Education Choices WINTER 2022 | £3.50
TH E KEY TO YO U R CH ILD’ S SUCCESS
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEWS INCLUDE: Mr. Andrew De Silva Head at The Oratory Prep School Mr. Kevin Doble Principal at Broomwood Miss. Amy Wallace Principal at Queen’s Gate and more…
SPECIAL FEATURE
A boy’s dancing dream ONE BOY’S INSPIRING JOURNEY
SW ENGLAND SPECIAL - INCLUDING OUR TOP MAINTAINED AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES LISTING, A PROPERTY UPDATE AND DESIGN TIPS!
03 Education Book Corner: Christmas stories
Some Christmas stocking fillers...
06-09 Christmas is coming! Top 10 Christmas activities in London
10-11 Lighting up your Christmas The best places to visit Christmas lights in the UK
12 It’s behind you!
London pantomime and Christmas shows listing
13 Christmas time: a time for giving
Packing shoebox gifts with Operation Christmas Child
14 Why should we add yoga into our already busy curriculum? Benefits of yoga for children
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15 Inspiring children to read Noah’s special story
16 Celebrating culture through Anisa’s International Day
Embracing each other and our differences
17 Getting things done
Females, fashion and forging futures
18 Love really is forever
The story behind the bestseller The Invisible String
19 Telling the tall tale of Bessie An inspirational young woman
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
20-25 Education Corner Podcast Interview
Mr. Andrew De Silva, The Oratory Prep School, Oxfordshire
26-31 Education Corner Podcast Interview
Mr. Kevin Doble, Broomwood Schools’ Group, Clapham
32-37 Education Corner Podcast Interview
Miss. Amy Wallace, Queen’s Gate School, Kensington
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In the Winter issue... 38-41 Dreaming of dancing One boy’s inspiring journey
42 Inclusion and diversity in children’s television
Walt Disney Studios introduces first plus-size heroine
43-44 Lifting Limits
Overcoming gender stereotyping in education
45 Wellness and wellbeing in young children
Combatting the increased demand for occupational therapists
47 Partnerships at St Paul’s Girls’
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Creating a brighter future for the community
48 Forging a better future
Considering COP27 and climate change at Putney High School
49 Mitigating mental illness in education
Wellbeing at Westminster School
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65-67 Top attractions in South West England Things to see and do
68-69 Fishing for property in Cornwall Life in South West England
70-71 It all starts with a conversation A guiding hand transforming your home
SW ENGLAND SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES SPECIAL FEATURE: Education Choices Magazine recommended schools
50 SW Maintained School Options 51-60 Independent School Options 61-64 SW England University Listing University choices in SW England
Co-editors: Tatiana Summers, Ella Maria Assistant Editors: Emily Parsons and Rohini Bhonsle-Allemand Magazine design: www.petercharlesdesign.com Podcast Editor: www.emmacharleston.co.uk Cover photography: Idney De’Almeida EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE is now available to purchase both online and paper copy. Please contact: chloeabbott@educationchoicesmagazine.com
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Christmas is coming! TOP 10 CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES IN LONDON An incredible city such as London has no shortage of activities to partake in throughout the festive season. This top 10 list contains something for everyone, so if you’re struggling to decide how to spend the Christmas holidays with your loved ones, you’re definitely in the right place!
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Christmas Lights London by Night Tour
Run by Golden Tours, the Christmas Lights London by Night Tour with a live guide is the perfect festive way to spend the winter evenings when it’s already dark by 5pm. Starting near the London Eye and lasting 90 minutes, this guided bus tour will take you around the stunning sights of London adorned by twinkling Christmas lights. Catch sight of the famous starry lights of Oxford Street, the stunning colours of the London Eye, and the glowing exterior of the Harrods department store, all while getting live commentary from a friendly London tour guide who enriches the experience with their expertise.
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2
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Open from 10am to 10pm until January 2nd 2023, Winter Wonderland is a mustvisit Christmas event for families throughout the United Kingdom. Located in the heart of the famous Hyde Park, the popular winter extravaganza contains a multitude of activities for the whole family to enjoy. From an openair Christmas market selling treats, souvenirs, street food and toys, to an array of thrilling rides and funfair games scattered throughout, Winter Wonderland has it all. You can also skate on the UK’s largest ice rink, grab a selfie under the iconic colourful arches, or take in the panoramic sights of London from the famous Giant Wheel. The winter of 2022 also sees the introduction of the Santa Land package, where you can gain access to 4 rides for only £10!
CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES IN LONDON
3
Ice Skating at Somerset House
Skating at the scenic Somerset House has been found to be one of the London population’s favourite festive experiences. Containing a stunning 40ft Christmas tree, the magical ice rink against the backdrop of the iconic Somerset House is picture perfect and forms an essential part of the London Christmas experience for many. Contemporary music plays behind the background noise of family and friends having the time of their lives, and Hotel Chocolat provides an excellent selection of gifts if you’re still looking for that perfect present for a loved one. While wheelchair users can skate during any skate session, there are also dedicated wheelchair user sessions, and there are also more relaxed sessions on offer for neurodiverse
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skaters, with lower music levels and reduced capacity. If skating isn’t really your thing, not to worry, you can still tag along with your skating friends; feel free to enjoy some cocktails and champagne in the rink-side Skate Lounge by Moët & Chandon.
Oxford Street Shopping
Oxford Street is the perfect place to be if you’re looking to do some Christmas shopping in London and want to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit. 1.5 miles long and home to over 120 shops, from John Lewis, Primark, and Marks & Spencer to Dr. Martens, Flying Tiger, and Russell & Bromley, Oxford Street has anything you could want, making it the perfect place to buy gifts for loved ones, or even a little treat for yourself. And that’s not all! While perusing the shop windows, simply look up: 5,000 stars hang from the famous light display, illuminating your shopping experience with some magnificent Christmas sparkle. This year, the stars have been made with recycled polymer and are 75% more energy efficient, so you can appreciate the beauty of Oxford Street at Christmas knowing that these lights are completely recyclable and sustainable.
5
Walk around Kew Gardens
Spend an evening during the Christmas season in the iconic Kew Gardens, and see it lit up by thousands of Christmas lights. Stroll down their winter trail and take in the beauty of the evening; discover trees adorned by glittering colour, walk through tunnels of lights, and watch the twinkling reflections of the gardens in the lake. While you take in the sights, independent street vendors will be on hand to offer some excellent Christmas treats, including hot food and spiced winter beverages. Who knows, you may even spot Father Christmas somewhere along the way!
TURN TO PAGE 10 to see the best locations for Christmas lights
INSPIRATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Love really is forever The story behind the bestseller The Invisible String Love. What is it? This essential question is what has propelled my book, The Invisible String, into a bestselling phenomenon. I have had a lot of time to ponder just why the book’s simple message about love struck such a chord with young and old alike from across the globe. And the answer is as simple as the message itself: love is what binds and connects us together. Love is the heartbeat of life. Love is the only thing in the end that really matters, and love transcends time and space. When I was a single working mum in the late 1990s, the story of The Invisible String was born. My son Elijah suffered painfulto-the-core separation anxiety
when I had to drop him off at pre-school each morning. It broke my heart to leave his tear-stained face with his teachers, who had to pluck his clinging, shaking body from me as he held on for dear life whenever I kissed him goodbye. One morning, what poured out of me as I held him was the story of how we had an invisible string that would connect us all day long. I mean—didn’t everyone know this? Because of this magical string, when he missed me, all that he needed to do to feel my love again was tug on his end of the string, and I would be able to feel him and tug his love right back. A never-ending dance of connections would tether us all day long until we would reunite
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each evening. Voila! His tears dried. “Is there really an invisible string, Mumma?” His little voice asked me. “There sure is, and it connects our hearts forever,” I replied. This simple answer changed both of our lives in unthinkably magical ways. For the first time ever, Elijah’s separation anxiety vanished, and in its place, security, confidence and comfort washed over him. We could both breathe again, and our days were joyful instead of panicked and worried. Soon, his friends asked me to tell them too about this wondrous invisible string that connected them not only to their working parents, but to their pets that had passed, their grandparents who lived out of state, and their best friends who had moved away. The kids soaked up the message like the little love sponges that they are and were the inspiration for me to sit down and write my book, and to devote my life to spreading this message of love to the planet. Hugs and tugs! PATRICE KARST, Author of The Invisible String www.patricekarst.com
Telling the tall tale of Bessie
ILLUSTRATIONS © CHARLOT KRISTENSEN ORCHARD BOOKS/SCHOLASTIC
An inspirational young woman I first came across the story of Bessie Stringfield during the month of February. Here in the United States, February is Black History Month, and a short video of her popped up on social media. The video told an abbreviated story of a young, Black woman who rode her motorcycle around the US at the age of eighteen, during the late 1920s. This was a time of segregation and Bessie defied that as she lived her life on the road on her motorbike. How did she determine where she was going? A flip of a penny. And that inspired me to tell her story. The video ended and I wanted to know more. But there wasn’t much more. Online searches all yielded the same information, which came from the same person; a motorcycle-riding journalist that Bessie told her personal story to and shared in print. So, using the little bit of information that I had, I began working on telling Bessie’s story. Anytime I do a biography on someone, I have to get the basic facts straight: where and when they were born and where they lived. At the early stages of writing, I relied on what Bessie had told the journalist. She was born in Jamaica and, around the age of five, was
brought to America by ship with her mother and father. Unfortunately, her mother died on the crossing and her father abandoned her shortly after. She was then adopted by a white woman in Boston, Massachusetts. At least, that’s what Bessie said. I would later learn otherwise as time passed and more information about Bessie became known from other sources.
With so many details in question, I decided to focus on one detail that attracted me to Bessie’s story in the first place: her pennyflip adventures. The challenges of being a young, Black woman on a motorcycle during segregation were plenty, so I wanted to show what Bessie went through. I wanted to show how she earned money, found places to sleep and get gas, and mostly, the freedom with which she lived her life. For me, Bessie was a reminder that freedom can’t be given to you, it’s there if you choose to take it. Because freedom means living your life as you choose, no matter the difficulty. Bessie’s story embodies that and will hopefully inspire others to do the same. CHARLES R. SMITH JR., Author of Bessie the Motorcycle Queen www.charlesrsmithjr.com
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH HEAD
Mr. Andrew De Silva FROM THE ORATORY PREP SCHOOL, OXFORDSHIRE Mr. Andrew De Silva speaks about the importance of child centred learning and his work as the Chair of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools’ EDI group looking to ensure that independent schools are fully supported. He also discusses the admissions process, facilities and ethos at the school. Please tell us a little about yourself and your career to date?
Thank you so much for having me on. I feel almost grown up now, so I feel validated in many ways, but let’s see how the rest of it goes! I’m the Head of The Oratory Prep School, and this is my fifth time working at headship level. I’ve worked at three schools in the state sector and this is my second in the independent sector. Regardless, I am still very much learning, and I think that’s very important. Who am I? Firstly, I try to be as childlike as possible; there’s a wall of lego here in my office. I am a father to Florence and David, and a husband to Nicola. When I’m not doing those things, I’m also a headmaster, or, rather, a head learner at The Oratory Prep School. I have a huge love for music; I’m a singer, and I most recently sang in Winchester Cathedral. I love my singing and lego master building. 20 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | W I N T E R 2 02 2
What do you feel that you have been able to contribute to The Oratory Prep in your role as head?
That’s a really good question. I suppose the thing that I’m trying to add to the school and to the families is a greater sense of listening to all people. The school has a fantastic reputation and had a fantastic head teacher before me, and I’ll do my best to try and continue from what they have done. But what I’m looking forward to bringing to the school is my slightly different faith perspective, because the school is a Catholic school and I am not a Catholic—although faith is very important to me as the son of a retired Anglican priest. I am trying to bring with me my experience in teaching, learning and assessment, and how to get the best we can, as much as possible, from the community we serve and from the children we love and hold so dear. The school motto is ‘Cor Ad Cor Loquitur’ (Heart speaks to Heart) and was given to the school by its founder St. John Henry Newman. Can you explain what this means?
That is a really good question. We are hugely blessed to have St. John Henry Newman as our founder. He adds so much weight to us as a school family, not just for those of us who have a Catholic
The Oratory Prep School, Oxfordshire
“If they have faith in themselves, they have confidence in their own skin, which, when you play that out to the Year 7 and Year 8 parts of our curriculum, which are hugely important to children in terms of developmental progress, they leave us as stronger, more confident individuals with a thirst for knowledge, having grown with us and their families.” or religious perspective, but also for those of us who have other religious perspectives or none at all. From any perspective, the motto is about empathising with others. ‘Heart speaks to Heart’ can be read in so many ways. There are religious connotations to it, but ultimately for me it is about knowing the person that we’re in front of, and making decisions based on where they are, rather than where we think they need to get to. So, it is very much a person-centric perspective, and one which we’ll live out every day in terms of what we do in our teaching, learning, and social and emotional wellbeing, because, ultimately, children are the future. We need them to empathise with us and we need to empathise with them and be as childlike as possible.
an independent school, and a school of the heritage and tradition that we have - has lots of historical trips and experiences that we are looking forward to returning to after COVID-19, so that’s one part of it, in terms of what we believe in. In terms of ethos, it’s very much child-centred and about the family. It’s about ensuring the children, regardless of whether they’re Catholic, part of another religion, or neither, the big part for us is that we want children to have faith in themselves. If they have faith in themselves, they have confidence in their own skin, which, when you play that out to the Year 7 and Year 8 parts of our curriculum, which are hugely important to children in terms of developmental progress, they leave us as stronger, more confident individuals with a thirst for knowledge, having grown with us and their families. So that’s an important part of our ethos. Values, we are currently working on. As a Catholic school, we’ll be referring to them as “Virtues”, but they include things such as curiosity and courage. I won’t give too many spoilers since we’re currently waiting on feedback from staff, but we’ll announce new virtues this time next year. So, the vision is where we’re going, and the virtues are how we get there, and I want to ensure the way we get there has family input. Oratory Prep is fundamentally a Catholic school. How do you address other religions and beliefs?
So, the school is a Catholic school, not just because of its founder but because of its links with the other Oratory Schools around the country, and its strong links with the diocese. One of the bits that’s incredibly important for us is that we’re unashamedly proud of being a Catholic school,
Can you tell us a little about the ethos and values at The Oratory Prep?
So, we are currently going through a bit of a “vision and values” time at the school, from the perspective that we are trying to showcase what we are, who we are, and where we want to go, so our vision is to find outstanding learning opportunities for the pupils in our care. When I say “opportunities”, I also mean “experiences”, because the school - as
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH PRINCIPAL
Mr. Kevin Doble FROM BROOMWOOD, CLAPHAM
Mr. Kevin Doble speaks about the recent merge of the Broomwood schools enhancing cohesion and synergy for both the children and parents. He also discusses points of entry and the importance of children being allowed to play, make mistakes and develop resilience (alongside meeting academic standards) to be able to thrive at secondary school and flourish as young people. Please tell us a little about yourself and your career to date?
Thank you for having me on! I trained as a lawyer; I did a postgraduate degree in Business Management in Johannesburg, South Africa, and was thrust into the giddy world of banking, which was not for me. So, after having endured that for a small period of time, I was lured over to England to join a prep school and coach some hockey and cricket, which I thought would be a marvellous idea for six months before I went back into a “proper job”. That was about 30 years ago. I didn’t go back, and instead was dragged through a PGCE through the Roehampton Institute—which was absolutely brilliant—focusing on secondary English. Since 26 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | W I N T E R 2 02 2
then, I have worked predominantly in the south of England, almost exclusively in prep schools. I taught A Level English for a brief period of time. It has been one heck of a ride. All the schools I’ve worked at have been boarding schools, except for the two most recent ones, so I’m very much used to what I’d call the broader “prep school experience”, but certainly in the last two schools in which I’ve worked—Shrewsbury House, where I was head for 11 years, and subsequently, here, as Principal of the Broomwood group. The schools are as close as you’re likely to get to boarding schools, without beds. So, it has been quite an eclectic journey, but I have absolutely no regrets and am very much looking forward to each new day, which is probably likely to be as unpredictable as the previous one. What do you feel you have been able to contribute, from the experiences that you’ve had, to the Broomwood schools in your role as Principal?
One of the targets I was given by Katherine Colquhoun and Sir Malcom Colquhoun was to find
Broomwood, Clapham
ways in which we can create greater cohesion between the pre-prep, Broomwood Hall Lower School, the girls’ prep school, Broomwood Hall School, and the boys’ prep school, Northcote Lodge. And, over the course of the last couple of years, we’ve gone through some very significant changes: the first of which, as I was informed on my first day of being Chief Executive, was that the schools were being sold. We were then acquired by Dukes Education, and they’ve been absolutely fantastic! We’ve had an opportunity to be able to learn from a number of hugely experienced educators, heads and administrators, among others, whose overall awareness of education
“What we’ve been given the opportunity to do is not only ensure that the schools remain relevant, but also enable them to become much more cohesive.”
has been superb. What we’ve been given the opportunity to do is not only ensure that the schools remain relevant, but also enable them to become much more cohesive. Can you explain the reasoning for changing the school group to ‘Broomwood’?
We’ve got some fantastic sites and wonderful settings; four schools with four different names— and I’m including here our Senior School, which will leave us to become part of London Park School, another Duke’s organisation, next year— five brands, six sites. All the children begin their time at Broomwood Hall Lower School with a particular uniform, and once they move on to the upper schools, their uniforms are different from one another. So, what we wanted to make certain was that we were cohesive, and the parents, too, wanted to know that these schools under the one ownership are TURN TO PAGE 70 to read Galuchat designer tips!
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH PRINCIPAL
Miss. Amy Wallace FROM QUEEN’S GATE SCHOOL, KENSINGTON Miss. Amy Wallace speaks about the benefits of attending an all girls’ school in Kensington, her new role as Principal, their ethos of ‘kindness and courtesy’, spirit of individuality and her vision for the school going forwards. To begin, we understand that you took over as Principal in September, but you have had a variety of different roles and responsibilities in schools prior to this post. Would you like to tell us a little bit about them?
I have spent my whole career in girls’ education. I started as a fresh-faced NQT at Wycombe Abbey, having already done a year there as a resident tutor. I’ve just been committed to girls’ education ever since. I think we offer the girls in our care a real step up and some real specialist support, and I think we’re a very important part of the sector. I have spent the last ten years in through schools from ages 4 to 18, and when I was starting to think about headship, I was really committed to following that theme. I think working in a through school is really special: one minute, you’re over in the Junior School doing an assembly - with 4 year olds hugging your legs at the end - and then the next thing you know, you’re talking to an 18 year old about her university applications and what she’s thinking about for the next stages of her life. So, you get such a rich, diverse experience as an educator - it’s a very special thing. We also get the opportunity to think about themes that go all the way up, themes that can be relevant to a 4 year old and an 18 year old. But, also, we can consider how we can ensure our learning, and particularly our personal development, is really coherent. So, we’ll talk to our parents in Year 5 about device use and mobile phones using our experiences of Year 9 and Year 10. I think that offers something really special and really unique to those parents, 32 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | W I N T E R 2 02 2
The Oratory Queen’s Prep Gate School, School, Oxfordshire Kensington
getting that constant consistency, those strands that run through. I was also really excited to be coming to a school that had such clear values. Both of my last schools have been faith schools, where values obviously absolutely sing through, and it’s wonderful to be in a school again where values are in the centre of who we are: kindness, courtesy and thinking of others. That was really important to me. So, I’m still slightly in the kind of “pinch myself” territory that I’m actually here and that I’m actually leading this school. How do you feel that the experience you’ve had to date is going to help you with your insight and vision going forwards?
I’ve been at some varying schools in terms of academic intake. Here, we have a relatively broad intake, so it’s really interesting for me to think about the techniques and the approaches I saw at my last schools in terms of how we get the best for each girl. But it’s also interesting to think about how, in a broad intake, we make sure that every girl feels valued. For example, those girls for whom that ‘B’ was an absolutely epic achievement and we’re so excited for them, and with the pressure schools are under for academic results, how do we make sure they feel just as valued and celebrated as the girls who’ve got the ‘A’s and the ‘A*’s? Can you tell us a little about the ethos and values at Queen’s Gate?
I think the first thing that’s really stood out is that we really are about the ‘individual’ here. You see it instantly from the fact that we don’t have a uniform—the girls can decide for themselves how they want to dress each day. They do have a dress code which is reasonably light-touch. It was a very new thing for me to come to a school without a uniform: when I first heard about it, I thought: “Oh, that’s a little bit bohemian compared to my background.” But I really love it! I love seeing their
“I think the first thing that’s really stood out is that we really are about the ‘individual’ here. You see it instantly from the fact that we don’t have a uniform—the girls can decide for themselves how they want to dress each day.”
little personalities come through in how they’re dressing, and I love that they can think about what they are comfortable in, what they feel confident in. I think it’s really good preparation for adult life, and we make those choices, particularly as women, all the time - we’re thinking about what the right fashion code or dress code is right now. But that individuality, it also goes to things like the fact that we get to know our girls really well. Our size is perfect, we very quickly build up those really close, affectionate but professional interactions. It is something I’ve seen in other schools this size and was one of the things I really wanted to retain as I became Principal: that size, that contact, getting to know girls one-on-one, that chat you have with a girl as you walk from the Tube and she’s been on your train, getting to know about who she is and what her interests are. Our individuality also goes into our academic provision. We are somewhat unusual in our GCSEs, in that we only do separate sciences (most schools these days complete the Double Award Science with a bit of all three, or you’re doing your Biology, Chemistry, and Physics). We let our girls pick two out of the three, and if they don’t want to do one of the three sciences at GCSE, then that’s fine and they can fit in another language, another humanity. They can really build their own individual portfolio. That was a latitude I benefited from at school - there was one science that I was quite happy to leave behind at the end of Year 9, and that gave me the chance to be more individual in the portfolio of subjects I took forward. We match that at A Level - we offer 28 different subjects and
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SPECIAL FEATURE A boy’s dancing dream!
Dreaming of dancing
My dance career started at the tender age of three. In 2009, I watched Diversity perform and win Britain’s Got Talent, and said to my parents: “I want to do that and meet them.” On starting in Reception at Christ Church Primary School, Chelsea, I attended an after-school street dance class taught by Damien Anyasi, where he encouraged me to just move to the music. Damien prompted my parents to access street dance classes in Battersea. A school friend of mine told me of classes run by a group called Scariofunk. At Scariofunk I was extremely nervous at first, but the instructor, Conrad Senior, encouraged and managed to bring the performer in me to the surface. Within dance, it’s about being able to perform in shows or dance at competitions, and at Scariofunk they wanted to showcase the dancers in their summer show. This was the 38 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | W I N T E R 2 02 2
first time that I had performed on stage in front of an audience. At the show, one of the other dance teachers, Angelica Gayle (AKA Jelly), recommended to my parents that I should go to one of her friend’s dance crews, CocoJam. At CocoJam, I was introduced to the incredible Jade Hackett - I call her my dance mum. Not only is Jade an amazing dancer, performer and choreographer in her own right, she is an amazing person who has not only mentored, encouraged and inspired me to fulfil my dreams through dance, but also taught me important life skills. The advice that Jade gave me at such a young age has helped shape me into the person I am today, and for that I am so thankful. My time at CocoJam was so enjoyable. We trained hard, but the end results were amazing. Jade is so creative in the way she teaches and wanted us all to share her
IDNEY DE’ALMEIDA
One boy’s inspiring journey
DANCE
vision. The opportunities that Jade presented to her young dancers, including myself, “Ebitis ipsundiore were incredible; from shows, earciis experum competitions and trips to Lithuania, where CocoJam quam aborpossimi, won first place in the team, simil eumquiae. Atus and I got 2nd place in my solo (to name a few). It was rem vent. Quis et such an experience. Jade was platuscius am eos always thinking ahead, and ostiasit qui alique” used to keep explaining about the vision of hip-hop theatre. Through Jade, many doors were opened with other dance companies and choreographers. I continued my training at CocoJam, but I also had the privilege of “ I was lucky enough to perform on stage at training, dancing and being the British Summer Time at Hyde Park in part of the productions by front of 75,000 people dancing for Justin Boy Blue Entertainment and Avant Garde. Both of these Bieber. To me, this was a dream come true companies have taken street for a then 10 year old boy from Battersea dance to another level in their own unique way. For Boy Blue winning a YouTube competition” Entertainment I danced at the Barbican Centre for the 10 year anniversary of their critically acclaimed teachers attached to both companies, coupled show, Pied Piper. Whereas with Avant Garde, with the fantastic dancers I was training with on a I initially was involved in a performance called regular basis. The House, performed at the Queen’s House, There was one person at a particular company Greenwich, and then became a member of the who had as much belief in me at such a tender company aged 10. At both Boy Blue Entertainment age as Jade Hackett, and that individual was and Avant Garde I gained so much knowledge of Tony Adigun, the creative force behind Avant different styles, ways of moving and performing. Garde. Tony was such an inspiration for me, This was down to the experience and quality of he challenged me in all aspects of my dance, movement and performing to take it to another level. Tony teaches in a way that is out of the box and pushes the dancers to find their inner creativity and fuses hip-hop with contemporary to create magic. I performed in one particular performance of Avant Garde’s adult company called Daer Skoob, when during the piece books were involved and I had to catch a book. Who does this in hip-hop? The genius: Tony Adigun, my dad in dance. In 2017, I was lucky enough to perform on stage at British Summer Time Hyde Park, dancing for Justin Bieber in front of 75,000 people. To me, this was a dream come true for a then 10 year old boy from Battersea winning a YouTube competition. I have also performed in front of TURN TO PAGE 47 to read about Disney’s first Prince William and The Mayor of London. I plus-size heroine
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Our Values: An Education for Life
Independent Schools Inspectorate - 2022
For further information:
t: 01932 869001 | w: www.reeds.surrey.sch.uk | e: admissions@reeds.surrey.sch.uk Sandy Lane | Cobham | Surrey | KT11 2ES
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
Partnerships at St Paul’s Girls’ Creating a brighter future for the community Partnerships are now firmly established as a part of life at St Paul’s Girls’ School. Not only do these projects allow us to engage with the communities around us in a meaningful way, but they also give our students and staff opportunities to develop their own skills and broaden their experience beyond the confines of our school. The more mutually valuable a project is, the more chance it has to become a longterm success. The fact that we are always overwhelmed with responses from all parts of the school when asking for volunteers shows that pupils value these activities and that younger pupils are just as keen as the older ones. We are particularly passionate about older pupils mentoring younger ones as this has so many benefits to everyone involved, especially when our pupils are trained. For example, during last year’s ‘Jupiter Project’, a dedicated group of around 15 Paulinas and four staff worked with over 50 primary school children across six workshops, leading to a superb final performance featuring 100 primary pupils playing and singing alongside 25 of our own musicians. This kind of longer-term work is what the best partnerships are all about
and I saw first-hand how the confidence of both mentors and mentees developed. This year we have started Primary Hub, which is an ambitious project with 40 Paulinas from Year 10 working with 40 primary pupils weekly throughout the year in a variety of ways, from literacy and numeracy to playing games and reading. It is early days, but you only need to spend a short time in the dining room on a Wednesday evening to see how engaged everyone is in their tasks. Among our more regular programmes, our students visit local primary schools to teach French, German and Latin, and we welcome secondary schools to SPGS for engineering and coding workshops. We host our annual ‘Living Library’ with neighbouring Year 5 children, and we had nearly 70 students from eight local schools competing in the ‘Panathlon Challenge’ in our Sports Hall, a fantastic sporting opportunity alongside our weekly basketball lessons. We now also
have 11 state and independent schools united under the ‘West London Partnership’ umbrella we founded, and we continue to offer dedicated higher education advice. We will open our Careers Forum for the first time to all our partnership schools. Partnership work can be challenging, but the rewards are broad and deep. We now want to go further and have significant ambitions for the future. The opening of the Rosalind Franklin building, a space for design and innovation, has been designed with partnership use in mind. This will allow us to expand further, alongside a significant investment in staff in the coming years, so that we can maximise the opportunities for our students as well as the communities around us. This is what they are demanding of us, and we look forward to a bright future as a connected part of our community in west London and beyond. LEIGH O’HARA, Deputy Head and Director of Partnerships www.spgs.org
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SW SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE MAINTAINED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SCHOOL OPTIONS OPTIONS
Popular maintained schools choices for SW England parents PRIMARY SCHOOLS SCHOOL HEADTEACHER WEBSITE Berkley Church of England Suzanne Thompson www. berkleyschool.co.uk First School Canada Hill Community Delphine Knott www.canadahill.devon.sch.uk Primary School Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Catherine Cresswell www.cerneabbas.dorset.sch.uk Curry Mallet Church of England Nicola Stoddart www.currymalletschool.co.uk Primary School Feniton Church of England Colin Butler www.feniton.devon.sch.uk Primary School Hampreston Church of England Tim Williams www.hamprestonfirstschool.com Voluntary Aided First School Horrabridge Primary John Clarke www.horrabridge-primary. & Nursery School devon.sch.uk Kilmington Primary School Lee White www.kilmington-primary.org.uk Marwood School Alun Dobson www.marwood.devon.sch.uk Meare Village Primary School Sandra Leggett www.meareprimary.co.uk Rushcombe First School Caroline Mahon www.rushcombe.co.uk South Petherton Church of Shan Weston www.southpethertoncofeinfants.co.uk England Infants and Pre School South Petherton Junior School Catherine Walker www.southpetherton-jun. somerset.sch.uk St George’s Church of England Jill Farndale www.bourton.dorset.sch.uk School, Bourton Sturminster Marshall First School Nina Charman www.sturminstermarshall.dorset.sch.uk Swimbridge Church of England Angela Fleming www.swimbridge-primary.org Primary School The Grove School Hilary Priest www.the-grove-primary.devon.sch.uk Trull Church of England VA Karen Wedlake www.trullprimary.com Primary School West Pennard Church of England Anthony Wheat www.westpennardschool.co.uk Primary School Winterbourne Valley Church of Rachel Horne www.winterbournevalley.dorset.sch.uk England Aided First School
LOCATION Berkley Street, Frome, BA11 5JH Abbotsridge Drive, Newton Abbot, TQ12 6YS Duck Street, Dorchester, DT2 7LA Lower Street, Taunton, TA3 6TA Station Road, Honiton, EX14 3EA Hampreston Village, Wimborne, BH21 7LX Walkhampton Road, Yelverton, PL20 7SZ Whitford Road, Axminster, EX13 7RG Whiddon, Barnstaple, EX31 4HF St Mary’s Road, Glastonbury, BA6 9SP Hanham Road, Wimborne, BH21 3PX Church Path, South Petherton, TA13 5DY Hayes End, South Petherton, TA13 5AG Church Track, Gillingham, SP8 5BN 78 High Street, Wimborne, BH21 4AY Barnstaple Hill, Barnstaple, EX32 0PJ The Grove, Totnes, TQ9 5ED Church Road, Taunton, TA3 7JZ Church Lane, Glastonbury, BA6 8NT Winterbourne Abbas, Dorchester, DT2 9LW
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SCHOOL HEADTEACHER WEBSITE Beaminster School Keith Hales www.beaminster.dorset.sch.uk Cullompton Community College Jennifer Leach www.cullompton.devon.sch.uk Ferndown Upper School Philip Jones www.fernup.dorset.sch.uk Frome Community College Emma Reynolds www.fromecollege.org Gillingham School Paul Nicholson www.gillingham-dorset.co.uk Lytchett Minster School Andrew Mead www.lytchett.org.uk Sidmouth College Sarah Parsons www.sidmouthcollege.devon.sch.uk South Molton Community David Lewis www.smcc.devon.sch.uk College St Peter’s Church of England Phil Randall www.spexe.org Aided School Sturminster Newton Jason Davis www.mysnhs.net High School The Woodroffe School Daniel Watts www.woodroffe.dorset.sch.uk Tiverton High School Sammy Crook www.tiverton.devon.sch.uk Wadham School Richard Burgas www.wadhamschool.co.uk West Moors Middle School Deborah Craddock www.westmoorsmid.dorset.sch.uk 50 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | W I N T E R 2 02 2
LOCATION Newtown, Beaminster, DT8 3EP Exeter Road, Cullompton, EX15 1DX Cherry Grove, Ferndown, BH22 9EY Bath Road, Frome, BA11 2HQ Hardings Lane, Gillingham, SP8 4QP Post Green Road, Poole, BH16 6JD Primley Road, Sidmouth, EX10 9LG Old Alswear Road, South Molton, EX36 4LA Quarry Lane, Exeter, EX2 5AP Bath Road, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1DT Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, DT7 3LX Bolham Road, Tiverton, EX16 6SQ Yeovil Road, Crewkerne, TA18 7NT Heathfield Way, Ferndown, BH22 0DA
SW SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE RECOMMENDED SCHOOLS Bath Academy Bath Academy is an independent college and language school located near the famous Jane Austen Centre. It specialises in tailored and personalised education for its students, offering tutorial support in academic and English language courses. It aims to meet the needs of each individual student and help them fulfil their academic potential in whatever they choose to pursue. Students attend the Academy from various backgrounds and cultures, and all are able to carve out their own academic journey, receiving the best chance to apply to high quality universities. This year was a record year for the school, with a record number of students offered places at their chosen destinations. www.bathacademy.co.uk
Blundell’s School and Prep School Blundell’s School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school located in Tiverton, Devon. Regardless of whether a student starts at their Pre-Prep or Sixth Form, Blundell’s ensures that every pupil gets the complete “Blundell’s Experience”. They possess a strong academic ethos whilst also maintaining traditional values of family life, viewing education as a means of developing students into young men and women who are prepared to make a meaningful difference within their communities. The school motto, ‘Non Sibi’, encourages three values: courtesy, selflessness and empathy, which enables students to go on to enjoy lives of consequence and fulfilment. www.blundells.org
Bryanston School Bryanston School is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 3 to 18. Renowned for its success in creative thinking, Bryanston fosters an inspiring, open-minded culture, and strives to help children find and pursue their individual passions. Every child at Bryanston reaches their fullest academic potential and is given the opportunity to become the very best they can be. The school promises that the education they provide will give their students confidence, strength, purpose, and a mind prepared for anything. www.bryanston.co.uk
Canford School One of the few remaining full boarding schools for pupils aged 13 to 18, and with strong academic results (including 41% A, 75% A*/A at A Level 2022), Canford equips Upper Sixth leavers for bright futures, whatever their chosen pathway. “Making a difference” is central to the school’s ethos, and pupils are encouraged to work hard and support both their peers and beyond in the wider community, following four core values: Humble Ambition, Gracious Leadership, Courageous Attitude and Purposeful Engagement. Ultimately, their aim is for every pupil to “Explore, Express and Excel” within a dynamic, caring, and inspirational school environment. www.canford.com
Castle Court School Castle Court School is a co-educational preparatory school for students aged between 2 and 13, located near the village of Corfe Mullen in Dorset. Students at Castle Court are intellectually curious and possess a deep capacity for critical thinking, and the outstanding pastoral and tutor team are dedicated to honouring each child’s unique abilities and talents. Students are given numerous opportunities to connect with the world around them, and are equipped with the necessary tools to succeed well beyond their time at Castle Court. In their recent ISI inspection, the school was rated ‘Excellent’ across all areas, or ‘Compliant’. www.castlecourt.com EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | WI NT ER 2022 | 51
SW ENGLAND UNIVERSITY LISTING
Studying in Bath University Options University 0f Bath
Ranked amongst the top 10 UK universities, the University of Bath is also known for its historical setting in a UNESCO World Heritage city, one of only three in the world. The campus is placed atop a hill, offering beautiful views of the city. Three-quarters of the accommodation offered
to first year undergraduate students are based in this campus, whilst the rest are located within the city centre. Postgraduate students can also be provided accommodation by the university. Every one of the courses on offer provides the opportunity to undertake a work placement or study abroad initiative. A number of degree apprenticeships are also available, combining the development of vocational skills with academic study. With Bristol just a 15-minute train journey
away, and London only 90 minutes away, students are never short of things to explore during their time living near campus. However, the city itself is also a treasure trove of sights, including: The Jane Austen Centre and
the beautiful Roman Baths, after which the city was named. The University of Bath was also one of the first universities in the country to be awarded a national police-approved security award. www.bath.ac.uk
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Bath Spa University
Offering a variety of unique and inspiring courses, Bath Spa has something for everyone, though its primary focus lies with arts and humanities subjects. Students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level are able to choose from traditional courses such as Law or Psychology, but also have the opportunity to enrol in less traditional subjects like Creative Writing, Ballet, Children’s Publishing, Wildlife Conservation, and even Gaming. Many of the aforementioned courses also involve a professional placement year. Bath Spa has also been awarded the Social Enterprise Gold Mark - the first university in the South West and the fifth in the UK to receive such recognition. Their Students’ Union has over 70 societies, which students can get involved in and meet like-minded people. Accommodation for students is found across several locations in the city, as well as the main Newton Park Campus. The university is home to just 7,500 students from more than 40 different countries their small cohort sizes mean the campus is a welcoming and friendly environment with a strong sense of community. www.bathspa.ac.uk
SW ENGLAND ACTIVITIES
Top Attractions in South West England Things to see and do South West England is home to a treasure-trove of sights and landmarks, with activities for the whole family to enjoy. Mostly known for its beaches and seaside amenities, as well as stunning sea views, there will never be a dull day should you wish to venture out for a visit. THE ROMAN BATHS
The Roman Baths are an absolute must-see should you ever find yourself in their aptly named city: a visit to Bath will allow you to explore the ancient Roman ruins of their great religious spa. People of Roman Britain came from all over to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva here and relax in the water
heated by natural thermal springs. The City of Bath itself is a World Heritage Site, rich in culture and history. It is also the location in which a lot of popular historical dramas are filmed – a walking tour of the locations used for the filming of the Netflix TV show Bridgerton, for example, can easily be found online! SALISBURY CATHEDRAL
Home of the tallest spire in Britain (about 404 feet tall), this cathedral also holds one of only four original 1215 copies of the Magna Carta. This famous document - which was the first of its kind to establish that the king was, in fact, not above the law -
is exhibited, with plenty of information for you to learn about its origins and influence over our society even today. Its beautiful interior also houses the oldest working mechanical clock in the world. Throughout the year, a variety of musical performances and events take place within the Cathedral, so it’s worth checking their calendar to see what’s on. STONEHENGE
This iconic British monument is truly incredible to see in-person. As one of the world’s most famous places, the stone circle is a mysterious testament to human ability and genius. Though it was thought to be completed roughly 3500 years ago, no one knows quite when, why or how it was constructed – there have been many theories from human
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