Independent Executive Nov/Dec 2012

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE NOV/DEC 2012 | ISSUE 08

UTIVE

The plight of cotton farmers and its impact on school uniforms

Charity case

The latest guidance on charitable status

Keep calm and press pause

How ‘pause button therapy’ is changing behaviour in schools Brought to you by

EDEXEC

NOV/DEC 2012 | ISSUE 08

FAIR TRADE | CHARITABLE STATUS | PAUSE BUTTON THERAPY

DRESS CODE OF ETHICS

SECTOR

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News The latest news and developments in the world of independent schools

10 Advice Charity case The latest guidance on achieving charitable status MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT 12 Sports Going for gold Why so many Olympic medallists come from independent schools 16 Prospectives Prospectus perspective What makes a good school catalogue 20 School shops Open up shop When to move your shop online and when to stay in store Look out for the latest news, products and promotions from our sponsors where you see this logo

Independent Executive, brought to you by the publishers of Education Executive, is a bi-monthly magazine that supports business and financial excellence in the modern UK independent school – whether it be fee-paying, an academy or a free school. Every issue features a host of original editorial content aimed at bursars, headteachers, finance directors and development officers and focused on issues to do with the financial and administrative management of a school.

EDITOR julia.dennison@intelligentmedia.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR carrie.service@intelligentmedia.co.uk REPORTER george.carey@intelligentmedia.co.uk PUBLISHER vicki.baloch@intelligentmedia.co.uk SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE neil.pauksztello@intelligentmedia.co.uk DESIGNER sarah.chivers@intelligentmedia.co.uk PRODUCTION/CIRCULATIONS natalia.johnston@intelligentmedia.co.uk

PROCURE AND PLAN 22 Uniforms Dress code of ethics How to procure a more ethical uniform for your pupils 26 Theatre Treading the boards How to plan the best theatre space for your school 28 Security Earth wind and fire The impact fire and natural disasters is having on schools MANAGEMENT 34 Advice Blame game Investigating effective and ineffective management in independent schools 36 Behaviour Keep calm and press pause How ‘pause button therapy’ is changing behaviour in schools ICT MATTERS 38 Procurement Playing catch-up Do private schools have some catching up to do with states?

42 Case study School life in motion Need a promo video? One Norfolk school involves its pupils 44 Techno Geek Cyberbullying Just what can be done about it?

INSPIRED MINDS

Independent Executive is published by intelligent media solutions suite 223, business design centre 52 upper street, london, N1 0QH tel 020 7288 6833 fax 020 7288 6834 email info@intelligentmedia.co.uk web www.intelligentmedia.co.uk web www.independentexec.co.uk Printed in the UK by Buxton Press www.buxtonpress.co.uk

46 Interview Swiss innovation An interview with the principal of Switzerland’s oldest British school 50 Diary Badge of courage Queen’s College Taunton on why marketers should be brave

Welcome

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reported with interest a study (see p5) finding that the number of children who attend ‘British-style’ schools abroad had risen by 18% since 2010, and this percentage is set to double in 10 years.

While the idea that a British education would be so popular as a concept does not surprise me in the least, what does is, since we are in a global recession, the fact that private school numbers are increasing so much anywhere. On page 46, in our Inspired Minds section, I speak to the principal of St George’s School in Switzerland, one of the oldest British-style schools in the country. His school is doing very well for itself (you could argue some of its pupils are somewhat recession-proof), however, the recession is having an impact – particularly for the children of bankers seconded to Switzerland for work.

Where once paying for an employee’s child’s education was seen less as a benefit and more as a requisite for firms, many of these companies are now taking up local contracts with their staff to avoid doing it. That means that while some of these staff would be happy to pay anyway, there are others who may not. So, you can quickly see how the recession takes its toll in less obvious ways.

But, to quote Hugh MacPherson, chief executive of World Class Learning Group who commented on the story of the global ‘British’ school boom, there is “huge potential” here for schools here in the UK with news like this. I see the opportunities being twofold – on the one hand, it is encouraging for private schools in this country looking to expand abroad (as we’ve written before in this magazine, that’s happening more and more), but on the other hand, boarding schools can take solace from these stats. ‘British’, as a brand, is doing well. This will undoubtedly help in international recruitment efforts. In short, it’s a good time to be British. As an American who recently acquired British citizenship, I can say this with confidence.

EDITOR

INDEPENDENT NEWS

Lampl: Private schools, open your gates to all

TOP STORY

BOOM IN BRITISH SCHOOLS OVERSEAS More than three million students attend ‘British-style’ international schools worldwide, with numbers expected to double over the next 10 years.

The phenomenal growth of the international schools market was highlighted in recent figures from the International Private Schools Education Forum (IPSEF), which were produced by ISC Research.

The number of children who attend schools where most lessons are taught in English and are often described as ‘British’ in style has risen by 18% since 2010.

It is predicted this will double to six million within 10 years, with the number of schools increasing by 79% from 6,327 to 11,331.

Fast facts n Three million students attend ‘British-style’ international schools worldwide. This is predicted to double next year n ‘British’ schools have increased their numbers by 18% in the last two years.

Demand is said to be being driven by the growing expatriate communities as well as an increasing number of local families who want a British-style education for their children.

Hugh MacPherson, chief executive of World Class Learning Group (WCL), which runs nine day schools across the world, has seen the growth of international schools first hand.

“Demand for our schools has come not only from the expatriate communities we initially aimed to serve, but from many local families who recognise the quality of our schools and the value of our Britishoriginated curriculum that produces excellent results for our students,” he said.

“The well-established international schools sector has been robust through the recession and is forecast to deliver substantial growth to operators well placed in this market.”

The international schools market is fragmented, with even the largest groups accounting for less than one per cent of market share.

MacPherson believes this offers “huge potential” for acquisition and consolidation, particularly in the Middle East.

“It is an exciting time for us to be involved in this market,” he concluded.

Independent day schools have been urged to support a scheme that would open them up to highly able children of all backgrounds, based on merit rather than ability to pay.

Sutton Trust chair Sir Peter Lampl urged headteacherss attending the HMC conference in Belfast last month to join more than 80 other independent day schools in backing an Open Access scheme that would make private day school places available to able children on a sliding fees scale.

The trust piloted Open Access at The Belvedere School in Liverpool from 20002007, in partnership with the Girls’ Day School Trust, and saw academic results improve while the school attracted a more diverse social mix. Three in ten girls were given free places, because of lower family incomes, and four in ten more received help with fees.

The Sutton Trust is now urging the Government and opposition to back such a scheme nationally, which – because some parents would pay full or partial fees – it says would have a lower per capita cost than the average state secondary school.

Sir Peter estimated that 30,000 able students whose parents could not otherwise afford full fees would benefit.

Membership to the scheme would be voluntary, but only schools of sufficient academic quality would be admitted. “The only pressure would come from schools’ desire to educate able children from all backgrounds, and their need to compete with a new, dynamic sector drawing on a wider talent pool,” Sir Peter said.

Schools would also retain their independence, but with some “light-touch” government monitoring like academies.

“I recognise that if you did not continue to control your admissions, syllabus and teacher recruitment, few of you would volunteer for change,” he said. “As state funds would be involved, there would be additional monitoring, but this should be relatively light touch. The Government accepts this now for outstanding state schools.

For pupils, admittance would be meanstested, but the system of selection would be “far more sophisticated than the old elevenplus”, according to Sir Peter.

Fees assessment would take account of parents’ assets, as well as income, “making it stricter and more efficient than Assisted Places,” he said.

The state funding required would depend on the catchment area, but the Sutton Trust estimates that around twothirds of the cohort would receive some help with or full remission of fees, adding up to half of current fee income.

“This fees shortfall would come from the state but would be less per capita than a state school place,” Sir Peter added. He quoted a net estimated cost to the state of £180m a year.

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 05

INDEPENDENT NEWS

BOARDERS ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS, SAYS BSA The Boarding Schools Association (BSA) has urged Immigration Minister Mark Harper not to include boarding students from overseas in his net immigration figures.

The BSA said including these pupils, who brought in £510m in fees alone last year, would risk discouraging them from coming.

In a letter to the minister, John Newton, head of Taunton School and a member of BSA’s national executive committee, said these students were “exactly what government would like international students to be – temporary migrants”.

He urged Harper “to consider, most seriously and urgently, removing from the student immigration figures those international students coming to attend our member schools”.

Newton said that discouraging them in this way sent “the message that they are dangerous and not wanted”.

This would encourage them to look elsewhere, like Australia or the United States, for the education instead and “damage valuable schools for whom international students are commercial vital”, doing “serious harm” to the “already fragile” British economy in the meantime.

The Government has said it wants to develop a new system of student migration to and from the UK, but so far this debate has mainly focused on university or college students.

A spokesman for the UKBA told the BBC there was no limit on the number of overseas students who can study “at our world class institutions”, which “continue to attract the best and the brightest”.

He said: “Altering the internationally agreed definition of a migrant would not change that and could in fact undermine public confidence in our statistics.”

60 students enrolled in AC Grayling’s New College of the Humanities this September – a third of planned intake. The £18K-a-year private university offers star lectures from the likes of Richard Dawkins, Niall Ferguson and Steven Pinker.

‘Don’t overegg charity status’ Independent schools marketing themselves as charities have been advised to “rebrand” themselves by Nicolas Allen, chair of the Independent Association of Prep Schools.

He told delegates at the annual IAPS conference earlier this autumn that independent schools are in need of a rebrand and should stop referring to their ‘charity status’, instead calling themselves ‘not for profit’ organisations.

Allen advised schools to move away from this type of branding, as he believes it puts them under too much scrutiny in terms of what they should be expected to do to support the poor.

Independent schools have been in the spotlight recently, the TES reports, with the chairman of the Independent Schools Council, Barnaby Lenon, claiming that they are seen by others as poor examples of charitable organisations.

In light of his comments, Allen advised schools to differentiate themselves from other charities to avoid fighting a “running battle” to justify tax benefits.

THEY SAID “The decision could make it harder for the UK to attract the most talented teachers, doctors, scientists and engineers who can help make this country attractive to global business. Overseas students will quite reasonably wonder whether the government is going to prevent other universities from educating them which could hit UK universities hard. This decision may damage the UK’s reputation as one of the world’s thriving higher education sectors.”

Martin Freedman, head of pay, conditions and pensions at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, on the news that London Metropolitan University had its right to sponsor international students revoked

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INDEPENDENT NEWS

New bursar for Solihull School

IN PICTURES

Children dressed as scarecrows celebrating harvest at Abbotsholme School farm in Staffordshire

Development changeover in Portsmouth and Bournemouth schools PORTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL AND BOURNEMOUTH COLLEGIATE SCHOOL Lucinda Webb has been named Portsmouth High School’s director of development after Kate Shaw left the post to become head of development and alumni relations at Bournemouth Collegiate School.

Webb’s previous fulltime role was in the BBC’s marketing and communications department, which she left in January after 20 years with the organisation.

Her work at the BBC included PR, marketing, event organisation and stakeholder research and engagement.

She has had two interim positions since January at the University of Portsmouth and the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust.

However, she Portsmouth High School was “a wonderful place” to now be working.

“The girls here are excited, interested and enthusiastic about their education and I am delighted to be a component of the school’s development and future plans,” she said.

Portsmouth High is part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), a leading network of British independent girls’ schools.

Webb will focus on engaging with local businesses and continuing to build the school’s alumnae network. “The school has a wealth of talented girls in many different areas,” she said. “I am keen to create symbiotic relationships outside of the school to enhance our girls’ knowledge and to bring 08 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

a young, dynamic dimension to corporate companies in the area and beyond.”

Shaw, who relocated to Bournemouth last year, said she was looking forward to a new career challenge. Like, Webb, she says she is keen to engage with corporate companies in the region and build the alumni network.

Bournemouth Collegiate School is an independent co-educational school for three- to 18-years-old across two sites. The day prep school is in Lower Parkstone, Poole, while the senior school (day and boarding) is situated on the Bournemouth waterfront.

Richard Bate has been named the new bursar at Solihull School. He joins after a successful career in a variety of commercial and industrial roles at home Richard Bate, the and abroad. new bursar at Solihull He succeeds Colonel School Christopher Warren, who retired after nine years at the 452-yearold independent West Midlands school.

As well as managing the school’s finances, Bate takes responsibility for the school’s facilities and all its support functions. He also joins the school’s senior management team.

Bate has a degree in economics from Cambridge University and is qualified as a management accountant.

He said he was “greatly looking forward” to his role “with a school that enjoys such an excellent reputation, has an exceptional history and exciting plans for the future”.

Headmaster David Lloyd said he was “delighted” to welcome Bate.“His commercial experience and enthusiasm will be invaluable in helping the school continue to develop and succeed,” he said.

Marlborough College opens Malaysian school Three-hundred and fifty children started the school year at the newly opened Marlborough College Malaysia this September.

The Wiltshire-based school joins the likes of Dulwich College, Harrow and Wellington College in the international school market.

Speaking in advance of the launch, master of Marlborough Jonathan Leigh, described the move to the BBC as a “significant expansion of one of England’s finest schools”.

“We relish the opportunity to bring our teaching in its broadest sense to such a dynamic and exciting part of the world,” he said. “Marlborough Malaysia will give us the chance to enrich our experience and curriculum from an international perspective, which will prove to be hugely rewarding.”

The new school is located in southern Malaysia’s fast-growing special economic zone, Iskandar. The school takes pupils from a mix of expat and Malaysian national backgrounds and places great emphasis on boarding.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR LOCAL SCHOOL NEWS. Pictured (left to right): Ex-Portsmouth, Kate Shaw is now head of development at Bournemouth Collegiate School and Lucinda Webb, Portsmouth High School’s new director of development

If you have a story to share, please get in touch on editor@edexec.co.uk

SECTOR > CHARITY GUIDELINES

CHARITY CASE

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SECTOR > CHARITY GUIDELINES

With the consultation on the Charity Commission’s guidelines on public benefit coming to an end, Carrie Service catches up with Darren Hooker, solicitor for charity and education at Stone King, for the lowdown on achieving charity status

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he guidelines published by the Charity Commission outlining what constitutes a charity are currently up for consultation. When this magazine goes to print, the consultation period will be over, and it is hoped that the resulting guidelines will allow a broader view of how a school is seen to be acting in the ‘public benefit’.

The consultation was launched in response to private schools expressing their concern over the guidance being too narrow – many believed that it didn’t account for the variety of charitable work carried out by independent schools; placing too much emphasis on the amount of bursaries they offered and not enough on other charitable deeds.

If the changes are passed, it could make it easier for your school to be recognised for its charitable acts. Recent figures suggest that approximately 80% of private schools have partnerships that allow local state schools to make use of their facilities, such as playing fields and sports halls, so it’s likely that you could already be doing enough to be awarded charity status if you apply.

One of the main changes that could be implemented after the consultation is who should dictate which activities carried out by the school are seen to be in the public benefit. It has been decided via a tribunal that this should not be for the Charity Commission to decide, but rather the governors of the school, who are better equipped to make an informed decision. Darren Hooker, a solicitor within the charity and education team at Stone King, explains: “What we had previously was the Charity Commission

dictating to schools that they must provide a set percentage of bursaries – say, they must provide five per cent – and if they weren’t providing that much they couldn’t be charitable.

When they carried out public benefit assessments they failed a number of schools on the basis that they weren’t providing a sufficient level of bursaries, and that’s what lead to the ISC [Independent Schools Council] appealing against the public benefit guidance the Charity Commission had produced. It was really an appeal against the guidance itself and asking for it to be quashed and rewritten.”

The tribunal essentially did side with

significantly increase their ability to attend the school.

It’s worth noting that you could be nearer to being eligible for charity status than you might think.

The Charity Tribunal also ruled that contrary to what the Charity Commission had previously stated, it is possible to take into account that independent schools are relieving the state sector: by taking children out of the state sector they are relieving the ‘public purse’ – and that in itself is a public benefit. “By itself, it’s not enough to confirm charity status, but it’s something that can add weight to the application,” says Hooker. “The [other] types of things they’ll be looking at are levels of bursaries and sharing of facilities with local groups in the community and with other schools,” he adds.

So is there anything that independent schools should be wary of once they have become a charity? “Charity status is often seen as a great benefit because of the tax breaks and the added prestige you get,” reflects Hooker.

“But on the other side of the coin is the fact that you are accountable to the Charity Commission and you will face a slightly higher level of scrutiny. Your accounts will have to be published and you will have to report annually on the types of activities that you have done over the past year. So you’re more open to criticism and people looking at the types of things you do.” The most important thing to remember, is that once you’ve been awarded the ‘holy grail’ of charity status, that it is just the beginning, as Hooker concludes: “It’s a continuing obligation; it’s not just something you prove on application and then forget about, you have to continue to provide the public benefit going forward.”

It’s a continuing obligation; it’s not just something you prove on application and then forget about the ISC, saying that the guidance was unclear in places and should be rewritten in part.

So, at present, the public benefit guidance has been rewritten and is out for consultation. It will largely be in the same format as it was before, so if you are already a registered charity and are concerned about how your school might be affected, the chances are it won’t, explains Hooker: “The only significant changes really are around fee charging; and how charities provide benefit to people who are not able to pay the fees.”

This includes the requirement that schools must provide “more than tokenistic benefit” to people who can’t afford to pay their fees, to

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MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > SCHOOL SPORTS

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MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > SCHOOL SPORTS

The perception that independent schools leave their state-funded peers at the starting line, where sports are concerned, is nothing new. George Carey asks if it’s still the case and looks at what is being done to redress the balance

A SPORTING CHANCE S

port in independent schools tends to conjure up an image of cricket wickets, wellmanicured hockey pitches in the summer and an abundance of Somme-like rugby pitches patrolled by people who look like they were bred with the sole intention of rucking and malling. Independent schools have long been associated with sporting excellence and this opinion seemed to be vindicated in east London this summer. A study by the Sutton Trust found that more than a third of British medal winners at the 2012 Olympic Games were from private schools, which educate only seven per cent of the school population. Chairman Sir Peter Lampl thinks it is time for a change: “While we congratulate all our Olympic winners, this research shows that independent school students are more than five times over-represented amongst our medal winners relative to their proportion in the population – which is also the case at leading universities and in the professions more generally.” He continues: “This comes as no surprise, as children in independent schools benefit from ample time set aside for sport, excellent sporting facilities and highly qualified coaches, while in many state schools sport is not a priority, and sadly playing fields have been sold off.”

OLYMPIAN’S ORDERS After the games, Lord Moynihan, the outgoing chairman of the British Olympic Association, called for all independent

schools to share their sporting facilities with state schools.

He seemed to appreciate that many independent schools are already working with state schools but felt that it is not yet enough. Saying that, he believed some schools were willing to share facilities but it was important that all of them were involved. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It really is about taking best practice, rolling it out nationwide and ensuring we have a sports legacy which is, to me, as important as a great Games.” He said primary schools, in particular, should benefit from the facilities and coaching expertise that top schools in the same catchment areas had garnered.

Kathryn James, director of policy at the NAHT, is in agreement that much can be gained by private schools and their state counterparts joining together to share sporting facilities. She says: “We welcome Lord Moynihan’s comments and would be pleased for such partnerships to be extended across the country and include all schools, both independent and state. By sharing not only facilities and equipment but also expertise, children can become more engaged with sport at a young age.” James goes on to reiterate the benefits of well-facilitated sporting activity for children, all the way from primary school to elite level: “Such partnerships can inspire children to participate in a range of sports and help keep them active. Whether these partnerships lead children to compete at the highest levels or simply enjoy themselves while taking part in a range of activities, we hope they will deliver best practice and enable the youngest INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 13

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > SCHOOL SPORTS

generation to grow up healthy and with a lifelong love of sport. We already see benefits from independent and state schools collaborating together and it will be good to see this developed as part of the Olympic legacy.”

INDEPENDENT VOICES Even as he called for reform in this area, Lord Moynihan had to admit that there is a lot of good work being done by independents already. A lot of the reporting in the media after the Games tended towards a slight vilification of what it saw as an affluent group of elite schools that could afford the extra time and money to spend on sport and weren’t sharing that around. Clearly this view of the haves and the have nots has been greatly exaggerated and the rather Dickensian picture painted by sensationalist news stories is a long way from the truth. Graeme Maw is director of Millfield School, a beacon of sporting excellence based in Somerset, which educated two of the 2012 gold medal winners and seven other competitors. The winners in question are Peter Wilson who was victorious in the double trap shooting and Helen Glover who claimed gold in the women’s rowing pairs. Maw asserts that most independent schools are already engaged in community activities through local schools or clubs and quotes an Independent Schools Council survey, which shows that 80% of schools – about 1,000 in total – were engaging in partnerships. “We host all the local schools basketball, we work closely with local primary schools in running a squash club,” he says. “We host the Somerset school games and most of our facilities are used extensively by local clubs in swimming, athletics and hockey.” It says something about the school’s investment in sport that Maw is the former national performance director of British Triathlon.

This sharing approach can be seen all around the country, where independent schools are keen to have a positive impact on their surrounding communities, including state schools. Warwick School is more than 1,000 years old and has been a long-time advocate of close

school and community links. The school became heavily involved in the Warwick Independent State Schools Partnership (ISSP), making it one of the most successful inter-school collaboration programmes in the country, until it was discontinued. Warwick School set up and implemented the ISSP enrichment programme, which incorporated many events and activities and opened up the school’s facilities to local state schools. The Warwick ISSP consisted of 11 schools: four secondary and seven primary; three independent and eight from the maintained sector. While the former partnership no longer exists, joint activities between the schools still continue. The enrichment programme championed by Warwick School included a variety of events, covering both primary and secondary schools.

Activities in recent years have included the school’s come-and-tryit days every summer term, with around 300 pupils from six primary schools taking part in activities including archery, wall climbing and water polo. Edward Hulse, the school’s headmaster, explains the importance of schemes like this: “Warwick School has played an active role in the community since it was established over 1,000 years ago.

Today this manifests itself in a huge number of ways. We organise many events that involve local schools, from art exhibitions to rugby training days, and work hard to ensure more schools and their pupils are involved each year.”

Wellington College is another revered institution that sees contributing to state schools’ sporting capabilities as part of a wider commitment to improve the community in any way possible. Stephen Crouch, Wellington’s bursar, says that the school is always trying to help out other groups: “We make our facilities available to a large number of local groups and schools on a free-of-charge basis, which is part of the school’s ethos of contributing to the community.” So there we have it, independent and private schools are not simply on the inside of a sporty bubble looking out. While there is, of course, always room for improvement, these schools are aware of their duty to the schools around them and are trying to contribute in a positive way. n

More than a third of British medal winners at the 2012 Olympic Games were from private schools, which educate only seven per cent of the school population

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MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > PROSPECTUSES

Prospective perspective What has more impact: A paper prospectus or an online version? Carrie Service finds out what the future looks like for school prospectuses

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MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > PROSPECTUSES

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f a prospectus is well executed it can be a great representation of your school and a powerful marketing tool. But pull it off badly and you’ll be left with something you want to hide in shame rather than distribute with pride. So what is the secret to getting it right, and where should you be looking to for guidance?

BE ORIGINAL Jon Willcocks, MD of design consultancy Jon Willcocks Associates, believes that in order to create a lasting impression, schools should try not to over-use the smiley generic photographs usually associated with school prospectuses and should instead try and communicate the finer details that make their institution unique. He suggests capturing moments that are specific to the success of your school in particular, rather than thinking about what constitutes a ‘good school’ in general. Familiarise yourself with the school calendar, paying particular attention to any special events, such as activity days or school trips, so that you can be there to photograph them. “[A prospectus] should be like a mirror – it needs to reflect the school,” says Willcocks. Capture what you think makes your school a cut above the rest, so that it can be reproduced, allowing prospective pupils and parents a real insight into the ethos and spirit of the school.

A prospectus should be like a mirror – it needs to reflect the school A TRADITIONAL APPROACH Willcocks is a firm believer that traditional printed prospectuses can have more of an impact than school websites, which he feels at times have a cold “white goods” feel about them. “A prospectus that is beautifully done can be so much more useful,” he explains, “because it is a statement of confidence and it has a tactile quality.

Photography can be so much more dramatic and dynamic in the way it’s printed. [A website] can give you a lot of up-to-date information, but there’s a certain quality and depth that you’re never going to achieve. [A prospectus] has a credibility about it, an authority that a website can never achieve.” Having produced many prospectuses over the years, Willcock’s advice to any school going through the process is to be selective with the company they choose to produce it, and not to be drawn in by the hardsell. For a marketing company to be able to represent the school in an honest light they will have to ask questions, find out about significant events in the school calendar and what the teachers and pupils love about being there.

So, choose a company that demonstrates a genuine interest in the school, otherwise you are likely to end up with the same prospectus as every other institution they have worked with. “It’s about the whole person, and trying to capture and convey that is not an easy thing to do,” says Willcocks. “A lot of schools sell themselves short because they don’t push the envelope as hard as they should.”

INNOVATING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY Having considered the benefits of a printed prospectus, we can’t overlook the ever-changing way in which we access information and how the internet has become the go-to tool for most. Children and teenagers use apps for everyday errands, such as booking tickets or ordering pizza, so they are the next logical step as a marketing platform for many. With this in mind, Highbury INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 17

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > PROSPECTUSES

College in Portsmouth took the initiative to expand its prospectus offering by building a prospectus app, or ‘iProspectus’. The application has been designed to allow students to browse details of all the available courses at the college from anywhere around the globe – they can even apply for a place via the software. The college has also reported a drop in workload since the app was launched. Paul Rolfe, head of technology and innovation, explains: “The beauty of this app is that it integrates with our management information service, so if we get a new course, we can just add it into the system and suddenly it’s on there for students. So if you withdraw a course or you want to add some more information or change the wording we can do it all ourselves at zero cost to the college. And I think that’s really quite critical for us. Students can apply directly through the app and then that application will go straight into our MIS system. So they then start a workflow; they get an email to say we received the application and they’ll then be kept informed automatically as their application moves through our college system.” This automation saves on administration time and also minimises the potential for human error.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL If you really want the app to work as a marketing tool however, you need to do it right, says Rolfe: “[Prospective students] find the app by doing a search, so it’s really important to get the meta data against the course right – and what I mean by that is to actually describe the college and what the purpose of the app is correctly in the system you download it from. If you don’t put in enough detail and the right information, students will never find the app in the first place.” Although Highbury College is a large institution, Rolfe believes the same technology could definitely work for a small independent school. “It opens up new markets, particularly in terms of international students, which can be a money pit. But for practically no cost you’re suddenly in the iTunes store, which has worldwide appeal – and likewise with the Google Play store as well.”

Highbury received funding from the Government’s Learning and Skills Improvement Service for the project and it cost them around £15,000 in total. However Rolfe has confidence that it could be executed on a smaller scale for a lot less, as the college has a massive student population of around 10,000 students. A school isn’t going to have the same amount of course content as a college and so would probably have fewer requirements for the app itself, making it easier to build. Shamus Kelly from Portal, the company that created the app, believes that apps are the future for prospectuses: “There is no doubt that many more institutions over the next few years will embrace this route because it’s so effective. Younger generations are using devices and smartphones far more readily than five or ten years ago, so there will be an expectation that builds up – you will be expected not to be handed a paper prospectus, but you’ll expect to download it as an application. I think that’s inevitable.”

The appeal of a prospectus that is downloaded as an app is clear to see, as it certainly fits into the technology driven lifestyles of the majority. However, there is something attention-grabbing about a physical, paper prospectus – as with a printed magazine – that draws the reader in and is less fleeting. Highbury still chooses to distribute a paper version of its prospectus, but the college is hoping to reduce its production year-on-year by 10%. During this ‘limbo’ stage of being halfway towards achieving a paperless environment, it is important to explore all avenues – especially if it means opening your school up to the wider world. n 18 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > ONLINE SHOPS

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MARKETING AND DEVELOPMENT > ONLINE SHOPS

Are you being served?

A school web store can be a useful educational tool and a great way to raise funds as well. George Carey finds out what’s involved and the benefits for your school

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ny school that says it couldn’t do with a little more in the coffers, is not so much bending the truth as shattering it beyond all recognition. A school store can be a great way to offer parents quality products at competitive prices and raise much-needed school funds.

And while some schools may be put off by what they see as a mammoth undertaking, it’s possible to start a school shop online with varying degrees of involvement. Depending on how much time and expertise a school is able and willing to invest, there are a two main options available: to run the store purely as a profit-making operation or to use it as a learning tool as well. The extra profits made by a school store can be a huge benefit both to school funds and, if you choose to involve them, your pupil’s curriculum.

So what are the procedures for setting up such an enterprise and what if any are the pitfalls?

PUPIL INVOLVEMENT If you choose to use an online store as a learning tool as well as a commercial venture the benefits are myriad. With even the staunchest luddites having to concede that pupils will enter a work place dominated by online activity, it’s a great way to teach them about ecommerce and the work that goes into the setup and maintenance of such sites. Because you can allow pupils of different ages different access to the back-end of the site, it can be used with almost any year group. Even for the youngest pupils, lessons about the process of starting the site and its dayto-day running can be an invaluable way to introduce them to the subject.

Rising up the age range, you can allow

pupils the chance to do almost as much as they want, depending on their skill levels. The day-to-day running of the site can serve as an ICT lesson and cut down on the personnel hours that would otherwise be dedicated to site maintenance. This is mutually beneficial and allows the children a unique understanding of ecommerce.

At the highest level, it may be possible for sixth form students to work on the programming of the site, creating new algorithms to improve the operating procedures and the buying experience for your customers. As that is normally them or their parents, they have

time and worry as, within reason, everything will be taken care of.

There are of course a number of different options available to you.

You may choose to have a third-party set-up the site but perform the daily running of the site yourself. The back-end programmes used by most IT consultants these days are very user-friendly and with a few hours of training, they should be fairly easy to use. In the event of any problems, a decent consultancy should be happy to provide you with follow-up assistance anyway. For those particularly brave schools or institutions on a very unforgiving budget, it is an option to both set-up and run the site yourself.

Off-the-shelf software now makes it surprisingly easy to set up your own site, providing that you don’t require anything too impressive. The software comes with step-by-step instructions and normally advice via email or a hotline, although it’s advisable to check the price of a telephone advice service as they can sometimes be much more than you would expect.

The other obvious issue with this course of action is the time involved.

While you may have the capabilities to create the site yourself, time is always at a premium and the whole process can soon take longer than expected.

Regardless of the methods or help that you’ve used, once your site is up and running, the only thing left to do is make sure that your audience knows about it. An email to parents or a leaflet should do the trick, and an opening discount should ensure that the first few orders come rolling in. It’s in these first purchases that the user experience is vital. If it’s a quick and easy process, people will come back every time, but if there are problems, that may be the last time they attempt it. This is why a hosted site may the best, if slightly more expensive route, as first impressions count and the professionals are more likely to create a smooth shopping experience. n

It’s possible to start an online school shop with varying degrees of involvement excellent access to ready-made market research on the subject, courtesy of their own and their families’ experiences. While it may seem risky to let pupils change the fundamental structure of the site initially, this can be done parallel to the working site and tested before any changes go live.

GOING SOLO If you decide that your pupils are learning plenty about ICT and ecommerce in other areas, you may want to run the shop purely as a commercial concern. This will obviously result in a shorter and simpler process of getting the site itself ready. In this event, it may be easier to hire out the site maintenance to a third-party. This will save you

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 21

PROCURE AND PLAN > ETHICAL UNIFORMS

Dress code of ethics How ethical are your school’s uniforms? Julia Dennison looks at the background story behind materials like cotton and where manufacturers are producing their uniforms to help make sure you are doing right by their workers

E

very 30 minutes a farmer in India commits suicide.

Usually by drinking the pesticides they have bought to protect the very crops that have let him down. This is a staggering statistic that is only now gaining awareness on a global scale thanks to a film by San Francisco filmmaker Micha X Peled released last month. The documentary, called Bitter Seeds, explores the reasons behind the more than 250,000 suicides by Indian farmers since 1995, most of which has occurred within the cotton-growing districts of Maharashtra. The movie blames multinational corporations and their genetically modified seeds for pushing farmers out of their land. But they aren’t the only culprits. Deals on the high street – and, of subsequent relevance to this magazine, cheap school uniforms, have driven prices down to below the cost of production, so even when farmers do have land, they are forced to sell their product at a loss. Britain’s £450m school uniform market and the fight to produce the

cheapest school uniform has seen leading suppliers in the grocery market slash their uniform prices by as much as 50% year-on-year. One leading name recently launched an entire uniform – including shoes – for less than £10. When it costs nearly this much to build the garment in the first place, and considering the margins stores will be adding on, you can see how impossible it is for the farmer or garment-worker to be making much of anything.

A FAIR PRICE TO PAY As a school, it’s easy to want to source ethical uniforms – but pressure from parents, and in the case of statefunded independents, government, to drive costs down for lower income pupils can mean holding fast between a rock and hard place. The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, has asked free schools and those converting to academy status to take steps to keep school uniform costs down. “In the current education landscape, dozens

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of schools across the country are changing their names or identities,” Cllr David Simmonds, chairman of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board has said. “It is understandable that many will want to mark this, but they need to remember that parents do not have an endless pot of cash for new school clothing.”

It’s one thing for a consumer to make the decision to buy fairly made garments, but another for a school, which has to mandate it across an entire pupil population.

“You have to find an – excuse the pun – one-size-fits-all solution,” says Tim James, co-founder of uniform retailer Schoolblazer. “While some people may put ‘I want it to be sourced here’ up their priority list, the overwhelming majority of people wouldn’t.” He continues: “We work with 85 schools and I don’t think ethical sourcing has been a deciding factor in a single one of those decisions. It’s been about design capability, and quality and price and parental convenience.”

Mark Southcott of School Colours

PROCURE AND PLAN > ETHICAL UNIFORMS

tells a similar story. “We used to be, but not recently,” he says, on whether he is asked by schools for his ethical credentials. He saw a glimmer of interest from consultants converting academies, but not from the schools. Is there any hope? Andy Ashcroft, of ethical school clothing supplier, Koolskools, thinks so. He’s actually seen the demand for ethical uniforms grow in the last year. He’s optimistically convinced that by changing the structure of the supply chain, and prioritising fairer trading, it is possible to offer a product that is as good quality and price competitive with others. “It’s quite a convenient excuse,” he says of the price argument. He believes retailers can do more to cut back on inflated, or what he calls “greedy margins”, to keep prices competitive while putting more earnings in the farmers’ pockets.

Private schools and fee-paying independents often have more control over their uniforms, and usually have parents who are willing to invest a little more into them. But where do you begin when it comes to sourcing ethically? At a minimum, uniform suppliers will meet certain labour standards as per regulations, and some will have an ethical trading policy you can ask them for (see box on the next page for what to look for).

“Ethically sourcing is about making sure the factories you go to have good conditions for the workers, good labour relations, are giving them the right holidays, are paying them a fair wage, which is a good living wage in their country,” explains James.

Schools wanting to buy better should also familiarise themselves with their retailer’s supply chain – and see that it’s short. James warns that the supply chain can sometimes get lost when third-party suppliers are sourcing from other third-party suppliers. He says when big names get caught out, it’s usualy not when their primary supplier is cutting corners, but a subcontract supplier down the supply chain. Ashcroft says not to be afraid to ask questions, as not everything is always what it seems: “Quite a lot of companies call themselves ethical and some even, through their websites, very cleverly create the impression that they are fair traders, but actually when you delve deeper, you find that’s not the case.”

COTTONING ON To help guarantee cotton formers a fair price, the Fairtrade Foundation launched a nationwide campaign earlier this year called ‘Step Back to School in Fair-trade Cotton’, encouraging kids, their parents and schools to commit to ethically INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 23

PROCURE AND PLAN > ETHICAL UNIFORMS

All day I sit and make school uniforms for foreign children. It makes me feel so sad that I can’t afford to send my own children to school, because I want a better life for them than the one I have.

SIRIN ANKAR, A 24-YEAR-OLD GARMENT WORKER AND YOUNG MOTHER, DHAKA, BANGLADESH IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ACTION AID Community labour laws. “There’s no children making our clothing,” he comments. “They get a fair pay and they get pensions.” However, it quickly becomes clear how ‘made in the UK’ or even ‘made in Europe’, becomes near impossible at grocery store prices. James explains: “If it takes an hour to make a shirt and in addition, the fabric, no matter where you source it from, is going to cost you about £2. If you pay UK prices at a cost price, that’s going to be £10 for that shirt – £8 minimum wage, £2 for the fabric. People expect to be able to buy a twin pack of shirts for about £10,” which does not even factor in the shipping and retailing overheads.

Parents and schools are thus faced with a conflict: “On the one side of people’s brain, they’re saying they’d like to buy British, but on the other side, they’re just not prepared to pay for it,” says James.

For those ready to make the commitment, the suppliers and information is out there to help you procure wisely (see Action Aid and the Fairtrade Foundation websites for a start). The nice thing about a uniform is it becomes a statement – a commitment your children wear every day. But it’s not just about the materials they are wearing, choosing ethical uniforms goes on to support a global educational agenda. “By choosing a Fairtrade cotton garment over a cheaply-sourced garment, you can have an impact on somebody in the developing world, say a cotton producer in Africa, who through your purchase can actually start affording to send their children to school,” Hearson explains. “This is about justice at the end of the day; it’s about paying people fairly.”

James hopes consumers will get out of the buy-cheap mentality: “Things just cost time to make; it’s a really labour-intensive business.” In short, it’s up to you. The more schools that cast their vote in favour of ethically sourced uniforms, the better chance the farmers in India, and the garment workers that rely on them, have at living a sustainable life. n

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Tracing Tea / Shutterstock.com

sourced cotton in their school uniforms. Fairtrade is not just charity work – it’s about helping farmers help themselves, and it guarantees a certain amount of money set aside for a social premium that must be invested in building the community.

It also provides a worthwhile educational opportunity for pupils here in the UK to learn about the plight of cotton farmers and how their purchasing patterns can have an impact on other people’s lives. Rachel Hearson of the Fairtrade Foundation points to kids’ ‘pester power’ as being a successful tool for change. “For them it makes total sense that people in the developing world should be paid fairly,” she explains of young people. This goes on to have a wider influence: “Parents say to me on a regular basis: ‘I can’t go past the banana section of a supermarket without my child saying to me that it’s got to be Fairtrade’. And that is fantastic.” A good example of pester power is The Ashcombe School in Dorking, Surrey, where pupils were behind the move to being the first in their county to introduce Fairtrade cotton into their uniform, while sixth form students from Ringwood School in Hampshire successfully convinced governors to opt for Fairtrade polo shirts after being inspired by February’s Fairtrade Fortnight.

Of course, cotton doesn’t feature in every piece of a kit. Certain items, like polo shirts, sweatshirts, and t-shirts, tend to be made from the material, while dress shirts, skirts and trousers often contain a polyester blend. Blazers, tartans and boaters may not contain cotton at all, and many prestigious private schools can take comfort in the fact many are made in Britain. But while an exclusive tartan from a Scottish wool loom is one thing (the UK is still known to be the best for blazer fabric), James warns that ‘made in Britain’ is not always a solution to the woes of garment workers. “The worst factories I have ever visited in my entire career have all been UK factories,” he says, “because the only way you can make garments for the prices people are prepared to pay in the UK is by cutting corners. Whereas being a garment worker in Indonesia, Vietnam or China is quite a highstatus job, so you get good factories, which are a nice place to work because those factories are wanting to attract workers. In the UK, it’s a zero-status job and the only people they can get to fill them tend to be illegal immigrants.” Southcott sources his garments from European factories, which he says is ethical because they are regulated by European

LABOUR STANDARDS Things to look out for from an ethical labour policy, based on International Labour Organisation rules 1.

2.

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5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Employment is freely chosen Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected Working conditions are safe and hygienic Child labour shall not be used Living wages are paid Working hours are not excessive No discrimination is practised Regular employment is provided No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed.

PROCURE AND PLAN > THEATRE

Treading the boards There is a lot to consider when it comes to building or improving your school’s theatrical facilities. George Carey tells you how to make the most out of the space and inspire pupils to create drama of the right kind

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chool theatres are often a pupil’s first access to a proper theatrical setting and, for some, can prove to be the start of a life-long relationship with the stage. An attractive theatre and related facilities can be a huge lure to prospective students with theatrical tendencies and their parents, while lending your school a genuine air of prestige. School budgets vary hugely but you don’t always need to break the bank to achieve a space that encourages creativity and adds to your school’s appearance. So how do you come up with a space that will create performances more reminiscent of Laurence Olivier than Arnold Schwarzenegger?

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VERSATILE PERFORMER A dedicated theatre space is undoubtedly the most desirable set-up, but as schools struggle for space, it often proves to be an impossible ideal. Many school theatres also have to provide for assemblies, exams, receptions, meetings, concerts, rehearsals and classrooms. In some cases, theatre spaces even have to double as sports halls.

It’s important to bear this multifaceted approach in mind when creating or improving your facilities. Mark Foley, principal at Burrell Foley Fischer, an architect and urban design consultancy that works on schools’ theatres, says: “You have to weigh up the wish for flexibility against the cost and accept that you may have to jettison some of the items on your wish list.” He also suggests that even within theatre as subject, there are differing needs: “If, for instance, a theatre is to be used for teaching drama lessons daily as well as for rehearsal and performance, there are issues about providing natural light.”

It’s also important to bear in mind the educational opportunities that can be created for those pupils interested in working behind the scenes. Paul Durose is chairman of the Schools’ Theatre Support Group, an organisation he helped to establish in 2005 to benefit those working in school theatres. He explains: “A larger-thannormal control room is a great idea because a teacher may

Teaching the rigging and focusing of lanterns while perched up a ladder is almost impossible

PROCURE AND PLAN > THEATRE

want a group of pupils around the lighting desk together.

Teaching the rigging and focusing of lanterns while perched up a ladder is almost impossible. Safe access to height for the students is vital – only really achievable with walkways, bridges or a tension wire grid.” Durose enjoys reminiscing about the old days, but realises that the practices he enjoyed are no longer an option: “Those of us who first found our passion for theatre in school will no doubt fondly remember climbing ladders and rigging lights unsupervised, but of course that is not possible these days.

By ensuring that school theatres provide suitable facilities, we can foster the same passion in the next generation.”

WHAT LIGHT THROUGH YONDER WINDOW BREAKS? While Shakespeare’s work has proven timeless, thankfully, the way that we light stages has moved on a little since his heyday. Lighting design is the process of using the qualities and functions of light to affect people, objects and space.

The qualities of lighting are intensity, form, colour and movement. Stage spotlights all come with specific beam spreads, usually referred to as the beam, field and cutoff angles. To fulfil all of your needs, your lights’ focal lengths will range from five to 150 degrees. A stage lighting rig for a theatre show consists of a range of the different spotlights, plus other types of lights and equipment. Fresnel lights, which create a very even beam, and prism and pebble convex lights, which offer a sharper and more focused beam, are most often used flown over the stage with the narrower beam angles of the profile spotlights rigged out in the auditorium. Choosing the right spotlights involves knowing the throw distances and required beam size of each of the lights you need for your show. While you won’t need to be an expert on lighting technology to procure equipment for a theatre, a little knowledge will help you

to have more meaningful discussions with people in the drama department, when it comes to setting budgets.

In order to get the best out of your lighting set-up, you’ll need a light control system. DMX-controlled lighting systems are used in many professional settings and are worth putting in place if your theatre is being used regularly for performances. DMX is an abbreviation of DMX512-A, the Entertainment Services Technology Association’s standard for controlling lighting equipment and related accessories. There is a variety of lighting control consoles, controllers and other devices that output DMX signals can be used to connect to an even greater variety of lighting fixtures and accessories.

If your theatre doesn’t get used enough to justify buying large stocks of expensive lighting and rigging, it may be wise to rent such equipment on an ad hoc basis. It’s a simple case of doing your sums and working out if you can justify owning equipment, which can quickly run into tens of thousands of pounds. Whether you’ve got the budget to create an intimate environment for school plays, or a grand stage that can be shared with the community and professional theatre companies, a little investment can go a long way to making your school a much more desirable place to be. n

You have to weigh up the wish for flexibility against the cost and accept that you may have to jettison some of the items on your wish list

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 27

PROCURE AND PLAN > SCHOOL SAFETY

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PROCURE AND PLAN > SCHOOL SAFETY

EARTH WIND AND FIRE

The human and financial cost of fire and natural disasters can be devastating. George Carey finds out how you can protect your school

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he effects of physical damage to a school from fire or natural disasters can be long-lasting and potentially severe. While, in this country, we’re unlikely to suffer the same fate as the residents of Pompeii or Christchurch, we do still occasionally suffer the consequences of natural disasters, such as flooding, or more rarely, hurricanes. In these circumstances, it’s important to know how to prepare and to be aware of the possible problems caused by them, in order to know how to best avoid them.

The financial and logistical ruin left in the wake of a fire can be devastating. These terrible effects are amplified in a school because of the impact on children’s education and the school’s reputation. Each year in England and Wales, according to the Fire Industry Association (FIA), more than 1,300 schools suffer fires large enough for the fire and rescue service to be called out. It’s imperative that schools take all necessary precautions to ensure they reduce the risks and that they are well prepared if the worst does happen.

As well as the monetary and educational issues caused by a fire, there is the psychological impact on staff and pupils, particularly young children.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the odds of a school experiencing a fire are an estimated one in 20.

However, when considering the scale of disruption, the big difference is whether or not the fire spreads beyond the room of origin. Fortunately, most school fires are not devastating enough to cause wholesale damage to the building and will be extinguished by staff. Over half of recorded incidents fall into this category. But should the fire spread beyond the room of origin, the disruption and costs soon begin to mount up, often resulting in huge insurance claims.

HAND-HELD HEROES An FIA survey found that 80% of fires fought with portable fire extinguishers were successfully put out and that in 75% of cases there was no need to call the fire and rescue services. The key role of fire extinguishers is to stop a small fire developing into a larger one. The use of an extinguisher could mean the difference between one disrupted classroom and an evacuated school. When used properly, a fire extinguisher can control a fire in its early stages, reducing the risk to other people on site and allowing people to assist others at risk or who are particularly vulnerable. While ideally only those with training would use the equipment, it’s important that all staff know the location of the extinguishers, in case the worst occurs.

NATURAL DISASTERS Floods are one of the most common natural disasters, with flash floods being the most dangerous as they occur without warning and move at intense speeds, potentially tearing out trees, destroying roads and bridges and wrecking buildings. In cases of dam failure the water can be especially destructive. Research has reported that many children who survive a destructive flood experience psychological distress and most floods do not recede overnight, so you may have to wait days or weeks to begin the cleanup. The only preparation that can really be taken against flooding is effective blocking with sandbags, which is more of a damage limitation exercise.

In addition to that, ensuring that your evacuation procedure is well drilled and having plans in place to quickly remove expensive equipment, can ease the pain of returning to a flood site later.

While the notoriety of Michael Fish’s little misprediction is indication of how rare hurricanes are in the UK, they can occur and it’s best to know how to protect yourself. Usually hurricanes are predicted days to weeks in advance, giving your school time to prepare. Although meteorologists can predict potential danger, there is always uncertainty about the exact location of where the hurricane will impact. The preparations for a hurricane have something in common with those for flooding, because it’s really a matter of damage limitation. After a full evacuation, boarding up windows and doors and removing equipment from the premises will lessen the effects. If a warning is given with plenty of time to spare, a quick health check of surrounding trees could be helpful as well. Trees that are weak or dying could be vulnerable and cause far greater damage if they come into contact with the school.

With all of these potentially destructive forces, preparation is the key to minimising the long-term effects.

A well-drilled emergency procedure will ensure that, most importantly, all children and staff escape unharmed, and may enable you to save valuable equipment.

Each year, more than 1,300 schools suffer fires large enough for the fire and rescue service to be called out

PYRO POLICY A fire safety policy helps reduce damage and, more importantly, helps staff and pupils get out of the building safely. Ensure that your fire risk assessment, which must be completed by a competent person, is up-to-date and is reviewed on a regular basis. If you get a professional to carry this out for you, ensure that you use a properly trained and certified specialist. The legal obligation for fire safety action is outlined in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Services) Order 2005 (RRO), which was implemented in 2006. It applies to both new and existing school buildings and provides the minimum fire safety standards and emphasises the duty of ‘the responsible person’ to ensure every school has risk assessment. This person should be a senior figure, such as a school business manager, and they should manage fire safety by implementing agreed and monitored policies. It may be possible to appoint a professional approved consultant to take on this role, but that will depend on issues such as the size of the premises and costs involved. A crucial part of the policy is the maintenance of fire alarms and sprinkler systems, which provide a crucial first line of defence against fire.

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 29

PROCURE AND PLAN > SPONSORED FEATURE

LEARNING WITH THE

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

P R I M A RY CURRICULUM

30 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

PROCURE AND PLAN > SPONSORED FEATURE

I

n today’s challenging, global, interdependent world, it is essential for children to receive a good education. It’s more difficult too, when other parts of their lives can seem much more attractive; when so many children are in homes where time for parents to be attentive to them is at a premium; and where school standards and political agenda can come before the real learning needs of children.

Getting a primary curriculum right is more difficult today too because it has to meet so many crucial goals.

Of all those goals, the most essential ones are: n Rigorous learning: ensuring a blend of knowledge, skills and understanding across a broad range of subjects n High levels of engagement: so that children enjoy their learning and stick to it n Global and intercultural awareness: many opportunities open to our current generation of children will be in countries and cultures different from the one in which they’re growing up. So many problems, global and local, will be solved through awareness and cooperation n Development of personal dispositions: qualities such as adaptability, resilience, cooperation and communication which will help children on their journey through life n Supporting teachers and schools: by providing everything they might need to make the curriculum work to its very best for every single child.

A curriculum that thoroughly meets each of these priorities is not an easy trick to pull off, but well over 1,000 schools in the UK think they have found the answer through learning with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC).

The International Primary Curriculum is a comprehensive, creative, thematic, curriculum for children aged 3 to 12. It is designed to give schools a clear process of learning supported by very specific learning goals for every subject as well as for personal learning and for international mindedness. It was introduced in 2000 and is now the curriculum choice of schools, national and international, state and independent, in over 80 countries around the world.

PRESERVING CURRICULUM FREEDOM In order to guarantee their curriculum freedom, a number of IPC member schools in England have recently chosen to take academy status. Ryders Hayes Primary in Walsall, Bransgore Primary near Christchurch and St Columb Minor in Cornwall are three examples of schools that have achieved academy status to preserve their curriculum.

“One of the main reasons why we became an academy is because we wanted to preserve what we’ve got,” says Peter Pretlove, headteacher of Bransgore Primary, one of the first

National Teaching Schools. “We know that what we have with the IPC works. Our academic levels continue to rise. The IPC is absolutely right for our children; we can see it in every way.” Jo Speller, headteacher at Ryders Hayes, one of ten schools appointed nationally to train Specialist Leaders in Education and designated by the National College as a lead school for curriculum innovation, agrees: “We have no intention of moving away from IPC as we firmly believe it is an excellent strategy for supporting outstanding curriculum provision for our children.”

In Cornwall, Jennie Walker, headteacher of Ashden Award-winning school, St Columb Minor, echoes their priorities. “The curriculum here, which includes the IPC, it’s really special and we wanted to secure that,” she says.

“Some of the things we really believe in, such as international-mindedness, which underpins everything that we do, none of that comes under any Ofsted focus. All our work with sustainability doesn’t really figure either. These things do matter to us. We want to prepare our children for their future and we want the curriculum freedom to be able to do that whilst preserving our high standards. We believe becoming an academy allows us this flexibility.”

So what is it about the International Primary Curriculum that makes it so precious for these and so many other schools?

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PROCURE AND PLAN > SPONSORED FEATURE

RIGOROUS LEARNING Each IPC thematic unit incorporates most of the core subjects, including science, history, geography, ICT, art and PE, and provides many opportunities to link literacy and numeracy. Each subject has a number of learning tasks to help teachers help their children meet a range of learning goals set out in the curriculum. These goals provide a vital blend of knowledge, skills and understanding. Take, for example, the IPC chocolate unit. In history, children explore the discovery of chocolate, the period it was discovered, the motivation for discovery and the changing attitude to chocolate through the ages. In geography, they look at the countries that grow cacao and how particular localities have been affected by its production and by slash and burn. They look at the links between countries that grow cacao and countries that produce chocolate. In art, children look at how chocolate is sold and how packaging is designed. In science, children look at the energy values in foodstuff and explore the effects of heating and cooling, and so on.

This approach, says Anna Burt, headteacher of Shapla Primary School in London, gives meaning to subjects such as science. “The IPC offers a perfect cross-curricular context in which to learn the skills necessary to investigate scientific questions,” she explains. “This makes science real for children as they begin to understand its importance in the real world. IPC science is practical, fun, exciting and accessible to all learners and the IPC structure of activity and recording enables subject skills, such as science, to be taught rigorously with a lively variety of suggested ways to record investigations.”

DEVELOPING PERSONAL DISPOSITIONS Personal learning is a vital and intrinsic part of IPC learning. Personal dispositions – IPC believes – are established over time with constant use. So, instead of ‘add-on’ lessons about such elusive personal skills as morality or respect, opportunities to experience and practise very specific personal dispositions are built into the learning tasks within each thematic unit. In addition, many of these tasks are group activities, which encourage children to consider each other’s ideas and opinions, share responsibilities and communicate effectively.

“One of the many things that is so great about the IPC is its focus on personal skills,” says Kevin Hannah, head of junior school at All Hallows Preparatory School

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in Somerset. “Building upon skills such as perseverance and resilience within their learning is helping our children to develop an incredibly healthy growth mindset, enabling them to demonstrate independence and initiative on new tasks.”

INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS In addition, each IPC unit helps children start developing a global awareness and gain an increasing sense of the ‘other’. This is what the IPC calls ‘international mindedness’ and is addressed in every theme by looking at the learning through a local, national and international perspective.

With IPC member schools worldwide, including such schools as Harrow International in Bangkok, opportunities abound for children to share their learning with children from other cultures and in dramatically different environments. Take, for example, the children at St Maur International School in Japan who shared their first-hand experiences of last year’s Japanese earthquake and tsunami with their global friends during their learning with the IPC ‘active planet’ unit. These children have listened to, communicated with and learned from each other in a real-world, real-time context.

“We’re massive, massive fans of the IPC,” says Hannah. “It’s been a bit of a revolution, in fact, because the children

are so engaged in their learning – at school and at home. That’s been exciting for both teachers and parents.

Even for inspectors; a colleague with training as an ISI inspector and as an education psychologist observed some lessons recently as part of our selfevaluation process and he was blown away with the level of learning going on with the IPC. The IPC has become core to our school. It really helps us to focus on the individual; finding everyone’s strengths and ensuring that every child can develop in their own way. What we now have is a fantastic, cutting-edge curriculum that is helping us to produce resilient, adaptable, cooperative and confident learners, well prepared for secondary school and ready to hit the world.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about the International Primary Curriculum (or the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) which provides learning for students from ages 11 to 14) contact Fieldwork Education at 0207 7531 9696 or visit www.greatlearning.com

MANAGEMENT > LEADERSHIP ADVICE

Blame game

Investigating effective and ineffective management in independent schools

34 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

MANAGEMENT > LEADERSHIP ADVICE

Conventional wisdom has dictated that senior management across the independent education sector must adopt different approaches to their counterparts in the private sector. Leadership guru Clare Barnett argues this isn’t the case, and people management skills and techniques are transferrable behaviours that aren’t defined by a particular industry oing back as far as the 1950s and ‘60s, the vast majority of past research into managerial performance has focused purely on the functions and roles of managers in specific sectors, rather than exploring these behaviours in greater detail and the context of overall performance to try and establish what differentiates ‘effective’ and ‘ineffective’ leadership. Even more up-to-date studies carried out over the past decade have tended to suggest that people management techniques in the public and not-for-profit sectors need to be radically different from those in private companies, even though an emerging voice arguing for the existence of more ‘universal’ management characteristics is slowly beginning to be heard.

It was this background that led Professor Bob Hamlin, chair of human resource development at the University of Wolverhampton, and myself, to question this ‘status quo’ and embark on an empirical study into managerial and leadership effectiveness in the independent secondary school sector.

We were convinced that managerial behaviour was in fact a transferrable skill, with effective (and, of course, ineffective) traits not limited to any particular industry or sector. What makes, for want of a better word, a ‘good’ or ‘poor’ manager isn’t so much the day-to-day environment they work in, whether that be an independent secondary school, most of which are operated on a charitable basis, a construction site, a hospital, or a warehouse, but a series of underlying principles that will hold true across a diverse variety of scenarios and situations.

Our study aimed to initially identify what staff in the non-profit UK independent secondary school sector perceived as effective and ineffective managerial behaviours, then explore the extent to which these perceptions were similar or different to those identified across both the wider public sector, and private (for-profit) businesses. The responses we received outlined a clear number of ‘positive’ or ‘effective’ managerial behaviours, including that he/she: • ensures staff are involved in decisionmaking • is approachable and builds a good working relationship with staff • listens to staff concerns in a supportive way • encourages and empowers staff to take risks without fear of blame should things go wrong

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Managers are judged not on their specific roles or particular environment, but against generally perceived positive and negative behaviours • organises people or resources in a structured and consistent manner • and shows appreciation of staff by giving public recognition.

On a similar theme, a fairly consistent number of ‘negative’ or ‘ineffective’ managerial characteristics cropped up time and time again, such as he/she: • does not listen to the ideas or concerns of staff • communicates with staff in the same autocratic style as used with pupils • dismisses suggestions from staff, without giving feedback on the relevance or merits of the ideas • avoids making decisions or dealing with issues • disciplines people in an unfair or inconsistent manner • and undermines agreed processes and procedures by not following them.

Once we’d gathered this initial information – which in essence boiled down to 34 ‘effective’ qualities and 31 ‘ineffective’ ones – the next stage was to compare these results against Hamlin’s 2007 Generic Framework of Managerial and Leadership Effectiveness, which has since become an accepted general classification relating to both the UK’s public and private sectors.

Of the 34 and 31 effective and ineffective behaviours found across independent secondary schools mentioned above, 32 and 29 respectively were the same as, similar, or have an element of congruent meaning to behaviours identified across the wider private sector. In other words, the vast majority – nearly 94% – of managerial behaviours, both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are translatable and transferable across all organisations and industries.

These findings challenge a number of widely-held views that non-profit organisations are so substantially different from for-profit companies that completely different managerial styles and personalities were needed to succeed. In reality, there appears to be a much

more universal approach to management and leadership, where managers are judged not on their specific roles or particular environment, but against generally perceived positive and negative behaviours.

In times of great economic austerity, such as the last few years, there are often calls for the public sector (including education) to adopt more ‘business-like’ methods and approaches, all in the name of ‘increasing efficiencies’ and ‘doing more with less’. As we can clearly see, though, in terms of people management and leadership, it’s not so much that senior staff in the independent school sector need to mirror the behaviours of their counterparts in private companies, but that the common characteristics of effective and ineffective performance are already being shared much more universally than had previously appeared to be the case.

Perhaps one of the most important lessons for the independent school sector to embrace is that training and development programmes for senior leaders should be heavily focused on creating increased awareness of these generic people management behaviours that staff across all organisational sectors associate with good/ effective and poor/ineffective performance. n Clare Barnett is a qualified management coach with more than 20 years’ practical experience.

She is also founder and director of leadership consultancy Synergia Coaching, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Chartered Management Institute, and a member of the British Psychological Society

94%

of managerial behaviours are translatable and transferable across all organisations and industries

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 35

MANAGEMENT > BEHAVIOUR

KEEP CALM AND PRESS PAUSE 36 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

Ever wish you could create a remote control for your mind and that of your students? We bring you an excerpt from a new book with a theory that has proven potential to tackle school behaviour problems by pressing the pause button

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irtually everyone with a television, DVD, sound system or games console has a remote control unit, knows what it does and how to use it. Without realising it, all those people – probably the majority of the world’s population – understand the concept of ‘pause button therapy’ (PBT).

This idea of a remote control for your mind, creating ‘thinking time’ so you can understand the consequences of your actions, is key to PBT. The ease with which children understand the development of that ‘mental pause button’ has seen PBT translate to be a successful classroom tool already trialled in the UK.

MANAGEMENT > BEHAVIOUR

Developed by therapists Martin and Marion Shirran, PBT was rolled out by educationalist Gay Jones, a specialist in school improvement and change. She ran a series of successful trials of PBT in primary schools in the Birmingham area, and says children grasped the method quickly and easily from the outset.

The therapy, she says, helps children trust intuition and develop good choice-making strategies and make decisions for themselves, rather than being told how to behave, which improves relationships with staff, peers and parents.

For 50 years, behaviour modification and management has increasingly become a focus for schools. Teachers say there have been too many initiatives resulting in too little change.

Do they ignore bad behaviour, impose sanctions or use the naughty step? Some strategies work, but what is needed is something that takes the confusion out of the situation. Jones believes the answer could be simply getting the child’s brain on board.

Every time a behaviour strategy fails and a child repeats a behaviour, the more that child is convinced they are stuck, with no other choices.

They get disheartened because the habitual response is so ingrained, the consequences more and more severe, and the repercussions for the child and society as a whole become ever more costly.

PBT helps break this cycle, by putting the choice, and the responsibility, into the child’s own hands – literally.

A marshmallow experiment conducted at Stanford University in 1972 measured the ability to defer gratification. This ability produces children who are happier generally and is also an indicator of future success.

Those unable to wait for gratification showed less academic success, poorer relationships with peers and adults and a greater likelihood of involvement in anti-social behaviour.

Pause button therapy uses visualisation and imagining ourselves in future situations to train/encourage/ demonstrate to children to learn the benefits of anticipating the consequences of our choices – whether waiting for and getting a second marshmallow or more life-changing matters like addressing temper issues.

THE COST OF POOR BEHAVIOUR An OECD survey suggested 30% of teaching time can be lost to poor behaviour. According to a survey of NASUWT members in 2009, low-level disruption was leading to the loss of some 30 minutes’ teaching time per teacher per day. The total cost in lost staff time could therefore be between

£15,000 and £28,000 a year for a small primary school.

GETTING OUR BRAINS TO WORK FOR US Neurons, the connecting links between the world we see and the world we act on, carry information and generate electricity that jumps gaps and allows the release of chemical transmitters that can forge new information routes called neuro-nets or neural pathways. The stronger the electrical excitement, the more chemicals are released and the more deeply embedded are the new routes.

When a learning situation is positive, endorphins and dopamine become activated. Endorphins make the student happy and dopamine stimulates the part of the brain that makes a person remain attentive and more likely to remember what is being taught.

30%

of teaching time can be lost to poor behaviour In negative situations, cortisol enters the bloodstream, putting the brain into survival mode and shifting attention away from learning so it can deal with the stress. That memory will imprint, making negative learning experiences even less likely to succeed.

PBT is a tool to access emotions and stimulate neuron activity, by creating high levels of engagement and interest, which create chemical excitement which in turn releases more chemicals.

This creates a positive effect, pleasant feelings and emotions that encourage the body to re-experience the results until a new behaviour or highway is created and the road that led to the unwanted behaviour becomes overgrown through lack of use.

Health psychologist Dr Theano Kalavana has analysed why the visual and time-related aspects of PBT are key to its success. She thinks PBT may be the only tool in existence right now to bridge the gap between behavioural intention and actual behaviour, making it an effective therapeutic procedure leading to successful behaviour change.

Children do not have to believe this will work, nor understand the underlying theories, to changing their bad behaviours. They only have to be willing to practise the technique repeatedly. PBT is not a miracle cure – it does require repetition and a desire to change – but the results

can feel miraculous to the child, the parent and the staff experiencing the benefits.

In addition to providing training courses for the education sector, there is a PBT Teacher Resource Centre and training for parents and carers.

We hope to develop more partnerships with higher education providers who may be interested in incorporating PBT into coursework for teachers, educational psychologists or other professionals who work face-to-face with children or families. Jones has already run an introductory PBT course for post graduate psychology students at the University of Cyprus.

We hope that action research modules could be developed. These would support participants in utilising real life situations and questions within a coursework context.n This is an abridged excerpt from Pause Button Therapy (Martin Shirran, Marion Shirran, Fiona Graham; Hay House UK, October 2012) including abridgement of work by Gay Jones

The PBT process PAUSE Identify the problem or issue. Think about, discuss, feel, and imagine alternative ways to behave. Be creative about possible solutions and options. Ask the ‘miracle question’: What would it be like if this worked?

THINK Create alternative scenarios – positive and negative – and try them out. Discuss or walk through the steps needed that will clarify the choice or agree actions to best solve a problem. What are the consequences?

Benefits?

DECIDE Test using all the senses and feelings. Does it feel right? Rewind while making any changes. Create as many scenarios as needed to feel happy with your choice.

ACT Press play again when you are satisfied – then put the choice or decision into action. You can always choose to pause again and refine your chosen path.

Every time a behaviour strategy fails and a child repeats a behaviour, the more that child is convinced they are stuck, with no other choices INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 37

ICT MATTERS > PROCUREMENT

PLAY I N G CATC H - U P

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ICT MATTERS > PROCUREMENT

With the ring-fencing removed from state school ICT spend and a change in the curriculum in September, do state schools threaten to surpass private schools when it comes to procuring tech?

Graham Jarvis looks at the two sectors to find out what they can learn from each other

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ith the removing of ring-fencing on state school ICT expenditure and a change in the curriculum, allowing them to have more freedom to decide what they spend their money on, the question arises about whether independent and private schools now need to catch up with their state school counterparts. The trouble is that the view about this is quite mixed.

Independent and private schools have always had the freedom to decide how they spend their ICT budgets in order to support and deliver technological solutions to enhance teaching and learning. But research by the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) suggests that many independent and private schools aren’t doing as well as one might have expected with their implementation of ICT. UNSUCCESSFUL ICT IMPLEMENTATIONS BESA has written several market research reports on the topic of ICT procurement and implementation in both educational sectors, and in May 2012 it published one on ‘ICT in Independent Schools’, which says that “a third of preparatory and half of senior schools have been relatively unsuccessful with integrating ICT in lessons using interactive whiteboards". Its executive summary also says that “only 18% of preparatory schools and over two-thirds of senior schools are well resourced with learning platforms", such as a virtual learning environment (VLE). These allow pupils to access the curriculum, assignments, information and other related educational resources from anywhere they choose to study – like at home or at their school or college.

In spite of this research, Julie Booth, head of independent schools at Capita SIMS, doesn’t agree that state schools are marching ahead of their independent and private sector counterparts. “The state schools are being given more freedom and

so they are mirroring what the private and independent schools have being doing forever,” she argues. With regards to state schoolchildren’s parents, she believes that they are influenced by government policy, and there is a push by the Coalition to get them involved in their children’s education.

Yet she points out that this has never been an issue with parents of children being schooled in the independent and private sector.

By their very nature, and because most of them pay for their children’s education and want value for money as well as a high level of educational attainment for their offspring, they are already engaged with their kids’ education and quite often with the schools their children attend.

Booth adds: “As time has moved on, the way schools keep parents informed and engaged has changed. Independent schools are responding to that and increasingly, they are communicating with parents online.

Some of our customers are publishing pupil reports and other information online, for example. This makes it easier for them to keep parents up to date with how their child is progressing without the time and cost of printing and posting paper letters.”

So this contradicts the view that is provided by BESA’s research, which involved a sample of 12% of the 1,223 schools within the Independent Schools Council (ISC). The picture of who’s doing best much depends on who you talk to, but both sectors can still learn from each other, even if their approaches to implementing ICT may differ.

QUARTER OF STATES NOT WITH GOVERNMENT Given that state schools now have more freedom to decide how they spend their ICT budgets, one would expect them to be behind the Government. However, BESA’s report reveals that 62% of independent schools agree with the government’s approach to ICT policy – which is about encouraging schools

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 39

ICT MATTERS > PROCUREMENT

to focus on the needs of the employment market and in order to prepare them for higher education. In contrast, just 26% of state schools felt that the Government is on the right track. This may be because independent schools are already used to managing themselves, and so it’s perhaps more natural for them to support the Government’s ICT policy than it for it the state schools to do so – yet many of them are converting into independent academies.

One of the key issues that universities face with undergraduates is that they come from an environment where they have been too spoon-fed and so they often lack the willingness to undertake independent research without the direction of a teacher or lecturer. Enterprises need people who can act on their own initiative, research projects thoroughly without direction, and come up with ideas that will benefit them and society. For example, it’s all well and good teaching someone how to use Microsoft Office applications but with the growing importance of ICT there is a growing need for people with network management and programming skills.

‘EQUIPPING PUPILS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY’ So the Government’s new ICT teaching policy could allow state schools to focus on these areas. This will hopefully improve the students’ chances of gaining future employment and improve their academic achievement. A spokesperson for the Department for Education therefore comments that the Government wants “experts like Microsoft, Google and Cambridge University to be involved in the development of ICT teaching to properly equip pupils for the 21st century".

The department adds that some exciting developments have been launched, like Raspberry Pi and Computing for Schools, and this is precisely because the “schools have the freedom and resources they need to teach an innovative curriculum".

With regards to the private and independent school sector, Daniel Gibbons, director of studies at Downside School, says they didn’t benefit from the investment in ICT development that was proposed by previous governments’ education committees. In his view, this doesn’t mean that they have fallen short with regards to their ICT provision “because there have been a number of veritable white elephants, which schools quickly procured with their vast capital expenditure budgets without understanding fully what they were buying”.

He adds: “Independent and private schools vary hugely in their capacity to develop ICT because some schools have more money than others, and fee-paying schools use their income to keep their income to keep their heads above water, and so, there may not be much money for capital expenditure projects.” In contrast there are other schools within the sector that may have, he explains, “huge factor endowments 40 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

The state schools are being given more freedom and so they are mirroring what the private and independent schools have being doing forever

and alternative income bases” and so they haven’t been restricted by tight budgets.

Independent and private schools are, however, having to keep up with and cater for pupils that own an array of ICT devices that they expect to use for their personal dealings and for carrying out their studies within schools or at home. For example they expect to be able to use Apple Macs, iPads, Skype, their mobile phones and be able to access a wi-fi network.

SPEND WISELY ON ICT Caroline Barry, director of IT systems at independent St. Leonards-Mayfield School in Sussex, doesn’t agree that that her sector has any catching up to do. This is perhaps because some independent and private schools – due to market forces – have to think more carefully about how they spend their ICT budgets. Not everyone agrees that, for instance, it’s worth spending money on giving an iPad for every child if it doesn’t add to their academic performance.

Spending wisely seems to be the ticket at her school. She says: “We have not necessarily renewed hardware and software every year, but we have at all times offered a sound IT curriculum and after school IT clubs.”

She adds that her team has implemented a successful bring-your-own-device policy by using a web-based technical platform that permits “multi-device connections to be made across the world…to enhance our students’ learning experience, and publishing more information online about our students’ learning progress online has been particularly

important for parents of our boarding students; they often want to log in to see how there is doing when the UK is asleep.”

This means that time zones become less important and everyone remains informed about what’s going on.

ICT IS NOT ABOUT GOOD PR Speaking about the issue of whether it’s a good idea to give each child an iPad for PR reasons, Simon Rowlands, ICT manager at Sale Grammar School, says: “I think it distracts from the core of teaching because at the end of the day, for instance, in an English lesson where an English teacher is giving an example out of a book to 30 students, the students may want to go to the front of the class to read out a passage.”

Given that you can read books on an iPad, you could argue that this activity is still possible with one, but he adds that tablet computers, like Apple’s iPad, are very good tools. However, schools might be better off spending their money in other core education-related areas.

SO WHAT IS A SOUND INVESTMENT IN ICT? Well, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Each school within the state, private and independent sector will have particular needs and resources. Some educational experts nevertheless think it’s important to invest in people: ICT staff and teachers within an awareness of how new technology can improve teaching and learning. The trouble is that, at the moment, some of the teachers themselves can be the key obstacle to using new technologies and teaching practices to develop educational innovation.

Shaun Eason, head of ICT at All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, nevertheless wants to invest in cloud, wireless and thin-client technologies in order to encourage students to undertake individual and group learning. He also thinks that schools can gain value for money by working collaboratively when it comes to their ICT procurement. Schools, academies and colleges can gain economies of scale by clubbing together to purchase ICT hardware and software from their suppliers. They could even go a step further too.

SELLING EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES Thomas Telford School has, by selling their learning resources and expertise. They aren't sure, though, that the independent and private sectors really have any catching up to do. That’s because success is about sensible ICT buying decisions, and this factor is very much sector-agnostic. The focus should therefore be on value for money and how ICT improves the schools’ performance and more importantly the children’s learning, the way teachers support them and ultimately their academic attainment levels. This can be achieved in different ways, and so it may not be a case that one sector has to catch up with the other. Yet there’s still much to learn from each other.

ICT MATTERS > MARKETING

Video is fast becoming one of the most powerful online marketing tools out there and schools are increasingly turning to pupil-designed films to raise their profile and attract new students. Carrie Service speaks to Gresham’s, an independent co-educational boarding and day school in Norfolk, that has done just that

SCHOOL LIFE IN MOTION

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ith the expertise and support of media professionals, students are being supported to write, film and produce their school’s own marketing videos for their websites and social media. Norwich-based video production company Eye For Business launched an initiative called the Schools Movie Challenge, encouraging schools to make use of their students’ perspective while at the same time allowing them to gain new skills. The project has involved a number of schools so far, including Norwich High School for Girls, Wymondham School, Halesworth Middle School and Gresham’s Senior, Prep, and Pre-Prep schools.

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ICT MATTERS > MARKETING

RESPONSE TO THE VIDEOS SO FAR

n Senior School – 4,227 views n Pre-Prep School – 5,756 views n Prep School – 11,022 views

YOUR BEST EXPORT Gresham’s decided they wanted to make a marketing video that would showcase their school using its most prized asset: the students. Vicki Harvey-Seldon, head of English at Gresham’s Prep School, was asked by the marketing manager at the time if she would be interested in using her Year 8 English and drama class to create the video.

“We made the film with our most able Year 8 group and the children were absolutely brilliant because they would offer really innovative ideas because they’re just so used to technology,” she recalls. The children had an input in the whole crafting of a DVD, from start to finish, including storyboarding the whole concept, “so the whole process was really quite organic in a sense” she says.

So, how did it work in terms of squeezing the project in alongside the children’s lessons? More easily than you might think.“I just sort of gave up probably about a third to 40% of my teaching in terms of the

curriculum subject matter that we were doing,” explains Harvey-Seldon. However, often, the project could be incorporated into the curriculum by storyboarding scenes from the children’s scholarship texts. “Actually, a lot of the techniques in terms of cinematic techniques you can still incorporate into the study of literature, you’re just using different terminology,” she adds. The school found the whole process relatively easy to set up as it didn’t require huge numbers of staff and children – minimising disruption to lessons.

Staff and students worked together to script and storyboard the video as well as allowing students across all age groups from the three schools to film and star in the production.

TEAM EFFORT The project worked so well at Gresham’s because all staff were keen to get on board and be involved in something that would represent the school accurately. “They were quite open to children coming in and interviewing them and filming different bits of lessons,” says Harvey-Seldon. “We, as far as possible, made the children go up and book appointments with staff – I think it had to be seen as their project, so that they understood a school is a busy place and to kind of negotiate around that.”

It’s a very powerful way to sell the school, as our students are our best export.

From start to finish the video project took around four months, but was completed in stages so the children weren’t working on it week in, week out. The school was able to have full input on the editing process, viewing the video sporadically and giving feedback, so that it could be edited again and again until it was just right.

A LASTING LEGACY Although the marketing person responsible for launching the project at the school no longer works there, current marketing coordinator Lisa Lowe believes that the project has continued to prove to be worthwhile, as it has given the school’s marketing campaign another angle: “Prospective parents and school agents not only have a website they can visit to find out information about the school but [can] also view a short film about the day-to-day life at each school, helping to gain a greater insight into life here, which is more powerful that just looking at photos and text. [It’s a] very powerful way to sell the school, as our students are our best export – they help to provide a true picture of what life is really like here, particularly to overseas parents who do not have direct access to the school.”

From a practical point of view, HarveySeldon’s only word of warning is to be aware that the project might take more time than you think, as with any creative project, so to plan ahead and choose a group of students that you know will be enthusiastic and give it their all: “I think that’s half of it. If you get a group who’ll take ownership of it and really run with it and are creative, you’re there,” she says. “But the skills they gain are amazing – I’d say to any school: Go for it, without a doubt.”n

INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012 43

TECHNO GEEK

ICT MATTERS > TECHNO GEEK

Follow us @ i_exec for the latest news updates and insight into the issues that affect the role of the business manager.

44 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

TAMING THE TROLLS Cyber bullying is a problem that doesn’t seem to be going away, so what can be done to stop it?

Techno Geek has some sage advice

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recent study of 4,600 schoolchildren between the ages of 11 and 16 revealed that 28% had experienced bullying or trolling on the internet or via a mobile phone. The research, carried out by the charity Beatbullying and the National Association of Head Teachers, highlighted the challenges that schools face in allowing their pupils access to the internet while keeping them safe.

The anti-bullying guidance issued by the Government last year, ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’, confirms that bullying should be addressed as a child protection concern where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. Schools are advised to report such concerns to their local authority children’s social care services.

Preventive measures should include clear and robust anti-bullying and child protection policies. Pupils and parents need to feel confident that their concerns will be taken seriously. An acceptable use policy setting out the framework for the use of ICT is a good idea. Make it clear that any abuse of electronic devices will be dealt with under the school’s disciplinary procedures and sanctions may include confiscation of mobile phones, restricted use of computers in school and, ultimately suspension or expulsion.

On the subject of handling incidents occurring outside of school time, Yvonne Spencer, of Veale Wasbrough Vizards

Lawyers, says: “Some schools believe that where cyber-bullying takes place off school premises, the school has no right to intervene. This is not correct. Under common law, schools have always had the right to take disciplinary action in respect of conduct that affects the school’s reputation or the welfare of a member of the school community. Section 89(5) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 provides an explicit right for all schools to take action in respect of misconduct whether or not pupils are on school premises or in the care of the school at the time.”

There are two schools of thought among ICT specialists about the best way to keep pupils safe from outside influences, and each other. While some companies offer services that restrict what children can access online, others monitor activity and flag-up anything that is deemed as unacceptable or suspicious.

The aim is clearly the same, but the different approaches appear to divide opinion between those in charge of ICT in schools.

School leaders should review their e-safety resources and not simply delegate them to the ICT department. If you are looking to upgrade or change your e-safety system, it is important to look at as many options as possible, to ensure that you are taking the best approach for your school.

Experience shows that, all too often, when a serious safeguarding event occurs, if it is not dealt with effectively the repercussions can be far reaching.

INSPIRED MINDS > INTERVIEW

Swiss innovation

46 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

INSPIRED MINDS > INTERVIEW

St George's is the oldest British style school in Switzerland, with a very international flavour.

There are currently 490 pupils, aged 3 to 18, from 53 different nationalities, many of whom herald from the UK. Julia Dennison speaks to the principal about what it means to be a 'British' school abroad

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t George’s School in Switzerland has a long history of educating Britons abroad – alongside 52 other nationalities. The international day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-18 is situated between Vevey and Montreux against the backdrop of the Alps and its current student body of 490 pupils represents a vast array of backgrounds and countries, which sits well with its motto as an institution promoting peace and harmony between the world’s nationalities. As such, it encourages multilingualism and offers its classes in French and English.

St George’s Swiss location is no coincidence. It was founded in 1927 as the first British public school to be established in Switzerland – by two women who wanted to offer high-quality education away from the conflict of war. Founders Lorna Southwell and Osyth Potts formed the school’s ethos on three fundamental policies: sound learning; the appreciation of beauty; and the promotion of peace through international good will. The school still adheres to these pillars today, which isn’t difficult, considering its prestigious reputation in the education world, jaw-dropping views of Lake Geneva and location in the famously conflict-shy country of Switzerland. The school prides itself in providing an academic offering alongside physical pursuits and the arts. Small classes ensure individual attention is given to all pupils and one of its unique selling points is the IB diploma, which is fairly new for the school. While some parents were initially unsure of the curriculum move, the school now attracts many prospective pupils because of it.

Principal, Dr Ilya Eigenbrot

A BUSINESS LEADER The current principal, Dr Ilya Eigenbrot, has been in the role for five years. This is his first role in a school, prior to which he ran a technology business in France and worked for many years at Imperial College in London, first as a researcher and later as

director of the international office. When he eventually moved to St George’s, he came with this motive: “I could see the ability to use my knowledge and experience of education to improve, I hope, or change at least, a school which covers all age groups without any government interference because one of the greatest things about a school of this kind in Switzerland is no one tells you what to do.” Independent schools in Switzerland are considered businesses, and are therefore not under any control by the government. “You sell your product, you guarantee quality and then the rest is up to you,” explains Eigenbrot. “There’s no government interference at all.” Of course, this freedom also comes with risks, but this principal thinks that’s what makes his job interesting.

One such liberty is its ability to make full use of its surroundings without worrying about the added layer of liability faced by schools in Britain. Lucky for St George’s, these surroundings happen to be some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Europe.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for field trips within Switzerland,” says Eigenbrot. “You can do a geography field trip examining erosion or glaciers on site.” From a leisure point of view, skiing is a favourite pastime at the school. “Our spring term is our skiing term, where everyone in the school skis at least once, if not twice, a week,” the

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INSPIRED MINDS > INTERVIEW

principal explains. “The outdoors is part of our school life.” Along this vein, the school heralds those activities that sit outside of the curriculum. “We have a full programme of clubs after school – mostly sports-based, but it ranges from sewing to yoga,” says Eigenbrot. “That extracurricular component is very, very important.”

Although the school attracts pupils from all around the world, the largest single nationality group is still British at 24% of the student population, many of whom are the children of parents relocated to Switzerland for work. The school prides itself in being fashioned after the British model of education and everything from the uniform’s blazer and tie to the curriculum and house and tutor group systems reflect this. “There are also more subtle but related things, for example, the behaviour we expect of our students,” adds Eigenbrot. “We expect them to be polite and courteous, to hold doors open, let adults go first, and on several occasions I’ve received letters and emails from people who aren’t related to the school, where some of our students have been on a field or ski trip, who have written to tell me how impressed they are with the behaviour of our students. So the social aspect of our education is as important as the academic.”

As such, the children become brand ambassadors for St George’s, which attracts customers – a word Eigenbrot is not afraid to use when referring to the parents of the pupils. “There’s no other way to look at it because you’re competing against other schools offering similar or different products and parents have the choice, so yes, you have to view the family as a client,” he says.

He doesn’t, however, see the pupils in the same way: “When the students are here, we treat them exactly the same way as any other school. When I punish a student and the parents come and say to me: ‘Do you not know who I am?’ My response is: ‘Frankly, I don’t care.’ Everyone has the same rules.

It’s a school, not a hotel.” This is a tricky balance to keep and some parents don’t like it. “They want to see the school as another service,” he continues. “They have their chauffer, they have their butler, you’re just another service to them. They don’t like it when you talk back. But we don’t hide the fact that from day one we make it clear that everything the school is based on is mutual respect. The students who are here – no matter what background, and we’ve had royalty here – they have to show exactly the same respect to the cleaners who clean the toilets in the school as the principal.”

PLACE OF PRIVILEGE As an antidote to the privilege many of its pupils experience in their home life, St George’s holds an exchange programme with local state schools. This has raised some eyebrows at the recipient schools. “They have gone: ‘Why on earth does a private school want to invite our kids and vice versa?’ But it’s worked really well,” says Eigenbrot. “[It's a chance] for the students in the state schools to see that actually it is just a school – maybe different from the Swiss state schools with the uniform etc. – but it is just a school and

48 INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE | NOV/DEC 2012

The social aspect of our education is as important as the academic learning goes on here in the same way as their school.” The benefit goes both ways: “The students here are privileged because their parents or their parents’ companies can afford to send them to a school of this type, which can afford to have very good equipment and afford to pay the best teachers and don’t have as many of the financial constraints that a state school has, particularly now in a time of global recession. For our students to see what other schools are like and to realise how lucky they are is a real boon.” St George’s has tried to set up exchange programmes further afield, with IB schools in India, for example, but it’s been difficult to organise because of the difference in school years and fitting it around the skiing term. As a compromise, St George’s tries to have at least one trip to developing countries a year.

It would be easy to assume that the school is recession-proof, but that’s not exactly been the case. With changes to the global job market, employees of major multinational corporations and finance firms that are headquartered in Switzerland no longer receive the wide dearth of benefits they once did. “If you look at the market overall in Switzerland, yes, there is a tangible difference,” Eigenbrot says of the recession.

“I would say the multinationals are changing their policies towards expatriate employees.

They have been for a while. So the things they pay for are scaling back. They’re encouraging

more people to go onto local contracts, so they don’t have the school fees to pay for.”

Another issue is that companies tend to be more fickle with staff placements. In response to the economic climate, they are more likely to change an employee’s post half-way through the school year, forcing the child to consider boarding or moving with them. So far St George’s has not been that affected, but the principal anticipates things to get more difficult as the recession bites harder.

Within the constraints of the economy, St George’s is actually expanding. It opened a new boarding house for boys earlier this year and is always on the lookout for additional premises. “Certainly the demand is there,” says Eigenbrot. “We’re doing quite well. We’ve got waiting lists in some areas.

Boarding is practically full.” Indeed, it is in the shape of international students from countries in the Middle East, Mexico and Eastern Europe that the school is really seeing a boom. Central to this growing process is taking risks, which Switzerland affords its schools. “I’m aware every single working day of the luxury of having the liberty of choosing what we want to do and taking risks,” he concludes. “When a teacher comes to me and says: ‘I want to try this in my Year 8 geography’, my answer generally is: ‘I have no idea, why don’t we try it?’”

This is how, this principal believes, you achieve the best you can. n

SCHOOL ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL LOCATIONS MONTREUX AND VERBIER, SWITZERLAND PUPILS 490 AGES 3-18 NUMBER OF BOARDERS 70

INSPIRED MINDS > DIARY

BADGE OF COURAGE Henrietta Lightwood, director of marketing and development at Queen’s College, Taunton, explains why in this financial climate, private school marketers have to be brave arketing schools in 2012 is getting an increasingly disparate practice. No longer are we able to completely control the messages that we put out via advertising, direct mail, our website and prospectus. Instead school marketers are struggling to catch up with the social media phenomenon of blogging, Twitter, and Facebook, knowing we have to embrace new technologies but always mindful that our pupils are under the age of 18.

For boarding schools the dichotomy of a decline in UK boarding and the rise of international pupils have put a strain on relations with UK parents, many of whom are demanding more and more bursaries and scholarships as the recession hits home.

Balancing the need to preserve our British appeal alongside embracing internationalism is proving a culture change for many and demands new ways of teaching in our classrooms and integration techniques in our boarding houses.

London and the South East are also separate entities from the rest of the UK. Demand for places at top independent schools in the capital still outstrips supply with London parents moving streets to secure a place for their children or involving them in elaborate coaching and a vast range of out of school activities from an early age. By contrast, schools in the rest of the UK are competing heavily for both day and boarding pupils and some of these have fallen by the wayside over the past few years becoming academies or closing altogether.

Finding a point of difference is also a challenge for school marketers.

The elusive USP, so beloved of market researchers, can be difficult to ascertain.

Although every school does have its strong points, school marketers, and indeed senior management teams, are loathe to put all their eggs in one basket and risk alienating precious potential parents and their families.

So what should we as school marketers do faced with all these issues in our industry? Well, perhaps the answer is to be brave and take some of the calculated risks that we urge our pupils to undertake. We must challenge the status quo in our schools

M

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and not be content with how things have always been done. We must also be prepared to be honest and not believe our own PR but rather support and enable our heads by providing concrete evidence and ideas about how things can be done differently for the benefit of our schools. Every head and senior manager within a school wants to have a strong and diverse pupil role, however some can find marketing people intimidating and alien beings within a school culture – particularly those coming direct from industry. Never underestimate the value of truly getting beneath the culture of a school, understanding that the primary purpose of the school is educating young people and listening to what the academics have to say. However, we must also look outwards and research what is happening outside our school communities. Look what is happening in other schools, other industries involve dynamic people in the marketing team. They bring fresh ideas and an enthusiasm that helps overcome the cynicism of the worldly wise.

Good schools marketing can inform

business development plans and marketing directors must be prepared to lead. Talk to your stakeholders – your parents and your pupils. They are your best ambassadors and your strongest critics.

Truly listen to what they say, they are your customers and can bring powerful insight to enable change. And communicate, communicate, communicate. With everyone.

People do not always demand that you do as they say, but if you ask them for their voice, at least listen to their answers. After all, they may have something interesting to contribute that could make all the difference. n

We must challenge the status quo in our schools and not be content with how things have always been done

Independent Executive is always looking for diarists. If you’ve got a story to tell, get in touch on editor@edexec.co.uk.

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