Education Your Guide Western Daily Press 17 September 2013

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

YOUR GUIDE

to education in and around the West, 2013

Western Daily Press

W:0.1757cm H:0.1757cm Bris Pictures : Pics : WDP LIBRARY SCHOOL* 2 STATE EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Western Daily Press

YOUR GUIDE

to education in and around the West, 2013

Index Ofsted raises the stakes but schools past the test over a tough few terms......... 4&5 Teachers trained to turn lives – and schools – around........................................ 6&7 Working together to give every child the best start in education........................ 8&9 Blogging project encourages a love for writing, 100 words at a time............. 10&11 University is marking a century at the forefront of teacher training................. 12&13 Schools aim to inspire our future engineers with STEM subjects ‘that could take them anywhere’................................................................................................14&15 Meet the heads............................................................................................. 16 to 20

Advertising Marc England 0117 934 3428 marc.england@b-nm.co.uk Editorial 0117 934 3223 wdnews@bepp.co.uk

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Biggest challenge for free schools is finding their place Location is key for the groups setting up free schools, and not without controversy, finds Marc Rath

Despite being doggedly defended by the Government, the free school movement has continued to court controversy in Bristol over the last 12 months.

The jury is still out on whether free schools – one of Education Secretary Michael Gove’s flagship policies – are benefiting the city’s education system or hindering it.

Favoured by the Coalition Government, free schools are like academies in that they receive their funding directly from Whitehall and have flexibility over what they teach.

They were described by the Department for Education as “all-ability state-funded schools set up in response to what local people say they want and need in order to improve education for children in their community”.

Nationally, there are now 174 free schools – more than twice as many as this time last year. Another 100 are due to open from next year and beyond.

But it has been far from plain sailing for free schools to have set up in Bristol so far.

The first free school ended up on a site unpopular with parents, the second faces a battle to secure a permanent home while another free school project had the plug pulled on it at the 11th hour with a reported loss of £132,000 in taxpayers’ money.

The city’s first free school was created following a campaign for a new secondary school led by parents living in the BS9 postcode, but Bristol Free School was eventually located on an unpopular site in Southmead.

Critics say there was no need for a new school in BS9 as there were other secondary schools in the area with surplus places.

Despite this, the school is now oversubscribed and received a “good” rating in its first Ofsted inspection earlier this year.

The city’s first primary free school, Cathedral Primary School, opened in a temporary home on the campus of Bristol Cathedral Choir School in the city centre earlier this month. But controversy surrounds its proposed move to a permanent home in part of Bristol Central Library.

Support from the Department for Education for Bristol Primary School, which had been due to open this month to serve pupils in the inner city, was withdrawn in March.

Some 114 sets of parents wanted to send their children to the school, which would have been based in Eastville.

Another free school – Steiner Academy Bristol – is set to open next September, but its location has not been confirmed.

One of the biggest challenges facing the DfE and the Education Funding Agency is the task of finding suitable classroom space in the short window of opportunity between a free school application being given the green light and its opening date.

Bristol Free School appeared to be a perfect example of how the free school system was supposed to work.

Families in BS9 disenchanted with

their secondary education options were able to campaign for the creation of a new school for their community.

They succeeded and in 2011, when the secondary they wanted was born.

But the location of the school, at former Defra offices in Burghill Road, Southmead, drew criticism from parents who had been campaigning on the basis the school would be created on the site of the former St Ursula’s School in Brecon Road.

Accommodation has also proven to be a hitch at Cathedral Primary School, which opened in College Square earlier this month. Lessons for reception pupils are temporarily being delivered in Abbey House, part of the Bristol Cathedral Choir School.

But there will not be enough space when more children join the school over the next three years.

A proposal to create classrooms for the school on the lower two floors of Bristol Central Library has attracted much criticism. A petition has also been launched to fight the move.

It appears the library has been chosen as development land available for a new school in the city centre is scarce.

Bristol Free School opened in 2011 – but not on the site campaigners hoped for Bristol Cathedral Choir School’s principal Neil Blundell, who chaired the project steering group behind Cathedral Primary School, said securing a site for the primary was the biggest challenge of setting up a free school. He said: “One consideration is our location at the centre of a major city in the south of England.

“Land prices are high, yet we have only a limited budget from the Department for Education. Some have pointed out a number of available sites on Harbourside – yet even supposing these were affordable and there were no planning constraints, they do not usually offer enclosed outdoor play space.

“We are keen to have the primary school within easy walking distance of the senior school so that facilities such as the dining hall and, of course, the cathedral, can be shared – and that makes any site which requires busy Anchor Road to be crossed problematic.

“One final problem is the time scale. We did not secure our funding agreement from the DfE until June this year, less than three months before we were due to open this September – and for many free schools it can be even later. Yet until that agreement is secured, landowners and developers are understandably reluctant to enter serious negotiations.

“As it is, the storage and maintenance floors of the library are an ideal, safe site for us, close to our existing facilities, offering us plenty of room to expand and with play space among the trees in the middle of College Square.

“Yet the timing is tight; we will run

out of space in Abbey House by July 2015, so the major work required to turn the library building’s dilapidated lower floors into a light and modern primary school will need to be completed by September 2015. We relish the challenge.”

Despite the difficulties over finding a suitable site, the school is already hugely popular with parents, with 180 applications being made for the 30 places on offer this academic year.

Mr Blundell said he was impressed by the rigour of the free school application process.

He said: “As an established education provider, we found the process of setting up a new school challenging and robust, but of course manageable for us.

“In fact, the rigour of the process did much to allay my concerns about free schools, as this is not something to go into lightly.”

Due to open next September is Bristol Steiner School. The organisers behind the successful free school application had expressed a preference for moving into the former Elizabeth Shaw Chocolate Factory in Easton.

But 12 months ahead of its opening, a location has not been confirmed.

Joe Evans, lead proposer for Steiner Academy Bristol, said a shortlist of sites for the new free school had now been drawn up.

Mr Evans said: “The Education Funding Agency provided a long list of potential sites which we have been gradually narrowing down with site visits, assessments of access to green space, cost and so on.

“We are now at the stage where we are working with a small shortlist, with EFA doing detailed studies on how the spaces could be used, costs of conversion or new-build and so on.

“It’s obviously very challenging to market a new school when we don’t yet have a site but hopefully we can make an announcement soon.”

Of the free school process, Mr Evans added: “It’s been very demanding but the huge amount of support and enthusiasm that we’ve met with has kept us all going.

“In general, what we’re seeing is that there is if anything more support than we realised for a bit more diversity and choice within education.

“DfE are extremely supportive of our vision for a school that combines the ethos of Steiner education with the professional management practices of state education.

“We feel as though we’re part of a really positive shift in education. Of course, the real challenge is still ahead of us – creating and running an amazing school.”

As the Steiner project grows from strength to strength the campaigners behind the Bristol Primary School must be wondering where it all went wrong.

Mystery surrounds the reason for the withdrawal of support for the project as they have not been made public. It had been expected to be housed in a disused office block close to Eastgate Shopping Centre, a choice which drew criticism from nearby schools as it was considered to be an infringement on their catchment areas.

After the DfE withdrew support for the school, the South West branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) accused the Government of wasting public money.

The trust received grants totalling £132,000 from the DfE to help set up

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 STATE EDUCATION 3 the school. Education officials in Whitehall later tried to claw back some of the money given to The Bristol Inner-City Schools Trust, which was behind the project.

The DfE said backing had been withdrawn as the trust’s proposals had failed to meet the Government’s “stringent criteria”.

At the time Andy Woolley, the NUT’s South West regional secretary, said: “Considerable amounts of public money have been wasted on this project by the Government in order to promote one of Michael Gove’s pet projects. Free schools are as yet untested over any period of time in this country but in other countries such

We need to consider the implications and impacts of free schools on existing schools – while some are welcomed, some are not so helpful in addressing our shortage Councillor Brenda Massey

Kate Murray, head of library services, with Councillor Simon Cook in the lower floors of Bristol’s Central Library which Cathedral Primary School hopes to occupy PHOTO: MICHAEL LLOYD BRML20130830C-010_C

as Sweden they are now blamed for being a major contributor to falling educational standards.”

Steve Spokes, who had been lined up to be the principal of the school, promised that any unspent funds would be returned to the DfE. Speaking to the Post in March, he said: “In terms of a waste of taxpayers’ money, what does seem unfair is that the people of Bristol haven’t got the school many of them wanted.”

Councillor Brenda Massey, assistant mayor for children’s and young

people’s services, said the council was keen to work in conjunction with free schools, as it had done with Cathedral Primary over its library plan.

But she said free schools cropping up in areas where there is not a big demand for places could be unhelpful. Councillor Massey said: “With Cathedral there is a shortage in the city centre and that school will provide 420 places. But with Bristol Free School, there wasn’t a particular shortage of secondary places in that area. We need to consider the implications and impacts on existing schools in that locality. While some are welcomed, some are not so helpful in addressing our shortage.”

A spokesman for the DfE said the EFA was now advising free school proposers on sites much earlier – before they even submit their applications to the department.

He said the EFA had worked with both free school proposers in the city and Bristol City Council to secure suitable sites.

The EFA says it is confident it will continue to deliver suitable sites for more than 90 per cent of free schools within a year of them being approved.

The DfE said about 80 per cent of mainstream free schools are in areas that need school places, or in areas of deprivation, and that all 93 free schools opening this term are doing so in their designated sites as planned. The spokesman said: “Bristol is already home to two popular free schools. The Bristol Free School was recently rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in its first inspection and the newly-opened Cathedral Primary School is already oversubscribed. We are looking forward to more free schools opening in the city, including the Steiner School next year.”

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4 STATE EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Ofsted raises the stakes but schools past the test New rules raised the bar for schools facing Ofsted inspections during the last year Marc Rath reports

Celebrations at Chester Park Junior School in Fishponds last year after a visit from Ofsted

because you never know until you look

Bridge Farm Primary School in Whitchurch received an ‘outstanding’ rating under the regime in November last year

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Patchway Community College was the first secondary in South Gloucestershire to be inspected under the new rules

There would have been much trepidation in the classrooms of Bristol schools at the beginning of the last academic year. Anxious teaching staff due a visit from the Government’s education watchdog Ofsted knew the bar had been raised.

They were facing a new, tougher form of assessment, and, on top of that, would only be given 24 hours’ notice of a visit.

Under the more demanding inspection framework, they were told schools must be judged “good” as a minimum, with the “satisfactory” grade being changed to “requires improvement”. Previously, a school would only have been ordered to improve if it was given the bottom rating of “inadequate”.

Despite the considerable changes Bristol schools acquitted themselves admirably over the course of the year, with many equalling or bettering their previous judgements.

So were schools comfortable with the new framework?

Well, surprisingly most head teachers preferred the shorter notice period. They were contacted by Ofsted the day before and warned of an imminent visit, rather than having a two or three-day cushion to make preparations.

Heads found they were happier for inspectors to see their schools “as they are” rather than with classes being taught by teachers primed specifically to impress inspectors.

One of the first schools in Bristol, and the country, to welcome inspectors working under the new guidelines was Chester Park Junior School in Fishponds. The school passed the inspection last September with flying colours, receiving a “good” rating.

The school’s head teacher Tony Phillips was thrilled Chester Park had improved on its last inspection rating of satisfactory, which it was awarded in January 2010.

After the inspection result was published, Mr Phillips told the Bristol Post: “I didn’t have time to have the jeepers – you go into shock first of all.

“What it means is that the inspectors see the school as it is because there’s no chance to set things up.

“There’s no chance for the teachers to put on an all-singing and all-dancing show for the inspectors.

“They get to see how the school is operating every day.”

Following the success of Chester Park, several other schools in the city followed in its footsteps by recording impressive inspection results.

Southville Primary picked up a “good” rating before nearby Ashton Gate Primary was awarded an “outstanding” judgement. Patchway Community College, the first secondary to be inspected under the new framework in South Gloucestershire, earned a “good”.

The success continued into 2013, particularly in south Bristol, with St Peter’s Church of England Primary in Bishopsworth, Bridge Farm Primary in Whitchurch and Headley Park Primary all being classed as outstanding.

In the spring, it was the turn of east Bristol schools to shine.

Whitehall Primary became the first inner city school to attract an

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over a tough few terms outstanding rating.

In March, it was reported that 47 per cent of primaries and secondaries visited by Ofsted across the country in the last academic year saw ratings rise in comparison with previous inspections.

Under the more rigorous assessment, schools were told they must gain an outstanding grade for “quality of teaching” to achieve an overall outstanding judgement. In primary schools, inspectors were told to focus more on reading and phonics by listening to children reading.

Ofsted teams were also directed to look closely at students in receipt of the Pupil Premium, and evaluate how the funding is spent.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, the regulator’s chief inspector, insisted the scale of improvement was far higher than levels witnessed in previous years.

He said schools were rising to the challenge and insisted Ofsted’s new inspection system was “injecting a sense of urgency” into schools and forcing them to prioritise improvements.

Speaking in March he said: “I’m clear that scrapping the satisfactory judgment and replacing it with ‘requires improvement’ is injecting a sense of urgency in both schools and local authorities.

“Heads and governing boards now have a much greater focus on tackling the central issues of school improvement.”

However, Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said schools were working under considerable pressure and stress to improve their inspection rating. She said: “This may have been at the expense of working in a way that really is in the interest of all children.”

Ofsted hit the headlines again in Bristol during the summer term after announcing its intention to carry out a series of co-ordinated inspections in a single week to establish why the city’s schools were performing below the national average.

There was outcry from the educational community in the city. Critics accused Ofsted of deciding Bristol was failing before the inspections at the 16 schools had been carried out.

Ofsted was also criticised for using outdated figures as the basis of its swoop.

The watchdog justified the move by claiming Bristol was being outperformed by UK cities of a similar size and demographic, placing it below the likes of Plymouth, Brighton and Southampton.

It said that as of December last year, 32 per cent of the city’s schools had been rated satisfactory, requires improvement or inadequate.

This compared to a national average of 26 per cent and a regional average of 22 per cent.

As part of the exercise, inspectors also examined the quality of support schools were receiving from the city council.

Ahead of the inspections, Lorna Fitzjohn, Ofsted’s outgoing regional director for the South West, said: “It cannot be right that local authorities with the same demographics in terms of population size and levels of deprivation have such varying levels of provision in schools. All parents should have the same chance of sending their children to a good or better school but in Bristol the chance of being able to do so is much lower than in other parts of the country.”

But the city council said that using more recent figures, from March, 28 per cent of schools per cent of the

city’s schools had been rated satisfactory, requires improvement or inadequate – lower than Bristol’s statistical neighbours.

As it turned out, Ofsted found little evidence of poor standards during the swoop, with ten schools improving on the ratings they had received in previous inspections and four remaining on the same grade.

One school, St Patrick’s Catholic Primary in Redfield, was awarded the top grade, outstanding, while ten others were rated good.

Clare Campion Smith, chairwoman of the council’s Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Commission, criticised Ofsted for labelling the city’s schools poor before they had a chance to prove otherwise.

Earlier this month, Ofsted published its findings from the inspections.

It revealed that the total proportion of schools judged either good or outstanding in Bristol was now 81 per cent – above the England average of 76 per cent.

Praise for Bristol schools from Ofsted was welcomed by the city council.

Ms Fitzjohn said there was cause for optimism but added that “much more remains to be done” to ensure all pupils in Bristol receive the high quality of education expected.

The council’s interim strategic director for children, young people and skills Isobel Cattermole said: “Feedback from government inspectors is taken very seriously and many of the areas highlighted already have plans of work in place.

“The role of the local authority is a changing one with new trading relationships for services like finance and human resources.

“I want to see more good practice shared between schools, building on the work we’ve done to facilitate networks, support governors and head teachers in their day to day work.

“Together we are striving for excellence and for every school to be good or better.”

‘I am clear that scrapping the satisfactory judgment and replacing it with requires improvement is injecting a sense of urgency in both schools and local authorities’ Sir Michaael Wilshaw, Osted’s chief inspector, above

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6 STATE EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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‘A royal college could shine light on profession’ Teachers from across Bristol are being asked for their views on shaping a royal college for their profession which would help elevate the status of teaching.

Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie, who has worked together with teachers and educationalists to spearhead moves to set up the royal college, will be visiting schools across Bristol this autumn to gauge the views of teachers in the city.

Proposals for the Royal College of Teachers were first put forward last year by Ms Leslie.

Since then, she has been working with like-minded teachers, union leaders and educationalists to produce a book on the idea.

She said a royal college could be vital if teachers were to have the kind of aspirational career path enjoyed in other professions.

But she also said that it was crucial the detail of such a college was developed by the teachers themselves – not politicians.

She said: “Royal colleges and other professional bodies have promoted and protected the status of professions like medicine for, in some cases, hundreds of years.

“And the more you look at issues like the encroachment of the state into the classroom, the lack of a clear practice-based career progression for teachers, or the linking of academic education studies and evidence with the realities of the classroom, the more a ‘royal college’-shaped hole seems to emerge.

“This hole has become so evident that the Education Select Committee, on which I sit, has recommended that the teaching profession look to establish a Royal College of Teaching.

The Select Committee is not alone; the Academies Commission recently came to the same conclusion. An idea that has been hanging in the air until now has perhaps found its time.”

At the launch of the consultation in April, the idea was backed by teacher Emma Norman, from Oasis Academy Brightstowe in Shirehampton, Bristol. She said: “A Royal College of Teaching would be able to shine a light on teachers. They would

Charlotte Leslie, Bristol North West MP promote a positive awareness of our achievements.

“It could help those of us with a passion for teaching in the classroom to have an opportunity to rise up the career path without having to leave the classroom into management. Other valuable organisations focus on pay and conditions, we need to focus on teaching and learning.

“This organisation would also take a long-term view of education which

would help protect us from government and unions’ short-term plans.

We need consistency and stability to ensure progress occurs and allow new initiatives a chance to be embedded. A royal college would help to develop a long-term view of education.”

In a booklet edited by Ms Leslie, teachers, union leaders, educationalists, and members of other professions have outlined why there could be huge benefits for teachers with a royal college.

John ‘Louis’ Armstrong, chairman of Professions for Good, said that in the clamour to raise the status of other professions in Victorian times, teachers missed out.

He said: “The beauty of an independent professional body, working in the public interest as prescribed by Royal Charter, is that it can combine setting professional standards, awarding qualifications, creating and enforcing a rigorous code of conduct and set of values, having an effective regulatory framework, providing thought leadership, formulating research and policy, and sharing international best practice. While not perfect, many other countries are keen to emulate this ‘royal college model’.”

David Weston, chief executive of the Teacher Development Trust, said that until teachers take the initiative they will continue to be “lectured to” by politicians.

He said: “Others will stop trying to force change on us when we are seen as trustworthy leaders of change. We are, at present, a long way from this vision.”

Copies of the report can be downloaded from http://tdtrust.org/rcot

We need consistency and stability to ensure progress occurs and allow new initiatives a chance to be embedded.

A royal college would help to develop a long-term view of education Emma Norman, a teacher at Oasis Academy Brightstowe in Bristol

Teachers trained to turn lives – and schools – around Marc Rath meets a new breed of ‘super teacher’ being brought in to the West’s schools to inspire youngsters There is often a weight of expectation on newly-qualified teachers when they take to the classroom to “fly solo” for the first time. In the weeks leading up to their first lesson, thoughts no doubt race through their mind: Will I get stage fright? Will I struggle to assert control over my class? Are there gaps in my knowledge that will be exposed?

Imagine that pressure and raise it several notches – then you have an idea of the heavy burden resting on the shoulders of a new breed of super trainee teachers starting work in Bristol schools this month.

Billed as a higher calibre of teacher, the trainees of Teach First have a reputation for single-handedly helping schools improve their results.

Working in schools with a high intake of children from disadvantaged backgrounds, Teach First aims to “find, train and support people to become brilliant teachers, inspiring the young people who need them the most”.

The organisation’s slogans include “One great teacher can change a child’s life” and “How much you achieve in life should not be determined by how much your parents ear n”. Graduates of the scheme have already worked their magic at schools in cities including London, Manchester and Liverpool.

New research has revealed that a GCSE student studying eight subjects benefits by an increase of one grade if Teach First recruits are working in their school.

Teachers and politicians have been campaigning for Teach First to bring its trainees to Bristol for many years.

And this month, 32 Teach First graduates – selected for their ability to lead and inspire – began working in 18 city secondary and primary schools.

The effort to bring them here was spearheaded by Catherine Hughes, head teacher at St Bede’s Catholic College in Lawrence Weston, and Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie.

Eligible schools with Teach First graduates include Merchant’s Academy in Withywood, Bristol Metropolitan Academy in Fishponds, City Academy in Redfield, Orchard School in Horfield, St Nicholas of Tolentine Primary in Easton, and Cabot Primary in St Paul’s. Ms Hughes has worked for more than three years to bring the programme to Bristol, persuaded by the evidence of its success elsewhere.

She said: “It seems a long time since we first started talking with Teach First and I am delighted now to see the fruits of those efforts. Great teachers make great schools.

“The evidence is that some of the best teachers coming into the profession have signed up to the Teach First programme. I am confident that these new teachers will now help Bristol schools continue on their journey of success.

“Already, eligible schools are put-

ting in orders for recruits for 2014, that speaks volumes about the people they have taken on this year and the programme.”

Only graduates with a 2.1 degree or better are accepted onto the Teach First programme. They also need to pass a competency test which assesses whether they have some of the traits required to succeed: empathy, humility, respect and resilience. In all, only one in eight applicants are successful.

Once they have joined the programme, the teachers undergo an intensive six-week training course over the summer. They are then partnered with a teaching mentor.

In qualifying schools, half the students come from the poorest 30 per cent of families in the United Kingdom.

The results of research examining the impact of Teach First were revealed at the British Educational Research Association annual conference earlier this month.

It analysed the GCSE results of 168 schools which introduced Teach First recruits between 2003-4 and 2009-10 and compared them with results

Helen Holman, head teacher at Orchard School, Bristol achieved by similar schools in the same region of England.

The research found that within two or three years there were improvements in the schools’ results of about five per cent or a boost of one grade in one of a pupil’s eight best subjects.

Jenny Sutton, Teach First’s regional director for the South West, grew up in Barton Hill. She became a Teach First teacher in 2004, working in London schools.

Ms Sutton, 32, who now lives in Keynsham, said: “The fact that Teach First is growing as an organisation suggests the participants are having a positive impact. We are hoping to grow from 38 teachers in the South West this year to 47 next year. It’s demand-led and we are responding to what the need is from schools.”

Two trainees are working at City Academy. The school’s principal Gill Kelly is already impressed, describing them as “wonderful”. She said: “Their enthusiasm and commitment is palpable and the students respond very well to them. It (Teach First) is a morally-driven movement that is targeted at communities like mine, and the Teach First teachers have that moral imperative coursing right through their veins.”

Helen Holman, head teacher at Orchard School, said the school’s Teach First teachers were already thriving.

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Q&A: Teach First Jennifer Marsh , who teaches English, and Charmaine Richardson, who teaches maths, are Teach First teachers at Orchard School Bristol in Horfield.

What did you study at university and where?

Jennifer – BSc Econ Hons Politics at Cardiff University and MSc European Governance at Bristol University.

Charmaine – BA Hons Finance and Business at Bournemouth.

What was your original career plan?

Jennifer – To go into the civil service.

Char maine – To become an accountant.

Had you ever considered teaching?

Jennifer – Yes, both of my parents are teachers and it has always been something that appealed to me.

Charmaine – I began to consider teaching after completing work experience in a secondary school while I was studying at university, as I realised my skills could be better placed there than in finance.

How did you hear about Teach First?

Jennifer Marsh and Charmaine Richardson, Teach First teachers at Orchard School Bristol in Horfield She said: “This term we have welcomed Jennifer Marsh and Charmaine Richardson to our team and they are clearly thriving in our school. It is so heartening to see graduates like them choosing the teaching profession. We will never

tire of seeking innovative methods which work because ultimately it is all about giving the students the very best start in life.”

Conservative MP Ms Leslie was instrumental in bringing the Teach First scheme to Bristol. She said:

PHOTO: BARBARA EVRIPIDOU BRBE20130910C-1

“This scheme works on so many levels, but first and foremost, it is a way of attracting the highest calibre graduates who otherwise would go off to work in industry or finance, thus lost to teaching, probably for ever.”

Jennifer and Charmaine – Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list.

Why did you decide to go down this path?

TeachFirst provides a unique opportunity to work with students from a variety of interesting backgrounds and allows you to gain “hands on” experience from day one. It is an exciting challenge, but

one which has the potential to be incredibly rewarding.

Describe the training you had to complete. How much was classroom based?

We completed six weeks’ intense training at the Teach First Summer Institute. Participants spend four weeks in their region where the time is split between subject and professional studies based at the partner university.

Half of that time is spent in partner schools, visiting outstanding departments in partner schools in the region to observe lessons, as well as having the opportunity to teach a series of lessons. The final two weeks were held at Warwick University where all of the participants across the country come together to consolidate what they have learnt in their regional training.

Describe the first “live” teaching day at Orchard.

The first day for both of us was a bit of a whirlwind, meeting lots of new students and getting acquainted with the day-to- day running of the school. After months of preparing, it was great to finally stand in front of our classes and begin our journey.

How much support have you had from other teachers?

All of the staff at Orchard have been incredibly supportive and welcoming, particularly those in our departments. You always feel like you can walk into anyone’s classroom and ask for help or advice if you need it.

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“An extremely harmonious and cohesive learning community where all thrive” Ofsted June 2013

8 STATE EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Working together to give every child the best The quality of Bristol’s schools was called into question when Ofsted sent in a team of inspectors earlier this year. But there is one area of education where the watchdog is in no doubt. All 12 of the city’s nursery schools are rated at least good and half are judged to be outstanding. Now three centres are among the first nursery schools in England to be awarded National Teaching School status, enabling them to spread their expertise across the wider school system in the city and beyond.

Linda Tanner reports.

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Ggiven Kiba and Isaac Daykin play at Redcliffe Children’s Centre

H O O

The Teaching School is another way we can commit to and strive for all our children and families in Bristol and beyond, while developing leadership capacity to ensure it is sustainable Lucy Driver, head teacher at St Paul’s Nursery

The impact of a child’s background on academic performance is evident by the time he or she reaches the age of three, countless studies have shown.

A school structure and support for the child and family can reduce the achievement gap, which otherwise is only likely to widen, potentially leading to a range of other problems.

So it seems only common sense to provide access to early years education, especially in deprived areas and for families on low incomes or with other disadvantages, from a young age.

Bristol was a pioneer in opening nursery schools in the depressed 1930s, offering children a healthy and successful start in life.

Now, in the new age of austerity, those schools continue that legacy, supporting children and families to learn and aspire in spite of the difficulties they face.

Underpinning all that they do is a culture of learning, not only for the children, but for staff at all levels, parents and carers and people in the surrounding area.

Sally Jaeckle, who leads on early years at the city council, says the city has retained an unusually high proportion of maintained nursery schools because of the strong evidence that high quality education and family support is narrowing the gap for disadvantaged children.

Now three inner-city nursery schools, all rated outstanding by the watchdog Ofsted, have jointly been designated by the Department for Education as a National Teaching School. Theirs was one of only three successful bids from nursery schools in the first round of applications since schools in their sector were allowed to apply and was the only one from a consortium, making it unique.

The new status will mean the schools – Redcliffe Children’s Centre and Maintained Nursery School, St Paul’s Nursery School and Children’s Centre and St Werburgh’s Park Children’s Centre – will play a key role in training new teachers and developing existing teachers and heads as

well as taking part in significant research projects.

The three will work in partnership with Bath Spa and Gloucestershire universities to enable student teachers to train on the job in nursery and primary schools across Bristol under the guidance of the Teaching School team, which will deliver many of the professional practice teaching sessions. Sixty trainees are being recruited for September under the School Direct scheme.

Each of the three schools will expand its professional development programmes and is working with Bristol City Council to develop a team of specialist leaders in education (SLEs) from other schools to spread expertise more widely.

Many of the areas in which nursery schools are particularly successful, such as assessment and tracking of children’s progress, development of language and communication skills, inclusion of those with particular needs, transition between schools, and family support, are also applicable to primary and secondary schools.

The head teachers of the three schools are all strong leaders and admit that working together is a challenge at times – but one that is proving extremely worthwhile and rewarding.

Their shared passion for providing the very best professional early years education far outweighs any differences in approach and they believe the different strengths of their centres complement one another.

All have been designated national leaders of education (NLEs) and are excited at being given the chance to be Teaching School pioneers. I visited all three schools and each of the heads said separately: “There is no blueprint. We have to be creative and flexible in our response.”

Nursery schools are accustomed to being adaptable. Children are usually in class for a year, from the age of three to four, so the pupil population has a complete annual change. For these three schools, this can mean alterations to adapt to an influx of

Ranheem Osman and Amira Osman at St new arrivals with different languages, for example.

In addition, the early years sector has probably had more than its share of changes brought about by the Government double whammy of frequent changes in education policy and of financial restraints.

Many nursery schools became children’s centres, providing a hub for services for children from birth to five and their families. Subsequently, Sure Start and early intervention funding has been reduced, forcing schools to find new ways of continuing to work with other agencies to provide support.

The current emphasis is on offer-

St Werburgh’s Park Nursery School and Children’s Centre Naila Malik is definite: “Even if you get married, you can still study. Even though you are a girl, you can still study.” she declares.

And she should know. At 26, Naila has worked her way up from being a classroom support worker at St Werburgh’s Park Nursery School and Children’s Centre to gain a degree and become a class teacher, already singled out by inspectors as outstanding. She is now on a double masters level course in maths for early years, designed and delivered at Redcliffe nursery school.

British-born Naila comes from a family of Pakistani origin and has become a role model for her community, encouraging others to aspire and achieve.

The first female in her family to graduate, she had an ambition to become a teacher after attending

Bannerman Road Primary and the then St George Community secondary school but did not think she could get on a training course because she had not passed GCSE science.

But St Werburgh’s Park nursery school supported her through level three qualifications and a foundation degree at City of Bristol College, topped up to a full degree with a year at the University of the West of England on the Graduate Teacher Programme, under which Naila did most of her training while working at St Werburgh’s Park.

She said: “It is hard doing the practice simultaneously with the theoretical knowledge – having a full-time job and completing a full time course – but it is a very beneficial way of doing it.

“There are so many people you can learn from.”

Liz Jenkins, head of St Werburgh’s Park, is determined to increase the proportion of staff members and governors from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities at the school.

She would also like to increase the percentage of male workers, although there are some cultural sensitivities in this area.

“What makes us unique is that we have a thoroughly comprehensive intake and we provide a safe, neutral environment where people can meet others from different backgrounds.

That is such a privilege.” ● Staff: 56 (including 10 BME) ● Part-time nursery places: 160 ● Under-twos: 45 ● Languages spoken: 26 ● Particular strengths: Very wide social and cultural mix, governance, emotional support.

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Redcliffe Children’s Centre and Maintained Nursery School For Sue Cook, the Teaching School comes as a logical and welcome next step for Redcliffe Children’s Centre and Maintained Nursery School, where she has taught for more than 20 years.

Having trained originally to work with five to 11-year-olds, she enjoys the constantly evolving nature of early years work.

“There have been many new initiatives but they have tended to flow one from another and have been linked to the changing context and the surrounding area. We have always maintained the high quality and it is nice to have recognition that education at this young age is absolutely critical.” she says.

Sue is looking forward to mentoring and coaching the new trainee

teachers so they can see how theory translates into practice.

Redcliffe has a strong record in research and head teacher Elizabeth Carruthers, who is working for a PhD, encourages staff to carry out studies, attend conferences and write and present papers. The centre has adapted its buildings, at the foot of a block of flats, to create training facilities and a professional library. It has also over several years designed and led masters-level study modules, making them accessible to local nurseries and early years settings.

In the past five years, more than 2,500 teachers and other school staff from Bristol and across the country have attended professional development courses at Redcliffe.

The opportunity to take the lead

“rather than having research done to us” is vitally important to Ms Carruthers: “The Teaching School makes us equal partners with the local authority and with the universities. Before, they might have been seen as having higher status than us. It is a huge shift in attitude.

The research practitioner is a very powerful role.

“We are with the children all the time and so the picture we get is much more detailed. It has a marked impact on what we are providing.” ● Staff: 45 ● Part-time nursery places: 90 ● Under-threes: 38 ● Languages spoken: 17 ● Strengths: International reputation for forest school, maths, research

St Paul’s Nursery School and Children’s Centre Head teacher Lucy Driver describes St Paul’s Nursery School and Children’s Centre as a “jewel” in the inner city.

Located in an area ranked the most deprived in Bristol and 40th lowest in the country, it has plenty of which to be proud.

The school’s central belief is that everyone can develop the skills to become confident lifelong learners.

It has developed inclusive partnerships and an “emotionally enabling ethos” and it has huge ambition for all members of its diverse community.

Experienced teacher and initial teacher training lead Sophie Nicholls is testament to this. On joining the school four years ago, she hit a

Paul’s Nursery and Children’s Centre ing nursery class places for the most needy children aged two to three from September. There have also been further changes to the way early years education is funded, threatening the very existence of nursery schools.

The three head teachers say this risks undermining the expertise they offer, despite the evidence that they have a direct impact on achievement.

That is why they see the Teaching School as so important, putting nursery schools back at the centre of the schools agenda, alongside primaries, secondaries and universities.

The status also comes with some Government money, which will en-

PHOTOS: BARBARA EVRIPIDOU

able the three schools to take on more staff for their new role. This should in turn bring in additional income, in effect turning the schools into social enterprises.

It is also hoped that the creation of a central, inner-city hub for teacher training in Bristol will help attract more diverse recruits to the profession so that in time the city’s teaching staff better reflects the child population. Lucy Driver, head at St Paul’s, said: “The Teaching School is another way we can commit to and strive for all our children and families in Bristol and beyond, while developing leadership capacity to ensure it is sustainable.”

St Werburgh’s Park Nursery head teacher Liz Jenkins with, back from left, Daniel Stewart, Aden Cilmi, Faizaan Mahumud and fromt from left Aleena Bibi, Sydney Rushton and Sadie Horler

steep learning curve. She had to learn new ways to build learning experiences with children and families from ethnically diverse and multilingual backgrounds.

“It is the ethos here – that it’s ‘OK to not know’ and that we all begin our journey in different places that has been most powerful for me.” she says.

“It has been liberating to focus on the process of learning rather than the end product, learning from our mistakes and deep reflections. I have taken this philosophy into my mentoring role with future teachers. It excites me to work from an empowerment model, where anything is possible.”

The school works with 650 families

in its area. The children make exceptional progress in their learning and many family members take advantage of NVQ and work readiness training. All staff are encouraged to develop their own learning and participate in research. St Paul’s already welcomes visitors from around the UK and has developed its own training programmes. ● Staff: 52 (including 19 BME) ● Part-time nursery school places: 120 ● Under-threes: 55-60 ● Languages spoken: 12 ● Particular strengths: Emotionally enabling environments, coaching and supervision, tracking children’s progress and engaging multi-ethnic lear ners

10 INDEPENDENT EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Blogging project encourages a love for writing, A Bristol head teacher’s initiative is helping to encourage hundreds of children across the country and overseas to become writers – on the web.

Linda Tanner reports

Julia Skinner, founder of 100 Word Challenge, a blogging project for school children, with pupils from Hillcrest School, as they work on the weekly project. Julia is pictured with Hamza Shabir, Emily Plowden, William Eaves, Maya Rose, Bronnie Baker, Teddy Glew and Ted Wilks PICTURE: JON KENT

Right from meeting staff at the

open day

at Clifton High School, and ever since, our son and daughter have developed in confidence and become

Our students leave with much more than the best exam results

Julia Skinner felt a bit lost after she retired as a primary school head teacher – until she discovered blogging. Now she is on a mission to encourage children to discover the joys of publishing their writing online.

A lifetime’s experience in schools in Bristol had shown Julia that some pupils could not see the point of writing and did not know where to start.

So she devised the 100 Word Challenge. A weekly prompt in words and pictures gets children started and the length limit makes the task manageable.

But the most important feature of Julia’s initiative is that every writer receives feedback on his or her efforts – and teachers say this is leading to rapid improvements in achievement for some children.

“I made a promise at the beginning that I would leave a comment on any piece that was posted,” she said.

“That was fine while there were about 150 entries a week but now it has risen to an average of 450 a week, with some weeks up to 700, I have had to get some help.”

Julia formed Team 100, a group of volunteers who undertake to read and comment on a number of

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100 words at a time postings each week. This numbers 62, but she is keen to recruit more.

Volunteers don’t have to be teachers – sixth-formers, students, parents, grandparents and anyone interested is welcome.

It takes about an hour a week to read and comment on ten blog entries. Team members are given guidelines and allocated the postings by numbers, so that they comment on different children’s work each time.

Julia said: “This brings a wonderful freshness and variety.

“There is no doubt about it. It is the comments that have made the difference.”

Children who enter the 100 Word Challenge are also encouraged to visit other people’s entries and post comments.

“Peer comments are incredibly powerful. Children are much more direct than grown-ups. This also

9,500 The number of pieces children posted to the blog in its first 18 weeks trains them in how to behave on the internet and how to comment constructively on a blog.

“I have never had to take down anything that has been written by a child.”

The best entries each week are showcased in a special section on the blog.

Julia is clear that the aim of 100 Word Challenge is to encourage creative writing rather than to teach grammar or punctuation.

“I am not hung up on full stops or capital letters. That is for teachers, and I ask those who use the challenge with their classes to explain that to parents.

“Some schools publish children’s work as it is written but some get nervous and edit it first.”

Schools can use the pieces on the blog to teach children editing skills and show them how to improve their writing. Some also use it for guided reading or as a homework task.

Julia adds: “The main thing is that it gives the children a purpose for

writing beyond simply pleasing Miss or Sir.” The challenge is mainly used in the UK by Key Stage 2 pupils, aged seven to 11. Some schools in Australia and the US use it with older children and it is also used by special needs teachers.

In response to requests from teachers, Julia has started a new blog for Key Stage One (five to seven-year-olds) called 5 Sentence Challenge. This has a fortnightly theme, usually visual.

Some nursery and reception classes are using it, too, for group composition work led by a teacher or support assistant.

“Scripting a piece of writing in just five sentences can bring valuable lessons in democracy and citizenship for very young children. Some schools are also using 5 Sentence Challenge as an intervention for older children with special needs.”

More than 100 teachers responded to Julia’s first survey on the impact of the project. They spoke of how it had improved motivation and confidence.

Some also said it had raised standards and achievement.

“It has amazed me. I want to find out more about how they know this,” she said.

100 Word Challenge was shortlisted in 2012 as one of the most influential education blogs of the year and this year it was a finalist in the NAACE awards for its global impact. In the first 18 weeks after it launched last September, 9,500 pieces were posted on the blog and created 55,000 clicks back to class blogs. Visitors to the site came from 86 countries.

“The numbers are huge and the international side is wonderful,” said Julia. “It has given me a whole different outlook on life. I have learned so much. It has led to a second career for me.

“I have got to know so many people through Twitter and the blogs and am now asked to speak at conferences and TeachMeet events across the country.”

But Julia, who was head of three schools in south Bristol over 13 years and is still a school governor in the city, has reassurance for parents who worry at the emphasis on using computers.

“This will never replace writing in a book. It is just another tool to use,” she said.

Education for Life Encouraged to see life as an adventure, our students place great value on their practical

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12 INDEPENDENT EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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University is marking a century at the forefront As Bristol University’s Graduate School of Education celbrates its 100th anniversary, Marc Rath finds out how it plans to stay ahead in future

Tutors Ruth Bailey, Helen Aberdeen, David Kent and Jayne Prior at Bristol University’s Graduate School of Education, which is celebrating its centenary as well as looking to the future PICTURES: DAVE BETTS

Bristol University’s Graduate School of Education (GSoE) celebrated a century of being top of the class this year.

The school has come a long way since the university’s senate instigated the creation of a single Teachers Training Board in 1913.

Bristol has consistently been in the top ten English universities for providing teacher training in recent years and is currently ranked sixth out of 74 universities.

Some 5,000 teachers have been trained at the GSoE in the past 20 years alone.

Earlier this year, a free festival was held to mark the school’s 100th birthday.

The centenary festival in June brought together some of the country’s leading national policy figures and gave visitors a chance to debate with the leading minds in the field of education.

A specially-commissioned film reflecting on the history of education at Bristol using never-been-shown material from its archives was premiered. There were sessions covering topics including the brain and education, league tables, education

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 INDEPENDENT EDUCATION 13

of teacher training reforms, and the future of teacher education.

So how does the GSoE plan to continue to stay ahead of the pack in the coming years?

Paul Howard-Jones, GSoE’s director of public engagement, said the university’s internationally-renowned centre for educational research and closer ties with schools would help keep it at the forefront of teacher education. New approaches being used at GoSE – which employs 18 tutors – are giving schools greater control over the training process.

Dr Howard-Jones said: “The research expertise has helped us to consolidate our partnership with more than 50 local schools which are part of our long-established Uni-

Professor Helen Wodehouse became the first female professor in Bristol University in 1920

versity of Bristol PGCE Partnership.

The partnership trains 200 graduates a year as secondary school teachers.

But we are also now piloting new and innovative pathways for teacher training. We believe our long-standing commitment to the highest standards of teacher training, combined with our role in cutting-edge research, have placed us in a uniquely strong position to do this.

“Generally, these new approaches involve schools having increasingly greater control over the training process.

“For example, we are currently working with secondary schools who have been officially designated with a special role in training teachers (referred to as teaching schools) to combine their experience of classroom-based practice with our research-based specialist input. Our aim here is to offer outstanding bespoke training and experience within schools for our new trainees, combining the best of both worlds – in terms of excellent classroom-based practice and excellent research-based understanding.”

The graduate school has also collaborated with Teach First, a national teacher training charity which places highly-qualified graduates into schools serving areas of relatively high deprivation.

The organisation began operating

in Bristol for the first time this month, with 32 Teach First graduates working in 18 secondary and primary schools in the city.

Dr Howard-Jones said: “This is an exciting new initiative for the region and for us, and will enable us to remain at the forefront of teacher training in this area.”

On the challenges for the future, the neuroscience and education masters course co-ordinator said: “It is really important that we find ways of informing schools about the new and exciting opportunities that may exist for collaboration.

“Also, we have to ensure those who may be considering a teaching career are aware of the range of different pathways to their new profession that are opening up.

“Through collaboration with schools, we aim to apply the highest standards we have achieved in teacher education and training to develop new training pathways for teachers which are increasingly school-centred but also fully-informed by the expertise of a research-intensive university.

“In short, our target is to work with schools to produce excellent teachers.”

Above, trainee teachers at the school in 1921

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Timeline 1913 Senate instigated the creation of a single Teachers Training Board at the university 1920 Professor Helen Wodehouse becomes the first female professor in the university 1921 Wodehouse pioneers the use of continuous assessment on the Diploma of Education 1947 Bristol Institute of Education is formed at the University – creating a hub for teacher education providers in the West of England 1950s High quality initial teacher education, further professional studies, higher degrees and research attracts international and regional students 1960s Bristol supports through research and teaching the development of comprehensive education 1970s Bristol pioneers analyses of professionalism and school organisation 1980s Bristol develops comparative education and international partnerships 1990s The first doctorate in Education in the UK is established at the Graduate School of Education 2000s Initial teacher education at Bristol is consistently rated by Ofsted as “excellent”

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14 INDEPENDENT EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Schools aim to inspire our future engineers with Marc Rath looks at how schools and colleges bring maths, science, technology and engineering to life

Chancellor George Osborne visits the Bloodhound project earlier this month at Avonmouth PICTURE: SIMON GALLOWAY

It’s widely known that there is a dearth of skilled scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians in the UK. People with talent in those fields are in high demand but there is a shortage of students leaving schools, colleges and universities with the relevant knowledge and skills.

Gearing students up with the experience and competencies is a major challenge for education chiefs, who have been warned that the buoyancy of the nation’s economy could even hinge on the next generation of STEM-skilled staff.

Schools and colleges across the Bristol area are placing a far larger emphasis on teaching the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths than they did 10 years ago.

The biggest task facing them in their attempt to prepare youngsters for a career in a technical field is ensuring what can be considered dry or dull subjects are engaging, inspiring and exciting.

But in an area known for its rich engineering history (Brunel and aerospace industries in Filton) Bristol offers a wealth of opportunities to bring the subject matter to life and bridge the gap between text books and the world of work.

And the ties between Bristol and engineering have grown even

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‘The school concluded that it would need to do something dramatic and decided that space exploration was something which would exceed all expectations’ Simon Botten, head teacher at Blackhorse Primary School, South Gloucestershire The experiment, which coincided with Engineering Week in June, was part of the school’s drive to encourage more youngsters to develop a love of engineering, physics and maths.

Pupils sent a 10cm model of Gromit to the edge of space in a balloon while a camera filmed the epic journey.

When the model reached the edge of space, the balloon burst, leaving brave Gromit to parachute back down to earth.

The recording of Gromit’s amazing adventure was emailed back to the school where pupils were eagerly awaiting news.

The school’s head teacher Simon Botten told the Bristol Post at the time: “Blackhorse Primary recognises that it is essential for Bristol and the UK to maintain its position as a world leader in engineering and we believe that this starts by igniting a spark of interest at a young age.

“The school concluded that it would need to do something dramatic to inspire a new generation of engineers, physicists and math-

ematicians and decided that space exploration was something which would exceed all expectations.

“We want to teach the children that engineering, maths and science can quite literally take you anywhere. How better to prove this than by showing our children that with an understanding of science and technology and a bit of ingenuity, it is possible to send something into space.”

Getting older pupils interested in STEM subjects has been expertly handled by Fairfield High School in Horfield. The secondary was handed the title of “best STEM school in the Bristol and Bath region” in 2012.

It is one of the only schools to offer an exclusive maths week featuring puzzles, competitions, prizes and games which is run throughout the curriculum, ensuring links with other subjects are strengthened while encouraging pupils to identify the underlying role maths plays in a wider context.

To keep the subject matter engaging to pupils, the school even invited a theatre company into school. The production from Living Learning on number patterns and “magic” numbers was so successful it will be repeated next summer.

Abbeywood and Bradley Stoke Community Schools are hoping to make the most of their links with the new UTC nearby.

Dave Baker, executive head of the schools, said: “Both schools are already working in partnership with the UTC through the Concorde Partnership (a collaboration between Bradley Stoke, Abbeywood and Patchway schools along with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College), to ensure that students from all institutions have access to the broadest possible range of specialist teaching and lear ning.

“We hope that by working in partnership, students studying STEM-based curriculum at the UTC will be able to access other subjects in one of the other centres to ensure individual students can play to their strengths and, the other way around, that students based in one of the schools or SGS College can pick up a specialist STEM-based subject not on offer in their institution to add to their other subjects.”

Sam Kent, assistant head at Abbeywood, said the school had noticed a growing interest in sciences and maths at A-level, with physics becoming more popular than it was in the past. To enrich subjects, students have been on visits to both universities

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stronger over the past few years, with the creation of the Bristol & Bath Science Park in Emersons Green and the opening of the region’s first University Technical College (UTC) earlier this month in Stoke Gifford.

The Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy caters for students aged 14 to 19 hoping to land a career in engineering.

Over the last 12 months, schools and colleges in Bristol have helped their students learn about STEM subjects in a huge variety of ways, making lessons fun while forging links with other educational establishments and businesses along the way.

Earlier this year at Blackhorse Primary in Emersons Green, Aardman Animations’ character Gromit was sent into the stratosphere in a project which made the school the first primary in the country to embark on space exploration.

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Pupils from Bristol schools take a hands-on approach to learning with the Future Brunels programme at the ss Great Britain, which aims to inspire children to take up maths, science and engineering PICTURE: DAVE BETTS

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STEM subjects ‘that could take them anywhere’

Left, Principal Rhian Priest and staff prepare to welcome students on the first day at the Bristol Technology and Engineering College earlier this month; right, Alex Long, 14, Domenical Greco, 14, and Oliver Craig, 16, add the final touches to their tower during a practical session at the new Bristol Technology and Engineering Academy in Stoke Gifford, South Gloucestershire PICTURES: DAVE BETTS

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in the city and engineering companies including Rolls-Royce.

Another piece of engineering inspiration on the doorsteps of Bristol schools and colleges is the Bloodhound, a project which aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers through breaking the world land speed record.

Yesterday, television and radio presenter Kate Bellingham, ambassador for the Bloodhound project, presented prizes to the girls of Redland High School during their annual prize-giving ceremony at Bristol University. Jennie Han, who completed her A levels at the school earlier this year received three prizes, including the Peter Breach Award for achievement in science.

At Red Maids’ School in Westbury-on-Trym, five sixth form students took part in an engineering education scheme run by GKN Aerospace earlier this year. It was also the first school in the South West to take part in an international physics investigation known as HiSparc. Working with Bristol University, the school’s students have built a particle de-

tector to capture data on the origin of millions of cosmic rays that fall into Earth’s atmosphere.

In November, the school is taking a group of sixth form students to the Cern Particle Physics Facilities in Geneva, Switzerland.

Chris Watson, the school’s head of science, said: “In general, we adopt a practical-based approach to science throughout the school, firmly believing that this is the way to engage, inspire and retain the interest of the students.”

At St Brendan’s College and Sixth Form in Brislington, students taking a physics A level will enter a national robotics competition this year.

Teams from Southampton, Bristol, Oxford and Munich are competing, with expensive equipment for the competition being provided by Motorola. Sixth formers at the college will also get the chance to develop robots entirely from component parts, giving them the chance to learn advanced robotics skills, including soldering, circuit board design, integrated circuit power management, and software development.

Open Morning Wednesday 18 September 2013 9.45am–12.00pm

Founded 1707

Educating Children for over 300 years

PREP SCHOOL OPEN MORNING Saturday 5th October 10am - 12 noon

SENIOR SCHOOL OPEN MORNING Saturday 12th October 10am - 12 noon

Whole School

Open Evening Friday 4 October 2013 4.00pm–8.00pm

To book your place or to request a prospectus, please call Hollie Skerritt on 0117 933 9885.

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Learning

Life changing

For further information please contact Mrs Gayle Webb Tel: 01985 210160 Email: admissions@warminsterschool.org.uk

WDP-E01-S3 16 EDUCATION: MEET THE HEADS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

GILLIAN ROWCLIFFE

ISABEL TOBIAS

MARTIN MORRIS

STEPHEN HOLLIDAY

CAROLINE BATESON

Caring environment where Consistent provision of personalities blossom excellence in all areas

Outward looking school’s classroom is wider world

Character nurtured and boys prepared for life

Pupils are encouraged to develop their self-esteem

Red Maids’ Junior School’s aim is simple: to provide the very best start to your daughter’s education.

We provide a warm and caring environment where personalities and friendships blossom and the girls’ academic and other achievements are celebrated.

The school’s many excellent qualities were fully endorsed when the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate visited recently. This is a wonderful accolade from fellow teaching professionals but the feedback we regularly receive from our parents and the girls themselves must surely be the most meaningful.

A constant theme comes through in their observations and compliments – the school’s ability to nurture and develop the girls’ confidence; energy and teaching commitment are always recognised, as are the extensive range of extracurricular activities which help to broaden the girls’ interests.

Our school has space for up to 120 pupils starting from Year 3, who are organised into six classes. There is an assessment for entrance to the school when your daughter spends a day here so that we can get to know each other.

On joining, new girls are looked after by “big girls” and the importance of kindness towards others, good manners, respecting people’s property and the environment are highlighted each week during a whole school discussion.

We follow National Curriculum guidelines for the core of our academic coursework and our Key Stage 2 SAT results are consistently high, last year ranking us the best performing prep school in the West (according to the Sunday Times). We enhance our timetable, however, with the teaching of other subjects such as Mandarin.

Taking part in outdoor activities such as climbing, caving, and kayaking is a key feature of our extra-curricular programme. Our trips to Kilve Court and the Mendip Outdoor Pursuits centre are almost legendary and the girls visibly grow in confidence from the effort and experience of applying themselves in these alternative settings.

Coupled with lots of musical fun and competitive sports built into their everyday lives, our girls turn out to be well-rounded, poised and above all happy.

The usual entry points into Red Maids’ Junior School are in Years 3 and 5. To arrange a visit, contact Mrs Lynn McCabe on 0117 962 9451 or l_mccabe@redmaids.bristol.sch.uk

QEH Junior School has proved immensely popular in Bristol with boys and their parents.

QEH Junior School headmaster Martin Morris says: “Such is the popularity of QEH Juniors that last year we expanded it from our original 75 pupils to over 100.”

He continues: “Although QEH only opened the Junior School in 2007, it has remained small enough to guarantee a happy, enriched educational experience for the boys.

We share the strong ethos and values of the Senior School while retaining our own individual identity.

“A key aim is to develop each boy’s personal qualities, provide a sound foundation for his future, and ensure that every boy leaves recognising himself as a lifelong learner. We are particularly keen to break out from the traditional idea of the four-walled classroom, and make our ‘classroom’ the wider world.”

Mr Morris believes that QEH Junior School is unique, with Brandon Hill and the outstanding facilities of Bristol culture and education right on its doorstep: fostering a deep love of learning while nurturing the interests and talents of boys is readily achievable.

“In Years 4, 5 and 6 our teaching is subject-based which prepares our 40 Year 6 boys to move on to QEH Seniors, secure in knowledge and understanding of the complexities of the world around them,” he continues.

Its pastoral care and standards of academic excellence are strong, and equally high standards in drama, sport and music mean a top-quality well-rounded education for the boys.

In recent years the swimming, rugby and football teams have reached the national finals in the respective sports, and this winter the school will be performing at The Tobacco Factory as part of the Shakespeare Festival.

The school has developed the unique “QE Award” – a junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Boys engage in extracurricular activities including public performance, community work and physical recreation, as well as expeditions and camps.

A further popular feature of QEH Juniors is that it offers pre and after-school care until 6pm. Mr Morris invites prospective parents to visit or come to the Junior School open morning on Saturday, October 12, which starts promptly in the QEH Theatre at 10am.

For more information or a prospectus, visit www.qehbristol.co.uk, email admissions@qehbristol.co.uk or telephone Carolyn Matthews, admissions registrar, to arrange a visit on 0117 930 3068.

Stephen Holliday, headmaster of QEH Bristol for more than 13 years, has a clear understanding of his school.

He says: “QEH was founded in 1590 and today thrives with 670 boys aged seven to 18. Along with being the top-performing day school in Bristol, QEH is firmly among leading academic schools nationally.

Most boys go to top universities or medical schools, including 10 per cent to Oxford and Cambridge.”

He continues: “If we measured achievement only in terms of league tables, QEH would have much to celebrate. Fortunately, most people understand that league tables are blunt instruments and assessing what makes a good school is far more complicated than counting exam passes.

“Good schools build character.

That is easy to say, tricky to define and even more difficult to achieve.

Character is formed through adventure and fortitude, through integrity and values, and is rooted in a sense of self-worth. Exam success: that is a by-product of a school where building character comes first.

“At QEH staff nurture character and go on to prepare boys for life beyond the school. I like to think we build character from the very beginning, whether that starts in Year 3 or Year 7 or Year 9.

“We promote the importance of good values, we produce the young men who know themselves, who respect and help others and who have opinions. Incidentally, our exam results are also spectacularly good.”

QEH offers scholarships in sport and music. Come and meet the headmaster on open morning which, for Seniors, is on Saturday, October 5, starting at 10am.

Entry is by assessment, usually at 7, 11, 13 or 16 although occasionally vacancies occur in other year groups.

For more information or a prospectus, visit www.qehbristol.co.uk, email admissions@qehbristol.co.uk or telephone Carolyn Matthews, admissions registrar, to arrange a visit on 0117 930 3068.

Caroline Bateson BA MA has a commitment to academic excellence as well as involvement in every aspect of school life including pastoral care, extra-curricular activities, liaising with parents and strategic planning. She is an Independent Schools Inspector.

Redland High School caters for girls aged 3-18 and accepts a wide range of academic ability, from the gifted to those needing extra support to achieve their potential.

The size of the Junior Section, 150 pupils, means that from the start of Lower Foundation through to Year 6, the girls have the advantage of being in a sheltered and protected environment where there is a strong sense of community.

Some join at age three and others spend just one or two years in the Junior School before progressing to the Senior School. Means-tested bursaries are available for entry in those years.

There is a myriad of extracurricular activity on offer in both the Junior and Senior School and Redland High encourages pupils to take part so that they can find their strengths and develop the selfesteem so essential for effective learning. Music is a particular strength of the school.

In the Senior School there are scholarship entrance examinations for entry into Years 7 and 9. Meanstested bursaries are available for entry into all years of the Senior School and Years 5 and 6 of the Junior School. Academic achievement is high: this summer again A level and GCSE results were outstanding. Mrs Bateson thinks that the school’s undoubted proficiency in supporting all its pupils comes from excellent teaching and having a school of optimum size: large enough to make a considerable subject choice viable but small enough for each individual pupil to be nurtured.

Mrs Bateson believes that education involves going beyond the classroom and she encourages the girls to be busy and active at all levels, through the house system, through support for charity work and by participating in the many school trips on offer. “It makes them more interesting people and by taking pupils outside their comfort zone in a supported way, we help them to grow into mature and responsible adults, ready to go to university with the confidence that they will thrive,” she says.

For more information about Redland High School for Girls, visit www.redlandhigh.com or telephone 0117 924 5796 and ask to speak to the admissions secretary. Visiting morning Tuesday, September 24, 9.30am start, open morning October 19, 9.15am start. No appointments necessary.

Red Maids’ Senior School is an independent school that provides excellence in all areas – a fact that has been officially endorsed by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate.

The students’ results in this summer’s public examinations are further proof of our long and consistent track record in steering girls to the highest levels of academic and other achievement.

In fact our GCSE, A level and International Baccalaureate Diploma students excelled, firmly positioning Red Maids’ in the top 100 schools nationally in respect of examination outcomes and as the best-performing day school for girls in Bristol.

The girls who come to Red Maids’ leave having achieved their learning goals and being able to move confidently on to the next stage of their education and lives. The very large majority of our students convert offers into acceptances at their first choice university, most of them Russell Group institutions.

Achieving the best exam results you might think is a given fact if you are paying for education, but all schools are different and the key is finding the one in which your daughter can happily attain success and go beyond what she might otherwise have achieved.

At Red Maids’ our ambition is clear: to help able girls gain excellent qualifications. We create an atmosphere where everyone feels valued and respected and we teach the essential skills of independent thinking and study which help them achieve their best at school and prepare them for life beyond.

A key feature of a Red Maids’ education is the exceptional range of extra-curricular clubs and activities which give students different outlets for their energy, stretch their talents and help broaden their horizons.

We cherish our status as an independent school which brings many benefits, not least the freedom to select the courses that we feel are best for our students’ education.

This led us to introduce IGCSEs and the IB Diploma and we have seen the girls rise successfully to the challenge.

At Red Maids’ you will find a family friendly atmosphere. We value the relationship with our parents and Friends and while our tremendous history is remembered, we adopt modern practices that enable parents to stay close to their daughters as they grow and learn.

Red Maids’ autumn admissions programme includes a number of visiting events for entry in Years 7, 9 and the sixth form.

For details, contact Liz Bamber on 0117 989 8252 or e_bamber@ redmaids.bristol.sch.uk

WDP-E01-S3

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 EDUCATION: MEET THE HEADS 17

JONATHAN EYLES

HELEN DAVY

DR STEVEN CONNORS

PETER HUCKLE

RODERICK MACKINNON

Girls enabled to become independent learners

Sense of community and fostering of ‘can-do’ spirit

Helping students to fulfil their potential since 1614

Buzz about happy school bound together by singing

Our ethos: friendship, learning and adventure

Jonathan Eyles BEd has an energetic and motivational approach to leading Redland High Junior School, having taught children across the age range and with specialist knowledge of many different aspects of junior education, including pastoral care, numeracy, literacy, IT and physical education.

As an independent schools team inspector, Mr Eyles also has indepth experience of best practice from other schools.

Above all, Mr Eyles has established a strong reputation as a dynamic and exciting classroom teacher and his commitment to ensuring that children in his charge are encouraged to express their natural curiosity and supported to feel confident in their growing skills is evident.

There is a myriad of extracurricular activity on offer in the junior school and Mr Eyles firmly encourages each pupil to try at least one of them each term.

He believes that: “A good school is a happy, caring and purposeful place where individuals gain the confidence to express themselves to reach their full potential in a structured and disciplined environment.”

The size of Redland High Junior School, with 150 pupils, means that we know each child extremely well.

From the start of Lower Foundation through to Year 6, girls here have the advantage of being in an environment where there is a strong sense of community.

Mr Eyles explains: “Some of our girls join at age three and continue at Redland High until they are 18.

Others join the junior school for just one or two years in readiness to move into our senior school.

“We are committed to our pupils’ successful progress, right through to our senior school; understanding their individual personalities, stretching them to achieve their very best, helping them to discover the joys of learning and instilling good habits of self-discipline, integrity, courtesy and honesty.

“Through happiness and security, the girls gain high self-esteem, enabling them to become independent learners.”

Means-tested bursaries are available for girls to enter Redland High Junior School in Years 5 and 6.

Visiting morning is on Tuesday, September 24, and open morning on Saturday, October 19.

For further details, call 0117 924 5796, or see www.redlandhigh.com

Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls (HMSG), together with its prep school, Inglefield House, is a school filled with energy, happiness and a sense that girls can achieve extraordinary things with the support and encouragement of staff and fellow pupils.

With a mixture of day and boarding pupils aged seven to 18, HMSG creates a real sense of community. The school aims to provide the finest education possible, believing education not to be a means to an end but rather a process of enlightening, of opening minds and of enriching experiences.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the William Jones’s Schools Foundation, four special scholarships worth 40 per cent of the boarding or day fees will be awarded for academic, sporting or musical ability at 11+ and 13+ entry in September 2014.

Academic results are impressive, with 100 per cent pass rate at A level now a regular achievement and the vast majority of girls achieving places in their first choice university to read subjects as diverse as medicine, law, languages and economics.

Close links with our sibling, Monmouth School, provides a dynamic sixth form experience with seminar-style classes in preparation for university. Our new sixth form boarding house, Augusta House, opened last September, further eases the transition between school and university.

But HMSG offers much more than just grades. Whether a pupil’s passion is for sport, music, drama, photography, dance or CCF, the school will encourage her to reach the highest standard.

It nurtures a “can-do” spirit, facilitating the girls’ growing selfconfidence. At all ages, your daughter will be encouraged to take personal responsibility, to encounter challenge, to think for herself and to understand service to the community.

Boys flourish at Monmouth School with its long tradition of knowing how they develop best. In every area they are thriving: academically, in the arts, on the sports fields and on the river.

We achieved our best ever A level results this summer with 61 per cent A*/A grades; results which placed us in the top 100 independent schools in the country, the top ten boys’ boarding schools and above all our local competitors.

It is a school for boys that operates in close co-operation with our partner girls’ school, Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls, giving all the benefits of that academic and social collaboration, while being able to focus on the needs of boys in an environment developed around their particular learning styles.

Boys prosper here through academic tracking and pastoral engagement. At sixth form level we operate in close co-operation with HMSG, giving boys, as they prepare for university, the best of both worlds.

Day pupils benefit from our longestablished boarding community, operating seven days a week, with a large number of clubs and activities.

In Tatler’s School Guide, 2013, our fees were rated as “among the best value in the country”.

Previously, the school was acclaimed as Best British Boarding School of the year at the Archant Good Schools Show in London’s Olympia – national recognition for what we do to nurture boys.

Monmouth School also has an enviable national reputation on the sporting circuits, but we also run B, C and D teams, giving all boys a chance to develop.

Founded in 1614, Monmouth School celebrates its 400th anniversary next year. A programme of significant investment over ten years has created state-of-the-art facilities, but the school’s ethos grows out of its history and is shaped by the people who teach and study here.

Our pupils bring much of the character of the school through the gates with them; when they leave we hope we have broadened their aspirational horizons, made them confident about their abilities, though not arrogant, and ready to commit themselves to a future which will be of benefit to themselves as well as contribute to the welfare of others.

As I show parents around our school, Bristol Grammar Infants and Juniors, the comment I hear most often is that they sense a “buzz” about the place.

Because I’m privileged to work among our young students on a daily basis, I know that the buzz these visitors experience is generated by talented, able, interested children who are excited about, and engaged with, what’s going on both in their classrooms and in the wide variety of other cocurricular activities which are on offer to them.

During this past year, the buzz was particularly evident when we were awarded a Platinum “Sing-Up” award in recognition of the way that singing permeates every aspect of our school life: the judge referred to it as the “glue” that binds together a happy school.

There was a similar buzz when the Lord Mayor of Bristol came to visit and the children were so demonstrably proud to share what they were doing with someone they recognised as a special visitor and an important figure in the life of their city.

Finally, there was not just a metaphorical, but a real, buzz about the school during our special Wildlife Week when our students were able to gain first-hand experience of bugs and beasties of all types.

Exciting, surprising, risky, challenging: learning at BGS Infants and Juniors is all of these things.

Put quite simply, though, we believe the best learning of all is the sort of learning you don’t want to stop – and that’s what really creates a buzz.

There are three words which sum up the approach that I and my colleagues take to the education of the children who join Bristol Grammar School – and they are friendship, learning and adventure.

By friendship, we mean far more than simply having good “mates”; rather, it’s about helping our students develop the sort of networks which mean that they feel comfortable and valued within a supportive community.

Our definition of learning is something that is life-long and focused on understanding, not just knowledge.

We are always delighted with examination success but it is capturing the imagination of our students that really drives our teachers and which secures the long-term prospects of our students after they leave us.

And finally, adventure: the suggestion that we cannot always know the outcome of projects on which we embark. Whether it’s in the science lab, the theatre, on the sports field or the mountain-top, we believe there is huge excitement in a degree of uncertainty and great educational value in learning to deal with it rather than being daunted or limited by it.

Working with this ethos, we see happy and fulfilled young adults leaving our gates who, to be sure, have some of the best examination results in the city.

But more than this bare marker of success – and, I would argue, the reason for it – we also observe the confidence, self-knowledge and positive attitude which will ensure they continue to thrive in whatever careers they choose to pursue.

WDP-E01-S3 18 EDUCATION: MEET THE HEADS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

DAVE BAKER

JENNY SUTTON KIRBY

JUDITH MEE

JANE MILLICENT

CATHERINE HUGHES

Exam success paves way for even more progress

Outstanding behaviour contributes to learning

Vibrant establishment with high expectations

Staff and pupils’ teamwork Students are encouraged is the key to success to strive for excellence

Abbeywood Community School and Bradley Stoke Community School have been working together within the Olympus Academy Trust (OAT) – whose executive head teacher is Dave Baker – since January 2013, building on a partnership which was in place during 2012.

The exam results this summer demonstrated that OAT’s aim to create consistency and share best practice between its schools through a shared leadership structure is starting to pay dividends.

A-level results were the best ever in both schools, with some amazing individual performances and a clear benefit from working within the Concorde Partnership, with Patchway Community College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College for shared timetable and courses at Key Stage 4 and post-16.

However, the real progress was evident at GCSE, where results in both schools showed the greatest improvement within the whole of South Gloucestershire and bucked a national downward trend.

Abbeywood recorded by far its best ever results, with 60 per cent of students achieving the gold standard of at least five GCSEs, including English and maths, at grades A*-C, and 83 per cent achieving at least five A*-C grades (compared with 47 per cent and 78 per cent in 2012).

Bradley Stoke bounced back after suffering from a maths problem in 2012 to record creditable scores of 66 per cent achieving at least five GCSEs, including English and maths, at grades A*-C, and 91 per cent achieving at least five A*-C grades (compared with 58 per cent and 92 per cent in 2012).

These results place both schools among the highest performers in South Gloucestershire and pave the way for further increases next year and beyond.

We are fortunate to have strong governance at both school and academy trust level, which was commented on by Ofsted earlier this year, and there is a clear sense of purpose and ambition in both schools to improve the educational experiences and outcomes for young people in the local area.

At Bradley Stoke Community School we are proud of the way in which we constantly update our teaching methods and curriculum in order to meet the needs and reflect the aspirations of our students.

The recent Ofsted report (April 2013) highlights the positive approach to learning that we foster in our young people.

The report said: “Students are motivated by enthusiastic teachers, who have strong subject knowledge and use a variety of teaching methods and resources to help the students to learn and achieve well.”

We are constantly challenging ourselves to ensure we know and develop each student as an individual, and the Ofsted inspectors added: “Teachers know how well each student is doing and provide additional challenge when they think students could do better.”

Behaviour in school is outstanding and this clearly contributes to both the academic and social learning that takes place in and out of the classroom. The report said: “Students’ behaviour is outstanding and they feel very safe.

They have an excellent understanding of the school’s high expectations of behaviour and students’ attitudes to others are first rate.”

We actively engage with parents/ carers and endeavour to achieve effective, supportive relationships which can be built on through our open, frequent and honest communication.

We work hard to provide opportunities for our students to be involved in community work, such as charity fundraising and an enviable range of enrichment activities, including sports, cultural and arts activities.

We are keen that they are fully engaged and equipped to think about and shape their own opinions about issues affecting local, national and global communities.

Ofsted noted that: “Provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and ensures that students develop into highly informed and reflective young people.”

We also encourage our students to make sure their voice is heard, not only in lessons but in respect of wider school matters.

We strive to always make learning fun and challenging and are dedicated to developing students who are the embodiment of our vision and values; independent, well-rounded, compassionate, tolerant, creative and confident young people.

For further information, call 01454 868840, or see www.bradleystokecs.org.uk

Abbeywood Community School is thriving under its membership of the Olympus Academy Trust. It is a vibrant, exciting and safe learning environment. Staff, students and governors are confident that the improvement, validated by Ofsted monitoring visits, is sustainable.

Ofsted commented on “the drive, vision and effective support” of the leadership as “central to the improvements before and after academy conversion”.

We have “raised the bar,” with consistently high expectations about behaviour, appearance and the development of successful learners.

Ofsted said: “Staff and students confirm that the school is a calm and purposeful community.” This has been fundamental to the remarkable 2013 GCSE and A-level results. In June, Ofsted said: “Improvements in students’ attainment and progress are the result of better teaching.”

I am very proud of the school’s growing reputation for enabling students of all abilities to reach their potential. Our talented and motivated staff provide high quality learning experiences and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

More than £7,000 was raised for charity during the last academic year, a testimony to the consideration for others and generosity of our school community.

We have a very proactive Friends of Abbeywood Community School (a rarity for a secondary school), termly Parent Forum meetings and an Alumni Association, all making valuable contributions to the development of the school.

Outstanding teaching and learning will take the school to the next level, ensuring our students develop life-long learning skills and have high aspirations for university and employment.

We are determined to improve our links with local businesses and prepare our students for life in a competitive, global economy. Ofsted noted the progress: “The culture of aspiration, greater expectation and participation by staff and students is firmly established.”

For further information, call 0117 307 5660, or see www.abbeywoodschool.com

Since her time at Patchway Community College, Jane Millicent has moved the school to further and further success, as recognised by last year’s “good” Ofsted grading.

She says: “Patchway Community College is a fantastic place to be part of, and I am very proud to be the head teacher of a school which is so successful and caring and which provides such good opportunities for students.”

Ofsted inspectors in October 2012 said: “The passion of the head teacher, supported by leaders and staff, is ensuring that there is a continuous drive for improvement,” and that “regardless of their starting points, ability or special educational needs, all groups of students make better progress than their peers nationally”.

Jane Millicent adds: “I am especially proud of the progress of students during their time at Patchway, whatever their ability.

Staff personalise their lessons to the needs of each student so that all can achieve their best and help to secure their best possible future.”

Patchway’s Ofsted report also praised the learning environment. It said: “Students behave well, feel safe and are happy to learn,” and that “students have a very positive attitude towards their learning and want to achieve”.

Mrs Millicent further reflected on the Ofsted visit, commenting that the report highlighted that “effective teamwork fosters good relationships within the school and is a feature of its success”.

She said: “Teamwork is such a central part of our ethos. Our success is achieved through genuine partnership between enthusiastic students, dedicated and inspirational teachers and supportive parents, with good relationships at the heart of all we do.”

Patchway Community College open evening is on September 24, with talks from the head teacher at 6.15pm and 7.15pm. For further information, call 01454 862020, or see www.patchwaycc.com

If you are looking for a great education for your child within a Christian environment, you need look no further than St Bede’s Catholic College. It is my privilege to be principal of this wonderful place of learning.

The secondary school a child attends is likely to leave a lasting impression, so choosing the right one is probably one of the most important decisions parents will make.

There is much information available about schools which can be helpful, but there is no substitute for visiting and absorbing the culture and climate of a particular place of learning.

St Bede’s has much to offer parents who seek for their child an excellent education based on Christian values, within a thriving community.

The climate for learning is outstanding. Visitors comment on a calm and industrious environment, where it is evident that all young people are valued, stimulated and challenged to develop their talents to the full, whatever their ability.

They are encouraged to strive for excellence in all that they do so that they reach the highest academic, spiritual and personal standards of which they are capable.

Achievement and effort are valued and celebrated. There are numerous co-curricular opportunities which further enable our young people to develop their self-worth, esteem, confidence and independence.

The reputation of the college locally and nationally is excellent.

Ofsted judged the college to be “outstanding” and this can be evidenced throughout.

Our sixth form, offering a range of AS and A levels, opened in September and, when fully established, has the capacity for 200 students. Although a number of these will come from St Bede’s, an admission number of 20 has been set for young people from other institutions. Students in the sixth form benefit from the wellstructured learning environment and are inspired to develop their gifts and talents so that they become well-rounded and well-grounded adults.

Examination results place the college among the top-performing schools in the country and clearly this will be an important aspect of parents’ decision-making when looking at secondary level education. As important as exams are, education at St Bede’s is about much more than results, which you will find when you visit this vibrant community and meet our children and staff.

For further information, call 0117 377 2200, or see www.stbedescatholic colle ge.org

WDP-E01-S3

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 EDUCATION: MEET THE HEADS 19

GILL KELLY

MATT BUTLER

VICTORIA BOOMER

LYNN MERILION

CHRIS WADE

Thirst for learning caught and horizons extended

Developing set of values for success at every turn

We want every young person to reach their best

All the support needed to make next step forward

Developing students with the drive to achieve goals

Being the principal of Bristol’s first academy, City Academy, is a privilege and an honour. In this year, the tenth anniversary of our establishment, we are celebrating continued improvements in educational experiences and outcomes for our students.

Some of the highlights this summer include Adam Smith securing his place at Wadham College, Oxford University, to study physics and Sunchi Chen achieving six A*s, four As and AS mathematics, as well as many other students who are going on to their chosen pathway to further success.

The reward I get from seeing children flourish is the reason I came into education. I left my job as an art gallery manager to join the teaching profession, as my values are firmly rooted in my sense of responsibility to others.

I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work in a rich, diverse community, which exemplifies focus, ambition, growth and vitality every day. Students achieve here, and this is not strictly in the realm of academic achievement. Young people are given opportunities to grow and doors are opened to new beginnings.

It is a distinct advantage to be working in the locality of Easton and Lawrence Hill as aspirations to succeed are very high. Students want to learn and we make sure that we capture that thirst for learning and extend their horizons.

We only have three rules at the City Academy; take care of yourself, take care of each other and take care of this place. We use them to drive our expectations both within the school and outside, and they are the values we return to when a decision is to be made.

This is a single-minded community of staff and students which puts no limits on possibilities when it comes to education.

I am proud to be the principal and look forward to the next ten years of success.

For further information, call 0117 941 3800, or see www.cityacademybristol.org

On the back of our outstanding results in 2012 and 2013, which saw Oasis Academy Brightstowe as the most improved school in the country 2012, we are building a reputation which is richly deserved as being one of the leading academic institutions in Bristol.

Our vision is “students with the confidence and range of skills to stand as equals in any circle and for any opportunity”. The students’ academic results are fundamental to this, but we work just as hard to ensure that our students are well rounded, confident and carry a set of values which will help them succeed in any situation.

We have excellent teachers, supported by a fantastic team at Brightstowe and I am proud of every one of them. They work as a team to ensure that we maximise the students’ time in lessons.

However, we achieve success because we push our students to want success for themselves and to have personal drive, ambition, focus and diligence. These life skills are as important in school as they are afterwards.

We have a vibrant and successful extra-curricular scene with our sports academies boasting impressive wins, especially in rowing and rugby. The music at Brightstowe is a feature of life and the concerts and musicals we put on are enjoyed by all.

Most of all, Brightstowe is an academy where every child is known and understood. Our pioneering and outstanding “Base” for Year 7 begins that journey and then our house system, with a highly qualified pastoral team, ensures that no child is forgotten and our inclusion team, led by a qualified educational psychologist ensures we have world-class interventions and support for those that need it.

We have high aspirations for all our students and we are proving that the future is bright at Brightstowe.

For further information, call 0117 316 7330, or see www.oasisacademybrightstowe.org

It is an incredible privilege to be the principal of Oasis Academy John Williams in Hengrove. Our passion is for learning and our aim is simple; we want every young person to achieve their personal best, whatever their talents or ambitions.

Set in the belief that everyone is capable of remarkable success, we strive to deliver an outstanding, enjoyable and relevant education for all.

Since opening in 2008, our results have improved year on year. From 18 per cent in 2008, this year 52 per cent of our Year 11 students achieved five A*-C grades, including English and maths, and 97 per cent achieved five A*-C GCSE grades.

In Year 13, we secured a 100 per cent pass rate, with 78 per cent achieving A-B grades at A-level.

Both our GCSE and A-level results are testimony to the hard work, commitment and determination of our entire community – students, parents and staff.

When Ofsted visited in January 2013, inspectors recognised the progress we had made, judging us to be a “good” school with “outstanding” leadership and management. The report specifically noted the accelerated improvement in results, the high standards of teaching and learning, the high expectation for students’ work and behaviour and our determination and capacity to continue to improve.

Inspectors described our academy as a calm and purposeful school, which is a friendly and welcoming place for staff, students and visitors alike. The team also praised the way that students get on well together and are courteous and polite.

This September we welcomed more than 160 students into Year 7 and we are full in both the current Year 7 and 8.

Proud to be in state-of-the-art buildings, we work hard to capitalise on the opportunities presented. From our fully equipped theatre to the professional dance studios, industry-standard TV and radio studios and fitness centre, we encourage all of our students to access the widest range of experiences.

We also create opportunities outside the formal education setting, which during this year include a ski trip to France, an art and languages trip to Barcelona and an Auschwitz visit, in addition to our more local and national experiences.

I understand that, as a parent, choosing a school for your child is one of the most difficult and important decisions you will make.

For information about open events, call 01275 832883, or see www.oasisacademyjohnwilliams.org

At City of Bristol College, we have one goal, which is to help our students succeed. With more than 30,000 learners on more than 1,000 different courses, students are at the centre of everything we do. Our core values of integrity, respect for each other and pride in teamworking underpin all activities to make sure that students can reach their full potential and achieve their career goals.

With five main centres in Bristol and partnerships with a number of community venues, courses are offered at 29 locations across the city to ensure that people can access learning wherever they live.

There are nearly 2,000 students studying on apprenticeship programmes, making the college one of the largest further education providers of apprenticeships in England.

We offer some of the best teaching and training facilities in the region, with fully-equipped learning resource centres, excellent IT facilities and specialist training workshops and classrooms. We also offer advice and guidance to help students decide their next step, whether that’s employment, university or further education.

Whichever path they choose, our students benefit from excellent personal support while gaining the skills and qualifications for their future career.

I have been the principal at the college for just over a year now, and it’s an exciting time for the college as we undergo a period of transformation to refocus on our teaching, learning and student experience. I’m looking forward to continuing my work with staff and students to take the college from strength to strength.

Open events are held throughout the year. For details and for more information, call 0117 312 5000, or see www.cityofbristol.ac.uk

As I sit down to write this with only a few days remaining of the summer holidays, I can’t help but start to feel very excited, and a bit nervous, too.

As the newly-appointed head teacher of Nailsea School, the excitement comes from knowing that every day of the new school year will bring new challenges and opportunities for every member of our school community, including me.

The nerves come from wanting to deliver the very best education possible for the young people who come through the doors.

But I am sure the nerves will soon evaporate as I will be in good company. Nailsea School is a special place; it is such a thriving and stimulating community where all staff care deeply about the success of the students and always go the extra mile.

The goal at Nailsea School is clear; to develop young adults who not only have the necessary academic qualifications and employment skills but also the resilience, determination and drive to set and achieve challenging goals.

It is perhaps timely to quote Martin Luther King, Jr, who said: “Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” I couldn’t agree more and that is certainly what we will strive for every day of the school year.

Nailsea School achieved very good exam results this summer (75.9 per cent A*-C at A-level and 66.9 per cent A*-C at GCSE) but we are not content with this and will always look to do better and ensure our students achieve their absolute best.

Part of what makes Nailsea such an incredible place is the vibrant and exciting House Championship, which allows all members of the school to contribute in a wide variety of competitions and develops a healthy competition between students from the different houses.

This culminates in the trophy presentation at the end of the year.

The students, parents, staff and governors are immensely proud of the school and I am looking forward to joining them and the new Year 7s as a new starter and sharing some first day nerves. I just need to remember my pencil case.

For further information, call 01275 852251, or see www.nailsea school.com

WDP-E01-S3 20 EDUCATION: MEET THE HEADS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2013 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

CHRIS SAMMONS

WILLIAM ROBERTS

KIM GARLAND

KIM SPARLING

ALISTAIR PERRY

Students flourish thanks to Building on strengths to our love for learning get best from everyone

High expectations of all our young people

Successful school – but no air of complacency

Supporting, respecting and encouraging pupils

I am now starting my second year as head teacher at St Katherine’s. It’s been an excellent 12 months, ending on a high during the summer break, with our excellent results for both GCSE and A-levels.

I have been extremely impressed by the quality of the teaching, the excellent pastoral care and especially the positive atmosphere in the school.

The range of extra-curricular activities is outstanding, with the majority of students taking part in a club or activity on most days. A choice of sports, classics, IT or international projects adds tremendous value to children’s learning and personal development.

My focus has been to develop all areas of the curriculum, working with our hugely committed teaching staff to ensure that as a lead school for the gifted and talented we offer an inspirational curriculum for all students, across all subjects.

Excellent progress has been made and all year groups are now benefiting from these innovative and challenging learning programmes.

Students flourish at St Katherine’s because of our approach, our commitment and love of learning.

We are leading a European Comenius project – “Culinary Travels Across Europe” – and I have been particularly excited about the partnerships with schools in Poland, Spain, Greece and Italy, as well as our links with Africa, led by the English faculty.

For me personally, it is important that our students continue to achieve excellent results and also continue to learn the values and social skills that will sustain them for the rest of their lives.

As a father of three children, I know how important it is to create a school which is safe, engaging and challenging. In the words of one student: “St Katherine’s is the best place to learn and grow up”.

An open evening is on Thursday, September 19.

For further information, call 01275 372787, or see www.st-katherines.nsomerset.sch.uk

Brimsham Green School is a vibrant and dynamic 11-19 co-educational school, on a large, beautifullylandscaped site in a semi-rural location in Yate, South Gloucestershire.

We aim to develop in our students a life-long passion for learning, and equip them with the ambition, personal skills and academic qualifications to be successful in whatever future pathways they choose beyond sixth form.

All students are supported and challenged to succeed, and we develop in them a work-ethic that enables students to lead fulfilling, successful lives, contributing positively to the lives of others around them.

We have high expectations of all our young people and we encourage every student to achieve more than they thought possible. The curriculum at all key stages is exciting and caters for the full range of learners.

We are proud to celebrate our differences and we recognise students’ individual successes. Our Resource Base provides exceptional support for students with physical disabilities, enabling access to a broad and stimulating curriculum.

Brimsham Green has a highly regarded and sustained reputation for academic success. Our innovative and challenging curriculum provides opportunities for students to go on to study in the sixth form.

The quality and range of opportunities on offer rivals other local providers. Links with other schools, employers, colleges and universities ensure students benefit from a wide range of opportunities and experiences. Our students thrive on success and are inspired to continue their learning at a range of prestigious universities and institutions.

Brimsham Green School’s commitment to students goes beyond the classroom, and high student participation in the school band, Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, drama productions and sports clubs and teams mean these all thrive. In addition, we offer a variety of exciting school trips.

We foster excellent relationships with parents/carers, and we value these highly. We know that this strong partnership contributes to all of our successes. Staff-student relationships are equally supportive and the classroom climate is harmonious, enabling creative and stimulating learning to take place.

I am proud to lead Brimsham Green School and I am confident that we deliver the right balance of support, inspiration, challenge and success for all our students.

For further information, call 01454 868888 or see www.brimsham.com

Following Oldfield School’s grading of “outstanding” by Ofsted in 2007, Kim Sparling was invited to become one of the first National Leaders of Education.

This role means that she (and teachers at Oldfield, in Bath) help other schools to improve; although initially it was expected that this would be other secondary schools, much of the external support now relates to primary schools.

Outstanding schools are no longer routinely inspected, but in September 2012 the Ofsted team did a full inspection and the school retained its outstanding grading, something which many other local schools have lost.

Ofsted stated: “The head teacher sets very high standards for the school. Systems for checking, maintaining and improving the quality of provision are exceptionally well developed.”

The report went on: “The head teacher has been very successful in developing a system of leadership and management, which has sustained the performance of the school at a high level.”

Kim believes that one of the reasons the school is so successful is that there is never an air of complacency; there are always things which the school can strive to do better.

She thinks it is essential that all students know that the school expects them to achieve highly – and they do.

For example, while nationally GCSE grades dropped in 2013, Oldfield’s grades were the best ever, with 88 per cent of GCSE grades at A*-C, which is no small feat in a fully comprehensive school.

For further details, call 01225 423582, or see www.oldfieldschool. com

I am proud to be the head of Colston’s Girls’ School, where we know that choosing the right school for your daughter is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. We ensure that your daughter flourishes under our care and we take every opportunity to help her develop her individuality.

We have a very strong academic record, supported by excellent pastoral care, with a supportive, happy environment, which nurtures talent and encourages girls to fulfil their potential.

The school cherishes its history, while looking to the future – continuing to maintain its strong academic record and reputation across the city. This has been validated by the school’s “outstanding” grading by Ofsted.

The sixth form is the time for selfmotivated, independent learning. It is a time of transition and discovery and it marks a move into adulthood that we support, respect and encourage.

Along with discussions about university and other possible career paths, girls learn confidence and the value of self-belief in the pursuit of success and fulfilment.

The school has an enviable reputation for its caring community ethos, which is evident to those who visit. Strong social and moral codes along with high expectations are part of school life, with respect, politeness, tolerance and hard work the norm.

The school’s high standards of teaching, learning and discipline are supplemented with an extensive extra-curricular programme.

With our language specialism, a girl joining in Year 7 could experience seven different languages by the time she leaves school in Year 13.

We aim to broaden the horizons of our students so that they can look beyond school life to the rest of the world.

■ The new principal, Mrs Erica Draisey, will be in post soon.

For further information, and dates for open days, call 0117 942 4328, or see www.colstonsgirls.bristol.sch.uk

William Roberts joined Downend as head teacher two years ago, and is building on the school’s strengths to develop a learning community where every young person is supported to achieve their very best.

This summer, the school again celebrated its best ever GCSE results, with a further improvement in the proportion of students achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and maths.

A total of 57 per cent of students achieved the national benchmark this summer, representing a dramatic increase of 14 per cent over the last two years.

Results from Downend’s post-16 centre were also very strong, with more than half of students beating their personal targets, enabling them to progress to prestigious university courses and apprenticeships.

According to Ofsted inspectors who visited the school in 2012, Downend School “has made rapid improvements”.

Inspectors went on: “Since his appointment, the head teacher has successfully built on the strengths of the school, with an unrelenting focus on raising achievement and providing improved provision for all students”.

Students were also said to “enjoy school and feel safe” and inspectors praised “the guidance and assistance which helps students to improve their performance and their learning”.

Over the last two years, Downend School has undergone substantial refurbishment, with the opening of a new IT hub, inclusion centre, innovation centre and library.

The school has launched a new house system, and students now wear a smart new uniform, including a blazer and house tie.

Downend School’s open evening is on Thursday, September 19. The school is also holding open mornings daily from September 23 October 23, when the head teacher will show parents and students around and answer questions.

For an appointment, call Louise Williams on 01454 862300.