17 minute read
Education
St Lawrence College is a thriving independent school for boys and girls aged 3-18 years and has been educating children in 45 acres of beautiful grounds in the heart of Ramsgate for 140 years.
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Before lockdown in March, the Junior School Prep pupils took part in exciting enrichment day based around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths). This was a chance for the pupils to take charge of the day, using their vast imaginations to create their own futuristic designs using computer design, recycled materials and Lego.
To find out more about life and learning at St Lawrence College visit one of their forthcoming open days on Friday 2 October for the Junior School and on Saturday 3 October for the Senior School.
To book a place at the open day, or to find out more call the admissions team on 01843 572931, email: admissions@slcuk.com or visit www.slcuk.com
Children’s Laureate to remain to 2022
Cressida Cowell’s time as Children’s Laureate will continue for an additional 12 months due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The best-selling author of the How to Train Your Dragon series took the role in July 2019 and had been due to step down next year. However, organisers BookTrust said the “exceptional circumstances” created by the pandemic meant Cressida will serve until June 2022.
The role of Children’s Laureate is awarded once every two years to a leading children’s author or illustrator to honour outstanding achievement in their field and to acknowledge their importance in creating the readers of tomorrow.
Cressida plans to continue with her ambitious campaign to make the magic of books and reading available to everyone by making a library in every school in the UK a compulsory legal requirement.
New Head appointed at Kent College Junior School
Kent College is pleased to announce that Mr Simon James has been appointed Head of the Junior School at Kent College and will take up the position at the start of the autumn term.
Mr James has ambitious plans for the future of the school beginning with the opening of Sydney Cooper Art Studio and extending the GREAT (Gifted Really Enthusiastic and Talented) programme to Early Years and Key Stage 1, where specialist teachers provide a carousel of additional subjects. He will also drive the outdoor learning experiences in the idyllic grounds of the school.
Mr James said “ I am delighted to succeed Andy Carter as the Head who I have worked closely with for the last few years. Kent College Junior is a special school that has played an incredibly important part in the lives of so many. I am excited to preserve the essence of what makes the school unique and lead the school through the next exciting stage of its development. “
To find out more about Kent College visit kentcollege.com or visit their open day on Saturday 3rd October 2020.
A “back to basics” approach for learning at Sandwich Technology School
Many families in Kent believe that a Grammar School is the only educational route to success and sometimes overlook the breadth of opportunity that is available in other settings.
Sandwich Technology School is committed to promoting the successful transition from childhood to adulthood of those in its care. There is a culture of high expectation and focussed learning, which is under-pinned by traditional values. A broad, well-balanced curriculum caters for the needs and interests of all learners and students are supported by an extensive pastoral team.
A “back to basics approach is reaping dividends and, for the third consecutive year, the school has seen a significant improvement in both GCSE and A Level results. STS is very proud of the fact that virtually all of its students ultimately progress to either university, employment or apprenticeships. In May 2019, Ofsted concluded that “Pupils are well prepared for life in the modern world”.
To learn more, visit the STS website: www.sandwich-tech.kent.sch.uk
New Head for Spring Grove School
Spring Grove School in Wye sees Therésa Jaggard take over as the new Head of School. While September is the official start of Mrs Jaggard’s headship, she is already well-known to the Spring Grove community, having spent a ‘handover’ term at the school since Easter, teaching online as part of the team that delivered the SG Home Learning programme during the Covid-19 lockdown, as well as welcoming the children back to school for a few weeks at the end of the Summer term.
Spring Grove has established an enviable reputation for the creative arts, particularly music and drama, and Mrs Jaggard is well placed to continue these traditions as she is a talented violinist, pianist and singer herself and music is a lifelong passion.
Ofsted, May 2019
We cannot physically welcome you through our doors this Autumn, but we absolutely understand that you want to choose the best possible secondary school Happy in our safe and caring environment for your child. We will do everything that Open-minded and ready to learn we can to help you in that decision. Literate, numerate and independent thinkers You may not be able to visit our fabulous Determined to achieve the best they can facilities or see our staff and students at their daily best, but a wealth of Forward thinking and full of aspiration information is available on the STS website Active members of the community and we are here to answer your questions. Self-confident and inspired to succeed We would love to hear from you! Tolerant and respectful of diversity Tracey Savage Hold fast that which is good Headteacher
Deal Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 0FA ▪ Tel: 01304 610000 ▪ www.sandwich-tech.kent.sch.uk
Co-educational, day & boarding school for 3-1 8 years in South East England
Autumn 2020 open days
Junior School Friday 2 October
Senior School Saturday 3
October
Nurturing every individual to achieve their potential
Junior School T: 01 843 57291 2
E: jsadmissions@slcuk.com
With small class sizes and exceptional facilities, St Lawrence College is Kent's only High Performance Learning World Class School, providing outstanding opportunities for all pupils academically, in sport, and in the arts.
Senior School
T: 01 843 572931
E: admissions@slcuk.com
Coping with back to school stress
Starting a new school year after Covid-19 may mean both parents and children feel more anxious than usual. So how can we help our children go back to school feeling more happy and relaxed? Claire Winter speaks to some experts.
Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Dr Sarah Mundy from www. parentingthroughstories.com says it’s vital that we support our children to make sense of what we are calling the ‘new normal.’ She cautions against dismissing our kids’ emotions: “We need to support children to make sense of their feelings and the changes that the pandemic has caused. We need to normalise anxiety rather than dismiss it and help them (and parents and teachers) find ways of coping. Emotions are contagious so the more the adults and systems around children can model that they can cope, despite the uncertainty, the better.”
Evidence Based Parenting and Education expert, Dr Kathy Weston (www.drkathyweston.com) advises being positive about returning to school. If your child is worried remind them of:
The safety measures that the school has implemented; The things that can be controlled versus the things that can’t; The innovation in healthcare science that is helping us move towards eventual normality.
Other tips from Kathy include: Provide a positive home learning environment; Use effective praise to motivate your child; Remember to be organised during the first few weeks of term; Ensure your child gets enough sleep!
Education specialist and author of ‘100 Things to Learn Before you are 10’ Gail Hugman (www.lessonsalive.com) says it’s
Books to help with anxiety
Recommendations from Dr Sarah Mundy, Consultant Clinical Psychologist from www.parentingthroughstories.com Coronavirus: A Book for Children about Covid-19 by Elizabeth Jenner, suitable for all ages. Illustrated by Axel Scheffler, this accessible book provides clear explanations about Covid-19 and its impact on health and family life.
Please Stay Here - I Want You Near is Dr Sarah Mundy’s first interactive book in the Bartley Bear series. It helps children ages 2 to 4 make sense of their feelings and cope with spending time away from their parents.
The Goodnight Caterpillar by Lori Lite is an encouraging story for ages 4 to 9. The caterpillar teaches the child how to relax, unwind, and see things more clearly so he/she can fall asleep peacefully.
The Huge Bag of Worries by agony aunt Virginia Ironside is a brilliant book for ages 2 to 5. Worry follows Jenny in a big blue bag. Can Jenny get help to get rid of the worry? important to check in with your child regularly. “Have a chat with them about how they are adapting to the new school routine and friendships. Is everyone glad to be back? Is there anything they like better? Is there anything they miss? Are they worried about anything? Is there anything they need to catch up on?”
In terms of school work, remind your child what was achieved during lockdown. “Actively talk to them about the progress they made (include maturity, self-control, confidence, new skills learned.) Remind them that the teacher also went through lockdown and isn’t expecting them to be perfect, just polite and well behaved!”
Finally, she suggests keeping a free evening each week for a ‘no expectations, no pressure’ night. “Films, games, popcorn - cosy things to relax the system and chill out!”
If you are worried, reach out to your child’s school. Remember though that learning how to cope with uncertainty will help build your child’s ability to cope with change in later life.
How to keep your kids stress free
Natalie Costa, Confidence Coach for children and founder of Power Thoughts (www.powerthoughts.co.uk) shares her tips.
Allow space to talk
Listen to your child’s worries and validate their feelings. It may be tempting to try to reassure by telling them not to worry. However, more helpful may be: “It’s ok to feel upset about this. Shall we look at what we can do to help you feel more prepared?”
For those less inclined to talk, encourage drawing/writing what’s on their mind. Creating a ‘worry character’ with a silly name and voice can help children recognise that they are not their worries.
Remind them of their strengths
Remind children of previous challenges they have faced. Create a poster about these. What did they learn and how did they grow from these challenges?
Your child could also write themselves a letter reminding them that they are brave and can do difficult things. Encourage them to include the new and fun experiences that await them too. They can refer to this whenever they feel anxious about changes ahead.
Five ‘must-do’s’ when choosing a school for your child
By Judith Judd
When my daughter was four, she came with us to visit several primary schools. Afterwards, we asked which she liked best. “The one with the shoe shop” she said. As it happened, we also liked the one with the (pretend) shoe shop and so that is the school we chose.
Maybe it doesn’t always make sense to take a 4 year old’s advice when choosing a school but it’s always important to put your child at the centre of the process. Parents know better than anyone how different individual children can be.
The first rule for choosing a school is to ignore the label. Research about different types of schools – academies, specialist, free, grammar - reveals that the type of school doesn’t guarantee the level of the education.
The second is to visit the school. When you do, check out the relationship between children and teachers. Do teachers pay attention to what the children are saying? Do they respect them? You want your child to be happy at school and the relationship with teachers matters.
Find out what progress pupils make during the time they arrive at school and by the time they leave. Schools’ exam results at GCSE and in national tests at age 11 give an idea of the sort of children who attend the school but they don’t indicate progress. You can get an idea how good a school’s teaching is by looking at progress measures available on government websites for that school. Look at the Ofsted report. Inspectors give ratings: outstanding, good, requires improvement, inadequate. But equally important is their assessment of how different groups of children fare. A school may do well with able children but not those who struggle and vice versa. The reports also give an idea of a school’s strengths and weaknesses. That’s particularly important for older children who may have particular talents and interests.
Talk to the Head Teacher. Leadership is crucial to a school’s success. It’s important that you have confidence in the Head and that she/he impresses you with their engagement with staff and pupils.
Whilst choosing a school feels like a daunting process, bear in mind also that research shows that whilst schools and teachers are important in helping children thrive, parents’ support at home matters more.
Judith Judd is co-author, with Wendy Berliner, of the book How to Succeed at School: Separating Fact from Fiction: What Every Parent Should Know. Published by Routledge and available from Amazon and good book stores.
A word about grammar schools
Concerned that there are no grammar schools in your area?
This may not be something you need to worry about.
A big study from Durham University suggests that bright children do just as well in non-selective schools as grammar schools. Professor Stephen Gorard says: “Dividing children into the most able and the rest does not appear to lead to better results for either group.” He says that there is no evidence that a particular type of school leads to better attainment.
However, he adds that parents may choose grammar schools for the reason that they tend to cream off the more advantaged pupils in an area so that the neighbouring schools have to cope with a disproportionate number of disadvantaged and more challenging children.
Reception testing delayed to 2021
The government’s plan to introduce Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) will be delayed until September 2021 because of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In September 2017, the Department for Education announced that a new start-of-school assessment for children ages 4 and 5 would be introduced as a baseline measure to track progress during primary school.
The test is due to eventually replace key stage 1 SATs in providing the baseline on which pupil progress scores are based. The new tests have been criticised by some teachers, Head Teachers and parents, who claim it is unnecessary, will cause distress and could damage children’s future learning.
Why bribing children is bad for their education
By Wendy Berliner
Many parents have been there. They have a child who will not eat vegetables or won’t tidy their room. Or any other behaviour from a long list!
With battle lines drawn and no significant improvement from hectoring or cajoling, bribery can follow. If you eat your broccoli, you can have your pudding; if you put your dirty laundry in the washing basket, you get extra pocket money.
It seems so simple, especially if it gets results. But should you be doing it? The answer from half a century of research is a resounding NO. Bribes and their frequent partner, punishment, don’t help children become capable of their most creative work.
A highly influential motivational theory known as selfdetermination developed in the 1980s after research found that paying students for solving puzzles actually demotivated them.
In essence, students offered money for solving Soma puzzles (precursors to Rubik’s Cube) lost interest when they were given extra unpaid time at the end of experiment to carry on solving puzzles. Students in a separate test who were not offered money carried on trying to solve the puzzles after they were told the test had finished.
Subsequent research with children and students of different ages with differing tasks has repeatedly confirmed the phenomenon.
The nub of the theory is that by offering rewards or bribes you undermine the value of the task and the motivation to do it.
Audiobooks improve literacy
Audiobooks can benefit children’s reading skills, according to new research published by the charity, the National Literacy Trust.
The report looks at the advantages of listening to a recording of a novel being read, and the impact on young readers.
The research suggests that listening to a recorded story requires the same mental skills as reading in print, so audiobooks can help with understanding words and remembering information. They can also give children access to a broader range of texts and engage readers who might be reluctant, struggling or developing.
Emily Best, from the National Literacy Trust, said: “Audiobooks can be the key to unlocking a child’s love of reading. They enable children of all reading abilities and interests to access and explore the incredible world of stories, which are brought to life by a range of exciting voices, different accents and sound effects.” There are two types of motivation – extrinsic and intrinsic (also known as controlled and autonomous). Rewards and punishment form extrinsic motivation. Someone is doing something to you to make you do something. It isn’t something you are doing by choice.
Intrinsic motivation comes from within and is what is needed to become an independent learner capable of your best work. It means you do things because of the enjoyment, interest and value you get from them not because someone tells you to.
A child who spends hours playing computer games is intrinsically motivated – it’s just not the kind of motivation that is necessarily good for them.
So how do you develop that all-important intrinsic motivation in your children?
The theory argues humans require certain needs to be met before they can become motivated from within.
Competence – we need to feel confident and effective in what we are doing. We have a human need to build our skills. To facilitate this, don’t tell your children they are no good at things if they struggle. That includes when you are trying to be kind – a comment like “I wasn’t any good at maths either” is telling them they aren’t competent.
Relatedness - we need to feel a sense of belonging to others, to feel cared for by groups that are important to us and to care for others. So make the atmosphere at home kind and supportive.
Autonomy – we need to be able to decide what we do rather than be coerced. To assist with this, help your children learn to take responsibility for what they are doing, so that they can make good choices by themselves on how to use their time.
That last one is really important. The child who understands the importance of getting good grades at school if they want a worthwhile and interesting career, may internalise those arguments and do their homework willingly because they see the value of doing so; they have become autonomously motivated.
Over to you!
Wendy Berliner, with co-author Judith Judd, are authors of the book How to Succeed at School: Separating Fact from Fiction: What Every Parent Should Know. Published by Routledge and available from amazon and good book stores.
Sources Deci, E. L. (1971). ‘Effects of externally mediated rewards on intrinsic motivation’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18(1), 105-115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0030644 Deci, Edward L., Ryan, Richard M. (1985) ‘Intrinsic Motivation and SelfDetermination in Human Behavior’. Springer Science & Business Media.
