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We l c o m e
From the
EDITOR
E
veryone is talking about apprenticeships. The education world has suddenly reached that collective tipping point where the idea of earning while you learn seems like a complete no-brainer. For too long ‘a vocational education’ – as my father used to gruffly call them – has been playing second best to an academic degree. One of the biggest barriers to apprenticeships being taken up in greater numbers is simple snobbery that they are not an aspirational choice. I find it telling that my teenage son describes things he denigrates as being ‘BTEC’. Even at his democratic London comp – being BTEC means not being up to the mark.
Technology offer shiny new apprenticeships fit for any Generation Z go-getter. Many heads say their biggest struggle to get apprenticeships accepted comes in the form of parental prejudice. People like me who grew up in an era when an academic degree at a good university was the be all and end all. What apprenticeships need is a good bit of repositioning in the public consciousness. Which is exactly what Euan Blair is doing with his brilliant tech start-up company, White Hat. We held a lunch to introduce Euan and his team to some top independent school heads and he inspired us all with his vision of exciting career choices for non-graduates in the UK’s very best companies. You can read how a number of private schools are addressing the appenticeships issue on page 40.
“WE HAVE REACHED THAT COLLECTIVE TIPPING POINT WHERE THE IDEA OF EARNING WHILE YOU LEARN SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER” But times are changing; independent schools are as keen as any to offer apprenticeships to their students as an alternative higher education pathway to a university degree. Westonbirt School, Cotswolds alma mater of Princess Anne and many a minor royal, offers BTECS to students. It’s not hard to see why apprenticeships have become a more attractive option. University fees means courses and costs are scrutinised like never before. And institutions have upped their game. New ventures like the Dyson Institute of
We are also media partners for the upcoming Bryanston Education Summit. We are thrilled to carry exclusive articles from some leading educationalists in our special preview section on the summit on page 65. I hope you enjoy this issue.
A manda Constance EDITOR
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 7
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The IB at Southbank International School is more than an education. It’s a grounding for the increasingly complex and demanding world we live in. A commitment to academic excellence and a uniquely liberal ethos. An inner belief and confidence carried for the rest of life. Through university. Through a career. Into a lasting impact on the world. Places for 2018 entry are understandably strictly limited. Apply today at southbank.org/applynow
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CONTENTS SUMMER 2018
EDITOR
Amanda Constance EDITOR IAL ASSISTANT
UP FR O NT
Georgia McVeigh
24
12 NEWS
What’s going on in the world of education
A DV ERTISING M A NAGER
Nicola Owens
COMMERCI A L DIR ECTOR
21 MAKING HIS MARK
Leah Day
An interview with Cognita CEO, Chris Jansen
GROUP SA L ES DIR ECTOR
P R EP
Craig Davies
24 MUCH TOO MUCH?
A RT DIR ECTOR
When to draw the line when it comes to extra-curricular activities
Phil Couzens
SENIOR DESIGNER S
28 CAMP IT UP
Pawel Kuba, Linsey Cannon
The American summer camp gets the Brit treatment from
DESIGNER S
Catherine Perkins, Rebecca Noonan
32 HOME OR AWAY?
PRODUCTION M A NAGER
Boarding can be a great option for the SEN child, by Charlotte Phillips
Chris Couchman
M A R K ETING M A NAGER
34 A PROBLEM SHARED
Angie Koleci
The role of an Independent Listener at boarding school
FINA NCE DIR ECTOR
Alexandra Hvid
SENIO R
DIR ECTOR S
40 EARN AND LEARN
What are schools doing about apprenticeships?
52 CATCHING ON
86
Emotion contagion in teenagers is a real thing, discovers Lisa Freedman
36
58 LAND LESSONS
We need an Agriculture GCSE, says celebrity farmer Adam Henson
28
65 THOUGHT LEADERS
A preview of Bryanston's Education Summit S CHOOL’S OUT
80 MILITARY PRECISION
Major Dan Higgins discusses the benefits of CCF
Greg Hughes, Alexandra Hunter, James Fuschillo PUBL ISHING DIR ECTOR
Sherif Shaltout
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@AB SOLUTELY_MAGS ‘AB SOLUTELY MAGAZINES’
82 AMERICAN DREAM Why Brits are moving to America for the elusive sport scholarship
86 MAKING WAVES
78
Women are catching up with men when it comes to rowing, says Putney High's Suzie Longstaff
88 FUN TIMES
The long summer after GCSEs terrifies parents. Sophie Pender-Cudlip gets some advice L AST WORD
98 MARGARET FRAZIER Headmistress of Marymount School on leadership
F RO NT COV E R Pupils at Monkton Combe School , a Christian co-educational day and boarding school for 2-18 year olds near Bath monktoncombeschool.com
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 9
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• A B S O L U T E LY E D U C AT I O N ’ S •
CON T R IBU TOR S
Co-educational Boarding and Day (for pupils ages 13 – 18)
Adam Henson
Farmer and television presenter
Adam Henson was educated at grammar school and agricultural college in Devon. He writes about his campaign for a GCSE in agriculture on p58. What job do you wish you’d done and why? My favourite subject at school was pottery. I used to really enjoy throwing pots and for a short time I contemplated this as my future career. However, it was a no-brainer. I knew from the age of four that I wanted to be a farmer.
An ISI top-rated school
Sophie Pender-Cudlip Journalist
Sophie Pender-Cudlip was educated at Leweston School in Dorset. She read Philosophy at Reading University before training as a journalist. She has worked in financial PR, publishing and is a freelance writer. She writes about the role of Independent Listener on p34. What job do you wish you’d done and why? I wish I’d been a teacher so I could help my four children with their homework and revision.
Suzie Longstaff
Headmistress, Putney High School
Open Days Saturday 12th May 2018 (13+ & 14+ entry) Saturday 16th June 2018 (Sixth Form) 01684 581 515 • registrar@malverncollege.org.uk www.malverncollege.org.uk
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Twenty years ago, Suzie Longstaff had a successful sporting career as cox of the British Olympic VIII, coxing the great Dame Katherine Grainger to her first World Championship medal. She is now Headmistress of Putney High School. She writes about rowing on p86. What job do you wish you’d done and why I think I already have the dream job, because I work with great people and every day is different.
03/05/2018 09:34
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Ar t Oppor tunities
L OV E R S O F L I T E R AT U R E
The art school LARA is holding its first Summer Scholarship Competition. Students aged 16-20 are invited to apply – and the winner will spend two weeks drawing and painting in LARA’s professional studio with its tutors. Deadline for entries is 4 June 2018. drawpaintsculpt.com
Barnes Children’s Literature Festival plays host to an impressive lineup of children’s writers and illustrators this May, including Jacqueline Wilson, Cressida Cowell and Axel Scheffler. The range of events and activities includes the premier performance of Lauren Child’s highly acclaimed Ruby Redfort series and a workshop with the Royal Academy of Dance. The festival also extended its free education program to two days.
Action Packed Croatia is the latest destination for an action-packed week with Activities Abroad. Close to the Krka National Park, which boasts multiple rivers, lakes, and forests, Skradin is the perfect location for those looking for adventure. The flexible itinerary offers a range of activities, including cycling, hiking, rafting, kayaking and sea kayaking. The price is £945 per adult and £885 per child.
“An impressive lineup of children’s authors and illustrators”
AWA R D E D E XC E L L E N T The Independent Schools Inspectorate declared Heathfield School, Ascot as ‘Excellent’ in all areas. The top-level award applied to the quality of pupils’ academic and non-academic achievements, progressing “up” from their previous ‘Good’. Headmistress Marina Gardiner Legge is “absolutely thrilled”.
H O C K E Y S TA R Kent College hockey captain Hannah Griggs was awarded the Young Hockey Player of the Year Award at the Hockey Writers' Awards in London. Recognised not only for her skills on the field, but her contribution to the sport and support of younger players, judges heralded Hannah as “a credit to the coaching staff, to the club, and to her school”.
“You know, there’s this subject you can take in school which teaches you how to evaluate information and the reliability of
sources. It’s called history.” DA N S N O W
12 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | SUMMER 2018
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UPFRON T / NEWS By GEORGIA MCVEIGH
Stuffed In Space In celebration of Science Week, St Mary’s Calne launched a teddy astronaut into near space. Pupils watched as it embarked on its trip attached to a helium balloon, parachute, data box and a camera. It was recovered near Oxford after its balloon swelled to the size of a bus, and popped.
SKIRTING SCIENCE Taunton School hosted a hands-on ‘Skirting Science’ event in April, organised by women’s group Soroptimist International Taunton. Over 230 girls from local Somerset schools attended the event, participating in experiments such as designing a jet engine and exploring the chemistry of cosmeticsin the hope of encouraging girls to consider STEM subjects.
SKI TO SUCCESS The New Hall School ski team found success in Pila, Italy, winning 10 medals from the Artemis Inter-School Ski Challenge 2018. New Hall have received a special commendation from judges for winning 3rd place out of 90 British schools. Pupil Allegra Martin, who recently returned to the sport after a battle with cancer, came home with a gold and two silver medals.
KICK THE HABIT Andrew Halls, Headmaster of leading school King’s College, Wimbledon, has spoken out about the dangers of tranquilisers such as Xanax in schools. Halls wrote a letter to parents and revealed that a number of pupils had approached members of staff to help break “a dangerous habit”.
Exam Aid
“Students work to pass, not to know. They do pass, and they don’t know.”
The revision tool GCSEPod has been named supplier of the year at the Education Resources Award 2018. GCSEPod provides expertly written, concentrated learning and revision content to reinforce key topics for over twenty subjects, and has improved GCSE performance in over 1000 schools.
THOMAS HUXLEY 1 9 T H C E N T U RY B I O LO G I ST A N D E D U C AT I O N A L I S T
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“It is extraordinary what an enthusiastic teacher can do, drawing the student out, igniting independence, encouraging the design of your own future. Teaching is the most important of all professions. Sort that out and social problems will get sorted out.” S I R R I D L E Y S C O T T W H E N H E WA S AWA R D E D H I S B A F TA F E L L O W S H I P
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 13
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UPFRON T / NEWS
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GOODWILL WA L K Papplewick School, Ascot completed their annual charity walk around Windsor Great Park and were blessed with “the best walking weather”, says Headmaster, Tom Bunbury. The walk raised over £15,000 for the charity Railway Children.
“Papplewick School enjoyed ‘the best walking weather’ at their annual charity walk”
Gabbitas Education has announced the launch of a weeklong 11+ preparation course over the summer holidays. The course will be held in and around their Westminster offices and will run from 23 to 27 July, offering a combination of academic and extra-curricular activities. These will include testing, interview practise and a tailored assessment report with age-related standardised scores. Lessons will be active and fun, and Gabbitas are hoping to utilise local parks and cultural experiences where possible.
Whitgift School made a triumphant return to the University of Southampton’s National Cipher Challenge this year – a codebreaking competition. Year 9 student, Kai Lam, received the runner-up prize for his outstanding individual performance.
O U T S TA N D I N G AT H L E T E Andrew Siggers, a Maths teacher at Rugby School, has made history by running the London Marathon followed by the 180th Crick Run – all in one day. Siggers was placed 26th at the London event, before boarding a train to Rugby to complete the 10-mile 180th Crick Run, the world’s oldest school run. Debbie Skene, the Director of Sport, said: “He achieves unbelievable feats with his running whilst being a dedicated full-time Maths teacher and tutor in a boarding house.”
Top Story
SEA SKILLS A group of Fourth Form and Lower Sixth pupils from Dauntsey’s School took part in two five-day cruises to earn their RYA Competent Crew Certificate. The cruises set off from the Hamble and sailed in the seas around France and the Channel Islands. Head of Sailing at Dauntsey’s, Toby Maris, said, “By the end of the course the pupils had learnt to steer, handle sails, keep a lookout, row a dinghy and assist in all the dayto-day duties on board.”
HOCKEY WINNERS Cumnor House Sussex Colts ‘A’ team won the East Grinstead Hockey Academy tournament against a 13-school strong opposition. The tournament brought together schools from all over Sussex and Kent, but Cumnor House scooped the winner’s trophy, scoring 12 goals without conceding a single one. Will Fuller, Team Coach at Cumnor House Sussex said he was "really proud of the performance […] They were a very strong and singleminded team".
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“I really hope the whole notion of boarding school disappears. If a friend of mine told me they were going to send their kid to a boarding school, I’d never speak to them again.” W I L L YO U N G F E E L S S T R O N G LY A B O U T B OA R D I N G S C H O O L S
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 15
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UPFRON T / NEWS
I ’m I n
PA I N T W I T H WO R DS St Lawrence College held an exclusive evening event at Margate’s Turner Contemporary Art to showcase senior pupils’ work on TS Eliot’s The Waste Land. Visitors enjoyed a display of art and photography by pupils who had been working on the project since September.
“Visitors enjoyed a display of art and photography that represented TS Eliot’s The Waste Land”
Haberdashers’ Adams Grammar School held a Deputation during which students had the opportunity to meet entrepreneur and moonpig.com founder Nick Jenkins. A former pupil at the state boarding school, Jenkins participated as a dragon on BBC2's Dragons Den, and he is now running his own version of the programme with the school’s Year 8 pupils. It remains the only school to offer state boarding within the Haberdashers’ family of schools.
PRICE CUT Stowe School, the alma mater of Cressida Bonas and Sir Richard Branson, has announced that it will be cutting fees for day pupils by more than £7,000 a year – almost a 30% decrease. The change will be made in order to encourage middle-income families to feel less intimidated after the recent revelation that prices have tripled since the 1980s. The school hopes to encourage local families to apply for places. Boarding fees will remain the same.
ART BLOCK E X PA N S I O N Alleyn’s School in south London recently completed the construction of a brand new, state-of-the-art Lower School building. With a distinctive design, bright central atrium and flexible multi-purpose spaces, feedback for the building has been overwhelmingly positive. Alleyn’s Head of Lower School, Stuart Turner, said: “We all feel really pleased to have this amazing new facility. The pupils have been quick to make it their home".
DIRECT DRAMA Liu Kit Ying Jennifer May Kwan, a Year 11 student at Forest School, has been selected to represent Hong Kong at the 4th Senior and Junior Trampoline Gymnastics Asian Championships in Trampolining. The event will be held from 16 to 22 May in Manilla, Philippines.
Top Story
SCHOOL E X PA N S I O N
Medal Success Millfield participants in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games have brought home a total of six silver and three bronze medals. The top performer was swimmer James Guy, who won four silver and one bronze medal after competing in six events at the Optus Aquatic Centre. Overall, fourteen members of the Millfield Community represented five different countries at the games.
Leading independent schools group Eaton Square Schools has announced its latest expansion with the addition of a new South Kensington site. Eaton Square School, Kensington – formerly known as Hyde Park School, launched under its new name on 25 April, and celebrated the occasion with a family assembly and morning tea. Aatif Hassan, Chairman of Minerva Education – which owns the Eaton Square Schools group – said it “marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the group”.
SOMETHING THEY SAID
“The best GCSE and A-level results don’t go to
the cleverest students – they go to those who revised in the Easter holidays.” I S C C H A I R M A N BA R N A BY L E N O N
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 17
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UPFRON T / E V EN T
Sophie Adelman, co-founder, White Hat Jane Scott, Dulwich College
Suzie Longstaff, Headmistress, Putney High School
Vivienne Durham, Chief Executive GSA and Charlotte Abrahamson of White Hat Joy McArdle, Apprenticeships Advisor, Felsted School
HATS OFF
Natasha Dangerfield, Headmistress, Westonbirt School and Ian McClary, Head of Sixth Form, Bryanston
Absolutely Education held a lunch at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park to introduce Euan Blair and Sophie Adelman, the founders of apprenticeship tech start-up White Hat, to some of the leading lights from the UK’s independent schools. The champagne flowed and Euan and Sophie inspired everyone with their exciting vision of apprenticeships fit for the 21st century. (see Talking Point p.40) Euan Blair, co-founder of White Hat Georgia McVeigh, Absolutely Education and Rosie McColl, Wellington College
Amanda Constance, Editor, Absolutely Education with Lucy Elphinstone, Headmistress, Francis Holland, Sloane Square
Aatif Hassan, Chairman, Dukes Education
Samantha Price, Headmistress, Benenden and Euan Blair
Dr Niall Hamilton, Senior Admissons Tutor, Marlborough College
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 19
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MAKING his MARK The Cognita schools group has been re-energised by its chief executive Chris Jansen. Absolutely Education meets him A M A N D A C O N S TA N C E 20 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | SUMMER 2018
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UPFRON T / IN TERV IEW
I
t is perhaps surprising to be talking black-tie balls as an opening discussion with someone who has managed FTSE 100 companies. Yet industry big cheese Chris Jansen has a problem on his hands. “I’ve suddenly got myself in to the position where I am the organiser-in-chief of St George’s anniversary ball.” As a governor of the wellknown independent school St George's Weybridge – he’s also an alumnus – he’s been nominated to run its 150th celebrations, in 2019. It isn’t enough that he already runs an education company that numbers 68 schools, with 38,000 pupils and 5,000 staff in eight countries. He now has to decide on a venue for the ball, book a band and get someone to cook the vol au vents. “We’ve got a brilliant team at St George’s,” says Jansen, “and obviously everyone’s very excited about it but someone still has to make decisions and say,
I won’t tell teachers how to deliver a maths class but I want to provide the environment where the people who really know what they’re doing can do the best possible job.’” What Jansen, 48, can also bring to Cognita is a wealth of knowledge about how to run a successful big business. “Whether it’s a school, a charity or a sports club there are basic principles for running a good organisation, such as a clear vision, a sense of purpose, hiring great people and firing bad ones. Those principles stand you in good stead, irrespective of the organisation.” Cognita has come a long way since its founding by Sir Chris Woodhead, in 2004. Its original mission was to create a chain of affordable private schools in the UK but the group grew rapidly and now has 68 schools in eight countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Chile, Spain and Brazil. There are 40 UK schools, including the prestigious North Bridge House group in London. The group is backed by private equity and is currently owned by Bregal Investments and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a global firm that
grew rapidly,” he says. “The company now requires a more sophisticated approach, it’s very hard to co-ordinate 38,000 children and 5,000 staff without a few systems. We needed a common language and set of principles.” That common language is the Cognita Way, a bible of company values that Jansen has instigated. These are six principles of what it takes to run a successful school: energised leadership, personalised learning, people growth, community, innovation and brilliant basics. It’s not a “rigid manual”, says Jansen, rather “a framework of themes we think are important.” He admits that on initial reading, the Cognita Way may seem trite but says it was a result of months of Cognita’s educators from across the globe distilling the essence of what the company wanted to stand for and achieve. “We now have the same six principles around the world but how they are applied will look different in Santiago to how they’re applied in Singapore.” For Jansen, the key to much of the positive
I HAVE NEVER KNOWN ANY ORGANISATION WHERE LEADERSHIP IS SO IMPORTANT AS IN A SCHOOL ‘Right, we’re doing that’.” Luckily, taking tough decisions are what Jansen does. It’s what he got paid for as chief executive of the AA and as a managing director at British Gas and British Airways. Indeed, such is his reputation for taking companies by the scruff of the neck, the Financial Times has labelled him a ‘turnaround specialist’. But there were still a few raised eyebrows, not to mention raised hackles, when Jansen, a corporate man through and through, was appointed CEO of global education group Cognita in October 2015. Jansen, who looks like BBC Newsnight’s Evan Davis’ more handsome brother, is aware he was a surprising choice to lead a private-school chain and says there were plenty only too happy to remind him. “When I was at British Gas,” he explains, when we meet at Cognita’s W1 HQ, “the company fixed seven million boilers a year but I personally can’t fix a boiler. Similarly,
invested in Cognita in 2013. Rapid expansion meant a bumpy ride in recent years and a few unfavourable headlines. Jansen was tasked with providing direction and cohesion to a sprawling, complex worldwide organisation. And he has made his presence felt. In the last two and-a-half years he has replaced 30 head teachers, overhauled Cognita’s executive team, brought in performance management for staff and a personalised learning framework for the pupils. Last year’s GCSE results were demonstrably better than previous years; across the European schools the Value Added score is now equal to the Independent Schools Council average. Value Added is what matters to Jansen. “We’re not selective, so you won’t find us in the league tables,” he says, and while he admits the company is in “much better shape than it was”, he is generous in his praise for his predecessors. “Cognita
change at Cognita is leadership. “I have never known any organisation where leadership is so important as in a school. In big companies you may get leaders that aren’t so strong and the organisation will work around it. In a school, the leader is everything. They set the vision and culture. They hire and fire, they interact with parents, they set high expectations. Getting a great leader in to a school is absolutely critical. If I could only do one thing it would be working with the team to ensure we have 70 amazing heads.” Jansen says that one of his own best qualities is that, “I know what I’m not very good at. I’m very good at recognising that I need to get everyone involved to solve things. If you want to improve the quality of education then we have to get the educators engaged. They know how to do it. I don’t.” Jansen has reached out to education heavyweights. He created Cognita’s SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 21
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Co-educational, day & boarding school for 3-18 years in South East England
Boarding from 7 to 18 years Warm and supportive family ethos Strong academic results at 11+, GCSE and A Level Modern en-suite boarding accommodation Fast train only 75 minutes from London
For more information and to arrange a visit
T: 01843 572931
E: admissions@slcuk.com St Lawrence College, Ramsgate CT11 7AE www.slcuk.com
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UPFRON T / IN TERV IEW
LEFT Cognita CEO Chris Jansen BELOW Pupils at North Bridge House Prep in London
Education Advisory Board and asked Sir Kevan Collins, Chief Executive of the Education Endownment Foundation and Simon Camby, Group Director of Education at Cognita to be its cornerstones. “I know how to run a great organisation,” Jansen says, “but Sir Kevan knows how to run a great maths lesson, a great maths department , a great school. He ran a few schools in Tower Hamlets, he then ran all the schools in Tower Hamlets. Sir Kevan and Simon know what is really important in education. In those matters I defer to them.” Jansen is clearly a businessman. Schools are described as “offers in the marketplace” – and he gets visibly excited when demonstrating data capture on GL assessment scores on his iPad. But he is equally excited when describing the networking and ideas-sharing now taking place at Cognita. He says he was moved to tears when listening to teachers from Brazil and Chile do a presentation on their visit to Cognita schools in London, Spain and Singapore. “Their enthusiasm was so infectious, it inspired even the teachers who didn’t go. And we facilitated that. It was a life-changing experience for them and I know the education they will be delivering in the classroom will be better as a result. I’m a real people person,” adds Jansen, “I like to see people do better.”
For all his people skills there are, of course, flashes of steeliness. On the subject of running a for-profit education enterprise, he is thoughtful but unrepentant on how Cognita operates. “I understand some people are suspicious [of our motives] but it is my belief that if you do something well I don’t think customers begrudge you making money from that. But you have to do it well. For-profit only becomes an issue if you are doing a bad job. It’s like going to an expensive restaurant – you don’t begrudge the money if it’s an amazing meal.” Jansen says that as a group, Cognita has access to capital that simply wouldn’t be available as an independent operator. In London alone there are three projects that Cognita is working on, each costing 10 million. And last year Cognita’s backer invested more than £250m in the group. “The people who own us are very clever – for any organisation to do well it must deliver to its customers what they are paying for. So, we must deliver a high quality of education. And we are doing that. Not once have our shareholders queried any investments I have made. We’ve increased the number of teachers, paid people more,
and we’re spending more on training and moving teachers around the world.” Jansen admits his drive to improve Cognita is all-consuming. He clearly rarely relaxes – there is the occasional triathalon with his wife – and he says he “constantly worries” about work. “But we have to be worried about these things,” he says. “Children don’t get a second chance at their education.” It would be easy to be cynical about Cognita, and its six-figure-salary CEO. But Jansen has a boyish enthusiasm and fervour for the whole project that is winning. He has all the excitement of a child who has learnt something brilliant at school. “I love my job,” he says. “I really enjoy it, I’m very fortunate – I don’t think I’m smart enough or patient enough to be a teacher - what they do is remarkable really.”
WE HAVE TO BE WORRIED ABOUT THESE THINGS. CHILDREN DON’T GET A SECOND CHANCE AT THEIR EDUCATION SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 23
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MUCH TOO MUCH? I
JAMES WORMERSLEY
With lengthening days and the promise of warm afternoons, the summer term is a great time for after-school pursuits. But with some schools reporting that they have pupils taking on a minimum of two extra-curricular activities every day following a full school day, we asked some schools, when is enough enough?
H E AD MA STE R Beaudesert Park School
t’s vital that children aren’t overloaded, especially at prep school age. We certainly ensure that children aren’t taking on too much whilst they’re here at school (whether they are day pupils or flexi/weekly boarders), but then it’s over to their parents to balance that with how busy they are during home time. First and foremost it should be a case of quality as opposed to quantity. To my mind there are a couple of other golden rules for parents as well. Firstly, if children are keen to do things, parents should support them. Secondly, children should only be getting involved in extra activities which they actually enjoy. That might sound obvious, but sometimes parents can feel that certain experiences might 'be good' for their child, or might even help them 'get ahead' in some way. The trouble with
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“First and foremost it should be quality over quantity and never coerce a child into an activity that might ‘be good’ for them” this approach is that is goes against the very well-established principle that a happy child thrives. While being coerced into undertaking something they don’t enjoy, that child might be missing out on doing something they really want to do. At Beaudesert we have extracurricular activities during the latter part of the school day on one or two afternoons a week, depending on which term we’re in. The children have over 30 to choose from, and the range is vast – from mountaineering club to knitting, and iPad animation to skateboarding. Taking a different approach, our recent ‘community activity’ involved children regularly helping out at our local foodbank.
MOGG HERCULES
timetable where planning for more formal lessons takes precedence over discovery, discussion and involvement in a child’s learning journey? Naturally, children will express an interest in new activities and indeed, may reveal a natural talent which they wish to enjoy and develop. However, a balance with downtime after school can be so beneficial. To head home after school and have a play date or just go to the park – these times are precious. The opportunity to ‘get bored’ rarely arises in the enrichingactivity-packed lives of young people today. Lest we forget, creativity often stems from boredom, from allowing the mind to wander, allowing children to fill their own time with their own ideas, games, plays, projects and activities.
ABOVE Beaudesert Park pupils having fun RIGHT A Dallington pupils gets creative
H E ADTE AC H E R Dallington School
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hat do parents mean when they mention their child’s extracurricular activities? Flick through any schools' publications and phrases such as ‘exam-orientated approach’, ‘unlocking your child’s potential’ and ‘boosting your child’s confidence’ are often used to promote a variety of after-school activities. These promises must play a part when parents subscribe. How many children are ferried around to take part in an activity each evening or arrive home to work with their tutor at the end of a full school day? What has happened to family time? Does the need or drive for additional activities indicate a school
“Boredom always precedes a period of great creativity”. ROBERT M PIRSIG SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 25
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“When the 4pm bell rings, it does not signal the end of school rather the start of a plethora of activities”
MARK WHITE H E AD MA STE R Hazelgrove
T ABOVE Oakham School BELOW A Hazelgrove pupil
NIGEL LASHBROOK H E AD MA STE R Oakham School
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sking the question ‘how much extra curricular is too much’ is akin, in Oakham’s eyes, to asking ‘how much education is too much?’ We don’t label activities such as sport, creative and performing arts and service as ‘extra curricular’, instead we talk about our Total Curriculum because we believe they are integral to a good education. Taking part in activities outside of the classroom gives students more opportunities to learn. Just because the outcomes are not measurable in our examresult dominated system, it doesn’t mean they are not of intrinsic value. We shouldn’t reduce the amount of extra-curricular opportunities students encounter just so that they can, instead, focus solely on the
outcomes that are measurable – the grades they achieve. Ultimately, what we should be mindful of is ‘how much’ is right for each child. There isn’t a magic formula that students should have to conform to – what may be just right for one, could seriously overburden another. Students need to be actively supported to find their own, personal, fulcrum. Students also need to be reminded that when exam time comes, stopping their activities to save time really isn’t in their best interest – they need to allow their subconscious to work to allow their revision to bed in. Nothing works better than exercise – so that extracurricular activity becomes integral to exam success.”
hose of us of a certain vintage might remember a 1970's TV programme called Why Don’t You…? which encouraged children to find something to do in the summer holidays. In flare–trousered Britain, there were no adventure camps, hockey clinics or bushcraft weekends. Now the reverse is the case. When the 4pm bell rings it does not signal the end of school rather the start of a plethora of other activities from archery to xylophone clubs. Sometimes those enthusiasms that can only happen after school – the jazz tap dancing or the cross-country – allow a child to indulge in their passions. Indeed, children need less of the same not more; not another two hours of Maths when they have already had a double period before break. But what they need above all is the opportunity to enjoy their interests and time with friends or family to process the day and smile.
“Just because the outcomes are not measurable, doesn’t mean they are not of intrinsic value”
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“Parents shouldn’t just consider the volume of activities but where and when they take place”
ALASTAIR SPEERS H E AD MA STE R Sandroyd
A ABOVE An Eaton Square pupil BELOW Sandroyd pupils
SEBASTIAN HEPHER H E AD MA STE R Eton Square School
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he benefits of a varied extra-curricular programme should not be underestimated. The many different experiences which are available can stimulate, educate, engage and develop the whole child. However, what one should also be aware of is the increasing trend for the extra-curricular becoming another layer of the transfer process to senior schools, with parents adopting the competitive philosophy of ‘the more my child does the better it is when it comes to their application to senior schools’. It is not uncommon today for a young girl or boy to be ‘occupied’ for five afternoons a week after school at school and then, worryingly, to go on to another activity elsewhere. Clearly, in addition to these arrangements, there also has to be the time to complete homework, eat
supper, wash and get to bed at a reasonable hour, hopefully with some reading thrown in, too. The prep head’s reports to senior schools are becoming increasingly similar in relation to the extracurricular, with their pupils being involved in a whole host of activities, to the point of their being normalised as far as the receiving Registrars are concerned and therefore almost rendered obsolete. Children should undoubtedly be given the opportunity to take part in after-school activities, but they should also be allowed to simply ‘be’; to have time to reflect, to socialise, to relax at home in an activity of their choice and to grow at their own pace.
fter finishing school many children are whisked off to hockey club or cricket nets twice a week, musical lessons once a week, and then swimming club. Some children have such a packed itinerary of extra-curricular activities it takes an expert in logistics and diary management to keep on top of it all. All of this can be exhausting for everyone involved, and parents need to carefully consider how much their child can handle. How much can they really cope with before it begins to affect their concentration in the following day’s lessons? Of course, that’s the advantage of being at a boarding school like Sandroyd, where taking part in these types of extra-curricular activities (which are so very crucial) doesn’t come at the expense of exhausting the children. Therefore, instead of just considering the impact of the volume of activities, I think it’s also essential to take into account both when and where they take place.
“Competitive parents view extra-curricular as another layer in the transfer process to senior schools” SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 27
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summer Oppidan Education are re-doing the summer camp concept GEORGIA MCVEIGH
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inally, the Brits are jumping on the bandwagon with the all-American Summer Camp dream. Gone are s’mores, hotdogs, and bugles; replaced with plain marshmallows, slightly underdone British sausages and an educational overtone. This formula appears to be working, and rising stars of the tutoring world, Oppidan Education, have taken full advantage. Offering weeklong camps that take place over the Easter and summer holidays, they’ve used the concept of an American camp and transformed it into something quintessentially British. The brainchild of two Old Etonians, Henry Faber and Walter Kerr, Oxford and Durham graduates respectively, the camps revolve around an “invisible learning” approach: learning with the aim of instilling a love of education without the stress of exams or targets. No more stuffy old teachers hammering Latin Grammar into terrified six-year-olds – Faber and Kerr’s idea is much cleverer than that. Making use of only the best and the brightest of their “mentors” (the word tutor still, apparently, holds too many bad connotations), their philosophy revolves around the development of a particular set of skills to aid learning. Travelling to one of their two countryside locations, Culden Faw Estate in Henley and The Woodhall Estate in Hertfordshire, children aged eight to thirteen can expect a host of activities: from sport, practical
skills and team games to cooking and interactive lessons. Think summer days spent predominantly outside, followed by long evenings roasting marshmallows in front of a campfire, stepping back to a time before screens or mobile phones. But it’s the “super-curricular” program that gives these camps their edge. Driven by pure energy from the young team, the camps play host to Dragon’s Den style business pitching, drone building and coding, outdoor creative writing and maths games, science and rockets, a debate club, public speaking, poetry and drama games. With such a myriad of activities, there’s something for all children no ABOVE matter their orientation: A camp leader with whether it be towards the happy campers arts or the sciences. TOP In fostering these skills, Cooking marshmallows each disguised as part of the on the fire “invisible learning” program, Oppidan hopes to encourage problems. Every mentor is DBS the crucial skills children need for checked and first aid trained, and help with exam and interview preparation, will be sure to inform parents if anything but in a covert way: by helping them to goes wrong. The camps can accommodate grow confidence and find a niche subject in children from years 4-8 and each child is which each individual can excel. The aim of placed in a group suitable for their age Oppidan is to make learning fun and take range. it outside of the classroom, and with this And for those (with a country house) in mind, they’ve taken the best bits of the who want a more exclusive event, Oppidan larger American camps and made it their are offering private camps. These are, own by focusing on the individual child: less obviously, more flexible, and run for a Parent Trap and more Dead Poet’s Society. minimum of ten children so if your child On the practical side, children are is of a more introverted demeanour, then accommodated in single-sex bell tents, they can rest easy at home or amongst each with a capacity for eight people, and friends. These private camps take on a the mentors sleep nearby in case of any more focused approach – for younger
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children there will be emphasis on sport and “focused fun”, whereas thirteen year olds can expect a Common Entrance preparation course, but with all the best parts of the main camps thrown in. Children will still be accommodated outside, so there’s no need to worry about stashing the prized china, either. In fact, the Camps have seen such demand that Faber and Kerr have gone international: travelling to China to provide the same service that’s made the British camps so successful. This summer they will also be present at the Peligoni Club in Greece for a week, running one-to-one tutoring for children who are preparing
for exams and a study club, so parents who think that the summer is just that little bit too long can ensure some summer mental stimulation directed by only the brightest of mentors. Oppidan’s clear success is a testament to their team and drive, and by reworking the idea of the “tutor”, they have come up with a winning formula. The young Oxbridge graduates take on the role of focusing learning so that it’s applicable to the everyday, and in doing so have given education a facelift – taking it back in time by basing it outside and away from screens, but moving it forward in their overall approach to education.
PRIVATE CAMPS £450 per child for a minimum of 10 • MAIN CAMP £660 per child oppidaneducation.com
OFFERING WEEKLONG STAYS, OPPIDAN EDUCATION HAS USED THE CONCEPT OF AMERICAN CAMPS AND TRANSFORMED IT INTO SOMETHING QUINTESSENTIALLY BRITISH SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 29
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‘ Enjoying childhood and realising our imagination.’ 2018. What a year! Our 40th Birthday, an MBE and an Outstanding Ofsted. Celebrate with us… Dallington is a family-run co-educational independent school, with a nursery, in the heart of London.
Personal tours each day of the week, except Wednesday.
Headteacher, Proprietor and Founder: Mogg Hercules MBE Email: hercules@dallingtonschool.co.uk Phone: 020 7251 2284 www.dallingtonschool.co.uk USE.indd 1
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Talking
PR EP / OPINION
HEAD
Skill Set Clare King, Headmistress of The Moat School, on the importance of The Duke of Edinburgh Awards for the school’s SEN programme
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he Duke of Edinburgh programme at The Moat School serves a multitude of purposes. As a city school, we believe it is important to give pupils the option to get out of the capital and explore the rest of the UK. The lack of mobile service and loss of ‘Snapchat streaks’ is quickly forgotten once it is explained they’re on their own to navigate to camp for the night. With pupils from all over London attending The Moat it is important to have a shared experience amongst pupils, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award allows pupils from different areas to bond over a mutual love (or disdain) of the countryside. Self-sufficiency is integral to our DofE programme and ties into The Moat’s SEN programme, as a SpLD specialist school (focussing on Dyslexia, ADD, High Functioning Autism and other associated diagnoses) our therapeutic programme is built into everything that we do. Skills that are often overshadowed in a traditional school environment, such as navigation and independent organisation, are key to our pupils personal development plan. Julia McIntyre heads our Duke of Edinburgh programme, and says, "the expeditions also help facilitate personal growth way beyond the classroom. Pupils self-confidence and belief grows when they are out of their comfort zone. Expeditions
consistently risen to. For many it is their first true experience of independence and pupils regularly discover skills they never knew they had - be it navigation, camp craft, physical fitness, or, for some, leadership skills. It is rewarding to see pupils tackle problems for themselves often in interesting and imaginative ways and they return with closer bonds with their ALL peers and new insights into PICTURES themselves as individuals." Moat pupils on expedition After receiving our certification as a licenced Duke Of Edinburgh Centre in February 2018, we have the flexibility as a provider to supervise, assess, and adapt where necessary in collaboration with the Duke Of Edinburgh programme. As a SEN school it is often necessary to adapt parts of the grading system in order to be inclusive of all of our pupils, although we keep it as challenging as possible throughout. We now offer the Silver level award, help curb a culture of instant gratification. and this continues to include the vital The hot bath and comfy bed after a trip are community service aspects of the award. always so much more appreciated." At The Moat, a focus on personal and social Adam Ford has been leading and training development is integrated throughout our groups with the school’s Duke of Edinburgh curriculum, and the Silver award allows programme for a number of years. He says, for these skills to be put to use throughout "the experience the pupils have is quite the local community, and pupils to gain unique in terms of the level of challenge recognition by colleges and universities and in turn the successes they when it comes time for our experience at the completion pupils to begin applying for of their award. Many pupils post-16 education. Before face significant challenge joining The Moat, many with personal organisation of our pupils struggled in and independence, as well an education systems not as significant social and designed to recognise the emotional difficulties when range of talents our pupils compared to pupils in a possess, and so the award CLARE KING mainstream setting. It can plays a vital role in giving Headmistress The Moat School be a daunting experience formal recognition to these - but one our pupils have skills and interests.
The award plays a vital role in giving formal recognition to our pupils’ range of talents
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Home or away? Why choose boarding for the SEN child? CHARLOT TE PHILLIPS
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perhaps surprising number of pupils with SEN will board for at least some of their schooldays. For those with very complex or profound difficulties who require intensive support, residential care can be the best way of providing this. For other families, it’s down to logistics. If the perfect specialist education is on one side of the country and work or other family commitments on the other, boarding is often the only realistic solution. But boarding can also be an important, and valuable, part of the therapeutic process for children whose needs go beyond classroom support.
From making friends to changing duvet covers, planning and cooking meals to operating a washing machine, boarding can be an invaluable way for pupils learn the social and organisational skills that will one day allow them to lead independent lives – and do so with aplomb. It’s the reason that many schools encourage pupils, even those living very close to a school, to start spending nights away. Surrounded by people who know how they tick, when to step in - and when to step back – it can be a happy, confidence-inspiring experience for both parents and children. What to look out for in a boarding school Boarding for the first time can be unsettling for any child. For those with SEN, the uncertainties and worries are often magnified. How good is the school at
Being surrounded by people who know how they tick can be a happy experience for SEN pupils working with parents to prepare children for this new experience? Are there online or visual guides that show clearly how it works and what pupils are expected to do? What personal possessions are they able to take (pictures, duvet covers, even pets) so their room becomes their own? Does the school’s approach get the official stamp of approval? Ofsted carries out separate accommodation inspections. What is the school’s rating? (They can drop or rise rapidly.) How is unstructured free time after school and at weekends organised? It may be the highlight of the week for most boarders but unsettling to those with social or communication difficulties – so is someone there to help pupils plan their time? Is there a quiet place they can retreat to if they need time out? An action-packed programme for boarders can sound amazing, but does it include activities your child enjoys, and are staff on hand to encourage (and keep on encouraging) pupils to try something new?
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A SELECTION OF SOME SEN BOARDING SCHOOLS IN THE UK APPLEFORD SCHOOL
• 129 pupils, 76 boarders, aged 7-18 For children with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties such as dyspraxia and dyscalculia Wiltshire SP3 4HL www.appleford.wilts.sch.uk
BRECKENBROUGH SCHOO
• 49 boys, 20 boarders, aged 9-19 For boys with complex learning and emotional needs including ASD and ADHD North Yorkshire YO7 4EN www.breckenbrough.org.uk
BREDON SCHOOL
• 249 pupils, 97 boarders, aged 7-18, For children with dyslexia, dyspraxia and other specific learning needs Gloucestershire GL20 6AH www.bredonschool.org
BRUERN ABBEY SCHOOL
ALL PICTURES Pupils at Bredon School in Gloucestershire
• 150 boys, 119 boarders, aged 7-13 For bright but often very dyslexic boys, some with additional needs such as Asperger’s or ADHD Oxfordshire OX26 1UY www.bruernabbey.org
FREWEN COLLEGE
If your child has a niche interest (wind turbines and George VI are two examples recently encountered) will the school be right behind them? How good are the staff – from subject teachers to matrons to therapists - at talking to each other? If a child is sleeping badly, has lost a prized possession or had a meltdown in a lesson, will there be a bit of unobtrusive extra support to get them through a bad time? What’s the boarding accommodation like? Slightly scruffy isn’t necessarily an issue as long as it’s clean, tidy, secure, well supervised and organised, with instructions and visual timetables to make the routine easy to understand. Bullying happens even in the best schools but children with SEN frequently won’t report it, so how is it spotted and dealt with, particularly if it happens in free time? And finally, do boarding staff ‘get’ your child, understand and empathise with their quirks? Does their experience extend to pupils with similar difficulties and how have they been supported? Are they kind, empathetic and welcoming when you visit? If a boarding school makes parents feel at home, children, whatever their learning needs, are far more likely to feel the same way.
• 110 pupils, a third boarders, aged 7-18 For children with a specific learning difficulty or speech and language disorder. East Sussex TN31 6NL www.frewencollege.co.uk
LIMPSFIELD GRANGE
• 71 girls, 24 boarders, aged 11-16 For girls with communication and interaction needs, most with autism Surrey RH8 0RZ www.limpsfield-grange.surrey.sch.uk
MORE HOUSE SCHOOL
• 470 boys, 120 boarders, aged 8-18 For boys with a primary diagnosis of SpLD (Farnham), Surrey GU10 3AP www.morehouseschool.co.uk
SWALCLIFFE PARK
• 47 boys, including boarders, aged 11-19 For boys with spectrum and conditions Oxfordshire, OX15 5EP www.swalcliffepark.oxon.sch/uk
THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE Education Consultants provides bespoke advice on special schools. For more information and to read comprehensive reviews of the schools listed above please visit: goodschoolsguide.co.uk or tel: 0800 368 7694
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One of Farleigh School’s FEIPS (Enhanced Individual Support) practitioners talking to an older pupil
A problem shared The role of the Independent Listener is a vital one in modern boarding schools SOPHIE PENDER-CUDLIP
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he bell rings at breaktime in a small rural prep school, nestled in the middle of the Dorset countryside. Girls in jodhpurs dash across to the stables narrowly missing a brood of hens strutting happily after a proud cockerel. The playground has become tarmac heaven for the scores of brightly clad rollerblading girls holding on to each other’s jumpers and pretending
to be horseracing. I visit the school every other week in my new role as an Independent Listener and am slowly getting to know the girls, thanks to my two dogs, a biddable black Labrador keen to catch a few biscuit crumbs off a passing child and a Border Terrier who is slightly more interested in keeping an eye on the passing chickens. One girl skips over and says cheerily, “You’ll fit in easily here because we all love dogs.” The role of the Independent Listener forms part of the boarding inspection by
the ISI (Independent School Inspectorate), the body approved by the Secretary of State for inspecting schools. Every school belonging to the ISC Association must have an Independent Listener who is known and accessible to every boarding pupil. Their photo and a contact number can be seen on the wall of most boarding houses, offering children the option to speak to someone outside of the school. The Independent Listener is not a trained counsellor and is only required to report back to the school if there is a safeguarding issue.
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The role varies widely between schools with some Independent Listeners, all of whom are voluntary, being much more involved in school life than others. Those that are more familiar to the children are more utilised, particularly by younger children. At Port Regis prep school, Len Renouf was the Independent Listener for 15 years up until his death in December 2016. ‘Listening Len’, as he was referred to by the children, was not only a familiar face in the boys’ boarding houses, but also on the touchline giving encouragement and as the scorer for the 1st XI cricket team. “Len immersed himself in school life. He wasn’t a coach, a teacher, a houseparent or a tutor but someone the boys could speak to about anything they wanted to, independently from school. He was like everyone’s favourite grandfather.” says Phil Lawrence, a housemaster and head of PSHE. At some schools, such as Farleigh prep school, the Independent Listener has less participation but headmaster, Fr Simon Everson, says this is because, “we hope to intervene earlier and solve issues way before children need to speak to our Independent Listener.” At Farleigh, the children have RIGHT relationships with a wide Pupils at Port Regis range of staff members who BELOW meet regularly to discuss us and their families. The In discussion at Bryanston each child in the school. fact that our Independent Their emotional literacy support Listener is fairly redundant assistants are available to children is a positive as we want to from Reception to Year 5 and support diagnose, intervene and help those with additional emotional needs. If children feel liberated from their further development is needed then Years 6 worries earlier. Every child needs to leave to 8 pupils participate in a more enhanced prep school feeling they’ve been understood and conversational pastoral support and prepared for the world. All schools group. Father Simon says, “We have a have different models in place and it’s about whole network of adults who can recognise, meeting the needs of the child, not just the anticipate and enable a child to feel system.” stronger, resilient and more understood by In senior schools too, pastoral provision and its framework has been significantly extended in the last five years with a huge increase in the safeguarding guidelines from the Department of Education as well as changes to legislation. Bryanston School has had an Independent Listener for almost 30 years with the second master, Peter Hardy, introducing it after the Children’s Act of 1989. Preetpal Bachra, Head of Pastoral, says, “We aim to put the child first and this means that the networks utilised must have different ways of supporting a child’s needs and also for each cog in that system to be able to work with each other.” The school’s network consists of the medical centre with many nurses including one specialist in mental health, a daily GP surgery, access to a child psychiatrist, two visiting counsellors and a CBT counsellor. “The Independent Listener is part of the wider network of support and if they can help one student, then the role is relevant and important... Pupils have told me they’ve
Listening Len, who was at Port Regis for 15 years, was like everyone’s favourite grandfather spoken to the school’s Independent Listener. Sometimes they’re concerned about a friend or about themselves and issues of identity or authenticity, which they want to share with someone completely distant. It’s very important to have the medium to allow them to be supported. Extending the range of pathways to ‘opening up’ is crucial.” Alicia Drummond, Counsellor and Parenting Coach, who runs Let’s Talk, says, “The key thing in schools is to make sure there is a system in place which avoids children falling through the net. It’s about signposting early as issues are much easier to treat if they’re picked up on sooner.” Pastoral provision in boarding schools has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, particularly with the increased awareness of mental health issues. Whether it is just being an occasional familiar face in the playground to a younger child or a reassuring voice on the end of the phone for a teenager, the role is an important part of a much bigger support network to try and encourage children to believe that they are listened to and in safe hands. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 35
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Cracking the code Absolutely Education meets the founder of Cypher Coding, Elizabeth Tweedale GEORGIA MCVEIGH
Tell us a little bit about yourself. I’m the founder of Cypher, and we teach children to code through holiday camps. My background is in Computer Science and I have a Masters in architecture. Cypher’s been going for two years. I’m also a mother of two and I’ve got another one on the way. Could you tell us what Cypher is and what it aims to do? At Cypher, we aim to prepare children for the future through an education in technology and Computer Science. We
believe that we are a crucial part to our student’s journey in primary school and secondary school, as all careers will include not just technology, but at least a base understanding of coding and computing. Because we incorporate creative themes, such as architecture and fashion and digital art, we cover all bases. We’re not creating a generation of computer scientists or coders, but simply teaching the base fundamentals everyone will have to know. Courses are a weeklong and take place in holiday time, so for about 14 weeks a year. What programs do you teach children? What age do they start? The younger children start, the better. They’re like little scientists at the beginning; they’re always trying new things. Logic is built into them. At Cypher, we teach children from 4-14 and we often have parents ask us which computing language they should be teaching their children. But our main purpose is to teach children the fundamentals behind the languages so that they can switch between them. They all learn how to touch-type as part of our programme, and once they’ve reached the text-based languages, they learn to transition between them. By understanding how the languages are built up, and the logic behind them, they can figure anything out because they’ve got the base fundamentals. It’s not like learning Spanish or French. It’s all the same it’s just structured differently.
The younger children start, the better. They are like little scientists at the beginning What’s the most popular course? It’s difficult to say because children all have such varied interests but we have a lot of creative themes, and in the afternoons there’s a different themed project. Our courses are so broad and children learn to apply principles in coding and technology at all of them. Do they get a qualification? All courses get a certificate of achievement at the end as they progress up through our levels. They start out as Micro Coders and move to Kilo Coders and so on. These are age based, and within those they work towards their own achievements. In the afternoon they’re doing their own projects, but they’re all getting something different from it, with different concepts covered that way.
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PR EP / CODING
ABOVE AND BELOW Cypher coders get to work BELOW LEFT Elizabeth Tweedale
UK and London. We’ve done some initial camps in America, and had interest from the Middle East. We are also developing our foundation. As we grow, I’m keen to expand and be able to give back and find a way to offer what we’re teaching to a broader range of children. Which schools do you work with? We have our after school-clubs in both independent and state schools. We are based predominantly in West London, and we just started at Harrow, which is exciting. Why do you think it’s so important for the future generation to learn to code? With the rise of robots and AI, the most important thing for the next generation is to understand what it is, how to program the robots, and how we can use it to our advantage. It will take over people’s jobs so the future generation is going to have to adapt and change. The key skills that we need to be teaching them are things like communication, collaboration, and creativity: the things that computers can’t. That’s why coming to a camp is so different to sitting in front of a computer at home and learning to code online. The kids have to work as a team, understanding how to problem solve as part of a team.
How does Cypher expand on the coding taught in the national curriculum? The national curriculum sets the basis for what all children should learn as the bare minimum. Our curriculum is based on the core fundamentals of computer science, which aren’t really touched on until your GCSE’s or at University. We start it at aged four, so all of these concepts are second nature by the time you get to that age. Where do you hold your classes? We hold our classes in schools and sometimes in community centres. We’re in places like Notting Hill, Twickenham, Hampton Hill, Chelsea and Harrow. We are also looking at expanding further in the
What about your own kids and coding? My nine-year-old son has been coding for five years. He’s severely dyslexic, so it was hard for him to grasp it at first. But it really helps with dyslexic children, because their brains work so differently, and things like touch-typing are so important because they can use it in their exams. My daughter is seven and she just loves everything her older brother does. They already have their own online shop for their school charity. It’s really sweet.
For more information visit cyphercoders.com SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 37
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PR EP / OPINION
SEAL OF
APPROVAL The Tutors’ Association’s work to maintain high standards in an unregulated sector is invaluable, says a senior consultant at Gabbitas Education KIRSTY REED
A
British family recently approached us for emergency assistance in helping their daughter Emily apply for a place at a leading British boarding school. The family, who live overseas, were out of touch with the system and had therefore left it quite late to start preparations. To start, Emily sat the UKiset test to assess her academic potential and English language skills, and we interviewed her by Skype. Her results were encouraging so we agreed on four schools for the family to visit which we felt would be most suited to Emily’s character, talent and ambitions. Emily's school of choice required her to sit the Common Entrance exam. Only a month away, the way to ensure Emily had the best chance of success was to send one of our most respected tutors to stay with
Will Orr-Ewing, founder of Keystone Tutors and board member of TTA
the family for a week of intensive tutoring. Our tutor, Matthew, was hand-picked from a pool of highly qualified, often Oxbridge educated, DBS checked tutors. Matthew is a Cambridge graduate who has an excellent reputation for entrance exam success and complies with all our rigorous codes of conduct as set down by The Tutor’s Association (TTA). Tutoring is a profession that employs hundreds of thousands of people and one that, consequently, touches and potentially transforms the lives of millions of children and adults as students. As a founding member of the Association, Gabbitas believes that with this level of influence comes responsibility. Membership of TTA is a significant reassurance to parents that a tutor or an agency takes that responsibility seriously. TTA holds an Annual Conference at
“Tutors have great influence, and with influence comes responsibility” which hundreds of tutors and agencies gather to listen to an array of speakers on a range of topics that reflect the diversity of the tutoring industry and supplementary education sector. The conference represents a microcosm of the activities TTA undertakes in support of its objectives to provide development, engagement, collaboration and reputational advancements for the profession. When asked about the ambitions of the Association, its President Adam Muckle says, “It is our aim to be a standard-bearer for good practice and to demonstrate the highest standards of self-regulation.” As for Emily? Her results were fantastic and she was offered a place at her school of choice, starting in September 2018.
The Tutor’s Association TTA was set up, first and foremost, to create a community for members of the tutoring profession. TTA exists to provide tutors and agencies with support in six areas: RECOG N ITION : Of a commitment to behaving ethically and professionally
D E V E LO P M E N T: Opportunities to learn and acquire new skills (or hone existing ones)
CO L L A B O R AT I O N : Opportunities to exchange knowledge and experience
RESOURCES: Access to information and resources that assist with all aspects of tutoring
E N G AG E M E N T: Helping to shape the future of the profession
R E P U TAT I O N : Creating a voice for the profession and building bridges For more information on The Tutor's Association visit thetutorsassociation.org.uk
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THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Picture credit: Zak Waters
H
ow about a two-year paid internship at Google? Or an apprenticeship at Rolls Royce or Warner Music? And ending up with a qualification and no student debts? It’s easy to see why the idea of doing an apprenticeship is gaining ground, and not just among the ‘less academic’. Highly selective independent schools are recognising that an apprenticeship can be an attractive option for their students, too. Earlier this year, Absolutely Education hosted a lunch at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park to introduce Euan Blair and Sophie Adelman, co-founders of White Hat to leaders and heads from UK independent schools. White Hat is a tech start-up that aims to rebrand apprenticeships for the 21st century, matching nongraduate talent with apprenticeship opportunities at some of the UK’s most exciting companies. Here a number of schools tell us what they are doing to provide their students with different career options and higher education pathways.
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“Westonbirt, like many schools, has broadened its Sixth Form curriculum to include BTECS”
NATASHA DANGERFIELD Headmistress, Westonbirt School
ABOVE Sparks fly at Sevenoaks school
ALYS LANGDALE Head of International University Applications, Marlborough College
A
t Marlborough the Master emphasises to students that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to life decisions. Students are encouraged to work towards the Higher Education or career option that suits them best. We have seen an increasing open-mindedness when it comes to opportunities after College, whether a more traditional university route in the UK or abroad, where increasingly we see courses offering internships, or time in industry. Our Yr 11 (GCSE year) are introduced to professionals from a wide range of career paths during our Career Speed-Dating events, which are then
“We emphasise there is no one-sizefits-all approach at Marlborough” followed by work experience opportunities in the summer. In the L6th year, careerfocused small seminars aid consideration of options after Marlborough. The L6 also have one on one meetings with guidance advisers, and are made aware of ways to access apprenticeships. Notgoingtouni. co.uk, or the UCAS apprenticeship hub are helpful resources during those consultations. In the last few years we have seen students successfully enter apprenticeships at M&S, General Electric and IBM. We nurture a strong culture of our OMs returning to College to talk to current pupils who enjoy hearing about the experiences of those just a little older than themselves.
P
upils today are definitely more open to considering apprenticeships as a way forward. Flexibility is important and the combination of degree apprenticeships is an attractive option for many offering the chance to study for your degree whilst also learning valuable work experience at the same time. Eighteen year olds now look at the overall value of their chosen path and consider carefully the teaching quality, course content and overall student experience and, of course, the cost. Cost is a huge factor and the last few years have seen views on debt changing. At Westonbirt, apprenticeships have always been presented as an attractive option and in the last academic year, we’ve had four occasions where apprenticeship companies have come to talk to students. We have noticed that there can be a lack of information for parents about the new types of apprenticeships on offer; Westonbirt will be talking to all Y12 parents at our upcoming Sixth Form Pathways evening. With the broadening of Sixth Form curriculums in many schools to include BTEC options, as Westonbirt now does, it is right that all options are presented to students. Employers often say students who come from even top universities don’t necessarily have the skills required for the workplace. Apprenticeships help to address this.
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SENIOR / TALKING POINT
“Freddie will earn an honours daegree at Rolls Royce and emerge debt free”
FREDDIE WILTSHIRE Pupil, Brighton College
S
ixth former Freddie Wiltshire was studying for his A-Levels in Geography, Econonmics and Design and Technology when he visited a careers show in London last October. There were a number of UK universities there but also major British companies offering degree apprenticeships straight out of school. Freddie applied to join Roll Royce’s degree apprenticeship in Project Management, attracted by the prospect of working for such a dynamic, worldfamous company for four years whilst simultaneously earning a degree and emerging debt free with a virtual guarantee of a graduate role at the end. Freddie passed the initial round of psychometric, numerical and verbal reasoning tests and was selected for a day at Rolls Royce’s assessment centre in Derby where he had to give a presentation on how Rolls Royce could remain competitive. Not easy for a 17 year old. After a nerve-wracking few weeks, Freddie was told he had been successful. “I was really surprised and very happy,” he says. Freddie will work at the company’s Bristol base and study at a Midlandsbased university one or two days a week. Once the course is completed, Freddie will have a complete honours degree and will have no obligation to remain at Rolls Royce. He says: “I feel like I am going to get the best of both worlds.”
ABOVE Sixth Form advice at Brighton College
SUZIE LONGSTAFF
Headmistress, Putney High School
W
ith undergraduate numbers on the increase and a seemingly endless rise in tuition fees, students are being forced to ask serious questions about value for money and what they hope to achieve in their further studies. At Putney High School GDST, ambitious minds are open not only to the traditional degrees offered by world class universities in the UK, Europe and North America, but to the excellent vocational opportunities that are now available, particularly the degree apprenticeship. There is no doubt that since the early 1990s, the further education landscape has seen slow but steady change. Our Director of Sixth Form, Bryony Gough
“I think degree apprenticeships are going to be a significant part of the higher education landscape in the next five years. What’s not to like? You get a salary, you can be debt free, and you have the guarantee of a job at the end of it.” Putney’s careers department now provides pupils with information on how to kick start their career on degree apprenticeships with industry leaders like the Dyson Institute of Technology, where students can study for a full engineering degree (Level 6) or master’s degree (Level 7) while working at Dyson’s technology campus. Ernst and Young, PwC and even the British Army visit the school to open girls’ minds to their own, similar schemes, all offering the chance to work, study and begin a career with solid experience a healthy bank balance.
“Degree apprenticeships are going to be a significant part of the education landscape” SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 43
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DISCOVERMORE
Embracing an innovative, modern approach whilst keeping traditional values at its core, Kew House School takes an exciting stance on 21st century education. With state-of-the-art facilities, a broad curriculum and excellent pastoral care, Kew House is a place where you would want to be – a place of learning and discovery, laughter and friendship.
Open Days Mon 25th June atth9:15am November 1st/7 (9.30am/ 9.30am) Fri 29th June at 9:15am
November 15th/21st (7.00pm/ 9.30am) Please book your place online.
November 29th (9.30am)
Currently recruiting into the Sixth Form with a new Sixth Form Centre opening in 2017. T: 0208 742 2038 E: info@kewhouseschool.com W: www.kewhouseschool.com An independent co-educational senior school for students aged 11-18 in West London
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@kewhouseschool
02/05/2018 16:05
SENIOR / TALKING POINT
“We must dispel any stigma that apprenticeships are not an aspirational option”
JOE SPENCE Master, Dulwich College
ABOVE Wellington students in the science lab
JULIAN THOMAS
I
Master, Wellington College
am acutely aware of the importance of exam results and leavers’ destinations. These are the criteria against which we are judged. The number of places gained at top universities still grabs the headlines. And yet, the higher education landscape is changing. I have been a champion of degree apprenticeships since they were introduced in 2015 and and I am convinced that more could be done to make them a viable option for ambitious school leavers. Which? University recently published a guide to higher and degree-level apprenticeships, providing comprehensive lists of universities and companies offering courses. The likes of Imperial College and the University of Bath sit on one side of the page, while Accenture, BBC, Deloitte and Unilever appear on the other. With compelling arguments and case studies thrown in there is much to tempt the
intrepid school leaver. So why are we not seeing more interest? Firstly, schools must empower students to think differently; to choose a different path. Secondly, the onus is on the Government to re-imagine their offering and to find an alternative way of attracting interest. While degree apprenticeships are now included in the UCAS search engine, the process is frustrating. There seems to be a reluctance to set degreelevel apprenticeships apart from the post-16 options. Whether this stems from a fear of diluting the message or a form of inverted snobbery, the lack of clarity is an impediment to what could be a brilliant initiative. Last year, I suggested a rebrand: the name Career Degree could help to place degree apprenticeships on a par with traditional degrees, and a change of this nature could provide the golden thread.
“Schools must empower students to think differently; to choose a different path”
T
he experiences of three of our boys - off to Ernst and Young, the British Library and Accenture - tells me that the wellchosen apprenticeship is a more exciting option than university for those who do not have an academic passion for a specific subject or whose academic interests are outweighed by vocational, entrepreneurial or practical interests. This will become even more the case with the death of the passive CV (when the listing of top exam grades will not be sufficient to secure a top job) and as the job market continues to evolve to play to the strengths of those who are able to develop their personal aptitudes to create their own jobs or to fulfil the criteria for jobs only recently established. Apprenticeship opportunities are shared with boys at Dulwich individually, through monthly bulletins, assemblies and evening presentations, and, increasingly, at events with our educational partners, such as the annual Courses and Careers Convention. The growing participation of different sectors and types of organisations, including major international companies, and the offer of a range of accompanying qualifications to Masters level, is positioning apprenticeships as competitively attractive in a young person’s portfolio of future choices - and dispelling any remaining stigma amongst those families for whom apprenticeships are not regarded as an aspirational option.
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02/05/2018 11:18
SENIOR / OPINION
A Sporting Chance A educational expert says the rules of the playing field can help with successful revision TIM WILBUR
F
or some 20 years, I spent my time at the chalkface preparing literally thousands of youngsters for GCSEs and A-Levels. From the early 1980s onwards, I began to deliver homilies on revision technique. Interestingly, these were drawn more from my experience coaching school sport to the very highest level than teaching itself. I have long believed in the crucial connection between the playing field and the classroom. My favourite sporting adage was that to be good, one needed physical ability, high levels of relevant skill and the correct temperament. To be better than good, one needed to have these three facets perfectly balanced. If this is transferred to revision, the skill in question is the revision process, and in modern parlance, the other two might constitute ‘wellbeing’. The truth remains, however, that to revise successfully requires far more than cramming knowledge for the fateful day. It requires a lifestyle and commitment. Most good revision guides will suggest sessions of 90 minutes, with a 10 minute break mid-way. However, as stated this is only a third of the story. The concept of ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ has, as always, a lot to recommend it. Thus, the relaxation component does not mean one should be supine; that is the ‘R’ for rest. Physical activity of any sort, even a brisk 10-minute walk, will suffice to increase stimulation. There is also no reason for an adolescent to compromise on a much-needed eight-plus hours of sleep. In fact, if the candidate plans their revision well, every other aspect of their normal life should find room for itself. There is room to find time to eat healthily, meet up with friends, visit the dreaded internet, etc. If the person can ‘balance’ they can succeed. The other good news is that successful revision does not have to be a seven day a week endeavour; plan days off. A B OV E
“Break your day down into three sessions of 90 minutes” a variety of ways for knowing and understanding the material; two very different concepts. The strategy is to balance the competing demands on an individual’s time in the period before a major exam. The vital interests to be balanced are: Revision, Relaxation and Rest – the three Rs. The good news for those revising is that the process is limited and achievable. There is absolutely no way the average student can concentrate for more than the five teaching hours that constitute a normal day. I would suggest further that this should be broken down into three
King’s Wimbledon pupils aiming high
It goes without saying that the process needs to start early. If the student has all the materials necessary for revision, the process can be narrowed to six weeks. At the end of my examination coaching spiel, I liked to ruin the moment by asking the immortal question ‘Is that not how you live your life anyway?’ The quality and quantity of the derisory scowls used to tell me whether I had hit the nail.
TIM WILBUR Director of School Consultancy Gabbitas Education
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 47
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Breakfast and supper clubs available.
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Class sizes strictly limited so book early to avoid disappointment.
Call us today to discuss your needs.
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Gabbitas Educational Consultants is registered in England No. 2920466. Part of the Prospects & Shaw Trust Groups.
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Gabbitas Educational Consultants is registered in England No. 2920466. Part of The Prospects & Shaw Trust Groups.
Images supplied by St Swithun’s School, St Mary’s School and Eastbourne College.
23/04/2018 15:38
Talking
SENIOR / OPINION
HEAD
A Broader Brush Amal Hirani, Deputy Principal, Southbank International School on the advantages of the IB
T
he International Baccalaureate Programme is a preuniversity programme that offers students a wide breadth of subjects. It’s very demanding academically and at Southbank we support our students throughout it. The IB offers more breadth than the British system, and more depth than the American system; it’s a hybrid of the two. The IB qualifies students to study anywhere in the world and is recognised globally by most top institutions. The IB requires students to enquire, and to question what they’re being taught. IB students are academic risk-takers who look for different ways of learning. They
“IB students are academic risk-takers who look for different ways of learning” put themselves out of their comfort zone in order to develop their knowledge and skills. The IB learner profile also asks for students to be good communicators, to be balanced, and these are attributes that we try and incorporate into our programme. We want our students to be thinkers. We want to avoid handing them knowledge on
A B OV E & BELOW
Students at Southbank International
of university admissions officers. IB a plate, instead requiring them to ask why students develop into independent learners and use their research skills to draw out with excellent organisational skills. The the nuances behind what they’re learning. academic attainment levels We look for our students to be inquisitive of our students is further in evidence with and resilient, to question what is right and the top universities in the UK, US and wrong in the context of a world where news Canada offering them places. sources are increasingly subject to scrutiny. We have a strong sense of community IB students at Southbank take up to six at Southbank. Students come from subjects and can choose from a broad range many different countries, from different of courses not offered by other schools education systems and flourish here. Our of our size. Sixteen is too early an age for job is creating a home from home where most of our students to narrow down their our students feel safe and cared for options and the path they want to take in something our strong pastoral programme life. The IB Diploma gives them a breadth of ensures we can do for each subjects and keeps them open and every member of the IB to learning languages and community. We firmly believe humanities as well as learning that academic excellence sciences and maths, so they and a supportive, caring have more choices open to environment go hand in hand. them compared to A-Level Whilst the IB diploma students who are restricted to puts students on an excellent taking three or four subjects. academic footing, its benefits The academic and life skills AMAL HIRANI are far broader, preparing fostered by the IB approach Deputy Principal students for making their way are well documented both in Southbank International School in the world. research and the observations SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 49
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Talking
SENIOR / OPINION
HEAD
WORLD VIEW Martin Hall, the Head of ACS Hillingdon International School in west London, on what a global mindset can do for your child
W
hy is an international education now so in vogue? I’ve worked in schools across the world for the past ten years, and right now international schools are the fastest growing sector in education worldwide. Interest has never been so high. International schools were created to help children of globally mobile senior executives move seamlessly and confidently across the world. They were set up with the specific aim to help children settle and make friends quickly, so that they would have the confidence to thrive, no matter where they were. To ensure they left, even after just a couple of years, with an excellent, empowering education. These are exactly the qualities which any parent looks for in a school. Nurturing the individual with specific strategies and
There are 70 different nationalities at ACS Hillingdon; the school is a melting pot of different cultures helping youngsters make friends and feel engaged ‘in real life’ is our raison d’être and greatly appeals to many British families. Added to this is that unique and hard-todefine quality of ‘a global mindset’ which really is at the heart of what makes our schools different, and pertinent for the 21st century family. Most traditional private schools have large numbers of international students, often from one particular country where the school has established links such as China or Malaysia. The majority of students and
an American accent in other parts of the world. The national identity of every student, their heritage, their language, their food, their nation’s history will be nurtured. It is expected and accepted that everyone is different, but that everyone can get along fine and build lasting friendships. This is an international mindset. At ACS Hillingdon we teach the International Baccalaureate rather than A-Levels. Recognised the world over, this qualification aims to instil international values and skills in children, as well as the required quantity of actual knowledge and A B OV E teachers however will be subject information. ACS British. The ethos will So, as well as teaching children to pass Hillingdon be British and will follow exams and feel good about themselves pupils the national curriculum and others, we also teach them how to of England and Wales be thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, or Scotland. And developing a sense of the principled and open-minded; the qualities of school’s history and its forefathers will be an IB learner. part of the school culture. This is not an While an international mindset might international mindset. seem an intangible quality, the results of At an international school there will be our education are very tangible indeed. students from every part of the world, in Exam results are one aspect, which as the case of ACS, 70 different nationalities. a fee-paying parent, you will rightly be Teachers will all have taught in other concerned about. But another aspect, and parts of the world, and the the one which I think explains school will be a melting pot why international education of different cultures and is booming, is the way we nationalities. build youngsters with the There will be many British confidence to be happy with students (in fact our second themselves and with anyone largest cohort) but as you walk else regardless of nationality round school the main accent or culture. you hear might be American, In our rapidly changing MARTIN HALL not because everyone is from world, these qualities are the Head ACS Hillingdon the States, but because most ones which parents are now International School youngsters learn English with seeking out. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 51
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Catching ON Emotional contagion has been well documented in adults, but scientists are now turning their attention to teenagers LISA FREEDMAN
I
explore the way teenagers’ emotions and related behaviour directly trigger similar emotions and behaviour in others. As part of the experiment, pupils at Queen Anne’s have been interviewed, undergone brain scans and been observed in the classroom. "We were overwhelmed by the number of applications to be involved," says Harrington. Emotional contagion is, in fact, now a well-documented field in the scientific literature relating to adults, and studies by psychologists, anthropologists and neuroscientists have established that people unconsciously mirror others’ expressions of emotion and come to feel a reflection of those emotions themselves. We are all, it would appear, programmed to ‘catch’ other people’s complex behaviours – both negative and positive – reflecting their happiness, anger and depression without, it would seem, trying. Emotional contagion appears to involve both biological and social processes, which is why its manifestations seem particularly marked in adolescence. LEFT "The brain develops A brain scan image of a unevenly," says neuroscientist Queen Anne's pupil in the BrainCanDo programme Dr Dean Burnett, author of the courtesy of the University of recently published The Happy Reading Brain, The Science of Where Happiness Comes From, and Why (Guardian Books/Faber). "Young children’s brains develop very quickly, then, when they become adolescents, they start reorganising and social awareness becomes a dominant force in what motivates their behaviour; teenagers want to be cool, part of a gang. Rational thinking develops later, not till the 20s." Clearly, this patchy evolution can be problematic in an educational setting, and staff at Queen Anne’s, like teachers throughout the land, have found that there would often be a ‘ring leader’ affecting the dynamic of an entire class. They began to carefully question friendship groups and
f you’ve ever found a gaggle of teenagers giggling hysterically in the back seat of your car or, less appealingly, plotting in your kitchen to send some hapless friend to Coventry, you’ll understand the term ‘emotional contagion’. For parents, this behaviour is a bewildering now-and-then occurrence, but teachers experience it on a daily basis and need to understand its roots and consequences. Which is why Queen Anne’s School, Caversham, an independent day and boarding school for girls in Berkshire, is participating in a neurological experiment. "We know that some areas of the brain keep track of other people and we wanted to discover as much as possible about how the brain works in adolescence," says headteacher Julia Harrington. In order to do so, the school has signed up to the BrainCanDo programme, a threeyear research project being conducted by Reading University, which has brought together teachers, researchers and scientists to
motivation, tracking girls to identify similar attitudes, and discovered that if just one girl didn’t find something interesting, it could affect the interest level of all. "These ‘lynchpin’ girls are often the most resilient, with a strong self-core," says Julia Harrington. "They know who they are and don’t need to take their identify from the group, which means they can also demonstrate the quality of contagion in a positive way. As a result, we have set up wellbeing groups to help all girls build selfesteem and assertiveness." Outside of the school, Queen Anne’s have worked with Westminster Grey Coat Foundation in London, who are also participating in the BrainCanDo experiment, to create a Handbook and Toolkit of practical teaching strategies rooted in the latest neuroscientific evidence, exploring a number of key themes important to education, such as how stress impacts upon learning. At Queen Anne’s, they decided to address the latter issue directly, addressing the impact anxiety was having in one specific area - GCSE Maths. "We were finding that Years 10 and 11 were becoming generally anxious about Maths, and, while a degree of anxiety can help performance, it ceases to do so if that level is too high." The school tried a number of conventional strategies but discovered that peer-to-peer teaching was the most effective approach. "The Maths department taught girls how to teach the subject, and we found that the language girls used between each other was more accessible; they felt more able to ask questions and were more in their comfort zone than they were in the classroom." Teacher-pupil interaction can be as much a catalyst for emotional contagion as it is between students. The Times Educational Supplement, for example, recently reported a 2016 study conducted by the University of British Columbia in Canada, which tracked
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We are all, it would appear, programmed to ‘catch’ other people’s complex behaviours the stress level of more than 400 pupils in 17 Canadian elementary schools. It found that pupils whose teachers reported feeling burnt out tended to display higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than pupils whose teachers were not stressed. "If teachers are very stressed, they may be able to put on a face for a while, but eventually that will crumble," says Gail Kinman, professor of occupational health psychology at the University of Bedfordshire. "There’s evidence to suggest that pupils change their behaviour in response to perceived teacher stress, reducing their demands or playing up more. Then you get a chain reaction, where teachers lose the ability to maintain control. Emotional contagion is very, very powerful." Hilary Wyatt, head of Eaton Square Kensington, a co-educational prep school I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y P H I L C O U Z E N S
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in west London, is acutely aware of the potential dangers and keeps a careful eye on both teachers and pupils to ensure the potential for negative contagion is held in check."As teachers, we leave an emotional wake, and it’s really important to be aware and try and balance your feelings. Stress can be manifested in being cross with the children or each other. I touch base with my teachers regularly, and if, for example, someone’s mother is dying, I will ask if they need help. In our Monday morning briefings, we all finish with a pause, a minute of sitting quietly, to become aware of our breathing." Wyatt believes this type of mindfulness can be equally effective for pupils. "In PSHE, the children learn meditation, yoga, and how to talk about their feelings." Other practical preventative measures
the school have introduced are: a ‘worry’ box, checked daily, so those too shy to talk in a group can write down their concerns and know they will be heard; a communal guinea pig available for comforting stroking; and weekly tea-and-toast sessions held in Wyatt’s sunshine-yellow office to allow pupils to share their anxieties at high-stress moments, such as the run up to entrance exams. "The smell of toast induces endorphins, and allows everyone to cope with exam pressure. We try to spread calm." Fortunately, like other emotions, calm is something that can be catching.
LI S A F R E E D M A N MD of education consultancy www.attheschoolgates.co.uk SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 53
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OUT OF EDEN The Head of Religious Studies at Benenden on the new syllabus’s timely feminist slant EMMA WHEELER
A
nyone teaching the new Religious Studies public exam specifications will, I’m sure, have some degree of scepticism about them. My department is possibly not alone in bemoaning the pace of examination reforms and the voluminous specifications, from which students will inevitably need to rote learn – especially at GCSE level. However, when students ask questions as profound as: “If Adam had eaten the fruit first, would there be female priests in the Catholic Church?” one realises the inherent philosophical value and timeliness of the new RS A-Level. Whilst specifications have long contained a unit of work on feminist theology, the new OCR specification has reconsidered its branding and additionally offers a ‘Gender and Society’ unit. Having taught this for the last couple of months, we could not have made the topic more relevant to the girls’ lives if we’d written it ourselves. The A-Level requires students to reflect critically on questions such as whether Christianity should adapt to consider secular views on gender roles, whether motherhood is liberating or restricting, and whether Christianity is in fact intrinsically sexist. Our students have engaged fiercely with these debates, some approaching the discussion from a religious perspective, and some adopting a more secular humanist view. Can a male saviour save women? “I have never even considered that this could be a question!” replied one girl, who later reached the conclusion that God must be stripped of male pronouns and masculine conceptions for Jesus’ death to be truly
“The A-Level asks students whether Christianity is intrinsically sexist”
links between this classic Homeric moment and the silencing of women’s voices in contemporary culture has sparked girls’ curiosity. They have also been fascinated by the study of socialisation into certain gender roles. “Too often,” one student explained, “we are confined to certain roles, and sometimes it is disguised as a joke – but it’s not a very funny one.” Around this time, various allegations against Weinstein, amongst others, were coming to light, and we watched a clip of Jo Brand reminding the all-male panel on Have I Got News for You that sexual harassment claims were no laughing matter. It is almost as if recent news events have responded to our syllabus, A B OV E rather than simply providing salvific. Others have found radical Benenden Fourths topical stimuli for discussion. feminist approaches too extreme, but in an RS lesson It has been a particularly have nonetheless been prompted to poignant time to be teaching investigate the subjugation of women these topics. Guardian further. “The lessons have encouraged journalist Jessica Valenti refers to the rise of me to read more widely,” one student a ‘global community of female solidarity’ as explained. “I’ve discovered that J. S. Mill empowering, but also calls for more frequent took a feminist approach, which has been conversations about sexual harassment to useful also for my Politics studies.” really initiate change. Our girls agree, with Our students have not only engaged one explaining that “educating us in these keenly with historical debates about the issues is the only way to change society”. If Church, but have made fascinating links to ever there were an endorsement of an exam the impact of patriarchal cultures and texts syllabus, then this is surely it. on women today, such as the emphasis on motherhood as the key to female fulfilment in the apostolic letter Mulieres Dignitatum (1988). This resonates with Mary Beard’s recently published Women & Power: A Manifesto, in which the author traces the first recorded example of a man telling a woman to ‘shut up’ to the start of Homer’s Odyssey. Just as the Bible reminds us that women should be silent (Timothy 2.12), the young Telemachus tells his mother EMMA WHEELER Penelope to ‘go back up into [her] quarters… [as] speech will be the business of men.’ Head of Religious Studies Writing in 2017, Beard’s interest in the Benenden School SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 55
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“The quality of pupils’ achievements is excellent.” ISI report 2017
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Talking
SENIOR / OPINION
HEAD
The Right Stuff Antony Clark, Headmaster of Malvern College, says enduring personal attributes can – and must – be taught.
I
used to think that if I was in a position as headmaster, and thus able to influence the ethos surrounding pupils, that they would automatically develop character. That personal qualities such as integrity and kindness would somehow become part of their make-up, perhaps by osmosis. I imagined that they would become leaders and good citizens as a result of having strong role models to follow and a positive ambience around them. This was the world in which I had been schooled. So it took me a little time to recognise that, in a modern environment of many conflicting pressures, less obvious family values and certainly fewer individuals basing their thoughts and actions on religious and moral premises, this may no longer apply. Gradually, I have come to believe that, if a school has a vision for its pupils and wishes them to be alert to important human attributes, then these should actually be taught at school and that my previous assumptions were wrong. So we turned our attention to listing The Malvern Qualities and made up our minds that these would be evident in all that we teach and do here. Take, for example, integrity: the Latin origin is integer and relates to wholeness. In Maths, pupils know that integers are whole numbers and so we understand that integrity refers to our wholeness as people, our sense of being honest and having strong moral principles. By their nature the Malvern Qualities have a circular dimension: each impacts upon several others. I list them here, not in any specific order: ambition, risk-taking, resilience, self-awareness, open-mindedness, kindness, collaboration, curiosity, independence, humility and
“I now believe that important human attributes should be taught at school”
and abilities. They develop the capacity to integrity. All are qualities see themselves as others see them and this we try to imbue in our enhances their interpersonal skills and their pupils so that they will communication with others. have the skills to thrive Equipping our pupils for life is part of in a changing world. Malvern’s vision for their future. They may Appreciating the importance of teaching have many different careers ahead of them, basic and enduring human qualities is among them roles that do not yet even exist. intrinsic to education and profoundly It is incumbent upon us to prepare them important to an individual’s maturity and to give everything a go, to learn what their success in life. Though our list of traits is strengths are and to develop capacity in neither exclusive to us, nor the only ones that areas where they are weaker. Becoming help young people manage the future, they successful at managing themselves and are the ones to which we adhere and the ones others begins to give them confidence and which, we observe, benefit our pupils to an this is the oil in the engine that will carry unusual degree. We notice that Malvernians them successfully through life. strive for success, but can cope with We will never become setbacks; they are perceptive complacent about producing and confident, but not arrogant very capable young people and they view learning as a and will constantly revisit lifelong experience. They are what we do here at Malvern. tolerant, strong, and optimistic Good academic results about the future. are just part of our vision In possession of an for them. Each quality will understanding of the value of have a part to play in this these personal strengths, our ANTONY CLARK strengthening process. I now pupils become sophisticated Headmaster know that these qualities can thinkers with a realistic Malvern College be taught. approach to their own talents A B OV E
Malvern College pupils
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Land lessons Countryfile’s Adam Henson has called for a new GCSE in agriculture. Here he explains why A DA M H E N S O N
F
arming is at a turning point. With growing global, environmental and political challenges plus new technologies, developments and transformational ideas it’s a great time to be involved in the industry. It is for this reason that I think it is critical to provide young people with an insight in to farming while they are at still at school. My call for a new GCSE in agriculture has lit a spark in the farming and wider community. Ensuring we have the right skills to support our food production for the future requires the brightest minds, with can-do attitudes. Indeed, with the right
The next generation must understand the implications of food production
content, an agriculture curriculum could be as important as PSHE, addressing food production, the environment, nutrition, health and wellbeing. Of course, beyond that there are additional opportunities for embedding the core values of agriculture in all GCSEs – looking at the deepened learning experience within mathematics, history, geography, biology and business studies. Farming provides an engaging and exciting opportunity for a relevant and applied approach to deepen the learning experience. It is essential that we all try and gain a better understanding of food production, so that we can make more informed choices about what we eat and how we want our countryside managed. My role in Countryfile engages an increasingly urban society in rural life. We are fortunate to have such a platform to demonstrate the challenges and opportunities of changing but thriving
rural communities. I also am involved with farming and environment charity LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) working at the forefront of education and public engagement. They run LEAF Open Farm Sunday where farmers open up their gates and welcome the public to discover the story behind their food. They also work with schools and teachers aiming to embed knowledge, understanding and appreciation of farming into everyday life. Aiming to positively influence the next generation about agriculture, to support farming, food production and the environment, and enhance the understanding and appreciation of everyone. Not only supporting teachers and farmers with training and resources, one of their new
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SENIOR / OPINION
In focus A L M CCO N V I L L E Deputy Head Academic on Bedales School’s Outdoor Work Programme here is a pressing need for the next generation to understand the implications of food production. In an age when mysteriously pre-packaged and processed food is the norm for so many, there is surely scope for young people to re-connect consciously to something as fundamental as the origins of the food on their plate. At Bedales, we sustain a traditional relationship with agriculture through our Outdoor Work programme. All year 9 students tend a vegetable plot once a week in their tutor groups, growing food for an end-of-year celebratory lunch to which they invite their parents. They are also exposed to issues around land use, as they marshal the school’s flock of sheep from one field to another, or move the school pigs onto a new patch to prepare the land for cultivation. Uniquely, Bedales runs its own qualification in this area in years 10 & 11, offering a GCSE-equivalent Bedales Assessed Course in Outdoor Work. Students learn a series of skills around food production, animal husbandry and the day-to-day management of a working farm, with which the school is blessed. Fencing, tractor maintenance, hedge-laying, blacksmithing, tool-care – the variety of experiences is enviable. Students not only get their hands dirty in a very serious way, they also record and reflect on their learning in their ongoing journals, and are assessed not just on their knowledge, but also on their group’s management of a major farm project in year 11. Collaboration and planning are given due weight alongside the practical execution of a project. Grades are awarded and moderated by an external expert. For many of the students, it is a welcome change from more conventional classroom experiences. Sixth formers may continue their relationship with the farm by undertaking an Extended Project in, for example, halter-training of sheep for an agricultural show. Students have been inspired by this to pursue their studies in agriculture beyond school, and the Bedales model offers an appealing blueprint.
T
ABOVE Bedales pupils take a tractor ride LEFT Farmer Adam Henson
developments is FaceTime A Farmer, working with Farmer Tom and hundreds of other farmers to bring farming in to the classroom, virtually. Eighty eight per cent of the UK’s population now lives in urban areas. Given the importance of agriculture for our economy, environment and society, shouldn’t the education system ensure that the younger generation are able to flourish in this sector? One in eight people are now employed within the food and farming sector in the UK and the food and drink sector is worth more than £10bn to the UK economy. I fundamentally believe that a GCSE will introduce engaging and vital life skills to the next generation. The UK has not had its own agricultural policy for
over 40 years, so now is the time of change. Farming is at the forefront of unfolding technological development and scientific advancement, with GPS technology to harvest wheat, driverless tractors, drones providing precise applications of treatments, new breeding techniques, hydroponic farming and robotic milking. We need new skills at this exciting time to enthuse and inspire young people within that and I believe a GCSE in agriculture gives us a real opportunity to do that.
The next LEAF Open Farm Sunday is on 10 June 2018. Visit www.leafuk.org for more details www.farmsunday.org
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See success in action To book a personal visit or for further details, please contact the Registrar: Tel: 01283 559222 Email: registrar@repton.org.uk REPTON.indd 1 6721 Repton Prep School House Magazine Advert.indd 1
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SENIOR / AGON Y AUN T
Question TIME The experts at Gabbitas Education have the answers
A B OV E
No one said revision was easy
RACHEL LEWIS
School Placement Consultant Gabbitas Education
My husband wants to reward my children for revising by giving cash for each top grade they achieve in their school assessments, but I’m not sure I agree with this approach as I feel it just adds to the stress they are under. It can have a marked effect on a child’s wellbeing if they don’t live up to their parents expectations. Even with hours of revision behind them, there are many things beyond a child’s control that might have a negative impact on their results including variations in mark schemes, a hard exam paper and their academic ability in the subject. On the other hand, it’s a valuable life skill for children to learn the lesson that from hard work hopefully good things will come. The sense
Q
A
“Cramming is probably the most harmful revision method as it increases stress”
of achievement that comes with success is at the heart of a person’s confidence and self-belief. Instead of cash rewards, you could help your children to develop an understanding of what they are capable of and where this might lead to. Encourage them to prove to themselves how well they can do and don’t forget to show your delight at the outcome.
Q
My child suffers from high levels of stress and anxiety before exams and she struggles to do well as a result. She can be physically sick, unable to breathe and says her mind goes completely blank. With the examination season approaching, what tactics can she employ to help her to overcome this impediment to success? The practice of mindfulness has proved successful in helping students manage their anxiety, by teaching them to focus on the moment and allow their feelings to come and go without reacting to them. Using breathing exercises to slow down the heart and reduce tension is another practice that can be applied on the day to reduce the effects of stress. On the day, the golden rules of self-care and preparation apply; get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast and allow plenty of time to arrive, with the correct materials needed for the task. Executing a clear exam strategy can help focus the mind and reduce the panic. If these strategies are not successful there is support for students who require special
A
consideration for their anxiety. Your child’s school can develop an individualised plan, which might include regular breaks, additional time or a separate room in which to sit the exams. My daughter is a bright girl and is convinced that cramming her revision into the day before the exam is a successful strategy. Can you advise us on the best revision techniques that she can adopt and give us reasons why cramming is destined for disaster? The truth is that to revise successfully requires commitment and one must study harder than one may ever need to pass the exam. Cramming creates a feel-good factor when a subject is covered in a single afternoon. However, studying a subject for one hour a day every day for a week results in greater recall, as the brain can only remember five to seven bits of new information at a time. The average attention span is allegedly 15 minutes and there is certainly no way that the average student can concentrate for more than the five teaching hours that constitute a normal school day. Break this down into three sessions of 90 minutes, with a 10-minute midway break. Some revision should take place during the same hours as the exam will occur, between 9am – 11am and 1.30 – 3.30pm, as this trains the brain. Cramming is probably the most harmful revision method as it increases stress, does not allow for relaxation and rest and at the end of it all, and there are no guarantees of recall.
Q
A
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 61
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PROMOTION
MAKING the LEAP Rebecca Parrish, Director of Sixth Form at Sydenham High School, GDST, on what makes a great sixth form
S
ixth form is a key period of academic, social and emotional development. There is a seismic shift in expectations for independent study and wider research, as well as the constant thoughts of future paths. The transition is challenging so it is key to choose a Sixth Form which supports the individual, whatever the path ahead, and can provide opportunities for growth and development both personally and academically. It is important to remember that educating young adults requires a fine balance between focusing on developing a passion for their subjects but also a curiosity for, and the strength of character to deal with, the working world beyond.
GOOD SIXTH FORMS OFFER: • high-quality, inspiring teaching • an innovative curriculum • outstanding pastoral care and support • the ability to role model leadership • higher education and careers guidance • the understanding that equally important to academic success is the participation in co-curricular activities to develop a wellrounded, balanced sense of self It is widely agreed by business leaders that schools should focus on employability skills as well as attainment. “Young people must impress with their willingness to learn, commitment and motivation. New recruits must show they can work in a team, communicate, solve problems and have commercial awareness.” So says the Director of Global Student Recruitment at
The transition to sixth form is challenging so it is key to choose one which supports the individual
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. At Sydenham High School Sixth Form we set high targets to foster ambition, but equally value the personal skills which make students successful in life. We are educating our girls not only for further education and careers but also to be valuable citizens. Of course academic results matter but it is the education of the whole girl that creates a young person who is ready to take on the challenges of further education or the leap straight into industry. Alongside A-Level studies, the Extended Project Qualification and Stretch Programme enrich our girls’ learning by fostering critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and social development, and our Professional Skills Programme provides all Year 12 students with specialist training in corporate communication, matching each student with a professional mentor whilst completing a self-directed project in order to build on and develop their work skills. At Sydenham High, our Sixth Form is very much the jewel in our crown. Our girls are role models and leaders to the lower years and are ambitious and confident about their futures. They are curious, considerate and fearless, often exceeding their own expectations. Our drive to create fearless girls is best exemplified by them. They have the courage and self-belief to believe that anything and everything is possible, be that at school, masterminding a national STEM competition, visiting 10 Downing Street to discuss charitable activities, launching a new fashion brand or making molecular discoveries. A Sydenham High girl possesses the intelligence and the inner strength and spirit to be whatever she wants to be. Nothing should hold a girl back and with Sydenham High girls we couldn’t, even if we tried.
To find out more about joining our unique Sixth Form visit sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net/ sixthform or call 020 8557 7000. WHOLE SCHOOL OPEN DAY Saturday 15 September, 9am-1pm
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SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING Tuesday 2 October, 6:30-8:30pm Contact us about out other open events, taster days and personalised tours 02085577000 / sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net 15&19 Westwood Hill, London SE26 6BL
SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 63
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BRYANSTON EDUCATION SUMMIT Wednesday 6 June 2018
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B RYA N S T O N
Educat ion Summit
Welcome To the Bryanston Education Summit
A
year ago Bryanston School held its first Education Summit. Its theme was ‘Delivering a world class education in turbulent times’. The following day the UK had a general election which seemed to only underline how prescient that theme was. Things haven’t really settled down since then: Brexit has dominated, the Cold War seems to be returning, and everywhere you look it seems old certainties are changing. We are living in interesting times. But in times of upheaval it is easy to forget that those things that keep society on track continue to run, day in day out. Trains run, A C Grayling speaking at last year’s summit
letters are delivered, meetings are held. In the case of schools it appears to be ‘business as usual’: since last year those of us who teach have seen the ongoing change in curriculum (at GCSE and A-Level), plus we have a new Secretary of State, which seems to be an annual tradition for education. But all schools have in-built set of targets which define their progress: they have to get better, and they have to continuously push themselves to see better examination results, better Value-Added scores, better behaved pupils, better teaching. The norm, then, is change, and aspiration. All schools, be they comprehensives or academies, independent or maintained, are trying to move up to the next level. Which is why the theme for this year's summit is, 'How can schools move up to the next level of attainment? I have helped organise educational events for ten years, and I soon learned that although teachers tend to work alone, and schools often exist in their own ‘silos’ (very often because of limited funds, rather than stated policy) if, given the chance to connect with others, they welcome it. Talking, exchanging ideas and resources, listening to key figures who are shaping policies, all such activities are the reasons why we hold this event. This year’s summit will provoke debate. Amanda Spielman, the Chief Inspector of Schools, will outline the way forward for Ofsted, and we will hear from leading voices such as Katharine Birbalsingh who is redefining teaching and learning at Michaela School; Daisy Christodoulou, one of the most influential figures in schools today, will talk about how teachers should change how they assess pupils’ work. And we’ll also hear from Andy Buck and Mary Myatt on the importance of leadership, whilst Ian Fordham, Director of Education
THE BEST TEACHERS, SHARE THAT COMMON QUALITY; THEY ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM at Microsoft (who are supporting the event), will tell the audience how technology will continue to shape learning in the future. There will be many more contributors joining us for the day. And those who attend will all want to listen and learn. In my experience the best teachers, like the most ambitious students they teach, share that common quality: they are curious about the world around them. We hope that, by organising our annual summit, school leaders from a huge range of schools are able, in a small way, to make sense of complex issues. We also hope that the event brings in parents who are increasingly involved in their children’s education: we need their voices, their ideas, to contribute to the debate surrounding schools and universities, and they undoubtedly need to know as much as possible about the trends that are sweeping through classrooms now. In this knowledge economy our understanding of ideas is the new currency, and education, perhaps more than ever before, will shape the future of our society. We hope you can join us, too.
D R DAV I D JA M E S Deputy Head Academic and Bryanston Education Summit organiser www.bryanston.co.uk/educationsummit @bryedusummit SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 67
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B RYA N S T O N
Educat ion Summit
WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE 2018
Keynote
Speakers Amanda Spielman
manda Spielman has A been Ofsted Chief Inspector since January 2017. Between 2011 and 2016, she was chair of Ofqual, the qualifications regulator. She was a founding member of the leadership team at the academy chain Ark Schools, she is a council member at Brunel University London and has previously served on the boards of a number of organisations including the Institute of Education.
Ian Fordham
an Fordham is Director of Education for Microsoft in the UK. He is also a Mayor of London Technology Ambassador and Advisory Board member of Edtech UK. He has advised numerous global companies and government departments and planned and delivered Britain’s first Education Reform Summits in 2014-2016.
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Mary Bousted Daisy Christodoulou
Katharine Birbalsingh
atharine Birbalsingh is founder and headmistress at Michaela Community School in Wembley, London. Michaela is well known for its tough-love behaviour systems. Last year Ofsted graded the school Outstanding in every category. Birbalsingh read Philosophy and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford and has written two books and edited a third, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Teachers, The Michaela Way.
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THIS YEAR’S SUMMIT WILL PROVOKE DEBATE AND DISCUSSION AS WE HEAR FROM SOME OF THE LEADING VOICES IN EDUCATION AND SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FIGURES IN SCHOOLS TODAY
aisy Christodoulou is the Director of Education at No More Marking, a provider of online comparative judgement. She works closely with schools on developing new approaches to assessment. She was Head of Assessment at Ark Schools, a network of 35 academy schools, and has taught English in two London comprehensives. Christodoulou is the author of Seven Myths about Education and Making Good Progress? The Future of Assessment for Learning, as well as the blog: thewingtoheaven. wordpress.com
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ary Bousted is joint M general secretary of the National Education Union. She represents the interests of members to the government and a wide variety of other stakeholders. Bousted contributes regular articles for newspapers and education journals, and appears frequently on national media. She sits on the executive committee of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), is chair of Unionlearn and was a member of the Acas board. Mary is also an accomplished public speaker and has debated at the Oxford Union. Mary previously worked in higher education at York University, Edge Hill University and Kingston University where she was head of the School of Education.
Andy Buck
ndy Buck is a geography teacher by trade, who went on to become a headteacher for 13 years at two schools in east London. In his second headship, his school was judged outstanding. In 2009, he was appointed as a director at the National College for School Leadership and in 2012 was made Managing Director at one of the largest academy groups in the UK. Buck founded Leadership Matters and #honk. Both aim to improve the educational outcomes for pupils by supporting great leadership development for leaders at all levels in the system. He has written five books on educational leadership, including the best-selling Leadership Matters.
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No more
FRANKENLESSONS The founder of researchED says good education needs good evidence TOM BENNET T
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re you a visual learner? Or an auditory one? Or kinaesthetic? The truth is, you are none of these. That’s not to say you don’t have preferences, but there is literally no evidence to suggest that people’s minds learn in different ways from one another in the way that VAK modalities suggest. Broadly speaking we all share a similar mechanism for learning. We’re rightly proud of the advances we’ve made in medicine and public health. Infant mortality, life expectancy, quality of life, dentistry… these have all been transformed by science. Whenever someone asks ‘What century would you like to live in?’ the answer has to be, 'any time after they invented painkillers and dentistry'; George Washington had wooden teeth for God’s sake. And when science started to unfold on a grand scale, did you know that many in the medical profession initially resisted it? Their reason was that ‘I know my patient better than any pill or drug trial.’ And people died of needless, preventable infections because surgeons refused to wash their hands after handling corpses and before surgery. They were gentlemen, you see, and their hands were always clean, it was thought. And you
hear exactly the same in schools throughout the world. But here’s a thing: everyone agrees how important education is. Countries around the globe are pouring money into education, even in contracting economies. So why haven’t we fixed education yet? Physics and chemistry and natural sciences have landed lasers on Mars. Where is the equivalent marvel in education? Why do so many of our students leave school illiterate? Drop out? Or just plain fail to squeeze every drop of benefit from their education? Because often, we’re doing the wrong things. We’re doing it because we have a hunch. Because that’s how the school up the road does it. Because they do it in Finland. Or Singapore. Or it feels right. Or you read it in a horoscope. Or your trainer said ‘do it this way’. And sometimes it’s right. Sometimes craft is enough. Sometimes, just knowing your student is enough. And sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes you’re prescribing leeches when they need antibiotics. Folk medicine wasn’t enough, and folk education isn’t enough. Educating children is a craft. It’s an art. But it's also something we can study scientifically in a structured way. And this helps us escape our hunches and prejudices and biases. It allows us to share our craft collectively in a way that challenges and reinforces what we all do.
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Educat ion Summit
EDUCATING CHILDREN IS AN ART BUT IT’S ALSO SOMETHING WE CAN STUDY SCIENTIFICALLY FRANKENSCIENCE AND FOLK TEACHING Here are just some of the subjects of educational discourse that were once common, or still are: • Brain gym • Learning styles • Group work • Project-based learning • Play-based learning • Learning through smell • Thinking hats • Multiple intelligences • iPad revolutions • NLP All of these have been all the rage at some point. Some of them are just junk – learning styles, for example. Others are horribly misinterpreted – group work, project based learning etc. Others have been oversold. Understanding which ones are garbage and which ones work, and in what contexts, is key to being a professional educator. In the science lab at Bryanston
What can we do? We should start by remembering to ask ‘Where is the evidence for this decision?’ It’s a revolutionary act. If the answer is ‘none’, then fine: we know where we stand and we know what to say when things go wrong. We should also say, ‘How will we know this plan is working?’ more often so we can be clear when it doesn’t. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with doing something because you believe it is valuable by itself – like having art or dance in the curriculum. But we need to acknowledge when something is done as an expression of managerial or ideological preference rather than clear-eyed outcome-focused strategy. One thing we’ve seen in the UK is the rise of the Research Lead. Most members of staff are too busy to really delve into research, and besides, it’s such a complex field you can barely do anything more than scrape the surface. We can get around this in schools by nominating,
or electing a research lead, someone whose role is to act as a gatekeeper for research, either as a coach, a reference, a devil’s advocate, or whatever.
THE EVIDENCEINFORMED SCHOOL Schools that are evidence informed allow their staff to ask these difficult questions. They encourage new staff to be trained in ways that have evidence bases rather than just, ‘Oh Professor X is free, he can do it.’ And they can seek to train their staff continuously throughout their careers in ways that are evidence informed, not folk informed. Anyone concerned about cost should see it as an investment. We can’t afford not to do it. We can’t afford to keep doing what we’ve always done and ask after a decade, ‘Why hasn’t this worked yet?’ Children need us to be better than that.
RECLAIMING THE PROFESSION FROM THE GROUND UP And that has been my key takeaway from all of this. Education is one of the most transformational things we can be part of. It is, in my opinion, the best machine we ever invented. There is no sector like it and it has saved me. Surely, then, it's clear that children are our most precious cargo in life? It is our duty to make sure that whatever their rank or social circumstance, they all receive the very best of what we can teach them, taught in a way that is the very best way we know. We are on the edge of a revolution in education; a polite one perhaps, but a revolution nonetheless. And the best part is we can do it ourselves. We just need the courage to commit to challenging what we think we know with what others know, and collaborating with one another for the mutual benefit of all. No more cargo cults. No more Frankenlessons.
TO M B E N N E T T The founder of researchED, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to raising research literacy in the education ecosystem across the globe. To find out more please visit www.researchED.org.uk
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Educat ion Summit
Hope Springs An education advisor, writer and speaker on the importance of hopeful leadership M A R Y M YA T T
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good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.’(Arnold Glasow.) Amidst the fast-paced work of leaders in schools, there is one defining characteristic which seems to run through the work of the most effective; they have the capacity to find the glimmer of possibility of moving things forward, of improvement in any situation. This is easy when things are going well, but it is a real test of character to keep this going when things are tough. What seems to happen is that these leaders are capable of stepping back, even if only for a few moments, to look for the potential for making things better. Critical to hope is that it doesn't seek to cast blame. Instead it
looks squarely at what has gone wrong and works to address it. The hopeful leader does not trade on the mistakes of the past, but rather sees the potential of the future. This is important, because hopeful leaders are big spirited, they do not seek to enlarge their own reputations by comparing their work with what has gone before. This is easier said than done, of course. But hopefulness engenders cheerfulness, and in being cheerful, the work is still hard but it is accompanied by an ease and grace that would not otherwise be there. Hope holds things together. And it does so in tangible ways. A school’s mission statement which is built on hope - on character, on opportunity and on human development, intellectual, physical and cultural mean that these are not just words on the website. They are translated into the way that behaviour is managed, the way that lessons are planned and the way that additional opportunities are thought about. Where hopefulness is missing, people become depressed, the work is burden, and it can seem rather pointless. However, it only takes one person to shift into a hopeful mode and it eventually spreads. Strong leaders know that their colleagues are humans first, professionals second. They care about others, notice the good work they are doing, comment on it and celebrate it. They build a bank balance of good will. They adhere to the principles of ‘radical candour’ where they care personally and challenge directly. They do this by critiquing the work, not the person. And in this way, they hold themselves
and others to account for doing their best work. And finally, leaders have an ‘ethic of everybody’. This is exemplified by Dame Alison Peacock, formerly headteacher at the Wroxham School and now CEO of the Chartered College of Teaching. She recounts how a child with complex additional needs, who had been fostered, came to her school. His needs were such that he had been turned away from other settings with the words ‘we don’t think we can meet your child’s needs’ which is fair enough. However, at the Wroxham School, a primary school like any other, this was not the response. They said, ‘We will do what we can.’ After a few years
THE HOPEFUL LEADER DOES NOT TRADE ON THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST BUT SEES THE POTENTIAL OF THE FUTURE the child went on to a special school as it was agreed that this provision would best meet his needs. In her TEDx talk Dame Alison describes how a few years later he returned to Wroxham and at the end of Year 6 achieved level 5s in his SATS. This from a child who could not talk or interact with other pupils when he arrived at the school. Alison Peacock is not starry eyed, she knows what it takes to do the tough stuff, but she is a prime example of a hopeful leader. One who looks the tough stuff in the eye and says, ‘Yes, together we can make a difference.’ SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 73
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B RYA N S T O N
Educat ion Summit
Time’s Up An influential writer and campaigner calls for a ‘whole school approach’ to mental health provision in education N ATA S H A D E V O N
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nyone who works in education knows the following scenario only too well: You’re watching a news segment in which a pundit, charity representative or reality TV star is discussing a damaging social epidemic such as spiralling obesity, online trolling or hate crime. When asked for their solution to the problem, they conclude by saying ‘this should be taught in schools’. If you’re anything like me, the very prospect makes you come out in a cold sweat. My work takes me into an average or three schools every week throughout the UK and I see first hand the strain teaching professionals are already under as they try to balance academic and pastoral requirements. Whilst on one hand Gove’s legacy means mountains of paperwork for staff and more rigorous testing for students, on the other there’s an expectation that schools can provide magic bullet solutions to all of society’s perceived ills. Never is this more true than when it comes to mental health.
Greater awareness coupled with an empirically measurable spike in anxiety and self-harm have seen what feels like a sudden and unrealistic expectation placed on schools who often have limited time and resources. There are several organisations who provide (often excellent) workshops and presentations on topics related to mental health but set against the context of brutal cuts to Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services since 2010, as well as the momentous and indelible impact digital advances have had on the way young people think and behave, they can seem like a drop in the ocean. Writing my book A Beginner’s Guide to Being Mental led me to reflect on my own journey with mental illness and the role my teachers played. I first started having panic attacks at primary school, when I lost my cousin to cancer and gained a severely premature baby brother in quick succession. I was misdiagnosed with asthma and, owing to the fact that mental illness just wasn’t on people’s radar, when my inhaler didn’t work no further action was taken. In my teens I began to develop issues around food, yet I coped: I functioned well
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Educat ion Summit
ARBITRARY PHSE LESSONS SLAPPED ON TO AN AGGRESSIVELY COMPETITIVE AND INCREASINGLY ARCHAIC EDUCATION SYSTEM AREN’T AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
academically. I took part in school plays. I was deputy head girl. I laughed and had fun. In retrospect I can see I had traits of mental illness throughout these years, but it was nothing like the anguish which would follow. For me, it was going to university which marked the point at which I truly lost my mind. Away from the familiarities and routines of home, I succumbed to severe bulimia nervosa and spent increasing amounts of my life with my head in a toilet. This is a well trodden path; according to charity Student Minds one third of university students have some form of mental health issue, with catalysts identified as poor nutrition and sleep, inconsistency in services as they oscillate between family home and campus, homesickness, money and academic anxieties. However, it’s not so simple as to say that, for me, it was just my move to university which kickstarted my mental illness in earnest. At school, I now realise, I existed in an environment where my mental health needs were actively, if unconsciously, nurtured and nourished. There are five human psychological needs (all equally important, so not to be read Maslow’s hierarchy style): Love, Purpose, Achievement, Belonging and to be Heard and Understood. At school, I was given a lot of individual attention, my talents were recognised and celebrated, I felt part of a community, I was given boundaries and the opportunity to voice my opinions. Whilst they didn’t have the same social understanding
of mental health, what my teachers did have was greater time, autonomy and the instincts to know that these things were important. Of course, this was pre-mobile phones, largely pre-internet and because the job market was so much less competitive, we only gave a moderate amount of thought to how what we were studying would benefit our future employment prospects. We enjoyed the freedom to learn for learning’s sake. Yet school succeeded in giving me what we now
call ‘resilience’ and allowed me to navigate my mental health challenges much more successfully than I was destined to thereafter. The lesson to be learned here is that arbitrary PHSE lessons slapped on to an aggressively competitive and increasingly archaic education system aren’t an effective solution to the poor mental health of a generation. ‘Whole school approaches’ is a term often flung about, yet to me it means that awareness of and care for mental health becomes as normalised and instinctual as it presently is for physical health (if a child has a runny nose, you give them a tissue without a second thought. There are mental health equivalents). In the current educational climate, this simply isn’t feasible. Technological and social advancements have rendered the curriculum largely unfit for purpose. The system needs an entire and thorough overhaul. Whilst this was once dismissed as a pipe dream, current discussions about digital childhoods and mental health challenges at government level are all pointing, irresistibly, to that conclusion, with the teaching unions and the Labour Campaign for Mental Health led by Luciana Berger providing a catalyst. For the first time in a long time, I am optimistic that the dramatic action required might follow.
N ATA S H A D E VO N A Beginner’s Guide to Being Mental (Bluebird, £12.99) is out now SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 75
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DAY SCHOOL TASTER DAYS
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20/03/2018 17:29
02/05/2018 18:35
B RYA N S T O N
Educat ion Summit
Fail & Fly The Head of Wimbledon High School GDST says we must encourage a risk-taking culture in our schools
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ou must do the thing you think you cannot do,” Eleanor Roosevelt famously said. The fear of failure – much documented as the scourge of our education system – stops our children having a go, and too often holds them back from reaching their full potential. So what can schools do to encourage a risk-taking culture in school? One thing I know works is helping children to ‘find their thing’; giving students every opportunity to try lots of different activities within and beyond the classroom. This is of course where independent schools add such enormous value. We have the resources to run vast numbers of clubs, from sports teams of all abilities to a whole range of esoteric groups.
JANE LUNNON
But embracing intellectual risk-taking will only work when the atmosphere amongst students is supportive. And this comes from a bottom-up approach to pastoral care – creating the environment and the trust amongst teachers and students that it’s ok to ask that question, to stretch yourself and risk coming up with the wrong answer. Write-on tables and walls can help (and makes the experience more fun). As can making a big noise about failure – and that is something we’ve done for some time at Wimbledon High. My predecessor ran the school’s first Failure Week in 2012 and as a community we’ve built on this since – Fail Better, Great Girls Get Gritty… Themed weeks across the school are not attention-grabbing for their own sake. They set the tone. We can have lots of fun and simultaneously build resilience. For example our ‘failure wall’, made up of individual bricks ‘celebrating’ our past failures. Or the whole school sponsored walk on Wimbledon Common with its attendant navigational blunders which spoke so beautifully about the power of learning from failure – (eventually everyone returned). Our 'epic fail' stand-up comedy nights run by students with student performers showcase their courage (and unique perspectives on life at the school…). But are all about risking failure and doing it anyway. Inviting speakers to share their experiences of setbacks has special resonance, of course. Every athlete has a tale of digging deep, of being thwarted at a moment in their careers and learning to come back and fight another day. All these positive examples can help
counter the perception – so acute in the online world – that others’ lives are perfect and are so much better than our own. Our recent #jomo campaign, celebrated the 'joy of missing out'. Girls were encouraged to post pictures of themselves not at the party or concert that everyone else was at, but perfectly happy chilling out on their own. Celebrating time they had control over. That too is about recalibrating failure. Getting our kids to recognise that they can control the narrative and that the language they use to frame and describe their own lives not only to others but also to themselves, is absolutely critical in building
WE’VE BEEN MAKING A BIG NOISE ABOUT FAILURE FOR SOME TIME AT WIMBLEDON HIGH resilience. And it seems more and more vital as this century develops. So, above all, any initiative celebrating failure should embed the language of grit and resilience into the school community – I can’t do algebra ‘yet’ say Wimbledon High girls, ironically miming the appropriate speech marks. But as student Lilly recently wrote in the student magazine: “We mock and poke fun at growth mindset, but in reality, what we’re doing is unpicking its true value in our school environment, looking at the purpose it’s intended to serve.” And if it’s become an accepted irony in the school, then that is when you know you’re really getting there. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 77
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A spark of wonder An award-winning children’s author says science and stories can help us make sense of the world CHRISTOPHER EDGE
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very kid starts out as a natural-born scientist, and then we beat it out of them.” So said the American scientist Carl Sagan and, unfortunately for me, I was one of those kids who had the science beaten out of them at school. Growing up, all I remember of my science lessons was a battle for control of the gas taps between the kids who wanted to blow up the Science block and those of us who wanted to live. Any science experiments we eventually did get round to performing involved rolling marbles down slopes or heating salty water to boiling point and usually went wrong anyway as the laws of science didn’t seem to apply in Manchester in the 1980s. In the real world, the Voyager spacecraft was flying past Saturn whilst the space shuttle zoomed in and out of orbit, but science in school kept my eyes firmly fixed to the blackboard and didn’t spark for me any sense of wonder about the universe.
It was a different story on my paper round. There, at the bottom of a bag bulging with tomorrow’s chip papers, I discovered 2000AD. This weekly comic was filled with stories of space exploration, alien invaders, genetically-engineered super soldiers, and time-travelling
paradoxes. In comic strips such as Rogue Trooper, Strontium Dog and Tharg’s Future Shocks, I found stories inspired by theories and discoveries at the cutting edge of science, and used to paint exciting and terrifying pictures of the future. And every week, I’d eagerly flick through the pages of 2000AD as I traipsed round my paper round, my mind whirling with thoughts of alien life and parallel worlds, until the time came to push the rain-spattered copy of the comic through the letterbox of the poor kid who had ordered it. Unfortunately, the interest in science sparked by 2000AD wasn’t enough to prevent me getting a grade D in my GCSE Physics exam, but it did lead me to ET, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Back to the Future and Doctor Who. In the world of fiction, I found real scientific ideas sparkling with a sense of wonder that science in school had kept hidden. In recent years, scientists such as Professor Brian Cox have used their expertise to popularize science using TV and radio programmes to help audiences in their millions
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understand more about the incredible Universe we live in. And Professor Cox has been quoted as saying, “Science is too important not to be a part of popular culture” and I believe children’s books have a role to play here too. In my novels The Jamie Drake Equation and The Many Worlds of Albie Bright I wanted to bring that same excitement about science into the world of children’s fiction, taking theories about the search for alien life, the speed of light, quantum physics and parallel worlds, and using these to tell stories about love, loss and family. My latest novel The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day is about a girl called Maisie who’s a bit of a science whiz. She passed her GCSE Maths and Science exams at the age of seven, her A-Levels when she was nine, and, as the story starts on her tenth birthday, is now studying for a degree in Mathematics and Physics
at the Open University. But when Maisie wakes up in an empty house with no sign of her mum, dad or elder sister, Lily, and then opens the front door to see a dense, terrifying blackness outside, Maisie quickly realises that her birthday isn’t going to be any ordinary day... Trapped in an ever-shifting reality, Maisie has to use the laws of the universe and the love of her family to survive. From escaping from the Big Bang in the kitchen to encountering the event horizon of a black hole
on the stairs, Maisie discovers that reality is not what it seems. But can Maisie piece together the puzzle of what’s really happening before it’s too late? Science explores the big questions about life, the universe and everything – the same questions that can underpin the very best fiction. Why are we here? What makes us human? How do we know we really exist? Science can help to create a real sense of wonder. A gift for storytellers. Science and stories both help us to make sense of the world and I hope The Infinite Lives of Maisie Day can feed the insatiable curiosity I find in the children that I meet at school and literary festival events. Through fiction we can inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and astronauts, and use science to hook a new generation of children on reading too. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 79
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Feel the force Hurst College’s CCF commander on the brilliant benefits it offers M A J O R DA N H I G G I N S TOP Hurst College CCF pupils in action BELOW LEFT Lining up on parade
here are now more than 400 CCF contingents in secondary schools all over the UK, offering students a broad range of challenging, exciting, adventurous and educational activities. I firmly believe that CCF membership plays an important and fundamental part a student’s broader education. Each CCF unit is a partnership between the school and the Ministry of Defence, and may include Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army or Royal Air Force sections. The overall aim is to enable the development of personal responsibility, leadership and self-discipline. I can think of only a few organisations that are able to offer such a huge range of activities under one umbrella as the CCF does. Not only that, but within a supportive and nurturing environment, students develop the life skills and self-confidence to take charge of their lives and to reach their full potential throughout their school years and beyond. They also develop a sense of duty, teamwork, an awareness of right and wrong, persistence, determination, resilience and a respect for others. The best nearest alternative is the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, which we run alongside the CCF framework using many of the core elements of the training programmes to support the volunteering,
skills and service requirements for the DofE Award. Cadets are provided with the necessary training and information to not only obtain and achieve nationally recognised qualifications, such as First Aid, but also experience opportunities normally unavailable through mainstream avenues. Whether this be as simple as understanding and appreciating life in the services, military history, structure, discipline and techniques, or learning to perhaps sail, fly, shoot or survive, there really is something for everyone within the structure. A typical weekly programme includes a parade before cadets disperse for their afternoon’s activity. Guided by cadet force adults, most of whom are teachers, the senior pupils (NCOs) are given the opportunities to lead and instruct the junior cadets. Throughout the year there are a range of external activities, field days, service weekends and camps where cadets can engage in national competitions, make and build friendships outside of their daily peer group. Although CCF contingents exist within schools, they also play an important role in the community. In many cases, CCFs will be the public face of the school at local events, such as summer fairs, county shows, mayoral engagements and Remembrance Day. In the world outside of school, cadets bring great attributes and attitude to
BELOW RIGHT On manouvres in the wood
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CCF at HURST
Few organisations are able to offer such a huge range of activities as the CCF the workplace. Being in a cadet force helps students to develop a whole host of important life skills, including a level of maturity, self-discipline and respect that they would not otherwise possess at such a young age. When I reflect on my 24 years in education, 20 of those attached to the CCF, I would categorically and proudly say many of the best moments have been witnessing cadets participate in experiences that will remain life-long memories for them. Whilst only a small percentage may go on to a career with the MoD, the skills and opportunities they can learn in the CCF, outside of the classroom, will undoubtedly prepare them for life.
Hurstpierpoint College OTC was one of the first five cadet corps in the country, formed on the 18th June 1860, for fear of a French invasion. By 1862 the all-male corps at the college was 140 strong and well organised. • In 2018, and with one of the largest contingents now in existence, it is a slightly different machine, but with over 300 cadets – boys and girls - is still a formidable operation. Hurst has three sections - Army, RAF and Navy - each with their own training programmes. The CCF is compulsory in Year 10, where pupils opt for whichever of the three services they prefer, and is then optional in subsequent years up to the Sixth Form. The high number of students who opt to continue says much about the significant and valuable experiences on offer. • Notable old Hurst Johnian cadets include Sir Michael Boyce, OBE, Chief of the Defence Staff (2001-3) and Major Nick Barton DFC, Army Air Corps: Apache Pilot.
M A J O R DA N H I G G I N S Hurst College’s CCF Contingent Commander. He is also the college’s Director of Operational Technology and teaches Design Technology. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 81
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American Dream British pupils are being lured across the pond by lucrative sports scholarships to top US colleges ELEANOR DOUGHTY
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f you’ve ever seen a highschool movie, you’ll have had a taste of it: the crowds at the football matches, the baseball mitts - and maybe a college scout hanging around in the background. In the United States, university sport is big news (and big money), with stadiums seating tens of thousands and television cameras capturing every moment. Increasingly, children from UK private schools are being lured by this all-American experience, gaining sports scholarships to get a piece of the action. Repton School in
Derbyshire has announced that next year, three of its girls will attend Connecticut, Princeton and Stanford Universities on hockey scholarships. Not only will they enjoy first-class sporting facilities, but they will also get a stellar education to go with it, explains Martin Jones, director of hockey at Repton. “They want to play the best hockey they can while getting the best education they can,” he says. This is not the path to professional sport: “if they wanted to be full-time hockey players, they could stay in England to be part of the England central programme.”
Instead, they’re keen to focus on the dualcommitment of study and sport, not a minor feat. The standard for both, says Jones, is extremely high: “One of our pupils went to Harvard on a hockey scholarship last year and tells me that had she stayed at a UK university, either her academics or her hockey would have suffered. At Harvard, she feels she can do both as best she can.” Such is the life of the American sports scholar. Jacob Maitland, 26, who works in the City, attended two American universities, West Virginia Wesleyan College and Long Island University, on both a soccer
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and academic scholarship, and graduated in 2014. It was an incredible experience, he explains. “I got to keep playing football, and I got a degree, too. I wasn’t going to become a professional, so I needed a plan B, and it worked out quite well.” Maitland had played local football while at Norwich School, and it was when a player from one of the local teams went abroad that he thought he’d have a go. The application process stateside is different to the UK’s UCAS process of old: instead of looking at A-Level grades, US universities ask to see GCSE grades, and then assess pupils using SATs [scholastic assessment tests], Maitland explains. “They convert your GCSEs into a GPA [grade point average], you sit the English and Maths SATs, and then they add your scores altogether. If you’re good at sport as well, the university looks at you as a hot prospect.” But once you’re in, the LEFT pressure is on to maintain Maddy in action on your performance, says the hockey pitch Andrew Kean, founder of RIGHT First Point USA, a sports Repton pupils Maddy, Fenella and Hannah scholarship consultancy company. After finishing BELOW Hannah gives school at St Columbia’s in a team talk Kilmacolm, near Glasgow, Kean won a soccer scholarship candidate. “At Cincinnati to the University of Cincinnati. He athletics department there explains: “The pressure of playing with were 1,000 full time staff employed a scholarship is essentially a heavy price just to look after the interests of the 600 tag that you wear around your neck. It’s athletes.” says Kean. “At the University not something that is going to be right for of Michigan they’ve got a 110,000-seater everyone.” stadium in the middle of campus. Of the ten Nevertheless, there’s an extraordinary biggest sporting arenas on the planet, nine world waiting out there for the right of them are on US universities campuses.” The money is big too: the highest paid US college sports coach is Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University in North Carolina, who is said to earn almost $9m. “It’s not like playing for Loughborough or Durham in a recreational sporting environment.” The competition is fierce– not just for sports scholarships but for places across the board. Kristin J Dreazen, senior consultant at Edvice Limited, explains that Yale took just 6.3 per cent of its applicants last year, while Princeton and Columbia took 5.5 per cent each. But for UK independent school pupils, there is good news: “Some of the best universities in the United States are desperately recruiting the best student athletes they can out of UK independent schools,” says Kean. “Now rugby has become the fastest growing sport in the US, we have been tasked with spending more time with private schools to create a pathway for rugby talent.” As for where one should go to be in with a good chance, Kean name-checks Millfield, in Somerset, as the number one school “by about a mile - we get asked about Millfield by the US a lot.” Appetite is strong from
“The good news is that the US is desperate to recruit athletes from UK independent schools” the US side: “There’s no no shortage of universities, including Ivy Leagues, keen to come over and present to independent schools in the UK.” The US approach is holistic, adds Dreazen. “They’re looking for students involved with sport, service and music - students succeeding in their communities.” Of course, money matters. As school fees in the UK nudge the £40,000 per year marker, for some, the fees for Ivy League universities that were once thought to be extravagant by UK parents – this year, board, room, and tuition fees for Yale are $73,180 (£51,209) – look slightly more affordable. The fee reducation that comes with a scholarship varies from college to college but Maitland’s tuition, with both an academic and athletics scholarship at West Virginia was reduced from “about £30,000 to a couple of thousand pounds.” Like anything, the all-American sporting dream is not for everyone. But if it is, you’ve got to be in it to win it. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 83
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Whitgift. One of Britain’s finest independent day and boarding schools for boys aged 10-18
‘Superb cosmopolitan boys school, with outstanding facilities and a strong academic reputation – an example of what education is really about’ Good Schools Guide
OPEN MORNING | SATURDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2018 OPEN EVENING | TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER 2018 BOARDING | BY APPOINTMENT admissions@whitgift.co.uk +44 (0)20 8633 9935 www.whitgift.co.uk/opendays
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Haling Park, South Croydon, CR2 6YT, United Kingdom
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London’s only diamond structure school with single-sex teaching in a co-educational environment for girls and boys aged 4-18. We are a city school with 30 acres of grounds where north east London meets Epping Forest.
Summer Open Evening Monday, 25 June 2018 4.30pm - 7.00pm
www.forest.org.uk admissions@forest.org.uk 020 8520 1744 E17 3PY
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Solid Fuels As sports-day season approaches, a Harley Street nutritionist has some tips on supporting young athletes with the right food SARAH GREEN
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utrition plays a pivotal role in your child’s development and good food choices help make sure they have enough energy to run and jump, as well as being key investments you can make for their health. One of the most successful ways to teach children to make healthy choices is for your family to eat well and build healthy relationships with food; children will mimic adult likes and dislikes, as well as pick up some startling ideas about ‘being on a diet’ if a family member is restricting their food intake. Children have relatively high-energy requirements for their size and when they are very active, healthy balanced meals and snacks become even more important. It’s easy to think carbohydrates are the best way to fuel high energy demands and there’s an acceptance that it’s ok for kids to eat junk foods; they’ll work it off. This can feel especially true at competitive events, where sugary snacks and blue sports drinks are the norm for a 30 second swim or a three fighting infections and injuries, may need more essential nutrients from whole foods. To produce energy we need nutrients: a balance of protein (dairy products/meat/fish/eggs/beans/chicken); starchy carbohydrates (root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and whole grains); essential fatty acids from foods like olives, olive oil, avocados, coconut, oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel and trout), nuts and seeds as well as a rainbow of vegetables and fruits. Treat the “Five a Day” quota as a minimum and try to stick with unprocessed versions. For example, a whole fresh apple is better for your child than the packaged dried or juiced version. A 250ml glass of apple juice has very limited nutritional value and contains around six teaspoons of sugar (similar to cola) Before sporting events try a sweet potato with tuna, sweetcorn and spinach, beans on A B OV E
Sugary foods steal energy. They throw off blood-sugar balance leading to tiredness and energy dips minute gymnastic routine, but energy is about more than calories. It’s about blood sugar balance and higher nutrient demands. Sugary foods steal energy. They throw off blood sugar balance leading to tiredness, energy dips, loss of concentration and ultimately a bigger waistline, which in itself can lead to poor health long term. Plus sugary snacks and drinks fill them up so they have no appetite for healthy nourishing foods. Children who seem to be constantly
A Queen’s Gate pupil at sports day
wholegrain toast with cheese, cereal with yoghurt, nuts and seeds and berries, carrots with nut or seed butter, hummus, cheese and apple slices or cottage cheese with pineapple or pomegranate. To recover quickly you still need balanced nutrients. Good options could be a homemade berry and yoghurt smoothie, blended with a handful of spinach and a dash of olive oil or some avocado. These good fats help us absorb the smoothie colours which have their own beneficial effect in the body. Chocolate milk provides a balance of protein and carbohydrate in an easily digestible form, and has been shown to be effective form of hydration. Good hydration is essential for physical and mental function yet most children don’t drink enough water. Sugary drinks and juices are an additional source of calories we can all do without and their low calorie equivalents can be just as detrimental to long term health. Encourage children to drink plain water - flat or fizzy and if necessary jazz it up with a few berries, lemon, or a splash of 100% pomegranate juice. In essence a more active child can be a healthier child, but at a time when learning, growth and repair are also key, it is important to ensure your child is properly nourished to flourish in their sporting endeavours and every aspect of growth and learning.
SARAH GREEN the Vice Chair and a Director of The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine sarahgreennutrition.com
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Making
waves Women’s rowing is finally catching up with men’s and Putney High School is leading the way S U Z I E L O N G S TA F F 86 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | SUMMER 2018
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LEFT Putney High pupils on the River Thames
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here isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t bring the skills I learnt from my years as a cox to my role as a headmistress. Whether it’s leadership, teamwork, a sense of humour in the face of adversity, or even getting up early, rowing has given me and taught me so much. In my previous existence, before joining the teaching profession and becoming head of Putney High School GDST, rowing was my big passion. As Suzie Ellis, I was lucky enough to have a successful rowing career that led me to coxing the GB Women’s VIII at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, and Cambridge Men’s ‘reserve’ crew, Goldie in the 1997 and 1998 boat races. So when the opportunity came up to take on the lease of a boathouse on the Tideway, the most prestigious stretch of water on the Putney Embankment, we leapt at the chance to create the first ‘girls only’ boathouse and give our students the chance to excel in this wonderful sport. With the support of the Girls’ Day School Trust, the boathouse opened in February 2016 and since then, our rowers have seen no bounds. Aside from a fantastic location, walking distance from the school, we now have top of the range equipment and facilities from boats to a specialist ergo gym. It’s been so rewarding to see Putney’s rowers move
steadily up the rankings and even make history at Henley Women’s Regatta in 2017 as the first Putney crew to reach the final and, more impressively, to win and break the course record. It’s hard to believe that despite our riverside location, rowing hasn’t always been central to life at Putney - indeed, women’s rowing, as with many sports, has lagged behind men’s for many years (the Women’s Boat Race has only recently been moved to join their male counterparts on the Tideway). But it is no surprise that with the opening of the boathouse, and with the enormous enthusiasm of a talented and committed team, rowing at the school has moved on to a whole new level and has become a major addition to our already rich co-curricular offering. So what is it that’s so special about rowing? There’s no doubt that for those that don’t enjoy court or field sports, it’s a fantastic option. Certainly for fitness, resilience, community and sheer enjoyment, you can’t really beat it, and that’s before you consider the wonderful, mood-lifting benefits of an exhilarating afternoon spent with friends, in the sunshine, on a magnificent stretch of river. At Putney, rowing is a curriculum sport from Year 9 onwards, with the extracurricular Rowing Club available from Year 7. Today nearly 300 students make use of the boat house every year, all backed by an active group of committed supporters, the Putney High School Rowing Supporters Association, run by parents. The club has succeeded both in terms of introducing newcomers to the sport and nurturing elite squads to national and international success. We prepare athletes for the GB trials and can count among our accomplishments wins at Hampton Head, Hammersmith Head, National Schools Regatta and a second place at the prestigious Schools’ Head for three years running. With rowing being such an established sport in some of the best schools in the country, competition is hot; but Putney is showing that it can more than hold its own, not only winning races at a local level, but also becoming increasingly competitive against the bigger rowing schools at national events. Both home and abroad, our boats now compete at some of the most prestigious
I bring the skills I learnt as a cox to my role as a headmistress everyday events in the rowing calendar, such as Henley and the Head of the Charles in Boston, USA. Great teamwork is crucial to rowing and we are lucky enough to have the enormous enthusiasm of an amazing team. Part–time rowing performance coach, Jessica Eddie is herself an Olympic silver medallist and was part of the first-ever GB women’s eight to win both an Olympic medal and European title in 2016. She coaches the girls alongside Head of Rowing, Ashley Carter, Rachel Saunders, Oliver Jack and Pete Brewer, recent winner of the British Rowing’s 2017 Volunteer and Coach of the Year Awards and this March, Cambridge Cox, Ian Middleton joined the team, having coxed their Blue Boat to a win in the 2016 Boat Race. This September, we celebrate our 125th anniversary year, and one alumna, Angela Cameron (née Twyford) who attended the school 1944-54, recalled how times have changed in women’s rowing since she was at the school, “We took part in netball and hockey in the winter and tennis and rounders in the summer... no rowing of course, although after the War when the Boat Race resumed in 1946, we supported Oxford or Cambridge in the spring term.” Angela started rowing as a student at Cambridge University but it’s a very different sport now that her grand-daughter, Polly (Year 10) is training competitively at Putney, and hoping to go on to row at university. Polly won’t be the first Putney alumna to go on to great things. In March 2017, two PHS alumnae battled it out in opposing crews in the Oxford and Cambridge lightweights race. Jo Heymann (class of 2016) earned her first call-up from New College Oxford and Iona Casley (class of 2014) rowed for Cambridge from Gonville and Caius. Emma Andrews was victorious in the Cambridge Women’s Reserve Boat (Blondie) in the 2017 and 2018 crews. Putney’s next generation of rowers are hot on their heels, and I for one am willing them on. SUMMER 2018 | A B S O LU T E LY E D U C AT I O N | 87
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FUN
TIMES The long summer months after GCSEs entice today's teens but terrify their parents. AE asks the experts how to cope SOPHIE PENDER-CUDLIP
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hen I mentioned to our 16-yearold daughter that I was going on a parenting teenagers course, the response was somewhat blunt. “Go on whatever course you want, but just don’t ruin my summer holiday.” By the end of June, most 16 year olds around the country will be finishing their GCSEs. They will have jumped one of the biggest hurdles of their lives and spent the last two years working towards these few weeks of exams spanning a range of subjects, some of which they have absolutely no interest in and will never study again. In our house, the 15 June will be a defining moment. It is the day of the final exam, Physics, when the books will be thrown in the air and the revision guides are finally removed from the kitchen table. And then, I’m told, the fun really begins, kicking off with a book burning ceremony. “Please don’t burn any books that we might need for your brother,” I plead with her, careful not to mention the unlikely scenario of a re-take. I have forked out for her numerous EasyJet tickets to Europe with different sets of friends, all under the supervision of very reliable parents, I’m assured. She expects
to dance until the sun rises, cycle the streets of Paris, sip glasses of Sangria and possibly have her eye turned by an oliveskinned teen. Parent reminder to check the licensing laws in these countries, although apparently it’s irrelevant these days as of course, “everyone has fake ID!” And then there’s the rite of passage; festivals, which seem to be on the top of every teenage agenda for post-GCSE holiday fun and the source of much parent debate on WhatsApp. In mid-August, the trains will be full of teens heading west to the Cornish beaches and the infamous Boardmasters, the festival which lets 16 year-olds in without an adult. This is when I turn to expert, Alicia Drummond of Let’s Talk Ltd - a counsellor, parenting coach and the mother of teens. She points out that sometimes bad stuff happens at festivals, but it is important to remember that the organisers invest a lot of time and resources into keeping young festival goers safe. “For most teenagers this will be their first taste of true freedom away from their parents. It’s an opportunity for them to gain confidence by showing they can look after themselves and experience something completely different and exciting.” In every case, it depends on the child concerned but, “providing your child has proven themselves worthy of your trust to date and they know how to look after themselves, there is no reason to believe they won’t
be fine.” She suggests having multiple conversations in the lead up to the festival to get them thinking about how they can keep themselves safe and what they’ll do should problems arise. “At the end of the day, it’s about getting the balance right. They should be able to have fun after all the hard work. Going to a festival is great but also encourage them to do some other activities during the holidays that are a bit different, such as volunteering or working at the local stables.” In her household, in the first three days of the holidays, all rules are off, allowing her children to just chill in their pyjamas all day if they want to. After that, she introduces more structure, to avoid potentially eight weeks of gaming or social media.
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Credit Lee Kirby, Boardmasters
Absolutely Education’s Georgia McVeigh is young enough to remember her GCSE summer of fun ust the words GCSE Summer will strike fear into the hearts of most parents. Numerous parties in celebration of the end of exams and the transition into, ahem, ‘adulthood’ meant two things: boys and booze. I grew up in the deepest countryside, which played to our advantage as late night pick-ups just weren’t feasible. Mothers would call ahead and insist on separate bedrooms for the sexes and a very limited alcohol supply, but many hosts were more lax on the rules. Controlling 30 slightly tipsy 16 year olds often meant that they had one too many themselves and beat a hasty retreat to their bedroom with the door firmly shut. My own mother took matters into her own hands and promptly signed me up for a school trip to India for three weeks – under the watchful eye of several of the strictest teachers. But this still left a long three months unaccounted for, and the parties were plentiful. At the time, I attended a single-sex Catholic school, where any interaction with boys was strongly discouraged. So naturally, parties were the only times we could flex our feminine wiles and interact with that alien species – boys! Our botched attempts at flirting were certainly something to behold, but, being sheltered 16 olds with very little experience of men, it taught us that these boys weren’t so very different from ourselves and encouraged us to think of them less as prey and more as friends. This was particularly good for my imminent transition to a co-ed school. The alcohol issue, too, was one that actually calmed this uncurbed behaviour. Everyone has to over-indulge, throw up all over the hosts brand-new Mercedes and experience the excruciating morning-after shame and brink-of-death hangover once to know it’s not an escapade to repeat. As long as it happens in a somewhat controlled environment, it’s a rite of passage, and one that teaches you to bridle the excess and temptations that will only increase as you reach sixth form and beyond.
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The adult-free festivals are a source of much parent debate on WhatsApp In the middle of all the parties, festivals and work experience another important date is looming. On 23 August, teens up and down the country, will be logging on to get their GCSE results. Many parents will no doubt have walked the dog, emptied the dishwasher and cooked lunch nervously, trying not to shriek, “Open your results!” “Whatever you do, don’t hover,” Drummond says. “Let them look at their results themselves as they belong to them and not to us. The main message you can give them is that the exams are done and whatever the results are, we can work with it.” Children may not remember the specifics surrounding their results but they will remember their parents’ reaction. In our house, we will all be nervously excited
on the 23rd, particularly my husband who, given his slightly competitive nature, has eagerly put his predictions for our daughter in a sealed envelope. Whatever happens, summer 2018 will give our daughter some life-long memories and no doubt push our parenting tension to its peak. And tragically it won’t be long until we are dusting off the GCSE revision guides for next year. Whose idea was it to have children born one year apart?
To find out more about
ALICIA DRUMMOND and her courses www.lets-talk.uk.com
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e l b a tt e g r o f n U St Catherine’s, Bramley GSA Day & Boarding School since 1885 | 4 - 18 years | Guildford GU5 0DF | www.stcatherines.info STCATHBRAM.indd 1 2018.indd 1 Absolute Education01 march
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Boatloads of family fun this summer! Our collection of award-winning holidays is designed for families who want far more than the usual summer break. Try white water rafting in Austria, mountain biking in Tuscany or snorkelling in Borneo. We have a range of holidays to suit all ages and abilities during Easter, half-term and summer!
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02/05/2018 15:27 LUDGROVE.indd 1
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by LARA Director of Studies Sofia Welch
‘Kimbal’, charcoal and chalk drawing
Drawing from the past | Skills for the future
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are very pleased to announce the inaugural LARA Bristol Summer Scholarship A world-class atelierWe art school Competition! The winner of first prize will receive a place for the full two weeks of LARA Bristol’s Summer School (2nd-13th July 2018). In addition to first prize there on your doorstep. will also be prizes for second and third place, as well as opportunities to exhibit at LARA’s annual open exhibition for prizewinners and selected entrants.
Flexible options for drawing, painting and Over the course of two weeks at the LARA Bristol Summer School students will be Drawing from the past | Skills for the future sculpture study. A great way toessentials develop your taught the of cast drawing and figure drawing, spending ten full-days at the LARA Bristol studio, with over 60 hours of contact time with LARA tutors, portfolio or enjoy your gap year. including Tom Greenwood (Head of School) and Nick Chaundy.
Bristol Summer Full-time and part-time Atelier Programme | 1 year Foundation and 3 year Diploma Scholarship Short courses, Masterclasses, Saturday School, Competition Drop-in Life Drawing
This scholarship is aimed at school-leavers, so entrants much be aged 16-20 years old. All entrants will be judged on a portfolio of work, as well as a written statement. The deadline for entries is 3rd May 2018. For full details of how to apply, go to www.drawpaintsculpt.com/opportunity/summer-scholarship
Get a taste of atelier life with our 15% discount for sixth form students and 10% discount for art teachers on our Summer School 2018 (2nd-13th July 2018).
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K
‘One school, two buildings, great teaching, and tip top facilities.’ The Good Schools Guide The Study is a leading prep school situated in the heart of Wimbledon Village. We identify and nurture each girl’s unique academic, creative and sporting skills in a caring and supportive community.
020 3002 3770
info@exceptionalacademics.com www.exceptionalacademics.com
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For further details and to book a school visit, contact Jane Davis on 020 8947 6969 www.thestudyprep.co.uk Registered Charity No. 271012
We welcome enquires about our scheme of assistance with fees for girls aged 7+.
Preparatory School for girls aged four to eleven
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Call Call us us to to arrange arrange aa visit visit Headmaster ’s Tours: Headmaster ’s Tours: Registration Registration for for 4+ 4+ (2018), (2018), 7+ 7+ and and 11+ 11+ Entry Entry
Farringtons...
Creating a culture of high expectations
OPEN MORNING Tuesday 8th May 2018, 9.15 – 11.00
A leading independent co-educational day and boarding school offering high academic standards, excellent pastoral care and a wide extra-curricular programme within a supportive Christian environment.
Registration for 4+ (2018), 7+ and 11+ Entry Registration Registration for for 4+ 4+ (2018), (2018), 7+ 7+ and and 11+ 11+ Entry Entry
Headmaster ’s Tours: Headmaster Headmaster ’s ’s Tours: Tours: Call us to arrange a visit Call us to arrange Call us to arrange aa visit visit
Co-education Juniors 3 – 11, Seniors 11 – 16, Sixth Form 16 - 18 Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6LR T: 020 8467 0256
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FARRINGTONS SCHOOL
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Dolphin School
unlocking each child’s full and unique potential 4–11 years Co-ed 106 Northcote Road, SW11 6QW 020 7924 3472 ext 2 admissions@dolphinschool.org.uk
www.dolphinschool.org.uk OPEN MORNINGS
Some places availablewith forthe Registrar Thursdays 09.15-10.30 by appointment September 2018
Bursaries also available
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Margaret Frazier Headmistress of Marymount International School London, a girls' day and boarding school in Kingston-upon-Thames
Tell us about the ethos of Marymount? Ethos of Marymount is defined by its religious values complemented by the IB learner profile. The school is one of 19 in the Marymount global network, sharing a rich history back to our founding in the 1840s in France. Proudly an IB school since 1979, inquiry, risk taking, interdisciplinary knowledge, and reflective learning have defined the teaching and learning here for over four decades. What's its USP? Marymount is quite literally a garden 20 minutes from central London. I can’t help but use the garden as a metaphor for being, becoming, and learning. It is a creative, challenging, dynamic learning environment that celebrates over 40 nationalities in a student body of 250 girls. It’s one of Surrey’s best kept secrets that shouldn’t be a secret. It is unique because for a small school, we punch way about our weight in terms of programmes and results.
school exams and have strengthened the pastoral role of our advisors. We are hugely committed to the emotional growth of our girls, equally as important as scores and university places.
have as an IB school. Our Middle Years Programme (MYP), for example, gives us lots of room in how we cover the criteria of finding meaning and connection among subjects. I am also deeply committed to the 'other IB' – forming the inner being of each student by strengthening her faith, confidence, and sense of self. A B OV E
Margaret Frazier
How do you prepare Marymount pupils for the future world of work? The girls are prepared for the future being front and centre in their own learning. They gain confidence and find their voice here. We tell them they can be anything; they just can’t be everything. Collaboration, critical thinking, global mindset are a given. What are the most popular subjects studied by pupils at school? We have as many curious scientists as we do budding international relations diplomats with many girls committed to high-level art, drama, and geography. Art and Design are certainly two favourites. The IB allows and actually demands a broad range of study and presents subjects as less discreet and more interdisciplinary. No matter the subject, the girls are interested in self-expression and choice in how they research and learn. What are your personal aims while you are head at Marymount? To further leverage the freedom we
What changes have you implemented since you started as head In collaboration with the faculty, we have changed our approach to middle-
I am deeply committed to the ‘other IB’, forming the inner being of each student
What aspects of education do you feel most strongly about? As you can tell from the answer above, as a mother of three children (now in their 20s), I believe more and more in what have mistakenly been called the 'soft skills'. What a young person believes about herself, her passion, purpose, path, her ability to connect with others and her resilience, in my professional and personal experiences, are almost more important than certifications or scores. What subjects do you think Marymount must excel in to succeed in the real world? Marymount stays true to its mission to bring the love of God to its students so that they can, in turn, share that with others. This commitment to humanity and to seeing how the individual can and should make the world a better place will help our girls succeed in the real world. They believe in something bigger than themselves; they seek to do good and to do well. Sum up your leadership style in five words. Relational, personal, compassionate, confident, faith-driven. If you became ruler of the world, what’s the first rule you would make? Everyone must write a proper, handwritten note once a month. It will surprise the recipient, revive the dying art of letter writing, and get us all off our phones a bit more!
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