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Walhampton Absolutely full page ad (no box).pdf
D E B AT E
FOR TUTORING
16/08/2013
13:23
A B S O L U T E LY E D U C AT I O N
INTERVIEW WITH
Titus Mills
AGAINST TUTORING
Charles Bonas
Dr Joseph Spence
MANAGING DIRECTOR, BONAS MACFARLANE
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MASTER OF DULWICH COLLEGE
HEADMASTER 0F WALHAMPTON SCHOOL
PARENTS WILL NOT STOP HIRING TUTORS SO SCHOOLS SHOULD WORK WITH US academic selection criteria. Their faddish psychometric testing is particularly concerning. Just as the tests favour children who can process quickly, they discriminate against the slower thinkers, who are often thinking slowly because their thoughts are deep and creative. Hiring a tutor to improve these nonverbal and verbal reasoning techniques is deeply depressing. But the urge of parents to seek competitive advantages for their children is a deep seated evolutionary spirit. Parents
will not stop hiring tutors, so schools should work with us not against us. But the schools response is that tutoring is unwelcome because they provide all the instruction necessary; if we cannot improve a child's attainment level, a tutor cannot. This mantra is obsolete. Parents now want tailormade education for their children because they understand the value of supplementing school with individualised, accessible learning in the home. This is actually a positive return to basics, not a revolution in learning. Until the nineteenth century, tutors worked in partnership with schools. Wealthy families tutored girls at home and sent their sons up to public school with a tutor, because going ‘up to school’ was about socialisng more than learning. Schools should hire their own tutors to work in the schools with class teachers. This would be afforded by replacing some class teaching with one to one or small group seminars. Highly selective independent schools should stop blaming well meaning tutoring companies for their flawed admissions policies. Instead they should examine the undue pressure they place on children and respect our contributions to many thousands of children.
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t is too little realised how easily tutoring can undermine the work of good schools if it is not properly focused and undertaken in conjunction with what a school, as well as a parent, sees as in the best interests of the pupil. A parent-school contract is based on trust and third parties can damage that trust irrevocably. I have witnessed too many cases where pupils have received contradictory guidance from tutor and teacher, to everyone’s disbenefit. Sometimes a pupil is tempted to play tutor, home and school off against each other; sometimes he simply ends up more confused than he was. Good learning goes on within the social setting a school provides and that this has been the case since Socrates gathered his friends to debate knotty questions. We in schools are all Socrates’ children. It is at school we
learn to socialise and while we socialise we learn. A good education goes on in and beyond the classroom. In the best schools one’s teacher is often so much more than one’s subject guide. The best pupil-teacher relationships are formed when pupil meets teacher out of the classroom: when he finds that his so strict French teacher is a fantastic
TOO MANY PUPILS RECEIVE CONTRADICTORY GUIDANCE FROM TUTOR & TEACHER and relaxed soccer coach; when he finds himself sitting next to his history teacher in the chapel choir. The social world of school can never be replicated by the tutor, however able and subjectsavvy that person may be. Young people need to be encouraged to keep everything in perspective and, however much a pupil might be struggling in the classroom, he must carry on representing the school in games and acting in the school or house play. Good
learning, like a good childhood, needs space, downtime, evenings of rest, free weekends, a time to vegetate, holidays and play. There is a danger that the over-tutored child quickly loses the freedom and space so important to learning. The poet W.B. Yeats said “Education is about lighting fires, not filling buckets”. Schools take that dictum very seriously. Implicit in tutoring is that you can always push for a little bit more, like the athlete on supplements. Good learning is, to quote Yeats again, about “the fascination of what’s difficult”. It is about striving to unravel misunderstandings at your own pace; it is about deep understanding rather than rote learning. The over-tutored child can grow up never to realise that. . Tutoring can work. A short sharp dose of tutoring to deal with a particular problem is a very good thing. One should see good tutoring as the educational equivalent of a dose of Penicillin: if you overuse Penicillin it becomes less effective. There’s a holy trinity in a good educational relationship: pupil, parent and teacher. Three is not too many in a good educational bed, four just might be.
ABSOLUTELY: You have worked in very diverse schools. Was that always the plan? TITUS MILLS: I think one of the reasons I decided to go into teaching was so that I could have, what I considered, interesting and diverse 'adventures'. It has been a real privilege to teach in state, private and international schools in Rome, Bath, Tooting, Uganda, Lambeth and even the Himalayas. This is now my third headship and it is a role I love, but I do still miss the on-going daily contact with the children in the classroom. ABS: Where is Walhampton School? TM: Walhampton enjoys a stunning location. It sits on the South Coast, close to Lymington,
opposite the Isle of Wight, while also nestling in the beauty of the New Forest. The combination of ancient woodland together with the smell of the sea is intoxicating and rather unique. We enjoy 100 acres of grounds, which include two vast lakes, landscaped gardens, ponds, stables and woods. It is a magical spot. ABS: What drew you to Walhampton School? TM: The setting reeled me in on my first visit, together with the strong ethos of the school. Academic standards are extremely impressive here, but alongside the rigour there sits a very distinctive outdoorsy, Swallows and Amazons spirit. I love watching the children ride, climb trees, make honey, sail
Titus Mills and his family, from left to right: Raffi, Titus, Cassius, Malachi, and Jemima
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I love watching the children ride, climb trees, make honey, sail
… it all sounds absurdly idyllic, which it is. In fact there are over 60 extra curricular activities. The combination of this ethos, together with this site and setting enables our pupils to remain children for a little longer. That feels precious today. Walhampton children have time and space to be just that … children. ABS: What are you most proud of achieving in your first year as Head at Walhampton? TM: I think we have done a significant amount of spring cleaning in lots of different areas of school life. Walhampton feels more upbeat, cohesive and buzzy. There is a renewed enthusiasm in the staff room, which is both noticeable and infectious. Academic standards are strong but we don't want to stand still. A new appraisal system and
improved methods of tracking progress are impacting positively on teaching and learning. We have changed the school name, logo, uniform, website and prospectus which all provide a new confidence in terms of who we are and where we are going. Walhampton is blessed with a very strong staff team and I think we all share a real desire to see our school moving forwards into an exciting new season. ABS: In each of your roles as a Head, you have facilitated considerable change. How do you manage change? TM: Getting the balance right between continuity and change, affirmation and chivvying, talking and listening is very much a continuous learning process. In every school the balance needs to be slightly different. What is clear is that you cannot facilitate change or lead a school community if the team is anxious about coming along with you or unclear of the vision. Time spent encouraging and affirming staff, while also clarifying the direction of travel is vital. TM: What do you most love about working in a school? TM: Working with enthusiastic and spirited children, morning chapel, the unending variety, friendship and never-ending school puddings.
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SCHOOL NEWS
A b s o l u t e ly e d u c At i o n
SCHOOLS WIN CHARITY COMMISSION BATTLE
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ndependent schools are breathing a collective sigh of relief after winning a long-running legal battle with the Charity Commission on what schools must do to justify their charitable status. The Charity Commission has now had to issue new clearer guidance; in effect giving schools complete freedom to decide for their themselves how best to justify their charitable status – allowing them to hang on to millions of pounds worth of tax breaks, the lifeblood for many independent schools. The new guidelines make it clear that schools will have complete autonomy to decide for their own school how to carry out public benefit, whether that be by providing bursaries, offering sixth
form workshops, GCSE revision, or sharing their sports facilities. The move draws a line under more than five years of uncertainty for private schools amid claims that previous guidelines governing charitable status risked driving up fees and forcing some schools out of business altogether. It follows a lengthy battle by the Independent Schools Council which resulted in the old guidance being quashed by the country’s highest tribunal court. Matthew Burgess, ISC general secretary, has welcomed the clarification. He said: “They don’t try to be prescriptive in the way that the former guidance was", adding: "It doesn’t get itself into areas that are ideologically charged”.
BEDALES GOES TO BENFICA
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Go for real Girl power
ON THE MOVE
T
he Falcons School for Girls has a new home. From next September, the school will be at a new location in Putney. The independent preparatory school – part of The Alpha Plus Group – which educates girls from the ages of 3 – 11years, will be housed in four Edwardian houses in Woodborough Road, within a leafy Conservation Area. Each of the buildings have
large outdoor spaces and outside sports facilities will be available at the Bank of England Playing Fields in Roehampton. Joan McGillewie, Headteacher at the Falcons School for Girls, said: “After many happy years in Ealing, the decision to move to our new home will allow us to continue to deliver academic excellence in buildings which will also allow us to provide outstanding facilities. www.falconsgirls.co.uk
The President of the Girl’s School Association on how to equip your daughters for the 21st century
pace of change means we need to equip our daughters with firm but flexible foundations so that they can take control of their learning and, ultimately, their lives. I believe that the 21st century is putting a greater emphasis on interdisciplinary, ‘higher order’ skills, such as analysis and synthesis of knowledge, rather than the facts and figures we can access so easily using technology. This is already having an impact on what Ω as well as how Ω we learn. Academic success is important but it’s only one dimension of our children’s development. Examination results are simply the visible and measurable tip of the iceberg. Real educational success is young women with high aspirations, ambitions and dreams and the self esteem to go out into the world and achieve whatever they want.
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By Hilary French
NEW HEAD AT CANFORD
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anford School has a new headmaster. Ben Vessey was senior deputy-head at Christ’s Hospital for the last five years and before that he lead the History, Politics and Law Faculty at Millfield. A keen rugby player, Vessey has coached pupils in various sports at various levels, he also takes a great interest in the arts. On joining the Dorset school, Vessey said: “It is a privilege to lead such a dynamic and committed community as Headmaster of Canford, and I am truly honoured to have the chance to promote and enhance the existing ethos of this fine school.” Prospective parents are invited to meet the new Headmaster at one of the school’s two Open Days this year, on Saturday 5th October 2013 and Saturday 10th May 2014. Private visits to the school are also welcomed. Please contact the Admissions office, admissions@canford.com, to request an appointment. For more info please visit www.canford.com
tudents from Bedales School were inspired by a pre-season football tour to Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal, where they enjoyed the opportunity for coaching and playing with the Benfica Academy and match experience against FC Arrentela. The 32 boys, from different age groups at the school, trained daily
JUMP FOR JOY
Pupils from St Mary’s Calne celebrated great GCSE results this summer; nearly 80% of exams taken were awarded an A*-A grade. From L to R: Mia Millman (from Chippenham, Wiltshire), Imogen Dobie (from Ratford, Wiltshire) and Charlotte Baker (from Farleigh Wick, Wiltshire)
ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE AT KING’S King’s College Wimbledon made the headlines yet again at the Edinburgh Festival with its production A Matter of Life and Death garnering critical acclaim. An adaptation of
Powell and Pressburger’s muchloved film, it was classic Ealing comedy meets physical theatre in a playful production that involved a company of 23 sixth formers.
A PM IN WAITING?
with the academy and enjoyed lectures on football methodology, intelligent play, coaching theories and diet and nutrition. Commenting on the tour, Alan Wright Head of Boys’ Sport at Bedales, said: “The tour was a great success, and I hope the players will be able to put into action in their forthcoming fi xtures some of the Benfica ethos that they have been fortunate to experience first-hand.”
A Malvern College pupil was highly commended by Cambridge University for his essay entitled ‘Can freedom be established through violence’. Hani El-Bay’s submitted his piece for the RA Butler Prize, which aims to encourage students to think about studying politics at university. Hani said he was thrilled with the award and said, “this has furthered my passion for politics”.
e all want the best for our children. But how do you recognise the best when you see it? Society has changed drastically since today’s parents were at school and will no doubt do so again over the next generation. An excellent school will anticipate this, preparing your daughter with the skills for her long term future as well as the immediate challenge of examinations, higher education and initial career steps. As you consider different schools and admire their buildings, sports fields and art departments I urge you to ask yourself exactly what it is that you are looking for. Knowing your daughter and the type of environment that will suit her is important but so is what you would like her education to achieve. What will best prepare her for life and work in the coming decades? This year I have initiated a series of discussions and debates about what an outstanding education for girls in the 21st century should look and feel like. None of us has a crystal ball, which is why it’s so important Ω for parents as well as educationalists Ω to continue this discussion. My thoughts on what every parent should consider are as follows.
The imporTance of sofT skills Girls also need to develop what are known as ‘soft’ or ‘non-cognitive’ skills. These are the non-visible, submerged base of the iceberg and include social and emotional skills, creative and imaginative capabilities, problem solving abilities, self-confidence and a strong sense of self. They include resilience, determination and strength of character or what I like to call ‘grit’. These skills are less easily measurable than examination results and the process by which your daughter acquires them is less structured and ordered, but their importance must never be underestimated. They are the attributes potential employers seek. Flexibility and the ability to adapt to change are increasingly important, given today’s fast pace of change. Schools have an important role in helping young people be responsive to change and the painful challenges it sometimes brings.
What does educational success look like? An education is like the foundations of a building. It underpins everything that follows in later life. The fast
Real educational success is young women with high aspirations and the self esteem to achieve what they want
creaTiviTy for self esTeem The creative arts are important to expressing and enjoying our humanity. I firmly believe that they should be central to the curriculum. When it comes to engaging pupils, there’s no substitute for ‘learning by doing’. Several primary, preparatory and even secondary schools are introducing more creative, practical based curriculums which teach children core subjects through practical activities such as philosophical discussion, gardening, cooking and film-making. In the crucial teenage years, creative subjects such as art, theatre, dance and music help many girls to build confidence in themselves and their abilities. They provide an important channel of self-expression and a welcome respite from some of the drier academic subjects. Indeed, I find that participation in the creative arts and other extra-curricular subjects like debating and sport help improve academic confidence and performance.
Illustration by Phil Couzens
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EDITORIAL
M
any teachers blame tutoring companies for pushing unnecessary tutoring on already pressurised children. Some criticism has become fabulously vitriolic: at a recent debate on tutoring at Thomas’s Preparatory School in Battersea, an Eton housemaster referred to tutoring company owners as 'unethical carpet baggers'. Beaks and dons have always dropped effete scorn from the shelter of their ivory towers onto the tradesmen at the gate. So is this the standard priggish, intellectual superiority, or legitimate concern? Many children are exposed to over tutoring by overly competitive parents. Tutors do vary massively in quality. Nevertheless, the young tutoring companies are generally beneficial. We have given inquisitive children access to thousands of inspiring graduates. Most tutoring is
good; it works, particularly for those children who are understreched at school, underperform or attend underperforming schools. The really ‘bad’ over tutoring is the cramming of children as young as six in school entry test techniques. This is entirely the fault of the oversubscribed schools, with their narrowly competitive
20/09/2013 10:33
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