Absolutely Education Prep Pre-Prep Summer 2022

ABSOLUTELY EDUCATION PREP & PRE-PREP • SUMMER 2022

ABSOLUTELY

Fun READS Books for summer

SUMMER 2022

& EP REP R P -P E PR

Great

sports

Fantastic games for every girl and boy

STRONG START Focus on Repton Prep

Speech support

Helping children find their voice

Smart talk ZEST.LONDON

HOW SCHOOLS ARE INSPIRING THE NEXT G E N E R AT I O N O F C O M M U N I C AT O R S

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Kew Green Nursery for children aged 2-4 is opening in September 2022

Kew Green Nursery is part of Kew Green Preparatory School (KGPS) and places will be open to all.

Kew Green Nursery is part of the

 Spacious, light-filled building with ample space for outdoor play  Nursery children will have access to KGPS whole school facilities and specialist teaching  Inquiry-based approach to the Early Years curriculum  Creativity, collaboration, confidence, and communication at the core  Safe, respectful, challenging and stimulating environment  Close-knit community, ‘Open Door’ Policy, and Parent Café  Term time only with automatic entry to KGPS Reception if desired Please contact us for more information or to book a tour of the new site: 85 Kew Green, London, TW9 3AH T: 020 8948 5999 E: info@kewgreennursery.com www.kewgreennursery.com @KewGreenNursery

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CON T R IBU TOR S An outstanding prep school for boys aged 7 – 13

Vikki Stone Composer, comedian, actress and musician

Vikki Stone went to school in Rugby before winning a scholarship to Wells Cathedral School and a place at Royal Academy of Music. In this issue, she talks about the scholarship that gave her passion for music a direction and her role as musical director of ITV's Romeo & Duet.

Ben Evans Headmaster, Windlesham House School

Ben Evans joined Windlesham House School in 2020, with previous Head roles at Edge Grove and The British School in Colombo. In this issue, he discusses the effectiveness of Common Entrance and what prep and senior schools might do to improve outcomes.

c. 50% of leavers since 2019 to Eton, City of London and Dulwich

6 Wetherby Place, London SW7 4NE f.kaye@stpschool.co.uk 0207 373 3944

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Clare Milford Haven Author, journalist, Trustee of James' Place

Clare Milford Haven has been writing for the past 30 years and is regularly published in the national press. She talks about the inspiration behind her new children's book, as well as the work of the suicide prevention charity she co-founded in memory of her eldest son James.

E D U C AT I O N P R E P & P R E - P R E P

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Regular small group Friday tours

Private tours available

Pre-Prep and Prep Schools

OPEN MORNINGS Friday 7 October 2022 Academically ambitious Upper School Girls 8-13 years

68-74 NIGHTINGALE LANE, SW12 8NR

FINALIST School of the Year 2021 for Student Well-Being

Pastorally kind Lower School Co-educational 4-8 years

THE VICARAGE - 192 RAMSDEN RD, SW12 8RQ 50 NIGHTINGALE LANE, SW12 8TE

FINALIST Pre-Prep School of the Year 2021

Boys 8-13 years

26 BOLINGBROKE GROVE, SW11 6EL

FINALIST Prep School of the Year 2021

Admissions@northwoodschools.com:Tel 020 8682 8830 www.northwoodschools.com NORTHCOTE LODGE.indd 6

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FROM THE

EDITOR

S

ummertime is when the living is easy, according to the song, but the past couple of years have cast a long shadow. What parents want most right now is stability and, for want of a better word, 'normal' life for their children. Communication was, of course, one of the casualties of recent times, and this has become a theme of this issue. We get expert advice on speech delay (page 30) and explore the Speech Bubbles drama work of Trinity Theatre (page 35). In Generation Communication, schools tell us how they enable 'real' dialogue and meeting points for their students (page 42).

Our Focus feature explores the wonderful Repton Prep School. It was a pleasure to speak with incoming Head Victoria Harding to find out about her educational vision – and the wider vision of the Repton family for 'grounded, rounded, unbounded' young people (from page 20).

Vikki Stone has been busy arranging music (and love matches) as musical director of ITV's Romeo and Duet and it was fascinating to hear how her prodigious musical talent found its springboard in a Wells Cathedral School scholarship (page 50). We also catch up with Clare Milford Haven, co-founder of James' Place (page 68), to find out about her book capturing a magical time and place where the sun always shines.

Enjoy your summer.

L I B BY N O R M A N Ac ti n g Ed i to r

SUMMER 2022

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S U M M E R 2 02 2

CO N T E N TS upfront

10 SCHOOL NEWS

Out and about in the world of education

focus

20 A ROUNDED VISION

We meet the incoming Head of Repton Prep to find out more about her rounded vision for the school

26 GREEN TEAM

Putney High's Biophilic Classroom project could point the way to green learning

pre-Prep

30 SPEECH DELAY

Expert insight into communication issues in young children – and practical support

35 DRAMA ESCAPE

Speech Bubbles' drama workshops at Trinity Theatre help young people find their voice

39 VOICING FEELINGS

York House Prep is using voice to help very young children develop emotional intelligence

26 Prep

42 GENERATION COMMUNICATION

How leading schools are helping young people communicate and find 'real' meeting points

50 BAND LEADER

We meet Vikki Stone, musical director of ITV's 'Romeo & Duet'

54 SPORTING SUCCESS

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St Columba's College is transforming both its facilities and sports offer

64 WHY STUDY DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

76

Two DT experts give us their elevator pitch

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54

ACTING EDITOR

Libby Norman 

EDITOR I A L A SSISTA N T

Rachel Hogg 

GROUP A DV ERTISING M A NAGER

Nicola Owens 

BUSINESS DE V ELOPMEN T M A NAGER

Jay Pawagadhi 

A RT DIR ECTOR

Pawel Kuba 

SENIOR DESIGNER

Mike Roberts 

MID-W EIGHT DESIGNER

Carmen Graham 

JUNIOR DESIGNER

Kai Nicholls 

FINA NCE DIR ECTOR

Jerrie Koleci 

CR EDIT CON TROL M A NAGER

Alexandra Hvid  DIR ECTOR S

Craig Davies, Leah Day, James Fuschillo  NON-E X ECU TI V E DIR ECTOR

Alexandra Hunter 

M A NAGING DIR ECTOR

Sherif Shaltout

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S c h o o l’ s O u t

68 MAGICAL TIMES

James' Place co-founder Clare Milford Haven on the inspiration behind her magical new book

72 SUMMER BOOKS

From Leonardo Da Vinci's vivid imagination to the world's most wonderful trees, great summer reads

Wenlock Studios, 50-52 Wharf Rd, The Angel, London N1 7EU 020 7704 0588 ZEST-MEDIA.COM

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ABSOLUTELY-EDUCATION.CO.UK

76 THE MAKING OF ME

Josh Cuthbert on his schooldays in Berkshire and the road to the West End and beyond

78 HOLIDAY NANNY GUIDE

Our really useful guide to hiring vacation childcare and ensuring a happy holiday for one and all

82 MOUNTAIN HIGH

Summer adventure in the Austrian Tyrol

90 PARENT POWER How to manage imaginary friends

F R O N T C OV E R Repton Prep, Milton, Derbyshire, DE65 6EJ +44 (0)1283 707100 reptonprep.org.uk

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SCHOO L N EWS Ear th warriors Knightsbridge School pupils took to the streets in April, making a peaceful march to Chelsea for Earth Day. The pupils were joined by naturalist, author and filmmaker Nick Gates and the S.O.S. from the Kids choir, which performed at COP26. As part of the event, the whole KS community – parents, children and staff – were encouraged to make individual pledges to help the planet.

HEAD A R R I VA L Gardener Schools Group has announced that Sasha Davies will be Headteacher at Kew Green Prep following Jem Peck’s retirement.

Currently Head of Sinclair House, her arrival in September coincides with Kew Green’s new Nursery – welcoming its first children this autumn.

S TA R A U T H O R The King’s School Canterbury alumna Annabel Steadman (200510) has published her first novel, Skandar And The Unicorn Thief, and now finds herself on the New York Times Best Seller List. Already published in 38 different languages and tipped as the most exciting new arrival since Harry Potter, this the first of a planned five-book series.

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Chapel singers Tonbridge School Chapel Choir sang at St Paul’s Cathedral over the Early May Bank Holiday, deputising for the Cathedral Choir for Choral Evensong in front of some 500 people. Music included Herbert Howells’ ‘Collegium Regale’ canticles. Tonbridge Choirmaster Julian Thomas says: “It was a unique experience for the boys to be making music in such a large space”.

NEW NAME From September, The Moat School will be renamed Burlington House School and is expanding by opening a prep, just a few minutes’ walk from the existing Fulham senior. Nicola Lovell (current Deputy at The Dominie School) will be its Headteacher. Part of Cavendish Education, The Moat was founded in 1998 by parents seeking a specialist environment to support their dyslexic children.

SCHOOL PA R T N E R S H I P King’s Ely and Fairstead House prep and nursery in Newmarket have announced a partnership.

The respective school Heads, Michael Radford and John Attwater (pictured right) have a position on each other’s Senior Leadership Team, with each school retaining its individual identity under a single governing body.

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Up Front

NEWS

PREP LEAD Aldenham Foundation has announced the appointment of Andy Kaye as the new Head at St. Hilda’s Prep School for Girls in Bushey, Hertfordshire. He joined the school as Deputy Head in 2016, having retrained as a teacher after a career in logistics. He will start his new role in September 2022 and says: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as the new Head of St Hilda’s – it is a wonderful school”.

S H AC K L E T O N ’ S B OAT In the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s final expedition – and with the discovery of Endurance – Dulwich College reports lots of interest in James Caird, the boat used for a perilous sailing to South Georgia to secure a rescue.

It has pride of place in the College Laboratory. Public visits are scheduled during term times every Friday morning. To book, email College reception.

S I LV E R ANNIVERSARY Portland Place School is celebrating 25 years with the installation of a mural created by students with artist Tom Berry – being unveiled as part of a Celebration Day in late June.

The school was founded in 1996.

Two years ago, it added Portland Place Hybrid School, offering blended learning online and onsite for pupils from Year 6.

Girls’ gambit Girls and young women from across England played 2004 Global Chess Champion Antoaneta Stefanova in a rapid ‘simul’ tournament in May. Stefanova beat 28 out of 29 players, only drawing with Emily, 14, from St Albans. The tournament was organised by charity She Plays to Win, which provides free training and support to get females into chess.

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Courage.

Courtesy.

Compassion.

St Columba's Prep School Co-educational Independent Catholic Day School for ages 4 to 11 in St Albans Open Morning Saturday 24 Sept

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Up Front

NEWS

In the swing

E X P LO R E R A S S E M B LY

Felsted School celebrated music from around the world with its annual ‘Swing into Spring’ concert. The concert started with European folk tunes from England and Italy, and then took the capacity audience on a journey through African rhythms and melodies, Caribbean calypso and South American samba.

Children at Cameron Vale Prep in Chelsea welcomed historian Dan Snow and marine archaeologist Mensun Bound for a special assembly to share stories about the Antarctic expedition earlier this year where they found the wreck of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance. “It was a real treat for our children to share in the retelling of the discovery,” says Headteacher Bridget Saul.

Jubilee toast The boys and staff of St Philip’s School in Kensington enjoyed toasting Her Majesty The Queen on 27th May. Both verses of the National Anthem were sung, and three cheers given to Her Majesty in the school garden before strawberries were devoured ahead of an afternoon of cricket at Barn Elms.

NEW PREP Abingdon House School, which has a strong reputation for the progress students make within its specialist SEN provision is opening a new prep school in South Kensington this September.

The prep, for students in Year 3 upwards, will support academic and personal development in a mainstreamstyle environment.

B OA R D I N G PRIZE BEE HAPPY A bee-friendly garden from Chelsea Flower Show is being rehomed at St George’s Church of England Primary School in Camberwell. It features a pollinator monitor to enable the RHS to monitor insect visits.

Queen Ethelburga’s (QE) received Boarding Innovation Award at the BSA Supporting Excellence Awards 2022 for the Houseparent Assistant App that helps streamline admin. Lauren Blakeley, Head of Boarding, says: “It has transformed the job of Houseparent here at QE. It allows more time to be spent with the students”.

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Up Front

ARTS NEWS

OLD BUCKENHAM HALL’S WIZARD OF OZ

Live ARTS EVENTS A magical production at Old Buckenham Hall and a celebration of the arts – with star appearances – at Eastbourne College WIZARD JOURNEY

children showed great determination and commitment,” says David Mitchell, Deputy Head and Director of Music. “I couldn’t be more proud of the children.”

Summer Term at Old Buckenham Hall School got off to a whirlwind start (and with a pair of sparkly red shoes) with a production of The Wizard of Oz that transported the audience from Suffolk to Kansas. Featuring 42 children from Years 3-8, the show delivered on- and off-stage magic in what is OBH’s 160th anniversary year.

The production had state-of-the-art projected animated backdrops, using green screen technology to create the balloon flying away and Aunt Em in the crystal ball. The children also used radio mics on stage and took on backstage roles to support the drama. Having a live orchestra added magic to the occasion.

This comprised 12 musicians covering percussion, bass, keyboard, cello, violin, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone and trumpet.

“This year’s production of The Wizard of Oz was a triumph for all involved. The

EASTBOURNE FESTIVAL

Old Buckenham Hall pupils transported their audience all the way to Kansas with an iconic story

CIRCUS CREATIVE ARTS FESTIVAL CELEBRATED ALUMNUS DEREK GRANGER

Eastbourne’s new Circus Creative Arts Festival included a Q&A from a very special old boy Eastbourne College welcomed back its oldest living former pupil, Derek Granger, to celebrate his 101st birthday with a Q&A about his remarkable life in drama – all part of its new Circus Creative Arts Festival.

The TV drama veteran, best known for producing Brideshead Revisited, returned to take part in a conversation with theatre director and fellow Old Eastbournian David Grindley in front of a live audience.

Derek Granger recalled fondly his time as a scriptwriter and producer on Coronation Street in the early 1960s, although Brideshead remains his proudest TV drama achievement.

The four-day event featured appearances from a formidable range of other creative talents, including actor Ed Speleers, writer Paul Mayhew-Archer and singer Mark Le Brocq. Funds raised go towards the school’s bursary programme, enabling more children to access an education at Eastbourne College and St Andrew’s Prep.

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Up Front

CO M P ETITI O N

National TREASURES

Children and families can win a spot alongside the famous and infamous in a competition from Ancestry and the National Portrait Gallery

F

amilies up and down the country are being asked to submit their family photos to ‘The Nation’s Family Album’, an initiative from Ancestry and the National Portrait Gallery.Entrants to this landmark competition are being asked to upload family portraits. These will be judged by a panel of experts comprising Royal and family portrait photographer Millie Pilkington (a regular photographer for Absolutely Education) baritone Peter Brathwaite, National Portrait Gallery’s Chief Curator Dr Alison Smith, and family history expert Simon Pearce from Ancestry.

Ancestry and National Portrait Gallery have been collaborating to create an online gallery of over 125,000 portraits, ranging from kings and queens to nurses and architects – and spanning over 400 years of history. This

is available to browse for free on Ancestry, and now it wants lots more photos to add to this unique national archive of portraits.

THEMES OF BELONGING

The portraits families are being asked to submit need to fit in with the project’s themes, which are: Belonging, Legacy, Connection & Identity. The successful entries will have the opportunity to see their family images and stories included in a digital exhibition, as well as being displayed in the National Portrait Gallery itself when it reopens in 2023 following a major redevelopment.

The competition is seeking undiscovered gems – portraits of everyday people of different backgrounds, ages and cultures in the UK. So, this is a great opportunity for children and families to delve through old albums, turn out those suitcases in the attic and even submit current favourites from the mantelpiece. Each person entering may submit up to three portraits.

A NATIONAL RECORD

Ancestry and National Portrait gallery believe The Nation’s Family Album will become an important record of our collective history, as it will highlight and capture rich and diverse family stories, making it easier for future generations to find out more about their own family history and the nation's history.

Photos must be uploaded by Thursday 30 June 2022 and anyone in the UK may submit a maximum of three images that relate to the key themes.

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Millie Pilkington says: “Every photograph has a story to tell, but what I look for in particular are images that capture the spirit of the sitter, or the moment, and that provide some kind of ‘biographical’ insight to their personality and background.

"The icing on the cake is when these are achieved with nice light in an interesting composition. I’m genuinely excited to discover the multitude of unique and fascinating family history stories within the entries."

H OW TO E N T E R Submissions must be uploaded by Thursday 30 June 2022 • Any person in the UK can submit up to three images • Images should follow the themes: Belonging, Legacy, Connection & Identity • To enter, visit ancestry.co.uk/c/familyalbum

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Focus

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A rounded

VISION With a new Head, Victoria Harding, joining Repton Prep this September, we find out more about her approach and the school’s central place within the wider school family Wo r d s L I B BY N O R M A N

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epton has always been a destination school, with its UK and international reputation built on academic rigour and that finely balanced approach that turns out well-rounded pupils ready for the world. Its setting adds allure – ‘heart of England’ Derbyshire turf, convenient for key airports and roads but far enough away from cities to provide fresh air and room to grow, all the way from 3 to 18. The setting may be rural idyll, but it’s always been an outward-looking place. Repton was, after all, a pioneer internationally, with schools within the family now numbering seven across the Middle East, China, Malaysia and Europe.

Back on Derbyshire home turf, Repton Prep and Repton School inhabit distinct (and equally glorious) sites. The Prep is a newcomer compared to its 16th-century sibling, having been founded by Repton in 1940 and then moving to Foremarke Hall a couple of miles away in 1947. There’s always been a strong tie, cemented in 2020 when the two schools formally merged under

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the Repton name. This was to maximise academic and extracurricular opportunities and ensure a cohesive experience for those Prep students and parents who choose the through-school route (and some 90% do). Of course, pupils who choose to go elsewhere are welcomed equally, and equally well prepared for the onward journey.

The imminent arrival of Victoria Harding as Head of Repton Prep this September brings a fresh face at the helm, and much

excitement. With good reason, for Harding comes with stellar credentials. She’s a trained musician (Royal Academy of Music) and headed up the music department at Dragon School, Oxford before top leadership roles in London, including Sarum Hall.

Repton Prep will be her third headship. She has a teacher’s perspective on what makes the pre-prep and prep stage so rewarding.

“I love this age group because you really see such a huge journey for each child, right from the foundation through to when we move them on to their senior school years.”

She also appreciates the diverse teaching skillsets. “It affords you a wide range of staff and teaching abilities – those top two year groups, as well as the starting out point.”

Since her appointment last December, Harding has been busy getting to know Repton Prep, and also immersing herself in the wider strategic vision of the whole family of schools. What she is not doing is setting anything in stone until she has: “lived and breathed it” for a while. “A huge part of informing my strategies will happen when I’m there, speaking to the staff and putting

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THROUGH SCHOOLS OFFER A CONSISTENT APPROACH AND THAT ABILITY TO SHAPE EDUCATION IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUPILS

Focus

R E P TO N

THE SCHOOL SITE OFFERS BOUNDLESS OUTDOOR LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

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PREP BOARDING OFFERS FLEXIBLE OPTIONS IN A FAMILY SETTING

OUR ‘GROUNDED, ROUNDED, UNBOUNDED’ TAG LINE ENCOMPASSES WHAT REPTON IS ABOUT – WE WANT BOARDING TO REMAIN AT THE HEART OF THAT

those ideas together with that wider vision.” What Harding can say now is that her main goal is to “refine and improve” rather than lose any elements that give Repton Prep its unique identity. “I’ve been really thinking about the school values: respect, wholeness, truth and excellence. That’s at the heart of what I’m planning; making sure that these are evidenced in all aspects of school life.”

Harding counts Repton Prep’s 55-acre setting in Foremarke Hall as one huge USP. “That’s where Repton Prep has a huge appeal, and a huge appeal to me – there is just such opportunity for hands-on learning,” she says. “Lots of schools talk about it, but there is the genuine opportunity to deliver that here.” Hands-on learning is a keystone of what she believes creates a well-balanced curriculum. “I often talk about transferable life skills and using the curriculum to create those, but when you’ve got the space we have, I don’t think you can underestimate the power that brings.”

CRICKET AT REPTON PREP

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Then there is Repton Prep’s boarding offer, an inextricable part of the culture and life of the school and a key area of focus. Repton does boarding extremely well, and the options from Year 3 – before full boarding kicks in at senior level – fit in with family life. Currently, some ten per cent of Prep boarders are full boarders, with many more opting for flexible options. There’s a strong local demographic from across the region, alongside full boarders drawn from across the UK and internationally.

Weekly boarding (where children go home after school on Saturday) is often used as a stepping-stone for full boarding. Then there’s ‘Home and Away’, where children go home on Wednesdays and Saturdays (although Wednesdays is tuck night after sports fixtures so school often trumps home). Flexi-boarding is also offered; often younger pupils, these boarders have their own boarding house but still get to feast on the award-winning food and tap into the huge number of clubs and extra activities after hours – from girls’ football and Warhammer to backgammon, sailing and chemistry club.

AT REPTON SCHOOL, SOME 70% OF PUPILS ARE BOARDERS

It’s no surprise that many children choose to board at Repton Prep, since it offers scope to take full advantage of every element of its extracurricular smorgasbord, as well as enabling them to throw themselves into teams, rehearsals and all the other after-school activities that are part of a rich school life. Not that day pupils are ever left out. Core to the approach throughout is that day pupils are integrated into the boarding houses in what Repton describes as a ‘one community’ approach.

By senior stage around 70% board.

Boarding is definitely a key element of Victoria Harding’s strategy. Indeed, she sees it as central to the spirit and pastoral approach here. “I’m sure you know our ‘grounded, rounded, unbounded’ vision, and we need to ensure our outcomes support our commitment to that ideal.

It’s such a good tag line because it really does encompass what Repton is about, both as a physical building and what we can offer, and in the spirit of the children.

We want boarding to remain at the heart of that.” She sees a particularly essential role in the grounding that Year 7 and 8 boarding delivers. “It’s such a critical time for young people, so we are homing in on what we provide for them, and how we use those two years as a springboard.”

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Focus

R E P TO N

VICTORIA HARDING

Young people’s wellbeing is always front of mind for parents and educators, ever more so since the pandemic. This concern is – anecdotally – being reflected in school choices. Parents’ desire to provide stability, and also take the ‘heat’ out of that leap between prep and senior settings is being cited. It’s certainly something that Victoria Harding sees as a factor in decision-making. “Through schools offer that consistent approach throughout and that ability to shape education in a way that works for the benefit of the pupils.”

The through-school setting at Repton is not about removing stretch and challenge – far from it – but about providing all of that within a stable environment. The structure of boarding houses across both Repton Prep and Repton helps, as it is one of ‘vertical integration’. With 24/7 pastoral support from house parents within a family setting, this vertical design means familiar faces across age groups, helping pupils to belong, to expand friendship groups and also to learn from each other. It is rather like giving everyone siblings – boarding house families look out for one another.

Victoria Harding can’t wait to get started and relishes the learning opportunities at

REPTON PREP IS AT FOREMARKE HALL, SET IN 55-ACRE GROUNDS

Repton Prep come September. “Something I’m very big on is outdoor learning and independent learning,” she says. The opportunity to help children catch up on the experiences that are a normal part of life is a priority. “There were all those opportunities children missed during the pandemic to go out and about,” she says.

“I’m not talking about lavish school trips, but outings to bring learning to life.

“Another key area for me is about community and sustainability, and that outlook of considering who we are as a school and what we do in our community,” she says.

“It’s important that the Prep is outward facing and that it remains part of that wider Repton and local community – also helping to deliver all those transferable and handson skills that our young people need.”

SOME 90% OF REPTON PREP PUPILS GO ON TO REPTON SCHOOL

At a Glance REPTON PREP SCHOOL Founded: 1940 Head: Victoria Harding, from September 2022 Gender: Co-ed Number of pupils: 400 Day or boarding: Day; Boarding from 7+ Ages: 3-13 Points of entry: 3+, 4+, 11+ and in-year admissions Admissions: Non-selective. Interview and early registration advised Religious affi liation: Church of England, all denominations welcome and many festivals celebrated.

Fees: Pre-Prep Boarding, per term – £7,750; Day, per term - £5,662. Prep Boarding, per term – from £8,455; Day, per term – from £6,369.

Address: Repton Prep, Milton, Derbyshire DE65 6EJ reptonprep.org.uk

REPTON SCHOOL Founded: 1557 Head: Mark Semmence, since 2019 Gender: Co-ed Number of pupils: 620 Day or boarding: Day; Boarding Ages: 13-18 Points of entry: 13+, 14+, Lower Sixth and occasional in-year admissions Admissions: Non-selective. Interview and early registration advised Religious affi liation: Church of England, all denominations welcome and many festivals celebrated.

Fees: Boarding, per term – £12,721; Day, per term – £9,437 Address: Repton, Derbyshire, DE65 6FH repton.org.uk

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INSIDER

GIRL POWER

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Rushi Millns of Heathfield School on how we overcome bias, giving girls the confidence to speak up and aim for the top in public life

ince 1918, when women were granted a somewhat limited power to vote, the majority of policy and law has continued to be written by men and naturally reflects their bias. To level the playing field and ensure fair representation in politics and the working world, we need to give girls the tools to voice their opinions and break the bias.

Gender bias starts young – girls are told to sit nicely and behave while boys are encouraged to be noisy and boisterous. This has parallels in the adult world too; vocal women are labelled ‘bossy’ or ‘shrill’, whereas vocal men are just ‘determined to get their point across’.

The more opportunity, support and guidance young women have to share their ideas, the more expert they will become in the future – whether that’s holding discussions, representing an organisation or speaking in Parliament. Alongside qualifications, communication skills and what the individual brings to the job are the essentials for success.

At Heathfield we recognise the importance of building confidence, communication skills and an open-minded approach. We want our students to be critical thinkers who can discuss

The more opportunity and guidance young women have to share their ideas, the more expert they will become in the future

HEATHFIELD SCHOOL PUPILS

and view issues from different perspectives.

To ensure they are informed about politics and current issues, our Careers and Outreach department hosts various programmes to promote discussion, debate and public speaking.

Our Speaker’s Corner is an opportunity for students to speak publicly about a topic they feel passionate about for two minutes without questions – rather like Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park. The topic that resonates most is then used for our School Debate in the Summer Term, when opinions and ideas are discussed.

In celebration of Parliament Week we host a ‘Question Time’, with a student panel taking topical questions from the audience, which includes local politicians from the three main political parties. We also have a Speaker Programme to broaden experiences for our students as they learn about the world of work. Professionals are invited to come and speak about their work and experience, and the students start to develop their networking skills.

We still need to overcome the barriers

that prevent girls and women from speaking out or seeing themselves in top jobs – and that was the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, with the hashtag #breakthebias.

Of course, we need to be sure we are building the skills, knowledge and understanding that enable informed decisions.

We need our young people to think critically and raise their voices so their thoughts and opinions are heard. We must also teach them to first look at their own assumptions, to bring the bias to the fore and question it.

RUSHI MILLNS FRSA Director of Careers and Outreach Heathfield School, Ascot SUMMER 2022

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GREEN Team

Putney High School's Biophilic Classroom project has produced fascinating findings about nature's ability to enhance both wellbeing and learning

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utney High School's Biophilic Classroom study is a first – showing a clear route to improve a sense of wellbeing and even productivity in the classroom through the power of plants. It began in 2019 as part of the school's wider Breathe programme (begun in 2018), which considers a whole raft of areas that feed into wellbeing.

"What started as a four-month project over the winter to monitor the effects of bringing plants, natural materials and views of nature into the indoor learning environment took on a new relevance with the arrival of spring, as the pandemic confined us in our homes," says Headmistress Suzie Longstaff.

The study's starting point was a NASA Clean Air Study of 1989, which had looked at how plants contribute to improving air quality. At Putney High, the students used air sensors to complement their research and, for the first time, could identify the exact ratio of plants needed to improve air quality – it's one plant per six cubic metres. The biophilic project resonated not only with the students’ wider

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interest in the environment cultivated via the Breathe programme, but also tied into science and art activities.

During Covid, the project was transferred to the Futures Hub in the school's Sixth Form Centre, where the plants were cared for by staff and students. But by this time, the whole project was blossoming.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) asked the school to share

its research in the Discovery Zone of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in September 2021, where the school display attracted lots of interest and even picked up a coveted Gold Medal.

Growing the plants had, by this time, become a whole-school affair, with the offspring of the school's original indoor garden being grown and nurtured for the Chelsea Flower Show in the Junior School. They

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Focus

" ST U D E N TS R E PO RTED FEELI NG HE A LT H I E R , A N D T HAT EVERYONE WA S CA L M E R A N D M ORE RELAX ED" were re-housed after the show in the Reception classrooms, so the youngest pupils were also benefiting. All this green-fingered industry has honed the students' gardening know-how and tapped into sustainability ideals – they have watched as plants have produced more plants to extend the calming and air-cleansing benefits of indoor nature. The research has now been used to inform the design of Putney’s Athena Centre for Science, Music, Drama and Debating, opened to students earlier this year and officially launched by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock.

The ripples of Putney High's work have spread wider and the project was featured on BBC Gardeners'

World. “I was incredibly impressed to see the work, and importantly the enthusiasm, that the students of Putney High School demonstrated with their research for improving their environment with plants," said presenter Arit Anderson. The school has made its findings available, producing a useful 'Plant Guide for Schools' showcasing houseplants to grow in both low-light and bright-light indoor environments, plus atmospheric and air-cleansing properties of each plant. It has given out more than 10,000 copies so far, suggesting many more schools are tapping into the benefits of using greenery to improve classroom atmosphere and student wellbeing.

W E LLB E I N G

At Putney High, there's no doubt about the payback in student wellbeing. The impacts of the study were monitored via student surveys, and 78% of students reported feeling healthier, and said that plants have helped to create an environment where everyone feels calmer and more relaxed. "But it has had an even greater impact, helping students and staff to really engage with their lessons, which of course has had a positive impact on teaching and learning," says Suzie Longstaff.

"It’s been wonderful to see the whole school engaging with the project, learning about the plants, caring for them and even cultivating them," she adds. There seems little doubt that students' biophilic investigations are going to be a benefit for the long term, both for the school and the wider community.

For Putney High School's 'Plant Guide for Schools', visit putneyhigh.gdst.net SUMMER 2022

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CO M M U N I CATI O N

Speech

DEL AY

Parents often wonder if their child’s development is on track, but one of the most problematic areas is speech and language.

We find out about sources of support

T

here isn’t a parent on the planet who doesn’t worry at some point if their child is on track. Milestones are monitored and alarm bells ring when other children appear to have key skills your child is struggling with. Children do, of course, develop at different paces. But on top of existing concerns about the impact of screen use in early years, now we have nearly two years of intermittent lockdowns to contend with. This is raising concerns among experts as well as parents about speech, language and communication skills – especially for our youngest learners. Trips on the bus, exposure to family members and visits to play settings all help children acquire language.

Speech therapist Amy Loxley, a Lead Speech & Language Advisor for the children’s communication charity I CAN, believes lockdown deprived children of many of the usual routes for developing communication.

“Even that requirement to stay close to home and have limited contact with others has deprived children of a range of social experiences where they’re exposed to new words,” she says. There’s now some evidence

to support the idea that this has led to an increase in speech and language issues. “I CAN undertook some research last year, published in a report called ‘Speaking up for the COVID generation’. We found in that research that there are 1.5m children in the UK who are at risk of not being able to speak and understand language at an ageappropriate level,” says Amy Loxley. Certainly, referrals for communication difficulties have increased – noted by both the Department for Education and speech therapists.

I CAN develops intervention programmes used in mainstream schools, as well as running two specialist schools for children with complex language difficulties. A lot of their work with mainstream schools centres on Developmental Language Delay (DLD).

This is a condition unconnected with any other conditions that can cause lifelong issues speaking and understanding others.

“It affects 7.6% of children – another way of looking at that is two in every class of 30 – so it is actually quite common,” says Amy Loxley.

The other key group that I CAN works with is children who have language difficulties due to environmental factors.

This group is much larger in areas of disadvantage. “One in ten children across the UK has a difficulty with speech and SUMMER 2022

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A FIRST PRACTICAL STEP FOR PARENTS CONCERNED ABOUT SPEECH DELAY CAN BE TO TRY SOME SIMPLE TECHNIQUES AT HOME

language, but that can rise to one in four in areas of disadvantage,” says Amy Loxley.

WARNING SIGNS

One of the big questions for parents is: do I need to seek help? While no one wants a label on their child, the fundamental building blocks need to be in place. “Language skills underly all skills, so even when children learn to read and write, that’s based on them understanding and using spoken language,” says Amy Loxley. I CAN runs a free phone advice service where parents can talk to a speech and language therapist.

Typically, parents ring for advice because they have noticed that their child uses less words or simpler words and sentences than their peers. It could be that a child’s speech sounds jumbled or muddled up, so that it’s hard to understand.

Less commonly, parents may recognise their child is having trouble understanding what is said to them – often this isn’t spotted so early. It might be trouble following an instruction, for instance, or a teacher reporting that the child doesn’t listen in class. The issue here can become complicated by how adults view this failure to do what’s asked. “Sometimes that’s interpreted as something else – people think it’s a behaviour problem, when it’s actually the child not understanding language.”

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If parents are worried and believe they may need expert support, the team at I CAN can explain the steps for getting a speech therapy referral via the NHS or privately. Usually, the first recommended step is approaches to try at home. They include going a bit slower when you are talking and making comments rather than asking questions – a technique to open up dialogue without putting undue pressure on a child. “Children do pick up on that feeling when parents are particularly anxious or worried and are trying to get them to do something,” says Amy Loxley.

Although lockdown hasn’t helped any of our children, the good news is that parents can make a real difference to build both speech and understanding. Chatting and playing are vital and are also a really good way to spot potential issues. Taking time and choosing the right language level is important, which means choosing simple, age-appropriate words and keeping things light. “It’s about talking with children rather

than talking to them” says Amy Loxley.

As to screen time, expert guidance suggests that the less children have in early years the better. TV (or other device) is never a substitute for the learning provided by good old-fashioned play and interaction.

That said, children love screen time, and so watching an age-appropriate programme with your child and discussing what’s going on with them is a way to make this an active experience that builds communication skills.

The other great route that helps children get into speaking and understanding language is books, using the same sharing approach. “Parents don’t always have to read all the words in the book. They can even just talk about the pictures and about what the child is interested in,” says Amy Loxley. “Relate things in the book back to their experiences – it’s all about drawing those connections for your child.”

For more guidance and support about speech, language and communication, visit I CAN’s talking point for parents at ican.org.uk

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Pre-prep

SEN

A SPEECH BUBBLES DRAMA SESSION

Drama ESCAPE

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Delivered through Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells, Speech Bubbles is an innovative drama programme that helps young children come out of their shells

ason Lower can clearly recall one small and petrified girl.

Every time she came to Speech Bubbles she would be in tears or close to it. Then, slowly she became a bit less shy and would talk in whispers in his ear, so quiet he could barely hear her. Over the course of the programme, she found her character – a cat. She just loved cats and would act out the physicality and the movements of a confident feline who was the complete opposite of her.

Lower has been delivering Speech Bubbles through Trinity Theatre since

2017 and has witnessed first-hand what a huge difference it can make to children who are struggling to communicate and fit in. The programme at Trinity Theatre, first devised by London Bubble, has now become a separate charity (Lower is both a practitioner and a trustee). It delivers Speech Bubbles in 23 schools across a part of Kent taking in Sevenoaks District, Tonbridge and Malling and Tunbridge Wells and working with children drawn from Year 1 and Year 2.

Children are referred by schools (Kent County Council is a major funder, along with the Brook Trust) and there’s strong

support among local school leaders who know what it can do. The children it works with are generally referred by teachers and a school SENCo. The programme aims to address the needs of those who are not on the top of the list for speech and language therapy or one-to-one support, but nonetheless have speech, language and communication needs. “Some of them might be shy, some might be selectively mute; others might be on the other end of the scale – children who communicate at inappropriate times or talk over others.”

Each session for ten students runs for about 40 minutes over 24 weeks. Sessions SUMMER 2022

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CHILDREN ARE GUIDED BY A SPEECH BUBBLES PRACTITIONER AND A TA

are led by a Speech Bubbles practitioner and a teaching assistant. What’s very important, says Jason Lower, is the mix of children – the group is chosen so that there’s a combination of communication needs (not all shy or inclined to dominate) and a mix of year groups. “It’s really important to have a mix – the Year 2s offer leadership and this also makes sure that any classroom dynamic is gone.”

So why does drama work so well to help children communicate confidently and appropriately? Lower says it’s the process of getting out of their own skin.

“It’s allowing them that escape element – they can escape the pressure of being themselves,” he says. “It’s such a lovely environment because it allows them to come out of their predetermined role – the quiet one, the noisy one. It’s not just about children who have speech and language issues – it’s also allowing children to play.”

SESSIONS DEVELOP COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND LET CHILDREN PLAY

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You can perform a new character who you really are. That’s where arts and theatre are a really magical opportunity

Jason Lower has good reason to know the lifelong benefits drama can bring. He is autistic and it was his time in youth theatre that he credits with giving him confidence. He became a youth theatre director and arts practitioner and now leads the Creative Engagement department at Trinity Theatre. He says drama is beneficial to all young people. “You can perform yourself, rather than a version of yourself that you’re not terribly happy with. You can perform a new character who you really are. That’s where arts and theatre are a really magical opportunity.”

Each Speech Bubbles session starts with a chant that outlines to children what the ground rules are, beginning: ‘In Speech Bubbles we do good listening’.

Then children put their names in a bucket and the fun begins. The drama they create in that 40-minute session is their own invention, built around things they love to be and act out – princess, zombie, superhero, cat.

That little girl who found her confidence by being a cat stayed on for two years at Speech Bubbles as her teachers felt that she would benefit. The second year proved to be invaluable because she knew the ropes and could even help others. She remains a quiet child, but is now much more likely to contribute in class. Trinity Theatre’s youth work doesn’t stop with Year 1 and 2. It has

been piloting an exciting drama project called Transitions with children about to move to senior school, and it also works extensively with teenagers and young adults.

Even so, Lower feels Speech Bubbles is extra special, offering an intervention that is perfectly timed to ensure children can build vital confidence and communication skills.

“Part of the joy of Speech Bubbles, and part of the joy in prioritising this communication need, is it’s about addressing the need early on,” he says. Post pandemic the demand for Speech Bubbles’ drama sessions has increased almost threefold among local schools, thanks partly to the advocacy of those schools who have seen its transformative effects. While there are Speech Bubbles practitioners in other areas – London and around Manchester and Salford – Jason Lower would like to see it available to many more children. “We as an organisation – Speech Bubbles the charity – would love to spread it out through schools nationally,” he says. “I think it’s the best thing Trinity Theatre does, and I’m proud of everything we do.” * Trinity Theatre trinitytheatre.net * Speech Bubbles speechbubbles.org.uk

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Pre-prep

OPINION

VOICING FEELINGS

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The Head of Pre-Prep at York House School discusses the value of voice as a powerful tool to help young children understand and regulate feelings

ith growing numbers of children struggling with mental health issues from a younger age, it is helpful to recognise the power of voice in helping them to regulate their emotions.

At York House, we have adopted a process called 'RULER', originally created

by Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence as a method to recognise and use the five learnable skills of emotional intelligence.

These are Recognising, Understanding, Labelling, Expressing and Regulating emotions. This approach helps to furnish children with strategies that they can call upon when they are not feeling at their best. Fundamentally, this is all about encouraging empathy and understanding for other people’s feelings.

Embedding an approach like this into our school, and also into our children’s daily lives, has made a significant difference to their mental wellbeing and also how they interpret and display feelings of frustration or disappointment.

Within our pre-prep we use the ‘feeling words curriculum’, which goes a step beyond feelings like sadness, happiness, fear, anger, and so on. This encourages our children to think more deeply about the emotion they are experiencing. We might ask: 'Are you feeling angry or are you actually irritated?', for example.

Encouraging children to think beyond the obvious furnishes them with a wider range of words that they can use confidently and with maturity to express themselves emotionally in school. Many parents have commented that having access to a greater range of vocabulary to depict specific emotions has helped their child to become better at expressing themselves at home too.

Encouraging children to think beyond the obvious furnishes them with a wider range of words to express themselves

If children are to flourish in tomorrow’s world, they need emotionally driven, empathetic ‘toolkits’ to help them and, as schools, it is our job to guide them. There are, of course, many other ways that schools can encourage the use of voice to manage emotions. For instance, many schools incorporate animals into day-to-day pastoral provision – from reading dogs to onsite chickens, and even smallholdings or

PUPILS FROM YORK HOUSE SCHOOL

farms on site. Talking to animals is known to help children to communicate how they are feeling and what they are experiencing.

The use of ‘talk boxes’ is also helpful, whereby pupils are asked to write down their worries and then put them inside a private box. This approach encourages children to voice their emotions in a secure and non-intrusive way. It is a technique that works well, especially for children who don’t feel confident enough to express themselves aloud.

Using a variety of methods to nurture voice emotions in school helps pupils to thrive, as does making a commitment to teach emotional intelligence from a young age. These approaches are vital in ensuring our future world is a positive and happy place for today's young children.

M O L LY E N T R I C A N Head of Pre-Prep York House School

SUMMER 2022

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G EN ER ATION COM M U N ICATION p . 4 2 • BAN D LEADER p . 5 0 • WHY STU DY DESIG N TECH NOLOGY p . 6 4

SUMMER TIME PUPILS AT BEAUDESERT PARK SCHOOL

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ARTSED STUDENTS

G E N E R AT I O N

COMMUNICATION This is the social media-savvy, connected generation, but that brings its own problems. Post pandemic, we catch up with leading independents to find out how they manage real dialogue, foster kindness, and also ensure confident teamwork and face-to-face meeting points among their young people

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CO M M U N I CATI O N

U C S , H AM PSTE AD

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CS in Hampstead follows four Learning Values of responsibility, relationships, resilience and resourcefulness.

There’s a big emphasis on encouraging pupils to listen to one another and be bold in sharing their thoughts and opinions. “Our pupils’ willingness to question and challenge, and engage in clubs, societies and community projects, creates such a stimulating atmosphere,” says the school’s Director of Wellbeing Bimba Kumarasinghe.

Within the co-curricular framework pupils are given support to take ownership.

With 70-plus pupil-led clubs and societies, including debating, Model United Nations, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Young Enterprise, a spirit of enquiry feeds into the fabric of the school. Students run these clubs for peers and younger age groups, stepping up to responsibilities such as House Captains.

They also drive the annual Community Action fundraising initiative – and are very good at it. A recent example of this is a pupil-led fundraiser for Ukraine, which raised £5,000 in less than a month. “Through being involved in co-curricular activities, pupils acquire new skills but also develop character and discipline and appreciate the importance of camaraderie,” says Headmaster Mark Beard.

Developing empathy and listening skills is critical to building a strong moral sense, MENTORING IS ENCOURAGED AT UCS

ONE-TO-ONE TIME AT QUEEN’S COLLEGE, TAUNTON

and UCS works for an “unambiguous culture of equality” in which the student body is closely involved. Pupils are encouraged in this through teaching and mentoring younger children, both at UCS and at local partner schools. In particular, Sixth Form students play a key role in ‘paying it forward’ by helping younger pupils. “There are numerous mentoring schemes and our peer education project trains Sixth Formers to teach lessons on wellbeing and mental health to Year 7s,” says Deputy Head Pastoral Andrew Wilkes.

This, alongside their input into fundraising (organising events and choosing charities) helps to build a culture of service – also an understanding of the bigger issues.

The spirit of looking after others is, says Headmaster Mark Beard, a critical element in developing outward-looking young people.

“We foster social responsibility alongside respect for the individual. Pupils are taught humanity, understanding and empathy.”

Here too, the element of broadening young people’s horizons – showing them life beyond their circle – helps to foster the kind of communication skills needed for their futures. “Varied experience beyond the classroom serves to nurture and champion creativity, aspiration and individual talents,” says UCS Assistant Head Co-Curricular Jessica Lewis.

QUEEN’S CO LLEG E , TAU NTO N

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t Queen’s College, Taunton the focus is on creating a culture in which students are comfortable in class settings and able to communicate and share freely. This is helped by both the small class sizes and the structure of teaching and learning. “Every pupil is provided with a chance to communicate in every lesson,” says Head of College Julian Noad. “Collaborative activities are carefully structured to ensure that each pupil plays their part in expressing ideas, responding to others’ views, and taking the opportunity to lead.”

Within the wider curriculum, there are plenty of platforms to mix and share, with performing arts opportunities a priority and sports and outdoor education used to develop ‘people skills’ and leadership potential. There’s lots of focus on fun, but also using these platforms to develop young people’s strengths.

Alongside the benefits drama brings in building confidence, other forums include Model United Nations, debating, academic societies and discussion platforms such as Book Club.

SUMMER 2022

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“At UCS there’s a big emphasis on encouraging pupils to listen to one another, value each other’s input and be bold in sharing thoughts and opinions” Queen’s College’s Debating Society is a particularly useful means of helping students develop listening skills and empathy, ensuring an atmosphere where pupil contributions are welcomed and acknowledge by their peers.

“The ultimate ambition for many pupils is prefectship, with its opportunity to ‘give back’ and earn genuine leadership and people skills,” says Julian Noad. Mentoring is also encouraged, where there is a pastoral or academic need, while PHSE sessions encourage informal discussions and discovery opportunities.

Formal and semi-formal settings can also be a valuable way of giving young people confidence and the weekly ‘tea parties’ with the Head and his wife, plus Sixth Form dinner parties at the Head’s House, offer a means to support confident communication.

Students often lead visitors round the school, support social events at the school and take the lead on charity initiatives.

Boarding here has a vertical approach, in which students get to know pupils from their House of different years. This, says the College, encourages interaction with different age groups, peer leadership and also team working. There is also a strong role for young people in looking out for each other – Queen’s College runs a highly successful ‘Talkabout’ group to help those who want support interacting with others.

QUEEN’S COLLEGE, TAUNTON STUDENTS

A STUDENT AT MORE HOUSE

MORE HOUSE

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ore House in Knightsbridge sees confident communication as a top priority. Girls are encouraged to speak up in and out of class. Head Faith Hagerty says that the traditional ‘hands up’ approach does not serve every child well so the school uses differentiated questioning to encourage whole-class participation.

An in-house specialist in Speech and Language Therapy works with specific pupils, as recommended by the SENCo or other teaching staff, and this nurturing work helps everyone to develop key skills in questioning, listening and conversing. Whole year group singing facilitates pupils finding their voice, while LAMDA lessons offer individual pupils or small groups the opportunity to explore voice through character. The school’s Debate Club also provides a platform for developing skills in clarity of expression and use of language. Variety is key here, since a noncompetitive environment helps some pupils while others thrive in a more public forum.

As a Catholic school, More House talks openly about love, and this naturally leads

on to discussions around the importance of empathy. Pupils are encouraged to practise effective listening, and this is modelled by staff – the school believes young people must feel listened to in order to be good listeners. Leadership opportunities are offered that go beyond the scope of everyday school life. More Holidays, the school’s programme of holiday courses, involves sixth formers in areas from finance to marketing and operations. Students are also invited to assist in the delivery of courses for younger children, developing workshop ideas and leading a variety of games and activities. They also liaise with parents, which requires excellent communication skills. This initiative gives pupils of all learning profiles a chance to shine.

There are, of course, ongoing concerns since the pandemic, but More House sees this as a problem with a solution. “What we are seeing is a generation of young people who have missed out on growing up around their peers,”, says Head Faith Hagerty. The school has worked closely with pupils to address this, using opportunities such as the co-curricular programme, concerts and productions so that pupils mix freely outside of their own year group. “We must help our young people to value their own worth more than their online presence,” adds Faith Hagerty.

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CO M M U N I CATI O N

CU M N O R HOUSE, SUSSEX

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t Cumnor House, Sussex, a co-ed day and flexible boarding prep close to Haywards Heath, the staff place real importance on building close relationships with pupils and their families. This is a vital formative stage, so it’s all about understanding how children learn best and how to provide both challenges and support. The team say that strong relationships provide an environment of safety and security, giving children the confidence to try new things.

The school believes it is important not to see the extra-curricular and the academic as discrete because, done well, they are intrinsically linked and bring education to life. The focus here is on an individualised approach that sets the right goals for pupils, no matter where their strengths and weaknesses lie, as well as teaching the importance of community and the role everyone plays within the Cumnor community.

The school motto, ‘Aim High, Be Kind, Dare to be Different’ permeates every aspect of school life and is constantly reinforced through lessons, assemblies and interactions. Pupils have timetabled Wellbeing lessons each week – a safe space to discuss what constitutes a healthy relationship and what it takes to be a true friend.

In Wellbeing lessons and ICT, significant time is spent helping children look at the way they engage and communicate online

CUMNOR HOUSE, SUSSEX PUPILS

“Learning to communicate effectively through whatever medium is an essential skill and we spend significant time on this at Emanuel” – an even more important element of education in the wake of lockdown when children experienced extensive screen time and isolation from peers. Parent seminars support the work with children, some led by staff and others by external speakers. The Cumnor approach is that instilling healthy online habits and open communication at home are crucial at this stage – children’s experience of being online should be positive, formative and shared.

Enabling children to connect with traditional childhood freedoms is also intrinsic to the Cumnor approach. The school’s 65-acre site provides plenty of opportunities to embrace outdoor learning – from alfresco drama and time in the Reading Garden to scientific exploration in the Woodpeckers, its school in the woods.

Outdoor learning is used to teach skills and values such as cooperation, problem solving, risk taking and leadership. There are also the unforgettable pleasures of just being together having fun – lighting fires, den building and toasting marshmallows.

EMANUEL SC H OO L

“A

t Emanuel, the importance of the relationship between students and members of staff is emphasised, whether that be with a form tutor, subject teacher, head of year or member of senior staff,” says Deputy Head Pastoral Ravi Kothakota.

The Battersea co-ed encourages students to speak up on both school and wider societal issues. “Students need to know they feel heard and listened to on issues that relate directly or matter to them. We place a significant focus on ensuring all students are provided with opportunities to express themselves,” he adds.

There are lots of opportunities for students here to make a mark. Assembly presentations, Drama lessons and regular plays and performances give a creative SUMMER 2022

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ARTSED STUDENTS DEVELOP EMPATHY SKILLS

ART S E D

EMANUEL SCHOOL PRIORITISES PUPIL VOICE

“At ArtsEd, exposure to rehearsal and performance builds a natural confidence in students and helps develop listening and empathy skills” outlet. There are also public speaking competitions, weekly form discussions, debating clubs – even a film club for aspiring directors, actors and presenters. Alongside the school council and nutrition review groups – which include representatives from all year groups – there are groups where pupils can formally discuss gender equality and mutual respect, race and diversity and LGBTQ+ matters. These provide platforms for pupils to drive tangible change, and this year an impact video including each pupil voice group was shared across the school community.

Emanuel’s House system provides opportunities for pupils to mix across year groups, with the oldest pupils supporting and mentoring the youngest. Students can EMANUEL CHAMPIONS MUTUAL RESPECT

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be appointed to leadership positions, achieve awards (House colours) and take part in a range of hotly contested competitions.

Team sports are, of course, vital to the life of the school, with large numbers of students taking part in competitive fixtures.

“Our co-ed House sport competitions ensure that girls and boys learn how to communicate with each other as part of team activities and not just within the classroom,” says Ravi Kothakota.

Emanuel places great emphasis on respect across the community. “Learning to communicate effectively through whatever medium is an essential skill and we spend significant time on this as part of our Life Education programme.” The goal here is to prepare students for the modern world.

“The role we play as a school is encouraging young people to connect away from their screens, while simultaneously introducing them to the many possibilities that technology presents,” adds Ravi Kothakota.

Sixth Formers recently watched the film I am Gen Z, exploring the impact of social media. Many have volunteered for a school trial and will be reporting back – the goal being to shape an approach where agency in use of mobile phones is emphasised.

Y

oung people at ArtsEd need less encouragement to express themselves than in most other schools, since this is an independent with a stellar reputation for training stage and screen talent. Students are here to pursue their love of performance. “All ArtsEd students are driven by a passion to express themselves, be it through drama, music or dance,” says Head of Day School & Sixth Form, Matthew Bulmer.

He says this is a setting which inspires communication between students. “The performing arts – and I think sport is another good example – force young people to engage with one another physically and emotionally.”

Without this dynamic learning in class, it would be impossible, in his view, to excel.

“Rehearsal and performance builds a natural confidence in students and helps to develop their listening and empathy skills. This does not make them immune to moments of anxiety or doubt, nor does it mean that they are impervious to the temptations of social media, but their immersion in the performing arts gives them both the resilience to deal with difficult situations and the desire to focus on the moment.”

One area where some may lack confidence when they arrive is in more traditionally academic subjects, but the confidence and creativity nurtured in vocational lessons gets carried across into all areas, helping them to exceed their own and others’ expectations.

“A creative education allows young people to develop the skills necessary to thrive in the modern world,” says Matthew Bulmer.

“The mobile phone isn’t going anywhere soon, but through the healthy, creative interactions that are a daily part of ArtsEd life for our students, it can become an extra to the day-to-day, not a lifestyle choice.”

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Where Bright Minds Excel

Please join us for one of our Open House events at our Belgravia or Clapham sites.

To find out more, please scan our QR code or contact Miss Sam Feilding, Head of Admissions, on 0203 917 5050 for details.

Boys’ Schools 4-13yrs & Girls’ School 4-11yrs

Celebrating 125 years of excellence

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Prep

PARTNERSHIP

SYDENHAM STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT S.T.IC.K.Y COACHING

Coaching C U LT U R E Gillian Panton, Deputy Head of Sydenham High Prep School GDST, describes its coaching programme that enables pupils to support themselves and each other

A

s a parent, the temptation to ‘fix’ problems for our children can be overwhelming, but how do we help young people to work through their problems so that they can develop coping strategies themselves? Even adults find it hard not to bottle up emotions, often avoiding working through uncomfortable situations, but we know too well the damage this can cause. That’s why encouraging our children to speak about their feelings and develop a toolkit for processing them is crucial. That said, sometimes it can be difficult to open up to adults and so at Sydenham High Prep School we developed a bespoke coaching programme for pupils to learn how to support themselves and each other.

Our coaching culture equips children to become confident, considerate communicators.

Parents and staff are always there to help, but by harnessing the power of the peer it means that situations can be worked through from the perspective of a child. As we hear chanted in our designated coaching corners in the outdoor classroom, “We are kids, just like YOU; we have been in sticky situations too!” We all know how important it is to feel heard and truly understood and learning to be both the listener and the communicator is invaluable for young people on their journey toward adulthood. There will always be bumps in the road but learning to navigate these successfully informs our future.

Our S.T.I.C.K.Y method allows pupils the time and space to process problems and let out any feelings they may be holding in. S.T.I.C.K.Y. trains children to use six key categories to stimulate discussion: Situation (what is happening), Tell me more (details), Impact (on you now and what you

hope to achieve), Create (solutions), Keep (choose your path), You (the benefit for you and others). Our technique helps pupils to focus on the present, rather than on the past or future, as well as exploring the ‘worst case scenario’ – therefore removing fears.

As one pupil commented: “I feel so much happier after being coached. Now I know how to fix the problem”. Using a structured coaching question model supports positive growth and self-reflection.

Children are always eager to help their friends in times of need and offer supportive words of advice. However, it is key that children also talk to themselves – the introduction of the ‘Inner Coach’ concept has proved powerful in raising the self-belief and confidence of our pupils. S.T.I.C.K.Y coaching equips children with the interpersonal skills to develop their questioning and listening, also challenging children to reflect on feelings within a safe space, without judgement.

The power of opening up such types of conversations has seen a remarkable development in the communication skills of pupils at Sydenham High Prep. Pupils tell us how much they enjoy coaching – learning how to really listen, to help others work things out, find their own solutions, take responsibility and take action. Building this foundation will help them on their journey of both collective and individual wellbeing.

SY D E N H A M H I G H P R E P S C H O O L sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net SUMMER 2022

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P RO F I LE

VIKKI STONE HAS BUILT A CAREER IN MUSIC

BAND

LEADER We meet Vikki Stone of ITV’s ‘Romeo & Duet’, to find out more about her music career – and the life-changing Wells Cathedral School scholarship that launched it Wo r d s L I B BY N O R M A N

PHOTO: DAVID REISS

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ikki Stone is bringing live music to the nation every Saturday night on ITV’s new peak-time show Romeo & Duet. This has Oti Mabuse as presenter and sees Stone and her band Vikki and The Heartbeats provide an essential extra element – live music – so contestants can sing their way to a date’s (and the nation’s) heart. With just one short song to tempt an unseen stranger off the balcony, followed by duets for the pairings, Stone’s Musical Director role is critical to the success of these love matches – so, no pressure then.

It’s unashamedly crowd-pleasing TV, the kind of classic Saturday night entertainment that three generations can enjoy together.

Vikki Stone was involved with the show from the early stages. “Something we hoped might set the show apart was the live band and live music,” she says. This is a real point of difference for a format where live bands have largely been replaced with highly produced but anonymous backing tracks. What also sets it apart is the female band leader – a first on UK TV. Her band includes another female lead in the “fantastic” guitarist Hattie Moran, a high-energy role model – especially for girls. Stone has good reason to want more female musicians on TV because she had no such guides growing up.

There’s an element of good fortune behind the scholarship to Wells Cathedral School that helped launch her musical career. Of course, it also took talent and persistence, and SUMMER 2022

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VIKKI AND THE HEARTBEATS IN ‘ROMEO & DUET’, HOSTED BY OTI MABUSE

a scholarship system that gave her a break.

Stone grew up in Rugby in a family with no musical background. There was, she says, a “terrible” piano in the house (her father had begged this from a local pub) but that was it.

Then, at the age of five she rather mysteriously asked for a violin for Christmas – she says it was the only instrument she knew. “So, my mum went into the local music shop to buy a violin and there was a woman in there who said, ‘oh, you don’t want a violin, you want a flute’.” By strange coincidence, this woman happened to be a flute teacher. And so it was that Vikki Stone acquired a flute and lessons to go with it.

“I’m actually quite glad, as an adult, knowing how difficult a violin is to play. I’m not sure as a family we would have stuck it out.”

Her family did stick it out with their flautist daughter – in fact, it became something of a mission. “Getting into music was incredibly expensive and, after I’d hit a certain level, in order to continue with it I had to practice,” says Stone. “There were 138 scales in Grade 8 Flute and we had this system called the scale pot – three tins marked A, B and C. My mum or my grandma, whoever had to do it with me, would pull the scale out of a pot at random and if it was perfect it went into A, if it wasn’t very good it went into B, and if it was dreadful, 52

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“AT W ELLS , W E ’D S NEAK I NTO EAC H OT H ER’S P RACT I C E ROOMS TO W RI T E W H AT W E H OP ED W ERE P OP SONG S”

straight into C. I had to get 138 of these scales into the pot every day.”

She passed Grade 8 at a precociously young age but, while music was a passion, the rest of school was a trial. “I did my GCSE Music a couple of years early and after that I was just bored, absolutely bored. Nothing interested me – I guess I had what you’d describe as behavioural problems.” All that changed when she won a Sixth Form scholarship to Wells Cathedral School. “When I got to Wells, I wasn’t bored. They can teach you things which are catering to your interests – my behavioural problems didn’t exist anymore.”

As well as giving endless outlets for all her music-playing talents, Wells offered a subject she had never heard of – Music Technology.

She didn’t actually know what she would learn, but it had ‘music’ in the name, so Stone leapt at that too. “It turns out that there I learned about the software I use every day of my life as an adult, as a composer,” she says.

“In terms of the skills, it’s more valuable to me than almost anything else.” Stone went from Wells to the Royal Academy of Music.

She’s since been given the honour of Associate

(ARAM) status, awarded by the Academy for services to the music profession.

While her music training was text-book classical, Stone’s musical taste has always been broader.

She was often looked after by her grandma, and it was a regular event to be put in front of the TV to watch VHS tapes of old musicals.

“My childcare was Oklahoma, Carousel, My Fair Lady, Oliver!” This knowledge of the more popular end of music has helped no end with a roll call of writing credits spanning musical theatre and comedy. There’s classical work too, including the BBC’s Ten Pieces Special Report, designed to engage young people with classical works and learning, and Concerto for Comedian and Orchestra – that had its premiere at Glastonbury.

The populist leaning ‘sneaked in’ while she was at Wells – albeit illicitly. “I was at Wells with Flora Leo, also now a composer, and in the evenings, when were supposed to be practising in our own practice rooms, we’d often sneak into each other’s rooms to write songs together. That’s where both of us were writing what we hoped might be pop songs but they were far too cheesy and

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much more suited to musical theatre. And both of us are now musical theatre writers.”

There’s acting too – and her performing side can be traced back to childhood engagement with national youth music groups.

These included the National Youth Music Theatre Orchestra. “The first three years I got given an on-stage flute-playing role. Then in the fourth year, I had a leading role in the show, and I wasn’t playing the flute – they opened the door! After that, going back to playing flute in an orchestra wasn’t something I wanted to do. I wanted to perform.”

Stone’s comic songs in particular have drawn praise – one critic describing her as the: ‘love child of Victoria Wood and Tim Minchin’.

Comic songs are definitely a genre in their own right, and she’s happy to be associated with two such masters of the art form. The songs are something she’s honed through the hard yards of comedy experience. “After I left Royal Academy of Music I was auditioning for musicals and just not getting anywhere – a lot of those funny parts are for older women. So, then I decided to take matters into my own hands, which became comedy song writing.”

While she’s wowed Edinburgh Festival audiences, she’s also done the really tough audiences and it was this breadth that honed those essential elements of brevity and wit.

“Variety clubs and stand-up clubs are very

unforgiving environments – if they don’t like you, they heckle you.” The writing style she learned influences everything. “ I still apply the same economy of text and the same rules to myself – I learned to not make my writing baggy. This means when I’m writing for other shows, where I can afford other emotions, my writing is better for it.”

Stone’s most recent longform show credit was Aladdin at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Originally scheduled for 2020, this pantomime finally took to the stage last December and received rave reviews – plus three UK Pantomime Awards, including best script. While much of Stone’s other work has been musicals which, she says, require a lot of “workshopping” to get from concept to stage, writing panto is all about responding to current events and the show was being rewritten almost up to opening night to take in two years of lockdown and politics. “The thing about doing panto in theatre environments is that you get all of the spectacle of a big show. but you get all of the ability, like stand-up, to adapt to what’s going on. I took quite a lot of swipes at politics – I felt it was my duty as we’d all been through so much.”

She also believes many of us underestimate panto as an art form. “I can’t think of another kind of art that consistently brings

P RO F I LE

PHOTO: DAVID REISS

Prep

in such a diverse audience – backgrounds, ages – for many it’s their only time of going into an art space so if you can give them something that feels accessible, where they don’t feel out of place, the arts scene is all the better. Panto is much harder to do than people think – and lots of the regional arts economy is propped up by it.”

While Romeo & Duet is doing its matchmaking best for would-be lovers of the nation, Vikki Stone is already busy with other writing projects. These include three musicals in development, plus a stage adaptation of a “quite famous children’s TV show” set to appear this November. She remains grateful for the Wells Cathedral School scholarship that was such a brilliant launchpad, but also convinced we need more music and arts opportunities in all the nations’ schools. “I think about myself – I could have just been dismissed as someone with behavioural problems and the reason was that there was nothing that engaged me. And it turned out I have the sort of brain where it’s one thing, music, that I needed.”

She’s pleased, too, to have the opportunity to showcase her musical prowess as music director and maker to a really broad TV audience – and hopefully inspire the next generation. “People my age, women especially, have had to say, ‘I think I’m allowed to do this?’. I hope that lots of young people watching us can see themselves in many roles now.”

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Sporting success

With its move to co-education and substantial investment in new facilities, St Columba’s College is looking forward to bright sporting times ahead

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F E ATU R E

There are possibilities for boys and girls to play competitively all the way through the College

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or every school in the land, there are challenges in getting sports education right. On the one hand, competitiveness and sporting success, and on the other ingraining the habits of healthy activity in all young people by delivering sports they love enough to continue after school. St Columba’s College in St Albans has a third – its transition to full co-education means sport here now encompasses stretch and challenge for boys and girls aged 4 to 18.

Every challenge is also an opportunity and, with a substantial investment programme in facilities, there are exciting times ahead.

Director of Sport Ed Lowe says: “Our vision here at St Columba’s is to provide a variety of

BASKETBALL IS A KEY SPORT AT ST COLUMBA’S

GAMES ENSURE FUN FOR EVERYONE

opportunities that engage pupils of all abilities and interests”. The aim is to spread the net wide at first, with a broader range of sports offered for the youngest age groups, before delivering extra choices and specialism opportunities as they grow. A love of physical activity is key, as is engagement with competitive sports. “Whilst prioritising the experience, rather than solely the outcome, we hope to also develop positive personal characteristics and values that form the basis of a flourishing student,” adds Lowe.

The upgraded fitness suite and cardio area work for everyone. Lowe describes the facilities as “inspirational” both for pupils wanting to develop fitness and strength for a sports advantage and those who simply enjoy this as a healthy recreation activity. Even bigger news is the ambitious sports pitch building programme.

Currently under construction, the stunning new sports spaces include a 4G artificial grass pitch match facility for year-round rugby, football and other field-based sports. There’s also a sand dressed multi-use games area (MUGA), where students can enjoy everything from netball in the winter to tennis in the summer.

While St Columba’s plays all the traditional independent school sports, it is also widely known for basketball. A legacy of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, the US-based religious order that refounded the College in the 1950s, this authentic slice of American sporting tradition continues to thrive. Swimming is another strength, with talented individual swimmers over the years and recent success in qualifying for national relay finals, both for girls and boys.

St Columba’s is keen to continue its strengths, but that is underpinned by a strong belief in offering diverse opportunities in team and solo challenges. Fencing, climbing and golf are in the mix – and with notable national-level players. Cross-country is doing very well under the tutelage of sports staff who are former internationals in athletics. Table tennis is growing in popularity and new sports, including spikeball and touckball, have joined the menu of PE options. Lowe says it’s about inspiring “maximum engagement” among boys and girls.

The girls are, of course, key to all of this, and the sports teaching staff have included traditional and non-traditional options for them.

The team are proud that the PE programme they are developing shows no gender bias and are keen to develop as many mixed opportunities as possible. This includes co-ed sports, which Lowe sees as adding an extra dimension. “In picking football as a focus winter sport and having cricket as a summer sport there are possibilities for boys and girls to play competitively all the way through the College.”

There are high hopes for co-ed success in athletics – including in some of the combined competitions now available. “This includes the Combined Overall District Athletics trophy,” says Lowe. “It was donated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in the 1990s with the view that St Columba’s could never win it given that we didn’t have girls at the time!”

Now that would be a prize that everyone at St Columba’s would like to see carried home for the trophy cabinet.

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An Independent Prep School for Boys & Girls aged 3-13

Dolphin School inspires a love of learning that lasts a lifetime …

Please visit our website to learn more, or contact Kate Spooner admissions@dolphinschool.com www.dolphinschool.com 0118 934 1277 Waltham Road, Hurst, Berkshire, RG10 0FR

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Prep

TALK I N G

OPINION

Outdoor

LEARNING

The Headmistress of Habs Girls says it's time that schools recognised the value and benefits of providing older pupils with outdoor education

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ith an increase in forest schools and the benefits of outdoor learning widely reported, getting pupils outside has become a top priority. For early years and primary-age children, schools have risen to the challenge of creating inspiring outdoor education. Unfortunately, from age 11 upwards, the emphasis seems to tail off or is largely confined to the court or pitch during scheduled PE lessons.

This is a great pity, since we already know that young people spend far too much time indoors in front of screens.

As schools, we need to be doing as much as possible to stimulate a desire for being outside. When children reach senior school, everything switches to academic progress, exams and assessments. This simply nurtures the classic stereotype of young people who don’t really want to be outside. It becomes a vicious circle too, because the more we restrict outdoor learning within older age groups, the more reluctant they will be to engage with the idea.

Outdoor learning is not just about wellbeing or fresh air. There is an academic value to learning outside of the classroom. Biology and other STEM subjects should be taught outside more often with timetabled activities as part of the curriculum, not simply a 'nice to have' add-on on a sunny day. From developing horticultural expertise to

studying and observing geographical surroundings, being outside strengthens academic development and provides a multi-sensory learning environment for older pupils as well as for younger ones.

We are constantly teaching our young people about the impact of climate change and how to take better care of our world. That also means understanding and recording seasonal changes, recognising local wildlife and identifying the plants and trees that grow on our doorstep. Often, when climate

“From age 11 upwards, the emphasis around outdoor learning seems to tail off or is largely confined to the court or pitch”

HEAD

HABS GIRLS PUPILS

ROSE HARDY Headmistress Habs Girls

change is discussed, children think of the polar ice caps or the extinction of far-off species. While these are important considerations, children should be encouraged to observe the hyper-local – the changes around them. Schools have a duty to educate older children to become stewards of their own campus.

Getting older children and teenagers outside as part of their daily routine should be happening in the same way that it does for younger children – and across multiple core subjects. For example, getting pupils involved and enthused about gardening will equip them with the skills to grow and nurture, fostering the values of patience and care in order to achieve good results. It can also be employed to teach the sciences in practical and visually engaging ways.

Taking co-curricular activities a step further, schools can embrace the idea of a school allotment, set up a bird watching club or build partnerships with linked charities to give back to their local communities through outdoor work. In doing the bare minimum around outdoor learning for older children, schools are essentially sending the message to teenagers that it isn’t that important. It’s time to redress the balance to give muchneeded focus to outdoor education – and show the wider benefits of time spent in the open air to our young people.

SUMMER 2022

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Devonshire House Preparatory School

Outstanding prep and pre-prep in Hampstead, with its own nursery To book an open morning visit or arrange a private tour please visit our website or contact Admissions Tel: 020 7435 1916 Email: enquiries@dhprep.co.uk Website: www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk Follow us: DEVONSHIRE HOUSE.indd 58

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HEAD

Pupil VOICE The Head of St Dunstan's College discusses its 'Diapason', a working group designed to include the student voice in every aspect of school life

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f schools do not allow their pupils to become active agents in strategic thinking, we risk an ever-polarised society where the young feel disenfranchised from authority, generationally dislocated and where issues that matter to them become locked in an echo chamber of bitterness and injustice.

Like many Heads in our sector forced to navigate the necessary self-questioning presented through the challenges posed first by the Black Lives Matter movement and then latterly by Everyone’s Invited – having soul-searched and questioned the very core of my educational belief and educational purpose – I felt strongly that we were not advocating enough of a role for children in the decision-making of the school.

That is not to say that we do not have a well-meaning pupil parliament, annual pupil surveys, working groups and an active prefect body – we do all of that – but I felt on reflection that these things were at risk of providing little more than lip service.

How we can improve catering and the co-curricular programme is all very well and good, but do children have a say in the very culture they help to cement and of which they are both custodians and beneficiaries?

My mind was drawn to a presentation I was asked to give to the Barclays Spectrum group. This is a significant network of employees representing the LGBTQ+ community from across the Barclays group and their task

is to formulate and take ownership of a strategy for improving equality, inclusion and diversity within the group. I was taken by this idea, as it had the benefit of coming directly from within. It had cultural clout because the employees themselves were shaping their lived environment.

I started to think about whether something similar could be achieved in a school setting and the idea of the St Dunstan’s Diapason was born.

The first thing most people ask me is what does Diapason mean, which is a good question. It means a burst of harmony, or the entire scope and range of a thing. It seemed to me a very appropriate term for what we were trying to achieve. The Diapason is structured around five ‘pillars’ – Race,

“Diapason means a burst of harmony – an appropriate term for what we were trying to achieve”

TALK I N G

NICHOLAS HEWLETT Headmaster St Dunstan's College

Prep

OPINION

Sex and Gender, Religion and Belief, Sexual Orientation and Disability. Each has a nominated pupil and staff lead who work with the broader pupil and staff community to formulate a strategy for action. I chair and resource the group. We meet once a half-term and the purpose is clear – we want to make sure that our community is founded on deep principles of equality and that we are actively showcasing the very great benefits that diversity brings.

The Diapason liaise with governors, speak with parents, and support the pastoral team in finding solutions to problems when they arise. Although still in its infancy, we have had great success.

Fundamental change to our curriculum, driven by the pupils themselves, sits alongside more concrete changes – for example, this summer we are building our first multi-faith prayer room.

Their list of actions is significant, and this is a lively and sometimes challenging group to manage.

We do not always agree, but at least we are talking. Staff and pupils from across the school organisation bring together different views and ideas into one forum where everyone is heard. This allows meaningful change to be driven by those in direct receipt of the culture that is created here at St Dunstan's.

PUPILS AT ST DUNSTAN'S WITH NICHOLAS HEWLETT

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TALK I N G

OPINION

Common

GOA L

The Head of Windlesham House asks if the Common Entrance is fit for purpose in the modern education landscape

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ommon Entrance exams have, for many years, provided a structured syllabus for the two final years of prep school, with a full range of examinations being the main form of assessment. With the focus for senior school entrance now shifting to pre-testing in Year 6, children are facing the prospect of assessment and exam preparation – in some cases from as early as Year 5 until they sit their A levels in Year 13. As schools, it must be our aim to achieve more than education for education’s sake if we are to give our children the best possible experience.

It is essential that we constantly evaluate our teaching and learning to ensure it is still valid for the 21st WINDLESHAM HOUSE PREP PUPILS

century. We are preparing children for a very different world today than we were even 20 years ago, yet the twoyear programme of Common Entrance study has changed very little. We now understand that skills acquisition and creative forms of assessment are as valuable as memorising and regurgitating information. This is especially the case when pupils are starting their GCSE studies in Year 9.

It is essential to have a solid and rigorous curriculum in place for Years 7 and 8. In many ways, the current programmes of study for Common Entrance are exactly what we need. However, there must be greater flexibility to incorporate different learning habits that build independence, communication skills,

“Schools need to work together to produce a curriculum that allows pupils to transition seamlessly to Year 9”

HEAD

BEN EVANS Headmaster Windlesham House School

risk taking and oracy. In turn, this will provide greater academic rigour and ensure children become more successful and accomplished learners.

One of the main elements of Common Entrance that render it no longer fit for purpose is the form of terminal assessment. The need to prepare for formal written exams may be seen by some as fittingly rigorous and of great benefit in preparing for GCSEs. However, in reality it means that much of the teaching is geared towards passing exams and a great deal of valuable learning time is devoted to past paper questions and revision.

This time would be better utilised by active learning, exploring, discovery and application. Assessment is essential but an approach needs to be adopted which allows children to think critically, work collaboratively and demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a creative way. This makes education fun and exciting, encouraging enthusiasm and understanding for lifelong learning rather than risking boredom and dread of exams.

It is generally understood that the majority of senior schools no longer view Common Entrance as a necessary element of entry, nor do they value the exam as a form of assessment.

So if we are serious about providing the best possible education for our pupils, we need greater continuity and progression from Year 8 to Year 9.

Prep and senior schools need to work together to produce an academically rigorous curriculum that will allow pupils to transition seamlessly to Year 9, building on their knowledge, understanding and skills acquisition.

Likewise, there needs to be a system of assessment which can be moderated but will also allow academically rigorous outcomes using creativity and high levels of critical thinking.

Only then will we achieve a system that challenges children to achieve their potential, while also developing a genuine love of learning and the essential habits of sucessful learners.

SUMMER 2022

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“I found my team.”

- Scarlett

Find your confidence Find your Downe House Open Days and individual tours available

registrar@downehouse.net | 01635 204701

www.downehouse.net An outstanding independent boarding school for girls aged 11 to 18 years 89% Grades 9-7 GCSE DOWNEHOUSE.indd Absolutely Education Pre 62 and Prep 210mm x 260mm March DOWNHOUSE_ABS_FP_PREP_APR22_v2.indd 1 22.indd 1

98% Grades A*-B A Level

94% First-Choice University

26% STEM at University 09/03/2022 08/06/2022 14:31:27 16:03 09/03/2022 15:29

HEAD

Boarding

BENEFITS

The Head of Warminster School on how boarding builds young people's confidence, opportunities, friendships and awareness of the wider world

F

or those who haven’t experienced boarding school life other than by reading Tom Brown’s Schooldays, Harry Potter or Malory Towers, you are in for a surprise. Long gone are the days of cold showers and iron bedsteads, early morning runs and huge dormitories. Boarding in 2022 is extremely homely, and at Warminster revolves around trying to create a home away from home where children and young people feel supported and nurtured. The benefits of boarding are many, but here are some key considerations to factor in when you are thinking about a school for your children.

brings them closer, and the ability to share the rough with the smooth helps to create incredibly strong bonds.

ACTIVITIES: Not having to go back and forth from home every day means that children can more easily throw themselves into a wider range of extracurricular activities. Staying on for that play rehearsal and not worrying about a fixture arriving back late lets children relax into school life. Parents can also relax knowing the ‘taxi service’ does not always have to be available.

These are just three advantages.

However, building a different outlook would definitely be a fourth point to consider. At Warminster we are

Prep “Feeling that they are an integral part of our broad ‘village’ community allows our pupils to have confidence and look for opportunities to give back”

TALK I N G

MATT WILLIAMS Headmaster Warminster School

OPINION

very fortunate to have pupils from all over the world. We celebrate the cultures of Bermuda, Malawi, Italy, and Thailand, to mention just a few of the 30 nationalities represented at our school.

Our furthest boarder lives thousands of miles away and our nearest only a few minutes. As Headmaster and a parent of three children at Warminster, I am very proud that my own children will make friends with children from other cultures and backgrounds and that we are a window on the world in West Wiltshire.

We really do believe that, as the African proverb states, it takes a village to raise a child – indeed we refer to part of our 60-acre campus as our ‘boarding village’. Our four family-orientated boarding houses open onto beautiful gardens and wide green spaces – the summer months are filled with BBQs and a fair few water fights. We are a school that is rounded and grounded.

Our pupils wave good morning to the groundsman mowing the rugby pitches and stop and chat to those that cook their lunch. It is feeling that they are an integral part of this broad ‘village’ community that allows our pupils to have confidence without arrogance, and to see their role in the world as serving others and looking for opportunities to give back. Boarding provides exciting opportunities, a community ethos, and gives families the flexibility to live their lives in a modern way.

SCHOOL WORK: Doing your homework in the evenings at school, usually in a quiet and supervised environment, is far more conducive to success and working without distraction. There will also always be members of staff or fellow pupils on hand to help. The strong relationships that exist between our pupils and staff create a sense of belonging, where the children can be themselves.

FRIENDS: The friends young people make at boarding school will last them a lifetime. They can build deeper relationships than they might in a dayschool environment. Living together

WARMINSTER'S COLOUR RUN

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WHY S T U DY

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

ADELE CRABTREE Northwood Senior Adele Crabtree is Director of the Arts at Broomwood Hall and Head of DT at Northwood Senior. She graduated from Canterbury with a degree in 3D Design and worked as a designer for almost a decade in a WPP branding consultancy before turning full circle to inspire the next generation of designers.

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Makers, inventors and problem solvers need firm foundations to set them on their way and Design Technology is the subject that opens career doors – from engineering to fashion and product design. Two experts in the field give us their elevator pitch

JAMES BUXTON Framlingham College James Buxton is Director of Design & Technology at Framlingham College. After a BA in Furniture & Product Design at Nottingham Trent University, he worked in the design industry before a PGCE and Master’s in Education at Cambridge. He is most excited by mid-century modern furniture and sustainable design.

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Prep

What makes Design Technology so brilliant?

AC: Everything in the world that every human interacts with that isn’t organically grown has been designed. A problem is identified, and solutions created.

Designs evolve, adapt and improve the world in which we live. This is exactly what each child learns to do in DT.

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY Fast Facts

JB: It is the most liberating, empowering subject – students gain more than just making skills, they also develop creative thinking skills, genuine autonomy, and ownership of their learning journey.

What made you choose it?

AC: The opportunity came, and I grabbed it with both hands. DT is creative, technical, challenging. Seeing a pupil’s ideas coming to life and guiding them is hugely rewarding.

JB: I love the freedom and variety. Every lesson brings new challenges and ideas – all to be solved or realised by exploring and experimenting. A studio of ten to 15 students all working on completely different projects is so engaging.

And transferable skills and knowledge?

AC: Skills of problem-solving, collaboration and evaluation. Knowledge of material properties or technology can be learnt along the way. A flexible mindset and the ability to see opportunities in the ‘mistakes’.

3 FAMOUS DESIGN GRADUATES: Sir James Dyson, Jony Ive, Stella McCartney 5 STUDY HOTSPOTS: Royal College of Art, UAL, Dundee, Plymouth, Loughborough WHERE DESIGNERS HANG OUT: The RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) is meeting point for designers, makers and problem solvers. thersa.org

CHOICES

JB: Students practise the design process – the ability to identify problems, research, plan, create and reflect. This translates well in any area of study or industry and enables them to apply their skills with creativity and confidence in other contexts.

What pathways does it open?

AC: There are too many to list here. As a STEM subject they can move into design, engineering, or CAD (computer aided design). Careers are as diverse as fashion designer, rocket scientist, branding designer, architect. packaging or furniture designer and structural engineer. The broader importance of DT lies in helping pupils to think laterally and creatively and work in teams – important skills for the modern workplace irrespective of what you end up doing.

“CAREERS ARE AS DIVERSE AS FASHION DESIGNER, ROCKET SCIENTIST, BRANDING DESIGNER, ARCHITECT. PACKAGING OR FURNITURE DESIGNER AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER” JB: Design is everywhere, now more than ever. Equipped with creative skills and selfefficacy, pupils are advantaged in careers ranging from engineering and architecture, to design for film and TV and UX. Two things students might not realise Design Technology covers AC: GCSE DT is not just ‘making.'

A large proportion is theory, where you can apply knowledge from other STEM subjects – and you don’t need to be able to draw! If you can get your ideas across to engage someone else, then that’s all you need. Computers and Visualisers are used in industry to help with this.

JB: The Climate Crisis and social issues like inclusion – Design Technology graduates will be the ones to solve these problems in the future, I hope!

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SUN DAYS CLARE MILFORD HAVEN'S NEW BOOK CAPTURES THE MAGIC OF FAMILY HOLIDAYS. Illustration by David William Press

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MAG I CAL

TIMES James’ Place co-founder Clare Milford Haven talks about the inspiration behind her new book, capturing the timeless magic of family holidays

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School’s Out

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he first thing that strikes you about The Magic Sandcastle is its timeless quality – the visuals and the story both carry the heat haze of halcyon summers. It’s set on Nantucket Island and centres on five children’s days on the beach.

There’s a sandcastle building competition, which they win, against all odds, when the tide washes their first wonderful creation away.

It’s ‘out of time’ in more than one sense, for Clare Milford Haven wrote it many years ago and then tucked it away. She can’t remember precisely when – the first draft sits on an old computer, the password long forgotten. “I think it was very much a reflection on happier times, shall we say. I’ve been asked if it was about my own childhood, and the answer is: no, not really. I’ve got wonderful memories of my childhood on the beaches on Nantucket.

But this was more about when George and I amalgamated our two families, who were very young still, and we took them for many, many years to Nantucket for the summers.”

This Nantucket connection was thanks to Milford Haven’s American-born mother.

“My Mum, who sadly died a couple of years ago, created this wonderful forum for her grandchildren, having this house on this idyllic island.” Life there followed a regular pattern of favourite and familiar places and routines.

“We would get into that old jeep and rattle down, and arrive at the beach carrying – I can’t even tell you – boogie boards, buckets and spades and any kind of toy or sport that could keep the kids fully occupied. It was quite an expedition every day, but they adored it.”

She and George had even married on that very same beach in Nantucket a few years earlier – so a place of special memories.

The Magic Sandcastle may be inspired by a specific beach, but it could be any stretch of

F E ATU R E

We would get into that old jeep and rattle down – and arrive at the beach carrying any kind of toy or sport that could keep the kids fully occupied

sand where the sun is shining.

After all, building sandcastles is a rite of passage for boys and girls everywhere. There is also (as all good children’s books must have) a point to the story in the way the children overcome a setback and succeed in the end. “I wanted kids to think about dreams and fantasy – also never giving up,” says Milford Haven. “Things go wrong and you fail sometimes, you get knocked down, but don’t give up. Keep going.”

It was lockdown that inspired her to return to the story. Milford Haven was introduced

THE MAGIC SANDCASTLE CAPTURES THE MAGIC OF HOLIDAYS IN NANTUCKET

by friends to Australian publisher Serenity and the book appeared there late last year, in time for the Southern Hemisphere summer, launching in the UK this spring. Another close friend introduced her to David William Press, who created the lovely illustrations. “We couldn’t meet because it was lockdown and I looked at his work and I said I really want this wash effect and these timeless illustrations.

“I sent him photos and some images, and he

interpreted the characters really well.”

All five children from Clare and George’s amalgamated family – James, Wenty (Harry), Louisa, Tatiana and Harry – star alongside her late mother, AKA ‘Granny Annie’. “Dave’s done a brilliant job at interpreting what I wanted. I didn’t want bright, computerised images – maybe it’s my age – and this reminded me of books from my childhood.”

The nostalgic quality has an added edge of poignancy because James, ‘Chief Engineer’ of the sandcastles in the book died by suicide in 2006 at the age of 21. It was this dreadful loss that led on to the formation of James’ Place – founded by Milford Haven and James’ father Nick Wentworth-Stanley two years’ later. It supports men who are suicidal and, since the opening of the first James’ Place centre in Liverpool in 2018, men have had a dedicated place they can go to for support and counselling.

James had minor surgery, and this was followed by a crisis. Although he sought urgent help for acute anxiety and suicidal thoughts at a walk-in centre, the follow-on call to his GP somehow didn’t happen. “So many things went wrong – it wasn’t joined up.

“Just say it was happening this year and James was in London, where we also have a centre now, and he went through the same process and luckily ended up in one of the hospitals that refer to us,” says Milford Haven. “They would have said, I think James, you haven’t got any complex mental health issues. You need to go to James’ Place and here’s the number – and he’d have been able to see somebody within 48 hours.”

Since its foundation, James’ Place has saved hundreds of lives. Through all the SUMMER 2022

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OLD PHOTOS WERE USED AS A STARTING POINT FOR THE CHARACTERS

research Milford Haven has done over the years, she’s realised that men at risk of suicide (and James’ Place is open to any man over 18) need the right sort of setting and support to open up. “Environment is really important when you’re in a bad headspace.

The atmosphere inside James’ Place is very calm, it’s very peaceful. We have a beautiful garden there. People talk about it being like

CLARE MILFORD HAVEN

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Nearly all the men we see are in a temporary crisis.

They need to do what men find really, really hard, which is to offload, and maybe have a cry

walking into somebody’s home.”

She believes pride is at the root of many of the issues men face – they may be conditioned to see expressing guilt, fear, anxiety or other emotions as weakness. “Nearly all the men we see are in crisis. They’re in a temporary crisis.

They don’t need to go to secondary care, they need to go and talk to someone. They need to do what men find really, really hard, which is to offload, and maybe have a cry.”

Nothing can stop the sense of loss and parental guilt – what Clare Milford Haven describes as the: ‘I should have saved him’ feeling – of any parent who has lost a child, but James’ Place is an amazing, and healing, outcome. “We always said if we could save one life it would be meaningful for us. And we have saved a considerable number of lives. In James’ memory, and as a legacy to him, I don’t know what we could do better.” Channelling all the grief and pain into such a positive

has also made it much easier to keep James in conversations and in their lives.

And now there is another way of remembering James – within The Magic Sandcastle – surrounded by his siblings and in a place and time they all loved. Clare Milford Haven says the children have been incredibly touched by this book. “He was always the leader of the gang. In all the photos I’ve got of that time, it was always James who was drumming up something naughty to do.

I think it’s important for the other kids that they’re all in it together. It’s captured in time and, because James is no longer with us, it’s something that’s immortalised with him.”

The Magic Sandcastle is published by Serenity Press (£12.99); serenitypress.org James’ Place has centres in Liverpool and London; jamesplace.org

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TOP SUMMER M U ST READ 8+

From an exploration of trees and the inspiring life of Leonardo Da Vinci to a new edition of a book about the ultimate ‘keel’ hero and a mystery out at sea, here’s our pick of great reads for the summer ahead

Leonardo Da Vinci’s Life of Invention

by Jake Williams PAVI LI ON, £1 2 .9 9

T

he life of Leonardo Da Vinci is a worthy subject for any age group, but Jake Williams combines context and detail to make the story fascinating for younger readers. It begins with an exploration of the man – reminding us that in his lifetime the world’s most celebrated polymath thought himself a failure. Then it covers his achievements, dividing them into The Natural World, Inventions and Work of Art. It’s a guide to encourage further exploration of both his life and his inventiveness.

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8+

THE RIDDLE OF THE SEA

by Jonne Kramer translated by Laura Watkinson Illustrated by Karl James Mountford P ICCA D ILLY, £7.99

First published in 2019, Jonne Kramer’s debut novel was nominated for several prizes, including the Dutch Children’s Jury Prize. It’s a yarn centred on Ravian’s search for his fisherman father. Troubled by the stories of The Night Raider, he sets out with his seagull friend Marvin.

The adventure that follows includes an encounter with a pirate and epic battles with storms and giant squid.

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BOOK REV IEWS

Books

r e vi e ws

6+

THE YOUNG DESIGNERS

Editor's pick

by Paul Smith illustrated by Sam Usher PAVILION, £12 .99

This is the second book from the iconic British designer detailing the adventures of designer Mr Brown and his assistant Moose. In this story, Moose is put in charge of the office when Rainbow Class come to learn how to be a designer. A madcap trip round London for design inspiration and a mishap with the new-season collection ensue, but all ends well. It’s a fun read, and with delightful illustrations by Sam Usher.

2+

4+

THE WILD GARDEN

All Around Bustletown: Nighttime

by Cynthia Cliff PRE STEL , £11.99

There are two distinct patches of land in Mirren, the community garden and a lush wilderness where Jilly, her dog Bleu and her grandfather forage. They are unhappy when the community decides to tame their wild place. But a plan is agreed for both – produce to eat and space for nature. Clear text and evocative illustrations make this a great introduction to gardening and the benefits of working together.

by Rotraut Susanne Berner PRESTEL, £9.99

7+

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 TREES

by Ben Lerwill illustrated by Kaja Kajfež WELBECK EDITIONS , £14.99

This book tells stories about the world’s trees – from the ancient Bristlecone Pine to the vast Montezuma Cypress. Travel writer Ben Lerwill brings a globetrotter’s perspective to the most distinctive trees of every region of the planet. There’s also plenty of scientific information – from ‘family trees’ to the wonders of collaborative root systems – to inspire budding botanists and geographers alike.

T

his new book in the Bustletown series explores life in the busy town after dark.

As ever, wonderfully vivid illustrations by Rotraut Susanne Berner bring a whole community to life.

The large format size and sturdy boards make it a perfect way to engage toddlers with the world of books, with minimal text but lots to explore in each of the seven illustrations.

Each of the scenes can be used to help children identify familiar objects and activities and discuss what’s going on in the pictures.

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r e vi e ws

5+

Woodland Magic: Fox Cub Rescue

Editor's pick

by Julie Sykes illustrated by Katy Riddell PICCADILLY, £5.99

Julie Sykes, author of Unicorn Academy, has returned with the first in the Woodland Magic series. Themes of children saving the day, animal rescue and nature are surefire winners while the large font, with whimsical illustrations from Katy Riddell, make this a page turner. With other titles in the pipeline including Deer in Danger, this big-hearted series will definitely win plenty of fans.

3+

7+

Big Hedgehog and Little Hedgehog Take an Evening Stroll

by Britta Teckentrup P R E ST EL , £1 0.9 9

T

his story for young children from Britta Teckentrup has her trademark painterly illustrations and poetic text, and with a gentle and reassuring theme centred on nature and patience.

The stroll in the story gets slower and slower as Little Hedgehog dawdles on the way home, insisting on stopping to watch the sun go down and the moon come up.

It includes watching fireflies dance, listening to frogs sing and counting stars. A delightful bedtime read with a restful quality that may even encourage little eyes to close.

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BARRY LOSER: TOTAL WINNER

by Jim Smith FARSHORE , £8.99

The tenth-anniversary edition (or ‘10 Years of Loserness’, as the cover puts it) of Jim Smith’s graphic novel is in full colour, and still with the fabulous Keel Gang cast, along with Barry Loser’s drippy classmates such as Anton Mildew and Fay Snoggles.

The surreal humour and clever asides will attract a new generation of readers – and there’s a masterclass at the back to help them draw some of the main characters.

4+

EYES THAT SPEAK TO THE STARS

by Joanna Ho illustrated by Dung Ho HARPER, £12 .99

This book by the author of New York Times Best Seller Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, is all about celebrating inclusivity and family bonds. Joanna Ho is also vice principal of a school in San Francisco, while Dung Ho is a resident of Ho Chi Minh City. Between them, they have created a richly drawn story to reassure any child who gets upset by the idea of looking or feeling different.

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Inspiring Hearts & Minds

Junior School tours available throughout the Autumn term.

Book online at www.jags.org.uk James Allen’s Girls’ School 144 East Dulwich Grove London SE22 8TE s 020 8693 1181

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Josh Cuthbert The singer, model and digital creator talks about school days in Berkshire and the road that led to the West End, then The X Factor and boy band success with Union J Where did you go to school?

I went to Charters School in Sunningdale, Berkshire, starting in 2004.

Did you love school or hate it?

I loved school. Like most children I had ups and downs. By age 11, I was passionate about singing and music – there are not many kids at that age who are into musical theatre, so I had a bit of grief about that, but overall school was a good experience.

I was involved in all the sports clubs and teams and did singing on the side. The school were very supportive of my music. I auditioned for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium when I was 13 and I managed to get into the show. The school liaised with my mum and made it work.

What were your favourite subjects / activities there?

History and PE – I loved my sports.

I didn't really enjoy music at school. I had stage school in London every Saturday and, without sounding disrespectful, I found school music lessons quite boring.

He and a couple of other teachers took the time. That really helped and, because of that, I gave them huge respect and also behaved really well in their lessons.

Where was your favourite place at school?

I loved being in the playground and on the Astro pitch, which was always open.

Every break I would just play football and for me that was an escape from the pressure of school and having to get good grades.

What beliefs did your time at school instil in you?

I learned that when I put my mind to something I'm capable of achieving. When GCSEs came about I actually knuckled down. This was after four years where I was constantly told I was going to fail if I didn't pack in my behaviour and concentrate.

When push came to shove, I got some impressive GCSE results and that was a

big lesson – it gave me confidence. I was in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for a year, but I was also going to dozens of other auditions during my school days and hearing 'no' left, right and centre. So, GCSEs and my audition experience taught me to never give up on my dreams – that I am good enough.

What was your proudest moment?

I always used to audition for school plays. Most lead roles went to Year 11s, and I auditioned in Year 8 and got a part. I was going through a period when I wasn't particularly well behaved, and I didn't get on well with the music teacher directing it, so he told me he didn't want me on the play. The next year, I auditioned again.

The Head of Music was in charge this time and gave me a lead role in West Side Story. That was a really proud moment, and then when it was staged I remember getting a standing ovation and people saying: 'Blimey, where has he come from?'.

UNION J IN 2013

Who were your most memorable teachers and how did they influence you?

I had a period where I misbehaved a fair bit. I was showing off to make the girls laugh – trying to be the class clown. Now, when I look back, it makes me cringe. So, teachers found me quite frustrating at times, however there were some who could see my potential. Mr Courtly was one of them.

Instead of getting frustrated he tried to help me through my bad behaviour patches.

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School's Out

Q&A

When and how did your interest in music begin?

I didn't come from a musical family at all, but I used to sing in my bunk bed every night. I got the part of Scrooge in a Year 6 musical and up to that point my family had no idea I could really sing. I can remember the teacher saying to my mum 'You are in for an absolute treat and surprise tonight – I hope you've brought your tissues'. It was after that performance that I got an agent and began stage school at weekends.

PHOTOS: DAVID REISS

What other key influences shaped you when you were growing up?

Football was always a huge passion.

I was football mad. When I made it into the school team I was over the moon.

I'm a big Chelsea fan – and my dad and stepdad both used to take me to matches.

What was the most trouble you got into at school?

I was getting bullied by these brothers. I got really sick of it, and we ended up in a bit of a scrap outside school. I was put on report by my Head of Year, who I really liked a lot and got on well with. That was the wake-up call I needed. After that I knuckled down.

Were you ever 'too cool for school'?

I probably thought I was, but I definitely wasn't. I was a typical teenager and I still remember the pressure of

trying to look as cool as possible on those non-school uniform days.

What is your most vivid school memory, looking back now?

It was probably being made a prefect in Year 11. When my name got announced people said: 'What?'. Then when I went home to tell my mum she couldn't believe it either – not in a nasty way but it showed how much I had knuckled down. My Head of Year who made me a prefect, Mrs Campbell, was brilliant and I've got a lot to thank her for.

What projects have you been working on?

There was a reunion show with Union J at the London Palladium in late May. It's the same theatre where it all started with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, so this felt like full circle.

It's very special as my grandma often used to take me to Chitty and would always sit in the same seat. She recently passed and I blocked out her seat for the Union J show – so an emotional night, but brilliant. I'll be taking part in the London Marathon this October, running for Stand Up To Cancer.

There is also my regular modelling and branding work and various TV appearances – including a show coming out in December.

I'm not allowed to say what that is, but I did spend a week filming it in March in Christmas jumpers, which felt very strange!

How would you sum up your school days in four words?

Rollercoaster, proud, challenging, emotional.

Union J's 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert took place at The London Palladium on Saturday 28th May. cuffeandtaylor.com

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“ FO R FA M I L I E S, A K E Y M OT I VATO R FO R H I R I N G A N A N N Y I S SO T H AT PA R E N TS CA N HAV E A H O L I DAY T HEM S ELVE S”

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FE ATURE

H O L I D AY

NANNY g u i de

It’s not only the super-rich who take a nanny on holiday – so what are the ground rules for hiring vacation childcare?

Wo r d s R A C H E L H O G G

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ith end-of-term dates rapidly approaching, many parents have thought about packing for the summer holidays. But there may be one more thing you would love to take with you – adding considerably to the luggage allowance – a holiday nanny. While these may once have been for the super-rich, more families are considering this option.

We spoke to both nannies on the ‘front line’ and Louise Taylor, consultant and director of long-established London nanny agency Kensington Nannies, to find out more.

There are a number of reasons why parents hire nannies to travel on holiday with them, say our insiders, but a key motivator is so that parents can have a holiday themselves.

It’s a great solution for parents who need a little bit of extra support as this can give them the freedom to actually relax, finally – even finish that book or have an uninterrupted

Illustration KAI NICHOLLS

meal. The greatest advantage of hiring a holiday nanny over a babysitter is the flexibility to design your own schedule.

Holiday nanny jobs are often a divide and conquer situation, particularly where families are made up of younger and older children. Having an extra pair of hands means, for instance, parents might be able to take older children sightseeing or sailing while the nanny stays behind to look after the younger ones. It can be a valuable opportunity for parents to spend one-on-one time with children and ensure everyone’s having fun.

You may be thinking, this all sounds great, but how much is it going to cost? The average holiday nanny salary depends on the individual, the hours, how many children there are and supply and demand when you book, but around £200 per day for a sole-charge nanny is a typical ballpark. Bear in mind you will also be responsible for paying for everything related to the holiday period, including flights and travel insurance. It adds considerably to the cost of the holiday, but factor in the price of children’s clubs and evening babysitters – and SUMMER 2022

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the value of relaxation time for parents – and it can be a viable and flexible extra. Nannysharing between two families is, say our insiders, an increasingly popular choice and can be great if you’re in one hotel or villa, or staying close to another family in one complex.

Even with all the benefits help brings, for those who have never done so before the concept of taking a perfect stranger on a holiday can be daunting. So, Louise Taylor and our ‘nanny panel’ have shared their top five tips on holiday nanny etiquette to make this experience as stress-free as possible.

1. SET THINGS UP FOR SUCCESS

Where friction occurs between nannies and families on holidays it tends to be as a result of the two sides being on what Louise Taylor tactfully describes as, “different pages”. Her advice is to give clear information in advance about what you expect, the holiday schedule, and so on, to ensure a harmonious experience.

It’s also really helpful to provide a thorough guide to your family’s rules and routines. “You wouldn’t hire someone to be your secretary and do your filing without showing them how your filing system works, and it’s the same thing with a nanny,” says Louise Taylor.

2. TIME OFF IS VITAL

Because normal routines can vary so significantly on holiday, it is even more important to make sure your nanny is getting the appropriate amount of rest and time off and isn’t accidentally being overworked or starting to feel taken advantage of.

Our insiders all suggest it’s important to agree on hours of work beforehand – a written contract is recommended – and then everyone is on the same page.

3. BE INCLUSIVE

Holiday nanny jobs can be lonely, particularly in more rural areas. Our nannies talk about the value of a car or access to public transport (even a lift to the local town during time off) so they can experience a bit of free time alone or meet up with people their own age.

“Parents have each other for company, the children have each other, but the nanny has no one,” says Louise Taylor. The more inclusive and understanding you are, the more comfortable your holiday nanny is likely to feel.

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NANNY AND FAMILY CAN HAVE A GOOD TRIP IF YOU REMEMBER KEY GROUND RULES

“FOR FAMI LI E S , A KEY MOT I VATOR FOR H I RI NG A NANNY I S SO T H AT PARENTS CAN H AVE A H OLI DAY T H EMS ELVE S” 4. ENSURE HOME COMFORTS

With a holiday nanny, you have a duty of care. This means making sure she or he is fed properly and has a comfortable bedroom.

It’s usually written into the contract that you provide (and pay for) three meals a day and suitable accommodation. Louise Taylor also recommends asking about any dietary requirements and other food preferences before you go. Our nannies add that it’s a really good idea to give your nanny an opportunity to do some grocery shopping for themselves.

5. NANNY IS NOT ON HOLIDAY

This is the most important piece of nanny etiquette. Very occasionally families believe a nanny should feel grateful – indebted

even – to be on their holiday. “Whether they are on duty in Mallorca or London, it makes no difference. Work is work, it’s not their holiday,” says Louise Taylor. Our nanny panel add that expecting a nanny to behave as if she’s lucky to be with you is bad form, however exotic the location.

Ultimately, a nanny can be an invaluable addition to your holiday, ensuring a fun and relaxing experience for the whole family.

Louise Taylor’s advice for parents thinking of trying this for the first time is simple: be realistic about how much you can expect one person to do and think about how you would feel if you were in their shoes. Do this and your family escape with a nanny could be the best holiday yet. And just think, you might even be able to catch up on some sleep.” kensington-nannies.co.uk

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Day Boarding at Benenden Now welcoming day boarders in Year 7

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M O U N TA I N

High Mountains offer much more than just snow. Summer in the Tirol offers a host of fun-filled activities Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

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t’s hard to think of anything more fun than cycling up a mountain. Especially while barely breaking a sweat. This isn’t an extreme endurance test, and we are not professionals; we have come to the Tirol to experience an excellent network of cycle trails on electric mountain bikes and I can’t imagine anyone not thinking it’s the most fun they’ve ever had.

Any ski resort with a bit of nous realised long ago that the seasonal nature of their business was restrictive. Summering in the mountains has always attracted fans of lakes and hiking, but the appeal is niche when compared to the beach. The cleverest mountain areas have upped their game considerably to offer a year-round programme of activities to suit virtually everyone, and one of the cleverest of them all is Sölden, an alpine resort in the Tyrol’s Otztal Valley, south of Innsbruck and close to the Italian border. Nearby Obergurgl is a popular ski area for British people, but Sölden, home to the skiing World Cup opener, is more popular with Dutch and German skiiers. In the summer it’s quieter but there’s still a lot to be said

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for it, and not just the low season rates.

There’s the vast beauty of the landscape, the clarity of the air and the enormous range of activities. Including mountain biking, which is made possible for people of all levels of experience, or none at all.

A state-of-the-art new tourist office in town offers a high-tech walk-through taster experience of the region’s highlights, enabling us to plan our activities and routes in detail. Hiking trails take in impressive bridges and views, as well as dreamy mountain huts that offer hearty meals. For me, the highlight is cycling, and the options are varied. At Bike Republic in town, staff can furnish you with every single bit of kit, whether you’re after an electric or a regular bike. You might want to take it up in the cable car and then follow one of the marked trails down – standing up in the saddle, forefingers only on the brakes, knees bent, hurtling down the path at great speed. Or you might prefer to take an e-bike on a long ride through the valley, along flat stretches where you can admire the breathtaking scenery in a leisurely way, and then simply set the bike to ‘boost’ and speed up the steepest incline with almost no effort at all.

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School's Out

TRAVEL

“ T H E VAST BEAU T Y OF THE LANDSCAP E , THE C LARI T Y OF T HE AIR AND T H E ENORMOUS RANG E OF ACT I VI T I E S”

SUMMER 2022

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“A SPEC I A L B OND M U SEU M I S BU I LT AT 3,0 0 0 M ET RE S”

SÖLDEN CABLE CAR

Fans of James Bond are also drawn to Sölden. Many Austrian ski resorts have 007 connections, but nowhere apart from Sölden has a special Bond museum built at 3,000 metres at the exact location of much of the action in Spectre. And nowhere else has a glass cube structure at its highest peak, housing a restaurant with a Tom Dixon interior and spectacular 360-degree views. We don layers and head up in the high tech gondola all the way to the top. At 3,000 metres the Ice-Q, the glass structure that so impressed Spectre’s location scouts, is impressive; next to it is a new concrete bunker that’s home to the museum.

It’s a no-expense-spared exhibit focusing on the history of Bond and the creative feats involved in making the films. Enthusiasts will love it, and it’s accessible for the less obsessed too.

The best watersports activities in the area are to be found at Area 47, a large lake near a rapid river where you can try out all the watersports you’ve ever heard of, as well as many that you haven’t. So there’s blobbing (hilariously), and canonball, and more slides than we’ve ever seen, some of them improbably high. There’s a 82

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slackline across the lake which we happily fall off repeatedly, a climbing wall from which you can fall into the water and a restaurant terrace allowing great views over everything.

We spend the whole morning entering and exiting the water by different means before assembling for our rafting afternoon. We are kitted out in full body wetsuits with boots, hats and life vests and given a detailed introductory talk (the instructor is English; most staff here are students who have found the best summer job ever) and we set off down the river, 12 of us all clinging to our paddles (there’s a 50 euro fine for each lost one) and shrieking with laughter as we cascade down the river. It’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time (or at least since mountain biking).

Das Central is a great place to stay.

It’s a family-run hotel with friendly staff who know and love the area. Halfboard means breakfast and dinner every day, and they seat you at the same table each time, which instantly makes you feel like a regular. Staff wear traditional dirndls and buffet breakfasts are as huge and generous as you would imagine. It’s all wooden

DAS CENTRAL

chalet-style with a contemporary edge. The hotel can organise a handy Summer Card for the region, which allows you free or discounted entry to so many things that there’s a weighty booklet to list them all. Ski lifts, swimming pools, mountain bike school, public transport, museums.

Still dreaming of the beach? Forget it, and try a summer in the mountains.

DA S C E N T R A L H OT E L , S Ö L D E N , AU S T R I A has double rooms available from €200 per person / per night, based on two people sharing on a half board basis. central-soelden.com

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Alleyn’s Junior School

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Alleyn’s Junior School offers co-educational excellence in a caring community for children aged 4-11.

Visit our website for further information and details of our exciting new redevelopment. www.alleyns.org.uk 020 8557 1519 | Townley Road, Dulwich, London SE22 8SU

Eltham College is a coeducational day school in south London which welcomes girls and boys for entry in Years 3, 7 and Sixth Form. To discover more about the excellent range of academic and co-curricular opportunities on offer to students, visit our website or book a place at our Whole School Open Morning on 17th September 2022.

Book your place: www.elthamcollege.london/ opendays

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visit www.aldro.org or contact admissions@aldro.org to arrange a tour of the school and meet the headmaster.

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FLOURISH

An independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 7-13 near Godalming in rural Surrey.

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Education - the Greatest Gift • South West’s Leading School-based STEAM and Innovation Centre • Specialist teaching, bespoke classrooms • Forest School, Yurt, Adventure Playgrounds all set in 100-acre site • Inspirational Music, Drama and Creative Arts • A diverse range of co-curricular activities available • Top quality boarding with a nurturing family atmosphere

Find out more at www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk An Independent Co-educational Boarding & Day School for pupils aged 9 months - 18 years

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School fees insurance will help cover future costs should you or your spouse die or suffer a terminal illness

School fees insurance from less than £21 per month

Get a quote today www.sfs-group.co.uk SFS_ED_PREP_Summer22.indd 2 Untitled-1 2 PREP ADVERT.indd 1

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School’s Out

PARENT P OWER

Imaginary

FRIENDS There’s a new family member, only you can’t see them. Your child’s imaginary friend might be sticking around, so here’s what you need to know B y R AC H E L W E B B

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ulie, Frank, Unicorn or Luna – your child surprises you with an important new friend, a whole and complex figment of their imagination. It can be baffling, alarming even, but there are good reasons to play along. For one thing, it’s a sign of your child’s burgeoning imagination. For another, their best new buddy can give them comfort, and confidence in the world they are navigating.

AGE AND STAGE Imaginary friends are surprisingly common.

A 2004 joint study by the universities of Oregon and Washington suggested well over half (65%) of all children may have had one by age seven. This is a quite normal development phase, and not a sign of either higher IQ or underlying psychological issues. Typically, 90

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SOME CHILDREN HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT IMAGINARY FRIENDS – UP TO 13 HAS BEEN RECORDED

imaginary friends appear in children’s lives from around age three and are usually gone by the age of 11. Oh, and there may be more than one. The Oregon/Washington study found some children have multiple different playmates – up to 13 was recorded.

SUPPORTING PLAY The burning question for most parents is why their child has an imaginary friend. There’s no concrete answer, but children may weave impressively complex back stories involving

the friend’s family and lifestyle – for play, companionship or to develop ideas and stories. Boys may opt for superhero-style friends, while girls often act as wise counsel for their buddies (but there are no hard and fast rules). Not all friends are human – quite a high proportion are animals or mythical creatures, and this is just another aspect of young children’s vivid imagination and ability to develop characters and complex role play. Your main worry is keeping up with plotlines and names.

MAKING SPACE So how do you manage your child’s elusive playmate on a day-to-day basis? The answer is that reasonable accommodations should be made. Setting a place at the table or playing along by making ‘room’ in the car is fine, and don’t be surprised if your child chatters to their friend incessantly or disappears to their room to play with them.

Most advice suggests you don’t ask too many questions as your child likes to be in control of their special relationship – and they may not tell you everything. They can be fickle too, abandoning or switching buddies at will. The only thing to watch is an imaginary friend who keeps causing trouble. Muddy footprints or crayon-daubed bedroom walls can’t be blamed on Julie, Frank, Unicorn or Luna without some firm but fair parental intervention. Make it clear that while they are under your roof the imaginary friend has to follow your house rules.

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Set in more than 220 acres of beautiful North Yorkshire countryside

Welcoming day students from 3 months to 19 years and boarders from Year 3

A modern school with traditional values

Children welcomed from three months old and stay until Year 5, when they move on to QE’s Middle School King’s Magna Developing independent and happy learners who master the 4 C’s – Curiosity, Creativity, Collaboration and Community

Chapter House Preparatory School QE’s early years, infant and junior provision.

www.qe.org | admissions@qe.org | 01423 333330 | York YO26 9SS

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