WE DON’T NEED NO EDUCATION But we could certainly learn a few things from these teachers and pros

Howell’s School has a strong focus on mental health, and even has a wellbeing dog at the ready

“We have a wellbeing dog, Disney, who is very in demand for walks at lunchtime”

THAT’LL TEACH YOU Here we speak to experts at a medley of local schools, unis and tutoring services about glass-half-full optimism for 2021 and what’s upcoming in the near future

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY Kelly Cumiskey, marketing and communications officer Tell us about your part-time courses for adults at the uni… There’s a wide variety; courses starting this spring will be taught online in lively, interactive classes which will run at set times each week. People from all walks of life and all ages can study with us. Some want to improve their CVs, others may have a love of arts and culture or a desire to discover the past. Many are enthused by science, have an interest in social studies, a passion for languages or feel the need to improve their business and computer skills.

Why is the new year a good time to start? Our courses could be a brighter start to 2021, an optimistic choice during the bleak winter months, a chance to increase your knowledge, achieve long-held learning ambitions and meet new friends. www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn

Experiment time in the science class at Cathedral School Llandaff

HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS Ellie Townsend, admissions registrar Tell us about your open day... Our Virtual Open Evening on 28 January will be an excellent way for children and families to discover what it’s like to be a pupil with us and get a glimpse into the many opportunities and facilities we offer.

What’s new for 2021? The launch of our fully co-educational Monmouth Prep School in September 2021. The school, for boys and girls aged between three and 11, will build on the many strengths that we currently have. www.habsmonmouth.org

THE CATHEDRAL SCHOOL LLANDAFF Clare Sherwood, head How important is January in the world of education? Having enjoyed the wonderful Christmas concerts, carol services and other festive celebrations, January is focused on mock examinations for those sitting GCSEs and A Levels, and entrance testing for those looking to join Year 7 in September. We look forward to preparing for the Eisteddfod, the Lent Term Concert and seeing the new shoots spring up in Forest School – our fantastic outdoor learning space for our youngest pupils.

What should parents be thinking about right now? We’d encourage prospective families to contact our admissions office as soon as they start to consider schools. Our next open day takes place on 6 February for Nursery to Year 2, and there will also be a Senior Open Morning in March for those considering Year 7 or 12 in 2022. www.cathedral-school.co.uk

THE ACADEMIC COACH LTD Nyree Myers, founder Tell us about your tutoring services… We give students an educational edge and arm them with the knowledge, the skills and the confidence they need to excel in both science and maths.

2020 changed the way we all do things, how so for you? We have evolved our business and taken all of our classes online. A huge amount of investment and training has been undertaken and we’ve ensured that our high-quality teaching is available to students irrespective of Covid and geographical limitations. www.theacademic-coach.co.uk

WESTBOURNE PREP & NURSERY Joanne Chinnock, head What should parents be thinking about right now? For parents of children already in school, this is the time when you would have noticed if they have settled in to their new class well and if they are coping with the level of expectation for their year. For those looking to start school in September, get your child excited; walk past the school a few times and let them order the uniform with you.

Does the school have a New Year’s resolution? To keep growing our FaB (Forest and Beach) School. We have a permanent base in a local farm where we have a fire circle, mud kitchen, timber trails and so much more. HOWELL’S SCHOOL, LLANDAFF GDST Sally Davis, principal How’s your January looking? January is always a busy month for admissions enquires. We have a Nursery Open Day on 27 January, a Prep School Open day on 28 January, and a Whole School Open Day on 3 March.

Does the school have any resolutions for 2021? The focus this year must being the wellbeing and mental health of our students. We hear a lot about the impact that the lockdowns have had on mental health, and young people are especially vulnerable. We are very lucky to have our school counsellor, as well as a wellbeing dog, Disney, who is very in demand for pastoral walks at lunchtime. www.howells-cardiff.gdst.net

Lessons are anything but dull at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools

What does a fair redundancy process look like?

Sarah Alford of BERRY SMITH LAWYERS explains...

The Office for National Statistics has reported that the unemployment rate at the end of September 2020 was 4.8%, an increase of 0.7% over the previous three months. This means that 1.62 million people were unemployed. The government’s economic watchdog anticipates that by the middle of 2021, around 2.6 million people in the UK could be unemployed.

If you are faced with redundancy, it is crucial that your employer follows the correct process because otherwise you could have a potential claim for unfair dismissal or discrimination (if you can demonstrate that your selection for redundancy was because of a protected characteristic, such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity amongst others).

So, what does a fair redundancy process look like? It will depend on how many individuals the employer proposes to make redundant. If 20 or more employees are to be made redundant within 90 days the employer must carry out a collective consultation exercise. However, below, we will focus on the process to be followed where there are less than 20 redundancies proposed over a 90-day period. In short, an employer should: l Establish a genuine redundancy situation – the statutory definition of redundancy identifies three sets of circumstances: • Business closures (closure of the business altogether); • Workplace closure (closure of one of several sites or relocation to a new site); • Diminished requirement of the business for employees to do work of a particular kind. l Decide upon the pool for selection and conduct a fair selection process l Carry out a consultation process – this process should consist of a series of meetings and employees should be given adequate time and information to prepare for each meeting. l Explore alternative employment – the employee should be informed of any alternative

Sarah Alford

vacancies within the business prior to any decision to dismiss. l Provide the employee with a right to appeal Where an employer has a redundancy policy in place, then it should be followed. Where an employee has less than 2 years’ service, a less thorough redundancy process can be followed as long as the employer still follows a fair selection process. It is common for employers to ask employees to sign settlement agreements prior to making them redundant in consideration for an enhanced financial package. In order for a settlement agreement to be legally binding, the employee must receive advice from a relevant adviser, such as a solicitor. n

For more information about the issues raised in this article or if you have been given a settlement agreement please feel free to contact our team on 029 20345511 or employment@berrysmith.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT US ONLINE AT: WWW.VALEVETCENTRE.CO.UK

Where girls learn without limits

HOWELL’S SCHOOL has been teaching Cardiff’s daughters to learn without limits for well over a century, encouraging them to believe that nothing is beyond consideration

Would your daughter thrive in an environment where she is free to be herself? A place where she is encouraged to believe that nothing is out of reach? Howell’s School, Llandaff GDST has been teaching Cardiff’s daughters to learn without limits for 160 years.

A Howell’s girl is free to be ambitious, to be competitive, to be creative; to be a sports captain or a scientist, a poet or an engineer. Howell’s girls mature into young adults in a culture free from gender bias, encouraging them to believe that nothing is beyond consideration.

All this develops a self-confidence and resilience that stays with them throughout their lives. Research currently shows that girls’ confidence starts to decline at the age of 8, and it only improves from the age of 80. Howell’s instils in girls the confidence they need for a successful future, and their teachers delight in watching them grow to become more assertive and willing to ask questions, make mistakes and take risks.

At Howell’s School, Llandaff GDST, girls thrive from the age of three in a single-sex environment where academic achievements are always celebrated, and these go hand-inhand with co-curricular activities that inspire and challenge them. From playing chess to performing in a rock band, debating current affairs to playing cricket, everyone at Howell’s believes that education doesn’t stop when the bell rings at the end of the school day.

The school’s founder, Thomas Howell, wanted to create greater opportunities for young women, and Howell’s School has been changing lives since it opened its doors in 1860. His generosity gave many young women access to an education that would elevate and inspire them, and in 2021 Howell’s still creates opportunities for students from all backgrounds. The GDST Bursary Fund provides assistance to enable students whose parents could not otherwise afford the fees to enter the school in Year 7 and Year 12.

This summer, 60% of all GCSE grades were at A* or level 9-8, and 82% were at A*-A or level 9-7. Truly exceptional results in exceptional times.

The five-acre site has an incredible feeling of space for a city centre school, with significant green space, a swimming pool and sports complex with modern pavilion and floodlit, allweather pitches. A fleet of school mini buses brings in students from Cowbridge, Penarth, Newport and across Cardiff.

To discover what makes Howell’s so special, book your place at the Virtual Prep School Open Day on Thursday 28 January. To register, contact admissions officer Chrissie Hall-Davis on 029 2056 2019 or visit www.howells-cardiff.gdst.net n

“THIS SUMMER, 60% OF ALL GCSE GRADES WERE AT A* OR LEVEL 9-8, AND 82% WERE AT A*-A OR LEVEL 9-7.”