left the school environment in 2010 to join a Swedish free school organisation to set up its first partnership school in the UK. The opportunity was advertised through the Future Leaders network and I applied not knowing much about the role at the time.

Soon afterwards, having successfully secured the job, I found myself at the Department for Education’s launch of the free schools policy and was quoted the next day in the press. It was undoubtedly these kinds of experiences which gave Internationella Engleska Skolan (IES) the confidence that I was the right woman for the job.

Nearly two years down the line and several visits to snowy Sweden later and I have managed to establish the first IES school in England – IES Breckland in Suffolk. I hope it will be an inspiring educational environment for the young people of Brandon and the surrounding area. There will be a strong focus on literacy and numeracy as well as a commitment to ensuring no child is left behind.

Setting up a free school was no easy task. I quickly had to learn about the free school application process including project management Gantt charts; marketing strategies; financial forecasting; community liaison; consultation and stakeholder engagement; designing school buildings down to ordering classroom furniture. I also had to conduct a recruitment campaign to find a headteacher to run the school and over 40 interviews later, we found the right person. She has all the right qualities and characteristics.

On reflection, I had no idea that I could combine business skills with my educational knowledge to this end and start a brand new free school. I have felt out of my depth a hundred times but I have still managed to make it happen. In times such as these, I try to remember why I have ended up here. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my aspiration for all children to succeed has driven me. The Future Leaders programme has also helped me to hold the same aspirations for myself, and my leadership development adviser and peers are fortunately always on hand to oblige when I need encouragement.

I am now looking to the future, to the next schools we can set up in partnership with charitable trusts across England.

IES Breckland opens its doors this month and I’m delighted to have been part of this process. n Independent Executive is always looking for diarists. If you’ve got a story to tell, get in touch on editor@edexec.co.uk

50 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | SEPTEMBER 2012

JODIE KING IS MANAGER FOR IES UK, HAVING RECENTLY SECURED THE FIRST FREE SECONDARY SCHOOL CONTRACT ON BEHALF OF THE UK ARM. SHE IS ALSO ON THE FUTURE LEADERS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AND HAS WORKED AS A DEPUTY HEAD AT BRENTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL IN LONDON

Setting up a free school was no easy task. I felt out of my depth a hundred times but I have still managed to make it happen