Education Supplement September 2013 by Meridian Magazine

MERIDIAN E D U C AT I O N S U P P L E M E N T

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Education

Educating post 16 Another record-breaking year!

Geology, History and Modern Foreign Languages Travel, Tourism and Hospitality. Choosing what and where to study post 16 is a big decision. Come and visit the campus to experience first-hand our friendly and welcoming school: where all students are encouraged to aspire and work for the highest possible achievement; where all students have equal access and everyone is treated with fairness and respect. Shooters Hill Post 16 Campus, Red Lion Lane, London SE18 4LD, 020 8319 9427, www.shootershill.ac.uk

hooters Hill is celebrating its record-breaking set of 2012 -2013 exam results for ‘A Levels & BTEC: the best in our 12 year history.

• 99.4% pass rate at A2. • 9% increase in *A-C at A2. • 5% increase in *A-C at AS. • Average point score of 644 for A Levels. • 10% increase in our BTEC point score to 633. • 30% *A-B at A2 205 year 2, Level 3 learners graduating this summer. • Record numbers going on to University.

Mark Vincent, Head Teacher statement: “Another record-breaking year for the Shooters Hill Campus! The best in our school’s history! Over two hundred of our level 3 students have successfully passed their qualifications and will now be going into work or to University. I am so proud of the talent and hard work shown by our students and staff. It’s a really positive day for our local community.” Details of courses that we still have availability on are as follows: Music A level, BTEC Level 3 Health and Social care, BTEC Level 2 Science, BTEC Level 2 Health and Social Care, Geography,

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Education

You can achieve anything you want Creating opportunities

an you? Well, perhaps not; after all, the ability to win the high jump is increased if you have the right body morphology, excellent surgeons tend to have brilliant brains and manual dexterity, and the best teachers have an incredible love of their subject and a determination to inspire those around them to share that passion. So, the foundations to the excellence that has to be there are talent, but the greater proportion of the output must be the result of commitment, had work and dedication. It must also be the result of being in an environment which offers choices, encourages experimentation and excellence and allows pupils to do what is right for them, not the timetable or the teachers, but what is right for each individual pupil at their stage on the learning journey. Many schools create opportunities for pupils to try new things; they may have fabulous teachers to inspire the pupils’ learning, great resources to support the pupils’ progress and, hopefully, the environment and values that create an ethos of courage and ‘having a go’. In such an environment pupils will have a wide diet of co-curricular activities alongside their academic work. These activities will bring transferable skills into the classroom and the pupils’ progress will be rapid, on all fronts. In such an environment, every pupil can choose their own route, every subject has equal status and every pupil’s individual dreams are encouraged. This allows the pupils to be free in their choices and strong in their decision making. In my school two very bright girls (each with 4 A* grades at A level) took a brave decision last autumn; they turned down excellent University offers in Mathematics (at Durham) and Chemistry (at Oxford) to follow their hearts and to study Music. In an excellent school the choice to study Music (or indeed any subject) is embraced and supported; the pupil making that choice is made to feel that all subjects are as important as each other, regardless of the perception by observers, if they are the right subject for the individual to choose. We advise pupils – do what you love and what you are good at. They are usually the same thing, and they lead our leavers, along with a big dose of hard work and inspiration, to the most amazing futures; to where they can achieve anything that they set their mind on.

Louise Simpson, Head, Bromley High School Open Events: Saturday 28th September 2013, 9.30am-1.00pm; Sixth Form Open Evening Monday 7th October 2013 from 6.45pm. Please contact the school via our website: www.bromleyhigh.gdst.net or our admissions office on admissions@bro.gdst.net or Tel 020 8781 7000 to arrange a visit.

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Education

An Education for life... ...in a changing world

owadays the range of choice for young people at 16 can seem bewildering. This article can only give you an impression of all that the Sixth Form at Bethany has to offer. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs and aspirations and the ways in which we can work together to meet them and help you prepare for your future. Francie Healy, Headmaster

Choice is important, and at Bethany we have a wide selection of courses available to choose from. Pupils, to a great extent, have the freedom to select any subject from the options available and full guidance on option blocks is issued in March each year. The Head of Sixth Form takes an active interest in each pupilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress and is on hand to offer tailored support and guidance.

At Bethany we view the Sixth Form as a gateway to university life and the workplace beyond. In addition to the challenges of A and AS Level courses, as well as competing for all important university places, our Sixth-Formers are continuing their journey towards leading independent and fulfilling lives.

At the heart of Sixth Form life lies The Orchard, a purpose built house that becomes the home of our boarders in their final year at Bethany. The house has a wealth of facilities to offer, including individual en-suite study bedrooms for boarders, study rooms for all Year 13 day pupils, state-of-the-art cooking and

laundering areas, as well as a large common room, conservatory and garden area. It is truly a social hub and regularly hosts events and functions. Support and guidance is provided by an individual Tutor and full written progress reports are sent to parents five times each year. The Tutors, along with our Head of Careers, are also on hand to guide pupils through university entrance procedures to ensure best results. Our Sixth Formers complete their time at Bethany having been on a remarkable journey, and leave our gates for the final time as confident, self-assured, well-rounded young men and women, ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead. www.bethanyschool.org.uk, 01580 211273

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Education

Ever-changing world Preparing students for success

e are living in times of exponential growth and schools have the challenge of trying to educate young people for jobs that don’t yet exist and to solve problems not yet identified with technology not yet invented. A* grades, on their own, are not sufficient to prepare them for working in a globalised economy with economic turbulence, and an exponential rate of change. At Blackheath High School, we are very conscious of this and do our best to ensure that our girls have all the opportunities

and encouragement needed to develop the qualities, skills and competencies that they will need to be successful and happy in the future. We believe that our holistic approach to education, which delivers a broad, all-round education, leaves students with not only excellent GCSE and A level grades but also with skills and personal qualities, such as confidence, enterprise, adaptability, resilience and courage, all of which will help them to make a success of their adult lives. Adaptability will be important because the school children of today are likely to change jobs, and possibly careers, several times during their working lives. Interestingly, the top 10 in demand jobs today didn’t even exist in 2004. They will also be competing in a global workplace and need to bear in mind that there are more Gifted and Talented students in China than the whole population of the UK. It is essential to instil qualities of resilience and enterprise in our young people and even our youngest pupils have a mantra ‘be brave and strong, when little things go

wrong’ and, throughout their school life, our girls are taught to think outside of the box, try new things and face challenges that push them out of their comfort zone; with much support and encouragement. The rapid pace of change is fuelled by developing technology and it is also important for schools to ensure that their pupils have the necessary ICT skills to help them prepare for success in the global workforce of the future.

Lisa Laws, Headteacher www.blackheathhighschool.gdst.net Admissions: 020 8853 2929 f.nichols@bla.gdst.net

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Education

High achievers celebrate “Our girls have once again achieved great results and we are very proud of them. They have had the determination to succeed and will surely continue to further success in their chosen career paths.” Kathryn Pullen, Headteacher.

A Level success For the second consecutive year Sydenham High School GDST has seen an increase in the number of students gaining top grades at A Level, along with its consistent 100 per cent pass rate. This is bucking the trend nationally. Seventy-eight per cent of Sydenham High girls achieved A*/B grades, versus 72 per cent in 2012, with over a third securing A*/A in their subjects. There was also celebration for confirmed university places for the girls taking courses ranging from medicine, physiotherapy and environmental science to law, history, politics and psychology as well as a clutch of places on prestigious art foundation courses. In addition to their A Levels, a high proportion of Sydenham High’s final year

students take the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and over half those taking this challenging course achieved A*/A grades. The school is a centre of excellence within the Girls’ Day School Trust for teaching the EPQ, which allows students to pursue independent areas of study supervised in a similar way to a university dissertation or thesis. The AS results also bode well for next year’s A Level candidates; over half secured at least 2 A grades.

A* high flyers lead GCSE Heavy showers failed to dampen proceedings as Sydenham High School GDST celebrated more of its high flying students – this time for their GCSE results. Despite tougher marking being implemented nationally, the school achieved some remarkable

all-round performances with an increase in both passes per pupil and points per candidate. Sixty-seven per cent of students gained A*-A grades and 26 per cent achieved specifically A*s, with four girls - Elinor Blair, Emma Christensen, Alex TerrieuxTaylor and Christina Wimpory – all achieving the magic number of ten A* grades. The top performing subject areas this year were: Maths, Statistics, Science, History, Latin, ICT, Drama and DT. The school caters for girls from a wide range of social and educational backgrounds so the fact that the percentage of A*-B grades increased to 93% and the mean number of A-C grades also increased was further testimony to the school’s success in helping to bring out the very best in every student. www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

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Education

History travels Shaping the next generation of historians

PICTURED ABOVE ARE JULIE CUMMINGS WHO GOT 100% ON TWO OF HER PAPERS AND 97% OVERALL AND MOLLIE SKEVINGTON WHO GOT 100% ON HER RUSSIA PAPER.

olfe’s History Department, one of the school’s most popular academic subjects, is celebrating, having achieved some of the best results in the country. 88% of students received an A or better and 71% the top grade of A*. It was part of a successful set of results which saw over three quarters of Year 13s gaining A* to B grades and around 70% of the students getting into their first choice university. Over half the class in History scored 100% in their examination on Russia, a paper widely thought by teachers in the prestigious Russell Group to be one of the hardest sat by school-aged pupils anywhere in the world. Every student secured at least a B. Mark Dawe, chief executive of exam board OCR praised both staff and students. "This tremendous achievement is a tribute not only to some brilliant teaching but also to the tenacity of these young adults. It is a pleasure to be associated with schools like Colfe's." 18 year old Bea Waller, from Greenwich, topped the class with a remarkable 388 UMS points from a possible 400. She said, “We were encouraged to do independent research and extra reading and that certainly improved my knowledge.” Outgoing Head of History Andrew Foster, said, “I’m so happy for the students because they have learned that success is not pre-determined. Through hard work they have become formidable historians capable of independent research and performing under pressure. We are planning to keep this group together in some form in order to support their progress, albeit remotely, through university. As well, our Year 12 students are already talking about how they intend to emulate these achievements in 2014. “We have had fantastic results in History over the last few years due to the hard work of both the students and the staff, but this really is something special. The new head of department John Patterson is one of the best teachers of A-Level Russian history in the country and I think that this has proved it.” Headmaster of Colfe’s Richard Russell said, “Students throughout the 6th Form have much to celebrate. The results are a four year high for the school and I am really proud of the achievements of the Year 13 students and it is particularly satisfying that so many of them have got into their first choice universities.” Horn Park Lane, SE12 8AW, 020 8852 2283, www.colfes.com

COLFES HISTORY STUDENTS TRAVELLED TO RUSSIA IN FEBRUARY

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THE EDUCATION CENTRE • Pre-test for selective entrance examinations • 11 plus preparation • GCSE • AS/A Level

enquiries@theedcentre.co.uk 0208 318 2106 www.theedcentre.co.uk

OPEN DAYS Saturday 21 September Wednesday 25 September Wednesday 2 October Wednesday 9 October Wednesday 16 October 9am - 12pm Contact us today to conﬁrm which date you would like to attend.

Another year of outstanding GCSE results:

90% 5+ A*- C grades

with 72% including English and Maths 50% A*-B grades Eltham Hill, Eltham, London, SE9 5EE | 020 8859 2843 | www.elthamhill.com | info@elthamhill.greenwich.sch.uk 38 l www.meridian-magazine.co.uk

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Education

A day in a life of: A training teacher

f our trainees who finished in July 2013, 100% have secured their first teaching post, with the majority of them within schools from Bromley Schools’ Collegiate. A year on a teacher training course with Bromley Schools’ Collegiate, sees you placed into two different schools, learning on the job with encouragement from experienced teachers, and supported with specific training sessions from experienced teachers and educational professionals who will train you to support the needs of all learners in your classroom. First Placement - For the first few weeks of training in your first placement you will observe qualified teachers in the classroom and developing your understanding of the craft of teaching. This understanding of teaching

will develop into how students learn over those first few weeks, and will be the focus of weekly mentoring sessions with the outstanding teacher who will be mentoring you. As your confidence improves, you will then be planning and delivering short starters and plenary tasks to the classes you are assigned to, under the supervision of your mentor. These enable you to develop your skills further, ready to take whole class teaching within the first two months of your course. During the last weeks of your first placement, which ends at Christmas, you will be teaching 4-6 hours of whole class teaching per week. The rest of your time will be spent observing a range of other teachers, planning lessons and undertaking reading and research for the PGCE which runs parallel to your teacher training course. Second Placement During your second placement (starting in January in a different school) you will be continuing to plan sequences of lessons and widening your experience of teaching different age groups and abilities, but with an increasing number of lessons each week. It is over the coming months that you will be finishing your PGCE assignments and submitting evidence to the

online E-portfolio, demonstrating that you have met the standard required to qualify as a teacher. In May and June you will prepare for your final assessment observations and complete the E-portfolio for review. The final assessment is carried out by a senior mentor from one of the Collegiate schools in conjunction with your school mentor. This whole day final assessment checks the competence of the trainee against the national standards for teachers. Support Throughout your training year, your progress will be monitored closely and additional appropriate support offered, if needed. Additional professional and personal support is put in place to any trainee at risk of failing their course, to ensure every opportunity has been given to for them to reach the required standard. Then, at the end of the course in July, you will be become a newly qualified teacher (NQT), where you then enter a year of further support from your employing school to ensuring your further development into an outstanding teacher.

By Derek Boyle Bromley School's Collegiate: www.bscteach.co.uk

100% success rate in trainees securing a teaching post for September 2013

Outstanding Teacher Training Provider “I think this school-based training provided is excellent and I would recommend BSC to others” Trainee July 2013

• Infant, Primary, Secondary teacher training • Our School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) was awarded “Outstanding” status by Ofsted, recognising the highest quality in teaching training provision.

We are now recruiting trainees in all phases starting September 2014 If you are interested please contact us 020 8300 6566 | administrator@gradteach.co.uk | www.bscteach.co.uk

Bromley Schools’ Collegiate c/o Beaverwood School for Girls, Beaverwood Road. Chislehurst BR7 6HE

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If you live in or near the south east of London and would like to know more about Apprenticeships at Shears Academy, call Carole now on 020 8461 3504 or email her at: carole@shearsacademy.co.uk. Shears Academy www.shearsacademy.co.uk

Guide to Apprenticeships You can earn while you learn!

If you are just starting out in your hairdressing career and are looking for Apprenticeships in Customer Service and Hairdressing, Shears Academy have the right apprenticeship tailored to suit you. Apprenticeships are free for 16 – 18 year olds! There are also limited places for 19 – 24 year olds, although a contribution from applicants will be required. To qualify for eligibility for funding, you have to be employed (at least 16 hours per week), leading to at least 30 hours per week. As an employee,

you will receive your normal salary, the National Minimum wage (NMW) for Apprentices is £2.65 per hour, going up to £2.68 per hour in October, but you may be paid more than this if you are committed, hardworking and have good customer service skills. The Shears education team are experts in Hairdressing training; with their heritage of over 45 years in a salon environment offering excellent hairdressing skills and top-class client care; they will teach, motivate and inspire you to reach your full potential. Just bring your passion for hairdressing and client care and the Shears education team will do the rest. They deliver specialist one-to-one training in English and Maths Functional Skills, and will also teach you your employment rights and responsibilities and much more .

SHEARS ACADEMY

hen it comes to leaving school, most people think they have to go in to further education or give up training and go straight into work – both options come with their own pros and cons, but if you’re tempted by both, you might be interested in an Apprenticeship.

Are you 16 - 18 and interested in a career in hairdressing or barbering and wish to earn while you learn?

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Stylist: Chris De Faria, Shears Achiever nhf Photo shoot, January 2013, London

Experience not necessary but commitment essential CALL CAROLE NOW ON

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Apprenticeships are a brilliant way to learn, directly from the people that know best - hairdressers

Private bespoke courses are also available tailored to your success, simply call Dawn to book an appointment 40 l www.meridian-magazine.co.uk

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Education

Touring the world with purpose Awareness development

upils at Eltham College are fortunate to have a team of dedicated teaching staff who are prepared to organise interesting trips across the globe, so that no matter what area of interest a child has, there is an opportunity to go away and reach out into the world. Understanding different cultures is an important life skill and travel to foreign lands is a good way of developing a child’s awareness. For example, over the last year Eltham College has sung on the East Coast of the USA in Washington, Philadelphia and New York, played rugby in Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Cook Islands as well as cricket in South Africa, trekked in the foothills of Mt Kinabalu Borneo, and visited a school in Tanzania. Whilst these journeys far and wide have an element of fun and enjoyment, each trip also has important community service and charitable aspects built in to

them. The choir sang in churches and to communities in Armish settlements in the States, the sport tours raised funds for charity and taught local children cricket in Soweto and rugby in the Cook Islands. In Borneo the pupils built water towers as part of a rainwater-harvesting project for the locals, and in Tanzania they helped improve a school’s facilities and taught English to the pupils. The school in Kisasa, Tanzania, has a special relationship to Eltham College. Over the last two years we have supported it with a member of our staff who has provided a voluntary service teaching the pupils there and assisting with the development programme. This has been supported with several Old Elthamians spending six months at a time working alongside her, together with regular visits in the October half terms by our current students – 24 are planned to visit this year. So far they have created a library and laboratory,

providing the resources for both, and constructed a running track. They have also provided English conversation classes as well as formal debates, and organised drama and sporting activities. The school has raised funds for the provision of desks in the Primary School and to complete new classrooms. We hope that another member of staff will go out to take over this programme in the future. Eltham College is proud of its foundations as the School for the Sons of Missionaries. The ethos of serving others permeates the school and the Houses are named after famous missionaries – Livingstone, Carey, Williams and Moffat. Even in the twenty-first century Eltham College strives to maintain that culture where serving others comes first. Eltham College, www.eltham-college.org.uk

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Education

ISI commendation Pupils exuding confidence Sports Scholarships - Improvements to the King’s Rochester Sports Centre, which is also open seven days a week to the public, are continuing this Autumn and will include new Technogym equipment and the first phase of a major tennis court rebuild. To mark the opening of the King’s Rochester Sports Centre last year, Principal, Jeremy Walker introduced a wide range of Sports Scholarships available to talented sporting 11, 13 and 16 year olds.

t the end of the last academic year the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate (ISI) rated King’s Rochester “good” or “excellent” in every area across King’s Senior, Preparatory and Pre-Preparatory Schools. The ISI compliments King’s that “from the youngest to the oldest... pupils exude confidence and happiness because of the excellent provision the school makes to promote their personal development.”

Academic Success - There were smiles all round again at King’s Rochester when A Level and GCSE envelopes were opened in August. 33% of all A Level passes were in the coveted A* and A brackets, with 10% at A*. 66% of all results were at A* to B with the Grammar Stream (top 40% of the cohort) attaining an average of 464 UCAS points (where an A* is worth 140 points). Results at King’s are even better than last year’s high standards and particularly impressive in the light of a drop in grades across the country. As a consequence, King’s pupils are heading off to some of the best universities in the country with 43% going to the Russell Group and over half to the Top 30 UK Universities (The Sunday Times League Table). Principal, Jeremy Walker, who has just completed his first year at the helm of King’s, said, “This has been another impressive year for our A Level results. But, as a high-

achieving, broad-ability school we are just as interested in the value we add to a pupil’s results. Our recent inspection report commented that our “pupils’ academic results are achieved due to the exceptional quality of the relationship with their teachers." This has, again, been borne out by an even better set of results than last year." And GCSE pupils at this broad-ability school achieved an impressive 43% A*/A and 70% A*-B grades in 2013, which makes this year’s results some of the best in the last five years. Mr Walker commented, “Our hardworking pupils and their teachers deserve hearty congratulations again this year. Our 2013 results have witnessed a clear increase in the numbers of A* and A grades achieved. This is particularly pleasing in a year when the press has reported that GCSE results could be affected by changes to exams, with top grades becoming more difficult to attain. I am delighted to report that we at King’s Rochester have noticed no such trend. Well done to all concerned!” To find out more about King’s Rochester, visit the school at the next open day on Saturday 5 October, 9.30am – 12 noon. Principal Jeremy Walker will speak at 9.45am. Further information available from the Registrar, Mrs Lynne Davies (01634 888590) admissions@kings-rochester.co.uk www.kings-rochester.co.uk

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Education

Back to school! Round-up

Welcome to YES! Now is the time to give your child a head start. At Young Education Services we can help pupils fulfill themselves academically. Founded in 1991, YES employs a group of fully qualified and experienced teachers and graduates, dedicated to improving educational standards by offering private tuition tailored to pupils’ specific needs. We offer courses in a wide range of subjects to children aged between 4 and 16, at our centre in Greenwich. To book or find out more please call 0208 858 9180 or see our website www.youngeducationservices.co.uk, where you can also view a selection of our testimonials too.

Breaside Celebrate Outstanding Examination Results Breaside Preparatory School in Bromley was honoured to welcome Ms Elizabeth Truss, Under Secretary of State for Childcare and Education (below), at the end of last term. Ms Truss visited the School’s Kindergarten and Pre-Prep and was very impressed with the learning environment in which the youngest pupils are accomplishing so much.

Amazing Art Eltham Hill School hosted a special private viewing of Fine Art, Photography, Textiles and Product Design produced by Eltham Hill School students. Over 90 people attended the event including the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillor Angela Cornforth who said of the event, “It was a brilliant opportunity to visit Eltham Hill School and see the great art work students have produced.”

Breaside prepares pupils from 2½ to 11 years for both Grammar and Independent Senior Schools in a caring and nurturing environment. Once again, SATs and 11+ entry results for 2013 were outstanding with pupils gaining places to Grammar Schools including St Olave's, Bexley, Chislehurst and Sidcup and Wilmington and Independent Schools including Dulwich College, Trinity and Bromley High, with many gaining academic, creative and sports scholarships.

Fast becoming the school of choice in the Bromley area. Babington House School is an independent day school in Chislehurst for girls aged 3-16 and boys aged 3-11 years. It is an outstanding school in very way. The boys and girls receive first class education in a supportive and academic environment. We select children on their academic ability and potential, as well as personal qualities and we achieve excellent results. Babington House benefits from small class sizes of no more than 20 pupils and a strong sense of community.

Madeleine Griffin, Eltham Hill School Principal, said, “We are extremely proud of the amazing art work our students have done for this exhibition. It is really nice to celebrate their achievements with this private viewing.” Eltham Hill, London SE9 5EE, Tel: 020 8859 2843 www.elthamhill-greenwich.com

DESIGN SERVICES

Year 7 student gets on her bike!

The School’s latest “Outstanding” Ofsted report stated that, “Pupils are articulate and confident, their behaviour is outstanding, and they are extremely enthusiastic about their learning and about the exceptional breadth of learning opportunities in the outstanding curriculum”.

GCSE Exam Success – a reason to celebrate! Students at Babington House School in Chislehurst saw their hard work rewarded with excellent GCSE results. The delight was evident when pupils received their results, with every pupil at Babington House achieving at least five GCSE’s at grades A* to C. 68% had A* to B grades. Samantha Leighton was one of the year’s star performers with 9 A*s including IGCSE Maths.

Breaside is committed to achieving the very best for each individual child from Kindergarten through to preparation for secondary transfer at the end of Year 6. Executive Principal, Mrs Karen Nicholson, said “We are delighted with our 2013 examination results and wish our leavers every success in the future”.

Corelli College Year 7 student, Jakaterina Sinakova (below), recently came top of the class and beat off challengers from a host of schools across London to win the Rollapaluza Sustrans School League Year 7 girls final. The challenge is an exhilarating spectacle and several classes of Year 7 & 8 students joined in the qualification rounds at Corelli College as part of a nationwide initiative to encourage students to cycle. Jakaterina showed great determination to be crowned champion and as a reward for her winning efforts, had her photo taken with Olympic and World gold medal winning track cyclist, Steven Burke. However, if that was not enough she will also be presented with a brand new mountain bike by Sustrans. Corelli College, Corelli Road, Blackheath SE3 8EP Tel: 020 8516 7977, www.corellicollege.org.uk

41 - 43 Orchard Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 2PR Tel: 020 8460 0916

For further details contact Tel: 020 8467 5537 or email: alee@babingtonhouse.com

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Education

A Brilliant Future For The John Roan School

he John Roan School was lucky enough to be one of the last schools in the country to secure funding through the previous government's BSF Programme. Building work started in earnest in July 2012, and staff and pupils will be moving back into the refurbished Maze Hill listed building in the summer of 2014, and the stunning new state-of-the-art building on the Westcombe Park site in September 2014. Years 7, 8 and the 6th Form will be based in Maze Hill so that every Year 7 student can have a 6th Form mentor. Years 9, 10 and 11 will be based on the Westcombe Park site. Year groups will remain at 210 students, enabling pastoral care to continue to be outstanding. The 6th Form will double in size to 350. John Roan's superb sports facilities in Kidbrooke Park Road are ten minutes

drive away, and the school has its own outward bound centre in Braithwaite in the Lake District which every student is able to visit. Headteacher Des Malone adds, "We are all delighted with this summer's continuing upward trend in GCSE results, along with our 'outstanding' rating for A level performance. Furthermore, in surveys 96% of students give a high satisfaction rating with the school, as do 94% of parents, and these figures are consistent year on year. We have over 300 years of history, a track record of Oxbridge and Russell Group University entrants, and a brilliant future." The John Roan School is a coeducational, Specialist School in Science and Mathematics. For school news, admission criteria and Open Days information, visit www. thejohnroan.greenwich.sch.uk or call 020 8516 7555.

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Education

Op Mornen ing

9th N ov 10.00 2013 -12.0 0

The Pointer School (Blackheath)

First Class Examination Results Organic Food Christian Evangelical in ethos Breakfast Club & After-School Care Large variety of outdoor and PE activities ‘The Brazilian Kickers’ teach football the Brazilian way Numerous Extra-Curricular Activities (Fencing to Horse Riding) Holiday Club (Christmas, Easter, Summer and half-term) OFSTED: OUTSTANDING IN ALL AREAS

19 Stratheden Road, Blackheath SE3 7TH 020 8293 1331 secretary@pointers-school.co.uk www.pointers-school.co.uk 46 l www.meridian-magazine.co.uk

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Education

Making an informed choice Single sex education

hoosing a school is a huge responsibility and one that can cause significant stresses for even the most confident parents. Single sex education tends to be something we have an inbuilt preference for or against but, in an increasingly competitive world, parents would do well to check their own pre-conceptions and look at the benefits that individual schools can offer. As a Boys Only school Bickley Park experiences those benefits on a daily basis. As individuals we all learn differently. Teacher training nowadays focusses very heavily on delivering lessons that suit all learning styles, ensuring all lessons have visual, auditory and kinaesthetic elements. However, there are gender stereotypes all around us that influence the extent to which boys and girls will take

part in activities and even their perceptions of how well they will achieve in certain areas. Allowing boys to try new things and encouraging them to take part in curriculum areas that girls would be more naturally drawn to, means our pupils are actively engaged in areas as diverse as Drama and Poetry, Charity Fundraising, Hiking, Choir and Scientific Enquiry. Single sex education does more than challenge gender stereotypes. It allows boys to develop at their own pace, building lasting friendships and relationships with the guidance of a significant male staff who act as excellent role models within the school community, something few primary schools now offer. Boys leave us at 13 as confident young men, ready to finish their education at their next school with a clear idea of who they are and what they want to achieve.

At Bickley Park School we also have a broad curriculum for boys to enjoy which includes a wealth of sports and activity to ensure even the most active children are fully engaged in the school day. We have an extensive after school clubs programme featuring many boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favourites such as Warhammer Club, Karate and Golf. Life at our Prep School is hectic but rewarding and at annual Prize-Giving it is wonderful to see the Best Cricketer Award be picked up by the same boy who moments earlier enjoyed applause for his efforts in Home Economics. If you think Bickley Park School life would be ideal for your son then please get in touch with us info@bickleyparkschool.co.uk or come along to our next Open Morning on Friday 11th October from 9.15am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12pm.

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Young Education Services Give your child a head start At YES we can help pupils fulfil themselves academically

Now Booking for the new Autumn term We are now a mock exam centre for 11+ exams. Not sure of your child’s ability? Worried about your child’s academic progress? Book a formal assessment with us.

TUTORS & VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

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Parenthood

Parenting news and views Working Mothers - Getting Ready to Return to Work

DESIGN SERVICES

lthough you are bound to be very busy during your maternity leave, it is important to allow yourself some time to prepare for your return to work. In the couple of weeks before your return to work date, give yourself some time to address any concerns you may have about being a working mother. This is a huge change in your life, so in order to make the transition as smooth as possible, you will need to research and resolve any potential issues, such as: Childcare - A major issue for newly working mothers is the provision of responsible, affordable childcare. If you are lucky enough to have a friend or family member that is able to look after your baby on a regular basis, be sure to value their time. If you need to locate a childminder or day nursery, check first at your local children's information service, then ask other working mums or women at your mother and baby group for recommendations. Give your baby or child some practice runs in their new childcare environment before you go back to work. Most nurseries and childminders will have a system set up for introducing new starters, but you'll need to be able to slot some time in to make sure you get the most out of this, and your little one is not too upset by the new surroundings. Get Prepared - Understand your own particular flash points of stress and prepare yourself. If, for example, you are keen for your baby to only eat organic food you have made, batch cook and freeze in portions way ahead of your first day back to work. If you are concerned about arriving to work on time, do a trial run between home, the childminder and your workplace. Talk to Your Employer - If you are sticking to the

agreed return date, you do not officially have to contact your employer before you go back to work, but many women feel more relaxed about it if they have at least stayed in touch through the odd email or phone call during their maternity leave. You could perhaps arrange to have a coffee one afternoon in the week before you return, or have a half-day on your first day, if possible. Treat Yourself - If finances allow, treat yourself to a new haircut or suit (or both!) before you go back to work. If you are conscious of your baby weight, invest in some good quality light support underwear to give you a boost of confidence in your first few weeks. Finally, as the day arrives and you have prepared the baby’s food, have a great new haircut and are going to arrive on time, make sure you have a towel or cloth over your shoulder as you say goodbye to your baby - both for dabbing possible tears and to ensure you do not arrive on your first day with baby sick on your shoulder.

It’s Party Time

Ottie & the Bea are celebrating their 3rd birthday on 14 September from 2pm onwards. With lots of treats and surprises in store plus a free Okido workshop (pre booking essential on 020 8465 5318). Dresscode: Party as there will be prizes and at 5pm cake! Ottie and the Bea, 12 Old Dover Road, Blackheath Royal Standsard, SE3 7BT.

Oﬀers a wide range of products for infants and parents • High-quality wooden toys and furniture • Specialists in organic and fair trade toiletries, suitable for all the family • Organic cotton clothing for children from birth up to 12 years old • A range of baby carriers • Home guard security gates for windows

52 Greenwich Church Street SE10 9BL (Near Cutty Sark) I 020 8858 6690

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