Education Choices AUTUMN 2022 | £3.50
TH E KEY TO YO U R CH ILD’ S SUCCESS
PLUS: VICTORIA AYODEJI Winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award for the UK Student Social Mobility Awards MR. DAVID MULAE Cranleigh School, Surrey discussing EDI and more inside…
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH
Nick Hewlett ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE, SE LONDON discussing their renaissance education
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FROM THE FOUNDER FROM THE FOUNDER Dear Readers, This is our third year publishing Education Choices Magazine and we are thrilled that we have so many exciting and informative contributions from so many nurseries, schools, Dear Readers, university students and experts. This is a very exciting edition and is packed with news and Our Education Corner Podcast is proving be a writing useful tool information from nursery choices to thinkingto about to many families and students globally and we feel sure a personal statement for university. Special thanks to Leethat the many to this edition will be and as informative Elliot Majorcontributions OBE, Mrs. Jane Lunnon (Alleyn’s) the other and insightful as before. Have a listen! headteachers, writers and education experts for sharing their Weinsights continue toexpertise. support families from all backgrounds and wise and are keen support social mobility in education both in the UK Enjoy the to Spring sunshine! and beyond. EDI is a key theme to the magazine and we hope Chloe Abbott (Founder) that some of the news and education updates are encouraging Email: chloeabbott@educationchoicesmagazine.com to our readers. Chloe Abbott (Founder)
“If weEmail: are to reach real peace in the world, chloeabbott@educationchoicesmagazine.com we shall have to begin with the children.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi “ Outside of the family, education is the greatest determinant of social mobility.”
Kevin McCarthy EDUCATION BOOK CORNER EDUCATION BOOK CORNER Multicultural Children’s Books about
PEACE
1. Can You Say Peace? to see whole forests being cut Spooky stories for Halloween by Karen Katz down. She starts planting trees
This book takes readers Coraline on a journey around by Neil Gaiman the globe to meet Coraline is a short novel different children and that focuses on a young learn about the many girl Coraline as she has to different ways to say peace. face the evil Other Mother to try and protect her family. 2. Peace is an Offering by Annette LeBox Room on the Peace is an Offering Broom is a warm, comforting by Julia Donaldson poem about finding Room on the peace in a community of neighbours.Broom tells the story of a king witch and her cat who invite three 3. The Peace Rose animals to join them by Alicia Jewell to travel on herThe broomstick as they encounter Peace Rose trouble including encourages witch-eating dragons. independent and peaceful conflict The resolution in Witches the by Dahl classroom, Roald at home, or The Witches follows a anywhere else. young boy who finds himself surrounded by 4. Wangari’s Trees of witches who exist in Peace: A True Story secret. witches are ruled by the fromThe Africa Grand High Witch who has a plan to by Jeanette Winter turn all children into mice. When Wangari returns home from studying in the US, she is shocked
and soon inspires great change. The Breakfast Club Adventures 5. The Peace Stick by Marcus Rashford by Nidhi Misra The Breakfast Club The Peace Stick is Adventures follows a beautiful book, four friends as they join inspired by the forces to solve a creepy mystery native American that has been haunting their legend of The school. Talking Stick.
Straw into Gold: Fairy 6. Peace Tales Re-Spun by Wendy Anderson by Hilary McKay Halperin Straw “For there to into be Gold reimagines peace in the world,some of the world’s best-loved there must be peace fairtyles with alternative in nations”. Based and newon outcomes forChing, some this of your the Tao Te lyrical favourite characters. picture book ponders the eternal question: How can we The Monsters of bring peace to the world? Rookhaven & The Shadows 7. Malala: Activistof Rookhaven by Padraig Kenny for Girls’ Education The Monsters of by Raphaele Frier Rookhaven is about an Beautifully orphaned monster brother and illustrated Malala: sister as they stumble Activist for Girls’ upon their home of Rookhaven. Education is the The books latest picture book about the brave girl from Pakistan.
Malala Yousafzai stood up to the Taliban and fought for the right for all girls to receive an follow them as they join their education. At age 18, Malala friends to face any threats that became the youngest person appear… to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. The Secret of Platform 13 8. Putting Peace First: by Eva Ibbotson Commitments to The Secret of Platform Change the World 13 is based at King’s by Eric David Dawson Cross Station where Using the inspiring there is a secret stories of real door life that leads to a magical island peacemakers,that appears only once everyPeace nine years. Putting First Follow a wizard, an ogre, a fey and a young highlights different aspects of hag as they reappear to come to peacemaking, from ‘Opening find theHeart’ stolento prince. Your ‘Taking a Stand’. With clear, step-by-step A Series ofeach explanations of how Unfortunate Events peacemaker achieved their By Lemony Snicket goals, this book is the perfect A Seriesyoung of guide for aspiring Unfortunate Events peacemakers. is a series of books that follows the lives of three is Education Choices Magazine siblings after the passing deeply saddened by theof crisis their parents as and theywe aresend sentour to in the Ukraine a number ofand different thoughts prayersrelatives to all those affected. where mysterious, unlucky events continue to happen to them. Please support: www.donate. redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukrainecrisis-appeal
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UMN 2022 | 3
03 Education Book Corner: Spooky stories for teens Some seasonal suggestions…
06-07 Long Live the Queen A tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II
08-09 A historic moment in time Saying goodbye to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Swaffield School
10 The Value of Values Creating a caring community, Churcher’s College
11 Inclusion and diversity in children’s television
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Peppa Pig introduces new same sex couple
12-13 Yoga for kids Benefits in and beyond the classroom, Happy Kids Yoga
Dance Live! expands across England for 2023 Your chance to enter the contest
14 Change a child’s story
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
Help them learn to read
15 Overcoming obstacles Inspiration behind After the Fall
16 Does my bum look big in this ad? The importance of body image for teens
17 Be inspired by young entrepreneurs! Ultra Education CIC to host their ninth Youth Business Fair
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18-20 Education Corner Podcast Interview Mrs. Grace McCahery, Vice Principal at The White House Preparatory School
22-27 Education Corner Podcast Interview Mr. Nick Hewlett, Head at St Dunstan’s College
28-31 Education Corner Podcast Interview Mrs. Sophie Edwards, St Catherine’s School, Bramley
32-33 Education Corner Podcast Interview Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall, CoDirectors of the Women in Academia Support Network (WIASN), Authors of ResearcHER
34-36 Education Corner Podcast Interview Mrs. Pippa Smithson, The Royal School, Haslemere
38-43 Education Corner Podcast Interview Victoria Ayodeji, ex Cambridge University graduate and winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for UK Student Social Mobility
44-47 Education Corner Podcast Interview Mr. David Mulae, Assistant Head Pastoral at Cranleigh School, Surrey
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In the Autumn issue... 48-49 Developments in Dyslexia How to spot, and empower Dyslexic Thinking in your child
50-51 Understanding ADHD What to know and how to support children
52 A vision for Queen’s Gate School Muses from the new Head, Amy Wallace
53 A sixth form that gets you Realising your potential at Sutton High School GDST
54-55 The Sutton Trust 25 years championing social mobility through education
56-57 HRH Queen Elizabeth II Patron of Reed’s School, Surrey Generations of dedication not to be forgotten
58-59 Honouring HM Queen Elizabeth II Dulwich College Cadets participated in the state funeral
60 The value of collaboration and partnerships An activity week for Wellington College and local partner schools
61 Supporting a fair future South Bank UTC and its bursary programmes
62-63 Black History Month 2022 How everyone can celebrate!
64-65 Diversifying the University of Durham Speaking for the 93%
The Journalism Diversity Fund All you need to know
66-67 Let’s get personal Advice on what, and what not, to write in your personal statement
58 NW LONDON NURSERIES AND SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE: Education Choices Magazine recommended nurseries and schools
68-69 Independent Nursery Options 70 Maintained School Options 71-81 Independent School Options 82 NW London University Listing University choices in NW London
83 Studying at SOAS A university at the heart of cultural Bloomsbury
84-85 A guide to North West London All there is to see and do
86 Making the right decision for your future University degree versus an apprenticeship
87 Testing times for the property market The desire to nest in North West London
88-89 Envisioning your space and its endless possibilities Tips for a home transformation Co-editors: Tatiana Summers, Ella Maria and Sara Keenan Assistant Editors: Emily Parsons and Rohini Bhonsle-Allemand Magazine design: www.petercharlesdesign.com Podcast Editor: www.emmacharleston.co.uk
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EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE is now available to purchase both online and paper copy. Please contact: chloeabbott@educationchoicesmagazine.com
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UMN 2022 | 5
TRIBUTE TO HRH QUEEN ELIZABETH II
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN A tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II The team at Education Choices Magazine was greatly saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in early September this year. She was the sixth sovereign queen and the forty-second sovereign of Britain since William the Conqueror. As the longest reigning monarch in Britain, she served for 70 years from her coronation on 2nd June 1953, until the age of 96. An inspiration to thousands, Queen Elizabeth II carried out more than 21,000 royal engagements and appearances over her reign; was more well-travelled than any previous British monarch with at least 260 official overseas trips, and hosted an average of 50,000 people every year at Buckingham Palace for a variety of luncheons, receptions and events. A remarkable woman, the Queen was never intended to be the heir to the throne. It wasn’t until the abdication of her uncle, King Edward VIII, that she found herself next in line. As a child, Winston Churchill described Elizabeth: “She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant.” Her composure has been remarked upon throughout her entire reign, particularly after her father’s sudden death whilst she was visiting Kenya in 1952; the public was
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much impressed by her remarkable composure on her homecoming, as she found herself the Queen of England and the Commonwealth countries, aged only 25. As a young girl, the Queen never attended formal schooling. Instead, she was taught by private tutors at home in a variety of subjects such as constitutional history, law, as well as French, German and music. The Queen was, in fact, fluent in French; a skill she often utilised in her overseas engagements. Her Majesty spent some of her teen years growing up during the tumultuous Second World War as well, during which time she learned to drive by driving a truck and also trained as a mechanic. Famously, at the end of War, she and her sister, Margaret, secretly left the Palace to celebrate amongst the public on VE Day in 1945. The Queen maintained her strong familial values despite the responsibility involved in her reign, having four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Her Majesty, in fact, only missed the opening of Parliament twice in her lifetime: once in 1959 for Prince Andrew’s birth, and once again in 1963 for Prince Edward’s birth. She was also the first monarch to celebrate a Diamond Wedding Anniversary, after being married to her husband, Prince Phillip, for 60 years in 2007. Before Prince Phillip’s passing just last year in April, the couple had been together for 73 years. The Queen had purchased her wedding dress with World
War Two rationing coupons, returning touching donations of clothing rations given to her by women across the United Kingdom at the time. Her Majesty also owned over 30 corgis in her life, all thought to be descended from the one she had as a young child called Susan. She also unintentionally introduced the dog breed, ‘Dorgi’, when one of her corgis bred with Princess Margaret’s dachshund. The Queen was an exception to many British laws. For example, she was unable to vote, nor could she be prosecuted or compelled to give evidence in court. She also did not need a passport to travel abroad and did not need a licence to drive a car. Her Majesty was also awarded a BAFTA in 2013 in a ceremony at Windsor Castle for “lifelong support of the British film and television industry”. This was perhaps related to her cameo as a “Bond girl” during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, demonstrating the more playful side to her character. This sense of humour was also seen when she tricked some American tourists whilst on
holiday in Balmoral: when they came across two American hikers on the grounds of her holiday home in Scotland, they did not recognise her and proceeded to ask Her Majesty where she lived, and whether she had ever met Queen Elizabeth. The Queen, dryly, told them that Richard Griffin, the former Royal Protection Officer who was accompanying her, had in fact met the Queen. The Americans asked the Queen to take their picture with Griffin, who then afterwards took a picture of the tourists with the Queen and bid them farewell without alerting them as to their mistake. Her majesty is reported to have once said: “For me, heaven is likely to be a bit of a comedown”, which is certainly a fitting sentiment to commemorate the undeniably extraordinary nature and achievement of her life and legacy for the British nation. EMILY PARSONS, Assistant Editor TURN TO PAGE 56 to read about HRH patronage at Reed’s School, Cobham
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UMN 2022 | 7
PREP SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
A historic moment in time Saying goodbye to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II The Swaffield School community was deeply saddened when we heard the upsetting news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. After such a long reign and such continued and tremendous service to this country, it was hard to imagine life without her. As a school family, we joined others in mourning the loss. In addition to remembering Her Majesty as a widely admired and respected national figurehead, we also recognised the tremendous sadness felt by the Queen’s own family which had lost a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Of course, we marked this very sad occasion in a number of quite formal ways: lowering our school flag, sharing a lovely photograph of Queen Elizabeth on our school website and school office screen throughout the period of national mourning and postponing a whole school event. Some of our Swaffield community also took the time to show their respects by visiting Buckingham Palace and the
flowers of remembrance in London’s Green Park. What a moving sight to see so many thoughtful messages and beautiful flowers spread out amongst the trees. However, in addition to this more formal side, we felt it was also important for our school to share our feelings and help the children understand and deal with theirs. In a special assembly, led by V61 West Side Church, we had the opportunity to get together and were comforted by the ability to talk about how we and others were feeling and to reflect on the Queen’s great life of service. It was clear that, although everyone had different memories and responded to the news differently, it was important to us all to respect one another as we processed our thoughts and emotions. As children living in London, our pupils and staff felt the importance not only to the nation but also to the city that
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they call home. We are all surrounded by images that remind us of Her Majesty: bright red postboxes with the insignia E II R; postage stamps; coins and banknotes; Buckingham Palace much of which will remain with us for some time but inevitably will change in time. Our children had the opportunity to share their memories of the Queen and felt better having spoken about it and found out that others had similar emotions. One of our Year 6 children summed up his feelings: “I’m really shocked. I think we all knew that, because the Queen was 96, it was going to happen but none of us expected it so soon. I’m really proud to have been able to see the Queen when I was part of the Platinum Jubilee Choir that sang for her. I’ll remember that forever – especially because she came onto the balcony at the end of the Jubilee Pageant.” ZDB – Year 6
One way we have found to deal with such emotions is to look at the positives. During our assembly, all the children joined together to sing the moving and beautiful Lanterns by Birds of Tokyo. Swaffield choir was very fortunate to have been selected to be part of the Platinum Jubilee Choir which sang at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on 5th June outside Buckingham Palace. The magnificent Kids’ Jubilee Choir sang a number of songs, including Lanterns to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as part of this remarkable event. That’s why it is such a happy memory for the children who took part as well as
Swaffield as a school. What better way to celebrate a wonderful life than with the sound of talented children singing. One of the very happy memories which will stay with Swaffield Choir children forever is being on stage directly in front of Buckingham Palace, facing The Victoria Memorial– sadly the place for so many floral tributes and sadness this month. At the time, we were unsure whether we
would be able to see the Queen as she had unfortunately had to cancel a number of Platinum Jubilee events. However, much to the children’s joy and excitement, Queen Elizabeth appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the end of the pageant to share her enthusiasm for the celebration. There’s no doubt that when you’re not even 10 years old being part of such an occasion is something that will never be forgotten! Sharing such memories, a beautiful song, and time for reflection with their schoolmates has enabled the children to join together to remember Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. www.swaffield.wandsworth.sch.uk TURN TO P58 to read about Dulwich College cadets at the funeral
Swaffield School nurture, inspire, prepare
Choosing a Primary School? Find out for yourself what makes Swaffield School your first choice for your child's primary education. “Both of my children have really flourished at Swaffield. It’s given them an excellent educational foundation which has helped them secure places at Emanuel School, including an academic scholarship.” Year 5 Parent March 2022 Swaffield School St Ann's Hill Wandsworth SW18 2SA
Contact us to arrange your visit:
Tel: 020 8874 2825 Email: swaffield@swaffield.wandsworth.sch.uk
PREP SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE
The Value of Values Creating a caring community The memorable events during the period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II have all made us think about our remarkable Queen’s values and why her death was felt so acutely by many of us; she will be remembered for her servitude, the devotion she demonstrated to her country, her dedication and dignity. Do you know what your values are, as a human being? Can you begin to articulate them? What about the values you would like to instill in your child? At Churcher’s College Junior School and Nursery, we devised our own set of values as a community known as the 5Rs (Respectful, Reflective, Resourceful, Responsible and Resilient). The pupils were also given the opportunity to vote for an animal by which to refer to each value. Our youngest pupils have these animals as soft toys in
their classrooms because values are big ideas for little people. However, starting young is key to instilling values, at school or at home. Consider how the Royal Family are so aligned to their future roles and we begin to realise the power of how the formative years become so important in shaping the years ahead. For example, when looking at the value of being ‘Respectful’, our Owl and Pussycat pupils in the Nursery begin to understand that being Respectful begins with a please or thank you. Our oldest pupils in Year 6 understand the need to listen and be considerate of others, whoever they are, being open to ideas that they may not agree with. We expect all members of our community to respect other people, property and
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our planet. Each of our values has a set of ‘what this looks like’ statements to bring these values alive across the school. They are displayed and referred to regularly as well as teachers revisiting them at the beginning of every academic year. We understand that values do not just happen; they have to be worked on and breathed. Whilst some see the aim of education as the knowledge of facts, many of us may have come to the conclusion after reflecting on the death and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, that there really is some mileage and value in appreciating that the true aim of education is, perhaps, the knowledge of values. FFION ROBINSON, Head of Churcher’s College Junior School & Nursery www.churcherscollege.com
Inclusion and diversity in children’s television Peppa Pig introduces new same sex couple After 18 years of being on British television, spanning across 8 seasons, containing almost 400 episodes and 21 animal families, in September 2022 much-beloved children’s television show Peppa Pig has introduced us to its first same-sex parents. The Polar Bear family consists of Penny Polar Bear and her two mums, Mummy Polar Bear and Dr. Polar Bear, introduced in the episode titled ‘Families’.
This is a huge step for Peppa Pig, which has been criticised in the past for its lack of diversity within the show. Until now, it has only contained “traditional” families, with one mother, one father, and their children. In 2020, a petition was launched on The Petition Site titled ‘Demand a same-sex parent family on Peppa Pig!’, garnering almost 24,000 signatures of its 25,000 goal. The online response to this new family has been overwhelmingly positive, with
many praising Peppa Pig’s writers for their decision to increase representation in the show. This is a big step towards normalising LGBTQ+ representation in young children’s television, especially as it is featured in something as mainstream, easily accessible, and widely consumed as Peppa Pig, which is considered one of the biggest British children’s shows of all time. In March of 2021, it was announced that Peppa Pig had been renewed until 2027, giving the potential for further developments to be made in regard to LGBTQ+ representation and general diversity in the future. ROHINI BHONSLE-ALLEMAND, Assistant Editor TURN TO P16 to read about improving body image
Join an amazing team Register today for Year 3
ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN
Yoga for kids Benefits in and beyond the classroom Yoga has become very popular in the West over recent years, with celebrities, sports personalities and medical professionals all giving it a go. Yoga connects the mind, spirit, and body through gentle movement, meditation and breathing. Yoga helps to keep your body and mind healthy and changes the way you live your life in a positive way. But why yoga for kids?
Practising yoga and mindfulness can help kids build positivity, confidence and help them to create more empathy for others. It helps them to build flexibility, muscle tone and strength whilst gaining the knowledge to manage
any worries or stress they might be feeling. They also learn to be mindful and conscious of their breath and thought process. All this is done through fun stories, simple yoga flows, breathing and mindfulness techniques that they can use every day. We have been teaching yoga in schools for 8 years now and the difference it has made to the kids we teach is amazing. Kids tell us that they use their breathing practice to help them feel more confident at swimming lessons or when they want to feel happy again after a fallout with a sibling. Stretching in the morning gives them energy, and meditation at bedtime helps them
get to sleep. The benefits go far beyond the actual class. Another positive we have found is teaching the staff in schools to bring yoga into the classroom every day. Not only does this benefit the kids but it also benefits the staff, helping with stress levels and focus. Often adults don’t make the time to
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in the sound. Plus, it’s so much fun sounding like a bumblebee! What to do..
learn how to help their own mental health but jump at the chance to know how to help the kids in their care. Cleverly we teach the staff the techniques for the kids but also for them to use too. Happy Humming Breath
Here is one of our favourite activities for you to try - Happy Humming Breath (or Bumblebee
Breath) is a way of helping kids to extend their out breath which leads to stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. The sound of the humming whilst shutting off the hearing and sight, allows the children to find focus within and stop thinking for a short time. The more they practice this breath the longer they can keep going and get lost
Begin sitting in an easy pose, or at your desk with a tall, straight spine. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose before exhaling out “Hummmmmm,” as long as possible. Try it again, but this time with your eyes closed. Try again with eyes closed but this time cover your ears with your hands. Notice your focus goes inward where you can find peace and calm. Let’s try this three more times, just at your own pace. Breathing in through your nose and humming out through your mouth. Jen, Happy Kids Yoga www.happykidsyoga.co.uk
Dance Live! expands across England for 2023 Your chance to enter the contest Dance Live!, a popular annual dance contest for schools and colleges, returns between February and May 2023, expanding to more locations across England. Produced by The Guildhall Trust and embracing the ever-evolving digital world and how this is changing the face of modern performance, Dance Live! invites pupils in KS2-4 and Further Education to perform choreographed routines to the backdrop of a giant LED screen and the development of offstage technical skills. Now in its fourth year, Dance Live! has expanded from its beginnings at Portsmouth Guildhall to also offer heats in 2023 in Poole, Guildford, High Wycombe and Eastbourne, with a new contest for the north of England taking place in Sheffield. More than 125 schools and over 6,000 pupils have now registered for the 2023 competition. Dance Live! focuses on raising aspirations and
developing skills to support career paths into the creative industries, delivering a range of supportive workshop opportunities that encourage everyone, not just the dancers, to get involved. With links to Ofsted and the Gatsby benchmarks, the contest provides a range of health and wellbeing benefits while bringing young people together as a team and growing their confidence. Throughout the Autumn, The Guildhall Trust team will support every school or college with workshops, rehearsals and the development of their off-stage skills with a teacher group, Zoom sessions and a range of online resources. www.dancelive.co.uk
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 13
READING FOR ALL
Change a child’s story Help them learn to read This month, the National Literacy Trust produced a report outlining the results from their annual literacy survey. The study explored the reading enjoyment, confidence, frequency, attitudes, preferences, and book ownership of children aged 5 to 8 in early 2022. It has provided valuable insight into reading motivation, and the ways reading can be so beneficial for the mental wellbeing of these children. The report revealed that 1 in 5 children do not have a book of their own, meaning they aren’t able to explore reading and
learning at home, where so much valuable practice can take place. This is an increase of 1.9% since before the pandemic, with this statistic at its highest point since 2019. The impact of this on reading ability could be vast, with the report outlining that reading enjoyment decreases drastically among those who don’t own their own books. You can change a child’s story. Through the disruption to learning during the pandemic, paired with the cost of living crisis, Bookmark’s volunteers are helping to resist the obstacles children are
facing in their reading across the UK. You can help a child learn to read, improve their confidence, and start to love it, by becoming a Bookmark reading volunteer: https://bit.ly/EduCVol today. Your school can also sign up to take part in our programme here: https://bit.ly/EduCSch www.bookmarkreading.org
Help a child learn to read Volunteer with Bookmark Help a child develop the reading skills and confidence they need for a fair chance in life. Read together for 30 minutes, twice a week, for six weeks.
www.bookmarkreading.org/educhoices Registered Charity No. 1177681
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Overcoming obstacles Inspiration behind After the Fall What most people don’t know about After the Fall is that it’s a personal love letter to my wife, Leah, whom I’ve been married to for almost 20 years. For most of her life she has dealt with anxiety and depression related to her family’s biological history and at a certain point of our marriage. There were certain things we tailored our lives to which I never quite understood because she was never really aware that she had anxiety and depression. The music could never be turned up too loud. We avoided large crowds, etc. I thought they were personal quirks and lifestyle choices not realising or understanding what anxiety was all about. About 12 years in, it really started affecting our lives as a married couple. Against all her beliefs, she finally went to therapy and eventually saw a psychiatrist and began taking medications to deal with her condition and miraculously, like clouds parting after a storm, she became a completely different person. Happier, more calm, and
there was a spirit in her that I hadn’t seen since we left college. In retrospect many years later, we realised that her anxiety and depression was heightened after the birth of our first child and she was going through postpartum depression. I always found the nursery rhyme of “Humpty Dumpty” to
be rather sombre and thought of an idea of redemption. You go through a traumatic experience that you don’t want to experience ever again so you tailor your life to avoid those triggers. Thinking about the aftermath of a traumatic incident like falling from a wall, I used the story as a metaphor for my wife’s experience. Avoiding triggers, facing your problems, and eventually overcoming them while also evolving into something greater. Humpty Dumpty turns into a bird (most people forget he’s an egg) and my wife blossomed into a person who seemed to continue on with a life that felt like it had stalled for many years. My wife now has a gold bird feather tattooed on her back and I have a bird feather tattooed on my arm as a symbol of our love for one another. And that’s our story. DAN SANTAT, Author of After The Fall www.us.macmillan.com/author/ dansantat
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BODY CONFIDENCE
Does my bum look big in this ad? The importance of body image for teens This is the sort of book I would have liked to have read when I was a teenager so, essentially, an adult me wrote the book for a younger version of myself. Prior to writing the book, I’d already spent several years working in the advertising, marketing and media space (plus two university bachelor degrees in business communications and media), so had a fair idea of what went on ‘behind the scenes’ so to speak, to get the finished product that we see in the media. However, at the time of writing, teens were less aware of these sorts of things. Today with the increased use of social media filters there is more awareness. As a result of poor media literacy and just not knowing what really went on to make the content picture perfect, teens might think (as teenage me did) that the skin of the person in the magazine really was that flawless in real life. At this point I could make countless other examples of where bodies are manipulated to create an ideal and if the person consuming this content doesn’t know it is happening, it can play havoc with their self-esteem and self-worth. Fortunately, I never had to navigate the moral dilemma of having to advertise products that required me to manipulate women’s bodies in this way. But I was still completely aware that it was going on elsewhere.
When I acquired my disabilities, I left advertising agencies but continued consultancy work. I also began speaking about my own story. I didn’t like the way people with disabilities were being stereotyped and wanted to offer an alternative narrative. I was working, dating, living by myself and getting on with life. Nothing extraordinary. Just my life. I spoke with the teens about self-esteem, body confidence, media literacy and all the things that were done to an image before they saw it. Again, my inspiration for this was wishing my younger self could have known. Importantly, the book acts as an educational tool empowering teens to critically analyse what they see and hear in the media and understand it on a different level. It was also put together with the combined efforts of advertisers, educators and psychologists. LISA COX, Author www.alcagency.com/ product/does-my-bum-lookbig-in-this-ad/
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YOUNG BUSINESS INITIATIVES
Be inspired by young entrepreneurs! Ultra Education CIC to host their ninth Youth Business Fair Ultra Education CIC are hosting their ninth Youth Business Fair, the largest of its kind in Europe on December 3rd at Wembley Stadium! Over 100 young entrepreneurs will be showcasing their products and services; having started their businesses from their hobbies or passions. The event will feature young entrepreneurs between the ages of 7 and 21, who have started businesses in sectors such as technology, food, fashion, music, sports and lots more. Ultra Education also recently completed a crowdfunding campaign to fund the event, raising over £50,000 with support from Crowdfunder, British Airways, A10 Networks, Slenky, Innovate UK and
social cryptocurrency Sweatcoin. Speaking ahead of the event, Ultra Education’s founder and CEO, Julian ‘The Ultrapreneur’ Hall, said: “The whole team at Ultra Education is thrilled to be back for our ninth Youth Business Fair and have had such great support from our sponsors, friends and community to make the event a reality. It’s amazing to see the growth of the event and even more so the great things our young people are achieving through their businesses. Anyone who has attended in the past will testify that it’s an inspirational, fun-filled event for the whole family, we can’t wait to see everyone there!” To register for a free ticket to the
event visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/its-backthe-uks-biggest-youth-business-fairwinter-2022-tickets-384472606917
If you are/you know a young entrepreneur under the age of 21 and would like to exhibit at the Winter Youth Business Fair, please visit the Eventbrite page and choose the ‘stall holder’ ticket type to reserve a space. There is a £20 cost for exhibiting. www.ultra.education
07738238273 info@cjaeducationalconsultancy.com www.cjaeducationalconsultancy.com
Chloe Abbott
Educational Consultant • Introductory meeting to get to know your family and your child/children • Assessment when required to establish your child’s levels • School advice for both primary and secondary in the London area and beyond • Support and advice on suitable school choices • Booster sessions in key exam skills
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH VICE PRINCIPAL
Mrs. Grace McCahery FROM THE WHITE HOUSE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Mrs. Grace McCahery speaks about The White House Preparatory School, which is also affiliated to Woodentops nursery. The school is situated in Clapham, South London and was established in 1985. It provides a warm, friendly and inviting place for children to discover, learn and grow in confidence. Could you tell us a little about Woodentops nursery and how it is affiliated to the school (for parents with babies and young children)?
The White House Prep was founded nearly 40 years ago, and from that the Woodentops nursery was founded ten years ago. We began to see a demand from our parents at The White House Prep who wanted more childcare, especially during the holidays. We wanted to accommodate this by first creating an outstanding setting within our school grounds. This was a huge success, and led to us opening our second site a few years later. Both nurseries are rated as ‘outstanding’ as well, which is fantastic. The school and nurseries are all owned and run within our own family, so together with my mum and my sisters we have lots of fun. Many decisions are made over our Sunday lunches. Our family Whatsapp chat goes from us sending photos of our children to what our next big strategic move is going to be. It is always very exciting and we are able to support each other with our different ventures. Family really is at the core of our school ethos as well. Family is the bedrock, and we are living 1 8 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
proof of that. Working together, we have six of my mum’s grandchildren in the school now, including my baby, who is attending the Woodentops nursery. If you send your own child there, that is always a good sign. I also went to the school from age two and a half until the age of seven whilst we were still a small pre-prep. Through demand we were able to then evolve that into a prep school that went all the way to eleven plus. I think that more parents are starting to value the bigger picture and we are a school that is focused on strong academic outcomes. We are also very focused on how you do that journey and the nurturing environment that we create so that our children feel supported, unique and important. We want our children to feel listened to, so that they know that they will be heard. The young men and women that leave us are interesting, they are interested, they are kind, they have beautiful manners and they have a love of learning. Could you tell us about how best to register for Woodentops nurseries?
Choosing a school is a huge decision for parents, especially with your first child. I know myself how nerve-racking it can be to put a young baby into the care of people that you don’t know. When you go on visits to nurseries it is so important that you have to have a good gut reaction, great interaction between the staff and the children. You might go to a nursery and there might be a few babies crying,
The White House School
that is normal, but it is about how the staff are responding to that that is really important to look out for. It’s about what really matters to you as a parent. Do you want them to be doing lots of activities such as yoga, going out to the park, going on trips, doing music. Have a look at the curriculum and timetable that the nursery is offering. Once you have decided on a nursery, how soon is too soon? Once your child is born, I think that that is a good time to register if you are looking at starting at one. If you are looking at starting at six months, then you will need to register whilst you are still pregnant. Obviously, nursery is the first step to educating any child, what is the process for then going through from Reception into the White House School?
Within the Woodentops nurseries and The White House, we prefer the children who are in The White House family, that is children who are siblings, or children who are already attending the Woodentops nurseries. We offer our places to those children first. This gives our parents a lot of security, the parents are very committed to having a long journey with their children through a school, whether that be from 6 months, or age 2. What is lovely about our school is that our staff that teach in our nursery also teach in our school. Our PE teachers are the same, our Drama teacher is the same, our Ballet teacher is the same, our French teacher is the same (she has been with us for over 35 years), and our Music teacher is the same. The teachers get to see the journey of the children from age 2, where they might first start speaking French or kicking a ball, to playing fixtures for the under-11 team, which I think is really special. It gives children that familiarity. Children need to feel confident in their own environments, and if they are familiar with their surroundings and teachers, they develop a much more secure idea of what their boundaries are. As a result, they really thrive. We are seeing a lot more interest for both the nursery and the school because we offer that journey from 6 months all the way to 11. Our head girl now joined the nursery at eight months and she is an outstanding member of our community and she is now in Year 6. It has been a very special journey to watch.
Do you do any assessments?
No, we used to, but we took the decision that assessments at age four, and when you are assessing them, they are even younger, it is not quite right for the child. I think that it can create a stressful environment for parents and a stressful environment for children. We prefer to take a far more individualised and personable approach. When children are registered with the school, I will do sessions with them so that they can get to know me. Their class teacher might also come so that they can start to know them. We are meeting children in their environment, which is so important, because they will feel more secure to talk to you, to show you their work, you can see what’s interesting for them and what excites them. How would you describe the ethos of The White House School?
Our ethos has always been to put children first and to offer exceptional teaching that is supported by nurturing pastoral care. Throughout our growth, we have stayed true to the founding vision of the school. We believe that it is a place where children should be children. That can be very challenging in London. We are definitely a school where children can remain children, we nurture an environment where they can learn and grow and exceed their own ambitions and make friendships for life within a very wide school community. We are dedicated to having excellent academic outcomes. This is achieved through our unique and supportive family environment. It is unique because not every school can offer such an invested approach from a family. It puts children at the heart of everything and creates a protective family environment that we want for all children. They have the widest range of opportunities to find their passions, their curiosities, and this equips them with what the wider world will require of them.
“We are definitely a school where children can remain children, we nurture an environment where they can learn and grow and exceed their own ambitions and make friendships for life within a very wide school community.” » EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 19
Family focus
Many children begin preparing from Year 4 for their 11+ exams. How does The White House School support children through this process?
When it is time for 11+ they are very well-prepared. When that preparation starts, they have a very good grasp of the curriculum. From this perspective, they enjoy the challenge that the 11+sets out. Often, they come out of the exams beaming, delighted with how they have done. Really, that is all that we ask of ourselves, we want to know that our children have done their best, and to know that we will be proud of whatever their best is. Our children love the interview process, and we have seen them achieve some wonderful results. We often get compliments from heads of other senior schools about our children because they are interesting, they are interested, they are not arrogant, they have a love of learning and are really excited by everything that school has to offer. The 11+ can be a really daunting experience, particularly for parents. These stresses can also fall onto children so it is really important to keep our children calm and to reinforce the message that they are doing their best to support their mental wellbeing during this time. That is largely through close pastoral care. Children feel that they can come to us with any worries. We achieve amazing results, and last year every girl received an academic scholarship. We always have over 50, 60, 70% of scholarships offered and receive multiple offers for our children. They are given a wide range of schools to choose from when they leave us at 11+. We understand that there is a very exciting curriculum, such as enterprise lessons to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit, which is increasingly becoming a concern for many in education. Can you tell me a little more about this?
We brought enterprise onto the curriculum a couple years ago for our children aged from Year 3 to Year 6. It has been one of their favourite subjects. It runs a bit like a business studies and we set them different challenges termly. One has been to come up with their own school trip, another was to make and sell Christmas bags. It really teaches them how to work together, how to budget, how to create a marketing plan and how to pitch. This brings in maths, public speaking, creative writing, art and even more. It has really inspired our children, 20 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
so much so that they have taken this spirit out of the classroom and onto the streets. One child recently made bespoke cards for people walking down her road, including one husband who had forgotten his wife’s anniversary card, so she did fantastically well with that. This term, the children are focused on making their own podcast, pitching to local businesses for advertising spaces, so there are some rival podcasts out there to look out for! Family is at the heart of The White House School and is the only family run school remaining in this area. How does this make a difference to a private equity approach?
Being one of the only family schools left is really quite amazing. Between my mother and my sisters, our children, we are truly a family school. Our focus is on caring for each other and our school community and the wider world. This has always sat at the heart of our decision making. Working alongside our dedicated and passionate team and Headmaster Tony Lewis, we are able to be dynamic and fast moving. We were the first school in London to open after Covid because we were able to make really quick decisions, we were onsite ourselves, even Mary, our Principal, was temperaturing and hand-sanitising our children. Our actions are all centred around the question of: what is best for our school? We believe that as a family school, we can answer this question honestly. We take a multi-generational approach that blends the best parts of tradition with a drive to find innovation. This is about whether it is in the curriculum, trying to create lessons such as enterprise, or through our learning styles. This will ensure the best outcome for our pupils. We would like to thank the Vice Principal, Mrs. Grace McCahery, from The White House Preparatory School, for giving up her time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST www.whitehouseschool.com TURN TO PAGE 48 to read about supporting children with Dyslexia
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I have made friends for life.
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH HEAD
Mr. Nick Hewlett FROM ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE, LEWISHAM
Mr. Nick Hewlett speaks about the ethos at St Dunstan’s, St Dunstan’s Diapason and the broad renaissance education that they offer children from many different socio-economic backgrounds. He also shares his thoughts about EDI and how to ensure that independent schools are able to continue to thrive going forwards… Please explain to us the importance and relevance of the College motto ‘Albam Exorna’?
I feel really privileged to have this as our motto, it translates as ‘Adorn the White’. It’s very unusual and speaks to an ambitious and forward-thinking foundation in the late 19th Century. ‘Adorn the White’ is to do with the fact that we have a blank shield, which has one corner filled in with St Dunstan standing proudly in the corner. The reason for that was that the founders here at St Dunstan’s felt very strongly that education ought to be about allowing young people to find their own way through school; to be true to who they are, to be individuals, to protect the individuality that is personified within them. We think that that is a really wonderful and radical thing of that time, and that it is just as relevant today as it was then. The whole principle around the school is that when you join the school we give you this blank canvas, we give you a huge array of different opportunities, and through that breadth of opportunity you are able to chart your own course, be true to who you are and to discover your true identity. We want to encourage an open-minded and liberal culture and have a diverse school community that reflects that founding motto that underpins everything we do. 22 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
Can you tell us a little about the ethos and values at St Dunstan’s College?
The ethos is demonstrated, I think, by that motto, which is central to the ethos that we have going on here. We are a very, very diverse school. We are in a very diverse part of South East London, we have a very multicultural, multiracial, diverse socioeconomic intake of students, and with that comes a real vibrancy of difference and a celebration of difference and individuality that runs to the core of our identity as an institution. We are a
St Dunstan’s College
community of all faiths, and we are a community that cherishes that diversity, and cherishes that individuality. At its heart, we are a very liberal school, we are not forged from the conservative mould of independent education that I think does follow some of the other schools in this country. We are very much a school where students can be comfortable with who they are. We are also a school that is true to that initial ambition in 1888, when we were a school that was radical for its day. We were founded as one of the first schools in the country to challenge the very conservative traditional curriculum that was rooted all around Literature, Religion and Classics. We were one of the first schools in the country, if not the world, to introduce Science and Technology. None of the other schools were doing it and it was an incredibly radical concept for its time. The incoming head of the governing body who appointed him was very keen on the idea of heuristic education, hands-on education. It’s not so much what a child knows that’s important, but how he/she finds out what they know. The ethos here is about challenging some of the educational norms of today. To give you a few examples of the things that we do, we have a few co-curricular programmes embedded into the timetable of the school. It’s not an add on, it’s timetabled, registered, monitored. It’s a whole programme structured around the values of the organisation. The pupils have to sign up to a whole range of different values. We have a talk period here called the ‘Stuart Programme’, which is all about life skills and the development of the Self. We discuss issues like toxic masculinity, toxic femininity. We teach them about resilience, conflict, deflection and other important practical life skills. We have a huge emphasis on the Creative Arts here, we feel that creativity is being starved from the education sector in this country. We conclude with a two week festival, where we are off timetable for the last two weeks of the year, and we undertake creative activities for the sake of it. We also have a
“We want to encourage an open-minded and liberal culture and have a diverse school community that reflects that founding motto that underpins everything we do.”
really important adventurous activity programme that speaks to our value of courage and confidence. We don’t want young people to be arrogant, but we want them to be assured with who they are and to have the confidence to take on the vagaries of society when they leave the school. I suppose that, in summary, the overarching ethos of the school is one that values education and one that believes in an open mind in a liberal context. We want students to be themselves and to celebrate the diversity which they are a part of. You have a very diverse intake of students from very different socio-economic backgrounds. What are your bursary provisions like?
We have an extensive bursary programme, we live in an area of London that is in huge need financially, and we don’t want to be that school on the hill with the gates shut. We do a lot of outreach work and partnership work, and we want children to be able to come to this school who would otherwise not have the means to do so. At the moment, we
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Renaissance education
sector. The idea of having a very monochrome staff, in particular, schools that haven’t really embraced the EDI in its context. I think that those schools have a long way to go to become palatable to the broader societal narrative. The days of a conveyorbelt independent schools’ education where you take your children into an independent school aged 11 and churn them out at 18, all looking the same and acting the same. I think those days are gone. We see it in government and we don’t want that anymore. We want youngsters to go through the independent education system, coming out as who they are, to be okay with that and to be individuals going into a globalised and multicultural world. I really do think that as a sector, we need to be challenging ourselves, challenging our own conservative historic thinking and need to modernise and develop in some of the ways that I have described. give a significant amount of money every year to facilitating those families to be able to access this education, and it is a fundamental extension of our ethos and values that we were discussing earlier. I have also heard a lot about the ‘St Dunstan’s Difference’, could you tell me a little more about that?
I think that as an independent school we are really different. The reason we won ‘Independent School of the Year’ last year was because we have been challenging the UK’s education sector, asking difficult questions, and being different. There are lots of ways in which we are different, I think. The biggest one of those would be a genuine belief that the sector has become too conservative, that it needs to modernise, and it needs to be made to fit the purpose of 2022 Britain. In order to do that, it needs to show that there is a place for private education in Britain. It is perfectly acceptable for hard-working parents to spend their money on their children through independent schools. Equally, it needs to be palatable for society and it needs to be an environment that’s rooted into the whole society that these institutions are designed to serve. We have to do everything in our power to stop these independent schools from being only for the select few and the privileged. We need to ensure that our independent schools are deeply connected with the roots of the communities where they were founded. The community partnership work that is intrinsic to our ethos as a school needs to be replicated across these other schools. Equally, the culture inside the school needs to be modernised across the 24 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
As a magazine, obviously, equality, diversity and inclusion are our main focus. What challenges have you faced as the head of a leading London co-educational school?
It’s been a great adventure to be honest. I started here 9 years ago and we had a lot of work to do. It was a school that was great in many ways, its location is great, but it had lost its way a little, and it needed to re-found its identity here in South East London. That was a task, and a challenging task. Those first few years involved a lot of change. The school needed a clarity of identity that it was lacking. That was a real challenge. Coming out the other side of that, of course, we then went into Covid. That has been really, really difficult. For us it was doubly difficult because we had signed a twenty-five million pound estate project just as we were hearing about the virus in China. We’d signed up to an enormous project on site: a new STEM block, a new Sixth Form Centre, a new Junior School, a new Filming Arts Centre, a new Theatre,
“We have to do everything in our power to stop these independent schools from being only for the select few and the privileged. We need to ensure that our independent schools are deeply connected with the roots of the communities where they were founded.”
Inclusion and Diversity
the whole lot. There was a great risk associated with that. When the pandemic came, we had to stick to the building schedule. We had the challenge of the logistics of an enormous site-build, the challenges of the pandemic, the challenges of the financials, the challenges of the unknown. Navigating the school through that was really difficult. It took fantastic early decisions around early remote learning. We were one of the first schools in the area, just before lockdown, to shut down the school to train the teachers for remote learning on Teams, which was not very well known back then. We were able to do 100% remote learning from the very beginning. That was a really good decision and, in the end, we successfully made it through the pandemic. I also feel that the end of the pandemic has equally had its challenges too. It was recently celebrated that you shared with students that you were in a same-sex marriage – what led to this decision and how do you feel it has benefitted and made a difference to the culture of the school?
The decision really came about from a realisation
just how beneficial role models are for young people. I began to see it as we did our surveys around racial diversity of the school in particular. I thought that there is one area that I really can help in, if I’m really honest about who I am, and assisting youngsters in the LGBTQ+ community who might be struggling with their own identity, being able to say to them: “Look, it’s absolutely okay to be who you are.” I wanted to offer them my position as role model in that particular area, as it was free for me to give, and I felt that it would give tremendous benefit to the youngsters. In actual fact, the reactions of many of the youngsters was: “Who on earth cares?” But there were also lots of lovely messages and emails received, and I feel very grateful for that. Amongst the younger generation, they couldn’t understand why it made it to the third page of The Times. They couldn’t understand why this would be big news. For me, it was really about role modelling. Going back to my earlier point, I think that the sector is very conservative: it does lack diversity and it is a problem for the independent education sector. The schools have a predominance of white heterosexual men. It is beginning to change and develop, with far more women coming into HMC Schools, which is an absolute breath of fresh air, I have to say. It is improving, but there is still a very, very long way to go until we can say that our leaders reflect the diverse society which we live in. That is why it came about, that is why I did what I did. I thought it was brilliant. Can you explain the broad/renaissance education that St Dunstan’s College provides?
The school I went to is very well-known, it’s quite different now. When I went there in the 90s, their idea of success was very narrow. In particular, I think about my sporting career, or my non-sporting career. I wasn’t very good at rugby, and I knew that when I was eleven years old. If you weren’t very good at rugby, you were sort of done for in that kind of school culture. I felt really hard-done-by by that, I felt that by having a renaissance approach to the curricular programme, by having a real breadth of opportunity, it would have done me the world of good to have had a much healthier relationship with sport. That is just one example of why I thought that we ought to have a genderneutral approach to how we define excellence and achievement in sport and both co-curricular and curricular activities.
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I have also been very ill at ease with this idea that we narrow down the academic subjects for children as a lever to try and engineer a few more percentage points on the league table. I think that that is totally wrong. I think that schools that are now starting to drop the Creative Arts at the end of Year 8 and 9. They put them on a carousel and they only do science or they drop classical civilisation. I think that we are doing an enormous disservice to these young people throughout their early adolescence. I have decided that throughout Year 7, 8 and 9, a time that is going to have a tremendous impact on who they become as adults, that they ought to have a huge renaissance curriculum and co-curricular programme. We have 17 standalone subjects, all the way through Years 7, 8 and 9. There is no dropping, they have to do all of it. It is an immersive, wonderful experience. On top of this we have our co-curricular programme, which has 300 plus activities. That whole programme is structured around our values. You can’t just come into St Dunstan’s and just play football all the time. You have to do something in the Creative Arts, you have to do something from the Youth Volunteering Service programme, you have to do something on the Physical Education programme, you have to do something across the whole range. As a school this ties into that open-minded philosophy about celebrating your individuality. One of the greatest joys that I have is going up to the Performing Arts Centre and seeing boys who play football on a Saturday morning, doing ballet classes as a part of one of their co-curricular programmes, or singing and dancing in the school musical, and that not being a ‘THING’. Not being compartmentalised into being a certain type of kid. I think that that is one of the most damaging things that we do in education. Early on in adolescence, if we get school culture wrong. Young people start to think: “Well, I’ve got to conform to thinking like this”, “I’ve got to start being like this”, “I have to make that choice.” Wrong: you don’t have to make
“I have decided that throughout Year 7, 8 and 9, a time that is going to have a tremendous impact on who they become as adults, that they ought to have a huge renaissance curriculum and cocurricular programme.” that choice, you can try both, and it’s absolutely if you create the right culture for young people. Otherwise, you get young people into psychological positions that are totally unhealthy. In the last assembly I did on this I said to the students: “It is important to feel comfortable with who you are, as it is to know that it is totally okay to change your mind. It is perfectly fine to have feelings and thoughts about your identity, who you are and your sexuality, and to actually decide that that is not who I am anymore. It is important for that not to come with any sense of judgement from anyone else.” The same applies to the curriculum, the same applies to the co-curricular programme. You mention in your welcome the ‘St Dunstan’s Diapason’. Can you tell us more about this?
I set this up to bring together students representing key protective characteristics from the Equality Act. Students who had a real key interest in furthering our celebration of diversity, and assuring cultural diversity within the school. We have five pillars: Religion, Belief, Sexual Identity, Sex and Gender, and Disability. Each of those leads has a staff lead as well. It’s about staff and children working together to develop an action plan for how we can celebrate our diversity and ensure equality within the school. This puts the decision-making
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE
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Looking to the future
back into the hands of the children. I was getting fed up with the idea of the ‘outraged young’, and the ‘outraged older generation’. I wanted to crack that by putting them all into a room together and saying: “Okay, we have got to own this together as one community, so what are we going to do?” We all believe in diversity, we all believe in equality, how are we going to be able to move this forwards together, from your perspective, from the teachers’ perspective and it’s been amazing! The ideas that they have come up with together have been incredible. I love all of the changes that they have made. Could you give me an example of any? Are there any that have stood out to you?
There has been a lot of work around teaching of race and discrimination. We have learnt a lot about the language of race and hate. Teachers have been trained in how to handle that better. There has been a lot of work on problems in education. I didn’t even think of this, but the students raised the fact that the students in the Junior School could have different colouring pencils of different shades to shade in people. It hadn’t occurred to us that not having this was an important issue, which it is. We have now introduced this to the Junior School children. We have introduced a multiracial prayer room. We are now doing a partnership with a local educational-needs school who are helping us in terms of our inclusion policy, and we are helping them. So there are loads of great things that have been brought out of this. What do you feel will be the challenges for independent schools going into 2022, 2023 and beyond?
Societal relevance is the big one for me. We need to ensure that we don’t become obsolete or dug into a trench of identity that doesn’t resonate with society as a whole. I think that that is a huge risk of the independent education sector. We also have the post-pandemic challenges that all schools have in terms of helping young people to adjust back to where we are today and the very real challenges for young people in the world at large, putting young people at ease with the world and at ease with themselves. My biggest one would be culture, and modernising culture in schools so that it is truly inclusive and diverse. As a school you work closely with the local community and other Lewisham schools
and beyond. Can you tell us more about the importance of working and engaging with the local community, and give some examples of this and the benefits that children/local communities are gaining?
Our school has recently just been put forward for an award for one of our latest projects, which is the Lewisham Young Leaders Academy. We set this up with the Westside Young Leaders Academy to work with young black boys and girls from African and Afro-Caribbean heritage, whose life opportunities statistics, in comparison with white children, has a really stark contrast, and that’s not right. We have put an Academy on Saturday mornings where we work with these young people and a charity alongside us to correct that and to create a platform for learning and schools’ development that may otherwise not exist, and that is incredible. We have a committee called the Wren Committee - taken from the architect of the spire within which our foundation was conceived – a foundation based on ambition and benevolence that brings together all of our community work; the range of things that we do is absolutely vast. We really want to advance the life opportunities for the young lives in the Lewisham community. We would like to thank the Head of St Dunstan’s College, Mr. Nick Hewlett, for giving up his time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST www.stdunstans.org.uk TURN TO PAGE 61 to read about the South Bank UTC’s KINShiP Bursary
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 27
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH HEAD OF MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Sophie Edwards FROM ST CATHERINE’S PREP SCHOOL, BRAMLEY Mrs. Sophie Edwards speaks about the importance of learning languages at an early age and incorporating it as a fundamental part of the curriculum. At what ages are languages introduced and which languages do girls at St Catherine’s Prep get exposure to?
It is lovely to meet you here today and to be on the podcast. We introduce formal teaching in a modern foreign language, which is French in our Prep School, from age seven. They have language lessons every week through to age eleven. Before that, in the Pre-Prep department, from ages 4 to 7. We have various opportunities where the girls will learn a language, either through a lunchtime club or a club timetable during the day, through experiential play, or through special themed events or linked to festivals.
“We are very conscious that language learning and the function of a child’s brain from birth is absorbing language, even in their home environment as an infant.” 28 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
We understand that language skills are developed in Pre-Prep (4-7). Can you tell us a little more about this?
We are very conscious that language learning and the function of a child’s brain from birth is absorbing language, even in their home environment as an infant. We want those pathways to stay open all the way through, so it is very important that we keep that love of language learning going before the more formal lessons at age 7. For instance, we have the clubs, and a play scheme with our travelling suitcases, which are suitcases that the class teachers can bring into their classes for play, and they have got language materials in them. It can be self-guided play or guided play by the teacher or an assistant with learning numbers or colours in French or Spanish. It is to inspire that love of learning and to keep that awareness of language alive in the children right from an early age. There are also various learning topics such as China and Chinese New Year in Year 1. We have a French-themed Picnic Day. When the girls study Katie Morag they have a Scottish Day! All of these mini experiences are about valuing language and ensuring that the girls have this open-minded attitude to accepting language, absorbing language and seeing the difference between languages. What
St Catherine’s School, Bramley
we want girls to take away is that. Today, I have to say, it’s the European Day of Languages so we always get off to an early start at the beginning of every academic year by celebrating languages and diversity within the school. We’re encouraging the girls to see (not that they only know one language) that we live in a plurilingual school with all these languages bubbling under the surface. From people’s heritages, from people’s backgrounds. We have many girls who come from bilingual households. We value these languages, language learning is a vital part of keeping the brain open and plastic to all these learning opportunities. We understand that there is a particular emphasis on the importance of learning through role-play when learning a language. Can you tell us a little more about how this is implemented?
There are many different activities that happen all year round. We do a French Café for Years 3 and 4, where one year group act as waitresses or servers and the other year group act as clients. This helps them to learn and practice dialogue. The whole value of role-play is that we prepare the girls with the language they need, so they are learning full sentence structure. Then they have to practice expressing themselves, for which they have to use their memories. Everybody is a different type of learner, and for some people, going off-piste if you like, without that support of a written text or a visual text to look at. Remembering their language and using it in a real-life situation. It really catapults their learning forward and more than anything, their confidence. This then translates back to their learning in subsequent years. This, we also see happening on our French residential trip in Normandy where the girls get to have total immersion for the period of a whole week. They come back much more confident, and they really have learned to listen to a language for extended periods of time. They realise that they might not recognise every sound, but they are building up sound recognition and understanding aurally, as it were. On the European Day of Languages, we run a number of activities. We had drop in lunchtime clubs today, where we had senior school girls and sixth formers come to us. The younger children love that, they love looking up to older role models. Today we had Welsh Language, TURN TO PAGE 50 to read about supporting children with ADHD
“The fact of learning one language really inspires the confidence and the neural pathways where language learning is seen as being stimulating and fun.” Croatian and Spanish drop in lunch clubs. That, again, creates a lot of excitement. We also do some role-play with the Senior School. We might do a French Café for the older children, or we have the old girls as language mentors running conversation classes as well. How are languages incorporated into the curriculum and daily life at St Catherine’s?
The main thing for us is the formal learning of French, for example, and we are very aware that we have this historic allegiance to the language of French, although it doesn’t have to be French, and sometimes we offer Spanish, for example, to younger ages or in a lunchtime club. The fact of learning one language really inspires the confidence and the neural pathways where language learning is seen as being stimulating and fun. It keeps that open mind to all languages, and that is where we really find it. It is almost as if language learning is a transferable skill. When the girls learn French, they relate some of their grammar exercises to learning English. It then
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EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 29
Learning languages
creates an openness through travel or through cultural awareness of other cultures. We want to make sure that on a day like today is an opportunity for the girls to share their own languages from their heritage, and you really feel like it’s the tip of an iceberg. Beneath the surface is all this richness of language culture within the school body, through people’s families, through their heritage. One year we invited grandparents and parents in, to read stories or picture books in another language from their background and do lunchtime reading club. Any crossover we can get between the family life and the school life all cements the idea of really valuing a language as something positive in our lives in future. What opportunities do the girls have to visit countries as part of their learning and what
sorts of experiences do they have?
We have a French overseas trip for four days for our Year 6 age group. We travel to Normandy and we have a series of day visits, we stay in a French farmhouse with French staff. The girls are immersed in a fully French-speaking experience for mealtimes, for instruction, for organisation. Then we have these lovely day trips; we go to a goat farm, the girls learn a love of goat’s cheese from an early age haha, which is very culturally important. They do an out-and-about canoeing activity, from which they learn instructions and directions in French. The girls go to a market in a town and have to buy their lunch in real life. They are put to the test! If they can’t speak the language then they won’t have lunch that day. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many children, so we are delighted to be able to offer that. Can you explain how everything that is established in the Prep School is then developed further on at St Catherine’s Senior School?
We are very conscious of preparing the girls for that more expanded language experience in the Senior School. From the Prep School they go into Year 7, where they are offered three languages, four including Latin in their first year. They learn German, French, Spanish and Latin. We offer German and Spanish tasters in Year 6, so the girls have some sense of what they are about to meet when they join in Year 7 if it’s our Senior School. They also have timetabled Latin in Year 6 in the Prep School, so they already have a bit of a stepping stone. We aim to help them start feeling a little prepared for what’s to come. Thereafter 30 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
“It is about meeting different people, meeting and understanding different cultures. It’s about valuing that diversity.” in the Senior School, they do all languages in Year 7 and then start choosing their languages of preference to GCSE and A Levels beyond. The girls get overseas trips to support their language learning in the Senior School to France, Germany and Spain. They also have the chance to take up Greek. There is also a Mandarin Club in the Senior School, which is enormously popular. The girls can take public exams in Mandarin by individual arrangement. What do you believe is the benefit of being able to communicate effectively in more than one language? Why is this such a gift?
It is the gift of making connections, isn’t it? It is about meeting different people, meeting and understanding different cultures. It’s about valuing that diversity. If you have a buzzy school where language is celebrated, and role-play oral activities, even with our own home-language of English. If you create that confidence within our student body, then they’re using that within their foreign language learning. It enriches them as people in terms of preparing them for the outside world. They will move to workplaces that are multicultural and diverse. It is really communicating that sense of enjoyment and the confidence that goes with it to make connections and to meet new people. We would like to thank the Head of Modern Foreign Languages, Mrs. Sophie Edwards, St Catherine’s Prep School for giving up her time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST www.stcatherines.info
Many of our parents relocate from London, looking to settle in the area so their daughter can come to St Catherine’s. We’ve created a brief guide to help you explore the local area and consider possible places to call home. Email our Prep School Registrar on prepadmissions@stcatherines.info or call 01483 899665 and we’ll send your guide to you straight away.
Good luck with the house hunting!
St Catherine’s Prep, Bramley GSA Day & Boarding School since 1885 | 4 - 18 years Guildford GU5 0DF | www.stcatherines.info | 01483 899665
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH CO-EDITORS:
Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall DISCUSSING THEIR RECENTLY LAUNCHED BOOK ResearcHER Would you like to tell us a bit about yourselves as people and researchers? Amy: As a founding Co-Director
of the Women in Academia Support Network (WIASN), I am utterly committed and passionate about making sure that absolutely everybody has the opportunity to reach higher education, and to pursue that if it’s something that they want to do. There are so many barriers, particularly to women, that make it something that needs challenging. Women, those who identify as women and non-binary people, need spaces to be able to feel included and be able to talk safely. Kelly: I did my secondary
education in the 80s on a council estate in the North, so you can kind of imagine the quality of education at the time and the societal expectations of people growing up on council estates, the kind of careers that you might go into. I wanted to be an astrophysicist, and I was very guided into: “Are you sure you don’t want to be a secretary? Office worker? Or, work in a shop?” At the same time you had people like Professor Brian Cox with nearly waist-length curly hair going to university to study
Astrophysics. I looked very similar to him at the time with my perm. I was told: “You’re from a council estate, you’re a girl, that career is not for you.” I then ended up doing a Masters and then a PhD, which questioned why heavily mathematical careers like Science, Technology, Engineering etcetera were deemed as being only for certain kinds of people, and why we
32 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
believe that it is for the uppermiddle class genius types, and that they are the only people interested in these when I also was, but didn’t quite get there. I am now co-founding this research support network with Amy, so that we can support anybody who wants to do any kind of research, helping them to work towards those goals. Pegging certain types of people to ‘stay in their
ResearcHER
lane’ is not helpful. We actually need everybody on board if we are going to progress research and if we are going to progress as a human race. Equity is a part of everything that I do. What gave you the courage to pursue what you truly perceived was your destiny? Kelly: Good question. When
someone tells me that I can’t do something, I will go out of my way to show them that I can. Education is a journey, if you don’t achieve what you want to achieve when you’re young, don’t worry. You have your whole life to pursue whatever kind of learning it is that floats your boat. There is no set time to finish learning. Keep persevering and following the passion of whatever it is that you love. Introduce us to Women in Academia Support Network (WIASN). Can you tell me a little bit more about this? I understand that it has 13,500 members to date. Amy: It was founded by six of
us. This includes: Kelly, myself, Eleonora Belfiore, Catherine Beard, Maxine Horne and Maria Barrett. In the early days we ran it together. We went through various situations of trying to keep it closed and private, trying to work out ways of working, trying to work out guidelines, dealing with different issues as they arose and trying to work out what sort of ‘space’ we wanted it
to be. Right from the beginning, we had a really clear vision as to what we wanted it to be like. It was the idea that if you were a woman and if you were a researcher, then this could be a space for you. How did you get the idea for the book and what was the process like?
Kelly: What else would academics
do but write a book? We didn’t want to write a book about us, and this is one of the things that makes WIASN a little bit different. We try as best as we can to showcase the voices of others. We wanted to move away from this stereotypical idea that women are just one thing. We’ve got women from a whole range of different backgrounds in there. We wanted the book to talk of both their research and their lives. We wanted to explore the different journeys that they have taken to this research. Each chapter gives the reader an opportunity to try out an activity or something related to the research that the chapter authors have undertaken. We explore their journeys, their different socio-economic backgrounds, we have women from really different backgrounds, some from working class backgrounds, some with a disability, some who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We wanted to bring the idea of research careers to young people at a much earlier
“Education is a journey, if you don’t achieve what you want to achieve when you’re young, don’t worry. You have your whole life to pursue whatever kind of learning it is that floats your boat.”
age so that they have it on the horizon. These kinds of careers very often don’t get talked about by careers advisors and schools at the crucial transition times, such as moving from primary to secondary, to GCSE and A Level years. Even when you go to finish a graduation degree and you begin to ask: “What next?” Research as a career is rarely talked about for women, and it needs to be talked about more. Amy: There is a much larger
number of women going to do undergraduate degrees, but that falls off a cliff once you get to the more senior levels. Knowledge is power. Our hope is that if, from an early career stage, you know you’d like to make it all the way to professor and beyond, then you can equip yourself with what you need to be able to do that. We would like to thank Dr. Kelly Pickard Smith and Dr. Amy Bonsall (co-editors of ResearcHER) for giving up their time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST https://books.emeraldinsight. com/book/detail/ researcher/?k=9781803827346
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 33
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH HEAD
Mrs. Pippa Smithson FROM THE ROYAL SCHOOL, SURREY weekly and full-term boarding, as well as day. We all really like that combination. We think that the day pupils benefit from the slightly longer day, the extraacademic support, the activities after school. We are only 30 minutes from Haslemere, straight into London, so it doesn’t take long to get into the action! You currently have a project with the Prep School onto the same site as the Senior School by September 2023. Why have you decided to do this and what do you feel the benefits are going to be of having the whole school on site?
Mrs. Pippa Smithson speaks about their new Prep School building (which is on site with the Senior School), the advantages of being affiliated to the United Learning Group, preparing their children to be ‘future ready’ and how her role as an inspector for British Schools Overseas gives her a global appreciation of education. Could you tell us a little bit about The Royal School, Pippa?
The Royal School, Haslemere is a co-educational school. We are an all-through school, from Reception right through to Upper Sixth. Currently we are on two sites, but we will be on one site next September 2023. We have boarding and day students. We can sleep up to about 90 boarders, and we offer flexi, 3 4 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
We are really looking forward to the whole school being on site, although we are an ‘all-through school’, being separate has meant that we have had to be incredibly organised to get the Prep and Senior School students together for things like leadership opportunities. In Year 7 everyone is quite excited to be in Senior School, but by Year 8 people can seem a little lost, so we think it is good to get the Prep School involved with them so that they have some leadership opportunities, making the transition from Prep School to Senior School smoother. We have also got people who teach in both sectors of the school. For example, our art specialist is very happy teaching across both of those sectors. From the perspective of the teaching, the expertise our Prep School gets is from teachers who teach in the Senior School up to A Level. These are two of the great gains that the school will get by becoming one. Stoatley Hall is a beautiful building, and I think that having a really inspiring surrounding makes all the difference to children’s learning. The fact that the building is slightly separate to the Senior School allows for easy collaboration, whilst also letting the Prep students feel that they are graduating into the Senior School when they move. Can you tell me a little bit more about the
The Royal School, Haslemere
United Learning Group and what advantages you feel you get by being affiliated to them, as opposed to being a stand-alone school?
I was previously at another United Learning school, so I have been with the group now for 7 or 8 years. There are three main advantages; the first one being particularly relevant at the moment given energy costs and the costs of living and what we are bombarded by in the media every day, is that we actually can offer competitive fees. We have got the backing of one of the biggest multi-academy trusts, there are 74 academies in the group, and 13 independent schools in the group. We have got that stability and backing which allows for us to translate to our parents in the form of competitive fees. One of the most exciting things about the group revolves around teaching and learning. Everyone shares ideas, that sharing of good practice is absolutely a key part of the group. As a head, for example, on Thursday this week I will be going to London with all the other heads in the group. We will have various people talking to us, various experts in the field. There will be over a hundred heads in there who I will be able to talk to. Equally, it is about the sharing of good practice with one another. That then filters down: all my heads of department go to meet with other heads of department every term and they share ideas. The third part of United Learning is being able to have various ongoing projects. We are currently looking at doing a master plan of the whole site, with an eye to the future and potential investment. Every school talks about preparing schools for the future. What does The Royal do that is different from other education providers?
I think that this is at our absolute core, it’s a part of our DNA, ensuring that children are ‘future ready’. It comes from my absolute belief that education shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. It is there to prepare children for the next stage. We do various things. Overall, we aim to prepare them practically, emotionally and intellectually for the next steps. How
we do this involves a seven pronged approach. We have written our own bespoke curriculum within the school that every pupil, from Reception right through to Upper Sixth, will do. To give you an example of what that will involve, if we are thinking about making sure that children are emotionally ready, our Sixth Form has just trained as Mental Health First Aiders. They then wear a little badge and walk around the school. They have now qualified as Mental Health First Aiders. Lower down within the school, we are getting children involved in something called a ‘Philosothon’. It is about intellectual curiosity, thinking on your feet, developing an argument, collaborating with others. At school we have a podcast, a studio and a TV studio. A lot of our Future Learn lessons go on in there. The great thing about that is that it’s all to do with growing children’s confidence and self-esteem. In many podcasts people have discussed how we are preparing children for jobs that do not exist yet. How do you do that? This brings me onto the second part, which is around our rewards system, so our children are very proud to get ‘Future Ready’ points. These points are rewarded for certain behaviours that they show. These behaviours are behaviours that we know employers want to see in their employees. You may know that you might have a triple A* student at A Level, but do they show initiative? Are they able to collaborate well with others? Have they got a tendency to give up? I think that everyone listening to this who is an employer will think of someone they have employed, potentially fresh from university, who may not be particularly tenacious, or show initiative. It is about so much more than just the grades. These are the skills we really believe in, and we reward our children when they show those skills. They might not have gotten the answer right to the equation that they’re looking at, but they have tried it three different ways and have shown real tenacity. That skill of being tenacious is what is going to lead to success as well as getting excellent grades, which will open doors for them. I have a slight bee in my bonnet about the fact that the system and curriculum hasn’t really changed in
“Stoatley Hall is a beautiful building, and I think that having a really inspiring surrounding makes all the difference to children’s learning.” » EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 35
Learning in the countryside
the last 30-odd years. We are still teaching the same content that we always did. The world that we are sending the children out into now has changed so dramatically. We need to keep that content that is a part of the national curriculum (GCSE and A Level), but we really need to think about how we teach that. We need to get these children learning how to think, not what to think. As a school you have had a 77% growth in boarding since September 2021, which is really going against the national trend. Can you explain why so many local and international boarders are choosing to come to The Royal?
We are really pleased with this part of the school. I think that a major part of it came from having a really clear strategy of what we want. We wanted a really diverse boarding house. We didn’t just want one particular nationality to dominate the boarding house. A truly inclusive and diverse boarding house is one that has got people from various parts of the globe. Predominantly we have got some European children, some are short stay, some do longer stints staying here. We have got French, German and Spanish children with us. We have some children from China, Korea and London. We also have some local children who chose to board. I think that that creates a real atmosphere within the house. You get people from all sorts of different cultures and everyone gets on very well mainly due to our fantastic boarding house team. Can you talk to us about university destinations at The Royal?
What we are most proud of is the diversity of the courses that the children go on to do. I think that that shows you how well we know the children. We have got children who will do very traditional degrees such as Law or English Literature or Maths, but we also have children who go on to do very specialist degrees like Statistics. There are also more vocational degrees such as Gaming Animation, Nursing, Fashion. Going off to the conservatoire of music. There isn’t a sort of ‘type’ that leaves The Royal. We know our students so well that we make sure that students aren’t going on to do something just because they think they’re quite good at it. Since they will dedicate at least three years of their lives to this, we want to make sure that it is the absolutely right thing for them to do. I remember the Chief Executive of UCAS giving a talk, and she spoke about children, particularly children from independent schools from a middle class background, 36 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
‘sleepwalking’ into university. I think that that is a major reason why so many children do actually drop out of university. None of the children at our school do drop out, which is due to the care and attention that they are given by us, so that we can make sure that they are doing the right course, not just the course that their parents want them to do. Over half of our children go to Russell Group universities, which is way above the national average. We are proud of both where they go and the diversity of courses that they study. Finally, as an inspector for British Schools Overseas, are there any lessons that you feel we can learn from our international counterparts?
It is really interesting being an inspector because you get to do a real deep dive into another school. There are always ideas that you can come away with. I worked for a little while in Australia for about six years. One of the schools I worked in had something called ‘The Dalton Plan’, which was a very different system. The hours were less directed, and instead students had study periods. In a study period you would have different year groups working on different topics and different assignments. As a teacher, you managed that. The results were excellent. It is a really prestigious girls’ school in Sydney. It’s about asking how we are doing things, not just what we are doing. I think that changing things up is so important, and visiting schools abroad helps me to do that. I was at a school in Cyprus not so long ago and there they had a big project about building a car. The Royal School has now got two green power cars and have raced them at Goodwood. We got into the finals, and that is where inspiration comes: from going and visiting other places. We would like to thank the Head, Mrs. Pippa Smithson, The Royal School, for giving up her time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST www.royal-school.org TURN BACK TO PAGE 10 to read about creating a caring community at Churcher’s College Junior School
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH
Victoria Ayodeji EX CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE AND WINNER OF THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS FOR UK STUDENT SOCIAL MOBILITY Victoria was the second person from her school (The Petchey Academy in Hackney) to ever get into Cambridge. During her time studying there, she served as the BAME Officer for her college and has gone on to win prestigious awards such as the Outstanding Achievement Award at the House of Lords for the UK Student Social Mobility Awards and she was selected as one of Powerful Media’s Top 100 Future Leaders. Since, she has become one of the global winners of the McKinsey & Company Achievement Award, is the first Chair of the Career Ready Youth Advisory Board and is one of the members of the Sutton Trust Alumni Advisory Board, working closely with the trust to advise on their social mobility work. Victoria speaks about her experiences as a Black student from a disadvantaged background and her determination to overcome the many challenges she faced from her school years through to her gaining a place at Cambridge, despite the many difficulties 38 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
that she faced. She offers advice to other young people and offers a positive and valuable insight into the many charities and support networks that are available and how having resilience and determination can lead to success despite the many challenges that young people may feel that they face. To start with, we are particularly interested in the work that you have done with the Sutton Trust Alumni Advisory Board, could you tell us a little more about what this involves and some of the things that you have done?
Thank you so much for having me on the podcast. I came across the Sutton Trust by chance when I was researching free charities and opportunities in Year 12, which was around October or November a few years ago. I realised they had the Sutton Trust Summer School programme, which is a programme they run with different universities across the UK, like Cambridge and Durham, where students in Year 12 can gain an insight into life at university by
SPECIAL FEATURE Victoria Ayodeji
attending taster lectures. That’s how I got involved with Sutton Trust. In 2016 I attended the summer school at Queen’s College in Cambridge, studying Geography. Then, five years later, I graduated from Queen’s College, Cambridge, with a degree in Geography. So, the charity had a huge impact on my journey to university, which is why I decided to get involved with the Alumni Advisory Board. What we do as alumni is work with Sutton Trust to ensure we add the young voice to the work that we do. For example, if there’s any research they want to publish, and they want it to be looked at from a young person’s perspective, we can help with that, or if they’re looking for any of us to speak about our journeys in the press or at conferences. Through the Sutton Trust, I spoke at the Forage Global International Conference, which is a conference attended by people across the world. The topic was about education and access to work opportunities, so I got to share my journey along with two other alumni, so there are a variety of public speaking opportunities available through Sutton Trust. Also, as a group, we can decide on next steps. The previous alumni board started the Alumni Festival, where you can bring together alumni from the programme and provide information about different personal development skills, training, networking opportunities, and insight into different careers, like banking, law, and the creative sectors. They do a lot, and I’m very glad I get to be part of the board with the Sutton Trust, and also chair the Career Ready Youth Advisory Board, because I think it is so important to have that Gen Z youth voice, especially when you’re working to serve young people in particular. How do you feel they helped you with your application to Cambridge?
As I did the summer school, I got to see whether or not Cambridge was for me. You get to live in the halls and attend lectures in the same halls that the students sit in, which allowed me to imagine myself at that university and see whether or not I wanted to apply. It definitely gave me confidence, but, beyond the Sutton Trust, there was a variety of other organisations that played a big role in my personal development during my teen years and early twenties. Career Ready, IntoUniversity, Target Oxbridge, and SEO London, for example, TURN TO PAGE 62 to read about Black History Month
“Career Ready, IntoUniversity, Target Oxbridge, and SEO London, for example, are all social mobility charities that work with less advantaged young people and help them access applying to university, apprenticeships, internship experiences, and knowledge about different careers. They do really impactful work.” are all social mobility charities that work with less advantaged young people and help them access applying to university, apprenticeships, internship experiences, and knowledge about different careers. They do really impactful work. For a lot of the young people they work with, I don’t think the calibre of opportunities they get access to would be the same if they didn’t have access to the charities. How did you find out about the charities?
Similarly to how I came across Sutton Trust on Google, I also discovered Target Oxbridge through Google. Other search engines do exist! But yes, I found these charities mostly through research online. I actually came across IntoUniversity through Sutton Trust. Once you finish a programme, you receive an email saying: “There’s a charity that can provide you with Oxbridge interview practice” which is how I came across IntoUniversity. I applied to Career Ready through my school, and when I got to university, I came across another organisation who do amazing work, called upReach, who run the Student Social Mobility Awards. I came across them on LinkedIn during my first year of university when I saw a post about them, so then I decided to apply for the programme. So, a lot of proactivity and personal research helped me discover these charities. In an article you mentioned a brilliant quote by Marian Wright Edelman, the African-American writer, who says: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Do you feel that you are beginning to see more people from more challenging socio-economic backgrounds in esteemed universities such as Cambridge?
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EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AUT UM N 2022 | 39
Resilience
Compared to twenty years ago and ten years ago, definitely. I think the university and its colleges have done a lot of work over the last five to ten years when it comes to widening participation. I recently got involved with a social media campaign with Cambridge where I was able to share my journey. In my opinion, there is obviously so much more that could be done, but it is also extremely important to recognise the progress that has been made thus far and use that confidence going forward to ensure further change is brought about. Even when I first got to university, it was more diverse than I thought it would ever be. Like I mentioned earlier, it is so important to realise that more change can be made, but also recognise the work the university has done so far. Beyond that, it is important to recognise the work students have done: there are so many different student organisations that have gotten involved with activism, and there’s a lot of grassroots activism work students are doing alongside their degrees to ensure that Cambridge is a more welcoming place. Whether that’s networks like FLY, which was set up by three amazing women a few years ago, who have actually released a book called A FLY Girl’s Guide to University. Or whether it’s Ore and Chelsea, who were the President and Vice President of the Cambridge African-Caribbean Society. They did a lot of work when it came to access, especially when it came to students from an African, Gambian background. So, I think it’s also really important to acknowledge young people and students who have been putting in the work to ensure change takes place. That’s what inspired me to get involved with it, I knew how impactful it was to see people from a similar background to myself occupying different spaces. That’s how I got involved with my public speaking, speaking at schools across the country and
“So, I think it’s also really important to acknowledge young people and students who have been putting in the work to ensure change takes place. That’s what inspired me to get involved with it, I knew how impactful it was to see people from a similar background to myself occupying different spaces.” sharing my journey. I became a student ambassador for the university, so I was speaking at summer schools and different events, where state school students would come to Cambridge. There is a lot of power in sharing your authentic journey, because you never know who you’ll inspire along the way. How was your experience studying at Cambridge?
Overall, it was a good experience and I’m glad I went. I studied Geography and the course was really interesting, and I met some really amazing academics. I am happy I went to King’s College as well because of the people I met, from the porters and receptionists up to the different academics and the Director of Studies. It was a really good, interesting experience, and the fact I was able to get involved with work around accessing education and work opportunities definitely allowed me to build my passion. Beyond that, I got involved with new things, like DJ-ing, which I never thought would happen! It was a new thing I managed to pick up at university. At university in general, or even just going through your youth, as it were, you will be exposed to new opportunities, so I think it’s so important to have an open mind in regard to meeting people and trying not to have too many preconceived notions of what people or certain activities will be like, because I think the exciting part of life exists on the opposite side of your comfort zone. Do you feel that there are ways that universities could raise more awareness of the different networks and facilities of support that are in place? What do you feel could be done to further support children from diverse and challenged backgrounds?
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Determination
Society and the Hip Hop Society, societies which you might not necessarily think existed at Cambridge. So I think it’s really important to give a voice to different organisations, because visibility is so important. You have said that taking a gap year was “one of the best decisions” you have ever made. Could you tell us a little more about that?
I think visibility is one thing. I worked as a consultant for a university on a gap year, and I was helping them create their very first widened participation scheme. That was a really interesting experience because I think a lot of it is to do with visibility. If you’re having a programme, for example, how visible is it? If you want to target students from a certain background, how can you make sure you’re getting into those spaces? Are you perhaps advertising it to certain schools that may not necessarily contain your target demographic? If you need to go to schools on a wider basis, are you trying to reach them and get those students to apply? I think a lot of it takes a lot of research, being very particular in regard to knowing what students you want to work with, but also fundamentally giving them a voice. It’s very important to have young people from the background you’re trying to work with and perhaps having alumni or older students whom they can ask: “When you were 14, 15, 16 years old, what did you want to see?” I think once you have that understanding, it makes it a bit easier. Beyond that, I think social media can be very powerful. Like I mentioned, I worked with a Cambridge social media campaign, and quite a considerable amount of young people are on social media, whether that be TikTok, YouTube, or Snapchat. I think it’s really important to think about how you, as a university, organisation, or institution, harness social media to engage with the young people you want to serve. Beyond that, I think it’s also important to give the grassroots student activists or advocates the platform to highlight their work. In my first or second year of university, Cambridge had a very short series where they showcased different student societies, like the African-Caribbean
This is technically my second gap year. I liked my first one so much, I decided to take another! I think it was one of the best decisions because I had so many different access opportunities I didn’t even know existed. For some context, I was the second person from my school to go to Cambridge. But during my gap year, when I was interning at a consulting firm or a charity, even though I might’ve been the youngest person in the room, all of a sudden, my colleagues or their husbands or siblings might’ve gone to Cambridge. So, when I started university, yes I was the only person from my school who had gone in my school year, but the network I was able to build during my gap year meant I felt more equipped in regard to what to expect from the university on the social side. Beyond that, I was able to go to California in the summer of my gap year, which was a great opportunity to speak with different artists in the area and really explore a new country. I recently went to America on an exchange programme with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy, which was really amazing. And I was in America this summer, and when I landed in Washington, D.C., I received a notification that it was four years previous that I had been in California, which was a nice fullcircle moment. But I think there is this stigma that only certain kinds of students do gap years, like students who have parents that can fund them to go to Thailand, or something. Of course there’s nothing wrong with that, but for a lot of students who don’t come from that background, it might put them off. But there is so much to be gained from taking a gap year, like looking for internships, volunteering abroad, or starting a new hobby or business. On LinkedIn, a student reached out to me about doing a gap year, saying: “Thank you so much for inspiring me, because I was on the fence about doing a gap year, but now I know it can be so helpful to do.” So, I think if you are hesitant about the stigma of a gap year, make sure you have a plan of what you want to do during the year, and keep pushing forward with what you want to do fundamentally in life. Because, at the end of the day, when you’re
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Seeking support
older, you’ll only look back at the regrets you had. So, if there’s anything you want to do that might be different, while it takes a lot of confidence to go off the beaten path, your older self will be a lot more grateful that you did it. So, taking a gap year was definitely really, really impactful for my personal development. Do you feel that schools could perhaps work harder to be more encouraging of their students with their university applications, supporting children’s ambitions instead of furthering the idea that a student ‘has to have perfect grades’ in order to apply to esteemed universities?
I think it’s quite important to be very holistic. I have mentored about 40 students to get into Russell Group universities and about 15 to get into Oxbridge and whenever I mentor them, I always tell them that it’s important to think about your life and this university application holistically. Yes, grades are very important, but that being said, you want to come across as someone who is both interesting and interested. I think you gain so much in life beyond the lecture hall and beyond the classroom, so I think it’s really important to ensure students are well-equipped to be fantastic global citizens, and a lot of that takes place beyond the school gates, so we need to encourage young people to access opportunities. For example, when I was in school I came across the Jack Petchey Foundation, a charity that helped me a lot with my personal development. Through them, when I was 16, I got to speak in front of 2,000 people a few weeks before my GCSEs, which gave me so much confidence and is the reason I’m now such a good public speaker. So, I think there’s a lot to be said about the skills you gain beyond school, and while education is important, it’s crucial to ensure young people are picking up different hobbies like music, sports, or social activism in
“So, if you’re working with young people or a marginalised community, just ensure that that voice is integrated into the work and the practice that you have, because, fundamentally, that’s the community you’re serving.” 42 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
the local community. It teaches young people really important skills that will help them, like communication and negotiation. If I didn’t get involved with things beyond my academic grades, I don’t think I would be the resilient, tenacious person I am today. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, there’s issues around funding and access to opportunities, so there’s a lot to be discussed around that, but, to answer your question, I definitely think it’s important to encourage young people to think beyond grades. Are there any future projects in the upcoming months that you would like to talk about or look forward to working on?
When I was in America, one of the takeaways I got from speaking with young people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Washington D.C., Florida, and Detroit was the power of a strong message. This year, during my gap year, I also interned in Public Relations and at a social media agency, and these experiences were all really impactful because they taught me the importance of storytelling. So, going forward, I’m thinking a lot about how I could share my journey utilising social media, perhaps, because it can be really impactful. Unfortunately, there is a lot of research about how social media is negative for young people because of who they might follow, but I think it’s really important to ensure that you’re cultivating your social media feeds so you can be inspired by the people you’re following, rather than comparing yourself to them. So, I think I want to find a way to share my voice through social media, because a lot of people have encouraged
University of Cambridge
me to do it and I haven’t got round to it yet, so I think that’s a project I’m trying to focus on. What are your hopes for the future in terms of EDI within the education sector?
Just the continued integration of young people’s voices. So, if you’re working with young people or a marginalised community, just ensure that that voice is integrated into the work and the practice that you have, because, fundamentally, that’s the community you’re serving. That’s definitely an area I think would be useful going forward, having that continued focus. Beyond that, I think it would be really interesting to continue strengthening bonds between business and society. Also, something that needs bridging is the gap between schools and employers, because when I was speaking to schools, I’d tell students about LinkedIn or tell them: “I just spoke to this person and they gave me an internship, it was really easy.” A lot of the students were very shocked. So I think there’s a lot to be done in regard to how schools equip young people for the next stage of their lives, whether that’s through an apprenticeship or going straight into work, starting a business, going to university, whatever they want to do. Just making sure they’re very prepared for it because, unfortunately, at a lot of the schools I’ve spoken at, a lot of the students don’t feel they’re being equipped with that knowledge, and when I come in, they see it as life-changing and transformational, which I guess is a good thing for me, but a bad thing knowing there’s this massive gap. Hence why I want to focus on that social media aspect, especially if you’re an organisation that works with or tries to serve young people, how can you use social media to harness that interest? Do you have any final words of advice for younger listeners, possibly to those hoping to apply to Oxbridge and university?
I have three main pieces of advice. The first piece of advice is to get support. I mentioned a variety of charities, and you can also follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram to discover more, because I post about different organisations that so many young people don’t know about. Definitely go and get support from these organisations. There’s a lot of free advice out there that can help you on your journey, which you can find even just by doing research on YouTube and Google. The second tip is to not suffer in silence, which is also related to the first piece of advice. If you need help with anything, it’s really important to go and get that assistance, even if it may be
difficult at the time. The third thing, I would say, is that comparison is the thief of joy. It is very easy, especially as a young person, to compare your life to the lives of others, even adults do it! But I found that my life has flourished since I started to focus on my own personal development journey and what kind of life I want to craft for myself. Yes, you can take inspiration from other people, but you should fundamentally focus on what you want to get out of your life. Once you have that good strong understanding, it means that when you might want to take a gap year or do something that seems a bit rogue for people with your background, you can do it with confidence, because you know what you’re doing and trust your intuition. You can also follow me on my socials for more tips. www.suttontrust.com/25th-anniversary/success-story/ victoria-ayodeji Here’s a list of the charities/organisations that are mentioned in the podcast: www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk www.suttontrust.com https://upreach.org.uk https://targetoxbridge.co.uk www.seo-london.org/, https://careerready.org.uk www.socialmobility.org.uk IntoUniversity InsideUni AimCambridge Connect with Victoria: LinkedIn: Victoria Ayodeji www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-ayodeji TikTok & Instagram: @navigatewithvictoria We would like to thank Victoria Ayodeji for giving up her time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
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EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH ASSISTANT HEAD PASTORAL
Mr. David Mulae FROM CRANLEIGH SCHOOL, SURREY Mr. David Mulae speaks about the ethos and values at Cranleigh School, his prior history working on EDI issues, the work taking place with ‘Flair’ partnered with an organisation called the ‘African Caribbean Education Network’ (ACEN), Cranleigh’s commitment to #BeTheChange and how Cranleigh are teaching the children to be themselves and to embrace the future. Please explain to us the importance and relevance of the Cranleigh motto ‘Ex Cultu Robur’?
Certainly. So,‘Ex Cultu Robur’ means ‘from culture comes strength’. So, traditionally, this would have meant teaching classical traditions and values of the world to give pupils the strength to go out into the world. It now stands for a celebration of all we do, in a holistic sense, around the child in addition to preparing them for their exams and assessments. ‘Ex Cultu Robur’ celebrates culture in all its forms – we embrace people’s school backgrounds and celebrate the diversity it brings into our community. This gives Cranleighans the best experience and understanding of the outside world and better prepares them for life beyond Cranleigh. Can you tell us a little bit more about the ethos and values at Cranleigh?
This follows on from ‘Ex Cultu Robur’, which has helped to shape the ethos that we give Cranleighans. 44 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
The ethos gives them the insight to recognise their privilege, to shape the future culture of the world through lives of service and leadership. Here at Cranleigh, we don’t ask: “What is our vision for Cranleigh School?” We ask: “What is our vision for Cranleighans?” when they go out into the world. We do that, at the heart of this, through four core values, which stand as: Service, Relationships, Leadership and Excellence. The question is, what does that look like on the ground? On the ground, we break that down into three pillars: ‘Cranleigh thinking’, ‘Cranleigh being’ and ‘Cranleigh giving’. ‘Cranleigh thinking’ is thinking beyond a test, with enriched questions in all departments that are encouraged to get people thinking beyond the specification and the syllabus. There is ‘Cranleigh being’, which is who we are and how we are and that’s something that I’m heavily involved in as Assistant Head (Pastoral) here. Then we have ‘Cranleigh giving’ which is the foundation, the charitable side of the school, and that’s thinking beyond ourselves. Can you tell us a little more about how you came to be at Cranleigh School and your personal background?
I’m a biology teacher by trade. I started teaching 13 years ago. I have moved through the school, including working in boarding as an Assistant House Master and then latterly, for the last 8 years, running
Cranleigh School
a boarding house as a House Master at Christ’s Hospital School. That took us through numerous challenges including the Covid outbreak and during that time, during the lockdown, was the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The school I was at before had an ACS (an African-Caribbean Society) and the pupil leaders of the ACS approached me and asked if I would host an online meeting for them to discuss George Floyd and the feelings around it. I agreed. Up until that point I had probably been slightly reluctant to get overly involved in the ACS. It is a pupil-run initiative and I was very happy that they had it, but I wanted them to identify with it themselves and not lead it as ‘the Black teacher’. I hosted the meeting, listened to them talk for about an hour and a half and they were discussing their feelings around the murder; their feelings about structural racism in the US and the UK; their hopes, their fears, their aspirations. The funny thing is, everything they were describing about how they were feeling was the same series of emotions that I had gone through when I had watched the news reports as well. At the end of that session, I spoke to them and told them just that I was experiencing the same feelings of loss and hopelessness and fear and worry and that it was normal. I warned them to be careful with social media because it echoes around, and with us all being at home we needed to make sure we looked after ourselves as well. But I got off that call and I vowed to myself that I would identify more closely and never be scared to speak out for antiracism, for the protective characteristic. I was very guarded about speaking out before, probably up until that point. As a result of that work, I did a couple of courses – one with the NEU, which was becoming an Equalities Officer. On the back of that I got elected as my common room Equity and Diversity Representative within the House Masters and Mistress’ body I was in - I was the diversity and inclusion champion. It’s really important at this point to say that when I was representing EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion)
“It’s important because diversity and inclusion is about all protective characteristics and about all people feeling safe and supported and secure in the environment that we’re in.”
issues, that I was actually interested in all aspects of diversity, not just race. It’s important because diversity and inclusion is about all protective characteristics and about all people feeling safe and supported and secure in the environment that we’re in. However, you focus on one at a time, and work in one area always supports work in other areas as well. In the wake of George Floyd, the focus was definitely on race, ethnicity and anti-racism work in schools. That led me to a point where I saw the job advert for Cranleigh School – they wanted somebody to join their SLT (Leadership Team); they wanted somebody to work with the HM body, they wanted somebody to work with equity, diversity and inclusion work. It just seemed to fit everything that I was interested in and looking for at the time. When I spoke to Martin, the headteacher here, he expressed that there was this feeling post-George Floyd and in the wake of the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement in America and globally. He said that they’d started the body of work here and they were really interested in making the change and they wanted more of a guidance and a steer, and that would be an important part of my role. So, the fit seemed to be there and I was really interested in driving the project forward. We understand one of the key roles you are playing at the school is addressing issues including: anti-racism, over all diversity, inclusion and equality, wellbeing and mental health. Can you tell us a little more about this and the work that is taking place?
There’s lots of work that was taking place already. About six months before I started here, Cranleigh had hired a teacher of music and cultural diversity, and there was already a big exploration of cultural diversity underway through music. They had
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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
done that through a partnership with a charity called ‘Black Lives in Music’ run by a gentleman called Roger Wilson. They were looking to start somewhere, and cultural diversity in music was the starting point that they chose. The individual involved, Mahaliah Edwards, also started a departmental diversity advocate group, which essentially was going into each department and asking for volunteers of staff who wanted to sit in a group and look at ways of diversifying the curriculum that they are in. Of course, there is a lot more work to do with both diversification and the decolonisation of the curricular both on a school level and on a national level as well. Here, in Cranleigh, we’re starting to challenge the curriculum, we’re trying to look for diversity representatives in the departments and that was challenging the ‘Cranleigh thinking’ side of the issue. The school had also engaged with a company called ‘Flair’ and we did a survey of pupils and staff that gave us a data starting point in terms of ethnicity and in terms of the issues that may be present within the school. It’s important not to shy away from this. My experience of Cranleigh is incredibly warm, welcoming and friendly. I feel massively included here as a member of staff and I would encourage any members of staff to look at working here. But any school has these issues, and any school that tells you that it doesn’t is not looking deep enough. So, it’s really important to get that data to start from. ‘Flair’ itself is partnered with an organisation called the ‘African Caribbean Education Network’ (ACEN) and I’ve had experiences working with them before as well. We’re looking to engage with them alongside our Flair survey data to look at steps around marketing, admissions, HR and really make a lasting positive change at Cranleigh to make sure that we recognise the diversity within our population and see if there are ways that we
“This sort of work around antiracism, anti-sexism and antidiscrimination is all important in building an inclusive environment for pupils when they are here, but discussing it in school means pupils can go out into the world and they can be the change that they want to see.” 46 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
can increase the diversity that we have here. As we have discussed, Cranleigh are keen to promote EDI and racial tolerance and diversity. Can you tell us a little more about Cranleigh’s commitment to #BeTheChange?
Certainly. So #BeTheChange was actually a project before 2020, but post-2020 Cranleigh took on the #BeTheChange as an inclusion initiative. It is a pledge that is signed by all pupils before joining the school. What it does is it opens up the conversation for me to be able to come in and start the EDI work with pupils. It fits our ethos because it fits the model of understanding that we’re producing Cranleighans who can go into the outside world and make positive changes, not just be a bystander. It means they will actually be able to challenge social norms and call out injustices as they see them. Since you have joined the school, what progress do you feel Cranleigh has made on this journey?
There have been some very quick and easy wins. EDI work is never complete and is always going to be something that we need to keep focusing on. The easy things we have been able to do are things like skin-tone plasters: we went to the medical centre and we have added medium skin-tone and dark skin-tone plasters to matron’s offices and first aid kits, meaning that pupils now have a choice of a range of plasters. The medical centre has unveiled a training package for their nurses, which is looking at skin conditions and how they present in different skin types (which is an issue that is actually quite prevalent in medicine at the moment). We were looking at gender-inclusive toilets – we have managed to identify some mixed-gender toilets and have designated those as gender-inclusive toilets quite quickly. We’ve managed to put female sanitary products into the female and mixed-gender toilets as well. These are all just really small, quick wins that can make people who perhaps wouldn’t normally be considered feel like they fit into the community that we are in. Lots of that work was being looked
Making changes
at, lots of pupils were trying to drive these projects through last year. I was able to come in and push them through quite quickly and claim the win for ‘Cranleigh being’. The major body of work that we’re doing here is redefining and crystallising the structure of ‘Cranleigh being’. So, ‘Cranleigh being’ is who we are and how we are. The pupil groups below that – there used to be a pupil ‘Cranleigh being’ group and an Alliance group. The Alliance group was looking out for all the protective characteristics that may have issues with diversity. What we’ve done now is make sure that ‘Cranleigh being’ retains its position on the central pillars and that’s the headline structure. Alongside that we have a Pupil Wellbeing group, and that looks after the pupil-driven initiatives: things like consent training, things like body image and a new Anti-bullying group as well, following on from the anti-bullying conference that was hosted here two weeks ago. That is led by one of our pupil leaders, an upper sixth former. Then we have the Alliance group, which we have renamed ‘The Diversity Alliance’, and that now sits as an umbrella
structure above, at the moment, four and hopefully five protective characteristic groups. These are: anti-sexism; anti-racism; a pride group (an LGBTQ+ group); we are hopefully going to bring an inter-faith group into play before the end of this year, and we have a neurodiversity group that we’re looking to set up which will consider students who have specific learning needs and work with our Learning Support department. This sort of work around anti-racism, antisexism and anti-discrimination is all important in building an inclusive environment for pupils when they are here, but discussing it in school means pupils can go out into the world and they can be the change that they want to see. We would like to thank the Assistant Head Pastoral, Mr. David Mulae, Cranleigh School, for giving up his time to speak to us. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST www.cranleigh.org
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UNDERSTANDING DYSLEXIA
Developments in Dyslexia How to spot, and empower Dyslexic Thinking in your child 2022 was a big year Dyslexic Thinking. for dyslexia. In April Forward-thinking LinkedIn, the world’s schools have been dyslexic thinking biggest careers doing this for decades, [dis-lek-sik thing-king] platform, added but they are the Dyslexic Thinking as exception not the rule. a skill, and it officially That’s why Made By noun entered the dictionary Dyslexia has partnered 1 a n approach to problem solving, assessing at www.dictionary.com with Microsoft to as a noun. Our schools develop FREE online information, and learning, often used by can no longer see training featuring people with dyslexia, that involves pattern dyslexia as a special dyslexia experts from recognition, spatial reasoning, lateral need to be ‘remediated’ world leading schools. thinking, and interpersonal communication. but must recognise it as The training will enable a pattern of strengths every teacher to spot, and challenges that need support and empower to be identified and supported…because in every dyslexic students and create an inclusive classroom school, around the world, there are 1 in 5 kids with where their Dyslexic Thinking can thrive. exactly the Dyslexic Thinking skills needed for the Earlier this month we announced that New York future of work. City public schools have trained EVERY teacher, all 100,000 of them, and now we’re calling on What is Dyslexia? others to follow their lead. Dyslexic minds process information differently, Our new ‘Learn Dyslexia’ campaign asks every creatively. They are naturally curious, highly teacher to ‘Take A Day for Dyslexia’ and skill up creative with an ability to unconventionally using our FREE online training. One single day is connect the dots and think laterally. Cyber all it takes to complete all three training levels. But Intelligence agency GCHQ actively recruits it’s enough to change a child’s life. You can find out dyslexics for their big picture thinking, innovative more and find links to our training at problem solving, and all known Dyslexic Thinking www.dictionary.com skills, which are the soft skills every employer is As parents – the best thing we can do is to Learn looking for. Dyslexia ourselves, by watching the training films But our research found that teachers have we will skill ourselves up to empower the limitless little or no understanding of Dyslexic Strengths, potential in our brilliant dyslexic children. and our education system actively discriminates And we can be the change too, by joining the against dyslexics with its focus on spelling, movement and asking our MPs, Mayors, or schools punctuation and grammar, and memorisation and to follow the example of NYC. rote learning. In an era of automation, where facts can be How to spot Dyslexic Thinking skills in kids Googled; spelling, punctuation and grammar An easy way to do this is to think about what your can be corrected at the touch of a button; it is child loves to do and would do for hours, if left to creativity, imagination and intuition that sets their own devices. Dyslexic kids become experts in us apart from the machines, and that’s Dyslexic the subjects they love because they are inquisitive Thinking. Made By Dyslexia’s Value of Dyslexia and curious and use lots of Dyslexic Thinking reports produced in partnership with EY found skills to find out all there is to know about it. This Dyslexic Thinking Skills map directly to the is often a great way to spot dyslexia in our kids World Economic Forum’s Skills for the Future. early. Just observe how they master a topic they love, but at the same time struggle to grasp simple Learn Dyslexia skills their peers find easy. This mismatch or ‘spiky Given the right training teachers can spot and profile’ is a key marker for dyslexia and can often support dyslexic learners and empower their be spotted at a very young age. 48 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
ers Mak
ople”People Pe
rta Ente iner s
“
Sto
rytellers
Imaginers
7 Dyslexic Archetypes – taken from Xtraordinary People
Dyslexic children have a natural ability in one or some of these 7 Archetypes. While all children will show ability in these areas, dyslexics tend to immerse themselves and become ‘expert’ at them. S torytellers: Persuasive. Tell tall tales. Elaborate
explainers. Invent stories. Love stories and films. Makers: Jigsaws. Puzzles. Lego. Building things. Making things. Cooking. Crafts. Art and painting. Entertainers: Music and rhythm. Singing. Dancing. Jokers. Expressive arts. Like putting on a show. Movers: Fidgets ‘on the go’. Physical risk takers. Sports/ball skills. Balance. Climbing. Skateboarding. Gymnastics. Imaginers: Daydreaming. Making up games and fantasy/imaginary worlds. Create dens and ‘worlds’ out of things. Get lost in their imagination, immersed in activities.
Quest i
Movers
ers on
Questioners: Constantly ask ‘what if?’ and ‘why not?’. Challenge norms and rules. Have an answer for everything. Always curious. Problem solvers. Explain things to everyone. ‘People’ People: Peacemakers. Social organisers. Busybodies. Helpers. Charmers. Carers. Leaders.
The most important thing we can do for any dyslexic child is to identify their Strengths and place as much importance on them as we do on their Challenges. With help, our kids will learn to do all they need to do well enough, but it’s their Dyslexic Strengths that will help them to excel in life. KATE GRIGGS, founder and CEO of global charity Made By Dyslexia and author of dyslexia guide This is Dyslexia (Penguin, £11.99) and children’s book Xtraordinary People: Made By Dyslexia (Penguin, £6.99).
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SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH ADHD
Many of us might have one of these problems, but we do not have all of them. To have a diagnosis of ADHD, these problems must be bad enough to interfere with: How you get on with other people - or How you get on at work or school.”
Understanding ADHD What to know and how to support children During the pandemic, TikTok was alive with snippets of people’s lived experiences of ADHD. Many people, especially younger women and girls, were able to identify with the stories being shared: struggles to follow instructions, to start tasks, and resist temptations, to name just a few. Whilst this was helpful in raising awareness of the disorder amongst the general public, a recent study found that 52% of the information presented on TikTok with ADHD related content contained misinformation. So what is ADHD, which brain processes cause the traits we experience, and how can we support young
people with these agile and energetic brains? Let me start by defining ADHD and the criteria for diagnosis. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and is defined by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as: “A pattern of behaviour which usually appears in childhood. Parents and teachers notice that a child is: unusually over-active; distracted, cannot stick to anything for any length of time; impulsive, does things on the spur of the moment or without thinking; unable to concentrate for any length of time.
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It is important to note here that the key defining factor for an ADHD diagnosis is how it affects relationships or performance at school or work: it must have an adverse effect on someone’s life to be a disorder. There are three types of ADHD presentations: inattentive (not hyperactive- impulsive), hyperactive-impulsive (not inattentive) and combined. Traditionally, girls are much less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than their male peers. The ratio of boys to girls diagnosed in childhood falls in the range of 2:1 to 10:1. This is a result of both environmental and systemic factors. Firstly, girls are much more likely to mask their ADHD traits at school than their male classmates. This is because girls are socially expected to be more compliant, quiet, tidy, etc. Secondly, the criteria for diagnosis, as is too often the case, was devised around male norms and doesn’t account for norms in females. Women and girls often receive diagnosis of anxiety, depression or bi-polar disorder before the underlying causes are better understood. The rise in girls and women being diagnosed with ADHD is largely thought to be a correction of this discrepancy - there have always been girls with ADHD, we just didn’t recognise it. Many
people describe girls with ADHD as a bit “scatty”, however, we prefer clever but chaotic… let me explain more about what I mean here. Regardless of a person’s gender, ADHD is largely understood to be caused by differences in the development of cognitive executive functions - brain functions found in the prefrontal cortex of the brain (just behind the forehead). These brain processes are responsible for: inhibitory control - stopping ourselves from following our instinctual responses; working memory - holding information in mind whilst completing complex tasks; and cognitive flexibility - the ability to mentally play with ideas and see things from different perspectives. These three brain functions are behind a series of 11 or more executive function skills, such as: organisation - maintaining systems to keep things tidy; time management - the ability to sense time passing and be punctual; sustained attention the ability to maintain focus and concentration and task initiation - the ability to get started on tasks in a timely manner. People who have executive function challenges, are often very academically able, but really struggle to get things down on paper, keep their belongings tidy and manage their workload especially as more independence is needed, in senior school, at A Level and at university. Hence, often their intelligence is noticed to be out of kilter with their performance and general organisation. Everyone has strengths and challenges in their executive function skills and when we are
“Regardless of a person’s gender, ADHD is largely understood to be caused by differences in the development of cognitive executive functions.” stressed, tired, hungry or feeling lonely, these traits can worsen. As parents, we can all remember the sleepless nights with our newborns and how this impacted our ability to be productive the next day. Executive function challenges are a natural and normal part of being human. Most people with ADHD often have variable executive function strengths in sustained attention - when motivated (think computer games or YouTube), we can hyperfocus for hours, but when we lack interest in a task (i.e homework), it can be like pulling teeth to get anything done. This can change from day-to-day depending on how well we have slept and eaten and how stressed we are. I dream of a future where everyone knows about executive function skills, can talk openly about their strengths and challenges and feel understood and supported by those around them. Whilst medication to help improve concentration can help people with ADHD, it is widely accepted that a ‘pills and skills approach’ is most effective.
This approach acknowledges that there is no quick fix with medication and that working on executive function skills can develop life long habits and ways of living which are beneficial throughout all stages of life. At Connections in Mind, we offer executive function coaching which supports students to develop these skills according to their own goals. We also offer training for schools, workplaces and families to help create neuroinclusive environments where everyone’s executive function strengths and challenges are understood. In these environments, people feel supported to build stronger skills - helping them to flourish and meet their potential. VICTORIA BAGNALL, Co-Founder and Managing Director www.connectionsinmind.com
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SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
A vision for Queen’s Gate School Muses from the new Head, Amy Wallace the light falls across a room at a certain point in the afternoon or, indeed, locate that sneaky leaking pipe. This year, instead of rolling out my vision for Queen’s Gate, I’m reviewing, revising and refining. I’m shuffling my priorities, bringing some forward, setting some aside for now. And I’m watching and listening – to my colleagues, to our parents, and to our girls. Collegiality is a key part of my own leadership, and in a school our size it’s fundamental to who we are. Any vision for Queen’s Gate has to speak to, and of, that collegiality. One month in, and some ideas have already been brought forward, such as making formal our policy of offering all our Year 6 girls a place in the Senior School, a change that strengthens our sense of being one school, and has brought welcome reassurance to pupils and parents alike. I’m also looking forward in November to launching our new bursarial campaign, part of our dream to widen access to a Queen’s Gate education. Some of my vision is already in sight; some is still to emerge. And as it does, it will be inspired by the optimism, fresh-thinking and light heart that imbues the very special atmosphere hidden behind our elegant stucco walls. Exciting times are ahead. AMY WALLACE, Principal www.queensgate.org.uk
As a new Head, you often get asked about your vision for your school, and not unreasonably so. Devising that vision and driving the school are, of course, the key part of your role. As the new Principal at Queen’s Gate, I do have a vision for the school, a set of ideas and hopes first formed during my interview process, and continually honed and extended since. For me, though, vision has to reflect what’s at the heart of your school, and you only truly get to know what that is once you are there, feet under the desk, roaming the corridors, breathing in the daily life of your school. Speaking to our staff at the start of term, I used the analogy of buying a house. Only once you have lived there for a while do you learn how beautifully 52 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | AU T U M N 2 02 2
A sixth form that gets you Realising your potential at Sutton High School GDST At Sutton High School GDST we encourage our girls to be Fiercely Independent, and in Sixth Form we encourage our girls to be fierce in other qualities: curious, creative, confident, supportive and unique. Alongside our academic offer, our Enrichment Programme encourages girls to develop their own voices and opinions and as part of the GDST, our Sixth Form benefits from the unique power of the largest female alumnae network of nearly 100,000 women, with some of our own alumnae including the BBC’s Specialist Disinformation Reporter,
Marianna Spring, and Medical Director for Primary Care for NHS England, Dr. Nikita Kanani. Extensive one-to-one support, whether they choose the university, apprenticeship or employment route, means that every girl is given the attention she needs to make a strong application that will help her secure a place at her first choice destination. Our students are not headline figures from exam results, nor are they just pieces of data. From the moment our students step through the doors of our purpose-built Sixth Form Centre, Suffolk House, our job
is to help them realise their ambitions. It is at the heart of all we do. While our excellent grades are an obvious benchmark of academic attainment, we firmly believe that there is far more to learn than just the exam board specifications during this pivotal period in a young person’s life. Join us at our Sixth Form Open Evening at 6pm on Thursday 10th November 2022. Scan to book your place here suttonhigh.gdst.net/ openevents www.suttonhigh.gdst.net
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THE SUTTON TRUST
The Sutton Trust 25 years championing social mobility through education The Sutton Trust was founded by Sir Peter Lampl in 1997. Its work is dedicated to fighting for social mobility from birth to the workplace so that every young person has the chance to succeed in life. Now in its 25th anniversary year, we look at what it’s achieved through its unique combination of research, policy influence and programmes. “For a quarter of a century, we’ve been relentlessly tackling the problem of low social mobility. Today the Trust has relationships with over 3,000 schools and all of the major universities in the UK and the US, and is laser-focused on highlighting educational and social inequality wherever it occurs and then finding practical ways to address it. And we have a 25-year track record of practical intervention and policy influence to celebrate and use as a springboard into the future.” Sir Peter Lampl
Programmes
Since its very first Summer School at Oxford University, the Trust’s programmes have directly supported over 50,000 young people, giving them the opportunity to change their lives. Focused on bright students from low and middle-income backgrounds in state schools, its programmes now reach over 8,000 pupils each year, helping them access the most competitive universities, apprenticeships and jobs. The benefit to programme participants is clear – students taking part are four times more likely to receive an offer from a top university and for every £1 million invested by the Trust in programmes, £14 million is generated in value to students’ lifetime earnings. 92% of its graduates move from the lowest to the highest socio-economic groups after leaving university: Policy
The Sutton Trust put social
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mobility on the map. Since 1997, it has worked with every government and education secretary to make sure that social mobility stays at the top of their agendas. Many of its practical and evidence-based recommendations have been taken up by policymakers, influencing national change in all the areas in which it works: U niversity Access - By pioneering university summer schools in the UK in the late 1990s, the Sutton Trust established fair access to university as a key policy priority. The government drew on the Sutton Trust model to develop summer schools to encourage young people from poorer backgrounds into higher education. Now, over £800million each year is spent by universities on efforts to widen access to higher education, and all universities run a summer school or similar access initiative which have benefited 100,000s of young people to date.
SUPPORTING SOCIAL MOBILITY
I ndependent State School Partnerships - In 1998, the Trust launched the Independent State School Partnerships fund with the Department for Education, which led to hundreds of projects between private and maintained schools. Today the Independent Schools Council estimates that 85% of all independent schools have partnerships with state schools, ranging from local partnerships to more ambitious national schemes, that benefit tens of thousands of pupils each year. S chool Admissions - The Trust’s research was some of the first to highlight how few poorer students gain access to the highest performing schools. This work strengthened the admissions framework, as well as influencing subsequent national admissions codes, allowing schools to implement admissions ballots and to prioritise poorer pupils. Research
Since inception, the Trust has published over 250 research
studies, which have shed important light on issues of social mobility and educational inequality and kept them at the top of the national conversation: T he Importance of Teaching The Trust’s work has shown the crucial importance of great teaching and leadership in improving social mobility. As well as commissioning the Teaching and Learning Toolkit – the ‘go-to’ place for education evidence, subsequently developed by the Education Endowment Foundation, the Trust also published ‘What Makes Great Teaching?’, its most downloaded report to date. E arly Years - The Trust’s research has shone a light on the importance of a child’s early years and how low-income youngsters are as much as 11 months behind their peers when they start school. In 2018 they revealed the extent of closures of Sure Start centres and in 2021 they made the case for extending the 30 hours offer to lowerincome families.
T he Trust is working with UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO) and the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, on the COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (COSMO) study, a major national longitudinal study examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the life chances of a generation of young people. The next phase in the Trust’s story is set to be its most active yet. The disruptions visited on us all by the pandemic of 2020 were especially acutely felt in the areas of education and social mobility. The Trust’s aim is to expand its programmes to support even more young people, exert still greater influence on government policy and to commission a whole new roster of agenda-setting research. It also has ambitious plans to build its funding model. The Sutton Trust’s expertise and influence offers significant leverage to foundations and individuals who believe social mobility matters and want to make a contribution. www.suttontrust.com TURN BACK TO PAGE 38 to read about the support offered to Victoria Ayodeji and other charities
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REED’S SCHOOL
HRH Queen Elizabeth II Patron of Reed’s School, Surrey Generations of dedication not to be forgotten Foundation and allowing it to raise the funds needed to support these children. In 1951, due to the King’s ill health, the then Princess Elizabeth elected to become our Royal Patron, thereby commencing our cherished 70-year connection which the whole School community treasured beyond measure. This connection had started in 1947 when, to commemorate her marriage to HRH Prince Philip, Princess Elizabeth established a Royal Bursary Award which has been bestowed every year since to two Foundation pupils and remains an important part of our heritage. The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was felt deeply by everyone at Reed’s as well as the Nation to whom she had dedicated her life. As our Patron from 1951 to 2022, Her Majesty’s service has inspired many generations of Reed’s pupils and we will be forever grateful for her commitment to our School and charitable Foundation. On many occasions, Her Majesty remarked on the importance of the work of the Foundation and of the legacy left by our founder, Reverend Dr. Andrew Reed. Andrew Reed’s philanthropic vision was to help destitute children who had lost both parents or their father, with a mother unable to provide for them. After founding the School in 1813 (when it was known as the London Orphan Asylum) he used his extraordinary abilities to attract the support and patronage from its first member of the Royal Family when, in 1815, King George III’s fourth son - Edward, Duke of Kent
(father of the future HM Queen Victoria) became our first Patron. Since 1815 we have been honoured to receive uninterrupted Royal patronage. We have been indebted by this special patronage of our Foundation and, today, the Foundation supports around 10% of the pupils at Reed’s who still have to comply with our Founder’s criteria of having lost the support of one or both parents. Without this continued Royal support, his endeavours may never have been realised and been allowed to prosper as Reed’s School today. Our Royal patronage has been a crucial element in increasing the profile of our charitable
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ROYAL VISITS
Across our 200-year history we have been honoured with many Royal visits to the various sites occupied by the School, and HM Queen Elizabeth II visited Reed’s three times. 1946 - In 1946 a young HRH
Princess Elizabeth came to visit for the first time. This visit was made to the Girls’ School which was located at Dogmersfield Park, the site to which the girls had been relocated after the War (with boys moving to our current site in Cobham). A party of boys also comes over from their new home with the Headmaster, Mr. H. Axton, to be introduced and to witness the Princess planting an oak tree which was a direct descendant of an oak planted long ago by HM Queen Elizabeth I. 1997 - Fifty-one years later in 1997,
the now Queen Elizabeth II arrived to celebrate the School’s 50th year at Cobham. Her Majesty unveiled
a plaque commemorating the opening of the newly refurbished Sixth Form House. She met with a great many pupils and staff and, as with all Royal Patrons, she had the wonderful ability to make each individual feel special. We even learnt that her preferred blend of tea was Earl Grey with a little milk and no sugar! The Queen planted a young Maidenhair tree in the Rose Garden, using the same trowel that her ancestor, Frederick Duke of York, had used when he laid the Foundation Stone at the School’s new building in Clapton, London in 1823. School Captain, Angus Hamilton, declared that the Queen “was very kind and courteous and put me at ease.” Another pupil, Robert Morrison, felt “the visit gave Reed’s the Royal seal of approval and that it would be something he would remember for the rest of his life.”
2014 - Seventeen years later,
Queen Elizabeth II returned to Cobham in March 2014, this time accompanied by HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on the occasion of the School’s 200th anniversary of its founding. The Royal visitors met scores of pupils and were greeted enthusiastically by all who were there that day. During a tour of the
School the Duke took a particular interest in students who were progressing through their Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes and the Queen met our Foundation pupils, talking especially to those who received the Queen’s Bursary Award. They also spoke to members of the staff and pupils from across all academic departments, taking a great deal of interest in the presentations and commentary. After a private luncheon, the Royal party bade farewell to the assembled School community and with flags waving, cheering and a resounding retreat from the Corps of Drums, their car moved out of sight… another memorable Royal visit had come to an end. www.reeds.surrey.sch.uk TURN BACK TO PAGE 6 to read a tribute to HRH Queen Elizabeth II
Our Values: An Education for Life
Independent Schools Inspectorate - 2022
For further information:
t: 01932 869001 | w: www.reeds.surrey.sch.uk | e: admissions@reeds.surrey.sch.uk Sandy Lane | Cobham | Surrey | KT11 2ES
DULWICH COLLEGE
Honouring HM Queen Elizabeth II Dulwich College Cadets participated in the state funeral On Monday 19 September Edward Stimpson, Ben Jones and Charlie Eccles, all Year 13 pupils at Dulwich College and members of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), were given the honour of representing their school and the Air Cadets Organisation at the state funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II. The Cadets were accompanied by OC RAF Section, Flight Lieutenant Emily Rutter who had also joined them for four days of training in preparation prior to the funeral at Cadet Training Centre Frimley Park in Surrey where they met 12 other cadets from Wilson’s School, Pangbourne College, Winchester College, and City of London School. Edward reflected on his part in Operation London Bridge: ‘On Wednesday we arrived at Wellington Barracks in Central London and at 02:00 were informed it was time for the first night rehearsal. Seeing London in the early hours is always an eye-opening experience, but even more so when it’s completely full with soldiers! It was gruelling, but filled us all with confidence and a sense of how significant this event was and just how
lucky we were to be involved. On Monday members from almost every British unit and every Commonwealth country were all massing at Wellington Barracks in preparation for the funeral. While waiting, I remember an anxious feeling in
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the air as everyone mentally, and physically, prepared themselves for the event ahead. The funeral procession itself was a blur and truly felt like I was experiencing every single emotion at once. Immense pride matched by an immense humility, though, were
“Being involved in the funeral was an incredible honour and something I will never forget for the rest of my life.” at the forefront of my mind. The scale and grandeur of the funeral was simply immense and unlike anything I had ever seen before. Equally, three hours had never felt so short, and so long! Being involved in the funeral was an incredible honour and something I will never forget for the rest of my life.’ During the period of national mourning, the Dulwich College community also recalled our 400th anniversary on 24 June 2019 when The Master and
Chair of Governors travelled down the Thames on Gloriana, The Queen’s Rowbarge, with a letter of congratulations to the College from HM The Queen. Their journey took them past the
Houses of Parliament and Globe Theatre to St Paul’s Cathedral for a very special service of pageantry, words and music. www.dulwich.org.uk
Apply for a free or subsidised place 200 pupils at Dulwich have free or subsidised places. Find out more and how to apply by scanning the QR Code below.
Bursaries of up to 100% of fees
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS
The value of collaboration and partnership An activity week for Wellington College and local partner schools Over the final week of the summer holidays, Wellington College staff and students put together a week of fun activities for the students at local partner schools. The College ensured that the various activities on offer promoted the week’s key theme: the value of collaboration and partnership. These activities required and honed a broad range of skills and encouraged students to step out of their comfort zones and try something new. Bravery and balance were necessary for the low-ropes course, while students also got a chance to try their hand at choreography and performance during the dance workshop, and those more inclined to STEM subjects were able to design and build a car from scratch.
All activities were hosted in a picturesque outdoors environment and encouraged students to train their leadership skills and team build through collaborative working and creative thinking. The students displayed commitment and joyful enthusiasm throughout the experience and judging by this it can be said the week was an overwhelming success. In the past, all schools that have taken part in the activity course have reported the week having an extremely positive impact on the students, resulting in the subsequent academic year having a much calmer and more purposeful start for those that took part. Plans are being made for the same event next year, so hopefully the benefits of this extraordinary week will become standard for the students at Wellington College and its local partner schools in the years to come. www.wellingtoncollege.org.uk
KINSHIP BURSARY
The Blossoms programme centres on creating a vision for the future and introduces practical steps to achieve these goals including financial education which underpins the programme.
Supporting a fair future South Bank UTC and its bursary programmes Over the last 18 months around 40 South Bank UTC students have had their lives enriched by participation in the KINShiP Bursary programmes. One of our students received a scholarship and two students have been given a KINShiP Bursary Award to go off to university. The KINShiP Bursary was started to develop the foundations that will see a future with increased levels of diversity in leadership and higher tariff universities, and improved levels of social mobility for young women of colour. Partnering with the KINShiP Bursary aligns with the LSBU Group Strategic Pillars of their 2025 Strategy. Namely, through local and global partnerships, the Group commits to creating opportunities for individuals, business and society and seeks to remove barriers to success. Through coaching programmes, mentorship schemes and bursaries the KINShiP Bursary supports young women with opportunities to succeed in education and their future careers. They believe that through lending a helping hand and
building each other up, they can provide a network of women supporting the next generation of women so they can thrive in years to come and never feel alone on their journey. The KINShiP Bursary believes that in inspiring young women with ideal goals and fostering a sense of self-belief, they will feel supported to develop and achieve their full potential. There are two coaching programmes run in Year 10 and 12. The Seeds programme focuses on building confidence and self-awareness through learning about values, relationships and much more.
Students say, “KINShiP makes you look within yourself to bring about a new level of self-awareness. It helps find and nurture potential you didn’t know you had.” Year 13 students who have participated in the programme are matched with a business mentor. Mentors are women in industry who share their skills and experience and help students build professional networks. Year 13 students can apply for a bursary or scholarship which helps university students fulfil their academic potential without the worry of financial instability. South Bank UTC looks forward to continuing our relationship with the KINShiP Bursary to impact social mobility through equal educational outcomes across protected characteristics and socioeconomic background and the development of skills in the local community . www.southbank-utc.co.uk
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Black History Month 2022 How everyone can celebrate! equality in the classroom, and to the household names using their platforms to push for change. The month began on Saturday 1st of October and finishes on Monday 31st of October. Throughout this time, there are many events, shows and concerts taking place to appreciate all Black people. More than Peach
Black History Month is a yearly recurring celebration that allows everyone to gather together and not only appreciate Black history, but also be educated and encouraged to help make a positive change to the Black community. This year’s theme is Time for Change: Action Not Words, which focuses on the doubleburden Black people carry; for example actually experiencing racism and discrimination, whilst additionally being expected to fix the problem. This needs to change, and to do so in an educational and positive way, everyone should be learning beyond this singular Black History Month; they should be learning regularly about how they can help change
current issues regardless of their race, gender or age. Black History Month is set in place with a purpose to spark the conversation, as well as to remind us to keep talking, learning and interacting. This year, BHM is linking this by having Black people of all ages telling their stories. They want to go beyond just recognising key figures and events in Black history, to recognising the achievements and contributions that Black people make to the UK everyday - from Black people working on the Covid-19 frontline, to the children and young people leading the fight for
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More than Peach is a project and the 1st multicultural art brand which was established in 2019 by then 8-year-old Bellen Woodard, the World’s 1st Crayon Activist. The meaning behind it is to have a range of skintone colouring crayons that are representative of every child found in education, and not just the normalised peach skin-tone crayons. Bellen’s hard work, fight for more representation in the classroom and refreshing take on inclusiveness, is a prime example of how we can every day, not just one month in the year, make a life-changing adaption to continuously support Black people and minorities. www.morethanpeach.com
Prince of Peckham
The Prince of Peckham Pub has a large range of events in place throughout October including some fun and exciting events such as Soft Life Brunchin, Tens Studio: Young People Indigo Dye Workshop, Voguing with Bam Bam, Dele Sosimi’s Dance among many others. www.princeofpeckham.co.uk
And more... B lack Finance Talks -
UK Black Business Show
The UK Black Business Show is set to take place on October 22nd in Islington, London. This event has been created to both inspire and connect Black business owners with professionals who can guide them through the process. The show will highlight the achievements and contributions Black businesses have made to the economy not only this month, but over a long period of time. The key aspect is to create a positive and a progressive arena that allows Black businesses to come together, whilst creating a platform that
promotes the development and representation of Black talent. www.ukblackbusinessshow.co.uk
Poet’s Corner: Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is holding a poetry station throughout the month of October at Crossrail Place Roof Garden at 1pm for 30 minutes on a number of different dates, the next one being October 22nd. This is a chance for spoken-word artists to have a platform to amplify their voices and also explore, explain and read about the Black experience and Black culture. www.canarywharf.com/ whats-on/black-historymonth
21st October Westminster C elebrating the Black Academic Pipeline in FoNS: Meet and Greet and Q/A - 24th October Kensington and Chelsea A uthor and Illustrator Ken Wilson-Max visiting Brixton Library - 25th October B lack History Month-Coding Anasi The Spider - 25th October Pollards Hill Library M alorie Blackman: Just Sayin 26th October Southbank Centre B lack Noise: Experiment in Quiet - 26th October Kings Place T ina Turner Musical - 31st October Westminster
These are just a number of other events, amongst many, that are taking place in October for Black History Month. The more people, regardless of race, gender, age or any other qualities, that get involved the better! The Black History Month wants any Black person with a story to tell to do so, make your voice heard or listen and learn from others. To do so email editor@blackhistorymonth.org.uk SARA KEENAN, Co-Editor
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INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY AT UNIVERSITY
Diversifying the University of Durham Speaking for the 93% We are the 93% Club Durham. We are the UK’s least exclusive members’ club. A members’ club to rival some of the country’s most exclusive and expensive clubs. At the 93% Club Durham, we aim to represent the interests of state-educated students. We account for 93% of the national student population, but only 61.6% of Durham University’s student population. Stateeducated students, therefore, face exceptional inequality when it comes to obtaining opportunities at our university and in the workplace. These findings ultimately reaffirm that more needs to be done to ensure that Durham University more accurately reflects the wider UK student body. The 93% Club Durham endeavours to lead the way on social mobility, and we aim to directly build a working relationship with the university. In the future, it should be expected that state schoolers receive more offers from the university, given that we account for 93% of the national student body. Our vision is to create a hub for state-educated students. We want the 93% Club Durham to be a springboard for successful careers, and the lives of selfassured individuals, with all the tools to achieve big things in society. We want our community to be shaped and motivated by their state school background, not held back by it. We currently boast 828 members and endeavour to increase this figure over the following academic year. We are delighted to announce that we won the ‘The 93% Club
Halle (President) and Etta (VP) at the award ceremony.
Outreach Award’ in August. This award is hugely symbolic, as it celebrates the 93% Club Durham being the largest 93% Club in the UK, at the university with the highest concentration of privately educated students in the UK. We exist to dismantle the class inequality that exists in the UK today through the power of community. By bringing together hundreds of likeminded individuals from our university, we are breaking
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down the structural barriers to social mobility and building a future that is fairer for the next generation. We don’t believe that “the system” is broken. We think “the system” works. It works incredibly well for the people it was designed to serve. We consequently endeavour to build a replica system. A system for those without such immense levels of social, cultural and economic capital. We want to take the very system that is creating social immobility and
DIVERSITY FUNDING
use it to create social mobility. Unlike other members’ clubs, our students don’t pay a fee. Instead, we raise funds through our employer partnerships. We work closely with our sponsors to organise employability training, careers workshops
and social events on campus. Some of our sponsors include Herbert Smith Freehills, Sanctuary Graduates and Bright Network. Employer partnerships provide committed employers with the chance to connect with the country’s largest network of state-educated students. Due to this, employers are provided with a diverse talent pool, and our students can socially mobilise. We understand that starting university is an important milestone in any young person’s
life. It is a time filled with possibility and joy, but also with underlying anxieties and preconceptions. Due to this, our executive committee members are working tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition for all upcoming students. Our new mentorship scheme will allow older students from similar backgrounds to help guide and advise new students to obtain the best university experience and accomplish their goals. HALLE AFFLICK, President of The 93% Club Durham Instagram: @93clubdurham www.93percent.club
The Journalism Diversity Fund All you need to know As an aspiring mixed-race journalist, I found it extremely important and helpful to choose a university that was aware of diversity and recognised the importance of having faces like mine and other minorities in the media. Kingston University appealed to me as it not only has the NCTJ accreditation with its Journalism MA course, but it also gave me the chance to apply for the Journalism Diversity Fund (JDF). The JDF awards a number of people from diverse backgrounds who need help funding their NCTJ journalism training. The funding can cover your course fees, living expenses, travel and any additional books or resources you may need. Individuals who are awarded are also paired with a working journalist to mentor them throughout their studies. The fund is in place due to journalism typically consisting of white, middle-class professionals, therefore leading to a lack of representation in the newsrooms. The applications are open to anyone who can bring a different perspective to journalism from the norm. The diversity options can be your ethnicity, any disability or life experiences you have faced, or your social background.
To apply for the JDF you need to ensure that you have applied for an NCTJ accredited course (Kingston, in my case). You can then complete an online application form in which you need to include information about yourself, how your specific diversity can change a newsroom, your financial needs and your passion for journalism. If successful you are then shortlisted and invited to an interview with a panel of senior industry figures who will make the final decision. Whilst being part of the fund, there are many opportunities to network at events set by the JDF to increase the chances of getting your name and work out to newsrooms and companies. The JDF Fourth Application round has a deadline for Wednesday 2nd November and bursaries are then awarded on December 7th. The fund has made it possible for me to make the move to London, as a mixed-race woman from Ireland, and to learn amongst some of the best journalists in the UK, whilst receiving guidance and financial support! SARA KEENAN, Co-Editor www nctj.com/journalism-diversity-fund
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WRITING A PERSONAL STATEMENT
Let’s get personal Advice on what, and what not, to write in your personal statement 4,000 characters, 47 lines and 18 years of experience. That’s all you are given to show universities that you are who they want and need. Who am I? Who do I want to be? What are my interests? What am I good at? What makes me unique? These are all questions that can come flooding into your mind as you try to figure out exactly what it is the universities want to hear. As a young person, you may find this overwhelming (I certainly did). However, whilst you don’t have to claim that you were born a rocket scientist, they are important questions to ask yourself. To help you, I have collated 10 useful tips that I learnt through my UCAS experience to help you present your best self on paper.
1. Plan
Plan. Plan. Plan. Write down all your achievements, especially ones related to your chosen subject. If you have written an essay that is connected to your subject of interest and it won a competition, mention it! Don’t ever be afraid to sell yourself, and don’t be modest. You want to show confidence that they will want you. I know that you will have achieved some amazing things, so talk to your parents and teachers, and see what you can come up with! Try writing an unlimited statement first, and then use this for the final draft.
There are many cliché phrases that it is imperative that you avoid: “X-Subject has always been my passion...” “I have always had a deep interest in…” “For as long as I can remember…” etc. P.S. Don’t use quotes, they want to hear YOUR voice, not someone else’s. Instead, you want to start with a direct and simple sentence that immediately gets to the point, why do you love this subject and why do you want to explore it further?
2. The Opening Sentence
3. Skills
One of the most important aspects of the Personal Statement is the opening tone.
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Have a think about what skills you have learnt. Have you practiced the piano for 2 years?
Do you love language analysis? Perhaps you were on the school netball team? You want to show these universities that you have dedication, ambition and drive. 4. Awards
I’d definitely recommend taking part in competitions, whether with or outside of your school. Any awards or certificates that you have won are definitely things you want to mention! Did you win a maths competition? Have you won an essay prize? Perhaps you experienced the simultaneous glee and trauma of DofE and won a Bronze, Silver or Gold (wow) certificate? Let them know! 5. Hobbies
Much like awards, it is important that you do mention your hobbies. Think: how can I connect this back to my subject? For example: if you like to sing in the choir, and you are studying English Literature at university, you could discuss how you love exploring the aural side of literature and analysing the lyrics in the songs. 6. SPAG and Language
Think about your phrasing and have it proofread by 3 different people! Whilst word choice can be subjective, you want your statement to be sharp, formal and persuasive. Ask your teachers if there is anything they would add, and make sure there are no grammatical errors! 7. Don’t Lie
This one is simple. Do. Not. Lie. Many universities will do interviews and they will talk to you about your statement. Make sure that you are able to talk about everything mentioned and won’t get caught fibbing. This one can be tempting to some, but it is a definite ‘No’.
“Personality begins where comparison leaves off. Be unique. Be memorable. Be confident. BE proud.” Shannon L. Alder
8. Research
Look into where you are applying, what the courses contain and what the universities are looking for. You’d be surprised to find that most universities mention the sorts of things that they are looking for. Maybe you have already read and loved a book on their course? Perhaps you have visited the university for a public lecture on a related subject? Doing a little research is always a good idea! 9. Make sure you feel comfortable with the statement.
Whilst it is important that you let other people help you with this, it is YOUR statement. When you read it, make sure that you feel comfortable with everything that is said. Don’t let it lose its personal touch, it is important that you feel that you are the one talking, not someone else. 10. Confidence and Personality
I titled this article “Let’s get
personal” for a reason, they want to see your personality shine through. Don’t be afraid to let them know who you are (but always keep it related to your subject of choice). For example: if you have a passion for debating, and you ran a debate club at school, let them know! It’s these extracurricular interests that the universities want to hear about. They want to feel that you will become a part of their community. If the university you want to go to has a debate society, it’s totally worth a mention! Remember: “Personality begins where comparison leaves off. Be unique. Be memorable. Be confident. BE proud.” Shannon L. Alder I hope this has helped and I want to wish you all the best of luck! ELLA MARIA, Student at University College London TURN TO PAGE 82 to read about NW London universities
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SPECIAL FEATURE: NW LONDON FOCUS EDUCATION CHOICES TOP NW LONDON NURSERIES
Independent Nurseries in NW London Broadhurst School Nursery For children aged 2 to 4, Broadhurst values learning through play to create a caring and safe environment. The school offers three hour days for children in their first year, which later increases to six hours. Pupils are prepared for the 4+ assessments, often going on to attend the top selective preparatory schools in the area. Due to high demand for places, the school recommends parents apply for a place at the earliest stages of pregnancy. www.broadhurstschool.com
Clowns Nursery and Manor House Pre-School Initially run out of the founder’s own home, The Clowns Nursery and Manor House Pre-School maintains a warm and personalised approach to teaching and childcare. The day nursery for children aged 6 months to 3 years allows children to attend either full time or for a minimum of three sessions. The pre-school is for pupils aged 3 to 5 years, and prepares children for entry to selective schools. www.clownsnursery.co.uk
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SPECIAL FEATURE: NW LONDON FOCUS EDUCATION CHOICES TOP NW LONDON NURSERIES
Hampstead Hill School Nursery and Pre-Prep Based in St Stephen’s, a beautiful former church, this nursery and pre-preparatory school is for children aged 2 to 7. Despite being non-selective, Hampstead Hill boasts excellent destination schools and 7+ exam results and support. The school offers flexible hours for younger children in order to accommodate working parents, and is open for ten hours a day, 51 weeks a year. For children aged 5+ (Reception Year and above), the nursery runs a Holiday Scheme during all half-term and holiday periods (which there is an additional charge for). www.hampsteadhillschool.co.uk
Little Elves Montessori Little Elves Montessori follows the Montessori method of teaching, in which the child decides what they want to learn throughout the day through the activities they choose, which places a focus on developing initiative and confidence in children from a young age. For pupils aged 15 months to 5 years, staff provide a nurturing and friendly environment. Easter, Summer, and Christmas activities are run during holiday times with limited places. www.littleelvesmontessori.com
N Family Club Nursery (West Hampstead) Opened in December 2019, this branch is a part of a wider established group of nurseries across London. For children from the age of 3 months to 5 years, this nursery is open 51 weeks a year, 12 hours a day, making it an ideal choice for busy working parents. There is a parents’ café and breakfast bar, alongside a parent programme including activities like yoga and running, as well as classes available for newer parents. Learning through a variety of mediums such as play, art, music, drama and language, are integral to the nursery’s approach to education. www.nfamilyclub.com
North London Forest School Nursery Forest School sessions are based on providing children with an education associated with an appreciation of the wide natural world, linking the outdoors to the National and Foundation Stage Curriculum. Pupils aged 2 to 5 years are taken to a local outdoor area every day to cover the traditional curriculum of literacy and maths through practical means, with a variety of morning, afternoon, and all-day sessions to choose from. www.nlforestschoolnursery.com
Oak Tree Nursery, Devonshire House School Oak Tree Nursery, situated on the grounds of Devonshire House Preparatory School, takes children from 2 and a half years old, with girls leaving at the end of Year 6 and boys leaving at the end of Year 8. Priority admission is given to siblings of existing pupils and places are offered after an observed play session. Pupils automatically move up to the associated preparatory school, which in the last three years saw pupils win 36 scholarships and exhibitions, moving further onwards to other top London schools. www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk
Ready, Steady, Go Nursery (Primrose Hill) Pupils aged 3 to 5 begin morning pre-school at the Fitzroy Road location in September, before transitioning to the full day pre-school at the King Henry’s Road centre the following year. Facilities are large, spacious, and provide a warm and light space alongside an outdoor area with a mud kitchen and playhouse, enabling a variety of outdoor activities. There are also afterschool sessions for older children, which run for an additional hour at the end of the school day. The organisation also has other branches in St John’s Wood and Camden. www.readysteadygo.org
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE MAINTAINED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SCHOOL OPTIONS OPTIONS
Popular maintained schools choices for NW London parents PRIMARY SCHOOLS SCHOOL Brookland Junior School Christ Church Primary School Courtland School Eleanor Palmer Primary School Gospel Oak Primary School
HEADTEACHER Miss. Jenny Aylen Mrs. Katy Forsdyke Miss. L Walker Natalie Stevenson and Sally Hill John Hayes
WEBSITE www.brooklandjuniorschool.co.uk www.christchurchschool.co.uk www.courtlandschool.org www.eleanorpalmer.camden.sch.uk
LOCATION NW11 6EJ NW3 1JH NW7 3BG NW5 2JA
www.sites.google.com /gospeloakschool.com/ gospel-oak-primary-and-nursery/home/ www.kentishtown.camden.sch.uk
NW3 2JB NW5 2TU
www.kingsgateprimaryschool.org.uk www.menorahprimaryschool.org.uk www.mbrook.brent.sch.uk www.ourladyofgracejuniors.co.uk
NW6 4LB NW11 9SP NW10 9BX NW2 6HS
www.primrosehill.camden.sch.uk www.rcobden.camden.sch.uk www.stagnesnw2.co.uk www.steugene.camden.sch.uk
NW1 8JL NW1 0LL NW2 1RG NW6 4LS
www.stjosephsrc.co.uk
NW10 9LS
www.st-pauls-school.net www.robsouth.org
NW7 1QU NW9 8YD
www.theorion.org.uk www.torriano.camden.sch.uk www.wykeham.brent.sch.uk
NW7 2AL NW5 2SJ NW10 0EX
HEADTEACHER Nicholas John Kateryna Law Jacques Szemalikowski Mark Mayne Mrs. Sophie Fegan
WEBSITE www.aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk www.camdengirls.camden.sch.uk www.hampsteadschool.org.uk www.haverstock.camden.sch.uk www.lasainteunion.org.uk
LOCATION NW5 1UJ NW5 2DB NW2 3RT NW3 2BQ NW5 1RP
Mrs. Helen Gill Mrs. Esther Pearlman Mr. A Dunne Sarah Creasey Gary Moore Eugene Moriarty
www.mariafidelis.camden.sch.uk www.menorahhigh.com www.ncc.brent.sch.uk www.parliamenthill.camden.sch.uk www.regenthighschool.org.uk www.stahigh.org
NW1 1LY NW2 7BZ NW10 3RN NW5 1RL NW1 1RX NW6 5SN
Mr. Anthony Ellul Martin Serrão Izzy Jones
www.st-james.barnet.sch.uk www.smsj.barnet.sch.uk www.williamellis.camden.sch.uk
NW9 5PE NW4 4QR NW5 1RN
Kentish Town Church of England James Humphries Primary School Kingsgate Primary School Liz Hayward Menorah Primary School Rabbi Y M Greenberg Mitchell Brook Primary School Theresa Landreth Our Lady of Grace Catholic Mr. S McGrath Junior School Primrose Hill School Harsha Patel Richard Cobden Primary School Mrs. K Bannon St Agnes’ Catholic Primary School Mrs. O’Reilly St Eugene de Mazenod Roman Rebecca Smith Catholic Primary School St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Mrs. Titus Primary School St Paul’s CofE Primary School Mrs. Kaye St Robert Southwell Catholic Miss. Honor Beck Primary School The Orion Primary School Mr. Flathers Torriano Primary School Helen Bruckdorfer Wykeham Primary School Mr. Everton Sharpe
SECONDARY SCHOOLS SCHOOL Acland Burghley School The Camden School for Girls Hampstead School Haverstock School La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School Maria Fidelis Catholic School FCJ Menorah High School for Girls Newman Catholic College Parliament Hill School Regent High School St Augustine’s Federated Schools: CE High School St James’ Catholic High School St Mary’s and St John’s CofE School William Ellis School
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE RECOMMENDED SCHOOLS Abercorn School Based in central London, Abercorn School is a ‘family’ of schools for students aged between 2 and 13 years old. The school provides a caring, inspiring and friendly academic atmosphere encouraging students to develop a genuine love and passion for learning. Students are constantly supported, challenged and evaluated to ensure that their individual talents and skills are being effectively nurtured. Abercorn is committed to preparing students to face the challenges of the modern world with confidence. www.abercornschool.com
Abingdon House School Abingdon House School is a special education school for students aged 5 to 19 years. It provides education for students with specific learning difficulties such as ADD/ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, autism spectrum condition, and social communication difficulties. The school provides both teaching and integrated therapy, focusing on the specific challenges faced by the students and how these may impact their learning, as well as their selfesteem and confidence levels. A warm, nurturing and aspirational environment has been created by staff and students, and each individual student is able to be fully supported by fully trained teachers, teaching assistants, and therapists, who work together effectively to create multi-sensory lessons, implementing both traditional teaching methods and the newest technological advancements in educational software and hardware. www.abingdonhouseschool.co.uk
Alpha Preparatory School Alpha Preparatory School ranks #2 in multiple national preparatory school league tables. They aim to provide a varied curriculum for all students, providing challenges appropriate to each student on an individual level, and ensuring children place pride and a sense of responsibility in their work. Alpha Preparatory also strives to create a family atmosphere, surrounding students with dedicated and experienced staff, and maintaining the school’s Christian tradition while still being understanding and respectful of others’ beliefs. www.alpha.harrow.sch.uk
Arnold House School Arnold House School is a preparatory school for boys aged 3 to 13 years old. The thriving school is home to excellent facilities; a supportive, stimulating, and purposeful environment, and an exceptional pastoral care system, so each student is able to reach their full potential both inside and outside the classroom. Arnold House is known to produce well-mannered, motivated boys with confidence in themselves, and is wellrespected as a school by leading senior day and boarding schools. www.arnoldhouse.co.uk
Belmont Mill Hill Preparatory School Belmont Mill Hill Preparatory School forms part of the Mill Hill School Foundation based in North West London. They hold the firm belief that the happiness and wellbeing of the students is paramount to a fulfilling education. Belmont offers a wide range of opportunities to pupils, which enables them to find their own unique path to success, helped along by an incredibly committed team of professionals. Pupils are prepared both intellectually and socially for their futures and will thrive at Belmont. www.millhill.org.uk/prep/
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Brampton College Brampton College, based in Hendon, has a team of enthusiastic, highly dedicated teachers ensuring that students can reach their full potential and achieve their desired examination grades. The exceptional teaching staff work with small classes of students enabling them to receive attention and assistance on an individual basis. The students are taught using a varied, flexible curriculum in a friendly and disciplined atmosphere. www.bramptoncollege.com
Broadhurst School A co-educational nursery and pre-preparatory day school for children aged 2 to 5 years. Family-run since its establishment in 1958, the school provides a caring and safe environment in which learning through play is given a particular emphasis alongside high standards of teaching. Students in their first year are offered half-day classes and then move to full-day classes in their second year to ease the transition from home to school. www.broadhurstschool.com
Buckingham Preparatory School Buckingham Preparatory School is a selective, independent school for boys aged 2-11 years. They ensure the boys achieve their full potential is at the heart of everything we do at Buckingham Preparatory School. The school has a pastoral care system second to none. Each class does not exceed 18 pupils to ensure every child receives the individual attention and focus they deserve. The academic level of achievement is well above the national average across the school and we tailor our curriculum to best suit each child’s individual needs. Their emphasis on the individual extends to all aspects of their school life and community. www.buckprep.org
Buxlow Preparatory School Buxlow Preparatory School is an independent school based in Wembley for children aged between 2 and 11 years old, their main goal being to promote a life-long joy of learning. The students are surrounded by a caring environment, encouraged to be ambitious and reach their full potential, as well as realising the joy of discovering through learning. There is a careful balance between the high academic standards set by the school and the nurturing, small learning environment surrounding the students. www.buxlowschool.org.uk
Devonshire House Preparatory School Devonshire House Preparatory School is a co-educational school for girls aged 2 ½ to 11 years and boys aged 2 ½ to 13 years located in Hampstead. Their aim is to encourage skills in a variety of creative mediums as well as nurture exceptional ability in traditional subjects, to enable students to reach their full potential in all aspects of life. www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk
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NW SW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Dwight School London Dwight School London is an international school for pupils aged 2 to 18 years. The International Baccalaureate curriculum is offered to all students, and non-selective small classes help maintain a positive learning environment. There are sister schools throughout the world, such as in China, Dubai and Manhattan, New York, and online teaching is also offered. www.dwightlondon.org
Fine Arts College Established in 1978 as the only independent college in London specialising in arts and humanities, Fine Arts College offers students aged 13 to 19 a wide range of courses: from GCSEs and A Levels a one-year GCSE course for students who have changed schools between Year 10 and 11. Their Portfolio Course is also particularly popular amongst post-A Level students wishing to apply for further study at degree or art school level. Students are able to make full use of the college’s specialist studio spaces and have flexibility within their chosen subjects. Prospective students are selected based on their future potential rather than prior academic performance. www.hampsteadfinearts.com
Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park An academic day school for girls aged 11 to 18. Students boast excellent exam results in both GCSEs and A Levels, and a high percentage of students move on to university after finishing their exams. Based in Regent’s Park, the school utilises its surroundings for hockey, netball, tennis, and rounders, and there is also a wide range of other extra-curricular activities available, including music and drama. www.fhs-nw1.org.uk
Hall School A selective independent school for boys aged 4 to 13, Hall School endeavours to produce ambition and individuality in every one of their students. The school’s investment in sports facilities enables the nurturing of co-curricular activities, alongside emphases on skills built through other endeavours such as music, drama, debating and art. Students are prepared for a range of pre-entry assessments to instil confidence when facing school entrance exams in Year 8, after which boys typically move on to a range of very good senior schools. www.hallschool.co.uk
Harrow School Founded in 1572, Harrow School is a full-boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18 years. The school has clear values which they expect students to uphold: courage, honour, humility, and fellowship. These values enable students and staff alike to make good decisions dayto-day, ensuring better performance, behaviour and overall enabling all members of the school community to thrive. In 2022, almost 50% of all GCSE grades were grade 9s, with 75% of grades being grade 9, grade 8, or A*. www.harrowschool.org.uk
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SW LONDON NW LONDON SCHOOLS SCHOOLS SPECIAL SPECIAL FEATURE FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Hendon Prep Hendon Prep is a private day school for girls and boys aged 3 to 11 years. Their aim is to develop every child’s potential, ensuring they engage with their learning, are stimulated intellectually and embrace new ideas. They nurture each child’s talents on an individual level, taking on a more personal approach to learning to ensure all educational needs are supported. In their recent Ofsted rating, the Hendon Prep Preschool achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating, owing to the students reporting that they felt safe, secure, confident, and happy. www.hendonprep.co.uk
Hereward House School A preparatory school for boys aged 4 to 13 that aims to cultivate their students’ values to produce well-rounded and conscientious individuals. As one of the leading schools nationally with regards to senior school destinations and academic results, the curriculum is progressive and broad. A range of extra-curricular clubs are run alongside academics too, such as fencing, coding, cricket and more. Above all, Hereward House believes its students should reflect on their school days with pride and affection, having been prepared not just for further study but for life as well. www.herewardhouse.co.uk
Holland House School Holland House School is a non-denominational, independent mixed school for students aged 4 to 11 years old. The pupils are characterised by their vitality, confidence, respectfulness and genuine enthusiasm, as well as their ability to articulate and take pride in and responsibility for their learning. Holland House School has four pillars: the moral, intellectual, civic and performance virtues. The team of skilled and dedicated teachers work hard to enable students to reach their full potential, encouraging them to participate in teamwork and leadership roles. www.hollandhouse.org.uk
King Alfred School Founded in 1898, King Alfred School is a co-educational day school with clear goals for their students. They want to encourage academic success, emphasise the importance of wellbeing, foster a genuine enjoyment of school and education, and for their students to be well-prepared for their futures. As a school, they seek to make a difference in the world, as well as inspiring their pupils to feel like they have the ability to make a genuine difference in the world. www.kingalfred.org.uk
La Petite Ecole Bilingue La Petite Ecole Bilingue is an independent private bilingual primary school, and welcome pupils aged between 3 and 10 year of age. Pupils are taught English and French equally and are taught both the National Curriculum of England and the Education Nationale French program. Year groups are kept small to ensure each child can be catered to individually, and multiple school outings are organised to ensure children can genuinely enjoy learning. www.stewartbilingualschool.com
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NW SW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
WE’RE GROWING! ‘A great life... a great beginning’ To book a personal tour call: 020 7722 8784 email: headteacherspa@saintchristinas.org.uk or scan: the QR Code
An outstanding Co-educational School located in St John’s Wood
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“An inclusive, vibrant and friendly school.” KING’S MIDDLE SCHOOL PUPIL
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill is a Wembley-based fully bilingual school. They offer two pathways for students: the International Track, where teaching is taught mostly in English with French as a second language, leading to the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13, and the French Track, which is taught mostly in French with advanced English, and leads to the French national exams. This school also offers ‘Opening Minds’ classes as part of the secondary curriculum, which go beyond the traditional curriculum and encourage students to be curious and foster a joy for learning. www.lyceeinternational.london
Maple Walk School Maple Walk School is an independent, non-selective primary school for students aged 4 to 11 years. They aim to give children a top-class education in a friendly, successful, and vibrant environment with ample resources and small classes to ensure each child has the opportunity to flourish. There are also abundant extra-curricular activities, including sports, music, drama, and art, so that every student can nurture their non-academic skills in addition to their studies. www.maplewalkschool.co.uk
Merchant Taylors’ School An independent, academically-selective school for boys aged 11 to 18, Merchant Taylors’ School, located in Moor Park, has been a top ten school in England since 1561. They are rooted in traditional values but offer forward-looking education. Students are given access to top-class facilities and pastoral support, as well as excellent programmes in both sports and the arts to ensure all talents are being nurtured. In their 2008 Ofsted inspection, Merchant Taylors’ School was rated ‘outstanding’. www.mtsn.org.uk
Mill Hill School Mill Hill School is a mixed, independent day and boarding school located in Mill Hill, London. It was established in 1807, and is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. They provide students with a highly stimulating academic environment, as well as multiple extra-curricular activities in order to encourage growth beyond academics. Mill Hill houses a supportive and friendly community that is committed to developing every pupil further as an individual. www.millhill.org.uk
Mulberry House School A pre-preparatory day school for co-educational students aged 2 to 7, which aims to develop students into well-rounded individuals with a love of learning. Working closely in partnership with parents, a strong sense of community is established to ensure that each student is fully supported and their best interests looked after. The school also maintains excellent links with top feeder schools in the area such as Latymer and University College School. www.mulberryhouseschool.com
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Naima Jewish Preparatory School Naima Jewish Preparatory School aims to synthesise religious beliefs and values with a strong secular education, extending beyond the National Curriculum. The community of students and parents alike are encouraged in their spiritual growth towards values of compassion and tolerance. Students are prepared for a range of 11+ assessments and the school maintains strong relationships with other senior schools in the area. www.naimajps.org.uk
Nancy Reuben Primary School Nancy Reuben Primary School is a high-achieving independent Orthodox Jewish school for students aged 2 to 11. It prides itself on its community feel, providing a warm and nurturing environment for its students. The school has specialist teaching in a multitude of unique subjects, such as PE, Yoga, Music, and Ivrit as a Modern Foreign Language. Wrap-around care before and after school is also readily available, from 7.30am to 6pm. Nancy Reuben Primary treats pupils’ mental health and wellbeing as paramount, and thus provides strong pastoral support. www.nrps.co.uk
North Bridge House North Bridge House is a family of six independent schools based in North West London for students aged 2 to18 years. They strive to know and understand every student on an individual basis and ensure that every student finds a direction in life that reflects their personality and their unique skillset through realising their true personal and academic potential. They boast excellent exam results, with over 20% of their students securing university places at Oxford, Cambridge, and other top Russell Group members. www.northbridgehouse.com
Northwood College for Girls Northwood College for Girls is an independent day school for ages 3 to 18 years. Founded in 1870, the school aims to provide every single student with the motivation and knowledge to grow up to succeed as confident, ambitious, and conscientious members of society. While Northwood aims to enable students to achieve excellent academic results, they also want them to be equipped with the skills to embrace change, maintain a love of learning, and take a path in life that is suited to their own talents. www.northwoodcollege.gdst.net
Orley Farm School Orley Farm School is a preparatory school for boys aged 4 to 13, based in Harrow. It has clear-cut aims as a school which were written by the students. They aim to provide development opportunities for all students, including social, emotional, local, and global development, and they wish to provide a unique curriculum which encourages creativity, mastery of knowledge, and highlights the benefits of both success and failure. In addition, Orley Farm School wishes to create broad opportunities for students both inside and outside the classroom, enabling students to develop a multitude of interests including the arts and sports. www.orleyfarm.harrow.sch.uk
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Quainton Hall Quainton Hall is a preparatory school offering education to pupils ages 3 to 11 years. Having been founded over 120 years ago, the school provides first-class facilities for its students, holding high academic expectations as a result of teaching a varied curriculum. They ensure a focus on family, providing a nurturing environment for the students. In the most recent school inspection completed by Independent Schools Inspectorate, Quainton Hall achieved the highest possible score of Excellent-Excellent. www.quaintonhall.org.uk
Red Balloon Red Balloon is an education community based in Harrow for students aged 11 to 16 years. They cover core national curriculum subjects, as well as the arts, humanities, home cooking and PSHE. Where possible, The Centre accommodates for students’ interests and skillset, and offers qualifications based on particular interests. There are also excellent facilities accessible to students, including high-class sports facilities. All education centres with Red Balloon are based around three key elements: wellbeing, education and social reengagement. www.redballoonlearner.org
Reddiford School Reddiford School is based in Pinner, London. It is an established, mixed school for students from preschool through to age 11. The family-friendly environment ensures the children reach their full potential academically and socially, resulting in excellent academic performance. The specialised Early Years Department provides a positive and nurturing environment for pupils embarking on their education journey, while the Pre-Prep and Prep Departments supply a balanced curriculum, covering the arts, sports, and languages, as well as academia, to ensure that older pupils can make outstanding progress in all areas of their education. www.reddiford.co.uk
Roxeth Mead School A small pre-preparatory school with a nursery for children aged from 3 months to 7 years. Its small size means the school’s teaching is very much centred around valuing individual qualities in students, and enabling staff to help students grow and reach their potential on a personal level. Particular focus is put upon developing reading skills, as the school ensures children will be read to for 10 minutes every day by a class teacher. Student achievement is typically high, with 80% of Year 2 pupils achieving above the National norms in 2018. www.roxethmead.com
Saint Christina’s School Saint Christina’s is one of very few independent co-educational pre-prep and prep schools for boys and girls aged 3 to 11 in North London. They offer a contemporary curriculum characterised by variety and innovation, and the children here approach all that they do with great enthusiasm. Following an extensive building programme, their new facilities include a stunning Early Years setting for their Nursery and Reception classes alongside outdoor learning terraces and spaces. With great academic outcomes and strong provision in STEM, sports, and music amongst other extra-curricular activities, alongside a belief that children should absolutely be allowed to enjoy a rich childhood, they believe they offer a ‘great life and a great beginning.’ www.saintchristinas.org.uk
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
Sarum Hall School This preparatory school for girls aged 3 to 11 promotes creativity and curiosity in learning above all else. Students, alongside core subjects, have access to a range of specialist teachers in sport, music, art, computing and more to enable them to achieve their full potential. The staff take care to know each girl as an individual, enabling the celebration of personal achievements within the school community and the fostering of sincere friendships and compassion within the school community. www.sarumhallschool.co.uk
South Hampstead High School GDST One of the UK’s leading schools for academic results, South Hampstead enables girls aged 4 to 18 to not simply succeed, but thrive in an environment that is both enriching and empowering. State-of-the-art sports facilities allow students to take part in just a few of over 100 different extracurricular activities. The school’s Futures Programme prepares students for life beyond the classroom with supported sessions in CV building, work experience and Career Insight Days too. www.shhs.gdst.net
Southbank International School Southbank International School teaches pupils aged 3 to 18 years old and is London’s leading International Baccalaureate School. They offer a different approach to learning, nurturing talent, developing curiosity in their students, and celebrating their individuality, ensuring all students believe in themselves first and foremost. They boast first-choice university places and consistent outstanding results. Southbank aims to instil within their students a desire to give back to local, national, and global communities. www.southbank.org
St Anthony’s School for Boys A Catholic preparatory school for boys aged between 4 and 13 with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Priding itself on being an academic ‘greenhouse’ rather than a ‘hothouse’ environment, the school’s values ensure that the students remain happy and can achieve to the best of their ability whilst prioritising their wellbeing. The school supports students through both 11+ and 13+ entrance examinations, and the large majority of boys progress to take places at leading senior schools. www.stanthonysprep.org.uk
St Anthony’s School for Girls St Anthony’s School for Girls is based in Hampstead. In their most recent Ofsted inspection, they were rated ‘Outstanding’, and they are a unique school that creates a safe community for the students to enable them to reach their full academic potential. They teach their students that they can reach incredible heights through determination and hard work and ensure that they are well-equipped to deal with their futures. St Anthony’s provides an individual curriculum that can be tailored to fit the learning of each child, giving them the ability to succeed in all areas of the curriculum. www.stanthonysgirls.co.uk
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
St Christopher’s School A school for girls aged 4 to 11 in which students are celebrated as individuals, combining academic achievement with childhood mirth. Creativity is prioritised in the school ethos, alongside the cultivation of an innate curiosity for learning. Academic forums are held for parents and two of the school’s teachers run emotional literacy support sessions, demonstrating the importance the school places upon student wellbeing. The National Curriculum is extended so as to be constantly evolving and ensuring every girl’s potential is realised during their time at the school. www.stchristophers.london
St Helen’s School St Helen’s School is a private day school for girls aged 3 to 18 years, based in Northwood, North West London. The school is committed to academic excellence: this year, 94% of students achieved A*-B at A Level, and 77% of students went on to study at their firstchoice university. St Helen’s sets out to ensure that, not only are its students reaching their full potential academically, but they are also equipped with skills that will help them when they move beyond education into adulthood. www.sthelens.london
St Margaret’s School ‘170 girls and every one outstanding.’ It is not only the tallest, most athletic girls who represent the school at netball, or the most extrovert who get the speaking roles in a school play. Everyone is valued. We encourage and celebrate excellence and enthusiasm equally. Our girls’ exam results are brilliant, 50% out of 14 girls graded the equivalent of A* this year. Our inspection report was exceptional, but there is no substitute for coming to see us in person. What should be immediately apparent are our small class sizes, a culture of learning and an environment in which treating each other with respect and kindness is the norm, not an aim. www.st-margarets.co.uk
St Martin’s School St Martin’s School utilises a creative curriculum to provide an outstanding academic education for students, where emphasis is placed on a child’s development as an individual. Self-motivation and self-reliance are encouraged, as well as the development of mutual understanding and respect. The pursuit of non-academic extracurriculars is also enabled, with a wide range of activities on offer such as art, music, and drama. The school’s atmosphere is warm, friendly, and loving, and this is easily maintained due to the staff, students, and parents. www.stmartins.org.uk
St Mary’s School Hampstead A Catholic school for girls aged 2 to 11 years that aims to inspire students to pursue their talents, with high expectations that all pupils will endeavour to pursue their potential to the best of their ability. The school’s extensive refurbishment programme ensures the school always employs the most up-to-date teaching spaces and technology, alongside the Global Learning Centre featuring facilities such as an Engineering and Robotics Lab. The promotion of STEAM subjects is particularly emphasised within the girls’ curriculum, alongside creative and physical development through activities such as sport, music, drama and art. www.stmh.co.uk
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NW LONDON SCHOOLS SPECIAL FEATURE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPTIONS
St Nicholas St Nicholas is an independent preparatory school based in Kingsbury. They take pride in their innovative curriculum, expertly designed to build up children’s skills and ensure they are always curious and asking questions, even when they move forward in the world. The students study modern coding, experience STEM lessons, and undertake inquiry projects, which all form part of the accelerated curriculum they cover in their small classes. The strong pastoral support in the school helps children to develop into confident and ambitious students who are always up for a challenge and enjoy academic success. www.stnicholasschool.org.uk
The Cavendish School A school for girls aged 3 to 11 that fosters an atmosphere of fun and friendship, encouraging risk-taking and an awareness and engagement with the wider world. Stateof-the-art facilities and specialist, small-class teaching provides students with incredible opportunities for success. Despite being non-selective, the school’s academic attainment is impressive with pupils transferring to excellent senior schools after their 11+ examinations. www.cavendishschool.co.uk
The Mount, Mill Hill International The Mount, Mill Hill International is a co-educational day and boarding school in North London. It forms part of the Mill Hill School Foundation. Staff at The Mount ensure that every student can make the best use of all their talents while still maintaining a focus on academic development. Students studying at The Mount come from many different cultural backgrounds, but all have a shared passion for learning as well as a strong sense of purpose, which creates a dynamic environment for all students to thrive in. www.millhill.org.uk/international/
Trevor-Roberts School This independent day school is co-educational, providing high-class education to pupils aged 5 to 13 years. Small classes and careful individual attention ensure high success rates throughout the year groups, and the school’s happy atmosphere helps to build students’ self-confidence in both an academic and social sense and increases overall motivation. They are also taught high self-discipline and perseverance as early as possible, and extracurricular activities are encouraged to ensure students possess a wide range of skills. www.trevor-robertsschool.co.uk
University College School University College School is rated one of the top academic schools in London, consisting of a Pre-Prep, Junior Branch and Senior School. They have a mission to ensure that every student is given the tools to reach their full potential and become the best version of themselves. Exceptional in-class education is provided, as well as excellent pastoral care. UCS have four key learning values instilled in their students: resourcefulness, responsibility, relationships, and resilience, which are woven into every aspect of teaching. www.ucs.org.uk
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NW LONDON UNIVERSITY LISTING
NORTH WEST UNIVERSITIES LIST College of North West London N umber 1 in the UK for student satisfaction, student voice and academic support in the National Student Survey 2022. L aw courses are recognised as top in London for teaching quality in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022. 6 0% of students are from black and ethnic minority groups.
London Business School M BA programme is known for its emphasis on cultural diversity and international perspectives. T he top ranked Business School in the UK and ranks in the top five in the world. M ore than 30 options for a semester exchange programme with most options being in the USA.
Middlesex University London 1 st joint best UK university for work to reduce their carbon footprint. C ampuses also in Dubai and Mauritius.
Royal Academy of Music A lumni including Simon Rattle, Felicity Lott, Elton John and Harrison Birtwistle. E vents and concerts every term. L aunch of a joint scheme with VOCES8 Studios for a small number of postgraduate students.
Royal Veterinary College, University of London T he longest established veterinary school in the English-speaking word. H as the option of a well-established biological sciences programme which is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.
ESCP Business School H ave the choice of 6 campuses in Europe including London. H as multi accredited courses including EQUIS, EFMD MBA and AACSB. 9 000+ students in degree programmes representing 122 different nationalities.
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Regents University London I ndustry links with world-renowned fashion brands including talks with Harrods Managing Director, Michael Ward. A warded Honorary Fellowships to civil rights activists Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu van Furth, in recognition of their contributions to human rights.
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama T heir courses are linked closely to the creative industries – many students undertake work placements, benefit from extensive networking opportunities and get to showcase their work to professionals. C entral is known globally for the quality of its training and graduates, with over 1,000 major awards nominated or awarded to graduates across stage, screen and radio. S tudents train to a professional level, learning the latest tools and techniques needed to succeed in the fast moving creative industries. C entral is located close to arts organisations, museums, galleries, theatres, television studios meaning students are close to the areas they wish to work in.
SOAS L ocated in Russell Square, in the heart of historic Bloomsbury. I n the early 20th century, the area was home to the eponymous Bloomsbury Group of writers including members such as Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster and John Maynard Keynes. T he area is now home to Bloomsbury Publishing, famous for being the publishers of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter books. H ome to the British Museum and the British Library, two globally important centres of education and culture.
Studying at SOAS A university at the heart of cultural Bloomsbury London, once again, stands at the top of the QS Top Universities world rankings for the Best Student City 2023. However, for some students, the prospect of studying in such a big city may seem rather daunting. Will I find my way around? Will I make friends? At SOAS University of London, it is possible to combine all the benefits of living and studying in a big international city with the intimacy of a small and friendly campus. SOAS is located in Russell Square, which is in the heart of historic Bloomsbury. Bloomsbury is an area of leafy, green squares and grand Georgian buildings, which has long enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence and
intellectual enquiry. In the early 20th century, the area was home to the eponymous Bloomsbury Group of writers, which included amongst its members Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster and John Maynard Keynes. The poet T. S. Eliot worked at Faber & Faber, close to the SOAS campus. Today, the area is home to Bloomsbury Publishing, famous for being the publishers of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books. Bloomsbury is also home to the British Museum and the British Library. SOAS is fortunate to have two such globally important centres of education and culture right on its doorstep. Other interesting museums close at hand include the Wellcome Collection, the Sir
Where everything connects Discover the range of exciting undergraduate degree programmes available to study either online or at our vibrant central London campus. www.soas.ac.uk
John Soane Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum, not forgetting SOAS’s own Brunei Gallery. Situated close to London’s West End, it is only a short walk from the SOAS campus to reach the popular shopping areas of Oxford Street and Regent Street; and all the restaurants, theatres, pubs, clubs and cinemas. Bloomsbury is an important transport hub, too. The nearest tube station to SOAS is Russell Square, from where the Piccadilly Line links directly with London Heathrow International Airport, and from nearby St Pancras train station it is possible to catch direct Eurostar trains to Europe, making Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam little more than two hours’ journey time away. www.soas.ac.uk
UNIVERSITY OR APPRENTICESHIPS
Making the right decision for your future University degree versus an apprenticeship After sixth form or college, students may choose to continue with their education through either an apprenticeship or a university degree. An apprenticeship is a programme where you can work within your chosen industry while studying for a relevant qualification. The qualification can be at various levels, from Level 2 up to the equivalent to a Master’s degree (Level 7), and is often quite specific to a chosen industry. Apprenticeships enable you to start your career earlier, you can get practical workplace experience alongside your studies, and your qualification (as well as your salary) is paid for by your employer. Apprenticeships are available in various industries
and specialisms, although they can be quite competitive to secure and they may be demanding as they require you to work almost full time while also studying, with some degree apprenticeships lasting up to six years. Another way to continue with your education is by studying a degree at university – there are over 30,000 different courses to choose from. At university most students will obtain an undergraduate level of qualification (Level 6) within three years. A degree can open opportunities to work in a broad range of industries and many employers
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will hire graduates with any degree background. Around 86% of students that complete university are working in a fulltime job or in further education 15 months after they graduate. University degrees do come with tuition fees, but many students are eligible for government loans that do not need to be paid back until after graduation. Students can develop transferable skills throughout their time at university, not just from studying a subject they love but also from the university environment, learning key life skills and the social experiences available. A university campus is a great place to try new things – from joining sports clubs and societies, to volunteering in the local community or learning a language alongside your degree. There may also be opportunities to gain work experience in your industry such as industrial placement years or summer internships. You can apply to both university and apprenticeships at the same time to keep your options open. There is a lot to think about when choosing between the two, and there is no one right answer, instead it’s about making the right decision for you and your future. ELLEN DWANE, Schools and Colleges Liaison Officer at Royal Holloway, University of London www.royalholloway.ac.uk
NW LONDON ACTIVITIES
A guide to North West London All there is to see and do
North West London not only has a number of outstanding universities, it also has some of the most sought after residential addresses in London and has a vibrant atmosphere which appeals to all socio-economic groups. There are attractions, exhibitions and restaurants for students, families and anyone in between! MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS: Royal Air Force Museum
A free entertaining day out for the whole family. The Royal Air Force Museum has a number of exhibitions and displays intended to help the public learn about the RAF story and give tribute to the men and women who took part in the First and Second
World War.
Madame Tussauds
An absolute must-see museum in London. Life-size wax replicas of famous celebrities and historic icons as you make your way through themed galleries. ZSL London Zoo
London Zoo is impressively the world’s oldest scientific zoo, opened in 1828. Spend two to three hours enjoying the animals and all other exhibitions on the way. Kentish Town City Farm
An urban farm with a range of animals that you can feed, pet and also have riding lessons. British Library
One of (if not) the best libraries in London with rich culture and history to explore. It holds some
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of diversity with food markets, fashion markets and an overall vibrant atmosphere. FOOD AND DRINKS! Manna
A vegan restaurant on the edge of Primrose Hill. La Collina
An Italian style restaurant serving traditional and innovative dishes on Princess Road. Gaucho
An Argentinian steak restaurant that serves premium food and wine! The Horseshoe
A family-friendly spot that serves their own Camden craft beers and gastropub menu. Bobby Fitzpatrick
A brand new cocktail bar in West Hampstead that also serves first class pizzas. Chandos Arms
Community pub of the year that offers a range of things including food, drink, comedy events and live music! Little Mercies
Offers old-fashioned perceptions of cocktails in a cosy cocktail den.
of the most important literature in the world and anyone can register for a reader pass for free. There are also a number of cool and quirky exhibitions and a gift shop. British Gallery
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill has spectacular views, located north of Regent’s Park and is one of the six protected viewpoints in London. Lord’s Cricket Ground London
An art museum in the City of Westminster with free entry to the permanent collections and the choice of purchasing tickets for any special exhibitions being held in the Sainsbury Wing.
A Spring/Summer outdoor cinema based in Regent’s Park.
One for the art lovers to explore this private collection with a number of new collections coming up over the next few months.
A completely different side to London that no other borough in London has to offer. There is a great range
Zabludowicz Collection
Grab some tickets and get involved in a game of cricket at one of the best venues in London. Open Air Theatre
Camden Market
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COFFEE SHOPS TO WORK/ STUDY IN Beany Green - Regent’s Place Leyas - Camden High Street O rigin Coffee - British Library S econd Shot Coffee -
Marylebone
T he Fields Beneath - Prince of
Wales Road
SARA KEENAN, Co-Editor
PROPERTY PERSPECTIVE
Testing times for the property market The desire to nest in North West London “May you live in interesting times” is thought to be an English translation of a Chinese proverb. Whilst no such expression ever existed, it does nevertheless resonate and reflect the current market conditions affecting all of us. We have had to face a series of major events since the General Election in December 2019 including the Coronavirus pandemic from February 2020 until the present day, the current war in Ukraine (and its impact on energy costs and food supply), the fall of Boris Johnson’s government and the installation of a new government under Liz Truss. This, in turn, has led us to their recent mini-budget. North West London has been both positively and negatively affected by all of the above. Firstly, the work from home environment meant that the leafy suburbs surrounding Hampstead Heath (which includes Belsize Park, Hampstead, Hampstead Garden Suburb and Highgate) have been in higher demand than
ever. Current owners have also been keen to retain their gardens and green outlooks which means that stock levels have been low and therefore competition has driven values higher. The number of quality state and private schools in the area has also always been a driver of demand. As I write this article, the £ has had a roller coaster ride back to the levels at which it was trading before the mini-budget. There is also concern that other attempts to stimulate the economy, such as cuts to energy bills, income tax and national insurance, will all be dwarfed by higher mortgage bills as interest rates rise and are expected to rise further. Conversely, international buyers whose home economy is dollar-based may see this period as an opportunity to enter the UK housing market at a discounted rate. Average house prices have risen by 23% since the start of the pandemic, so even if these
declined by 10% in 2023, this would take us back to where we were last summer. This is unlikely to happen in North West London, but is sustainable if it did. In my 35 years as an agent in the area, with both National Corporate businesses and as a smaller independent agent, I have always been impressed and proud to serve an exceptional and dynamic local population that can withstand all the different pressures being imposed upon it from all the different directions. If the general market falters, then usually local vendors withdraw from the immediate market and wait for better times. This has the impact of limiting supply and maintaining value. Whilst there may be isolated incidents of forced sales, these are rare and the intrinsic value of any property remains strong. The Hampstead/Highgate area is and always has been a most desirable place to live and work, with easy access to both London’s West End and The City and is my favourite part of London.
GRANT ALEXSON, Director of GA Residential, Hampstead www.garesidential.co.uk
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LIFESTYLE AND LIVING
Envisioning your space and its endless possibilities Tips for a home transformation
We are all, big and small, back at our desks and, the freedom of the summer over, likely all looking around our home and wondering how it will sustain another year of routine and special moments, meals and laundry and exercising and catching up and homework and working from home. And when that looking around takes place, it can be overwhelming and daunting to take stock of what we see and beyond, of what we would like to, or can, do about it – and how? Because a home is a living thing, it makes sense to give it – and ourselves, the chance to evolve with our own life, along its ever-changing milestones. Fear not, sometimes it is only wise to recognise that professional guidance is needed. Seeking expert listening and advice to your wishlist, from a qualified interior architect or designer is the starting point to creating and bringing to life a vision that aligns with your wants and your needs. Would you like to transform your space? You may not be sure where to begin, what that would entail or even what that would look like. At times it is a matter of getting a fresh pair of eyes, to scan a room or the whole of the property and declare some areas in real need of a critical analysis, an overhaul or simply a refresh. How can that be done? By being guided through the steps. Look at the space in question and truly say whether it is aligned with your needs – current and future. Is it welcoming and cosy? Is it bright and uncluttered? Is it comfortable and functional? Is it fulfilling its role(s) only under duress, forced and crammed? Perhaps it is a matter of adding colour and texture – repainting, wallpapering or finding lovely cushions, curtains or a rug. Or additional, ‘proper’ lighting sources, for a variety of moods. Or of finding a suitable piece of furniture that fits and serves the
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purpose(s) that have been only partly so. Would you like to use your space better? Within the parameters of the space you call your own, there are often unsuspected, hidden wonders that a bit of rethinking and reconfiguring and repurposing can uncover. It can entail adding – storage, furniture, shelves, hooks, doors or a curtain; or actually removing – furniture, part of a wall, an obsolete piece of something that ‘has always been there’ and actually nobody can remember why. Giving yourself permission to see your space as a blank slate or as if you were just discovering it is extremely challenging and is best done with constructively critical and informed support, to ask your key questions and
MARK WEEKS PHOTOGRAPY
tease out your best answers. Would you like more space? Whether it is space to move around and stretch, to entertain, to work undisturbed, to cook or just to store stuff, sometimes it is amazing to be able to consider what could be possible if we were to add some space to the one we inhabit. Extending - upwards, downwards, sideways, front or back, there are many options available and a professional interior architect and/or architect can support you in exploring viable options as well as absurd ones, to ensure none is left out before the winner is chosen. There is nothing like pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible with an experienced professional, who can open up possibilities and add detail, process and viability to the perhaps timid or vague vision we have of what we want to achieve. And perhaps you would simply love your space to reflect who you are better? And yet feel life has taken
over, you have lost your way a little, couldn’t possibly cause a real change, for all its upheaval, investment of time and cost. Imagine how exhilarating, inspiring and satisfying to truly extend your lifestyle, your taste, your aspirations into your surroundings, removing a disconnect and embracing all of who you are, how you live into a harmonious, coherent, joyful space. Keen, collaborative listening from an expert will bring to life somewhere you can let your ideas, projects and moods flourish; a welcoming, safe, serene environment that is stylish, versatile, functional and comfortable. And, more importantly, truly yours. MARIE-NOELLE SWIDERSKI, Galuchat Design www.galuchatdesign.com TURN BACK TO PAGE 22 to read about life at St. Dunstan’s College
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