Independent School Parent Senior Summer 2016

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Summer 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR EDITION

FREE

GETTING READY FOR

UNI

Rio 2016

Win! AN ADVENTURE HOLIDAY

EXPERT ADVICE

PERSONAL STATEMENTS GOING ON A GAP YEAR PLANNING YOUR A-LEVELS

INSIDE...

GODOLPHIN SCHOOL

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OLYMPIANS PLUS

WHAT TO DO IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS • SPOTLIGHT ON CORNWALL • SCHOOL ALUMNI • PREPARING FOR SIXTH FORM • BEDALES IN PICTURES

‘Every student at NCH possesses a genuine desire to learn.

This is nourished by our outstanding tutors, who teach with an enthusiasm that is contagious. I wouldn’t trade my undergraduate course for any other in the country.’

Matthew Walker, Philosophy BA with Law

Find out more about our liberal arts-inspired degrees at nchlondon.ac.uk

EDITOR’S LETTER

CLAUDIA DUDMAN Editor

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

CNP Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel (020) 7349 3700 Fax (020) 7349 3701 Email editor@independentschoolparent.com For website and subscriptions, please visit: independentschoolparent.com/register EDITORIAL Editor Claudia Dudman Deputy Editor Natalie Milner Senior Designer Monica Whittick PUBLISHING Publisher & Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Finance Director Vicki Gavin Media Manager James Dobson Brand Manager Chatty Dobson Subscriptions Manager Will Delmont 020 7349 3710 will.delmont@chelseamagazines.com Production www.allpointsmedia.co.uk Printed in England by William Gibbons ADVERTISING Group Advertisement Manager Freddy Halliday Sales Executives Hannah Inwood, Oliver Blalock, Sophie Acarnley, William Jaffray DISTRIBUTION Independent School Parent magazine is for parents of children educated in prep and senior independent schools across the UK. The prep and senior issues are published termly. Parents can subscribe for a free issue at: independentschoolparent.com/register Independent School Parent also publishes The Guide to Independent Schools biannually to help you choose the right school. © CNP Ltd 2016. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission from the publisher. The information contained in Independent School Parent magazine 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.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Welcome It really doesn’t seem like four years have passed since London 2012. In Road to Rio (page 12) we meet just a few of the members of Team GB who went to independent school and who are top of their game in a variety of sports.

With GCSE exams in full swing, our Talking Heads (page 28) offer tips on preparing for academic life in the sixth form.

In Do you Need to Go to Uni? (page 23), Charlotte Philips interviews a mum-of-three, whose children all decided not to go on to higher education. They are all hugely successful in their chosen careers. It’s fascinating reading and proves that professional success doesn’t have to come from academic success. In their symposium, entitled Inspiring Females, (page 44) to be held later this month, Norwich High School for Girls will mentor and steer pupils into building successful and rewarding futures. It’s another example of the excellent and forward-thinking initiatives that are found in the sector.

Plus, win a week’s adventure holiday for your son or daughter (page 60). To enter, go to: independentschoolparent.com/win Claudia Dudman, Editor

Independent School Parent, independentschoolparent.com

Summer 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

SENIOR EDITION

FREE

GETTING READY FOR

UNI

Rio 2016

Win! AN ADVENTURE HOLIDAY

EXPERT ADVICE

PERSONAL STATEMENTS GOING ON A GAP YEAR PLANNING YOUR A-LEVELS

INSIDE...

GODOLPHIN SCHOOL

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OLYMPIANS PLUS

WHAT TO DO IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS • SPOTLIGHT ON CORNWALL • SCHOOL ALUMNI • PREPARING FOR SIXTH FORM • BEDALES IN PICTURES

COVER: Lawrence Clarke, 110 metre hurdler for Team GB 2015, is alumnus of Eton College, Berkshire and has qualified for Rio 2016.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Ian Walton, Getty Images

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

3

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL

www.westminster.org.uk 16+ ENTRY FOR GIRLS AND BOYS 2017

Online registration is open from June 8.

To request a prospectus or find out about Open Days, please call 020 7963 1003 or email registrar@westminster.org.uk

13+ BOYS ENTRY

For information about entry to Westminster Under School at 7+, 8+ or 11+ please call 020 7821 5788.

Register now for entry in 2019.

Westminster School is a charity (No. 312728) established to provide education.

WHAT’S INSIDE?

amos, , amaat am

7 12

Issue 24 Summer 2016

News Our round-up of hot topics

University of Manchester’s Paul Redmond

Road to Rio

How did these independent school alumni make it to the Olympics?

21

48 Future Proof Your Career

Head’s Up

How do you define education?

23 I’m Not Off to Uni, Mum

talks you through the benefits of uni

50 Escape to Venice

8

Gap year student, Sophia, shares her John Hall Venice course experience

53 What Can You Do With Religion?

How can you benefit from a degree in

Taking the alternative route can

theology or religion?

reap rewards in the long run

54 Personal Statement Checklist

This issue our six headteachers explain

56 What to Pack for Uni

28 Talking Heads

Step-by-step guide from What Uni

how to make the most of the summer

Our edit of 12 essentials

30 An All-Round Education

59 For the Love of Music

Wisbech Grammar helps you with

We look at LCCM’s creative education

62

school selection and funding

34 Schools with Pools

Top swimming facilities making a splash

67

36 In 10 Pictures...

Bedales School shares photos

38 Behind the Scenes

60 Competition

Win a week-long adventure holiday

62 Ones to Watch

Success stories from the sector

64 Island Hopping

Mary Lussiana discovers the wildlife on

Godolphin School explains its inspiring GO Forward networking programme

41

A Holiday Home for the Future

Blue Chip Holidays look at the benefits

Kangaroo Island with her teens in tow

71

19

Spotlight on... Cornwall

Natalie Milner explores the rugged coastline and the Eden Project

of investing in a holiday let

75 School Hero

Norwich High School for Girls’

77 Calender

44 Inspiring Females inaugural symposium

47 Higher Education Our section dedicated to the next step

x + y2 = 4 Download our free app to read the magazine on your phone or tablet...

International hockey player and coach

38

50 EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD David Moncrieff, chairman Colin Bell, CEO, COBIS Claire Bourne, Hawkesdown House Andrew Fleck, Sedbergh School Tory Gillingham, AMDIS Ed Holmes, Independent Schools Council Aileen Kane, Boarding Schools’ Association Rachel Kerr, Girls’ Schools Association Glynis Kozma, education journalist Christine Ryan, chief inspector, ISI Heidi Salmons, HMC Sir Anthony Seldon, University of Buckingham Kris Spencer, Latymer Upper School Julian Thomas, Wellington College Ben Vessey, Canford School David Wellesley-Wesley, Independent Schools Show Peter Young, Marketing/Brand Consultant

Our Talking Heads advise on what to do this summer on p.28

Dates for your diary this summer

82 School Memories

Boat Race winner Charles Fisher

Keep in touch with us Tweet us @ISParent

Like us on Facebook

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

5

Assessment and Examination Dates for entry 2017

YEAR 9, 10 & 12 SCHOLARSHIPS 9th - 10th November 2016

WWW.SEDBERGHSCHOOL.ORG To enquire about scholarship assessment contact admissions@sedberghschool.org or call 015396 20535 quoting reference: ISP2016

NEWS

Our pick of the top parenting and education news

£10 million will be raised over 10 years

Fashion Apprenticeship Standard [London]

The British Fashion Council has pledged to raise £10 million to attract talent to study in London.

The BFC is supporting a group of employers to develop the fashion studio assistant apprenticeship, alongside the University of the Arts London, who will be the awarding body that creates the qualification.

CELEBRATING 500 YEARS [Bolton School Boys’ Division, Lancashire] This year, Bolton School Boys’ Division is celebrating its 500th anniversary, and to commemorate this a new “Roll of Headmasters” board has been created to display the names of all known heads, from 1516 to the present day. The unveiling of this board took place at an Anniversary Assembly which looked back at the school’s 500 years of history.

TOP CCF IN THE COUNTRY [Abingdon School, Oxfordshire] Joseph Kelly, 18, has won two top awards from the RAF, the Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword winner for 2016 and the De Havilland Medal Winner 2016. Joseph is now considered the top CCF (RAF) cadet in the country. Joseph said, “I feel very fortunate to have had my service to the Abingdon School CCF recognised with this award. The CCF has been a major part of my life over the last five years and from it I have gained confidence, new skills and enjoyment.”

Bolton School Boys’ Division is celebrating 500 years WELLINGTON GOLF CHAMPIONS [Wellington College, Berkshire] Wellington golfers secured their place as National Champions for the second year in a row and the fourth time in 10 years in the Independent Schools National Finals 2016 at St Andrews. Competing against 19 schools, from all over the UK, after the first days’ play Wellington took the early lead by five shots over Warwick and Millfield.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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x + y2 = 4

Sch ol tweet

@ISParent In #Drama we had #140 hats for #140 #Shakespeare quotes for our anniversary, and his of course! #lovingit (Nottingham Girls’ High School, @NottmGirlsHigh)

Drama, Drama

[The Portsmouth Grammar School, Hampshire]

BBC Radio 4 Drama took up residence at The Portsmouth Grammar School to record a four-part play, School Drama, written by Andy Mulligan to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death this year. The cast included Tom Hollander (The Night Manager), Tony Gardner (The Thick of It), Sian Gibson (Car Share) and Divian Ladwa (Detectorists) alongside PGS pupils and teachers.

Share your school news and tweet us @ISParent arent

Finalists will go on to compete in the national finals in Cardiff in July FENCING CHAMPION) [St Swithun’s, Hampshire]

x + y2 = 4 8

Jacqueline Oien, 14, won the National Under 16 Girls’ Epée at the British Youth Fencing Championships, which took place at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, in May. Jacqueline, who is a weekly boarder at St Swithun’s, trains at school twice a week and was representing the London region at this event. Jacqueline said, “It was an amazing but thrilling experience. All the hard work has now paid off and hopefully in the future I will continue to achieve more results like this.”

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

TEAMS ON TARGET [Cheltenham College, Gloucestershire] Cheltenham College hosted the first “Target Sprint” event (a mixture of running and shooting) of the season in association with British Shooting. Pupils aged 13-17 competed against other schools in the area while undertaking two skills masterclasses from GB Shooting’s coaches, with the finalists going on to compete in the national finals at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in July.

Equipping our children for the brightest future Co-educational school in the heart of Hampshire • Nursery, pre prep, prep, seniors, sixth form, boarding • Nursery – rated ‘Outstanding’ by ISI • 100% of most recent A-Level pupils achieved grades for their first choice universities • Top sporting and extra-curricular opportunities including equestrian, cricket, rugby, athletics, golf, gliding, netball, ice skating and gymnastics

To find out more or to book a tour, please email info@sherfieldschool.co.uk or call 01256 884 800

www.sherfieldschool.co.uk

Animal Ark

[Buckswood School, East Sussex]

Boarders welcomed a new collection of animals this spring, including seven lambs (who have taken a particular interest in maths, as they frequently wander into class to learn more about fractions), two rabbits, two snakes and a bearded water dragon called Kermit! Not forgetting Wisdom, the school dog, a golden labrador that students take for walks over the 40-acre Buckswood estate.

HEADS on the move Simon Lockyer joined the Royal Hospital School, Suffolk, as head in January.

Alex Neil is the new headmistress at Farnborough Hill, Hampshire, from September 2016.

Gary Wright is the new principal at Abbey College Birmingham this spring.

INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COACH [Gresham’s, Norfolk] Former England Cricket international, Mal Loye, has joined the cricket coaching team at Gresham’s. Mal played a significant part in Lancashire’s County Championship Division Two title-winning season in 2005 and was the county’s leading run-scorer with 1,198.

Mal is an ECB Level 4 Coach and his most recent role was as the Bangladesh High Performance Coach (2015).

THE FRINGE OF DESIGN [Loretto School, East Lothian] Ruby Condie’s, 14, is celebrating after her poster design was chosen as this year’s Regional Winner for The Lothians, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Schools Poster Competition. Her design is now considered as the possible poster design for the 2016 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

NATIONAL YOUTH THEATRE [Bishop’s Stortford College, Hertfordshire] Sixth former Ryan Land, has been awarded a much sought-after place at the National Youth Theatre this summer following an audition and workshop. The auditions also gave the chance to meet ambassadors who are members of NYT and people who have been successful in their auditions in previous years. After his workshop, he will then become a full member of the National Youth Theatre and will be able to audition for any of their future productions.

Road to

RIO

Thanks to top-notch facilities and first-class coaching, independent school alumni will be well represented in Team GB this summer. We meet just a few of the Olympic hopefuls who are sure to blaze a trail...

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK, IAN WEST, PA ARCHIVE, PRESS ASSOCIATION IMAGES

OLYMPIC EDUCATION

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Open Morning Wednesday 22nd June 2016 9.30am – 12.00pm

Please telephone 01923 823230 to make an appointment to visit us St Helen’s School An Independent Day School for Girls aged 3 - 18 Eastbury Road, Northwood, HA6 3AS admissions@sthelens.london

OLYMPIC EDUCATION

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annah started sailing at the age of three in a “Mirror Dinghy” at her home club in Brightlingsea, Essex.

Despite being born without a lower right arm, she was able to adapt different techniques to overcome her disability.

In 1995, she joined the Mirror National Squad, an initiative by the Royal Yachting Association to fast track youngsters into the Olympic classes. For Hannah, this led to many events, notably her first World Championships in Canada at the age of 12.

She joined the Royal Hospital School as a boarder in 1998, aged 13, and with the school’s unrivalled facilities for sailing it seemed the most natural choice. She flourished under the guidance of the director of sailing, Mike Hart, who had, himself, represented GB in the World Championships and the school’s location nestled between Alton Water Reservoir

and the River Stour, enabled Hannah to get on the water up to four times a week.

Hannah says, “RHS really gave me the best start I could ask for... I learnt so much and became independent very early in life.

The lessons about planning and running campaigns that I learnt from Mr Hart, are still in use today, and it has allowed me to become ‘queen of logistics’ within our team”.

SAILING FACILITIES AT ROYAL HOSPITAL NAME: Hannah Stodel, 30 SPORT: Paralympic Sailor SCHOOL: The Royal Hospital School, Suffolk

Hannah was selected to trial for one of the Paralympic boats, the Sonar, and in 2001, she was selected for the British Paralympic Sailing Squad • In 2003, she took the European title and was third in the World Championships, as well as being picked to compete in the Admiral’s Cup – achievements that would see her selected for the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.

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during this time, he then joined Worcester Warriors – making his Premiership debut in 2012. After a short spell at Moseley, Charlie joined Wasps before taking up an England Sevens contract in time for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Charlie says: “Warwick School provides an environment which allows pupils to discover and thrive in whatever their chosen passion.

“I was fortunate enough to experience some great life and rugby moments while at school and look back on my time there with fond memories. It was a shame it could only last seven years!”

harlie Hayter started at Warwick School, in 2000, age 11. This is where his love of rugby really took off and was fortunate to tour Australia with Warwick in 2006.

One of his proudest achievements while at the school was captaining the winning 1st XV in the Daily Mail Cup at Twickenham in 2007, mentored by coaches Mark Nasey and Richard Chapman.

Upon leaving Warwick, Charlie studied at the University of Nottingham achieving a 2:1 BA in geography. Having played professionally for Nottingham Rugby Club

“One of Charlie’s greatest achievements was captaining the 1st XV in the Daily Mail cup at Twickenham”

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• RYA Training Centre with advanced Instructors and a Sailing Academy running the Elite Performance Programme • All pupils learn to sail in Year Seven and around 100 pupils choose sailing as their main sport • 60 racing dinghies from beginner boats to Olympic Pathway craft Team and Fleet competitions and Cornish Shrimpers for weekend cruising • Training classes with video analysis and GPS tracking facilities

NAME: Charlie Hayter, 27 SPORT: Rugby Sevens SCHOOL: Warwick School, Warwickshire

Rio 2016 marks the debut of Rugby Sevens as an Olympic sport • Charlie Hayter is in the England Sevens squad and at the time of going to press is currently preparing for the World Rugby Round Nine in Paris.

FACILITIES AT WARWICK • Sports pavilion (opened by Lord Coe 2013) • 25m swimming pool • Sports hall with climbing wall • Team base for Japanese team during Rugby World Cup 2015 • Squash courts, high-tech gym, astro-turf

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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OLYMPIC EDUCATION

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NAME: Carl Hester, 48 SPORT: Equestrian SCHOOL: Elizabeth College, Guernsey

arl is one of the most highly regarded and successful British horse riders of recent times. The youngest British rider ever to compete in an Olympics, in Barcelona in 1992, he achieved his personal ambition of winning a gold medal at London 2012.

Having also run his own horse yard in Gloucestershire, for many years, and trained numerous successful riders and horses, Carl was awarded an MBE for services to equestrianism in the 2013 New Year’s Honours list.

Carl was brought up in the tiny car-free island of Sark, in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, where he developed his love of all things equine, driving horse-drawn carriages for tourists during the school holidays. He joined Elizabeth College as a boarder at the age of 11. Carl says, “I was

not at all sporty at college although I did enjoy running and was a 100-metre sprint runner for the island. I really enjoyed doing The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award but team games were not for me. I loved school and I would not be the person I am today had I not made that journey from Sark.”

SPORTS FACILITIES AT ELIZABETH COLLEGE

• 20 acres of sports fields including two cricket grounds, several football pitches and two pavilions • Floodlit astro-turf pitch • Purpose-built sports hall including climbing wall and Fencing Salle • Sports options for pupils include sea kayaking, sailing, surfing and a host of outdoor pursuits

2009 European Championships, Windsor Team Dressage, Silver • 2010 World Championships, Kentucky Team Dressage • 2011 European Championships, Rotterdam Special and Freestyle Dressage, Silver • 2011 European Championships, Rotterdam Team Dressage, Gold • London 2012, Team Dressage, Gold • 2013 European Championships, Herning Team Dressage, Bronze • 2014 World Championships, Normandy Team Dressage, Silver • 2015 European Championships Aachen Team Dressage, Silver

Kare holding the400 and 800 metres bronze medals she won at the IPC World Championships2015

NAME: Kare Adenegan, 16 SPORT: T34 Wheelchair Racer SCHOOL: Bablake School, West Midlands

K

are was inspired to get involved in wheelchair racing after watching athletes with similar disabilities race in the 2012 Paralympic Games. Very soon after, she had a trial session on an upright racing chair. It was at this point that her natural talent for the sport shone through as she completed her first attempt at the 100 metres in a very impressive 27 seconds, (18.82 current time). After a tough winter’s training, in a three-mile race, in 2013, she was placed 2nd in the Mini London Marathon.

She won the mini marathon from 2014-16.

As a result of these performances, she was

“Bablake School wishes her all the very best as she sets her sights on bringing home ‘gold’ at Rio this summer”

invited by the British Paralympic Association to attend a camp for young athletes. This was followed by a call up from the GB wheelchair lead coach to join the Futures Programme for wheelchair athletes with the potential to win medals at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. She has exceeded her own expectations by being in the frame to represent Team GB at the Rio Paralympic Games.

FACILITIES AT BABLAKE • Sports hall with fully equipped fitness room, dance studio, multi-purpose sports hall and climbing room • Three floodlit (blue!) netball courts which accommodate four tennis courts • Games field with four full size and three junior rugby pitches, football pitch (winter), three cricket squares, five rounders pitches • Double astroturf, swimming pool

2014, 2015 Winner of U15 Girls London Mini Marathon • 2014 Glasgow Diamond League 100m Bronze • 2013 Youth World Championship, 100m and 800m Silver, 400m Bronze • 2013, 2014, 2015 U20 Women’s National Champion for 100m, 200m, 400m, 1,500m Bedford Age Championships • 2015 IPC Italian Grand Prix Champion, Gold in T34 100, 200, 400, 800m races • 2014 Coventry and Warwickshire Sports Awards Finalist • *This is a selection as Kare has acheived many awards to date!

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

We invite you to experience We you to experience the invite true atmosphere of our We true inviteatmosphere you to experience the of our School with a personal visit. the truewith atmosphere ofvisit. our School a personal School with a personal visit.

For further details, please contact the Registrar: Tel: 01283 559222 For further details, please contact the Registrar: Email: registrar@repton.org.uk For 01283 further559222 details, please contact the Registrar: Tel: Email: registrar@repton.org.uk www.repton.org.uk Tel: 01283 559222 Email: registrar@repton.org.uk

SUNDAY TIMES BEST SCHOOL IN THE NORTH 2015

A special place, respected nationally with results outstanding by any measure.

Royal Grammar School www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk 0191 212 8968 Newcastle Royal Grammar School, Eskdale Terrace, Newcastle Royal Newcastle upon TyneGrammar NE2 4DX School,

Eskdale Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX

ST MARY’S CALNE

18-843 129x99 Junior School Girl.indd 1

24/05/2016 15:50

A TOP INDEPENDENT BOARDING & DAY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS AGED 11-18

‘“What a wonderfully nurturing and exciting environment you have created at St Mary’s. I can see why the girls thrive in such a lovely place.”

Prospective parent

Open Days 8th October & 12th November For more information please call 01249 857200, email: admissions@stmaryscalne.org or visit www.stmaryscalne.org

St Mary’s Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 0DF 18

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

OLYMPIC EDUCATION

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lastonbury boy, Cameron’s progression over the last few years has been exceptional as he has propelled himself firmly on to the International swimming scene. In 2015, he won his first national youth titles in the 200m and 400m freestyle, and as part of the Millfield 4 x 100m free relay, and secured Under 18 wins in both the 200m and 400m freestyle at the British Open Championships, which earnt him a call-up to the British swimming team for the European Games held in Azerbaijan.

Exposed to the intense competition of an international event for the first time, Cameron excelled and came away with gold in the 4 x 100m relay and an individual silver medal in the 200m freestyle. This chain of success led to Cameron’s selection to the World Junior Championships in Singapore, in August

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2015, where he secured finals in both events.

In April, Cameron was selected as one of the youngest in the 26-strong Team GB swimming squad for the Rio 2016.

He says: “Without Millfield, I wouldn’t be in this situation – all of my coaches from Millfield Prep to now, have been amazing. I just can’t wait to get going!”

FACILITIES AT MILLFIELD • Olympic-sized swimming pool • International standard Fencing Salle • Three 3G pitches and state-of-the-art floodlighting • Top-of-the-range gym facilities spread across four high-tech gyms • Top quality athletics track

NAME: Cameron Kurle, 18 SPORT: Swimmer SCHOOL: Millfield School, Somerset

2015 British Open Championships U18 Gold 200m, 400m freestyle • 2015 European Games Gold 4x100m relay, Silver 200m freestyle • 2016 British Champions Silver Target Tokyo U21 400m freestyle

O

Will Satch with his mother at London 2012

NAME: Will Satch, 26 SPORT: Rowing SCHOOL: Shiplake College, Oxfordshire 2010 World U23 Men’s Eight Bronze • London 2012 Men’s Pair Bronze • 2013, 2014, 2015 World Champion Men’s Eight •*Selection

lympic rower Will Satch attended Shiplake College, which sits on the banks of the River Thames, just upstream from the world-famous Henley Royal Regatta stretch. It was here that Will, who will turn 27 in June, found his passion for rowing. Arriving at Shiplake on a rugby scholarship, it quickly became apparent that this talented sportsman was a fish out of water. Satch started training under the guidance of coach Athol Hundermark, as well as joining local prestigious rowing organisation the Leander Club, in Henley-on-Thames. Being at a college which boasts such proximity to the Thames was instrumental in helping Will recognise and develop his talent in the boat. Following his Olympic breakthrough in 2012, Satch has gone from strength to strength; with two European Championships under his belt and a host of World Cup Golds, being selected for the Mens’ VIII crew for Rio has been a dream come true.

Will commented that, “We were underdogs

[at London] and were there for the thrill of it; I’m not sure that anyone expected us to actually win a medal!” But win a medal is exactly what they did: Will and his partner George Nash walked away with Bronze.

And Will is now on his way to the Olympics again. “We’re very focused on getting to Rio. Going to the London Olympics was an adventure, but we’re going to Rio to win Gold. That’s the aim.”

FACILITIES AT SHIPLAKE • School on the banks of the River Thames • Three cricket squares • Six grass pitches • Swimming pool • Strength and conditioning gym • Onsite boathouse

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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HEAD’S-UP

CORY LOWDE

headmaster, Box Hill School, Surrey

I

t is a fairly straightforward exercise – measuring exam results – and presents us with ordered league tables and ways of labelling both schools and children. This allows us to make easy conclusions as to which schools and children are successful and which are not.

Stats and Facts However, the cost to our young people, and as a result to society, of defining success in this way can be high. Latest data taken from the Mental Health Foundation in the UK reveals that 20% of adolescents will experience a mental health problem in any given year. 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14.

There will of course be different reasons for the upsurge in stress and depression.

The isolation resultant from technology, the pressure of competition, and other factors all play their part. This is why it is most harmful to create an education system that exacerbates this trend by defining educational success in terms of the highest grades alone and then to create a national curriculum that examines children to excess even at primary school.

Exam Pressure We allow ourselves to accept that this examination pressure is inevitable and somehow a part of growing up, despite the secret truth we all know: that what is most important, is invisible to the eye. What we

[

THE BIGGER PICTURE The ultimate goal of education and how we define success are intrinsically linked, writes Cory Lowde

Academic success is only one aspect of education

all really want for our children is that they should be happy, in the sense of personal fulfilment through positive engagement with the world around them. We want them to be people who achieve this through connections with the community and a relaxed contentment with their own changing self-knowledge.

It is for this reason that Box Hill School has always placed character, holistic education, self-confidence, and wellbeing at the forefront of its educational programme. We employ a full-time counsellor and pastoral care is central to life at school. Each pupil is allocated to a school house, where the ethos is based

]

What we want for our children is that they should be happy, in the sense of personal fulfilment through positive engagement with the world

around the family unit. Houseparents are supported by an assistant, the school nurses and other academic staff.

Alternative Education Academic success, as defined by each person fulfilling their potential, is an important cog in the wheel of school life, but the overall picture is so much bigger.

The challenge is to recognise this within the context of a school system that avoids the pitfalls of pressure, and competition that comes from over-testing.

Mark Manson, internet self-help guru, recently argued, in his article What We Should Really Be Teaching in Schools, for a curriculum that included a wider spectrum to include relationships, critical thinking, scepticism, self-awareness and personal finance. These, he argued, would be more helpful skills in equipping young people to tackle the modern world.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Become a private student and join the UK's sharpest minds, studying a STEM based curriculum.

Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College is open to non-military students seeking an outstanding Sixth Form experience without having to commit to a future Military or Civil Service career. > Offering a unique opportunity for a limited number of non MoD funded students. > One of the UK’s top performing sixth form colleges. > 98% of students achieved A*- C Grade at A Level in 2015. > State-of-the-art facilities and full boarding community. > Outstanding sporting facilities. > Annual fees for AY 16/17 - £19,000 inc. VAT*. > Those eligible to claim Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) through their workplace may be entitled to a contribution to fees.

Entry requirements: A in Maths, B in Physics (or Dual Award Science) and C in English at GCSE.

Open Days / Registration Days For 2016 entry: 25 June For 2017 entry: 17 & 28 September, 8 & 12 October, 5 November, 10 December Call 01509 891719/891724 or visit http://www.dsfc.ac.uk/Apply-Private-Students *Fees are subject to annual review.

SCHOOL LEAVERS

I’M NOT OFF TO UNI, MUM

Charlotte Phillips speaks to Amanda Christie whose three children have achieved extraordinary success without higher education

W

hen mother of three Amanda Christie mentioned to a casual acquaintance at a party that her daughter, Florence, wouldn’t be going to university, the reaction came as a surprise.

“She looked at me and said, ‘Oh, how terribly brave,’ and I thought ‘What are you on about, why are you thinking I’m brave?’ She was treating me as if I had a serious illness. For a moment I thought she was about to stroke me.”

Admittedly this all happened in London, one of the most educationobsessed places in the world, where deviating from the conventional trajectory can virtually stop traffic (not that it moves very fast at the best of times).

Nationwide, the picture is the same.

Higher education remains the default option for over 90% of independent

Amanda and her husband Willie nurtured an independent streak in their children Not everyone needs a degree to succeed in their chosen career

FLORENCE, 24 READY FOR THE BIG WIDE WORLD “She thanks her lucky stars she didn’t opt for uni, especially now she’s talked to friends who look back and wonder what it was all for” Though Florence gained a Russell Group place, her heart just wasn’t in it. “I simply felt too grown up for university,” she says. The next few months weren’t easy.

Former school pals were getting stuck into what sounded like a non-stop, threeyear party at uni and Florence was sick of being asked what she was doing with her life. Sheer grit kept her going as she applied for a series of jobs, trying out different careers for size. Then she discovered events management and realised she had found her niche. Now she’s a rising star in a world-leading entertainment and events company organising up-market parties everywhere from Russia to Marrakesh. The work is fast-paced, complex, challenging and fun, and she’s in her element. She thanks her lucky stars she didn’t opt for uni, especially now she’s talked to friends who look back and wonder what it was all for. “They don’t know what they want to do, leave and are back at square one.” If you’re sure university is for you, go, she says. But if you have any doubts, head straight for the workplace.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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SCHOOL LEAVERS

“All three children have made their own way in the world with no allowances, schmoozing or special favours”

George followed his love for food and now runs a successful Italian restaurant

GEORGE, 30 ACHINGLY-COOL CUISINE IN SOUTH LONDON “Fêted by top critics, its tables are now booked up weeks in advance.”

A stand-out actor at Marlborough, George left school with the intention of making drama his career. That was until his other passions, history of art and food, started to take over. George spent his spare time helping to set up Bold Tendencies, a cult art exhibition held on the top floors of a Peckham multi-storey car park. As its café, designed by Antony Gormley’s daughter, started to get rave reviews in its own right, a change in direction loomed. Artusi, George’s Italianinspired restaurant, opened in 2014. Fêted by top critics, its tables are now booked up weeks in advance. Now planning a second restaurant, George’s success may be theatre audiences’ loss but is undoubtedly gastronomy’s gain.

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

school leavers, the final station stop on the one-track education express; the catnip that no top employer can resist.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTE While it’s a wonderful achievement that shouldn’t be downplayed, it can make the 10% or so of 18 year olds who elect to do something different with their lives feel second best in comparison.

“Schools are so geared towards university that they can find it hard to guide you down another route,” says Amanda. “That’s why so many children feel this peer pressure that they have to follow suit so they don’t miss out.”

Enter Amanda Christie’s three children, George, Florence and Charlie. If an embryonic “say no to uni” movement needed poster stars, they couldn’t find better ambassadors.

After leaving school (Teddies aka St Edward’s Oxfordshire, and Marlborough, Wiltshire) they have done exceptionally well in their chosen careers without so much as crossing the threshold of a higher education establishment.

George runs an achingly cool, bookedup-to-the-nines London restaurant that’s a go-to venue for the chillerati, Florence is a rising star in an events management firm and Charlie looks after some of the biggest names in the music business.

So what does it take to equip your children with the confidence to do their own thing? It’s simple, says Amanda. The less you intervene, the more likely they are to make sensible decisions.

“It’s not my education or future but theirs, so it’s got to be something that they want to do,” she says. “If it isn’t, it’s only going to come back at me later.”

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SCHOOL LEAVERS

“Amanda and her husband aren’t anti-higher education. It just depends what it’s for. It’s all too easy for university to become a convenient way of putting the real world on hold for three years”

LEARN FROM THE BEST It helps that Amanda was better equipped than most to encourage her children to take a different path. Though she loved school, she felt she’d simply grown out of it. Her subsequent life – fun, varied and absorbing – was ample proof that you don’t need a degree to become a fully functioning and useful member of society.

After a brief spell in Paris, she set up a sandwich delivery company in Kensington with a friend, co-authored a headlinegrabbing book on revenge and launched an online jewellery store. If any of her children had been dead set on university, she’d have encouraged them every step of the way, but owns up to relief that they didn’t want to go.

She and her husband aren’t anti-higher education, quite the contrary. It just depends what it’s for. Fantastic if you want to be a doctor or lawyer but often of limited use otherwise. “It’s all too easy for university to become a convenient way of putting the real world on hold for three years,” she thinks.

You might wonder if, with such successful children, parental help with handouts and useful contacts has been the secret weapon that has helped them do so well. Absolutely not, says Amanda. All three have made their own way in the world with no allowances, schmoozing or special favours.

Inevitably, it hasn’t been problem free.

Watching the children struggle while their friends were enjoying a responsibility-free, extended childhood at university has been particularly hard. The results, though, have made it all worthwhile. “Sometimes things were hard for them and I’d worry. But they’d always come through it and in the end, they were better people for it.”

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

Charlie and his sister Florence both decided uni was not for them

CHARLIE, 21 BAND MANAGER AT 16 “He converted his school study into a fully functioning office – to the occasional surprise of visiting parents” Nobody could accuse Charlie of lacking confidence. At just 16, the Dragon and Teddies-educated pupil was fully launched into band management. He converted his school study into a fully functioning office – to the occasional surprise of visiting parents – and scoured the internet to source up-and-coming acts. Success swiftly followed when his first signing, Seattle artist Sango, showcased on Radio 2, though BBC music bosses got a shock when the manager they thought was a school teacher turned out to be one of the pupils. Dissuaded from leaving school after GCSEs, Charlie stuck it out into the sixth form, helped by a supportive housemaster who gave his blessing for Charlie to attend gigs in London – as long as he was always back for lessons the next day. University was never an option. Now just 21 and working for a top management firm looking after some of the biggest stars in the business (publicity shy, too – we had to promise not to name them) Charlie has experience under his belt that others twice his age would kill for.

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SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

27

EXPERT ADVICE

Rugby School students preparing for an African Conservation trip

TALKING HEADS: SUMMER BREAK We ask six leading headteachers how GCSE and sixth form students can make the most of the long school holidays

Gary Wright

Craig Wilson

Abbey College Birmingham,

CATS Cambridge,

West Midlands

Cambridgeshire

Learning is never confined to the classroom and the educational experience can continue in the holidays, with family visits to museums, art galleries and exhibitions. The summer is also an opportunity to brush up on a particular subject with a little extra tuition over the holidays, to give you the best possible start in the new academic year. Also, many independent schools or local authorities offer summer courses, offering a chance to play a sport or try something new. Any new opportunity outside of school is a possibility to widen the social circle and to increase your confidence.

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

Do take a break, but not for the whole summer. If you’re finishing Year 11, start looking at what you will learn in Year 12. Buy the Head Start to A-Level books for your subjects. If you’re at the end of Year 12, keep working on your personal statement. Aim to get this to a finished state before you go back to school.

It won’t be long until you send your UCAS application. Try to arrange work experience during the summer holiday, especially if you are going to apply for medical school in October, and write about what you realised as a result.

Go to page 54 for personal statement tips.

CATS Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

Peter Green

Rugby School, Warwickshire

Make sure you keep a handle on world news and develop your interest in your chosen sixth form subjects. If you are studying a language, try to visit that country, watch films or read blogs in that language (did you know that you can read the Pope’s tweets in Latin?). If you are studying English, read the set texts ahead of the term, and maybe some more works by the same author or in the same genre. Look to work, volunteer, or get a job. You need to build those “soft skills” employers value so highly, and explore possible avenues for your future. Stay in touch with the contacts you make and always formally thank them for giving you the opportunity.

’ll do over Plan what you re you the summer befo leave school

Shiplake College, Oxfordshire

Rugby School on a World Challenge expedition to Bolivia last year

Gregg Davies

Adam Williams

Lord Wandsworth College, Hampshire

It’s beyond our wildest dreams for those of us in full-time employment – eight weeks of a clear diary, the sun on our backs and lazy days to rest and recuperate. For those post-GCSE or heading towards Upper Sixth, you should read, rest and research repeatedly throughout the period. Subjects should be providing reading lists for next year and sixth formers would do well to immerse themselves in EPQ and Extended Essay data collection. There are work placements too, a must in terms of stepping up and into the next level of experience and maturity. For with all this in place, the term starts at a canter and a position of strength. It is worth noting that a good chunk of this advice can be done from a gently swaying hammock.

Shiplake College, Oxfordshire

If you have completed Year 11, find work experience, in anything! If you have completed Year 12, find a job or work experience which corresponds to your chosen career path.

Make yourself useful around the house – your interest will bring you a lot of favour and you might learn a thing or two about taking care of yourself when you head to university. Learn a new skill; don’t lose the feeling of accomplishment that you have at school when you finish an essay or an art project; these small successes buoy you up at school and losing that momentum over the summer is a slippery slope to apathy. Practise your driving theory test early – a skill for life.

And, finally, enjoy some downtime!

Share your school holiday experiences with us @ISParent

Rhiannon Wilkinson Wycombe Abbey, Buckinghamshire

The best advice I can give is to read, read, read. Reading is the key to pursuing intellectual passions and it will help you discover where your interests lie and what stimulates you. Around one third of university students say they regret their subject choice and this is largely because they don’t know themselves well enough. To avoid this, keep a reading journal and engage with cultural activities around your subjects of interest. If you’re in Year 12, more time should be spent refining interests and delving deeper into specific topics. Staying up to date with book reviews, taking online courses and going on subject taster days will all be very helpful. Most importantly, avoid following a list of “musts”. All admissions departments understand the need to celebrate after exams, so don’t feel under pressure to invest every spare moment into career building – it’s ok to book a holiday and relax...

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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MONEY TALK

An all round

EDUCATION

Choosing the right school for your child is a huge decision for any parent, and at Wisbech Grammar School in Cambridgeshire, there is help every step of the way

W

isbech Grammar School is one of the oldest schools in England (founded in 1379) and set on a 34-acre site, it enjoys the benefit of excellent facilities, subject-specialist staff and small class sizes. Together with a programme of extended enrichment activities and exceptional levels of pupil care it delivers an all-round education.

[ 30

All well and good, but understanding the routes available to access this rewarding educational experience is especially important as thoughts turn to school entries for September 2017. The main entry points into Wisbech Grammar School are in its Prep School, Magdalene House at Reception, the Senior School into Years Seven, Nine and Lower Sixth Form.

“Although those are the four main entry points into the school, they’re not exclusive by any means,” says registrar Karen Barclay. “Children commonly join us in all year groups, and the lovely thing about Wisbech Grammar School is that its

Look for the entry points at your chosen schools, they can vary

By far the best way of discovering what the school has to offer, and whether this is the right school for your child, is to organise a visit in person

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

welcoming and friendly atmosphere enables children to settle in and begin to thrive very quickly.”

RESEARCH IS KEY

]

The first step for parents interested in an independent education is research – talk to parents of existing pupils, request a prospectus, and visit the school’s website.

“It’s a good way of getting a flavour of life at the school,” says Karen, “but by far the best way of discovering what the school has to offer, and whether this is the right school for your child, is to visit in person.”

Wisbech Grammar School has a number of open events throughout the year that offer the opportunity of meeting staff, pupils and existing parents. “If people are unable to attend one of our open events, we welcome visits at any time,” says Karen.

Indeed, open events are often followed up by an individual tour. Taken by existing

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Standing with you

Open Days: Saturday October 8th 2016 (Prep:Usingages 3–13) your School Branding System© th Saturday November 5 The2016 (College: ages 13–18) logo This is the new logo for all members of the Jesuit Institute group of schools and should be used across all communications materials within the school to help promote the links with the Jesuit Institute.

It is designed as a unit with the ‘sunburst’ crest and the lettering. They must be kept as one unit. These 2 elements should never be used in different proportions to those shown below. They can appear discretely and we would recommend they feature no smaller than 35mm wide.

There are 3 versions of the logo supplied on your CD, including a black version. They are shown below. The logo should not be used in any other colourway or distorted. However it can be scaled in proportion.

We have also created an extra logo artwork for use when applied to uniform and is being stitched or embroidered.

PMS 1945 U red and 425U grey

White out of 425U and 1945U

Leading Catholic, Co-educational Boarding and Day School for 3–18 year olds Tel 01254 827073 admissions@stonyhurst.ac.uk Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9PZ

www.stonyhurst.ac.uk

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Black solid

MONEY TALK

pupils, the tours offer a genuine and authentic insight into life at Wisbech Grammar School, and include the option of meeting with the headmaster and other relevant members of staff.

The next step in the process is to register your child for admission, after which they’re invited for a taster day, spending a whole day in school and experiencing what it means to be a pupil at Wisbech Grammar School. The day can also include an assessment, although the school does have dedicated assessment days for all the main intake points.

Several of Wisbech Grammar School’s rugby players have been selected for national teams

ACADEMIC CRITERIA “Although that may sound slightly daunting and formal, it’s about discovering a child’s potential,” says headmaster Chris Staley. “There is an academic criteria to meet, but it’s often the case that a child’s true ability isn’t being realised in their current school. With our small class sizes and our tailored approach to education, we really can tap into that potential and bring out the best in children.”

It’s an attitude that applies to all children, and which is why we have an extensive bursary programme for gifted and talented children who would otherwise be unable to access the school – offering financial support on fees that ranges from 5% to 100% in exceptional circumstances. Parents can also apply for children to be assessed for a scholarship.

SCHOLARSHIP POTENTIAL At Wisbech Grammar School there are two types of scholarships at three entry points, Years Seven, Nine and 12 – academic scholarships for children that are particularly gifted academically, and an all-rounder scholarship for children who are academically strong but also excel in areas such as sport, music, art and drama.

Pupils awarded scholarships also receive a

[ 32

Scholarships can be offered in different year groups, not just in Year Seven

reduction in fees – from £1,000 in years Seven and Nine rising to £1,500 in Year 12 – and bursaries can also be awarded alongside scholarships.

Once a place at the school has been offered and accepted, pupils and parents are invited to various welcoming and familiarisation events. And if anyone’s still unsure as to how they can begin the application process, they’ll always find a very welcome and friendly admissions team available at the end of the telephone or via email for help and advice.

SPORTING EXCELLENCE Wisbech Grammar School has a proud and rich tradition of sporting excellence.

The school’s shooting team recently won a national schools’ award, several of the school’s rugby and hockey players have been selected for national teams, and pupil Mollie Allen recently competed in the British swimming team trials for the Rio

We’ve launched the Elite Sports Education Programme to support gifted pupils, enabling them to fulfil their potential in their chosen field

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

]

Olympics. “We’ve always had a diverse range of top-level athletes,” says director of sport Phil Webb. “And we’ve recently launched the Elite Sports Education Programme to recognise this and support gifted pupils, enabling them to fulfil their potential in their chosen field.”

Any pupil fulfilling the criteria to join the school’s Elite Sports Education Programme receives a range of extra support that includes strength and conditioning, nutrition advice, physiotherapy and additional coaching.

“The programme works alongside the pupils’ academic studies,” says Phil, “and is assessed annually.” wisbechgrammar.com

Queen’s Gate School offers girls a warm, supportive environment, where individuality is nurtured, and academic standards are high. Academic, Art, Drama, Music and Sports Scholarships, and means-tested bursaries worth up to 100% of fees, are available to assist girls to join us.

For a prospectus, or to make a private visit to the School, please contact the Registrar on 0207 594 4982 or email, registrar@queensgate.org.uk Queen’s Gate School, 133 Queen’s Gate, London SW7 5LE

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SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

33

SPORT

SCHOOLS WITH POOLS Our round-up of top swimming facilities making a splash this year

Right, Royal Grammar School

ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL, TYNE AND WEAR o The six-lane, 25m pool opened in 2015 and has been used by Newcastle University and Scotland Rugby Union. o Local schools make use of the facilities as well as Frogzlegz swimming lessons. o 1.2m shallow end, 1.8m deep end. o Starting blocks, touch pads and electronic timing system for competition. o Water polo markings and goals. o Accessible changing rooms and disabled hoist into the pool. o Seating for 92 spectators. o It took 18 months to build, costing £8.5 million (includes other new facilities in the same building).

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LATYMER UPPER SCHOOL, LONDON o The school’s new Sports Centre and pool opened in April 2015 and the school has just hosted the first of many Swimming Galas. o Six-lane, 25m competition swimming pool. o Takes less than two seconds to raise or lower the adjustable floor to accommodate water polo and those learning to swim. o Precision timing system – the same used at all Olympic venues. o Community partners use the pool (swimming clubs and local primary schools). The head has committed to every 11 year old from partner schools being able to swim by the time they reach secondary school.

Latymer Upper’s pool has an adjustable floor for water polo matches

WHITGIFT SCHOOL, LONDON MILLFIELD SCHOOL, SOMERSET o The pool is Olympic-sized and is said to be the highest specification 50m swimming pool of any school in the country. o Local clubs make use of the pool, including Street, Yeovil and Taunton Deane. o Several elite level swimmers hold pool records here including Ben Proud, SiobhanMarie O’Connor, and alumnus and Rio 2016 Olympian James Guy. o Last year when the Bath University swimming pool was out of order the Team GB swimmers trained at Millfield’s pool.

o Variable-depth pool, which can go from 0cm to national water polo depth of 2m across the whole pool. o Eight-lane, 25m pool. o State-of-the-art Swiss Timing system, which integrates into a large electronic scoreboard. o Seating capacity of 150 to 180. o Overlapping side system, to prevent bounce-back of backwash from swimmers. o Connected changing rooms with cubicles and group changing.

HABERDASHERS’ ASKE’S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, HERTFORDSHIRE o The six-lane, 25m deck-level pool has touch pads and starting blocks, plus adjoining changing rooms and pace clocks. o Spectator seating for 120 people. o The pool was built as part of a wider development project in 2009 which included a fully equipped fitness suite.

Regional and county successes include syncronised swimming

SHREWSBURY SCHOOL, SHROPSHIRE o The six-lane pool was named “Gemini” following a donation from twins and alumni Alan and Alastair Palgrave-Brown. o The deck-level pool allows water to spill over the edge to eliminate choppiness and ensures fast times in competitions. o The pool is also used for conditioning sessions and as part of active recovery (after intensive training or competition).

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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The Outdoor Work department, in the 1960s, busy with the upkeep of the grounds.

BEDALES SCHOOL in10 pictures

Students perform in The Sound of the Night Feather theatre producion in 2015.

A quartet practises in the Grade One listed Memorial Library in 1953. The library is considered one of the finest arts and crafts buildings in the country.

Bedales School was founded to be a humane alternative to the authoritarian regimes typical of late-Victorian public schools. Founder John Badley believed that involving “head, hand and heart” was the key to growth and development.

Badley’s philosophy is still the cornerstone around which Bedales’ education system is built 36

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

BEHIND THE SCENES John Badley who founded the school in 1893.

A group of Bedalians involved in clearing the garden in 1899

Above, students haymaking in 1898.

Left, Bedales continues its strong tradition in outdoor work to this day

A student performs this year in the Bedales Rock Show.

Above, the construction of Lupton Hall began in1911. Left, an assembly in Lupton Hall, circa1920 SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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EMMA HATTERSLEY head of Godolphin Wiltshire

(Behind the Scenes) Godolphin School, Wiltshire

THE GIRLS’ NETWORK

The new GO Forward programme involving Old Girls offers students invaluable preparation for life after school, writes Emma Hattersley

N

etworking and mentoring feature widely within our school and are central to the success of a Godolphin education. They are the catalyst, the vital component, at the heart of the relationships that support a girl’s development during her journey through to adulthood.

Among the key players in the network are our teachers, tutors, house staff, support staff and coaches in a variety of sports and co-curricular pursuits. Of equal importance is the student networking and mentoring culture we encourage. All this engenders a structure that is connected in its aims, enhancing individual progress and driving the productivity of the community as a whole.

ELIZABETH GODOLPHIN While this system is accepted and functions effectively for the girls as an essential part of their lives in school, we have been giving increasing consideration

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The GO Forward programme launched this May

SENIOR SCHOOL Old Girls at the launch of the GO Forward programme in London

reluctant mentors of their female colleagues and subordinates, fearing association with them to be a disadvantage in a male-dominated environment.

The idea that networking or mentoring should be in any way gender specific or discriminatory is a wholly alien concept in terms of our Godolphin ethos, where mutual support always underpins forward momentum and achievement.

A POSITIVE MODEL

to what lies ahead of them in the world beyond. Our highly innovative sixth form programme, the Elizabeth Godolphin Award (or EGA), established two years’ ago, is hugely benefitting our girls and successfully addressing the deficit in “soft skills” generally identified in school leavers by further education institutes and employers worldwide.

The EGA is proving a real asset to our young women as they move on, but it has raised the question of how they should seek and respond to networking and mentoring beyond Godolphin.

PATHWAY TO THE TOP Our research has revealed, unsurprisingly, that the traditional “old boys’ network” is very much alive and still significantly favours male progression in the work place. A consequence of this is that it is harder, generally, for women to enjoy the fruits of productive networking and mentoring opportunities.

In spite of many stellar examples of women in leading positions in a wide range of fields and industries, the pathway to the top remains inequitable.

Interestingly, some of our research has suggested that there is a tendency for powerful, high achieving women to be

Left and above, Godolphin School is a girls’ school based in Wiltshire

Our deliberations have lead to the launch of GO Forward, which will complement the EGA, and is designed to give Godolphin girls a positive model for the value of networking and the means to put the appropriate related processes into practice. I feel confident that the scheme will be of great value to them and trust that they will be able to carry the spirit of the founding principles forward.

The GO Forward programme currently consists of four main networks. GO Uni provides practical help with university selection and student living and GO Gap which offers advice on planning, placements abroad and voluntary work from experienced travellers. GO Work offers practical support with job applications as well as offering work experience and placements and GO Connect is our online network of supporters who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise.

Our network of Old Girls, past and current parents, teachers and governors has created a readily available group of people willing to share their experiences.

We encourage our community to get involved in the area which is best suited to their own interests and profession.

The GO Forward programme was officially launched at a networking event in central London in May, with almost 100 Old Girls in attendance.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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“A very special place to grow up in” Good Schools Guide

Snapshot Mornings

www.godolphin.org

17 June, 23 September, 30 September & 14 October 2016

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FRANC

HA LEAL

ETO GE

www.godolphin.org

PROPERTY

PHIL BEATTIE

director of operations, Blue Chip Holidays

SEAWAYS, CORNWALL GROSS PROJECTED INCOME: £65,000*

A HOLIDAY HOME FOR THE FUTURE Will a buy-to-let or a holiday let investment yield more of a return? Phil Beattie weighs up the options

*GROSS PROJECTED FIGURES PRODUCED ON 23/05/2016 FROM BLUE CHIP HOLIDAYS FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

Is a holiday let a better investment than a buy-to-let property?

We often speak to clients who are keen to invest in property, but unsure which way to go. Investing in a holiday home can bring wonderful lifestyle rewards – but how do the financials add up?

Let’s look at an example: in Torquay, where we manage numerous properties, a top-end, premium three-bed property on the residential letting market may command up to £1,500 in rent per calendar month.

Based on our pricing structures here at Blue Chip Holidays, the same standard of property could earn an average of £4,442

per month as a holiday let, reaching up to £53,300 in annual revenue.

In the current market, we commonly see three-year net yields ranging from 6% to 12%. Average buy-to-let yields vary across the UK, but in 2015 the average ranged from just 5% to 8%. Combined with the lifestyle benefits of owning a holiday home, it’s easy to see why so many people are exploring holiday let investment.

Of course, you must weigh up the comparative costs of running a holiday home versus a residential property. But with an accurate income projection, you can make your decision with confidence.

It’s also useful to consider that holiday let

Above, a holiday let can bring in good annual revenue

income is exempt from the recent tax relief changes affecting buy-to-let landlords operating above the 20% basic rate. Up until recently, both holiday let and buy-to-let landlords have been able to claim tax relief on their mortgage interest at their marginal rate of tax. When the changes come into force in 2017, buy-tolet landlords in the 40% bracket and above will only be able to claim tax relief at a flat rate of 20% – meaning they’ll lose a lot more in mortgage payments. As yet, holiday let owners are exempt from this change, making this sort of investment more desirable for those seeking high return on their investment

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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PROPERTY

STRAWBERRY FIELD, SOMERSET GROSS PROJECTED INCOME: £31,000*

42

What do I need to know about funding my holiday home investment?

I believe the best, most consistent booking levels are achieved by targeting the right holidaymakers. If you set high standards for your property (four or five star) and market effectively to the right audience, it’s possible to achieve high-value bookings throughout the year.

So who is the right audience? We know that there is huge demand for a premium holiday let experience. Gone are the days when self-catering was a budget option – today, it’s the holidaymakers’ choice.

We market to an affluent, discerning audience who mostly take two or more holidays a year. They’re happy to pay more for properties because they know they’ll have a great experience every time.

Our “premium” market includes a wide range of guests who book at different times throughout the year, couples and families, across a range of age groups. At this level of the market, bookings are less reliant on peak seasons. Get your marketing right, and you can attract premium-paying guests all year round.

If a cash purchase could be an option for you, it’s worth considering that holiday letting currently outperforms the FTSE 100, and many other savings products.

The right property can provide a regular stream of income right away, as well as potential for both short-term and long-term capital appreciation.

If you think that you’ll need a loan to fund your holiday home investment, a range of tailored mortgages are now available. Naturally, there are differences in interest rates, and at least a 30% deposit is usually required.

Your property’s income projection will play a key role in securing your mortgage.

Rather than using their own valuation teams (as they do for buy-to-let mortgages) holiday let mortgage providers lend based on an income projection from your letting agency – outlining your property’s potential annual revenue.

Lenders typically look for a minimum annual income of £40,000 – but they will consider overall affordability too,

independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

INDIO LAKES, DEVON GROSS PROJECTED INCOME: £35,000* Blue Chip Holidays has an audience that takes two or more holidays per year

to account for any unexpected gaps in bookings. So you should expect to be asked questions about your personal income and outgoings, alongside your income projection.

Got a property in mind? To find out how much your property could earn, visit bluechipowners.co.uk or call 0333 920 2079 to talk to someone about your particular property.

*GROSS PROJECTED FIGURES PRODUCED ON 23.05.2016 FROM BLUE CHIP HOLIDAYS FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

How reliable will my bookings be and what about peak holiday periods?

“You learn to speak your mind about what you believe in.”

Hebe, Bedales student

13 –18 | Weekly boarding | 1 hour from London To book a place on an open morning or to arrange an individual visit, please contact Janie Jarman, Registrar.

T 01730 711 733 E jjarman@bedales.org.uk

www.bedales.org.uk

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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KIRSTY VON MALAISÉ

headmistress, Norwich High School for Girls, Norfolk

ne of the most important questions of our time for any school leader to consider, whether they be in a co-ed or a single-sex school, must surely be: “What part can my school play in enabling greater gender balance in the very stubborn top career echelons?”

This term, I have been talking to all of our Year 10 girls individually about their aspirations. I replace the stock question of “what do you want to be?”, instead asking them what gets them fired-up, to ascertain where their skills and interests are, and where these might lead them in the future.

Then the girls get to ask me a question of their choice, in the spirit of reciprocity.

INSPIRING FUTURES The one which has got me personally most fired-up so far has been: “What do you want to be known for in 10 years’ time?”

I replied that my mission is to help every girl in my school be confident enough in herself and her abilities to stride out and create her future, and to provide all the opportunities for her to know her strengths in order to help her achieve this.

This has never been so sorely needed.

While the future is ever uncertain, what is certain now is that for our young people, the landscape of the world of work will be

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INSPIRING

Our inaugural conference aims to mentor and steer Year Nine and 10 pupils into building purposeful and rewarding futures. Kirsty von Malaisé explains all very different from that of their parents and teachers who do their best to guide them. Many white collar jobs will be replaced and many more people will make their livings from entrepreneurship. What will be needed as much as the traditional education, which has changed very little in the last hundred years, is the development of what are often called “soft skills”, and an enterprising spirit.

From Monday 27th June to Thursday 30th June 2016, Norwich High School will be running its inaugural Inspiring Females symposium. The spark for this was a conversation over coffee with a woman on as big a mission as I am. Siobhan Eke, Norwich High’s “entrepreneur in residence” last year, dropped by to meet me for the first time, and our conference Inspiring Females was born. What we have in common, and have since heard echoed

The landscape of the world of work will be very different from that of today’s

in many women we have spoken to, is a sense of several lost years for young women. How great it would have been if we had known what we know now about our strengths, how great if we had known what was possible in the world of work, how great if we had had opportunities to develop our confidence and buoyancy while still in school, and had been asked to reflect on them.

POSITIVE REACTION We have invited over 30 women into school to talk to our girls, to run workshops, and to network with and mentor them. These are amazing women from all walks of life and at different stages of their careers, from the COO of Aviva to the head of creative at Adnams, the award-winning brewers. The first day will explore “Confidence and Collaboration”;

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

O

EXTRA-CURRICULAR

Year Nine and 10 pupils with their headmistress

FEMALES “To sustain the programme we are tapping into our well-established network of 67,000 GDST alumnae, but for the most part, we are inviting local women in business” the second will provide an “Enterprise Challenge”, where teams will be mentored by local businesswomen; the third will focus on “Self-knowledge and Wellbeing”.

There will be panel debates where these women share their thoughts on what they wished they had known in various decades of their lives, and how they have negotiated their own paths. Girls will be coached in networking skills prior to the event so that they can really maximise the opportunities provided by having such a wealth of experience in school.

UNITED FRONT What has been inspiring for us organisers, has been the unanimity of purpose among

everyone involved. This event has been shaped very much by the girls themselves.

Our steering committee, made up of girls from Year 10 from Norwich High and from Flegg High School, with whom we are in partnership for this event, have told us what they want from the conference.

We have had a very strong steer from them that there is much to do in preparing young women for their futures, and that they would like to create platforms to explore their questions and represent their voices. At the other end, not a single woman we have asked to contribute to our event has said no, which is an extraordinary hit rate! It would seem that there really is still a gap here, and that the women who have made it are as keen to share their wisdom and experiences as the girls are to hear it.

It is very exciting to prepare an event which has, through its own organic momentum, grown well beyond the original vision. What is more challenging, however, is to sustain the programme.

There is beginning to be a consensus among schools and companies that the two need to be more porous, that schools can only be preparing students for lives beyond it if there is input from businesses.

For this, we are tapping into our well established network of 67,000 GDST alumnae, but for the most part, and very importantly, inviting local women in business to come to the school. Local investment in our youth today will only encourage local talent to stay in the county, which I would imagine is not only desirable here in Norfolk.

So we await our conference eagerly, already having seen the effect on confidence for all the girls on our committee. If, as the saying goes, success is 99% perspiration, I think our girls will have that covered. Now let’s bring on the real inspiration.

FIND OUT MORE...

Follow on Twitter @inspfemales

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Come and see for yourself.

University of the Year The Times and The Sunday Times

Come along to one of our Open Days where you can explore our beautiful campus and state-of-the-art facilities including our ÂŁ36m Surrey Sports Park, home of Team Surrey which offers 46 sports clubs for students to join.

Register now at: surrey.ac.uk/gu-opendays

HIGHER EDUCATION

OFF

UNITO

Whether you’re composing your personal statement, choosing a degree or planning a gap year, we’ve got it covered...

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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PAUL REDMOND director of student life, University of Manchester

How to future proof

YOUR CAREER

Why choose to go to university? Because in a changing jobs market, it helps you to stand out from the crowd, says Paul Redmond

I

t was rapidly turning into the chat show from hell. There I was, wilting under the hot studio lights, perched precariously on the famous sofa, while alongside me a middle-aged lady in a bright yellow and orange jumpsuit ranted about why, in her view, going to university was a complete waste of time.

I could tell I was in trouble. After several attempts at reasoned argument had been

ignored, I wasn’t making any headway. I came up with facts; she came up with anecdotes. I talked about research; she talked about real-life business. I quoted figures on graduate earnings; she quoted figures on graduate debt. I said I was proud to be a graduate; she said she was proud to be a graduate of the University of Life.

Finally, in a last gasp attempt to salvage something from what was becoming car-crash TV, I recited a list of graduates who’d changed the world. Talk about a huge mistake. Without missing a beat my tormentor shot back at me with an even longer list of degree-less superheroes. I can still hear her now, “Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Coco Chanel, that nice Bill Gates…”

THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SAID Looking back, I never stood a chance. It’s far easier to argue against something than for it – particularly when the subject is as complex and subjective as going on to

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Above, education is key to surviving a changing jobs market

higher education at university. But while going to university isn’t for everyone, higher education does offer a unique set of opportunities which few of life’s other options can match.

In this article I set out briefly some of the key benefits that students gain from going to university, and why I believe that university still offers the best all-round, long-term investment for today’s young people. I’ll say it again: it’s not for everyone; but university offers options, and in a rapidly changing world, options are worth their weight in gold.

But my fellow chat show guest was right: going to university doesn’t guarantee anything, nor does it provide a golden ticket to a certain type of job, career or lifestyle. What matters, is how you use your time at university – the choices you make, the experiences you collect, the networks you establish.

So here’s my top five reasons for why you should think about going to university.

HIGHER EDUCATION

PHOTOGRAPHY: LEFT, MERCHISTON CASTLE SCHOOL,, WATTIE CHEUNG PHOTOGRAPHY. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, OXFORD BROOKES, UNIVERSITY OF HULL, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

1

TOWARDS 2060 Most of today’s new students will be working for the next 50-plus years. For many, that means working until mid-way into the 2060s. But here’s the problem.

Because of computerisation, many of the jobs that people are currently employed in are vanishing before our very eyes. Experts predict that up to a third of the jobs that we recognise today simply won’t exist within the next 20 years.

One of the best ways to future-proof your long-term employability is education.

The more you learn, the more agile and flexible you are to be able to take advantage of the changing world of work. Education won’t guarantee you a job or career, nor will it guarantee you a lifetime of paid employment. But it will certainly give you the ability to learn and relearn new skills and knowledge.

2

GRADUATE JOBS ARE ON THE INCREASE When recruiting, more employers than ever now ask for degree-level qualifications.

Partly this is because more graduates are in the market, competing for jobs. Where once other qualifications would have been considered, employers are now able to insist on degree-level qualifications. Having a

Above, for some professions, having a degree is nonnegotiable

degree gets you entry to the graduate job market. How you perform then on, is entirely up to you.

3

ACCESS TO THE PROFESSIONS For some jobs and professions, having a degree is not-negotiable. Without a degree, it is simply not possible to gain access to that profession. You could have impeccable work experience, superb skills and qualities, but without a degree, you won’t even make the paper sift.

4

ACCESS TO NETWORKS Few places can rival the access university provides to people and networks.

In fact, from day one, university is all about people and networking. You might not think of yourself as one of life’s natural networkers, but being at university will give you the opportunity to make countless

contacts – not only in your own degree subject field, but in subjects and disciplines that you probably haven’t even heard of yet.

Think of university as a super-charged networking opportunity.

5

OPPORTUNITY IS NOW HERE Ultimately, how you view university is up to you. You either believe that opportunity-is-now-here; or opportunityis-nowhere. It’s a question of perspective.

But here’s the key point. By itself, going to university and collecting a degree won’t guarantee employability. To achieve this, you need to throw yourself into university life – join clubs and societies, make friends, learn new skills, take on additional responsibilities, turn up to things – only by making the most of university will university make the most of you.

Now, if only I’d said that on TV.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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SOPHIA ADAMS

gap year student

I

’m not sure where I heard about the John Hall Venice pre-university course.

I know that my mother had spent a few months in Italy, when she was a teenager, and I learnt more about her experience when I started making plans for my gap year in the autumn term of Upper Sixth at school.

The course became the central component of my gap year, around which all my other plans would revolve.

Having decided to take some time off, I worked out a schedule: teaching in my prep school in the autumn term, the course with John Hall, then a cooking course and a trip to America in July and August, with driving lessons planned for later in the year.

As it has turned out, John Hall has been my favourite part so far. Just imagine spending two months in Italy.

A Taste of Uni John Hall is so much more than the lectures, although those are an exceptional component of it. One of the great things about the Venice weeks was that it was akin to how we thought university was going to be: very good lectures – with some duffs – and the

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Above, Sophia looking at a Byzantine altarpiece during a private visit to Basilica San Marco, Venice

VENICE ESCAPE Spending two months in Italy, on a John Hall Venice course, has been the best part of my gap year, says Sophia Adams

freedom to do what we wanted in the evening, like stay in, and watch Twilight, or go to Campo Santa Margherita, a favourite of Venetian students, and enjoy a drink. This gives you certain responsibilities: yes, I’m going to go to this lecture on Marco Polo, or, no: I’m not going to go to this lecture on the ecology of the Venetian palaces.

Extended Learning The lecturers are all exceptional in their fields of expertise, hugely interesting, and ready to have a chat with us about anything.

Lectures were so varied – our favourite was about

different types of marble, and we found ourselves ridiculously excited when we found porphyry (a granite, not a marble) everywhere.

Lifelong Friendships There were 34 of us, just enough to get to know each other properly. I hope I have made lifelong friendships. The few that didn’t stay for the entire course, to Florence and Rome, we missed hugely. How could they have not joined us for the sunny afternoon in the Boboli Gardens? Or the night-time tour around Rome?

I’m going to Edinburgh in September to read history of art, and although many from

Share your gap year plans with us on Twitter @ISParent

John Hall will be joining me, it won’t be the same without all of us there. My mother went to many “John Hall weddings”, as her cohort grew up. I wonder if I will too. johnhallvenice.com

JOHN HALL COURSE • Course: John Hall Venice, pre-uni course for students of the arts and sciences.

• When: January to March.

• Cost: £9,980pp.

• Where: London, Venice, Florence, Rome.

• Lectures: Approximately 100 hours over nine weeks.

• When to book: Booking can be done two years in advance.

Cambridge Centre for Sixth‑form Studies Inspiring education Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies is an established and leading independent sixth-form college providing GCSE and A Level courses.

Scholarships are available for September 2016 intake.

For further information

01223 707943 admissions@ccss.co.uk ccss.co.uk facebook.com/CCSS.Sixthform twitter.com/ccsscambridge

JOHN HALL VENICE The renowned pre-university gap year course in London, Venice, Florence and Rome for students of the Arts and Sciences +44 (0)20 8871 4747 info@johnhallvenice.com www.johnhallvenice.com

Join us at Guildhall this summer The Guildhall School’s summer programme offers a wide range of courses across music, drama and technical theatre for young people aged 11 and over. Whether you’re looking to try something new or take your performance skills to the next level, our courses are taught by experienced Guildhall tutors in a vibrant and supportive environment.

Courses taking place in 2016 include: Summer Arts Camp in association with the Barbican Drama Summer School for 16-17 years Jazz and Rock Week Brass and Percussion Week Advanced instrumental courses Singing Taster Music Theory and Aural Skills Prop Making Skills Practical Theatre Sound Skills Residential packages are available.

To see our full range of courses and to book your place, visit gsmd.ac.uk/summer Email shortcourses@gsmd.ac.uk or call 020 7382 2310

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Top 20 in the world Study arts and humanities at King’s in one of the most prestigious faculties in the UK. Specialising in all aspects of human culture and history from languages and literture to film studies, and from classics to digital humanities, King’s is renowned the world over.

Perfectly located in the heart of London, with campuses next to the River Thames, our connections with cultural institutions, museums, theatres and galleries make King’s an inspiring place to study.

King’s is in the top 20 in the QS World University Rankings 2015-16

Find out about what’s on offer at www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums

HIGHER EDUCATION

DANIEL NILSSON DEHANAS lecturer in political science and religion, King’s College London

S

tudying religion at university involves wrestling with the enduring questions of humanity. Ideas of the sacred are at the heart of how people understand themselves and their reason for living. Even in largely secular societies, commonly held values arguably have religious origins.

PHOTOGRAPHY: KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

Hot Topics While the sacred is a deeply rooted human concern, troubling events of recent decades have exposed religion’s darker side. Examples include Hindu nationalism in India, the Christian populism of US presidential candidates, and the growth of Islamist terror.

So, understanding the human capacity for “evil” is as pressing as ever, but religion can bring solace to refugees, embolden leaders and inspire artists.

At King’s College London we offer a BA in religion, politics, and society that is unique in the UK. It draws together political, anthropological and sociological perspectives to equip students to think critically about religion in the world – an urgent field of study for issues such as public policy or conflict resolution.

What can you do with...

RELIGION?

Daniel Nilsson DeHanas explains what a degree in the department of Theology and Religious Studies has to offer Longstanding Debates King’s has one of the UK’s largest faculties of Theology and Religious Studies. This gives our BA in theology an exceptional richness in its main thematic areas: biblical studies, doctrine, philosophy, and church history. Critical thinking in theology can have a transformative effect on the world, as may be seen from the work of our alumnus and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu.

Those interested in broader questions may wish to consider a highly interdisciplinary subject, such as the BA in religion, philosophy, and ethics. This degree draws upon philosophical and ethical thinking from the Greeks to St Augustine, from Kant to Kierkegaard, and from the

[

modern to the postmodern.

It grounds students in both ethics and aesthetics – we offer a module in philosophy and film, and have partnerships with the National Gallery of Art and the Courtauld Gallery.

Above, The 19th-century King’s College London, right, students gain an array of skills from studying a BA in religion

No Faith Required

Marketable Skills

A common misconception is that students of religion (and lecturers) must be people of faith. Of course, religious studies departments will include believers, but also atheists and the non-religious.

The singular requirement is a willingness to peer with empathy at other traditions.

You will consider the world from some starkly different points of view, and such cross-cultural understanding will be valued by neighbours and employers alike.

Students develop skills such as cross-cultural communication, close reading of texts, weighing ethical arguments, and how to express ideas persuasively. This prepares them for a variety of careers including journalism, international business, policymaking and the charity sector. Some will teach religion or pursue postgraduate study.

John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, has recognised the importance of degrees in religion stating that, “If I went back to college I’d probably major in comparative religion, that’s how integrated it is in all we are working on and deciding about today.” Clearly, the urgency of understanding religion is unlikely to dim for the foreseeable future.

The BA in religion, politics and society equips students to think critically about religion in the world around us

]

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

53

ELENI CASHELL editor of whatuni.com

PERSONAL STATEMENT CHECKLIST

Trying to get noticed in the X Factor bootcamp that is applying for uni?

Eleni Cashell has this step-by-step guide to help you stand out

GET THE TONE RIGHT

If text arguments have taught us anything, it’s that getting the right tone in your language is vital if you want to convey the right message.

And a personal statement is no different; it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Sound as bored as watching paint dry and the admissions team will doze off, show you’re passionate and enthusiastic and you’ll have them hooked.

2

WHY DID YOU PICK THEM?

Explain why you want to go their university. Your personal statement is meant to be personal to the university – as well as you.

Recall your open-day experiences and mention the teaching reputation. Making it unique to the uni lets the admissions team know that you’ve worked hard and haven’t copied an online template.

Make sure you’re putting the academic reasons for choosing

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

this uni, not because it’s got a massive shopping centre or because you’ve heard the nightlife is amazing!

3

WHY THAT COURSE?

Once you’ve told them why you want to study there, it’s time to tell them why you want to study that particular course. Whether it’s because you’ve been inspired at school or because a particular expert made you keen to find out more, tell the admissions team why you’re so eager to study it for the next few years.

Remove anything unprofessional.

Applying because the lecturers are attractive? Maybe leave that out…

4

ALL ABOUT YOU

STUDIES. Talk about what you’ve studied/are studying. If you’ve studied a subject that’s relevant to your application, make sure the admissions team know it. Showing you’re eager to learn more, at their institution of all places, should get you some serious brownie points.

Top Tip

write, For every paragraph youeith er the to nt eva rel make sure it’s isn’t, it if , sity ver uni the or course ton but hit the delete

WORK EXPERIENCE. If you have done work experience, shout about it. Whether it’s relevant to the subject (which shows you have a passion outside school, too) or just a Saturday job in your local café, jot down what you’ve learnt from it.

HOBBIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS. Admissions aren’t going to believe that you spend 24/7 studying, so tell them about any interesting hobbies and achievements that you’re especially proud of. Although make sure it’s either relevant or interesting, they probably won’t care about your Netflix all nighters...

ILLUSTRATION: ANDY WARD

1

HIGHER EDUCATION

5

WHY THEY SHOULD PICK YOU

It’s time to wrap this up like a present. Explain why everything you’ve just told them makes you the perfect fit for their university.

Now create an impressive sign off. Leave them in no doubt that there will ever be a better applicant than you.

6

WHAT TO DELETE

There are some things that absolutely should not be in your personal statement.

Here are the top five NO-NOS: EXAGGERATIONS. Keep your language honest with a hint of humility. For example, say you’re a team player, but not that you built the team from scratch and led them to glorious unprecedented victory.

BAD LANGUAGE. Don’t swear in applications. Admissions teams don’t like it, apparently.

IRRELEVANT INFORMATION. While your family may love the fact you earned a swimming medal when you were eight or take really good selfies, it’s not massively relevant to your uni application.

NEGATIVITY. Leave critical thinking off the page and make sure they know how awesome you are.

THE GOOD UNIVERSITIES GUIDE IS FREE TO DOWNLOAD AT: independentschoolparent.com/university/ the-good-universities-guide-spring-2016-is-out-now

SPELLING MISTAKES. Use spell check, get a friend to read it, spell check, ask your family, spell check, ask a teacher... you get the idea.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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HIGHER EDUCATION

WHAT TO PACK Our edit of 12 essentials to get you started...

LEMONY FRESH

Try Orla Kiely’s Sicilian Lemon Diffuser with pure essential oils of lemon, mint and lavender (£32, houseoffraser.co.uk).

ALL IN ONE

Funzee offers a range of fun onesies in cotton or fleece for lounging, sleeping or partying.

(From £19.95, funzee.co.uk).

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

PACK IT IN

Uni Kit Out supply bed, bath and kitchen packs for homes or halls.

Quote UG16 to save 10% (from £15, unikitout.com)*.

KEEP IT CLEAN

Get on top of your washing load with the stylish FIRTH printed fabric laundry bin (£15, habitat.co.uk).

BRIGHT LIGHTS

Add personality to your room and illuminate your desk with the TOMMY metal lamp (£18, habitat.co.uk).

ON THE RIGHT TRACK Get 10% off a One-Year, 16-25 Railcard by using the code: GOODUNI10 (£30, 16-25railcard.co.uk)**.

COOK UP A STORM

Show off your culinary prowess with this essential Linea Principle four-piece pan set (£100, houseoffraser.co.uk).

BIN IT

Tidy room, tidy mind. Take care of your rubbish with the ELODIE Natural Bamboo bin (£12, habitat.co.uk).

THAT’S A WRAP

Hammamas’ lightweight, cotton towels double as a sarong and can be used anywhere, anytime (from £25, hammamas.com).

CARRY ON

Making the trip to campus with textbooks in tow is easy with a handy TOPSY tote bag (£5, habitat.co.uk).

TEA FOR TWO

Share some well-earned downtime with these playful VAGRAT floating tea infusers. (£2 for two, ikea.com).

PHOTOGRAPHY: *OFFER ENDS 31ST DECEMBER 2016, **OFFER ENDS 30TH SEPTEMBER 2016

IT’S A DATE

Organise your intensive studying and socialising with a diary you can design yourself (from £20, pirongs.co.uk).

Learning to scuba dive is the perfect way for gap year students to mix travel, adventure and culture with a passion for the underwater world that will last a lifetime.

They can even train as a PADI Divemaster, mentoring others whilst earning money and making new friends across the world. They’ll develop skills that improve future employability, like leadership, V w`i Vi] `i«i `i Ì ÃÌÕ`Þ > ` «À L i Ã Û }°

Unlock endless opportunities during your teen’s gap year, back home and beyond – visit www.padi.com/elearning to get started today.

LCCM

LCCM Creative Campus, openi

ng S e p t emb er 2 0 17. ©

Tay lo rW i mp ey C en tra

lL o n do n.

Preparing you for a life in music

LCCM is London’s leading independent music college, offering industry-led degrees as well as evening, weekend and summer courses.

lccmlondon

Rock and pop, R&B, jazz and blues to latin, world or classical. Piano, guitar, bass and drums to vocals, horns, writing or production. Whatever your tastes or talent, as an LCCM graduate you’ll have all you need for a long and rewarding life in music.

HIGHER EDUCATION LCCM is moving to a new creative campus in the Music Box in2017

P

opular music college LCCM is a stone’s throw from cultural institutions like Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Old Vic. “We’ve been here since 2003,” enthuses Darius Khwaja, co-founder and current principal. “LCCM was born of frustration with the lack of creative music colleges when I first started as a musician.”

For the love of

MUSIC

For fans of music, words or modern tech, LCCM offers an exciting creative education in the heart of London’s cultural Southbank, writes Neil Hart

TOP IMAGE COURTESY OF TAYLOR WIMPEY CENTRAL LONDON

Something Special Ask any student and most will agree there’s something very special about LCCM. Vocal degree student Jaka Skapin explains, “Aside from the incredible tutors, I just love the opportunities LCCM has given me. You make friends and perform with people of all ages and walks of life from around the world; playing anything from pop and rock to jazz, Latin, blues and classical. In fact, we spend most of our time playing music.”

This may sound normal for a music college, but you don’t often find that elsewhere – and based in London LCCM students perform at real venues within a month or two of starting the course.

Breadth of Musical Knowledge As well as developing outstanding graduates in piano, guitar, bass, drums, horns, vocals, songwriting and studio production, an LCCM student can add even more strings to their bow.

“It’s critical we don’t just churn out virtuoso artists,” continues Darius.

“Today’s musician needs a broader skillset, not only so they can collaborate with other

players, but also succeed professionally.”

Alongside their core instrument, LCCM students study theory, composition, history and arrangers piano from day one.

More uniquely they can choose additional modules – from songwriting, studio recording, programming and performance to a second instrument. Later modules include business and entrepreneurship.

Graduate Prospects “Our degrees are designed to help students develop the practical skills they need for a career in the creative industries,” explains Darius.” In 2015, 61% of LCCM graduates were employed within three months, higher than most conservatoires. “We have alumni signed to major labels and touring the world,” Darius continues. “But our focus is on preparing students for a life in music, whatever their talents.”

Building on their reputation for turning out in-demand industry talent, LCCM is moving to a purpose-built creative campus from September 2017, taking the first seven floors of the Music Box – a new addition to London’s iconic skyline,

LCCM is moving to a new creative campus in London’s Music Box in 2017

developed for them by Taylor Wimpey Central London.

Bold Ambitions At the same time the college is launching degrees in professional writing and digital product development, plus an MA in creative entrepreneurship.

“It’s incredibly exciting” explains Darius. “We’re doubling in capacity without sacrificing the small class sizes.

We’re looking forward to a fresh influx of writing, digital and business students, along with more study, practice, recording and performance rooms – as well as a venue space hosting the best gigs and artists, providing further inspiration to our students.

With industry-based tutors like Ernie McKone, Roland Perrin, Dave O’Higgins, Mike McEvoy and Richie Stevens, not to mention masterclasses from George Clinton, Marcus Miller, Randy Brecker and Robben Ford already under their belt, it seems more LCCM students will soon enjoy the education of a lifetime.

Find out more at lccm.org.uk

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WIN!

A SUMMER CAMP ADVENTURE

We’ve teamed up with Kingswood Camps to offer you the chance to win a week-long summer holiday experience in the great outdoors Adventure The Coastal for camp is perfect sts thusia watersports en

P

acked full of adrenaline fuelled and challenging activities, Kingswood Camps adventure holidays give eight to 17 year olds the chance to have a lot of fun, gain a sense of independence and make friends with other young people from over 75 countries across the world.

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Each of the five camps have something unique to offer, with over 60 activities and themes celebrating the virtues of each of the camps’ locations, from an adventure just for teens to woodland and coastal experiences, it’s easy to find the perfect summer holiday for everyone.

Formerly known as Camp Beaumont, Kingswood Camps are part of Kingswood, which offers outdoor education and adventure weeks for schools and groups, allowing over 160,000 young people to visit the centres each year.

COMPETITION

spectacular house is nestled right beside the beach in nine acres of gardens and woodlands, this tranquil setting gives way to an exhilarating adventure park where teenagers can try a host of challenging activities and learn new skills.

ACTIVITY PROGRAMME Kingswood Camps have a full holiday programme with a timetable of day and evening activities. Accommodation is based on groups of a similar age and every group has a dedicated camp coach on hand to provide support and a fair few

Time to get active with treetop adventures.

WOODLAND ADVENTURE The Woodland Adventure camp in Colomendy is set in the beautiful rural countryside of North Wales, mixing an array of high-adrenaline activities with the opportunity to explore the great outdoors.

It’s the perfect adventure park for thrill-seekers of all ages, with a giant treetop zipwire and a 3G swing.

URBAN ADVENTURE In contrast, the Urban Adventure camp is a hidden gem in the heart of urban Ashford, just an hour outside London. It offers a unique combination of historical buildings, modern facilities and a state-of-the-art adventure park.

COASTAL ADVENTURE For a camp packed with water activities, there’s a Coastal Adventure camp located on the Isle of Wight. Just a 45-minute ferry ride from England’s south coast, the Isle of Wight centre is a dream come true for young watersports enthusiasts. With direct beach access on the Jurassic Coast, visitors can combine surfing and other sea-based pursuits with their on-land adventure.

Right, make new friends and learn new skills at Kingswood Camps Archery is one of the many activities to choose from.

YOUNG ADVENTURER For eight to 15 year olds, the Young Adventurer camp based in West Runton, Norfolk, is perfect for those staying away from home for the first time. It’s based in an awe-inspiring centre that enables young adventurers to explore activity-filled surroundings, from abseiling with sea views to dining outside with new found friends in the alfresco eating area.

TEEN ADVENTURER And for an older age range, there’s the Teen Adventurer. This camp is based in a 19th-century beachside manor house, and is open exclusively to 15 to 17 year olds for two weeks only this summer. The

laughs. Summer holiday residentials with Kingswood Camps give young people once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to build confidence, have fun with new friends, learn a skill and make amazing memories to treasure forever.

Find out more at kingswoodcamps.co.uk or call 01603 851886.

HOW TO ENTER. For your chance to win a free week at any of the Kingswood Camps locations simply answer the following question by 10th July at independentschoolparent.com/win Q. How many camps are run by Kingswood Camps?

A – 10 B–5 C–1

Terms and conditions: The prize is subject to availability per date and centre. The prize is for the Adventure Choice programme only, which is available at all five camps. It is not available in conjunction with any other offer and is not valid on existing bookings. Prizes are non-transferrable and non-refundable. The closing date for entries is 10th July 2016. The winner will be announced on 12th July 2016 and contacted directly. This prize must be booked by 31st July 2016. The winner will be selected at random from all correct entries.

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1 Yasmine Fosu, 16 International Fencer Millfield School, Somerset

Yasmine Fosu has just turned sweet 16.

The teenager not only shines in the classroom, but also on the international fencing scene. A top academic, in A sets for all of her 10 GCSE subjects, Yasmine spends her time outside the classroom competing for Millfield, or Ghana, at national and international competitions.

She is currently ranked 71 in the Junior U20 rankings and is the youngest person to be in the top 150 of the senior rankings, currently placed 116. Yasmine was the youngest in the Olympic qualifiers and came in at a very impressive seventh place.

1

2 Abby Gooderham, 16 Hockey Player, Under 18s England Framlingham College, Suffolk

Abby was in action for the England U18s recently, scoring her first goal in a series of three victories, including a win over the Scotland U21 development team. Director of sport, Simon Sinclair said, “Abby has had an exceptional year playing for Harleston Magpies in the National League, and the school in the National Schools Indoor U16 competition and 1st team. She also played at the National Schools Tennis Finals in Bolton. Abby is a talented all-rounder who manages to balance her academic studies as well.”

ONES TO WATCH We catch up with the stars of the independent school sector

3 Fred Dimbleby, 18

3

Budding Political Journalist Brighton College, Sussex

Fred Dimbleby, son of broadcaster, David, hosted his own Question Time-style debate at school. The subject was Brexit and guests included Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP, in the “leave corner”, and former MP, Matthew Parris, arguing that Britain should remain. Taking questions from pupils, the panel was kept in check by Fred. He says, “I would love to make a career in journalism but I am not sure whether I would like to go into TV journalism. I’m more into podcasting, which is big in the US but hasn’t crossed over here as much yet.”

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2

STAR PUPILS

4 5

4 Jack Reynolds, 16 BAFTA Young Gamer Winner UCS Hampstead, London

Jack Reynolds won the Game Concept Award among a host of nominees at the BAFTA Young Game Designers ceremony.

With little experience of game design, Jack was inspired to enter the award after seeing it on YouTube last year. His entry game, “Ouroboros”, was based on a robot trapped in a factory. Jack says, “There wasn’t really a formula but this idea was something I was passionate about.” Jack hopes to go on to study computer science or engineering at university and to become a game developer. His prize included game studio tours, as well as the chance to meet inspirational figures within the industry.

5 Phoebe Piercy, 18

Unconditional Offer to MIT Truro School, Cornwall

Phoebe, who is head girl, has received an unconditional offer to study physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the world’s number one ranked university. With nearly 20,000 applications each year, there is an acceptance rate of just 3% for international students. Phoebe now prepares to join a list of notable MIT alumni including Buzz Aldrin and Kofi Annan. Phoebe said, “On the day, I was nervously hovering over the enter button, online, preparing myself for the moment of truth. It felt amazing when I found out that I had been accepted.”

6 Maro Itoje, 21 Rugby Union Player Harrow School, Middlesex

6

Maro went to Harrow for sixth form on an Outstanding Talent Scholarship, where he was captain of the 1st XV and a member of The Philathletic, a group of the most senior sportsmen in the school. Maro also played basketball, football, rugby and athletics.

He is currently reading politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. He plays as a lock for Saracens and had his first cap for England in this year’s Six Nations. He led Saracens to the European Champions Cup final, which they won. He was also named European Player of the Year 2016.

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A holiday on Kangaroo Island will leave wildlife-lovers in awe

A

fter an overnight flight from Hong Kong to Adelaide, a 90-minute taxi ride from the airport to Cape Jervis, and then an hour’s ferry ride to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island, you would have thought that my 13 and 14 year olds would have nodded off on the final leg to our luxury lodge. But when the car hire rep told me, as I picked up the car, that I had just one hour before sunset and the cut-off time for the insurance, as all the wildlife came on to the roads then, and it was too dangerous to drive, my children sat glued to the windows all the way.

AUSTRALIA’S GALAPAGOS We just made it as dark descended, but the heaps of bones and occasional mounds of animal that we passed on the roadside (with typical Australian humour called “wozzas” by the locals – “it was a wallaby/ kangaroo”) proved the point.

Called Australia’s Galapagos, Kangaroo Island teems with flora and fauna, much of which, due to its isolation from the mainland for thousands of years, are found nowhere else in the world. We learnt the statistics over the next few days, from

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ISLAND HOPPING Long devoid of tourist trappings, Kangaroo Island is a sanctuary for wildlife and wilderness, finds Mary Lussiana

SUMMER HOLIDAYS

some of the brilliant guides we had. There are 1,000 sea lions, 14,000 koalas (40% in fact of the world’s population), 20,000 New Zealand fur seal pups this year, 250,000 kangaroos and near on 1,000,000 tammar wallabys. But it was not those that we have taken away with us. It was the wonder of seeing nature in the raw – of surprising a Wedge Tailed Eagle feeding at the road side and watching it soar upwards, its massive wingspan stretched taut against the canvas of a blue sky; it was the excitement of seeing our first whale, a southern right, on its migratory path past our terrace; of spotting a koala high up in a blue gum tree, with a tiny joey on its back, by the wavering light of the moon; and of hearing the mournful cry of a bush curlew in the heavy night air.

A NEW DAY BECKONS Each day brought new discoveries. We woke on that first morning, pulled back the blinds and gazed in awe at the ocean, bathed in pink, racing in to meet the cliffs beneath us. Breakfast was good enough to linger over, from the local sheep’s milk yoghurt and the island’s Ligurian honey to the delicious Harris Smokehouse salmon but the children were desperate to get out and explore. It was blustery and cold but within minutes of leaving the hotel we had seen our first sooty kangaroo (unique to Kangaroo Island and, so called, because they are darker in colour than their grey kangaroo cousins), sitting tight in the scrub that lines the roads. We went into Flinders Chase National Park and visited the Remarkable Rocks, formed by the erosion of large granite core stones more than 500 million years ago and Admirals Arch, where through the blackened stalactites you can watch the New Zealand fur seals. My daughter, Clementine, quite lost her heart to the plump pups and their huge dark eyes, all of them born on the 31st of January or the 1st February. Their

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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The little picture At Winkworth, we never stop searching for the very best for you. We ask lots of questions, listen to what you really want and discover all sorts of wonderful things to show you. We know our local areas like the back of our hands and recognise the tiny things that make a big difference in our homes, spotting what others often miss.

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SUMMER HOLIDAYS

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOURISM AUSTRALIA, SATC/TA, ADAM BRUZZONE, GREG SNELL, MIKE ANNESE, BLINK PRODUCTIONS, AUSTRALIAN AIR HOLIDAYS

“In the dark of night, we saw ring tailed possums chasing each other along a Eucalyptus tree” fur is so efficient that water doesn’t touch their skin, but less attractive is that locals blame them for the diminishing fairy penguin colony in the north of Kangaroo Island. It is an emotive issue as sealing was once so widespread – as was once the killing of koalas for their fur – and Kangaroo Island, with its few natural predators has been responsible for protecting and preserving species. So they don’t want to cull the now thriving seal colony, which only 50 years ago numbered just 40.

A MOB OF KANGAROOS One evening, we stood in a field with a mob of kangaroos as dusk fell and they grazed all around us, and drove home avoiding wallabys as they hopped into the glare of the headlights. They are the smallest Australian wallaby, the

Clockwise from top left, spot joeys and plump seal pups, no one can resist a cuddly koala

tammar wallabies and extremely sweet.

Being clever enough to be able to drink sea water and excrete the salt makes Kangaroo Island a perfect habitat for them, as well as its mass of scrub for day time cover.

They all give birth on the last day of January or the first day of February, re-mate within a week and then put the embryo on pause until the 20th December, Australia’s longest day, when it is implanted in their womb. But we saw a few six-month-old joeys in their mother’s pouches, still benefitting from the milk, which apparently has higher medicinal qualities than penicillin.

In the dark of night, we saw three ring tailed possums chasing each other along branches of a Eucalyptus tree when we went to Hanson Bay Sanctuary to spot koalas – one came so far down its tree we could almost touch it and we heard the extraordinary mating call the male makes, which can only be described as how a pig on a Harley Davidson would sound. The female koala, who is notoriously low in libido, has apparently been heard to make the same noise if she hears a male beginning to clamber up the tree to her, hoping to frighten him away. We were fascinated from start to finish and all that we have talked

Get up close to wildlife while exploring about since our return is when we can get back there again to see the elusive echidna – a spiny anteater – the one resident of Kangaroo Island that we didn’t spot.

Cathay Pacific (0208 834 8888; cathaypacific.com) fly to Adelaide via Hong Kong. Cox & Kings (0845 154 8941 coxandkings. co.uk) has a four-night stay at Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat, including one night in Adelaide, return ferry transfers and car hire from Adelaide.

Prices on request.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Capture this moment forever

Image: Simon Davis RP, Sophia

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STRAP LINE

The Cornwall Hotel Spa & Estate is near Porthpean Beach

Spotlight on...

CORNWALL Exploring the county’s coves and coastline was a welcome breath of fresh air for Natalie Milner

T

he four-star Cornwall Hotel Spa & Estate is nestled in the rolling Cornish countryside between St Austell and the sea. The hotel is set in 43 tranquil acres of parkland – and it quickly becomes apparent that having this space to explore, play and take a breath of sea air is the key to a Cornish family getaway.

A hop, skip and a few jumps away (a two-mile walk through country lanes) you’ll find Porthpean Beach, offering rock pools and a host of watersports in the summer season. This quaint sandy cove is just the beginning of our trip along a small portion of the South West Coast Path, 230 miles long in total, which you can join at varying points to soak up the coastline.

NOSTALGIC TOWNS AND HARBOURS We walk north east and scramble down the sea-beaten steps to find the rocky beach of Duporth and, a few pebble skims later, we continue to the late-Georgian port of Charlestown where you can visit the Shipwreck and Heritage Centre, before grabbing a crab sandwich, all to the sound of wetsuit-clad children taking leaps off the harbour into the sea metres below.

The port was built in 1791 to handle the ore from the mines that was soon replaced with the famous China clay, a product entwined with south Cornwall’s history.

Nowadays, families can hire bikes or go horse riding along the so-called Clay Trails winding across the land.

Our taxi driver indicated how the landscape reveals its mining past, from the manmade hills dotted across the horizon, to the Eden Project built within a disused clay pit.

Above, the hotel is set in 43 acres of parkland

NEWQUAY EDEN PROJECT

ST AUSTELL TRURO ST IVES

CHARLESTOWN PORTHPEAN BEACH

PLACES ATTRACTIONS

THE EDEN PROJECT In 1995, this educational development was sparked by Tim Smit. Having restored the nearby Lost Gardens of Heligan, Smit was ready to launch a new project – an epic setting to showcase the world’s most important plants. Inspiration for the iconic biomes, designed by architects Grimshaw, was taken from Waterloo International and evolved into giant bubbles settled on the irregular clay pits.

A short drive from The Cornwall Hotel Spa & Estate, the Eden Project is a fantastic day out, with two giant biomes: the Tropical Rainforest and Mediterranean, plus you can download a Discovery Trail online for fun in the Outdoor Biome. If you’re feeling brave, jump on the SkyWire, England’s longest zip wire travelling 660 metres across the treetops. Or go pre-historic with Dinosaurs: Land, Sea and Air exhibition from 23rd July until 4th September.

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SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Pick of the

BEST

Looking towards Duporth beach from the South West Coast Path

Great Outdoors CARDINHAM WOODS for activities, stunning view points, cycle trails, BBQ facilities and outdoor play area. forestry.gov.uk/cardinham

COUNTRYSIDE ESCAPE

CLAY TRAILS, download maps, routes and activities before you go. claytrails.co.uk

After an action-packed day, The Cornwall Hotel Spa & Estate is a welcome retreat, especially with The Clearing Spa awaiting your arrival. Children can enjoy the indoor infinity pool, complete with bifold doors to let the countryside in during the summer months, while you can enjoy the steam room, sauna and jacuzzi or pamper yourself with a spa treatment.

DUPORTH BEACH (rocky) a secluded cove – you can find access via the South West Coast Path. beachesincornwall.co.uk PENTEWAN VALLEY TRAILS bike hire. pentewanvalleycyclehire.co.uk

CONTEMPORARY LIVING The impeccably restored, 19th-century White House forms the core of the hotel and is home to the more traditional Victorian Suites and Rooms, with feature fireplaces and the dining rooms leading onto The Parkland Terrace where you can enjoy dining alfresco and afternoon tea while taking in the surroundings.

Situated in the seamless addition to the manor house, our spacious Luxury Room has a cool, contemporary feel, with splashes of colour in the abstract artwork and the quirky Hummingbird wallpaper, and includes a flatscreen TV, comfy kingsize bed, dressing table, sofa, dining table and a stunning bathroom complete with rainfall shower. Double doors lead onto a large balcony with Rattan table and chairs where we take in views across the Estate. There are four sets of Luxury Rooms adjoining one another to accommodate families of four, while the three Junior Suites offer a lounge area and a sofa bed (extra beds can be supplied).

If you want a more independent experience or a group family holiday, the self-catering, Scandi-inspired woodland homes, on the fringe of the Estate, provide the best of both worlds with state-of-theart kitchens but use of the Hotel’s facilities.

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PORTHPEAN BEACH (sandy) with seasonal sailing, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, snorkeling. cornwall-beaches.co.uk THE EDEN PROJECT, plus Dinosaurs: Land, Sea and Air exhibition. edenproject.com

Culture Trips CORNISH CUISINE The Arboretum Brasserie makes use of locally sourced produce for its seasonal menu. Meat comes from Brian Etherington Meat Co, a three-generation Cornish butchery; and fish fresh from the sea is caught by both Fish for Thought and Flying Fish Seafood – which supplies the likes of Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. Don’t miss the dedicated Children’s Menu for smaller appetites.

As we devour our Fowey mussels the aromas conjure memories of the beautiful yet rugged Cornish coastline. And this is what it’s all about – bringing the great outdoors into a luxurious yet comfortable setting; pure and simple.

A two-night stay starts at £165 for two guests in a Luxury BOOK IT Room including breakfast and free parking – children sharing with adults cost £15 per night inclusive of breakfast. For more information or to book visit thecornwall.com or call 01726 807509. To reserve a spa treatment call 01726 807576.

CAERHAYS CASTLE AND GARDEN, designed by Regency architect John Nash, with 140 acres to explore. caerhays.co.uk CHARLESTOWN SHIPWRECK AND HERITAGE CENTRE shipwreckcharlestown.com PRETTY HARBOUR TOWNS of Charlestown, Fowey and Mevagissey. cornwalls.co.uk THE LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN, 25 years ago a chance discovery of a door in the ruins led to this restoration of a once great estate. heligan.com

Surf Schools & Watersports FISTRAL BEACH, Newquay (sandy) also offers coasteering. fistralbeach.co.uk FLOWRIDER for a simulated surf machine at Retallack Resort. retallackresort.co.uk LUSTY GLAZE BEACH, Newquay (sandy) including beach dodgeball, volleyball, football and surfing. lustyglaze.co.uk QUIKSILVER SURF SCHOOL, Newquay quiksilversurfschoolnewquay.com SIBLYBACK RESERVOIR for sailing, canoeing. visitcornwall.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK, THE CORNWALL HOTEL SPA & ESTATE, BOB BERRY PHOTOGRAPHER, NICKSMITHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM, HUFTON+CROW

Top, the Eden Project, the Edward Junior Suite, Fowey mussels at The Arboretum Brasserie

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SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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STAR STAFF

SCHOOL

HERO

I

am incredibly proud to be director of hockey at King’s College, Taunton, where I am working hard alongside my colleagues to ensure that everyone, no matter what their hockey aspirations, receive the best possible experience.

Top-Class Hockey

PHOTOGRAPHY: SHUTTERSTOCK

I am an England Hockey Level 4 Coach. I coach at the Hockey Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence Camps (AASE) and formerly at England Hockey NAGS Academies and have been assistant coach with the England U16 girls. I also deliver coach awards for England Hockey as part of their coach education team.

Pulling on the England shirt makes me feel immensely proud and hopefully I can try to inspire others to work hard at their hockey.

Inspiring Players

CLARE HAYES

This director of hockey at King’s College, Taunton, has a wealth of international experience to share with pupils

Love and Passion

The England Masters

I played hockey at county level at school, continuing my love of the sport at university. After graduating, I played at club level, eventually playing national league for Taunton Vale Hockey Club, where I retired from play to begin coaching the side back to national league status.

Upon hitting “Masters hockey age” (O40!) I decided to put my skills and experience to the test, and trialled for the England Masters. I got in! This is a fabulous, very organised and competitive set-up run by people who are very passionate about hockey. As an O40 I have represented England at

[

If I can transmit just a little bit of the love I have for hockey to the pupils, then I am happy!

]

Right, Clare Hayes has a passion for hockey that filters into the pupils’ game

the World Cup in Rotterdam in 2014 where we won a bronze medal; in a Home Nations tournament in 2015 where we won gold; and in the European Championships in 2015 where we won a silver medal – the latter involved playing one of our matches on the main pitch at the Olympic Park. This was a very proud moment as our national anthem was played on that day and we went on to win.

This year, we brought back a silver from the World Cup in Canberra.

I enjoy working with motivated pupils and watching them develop as hockey players and as people. Our aim is to support every player in being the best they can be. This also involves letting them watch top-class hockey and we invite guest international players to coach to our players.

I’ve been fortunate to be selected for the England Lionesses. We have an intergenerational focus where we coach and inspire youngsters. We’ll be returning to Cumbria and visiting Scotland and Zagreb, in Croatia, to coach this year.

I’m a self-confessed hockey geek – I just love it! If I can transmit just a little bit of the love I have for hockey to the pupils, I am happy!

Clare is running summer hockey camps for players of all ages and experiences. chayes@kings-taunton.co.uk

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

CALENDAR Our round-up of inspiring things to do this summer 19 Aug

THE TARTAN BLANKET COMPANY [Edinburgh] The Tartan Blanket Co. is an independent, family run, online company selling a lovely range of luxury blankets, hand-picked home accessories, fashion accessories and gifts. Founded in 2014 by newly-weds Emma and Fergus Macdonald, with the vision of developing a brand inspired by their love of Scotland, every single item is wrapped as though it were a gift. tartanblanketco.com

Now

SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS FOREVER!

PHOTOGRAPHY: VIANNEY LE CAER, REX, SHUTTERSTOCK

The hotly anticipated Swallows and Amazons film, with Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Rafe Spall, (Life of Pi) and Harry Enfield, is out this August.

Based on the bestselling book by Arthur Ransome, first published in 1930, the story follows four children dreaming of escape from the boredom of a summer holiday in the Lake District with their mother. When finally given permission to camp on their own on a remote island in the middle of a vast lake, they are overjoyed. But they are not alone. As a desperate battle for ownership of the island ensues, the real dangers of an adult world on the brink of war encroach on the paradise in the form of a mysterious pair of Russian spies hot on the tail of the enigmatic Jim Turner. UK cinemas.

Now

DIGITAL WORKSHOPS AT THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM [London]

SOMETHINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STIRRING AT THE GORING [London] This summer, The Goring, in Belgravia, will be working with emerging British spirits brand Hepple Gin, to create a one-off, living pop-up bar bringing a taste of the soul-restoring Northumberland moors to the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s private garden. Taste each botanical from plant to glass in an immersive gin safari. thegoring.com

1

June-Sept

Samsung and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) museum have launched their Digital Classroom events with a Virtual Reality (VR) themed session.

Future workshops, including the Samsung Digital Classroom: Contemporary Portraiture, are designed to provide digital skills needed to equip them for a career in the creative industries.

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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Reader offer!

Festival Get two-for-one Foodies visiting by tickets, plus showguide, nt.com independentschoolpare

15-17 July

GUILT-FREE HEAVEN

[Cheshire]

Foodies Festival, the UK’s biggest celebration of food and drink, returns to the north west with a delicious feast at Tatton Park this summer, here’s a taste of what to expect: • Top chefs Aiden Byrne and Mary Ellen McTague and MasterChef winner Simon Wood cooking in the Chefs Theatre.

• Champagne, wine and craft beer masterclasses.

• Street Food Avenue focuses on serving Brazilian street food.

• More award-winning producers than ever before.

• Local bands competing to win the Unsigned Music Awards.

• New Bug-Eating competition and Chilli-Eating Challenge.

• Celebrity chef Aldo Zilli launches his street food range serving Italian burritos. foodiesfestival.com

TO TEXT OR NOT TO TEXT To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, ShakeSpeak app has launched to add a Shakespearean touch to your text messaging. Software company Swiftkey and London guide visitlondon. com have teamed up to create ShakeSpeak, a fun app that allows you to type the first word or two of a Shakespeare quotation and the technology will do the rest.

Swiftkey’s analysis of the Complete Works of Shakespeare advises using “thou”, “thee” and “thy” in your text messages, as they are among the most frequent Shakespeare uses. Download for free on Google Play or swiftkey.com/en/greenhouse

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

Now

LOVE YOUR TENNIS? If you or your children enjoy playing tennis then why not sign up to a Jonathan Markson Tennis Summer Camp? With five hours of professional coaching each day, this is the perfect way to improve your tennis and have an amazing experience. The professional international coaching team uses the latest technical drills and on-court video analysis to boost your performance. Jonathan Markson Tennis has residential and day camps in Yorkshire (eight to 15 years), Oxford (10 to 17 years), Brighton (15 to 21 years), Cambridge (adults) and London (adults and kids).

Find out more at marksontennis.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: PAGETURNER PHOTOGRAPHY, RICHARD WASHBROOKE PHOTOGRAPHY

TATTON PARK FOODIES FESTIVAL

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Coding, Robotics, Game Design ...

Te c h C a m p E xc l u s i v e C o u rs e s fo r 2 0 1 6

Build & Fly Your Own Learn Coding and Quadcopter Make a Robot Arm

Build Gadgets in Inventor School

Build & Programme Build Rockets & an Design Your Own a Drawing Robot Electronic Launcher Games

Build a WiFi Laser Tag System

Tech Camp is the UK’s original coding and engineering camp and remains the only one specialising in teaching programming through advanced take-home projects. It’s perfect for creative youngsters who like making things (or taking them apart!) or to show those who are forever playing games how to start designing their own. We have tutors from the likes of Cambridge & Imperial, maximum groups of eight, and exclusive courses not available anywhere else with dedicated teen-only options.

Come as a day camper or join hundreds of other young people from around the UK at our flagship residential camps where you have your own en-suite room and spend evenings playing laser tag, disassembling electronics and much more.

Tech Camp London (Non-Residential) & Tech Camp UK (Residential) Inspiring Tomorrow’s Inventors www.techcamp.org.uk 0118 380 5678

.org.uk Inspiring Tomorrow’s Inventors

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

79

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Now KEW GARDENS: A CLASSROOM FOR THE WORLD [Richmond]

A new vision for Kew Gardens is to be revealed – at its centre will be a giant beehive where visitors can experience the sounds and habits of a colony of bees and a newly refurbished Temperate House (which is reopening in 2018) showcasing the world’s most threatened and endangered species. There will also be an annual science festival for youngsters and which is all part of a vision to transform the Royal Botanical Gardens into a giant outdoor classroom and laboratory, teaching the importance of plant diversity in saving the planet. kew.org

PHOTOGRAPHY: RHODODENDRON DELL, KEW GARDENS

HIGHLAND GAMES

Until Sept

[Scotland] Combine international athletes, local communities and visitors alike and you get Scotland’s Highland Games. With traditional heavy athletic events like tug-o-war and the caber toss, as well as Highland dance competitions, track and field events, and piping, the games are a true spectacle. visitscotland.com

Family festival round-up

Summer 2016 Three of the Best

28-31

CAMP BESTIVAL July [Lulworth Castle, Dorset] The Den, the festival within a festival, is the ultimate in teen exclusivity at Camp Bestival – with no adults allowed. This year there’s a mega line-up of live music, talks, sessions and spoken word. campbestival.net

WILDERNESS

12-14 July

THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW [Harrogate, North Yorkshire] England’s premier agricultural show features the best of British farming at the Great Yorkshire Showground, offering first-hand experience of agriculture and rural life through demonstrations and exhibitions, as well as over 1,200 stands. The competitive classes are at the heart of the event, attracting around 13,000 entries, ranging from prize-winning bulls to poultry to international show jumpers. greatyorkshireshow.co.uk

[Cornbury, Oxfordshire]

4-7

August

A multi-award winning festival combining live music, contemporary arts, theatre, craftsmanship and dining experiences.

Held in the private estate of the Rotherwick family, Cornbury Park, family events include The Wilderness Cricket Match and The Clubhouse: for table tennis, sock wrestling and more! wildernessfestival.com

THE EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL [Edinburgh]

5-29 August

Every year thousands of performers take to hundreds of stages all over Edinburgh to present shows for every taste. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists, the festival caters for all. edfringe.com

SUMMER 2016 | independentschoolparent.com

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MEMORY LANE

SCH

MEMOOOL R I ES

escribe your school in three words Academic yet rounded.

Did you customise your uniform?

No, I was on the other end of the scale. I had my top button done up even on the hottest of summer days.

Stalwart of the detention room or teacher’s pet?

I had two “supervisions” during my time at King’s (a minor form of detention) – one for encouraging a fight just before I took Common Entrance and the other for failing a Chinese test.

CHARLES FISHER

What prize were you most proud of?

The “most outstanding oarsman” trophy at the end of my Upper Sixth, because King’s boy, Toby Garnett (my idol at school), was awarded it in 2004 and he rowed in the 2008 Cambridge Blue Boat.

Where was your favourite lunchtime hangout?

I always kept busy at lunchtimes. I was part of the weekly debating club and a member of the politics society.

Which teacher stays with you to this day?

My two Sixth Form English teachers, Harry Chapman and James Cannon, were in a class of their own. Both are fiercely intelligent, superb teachers,

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independentschoolparent.com | SUMMER 2016

The winning Cambridge Boat Race oarsman was appalling at sport at King’s College School, Wimbledon, until he tried rowing

who would fit in perfectly as Cambridge lecturers. They kept a rowdy class in check, and I learnt a great deal from both of them. Though I don’t know how much metaphysical poetry I can still remember!

How would your teachers remember you?

Hopefully as someone who was well-rounded and wanted to make the most of what King’s offered outside the classroom as well as inside it.

Best prank?

Some of the muck-up days in my early years were pretty full-on. In one of them, a huge smoke bomb was let off

on the main field and the entire school was put on “lock down”. Things seemed to get tamer as I got older!

Would you rather double maths or an afternoon of art?

I was into the humanities at school, and loved English, history and geography – the three subjects I took for Higher Level at IB. I was no good at maths but at 13 I’d never complain about a Friday afternoon of art!

Share your school memories with us on #Throwback Thursday @ISParent

Are you a team player?

My philosophy is that you perform best as an individual when part of a team. You wouldn’t be able to get to a high level in rowing without believing that.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a…

Pilot. I was fanatical about planes and my mum would take me to Heathrow to go plane-spotting. I have lived in Kew my whole life, which is under the flight path...

What piece of advice would you give your school-age self?

Working hard pays dividends later. I was lazy up to my GCSE year, reflected in below-par exam results. I turned it around for Sixth Form, which were incidentally the two years I most enjoyed at school.

The philosophy I live by is that you perform best as an individual when part of a team

PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM KOCH

D

Were you an all-star sports captain or outside field lingerer?

In my first two years at King’s I was appalling at all sports.

Highlights included the D team for football and rugby.

Being six foot one at 13 meant rowing was the logical choice and I have rarely looked back, rowing for 15 consecutive terms in the senior school.

We won national medals for four years running and I represented Great Britain in my Lower Sixth year.

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