Education Plus 16 September 2014

2 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Contents Schools index Bristol Grammar School juniors ................. 17 Bristol Grammar School seniors ................. 19 Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls ........................................ 19 Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Boys ........................................ 17 King’s College, Taunton ......................... 19 King’s Hall ............................................. 19 QEH Seniors ........................................... 18 QEH Juniors ............................................ 18 Red Maids juniors ................................... 17 Red Maids seniors .................................. 18 Redland High School .............................. 19 Warminster School .................................. 19 Features Focus on STEM ........................................... 2 Teaching online safety ................................ 3 State schools transform city ...................... 4 Smaller elite at top of GCSEs .................... 5 A Learning City .......................................... 6 Guarding region’s schools .......................... 7 Music makes gains ..................................... 8 Fee-paying quality for all .......................... 10 Teaching financial essentials ..................... 11 Independents increasing access .......... 12&13 Extra-curricular activities .......................... 14 Parent power ........................................... 19 Heritage education .................................. 19

Ofsted officials start to launch snap inspections Ofsted inspectors have been sent to dozens of schools across England to conduct snap inspections amid serious concerns about standards.

Around 40 schools are to receive no-notice visits over a two-week period, the inspectorate said.

The wave of unannounced visits are being carried out under Ofsted’s existing powers. Schools usually get half a day’s notice of an inspection.

In the wake of reports into the alleged “Trojan horse” takeover plot by hardline Muslims at a number of Birmingham schools, Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw said that he would look again at routine unannounced inspections, a move that was first mooted around two years ago but later dropped amid strong opposition from school leaders.

While these plans are under consideration, Sir Michael said he would be asking Ofsted’s regional directors to make use of the watchdog’s existing powers to conduct nonotice inspections where there are concerns about rapidly declining standards, keeping pupils safe – including a

decline in students’ behaviour – leadership and governance and the breadth and balance of the curriculum.

Many of the schools chosen for a no-notice inspection were due to receive a visit this term, but others have been selected because there are concerns about their performance.

Sir Michael said: “Parents rightly expect Ofsted inspections to get to the heart of any problems that may exist in a school – whether they are to do with discipline, safeguarding or poor leadership.”

Cover design: David Lewins

The exciting Bloodhound supersonic car project, based in Bristol, is one of the many schemes working to increase interest in the STEM subjects

Pushing for a real new drive in all the ‘STEM’ subjects

BY JEFF WELLS wdnews@b-nm.co.uk When GCSE and A-level results were released last month, there was an eye-catching change in tack from Bristol schools as they announced their achievements.

Among independent schools in particular, the familiar boasts about record numbers of A* students awarded places at Oxford or Cambridge played second fiddle this year. Top billing instead went to the news that female students had performed well in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects and earned places on courses in those disciplines at university.

The shift of emphasis appeared to signal that the male stranglehold on STEM subjects and careers was beginning to loosen.

This is backed up by new figures which have revealed that the number of female students considering university courses in STEM subjects had grown by more than it has for the opposite sex.

The survey, compiled by Cambridge Occupational Analysts (COA), is based on detailed analysis of answers to 150 questions by around 20,000 sixth formers each year for the past seven years.

To a backdrop of repeated warnings about the importance of STEM subjects to the

British economy, the findings will have been welcomed by employers and politicians alike.

Earlier this year, a report by the Commons Science and Technology Committee warned that the UK risked a serious shortfall of workers to fill vital jobs in science and industry if it did not increase the number of women in these areas. A leading website for school and college leavers re-

20,000 The number of sixth formers who were questioned in the survey

Under 10 per cent of students on engineering courses are female, compared with 40 per cent in mathematics.

Subjects allied to medicine, such as biology, chemistry and maths, are more popular with women, standing at 40 per cent. But physics and engineering subjects attract less than 20 per cent.

Ms Hobbs said that among the causes is a shortage of girls studying science and maths at A-level, and taking triple science at GCSE. To solve the problem, there have been campaigns both locally and nationally.

vealed earlier this month that two of the three most searched-for terms and courses it witnessed in the fortnight following A-Level results week were ‘engineering’ and ‘science’.

Over the last few years, the educational landscape in Bristol has repositioned itself to cater for the forecast rise in demand to study STEM subjects. One college with an engineering focus has opened, Bristol Technology & Engineering Academy in Stoke Gifford, and another is in the pipeline (a studio school at Wellsway School in Keynsham). Another centre aimed at fostering the engineers of the future, North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College, has just opened in Weston-super-Mare.

Catherine Hobbs, the head of the engineering and mathematics department at the University of the West of England, says the shortage of women in STEM jobs has been a entrenched cultural problem worsened by misconceptions of what being an engineer actually involves.

She believes getting the message across children about the potential scope of an career in engineering is important.

Ms Hobbs said: “We need to get students to change their mind in Year 11 about engineering.

“They think an engineer is a

guy in a boiler suit and a spanner fixing a washing machine.

But engineers are designing washing machines and supersonic cars – they are not on the shop floor fiddling with a nut.

“This country doesn’t see them as a professional. If you ask a child at the age of five or six, ‘What does an engineer do?’ they would say it is someone who fixes their dad’s car. But children of that age knows exactly what a doctor does.”

She said the engineering was male dominated in most Western countries with the exception of Italy.

Ms Hobbs said: “There is perception of science and maths as being a ‘boy thing’ but in some countries that isn’t the case. In Italy, maths is seen as being a female subject and there is a high proportion of women in STEM careers. As a female in this country, you know if you select a engineering or maths degree, you will be in a minority and it’s just slightly uncomfortable.

And that’s speaking as someone who has gone through it – being on a course where others don’t look like you.”

Of the 1,500 students on maths and engineering courses at UWE, only 20 per cent are female. When the figures are examined in more detail, engineering emerges as the more problematic subject.

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 EDUCATION 3

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State education

Safety online brings youngsters together

BY MARC RATH wdnews@b-nm.co.uk In the rapidly-evolving digital landscape, you would pity anyone – teachers or parents – responsible for keeping children safe from harm online.

With sophisticated new apps appearing on an almost daily basis, the latest smartphones and tablets becoming ever more powerful and the numbers using of social media continuing to soar, keeping up with technology has become an near impossible task.

But one Bristol-based organisation is taking an innovative approach to helping pupils dodge the perils of the web.

Unique Voice is training secondary-school children to be Esafety Champions, who use their experience and coaching to warn primary-school children against internet dangers.

One of its directors, Krystal Keeley, says the champions are often better placed to give advice than teachers or other adults because they have up-tothe-minute knowledge on the latest apps and sites.

“Secondary school children are moving away from the mainstream social media sites but it’s now mums and dads using Facebook. They are using new picture-related apps like Snapchat. But rather than trying to put people off using them, we are learning the mechanics of them and how they can be used safely.”

Unique Voice’s project, called Connected, is aimed at giving young people the “voice and lead” on E Safety as “main consumers of technology”.

Four secondaries, Fairfield High, Bedminster Down, City Academy, and Orchard, have all taken part in the initiative, with children at more than 30 feeder primaries also involved.

Altogether, 6,000 young people in the city have benefited.

Unique Voice trains the champions in public speaking and online safety knowledge.

They then accompany Unique Voice actors to put on engaging performances and workshops.

The primary school then hosts a parent presentation, where the children demonstrate what they have learned, spreading their knowledge of to parents and friends.

Unique Voice says the model has been hugely successful at empowering schools, young people and families, as well as strengthening relationships between secondary and primaries and providing current material to which young people can relate.

Krystal, who studied performing arts at Bath Spa University along with other members of her organisation, said the biggest threats the web posed varied with age.

For primary school children it can be the temptation to click on a pop-up which promises to give them the chance to

win a new computer. Children have been advised about clicking on pop-ups leading to viruses, opening up the possibility of hackers accessing their personal information, and leading to them unknowingly running up a bill.

For secondary school children, cyber bullying is more of a problem, where there is a lack of ‘thinking before posting’.Pupils tagging unflattering pictures on social media can lead to “fall out”.

She said: “It can lead to people being victimised in some way – but thinking about what they share can have a big impact on the situation.”

Krystal recommends reporting cyber bullying in a safe manner, like on the BeatBullying website or to school support staff or police officer.

She sympathises with today’s generation of school children who suffer bullying which goes under the radar.

She said: “Some things can explode over the internet but you could walk past a person concerned and they wouldn’t say anything to you – it’s more tortuous and more intense than when I was at school.

“If something explodes on social media or someone is being trolled online, it is so widespread and it can go deep in the way it can harm a person.”

The project is primarily funded by Bristol City Council’s Early Help Team, with some from secondary schools.

In a testimonial, Kelly Harmer, the business development manager at Fairfield High, said: “We have just finished working on the Connected project with Unique Voice and our students have been totally inspired.

“Not only are our champions well informed about online safety and ready to continue their work in ensuring Fairfield and its students stay safe online, but they have passed on valuation information to our local primary schools as well as to their parents and peers.

“Their confidence has grown massively too. The Unique Voice team is dynamic, inspiring, well organised and completely dedicated to their work and ensuring students have the best possible experience.”

FIVE TIPS FOR SAFETY ■ Talk with your child about their use of technology.

■ Come up with an agreed set of rules for using technology.

■ Use the features of their devices to help safeguard your child.

■ Use technology in an open and honest communication line as a family.

■ Ask your child to show you the latest shortcuts, tips and sites so that not only are you showing an interest in them, you can learn too whilst ensuring their safety.

Our Mission: To support and enable all students to believe in themselves, achieve their full potential and develop the skills needed to succeed and enjoy life.

Open Mornings:

Wednesday 1st October & Tuesday 7th October Tours at 8.45am, 9.45am and 11.05am Bookable by appointment only

Open Evening:

Wednesday 1st October 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Creche facilities are available Headteacher talks at 6.00pm and 6.45pm

Abbeywood Community School New Road Stoke Gifford South Glouchestershire BS34 9SF

info@abbeywoodschool.com www.abbeywoodschool.com Tel: 0117 307 5660

Our Mission: To support and enable all students to believe in themselves, achieve their full potential and develop the skills needed to succeed and enjoy life.

Open Day:

Wednesday 24th September

Tours at 8.45am, 9.45am, 11.05am and 1.35pm Bookable by appointment only

Open Evening:

Wednesday 24th September 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Creche facilities are available Headteacher talks at 6.00pm and 6.45pm

Bradley Stoke Community School Fiddlers Wood Lane Bradley Stoke South Glouchestershire BS32 9BS

admin@bradleystokecs.org.uk www.bradleystokecs.org.uk Tel: 01454 868840

4

www.bristolpost.co.uk

ONLINE SCHOOL NEWS Keep up-to-date with news from your school at BRISTOLPOST.CO.UK

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

State Stateeducation education

I

N the rapidly-evolving digital landscape we now occupy, you would pity anyone – whether teachers or parents – responsible for keeping children safe from harm online.

With sophisticated new apps appearing on an almost daily basis, the latest smart phones and tablets becoming ever more powerful and the numbers using of social media continuing to soaring, keeping up with technology has become an near impossible task.

But one Bristol-based organisation is taking an innovative and novel approach to helping pupils dodge the perils of the web, whether it be social media, cyber bullying, hacking or privacy. Unique Voice is training secondary school children to be E-safety Champions, who use their experience and coaching to warn primary school children against the dangers lurking on the internet.

One of the organisation’s directors, Krystal Keeley, says the champions are often better placed to give advice than teachers or other adults because they have up-to-the-minute knowledge on the latest apps and social media sites.

She said: “Secondary school children are moving away from the mainstream social media sites but it’s now mums and dads using Facebook. They are using new picture-related apps coming forward like Snapchat. But rather than trying to put people off using them, we are learning the mechanics of them and how they can be used safely.�

Unique Voice’s project, called Connected, is aimed at giving young people the “voice and lead� on E Safety as “main consumers of technology�.

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NET GAINS: HELPING TO KEEP PUPILS SAFE ONLINE

Bristol-based Unique Voice is taking an innovative and novel approach to helping pupils dodge the perils of the web – by training secondary school children to be E-safety Champions. Marc Rath reports.

Four secondaries, Fairfield High, Bedminster Down, City Academy, and Orchard, have all taken part in the initiative, with children at more than 30 feeder primaries also involved. Al-

together, 6,000 young people in the city have benefited. Unique Voice trains the champions in public speaking and online safety knowledge. They then accompany Unique Voice actors to put

www.bristolpost.co.uk

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

5

State Stateeducation education TIPS FOR PARENTS ● Talk with your child about their use of technology ● Come up with an agreed set of rules for the use of technology ● Use the features of their devices to help safeguard your child ● Use technology in an open and honest communication line as a family ● Ask your child to show you the latest shortcuts, tips and sites so that not only are you showing an interest in them, you can learn too whilst ensuring their safety – you can become a digi-parent!

RISKS FOR TEACHERS AS WELL AS YOUNGSTERS ● Lisa Middle, secretary of the Bristol division of the National Union of Teachers, says the web can be dangerous for teachers too.

She said: “Advice from the NUT is to exercise extreme caution when using the internet. The union advises teachers not to use social media without the using the highest

security settings.

“The danger is that comments can be taken out of context and used maliciously. Teachers have had their ‘posts’ or ‘likes’ used maliciously against them when they wrote the comments with entirely different meanings in mind.

“We suggest teachers to not

Our Mission: To support and enable all students to believe in themselves, achieve their full potential and develop the skills needed to succeed and enjoy life.

‘friend’ pupils, ex-pupils or their families on Facebook or make any comments about pupils, staff or aspects of school.

“However, this is a very sad state of affairs. Teachers should have the same right to use social media as other people whilst having the same responsibilities.”

Open Mornings:

Wednesday 1st October & Tuesday 7th October Tours at 8.45am, 9.45am and 11.05am Bookable by appointment only

Open Evening: on engaging performances and workshops. The primary school then hosts a parent presentation, where the children demonstrate what they have learned, spreading their knowledge of E-Safety to their parents and friends.

Unique Voice says the model has been hugely successful at empowering schools, young people and families. The organisation says it strengthens relationships between secondary and primaries as well as providing schools with current material that young people can relate to.

Krystal, who along with other members of her organisation all studied performing arts at Bath Spa University, said the biggest threats the web posed varied depending on age.

For primary school children it can be the temptation to click on pop-up which promises to give them the chance to win a new Mac or iPad. Children have been advised about clicking on pop-ups leading to viruses, opening up the possibility of hackers accessing their personal information, and leading to them unknowingly running up a bill.

For secondary school children, cyber bullying is more of a problem, where there is a lack of ‘thinking before posting’. Krystal said pupils tagging unflattering pictures on social media can lead to

“fall out”. She said: “ Thinking about what they share can have a big impact on the situation.”

Krystal recommends reporting cyber bullying in a safe manner, like on the BeatBullying website or to school support staff or police officer. She sympathises with today’s generation of school children who suffer bullying which goes under the radar, with victims staying silent. She said: “Some things can explode over the internet but you could walk past a person concerned and they wouldn’t say anything to you – it’s more tortuous than when I was at school. If something explodes on social media or someone is being trolled online, it is so widespread and it can go deep in the way it can harm a person.”

The project is primarily funded

by Bristol City Council’s Early Help Team, with some coming from secondary schools.

In a testimonial, Kelly Harmer, the business development manager at Fairfield High, said: “We have just finished working on the Connected project with Unique Voice and our students have been inspired. Not only are our ‘E Safety Champions’ well informed about E Safety but they have passed on information to another generation in our primary schools as well as to their parents and peers.”

ONLINE SAFETY TIPS purchases of apps. There are lots of features that parents can use to help safeguard against inappropriate access and use. Advice from leading experts reinforces the idea that communication with your children is key.

Being open and frank with your child about how they use technology and where they use it is vital.

Talking with your child is the simplest and best way to keep up with what they are doing online.

6.00pm - 8.00pm

Creche facilities are available Headteacher talks at 6.00pm and 6.45pm

Abbeywood Community School New Road Stoke Gifford South Glouchestershire BS34 9SF

info@abbeywoodschool.com www.abbeywoodschool.com Tel: 0117 307 5660

Our Mission: To support and enable all students to believe in themselves, achieve their full potential and develop the skills needed to succeed and enjoy life.

Open Day:

Wednesday 24th September

Tours at 8.45am, 9.45am, 11.05am and 1.35pm Bookable by appointment only

Open Evening:

Wednesday 24th September 6.00pm - 8.00pm

Creche facilities are available Headteacher talks at 6.00pm and 6.45pm

Bradley Stoke Community School Fiddlers Wood Lane Bradley Stoke South Glouchestershire BS32 9BS

admin@bradleystokecs.org.uk www.bradleystokecs.org.uk Tel: 01454 868840

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● Mark Anderson, director of e-learning at The Sir Bernard Lovell School, said: “The knowledge that your child’s mobile device most likely has unrestricted Internet on it is something that many parents are unaware of.

Devices that run the Apple iOS system and the alternatives in Android and Windows phones do have parental controls on them. You can age restrict and prevent

Wednesday 1st October

4 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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State education

Building a revolution in city’s schools As the secondary school open evening season gets under way, Linda Tanner looks at how secondary education has changed over the past decade We’ve got a great story to tell – but so many people in our community are just not hearing it.

That was the lament from a Bristol secondary school principal last week.

Half an hour later, in a coffee shop a mile or so away, the story was corroborated. I overheard one mum say to another about the school in question, “oh, X – avoid X like the plague.”

She did not appear to have any evidence for her opinion of this or any other school, but thought she would probably send her daughter to Y “be-

The traditional entrance to Colston’s Girls’ School, which has switched from the private sector to become an academy

cause there’s a bus that goes from the end of our road”.

I guessed that the child was as yet some years off the move to “big school” as the mother did not seem to have the note of panic in her voice that gets louder the closer that “transition” – as it is now called – becomes.

Secondary schooling is a big topic of conversation among parents in all corners of Bristol, starting when their children are in nursery and continuing at parks, playdates, barbecues and dinner parties.

These days, it is also conducted online and often anonymously, making hearsay even more damaging to the secondaries’ efforts to get their positive messages out. It is true that when the 11-year-olds donning their blazers and ties this month were born, state education in Bristol was in a bad place. Exam results were among the worst in the country and the city council came very close to having all its powers as a local education authority removed.

A fifth of children who left primary school were bussed out to secondary schools in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and B&NES and another 20 per cent joined one of the city’s high number of independent, fee-charging schools.

The rapid transformation that followed, involving new buildings, academy conversions, new uniforms, and – most importantly – rising results, was beginning to bear fruit by 2009, with a reduction in “pupil drift” from all corners of the city to neighbouring areas.

More children were also coming in to Bristol’s state schools, following the conversion of former independents Bristol Cathedral School and Colston’s Girls’ School to academies. Increasing numbers of parents put their faith in city schools as results continued to go up – with Bristol’s provisional headline figure overtaking South Gloucestershire’s for the first time this year. The city council says that of the 2012 intake, a total of 1,605 children went “cross border” to schools outside Bristol. In 2013, the figure was 1,592 and the authority reckons that this year the number is 597. This is as yet unconfirmed because there is a lot of change between when places are offered in March and the start of the school year, but it does show a remarkably improving trend.

Nevertheless, the parental concerns remain – not least because families look at the GCSE and A-level performance of their local schools rather than the citywide figures.

So while this year all Bristol secondaries were above the 40 per cent “floor target” – for the proportion of students gaining at least five GCSE A*-C grades, a number were below the national average, meaning that more than half of 16-year-olds in those schools were not achieving this minimum standard. Schools, though, say it is important to look wider than this narrow measure and, especially, to look at the advances made by young people over five years. It is important, too, to recognise that some Bristol schools do not have a truly comprehensive intake, due in part to aspirational families opting for independent sector, neighbouring area or faith-based education.

Parents also worry about Ofsted ratings, especially if their closest secondary is judged to “require improvement”. But it is self-evident that even an outstanding school will have some weaknesses alongside its considerable strengths, while a lowrated school will probably have some areas of outstanding practice.

Alongside results and inspection reports, parents make decisions based on local knowledge and perceptions – which brings us back to the coffee-shop mum. But reputations often lag behind real changes, so a “rough” school might now be a beacon of good behaviour, while a school that is thought to be good might have seen standards slip.

And it would be wrong to rule out a school where pupil numbers have dropped – several Bristol secondaries have

Oasis Academy Brightstowe, the former Portway School in Shirehampton, was named the most improved school in the country in 2012, reflecting a massive improvement in Bristol’s education that has seen the number of children bussed across the city’s boundaries

1,605

Number of Bristol children leaving the city to attend school in 2012

597

Two years later, that figure has – provisionally – fallen dramatically

been able to take advantage of a smaller roll to give students more individual attention, which has led to dramatic improvements in results. So, as the open evenings for September 2015 entrants get into full swing, what should parents do?

The most important thing is to keep an open mind and opt for the school that is right for your child. Don’t rule anywhere out. Go to the open evening, listen to the head teacher’s talk, but also take the chance to question students, teachers and current parents. Most schools also arrange visits during the school day, which can give you a true picture. Be realistic and work with your child and the staff so your child can get the maximum benefit.

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 EDUCATION 5

State education

New GCSE grading to create smaller elite

BY ALISON KERSHAW wdnews@b-nm.co.uk Just 3 per cent of teenagers could score the highest grades in new, more rigorous, GCSE English and maths exams, it has been revealed.

Under major reforms, only a fifth of pupils who would currently achieve at least an A grade will be awarded a “grade 9” – the top result available in the new system.

This could mean that fewer pupils achieve the highest mark in the future.

Revamped GCSEs in English language, English literature and maths are due to be introduced into schools in England next autumn, with the first exams taken in the summer of 2017.

England’s exams regulator has confirmed the new grading system for the qualifications, which will see A*-G grades replaced with 1-9 – with 9 the highest result.

Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above, Ofqual said, while broadly the

same proportion of teenagers who currently score at least an A will gain a grade 7.

The top 20 per cent of those who score at least a 7 will be awarded a grade 9, the regulator announced.

For example, according to last year’s national results, 3.3 per cent of English GCSE candidates were awarded an A* – this equates to around 24,127 students.

Under the new system, 2.8 per cent of candidates would have been awarded a grade 9 in 2013 – around 20,472 candidates in total.

In English literature, 5.5 per cent of exams gained an A* last summer, while 4.6 per cent would have scored a grade 9 under the overhaul.

And in maths, 4.9 per cent of last year’s entries – about 37,248 in total got an A*, while 2.9 per cent – about 22,045 – would have achieved a grade 9.

These figures indicate that fewer pupils could achieve the very best results in these subjects following the introduction of the new grading system.

Chief regulator Glenys

The new GCSE numerical grades, which replace A* to G with 1-9, will be make a considerably increased differential

Stacey said that there will be “anchor points” between both systems, to ensure it is possible to compare “the old with the new”.

“We believe grade C/4 is the right anchor point,” she said.

“It also means that for those that rely on these qualifications and use them, they will know, if they were looking for someone to achieve at least a C boundary mark in the past, whether they’re deciding, for example if that child should be accepted for another course of study, or a job, that they can equate the 4 to the C,” Ms Stacey said.

She added that there are also more results in the new structure, with three grades – 7,8,9 instead of A* and A, and 4,5,6 instead of B and C. “There have been strong calls from users of GCSEs that there needs to be greater differentiation at the top end,” Ms Stacey said.

The new grade 5 will equate to the top third of marks for a current C and the bottom third of marks for a B, Ofqual said.

It added that this means that a new 5 is higher in the new

scale than a C result and is broadly in line with what evidence suggests is the average performance level of 16-yearolds in other top nations.

At the moment, schools are judged on the proportion of pupils scoring at least five Cs at GCSE including English and maths, and this is changing to take into account pupils’ results across eight subjects.

It is not yet known which new grade will be used as a benchmark instead of C. If the new grade 5 is used, this is likely to be seen as an attempt to raise the bar.

New GCSEs are being accredited by Ofqual and Ms Stacey said there was “no reason not to be confident” that the syllabuses for English and maths will be with schools this term.

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said: “Students must not be disadvantaged by the change in grading. What is important is that Ofqual sets out very clearly to teachers and students what is needed to achieve a specific grade.”

6 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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State education

Working well to become a Learning City One of the most important stages in a child’s life is when they start school for the very first time. Another is the move to secondary school.

Here in Bristol, we have a wide variety of schools offering high-quality education.

That is what Ofsted say in their latest figures. Over 80 per cent of our primary and secondary schools are now judged to be good or better – above the national average.

2014 has seen results improve even further with the best ever A-level results for many and GCSE performance having gone up for the tenth year in a row.

Bristol is taking steps to improve the quality of education even further. We are continuing to invest in strong, purposeful partnerships between

schools, the local authority, academy sponsors and a range of education stakeholders to ensure that all our schools are good or outstanding centres of lear ning.

And despite the rapidly rising demand in Reception Year places – one of the highest in the country – Bristol has consistently managed to offer every four-year-old a place, improving the life chances of thousands of children in the city by providing modern, good quality school places within walking distance of their homes.

We have also launched the Learning City.

It means the city’s leaders, in education and business, work together to raise educational achievement even further, so that every citizen has access to

GCSE and A-level results in Bristol have risen for the tenth year in a row

ASHTON PARK SCHOOL A warm invitation to to join us for

Open Evening

Thursday 25th September 2014 6pm-8.30pm Tours 6pm -7.45pm ~ Headteacher’s Speech 8pm

Proud of our Record Results this Year!

ASHTON PARK SIXTH FORM

Open Evening Wednesday 8th October 2014 6.30 - 8.30pm Headteacher’s Speech 6.30 - 7.00pm Tours of Sixth Form Centre 7.00pm

With you every step of the way Impressive Results | Amazing Facilities Broad Range of Courses | High Level Care Exciting Activities and Opportunities

See the school in action

Don’t miss out …come and see us!

OPEN MORNINGS Monday 29th September 11.15am -12.45pm Tuesday 30th September 11.15am -12.45pm

a good education and is able to acquire the skills they need to join Bristol’s world-class workforce. Learning City lies at the heart of making this a reality, by engaging every citizen and building on the foundations of success.

We have high expectations of what all young people can achieve. So we invite you to take a closer look and attend the open events planned for parents across the city.

Bristol City Council’s admissions manager Mike Wheeler said: “Each school produces its own prospectus and has its own website, which are useful sources of information. We recommend you take a look at these, but also visit the schools you are interested in to have a look round and meet teachers and pupils in person.”

The most important thing to consider is how well parents think a particular school will suit their child. “With the mix of different types of school in Bristol, the admissions policy could be different for each of the three schools listed as a preference, so it’s really important people check. They may have to complete an extra form to give additional information required by the school.”

For details on admissions, school.admissions@ email bristol.gov.uk or call 0117 903 7694.

Tel: 0117 3772742 Email: info@ashtonparksixthform.co.uk Web: www.ashtonpark.net/sixth-form

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 7

WDP-E01-S4

State education

Watchful eye on South West’s schools at the work of Educate Together Trust, which has just opened a primary school in Redfield.

Of foreign sponsors, he said: “The plan will be to look at some of their schools in Ireland to get a better insight into how they work.

“Academies are funded by the taxpayer and we want to know they understand education and understand Bristol.

We need to see they’ve got the

‘Academies are funded by the taxpayer and we want to know that sponsors understand education

excellence as standard

▪

capacity and track record to make the difference.”

Sir David said it would be a “good thing” if all schools were academies but said it was not within his remit to drive up numbers of them.

He said: “My role is about making sure academies perform better than they do and ensure new ones do really well.

“I believe in the academy model – the reason I have been able to turn around different schools in the city is by having the freedom to take decisions for Bristol Brunel Academy and Bristol Met. I believe in the system but it’s got to be something the head teacher wants.

“Nicky Morgan (secretary of state for education) has changed the approach – she’s talked more about local authority schools than the previous secretary of state. She just wants all schools to perform really, really well.”

A 100-day plan has been formulated for Sir David’s first few months, during which he will travel to visit schools in Devon, Dorset and Cornwall .

excellence as standard

excellence as standard

▪

▪

OPEN EVENING Tuesday 7th October: 5.30-8.30pm OPEN MORNINGS Saturday 11th October: 10.30am-12.30pm Tuesday 14th & Wednesday 15th October: 9.30-11.30am

excellence as standard

▪

▪

excellence as standard

Sir David Carter, who led the Cabot Learning Federation to huge success and has now taken on the job as the South West’s first regional schools commissioner. He said: ‘I went to John Cabot Academy when it was Cabot Technology College in 2003. It has been an amazing journey and I have loved every minute of it’

If there is one criticism which could never be levelled at Sir David Carter, it’s that he lacks ambition. After 11 years at the Cabot Learning Federation, in which he rose from head teacher to chief executive and played a major role in transforming the fortunes of several failing Bristol schools, he’s now set his sights on an even more sizeable challenge.

Since September 1, he has been working as the South West’s first regional schools commissioner.

Instead of having responsibility for 11 schools in and around Bristol, he will now be held to account for the performance of dozens in a patch extending from Gloucestershire to Cornwall.

When he spoke to the Bristol Post earlier this month, he had just settled in to his new surroundings – an office in Temple Quay where he is being supported by a small team of administrative staff.

Within his remit is monitoring the performance of academies and free schools in the South West, approving new academies and free schools and encouraging organisations to come forward as potential sponsors for schools.

And the role is far from one which is “all talk and no trousers”, with major decisions being reserved for officials Whitehall.

Sir David explains that he was attracted to the job because it “has teeth”.

He has the power to remove an academy sponsor from a school if it is judged to have been failing over a prolonged period.

On a sliding scale, he can choose to make a “gentle” check on a underperforming school, issue a pre-warning notice or even dole out a final warning notice in the most extreme cases.

Sir David said: “Ultimately, if the school is still failing, it can be taken away from its sponsor. I suppose you could take it even further – if a school doesn’t have a sponsor or one can’t be found we might say ‘Is this school viable and can it run in its current state?’ Although I would talk to the secretary of state if that were the case.”

And he says his new job isn’t about persuasion – rather holding individuals and sponsors to account and ‘telling them what to do to improve’.

He said: “These kids have only got one chance of an education. I do have the power and authority to make changes if

needed. I can also ask Ofsted to inspect a school if I was worried about it.”

Explaining the role of the country’s eight new regional schools commissioners covering different regions of England, he said: “At the heart of it is the recognition is that to run 5,000 schools from Whitehall is very difficult. If a school is getting into difficulties, we wouldn’t allow chaos to occur – we would want to get in there and arrest the decline immediately.”

Sir David has vast experience in academies having fronted the largest group of schools in the Bristol area, the Cabot Learning Federation.

Although a big advocate of the academy system he has reservations about large national academy chains taking on too many schools, raising concerns about large national chains which have grown too quickly to properly support the schools under their control.

And he has promised to keep a close eye on overseas sponsors. He has already scheduled a trip to Ireland to take a look

excellence as standard

He was credited with improving the life chances of 6,000 Bristol children as chief of the Cabot Learning Federation academy chain. But now Sir David Carter is moving on to bigger things.

Marc Rath reports

Brislington Enterprise College, Hungerford Road, Brislington, Bristol BS4 5EY www.because.org.uk ▪ 0117 377 2055 ▪ info@because.org.uk

8 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

WDP-E01-S4

State education Bristol University in world’s top 50 Bristol University has been ranked as the 29th best in the world, with seven other UK universities in the top 50. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States was first, with Imperial College London tying with Cambridge in second and Oxford tying with The Wills Building University College London at Bristol University (UCL) in fifth.

A report from ABRSM, the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music, welcomes and increase in the number of children playing an instrument but warns the musical gap between rich and poor pupils is still far too large

Electric guitar overtakes violin as music catches up

BY JEFF WELLS wdnews@b-nm.co.uk The proportion of children who know how to play a musical instrument has almost doubled in the last 15 years, but poorer youngsters are still more likely to miss out, according to a report.

Long-term music education is often still the preserve of the rich, the study warns, with the cost of learning to play a “major barrier”.

It also shows that technology and music trends are having an impact, with the electric guitar overtaking the violin in popularity.

The study, by ABRSM, the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music, compares the results of a new survey of youngsters with research conducted by the organisation previously. It reveals that overall around 5.5 million five to 14year-olds (76 per cent) say they know how to play an instrument, up from 3.2 million (41 per cent) in 1999.

This is a cause for celebration, the exam board says,

The cost of lessons is still seen as the biggest barrier to young people learning music

especially in England, where government initiatives have had a positive impact on music education.

But the study also suggests that there are still significant gaps between the proportions of rich and poorer youngsters who play an instrument.

Around nine in 10 (90 per cent) of those from the wealthiest backgrounds will have played an instrument, according to the survey conducted by ABRSM this year, compared to 80 per cent of those from other social backgrounds.

Those from richer homes are also more likely to have had music lessons, it adds.

“Children from lower socioeconomic groups continue to be significantly disadvantaged compared with their peers from more affluent backgrounds,” the study says.

“Sustained, progressive music education tends to be the preserve of children born to wealthier parents. This report shows that adults who had private lessons as children and sat a music exam were much more likely to still play

an instrument – and the higher the grade achieved, the more likely they were to continue lear ning.

“The cost of learning to play and of taking lessons is a major barrier and children without access to tuition are significantly less likely to carry on playing.”

The study also found that the piano, recorder and classical guitar are the most commonly played instruments by children and young people, but adds that the drum kit, electric and bass guitar are becoming increasingly popular, with the violin falling in popularity.

Lincoln Abbotts, director of strategic development at ABRSM, said: “It is hoped the report will be used to influence, change and further improve the circumstances in which children and adults engage with music.

The political environment has shifted considerably with significant government investment, sector-led initiatives and increased enthusiasm for all the extraordinary joys and benefits of making music.”

WDP-E01-S4

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 EDUCATION 9

SGS COLLEGE

OPEN TO ALL! Join us at one of our upcoming Open Events and find out about South Gloucestershire & Stroud College’s wide range of full and part time study programmes, including those starting September 2015.

Open Events 2014 • Saturday 4th October: 10am-1pm • Saturday 8th November: 10am-1pm • Wednesday 26th November: 5.30pm-8pm • Speak with course specialists • Meet with current learners studying at SGS Filton, WISE and Queens Road • Try out activities relating to your subject of interest • Partake in a campus tour, plus much more

For further details visit www.sgscol.ac.uk or call 0117 931 2121

10 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Independent education

Parents call for fee-paying quality to be available to all

BY ALISON KERSHAW wdnews@b-nm.co.uk

Pupils in the independent sector often have access to a far wider range of extra-curricular activities than are available at state schools

Two in five parents think every child should have the chance to go to private school, regardless of their family’s income, it has been suggested.

Many other mums and dads are in favour of at least some state school places being allocated randomly, or by ballot.

The findings are part of a survey commissioned by the Sutton Trust, for its new “mobility manifesto”, which sets out a series of recommendations ahead of next year’s general election on how to make sure all children have the same opportunities, regardless of background.

It says there needs to be fairer admissions to comprehensive, grammar and feepaying schools when pupils are age 11, including through more use of ballots and banding, especially in urban areas

At Sidcot School we develop students’ natural curiosity and creativity. We educate them, rather than simply train them to pass tests, so that they can go out into the world and live rewarding and adventurous lives.

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that are over-subscribed.

Research has shown that England’s top performing comprehensives and academies are “significantly more socially selective”, with fewer pupils than average on free school meals – a key measure of poverty, the manifesto says.

This indicates that poorer youngsters are missing out.

A new survey conducted for the charity found that more than a quarter of the more than 1,100 mums and dads questioned supported all school places being allocated by ballot, or randomly, with a further 19 per cent agreeing that half of places should be allocated in this way and the remaining places handed out based on distance.

Under the current system, parents apply for the state schools they want their child to attend, but may not get their first choice if the school is over-subscribed. State primaries and secondaries have to clearly set out the measures they will use to allocate places.

The poll also found that two in five (41 per cent) of parents think that all children should have the opportunity to go to private school, regardless of family income and at the government or taxpayer’s expense. Nearly three in 10 (29 per cent) were against this proposal.

The trust’s manifesto suggests that there needs to be better information about schools, and means-tested vouchers should be made available to poorer families to spend on extra tuition, books and cultural activities for youngsters.

All schools should use the powers recently handed to them under the new admissions code to give priority places to students who are entitled to the pupil premium – extra cash handed to schools to help disadvantaged children.

It goes on to call for the barriers between state and private schools to be broken down.

The trust calls for support, including state funding, for a scheme to open up leading feepaying day schools with pupils admitted based on their academic abilities rather than their family’s ability to pay.

Participating schools would get the same funding per pupil as local state schools, the Trust said, but charges fees on a means-tested basis, with the poorest paying nothing and middle-income families given reduced rates.

Dr Lee Elliot Major, Sutton Trust director of policy and development, said: “There is a clear recognition in all the main political parties that we

25%

Proportion of parents who want school places allocated by ballot

41%

Proportion who think the state should pay some private fees

2,600

Approximate number of independent schools in the UK need to do a lot more to improve social mobility in Britain. Our ten point manifesto gives them the ideas that will turn the rhetoric into radical change for the better.

“Fairer admissions and fairer access must be at the heart of any programme to improve social mobility. Our poll shows a public appetite for change in oversubscribed comprehensives and academies.

We need changes too to ensure fair access to grammar schools, independent schools and elite universities.”

Nansi Ellis, assistant general secretary at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: “ATL believes that fairness in school admissions is absolutely vital, and is becoming increasingly difficult as the range of school

types increases. While allocating places by ballot may seem fairer, it will make admissions to oversubscribed schools even more complex and is likely to lead to parents who are unsuccessful feeling their child is attending a ’second best’ school.

“ATL believes that ballots and banding would be more successful in closing the attainment gap if they are carried out across a local authority area rather than for individual schools. We would urge closer investigation of both forms of allocation on a local area basis, and consideration of how best to ensure that all schools admit a broad range of children across a range of educational and financial situations.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “We strongly agree that all children should have the same chance to get on in life. This is the principle at the heart of our plan for education, and we have already done a huge amount to close the attainment gap.

“Policies such as the pupil premium and changes we have made to the Schools Admissions Code are helping disadvantaged children get the support, education and skills they need to succeed.

“We want all children to be able to go to a good local school and, as a result of our plan and the hard work and dedication of thousands of teachers who have put it into action, more children have the chance to go to a good or outstanding school today than ever before”.

■ The YouGov survey questioned 1,169 British parents of five-to-18-year-olds between August 26-29.

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 11

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Independent education

Sometimes, education is about the bottom line

A large number of parents think the state should fund places at private schools, which often enjoy facilities that would be the envy of most state schools

Money has been a mystery for generations and it seems we are not getting any better at explaining it. A third of parents still believe it is inappropriate to discuss family finances with children, finds a survey for charity HomeStart.

From this month, financial education is on the curriculum for secondary schools in England, to be taught through maths and citizenship lessons.

It is not compulsory for academies and free schools, although most are likely to teach it in some form, as there is widespread recognition that being money savvy is an important skill for young people to acquire.

Yet it is clear that teenagers do need help to understand the terminology and processes and grasp the realities. In a recent session with Jackie, school students estimated that by their mid-30s they would expect to be earning £56,500 a year – twice the Office of National Statistics average of £28,600.

The trouble is a lot of teachers don’t feel confident in man-

aging their own finances, let alone in giving sound and relevant advice to teenagers.

Jackie Matthews, who worked for NatWest for 25 years and has two teenage daughters, says: “I’ve lost count of the number of teachers who have said to me: ‘You should see the state of my bank account...’ They know there are plenty of resources around financial education, but they struggle to find the time to teach it.”

It is for this reason that Mrs Matthews, from Hanham, has set up Libra Learning, a business working with schools to provide finance lessons.

Her experience has enabled her to develop teaching materials that bring subjects such as tax and compound interest to life. She has created template bank statements and pay slips as well as interactive games and activities.

“One teacher told me she had shown her class her own pay slip as it was the only way she could explain net and gross income to them. She should not have had to do that,” Jackie says.

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12 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Independent education

Schools work hard to attract pupils of all sorts of backgrounds All independent schools in Bristol have a common goal – to widen access, extend the social diversity of their pupils and help change lives for generations to come.

Independent schooling, they say, should not be seen as the exclusive preserve of the wealthy, and they all offer means-tested bursary schemes as well as academic, music, art and sports scholarships.

To achieve this, they all have fundraising schemes alongside individual foundations often set up as the result of the generosity of former pupils.

There are 2,600 independent schools in the UK, educating some 615,000 children. In England this represents about seven per cent of the school age population.

Families who choose inde-

Emerson Sharp took up a place in the sixth form at QEH, Bristol, because the school raised the money to match a half scholarship

pendent education are diverse in their outlook and interests, their religious and cultural backgrounds, their politics and their beliefs.

This diversity also stretches to financial circumstances and the way in which families fund their child’s education.

Many do not have a high disposable income, yet have a firm belief that an independent education is the best possible start they can provide for their son or daughter.

Over the last five years, 75 girls have been able to study at Redland High School as a result of the school’s bursary scheme.

The bursary fund at Redland High also forms part of the school’s annual giving programme and is an extremely popular fund for donations,

particularly from former pupils. Last year about 40 per cent of all donations through the programme were specifically donated to the bursary fund.

As with the other independents, grant-making trusts such as the John James Foundation also provide funds for Redland High’s bursary scheme.

Independent schools in and around Bristol all have a distinctive personality and set of values. For example, Sidcot School has a Quaker ethos of living simply and adventurously, caring for the environment and each other.

Every year Sidcot School provides bursaries to over 70 children, the level of support depending on need, circumstance and ability to pay.

Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital, which was founded in 1590 with John Carr’s legacy, adheres to its charitable vision, providing financial help to about 125 of the boys who attend, either through bursaries or scholarships, or a combination of both.

Emerson Sharp was able to take up a place in the sixth form at QEH from 2011 to 2013 because the school raised the money to match-fund a 50 per cent scholarship provided by the Ogden Trust.

He said: “The teaching and support I received gave me the

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Further information from Denise Sollis Tel 0117 965 5207 denisesollis@colstons.bristol.sch.uk Colston’s School, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BJ www.colstons.bristol.sch.uk Registered Charity No 1079552

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 13

Independent education “Above all, the sound structure, supported learning and discipline have given me a good base for my future life.”

A third, with an offer to study marine geography at Cardiff University, commented: “Being able to attend the Colston’s Sixth Form has allowed me to explore my talents and develop them further as well as participating fully in school life. Studying biology, drama and geography has broadened my horizon and given me the opportunity to move on to higher education.”

At Red Maids’ School – which dates back to 1634 – the spirit of its founding father’s generosity is well in evidence.

Isabel Tobias, Red Maids’ headmistress, explained: “The school’s foundation 380 years ago was based on creating opportunities for 40 poor women and children.

“We have of course grown considerably since then but we provide a wide range of options for those in need of financial assistance and approximately a quarter of our students benefit from the school’s endowment fund.

“During the recent tough times, this fund has also made it possible for us to enhance the amount of assistance to some families who have found the recession particularly hard.”

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Learning

Redland High School, one of many independent schools in Bristol which work hard to build up bursary funds and the like for pupils from less well-off backgrounds confidence to apply for and gain a place to read geography at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. Without the skills and encouragement of my teachers at QEH I could not have achieved this ambition.”

At QEH there is an onward philanthropic programme, and the school aims to raise £1 million in the next seven years for bursaries. Every penny donated to the Colston’s Foundation supports bursaries at Colston’s School.

This growing fund works alongside individual founda-

tions set up as a result of the generosity of former pupils like the late Roger Newport and the late Kenneth Hilborne who were to become major benefactors.

In May, as they approached the end of their time at Colston’s, three Year 13 students wrote to the trustees of the Newport Foundation expressing their thanks for the bursaries they had received.

One said: “The generosity of the bursary has meant that not only did I complete my studies at the school I joined in Year 7;

it also enabled me to become the school’s head boy.

“I feel truly honoured to have been given these opportunities and none of it would have been possible without your generosity and support throughout the years.”

A second said: “I have been extremely fortunate in being able to have the benefit from the Newport Bursary. It has been of particular help to me to have been able to have the continuity of staying at Colston’s School for the whole of my senior schooling.

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14 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

WDP-E01-S4

Independent education

Development is about

BY MARC RATH wdnews@b-nm.co.uk

Activities such as the Army Cadet Force provide pupils at schools in the public and private sector with skills that often come in useful later in life, such as leadership and independence

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They allow both schools and students to set themselves apart from the rest.

Extracurricular activities enable schools to entice pupils seeking that something extra and give students a chance to differentiate themselves from peers to help seal a college or university place or a job.

They are being acknowledged as a vital component to a well-rounded education and more and more schools are becoming more outspoken about what they can offer above and beyond the norm. And offering a wealth of physical and educational opportunities is no longer the preserve of independent schools; traditionally the only institutions with finances stretching to cover trips, unrivalled sporting facilities and expert tuition.

Merchants’ Academy, in Withywood, offers a range of what it describes as “co-curricular activities”, and boasts the only Army Cadet Force in the state education system.

Students at Colston’s Girls’ School are involved in a wealth of extra-curricular activities, including young enterprise, green team, envision volunteering, robotics, public speaking, Duke of Edinburgh Award, music, drama, charity events, and sports such as karate, dance and fitness classes.

At Fairfield High School in Horfield there is an array of extra-curricular activities available.

The co-curricular day does not finish until 5pm on some days and more than half of students choose to stay behind to take part in dance, drama, music and sport. In the independent sector, Bristol Grammar School prides itself on what it offers outside the classroom to allow students to tap into their passions and interests.

It co-curricular devotes two afternoons each week to activities and games. In the sixth form, one afternoon each week is devoted to an activities pro-

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Nine Bristol schools were full in Year 7 at the start of this year, according to city council figures.

They include two secondaries that a few years ago saw a very low number of applications – Bristol Brunel Academy in Speedwell and Oasis Academy John Williams in Hengrove.

City Academy Bristol and Brislington Enterprise College are two of the schools that have seen a fall in numbers recently.

But it is an ever-changing

picture. The council is still collating the number of starters in each school and has issued “seven-day letters” for children who have not arrived as expected.

At Fairfield High School, for example, 180 places were originally offered but many of those were to families who had never considered the school in the first place.

School leaders were told the actual total might be nearer 80.

By the end of the summer term, following sustained efforts to encourage people to

take up places, 116 had accepted the offer.

On the first day of the new term, 140 arrived, and that number had swelled by five by the end of the first week.

Many secondaries in the city and elsewhere across the South West have scores of surplus places at the moment, but in a couple of years’ time that will change in quite a dramatic way, because of the rising numbers of children coming through Bristol’s primary schools that are currently putting such pressure on places.

WDP-E01-S4

WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 EDUCATION 15

Independent education

more than just maths

The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is popular with many youngsters, combining skills in sport, voluntary activities and expeditions

gramme when students can choose to tackle a Duke of Edinburgh Award or community volunteering.

The school offers an extensive sporting programme, with another afternoon dedicated to individual and team competition or recreational health and fitness.

Earlier this year in his column in the Bristol Post, the school’s headmaster Rod MacKinnon said: “Co-curricular provision is the essential complement to a rigorous academic programme. Students forge a powerful relationship with their teachers when they realise that the person teaching them physics also joins them on the netball court or on a field trip to CERN; or that their geography teacher is also in the audience for the school play or supporting their charity fundraising efforts. Teachers and students alike benefit from seeing one another as whole people with a variety of interests.”

But Lisa Middle, secretary for the Bristol division of the National Union of Teachers, said many state schools were discovering they were struggling to find time within the normal school day to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum. She said: “The government has narrowed the curriculum and the demands of Ofsted make for a relentlessly target-driven culture.”

Merchants Academy Executive principal Anne Burrell said that although academic attainment was vital, it was equally important to “open students’ eyes to the amazing possibilities offered by life beyond the academy gates.”

“We want our students to leave the academy as bright, optimistic people who have had some incredible experiences and challenges in their time with us,” she said.

“We are serious about giving children the chance to try activities they never thought they could do; to learn new skills, to meet new people and to have experiences few other schools in the country can offer.”

Parent power makes big changes Aware that our children are most likely to thrive at school with good support from home, most of us do our best.

But there are some parents whose involvement in the education of not only their own but other people’s children goes much further.

In Bristol, this is sometimes prompted by concerns over schooling in the city. Karen Foster, from Westbury-onTrym, was a founder member of Bristol Parents’ Voice, the

HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS

group that led to the foundation of Bristol Free School in Brentry in 2011. She is now chairman of governors.

Mrs Foster said: “We wanted a school within walking distance that our children could move on to with their friends from primary school. It is lovely to walk across the park and see young teenagers there.

That didn’t happen before. It makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

Jeremy Routledge also

wanted his children to be able to walk to school so he opted for the Brislington Enterprise College, where his eldest in now in Year 11.

“I am a real believer in supporting your local school. I don’t think a school choice should be just be about the exam results,” he said.

Mr Routledge joined the governing body in the hope of helping to improve links between the school and the community.

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16 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

WDP-E01-S4

Independent education

History project unlocks local secrets

BY JEFF WELLS wdnews@b-nm.co.uk Just around the corner from Victoria Park Primary School in Bristol lies a neglected graveyard. Pupils had seen it many times before without taking much of an interest.

But through a new English Heritage project they have learned to see it in a new light.

With the help of local heritage education manager Michael Gorely, the children examined gravestones in the forgotten St John’s burial yard and discovered a young couple who lived in Bristol in the 19th century had been buried there.

This led the pupils to research the pair, Sarah Jane Seymour and Henry Larcombe.

“They drowned in Watchet and we found newspaper accounts of what had happened,” said former Bristol primary school teacher Mr Gorely.

“We managed to find out where they lived and where they worked. We had that as a starting point and asked the children to come up with questions. We found they had dif-

The history of Southmead and of people buried in Bristol have provided pupils with pride in their city and started some very interesting pieces of historical research

ferent surnames but were engaged to be married. It was a story which had been sitting there undiscovered.

“The project is about looking for stories from the streets around the school and getting children out of the classroom and looking at places they’ve seen before but in a new light.”

In 2012, Bristol was selected as one of first three areas in the UK to be involved in the Heritage Schools project, which will run in the city until March next year. Funded by the Department for Education, the programme was developed in response to Darren Henley’s report to government on cultural education in England. It has been expanded to include 150 schools in eight regions.

The project is aimed at helping children learn about and understand their local heritage and provide teachers with new and effective ways to use local heritage resources as part of the curriculum. The schools participating are using heritage to connect children to where they live, de-

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For more information please call:

Senior School, Mrs Liz Bamber 0117 989 8252 Junior School, Mrs Lynn McCabe 0117 962 9451 Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9

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velop a sense of place and an understanding of how the story of where they live relates to the national context. According to English Heritage, learning about local heritage inspires creativity, develops literacy, an awareness and appreciation of architecture and design, and encourages young people to value and protect the heritage around them.

So far, nine primaries and three secondary schools in Bristol have been involved. Another six will take part this academic year, bringing the total to 18 before funding for the project is due to dry up.

Altogether, 3,000 Bristol children have been involved.

The project has dovetailed with the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, allowing schools to find out how the conflict affected their district of the city.

Three schools have created films based on Bristolians who were involved in the war.

Mr Gorely said: “Summerhill Academy in St George has a plaque commemorating former pupils killed in the war – we traced two of them who had been buried side by side in Belgium. This suggested there was a story about best friends who had enlisted together and died together.

“The children turned it into a film which included a story of the boys – we found a publication which had a photo of one of them and traced a great nephew of his.

From what teachers and parents are saying, it has been their most memorable project of the year.”

Another project has seen children learning about the Southmead housing estate, with experts from Bristol’s Architecture Centre explaining why it was built, how it was planned and what housing conditions were like elsewhere in Bristol at the time.

Mr Gorely said: “The houses had inside toilets and large gardens, unlike the housing elsewhere in the city. It has been about giving pupils pride in their own area.”

The project has also reached younger pupils, with sevenyear-olds reading the original handwriting on census returns from the 19th century.

The project’s next big initiative will be a First World War day for 10 and 11-year-old pupils in partnership with Bristol’s sightseeing open top buses and the council’s museums and education service.

On the bus tour, children will visit key sites during the conflict including Kingsweston House, where they were learn about it being used as a war hospital, and Arnos Vale, where they will be told about soldiers from across the Commonwealth, and White City Exhibition, which was used as barracks.

One memorable tale uncovered the tale of two friends who enlisted, died and were buried side by side during the First World War - all starting from a memorial plaque at Summerhill Academy in St George

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 EDUCATION 17

Meet the head

Continuity is so important Peter Huckle Bristol Grammar School Infants and Juniors

Dr Steven Connors of Monmouth School

BGS Infants and Juniors is a place where we are rightly proud of our history but, at the same time, always looking to the future; where a strong sense of continuity and stability combines with an exciting desire for new approaches.

That feeling of history-inthe-making was particularly striking this autumn as the first pupils to join our Infant School in January 2010 took their places in the Senior School. These young pioneers are now part of the story of our school and we’re proud to send them on their way to the bright future we know lies ahead.

One of the many benefits of an all-through school such as BGS, of course, is we will not lose touch. Connections with older students are an important way for our younger students to develop and we love, for example, to welcome Sixth Formers to help with reading in the Infants School or to encourage our Year 5 singers to team up with those in Year 7 to form a choir.

Similarly, although most of our teaching and learning happens in the purpose-designed surroundings of our own

buildings, we are always looking for opportunities to make use of the facilities available across the School campus – such as the sports hall and science labs – and to invite teachers from the Senior School staff to share their expertise with us in specialist areas such as dance, art, games or food technology.

Thanks to the energy and initiative of our excellent staff team there are always new opportunities emerging. Whether it be performing on stage at the Tobacco Factory as part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, competing in the English Primary Schools’ Chess Association semi finals hosted here at BGS, or joining a student literary committee to organise readings from visiting authors, life at BGS Infants and Juniors provides every chance to build a firm foundation for a lifetime of learning.

When our students finally leave the BGS Sixth Form to make their way in the world, and we sit alongside one another at the Leavers’ Dinner in the Great Hall, I know it will be experiences like this in the Infants and Junior School that we recall together as being so very formative for the continuing story of their learning adventure, wherever it may lead them.

Helping the pupils to help Exciting times lie ahead other people

Peter Huckle of Bristol Grammar School Infants and Juniors

Gillian Rowcliffe Red Maids Junior School

Dr Steven Connors Monmouth School Here at Monmouth School and The Grange, we have marked our 400th anniversary with an outstanding Estyn inspection report. Wales’ equivalent to Ofsted rated every aspect of our work excellent.

We are the country’s first independent school to achieve this under the new inspection framework. The boys are thriving in every area: academically, in the arts, on the sports fields and on the river. We are regularly placed in the top 10 boys’ boarding schools and above our local competitors.

We operate closely with our partner girls’ school, Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls, giving all the benefits of that academic, artistic and social collaboration, whilst focusing on the needs of boys in an environment developed around their particular learning styles. Music and drama thrive here.

This year, The Earl of Wessex officially opened our new multi-million pound teaching block, named after

the School’s founding father, William Jones. It houses 20 classrooms, a lecture theatre and administrative offices.

Day pupils benefit from our boarding community’s clubs, and in Tatler’s School Guide, 2013, our fees were rated as “among the best value in the country”.

Monmouth School has an enviable national reputation on the sporting circuits, but we also run B, C and D teams, giving all boys a chance to develop. Our 1st XV was rated eighth in the Daily Mail merit table and our Coxed Four won Championship Gold at National Schools ahead of all the top rowing schools in the UK including Eton, Shrewsbury, Abingdon and St Paul’s.

Significant investment has created state-of-the-art facilities, but the School’s ethos grows out of its history and is shaped by the people who teach and study here. When pupils leave, we hope we have broadened their horizons, boosted their confidence, and inspired them to commit to a future which will benefit themselves and others.

This is a momentous time for me – I have been headteacher at The Red Maids’ Junior School for the past 29 years but I will be retiring in December and leaving a school I opened with so much pride in 1986.

I have so many wonderful memories – of pupils, staff and parents who together make this such a special school.

Our aim is no different now to what it has always been – to provide girls with the best possible start, to allow personalities and friendships to blossom and to nurture their interests and talents.

We currently have space for up to 120 Junior Red Maids starting from Year 3. We are a close community, where the girls are deliberately organised in mixed age groups for pastoral sessions to enhance that quality, and we aim for everyone to be involved in everything.

Academic coursework is guided by the National Curriculum and our Key Stage 2 English and mathematics SAT results are consistently high but the timetable includes plenty of art, sport, music, sci-

Gillian Rowcliffe of Red Maids Junior School ence, current affairs, Mandarin, history, geography, French, Latin and RE. The importance of kindness, good manners, respecting property and the environment are important themes embed-

ded in weekly discussions and girls are rewarded.

The extra-curricular programme encourages all sorts of interests: climbing, caving, and kayaking are particularly popular.

Music and drama productions are built into the Junior Red Maids’ experience with the aim of turning out wellrounded, poised and above all happy girls who make an impact wherever they go.

18 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Meet the head

Enriched education for boys Martin Morris QEH Juniors, Bristol Although QEH only opened its Junior School in 2007 we have built an enviable reputation, remaining small enough to guarantee a happy, enriched educational experience for boys.

We incorporate the strong ethos and values of the 425year-old Senior School while retaining our own individual identity.

A key aim is to develop each boy's personal qualities, provide a sound foundation for his future, and ensure that every boy leaves recognising himself as a lifelong learner.

We are particularly keen to break out from the traditional idea of the four-walled classroom, and make our ‘classroom’ the wider world.

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

In Years 4, 5 and 6 our teaching is subject-based which prepares our forty Year 6 boys to move on to QEH Seniors, secure in knowledge and understanding of the complexit-

Isabel Tobias Red Maids’ Senior School

ies of the world around them.

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

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

The school has developed the unique ‘QE Award’ – a junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Boys engage in extra-curricular activities including public performance, community work and physical recreation, as well as taking part in expeditions and camps.

A new feature of QEH Juniors is that, in conjunction with Redland High School, boys can join RHS Infants in readiness to join us later at Year 3.

This has already proved popular with twice the anticipated number of boys signing up at Redland High School.

The Headmaster, Mr Martin Morris, invites prospective parents to visit, or come to the Junior School OPEN MORNINGS on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 October in the QEH Theatre.

For more information or a prospectus visit www.qehbristol.co.uk, e-mail admissions@ qehbristol.co.uk

Exam success leads to top Confidence is key to future universities Martin Morris of QEH Juniors, Bristol

Stephen Holliday QEH Bristol

Isabel Tobias Red Maids’ Senior School If you are a parent looking for schools information, there is one key point I want you to remember about Red Maids’: our students are very happy and fulfilled and they achieve the highest levels of academic success year after year.

They leave us to move on to the best universities – commonly Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial College, Durham and Edinburgh, among others – to pursue their ambitions in medicine, veterinary science, engineering, law and languages to name but a few.

Red Maids’ consistently appears in the Top 100 independent schools based on our Sixth Form and GCSE results.

Whichever way you look at it, Red Maids’ is a successful and special educational establishment and I would urge you to visit us.

Our students excel in the sciences, at languages and in the humanities. Music, drama and sport also play a big part in their lives.

Their curricular learning is

supported by exciting and challenging trips and extracurricular opportunities at home and overseas, such as our projects in Nepal and Cambodia, and through participation in special events including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Rotary competition for Young Musicians and using our own observatory.

We make use of mobile technology through iPads to create dynamic, stimulating and independent learning and our links with many industries and professions bring practical and up-to-date learning directly into the classroom.

As a girls-only schools, we maximise the benefits of our single-sex environment by ensuring students are able to work in ways that best suit them, enabling them to build strong self-esteem, to take on a wide range of leadership roles and to aspire to any profession.

Make a date to come and meet us at one of our autumn visiting events. For more information, please contact our Admissions Registrar on 0117 989 8252 or e_bamber@redmaids.bristol.sch.uk

Stephen Holliday, headmaster of QEH for 15 years, is justifiably proud of his school and its history.

“QEH celebrates its 425th anniversary as the ‘City School’ this year,” he says, “and is more thriving than ever, with 670 boys aged 7 to 18.” Along with being the top performing day school in Bristol, QEH today is firmly amongst leading academic schools nationally. Most boys go to their firstchoice of top universities or medical schools, including 10 per cent to Oxford and Cambridge. Mr Holliday added: “Our record results, year on year, are part of the much greater package that we offer to boys in preparing them for higher education and successful future careers. We promote the importance of good values, we produce the young men with opinions, who know themselves, who respect and help others. Boys leave QEH with not only the qualifications but the confidence to meet the challenges of the world ahead. Exam success: that is a by-product of a school where building confidence comes first.”

Stephen Holliday of QEH Bristol In addition to Academic scholarships, QEH offers scholarships in Sport and Music. Come and meet the Headmaster on OPEN MORNING which, for Seniors, is on Saturday 4 October starting

from 9:30am. No appointment required. There is also a Sixth Form Open Evening on Monday 13 October. Strictly by appointment. Entry is by assessment, usually at 7, 11, 13 or 16 although occasionally va-

cancies occur in other Year groups. For more information or a prospectus visit www.qehbristol.co.uk, e-mail admissions@qehbristol.co.uk or call Mrs Carolyn Matthews to arrange a visit on 0117 930 3068.

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WESTERN DAILY PRESS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 EDUCATION 19

Meet the head

Excellent teaching optimum Caroline Bateson Redland High School For Girls

Mark Mortimer of Warminster School

Trying and learning by it is the way Mark Mortimer Warminster School My educational philosophy is simple and has five components: 1. That pastoral care is the most important thing in a school: a child needs to be secure, happy and supported in order to thrive.

2. That every child is good at something and a school’s job is to help them find it and nurture it.

3. That every pupil, regardless of ability, should have a love of learning, intellectual curiosity and high academic aspiration.

4. That a school has a responsibility, particularly in this day and age, to prepare pupils for life beyond university.

5. That education is more than simply exam results and that an all-round, values-based approach is vital.

Young people today face an unpredictable world but there are certain timeless aspects of a genuine education. Warminster is an academic school; exam results are important because they open doors, but at the same time we place strong emphasis on character and values and we want our pupils to leave this School well-rounded, well-mannered, self-confident, articulate and fundamentally decent people with a

sense of duty and integrity. If they can get on with people from all walks of life then they will thrive, both professionally and personally. Flexibility and the ability to think fast on one’s feet and to improvise are becoming ever-more important. The 21st century is not a place for tidy minds, as Sir Martin Sorrell recently said.

Parents often ask me how the School prepares pupils for jobs that are either evolving or may not yet exist, and my answer is by helping them develop a toolbox of situational skills and characteristics that will allow them to cope and thrive in any situation. Emotional Intelligence, robustness, leadership, perseverance, resilience and adaptability are some of these key components. I also want the pupils who leave this school to be risk-takers (albeit calculated) rather than risk averse. Neither should they fear failure. Some failure in life is inevitable, and we learn far more about ourselves in adversity than when everything goes according to plan. The pupils are probably fed up hearing me quote Eric Schmidt, the Executive Chairman of Google: “Remember, we celebrate our failures. This is a company where it’s absolutely ok to try something that’s very hard, have it not be successful, and learn from it.”

Caroline Bateson has a commitment to academic excellence as well as involvement in every aspect of school life including pastoral care, extracurricular activities, liaising with parents and strategic planning. She is an independent schools inspector.

Redland High School caters for girls aged 3 to 18 and accepts a wide range of academic ability, from the gifted to those needing extra support to achieve their potential. The Early Years and Key Stage 1 provision, Redland High Infants with QEH, is coeducational and the School works closely with QEH boys’ school to provide a seamless transition at age seven.

The school’s undoubted proficiency in supporting all its pupils comes from excellent teaching and having a school of optimum size. Pupils in the junior school have the advantage of being in a sheltered and protected environment where there is a strong sense of community. The senior school is large enough to make a considerable subject choice viable but small enough for each individual pupil to be nurtured.

There are myriad extra-curricular activity on offer in both the junior and senior schools

and Redland High encourages pupils to take part so that they can find their strengths and develop the self-esteem so essential for effective learning.

The school enjoys a good relationship with local boys’ school QEH, with many joint activities allowing girls of all ages to work positively and constructively with boys.

Academic achievement is high: once again, this year’s A-level and GCSE results were outstanding. Recent Department for Education statistics revealed that Redland High gets more of its pupils to Russell Group universities than any other girls’ school in Bristol.

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

For more information about Redland High School, visit www.redlandhigh.com or telephone 0117 924 5796.

Caroline Bateson of Redland High School For Girls

Sense of school community Richard R Biggs , King’s College, Taunton

Richard R Biggs of King’s College, Taunton

With so many excellent schools to choose from in the South West, and in particular in Taunton, it is important that we offer something distinctive.

I am convinced that part of that distinctiveness for King’s College is our boarding ethos.

We are a majority boarding school and boarding structures and timings pervade our week, to the great advantage, we believe, of boarders and day pupils alike.

Boarding brings tremendous benefits: a sense of permanent community, and that most precious of all commodities, time. We have long days and we have lessons on Saturdays. This allows our pupils the time to do a great many things extremely well, and also to enjoy the odd moment of relaxation during the week.

The pace is humane, the atmosphere one of enjoyable, creative, focused busyness.

We are not rushing through the day to get everybody on the buses by 4pm.

There are a great many events in the evenings (music,

drama, debating, lectures, academic societies), and our day pupils take full advantage of their ability to stay overnight from time to time.

All our pupils, including the day pupils, are assigned to boarding houses, which makes for a cohesive and inclusive community.

Our pupils and staff are privileged to live and work in a stunningly beautiful environment. We have made tremendous improvements to the grounds, the buildings and the gardens in recent years and have consciously created new spaces for our pupils to enjoy, to socialise and to relax.

We recently built a 300seater amphitheatre which has already established itself as a wonderful space for drama, music, assemblies, services and, just as importantly, as a place for pupils to meet and to chat.

I believe King’s offers a gentler, more enriching, equally successful alternative to the pressure cookers nearer London. Our pupils have the time and the space to grow as human beings and leave us confident, well-rounded young men and women.

20 EDUCATION TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2014 WESTERN DAILY PRESS

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Meet the head

Childhood is such a very precious time Justin Chippendale King’s Hall School

Rod MacKinnon of Bristol Grammar School

‘Education is about building confidence’ Rod MacKinnon Bristol Grammar School As a teacher and headmaster, I am naturally interested in what the government of the day has to say about education.

Primarily, I want to hear their vision for what young people in our country could and should achieve; and then I’m interested in the ways in which they will support those

working in education to deliver on that vision.

What I don’t want politicians to be doing is laying down in minute detail what should be going on in the classroom. It seems to me that’s my job and the job of the many talented colleagues who teach alongside me.

When politicians start making announcements about the changes they would make to the syllabus for this or that

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Lifelong Learning

subject or the grade boundaries for this or that exam, I can’t help thinking that they are missing a rather fundamental point about how one goes about achieving improvements in educational attainment.

Tinkering with technical details simply will not do it because, at its core, education is about something much broader than that: it is about building confidence in the ability of young people to learn and equipping them to navigate their way in the world.

At BGS, we want to see our students leaving the school feeling excited about what the world has to offer and ambitious for the role they will play in it. That’s what employers and universities tell us they want to see too.

Of course we take great pride and delight in how they perform academically in exams and coursework but we recognise that that performance is founded in no small part on the confidence they gain through, for example, a rich programme of co-curricular activity, horizonbroadening travel, involvement in charitable work and the strong pastoral support offered by our House system.

My staff undoubtedly work hard on the detailed planning of imaginative courses of study and spend time monitoring individual performance and adjusting provision accordingly. However, this work is always in the service of a much broader, exciting vision which underpins everything we do at BGS – namely to see our young people embark on an adventure of learning which, we hope, will continue throughout their lives.

I hope you will take the opportunity to come and see that adventure underway for yourselves.

One of the first questions I get asked during a prospective parent visit is “How long have you been here?” – five years.

We go on to talk about their hopes and aspirations for their child and how we have systems and structures in place which have been carefully refined over many years to allow each child to fulfil their potential whilst ensuring that they are having fun, discovering at every turn, exploring with freedom and eagerness and making the most of every day here. There is a cultural, unpressurised expectation of ‘Why wouldn’t you want to do your best?’

Childhood is very precious: we are a long time ‘old’, cynical and carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. In a world where it seems children grow up ever more rapidly it is wonderful to have them at King’s Hall until they are 13.

They will hear that we have

‘We are a long time ‘old’, with the weight of the world on our shoulders.’

Justin Chippendale

Justin Chippendale, headmaster at King’s Hall School

Girls are able to achieve the extraordinary Caroline Pascoe Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls Energy, happiness and a sense girls can achieve extraordinary things are at the heart of Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls and its prep school, Inglefield House. With a mixture of day and boarding pupils, aged 7 to 18, HMSG creates a sense of community.

Set in the beautiful Wye Valley, the school aims to provide the finest education possible and we are pleased to announce the introduction of a Year 7 Sports Scholarship which girls joining in September 2015 will be eligible to apply for.

Inglefield House offers preparatory education for girls aged between 7 and 11, with boarding now from 7. Situated on the same campus, Ingle-

just introduced a new weekly boarding initiative, that we have (yet again) had an exceptional year for a wide range of achievements, that children take Scholarships or Common Entrance to leading UK senior schools, that within our spectacular 50 acres we have a sumptuous new setting for 2 year olds and that within the next 12 months there will be a significant new building in construction.

They will see for themselves just what a happy place King’s Hall is and our May 2014 ISI inspection report is littered with comments which endorse the fabulous childhood exper-

Caroline Pascoe head of Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls

ience there is to be had here.

It is all about the quality of the relationships at King’s Hall: children, parents and the staff enjoy very strong relationships in all directions that are naturally positive and collaborative. Indeed, the visit is the beginning of that process for the future benefit of their child. Children come here full of enthusiasm and to enjoy themselves: it is our job to educate them.

They will also ask “How long will you be staying here?”

– I feel as if I have only just started, is the answer. field House benefits from HMSG’s extensive facilities, including Science laboratories, Theatre, Music School and superb Sports provision. A strong House system integrates girls from age 7 through to 18.

Academic results are impressive, ranked top in Wales for GCSE results in 2013.

HMSG achieved record A*/A grades with A*s at 47 per cent and 76 per cent receiving A*/ A. 27 girls achieved an A*/A in every subject.

With 100 per cent pass rate at A Level now a regular achievement, most girls win places at their first choice universities to read subjects as diverse as Medicine, Law, Languages, Engineering and Economics.

A close link with our sibling, Monmouth School, provides a dynamic Sixth Form experience with seminar-style classes in preparation for university. Our new Sixth Form boarding house, Augusta House, further eases this transition between school and university.

HMSG offers far more than just good grades. Whether a pupil’s passion is for Sport, Music, Drama, Photography, Dance or CCF, the School will encourage her to reach the highest standard. At all ages, your daughter will be encouraged to take personal responsibility, to think for herself and to understand service to the community.