C E L E B R AT I N G T H E V E R Y B E S T I N E D U C AT I O N
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F R E E | S E N I O R E D I T I O N | AU T U M N 2 0 1 8 | i n d e p e n d e n t s c h o o l p a re n t .co m
Spectacular Schools Grand houses, glorious grounds and classical architecture
Bursaries & Scholarships All you need to know and how to apply
MOVING ON UP
Eton College How to fast track careers
WIN
a two-night stay in The Cotswolds
EXPERT ADVICE Managing a busy school life
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION Star alumni from the arts, sport & business
Visit us at Stand 309 at the Independent Schools Show
FRANC
HA LEAL
ETO GE
www.godolphin.org
INSIDE
WELCOME
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT • SENIOR EDITION • AUTUMN 2018
7 14
In brief A round-up of the latest school news
Beautiful schools A look at their stunning campuses
23
Single sex or co-ed?
25
ISOTY awards
26
GCSEs: How do things look
Which environment is best for learning?
A spotlight on Latymer Upper School
a year on? Teachers weigh in on the new system
31 32 34
Facebook vs. facetime Afua Hirsch discusses social media
The lad scientist Laurence Pleuger talks genetic research
In pursuit of happiness Improving girls’ mental health
Read about Rugby School’s outreach programme on page 55
W
elcome to the second half of the autumn term. I hope you feel ready to embrace the next few weeks in the run-up to Christmas. While teachers were busy settling themselves and their charges into the new school year, we’ve been hard at work redesigning the magazine and adding even more pages to fully celebrate the very best that an independent school education has to offer. There’s no doubt that private education is an expensive investment, but there’s a lot of help out there for parents now. In our bursaries and scholarships special on page 36, Michael Windsor, Head of Abingdon School, Oxfordshire, explains the process of applying for fee assistance, while on page 42 Adam Hall talks about how he applied for a Sixth Form bursary to Bolton School Boys’ Division in Greater Manchester. As your child progresses to their GCSEs and beyond, life gets busy. So how do they learn to balance a timetable that’s full to the brim with academic studies, extracurricular activities and all that an independent school education has to offer – while maintaining a sense of equilibrium? Read the Headteachers’ advice on page 57 for all the answers…
36
Bursaries & scholarships
45
Winner takes all?
47
The route to success
49
Plotting your Higher Education future
It’s all about you Personal statement tips
Looking ahead
52
Put a lid on plastics
55
Affirmative action
61
Like us at @Independent SchoolParent
How to tackle parents behaving badly
50
57
Tweet us @ISParent
A case study special
62 64 67 72
Learning about careers in schools
Educating pupils on single-use plastics
Rugby’s unique outreach programme
Ask the experts How to balance a busy school life
School hero The PE teacher shaking up traditions
In 10 pictures... Campbell College
Ones to watch The all-star alumni
Family life Holidays and diary dates
Win a luxury mini-break Win a two-night stay at Dormy House
CLAUDIA DUDMAN, EDITOR
Follow us @ISParent.Mag
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School memories Crime fiction writer, Anna Mazzola
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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Barney. Be part of it. www.barnardcastleschool.org.uk
Thinking about Sixth Form?
BE
UNPRETENTIOUS
Barney. Be part of it. www.barneysf.org.uk
WHO’S WHO
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel (020) 7349 3700 Fax (020) 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Meet the experts sharing their years of invaluable educational experience
PETER YOUNG is an independent school governor and Chairman of the Business Marketing Awards.
EDITORIAL Editorial Director Maxine Briggs Editor Claudia Dudman Online Editor Jennifer Read-Dominguez Sub Editors Laura Sutherland, Natalie Keeler Editorial Assistant Annie Quinton
AILEEN KANE is the Boarding Schools Association’s Director of Operations, which oversees all media, marketing, sponsorship, finance and HR facilities. Aileen is also a member of BSA’s senior leadership team.
Creative Director Chloë Collyer Senior Designer Natalie Dourado PUBLISHING Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Chief Financial Officer Vicki Gavin Publishing Director Paul Rayner Director of Media James Dobson Production www.allpointsmedia.co.uk Printed in England by William Gibbons Head of Circulation Daniel Webb 020 7349 3710 ADVERTISING Head of Market Freddy Halliday Advertising Manager Harriet Cottrell Senior Sales Executives Andrew Mackenzie, Henry Barton
RACHEL KERR has worked with independent schools since 2000. She is currently Communications Manager at the Girls’ Schools Association.
DAVID MONCRIEFF
A publisher specialising in education and heritage, he previously worked for more than 12 years as Director of Marketing Services at the British Tourist Authority.
ALISON FLEMING has been Headmistress at Newton Prep, Battersea since September 2013. Educated at grammar school, she began her teaching career learning her ‘craft’ in state schools.
Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT | Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 | Production All Points Media. Printed in England by William Gibbons ©The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2018 All rights reserved
MARK STRETTON joined the Headmasters and Headmistresses’ Conference as Communications Manager last year. He has more than 15 years’ experience and expertise in education sector communications.
DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent is for parents of children in Prep and Senior independent schools. The Independent School Parent magazine in Prep and Senior issues is published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent. com/register © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2018. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in The Guide to Independent Schools has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. All liability for loss, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded.
DR HELEN WRIGHT is a former President of the GSA and Vice-Chair of the ISC. Since 2014 she has worked in international education and advises, recruits and coaches senior leaders in schools across the world.
IAN MASON after working in local authority communications teams across London, Ian became the Head of Media and Communications for the Independent Schools Council in 2017.
TORY GILLINGHAM
is the Managing Director for AMCIS, Admissions, Marketing & Communications in independent schools, which now has over 500 schools in membership. She has more than 25 years’ experience of the independent schools sector.
Independent School Parent also publishes The Guide to Independent Schools biannually to help you choose the right school.
JULIAN THOMAS is Master of Wellington College and Chief Executive of the Wellington College Group of Academies and Schools. BEN VESSEY joined Canford in 2013 as Headmaster from Christ’s Hospital, where he was Senior Deputy Head. He is currently Vice-Chair of the HMC Professional Development sub-committee.
COVER: PRIOR PARK COLLEGE, BATH
ANDREW FLECK is Principal of Sedbergh School, Cumbria. Having been Headmaster since 2002, he relinquished this position to take up his new role which includes strategic oversight and operational direction. SUE WOODROOFE has been a Headteacher for 12 years, first at The British School of Brussels and now at The Grammar School at Leeds.
SIR ANTHONY SELDON
is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham. He was 13th Master of Wellington College in Berkshire from 2006 to 2015.
COLIN BELL is CEO of COBIS which works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support staff and governors from high quality British international schools in more than 80 countries worldwide.
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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GORDON’S SCHOOL A UNIQUE EDUCATION
TOP 1% FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT Ranked in the top 1% of all schools in England and Wales over the past 3 years at GCSE and A Levels.
Year 9 and Sixth Form Residential Boarding places available from £5,378 per term
www.gordons.school
SCHOOL NEWS
IN BRIEF
STUDENT SUCCESSES • LANDMARK CELEBRATIONS • FUNDRAISING FEATS • NEW HEADTEACHERS
Evensong at Ely Cathedral Abbey Gate College, Chester
The College’s Chapel Choir was invited to perform Evensong at Ely Cathedral, as well as King’s College Chapel, where temperatures and standards were high. While visiting, the choir members took the opportunity to go punting and take a guided tour of Queens College. Head of Music, James Andrews said: “They sang brilliantly, were professional in their conduct and were a credit to themselves and the college. I thank them for their hard work and an excellent tour.”
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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SCHOOL NEWS
IN BRIEF
• SEEING DOUBLE Lady Eleanor Holles, Middlesex
Twins Gemma and Catherine King, scored 10 A*s between them in last month’s A-Level results. The girls, who will both study Natural Sciences at Cambridge, are also impressive athletes.
• GOOD SPORTS Stonyhurst College, Lancashire
Touch the sky Benenden, Kent
After 18 months of hard work, a team of pupils finally took their microlight aeroplane for its maiden flight. This engineering project was run with the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) as part of the organisation’s New Horizons scheme. Headmistress Samantha Price said: “At Benenden we’re developing the engineers of the future. Engineering skills are only going to become more important as technology develops further.”
• A BRIGHT SPARK Royal Hospital School, Ipswich
Academic and sports scholar, Charlotte Stenning, achieved an outstanding set of GCSE results with 10 A* equivalents including the very top new Nine grade in eight subjects.
Principle Irfan Latif with Natasha Devon MBE
8
Staff and alumni formed a special Stonyhurst Gentlemen’s XI to play against the Vatican XI in their fourth Light of Faith Tour of England. It was a perfect day for cricket.
All’s well
Under the hammer
Out on a swim
DLD College, London
Rugby School, Warks
Trinity School, Croydon
Author, campaigner and mental and emotional wellbeing advocate Natasha Devon MBE recently opened the College’s new Wellbeing Centre. Mark Johnson, Head of Wellbeing at DLD said: “The facility will introduce a programme of personal development coaching.”
On 4th December, London auction house Christie’s will present Old Masters/ New Scholars: Works of Art to Benefit Rugby School, a standalone sale comprising approximately 200 lots from the school’s private collection, from period paintings to original manuscripts.
A group of students from Trinity School, Croydon, successfully completed a 21mile relay swim of the English Channel. Raising money for Crisis and Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK (SRUK). The team swam for 14 hours and eight minutes from Dover to France in September.
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
• HORSING AROUND Ampleforth, York
With its proud history of equestrian athletes, Ampleforth College is to extend its current country pursuits opportunities with a six figure investment in a new equestrian arena.
£200 OFF WITH CODE ISP2019
“It was an amazing experience, worth every single minute. You learn so much, meet so many different people, and leave with wonderful memories that you will never forget.” REBECA NILSSON, PARTICIPANT
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SCHOOL NEWS
HEADS ON THE MOVE
Kingston Grammar School’s lucky 18 out on the water
It’s all change for these schools
Dan Harrison has started as the new Head of Sedbergh School, Cumbria.
Bart Wielenga is Head of Blundell’s School, Devon. He was previously Deputy Head.
An oar-some experience Kingston Grammar School, London
The U15 and U17 rowing teams had the honour of manning The Queen’s rowbarge, Gloriana, as part of the BBC Radio 2 celebrations to mark the final of its 500 Words creative writing competition. The lucky 18 also got to meet the Duchess of Cornwall, David Walliams, Jason Isaacs and Jim Broadbent. Head of Rowing, Ed Green said: “We’re delighted to have been selected as the Gloriana’s rowing crew on this special occasion.”
Dr Anne Cotton has started at Portsmouth Grammar School.
Maria Young has taken up the reins at St Mary’s, Shaftesbury.
Keith Metcalfe former Deputy Head of Harrow, will take over as Head of Malvern College, Worcs in April 2019.
Ready, steady, cook!
These girls can
Truro School, Cornwall
Leighton Park, Surrey
Great British Bake Off doyenne Prue Leith officially opened Truro’s new cookery school last month. In addition to enabling practical cookery to be taught throughout the school, the new culinary facility gives Sixth Form students the incredible opportunity to complete the prestigious Leiths Introductory Certificate of Food and Wine.
The girls kicked, batted, bowled and jumped their way through their inaugural festival of sport. With almost 20 different activities planned between 11-15th June female students, staff and parents were invited to get involved with a wide variety of sports, ranging from Gaelic football to Parkour and boxercise to cricket, as well as a step challenge.
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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SCHOOLS
754 £16m At the last count there were
69,979 boarders at independent schools
904 SCHOOLS SHARE THEIR ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERTISE WITH PUPILS AND STAFF FROM THE STATE SECTOR
WAS RAISED FOR CHARITY BY INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS IN 2017/18
SCHOOL STATS
171,488
THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL BRINGS TOGETHER SEVEN ASSOCIATIONS OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, THEIR HEADS, GOVERNORS AND BURSARS. THEY REPRESENT
1,137
ave the facts and gures at your ngertips
1,326
THE PUPILTEACHER RATIO AT INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS IS
8.6
852
ARE DAY SCHOOLS
SCHOOLS IN THE UK
THERE ARE 529,164 PUPILS EDUCATED IN THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR
474
ARE BOARDING SCHOOLS
PUPILS RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH PAYING SCHOOL FEES
schools in partnership
with state schools
There were 106,668 pupils new to independent schools last autumn
And what are the costs?
*
£103,062: TOTAL SENIOR DAY SCHOOL FEES FROM 11-18 £169,935: TOTAL SENIOR BOARDING SCHOOL FEES FROM 11-18 12
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
*ALL INFORMATION IS TAKEN FROM THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL CENSUS 2018. SCHOOL FEES ARE BASED ON AN AVERAGE TERMLY FEE OF £4,862 PER TERM AT SENIOR DAY SCHOOL, SENIOR BOARDING FEE OF £11,001, SIXTH FORM DAY SCHOOL FEE OF £5,022 AND SIXTH FORM BOARDING FEES OF £11,881
schools regularly invite pupils from the state sector to attend lessons, workshops and educational events
WITHIN THE ISC:
“All schools say that they try and bring out your strengths, but here they really do it.” Good Schools Guide ONLY 1 HOUR FROM LONDON Co-educational, 11-18 years, day, weekly, flexi and full boarding on the north Hampshire/Surrey border, 1 hour from London T: 01256 862201
E: admissions@lordwandsworth.org
Long Sutton, Hook, Hampshire RG29 1TB
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FIND OUT MORE AT OUR OPEN EVENTS: Open Morning 13+ Thursday 22nd November Open Morning 11+ Wednesday 28th November
SENIOR SCHOOL
Beautiful SCHOOLS There are more than 5,000 listed school buildings in England, and many of the most spectacular are to be found in the independent sector. THALIA THOMPSON looks at five of the most enchanting
Charterhouse School, Surrey
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SENIOR SCHOOL
I
charity has been set up. At Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, for example, the Capability Brown-designed gardens are the responsibility of the National Trust – and the Stowe House Preservation Trust was created to undertake an ambitious restoration programme. These partnerships also allow for managed public access. This never impinges on school life; open days are usually during holidays and where it’s more frequent – for example, Lancing Chapel in West Sussex is open almost every day – the demarcation between public access and the school itself is very clear. s
ndependent schools offer a first-class education. In many cases it comes in truly stunning surroundings. Some schools have the splendour of a stately home, some have an idyllic setting in beautiful countryside and others offer an inspirational sense of heritage and tradition. When there are nationally important buildings or landscapes to maintain, schools cannot work alone. Some schools work with heritage organisations to preserve their historic surroundings. In other cases, it’s the National Trust or Landmark Trust, or a specific
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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SENIOR SCHOOL
CHARTERHOUSE SCHOOL, SURREY
s
Charterhouse school is steeped in history. The stately sandstone buildings are fine examples of the Romantic Gothic style, with spires, statues and walls decorated with the armorial shields of the many artists, statesmen, sportsmen and leaders who have attended or taught at the school over the years. The school’s monastic origins are referenced in the vaulted ceilings and generous, light-filled corridors of the South African Cloisters, built to commemorate the Boer war. There’s also a magnificent Memorial Chapel, designed by Sir Giles Scott to honour the 687 Old Carthusians who died in World War One, making it the largest war memorial in England. “Charterhouse is a very modern school, very outward-looking, but it’s also a place with a real sense of history and heritage,” says the school archivist, Catherine Smith. “The school motto, deo dante dedi translates as God having given, I gave and the pupils do get a sense that they’re part of a tradition of giving back to society and that they have a responsibility to carry on that tradition.”
CHARTERHOUSE IS A VERY modern school, very outward looking, BUT IT’S ALSO A PLACE WITH A REAL SENSE OF HISTORY AND HERITAGE SCHOOL STATS
FACTFILE:
Pupils making their way around the Romantic Gothic campus
Charterhouse School FOUNDED:
Thomas Sutton, one of the richest men of his time, founded the school in a former Carthusian monastery in London in 1611. The school moved to the Surrey countryside in 1872 and pupils are still known as Carthusians. ARCHITECT:
The new school was built by the Lucas Brothers who also built the Royal Albert Hall and Covent Garden Opera House. LANGUAGE LESSONS:
Pupils make use of Lingua Carthusiana, their own private language developed over the centuries. For example, “hash” is a lesson, “banco” is evening prep and dinner is known as “homebill”. ALUMNI:
Inside the chapel
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Novelist William Thackeray, composer Ralph Vaughn Williams, broadcasters David and Jonathan Dimbleby. Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the scouting movement, said it was where he first learned his love of survival skills, such as tracking and making campfires.
IN W O 8 SH 31 S 1 8 L ND O 2 0 A O R ST CH BE I T T S EM IS V DEN OV N 11 N PE & DE 10
IMAGINE YOUR CHILD HERE
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Sherfield-on-Loddon, Hook, Hampshire RG27 0HU
SENIOR SCHOOL
The chapel has fine stainedglass windows
RUGBY SCHOOL, WARWICKSHIRE
Perhaps the best spot from which to appreciate Rugby School’s remarkable character is an open space. “I’d start on the Close,” says the school archivist, Dr Jonathan Smith, “where famously William Webb Ellis, with a fine disregard for the rules, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it… If you stand on the Close you’re surrounded by beautiful buildings, so that’s where I’d start, not with one building but with that space.” From here you can see the distinctive chapel, a polychromatic building, with fine stained glass windows. Next come the towers of School House, the first boarding house. The Head still occupies the same offices that renowned Headmaster Thomas Arnold used, and Upper Bench, his former schoolroom, with panelled walls and stained glass windows is now a classics classroom. The Mound, a burial mound surrounded by a moat, looks a tranquil spot. But it has history as the site of the great rebellion in 1797, when boys mutinied, retreated to the island, only yielding when the local militia were called in.
SCHOOL FACTS FACTFILE:
Rugby School FOUNDED:
The school was founded in 1567 in the centre of town with a legacy from Lawrence Sheriff, grocer to Elizabeth I. It moved to its present site around 1750. NOTABLE HEADMASTER:
THE HEAD STILL OCCUPIES THE SAME OFFICES that renowned
Headmaster Thomas Arnold used and Upper Bench, HIS FORMER SCHOOLROOM IS NOW A CLASSICS CLASSROOM Pupils sit in the grounds that overlook the city of Bath
Dr Thomas Arnold, appointed in 1828, brought in many reforms and is credited with transforming English public schools. He was immortalised in Thomas Hughes’ novel Tom Brown’s School Days. ROYAL CONNECTIONS:
The King’s Oak was planted by Edward VII in 1909; the Headmaster stands under this tree every morning to watch the pupils file into chapel. ALUMNI:
Writers Lewis Carroll, Rupert Brooke and Anthony Horowitz.
PRIOR PARK COLLEGE, BATH
Prior Park, a Grade I listed Georgian mansion, commands an imposing position at the top of a hill with sweeping views down to the UNESCO World Heritage Site city of Bath. It was built in 1742 for Ralph Allen, philanthropist and mayor, who declared that he wanted a home “to see all of Bath and for all of Bath to see.” The enchanting landscaped gardens, which are now managed by the National Trust, were designed by Capability Brown with advice from the poet Alexander Pope and are complete with a grotto, Gothic temple and an iconic Palladian Bridge. Academy Hall, where students now sit their GCSEs, is perhaps the most elegant of the interiors with exquisite decorative plasterwork panels and pilaster columns. Three chandeliers hang from the coved ceilings while the windows offer picture-perfect views over Bath.
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SENIOR SCHOOL
FETTES COLLEGE, EDINBURGH
The College is an unmistakable part of the Edinburgh skyline but if it’s impressive from a distance, it’s even more awe-inspiring up close. It’s a palatial building, designed by David Bryce taking inspiration from the chateaux of the Loire Valley. There’s an extravagance of turrets, spires and gargoyles. It’s full of intricate detail – there are little bees made of lead adorning the towers, a nod to the bee on founder William Fettes’ coat of arms. The original Bryce building is where English and history lessons take place, and two of the girls’ boarding houses are right up in the turrets. The school has expanded its 90-acre site, most recently with the opening of the Spens building with purpose-built spaces for lessons. “It’s that sort of modernity in comparison with the old buildings which makes Fettes such an inspirational place,” says Director of Marketing, Gemma Gray.
SCHOOL FACTS
FACTFILE:
Fettes College FOUNDED:
The college opened in 1870, following a bequest from William Fettes, a wealthy business man and twice Lord Provost of Edinburgh. ARCHITECT:
Fettes sits on a 90-acre site of buildings old and new
David Bryce was the leading exponent of the style that came to be known as Scottish Baronial. As well as Fettes College, his other works such as the Bank of Scotland and the Royal Infirmary make a huge contribution to the Edinburgh skyline. FETTES IN FICTION:
According to Ian Fleming’s novels, James Bond attended Fettes College after a brief stint at Eton. Captain Britain, Marvel Comic’s British equivalent of Captain America, was also a fictional pupil, as was Francis Urquhart in House of Cards. ALUMNI:
Tony Blair, composer Michael Tippett. s
SCHOOL FACTS FACTFILE:
Prior Park College ARCHITECT:
John Wood the Elder, the outstanding Georgian architect, responsible for many of Bath’s most beautiful buildings, designed the house in 1742. FOUNDED:
Founded as a Roman Catholic school and seminary in 1830 by the Benedictine Bishop Baines.
The school chapel plays a key part in the life of the school and it’s a majestic building with soaring Corinthian columns. “We hold regular outreach events there,” says Marketing Manager, Kerena Bishop, “one small girl from a local primary school looked up and thought the chapel ceiling was so beautiful she asked her teacher was that what heaven looked like.”
The chapel plays an important role in the school’s day-to-day life
ALUMNI:
Producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’ Connor, broadcaster Hugh Scully. SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS:
The Palladian Bridge provides a stylish setting for the Sixth Form leavers’ tradition of Bubbles on the Bridge, a glass of champagne to celebrate the years they’ve spent in these idyllic surroundings.
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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SENIOR SCHOOL
Malvern’s rolling estate is perfect for outdoor pursuits
MALVERN COLLEGE, WORCESTERSHIRE
Enjoying a breathtaking setting on the lower slopes of the Malvern Hills, the elegant buildings of the College enclose three sides of a quadrangle with a perfectly proportioned gatehouse taking centre stage. The main building and chapel, big enough for the whole school to gather in, were designed at the height of the Gothic Revival, as shown by the steep gables and buttresses. The school makes the most of its 250-acre site and the glorious countryside surrounding it with a fleet of canoes, kayaks and mountain bikes put to good use. There are also regular trips to Cwm Llwch, the school’s old farmhouse in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park. “Many people visiting Malvern have said it’s the most beautiful school in the world,” says Headmaster Antony Clark. “I certainly do believe that the aesthetics of a school has much to do with the commitment felt by pupils and the impact that the school has on their aspiration in all spheres of their activity.” The college encloses three sides of a quadrangle
SCHOOL FACTS FACTFILE:
Malvern College FOUNDED:
Malvern opened with 24 pupils and six masters in 1865, but the popularity of the spa town led to rapid expansion. ARCHITECT:
The prominent Victorian architect, Charles Hansom, designed the main school building in local Malvern stone. The chapel was added by Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1896. ALUMNI:
C.S. Lewis, Denham Elliott, broadcasters Jeremy Paxman and Monty Don.
THE SCHOOL MAKES THE MOST OF ITS 250-acre site and the glorious countryside surrounding it WITH A FLEET OF CANOES, KAYAKS AND MOUNTAIN BIKES PUT TO GOOD USE
ARTISTIC INSPIRATION:
In later life, C.S. Lewis regularly returned to walk in the Malvern Hills with his friend George Sayer, a teacher at the school. J.R.R. Tolkien often joined them and his White Mountains of Gondor are said to be inspired by the beauty of the landscape.
COMMENT
HEADS UP
SINGLE SEX OR CO-ED? A single-sex environment allows pupils to thrive and be themselves says REBECCA GLOVER, Principal of Surbiton High School Girls are more confident in their studies in a single-sex environment
H Rebecca Glover is the Principal of Surbiton High School, London
aving worked in education for almost 30 years, and in leadership positions for 20 of those, I’ve only ever taught in a co-ed environment until January this year, when I became Principal of Surbiton High School. Surbiton High comprises three Schools – a girls’ Prep, boys’ Prep and Senior girls’ school. Over these past few months, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of a single-sex education, and I’ve been surprised by the impact it has had on my beliefs. First and foremost, what happens in the classroom is key to ensuring progress and achievement. Engaging approaches to learning, together with outstanding education delivered by teachers that genuinely care, is what ensures pupils become lifelong learners, and achieve academically. This is true of all schools, co-educational or single sex. However, when teachers are able to use techniques tailored to the gender of their pupils, learning can be enhanced further. I witness this daily at Surbiton High School. Girls can question and make mistakes more freely. They’re free of the pressure to compete with boys in subjects traditionally seen as being male-dominated. What has surprised me the most is the confidence this gives the girls, and that there’s no ceiling to
their learning. Indeed, a much higher proportion of girls choose STEM subjects at A-Level in any of the co-ed settings I’ve worked in: 40 per cent of our students have gone on to study STEM subjects at university. This rate is 15 per cent higher than the national average. In a recent open morning, when one Year Seven pupil was asked by a prospective parent: “Do you like being in an all-girls’ school?” She replied very happily: “There are no distractions or poor behaviour, and I can just be me!” At the boys’ Prep, teachers are able to create a bespoke curriculum, igniting curiosity and learning. The distinct advantage of an all-boys’ learning environment means that boys rise to tasks that girls might otherwise do. We see first-hand that in a single-sex environment, pupils can be themselves. They’re confident and open to ideas. They see the achievements of the girls in the years above and alumni such as Edwina Dunn, Chemmy Alcott and Nicky Morgan MP; and are acutely aware that they can be just as successful in any field. This year, 10 pupils have successfully gained places at Oxbridge. In sport, girls are more likely to take up football and cricket, traditionally considered boys’ sports, at an all-girls’ school, while theatre and dance are explored with more ease at an all-boys’ school. There are many factors that contribute to a successful school environment, and gender is only one of these. Outstanding teaching, dedicated staff, supportive parenting and an engaging educational environment are also crucial. However, if asked whether I’d choose a single-sex education for my child, my answer would be an unequivocal yes.
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
23
Open Mind. Open Door. Open Future.
Prep School
Senior School
Sixth Form
Open Days 2018 7th and 8th November 9.30am – 12 noon
Please call Admissions to book your personal tour. 2 mins walk from Northwood Tube An Independent Day School for Girls aged 3 – 18
www.sthelens.london
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AWARDS
Latymer Upper School in London has been shortlisted for the Contribution to Social Mobility category. Headmaster David Goodhew talks about the school’s bursary provision plans and his vision to make it even more inclusive...
L
atymer Upper School prides itself on being a leading bursary school, with the majority of its means-tested bursary pupils studying for free. The plan is to go further – to offer a lifechanging education to more children who show ability, regardless of their financial circumstances. To this end, Latymer launched Inspiring Minds in September, the School’s most ambitious bursary campaign to date. The aim of the campaign is to raise enough funds to be able to offer one in four pupils a means-tested bursary to Latymer by 2024. It’s felt to be the most effective way in which the school can encourage social mobility, with the goal of offering 300 local children from disadvantaged backgrounds a transformative education. When David Goodhew took the reins as Head at Latymer in 2012, he had a clear vision of making the school more inclusive. He’s passionate about making independent schools engines of, rather than obstacles to, social mobility.
Head David Goodhew has an inclusive vision for Latymer Upper School’s future. Below, pupils from KAA Academy
HE HAD A CLEAR VISION OF HOW TO MAKE
the school more inclusive. He’s passionate about making independent schools engines of, RATHER
THAN OBSTACLES TO, SOCIAL MOBILITY The £40m that the Inspiring Minds bursary campaign aims to raise is needed for the long-term funding of bursaries. The School aims to replenish Edward Latymer’s endowment fund with £20m of the money raised, protecting its bursary provision for the future. The balance will be a bursary cash fund, which will give David and his team flexibility to meet immediate need. If the goal’s met, the school will be able to offer a quarter of its pupils a mean-tested bursary. Bursary provision isn’t the only way in which Latymer’s keen to raise the aspirations of young people. With over 50 partnership programmes with local state primary and secondary schools, as well as charitable organisations, the school’s partnership schemes impact around 1,000 state-
school children each year. One new relationship is with Kensington Aldridge Academy: after the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, the academy was forced to close for repairs. David, who grew up in a block opposite Grenfell Tower, reached out to ask how Latymer might help. He was advised that he could show support by offering Latymer as a base for KAA’s Lower Sixth for the rest of the term. As David said at the time: “The KAA students have been inspirational. Their courage and determination to carry on with their education after such a devastating crisis has struck their community is both humbling and inspiring.” Some of the KAA pupils continued their A-Level design lessons at Latymer last year, passing their exams with excellent grades.
To see the full shortlist and find out more about the awards, log on at:
independentschoolsoftheyear.co.uk AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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Stamford School
HEADS WERE MORE SANGUINE THAN SOME CRITICS about Ofqual’s
performance, many believing that
OFQUAL HAD DONE AS WELL AS THEY COULD IN THE FIRST MAJOR YEAR OF REFORMS
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
CURRICULUM
GCSEs How do things look a year on? Have the changes to the GCSE content, system and grading really made a difference? ELIZABETH IVENS speaks to schools to find out
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ougher content, less coursework, linear learning and new grading; it’s been a year to remember for pupils but did the new GCSEs live up to expectations? In the wake of a surprise pass rate rise in GCSEs this summer, critics including Professor Alan Smithers from the University of Buckingham were quick to accuse Ofqual and exam boards of excessively lowering grade boundaries and inflating pass marks.
and their regulation of the exam boards so that examination performance is seen as a fair discriminator between candidates.”’ Alleyn’s School Head Gary Savage stressed it was crucial to have trust in Ofqual: “That confidence has to be there, it’s the bedrock upon which schools, pupils and parents rely.” But there was nevertheless some agreement with Professor Smithers’ accusation that Ofqual had “pegged the new grade to the old one”, negating the intention of the reforms.
Not out of reach
Difference at the top end
Elsewhere scorn was poured on the new Nine grade when it did not prove quite so unattainable as it had been warned, with earlier suggestions that as few as 200 of those taking at least eight GCSEs could walk away with a Nine in all of them proving unfounded. Such press reports worked for some but not for others, said Kendal Mills, Deputy Head (Academic) at Stamford School: “For most of our boys, knowing that they were going to be challenged – particularly at the top level – spurred them on. For some, however, the constant reminders of ‘greater rigour’ and various news reports predicting high rates of failure were a source of tension.” Meanwhile former UCAS Head Mary Curnock Cook OBE publicly queried whether there was enough confidence in Ofqual and the exam boards to allow results in future years to reflect any real changes in performance. Heads were more sanguine than some critics about Ofqual’s performance, many believing that Ofqual had done as well as they could in the first major year of the GCSE reforms. Sue Hincks, Head of Bolton School Girls’ Division, said Curnock Cook was making a ‘fair point’, adding: “We need to trust Ofqual
Dr Julie Potter, Deputy Head Academic, at Stowe School, said: “I agree that’s indeed
what Ofqual have done, however I think their main aim and rationale wasn’t really to see all students achieving lower grades, rather to provide more distinction between performers, specifically at the top end.” At Bolton School, Sue Hincks said it was “inevitable” that this would happen and that she would have preferred a different system from the outset of the reforms: “When they were first announced, I wanted a ‘new’ qualification with a different name as well as a different grading system, so that employers, parents and pupils could accept radical changes in grading. Since this didn’t happen, some sort of pegging was inevitable.”
Bolton Girls
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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Open Mornings in May and September Scholarships and bursaries available Tel. +44 (0)1923 845514 Merchant Taylors’ School, Sandy Lodge, Email. admissions@mtsn.org.uk Northwood, Middlesex HA6 2HT
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“STUDENTS SEEM TO HAVE TAKEN IT IN THEIR STRIDE, helped by the fact that they have had their work marked USING THE NUMBERS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.” - DR. JULIE POTTER, STOWE
Loughborough High School
GCSES – THE VERDICT 2018 was the first year that the majority of GCSE students in England and Wales took the exams under the new system, with new content and numerical grades. What was made of the changes?
Gwen Byrom, President of the GSA and Head of Loughborough High School, said everyone had to accept variation or comparable outcomes: “It’s a bit of a philosophical question. We can’t have it both ways.”
Give and take
She suggested it wasn’t a matter of having confidence in Ofqual or the exam boards but “more of a political decision about what the market – parents, employers etc. – can and will tolerate. I believe Ofqual and the boards are doing their best with a set of mixed messages.” Close liaison with schools and educational professionals will be the key to ensuring the exam boards “deliver fair, transparent and appropriate measures of pupils’ achievement,” claimed Gary Savage at Alleyn’s. Meanwhile, Dr Potter said she was sure there’d be “more notable differences between different year cohorts” in future, adding: “At the moment as they’re calibrating for the first time it does need to reflect the levels of previous performance, as promised.”
Exam overhaul
However, many Heads still feel the entire system needs a new approach. “Sticking to
Alleyn’s, London
GCSEs is a good idea until a broader Key Stage Five qualification was introduced,” suggested Sue Hincks at Bolton. Gwen Byrom said it was time “to look at the whole system of qualifications at 16 and beyond as one entity.” She said: “We’ve had decades of adjustment of different parts of the system, with vocational qualifications phasing in and out and reform of academic qualifications for different reasons at different times. Over time this leads to a lack of clarity and confidence, and I believe this is what we’re now seeing in the reporting of reform and results.” At Stowe, Dr Potter said she felt there was “a lot of merit” in the suggestion GCSEs should be abandoned as post-16 qualifications such as BTECs continued to develop. “There would have to be a major culture shift in terms of requiring all students to stay in school until age 18. It would to my mind also need to go hand in hand with a move to a postqualification university application process.”
On the content: Nick Gallop, Head of Stamford Endowed Schools: “Some exams seemed designed to make it as hard as possible to demonstrate learning – for instance, using complex phrasing, showing a heavy focus on relatively narrow areas of the specification, and question structures that bore little resemblance to the sample papers that students had prepared with.” Sue Hincks, Head of Bolton School Girls’ Division: “There was more mathematical content in many subjects. This may have made them more difficult for some, although it probably played in to our girls’ hands as they’re strong in maths.” • On the pressure: Sue Hincks: “We told them that the top grade was beyond expectation and the media was saying that only 200 people nationally would get all Nines, so the pressure was off.” • On numerical grading: Dr Julie Potter at Stowe: “Students seem to have taken it in their stride, helped by the fact that they have had their work marked using the numbers for the past two years.”
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
COMMENT
FACEBOOK VS. FACETIME Social media isn’t all bad, writes broadcaster Afua Hirsch. he key is to nd a balance so that screen time doesn’t take precedence over quality family time
new report by the non-profit Common Sense, for example, which has a reputation for media research on children and parenting in the US and has just made its first foray in the issues facing British parents, is largely optimistic about the role digital technology plays, and the ability of families to find the right balance. To the extent we’re getting it wrong, it’s far from only children to blame. Parents were more worried about their own addiction to their smartphones than children were about theirs. A common complaint from teenagers is that they’d like their parents to disconnect more and spend more real facetime with them.
Online, offline
Unlike many of us, children live in a world that seamlessly blends on and offline, a world which – whether we like it or not – is here to
I
t’s hard to avoid comparing ourselves to our children’s generation. When I talk to teenagers at my daughter’s school – I can’t help at having a sense of awe at just how connected they are. They’re literate in struggles of body positivity, feminism and economic inequality, even though, in the latter case, for example, many come from privileged backgrounds themselves. They have heard of, and engage with, thinkers and writers whose lives and environments are radically different from their own.
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
Easy access
Almost all of this is down to the fact that they have unparalleled access to information, of a kind I could only have dreamed of. And it seems to me they’re using it for good. They have enormous opportunities to develop their interests – whether it’s social justice, entrepreneurialism or baking – and join the communities where those interests thrive. Through the people they choose to follow and like on social media, they’re curating a universe of like-minded and inspirational people that once they would never have even had access to.
THEY HAVE HEARD OF, AND ENGAGE WITH thinkers and writers whose lives and environments ARE RADICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN Do as I say, not as I do
This is, of course, not the side to teenage use of social media that we’re used to hearing about. Instead, we’re anxious about their anxiety – as we watch levels of mental health problems, addiction and exposure to inappropriate sexual material rise. It’s hard not to notice how many of the parents who have founded or work at senior levels in social media and online companies themselves ban their own children from screen time – a telling indicator of how harmful they believe it can be. We’re right to be concerned. But we tend to simplify the dynamic. Suggestions that the availability of online porn are directly linked to sexual assaults among children, for example, are among the most alarming, but also among the least proven.
Not all doom and gloom
That’s partly because more research is needed. But some of the research currently being done confounds our doom and gloom attitudes. A
stay. There are undeniably children at risk from their online behaviour, but the evidence suggests these are the same children who were already at risk offline too.
Bad things do happen
I’m no stranger to the perils of life online – I’m told the amount of trolling I’ve come to expect from my TV commentary and writing contributions, is particularly vicious. The effects can be disarming at best, and seriously threatening at worst. We need to educate the next generation, and unfortunately prepare them too, for the fact that people will behave terribly towards them online. But the trolls are a minority. Most of the people I follow are useful, interesting and often reaffirming. And the majority of children are experiencing their online lives as a mix of opportunity and challenge, in exactly the same way as that offline. As parents we need to help guide them through this, just as we would any other part of their journey. AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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COMMENT
PUPIL VOICE
THE LAD SCIENTIST Bedford School Sixth Former LAURENCE PLEUGER talks about the research he worked on at the Wellcome Genome Campus this summer Can you tell us about the research you conducted? Some of my fellow classmates and I worked with scientists from the Wellcome Genome Campus to help identify all of the genes in the Human Whipworm genome – a process known as annotation. Human Whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) which affects millions of children in third world countries who typically have poor sanitation. The Whipworm parasitic infection causes diarrhoea, abdominal pain, malnutrition and severe developmental problems. What do you do with your scientific findings? The scientists use the information gleaned from our work to look at drug targets to treat the parasite. How did you end up working at Wellcome? I’m studying biology, politics, history and RE at A-Level and had been working to identify the genes at school. I was recognised as one of the top annotators on the project and was invited to go and work with the scientists at Wellcome. How long did you spend there? A week of the summer holidays.
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as variation, related to the geography and landscape of where the data was collected.
Bedford School
How did you get involved with it initially? With my biology teacher Mrs Mainstone, I worked to understand the data and the programme that we’ve been using at school, explaining it to my fellow classmates in the process. I annotated the genome in my own time and I was thrilled that I was recognised and could take this learning experience further.
Laurence Pleuger
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
What did the work actually involve? Maria (who’s in Year 10) and I worked with the scientists at Wellcome to help predict where the genes are. While algorithms are
used to do this, human eyes are required to assess the evidence to decide whether the computer is correct. And on a day-to-day basis? It was really interesting to go behind the scenes of something as cutting edge as Wellcome. While the annotation was our primary focus, we were given a tour of the entire site as well as the labs and EBI Building where we were working. We sat in on one of two presentations, which was about a project someone was doing for their PhD where tests were rerun on data collected about another parasite in North Africa, and how infection severity and rate as well
Any future projects? We talked about a scientific paper that Lizzie Rushton who works for The Institute of Research in Schools is putting together. It comes in three papers: one is on the lowest level of citizen science, where members of the public are asked to count the number of butterflies in their garden, another on an intermediate level of citizen science where members of the public receive a small amount of training to analyse pictures taken in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and the third advanced level, where students take a small extract training to analyse bio-data. I’m really looking forward to it, as she asked us to write a small piece about how it has helped in school and how effective it was. When it gets published I’ll be cited as co-author. What was the best bit? That’s quite tricky – I loved walking around the campus. Everyone there was clearly a professional in their field and there was no one that I couldn’t learn from. What would you like to go on to do as a career? I’d really like to work in Bioinformatics, the science of analysing biological data.
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WELLBEING
IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS A mental health research study that’s being trialled across GDST schools has had some impressive results, writes its creator, DR BRIAN MARIEN
S
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
The Positive tools have seen improvements across areas such as friendship and self-image
THE FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS HAS BEEN BRILLIANT. THEY’RE using the techniques for all sorts of things – FROM DIFFICULTIES WITH SCHOOL WORK TO FRIENDSHIP PROBLEMS example friendships, school work and future prospects. They then monitored the students over five weeks alongside a control group who were only introduced to the measurement tool. When the results were analysed, students who used the Positive tools reported greater satisfaction with friendships and lower levels of self-limiting beliefs in relation to achievements and prospects than those who did not use them. “We found there was a marked positive shift with the experimental group,” says Nicola Latter, Head of Lower School & Transition at Brighton and Hove High School and one of the leading PARs on the study. “They found their workload more manageable, they were less likely to let their moods impact their behaviour, there was greater satisfaction around future prospects and we also observed year-group specific differences – for example, greater friendship satisfaction in Year Sevens.
“The feedback from students has been brilliant. They’re using the techniques for all sorts of things – from goal-setting and difficulties with school work to friendship problems – but the most overwhelming thing has been the improved awareness.” “[The Inner Coach] has made me realise how you talk to yourself in a way that’s different from how you talk to other people,” says one student. “I think I talk down to myself a lot, but when I imagine myself talking to myself as a friend it’s much easier to deal with problems.” “Action research is part of Positive’s whole school approach to psychological wellbeing,” explains Dr Devine-French, Research and Development Lead at Positive. “By training teachers to carry out their own studies, we give them the opportunity to strengthen their own skills while also tackling the issues that matter to them the most.”
PHOTOGRAPHY ISTOCK
ince 2016, the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), a schools membership association has been working with Positive Group to help support their teachers and enhance the wellbeing of staff and students. Positive is a specialist learning provider that uses research in psychology, neuroscience and the medical sciences to help individuals and groups to think, feel and perform at their best. Over 200 members of staff from the GDST have now been taken through the Positive Teacher Programme with overwhelmingly positive feedback. The programme combines accessible scientific theory with practical tools to help individuals build resilience and develop skills such as emotional literacy, self and social awareness and cognitive flexibility. Following on from this, teachers at the GDST are now being some of the first to experience PIE, Positive’s new digital programme which is delivered entirely through the Positive App. This makes the core Positive content accessible to a broader audience, including parents. The second exciting development for 2018 is the opportunity for trained Positive teachers to become Positive Action Researchers (PARs). PARs work together to carry out focused action research to help measure the impact of initiatives at their schools and direct future work around wellbeing. In one of the first completed studies, five GDST teachers investigated how some of the Positive tools could influence self-limiting beliefs, wellbeing and attainment in senior school pupils. These included Positive’s Emotional Barometer tool, which allows users to record and track their moodstate, the Inner Coach tool, which helps individuals become more aware of their self-talk and develop a more supportive inner dialogue, and the Worry Filter, which offers a technique for sorting “useless” from “useful” worries to help reduce stress and anxiety. All of these tools are part of the core Positive toolkit and introduced to teachers during their training. The PARs introduced these tools to 65 students from Years Seven to 12 along with a tool designed to measure their beliefs about various social and academic elements, for
FOCUS
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
FOCUS
BURSARIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS SPECIAL An independent school education can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Michael Windsor, Headmaster of Abingdon School, Oxfordshire looks at the options available to parents to make fees more affordable
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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FOCUS
Scholarships
Different schools attach different values to their scholarships and they can represent a hefty discount at some schools, though
not all. At Abingdon, the monetary value of scholarships is nominal, with the essential benefit being that scholars gain from extension programmes which are designed to stretch them and give extra value beyond the standard curriculum. In return, we expect a high degree of commitment and leadership in the area for which they have been given the scholarship. All scholarship holders can also apply for a bursary which can be up to 100 per cent of fees.
Bursaries
These are means-tested reductions in fees that enable pupils whose family can’t afford full fees to attend independent school. There’s a wide range of bursaries available, from those that cover full fees, plus assistance towards some mandatory curriculum-related extras to partial bursaries, where families do make some financial contribution. The level of bursary relates to the financial need of the family, rather than the academic ability of the pupil, although in schools where entrance is selective, applicants will need to meet the entry criteria. The process of applying for a bursary can seem daunting, but there’s plenty of advice and support available; schools really do want to help. It’s certainly worth the trouble as the outcomes can be life-changing. It’s a real joy to see pupils who have been able to join the school, thanks to a bursary, thriving and going on to achieve some spectacular successes. So my advice would be not to hold back; get in touch and fill in that application form.
IT’S A REAL JOY TO SEE PUPILS WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO JOIN THE SCHOOL, thanks
to a bursary, thriving and going on to achieve some spectacular successes. SO MY ADVICE
WOULD BE NOT TO HOLD BACK
QUESTION TIME
Here are some handy questions to ask if you’re considering applying for a bursary* So who is eligible for a bursary? Bursaries are usually available to all pupils from the First Year (age 11) up to and including the Sixth Form. Generally, the amount of a bursary is not influenced by the academic ability of the pupil (although they must meet academic standards) but rather by the extent of financial need. How do you apply? School websites give information on how to apply, and most schools will have a person responsible for managing the application process. What happens next? After the application has been considered, applicants may have a home visit to discuss their application and review supporting documents. Schools often use external companies to conduct these visits. The visit isn’t a test, but is designed to produce a fair assessment. Who decides on the level of a bursary award? Bursaries are usually decided by a panel who meet to review applications and the level of awards. The members of the panel are from the school’s leadership team. How is the amount of a bursary award decided? Bursary awards are made following a financial evaluation based on a combination of family income and the value of assets and liabilities. A range of other criteria may also be reviewed including ownership of second properties, number of dependents, additional income potential for those parents not in full-time employment, lifestyle and holidays. Does a bursary last a pupil’s whole school career? Assuming financial circumstances don’t change, it’s usual for a pupil to receive a bursary from the date of the award until they leave.
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
* THESE QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON ABINGDON SCHOOL’S BURSARY APPLICATION PROCESS.
C
hoosing a school can be a stressful business. Èn the Oxford area, we’re fortunate to have an excellent choice of schools, both in the maintained and independent sectors, but parents still understandably spend a great deal of time weighing up their options. Independent education may not be on the radar for all families for a variety of reasons, but parents are sometimes quick to rule it out on the grounds of cost alone. There’s a great deal of assistance available in the form of bursaries and scholarships and it’s certainly worth looking into, even if your first thought is that independent education is out of reach. Schools vary in the type of scholarships and bursaries they offer but scholarships generally don’t take parental income into account while bursaries are means-tested. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of ability in a particular area. Many schools offer academic scholarships but they’re also usually available in other areas of achievement, such as sports, music, drama and art.
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
FOCUS
CASE STUDY: 1
SCHOLARLY SUPPORT
EUGENE DU TOIT, Deputy Head of Trinity School, Croydon describes the benefits of obtaining a scholarship
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long with bursaries, many independent schools offer scholarships to pupils who demonstrate a talent or potential to excel in a particular discipline. These tend not to be means tested, but can help with fees. Many schools will recognise the exceptional academic aptitude of a candidate through their entrance examination or interview, and so may offer an academic scholarship without the need for you to make a specific application. For other disciplines – such as music, sports, art, drama, and at Trinity, design technology – you may need to make a separate application, which could also involve a separate interview with the department heads, providing a portfolio of work, or going to an audition. The levels of fee remission may vary between schools when a student is awarded a scholarship,
Funmi is a joint academic and sports scholar at the school
but receiving one will also provide a wealth of opportunities for the successful candidate. At Trinity, for example, our sports scholars join our High Performance Programme and have a dedicated mentor who tracks their development and helps them balance school work and their co-curricular commitments. In music, scholars receive instrumental lessons in up to two instruments. The maximum amount for a scholarship at Trinity, Croydon is 50 per cent of fees and, providing the student maintains their levels of commitment and effort, lasts for the entirety of their time at the school. If you want to find out more about applying for scholarships, speak to the schools you’re interested in applying to. Their admissions teams will be able to help guide you through the application process and answer any questions about the school.
The playing fields at Trinity School, Croydon
RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP WILL ALSO PROVIDE a wealth of opportunities for THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
Funmi Morgan, 17, an Upper Sixth student at Trinity School, Croydon, was awarded a joint academic and sports scholarship when she joined the school last year. Being a scholar has given her chances she may not have had otherwise... “I applied for the scholarship at the same time I made my application, which was in October 2016. I knew from coming to the Open Evening and reading the school’s website that scholarships were on offer. I also know a few other people who have been at the school on a sports scholarship, and heard lots of great things about Trinity, which made me want to apply. “For my application I had to complete a form and outline what I do in sport, a bit like a CV. I was invited to an assessment day in December, where I played both netball and hockey. It was a really fun day, although I sprained my ankle playing netball, which made it interesting! When it came to interview day I had a separate interview with the sports department, where they asked more about me, what I’ve done and what I’m proudest of. They were really friendly and supportive. I was really happy when I found out I had been awarded a scholarship and so pleased I could come to Trinity. Through the scholarship I’ve had the chance to take part in Trinity’s High Performance Programme, which has meant I had the chance to visit Loughborough University and see its amazing facilities and take part in workshops. Trinity has definitely been the right place for me and I’ve made some great friends, so I feel really lucky.” s
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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FOCUS
CASE STUDY: 2
HOW I DID IT
ADAM HALL, 18, explains how he applied for a Sixth Form bursary to Bolton School Boys’ Division, Greater Manchester When did you apply for your Sixth Form bursary? ADAM: I applied for my bursary in my final year of GCSEs, at the beginning of Year 11. The bursary was a part of my application for the school’s Sixth Form, where I had decided I wanted to sit my A-Levels. Can you give me a timeline of the application stage? It was a small part of the application process. Once I had been shown around and was confident I still wanted to apply, the application forms were submitted. Once interviews had been completed and I was made an offer, financial information was given to the school in a filled-in application form and accompanied with supporting evidence.
small part, after I had proved to the school that I was How much did you know worthy of a place by means about the bursaries on offer of a test and a series of at Bolton School? interviews. My application for I was quite familiar with the the bursary was made after bursary because I knew, as my place was confirmed Bolton School was a private so there was some worry school, it’d be my only means that due to my financial of being able to attend. The background, although I have application for this was a a place, I may not be able to attend if the full Bolton School’s bursary funding I Riley Quad required couldn’t be offered to me. Happily, this wasn’t the case and once financial documentation was submitted, the school was more than happy to fund me for my two years of Sixth Form there on a full bursary.
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unaware of this unless it was made clear by myself that I was on a bursary. The interesting thing here was that a high percentage of my peers were also helped in some way by the bursary scheme, so it was never something that was frowned upon if you were a pupil helped by the scheme.
Adam with his Art Installation which won the Secondary School Saatchi Gallery Art Prize for Schools 2017
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
Did you have the bursary provision for the entirety of your Sixth Form years? Yes. Between Years One and Two there’s a need to submit financial documentation, just to prove that my circumstances had remained the same. Did you apply for a bursary to more than one school? I applied for a bursary only at Bolton School because all my other Sixth Form and college choices were state schools. Which members of staff knew that you had a bursary and did your peers know that you had one? Some members of staff, for example, my heads of year and senior members were aware of my bursary. Most teachers and pupils were
Was that your decision or school policy? For the reasons that I’ve stated, it was entirely my decision who knew I had a bursary and who didn’t; but it was never asked and no pressure was put on me to tell others about my financial background – it was something I could open up about with others that I felt comfortable with if I chose to, including staff. What qualities do you have to have to consider applying for a bursary? I believe the main quality is having a desire to learn and get involved with school life wholeheartedly. I feel like this needs to be considered when applying because most bursaries are offered on the basis of academic achievement. If you have a desire to achieve and are committed to working hard, it will inevitably happen and this is the best way to ensure you can fulfil your time here, and, to say thank you for being given the opportunity. What financial checks does the school make? They need details of annual income and bank statements.
FOCUS
A BROADER SOCIETY Julian Thomas, Master of Wellington College, Berkshire explains his campaign to increase fee remission for 2 per cent of pupils over the ne t decade
L
ast term, the College launched a campaign that will dramatically increase our bursary provision. Our aim may be an ambitious one: to provide significant fee remission for 50 per cent of students by 2038. Our methods may be unique: alongside traditional fundraising, we’ll use the income generated from our international schools to fund bursary places in the UK. But, for us, this is less about being pioneering and more about getting back to our roots. Social responsibility was conferred on independent schools at our foundation. Many independent schools are stepping up their bursary provision and the effects will be transformative – for individual students, for individual schools, and for the entire sector. At Wellington, we’re committing to this long-term; over the coming years, it’ll remain a priority for our staff and for our students. Why? Because widening access is part of our DNA. But there’s another reason: because we value diversity, and we believe that a more heterogenous student body will bring opportunities for all, irrespective of their background. When I became Master of Wellington College three years ago, I stated that I wanted the College to become ‘needs blind’. It had already stopped funding scholarships, directing the money instead into means-tested bursaries, so extending our bursary provision was the logical next step. Our aim is to raise funds to provide significant fee remission for 25 per cent of students by 2028, and double this to 50 per cent by 2038. We need to find creative ways to reach a broader spectrum of society – and the good news is that the momentum’s building. Not only is there a greater commitment from independent schools to be more inclusive through bursaries, but there’s an increasing interest in meaningful collaboration between the state and independent sectors. Partnerships are being developed in ways that are genuinely reciprocal: at Wellington College, for example, our staff and students benefit hugely from resources and expertise shared by teachers at the
A diverse school community delivers the skill set that business leaders look for
Wellington Academy in Wiltshire. Through such initiatives, we celebrate diversity and encourage inclusivity; our bursaries campaign will make a significant addition to the opportunities already available. It’s no coincidence that we named our most recent initiative the WOW campaign (Widening Opportunity at Wellington). The word ‘opportunity’ captures the spirit of reciprocity; the word ‘access’ implies a one-way street. When I speak to business leaders and CEOs about the skills they’re looking for in future employees, the message is consistent. They prize two qualities above all others: resilience and empathy. It’s difficult to develop resilience and empathy in an environment that is completely homogenous. At Wellington, we seek to produce outwardlooking citizens. Our co-educational community includes individuals from over 40 different countries. We have a long-standing commitment to serving the local community and a growing commitment to social entrepreneurship. We sponsor two state academies and we’re part of an independent-state school partnership of 11 local schools. We recognise that the best way to develop empathy is to live and work alongside people from different backgrounds, and dramatically extending our bursary provision to reach 50 per cent of our students will have a profound and beneficial impact on the College. So, we must keep looking backwards, reminding ourselves of how far we’ve come, but also look forward, acknowledging the changing world our students will live and work in.
IT’S DIFFICULT TO DEVELOP RESILIENCE AND EMPATHY in
an environment that’s completely homogenous. AT WELLINGTON,
WE SEEK TO PRODUCE OUTWARD-LOOKING CITIZENS
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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Schools and Colleges
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ETIQUETTE
WINNER TAKES ALL?
School matches have become a breeding ground for some very questionable behaviour, and it’s the parents who are at fault. Charlotte Phillips nds out why
motivators and leaders. And then there’s the matter of its life-lengthening properties. Yet we’re in a society where if you ask most people what they associate with sport, first on the list would be winning. A recent BBC phone-in featured adult fans reduced to tears when their team had lost; behaviour nobody appeared to think was unusual. Doping scandals have become routine, and are particularly degrading when our own sporting legends are involved.
Where winning matters
Like it or not, we’re all influenced by a
IS IT TIME TO ditch the tweets that indulge in a
H
ouston, we have a problem. All over the country, terrible behaviour is forecast across school match fixtures. Worse still, it’s likely to be committed not by the teenage players themselves but, increasingly, by the spectators – mums and dads who should know better. Nobody’s recording these incidents – what self-respecting Head, after all, would want the tally of four-letter words logged along with the tries? But stories keep coming.
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
It’s just not cricket
At a rugby match between two leading public schools, the mood got so heated that parents started swearing at each other. The fixture eventually had to be scrapped. Neil Roskilly, Chief Executive Officer at the ISA, heard of an incident at a multi-school championship where a parent attacked one of the event organisers. The reason? He was upset when a hoarding was moved, obscuring his view. Never mind that the day should have been all about the children or that the assault happened in front of witnesses. His right to unfettered personal enjoyment had been
spot of understandable but possibly OTT postmatch gloating, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE OPPOSITION IS A LOCAL RIVAL? compromised, and nothing else mattered. “How can things get so serious that parents can’t just enjoy the event and enjoy watching their own sons and daughters take part?” asks Mr Roskilly. How, indeed.
A story too far
Other strong candidates in the pushy parents’ league of infamy include a tennis dad who head-butted his son’s practice partner, breaking his nose, after taking a dislike to him. Or how about tennis player Steffi Graf’s late father, who wasn’t averse to picking an occasional fight with match officials and whose reputation for subjecting his daughter to gruelling training regimes earned him the nickname of Papa Merciless?
A force for good
Talk to most leading figures in education and they’ll say – rightly – that sport promotes values that nobody could disagree with. It makes us better collaborators, tacticians,
pernicious cultural message that emphasises success at all costs. Even schools aren’t immune. Look on most sports websites and what you’ll see is the sum of sport’s component virtues reduced to three little words on the fixture list: win, lose, draw. So where do we go from here? Could it be time for schools to take a good, hard look at the attitudes that they’re endorsing, albeit unconsciously? Is it time to ditch the tweets that indulge in a spot of understandable but possibly OTT post-match gloating, particularly when the opposition is a local rival?
What’s the answer?
In the meantime, one suggestion to stop parents behaving badly at matches is to ban them from attending future fixtures. It could just do the trick, as long as shame remains a strong enough motivator. If that doesn’t work, and parental behaviour gets worse, everyone involved will be on the losing side, especially our children. AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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FUTURE FOCUS
The route to success If your heart’s set on going to university, you must think ahead, plan and prepare, says ANNE COWARD, Head of Sixth Form at Giggleswick, North Yorkshire
Giggleswick School Chapel
S
ixth Formers are busy applying to universities this term, but it’s not all about Higher Education, whatever career path you choose. Careful planning and groundwork is the key to success. Thinking ahead is XXX crucial wherever you see your future post-18, be it university, an apprenticeship, degree apprenticeship or going straight into the world of work.
Consider every option
While university isn’t for everyone, it’s still the most popular option for our A-Level leavers. We encourage our students to look at all the options. Whatever they choose, young people can do many things to maximise their chances of getting to where they want to be. As well as full-time university, the new degree apprenticeships are worth consideration, while some may opt for a gap year to take time to decide and others go straight into work. Meticulous planning and preparation will help each individual’s journey to success. Young people should think about what can make them stand out from the crowd, especially
STUDENTS GENERALLY SEE UNIVERSITY AS AN INVESTMENT IN THEIR FUTURE. For those set on a specific career, fees are a fact of life TO SECURE THE CAREER PATH THEY WANT Sixth Form study
if they aspire to a place at a Russell Group university, or if they have their eye on a degree apprenticeship or specific job. Despite a growing rise in unconditional offers, generally, entry standards are still high for Russell Group universities and esepcially for certain courses, such as medicine, veterinary science, law and computer science. Of course, places at Oxbridge and Ivy League universities in America remain highly sought-after. Meanwhile, the new degree apprenticeships offer young people a chance to combine the world of work with higher-level study, so they really are worth exploring. There are some interesting options out there. This year, one of our A-Level students has gone on to take up at place at Doncaster Knights Academy, on a course which allows him to
combine playing professional rugby while studying for a degree in business. Tuition fees have been blamed for putting some young people off further study, but it still remains the most popular option for AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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FUTURE FOCUS
Giggleswick School
recent graduates. It’s advisable to look at option pathways after Year One, and if the course has a placement year, it’s important to check whether support or guidance is provided by the university to help secure a placement.
Preparation is essential
Giggleswick pupils. Students generally see university as an investment in their future. For those set on a specific career, fees are a fact of life to secure the career path they want. Most students feel that the benefits of having a degree outweigh the debt owed.
The research starts now
For those who are really unsure of what course to pursue, a well-planned gap year can provide valuable work experience, and if combined with a volunteering placement, it can help confirm their future choice. Research into courses and universities can’t start too soon and I recommend using a variety of different search engines to compare different options. Attending a subject-related Open Day ensures students look at how the courses are assessed and the destination surveys of
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
I would never advise anyone to take up a university place without ever having visited; even through clearing, when the pressure might be on to accept something as soon as possible. There’s simply no substitute for seeing it for yourself and getting a real feel for a place. You’re going to spend at least three years of your life there, so it’s worth making sure you are confident in your course selection. Would-be students apply for up to five choices through admissions service, UCAS and the applications are all completed online. Most universities specify either points total for entry or a grade offer. Often before the UCAS deadline, which is 15 January 2019, universities will start to look at applications and make offers and invitations to interview, which is why I recommend applying as early as possible. Our careers advisor works with and supports all age groups throughout the school, but the focus changes as they get older. We work with each individual pupil to identify their ambitions and help them to explore their options through bringing in visiting speakers from universities, apprenticeship providers and former pupils to share their experiences. Working with tutors, we recognise that it’s not
all about academic achievement – although this is important. At university, courses use both continual assessment and end-of-semester exams to measure progress. We also expect our Sixth Formers to complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), which is an independent research project equivalent to half an A-Level. An EPQ carries UCAS points, but it’s also an opportunity for a student to demonstrate dedication and passion for a subject of their choice, which can be evidenced during an interview or personal statement. Undertake work experience wherever possible. Giggleswick and most schools have extensive links with many different industries and services. Volunteering and other activities such as Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (D of E) are also helpful, both in terms of discovering new interests and in demonstrating talents and skills to potential employers and universities. Planning for an interview is crucial, so it’s a good idea to practise questions and answers as much as possible, which is where teachers’ help can be vitally important. All our pupils produce a CV with their tutors and receive two formal interviews as part of the enrichment programme where pupils receive valuable advice from specialists in their field to help their CV stand out.
Be yourself to stand out
The biggest mistakes I see are trying to be too clever and thinking you have to know everything, when you don’t. Be honest and reflective of your experiences and this will shine through. Make sure you know your personal statement and everything referenced in the application, for example, make sure you have read any book that has been referenced, as the interviewers are likely to ask something about this.
Studying at Giggleswick
FUTURE FOCUS
IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU
Writing your personal statement can seem like a daunting task. James Barton, Director of Admissions at MPW London, shares his advice on how to wow the admissions tutors
F
or the majority of those applying to university, writing a personal statement is their only opportunity to distinguish themselves from other candidates and demonstrate, beyond grades, their suitability for the course. A personal statement should convey a number of things. First and foremost, that a student is academically capable of studying their chosen course; that they’re a wellrounded person who is likely to be happy at university; and for vocational courses such as medicine or law, that they understand the demands of a career in these fields. Students need to extrapolate the skills they’ve learned through education and work experience, accurately representing themselves as an undergraduate with potential. Writer’s block is often an issue for many students when starting their personal statements. If you’re struggling, begin by making a list of all the things you’ve done and that you’d want someone to know about you. Don’t compare with your friends; theirs will – and should – be different (and it’s worthwhile remembering that we live in an age of antiplagiarism software). Using this list, plan your personal statement as you would an essay and then write it. Another thing to remember is that students who are modest sometimes
WRITER’S BLOCK IS OFTEN AN ISSUE FOR MANY STUDENTS when starting their personal statements. IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING, BEGIN BY MAKING A LIST undersell themselves. If this applies to you, it might help to approach the personal statement as though you are writing it for a friend. A good way to ensure that every area’s covered is the Five Paragraph Principle:
Work experience
Introduction
‘Why?’ is more important than‘what?’ in this paragraph, which should be quite short in comparison to the others. If you can relate your extracurricular activities directly to your application then so much the better; your Grade 8 in piano, for example, demonstrates that you have the manual dexterity needed for your dentistry application.
Start by explaining why you’ve chosen this course. Don’t use the word ‘passion’! It’s a very clichéd way of beginning. Try explaining what sparked your interest in that subject.
A-Levels (or equivalent)
How do your current studies complement your chosen degree? If you’re studying the subject you wish to continue with at uni, you can discuss what you enjoy about it and why you wish to further your knowledge. Think also about transferrable skills from other subjects: an A-Level in maths will help with the statistics module of a psychology course at university; essay-writing learned in English literature will certainly support you in studying ancient history as an undergraduate.
This paragraph will set you apart from other applicants and allow admissions tutors to develop their understanding of you.
Extracurricular
Closing statement
Your conclusion need only be a sentence or two long, and don’t start it with ‘in conclusion’. You need to concisely summarise the salient points of your personal statement and remind admissions tutors, without arrogance, of your relevant achievements and suitability for the course. Keep it academic, be true to yourself and remember what your end goal is. AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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FUTURE FOCUS
LOOKING AHEAD
Think it’s too early to learn about career management at school? Not so – it’s an essential part of the curriculum at Eton College, writes Director of Career Education, GEORGE FUSSEY
T
here’s broad agreement that, facing much longer working lives than their parents’ generation, today’s students will end up doing multiple jobs and follow portfolio careers. Recent reports from PwC and McKinsey have explored the future of the workforce. The pace of current technological change (and AI in particular), and the global competition for jobs at a time of slow economic recovery and political uncertainty are all drivers. For these reasons, we believe that it has become imperative to weave employability throughout the Eton curriculum. To not do so would be to fail in our duty of care for tomorrow’s generation. When we talk about employability we think of a ‘set of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal attributes that make a person more likely to choose, secure and retain occupations in which they can be satisfied and successful.’ Another term for these sorts of skills is career management, and when this is effective, students will understand who they are and what is possible, as well as being likely tastes, no emotions are worth much unless to make informed decisions whenever choices they are one’s own.’ Some parents may feel that need to be made. secondary school is too soon to be dwelling We also believe that students need to take on what amounts to a self-marketing exercise, time to establish their aptitudes, strengths and but all the evidence points to the contrary. values and start to portray these to the outside Leaving a career focus world. Setting their stall until university is failing to out in this way, essentially CAREER understand that the world developing a personal DEVELOPMENT TIPS has changed significantly. portfolio of evidence that Young people often have authenticates themselves, Know what your strengths a world view that may not allows them to show are? Then make sure that lead them to make the best potential employers that your personal portfolio is: decisions about their future. they’re ‘work-ready’. This is • authentic and consistent Evidence suggests that nothing new! Schools have with your purpose and they’re likely to focus on always played a vital role in values. careers that were common providing an environment • constantly developing, during their parents’ youth where students develop selfjust like you. rather than those that are knowledge. A.C. Benson, • aimed at the audience available now. that quintessential Eton you want it to reach. For this reason, career schoolmaster, perhaps • likely to enhance your education programmes in best known for writing the reputation. schools need to challenge words to Land of Hope and • not jeopardised by using the stereotypes our young Glory, famously said that: social media in a way that people hold of the world of ‘I am sure it is one’s duty conflicts with your stated work. For example, many as a teacher to try to show purpose and values. young people think of boys that no opinions, no
ENTRY-LEVEL WORK EXPERIENCE CAN BE FAR MORE valuable than work-
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WITH HIGH-POWERED FAMILY FRIENDS
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
careers in the City without understanding the pace of change since the financial crisis. Access to sound labour market information and the provision of good networking opportunities allows them to explore the careers available. Many employability skills are best exemplified through work placements, and though we would never go as far as to say ‘there’s no such thing as bad work experience’ we do think that all experience of the world of work can have merits. Sometimes, entry-level work experience can be far more valuable than work-shadowing arranged through parental contacts with high-powered family friends. The skills learned doing a waiting job help develop the sorts of soft skills needed to enhance a CV. Inspiring Futures has a helpful publication entitled The Employability Equation. The equation itself is given below: E = (Q + S + WE) x C E is Employability, Q is Qualifications, S is Skills, WE is work experience, C is Contacts. We may disagree about the exact algorithm that leads to employability, but there are many dimensions to employability and we need to embrace development along each one.
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COMMENT
HEADS UP
PUT A LID ON PLASTICS RICHARD CAIRNS, Headmaster at Brighton College, West Sussex, describes the policy behind his widespread ban on single-use plastic eating it with no idea of the health consequences. Some 8.5bn straws are used every year in the UK: made of plastic that takes hundreds of years to decompose. Horrifyingly, between 5m and 13m tonnes of plastic leaks into the world’s oceans each year. As estimates stand, by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish. To ensure that our pupils are regularly hydrated, we’ve installed additional water fountains and water stations. A party of pupils and staff has been set up to research companies producing refillable bottles and when we order them, each will be etched with key environmental messages to remind pupils of our aim. We’re also looking into trying to switch petrol and diesel vehicles with electric ones onsite. The Pupils will stay hydrated World Health Organisation has using refillable bottles classified diesel as a class-one carcinogen and the cause of thousands of premature deaths in Britain, yet it arlier this year, pupils started coming to see me about powers nearly all school minibuses. David Attenborough’s documentary Blue Planet, which I’ve written to major motor manufacturers exposed the plight of marine life being strangled by plastic seeking their support, and asked the school’s in our oceans. Horrified, they asked me how we could play science department to establish a Sixth Former our part in stemming the rising tide of discarded plastic. research group to analyse the evidence and A few months later I announced that I intended to ban single-use advise me of possible ways forward. plastic water bottles, straws and non-biodegradable cups from being In the meantime, we’re incentivising the used onsite – by pupils and staff alike. drivers of electric or hybrid cars by installing And I intend to make sure this ban is adhered to – I’ve told the electric chargers in our school car park. pupils that if they’re seen using any of the items then there will be The plastics ban is starting this term and consequences. Initially, we’ll enforce the changes with a system of the reaction from pupils to my announcement formal warnings for pupils breaking the rules but there’s also the has been very encouraging. One Sixth appetite, if it proves necessary, to use sanctions – in large part because Former wrote to me saying: “It’s so easy to the potential for sanctions highlights the significance of the issue. feel overwhelmed by the scale of plastic and I don’t think for one minute that pupils will ignore this ban but if any pollution that making any personal changes do, I’ve decided litter picking on the beach – just a few hundred yards can feel futile, so this is a chance for us to be from the school’s entrance – is a fitting punishment. We’ll treat plastics part of something which can really make a big and non-biodegradables as anti-social, just like cigarettes. difference in the fight against it.” Incredibly, a third of all UK-caught fish contain plastic. And we’re
E Richard Cairns is the Headmaster of Brighton College
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Independent Day School for girls 4-16 years Day Nursery & Pre-School for girls & boys from 6 months
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I believe in living a balanced life Sixth Form Open Evening Thursday 8th November, 6.30pm Telephone: 01234 361918 www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk Bedford Girls’ School is part of The Harpur Trust
Abbot’s Hill is a happy and thriving community in which pupils are encouraged to aim high, to grasp opportunities, enjoy learning and make lasting friendships. Bunkers Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP3 8RP 01442 240333 | registrar@abbotshill.herts.sch.uk | www.abbotshill.herts.sch.uk
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An independent, coeducational school for 3 to 18 year olds.
Senior School Open Morning Saturday 17 November 2018 9.30am - 11.30am To book a place, please visit www.stdunstans.org.uk
A leading independent senior school for weekly and full boarders and day girls (11–18)
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Friday 8 February 2019 at 1.45pm Wednesday 13 March 2019 at 1.45pm
Please contact us to book your visit: www.stswithuns.com | 01962 835700
OUTREACH
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Sixth Formers at Rugby School, Warwickshire visit Rainsbrook Secure Training Centre weekly to run workshops as part of their community action programme
PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREW FOX
E
very Wednesday afternoon Sixth Form students at Rugby School take part in some form of community service. There’s a wide range of activities to choose from: offering classroom support at primary schools; visiting elderly members of the community; and supporting local school children in maths, Latin, music and art. Andrew Chessell is in charge of a rather unusual project within Rugby’s community action programme about which he was interviewed for The Times earlier this year. This is an abridged version of the article: At Rugby School, 810 students laugh and learn on a picturesque campus with buildings by William Butterfield. All things seem possible to its talented, motivated pupils who have a thirst for knowledge and life. The school fuses tradition with a desire to innovate.
Just five miles away is a brick building where children the same age as those at Rugby also live and learn, eat and sleep. Rainsbrook is a Secure Training Centre for 80 13-18 year olds, who have committed offences including rape, murder and arson. Intended for those deemed vulnerable, there’s even a young mother and baby unit on site. Every week, 10 of Rugby School’s Sixth Form go to Rainsbrook, one of only three such purpose-built training centres in the country, to run drama and English workshops as part of our wider Community Action programme. Their uniform of tweed jackets is swapped for T-shirts and jeans. No hoodies are allowed for security reasons (so you can’t hide your face) and chewing gum is forbidden because it can be used to disable locks. Students go through
airport-style security, patiently waiting as doors are unlocked and locked again. They often have to wait in ‘airlocks’ for up to 15 minutes at a time as Rainsbrook staff carry out ‘moves’: when trainees (the names for those on a custodial sentence) are moved between activities around the site. Only when it’s deemed safe are students escorted to the classrooms to lead their sessions. They’re there to create work together, student-led work. I’m a drama teacher as well as a Housemaster at Rugby and I’m convinced of the power of drama, the importance of language in helping people find a voice. The initial sessions can be a bit of a tap dance, as trainees and pupils weigh each other up. But soon the barriers drop and the creative work is the focus. Much more important are
THE INITIAL SESSIONS CAN BE A BIT OF A tap dance, as trainees and pupils weigh
each other up. But soon the barriers drop
AND THE CREATIVE WORK IS THE FOCUS
Housemaster Andrew Chessell with some of Rugby’s Sixth Formers
the improvisations, the game-play, the silliness and fun which help build rapport, especially when the CCOs (Care Custody Officers) are not only present throughout but are joining in. In the English sessions, the atmosphere may be less raucous, but they’re no less animated with games such as Scrabble. Marina Symington, a Rugby boarder, was on the programme for two years. “It was difficult to find things to talk about at first. We started off asking about life at Rainsbrook. Then they asked us about life at Rugby. They were curious about why we’d want to be in education and why we would want to live at school. I think the programme shows them that people outside the centre do care, and it gives them someone different to talk to.” This year’s students who volunteered to work at Rainsbrook, have just completed their security training and have visited the site to learn more about the living conditions. AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
55
Open Day Saturday10 November Take a guided tour led by current students and meet staff along the way. Hear talks by the Headmaster and the Head of the Junior School. This is a fantastic opportunity to see the school buzzing with energy and at its best.
To book please visit bedmod.co.uk email admissions@bedmod.co.uk or call 01234 332659/690
Be inspired. Charlie Russell, one of the nation’s most promising new actors, believes that the supporting role played by BMS enhanced her performance. Bedford Modern School is part of The Harpur Trust
Education Reimagined Every day is an Open Day call now to book your tour +44 (0)20 8992 5823
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How can pupils make the most of a busy school life? Our headteachers give their advice
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ADVICE
thought patterns report back that they do just as much, but they feel far less anxious.
Dan Harrison, Sedbergh, Cumbria
Prof Mark Bailey, Master of St Paul’s, London with pupils
Gregg Davies, Shiplake College, Henley-on-Thames Life at the college is busy. Our selection process is geared towards pupils who are eager and so there’s always a real sense of purpose emanating from every corner of Shiplake. We take extra care in managing their downtime and making sure they get the most from it. The first priority is ensuring our pupils have time to contemplate, be it in or quiet time during prep and at bedtime. We make sure they know how to get the most from that downtime. Because of that we have run mindfulness classes for students and yoga. Giving them the tools to know how to make the most of their repose is key. We also ensure there are plenty of staff who pupils know they can turn to should they need to speak to anyone if they’re feeling overwhelmed. A particular struggle for young people is the constant demands of electronic devices. We were one of the first schools to launch a strict mobile phone policy. It wasn’t popular at first but students have learned to appreciate face-toface interaction and rest without distraction.
Paul Vanni, Kensington Park, London One of the great challenges faced by young people centres on the need to reconcile the desire to do as much as possible at school with the importance of creating breathing space and moments of levity throughout the day. At the start of the school year, give lots of activities a go, but rotate through them on a carousel basis. Think about what you’re doing and critically ask yourself which ones you enjoy enough to want to invest your time into on a more long-term basis. Make sure you have quiet time for yourself every day, even if only for five or 10 minutes. Always make time for lunch, and always try to ensure that it’s a social moment; eat with your friends, talk to them, laugh with them, and
Balancing time and opportunities is the most important thing you can learn. Making sure you build great relationships with your peers and teachers is your number-one priority every time. More possibilities will come your way and you’ll share experiences with good people who’ll help you when the pressure mounts. Sleep well. Fatigue erodes our determination and resilience. To work, play and socialise well, resist the lure of mobile devices. you need to be well rested. Set a regular routine If you find yourself being overwhelmed by in the morning and at night and avoid things everything that’s going on in school, talk to which keep you awake – like mobile phones! your personal tutor. He or she Say ‘yes’. Too many people should be able to help you with dismiss opportunities without OUR EXPERTS your time management and can thought. Don’t be one of them. act as a useful sounding board for Keep things simple. There’s a you as you juggle with competing reason why Mark Zuckerberg pressures. Always remember, always wears grey T-shirts – it’s you’re not alone! one less decision in a busy day. Keep your life uncluttered – put things in the same place, use lists Professor Mark Bailey, St Gregg Davies and a planner or diary. Paul’s, London SHIPLAKE COLLEGE Our pastoral staff encourage pupils to embrace short periods Philip Britton, Bolton of solitude, away from social School Boys’ Division, media or friends. Time to reflect, Greater Manchester to recharge and to enjoy calm. Above all, organisation and Another tip is to understand concentrating on getting the the difference between what it basics right are key to a balanced Paul Vanni KENSINGTON PARK is urgent and what’s important. life. Those basics start with getting Some tasks are both and must be enough sleep and eating well, prioritised, but try not to fixate on ideally having time to do so with those things that seem urgent but your family, creating ‘spaces’ for ultimately don’t matter that much. conversation and connecting. Sifting tasks in this way can often Since the school run has a fixed carve downtime and space for time in the mornings, the only Prof Mark Bailey activities vital to wellbeing – like thing that can change is bedtime ST PAUL’S exercise, relaxing or seeing friends – and it’ll need to be earlier than it – which otherwise may seem is! Once in bed, phones and iPads impossible in a busy schedule. should be charging downstairs – Another tip which works well not in your room. for busy pupils is to recognise the Then there’s establishing good pitfalls of drifting into negative habits. Think about what you do thinking patterns or cognitive first when you get home. Does Dan Harrison SEDBERGH SCHOOL distortions. The best example of that first action tend to lead to a this might be to avoid an internal productive use of time or is it the narrative that says ‘I should do beginning of a wasted evening? extra homework/attend a play/go And finally, enjoy life in the to extra lessons’ and to use instead moment. There’s no purpose at all ‘I could…’ In reality, these are all in being so busy and so concerned choices. Pupils who change the with the next thing that you don’t Philip Britton word ‘should’ for ‘could’ in their enjoy what’s happening now. BOLTON SCHOOL AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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Strive & Achieve
Students thrive at St John’s College An independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 2-18.
Come and see our School in action! info@stjohnscollege.co.uk | @SJCSouthsea
“The quality of pupils’ achievements is excellent.” ISI report 2017 A leading independent day school for boys and girls aged 11–18 | www.kgs.org.uk | #workwellandbehappy
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
SENIOR
SCHO OL HERO
EMILY STARR This Mayfield School, Sussex teacher’s passion for sport knows no bounds
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A year on, I’m in the process of organising Mayfield’s greatly anticipated first-ever cricket tour to Sri Lanka, which the U14 and U15 teams will head off next summer. Cricket is played yearround, and I’m lucky to have such committed players. Whenever they need bolstering, I remind them “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard!” As well as coaching year-round cricket, I also teach hockey and netball, run early-morning circuit training sessions, and I’m a boarding assistant, supporting the Housemistress to look after girls in one of the boarding houses. It’s great fun and we have lots of laughs together. Fortunately, they share my love of Disney films. I haven’t had a moment to be homesick for Kettering!
t was my grandparents who first supported my passion for sport, encouraging me and watching my matches whenever they could. My grandfather played football with the late broadcaster Sir David Frost in his youth, and our entire family is football-mad. By the time I was a toddler, I was kicking a ball around the garden with my dad.
History in the making
My love of football has continued throughout my life and unlike many girls, I was lucky enough to be able to play competitively at school. When I was nine years old, I began playing for Leicester City Football Club Juniors and there I forged great friendships with girls who were also playing county cricket. Short of a player one weekend, they asked me to join them for a match, and the rest, as they say, is history. I played cricket for Leicestershire Girls until I started studying for my GCSEs when the travelling became too much on top of a heavy academic workload, so I began playing for Northants instead, which was much closer to my home town of Kettering. There I was given the opportunity to try out for the England Indoor Cricket Squad and play international cricket.
Emily introduced many of Mayfield’s girls to cricket for the very first time
I was over the moon to be selected and I played my first international match at the Indoor World Cup in Bristol. However, the highlight of my cricketing career came when I was invited to play at the Indoor Cricket World Cup in Brisbane in 2009.
Change of direction
After I left school, I went on to study sports science and business studies at As a boarding assistant, she Loughborough, where doesn’t have much time to I had an amazing miss her home town time playing for the MCCU Academy. This Loughborough University team included nine members of the England women’s squad, and I was
Seeing the world selected to play outdoor cricket with them for England’s Regional Development Squad. My dream had always been to play outdoor cricket for England and it was everything I’d hoped it would be. An unfortunate stress fracture in my spine led me to re-assess my path and I made the decision not to go into professional cricket but to look into coaching instead. A few stints of work experience confirmed that I loved teaching and I returned to my former school, Bishop Stopford, to coach sport and to train for my QTS.
Hard work beats talent
Two years later, I began teaching sport at Mayfield, where I got straight into setting up a cricket programme for the girls – most of whom hadn’t played before.
The love of travel I discovered while touring with the England squad hasn’t diminished. In the summer holidays, I backpacked around the US with one of my colleagues. We visited the Grand Canyon, bungee jumped in Las Vegas, and enjoyed the sights and sounds of New York, LA and San Francisco. I’m enjoying having more time to see the world. Alongside my PE coaching, I’m currently trying out for the Kent County Cricket squad as my beloved Northants is just too much of a commute from Sussex. I’m hoping to be able to get back on the pitch myself again very soon, and hopefully inspire more of our Mayfield girls to try out for county cricket themselves, something that would have been unthinkable for them in my grandparents’ generation.
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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SENIOR
IN 10 PICTURES‌
Campbell College ounded in 18 this all-boys school wants its pupils to graduate believing they can make a difference in society
Campbell College is a day and boarding school for boys aged three-18 years set in a 100-acre woodland campus on the edge of the vibrant city of Belfast From learning to doff their caps in Prep One to the donning of distinctive striped blazers, the Junior School is steeped in tradition
Campbell College is the largest boarding school in Northern Ireland, with 154 boarders from over 32 different nationalities
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The Old Campbellian Society exists to build and sustain a community of engaged Old Campbellians, connected to each other and the School for the benefit of all Campbellians, past, present and future
SENIOR
The Campbell College Pipe Band was formed in 1909 and has always played a central role in the life of the college
Campbell College was the first school in Ireland to establish an Officer Training Corps in 1909. The school now boasts the largest Combined Cadet Force in the UK
A proud rugby school; Campbell College has won the Ulster Schools’ Cup 24 times, with an additional four drawn finals, the last success was this year The literary giant, author and poet C.S.Lewis attended Campbell College; and a lamp-post, said to have been the inspiration for the famous lamp-post in Narnia where Lucy meets Mr Tumnus, stands proudly in the college driveway
More than 127 boys and staff were lost in World War One, their photos sit embedded in the wood panelled walls in the colleges’ Central Hall
Campbell College was established in 1894: the college will mark its 125th year in 2019
DID YOU KNOW?
Campbell College sits to the east of the vibrant city of Belfast. This year Belfast was named Best Place to Visit in 2018 by travel guide Lonely Planet. The people of Northern Ireland are a happy and hospitable populace with a family-oriented culture that appeals to parents who are looking for a nurturing place for their children to study. AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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STAR PUPILS
ONES TO WATCH Independent schools have instilled drive, determination and excellence in these talented alumni
Ryan Lumsden, 21 Amateur Golfer, Wellington College, Berkshire Ryan was a member of the most successful golf team that Wellington has ever seen, alongside Edoardo Lipparelli (L, 2015) and Daniel List (M, 2016). Ryan’s handicap reduced from six to +three in his years at Wellington, and he then won a place on the team at Northwestern University in Illinois, where he has enjoyed the combination of a great academic education and a world-leading golf programme. This combination of sport and academics was what attracted Ryan to Wellington, and the competing demands are clearly not mutually exclusive, as Ryan has made the Dean’s List in each of his three years so far.
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After leaving Oundle, Plum went on to study politics at Edinburgh where she was later awarded a competitive place to study at the University of California Santa Barbara. Since graduating, Plum has spent six years working in and launching start-ups. As a founding team member, Plum helped launch Oppo Brothers (a successful ice cream startup), growing the company from just 117 Waitrose stores to over 4,300 stores across Europe. The company has also completed three recordbreaking equity crowdfunding rounds, raising over £1.2m and receiving words of support from Sir Richard Branson. In 2017 Plum swapped ice cream for shoes to co-found Two Degrees, a boat shoes business with a unique ‘Feet for Feet’ model; every pair of shoes sold protects 1,000 sq ft of endangered habitat around the world. “At Oundle, you’re instilled with the confidence that you can achieve, no matter how academic you are (I was not in the top set!)”
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
Harry Simmons, 20 Rugby union player at Leicester Tigers , Gresham’s School, Norfolk Following his A-Levels, Harry studied sports science and management at Loughborough University. He showed great potential from an early age, and at 14 was selected to take part in the Development Player Programme at the Leicester Tigers Academy. The scrum half has continued his professional rugby development with the club and has represented the U17 and U18 England squads. While at Gresham’s, he played for the 1st XV as well as playing for Norfolk, Eastern Counties and London and South East at age-group level. He scored his first two tries for the Senior Leicester Tigers team in the Premier Division in the Anglo-Welsh Cup game against Wasps where he was later named, Young Player of the Year. Harry has also made 11 first team appearances for Leicester Tigers and seven in the Premiership Division.
Phoebe Haines, 28 Mezzo Soprano, Brighton College, West Sussex Phoebe credits the college with nurturing her burgeoning musical talents and says some of her fondest memories are the performances and plays she took part in at school. She’s now an award-winning British mezzo soprano, her voice hailed by The Times as ‘extraordinary’ and as ‘silvery’ by the Evening Standard. Since leaving school, Phoebe has achieved a double first at Cambridge, completed her MMus and Fellowship at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and established herself as a leading opera talent. Phoebe says, “It’s all thanks to the college’s incredible music department. During our 8am rehearsals, I’d often think, ‘if I can enjoy singing before I have even had a cup of tea in the morning, then it must be the career for me!’”
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALLUN CALLENDER FOR CRAFTS MAGAZINE
Plum (Victoria) Turner, 28 Entrepreneur, Oundle School, Peterborough
STAR PUPILS
Edmund Le Brun, 29 Entrepreneur, Alleyn’s, London
Edmund and his co-founder Flore de Taisne
Edmund was recently named as one of 2018’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs, after cofounding ISHKAR in 2016 while working in Afghanistan. ISHKAR is an online marketplace and a “sanctuary for craftsmanship in its purest form,” helping jewellers, weavers and artists in wartorn countries connect to the international market online and in London. “These places have incredible traditions of making,” says Edmund. Edmund has always been drawn to Afghanistan. “When I was 18, I went to live in Xingiang, North West China for a year. It’s a Muslim area just on the border – big mountains, lots of mudbrick houses, a labyrinthine old city – and a lot more cultural similarity to Afghanistan than the China we commonly think of in the west. So I was always intrigued by the country just over the border...” He lived in Afghanistan for three years after graduating from Oxford, setting up small craft businesses. But there wasn’t a domestic market for Afghan products. He met co–founder, Flore de Taisne, and they created ISHKAR to connect those craftspeople from countries at war with customers who have the buying power. The products are really only one part of what makes ISHKAR. “We set up the business not because we were interested in retail but because we care about showing a side to war-torn countries that people don’t usually get to see,” explains Edmund. For him, the travelling is the best bit. They go to Afghanistan twice a year and probably spend a third of their time travelling but that’s still not as much as he’d like! ishkar.com
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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I N D EPEN D EN T DAY S C H O O L FO R G I R L S AG ED 4 TO 1 8
Queen’s Gate offers girls a warm, supportive environment where individuality is nurtured, academic standards are high and a broad-based curriculum ensures a well-rounded education. For a prospectus or to arrange a private visit, please contact the Registrar: registrar@queensgate.org.uk · 020 7594 4982 queensgate.org.uk/admissions Queen’s Gate School, 131–133 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5LE
Queen Anne’s School An independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11-18
The right choice for your daughter’s future Open Events
‘Excellent’
Friday 16 November Friday 8 March Saturday 11 May Thursday 13 June
Full and weekly boarding options available
BOOK ONLINE NOW
Independent Schools Inspectorate 2017
26 minutes Reading Station
66
London Paddington
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
www.qas.org.uk/bookanevent +44 (0)118 918 7333
TIME TOGETHER
ENJOY THE SEASON
FAMILY LIFE Our round-up of skiing trips, bonfire parties and festive fun
’Tis the season to be jolly, but if your family home has more modern, Scandi-inspired décor, these subtle yet stylish stockings are the ideal seasonal additions to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. merimeri.co.uk
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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HOLIDAYS
On a powder trip After a New Year’s resolution to try somewhere different for her family’s annual ski holiday, EMMA ROBERTSON was delighted by Morzine
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ack in 2017, it was suggested we swap our annual family ski holiday to Tignes for the slopes of Morzine. I don’t like change. In fact, I’d go as far as to say I’m the kind of person that actively avoids it. I like to play it safe, stick to familiar ground. But, after having spent too many years making excuses, I made a New Year’s resolution that meant saying yes to pretty much anything that seemed daunting or unfamiliar. That also included brand new holiday destinations. So, this year we headed off to Morzine. Two families, one chalet and plenty of trepidation on my part. I needn’t have worried. After just over an hour’s drive from Geneva Airport, we arrived in a bustling alpine town full of character, atmosphere and a good deal of old-world Savoyard charm missing from the purpose-built resort we’d previously stayed in.
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Set right in the heart of the vast Portes du Soleil ski area, Morzine has been a long-term favourite with the northern European ski set, but over the past decade as traditional buildings have been sensitively transformed into chic new chalets and upscale bars and restaurants have opened for business, Morzine is making its mark among us Brits too. Little wonder, perhaps, since the town and its mountaintop twin sister, Avoriaz have access to around 650km of prime piste straddling the Franco-Swiss border. Where Morzine really excelled for us though, is as a family resort. It lends itself to providing that bit of independence and has a lively après-ski scene that’s fun without being too chaotic. There are a wealth of activities beyond the magnifcent slopes, from snow mobiling
Emma and her family dined in rustic luxury in Chalet M
and ice-skating to ski Joering and paragliding. Perhaps one of our most memorable family experiences was night sledging by torchlight from the top of the Pléney gondola after the pistes had closed, stopping for dinner in a tipi half way down the piste. But as the children
HOLIDAYS
Chalet M has jaw-dropping views of Morzine’s snowy peaks
ONE OF OUR MOST MEMORABLE FAMILY EXPERIENCES WAS night
sledging by torchlight from the top of the
PLÉNEY GONDOLA AFTER THE PISTES HAD CLOSED, STOPPING FOR DINNER IN A TIPI HALF WAY DOWN
AND IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SKIING...
• Night skiing: Morzine has introduced night ski touring. Using headtorches, skiers go from the Pléney gondola with an instructor. • Where to go: Legendary après venue La Folie Douce is coming to Avoriaz, Portes du Soleil’s highest ski resort. Opening in December, it has La Petite Cuisine, a self-service restaurant, as well as La Fruitière, which will host the parties for which the venue is famous. Expect live DJs, singers and performers.
are at an age where exam revision has reared its head – Common Entrance, GCSEs and A-Levels all casting a shadow over our annual holiday for the next few years – we decided, on recommendation, to book a chalet. We stayed at Chalet M, one of nine The Boutique Chalet Company properties in Morzine, Les Gets and Meribel. Anything but run-of-the-mill, they’re like private homes and ideal for children and teens that need to study but with the reward or fresh air and powder runs after a morning at the books. Sarah and Chris Hamblin and The Boutique Chalet Company team went the extra mile to ensure our kids had dedicated study spaces, and we arranged for the in-chalet driver to drop them at ski school or on the slopes as soon as their revision time was up. Chalet M has one of the most stunning locations in Morzine, with jaw-dropping views across the village to the Pléney slopes and Nyon. This super luxury five-star ski chalet is an exceptionally large and spacious property which sleeps 12-14 guests in five en-suite bedrooms. There’s a hot-tub, sauna, hydrotherapy shower and treatment room, as well as a cinema with 3D screen and large alfresco terrace. So naturally, we’ve already planned our return for next year, only we’re taking it one step further to ensure the whole experience is
seamless, and have organised everything in advance – even a private tutor. New for this year, and one that I have earmarked for next, is Chalet Sapphire, which has been designed by architect Hervé Marullaz who was born in Morzine. It’s close to the village centre and has two distinct spaces. The main chalet accommodates up to 12 guests in six-bedrooms and Little Gem, a separate chalet has an additional two bedrooms and its own living area. The main chalet has a large living area and roaring fireplace, as well as an impressive dining space that overlooks the breathtaking peaks. There’s a wellbeing area superior to that of most boutique hotels, coming complete with a gym and indoor pool with massage and counter-current jets. There’s a Hammam, ice chamber, steam room, dedicated Bamford Spa with treatments by Bamford-trained therapists, and a separate relaxation space. Outside there’s a hot tub, sunken fire pit, postcard-worthy views across the snowy-white peaks from the barrel sauna and even enchanting forest trails starting at the foot of the garden. A seven-night fully catered (open bar) stay at Chalet M starts from £8,000 in low season (or £667pp, based on 12 guests sharing). The Chalet Edit offers tailor-made ski chalet holidays to Europe’s leading ski resorts, thechaletedit.com AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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ADVERTORIAL ADVERTORIAL
Sail away with UKSA
Have Have you you ever ever considered considered aa springboard springboard course course into into the the superyacht superyacht industry as an alternative to a university career path? industry as an alternative to a university career path?
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KSA, one of the KSA, one of the UK’s leading UK’s leading suppliers of suppliers of maritime maritime training, provides training, provides residential vocational courses residential vocational courses for 18-25 year olds looking to for 18-25 year olds looking to combine academic study and combine academic study and practical work for a long-term practical work for a long-term career in the superyacht industry. career in the superyacht industry. UKSA’s flagship programme, UKSA’s flagship programme, the Superyacht Cadetship is the Superyacht Cadetship is unique in the industry with unique in the industry with an annual intake in October. an annual intake in October. Working in the superyacht Working in the superyacht industry can take you all over the industry can take you all over the world. Earning around €2,400 a world. Earning around €2,400 a month tax free, this programme month tax free, this programme can act as a springboard into a can act as a springboard into a long-term career. long-term career. The Superyacht Cadetship, a The Superyacht Cadetship, a four-year structured programme, four-year structured programme,
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independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018 7070 | AUTUMN 2018 70 independentschoolparent.com independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
The superyacht industry can The superyacht industry can take you all over the world take you all over the world
HOLIDAYS
Out of Africa
Sasaab Sambaru
If this summer’s sunshine has left you wanting more, a winter safari should see you through the months ahead… Kinondo Kwetu
WHERE TO STAY
Giraffe Manor, Nairobi and Sasaab, Samburu Scott Dunn offers a seven-night itinerary in Kenya from £4,800 per person. This includes three nights at Sasaab and two nights at Giraffe Manor. This is based on a family of four travelling and includes return international flights and private airport transfers. scottdunn.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: SCOTT DUNN; TURQUOISE HOLIDAYS
Sasaab Sambaru
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othing really prepares you for the real thing of being out on safari and seeing it for yourself, no matter how many wildlife documentaries you’ve tuned into. Prepare to be amazed as you and your family drive across the vast grassy plains dotted with acacia trees of Kenya’s Masai Mara and where you can see the big cats at play in their natural habitat.
If you’re dipping your toe into the continent for the first time, it’s also worth considering Botswana’s Okavango Delta which comprises an intricate network of lagoons, islands and channels that provide a unique environment which simply teems with wildlife. Here there is a dizzying array of flora and fauna and animals too, such as rhinoceroses, giraffes, elephants and hippos, who take refuge from the heat in their watery surroundings. When you’re there you can also try to incorporate a wide variety of activities into your day, such as horse-riding and cultural activities. You can head to Madikwe, which is home to more than 8,000 animals and the fifth largest game reserve in Africa. One thing to consider, and which is popular with those booking a safari, is to combine it with a relaxing week on the beach. Kinondo Kwetu on the south coast of Kenya is a small and family-run hideaway that can be booked through Scott Dunn.
Madikwe Lelapa Lodge, South Africa Lelapa means family so there could not be a more apt place to spend time all together. For four nights based on a family of four, including flights, £2,079 per adult, £1,265 per child under 12. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
AUTUMN 2018 | independentschoolparent.com
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COMPETITION
! N I W TH WOR
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ancy a countryside getaway that offers luxury relaxation, fine dining and exquisite pampering? Then this prize of a Cotswold getaway for two could be just the ticket. Set high above the village of Broadway, the 400-acre Farncombe Estate – a glorious sprawl of forest and field, complete with rambling and cycling routes – is home to Dormy House, Foxhill Manor and The Fish. The Estate’s hotel, Dormy House is an original 17th century farmhouse with a 21st century twist; utterly stylish with a relaxed rustic charm. With terrific food, impeccable service and a state-of-the-art spa, it’s easy to see why it has
won so many awards. The interior design is the work of London design house Todhunter Earle, which is known for projects ranging from country houses to restaurants, nightclubs and ski chalets worldwide. The hotel has 38 rooms and suites, including two with outdoor hot tubs. One of these hot-tub suites is Rose Cottage, set across from the main building with a private courtyard. The exposed timber beams, floral décor and antiques make it a cosy retreat. Laid out over several floors, the Scandi-chic spa has two gyms: one for leisurely workouts and the other for personal training sessions. The thermal suite comprises a sauna, lavender sauna, salt-infusion therapy room and outdoor hot tub. With a treatment list by Temple Spa, a nail bar and a health-packed menu at The Greenhouse this is the ideal place to unwind and rejuvenate.
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Terms & Conditions One entry per household. The winner will be chosen from all those who enter and answer the question correctly. The winner will be notified within 30 days. If the winner cannot be contacted within 30 days, an alternative winner may be chosen. The prize includes a two-night mid-week stay at Dormy House in an Intimate Room. It includes breakfast. The prize must be taken between 1 November 2018 and 30 April 2019. It excludes weekends and the following dates: 24 December–28 December, 31 December, 1 January 2019, 12–15 February and 22–26 April. The prize cannot be transferred, exchanged for cash, used for any other hotel or in conjunction with any other promotion. For The Chelsea Magazine Company’s terms and conditions, please visit www.chelseamagazines. com/the-chelsea-magazine-company-terms-and-conditions/
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ADVERTORIAL
Q&A SESSION with Holland Park Education
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ince 2004, Holland Park Tuition & Education Consultants has been a leading source of educational guidance. Over the years, it has cultivated strong relationships with, and secured places at, the top nurseries, schools and universities in London and around the world. Its tutors and consultants are committed to bringing the best out of students, as well as helping families to understand the range of educational options available to them. Director of Consulting, Camilla Smiley, answers some of the key questions that parents ask about their children’s education.
glamorous work experience, volunteering or exotic travel; they’re looking for students who want to be immersed in academic history. Your son will face the history Aptitude Test in November 2019 and an interview a few weeks later. In both tests tutors will look for aptitude and ‘teachability’. His answers must be spontaneous and his thinking must show originality. Should we move our daughter to a different school for Sixth Form? Some of the best schools in the country recruit girls for Sixth Form and the intake is generally of a very high calibre. Although many Year
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Our son, in Year 12 has decided that he’d like to study history at Oxford. What happens next? The key to a successful application is demonstrating genuine intellectual curiosity through a significant amount of independent academic study beyond what his 11s will consider this move, teachers tell him to do. If your most will end up staying put. child goes to a top school, it If your daughter’s current can be hard to show this as he school is small, moving will be given a lot of support, could have its advantages. so he’ll need to A big school will Camilla Smiley, show that he has usually offer more Director of Consulting gone beyond that. impressive facilities; For humanities the number of applications there students and the is no shortcut: corresponding he must read size of the school’s extensively revenue make and begin now. this investment Oxbridge tutors manageable. Big aren’t interested in schools will have a
glamorous work experience, volunteering or exotic travel; THEY’RE LOOKING FOR
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
STUDENTS WHO WANT TO BE IMMERSED IN ACADEMIC HISTORY greater number of teaching staff, meaning more unusual subjects being offered within the A-Level or IB curriculum. On the other hand, your daughter may be more able to make her mark if she stays. She’s already part of her school community and is likely to have good relationships with her teachers; it could take her until Christmas to understand the environment, systems and ethos of a new school. Her friendships are currently well-established
and she doesn’t have the distraction of making new friends. Besides, Sixth Form usually has a different feel to it, and she’ll notice a marked difference after GCSEs whether she stays or moves. Sixth Form is only two years but it’s a critical time; now is not the moment to experiment. That said, if your daughter would find the change stimulating then the opportunities are stellar.
For more details, email enquiries@ hollandparkeducation.com
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Bishop Challoner School Shortlands, Kent A Catholic Independent School for Girls & Boys 3-18 Years
11+ Key Dates Application Deadline: 11th December 2018 Entrance Examination: 8th January 2019 Acceptance Deadline: 4th March 2019 Welcoming All Faiths
228 Bromley Road, Shortlands, Kent BR2 0BS www.bishopchallonerschool.com
Open Day
Saturday, 22 September 2018 8.30am - 1.00pm
Our inspiration is you Every girl is unique, with their own character, passions and idiosyncrasies. That’s what makes life at Malvern St James so enjoyable and rewarding. We are constantly inspired by our pupils and we support them to have the confidence to excel, to love life, stand up for all that they believe in and shape a wonderful future.
Be anything, achieve everything
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BOOK YOUR PLACE AT OUR FORTHCOMING OPEN MORNING ON MONDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2018
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
Forest School encourages outstanding academic progress and personal development, offering single-sex teaching in a co-educational environment for girls and boys aged 4-18yrs. Forest is a city school on the edge of North London with 30 acres of grounds. Forest - Where People Grow 0208 520 1744 | admissions@forest.org.uk | www.forest.org.uk
ADVERTORIAL
Preparation is key A new textbook series by Letts focuses on three key examinations used by many independent schools across the country
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
T
he Pre-test is a first stage assessment that’s used by an increasing number of schools for entry into Years Seven and Nine. Children usually take the exam in Year Six. The most popular form of the Pre-test is taken online and is called the ISEB Common Pre-test. It covers four subjects in a multiple-choice format: Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The Letts Pre-test books are designed to help children prepare for the maths and English sections of the Pre-test. Letts Pre-test English comprehensively covers the four assessment areas: comprehension, spelling, punctuation and cloze. Each question type is addressed individually through a series of skill-specific tests. These are followed by a series of full-length multiple-choice practice tests. Answers and explanations are provided for each question. Letts guides are specifically written and designed to help children prepare for exams
Letts Pre-test Maths covers the full syllabus through a series of multiple-choice tests, culminating in a full-length practice test. A wide variety of questions are presented, including plenty of challenging problems that are designed to develop a child’s mathematical ability and confidence. All questions are in multiple-choice format and answers and explanations are provided for each. The later sections of many schools’ 11+ and 13+ maths exams, tend to focus on problem solving. Letts 11+ Problem Solving and 13+ Problem Solving, are specifically designed to help your child prepare for this section. Problem solving often involves working through multiple steps to arrive at the answer. Such problems require students to be analytical, so they can identify the key pieces of information to help them solve the question. These new books identify the most common types of problems that appear in the 11+ and
13+ exams and provide a framework to help children prepare for them. Each problem is presented with a clear, stepby-step solution so your child can see exactly how it’s broken down and addressed. This is followed by a series of practice questions for your child to try. Throughout the book, tips and advice are provided to help your child work accurately and efficiently.Solutions and explanations are provided for each question. The comprehension section of the 11+ and 13+ exams often includes a piece of poetry that your child will be required to analyse. Many children find poems difficult to engage with, so Letts has produced two guides to build confidence when working with poems: 11+ Poetry and 13+ Poetry. These two books will provide your child with the framework and tools to analyse poems in an insightful and effective manner, within the context of a timed examination. They’re packed with useful advice, tips and suggestions, as well as plenty of exercises for your child to practise. A wide selection of poems, question types and literary techniques are included, providing a solid foundation for analysis. Emphasis is placed on giving students the confidence to interpret poems for themselves, so they’re able to provide a personal and original response to an unseen text when required. A challenge question is given at the end of each section to stretch enquiring minds and to provide an opportunity to practise writing higher-level responses. Overall, these guides aim to demystify poetry for young readers. These books have been written for Letts by Faisal Nasim and Louise Lang, who run Exam Papers Plus exampapersplus.co.uk and Pre-test Plus pretestplus.co.uk Find out more about Letts Independent School Exam books at lettsrevision.co.uk
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DIARY DATES
CALENDAR
Our round-up of fun and inspiring things to do before the year is out
Off to the races
Stir it up
Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire 3 NOVEMBER
The Spread Eagle Hotel, West Sussex 25 NOVEMBER
Kick off the National Hunt season with a memorable day out. From 10:45am, the racecourse will be hosting a medley of top-class jump racing and live entertainment. The £100,000 Sodexo Gold Cup Chase is the feature race of seven, with plenty of fun to be had off the track too, with fairground rides and a huge fireworks display. ascot.co.uk
Kick off advent celebrations early with Stir-Up Sunday. During the workshop, chef Martin Hadden will share his perfect pud secrets, before taking guests through his classic recipe. Afterwards, choose between a roast lunch or afternoon tea while The Spread Eagle’s Christmas elves wrap and dress the puddings, all ready for the big day. hshotels.co.uk
BONFIRE NIGHT
Have a banging time! Heaton Park, Greater Manchester 5 NOVEMBER
The Bonfire Night display at Heaton Park will be one of the biggest in the region. As well as fireworks, there’ll be pop-ups selling tasty bites such as toffee apples and hamburgers. manchester.gov.uk
Stir it up
Run up to Christmas Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire 15 DECEMBER
Try the Christmas Challenge at the former RAF Winthorpe Airfield – a 200-acre site, fully fenced and traffic free, perfect for stress-free running. You can complete as many, or as few, laps as you like of a 3.28mile loop around this historic airfield. Go for one lap or try the six-hour challenge. How far will you go? letsdothis.com
Merrily on high St Austell, Cornwall NOVEMBER – FEBRUARY
The Eden Project’s spectacular winter festival includes skating, lantern processions, festive treats from Eden’s very own bakery and Christmas carols sung by Cornish choirs. It’s the perfect family experience and a great place to hone your ice-skating skills. edenproject.com
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Inspiring intellectually brave, morally sound and confident young people who are prepared for life
An independent HMC day school for children aged 7-18 years
Bancroft’s School A Tradition of Excellence
High Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF 0208 505 4821 www.bancrofts.org Register at admissions@altonschool.co.uk
“A splendid school, catering for bright children and those who will seize opportunities.” Good Schools Guide Generous means tested awards, academic and music scholarships
Year 7 entry 2019 Taster Day: 30 October Open Morning: Friday 8 March, 9.30am Co-educational Catholic School with Nursery, Prep, Senior and Sixth Form. Alton School, Anstey Lane, Alton, Hants, GU34 2NG.
Tel. 01420 82070
ISP autumn 2018.indd 1
23/07/2018 13:04:10
NEW Step-by-step explanations and worked examples to support children preparing for Independent School and Common Entrance Exams.
e at n i l n o r e d r O o.uk c . n o i s i v e r letts Independent Schools Common Entrance Exam 1/2pp ad.indd 1
29/05/2018 15:04
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DIARY DATES
Light it up
Above par
Birmingham Botanic Gardens 23 NOVEMBER – 1 JANUARY
Royal Victoria Park, Bath 16 NOVEMBER – 6 JANUARY
A spectacular fusion of art and Chinese culture, this year’s Christmas-themed Magical Lantern Festival will illuminate the grounds of the Birmingham Botanic Garden. The larger-than-life lanterns come in all shapes and sizes, from animals and dragons to grand arches and temples. magicallantern.uk
Try your hand at some mini golf with a festive twist at Bath’s Royal Victoria Park. The city’s famous adventure golf course is being illuminated just in time for Christmas, with a variety of glow-in-thedark light features. Groups of 10 or more can book ahead, otherwise just turn up and join the queue. Hope you’ve been practising your swing! bathonice.com
Birmingham’s Magical Lantern Festival
Present time
Winging it
Maldon, Essex 8 DECEMBER
Norfolk
Enjoy a day of Christmas shopping, food and fun with a difference at the Bell Inn Christmas Fayre. Packed with original gifts ideas for the whole family and delicious food and drink to sample, there’s something for everyone and all ages at this annual festive extravaganza. thebeckinghambell.com
Fancy watching thousands of migrating pink-footed geese? More than a third of the world’s population spends January and February at RSPB Snettisham and if you pop along at dawn or dusk you can watch them in all their splendour as they move from their roots at The Wash inland to feed on the fields. www.rspb.org.uk
All of the lights Richmond, London 22 NOVEMBER-5 JANUARY
PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDY HAY FOR RSPB; RBG KEW
As twilight falls, the magic begins. Now in its sixth year, Kew Gardens will transform into another amazing Christmas at Kew this November. After dark, follow an illuminated trail of over 1,000 lights and watch as a festival of colour explodes around you with art, light and sound produced by a roster of artists, including Brightonbased Ithaca. kew.org
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Voted in the top 5 boarding schools for girls in the UK. Study International, Oct 2015
THINK BIG SAVE THE DATE
SIXTH FORM 2019 ENTRY
SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING TUESDAY 13TH NOVEMBER 2018 SIXTH FORM TASTER DAY TUESDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2018
Talbot Heath
Independent School for Girls aged 3-18
We have launched our new curriculum for the future taught from age 3, key content areas will be DESIGN THINKING Modelling, Engineering, Architecture, Urban Design, Sustainability, Product Design ETHICS Links to AI, Philosophy, Sustainability, Technological Advances DIGITAL DESIGN Coding, Robotics, Animation, Electronics, Film-making MATERIAL SCIENCE Key skills within all subjects will include critiquing work, problem solving and project management.
NEW! SWIMMING ACADEMY LAUNCHING 2019
Call Kerry Wills to talk about a free taster night for your daughter, a warm welcome awaits.
Bournemouth | Dorset | Tel: 01202 761881 | talbotheath.org StConnect Mary's with ad ISP Senior 2018 129mm h x boarding 99mm_Layout 03/10/2018 17:18 Page 1 us @TalbotHeathSch | Day and | Private1Mini Buses to London
A happy, high-achieving independent school
Expert advice on American universities
Excellent academic results and opportunities for the arts, music, sport and adventure for girls aged 4-16 at our Lower and Senior Schools, and girls and boys aged 3-4 in our beautiful purpose-built Kindergarten. For more information or to arrange your visit, contact our Registrar: registrar@stmaryscolchester.org.uk 01206 594180 or visit www.stmaryscolchester.org.uk
www.mayflowereducation.co.uk +44 (0)7521 428 478
St Mary’s Colchester
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how do bacteria cause disease?
Can we reverse climate change?
Why does snow sometimes disappear without melting?
Why does lightning smell?
Does iodine sublime?
Can we improve on photosynthesis to capture the sun’s energy?
Why are airbags dangerous?
Sibford School in Oxfordshire offers an innovative and diverse education where pupils are encouraged to ‘live adventurously’ Boarders (full, weekly & flexi) from age 11. Day pupils aged 3 ~18.
Open Morning: Friday 16 November Tel 01295 781203 Sibford School OX15 5QL
www.sibfordschool.co.uk
The school for adventurous minds Where will yours take you...?
One of the top five performing schools in the South West. The Sunday Times Schools Guide, Parent Power Survey www.kesbath.com
The Adventure Residential Jump aboard and develop skills for education or work
Ideal extra-curricular activity Bursaries available Variety of voyages including wildlife watching, marine-science themed & overseas experiences No sailing experience required Voyages suitable for 12 years and upwards
“
Challenge Wales gave me the best weeks of my summer, learning new skills and meeting people from all over the world Rhiannon
”
An independent school for girls aged 21/2 -18 years
Visit us to find out how your daughter could benefit from an EHS education
Offering girls an exceptional 21st century education based on traditional values We are experts in educating girls. With over 140 years’ experience to draw upon, we believe passionately in the benefits of single sex education because we know it works. Pupils aged 2 ½ - 18 flourish in a supportive environment where they are happy, secure and free to discover who they are and where they want to go. Visit us to find out more about how your daughter could benefit from an EHS education. ‘Outstanding’ and ‘Excellent’ - ISI Inspection ‘Out Transport from Sutton Coldfield, Streetly, Solihull, Stourbridge
Westbourne . Preparatory . Senior . Sixth Form
Academic, Music, Sport, Art Scholarships *Standard booking terms and conditions apply. Registered Charity No: 1111859
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0121 454 5831 admissions@edgbastonhigh.co.uk www.edgbastonhigh.co.uk
DIARY DATES
CHRISTMAS MARKETS
Party time
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK; DIGITAL TRIANGLE CREATIVE LTD
London 1 JANUARY
Start the year with a bang at the New Year’s Day Parade in central London. Now in its 31st year, watch the procession as it rolls through the streets of the West End – expect to see Pearly Kings and Queens, classic cars, floats representing different London boroughs and plenty of celebratory music. lnydp.com
Celebrate Christmas and Hogmanay in Edinburgh
A taste of Germany Birmingham 15 NOVEMBER – 23 DECEMBER
Returning for another year, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas market brings together a large range of traditional goods and gifts, such as handcrafted wooden decorations and delicate glass baubles, as well as a selection of tempting food and drink – from pretzels and bratwurst to warming hot chocolate. It’s great fun for all the family. germanchristmasmarket birmingham.com
Christmas is coming Hyde Park, London 22 NOVEMBER – 6 JANUARY
Is it really Christmas in London if you don’t visit Winter Wonderland at least once? A joy for kids (including teenagers) and adults alike, there’s plenty of rides, delectable food and drink, entertaining shows and market stalls to shop for those lastminute Christmas presents. hydeparkwinterwonderland. com
Ice ice, baby St Andrew Square, Edinburgh 18 NOVEMBER – 7 JANUARY
Get your skates on at the seasonal ice rink in St Andrew Square. Part of Edinburgh’s wider Christmas celebrations –including markets, lights and Santa Land in Princes Street Gardens and George Street – the attraction is formed around the Melville Monument, creating an elliptical rink that’ll have you in circles, quite literally. Headlining this year is Silent Light, a party raising money for One City Trust. edinburghschristmas.com
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MEMORY LANE
SCH OO
L M E MOR I E
S
ANNA MAZZOLA The historical crime fiction writer recalls pranks, prizes and an English teacher who helped forge her career success at Croydon High School What was your first attempt at writing? It’ll surprise no one to learn that I was a bookloving child. Every writer I know loved books from a very early age and most of us were writing our own stories by the age of seven. I recently found my first attempt at a crime novel, written shortly after I’d joined Croydon High: The Kidnapping of Lucy. The plot centres on the abduction of a baby and I gave it to my mum on Mother’s Day. Which is disturbing enough in itself, but all the more so when you realise that at that stage I had a baby sister with the middle name Lucy. Sorry, mum. How did school instil a love of literature? Instead of setting me on the straight and narrow, Croydon High nurtured my strange writing and reading instincts. I recently returned to give a talk in the CHS library with another author, SD Sykes, and found that the staff had dug up some of my early writings, including a disturbing poem called The Tunnel, illustrated with skulls, spiders and monsters. Who was your best friend? I have a strong memory of being found, age nine, in the art cupboard with my friend Amanda reading Forever by Judy Blume, and of us being reprimanded. I regret nothing.
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illustrated poem about trains and pylons. I blew all my prize money in Topshop. What are your earliest recollections of CHS? I remember being shown around the school before I was joined by a girl only a few years older than me and thinking how confident and articulate she was. Any pranks? We did some terrible things, particularly to new or shy teachers. There was a maths teacher who clearly dreaded us all. During her lessons, we would gradually move our desks forward so that by the end of the class she had her back pressed up against the blackboard, sweating.
MRS LOEWE ENCOURAGED ME TO APPLY TO OXFORD, WHICH I hadn’t
even considered up until that point.
MIRACULOUSLY, THEY LET ME IN
I don’t think children should be told off for reading, even if it is about willies called Ralph. Which teacher stays with you to this day? Susan Loewe, who sadly died last year. She was the first person to really show me, through close reading of texts, what language could do. I can still quote lines from Milton’s Paradise Lost (which she
independentschoolparent.com | AUTUMN 2018
taught us at A-Level). Mrs Loewe encouraged me to apply to Oxford to study English, which I hadn’t even considered up until that point. Miraculously, they let me in. Any prizes? In Sixth Form I was awarded a prize for creativity, despite my entry being some bizarre
What did you want to do when you left school? After studying English, I converted to law and became a human rights and criminal justice solicitor. I now try to combine law with writing and childwrangling. I’ll leave it to you to imagine just how successful that is!
YES, IT’S A CRYING SHAME…
…that she left it too late to apply for Hurtwood House, because it’s simply the best for acting, dancing, singing, film-making – “A Utopia for creative minds” – as the Good Schools Guide says. And crucially, this exciting school is equally successful academically. In fact, it’s statistically one of the top co-ed boarding schools in the UK. So, if you’re looking for a really exciting and rewarding change of school at 16 – don’t leave it too late. Call or visit our website for more information.
Please contact Cosmo Jackson
T: 01483 279000
E: info@hurtwood.net
hurtwoodhouse.com
The Art of
Mauritius
Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa
The best choice of luxury hotels on the island
As the first hotel company in Mauritius, Beachcomber Hotels had the first pick of the most stunning locations and the best of the beaches when choosing to place its hotels. We are now fortunate to have a choice of eight individual and exceptional hotels dotted around the island.
We’ve got everything from indulgent luxury to superb all inclusive options. For families all of our resorts are family friendly offering a great range of free land and water sports, free children’s clubs for 3 to 12 year olds, a choice of spacious family accommodation and family friendly dining options.
For the ultimate luxury stay at the best address in Mauritius, the Royal Palm Hotel. For golfers challenge yourself on the Paradis Golf Course. And for the perfect family holiday choose one of our luxury villas at Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa, Paradis Hotel & Golf Club or Trou Aux Biches Resort & Spa.
For the best Mauritius holidays call Beachcomber on 01483 445 632
www.beachcombertours.uk