EDITOR’S CHOICE Colour your walls with this pretty bunch

SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING FUNNY BY AMANDA POPHAM Steam Gallery At Beer, Fore Street, Beer, Seaton; www.marinehouseatbeer.co.uk

TAKE IT TO ART Pick up one of these striking works from local artists

THE THREE HARES MYSTERY BY ELEANOR LUDGATE BY ELEANOR LUDGATE Three Hares Gallery, 20 The Square, Chagford, Newton Abbot; www.devonsnatureinart.com

MILES DAVIS BY NADEZHDA www.nadezhda-portraitartist.com

BUDLEIGH PINK BUDLEIGH PINK ORANGE BY ORANGE LIESE WEBLEY LIESE WEBLEY www.liesewebley.com www.liesewebley.com

IN FORTUNE HANDS BY IN FORTUNE HANDS IRENE JONES IRENE JONES Hybrid Gallery, 51 High Street, Hybrid Gallery, 51 High Street, Honiton; Honiton; www.hybrid-devon.co.uk www.hybrid-devon.co.uk

ADVENTURE IN OUR HEARTS BY ROSY TYDEMANADVENTURE IN OUR HEARTS BY ROSY TYDEMAN The Glorious Art House, 120 Fore Street, Exeter; www.thegloriousarthouse.com

CHASING HORSES BY CHASING HORSES AH CHENG LIM AH CHENG LIM Marine House at Beer, Fore Marine House at Beer, Fore Street, Beer, Seaton; Street, Beer, Seaton; www.marinehouseatbeer.co.uk www.marinehouseatbeer.co.uk

BINDING CONTRACT BY BINDING CONTRACT BY VENESSA WITHERS The Glorious Art House, 120 Fore Street, Exeter; www.thegloriousarthouse.com/ Facebook: @ArtbyVanessaWithers

EMBLA (FEMALE NUDE) BY ELISABETH HADLEY South Gate Gallery, 64 South Street, Exeter; www.southgategallery.co.uk

ELLE 68 BY SARA HAYWARD HAYWARD Brook Gallery, Fore Brook Gallery, Fore Street, Budleigh Street, Budleigh Salterton; Salterton; www.brookgallery.co.uk www.brookgallery.co.uk

Meet the Headteacher

Find out more about our region’s leading educators

CAROLINE KIRBY SHEBBEAR COLLEGE 01409 282000; www.shebbearcollege.co.uk

What do you find most rewarding about being a head? Leading our community to ensure that our pupils are the ‘best they can be’ in everything that they do. The pupils make me smile and laugh everyday – and that’s the best part of my job! How do you create the perfect learning environment? At Shebbear we are small enough to be able to focus on each individual child, meaning that we can teach our pupils in different ways according to how they learn. This creates a positive learning environment for our pupils and inspires them to discover their strengths and passions. We also like to make the most of our large, rural campus and take the classroom outside whenever we can. What is the most important piece of advice you would give to a pupil? Be positive and believe in yourself – people will respect you in life for just ‘being you!’ What is your top tip for parents visiting a school? Visit a school in person (within COVID restrictions!) and immerse your child into a ‘real’ taster day in their year group so that they can get a sense of what a normal day at a school is really like. Every school is different but so is every child – it’s about finding the best fit.

JAMES FEATHERSTONE EXETER CATHEDRAL SCHOOL 01392 255298; www.exetercathedralschool.co.uk

What is your school’s vision? We’re a school where people matter, and we base all that we do on our 9 ECS habits: The habit of hard work The habit of honouring your commitments The habit of having a go and keeping going The habit of taking part The habit of listening The habit of being honest, modest and kind The habit of looking after each other The habit of looking after your surroundings The habit of looking after yourself How do you create the perfect learning environment? Each child will learn differently. But if there’s energy, expertise, fun and mutual trust the stage is set. Describe examples of enrichment opportunities for pupils at your school? We have a wealth of clubs to offer, from imagination station, ukulele club and cake decorating, to chillout club, Italian society and bird-watching! We run a timetabled Senior Enrichment Programme each week where pupils can follow our Creative Arts Strand or our Health & Fitness Strand, either because they have scholarship aspirations to their chosen senior school or because they love it and want to try something new.

Caroline Kirby

Andy Southgate

James Featherstone

Tim Harris ANDY SOUTHGATE BLUNDELL’S PREP SCHOOL 01884 252393; www.blundells.org

How do you create the perfect learning environment? When I take prospective parents on tours of the school they always comment on the strong sense of purpose that seems to emanate from the classrooms and the children. At the heart of that is a team of passionate and dedicated teachers. They are the ones who inspire the children to want to learn. What are the most popular subjects with pupils currently? There is a real spread here as our children have access to an incredibly broad curriculum but I think a clear favourite is Food Technology. Who wouldn’t enjoy making delicious blackberry crumble with fruit sourced from our school grounds? Our parents are also quite keen on this subject as they get to sample the delicious produce that goes home each week. What is your top tip for parents visiting a school? If you really want to get a true sense of what a school is all about, go into the classrooms and speak to the children and the staff. Do they smile when they greet you? Do they come across to you as happy and confident? Trust your instincts – if the school feels right then you are certainly on the right path.

TIM HARRIS COLYTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL 01297 552327; www.colytongrammar.devon.sch.uk

What is your school’s vision? Colyton Grammar School (CGS) is the highest achieving school in the South West but we are more than just successful examination results. We want to ensure that our students are able to excel in their next steps at university and in their future careers. What do you find most rewarding about being a head teacher? Nurturing growth; academically and pastorally. It is fantastic to create a caring and academically challenging environment that enables a young person to flourish. The journey from Year 7 to their next steps beyond Year 13, allows young people to become resilient, resourceful and reflective. Describe examples of enrichment opportunities for pupils at your school. What happens in the classroom is only a part of life at the school. Sport and music are high on the list of opportunities. From the competitive fixture lists in many sports to the regular musical concerts at Exeter Cathedral. We are the largest school provider of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Devon and we offer work placements at the United Nations in Geneva. Facilities in the arts and in sport are excellent and we offer over 300 peripatetic music lessons a fortnight.

RICHARD NOTMAN STOVER SCHOOL 01626 354505; www.stover.co.uk

What is your school’s ethos? We create a happy, supportive environment in which our pupils are prepared to take risks, grow their talents and ultimately be the best they can be. How has your school event evolved over the last 10 years? Pupil numbers have grown over 50% in the last six years alongside 40% improvement in GCSE outcomes. A-level outcomes have also improved with 39% of grades now at A or A* level. What do you find most rewarding about being a headteacher? Creating a culture where the staff have a common sense of purpose which enhances the successes our pupils enjoy. How do you create the perfect learning environment? By building trust between both staff and pupils alike. In such an environment, pupils will explore and challenge themselves, so accelerating their learning. What are the qualities and skills of an excellent headteacher? Be a good listener and be prepared to enable decisive change if it benefits your pupils. Describe examples of enrichment opportunities for pupils at your school? Our enrichment program offers something for everyone wherever your talents lie. Consequently, there are clubs from rugby to patchwork quilting and robot building to clay shooting. All bases are covered; dramatic, academic, musical sporting and creative.

LOUISE SIMPSON EXETER SCHOOL 01392 258712; www.exeterschool.org.uk

What are the qualities and skills of an excellent head teacher? Being energetic and retaining a sense of humour are pretty much essential! This is my third headship and the three schools have all posed different challenges, but the common core of skills is just the same, and, strangely perhaps, the issues that parents worry about, whether in a girls’ school in South London, a large British international school in São Paulo or in Exeter School are not so different. Keeping calm and being organised also help hugely, as does having a brilliant team around you. What is the most important piece of advice you would give to a pupil? Be a first-class version of yourself. Young people are under immense pressure to conform and to bow to peer pressure. Being true to themselves, especially in a social media dominated world, has never been more important. Who inspires you? The children I work with! Especially the ones who struggle with some aspect of life and who overcome that to be able to succeed. What is your top tip for parents visiting a school? Ask the pupils what it is really like. It is very easy to be sucked in by glitzy marketing and impressive facilities. It is the quality of the pupils, and the affection that they feel for their school which really matters.

Richard Notman

Lawrence Coen

Louise Simpson

Eugene du Toit LAWRENCE COEN TRINITY SCHOOL, TEIGNMOUTH 01626 774138; www.trinityschool.co.uk

What is your school’s vision? The aim of Trinity School is to develop children so that they leave school confident, well-rounded and ready for their next challenge. Any school can make children successful at school, the difference is that at Trinity, we look to develop their personal skills so that they are successful after school as well. How do you create the perfect learning environment? A great campus location, passionate and inspiring teachers, vibrant teaching areas and a supportive atmosphere created by staff who have a genuine interest in the individual so that pupils are confident to always have a go and look to improve. What is the most important piece of advice you would give to a pupil? The piece of paper with all the fantastic grades will get you to an interview but the person gets the job. Working hard and being aspirational is important but so is developing yourself outside of the classroom so you become interested and interesting. Take all the opportunities presented to you at school, even if you end up not liking some of them – at least you will then know! What scholarships and bursaries are available for students? A variety of awards for those families that need assistance with the fees but want to buy into the independent sector as well as scholarships that recognise those children that have a specific area of excellence.

EUGENE DU TOIT WELLINGTON SCHOOL 01823 668800; www.wellington-school.org.uk

What is your school’s strongest curriculum area? We have recently enjoyed considerable success in mathematics and the classics. Results in the sciences have been impressive and our drama students received excellent LAMDA results as well. How has your school evolved over the last 10 years? We have focussed on building even stronger relationships across our community, with tutors playing a central role in linking parents and the school. What are the most popular subjects with pupils currently? Psychology, maths and economics. What is your school’s proudest achievement? The sense of community and belonging being a member of Wellington School instils in students, parents, alumni and friends of the School; we really are like one large family. Who inspires you? Anyone who is kind, aims high, sees the best in people and works hard at being the very best person they can be every day. What is your top tip for parents visiting a school? Does the school focus on process or outcomes? These two are obviously related, with one leading to the other, but a focus on process will be about learning and the personal growth of your child; a relentless focus on outcomes will lead only to stress, anxiety and fear.