Service Parents Guide to Boarding Schools Sept 2015

September 2015

www.serviceschools.co.uk

SERVICE PARENTS’ GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOLS TM

Published in association with

Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS)

Armed Forces

Boarding

Funding

Languages

Mathematics

Science

Sports

Special Needs

Foreword by General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE ADC Gen Commander Joint Forces Command

Distributed to: Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) all MoD Units by BFPO under contract The Foreign & Commonwealth Office

CEAS Contact details: Email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com Website: www.gov.uk/childrens-education-advisory-service

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Start here, go anywhere

by General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE ADC Gen Commander Joint Forces Command

Foreword

by General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE ADC Gen Commander Joint Forces Command eciding on how to educate your children is without doubt one of the biggest decisions that every parent must take. The result will be one of the major influences on a child’s life; all of us know that we have been shaped by our schooling in ways that fundamentally affect our approach to the rest of our lives. Making the decision about schooling is hard enough, but clearly more difficult for those in the armed forces. There is an inevitable tension between on the one hand choosing to keep a family together, which entails paying the price in terms of regular moves, living with the limitations of somewhat austere and remote locations, and the separation from wider family and friends, and on the other hand opting for lengthy periods of separation that are part of most boarding options.

The financial implications of this choice are as important to us all as the most major purchases we make in our lives. We all have to settle on priorities: on the careers that we pursue, the houses that we buy or rent, and schooling. We should recognise too that the decisions we make about education will be shaped by the changing conditions of service as the armed forces transform. In a few years, for the first time for centuries, the great bulk of the UK armed forces will be permanently based on the UK mainland. The new employment model will encourage and support greater stability, not least through longer tours and fewer moves of location. There will be new incentives surrounding house purchase and a much greater integration of regular and reserve service. The very likely corollary of this is that fewer of the armed forces will meet the conditions for public support to the education of their children, but it will remain available for those that meet the criteria. On the other hand as more and more families are able to establish lives with both parents in employment there will be different ways of funding education and different choices to make.

There will also very likely be a different operational horizon from that which we have managed for the last decade or so: as our enduring interventions in first Iraq and now Afghanistan conclude there is very likely to be less emphasis on a regular pattern of enduring overseas tours and much greater uncertainty and new operational commitments ahead. Whatever this is, I judge that it will be no less demanding given the nature of the world as it is currently unfolding.

My own family’s position reflected the debate that is common to so many families, but we opted for education as our top priority.

Our choice was to set a very high quality academic environment, the widest possible availability of opportunities, and a highly supportive and stable educational environment as our most important requirements. Quite apart from the obvious virtues of this mix, it was also designed to cope with my own prolonged absences, often at very short notice, on operational duty abroad.

We thought, and we still think that we were right, that this was the best way of building pleasant, contented, well-rounded and appropriately ambitious young adults who believed that, in the words of the school, they could now ‘do anything’. I also know from experience that this formula left me able to focus a 100% on my operational duties, knowing that the home front was very well managed, and this made an enormous difference to the quality of

D

my work. It has entailed a smaller house and a much more battered sequence of cars than I would have liked, but it was a question of priorities and it was money well spent.

So I readily commend this guide to you all. It sets out a very wide range of options, covering a variety of locations, educational environments and specialities. It won’t necessarily make the decisions that you make any easier, but it will provide an excellent start to the detailed research that is necessary and it will definitely help you narrow down some options and prepare the family for visits. ■

General Sir Richard Barrons was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1977, prior to reading for a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Queen’s College, Oxford. He has completed a Masters in Defence Administration (1990), Army Staff College (1991) and the Higher Command and Staff Course (2003). He was appointed MBE in 1993, OBE in 1999, CBE in 2003, awarded QCVS in 2004 and 2006 and appointed as an Officer of the US Legion of Merit in 2009. He is an ADC to Her Majesty the Queen and was appointed KCB in 2013. He is the Colonel Commandant and President of the Honourable Artillery Company, Honorary Colonel of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and an Honorary Fellow of the Queen's College, Oxford.

He has completed a range of regimental duties in UK, Germany and worldwide on training. On operations he has served extensively in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan in UN, UK and NATO appointments. He has commanded units at Battery (B Battery, 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery), Regiment (3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, 1999, including Kosovo and Bosnia) and Brigade (39 Infantry Brigade in Northern Ireland). As Major General he was Deputy Commanding General of Multinational Corps Iraq (Baghdad, 2008), leading on operations with the Iraqi Armed Forces. He was appointed Chief of Staff of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in April 2009 and, shortly afterwards, moved again to be Director Force Reintegration in HQ ISAF assisting the Afghan Government’s efforts on Taliban reintegration and political reconciliation.

He was Assistant Chief of the General Staff (2010) covering the SDSR and Defence Reform exercises before promoting to Lieutenant General (2011) and taking post as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations) – the director of operations for UK armed forces. He assumed command of Joint Forces Command on promotion to General in 2013.

General Barrons is married to Cherry and they have two children, Annabel and Charlotte. General Barrons enjoys downhill skiing, cycling, military history, good films and peripatetic gardening.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 3

Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools and Service Parents’ Guide logo are trade marks owned by Bulldog Publishing Ltd

Published by BULLDOG PUBLISHING LIMITED Unit B4 Beech House Melbourn Science Park Melbourn Hertfordshire SG8 6HB Tel: 01763 268120 Fax: 01763 268129 Web: www.serviceschools.co.uk

Editor Sheila White has worked in educational publishing for more than 30 years. She is an editor, writer and project manager. She has written and produced information and educational material for schools, industry and national organisations. Sheila is a member of the Society of Authors and the Society for Editors and Proofreaders.

Publisher: Design and production: Printed: Directors:

David Lidbury CB Creative Limited Tel: 01223 750566 www.cb2creative.com

by Warners Midlands plc Peter Threlfall (Chairman) Bruce Hodge (Managing) Roger Dalzell

The information in this Guide was correct to the best of the Editor’s and Publisher’s belief, at the time of going to press and no responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions.While every effort has been made, it may not always have been possible to trace all copyright holders. If any omissions are brought to our attention, we will be happy to include appropriate acknowledgements in the next edition of the Guide. Bulldog Publishing Limited is registered under the Data Protection Act (1984). Registration No: PX 4103362. All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Editorial Advisory Board

Ian Jones (Chair)

Graham Able

Adrian Underwood

Ian Jones’ career includes 11 years as Head Master of Bedford School, two years as the Director of Studies at Britannia Royal Naval College, and six years as the Regional Director of an Education Charity in SouthEast Asia. Since 1995 he has been an education consultant, initially as an Ofsted Inspector and a Reporting Inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate and most recently as a Tutor for the National Professional Qualification for Head Teachers. He has also been on the Governing body of a number of independent schools, mainly in East Anglia.

He captained Cambridge University at hockey and represented Great Britain in the Rome and Tokyo Olympics. He edited the Guide from 2007 to 2012 and is Chair of the Editorial Advisory Board.

Graham Able has spent 40 years in independent schools, the last 22 of these as Headmaster of Hampton School and then Master of Dulwich College. After retiring from Dulwich he was appointed Chief Executive of the Alpha Plus Group; he recently retired from this role but remains Group Deputy Chairman. Having previously served on the governing bodies of Roedean and Imperial College, he is currently a governor of Gresham’s School and of Beeston Hall, where he was once a pupil and is now Vice-Chairman. A former chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), he has advised governing boards on their structure and effectiveness. He enjoys golf, cricket, sailing and contract bridge; he is also a lifelong supporter of Norwich City Football Club.

Adrian Underwood’s career has been in boarding education for over 40 years since 1971. From 1975 to 1997 he was headmaster of a boarding and day school. In 1998 Adrian became National Director of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).

He watched over the Association’s development into the world’s major boarding association. He was appointed OBE in 2007 for services to education. He now lives on the North Norfolk coast and is an educational consultant and a lead inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau and the CfBT Education Trust. He is a governor of Wymondham College and enjoys sailing, golf, tennis and training ambulance drivers for a local day care centre.

4 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools September 2015

LEADERSHIP

SPORTSMANSHIP TSMANSHIP • RESPECT • CHARACTER • PRIDE • SELF-DISCIPLINE • SPIRITUALITY • SPOR

Full aand weekly weeklly boarding boardiing from September 2015 The Duke off Yo ork’s Royal Military School is a state boarding school for students aged 11 to 18.

We welcome applications from any student who wants to study GCSEs and A Levels at our unique and iconic school with its strong traditions.

Open Mor Morning: ning: Satur Saturday day 10 October 2015 Contact us to book a place or to arrange a personal tour and interview

Why choose us?

‘Good’ in all areas by Active lifestyle including • Graded • sport, music, drama and Ofsted. activities.

GCSE success rate is • Our £24.9 million refurbishment significantly higher than the • has delivered a new national average. sports centre, high-quality student is encouraged • Every accommodation and to achieve their potential in

a supportive community.

teaching blocks and a performing arts centre.

ethos helps develop • Military have the flexibility • Students character and life skills. of full and weekly boarding 2015/16 fees are just £11,820* per year.

from September 2015.

If you qualify for CEA, you will only pay £1,182 per year.

Enquiries: 01304 245073 admin.office@doyrms.com

www.doyrms.com www .doyrms.com *Fees are reviewed annually

Contents 03

Foreword

Schools founded by the Military

by General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE ADC Gen Commander Joint Forces Command

52

Queen Victoria School, Dunblane (Scotland) – Wendy Bellars, Head of Queen Victoria School, Dunblane

Education of Service children

54

A unique and iconic school

08

Introduction Education of Service children: the boarding option

10

Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA)

11

How to apply for CEA

12

What is the Continuity of Education Allowance Governance Team (CEAGT)?

14

Continuity of Education Allowance: frequently asked questions

16

CEA application process – a summary

17

What is Service Children's Education (SCE)?

18

Childcare voucher scheme

19

Specific learning difficulties

20

Education in Scotland

22

The Schools Fair at the Defence Academy

66

Academies offering boarding

23

School despatches

68

State and independent school partnership with a military connection

– Chris Russell, Executive Principal of The Duke of York’s Royal Military School

56

– James Lockwood, Headmaster of The Royal Hospital School, Holbrook

57

The pupils

Boarding at a state-funded school 60

The parents – how boarding affects families

Choosing and assessing schools 34

62

36

What about boarding schools?

– Barnaby Lenon, Head Master of Harrow School, 1999–2011, and Chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC)

64

Boarding or day?

39

Inspections of boarding schools

– Irfan Latif, Head Master of Sexey’s School, Bruton

– Mike Milner, Principal of The Wellington Academy

70

Sixth form boarding in an Academy – Chris Liston, Head of Boarding at The Priory Academy LSST

Boarding at an independent school 72

The merits of boarding at an independent school

76

Choosing a good school and the right school – John Moule, Warden of Radley College

78

The case for continuity – Mark Turnbull, Headmaster of Giggleswick School

80 82

Globalism: What do schools and the Armed Forces have in common?

A safe pair of hands – professional development for boarding staff teams – Alex Thomson, Director of Training, Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA)

The importance of partnerships between independent and state schools – Richard Harman, Headmaster of Uppingham School and Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC)

– Adrian Underwood, Educational Consultant and Lead Inspector

84

Schools as communities in the widest sense – Mark Wallace, Principal of Lincoln Minster School

86

The extra-curricular challenge – Emma Taylor, Head of Christ College, Brecon

43

Selecting a school

44

School visits: questions and answers

46

Getting the best out of a school

48

Interpreting league tables and the different exams now offered in schools

88

The importance of good governance

Lessons in leadership through the CCF – Antony Clark, Headmaster of Malvern College

90

Securing the future of the CCF – Thomas Garnier, Headmaster of Pangbourne College

92

– Alex Peterken, Headmaster of Cheltenham College

50

An education that remains once school is completed

– Antony Spencer, Principal of St Lawrence College

38

41

Mobility: a career necessity but an educational risk – Paul Spencer Ellis, Headmaster of the Royal Alexandra and Albert School and Chairman of the State Boarding Schools’ Association (SBSA)

What makes a good school?

– Peter Roberts, Headmaster of The King’s School, Canterbury

What provision do you make for the needs of children from Service families?

– Raymond McGovern, Headmaster of St George’s School

– how it works out in practice, from those on the receiving end

30

The gateway to a technical career in defence – Peter Middleton, Principal of Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College

Pupils and parents 25

Maintaining 300-year-old links with the Royal Navy

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme: the cornerstone to a co-curricular programme – Chris Alcock, Headmaster of Queen’s College, Taunton

94

– Graham Able, Group Deputy Chairman, Alpha Plus

School sport: a head’s perspective – Richard Biggs, Headmaster of King’s College, Taunton

96

Boarding opportunities at independent sixth form colleges – Rachel Borland, Principal of DLD College, London

6 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools September 2015

Preparatory schools

Specialist schools

98

The advantages of starting boarding in a preparatory school

132

Specialist schools – arts, drama, music

100

133

Specialist schools: nurturing special talents

The popularity of prep school boarding

– Stefan Anderson, Principal of Tring Park School for the Performing Arts

– Simon O’Malley, Headmaster of Wellesley House School

102

134

Where ‘boys can be boys’

Choristers sing for their supper – Jane Capon, Information Officer of the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA)

– Rob Morse, Headmaster of Aysgarth School

103

‘Girl heaven’ – Sarah Wicks, Headmistress of Knighton House School

104

Special educational needs and disabilities 136

Pastoral care in the blink of an eye?

– Roger Jones, Headmaster of Dean Close Preparatory School

106

Choosing a boarding prep school – in Scotland!

– Innes MacAskill, Headmaster of Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar

108

Junior boarding: a positive experience for younger children – and their families

– Sarah McKimm, specialist education lawyer

138

Provision in the independent sector for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities

140

Why early intervention matters – Nick Goodman, Principal of Frewen College

– John Baugh, Headmaster of the Dragon School, Oxford

110

Stability breeds success: the benefits of boarding young

142 144

113

‘The key is the child and what the child will want’ – Sir Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, 2006–15

116

School life and home life should complement and reinforce each other Boarding makes the difference: a girls-only perspective – Rhiannon Wilkinson, Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey

124

After GCSEs – what next?

Key post-16 curriculum choices – Simon Smith, Deputy Head (Academic) of Haileybury

150

Sixth form programmes: the choice

Paying the fees 151

Entitlement to CEA – the Bursar’s view – Bob Moorhouse, Bursar of Wymondham College

152

Paying the fees: a major financial commitment – Mike Lower, General Secretary, Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA)

Strong role models in boys’ boarding schools: former Service personnel bring an extra dimension – Adrian Wyles, Head Master of The Oratory School, South Oxfordshire

128

148

Girls thrive in science – Eve Jardine-Young, Principal of Cheltenham Ladies’ College

127

146

– Richard Cairns, Head Master of Brighton College

– Emma McKendrick, Head of Downe House

122

Sixth form choices

Questions to ask your daughter – Sylvia Brett, Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College

118

My child has dyslexia. How do I find the right school?

– Brendan Wignall, Headmaster of Ellesmere College and Chair of CReSTed

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Single-sex or co-education? The pros and cons

‘Believe. Inspire, Succeed’ – David Quick, Headteacher of Slindon College

– William Dunlop, Head of Clayesmore Preparatory School

112

All change for children and young people with SEN and disabilities?

153

The best of both worlds – the ‘diamond model’

Schools offering special awards for children of personnel serving in the Armed Forces

– Ian Davies, Headmaster of Brentwood School

130

Girls’ sport: challenging, competitive and passionate – Pauline Stott, Director of Sport at Kilgraston School

131

Inspiring confidence in girls – Dr Felicia Kirk, Headmistress of St Mary’s Calne

Appendix 157 160

Useful contacts Boarding schools in this issue, by county

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 7

Education of Service children Introduction – Education of Service children: the boarding option

Introduction Education of Service children: the boarding option ‘We in the Services have three options: our children have a disruptive education; we board; or we live apart from our families. None of these is ideal for most people.’1 Such was an indictment about ten years ago of the choice facing Service parents starting to educate their children. This guide aims to provide an outline of the various boarding options, sources of where to find the essential information, and how to make the best of all the opportunities, both short and long term, of a boarding education. Not everybody wants to board, but the alternatives of moving school with every change of posting can seriously disrupt continuity of education and eventual realisation of potential. Boarding, therefore, deserves serious consideration.

Although the majority of Service children are educated in LEA maintained day schools in the UK, there are some 500 accredited boarding schools in membership of either the Independent Schools Council (ISC) or the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) with a total boarding population of 70,642 pupils in January 2015. Of these, more than 115 schools educate 15 Service children or more.

Many service parents are eligible to claim the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), which provides assistance with meeting the boarding fee. Consequently, Service children make up a vital proportion of those boarding, and their needs and special circumstances are well understood within the schools. In 2013–14 the Ministry of Defence spent £65.8 million on boarding fees for children from Armed Forces families.

Parents contribute at least 10% Parents are required to contribute a minimum of 10% of the school fees; many pay much more, as the maximum allowance covers less of the fees for their chosen school. Since 2009–10 the reduced overall numbers of Service personnel has meant a reduction in the number of claimants of CEA. Nevertheless, in July 2013, the latest date for full figures, the MoD reported that in the Autumn Term 2012 there were 5,972 CEA service children in boarding schools on its Accredited Schools Database – 3,805 in the Army, 1,288 in the RAF, 702 in the Royal Navy and 177 in the Royal Marines.2 There were 2,476 Officer claimants and 1,631 from other ranks.

In January 2015, the Independent Schools Council’s Annual Census reported that the total number was 4,820 of whom 873 were new pupils, compared with 954 pupils in 2014 and with 879 in 2013. Service children are distributed across about 440 schools, 37 of which are state boarding schools, and they represent about 7% of the total number of children in boarding schools in the UK. The October 2011 Government-led review3 found that CEA contributes to operational effectiveness by supporting family mobility and accompanied service. It is greatly valued by claimants; but it is expensive, complex to administer and has had a weak governance

8

structure. The review confirmed that CEA contributes to operational effectiveness by supporting family mobility and accompanied service and therefore there will be no changes to the key principles of CEA. These are: ● current rates for parental contributions (a minimum of 10% of the school’s fees) will be maintained ● parents will continue to be able to choose the school that is most appropriate for their children from the wide range of independent and state schools on the MoD Accredited Schools Database ● there will be no change to the allowances for Special Needs (SENA) and North Wales Day School provision.

Parents should be aware that at the time of writing a review of CEA policy is underway with the aim of simplifying the regulations to allow them to be more easily governed by the CEAGT (Continuity of Education Allowance Governance Team). The MoD has been asked whether this current rewriting of the rules around CEA could mean further changes or cuts in allowances or entitlement to them. The MoD has reassured that it will not and that the rewriting of the rules is a matter of clarification and not a major change of policy.

Contacting CEAS We aim to keep readers as up-to-date as possible with all the recent developments in CEA criteria. Service parents wanting information about CEA are reminded to contact the Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) by telephoning 01980 618244 or by email at enquiries@ceas.uk.com (see page 11). In the guide we also elaborate on the extent to which the independent sector is now affected by the changes initiated by the Charity Commissioners.

Boarding is one of the greatest strengths of British education. This guide considers some of the key issues facing all Service parents, and elaborates on many of the pros and cons. It emphasises the advantages of planning ahead and carefully researching the possibilities. Above all, it is aimed specifically at the Service parent and it illustrates the very wide range of boarding opportunities not always appreciated by the average parent.

We would like to thank all our contributors, particularly General Sir Richard Barrons, Commander Joint Forces Command, for his Foreword, our new contributors, and the parents and pupils for their insightful comments on how boarding works in practice. We hope you will find it helpful; we welcome your feedback and your suggestions on how future editions can be improved. ■ 1

House of Commons Defence Committee’s Educating Service Children Report, September 2006

2

House of Commons Defence Committee, 9 July 2013

3

Hansard, 13 October 2011

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA)

Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) What is the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA)?

The MoD offers the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) to: ● help provide continuity of education for a child ● enable the spouse of a Service person (SP) to accompany them on postings.

In claiming CEA, a Service person must fully accept that accompanied service is the overriding principle for maintaining entitlement. An exception to this requirement is a SP who is classified as Involuntarily Separated (INVOLSEP). This classification must be confirmed by the claimant’s Commanding Officer or by means of casework to Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) before claiming while serving unaccompanied.

CEA is available for children aged eight years and over. There is a junior and senior rate of CEA – which allowance you are eligible for depends on the fee structure of the school you choose. The junior and senior rates are not related to rank.

Children for whom CEA is being claimed must be placed in their correct chronological year group. If a school suggests that a child be placed, on entry to the school, in the year behind (or in front of) their correct year group, advice and authority for this must be sought from CEAS before the placement is accepted as this may affect your eligibility to claim CEA. Advice and authority must also be sought from CEAS if a child is back-yeared or asked to repeat a year in a school they are already attending.

You are expected to contribute a minimum of 10% towards the fees.

The fees are only part of the costs of attending a boarding school and so it is important to be clear about any extras the school charges for.

CEA rates per term (w.e.f. 1 August 2015) CEA (Board) – Junior

£5,142.00

CEA (Board) – Senior

£6,749.00

CEA (Day) – Junior

£3,029.00

CEA (Day) – Senior

£4,055.00

money because they only charge for accommodation costs and not tuition costs. For more information on these schools go to the State Boarding Schools’ Association website (www.sbsa.org.uk).

Day School Allowance (North Wales) Day School Allowance (North Wales) (DSA(NW)) is available to Service families who are serving in an established post in an eligible unit and are resident within the counties of Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire or the Isle of Anglesey, and who meet all the criteria for payment of CEA. It is specifically designed to allow children who move to North Wales following a posting to attend an independent day school as an alternative to a state day school which is operating the bilingual teaching policy. There is no requirement for claimants to pay the 10% parental contribution which applies to CEA. For more information contact your new unit.

Allowance for special educational needs If your child has special educational needs and is eligible for CEA, they may be entitled to a supplement to CEA, the Special Educational Needs Addition (SENA). The SENA is intended to assist towards the higher fees normally payable at specialist independent schools. Contact CEAS for further details (see page 11) and also see page 19 of this guide for more information.

For further information, consult Joint Service Publication JSP 752 on the MoD website: Chapter 1, Section 6, Paragraph 01.0608 Rates of Service Allowances; and Chapter 9, Education Allowances; plus CEAS Broadsheet 1.

Guardian's allowance If your child attends a day school while living with a relative or guardian, you may claim a guardian's allowance. The provision for claiming the allowance is the same as for claiming a CEA. The allowance is not payable if your child is living at home with you.

Claiming a day allowance

Children's visits to parents serving overseas

If you have a child who has been boarding for at least a year you may be able to have a day place and claim a day allowance. This would be on the understanding that when you were posted away from the area your child would remain at the same school, reverting back to full boarding and you would continue with an accompanied posting.

Children up to the age of 18 years at school in the UK are entitled to six free return journeys (Service Children’s Visit (SCV)) a year to visit their parents serving on accompanied tours overseas. A parental contribution of 100 miles of each journey (or 200 miles for a return journey) must be made. If you have two or more children attending the same school, they should normally travel together to and from school. You may claim one SCV per child, but only one parental contribution need be made. There is no assistance towards travel costs for children who are day pupils.

If a child is registered as having special educational needs with CEAS they will be eligible for an additional free visit per year.

The MoD also covers the cost of a first trip to move children to the new family home. Application is made direct to the MoD. ■

Independent and state boarding schools There are many types of boarding school to cater for different age ranges, different abilities and different interests. Most boarding schools are independent and you can find out more about them by going to the Independent Schools Council website (www.isc.co.uk). There are also a number of state boarding schools which provide excellent value for

10

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children How to apply for CEA

How to apply for CEA hildren's Education Advisory Service (CEAS) is a Tri-Service organisation and is part of the MoD's Directorate of Children and Young People (DCYP). CEAS provides Service personnel with essential information and advice on educational, academic and school issues for children, including supporting parents at meetings with schools, local authorities, at tribunal etc.

CEAS is the first point of contact if you are considering applying for CEA. This is to ensure that you have considered all the requirements of JSP 752, Chapter 9, and have been advised on the best options for the education of your child or children.

CEAS no longer approves entitlement to CEA (this responsibility has passed to CEAGT – see page 12) but on receipt of your initial enquiry, CEAS will record your name, rank and number and the names and dates of birth of all children for whom you are claiming, or wish to claim, CEA. CEAS will then post you a uniquely serially numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate Application Form (CEA EC – ‘the Form’) in a CEA Eligibiity Certificate pack.

You must obtain a CEA EC Application Form from CEAS: ● for initial claims for each child ● on a change of school after the initial claim ● at the beginning of each new assignment (posting) ● when your existing certificate is three years old ● on change of PStat Category. ■

C

CEAS helpline CEAS runs a very useful helpline from 08.45 to 16.00 Monday to Friday. No question is too small or too large for the helpline operators to deal with. If they don't know the answer themselves they usually know someone who does.

When the helpline is not available or if the line is busy, you can leave a message on the answer machine or via email. Please leave your name, the name and date of birth of the child (if appropriate) and your contact details (slowly and clearly if leaving an answer machine message).

All CEAS staff have considerable experience of advising Service parents on a wide range of issues regarding Service children's education: ● Vacant – Head of Service ● Vacant – Deputy Head of Service ● Susan Wright, Peter Flood and Sue Smyth – Parent Support Officers based in the Upavon office ● Donna McCartney – Scotland ● Lynne Dominy – Business Manager ● two Executive Officers ● ten helpline operators.

Further information You can find further advice and information on the CEA EC application process in JSP 752 Ch 9.

Contact details Children's Education Advisory Service (CEAS) Trenchard Lines Upavon Pewsey Wiltshire SN9 6BE Telephone: 01980 618244 (civilian) (9)4344 8244 (military) Fax: 01980 618245 (civilian) (9)4344 8245 (military) Email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com Website: www.gov.uk/childrens-education-advisory-service

LUCTON SCHOOL More than education . . .

300 year old rural co-educational boarding school.

Small classes and traditional values. From 5 to 18 years.

BURSARIES AVAILABLE FOR FORCES CHILDREN Lucton, Herefordshire HR6 9PN NEW N RIA EQUEST T CEN RE

Tel: 01568 782000 Website: www.luctonschool.org E-mail: enquiries@luctonschool.org September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 11

Education of Service children What is the Continuity of Education Allowance Governance Team (CEAGT)?

What is the Continuity of Education Allowance Governance Team (CEAGT)? lthough CEAS still issues CEA EC Application Forms, in 2011 the Continuity of Education Allowance Governance Team (CEAGT) was established with responsibility for checking and approving CEA ECs. The establishment of CEAGT involved an amendment to Tri-Service Regulations for Allowance (JSP 752).

CEAGT has a governance role to ensure probity and compliance with the CEA regulations. It operates a programme of checks to validate a Service person’s eligibility and entitlement to claim CEA for the duration of their period of entitlement including random checks of CEA claims submitted. Cases of irregularity or suspected fraud are referred to the appropriate authority in accordance with the MoD’s Policy on Fraud, Theft, Corruption, Bribery and Irregularity.

When you have completed Parts 1 to 3 of the CEA EC, you should send it to CEAGT who will conduct a thorough audit of the application and then complete Part 4. They will then issue the authorised CEA EC to you and you should forward it to your Unit HR staff. You should retain the CEA EC and produce it when requested for audit/eligibility purposes for the duration of the child’s attendance at that school.

The CEA application process is summarised on page 16.

A

Contact details CEAGT has a Group Mailbox address for email: ● Dii: SPVA-DMS CEAGT ● External: SPVA-DMSCEAGT GroupMailbox@mod.uk The postal address is: CEAGT SPVA Room G18 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Innsworth Gloucester GL3 1HW. You may also fax documents to speed up the application process: ● Civ: 01452 718471 ● GPTN: 95471 5471

CEAGT Casework Where eligibility and entitlement are not fully covered by the regulations in JSP 752, casework is to be submitted by your Unit HR to the CEAGT who will consider all the associated factors and seek to make consistent and fair decisions in accordance with the CEA policy.

However, CEAGT does not have authority to alter existing policy or to set a precedent and may refer to CDP (Allowances) for policy guidance before a final decision is made. ■

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12

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Worksop College LIFE CHANGING. VISIT US AND EXPERIENCE LIFE AT WORKSOP COLLEGE OUR SUPERB COLLEGE AND SIXTH FORMPREPARING YOU FOR YOUR FUTURE High Academic standards: small class sizes with individual, targeted mentoring for each pupil Extensive Academic Enrichment Programme, including our prestigious Sixth Form Lecture Series with visiting University lecturers Masterclass programme with Oxford, Nottingham and 6KHкИ HOG 8QLYHUVLWLHV Outstanding boarding facilities for girls and boys with excellent pastoral care in a supportive, home-from-home environment Proud and long-standing association with the Armed Forces, with a well-established Forces boarding community

330 acres of stunning grounds and facilities on the edge of Clumber Park Indoor heated swimming pool, outdoor climbing wall and all-weather Astro pitches Fantastic music facilities including 120-seat recital room, 12 practice rooms, recording studio, Keats Organ in The Chapel College Pines 18-hole golf course Superb Extra-Curricular Programme including World Challenge, Sport, Music and Drama activities Large and active Combined Cadet Force comprising of all three sections: Army, Navy and Royal Air Force

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Education of Service children Continuity of Education Allowance: frequently asked questions

Continuity of Education Allowance: frequently asked questions Eligibility

The application process

Q: How old does my child have to be before I can claim the allowance for them?

A: You can claim CEA for a child from the academic year that they are eight years old.

Q: How do I obtain a CEA Eligibility Certificate?

A: Contact CEAS by phone (01980 618244 or mil 94344 8244), fax (01980 618245 or mil 94344 8245) or email enquiries@ceas.uk.com. CEAS will take some initial details from you and issue your uniquely numbered application form(s) in a CEA Eligibility Certificate pack.

Q: What school can I send my child to?

A: Any school on the Accredited Schools Database, appropriate for your child’s age and gender, will attract the allowance. You are required to consider state boarding schools when selecting a school for your child.

Q: Why do I have to give my family address history in section 1 of the CEA Eligibility Certificate?

A: The family address history shows a commitment to family mobility, which is a key consideration in granting CEA. Q: How long before my end of service can I start claiming CEA? A: You must have at least 12 months to serve when you make an initial claim for CEA. The date is taken from the day your child starts at the school.

Inspiring children to excel

Q: How long does the application process take?

A: The application process may take 12 to 15 weeks. A timeline sheet will be sent out with the CEA Eligibility Certificate pack.

Q: When do I need to complete a CEA Eligibility Certificate?

A: A new CEA Eligibility Certificate must be completed: ● for initial claims for each child ● on a change of school thereafter ● at the beginning of each new assignment (posting) for the claimant ● when the certificate is three years old ● on change of PStat Category.

Q: Why does my CO have to sign the CEA Eligibility Certificate?

A: The CO (or their formally delegated representative) is required to conduct an Entitlement Check on each application.

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Q: What information does CEAS require before it can issue a CEA Eligibility Certificate?

A: CEAS needs to know the name and date of birth of the child for whom the claim is being made and the names of any children for whom claims are already being made. We will also need the name, rank, service and service number of the serving parent and the address, fax number or email address for the form to be sent to.

Q: Why does my family need to move for me to retain entitlement?

A: CEA is there to provide continuity of education to Service children whose education would otherwise be disrupted due to Serviceinduced mobility. If the family is not moving with the Service person the children’s education could be provided in the state-maintained day sector and therefore CEA would not be required. It is not a subsidy to pay towards the cost of private education.

Q: Can I live in my own home and still be eligible for CEA? A: Yes, provided that the home is within 50 miles of the current duty station, and on the understanding that should you be assigned more than 50 miles from your home, both you and your family will move to the new assignment station.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children Continuity of Education Allowance: frequently asked questions

What can I claim?

Q: How much is the parental contribution?

A: This will depend on the fees at your chosen school. As a parent you will have to make a minimum contribution of 10% of the fees per term. Therefore, for a pupil at a school that attracts the senior allowance (£6,749), the following contributions would be made: School fees per term £6,000 £7,000 £7,500 £8,000

CEA £5,400 £6,300 £6,749 £6,749

Parental contribution £600 £700 £751 £1,251

Q: Can I claim for extra costs?

A: You can only claim the costs of tuition and boarding. Any additional charges are the responsibility of the parent to meet.

Q: Can I claim for travel costs to take my child(ren) to school?

A: You can claim for six free return journeys (Service Children’s Visit (SCV)) per year. A parental contribution of 100 miles of each journey (or 200 miles for a return journey) must be made. If you have two or more children attending the same school, they should normally travel together to and from school. You may claim one SCV per child, but only one parental contribution need be made.

There is no assistance towards travel costs for children who are day pupils. If a child is registered as having special educational needs with CEAS they will be eligible for an additional free visit per year.

Q: We live overseas. Can my child be escorted to the port/airport?

A: Some children with special needs may be entitled to a professional escort to and from their school to the port/airport of exit. Please contact CEAS for more details. ■

Q: Can I claim for the purchase of school uniform?

A: No. Q: Can I claim for school trips, visits or holidays?

A: No.

Leadingg HMC HM HMC Co-educational Co-educati Co-educationa C edduuccatioo Boarding Boar arding ar di and a d Day Da D y School ol foor 11 – 18 for 8Y Year Yeear Olds The he Headmaster Heaad ster in invites viites i yyou ou to the follo following win eevents: wing vent enntts: FFull u Colleg ull College C o e Open Morning orning – Sa Saturday atur t day 3 Oc October, tober err, 9.00am - 12 noon Sixth Six ixth xt Form Form Open Evening Evening – Mond M Monday day 122 October, Octob ober, 6.30 - 8.30pm Junior Ju u unior House (Form (FForm orm 1 and nd 2) Open Morning Mornin – Sa Saturday S turrday 7 No November, vember em , 9.30am - 12 noon Too arrange T ar arrange a visit, please contact contac tact the Registrar, Registrar, Margaret Margaret Smith S on 011 0 97 0118 976 6 7415 74 74 415 or emaill rregistrar@pangbourne.com egistrar@pangbourne.com PPangbourne angbo angbourne bou Colleg Collegee Pangbourne Panggbourne Reading Berkshir Berkshiree R RG8 8LA LA A Tel: 984 2101 pang pangbourne.com T el: e : 0118 98 gbourne.com

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 15

Education of Service children CEA application process – a summary

CEA application process – a summary CEAS Broadsheet 1A – which you will find in your CEA EC information pack – outlines the process and the possible times for each stage.

These are summarised in the diagram below.

The minimum number of working days each stage will take is given in italics. The timings given are for guidance only. Time periods will depend on where you are located and whether you can accelerate stages by using fax or email. Some stages may take considerably longer, for example if there are queries or if there are errors in the application.

You should allow at least 12 weeks to complete the CEA application process.

1 2 3

Contact CEAS for advice before making a commitment to a school.

4

Read the CEA EC information pack and JSP 752 Ch 9. Complete Part 1 of the CEA EC. Allow 1 working day

If CEAS advises you to go ahead, select a school. Obtain a letter from the school offering your child a place.

CEAS posts you a CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) Application Form in a CEA EC information pack.

You cannot make a claim unless you have the information pack.

5

Send the CEA EC to your Assignment Authority. The Assignment Authority completes, signs and stamps Part 2 of the CEA EC and returns it to you.

Allow 10 working days

Allow 5 working days (longer if overseas)

8 9 10

6

CEAGT checks the application (Part 4) and follows up any queries with you, the Assignment Authority or your CO.

CEAGT updates JPA EC field to reflect authorisation and the CEA EC expiry date.

16

Send the CEA EC to your Commanding Officer (CO). The CO completes and signs Part 3 of the CEA EC and submits it to the CEAGT. Allow 1 working day

7

CEAGT authorises the CEA EC and returns it to you to forward to your Unit HR staff.

A copy of a letter from the school offering your child a place must be included with your initial application.

Signed faxed copies and signed scanned copies of the CEA EC and the school’s offer letter are acceptable. The school must state the year group the child will be entering.

Allow 10 working days

Allow 5 working days

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children What is Service Children's Education (SCE)?

What is Service Children's Education (SCE)? ervice Children’s Education (SCE) is a department of the MoD and is dedicated to the education of the children of: ● Her Majesty's Armed Forces ● MoD Personnel ● sponsored organisations stationed overseas.

SCE aims to: ● provide an effective and efficient education service, from Foundation Stage through to sixth form ● provide a first-class system of schools and educational support services ● enable children to benefit from their residence abroad.

SCE schools follow the National Curriculum (England), administer national assessments and public examinations, and are inspected by Ofsted. Teachers in SCE schools must have recognised UK professional qualifications and the majority are recruited from the UK. SCE’s own Inspection Advisory Service provides in-service training to ensure that SCE schools are conversant with developments in the UK. SCE operates 28 schools attended by 9,300 children: ● 23 primary schools ● 4 secondary schools ● 1 middle school.

There are also 41 Foundation Stage (FS1) settings managed by primary schools and attended by about 1,800 pre-school children.

S

There are SCE schools in: ● Belgium ● Brunei ● Cyprus ● Germany ● Gibraltar (FS1 setting only) ● Italy ● the Falkland Islands ● the Netherlands.

SCE school examination and assessment results place SCE among the leading local authorities in the UK. Reports by Ofsted, which provides an independent inspection service for SCE schools, are consistently good and compare very favourably with Ofsted reports on UK schools.

The SCE headquarters are in Bielefeld in Germany, and are managed by an Executive Board consisting of a Director of Children and Young People, the Director of Education and the Director of Support Services. Supporting the Director of Education are the Assistant Directors for Pupil and Family Services, Teaching and Learning and Standards and Assessment. ■

Contact details HQ SCE JHQ BFPO 40 Telephone: 0049 (0)5219 254 3687 Email: info@sceschools.com

Whatever their goals in life, we’re here to help them achieve them.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 17

Education of Service children Childcare voucher scheme

Childcare voucher scheme childcare voucher scheme is a salary sacrifice arrangement, meaning that an employee can choose to receive a reduced cash salary in exchange for vouchers that will pay for childcare with a registered (Ofsted or equivalent) childcare provider.

Vouchers can be received either in paper form through the post or in the form of e-vouchers, which can then be paid directly into the childcare provider’s account.

They are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged back for cash. In April 2011 the amount you can exchange for vouchers changed and it is now based on your total earnings – please see table below. The MoD needs to complete a Basic Earnings Assessment to determine the amount you are entitled to salary sacrifice.

A

Earnings/rate

Amount you can take monthly

Up to but not exceeding £42,475 (basic)

£243

Greater than £42,475 but less than £150,000 (higher)

£124

Greater than £150,000 (additional)

£97

The maximum amount is per parent, so it is not possible to receive more vouchers if you have more than one child in childcare, but both parents can take childcare vouchers if their employer runs a scheme.

The main benefit of the scheme is the savings made on tax and national insurance (NI) contributions. The amount of savings made is dependent on the value of the vouchers taken and your total earnings.

Employee savings Earnings/rate

Amount (per year)

Up to but not exceeding £42,475 (basic)

£933

Greater than £42,475 but less than £150,000 (higher)

£623

Greater than £150,000 (additional)

£606

Financial benefits depend on individual circumstances, so parents must make a careful assessment of their situation before joining the scheme. For example, someone who is in receipt of tax credits for childcare costs may find that a voucher scheme is not to

18

their advantage. Pregnant Servicewomen with an older child in day care also need to be aware that membership of a salary sacrifice scheme can affect the amount of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) to which they are entitled, as SMP is calculated on the basis of actual cash salary paid between the 23rd and 15th weeks prior to the expected week of birth.

Pensions should not be affected by membership of a salary sacrifice scheme. AFPS75 uses representative final salaries to calculate pensions, and while AFPS05 is based on a calculation of gross pay, the MoD has agreed that any salary sacrifice element will be discounted from the calculation.

Service families worldwide should be able to take advantage of the scheme, as long as their childcare provider is registered. Bodies such as the British Forces Early Years Service (BFEYS) and SSAFA Forces Help have regulatory powers overseas, and a posting does not mean that a member has to leave the scheme, provided they can find suitable childcare at their new location.

Vouchers can be used to pay for childcare for children up to the age of 15. This includes registered childminders, nurseries, sport, music or drama lessons, breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs.

Although nannies looking after a child in the child’s home qualify to receive payment by vouchers, relatives doing the same will not.

This also applies if a relative looks after the child away from their home and does not look after any other children. Points such as these should be looked at before joining the scheme.

Certain elements of independent school fees can also be paid for with childcare vouchers. The care element and supervised activities, including private tuition, which are provided outside the compulsory education can be paid for with childcare vouchers. It is therefore important that the costs for these are identified separately from the costs charged for the compulsory education and this must be made clear on school bills and invoices.

The scheme is run by Sodexo Motivation Solutions. If you want to sign up to the scheme, email Sodexo at afcvs.motivation.uk@sodexo.com or go to www.MODChildcare.co.uk to download an information pack.

Sodexo has also set up international freephone helplines so they can be contacted from wherever you are stationed: ● UK 0800 066 5075 ● Cyprus 800 92421 ● Canada 1 8669230125 ● Germany 0800 1808980 ● all other countries +44 (0)1276 418880.

For further information go to www.MODChildcare.co.uk ■

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children Specific learning difficulties

Specific learning difficulties Special educational needs – additional needs Service personnel in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance (Boarding) may also be able to claim an additional allowance if their child had been diagnosed as having a specific learning difficulty or dyslexia. The Special Educational Needs Addition (SENA) is payable for necessary extra tuition in English Language and Literacy and/or Maths, for a specific period.

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) There are various types of learning difficulties that inhibit the development of a child’s literacy, and sometimes numeracy, skills.

These difficulties can include dyslexia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia. A child with specific learning difficulties can perform at average or above average level generally, yet have significant difficulties in gaining literacy and numeracy skills. This can in some cases cause frustration, which can result in emotional and behavioural difficulties.

learning difficulty would prevent them accessing the normal curriculum if SENA were not available. If your child qualifies for the award you will be issued with a certificate. The certificate should be attached to your Continuity of Education Allowance (Boarding) claim form and presented to your Pay Office. In addition, this certificate will state if the cost of the CEP’s report can also be reclaimed.

If your child does not qualify for SENA, the cost of the CEP’s report cannot be reclaimed, nor the costs of any extra tuition. For new claimants with children at a boarding school, SENA is payable for a maximum of two years. If, after that time, the learning difficulty has not been satisfactorily addressed you may be eligible to move your child to a specialist school that continues to attract SENA. You should seek advice from CEAS. If your child goes to a specialist boarding school (CEAS can advise you of these) you can claim SENA for as long as the child attends the school and the need exists.

Statements of special educational needs and Education and Health Care Plans

Taking action If you think your child has a specific learning difficulty, you should talk first to his or her class teacher and find out what support your child is receiving. If the independent boarding school recommends extra tuition, and the school is to make a charge for this, you will have to arrange for an assessment to be carried out by a Dyslexia Action Chartered Educational Psychologist (CEP) (for which there will be a charge). The CEP will carry out a number of tests to measure a range of skills, such as word recognition, spatial awareness, short- and longterm memory, visual perception, and so on. These tests will identify strengths and weaknesses in your child’s learning, and provide the basis for designing an appropriate teaching programme that the school can follow.

Applying for SENA If your child is in a boarding school and is diagnosed as having a specific learning difficulty you can apply to Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) for SENA. Your initial application should be forwarded to CEAS enclosing a copy of the CEP’s report, which must be less than 18 months old, details of the boarding school and any other supporting documentation. SENA will be awarded where a child’s assessed

If your child has a statement of special educational needs or an Education and Health Care Plan issued by a Local Authority, and you wish your child to attend an independent boarding school, you may still be eligible for SENA, but you should talk to CEAS first.

Renewing SENA At the end of one year a detailed special needs report is required in order for CEAS to assess that the need for extra tuition still exists.

A copy of this report from the school SENCo should be sent to CEAS. If the learning difficulty continues, a SENA certificate will be issued for a second year. The certificate should again be forwarded to your Pay Office.

For children attending specialist schools, CEAS may request a further CEP report for a renewal of the certificate. The cost of this report will be refundable.

You should be aware that the SENA is constantly under review by MoD and must not be regarded as an ongoing educational subsidy but a support for a special educational need while the need exists.

CEAS can provide specialist advice and assistance on many aspects of education. For details of how to contact CEAS, go to page 11. ■

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 19

Education of Service children Education in Scotland

Education in Scotland The Scottish school system is based on a coherent 3–18 curriculum: ● Nursery age 3 years–5 years ● Primary age 5 years–12 years ● Secondary age 12 years–18 years (minimum school leaving age is 16).

Children’s Education Advisory Key features of the Scottish system Service Learner entitlements

Learners are entitled to a range of features at the different stages of learning. The entitlements are: ● a coherent curriculum from ages 3 to 18 ● a broad general education – learning across all areas from the ages of 3 to 15 ● support – all staff share responsibility for identifying the needs of children and young people, and for working in partnership to put support in place to meet those needs ● a senior phase that prepares children and young people to study towards qualifications, but with a continuing emphasis on health and well-being, physical activity, opportunities for personal achievement, service to others and practical experience of the world of work ● skills for learning, life and work – support to develop skills used throughout life and in work ● a positive destination – local authorities and schools are responsible for planning and supporting young people to make successful transitions to young adulthood and the world of work.

Nursery Between the ages of three and five, children in Scotland are entitled to funded pre-school education. Though provision varies, this usually means that, during term time, a child is offered five sessions of education a week, of about two and a half hours each.

Primary school Children in Scotland complete seven years at primary school (P1 to P7), with all curriculum areas generally being taught by their classroom teacher (some specialists, e.g. in music, modern languages, can also be used).

Children in Scotland must start primary school in the August term after their fifth birthday. This generally means that children start school when they are aged between four and a half and five and a half. Education authorities can make arrangements for children to start in the August when they are four, if they will turn five by the end of the following February.

Secondary school Most children move to secondary school (typically a larger school taking pupils from several primary schools) between 11.5 years and 12.5 years. Pupils are taught by several teachers with specialist expertise in each curriculum subject or area. All subject teachers are responsible for teaching Health and Well-being, Literacy and Numeracy across Learning within their subject material.

Children moving to Scotland from Year 7 in an English secondary school will generally be required to attend a Scottish primary school for up to one year (depending on the time of the move). Academic levels are similar and each case will be considered on its merits by the school and local authority.

20

A child transferring from a Scottish primary school at the age of 12 (P7) will miss the first year of secondary education in England/Wales. Although standards in English and Maths are similar, the child may not have experienced specialised teaching in the areas of Science or a Modern Foreign Language.

Children and young people are entitled to six years of secondary education (S1–S6): a broad general education (S1–S3) and a senior phase (S4–S6) during which the young person will build up a portfolio of qualifications. There are considerable consequences for the transfer of pupils between the systems between the ages of 14 and 16. If a change of school is unavoidable at that age, further advice should be sought from the relevant local authority.

Assessment at 16 Scotland has new national qualifications, the National 4 and 5 awards, followed by Higher and Advanced Higher.

Advice and information Advice and information can be found at the Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS), from the appropriate Scottish Local Authority (there are 32 local authorities, each with responsibility for the schools in their area) or directly from the school. Additional information can also be found, and printed, online at: ● Curriculum for Excellence: www.ltscotland.org.uk/understanding thecurriculum ● CfE Communications Toolkit: www.ltscotland.org.uk/ understandingthecurriculum/whatiscurriculumforexcellen ce/index.asp ● Parentzone: www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentzone Scottish Government Supporting Learning 2-C South, Victoria Quay Edinburgh EH6 6QQ Tel: 0131 244 0645 enquiries@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Scottish Qualifications Agency www.sqa.org.uk Scottish Council of Independent Schools www.scis.org.uk CEAS Trenchard Lines Upavon, Pewsey Wiltshire SN9 6BE Tel: 01980 618244 Upavon Mil: 94344 8244 enquiries@ceas.uk.com Eurydice Eurydice provides information on and analyses of European education systems and policies, including those of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/index_en.php ■

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children The Schools Fair at the Defence Academy

The Schools Fair at the Defence Academy Choosing a school, particularly an independent or boarding school, is a timeconsuming and often lengthy process, made more difficult for Service personnel as they could be working in any part of the UK – or the world – over the years their children are of school age.

The Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC), located at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, invites boarding and independent schools from across the country to take part in an annual ‘Schools Fair’ at the college. The aim is to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ to military personnel across southern and central areas who are seeking information on independent schools without the logistical difficulty of travelling many miles.

In 2015 the Fair was held on 26 February and nearly 70 schools from across England, Wales and Scotland attended. Schools were able to offer detailed information and advice to prospective parents and pupils on all aspects of their institutions. Also on hand were advisory services, including the Children's Education Advisory Service (CEAS), and the Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools.

The 2016 Schools Fair will be held on 25 February. Invitations to attend will be sent to schools in the autumn term. For more details contact hmerryfield.serco@da.mod.uk The Defence Academy delivers education and training to military and civilian staff in the Ministry of Defence, industry and other government departments. For more information go to www.da.mod.uk ■

Nursery | Junior | Senior

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22

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Education of Service children School despatches

School despatches HRH The Earl of Wessex visits Adams’ Grammar School dams’ Grammar School recently welcomed HRH The Earl of Wessex to formally open the school’s new music and teaching facilities. Prince Edward has a long association with Adams’ through his links with the Haberdashers Livery Company.

The grammar school, with its day and boarding facilities, was founded in 1656 by William Adams, a haberdasher who was born in Newport.

The Prince encouraged pupils to shout and cheer as he unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion and in turn was delighted when pupils performed some Taiko drumming, which has recently been introduced at the school at the suggestion of the Prince after he saw a display in South Korea. Adams’ pupils also recently enjoyed a royal visit of a different kind by the Band of the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre. Pupils were invited to take part in workshops and rehearsals with the Band’s musicians before performing a concert together for the whole

Nicky has a ‘Head’ for heights!

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‘ school and parents. The day was particularly memorable for one member of the Band, who is a former pupil at Adams’. Chris Beal was very excited to be returning to his old school. It was during his time in the school’s CCF marching band that he developed his enthusiasm for music and was given a helping hand in achieving his ambition to join the Royal Marines. ■

Memorial poppies flower for celebration arly in the academic year, 17 Bromsgrove School cadets embarked on an expedition to France and Belgium where they completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition. This followed the line of the advance of the French armies into the Ardennes in August 1914. They encountered deer and wild boar while wild camping in the ancient forest. The second phase of their expedition was a bespoke battlefield tour, following the stories of many of Old Bromsgrovians who fought in WW1. The cadets brought back a box of soil from the Flanders battlefields including bullet fragments found on the field. This soil has been incorporated into a new memorial garden at the School, containing poppies and other wild flowers.

Situated alongside the School’s Armoury, the poppies have flowered for the first time and will be enjoyed during Commemoration Day, the School’s

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annual celebration of its founding. Deputy Headmaster, Philip Bowen, has published a book about Bromsgrovians who fought and died during WW1 and so many of their stories are therefore familiar to current pupils. ■

aving their head in the clouds’ is not something that you normally say about headteachers, but for Nicky Botterill, Headmistress at Bruton School for Girls, she really did have her head in the clouds when she completed a charity abseil for the SpringBoard Bursary Foundation. Taking time out of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) annual conference in London, Nicky abseiled down the side of the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel in London, in aid of the charity. More than 20 other headteachers across the country also attempted the abseil to raise funds for SpringBoard – a foundation charity which transforms the lives of disadvantaged children through full bursaries at state and independent boarding schools. Nicky Botterill said: ‘SpringBoard opens up the opportunity of a boarding school education to children whose backgrounds or family circumstances mean it wouldn’t normally be an option. Through generous donations and fundraising, we hope that even more children can be ‘SpringBoarded’ into what could be a lifechanging path.’. ■

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Taunton School cements relationship with Paderborn AFC

Harrogate Ladies’ College chapel choir success national competition which aims to find the best junior and senior school choirs has attracted participation from more than 45,000 children since it was launched in 2003. This year Harrogate Ladies’ College Chapel Choir reached the televised semi-final stage of the competition in front of an audience of more than 700 people at Nottingham’s Albert Hall. Director of Music Kate Morgan said, ‘Reaching the semi-finals in this competition was a real honour and the girls in the chapel choir are absolutely delighted. It takes an awful lot of hard work, commitment and sheer determination to reach the standard they have and it’s very rewarding to see that

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Ian Etchells, right, is pictured with Matty Harvey, who received the most improved player award on behalf of Jakob Gillen.

recognised. HLC has a long-standing choral tradition but we have never got this far in the competition before.’ Sylvia Brett, Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College, added, ‘We’re incredibly proud of our chapel choir. Under Kate’s direction they have achieved so much. We were delighted to share their beautiful singing with the rest of the UK!’ ■

aunton School has cemented its relationship with Paderborn AFC in Germany. The school sponsors the football team at the Garrison. A number of children from Paderborn families have taken up boarding places at Taunton over recent years. The school's Registrar, Declan Rogers, and his Assistant, Ian Etchells, flew out to Germany during the summer to attend the end-of-season football presentations. ■

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 23

Education of Service children School despatches

Hazlegrove making a difference

azlegrove has been encouraging boarders and day pupils to be ‘M.A.D.’ – that is to be thinking more about other people and to be ‘Making a Difference’ to those less fortunate than themselves. The pupils have certainly risen to the challenge. One initiative involved the whole school being challenged to raise £15 each to provide a school-in-a-bag for children affected by the earthquake in Nepal – caught up in the spirit of it all, the children raised enough money to provide 559 school bags, far surpassing the original target. Hazlegrove also played host in the summer term to a 5K Colour Run for the local St Margaret’s Hospice which involved the local community as well as some parents, pupils and staff being covered in powder paint while running for a great cause, raising in the region of £50,000.

Individual pupils have also made some fantastic fundraising efforts. Year 5 boarder Ottilie wanted to try and make a difference for Scotty’s Little Soldiers. Ottilie embarked on a decathlon of fundraising events which culminated in attempting a penny mile on the Hazlegrove front lawn and a ‘hero’ cookie sale. Ottilie was thrilled to raise a fantastic £540 for Scotty’s Little Soldiers. ■

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No wifi! Pocklington campers make a better connection olman House boarders enjoyed a sunny weekend camping trip to the North York Moors in June, and packed in so many outdoor activities, the lack of a mobile phone signal went unnoticed! The 36 pupils and five members of staff fortified themselves with a fish and chip supper in Pickering before carrying their tents, food and belongings on a mile-long hike through the forest to their campsite near Botton Village.

They pitched their tents, gathered wood and created an impressive campfire, which they admired during a hot chocolate supper before bed, and the next day during a leisurely breakfast of hot porridge, pains au chocolat – and more hot chocolate. Activities then included some serious shelter building, swimming in the lake, riding the raft or having a gentle sail in the coracle. The water might have been freezing, but it didn’t stop the boys diving, laughing and applauding each other’s feats. They made the most of the

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warm sun in the beautiful forest glade, working up an appetite as they caught tadpoles, examined newts, whittled wood and played in and around the shelters they had built. Sausages, burgers and kebabs, cooked to perfection on the campfire, did the trick – ahead of a rather heavy-hearted clear up of tents, fire and equipment and a weary trek back to the buses. Housemistress Wendy Wright said: ‘Looking in my rear-view mirror as I drove back over the Moors down into Pickering, at least half of my slightly grubby but happy boys were fast asleep. Job done!’ ■

Gordon’s School triumphs with The Addams Family 2015 ith a chorus of dead people, a fat bald uncle who flies to the moon, a butler who doesn’t speak, and complicated technical effects, pupils and staff of Gordon’s School made The Addams Family production for Camberley Theatre their biggest and most adventurous show yet.

Audiences packed the theatre and staff and pupils enjoyed working in a professional venue. With more than 70 pupils involved both on and off stage it was clear that talent was to be found in every aspect of the show. The remarkable cast of young performers acting ‘dead’ put much effort and imagination into their deathly costumes.

Pupil talent extended beyond the stage, with several supporting either in the band or as part of the crew. Pupils from all year groups worked

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together, developing and rehearsing the production, and making lasting friendships as a result. There was also a fantastic music team co-directing the production, and of course the enthusiasm and efforts of many staff members. ■

Giving back to the community at St Margaret’s

t St Margaret's School in Hertfordshire, we strive not only to be part of the larger community, but also to give back to it. Pupils recently visited the New Hope Community Garden in Watford to learn about homelessness.

Year 8 student Dara explains: ‘In order to get to New Hope Community Garden, we walked 4.6 miles from our school in Bushey. This was to help us realise how far some children in different countries have to walk just to get to school or

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collect water and wood. Before being sent to do different activities in our groups, Ms Roberts led a prayer, then we played a game of snakes and ladders. This version was based on the life of a person who finds it hard to keep a job. When we rolled the dice, if we landed on a ladder we picked up a card that said something positive that might happen to us such as finding a job, but if we landed on a snake we would pick up a card with a negative statement on it, such as getting evicted from a flat. Unfortunately, my team found it very hard to get to the end and kept going straight back down snakes. Our next activity was called Stone Cold. The name of this activity was based on a book about a man who was homeless. We read an extract from the book and then we thought about things we would do to help people who were homeless if we ran a helpline. After lunch, we gathered in a yurt to do some creative writing about our homes and talk about how we would feel if we didn’t have one. Everyone wrote poems

in pairs and then read them out to our group. This was a great time to reflect on how people who were homeless feel and think about what we would do if we were in their position. Everyone learnt a lot on our trip as it wasn’t something that we would do ordinarily. It gave us a chance to appreciate how lucky we are to have a home to go to. Also, we realised that we should think about other people instead of just ourselves. At the end of the day, the staff who looked after us answered some of our questions and they said something that has stuck with me since. They told us that instead of calling people who use New Hope services ‘homeless people’, we should say ‘people who are homeless’ and always put the fact that they are people first, because they are the same as us but without a home to go back to every night.

Our day ended with a prayer to help us reflect on our experience and be thankful. I really enjoyed this trip and I would love to go again in the future.’ ■

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Pupils and parents The pupils

The pupils – how it works out in practice, from those on the receiving end e have again included a ‘Pupils and Parents’ section, which we believe provides some of the most compelling reading in the guide.

For those with reservations about boarding, it is a marvellously positive advert for one of the real beacons of British education and a great credit to the whole of the boarding sector.

Here is a small cross-section of the many contributions we have received from those currently boarding in the UK. We thank all those who contributed and we believe they are a great credit, not only to their schools, but to boarding in all schools.

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Phoebe Potts, Year 4 pupil at Hanford School Phoebe’s father is a Colonel I have just started Year 4 at Hanford. My two sisters Ella and Mary came here too so I have known Hanford for a long time.

This is my third school and it's definitely my favourite. I have made a lot of friends and am having great fun. We are lucky as we have really nice teachers who make learning interesting. I have already learnt lots of new things.

My top five favourite things to do at Hanford are nature, riding, science, rollerblading and rounders.

We have lots of ponies which we help look after. I have been riding Fudge and a real treat in the Summer term was an early morning ride. I also love playing in Chestnut which is where we pretend to be ponies and make a jump course. We have also been doing lots of handstands and cartwheels on the grass and going to gardening club and art club. At the weekends, we can ride, climb the cedar tree, play outside, have camp outs, and have barbecues.

There is always something to do and someone to play with.

I know I am really lucky to be at Hanford and I do miss home but I have made lots of new friends and we all look after each other.

I know I'm in a safe place. Being at Hanford means I can stay at one school while my family move around and that makes me happy. Hanford already feels like my second home and I love it!

Freddie Moore, Year 5 pupil at Horris Hill School Freddie’s father is a Brigadier

I joined Horris Hill when I was seven as a junior boarder. It was easy to settle in quickly because everyone was so kind to me – now everyone at Horris Hill is like my second family. I also like being at Horris Hill because it means I don’t have to move around every time my daddy gets a posting. Boarding is great fun particularly the movie nights with popcorn but I also like other things like having my clothes put out on my bed for me like my mummy does at home, winning the dorm competition and getting post. There are so many activities to get involved with at Horris Hill. I love sports and enjoy rugby, cricket, cross-country, tennis, golf, football and swimming. I love playing matches against other schools. We even had the rugby player Ben Foden come to talk to us and more recently a man who swam the channel. I love playing my guitar, going on school trips and helping Mrs Tollit in the kitchen garden where we grow fruit and vegetables. Food is great, especially the homemade biscuits. I also love fireworks night and birthday teas in the Headmaster’s house.

Evie Dalby-Welsh, Year 7 pupil at Bruton School for Girls Evie’s mother is serving with the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps, and her father is a former Major in The Light Dragoons I have been at BSG for four years and I love this school.

This school helps you see the bright side of life even when your Mum or Dad are away.

My Mum was away in Africa helping with Ebola. The school cheered me up when I was sad and they kept me busy which was good because it made me forget about my worries. At the boarding house we are like a big family and are all going through the same thing. So when I need help, the others help me and when they need help, then I can help them. I love the activities that we do. I ride, play sport and do lots of fun games and trips. The boarders have all the fun during weekends doing competitions and fun games like the Boarders’ challenge. On the last day of term we always go on a massive shopping trip to Cribbs Causeway to buy Christmas presents for our families and then all the boarders go ice-skating. BSG is amazing; it helps you when you need some advice or a cuddle and is just like your home.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 25

Pupils and parents The pupils April Hill, Year 7 pupil at Orwell Park School April’s father is a Captain I didn’t know what to expect when I started full boarding at Orwell Park, but it isn’t really how I imagined it – there is always so much to do. I thought it would be really quiet when the day children go home but it really isn’t. It is nice for the boarders to have the school to ourselves! We have activities to get involved in every day after school and the weekends are really good fun usually with an outing planned on Sundays. There are so many different opportunities to try something new. This term at the weekend we have been skiing, to the zoo and on a train trip to Norwich. We have been to Cambridge and the Christmas market in Bury St Edmunds and sightseeing in London. The teachers are always planning something for us to get involved in. I have made some really good friends at Orwell. I like sport a lot especially cross country and the grounds are amazing, we can see the river from the school. My grandparents live quite near so I can go to them at long weekends and half term. My brother is at RHS so he isn’t too far away. I think Orwell is a great school – everybody is really friendly and kind. The teachers and the matrons helped me when I first joined here and never let me feel lonely. It feels like I am part of a big family.

Enam Anku, Year 8 pupil at Orwell Park School Enam’s father is in the Army, serving in Cyprus I joined Orwell when I was in Year 3. I didn’t know what to expect when I first started boarding and I have been surprised at how much fun it is.

There is so much more to do here than if I was at home at weekends. I share a dormitory with five other boys; it is like a normal bedroom just with more beds! It feels really homely in the boarding house. If I do get homesick my friends keep me really busy and then I feel better. I like playing

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dodge ball and rugby and we sometimes play manhunt. The facilities are amazing. There are so many activities to try; there is DT, Art, Music and lots of clubs to get involved in. The houseparents and teachers are always around so there is always someone to help if you need it. I can talk to my parents whenever I want to; we have Skype as well which is fun. I like being at Orwell Park, it is a good place to be. I do miss my family sometimes, but I know why I am boarding and this is a good school to be in.

Wilf Fitzgibbon, Year 8 pupil at Dauntsey’s School Wilf ’s father is in the Army and he is currently performing a diplomatic role in Belgrade. Wilf ’s younger brother, Arthur, is in Year 7

I joined Dauntsey’s last year as a boarder. Prior to that I had been at international schools where my parents were living; firstly in Kazakhstan and then in Estonia. Like lots of other Forces children, it made sense for me to continue my education in one place, rather than moving school each time my father’s job moved him. I wasn’t sure how I would cope with boarding as I hadn’t spent much time away from my parents. I have to say I have never felt homesick here, even in the first few months of joining. I am based at The Manor, which is the lower school boarding house for 11 to 14 year olds. This building is separate to the main school where we have our lessons, so coming back here each day feels like going ‘home’. In fact, I would say living at The Manor is like having one big family, particularly as teachers, their children and pets live here too. I share a dorm with three other boys. Girls also board at The Manor and after lessons we often enjoy a game of tennis or football or just have a laugh together.

Right now I am finishing end of term exams and will then be off on an activity weekend in Cornwall – my brother Arthur is also coming with his friends so it’s going to be a great way to end the year. I would say to anyone starting boarding here for the first time not to be worried – of course there are things you miss about home (I miss my dog and, of course, my parents!) but having all my friends here and access to all the sports facilities is just great. My mother comes over for most exeats and I go back to Belgrade for the holidays and half terms. Of course we can keep in touch easily via phone calls and e-mail too. I would recommend Dauntsey’s to anyone – both my brother and I are very happy here.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Pupils and parents The pupils Lucy, Katie and Georgie Southwood are pupils at Knighton House School Their father is a Lieutenant Colonel

teachers have encouraged and supported me every step of the way.

My time at Knighton is coming to an end – it has flown by because of all the fun and friends I have here. I know that I will come back and visit as my two younger sisters are here. I wouldn’t have achieved so much and had such a great time without the teachers, matrons, and my friends.’

Katie: ‘I am ten and I joined Knighton House when I was seven. I really love being a pupil at Knighton as there is always something to do. I love riding and playing in the school grounds – the uniform is red dungarees which is very useful when we are climbing trees. The animals are a big part of Knighton – we have chickens, bees, goats, ponies, guinea pigs and dogs. Recently my little sister Georgie, who is seven, started at Knighton and she too loved it from the minute she got here.’

Georgie: ‘This is my first year at Knighton House and I love it. My first day at Knighton House was amazing. We unpacked my stuff and met the other boarders in my year group and we all went off and played for the rest of the day. Next we had supper and then we said bye to our parents. As this was the first time I had left them I felt sad but I chatted to Miss Barnes and felt better. My teacher is very nice and I love listening and learning with her. I am very happy here and we have a lot of fun at Knighton House. My favourite is playing outside with my friends.’

Tilly, Year 11, and her brother Sam, Year 9, are full boarders at King’s School Bruton Their father is a Lieutenant Colonel, REME

Lucy: ‘I came to Knighton in Year 4 and I am now in Year 8 in my last few weeks. Knighton House has been the best school for me.

When I first came, my family were in Germany and I settled in really quickly because of all of the staff and other girls, I couldn’t have been happier. Knighton has given me so many opportunities.

I have always loved animals and at Knighton we have everything from guinea pigs to horses to dogs and alpacas. At 7.30 am the ‘pony bell’ goes, that is when the boarders head to the fields to bring in the ponies or feed the chickens and goats. We ride every week, either going on a hack or in the arena. Music at Knighton is incredible. In Year 5 I learnt to play the cello and I am about to take Grade 4. In Year 7 I was appointed Deputy Head Chorister. In January I took a music scholarship to Priors Field and received a music Exhibition. Boarding is a huge part of my life at Knighton House. The matrons are all so lovely and the weekend are always packed with fun. We go on great trips and regularly visit the beach.

I love sport. Hockey is my favourite sport and last year I got into the Dorset hockey team. Recently Years 7 and 8 went to London to watch England versus Japan. I am also in the rounders, tennis and running teams and each week we play matches against different schools which is great fun. A few weeks ago I took my Common Entrance exams and I am really pleased with the results, the

The Houldsworths chose King’s for the continuity of education and to be near their grandparents. Their daughter Emma has just left the school.

Tilly: ‘I like the fact that all the staff know everyone’s names and that you can talk to pupils in other years very easily. I also love the sport; even if you are not in the A teams, you still get the same quality of coaching. At weekends, there is Saturday school in the morning, then sports fixtures in the afternoons. I really enjoy Saturday evenings as there is usually a social/theme night at the Junior Common Room. On Sundays, there are shopping or cinema trips organised so life is never boring. The social highlight for the junior part of the school is the Snow Ball in December. I enjoy horse riding and do this as an activity every week at a local riding school throughout the year, even in the snow. We wanted a school that took riding seriously – the Headmaster’s wife runs the activity and it is great fun. Everyone has a role in the house: we organise our own teams and this encourages ownership and responsibility – we are guided by the older pupils. Day pupils are integrated in the

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 27

Pupils and parents The pupils boarding houses and many stay on a Saturday night for the social events. I love CCF and putting on the cam cream and mud! I went on a French trip to the Dordogne: we had lessons in the morning, then in the afternoon we went on cultural trips to towns, markets and museums. Every year, the whole Third Form visit the First World War Battlefields in October and every year the Chaplain’s wellies go missing on the trip! We are lucky that King’s is a full boarding school – it’s all great fun.’

Sam: ‘I have to admit, when I first came, I thought there was going to be a massive hierarchy, with the third formers being at the bottom, especially the little ones, like me. Also the fact that everybody comes from different schools might make me feel even more isolated and alone. However, the reality was completely the opposite – everybody gets on really well with each other, and within the first week, all of the new pupils had mastered the routine and had made some great friends.

One of the main differences between prep school and here, is the way everyone treats you a little more as adults, meaning that you have more freedom. You can go into town, within certain time slots of course, and you are trusted a lot more by the staff. There is a wide range of activities, ranging from swimming, to film club, and even horse riding, if you are interested. The sport here is a big jump from prep schools, with opponents becoming bigger, stronger and faster. However, there is no need to worry, due to the fantastic coaches who teach us everything we need to know and more. If you need to get in shape, or raise your fitness, then you can go to the gym most nights of the week, or go and play football in the sports hall, which is good fun no matter what year you are in as everyone is welcome.

The teaching here is also fantastic, every teacher goes through each topic carefully and at his or her pupil’s pace, making sure everybody thoroughly understands every aspect of what they are meant to learn. They seem to really care. Overall, I massively recommend King’s Bruton, for many reasons. The main one however is that in larger schools, you don’t get to know everyone, and sometimes that must make it more lonely and scary at times, however, King’s Bruton gives you a sense of family no other school can even think of achieving. I am definitely glad I chose to come here.’

Hattie Abbott, Year 12 pupil at Dean Close School Hattie’s father served in the British Army, REME

My Dad has been in the Army for as long as I can remember. We have lived in many exciting countries, but I have also moved around many different schools.

While in some ways this was a good experience for me, I was very happy when I moved permanently to Dean Close School in Year 3. It was my first boarding school and at the age of seven, I was very happy to live away from home as the atmosphere at school was so welcoming and warm. I have

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been at Dean Close for ten years now and am loving every minute of it, especially being in the boarding house with my friends, many of whom are also from military families. It is easy living with people in a similar situation to my own as there is always someone nearby who understands what I am going through. Dean Close has the perfect balance of academia, arts, sport and just having fun, with many great facilities to enable this. Not having to change schools every year has helped me to feel more settled and make lifelong friendships, rather than those from the past that only lasted one year before I had to move on.

Rory Kavanagh, Year 12 pupil at Dean Close School Rory’s father is a Lieutenant-Colonel

Ask any pupil, military background or not, what they remember of their anxiety when starting to board full time, and nine out of ten will undoubtedly tell you of some memory of homesickness, loneliness or just pure discontent for their new term time ‘home’.

These feelings can be, and commonly are, horrible to many, and to those from the military, life away from home is even less appealing.

Being away from parents that you don’t see on a regular basis anyway can seem a completely illogical response to the already existent stress in their life.

Coming from abroad aged ten, I certainly had many of these sentiments. However, boarding at Dean Close actually made life smoother and more straightforward, the difficult transition into boarding being helped by the wealth of supportive staff. At Dean Close there is an abundance of teachers willing to give their time to pupils, so there is always somebody to talk or relate to, whether staff from a military or religious position; the bursar or chaplain who can guarantee complete discretion; a CCF or DofE leader with a plethora of similar experiences; or even just a houseparent or designated tutor. As a co-educational boarding school, Dean Close also aids siblings, nervous about being apart from their families, as they have each other to lean on for support and encouragement.

The main area for me that makes Dean Close life particularly busy and rewarding, is the huge range of extra-curricular activities.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Pupils and parents The pupils Whether horse riding or learning Italian, these are fundamental in relieving stress and taking my mind off the worries of deployed family members. More directly connected to children of military parents, is the CCF, which is open to Year 10 and above. It offers sixth formers the opportunity to lead as NCOs, a role which gives them not only responsibilities and authority, but also an insight into the qualities required of their parents. It is this ability to engage, support and bolster the forces identity of its pupils that makes Dean Close such an excellent choice for military kids and why I am so happy there.

Grace White, Year 13 pupil at St Mary's School, Shaftesbury Grace’s father was a Lieutenant Colonel When I came to St Mary’s, I was following in the footsteps of my older sisters, Sophie and Alice, but I found it particularly difficult as I missed my Daddy terribly as he always seemed to be serving abroad. I found this separation very traumatic and emotional. I could never imagine that boarding school would help me feel better but

from the moment I arrived in the homely, fun environment, I became completely distracted and I began to feel safe and at home.

St Mary’s is unique because all the year groups live together and you are never made to feel excluded or lonely. Life in the houses is like being in a family and everyone enjoys contributing to the house’s fun and success. When I was appointed House Captain, I found opportunities to spend time with younger girls and especially those from Army families.

I have had the most incredible opportunities to take part in so much from the Maths Challenge awards to drama and music productions, to playing keyboards in the Lower Sixth band. The school encourages outward bound and I am now in the final stages of the D of E Gold Award. I will always remember the expeditions and getting involved in the local community. St Mary’s has a wonderful sixth form house, which makes one feel grown up and I think it consolidates the friendships that have been forged over the years. We hold dinner parties and charity functions, the school invites speakers in to help us gain an insight into possible future careers, and in between, we have our schoolwork!

All those years when my father was away are now a distant memory due to the enormous care and love I have received at St Mary’s. The school has provided me and other military children with the tools to cope with changes in life and I know I am a stronger person for it. ■

Your fully interactive guide www.serviceschools.co.uk/schools-september-2015 www.serviceschools.co.uk

September 2015

SERVICE PARENTS’ GUIDE TO BOARDING SCHOOLS TM

Education of Service children

Education of Service children Childcare voucher scheme

Specific learning difficulties

Published in association with

Childcare voucher scheme

Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS)

childcare voucher scheme is a salary sacrifice arrangement, meaning that an employee can choose to receive a reduced cash salary in exchange for vouchers that will pay for childcare with a registered (Ofsted or equivalent) childcare provider.

Vouchers can be received either in paper form through the post or in the form of e-vouchers, which can then be paid directly into the childcare provider’s account.

They are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged back for cash. In April 2011 the amount you can exchange for vouchers changed and it is now based on your total earnings – please see table below. The MoD needs to complete a Basic Earnings Assessment to determine the amount you are entitled to salary sacrifice.

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Earnings/rate

Amount you can take monthly

Up to but not exceeding £42,475 (basic)

£243

Greater than £42,475 but less than £150,000 (higher)

£124

Greater than £150,000 (additional)

£97

The maximum amount is per parent, so it is not possible to receive more vouchers if you have more than one child in childcare, but both parents can take childcare vouchers if their employer runs a scheme.

The main benefit of the scheme is the savings made on tax and national insurance (NI) contributions. The amount of savings made is dependent on the value of the vouchers taken and your total earnings.

Employee savings Earnings/rate

Amount (per year)

Up to but not exceeding £42,475 (basic)

£933

Greater than £42,475 but less than £150,000 (higher)

£623

Greater than £150,000 (additional)

£606

Financial benefits depend on individual circumstances, so parents must make a careful assessment of their situation before joining the scheme. For example, someone who is in receipt of tax credits for childcare costs may find that a voucher scheme is not to

Foreword by General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE ADC Gen Commander Joint Forces Command

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their advantage. Pregnant Servicewomen with an older child in day care also need to be aware that membership of a salary sacrifice scheme can affect the amount of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) to which they are entitled, as SMP is calculated on the basis of actual cash salary paid between the 23rd and 15th weeks prior to the expected week of birth.

Pensions should not be affected by membership of a salary sacrifice scheme. AFPS75 uses representative final salaries to calculate pensions, and while AFPS05 is based on a calculation of gross pay, the MoD has agreed that any salary sacrifice element will be discounted from the calculation.

Service families worldwide should be able to take advantage of the scheme, as long as their childcare provider is registered. Bodies such as the British Forces Early Years Service (BFEYS) and SSAFA Forces Help have regulatory powers overseas, and a posting does not mean that a member has to leave the scheme, provided they can find suitable childcare at their new location.

Vouchers can be used to pay for childcare for children up to the age of 15. This includes registered childminders, nurseries, sport, music or drama lessons, breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs.

Although nannies looking after a child in the child’s home qualify to receive payment by vouchers, relatives doing the same will not.

This also applies if a relative looks after the child away from their home and does not look after any other children. Points such as these should be looked at before joining the scheme.

Certain elements of independent school fees can also be paid for with childcare vouchers. The care element and supervised activities, including private tuition, which are provided outside the compulsory education can be paid for with childcare vouchers. It is therefore important that the costs for these are identified separately from the costs charged for the compulsory education and this must be made clear on school bills and invoices.

The scheme is run by Sodexo Motivation Solutions. If you want to sign up to the scheme, email Sodexo at afcvs.motivation.uk@sodexo.com or go to www.MODChildcare.co.uk to download an information pack.

Sodexo has also set up international freephone helplines so they can be contacted from wherever you are stationed: ● UK 0800 066 5075 ● Cyprus 800 92421 ● Canada 1 8669230125 ● Germany 0800 1808980 ● all other countries +44 (0)1276 418880.

For further information go to www.MODChildcare.co.uk ■

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

Specific learning difficulties Special educational needs – additional needs Service personnel in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance (Boarding) may also be able to claim an additional allowance if their child had been diagnosed as having a specific learning difficulty or dyslexia. The Special Educational Needs Addition (SENA) is payable for necessary extra tuition in English Language and Literacy and/or Maths, for a specific period.

Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) There are various types of learning difficulties that inhibit the development of a child’s literacy, and sometimes numeracy, skills.

These difficulties can include dyslexia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia. A child with specific learning difficulties can perform at average or above average level generally, yet have significant difficulties in gaining literacy and numeracy skills. This can in some cases cause frustration, which can result in emotional and behavioural difficulties.

learning difficulty would prevent them accessing the normal curriculum if SENA were not available. If your child qualifies for the award you will be issued with a certificate. The certificate should be attached to your Continuity of Education Allowance (Boarding) claim form and presented to your Pay Office. In addition, this certificate will state if the cost of the CEP’s report can also be reclaimed.

If your child does not qualify for SENA, the cost of the CEP’s report cannot be reclaimed, nor the costs of any extra tuition. For new claimants with children at a boarding school, SENA is payable for a maximum of two years. If, after that time, the learning difficulty has not been satisfactorily addressed you may be eligible to move your child to a specialist school that continues to attract SENA. You should seek advice from CEAS. If your child goes to a specialist boarding school (CEAS can advise you of these) you can claim SENA for as long as the child attends the school and the need exists.

Statements of special educational needs and Education and Health Care Plans

Taking action If you think your child has a specific learning difficulty, you should talk first to his or her class teacher and find out what support your child is receiving. If the independent boarding school recommends extra tuition, and the school is to make a charge for this, you will have to arrange for an assessment to be carried out by a Dyslexia Action Chartered Educational Psychologist (CEP) (for which there will be a charge). The CEP will carry out a number of tests to measure a range of skills, such as word recognition, spatial awareness, short- and longterm memory, visual perception, and so on. These tests will identify strengths and weaknesses in your child’s learning, and provide the basis for designing an appropriate teaching programme that the school can follow.

Applying for SENA If your child is in a boarding school and is diagnosed as having a specific learning difficulty you can apply to Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) for SENA. Your initial application should be forwarded to CEAS enclosing a copy of the CEP’s report, which must be less than 18 months old, details of the boarding school and any other supporting documentation. SENA will be awarded where a child’s assessed

If your child has a statement of special educational needs or an Education and Health Care Plan issued by a Local Authority, and you wish your child to attend an independent boarding school, you may still be eligible for SENA, but you should talk to CEAS first.

Renewing SENA At the end of one year a detailed special needs report is required in order for CEAS to assess that the need for extra tuition still exists.

A copy of this report from the school SENCo should be sent to CEAS. If the learning difficulty continues, a SENA certificate will be issued for a second year. The certificate should again be forwarded to your Pay Office.

For children attending specialist schools, CEAS may request a further CEP report for a renewal of the certificate. The cost of this report will be refundable.

You should be aware that the SENA is constantly under review by MoD and must not be regarded as an ongoing educational subsidy but a support for a special educational need while the need exists.

CEAS can provide specialist advice and assistance on many aspects of education. For details of how to contact CEAS, go to page 11. ■

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 19

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Distributed to: Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) all MoD Units by BFPO under contract The Foreign & Commonwealth Office

CEAS Contact details: Email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com Website: www.gov.uk/childrens-education-advisory-service

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 29

Pupils and parents The parents

The parents – how boarding affects families Lieutenant Colonel Terry Southwood and Rachel Southwood have three daughters at Knighton House School

five years and will soon leave to go to her senior school. Over the years we have seen her grow into a confident and articulate young lady and most importantly, she has benefited from a wonderful education that will prepare her for senior school and beyond. The benefits of stability, quality teaching, small class sizes and a supportive, individualised approach has produced a great set of results, all achieved without exerting pressure.

As your search for a school grows you will gather a multitude of glossy prospectuses that expound the virtues of each school.

Knighton House has met all the claims made in its prospectus and so much more. Such is our confidence in the school, its staff and its whole ethos that our middle daughter, Katie, started there two years ago age seven, and now our youngest, Georgie, has just joined the Knighton family. At the point of embarking on the boarding journey with our eldest we would never have believed that our two younger daughters would have started at seven, but knowing the school as we now do, this was an easy decision to make. On starting at Knighton, this was Katie’s third school and Georgie’s fifth. We really did not want them to miss out on the stability and wonderful experiences and opportunities that Lucy has had as a result of boarding.

If I was asked to describe some common ground between a life in the Armed Forces and a boarding school it would be about family and being there for each other regardless of situation; that’s what being at Knighton House is all about.

Lieutenant Colonel David Willey and Lyanne Willey have two daughters at Barnard Castle School

Deciding to send our eldest daughter to boarding school in the UK when she was nine when we were posted to Germany was the biggest and hardest decision that we had ever had to make as parents. However, it has proved to be the best decision we ever made. After many school moves, each with untold uncertainty, we became increasingly concerned about the academic and emotional implications of the regular upheaval and felt that we should consider boarding school.

Knighton House School was recommended to us by another military family. The school is situated in glorious Dorset countryside with views over the rolling hills and beyond. The grounds of the school are beautiful and as we approached the school it was break time and on seeing the ponies, girls running around in their red dungarees, and on later discovering Lucy could bring a guinea pig to school, our first impression was that Lucy would love it.

After several return visits to Knighton House, as well as visiting many other schools, our gut feeling told us that Knighton House was the right one. This was not because the others were not as impressively catered for in terms of facilities but because we thought that it would be where Lucy might fit in best; and we were right! There is a warm and welcoming feel to the school and a great buzz as the girls move around the school. Lucy has been there for

30

I used to be one of those parents who thought that I would never be able to let go enough to send my children to boarding school, but after five schools by the time my eldest daughter Chloe had reached ten, and the heartfelt tears she shed after saying goodbye to her friends and teachers each time, we decided enough was enough.

Because our family and friends were mainly located in Yorkshire we

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Pupils and parents The parents chose to look around that area so that Chloe and Aimee would always have somebody nearby. We chose Barnard Castle.

As soon as you walk into Barney the first thing you notice is how genuinely happy the staff and pupils are. With the wellequipped classrooms, the safe and spacious school grounds and the beautiful location, what’s not to like! The school worked around our needs – if we needed to drop Chloe off early so that we could catch a ferry back home, or if we couldn’t attend parents’ meetings, the school couldn’t have been more helpful, offering lots of different solutions. In her first two terms at Barney Chloe has already achieved so much and we put this down to her new friends and the very gifted and dedicated teachers who make her learning incredibly enjoyable.

At first, boarding life was understandably difficult for all of us, but because of the amazing care, family values and the wideranging opportunities that the boarders receive I was inundated with happy FaceTime calls. We are always very well informed through the comprehensive range of communication, including the weekly newsletter, fixtures and events on the website, telephone calls and letters. Family and friends can go to the many sports events.

My youngest daughter Aimee (nine years old) was left at home with friends moving away constantly. After hearing about all the genuine fun that Chloe was having, she asked if she could go earlier than we had planned. They are now both at Barney, sharing a room, competing together, enjoying the wide range of opportunities available and making some fantastic friends and memories that will stay with them forever.

Squadron Leader Jon Harrison and Christine Harrison have a son at Taunton School As a military family and the parents of a daughter and two sons we always knew there was the option of boarding school for our children. This was not something we envisaged doing as we were happily settled in our own home in Oxfordshire with very good primary and secondary education provision. However, the best laid plans often fall by the wayside and in our case it was the option for my husband to take up an exchange posting flying the Transall from North Germany. There was the opportunity for the children to be educated at least for a year at JHQ Rheindahlen but then we would be on the move and we would be returning three to four years later at a difficult time for our older children with exams.

‘Boarding school’ was mentioned and we said to ourselves that if the children (firstly our daughter) did not want to go, then we would decline the posting and stay in the UK. We talked to our daughter and as she was just finishing Year 6 and about to move to secondary school she said ‘Yes!’. Mum thought that ‘Harry Potter’ helped quite a bit in her decision.

Then the difficult process of looking for a suitable school started. Do we go for a prep school then move again for senior or a school that covers all ages; single sex or co-educational; facilities; location? The list is daunting. The prep school and move for senior was ruled out as to me it defeats the reasoning of ‘stability’; life to me is mixed so I preferred the co-educational option and we also wanted the option of all our children to go to the same school if possible. Location? Well as we were overseas we needed our family to act in loco parentis so the West Country was looming as a hot favourite as their grandparents live in Plymouth.

So far we had made a few decisions without even visiting a

school but now we need to visit some establishments. We received several brochures and they all looked marvellous. Taunton School not only looked lovely, when we visited it had a lovely ‘feel’, we also had personal recommendations from two families, both military, who had children at the school. Our daughter did a ‘taster’ visit and came back full of how brilliant it was. Decision made! Further down the line both her brothers joined her.

Now, I would love to say that life in boarding school has been plain sailing, but I would be lying. There have been ups and downs. However, the prep school was brilliant at dealing with the dreadful bouts of homesickness that my daughter and youngest son had. I would also love to say that my children are paragons of virtue and discipline has not been an issue, however that is not so.

Any disciplinary issues have been dealt with fairly but firmly, helped because we have been able to develop a good relationship with all of the houseparents in my children’s boarding houses.

Fortunately these have been few!

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 31

Pupils and parents The parents The school encourages you to take part in events where possible, although this is difficult when serving overseas. The pastoral care has been great and has helped our children develop into the young adults that they are today. The school seems to treat each pupil as an individual and helps to promote their stronger attributes, whether they are academic, sporting or artistic. There is a realistic goal set for each pupil and I consider Taunton School to be a good all round school.

Now we only have our youngest son Sam, at Taunton School, he has been well supported academically: as he attended a German primary school for 3 years we assumed his difficulties in English were because of this. However, he was assessed and found to have dyslexia; this has meant he has had extra support and his English has improved markedly. He is in the fortunate position of taking German as an A level in a class of two pupils, something that would not happen in a state school. I believe the smaller class sizes in lessons mean that the children ‘do not get lost in the crowd’ and any difficulties are addressed promptly. Although I should add that class sizes are not normally that small.

Socially Sam has thrived and from this September he is a School Prefect, Cadet Warrant Officer in the Cadets and Head of his Boarding House. He has embraced singing and although not taking music as an exam subject, he loves to sing in various choirs, singing lessons and school productions and has represented the school in competitions. The music teacher even invited him along to a concert with the pupils who are taking A level Music to help extend his appreciation for music.

Have we felt guilty about sending our children to boarding school? Yes! Have we missed them? Yes! Do the positives outweigh the negatives? Yes! Would we do it again? Yes!

to all of our lives and all the grandparents have been taken by its unique charm.

The school really does look after the individual with its small class sizes and talented teachers. The girls genuinely don't realise how hard they are working. They have all secured places in their preferred schools, with an abundance of scholarships to boot, as well as enjoying outstanding academic, sporting and musical results. All done while still being able to go for their early morning pony rides, clambering up the Cedar tree (all branches named), gardening, handwork, but above all allowing them to cherish their childhood.

We ask Mary and Ella what they miss about Hanford and there is an endless list focusing on friends, teachers, ponies, dares, committees, rollerblading, plays, music, art and sport. Both girls sit there with huge smiles on their faces knowing that Phoebe's adventure is just beginning. Phoebe couldn't be happier – sadly for her Mummy! It is her third school and Alex and I really appreciate how important it is to select the right school to support our nomadic lifestyle. The girls would have really struggled without the stability and continuity that a boarding school provides. It's a huge decision sending your children away to school but one that is made easier for us knowing that Hanford's staff are looking after them and the children are truly happy. We owe much to Hanford and I'm in a very lucky position of being able to help secure its future for other families in years to come. ■

Colonel Alex Potts and Anna Potts are very happy with Hanford School, the school they have chosen for their three daughters While living in Scotland and having a blissful family time, we knew that with our next posting, boarding school would be a major factor in giving our girls the educational stability they needed. We have three daughters and although our eldest Mary was only eight at the time, she would then be starting her third school so we had already experienced moving schools. It is not an easy process however lovely the new school is. Dealing with change was difficult for our children, particularly saying goodbye to established friends before starting all over again somewhere new.

So we took the big decision to look at boarding schools and we were recommended Hanford by a fellow army friend of my husband Alex. Setting off from Scotland to look at a number of schools we visited a handful but on arrival at Hanford it was obvious this was the school for our family. It has a beautiful setting, with ponies, chickens, walled gardens full of flowers, happy children running around and a real sense of home, but on a slightly larger scale. Hanford is hidden in the Dorset countryside, set mostly in a fascinating Jacobean Manor house with an ethos based on cherishing childhood. The school seeks to nurture simple family values including kindliness and good manners, as well as developing the confidence that comes through success in both academic work and play, focusing firmly on drawing the potential out of the individual girls. I can honestly say it does just that.

Six years on, Mary and Ella have left and Phoebe has just started Year 4. I have become a Governor and am involved more than I ever imagined I would be. The school has added something

32

Colonel Alex and Anna Potts with their three daughters, Ella, Mary and Phoebe

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

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Choosing and assessing schools What makes a good school?

What makes a good school?

– Peter Roberts, Headmaster of The King’s School, Canterbury

he most significant and long overdue change over the course of my career has been the toppling of the traditional divide between the self-contained institutional views that schools have tended to hold and the opinions and judgements of parents about their children’s experiences within those hallowed walls.

That in a modern and dynamic twentyfirst century school there should be broad, if not identical, agreement between the teaching staff and the parents about the ethos and aims of the education on offer amounts to a revolution of stance and perception. It is a revolution that is even more refreshing in the way the very best schools’ leadership teams take the views and interests of the pupils seriously, anchoring much of the collective enterprise, particularly on the co-curricular side, in the activities and passions of young people.

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34

This is especially so where these pursuits are relevant to the skill sets that young people will need in their future life.

For a full-boarding school like King’s Canterbury, it stands to reason that the strong sense of community will lend itself to this seemingly modern approach.

Equally, as the oldest school in the country and part of the Foundation of Canterbury Cathedral, it has – like many of the nation’s most famous institutions – learned to adapt and change, growing stronger over the ages – not set in stone, however beautiful those stones or the aesthetic context of a UNESCO World Heritage site may be!

A good school is much more than an educational opportunity; it can become a truly nurturing environment, for many akin to a second home. This is particularly relevant to Service parents: operations and postings mean that they are looking for a

good school which gives a strong sense of community to all its members, pupils and staff alike. Furthermore a good school encourages and gives support as well as celebrating success. It is then most likely to replicate, albeit in a more public forum, what a good family is able to achieve.

Atmosphere of the school One of the characteristics that parents should look out for on an Open Day is the atmosphere in the school. Particular reference should be given to the positivity of teacher-pupil interaction and the friendliness of pupils both to each other and towards visitors. Parents should gauge whether different pupils feel a sense of belonging in an equal way. Do they identify with the school’s values, seeing them as helpful and relevant to their lives and their own ideals? Would the school be brave

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools What makes a good school? those which champion development of character (the CCF, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, and outdoor pursuits spring to mind), and the range of activities which are either directly and indirectly linked to later life skills (the most obvious are in the fields of sports, music and drama).

Lively and interesting adults who passionately believe in this wider view of a good school are likely to be inspiring presences in the classroom. There is ample space within a good school for scholarly teaching in parallel with all pupils believing in the pursuit of academic excellence, but surely it is the overall cultivation of mind, body and spirit that counts for most when we are still young? Particularly so, since the discipline of managing those other recreational and developmental pursuits alongside academic studies brings the ability to cope with the pressures that university and a career will ultimately impose. ■

enough to enable its pupils to develop qualities such as inventiveness, creativity and open-mindedness? Does the school say ‘yes’ to pupil initiatives without falling into the trap of a child-centred pursuit of education? Good senior schools develop young adults into taking responsibility within a carefully laid down framework, one that gives the sense of freedom alluded to above.

High quality pastoral care For a school like King’s which specialises in the pursuit of the highest quality of pastoral care, this theme requires team work, dedication and careful planning by the adults. The results are just as tangible and obvious to the parents as other successes which often grab the headlines.

The theme also actively contributes to the happiness of the pupil body, a contagious

force in the way a good school works. As a means to judge the effectiveness of a school in achieving these goals, experienced parents listen carefully to their own children’s feedback, as well as sounding out existing parents.

Co-curricular pursuits This main thread encourages young people to see school as fun as well as useful. This is a powerful message during the teenage years when behaviours can be reactive, if the adults are too controlling or base their assumptions on their own aspirations rather than a sound understanding of the real needs of the individual child. While many parents readily acknowledge that such principles lead to a well-balanced and healthy upbringing, perhaps not enough see the link with plenty of school time dedicated to co-curricular pursuits, both

Peter Roberts was educated at Tiffin’s, Kingston upon Thames and then read History at Merton College, Oxford, where he received a First Class Honours degree. He subsequently took a PGCE at London University. He worked at Winchester College from 1986 to 2003: first as an assistant teacher, then from 1991 as Head of History and also as Master in College (Housemaster of the Scholars' House). He became Headmaster of Bradfield College in August 2003 during which time he gained the prestigious award as Tatler's ‘Headmaster of the Year’. He was appointed as the 41st Headmaster of The King’ School, Canterbury in September 2011. He is currently overseeing the biggest development in the school’s recent history: a new girls’ boarding house and a new Music School at the Junior King’s School are due to open in September 2015, closely followed by plans for a new science centre, a performing arts centre and improved sports facilities. Peter is married to Marie and they have three daughters.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 35

Choosing and assessing schools What about boarding schools?

What about boarding schools? – Barnaby Lenon, Head Master of Harrow School, 1999–2011, and Chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) What is the Independent Schools Council?

What about boarding schools?

The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is the organisation that brings together and works on behalf of independent fee-paying schools in the United Kingdom, which educate more than 500,000 children every year.

We are at a moment in the history of English education when there is an unprecedented amount of change. The whole curriculum for pupils aged five to 16 has been rewritten and revised A levels and GCSEs will be taught from 2015, 2016 and 2017. Schools are being given more freedoms but also greater responsibilities.

ISC’s main activity is lobbying the government. Every week a new initiative is announced and we seek to express the views of independent schools to policy-makers.

We also work with the press (stories about our schools appear in the media every day) and we do research on behalf of independent schools. For example: trends in university admissions, the collection of statistics for the annual ISC Census and exam results.

Importantly for our members, ISC provides a central base in London where all the various types of independent school (prep schools, mixed and single-sex, academically selective and nonselective, day and boarding) can come together to discuss issues of common interest.

Boarding schools continue to be popular in the twenty-first century, offering exceptional education and extra-curricular activities with round-the-clock pastoral care.

Despite the recession, boarding schools are doing well and numbers have increased. The 2015 ISC Census showed that 70,642 pupils board at ISC schools, making up 14% of total pupil numbers. A total of 485 schools, representing 39% of all ISC schools, have some boarding pupils.

Parents are able to choose between different types of boarding to suit their child. Around 85% of boarders are full boarders, with the rest choosing weekly or flexi boarding. There are strong variations between different age groups. 14% of ISC pupils board.

At sixth form this proportion more than doubles to over one third of all pupils boarding. For junior pupils this proportion is significantly lower, less than 2%.

Non-British pupils with parents living overseas make up just over 5% of the total ISC pupil population in 2015. The two parts of the world supplying the largest numbers of these overseas pupils are Hong Kong and China.

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Pupils from overseas The parents of these pupils choose British schools because they are keen for their children to master the English language, because they understand the significance of extra-curricular activities as part of the wider education, and because they know that attendance of a British school may be the best way to gain admission to a British university.

A number of boarding and day schools have set up franchise schools abroad. While I was Head Master at Harrow we built schools in Thailand, Beijing and Hong Kong. These schools pay a fee to the British school and this money helps to keep down the fee paid by parents at the British school. In return, the UK school provides advice and monitors the franchise school in a way which guarantees standards.

This year school fees have shown the lowest annual increase, at 3.6%, since 1994.

An unprecedented number of pupils, 170,000, now receive help with their fees to a record value of ÂŁ836 million, up ÂŁ60 million from last year.

This reflects the long-term aim of our schools to increase the amount of bursary provision and widen access to our schools. Over the last 15 years there has been a consistent trend of schools providing fee assistance to increasing number of pupils.

More than 41,000 pupils receive means-tested bursaries, valued at ÂŁ350 million, an increase of 6% compared to last year.

The average bursary is worth ÂŁ8,277 per pupil per year. There are 5,406 pupils who pay no fees at all.

What are the advantages of a boarding school?

Parents who work in the armed forces will understand better than anyone the attractions of living in a close community. Boarding schools have other advantages: Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools What about boarding schools? ●

●

●

●

They are able to offer a much wider range of extra-curricular activities to a high proportion of pupils because boarding schools have much more time with them. These schools also tend to attract staff who want to be involved in sport, music or drama at a high level.

The standard of pastoral care is often outstanding and, for children whose parents do not live locally or are away for long periods of time, boarding provides a safe and consistent environment with a well-structured and healthy social life.

Boarding schools take pupils from all over the country and all over the world. This is a valuable educational experience in itself: the opportunity to know people from many walks of life and from many different cultures.

And of course boarders do not have to travel to school, something which can be challenging in parts of the country.

What about disadvantages?

The boarding environment is not for everyone. ● Pupils will not have the same level of privacy that they may have at home and some older pupils can find the loss of freedom quite irksome. ● Boarding schools are wonderful for the outgoing and active pupil but perhaps less ideal for the shy child. ● Some children get homesick and of course some parents dislike not being able to see their children every day. ● Boarding requires substantial investment. However, more than a third of ISC school pupils receive help with their fees.

As with attending any school, choosing to board is a personal

decision for parents to make with their child and the support and advice of the school. Every school is different but details of individual schools can be found on their websites. Parents can also carry out a detailed school search and find information about all ISC schools at www.isc.co.uk ■

Head Master of Harrow from 1999 to 2011, Barnaby Lenon taught at Eton for 12 years, was Deputy Head Master of Highgate School from 1990 to 1995 and Headmaster of Trinity School, Croydon from 1995 to 1999. He has been a governor of 12 schools and is currently a governor of the Chelsea Academy and chairman of governors of the London Academy of Excellence in Newham, the first Free School to be set up for sixth formers and the first sponsored by a consortium of independent schools. He is Chairman of the Independent Schools Council, a Board member of Ofqual, and a member of the Oxfordshire County Council Education Advisory Board.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 37

Choosing and assessing schools Boarding or day?

Boarding or day?

eciding to ‘send children away’ to board is still a major step for every family. If parents live near enough, choosing between boarding and day school can be even harder. Here are some more points to consider. ● Boarding works well for the majority of children. Once they reach 13, they are well on the road to independence and spending time away positively helps that process. ● Boarding is better for those living in isolated areas. ● Boarding helps develop inner resources and the ability to be selfreliant. ● Boarding fosters interpersonal skills and develops team spirit. ● Boarders can lean more heavily on the close friends they make at school and on the care of the staff. ● Unless parents are based abroad, they don’t say goodbye to their children for weeks at a time. Boarding is now more flexible, for example weekly boarding allows quality time at home over weekends. ● Children who board see their parents relatively often, at weekends or on the touchline, at concerts or at plays. Parents are encouraged to drop in to see their children. ● Communication with home is also positively encouraged and mobile phones and emails have completely changed the nature and frequency of contact between parents and children – providing they haven't lost their phone, nor had it confiscated, or lent it to a friend! ● When children are at home, it becomes real quality time, with both sides appreciating the other more. ● Teenagers can be challenging, and boarding school staff have experience of most teenage issues, some many times over. They can listen, ask the difficult questions, deal calmly and constructively with crises, give good advice and support where needed, and handle the occasional rebellious outburst with a mixture of understanding and discipline. The years of adolescence can be less painful. ● A good relationship with an adult who is not a parent can also be a very positive experience for a young person. ● The school has a greater influence on the development of its boarders, particularly in the adolescent years.

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Advantages ●

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Boarding gives children the opportunity to develop in their own space away from the family and to gain their independence in a structured environment.

Boarders have regulated prep times, travel times for non-boarders to and from school can complicate routines.

Boarding allows children to broaden their horizons and learn to live with and be tolerant of their fellow human beings many of whom come from very different backgrounds and different parts of the country and often the world.

Boarding allows quality time to spend with peers and time to take advantage of a huge range of activities a boarding school can offer over and above the working day such as involvement in a theatre, endless musical opportunities, CCF, extra sport, on-site art facilities, historical and debating societies and much, much more.

Boarding enables children to involve themselves wholeheartedly in the life of the school without the constant change of environment from home to school which is inevitable in a day school.

Boarding provides an ideal opportunity to be independent and gain self-confidence for life in the twenty-first century. This confidence will be with them for the rest of their lives.

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Boarding is generally considered more expensive, a consequence particularly of the extra pastoral care needed.

Boarding takes children away from the family for long periods and can result in children becoming too detached from family influences. It interrupts the social side of family life.

Boarding can allow the development of bad habits and be more subject to the influences of unsatisfactory peer groups.

Boarding can discourage the development of family-based recreational pursuits, and social and cultural activities, particularly over weekends and holidays.

Boarding takes children away from the structured and disciplined environment of the home – and from home cooking.

Boarding sometimes does not match the aspirations of parents. ■

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools Inspections of boarding schools

Inspections of boarding schools – Adrian Underwood, Educational Consultant and Lead Inspector ll schools with boarding provision have an inspection of that provision on a three-yearly cycle, whether or not the whole school is being inspected. If the boarding school is in membership of one of the five independent school associations (GSA, HMC, IAPS, ISA, Society of Heads), the inspection of boarding is carried out by a specialist team of boarding inspectors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).

If the school is an independent school not in membership of one those five associations or is a state boarding school, the inspection of boarding is carried out by a specialist team of Ofsted boarding inspectors.

Both inspectorates assess a school’s boarding provision against the Boarding Schools – National Minimum Standards, the first version of which was published in 2002. Full details of the Standards (the latest April 2015 version) can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/boardingschools-national-minimum-standards Over the last 20 years, good practice in boarding schools has developed significantly and schools have responded positively to national legislation in this area. The effect of this has been to raise the level of care and management in boarding schools. This, in turn, has supported the increased quality of the boarding experience for the 72,000 boarders in independent and state boarding schools.

These improvements have been recognised by central government, so much so that the Department for Education consulted with boarding schools and boarders and in September 2011 published a new set of standards. The number of standards was reduced from 53 to 20, reflecting the way in which boarding schools promote the highest standards in care, education and the personal development of boarders.

The 2011 Standards were further updated in 2013 and 2015.

A significant aspect of raising the quality of the boarding experience has been schools’ investment in boarding training. The Boarding Schools’ Association's programme of professional development, including the Certificates of Professional Development and Professional Practice in Boarding Education, is the major provider of this training. The full programme can be found at www.boarding.org.uk

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outcomes for boarders – the quality of the boarding experience quality of the boarding provision and care ● effectiveness of arrangements for welfare and safeguarding ● effectiveness of the leadership and management of the boarding provision.

The report does state when the boarding meets a particular National Minimum Standard. If a Standard is not met, the report clearly identifies the reason for the school’s failure to meet the standard. ● ●

The role of Governors The Government through the inspectorates is putting an increasing emphasis on the role of governors in monitoring standards in schools.

The 2015 version of the standards has a new standard: 13.1 The school’s governing body and/or proprietor monitors the effectiveness of the leadership, management and delivery of the boarding and welfare provision in the school, and takes appropriate action where necessary.

On a boarding inspection, the chair of governors and any other governors who have responsibilities for boarding are interviewed about how they monitor the boarding provision and the policies and the implementation of policies relating to child protection (safeguarding) and the appointment of staff. As the final responsibility for the

National Boarding Standards The 20 National Boarding Standards cover the following areas: ● Policies, procedures and practice: includes anti-bullying, boarders’ activity programme, boarders’ induction, complaints, confidential counselling and guidance, contact with parents, equal opportunities, guardianship, health and safety, management and leadership, medical care, promoting positive behaviour, role of prefects, boarders’ meals. ● People: includes boarding staff supervision, boarders’ privacy, recruitment checks on boarding staff, relationships between boarders and between boarders and staff, seeking boarders’ views, leadership and management of the boarding provision. ● Premises: includes boarding accommodation, medical facilities, recreational facilities, toilet and washing facilities.

ISI and Ofsted reports on boarding are sent to all parents of current boarders. These are usually also published on the school's website. They are certainly published on the inspectorates’ websites (listed at the end of this article). The reports follow the same framework and report on the:

and discover a boarding adventure See the full picture at www.stedmunds.org.uk 01227 475601 admissions@stedmunds.org.uk

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 39

Choosing and assessing schools Inspections of boarding schools management of a school rests with the governing body, the government needs to be certain that governors understand their responsibilities in all areas, but, particularly, in regard to the safety and welfare of pupils.

Many schools now have designated governors who monitor the quality of the school's boarding life and its safeguarding of pupils. These governors spend time in the boarding houses, meet regularly with the designated senior leader (child protection officer) and monitor the effectiveness of the recruitment checks on new staff and the quality of the single central register of staff appointments.

Child protection The safeguarding of pupils is a major responsibility of schools and is rightly given emphasis by schools in their procedures and by the ISI and Ofsted in their reports on boarding welfare. Parents are understandably often more concerned about a school’s location or examination results, and prospective boarders may be more interested in the quality of the bedrooms or the sports facilities. However, the school’s safeguarding of its boarders should also be high on parents’ and prospective boarders’ list of questions.

There are four key areas in child protection (also known as safeguarding).

1 How can I access the school’s child protection policy?

Every school is required to have a safeguarding (child protection) policy.

This is reviewed annually by the full governing body. Schools are also required by the Department for Education to make this policy freely available to parents and prospective parents on request. If a school has a website, it is required to publish this policy on its website.

2 Who are the school’s child protection officers?

The school appoints one or more ‘designated senior leaders’ (DSLs) to be child protection officers. Usually there is a lead DSL and one or more deputies. These DSLs are required to have training every two years in child protection and inter-agency working. The DSLs in a school take the lead responsibility for all child protection issues and liaise with the Local Safeguarding Children Board, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for safeguarding and the local Children’s Services team.

3 What training do the school’s staff receive in child protection?

The first thing to emphasise is that it is the responsibility of a school to train all its staff. If a pupil needs to share a confidential matter with an adult he or she does not necessarily approach a tutor or a teacher. All staff must receive child protection training as part of the induction procedures before they start working in the school. This training must be updated regularly. There is no longer a set frequency for staff refresher training. Schools consult with their LSCB to determine the most appropriate schedule, level and focus for training.

This training covers the categories of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional and neglect), how to respond to a pupil who discloses abuse to a member of staff, and what actions to follow after a disclosure. Each member of staff is provided with a copy of Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part One) and the school’s child protection policy and is expected to know them and also to know the names and contact details (day and night) of the designated senior leaders.

4 What is in the school’s policy concerning reporting child protection allegations to a local safeguarding agency?

It is a requirement that, in any school child protection policy, it is stated that a school must communicate readily (in practice, within 24 hours)

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with a local safeguarding agency whenever an allegation or disclosure of abuse has been made. It is also a requirement to report to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) within one month of leaving the school any person (whether employed, contracted, a volunteer or student) whose services are no longer used because he or she is considered unsuitable to work with children.

Be reassured Although abuse incidents are relatively rare, schools have robust policies and procedures for preventing abuse and for dealing with any incidents which are reported to them. ■

Further information For the Boarding Schools – National Minimum Standards go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/boardingschools-national-minimum-standards For Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education there are two government documents: Keeping Children Safe in Education (2015) (KCSIE) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads /attachment_data/file/418686/Keeping_children_safe_in _education.pdf Working together to safeguard children (2015) (WTTSC) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/workingtogether-to-safeguard-children--2 For ISI reports go to http://www.isi.net/home Reports on boarding welfare will only be found on the ISI website for schools whose boarding provision has been inspected since September 2011. For reports before that date, please go to the Ofsted website.

Further changes to the inspection of schools are planned from January 2016. These changes will be in the March 2016 edition of the Guide.

Adrian Underwood’s career has been in boarding education for over 40 years since 1971 when he was appointed a housemaster and head of department. From 1975 to 1997 he was headmaster of a boarding and day school. In 1998 Adrian became National Director of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA). He watched over the Association’s development into the world’s major boarding association, pioneering a professional development programme for boarding staff and engaging with the British government on a range of boarding issues including drafting the first set of National Boarding Standards. He was appointed OBE in 2007 for services to education. He now lives on the North Norfolk coast and is an educational consultant and a lead inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau and the CfBT Education Trust. He is a governor of Wymondham College and Chairman of the EnglishSpeaking Union’s USA-UK Secondary Schools’ Exchange. He enjoys sailing, golf, tennis and training ambulance drivers for a local day care centre.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools A safe pair of hands – professional development for boarding staff teams

A safe pair of hands – professional development for boarding staff teams – Alex Thomson, Director of Training, Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) ‘Boarders feel they receive excellent care and say they are looked after and that they are part of a family. An obvious sense of community is further nurtured by the excellent quality of relationships between boarders and staff who care for them. Such relationships are meaningful, trusting and extremely positive and help to create a relaxed, open and inclusive environment where boarders thrive. Boarders are cared for by experienced and dedicated staff who share the school's aspirations for boarders to make exceptional progress. The management and organisation of boarding is outstanding and ensures boarders continually receive the highest standards of care, support and guidance.’

Extract from an Outstanding Boarding Inspection Report

Such glowing praise for the boarding staff team is clearly well deserved. However, it does not come about by chance. Good boarding schools recognise the short- and longer-term benefits of investing in the professional development of their boarding teams. Whether this is in school training (INSET) or externally provided courses, schools now place equal emphasis on the development of pastoral care knowledge and skills alongside the curricular or subject specific training which ensure their continued academic success.

Whole school INSET A common area for all schools is safeguarding training. Recent guidance from the Government, Keeping Children Safe In Education (2015), highlighted a number of critical areas such as child protection and bullying, including cyberbullying. The former is likely to be covered by an annual whole school INSET with teaching and pastoral staff being joined by administrative, support and catering colleagues. In addition, schools are likely to arrange regular training sessions on topics such as emotional health, first aid, and e-safety.

So how do schools recognise the aspects of pastoral care they should be focusing on?

Very often the senior leadership team will identify an area or theme which will directly benefit a specific year group and as such, would tie into the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum. An example would be Mindfulness or Resilience where raising awareness within the pastoral or boarding team will allow the housemaster or housemistress, tutor or matron to support boarders through homesickness or similar emotional challenges better.

Young people need to be supported to cope with the stresses of examinations and to achieve a good work/life balance in what is often an extremely busy boarding week. This requires pastoral staff to be equipped with the latest knowledge and to develop the necessary soft skills to foster strong positive relations with the children so that they in turn feel confident and empowered to ask for help or guidance if they need it. The aim of this aspect of professional development is to

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 41

Choosing and assessing schools A safe pair of hands – professional development for boarding staff teams ensure that the staff are able, as well as willing, to offer appropriate support so that the boarding experience is as positive as possible.

BSA professional development courses Many boarding schools access the wide range of professional development courses offered by the Boarding Schools’ Association. These university-accredited courses are undertaken by both graduate teaching and non-graduate house staff, including matrons, assistant house staff and house parents, who are charged with responsibility for the care and welfare of boarding pupils.

BSA staff development courses broadly cover the following areas: ● major legislation as it affects life in a boarding school; child protection issues; National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools; organisation and communication in a boarding school; relationships with parents; health and development, e-safety ● conflict resolution and counselling skills; the management of crises and stress in boarding schools; emotional and mental health issues

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a consideration of some of the major challenges that young people face today as they grow and develop.

By investing in such staff development, schools ensure that they are better able to provide support for their pupils. Boarding inspectors are able to note that: ‘The boarders receive outstanding levels of support from a wide range of staff within the school…’

‘The pastoral care is exceptional…’

‘Parents provided overwhelmingly positive feedback.’

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‘This outstanding boarding community is a result of the (staff) fulfilling their vision to provide a safe, structured, nurturing environment.’

‘Staff work collaboratively and are dedicated to delivering a high standard of care to the children…’

So, next time you visit a boarding school make sure to ask about the programme of professional development for the boarding staff and find out how this is helping to make the boarding experience so much more fulfilling for more boarders. ■

Alex Thomson taught geography and mathematics before joining the Education and Training branch of the Army. His service included roles as Director of Adult Education in Northern Ireland, Chief Examinations Officer for the Army’s Junior Officer Education and Training, and Senior Education Adviser to the Officer Selection Board. Before becoming BSA’s Director of Training in September 2008, he was the Children’s Services Director for British Forces in Germany. He is passionate about promoting staff development and team building in education and boarding. He was made OBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours List for his support to Service Children and their families in Germany. As Director of Training he has expanded the Day Seminar programme and the BSA Professional Certificate course to meet the needs of boarding schools.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools Selecting a school

Selecting a school ● ●

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Prepare for entry and complete all essential paperwork Purchase school uniform and items on clothing list during the summer term or holidays before entry Enter school Receive school induction at beginning of the autumn term.

School visits – what to look for ● ● ● ● ●

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A guide to the school application process ● ●

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Carry out research into possible schools If possible, visit schools at least a year before the proposed entry date Complete application form Register with school Pay deposit/application fee during the year before entry (or earlier) Prepare for entrance examinations/tests/interviews Sit entrance/scholarship examinations at agreed location If possible visit the school for interview during spring and summer term before entry

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Do the pupils seem happy and purposefully engaged in activity?

Are staff and pupils talking and working together?

Are the pupils well mannered and courteous?

How is discipline maintained?

How, and with what frequency, does the school communicate with parents?

How does the school monitor each pupil’s progress?

What provision is made for pupils with learning difficulties?

How many pupils are there in each class?

What emphasis is placed on art, drama, music, sport?

Are the facilities well maintained?

Is there a high turnover of staff members?

What is the balance between newly qualified and experienced staff, and the number of specialist teachers (especially in preparatory schools)?

What pastoral care system is in place?

What is the school’s policy on bullying and drugs? ■

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 43

Choosing and assessing schools School visits: questions and answers

School visits: questions and answers chool visits can take a variety of forms. They can involve meeting the Head or perhaps attending an Open Day. Whatever the format, the first meeting is crucial so if possible always try to visit a school on a normal day. If it goes well, follow it up with an Open Day visit. Further visits can then be arranged – students can come back for a taster day; potential boarders can be invited to stay overnight.

The initial look around is absolutely vital; it is where a parent and their child start to assess whether they fit the environment (and whether it fits them). It is where prospective parents and students decide whether they like the location, the ‘buzz’ and the Head. Open Days can involve a talk about the school normally by the Head, sometimes handson classes for prospective students while parents chat to senior staff and current students, and then current pupils leading a tour of the school.

All this should be followed by an opportunity to ask any further questions.

As a prospective parent visiting a boarding school with your child, you should have the opportunity to spend time with the Head, a boarding housemaster/housemistress and a pupil.

Above all, set out to enjoy your visit. You will find the vast majority of boarding schools make an excellent impression, and their pupils and staff will be in very good heart.

Here are some useful questions to ask, particularly if you found the boarding school’s website, prospectus and accompanying information did not cover everything you wanted.

The list is not exhaustive: use it as a guide and adapt the questions to your own requirements – you will have to be selective, given the relatively short time available. Covered here: ● academic issues ● rules and regulations ● boarding life and pastoral care ● financial issues ● after your visit.

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Academic issues Q: What are the entry requirements? Is our child likely to obtain a place, and when?

A: This is a crucial initial administrative matter to cover. Remember that the majority of places available will be for the main ages of entry: normally at 7, 8 and 11 for a prep school and at 11, 13 and 16 for a senior school. You need to know whether to have alternative schools lined up, and at what age the school recommends entry and has places available.

Q: How do you organise your 14–19 curriculum?

A: The debate on the nature of the 14–19 curriculum is ongoing and parents should feel confident and reassured about the current set-up.

Larger schools may offer both A levels and the International Baccalaureate, but smaller ones will find this more difficult and expensive. Schools may also offer the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma or the Advanced Diploma. Most schools will be attempting to broaden their sixth-form curriculum, introducing more skills-based courses.

There should be an awareness of and concern about the wide range of issues now involved and being debated.

Q: What are the school's plans for examination reforms?

A: GCSEs and A levels are being reformed with first teaching from September 2015 and first examination from 2017. The reforms will be phased in with different groups of subjects. GCSEs and the full A level will become linear programmes, with examinations at the end of two years. There will be a standalone one-year AS qualification but it won’t count towards the full A level. A new National Curriculum will focus in particular on multiplication tables and mental arithmetic in mathematics; and grammar, punctuation, spelling and pre-20th century literature in English. Schools should be able to explain their own preparation plans for these reforms.

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Q: Can we see your sixth-form examination results and GCSE/Standard Grade results for the past three years? Also, can we see details of the school’s position in the league tables and the number of places obtained at Oxbridge (the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge) and at other universities?

A: League tables need to be treated with caution, as they do not give a rounded picture of the school’s real success or failure in enabling pupils to reach their full potential. IGCSEs are currently included in the UK Government’s School Performance tables, but the DfE has recently announced that this will not be the case from Summer 2017 onwards.

The annual tables, or better still the subject and pupil point score averages over the past three years, can be used to identify trends within a school, and most schools accept that these tables are used for obtaining comparisons. All the information should be available in a form that is understandable and helpful. These, the Oxbridge results and the list of university entrants will give you an indication of pupils’ attainment and progress, particularly with reference to those at the top of the ability range, and will illustrate the school’s success at helping pupils realise their academic potential.

Q: How does the school approach the teaching of English, sciences, mathematics, modern languages, and information and communication technology (ICT) for the most and least able students?

A: These are key subjects, and your child could be at either end of the ability range. It is important to know how a school responds to individual abilities and needs. It is also important to find out how subjects fit into a broad, well-balanced curriculum, and how essential study skills, particularly in information and communication technology (ICT), are being developed and integrated.

Q: Our child has a particular interest in sport/music/drama/art … How will the school get the best out of him/her?

A: This question is aimed at finding out what the boarding school’s extracurricular activities are, and how the school encourages participation in them. Ask about the activities that interest your child most, or in which your child has a particular talent.

Q: What is the school’s policy on careers education and applications to further and higher education, and with which professions does it have particularly strong links?

A: Good careers advice is an essential part of education throughout the school. Providing advice is a crucial role for the school. Careers departments should have an established local support network of contacts in the main professions, who are able and willing to pass on the benefits of their experience. Again a list of recent leavers’ university places will provide a valuable indicator of the school’s strengths and successes.

Rules and regulations Q: What are the key rules for boarders over the weekend, and what activities are on offer?

A: A question for either the Head or the house staff, this is aimed at finding out as much as possible about what boarders can do at weekends and the school’s ability to offer wider cultural and social opportunities for its pupils.

Q: What is the school’s policy on use of the internet and mobile phones?

A: Internet abuse is a major international problem, and you should feel confident that the boarding school has realistic and sensible policies in place. Similarly, mobile phones have a constructive use, not least as a means of keeping in touch with parents, so long as rules on their use and security are in place and put into practice.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools School visits: questions and answers Q: What are the school’s policies on alcohol, drugs and smoking?

Is the school facing any particular problems in any of these areas at present?

A: Every boarding school will have a policy in place to cover these matters. The real issue is how such matters are dealt with, and whether the individuals concerned learn from their mistakes. This is a chance to consider the school’s personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) programme, its health and safety and disciplinary policies, to look into the medical and counselling services available, to discover what happens if serious offences are committed, and to find out on what grounds a pupil may be expelled or suspended, and when this last happened. You should feel that matters would be dealt with consistently, sympathetically but firmly, and, above all, fairly.

Q: What medical arrangements are in place?

A: Obviously, it is important to know what happens in the case of either illness or an emergency or accident, who the school medical staff are, and what the facilities include. Check on insurance arrangements, particularly for sporting fixtures, expeditions and trips, both at home and abroad.

Boarding life and pastoral care

Financial issues

Q: How can I be confident my child’s interests are protected at all times?

A: Schools are subject to rigorous child welfare legislation, regulation and inspection, which is entirely right and proper. The interests of the child are at the heart of an independent education. All schools should have a child protection policy and all staff should receive training in child protection. The school’s latest ISI or Ofsted report should provide further details.

Q: Why have your fees increased this year? What are your salary scales for teaching staff and how do they compare with salaries in the maintained sector? What extras can we expect to pay? What is your policy on study leave for examinations?

A: Well over two-thirds of school fees go on staff salaries, and independent schools need to ensure their salary scales match those in the maintained sector. Extras vary according to a child’s extracurricular involvement. The Head and school prospectus should make it clear at the onset what additional expenses and development costs can be expected. There is normally no reduction for periods of study leave – you may well ask why.

Q: How does the school work with children who are excluded by their peers?

A: The school should be able to identify these children at a very early stage. Some boarding children suffer from unhappiness, deprivation and neglect. Schools should be able to explain the measures they take to deal with this. Children are more likely to interact if they are near each other and engaged in the same activity.

Q: Who is the first staff member we should see if there is a problem?

A: The right member of staff can deal with many problems immediately.

Knowing who that person is and developing confidence in them is very important. Most boarding schools have very good pastoral care and counselling systems, and knowing how these operate is very important. This question will also allow parents to find out how well the school communicates with parents, and what opportunities there are for visits to the school to meet teachers and other parents.

Q: How many children in my child’s age group board during the week and weekend?

A: Although the schools that attract CEA offer full boarding, many pupils will be weekly or flexi boarders. This means that some children are virtually on their own at weekends as all their peers go home.

Also, in schools with a high proportion of foreign pupils, an Englishspeaking child can find himself or herself isolated if all their peers at the weekend are speaking in foreign languages.

Q: What are the bathroom facilities like?

A: School bathrooms range from individual en-suite arrangements to communal shower areas with private shower cubicles. You should be satisfied that the shower cubicles offer personal privacy.

Q: Does the school have Skype?

A: Skype provides a very cost-effective method of keeping in touch with your child if you are posted overseas. Some schools provide pupils with supervised access to Skype to enable families to communicate.

Q: How good is the catering? Do the pupils have an input into the choice of menu offered?

A: These are really questions for the pupil showing you around, although don’t expect a ‘good-eating rosette’ response! The general standard of school catering nowadays, though, is remarkably high and schools are far more conscious of the need to maintain healthy diets.

Q: How important is the role of chapel in school life?

A: The chapel may be central to boarding school life. While not every pupil may be expected to participate fully, a great deal can be achieved through chapel, most notably its important role in personal, social, moral and cultural education, and particularly in helping to develop pupils’ life skills and a sense of care, concern and respect for others in the whole community.

Q: How do you finance capital expenditure and what are your development plans?

A: Schools need to keep pace with national developments in education, so capital projects will always be on the agenda. Some of these may be funded by donations or an appeal. Others may come out of fees.

The Head should be open about future plans and financing options.

The governing board Q: What is the role of the school’s governors?

A: In boarding schools governors are the source of authority within the school and they are responsible for overall policy. They control finance and administration, responsibility for which is normally delegated to the Head or the bursar. Probably their single most important task is to appoint the Head. Governors give their time and specialist expertise voluntarily and a good rapport between governors and head is essential for a well-run school. Crucially, governors are responsible for all practices and procedures for the safeguarding of the school’s pupils and legally they must ensure the school complies with the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools and for independent schools, the Independent Schools’ Standards Regulations.

After your visit After your visit, try to discuss with your child your thoughts about the people you met, what you were told and what you saw. Then ask yourself a number of follow-up questions: ● What views did you form of the Head? Why? ● What sort of leadership was provided? ● How did the aims and objectives of the boarding school appear in practice? ● Was there a good rapport between pupils and staff? ● How was the eye-to-eye contact? ● Were the pupils well-mannered and enthusiastic about their school? ● Did the school have policies, procedures and rules to make it a civilised and caring community? ● Were the staff communicative and did they enjoy their teaching?

Did they have control of their classes? What contribution did they make to the life of the school outside the classroom? ● Were the buildings well-maintained and the grounds neat and attractive? ● Was there a generally positive atmosphere about the community? ● Finally, and crucially, will the school meet your child’s needs? ■

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 45

Choosing and assessing schools Getting the best out of a school

Getting the best out of a school The dos and don’ts – some practical advice ducation is seen at its best when pupil, parent and school all combine to help bring the very best out of the individual.

Education, though, is very much a lifelong process, and the best indication of the real success of a good preparatory and secondary education is seen more in what a person is like, and the quality of what has been achieved, and how, by the time the individual has reached middle age. To most parents, though, it is what their child has achieved by the time he or she leaves school that really matters.

Success is measured in terms of examination results, university places obtained, positions of responsibility held, and attainments in games, music, drama and other extra-curricular activities. Less easy to quantify and evaluate – although psychometric testing is doing its best to bridge the gap and provide valuable support information – is the individual’s strength of character, personality, communication skills, sociability, management and leadership potential, honesty and integrity, yet they are all qualities that have been nurtured and developed at school, and that will provide an essential foundation for the future.

Not all school leavers are the paragons of virtue either their parents think or expect them to be, or indeed the school has tried hard to make them become. Many of the important lessons of life are learned either by making mistakes yourself or learning from the mistakes made by others, and there is nowhere better than a boarding school environment to do this.

The path from preparatory school pupil, through adolescence, to school leaver is full of obstacles and pitfalls, and not many succeed in remaining on the straight and narrow all the time – indeed, some find it a minefield and spend more time off the path than on it. In these circumstances it is hardly surprising that there are the occasional blemishes and clashes with authority. Parents, and occasionally even schools and their boarding staff, have to recognise this and deal with situations in the most appropriate way.

Schools sometimes have to be cruel rather than sympathetic, initially, in order to be kind later on. Action is necessary in order to ensure standards are maintained and mistakes not repeated. In such situations there is inevitably the risk of tension, and to add to the usual frictions that can spring up between parents and children come those between pupil and school, and then between parent and school.

Many such tensions are short term, and quickly blow over as mistakes are acknowledged and lessons learned. Some, though, are more long term, and less easily forgiven and forgotten. What, then, can be done to alleviate and minimise them, and what can be done to ensure that boarding parents, in particular, get the best out of the school they have chosen, and do their best to help avoid things going wrong?

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School and parents work together Well, what can go wrong? First, academic progress and study: not all pupils are diligent and assiduous in their studies. So, when pupils do not perform up to their potential, and achieve moderate results in relation to their capabilities, there is inevitable and entirely justifiable cause for concern. If this is spotted early, and the school reacts appropriately and informs the parent to ensure support, and the pupil responds positively, then the problem has started to be addressed. Almost certainly both school and parent

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will remain on the alert, and pressure will continue to be applied so that progress can be maintained. Schools will monitor such situations through end-of-term reports, reports during the term, individual supervision and parents’ evenings, where there will be the chance to discuss matters of concern with subject teachers and form teachers, and agree action plans. The parents’ role in these situations is to support the action taken by the school, and to ensure they have a channel of communication so they know what is happening and can be kept informed by someone at the school, either house parent, tutor, form teacher or subject teacher.

The more serious problem occurs when the relationship or respect between the pupil and the channel of communication breaks down, and the parent feels dissatisfied or uneasy about what is happening. It is at this stage that the parent has to be prepared to go to someone else at the school in order to express their disquiet and to resolve the matter. The house master or mistress is the most likely pourer of oil on troubled waters, but it might be necessary to obtain reassurances from another senior member of staff, such as a tutor or the school counsellor or even the head. The main point to emphasise is that the concern should be shared fully with the school, and there is no excuse for one person hoping that the problem will just disappear.

Under-performance in extra-curricular activities is more difficult Under-performance in extra-curricular activities, particularly games and music, is more difficult. The best teams, choirs and orchestras exhibit the stamps of their coaches, choir masters and conductors in their performances. Not all schools, however, have professional coaches, and not all good musicians give equally good music lessons. Spreading the coaching talent among the staff so that as many pupils as possible benefit has to be considered against the need for the top teams to do well against traditional rivals, and in the face of continued improvements in training facilities and techniques. So there are plenty of disappointments for those who hover on the edge of school teams to face, tests of character that will, eventually, serve them in good stead in the future. Dealing

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools Getting the best out of a school with the situation at the time, though, is never easy, and the school and parents will need to supply their own sympathy and understanding, often in tandem, whenever appropriate. The parent who joins the ranks of knocking the overall performance, the referee, the coach, the team, the captain, does little to help the cause of either the school or the individual. Parents are there to provide support and encouragement, whenever possible and, providing this happens, their presence will always be welcome and greatly appreciated, whether it is at concerts, plays or matches.

Constructive criticism can come at a later time, and when the school makes a point of actively seeking it, which it will at some stage.

Personal, social, moral and cultural development The next area to consider is personal, social, moral and cultural development, and linked with this is how the school’s discipline structure leads the individual towards the essential selfdisciplinary requirements of life beyond school. Here, perhaps, is where the real concerns can start. Schools mirror the problems of society, and the local – and often the national – media do their best to keep the general public updated on all the messy details, more often than not at the expense of the school. Schools, under such pressure, can show the strain. They have obligations to their pupils, their parents, their staff, and to the individuals who have been involved. Anything that can be regarded as a criminal offence cannot be hidden from the law, and proven guilt has inevitably final consequences, more often than not resulting in expulsion or suspension. Paying that ultimate price is a tragic consequence of an act of grave stupidity, not often premeditated, but it has to be faced and life has to go on. Schools do their very best to salvage as much as they can from the short-term wreckage but, for many, the scars are carried with them a long time into the future, and it is only their peers who benefit and pull back whenever similar temptations crop up again. Drug abuse is the main danger, but alcohol abuse is not far behind. Moral education is the prime duty of both schools and parents, and one of its chief aims is to convince individuals that they are responsible for their own destinies. In this respect schools and parents must be in constant contact about what is happening and what is being done. A programme of personal, social, moral and cultural development should be a prominent feature within any school’s curriculum, and the boarding schools should be making a better job of it than the day schools simply because they have more time available to deal with it, and due to the on-campus support and advice they have the opportunity to provide. Good parents will keep themselves informed and will discuss issues on a regular basis with both their children and the school.

Remember too that just under 40% of the total boarding population is non-British with parents overseas. They come from a wide range of countries, religious beliefs, languages and customs.

Boarders can contribute a great deal to the life of the school, but often it is the friendships they make in their early days which play a major part in helping them to get the best out of themselves.

A realistic approach

test of a school’s quality, but more often it will be on a Saturday night with friends, where someone has had too much to drink.

Schools are now well versed in dealing with such situations in their own ways, and pupils will be fined, gated or lose positions of responsibility. A repeat offence could lead to suspension. The parents’ role in such a predicament is to help their child to bounce back and to maintain morale, particularly if it is in a vital examination year. A pupil caught smoking will be dealt with in a similar way, with the initial punishment now more often than not being chosen to hit the pupil’s pocket.

Bullying and harassment, particularly verbal, are more common than schools are prepared to concede, and a number of schools have sensibly acknowledged this and brought in independent counsellors to help reduce the problem. Respect for personal property is another matter for concern, expensive iPods, electronic equipment and clothing are best enjoyed in the holidays, and to take them back to school as a status symbol is a mistake.

Items do ‘go missing’, but only initially because the owners are either careless or too casual about the need for sensible security.

Then follows the slippery slope of what happens next. The petty thief often has no need to break into school buildings – they can find enough to satisfy their needs from the items left lying around the estate.

Where, then, does this leave the boarding parent, apart from providing them with a brief about what to warn their children about? It aims to emphasise to them how important it is to establish their own channels of communication through to the school, and the ways in which they can provide support and encouragement for their child throughout a school career. Accept invitations to attend school events, particularly leading up to half terms and end of terms, whenever you can, use these to get to know the staff involved with your child in the classroom, in extracurricular activities and, above all, in the boarding house; find out when it is most convenient to talk to them on the phone. Whenever you can’t accept invitations to discuss progress, and whenever there are matters of concern, don’t wait for the situation to get worse, take the earliest opportunity that is reasonable to obtain reassurances. By doing this the boarding parent (or guardian, if both parents are abroad) can become far more involved than is often appreciated, and the most is made of visits when they can take place. ■

Getting the best out of a school ●

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A realistic approach to all this will help keep other disciplinary misdemeanours in perspective. Children will be caught from time to time in pubs, made all the more embarrassing if in the company of day colleagues and their parents; how this one is resolved is a

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Make every effort to accept invitations from the school to attend parents’ evenings and school events.

Establish a regular channel of communication with relevant staff.

Communicate on a regular basis with your child during term times, and ensure this is a two-way process.

Study school reports carefully before discussing them with your child, and then, after further consideration, agree an action plan for the holidays and following term.

Support the school in whatever action it takes to deal with matters of discipline and behaviour.

Encourage your child to respond positively to recommendations made by the school.

Seek advice from the school if you are worried, and don’t expect problems to disappear.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 47

Choosing and assessing schools Interpreting league tables and the different exams now offered in schools

Interpreting league tables and the different exams now offered in schools – Alex Peterken, Headmaster of Cheltenham College

t would be unusual if parents did not take a keen interest in how successful a prospective school was and how much their son or daughter might be expected to achieve in that specific learning environment, but it’s not always easy to get a clear picture of success by looking at measurable information such as league tables alone. This can be a particular problem in boarding schools, where the range and breadth of the opportunities provided for pupils means ‘success’ is achieved in a myriad of different contexts which are difficult to quantify. Boarding schools rightly have a broad definition of what constitutes success that goes beyond just performance in public examinations. This is not to say that exam results do not matter, in fact they are at the heart of what we work towards for the large part of every day, but parents are becoming increasingly sophisticated in understanding the raw data provided by league tables, understanding context, and also looking more widely at other signs of success. So what should parents look out for?

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Prep Schools Baccalaureate Firstly, some parents may be aware of the debate currently running about Common Entrance and just how ‘fit for purpose’ it is. Senior School Heads have expressed concern in some quarters about the focus on the regurgitation of facts rather than the development of academic skills per se – such as using evidence to marshall an

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argument or thinking on your feet in an exam room – which are important aspects later on when it comes to GCSE and A Level.

One approach from a small number of prep schools has been to develop a Prep Schools Baccalaureate that focuses on a far broader range of assessment areas (including teamwork, leadership and extra-curricular activities) which is marked internally by the prep school on a rolling basis rather than a single set of final exams.

Only a handful of schools have taken this step so far, with the majority of prep schools waiting to see the way Common Entrance develops over the coming years now that an updated set of exams has been agreed.

Turning towards IGCSEs At GCSE, the first formal stage in the public examination process, independent schools are increasingly turning away from GCSE to alternatives such as the International GCSE (IGCSE) because they are keen to ensure that their pupils are well prepared to pursue subjects at sixth form level and at university. The attractiveness of the IGCSE is that it holds fast to the idea that studying a subject demands depth as well as breadth. At Cheltenham College, we offer the IGCSE in Mathematics, English Literature, Science, History and Geography. We have found that pupils benefit from the richer and more substantial content. They also enjoy learning to apply principles in unfamiliar circumstances and this develops Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Choosing and assessing schools Interpreting league tables and the different exams now offered in schools their analytical and critical thinking skills. As a consequence, when they enter the sixth form and go on to university, where they are required to understand and engage more deeply with their chosen subjects, they are in a much stronger position.

Cambridge Pre-U In the sixth form, there are now several different examination options. The most academically challenging are the Cambridge Pre-U specifications. They are examined at the end of the two-year course, feature traditional content, and certainly prepare students well for the first year of undergraduate study. For parents, two things are worth considering here. Firstly, is your child so clearly highly able that they will thrive under this extra pressure?

Secondly, there is no evidence that sitting Pre-U exams (which the vast majority of schools do not offer) is in any way an advantage when it comes to university admissions.

International Baccalaureate Then there is the International Baccalaureate (IB). This adds extra subjects to study (which can be a problem for those who have been looking forward to giving up Maths and French for example!) and again, despite much press coverage, there is little evidence to suggest the IB is an advantage when it comes to university entrance. Where the IB is fantastic, however, is in encouraging independent learning through the research project. There is, of course, nothing to stop good schools introducing such a project into their sixth forms alongside conventional A levels. For example, at Cheltenham we run an internal research essay for all lower sixth students on a topic related to their university application while the most able take the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). This has proved a very effective combination alongside conventional A levels, especially as far as university entrance is concerned. It is also excellent preparation for the step up to undergraduate courses.

A levels For parents, it’s important to have an understanding of the public exam system that the particular school they are looking at has adopted and why. The IB and Pre-U may offer some specific features, but these may not be necessary or appropriate for the vast majority of students. I for one am an advocate of the A-level system, by far the most commonly sat exams, undeniably understood by universities, and featuring an A* grade (which is awarded to around 18% of independent school exam entries as opposed to 6% nationally), enabling the very able student to be stretched and to shine.

Educating the whole person The complications of the different exam systems makes comparison across league tables difficult and just looking at league tables alone will mean you are in danger of missing the point about many of the things which should make education the greatest time of young people’s lives. To succeed in adult life involves much more than simply being proficient in the classroom.

A good school sets about educating the whole person, and any measure of success should take account of the opportunities pupils have to grow as individuals. Excellent teaching and learning is crucial, but schools should also be places where pupils develop knowledge and understanding, where they are given the opportunity and encouragement to find and use their latent talents,

where their self-esteem is built up and their confidence grows, and where they learn to be generous-hearted and develop an enquiring mind.

In recent years I have seen a team of 24 prefects, unprompted, plan and execute a charity triathlon which raised in excess of £7,500 by running, swimming and cycling a non-stop relay for 24 hours (including the hire of a charity cat suit for me to run the first lap!). I’ve seen a Year 10 girl have a dialogue with a Jewish Rabbi in the synagogue about his ancestors and the Holocaust and heard a Year 12 pupil deliver a paper on legalising euthanasia in front of an audience of parents and a Professor of Ethics. Every sixth former at Cheltenham takes a nationally accredited course in leadership and life skills. Can league tables measure these sorts of successes? I don’t believe so.

Success is multifaceted In boarding schools, learning in this broad sense does not begin and end with formal lessons. Lunchtimes, evenings and weekends are filled with activities – ranging from academic societies, hobbies and wider interest clubs, to sports and leisure activities – all of which contribute to an immensely stimulating and varied education. It is this that really enables pupils to grow into accomplished, self-confident and well-rounded individuals. I’m not sure the Cheltonian who finished presenting to a conference at Manchester University about the College’s biodiesel ‘eco scheme’ (made from discarded cooking oil) really thought he could do it until it was all over!

Most boarding schools also have well developed House and tutorial structures which means that the support to foster success is always close to hand. At Cheltenham, academic ‘clinics’ are open outside classroom hours and tutors spend time with their tutees offering support and advice about any and every issue.

Housemasters and housemistresses know the pupils in their houses very well indeed and can provide the security and stability that they need as they find their way through the maze of adolescence. And of course, co-education allows boys and girls to grow up together and develop a social ease and confidence that is invaluable later in life.

Success, then, is multifaceted and does not lend itself readily to any form of simple measurement. League tables, in particular, are unreliable as schools pursue other forms of examination, and they make no attempt to measure opportunity, character, selfconfidence or any of the other attributes that we regard as equally important at Cheltenham College. ■ Dr Alex Peterken became Headmaster of Cheltenham College in September 2010, having joined as Deputy Head in 2008. Educated at Eton College, he read theology at the University of Durham, and was also a choral scholar at Durham Cathedral. He holds an MA in educational management and a doctorate in education, specialising in school leadership.

His first teaching post was at Charterhouse, where he spent 11 successful years. He held several senior posts, including Head of Theology and Head of Higher Education and Careers Guidance. His final six years at Charterhouse were spent as Housemaster of Saunderites.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 49

Choosing and assessing schools The importance of good governance

The importance of good governance – Graham Able, Group Deputy Chairman, Alpha Plus ost parents do not research closely the composition of the governing board when they are considering a school for their child, but the role of the governors is critical to the success – or otherwise – of a school.

In most independent schools, the governing board appoints the head and will have a major input to the appointment of the bursar or equivalent: these appointments are key to the school’s performance, both academically and in terms of financial viability. Prospective parents should satisfy themselves that the school is likely to deliver a good education appropriate to their child and remain financially viable. Governors are also responsible for agreeing the school budget, determining the salaries of the head and bursar and setting fees; this latter function is of definite interest to most parents!

The nature of governance has changed considerably over the last 30 years.

Whereas the role of governors was once just to appoint the head and give general support, they are now better described as a board of specialist non-executive directors helping to run a mid-sized company with the head as chief executive and the bursar or business manager as finance director.

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‘Critical friends’ Governors need to act as ‘critical friends’ to their ‘chief executive’ and to do so effectively they need to be well-informed and with sufficient experience and knowledge between them to ask the right questions and interrogate the responses thoroughly. In order to monitor the progress of the school, governors need to take time to observe lessons and activities and to attend school functions outside their termly board and committee meetings.

They should be visible but careful not to cross the line between non-executive and executive functions.

The number of governors’ committees will vary from school to school, but finance, property/development and academic committees are common to most schools – they allow governors with particular expertise to look and advise in more detail in specialist areas. If the governing body is functioning well, the work of these committees will make full board meetings more focused and more effective.

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The range of expertise needed on a governing body will vary a little according to the type and age-range of school, but all schools will need governors with specialist knowledge of finance and business, law, property, marketing and education. It is also important for some governors to be in touch with the local community. Whereas it is relevant for both prep and senior schools to have someone with school headship experience on the board, a senior school will additionally benefit from a governor with university connections.

Parents as governors Opinions vary about parents as governors; I have always favoured having a current parent on the board, but one elected by the board for his or her expertise rather than a ‘representative’ parent governor elected by the PTA. The latter approach looks very democratic but tends to produce governors with a specific agenda – and possibly without any of the desired specialist skills – and this may not be in the best interests of the school as a whole.

It is important that governing boards do not become self-perpetuating oligarchies. There should be clear criteria for the appointment of a new governor and a desired skill set agreed before the board seeks suitable candidates. The alumni and parent (past and present) body will provide a rich source of appropriate talent but there should also be some ‘outside’ influence on the board to ensure it does not become too inward-looking.

receive sufficient training where appropriate. The demise of Stanbridge Earls, a school which for many years did an extraordinary job in educating children with special educational needs, was an example of how poor governance and slack management can bring down a hitherto successful school in just a few months.

Governance is judged as part of the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) or Ofsted inspection process. Governing boards which cannot demonstrate a good knowledge of their schools and a proper contribution to strategic decisions are likely to be downgraded and criticised in the inspection report.

Most schools now list their governors with details of their specialisms on the school website, so, when considering a school, it is certainly worth taking the time to check their credentials and assess their suitability to govern. ■

Defined terms The best boards will have defined terms which governors may serve and will take care in succession planning. Most boards are probably too large and, like turkeys at Christmas, are disinclined to vote for their own culling. No school needs more than 12 governors and 14 is certainly too many. The largest boards often contain governors nominated by groups associated with the school; such nominees may not cover the range of desired skills so the board has expanded in order to address this.

Governors must keep up to date with all regulatory changes and ensure that safeguarding and health and safety matters are regularly addressed. So it is important for governing bodies to ensure that they

Graham Able spent 40 years in independent schools, the last 22 of these as Headmaster of Hampton School and then Master of Dulwich College. After retiring from Dulwich he was appointed Chief Executive of the Alpha Plus Group; he recently retired from this role but remains Group Deputy Chairman. Having previously served on the governing bodies of Roedean and Imperial College, he is currently a governor of Gresham’s School and of Beeston Hall, where he was once a pupil and is now vice-chairman. A former chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), he has advised governing boards on their structure and effectiveness.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

KNIGHTON HOUSE HOME FROM HOME Day & Boarding for girls 7-13 / Pre-prep for boys and girls 3-7 ]

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: :DWFK RXU VFKRRO ÂżOP DW www.knightonhouse.co.uk, DWFK RXU VFKRRO ÂżOP DW www.knightonhouse.co.uk, then come and see this magical place for yourself. &DOO 01258 admissions@knightonhouse.co.uk & DOO 01258 452065 or email admissions@knightonhouse.co.uk.

Knighton House School, Durweston, Dorset DT11 0PY.

Schools founded by the Military Queen Victoria School, Dunblane (Scotland)

Queen Victoria School, Dunblane (Scotland) – Wendy Bellars, Head of Queen Victoria School, Dunblane

ueen Victoria School – fully boarding – is funded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide for the children of UK Armed Forces Families. Parents do not pay fees and most ‘extras’ such as uniform, text books and curricular trips are also covered by the MoD. We have a particular brief to care for Service families with a Scottish connection (including a parent having served in Scotland) and for those who could not otherwise afford boarding education.

However, applications are invited from all UK Service families.

If your child comes to QVS (as we are known) he or she will be part of a pupil community made up entirely of the children of UK Armed Forces personnel. That sort of mutual understanding and support is invaluable, especially when parents are posted overseas or on long unaccompanied tours.

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Co-educational and tri-Service QVS is co-educational and tri-Service.

Almost all of its pupils have at least one actively serving parent when they enter the school. Our main intake is into the Scottish system’s Primary 7 year; there is no exact equivalent with the English system, but most of our P7 intake are aged ten or eleven when they join us. That said, there is a wide age range within the year groups. Many of our pupils have come from educationally disrupted backgrounds as they have moved from school to school and education system

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to education system, according to their families’ postings.

Because tuition and boarding costs, uniform, books, stationery and most other items of school expenditure are met by the MoD, the financial contribution asked of parents is very small; currently it is £1,403 per annum. The contribution covers only non-essentials and helps to make boarding life more pleasant for the pupils; it allows us to provide newspapers in the houses, for example, as well as contributing towards the costs of transport for school outings. Service benevolent funds are very supportive of the school, and can assist those families who are unable to meet some or all of the parental contribution.

After children whose parents have been killed or injured in Service, priority in admissions is given to children whose parents are likely to be posted frequently during their child’s time at the school. We also try to allow siblings to attend QVS together.

Games and outdoor activities Games and outdoor activities are important parts of life at QVS. Rugby and hockey are the main sports, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme is pursued at all three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. We have a beautiful setting in some 45 acres of countryside on the edge of Dunblane, much of which is given over to games pitches and recreational areas.

Academically, the school regularly achieves pass rates at National 5 and Higher which are well above the Scottish National Averages. Some Advanced Highers are offered in S6 and numbers are increasing with each year.

The ceremonial aspects of school life are central to QVS, and marching as part of the school on one of our six Parade Sundays a year, and on Grand Day – the final day of the academic year – is one of the proudest moments of a Victorian’s life (as well as that of his or her parents)! The Pipes, Drums and Dancers of QVS are internationally renowned, having played at tattoos both at home and abroad, most recently in the Edinburgh International Military Tattoo and in Basel, Switzerland.

Dunblane is on a main rail line to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and easily accessible by road.

There is no substitute for visiting a school, meeting its pupils and staff and picking up the atmosphere. If you would like to know more before travelling to Dunblane to visit us, however, please request a DVD and further information, from the Admissions Secretary, Queen Victoria School, Dunblane FK15 0JY, or via our website www.qvs.org.uk ■

Wendy Bellars was born, brought up and educated in Glasgow. An Honours graduate in English Literature and Scottish Literature from Glasgow University, Wendy completed her teacher training at Jordanhill College of Education and found employment at Renfrew High School. After two years she moved to Gordonstoun and subsequently has taught in a number of schools – single-sex, co-educational, day, boarding and mixed; in England, in Scotland, and in a number of roles. She was fortunate to work for almost two years for the Open University in Scotland, during which time she introduced its PGCE course to Scotland. Wendy held a VRT Commission in the Royal Air Force for ten years, working with both ATC and CCF cadets. She enjoys reading, theatre, music – both playing and listening – and walking her two dogs. She has been Head of Queen Victoria School since January 2007.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Queen Victoria School

Raising to Distinction Admissions Deadline Fri 15 Jan 2016 Queen Victoria School in Dunblane is a co-educational boarding school for the children of UK Armed Forces personnel who are Scottish, or who have served in Scotland or who have been members of a Scottish regiment. The QVS experience encourages and develops well-rounded, confident individuals in an environment of stability and continuity.

The main entry point is into Primary 7 and all places are fully funded for tuition and boarding by the Ministry of Defence.

Families are welcome to find out more by contacting Admissions on +44 (0) 131 310 2927 to arrange a visit.

Queen Victoria School Dunblane Perthshire FK15 0JY

www.qvs.org.uk

Schools founded by the Military The Duke of York’s Royal Military School (Kent)

A unique and iconic school – Chris Russell, Executive Principal of The Duke of York’s Royal Military School

A warm welcome to all

Military ethos

he Duke of York’s Royal Military School is a non-selective boarding school for students aged 11 to 18. Located in Dover, Kent, the school is an ideal choice for those living in Europe as we are close to the Ferry port and Eurotunnel, and an hour's train journey from London via the high speed link to St Pancras. Set in 150 acres of Kentish countryside, your son or daughter will feel safe and secure in a close-knit community.

Originally established in 1803 to educate children from military families, the school continues to maintain and be proud of its strong military ethos. We Troop the Colour each year on our prize giving day at the end of the Summer Term, and we mark important commemorative dates in the calendar including Remembrance Sunday with the whole school and military band on Parade. We place particular emphasis on traditional values such as self-discipline, selfreliance, spirituality, leadership and respect for others, as we believe it helps our students develop character and skills for life. The school often attracts unique opportunities such as performing with the military band at Twickenham and at The Sun's Military Awards, or being included in The Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

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Excellent results The school offers a broad range of GCSEs and our success rate is significantly higher than the national average (5A* to C including Maths and English). In the Sixth Form, a wide range of courses is available, currently 16 at AS level and 17 at A2 level. The curriculum is constantly under review and we respond positively to student feedback. Recent qualifications introduced include GCSE Dance and BTEC Military Music (which has proven to be popular as we have our own student military band). All our students are encouraged to achieve the very best they can and regular evening prep is set for students overseen by House tutors.

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Full and weekly boarding By choosing to live and study with us, your child is choosing to become part of a very special community. It's extremely important to staff that our students enjoy boarding and are able to forge strong friendships. Our experienced Housemasters and Housemistresses

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Schools founded by the Military The Duke of York’s Royal Military School (Kent)

offer good pastoral care and support, supported by an in-house team of Tutors, Pastoral Leaders and Housekeepers. It's a busy and vibrant place, especially at weekends, with various activities and trips on offer.

From September 2015, we are pleased to offer the increased flexibility of weekly boarding as well as full boarding. This means that with parental permission, students can opt to go home some weekends after Saturday lessons and commitments. They can return either late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning.

Why choose us?

So many opportunities

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A good school is about much more than what is learnt in the classroom; sport, outdoor activities and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme continue to play a leading role in the lives of all of our students. Extra-curricular opportunities include over 70 clubs and activities (such as Chapel choir, fencing, horse riding and trampolining) while all the key sports are played here including rugby, netball, hockey, cricket and athletics.

This year we have continued to work in partnership with a range of different schools locally, nationally and internationally. Most notable was the involvement of students in a critically acclaimed production of ‘West Side Story’, both in Dover and in the USA, which was put on by students in a joint American and British cast.

£24.9 million investment A £24.9m building programme has just been completed to enhance our already impressive school site and facilities. New junior and Sixth Form boarding houses, a black box drama studio, teaching blocks and a Sports Centre have all been built. Students enjoy all major sports with us and our facilities include an indoor swimming pool, running track, assault course, astroturf area, squash courts and gym.

Our fees Boarding fees are £10,995* per year and education is paid for by the state. If you qualify for Continuity of Education Allowance, you pay 10% of the boarding fee. (To be eligible for a UK state boarding school, students must hold a British or EU Passport, or have the right to reside in the UK.)

Applications We recommend that students join us in Year 7, Year 9 or for the Sixth Form (Year 12) but we will always consider applications from any year group, at any time of the year.

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Graded Good in all areas by Ofsted.

Our GCSE results are significantly above the national average.

Every student is encouraged to achieve their potential in a supportive community.

Military ethos helps develop character and life skills.

Your child will enjoy an independent school lifestyle with sport, music, drama and CCF. You only pay for boarding costs, and if you qualify for CEA, that would be £1099.50 for 2014–15*.

Your child’s laundry, meals and boarding fees are all covered in our yearly charge.

We are a busy school with full and weekly boarding providing many exciting opportunities to develop individual talents.

Come and visit The school is non-selective, but all students are invited to a ‘suitability for boarding’ interview. We encourage you to visit us to see what an extraordinary school we are. Our students will give you a tour of the school and answer any questions you may have. ■

Contact details The Registrar, DOYRMS, An Academy with Military Traditions Dover, Kent CT15 5EQ Civ: 01304 245073 www.doyrms.com

The Executive Principal and Commandant, Chris Russell, is also the CEO of the Dover Federation for the Arts Multi Academy Trust. His career included various teaching posts before being appointed Headmaster of Astor College in 1988. Chris held a commission in the Royal Army Educational Corps and also played professional cricket. He represented the Army and Combined Services, captaining two championship Army sides.

He has produced 48 international musicals and runs the National Students’ Art Exhibitions in the Mall Galleries, London (now in its 13th year). A qualified pilot, Chris’ interests are the theatre, sport and his boxer dogs. He is a member of the MCC and RAF Clubs and the British Torch of Remembrance.

*Boarding fees are reviewed annually.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 55

Schools founded by the Military The Royal Hospital School (Suffolk)

Maintaining 300-year-old links with the Royal Navy – James Lockwood, Headmaster of The Royal Hospital School, Holbrook

he Royal Hospital School in Suffolk recently celebrated 300 years of proud seafaring heritage. Today it is a well-respected HMC co-educational boarding and day school, set apart by a unique history that infuses the ethos and daily life of the school.

Founded in 1712 in Greenwich, London, to educate the sons of seafarers for a life in the Royal Navy, the school has retained its maritime connections and the values and traditions born from these historical roots. And while the RHS of today may be a modernthinking, forward-looking school, its links with the Royal Navy, and indeed the other two armed services, remain strong and are still very much a part of everyday life, manifested in many ways. All our Year 7 pupils are taught to sail in their first term and, through the school's new Sailing Academy, provision for sailing at the very highest level is unrivalled; the School’s CCF includes both Naval and Royal Marine sections as well as Army and RAF, colours and sunset take place each day and pupils take part in ceremonial Divisions on special occasions.

Every year the choir performs at the National Seafarers service at St Paul’s Cathedral and at the Admiralty Carol service in St Martin in the Field. Trafalgar Night is a key date on the school calendar and celebrated in fine style.

As recently as just 60 years ago all the boys who attended did so courtesy of the School’s parent charity Greenwich Hospital. A great deal has changed since then. The Royal Hospital School admitted non-seafarers for the first time in 1990, but we still have more than 300 pupils claiming the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) or in receipt of a mean-tested seafaring bursary as a result of their connections with the Royal Navy or Royal Marines. A year later girls were admitted and in 2005 the school opened its doors to day pupils and more recently, flexible arrangements for boarding have been introduced for younger pupils.

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‘Education is a liberating force’ I took up my post as Headmaster in September 2012 and strongly believe that, as a result of this heritage and probably more than any other school of its type, the Royal Hospital School recognises that ‘education is a liberating force’.

As Headmaster, it is my aim to unlock the potential of each individual by offering them a whole new world of life-changing opportunities and an environment in which academic excellence is promoted through learning and shared experiences. A place that encourages boys and girls to discover themselves; quite simply, to develop a passion that will endure for the rest of their lives. Through passion comes purpose, and from purpose the journey ahead becomes clear.

This can only be achieved if the school experience is a happy one,

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founded not on learning alone, but on relationships formed and values shared. I firmly believe that a well-balanced individual needs a sense of spiritual awareness, along with academic and sporting achievements, and place great store by the values of kindness, service, integrity and generosity of spirit; these are the invisible strands that hold a community such as ours together.

By working closely together, the staff at the Royal Hospital School ensures that our pupils are able to form strong relationships and make a valuable contribution, both here at school and in the adult world in which many will become leaders in their chosen field.

With a commitment to leadership, service and an international outlook at the heart of the school's values, the Royal Hospital School is a good choice for parents seeking an outstanding all-round, balanced, broad and full education for their children.

Why the Royal Hospital School? ●

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We have 300 years of experience of providing pastoral care and education for children of services families.

70% of our senior pupils board full time, weekends are busy and we have no compulsory exeats.

Our Junior boarders (11–12 years) have a dedicated house with routines, support and pastoral care to enable them to settle in and flourish, easing the transition from primary to secondary education.

We have a dedicated tutor system which supports each pupil and ensures that they achieve their academic potential. Additional support is offered through the learning support department, for children who have moved schools and missed work due to relocation.

Our fees for those eligible for CEA are set at the minimum 10% which for 2012–13 was £667 per term for Year 7–8 or £683 per term in Years 9–13.

Means-tested bursaries are available for children with any seafaring connections which may include a parent or grandparent in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Auxiliary Fleet or merchant navy. ■

James Lockwood became Headmaster of the Royal Hospital School in September 2012. He joined the Royal Hospital School in September 2009 as Deputy Headmaster from St John’s School, Leatherhead. Having completed an Honours degree in Manchester, he went on to gain an MA in Education Management at the University of Surrey. James started his teaching career at Exeter School where he was a Deputy Housemaster and Master i/c Cricket. He spent ten years at St John’s School, Leatherhead, during which time he led an academic department, was Housemaster of a boys’ boarding house, Master i/c Rugby and, latterly, a member of the School’s Senior Management Team, with specific responsibility for the co-curricular life of the School. James is married to Sarah and has two young children – Olivia who is five and Harry who is three.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Schools founded by the Military Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College (Leicestershire)

The gateway to a technical career in defence – Peter Middleton, Principal of Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College

elbeck offers a unique opportunity for young men and women to study for their A Levels on a career path that will eventually lead to a career as a technical or engineering Officer in the Armed Forces, or as a civilian engineer within the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The modern, purpose-built campus provides co-educational boarding for 350 students. Students can also join the college under the Welbeck Private Scheme (WPS). WPS students are an integral part of the college and follow an identical programme of study to the MoD sponsored students – although they are not committed to joining the armed forces or MoD, a number do progress to follow service careers.

Welbeck is primarily an academic institution, where all students should expect to be challenged, excited and inspired intellectually, but it also has a fundamentally military focus where students are prepared for their future careers through the military experiences and leadership opportunities.

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A unique career opportunity starts at Welbeck The Defence Sixth Form College provides a proven pathway to a career in the MoD. It represents the first step in the Defence Technical Officer Engineering Entry Scheme, and is the only college in the country to offer students a career-focused route through sixth form and university, and ultimately into their chosen career.

Academic focus with a military ethos State-of-the-art facilities, inspirational teachers and a dynamic community make Welbeck a leading co-educational college.

With a focus on maths and physics, our aim is to inspire and educate students in order to maximise their potential. After Welbeck, students will read an engineering, technical, business or logistics based degree at a leading UK university: Aston, Birmingham, Cambridge, Imperial College, Loughborough, Newcastle, Northumbria, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton or Strathclyde. Here the support and mentoring continues through the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme Squadron.

They receive a bursary of £4,000 a year whilst at university as well as training pay.

WPS students can choose to continue their studies at a university of their choice.

Welbeck life Each year 175 high-calibre young men and woman join the college. Living and learning with like-minded, career-focused individuals gives a unique atmosphere, energy and collective drive. Under the careful mentoring of skilled and experienced staff, students benefit from a full boarding environment geared to shaping a successful career in the Armed Forces or Ministry of Defence Civil Service. Our students come from a diverse range of social and cultural backgrounds from all over the UK and from UK families

overseas. The majority of students have never boarded before so students develop personal skills to adapt to the residential environment, and are committed to contributing in every aspect of college life; in doing so building respect for all members of the community.

Unlocking potential At Welbeck academic studies combine with developing core military skills and values, to provide a broader learning environment. Our programme of intellectual, personal and physical education develops in our students a moral integrity, responsibility and genuine sense of service. Central to the college’s ethos is supporting each student to unlock their potential, enabling them to achieve more than they believed possible.

Military skills and leadership training A central emphasis of Welbeck is the development of leadership potential and military skills. The college benefits from having four full-time permanent military staff, and these are assisted by CCF officers.

All students are expected to join the college CCF and there is a common training programme; each student takes part in the six main exercises during their time at the college. There are also single-service visits, giving students opportunities to get a close look at working and training units. The unique leadership opportunities are

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 57

Schools founded by the Military Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College (Leicestershire)

accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) with all students completing the ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership during their Lower Sixth year.

Sport, activities and music All students participate in major games and can choose from a wide variety of activities.

The outstanding facilities include a multifunctional sports hall, fitness rooms, tennis and squash courts, swimming pool, allweather sports pitch, 12 other grass pitches, a high ropes/confidence facility and assault courses. Many students are also involved in musical activities.

Pastoral care and the boarding environment Outstanding levels of pastoral care are at the heart of the college ethos and this is centered around five co-educational boarding houses, each with live-in house parents. This environment provides a unique ‘preuniversity experience’ for students.

Applying to Welbeck To apply to Welbeck, and subsequently the Armed Services, you should be a medically fit UK, Commonwealth or Irish citizen aged between 15 years and 17 years and six

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months on 1 September in the year of entry to the college. Commonwealth citizens are required to have five years’ residency in the UK prior to application. Certain other single-service conditions may apply and will be outlined at the time of application. To join Welbeck as a Civilian Ministry of Defence Civil Service candidate you must be a British Citizen or hold dual nationality, one of which must be British. Applications are made directly to the sponsoring service.

WPS students apply directly to the college.

All students applying to Welbeck are required to achieve a minimum of an A in Maths, B in Physics, and C in English Language at GCSE or equivalent qualification. To find out more about the entry criteria go to www.dsfc.ac.uk Tuition for MoD-sponsored students is paid for by the MoD. Parents or guardians are required to make a contribution towards the cost of their child’s maintenance, which covers board, lodging and the value of clothing and services provided. Parental contributions are means-tested and range from £0 to £13,053. Welbeck Private Scheme fees are £15,000 + VAT per year.

To find out more about the college go to www.dsfc.ac.uk

Peter Middleton became Principal in September 2013. Peter, who was previously Deputy Head at Clifton College in Bristol, was born in Somerset and educated at Radley College before reading Chemistry at Oriel College, Oxford. He began his teaching career at Cheltenham College, where he was a deputy Housemaster, Master in Charge of Rowing and 1st VIII coach, and an officer in the Army Section of the CCF. He moved to St Edward's School, Oxford, where he was a House Master, re-formed the Royal Navy Section, was Master i/c Rowing and an international rowing coach. Throughout his career, Peter has taught Chemistry to A Level. His experience is grounded in the co-educational boarding sector within schools that have high academic aspirations and expectations. He has been a governor of both independent and maintained sector schools, most recently of a Mathematics and Computing College. Peter is married to Clare, an educational psychologist, and they have three children.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Where learning meets adv enture... adventure... ...and engineers meet their future.

Forr po potential Fo tential engineers with drive, ambition ambition and ability, ability, Welbeck Welbeck is where Officers Forces potential turns into bright futures futures as Of ficers in the Armed F orces or Civil Service.

• One of the e UK’s UK’’s top performing Sixth Form Form Colleges with 100% pass rate rate at A2 and 90% A* to C in 2014 • State-of-the-art State-of-the-art facilities • Tuition Tuition funded by by the Ministry of Defence with means-tested boarding fees • 99% of students from Welbeck Welbeck were offered a place at university university in 2014 university • Annual technical bursary of £4,000 at university Visit www.dsfc.ac.uk to order or download a prospectus and book a place on one of our upcoming Open Days: Days: Saturday Mornings

Wednesday Afternoons Afternoons

10 October 2015 14 November November 2015 5 December 2015 16 January 2016

4 November November 2015 25 November November 2015 13 January 2016 10 February February 2016

Boarding at a state-funded school What provision do you make for the needs of children from Service families?

What provision do you make for the needs of children from Service families?

– Raymond McGovern, Headmaster of St George’s School f you are reading this article then clearly a boarding education is something that you are exploring and that needs careful consideration. And it may be something of a surprise to you that that does not inevitably mean an independent school education. There are currently 37 maintained schools and Academies where high-quality education and boarding is offered.

In maintained or state boarding (SBSA) schools and academies, parents pay only for the boarding element and the government pays for the education. This means that, typically, parents pay between £8,000 and £12,000 per year for an SBSA school, while this might be the termly figure in some independent schools. In addition to the affordability factor for many Service families there is also a philosophical dimension to their choice of school. Some may find themselves in conflict, believing that they have to choose an independent education to ensure their child can have the continuity of education that boarding provides.

SBSA schools offer the benefits of a boarding education but at a third of the normal price. Is there a catch? Well, the simple answer is no. If you don’t believe me, put us to the test. What are the questions that you would want answering when selecting any boarding school?

Academic performance? Excellent pastoral care? Quality accommodation? Good sports facilities and access to a great range of activities? Well, SBSA schools can provide all of these, and you will find one that will match your needs as a Service family and your child’s individual needs.

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OPEN MORNINGS Sat 26th Sept & Sat 10th Oct 9.00 - 10.30am

Boarding in a top Surrey school for less than £4,700 per term. z Boarding and Flexi Boarding for boys

and girls aged 7-18 z Excellent academic results z Huge range of sports and activities z Situated in 260 acres of Surrey parkland

@RAASchoolGatton

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Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0TD Tel: e 01737 649000 admissions@gatton-park.org.uk www.raa-school.co.uk

Many are among the highest-performing schools in the country judging by the raw score of GCSE and A-level results, Average Point Scores and even the percentage of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate. A better education can be measured in many ways: sporting achievement; music; pastoral care; personal and social development; extra-curricular offer. SBSA schools do them all well.

A significant investment of over £20 million in new boarding facilities has been made in recent years in SBSA schools. Demand for places is high, so the new places have been created that will give more parents the opportunity to send their children to these popular schools and successful schools. The sector is also varied, with schools ranging from single-sex grammar schools to the largest mixed boarding school in Europe! There is also a school that specialises in rural technology and attracts 50% of its students from the world of farming. So there is real diversity and choice, which means that families and children will find a school that will suit them and help them to realise their potential.

Living and working together Living and working together is part of the adult world, so SBSA schools rightly claim that they prepare their students for real life and, of course, real work. The facilities at SBSA schools can match those in the independent sector, but it is the ethos that is so obviously shared.

Respect, responsibility and caring for others are integral to how boarding schools operate. Working and playing hard are essential ingredients, but so is the caring relationship that is formed between staff and students. The stability offered by SBSA schools gives parents the confidence of knowing that their children are well cared for, while gaining the benefits of growing and learning with their friends.

Many Service families will not be aware that in 2012 Ofsted published a report on the quality of provision for children from Service families. My previous school, Sexey’s, was selected to be part of this survey, as were a number of other state boarding schools. HMI Andrew Harrett wrote that ‘Sexey’s’ contribution to the quality of provision and partnerships for students who are in families of Service personnel is outstanding.’ I have no doubt that parents will find the same applies throughout the sector, and parents may want to find out more when they visit schools by asking the question, ‘What provision do you make for the needs of children from Service families?’

The State Boarding Schools’ Association (SBSA) website (www.sbsa.org.uk) has all the details and I can guarantee that you will find a school that will be just right for your child and your family’s needs. ■ Raymond McGovern is Headmaster of St George’s School, Harpenden. He was previously Headmaster and Deputy Head at Sexey’s School, Bruton. He was Chair of the State Boarding Schools’ Association (2010– 12) and Chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association (2013–14). He has also been a Housemaster at Christ College, Brecon, and before his teaching career served in the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Engineer at RAF St Athan, RAF Bruggen and RAF Brawdy.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at a state-funded school When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools

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IDEAS - TRADITIONAL VALUES VA MODERN IDEAS ALUES w ww.gordons.surrey.sch.uk www.gordons.surrey.sch.uk rregistrar@gordons.surrey.sch.uk egistrar@gordons.surrey.sch.uk 01276 858084

Smart kids

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Smart parents Choose a state boarding school and save more than 50% State boarding is less than half the cost of independent boarding because the government pays for the education

Call: 020 7798 1580 A smart choice for your child

www.sbsa.org.uk

͚>Z'^ ďŽĂƌĚŝŶŐ ŝƐ ŽƵƚƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ͛ (Ofst s ed) For more information or to arrange a visit contact Tricia Heaton on 01524 580542 Email theaton@lrgs.org.uk www.lrgs.org.uk Lancaster Royal Grammar School East Road Lancaster LA1 3EF

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 61

Boarding at a state-funded school Mobility: a career necessity but an educational risk

Mobility: a career necessity but an educational risk – Paul Spencer Ellis, Headmaster of the Royal Alexandra and Albert School and Chairman of the State Boarding Schools’ Association (SBSA)

few years ago we did some research on military children who joined the primary part of the school as boarders. The results were depressing. If this school was the child’s third school, the average was that the child was a year behind in numeracy and literacy. If this was the child’s fourth school the average was that they were two years behind. Many people underestimate the negative effect of moving school on a child.

A friend who runs a state primary school near a major military base says she often notices pupils beginning to lose friendships once they know that they will be leaving because mum or dad is being posted away. She says that she sees some of these children actually rejecting their friends, perhaps in the belief that they will miss them less when they leave.

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‘Happy children learn better’ ‘Happy children learn better’ is something that all Heads know. It takes time for a child to break into the friendship circles at a new school and to get used to the routines and expectations of a new school. During that time their learning will suffer.

All good reasons for considering a boarding school if you want the best possible education and results for your child or children.

But how many adults actually know what a boarding school is like nowadays? Where do you find out what it is like for a child? The internet is the best starting point, and there are so many differences between schools that some people find it helpful to make a chart of variations. ● Does the school have lessons on Saturday mornings? ● Do many boarders stay at the weekends? ● Are there many boarders in your child’s year group?

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How is the prep (supervised homework) organised?

What are the arrangements for care when a child is ill?

What proportion of the boarders are from a military background?

What proportion are international boarders?

Top reasons for choosing a boarding school The State Boarding Schools’ Association (SBSA) recently paid an independent research company to survey current boarding parents and find out about their perception of the boarding school that their child attended. The results were very revealing. The top two reasons for choosing their boarding school given by the 1530 parents who responded, including more than 150 who said they were claiming the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA), were: ‘It offers high academic quality’ and ‘It provides opportunities for pupils to fulfil their potential’. Interestingly, almost a quarter of parents said that a main driver in choosing a boarding school was that their child wanted to board. When asked about the best aspects of the school they had chosen, parents replied ‘the number and quality of the boarding staff’ and ‘the overall comfort of the boarding house’.

State boarding schools Not everyone has heard of state boarding schools but we have an excellent website www.sbsa.org.uk This shows you where the different schools are around the country and allows you to move on to the websites of individual schools. Alternatively just put ‘state boarding schools’ into any search engine.

Not everybody is interested in school

league tables but in the latest Sunday Times list of top state schools there were nine state boarding schools in the top 100 schools.

And a final thought. The cost of a state boarding school is well below the maximum allowance for CEA and a military parent eligible for CEA pays 10% of the boarding charge plus any extra if the school charges more than the maximum allowance. All state boarding schools charge well below the maximum allowance meaning that the parental contribution is more easily affordable. What’s not to like? ■

Paul Spencer Ellis has had a varied career with three teaching posts in France, including a couple of years at the Sorbonne, and five posts in England including Uppingham School and Wymondham College, two large boarding schools, one independent and one state. Since 2001 he has been Headmaster of Royal Alexandra and Albert School and since then the School has grown from 530 pupils to over 1000 and boarding numbers have risen from 330 to 460.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at a state-funded school When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools

Outstanding Boarding School Education

Boarding Taster Weekends available

Damien Year 12

“Our time at Adams’ has been one of life’s great adventures” • Day and boar boarding ding for boys 11-18, girls 16-18 (day only) • Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in all four categories boarding at £3,547 per term – no tuition fees ffor f dable boarding • Af Affordable results • Excellent academic results • Extensive choice of sports and extra-curricular activities The Haberdashers’ Adams’ Federation

Adams’ Grammar School

Newport, Shropshire

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BOARDER TASTER EVENING 2 OCTOBER 2015 | FROM 5.00PM Register for this event on marketing@wymondhamcollege.org

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One of Tatler Magazin Magazine’s ’s 20 Bes Bestt State Schools hools 2014 4 Affordable e boa boarding fees es - justt £9,7 £9,750 £9,75 per year with th education free to alll Over 72% % of of students achieved ac the he Gold Standard ndard ard att GCSE GC E (5 grades s at A*- C including cluding English and nd Maths) 2014 Wymondham ham Col Co College llege is the top schoo school in Norfolk for students tud d dents gaining at lea gai east 3 A Levels ls at A*-E (98 (98%) 98%) - 2014 98

enquiries@wymondhamcollege.org | 01953 609000 | www.wymondhamcollege.org

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 63

Boarding at a state-funded school An education that remains once school is completed

An education that remains once school is completed – Irfan Latif, Head Master of Sexey’s School, Bruton naturally reserved, lit up by the end of her visit, exclaiming, ‘I really want to come here!’.

Value for money fees

o coin a much-used phrase in the GCSE classrooms, it is a truth universally acknowledged that state boarding schools have traditionally been the educational choice of many Service families. When searching for a stable, caring environment that provides highquality education for children, both in and out of the academic arena, state boarding schools have habitually been seen as offering Service families the Holy Grail – and all at reasonable cost.

State boarding schools can take any pupil with a UK or EU passport and charge only for the boarding element – with pupils’ education received for free. State-funded school boarding fees are therefore typically around a third of the cost of the independent sector, where fees frequently hit the £30,000 a year mark.

With this in mind, state boarding schools are a vital component in the spectrum of education provision in the UK. Pupils at Sexey’s (and no doubt at many other state boarding schools up and down the country) know and are involved in their local community, have an understanding of how the breadth of society works, and most importantly, can converse easily with people from all walks of life. Simultaneously, they also benefit from many of the elements often valued in an independent education: excellent facilities, outstanding pastoral care and a rich and diverse range of extra-curricular activities (club, societies, sport, music, art and drama) that promise a tailored, unique experience for each child.

I hope you are proud of the state boarding heritage that Service parents like you have helped to build. Over the years, the word has

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certainly caught on, to the extent that boarding figures in the UK are rising today, according to recent census figures from the Independent Schools’ Council (ISC).

Caring and nurturing environment And it is hardly surprising that the figures are flourishing – long gone are the days when children were ‘sent away’ to boarding schools in fear. Boarding schools feature frequently in the list of the country’s most successful schools, bred not only from the very best teaching, but also from what is learnt outside of the curriculum. As Einstein said, ‘education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learnt at school’. And boarding can teach students the value of stability in a caring and nurturing environment. This is evident not only in the respect and affection our pupils have for teachers and staff, but also in the focus placed on providing for each individual – right down to the detail of arranging transport during exeats (weekend breaks from boarding) for pupils to visit family or guardians. Our recent Sixth Form boarding leavers likened their boarding experience to ‘living with family’ – so much so that we are still trying to get rid of some of them, who return after university to visit!

It is difficult to convey in a short article all that state boarding can offer you and your family. For that reason, I would encourage you to come and visit Sexey’s – or state boarding schools like ours – to form your own impressions. I recently showed one Service family – then based in Ramstein, Germany – around Sexey’s. The daughter, a girl who was

Although no doubt her parents were encouraged to book the trip based on our strong academic qualifications, idyllic Somerset setting and value for money fees, none of this was the primary influence on the child. Rather, it was the knowledge that she could continue horse riding, play hockey, swim, would be dissecting frogs in science, and be playing with the owners of those happy faces in the grounds that made her mind up for her. And judging by the parents’ expressions as they left, and the application form received the next day, that promise of happiness is worth a thousand statistics.

The State Boarding Schools’ Association (SBSA; www.sbsa.org.uk) offers more information for Service families exploring their options, or we always welcome a phone call or visit (www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk). ■

Irfan Latif is Head Master of Sexey’s School, Bruton. Established in 1891, Sexey’s is an award-winning Church of England, coeducational school for ages 11–18. Prior to Sexey’s, Mr Latif – a former Head of Chemistry and Director of Science at St Benedict’s School in Ealing, London – was Deputy Head at Bedford School. He regularly lectures at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is also a magistrate. He is a keen traveller and adventurer and recently led expeditions to Everest Base Camp, Venezuela and the Red Sea. He is married to Jocelyn, a Science teacher, and they have two young daughters, Zara and Emma and their Jack Russell, Rodney.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

OPEN MORNINGS Sat 26th Sept & Sat 10th Oct 9.00 - 10.30am

Boarding in a top Surrey school for less than ÂŁ4,700 per term. z Boarding and Flexi Boarding for boys

and girls aged 7-18 z Excellent academic results z Huge range of sports and activities z Situated in 260 acres of Surrey parkland

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Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0TD Tel: e 01737 649000 admissions@gatton-park.org.uk www.raa-school.co.uk

Boarding at a state-funded school Academies offering boarding

Academies offering boarding

Duke of York’s Royal Military School students Trooping the Colour

or those considering boarding, state-funded boarding schools may be an option but as always it is important do your homework and, above all, see the school in action before you make any choice.

State boarding schools provide free education but charge fees for boarding. Some state boarding schools are run by local councils, and some are run as academies or free schools. These schools give priority to children who have a particular need to board and will assess children’s suitability for boarding. At state-funded boarding schools and academies, including sixth form colleges, parents pay between £8,500 and £14,600 per year for their children to board. There are 40 mainstream state boarding schools and academies in England.

New academies or free schools with boarding include Holyport

F

College, Exeter Mathematics School, Durand Academy and Beechen Cliff School – all these schools opened boarding in 2014. Liverpool College, which was an independent school, came into the state sector in 2013. Polam Hall became a mainstream free school in September 2015.

Provision has been enhanced or expanded in some schools. In 2012 Wellington Academy in Tidworth, Wiltshire, which is sponsored by the independent Wellington College, spent £5.5 million creating 100 boarding places. Also in 2012 the Priory Academy in Lincoln opened 60 en suite study bedrooms to encourage sixth-formers to stay on at the school. Fifty places were made available at Harefield Academy in Uxbridge, Middlesex, when the boarding house opened in 2011.

The Duke of York's Royal Military School in Dover became the first all-boarding academy in 2010. The school is managed by an Academy Trust and funded by the Department for Education. The academy, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, retains a strong military ethos and tradition but its boarding places are no longer exclusive to the pupils of Service children. The school has a major refurbishment project including the building of new boarding houses. The scheme will increase capacity at the school from 468 to 722 pupils and provide enhanced facilities.

More information on state-funded boarding schools and academies can be found at: www.sbsa.org.uk www.gov.uk/types-of-school/state-boarding-schools ■

Academies and free schools offering boarding School

County

Region

Date awarded

Adams’ Grammar School Ashby School Beechen Cliff School Brymore Academy Burford School & Community College Colchester Royal Grammar School Cranbrook School Dallam School De Aston School Duke of York's Royal Military School Durand Academy Exeter Mathematics School Gordon’s School The Harefield Academy Hockerill Anglo-European College Holyport College Keswick School Lancaster Royal Grammar Liverpool College Polham Hall School Queen Elizabeth's Academy Trust Reading School St George's School Sexey's School Sir Roger Manwood's School The Skegness Grammar School The Priory Academy LSST The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe The Wellington Academy Wymondham College

Telford and Wrekin Leicestershire Bath Somerset Oxfordshire Essex Kent Cumbria Lincolnshire Kent West Sussex Devon Surrey Hillingdon Hertfordshire Berks Cumbria Lancashire Liverpool Co Durham Devon Reading Hertfordshire Somerset Kent Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Buckinghamshire Wiltshire Norfolk

West Midlands East Midlands South West South West South East East of England South East North West East Midlands South East South East South West South East London East of England South East North West North West North West North South West South East East of England South West South East East Midlands East Midlands South East South West East of England

Sept 2011 Oct 2012 Sept 2014 Sept 2013 July 2012 Jan 2012 Dec 2011 Sept 2011 March 2011 Sept 2010 Sept 2014 Sept 2014 (as a free school) Jan 2013 Sept 2011 Feb 2011 Sept 2014 (as a free school) July 2011 Feb 2011 Sept 2013 Sept 2015 April 2011 Feb 2011 May 2012 May 2011 March 2011 Sept 2012 Sept 2011 Feb 2011 Sept 2011 Feb 2011

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Boarding places 100 75 25 150 90 30 250 120 70 450 48 rising to 375 24 200 50 240 225 50 70 30 60 50 70 120 300 52 65 60 70 100 530

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Smart kids

Smart parents Choose a state boarding school and save more than 50% State boarding is less than half the cost of independent boarding because the government pays for the education

Call: 020 7798 1580 A smart choice for your child

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Boarding at a state-funded school State and independent school partnership with a military connection

State and independent school partnership with a military connection – Mike Milner, Principal of The Wellington Academy

he Wellington Academy was opened in 2009 and was the first sponsored academy in Wiltshire. Its sponsor, Wellington College, is one of the country’s leading independent boarding schools and the first to give its name to an academy.

From the outset, boarding was seen as an essential part of the vision, leading to the construction of a brand new building to accommodate 100 students. But the connection between the two schools goes deeper than the name and the boarding element; the location in Tidworth was carefully chosen because of its military links.

Wellington College itself was set up in the mid-1800s to educate the children of deceased army officers, and still retains a commitment to provide education for children whose parent was killed in an act of selfless bravery. Beyond shared ethos and structures, the two schools are very different in certain ways and the partnership is seen as a flagship project in breaking down social divides.

There are many ways in which the two schools work together; one area where there are well established links is boarding. The aim since opening boarding at The

T

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Wellington Academy has been to make this a key point of integration. For example, the girls' and boys' parts of the house share a common name with houses at the College.

On a more substantial level, the boarding students benefit from shared expertise from staff and visits to the College for social events and even extra tuition in core academic subjects in preparation for exams.

Within the classroom, there has been a considerable step up in the level of partnership since September 2013, with senior leaders joining from the College and additional benefits brought from the College's status as a Teaching School. This means that it is actively involved with a broad network of state schools to provide support for teacher training.

The benefits of the military connection Leaving aside the partnership with the sponsor, The Wellington Academy fundamentally serves its immediate community. Around 40% of its intake – about 400 students – are children of Service families. This means that the pastoral support around these children within the

main school, as well as in boarding, is strong.

The school has military representatives on its governing body and is in regular communication with the local units and its Welfare Officers. In addition, a growing number of staff come from a Service background. The Academy also operates a well established Combined Cadet Force with its own purpose built facilities on-site.

Something for everyone The Wellington Academy is non-selective and highly inclusive to serve the needs of its community. We operate a very broad curriculum catering for all ends of the academic spectrum, from potential Oxbridge applicants to students who wish to pursue a more vocational route. Our sixth form has more than 200 students with results and employment outcomes being good. We offer a wide range of enrichment activities and are fortunate to be housed in a modern £32 million set of buildings including excellent sporting and performing arts spaces. These facilities are readily available for all students to use, with boarding students able to access them in the afternoons and evenings.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at a state-funded school State and independent school partnership with a military connection Choose boarding and start young Boarding brings something unique to our Academy and, more importantly, to the lives of our students. However, we understand that there will be parental anxieties about younger students leaving home during term time. Our students talk passionately about how they operate as a family and unlike day students who increasingly interact with their peers by social media, it forces children together to form strong, lasting friendships based on common and intense experiences which help develop empathy and moral support for one another. For students just starting secondary school, it takes away the fear of a new setting and school becomes their home.

This allows them to flourish academically and socially. For military students who board, it removes the anxiety of changing schools and the possible disruption to education, and allows for the whole family to benefit from some continuity, or even facilitates early settling in an area where a posting is going to take place.

It is clear from talking to our students that the support they receive from older

members of the house is invaluable as they grow up into more independent individuals.

For peer support, sharing a room when younger is a great way to develop longlasting friendships and to learn social and listening skills. As one of our students recently told me, the fact that there is no hiding place when there are disagreements means that they have to confront situations openly and positively. In fact, these disagreements are rare as students learn to operate in their new environment quickly.

In addition, boarding brings together students from a wide variety of backgrounds in a way which would not otherwise be possible in our geographical location. We are very pleased with our mix of UK residents and students who have parents all around the world. We are also passionate about providing education for a small number of students for whom the stability of boarding gives their best chance in life due to difficult personal circumstances. This down-to-earth and diverse cohort provides opportunities for powerful learning experiences for our young people and sets them up extremely well for later life.

Finally, state boarding provides excellent value for money compared to much that is available in the independent sector. Whereas once, success in society was a linked to privilege and tradition, young people today grow up in a world where employers are increasingly more likely to look at character and values. This is what state boarding excels in developing. â&#x2013;

Mike Milner became Principal of The Wellington Academy in 2013 and is currently Executive Principal of Wellington College Academy Trust.

Following education at the University of Oxford, reading Biochemistry and completing a doctorate in Genetics, he started his teaching career in central London and moved on to become Deputy Head (Academic) at Wellington College. Wellington College Academy Trust opened its second school, Wellington Primary Academy in Tidworth in 2014.

Sixth Form boarding at one of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top State schools Cheney Boarding ThThe e RoRobert bert dedeCh eney Bo arding HHouse ouse is is situated situatedininthe thegrounds groundsofofThe ThePriory PrioryAcademy academy AcLSST, ademyanLS ST, an acinadLincoln emy inwhich Lincolis n which consistently among the top performing nonis consistently among the top five performing selective State schools in the country. Rated non-selective State schools in the country.

Outstanding by Ofsted in November 2014, It provides a wonderful opportunity for Sixth the Boarding House provides a wonderful Form students to develop and flourish, both opportunity for Sixth Form students to develop academically and socially.

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â&#x20AC;˘A cademy aBoarding nd Sixth FHouse orm raand ted Sixth Form Academy, o utrated standiOutstanding ng by Ofstedby Ofsted all â&#x20AC;˘ 999% 9% A-Level A-Level p ass rrate ate ((three three ssubjects), ubjects) pass aincluding nd 99% G CSEA*-B pass rate 56% 5+ A*-C, including English and Maths) â&#x20AC;˘ ( ÂżUVW DQG VHFRQG FKRLFH XQLYHUVLW\ with â&#x20AC;˘ 8success 3% firstrate -choin ice2014, univewith rsity 49% succeofssYear rate,13 ar 13 studplaces ents ob ininRussell g Russeand ll 2students 7% of Yeobtaining intathe G roupGroups places 1994 â&#x20AC;˘ Modern, home-from-home boarding comprising 60 single en-suite study bedrooms with internet access â&#x20AC;˘ Kitchen, dining area and laundry plus a Common Room on each floor â&#x20AC;˘ Designated Sixth Form support and pastoral staff to ease the transition from school to university, employment and independence

â&#x20AC;˘ State-of-the-art Sixth Form science facility, with research laboratories, a planetarium and a debating chamber â&#x20AC;˘ Spectacular sports provision including a 60m indoor sprint track and a 400m synthetic outdoor running track, plus excellent field athletics facilities â&#x20AC;˘ Swimming pool, fitness suite, climbing wall, spinning suite, dance studio and badminton courts â&#x20AC;˘ Stunning residential centre in Normandy â&#x20AC;˘ Thriving CCF, DofE and pastoral programmes

To arrange a visit or to apply for a place in 201 , contact Mr Chris Liston (Head of Boarding) The Priory Academy LSST, Cross Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Cliff Hill, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN5 8PW Telephone: 01522 889977 l Email: boarding@prioryacademies.co.uk l Visit: www.prioryacademies.co.uk/boarding

September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 69

Boarding at a state-funded school Sixth form boarding in an Academy

Sixth form boarding in an Academy – Chris Liston, Head of Boarding at The Priory Academy LSST

he Priory Academy LSST opened a new sixth form boarding house in 2012. The House’s first Ofsted inspection in November 2014 awarded an Outstanding rating in every category – overall effectiveness; outcomes for boarders; quality of boarding provision and care; boarders’ safety; and leadership and management of boarding. The report says: ‘This is a calm, relaxed and safe boarding school in which boarders develop into mature, responsible and successful young adults in a highly supportive and nurturing environment. They make exceptional progress in personal and social development and educational achievement.’

The Priory accommodates up to 60 sixth form boarders in single en-suite study bedrooms, with three well-equipped common rooms and a large dining area all set in the grounds of the school. Alongside Robert de Cheney Boarding House is The Priory’s new sports centre, complete with a 60 m indoor running track, climbing wall, six badminton courts, a dance studio and an extensive fitness suite and, outside, a 400 m synthetic running track. In 2011, the school also opened its Newton Centre, a state-of-the art science building with sixth form research facilities, planetarium and labs. With its own study centre in rural Normandy, The Priory is confident that it offers some of the best learning and extra-curricular facilities in the country.

This is an academic school – results make it one of the top-performing schools in the country. It has a large and well established sixth form with a choice of more than 40 A level courses.

Most students go on to university and, as a result of exceptionally good specialist support, there is a strong tradition of students going to Oxbridge, medical schools and Russell Group universities. In 2014, 49% of Year 13 leavers obtained places in the Russell and 1994 Groups.

Boarders have the opportunity to take part in the school’s thriving CCF and Duke of Edinburgh programmes as well as gain access to a significant range of sporting and arts clubs and societies. Furthermore, a number of students interested in teaching as a career will gain entry to the Teacher Bursary Scheme.

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Continuity of provision for sixth formers The decision to offer boarding at The Priory was an easy one. A number of students in Lincolnshire and surrounding counties travel considerable distances, on a daily basis, to access the school’s highquality teaching and wide range of courses. Furthermore, with RAF Waddington, one of the largest bases in the country, just three miles

70

away, the school now has the ability to offer continuity of provision for the children of Service families who are posted away during the sixth form years.

As a science specialist school, boarding is also likely to attract students with a genuine interest in careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science and many other related areas. It is also likely that, with the new sports centre, outdoor athletics facilities and swimming pool, the boarding house will attract students who are keen to pursue a range of extra-curricular sporting activities.

Preparation for university life The aim of the boarding house is to prepare sixth form students for university life. Living away from home in fully equipped individual study rooms, having access to a wide range of courses, enjoying wonderful extra-curricular activities, taking opportunities to travel, and benefiting from outstanding care, guidance and support are all important factors in making the successful transition from school to university. Staff at The Priory are committed to helping sixth form boarders make the most of their opportunities and take the next exciting steps in their lives. ■

Chris Liston took up his post as Head of Boarding at The Priory Academy LSST in 2012. He was previously Head of Crowden House at Cranbrook School in Kent, a position he held for four years. A teacher of History and Politics, he has worked in State boarding for nine years after graduating in 2002 and spending time teaching conversational English in Heilongjiang province, China. Chris and his family – Nicola and son Oliver – are pictured here.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

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Boarding at an independent school The merits of boarding at an independent school

The merits of boarding at an independent school Why choose an independent school?

The main reasons stated by parents for choosing independent schools include: ● small classes with individual attention ● high standards of education and examination results ● good discipline ● encouragement of a responsible attitude to school work ● development of social responsibility ● extra-curricular activities – sport, music, drama, etc.

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Advantages ●

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Independent schools offer diversity – boarding and day, co-educational and single sex, choice of location, differing ethos and philosophy.

Independent schools are accountable to parents. If parents do not think their children are being educated properly they can take them away and send them elsewhere. Because of this, independent schools have to have very high standards and most are equipped with the most

up-to-date facilities available.

More formal teaching, with greater emphasis on homework.

Most have smaller classes than state schools and staff have the time to give pupils individual attention.

Better facilities.

Independent schools pride themselves on being able to develop the full potential of each student, whatever their ability or aptitude.

Broader range of extra-curricular activities.

More opportunities for languages and sport, music and drama.

Parental attitudes revealed Research from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) showed that parents rated the moral aspects of schooling and inculcation of values as higher priorities than concentration on exam results and league table success.

Among the qualities of a school that parents felt were essential or very important were that it: encourages pupils to respect

each other; pays close attention to individual pupils’ well-being; insists on good manners; adapts teaching methods to the needs of each child; and encourages independent thinking.

They particularly valued the emphasis on small classes and individual care. Classes in many independent schools are smaller than in other types of school, particularly for the younger age groups between 5 and 13.

This is when children are especially keen to learn, the foundations of a good education can be laid, and mistakes and learning difficulties are recognised and put right.

There are two main issues about which parents should feel confident: ● academic ● extra-curricular activities.

Academic Figures from ISC’s 2015 census show that for 2014: ● At A Level, 51% of entries from pupils at ISC schools were awarded at least an A grade, compared to 26% nationally. (continued on page 74)

Services Package Senior School 11-18 Boarding and Day

• Happy and fulfilling all-round education • Strong academic achievement • Excellent pastoral care • Extensive range of extra activities including CCF and outdoor pursuits • Attractive and competitive Services Package Please ring 01884 252543 for more details or to arrange a visit.

Tiverton • Devon • EX16 4DN • www.blundells.org

72

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding The education at an independent of Service children school When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools

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DISCOVER WARMINSTER OUR OPEN MORNINGS SENIOR SCHOOL SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2015 SATURDAY 7 MAY 2016 PREP SCHOOL SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2015 SATURDAY 14 MAY 2016

What What will day

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Visit Warminster School and discover how our teaching staff can inspire your child and nurture their natural gifts and talents

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01985 210160 admissions@warminsterschool.org.uk www.warminsterschool.org.uk

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rossall is a warm, inclusive and happy place to be.â&#x20AC;?

- G o o d S cho o l s G u i d e

To find out more visit: Rossall offers a military discount

w w w. r o s s a l l . o r g . u k

September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 73

Boarding at an independent school The merits of boarding at an independent school ●

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Independent schools account for 14.6% of A-level entries, but 27.7% of A/A* grades and 32.0% of A* grades.

At GCSE and iGCSE 90.9% of entries from pupils achieved five or more A* to C grades including mathematics and English.

At GCSE and iGCSE 77.7% of entries from pupils achieved five or more A* to C grades including mathematics, English, a science and a modern foreign language.

Most (92%) ISC pupils progress to higher education and the majority attend Russell Group universities. Four per cent go on to non-UK universities.

that they represent good value for money.

Parents should value what they pay for and encourage their children to do well.

The case for the independents ●

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Extra-curricular activities Independent schools aim to develop a pupil’s whole personality by: ● encouraging the imaginative, practical and physical as well as the academic ● fostering and developing music, art and drama ● encouraging team games, as well as individual sports and indoor games and hobbies.

Also remember, in order to survive, independent schools have to satisfy parents

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Independent schools enjoy freedom and prevent a state monopoly.

They offer genuine choice – so ensuring the rights of parents.

They encourage academic excellence as illustrated by statistics in science, mathematics, languages; and have a reputation for innovations.

They encourage facilities for gifted children – music, drama, etc.

Many are religious foundations.

Their average class sizes are much smaller.

Some independent schools offer singlesex education. Maintained schools have largely removed the choice of single-sex schools.

Finance: they save the maintained sector the cost of educating more than half a million pupils in ISC schools; earnings from overseas students helps. ■

For further information, or to attend an Open Morning, you are warmly invited to contact the Registrar, Iona Hutchinson T +44 (0)1992 706353 E registrar@haileybury.com Haileybury Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 7NU

Academic excellence and outstanding co-curricular provision are at the heart of Haileybury, providing the exceptional opportunities and truly all-round education that allows our pupils to discover enduring passions and talents. We are a boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 11–18 with superb pastoral care and excellent facilities. We offer a choice of IB Diploma or A Levels in Sixth Form.

Scholarships are available at 11+, 13+ and 16+. We offer a 10% remission on fees for Service Personnel. www.haileybury.com

74

@HaileyburyUK

www.facebook.com/HaileyburyUK

Registered charity number 310013

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at an independent school When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools

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Co-educational, day & boarding school for 3-18 years in South East England

OPEN DAY

Junior School Open Day: 2 October 2015 Senior School Open Day: 3 October 2015 Strong academic results Warm and Supportive Ethos Full weekend programme for boarders

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Saturday 3rd October —10 am arrival Please contact us to reserve your place

T: 01843 572931

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St Lawrence College, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AE

www.slcuk.com

Co-educational day & boarding: ages 13 –18 > telephone: 01823 328204 admissions@kings-taunton.co.uk

www.kings-taunton.co.uk

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 75

Boarding at an independent school Choosing a good school and the right school

Choosing a good school and the right school – John Moule, Warden of Radley College n the dim and distant days when I was a Housemaster, a bright-eyed boy arrived for his first day and I was chatting to him and his parents. I remembered (rather impressively, I thought) that they had been torn between us and another school. I asked politely what had made the difference, fully expecting the warm affirming compliment which makes all the difference early in term: ‘We loved the house.

It seemed just right for him’ or, better still, ‘We just thought the Housemaster was so important’. I waited. ‘Well . . . .’, the mother said, ‘He came here for a cricket tournament and thought the cream cakes were good’.

There is a lesson in that. And not just that the catering department is a vital component of school marketing. In fact, digressing, good catering can even be a disadvantage on occasion: at an open morning, a parent was heard to complain when confronted by an array of the finest freshly made canapés: ’Haven’t you just got a biscuit?’. You can’t win. No, the lesson is that however hard you try, one small thing that you haven’t thought of can make all the difference; in both directions.

From my side of the desk, however, it is relatively easy compared to what the parent faces. When I was Head Master of Bedford School (2008–14), I knew what the school was offering; as Warden of Radley (from September 2014), I know the same. At Radley we offer full boarding and mean it when we say it; we are single sex and will remain so; we are selective but interested in potential and character as much as raw results at our entry point; we have the highest academic standards but pursue excellence beyond the classroom just as thoroughly; we love our traditions but are modern in our approach to education.

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Filtering all the information Then I put myself across the table and on to the sofa where prospective parents and boys (in my case) sit. And I sympathise. How, in a few hours, do I get all my questions answered; how do I move beyond the propaganda that the school is throwing at me?

Boarding or day? Type of boarding? Town or rural? Big or small? Co-ed or single sex?

League table position? What is the entry procedure? When should my child start?

What does the school do about bullying, drugs, alcohol? Careers advice, UCAS preparation, work experience? How many subjects on offer? How many teams?

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Activities? And how, just how, do I filter all that information?

So, back on my side of the desk, can I offer advice that will, I hope, assist parents in identifying a good school and, once that is done, the right school for their child. Firstly, go beyond the surface. When looking at a website, go several pages in . . . randomly, even. It is all too easy for headlines to be trumpeted and the best to be celebrated; you want to find out the mean and the median of a school as well since, by definition, not all will be the best. How many sing in the Chapel Choir; how many orchestras are there; how many teams are offered; how many matches do they play; how many productions does the theatre put on; does the debating society meet once a term or once a fortnight; is that special lecture an annual event or is there a regular programme; does academic extension simply mean good results or is there genuine and widespread enrichment as well; how many entered that competition . . . and so on. One swallow does not make a summer.

Look for natural and normal But that is only the tip of the iceberg. Next: the visit. And here again, do not be fooled by the headlines: the new state of the art building, the Head Master’s patter, the air-brushed prefect and the stress ball with a logo (sadly, yes, we were guilty at Bedford). Look deeper. If the tour guide knows every answer, it is likely he or she has been prepped. Watch the pupils coming out of a lesson and try to catch a glance before they see you. Listen to a conversation before you go round the corner. Stop and talk to the gardener or to the receptionist. Ask a pupil for help even if you do not need it. Ask to see a second room in the boarding house and if it is slightly messy, see that as a good sign: it has not been tidied specially. Look for natural and normal, and less for show. Ask the obvious questions but look for different answers: if the bullying question elicits a ‘we do not have that problem’ or a recitation of the latest compliance policy, alarm bells should ring. You want answers that recognise teenagers for what they are but address how a sense of community is built and how issues are monitored and addressed and an ethos created.

Please do not get me wrong. Facilities matter; results matter; policies matter. But I say to every prospective parent I meet that there is one question that is more important

than the minefield of information . . . and to ask it as you walk out of the gates having visited. Would my child be happy? I firmly believe that a child will only be happy if he is inspired, if he is aspirational, if he has opportunities, if he has friends, if he feels at home, if he has fun, if he feels loved. Schools are about people and ethos, not bricks and mortar and statistics.

Use your gut instinct And so it comes back to the cream cakes. Well, nearly. The more time I spend in schools – the more time I spend with prospective parents and children – the more I believe that gut instinct is the best measure. I recently read Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘Blink’ which investigates the phenomenon of the immediate instinctive response. He talks about ‘thinslicing’, our ability to gauge what is really important from a very narrow period of experience. I remember the famous polar explorer Shackleton’s method of selecting expedition members: he used to shake them by the hand, look them in the eye, and reach a judgement after a few seconds. I am not advocating ether approach: speed dating has not reached school marketing yet, I trust. By all means ask every question, do the research and have an extensive visit . . . all are important. But so is instinct. ■

John Moule took up the post of Warden of Radley College in September 2014, having been Head Master of Bedford School from 2008 to 2014. Before Bedford, he was Head of History and Senior Housemaster at Stowe. He is a former scholar of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and would list his interests as avid sports spectating (armchair and otherwise); boring people with cricket statistics; reading: theology, political biography and P.G. Wodehouse; directing plays; and playing golf badly.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 77

Boarding at an independent school The case for continuity

The case for continuity – Mark Turnbull, Headmaster of Giggleswick School

n ability to adapt to change is something we all recognise as an important skill in the modern workplace. In an age when technology allows ‘trends’ the briefest of lives before extinguishing them, and where almost all teenagers seem to be in near constant contact with peers beyond their immediate presence, it has been argued that the connectivity of modern culture and its constant flux makes young adults practised at coping with change.

Service parents are well aware of the importance of being able to adapt to change. I have marvelled at the tales of service mums who tell of the number of moves they have had to accommodate.

They are adept at packing up homes and friendships and moving them significant distances to start again. They live in a world where change is expected and where people are highly skilled at adapting to it; a world from which today's school children can learn much.

But before we go too far down this road, we can all also recognise that children learn best when they are happy, and a crucial ingredient in happiness is stability and the assurance it provides. Learning to cope with change needs to be done

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sensitively and, although the majority of children will have to change school at some point, repeated changes of school can sometimes hinder academic and skills progress and the formation of the deep supportive relationships that we all value.

What’s important to children Heads spend a good deal of time seeing prospective parents with their children and they will all make a point of trying to ensure everyone can see the visit from the child's perspective. While children will acknowledge the importance of success in exams, the reality for them when entering a school is the much more immediate concern about the day-to-day. How to manage workloads, when to practise, what are the routines, who gets into teams, what about food or friendships; these are all far more important to them and their shortterm happiness. If we can limit the disruption to these foundations of school life, we can then create the opportunity to focus much more upon learning and achievement.

I have to confess that despite having boarded at school myself, and having been a passionate advocate of the benefits of

boarding throughout my teaching career, I was surprised to find myself reluctant to send my own children to board. I just wanted them with me where I could see them grow and develop and we could share the love of family life. And then we moved, and one of our children decided he wanted to stay where he was and take up a boarding place at his school. What a revelation it was to me to see how my own child thrived in a boarding environment.

Not only was he the one member of the family who didn't have to deal with the emotional and administrative challenges of joining a new school (don't underestimate the latter), he also loved the boarding experience. There are many arguments that create a good case for modern boarding but the two which are the most convincing to me are the opportunity to get so much more out of the school day, both academically and co-circularly, and the social benefits. Being among like-minded teenagers face-to-face, rather than at home interfacing, creates much happier children.

Then there are the benefits to parents.

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Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at an independent school The case for continuity end of the phone or on email, will be boarding staff who really know your child.

They know them because they have spent time with them. They will have seen them learn, play and interact and they will see and feel, in some ways better than parents, how the child is responding.

Pastoral care Pastoral care is often illustrated through a triangle with parents, houseparent and child at each corner. The axes are the relationships along which communication occurs. If all sides are openly talking, you will have effective and caring support for the child. Ask yourself how much more likely it is for this to occur if you know and trust the houseparent as a result of building relationship over time. There is a strong case for continuity in pastoral care.

Equally strong arguments exist for ensuring a child stays with teaching staff and coaches that know them well. We are all becoming more conscious of different styles of learning and how our own children respond in particular ways to distinctive approaches. Good teachers will quickly recognise how your child responds and will learn to adapt their approach in order to

ensure that they meet the needs of the child.

Of course, it is necessary for your child to be taught by different teachers as they move through a school and sometimes it is also desirable for your child to have a new teacher, but the knowledge of how your child learns can still be more effectively passed on within a school to ensure that they achieve the best possible outcome.

So if your child has to move schools there can be some great benefits that can arise, provided they are given the right level of support to navigate the change. However if this starts to happen too much they may well say that they want to stay in a particular place and it is at this point that the benefits of boarding really start to shine through.

Look at boarding schools that really are boarding and not just day schools with a few boarders. In these you will find dedicated staff who understand the importance of contributing to a community that values each individual and who have the time to properly get to know the children. Such knowledge and care will be just as reassuring to you, the parent on the end of an email, as it will be to your child having a fantastic time boarding. ■

Mark Turnbull became Headmaster of Giggleswick in 2014. Educated at Marlborough College, he read geography at the University of Liverpool and holds a Masters degree from the University of London. Having begun a career in banking, his first teaching post was at Sevenoaks School where he taught the IB and held a number of posts including Housemaster and Head of Boarding. He was deputy Head of Eastbourne College for six years before returning to his native Yorkshire.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 79

Boarding at an independent school Globalism: What do schools and the Armed Forces have in common?

Globalism: What do schools and the Armed Forces have in common?

– Antony Spencer, Principal of St Lawrence College manpower. However, there are distinct advantages in recruiting from a wider pool in the experience of independent schools.

Gurkha families

ow here is a topic that can leave us worried about treading on eggshells. A debate about diversity can get rather heated, not least no doubt in the Armed Services.

Boarding schools are also facing the opportunities and challenges that come from greater globalism, so it is interesting to compare the experiences of two traditional but evolving parts of British society.

Boarding schools are becoming increasingly diverse in their mix of pupils.

The Armed Forces themselves are actually part of the cause of this, as the numbers of ’Forces Kids‘ in the UK boarding community are falling, so schools have looked favourably at the growing international demand for a UK boarding school education. This trend was evident in the latest census of independent schools in the UK, which revealed over 27,000 non-British pupils whose parents live abroad, plus a further 17,000 foreign pupils whose parents live in the UK. In the former group, mainland China has now outpaced Hong Kong as the biggest source of international boarders in UK schools, followed by Russia, European countries and Nigeria.

Data on the Armed Forces is a little harder to come by, but according to the answer to a Freedom of Information request, by 2012 there were over 12,000 soldiers from overseas in the British Army, or around 12% of total troops at the time. Significant among these numbers were the Gurkha brigade, which at the time numbered around 3,700, and around 2,000 soldiers from Fiji. The total

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numbers had increased considerably, from just 600 in the mid-90s.

In my business career before entering teaching, I was involved in a project that tried to increase the number of new recruits into the Armed Forces. Recruiting the most able from around the world was a natural solution, and there is an obvious similarity to UK boarding schools. The ’Be the Best‘ concept isn’t just a strapline in an Army advert, but also the approach taken by many schools to attract talented pupils from around the world.

I am not of course expecting the Armed Services to follow the pattern of independent schools in recruiting from China and Russia!

There are naturally operational limits on how far the Armed Services want to globalise their

In my own school we are privileged to have a number of Nepalese pupils because of our proximity to a Gurkha garrison, and they represent one of 26 different nationalities in the school. This diversity means my British pupils are prepared from a young age for the modern world of work, which is increasingly globalised; they have an appreciation of different cultures and languages, and how to work in teams across national barriers. It is also noticeable that many international pupils come from a culture where education is very highly esteemed, where high aspirations and work ethic have something to teach us in the UK. Anecdotally I can also understand why the Gurkhas have been such a fixed part of our Armed Services for so long, given the tenacious way their sons and daughters work hard in class and compete ferociously on the games pitch.

The biggest challenge for schools when embracing the benefits of globalism is to foster integration. The key to this is ensuring a mix of pupils from different countries. It is always a good question to ask on a boarding school visit as a prospective parent, what the mix of students is per year group. In the past, some parents have asked this with a rather parochial perspective, wanting to be reassured that the boarding house is full of

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at an independent school Globalism: What do schools and the Armed Forces have in common? similar children from similar backgrounds. I sense something of a change now, with a greater awareness of the positive opportunities offered by a more diverse international community of boarders, as long as no one country dominates. In my opinion, a school that is positive about the virtues of globalism but careful about its nationality make up and takes integration seriously offers the best mix.

Cross-cultural understanding When I look around my school, national and ethnic boundaries are very fluid: the Gurkha children are British (with thanks to Joanna Lumley!), many Nigerian children have dual nationality and live as often in London as in Lagos, while some children with Polish parents have only ever known a British education. I believe that this environment is the best preparation for the future, for a world where national barriers become ever more fluid, and where required skills will involve creating and working in teams from an ever more diverse pool of workers. A healthy dose of cross-cultural understanding will certainly help this.

Furthermore, I would suggest that the academic education of a more diverse community is inherently better than that from a monoculture. I was recently chatting to two pupils, one Ukrainian and the other Russian, about events in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Needless to say, the breadth of perspective available to other pupils in the ensuing debate went well beyond what one would find in a textbook!

Overall then, what do school and the Armed Forces have in common? They are both cherished institutions which have played a distinguished part in British history.

They are widely regarded as leading the way internationally in their quality, and are a source of national pride in the way they represent the best of British values to the world. They are also in a state of flux, adapting to a changing global environment and different demands for their services.

They will, I’m sure, continue to be beacons of best practice well into the future, their future success determined in part by their success in harnessing diversity towards the goal of excellence. ■

Antony Spencer has been Principal of St Lawrence College since April 2013. Before this he was Academic Deputy at Clifton College in Bristol.

After graduating from Oxford with a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics he very nearly entered the Army, with an offer to go to Sandhurst.

Instead he worked in finance for a number of years before entering teaching. He is married to Suzanne, also a teacher, and their four children all attend St Lawrence College.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 81

Boarding at an independent school The importance of partnerships between independent and state schools

The importance of partnerships between independent and state schools – Richard Harman, Headmaster of Uppingham School and Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC)

Photograph by Kilian O’Sullivan

The new Science Centre at Uppingham School

ll of us who lead independent schools in the UK believe in the importance of a liberal, holistic education. This includes the values that underpin our everyday work and the way we teach our pupils to communicate and to handle relationships with one another, and the way we nurture intellectual, emotional and spiritual awareness, and develop character, creativity and critical thinking. These are what contribute to the DNA that marks out our schools as exceptional.

There are many definitions of education.

But to me one of the key factors of educating is listening: listening before responding. What has been called ‘a conversation between generations’. This is particularly important in a boarding school. It’s because of the commingling of the personal and professional that our establishments succeed: that sense of community and belonging that we foster, where living and learning are one. That sense of relationship is one of the most precious things that we can convey to, and share with, the pupils in our care.

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Boarding is all about wellbeing Everything we do in a boarding school is about wellbeing. This has become a fashionable concept – along with mindfulness – but we’ve been doing it for years in our boarding schools.

We pay great attention to the wholeness and health of each child, whether intellectual,

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physical or spiritual, and recognise that this is a vital element of their overall education.

Boarding schools truly belong in today’s world. Quite apart from the parents in the UK who are making real sacrifices to send their children to our school, both day and boarding, there are also parents from Azerbaijan to Germany to China and beyond, looking to get the best education for their child in this country. Figures for 2015 show that there are more than 70,000 boarders at the UK’s independent schools, compared with around 68,500 in 2014. And in terms of attainment, the pupils coming out of those schools continue to win top places at university. But that excellent performance is not the only achievement of which we are proud. We are proud of their all-round skills, character and employability.

Most of our schools’ parents are both working, many in demanding, customerfocused jobs and the armed forces. Jobs where you leave early, get home late, fly to overseas meetings at short notice or are posted abroad.

Parents want the best provision for their children as well as a full involvement with their education even if, or maybe because, they cannot always be physically present. They want us to reassure them their children are safe, well taught, happily engaged and entertained, active and developing their own lives, making friends for life drawn from all over the world.

Sharing excellence and best practice I write as Headmaster of Uppingham School, a large co-ed boarding school in the middle of England, as well as Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), which represents 270 of the leading independent schools. All of us who work in HMC schools have a powerful desire to share excellence and best practice wherever we can. We don’t just look after our own pupils. We do all we can to advocate for pupils across the country in all kinds of schools on a wide variety of issues. We scrutinise the work of Ofqual, the body which should guarantee justice in our public exam system. When Ofqual admits that 6% of its examiners are ‘inadequate’, as they did in 2014, it means 950,000 scripts could have been inadequately marked. We speak up on behalf of fairness for all candidates in all schools. We also have a wider role in promoting the general health of subject learning and its assessment – the humanities, science and modern foreign languages. All of these are vital for this country’s future international competitiveness.

Schools like Eton and Harrow are excellent examples of independent schools in the UK but they are not typical. Our schools are diverse, serving different

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at an independent school The importance of partnerships between independent and state schools populations across the UK. Some are small, some are large; some are selective, some are not. Some are single-sex, some co-ed; some are in the countryside, some in the heart of our big cities. What marks us out is that we are all genuinely independent, not funded by the State or local authority. We are directly accountable to parents, with whom we have a specific written contract.

With independent schools across the UK now more ethnically diverse than their maintained counterparts, we are enabling new models of social cohesion. With our diverse connections to, and partnerships with, the maintained sector, we support a huge range of activities and achievements which benefit us all. More than one in three pupils at our schools are on some form of financial assistance, totalling £365 million annually and rising.

Independent/state school partnerships Independent schools can choose how they meet the obligations laid down by the Charities Commission and confirmed by the courts in 2011. We work with maintained schools in a number of ways: providing qualified teachers in specialist

subjects to state schools which do not have them; sharing expertise to help state school students get into top universities; running joint extra-curricular programmes; GCSE and A-level revision classes; coaching in music, drama and sport. And most of our schools share their facilities with their local communities and are glad to do so.

We are committed to independent/state school partnerships. But any partnership is about a relationship, and relationships work

best when each side enters it voluntarily and has an equal stake. We all have social responsibilities. But a ‘one size fits all’ solution imposed from the top down on independent schools is not, I believe, the right way to go about encouraging those. If the relationship between private schools and state schools is to be undermined by the continued class-based rhetoric of division, how can that possibly help us reach the goal of social mobility to which we all aspire? ■

Richard Harman has been Headmaster of Uppingham School since 2006. He was educated at The King’s School, Worcester, followed by Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read English. Having spent two years working for an academic publisher, he decided his real vocation was in teaching. After five years at Marlborough College teaching English and Drama, during which time he also completed his PGCE at Exeter University, he spent 12 years at Eastbourne College. Progressing from Head of English to Housemaster of a Sixth Form girls’ house to member of the senior management team, he then became Headmaster of Aldenham in September 2000 and from there moved to become Headmaster of Uppingham in 2006. He is married to Karin and has one daughter, Olivia. Richard is a keen follower and occasional practitioner of various sports and he loves music and the theatre. In another life he would have been a director at the RSC, the National, or in the West End, or possibly manager of Arsenal FC. While he awaits that call, however, he is much enjoying the challenges at Uppingham. He was Chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) for 2011–12. He is Chairman of HMC for 2014–15.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 83

Boarding at an independent school Schools as communities in the widest sense

Schools as communities in the widest sense – Mark Wallace, Principal of Lincoln Minster School ew people now subscribe to the notion of schools being a punitive experience, as portrayed by Dickens, Disney, Dahl and many more. More recently J.K. Rowling has revitalised interest in boarding schools – indeed I know of a prep school that ran highly popular boarding taster weekends along the lines of wizards’ conventions. And yet one detects a lingering perception that ‘sending children away’ to a boarding school is somehow still perceived by some as a diminishing of family life, a confinement or incarceration for the children, a narrowing of childhood.

It is time to set the record straight, to show not just how inaccurate this is but indeed how the very opposite is the case: many boarding schools, and certainly Lincoln Minster School, constitute a carefully crafted, multi-faceted microcosm of our global society, far richer, and far more laden with opportunity and discovery than most families can hope to provide, unless they are in a unique position themselves or extraordinarily determined!

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Celebrating achievement Consider the environment in which a boarder at a thriving independent school will grow up: it is more than the ‘long sleepover’ vaunted by many schools. The somewhat unpleasant term ‘socialisation’ masks the rich web of occasions through which boarding pupils experience the give and take of living in a small community with regular meals round tables (and often a single television set!), board games, birthday parties and barbecues, formal dinners, occasional ‘take-outs’ and helping to host events. There are numerous occasions to celebrate achievement, whether their own, or – equally important, surely – to applaud the efforts and triumphs of others. Expectations of each boarder playing a role range from cleaning their own shoes on a regular basis, to being responsible for their own space and tidiness (often on a slightly more routine level than at home), arbitration in squabbles, initiating activities, and planning outings and events. Most schools develop leadership roles for their boarders, not only to help things along but to give them an additional sense of self-worth.

The activities that extend beyond the usual curriculum, and even beyond the so-called extra-curriculum are often augmented for boarders who probably spend less time in front of a screen than their peers going home every night. Schools pride themselves on providing ample challenge for pupils, whether it is a climbing wall, the sailing club, polo or kayaking, singing in a

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cathedral, playing in a jazz band, making a newspaper, competing locally or even nationally in some discipline or interest, or fundraising for the school community project in a developing country. It is always heartening to hear pupils talk about their scariest moment when they were taken, or rather when they took themselves, out of their comfort zone.

The point is, far from being disadvantaged by being a boarder, by ‘missing out’ on family life, our boarders reap huge advantages from the opportunities afforded to them. In their busy lives, they are engaging with others, not just at school but in the sports clubs, sharing interests, experiences, curiosity, discoveries. They learn what it is to be a member of a group, of many groups. They play at being mini citizens. Little wonder that these young people develop into selfsufficient, confident young adults poised to go forward on the next leg of their journey.

Intercultural understanding More often than not, their good citizenship, far from being restricted to a local or even national level, plays out on a wider platform.

Schools are increasingly welcoming pupils from overseas more than ever before, with the result that British pupils grow up learning alongside youngsters from different cultures.

With Education UK being held as the gold standard by parents in many nations, the clamour for places in UK boarding schools and at British universities is probably doing more for intercultural understanding than we realise.

Some of us in the education world worry that the fervour with which parents from other countries seek to widen their children’s horizons and want their children to be comfortable in the English-speaking world as a route to professional success in later years, is not matched by our own interest in such schemes. For most children, the French/German or Spanish exchange, valuable as it is, still constitutes the main mechanism whereby pupils can see what it is like to be a foreigner and, more vitally, learn to appreciate that British is not the default nationality!

Have schools exploited sufficiently the new global nature of their communities? Most have moved on from treating overseas boarders as pupils with a learning difficulty, but the proposition seems to be that such entrants come to learn English and experience the British system, a desire that leaves us a comfortable margin for remaining ethnocentric in our approach, rather than embracing the potential geocentricity. A step

too far you think? Well schools have become much more courageous in the twenty-first century, mindful of the need to bolster our pupils’ credentials as global citizens, fit to work in a global world; witness, for example, the rise in Mandarin options in schools.

Undoubtedly PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education), debates, assemblies and religious studies classes are enriched with the wider perspectives afforded by a multiracial mix in the classroom. One has only to wander into the art studios in schools today to see how the fusion of cultures is making colourful and thought-provoking inroads into our educational mindscape. .

Change is now engrained in the thinking of many schools and I suspect that we have but begun this journey towards the global perspective. Meanwhile, let us stand back and acknowledge just how far we have developed from the days of Dotheboys Hall, and continue bravely on our journey to give young people the life-enhancing experiences to enable them to fulfil that mission described by Woodrow Wilson: ‘You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.’ ■ Mark Wallace became Principal of Lincoln Minster School in September 2015. His previous leadership roles have been at Kingston Grammar School, where he was Principal Deputy Head as well as Acting Head for a period of time, and Caterham School (part of the same United Learning Group as LMS), where Mark was Head of Boys' Boarding and Head of Sixth Form. Mark's academic background is Mathematics and he had a spell working in the banking sector. He enjoys all sports, in particular golf and hockey, and has held a number of Board positions of local associations and societies including Chairman. In hockey, Mark has enjoyed regional, provincial and national levels of representation at all age levels. Mark enjoys charitable fundraising and has been in the Guinness Book of World Records on two occasions. Mark is married to Cathriona and they have three children.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 85

Boarding at an independent school The extra-curricular challenge

The extra-curricular challenge – Emma Taylor, Head of Christ College, Brecon

s the Inspecting Officer approached the First Aid stand at the CCF biennial inspection, ever louder groans were emitted by the 'casualty' whose leg oozed copious quantities of stage blood, and whose dramatic work clearly owed more to disaster movies than to Shakespeare. A senior cadet stepped forward, saluted and confidently explained to the officer what was being taught. These young people were clearly having an enormous amount of fun, while at the same time learning practical skills and gaining in confidence, both personally and as a team.

Any measure of education that makes an assumption that what goes on in the classroom is essential, while other activities are peripheral, an optional bonus, fails entirely to take account of how many, if not all young people learn best, and of the skills and qualities they will need in the world beyond school. Indeed, the term 'extracurricular' is a misleading one at best; activities such as sport, music, drama and outdoor pursuits are a core part of what is on offer in independent schools, and particularly in the boarding environment, where so many extra hours in the day and week are available for the pursuit of skills and activities that promote much wider learning and character development than can ever be achieved in a narrow school day.

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Discovery outside the classroom Sometimes these other contexts for learning can produce a breakthrough even in the most academic areas of a pupil's development. On a recent trip for 3rd Form (Year 9) to the First World War battlefields, a colleague tells me she was delighted when one of our boys, who finds history difficult in the classroom, came rushing up to her, having found the name of a

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former pupil in the Book of Remembrance at Tyne Cot cemetery, and tracked down the inscription to him among the 35,000 names recorded there. This young man, son of an Army family, had shown that he could access and retain key facts, search for relevant information in a densely packed original source document, and apply his discovery in order to find the name of his school forebear among the thousands inscribed on that monument. How much longer would it have taken him to learn exactly the same skill in the classroom with a textbook, and how much less enthusiastically or permanently would he have established that particular skill in his repertoire?

Such learning opportunities present themselves in the most unexpected places, and some of the very best learning is done when pupils are unaware that they are doing just that. And it can be almost taken as read that there will be plenty of opportunities of all sorts in a boarding school. So how to choose between these schools? Well, in the end choosing a school for a child is a matchmaking activity, and parents will want to know whether the activities on offer outside the classroom are likely to pique the interest of their particular child, or to build on an existing talent.

breadth of interest and involvement.

Einstein is said to have written: 'Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.'

Exam results can be counted, of course, and they do count; they are critical for future success. However, so are initiative, creativity, leadership (and 'followership'), courage, determination, kindness and much more; these things may be learned in the classroom but much more so, in my view, in the many and varied activities and opportunities offered in boarding schools. Some of the most rewarding moments in my career have been when a pupil, perhaps a rather unconventional pupil, finds his or her niche; as a theatre technician, perhaps, or a crack shot, or a persuasive debater. Finding such a niche in the school community establishes enthusiasms and expertise for life and often affects a pupil's future choices significantly.

For all these reasons, and for the sheer fun and camaraderie gained by 'doing things with friends', the so-called 'extra-curricular' life of a school should really be seen as central to what it offers. ■

A prize for ‘thinking outside the box’ One way of finding out more about what a school cares about most is to ask for a copy of the prizes presented on Prize Day. Forgive the dreadful pun, but the school prizes are a clear indication of what the school prizes most. At a prep school where I gave away the prizes recently, there were prizes for citizenship and endeavour, as well as a wonderful prize for 'thinking outside the box' – I think we will hear of the young man who won that one in the future! In my own school our breadth of interest results in prizes for debating and choral singing as well as outdoor pursuits and service to the community, in addition to all the usual academic prizes.

Many schools also build their reward systems around some of the activities that happen outside the classroom, so that pupils are recognised publicly for excellence in sport, music, drama and leadership in the form of school colours or in some of the interesting diplomas and baccalaureates being developed to encourage and reward

Emma Taylor took up her post as Head of Christ College, Brecon, in September 2007. She joined from Dean Close, Cheltenham, where she was previously Senior Mistress and Admissions Tutor, and taught Economics, Philosophy and Religious Studies from 2001. She previously taught and was housemistress at both Stowe School from 1990 to 1996 and at Canford School, Dorset, from 1996 to 2001. She was educated at St Anthony’s-Leweston, Sherborne and Canford School, Dorset. She won an open exhibition to read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at New College, Oxford, graduating in 1988. She has a PGCE from Westminster College, Oxford. She is a keen walker, and is a regular newspaper reviewer on BBC Radio Wales.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 87

Boarding at an independent school Lessons in leadership through the CCF

Lessons in leadership through the CCF â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Antony Clark, Headmaster of Malvern College

e are fortunate that at Malvern we have been able to maintain a large and active CCF section that not only teaches cadets some of the traditional military skills, but also imparts a range of other essential life skills, including leadership.

Each Wednesday the familiar sounds of the cadet force at work resound around the campus while the RAF section travels to nearby RAF Cosford for practical flying

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experience. Life in the CCF at Malvern at the turn of the century, however, was very different. At that time there was great emphasis on military training: many leavers would be destined for the officer ranks of the Services at a time of war or would work for the Empire.

Today our CCF cadets are trained in Military Skills and the art of leadership in the field. They plan well and their exercises are

carefully executed so that the experience of the CCF cadet at school remains an invaluable preparation for life ahead â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in any career.

Our CCF offers Tri-Service opportunities with three goal-sharing but very differently cultured sections: the Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force. Key events for the Army are the week-long exercise run throughout the country that allows the cadets to experience first-hand the activities of and equipment used by Regular units. The Marines journey to the West of Scotland for a challenging two weeks and the RAF have camps available in Cyprus and the UK which involve direct experience of many of the in-service air frames.

Pupils of all ages involved

CCF Inspection

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The CCF is part of the co-curricular programme at Malvern where its activities are closely linked with the Outdoor Pursuits (OP) programme. Our OP activities include a wide range of events, from kayaking on rivers and in the North Sea, to surfing on the Gower Peninsula and lead climbing in the Peak District. Pupils of all ages are involved.

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Boarding at an independent school Lessons in leadership through the CCF Centre in Cardiff. In the Peak District a group learned to lead climb making huge progress in a very short time, gaining both the skill and confidence to complete the tasks. The absolutely essential requirements for all these activities are good training, foresight, accurate planning and excellent organisation, skills that stay with the participants into adulthood.

Leadership training

Winter Mountaineering in the Cairngorms

Malvern, of course, runs a Duke of Edinburgh programme and always has a large number of pupils involved in this course, from Bronze to Direct Entry Gold Award level. Our expeditions range from kayaking and walking, and camping in Scotland, to CCF Winter Mountaineering training in the Cairngorms. Groups also travel up to Snowdonia and are involved in camps and exercises that are designed to stretch and test cadets in leadership and orientation. We have the Brecons in our back yard; this is an ideal location for outdoor activities.

Boys and girls now take part in the annual Army Military Skills Competition and the Sir Steuart Pringle Royal Marine Cadet competition. In 2011, Malvern appointed its first female head of the CCF in Naomi Sharpe, an applied and committed member of the CCF. Another followed in

Naomi Sharpe, first female head of the CCF at Malvern

Emily Gray, who is now studying at Oxford University.

Highlights have been Rupert Harris, our Head of School, winning a RAF flying scholarship, which he was able to take up in Scotland and a group of boys learning to paraglide in the Alps where they quickly absorbed the skills that allowed them to make the glorious descent from the top. Ben Donaldson was selected to be the Lord Lieutenant Cadet and Natalie Kingdon was one of 12 cadets selected from the UK for a three-week project in Mexico.

Our skiers too take up the challenge, undertaking some serious off-piste ski-ing in Chamonix under the guidance of professional instructors. Locally we regularly kayak and canoe on the rivers Teme, Severn and Wye where varying river levels provide challenges for the participants. We are also able to train at the National Whitewater

Ben Donaldson, Lord Lieutenant Cadet

In terms of leadership training our younger pupils have the opportunity to study for the newly established Leadership Diploma that comprises tasks designed to encourage leadership qualities early on. Malvern has always done a significant amount of leadership training with the senior pupils and their programme includes lectures from visiting speakers who inspire by example.

Major General Andy Salmon CMG OBE recently visited Malvern to speak to the Chapel Prefects, Heads of House and Deputies. He was able to draw on his 36 years of distinguished service as a troop commander in Northern Ireland and the Falklands War. Not for the first time has a visiting speaker with an impressive Service record inspired the pupils at Malvern. â&#x2013;

Antony Clark was educated at St Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa, and at Rhodes University, where he gained a BA and HDE. He went to Downing College, Cambridge, on a Douglas Smith Scholarship and in 1981 gained an MA. Antony taught at Westerford High School, Cape Town, from 1984 to 1990, then worked in investment management before being appointed as Headmaster of St Joseph's Marist College, Cape Town, in 1992 and subsequently of his own old school, St Andrew's College, in 1994.

In 2002 he became Head of Gresham's School in Norfolk. He became Headmaster of Malvern College in 2008.

September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 89

Boarding at an independent school Securing the future of the CCF

Securing the future of the CCF – Thomas Garnier, Headmaster of Pangbourne College ew people in the (Combined Cadet Force) CCF movement could have predicted that 2014 would prove to be such a turbulent year. Changes to funding arrangements proposed for consultation by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in July caused storm-force winds to rage in schools as the consequences were considered. The very existence of the CCF seemed to have been threatened and heads across sectors were united in their objections. Responses to the consultation were robust and evidence-based and, thankfully, were heeded.

Some understanding of the context in which CCF units operate is necessary to appreciate the issues at stake. In the UK there are about 120,000 young people involved in cadet activities, with about 43,000 doing so in the CCF within around 300 schools – about 100 of which are in the state sector. The remaining cadets are in community-based units: the Sea Cadet Corps, the Army Cadet Force and the Air Cadets. Successive governments have recognised the benefits to young people of the cadet experience, which develops character, confidence, resilience and leadership skills. In 2012, the Prime Minister launched the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) to establish 100 new CCF units in state schools by 2015. This was a joint Department for Education and MoD initiative and, from the start, there was an expectation that a per capita charge would be levied on the cadets in the new units; no such charge was to be levied on those in existing CCF units.

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the government had conducted no research to find out the level of financial commitment already being made by schools before making their proposals. In Pangbourne’s case, which has an average-sized contingent of 165 cadets, that amounted to £49,000 per annum, and the proposed charge would have added a further £27,000 – a cost we could not have absorbed.

A similar situation was faced by almost all the established units and, unsurprisingly, heads began to question the value of an activity which they had always considered to be a mutually-beneficial partnership between them and the MoD. Other means of delivering character and leadership training began to look attractive.

More controversial still was the proposal to cease remunerating CCF adult volunteers

for their time and commitment, when no such intent existed towards their counterparts in the community-based cadet units who do the same job and who accept the same responsibilities. This was manifestly unfair and, if implemented, would have made recruitment of high-quality adult volunteers even harder than it already is.

Many schools – state and independent – concluded that they would be forced to close their CCF units. Heads responded robustly and with unity. Exceptionally for a government consultation, the response rate exceeded 80%, with a very clear message about the consequences communicated to the MoD for the Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, to consider.

And he listened. At the end of 2014, a

Proposed charging regime And then the ground shifted. In July 2014, just as schools were breaking up for the summer, heads received a letter from the MoD on the instruction of Philip Hammond, then Defence Secretary, outlining a proposed charging regime which would be phased in over four years. At the same time, the small amount of remuneration paid to cadet force adult volunteers – the staff who make CCF happen – would be withdrawn, as would the Contingent Grant, worth £20 per head, which is used to contribute to the costs of activities.

At first sight, the principle of a charging regime for all seems reasonable – and indeed few disagreed with the argument for parity between the ‘established’ and ‘new’ units – but

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Boarding at an independent school Securing the future of the CCF second letter was received from the MoD informing heads that the proposed changes would not be implemented and that there would be no change to funding arrangements. Unexpectedly, but fairly, the new CEP schools will also not be charged but will be funded on the same basis as more established units. The decision was a clear statement of the value of the CCF movement and while it was regrettable that it required a set of poorly-drafted proposals and the subsequent storm to confirm this in Ministers’ minds, the turbulence of the last six months has also strengthened heads’ understanding of the value of their CCF units to their young people and relationships within the CCF movement itself. The CCF ended 2014 in a stronger position than it had started it.

What of the future?

So, what of the future? Responsibility for the day-to-day running of the CCF has transferred from MoD Headquarters to the Army. Although MoD remains responsible for cadet force policy, day-to-day responsibility now rests with Major General Robert Nitsch at Army Support Command

and his staff. This is a positive step forward which will hopefully simplify the way the MoD undertakes its daily business with schools. Any reduction in the current levels of bureaucracy involved with running a CCF unit will be welcome, and a further aim is to give greater clarity to the partnership between the MoD and schools through the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding. These processes will be conducted in the context of the MoD’s stated commitment to the cadet experience but also against the background of the Autumn Statement which indicated further cuts in public funding to Departments such as Defence that are not ‘protected’.

Further change inevitable Further change is therefore inevitable but all those involved with CCF are clear that, as far as possible, the cadet experience must be preserved. The values of the Armed Forces and the opportunities offered by military training have the potential to change lives, as well as to ensure greater understanding of the military among the public. Cadets grow visibly in their

confidence as they engage in activities which take them safely out of their comfort zones, provide excitement and the chance to learn and practise leadership skills. The cadet experience works brilliantly and is worth protecting. ■ Thomas Garnier was educated at Radley College and then studied Physics at Bristol University. He was a Seaman Officer in the Royal Navy from 1987 to 1994. On resigning his commission he completed a PGCE at Oxford University before becoming a Physics teacher and housemaster at Abingdon School from 1995 to 2005. He has been Headmaster at Pangbourne College since 2005. He is the Representative to the CCF Association for the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) and the Independent Schools Council (ISC). He has a wife and two sons and his interests include his family, rowing, sailing and learning the piano.

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 91

Boarding at an independent school The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme: the cornerstone to a co-curricular programme

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme: the cornerstone to a co-curricular programme – Chris Alcock, Headmaster of Queen’s College,Taunton n common with many other UK independent schools, three distinct groups make up the bulk of our boarding pupils: children whose parents have frantic professional lives, the children of Services families, and overseas students. What pupils from faraway countries want in a school is overwhelmingly academic excellence with a strong pastoral system. Armed Forces parents want those things too, but they are also always concerned about life away from the classroom: sport, outdoor pursuits, drama, etc. Because of their military working environment, leadership and teamwork are words that come up a lot when these mothers and fathers sit in my room and grill me about life at Queen’s.

When I first took over the headship of Queen’s College I was aware and possibly slightly concerned that there was no CCF unit.

After all, out of the 250 or so schools in the Head Masters’ and Head Mistresses’ Conference, over 200 of them have military cadet forces.

During my time as a geography teacher and boarding housemaster at Stamford School I became very familiar with the CCF system.

Around 70% of my boys were from RAF families and I served for ten years in the Royal Air Force section of the CCF. We had a great time visiting RAF bases and flying around in Chipmunk training aircraft.

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either way,’ he reflected. ‘I think DofE is at least as good as, and in many ways better than, the CCF. The cadets can seem overly military to many of us, although perhaps that looks different if you’re at the sharp end, say in an infantry regiment. Developing leadership, selfawareness and self-confidence is something that the cadet scheme will do for you, but so will DofE in just as many and perhaps more interesting ways.’

DofE is hugely popular The Cadet Force had a huge overall presence at Stamford and I was curious as to how that space would be filled in a school without a CCF. I needn’t have worried, as it took me only one preliminary visit to Queen’s to see that the large and hugely popular Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award programme more than filled the space vacated by rifles and ‘camo’ jackets. Queen’s is numerically the biggest centre for DofE in the south-west of the UK. Almost all of Year 10 (around 90 pupils) choose to begin their Bronze award and over the years well over 300 sixth formers have been to the Palace to receive the coveted Gold award, way more than any other centre in the region.

While I remain personally convinced that our focus on DofE rather than CCF is the right way forward for a school that prides itself on being no slave to convention, I thought it might be wise to check the opinions of one or two parents currently serving in the Armed Forces.

Mike Carter is an Army officer, who has had three sons at Queen’s. ‘When we were choosing a school for our boys I have to say that the existence or otherwise of a cadet force was totally unimportant to us,’ commented Mr Carter, whose current job is in the front line of officer training selection. ‘If Queen’s didn’t do DofE so well it would probably have been a different story. I don’t think there needs to be any element of military training to gain the benefits of outdoor activity, leadership skills and teamwork. Obviously we get quite a few candidates in for officer selection who have been through CCF, probably as much as 60%, and I can honestly say it is not remotely a factor in our decisions about who to choose for Sandhurst.’

Another parent, Paul Casson, has a son and a daughter at the school and is a Royal Navy engineer. ‘I joined the Navy from an oldstyle grammar school that had a cadet force, but I don’t think that’s really influenced my thinking on the subject of choosing a school

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Since becoming the Schools Advisor to the South West Regional Board I’m even happier to have it as the cornerstone of Queen’s cocurricular programme. What makes the key difference to me is the service element of DofE and I think that gives it a distinct edge over CCF as an activity. Whether it’s clearing gardens, working in charity shops or visiting older people in their homes, I think pupils gain a huge amount from volunteering and giving, and quite honestly that’s not something you get from square-bashing.

On the relatively rare occasions when visiting families do ask me about Queen’s not having a CCF they almost invariably say ‘I suppose that’s because of it being a Methodist school?’ Actually there’s no link at all, and back in the mid-twentieth century Queen’s did have a CCF unit. It’s just that it is important to look forward and implement positive change – something that we strive to do at Queen's College. ■

Chris Alcock was educated at Sevenoaks School and Durham University. In 1982 he started his teaching career at Stamford School, where he taught geography, was a boarding housemaster and ran the rugby. In 1997 he became Deputy Head at King Edward’s Witley, and in 2001 was appointed Headmaster of Queen’s College Taunton. He obtained his NPQH in 2000, is an ISI Inspector and a member of Taunton Vale Rotary.

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We combine the traditions of a leading public school with unrivalled modern facilities and inspirational teaching. With boarding from Year 4 through to Year &OLIWRQ &ROOHJH SURYLGHV WKH SHUIHFW HQYLURQPHQW IRU EXLOGLQJ FRQĂĽGHQFH and nurturing talent. To secure your place at our next Open Day or to arrange a personal visit, please call the Preparatory School on 0117 405 8396 or the Upper School on 0117 405 8417.

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Boarding at an independent school School sport: a head’s perspective

School sport: a head’s perspective – Richard Biggs, Headmaster of King’s College, Taunton with his studies. We moved him to a prep school, where he discovered he was good at rugby, and his whole sense of who he was suddenly changed. He’s also doing much better in class.’

One of the great things about teachers being involved in the management of teams is that they and the pupils get to see a completely different side, and so gain a more rounded appreciation, of each other.

This is lost when we hand all coaching over to the professionals.

Team spirit Hackneyed, I know, but there is nothing like going through the ordeals, disappointments and triumphs of a team sport together with your mates to cement long-lasting friendships, mutual support and respect. There is no better way to engender a sense of camaraderie than in sharing the emotional highs and lows that go with competitive sport. saw a lovely sight a few weeks ago. Our U15B rugby team won its match against a local rival school. They haven’t won many and this was a scrappy nail-biter, with our boys clinging to a slender lead in the dying moments and then exploding in joy. There was much leaping about and whooping and yelling and backslapping. And that was just the parents. In assembly the following Monday I dwelt more on the ebb and flow of this one match than on the overwhelming victory of our 1st XV. It seemed to embody, for me, what school sport is all about.

It isn’t universal, this phenomenon of school sport. There are countries where it doesn’t exist. Even here, the home of rugger and footie and jolly hockey sticks, it is patchy, varying hugely from state to independent, from boarding to day, from crowded city to country estate. A school I once taught in had an annual hockey exchange with a school in Hamburg. When we went to Germany we played club sides – very good club sides. The only time the host school ever played as a team was when we visited them. In German schools there is little notion of school sport at all. And that model does work on one level: the sporty types play for clubs and are well cared for.

We usually lost the annual match. Heavily.

Why do schools like King’s College spend so much money, energy and (that most precious of commodities) time running

I

94

a programme of sport? There are certainly other calls on that time and money. We could sell off our fields to developers and retreat into the fancy concrete facilities we would build on the proceeds. We choose not to, though, and for good reason: sport at schools is worth doing. Far from being a peripheral extra it is, I firmly believe, a fundamental part of the curriculum and the educational experiences of our children.

Here are just a few good reasons.

Sport for life We need to be realistic and accept that very few pupils become professional sportsmen and women. A few go on to make a living out of sport in one way or another. But all could, potentially, play sport for the rest of their lives. If a pupil leaves King’s and continues to play his or her hockey at university and beyond, then I think we’ve done a good job. We lay down a foundation of sporting enthusiasm that, if it is well done, can last for life.

A chance to shine Sport provides an opportunity for children who may not excel in other areas. It boosts self-confidence and esteem, and can have a profoundly positive effect on other aspects of school life, including the academic. A naval man thinking of sending his son to King’s said to me: ‘Charlie was struggling

A healthy body Self-evident, I imagine. Sport is healthy.

Anything that gets children away from their computers and running around in the fresh air must be good. Again, something of a cliché, but those boys and girls who have spent their afternoons charging up and down the pitches will probably concentrate better on their studies. Obesity is a national problem in young people; exercise is a large part of the answer. Again, this is a benefit that stays with children throughout their lives if they keep playing.

A sporting attitude If it’s done properly there is a tremendously civilising benefit to playing sport at school.

Modesty in victory, graciousness in defeat, a stoic acceptance of occasional bad luck (or poor refereeing decisions); the notion of hosting a visiting team and looking after them well, of calling close line decisions honestly; those occasions when you lend one of your spare players to the opposition or agree to reduce your team’s numbers to match theirs: this is all good stuff and its importance should not be underestimated. I like the little rituals too: the three cheers, shaking hands, thanking the umpire. It sounds hopelessly Victorian, I imagine (believe me, Rudyard Kipling is not leaning over my laptop as I write this), but I’ll say it

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Boarding at an independent school School sport: a head’s perspective nonetheless: the ability to remain polite and generous even under the most trying of circumstances is surely a life skill worth learning.

Good fun I’ve kept the most important reason to last.

We play sport for one reason only, really: it’s good fun. The five years that our pupils stay with us at King’s are, in themselves, a large chunk of their lives. They should enjoy those years and look back on them with fondness. And, boy, they’ll remember their sport. When I coach a hockey team (admittedly at a fairly lowly standard – it used to be the seconds at my previous school, now it’s the U14Cs), I always start the season by saying ‘There’s only one reason we’re here, and that’s to enjoy ourselves. It’s more fun if you win, so we’ll try to do a lot of that. But losing is OK, provided you tried hard and enjoyed yourself.’

Having said all that, what should parents be looking for in a school’s sporting provision? What does this all mean for how sport is organised at a school? This is a personal view, and certainly debatable, but this is how I think it should be …

There should be sport for all. And by that I mean proper coaching and competitive fixtures for as many pupils as possible, not just the elite. If we believe the above benefits apply to all pupils (as I do) then they should be widely available.

There should be a good variety of games. The smaller, boutique sports like fencing or fives or sailing often provide a wonderful haven for those less enamoured of the main juggernauts of rugby, netball, cricket, hockey etc.

There should be widespread staff involvement. Quite frankly, the more the teachers are involved with coaching or managing the sports teams the better. They bring perspective, sanity, humour and experience to what can otherwise become a rarefied, rather joyless and over-pressurised world of professional coaches, dieticians and personal trainers.

Finally, there should be a strong emphasis on the old-fashioned virtues of good manners and sportsmanship, of playing the game hard but never losing perspective, one’s temper or sense of humour. We should value those old school traditions – dressing smartly to arrive and leave, the quick whisky in the common

room for the staff, the feast of beans and sausages afterwards, the singing on the coach and the war stories, each gaining in colour as it is re-told.

There is an uncomplicated, oldfashioned, honest joy to be had in sport. You should have seen the delight in the eyes of those U15B rugby players … ■

Richard Biggs was born and raised in South Africa; he won a Rhodes Scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford, to read Maths and Philosophy.

He won a half blue at fencing, and remains a keen hockey and tennis player. He started his teaching career at Magdalen College School, Oxford, and was Second Master at Lancing College before becoming Headmaster of King’s College, Taunton.

“EXCELLENT” ACROSS THE BOARD

Open Morning

ISI

Saturday 19th September 2015, 9.30am-12.00pm For further information contact opendays@farleighschool.com

15% discount for HMF boarders

www.farleighschool.com LEADING CATHOLIC COEDUCATIONAL PREP SCHOOL NEAR ANDOVER FOR BOARDERS AND DAY PUPILS AGED 313

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 95

Boarding at an independent school Boarding opportunities at independent sixth form colleges

Boarding opportunities at independent sixth form colleges â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rachel Borland, Principal of DLD College, London

oarding has featured strongly throughout my educational career over the past 35 years. Having been involved in further education, higher education, sixth form colleges, and secondary school boarding both within the UK and various overseas postings has given me a unique insight into what boarding can add to a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success, both personally and academically.

As a parent myself, when faced with making school choices for my children, I looked at the obvious factors when narrowing down my search: examination results, welfare systems, extra-curricular activities and inspection reports are all important, but to me, the sign of a successful school is in the happiness of the pupil.

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Supportive and nurturing For many, the choice of boarding during the sixth form is a challenging one: by this

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stage a young person knows his or her mind and feels the need for independence.

Independent boarding schools have a long history of creating well-rounded pupils with excellent results. However, independent sixth form boarding colleges are sometimes overlooked as direct competitors in the field. This is partly due to the fact that quite often the actual accommodation is not on site, and as a consequence the pupils have to travel, sometimes fairly extensively, from one site to another.

International diversity The very essence of boarding brings about lifelong friendships, friendships which have been cemented through tolerance, co-operation and empathy. These are the building blocks of relationships throughout life, and to acquire and develop these skills pre-university is indeed a huge advantage to young people. Any sixth form boarding

provision throughout the UK today contains a strong element of international diversity. Students from around the globe are found in every corner of independent schools in the UK, and within sixth form boarding schools this mix tends to increase even further.

Those of us fortunate enough to be able to invest in the future will be making informed decisions in terms of placing boarding at the cornerstone of the educational experience. For DLD College London, which I am privileged to lead, this means a move in 2015 to purpose-built premises in the heart of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Westminster. The premises will be unique in being the first college in London to house teaching and learning, student accommodation and extra curricular facilities within a single building. The 32,000m2 steel and glass structure standing adjacent to Waterloo Station and directly overlooking Westminster across the River

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Boarding at an independent school Boarding opportunities at independent sixth form colleges Thames, has stunning views of The Shard, The Gherkin and St. Paul’s Cathedral on the skyline to the East. The new college will feature purpose-built educational facilities in the basement and on the ground, mezzanine, first and second floors, standing below 15 floors of secure student accommodation. Positive outcomes in time management and overall student efficiency will surely be celebrated.

Independent and responsible learners Greater efficiency can only lead to better academic results and thereafter better university destinations. However, by the very nature of boarding in a highly supportive environment, young people are encouraged to push themselves out of their comfort zone more and more; that is when real learning takes place. Sixth form boarding colleges allow young people to make mistakes and move on in life well equipped to deal with the demands of higher education. UK university drop-out statistics are a fairly frightening read. Who would not want their son or their daughter

not to struggle through university in the first year but to have that peace of mind that their offspring has the maturity to meet the various challenges they will be faced with.

Within my current role as Principal of DLD College London, I spend a lot of time advising students of the need for attendance, punctuality and in meeting deadlines. I would hope that a percentage of this advice sinks in, to make the desired impact in becoming an independent, responsible learner.

Walk into any common room of an independent sixth form boarding college and see the multitude of international students alongside home students clearly displaying confidence, strong friendships, happiness and contentment. This boarding experience stands them in excellent stead for future successes. For one, I am part of privileged few that can boast of the merits of boarding education as a child, mother and leader. To be part of the destiny of young people, while facilitating co-operation, understanding and respect, is not only a privilege but also a joy. ■

Rachel Borland read Education at Leicester University and then gained a Diploma in Applied Linguistics and later an MA in Language and Communication Skills from Cardiff University.

Rachel joined DLD as Principal in May 2013 bringing with her a portfolio of international teaching and educational leadership experience.

She has also worked extensively within the university sector in the UK. Most recently, Rachel completed five years in Nigeria as Principal of Capital Science Academy in Abuja, one of the leading international boarding schools in West Africa. Rachel writes EAL, EFL and other advisory publications, to support the international English language community.

For further information, or to attend an Open Morning, you are warmly invited to contact the Registrar, Iona Hutchinson T +44 (0)1992 706353 E registrar@haileybury.com Haileybury Hertford Hertfordshire SG13 7NU

Academic excellence and outstanding co-curricular provision are at the heart of Haileybury, providing the exceptional opportunities and truly all-round education that allows our pupils to discover enduring passions and talents. We are a boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 11–18 with superb pastoral care and excellent facilities. We offer a choice of IB Diploma or A Levels in Sixth Form.

Scholarships are available at 11+, 13+ and 16+. We offer a 10% remission on fees for Service Personnel. www.haileybury.com

@HaileyburyUK

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Registered charity number 310013

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 97

Preparatory schools The advantages of starting boarding in a preparatory school

The advantages of starting boarding in a preparatory school here are 605 members of the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) in the UK and Eire, with a combined total of around 222,334 pupils of whom 16,124 board. In addition, there are about 39 overseas schools in membership, with 7,500 pupils.

IAPS schools include boys’, girls’ and co-educational; boarding, day and mixed; urban and rural schools; individual and with senior schools attached. The size varies from over 400 to under 100, with the majority between 150 and 250, considerably smaller than their senior school counterparts. Most schools are charitable trusts, some limited companies, and a declining number are proprietorial. In choosing a prep school, above all visit a number before you finalise your choice.

Preparatory schools generally take children from the age of 7 to 13, unless they have a pre-prep section. They are normally prepared to accept entry at any age in between, with 7, 8, and 11 the most popular and convenient. They can offer full, weekly and, on occasions, flexible boarding, which allows parents rather more access to their children at weekends, something that can be appreciated by the dual-career parent.

Entry is usually dependent on an interview with the head, and a satisfactory report from the previous school. Some schools set verbal and written tests in English and mathematics. Details on the entrance requirements can be obtained from the individual schools.

Almost all preparatory schools prepare pupils for the Common Entrance Examination, which is used for transfer to their own senior school or other senior schools at the ages of 11+, 12+ and 13+. The syllabuses are devised and monitored by an Examinations Board, which comprises members of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, the Girls’ Schools Association and the IAPS. The papers

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are set by the board, but are marked by the first-choice school for which the pupil is entered.

Preparatory schools also prepare pupils for scholarship examinations to senior schools. There a very wide range of entrance scholarships – Musical, Choral, Art, and Design and Technology and other educational awards and bursaries available, and details are summarised in the Independent Schools Yearbook, which can be found in most public libraries. Full details can be obtained from each individual school.

Summary ●

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A smaller individual preparatory school is set up to prepare its students for entry into any one of a number of senior schools in totally different locations.

It allows the parents to delay the choice of a senior school, and crucially to have more appropriate advice and evidence on the kind of senior school most suitable for their child.

It also gives parents more flexibility on where to live in relation to the postings they have at the time, and whether the child should board or be a day pupil.

The individual prep school, because of its relatively smaller size and setting, will tend to have a more family and friendly atmosphere than its larger-school counterparts.

There will also be more opportunities to be a bigger fish in a smaller pond, and to be prepared more effectively for the greater competition there is going to be eventually for places in teams, plays, orchestras, and choirs in a senior school.

Many of the essentials of an all-round education are instilled at prep school, and cannot be left until it is too late in adolescence. ■

INSPIRING I IMAGINING I QUESTIONING

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98

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Preparatory schools When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools

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September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 99

Preparatory schools The popularity of prep school boarding

The popularity of prep school boarding – Simon O’Malley, Headmaster of Wellesley House School hildren who go to boarding prep schools can suffer psychological damage on the same scale as those who have been taken into care according to an article in The Times.

Having been to boarding school myself, and worked in boarding schools for many years, this is not my experience at all. The reality today is very different indeed.

Here at Wellesley House, where the vast majority of our pupils board, we focus above all on ‘opening up a world of possibilities’ which to me seems to be at the heart of why boarding for prep school children continues to be so popular. Essentially, there is so much for the children to do, and all the time they are doing these things they are surrounded by their closest friends. The opportunities are immense and there is no end to what the children participate in, not just in their free time, but also during organised activity time.

It’s part of the culture. Activities in all good schools these days range from archery to water polo to Zumba; music facilities are always open; sports fields beckon; art rooms are available out of hours and drama is the biggest team game of all.

The idea that all this is happening in an emotional void with no parental contact is not at all the case. New technology has allowed for much greater parental access and it is not at all unusual for children to Skype their parents overseas, email at morning break with the results of a test, or news of a match that afternoon, and telephones are always available – we even write letters!

Individual schools will have their own policies on the use of mobile phones. At Wellesley we only allow mobiles for overseas students, and then only at certain times.

Generally speaking, the younger the child, the less likely they are to be allowed a mobile, the idea being that immersing themselves in the ‘here and now’ at school means that they will get the most from the experience.

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Better quality of life Another crucial element in the popularity of the boarding prep is that parents find security and a better, less frantic, quality of life. Their children are able to participate in so much, and live in a community where they are given the independence to think for themselves and take their own decisions with the safety net to catch them when they fall.

This is both convenient and mightily reassuring. Invariably, they get a jolly good education too. I haven’t deliberately left this

100

point till last, but it is true to say that our schools provide the best education in the world for this age group: if a child is unhappy it will come to nothing at all.

One thing that has certainly changed in the last 20 years is that, in the majority of cases, it is not the parents alone choosing a boarding prep school; the child is also involved in the decision-making process.

One of the reasons why unhappy boarders are very rare is that the children have chosen to board in the first place and, quite frankly, their parents wouldn’t keep them there if they weren’t enjoying it.

Parents are involved The relationship between schools and parents is also very different. Parents are involved and we, as schools, embrace this.

With boarding becoming more localised in many cases, notwithstanding overseas and forces parents who still live far away, parents are frequent visitors to matches, concerts, plays, etc. This means there is regular communication, feedback of information, discussions about progress and any concerns can be dealt with swiftly. We aim to develop a triangle of communication between child, parent and school. The days of a shock in the end of term report are gone. Any issues will certainly have been raised, and probably dealt with, as they happen, bringing us back to the support network I mentioned earlier.

In a boarding prep school, staff are less like ‘teachers’ and more akin to the elders in a traditional community: caring, dispensing wisdom and overseeing, and, in a boarding school, fully involved.

For forces parents, in particular, for all the above reasons, the boarding prep school is fundamentally important to their careers, the development of their children and their relationship as a family. Having this security as a parent is enormously reassuring, and knowing that a school will be flexible if plans suddenly change and parents need to visit (or not) means that parents have peace of mind.

Much of what I am saying here is to do with security and care, not in a ‘health and safety’ way, but 'in loco parentis’. We don’t pick up the phone for every minor scrape, but we keep parents informed, and we feel it is our responsibility to take the trip to the local hospital should that be required and to keep parents fully briefed. On the games field, however, and in other areas such as school trips, health and safety is taken very seriously indeed. Qualified sports coaches

supervise physical contact sports; coaching and training sessions are structured and safe, and fixtures are only played between teams of appropriate levels – schools now regularly communicate between each other to ensure this is the case. It is in no one’s interest to dish out, or receive, a 50-nil hammering.

Despite this, we want our pupils to take risks and learn about themselves in the process, not only when everything goes to plan, but also, and certainly more importantly, when it does not. Team building exercises at the beginning of the year, tree climbing, adventure holidays and Outward Bound excursions, all foster this culture.

After all, it is not our task to offer all the answers now, but rather to equip the adults of the future with the strength to deal with everything life throws at them: to be, as Michael Gove remarked, ‘The authors of their own life stories’.

In my experience, children leaving a boarding prep school aged 13 are mature, independent of thought, prepared to question, know how to work with other people and have a genuine concept of living in a community. They have also had a vast array of different experiences – they have interests, are interesting and are fully prepared to ‘give it a go’. Above all they have a strong sense of values.

If the above hasn’t convinced you, you probably won’t be interested to know that another article recently reported in the press pointed out that, at about £15–£20,000 per annum, boarding prep schools are also half the cost of a top nanny – food for thought! ■

Simon O’Malley attended The Oratory School, Reading, Aberdeen University and Westminster College, Oxford (MA Hons English, PGCE Secondary English). Prior to Wellesley, he taught at The Banda School, Nairobi 1987–1994, Newland House, Twickenham 1994–1997 and Beaudesert Park, Gloucestershire 1997–2006.

He has been headmaster at Wellesley House School, Broadstairs, since 2006. A keen sportsman, he plays golf and cricket. He is married to Katy and has two children.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Preparatory schools When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools

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September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 101

Preparatory schools Where ‘boys can be boys’

Where ‘boys can be boys’ – Rob Morse, Headmaster of Aysgarth School hen speaking to parents in the UK and further afield, I often point out the advantages of sending their child to us in the north. Aysgarth’s position in the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales offers boys the opportunity to experience a traditional childhood, specifically providing for boys’ needs and enthusiasms. We endeavour to encourage children’s development of independence and taking responsibility for themselves but we’re sheltering them from the hurly-burly of modern day life. Weekends are packed with exciting activities and many boys are from forces families.

Boys thrive on adventure – seemingly quiet children will do far more than they thought they could when given the opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities such as climbing, sailing and camping, as well as challenging classroom assignments, and the more energetic boy will keep focused for longer.

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Slower pace of life The pace of life in the north is somewhat slower and this translates into fewer demands to hothouse children, a process from which few benefit and which detracts from a child’s natural development and enjoyment of life. However, our aspirations for the boys in our care are no different than those of schools elsewhere – to identify and develop their full potential in every respect and to aim high in the schools for which we prepare them. In the north, there is more space, less traffic, the days are longer in the summer, and northerners are inherently welcoming and friendly, more prepared to pass the time of day than might be the case in the hustle and bustle of the south-east.

The other factor, seldom mentioned but largely true, is that value for money is better in the north of England compared to the south-east. Fees are lower, extras are more moderate and yet the quality is as good. Perhaps more significantly, house prices are significantly lower, allowing more of a parent’s wealth to be invested in their children’s education.

Good connections The connections in the north-east of England are good; the East coast rail line enables the journey from London to York to be completed in just over two hours (many of our parents weekly commute to London), and there are international flights into Newcastle and Leeds Bradford airports (each about 1 hour away)

as well as connections to international hubs such as Amsterdam, Dubai and of course Heathrow. Manchester Airport is about 2 hours away. Our pupils come from across the UK as well as from overseas. For weekends out (exeats) and half terms, we escort boys on the trains to and from London and Edinburgh, allowing boys to experience a top-class education in a rural setting. We also offer a forces discount as well as means-tested bursaries and scholarships.

The school has had a remarkably constant strategy since it started in 1877, focusing on boys boarding and preparing boys for the country’s leading senior boarding schools, and that is still what we do. In recent years, about 75% of the boys have gone on to senior schools in southern England. The remainder either stay in northern England or complete their schooling north of the border.

Over the last 12 years, the school has grown by 50% at a time when boarding numbers in the prep age range were in decline, and Aysgarth’s facilities and the opportunities they provide are a match for most southern prep schools. ■

Rob Morse became headmaster of Aysgarth Prep School in September 2015.

Before taking on the role he spent six years as Headmaster of Perrott Hill, where he also taught and coached games. In his early career he worked at St Anselm’s Prep School in Derbyshire and Mount House Prep School in Tavistock. He is married to Lottie, a qualified teacher who specialises in art and drama. They have two children, Daisy and Harry.

102

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Preparatory schools ‘Girl heaven’

‘Girl heaven’ – Sarah Wicks, Headmistress of Knighton House School girls-only prep school can be described as ‘girl heaven’ – a place where girls can really benefit and thrive as individuals – but at Knighton House School it’s not all about ponies, pianos and pink tutus. With its 30 acres of gardens and paddocks and with immediate access to the rolling hills of North Dorset, it is the perfect setting for girls to embrace an outdoors lifestyle. In their iconic uniform of red dungarees and wellies, the girls are not worried about a bit of mud.

Girls spend their free time clambering amongst the branches of the Greenwood or Spinney, building camps and dens or helping out with the animals.

Ponies do feature strongly: there are 14 of them boarding in the on-site stables, but you don’t need to have your own to be able to ride, as they are all on working livery.

When the ‘pony bell’ rings at 7.30 am, an enthusiastic team heads out to the fields with head collars in hand, while other girls let out the pygmy goats or check the henhouse for eggs. Seniors will be heading for early morning music practice. Piano and flute are popular, but we also have keen cellists, brass players and drummers; girls can even learn the bagpipes.

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A ‘home away from home’ Founded 65 years ago by John and Peggy Booker with the vision of providing a ‘home away from home’, Knighton House is a school where girls flourish in an atmosphere of security, encouragement, space and freedom. We believe in the power of hands-on experience, so whether that is searching for newts in our environmental pond, observing the rise and fall of the River Stour on its floodplain, or picking apples in our orchard to press or make into crumble, the girls’ learning is constantly enhanced by the school’s environment.

But what about academic standards? I believe strongly in the saying that ‘it is not success that creates happiness but happiness that creates success’, and this is borne out by the school’s record of achievement at 13+ Common Entrance, with pupils going on to Marlborough College, Bryanston, Canford, Downe House, Sherborne Girls, Cheltenham Ladies’ College amongst other schools, many with academic, art, music or all-rounder scholarships. Knighton House is a non-selective school and these results are achieved by a team of dedicated teachers who

are all passionate about their subjects and who believe in the school ethos of nurturing talent, challenging the most able, supporting those who need extra help and, most of all, building confidence.

Building confidence It is this confidence building that is at the heart of all we do at Knighton House. From the youngest age children are encouraged to perform to their peers and parents in assemblies, concerts and productions. The supportive ethos of the school allows children to express their ideas and opinions, experiment and make mistakes, without the fear of ridicule. In this girls-only environment, there are no preconceptions about what girls are good at or what they should enjoy: there are enthusiastic mathematicians, passionate scientists and computer whizzes, alongside talented writers, artists and musicians. In fact, many girls are all of the above! Our aim is to open their minds to all possibilities and to cultivate in them the courage and independence to make the most of whatever gifts and opportunities life presents to them.

The girls in the prep school are charmingly unselfconscious and you are as likely to find a Year 8 cartwheeling across the front lawn on a summer’s day as a Year 3. However, they are also fiercely competitive, as demonstrated on the hockey pitch, and if you want to see bravery, determination and skill in action watch a 10 year old steer a galloping pony around a show jumping course! And if your daughter loves ballet, cooking and fashion design? Well, she can do all those things too.

A warm and supportive community Inspectors recognise that ‘the school’s caring environment is a major strength; pupils feel valued and know that their independence is fostered’. Central to this is the boarding experience and, whether they are full boarders, weekly or flexi, the girls relish the fun of being with their friends as part of a warm and supportive community. For me, one of the most rewarding times is when Saturday morning school is finished, afternoon matches are over and my husband and I become the parents of a close-knit (if rather large) ‘family’ of full-boarders. There is a change of pace from the hectic round of lessons and activities

which fill the week and this is a time we can all relax together and share experiences such as campfires, stargazing and wildlife watching.

Taking full advantage of our location with scavenger hunts in the local woods, a tramp to the nearest hillfort or a trip to the Jurassic Coast, as well as activities such as ice-skating or trampolining, makes Sundays busy, but there is always time to write a letter home, Skype parents and play.

When the Bookers opened their school in 1950, the world was a different place and expectations for girls have changed, but the principles of scholarship, responsibility and sensitivity to the needs of others which they established are still at the core of our ambitions for our pupils. We want them to embrace the world of the twenty-first century but with character strengthened by traditional values; we prepare them for the challenges of that world while keeping them protected from the pressures of it for as long as possible; we allow them to enjoy being girls while they can, because all too soon they will be young women. ■ Sarah Wicks became Headmistress of Knighton House in 2014. She came to Knighton House 20 years ago and served as Deputy Head from 2005. She previously taught at the Royal Masonic School in Hertfordshire.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 103

Preparatory schools Pastoral care in the blink of an eye?

Pastoral care in the blink of an eye?

– Roger Jones, Headmaster of Dean Close Preparatory School n article in one of the national daily papers not that long ago caught my eye.

‘Forget clicking your mouse and tapping the keyboard,’ it began. ‘Soon, a wave of the hand will turn on your computer, a snap of the fingers will change tracks on your iPod, and the blink of an eye will bring up your emails.’ Microsoft is working on hands-free technology, Cloud technology has allowed Internet access to everything from anywhere, and Apple is still leading the way via the iPhone and iPad as more and more capacity and function continues to be crammed into our ever-expanding personal devices.

On many levels these advances are wonderful and in the educational environment have a huge potential for innovative teaching and learning. What can be demonstrated in the classroom by way of interactive white board technology today, will be an increasing reality for home and personal use in the days ahead. Truly it is an exciting time to be alive. There is however, as we know, another side to the story. It concerns how as a society we enable our children to reap the benefits of such technology, while at the same time protecting them from the more negative aspects. In short, adults – whether parents, teachers, or indeed those responsible for the technology itself – have the challenge of how to enable ongoing generations to become discerning users.

Pastoral care in a boarding school environment can be given many helpful definitions. In a prep school setting, when one is dealing with quite young children, there is of course the need for some distinction from, say, a senior school setting as to how that pastoral care is delivered and, perhaps just as importantly, what areas are of most concern. Any good and effective care of young children in boarding schools needs to ensure that they are safe and secure, that they are nurtured and stimulated, that they have a balanced diet, not just of food but of activities and downtime, and that they have set in place the foundations of a strong moral compass to enable them to make the most of every opportunity that comes their way, which inevitably will involve being able to discern the good from the bad as well as the best from the good.

It is entirely appropriate to talk in terms of showing a loving compassion and care for those in our charge. In our own school

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setting it is a love that springs from the firm belief that each child is supremely valued because they are created, loved and valued

by God.

Lifeskills programme One of the ways we seek to construct such a moral compass, is by way of our Lifeskills programme which runs throughout the year and throughout the school, and is set to expand in the future. Aimed at complementing much of what goes on in the subject lessons, as well as our assemblies and services, we deal with all the obvious aspects of growing up to be good citizens, living in community and becoming aware of the world beyond ourselves. The latest research into brain function would seem to confirm that time spent reflecting on the world around us in a secure environment helps enormously when we come to actually living it out and maximising our opportunities. That is why any such programme is not primarily about imparting information – rather it is about building meaningful relationships, relationships that will sustain enhance and hopefully bring fulfilment in life.

Which brings us back to the technologies currently at the fingertips of us all, including our children. The potential for all the right sorts of stimulation and information and wonder and enjoyment is clear. So, unfortunately, is the potential negative impact of such instant access to all sorts of images, sounds and words – especially if they not only expose young hearts and minds to inappropriate things, but at the same time also undermine that so precious moral compass. The statistics make interesting reading. More and more time is being spent in front of computer screens and hand-held devices, where social networking sites are non-negotiable aspects of living, and news and events are viewed via YouTube rather than any more traditional media outlet.

Perhaps the real challenge in all this is the movement towards a more virtual world, where friendships are developed and often formed at a distance, and actual face-to-face contact stands in danger of receding.

Safety and security That is one of the reasons why we very deliberately limit the amount of time our pupils spend in such activities, have important filter and blocking systems in

place, and in an appropriate way also monitor their usage – and see such an approach as a vital part of our pastoral care.

There is a fine line between necessary protection from misuse and a Luddite approach to new ways of being in touch and accessing the world around us. We want to harness all that is good and wholesome, while creating an environment where everyone can learn to walk such a pathway safely and securely, so that in time they can do so unaided. Time with one another in real-life, flesh-and-blood situations is irreplaceable by any other means. As we learn to be in the community, and cope with success and failure, joy and disappointment, then we are best placed to make the most of all that is on offer beyond those authentic actual relationships. If we are to believe the recent press releases this has to be a route that educators of the young persist with, as all could change with the blink of an eye. ■

Roger Jones has been Headmaster of Dean Close Preparatory School since September 2014. He has worked in independent preparatory schools for some 37 years and as a Headmaster for 23 years. He began his professional career at The Junior King’s School in Canterbury and went on to be Headmaster of three such schools – Belmont in the Surrey Hills, Davenies School in Beaconsfield and more recently St George’s School, Windsor Castle.

Before joining Dean Close, Roger had been involved in consultancy work for a range of schools including curriculum development, marketing and head teacher appraisals. He is a serving governor at two schools and has previously been an Independent Schools Inspector. Roger is married to Sue, an ex-professional dancer, and a teacher of dance and drama.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Preparatory schools When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 105

Preparatory schools Choosing a boarding prep school – in Scotland!

Choosing a boarding prep school – in Scotland!

– Innes MacAskill, Headmaster of Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar with staff who offer excellent pastoral care mean that pupils are allowed to grow and flourish in a warm and supportive community.

There are many good boarding prep schools and although the majority have adapted to weekly or flexi boarding to meet demand and the needs of parents in their local area, there are still ‘traditional’ schools that offer full boarding which at the weekends are awash with busy, happy and contented children making the most of the opportunities on offer – not least in enjoying the company of their fellow boarders.

Playing golf at Belhaven Bay

hoosing an appropriate school for your child is always a daunting prospect that every parent faces at one time or another, especially when considering the option of boarding. However, if you are in the Forces and based abroad, this problem is further exacerbated by the worries and practicalities related to sending one’s child so far away, often to another country.

There is much one can say to allay such fears with regard to the modern boarding prep school, which has certainly enjoyed a bout of ‘Hogwarts’ popularity since the ‘Harry Potter’ films; many children now envisage boarding as a ‘magical’ time spent with friends while enjoying many adventures. In today’s modern boarding school this is nearer the truth than one might imagine and the friendships that boarding pupils make can, and often do, last a lifetime.

However, today’s boarding schools are not ‘Hogwarts’ and, in sorting out myth from reality, it is important to remember that they serve an important purpose, especially for those who find themselves living a life where the stability of home life is not guaranteed.

Moving every two years or so can mean that your child’s education is constantly disrupted and with it the chance of forming meaningful relationships with either children or staff.

Whatever the reason that parents embark on the boarding route there is no doubt that such schools are much changed from how they were often portrayed in popular culture 30 or so years ago. Nowadays one is met with bright, confident children, gainfully employed and perfectly at ease in the company of their peers and adults. Good teaching in small classes

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There is much to be said for schooling in Scotland. Much of the country is well served by airports, such as Glasgow, Aberdeen or Edinburgh, there are ample railway and motorway connections, and there is a tradition of boarding that has not been as readily eroded as in some areas of the south. One of the greatest attractions is the ‘traditional’ style of schooling.

Scottish prep schools are normally smaller in size, resulting in many more children enjoying the opportunity of playing in teams, singing in choirs, acting on stage and being given more responsibility than is possible in some larger schools, while there is still an emphasis on ‘traditional’ values, such as everyday courtesy, manners and service.

The pace of life is a little ‘slower’ than in some other schools, with an emphasis on the individual and the belief in opportunities outside the classroom. There is not the need to grow up too quickly, nor are they as ‘streetwise’ as some, while the need for mobile telephones or electronic gadgetry and games is not seen as essential as elsewhere. Pupils can of course communicate with parents and friends by phone, e-mail or Skype – but it is not an overriding necessity that drives a child’s day.

Europe’s most popular centres of culture. The school has a long and proud history, having been founded in 1923 as an all-boy boarding preparatory school. Now a co-educational boarding school, where 80% board full time, it has seen many recent developments to ensure its facilities are as one would expect; outside its back gate are a golf course, the beautiful Bass Rock and the sandy Belhaven Bay beach.

For the boarders there are ample common rooms and games available to play in their ‘free time’, while extra-curricular opportunities abound – from skiing, surfing, riding and golf, to drama, music and art, not to mention the traditional pursuits of reeling, gardening, model making and board games to mention a few! With scholarships won to the top senior schools in England and Scotland (approximately 70% of the school’s pupils head south), in fields as diverse as academia, music, art, sport and all-rounders, the school is proud of all that its pupils achieve.

However, more often than not the children are just as happy to play with their friends, enjoying each other’s company and friendship.

Indeed, such is the children’s perception of boarding that many children believe that they are ‘missing out’ by not boarding and so many local children, who could easily be day pupils, elect to board.

For further details please email secretary@belhavenhill.com or visit the school website www.belhavenhill.com ■

Beauty and culture on the doorstep Not least, Scotland is awash with beauty and culture on its doorstep. One is never far from some of the most beautiful scenery in the world, while a healthy outdoor life is often seen as a natural progression of everyday school life.

Children are within touching distance of museums, theatres and sites of historical or cultural significance in thriving Scottish cities.

Belhaven Hill in Dunbar is only 45 minutes from the centre of Edinburgh, one of

Innes MacAskill is Headmaster of Belhaven Hill School in Dunbar, Scotland. He and his wife, Sandy, have worked and lived all of their teaching life in boarding prep schools. Innes was formerly the Deputy Headmaster of Caldicott Prep School in Buckinghamshire, before moving to be Head of Beeston Hall in Norfolk for 11 years.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

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Preparatory schools Junior boarding: a positive experience for younger children – and their families

Junior boarding: a positive experience for younger children – and their families – John Baugh, Headmaster of the Dragon School, Oxford espite the happy experiences of thousands of children at excellent schools, there are still myths to demolish in any discussion about boarding. So I am happy to report that boarders are not ‘sent away’, denied contact with their families or subjected to cold showers – very far from it as you will see throughout the pages of this Guide.

When it comes to boarding at junior school age however, there can be deeper negative perceptions to overcome: in our society there is far less acceptance of younger children living at school or being away from home than for past generations. Strong beliefs about what is good for a child lie at the centre of this feeling and understandably so. But for parents of children from 8 to 13 whose professional lives mean that boarding at school is a good solution to frequent moves, postings abroad and changes of school, this means there can be guilt and anxiety to deal with alongside all practical considerations. So from the standpoint of both boarding school Headmaster and parent, I hope I can allay some of these doubts.

The Dragon School is a boarding and day preparatory school for boys and girls aged 4 to 13, with boarding from age 8. The emphasis of junior boarding is now very much on pastoral care and working in partnership with parents for the wellbeing of the child. No good school would accept a boarder unless the child, the parents and the staff agree that it is right for the boy or girl concerned; it is all three parties that ensure a happy and successful boarding experience. What underpins this

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MAIDWELL HALL Boarding and Day for 7-13 year old boys and girls

success in every way are the adults who care for the children and the physical surroundings for the boarders.

Welcoming and homely Boarding facilities for younger boarders today are universally welcoming, homely and full of personal possessions. Boarding children have cosy shared bedrooms, space for games and comfortable areas to relax, read and watch TV. There are gardens for football, conkers and barbeques, and all the space of the fields when school has ended which give boarders scope for traditional childhood play.

Above all, it is the House Parents who make the boarders feel at home. Living with their own children in attractive family homes, the House Parents at a school like the Dragon provide a genuine home life at school for the children; they are indeed in loco parentis. Boarders come back to house during the day and the house parents get to know them well and very quickly. There is frequent communication with home about personal and school matters and a very well-established system of support for any troubles or bouts of homesickness. Boarders identify with their house family and their friends and from my many years’ personal experience I can say they are cheerful and productively occupied the vast majority of the time.

Experienced boarding parents of those who started young will tell you equally of some initial misgivings and how quickly their offspring became confident and settled. They also know how family time together is more appreciated – and ultimately how well the experience prepares children for boarding at their senior schools. In fact one of the best things any prospective junior boarding parents can do is speak to other parents who have ‘gone before’; current parents will tell you how they overcame exactly the same doubts and managed their feelings for the sake of their children. They will tell you that their young boarders are happy at school in the daytime, busy with prep and friends in the evenings and can email and call as much as they like.

Many day pupils ask to board With ‘full’ junior boarding pupils enjoy the weekends with the attention of dedicated adults and have a host of fun activities to try. 'Full' boarding also means regular exeats, weekend leave outs, long half-terms and holidays – all of which help families have time together. At the Dragon, the proof of children’s approval of this regime is the number of day pupils who request to board themselves. So despite what others may tell you who have not tried it, I would urge you to come and look at junior boarding for yourself and I believe you will be very pleasantly surprised. ■

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After spending his early years in Africa, John Baugh became a boarder at an English school at the age of six. Having turned down a career in professional football for a career in education, he taught at Haileybury before becoming Headmaster of Solefield School in Kent at only 29. Subsequently Headmaster of Edge Grove in Hertfordshire he came to the Dragon in 2002.

His two daughters attended boarding schools and he was Chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) in 2007.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Preparatory schools When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools

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Â&#x152; Âť.IUQTa NZQMVLTaÂź Ă&#x2020; M`QJTM JWIZLQVO _Q\P [\]VVQVO OZW]VL[ IVL [XIKM NWZ KPQTLZMV \W MVRWa JMQVO KPQTLZMV Â&#x152; -`KMX\QWVIT XI[\WZIT KIZM _Q\P I NMMTQVO WN [INM\a IVL [MK]ZQ\a NWZ every child Â&#x152; Outstanding communication with parents Â&#x152; .WZKM[ LQ[KW]V\ To make a personal appointment to visit, please contact Mr & Mrs Ward, Boarding House Parents, on 01225 734460 or alternatively, email highvinnalls@kingswood.bath.sch.uk

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September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 109

Preparatory schools Stability breeds success: the benefits of boarding young

Stability breeds success: the benefits of boarding young – William Dunlop, Head of Clayesmore Preparatory School t is impossible to overstate the importance of continuity in education. Surprisingly few attempts have been made to quantify it, but a major study led by Professor Maurice Galton in 1999 gives some idea of the scale of the problem: Galton found that 40% of pupils failed to make expected progress in the year after a change of schools. Children of Service personnel might easily find themselves having to change schools every two or three years; at Clayesmore we regularly see children who have been in at least three or four primary schools.

The educational impact of this is obvious. Without boarding, Service children can be in serious danger of missing out on a proper education, significantly harming their chances of happiness and success in adult life. This is not just because of a lack of continuity in teaching but perhaps even more significantly because of the disruption to the social and emotional aspects of learning. The situation is further complicated by the undoubted fact that Service life is stressful.

Parents often have to work long hours and are away from home for extended periods, postings are frequent and the future is usually uncertain. In these circumstances it is very hard to be the kind of parent one would want to be, and this is stressful in itself. The impact is most severe on younger children, for whom stability is paramount.

I

CEA Service parents can avoid all this. The Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) gives Service children the opportunity to board from as young as Year 3, and parents who take up this opportunity are almost invariably surprised and delighted by the effect that it has on their children. One Service parent at Clayesmore describes the experience like this: The children settled very quickly and seem to embrace all the opportunities offered to them.They seem to have melted into the fabric of the place and are very comfortable.

They have grown in confidence and have achieved academic success. A lot of this is because they feel that they are at Clayesmore for the long haul and enjoy all that is invested in them. Before they joined they were looking forward to having friends that they could keep. Children who are happy and comfortable with their relationships thrive!’

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Boarding schools offer outstanding pastoral care for Service children. At Clayesmore as at many other schools we make our boarding environment as homely as we possibly can. Our dormitories are colourful and spacious, but not so large as to be impersonal. Our boarding staff is led by a married couple who have children in the school (as do Celia and I). Homework – or prep, as we call it – is done in small groups with adult support on hand, and there are plenty of activities to help children unwind after a long day. Most importantly, there is always someone the children know and trust to check that they are happy, to listen to them, to see them through bedtime and to sort out their laundry.

This does not mean that parents become redundant; the children are in regular phone contact, and we encourage parents to visit whenever they can. Our standing invitation to chapel, lunch and matches on a Saturday is always popular, not least because of the quality of the food! Many of our Service parents find that by letting us take on the day-to-day business of education they actually bring their families closer together, as they can concentrate on their relationships rather than on the routine. At Clayesmore our pastoral care is enhanced by long experience of supporting Service families and by the fact that several of our staff have experience of Service life themselves. The presence of a large number of fellow Service children is also a help, particularly as we often have several families stationed in the same place. With Prep and Senior Schools on the same site, siblings can stay together throughout their education.

lifestyle as much as Service parents do. One new Service parent told me recently that her daughter had done more sport on her first day than she would have done in a week in her previous school, and of course children are encouraged to combine this with music, art, drama and many other activities.

Most importantly, boarding at an early age affords children a period of stability when they do not have to worry about anything, and when their concerns can swiftly and easily be answered. This gives them an unrivalled opportunity to experience the joy of childhood, an opportunity that might easily elude them otherwise. It is worth noting that many schools, my own included, offer a Service discount and meanstested bursaries to make this opportunity available to all Service families, whatever their rank or background. ■

A supportive environment Stable relationships and a comfortable, supportive environment give young children the confidence to try new things, both in the classroom and outside it. Young boarders thrive on an engaging curriculum taught by teachers to whom they can relate. Many children actually prefer making educational discoveries with people other than their parents, as any parent of a reluctant reader will affirm! Moreover, preparatory schools offer some of the best sporting and extracurricular opportunities in the world, ideal for those who value a healthy, balanced

William Dunlop is the son of a Royal Marine and boarded from the age of eight. He served nine years in the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment before moving into teaching. He became Head of Clayesmore Preparatory School in September 2014. He married Celia, a teacher, while still in the Army, and they have two children at Clayesmore. He has particular interests in dyslexia and in outdoor education.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Preparatory schools

Photo: Ccountry Life Magazine

When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools

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Newton-le-Willows, Bedale, North Yorkshire DL8 1TF 01677 450 240 enquiries@aysgarthschool.co.uk www.aysgarthschool.com

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 111

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Single-sex or co-education? The pros and cons

Single-sex or co-education? The pros and cons Girls’ schools – what are the benefits? ●

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Girls’ schools dominate the top of the examination league tables.

Boys and girls mature at different rates – they learn in different ways.

Girls are less self-conscious if educated in single-sex schools.

Girls can be overly aware of their appearance when they are adolescents. This pressure is reduced in a single-sex environment.

Girls can benefit from being in schools that recognise these differences and can provide an education geared specifically to their needs.

The girls of today will be tomorrow’s leaders, there should be no limitation on promoting these ambitions, either professionally or personally, while at school.

Women are expected to balance many roles during their lives, and their paths to future success will require leadership, confidence, independence, integrity and an instinct to achieve.

The girls’ school of the twenty-first century can offer a modern, relevant, exciting and challenging environment.

Girls’ schools prepare girls for the complex and rapidly changing world they will face. Parents want their girls to feel confident and comfortable about who they are.

Girls’ schools don’t just offer equal opportunities but every opportunity.

All single-sex schools arrange plenty of joint activities with brother and other boys’ schools, covering curricular, extracurricular and social links. Also, many are based in towns or cities rather than the country, so that in a variety of ways the girls have regular contact with boys – their lifestyle, therefore, is a natural and normal one.

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Co-education – what are the benefits? ●

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The best exam results tend to come from single-sex schools.

Boys approach their learning in a different way to girls and are therefore best taught separately. Research shows that boys and girls react quite differently to classroom discipline, long-term coursework assignments and examinations.

There is less gender stereotyping. In co-educational schools boys are much less likely to opt for subjects that are traditional strengths of girls, such as English and French, and girls are less likely to opt for physics or chemistry.

Boys are often short on self-confidence during teenage years and worry about their ability to cope with conflicting pressures. They respond well to direct teaching to work on short-term objectives and explicit guidelines.

Some teenage boys feel that they cannot outperform girls in some subjects and this fear of perceived failure has a negative effect on their self-esteem.

Boys are less self-conscious if educated in single-sex schools.

Boys are more likely to participate in activities that might otherwise embarrass them. There are greater opportunities for boys to express themselves artistically, and boys can follow a diverse range of interests and talents in the artistic sphere of such pursuits as music and drama.

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Boys can be overly aware of their appearance when they are adolescents. This pressure is reduced in a single-sex environment.

Starting at the adolescence stage, the girlfriend/boyfriend factor can become more than just a minor distraction, and can be detrimental to academic progress.

The ‘laddish’ or ‘macho’ culture has become an increasingly adverse influence on boys. Central to this culture is a rebellious, anti-learning attitude, which means it is simply ‘not cool’ to show a real interest in academic work. This macho culture seems to be more in evidence in co-educational schools: without the girls, the boys seem far less likely to succumb.

Team sport is usually stronger in single-sex schools.

All single-sex schools arrange plenty of joint activities with sister and other girls’ schools, covering curricular, extracurricular and social links. Also, many are based in towns or cities rather than the country, so that in a variety of ways the boys have regular contact with girls – their lifestyle, therefore, is a natural and normal one.

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Boys and girls learn to mix easily socially with each other.

Pastoral care as well as spiritual life are strengthened by co-education.

Both girls and boys should be able to benefit from the high quality of teaching, excellent resources, strong pastoral care and extra-curricular programmes schools can offer The intellectual and cultural life is far richer, and the sporting and the social dimensions have broadened dynamically. Art, drama, music and debating in particular can benefit from the mix.

Co-educational schools can take brothers and sisters.

In the co-educational classroom there are more different academic strengths and weaknesses, and a wider variety of approaches to academic challenges. Less stereotyping develops.

Career opportunities can widen.

Boys’ and girls’ strengths are in many respects different from each other, but they need to be given the same opportunities and horizons.

Co-education provides a better preparation for a co-ed world.

Men and women, boys and girls, must work side by side throughout their lives.

A school’s major commission is to prepare young people for becoming the adults, parents, employees and leaders of the next generation.

Co-education presents itself as more ‘balanced’ and, often, less narrowly focused on academic results to the exclusion, or minimisation, of all else. ■

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

‘The key is the child and what the child will want’

‘The key is the child and what the child will want’ – Sir Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, 2006–15

et’s get some facts clear at the outset. There is absolutely no – repeat absolutely no – firm academic evidence to suggest that boys and girls do better academically when taught apart. Even if there was (which there isn’t) there are powerful and compelling arguments for having boys and girls in the same school for social and emotional reasons. The key is the type of school that a child attends – private school, grammar school or comprehensive school, selective or non-selective, for a start.

The following statements have all been made by real parents to me, and indeed they will echo the views of many of the readers of this guide. It is rarely a good thing to disagree with prospective parents. But it is, I fear, what I am about to do!

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‘Girls must be taught in single-sex schools because boys are a terrible distraction.’

‘Boys need to be boys; that means they must go to all-boys’ schools where they can play rugby, take part in the CCF and do the kinds of things they can only do when girls are not around.’

‘If you want your daughters to be leaders, or scientists, send them to an all-girls’ school. There is plenty of time for boys later!’

One has to appreciate that, in co-ed schools, boys and girls spend an enormous amount of time apart from each other, particularly in boarding schools. Houses are (almost always) single sex, so in the evenings pupils are with those of their own gender. Games are single sex, as are a variety of other activities. A problem with co-ed schools is that there are too many activities, not too few, when boys and girls are segregated. So girls have ample chance to grow up, be on their own and be with other girls when they want to, as do boys.

In their houses, the young will see the older pupils of their own sex acting as the role models who they will want to emulate. In good co-ed schools, men and women will share the top positions, again giving both boys and girls an abundance of figures of their own gender to admire. And, by the way, in co-ed schools, girls join in both rugby and CCF, and boys take part in lacrosse and horse riding.

I would argue that far more healthy relationships can be formed if boys and girls grow up alongside each other and learn to accept each other as human beings first and foremost, rather than fantasise about each other as distant sex objects. Helping young people to form natural and affectionate relationships with those of the other sex is a core part of what a school should be doing, and I think this is easier in a co-ed school.

All that said, the plain fact is that some of the best schools in Britain, and indeed the world, are single sex. Their contribution to this country over the last 200 years has been immense. Single sex schools, whether for girls or boys, also offer some of the most economical and affordable education in the country. The Girls’ Day School Trust operates many such schools, which bring superb and reasonably priced education to many who could not afford the more expensive boarding schools. These schools not only excel in league tables, but also offer sport and the arts at a very high standard.

The key is where the child will flourish I am a passionate believer in the continuation of single-sex schools.

They are absolutely right for some boys and some girls (though parents, please let your children decide, rather than yourself, based perhaps on outdated notions of your own schooling). To my mind, the key is the child and where the child will flourish. If a child has a sense that they would sooner be just with children of their own gender, it is important to listen.

In recent years, there has been a sense that co-education is the poor relation academically, because a number of largely male single sex schools that were struggling to fill their places with their traditional market took the commercial decision to open their doors to girls too. This was undeniably the case and perhaps has led to a legacy of doubt and mistrust about the academic viability of these schools. But it is time that parents, teachers and the whole educational establishment rethought this position and challenged these preconceptions. It is no longer true.

There is no reason at all why single sex should be synonymous with academic excellence and co-education should not. Wellington and other great co-educational schools seek to offer an academically

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 113

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

‘The key is the child and what the child will want’ outstanding educational alternative to the single sex route. It should be taken seriously.

Co-ed or single sex is a debate that has raged for centuries. Plato, in Ancient Greece, argued that educating the sexes together would develop both personality and a sense of comradeship.

In a world that is competitive, where men and women work alongside each other in every sort of environment including in the Services, surely it is important that girls and boys learn these same lifeskills at one of the most important stages of development in their lives. I believe what is needed is an environment where mixing is quite normal, where girls and boys work and socialise together, where reality puts paid to fantasy.

Girls and boys have time in their own groups In a co-ed environment, it is important to remember that girls and boys do have time on their own as groups. As mentioned above, they do by and large have separate games sessions and separate boarding houses. At mealtimes they may choose to eat together or in groups of girls or boys. They are never together every minute of every day.

There is ample space for them to grow and develop, both together and with those of their own gender.

However, is single sex versus co-ed the most important question parents should be asking? There are more important, broader questions to consider. What is the quality of teaching, the focus of the school, the curriculum on offer, the universities and courses that pupils go on to and, most importantly, is it a school where your child will be happy? Do the aims of the school include helping children to form comfortable relationships, be they young or old, black or white, boy or girl? Will children fulfil their potential in music, in sport, in art and on the academic front? Will it prepare children for their place in the outside world as well-rounded human beings?

It is true that single-sex schools have made a huge contribution academically, and this should be applauded. As has been said, many indeed are at the very top of the league tables. Is this purely, however, as a result of being single sex? Selection at entry plays a huge part for many of these schools. If we could all select the cream, we should then expect to be at the top.

Long may diversity flourish. Single-sex schools have a unique selling point, and if they moved more onto the front foot and championed their own virtues, rather than trying to attack co-ed schools on false grounds, they would flourish even more. That would be a very good thing for independent education.

The move to co-education at Wellington The move to co-education at Wellington has been one of the significant changes over recent years. Our connections to the Services remain cherished and celebrated, even though the number of families from the military has naturally reduced over many decades. This could be a trend set to continue unfortunately, as the boarding allowance is limited in numbers and amount, and the amount moves further and further away from the market level for boarding fees. Even so, the pupils we have with links to the military of any sort would experience frequent positive reminders of those connections, with a range of activities including the popular CCF, the Field Gun Run, our involvement in the British Military Tournament, and the excellent military drumming band that plays at many of our events. I lead an annual trip to the Trenches, and last year produced the moving play ‘Journey’s End’ about World War

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One. A high point of the school year has been the week dedicated to Remembrance, which included services, candlelit poetry readings and music in memory of our 1,200 war dead and 15 holders of the Victoria Cross.

It is also the case that girls are increasingly powerful and influential in the CCF in Wellington. For example, girls have held the highest position a pupil can reach – Wellington’s Junior Under Officer – and been in command of all other CCF pupils. We also have girls competing and represented in the gun run and in the drum corps.

This emphasis is a true reflection of our history: in its first hundred years, Wellington College more than justified its foundation in providing men for the Armed Forces. Although sons of civilians were added to the early intake of sons of Army officers, both deceased and living, even before World War Two some two-thirds of fathers were military, with many others in the public service. The number of Old Wellingtonians joining for regular service was steady at just below 50 per cent for some 60 years. Many other Old Wellingtonians were first to volunteer in 1914 and 1939 – knowing their duty in time of national emergency.

Foundation places Since 1945 the College has remained a school of choice for sons and daughters of Service men and women, because of its reputation as the memorial to the Duke of Wellington. The offer of a Foundation place for the son or daughter of a parent killed in the line of duty remains as a matter of faith, as instituted by Queen Victoria in 1853, and has now expanded to include service beyond the military, such as the police and fire services.

Another significant development with a strong military underpinning has been the establishment of our state school in Wiltshire, The Wellington Academy. This school provides families within its catchment area – which includes a huge number of military personnel – with fine educational opportunities. Unusually, this is a state school with boarding facilities which we introduced: we believe boarding brings the best out of Service children and many are already taking advantage of this option.

Wellington College is very proud of its military roots and continues to support the Services both in spirit and in action as a core part of its ethos. ■

Anthony Seldon taught at Whitgift and Tonbridge Schools before becoming Deputy Head of St Dunstan’s, Catford, and, in 1997, Headmaster of Brighton College. In 2006 he became Master of Wellington where he led the sponsorship of the Wellington Academy in Wiltshire.

He was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2014. Sir Anthony has written or edited many books and is a political commentator best known as a biographer of prime ministers, including The Blair Effect, Blair, Blair Unbound, and Brown at 10. He has also written Trust: How we lost it and how to get it back and Beyond Happiness: The trap of happiness and how to find deeper meaning and joy. He is Vice-Chancellor of the Unversity of Buckingham.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

‘The key is the child and what the child will want’

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 115

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Questions to ask your daughter

Questions to ask your daughter – Sylvia Brett, Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College sk your daughter if she has ever worried about posing a question in class for fear of what the boys will say or whether she has been anxious about making a mistake because she should have known better and can only expect ridicule from her peers. Ask her if she thinks that some subjects are for boys and that she might be considered unusual to want to study them. Ask her if she worries about what to wear in the morning and how much she feels that she needs to wear makeup – even subtly – in order to maintain an acceptable image. Ask her if she feels that she has an equal voice to the boys in her class and if the teachers pay as much attention to the girls as to the boys in lessons. You might see a flicker of recognition as she admits that even the most sensible, confident, intelligent and grounded girl can feel that she behaves differently in a class with boys.

One of the many joys of working in an all-girls school is seeing my pupils flourish through a process of making mistakes, investigating new ideas, challenging their preconceptions about themselves and finding out who they are with the minimum of distraction and a sense that there is no area of study or life that they cannot investigate.

Last year, girls from my school went on to study subjects as diverse as Anglo Saxon Norse and Celtic, War Studies and Philosophy, Mechatronics and Robotic Systems, International Management for Business and Fashion Media and Communication. Each subject was chosen because it reflected the interests of the individuals and no pupil felt inhibited about pursuing a particular career because her peers disapproved. In an all-girls environment each girl or young woman is free to find their own personal joys and passions. The individual drives the subject

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choice, rather than the subject appearing to preclude certain people from studying it because of the assumptions of others. Thus we all seek a school in which our children can flourish – where – as we often say at my school – they can seek to be the best that they can be. An all-girls environment enables young women to pursue a multi-layered process of discernment about who they are and where their academic passions lie.

The most worrying female role models when I was a pupil were those who wore very large shoulder pads and displayed an intimidating lack of empathy. Our daughters today are flooded with information about what women can be, should be and should not be. They are bombarded with seemingly unarguable and diametrically opposed absolutes about what it is to be female in the twenty-first century.

Ready to embrace life Perhaps more than ever before, young men and women have to tread through a minefield of expectations far more confusing and potentially damaging than those that their parents grew up with. Single-sex education does not isolate young people from the ‘reality’ of life, rather it can ensure that the focus of the pupils is outward looking because it is unclouded by the dynamics of a co-educational classroom; it is a challenging way of educating young people because there is nowhere to hide from the journey of learning; it demands maturity but growth which reflects the pace of the individual.

When girls who have been educated at allgirls schools arrive at university they are often more confident than their peers because they have tested their identity and self-confidence with integrity and arrive ready to embrace all that life has to offer.

When girls join year 7 at Harrogate Ladies’ College, they all learn to play Lacrosse. My girls are some of the kindest, most polite and gracious young women you will meet – indeed recent school inspectors described them as ‘disarmingly charming’ – but when they are learning how to ‘growl’ at their opponent in Lacrosse and they are speeding up and down the pitch in the freezing rain working closely with their team mates to secure victory, I know that these girls have a fierce heart and determination to do their best. These are some of the qualities which – alongside academic achievement – will equip and empower our young people to embrace a future which, if geneticists are to be believed, may include from this generation of children the first person to live to the age of 200. In your choice of school look for the environment and ethos which reflect your own values and which will challenge our children to be their very best selves. ■

Sylvia Brett is Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College, a boarding and day school for girls aged 11–18 and girls and boys aged 2–11. Before coming to Harrogate Sylvia was for five years Deputy Head at Roedean School in Sussex. Sylvia began her teaching career, after working in university fundraising, as a Housemistress at the Royal Masonic School in Hertforshire. She went on to Caldicott, a boys’ preparatory school where she worked as Lay Chaplain, and then moved to Downe House where she was Housemistress, RS teacher and Head of Lower School. Sylvia was educated at South Hampstead High School GDST and the universities of Durham and London where she pursued her academic passion for Theology and Philosophy.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

St Margaret’s School Independent Day and Boarding School for girls aged 4 to 18

RESULTS: More than 90% of GCSEs and A Levels are awarded at grades A* to C TRADITION: Among the top-ten oldest girls’ schools in the UK, founded in 1749 DAY & BOARDING: Offering a range of boarding options, in addition to day places LOCATION: Ideally situated in 74-acres of stunning countryside, yet near to London FEES: Various awards and bursaries available to military daughters, including one at 100%

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Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

School life and home life should complement and reinforce each other

School life and home life should complement and reinforce each other – Emma McKendrick, Head of Downe House

or over 100 years, Downe House has been one of the UK’s leading girls’ boarding schools, with an outstanding track record in nurturing girls and helping them to flourish in every possible way.

There isn’t a Downe House ‘type’, or if there is, she’s likely to be her own woman and proud of it!

Boarding at Downe House is specifically tailored to meet the needs of girls in the Lower School (11+ and 12+), the Senior School (13+–15+) and the Sixth Form, but irrespective of when a girl joins us, we’ll be there to support her on her journey through the different stages of her school career.

One of the cornerstones of our success in turning out confident, self-possessed young women, well equipped to face the challenges of life beyond the school gates, is our partnership with parents. We believe that school life and home life should complement and reinforce one another. In order for this to work to the best advantage, communication is key.

Whether parents are based in this country or abroad, we are committed to looking after their daughters and making sure they are fully supported. It’s important to remember that many children worry about their parents when they’re not seeing them every day. Our highly experienced pastoral team understands this, and parents can rest assured that there will always be someone on hand to help their daughters manage their worries. It’s amazing what a cup of hot chocolate and a chat can do! Our aim is not only to allow girls the space to voice their quite understandable concerns about their parents, but also to encourage them to develop the kind of emotional resilience

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that will help them to cope, no matter what life throws at them.

So how is the partnership going to work? Well, there are lots of ways we keep in touch with parents. For example, a variety of publications, including the calendar of events and our House newsletters are sent termly, or on a more regular basis. There’s also the weekly bulletin, 'The Olive Branch'. For more personal information about girls, a password allows parents exclusive access to their daughters’ profile on the Extranet, our secure website for parents. Parents can view their daughters’ reports there and take care of other business, like signing up for extra-curricular activities.

Parents can even receive SMS messages keeping them posted about fixtures and so on.

As well as receiving regular formal reports, parents are invited to attend annual parents’ meetings to discuss their daughters’ progress with academic and pastoral staff. In addition, we have a fairly unique and wonderfully effective one-to-one tutor system and our tutors work hard to build a relationship with their pupils and their parents.

Tutors contact parents regularly and, if they have any questions about their daughters’ progress, parents are encouraged to get in touch with tutors directly.

At the end of the day, it’s the relationship between parents and House Staff that’s going to make all the difference. At Downe House, we work hard to forge strong relationships with parents and no enquiry, pastoral or academic, is too insignificant for a girl’s housemistress or housemaster (yes, we do have them!) to deal with.

When it’s not easy to find the time to (continued on page 120)

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Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 119

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

School life and home life should complement and reinforce each other telephone, a quick email is a great way of staying in touch and House Staff respond as quickly as possible. Email will more than likely be the girls’ preferred means of keeping in touch with their parents and each girl has her own School email address.

Mobile phones are marvellous, especially if parents are abroad, but if a parent needs to get in touch with his/her daughter urgently and she’s not answering her mobile, parents can phone the House and ask the member of staff on duty to pass on a message. Houses are manned 24/7 and even if parents have to leave a voicemail message, answering machines are cleared frequently.

Looking after girls is our job and we love doing it. Boarding school can never be a substitute for family life but it can be an incredible experience for children and an invaluable resource for parents. At Downe we have a longstanding tradition of welcoming Forces families into our community. More recently we have collaborated with Radley College and St Mary's Calne to provide special bursaries to children of Forces personnel through the Radley Armed Forces Fund.

Finally, our promise to families is that, although your daughter will be part of a community, she will always be an individual to us. In partnership with parents, at Downe House we support girls to fulfil their academic potential but, more importantly, they also learn to be themselves, which is as much as any parent or any school can ask. ■

Katie Taylor, aged 14, daughter of Major Neil Taylor I started as a full boarder at Downe House in September 2013. I had been a full boarder for four years at Abberley Prep school, but this did not stop me worrying about starting at a new school. My earlier visits with my parents, the assessment days and the new girls’ day gave me a feel for the everyday running of the school and what it would be like. I moved at the 13+ stage along with about 60 other new girls in my year. To ensure we get a warm welcome, the school assigns a buddy (girls who have been here longer) for us to link up with and tutors and teachers to help us find our way around.

I am now in my second year at Downe House and have started doing my GCSEs. My House is great; it is like being part of another family. My new Housemistress is lovely and it is great to have her family living within the house and to have pets as well, it all makes it feel more like home.

There are lots of activities and sports to keep me busy when I am not in lessons, but even if I do feel a bit homesick, which is rare with such a busy day, there is always a hot chocolate and chat available to make you feel better.

Of course there is a much more grown up approach to school life in general – I am expected to use my own free time and prep sessions to complete my prep and hand it in on time. Thankfully, I am really well supported by my subject teachers and a personal tutor. I really enjoy my languages and Downe House has worked with my parents to make sure I am happy with my lessons and enjoying my studies, I am even hoping to do my French GCSE and Spanish IGCSE early. I am really enjoying being a Downe House girl.

Major Neil Taylor

Emma McKendrick studied German and Dutch at Liverpool University and obtained postgraduate qualifications at Birmingham University. She started her teaching career at the Royal High School, Bath, and was Head of Careers and the Sixth Form, a Housemistress and Deputy Head, before taking on the Headship in 1994. In 1997 she became Head of Downe House in Newbury. She is a governor of King’s School Canterbury and Radley College and a number of prep schools. For many years she was Chairman of the Languages Committee of the Independent Schools Examination Board and she is a Fellow of the RSA.

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I am the same as every parent I have met and discussed boarding school with, academic achievement is important, it is probably the primary motivation when considering any school. Nevertheless, as a service parent I believe this must take place

in a stable environment, where my daughter is happy as a full boarder and therefore able to achieve her full potential, irrespective of where the family home is currently located or where I am serving.

From our very first visit to Downe House, everyone involved has listened to our comments and addressed any questions or concerns we have had. Since our daughter joined the school in September 2013, the level of communication and support has continued to grow. This has not only been from the House Staff; we have also worked closely with academic staff to refine timetables and subjects including crucial GCSE selections, with her Individual Tutor as a focal point for all studies, with the Heads of Departments when we have felt it necessary to escalate a concern and with the nurses in the medical centre when the inevitable ‘lurgy’ strikes. No matter how trivial the issue, the House Staff, Academic Staff and the Management Team have all engaged us as parents and helped us resolve it. Regular newsletters from the House Mistress keep us up to date with in-house activities, the weekly 'Olive Branch' informs us of whole school events, and emails or the occasional phone call keep us directly informed about our daughter. The Parents Zone is great for tracking reports, seeing any rewards earned, checking the various sports matches and occasionally booking appointments for peripatetic teachers or tickets for the latest school production. We have also been very fortunate this year to attend the Silver Ball, a really magnificent charity event in aid of the Armed Forces Fund, raising money to provide an education for the sons and daughters of service men and women killed or seriously wounded while serving their country.

The whole school is hugely encouraging of the individual. Now that our daughter has started her GCSEs she has a unique timetable to match her academic abilities and interests, with extra classes and teachers added to support her passion for languages.

The wide choice of extra-curricular activities, clubs, weekend trips and social ties with Radley College guarantee there is always something fun and enjoyable to be involved in.

No matter where I am serving or wherever my career takes me, I am confident that our daughter is in a stable and happy environment, one that will challenge her to do her best and give her an incredible foundation for the future.

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CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools

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D $GPLVVLRQV 2IÂżFHU on 01738 812257 or admissions@kilgraston.com ons@kilgraston.com Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, PH2 9BQ www.kilgraston.com September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 121

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Boarding makes the difference: a girls-only perspective

Boarding makes the difference: a girls-only perspective – Rhiannon Wilkinson, Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey

any people may still think of boarding schools as intimidating places with harsh regimes and cold showers but the reality of modern boarding could not be more different. Today, boarding schools offer an unrivalled lifestyle and a ready-made community enabling young people to feel supported, explore their talents and develop deep friendships.

We all know that humans are social beings. We need to feel connected to other people in order to feel happy and secure and to lead a flourishing life. Communities play a crucial part in allowing a person to give and receive support and interact positively with others. Girls in particular, we know, thrive when they are emotionally connected to others.

Boarding naturally and deeply develops pupils’ social skills. Community living teaches a great deal about tolerance, being sensitive to other people’s needs, and the importance of compromise. At my own school pupils care deeply for one another and there is no evidence of the ruthless competition which can sometimes be seen

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among youngsters at similarly high achieving day schools. We know that girls can be very competitive, comparing their achievements to others and wanting to outdo each other and to be ‘perfect’. Being in a boarding environment really does help with this as pupils live and work so closely together that they genuinely want to help and support one another. Girls form lifelong friendships at boarding school. Having lived in close proximity with each other for many years, sharing one another’s highs and lows, deep personal connections are inevitably made.

Most girls who leave my own school retain friends for life.

House ‘mothers’ and ‘daughters’ The girls are also in positions where they are looking out for younger girls – in my own school every girl is a ‘house mother’ and is responsible for helping her ‘daughter’ to settle in and find her feet. Houses often have their family trees on display, showing the connections between girls in the house such as who is the ‘house great grandmother’ of a

younger girl. Girls are proud of these connections and are quick to tell you who is their ‘mother’. We also have senior girls responsible for small year groups of girls in house and in school generally. These leaders receive training and know when to flag up an issue to an adult. Pupils have a lot of people looking out for them and taking an interest in their wellbeing.

A girls-only environment also offers some relief from the highly sexualised world in which teenage girls live today. Girls’ schools like ours offer a liberating environment where girls can remain girls for longer and become comfortable with their own identities and aspirations without feeling the pressure to conform to gender stereotypes. We focus on girl-centred education, which enables us to implement educational strategies to suit girls of all interests and talents. Such an appropriately focused education produces confident young women who go on to do marvellous things with their lives and are more than ready to hold their own in the outside world.

Medicine, Engineering and Law are among

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Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Boarding makes the difference: a girls-only perspective the most popular university courses chosen by leavers. At Wycombe Abbey usually a third of the Upper Sixth year group will receive Oxbridge offers.

Of course, a single-sex education does not mean a single-sex life and socialising with boys is also very important. At Wycombe Abbey there are frequent socials with local boys’ schools including Eton, Radley, Harrow and the Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe. They meet for dinner, dancing, a joint management conference, interview exchanges, and academic forums. They therefore get to know a particularly varied group of boys and very wide friendships groups are widened.

Today’s pastoral care in boarding schools is second to none. Pastoral staff are well trained specialists and for many of the staff their key role is to oversee and monitor a pupil’s wellbeing and champion her interests to ensure she is happy and progressing well. They are usually in close contact with parents and they work in partnership with them. Inspectors frequently extol the high standards of pastoral care they find in boarding schools.

Pastoral care is truly at the heart of modern boarding schools.

Preparing girls for adult life Boarding schools are joyfully busy places and young people engage in many different and varied activities in a day. The phenomenal day-long co-curricular life of my own school, and many boarding schools, ensures that there are opportunities in sport, drama, music, art as well as many societies (led by pupils themselves) and other enrichment activities. The sheer choice available far exceeds that which is possible in life outside of a boarding environment. Pupils learn early in life how to transition between the pursuits they enjoy and to take a holistic approach to their learning, to manage a lifestyle where different aspects of their life overlap. Girls at my own school are experts at finding the gaps in their daily schedules and filling them with the things

they love such as a street dance practice, film-making, running a society, or even having a ‘spa afternoon’ at the weekend.

This is all invaluable preparation for managing a busy and rewarding life as an adult.

Girls can accomplish much more at a boarding school than they would if they were commuting to school or to after-school or weekend activities when so much time is lost in travelling. In a world where families and parents are much busier working longer hours, it is not always easy to provide children with the opportunities and support they need. Boarding schools stand out and can do this as they offer 24/7 wrap-around care. Boarding offers a breadth and depth of education in its truest sense which is simply not possible in day schools. Boarding really does make the difference. ■

Rhiannon Wilkinson was appointed Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey in 2013. She read History at Oxford and has also completed an MEd in Educational Leadership and Management at Manchester University. She has worked in the maintained, international and independent sectors. Prior to Wycombe Abbey, she was Principal of Harrogate Ladies’ College.

Rhiannon is married to Donald Wilkinson, also a Headmaster.

HARROGATE ARROGATE LLADIES’ ADIES’ COLLEGE COLLEGE Girls Gir ls aged 11-18

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 123

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Girls thrive in science

Girls thrive in science

Photograph courtesy of Cheltenham Ladies’ College

– Eve Jardine-Young, Principal of Cheltenham Ladies’ College

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Girls choosing science Nationally, girls have tended to opt out of science subjects at 16+, but the number of science classes being taught here at the college continues to rise. In the past five years, the proportion of sixth form pupils taking at least one of the three science subjects has increased steadily and more than 50% of our current sixth form (300+ girls) choose to study chemistry. We are delighted to be a major education partner of the annual Cheltenham Science Festival, which uses our venues and provides unique opportunities for our community.

The teaching of science is deeply embedded in the pioneering history of this college. Indeed, until Dorothea Beale (our second Principal, suffragette and educational reformer) broke with tradition and began teaching science lessons, it was taught to very

Co-curricular activities Girls studying Physics and Mathematics have visited NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, where they met with retired NASA astronaut Richard Searfoss and explored the rocket garden. Girls who may be considering a career in biomedical surgery, as a medic, vet or dentist, have a programme to help them prepare, including working on their skills of observation and dexterity in the facial reconstruction club. (continued on page 126)

Photograph courtesy of Cheltenham Ladies’ College

irls today have grown up in an era where Hermione outsmarts Harry Potter in the ‘potions’ lessons on a regular basis, and GCSE data reveals that in 2014 the national figures for the numbers of girls and boys sitting GCSE sciences were broadly similar. As a generation, we are witnessing major developments in fields such as quantum biology and the frontiers of science are areas of international collaboration, inspiration and imagination as well as rigour and methodical analysis.

Having originally trained with Arup as a structural engineer before moving into teaching, I feel there is a great deal to be excited about as regards the future for jobs and employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Emerging developments in materials science, nanotechnology and research physics point to a future which will feature new and currently unimagined jobs. Biodiversity, resource and energy security challenges are of profound importance to us all. These will require creativity and strong communication skills alongside an understanding of increasingly intriguing and sophisticated scientific theory.

Academic studies suggest that girls benefit from strong and early advice from careers advisers and teachers, so it is important to ensure that we provide the tools necessary for girls to make an informed choice regarding furthering their studies in science. Prejudices that suggest physics and chemistry are subjects for boys must be challenged at every opportunity; if allowed to go unquestioned, these assumptions can become self-fulfilling.

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few girls anywhere in the world. Even she had to introduce science gently to the CLC curriculum under the socially acceptable banner of ‘physical geography’ – schools were reluctant to offer the subject for fear it would harm a girl’s prospects of finding a husband and we have letters of protest from fathers in our archives to prove it! Despite pressure from social norms, Dr Clara De Brereton Evans (CLC 1884) became the first woman in Britain to take a doctorate in Chemistry, and Dr Helen Mackay (CLC 1906) was the first woman fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Dorothea Beale’s empowering vision for women’s education continues to endure, with science remaining at the heart of the college curriculum today, with contemporary and innovative lessons supported by a rich programme of exciting activities that would perhaps be considered unusual elsewhere.

One of the first schools to have a working observatory and telescope in the nineteenth century, today our giant inflatable domed Starlab allows the heavens to rotate without light pollution even on a sunny day!

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

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Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

IS R A CO CE va U ila N S bl e T

When responding to advertisements please mention Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools

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Situated just outside Sherborne in 46 acres of beautiful Dorset parkland, Leweston School offers a challenging and inspiring education to girls aged 3 months to 18 years and boys aged 3 months to 8 years.

Boarding packages are available for girls from age 7 and local transport links are provided for day pupils.

Leweston offers a challenging, creative and inspirational environment in which all are encouraged to reach their full potential.

Cherishing childhood,, valuing individuality and nurturing nurturing talent

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A Catholic Foundation which welcomes pupils of all denominations

Leweston School Trust is a registered charity number 295175

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Open Open M Morning orning Sat Sat 33rd rd O October ctober 22015 015 oorr call call ttoo bbook ook a personal personal vvisit isit oorr ttaster aster dday ay S SUNNY U NN Y HI HILL L L t BRUTON B R U TO N t SOMERSET S O M ER S E T T 01749 0 174 9 814400 8 14 4 0 0 W BRUTONSCHOOL.CO.UK B R U T ON S C HO OL . C O . U K E ADMISSIONS@BRUTONSCHOOL.CO.UK A D M I S S ION S @ B R U T ON S C HO OL . C O . U K

Day D a y aand n d bboarding o a r d i n g school s c h o o l for fo r girls g i r l s aged a g e d 7-18 7-18 D a y sschool n d bboys o y s aged Day c h o o l for fo r girls g i r l s aand a g e d 3-7 3 -7

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September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 125

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Girls thrive in science Our synthetic chemistry group gives girls a chance to delve into real wet chemistry, and use modern analytical techniques to probe their synthesised molecules.

Through the Engineering Education Scheme this year, one team of girls is working with L3-TRL Technology to research and develop a model industrial system in order to further develop their product, IGUANABlue, on a low-cost platform. The other team is working with Safran MessierBugatti-Dowty and has investigated biomimicry in aircraft landing gear joints. We recently joined forces with the South Devon Chilli Farm and the University of Oxford for Red Hot Science. Girls grew their own chilli plants to test for capsaicin – the substance that causes hot flavours in food.

Our Wildlife Gardening Club helps girls to pursue their passion for conservation and biodiversity. The girls have built a bug hotel in a secluded corner of the college grounds to encourage key pollinating species, undertaken a spring bulb planting programme, volunteered with the local Wildlife Trust and are monitoring wildlife in and around the College site. In a recent expedition 17 girls helped to rehabilitate and track orphaned orangutans released back into the wilds of

primary rainforest in Borneo, Indonesia.

They were the first school group ever to reach the remote release site.

Every two years we invite other schools to join our MedSTEM Conference, at which we welcome dozens of leading scientific figures and organisations who provide a day of inspiring advice for senior pupils. Girls are given a free choice of seminars and can access expert speakers drawn from across industry and academia, helping them to make informed choices unburdened by expectation.

To meet our shared global challenges for the future, it is vital that women are able to play an equal role in all sectors of the world economy, and STEM-related careers are at the forefront of the drivers of economic growth.

This year we are launching a new Engineering, Enterprise and Technology Department, where business awareness, design, coding, problem-solving and use of different materials will all combine together to develop real confidence and skills.

Our commitment to science signals our clear intent to give girls an unparalleled opportunity to explore the physical and natural world around them, and we are all enjoying the adventure together! ■

Eve Jardine-Young became Principal of Cheltenham Ladies’ College in September 2011 having been a pupil at the College. Eve has a degree in Engineering Science from Cambridge and started working for Ove Arup & Partners, Structural Engineers, before following her heart into the teaching profession. She began her career at Radley College teaching Economics and subsequently spent 10 years at Epsom College where positions held included Housemistress and Head of Sixth Form. Most recently, Eve was Director of Studies at Blundell’s School in Devon before returning to the College as Principal. She is married to James, is widely travelled and has a broad range of interests including theatre, music, horticulture and sustainability initiatives.

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Rye St Antony iis an iindependent ndependent d d t day d and d boarding b di g school h l for girls aged 3-18 (and boys 3-11). Established in 1930 as a lay Catholic foundation, the school is situated in a beautiful 12-acre location overlooking the city of Oxford.

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Big enough to challenge: small enough to care

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Strong role models in boys’ boarding schools: former Service personnel bring an extra dimension

Strong role models in boys’ boarding schools: former Service personnel bring an extra dimension – Adrian Wyles, Head Master of The Oratory School, South Oxfordshire

fter the flurry of several single-sex schools becoming co-educational in the last few years, it’s time to take stock and consider a major reason why the few remaining boys’ boarding schools continue to flourish in the face of the trend towards mixed schools.

Our particular mission in education is how boys are better enabled to thrive as rounded, uninhibited individuals in a boysonly environment where they are keen to play rugby and cricket, but also enthusiastic about performing on stage and singing in the choir. At The Oratory School it’s not uncommon to see boys at choir practice who are wearing their rugby kit, having just come off the field!

However, a significant common thread among boys-only boarding schools is that we have been ahead of the curve when it comes to acknowledging how former Armed Forces personnel can play an essential part in providing strong role models in a boy’s education. We have a number of ex-Services officers and NCOs among our masters.

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Ex-Services staff bring leadership skills These members of staff bring leadership skills, unique experiences and a driving force to every boys’ school ethos, where a highactivity diet should be in the blood. Of course, former Forces personnel complement the breadth of expertise that is necessary and superbly provided by the other staff, but they bring an extra dimension unique to their uniformed life. Ex-Service people heartily underpin my unofficial motto, which should

apply to any school: ‘a busy boy is a happy boy’. The community of boarding schools is second nature to former Forces staff, where they readily deal with the need to keep boys busy and motivated, be it between prep and supper, or on a rainy Saturday when fixtures are cancelled. Most staff live ‘on the patch’ too, and this creates that strong community that is a hallmark of the Forces.

It’s at boys’ boarding schools that you find a strong calling to teaching for former Servicemen. Briefly looking at The Oratory School as an example, in recent years we’ve taken on a former Army Major who teaches mathematics. He joined our established staff, among whom is a retired Army senior NCO, who has coached our target rifle shooting team to perform consistently well at national level. Another master is a Queen’s Medallist!

One of our senior masters is a Reservist pilot – made an MBE for his services to air cadets – and Contingent Commander of our Corps.

accommodate boys from other faiths and traditions. Today among our parents are officers of all three Services and the school is full; that must be because this boys-only school is fulfilling the wishes that many parents still have for their sons’ education! ■

A strong Corps Of course, a strong Corps offers a huge opportunity for boys to gain fantastic opportunities and experiences in Army, Navy and RAF Cadets, and, clearly, former Service personal have much to offer with their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm.

From what I know of them, I’d guess they would each say, too modestly, that they are just trying to do the best they can in their duty to young people, and will give little or no regard to the full-time dedication they give to this vocation.

Our Catholic ethos remains at the heart of The Oratory School and we happily

The new Head Master of The Oratory School with effect from September 2015 is Adrian Wyles. A graduate from Royal Holloway University of London with a degree in Geography, he has a Master’s degree in Education Leadership. His teaching career began in London and was later in Kent. This was followed by six years at Hurstpierpoint College and seven years as Head of Sixth Form and now as Academic Deputy Head at Sutton Valence School in Kent. He is a middle distance cross-country runner, a cricket umpire, a football coach and an accomplished pianist and oboe player.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 127

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

The best of both worlds – the ‘diamond model’

The best of both worlds – the ‘diamond model’ – Ian Davies, Headmaster of Brentwood School

here is a conventional wisdom that single-sex schools are better academically and co-educational schools are better socially. However, I don’t see this as an ‘either-or’ debate. Actually, at Brentwood School, we provide both.

Along with nine other schools in the country, we follow what is known as the ‘Diamond Model’ where girls and boys are taught together up to age 11, separately from 11 to 16, and together again in the Sixth Form. In this way boys and girls are taught in separate classes during the crucial and formative teenage years but have many social opportunities to mix together outside the classroom on a single campus.

Essentially the benefits of the Diamond Model result from the ability to tailor academic teaching and pastoral care more acutely and sensitively to meet the genderspecific needs of young people. A single-sex classroom structure from Year 7 helps pupils develop with peers going through similar changes – emotional, physical, hormonal and social. It gives them space to focus on their studies without, what can often be, immense peer pressure to perform in mixed classes. By the time they reach the Sixth Form, students have sufficiently matured and established themselves academically. They can cope with

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a mixed gender classroom environment and become better prepared for their life at university or in the world of work.

Advantages From both a teacher’s and a pupil’s perspective, there are distinct advantages to teaching adolescent boys and girls separately.

It is generally acknowledged that girls and boys have different learning styles and different interests, particularly in adolescence. In Diamond schools teachers are able to adopt a more sophisticated and focused approach, tailoring their teaching accordingly. At the risk of generalising again, I would argue that girls often find spatial awareness quite difficult and so teachers can orientate their lessons with girls to improve this. Similarly, communication skills are not naturally so obvious in boys and teachers can actively promote these skills in boys’ classrooms.

There are more subtle, but just as significant, advantages too. At Brentwood, the same curriculum is taught to both teenage boys and girls, and because the classes are single-sex, their experience of subjects is gender neutral. In this way we avoid the risk of certain subjects becoming gender-labelled. There are no ‘boys-only’ or

‘girls-only’ subjects. In fact the issue of gender preference for subjects just does not come up. Many of our girls thrive in the traditional male-dominated subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology and maths, while many of our boys enjoy cookery, the arts,

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

The best of both worlds – the ‘diamond model’ modern foreign languages and music.

Indeed, when it comes to subject options at GCSE level, we find no obvious gender trends to subject selection and the university destinations of our Sixth Formers reveals a similar collection of budding scientists or artists among the girls and boys.

Social mix But it’s not all about the academic side of school life – the social side of school is equally important. A major part of what any good school should do is to help their pupils form respectful relationships with those of the opposite sex. For obvious reasons this is more difficult to support in single-sex schools. In Diamond schools, however, although teenage boys and girls are taught separately, because they share the same campus, they have many opportunities to develop in this way. By rubbing shoulders with each other at break and lunchtimes and participating together in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, they learn to have mutual respect for each other and, first and foremost, to treat each other as human beings.

At Brentwood School the extracurricular programme includes music, drama, trips and excursions, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the Combined

Cadet Force; the latter being just as popular with girls as with boys across all divisions – army, navy and air force. Leadership roles within the Combined Cadet Force and generally within school are awarded on merit and achieved equally by girls and boys.

These positions, including praepostors (prefects), heads of houses and head of school, provide important role models to younger pupils of successful young men and women across many aspects of school life.

As with all schools, teachers are also important role models for pupils and in Diamond schools; as with co-educational schools, there is usually a high preponderance of high profile men and women among the staff.

The benefits of Diamond schools are not confined to just teachers and pupils, however. Parents often comment on the advantages of having a single ‘drop off’ point for their sons and daughters, that the school run is less frazzled since brothers and sisters can share the same school bus, or in the case of boarding that their sons and daughters are living close to each other. In addition to this, there is a certain familiarity and understanding that parents develop over time about a school; an understanding about the reporting system, how the parents’ evenings work or who to contact for certain matters. This knowledge helps parents, particularly those working away or with long hours, to get the best out of their partnership with teachers, the senior management team and the head teacher. Indeed, this experience becomes a vital ‘currency’ in their relationship with the school to ensure the best education for their child. If that same currency can be put to good use for all their children, regardless of whether they are boys or girls, then so much the better! ■ After reading Theology at St John’s College, Oxford, and a PGCE in Cambridge, Ian Davies taught for ten years in the maintained sector before becoming Head of the Lower School at Latymer Upper, and the Headmaster of St Dunstan’s College in London in 1998. He has been Headmaster of Brentwood School since 2004. He served for ten years as Independent Schools’ Advisor to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, is a Governor of St Aubyn’s Preparatory School in Woodford Green, and is Chairman of his local theatre. In his spare time he enjoys the occasional game of cricket and golf.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 129

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Girls’ sport: challenging, competitive and passionate

Girls’ sport: challenging, competitive and passionate – Pauline Stott, Director of Sport at Kilgraston School

he past two years have seen women’s sport reach greater levels of coverage and achievement than ever before. After the 2012 London Olympics, where the women’s events brought passion, drama, and a rather impressive haul of medals for Team GB, those of us immersed in the sporting scene felt that the time for women’s sport had well and truly arrived.

I’m always taken aback when I come across the assumption that sport at an all-girls school will be a rather gentle, refined affair – somehow lacking in the excitement, passion or fierce spirit of competition you would expect in a mixed or boys’ environment.

My family and I moved to Kilgraston over six years ago from a mixed school, so I could take up a newly created role of Director of Sport – along with my two daughters who joined the school as pupils. And yes, we found the sport in a girls’ school to be different, but perhaps not in the ways we might have expected.

In a mixed school, boys’ physical strength and the greater likelihood that they’ve grown up immersed in sport means that they’re likely to rise more quickly to the upper ranks of school sporting achievement and to dominate many of the traditional school sports. In a selfenforcing cycle, girls who believe they are unlikely to excel at sport are less likely to get involved in the first place – perpetuating the notion that ‘girls aren’t really sporty’.

By contrast, in a girls-only environment, the very best sportspeople are – and can only be – female, creating a culture where female role models in sport are very much the norm, rather than the exception. Our girls quickly

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lose their self-consciousness, and are more likely to take risks, push themselves, and really throw themselves into their sport.

Sports Leader Awards Sports Leader Awards, where girls use their PE lessons to develop skills in coaching, encourage sporting excellence to be passed down through the year groups of the school, and creates a culture where girls who excel at sports like hockey and football are utterly commonplace.

It’s true, of course, that some girls (and some boys) simply aren’t ‘sporty’ in the traditional sense of team and ball sports.

However I’m yet to meet anyone – of either gender – who can’t be supported to find some sort of exercise that they enjoy. From the youngest pupils in the Nursery, to our soonto-be university girls in the Upper Sixth, sport at Kilgraston is compulsory and taught exclusively by specialist sports staff. From the age of 14 upwards, girls choose which sports they participate in, which means they are more likely to really throw themselves into activities, instead of slogging through a session in which they’re simply not interested.

Inspiring positive habits There really is nothing like taking part in a sport you love to inspire young people to develop positive habits for the rest of their life.

Those habits aren’t just about getting off the sofa and going for a run, but are also about ensuring girls are able to win (and lose) with grace and resilience, helping them to develop a spirit of adventure, an ability to push their boundaries, and a willingness to throw

themselves into whatever opportunities come their way. These issues are so much bigger than school PE lessons, which is why it’s so vital that we encourage and inspire our girls to get involved in sport.

Something like 94% of our girls participate in our annual cross country run – some to compete and excel, others to dress up, paint their faces, and join in with the sense of community and excitement. Each year, as I watch close to 300 girls, aged from 3 to 18, turn out for the run in all weathers, often smiling through the rain and encouraging each other across the finish line, I really couldn’t be prouder.

And judging by the quality of school sports for girls right now, the future of women’s sport is in safe hands. Whether our girls are focusing on the clashes on the hockey pitch or the exhilaration of tennis, they’re grasping with both hands the opportunity to truly excel in the sporting arena. As our girls stand triumphant on a medals podium, collapse across a finish line, battle for a goal or complete the perfect clear round, the notion that ‘girls aren’t really into competitive sports’ is well and truly quashed. ■ Pauline Stott became Director of Sport at Kilgraston in 2009. A former Scotland and Great Britain International hockey player, Pauline captained the Great Britain Ladies Hockey team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and also captained the Scottish Ladies team for over seven years over a 12 year career. Pauline retired having gained 203 International caps at Senior level.

In addition to her role at Kilgraston, where she leads 16 members of staff in championing sporting participation and excellence at the school, both through the school day and evening, Pauline delivers ‘Champion in Schools' talks to schoolchildren across Scotland, motivating them to be the best they can be.

Pauline is still coaching girls at Under 14, 16 and 18 Midland hockey teams and coaches through her own company HPC (Scotland) Ltd over holiday camps and Sunday sessions. She is committed to helping future Scotland and Great Britain players.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Senior schools: single-sex or co-education?

Inspiring confidence in girls

Inspiring confidence in girls – Dr Felicia Kirk, Headmistress of St Mary’s Calne

t is an obvious but crucially important point that girls need confidence to do well. I have long held the belief that confidence plays a pivotal role in unlocking girls’ potential. In fact, it matters just as much as knowledge, skills and competence. However, it was not until I read Katty Kay and Claire Shipman’s article, The Confidence Gap (http://www.theatlantic.com/features/arc hive/2014/04/the-confidencegap/359815/), that I understood the full extent of this issue. Kay and Shipman argue convincingly that there is a serious crisis of confidence for women in our time which hugely limits potential – it effectively leads to inaction and stifles progress.

Research in the field of neuroscience has shown that both brain chemistry and social conditioning mean that, generally, girls lack confidence in comparison to boys. A boarding school provides a perfect environment for girls, a holistic education where they can be challenged and offered opportunities to grow and fulfil their potential, becoming more confident as they do so. Sport plays a pivotal role in this and studies have shown that girls who play team sports are more likely to graduate from university, find a job and be employed in male-dominated industries.

Sadly, girls are still six times as likely as boys to drop out of sports teams during their adolescence. Sport England has recognised this issue and in October 2014 launched ‘This Girl Can’ – a national campaign to inspire more women and girls to participate in sport.

Here at St Mary’s Calne, we encourage competition via a huge range of competitive sports – lacrosse, netball, athletics, tennis, swimming, hockey, fencing, to name just a few – and we offer sport at all levels. The girls learn to own victory and survive defeat in sport, and this is excellent training for owning triumphs and surviving setbacks at work. Sport helps them to build their self-worth, determination and resilience.

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It is not just on the sports field that their confidence grows. At St Mary’s we have a unique relationship with RADA and offer the Sixth Form girls a RADA Advanced Communication Course ‘Speak Out!’. The programme offers classes in individual vocal and physical techniques, as well as classes ranging from political oratory and speaking with passion on emotive issues. All visiting practitioners on the course are RADA experts whose career profiles include the training of legal, medical and business professionals as well as people in the civil service and government. One of the girls who completed the course last year commented, ‘we agreed we started the course as curious girls but left it as confident career women, ready to take on anybody in the city!’ Girls also have the opportunity to increase their confidence and leadership skills through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model United Nations and the Young Enterprise programme.

No ‘stereotypically’ boys subjects Some of these programmes are also available to girls at co-educational schools; however, there is a difference as at single-sex boarding schools, the girls have all these opportunities open to them, they are not deterred from choosing subjects or courses which are seen as ‘stereotypically’ boys subjects and they are not distracted by the presence of boys. In research conducted by Mungo Dunnett Associates (involving 47 independent girls’ schools and 250 parents) one of the key reasons cited by parents for choosing a single-sex school was the issue of how the presence of boys can impact on a girl’s self-confidence: ‘she had a huge confidence boost when she arrived and didn’t have to worry about her appearance.’

Former St Mary’s Calne girls have referred to the importance of learning how to be confident at school and have attributed this to

their later success in life. Last year, former Calne girl and Olympian Laura Tomlinson MBE (née Bechtolsheimer) came back to St Mary’s to talk to the girls. Laura, who won a team gold and an individual bronze medal in dressage at the London Olympics, told the girls ‘the support and security I got at St Mary’s Calne gave me the confidence to go and do what I did later on.’

Being unafraid A key factor in encouraging confidence in girls, is encouraging them to take risks, to speak out and not to be afraid of getting things wrong. The one-to-one tutor system we have here focuses on personalised learning and ensures that each individual receives the attention they need. Being a boarding school, the girls have access to teachers out of hours and this support system is key in helping them to achieve their personal goals and to encourage them to aim high. In a recent inspection report, it was noted that ‘the girls ask interested, informed questions and are unafraid to challenge or to offer a slightly unconventional answer… Deep learning is developed by asking girls to explain concepts to the class, and teachers encourage the girls to evaluate their own work and that of their peers.’ Being unafraid and taking these ‘risks’ whether in the classroom or on the sports field, is an important skill for a girl to learn.

Confidence is not something that develops overnight, but I truly believe that girls at a single-sex boarding school are in the best place to learn how to become stronger, how to challenge and speak out and not to be afraid of making mistakes. This will serve them well as they move on to university and into their careers. As Katty Kay and Claire Shipman correctly point out following their extensive research, ‘success, it turns out, correlates just as closely with confidence as it does with competence.’ ■

Dr Felicia Kirk has been Headmistress at St Mary’s Calne for two and a half years and is a passionate advocate for girls’ education. She has 20 years’ experience of teaching and managing at a senior level in independent day and boarding schools in the UK (Ipswich High School for Girls where she was Head of Sixth Form, Director of Higher Education at Wycombe Abbey and Head of Modern Languages at Royal Hospital School, Suffolk). An American citizen, Dr Kirk was educated in Maryland, USA and has a BA Summa Cum Laude in French and Latin (University of Maryland), an MA in French Studies with Latin (Brown University, Rhode Island) and a PhD in Romance Languages and Literature. Dr Kirk is a keen equestrian and, along with her husband John and their dog Lily, she also enjoys the English countryside.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 131

Specialist schools Specialist schools – arts, drama, music

Specialist schools – arts, drama, music he specialist schools programme is a UK government initiative that encourages secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum in order to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust is responsible for the delivery of the programme.

Currently there are nearly 3,000 specialist schools, or 88% of the state-funded secondary schools in England. The Government plans that eventually all schools in England will specialise. In the independent sector the term ‘specialist’ tends to focus more on developing outstanding talents mainly in a range of extra-curricular activities such as drama, music and the arts. The principal independent boarding schools in music, dance and drama are covered below.

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Music and dance The Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) is a government-funded scheme to provide support for talented musicians and dancers. You can find out more at www.education.gov.uk. There are nine MDS specialist schools throughout the UK, committed to the highest teaching standards in music and dance, alongside an excellent academic education. MDS schools are listed below.

Music and Dance Scheme schools Chetham’s School of Music www.chethams.com Elmhurst School of Dance www.elmhurstdance.co.uk St Mary’s Music School www.st-marys-music-school.co.uk The Hammond School www.thehammondschool.co.uk The Purcell School www.purcell-school.org

The Royal Ballet School www.royalballetschool.co.uk Tring Park School for the Performing Arts www.tringpark.com Wells Cathedral School www.wellscathedralschool.org Yehudi Menuhin School www.yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk

Choir schools The Choir Schools’ Association (CSA) represents 46 schools attached to cathedrals, churches and college chapels around the country. Pupils have unlimited access to first-class schooling and musical training, giving them an excellent start in life. More than 1,200 of the 21,500 boys and girls in choir schools are choristers. Some CSA schools take children from 7–13; others are junior schools with senior schools to 18. The majority are Church of England foundations, but the Roman Catholic, Scottish and Welsh churches are all represented. The majority are fee paying, with nine out of ten choristers qualifying for financial help with fees from the school or through the Government’s Choir Schools’ Scholarship Scheme. To find out more, go to www.choirschools.org.uk Choristers at about 20 choir schools are day pupils. These days only a dozen or so require all choristers to board. Others offer the choice if parents can demonstrate they can get their children to and from school in time for choir practice and services. The choir schools offering boarding are listed in the table below.

Choir schools offering boarding School

City

Email

Website

Northern England The Chorister School Lincoln Minster Prep School Chetham’s School Ampleforth College St James’ School

Durham Lincoln Manchester York Grimsby

head.teacher@thechoristerschool.com enquiries.lincoln@church-schools.com chets@chethams.com admissions@ampleforth.org.uk enquiries@saintjamesschool.co.uk

www.choristers.durham.sch.uk www.lincolnminsterschool.co.uk www.chethams.com www.college.ampleforth.org.uk www.saintjamesschool.co.uk

Central England Dean Close Preparatory School Hereford Cathedral School Lichfield Cathedral School Christ Church Cathedral School Magdalen College School St George’s School

Cheltenham Hereford Lichfield Oxford Oxford Windsor

sabell@deanclose.org.uk schoolsec@hcsch.org thepalace@lichfieldcathedralschool.com schooloffice@cccs.org.uk admissions@mcsoxford.org registrar@stgwindsor.co.uk

www.deanclose.org.uk www.herefordcsch.org www.cathedralchoir.org.uk www.cccs.org.uk www.mcsoxford.org www.stgwindsor.co.uk

London St Paul’s Cathedral School Westminster Abbey Choir School Westminster Cathedral Choir School

London London London

admissions@spcs.london.sch.uk headmaster@westminster-abbey.org office@choirschool.com

www.st.pauls.co.uk www.westminster-abbey.org www.choirschool.com

Eastern England King’s College School St John’s College School King’s Ely

Cambridge Cambridge Ely

office@kingscam.demon.co.uk admissions@sjcs.co.uk admissions@kingsely.org

www.kcs.cambs.sch.uk www.sjcs.co.uk www.kingsely.org

Southern England St Edmund’s School The Prebendal School The Cathedral School King’s Rochester Preparatory School Salisbury Cathedral School Polwhele House School Wells Cathedral School The Pilgrims’ School

Canterbury Chichester Exeter Rochester Salisbury Truro Wells Winchester

juniorschool@stedmunds.org.uk secretary-prebendal@btconnect.com hmsec@exetercs.org prep@kings-school-rochester.co.uk admissions@salisburycathedralschool.com info@polwhelehouse.co.uk admissions@wells-cathedral-school.com hmsec@pilgrims-school.co.uk

www.stedmunds.org.uk www.prebendalschool.org.uk www.exetercs.org www.kings-school-rochester.co.uk www.salisburycathedralschool.com www.polwhelehouse.co.uk www.wells-cathedral-school.com www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk

Wales The Cathedral School

Llandaff

registrar@cathedral-school.co.uk

www.cathedral-school.co.uk

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Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Specialist schools Special schools: nurturing special talents

Specialist schools: nurturing special talents – Stefan Anderson, Principal of Tring Park School for the Performing Arts ardly a day goes by when we are not confronted by a tale in the press of yet another young person who has won a ‘talent’ competition and is about to become the next big star of the West End. There is often a perception that these young performers have ‘come from nowhere’. There is sometimes truth in this, but more often it is the result of hard work and dedication from an extremely young age.

We are all familiar with the small child who is desperate to start ballet lessons or burning to play the violin. This might be a whim or it could be the first step in a process that may lead to the stage or the concert platform many years later. It is a process that requires enormous dedication and commitment from the child – and sensitive support from parents and teachers.

If a child shows a particular talent in any of the performing arts, great care must be taken to find the best and most appropriate teacher who can support and develop the child’s particular skills. In the case of dance or music it is vital that early technical training is of the highest standard; many young people have had their hopes of achieving their goals dashed because poor technical training has hampered their development to such a degree that it becomes impossible to catch up at a later stage so demanding are the rigours and the competition.

It is sad but true that many highly talented youngsters feel like outsiders (and are often bullied) in mainstream education because they are perceived as ‘different’ by their peers. These youngsters have to spend hours of their day practising and taking classes, which makes it harder for them to maintain a broad circle of friends.

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help boys and girls from lower-income families wishing to train at any of the 36 independent choir schools in England. The scheme facilitates access by talented children to the opportunities available, while maintaining Britain’s renowned choral heritage.

For each child who has a unique talent, there is a specialist school to train, educate and support them. It is an education that will give them the confidence and the versatility to achieve at a high level – either within or outside the world of the performing arts. ■

Stefan Anderson has been Principal of Tring Park School for the Performing Arts since 2002. He was previously Director of Music at the King’s School, Canterbury, and before that Assistant Director of Music at Wellington College. His musical specialism is choral conducting.

Strong academic education If you are the parent of a child aged eight or over who is showing signs of exceptional talent in any of the performing arts, you should consider a school that provides them with access to the highest standard of vocational training. Full account should be taken of the fact that these professions are precarious and fraught with the risk of injury or the whims of casting agents and audition processes. This means that the vocational training should be accompanied by a strong academic education, which will provide the balance required to maximise your child’s potential and develop them as a well-rounded individual who is also equipped for life outside the artistic world.

Music and Dance Scheme

GIVING TALENTED CHILDREN A HEAD START TO A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE Tring Park for young people with outstanding talent in Ballet, Dance, Drama, Musical Theatre and Commercial Music Co-educational boarding and day school for children from age 8 – 19 Outstanding academic education to A Level

If your job takes you away at a moment’s notice to a country where access to this specialist training is at best limited or at worst nonexistent, then it makes sense to consider one of the boarding schools that are supported by the Government’s Music and Dance Scheme (MDS), which was started in 1981. The diversity of these schools means that parents and children can choose between schools that specialise in a single discipline (e.g. music schools like Chetham’s or the Purcell School for Young Musicians), ballet schools such as the Royal Ballet School or Elmhurst School for Dance, or schools that offer broader performing arts options such as Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, which offers vocational training in dance, drama, musical theatre or commercial music. These schools vary in size and location – some are in rural settings, while others are embedded in the heart of a city centre. Many are also day schools and all are coeducational.

Choir schools play a significant part in the musical life of the nation. The Choir School Scholarship Scheme was set up in 1991 to

OPEN DAYS 9, 15 & 16 OCTOBER Book online at www.tringpark.com/opendays

www.tringpark.com info@tringpark.com or tel. 01442 824255 Photo: Brian O’Carroll

Registered charity no. 1040330

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 133

Specialist schools Choristers sing for their supper

Choristers sing for their supper – Jane Capon, Information Officer of the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA) ‘

e no longer sing and dance. We don’t know how to. Instead, we watch other people sing and dance on the television screen. Christmas, which was once a festival of active enjoyment, has turned into a binge of purely passive pleasures,’ says Tom Hodgkinson, a writer and co-founder of The Idler magazine.

Some of what he says is true. Indeed, it is borne out every Christmas Eve when millions worldwide tune in to watch or listen to King’s College Choir, Cambridge, getting the festive season underway with their festival of lessons and joyous carols.

At Christmas and Easter there will be opportunities to enjoy broadcasts from other New recruits at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (Photo by K T Bruce) choral foundations. However, ‘live’ shows, be what they owe to their time as choristers. Other well-known former it regular sung services or concerts, go on daily, giving members of choristers include Aled Jones, actor and comedian Alexander the congregation or audience a chance to participate. Many choristers Armstrong, and actor Simon Russell-Beale. are also actively engaged in promoting singing in primary schools.

Back in 1928, only 14 of the 32 schools in the Choir Schools’ Boy choristers have sung the daily liturgy in our cathedrals and Association insisted that their choristers (all boys then) should be collegiate chapels for fourteen hundred years but it was only in 1990 that girls began to have the same opportunities as their brothers when boarders. By 1986 three-quarters of the CSA’s member schools required them to board. Twenty-first century choir schools are more Salisbury Cathedral introduced the first girls’ ‘top line’ in an English flexible. Some still insist on all choristers boarding and many only cathedral. admit day choristers. However, a growing number are offering the Some 1,200 boy and girl choristers are educated in the 45 choir choice. schools belonging to the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA). They are part of this country’s centuries-old choral heritage which is the envy of the world.

Help with fees Each year 200 seven- to nine-year-olds take their places in the Most choristers qualify for financial help with fees from the school choir stalls for the first time – embarking on some of the finest or its foundation in return for the singing. Combine this with the musical training in the world. At the same time they benefit from a Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) and choir school for the first-class academic and all-round education in the choir school. young singer in the family may become an attractive option. Choir They acquire self-discipline and a passion for music that stays with schools are part of the government’s Music and Dance Scheme them for life, whatever career path they choose to follow. Sportsmen (MDS) which helps talented young musicians and dancers with Alastair Cooke and Lawrence Dallaglio have both publicly declared additional means-tested financial support at specialist schools.

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Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Specialist schools Choristers sing for their supper Being a chorister demands time and energy from child and parent alike, but it is rare to find any regrets. If a child can sing, and enjoys doing so, there is no finer training. Choristers revel in the regular broadcasts, recordings and concerts they take part in during the year, on top of their daily workload.

During term time the routines of each day are carefully structured to enable choristers to get the maximum out of their work, their free time and their choral and instrumental duties.

But there is a downside. Remember the choristers are contracted to work on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. The children love the preparation and thrive on the additional challenges these very special times in the church’s calendar present.

It does, however, make it even more important that family members or friends are nearby to support them.

Great fun As Roger Overend, Headmaster of King’s Rochester Preparatory School says: ‘Boarding at Christmas and Easter time is great fun, with not only wonderful music to sing, but parties, trips and entertainment just for the choristers. A boarding chorister really does have an excellent chance to make long-lasting friendships with children who share their interests.’

To be a chorister is the most fabulous opportunity for a youngster who enjoys music and singing. For many, it opens doors that would otherwise be far beyond a child’s wildest dreams.

Singing, in itself, is one of the most natural acts in the world, and choristers learn naturally. They learn by experience the importance of teamwork, of self-discipline, of concentration and of managing

their busy lives – quite apart from learning specific musical skills to an extremely high level. Anyone who has sung in a choir will recognise these facets, and choristers develop them as easily as blinking.

Visit our website www.choirschools.org.uk to read more about choir schools, look at the checklist of what is required and then we hope you will contact the school or schools of your choice directly. ■

Jane Capon is Information Officer of the Choir Schools’ Association (CSA). As well as supporting the day to day work of choir schools, CSA also promotes chorister outreach programmes, using choristers to boost singing in primary schools. The Government adopted the Association’s model as part of its National Singing Programme from 2007–10 and Jane managed 45 Cathedral and Choir School projects on their behalf. The good news is that most of the projects are continuing with local funding. Her career began at one of the country’s leading PR firms before she moved ‘in house’ to set up the press office for the Independent Schools Information Service (ISIS). On becoming freelance she worked for a variety of educational organisations before concentrating on choir schools.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 135

Special educational needs and disabilities All change for children and young people with SEN and disabilities?

All change for children and young people with SEN and disabilities?

– Sarah McKimm, specialist education lawyer hese are anxious times for parents of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. New law underpinning the rights of these children and young people in England came into force on 1 September 2014 along with a new SEN and Disability Code of Practice and new regulations. The latter documents were not released until the summer holidays, leaving no formal time to prepare before they came into force. Unsurprisingly, there has been a little turbulence as schools and local authorities (LAs) have rushed to update their practices and parents to find out more.

So what do we know about what is new and what is going to stay the same under the new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, and how are children of service personnel likely to be affected?

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Four overarching principles Perhaps the most interesting new development is the introduction into law of four new overarching principles about how LAs must carry out their duties towards children and young people with SEN and disabilities. Parents will need to be aware of these and may want to gently direct attention towards them!

In fulfilling its duties towards children and young people, an LA in England must by law have regard to: ● the views, wishes and feelings of the child, and his or her parent, or the young person (a ‘young person’ is newly defined in this context to someone aged 16 to 25 years) ● the importance of them all participating as fully as possible in decisions ● the importance of their being provided with information and support to enable them to participate in decisions ● the need to support them to facilitate the development of the child or young person and to help him or her achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes.

These principles are found in Section 19 of the Children and Families Act 2014. Of course, it is yet to be seen how the courts will interpret and apply these new duties.

Definition of SEND and special educational provision stay the same The law defining when children or young people have SEN and disabilities stays at least the same, and is possibly slightly wider. It also now extends SEN rights up to age 25, for those young people who need them and who stay in education. Likewise, the legal definition of ‘special educational provision’ stays essentially the same.

Any child or young person on the SEN register should therefore remain on it unless something changes for them personally which means that they no longer need special educational provision.

But in the new regime the drive is towards greater joining-up across education, health and social care services to ensure that each child’s or young person’s needs will be properly met through holistic assessments and through closer working not only between professionals but also between professionals and parents, children or

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young people. To this end Statements of SEN are to be phased out over a period of four years and replaced by new wrap-around ‘Education, Health and Care plans’ (EHC plans). Guidance from the Department of Education to LAs is very clear that no child or young person with a Statement should lose their Statement and have it replaced with an EHC plan simply because the system is changing.

Children of Service personnel Unlike previous incarnations of the SEN Code of Practice, the 2014 Code expressly considers the additional challenges faced by the children of Service personnel when they have SEND. These include Service-induced mobility, and anxiety or emotional difficulties which may affect a child’s educational performance when parents or siblings are deployed to operational areas. The relevant guidance is at paragraphs 10.100 to 10.106 of the Code. Service parents would be well advised to read these sections and be ready to draw attention to them if their child’s class teacher or the school SENCO has not noticed them tucked away at the back of Chapter 10.

As regards what action to take, attention is drawn to the Armed Forces Covenant – all those with statutory responsibilities are directed to ensure that Service children with SEND are not disadvantaged by their policies, processes or patterns of provision.

For example, in respect of Service children with SEND, schools and other education providers should: ● ensure that mechanisms are in place to enable effective and timely exchange of educational records between schools in the UK and overseas to enable effective planning in advance of a child’s arrival in their next school ● ensure that all reviews for Service children with SEND explicitly consider any Service-related issues relevant to the outcomes of the review (such as Service-induced mobility) Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Special educational needs and disabilities All change for children and young people with SEN and disabilities? ensure that access to assessments and provision is determined solely by the nature, severity and complexity of the needs presented by children and not to how long they have left in a particular school ● consider how funds received through the Service Pupils’ Premium might be used to improve their overall approaches to meeting the SEN of Service children.

Meanwhile, LAs should: ● have the needs of local Service children with SEN and disabilities in mind when commissioning support services ● consider the likely impact of Service-related issues on the needs of individual Service children and special educational provision made for them ● seek advice from CEAS (Children’s Education Advisory Service) when carrying out an assessment of a Service child’s needs or making an EHC plan ● transfer EHC plans from an old to a new LA within 15 days when children move home across LA boundaries ● work with each other and with CEAS to ensure that special educational provision is made as soon as a child arrives in a new authority (anticipated moves should not be used to delay provision of appropriate support for children or the carrying out of needs assessments) ● draw on all relevant evidence when considering provision for Service children, including Statements made in Wales or Northern Ireland or Co-ordinated Support Plans from Scotland and the Service Children’s Assessment of Need (SCAN) completed for Service Children’s Education (SCE) ● when personal budgets are agreed with mobile Service parents, work with LAs and parents to ensure continuity of any services provided via those arrangements.

It is clear in the new draft Code that Service personnel have the same right of access to the SEN and Disability tribunal as other parents. In turn the tribunal is asked that, when reaching decisions about appeals from Service parents, they consider on the basis of the evidence available to them, the extent to which Service-induced mobility will affect the effectiveness of any special educational provision offered by local authorities or requested by parents. ●

Personal budgets and direct payments Many parents are happy to see the introduction in principle of personal budgets and direct payments into special education.

Personal budgets and direct payments are already available in the context of transport, social care and, more recently, continuing healthcare. Some parents value the control they hope to gain from being able to directly commission and manage aspects of their child’s provision themselves.

From September 2014, parents are able to request a personal budget and direct payments when an EHC plan is being prepared.

However, for some this opportunity may not arise for some time, depending on when their child’s statement is transitioned to an EHC plan. Whether their LA will agree to a request will depend on factors which are laid out in regulations. These range from issues concerning the reliability of the recipient to whether releasing funds direct to parents would adversely affect the viability of public services.

So why the great anxiety?

So with so many good intentions, what is there to worry about? Here are some of the possible issues for parents: 1 The rights of parents, including rights of appeal to the tribunal,

in relation to their children with SEN and disabilities now cease when the children become ‘young people’ at the end of Year 11 (age 16), unless the young person can be shown to lack mental capacity. This could present very real problems for many families and young people with SEND and make it harder for appeals to be brought in relation to older pupils and students.

2 As regards the extension of young people’s rights to age 25, this does not yet appear to be supported by additional funding. This may mean that existing services become ever more stretched.

3 There are grave concerns about how far the new ‘rights’ in relation to health, social care and direct payments will actually be enforceable in practice.

4 Although much of the law is staying the same, the 2014 Code seeks to push many local authority duties on to schools in practice and the new in-school processes are circular which may hinder schools from accessing support from LAs. 5 The legal complexity of the new EHC plans threatens to make them unworkable.

Some of these questions are unanswerable at present until test cases are brought to the courts via the First-tier Tribunal. However, the hope within the Department for Education is that the operation of the four underlying principles will engender a new culture of respect and co-operation. It remains to be seen how realistic this is!

Sarah McKimm is an education lawyer writing in her personal capacity.

She is Head of Regulation and Policy at the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). ■

At the time of writing this article, Sarah was Principal Solicitor for IPSEA (Independent Parental Special Education Advice), a national charity which advises parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities. She is now Head of Regulation and Policy at the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) but writes in her private capacity.

Further information and advice ●

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●

SSAFA Forces Help CHSS 19 Queen Elizabeth Street London SE1 2LP Tel: 0207 403 8783 Direct Line to Special Needs and Disability Advisor (SNDA): 0207 463 9234 www.ssafa.org.uk Council for Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD) www.crested.org.uk (more details on page 144) Independent Parental Special Education Advice (IPSEA) Hunters Court Debden Road Saffron Walden Essex CB11 4AA Advice line: 0800 018 4016 www.ipsea.org.uk

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 137

Special educational needs and disabilities Provision in the independent sector for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities

Provision in the independent sector for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities s a result of new law from September 2014, statements of special educational needs are to be replaced by Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. However, increasing numbers of maintained schools – including free schools and academies – as well as independent schools, fall outside local authority control. Will these schools be accountable for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)? Will the admission of children with SEND be enforceable? Currently parents of children who are refused a place at a maintained school have the right to appeal to First Tier Tribunal SEND. Pupils with SEND continue to be very well educated within the independent sector and this is undoubtedly one of the sector’s strengths. Many parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities take them out of the maintained sector because the

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class sizes are too big and they feel there is not enough individual support. The independent sector offers a range of choice not available within the maintained sector. Specialist Provision Schools (SPS) are approved for specific learning difficulties, with associated language difficulties, such as dyspraxia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dyslexia Specialist Provision Schools (DSP) are established primarily to teach pupils with dyslexia. There are also around 30 mainstream boarding schools with designated units or centres providing specialist tuition on a small group or individual basis. In January 2015, 66,026 pupils (33,311 boarders) were identified as having SEND. The most common SEND is dyslexia (321,169) followed by information processing (9,053), dyspraxia (5,459), gross and fine motor skills (3,720) and Asperger’s syndrome (3,597).

Independent schools providing support for pupils with SEND Specialist Provision Schools (SPS) are approved for specific learning difficulties, and associated language difficulties, dyspraxia and ADHA. Category SPS SPS SPS

School Appleford School More House School Northease Manor

Town Salisbury Farnham Lewes

Website www.applefordschool.org www.morehouseschool.com www.northease.co.uk

Dyslexia Specialist Provision Schools (DSP) are established primarily to teach pupils with dyslexia.

Category DSP DSP DSP DSP DSP DSP DSP DSP

School Bruen Abbey School Frewen College Mark College Moon Hall School Moon Hall College Nunnykirk Centre Shapwick School St David’s College

Town Chesterton Rye Highbridge Dorking Dorking Morpeth Bridgwater Llandudno

Website www.bruenabbey.org www.frewencollege.co.uk www.priorygroup www.moonhallschool.co.uk www.moonhallcollege.co.uk www.nunnykirk.co.uk www.shapwickschool.com www.stdavidscollege.co.uk

Some mainstream boarding schools have a designated unit or centre providing specialist tuition.

School Barnardiston Hall Preparatory School Bedstone College Bethany School Bloxham School Bredon School Clifton College Preparatory School Cobham Hall School Ellesmere College Fulneck School Hazlegrove Preparatory School Holmwood House Preparatory School Hordle Walhampton School Kingham Hill School King's School Kingsley School (The Grenville Dyslexia Centre) Kingswood House School Lavant House School Lime House School Mayville High School Millfield School Millfield Preparatory School Moyles Court School Newlands School Ramillies Hall School Sidcot School Slindon College St Bees School Tettenhall College Wycliffe College Preparatory School Wycliffe College

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Town Barnardiston, Suffolk Bucknell, Shropshire Cranbrook, Kent Banbury, Oxfordshire Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire Bristol, Avon Cobham, Kent Ellesmere, Shropshire Leeds, West Yorkshire Yeovil, Somerset Colchester, Essex Lymington, Hampshire Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire Bruton, Somerset Bideford, Devon Epsom, Surrey Chichester, West Sussex Carlisle, Cumbria Southsea, Hampshire Street, Somerset Glastonbury, Somerset Ringwood, Hampshire Seaford, Sussex Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire Winscombe, North Somerset Arundel, Sussex St Bees, Cumbria Wolverhampton, West Midlands Stonehouse, Gloucestershire Stonehouse, Gloucestershire

Website www.barnardiston.com www.bedstone.org www.bethanyschool.org.uk www.bloxhamschool.com www.bredonschool.org www.cliftoncollegeuk.com/prep www.cobhamhall.com www.ellesmere.com www.fulneckschool.co.uk www.hazlegrove.co.uk www.holmwood.essex.sch.uk www.hordlewalhampton.co.uk www.kinghamhill.org.uk www.kingsbruton.com www.kingsleyschoolbideford.co.uk www.kingswoodhouse.org www.lavanthouse.org.uk www.limehouseschool.co.uk www.mayvillehighschool.com www.millfieldschool.com www.millfieldprep.com www.moylescourt.co.uk www.newlands-school.com www.ramillieshall.co.uk www.sidcot.org.uk www.slindoncollege.co.uk www.st-bees-school.org www.tettenhallcollege.co.uk www.wycliffe.co.uk www.wycliffe.co.uk

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

S A E R LA L A 15 â&#x20AC;&#x2122; IN 0 2 T e t N E ra o L t L c e E p XC Ins E s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; l o o D h RATE endent Sc Indep

Inspire, I nspire, ire Chall h llenge Challenge & Le ead d Lead The Royal Hospital School is a leading co-educational independent school for 11 to 18 year olds, located in 200 acres of Suffolk countryside. It has a thriving Combined Cadet Force, 65% of pupils board full time and more than 200 pupils have a connection to the armed services.

Fees are discounted for services families eligible for CEA and all RN and RM personnel, both retired and serving, can apply for means-tested assistance with fees.

F For or mor moree information contact K Kate ate E Evers, vers, R Registrar egistrar on 01473 326136 or admissions@r admissions@royalhospitalschool.org oyalhospitalschool.org or visit www www.royalhospitalschool.org .royalhospitalschool.org

Special educational needs and disabilities Why early intervention matters

Why early intervention matters – Nick Goodman, Principal of Frewen College

visiting boy sits in my office and blurts out, ‘I’m stupid!’ He is 14-years-old and cannot effectively read or write. He explains how he copes at his present school by engaging in disruptive behaviour in the classroom; in this way he spends his time in the corridor without the shame in front of his peers of failing to read from the board or write an essay. For him the goal was survival not success.

Parents want their children to be successful and hold high hopes for their future but a special educational need may be evident from an early age or emerge gradually as the demands of school become greater through reception, pre-prep and in to the junior years. For those whose special needs are underplayed or not recognised at all the fate of my young visitor is too often repeated.

It is imperative that these scenarios of failure are prevented by early intervention.

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What is early intervention?

Early intervention is practice which seeks to minimise the effects of a child’s special needs through support which is additional to or different to that offered to normally developing children and delivered as early as possible. Extensive research shows a child’s development is most rapid during the pre-school years and problems identified here and in the first years of education by parents, GPs, health visitors, specialist paediatricians and early years (EYFS) practitioners can be addressed to greatest effect.

Dyslexia and literacy difficulties cannot be properly identified until the junior years, though the indications may be there, and without intervention, speech and language difficulties, dyscalculia and dyspraxia continue to have an impact on learning at Key Stage 1 and 2. The term ‘early intervention’ can and must be extended in a relative sense to include special provision before the start of secondary education.

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Where a pattern of minimal improvement is repeated year on year in reading and writing skills, speech or motor proficiency, the curriculum can quickly become inaccessible. Does your child struggle to follow the teacher’s instructions through a language difficulty and find it equally hard to express themselves in speech or writing, with word finding difficulties or poor memory? The class work can move on too quickly if processing is slow and auditory memory limited. Organisational problems are common for children with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties.

Lost books, forgotten homework or untidy writing may lead to discipline for supposed laziness or disobedience.

Underperforming is frequently ascribed to lack of effort and the consequence of poor behaviour. Reports which read, ‘Jack must listen more, revise more’ and so on may be indicators of deeper problems. Children with special needs have to expend a great deal of effort to keep up which affects motivation, breeding frustration, boredom and fatigue.

Why is early intervention important?

Early intervention can spare your child from developing poor behaviour and lowered school attendance. Home Office statistics reveal that children with special needs are more likely to suffer school exclusion, and anxiety, and stress and mental health issues are common even among children of junior age. When a younger brother or sister brings home a harder reading book or writes a letter to Grandma with comparative ease the child with special needs can find this unbearably painful and parents have to expend more time and personal resources to support flagging morale.

Action taken early can restore self-confidence that has already been dented. Shortly after her son joined us at Frewen one mum declared, ‘I’ve got my son back.’

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Special educational needs and disabilities Why early intervention matters The gap between potential and performance can be narrowed with appropriate interventions. New parents are often keen to tell me how bright and clever their children are, yet this is not reflected in their school performance. Why is it that they can discuss the plot of Romeo and Juliet with real insight but cannot tell the time on the classroom clock? Early intervention can improve the functional skills of reading and writing but should do much more.

It aims to identify the deficits in the child’s executive functions which regulate the mental processes of planning and organising flexible, strategic, appropriate actions. It will help them to set their own goals, teach the skills to reach them and develop the determination and resilience necessary for life-long achievement. It encourages children to ask, ‘Who am I? What is my unique contribution?’

Having a child with special needs affects the well-being of every member of the family, sapping the energy of parents and isolating siblings. Early intervention can support and restore family life. This was best expressed by one of our parents at a parent consultation evening, ‘Our family life is completely changed – we feel we have won the lottery’. Often as the stress reduces and parents change their attitudes towards their child, family life becomes more manageable. Knowing that their son or daughter is at a school where their special needs are properly understood and addressed, where they feel integrated and on a level with their peers makes a significant difference to parents with demanding jobs. As the special needs are remediated there is more time to spend with the other children and enjoy time together.

By intervening early your child can be given the best opportunity to enhance their future employability and economic independence, increasing their contribution to the wider society.

Past pupils from Frewen College who entered with limited skills and poor self-image now run their own businesses, exhibit at Chelsea, perform in the theatre at Disneyland, Paris, hold university degrees and fly aeroplanes.

What are the key features of an early intervention approach?

Intervention needs to be individually designed, intense, well structured and delivered across the curriculum. Government research has established that specialist teachers make a greater contribution to enhanced performance than the deployment of learning support assistants; the greater proportion of teachers in the school should be qualified in special needs, with some at masters’ level. Enhanced provision makes possible the use of oneon-one support or direct or indirect therapy for the child, with onsite therapists for an integrated, holistic approach. As well as building a positive academic self-concept early intervention fosters the development of strong social skills which provide a platform for later independence. The adoption of technology at a young age can bypass processing weaknesses in cognitive and motor skills, freeing the child to express themselves in writing or film-making, photography or graphic representation. Look for a school which is approved by CReSTeD, a charity providing guidance and assurance to parents about the quality of provision for pupils with specific learning difficulties.

Also very important is the involvement of the child’s parents themselves. Although the ability of families to be involved in their child’s education will vary, frequent communication and collaboration will lead to more educational benefit. How is the child supported to cope with their own personal difficulties and

those caused by separation from their serving families? The wonderful, deep sofa of matron’s room can be an effective intervention when life gets too much. Above all early intervention should lead to happy children.

And what of my downcast visitor? Though at Frewen College we are keen advocates for early intervention, those who arrive later are cared for with the same passion for the individual by staff able to see what each child could be. A confident young man left Frewen with a clutch of examination passes, including an A grade for ICT, and he is now studying music technology at his local FE college. ■

Nick Goodman took over as Principal of Frewen College in 2014, having undertaken a wide range of senior leadership roles including Vice Principal of an international college in Canterbury, Assistant Head and Director of Specialism at a large and highly successful comprehensive school in Kent, and Head of Creative and Performing Arts at Munich International School. His interests include local history, graphic design, and experimental music.

S LINDON LINDON C COLLEGE OLLEGE ““HAPPY H A P P Y PUDDING” PUDDING”

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PECKISH Telephone Davies on 01243 814320 T e l e p h o n e JJenny e nny D a v i e s ((Registrar) R e g i strar) o n 0 1243 8 1 4 3 2 0 tto o arrange a r r a n g e a “taster” “ t a s t er ” o orr ttake a k e a llook o o k at a t our o u r website w e b s i t e on on w w w . s lin don c ollege. c o. u k. S Slindon l i n d o n College, C o l l e g e , Slindon, S l i n d o n , Arundel, Ar u n del, www.slindoncollege.co.uk.

West Email: W e s t Sussex.

S usse x. E m a i l : registrar@slindoncollege.co.uk r egis t r a r @s lin don c ollege. c o. u k SLINDON S L I N D O N COLLEGE C O L L E G E IS I S A CreSTeD C r e S T e D CATEGORY C A T E G O R Y DU D U SCHOOL S CHO O L

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 141

Special educational needs and disabilities ‘Believe. Inspire, Succeed’

‘Believe. Inspire, Succeed’ – David Quick, Headteacher of Slindon College

ere at Slindon College we provide specialist learning support for approximately 100 boys with SEND. The boys are aged between 11 and 18 and include both day pupils and boarders. With a staff-pupil ratio of one to five we provide a carefully structured and tailored education for boys who cannot thrive in a mainstream environment. Pupils require learning support in a variety of areas including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and dyspraxia but by far the majority of our pupils are diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD).

However, we do not take severely autistic children or those officially designated as having emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD).

Our approach is specific to each pupil and includes regular individual education plans (IEPs) and continual assessments in both academic and social contexts. The aim is to provide the pupil with strategies to compensate for the constraints that their condition imposes on them, promoting their positive abilities in a lifeskills context at the same time as maximising their academic potential. In line with this individual approach, the academic pathway is not set in stone but is tailored to the needs and potential achievement of each boy. Hence our school motto: ‘Believe. Inspire, Succeed’.

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ASD ASD can present with a wide range of symptoms, which are often grouped into two main categories: ● problems with social interaction and communication – including problems understanding and being aware of other people's emotions and feelings; it can also include delayed language development and an inability to start

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conversations or take part in them properly. restricted and repetitive patterns of thought, interests and physical behaviours – including making repetitive physical movements, such as hand tapping, and becoming upset if these set routines are disrupted.

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ADHD The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be categorised into two sets of behavioural problems: ● inattentiveness ● hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

Most pupils with ADHD have problems that fall into both these categories, but this is not always the case. For example, some pupils with the condition may have problems with inattentiveness, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness. This form of ADHD is also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD), and it can sometimes go unnoticed because the symptoms may be less obvious.

Dyslexia Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly affects the way pupils read and spell words. Dyslexia is a spectrum disorder, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

Pupils with dyslexia have particular difficulty with: ● phonological awareness ● verbal memory ● rapid serial naming ● verbal processing speed.

Dyspraxia Pupils with dyspraxia may have problems with movement and co-ordination including difficulties: ● with playground activities such as

●

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hopping, jumping, running, and catching or kicking a ball – they often avoid joining in because of their lack of co-ordination and may find PE (physical education) difficult walking up and down stairs writing, drawing and using scissors – their handwriting and drawings may appear scribbled and more childish than other children their age getting dressed, doing up buttons and tying shoelaces keeping still – they may swing or move their arms and legs a lot and find it hard to sit still.

Individual programmes of support Pupils with SEND need individual programmes of support provided by a multidisciplinary team. These programmes enable pupils to thrive and have a positive learning experience. At Slindon, programmes include the following.

SEAL The Social Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme at Slindon College provides vital support to enable pupils to develop social and emotional skills within a safe, structured and progressive framework curriculum. The aim is to help them in the following areas: ● self-awareness ● managing their feelings ● motivation ● empathy ● social skills.

The programme builds self-esteem, confidence and motivation, all vital if barriers to learning are to be removed. This work may be on a one-to-one basis or in small groups.

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Special educational needs and disabilities ‘Believe. Inspire, Succeed’

Speech and language therapy Speech and language therapists work with pupils with a range of communication difficulties. Children are assessed both formally and informally.

These assessments include attention and listening skills, social interaction, understanding receptive language skills, expressive language skills, speech sounds, fluency and voice. Once these assessments have been undertaken, the results are analysed and a therapy programme is established. Therapy is carried out during one-to-one sessions, paired sessions, small group work and at a functional level by supporting the pupil in class to monitor generalisation of skills.

Wave 3 literacy and numeracy Staff work with children with specific learning difficulties to assess, plan and deliver appropriate programmes to support pupils on a one-to-one basis.

This may include phonological training, alphabet work, reading, writing, spelling

and numeracy, and using the teaching reading through spelling (TRTS) strategy. A multisensory and holistic approach is used across the curriculum.

Pupils are supported in developing metacognitive executive function skills, poor memory functioning skills, organisational skills and concentration.

Occupational therapy (OT) Occupational therapists take a holistic approach, working with pupils who have co-ordination, sensory, organisational and behavioural issues. Assessments establish how their needs can be best met and intervention usually takes the form of one-to-one sessions in our new wellequipped sensory/OT room. For example, purposeful activities challenge the boys to: ● strengthen their core muscles to gain better balance for PE ● practise fluent movements with their hands to have legible handwriting for examinations ● create a ‘sensory diet’ of activities that help them to stay focused in class. ■

F R E W E N

David Quick started his career in finance but then went on to qualify as a teacher in 1990 from Swansea University. He has worked in a number of secondary schools both in the UK and overseas. His last two posts were Assistant Headteacher at Windsor School (an MOD Boarding School in Germany) and Vice Principal (Student Support) across the federated schools of St John’s and King Richard School in Cyprus. He has been a member of the BECTa Science working group and an Assistant Examiner in GCSE Physics and A level Chemistry for OCR. He has set up and run the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and has also been a rugby coach.

He enjoys cooking, orienteering, skiing and travelling.

David is married to Michaela and they have three children.

C O L L E G E

N O R T H I A M ,

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The Dyslexia Specialists - since1910

P R E P S C H O O L

S E N I O R S C H O O L

S I X T H F O R M

CEAS Approved - NO FEES TO PAY above SEN Allowance Rye Road, Northiam, East Sussex TN31 6NL - Tel 01797 252494 - Registered Charity No 307019

www.frewencollege.co.uk

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 143

Special educational needs and disabilities My child has dyslexia. How do I find the right school?

My child has dyslexia. How do I find the right school?

– Brendan Wignall, Headmaster of Ellesmere College and Chair of CReSTed he Council for Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD) is a charity set up to provide guidance and assurance to parents who are seeking a school for their child with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) – of these the main difficulty is dyslexia. CReSTeD works with support from the British Dyslexia Association and Dyslexia Action, and is the key reference point and a symbol of quality when seeking a school with SpLD provision.

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ROUTE 1 I AM NOT SURE IF MY CHILD HAS DYSLEXIA (SpLD) OR MAY HAVE SOME OTHER SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEED. WHAT SHOULD I DO? Approach your child’s teacher. This may lead to School Action or Action Plus, which are programmes within the school to help.

If this is not enough, then you may decide with the school SENCo (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) to apply for an assessment by an educational psychologist.

Phone the Services’ Special Needs and Disability Advisor on 0207 463 9234, who will talk you through the whole process.

ROUTE 2 I KNOW MY CHILD HAS DYSLEXIA (SpLD). I NEED TO FIND AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL THAT IS SUITABLE FOR HIS OR HER LEVEL OF NEED. The MoD accepts CReSTeD registration as a guide for designating schools as Specialist Provision (SP) or Dyslexia Unit (DU) for the purposes of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA). It is this registration that may enable parents to claim the Continuity of Education Allowance, Special Educational Needs Addition (Specialist Provision) (CEA SENA (SP)). Parents should contact CEAS on 01980 618244 for further advice about claiming CEA SENA. CReSTeD acts as a source of school names that parents can use as their first step towards making a placement decision, which will be critical to their child’s educational future and is a valuable resource for parents, educational advisers and schools.

The CReSTeD Register covers all levels of provision for Dyslexic (SpLD) pupils. Although there are several lists of schools offering such provision, only CReSTeD actually visits schools to ensure they meet the basic criteria set by the Council. Schools are subsequently revisited every three years to ensure the criteria are maintained. It is this ongoing review of provision which provides the MoD with the assurance they require to include a school on their list of establishments that may attract CEA SENA (SP) for eligible children.

The main activity of CReSTeD is to produce this Register of schools that provide for SpLD pupils, and provide this Register free of charge to parents.

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Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Special educational needs and disabilities My child has dyslexia. How do I find the right school?

Which school should I choose?

The levels of provision at schools are divided into six broad categories, labelled Dyslexia Specialist Provision, Specialist Provision, Dyslexia Unit, Withdrawal System and Maintained Sector. These categories are not a hierarchical grading of the quality of provision â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they are there because children have different needs, and the categories go some way towards matching the level of the pupilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs to the level of provision at the school. An educational psychologistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s report should offer guidance as to the level of provision relevant to the child.

As an example, a child at the severe end of the dyslexia spectrum will probably require a Category SPS school, whereas a child with, say, only some lag in spelling skills may be suitably provided for in a school from Category WS. The categories enable CReSTeD to offer this guidance.

The Register includes a checklist to help parents decide if a school can meet their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special educational needs, and a geographical index of schools.

The CReSTeD Register is published annually and is available direct from the CReSTeD Administrator. It may also be obtained from the British Dyslexia Association and Dyslexia Action. Full information is also published on the website: www.crested.org.uk CReSTeD was founded to help parents. It has had and will continue to have influence on the standards of provision for SpLD pupils.

Further information For more information about CReSTeD or for a copy of the Register: Email: admin@crested.org.uk Website: www.crested.org.uk â&#x2013;

The categories Dyslexia Specialist Provision Schools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DSP The school is established primarily to teach pupils with dyslexia. The curriculum and timetable are designed to meet specific needs in a holistic, coordinated manner, with a significant number of teaching staff holding nationally recognised qualifications in teaching dyslexic pupils.

Specialist Provision Schools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SPS The school is established to teach pupils with dyslexia (SpLD) and other associated difficulties. The curriculum and timetable are designed to meet specific needs in a holistic, coordinated manner, with a significant number of teaching staff holding nationally recognised qualifications in teaching dyslexic pupils.

Dyslexia Unit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DU The school has a designated unit or centre that provides specialist tuition on a small-group or individual basis, according to need. The unit or centre is an adequately resourced teaching area under the management of a senior specialist teacher, who coordinates the work of other specialist teachers and ensures ongoing liaison with all mainstream teachers. This senior dyslexia teacher will probably have Head of Department status, will hold nationally recognised qualifications in teaching dyslexic pupils, and will certainly have significant input into the general school curriculum design and delivery.

Withdrawal System â&#x20AC;&#x201C; WS Schools where dyslexic (SpLD) pupils are withdrawn from appropriately selected lessons for specialist tuition from a teacher with a nationally recognised qualification in teaching dyslexic pupils.

There is ongoing communication between mainstream and specialist teachers.

Maintained Sector â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MS Maintained schools where the school supports dyslexic (SpLD) pupils to access the curriculum; where there is an effective system of identifying dyslexic (SpLD) pupils; where there is a withdrawal system for individualised literacy support. There is positive ongoing communication between mainstream and special needs staff and the senior management team. This is a new category because lots of maintained â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; schools want our validation to prove their support for dyslexics.

Brendan Wignall has been Headmaster of Ellesmere College since 1996 and is currently Chair of CReSTeD. After teaching English at Oakham and Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, he became Head of English and Registrar of Denstone College. His main interests are his family, Ellesmere, Liverpool FC, gardening and culture in the broadest sense (excluding only country music!).

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September 2015 Service Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Guide to Boarding Schools 145

Sixth form choices After GCSEs – what next?

After GCSEs – what next?

– Richard Cairns, Head Master of Brighton College a set of poor results, a set of good results in less academic ‘soft’ subjects and a set of good results in traditional academic subjects.

First of all, the poor results. Bluntly, doors to most good universities are slammed shut unless a student is prepared to have another stab at their GCSE exams. So students should consider re-sitting their subjects if they genuinely have university aspirations and also possess the intellectual potential to make a success of a degree course. Do be aware, however, that universities and employers will know that a student sat their GCSEs twice, so they need to have a plausible explanation ready.

Furthermore, students should not waste their time re-sitting GCSEs that universities hold in low regard. They should use the time to perform better in the core subjects that universities really want to see. And if a student really doesn’t want to repeat their GCSEs, they must face up to the fact that further study is not for them. They can use that time instead to consider vocational courses or an apprenticeship. This country needs skilled workers as much as it needs university graduates and we all know people who have made a great success of their lives without a degree.

Good results in the wrong subjects?

fter a summer of nervous anticipation, the GCSE results finally came out in mid-August and every 16 year old started asking – what happens now? Should I retake any of my GCSEs? Should I carry on into the sixth form and study for A levels? If so, what A levels should I be doing? Should I opt to study those subjects in which I achieved my best GCSE grades?

And what other factors should I take into account when choosing my A-level subjects?

Most students and their parents will already have considered these questions and made their choices. But GCSE results offer an important opportunity to reflect on earlier decisions in the light of the grades actually received.

The first place to start is with the results

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themselves. GCSE grades really do matter because, unlike most other countries, university offers are made before students have actually completed their final qualifying exams – their A levels. This means that university admissions departments place enormous importance on GCSE grades and leading universities will be looking for a significant number of A* and A grades.

Universities will also be looking very closely at the particular subjects taken.

GCSEs are not regarded as of equal value.

Mathematics, English, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography and a language are rated much more highly than Business Studies, Media Studies or Sociology.

Let us consider three possible scenarios:

What about the second scenario: good results but in the wrong subjects? An array of GCSEs in Ceramics, Citizenship and Communication Studies will sadly close almost as many doors as a set of poor results in a string of academic subjects. The initial ill-advised set of choices is often through no fault of the student concerned who may well have been advised to embark on softer options at GCSE to help the school’s league table position. This is a particular problem in certain parts of the state sector where pupils are seven times more likely to take media studies than independently educated children and half as likely to take a modern language.

The focus in these schools is also overwhelmingly on students on the C/D borderline such that the gifted and talented are not stretched and challenged, ending up with B grades rather than the A* and A grades of which they are capable and which top universities demand. This is why only 21% of GCSE grades in the state sector last year were at A*/A. Compare that with 87%

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Sixth form choices After GCSEs – what next?

History – History and a further essay writing subject or a language ● Languages – the relevant language ● Law – at least one essay writing subject ● Maths – Maths and Further Maths ● Medicine – Biology, Chemistry and Maths or Physics ● Physical Sciences – Maths, Physics and Chemistry ● Veterinary Science – Biology and Chemistry And if you are still undecided about your degree or career aspirations, the following subjects would be good subjects to take at A level, in order to keep your options open: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English Literature, History, Languages (Ancient or Modern), Mathematics (and Further Maths), Physics.

The message is clear. Amidst the postGCSE euphoria, it is wise for every prospective sixth former to pause just for a moment to check that the A-level courses upon which they are about to embark will genuinely enthuse them and, in the fullness time, ensure that they are well placed to apply for the course of their choice at the university of their choice. I promise them that it will be time well spent. ■ ●

at my own school, Brighton College.

And what about the sunnier third scenario? What should students with a clutch of A*, A and B grades at GCSEs do next?

How should they go about choosing the right A levels for them?

Here I have three pieces of advice for students.

Firstly, choose subjects you are passionate about. You will be devoting an enormous amount of time to the four subjects you study and it is essential that you enjoy them and want to discover more about them. And don’t simply opt for the subjects you did best at in GCSE. If you got an A grade in GCSE Physics but actually have no enthusiasm for it, don’t do it for A level.

Secondly, choose subjects that universities genuinely respect. Cambridge University has historically been very helpful in this area, providing a list of A-level subjects which ‘provide less effective preparation for our courses’. Their advice is that candidates should certainly do no more than one of the following subjects to A level: ● Accounting ● ICT ● Art and Design ● Leisure Studies ● Business Studies ● Media Studies ● Communication Studies ● Music Technology ● Dance ● Performance Studies

Design Technology Performing Arts ● Drama/Theatre Studies ● Photography ● Film Studies ● Physical Education ● Health and Social Care ● Sports Studies ● Home Economics ● Travel and Tourism Other leading universities would concur and emphasise in their prospectuses the value of studying subjects like Mathematics, Physics, History and English. Sadly, many young people in poorer areas are not even offered the opportunity to study these subjects.

Statistics from 2007 show that 247 comprehensive schools did not enter any pupils for A level Physics, 187 did not enter any pupils for Chemistry and 96 schools did not enter any for Mathematics.

Thirdly, choose subjects that are of direct relevance to the actual course you wish to study and the career upon which you will wish to embark. These are the most relevant A-level choices for a number of popular degrees: ● Biological Sciences – Biology and/or Chemistry; Maths preferred ● Dentistry – Biology and Chemistry ● Economics – Maths; Economics preferred ● Engineering – Maths and Physics; Further Maths preferred ● English – English and a further essay writing subject ● ●

Richard Cairns is Head Master of Brighton College. He graduated from Oxford University with a First in History and worked as a trainee solicitor in Sydney, Australia, and as a volunteer teacher in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. He then taught at The Oratory School, Stewart’s Melville College in Edinburgh, and Magdalen College School, Oxford, where he was Usher (Deputy Head). In 2005 he became Head Master of Brighton College. In 2008, he was named one of the 1,000 most influential people in England by the Evening Standard and in 2009, he joined Debrett’s list of People of Today 2010. In 2012, he was named England’s Public School Headmaster of the Year by Tatler. In 2013 Brighton College was named UK Independent School of the Year at the Independent Schools Awards.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 147

Sixth form choices Key post-16 curriculum choices

Key post-16 curriculum choices – Simon Smith, Deputy Head (Academic) of Haileybury

uch has been written about the relative virtues of the different post16 qualifications. Now with the start of a phased reform of A levels, it is certainly worth revisiting the issue of the differing Sixth Form curricula especially now that the General Election outcome has made the future look more certain. The programme of reform will, however, take three years to take effect. A number of subjects such as History and English will start with first teaching in September 2015 but others such as Mathematics will not be until September 2017.

A levels remain the most popular, recognised and arguably respected of all post-16 qualifications and if, as promised, the reforms bring about greater challenge and depth of study, they will be even better and remain a qualification welcomed by universities, colleges and employers. The new A levels are returning to something more akin to those seen before 2000; linear with all exams taken in the Upper Sixth and the end of the old AS exams at the end of the Lower Sixth. The removal of compulsory exams in the Lower Sixth provides more time for learning and less time needed for exam drilling. Some schools may continue to offer the new AS

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examinations in subjects but they are separate from the final A level achieved 12 months later.

New A levels will be less bite size and offer more time for studying a subject in real detail. Some schools will return to their pupils studying just three subjects over two years. Others will continue with the four to three model after one year of study. The A* grade has already brought about an opportunity for academic ambition and differentiation.

The A level option offers the chance to really specialise with subject choices. For those wishing to study Engineering at university or college, for example, Mathematics and three sciences would provide a good foundation. Many schools are also looking at ways to enrich the A level offer further; a pupil might study, for example, three A levels and take an inhouse course in Creative Writing or Ethics.

Further enrichment Cambridge's Pre-U is another linear, rigorous alternative to A level offered in some schools providing an unashamed academic preparation for university, one which the new A level largely models. Even more encouraging is the opportunity for

further enrichment through the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) for example.

At Haileybury all A level pupils have the opportunity to study the IB Theory of Knowledge course or write an Extended Essay – a 4,000-word research paper on a subject and topic of the student’s choice; I call this A level +. A quality education is one that also fuses the curricular and the co-curricular together. For example, resilience in Latin Prep can be learned through violin practice; discipline and organisation nurtured in the Combined Cadet Force can improve self-study skills; while Physics might be better understood through application in cricket.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma The fact that we are about to start another round of A level reforms (the third in the last 14 years and to be introduced subject by subject over the next three years) highlights the strength of an alternative post-16 qualification – the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Since the Diploma's inception over 40 years ago the IB has not deviated from its basic principles of global acceptance, transferability and breadth across six key

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Sixth form choices Key post-16 curriculum choices subject areas: English, a second language, a humanity, a science, mathematics and then either a creative subject or an elective to specialise. Pupils must also focus on research and critical thinking, through the 4,000-word Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge courses, and have an appreciation of a healthy balanced lifestyle through the Creative Action and Service (CAS) programme. The IB also espouses ten qualities or virtues which must be explicitly taught through the programme – these include being Caring, Principled and Open-Minded.

The Diploma has also remained largely immune from grade inflation with a consistent global average of 29 points (out of a possible 45) – the UK schools average is around 33 points, Haileybury’s average is typically closer to 37 points. Even when there is subject reform it is part of a carefully scheduled programme and involves teachers rather than politicians – one of our Housemasters is currently part of the History curriculum reform group redesigning the course for 2021. Reform is, therefore, bottom up as part of a six-year cycle rather than top down upon the whim of the in-post Government or Secretary of State for Education.

Much is made of the opportunity for breadth in the Diploma and how it suits the all-rounder. One must be careful here.

Certainly the opportunity to continue with the study of a larger number of subjects is a strength and through the Higher and Standard Level combinations (three of each) students can still specialise. Higher

Level Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry can prepare a pupil for the most demanding Undergraduate Science Degrees in the same way that Higher Level English, History and Philosophy could prepare one for a Humanities based Degree. Higher Level Mathematics is regarded as more challenging than A level Further Mathematics and when one adds in the Extended Essay, it is easy to understand why universities are keen to offer places to Diploma applicants.

It has been argued that the IB Diploma is not for everyone and the compulsory Mathematics course or the requirement to take a second language prevents access for all. However, the Maths Studies option or the ab initio (beginner) language courses mean pupils are only challenged to a GCSE+ level and, more importantly perhaps, have the opportunity to develop and improve their confidence in subjects which otherwise might be abandoned at 16 with later regret. The IB Diploma is therefore just as much a preparation for university study in terms of its academic rigour as it is a philosophy of education for life beyond secondary and tertiary education.

For those seeking an alternative to traditional schooling the IB also offers a more vocational option – the IB Careers Related Certificate which combines academic study (at least two IB Diploma subjects) with career preparation training and more vocational qualifications such as BTECs e.g. a Level 3 BTEC in business or art.

BTECs BTECs, another post-16 curriculum option, have fewer formal examinations but instead continuously assess the pupils as they develop skills and knowledge in practical, real life situations such as Sports Science, Construction or Engineering. Such courses offer much more hands on, possibly outdoor, learning opportunities and proactively support future employment through apprenticeships or otherwise but without restricting Higher Education entry.

I conclude by making a point I have made many times when talking to current or prospective parents. The very best schools offer students the chance to flourish, embrace opportunity and challenge while nurturing sporting or cultural interest. Choice is excellent (over the next few years schools will increasingly offer a mixed diet of post-16 qualification), it is what we are used to in modern society, qualifications are important too, but ultimately inspirational teaching, experiences and positive relationships make far more of a difference than the type of certificate one leaves school with. ■

Simon Smith is Deputy Head (Academic) at Haileybury. After graduating from York with a BA (Hons) in History and Economics, he completed his PGCE, also at York, before teaching History at Hurstpierpoint College. He then moved to Worth School where he was Head of History, IB Diploma Coordinator and finally as Director of Academic Administration sat on the school's Senior Leadership Team during which time the school moved from all boys to fully co-educational.

In 2010 he moved to Haileybury, an 11–18 years boarding and day school in Hertfordshire. As well as managing the College's provision of teaching and learning, Simon is a Tutor in Bartle Frere Boarding House and is working on his NPQH Headship qualification.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 149

Sixth form choices Sixth form programmes: the choice

Sixth form programmes: the choice tudents entering the sixth form have a range of options to consider. Some schools may be able to offer a choice between two programmes, usually between A level and IB Diploma or A level and Pre-U. However, most schools have to commit themselves to one of those summarised below.

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A level (AS and A2)

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

Cambridge Pre-U

AQA Baccalaureate

Who is it for?

16 to 19 year olds

16 to 19 year olds

16 to 19 year olds

16 to 19 year olds

What can you study?

From September 2015 most students will study three or four A levels.

Six subjects (three at Higher Level and three at Standard Level). All students must study literature, a foreign language, a humanities subject, a natural science and mathematics.

Free choice of three separate and distinct principal academic subjects from a list of 25.

Three A level subjects in any academic discipline.

How does it work?

A new two-year linear A level will be introduced for some subjects for first teaching in September 2015. Students can take a freestanding AS level but it will no longer form part of the A level. The A level will be assessed after two years of study.

The move to linearity is being phased in from 2015 to 2017 when all subjects will become linear.

Over two years, in addition to their six subjects, students complete a 4,000-word Extended Essay and a Theory of Knowledge course, and participate in the Creativity, activity, service (CAS) programme. All exams are taken at the end of the second year of study; there are no modules.

Conceived as a holistic integral programme bound by a clear philosophy.

Besides their three subjects studied over two years, students also complete an Independent Research Report and a Global Perspectives Portfolio. Exams are taken at the end of the second year of study; there are no modules.

In addition to their three A levels, students complete an Extended Project Qualification that aims to make them responsible for their own learning; achieve breadth through an AS level in Critical Thinking, Citizenship, General Studies, Science in society or World development; and undertake enrichment activities outside the curriculum such as the Duke of Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award

What is it worth?

The A* grade is worth 140 UCAS points; A = 120; B = 100; C = 80 AS level: A = 60; B = 50; C = 40

The top score of 45 IB points is worth 720 UCAS points. A top grade (7) in a Higher Level subject is worth 130; a Standard Level grade 7 is worth 70. The minimum score required for the Diploma is 24 points

The top grade, Distinction 1, marks achievement above A level A* grade; Distinction 2 (145 points) is aligned to A* at A level, and Distinction 3 (130) to A grade

Maximum 550 points for three A* A levels, grade A* Extended Project (70 points) and the AS level at grade A (60)

Where can you study it?

Schools and FE colleges.

138 schools and colleges in the UK offer the IB Diploma.

Most interest has come from a small number of highly selective independent schools.

UK schools which believe that A levels are not, in themselves, sufficient preparation for university.

Comment

Still the best-known sixth form qualification in the UK, and taken by the largest number of students as their means of entry into higher education. Some schools will offer the Extended Project Qualification in addition to A levels.

Internationally recognised and valued. Heavier class-based workload than A levels and more independent learning. The percentage of candidates achieving the different grades has remained constant over the years.

Designed specifically to provide universities with a means of differentiation from A level A grade students by offering a more rigorous and stretching academic programme assessed on a series of higher grades.

AQA Baccalaureate is derived in large part from the spirit of the IB Diploma Programme: depth, some breadth, thinking and research skills, and extracurricular experience.

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Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Paying the fees Entitlement to CEA – the Bursar’s view

Entitlement to CEA – the Bursar’s view – Bob Moorhouse, Bursar of Wymondham College he recent review into the entitlement to the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) carried out by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been a worrying time for many families who claim CEA. I am sure that I am not the only Bursar of a boarding school to have had calls from distraught parents saying that they have just heard that the MoD has removed – or is about to remove – their entitlement to claim CEA and what can the school do to help them put forward an appeal to retain it.

I have been involved in several cases where I have provided supporting information to parents to help in the case they submit to the MoD to retain CEA eligibility and to keep their children at their chosen school. In all but one of these cases the children have been at a crucial stage of their education (i.e. already on GCSE or A level courses) and the news that they can no longer retain the allowance has been extremely distressing for the parents and children alike.

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Retaining CEA eligibility So what can be done in such circumstances? In my experience, there are three important areas to consider.

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Parents must engage with their unit admin office. Any case they put forward will be input from their unit specialists if it is to stand a chance of success. They will be also able to access the Service support networks and organisations such as CEAS (Children’s Education Advisory Service, enquiries@ceas.uk.com). The unit will be able to provide the military perspective to any case they put forward i.e. future postings, detachments, welfare issues. For information on CEAS and CEA rates go to page 10 of this Guide.

The school must provide evidence on the education aspects of the case. This must include information such as the stage of the pupil’s education, whether or not they have started their GCSEs/A Levels, and so on. As I noted above, the majority of cases that I have been involved with have been when a child is in the final formal stages of their education. The impact on the child’s education at this stage cannot be understated especially when they are already several terms into their courses and a change to another school would be clearly detrimental to them.

There are any number of practical challenges to be overcome if a school change is to take place midway through an examination course. Not the least of these is exam board compatibility – parents will have to find a school that not only delivers the same subjects that the child has previously studied but also with same exam board.

Moreover, if the child has to move to a state day school, parents may well find that the school has no room to admit their child or they will have to go through the admissions appeal process. From the date of submission of an admission appeal, a school has 30 school days in which to hear that appeal. If notice has been given to a parent that they will lose eligibility for CEA towards the end of the Summer term, for example, the parent may face a summer of uncertainty not knowing where their child will be educated from the beginning of the Autumn term, as the admission appeal may not be heard until September. And if the appeal is unsuccessful, the family may face more uncertainty while the Local Authority tries to find a place for the child at another school. And whether the school that is ultimately identified is suitable for the child is yet another thing.

Parents do need to be realistic about the situation. Parents will clearly want to keep their child in boarding at the present school if they can, but at the same time as submitting an appeal to the MoD to retain CEA, they should also make provision in case they lose that appeal. The one case that I have helped with that was not successful was, I thought, one of the stronger cases that I had seen.

However, for a variety of reasons, the appeal to retain CEA was unsuccessful. In the meantime, the parents had made provision for their child’s education should they lose the appeal and although moving to another school was not at all what they wanted, when they received the news they had not won their appeal, their child was able to move to the new school relatively seamlessly. They had made the best of the bad situation the family had found itself in.

The present climate of uncertainty about CEA is unsettling for Service families (especially their children) and for schools. But making the right representations in the right way to the right people can make a difference. ■ 3

Bob Moorhouse is the Bursar and Clerk to the Governors at Wymondham College, a large state-boarding school in Norfolk.

Before joining the College in 2007, he served as an officer in the Royal Air Force between 1990 and 2007 at a variety of postings both in the UK and overseas. An administrative officer by specialisation, his background in the Royal Air Force included tours in estate management, personnel policy, budget and financial management, management planning and corporate communications.

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 151

Paying the fees Paying the fees: a major financial commitment

Paying the fees: a major financial commitment – Mike Lower, General Secretary, Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) aying school fees is a major financial commitment for parents and is not to be undertaken lightly. Apart from a mortgage it is probably the largest expenditure parents can make. The opportunity to spread the payment load is limited as most schools require settlement of the previous term's fees before allowing a pupil to return for the next term. Consequently, new cars and holidays often have to take a back seat and both parents may need to work to cover even the basic fee. Independent education is therefore, by any standards, a large financial commitment.

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College. Alternatively, there are some state boarding schools where fees (or part of them) are covered by the government, including Cranbrook, Gordons and Sexeys There are a number of charities that will help families in need.

Some are specific to certain professions and others are more widely available. Full details of financial help provided can be found via the Educational Trusts Forum at the Independent Schools Council (ISC). For more information go to www.educational-grants.org/

The school Terms and conditions All schools will send prospective parents a copy of the school’s Terms and Conditions and ask them to sign an Acceptance Form agreeing to them. This is in effect a contract between the parent and the school in which certain arrangements are set out – one of which covers the payment of fees. School fees are normally due for payment on the first day of term. However, most schools offer the opportunity for staged payments of the annual fees over 10 or 12 months either arranged by the school or through a third party broker.

How a family pays the fees will, no doubt, have been the subject of a considerable amount of planning and preparation. In addition to family funds, there are two key sources of finance: ● government and charities ● the school.

Government and charities The government plays its part in two ways. First, for military families, there is an already well-established system whereby the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) may be claimed for qualifying individuals. Second, there are schools founded by the Military – the Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, The Duke of York’s Royal Military School, Dover (now an Academy), the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, and Welbeck, the Defence Sixth Form

Key advice ● ●

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Start planning early – it is a major financial commitment.

Talk with the school about what exactly the financial commitment will be, including ‘extras’. It is also worth discovering whether staged payment schemes are available and how to access both scholarship and bursary funding.

Be aware that each school has different funds available to assist parents and that if one school cannot help, another school might be able to. However, don’t forget that the most important thing is to find the right school for your child rather than the one offering the best discount.

Don’t be shy – schools need pupils, and Heads and Bursars will always be happy to talk with prospective parents, not only about the academic and pastoral aspects of their school but the financial ones as well.

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When a parent applies to send a child to an independent school, there will usually be a selection procedure. While filling in the application form, there will also be a page asking whether parents are seeking assistance in paying the fees. After the selection process is complete, the school may offer the family a place for their child with a discount on the normal fees. This can be: ● A scholarship – many schools may offer a scholarship to a particularly talented child for a period of education – perhaps the two-year GCSE or A-level study period. Such scholarships could involve a percentage reduction in the fees, but this is unlikely to exceed 20% of the full fees and is often less. ● A bursary – it is possible that a school would like to offer a place to the child and, noting the previously completed request for financial assistance, may then ask the parents to fill in a means-testing form and, based on this, offer a percentage reduction in the fees. In particularly deserving cases, this could be as much as a 100% reduction.

Once a child is established and settled in a school, if the family circumstances change and the expected income is no longer there, it is important for the family to talk with the school. Many schools have hardship funds and these may be able to help a family keep a child at the school at least to the end of an academic year and perhaps to the end of a stage in education. ■

Mike Lower was educated at Dauntsey’s School and the Royal Military College of Science. He also attended the Australian command and staff course in 1986. After 26 years in R EME, he left the Army early to pursue a second career as the Bursar of Eastbourne College. Following a move to Christ’s Hospital School in 2007 he assumed the appointment of General Secretary of the Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) in 2011. He is married to Sonia, and has three adult children. His interests are tennis, squash and ‘fair weather’ golf.

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Paying the fees Schools offering special awards for children of personnel serving in the Armed Forces

Schools offering special awards for children of personnel serving in the Armed Forces Armed Forces awards Looking specifically at grants and awards for children of those in the Armed Forces the ISBI website (http://www.isbi.com/) lists some 200 schools. The following list has been specifically researched from the Independent Schools’ Yearbook and from schools who advertise their grants and awards in this Guide or in the Directory of UK Boarding Schools found at http://www.army.mod.uk/welfaresupport/education/default.aspx.

For full information, contact the schools direct, particularly for information on their definition of ‘generous’, and how discounts and percentages are applied to fees – there is no common interpretation. The list in alphabetical order is as follows.

Abberley Hall – Service bursaries available Abbotsholme School – HM Forces bursaries available Adcote School, Shropshire – bursaries are available for children from Armed Services’ families Appleford School – MoD pays SENA Ashford School – Discounts are offered from the boarding fees of children of forces personnel.

Ashville College – Armed Forces’ boarding allowance Aysgarth School – Armed Forces’ discounts Badminton School, Bristol – 20% discounts for children of Service personnel Barnard Castle – Service bursaries awarded Bearwood College – a special fees package is available for HM Forces Beeston Hall School – Offers very generous financial awards to Armed Services families.

Scholarships and bursaries also offered.

Bedford School – groundbreaking means-tested Access Award & Scholarship system offered in recognition of academic, music or sporting potential to talented boys, irrespective of background Bedstone College – Forces’ discounts available

Bethany School – members of HM Forces receive a 10% discount on the published fees

Casterton School – offers very generous financial awards for Armed Services families

Bishop's Stortford College (and Prep School) – Financial support is available to children of serving members of the Armed Forces

Caterham School – bursaries for the sons and daughters of Armed Forces personnel

Bloxham School – generous support is offered to children of Armed Forces’ parents Blundell’s School – awards available to the sons and daughters of serving members of the Armed Forces Box Hill School – will offer 20% discounts to sons and daughters of Armed Forces personnel.

When used in conjunction with the CEA, the member of the Armed Forces will only have to pay the 10% contribution on the discounted fee Brambletye School – offers generous discounts of 15% for children of those in the Armed Services.

Bredon School offers a 10% discount on fees for service families.

Brighton College (and Junior School) – one or two Memorial Scholarships for children of regular Army officers (serving or retired) Bromsgrove School and Preparatory School – generous Armed Forces’ bursaries are available, 20% discount from Years 9–13 Bruton School for Girls – 10% discount to full boarders with a parent serving in HM Forces Buckswood School – East Sussex International school offering boarding and day pupil placements. Service bursaries available for all Armed Forces families Scholarship opportunities based on individual child Ages 1118years Cambridge Arts & Science – HM Forces’ families receive a 10% discount on parental contribution to fees Canford School – Two scholarships at 13+, each worth not less than 20% of the fees, to be awarded to the highest placed academic and nonacademic award winners who are children of serving members of the British Armed Forces.

Chafyn Grove School – a 10% discount for all new day children of Armed Forces parents Cheltenham College – generous Forces' discounts available Chilton Cantelo School – Nursery to Sixth Form, boarding from Year 3, discounts for Forces families.

Christ’s College Brecon – 10% bursaries are available for sons and daughters of personnel serving in the Armed Forces Clayesmore School – generous Forces’ Bursaries. A full range of academic, music, sports, all-rounder and sixth form scholarships available Clifton College – the Birdwood Award for sons and daughters of serving members of HM Forces is awarded on the results of the entrance scholarship exam; 20% discounts for Service families Cobham Hall – 20% fee discount for Service families Cranleigh School – additional consideration may be given to sons or daughters of members of the Armed Forces Culford School – a Forces’ allowance is available to parents who are serving members of the Armed Forces Dean Close School (and Prep School) – scholarships and bursaries for the children of those serving in HM Forces Denstone College – bursaries available for the sons and daughters of Armed Forces Dover College – Service bursaries are automatically awarded; members of HM Armed Forces who are eligible for the CEA allowance pay a parental contribution of 10% of the full boarding fee

Cargilfield School, Edinburgh – fee concessions for children of members of the Armed Forces

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 153

Paying the fees Schools offering special awards for children of personnel serving in the Armed Forces Duke of Kent School, Ewhurst – special discounts are available for Armed Service boarders to supplement the CEA Durham School – special bursaries are available for the children of Service families, on top of the CEA(Board) allowance Eastbourne College – 10% off boarding for Service children Farleigh School – 15% discount for full or weekly boarders of Service families Farlington School – This discount is designed to attract members of the regular Armed Forces of the United Kingdom who may be eligible for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA). This discount does not apply to members of the reserve Armed Forces, even if actively serving. A discount of 10% of the tuition fee (but not boarding fees) is offered. This award is discontinued for the term following the last date that an individual is an active member of the regular Armed Forces. In appropriate circumstances, a pupil may also qualify for a bursary or scholarship.

Godstowe Preparatory School – offers a 10% remission to Armed Forces’ families

Kent College Pembury – offers 20% discount on fees for Armed Forces’ personnel

Gordonstoun School – bursaries available for children of serving Armed Forces’ families

King Edward’s School Witley – 10% discounts for the sons and daughters of Armed Forces personnel

Gosfield School – Service bursaries available Gresham’s School – HM Forces’ bursaries available on top of the CEA. Contact registrar@greshams.com for further details.

Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls – Service bursaries are available for the daughters of serving members of HM Armed Forces eligible for the CEA, thus guaranteeing no more than the minimum of 10% of fees is payable by the parents.

Haileybury – specially founded scholarships and bursaries awarded as they fall vacant Hampshire Collegiate School – discounts are offered from the boarding fees of children of Forces personnel

Farringtons School – 25% discounts

Handcross Park School – Generous awards are available for the sons and daughters of Armed Forces and Diplomatic Service families.

Felsted School – special bursaries for children of those in the Armed Services

Hanford School – offers generous financial bursaries for Armed Forces Families

Fettes College – one scholarship is available annually for sons and daughters of regular officers in HM Forces; bursaries are available that automatically provide a 12.5% reduction in the fees

Hazlegrove School – support is available to parents who are serving members of the Armed Forces

Finborough School, Suffolk – bursaries are available for families of military personnel Foremarke Hall, Repton Prep School – Means tested bursaries are available to Forces families Framlingham College – special bursaries available for the sons and daughters of HM Forces Frewen College – generous Services’ bursaries Giggleswick School – Forces bursaries are available for all children of HM Forces entering either the Junior or the Senior School – 10% in the Junior School and 20% in the Senior School Glenalmond College – bursaries available for the children of serving Armed Forces’ families Godolphin School – HM Forces’ discounts available

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Heathfield St Mary’s School – Forces bursaries available Hethersett Old Hall School – bursaries available to daughters of HM Forces personnel who satisfy the requirements of the entrance exam Horris Hill School – 10% fee discount for HM Forces children in receipt of CEA; bursaries also available Howell’s School – exclusive for Service families – fees fixed at CEA plus 10% and £500 per term contribution towards extras and enrichment lessons (riding, drama, music, etc.)

Hurstpierpoint College – a limited number of external bursaries available for the children of serving members of the Armed Forces Kent College Canterbury – an awards system for the children of HM Forces whereby the parents pay a set fee, normally 10% of the inclusive fee

Kingham Hill School – generous Armed Forces bursaries for sons and daughters of UK Service personnel King’s Bruton – a 20% Forces allowance is available to parents who are serving members of the Armed Forces King's School Canterbury – bursaries are available for the children of Service families King’s School Ely – a 10% discount for children in receipt of the CEA King’s School Rochester – Armed Services’ personnel are allowed a 20% reduction in tuition fees for the first two years, 10% for the next two years King’s School Taunton (and King’s Hall) – reduced fees for Service families Kingsley School, Bideford – awards a bursary to families who are eligible for Continuation of Education Allowance such that the parents pay 10% of the full fees Kingswood School – HM Forces families receive a reduction in boarding fees of 20% for each child King William’s College, Isle of Man – a generous reduction is allowed for service members of the Armed Forces Kirkham Grammar School – HM Forces discounts and bursaries available.

Knighton House School – MoD discounts Lavant House – New 11+, 13+ & Sixth Form scholarships available for Service families in addition to generous military & sibling discounts Leweston Preparatory School – offers further discounts on boarding fees for daughters of serving military personnel Licensed Victuallers’ School – up to 20% discount on fees to HM Forces’ personnel Lime House School – Armed Forces’ bursaries are available

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Paying the fees Schools offering special awards for children of personnel serving in the Armed Forces Llandovery College – Armed Forces’ bursaries available; Services families pay no more than 10% of fees Lockers Park School – bursaries available to boys in Years 3–6 Longridge Towers School, Northumberland – offers bursaries to members of HM Forces who are in receipt of the CEA (boarding), so that parents pay only 10% of the gross fees, the minimum required by the CEA scheme Loretto School – a number of bursaries are available to sons and daughters of Armed Forces personnel Loughborough Grammar School – a 25% boarding fee remission to sons of HM Forces Lucton School – bursaries available for Service children Malsis School – Service bursaries offered Malvern College – Service discounts Malvern St James – discounts available for Armed Forces

Mount St Mary’s College – bursaries are available for children from Service families Moyles Court School – special Forces’ discounts New Eccles Hall School – offers very generous financial awards for Armed Services families New Hall School – HM Forces discounts Norman Court Preparatory School – discounts available on boarding fees for serving members of HM Forces Old Buckenham Hall School – 10% discount for children of Service personnel Orwell Park School – Armed Forces’ bursaries available

Packwood Haugh School, Shropshire – boarding fees discounted by 50% on the difference between the termly rate and the CEA Perrott Hill – generous bursaries for the Armed Forces

Marlborough College – closed awards for children of officers in HM Forces

Pipers Corner School – bursaries available for the daughters of Service personnel

Merchiston Castle School – 10% remission is given to sons of serving members of HM Forces

Pocklington School – discounts available for the children of Service personnel

Millfield – members of the Armed Forces are entitled to a military discount and may apply for additional bursaries where appropriate

Polam Hall – 10% Forces’ discount

Moffats School – fees tailored for the advantage of Service families Moira House Girls School, Eastbourne – Members of HM Forces who are eligible for the CEA pay a contribution of 10% of the full fee Monmouth School – Service bursaries are available for the sons of serving members of HM Armed Forces eligible for the CEA, thus guaranteeing no more than the minimum of 10% of fees is payable by the parents.

Moorland School – generous Forces’ bursaries Mount Kelly – HM Forces families who are eligible for the CEA will also receive a discount on boarding fees at Mount Kelly

Queen Mary’s School, Thirsk – special bursaries for children of those in the Armed Forces Ratcliffe College – members of HM Forces receive a 10% discount in the published fees Rendcomb College – scholarships are available for Forces personnel Repton School – Means tested bursaries are available to Forces families.

Riddlesworth Hall Preparatory School – bursaries for daughters of Servicemen Rishworth School – Service discounts available

Oswestry School – generous awards are available for children of Services personnel (when the child is in full-time education)

Maidwell Hall – 30% services bursary available

Mill Hill School – HM Forces discounts and bursaries available.

Queen Ethelburga’s College – 20% remission on boarding fees only available for the children of serving members of the Armed Forces

Port Regis School – has a wealth of experience in dealing with HM Services Families (approx 15% of pupils), offers special discounts to children of HM Services families Princess Helena College – bursaries available for daughters of Armed Forces' personnel Prior Park College – HM Forces bursaries are available of up to 20% of fees Prior’s Field School – the fees for pupils who have a parent serving in the Armed Forces are 10% of the total boarding fee plus the boarding schools allowance Queen Anne’s, Caversham – HM Forces personnel in receipt of CEA pay only 10% of boarding fee

Rossall School – Service bursaries are awarded for the children of members of HM Armed Forces and may be up to 30% of the basic fee Royal Masonic School for Girls – discounts available for Forces’ families Royal School Bath – 10% discount for boarders Rydal Penrhos School – bursaries for sons and daughters of serving members of the Armed Forces Ryde School – Forces’ bursaries SABIS International School UK – Generous bursaries and sibling discount available for Forces families S. Anselm’s Preparatory School – Discounts are available for Forces Families St Andrews Eastbourne – 20% off boarding for Service children St Bees School – 20% discount for boarders from service families. All weekend activities included in boarding fees St David’s College Wales – Services’ discounts, scholarships and bursaries are available St Edmund’s College Ware – reductions offered to sons and daughters of serving members of the Armed Forces St Edmund’s School Canterbury – bursaries and fee concessions are granted to the children of members of the Armed Forces

Queen's College Taunton – offers generous discounts for Forces families

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 155

Paying the fees Schools offering special awards for children of personnel serving in the Armed Forces St Edwards’s Oxford – a bursary for the children of serving RAF personnel

Stonyhurst School – discounts of 22% available for sons and daughters of serving members of Her Majesty’s Forces

Wellington College, Berkshire – places reserved for the children of deceased officers, who apply to be Foundationers

Talbot Heath School – offers financial awards for Armed Services families

Wellington School, Somerset – generous bursaries are awarded to the sons and daughters of serving members of the Armed Forces

St Felix School – allowance for Forces’ families St Francis’ College – discounts are offered to the daughters of Service families in addition to the CEA(Board) allowance St Hugh’s School, Woodall Spa – bursaries for the children of Service personnel St John’s-on-the-Hill Chepstow – HM Forces’ bursaries available St Lawrence College, Ramsgate – children of serving members of HM Forces will be considered for bursaries, parents pay the Services’ Boarding Allowance plus 10% of the main boarding and tuition fees St Olave’s School York, Prep School to St Peter’s School – automatic discount for Forces families; means-tested bursaries available up to 100% of tuition fees St Peter’s School, York – automatic discount for HM Forces families. Music awards. Honorary subject scholarships. Means-tested bursaries available up to 100% of tuition fees

Taunton School – Forces parents pay no more than 10% of fees in Prep and 15% of fees in Senior.

Taverham Hall Preparatory School – discounts are available for the sons and daughters of HM Forces Terrington Hall School – automatic 10% discount for Armed Services personnel. Further means tested bursaries available.

Tettenhall College – reduction in fees for the children of members of HM Forces The Elms School, Worcester – bursaries are available for sons and daughters of Armed Services personnel The Leys School – special consideration is given to the sons and daughters of members of HM Forces The Oratory School – Armed Forces bursaries available

Wellow House School – discounted fees for children of HM Forces personnel.

West Hill Park School – bursaries are available for sons and daughters of Armed Services personnel Westonbirt School – offers a very generous discount to the families of UK Armed Services personnel and members of the UK Diplomatic Services Windermere St Anne’s School – discounted to full boarding schools’ allowance Windlesham House School – Armed Forces’ bursaries are available.

Woldingham School – offers special discounts for daughters of serving members of HM Forces Woodhouse Grove School – special assistance to boarders who are sons and daughters of serving members of HM Forces

The Royal Hospital School – discounts are are available for children from Armed Services’ families

Worksop College – special bursaries for children of those in the Armed Forces.

Shebbear College – discounts available for the children of HM Forces personnel

The Royal Masonic School for Girls – discounts for full time serving members of HM Forces

Wrekin College – special bursaries are available for sons and daughters of serving members of the Armed Forces

Sherborne Prep School – offers generous financial awards for Armed Services families.

The Royal School Hampstead – bursaries available for children of Armed Forces’ personnel

Wychwood School – generous discounts for daughters of HM Forces, plus additional bursaries where appropriate.

Sherborne School – a Raban Exhibition of 10% of fees for the sons of serving or ex-service officers; a Nutting Exhibition of 10% of fees for the sons of RN Officers; exhibitions for the sons of serving or ex-Service Officers

The Royal School Haslemere – HM Forces bursaries are available for Service families (5–15%, depending on circumstance)

Seaford College – bursaries are available to pupils whose parents are in the Armed Forces Sedbergh School – generous Forces’ bursaries

Slindon College, West Sussex – some bursaries/discounts available for Armed Forces’ families Stamford Endowed Schools – discounts for Service families Stonar School – HM Forces’ bursaries available on top of the CEA, for boarding places, at 10% and 20% per annum for the Senior and Prep School respectively

156

Wycliffe College – School fees fixed at CEA + 10% of the school fees ■

Tonbridge School – bursaries are available for the children of Service families on top of the CEA(Board) allowance Trent College – discounts are available for children from Armed Services' families Warminster School – generous Forces’ discounts Wellesley House School – automatic 15% Forces’ discount

All the information listed is contained in either the Independent Schools Yearbook, this Guide or the MoD Directory.

If there are any omissions or amendments please contact David Lidbury at Bulldog Publishing on 01763 268120, or email david@serviceschools.co.uk

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Appendix Useful contacts

Useful contacts This section provides contact details for a selection of organisations that will be able to provide you with further information about boarding schools and studying in the UK. The information below is based on information on each organisation’s website.

GENERAL INFORMATION Naval Families Federation (NFF) Castaway House 311 Twyford Avenue Portsmouth Hampshire PO2 8RN Tel: +44 (0)23 9265 4374 Email: admin@nff.org.uk Web: www.nff.org.uk

ISCis Ireland 5 Sandycove Avenue East Sandycove County Dublin Republic of Ireland Tel: 00 353 1280 95454 Email: palmercarter@eircom.net Regional Director: Palmer Carter

Army Families Federation (AFF) IDL 414, Floor 2, Zone 3 Ramillies Building Marlborough Lines Monxton Road Andover SP11 8HJ Tel: +44 (0)1264 382327 (Mil: 94391 2327) Email: us@aff.org.uk Web: www.aff.org.uk

Welsh Independent Schools Council (WISC) 2 Glenview Rise Newbridge Gwent NP11 4HZ Tel: +44 (0)779 189 1593 Email: info@welshisc.co.uk Web: www.welshisc.co.uk General Secretary: Emma Verrier

RAF Families Federation 13–15 St Georges Road Wittering Peterborough PE8 6DL Tel: +44 (0)1780 781650 Web: www.raf-ff.org.uk Independent Schools Council information and advice service (ISCias) First floor 27 Queen Anne’s Gate London SW1H 9BU Tel: +44 (0)20 7766 7070 Email: information@isc.co.uk Web: www.isc.co.uk ISC offers free and impartial advice about the sector Independent Schools Show Held every autumn in Battersea Park, London 2015 dates: November 14 and 15 The Education Theatre at ISS London Battersea Evolution Chelsea Bridge Entrance Battersea Park London SW11 4NJ Tickets: +44 (0)203 301 0299 Email: info@schoolsshow.co.uk Web: www.schoolsshow.com Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) The BSA is the UK association promoting and serving boarding education in both the independent and maintained sectors BSA 4th Floor 134–136 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SA Tel: +44 (0)20 7798 1580 Email: bsa@boarding.org.uk Web: www.boarding.org.uk/ State Boarding Schools’ Association (SBSA) c/o The Boarding Schools' Association 4th Floor 134–136 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SA Tel: +44 (0)20 7798 1580 Email: info@sbsa.org.uk Web: www.sbsa.org.uk

OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS Department for Education (DfE) Sanctuary Buildings 20 Great Smith Street London SW1P 3BT Tel: +44 (0)370 000 2288 Typetalk: 18001 0370 000 2288 Contact form: www.education.gov.uk/help/contactus/dfe Web: www.education.gov.uk

Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS) 61 Dublin Street Edinburgh EH3 6NL Tel: +44 (0)131 556 2316 Email: info@scis.org.uk Web: www.scis.org.uk/ Director: John Edward Independent Schools Careers Organisation (ISCO) The Inspiring Futures Foundation St George’s House Knoll Road Camberley Surrey GU15 3SY Tel: +44 (0)1276 687500 Email: helpline@isco.org.uk Web: www.isco.org.uk Provides information and advice on careers and higher education choices for pupils in ISCO member schools Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) Endeavour House Crow Arch Lane Ringwood BH24 1HP Tel: +44 (0)1425 470555 Email: enquiries@iseb.co.uk Web: www.iseb.co.uk Administers exams for pupils transferring to independent senior schools (at ages 11–13+) Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) CAP House 9–12 Long Lane London EC1A 9HA Tel: +44 (0)20 7600 0100 Email: info@isi.net Web: www.isi.net ISI ensures high standards among ISC member schools by carrying out inspections every six years International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) Peterson House Malthouse Avenue Cardiff Gate Cardiff, Wales CF23 8GL Tel: +44 (0)29 2054 7777 Email: ibca@ibo.org Web: www.ibo.org The IBO administers the International Baccalaureate in schools in over 100 countries around the world

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 157

Appendix Useful contacts Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) Rosehill New Barn Lane Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL52 3LZ Tel: +44 (0)371 468 0468 Email: enquiries@ucas.ac.uk Web: www.ucas.com UCAS receives and processes applications for undergraduate admission to UK universities and university-sector colleges Educational Grants Advice Independent Schools Council c/o Royal National Children's Foundation Sandy Lane Cobham Surrey KT11 2ES Tel: +44 (0)1932 865619 (answered between 9am and 11am weekdays) Web: www.educational-grants.org/ The SpringBoard Bursary Foundation Portland House Bressenden Place London SW1E 5RS Tel: +44 (0)20 7869 8141 Email: admin@springboardbursary.org.uk Web: www.springboardbursaryfoundation.org.uk INFORMATION FOR OVERSEAS PARENTS AND BOARDERS Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students (AEGIS) Yasemin Wigglesworth/Janet Bowman AEGIS The Wheelhouse Bond’s Mill Estate Bristol Road Stonehouse Gloucestershire GL10 3RF Tel: +44 (0)1453 821293 Email: info@aegisuk.net Web: www.aegisuk.net British Council Bridgewater House 58 Whitworth Street Manchester M1 6BB Tel: +44 (0)161 957 7755 Email: general.enquiries@britishcouncil.org Web: www.britishcouncil.org Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) Trenchard Lines Upavon Pewsey Wiltshire SN9 6BE Tel: +44 (0)1980 618244 (Mil: 94344 8244) Email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com Web: www.gov.uk/childrens-education-advisory-service The helpline is staffed 8.30am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday; an answer phone is available at all other times National Academic Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC) Oriel House Oriel Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL50 1XP Tel: +44 (0)871 330 7033 Web: www.naric.org.uk Provides advice on overseas qualifications accepted by UK institutions; queries should be sent in writing

UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) 9–17 St Albans Place London N1 0NX Tel: +44 (0)20 7288 4330 Advice line: +44 (0)20 7788 9214 Textphone: 18001 020 788 9214 Web: www.ukcisa.org.uk UKCISA looks after the needs and interests of international students; offers free information and advice to international students already in the UK, and to prospective international students around the world. Provides advice by telephone only. The advice line is open 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday.

SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES (SEND) INFORMATION British Dyslexia Association (BDA) Unit 8 Bracknell Beeches Old Bracknell Lane Bracknell RG12 7BW Tel: 0333 4054555 Email: helpline@bdadyslexia.org.uk Web: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk Offers information and help to families, professionals and dyslexic individuals.

The helpline is open 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday, closed on Wednesday afternoons.

Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic Pupils (CReSTeD) Old Post House Castle Street Whittington Shropshire SY11 4DF Email: admin@crested.org.uk Web: www.crested.org.uk CReSTeD provides a free list of schools approved for its SpLD (dyslexia) provision. Forces children attending schools listed under categories DSP, SPS and DU may qualify for help with fees from the CEAS Dyslexia Action House 10 High Street Egham Surrey TW20 9EA Tel: 0300 3038357 Email: info@dyslexiaaction.org.uk Web: www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk Carries out assessments of children and adults who may be dyslexic, provides tuition, trains specialist teachers, develops teaching materials and conducts research Disability Rights UK Ground Floor CAN Mezzanine 49–51 East Rd London N1 6AH Tel: +44 (0)20 7250 8181 Email: enquiries@disabilityrightsuk.org Web: www.disabilityrightsuk.org SSAFA Forces Help, CHSS 4 St Dunstan’s Hill London EC3R 8AD Tel: +44 (0)207 403 8783 Direct Line to Special Needs and Disability Advisor: +44 (0)207 463 9234 Web: www.ssafa.org.uk SPECIALIST SCHOOLS INFORMATION Choir Schools’ Association (CSA) CSA Administrator 39 Grange Close Winchester Hampshire SO23 9RS Tel: +44 (0)1962 890530 Email: admin@choirschools.org.uk Web: www.choirschools.org.uk An association of UK boarding and day schools attached to cathedrals, churches and college chapels Music and Dance Scheme Web: www.education.gov.uk The UK government’s Music and Dance Scheme provides funding for exceptionally talented children to study at specialist schools

158

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Appendix Useful contacts RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS INFORMATION Church of England Woodard Schools Head Office High Street Abbots Bromley Rugeley Staffordshire WS15 3BW Tel: +44 (0)1283 840120 Email: jillshorthose@woodard.co.uk Web: www.woodard.co.uk A corporation of 45 Church of England schools in England and Wales

Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) HMC represents the heads of over 240 independent senior schools HMC 12 The Point Rockingham Road Market Harborough Leicestershire LE16 7QU Contact: William Richardson, General Secretary Tel: +44 (0)1858 469 059 Email: info@hmc.org.uk Web: www.hmc.org.uk/

Methodist Independent Schools Trust 25 Marylebone Road London NW1 5JR Tel: +44 (0)20 7935 3723 Email: admin@methodisteducation.co.uk Web: www.methodisteducation.co.uk An umbrella organisation for the 14 independent Methodist schools in the UK

Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) IAPS represents the heads of more than 570 boys’, girls’ and co-educational preparatory schools for children aged from 2 to 13 IAPS 11 Waterloo Place Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 5LA Contact: David Hanson, Chief Executive Tel: +44 (0)1926 887833 Email: iaps@iaps.org.uk Web: www.iaps.uk/

Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference (CISC) John Shinkwin General Secretary Laetare Ashampstead Rd Aldworth Reading RG8 9RY Tel: +44 (0)1635 578817 Email: johnshinkwin@cisc.uk.net Web: www.cisc.uk.net ISC CONSTITUENT MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS The Council provides a single, unified organisation that speaks and acts on behalf of the associations of governing bodies, heads and bursars by which it was constituted (listed below). ISC promotes member schools’ common interests at the political level by making representations to government ministers, politicians of all parties, civil servants and the media. It also has overall responsibility for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which ensures high standards among ISC schools, teacher recruitment campaigns, the ISC teacher induction panel, which enables several hundred newly qualified teachers in ISC schools each year to obtain Qualified Teacher Status, and other matters. The Boarding Schools’ Association is an associate member of ISC. The constituent associations of ISC are listed below.

Association of Governing Bodies of Independent Schools (AGBIS) AGBIS represents the interests of the governing bodies of ISC schools AGBIS The Grange 3 Codicote Road Welwyn Herts AL6 9LY Contact: Stuart Westley, General Secretary Tel: +44 (0)1438 840 730 Email: gensec@agbis.org.uk Web: www.agbis.org.uk/ Council of British International Schools (COBIS) COBIS represents accredited British Schools abroad, anywhere in the world COBIS St Mary’s University College Strawberry Hill Twickenham TW1 4SX Tel: +44 (0)208 240 4142 Email: executive.director@cobis.org.uk Web: www.cobis.org.uk

Independent Schools Association (ISA) ISA members include heads of some 300 preparatory, senior and all-through schools ISA 1 Boys’ British School East Street Saffron Walden Essex CB10 1LS Contact: Neil Roskilly, Chief Executive Tel: +44 (0)1799 523619 Email: isa@isaschools.org.uk Web: www.isaschools.org.uk/ Independent Schools’ Bursars Association (ISBA) ISBA represents the bursars of over 800 senior and junior schools ISBA Bluett House Unit 11–12 Manor Farm Basingstoke RG25 2JB Contact: Mike Lower, General Secretary Tel: +44 (0)1256 330369 Email: office@theisba.org.uk Web: www.theisba.org.uk The Society of Heads The Society of Heads represents the heads of independent schools of all sizes, many of which have a long tradition of boarding 12 The Point Rockingham Road Market Harborough Leicestershire LE16 7QU Contact: Dr Peter Bodkin, General Secretary Tel: +44 (0)1858 433760 Email: gensec@thesocietyofheads.org.uk Web: www.thesocietyofheads.org.uk

Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) GSA is the main association to which heads of girls’ senior independent schools belong GSA Suite 105 108 New Walk Leicester LE1 7EA Contact: Sheila Cooper, Executive Director Tel: +44 (0)116 2541619 Email: office@gsa.uk.com Web: www.gsa.uk.com/

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 159

Appendix Boarding schools in this issue, by county

Boarding schools in this issue, by county Name of school

Address

Telephone Type

Website

Page

BATH & NORTH-EAST SOMERSET Kingswood Prep School

Lansdown, Bath. BA1 5RG

01225 734210

Bo, D, M, 3-11

www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk

Monkton Senior & Prep School

Monkton Combe, Bath, Somerset BA2 7HG

01225 721133

Bo(7-18), D, M, 2-18

www.monktoncombeschool.com

109

De Parys Avenue, Bedford MK40 2TU

01234 362200

Bo, D, B, 7-18

www.bedfordschool.org.uk

Downe House

Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9JJ

01635 200286

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.downehouse.net

Heathfield School

London Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 8BQ

01344 898342

Bo(11-18), D, G(11-18), 11-18

www.heathfieldschool.net

36

Horris Hill School

Newtown, Newbury, Berks RG20 9DJ

01635 40594

Bo, D, B, 7-13

www.horrishill.com

99

LVS Ascot

London Road, Ascot, Berks SL5 8DR

01344 882770

Bo, D, M 4 /2-18

www.lvs.ascot.sch.uk

17

Pangbourne College

Pangbourne Reading RG8 8LA

0118 984 2101

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.pangbourne.com

15

73

BEDFORDSHIRE Bedford School

115

BERKSHIRE 1

BRISTOL Badminton School

Badminton School, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol. BS9 3BA

0117 905 5271

Bo(9-18), D, G, 3-18

www.badmintonschool.co.uk

Clifton College

32 College Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JH

0117 315 7000

Bo, D, M, 2-18

www.cliftoncollege.com

Tockington Manor Prep School

Tockington, Bristol, BS32 4NY

01454 613 229

Bo(7-14), D, M, 2-14

www.tockingtonmanorschool.com

www.stowe.co.uk

121 2

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Stowe School

Stowe, Buckingham MK18 5EH

01280 818000

Bo, D, M, 13-18

Swanbourne House School

Swanbourne, Milton Keynes MK17 0HZ

01296 720264

Bo, D, M, 3-13

www.swanbourne.org

111

Wycombe Abbey

Abbey Way, High Wycombe, Bucks. HP11 1PE

01494 897008

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.wycombeabbey.com

119

Trumpington Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB2 7AD

01223 508904

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.theleys.net

Llandudno, Conwy. LL30 1RD

01492 875974

Bo, D, M, 9-19

www.stdavidscollege.co.uk

Newgate, Barnard Castle

01833 690 222

Bo(7-18), D(4-18), M(4-18), 4-18 www.barnardcastleschool.org.uk

Stanedge Road, Bakewell, Derbyshire. DE45 1DP

01629 812734

Bo(8-13), D, M, 2-13

CAMBRIDGESHIRE The Leys School

CONWY St David's College

85

COUNTY DURHAM Barnard Castle School

12

DERBYSHIRE S. Anselm's Preparatory School

www.sanselms.co.uk

DEVON Blundell's School

Blundell's Road, Tiverton EX16 4DN

01884 252543

Bo(9-18), D(2½ -18 ), M(2½ -18) www.blundells.org

Plymouth College

Ford Park, Plymouth

01752 203300

Bo, D, M, 11-18

Shebbear College

Shebbear, Beaworthy, Devon EX21 5HJ

01409 282001

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.shebbearcollege.co.uk

Stover School

Stover, Newton Abbot, Devon. TQ12 6QG

01626 354505

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.stover.co.uk

West Buckland School

West Buckland, Barnstaple EX32 0SX

01598 760281

Bo(11-18), D, M, 3-18

www.westbuckland.com

72

www.plymouthcollege.com

DORSET Clayesmore School

Iwerne Minster, Blandford Forum, Dorset. DT11 8LL

01747 812122

Bo, D, M, 2½-18

www.clayesmore.com

Hanford School

Childe Okeford Blandford Forum DT11 8HN

01258 860219

Bo, D, G, 7-13

www.hanfordschool.com

125

79

Knighton House School

Durweston, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 0PY

01258 452065

Bo(7-13), D(3-13), B(3-7),

www.knightonhouse.co.uk

51

G(3-13), M(3-7), 3-13 Leweston School

Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6EN

01963 211010

Bo, D, G 3 months-18 yrs,

www.leweston.co.uk

125

www.st-marys-shaftesbury.co.uk

119

M (3 months-8) St Mary's Shaftesbury

Donhead St Mary, Shaftesbury, SP7 9LP

01747 857111

Bo, D, G, 11-18

Thornlow Preparatory School

Connaught Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 0SA

01305 785703

Bo(10-13), D(3-13), M(3-13), 3-13 www.thornlow.co.uk

FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT

www.serviceschools.co.uk

KEY Bo = Boarding school B = Boys only D = Day school G = Girls only M = Mixed

160

Parents MUST contact CEAS before entering into any contractual agreements with schools.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Appendix Boarding schools in this issue, by county

Name of school

Address

Telephone Type

Website

Page

EAST SUSSEX Frewen College

Rye Road, Northiam, East Sussex TN31 6NL

01797 252494

Bo, D, M, 7-18

www.frewencollege.co.uk

143

Mayfield School

The Old Palace, Mayfield TN20 6PH

01435 874600

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.mayfieldgirls.org

115

www.bredonschool.org

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Bredon School

Pull Court, Bushley, Nr Tewkesbury GL20 6AH

01684 293156

Bo(7-18), D, M, 3-18

Cheltenham College

Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7LD

01242 265600

Bo, D, M, 13-18

www.cheltenhamcollege.org

81

Bo, D, M, 3-13

www.cheltenhamcollege.org

81

Cheltenham College Preparatory School Thirlestaine Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7AB 01242 522697 Dean Close Preparatory School

Lansdown Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 6QS

01242 258001

Bo, D, M, 3-13

www.deanclose.org.uk

101

Dean Close School

Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 6HE

01242 258044

Bo, D, M, 13-18

www.deanclose.org.uk

101

Rendcomb College Cirencester

Rendcomb, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 7HA

01285 831213

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.rendcombcollege.org.uk

22

Wycliffe College

Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10 2JQ

01453 822432

Bo, D, M, 2-18

www.wycliffe.co.uk

77

HAMPSHIRE 3

Boundary Oak Prep School

Roche Court, Wickham Road, Fareham, Hampshire PO17 5BL 01329 280955

Bo, D, M, 2 /4-13 yrs

Farleigh School

Red Rice, Andover, Hampshire SP11 7PW

01264 710766

Bo(7-13), D(3-13), M(3-13), 3-13 www.farleighschool.com

www.boundaryoakschool.co.uk

Forres Sandle Manor

Sandleheath. Fordingbridge. SP6 1NS

01425 653181

Bo(7-13), D(2-13), M(2-13), 2-13 www.fsmschool.com

109

Highfield & Brookham Schools

Highfield Lane, Liphook, Hampshire GU30 7LQ

01428 728000

Bo(8-13), D, M, 3-13

www.highfieldschool.org.uk

111

Moyles Court School

Moyles Court, Ringwood, Hampshire. BH24 3NF

01425 472856

Bo, D, M, 3-16

www.moylescourt.co.uk

75

St John's College

Grove Road South, Southsea, Hampshire PO5 3QW

02392 815118

Bo, D, M, 2-18

www.stjohnscollege.co.uk

77

Walhampton Preparatory School

Walhampton School, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 5ZG

01590 613303

Bo(7-13), D(2-13), M(2-13), 2-13 www.walhampton.com

West Hill Park

St Margarets Lane, Titchfield, Hampshire. PO14 4BS

01329 842356

Bo(7-13), D, M, 2-13

www.westhillpark.com

01568 782000

Bo, D, M, 5-18

www.luctonschool.org

Bo(7-18), D(4-18), M(4-18), 4-18 www.bishopsstortfordcollege.org

95

98

HEREFORDSHIRE Lucton School

Lucton, Herefordshire HR6 9PN

11

HERTFORDSHIRE Bishop's Stortford College

Maze Green Road, Bishop's Stortford CM23 2PJ

01279 838575

Haileybury

Hailey Lane, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 7NU

01992 706353

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.haileybury.com

Princess Helena College

Preston, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 7RT

01462 432100

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.princesshelenacollege.co.uk

119

Queenswood

Shepherd's Way, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 6NS

01707 602500

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.queenswood.org

125

St George's School

Sun Lane, Harpenden, Hertfordshire. AL5 4TD

01582 716277

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk

St Margaret's School

Merry Hill Road, Bushey

020 8416 4400

Bo(14-18), D(4-18), G(4-18), 4-18 www.stmargaretsbushey.co.uk

The Royal Masonic School For Girls

Rickmansworth Park, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 4HF

01923 725354

Bo(7-18) D(2-18) G(2-18) Boys (2-4)

www.royalmasonic.herts.sch.uk

01442 824255

Bo, D, M, 8-19

www.tringpark.com

Queen's Road, Ryde. PO33 3BE

01983 562229

Bo(7-18), D, M, 3-18

www.rydeschool.org.uk

Duke of York’s Royal Military School

Dover, Kent CT15 5EQ

01304 245023

Bo, M, 11-18

www.doyrms.com

Kent College Canterbury

Whitstable Road, Canterbury, Kent CT2 9DT

01227 763231

Bo(7-18), D, M, 3-18

www.kentcollege.com

St Edmund's School Canterbury

St Thomas Hill, Canterbury, Kent CT2 8HU

01227 475601

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.stedmunds.org.uk

39

St Lawrence College

College Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 7AE

01843 572931

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.slcuk.com

75

Wellesley House

Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 2DG

01843 862991

Bo, D, M, 7-13

www.wellesleyhouse.org

www.kirkhamgrammar.co.uk

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts Tring Park, Tring, Hertfordshire. HP23 5LX

74

117 133

ISLE OF WIGHT Ryde School

87

KENT 5

111

LANCASHIRE Kirkham Grammar School

Ribby Road, Kirkham, Lancashire PR4 2BH

01772 684264

Bo, D, M, 3-18

Lancaster Royal Grammar School

East Road, Lancaster, Lancashire. LA1 3EF

01524 580542

Bo, D, B, 11-18

www.lrgs.org.uk

61

Rossall School

Broadway, Fleetwood FY7 8JW

01253 774201

Bo (7-18), D (2-18), M (2-18)

www.rossallschool.org.uk

73

FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT

www.serviceschools.co.uk

KEY Bo = Boarding school B = Boys only D = Day school G = Girls only M = Mixed

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 161

Appendix Boarding schools in this issue, by county

Name of school

Address

Telephone Type

Website

Page

LEICESTERSHIRE Welbeck - The Defence Sixth Form College Forest Road, Woodhouse, Loughborough LE12 8WD.

01509 891700

Bo, M, 16-18

www.dsfc.ac.uk

59

LINCOLNSHIRE St Hugh's School

Cromwell Avenue, Woodhall Spa, LN10 6TQ

01526 352 169

Bo(7-13), D, M, 2-13

www.st-hughs.lincs.sch.uk

The Priory Academy LSST

Cross O'Cliff Hill, Lincoln LN5 8PW

01522 889977

Bo(16-18), M, 11-18

www.prioryacademies.co.uk/lsst

www.habs-monmouth.org

69

MONMOUTHSHIRE Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls

Monmouth, Monmouthshire NP25 5XT

01600 711104

Bo, D, G, 7-18

Monmouth School

Monmouth, Monmouthshire NP25 3XP

01600 710433

Bo, D, B, 7-18

www.habs-monmouth.org

St. John’s-on-the-Hill School

Castleford Hill, Tutshill, Chepstow, Monmouthshire NP16 7LE 01291 622045

Bo, D, M, 3 months -13 + yrs

www.stjohnsonthehill.co.uk

Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9SZ

01953 609000

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.wymondhamcollege.org

01604 686 234

Bo(8-13), D, M, 7-13

www.maidwellhall.co.uk

01909 537155

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.wsnl.co.uk

www.bloxhamschool.com

NORFOLK Wymondham College

63

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Maidwell Hall

Maidwell, Northamptonshire. NN6 9JG

108

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Worksop College

Worksop. S80 3AP

13

OXFORDSHIRE Bloxham School

Bloxham, Near Banbury, Oxfordshire. OX15 4PE

01295 724301

Bo, D, M, 11-18

Dragon School

Bardwell Road, Oxford. OX2 6SS

01865 315405

Bo(8-13), D, M, 4-13

www.dragonschool.org

Kingham Hill School

Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 6TH

01608 658999

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.kinghamhill.org.uk

Rye St Antony School

Pullens Lane, Oxford OX3 0BY

01865 762802

Bo(9-18), D(3-18), B(3-11), G(3-18) www.ryestantony.co.uk

Uppingham Rutland LE15 9QE

01572 820611

Bo, M, 13-18

www.uppingham.co.uk

105 91 126

RUTLAND Uppingham School

SCOTLAND Kilgraston School

Bridge of Earn, Perthshire. PH2 9BQ

01738 812257

Bo(8-18), D, G, 3-18

www.kilgraston.com

Queen Victoria School

Dunblane, Perthshire FK15 0JY

0131 310 2927

Bo, M, 10½ /11-18

www.qvs.org.uk

121 53

Strathallan School

Forgandenny Perth Perthshire PH2 9EG

01738 812546

Bo, D, M, 9-18

www.strathallan.co.uk

21

SHROPSHIRE Adams' Grammar School

High Street, Newport, Shropshire. TF10 7BD

01952 386300

Bo, D ,B,11-18 (G 6th Frm&day only)

www.adamsgs.org.uk

Packwood Haugh School

Ruyton XI Towns, Shrewsbury

01939 260217

Bo(7-13), D, M, 4-13

www.packwood-haugh.co.uk

105

63

Bruton School For Girls

Sunny Hill, Bruton, Somerset. BA10 0NT

01749 814400

Bo, D, B(3-7), G, 3-18

www.brutonschool.co.uk

125

Chilton Cantelo School

Chilton Cantelo, Yeovil, Somerset. BA22 8BG

01935 850555

Bo(8-18), D, M, 3-18

www.chiltoncanteloschool.co.uk

SOMERSET 1

Hazlegrove Preparatory School

Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7JA

01963 440314

Bo, D, M, 2 /2 -13

www.hazlegrove.co.uk

King’s College Taunton

South Road, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3LA

01823 328204

Bo, D, M, 13-18

www.kings-taunton.co.uk

King’s Hall School

Kingston Road, Taunton, Somerset TA2 8AA

01823 285921

Bo, D, M, 2-13

www.kingshalltaunton.co.uk

Sexey's School

Cole Road, Bruton, Somerset. BA10 0DF

01749-813393

Bo(11-18), D(11-18), 11-18

www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk

Taunton School

Staplegrove Road, Taunton, Somerset TA2 6AD

01823 703703

Bo(7-18), D(0-18), M(0-18), 0-18 www.tauntonschool.co.uk

83

Wellington School

Wellington, Somerset TA21 8NT

01823 668800

Bo, D, M, 10-18

42

FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT

101 75 105

www.wellington-school.org.uk

www.serviceschools.co.uk

KEY Bo = Boarding school B = Boys only D = Day school G = Girls only M = Mixed

162

Parents applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) MUST contact CEAS to obtain a uniquely numbered CEA Eligibility Certificate (CEA EC) application form.

CEAS Tel: 01980 618244 email: enquiries@ceas.uk.com

Appendix Boarding schools in this issue, by county

Name of school

Address

Telephone Type

Website

Page

STAFFORDSHIRE Abbotsholme School

Rocester, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 5BS

01889 590217

Bo, D, M, 2-18

www.abbotsholme.co.uk

Denstone College

Denstone, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. ST14 5HN

01889 590484

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.denstonecollege.org

75

SUFFOLK Old Buckenham Hall School

Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP7 7PH

01449 740252

Bo, D, M, 3-13

www.obh.co.uk

Orwell Park School

Nacton, Ipswich, Suffolk IP10 0ER

01473 659225

Bo, D, M, 3-13

www.orwellpark.co.uk

105

The Royal Hospital School

Holbrook, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2RX

01473 326210

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.royalhospitalschool.org

164

Gordon’s School

West End, Woking, Surrey GU24 9PT

01276 858084

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.gordons.surrey.sch.uk

61

Royal Alexandra and Albert School

Gatton Park, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0TD

01737 649000

Bo, D, M, 7-18

www.raa-school.co.uk

65

99

SURREY WEST MIDLANDS Old Swinford Hospital

Heath Lane, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 1QX

01384 817325

Bo, B(11-18), D(11-18), Girls Day (16-18) www.oshsch.com

63

The Royal School Wolverhampton

Penn Road, Wolverhampton. WV3 0EG

01902 341230

Bo(10-18), D, M, 0-18

87

Cottesmore School

Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, RH11 9AU

01293 520648

Bo(7-13), M, 4-13

www.cottesmoreschool.com

99

Lavant House School

West Lavant, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 9AB

01243 527211

Bo, D, G, 4-18

www.lavanthouse.org.uk

37

Slindon College

Top Road, Slindon, Arundel, West Sussex. BN18 0RH

01243 814320

Bo, D, B, 10-18

www.slindoncollege.co.uk

141

The Prebendal School

52-55 West Street, Chichester PO19 1RP

01243 520970

Bo(7-13), D, M, 3-13

www.prebendalschool.org.uk

102

109

www.theroyalschool.co.uk

WEST SUSSEX

WILTSHIRE Chafyn Grove School

Bourne Avenue, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 1LR

01722 333423

Bo (7-13), D, M, 3-13

www.chafyngrove.co.uk

Dauntsey's School

West Lavington Devizes SN10 4HE

01380 814500

Bo,D,M, 11-18

www.dauntseys.org

33

Godolphin School

Milford Hill, Salisbury, Wiltshire. SP1 2RA

01722 430500

Bo(8-18), D, G, 3-18

www.godolphin.org

77

Leaden Hall School

70, The Close Salisbury SP1 2EP

01722 334700

Bo(7-11), D, G, 2-11

www.leaden-hall.com

109

St Mary’s Calne

Curzon Street, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 0DF

01249 857200

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.stmaryscalne.org

119

The Wellington Academy

Tidworth, Wiltshire SP11 9RR

01264 405060

Bo, D, M, 11-18

www.thewellingtonacademy.org.uk

71

Warminster School

Church Street, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 8PG

01935 210100

Bo, D, M, 3-18

www.warminsterschool.org.uk

73

WORCESTERSHIRE Bredon School

Pull Court, Bushley, Nr Tewkesbury GL20 6AH

01684 293156

Bo(7-18), D(3-18), M(3-18), 3-18 www.bredonschool.org

Bromsgrove School

Worcester Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B61 7DU

01527 579679

Bo, D, M, 7-18

www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk

Malvern College

College Road, Malvern, Worcestershire. WR14 3DF

01684 581515

Bo, D, M, 13-18

www.malverncollege.org.uk

Malvern St James Girls’ School

15 Avenue Road, Great Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 3BA 01684 584624

Bo, D, G, 4-18

www.malvernstjames.co.uk

The Downs Malvern

Brockhill Road, Colwall. WR13 6EY

Bo, D, M, 3-13

www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk

01684 544100

43 121

YORKSHIRE Ashville College

Green Lane, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. HG2 9JP

01423 566358

Bo(7-18), D, M, 4-18

www.ashville.co.uk

Aysgarth School

Newton-le-Willows, Bedale, DL8 1TF

01677 450240

Bo(8-13), D, B, G(3-8), 3-13

www.aysgarthschool.com

Barnard Castle School

Newgate, Barnard Castle

01833 690 222

Bo(7-18), D(4-18), M(4-18), 4-18 www.barnardcastleschool.org.uk

12

Fulneck School

Fulneck, Pudsey, Leeds. LS28 8DS

0113 2570235

Bo(9-19), D, M, 3-19

85

www.fulneckschool.co.uk

111

Fyling Hall School

Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire YO22 4QD

01947 880353

Bo(7-18), D(4-18), M(4-18), 4-18 www.fylinghall.org

85

Giggleswick School

Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 0DE

01729 893000

Bo, D, M, 3-18

87

Harrogate Ladies' College

Clarence Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 2QG

01423 504543

Bo(11-18), D(11-18), G(11-18), www.hlc.org.uk

www.giggleswick.org.uk

123

M(2-11), 2-18 Pocklington School Foundation

West Green, Pocklington, York, YO42 2NJ

01759 321200

Bo(8-18), D, M, 4-18

www.pocklingtonschool.com

Queen Ethelburga’s College

Thorpe Underwood Hall, York YO26 9SS

01423 33 33 30

Bo, D, M, 3-19

www.qe.org

Queen Margaret's

Escrick Park, York

01904 727600

Bo, D, G, 11-18

www.queenmargarets.com

Queen Mary's School

Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, Thirsk. YO7 3BZ

01845 575000

Bo(8-16), B(2-8), G, 2-16

www.queenmarys.org

FOR FURTHER DETAILS VISIT

87 9

www.serviceschools.co.uk

KEY Bo = Boarding school B = Boys only D = Day school G = Girls only M = Mixed

September 2015 Service Parents’ Guide to Boarding Schools 163

S A E R LA L A 15 â&#x20AC;&#x2122; IN 0 2 T e t N E ra o L t L c e E p XC Ins E s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; l o o D h RATE endent Sc Indep

Inspire, I nspire, ire Chall h llenge Challenge & Le ead d Lead The Royal Hospital School is a leading co-educational independent school for 11 to 18 year olds, located in 200 acres of Suffolk countryside. It has a thriving Combined Cadet Force, 65% of pupils board full time and more than 200 pupils have a connection to the armed services.

Fees are discounted for services families eligible for CEA and all RN and RM personnel, both retired and serving, can apply for means-tested assistance with fees.

F For or mor moree information contact K Kate ate E Evers, vers, R Registrar egistrar on 01473 326136 or admissions@r admissions@royalhospitalschool.org oyalhospitalschool.org or visit www www.royalhospitalschool.org .royalhospitalschool.org